Canisius College Magazine Fall 2011

CANISIUS COLLEGE MAGAZINE • FALL 2011

Female athletes mark 40 years in collegiate sports

International immersion experiences challenge students’ ideas about the world

president’sperspective

John J. Hurley

Canisius College Magazine FALL 2011 VOLUME 12, ISSUE 4

President John J. Hurley

We mark in this issue of Canisius Magazine the 40th anniversary of the inauguration of our women’s athletics program at Canisius (page 13). Congress’ enactment of Title IX initiated the creation of athletic opportunities for women, who have been real bright spots in intercollegiate athletics over the past 40 years.

At Canisius, we went from very modest beginnings: from the trio of Kathy Alevras ’77, Denise Tenney ’77 and Carol Reynolds ’78, who brought notoriety to Canisius in women’s gymnastics, to Sr. Maria Pares’ basketball teams and Mike Rappl’s current championship women’s softball teams. Today, the program consists of nine sports played by very dedicated student-athletes. They are among some of the best representatives of our student body and I try to watch them compete whenever I’m able.

Women’s athletics preserves many of the best elements of intercollegiate athletics. The focus is on the student part of the student-athlete equation. Money and television rights generally do not dictate how decisions are made, and the competition is spirited, clean and fun.

This stands in stark contrast to many of the bad news stories arising out of intercollegiate athletics the past few months, most notably at Penn State and Syracuse University. I used these two situations recently as an occasion to remind our faculty, staff and students that Canisius has in place policies and codes of conduct that cover harassment, assault, discrimination, ethics, criminal wrongdoing and other similar situations. It is the responsibility of every member of the campus community to report matters that come to their attention that violate our standards.

Our policies provide protection against retaliation or discrimination for anyone who makes such a report. And I encourage our people to pursue a matter further if they do not think it is being adequately addressed.

Associate Vice President for Public Relations & Executive Editor Debra S. Park MS ’06 Managing Editor Audrey R. Browka Director of Creative Services & Layout Editor Andalyn Courtney Contributing Designers Shaun M. Maciejewski MS ’11 Contributing Writers Elizabeth M. Bohen ’74, MS ’76 Molly C. Cohen ’06 Kristin E. Etu ’91 Rachel Flammer Erin H. Hartnett MS ’11 Martin J. Haumesser Eileen C. Herbert ’04 Laura Marek ’06 Photography Shaun Maciejewski MS ’11 Susana Raab Tom Wolf ’86 To Contact Us We are eager to hear your comments about Canisius College Magazine.

Please send correspondence to: Canisius College Magazine 2001 Main Street, Lyons Hall Room 209, Buffalo, NY 14208 Phone 716-888-2790 Fax 716-888-2778

I told the campus community that our policies reflect the high standards to which we hold the college and ourselves. If we rededicate ourselves to these high standards and to holding each other accountable to see that we meet these standards, Canisius College will remain a great place.

With best wishes for a blessed Christmas

and a healthy and prosperous New Year,

Canisius College Magazine is published four times a year (winter, spring, summer, fall) by Canisius College at: 2001 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14208 USPS 908-760

ON THE COVER Carolyn Gilbride-Schaus ’83 played on Canisius College’s 1982-1983 women’s basketball team, which remains the program’s most successful team ever (see Cover Story, page 13). Gilbride-Schaus held the single-season record for games started that year.

Periodical postage paid at Buffalo, NY and additional offices Postmaster send change of address to: Canisius College, 2001 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14208

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contents FALL 2011

6 | Student Profile

13 | Cover Story

Stars, Stripes and Students Canisius College enlists Andrew P. Overfield, U.S. Army (Ret.), to help serve a new generation of American heroes.

A League of Their Own Female athletes mark 40 years since they evened the score in collegiate sports.

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8

33 departments

8 | Faculty Profile

33 | Alumni Profile

Behind the Bite More than a century after vampires made their first literary marks, the monsters and their myths continue to evolve.

A Lawyer, a Scholar and a Gentleman Joseph M. Hassett ’64, PhD, balances two seemingly opposite worlds of law and literature.

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BLUE & GOLD BRIEFS

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faculty notes

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a legacy of leadership

C A MPUS NE WS A ND NOTE S

facult y NE WS A ND update s

C A mpa ig n ne ws a nd update s

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C ANISIUS CONNECTIONs

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A S YOU WERE

A LUMNI NE WS A ND NOTE S

S TORIE S FROM THE PA S T

Canisius Names Hill Director of Marketing

Eleven Appointed to Board of Regents

Canisius College took its first steps toward a new strategic approach to marketing this fall when it appointed Robert R. Hill director of marketing. Hill sets university-wide marketing priorities to ensure a seamless flow of communications.

Specifically, he manages the development and implementation of unified marketing strategies across multiple media; brand identity standards; and campus-wide marketing support to drive the university’s short and long-term strategic goals.

The Canisius College Board of Regents appointed 11 new members to threeyear terms. The Board of Regents serves as an advisory group to the college’s Board of Trustees and Canisius President John J. Hurley. The new Board of Regents members are:

Robert R. Hill

“Bob fills a new and extremely important position at Canisius as the college begins significant brand and marketing initiatives, as well as a complete web redesign,” says Canisius College President John J. Hurley. “He will develop a new integrated approach for Canisius that will govern all of the college’s marketing efforts.”

Jill K. Bond ’82 Senior Vice President & General Counsel Rich Products Corporation

James A. Dobmeier ’80 President & Founder Surface America Inc.

Annette M. DispenzaKajtoch ’88, MBA ’90 Senior Vice President First Niagara Bank

Mark G. Evans ’83 Director, Global Leadership & Organizational Development/ Global Education & Training Colgate-Palmolive Company

Michael Gilbert ’90 Vice President of Public & Community Relations Buffalo Sabres

Amy E. Hoffman ’82 President & Co-Founder, Rooster Hill Vineyards

Jack W. Koessler III Owner Jack’s Music

James E. McNicholas ’68, MSEd ’97 Lt. Col. (Ret.) U.S. Army

Maureen T. Schmitt Chief Executive Officer Schmitt Sales Inc.

Hill comes to Canisius with nearly 20 years of higher education experience. Most recently, he served as associate vice president for marketing and printing services at Xavier University. During Hill’s tenure, the university experienced record enrollment and fundraising results, and saw unprecedented success in its regional and national rankings.

Hill holds a master’s degree in higher education administration and a bachelor’s degree in public communications, both from Syracuse University.

Wilkie ’12 Sinks World Record

Joe Wilkie ’12

Canisius College student Joseph Wilkie ’12 sank a Guinness world record in August. The physical and health education major walked 73.6 meters (or 241.5 feet) underwater in just one minute and 15 seconds, in a single breath. Wilkie surpassed the previous world record of 50 meters.

“I could always hold my breath for a long time,” says Wilkie.

“But I went farther than I thought I would.”

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Paul E. Vukelic President, Chief Operating Officer Try-It Distributing Co. Inc.

Daniel J. Zimmer ’83, MBA ’87 Vice President of Corporate Finance & Development, Delaware North Companies Inc.

School of Ed Gets $1.4 Million Grant for JUSTICE The U.S. Department of Education awarded a $1.4 million grant to the School of Education and Human Services. The five-year grant supports the JUSTICE Project. JUSTICE is an acronym for Justice for Underserved Students: Teacher Preparation in Inclusive Classroom Environments. The project will enhance the curricula and field experiences of the special education and childhood education programs, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

“The focus of JUSTICE is to ensure that our teacher candidates are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to assist high-need students and those who have high-incidence disabilities, so that these students meet state academic achievement standards,” explains Marya Grande, PhD, associate professor of education and the principal investigator of the grant. She notes that Canisius is one of only nine schools, nationwide, funded by this U.S. Department of Education grant. It is the largest award received by the School of Education and Human Services.

“To be rated as one of the top applicants among this very qualified pool speaks to the determination and commitment of our faculty to find the resources to build upon the school’s K-12 special education teacher preparation program,” says Michael J. Pardales, PhD, dean of the School of Education and Human Services.

Michele A. Marable, PhD, professor of education and Kelly A. Harper, PhD, assistant professor of education, are co-principal investigators of the grant.

blue&goldbriefs Canisius Secures Top Spots in National Rankings Canisius College is a great school at a great price, according to two national rankings.

Kiplinger’s Personal Finance named the college among the nation’s top 100 best values for private universities. Canisius is the only private college in Western New York to rank in the top 100.

Canisius also climbed to sixth place, from 10th, in U.S. News & World Report’s 2012 “Great Schools, Great Prices” category for regional universities in the North. In addition, the college held on to its 20th spot in the top tier of the magazine’s rankings of America’s Best Colleges, Regional Universities – North. This is the second consecutive year that Canisius ranked at number 20; the highest ranking in Canisius history. There are 183 regional universities in the North.

“It is an honor to be consistently ranked among the top regional colleges in the Northeast,” said Richard A. Wall, PhD, interim vice president for academic affairs. “Our placement is a result of the expertise of our faculty and rich academic programs, which lead Canisius students to active careers that contribute to the betterment of their professions and to society.”

Canisius’ scores increased in three specific categories: Peer Assessment, Average Graduation Rate and Average Freshman Retention Rate.

Canisius completed construction of a new gateway entry to the college.

The cultured stone structures sit on either side of Main Street, in front of Lyons Hall and the Montante Cultural Center. Pictured below is the view of what visitors now see as they head west on Main Street.

Photo (l-r): Belmont Vice President for Housing Development Michael D. Riegel MBA ’92; and Canisius College Vice President for Business/Finance Patrick E. Richey; Director of Facilities Management Edward Cogan; and President John J. Hurley

The ‘sold’ sign is up at 231 Humboldt Street. The home is one of the first two residences that Canisius renovated for resale under the college’s Hamlin Park Initiative. A total of eight college-owned homes will be renovated and sold to buyers who commit to be owneroccupiers for at least a 15-year period.

Canisius partnered with Belmont Housing Resources for Western New York to refurbish the Humboldt Street property and the second residence at 17 Glendale. The homes received new roofs, gutters, windows, masonry repairs and painting, as well as interior upgrades to the electrical, lighting, plumbing and heating systems. The kitchens and bathrooms were also updated.

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STARS Stripes and Story n Kristin E. Etu ’91

photos n Tom wolf ’86

STUDENTS

Senior Airman Eric E. Bauer ’10, MBA ’11 spent four years in the U.S. Air Force. A loadmaster for the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, his tour of duty included combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. His service left him with a broken back, hearing loss and post traumatic stress disorder. In 2004, the Air Force granted Bauer an honorable discharge. He struggled with his transition from military to civilian life, and anticipated similar challenges when he decided to pursue his college degree. But Bauer found the support he needed at Canisius College and its Office of Veterans Services.

“Veteran students are different than traditional students,” says Bauer.

“They come out of the military having had some difficult experiences and so it’s important for them to know they will be supported academically, professionally and personally - should they choose to go back to school.”

Canisius College established its Office of Veterans Services for these very reasons. Located in a new, larger space on the first floor of Lyons Hall, its mission is to provide support, initiatives and resources for the college’s growing number of veteran students, which has tripled since 2007. The surge – both at Canisius and across the country – “is largely the result of newly expanded education benefits, under the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill,” explains Lt. Col. Andrew P. Overfield, U.S. Army (Ret.), coordinator of the Office of Veterans Services. Overfield is the first person veteran students meet when they arrive on campus.

“Veterans who return to an academic environment need a specialized approach to their educations, as well as a veteran-specific support system and I help facilitate that,” says Overfield.

The college’s Tutoring Center is often one of the first places to which he refers students. “Some veterans need to re-learn how to be students because they’ve been away from the classroom for so long,” Overfield explains. Others struggle because they must balance a full course load with full-time work and a family.

Veteran students are also older than their non-military peers and come to class with life experiences, to which their younger counterparts can’t relate. Ordinarily, this might make it difficult for veterans to feel connected to campus but on Veteran’s Day, Canisius opened a new lounge for this special class of students. Located in Lyons Hall, the lounge is an exclusive place for veterans to study, socialize and relax amongst their military peers.

