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Student

February 17, 2026

This spring, student teachers from The University of Scranton are performing their duties at numerous classrooms across public and private schools in the Greater Scranton Area.

In total, 14 undergraduate and seven graduate students will serve and gain valuable experience at primary and secondary schools in the Dunmore, North Pocono, Riverside and Scranton School Districts, as well as at Scranton Preparatory School and with Northeastern Educational Intermediate Unit No. 19 and the Diocese of Scranton.

Below is a list of the undergraduate and graduate students who are serving local schools as student teachers:

Bridget Basile, of Rockville Centre, New York, will teach at Moscow Elementary Center

Alessandra Bellino, of Schwenksville, will teach at Dunmore Junior/Senior High School

Chloe Colozza, of Old Forge, will teach at Riverside Junior/Senior High School

Sean Comiskey, of Dublin, Ireland, will teach at Dunmore Junior/Senior High School

Paige Conflitti, of Moosic, will teach at Isaac Tripp Elementary School

Gretchen Haray, of Haworth, New Jersey, will teach at Moscow Elementary Center

James Kane, of White Plains, New York, will teach at Riverside Junior/Senior High School

Faith Kwasnik, of Fair Lawn, New Jersey, will teach at Charles Sumner Elementary School

Alexis Maese, of Marlton, New Jersey, will teach at Riverside Junior/Senior High School

James McGrath, of Dunmore, will teach at Scranton Preparatory School

Jessica Middleman, of Huntingdon Valley, will teach at John F. Kennedy Elementary School

Alexis Nardella, of South Setauket, New York, will teach at the SOAR Program

Anthony Normile, of Lindenhurst, New York, will teach at Dunmore Junior/Senior High School

Emma O’Hara, of Commack, New York, will teach at Dunmore Learning Center

Timothy Prothero, of Scranton, will teach at Riverside Junior/Senior High School

Julia Santacreu, of Westbury, New York, will teach at Riverside Junior/Senior High School

Molly Schollenberger, of Sayville, New York, will teach at Dunmore Junior/Senior High School

Katherine Smith, of Sparta, New Jersey, will teach at Scranton High School

Ryan Sophabmixay, of Scranton, will teach at West Scranton High School

Somer Walsh, of Scranton, will teach at St. Clare/St. Paul School

Stevie Wilkinson, of Moscow, will teach at Dunmore Junior/Senior High School

University of Scranton Student Teachers Begin Assignments at Local Schools

Twenty-one students, who are pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees in education, are practicing what they’ve learned in the classroom.

Schemel Forum Spring Luncheon Seminars Announced image

General

February 17, 2026

The University of Scranton’s Schemel Forum World Affairs Luncheon Seminars will explore everything from artificial intelligence and ancient wisdom traditions to insights on the federal government and the American Revolution.

A buffet lunch is included for the four seminars, which will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the University’s campus. The Schemel Forum is sponsored by Munley Law and is free for University of Scranton and Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine students, faculty, staff and Schemel Forum members. For non-members, the seminars are $30 in-person; remote access, when available, is $15.

George Aulisio, Ph.D., dean and professor of the Weinberg Memorial Library and director of the Schemel Forum, recently appeared on WVIA's "ArtScene with Erika Funke" to discuss the upcoming events.

Among the presenters is former U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, who joined the University in August as a Leahy Distinguished Fellow in Public Service. Casey, Of Counsel, Dilworth Paxson LLP, will discuss “The Federal Government Today: Institutional Pressures and the Way Forward,” with a luncheon presentation that will be held Thursday, March 26, in the McIlhenny Ballroom of the DeNaples Center.

At a time of heightened public concern about governance, trust and democratic stability, Casey will offer a thoughtful examination of how the federal government operates today. He hopes attendees will gain a better understanding of “what federal institutions are supposed to be about and what they must deliver for citizens.”

“We are at a time in history when we all need to be reminded about how government is supposed to work at every level,” said Casey, who served during four presidencies. “It’s our responsibility as citizens to understand how government works.”

Drawing on 18 years in the U.S. Senate representing Pennsylvania, Casey will explore the role of federal institutions, the norms and constraints that guide them, and the pressures they face in an era of polarization, rapid change and public skepticism.

Casey will discuss how governing systems work in practice — where they remain resilient, where they are under strain, and how accountability and constitutional guardrails function across branches of government. His talk will focus on the judicial branch of the federal government, which is currently under significant strain. This, he says, underscores the importance of becoming informed and engaged in our political systems.

“Our democracy doesn’t function on autopilot. It only functions well if citizens become full, active participants,” said Casey, who also served as State Treasurer and Auditor General of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Casey’s talk concludes by considering a constructive path forward, including the roles of civic engagement, institutional responsibility and, most importantly, informed public participation in sustaining democratic life.

“I think the way forward is engagement by informed citizens,” he said, noting that it’s easy to take things for granted when institutions are functioning as they should.

Casey also reflected on the challenges of information overload in today’s world.

“We hear a lot of information but not enough information that is factual,” he said.

The spring luncheon series begins Friday, Feb. 27, with the talk “Advancing Decision Sciences with Artificial Intelligence: Swarm Intelligence, Predictive Analytics and Executive AI Leadership,” presented by Anasse Bari, Ph.D., professor of Computer Science, Courant Institute School for Mathematics, Computing and Data Science, New York University (NYU); director, NYU’s Predictive Analytics and AI Research Lab; and contributor, CNN and the Washington Post. The luncheon presentation will be held in the Rose Room of Brennan Hall.

Dr. Bari has led transformative research in artificial intelligence and predictive analytics — work that has saved lives through early disease prediction, reshaped Wall Street with AI-driven investment tools, accelerated the discovery of new energy sources, and strengthened civic engagement, election forecasting and political strategy.

This talk will explain how swarm intelligence — AI-inspired by the collective behavior of bird flocks, dolphin pods and ant colonies — is driving new algorithms that generate forward-looking insights in complex environments. It will feature case studies led and deployed by Dr. Bari, including predictive modeling for COVID-19 severity, real-time election forecasting and public opinion modeling, swarm-based trading and AI tools accelerating research and commercialization in emerging energy sources such as Low Energy Nuclear Reactions. Dr. Bari will also introduce the BARI AI Enterprise Transformation Framework for Executives.

Next, on Friday, March 6, James McKane, living history interpreter and artisan, will present “Commemorating and Interpreting the American Revolution 250 Years Later.” His luncheon presentation will be held in the Rose Room of Brennan Hall.

With America preparing to celebrate the 250-year anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, McKane’s presentation is both timely and enlightening. The years 2025–2033 mark the 250th anniversary of the American Revolutionary War. While major milestones often dominate public commemoration, the defeats, glories, stories and often-overlooked faceless individuals of the Revolution merit equal attention, according to McKane, who served as an advisor for Ken Burns’ “The American Revolution.” A leader of multiple living history organizations, McKane has a deep understanding of the period’s challenges.

During the luncheon presentation, he will examine the American Revolution through living history, drawing upon his extensive experiences organizing, leading and participating in historical reenactments. These experiences include rowing across the Delaware River on Christmas Day, recreating hundreds of period-accurate uniforms, and even constructing eighteenth-century fortifications for Ken Burns’ recent documentary on the war.

McKane, who earned his bachelor’s degree in history from The University of Scranton, is also a design patent examiner for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

The spring luncheon series will conclude Tuesday, May 5, with a presentation by Jennifer Houser Wegner, Ph.D., curator, Egyptian Section, Penn Museum, and adjunct associate professor in the Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Houser Wegner will discuss “Wise Words: Ancient Egypt’s Wisdom Tradition” at a luncheon in the Rose Room of Brennan Hall.

The literary genre known as “instructions” or “wisdom literature” is among the earliest in ancient Egyptian writing. This talk will examine the central themes and motifs found in Egyptian wisdom literature and consider how they resonate with didactic traditions from neighboring ancient cultures.

Emerging in the Old Kingdom, these texts continued to be composed for more than two millennia, extending into the Ptolemaic and Roman eras. While their structure and tone evolved over time, their fundamental purpose remained consistent. Instruction texts were typically framed as a father addressing his son and conveyed moral, ethical and practical guidance for achieving a successful life. As such, the texts present the compiled wisdom of the society that produced them. This tradition reflects the broader Egyptian interest in divine wisdom, embodied in deities such as Thoth and Maat, who oversaw knowledge, writing and the proper order of the world.

