General News

By Cassidy Lowman '27, Student Correspondent

The University of Scranton community has always known its university was among the best, but a new classification and publication confirmed this campus pride.

The third Tuesday in September felt more like Christmas morning for those who gathered at Robert S. ’68 and Marilyn A. Weiss Hall for an historic reveal. The grand lobby was brimming with Royals whose gleaming faces watched the activities and speeches from the lobby stairs and second-floor banister.

Student government vice president, Connor Farrington ’27, a business analytics and accounting double major from Washington, New Jersey, introduced Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University president. Father Marina was met with booming applause from the students, faculty, staff and community members present for the reveal.

The anticipation behind the reveal was prompted by the University’s new classification as a National University in U.S. News and World Report’s annual rankings. 

“And so now we get to play with the big fish: Harvard, Princeton, Duke, Georgetown and all these famous global universities that we hold in such reverence and in such high esteem,” Father Marina said. “We are now within that group.” 

Along with announcing that the University is tied for No. 137 among over 420 peers, Father Marina unveiled four additional rankings: No. 47, graduate earnings; No. 71, best private colleges and universities; No. 73, earnings by major; No. 89, graduation rates.

As Father Marina spoke about the additional rankings, he gestured to a row of large placards propped up on displays. Marcus Smith ’27, an English and theater double major from Schuylkill Haven, who has always believed that Scranton belonged in the highest echelon of national colleges and universities, proudly flipped each placard as the achievement was announced.

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“To receive those accolades means that we will hopefully be seen by more people across the world for the quality of education that we provide,” Smith said. “The faculty are very compassionate, caring about their students, and very engaged with what the students do. And I’m hoping that will be highlighted and remain important as we transition into this next phase of the University’s success.”

The transition is already underway. Earlier this year, Scranton shed its regional categorization when the Carnegie Classification system determined that Scranton now qualifies as a National University. This change comes after 32 years during which Scranton was a top 10 college in the North, according to U.S. News, which uses the Carnegie system when composing its annual lists. 

Purple and white balloons swayed during the reception as University mascot Iggy greeted community members with high-fives. Gracie, Father Marina’s “Royal Pup,” opted to lie down by Farrington and let everyone come to her by the refreshment table. On the table were cupcakes decorated with University flags and a cake shaped like the continental United States with a purple “S” in the middle — symbolizing the University’s advancement into the national category. 

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As Farrington spoke with administrators, shook hands with professors and cracked jokes with peers, he said every member of the Scranton community has a reason to be proud of this achievement.

“It goes to show just how resilient, strong, and how great the University is. This is my fourth year, and I’ve been able to not only see myself grow, but also see the University grow,” Farrington said. “This is monumental and it speaks volumes to what happens here at the University that now is being recognized on the national level.”

As the lobby slowly emptied, Father Marina’s words left attendees walking back to their classrooms and offices with their heads a bit higher.

It’s a great day to celebrate, he said, and a great day to be a Royal.

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Cassidy Lowman ‘27, Dauphin, is a communications major with a political science minor at Scranton.

The University of Scranton’s University of Success welcomed 21 new members this past summer, beginning their developmental and educational journey through the program.

As part of their academic, cultural and social enrichment programming in July and August, students explored topics ranging from renewable energy and sustainability to physics and environmental science. Their hands-on activities included studying the cost effectiveness of the University’s solar panels, examining the energy-efficient and LEED Gold-certified Weiss Hall, building wind turbine prototypes and participating in science-focused programs at the Franklin Institute, Knoebel’s Amusement Park and the Lackawanna State Park.

The University of Success is a four-year, pre-college mentorship program that provides its participants — first-generation, college-bound high school students — with educational opportunities and support designed to help them gain admission to a college or university. It is funded entirely by corporate and foundation grants, and there is no charge to the participants or their families. The program launched in 1996 and graduated its first full class in 2001.

The most recent graduating University of Success class included 18 members, 16 of whom matriculated to colleges including The University of Scranton, Harrisburg University, Howard University, Lehigh University, Liberty University, Loyola University, Luzerne County Community College, Marywood University, Misericordia University, Penn State University and the University of Pittsburgh.

The program was spotlighted in July as part of a WBRE news feature.

The University of Success’ Class of 2030 includes:

• Alisha Anderson, Old Forge

• Jhonai Armstead, Olyphant

• Erik Ayala Diaz, Scranton

• Dipika Basnet, Scranton

• Nasir Brown, Jr., Scranton

• Patty Chen, Milford

• Isabella Coffield, Avoca

• Geraldine Donaciano, Scranton

• Angus Finnegan, Old Forge

• Rachel Garcia, Scranton

• Janella Jones, Scranton

• Noah Keiper, Scranton

• Omed Kibingwa, Scranton

• Ziannalys Lopez, Scranton

• Prayash Magar, Scranton

• Edgar Nolasco Hernandez, Scranton

• Jose Pomaquiza, Scranton

• Kairav Shah, Scranton

• Rosalie Thorek, Dalton

• Kaylee Vasquez, Moosic

• Emma Ziller, Gouldsboro

The University of Scranton’s U.S. Conference on Disability will celebrate a major milestone on Wednesday, Oct. 7, commemorating a quarter-century of advocacy, education and leadership dedicated to improving the lives of individuals with disabilities.

This year’s conference theme, “25 Years of Progress: Honoring the Legacy of Edward R. Leahy, Jr.,” will focus on disability inclusion and careers, as well as transforming barriers into opportunities.

Founded through the generosity and vision of Edward Leahy ’68, H’01, and Patricia Leahy and inspired by their son, Edward R. Leahy, Jr., the conference has become one of the nation’s longest-running university-based forums on disability issues. The conference has created a space where educators, health care professionals, policymakers, students, families and advocates can share ideas and research to better the lives of individuals with disabilities.

Among those who will speak at the event, hosted on campus at the DeNaples Center, are:

• 8:45 to 9:15 a.m. — Former U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, who currently serves The University of Scranton as its Leahy Distinguished Fellow in Public Service.

• 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. — Mason Ameri, Ph.D., professor of professional practice at Rutgers University.

• 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. — Kerry Magro, Ed.D., bestselling author and speaker.

• 1 to 2:30 p.m. — Kathy West-Evans and John Evans, founders of Abilities United Consulting.

•  3 to 4:30 p.m. — Rebecca Alexander, award-winning author and disability rights advocate.

The daylong event begins with registration and a continental breakfast from 7:45 to 8:30 a.m. and concludes at about 4:30 p.m. It is presented by The University of Scranton, the Leahy College of Health Sciences and the Edward R. Leahy, Jr. Endowment.

For more information, visit the conference’s webpage.

The Bianca Beck Memorial Foundation recently donated $5,000 to The University of Scranton’s Speech-Language Pathology Master’s Degree Program in the Leahy College of Health Sciences.

The donation will support educational initiatives and enrich learning opportunities for students preparing for speech-language pathology careers.

Representatives of the foundation visited campus to meet with faculty and staff and learn more about the program’s efforts to prepare future practitioners through innovative academic and clinical experiences.

The Bianca Beck Memorial Foundation was established in 2020. Please visit the foundation’s website for more information.

The University of Scranton has boldly entered the U.S. News and World Report rankings of the best colleges in the entire United States, further validating an historic Carnegie reclassification last year as a National University.

“Scranton has enjoyed an impressive run in the U.S. News Regional Universities in the North Rankings. This year, Scranton has moved up to the National Universities U.S. News category, directly competing with Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Notre Dame, Duke and Georgetown, and the country’s other most-distinguished academic universities,” said Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., president of The University of Scranton, at a campus celebration of Scranton’s new category and this year’s U.S. News rankings.

In the 2027 U.S. News “Best Colleges” ranking, Scranton tied for No. 137 in the National Universities category. The National Universities category is widely regarded as the premier grouping of American universities and includes more than 420 institutions.

