Community News

The University of Scranton, Lackawanna Bar Association and additional community partners hosted a keynote lecture, “Who are We as a Nation? Educating for Democracy,” featuring Danielle Allen, Ph.D., James Bryant Conant University Professor and director of the Allen Lab for Renovating Democracy at Harvard’s Kennedy School’s Ash Center. The talk, which took place in November on campus, served as the 2023 T. Linus Hoban Forum Lecture and humanities lecture, formally concluding the Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story project funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Additional information and ongoing resources are available at www.scranton.edu/scrantonstory.

$content.getChild('content').textValue

Continuing a beloved holiday season tradition, Performance Music at The University of Scranton will present its 56th annual Noel Night concert on Saturday, Dec. 2.  The concert, which is open to the public, will begin at 8 p.m. in the University’s Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue, with doors opening at 7 p.m. and prelude beginning at 7:05 p.m. Admission is free, with seating on a first-come, first-seated basis.

Considered the University’s Christmas gift to the community, Noel Night has been a must-attend event for many Scranton-area residents since its founding more than a half-century ago by the Rev. Edward Gannon, S.J.

This year’s Noel Night will feature performances by The University of Scranton Singers, String Orchestra and Flute Ensemble. Outdoor instrumental caroling by members of the University Bands will greet audience members as they arrive.

According to Performance Music Conductor and Director Cheryl Y. Boga, the program will include a variety of sacred selections - including music by Ivo Antognini, Randol Alan Bass, Franz Biebl, Robert Ray, Igor Stravinsky, John Rutter and others - interspersed with readings of Nativity texts. Included in the program are works sung in English, Chinese, Latin, Russian and Zulu. Pianist for the evening is Ron Stabinsky, and Christopher Johnson is organist.

The primary focus of Performance Music at The University of Scranton is its student choral and instrumental performing ensembles. There is no music major at the University, and all enrolled University of Scranton students are eligible for membership in the bands, choirs, and string ensembles, with neither an audition nor enrollment fee required for membership. Hundreds of students participate in the ensembles each year.

For more information on Noel Night, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit the Performance Music website.

The Princeton Review recognized The University of Scranton among just 522 colleges in the world included in the 2024 edition of “The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges.” Most of the schools selected for the guide, which was published online in October, are in the U.S.

“Schools that were selected for the Guide all have exceptional programs, policies and practices related to sustainability and the environment,” according to the Princeton Review. This is the fifth year that Scranton has made this list.

The Princeton Review analyzed more than 25 data points to determine the final selection of colleges for the guide based on information from surveys of nearly 700 schools. The criteria broadly covered the schools’ academic offerings and initiatives, campus policies and practices to assess the school’s sustainability practices and commitment.

Scranton’s long-established sustainability efforts include academics, facilities and community education and outreach. Scranton has infused issues of sustainability in courses across the curriculum, ranging from theology, to business, to the natural sciences, to education, as well as other disciplines. Scranton uses numerous “green” procedures in building maintenance practices, as well as in building design and construction. Scranton currently has three Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified buildings: Leahy Hall, the Loyola Science Center and the DeNaples Center, which became the city’s first LEED certified structure in 2008. Further inspired by Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical titled “On Care for Our Common Home,” the University has begun a seven-year initiative to be recognized by the Vatican as a Laudato Si’ University.

To be designated as a Laudato Si University, colleges must evaluate comprehensively current environmental and sustainability programs, then improve and develop further initiatives to address seven goals outlined by the Pope. The goals to be addressed are: to respond to the cries of the Earth; to respond to the call of the poor; to apply ecological economics; to adopt sustainable lifestyles; to implement ecological education programs; to develop ecological spirituality efforts; and to develop of programs to address community resilience and empowerment.

In addition to its “Guide to Green Colleges,” The Princeton Review has listed Scranton in its “Best Colleges” guidebooks for 22 consecutive years, also ranking Scranton in its 2024 edition among the nation’s “Best Science Lab Facilities” (No. 18) for the seventh year.

Aileen Grasso, Clarks Summit; Colleen Kozubal, Factoryville; Amanda Matute, Scranton; Sophia Outar, Swiftwater; Regina Petrunich, Scranton; Sara Wild, Clarks Summit and seven others completed The University of Scranton Women’s Entrepreneurship Center StartUP Fall Program.

Facilitated by experienced business consultants from The University of Scranton Small Business Development Center (SBDC), this six-week certificate series is designed to provide women with the skills and knowledge needed to start their own businesses, with a focus on serving women in a life transition or those trying to make a better life for themselves and their families. This program offers participants education, support and guidance in determining if entrepreneurship is an option for them while teaching business startup basics, legal and insurance considerations, marketing and social media essentials, business plan development, accounting and budget skills, financing options and goal setting.

Housed in the Kania School of Management, The University of Scranton Women’s Entrepreneurship Center (WEC) is a program of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC). WEC student interns and SBDC staff offer business start-up information, guidance and encouragement. For more information, visit www.scrantonsbdc.com.

Scranton’s SBDC serves eight counties in Northeastern and Northern Tier Pennsylvania.

Acclaimed violinist Kako Miura Boga will return to the area the weekend of Saturday, Nov. 18, to perform in concert with The University of Scranton String Orchestra.

Presented by Performance Music at The University of Scranton, Saturday’s concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue. Admission is free and the concert is open to the public, with seating on a first-come, first-seated basis.

There will also be a masterclass for violinists ages 16 and older offered on Saturday afternoon. Contact music@scranton.edu for more information.

Miura Boga, a regular visitor to the University in recent years, will perform as soloist with the University’s String Orchestra. The concert will include works by a variety of composers, including Balmages, Ewazen, Gackstatter, Morricone, Newbold, Piazzola and Senaillé, according to Performance Music Conductor and Director Cheryl Y. Boga.

Originally from Tokyo, Japan, and now based in New York, Kako is a violinist who performs on both historical and modern instruments. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including first prize in the Nagano International Music Festival Violin Competition, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra’s Young Artists Competition, and Sound Symphony Orchestra’s Solo Competition, as well as a National Young Arts Foundation Award. In 2021, Kako was named a Fellow of The English Concert in America, and in 2022, a Mercury-Juilliard Fellow. She is co-founder and co-leader of the period chamber orchestra Relic.

Miura Boga has appeared internationally as a soloist, performing alongside orchestras in Asia, Australia and the United States, and her solo and chamber music performances have taken her to such distinguished venues as Alice Tully Hall of Lincoln Center, Weill and Zankel Halls at Carnegie Hall and the Sydney Opera House. As an ensemblist, she is highly sought after in New York and beyond, appearing with many established ensembles including Handel and Haydn Society, New York Baroque Incorporated, Trinity Baroque Orchestra and New York Classical Players.

Deeply committed to community engagement and music education, Miura Boga has worked extensively with the Music Advancement Program, a department of The Juilliard School’s Preparatory Division, offering instruction on violin and chamber music as well as courses on historical performance and curricular studies.

Miura Boga is a recent graduate of the Historical Performance program at The Juilliard School and led its orchestra as concertmaster on a tour of Germany with the Yale Schola Cantorum in the summer of 2022. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from The Juilliard School, where she also attended the Pre-College program, as well as a Master of Music from The Colburn School. Her principal teachers have included Cynthia Roberts, Elizabeth Blumenstock, Robert Lipsett and Masao Kawasaki.