To register for the seminars, call 570-941-4740 or email schemelforum@scranton.edu.

To pay online or for additional information about Schemel Forum events, please visit the Schemel Forum’s webpage.

Schemel Forum Spring Luncheon Seminars Announced

Registration is now open for the spring Schemel Forum World Affairs Luncheon Seminars featuring distinguished speakers exploring topics both ancient and new.

Scranton Players To Tell Story of Renewal in Spring Musical image

Student

February 17, 2026

By Marcus Smith '27, Student Correspondent

Stepping foot into the Royal Theater in the McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts, the bustle of urban downtown Scranton gives way to the small backwoods town of Gilead, Wisconsin, for the spring musical “The Spitfire Grill.”

The musical, written by James Valcq and Fred Alley, tells the story of a young parolee named Percy who helps bring new life to the dying town when she takes a job at the titular Spitfire Grill diner.

The Players will perform "The Spitfire Grill" on Friday, Feb. 27; Saturday, Feb. 28; Sunday, March 1; Friday, March 6; Saturday, March 7; and Sunday, March 8. The Friday and Saturday shows are at 8 p.m. and the Sunday shows are at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for general admission or $7 for students and faculty/staff and can be bought online or at the door.

Michael O’Steen, MFA, associate professor and the musical’s director, said the themes of found family and acceptance are more important in 2026 than ever.

“We see several broken families in the Spitfire Grill and they find a new family to fit into,” O’Steen said. “It’s also about accepting those who are different, people who are different from us, who might have iffy backgrounds that we can write off as the Other.”

O’Steen described The Spitfire Grill as “an intimate, lovely musical” that he especially enjoyed because it is an ensemble piece.

“Every actor in the show plays a significant character, carries significant vocals and significant scenes and themes,” he explained. “It’s a challenge for these young actors who want to improve as actors, designers or directors or theater technicians. The Players use everything as a learning tool and I think it's great.”

Devon Donnelly '29, an advertising and public relations major from Chester, New Jersey, plays Percy Talbott in her debut with the University of Scranton Players, but already has become comfortable with the company.

“I'm very fortunate to have friends in the cast that are my age that I talk to, so it's easing me into this new experience…I feel like I found my groove,” she said.

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Donnelly explained how important her character’s story of recovery and healing is for people to witness.

“It’s a tale of power and perseverance. She took a terrible hand she was dealt in life, and she was able to turn that around and make herself a new life with new friends and a whole entire new family,” she said. “It's important for people in this day and age to really look back and reflect that no matter what happened to you, no matter what you've gone through, you can always make light of any situation and always try to find something new for yourself.”

She also said that working in the company’s professional environment has been unlike any experience she has had before in the theater.

“It’s more in-depth and the type of musical we are doing is much more heavy,” she said. “I got a chance to take on something big and do something that almost feels too challenging, but I feel like I'll be able to do it. I'm just excited.”

The company features Scranton students Donnelly of Chester, New Jersey; Lauren DeSantis of Long Island, New York; Gabriella Palmer of Phoenixville; Cassidy Pfeiffer of Old Forge; Alexander Smulowitz of Shavertown; Marcus Smith of Schuylkill Haven and James Stensland of Huntington, New York.

For more information, contact the University Players box office at 570-941-4318 or visit the Players on Instagram @scranton_players.

The University of Scranton Players bring exceptional theatre to Northeastern Pennsylvania every season. The Players’ productions feature University of Scranton students in a mix of classical and contemporary works under the direction and mentorship of award-winning faculty and guest artists.

Marcus Smith '27, Schuylkill Haven, is an English and theatre double major at Scranton.

Photographs are by Grace DiCarlo '27, a marketing major from Boonton, New Jersey.

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Scranton Players To Tell Story of Renewal in Spring Musical

The University of Scranton Players’ spring musical, “The Spitfire Grill,” will be performed Feb. 27, 28 and March 1, 6, 7 and 8 with Friday and Saturday performances at 8 p.m. and Sunday performances at 2 p.m.

Ethics Across the Curriculum, Slattery Center Lectures Upcoming image

Community

February 17, 2026

The University of Scranton this spring will welcome national thought leaders as part of a series of lectures on topics including ethics, history, religion and social issues.

First, on Thursday, Feb. 19, Meghan Sullivan, Ph.D., the Wilsey Family Collegiate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Notre Dame, will present “Loving Strangers” as part of the University’s Ethics Across the Curriculum initiative. Dr. Sullivan is the founding director of Notre Dame’s Institute for Ethics and the Common Good and has received millions of dollars of grants to support ethics-based work and research.

Dr. Sullivan’s lecture is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. at the PNC Auditorium inside the Loyola Science Center.

A series of Gail and Francis Slattery Center for Ignatian Humanities-sponsored lectures — with support from various other offices and departments — begins Wednesday, Feb. 25, and closes on Thursday, April 23, with the annual Sondra H’87 and Morey Myers H’12 Distinguished Visiting Fellowship in the Humanities and Civic Engagement Lecture.

All lectures are free and open to the public.

Here is a list of the upcoming events:

When: 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25

Where: Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall

Who: Amy Jill-Levine, Ph.D., Rabbi Stanley M. Kessler Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies at Hartford International University for Religion and Peace and University Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies Emerita at Vanderbilt University

What: “The Bible, Gender and Sexuality: Historical Insight and Contemporary Relevance”

When: 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26

Where: Rose Room, Brennan Hall

Who: Michelle Lelwica, Ph.D., Professor of Religion at Concordia

What: “The Religion of Thinness: How Faith, Culture and Body Ideals Shape Our Relationship With Ourselves and Each Other”

When: 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 4

Where: Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall

Who: Rev. James Alison, Catholic priest and theologian

What: “The Catholic Church and Matters LGBT: How Did We Get Here and Where Are We Going?”

When: 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 11

Where: Heritage Room, Weinberg Memorial Library

Who: Andrew Hartman, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of History at Illinois State University

What: “Karl Marx in America”

When: 5:30 p.m. Thursday, March 26

Where: Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall

Who: Michelle Loris, Ph.D., Associate Dean in the College of Arts and Sciences at Sacred Heart University

What: “Gay and Catholic: A Long and Winding Road to Faith and Flourishing”

When: 4 p.m. Thursday, April 9

Where: PNC Auditorium, Loyola Science Center

Who: Jonathan Nashel, Ph.D., Professor of History at the University of Indiana South Bend

What: “America, Vietnam and the ‘White Space’ of History”

When: 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 22

Where: Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall

Who: Alexis Paige, award-winning author

What: “Shame Must Change Sides: How Gisele Pelicot, Trauma Studies and Survivor-Centered Storytelling Can Inform a New Paradigm on Gender-Based Violence”

The Sondra H’87 and Morey Myers H’12 Distinguished Visiting Fellowship in the Humanities and Civic Engagement Lecture

When: 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 23

Where: Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall

Who: Brandon Terry, Ph.D., John L. Loeb Associate Professor of the Social Sciences at Harvard University and co-director of the Institute on Policing, Incarceration and Public Safety at the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research

What: “Shattered Dreams, Infinite Hope”

Ethics Across the Curriculum, Slattery Center Lectures Upcoming

Notre Dame professor Meghan Sullivan, Ph.D., will present the season’s first lecture for Ethics Across the Curriculum series.

Global Insights 'Taiwan' Set for March 12 image

Faculty

February 16, 2026

"People are there for their belief but also bond deeper connections and human touch with strangers who also live in this land." - Chih-Yi (Arena)

Global Insights visits the lush Pacific island, Taiwan! Chih-Yi (Arena), visiting instructor from the 'Visiting Mandarin Chinese Teacher Program' sponsored by the Taiwanese Ministry of Education, will present the next spring Global Insights event on Thursday, March 12, beginning at 11:30 a.m. in the Rose Room, Brennan Hall 509.

All students, staff, and faculty are invited to the free lunch-and-learn program. Cultural cuisine will be provided. Registration is required.

Global Insights interviewed Arena about her upcoming presentation.

Where did you study to prepare to teach? Which courses are you teaching at Scranton?

I studied at National Taiwan Normal University and majored in Teaching Chinese as a Second Language. I teach Elementary Chinese, Intermediate Chinese and Politics in Chinese (an independent study course) this semester.

What is an interesting, lesser-known fact you will speak more about in your presentation?