“Camaraderie is healing and now we can be with people who have the same mindsets, who can empathize and who are going through some of the same transitions from military to civilian life,” says Bauer.

While social support can help heal some veterans, others need more specialized assistance. The Counseling Center provides individual counseling and consultation services to veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder or other mental health concerns. The Office of Disability Support Services (DSS) removes informational and physical barriers for veteran students with disabilities.

“They help me in any and every way they can,” says Michael Beard ’13. The machine gunnery sergeant suffers from back injuries and a breathing disorder caused by a Humvee accident, as well as carpal tunnel syndrome. DSS made handicap parking available to Beard on

Andrew P. Overfield and President John J. Hurley cut the ceremonial ribbon on the new veterans lounge.

campus and assigned him a scribe to take his notes in class. “I am really grateful for DSS’ support,” adds Beard. “With their assistance, I am able to succeed.”

Beard’s comments reflect a consensus among the college’s veteran student population, whose feedback led G.I. Jobs magazine to designate Canisius a “Military-Friendly School.” The 2012 list honors the top 20 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools that do the most to embrace America’s military service members and veterans as students.

Canisius distinguishes itself further through its support of veterans as they prepare to graduate.

“The Career Center actually put businesses in contact with me to arrange job interviews,” says Tony King MBA ’11, a part-time captain in the New York Air National Guard.

“It’s a tough job market right now and even tougher for veterans,” says Overfield. He notes that the unemployment rate for young Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans, under 30 years of age, is more than double the average unemployment rate. That’s because military culture and job skills do not easily translate into skills that civilian employers recognize. “That’s what makes it so important, from a long-term economic perspective, to help our veterans re-integrate into society and arm them with the tools they need to be successful in life.”

And a Canisius College education may just be the most beneficial weapon in any veteran student’s arsenal.

Photo, left page: Andrew P. Overfield (left), coordinator of the Office of Veterans Services, welcomes Eric E. Bauer ’10, MBA ’11 (center) and Michael Beard ’13 (right) to the new home for the Office of Veterans Services and the Veterans Lounge, located in Lyons Hall.

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STORY BY EILEEN C. HERBERT ’04

Behind THE

More than a century after vampires made their first literary marks, the monsters and their myths continue to evolve. achel L. Greenberg, PhD, isn’t a ‘Twi-Hard’ but she is among millions of Twilight followers who flocked to movie theatres to see the latest installment in the vampire romance series by Stephenie Meyer. The best-selling novels tell the love story of teenager Bella Swan and the handsome vampire Edward Cullen. However, Greenberg is interested in the Twilight saga for different reasons.

“Vampires have literary roots throughout the centuries,” says Greenberg, an assistant professor of English. “I compare the trends of modern, popular vampire literature with much earlier works.”

Today’s vampires conjure up images of dark, romantic creatures. They dress stylishly, live luxuriously and charm mere mortals with their mesmerizing stares. They are often depicted as sensitive characters who struggle with desires to be good and cravings to do evil.

These creatures have evolved since they first appeared as revolting monsters in 17th century eastern European folklore. Their sinister image remained throughout the 18th century, when poets introduced the immortals in their works. However, the blood-sucking creatures made their literary marks in the 19th century Gothic period.

The genre evolved out of Romantic literature and shares its literary traits of emotion and imagination. Gothic literature also includes horror, the supernatural and inexplicable events.

George Gordon (Lord Byron), John Polidori, MD, and Mary Shelley are, perhaps, the most renowned Gothic writers of the 19th century. This group of literary friends wrote their most influential works during a summer stay in Geneva, Switzerland. To pass the time throughout a period of bad weather, the trio made a pact to write the kind of stories they enjoyed reading. Those stories spawned Shelley’s Frankenstein, Lord Byron’s Fragment of a Novel and Polidori’s The Vampyre.

“The Vampyre marked an important step in the evolution of vampires from sub-human parasites to a more human form,” says Greenberg. The vampire in this story is Lord Ruthven, “one of the first Byronic heroes.” Originally introduced by Polidori’s friend, Lord Byron, the Byronic hero is a figure of repulsion and fascination to whom the reader is attracted. “Lord Ruthven is a handsome, charismatic, wealthy man, an unscrupulous seducer of women, who is also cruel and destructive,” explains Greenberg. He is so conflicted that he murdered his wife on their wedding night.

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Dracula

“

is an enigmatic and sensual creature;

one that excites us yet makes us

“Count Dracula” photo provided courtesy of NBC Universal

afraid at the same time.”

-Rachel L. Greenberg, PhD

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Vampires continued to evolve in Varney the Vampire (1845), which introduced many of the characteristics most familiar with readers today: fangs, superhuman strength and hypnotic powers. The first female vampire appeared in the novella Carmilla (1872), an alluring, albeit evil creature who is attracted to a young woman named Laura. But it is Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula (1897) - the most famous vampire narrative of all - that began the transformation of the vampire from hideous to heartthrob.

“Dracula is an enigmatic and sensual creature; one that excites us yet makes us afraid at the same time,” explains Greenberg. “In many respects, the vampire images of today reflect the character Stoker created.”

Dracula is also a reflection of the Victorian age (1837-1901). The novel explores the role of women, sexual repression and colonialism – prevalent themes of that time.

“Vampires in literature often embody the cultural fears of a particular era,” says Greenberg. Dracula, she explains, is a story about xenophobia – or the fear of foreigners. Stoker penned the story at the height of European colonization. In it, Count Dracula travels west from his hometown of Transylvania, Romania, to London, England, where his dark skin, exotic appearance and moral ambiguity threatens the rigid social values and standards of western Europe. “Dracula is viewed as an outsider and Stoker’s classification of Dracula’s dark skin introduces a racial classification,” says Greenberg.

Dracula is also a metaphor for sexuality. When the Count bites Lucy, she transforms from the Victorian ideal of Godly, pure and nurturing into an evil and wanton seducer who preys on young children.

“Writers use vampires as a way to introduce a host of provocative topics,” says Greenberg.

She gives a recent example of best-selling author Charlaine Harris’ Sookie Stackhouse

Killer Literature

Rachel Greenberg’s Reading List Christabel (1797) Samuel Taylor Coleridge

The Vampire Tapestry (1980) Suzy McKee Charnas

The Vampyre (1819) John Polidori

Twilight (2005) Stephenie Meyer

Carmilla (1872) Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu

Fledgling (2005) Octavia Butler

Dracula (1897) Bram Stoker

Marked (2007) P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

The Lady of the House of Love (1979) Angela Carter

novels (the inspiration for the HBO television series “True Blood”). “Vampires are an evolving metaphor for ‘otherness,’ whether it’s nationality, gender roles, race, religion, or sexuality,” adds Greenberg, who examines such metaphorical narratives in her course, Vampires in Literature and Culture.

First offered in fall 2009, the class is open to majors and non-majors, and regularly fills to capacity – likely due to the recent resurgence of vampires in literature and film.

“Theme-based courses, such as Rachel’s, help students integrate their knowledge of literature,” says Mark Hodin, PhD, professor of English and chair of the department. “When students trace a particular idea across a diverse range of writing, they become as engaged with the differences among authors as with the similarities, and consider why it matters that an idea shifts according to a historical situation, social perspective or literary style.”

“The traits that would normally be considered threatening are romanticized and idealized in these books,” said David F. Bryant ’11, a religious studies and English dual major. “It is the classic case of women being controlled by men.”

Students leave Greenberg’s class with a refined literary sense and a new appreciation for the vampire genre.

“They understand that the vampire is a significant literary character, who is a metaphor for contemporary culture and who has evolved from the personification of evil to a tragic misunderstood superhero,” says Greenberg.

English major Carolyn M. Rudinsky ’10 found this particularly interesting.

“I was surprised to learn how ubiquitous vampires are in literature,” she says. “The vampire myth exists in cultures across the world, not just Europe and the Americas.”

Greenberg’s required reading includes The Vampyre, Carmilla and Dracula but students also take a second look at the Twilight series; specifically, the messages the saga sends to what is largely a young, female audience.

In one chapter Edward proclaims, ‘And so the lion fell in love with the lamb.’ “Edward Cullen is portrayed as the ideal, romantic man but what is the relationship between lion and lamb?” asks Greenberg. “It is predator and prey.”

Students also examine an excerpt in which Bella finds it romantic, almost heroic, that Edward shows restraint when he can so easily kill her.

“Dr. Greenberg challenges us to consider what this says about the status of women in today’s society and whether it has really changed over the years,” says Rudinsky. “We used critical thinking and analytical skills to find the answers, and this made for some lively class discussions.”

Both female and male classmates conclude that the Twilight novels can send a dangerous message to some readers.

“Edward Cullen” photo provided courtesy of Summit Entertainment

Rachel L. Greenberg, PhD One thing that’s certain not to change about vampires is their eternal popularity.

“Vampires are everywhere: in our folklore, in literature, in movies,” says Greenberg. “They sell cereal to our children (General Mills’ Count Chocula) and teach them how to count (Sesame Street’s Count von Count). They’re even in college classrooms,” adds Greenberg, who delights in the expressions on students’ faces when they discuss Suzy McKee Charnas’ The Vampire Tapestry, a horror novel about a vampire who masquerades as a college professor!

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facultynotes

Canisius Mourns Passing of Price

Coleman Continues Support for Faculty Entrepreneurship Fellows The Coleman Faculty Entrepreneurship Fellows Program provided an $18,000 grant to expand entrepreneurial education opportunities for non-business faculty and students at Canisius. Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship Ji-Hee Kim, PhD, will use the grant to appoint three faculty fellows. Peter Boehm, PhD, assistant professor of modern languages; Dennis W. Koch, PhD, associate professor of kinesiology; and Bill Sack, adjunct professor of digital media arts, will develop courses in their respective subject areas that provide students with self-employment skills and experiences.

Justine D. Price, PhD (right) with Mark Makar ’11 (left) and Nadean Bettilyon ’12 (center)

Canisius College mourns the sudden loss of Justine D. Price, PhD, associate professor of fine arts and director of the Art History Program.

Price died unexpectedly on October 24 at age 42.

Peter Boehm, PhD, Bill Sack and Dennis W. Koch, PhD

Price joined the Fine Arts Department in 2005 and quickly became an active and beloved member of the campus community.

She was a passionate educator and articulate advocate for the role of fine arts in a liberal arts education. Price’s broad range of scholarly interests included 19th century French and 20th century American painting, critical theory, the history of art criticism, and the history of photography. She supported Faculty for Study Abroad programs, and participated in the London-Metropolitan Study Abroad Seminar for Canisius students and the exchange between Canisius and the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts.

Boehm will teach entrepreneurship and ethics to German majors.

Koch plans to teach small business operations in health and exercise.

Sack will teach presentation skills and commercialization techniques in a course that explores the rapid prototyping of technological ideas.

Outside the classroom, Price involved herself in Campus Ministry's Ignatian-based Kairos retreats. She was a faculty mentor for this past summer’s service-immersion trip to Poland, and an enthusiastic cheerleader for the Golden Griffin hockey team.

The Coleman Foundation is a private, independent grant-making foundation that supports educational institutions, cancer care and services for the disabled.

Price leaves behind her mother, father, stepmother and sister.

New Director Named to Pre-Med Center Wellenzohn Appointed Assistant Dean Nancy Wellenzohn, EdD, is the new assistant dean for the School of Education and Human Services. In this role, Wellenzohn collaborates with Canisius faculty to develop and maintain quality programs that adhere to state standards and meet students’ needs.

She also coordinates the School’s accreditation process, and the advisement and administration of undergraduate affairs. Prior to this appointment, Wellenzohn served as an assistant director and instructor in the college’s Educational Administration Program. She will continue to work in this capacity, as well.

Wellenzohn holds a doctorate of education in educational administration and a master’s of business administration in Nancy Wellenzohn, EdD marketing from SUNY at Buffalo.

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Canisius College appointed Allyson D. Backstrom, PhD, the new director of the Dr. George E. Schreiner ’43 Pre-Medical Center.

The Pre-Medical Center assists students in medical school selection, helps them prepare for entrance exams to these institutions, and provides financial assistance to qualified students who pursue medical and healthrelated professional degrees.