Miura Boga plays a J. N. Lambert Baroque violin and several period bows, as well as a St. Cécile de Thernes violin and Sartory bow, generously on loan from the Nippon Violin Company.

The University of Scranton String Orchestra is a 30-plus-member ensemble made up of members of the University community from majors and departments spanning the curriculum, most of them undergraduate students, joined by a few graduate students, alumni and members of the faculty. With no music major at the University, the performers are brought together entirely by their mutual love of making music.

For further information on the recital, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit the Performance Music website. For more information on Miura Boga, visit relicensemble.org/about/musicians.

An art exhibit of Scranton’s Story: Our Nation’s Story oral histories and portraits of 25 Scranton residents will be on display at The University of Scranton’s Hope Horn Gallery as part of First Fridays in downtown Scranton Nov. 3 from 6 to 8 p.m. The reception is free of charge and open to the public.

The exhibit includes videos of their personal narratives of their Scranton experience, along with their portraits taken by photographer Byron Maldonado.

$content.getChild('content').textValue

The exhibit is the culmination of a multifaceted two-year project that seeks to illustrate and preserve the unique story of Scranton and relate it to the history of the United States. The project, Scranton’s Story: Our Nation’s Story, which involved multiple community partners and received National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grant support, responds to the NEH special initiative “A More Perfect Union” which will commemorate the upcoming 250^th anniversary of the United States.

The exhibit will be on display in the Hope Horn Gallery during gallery hours through to Nov. 17.

The exhibit premiere on Oct. 27 included a panel discussion followed by a reception.

$content.getChild('content').textValue

For more information, visit Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story website, or  email community@scranton.edu or call 570-941-4419 or visit www.scranton.edu/scrantonstory.

Julie Schumacher Cohen, Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story project director and assistant vice president for community engagement and government affairs at The University of Scranton, discusses the exhibit and oral histories collected with Erika Funke on WVIA’s Art Scene.

$content.getChild('content').textValue

Ambassador Stig P. Piras, the deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Denmark in the United States, was the distinguished speaker at the annual Jay Nathan, Ph.D., Visiting Scholar Lecture Series at The University of Scranton. The program, titled “Denmark: History. Culture. Economy,” was hosted by the Weinberg Memorial Library in October on campus. Ambassador Piras was joined by Dr. Nathan and Frederikke M. Kristiansen, cultural diplomacy advisor, for a panel discussion, which was followed by a musical performance by jazz guitarist Jacob Artved and Felix Moseholm, bass.

The Jay Nathan, Ph.D., Visiting Scholar Lecture Series invites international scholars from emerging democracies and countries in political and economic transition to visit the University to address issues that will enlighten and benefit students, faculty and the community at large. While visiting the campus, scholars deliver presentations on topics of interest to the academic community and meet informally with attendees, students and faculty.

$content.getChild('content').textValue

On Friday, Oct. 27 the University and community partners premiered “Scranton Stories,” 25 interviews of 33 local residents sharing their Scranton experiences and their hopes for the city and the nation. They were presented through an exhibition of their portrait photographs at the Hope Horn Gallery and online.

You can now view all the stories online at www.scranton.edu/stories and at the University’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbsV7qLR2tZL78bScN3YbLnMRazF083yw.

The Hope Horn Gallery exhibition is open through Nov. 17. Open hours are Sunday through Friday from noon – 4 p.m. and Wednesday from 6-8 p.m. This week, the exhibition will be a First Friday event from 6-8 p.m. on Nov. 3. To book special visits by appointment, contact Julie Schumacher Cohen Julie.cohen@scranton.edu or Darlene Miller-Lanning at darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu).

On Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023 Performance Music at The University of Scranton will present a concert featuring the University’s Symphonic Band. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue. Admission is free and the concert is open to the public, with seating on a first-come, first-seated basis.

The program will include works by Julie Giroux, Charles Ives, Philip Sparke, Frank Ticheli and more.

The University of Scranton Symphonic Band is a 65-plus member ensemble comprised of members of the University community from majors and departments spanning the curriculum – the vast majority of them undergraduate students, joined by a few graduate students and members of the faculty, staff, and alumni/SBO – none of whom are music majors, who are all brought together by their mutual love of music-making.

The primary focus of Performance Music at The University of Scranton is its student choral and instrumental performing ensembles. There is no major in music at the University, and all enrolled Scranton students (undergraduate and graduate) are eligible for membership in the University Bands, University Performance Choirs, University String Orchestra and Ensembles and Steel Drum Ensemble. A few members of the faculty and staff and alumni from the region also perform with the groups. Each year, hundreds of students participate in the ensembles.

For additional information on the concert, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit the Performance Music website.

Harvard University professor and acclaimed author Danielle Allen, Ph.D., will present the highly-anticipated Humanities and Hoban Lecture, “Who are We as a Nation? Educating for Democracy” at The University of Scranton on Thursday, Nov. 16 and also available via live stream.

Dr. Allen is a political theorist whose most recent book, “Justice by Means of Democracy,” examines the importance of political equality and democracy in building a just society. She will speak at the DeNaples Center Ballroom at 7 p.m. with a question and answer session and book signing immediately following the talk. The event is free of charge and open to the public.

The book has received national recognition with New York Times columnist Peter Coy calling is an “important” work. Dr. Allen is also the author of several other books, including “Our Declaration: a reading of the Declaration of Independence in defense of equality” and writes a column on constitutional democracy for The Washington Post.

“Dr. Allen brings a wealth of civic experience and scholarly expertise in considering questions of civic engagement and democratic participation that are so relevant to the work we have been doing locally, as we conclude the Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story project and to continue the longstanding Hoban lecture series,” said Julie Schumacher Cohen, director of Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story project and the assistant vice president of community engagement and government affairs.

The event caps off the community-wide two-year Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story project that has explored the aspirational journey to fulfill our national ideals through the lens of Scranton, including many of the key elements of our nation’s experience: industrial era growth and economic decline, waves of immigration past and present, and Black and Indigenous experiences. Supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grant, Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story has engaged community members in conversation about local and national identity, historical narratives and belonging, and our role as community members and as citizens.

“How do we educate for a just and pluralistic democracy in light of the 250^th U.S. anniversary? Given the role of narrative and political identity in democratic citizenship, who are ‘we’ as Americans, and a nation, today and how can we work toward that more perfect union? These are some of the questions we are considering locally and which Dr. Allen’s work and writings bring relevant and timely attention to,” said Cohen.

The Hoban Lecture series is presented in collaboration with the Lackawanna Bar Association.

“The Honorable T. Linus Hoban Memorial Lecture was established in 1978 in Judge Hoban’s memory with a mission to bring to the community speakers who have achieved distinction the fields of Law, government and public affairs,” said John C. Mascelli, Esq., president of the Lackawanna Bar Association. “Dr. Danielle Allen joins a highly-distinguished list of past speakers and the Lackawanna Bar Association is proud to partner once again with The University of Scranton and to celebrate the conclusion of the Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story project.”

Dr. Allen is the James Bryant Conant University Professor and director of the Allen Lab for Renovating Democracy at Harvard’s Kennedy School’s Ash Center. She also co-chaired the Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship and was the 2020 winner of the Library of Congress’ Kluge Prize, which recognizes scholarly achievement. The awards committee lauded her for “internationally recognized scholarship in political theory and her commitment to improving democratic practice and civics education."

She is also the founder and president of Partners in Democracy, an organization that advocates for democracy reform and political equality.