Taiwanese people are so good at puns. Since the same pronunciation can have five maximum tones, each tone can have many different characters with all different meanings. This wordplay includes tones, pronunciation and characters in Mandarin, as well as combining Taiwanese, English and Japanese. We not only apply this skill in daily conversation, but also in naming a restaurant or store. For example, there's a gym called '益(yì)身(shēn) GYM', which sounds similar to '益生菌(yì shēng jùn)', probiotic in Mandarin, and it has a healthy connotation as a gym.

What are some favorite activities in Taiwan?

I would like to share our folk religion and rituals. ... We use sticks to pray to multiple gods in a temple. Each god is in charge of different matters, like romance, giving birth, safety, for fishermen, for police, for test-takers, etc.

Every March in the Lunar Calendar (around April or the end of March), people are crazy about the Mazu Pilgrimage. There are two main pilgrimages in central Taiwan; the route is around 250 miles long. … Since sometimes the route and time to start and end in a day are uncertain, food and accommodations are what people have to consider before starting this trip, but during the pilgrimage, you can see Taiwanese hospitality and generosity. Residents on/around the route supply free food/beverages, and volunteers offer free rides when they see anyone who needs to take a rest. People are there for their belief, but also bond deeper connections and human touch with strangers who also live in this land.

(Photo: Songshan Ciyou Temple in Taipei City shown above)

What do you miss/enjoy most about being in Taiwan?

Super convenient public transportation in Taipei, especially the metro. Stations are with AC, super clean and bright, since you are not allowed to eat and drink, even water, in stations and cars. People follow lines on the ground to line up and wait to get into cars.

I really enjoy all kinds of cheap street food in Taiwan, such as $2 boba tea, $2 braised pork rice, $6 beef noodles, $3 dumplings, $9 Din Tai Feng soup dumplings and $1 deep-fried sweet potato balls in night markets. Yum yum yum.

(Photo: Raohe Street Night Market in Taipei City shown below)

Where is your favorite place to visit?

I love the east coast very much. We call the counties on the east side the pure land in Taiwan, which have much lower population density. The coastline and mountains face the Pacific Ocean. You can travel between mountains and beaches by buses or trains, visiting a deep gorge and a blue and spectacular ocean. They are the best places for urban people who want to relax, have a slow-paced trip and get closer to Mother Nature.

Briefly describe the people and culture. What values or traditions help to shape both?

Taiwan is an immigrant society and has a complicated history. We not only have "Han" people who moved from Mainland China around the 16th century, but also we own the Dutch and Spanish colonized heritages in language and architecture left in the 17th century, and all the infrastructures built during the Japanese colonial time in the early 20th century. However, we still preserve our aboriginal people's cultures and languages, even though they were banned and endangered when the foreign authority, Chiang Kai-shek, came to Taiwan in 1949.

The chaos of the authority changes has shaped Taiwanese people to be resilient and hardworking. No matter how complex it is for Taiwanese people to find our own identities, starting from the older generations who desired to escape poverty and the damages left by the war, and over the decades, Taiwan has been established as a technology island and is known for its semiconductor manufacturing technique.

Register for Taiwan.

Global Insights is hosted by the Office of Global Education, the Cultural Centers, Residence Life and the Office of Institutional Compliance and Title IX. For more information, please contact international@scranton.edu or 570-941-4841.

Global Insights 'Taiwan' Set for March 12

Chih-Yi (Arena), an instructor from the 'Visiting Mandarin Chinese Teacher Program' sponsored by the Taiwanese Ministry of Education, will present the March 12 Global Insights event. Learn about the country's cultural infusions, Mazu Pilgrimage and night market, among other topics.

Worship Opportunities During the Holy Seasons image

Announcement

February 16, 2026

Worship Opportunities During the Holy Seasons

Find opportunities to worship, reflect and give back hosted by Campus Ministry, Center for Service and Social Justice, Jesuit Center, Mission and Ministry and Muslim Student Association.

Bursting Our Political Bubbles: Spring Dialogues image

Community

February 15, 2026

Bursting Our Political Bubbles: Spring Dialogues

The Political Dialogue series returns for spring 2026 to provide students with opportunities for dialogue, reflection and connection.

Israel-Palestine Winter 2026 Movie Series image

Community

February 15, 2026

An Israel-Palestine winter movie series will highlight two documentary films that cover topics related to October 7 and Gaza and Israel’s occupation of the West Bank. University of Scranton co-sponsoring offices include the Ellacuria Initiative, Peace and Justice Studies Program, Office of Community Relations, Theology/Religious Studies Department and Political Science Department.

'Holding Liat' Feb. 21 Field Trip to Dietrich Theatre

On Saturday, Feb. 21, University and Scranton community members are invited to a field trip to the Dietrich Theater in Tunkhannock to view the film, "Holding Liat," which begins at 2:15 p.m. (Attendees can gather on campus by 1 p.m. to depart to Tunkhannock by 1:15 p.m.)

Film description: In the weeks unfolding after Liat is kidnapped during Hamas’ October 7 attack on southern Israel, her father resists efforts to use her captivity to justify escalating violence in Gaza. This documentary film exposes political and emotional rifts within the family as they struggle to find a way to bring Liat home.

Tickets are available directly through the Theatre ($8.50). Free student tickets are available through Peace and Justice Studies. Attendees are invited to a post-film discussion. Registration is required. Please visit this link to register. (Students can also contact will.cohen@scranton.edu directly.)

'No Other Land' Campus Screening March 25

On Wednesday, March 25, at 7 p.m. in DeNaples Center Room 405, University and Scranton members are invited to attend a screening of the Oscar-winning documentary, "No Other Land."

Film description: Palestinian activist Basel Adra documents the destruction of his community in Masafer Yatta under Israeli occupation. He forms an unlikely alliance with Israel journalist Yuval. For years, they fight against mass expulsion – forging a complex bond haunted by the extreme inequality between them.

Attendees are invited to a post-film Q&A discussion with Fr. Michael Azar, Theology and Religious Studies, and Julie Schumacher Cohen, community engagement. Registration is required for campus screening and discussion. Please visit this link to register.

Questions about the movie series? Please contact community@scranton.edu

Israel-Palestine Winter 2026 Movie Series

All are invited for the upcoming screenings and post-film discussions of "Holding Liat" on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 2:15 p.m. and "No Other Land" on Wednesday, March 25, at 7 p.m.

Announcement

February 11, 2026

National History Day Contest for Region 2 Set for Feb. 28

Judges and volunteers are needed for the event, which will take place at The University of Scranton.

Professor Receives Grant for Groundbreaking Art Project at Scranton, Georgetown image

Faculty

February 11, 2026

Patrick Beldio, Ph.D., visiting theology/religious studies professor at The University of Scranton and a research fellow at Georgetown University’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs, has received a significant award intended to reawaken Christian imagination through beauty, sacred art and contemplative practice.

The Creative Arts Collective for Christian Life and Faith (CAC) awarded Dr. Beldio a $100,000 grant to launch “Waymarks Toward Reunion: Beauty, Sacred Art and the Road to Freedom.” Chosen among a highly competitive field of applicants, the project will run through December 2026 and will feature numerous elements, many of which will be executed in Dr. Beldio’s “Religion and the Arts” course this spring at The University of Scranton.

“This project responds to today’s wilderness of fragmentation, loneliness and ecological crisis through shared practices of making, discernment and dialogue,” Dr. Beldio said. “We’re exploring how beauty becomes a pathway — equal to truth and justice — for encountering the divine, even within suffering.”

In addition to holding multiple workshops, where the focus will be on treating various artistic media as spiritual practices, and public lectures convening Christian and interfaith voices, the project will support the selection of one student each from Scranton and Georgetown as Waymarks Student Fellows. The selected students will receive dedicated studio time, leadership responsibilities and enhanced mentorship from Dr. Beldio, who brings 30 years of professional sculpture experience alongside his scholarly expertise in comparative theology.

“Patrick represents the best of Jesuit education,” said Cyrus Olsen, Ph.D., associate professor of theology/religious studies at Scranton, who encouraged Dr. Beldio to apply for the grant. “He brings rigorous scholarship, creative excellence and genuine interfaith sensitivity to his teaching and research.”