Backstrom comes to Canisius from Midland Allyson D. Backstrom, PhD University (formerly Midland Lutheran College), where she served as associate dean of the university, chair of the Department of Chemistry and past chair of the school’s Sciences and Mathematics Division. In her tenure there, Backstrom advised students in the full range of science majors and pre-health professions.

She also developed and promoted Midland’s dual degree and early acceptance programs in medicine.

Backstrom holds a BS in chemistry from Upsala College, and an MS and PhD in organic chemistry and bioorganic chemistry from Cornell University.

Female athletes mark 40 years since they evened the score in collegiate sports story by audrey R. Browka

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You ProbablY know the name philip wrigley.

He made chewing gum. He also founded a women’s baseball league to keep the nation’s pastime alive during World War II. Their story is depicted in the 1992 film A League of Their Own. It hits home with female athletes and fans, who commemorate an important anniversary in their history this coming year.

June 23, 2012 will mark four decades since Congress passed Title IX of the Education Amendments Act. Many people believe Title IX applies solely to women’s sports. Ironically, the law doesn’t make mention of sports.

“Title IX prohibits sex discrimination in any educational program or activity at any educational institution that receives federal funds,” says Gail F. Maloney, PhD, a Title IX expert. She explains that prior to 1972, men received scholarships to go to school; women did not. Men received financial aid; women did not.

Female students were also prohibited from taking certain courses. Medical and law schools limited the number of women admitted. “There was never any dialog about athletics equality with regards to Title IX,” adds Maloney. “If there were, it probably wouldn’t have passed.”

GIRLS JUST WANT TO PLAY SPORTS Title IX is often the yardstick from which the evolution of the women’s sports movement is measured. However the advent of women into the male-dominated arena actually began in the late 19th century. Back then, women gravitated to individual, outdoor activities, especially bicycling because “the sport freed their minds, gave them courage and offered unchaperoned outdoor experiences,” explains Maloney. The subsequent introduction of women’s basketball, in 1892, became an instant success.

Six-on-six basketball was a mere feminine alternative to the aggressive men’s game. Players couldn’t dribble more than three times per possession. Nor could they run, jump or engage in physical contact.

“Years ago, young women were discouraged from participating in sports because it challenged traditional social views of masculine

versus feminine behavior,” says Peter M. Koehneke, professor of kinesiology, director of the Athletic Training Education Program and former head athletic trainer at Canisius College. “Women were viewed as weak and fragile. Their main roles were to be wives and mothers.”

Nevertheless, the popularity of six-on-six basketball led to other team sports, such as softball, volleyball, hockey and lacrosse.

By the late 1950s, women’s sports took hold in public schools.

Less than a decade later, a more liberated, progressive and vocal generation of women athletes emerged at colleges.

“There was a lot happening on college campuses at that time,” says Maloney. Young people protested over U.S. involvement in Vietnam; they revolted against the conservative norms of the time; African Americans spoke out against racial discrimination; and women began to argue for equal rights.

Ellen O. Conley, PhD, vice president for student affairs, arrived at Canisius around this time in history. Hired to teach in the newlycreated Physical Education Department, Conley was one of only a few women educators at the college. When she learned that a group of female students wanted to form a competitive basketball team, Conley spearheaded their efforts.

That basketball team became the first intercollegiate sport for women at Canisius. Gymnastics and volleyball soon followed.

Still, the women’s athletics teams did not fall under the umbrella of the Athletics Department, so a group of female physical education instructors from Canisius and other local schools established the Women’s Athletic Association. The organization’s leaders scheduled competitions, coached the female teams and even drove players to and from games. Conley moderated the Women’s Athletic Association at Canisius. She also coached the volleyball team and maintained a full-time teaching schedule.

“Times were different then,” she says. “No one complained. No one asked for extra money. We just did what we needed to do because it was important for the women interested in athletics.”

A GAME CHANGER While the Women’s Athletic Association fostered intercollegiate competition for female athletes throughout Western New York, the real game changer came in 1972 when President Richard Nixon signed Title IX into law.

“It was landmark legislation that lit a fire under the progress of women at Canisius and educational institutions everywhere,” says Conley.

Almost immediately, the law opened educational doors previously closed to women.

Title IX gave women equal access and admission to colleges and universities, financial aid and housing assistance. Women could no longer be barred from (previously) traditional male programs, C ANI SIUS COLLEGE M AGA ZINE • FALL 2011 |

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when I think of the Things we did with what we Had, it was amazing.

- Sister Maria Pares

such as science, mathematics and technology, and different course requirements for women and men were prohibited.

Forty years later, women outnumber men on college campuses.

They earn undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees in greater numbers. Women make up nearly 47 percent of today’s work force; more than half hold positions in management and professional occupations.

“One of the great outcomes of Title IX was that it broadened the scope of women’s contributions to society,” says Maloney. She explains that prior to Title IX most career women were employed in “nurturing fields” - teachers, social workers or nurses. “After its passage, women became engineers, doctors, lawyers and scientists.”

Ironically, it was also after the enactment of Title IX that controversy erupted over the legislation’s impact on collegiate athletics equality, nationwide. The law prohibited sex discrimination in educational programs, as well as educational activities.

Female athletes took note. They started to question why their male counterparts received sports scholarships, uniforms, travel arrangements and locker rooms, and they did not. The simple answer came down to dollars. “The schools said, ‘Wait a minute.

Where are we supposed to find the money to support new women’s teams, coaches for those teams and uniforms for travel,’” says Maloney.

Congress built in a six-year compliance period to afford schools time to revise budgets and generate new revenues.

“I think I spent half my time working on budgets,” recalls Daniel (‘Doc’) P. Starr ’58, PhD, former director of athletics at Canisius College. At the beginning of Starr’s tenure in 1974, he had to budget for the women’s basketball, gymnastics and volleyball teams, which now fell under the purview of the Athletics Department.

As the number of intercollegiate sports for women grew at Canisius, the college had to find the finances to support them.

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Creative fundraising become the lifeblood for the women’s teams. Athletes pushed hot dogs and candy, hosted raffles and sold t-shirts.

“I don’t know that we ever made any money but we did make a good faith effort,” laughs Kara Haun-Rehbaum ’84, who sold pizza during the 1982 quad party to help the basketball team raise money to travel to the AIAW (Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women) Regionals in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

Coaches organized community clinics and camps to further supplement expenses. They used the revenue to purchase uniforms, buy equipment and hire referees and umpires. Many of these camps and clinics continue today.

“They are a win-win for everyone involved,” says Mike Rappl ’77, now in his 33rd season as head coach of softball. “The camps and clinics reinforce athletes’ playing skills, enable them to give back to the community and generate income for the teams.”

“When I think of the things we did with what we had, it was amazing,” adds Sister Maria Pares, head coach of varsity basketball from 1981-1986. “No one cared though. The women were able to play the game they loved and it was all wonderful.”

PLAY BALL Even in the face of financial hurdles, female athletes - everywhere - gradually came into their own. The AIAW helped these trailblazers forge new territory. It did for women’s collegiate athletics programs what the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) did for men’s, at the time. The AIAW governed collegiate athletics, administered national championships, and gained corporate sponsors and television coverage. In the years following Title IX’s passage, AIAW membership grew to more than 600 institutions. The number of coaching and athletic administrative opportunities for women grew as well. The AIAW also catapulted women’s basketball to the forefront of athletics world wide. The sport debuted at the 1976 Olympics.

Intercollegiate athletics became even more competitive when the NCAA announced its own women’s championship structure.

The organization paid all expenses for teams that competed in national championships. It agreed not to charge additional membership fees for schools to add women’s programs, and it created equitable financial aid, recruitment and eligibility rules for women and men. The NCAA’s move put the AIAW out of business but several silver linings materialized at 2001 Main Street.

The women’s athletics program vaulted from Division II to Division I. This helped Canisius recruit better and brighter student-athletes, and grow its women’s athletics programs to include tennis, swimming, synchronized swimming, lacrosse, indoor and outdoor track and field, and cross country. By the late 1980s, Canisius became part of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The move stabilized team schedules, enabled athletes

to play against schools similar in size and Catholic tradition, and fostered spirited rivalries. Conference competitions also led to NCAA Tournament bids, which is the ultimate goal of any athletics program. Just ask Mike Rappl who, during this time, built Canisius’ softball program into an annual contender for the NCAA Tournament.

But perhaps the highlight of this decade of women’s athletics came when the NCAA presented its very first Woman of the Year Award to Mary Beth (Riley) Metcalf ’91. A multi-letter winner in cross country, indoor and outdoor track, Metcalf battled Hodgkin’s disease in 1988. Still, she continued to run, compete and set school records.

The college continued to sow the seeds of its competitive culture when it made a strategic, albeit difficult, decision to concentrate the college’s athletics resources in a smaller number of varsity sports teams. The college trimmed the athletics program from 23 teams to 16 and directed the savings toward new athletic scholarships in a diverse number of sports (rather than just the flagship sports such as men’s and women’s basketball). The college also used the savings to increase the number of full-time coaches from three to 12.

“The presence of a full-time head coach means a great deal,” says Bill Maher ’89, director of athletics at Canisius. “He or she can work year-round on recruiting, conditioning and tending to the academic and other needs of student-athletes.”

The college’s strategic game plan resulted in a competitive, higher-quality intercollegiate sports program. Quite often, the women are the best on campus.

The softball team dominates the MAAC (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference).

The team holds 13 regular season titles, 12 tournament titles and made 11 NCAA Tournament appearances. Canisius softball is also the only softball program from the MAAC to claim a win in the NCAA Tournament. Synchronized swimming earned its 14th straight ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference) Championship this year. The Griffs consistently finish in the top five at the

Ellen Conley keeps this jersey in her office to remind her of the early, post-Title IX days. It was worn by a member of the women’s basketball team during the New York State Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (NYSAIAW) State Championship game at SUNY Brockport (circa 1979). Back then, many of the women’s playing jerseys were recycled from uniforms worn by women’s club teams in previous years.

The jersey pictured had numbers printed on the back but NYSAIAW State Championship rules required player numbers to appear on the front and back of jerseys. Conley used masking tape to comply.

U.S. National Championships. Cross country holds five MAAC championship titles. Volleyball’s postseason history includes eight MAAC Tournaments. Lacrosse captured its first MAAC title and earned an invitation to the 2011 NCAA Tournament.

Soccer set a school record with 14 wins last fall, and earned the program’s first MAAC regular-season championship in school history. Basketball secured the school’s first Division I NCAA Tournament bid after it seized the 2005 MAAC Championship, while the 2009 team competed in the program’s first ever Women’s National Invitation Tournament.

YOU GO GIRL! Clearly Title IX achieved a greater good for women.

But it is the 1982-1983 team that remains the program’s most successful. The women scored 28 wins that season and earned Canisius’ very first berth to the NCAA Tournament. Many of those women – who represent the early beneficiaries of Title IX and the NCAA – went on to score wins on and off the court.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association reports that approximately 32,000 women participated in sports during the 1971-1972 school year. That figure more than doubled to 64,375 five years later (one season prior to the mandatory compliance of Title IX).

After graduation, Kara Haun-Rehbaum played professional basketball in what is now known as the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBA). She later returned to alma mater to serve as assistant coach and later head coach (1993-1998) of the basketball program, and went on to become an operations assistant to the senior vice president of the Buffalo Destroyers, of the Arena Football League. Haun-Rehbaum is currently in her eighth year as assistant athletics director at Hilbert College.

Today, about two in five teens participate in high school varsity sports, compared to just one in 27 in 1972. The number of women who compete in college sports is up 500 percent from that same year. At Canisius, the college now fields nine varsity women’s teams including rowing, which began this fall.

The benefits of playing sports go far beyond the field.

- Gina Castelli ’86

Golden Griffin point guard Karen Freeman ’83 became head coach of the Wake Forest University women’s basketball team and was a court coach during the 1988 Olympic basketball trials.

Freeman recently retired from her executive position at Biologics, a cancer-focused pharmacy that she co-founded to provide affordable outpatient medications and personal care to patients.

Then there is All-American backcourt performer Gina Castelli ’86.

She enters her 23rd season as head coach of women’s basketball at Siena College. Castelli is the longest tenured active coach in the MAAC and the winningest coach in Siena basketball history.

