University News

A University of Scranton delegation led by President, Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., explored collaboration possibilities with presidents and senior officials at a dozen universities in Taiwan during his visit there in November. The trip was sponsored by Taiwan’s Ministry of Education in cooperation with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in New York.

Together with Ann Pang-White, Ph.D., professor of philosophy and director of Asian Studies at the University, and Gerry Zaboski, senior vice president for the Office of the President, Father Marina discussed options for mutually beneficial partnerships, including degree collaborations, or collaborations to advance the respective missions of the schools.

“We are deeply grateful to the Ministry of Education of Taiwan for their outstanding support throughout the week,” said Father Marina. “With their help, we had excellent and productive discussions with every school we visited. We also gained a deeper appreciation for the people of Taiwan and their rich history and culture.”

The itinerary included a meeting with Nicole Yen-Yi Lee, director-general, Department of International and Cross-strait Education, at the Ministry of Education, Taipei, Taiwan.

The first university on the itinerary was Fu Jen Catholic University, a Jesuit university in Taiwan. that signed an articulation agreement for a 4+1 MBA degree partnership with The University of Scranton last year. Father Mariana met with Han-Sun Chiang, M.D., Ph.D., president, other Fu Jen administrators and the first students enrolled in the 4+1 partnership.

Throughout the remainder of the trip, Father Marina met with Ming-Je Tang, Ph.D., president, Chang Gung University; John S. Kuo, M.D., Ph.D., vice president, senior consultant neurosurgeon, China Medical University; Tsai-Yen Li, Ph.D., president and professor of computer science, National Chengchi University; Yuan-Chen Liu, Ph.D., vice president, dean for academic affairs and distinguished professor of Computer Science, National Taipei University of Education; Shu-Fang (Vivienne) Wu, Ph.D., president, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences; Sea-fue Wang, Ph.D., president and chair professor, Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology (Taipei Tech); Stone Shih-Torng Ding, Ph.D., executive vice president and director of the Center for Bilingual Education and distinguished professor of Animal Science and Technology, National Taiwan University; Chao-Hsun Yang, Ph.D., executive vice president and distinguished professor of Cosmetic Science, Providence University; Mai-Szu Wu, M.D., president and professor of nephrology, internal medicine, Taipei Medical University; and Kuo-En Chang, Ph.D., president, Tunghai University.

During the visit, Dr. Pang-White and Gerry Zaboski met with Nai-Wei Lo, Ph.D., dean of the School of Management at National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (Taiwan Tech).

The University’s long-established partnership with Taiwan began in 2010 with several divisions in the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in New York, including the Foreign Affairs Division, the Education Division (Ministry of Education), the Government Information Office and the Council for Cultural Affairs (now combined to form the new Ministry of Culture).

Programming established through the University’s international partnership with the Education Division of TECO-New York and Taiwan Ministry of Education includes university-level faculty- and student-exchange programs. Through the partnership with the Taiwan Ministry of Culture, the University has hosted numerous programs in Scranton, including performances by the Taiwan Bangzi Opera Company, the Chai Found Music Workshop and the Taiyuan Puppet Theater, in addition to hosting several lectures and film festivals with meet the author and director discussions.

In 2014, the University became the only higher education institution in the world to receive a replica of the Kinmen Peace Bell. The gift, on display in the atrium of the Loyola Science Center, was given as a gesture from Taiwan in honor of the University’s charter membership in the Taiwan Academy and its success with its Taiwanese cultural programming and Asian Studies program.

Taiwanese Ceremonial Ritual of the Gift Exchange

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The Taiwanese tradition of honoring guests with a formal exchange of gifts dates back thousands of years. Meeting agendas at each school visited included a “gift exchange.”

“Taiwanese culture regards gift-giving as an art that contributes to social harmony and friendly human relations, a symbolic gesture that honors both the guests and the host,” explained Dr. Pang-White of the tradition that dates back thousands of years. “When visiting relatives or friends that you have not seen for a while or visiting someone significant or more senior than you, presenting a gift is quite usual. In meeting someone in business for the first time especially, a gift presentation is expected, and, very often, a gift exchange is included on meeting agendas.”