After piloting the program in the spring at Scranton, Dr. Beldio plans to offer the same course at Georgetown in the fall, extending the model to a second Jesuit university while deepening alignment with the Berkley Center’s mission and the Franciscan Monastery’s pastoral witness. The initiative culminates in a Capstone Symposium in Washington, D.C., celebrating student work and gathering voices from both universities alongside Jesuit, Franciscan and interfaith communities. Future phases will expand to institutions serving underserved students, ensuring broad access and reciprocity.

Dr. Beldio possesses a unique expertise in Hindu-Christian studies, which he will leverage in this project. His own monumental interfaith sculpture, “The New Being,” a 40-foot, 11-ton bronze work completed over 10 years, exemplifies this vision of bridging traditions through sacred art.

The author of “The Mother of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram: Co-Creator of the Integral Yoga,” Dr. Beldio earned his MFA from George Washington University and his Ph.D. from Catholic University of America. He has produced commissioned works across the U.S., Europe and India.

For more information about the project or Dr. Beldio’s work, visit his website.

The Creative Arts Collective supports artists and initiatives that deepen Christian faith and imagination through creative practice, fostering communities where beauty, truth and goodness flourish together.

Professor Receives Grant for Groundbreaking Art Project at Scranton, Georgetown

“Waymarks Toward Reunion” will bridge theology, art and interfaith dialogue across The University of Scranton and Georgetown University.

University Announces Fall 2025 Dean’s List image

Student

February 10, 2026

University Announces Fall 2025 Dean’s List

Students were named to The University of Scranton Dean’s List for the 2025 fall semester.

Student

February 10, 2026

Sheldon Myers ʼ26 is a biochemistry major on the pre-med track from Downingtown who recently presented cross-disciplinary research discussing the intersectionality of video games, method acting and theater at the Mid-Atlantic Popular American Culture Association (MAPACA) Conference. The conference was held in November in Philadelphia.

Myers' presentation represents a special interest of his, stemming from a class he took on drama in the United States with Hank Willenbrink, Ph.D., professor of English and theatre at The University of Scranton. Although Myers' presentation at MAPACA in Philadelphia was not a complete research project, it gave him feedback and inspiration for future projects.

Myers is also involved in organic chemistry research and plays various intramural sports at Scranton.

He recently sat down with Royal News student correspondent Marcus Smith '27 to discuss his research and the video game industry.

Q: The research you presented actually came from a final project for a drama class. What did you put together for that final project?

A: I had a final for Dr. Willenbrink's class where there were two or three prompts you could choose from. I suggested this project where I looked at the intersections among video games, theatricality and method acting. Concisely, I'd say the project suggests that video games are a new kind of medium that, through their interactive aspect, are uniquely suited to convey a type of narrative empathy that all forms of media like literature and theater serve to communicate. Because of the interactive aspect of video games where the player ideally feels that they're the ones making the decisions, or at least that they agree with the decisions that they're kind of pushed to make by that agency, the narrative empathy that they experience is deepened.

Q: How did you end up bringing this class project to the MAPACA?

A: I finished it for the final, and I didn't really feel like I was quite done with it. And particularly, I noticed that people had only really discussed this topic tangentially, which is exciting because I have the opportunity to break the ice on it. There's some work discussing whether video games can be a form of art, especially in the 2010s when they were much newer, and discussing their place in society’s conception of art, but there really isn't much looking into this aspect of them. So, with this interest, Dr. Willenbrink suggested I get some feedback at that conference, so I presented and heard people’s feedback about it.

Q: What was that experience like: Having a project that you're working on get accepted to be presented at the conference, and then putting it out there in the world?

A: Despite the work I've done here with chemistry, I haven't presented at a conference before. So, I wasn't sure what to expect, especially because the only work that I presented previously was a poster presentation. This was a speech I gave to a group, so the format was certainly different and something that I had to prepare for, but it was interesting. I got a lot of good feedback from people much more knowledgeable in the field than I was, who could point me toward some good resources.

Q: Was there any particular feedback that stood out to you?

A: One person gave me a bunch of good resources to read for my own project, which was very helpful since he had a similar interest. I haven’t gotten through reading all of them, so I'm not sure I can pick out one particular piece. But their feedback was helpful to ground my ideas in the current climate of the field, and I enjoyed listening to all the other people's presentations in that section.

Q: What did the development of this project look like from those early stages in class, to where it is now?

A: A lot of trimming it down. That was definitely the hardest part for me. I have a tendency as a writer to try to put it all out there and see what sticks, but that's not great when you have to give a speech in a time limit. There were a lot of aspects that I would have liked to present about, but just didn't have the time. I also had to figure out how to condense more complex ideas that I might have one or two pages of explanation for into a couple sentences to quickly get that point across.

Q: Where do you see this going in the future, and how are you planning to achieve that if you have any plans at this moment in time?

A: Most of the work that I've written so far is defending the position that some types of video games are this kind of interactive theatrical experience and that deepens narrative empathy. From what I can tell, people largely agree. I'd like to move on to talking about or trying to look into how we might be able to write or direct video games, what aspects of them we should focus on in order to catalyze the maturation of the form from what it is now into a more narrative-driven medium. In similar ways, we've seen past forms of media go from kind of “lower” forms of media, to “higher” forms of media. In the U.S., theater went from a hedonic pleasure in vaudeville-era theater to a more introspective, “higher media” with the trend toward realism. I would love to play a part in catalyzing a similar trajectory with video games.

Q: What do you think are some of the biggest struggles that we might have in reaching this point of creating video games that are genuine art? How would you overcome them?

A: A significant barrier is the amount of labor that's required to make something that big. In the digital stage of a video game, it's such an enormous world that creating something that's able to deterministically or otherwise guide a player through a narrative is so labor-intensive. Certainly, some games seem to have been able to do that, such as the first "Portal" game or "Subnautica."

Q: How has the University helped with this project?

A: I've worked a lot with Dr. Willenbrink, who's been very helpful in the project. I think the class that I took with Dr. Willenbrink helped me learn to unpack the narratives in the pieces we read. I gained a lot of writing skills from my other classes, as well.

Q: Is there any advice you'd like to give to anybody who might be reading this, students or otherwise?

A: Research doesn't have to be focused on exploring a state-of-the-art procedure, reaction or phenomenon; it only needs to be a novel topic you're interested in exploring. It's often those topics that yield more productive results than those driven just by the allure of working on the cutting edge. So, if there's a topic you're interested in exploring, even if it seems to be out of your wheelhouse, consider turning that interest and thought into a more productive pursuit by creating something that can be shared and published to add to the discussion you're interested in.

Student Spotlight: Sheldon Myers Presents Research on Video Games, Theater

Sheldon Myers presented research on the intersection of video games and theater at the Mid-Atlantic Popular American Culture Association Conference in November.

Announcement

February 9, 2026

Graduate Assistant Application is Open!

Applications for Graduate Assistant positions are currently being accepted. Priority deadline is March 1.

Student

February 9, 2026

Students Added to Spring 2025 Dean’s List

Students added to The University of Scranton Dean’s List for the spring 2025 semester.

Experienced Political Figures To Lead Free ‘Campaign School’ Workshop image

Community

February 9, 2026

Experienced Political Figures To Lead Free ‘Campaign School’ Workshop

Former U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and current Lackawanna County Commissioners Thom Welby and Chris Chermak will share their expertise with aspiring political candidates and campaign staff.

Lucky Chops to Perform at The University of Scranton on Thursday, Feb. 12 image

Community

February 9, 2026

On Thursday, Feb. 12, Performance Music at The University of Scranton will host world music/jazz/pop/funk sensation Lucky Chops in concert. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue, downtown Scranton. Admission is free and the concert is open to the public. Seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis.

"When I first heard the guys in Lucky Chops jamming together in the NYC subway while still students, they were already drawing crowds bigger than the audiences in many of the city’s established venues," said Cheryl Y. Boga, conductor and Artistic Director of Performance Music.

“We are really looking forward to being able to share this group’s irrepressible energy and joyful excitement with our students and audiences," added Janelle Decker, Performance Music Executive Director and conductor.

The highly energetic Lucky Chops have been sharing their inspired brassy funk with audiences since 2006 when they first came together in New York City while still students. Their intent was and is to share the healing and inspirational power of music with their audiences. The intense power of that message has reached and impacted audiences throughout the world — the group has performed in 25 countries and has millions of views and followers on their social media pages. The members are all committed to passing down their creative torch musically to student musicians and music educators, as well as audiences, through their performances and educational events. Co-founder of the group Josh Holcomb, trombonist, is a native of New York City. In addition to his extensive work with Lucky Chops, Holcomb maintains an active freelance career within New York's jazz, world music and gospel music scenes.