Additional University partners include the Gail and Francis Slattery Center for the Ignatian Humanities and Weinberg Memorial Library and community partners as part of the Scranton Story, Our Nation’s Story project include: Black Scranton Project, Lackawanna County Department of Arts and Culture, Lackawanna County Immigrant Inclusion Committee, Lackawanna Historical Society, Neighborworks Northeastern Pennsylvania, and Scranton Public Library.

Registration for attendance for the Nov. 16 talk can be done online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Allen-lecture with an option to receive  a link to a live stream. Questions, call 570-941-4419.

The Catholic Choral Society of Scranton kicks off its 75th anniversary season on Sunday, Nov. 12, with “Generations Sing!”, an annual concert presented by the ensemble and its friends, hosted this year by Performance Music at The University of Scranton.

The performance begins at 4 p.m. in the university’s Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue. The concert is free of charge and open to the public. Seating is on a come, first-seated basis. Parking is available in University lots on Madison and Jefferson avenues, and also in the University’s parking pavilion on Mulberry Street.

Along with Catholic Choral Society (Ann Manganiello, director), this year’s event will feature The Armstrong Singers from Neil Armstrong Elementary School in Scranton (Kim Gnall, director), Wyoming Valley West Middle School Spartan Singers (Scott Coates, director), Valley View High School Choir (Gina Pascolini, director), and The University of Scranton Concert Choir (Cheryl Y. Boga, director.)

According to Director Ann Manganiello, “The Catholic Choral Society is very excited to begin its 75th Anniversary Season with its Generations Sing Concert. We are delighted that high school, middle school and elementary choirs, along with the University of Scranton Concert Choir, will all be featured at our opening concert.”

At the concert, each individual ensemble will present a program of 12-15 minutes in length, followed by members of all groups, ages 8 to 80, joining together to perform the concert finale.

Composed of members from Luzerne, Lackawanna, Wayne, Susquehanna, and Wyoming counties, The Catholic Choral Society was re-organized in 1949. Its first conductor and musical director, the late Norbert K. Betti, was also the founding choral director of The University of Scranton Singers, and the University is proud to host this concert celebrating the CCS’s 75th anniversary season.

For further information on the concert, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit the Performance Music website. For more on the Catholic Choral Society, visit catholicchoralsociety.org.

The University of Scranton’s 22^nd Annual U.S. Conference on Disability, titled “Ability Focused Advocacy: Breaking Barriers to Achieving Careers and Independence,” featured speakers covering the topics of disability rights and accessibility. Employment and inclusion advocate Mason Ameri, Ph.D., gave the opening keynote address and James LeBrecht, award winning director, closed out the day-long conference with a viewing and discussion of his documentary “Crip Camp.” University President Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., was among the speakers at the day-long event.  The conference, established more than 20 years ago by University benefactors Edward R. and Patricia Leahy, aims to foster advances in the quality of life of individuals with disabilities.

Since 2005, Washington Monthly analyzed numerous data sets in order to rank colleges across the nation in categories for “community and national service,” “research” and “social mobility” in order to assess the contribution graduates make to “the public good.” In the 2023 listing, published in the September/October issue of the magazine and online, Washington Monthly ranked The University of Scranton No. 10 among the 604 master’s universities in the nation in the “community and national service” category.

According to the publication, they rank “four-year schools (national universities, liberal arts colleges, baccalaureate colleges, and master’s universities) based on their contribution to the public good in three broad categories: social mobility, research, and providing opportunities for public service.” Scranton was No. 30 in the overall ranking that combines equally-weighted scores for “community and national service,” “research” and “social mobility.”

Scranton ranked No. 37, and No. 183, respectively, in the “research” and “social mobility” categories among master’s universities in the country.

For “community and national service” score, Washington Monthly looked at the percentage of all degrees awarded in health, education and social work “to reward colleges that produce leaders in socially valuable fields that are not always highly paid.”  They also reviewed the size of the ROTC program and the number of alumni serving in AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps, adjusted for the size of the school, as well as the percentage of federal work study grant money spent on community service projects, among other factors such as voter engagement. Washington Monthly determined the “research” score is based on each school’s research expenditure and the number of alumni earning Ph.D.s, relative to the size of the college. The “social mobility” score is based on actual and predicted graduation rates; student loan repayment rates; the percentage of students receiving Pell Grants; and the school’s average net price for full-time, in-state students with family incomes below $75,000 per year over the past three years, among other factors.

This is the 14^th consecutive year Washington Monthly has included Scranton in its college rankings.

In other national rankings, U.S. News & World Report ranked Scranton No. 5 among regional universities in the north in its 2024 guidebook, marking the 30^th consecutive year that Scranton ranked in the top 10. The Princeton Review included Scranton in its list of “Best Colleges” for 22 consecutive years, and ranked the University No. 18 in the nation for “Best Science Lab Facilities” in its latest edition of the guidebook.

The term “China shock” commonly refers to the number of U.S. manufacturing jobs lost to import competition from China. However, research by economist Robert C. Feenstra, Ph.D., that takes a broader assessment of the economic impact trade with China over the past few decades tells a different story.

Dr. Feenstra, the C. Bryan Cameron Distinguished Chair in International Economics at University of California (UC), Davis, will present “The ‘China Shock’ After 22 Years,” at The University of Scranton’s 37th Henry George Lecture on Thursday, Nov. 9. The lecture will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the McIlhenny Ballroom of the DeNaples Center. The lecture is free of charge and open to the public.

In his research, Dr. Feenstra’s examined broad data that reflected growth in U.S. exports that has led to increased demand for manufacturing jobs, as well as jobs in services, including service sector jobs that are due to the export of services. His research indicates that the “China shock” has had a net positive impact for the U.S. economy.

Dr. Feenstra’s research focuses on international economics and applied microeconomics. He has published 15 books, including “Offshoring in the Global Economy, and Product Variety and the Gains from Trade” (MIT Press, 2010), the graduate textbook “Advanced International Trade: Theory and Evidence” (Princeton University Press, 2nd ed., 2015), and an undergraduate textbook jointly with Alan M. Taylor, “International Economics” (Worth Publishers, 4th ed., 2017).  In addition, he has published more than 100 articles that have appeared in leading economics journals, including the Quarterly Journal of Economics, Economic Journal, the Review of Economics and Statistics, the Journal of Political Economy, and the American Economic Review.

Dr. Feenstra is director of the Center for International Data, an organization within the Department of Economics at UC Davis that collects, enhances, creates and disseminates international economic data. From 1992 to 2016 he directed the International Trade and Investment program at the National Bureau of Economic Research in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Feenstra has won numerous awards, including the Bernhard Harms Prize from the Kiel Institute for World Economics at the University of Kiel (2006) and the Herbert A. Young Society Dean’s Fellowship at UC Davis (2010 to 2013).

Considered the preeminent public lecture series on economics in Northeastern Pennsylvania, the Henry George Lecture Series is presented by the University’s Department of Economics, Finance and International Business and the campus chapter of Omicron Delta Epsilon, an international honor society for economics. Among the distinguished list of speakers who have spoken at previous lectures are eleven winners of the Nobel Prize in Economics: David Card (2021) Paul Romer (2018), Robert Shiller (2013), Tom Sargent (2011), Peter Diamond (2010), Paul Krugman (2008), Joseph Stiglitz (2001), George Akerlof (2001), Amartya Sen (1998), Robert Lucas (1995) and Robert Solow (1987). The lecture series is named in honor of the 19th century American economist and social reformer and is supported financially by a grant from the Robert Schalkenbach Foundation.