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At the gift exchanges, Father Marina presented gifts from the University that included a framed campus photo, a hard-cover book of the history of The University of Scranton and a sampling of Gertrude Hawk chocolates. Gifts presented to Father Marina included ceremonial plaques and plates and commemorative banners.

“Presenting a gift and a gift exchange is considered a ceremonial ritual. This custom was passed down for thousands of years dated back to the Book of Rituals/Rites, composed around the 1st century, regarding how to honor a guest and visiting a host – but the practice began several hundred years earlier than the 1st century,” said Dr. Pang-White. “Gift-giving is considered a gesture of respect and hospitality and a symbol of gratitude. It is the spiritual significance of gift-giving that matters, not how expensive the gift is.”

A photo gallery of the gift exchanges with universities in Taiwan can be seen below.

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A week after its beloved Noel Night, Performance Music at The University of Scranton will keep the holiday cheer going at its annual Empty Stocking Fund Benefit Concert on Sunday, Dec. 10. The concert will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the University’s Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue.

The event is open to the public, with attendees asked to bring either a new unwrapped toy, new piece of child’s clothing, new toiletry items (toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, comb/brush, etc.), or a cash donation. All donated items will directly benefit local families in need this holiday season.

At the concert, Performance Music student musicians will perform solo, duet, trio and small group renditions of a variety of Christmas favorites. The smaller groups are made up of members from within the large ensembles, and include Steel Drum Band, Tuba Quartet, Flute Trio, Saxophone Ensemble, Ladies Choir, Men’s Choir, a vocal quartet and solo vocalists, according to Assistant Director of Performance Music Janelle Decker.

The Empty Stocking Fund concert traces its origins back to 1999, when Director of Performance Music Cheryl Boga’s friend, Alan Drake, the former chairman of the music department at Georgia’s Augusta State University, told her about a benefit Christmas concert held there. Boga was intrigued, and Drake gave his blessing for her to bring the concept back to Scranton.

For the inaugural year, she and Drake waged a friendly competition to see which concert could raise the most money. Scranton won, and an annual tradition was born.

The concert’s charitable mission makes it particularly special, and Decker and Boga and their students are always moved when they see the donated items out on display the night of the show. Meanwhile, the performance itself never fails to produce an abundance of yuletide cheer – by the end of it, “you can really see people starting to feel the Christmas spirit,” Decker said. Audience members are encouraged to wear their Santa hats, reindeer antlers and other accessories of the season.

For those who are unable to attend the concert but would still like to drop off a toy or other donation, they will be accepted at Houlihan McLean Center on Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 6 and 7 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Jefferson Ave. entrance.

The primary focus of Performance Music at The University of Scranton is its student choral and instrumental performing ensembles. Because there is no music major at the University, all enrolled Scranton students – undergraduate and graduate – are eligible for membership in the University 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 the Empty Stocking Fund Benefit Concert, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit the Performance Music website.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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“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 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.

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“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.

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.

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The University of Scranton Community English as a Second Language (ESL) Program received a $2,000 critical needs grant from the Scranton Area Community Foundation. The grant will be used to purchase textbooks and workbooks to serve the growing number of community members who seek to improve their English. Through this program, which is free to participants, University of Scranton students tutor local refugees and immigrants in English as a second language at the Language Learning Center, located in O’Hara Hall on the University’s campus.

The textbooks will expand the capacity and improve the quality of the Community ESL Program through audio and video content, reading and writing exercises, workbooks and more.

The University’s World Languages and Cultures Department oversees the University’s Scranton Community ESL Program. Yamile Silva, Ph.D., professor of Spanish, serves as the department’s chair.

On Saturday, Oct. 14, Performance Music at The University of Scranton will present a recital by critically and popularly acclaimed award-winning pianist Llewellyn Sanchez-Werner.