The University of Scranton Jazz Band will perform one piece with Lucky Chops at the concert. The 25-member ensemble of big band style instrumentation is made up of University of Scranton student musicians from majors spanning the curriculum. The majority of their performances are open to the public, free of admission charge, and often feature a nationally or internationally renowned guest soloist. The primary focus of Performance Music at The University of Scranton is its student choral and instrumental performing ensembles. Hundreds of students participate in the ensembles each year, and neither an audition nor enrollment fee is required for membership.

For further information on the performance, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit the University's website. For more info on Lucky Chops, visit their website.

If You Go:

What: Lucky Chops with an appearance by The University of Scranton Jazz Ensemble, presented by Performance Music at The University of Scranton

When: 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 12

Where: Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue, downtown Scranton

Admission: FREE

Lucky Chops to Perform at The University of Scranton on Thursday, Feb. 12

Having reached millions of listeners and viewers on YouTube and social media, Lucky Chops bring their unique style to Scranton.

Community

February 7, 2026

Black History Month Trivia Night Event on Feb. 16

All are invited to “Trivia Night: Contributions of Black Northeast Pennsylvanians Across the Eras – From the Underground Railroad to Black Scranton” on Feb. 16 at 6:30 p.m. in the Rose Room, Brennan Hall.

Asian New Year Festival and Workshop image

Announcement

February 6, 2026

Asian New Year Festival and Workshop

Register today for an evening of good food and international cultural learning on Feb. 19 at 6:30 p.m.

Community

February 6, 2026

The Office of Community-Based Learning (CBL), in collaboration with campus partners, is pleased to offer a series of three "CBL Talks" in the spring 2026 semester. The goal of these talks is to provide University students and the surrounding community with information and insights into the major challenges and opportunities facing the Scranton area, and how they can be part of positive change. This spring semester’s "CBL Talks" are as follows: "Healthcare Across the Lifespan," "Community Solutions: Affordable Housing in NEPA,” and "Making NEPA Home."

Each CBL Talk will begin with a presentation from guest speakers, followed by Q&A. These sessions will also be recorded to serve as a resource for CBL courses. These events are a special collaboration of the Office of Community-Based Learning with the Leahy College of Health Sciences T.A.P.E.S.T.R.Y. program. The talks are also open to the broader University and Scranton communities.

Details on The Spring 2026 CBL Talks

“Healthcare Across the Lifespan”

On Thursday, Feb.12, at 11:30 a.m. in the DeNaples Ballroom, DeNaples Center room 407, Dr. Maria Montoro Edwards, Maternal Family Health Services and Dr. Maria Vital, Edward R. Leahy Jr. Clinic, will highlight health and healthcare issues across the lifespan impacting individuals at different ages, from different populations and with diverse needs.

* Event update: This event is now full. We encourage prospective attendees to sign up for the following CBL talks listed below.*

“Community Solutions: Affordable Housing in NEPA”

On Thursday, March 4, at 6 p.m. in the PNC Auditorium, Loyola Science Center, room 133, Joy Hubshman, United Neighborhood Centers of NEPA, Sara Cruz, Scranton Housing Authority, and Kecia Snyder, Lackawanna County, will discuss issues related to affordable housing in NEPA.

RSVP

“Making NEPA Home”

On Thursday, April 23, at 6 p.m., in the PNC Auditorium, all are invited to a screening of the WVIA documentary "Making NEPA Home," which shares stories about immigration in NEPA from refugee and immigrant individuals and agencies that work with these communities. After the film, a panel discussion will include speakers: Kara Washington, WVIA; Fikile Ryder, Catholic Social Services; Ushu Mukelo, Congolese Community of Scranton; Terilynn Brechtel and Audrey Golosky, United Neighborhood Centers of NEPA; Julie Schumacher Cohen, University of Scranton.

RSVP

The CBL talks are sponsored by the Office of Community-Based Learning, Office of Community Relations, and additional campus and community partners. Questions? Contact Daysi Carreto, assistant director of Community and Civic Engagement, at daysi.carreto@scranton.edu or (570)-941-4419.

Community-Based Learning Talk Series Returns for Spring 2026

A series of three talks will highlight community partners and topics, including healthcare, affordable housing, and a discussion on resilience, cultural diversity and hope. Ways to enact positive change will also be explored.

Announcement

February 6, 2026

Emergency Notification System Test Set for Feb. 12

The University of Scranton will test its emergency notification system on Thursday, Feb. 12.

Mass Timber, Major Impact: Robert S. '68 and Marilyn A. Weiss Hall Green Innovation image

General

February 5, 2026

By Samantha R. Kosmark, ‘26, student correspondent

The University of Scranton is reinforcing its commitment to sustainability through the construction of Robert S. '68 and Marilyn A. Weiss Hall, a new academic building on the 300 block of Madison Avenue. Designed to achieve LEED Silver certification, Weiss Hall embodies the University’s dedication to environmental responsibility and forward-thinking design. A centerpiece of this effort is the innovative use of mass timbers, a bio-based material that is reshaping modern construction practices.

Ken Ruby of HC Architects, the building’s architect, collaborated with the University to ensure that Weiss Hall harmonizes with our environment. “Trees are the best natural carbon-scrubbing machines,” Ruby said, quoting a climate forest specialist. “And when you cut a tree down, and you mill it into lumber, that carbon is retained in the wood.”

By choosing mass timber, the University is not only reducing the environmental footprint of Weiss Hall but also supporting long-term planetary health. Natural wood finishes, stone, and tile have been integrated to create a sense of connection between the building and the natural world. One of the most striking design elements is the two-story-tall first-floor lobby, supported by mass timber columns and ceilings, with additional timber used throughout the upper floors to create spacious and warm classrooms. This design feature demonstrates that thoughtful material choices can shape both the appearance of a building and the future of our environment.

Mass timber is sourced from forests managed under sustainable forestry practices, ensuring construction materials contribute to environmental health rather than deforestation. Unlike concrete and steel, which require energy-intensive processes and release significant carbon emissions, mass timber offers a renewable alternative.

“The architect’s choice to use mass timber as a significant part of the building design truly shows they were listening when the University said they want this to be an environmentally friendly building and an example of the University’s commitment to sustainability," said Mark Murphy, director of design and construction for the University who has worked closely on the project.

Mass Timber, Major Impact: Robert S. '68 and Marilyn A. Weiss Hall Green Innovation

Designed to achieve LEED Silver certification, Weiss Hall features the innovative use of mass timber, a bio-based material reshaping modern construction practices.

University to Host 'Royals 2 Royals' Networking Event Feb. 20 image

Alumni

February 3, 2026

University to Host 'Royals 2 Royals' Networking Event Feb. 20

Meet up with current students in a casual setting.

University To Hold Presidential Reception in Naples March 4 image

Alumni

February 3, 2026

University To Hold Presidential Reception in Naples March 4

Enjoy an evening in Naples with your Royal Family and Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University president.

Royals To Meet at Spring Training Game in Clearwater March 5 image

Alumni

February 3, 2026

Royals To Meet at Spring Training Game in Clearwater March 5

Cheer on your favorite team with your fellow Royals in the Sunshine State.

Alumni

February 3, 2026

Tee Up a Night Out at Hudson Golf

Alumni and friends are invited to enjoy a fun and relaxed evening of golf, food and conversation in Hoboken.

Alumni

February 3, 2026

Garden of Cedar, Everhart Museum Seek Messages of Love from Scranton Alumni

Alumni leaders of Garden of Cedar and the Everhart Museum hope to plant 2,000 Valentine hearts representing every U.S. state by Feb. 14.

Register Today for Shamrockin' Eve image

Alumni

February 3, 2026

Register Today for Shamrockin' Eve

Royals from the Classes of 2022-2026 to celebrate Scranton tradition March 13.

Reminder: Register Today for the 2026 Day of Service image

Alumni

February 3, 2026

Reminder: Register Today for the 2026 Day of Service

Annual alumni tradition of caring gives Royals a chance to help their communities.

Alumni

February 3, 2026

What's new with you? To submit a Class Note, visit the Class Notes Submission Page.