While no single statistic determines an institution’s position in the rankings, which were released Tuesday, Sept. 22, Scranton performed exceptionally well in several indicators tied to educational quality and value as measured by student success.

• With 91% of Scranton graduates earning more than a typical high school graduate, the University ranks No. 47 in the graduate earnings category;

• The University ranks 73rd in earnings by major, a new category that evaluates graduates’ earnings four years after graduation and measures the value added by their degree;

• A 10.77-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio ranks No. 62;

• Holding a 73% predicted graduation rate and 82% six-year graduation rate, Scranton ranks No. 89 in the category measuring graduation rates.

• Named a “Best Value School (No. 148 nationally),” Scranton’s exceptional return on investment is reflected in its combination of academic quality, affordability and strong student outcomes.

Long recognized as one the best Regional Universities in the nation — ranking top 10 in the North for 32 consecutive years — Scranton’s evolving academic and research profile in recent years has aligned more closely with institutions in the National category. The University’s position among National Universities was confirmed earlier this year when the Carnegie Classification system, the widely used benchmark that evaluates and compares institutions, recognized it as such.

“We have always taken justifiable pride in the success of our students and the Catholic and Jesuit learning and living experience we offer to nurture their achievements,” Father Marina said. “I am delighted that this same commitment to helping our students achieve their dreams is now enjoying even greater national attention.”

U.S. News rankings are based on the previously listed data, as well as other criteria including peer assessments, faculty salaries, standardized test performance and Pell Grant student graduation rates and performance.

While The University of Scranton is tied for 137th among all national universities, it is tied for 71st among private colleges and universities on the list.

The University’s accounting program is tied for 33rd in the nation, furthering its reputation as a premier destination for the field. Last year, the accounting program ranked 40th. It joins other undergraduate programs also listed on the national rankings: nursing, business, engineering and computer science. 

Founded in 1888, The University of Scranton is a Catholic and Jesuit university with 70 majors and more than 40 graduate programs housed in its three colleges (the Kania School of Management, the College of Arts and Sciences and the Leahy College of Health Sciences). Scranton has recently been recognized in national rankings from TIME Magazine and The Princeton Review, the latter of which ranked Scranton top 25 nationally in multiple categories measuring student satisfaction beyond the classroom.

The most recent  First Destination Survey by the Roche Family Center for Career Development revealed success rates of 99% and 100% for Scranton's undergraduate and graduate members of the Class of 2024.

 

The Rev. Bernard R. McIlhenny Ballroom bustled with activity as approximately 700 students attended the University of Scranton’s annual Volunteer and Service Fair held Sept. 15 in the DeNaples Student Center.

The fair, organized by The Center for Service and Social Justice, connects Scranton students with local nonprofit organizations seeking volunteers to support an array of meaningful causes. This year’s event featured more than 60 community partners in service areas including healthcare and hospice, youth and education, social justice initiatives, food and housing insecurity and more.

Students carried bags and information pamphlets tied to a variety of organizations and projects. The fair’s popularity reflects Scranton’s Jesuit foundations and commitment to graduating “men and women for others.” Scranton students volunteer tens of thousands of hours per year toward community service.

For some organizations, the Royals community is crucial to maintaining and expanding helpful programs.

Lauren Chapin, community outreach administrative officer for the Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging, searched for potential tech tutors for a program run by Age Friendly Lackawanna. The initiative provides assistance to individuals 60 and older with smartphones, laptops and a range of other devices.

“We’re always looking for the helpers, and I think the U is a great place to start,” Chapin said. “They really build a good foundation.”

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Jonathan Smath, a first-year student majoring in business communication, spoke to multiple organizations aligned with his passions for physical activity and older adult services. He explained that frequent visits to a relative under nursing care helped inspire him to uplift others.

“Me, personally, I would like to have someone to be able to talk to, and I like listening to people and helping them whatever way I can,” said Smath, a member of the Scranton men’s track and field team from Westchester County, New York. “The smallest gesture I can do is be a listener.”

The Volunteer and Service Fair also allows students the chance to network and gain valuable experience in their fields of study.

Isabella Almeida, a first-year student majoring in biochemistry, is interested in a career in pediatric oncology and eager to make connections with medical professionals.

“The one thing I really like is how involved Scranton is in the community and getting the students to engage,” Almeida, of Hazleton, said. 

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The University’s optimal location is ideal for organizations based in downtown Scranton, leading to consistent student engagement. This is particularly true for the Saint Francis of Assisi Kitchen of the Diocese of Scranton, located within walking distance from campus at 500 Penn Avenue.

“We’ve been fortunate because of our proximity, and the students can come down when they are able to,” Ellen Farrell, clothing operations manager and volunteer coordinator for St. Francis of Assisi Kitchen, explained. “It really energizes us, and you can it’s really heartfelt, too.”

Those interested in learning about upcoming service opportunities on and off campus should contact Ellen Judge, outreach program coordinator and administrative assistant, at Ellen.Judge@scranton.edu to be added to the CSSJ’s weekly email.

On Saturday, Sept. 26, Performance Music at The University of Scranton will host the Anderson Twins Sextet performing their acclaimed program “Swingin’ the Classics," which reimagines staples of the European classical repertoire into fresh swing era jazz. The Family Weekend Concert, which will also include an appearance by The University of Scranton Concert Choir with the sextet, begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue, downtown Scranton. Admission is free, the concert is open to the public, and seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis.

“It is such a joy to welcome Will and Pete back to Scranton to continue to share their musicianship and creative approach to programming with our students, our campus and our community," said Janelle Decker, Performance Music executive director.

“Will and Pete first performed here with Loren Schoenberg and the National Jazz Museum in Harlem All-Stars in 2008 and have returned to the university as guest artists and clinicians so many times — and with such a variety of terrific programs — that they truly feel like sons of Scranton," added Cheryl Y. Boga, artistic director of Performance Music.
 
Identical twins Peter and Will Anderson are two of the most extraordinary jazz woodwind players today. Hailed by The New York Times as “virtuosos on clarinet and saxophone," they were born and raised in the Washington, D.C., area and moved to New York City to attend The Juilliard School. They’ve performed with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Wycliffe Gordon, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Paquito D’Rivera, Wynton Marsalis, and with Vince Giordano and The Nighthawks, with whom they can be heard on the 2014 Grammy-winning soundtrack of HBO’s "Boardwalk Empire." They’ve headlined at Carnegie Hall, The Blue Note, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, New Orleans Jazz Festival, Feinstein’s 54 Below, Blues Alley, Birdland, and live on Garrison Keillor’s "Prairie Home Companion" radio program, and have performed in over 40 U.S. states, throughout Brazil, Japan, the U.K., and six times in New York City’s famed "Highlights in Jazz " series.

The Andersons' screen credits include "Revolutionary Road," "Killers of the Flower Moon," "Boardwalk Empire" and "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel." They performed with the Jazz at Lincoln Center All-Stars in "After Midnight," which ran on Broadway from 2013-2014 and featured Vanessa Williams, KD Lang, Fantasia Barrino and Patti Labelle. In 2017, the Andersons directed “The Fabulous Dorsey Brothers” in Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Appel Room, narrated by The Wire and Treme actor, Clarke Peters.

For further information on the performance, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit scranton.edu/music. For more info on the Andersons, visit peterandwillanderson.com.

 

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IF YOU GO:

What: “SWINGIN’ THE CLASSICS” featuring the Anderson Twins Sextet with an appearance by The University of Scranton Concert Choir, presented by Performance Music at The University of Scranton

When: Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, 7:30 p.m.

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

Admission: FREE

Across academics, business, healthcare, law and policy and countless other fields, there is a desire to better understand artificial intelligence and its applications.

The response to The University of Scranton’s inaugural AI-themed interdisciplinary conference, Confronting the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, proved as much, according to George Aulisio, Ph.D.

“Last year’s conference demonstrated that there is a real appetite for serious, interdisciplinary conversation about the ethical challenges posed by artificial intelligence,” said Dr. Aulisio, dean of the Weinberg Memorial Library and conference co-planner. “We welcomed more than 100 participants from across the United States and internationally, representing an extraordinary range of disciplines and professions.”