For more information about the Henry George Lecture, call 570-941-4048 or email janice.mecadon@scranton.edu.

Representatives from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and Senate toured the state-of-the-art nursing simulation labs at The University of Scranton and met with students and professors of the Jesuit school’s graduate nurse anesthetist program. The September visit was part of the Pennsylvania Association of Nurse Anesthetists (PANA) Lobby Day.

 “It was a journey that truly showcased the exceptional education happening right here in NEPA,” wrote state Senator Marty Flynn of the visit in his Instagram account. “Our tour was made even more special as CRNAs (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists) walked us through the cutting-edge spaces and shared their expertise. It’s moments like these that remind us of the incredible impact education can have on our community and beyond.”

Joining state Senator Flynn for the tour were state Reps. Eddie Day Pashinski, Jim Haddock and Kyle J. Mullins. Staff members from the offices of state Reps. Bridget M. Kosierowski and Kyle Donahue and state Sen. Lisa Baker also attended.

Nurse anesthetist graduate students leading the tour were Aaron J Crowell, Plains; Brandon Perrotte, Allison Park; Nelson Ramos, New York, New York; and Meghan Visalli, Scranton.

$content.getChild('content').textValue

The representatives also met with Victoria Castellanos, Ph.D., dean of the Panuska College of Professional Studies, which houses the University’s nurse anesthetist program; Julie Schumacher Cohen, assistant vice president of community engagement and government affairs; and nursing faculty members Ann Culp, D.N.P.; Teresa Conte Ph.D.; Mary Jane DiMattio, Ph.D.; Susan Elczyna, Ph.D.; and Tracy Murray.

Scranton’s Nurse Anesthesia Program is a full-time, rigorous and comprehensive 36-month program, which prepares registered nurses to become Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists.

$content.getChild('content').textValue

A leading global figure in the field of comparative theology, Francis X. Clooney, S.J., the Parkman Professor of Divinity at Harvard University, presented The University of Scranton Slattery Center for Ignatian Humanities Lecture on comparative theology in September on campus. At the talk, he was awarded an honorary degree from Scranton.

Father Clooney has written numerous books on comparative theology and is also scholar in the teachings of Hinduism. He is currently at work on his memoir, set to be titled “Priest and Scholar, Catholic and Hindu: A Love Story.” He is a fellow of the British Academy and the Australian Catholic University. In the last year, he has served as president of the Catholic Theological Society of America.

At the lecture, University Trustee John P. “JP” Sweeney, first vice-president - investment officer of Wells Fargo Advisors in Scranton, bestowed the honorary degree upon Father Clooney with Daniel Cosacchi, Ph.D., vice president for mission and ministry, and Sarah Kenehan, Ph.D., executive director of the University’s Gail and Francis Slattery Center for Ignatian Humanities.

$content.getChild('content').textValue

The University of Scranton will host its annual Jay Nathan, Ph.D., Visiting Scholar Lecture Series on Thursday, Oct. 26, at 5 p.m. in the PNC auditorium of the Loyola Science Center.

Ambassador Stig P. Piras, the deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Denmark in the United States, will serve as the Weinberg Memorial Library’s distinguished guest speaker and Visiting Nathan Scholar. He will join Dr. Nathan and Frederikke M. Kristiansen, Cultural Diplomacy Advisor, for the panel discussion titled “Denmark: History. Culture. Economy.” The talk will be followed by a cultural performance and reception.

The event is free of charge and open to the public, and made possible through the generosity of Dr. Nathan, benefactor and former professor in Scranton’s Kania School of Management.

Ambassador Piras, before his current position as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Denmark in the United States, worked at the Embassy of Denmark in Washington, D.C. as First Secretary from 2005-2008. He was also Deputy Director for Asia and Latin America, Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, and Deputy Head of Mission, Counselor, at the Embassy of Denmark in Ankara, Republic of Turkey. Ambassador Piras was the Danish ambassador to the Republic of Iraq from 2020-2022. He earned a master's degree in political science from the University of Copenhagen and a bachelor’s degree from Aarhus University.

As cultural diplomacy advisor, Kristiansen advises both U.S. and Danish artists and cultural organizations. She supports the cultural exchange between The United States and Denmark through various art forms, such as visual and performing arts, music, literature and film.

A recipient of the Fulbright Travel Scholar Grant to Romania, and the Fulbright Senior Scholar Awards to Thailand, Poland, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia, Dr. Nathan is a member of the Board of Directors of the Fulbright Association and a lifetime member of the Fulbright Alumni Association. He was past president of the Global Awareness Society International and is the author of recently published books on Kazakhstan and India. Dr. Nathan received a grant from the United Nations Development Program to teach graduate courses in management theory and logistics for the International Business School at Vilnius University in Lithuania.

A cultural music performance by Jacob Artved and Felix Moseholm will immediately follow the panel discussion. Artved and Moseholm share a special connection as a duo, as they began playing music together in Copenhagen and have closely followed each other’s musical journeys since they were 14.

A talented jazz guitarist, Artved was born into a musical family and began working as a professional musician as a teen. He has worked and recorded with internationally acclaimed jazz artists and has received numerous awards for his recordings and performances. He currently lives in New York City and is an active composer and arranger. He has made four recordings as a band leader.

Moseholm grew up playing the cello before his granduncle introduced him to the bass, for which his skillful playing has earned him numerous awards and acknowledgements. He earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Julliard. He resides in New York city and has worked as a sideman, bandleader, composer, arranger and teacher of music.

The Jay Nathan, Ph.D., Visiting Scholar Lecture Series invites international scholars from emerging democracies and countries in political and economic transition to visit the University to address issues that will enlighten and benefit students, faculty and the community at large. While visiting the campus, scholars deliver presentations on topics of interest to the academic community and meet informally with attendees, students and faculty.

Reservations are suggested for the lecture, and can be made at scranton.edu/JayNathanLecture, or by calling 570-941-7816.

The University of Scranton Jazz Band will take the stage Saturday, Oct. 28, with acclaimed tenor saxophonist Chris Lewis joining them as the evening’s guest soloist.

Presented by Performance Music at The University of Scranton, the concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue. Admission is free and the concert is open to the public. Seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis.

At the concert the University’s student jazz ensemble will perform a variety of works that prominently feature Lewis on tenor saxophone, according to Performance Music Conductor and Director Cheryl Y. Boga.

“I met Chris more than a decade ago while guest conducting a PMEA band festival, at which time he was already displaying a prodigious talent that made him very memorable. Then two or three years ago my son was performing at the Sitka Jazz Festival and I got a text from Chris with a photo of him and Joseph grinning like clowns that made me laugh out loud. Turns out they were both playing at the festival, and met each other for the first time in – of all places – Alaska!”

Lewis grew up in Northeast Pennsylvania. The Grammy Award-winning artist has quickly established himself as an in-demand saxophonist and educator. Lewis has played with numerous jazz luminaries, including Wynton Marsalis, Herbie Hancock, Michael Bublé, Eric Reed, Terell Stafford, The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, John Beasley’s MONK’estra, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, the Mingus Big Band, Count Basie Orchestra and The Gil Evans Project. He can be seen playing saxophone in season five of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and the most recent season of “The Godfather of Harlem.” He was also featured in Levi’s Vintage fall 2022 ad campaign.