Mark Chopko '74, Falls Church, Virginia, was appointed the Lieutenant of the Middle Atlantic Lieutenancy of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. The appointment was made in October by Cardinal Fernando Filoni, who heads the order in Rome. The order is a pontifical institution dedicated to supporting the Church's works and mission and strengthening the Christian presence in the Holy Land through works of faith, service and charity. The Middle Atlantic Lieutenancy includes 13 dioceses in six states and the District of Columbia.

Colin O'Boyle '04, Plymouth Meeting, was elected president of the Montgomery Bar Association for the 2026 Bar Year. O'Boyle is a Shareholder at Elliott Greenleaf, P.C., where his practice includes trial and appellate litigation, focusing on commercial disputes, health law and employment discrimination. He is based in the firm's Blue Bell office.

Holli Bott Archer '13, Philadelphia, was promoted to Shareholder of Marshall Dennehey’s Healthcare Department.

Samuel J. Richards G'15, Bentleyville, is among the contributing authors for "Authoritarian Rule since 1750," part of Pearson’s new series of textbooks designed to support the International Baccalaureate’s revised history course being unveiled in February 2026. Richards has taught and developed curricula for schools in Brazil, China, Kenya, Switzerland and the United States. He is currently head of social sciences at the International School of Kenya in Nairobi.

MARRIAGES

Mia Notarianni '16 to Nicholas Swift '16

Katie Zefran, D.D.S.'16 to TJ Murray

Kaitlyn Davis ’17 to Matthew Andres ’17

Marissa Joyce ’20 to Jack McCaffrey ’20

Bridget Pynn '21, G’22 to Daniel Shuck '21, G’22

BIRTHS

Sean and Maribeth Castaldi Baress '14 welcomed a son, Michael Ryan.

DEATHS

Milton A. Rosenbloom '53, Bloomfield, Connecticut

C. Martin Kelly Jr. '59, Moosic

William T. Kwolek ’62, Peckville

John M. Wastak Jr. '62, Old Forge

Caesar Augustus DeLeo, M.D. '65, Lake Bluff, Illinois

Gary C. Boam '67, Roaring Brook Township

Harold P. Perkins '67, Etters

James L. Walsh '69, Camp Hill

Gerald J. Paparella G'70, Peckville

Brian R. Flynn G'71, Wolcott, Connecticut

James C. Daily G'72, Westfield, Connecticut

Thomas J. Hughes '73, G'87, Scranton

Robert A. Gerrity '76, Clarks Summit

James M. McLaine '79, Scott Township

Cindy L. Noll '80, Dalton

Ronald V. Petrilla, Ph.D. G'80, Hazleton

Gerard McGraw '85, Havertown

Denise L. Doty Cabezas '89, Wall Township, New Jersey

Lisa Gervasio Alfano '90, Verona, New Jersey

James P. Burton '96, Scranton

Deno S. Gualtieri, D.O. '03, Coopersburg

FRIENDS/FAMILY DEATHS

Diann Sauer, wife of Joseph Sauer '64

Tara Canally, wife of James Canally '95, Wyndmoor

Alumni Class Notes, Feb. 2026

Share your story with your Royal Family.

Alumni

February 3, 2026

Discover the World With Scranton Alumni Travel

Make 2026 the year you travel and explore unforgettable destinations with exclusive itineraries, deluxe accommodations and the company of fellow Royals.

University Receives ONR Grant: ‘A Project That Has Impact’ on Society image

Faculty

February 3, 2026

Amateur radio has a long history of public service.

When emergencies and natural disasters cause conventional systems to fail, amateur radio, with its high-frequency radio waves, is used to provide reliable, long-distance communications.

Those high-frequency radio waves, however, are not guaranteed. They, too, require ongoing research.

The University of Scranton is on the front line of that research and received a three-year, $600,000 grant (subject to annual appropriations) from the Office of Naval Research. The project — officially titled, “Crowdsourced Observations for Ionospheric Model Validation and a Diagnostic Approach for Forecasting Equatorial Spread F” — is led by principal investigator Kornyanat “Kukkai” Hozumi, Ph.D., research scientist, with co-investigator Nathaniel Frissell, Ph.D., associate professor of physics and engineering.

“I’m very happy not only because, ‘Oh, we get an award, we get money.’ It’s not just that,” said Dr. Hozumi. “It’s a project that has impact on the real society and can help people to have safe and secure communication in the future. It can also help fulfill the HamSCI volunteers who contribute a lot to our HamSCI projects. Being that helpful to so many people at the same time — I feel very happy.”

HamSCI refers to the Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation community, which was developed by Dr. Frissell and is supported by multiple six- and seven-figure grants from the National Science Foundation, NASA and other organizations. It is a worldwide group of licensed ham radio operators who gather and submit data to measure the effects of weather in the ionosphere.

“I didn’t know anything about HamSCI, at all, before I came to the United States,” said Dr. Hozumi, who was born in Thailand and educated in Japan. “Just before I started my position in 2023 with NASA CCMC (Community Coordinated Modeling Center) as a postdoc, my supervisor told me that my duty was to work on radio propagation and to use HamSCI data.”

From there, Dr. Hozumi was introduced to the world of HamSCI and to Dr. Frissell and was ultimately hired at the University in 2024. She works remotely in Utah.

This project will combine HamSCI community-contributed observations with physics-based modeling to serve multiple purposes, including creating a repeatable way to test and improve ionospheric forecasts and providing framework to evaluate performance and track improvements over time. Strengthening the reliability of systems used for communication, navigation and situational awareness is a boost for national resilience and public safety.

In a second, equally important effort, the team will also try to identify early warning signs of Equatorial Plasma Bubbles (EPBs). EPBs can interfere with critical signals, including GPS and long-distance radio, most often after sunset and sometimes into the early morning in equatorial and low-latitude regions. This interference can make it more difficult for phones, planes, ships and emergency responders to know if they are connected. On an ionogram, a chart that shows how radio waves travel through the ionosphere, EPBs may appear as Equatorial Spread F (ESF) — a spread-out pattern that can cause long-distance high-frequency radio signals to fade, distort or disconnect.

“My job is to use HamSCI data to make sure that the ionospheric model is precise,” Dr. Hozumi said. “And, if not, why?”

For more information about HamSCI, whose next workshop will be held March 14-15 at Central Connecticut State University, please visit its website.

University Receives ONR Grant: ‘A Project That Has Impact’ on Society

University of Scranton researchers will take aim at improving ionospheric forecasts.

Dr. Marc Shapiro’s 9th Book a Sacks Prize Finalist image

Faculty

February 2, 2026

Dr. Marc Shapiro’s 9th Book a Sacks Prize Finalist

Rav Kook’s newly uncovered writings are the subject of Dr. Shapiro’s book.

University to Hold Craft Night with Creative Sisters Feb. 12 image

Alumni

February 2, 2026

University to Hold Craft Night with Creative Sisters Feb. 12

Alumni and friends are invited to enjoy an evening of creativity, conversation and seasonal crafting on campus.

Global Insights Announces Spring Programs image

Announcement

February 2, 2026

Global Insights Announces Spring Programs

All students, staff and faculty are invited to three cultural, luncheon presentations during spring semester. Registration is required for each.

Spring Semester Events Planned at University image

General

February 2, 2026

Through March 13 Art Exhibit: “The Anthracite Coal Industry of Northeastern Pennsylvania Selected Prints, Drawings, and Watercolors from The Stanislaus Collection: 1933-1946.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

Feb. 6 5 p.m. Art Gallery Panel Discussion: “Depictions of the Anthracite Coal Industry in Prints of the 1930s.” Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Free. Reception to follow at the Hope Horn Gallery. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

Feb. 9 through April 23 Art Exhibit: “Early 20^th Century Celebrity Portraits by P. W. Costello.” Charles Kratz Scranton Heritage Room, Weinberg Memorial Library. Free during library hours. Call 570-941-6341 or email michael.knies@scranton.edu.

Feb. 9 through April 23 Art Exhibit: “Banknotables: Commemorative Currency Art.” Charles Kratz Scranton Heritage Room, Weinberg Memorial Library. Free during library hours. Call 570-941-6341 or email michael.knies@scranton.edu.

Feb. 9 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Black History Month Table Sit and Play: awareness and quiz game about the 2026 theme: “A Century of Black History Commemorations,” sponsored by the Multicultural Center. First Floor DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-5904 or email multicultural@scranton.edu.