Hoping to build on last year’s strong showing, in which attendees represented about 50 organizations from 18 states and Canada, Italy and the United Kingdom, the conference will return in 2027.

The second Confronting the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence conference will be held Thursday, April 29, through Saturday, May 1, 2027. A mixer and keynote lecture will kick things off on Thursday; followed by a full day of presentations, a second keynote lecture and a banquet on Friday; and a half day of presentations and plenary session on Saturday.

“Artificial intelligence is reshaping our schools, our hospitals, our legal systems, our entire lives,” said Daniel R. Marenda, Ph.D., associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and conference co-planner. “But at its core, this technology is a reflection of the humans who build it and of the society we live in.

“How do we ensure these tools serve human dignity rather than diminish it? Last year’s conference took on this question directly. Our speakers spanned topics from healthcare to self-actualization, philosophy to physics; from AI doctors, to AI actors, AI tutors and AI students. I’m looking forward to seeing what topics this year’s speakers confront and how our understanding of this ever-changing technology continues to evolve.”

Dr. Aulisio added that the conference strives to be “a space where scholars and professionals can engage these questions thoughtfully and across disciplinary boundaries.”

Registration is now open. Proposal submissions are welcome and will close on Nov. 6.

When Royals return to The University of Scranton each academic year, the arrival is hope-filled, with mission at the forefront. Earlier this month, an alumnus from the Class of 1975 visited campus to continue a long-standing tradition in Jesuit education, calling upon the Holy Spirit for wisdom, guidance and inspiration in the year ahead. 

Archbishop Joseph Marino '75 rejoined the Scranton community on Sept. 10 as the principal celebrant and homilist for this year's Mass of the Holy Spirit with a timely reminder from the Scriptures.

"For sure that education that we receive from this outstanding University will prepare us academically and spiritually ... with courage and dedication, we will make our own contribution to making our times more and more in ... the vision of Christ our Lord," Archbishop Marino said.

"And it's worth hearing again to bring good news to the poor, liberty to captives, recovery of sight to the blind, release to prisoners ... in other words, to do something visibly good."

Archbishop Marino served in the Vatican diplomatic service from 1988 to 2019 and then served as president of the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome from 2019 until 2023.

Following the liturgy in the Byron Recreation Complex, the University community gathered for a picnic lunch on the Dionne Green and DeNaples Center Patio. 

By Cassidy Lowman '27, Student Correspondent 

Twenty-five years ago, former U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, then Pennsylvania Auditor General, was sitting down for a meeting in Harrisburg when the devastating attacks happened in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001.

The former Senator has spent most of his life dedicated to public service. As the state Auditor General and later U.S. Senator, he saw firsthand how government policies, first responders, overall public safety and governmental trust were influenced by the attacks on the World Trade Center.

Casey reflected on the bravery and sacrifice demonstrated that day.

“As a citizen and as a public official, it gave me a much greater appreciation for those who put their lives at risk to protect the community and protect the nation,” said Casey, The University of Scranton’s Leahy Distinguished Fellow in Public Service. “That kind of heroism and dedication to the lives of others is just incomparable, it’s incalculable, it’s immeasurable.”

Despite being a political figure, he knew just as little as every other American who was glued to their television that Tuesday morning. Casey first heard of the attacks while in a meeting. Someone in the meeting received a notification on their BlackBerry, stating a plane had crashed into the North Tower at 8:46 a.m. Casey initially thought it was a terrible mistake, until a second notification alerted that a second plane had hit the South Tower at 9:03 a.m.

Casey remembers driving home to Scranton that evening in fear, needing to be surrounded by family. The grief and anxiety weighed so heavily on the nation that day, Casey said, that it was unlike anything he ever experienced.

“It was violence to the state and violence directed at who we are, our values, our system,” Casey said. “And so, in my life, there was no other day like Sept. 11.”

The Scranton area is home to many who commute to New York City daily for work, and on Sept. 11, 2001, five University of Scranton alumni and 32 loved ones of students and graduates lost their lives. Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., H’04, the Superior for the Scranton Jesuit Community, was president of The University of Scranton at the time and became deeply involved with honoring those who lost their lives, by organizing Masses and attending numerous funerals and memorial services.

“Part of the core mission of Jesuit education is to be a person for others and to act on behalf of others even when it is difficult,” said Casey, who graduated from Jesuit institutions Scranton Preparatory School and the College of the Holy Cross. “Much of the Jesuit philosophy and what is in Jesuit teachings are directly connected to service and sacrificing on behalf of others.”

When asked what University of Scranton students should take away from the 25th anniversary of Sept.11, Casey stated that despite the grief felt nationwide, individuals should let the bravery of those who put their lives at risk propel us forward and challenge us to serve others and live up to the obligations we have to our communities.

“It is important for students to study what happened on 9/11, to remember those lost, to be cognizant of the evil that exists in our world, and to emulate the example of service and sacrifice of so many Americans on that awful day and thereafter,” Casey said.

When Casey’s father, Bob Casey Sr., gave his gubernatorial inauguration speech in 1991, he did so amid another anxious time when U.S. troops were readying for deployment to Iraq.

“We pray for them, but we also pray for ourselves, that we may be worthy of their valor,” Casey Sr. said.

Casey expanded on his father’s message, which has stayed with him for 35-plus years.

“If we’re going to be worthy of all that valor … we’ve got to prove it. You’ve got to prove it every day as a citizen,” Casey said.

Casey said that responsibility includes being a positive force within one’s community and family by voting, treating others with respect and doing good every day.

As the Leahy Distinguished Fellow in Public Service, Casey strives to model the qualities he admired in those who lost their lives 25 years ago. It is the way, he said, one could prove worthy of their valor.

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Cassidy Lowman ‘27, Dauphin, is a communications major with a political science minor at Scranton. 

Performance Music at The University of Scranton will welcome violinist Aisslinn Nosky and cellist Caroline Nicolas on Friday, Sept. 18, when they present a recital entitled “Baroque or Bust!” The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue, downtown Scranton. Admission is free. The concert is open to the public. Seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis.

Hailed as “superb” by The New York Times and “a fearsomely powerful musician” by The Toronto Star, Nosky has served as soloist and director with ensembles around the world, including the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Holland Baroque, the Victoria Symphony, the Hamilton Philharmonic and the New World Symphony. In 2011, Nosky was appointed concertmaster of the Grammy-winning Handel and Haydn Society, founded in 1815 and one of the world’s longest continuously performing musical organizations. Nosky has recorded the complete Haydn and Mozart violin concerti with H and H on the CORO label. A passionate educator, Nosky has been on faculty at Amherst Early Music Festival, the International Baroque Institute of Longy, Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute, Mount Holyoke College and The Banff Centre. She has given masterclasses, workshops and performances at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the New England Conservatory of Music, Codarts Rotterdam and The Juilliard School.

Canadian cellist and viol player Nicolas enjoys an international career performing repertoire spanning the Middle Ages to the 21st century. Acclaimed as “a bright new gamba star” by The Strad Magazine, she performs with leading ensembles across Europe and North America, including The English Concert, Philharmonia Baroque, Kammerorchester Basel, Ars Lyrica Houston, Pacific MusicWorks and New World Symphony. She recently completed her tenure as Music Director of New Baroque Orchestra and now serves as Artistic Director of Ars Poetica. A dedicated educator, she has taught at Yale University, the Peabody Conservatory, the University of Victoria and the University of Washington, and she has led workshops for organizations including the Viola da Gamba Society of America and the Port Townsend Early Music Workshop. Her students have gone on to study at leading conservatories across North America and Europe, and she has been featured in Early Music America for her work on historical bowing techniques.

For further information on the concert or related education events for student musicians and music educators, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit scranton.edu/music. For more info on Nosky, visit aisslinn.com and for more info on Nicolas, visit carolinenicolas.com.