The performance 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.

Conductor and Director of Performance Music Cheryl Y. Boga says, “I first became of aware of Llewellyn and his incredible talent when my son would text me from his classes at Juilliard to tell me about this amazing 13-year-old who was already enrolled in pursuit of his undergraduate degree and – according to Joseph – ‘played piano like craaaazy!’ Now, at age 26, he is already one of the most virtuosic, vibrant, and socially committed musicians of his generation.”

Described as “a gifted virtuoso” by the San Francisco Chronicle, Sanchez-Werner has been performing with orchestras since the age of 6. The California native has played internationally with the Royal Concertgebouw in the Netherlands, CultureSummit Abu Dhabi, the Louvre and Grenoble Museums in France, Smetana Hall in the Czech Republic, State Philharmonic Hall in Slovakia, Verbier Festival in Switzerland, Ashford Castle in Ireland and Gijon International Piano Festival in Spain. In the United States, he has performed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Lincoln Center and National Sawdust in New York City, Mary B. Galvin Hall in Chicago, Richardson Auditorium at Princeton University, Paramount Theater in Oakland, and the Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian Art Museum, and Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C.

In addition, Sanchez-Werner has performed at the Kennedy Center and the White House for former President Barack Obama and current President Joe Biden, for President Peña Nieto of Mexico, Prime Minister Peres of Israel, and President Kagame of Rwanda. Committed to public service, he received the Atlantic Council Young Global Citizen Award recognizing his dedication to social action through music in such countries as Iraq, Rwanda, France, Canada and the U.S.

An active chamber musician, Sanchez-Werner has collaborated with Renée Fleming, Eric Owens, Marina Poplavskaya, Richard O’Neill and Cynthia Phelps. He partnered with the Gershwin family on a concert and biographical tribute to the Gershwin brothers, and performed “Hallelujah Junction” for John Adams at his 70th birthday celebration in New York.

Sanchez-Werner earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from The Juilliard School, where he was awarded the Kovner Fellowship, won the concerto competition and was the youngest admittee to each program at ages 14 and 18, respectively. Juilliard was Sanchez-Werner’s second college experience - he became a full-time student at Ventura College at age five, where he completed 170 college credits toward degrees in music and international relations. Sanchez-Werner also earned an Artist Diploma from the Yale School of Music, where he was awarded the Charles S. Miller Prize.

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

Two unique Collaborative Programs are scheduled as part of The University of Scranton Schemel Forum’s fall programming.

On Tuesday, Oct. 17, the Schemel Forum will partner with the Gail and Francis Slattery Center for the Ignatian Humanities to present the Myers Distinguished Visiting Fellow in the Humanities and Civic Engagement Lecture featuring Dale Jamieson, Ph.D., professor emeritus of environmental studies and director of the Center for Environmental and Animal Protection at New York University.

Named for Schemel Forum founding director Sondra Myers and her husband, the Sondra and Morey Myers Distinguished Visiting Fellowship in the Humanities and Civic Engagement advances the University’s efforts to bring renowned scholars, artists and thinkers to Scranton to share their work and enrich cultural and civic activity at the University and in Scranton. Dr. Jamieson is a renowned scholar of environmental ethics and animal rights, and an expert on contemporary climate change discourse.

The lecture will begin at 5:30 p.m. in Brennan Hall, Rose Room, 509, and includes a reception. Admission is free and open to the community, courtesy of the Myers Distinguished Visiting Fellow Endowment.

Then, on Monday, Oct. 30, Tracie D. Hall, executive director of the American Library Association, will present the lecture, “Book Bans and Censorship.” Sponsored by the Schemel Forum and the Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library, the event will take place at 6 p.m. in the Loyola Science Center’s PNC Auditorium.

Hall will give an insightful talk on the history, implications and current state of book censorship in the United States, spotlighting the essential role libraries play in safeguarding democratic values and free speech. An author, curator and advocate for the arts, Hall is one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2023.