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“The benefits of playing sports go far beyond the field,” says Castelli. “Those years at Canisius taught me confidence, self-esteem and leadership skills that I incorporate into my personal and professional life everyday.”

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According to the Women’s Sports Foundation (WSF), young women who play sports show higher levels of confidence and self-esteem. They get better grades in school and more are likely to graduate than girls who do not play sports.

Professional female athletes get the respect they deserve. Basketball, tennis, golf, soccer and softball draw in significant television ratings, which equates to top dollars. Venus and Serena Williams (tennis), Lisa Leslie (basketball), Annika Sorenstam (golf), Mia Hamm (soccer), Laila Ali (boxing) and Danica Patrick (racing) prove that female athletes can and will excel at the top levels of sports.

“Female athletes train as intensely, play as passionately and demonstrate the same competitive spirit as their male counterparts,” says Pete Koehneke. Women do, however, excel at sportsmanship, he adds with a laugh. “When women lose a game, they learn from it and move forward. Men, on the other hand, dwell on the negative a lot longer.”

Although significant progress has been made in the realm of women’s sports, the playing field is not yet level. The WSF reports that high school girls receive 1.3 million fewer sports participation opportunities than boys. College women receive almost $150 million less in athletic scholarship funds each year.

That’s not all.

“The professional sports opportunities are far more limited for women than they are for the men,” says Bill Maher. He explains that male student-athletes often view their collegiate sports

Clockwise from top, left: Canisius’ all-time leader in career wins, Sister Maria Pares, holds court with the women’s basketball team; The 1982-83 women’s basketball team, Head Coach Sister Maria Pares, Assistant Coach Mike Rappl and Canisius President Rev. James Demske ’47, S.J., took home the 1983 NYSAIWA trophy.; Kara HaunRehbaum ’84 poses with family members after setting the Canisius College record for all-time leading scorer (1,661 points).

experiences as a potential catalyst to their goals of a professional career. Female student-athletes seem to have a more balanced perspective. “Their main goals for participating are for the enjoyment of competition, and the pathways it can create to a great education and a fulfilling career,” adds Maher.

Cathy Hummel works hard to reinforce this on and off the Canisius courts. At the helm of volleyball for 11 seasons now, Hummel is the program’s winningest coach, with 128 career victories netted, and two-time MAAC Coach of the Year. But Hummel is even prouder of the success “her girls” achieve in the classroom. The team won the NCAA Division I Academic Performance Award three times in the past four years. The award is bestowed upon the best academically performing team that ranks in the top 10 percent of its sport.

the number of women who hold sports leadership positions has declined drastically since Title IX and NCAA changes,” says Gail Maloney. To be specific, less than half of women’s athletics teams today are led by female head coaches, compared to 90 percent in 1972. There are many theories for this. Some say the ‘old boys network’ still exists and men are hired for ‘who they know’ rather than ‘what they know.’ Others speculate that female athletes prefer male coaches simply because of the already high percentage of males coaching women. Hummel believes young women question whether they can successfully manage a work-life balance in the field.

“Coaching is anything but a nine-to-five job,” says the mother of two. Between practices, games and recruiting trips, Hummel can be away from home for several weeks at a time. She considers herself fortunate, though. When the school year permits, Hummel takes her children and a babysitter along on recruiting trips and to away games. “It’s worked out very well for everyone and I think it’s a good lesson for the players, too. They get to see that you can do what you love and have a family.”

“As popular as volleyball is at the high school and collegiate levels, very few professional opportunities exist for the women after they graduate unless they are willing to travel internationally,” says Hummel. “Not many are, so that makes it all the more important that they excel in the classroom and in a field that they love.”

It’s been a long time since limitations were placed on women and long-held prejudices dispelled. But it’s been worth the wait.

Generations of female athletes gained rights to play collegiate sports, to earn scholarships and to obtain quality educations.

No, it wasn’t always pretty. Struggles often accompanied the triumphs. But it’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great.

Hummel is one of the fortunate ones. She found work coaching the game that she loves. “While women’s sports gain in stature,

At least that’s what the women of Philip Wrigley’s All-American Girls Professional Baseball League believed.

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Team Player Ronald A. Raccuia ’90 Gives Student-Athletes a Competitive Edge Ronald A. Raccuia ’90 is not one to sit on the sidelines. He is the owner and president of two local companies, and a professional sports agent. Raccuia is also a key player on the Canisius team.

This sport enthusiast first carved out a career for himself as a professional sports agent. After graduation, Raccuia went to work for a sports management company in Miami, FL. The company counted many top professional athletes among its clients and Raccuia quickly learned the ropes.

“My dual major in political science and communication helped a great deal when I started as a sports agent,” he recalls.

“Professors such as Barry Berlin, PhD, taught me the communication skills I needed to market to clients and my political science background taught me how to negotiate effectively.”

A game-changing career move came in the early 1990s, however, when a friend offered Raccuia the chance to open an office supply business in Buffalo. He put his work as a sports agent on hold and returned home to build Integrity Office Supply. Today, the business offers a complete lineup of office products and furniture to a national customer base. Integrity marked the first of two entrepreneurial wins for Raccuia. His second venture, ADPRO Sports, is now among the country’s largest distributors of Nike apparel and equipment to schools and sport teams.

There’s more. Raccuia returned to his work as a sports agent in 2004, and currently rep-

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resents several members of the Buffalo Bills.

While it is hard to imagine this entrepreneur, sports agent, husband and father of two has time for anything else, Raccuia continues to make Canisius a priority. He is past chair of the college’s Board of Regents and its Scholarship Ball. Raccuia also shares his time and talents with the Entrepreneurs on Campus, established to serve as a bridge between the local entrepreneurial community and students enrolled in the college’s entrepreneurship program.

Raccuia’s most generous support, however, goes to the Golden Griffins. His companies are official sponsors of Canisius College athletics and he is a frequent cheerleader on game days. A former second baseman, Raccuia is a loyal member of the Coach’s Circle, a group dedicated to supporting men’s basketball at Canisius. In 2002, he established the Ronald A. Raccuia ’90 Family Scholarship Fund, awarded to incoming freshmen who participate in a varsity sports program. A few years later, Raccuia made a significant commitment to A Legacy of Leadership: The Campaign for Canisius College. His gift supports the Blue and Gold Endowment, established to provide long-term support to the athletics program.

“Canisius is one of the main reasons I am where I am today so giving back comes naturally,” Raccuia concludes. “It is a privilege to stay connected and maintain friendships with the people at Canisius – contributing my support never feels like an obligation.”

Campaign Update As of November 21, Canisius College has secured $83.9 million in commitments toward its $90 million goal for A Legacy of Leadership: The Campaign for Canisius College. To learn more about our campaign, visit canisius.edu/campaign.

Leadership Society The college’s most loyal and generous donors were honored at Leadership Society receptions this summer in New York City and on campus. Special thanks to Dennis F. Strigl ’74 for hosting the New York City Leadership Society reception at the Lotos Club.

Pictured: clockwise from photo at right: Dennis F. Strigl ’74, Frank E. Swiatek ’65, Amanda J. Strigl, and Jason M. Swiatek ’75; Kellie M. and Stephen M. Ulrich ’88; Carol A. and Thomas R. Emmerling ’75, Ronald J. ’65, MD and Donna Eckert.

SAVE � DATE 46th Annual Board of Regents

Scholarship Ball Saturday, May 5, 2012 For more information, contact Marion Jagodzinski, director of stewardship, at 716-888-8217 or email jagodzi1@canisius.edu.

Annual Report of Donors The 2010-2011 Annual Report of Donors is now available at canisius.edu/magazine. Canisius concluded its fiscal year with $9,002,793 in voluntary support from loyal alumni, friends, corporations and foundations, in addition to $2,800,690 from private, state and federal grants. The college’s success would not be possible without those who continue to make Canisius a philanthropic priority. On behalf of Canisius College and most especially the students, who benefit directly from this support, thank you!

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Are you up for a

challenge?

A single donation to Science Hall now has double the impact.

The John R. Oishei Foundation is matching all gifts made in support of Science Hall, up to $1 million, from May 31, 2011 through May 31, 2012.

The challenge grant is part of a $2 million gift from the foundation to help Canisius build an interdisciplinary science center that educates today’s students to make tomorrow’s discoveries.

canisius.edu/sciencehall

To step up to the challenge, visit or contact a member of the institutional advancement team at 716-888-8200.

Canisius Fund You asked. We listened. Students benefit. This sums up the Canisius allowed for the installation of advanced technology in a group study Fund. room of the Andrew L. Bouwhuis Library to enhance the quality The college’s annual fundraising campaign is now in its second full of collaborative learning. A small portion of the funds also enabled year, after being renamed and revamped to enable donors to give President Hurley to travel with students to El Salvador for Campus to the areas of the college most important to them. Donors to the Ministry’s international service-immersion trip (Canisius Magazine, Canisius Fund can direct their gifts to student aid, athletics or the summer 2011). presidential discretionary fund. They can also make unrestricted gifts. “I served on the Board of Trustees for six years and know that the The results are an enhanced educational environment. president never has enough resources at his discretion to address all of Gifts to Student Aid help fill classrooms with more of the best and the important challenges and opportunities that face this institution,” brightest students. This year’s incoming freshman class had a 90.43 says Reginald B. Newman II HON ’97, who committed a lead gift percent high school average and an average SAT score of 1112. to the Presidential Discretionary Fund. “This fund provides a ready source of additional income to respond to these priorities.”

Contributions to the Blue & Gold Fund also yield winning results.

Three Golden Griffins earned Academic All-America status, during the 2010-2011 season. Donations to the Blue & Gold Fund also strengthen the college’s recruiting efforts. The men’s basketball team added centers Freddy Asprilla ’13 from Villavicencio, Columbia and Kevin Bleeker ’15, from Alkmaar, Netherlands, to its newest class.

Gifts from donors who choose not to designate their support to student aid, athletics or the presidential discretionary fund are allocated as unrestricted Canisius Fund contributions. These gifts provide support to areas that have the greatest impact on students, from scholarships and programming, to library books and lab equipment.

“Support in this area provides the resources needed to build a sustainable winning athletics program, which attracts and develops exceptional student-athletes so that they may achieve success on the field and in the classroom,” says Bill J. Maher ’89, director of athletics.

“With so many deserving initiatives, it doesn’t matter how people decide to support the Canisius Fund because they can be sure that their gifts all have a meaningful impact on students,” concludes Jeanmarie O. Cieslica ’91, director of the Canisius Fund.

Support of the John J. Hurley ’78 Presidential Discretionary Fund To learn more about the Canisius Fund or make a gift, visit provided tuition assistance of up to $2,500 for 23 students this year. It canisius.edu/support/canisius_fund.asp.

Mel Schroeder Memorial Scholarship Melvin (‘Mel’) Schroeder amassed quite a following of students and alumni throughout his nearly half-century in the classroom. The late associate professor of English passed away in February 2011 but his legacy in the classroom and love of literature live on through the Mel Schroeder Memorial Scholarship.

something I think I could have only gained from attending the school,” says Timothy P. Kucinski ’12, one of the first two recipients of the Mel Schroeder Memorial Scholarship.

“It is safe to say that one comes out of the program feeling like a miniature Yeats expert, with greater knowledge and appreciation for Irish literature and culture in general,” added Ryan S. Wolf ’12, the second scholarship recipient.

“There is so much to soak into your bones and every moment is worth it. I am overwhelmingly grateful for the generosity that allowed me to have such an unforgettable experience.”

Established by a lead gift from Joseph M. Hassett ’64, PhD, (page 33) with additional gifts from alumni, faculty and friends, the scholarship provided funding for two Canisius students to participate in the Yeats International Summer School in Sligo, Ireland this past year. During this two-week academic program, students engage in Melvin (‘Mel’) Schroeder poetry and drama workshops, lectures and seminars, with a particular focus on W.B. Yeats.

To learn more about the Mel Schroeder Memorial Scholarship or to “To be surrounded by Yeats experts and scholars, and learn from them make a gift, contact Marion Jagodzinski, director of stewardship, at about their interpretations of Yeats’ works was incredibly valuable and 716-888-8217 or email at jagodzi1@canisius.edu.