Feb. 12 7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring Lucky Chops!, shown below, and The University of Scranton Jazz Ensemble. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Feb. 16 6:30 p.m. "Trivia Night: Contributions of Black Northeast Pennsylvanians Across the Eras - From the Underground Railroad to Black Scranton," featuring Glynis Johns, founder and CEO of the Black Scranton Project, and E.J. Murphy, Program Manager of The Destination Freedom Underground Railroad Walking Tour. This event will feature opening comments by the two speakers, trivia questions and prizes, and Q&A and discussion! Free to the public. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Feb-Trivia-Night. Email community@scranton.edu with any questions.

Feb. 19 5:30 p.m. Ethics Across the Curriculum Lecture: “Loving Strangers” presented by Meghan Sullivan, Ph.D., Wilsey Family Collegiate Professor of Philosophy, University of Notre Dame; director of Notre Dame's Ethics Initiative and founding director of Notre Dame’s Institute for Ethics and the Common Good. PNC Auditorium, Loyola Science Center. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu.

Feb. 19 6:30 p.m. Asian New Year Festival and Workshop. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Free. Registration required at https://tinyurl.com/2026AsianNewYearRSVP. Email asianstudies@scranton.edu for questions.

Feb. 21 12:30 p.m. 25^th Annual Northeast PA Brain Bee sponsored by the Neuroscience Program at The University of Scranton. Snow date Feb. 28. PNC Auditorium, Loyola Science Center. Free. Pre-registration required. Call 570-941-4324 or email robert.waldeck@scranton.edu.

Feb. 25 5 p.m. The Slattery Center and The Jesuit Center Lecture: “The Bible, Gender, and Sexuality: Historical Insights and Contemporary Relevance” presented by Amy-Jill Levine, Ph.D., Rabbi Stanley M. Kessler Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies, Hartford International University for Religion and Peace and professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies Emerita, Vanderbilt University. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu.

Feb. 26 6 p.m. Humanities Forum sponsored by The Slattery Center Lecture: “The Religion of Thinness: How Faith, Culture, and Body Ideals Shape Our Relationship with Ourselves and Each Other” presented by Michelle Lelwica, Ph.D., professor of religion at Concordia College and author of Shameful Bodies and The Religion of Thinness. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu.

Feb. 27 11:30 a.m. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “Advancing Decision Sciences with Artificial Intelligence: Swarm Intelligence, Predictive Analytics, and Executive AI Leadership” presented by Anasse Bari, Ph.D., professor of computing science, Courant Institute School for Mathematics, Computing, and Data Science, New York University; director, NYU’s Predictive Analytics and AI Research Lab. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email schemelforum@scranton.edu.

Feb. 27, 28, March 1, 6-8 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. Performance: “The Spitfire Grill” (musical) presented by The University of Scranton Players. Royal Theatre, McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts. Ticket prices vary. Call 570-941-4318 (voice mail reservations) or email players@scranton.edu.

Feb. 28 9 a.m. Regional National History Day Competition for junior and senior high school students. The DeNaples Center. Pre-registration required. Call 570-941-4549 or email nhdparegion2@gmail.com.

Feb. 28 7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Recital” featuring Sidney Outlaw, baritone voice and Christopher Johnson, organ/piano/harpsichord. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

March 4 5 p.m. The Slattery Center, The Jesuit Center and the Ellacuría Initiative Collaborative Lecture: “The Catholic Church and Matters LGBT: How Did We Get Here, and Where Are We Going?” presented by Fr. James Alison, Catholic priest and theologian. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu.

March 4 6 p.m. Community-Based Learning Talk: "Community Solutions: Affordable Housing in NEPA." This CBL talk will focus on affordable housing issues in NEPA. Speakers will include leaders from the Scranton Housing Authority, United Neighborhood Centers of NEPA, and Lackawanna County. PNC Auditorium, Loyola Science Center. Registration required at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Healthcare-CBL-Talk. Email daysi.carreto@scranton.edu with any questions.

March 4 7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “General Recital” featuring The University of Scranton Performance Music student musicians in solo, duo, trio and small ensemble performances. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

March 5 8:30 a.m. 3^rd Annual World Languages Day: “MAKE YOURSELF MORE (interesting than) AI.” Refreshments, interactive exhibits, and lightning-round beginner lessons in multiple languages with a chance to meet world languages and cultures instructors from Argentina, Egypt, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and Taiwan. Local high school students/teachers in World Language/ESL programs must receive registration confirmation in advance. The Kane Forum, Leahy Hall. Call 570-941-4711 or email amy.kuiken@scranton.edu.

March 6 11:30 a.m. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “Commemorating and Interpreting the American Revolution 250 Years Later” presented by James McKane, living history interpreter and artisan; advisor for Ken Burns’ The American Revolution; and design patent examiner, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email schemelforum@scranton.edu.

March 11 5 p.m. Lecture: “Karl Marx in America,” presented by Andrew Hartman, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of History at Illinois State University, co-sponsored by The University of Scranton History Department, The Slattery Center, the English and Theatre Department and the Pre-Law Program. Charles Kratz Scranton Heritage Room, Weinberg Memorial Library. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu.

March 25 7 p.m. No Other Land: Campus Screening and Discussion. Palestinian activist Basel Adra documents the destruction of his community in Masafer Yatta under Israeli occupation. He forms an unlikely alliance with Israeli journalist Yuval. For years, they have fought against mass expulsion—forging a complex bond haunted by the extreme inequality between them. The Oscar-winning documentary film will be accompanied by comments from and Q&A discussion with Fr. Michael Azar, Theology and Religious Studies Department, and Julie Schumacher Cohen, Community Engagement. DeNaples Center, Room 405. Registration required at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/No-Other-Land. Email community@scranton.edu with any questions.

March 26 11:30 a.m. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “The Federal Government Today: Institutional Pressures and the Way Forward” presented by The Honorable Bob Casey, Jr., Leahy Distinguished Fellow in Public Service, The University of Scranton; former United States Senator from Pennsylvania. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email schemelforum@scranton.edu.

March 26 5 p.m. 29^th Annual ACHE Healthcare Symposium: “From Collaboration to Care: The Power of High-Performing Healthcare Teams.” McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Registration required. Includes dinner, presentation and panel discussion. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4527 or email william.miller2@scranton.edu.

March 26 5:30 p.m. The Slattery Center and The Jesuit Center Lecture: “Gay and Catholic: A Long and Winding Road to Faith and Flourishing” presented by Michelle Loris, Ph.D., associate dean in the College of Arts and Sciences, founder of the Department of Catholic Studies, director of the Center for Catholic Studies, and professor of English at Sacred Heart University. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu.

March 28 9 a.m. Accepted Students Day for students and their families of The University of Scranton’s class of 2030. Meet representatives from academic departments, student activities/services, financial aid, athletics and tour campus. Various locations on campus. Call 570-941-7540 or email admissions@scranton.edu.

March 28 7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton Singers and Symphonic Band. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

April 7 through May 8 Art Exhibit: “Art Educators Make Art: Pennsylvania Art Educators Association Northeast Juried Exhibition.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

April 9 4 p.m. Humanities Forum event sponsored by The Slattery Center Lecture: “America, Viet Nam, and the ‘White Space’ of History” presented by Jonathan Nashel, Ph.D., professor of history at the University of Indiana South Bend. PNC Auditorium, Loyola Science Center. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu.

April 9 6 p.m. Performance, lecture and reception: “George Gershwin: Music and Healing,” by Richard Kogan, M.D., professor of psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College, and artistic director, Weill Cornell Music and Medicine Program, shown below, presented by the Schemel Forum and the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine Collaborative Program. Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine Auditorium. Registration required. Fee $40. Call 570-941-4740 or email schemelforum@scranton.edu.

April 10 5 p.m. Art Gallery Panel Discussion: “Pennsylvania Art Educators Association Northeast Juried Exhibition.” Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Free. Reception to follow at the Hope Horn Gallery. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

April 11 9 a.m. Accepted Students Day for students and their families of The University of Scranton’s class of 2030. Meet representatives from academic departments, student activities/services, financial aid, athletics and tour campus. Various locations on campus. Call 570-941-7540 or email admissions@scranton.edu.

April 13-22 Environmental Art Show: “Nature Reimagined.” Charles Kratz Scranton Heritage Room, Weinberg Memorial Library. Free during library hours. Call 570-941-4740 or email marleen.cloutier@scranton.edu.