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IF YOU GO: 

What: IN RECITAL: 'BAROQUE OR BUST!' Aisslinn Nosky, violin, and Caroline Nicolas, cello

When: Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, 7:30 p.m.

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

Admission: Free

Nicholas Bloom, Ph.D., the William D. Eberle Professor of Economics at Stanford University, will deliver The University of Scranton's 40th Henry George Lecture on Wednesday, Nov. 11, in the McIlhenny Ballroom of the DeNaples Center. Dr. Bloom's lecture, “How Working from Home Reshaped America," will begin at 7:30 p.m. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Dr. Bloom is internationally recognized as one of the world's leading economists studying productivity, management practices, technological change, remote work and innovation. His research has transformed the understanding of how management quality influences firm performance and economic growth. It has provided influential evidence on the effects of hybrid and remote work on organizations and employees. His work has been widely cited by policymakers, business leaders and researchers around the world.

Dr. Bloom earned his Ph.D. in Economics from University College London and joined Stanford University's Department of Economics after faculty appointments at the London School of Economics and Stanford's Graduate School of Business. He is a senior fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR), a research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), a fellow of the Econometric Society and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

His research has appeared in many of the profession's leading journals, including the American Economic Review, Quarterly Journal of Economics, Journal of Political Economy, Review of Economic Studies and Management Science. He has received numerous honors for his research contributions and is widely recognized for pioneering large-scale studies examining management practices across countries, as well as the economics of working from home.

Considered the preeminent public lecture series on economics in Northeastern Pennsylvania, the Henry George Lecture Series is presented by The University of Scranton's Department of Economics, Finance and International Business and the University's chapter of Omicron Delta Epsilon, the international honor society in economics. Previous Henry George lecturers include 13 Nobel Prize winners in Economics: Philippe Aghion (2025), Daron Acemoglu (2024), 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 19th-century American economist and social reformer Henry George and is supported financially through a grant from the Progress and Poverty Institute.

For more information about the Henry George Lecture, call 570-941-4209 or email pamela.turbessi@scranton.edu.

The University of Scranton is one of America’s Best Colleges, according to an inaugural ranking produced by TIME Magazine in partnership with data research firm Statista.

TIME’s list consists of 500 colleges and universities that earned the highest final scores based on a model structured around three key pillars: Student Outcomes, Learning Environment and Attractiveness.

The rankings were weighted heavily toward Student Outcomes, which accounted for 75% of a college’s final grade. According to TIME, this category “assesses what students gain from attending an institution, measured after they leave it.” TIME used three data components — graduates’ earnings, graduation rate and return on education — to determine each college’s Student Outcomes value.

The University of Scranton had a strong performance in the Student Outcomes pillar, ranking No. 150 in the nation.

Overall, Scranton is No. 241, ranking ahead of in-state colleges and universities including Washington and Jefferson, Duquesne, Pitt and Temple, among others.

Follow this link to read more about the study’s methodology.

Founded in 1888, The University of Scranton is a Catholic and Jesuit university with 70 majors and more than 40 graduate programs housed in its three colleges (the Kania School of Management, the College of Arts and Sciences and the Leahy College of Health Sciences). Scranton has recently been recognized in national rankings by U.S. News and World Report, Forbes and The Princeton Review. The most recent First Destination Survey by the Roche Family Center for Career Development  revealed success rates of 99% and 100% for Scranton's undergraduate and graduate members of the Class of 2024.

The Hope Horn Gallery at The University of Scranton will present five exhibitions during its 2026-27 season, featuring works by acclaimed artists, educators and collectors while also hosting lectures, receptions and educational programs.

The season opens Sept. 8 with “Joy in the Process: Selections from a Regional Collection,” a curated exhibition highlighting artists who have helped shape Northeastern Pennsylvania’s arts scene. This curated exhibition features work by John Willard Raught, Graydon Mayer, Hope Cumming Horn, Predrag Djordjevic, Louis Pontone, Cliff Prokop, William Tersteeg and Karl Neuroth, among others. The curator’s lecture will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, at Brennan Hall’s Pearn Auditorium, followed by a public reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on the fourth floor of Hyland Hall. The exhibition will remain on display through Oct. 9.

The next exhibition is “Peter Hoffer: Reflections Five Decades of Art,” opening Oct. 19. Hoffer, professor emeritus at Marywood University, has worked for than 50 years as an artist and educator. The exhibition features paintings, watercolors, drawings, prints and collages he produced. The artist’s lecture will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23, at Brennan Hall’s Pearn Auditorium, followed by a public reception on the fourth floor of Hyland Hall from 6 to 8 p.m. The exhibition will remain on display through Nov. 20.

“Inscapes: Paintings by Leigh Pawling” is the next exhibition, which will open Feb. 1. Pawling, who maintains a studio in Kingston, is a painter who uses systems of mark-making to explore the symbolism of numbers, vertical lines, circles, the figure in motion and nature. Pawling’s artist’s lecture will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5, at Brennan Hall’s Pearn Auditorium, with a public reception on the fourth floor of Hyland Hall from 6 to 8 p.m. The exhibition will remain on display through Feb. 26.

Next is “Meditations: Drawings by J.M. Dunn,” an artist and art historian and professor emerita at The University of Scranton. Dunn has spent a lifetime considering and creating relationships between words and images. Spontaneously produced with marker using an automatic drawing technique, this series is informed by Dunn’s study and understanding of Biblical narratives and Renaissance art. The artist’s lecture will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. Friday, March 12, at Brennan Hall’s Pearn Auditorium. A public reception will follow from 6 to 8 p.m. on the fourth floor of Hyland Hall. It will remain on display through March 24.

The final scheduled exhibition is “Jon Carsman: Painting and Place,” opening April 1. Carsman was born and raised in Northeastern Pennsylvania’s Back Mountain region. He was a painter and printmaker known for his vibrant images of forest streams, village roads and urban neighborhoods. Included in the exhibition are acrylic and watercolor paintings representing Carsman’s work from the 1970s and 1980s. The artist’s lecture will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. Friday, April 2, at Brennan Hall’s Pearn Auditorium. A public reception will follow from 6 to 8 p.m. on the fourth floor of Hyland Hall. It will remain on display through May 14.

The Hope Horn Gallery is a facility devoted to fostering the arts in Northeastern Pennsylvania with exhibitions and programs designed to complement the University’s curricula, encouraging campus and community collaborations, supporting regional artists, providing arts in education opportunities and showing students’ work. All exhibitions, lectures and receptions are free and open to the public.

For more information, please visit the Hope Horn Gallery’s webpage.

A full day of collaboration, reflection and planning marked the latest milestone in The University of Scranton’s Middle States Self-Study. Self-study is a process of reflection and assessment undertaken by institutions accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) every eight years. The process invites institutions to evaluate their effectiveness, demonstrate compliance with accreditation standards, assess educational quality and success in meeting its mission and identify priorities for continuous improvement.

Approximately 60 faculty, staff and administrators gathered in August for a daylong retreat, convening the University’s steering committee and their working group members as they examine the University from all angles and discuss ways in which it can advance its Catholic and Jesuit mission.

“At a time when higher education is facing serious challenges, I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to engage with an expansive group of people from across the University to kick off an intentional process of self-study,” said Michael J. Jenkins, Ph.D., co-chair of the Middle States Self-Study along with Sarah B. Kenehan, Ph.D. “Throughout this self-study, we will reflect on aspects of this institution that make this place special, while also answering important questions about what our institution needs to do to meet future challenges and continue serving our students and community.”

Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., president, opened the retreat with a prayer, followed by an address from WeiDong Zhu, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. Participants then reviewed progress, examined supporting evidence, shared findings from across their groups and collaborated on next steps to strengthen the self-study report.

The Middle States Self-Study is in Year 2 of a three-year process. It will continue throughout the academic year, with opportunities for University community members to engage in discussions and provide feedback that will help inform the final report.

