live on campus, becoming engaged in the various campus programs, and to focus on the end goal of obtaining employment. Students must have at least a 3.0 GPA and will be required to work closely with the Careers Services Center and attend variousworkshops focusing on job searches and job-seeking skills sponsored by Student Life or through other University partners. The Service and Leadership Learning Community will be a new living-learning community for sophomore, junior, and senior students who are focused on leadership development and service opportunities. This experience is to help foster leadership by building a community of first-time residents who will live and learn together to develop their leadership skills to incorporate within their prospective groups and the outside community. The Transfer Year Experience was created to integrate transfer students more fully and quickly into campus and residence life. By focusing on sophomore and junior students, the University hopes that the community of transfer students will cohere as they live on campus. Students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 and attend various workshops throughout the semester dealing with technology, study skills, financial aid and scholarship opportunities, career and professional development, and living the Mission.
Dining Service
I
n response to student and community requests for new culinary diversity and options and as part of our yearlong commitment to reevaluate all processes, Holy Family University was pleased to newly partner with Parkhurst Dining of Homestead, PA. Two to three student representatives from each academic School at Holy Family and a handful of staff tested Parkhurst and competitor services in a secret shopping experience at local colleges. Parkhurst led every food and service category evaluated: variety, health, taste, eye appeal, speed, friendliness, arrangement, sanitary conditions, and overall appearance. Parkhurst fosters partnerships to support local farmers and to make local food affordable and accessible on the wholesale level. International foods will also be a focal point of dining services where students will be entertained by Parkhurst
6
culinary teams in action. Additional healthier selections include made-from-scratch soups and chili and a salad bar with organic locally grown fruits and vegetables and homemade dressings.
Orientation
O
ur orientation process was also reexamined and reworked this year. In June 2013, Holy Family University held the first two of four total orientation days for the upcoming school year. Led by the Student Life and Enrollment staffs, the program not only contained necessary information available at all previous orientations but also incorporated social media and video technologies in new ways. Incoming students and parents were treated to breakfast and lunch from the new dining service, learned how to navigate campus and financial aid, and met their future classmates in a festive atmosphere.
Leadership Renewal
T
here was extensive new leadership in Academic Affairs. Michael W. Markowitz, PhD, was installed as the incoming Vice President for Academic Affairs. His former position as the Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences was filled by Shelley Robbins, PhD. Ana Maria Catanzaro, PhD, assumed the role of Dean of the School of Nursing and Allied Health after serving as Interim Dean for most of the 20122013 academic year. Kevin Zook, PhD, accepted the role of the Dean of the School of Education upon the retirement of Leonard Soroka, EdD, following an extensive search. Lastly, J. Barry Dickinson, PhD, had been appointed Dean of the School of Business Administration in August 2012 and assumed duties for the newly integrated Division of Extended Learning this spring. Another significant academic change involved the restructuring and integration of the School of Business Administration with the Division of Extended Learning, where the accelerated degree programs will be housed administratively within the School of Business. This reorganization allows for integration of the business programs and will lead to shared administrative processes, shared faculties, and economies of scale.