Lewis has taught clinics on small and large ensemble playing, as well as saxophone, harmony and improvisation at a number of camps, festivals and universities, and has served as a guest clinician for Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Regional Essentially Ellington Festival. He currently resides in New York City, where he maintains a busy playing and teaching schedule.

The University of Scranton Jazz Band is a 28-member ensemble of big band-style instrumentation, made up of University student musicians from majors spanning the curriculum. They perform five or more times per year, with the majority of their performances open to the public, free of charge, and often featuring a nationally or internationally renowned guest soloist.

For further information on the recital, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit scranton.edu/music. For more info on Lewis, visit chrislewismusic.com.

Through Nov. 17       Art Exhibit: “Scranton’s Story: Oral History Portrait Photographs.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

Through Dec. 15            Library Exhibit: “Learning to Write-American Penmanship Manuals from the David Kaminski and Zaner-Bloser Collections 1791-1980.” Heritage Room, Weinberg Memorial Library. Free during library hours. Call 570-941-6341 or email michael.knies@scranton.edu.

Nov. 2     11:30 a.m. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Series: “A Molecule Away from Madness: Tales of the Hijacked Brain” presented by Sara Manning Peskin, M.D., assistant professor of clinical neurology, University of Pennsylvania. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-7816 or email kym.fetsko@scranton.edu.

Nov 2     4 p.m. Humanities Forum Lecture: “Explaining the Cosmos: Can the Philosopher Help?” presented by Dean Zimmerman, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, Rutgers University, author and lecturer. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu.

Nov. 3 6 p.m. Art Exhibit First Fridays reception: “Scranton’s Story: Oral History Portrait Photographs.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu.

Nov. 4     7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton Symphonic Band. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Nov. 5     9 a.m. Open House for prospective students and their families. Various locations on campus. Registration required. Free. Call 888-SCRANTON or email admissions@scranton.edu.

Nov. 9     7:30 p.m. Henry George Lecture: “The ‘China Shock’ After 22 Years” presented by Robert C. Feenstra, Ph.D., C. Bryan Cameron Distinguished Chair in International Economics, University of California, Davis. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-4048 or email janice.mecadon@scranton.edu.

Nov 10    Noon. Humanities Forum Lecture: “The Habit of Poetry: The Literary Lives of Nuns in Mid-century America” presented by Nick Ripatrazone, author and culture editor of Image Journal. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu.

Nov. 12    4 p.m. Performance Music: “The Generation Sing!” The Catholic Choral Society opens their 75^th anniversary season jointed by The University of Scranton concert Choir and Valley View High School Choir with middle school and elementary choirs. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

Nov. 16    7 p.m. Keynote Lecture and Book Signing: “Who are We as a Nation? Education for Democracy” presented by Danielle Allen, Harvard University political theorist and author of Justice by Means of Democracy. The event is part of “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story,” a project supported by a NEH grant led by The University of Scranton and community partners. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-4419 or email community@scranton.edu.

Nov. 16-18     8 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday. “Footloose” presented by Liva Arts Company. The Royal Theater, McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts. $5. Call 570-941-7401 or email livaartscompany@gmail.com.

Nov. 18    7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton String Orchestra with guest violinist Kako Miura Boga. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.

After two years in the making, Scranton’s Story: Our Nation’s Story will premiere the finale of the project’s Oral Histories collection initiative, “Scranton Stories,” with a portrait exhibit of the local residents featured in 25 oral history interviews. Videos of their personal narratives, along with their portraits taken by photographer Byron Maldonado, celebrate individual Scranton experiences while demonstrating the many threads that connect each story - a deep care for the city and its people, an awareness of our challenges, and heartfelt hopes for the future of Scranton and our nation.

The “Scranton Stories” premiere will take place Friday, Oct. 27 - starting with a panel discussion at 5 p.m. in the Pearn Auditorium of Brennan Hall, followed by a portrait exhibit from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall, at The University of Scranton. The premiere is free of charge and open to the public.

$content.getChild('content').textValue

“These 25 stories are one small piece of the larger mosaic of Scranton’s many stories, both past and present. Scranton has always been a microcosm of what was happening across our nation, and these 25 stories show the strength, grace, and character that exist in the face of our local and national challenges. They represent a small cross-section of the way people from many different cultures and backgrounds live, work, worship and play together in one city, in one nation,” said Kimberly Crafton, oral histories project coordinator and consultant. Crafton, together with Julie Schumacher Cohen, project director and assistant vice president for community engagement and government affairs at The University of Scranton, organized this part of the initiative in collaboration with a committee comprised of University and community partners and photographer Byron Maldonado.

The 25 “Scranton Stories” include a total of 33 individuals who have either lived or worked in Scranton or otherwise have strong ties to the city related to their childhood, racial or ethnic community, civic involvement, vocation or faith group. It includes individuals who have long standing family ties as descendants of industrial era European immigrants as well as African Americans with local roots that date as far back as the Civil War. Also highlighted are the journeys of more recent immigrants and refugees coming to the area from Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia - some who have been here for generations now, and some who are more recent arrivals. There are teachers, artists, small business owners, younger and older adults, multi-generational families and more.

Interviewees shared their personal experiences in Scranton - their “Scranton Story,” as well as their aspirations around a number of timely topics.

“I am immensely grateful to the 33 individuals who shared their stories through this project. They voice a wide array of experiences that help us honor and expand the narrative of Scranton and the nation. Democracy only works when everyone is involved. Participation locally and nationally requires that sense of belonging,” Cohen.

“Those interviewed expressed concern or anxiety about the divisiveness that exists in the nation today, as well as hope for the future, if we can listen and learn from each other. We can’t gloss over hard histories or experiences. We can’t skip to unity. We have to work for it. This collection makes space for those nuanced conversation. The stories remind us of the humanity of our Scranton neighbors, our fellow Americans – our commonalities and our differences – and they challenge us to forge a better way forward,” said Cohen.

The premiere is the culmination of a multifaceted two-year project that seeks to illustrate and preserve the unique story of Scranton and relate it to the history of the United States. The project, Scranton’s Story: Our Nation’s Story, which involved multiple community partners and received National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grant support, responds to the NEH special initiative “A More Perfect Union” which will commemorate the upcoming 250^th anniversary of the United States.

Scranton’s Story: Our Nation’s Story incorporates eight themes, ranging from how Scranton has been portrayed in the popular imagination, to its industrial era growth, Indigenous history, religious tapestry, diverse immigrant populations – past and present – and the role it played in the Underground Railroad and Black history. The project also seeks to share underrepresented Scranton stories in order to stitch together a full local and national narrative.

 “I am very grateful to be a part of a project that educates and features prior generations’ stories, and is making it a point to highlight contemporary stories, cultures, heritages and experiences that have not been told in Northeastern Pennsylvania,” said Jenny Gonzalez Monge, who with her mother Ana Monge, are among the 25 Scranton Stories that will be premiered Oct. 27. In their interview, they share the challenges they faced as immigrants and as one of few students of color in Scranton schools when they arrived about 30 years ago.

“Being able to share my mother's experience of how Scranton went from being an unknown, lonely and scary place for her to a place where she established long-term roots, raised her children, and ultimately became her home, was very rewarding. My hope is that through this project, future generations understand, appreciate and celebrate Scranton’s diverse cultural assets and community members, to continue the transformational work of creating a welcoming, empathetic and just community,” said Gonzalez Monge, who is a steering committee member for Scranton Stories and Marywood University STARS program director.