For more information about the University's self-study process, please visit its page on the University website.

A diverse collective of University of Scranton faculty and staff recently gathered to discuss the increasing influence of artificial intelligence, with Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical letter as a focal point.

The Jesuit Center at the University led a reading group examining “Magnifica humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence” on Aug. 28. The encyclical, published in May 2026, is divided into five chapters and includes the pope’s appeal for accountability in the development process of AI.

According to Tim Dulle Jr., Ph.D., executive director of the Jesuit Center, 44 faculty and staff signed up for the reading with an additional waiting list. Because of the high demand, participants were split into separate discussion groups held simultaneously in Brennan Hall’s Casey Conference Room and the Slattery Center. Both groups will meet again on Sept. 14.

The encyclical and its contents were of particular interest to the Jesuit Center, whose mission is to assist the University “in keeping its Catholic and Jesuit character at the center of the educational enterprise.”

“There was so much energy around the first American pope, so, when they were releasing 'Magnifica humanitas,' I thought, ‘We have to do something on this. This is right in our wheelhouse,’” Dr. Dulle said. “We are dealing with what it means to be people in the age of AI. We are trying to teach students to be responsible in the age of AI.”

Members in attendance at Brennan Hall began by watching a short video accompanying the letter’s release, which encouraged viewers to “break the chains of digital slavery.” They reflected on the first three chapters of the document with the campus community in mind, pointing out students and faculty have expressed varying viewpoints on the applications and usefulness of AI.

Some emphasized the importance of critical thinking, and expressed concern the pope's outline didn't address its decline in greater detail. Others pondered whether further development of AI could take away the dignity of the individual and create wider technological divides within communities.

“I thought it was really useful to contextualize these current technological changes with Catholic social teaching, and how people and faculty at a Jesuit university should think about that and incorporate it into our everyday work,” said Adam Pratt, Ph.D., chair of the History Department.

Dr. Dulle ultimately characterizes the encyclical as a conversation starter more than a full-on critique or attack on AI, but it leaves plenty of room for debate and engagement. The letter includes multiple uses of words such as “criteria” and “foundations,” suggesting the pope is encouraging wider dialogue.

“The news headlines really framed this as the pope vs. big tech,” Dr. Dulle said. “And I think to frame it like that says more about what people think about big tech than it does about the encyclical.”

Visit the Jesuit Center homepage to learn more about its programs and upcoming events.

University of Scranton President Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., announced an administrative reorganization on Wednesday, Sept. 2, designed to support the University’s strategic priorities and position the institution for continued success.

As part of the reorganization, Robert W. Davis Jr., Ed.D., ’03 G'10 G'13, will be appointed Executive Vice President, effective Sept. 4. In Dr. Davis’ new role, the following divisional leaders will report to him: Elizabeth M. Garcia, Esq., Associate Vice President for the Office of Institutional Compliance and Title IX; Stephen Hietsch, Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration; and Patricia L. Tetreault ’93 G'00, Vice President for Human Resources. They will remain members of the President’s Cabinet. Dr. Davis, who has served since 2022 as Vice President for Advancement, will continue to lead Advancement and serve as the Athletics Direct Report.

“Over the past two decades, Bobby has brought dedication, imagination and a very impressive work ethic to every role in which he has served,” Fr. Marina said in a letter to the University community. “His experience leading our Student Life, Athletics and Advancement teams and serving as Chief of Staff for three presidents has given him a highly comprehensive understanding of the University. Along the way, he worked hard to improve his knowledge of higher education, earning a Doctor of Education Degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 2016.”

The following members of the President’s Cabinet will continue to report directly to Fr. Marina: Daniel Cosacchi, Ph.D., Vice President for Mission and Ministry; Robert B. Farrell, J.D., Ed.D., General Counsel; Lauren S. Rivera, J.D., M.Ed., Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students; Gerald C. Zaboski ’87 G’95, Senior Vice President for the Office of the President; WeiDong Zhu, Ph.D., Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs; and Shannon Zottola, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Marketing.

“Making this change will allow me to focus even more time on ensuring the success of our Strategic Plan and Strategic Enrollment Management Plan,” Fr. Marina said. “It will free me up for more fundraising and for building community, both internally and externally.”

Having earned bachelor’s, master’s and MBA degrees from The University of Scranton, Dr. Davis brings more than 20 years of experience in student life, athletics, advancement and executive administration, along with a deep commitment to the University’s Catholic and Jesuit mission. As Vice President for Advancement, he provided overall leadership for “A Fire That Kindles Other Fires Campaign to Advance Mission, Access and Excellence,” the largest capital campaign in University history, which exceeded its goal by a wide margin and raised $155.7 million.

The new structure reflects the University’s commitment to advancing the goals of Strategic Plan 2030, announced earlier this year.

The University of Scranton's 2026-27 academic year is underway.

As the seasons change, here are a few summer headlines you may have missed, as well as some announcements for upcoming events in the fall.

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Princeton Review: Scranton a 'Best College' With Top Marks for Service and School Pride

The University of Scranton was once again selected by The Princeton Review as one of the nation's best colleges, in addition to earning three national top-25 rankings in categories that reflect a campus culture rooted in connection, service and school pride.

Read a full article about the rankings by clicking this link.

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F.I.R.S.T. Program Hosts Community Fun Day, School Supply Giveaway

Forty incoming University of Scranton students traded a week of summer break for a week of service, highlighted by a Community Fun Day and back-to-school supply giveaway for local families.

FOX56, WBRE and WNEP were among the media outlets that covered the activities organized by the University's F.I.R.S.T. (First-years Involved in Reflective Service Together) program.

Follow this link to see full coverage on Royal News.

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Senior Accounting Student Named PCAOB Scholar

Camia Rosella Capalongo ’27, an accounting major from Scranton, was named a 2026 Scholar by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. She is one of 677 college students in the nation to receive the scholarship, which recognizes students pursuing accounting studies and supports their development as future professionals.

Read more about the honor in a full article on Royal News.

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Fall Schemel Forum Programs To Feature Nationally Recognized Presenters

The University of Scranton's Schemel Forum will offer an eclectic lineup of programs this fall, including a World Affairs Luncheon Seminar with Rev. James Martin, S.J., H'17, a New York Times bestselling author and frequent media commentator.

Read the full lineup of fall Schemel Forum events by following this link.

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Fall Concert Season Schedule Announced

Performance Music announced its fall concert season public performance lineup, with the first show quickly approaching on Friday, Sept. 18.

Read more and discover the full schedule of events by following this link.

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The nation’s leading organization for sustainable building practices recently awarded one of its highest ratings to The University of Scranton’s newest facility, as the U.S. Green Building Council recognized Robert S. ’68 and Marilyn A. Weiss Hall with LEED Gold certification.

Opened at the start of the 2025-26 academic year, Weiss Hall is Scranton’s fourth building to achieve LEED certification. The Loyola Science Center is also Gold, while Edward R. Leahy Jr. Hall and the Patrick and Margaret DeNaples Center are Silver.

According to James L. Caffrey, DBA, associate vice president for facilities management, Weiss Hall was initially targeted to achieve LEED Silver certification. He described the Gold designation as coming with both “a profound sense of pride and a deep sense of responsibility,” as the University is currently engaged in a seven-year process to become designated by the Vatican as a Laudato Si’ University. 

Among the major elements that helped Weiss Hall achieve LEED Gold certification are:

• Mass timber construction: Weiss Hall was built using a sustainable wood product that significantly reduces the building’s carbon footprint.

• Solar power: Rooftop solar panels generate clean electricity.

• Natural light design: Large glass windows and walls bring more daylight into the building, reducing the need for artificial lighting.

• Energy-saving climate systems: High-efficiency heating, cooling and ventilation systems automatically adjust temperatures to reduce energy use.

• Water conservation: Low-flow fixtures lessen demand on municipal water supplies. 