Following the lecture, attendees can engage in further discussions over refreshments and hors d’oeuvres at a reception. Admission is $40, and $10 for those who wish to attend remotely.

For more information on the programs, contact Kym Fetsko at 570-941-7816 or email kym.fetsko@scranton.edu. Or, visit: www.scranton.edu/schemelforum.

Listen to Dean Aulisio talk about the fall Schemel Forum schedule of events with WVIA’s Erika Funke on ArtScene. 

The co-director of the Academy Award-nominated film “Crip Camp” will appear at the 22^nd annual U.S. Conference on Disability at The University of Scranton on Thursday, Oct. 5, to discuss his film and advocacy for disability rights.

The event, which seeks to educate and enhance the lives of individuals with disabilities and their families, will return to an in-person format this year for the first time since 2019.

For the last three years, the conference was held virtually.

The conference will focus on this year’s theme, “Ability Focused Advocacy: Breaking Barriers to Achieving Careers and Independence.”

It is free and open to the general public, but registration is required.

Co-director Jim LeBrecht will attend the conference and host an interactive viewing of his renowned documentary that will begin at 2:30 p.m. to close-out the daylong conference. He will stop the film at various points to discuss aspects of the movie and its subjects. He will also answer audience questions.

“Crip Camp,” which was co-directed with Nicole Newnham, won the 2020 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award for feature length documentary, the 2021 Independent Spirit award for Best Feature Documentary and a 2021 Peabody Award. It tells the story of Camp Jened, a rustic summer camp opened in the Catskills in New York in the early 1970s for disabled teenagers. The idea was to break down the barriers disabled youth faced in participating in the kind activates their able-bodied peers did.

“Jened was their freewheeling Utopia, a place with summertime sports, smoking and make-out sessions awaiting everyone, and campers experienced liberation and full inclusion as human beings,” the film’s website explains. “Their bonds endured.”

LeBrecht has worked as an activist for disability rights for more than 40 years. He is a former board member at the Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund and he co-founded FWD-Doc, an organization that supports documentary filmmakers with disabilities.

The “Crip Camp” viewing will take place from 2:30 to 5 p.m.

The Conference on Disability will open at 8:30 a.m. with remarks from University President Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J.; Victoria Castellanos, Ph.D., Dean of The Panuska College of Professional Studies; and Edward R. and Patricia Leahy, honorary conference co-chairs. Employment and inclusion advocate and scholar Mason Ameri, Ph.D., will then give an opening keynote address.

Dr. Ameri is an associate professor of professional practice at Rutgers University who has been published nationally, including by the New York Times. He has also given TEDx talks and addressed the World Bank Group on promoting accessibility.

Later, Kathy West Evans, the director of business relations for the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation, and John Evans, retired State of Washington, Vocational Rehabilitation Program Administrator for Employer Relations, will present VR-Building Careers through Business Relations from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. The session will include personal journeys, lived experience, and the impact it has made on the advancement in the careers and independence of VR customers.

Before lunch, Michelle Bornman, who is currently working on special projects with the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, will give a talk called “Nothing Changes Unless Something Moves.”

Dr. Castellanos will speak again at the start of the lunch break at noon and Dan Cosacchi, vice president of mission and Ministry at the University, will give the blessing.

After lunch, attendees will see a recorded presentation from Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy Taryn Williams and a virtual presentation on “The Greatest Challenge,” from Theo W. Buddy, the executive director of the National Council on Independent Living.

Time will also be carved out for breaks and networking during the day-long conference.

Edward R. and Patricia Leahy helped to establish the Conference on disAbility more than 20 years ago in honor of their son. Over the past two decades, numerous nationally-recognized speakers have appeared at the event to foster advances in the quality of life of individuals with disabilities.

This year’s session will be held in in the McIlhenny Ballroom at the DeNaples Center on campus. It is free and open to the general public, however, registration is required. More detailed information and registration can be found on the Disability Conference website.

“O God of the poor, help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth, so precious in your eyes. Bring healing to our lives, that we may protect the world and not prey on it, that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction.”