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Elaine F. Sciolino ’74, HON ’92, PhD, former Paris bureau chief for The New York Times, recently received the Legion of Honor award from the French Ambassador to the United Nations. The award is the highest decoration bestowed by the French government. Sciolino was recognized for her special contribution to the friendship between France and the United States.

Sciolino joined The New York Times in 1984 and has since held a number of positions. She served as bureau chief for the United Nations, a correspondent for the Central Intelligence Agency, and chief diplomatic correspondent.

Sciolino is the author of three books: The Outlaw State: Saddam Hussein’s Quest for Power and the Gulf Crisis; Persian Mirrors: The Elusive Face of Iran; and her most recent La Seduction: How the French Play the Game of Life.

Photo (l-r): Nancy A. Hunt ’70, PhD and Elaine F. Sciolino ’74, HON ’92, PhD

Canisius Alumni Day at the Buffalo Zoo

Canisius alumni and their families spent an afternoon at the Buffalo Zoological Gardens with Professor of Animal Behavior Michael Noonan, PhD, and several of his students.

Pictured (l-r): Loretta Cucinotta, Daniel Cucinotta, Marco Cucinotta, Joan Toolen; (back, l-r) Michael Noonan, PhD, Celeste Scarozza ’98, MS ’00, Andrea Kaye, Lisa Hoffman ’87, MD

Call for Nominations Nominations for the following 2012-2013 awards, inductions and commendations are now being accepted by the Canisius College Alumni Association: 2012 Distinguished Faculty Award Recognizes a full-time faculty member for his/her outstanding contributions to the academic world and teaching excellence Nominations deadline – January 10, 2012

2012 Distinguished Alumni Awards Recognizes Canisius alumni who have distinguished themselves in their careers Nominations deadline – March 13, 2012

2012 Distinguished Senior Awards Recognizes Canisius seniors who have distinguished themselves through academic excellence and leadership roles at the college Nominations deadline – January 10, 2012

2012 Sports Hall of Fame Honors former outstanding varsity athletes who competed in intercollegiate athletics and those who have made outstanding contributions to Canisius athletics in non-playing capacities Nominations deadline – July 10, 2012

2012 LaSalle Medal Recognizes outstanding alumni who have made substantial contributions to advance the interests of the college Nominations deadline – January 10, 2012

2012 DiGamma Honor Society Inductions Recognizes alumni, faculty and administrators who have distinguished themselves by working for the advancement of the college Nominations deadline – August 14, 2012

For more information on nomination criteria or to nominate an individual, visit canisius.edu/alumni.

ALUMNI

canisiusconnections

S P OTLIGHT

Peter Cimino ’03: Cooking up something different

T

hings didn’t always add up for Peter Cimino ’03

when he began work as a high school math teacher.

Cimino enjoyed being in the classroom but couldn’t suppress his appetite to start his own business. He satisfied that hunger in 2010 when he left teaching to co-found Lloyd Taco Truck & Catering with longtime friend Chris Dorsaneo.

Inspired by a visit to California where the ‘street food’ concept is a growing industry, Lloyd’s is the first taco truck to arrive in the city of Buffalo. The idea behind it is to make high-quality, affordable food available to people who work, shop and live in the city.

“Street food fits hand-in-hand with what people want to do when they are moving about the city,” explains Cimino.

“We offer great food at an affordable price and can be more innovative with the cuisine.” Cimino and Dorsaneo selected Lloyd as a fun, fresh name to reflect the type of food on its menu – tacos and burritos enhanced by homemade sauces and Southern California-style ingredients. As a mobile business, the company is not restricted to a fixed location or hours of operation (Lloyd Taco Truck stopped by SpringFest at Canisius last May). Lloyd uses social media to let hungry customers know when and where the truck will be each day and the result is a growing fan base in Buffalo. This summer, the business won the “Best Tacos” award in Buffalo Spree magazine’s “Best of WNY” competition. More recently, Lloyd’s was in the running to be featured on the next season of the the Food Network’s “Great Good Truck Race.”

Cimino says his Canisius education often came into play when he faced challenges in getting the business up and running. There are restrictions on where the company can park the truck in Buffalo and he has had to negotiate with city leaders and others.

“In any business, you have to keep your head in the game and keep your eye on the prize,” Cimino says. “Canisius teaches students to keep the end in mind, whether it is completion of a paper or that final degree. That philosophy is a great influence on me.”

According to Cimino, future plans for Lloyd include a line of sauces and brazing liquids, as well as additional trucks. As he grows his business, Cimino is also hopeful that his experiences can serve as a model to future entrepreneurs.

“I would definitely encourage students to consider a business of their own,” Cimino concludes. “You have to follow your passion and think for yourself.”

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Distinguished Alumni 2011

Canisius College recognized four graduates with its Distinguished Alumni Award on November 19. Presented annually, the Distinguished Alumni Award is the Alumni Board’s preeminent recognition of graduates who demonstrate leadership in their chosen professions. The 2011 Distinguished Alumni honorees are:

David M. Borowski ’79

Founder | Flicker of Hope Foundation

David M. Borowski’s life is driven by a tragedy that occurred when he was just six weeks old.

The family’s puppy chewed through an electrical cord, sparking a blaze that burned much of his tiny body.

Today, Borowski dedicates his life’s work to serve burn survivors. He is the founder and executive director of the Flicker of Hope Foundation. In addition to emotional and practical support, the Foundation provides scholarships to burn survivors so they may get a quality education “similar to the one he received at Canisius.”

Borowski is also the author of On a Ring and a Prayer, his inspiring autobiography.

Peter D. Farstad ’80

Chief Administrative Officer | Lifesource

For Peter Farstad, “the bottom line” in his work is measured in lives saved.

Farstad is the chief administrative officer of LifeSource, the Upper Midwest Organ Procurement Organization. LifeSource makes possible hundreds of organ transplants and thousands of tissue grafts, each year.

Farstad furthers this cause as a board member and treasurer of the United Network for Organ Sharing and LifeLogics, a non-profit whose technology solutions support life-saving transplants.

Farstad believes non-profits need leaders with specific education and expertise, which is why he teaches at Hamline University. He also chairs the advisory board of the Center for Nonprofit Management at the University of St. Thomas.

Karen J. Freeman ’83

(Retired) Chief Operating Officer | Biologics Inc.

Karen Freeman found success in two completely different professional careers.

She recently retired as chief operating officer of Biologics, a unique cancer management company that offers patients physical, emotional and financial support, as well as highly specialized drugs.

Upon its sale in 2009, Biologics had 80 employees and revenues of $90 million.

Prior to Biologics, Freeman was a winning coach of women’s basketball at University of Wisconsin in Green Bay, North Carolina State, University of Arizona and Wake Forest University.

She also served as a trials court coach for the 1988 Olympic Women’s Basketball Team and then became an assistant coach in the Women’s National Basketball Association.

Charles E. Moran ’72 President & Chief Operating Officer | Delaware North Companies Inc. Under the leadership of Charles Moran Jr., Delaware North has grown to become one of the most innovative companies in the hospitality and food service industry.

Moran is president and chief operating officer of the global enterprise. He originally joined the company to lead its airport subsidiary, during which time Moran introduced a successful niche strategy that featured iconic regional brands to make each airport experience unique. The Anchor Bar at Buffalo Niagara International Airport is just one example.

When Delaware North combined its airport, sports and other businesses, it promoted Moran to chief financial officer. His 2004 appointment to president culminated two decades of professional work, including an impressive career in the commercial banking industry.

Flammer is Interim Director, Alumni Relations Canisius College named Rachel L. Flammer interim director of the Office of Alumni Relations. She is responsible for the implementation and management of the college’s local, regional and national alumni relations program. Flammer served as the assistant director of alumni relations since 2007. She previously was assistant director of admissions Rachel L. Flammer at Canisius College.

Flammer is a 2000 graduate of LeMoyne College. She replaces Eileen L. Hudson ’83.

Alumni Association Elects Three to Board of Directors The Canisius College Alumni Association Board of Directors elected three new members for the 2011-2012 year. The Board works with the Office of Alumni Relations on initiatives that engage alumni in meaningful ways with alma mater. The new members are:

Michael J. Ball ’95 Director of Planning and Implementation Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

Domenico M. Berardi ’89, DDS Owner Domenico M. Berardi, DDS, PC

canisiusconnections Alma Mater Wants You Alma mater wants you to help recruit its next class of students by becoming an Admissions Ambassador. The new initiative, launched by the offices of Alumni Relations and Admissions, enlists the help of Canisius alumni to recruit students from their respective hometowns. As an Admissions Ambassador, alumni can represent Canisius at college fairs, visit local high schools or even interview prospective students.

“These are three very important tasks in the recruitment process,” says Donna L. Shaffner, dean of admissions. “Not only do they help promote Canisius in areas outside the college’s immediate location, they enable us to recruit a diverse and talented student body.”

The program seeks to enroll students from across the country, however initial efforts focus on the cities of New York, Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Cleveland.

“This is an exciting new opportunity for Canisius alumni, everywhere, to engage with alma mater,” adds Craig T. Chindemi, vice president for institutional advancement. “Canisius graduates are the college’s greatest ambassadors and this new program enables our alumni to play an important role in the recruitment of the next generation of Canisius students.”

To learn more about the program or to become an Admissions Ambassador, contact Valerie Nugent ’05, assistant director of admissions, at nugentv@canisius.edu.

Erin E. Lingle ’01, MS ’04 Program Coordinator and Physical Education Teacher Pinnacle Charter School

The board is led by President James P. Schofield MS ’73, retired school counselor for the Syracuse City School District; First Vice President Jennifer S. Farrell ’98, attorney at Farrell & Farrell; and Second Vice President Ann Woloszynski ’90, MBA ’94, vice president/retirement services product manager at M&T Bank.

St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy Tour and Dinner

Nominate New Board Members The Alumni Association is now accepting nominations for at-large members of its Board of Directors. For more information or to submit a nomination, visit canisius.edu/ alumni/board.asp.

The deadline for applications and nominations is March 4, 2012.

Canisius alumni visited St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy for a tour, Mass and dinner in September. St. Luke’s is an independent, Roman Catholic mission in the city of Buffalo, and was co-founded by Norm Paolini ’69, HON ’09 and Amy Betros HON ’09.

Pictured (l-r) are: Michael Taheri '82, Erik Taheri '14, Henry Kossowski '51, Norm Paolini '69, HON '09, Amy Betros HON '09, Craig Chindemi, vice president for institutional advancement at Canisius College C ANI SIUS COLLEGE M AGA ZINE • FALL 2011 |

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ALUMNI

David M. Schofield ’71: Focused on Photography

D

avid Schofield ’71 took his first shot toward a career in photography when he worked as a student photographer for The Griffin and the Azuwur. Schofield says former yearbook editor Dave Gentile ’72 encouraged him to pursue the craft. “If I had not been at Canisius, I do not know if my photography career would have happened,” says Schofield.

Schofield is the owner of The Druid’s Eye Photography in Belmar, NJ. He specializes in sports action photos for college athletics and professional baseball, and is the designated team photographer for the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees, as well as their affiliated minor league teams.

Schofield’s photos appear in newspapers and magazines across the country.

Schofield’s focus on pro sports developed when the newlyformed Buffalo Sabres began to play at Buffalo’s War Memorial Stadium. Schofield happened to be at the stadium on a day the team was playing and snapped some photographs of the players. When the team’s public relations director saw the pictures, he purchased a number of Schofield’s prints.

That began the freelance career of the young shutterbug.

But to make ends meet in those early years, Schofield put his English degree to work. He taught high school in New Jersey while he grew his sports photography business. By the mid1980s, photography became Schofield’s full-time profession and he expanded his subjects to include travel and soccer teams in Ireland.

Throughout his career, Schofield stayed connected to Canisius. He attends Canisius basketball games when the team plays in nearby cities, and even provides color commentary, on occaision, alongside Griffs’ announcer Jay Moran. He volunteers to staff college fairs for Canisius at different high schools in New Jersey. Schofield is currently a member of the college’s Alumni Association Board of Directors and works to strengthen alumni engagement in the New York-New Jersey area.