“Earning the LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council represents a major milestone for The University of Scranton,” Dr. Caffrey said. “It signifies that Weiss Hall exceeds industry standards for sustainable design, energy efficiency, reduced water use and environmentally conscious construction.”

Weiss Hall is a four-story, nearly 90,000 square-foot facility on Madison Avenue. It houses more than 30 offices/research spaces, 12 study rooms, 11 classrooms, six exam rooms, two large seminar rooms and two rooftop terraces. It was built to support both institutional and community excellence, serving as the home for the University’s Small Business Development Center, the University of Success, Student Health Services and the Center for Health, Education and Wellness, as well as the Departments of Cybercrime and Homeland Security and Psychology. Weiss Hall also has a first-floor IDEA Center, which is equipped with cutting-edge equipment for production of various means.

LEED certification stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It is the most widely used green building rating system in the world and is recognized worldwide as a marker for achievement and leadership in sustainability.

Once again selected as one of the nation’s best colleges by The Princeton Review, The University of Scranton also earned three top-25 rankings that reflect a campus culture rooted in connection, service and school pride.

The Princeton Review’s annual college guide, “The Best 392 Colleges,” was published Tuesday, Aug. 18. The highly anticipated ratings and rankings are based on the results of thousands of surveys, completed by college administrators and current students, plus institutional data.

In addition to being counted among the 392 best colleges — The Princeton Review does not rank the schools overall in a numerical list — Scranton ranks in the top-25 nationally in the following categories:

• No. 20 Great Outdoors: Students Get Outside

• No. 24 Most Engaged in Community Service

• No. 25 Students Love Their School Teams

The Princeton Review rates colleges in several categories on a scale of 60 to 99. Among Scranton’s highest scores were 90 for accessible professors and 86 for interesting professors. The publication quoted students saying professors are “at Scranton because they want to teach and forge relationships with students” and they “are very determined to see you succeed.”

Scranton also received high scores of 85 for financial aid and 85 for quality of life, with students saying the campus atmosphere “is typically rather lively” with a “pretty walkable” campus that has many “comfortable and beautiful places to study and do work.”

“The colleges we profile in ‘The Best 392 Colleges’ vary by type, size, locale and campus culture,” Rob Franek, the book’s lead author, said in a press release. “The colleges that make our ranking lists in the book do so entirely as a result of their own students’ opinions of them. We don’t rank the schools on a single hierarchical list, nor have we ever crowned one college ‘best’ overall. No school is best overall. For 35 years, our goal for this project has been to create multiple ranking lists and resources to help college applicants answer what is likely the toughest but also the most important question in their journey to college: ‘Which college is best for me?’”

Earlier this summer, The University of Scranton’s Kania School of Management appeared on The Princeton Review’s list of Best Business Schools for 2027. This is the 21st consecutive year that Scranton has been included in the listing among the nation's top business colleges. Scranton’s KSOM was one of 208 colleges selected as a Best On-Campus MBA Program. Selections and rankings were based on more than 60 data points derived from surveys of students and business school administrators.

Founded in 1888, The University of Scranton is a Catholic and Jesuit university with 70 majors and more than 40 graduate programs housed in its three colleges (the Kania School of Management, the College of Arts and Sciences and the Leahy College of Health Sciences). Scranton has recently been recognized in national rankings by U.S. News and World Report, The Wall Street Journal and Forbes. The most recent  First Destination Survey by the Roche Family Center for Career Development revealed success rates of 99% and 100% for Scranton's undergraduate and graduate members of the Class of 2024.

Forty incoming first-year students at The University of Scranton will begin their college experience with a week of service, reflection and community engagement through the University’s F.I.R.S.T. (First-years Involved in Reflective Service Together) program.

Now in its 24th year, F.I.R.S.T. brings first-year students to campus approximately one week before the start of classes to participate in volunteer service with nonprofit and community organizations throughout the Scranton area. The students are guided by a team of upper class student leaders and staff members from the University’s Center for Service and Social Justice.

The 2026 F.I.R.S.T. program will take place Monday, Aug. 24, through Friday, Aug. 28, with students volunteering at a variety of organizations and community sites, including the Gino J. Merli Veterans Center, St. Joseph’s Center, NeighborWorks, the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank and CHOP Out Hunger. The program will also co-host a community day on Tuesday, Aug. 25, in conjunction with Friends of the Poor/Catherine McAuley Center: Partnership for the Common Good at Novembrino Park in West Scranton.

The program is coordinated by the Center for Service and Social Justice, which provides students with opportunities to engage with community partners, develop leadership skills and connect service experiences with the University's Jesuit mission.

For more information, please email avianna.carilli@scranton.edu or call 570-941-7429.

The University of Scranton’s Schemel Forum will offer an eclectic lineup of programs this fall, spanning topics including culture, health care, history, media, politics and beyond. The events are sponsored by Munley Law.

The first of the Schemel Forum’s two evening courses this fall explores television series M*A*S*H as a lens through which to examine American culture, war and storytelling. Charlie Cino, English and theatre instructor at The University of Scranton, will lead the course. The second evening course examines Karl Marx’s “Das Kapital,” one of the most debated and influential works of economic and political thought. Andrew LaZella, Ph.D., professor of philosophy at The University of Scranton, will lead the course. The M*A*S*H course will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursdays, beginning Sept. 10 and concluding Oct. 15, in Room 305 of the Weinberg Memorial Library. The Karl Marx course will be held from 6 to 7:15 p.m. on Mondays, beginning Oct. 19 and concluding Nov. 23, also in Room 305 of the library.

The first of four World Affairs Luncheon Seminars will feature Rev. James Martin, S.J. H’17, a New York Times best-selling author and frequent media commentator seen and heard throughout the world. Father Martin’s lecture will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18, inside the McIlhenny Ballroom on the fourth floor of the DeNaples Center. Terence Keel, Ph.D., an award-winning professor at UCLA, will discuss death records and accountability in cases involving police violence from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 7. Dr. Keel’s presentation will be held inside the Rose Room on the fifth floor of Brennan Hall. Victor Goines, jazz chair at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, will explore the various forces that have shaped the evolution of jazz from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, at the Rose Room in Brennan Hall. Steven J. Scheinman, M.D., dean emeritus of the Geisinger College of Health Sciences, will present on the “social determinants of health” from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16, at the Rose Room in Brennan Hall.

The Schemel Forum will co-sponsor two collaborative programs, beginning with Peace Ike’s presentation and discussion on “The 3 Degrees of Why: Moving Beyond Positions to the Stories That Shape Us.” Ike is a culture strategist, dialogue facilitator and speaker who works across secular and faith-based spaces to build bridges and foster cultural transformation. Ike’s presentation, offered in conjunction with the University’s Slattery Center for the Ignatian Humanities, will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, in the Rose Room of Brennan Hall. Beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, in the Pearn Auditorium on the second floor of Brennan Hall, the documentary,"The Librarians," will be screened. A panel discussion will follow featuring Susan Campbell Bartoletti, an award-winning author; Kate Cummings, assistant professor and research and instruction librarian for business and AI at the University’s Weinberg Memorial Library; and Michele Legate, district consultant for the Northeast Library District, based out of the Scranton Public Library. The screening and panel are presented in partnership with the Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library.

The Schemel Forum’s annual University for a Day program will return from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, in the Moskovitz Theater of the DeNaples Center. Participants will attend three lectures presented by University faculty members on topics ranging from theology and mindfulness to college football analytics. Presenters include Will Cohen, Ph.D., professor of theology; Katherine J. Stefanelli, Ph.D., assistant professor of counseling and human services; and David A. Mahalak, D.Eng., assistant professor of operations and analytics.

Registration fees vary by program and membership level. The collaborative programs are offered free of charge. World Affairs Luncheon Seminars are priced at $30 per person. University for a Day is $35 per person; however, the first 100 high school students to register may attend free of charge. Membership options and package rates are also available.

For complete program details, registration information and membership rates, please visit the Schemel Forum website, email schemelforum@scranton.edu or call 570-941-4740.
 