Panelists on Oct. 27 will include: Crafton, oral histories coordinator; Cohen, project director; and Glynis Johns, Black Scranton; Alejandra Marroquin, Lackawanna County Immigrant Inclusion Committee; Mary Ann Savakinus, Lackawanna Historical Society; and photographer Byron Maldonado.

The remaining individuals whose “Scranton Stories” will be premiered will be named at the event. Portraits of the participants displayed in the exhibit were created by Maldonado. The individuals each chose a location in Scranton for their photograph that had a special meaning to them. These images are another documentation of the city through their eyes.

The panel discussion and exhibit are free of charge and open to the public. The exhibit will be on display in the Hope Horn Gallery during gallery hours through to Nov. 17. The interviews will be available as of Oct. 27 via the University’s YouTube channel and the project website (www.scranton.edu/scrantonstory) and the full interviews will be archived by the Weinberg Memorial Library.

For more information, visit Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story website, or  email community@scranton.edu or call 570-941-4419 or visit www.scranton.edu/scrantonstory.

Zev Eleff, Ph.D., president of Gratz College and ordained Rabbi, will present “Dyed in Crimson – Football, Faith, Antisemitism, and the American Dream” at The University of Scranton’s Judaic Studies Institute Lecture on Tuesday, Oct. 31, at 7:30 p.m. in the PNC Auditorium of the Loyola Science Center. The lecture is free of charge and open to the public.

Dr. Eleff was named the twelfth president of Gratz College in 2021, after his position as chief academic officer of Hebrew Theological College and vice provost of Touro College Illinois. A highly respected and distinguished academic scholar, Dr. Eleff has vast experience teaching, researching and authoring books on Jewish Studies and American Religion.

With nine books and more than 50 scholarly articles published, Dr. Eleff has earned various notable awards, such as the American Jewish Historical Society’s Wasserman Prize, and is a two-time finalist for the National Jewish Book Award. As one of the youngest presidents in higher education and one of the youngest professors in Touro College’s history, Dr. Eleff was a recipient of the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago’s “36 Under 36” award.

Dr. Eleff graduated from Yeshiva College at Yeshiva University and received his ordination from the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary. He then completed a prestigious program for Jewish professionals and became a Wexner Graduate Fellow/Davidson Scholar. He earned a Master of Arts in History and Education from the Teachers College at Columbia University, and his Ph.D. in American Jewish History at Brandeis University.

The Weinberg Judaic Studies Institute was created in 1979 through an endowment funded by the local Jewish community. The Institute fosters a better understanding and appreciation of Judaism, Israel, and their histories. It supports visits to the University by Jewish scholars and writers and supports library acquisitions, publications, faculty research, travel and other scholarly endeavors. The work of the Institute was further enhanced by a $1 million gift from Harry Weinberg in 1990.

For further information, contact Marc Shapiro, Ph.D., professor of theology/religious studies and the Weinberg Chair of Judaic Studies at The University of Scranton, at 570-941-7956 or marc.shapiro@scranton.edu.

“Prospective students should come to Open House because it is a really great way to get to know the campus a little bit more and just talk to a bunch of people about concerns you might have about coming to college,” said Madison Borys, a senior occupational therapy major from Caldwell, New Jersey, in a video produced by Scranton student Robert Correas-Rivera, a senior journalism and electronic media major from Reading, shown at left.

“I really liked seeing inside of the first-year resident hall so I knew what it would be like to live at Scranton,” said Thomas Elias, a senior philosophy and theology and religious studies double major from Tunkhannock. “My parents felt much more comfortable and excited to send me to college and to Scranton specifically after we attended Open House.”

The University of Scranton will host two Open House events for prospective students and their families on Sunday, Oct. 22, and Sunday, Nov. 5.

Thomas Elias, a senior philosophy and theology and religious studies double major from Tunkhannock, shown, says that at The University of Scranton Open House he liked seeing inside of the first-year resident hall so he knew what it would be like to live at Scranton.

 

What should you do at Open House at Scranton?

“Definitely go to the meet and greet with professors,” advises Elias, while Borys recommends “trying out some of our food. We are ranked in the top 25 in the nation for best food on college campuses.”

At the Open House, participants can learn about Scranton’s 70 undergraduate majors, meet with faculty, students, admissions counselors and financial aid representatives. In addition, representatives of student organizations, athletic teams and Scranton’s Honors Programs, will be available. Student-led tours of the campus will be conducted throughout the day and will include residence halls, dining halls, computer labs, science labs and academic facilities.

See what students Alexandra Shomali, a junior mathematical sciences and philosophy double major from Ellicott City, Maryland and Gillian Marsicano, a senior occupational therapy major from East Brunswick, New Jersey advise about Open House in the full video. Also, see what students have to say about Scranton’s residence halls. 

For additional information, contact Scranton’s Admissions Office at 1-888-SCRANTON or visit Scranton’s Open House webpage.

The Office of Community-Based Learning (CBL) announces the second cohort of its CBL Faculty Fellows Program. The purpose of the program is to recognize, reward and support exemplary faculty who are eager to fully integrate CBL as an intentional pedagogical strategy into their courses and/or curricular-based projects. CBL is an academic experience which involves students working with individuals, groups, or organizations in ways structured to meet community-defined needs. The Faculty Fellows program seeks to expand, strengthen and institutionalize CBL at the University as a demonstration of its commitment to the common good.

The 2022-2023 academic year was the inaugural Faculty Fellows program.

“These inaugural fellows adopted the skills and capacities to successfully partner to develop and implement CBL courses. They realized that their teaching could create a sense of community and hope in themselves, their students and the community in concrete ways which serve community identified needs and not only academic purposes. We are excited to continue faculty development which will fulfill St. Ignatius’ vision to develop the whole person and students who seek to ‘be men and women for and with others,’ said Debra Fetherman, PhD, CBL Faculty Coordinator and Associate Professor and Health Promotion Program Director in the Health and Human Performance Department.

The 2023-2024 academic year CBL faculty fellows are listed below, including their department and what course or project they will focus on.  

Hope E. Baylow, Communication Sciences & Disorders and Speech-Language Pathology

Hope E. Baylow, D.A., Assistant Professor, Founding Program Director, Communication Sciences & Disorders and Speech-Language Pathology, in the Department of Health and Human Performance, will focus on a “Speech-Language Pathology Community Based Learning (CBL) Project.” As a component of the new distance education M.S. degree program in Speech-Language Pathology, all graduate degree students must create and execute a 25-hour community-based learning project in their area of residence. Dr. Baylow will work on developing effective strategies for guiding her students in these CBL activities undertaken in their home communities.

  
Ovidiu C. Cocieru, Management, Marketing and Entrepreneurship

Ovidiu C. Cocieru, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Management, Marketing and Entrepreneurship, will focus on integrating CBL into the course, “MGT 410- Sustainability Management.” This course introduces the concepts of sustainability management and how sustainability management applies to relevant instruments and tools used in essential management domains such as marketing, accounting, supply chain management, strategy, or innovation management. Students will also understand the role played by businesses in creating and solving the climate crisis.

 

 

Madeline Gangnes, English and Theatre

Dr. Madeline B. Gangnes, Assistant Professor in the department of English and Theatre, will integrate CBL into her new course, “Climate Fiction,” a literature course on fiction that concerns our planet’s climate in all its facets, with particular attention to anthropogenic climate disruption.