April 15 4 p.m. Spring Henry George Seminar “How We Got to Now (The Henry George Edition)” presented by Philip E. Auerswald, Ph.D., professor of public policy, George Mason University, Schar School of Policy and Government. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-4048 or email pamela.turbessi@scranton.edu. Shown below is a 2025 Henry George Seminar event.

Henry George Lecture

April 16 8:30 a.m. Hayes Family Competition in physics and engineering for high school students. Byron Complex. Registration required. Call 570-941-7509 or email salisa.brown@scranton.edu.

April 16-18 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday. Performance: “Oklahoma!” presented by The University of Scranton Liva Arts Company. McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts. Ticket prices vary. Visit https://livaartscompany.ludus.com for tickets or email livartscompany@gmail.com

April 18 7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton Jazz Ensemble and guest soloist Jennifer Krupa, trombone. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

April 22 5:30 p.m. Graduate Open House. DeNaples Center, 4^th floor. Registration required. Free. Call 888-SCRANTON or email gradadmissions@scranton.edu.

April 22 6 p.m. Humanities Forum Lecture sponsored by The Slattery Center: “Shame must change sides: How Gisèle Pelicot, Trauma Studies and Survivor-centered Storytelling Can Inform a New Paradigm on Gender-based Violence” presented by Alexis Paige, author of two award-winning memoirs: Work Hard, Not Smart: How to Make a Messy Literary Life and Not a Place on Any Map. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu.

April 23 5 p.m. Campus Take Back the Night. Dionne Green. Free. Call 570-941-6194 or email brandice.ricciardi@scranton.edu.

April 23 5:30 p.m. Myers Fellow Lecture sponsored by the Sondra H’87 and Morey Myers H’12 Distinguished Visiting Fellowship in the Humanities and Civic Engagement housed in The Slattery Center: “Shattered Dreams, Infinite Hope” presented by Brandon Terry, Ph.D., John L. Loeb Associate Professor of the Social Sciences at Harvard University and the co-director of the Institute on Policing, Incarceration, and Public Safety at the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu.

April 23 6 p.m. Community-Based Learning Talk: "Making NEPA Home: Screening and Panel Discussion." This event will include a screening of the WVIA documentary Making NEPA Home, which shares stories related to immigration in NEPA from refugee and immigrant individuals and agencies that work with these communities. After the film, a panel discussion will include speakers: Kara Washington, WVIA; Fikile Ryder, Catholic Social Services; Ushu Mukelo, Congolese Community of Scranton; Terilynn Brechtel and Audrey Golosky, United Neighborhood Centers of NEPA; Julie Schumacher Cohen, University of Scranton. PNC Auditorium, Loyola Science Center. Registration required at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Making-NEPA-Home-CBL-Talk. Email community@scranton.edu with any questions.

April 25-26 8 a.m. National History Day State Competition for qualifying students from Pennsylvania. Pre-registration required. Call 570-941-4549 or email nhdparegion2@gmail.com.

April 25-26 9 a.m. Saturday; Noon Sunday. Friends of the Library Book Sale. Charles Kratz Scranton Heritage Room, Weinberg Memorial Library. Call 570-941-6195 or e-mail melisa.gallo@scranton.edu.

April 25 9 a.m. Junior Open House. DeNaples Center, 4th floor. Registration required. Free. Call 888-SCRANTON or email admissions@scranton.edu.

April 29, 30, May 1-3 8 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. Performance: “The Apiary” presented by The University of Scranton Players. Studio Theatre, McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts. Ticket prices vary. Call 570-941-4318 or email players@scranton.edu.

April 30 5:30 p.m. Lecture, exhibit and light refreshments for Schemel Forum with the Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library and Hope Horn Art Gallery Collaborative Program: “Unveiling Niccolò Betti’s Madonna and Child with the Young St. John the Baptist” presented by John Powell, art restorer, co-owner, Chelsea Restoration Associates and Robert Simon, Ph.D., president, Robert Simon Fine Art. Charles Kratz Scranton Heritage Room, Weinberg Memorial Library. Registration required. Free. Call 570-941-4740 or email schemelforum@scranton.edu.

April 30, May 1 9 a.m. Applied Ethics in an Era of Globalization: Perspectives from East and West. PNC Auditorium, Loyola Science Center on April 30 and Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall on May 1. Free. Conference Program https://tinyurl.com/GlobalEthics2026Scranton. Email asianstudies@scranton.edu for questions.

May Online Hope Horn Gallery Art Exhibit: “The University of Scranton Student Show Online.” Visit https://www.scranton.edu/academics/hope-horn-gallery/index.shtml or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

May 2 9:30 a.m. NOYCE Science Camp. Sponsored by The University of Scranton NSF Noyce Program. Registration is free. Kane Forum, Leahy Hall. Call 570-941-7491 or email jason.graham@scranton.edu.
Shown below are attendees at the 2025 NOYCE Science Camp.

NOYCE Science Camp 2025

May 2 7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “43^rd Annual World Premiere Composition Series Concert” featuring The University of Scranton Concert Band and Concert Choir performance of two new works by guest composer/conductor Ahmed Alom. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

May 5 11:30 a.m. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Seminar: “Wise Words: Ancient Egypt’s Wisdom Tradition” presented by Jennifer Houser Wegner, Ph.D., curator, Egyptian section, Penn Museum and adjunct associate professor in the Department of Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures at the University of Pennsylvania. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email schemelforum@scranton.edu.

May 6 noon. Celebration of Student Scholars. Displays and presentations of undergraduate and graduate student research and scholarly projects. Loyola Science Center. Free. Call 570-941-7653 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu.

May 8 7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton String Orchestra. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

May 12 7:30 p.m. Judaic Studies Institute Lecture: “The Pope and the Rabbi: My Story of Friendship and Dialogue with Pope Francis” by Abraham (Armando) Skorka, Ph.D., author and Senior Research Fellow for Jewish Studies and Jewish-Catholic Relations, Georgetown University. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Free. 570-941-7956 or marc.shapiro@scranton.edu.

May 16 7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Recital” featuring John Wilson, piano. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

May 23 4 p.m. Commencement Baccalaureate Mass. Byron Recreation Complex. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

May 24 11 a.m. Undergraduate Commencement. Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. Wilkes-Barre. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu. Shown below is the 2025 Commencement ceremony.

May 24 4:30 p.m. Graduate Commencement. Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. Wilkes-Barre. Call 570-941-7401 or email info@scranton.edu.

2025 Commencement

May 29 5:30 p.m. Schemel Forum Collaborative Program: “Vin et Vues: Loire Valley and its Wines” presented by David Falchek, CAE, IOM, CMP, wine writer and critic, including for Wine and Spirits Magazine and The Scranton Times-Tribune, and former executive director of the American Wine Society. Wine tasting, hors d’oeuvres, lecture, and discussion. Charles Kratz Scranton Heritage Room, Weinberg Memorial Library. Registration required. Fee $60. Call 570-941-4740 or email schemelforum@scranton.edu.

Schemel Forum Courses

Mondays: Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23, March 2, 9 6 p.m. Schemel Forum Evening Course: “Food, Climate Change, and Justice” presented by Sarah Kenehan, Ph.D., executive director of the Gail and Francis Slattery Center for the Ignatian Humanities, The University of Scranton. Weinberg Memorial Library. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email schemelforum@scranton.edu.

Wednesdays: March 25, April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 6 p.m. Schemel Forum Evening Course: “Appreciating Art Through the Ages” presented by Darlene Miller-Lanning, Ph.D., director of the Hope Horn Art Gallery, The University of Scranton. Weinberg Memorial Library. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email schemelforum@scranton.edu.

Spring Semester Events Planned at University

Spring events include musicals, concerts and lectures, as well as academic competitions for high school students in physics, history, world languages and the brain.

General

February 2, 2026

Your Insights Matter. Please Complete the Scranton Brand Survey

Scranton students, alumni, staff and faculty are invited to use their unique experiences as Royals to help the University share its story with prospective students and families.

Announcement

February 2, 2026

Employee Policy Information and Volunteer Opportunities

The Office of Institutional Compliance and Title IX will offer two policy information sessions for all staff and faculty, as well as training for Title IX process volunteers.

Register for the Feb. 13 Global Gala image

Announcement

February 1, 2026

Register for the Feb. 13 Global Gala

Students, faculty and staff are invited to attend the formal event hosted by The University of Scranton United Cultures Organization, the Asia Club and the Commuter Student Association.