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• Two courses

  • M*A*S*H: Television, War and American Culture with Charlie Cino, English and theatre instructor at The University of Scranton (Thursdays Sept. 10, 17, 24, Oct. 1, 8, 15 at 6 p.m.)
  • Karl Marx’s Das Kapital with Andrew LaZella, Ph.D., professor of philosophy at The University of Scranton (Mondays Oct. 19, 26, Nov. 2, 9, 16, 23 at 6 p.m.)

• Four World Affairs Luncheon Seminars

  • James Martin, S.J. H’17, “Work in Progress: Confessions of a Busboy, Dishwasher, Caddy, Usher, Factory Worker, Bank Teller, Corporate Tool and Priest (Friday, Sept. 18 at 11:30 a.m.)
  • Terence Keel, Ph.D., “The Coroner’s Silence: Death Records and the Hidden Victims of Police Violence” (Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 11:30 a.m.)
  • Victor Goines, “Jazz: From the Streets and Clubs to the Schools and Concert Halls” (Friday, Nov. 6 at 11:30 a.m.)
  • Steven J. Scheinman, M.D., “Why Do We Have the Worst Health Care Outcomes? A Consideration of the Social Determinants of Health” (Monday, Nov. 16 at 11:30 a.m.)

• Two collaborative programs

  • “The 3 Degrees of Why: Moving Beyond Positions to the Stories That Shape Us” with Peace Ike (Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 6 p.m.)
  • “The Freedom to Read: A Screening and Panel Discussion of The Librarians” with Susan Campbell Bartoletti, Kate Cummings and Michele Legate (Thursday, Nov. 12 at 6 p.m.)

• One session of University for a Day (Saturday, Sept. 19 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.)

  • “The ‘New Right’ and the Old Liberalism of John Courtney Murray, S.J.” with Will Cohen, Ph.D., professor of theology at The University of Scranton
  • “Stress, Mindfulness and Resilience: Small Changes, Big Results!” with Katherine J. Stefanelli, Ph.D., assistant professor of counseling and human services at The University of Scranton
  • “Evaluating Alternative College Football Playoff Structures: A Multicriteria Framework for Balancing Stakeholder Objectives” with David A. Mahalak, D.Eng., assistant professor of operations and analytics at The University of Scranton

Performance Music at The University of Scranton is excited to announce to the public its fall concert season public performance lineup.

The concerts are open to the public and free of charge. Seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis. Shows begin at 7:30 p.m., unless otherwise noted (e.g. Noel Night), and take place in the Houlihan-McLean Center at Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue, downtown Scranton.

For further information on the concerts or Performance Music at The University of Scranton, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit scranton.edu/music. For more info on guest artists, please visit their artist websites (links can be found on the events page at scranton.edu/music).

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Friday, Sept. 18, 7:30 p.m.
IN RECITAL: BAROQUE OR BUST!
Aisslinn Nosky, violin, and Caroline Nicolas, cello

Saturday, Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m.
FAMILY WEEKEND CONCERT: SWINGIN’ THE CLASSICS
The Anderson Twins Sextet with an appearance by The University of Scranton Concert Choir

Wednesday, Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m.
GENERAL RECITAL
University of Scranton Performance Music student musicians in solo, duo, trio and small ensemble performances

Friday, Oct. 30, 7:30 p.m.
IN RECITAL: SAINTS & SPIRITUALS
Marcus Printup, trumpet, and Riza Printup, harp

Saturday, Nov. 7, 7:30 p.m.
IN CONCERT: The University of Scranton Jazz Band with guest artist Victor Goines, woodwinds
(Visit scranton.edu/schemelforum for info on Goines’ luncheon lecture on Friday, Nov. 6.)

Saturday, Nov. 14, 7:30 p.m.
IN CONCERT: The University of Scranton String Orchestra

Saturday, Nov. 21, 7:30 p.m.
IN CONCERT: The University of Scranton Symphonic Band

Saturday, Dec. 5, 8 p.m. (prelude from 7:05, doors open at 7)
59th ANNUAL NOEL NIGHT
The University of Scranton Singers, String Orchestra and Chamber Ensembles with special guest Dr. Wycliffe A. Gordon H'06

Friday, Dec. 11, 7:30 p.m.
EMPTY STOCKING BENEFIT CONCERT: HOLIDAYS AROUND THE WORLD featuring Llewellyn Sánchez-Werner, piano
(Admission “charge” is one new unwrapped toy or piece of children’s clothing, or a cash donation. All proceeds will directly benefit local families in need.)

 

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IF YOU GO

What: Free concerts at The University of Scranton
When: September through December 2026
Where: The University of Scranton Houlihan-McLean Center (Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue, downtown Scranton)
Admission: Free

The University of Scranton’s University of Success recently received a $2,000 donation from Waymart Inmates Nurturing Growth and Stability (WINGS).

Founded in 1996, the University of Success is a four-year, pre-college mentorship program that provides high school students with educational opportunities and support designed to help them gain entrance into a college or university. The program is a fully funded by corporate and foundation grants, ensuring there is no charge to students and their families.

WINGS, based at SCI Waymart, actively raises funds for charitable causes and local organizations including the University of Success.

Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University of Scranton president, took part in a portion of this year's Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities Presidents’ Pilgrimage to Rome, where he and his peers met Pope Leo XIV.

Father Marina met with the Pope on Thursday, June 25, at Consistory Hall, where Pope Leo acknowledged the challenges facing humanity and higher education.

“Often times young people are left without hope in a world that seems to lack the promise of a better future, and the natural environment continues to be degraded by those who would use the planet’s resources for their own interests instead of for the common good,” Pope Leo said. “Our world is also increasingly aware of the growing impact of artificial intelligence and the wider-ranging effects it can have on humanity.”

Pope Leo encouraged the AJCU delegation to address these challenges, using a framework provided by the Society of Jesus’ four Universal Apostolic Preferences as their guide. The full text of Pope Leo’s address is available online.

“Students normally begin their academic careers full of idealism and energy, often seeking to serve the needs of others,” Pope Leo said. “The studies that take place on your campuses, the friendships that naturally blossom there and the opportunity for all in your academic communities to encounter the thought and research of great scholars, both past and present, can bring a sense of hope and the promise of what could change for the better.”

Father Marina, who entered the Society of Jesus in 2004 and was ordained to the priesthood in 2012, described the experience as “inspiring.”

“It’s hard to describe what it feels like and how inspiring it is when you’re there not only representing yourself, but a much broader reality, namely the mission of Jesuit higher education and The University of Scranton,” Father Marina said. “I was very proud to represent this fine institution that we all know and love so well.

“And I want to bring that experience back here to Scranton. It should not be just a memory and an experience that I had but something that we can all share together.”

Father Marina’s cohort also met with Very Rev. Arturo Sosa, S.J., superior general of the Society of Jesus.

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A photograph of the presidents’ meeting with Father Sosa appeared in a news article on the AJCU’s website. A gallery of online images is posted on the Vatican Media website.

Born in Chicago, Pope Leo was elected last year as the United States of America’s first leader of the Roman Catholic Church. His predecessor, Pope Francis, who served from 2013 until his death in 2025, was the first Jesuit pontiff.

Father Marina has served since 2021 as The University of Scranton’s 29th president. He previously served as an administrator at institutions of higher learning including Le Moyne College, where he was provost and vice president for academic affairs and professor of education. He is a graduate of St. John’s University, Boston College and Fordham University.

Founded in 1888, The University of Scranton offers 70 majors, more than 40 graduate programs and has been recognized in recent national rankings by U.S. News and World Report, The Wall Street Journal, Princeton Review and Forbes. The most recent First Destination Survey by the Roche Family Center for Career Development revealed success rates of 99% and 100% for Scranton's undergraduate and graduate members of the Class of 2024.