With a few brief remarks, the saying of a prayer, and a sprinkling of Holy Water, The University of Scranton began its journey to become designated as a Laudato Si’ University by the Vatican.

Inspired by Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical letter “Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home,” the University joined a coalition of colleges from around the world who have committed to a seven-year initiative to develop, implement and evaluate initiatives around seven goals to meet the Pope’s call for integral ecology.

Leading the University’s Laudato Si’ effort are Michelle Maldonado, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, and Daniel Cosacchi, Ph.D., vice president for mission and ministry. Over the past year, they met with representatives from across campus, including students, staff, administrators and faculty, to develop a comprehensive plan for ways the University can address the seven goals put forth by Pope Francis.

“Our action plan harnesses our common energy in defense of our common home. Our goals align with those of Laudato Si’, focusing our attention on the Earth, the poor, economics, lifestyles, education, spirituality, and, finally, community resilience and empowerment,” said Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., president, at the University’s Laudato Si’ Plan Kick-off Event on Sept. 19. “The encyclical and its goals brilliantly bridge science and faith, calling all of us to act by shining a bright light on issues that face the entire world and our future. Drawing on Catholic social teaching, Pope Francis ensures that humanity, especially a concern for the poor, marginalized and displaced, is central to the message.”

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 the seven goals outlined by the Pope during a seven-year period.

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University professor and chair of the Biology Department, Janice Voltzow, Ph.D., who spoke at the event on behalf the faculty commitment to Laudato Si’ in teaching and research, said the world has “moved from the goal of sustainability to an urgent need for remediation.” She noted that students will be dealing with the consequences of our actions, saying universities need to provide students with the “intellectual tools that will protect our home for future generations.”

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Karla Shaffer, president of Student Government at Scranton, said in her remarks that her generation, GenZ, faces a lot of pressure, including “stopping the world from burning.” Shaffer, a political science major with an environmental and sustainability studies concentration from New Hope, said that “power comes in numbers and there is no lack of powerful student voices at the University.”

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The University’s Laudato Si’ banner was unveiled and blessed at a ceremony held in the Rev. Donald Pantle, S.J., Rose Garden on campus.

Visit The University of Scranton’s Laudato Si’ webpage for more information.

The full prayer said by Father Marina at the Laudato Si’ plan announcement follows.

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Francis X. Clooney, S.J., the Parkman Professor of Divinity at Harvard University, will present The University of Scranton Slattery Center for Ignatian Humanities Lecture on comparative theology. The talk, “Hinduism, the Jesuit Tradition, and Comparative Theology,” will be held Thursday, Sept. 28 at 5 p.m. at the Moskovitz Theater in the DeNaples Center on campus. It is free and open to the public.

In his talk, Father Clooney will address: “What is Comparative Theology? How is it humanities? How is it Jesuit? How is it Catholic? Why do you do it, and how have you found that God meets you in this work?”

Father Clooney is a Jesuit priest and scholar in the teachings of Hinduism, and is also a comparative theology professor at Harvard. He previously taught at Boston College.

A leading global figure in the field of comparative theology – a discipline distinguished by attentiveness to the dynamics of theological learning deepened through the study of traditions other than one’s own – Father Clooney has written numerous books on the subject. His works include the 2010 book “Comparative Theology: Deep Learning Across Religious Borders,” which covers the history of comparative theology and distinctive features of its current practice. The book also delves into the ways comparative theology can be initiated within any religious tradition, even a personally defined faith-perspective.

Father Clooney has also authored explorations of the Jesuit missionary tradition in India, early Jesuit pan-Asian discussions of reincarnation and on interreligious learning in the modern world. His most recent books are “St. Joseph in South India: Poetry, Mission and Theology in Costanzo Gioseffo Beschi's Tempavani,” published in 2022, “Western Jesuit Scholars in India: Tracing Their Paths, Reassessing Their Goals,” in 2020 and “Reading the Hindu and Christian Classics: Why and How It Matters,” in 2019. He is currently at work on his memoir, set to be titled “Priest and Scholar, Catholic and Hindu: A Love Story.”