“Canisius did a lot for me and I want to help the school prosper so it can help others in the future,” he explains.

“Canisius gave me the confidence in my own abilities to build a photography career – what better way to give back than by being involved?”

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| C ANI SIUS COLLEGE M AGA ZINE • FALL 2011

S P OTLIGHT

class notes 1940s

Woodward Medical Research Institute Board of Directors.

’48 BS Hon. James B. Kane Jr., retired New York State Supreme Court Justice, was featured in a Buffalo News article, entitled “Aloft on a Streetcar Named Courage,” in the weekly section Saluting Our War Heroes/Stories About Those Who Served.

’69 BA Dale J. McCabe, general manager of Southgate Plaza, was named Citizen of the Year by the West Seneca Chamber of Commerce and presented with its 2011 Community Award.

1950s ’53 BS Joseph A. LaNasa, DDS, received the Lay Award of St. Joseph the Worker from the Most Rev. Edward U. Kmiec, Bishop of the Buffalo Catholic Diocese. The award recognizes LaNasa’s dedication and service to his parish community. ’59 BS, MS ’61 Joseph F. Bieron, PhD, professor emeritus of chemistry at Canisius College, was named to a three-year term on the Holy Angels Board of Trustees. ’59 BA David G. Male, graduate of Vintage House and certified scholar of wine, was inducted into the Camp Good Days Ring of Honor for his outstanding dedication, commitment and support to the thousands of children and families served over the years.

1960s ’64 BA, MBA ’75 Alfred D. Culliton, executive director of the Erie County Industrial Development Agency, was named Economic Developer of the Year by the New York State Economic Development Council. ’65 BS G. Donald Frey, PhD, professor of radiology for the Medical University of South Carolina, was appointed associate executive director for medical physics on the American Board of Radiology. ’66 BA, HON ’05 Robert M. Greene, partner at Phillips Lytle LLP, received the 2011 Root/Stimson Award from the New York State Bar Association.

The award honors an attorney for exemplary community service. ’67 BA John M. Antkowiak, MD, retired obstetrician and gynecologist for the Buffalo Medical Group, was elected chair of the Independent Health Board of Directors. ’68 BA Angelo M. DelBalso, MD, DDS, professor and chair of radiology at the University at Buffalo Medical School and chief of radiology at the VA Hospital in Buffalo, received the 2011 Siegel Award for Excellence in Teaching from UB’s School Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. ’69 BS, HON ’96 Hon. Anthony M. Masiello, president of Masiello, Martucci, Calabrese and Associates, was elected to the Hauptman-

1970s ’70 BA Charles E. Lannon, president of Strategic Advisory Group, was elected a director of the HauptmanWoodward Medical Research Institute Board of Directors. ’70 BA, MS ’73 Gregory R. Maday, executive vice president for Warner Brothers Theatre Ventures, co-produced the Broadway musical “Baby, It’s You!” ’70 BA Roger R. Paolini retired from his position as school librarian and drama director at Williamsville South High School where he was employed for 31 years. ’71 BA LeRoi C. Johnson, attorney and local artist, participated in an art show at Agora Gallery in Chelsea, NY. He showcased a combination of acrylic and oil paintings. ’71 BA Philip H. McIntyre is the new special counsel at Goldberg Segalla LLP. He previously served as general counsel for Superior Group. ’71 BA Kevin W. Spitler, attorney at the Law Office of Kevin W. Spitler, was inducted into the St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute Signum Fidei Society. ’72 BS, MBA ’77 Walter D. Garrow was promoted to environmental health and safety manager at Quality Inspection Services Inc. He previously served as safety director. ’72 BA Mark J. Lema, MD, PhD, chair of anesthesiology at the University at Buffalo and chair of anesthesiology, perioperative medicine, pain medicine and critical care at Roswell Park Cancer Institute, received the American Society of Anesthesiologists Distinguished Service Award. This is the highest award bestowed by the society for meritorious service and achievement. ’73 BA Sharon L. (Richardson) Amos, associate professor of English at the University at Buffalo, was appointed financial secretary of the Afro-American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier Board of Directors. ’73 BA Kathleen M. Delaney, archivist and reference librarian at Canisius College, received the 2011 Excellence in Library Service Award from the Western New York Library Resources Council.

’75 BS Laurie A. (Cherry) Kostrzewski was named to a threeyear term on the Holy Angels Board of Trustees. ’75 MS Robert T. Scott, principal of St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute, was named to a three-year term on the Holy Angels Board of Trustees. ’76 BA Father Michael H. Burzynski was named to a six-year term as pastor of St. John Gualbert Parish in Cheektowaga. He previously served as pastor of St. Mary of the Cataract Parish in Niagara Falls. ’76 BS Michael Liwicki, partner and vice president at GDY Professional Investigation, was the featured speaker at the Administrative Judicial Institute in New York City. A retired member of the FBI’s Behavior Analysis Unit and polygraph expert, Liwicki’s presentation was entitled “The Art of Judging: Deciding Credibility and the Role of Nonverbal Communication.” ’76 BS Brian L. Schulz, district treasurer for West Seneca Central Schools, was named Administrator of the Year by the Erie County Association of Educational Office Professionals. ’77 MS Gayle L. Eagan, partner in the Estate and Trusts Practice Group of Jaeckle Fleischmann and Mugel LLP, was named Lawyer of the Year by the Bar Association of Erie County. ’77 BS John M. Kalinowski received a master of arts degree in theology and ministry from LaSalle University in Philadelphia, PA. He was commissioned a Lay Ecclesial Minister by Bishop David O’Connell from the Diocese of Trenton. ’77 MS Mary Ellen (Baer) Mulvey, senior director of instructional support and community partnerships at Medaille College, was named Title III director of retention and student service initiatives at the college. ’77 BA Gregory P. Rabb, associate professor of political science and coordinator of global education at Jamestown Community College, received the SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.

He is also serving a second term as president of the Jamestown City Council. ’79 BS Russell J. Gullo, president of R.J. Gullo and Company, was named president of the Buffalo Investors and Exchangors Group.

1980s ’80 BS Daniel S. Blake of Southtowns Financial Group Inc., qualified for membership in the

Exceptional Level of In Force (ELIF) award. ELIF is a prestigious qualification, which reflects on years of consistent production and persistency, and spans an individual’s entire career with Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company. ’80 BS Rocco Lucente II, managing partner at Cohen and Lombardo PC, was honored by the Bar Association of Erie County for 25 years of membership. ’80 MBA Wayne W. Mertz, president of Goergen-Mackwirth Company Inc., was elected to the St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute Board of Trustees. ’81 BS Christine A. (Bald) Newhouse, controller at ABC-Amega, was elected treasurer of the Western Division Federal Credit Union Board of Directors. ’81 BS Michael A. Welch, vice president at First Niagara Financial Group, was named to the Heritage Centers Foundation Board of Directors. ’81 BS Martin A. Zaklikowski was promoted to first vice president of the Buffalo office of Merrill Lynch.

Martin has more than 27 years of experience providing financial and wealth management advice and services. ’82 BA Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker, president and chief executive officer of the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, was named to the Leadership Committee for Nonprofit Revitalization by Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. ’82 MS Debra D. (Sevillian) Poles is the new principal of West Hertel Elementary School. She previously served as principal of Buffalo Elementary School of Technology. ’82 BS Karen A. (Pillets) Silver is the new business advisor for the Western New York District Business Banking team at KeyBank. She is responsible for business development and client retention of small businesses in the Western New York area. ’82 BS Richard C. Suchan is the new director of the Advancement Office and executive director of the Foundation of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo. He previously served as senior vice president and director of marketing for KeyBank. ’82 BA Mary E. Virginia, attorney at the Law Office of Mary E. Virginia, was named secretary of the Cantalician Center for Learning Board of Directors. ’83 BS James E. Knight is the new licensed associate real estate broker in the Buffalo Commercial Division at RealtyUSA. He previously

C ANI SIUS COLLEGE M AGA ZINE • FALL 2011 |

29

class notes served as an associate broker at MJ Peterson Commercial Real Estate. ’83 BS Thomas J. Topper, financial planner with Prudential Insurance Company of America’s Upstate New York agency, was honored for his 25 years of service with the company. ’84 BA Linda (Duszynksi) Balkin was promoted to director of institutional advancement at Holy Angels Academy.

She previously served as director of alumni and special events. ’84 BS, MBA ’91 Robert G. Warner, first vice president at HSBC Bank USA, and his wife, Eileen, were elected president couple of the St. Joe’s Parents Guild, a division of the St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute Board of Trustees. ’85 BS Martin E. Collins is the new general sales manager of Ford and Lincoln brands at Ford Motor Company. He previously served as vice president of the Western region at Group 1 Automotive. ’85 BA Regina A. DelVecchio, attorney at Colucci and Gallaher PC, was elected to a three-year term on the Bar Association of Erie County Board of Directors. ’85 BA John P. Huber, vice president and regional manager at Lake Shore Savings Bank, was elected to the Cheektowaga Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. ’85 MS Michael Mooney was promoted to director of intercollegiate athletics and recreation at SUNY Geneseo. He previously served as associate director of intercollegiate athletics and recreation. ’85 BS Peter F. Seitz, financial analyst at National Grid, was elected chair of the Western Division Federal Credit Union Board of Directors Supervising Committee. ’86 BA Vincent E. Doyle III, partner at Connors and Vilardo LLP, was inaugurated as president of the New York State Bar Association. ’86 BS Mark E. Hoffman, vice presidentteam leader at M&T Bank, was elected to the Junior Achievement of Western New York Board of Directors. ’86 BA Margaret M. (Rittling) Richardson was promoted to alumni relations director at Holy Angels Academy. She previously served as office manager. ’87 BS Michael R. Nowicki was promoted to business banking market executive for Upstate New York within the Global Commercial Banking Division of Bank of America. He has been with the bank since 2006. ’88 HON Senator Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, chair and chief executive officer of Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization, was awarded the Shield of Excellence by the Canisius College Accounting Department in appreciation of his efforts in developing education in the Arab region. ’88 BA John E. Bernacki Jr., owner and attorney at John E. Bernacki Jr., PC, was named the 2011 Business Person of the Year by the Pittsford Chamber of Commerce.

30

Keep Up with Canisius!

’89 BS Vincent L. Barrese is the new territory manager in Upstate New York for Edward Lifesciences Corporation and launched the Sapien Transcatheter Heart Valve. He previously served as cardiovascular account manager at Boston Scientific. ’89 BA Kenneth F. Weixlmann Jr. was promoted to vice president of KeyBank’s Orchard Park Union branch. He previously served as manager of the branch.

1990s ’90 BA Paul D. McCormick, attorney at Goldberg Segalla LLP, co-authored a chapter in New Appleman on Insurance Law Library Edition, on the topics of mergers and acquisitions insurance.

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’94 BA Michael A. Whipple, vice president in the Business Banking Group of M&T Bank Corporation, was elected to the St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute Board of Trustees. ’95 BA Christopher Bopst is the new partner at Goldberg Segalla LLP. He previously served as partner at Adorno and Yoss LLP. ’95 BS Margaret L. Brady is the new executive director of Gilda’s Club Western New York. She will also serve as executive director of the Life Transitions Center.

Brady previously served as the Center for Hospice and Palliative Care’s liaison with Gilda’s Club. ’95 BA Aaron V. Fox was promoted to vice president of operations at Globalquest Solutions Inc.

’90 BA Diane L. (Morphis) Schlabig was promoted to operations supervisor at Tower Group Companies. She previously served as senior underwriting assistant.

’97 BS John K. Grandy, physician assistant at Lee Medical Associates, was appointed to the editorial board of the Arkansas State University Journal of International Students.

’91 BS Kathleen N. (Russo) Andolsek is the new manager of administrative services at the Health Sciences Charter School. She previously served as an independent contractor providing administrative and business office services to various companies.

’97 BS, MBA ’02, MS ’05 Jamel C. Perkins, vice president of information technology at Delaware North Companies and an adjunct professor at Canisius College, was appointed to a three-year term on the D’Youville College Board of Trustees.