The Society of Jesus is the Catholic Church’s largest religious order of priests and brothers. The AJCU is comprised of 28 Jesuit colleges and universities spanning 17 states, the District of Columbia and Belize.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This message, written by Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., president of The University of Scranton, was shared ahead of Independence Day with members of the University community.

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Dear Friends,

Yes, I am old enough to remember the bicentennial celebration of the United States of America in 1976! In fact, it occurred in the same year that I graduated from elementary school. Now, as the USA approaches its 250-year anniversary, Scranton continues to show forth a resilient people and a nation still emerging.

When I moved to Scranton more than five years ago, I carved out a daily walking route that took me through the historic Scranton Iron Furnaces just beyond Fitzpatrick Field. I remember being moved by those moments of stillness, peering over the ledge into the silos and imagining the booming, back-breaking work being done by thousands of Scrantonians in the 19th century.

I learned during my early days in Scranton that, before iron rails and anthracite coal defined the local industry, there was a previous attempt to advance commerce in the Area by manufacturing wrought iron nails. I also read that the nails produced here often failed. They were brittle and broke easily. The venture to build up Northeastern PA nearly went from boom to bust but was saved when proprietors deftly ditched the nails for rails, giving way to something stronger and more enduring.

And yet, the thought of those nails lingers in my mind — an early failure at the root of a story about reinvention and strength.

We know that not all nails fail. In the saving death of Jesus, the nails held. They pierced both his hands and feet, bearing the full weight of suffering and sacrifice as the life of the world itself seemed to give way.

However, something much greater was unfolding. What appeared to be the end was actually a beginning and what seemed to be defined by death was, in fact, transformed into life eternal.

Both stories, one industrial and one sacred, reflect the passage of hardship into something brighter and enduring. Each story reflects the truth of a people and perhaps a nation: that we are formed not only by what succeeds, but by how we endure and respond in the face of challenge. We are saved by grace, not by nationalism.

As we reflect upon America’s 250th birthday through a local lens, what can we discover here in Scranton?

To begin with, our summer is already an active one. The great Big Boy train engine rolled into town a couple of weeks ago with much fanfare, drawing tens of thousands of onlookers. The city’s downtown has “World Cup fever," with fans gathering for live entertainment and festive fun. Incoming first-year students have carried their hopes and dreams onto our campus for New Student Orientation and our summer schedule of camps and conferences is just revving up.

While our coal mines and iron furnaces have been quiet and cool for decades, hard work in our city and at our University has not gone away. It has simply taken on new forms inside classrooms, laboratories, hospitals and small businesses where another kind of labor, which calls for its own endurance and skill, has emerged.

These do not feel like separate moments but signs of life instead, continuing at a place still gathering, still welcoming, still becoming. We do not see a story of uninterrupted success but instead something more honest and human. We see a place and a country shaped by what breaks and by what holds.

On behalf of my Jesuit brothers, please accept my very best wishes and promise of prayers on this great anniversary of our nation. May the very best still lie ahead of us, for our nation and for our mission.

Yours faithfully,
Joseph G. Marina, S.J.
President

One person's dedication can have a profound positive impact on the lives of many. 

On Nov. 5 in Manhattan, Regis High School recognized Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., H'04, as an individual of that caliber.

Fr. McShane, the Superior of the Scranton Jesuit Community, received the Regis 2025 Deo et Patriae Award at a reception held on Nov. 5 at the tuition-free and merit-based Jesuit High School in New York. Fr. McShane led The University of Scranton as president from 1998 to 2003. 

The award is given annually by Regis, to "a person who has served Regis and the community in a distinguished capacity during the course of his or her life," as described in an article on the school's website. 


(Photo Courtesy Regis High School / Regis.org)
Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., Superior of the Scranton Jesuit Community, received the Regis 2025 Deo et Patriae Award at a reception on Nov. 5 at Regis High School in New York. Shown are, from left, Russell Quiñones, Regis REACH program director; Maureen Barry, Regis vice president for advancement; Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., and Rev. Christopher J. Devron, S.J., Regis president. 

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Fr. McShane, a member of the Regis Class of 1967 and the former President of Fordham University, is quoted in that same article:

"My debt to Regis is enormous," said Fr. McShane.  "In fact, it is not wide of the mark to say that after my parents, Regis was the most formative influence in my life. And so the truth of the matter is I owe just about everything — everything I have and everything I have become — to Regis. Everything."

Learn more about Fr. McShane's outstanding dedication to Jesuit education and his instrumental work in establishing the residential component for Regis’s REACH Program at both Regis and The University of Scranton. REACH, through a transformative middle school program, empowers high-achieving young men from underserved communities as Catholic leaders committed to faith, scholarship, and service.

View a video of the award presentation.

Nearly 100 students bagged, loaded and delivered food to local families as part of The University of Scranton’s Thanksgiving Feed-a-Family Project.

This annual initiative, organized by the University’s Center for Service and Social Justice (CSSJ), featured significant involvement from nearly 100 students including several dozen members of the men’s lacrosse team who worked alongside CSSJ staff members to bring holiday cheer to families in need.

Food was purchased with contributions from the University’s annual drive and supplemented by donations from Wegmans and the Weinberg Food Bank. Volunteers began packing bags on the morning of Sunday, Nov. 23, and within hours, had delivered 150 Thanksgiving meals to residents of Valley View Housing and Hilltop Apartments in Scranton.

For additional coverage, please visit WNEP and The Times-Tribune.

Continuing a beloved holiday season tradition, Performance Music at The University of Scranton will present its 58th annual Noel Night concert on Saturday, Dec. 6. The concert will begin at 8 p.m. in the University’s Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue, downtown Scranton. Doors open at 7 p.m. and prelude begins 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 almost 60 years ago by the Rev. Edward Gannon, S.J.

Noel Night features The University of Scranton Singers with preludes this year performed by the String Orchestra and Flute Ensemble. Outdoor instrumental caroling by members of the University Bands will greet audience members as they arrive. The concert will also feature guest harpist Marg Davis and pianist Ron Stabinsky.

Davis is a multi-genre harpist based in Houston, Texas. She performs regularly with professional orchestras such as the Houston, Kansas City and St. Louis Symphonies, as well as in solo, choral and chamber music performances throughout North America. She has collaborated with jazz guitarist and vocalist Vilray on his debut single, “Even in the Evening.” Davis graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in Harp from The Juilliard School and earned her Master of Music degree from Yale School of Music.

Stabinsky is probably best known nationally as a member of the notorious band “Mostly Other People Do The Killing,” the reunited rock band “Meat Puppets,” Relache Ensemble and The Peter Evans Ensemble. A classical solo and orchestral pianist, a straight-ahead jazz musician, occasionally a rock musician and an accomplished free improviser, he enjoys making music in stylistically diverse situations throughout the United States and Europe with a wide variety of musicians and ensembles.

According to Performance Music conductor and artistic director Cheryl Y. Boga, the program will continue its tradition of performances of a variety of sacred selections interspersed with readings of Nativity texts. Included in the program are musical works by J.S. Bach, Judith Clurman, Dan Forrest, Noël Goemanne, Stephen Paulus, Saint Saëns, Mark Sirett and André Thomas.

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.

 

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IF YOU GO:

What: 58th annual Noel Night concert, presented by Performance Music at The University of Scranton

When: Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, 8 p.m. (doors open at 7, prelude begins at 7:05)

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

Admission: Free

The University of Scranton's graduate program in clinical rehabilitation counseling recently marked a milestone with the help of its alumni.

The program hosted a 60-year anniversary celebration on Oct. 30, when numerous alumni and community members attended the event at the Kane Forum inside Weiss Hall.

Two distinguished program alumni — Rob Froehlich, an associate professor of counseling at George Washington University and staff member at George Washington’s Center for Rehabilitation Counseling, Research and Education, and Helen Froehlich, senior vice president of Utilization Management at Genex — presented, “AI – Where Do We Draw the Line? Ethics and Boundaries.”

The program is now accepting applications for the fall of 2026. Visit the graduate admissions webpage for more information.

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