Father Clooney is a fellow of the British Academy and the Australian Catholic University. In the last year he served as president of the Catholic Theological Society of America.

A Roman Catholic priest who has been a member of the Society of Jesus for 55 years, Clooney regularly serves in a local Catholic parish on weekends, according to Harvard’s School of Divinity website. He also writes a blog, “The Inner Edge,” which includes 62 online homilies written during the Covid pandemic, when churches were forced to close.

Father Clooney will receive an honorary degree from the University at the event.

The University of Scranton presented Edward ’68, H’01 and Patricia Leahy with the President’s Medal at the “A Fire That Kindles Other Fires Campaign” black-tie gala on Sept. 16.

The President’s Medal recognizes individuals who have achieved excellence in their fields and demonstrated extraordinary compassion for others, representing lifetime achievements that reflect the University’s mission of Catholic and Jesuit excellence and service.

“When you think about a fire that kindles other fires, you cannot help but think about Ed and Pat Leahy and the extraordinary way that they have contributed continuously to benefit the University and the greater community beyond campus,” said Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., president of The University of Scranton. “Their contributions have supported more than 30 faculty research grants, student scholarships, the Edward R. Leahy Jr. Clinic for the Uninsured and the annual U.S. Conference on disABILITY, now in its 23rd year. Through their decades of support, they have touched so many lives for the better, and, I am certain, have sparked flames of excellence in a countless number of individuals. I am grateful to count them among the University’s closest friends and most-generous benefactors.”

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At the gala, Father Marina announced that the University has received the largest single-donation in its history, a $10 million gift from the Leahys.

In his remarks after receiving the medal, Mr. Leahy reminisced about his life – from growing up in a “coal patch” in Mahanoy City, to attending The University of Scranton, to law school at Boston College and completing successful business dealings with international clients.

“Everyday was a day of wonderment,” said Mr. Leahy about his experience as a student at Scranton. “This place opened the world to me.”

In 2008, Mr. Leahy spoke about his son at the dedication ceremony of the clinic named in his son’s honor.

“Edward, who was a wonderful, happy child, with multiple disabilities, passed away in 1993, just before his ninth birthday. Throughout his short life, Edward was helped enormously by doctors, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, and many other health professionals. In their honor, and in Edward’s memory, we wanted, in some small way, to bring that same quality healthcare to the people of Lackawanna County, through the efforts of the multitalented faculty and staff at The University of Scranton,” said Mr. Leahy at the 2008 ceremony.

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In 2015, the University dedicated Edward R. Leahy Jr. Hall in honor of their late son.

In 1988, in memory of Mr. Leahy’s uncle, the Leahys created the Edward P. Leahy Scholarship, which awards scholarships to University students annually. In 1994, in memory of their son, Edward, they created the Edward R. Leahy Jr. Endowment at the University, which is the largest single endowment at Scranton. That endowment has supported the Clinic for the Uninsured, which includes physical therapy, occupational therapy, counseling and low vision clinics that help individuals who are most in need in Lackawanna County. An agreement between the University and Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine will further expand the reach and services offered by the Leahy Medical Clinic.

A University of Scranton alumnus and native of Mahanoy City, Mr. Leahy served as past chair of the University’s Board of Trustees and was honored by the University with the Alumni Achievement Award for Distinguished and Exceptional Attainment, given in 1993, and with an Honorary Degree, bestowed in 2001.

Mr. Leahy participated in the ROTC program as a student at Scranton and was commissioned into the U.S. Army upon graduation. He served as a captain in military intelligence. He earned his law degree from Boston College as a Presidential Scholar, and was elected editor-in-chief of the Law Review. Early in his career, he served as a law clerk to Justice William J. Brennan of the U.S. Supreme Court. Later in his distinguished career, he was a partner in two prestigious law firms. In 2003, he was named the first Sir Maurice Shock Visiting Fellow at University College, Oxford, U.K., where he was also a member of the faculty of law from 1998 to 2016.

