Alumni Herald Spring/Summer 2017

Page 1

East Stroudsburg University of pennsylvania

alumni herald

Spring/summer 2017

“Where Warriors Belong”


Key to making a new student’s transition as smooth as possible, student orientation leaders are ready to help at the Accepted Student Reception held in Koehler Fieldhouse on March 25, 2017. Pictured, front left to right, Chelsi Roberts-Williams, Alexis Trujillo, Alexis Hill, Janet Ro, Zach Tritt, Eli Johnson, Hafiz Tunis. Back, left to right, Judaha (Juju) Amoroso, Jesse Gillis and Nico Makuta. Photo by Susie Forrester


CampusSnap


Dear Warriors, This issue of the Alumni Herald is largely devoted to sharing with all of you the

In addition to new institutional and athletic logos, the new ESU includes an official positioning statement, tagline, and a new mascot for your alma mater. While many of you will consider these changes to be a drastic contrast to the Warrior legacy that complemented your time at ESU, we found that through research and deep conversations with many of our stakeholders, there was no genuine connection to our logos and we didn’t have a brand per se. In January 2017, we embraced a brand identity that is rooted in the perceptions of our alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff and community friends without erasing the University’s rich history or traditions. I hope you’ll enjoy reading about our transition to a new ESU brand that is intended to rejuvenate the campus, re-engage alumni and strengthen ESU’s position in the community. In April, I was proud to welcome Dan DiZio ’95 back to campus as the inaugural keynote for the President’s Distinguished Entrepreneur Speaker Series. Our intent is to invite entrepreneurs (many of whom are successful alumni) to campus to speak about their journey to success. Dan’s story of challenges and triumphs as co-founder and CEO of the Philly Pretzel Factory was inspirational for our students and guests. I also was pleased to welcome Yvonne Troiani-Sweeney ’78, Linda (Troiani) ’85 and Sam Niedbala ’84 and their families back to campus for the Yvonne Troiani-Sweeney Endowed Lecture Series for Nursing Enrichment, now in its fifth year. I think you’ll also be captivated when you read about Jonathan Weber ’15, who worked at a research station in Antarctica. And we thought winters were cold in the Poconos! You’ll find in this issue spotlights on a couple of alumni as well as news about all the places alumni and friends have been gathering. I hope you’ll also take the time to read about the initiatives conducted by the ESU Foundation, including its very first “Giving Tuesday” campaign, raising more than $36,000 in new funds specifically directed to student scholarships, academic programs, research and activities; the faculty and staff campaign, intended to raise participation as well as funds to better the academic experience for our students; and the annual scholarship dinner, which gives donors the opportunity to meet the students their gifts are helping and provides scholarship recipients the amazing opportunity to say thank you. The Foundation staff is constantly at work to make ESU a better place for our students and our alumni for generations to come and I continue to be so very proud of the work they do. Lastly, I hope you’ll put our new selection for the 2017-2018 One Book, One Campus program on your summer reading list and consider getting involved in programming, discussions and events that will be scheduled around the book’s many themes. More information on 2 the alumni herald

this will appear in our next issue. We’re also looking ahead to 2018 and the 125th anniversary of our University and looking at ways to engage our alumni in activities linked to our history. As you read and enjoy this magazine, know that nothing would be possible without you and your willingness to share time and treasures with us. I hope your spirit of generosity and loyalty to ESU continues and I wish you all a great summer of good times, family fun and making memories. Best,

Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D. President


inside University President Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D. Design and Production Office of University Advancement Office of University Relations Ideal Design Solutions Photography Michael Cuff Susie Forrester Leon John, Jr. David Kidwell Cole Kresch Greg Pammer Bob Shank Phil Stein Bob Weidner

Contributors Nancy Boyer Debbie Burke Caryn S. Fogel ’12 Brenda E. Friday, Ph.D. Lori Gilio Leon John, Jr. Frank Johnson ’74 Greg Knowlden M’04 Margaret Peterson Elizabeth Richardson Jessica Schultz ’16 Beth Severson Robin Smith ’04 Sarah Weber ’07 M’17 Caryn Wilkie

Cover Story two years in the 6 Nearly making, a dynamic new

visual identity was unveiled for East Stroudsburg University. Key to ESU’s new marketing and advertising efforts, the rebranding looks to attract potential students in an increasingly competitive field of higher education. The unveiling of ESU’s new institutional and athletics logos, along with a grand entrance of a new Warrior mascot, were greeted with excitement among students, alumni, faculty and staff. ESU truly is, and always will be, Where Warriors Belong. Cover photo by Phil Stein

Features 12 Giving Tuesday Success First-ever campaign rallies students, alumni and staff.

26 ESU Goes Global

12

ESU Foundation

24 Alumni Spotlight

16

Campus News

Robin Smith ’04 shines in her love for life and ESU.

Spearhead 32 Alumni Wrestling Campaign

Committee joins forces to fundraise for scholarship funds.