’92 BA, MSED ’97 Marie (Burgio) Balen is the new assistant superintendent for instruction in the Williamsville Central School District. She previously served as director of the Office of Elementary Instructional Services for Virginia Beach City Public Schools. ’92 BA Brendan T. Concannon, celebrity and fashion stylist and CEO of the Cannon Media Group, was featured in a Verizon Fios commercial. ’92 BA Reverend Arthur E. Mattulke is the new pastor of Ascension Parish in Batavia. He previously served as pastor of St. Padre Pio in Oakfield. ’92 BA Brian M. Melber, partner of Personius Melber LLP, was elected to a three-year term on the Bar Association of Erie County Board of Directors. ’93 MBA Sanjay Chadha was promoted to vice president for service line operations at Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center.

He previously served as senior director for service line operations and business development. ’94 BS Karen M. (Karaszewski) Antonelli, principal at Chiampou Travis Besaw and Kershner LLP, was elected to the Alcohol and Drug Dependency Services Foundation Board of Directors. ’94 BA Rosanna Berardi, managing partner and founder of Berardi Immigration Law, authored a chapter in the American Bar Association’s book, The Road to Independence: 101 Women’s Journeys to Starting Their Own Law Firms. ’94 BS, MBA ’98 Kim M. (Sardina) Smith, director of human resources at Fidelis Care New York, was named vice president of the Alcohol and Drug Dependency Services Foundation Board of Directors.

| C ANI SIUS COLLEGE M AGA ZINE • FALL 2011

’98 BS Scott M. Glaser is the new chief executive officer at Lansky Sharpeners.

He previously served as principal of Cost Segregation Partners. ’98 MBA Christopher J. Guck, branch manager at M&T Bank Corporation, was elected chair of the Cheektowaga Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. ’98 MSED, MS ’06 Catherine M. Huber, principal of Northwood Elementary School, received the Administrator of the Year Award from the Western New York Administrators Association. ’99 BA Heather A. (McKinney) Filipowicz is the new executive director of the Western New York Women’s Fund. She previously served as senior director of advancement for the American Red Cross, Greater Buffalo Chapter. ’99 MBA Jeffrey G. Wagner, lead shift supervisor at National Grid, was named chair of the Western Division Federal Credit Union Board of Directors.

2000s ’00 MBA Andrew A. Attea was promoted to vice president, account management at Synacor. He has been with the company for more than 10 years. ’00 BA, MS ’03, MS ’11 Mary T. Colby was promoted to assistant principal at Holy Angels Academy. She previously served as administrative assistant. ’00 MSED Leslie E. Simon, varsity baseball coach at Kenmore East High School, was named the 2011 Coach of the Year by the Ken-Ton Bee newspaper. Simon led his team to victory in the 2011 Niagara Frontier League Baseball Championship.

This is the first baseball championship win in his 11 years as coach of the team.

He also celebrated the 100th win of his baseball career. ’00 BS Jill Zarazinski, PhD, is the new assistant professor of elementary science education at Canisius College.

She previously served as assistant professor at SUNY Brockport. ’01 MBA Michael G. Conroy is the new vice president for Western New York commercial group accounts at HealthNow. He previously served as executive director of large accounts at BlueCross BlueShield. ’01 MBA Mark Messinger is the new engineer manager at Niagara Blower Company. He previously served as product quality manager at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. ’01 BS Giuseppina J. (Kenyon) Savard, DO, is the new clinical instructor and physician trainer in the Osteopathic Family Practice Residency Program at Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center. She previously practiced medicine at Wheatfield Family Medicine LLC. ’01 MBA Gina M. (DiMatteo) Swanson is the new business advisor for the Western New York District Business Banking team at KeyBank. She previously served as the business development officer for HSBC Bank USA’s Western New York Market. ’02 BA Carolyn M. (Nugent) Gorczynski is a new associate attorney at Watson Bennett Colligan and Schechter LLP. She previously served as an associate attorney at Drew and Drew LLP. ’02 MS Deborah F. Philpott, senior business analyst at National Grid, was named to the Western Division Federal Credit Union Supervising Committee. ’02 BA Gretchen E. Szymanski, coordinator of the Sex Offender Management Program at Child and Family Services, was elected to the New York State Alliance of Sex Offender Service Providers Board of Directors. ’03 BA Gary A. Bostwick is the new senior copywriter at PAVE Creative Group. He previously served as copywriter at Mullen. ’03 BS, MSED ’06 Susan P. Burzynski, a registered dental hygienist at the office of James A Hoddick, DDS and Thomas J. Balazs, DDS, was awarded a fellowship from the American Academy of Dental Hygienists. ’04 BA Eileen C. Herbert, director of public relations at Canisius College, received a platinum Excalibur Award (Best in Show) and a gold Excalibur Award, from the Buffalo Niagara Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, for her work on the college’s community relations campaign to promote ”A Blessing to One Another: Pope John Paul II and the Jewish People.“ ’05 BS, MBA ’08 Anthony R. Fraccica is the new assistant vice president, senior auditor general at HSBC Holdings Plc. He previously served as a certified SAP financial systems analyst at new Era Cap Company.

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’05 BA Jenelle E. Kostran, assistant professor of mathematics at Hilbert College, received the Hilbert College Excellence Award in Teaching and Service.

’10 BA Mariel E. (Volk) Bard is the new assistant editor at Prometheus Books.

She previously served as an editorial and research assistant.

’05 BS, MBA ’06 Elizabeth A. Pohl was promoted to general services supervisor at Dopkins and Company LLP. She has been with the CPA firm since 2006.

’10 BS Christopher B. Cox was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 39th round of the Major League Baseball Draft.

’05 BS William H. Randall is the new IT administrator in the Internal IT Department at Inergex. He previously served as a systems engineer and network operator at Delaware North. ’05 MBA Edward A. Rath III, Erie County legislator, received the Living Legacy Award from the local office of The Salvation Army in recognition of his commitment to the organization. ’06 BA Paul G. Hare, a math teacher at Amherst High School, received tenure. ’06 MS Debra S. Park, associate vice president for public relations at Canisius College, received a platinum Excalibur Award (Best in Show) and a gold Excalibur Award, from the Buffalo Niagara Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, for her work on the college’s community relations campaign to promote "A Blessing to One Another: Pope John Paul II and the Jewish People." Park also received a silver Excalibur Award in the special events category for the promotion of the inauguration of Canisius President John J. Hurley. ’07 BA Carolyn M. Batt is the new operations and media coordinator at the Martin Group. She previously served as a media and communications manager with Gunther von Hagens’ Body Worlds Exhibition. ’07 MSED Molly Anne O’Connor was promoted to dean of faculty at Buffalo Seminary. She previously served as a history teacher and freshman class advisor. ’07 BA Margherita G. Truncali is the new account executive at Marketing Technologies of WNY. She previously served as client coordinator at Brittany Industries. ’08 MBA Nora McGuire is the new senior vice president, chief marketing officer at Independent Health. She previously served as director of talent management at Performance Management Partners. ’09 BA, MS ’11 Katherine L. Fish is the new student services counselor at Medaille College’s Amherst Campus. She recently graduated from the Canisius College Student Personnel Administration Master’s Program. ’09 BA Moira H. Giammaresi was promoted to associate director of admissions at Buffalo Seminary. She previously served as assistant to the head of school and communications coordinator. ’09 BS, MS ’11 Christina M. (Delano) Zogaria was promoted to school-wellness coordinator at BWI Health Promotions. She is also a personal trainer at Fitness19 and a spinning instructor at Victor Dean Training.

’10 BA Shane S. Davis was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 42nd round of the Major League Baseball Draft. ’10 BS Adam M. Hagner is a new field examiner in the Buffalo ABL Group at Freed Maxick and Battaglia. ’10 BS David V. Marcolini is a new field examiner in the Buffalo ABL Group at Freed Maxick and Battaglia. He previously served as an intern in the Buffalo and Niagara Falls U.S. Congressional offices of Rep. Louise M. Slaughter. ’10 BA Laura J. Mitchell is the new personnel manager at Selective Staffing Solutions.

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Think your baby ought to be in pictures?

Send us a photo of your newborn with his/her name and date of birth. Each issue, we will draw from the entries. If your child’s picture is chosen, he/she will be featured as the next “Baby Griff.” Send photos to: Canisius College Magazine Baby Pictures; 2001 Main Street, Lyons Hall 209; Buffalo, NY 14208 or email a high resolution photo to alumnote@canisius.edu. ALL Baby Griff photos submitted can be viewed on the college’s alumni site at canisius.edu/alumni/wedding_births.asp. Photos will be returned if a self- addressed, stamped envelope is provided.

New job? Newly married? New arrival?

Simply email your news and notes to alumnote@canisius.edu. The editors will share your accomplishments a in a future issue of Canisius College Magazine. Just remember to indicate Alumni Note, Alumni Wedding or Baby Griff in the subject field of your email.

To see what alumni events are happening in your area, visit the Alumni Calendar of Events at canisius.edu/alumni.

I n M emoriam Robert B. Franklin ’40, MD March 31, 2011

George W. Donadoni ’52 June 2, 2011

John P. McGrath MS ’61 July 5, 2011

Leonard M. Jurkiewicz ’74 July 18, 2011

Jack Lotsof ’40 May 18, 2011

Donald K. Gibbons ’52 April 14, 2011

Richard M. Reilly ’61 February 9, 2011

Joseph A. Carnevale ’77 May 8, 2011

John F. Weiksnar ’44, MD June 7, 2011

Sister Mary M. Powell ’52 June 5, 2011

Joseph A. Enright ’62 May 22, 2011

Nancy A. Schorb MS ’77 October 31, 2010

Robert J. Russo ’45, DDS July 16, 2011

Sister Mary (Kubiak) Marcianne ’56 June 1, 2011

Jerome P. Ehrenreich ’65 June 22, 2011

Maryann W. Watson MS ’77 May 11, 2011

Marie Longo-Zayan MS ’68 June 28, 2011

Charles W. Lewis ’78 February 8, 2011

Charles P. Trapp ’48 June 23, 2011

Conrad E. Pinker ’56 July 11, 2011

Mary S. (Fox) Strachan MS ’68 Katherine M. Sullivan MS ’56, October 5, 2010 MA ’65, EdD Henry M. Bartkowski ’70, Alvin C. Gerold ’49 May 25, 2011 MD, PhD July 25, 2011 June 26, 2011 Ronald J. Malachowski ’59 George J. Easley ’50 May 26, 2011 Gary F. Lopus ’71 February 4, 2011 April 12, 2011 Daniel L. Mietus ’59 Richard W. O’Donnell ’50 May 15, 2011 Hubert W. O’Connor ’71 June 29, 2011 Mary R. (Mueller) Duszynski June 7, 2011 Walter M. Schaefer ’50 MS ’59 Diane M. (Musarra) July 2, 2011 June 21, 2011 Schwach ’71 Thomas F. Stapleton ’50 Patricia M. (Klocke O’Brien) July 21, 2011 June 22, 2011 Twist MS ’59 Neal J. Carsten ’73 May 27, 2011 Herbert J. Stein ’50 February 5, 2011 June 1, 2011 Lawrence A. Brennan ’61 Sister Mary F. Morrissey Robert J. Hunold ’51, MS ’60 July 1, 2011 MS ’73 June 25, 2011 July 2, 2011 Dieter W. Dauber ’61 April 4, 2011 Charles Kelleher ’51 Lawrence C. Gentile ’49 June 18, 2011

Reginald A. Scott ’79 March 2, 2011 Sarah Bihr MBA ’84 May 16, 2011 Richard P. Pikuzinski ’86, MS ’00 July 11, 2011 Anne M. Brophy MBA ’89 May 8, 2011 Jeanne M. (Smith) Fallon MSED ’90 June 15, 2011 Margaret M. (Harris) Jeziorowski ’93 May 11, 2011 Richard A. Gustas ’95 May 13, 2011

April 2, 2011

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Kristin M. (Sorge) Cortese ’04 and Philip F. Cortese ’04, a son, Giovanni Francesco, born May 27, 2011 Bethany K. (Stephan) Crahen ’09 and Evan M. Crahen ’06, MBA ’08, a son, Brennan Jacob, born March 9, 2011 Chelsea M. (Morgan) Haven ’07 and Michael D. Haven ’98, a son, Michael Thomas, born December 26, 2010 Annette M. (Dispenza) Kajtoch ’88, MBA ’90 and Gary A. Kajtoch, twins, a son, Gary Anthony and a daughter, Alissa Marie, born May 27, 2011 Steven C. Liderbach ’97, MBA ’03 and Paula Liderbach, a son, Quinn Calvin, born June 1, 2011 Maria V. (Viana) Shivell ’00, MBA ’04 and Michael J. Shivell, a son, Lucas Edward, born April 13, 2011 Michelle K. (Carver) Spellman ’04 and Daniel T. Spellman ’04, MBA ’09, a daughter, Peyton Kristine, born April 6, 2011

T H I S I S S U E ’ S F E AT U R E D B A B Y G R I F F

Audrey M. (Dolan) Winkowski ’00, PharmD and Anthony J. Winkowski ’00, MD, a daughter, Megan Margaret, born June 26, 2011

Patrick Liam

Lisa A. (Rutherford) Woodlock MSED ’02 and Casey T. Woodlock ’99, a daughter, Lucia Catherine, born November 12, 2010

born to MaryBeth (Wirth) ’99 and Ian O’Brien on April 11, 2011

Snowbirds: SAVE THE DATE If you live or vacation in Florida during the winter months, then mark your calendar now to attend one of the college’s many winter alumni receptions in the Sunshine State.