Guided by the Pope’s call to “care for our common home,” and in support of the university’s goal of becoming a Laudato Si’ institution, this course will engage with fiction as a means to understand and address one of the most pressing crises of our time. Students will apply insights gained through literary texts to real-world climate issues and respond to them through various assignments, including a CBL project in collaboration with community partners pursuing environmental justice or climate action.

Chandra Ann Nealon, Occupational Therapy

Chandra Ann Nealon, faculty specialist in the Department of Occupational Therapy, will work on integrating CBL into her new course, “OT 230 Anatomy & Mechanics of Human Movement.” University of Scranton OT students will form a partnership with the local older adult population through senior living residencies and/or activity centers, affiliated with United Neighborhood Centers (UNC). Using knowledge developed in the above OT course, students will design and implement projects focusing on the human movement components needed (and the effect of impairments) for leisure activities such as painting as well as activities of daily living such as meal preparation (make and pour mocktails). During this process, OT students will also learn about the needs of the older adult population in the Scranton area including social interaction, meaningful activity involvement and aging in place, particularly as recovery from the COVID 19 pandemic continues and the needs of the ever-growing older adult population increase in conjunction with economic constraints.

Jennifer Schwartz, Physical Therapy

Jennifer Schwartz, Faculty Specialist in the Department of Physical Therapy, will focus on the project, Community Wellness, as part of the course “PT 755 Teaching and Learning in Physical Therapy.” This community- based learning assignment is designed to prepare students to teach as physical therapists for different audiences in a variety of settings, as well as shape students to be advocates for health promotion and wellness in the community. Based on available community-based learning opportunities (CBL), students will complete a community needs assessment. Then students will select a wellness topic connected to community needs, design learning materials, and complete a community health presentation.

“We are so excited about the work these faculty will do in collaboration with community partners and together with their students as we continue to strengthen community-based learning as a key example of experiential learning and Ignatian pedagogy at the university and one of the ways we live out our mission as an anchor institution in Scranton,” said Julie Schumacher Cohen, Assistant Vice President for Community Engagement and Government Affairs and CBL Board Chair.

For more information on CBL at the University visit www.scranton.edu/cbl

 

The University of Scranton will host two Open House events for prospective students and their families on Sunday, Oct. 22 and Sunday, Nov. 5.

Inspired by its Catholic and Jesuit mission, Scranton provides a rigorous, in-depth education designed for personal and professional success. For 30 consecutive years, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Scranton among the 10 top Master’s Universities in the North. The Princeton Review included Scranton in its list “Best Colleges” for 22 consecutive years and in its ranking of the nation’s “Best Science Labs” (No. 18) for seven years, among other rankings.

At the Open House, participants can learn about Scranton’s 70 undergraduate majors, meet with faculty, students, admissions counselors and financial aid representatives. Participants can also learn about Scranton’s five honors programs, pre-law, pre-medial and pre-health professions programs. Student-led tours of the campus, located in Northeast Pennsylvania, will be conducted throughout the day and will include residence halls, dining halls, computer labs, science labs and academic facilities.

In addition, representatives of student organizations, athletic teams and Scranton’s Honors Programs, will be available.

For additional information, contact Scranton’s Admissions Office at 1-888-SCRANTON or visit Scranton’s Open House webpage.

$content.getChild('content').textValue

The 13th Annual Downtown Scavenger Hunt offers University students a unique opportunity to explore the downtown Scranton area. This year’s event will run from 3 p.m. on Friday, Sept.1 through 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 2. This year’s event will feature a First Friday event on Sept. 1 from 5 to 8 p.m. outside of Brown Hall located at 600 Linden Street. The first 100 Hunt participants to stop by the First Friday event will receive a free Scavenger Hunt T-shirt. Refreshments will be available.   

This event invites attendees to learn more about our neighboring small businesses, cultural venues,  landmarks and murals. This year’s Hunt features 26 participating downtown partners.  The annual Scavenger Hunt is offered in partnership with The Center for Student Engagement, The University of Scranton Small Business Development Center, and The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce & Metro Action and Scranton Tomorrow.

HOW TO WIN SCAVENGER HUNT PRIZES

The first team to visit at least 10 locations wins the grand prize, which includes two University hooded sweatshirts, a $50 gift card to Downtown Deli and $25 gift card to Adezzo. Any team that visits 10 businesses over the two-day period will be entered to win two $25 gift cards to the Scranton Art Haus downtown movie theatre. Hunt clues featuring our University’s “Iggy” mascot will be shared via QR codes and displayed in business windows.

Hunt participants can compete in additional photo contests by visiting a list of downtown historical landmarks and murals, such as one depicting the characters of the TV show “The Office,” shown below. To enter to win a grand prize, students must take photos and send their submissions to community@scranton.edu. A contest for the most creative photo overall offer students additional chances to win.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SCAVENGER HUNT

* Registration with a waiver is required in Royal Sync. Students can also register by scanning the QR codes on Scavenger Hunt posters located around campus.

* Registered students will receive an email on Friday, Sept.1 with a rules sheet that will detail how the Scavenger Hunt will proceed. A smartphone will be necessary to scan QR codes that will unlock clues at the different locations.  

To our new students, Class of 2027, welcome! To our returning students, welcome back!

 For more information about the annual Scavenger Hunt and the greater Scranton area, follow The Office of Community Relations on Facebook @uscrantoncommunityrelations and on Instagram and Twitter @uofscommunity or contact by email at community@scranton.edu

 

Performance Music at The University of Scranton will kick off its Fall 2023 concert schedule Friday, Sept. 8, with a presentation of “What Makes It Great? The Great American Songbook,” featuring Rob Kapilow H ’09 with soprano Magdalyn E. Boga.

The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue. Admission is free, with seating on a first-come, first-seated basis.

Part of Kapilow’s long-running “What Makes It Great?” series, the presentation/concert will illuminate for attendees the difference between hearing and listening as Kapilow demonstrates how to pay attention to all the great elements of a song that might otherwise go unnoticed. The evening will include various selections from the Great American Songbook sung by Boga, including the duet “For Good” from “Wicked” in which she will be joined by fellow soprano Jessica Hitchcock.

“Rob has a special gift for creating what he refers to as ‘AHA! moments’ for his audiences,” said Performance Music Conductor and Director Cheryl Y. Boga. “Everyone in the hall – regardless of musical ability or experience – finds their ears opened by his presentations.”

A frequent Performance Music collaborator and acclaimed conductor, composer, music commentator and author, Kapilow has developed a devoted national and international following through his “What Makes It Great?” and “Family Musik” performances. He has appeared on NBC’s “Today” show, presented a special “What Makes It Great?” for PBS’s “Live From Lincoln Center,” and was the subject of a full-length PBS documentary, “Summer Sun, Winter Moon.” His “What Makes It Great?” radio series was broadcast for more than a decade on NPR’s “Performance Today.”

Kapilow has written several books, including “Listening for America: Inside the Great American Songbook from Gershwin to Sondheim,” which was a finalist for the Marfield Prize, and he was the first composer to be granted the rights to set Dr. Seuss’ words to music.

Through the years, Kapilow has conducted many of North America’s major orchestras, as well as numerous works of musical theater, among them the Tony Award-winning “Nine” on Broadway, the premiere of “Frida” for the opening of the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Next Wave Festival, and works for the American Repertory Theater. He’s received a number of accolades, including first place in the Fontainebleau Casadesus Piano Competition and second place in the Antal Dorati Conductor’s Competition with the Detroit Symphony.