Patricia Leahy, who was unable to attend the gala, worked for 19 years on Capitol Hill and spent six years as a special assistant for legislative affairs in the U.S. Department of Education during the Clinton Administration. She also served for nearly two decades with public policy and legislative affairs to assist individuals with disabilities for the National Rehabilitation Association in Washington, D.C. A native of Boston, she majored in English at Boston College.

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For three decades U.S. News & World Report has ranked The University of Scranton among the top 10 regional universities in the north, placing Scranton No. 5 in its 2024 edition of the “Best Colleges” guidebook, which became available online today.

“From the beginning of its Best College rankings, U.S. News has advised colleges not to cheer – or jeer – about year-to-year position changes in the rankings, but rather to look for consistency of trends in the ranking achieved over the years,” said Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., president of The University of Scranton. “Well, I am pleased to say, through the talent and dedication of our faculty and staff, and the outstanding success of our students and graduates, we have achieved exceptional consistency in our status as a top 10 university.”

U.S. News also ranked Scranton No. 8 in its category for “Best Undergraduate Teaching,” a selection of the top colleges in the nation that express a strong commitment to undergraduate teaching.

Several of Scranton’s programs were also included in national rankings, as opposed to listings by category. U.S. News ranked Scranton among the nation’s “Best Undergraduate Programs in Accounting” at No. 38 in the U.S.; among the “Best Undergraduate Programs in Finance” at No. 40; among the “Best Undergraduate Nursing Programs” at No. 112; and among “Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs” at No. 222 (where a doctorate is not offered). Scranton’s was also listed among the 554 “Best Undergraduate Computer Science Programs” in the nation. Scranton also ranked No. 211 among America’s “Best Undergraduate Business Programs,” which just listed schools that hold accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).

For these program listings, U.S. News only ranked schools holding the highest recognized national accreditations in their fields. The rankings were based solely on dean and senior faculty recommendations from peer institutions.

In addition, U.S. News ranked Scranton No. 54 as a “Best Value Regional University in the North,” which compares academic quality of programs to cost of attendance. This is the tenth consecutive year U.S. News has recognized Scranton as a “Best Value” school. Scranton was ranked No. 115 in its category in “Top Performers on Social Mobility,” which looks at the success of schools that enroll and graduate students who were awarded with Pell Grants.

U.S. News uses data on up to 19 measures of academic quality to rank bachelor’s degree colleges in America. For its rankings, U.S. News considers a range of quality indicators that include a peer assessment of academic excellence; faculty resources; financial resources; graduate indebtedness; freshman retention; graduation rates; Pell graduation rates, and graduation performance rates, which compares a school’s actual graduation rates with predicted graduation rates based on characteristics of the incoming class. U.S. News ranking analysis also includes student selectivity, as measured by SAT or ACT scores and high school ranking of students in the top 25 percent of their class.

U.S. News categorizes colleges for their rankings based on the official Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classification of universities.

The 2024 U.S. News “Best Colleges” rankings became available online Sept. 18.

Take a look at how the campus has changed over the past three decades (notice - spring finally arrived in 2013)

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And how the campus looks now.

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The University of Scranton announced the start of the public phase of the largest capital campaign in its 135-year history, the $135 million “A Fire That Kindles Other Fires Campaign to Advance Mission, Access and Excellence.” The announcement was made at a black-tie gala attended by more than 350 guests in the Byron Recreation Complex on campus Sept. 16. The historic campaign will advance Scranton’s mission, accessibility and excellence.

“A Fire that Kindles Other Fires is an expression borrowed from the 35th General Congregation of the Society of Jesus. It is a reference to moving into the future with all of the history and tradition of the past; with the same identity but with a new energy in pursuit of new possibilities,” said Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., president of The University of Scranton. “It is also a reference to people – the people who have been touched by the power of a Catholic and Jesuit education and now move through the world as agents of change and messengers of the gospel, kindling other fires.”