For information, call 1-800-201-4952 or visit canisius.edu/alumni.

Jupiter/West Palm/ Palm Beach March 16 Naples March 19 Venice March 22

David R. Bard ’05 and Brooks Firth on April 30, 2011 *Sarah M. Czajka ’05, MBA ’10 and Timothy Vaughan on June 11, 2011 *Kathleen M. Farley ’07, MS ’09 and John J. Brucato ’10 on July 2, 2011 *Cara M. Fininzio ’03 and Matthew E. Lozar MS ’07 on July 2, 2011

*Allison A. Kasperczyk ’07 and Andrew D. Leberer ’07 on June 25, 2011 *Lindsay E. Krupski ’08, MSED ’10 and John Abels on August 20, 2011 *Andrew R. Kruszka ’06 and Margaret Loftus on July 16, 2011 *Caitlin C. Logue MS ’09 and Kevin Rush on June 25, 2011

*Laura M. Solazzo ’04 and Philip Burns on June 11, 2011 Timothy A. Spingler ’99 and Denise A. Stayton on April 2, 2011 *Robin P. Sroka ’00, MSED ’04 and James Orluk on July 16, 2011 *Erin E. Storey ’03 and Michael Pastrick on July 30, 2011 *Mollie A. Strasser ’01, MS ’08 and Jeremy J. Ballaro MBA ’10 on August 20, 2011

*Brittany L. MacLean ’08 and Jonathan W. Schwarz ’08 on June 25, 2011 *Laura J. Szkutak ’05, MSED ’09 and Michael R. Irizarry ’02, MS ’07 on August 13, 2011 *Diana M. Mura ’09 and *Monica C. Helinski ’05 and Scott Maskell on August 13, 2011 *Joseph A. Tozer ’06 and Charles J. Sardo on July 30, 2011 Julie Papia on August 6, 2011 *Leah Muscarella ’00, MSED ’02 and Daniel Rivas on August 19, 2011 *Margherita G. Truncali ’07 and Joseph S. Montagnola ’07 on August 6, 2011 *Hayley T. Schultz ’07 and Daniel R. Paterson ’10 Jennifer L. Twarozek ’06, on July 30, 2011 MSED ’09 and David Dix on June 11, 2011 Stacy E. Setlik ’00 and Dan R. Gagliardo MPA ’91 *Elizabeth A. Weber ’08 and on April 5, 2011 Steven A. Leonard Jr. ’07 on August 20, 2011 *Taryn A. Sobczak ’09 and Christopher Matteson Jennifer R. Wolfe ’09 and on August 6, 2011 Erick J. Mateo on July 9, 2011 *Elizabeth A. Ford ’07 and Christopher J. Zinter ’07 on July 9, 2011

*Indicates married at Christ the King Chapel.

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| C ANI SIUS COLLEGE M AGA ZINE • FALL 2011

a lawyer, a scholar, Joseph M. Hassett ’64, PhD, balances two

&

Story by Audrey R. Browka Photos by Susana Raab

a gentleman

seemingly opposite worlds of law and lite rature

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oseph M. Hassett ’64, PhD, will never forget the summer of 1963. He spent those weeks, before his senior year, in Ireland at the University College of Dublin and the Yeats International Summer School. It was the first trip abroad for this Irish descendent and his first formal introduction to William Butler Yeats.

“Yeats wrote that the mind is an instrument of strings which, if they are not plucked, can become tuneless and forgotten,” says Hassett.

The young college student identified with the late Nobel Prizewinning Irish poet, even though it would be several years before he could properly “satisfy his thirst” for Yeats.

“Joe is both an accomplished litigator for a major Washington law firm and an internationally recognized literary scholar,” says Paul M. Hassett Jr. ’62, Joe’s elder brother. “He’s achieved so much in each field and managed to do so without taking from the other.”

Hassett grew up in North Buffalo and loved to hear stories about his Irish ancestors. His father, Paul M. Hassett Sr. ’30, was a trial lawyer. His mother, Dorothy Meegan, worked as a school teacher until she and her husband started their family. As a teenager, Hassett developed a “newfound appreciation” for his mother. While he struggled to translate The Gallic Wars by Julius Caesar, his mother picked up the book and read it, rather fluently. “I remember thinking, ‘She’s a lot smarter than I realized,’” Hassett laughs.

The Jesuits also influenced Hassett. He refers to these Canisius men as “giants on Earth.”

Hassett reveled in the “ponderous ways” of his theology professors Rev. Edward T. Dunn, S.J. and Rev. Charles W. Lehmkuhl, S.J. He describes Father Lehmkuhl’s theological musings “as grand as his magnificent presence,” particularly when he “stretched his arms out wide and spoke in his strong, booming voice.” Though more subdued, Father Dunn and Hassett developed a close friendship that remained after graduation. Father Dunn officiated at Hassett’s wedding to Carol Melton and later baptized their two children, Matthew and Meredith.

Rev. Joseph T. Clark, S.J., married “philosophical brilliance” with an “engaging personality,” says Hassett. “He marketed his courses with

Although Yale, Columbia, Notre Dame and Georgetown recruited Hassett heavily, he selected Harvard because it was “the pre-eminent proponent of the Socratic Method,” which develops critical thinking through discussion amongst individuals with opposing viewpoints.

Utterly in his element, Hassett excelled. He graduated in the top fifth of his class and landed work at the well-established D.C. law firm of Hogan & Hartson (now Hogan Lovells). The firm made him a partner in just four years.

Four decades later, Hassett continues to practice at the firm, which is located a stone’s-throw-away from the White House. His courtroom accomplishments include jury and non-jury cases. He argued in appellate courts across the country. Hassett also went before the United States Supreme Court. Along the way, he acquired the friendships of such prominent D.C.-types as former U.S. Senator Chris Dodd, and former colleague and current U.S. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., whom Hassett invited to speak at Canisius last fall (Canisius Magazine, fall 2010).

But when Hassett reflects on his long and distinguished legal career, it is the lesser known people and court cases that make him proudest.

Hassett led Hogan Lovells’ pro bono practice for several years, and devoted thousands of hours to help those without access to or the means for legal representation.

“Joe embodies all the qualities that we expect out of Hogan Lovells partners,” says Warren Gorrell, co-CEO of the firm. “He’s a great litigator, he’s firm-minded and he’s committed to community service.

He is someone who has always been involved in cases for people in need, whether he was leading our pro bono practice or not. Joe recognizes the importance of giving back.”

Though Hassett immersed himself in his litigation career, he never forgot about the fondness he developed for W.B. Yeats in the summer of 1963. In the years since, he cultivated his literary interests whenever time allowed. He read Yeats’ works, and combed library and bookstore shelves to learn more about the poet. Finally, in 1981, Hassett decided to finish what he started nearly 20 years earlier. He capitalized on the law firm’s sabbatical program and enrolled in the Anglo-Irish literature master’s degree program at University College in Dublin. Hassett graduated in a year, with honors, and went on to earn his PhD.

I did it because I love literature and the more I learned, the more interested I became.

me was to pursue The wonderful thing my Canisius education taught the skill of a born showman.” Hassett cites such lectures as Aristotle at the Throttle, Getting to Know Galileo and Stars in Your Eyes.

“These men taught by example how fun and exciting ideas can be,” he says. “They were ideal illustrations of how our lives can always be fulfilling if we’re interested in ideas. You can take ideas with you anywhere.”

Hassett took his ideas to Harvard Law School.

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| C ANI SIUS COLLEGE M AGA ZINE • FALL 2011

my interests and ideas.

Joseph M. Hassett ’64, PhD

“I did it because I love literature and the more I learned, the more interested I became,” says Hassett. “The wonderful thing my Canisius education taught me was to pursue my interests and ideas.”

Hassett praises his English professors for influencing his literary interests in much the same way the Jesuits inspired him intellectually.

He refers to the late Charles A. Brady ’33, PhD, Les C. Warren, PhD, and Richard J. Thompson ’53, PhD, as “masterful teachers” and says the late Mel Schroeder acquainted him with modern British literature

and the likes of Joseph Conrad, D.H. Lawrence and E.M. Forster. But it was Brady’s course, entitled Yeats, Eliot and Frost, that peaked Hassett’s interest in poetry, and the man he considers one of the most prominent poets of the modern age.

“Yeats’ works grapple with questions we all have about where we fit into the universe,” says Hassett. “He pursued those questions and reduced his thoughts down to some very tightly structured, wonderful sounding, intellectual and esthetic poetry.”

Hassett’s own intellectual pursuits make him an accomplished lawyer and Yeats scholar.

He is the author of several literary works including two books, Yeats and the Poetics of Hate and W.B. Yeats and the Muses. Hassett has lectured widely on Yeats and other Irish writers at such venues as Catholic University in Washington, D.C., the James Joyce Summer School in Dublin, Oxford University and the National Library of Ireland. He frequently returns to the Yeats International Summer School in Sligo, where he inspires a new generation of literary scholars.

Canisius College and its students are also beneficiaries of Hassett’s scholarship and generosity. In addition to the three terms he served on the college’s Board of Trustees and the many alumni nights he helps host in Washington, D.C., he established the Hassett Reading at Canisius. The annual event complements the popular Contemporary Writers Series and hosts prominent Irish literary figures on campus.

Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney will visit campus on October 23, as part of the 2012 Hassett Reading. Past speakers include Alice McDermott, Eamon Grennan, Colm Toibin, Sebastian Barry, Paul Muldoon and Roy Foster.

“The inspiration that Joe Hassett has clearly handed on to this institution, where he received inspiration himself, is an example to us

all,” says Foster. “He is held in as much admiration and affection, and is as well known in Oxford, Galway and Sligo, as he is in Washington and Buffalo.”

In fact, Hassett may be the only American lawyer who is also a Yeats scholar. It’s a fascinating thought, for us ordinary folk, how someone can so eloquently straddle two seemingly opposite worlds: law and literature. But Hassett finds the two more similar than not.

He explains that his work in poetry is not about being a poet. It is analytical and scholarly – much like his trial work.

And both, he notes, aptly “pluck the strings of his mind.” A lesson he learned long ago, during that summer of 1963.

Canisius College Magazine 2001 Main Street | Buffalo, NY 14208 | canisius.edu

As You Were

Mary Beth E. (Riley) Metcalf ’91 accepts the NCAA’s inaugural Woman of the Year Award in 1991. Established to celebrate the achievements of women in intercollegiate athletics, the Woman of the Year Award recognizes the athletic achievements of an outstanding young woman, as well as her academic achievements, community service and leadership.

Despite a battle against Hodgkin’s Disease during her undergraduate years, Metcalf became a multi-letter winner in cross country, and indoor and outdoor track. She also set three school records and was named to the MAAC All-Academic team for three consecutive semesters. The college inducted Metcalf into its Sports Hall of Fame in 2001.

Read more about the history of women’s athletics at Canisius College in A League of Their Own (page 13).