A member of the University’s History faculty since 2010, Magdalyn Boga is equipped with a vocal range of nearly three octaves and a lyric voice capable of unusual power. She studied voice with renowned Bulgarian baritone/bass Guenko Guechev and Chinese mezzo-soprano Xiu-Ru Liu and has delivered solo, duo and quartet performances of operatic and concert repertoire with choirs and orchestras. She has also performed Baroque duet repertoire with New York City-based trumpeters Joseph Boga (her brother) and the legendary Mark Gould. Boga currently serves as the soprano soloist at First Presbyterian Church in Wilkes-Barre and is an active recitalist and chamber musician, performing as a vocal and instrumental soloist and ensemble member throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania. She teaches voice at Scranton Music Academy, and performs professionally on voice, cello and French horn.

Jessica Hitchcock is a section leader and regular soloist for both the Choral Society of NEPA, and St. Stephen's Episcopal Pro-Cathedral, Wilkes Barre, and a professional choir member at Temple B'nai B'rith, Kingston, and has performed as a featured soloist with the Arcadia Chorale. Hitchcock has sung throughout the United States, as well as in Austria, Germany, Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey. Aside from her regular performances as a soloist and chorister, Jessica owns and operates The Vocal Studio of Jessica Hitchcock, which is now in its sixteenth year offering high-quality voice and piano lessons to students of all ages.

Also on Sept. 8, Kapilow will present “We’ve Got to Get Ourselves Back to the Garden: Inside the Music and Times of the Woodstock Generation,” as part of the Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Seminars at the University. For more information about the luncheon, visit www.scranton.edu/schemelforum.

For further information on the show, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit scranton.edu/music. For more info on Kapilow, visit www.robkapilow.com.

Marking the 22nd consecutive year, The Princeton Review selected The University of Scranton as one of the best colleges in the nation, and, for the seventh year, ranked Scranton among the “Best Science Lab Facilities” (No. 18) in the U.S.

According to Princeton Review, students are impressed by the “recent improvements Scranton has been making, from laboratories and simulation spaces that impart vital firsthand experiences to ‘the gorgeous glass study rooms in the Loyola Science Center,’ and the cadaver lab to ‘academic buildings [that] are the greatest strength of the school because most have nice classrooms and places to study that foster learning.’”

Students also boast about Scranton’s Alumni network that continues to look “for their Scranton successors, which helps explain the high 99% job-placement rate: as the school puts it, ‘more than 1,000 Scranton alumni are CEOs of their company or organization.’”

Students also mention Scranton’s Jesuit ideals which permeate the course work and that “are designed to help students graduate with a ‘strong commitment to...ethics.’”

Scranton is among just 14 percent of schools listed in the 2024 edition of the “Best 389 Colleges” guidebook to be selected and recommended by The Princeton Review as one of the top colleges in the country.

The Princeton Review does not include an overall ranking of the schools selected as the best in the country, however they do publish rankings of schools in 50 categories based on results of their surveys of 160,000 students at the 389 colleges included in the book. Information from the surveys is also used in the profiles included about each school in the publication.

In addition to Scranton’s ranking of “Best Science Lab Facilities,” The Princeton Review also ranked the school among the “Most Religious Students” (No. 22).

The 2024 edition of the guidebook published online on Aug. 15.

In addition to The Princeton Review, U.S. News has ranked Scranton among the top 10 “Best Regional Universities in the North” for 29 consecutive years, placing the University No. 5 among the “Best Regional Universities in the North” its 2023 edition of the “Best Colleges” guidebook.

$content.getChild('content').textValue

U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright (PA-08) announced the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has authorized the release of $16.62 million in Community Project Funding dollars to support a new facility for workforce development, applied research and outreach in health, science and cybersecurity on the campus of The University of Scranton.

“As a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Commerce, Justice, and Science Subcommittee, I’m committed to bringing home every penny of our fair share of federal tax dollars to ensure our region is positioned to grow while creating good-paying jobs,” said Rep. Cartwright. “The University of Scranton plans to build a brighter future for area residents by launching a center for workforce development and applied research in health, science and cybersecurity.”

The University of Scranton is finalizing plans for the new building, which will be located on University-owned property on the 300 block of Madison Avenue, directly across the street from Brennan Hall.

“Our project is intended to serve as a nexus between the University and our community, facilitating workforce development, outreach and applied research in the critical areas of cybersecurity, behavioral science and health. The building will serve as a hub for future program development.” said Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., president of The University of Scranton. 

Father Marina expects the University to announce detailed plans for the new building in the coming weeks.

“The University is grateful for the support from NIST to make our vision a reality. We were privileged to be among more than a dozen transformative projects in our region that received federal support due to the steadfast efforts of Congressman Cartwright and his team. We deeply appreciate his continued and successful efforts to bolster support for transformative and innovative projects, which also meet the needs of the people of our region,” said Father Marina.

“This funding directly responds to some of the most pressing needs in Northeastern Pennsylvania by creating jobs with better pay, making us safer, and strengthening our communities,”  Rep. Cartwright added.

The Center for Service and Social Justice at The University of Scranton will hold its annual Volunteer Fair for local nonprofit organizations from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12, on campus.

The fair offers University students and student-led clubs interested in service projects and community-based learning sites a chance to meet representatives from nonprofit organizations in need of volunteers.

Each year, more than 600 students attend the fair. Annually, more than 2,800 Scranton students volunteer for more than 175,000 hours of service.

There is no cost for a nonprofit organization to participate in the fair, however, registration is required. To register, email ellen.judge@scranton.edu or call 570-941-7429. The deadline to register for the fair is Wednesday, Sept. 6.

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

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

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

The summer program featured presentations by University faculty, staff and students as well as counselors from Lackawanna County Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center. At the institute, students learned about alternate renewable energy sources, sustainability, climate change, physics, biology and chemistry, among other topics. The institute included field trips to Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC) in Pike County and the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. The students also volunteered for a service project at the St. Francis of Assisi Soup Kitchen, which was covered in a WBRE/WYOU news story.     

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

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

Students entering the University of Success program are as follows:

Gabriela Avelar, who attended Abington Heights Middle School;

Lilyana Castellano, who attended Mid Valley Secondary Center;

Jazib Chohan, who attended Valley View Middle School;

Zion Colon, who attended Delaware Valley Middle School;

Kaitlyn Dos Santos, who attended Northeast Intermediate School;

Damien Galloway, who attended Wind Gap Middle School;

Gage Hernandez, who attended North Pocono Middle School;

Makenzie Lahotsky, who attended Riverside Junior Senior High School;

Melisa Lopez, who attended South Scranton Intermediate;

Kimberly Li, who attended North Pocono Middle School;

Dustin Machado Reed, who attended Valley View Middle School;

Yadiel Martinez, who attended Riverside Junior Senior High School;

Diana Munoz-Gonzalez, who attended Carbondale Area Junior Senior High School;

Stephen Quintilliano, who attended Abington Heights Middle School;

Neftali Ramos, who attended Abington Heights Middle School;

Quenton Reid, who attended Mid Valley Secondary Center;

Hector Rios, who attended West Scranton Middle School;

Ramon Sanchez, who attended West Scranton Middle School;

Tekoya Sanderson, who attended Carbondale Area Middle School;

Harper Sansky, who attended Mountain View School District;

Kayla Sterling, who attended Northeast Intermediate School;

Raelynn Taylor, who attended Tunkhannock School District;

Aleeya Williams, who attended Northeast Intermediate School;

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

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