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Mission-related goals of the campaign include continued investment in state-of-the-art facilities, laboratories, learning spaces, such as the renovations made in Hyland Hall to support the mechanical engineering program, and initiatives that support core aspects of a Scranton Jesuit education, such as the programming and scholarships offered through the Gail and Francis Slattery Center for the Ignatian Humanities.

“The wonderful truth remains that anything and everything we do at Scranton should be and will be done for our students first,” said Father Marina. “Our shared focus is precisely where it belongs: on our students and their success.”

The campaign will grow the University’s endowment to help break the cost barrier and allow access to a Scranton education regardless of financial means. First-year students received more than $40 million in financial aid scholarships, $37 million of which was provided by the University.

Cayla Kumar, a first-generation student majoring in biochemistry, cell and molecular biology with a minor in philosophy from Queens Village, New York, now in her senior year at Scranton said in her remarks at the gala: “One key pillar of this campaign is scholarship, and I can personally attest to its transformative power. The scholarships provided by this University have not only eased the financial burden on my mother, but have also opened the doors to countless opportunities for me. Scholarships are not just funding education; they are investments in the future leaders and change-makers who will carry our mission forward. They bridge the gap between potential and realization, between dreams and achievements.”

The campaign will also support efforts to overcome other barriers to a Scranton education, such as the University’s campus-wide plan for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. It will support programming to help enroll, retain and graduate first-generation college students, such as Scranton’s THR1VE program, which provides peer mentors, faculty and staff mentors, advocates and leadership and other resources to first-generation college students.

The campaign will also support Scranton’s goals of excellence in academic and professional outcomes of its graduates, as well as Scranton’s commitment to provide a transformational education to students who graduate as “men and women for and with others.” Each year, more than 2,850 students perform more than 170,000 hours of service. Students also participate in Campus Ministries’ International Service Program, which provides immersion experiences in developing countries across Central and South America.

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Two of Scranton’s most generous longtime benefactors, John D. Dionne ’86, H’10, former chair of the University’s Board of Trustees, and Jacquelyn Dionne ’89, co-vice chair of University’s Board of Trustees, will serve as co-chairs of A Fire That Kindles Other Fires.

“The University of Scranton has been stoking the fires of knowledge within its students for 135 years, and we hope that it will continue to kindle those fires for 135 more,” said Jacquelyn Dionne. “Each and every day, Scranton is lighting the way to a better tomorrow.”

In addition to the Dionnes, members of the campaign executive committee include Tracy Bannon ’84, former trustee; John Boken, managing director of AlixPartners and current trustee; Mary Haveron ’85, finance and accounting director of Tire Alliance Groupe, L.L.C., and former trustee; John R. Mariotti, D.M.D. ’75, QMA Orthodontics member and current trustee; Vincent Reilly ’80, managing partner of Reilly, McDevitt and Henrich, P.C., and chair of the University’s Board of Trustees; James Slattery ’86, COO of North America MELROSE P.L.C. and former chair of the University’s Board of Trustees; Joseph Sorbera Jr., JLS Cost Management Systems, Inc., and current trustee; Davida Sweeney, former co-chair of the University’s Parents Executive Council; John “JP” Sweeney, financial advisor/vice president investments Wells Fargo advisors member and current trustee; and Michelle Maldonado, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at the University, and, ex-officio, Father Marina and Robert Davis Jr.,  Ed.D., ’03, G’10,’13, vice president for University advancement.

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Also at the gala, University benefactors Patricia and Edward Leahy ’68, H’01, were presented with The University of Scranton’s President’s Medal.

To date, the campaign has raised more than $112 million from 17,800 donors in its non-public phase, which began in May of 2018. The campaign received more than 13 gifts of $1 million or more and the largest single-donation in the University’s history, a $10 million gift from the Leahys, which Father Marina announced at the gala.

To make a donation to the University’s A Fire That Kindles Other Fires Campaign, visit scranton.edu/campaign.

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