Alumni Herald The Alumni Herald is the official publication for East Stroudsburg University’s alumni and is produced online two times a year. Alumni may receive a hard copy of the magazine by notifying the alumni office. Please address all correspondence to: ESU Office of Alumni Engagement Henry A. Ahnert, Jr. Alumni Center 200 Prospect Street East Stroudsburg, PA 18301 570-422-7000 800-775-8975 Fax: 570-422-3301 esualumni@esu.edu

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania is committed to equal opportunity for its students, employees and applicants. The university is committed to providing equal educational and employment rights to all persons without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or veteran’s status. Each member of the university community has a right to study and work in an environment free from any form of racial, ethnic, and sexual discrimination including sexual harassment, sexual violence and sexual assault. (Further information, including contact information, can be found on the university’s website at esu.edu/titleix.)

Departments

Week-long celebration spotlights diversity across campus.

22 Alumni News 30 Warrior Spirit 34 Class Notes 36 In Memoriam

Stay connected with your alma mater @WarriorAlumni ESUAA flickr.com/photos/esualumni East Stroudsburg University Alumni Mail Bag Have something to say about ESU? Let us know what you think! Office of Alumni Engagement Attn: Mail Bag Henry A. Ahnert Jr. Alumni Center 200 Prospect Street East Stroudsburg, PA 18301 Please include your name and contact information. Submissions may be edited for clarity or space.

In accordance with federal and state laws, the university will not tolerate discrimination. This policy is placed in this document in accordance with state and federal laws including Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Civil Rights Act of 1991 as well as all applicable federal and state executive orders.

esualumni.org 3


alumni board

Greetings Fellow Alumni,

In this issue of the Alumni Herald, you are introduced to the new Warrior mascot which provides us all with a cohesive rallying point. When presenting the new Warrior, the university followed the necessary steps for a smooth transition for everyone – from the present student body to younger and older alumni alike. Please take the time to read the cover story about the entire new branding campaign, which I believe, as an older alumnus, will take us to a new level of Warrior pride. My main focus in addressing each of you now is to bring you up to speed with where we stand in regards to another form of Warrior pride. I realize that as alumni, we seem to be constantly bombarded with requests for financial support. In some ways, I totally agree with you, but in many others I do not. It is a critical job of the university foundation to build financial resources. Let me take this opportunity to give you facts about where ESU ranks in relation to its sister institutions in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. Statewide, alumni giving participation rates break down like this: • The upper seven institutions, in order, are Shippensburg, West Chester, Bloomsburg, Kutztown, Slippery Rock, Mansfield and IUP. Their alumni participation rates range from 12.1 to 5.5 percent. • The lower seven universities, also in order, are Clarion, California, Edinboro, Millersville, Lock Haven, Cheyney and, finally, ESU. Their alumni participation rates range from 4.9 to 3 percent. Yes, fellow alumni, East Stroudsburg University is ranked LAST in the State System’s comparison! There may be valid reasons ESU dropped in support in years past. But that was then – this is now – and the present day offers valid reasons to reconsider giving. ESU President Dr. Marcia G. Welsh has been with us for five years, providing positive leadership, energy and attitude to show the importance 4 the alumni herald

Alumni Association Corner of putting students first in all aspects of the university experience. Rich Santoro has assumed the position as executive director of the ESU Foundation and has, with a staff of committed and loyal professionals, returned transparency and confidence to the organization. Leon John, Jr., director of the Office of Alumni Engagement, provides alumni with an ever-growing list of events and opportunities to demonstrate our Warrior pride. Great things are happening on campus, including nationally recognized academic programs and faculty, highly successful athletic programs, a continuing commitment to the arts, alumni recognition events and an allencompassing capital improvement program. Yes, indeed, our Warrior Nation has a great deal to be proud of! We may not be an Ivy League school, but we ARE a very proud state school with a rich history and tradition that has provided so many of us with fulfilling careers, lifelong friends and lasting memories. If you haven’t done so recently, you need to come back to campus and see the improvements, both academically and structurally, that are taking place. Importantly, the small school atmosphere remains. Our students are still from working-class backgrounds and the faculty still takes a vested interest in the success of those students. So, I find it hard to believe that ESU is the bottom dweller within the State System for the percentage of alumni who give. On a personal note, I am lucky to be associated with two student scholarships - the “Third Floor Shawnee Endowed Scholarship” and the “ESU Alumni Association Board of Directors Annual Scholarship.” You don’t have to feel obligated to dig deep. Just touch the surface and demonstrate your own personal pride in our alma mater. It has never been about how much is contributed. It has always, and always will be, about HOW MANY of us are contributing. GO ESU! Frank Johnson ’74 President, ESU Alumni Association

ESU Alumni Association Board of Directors

2016-2017 Executive Members: Frank E. Johnson ’74 President David A. Super ’80 Vice President Ashley L. Puderbach Swartz ’09 M.Ed. ’10 Secretary Alumni Board Members: George Bennyhoff ’65 Jack P. Childs, III ’67 Edward J. Curvey ’63 Kelly E. Dries ’08 Joseph B. Fite, III ’76 Glenn Gottshalk ’72 Ernest R. Gromlich ’60 William J. Horvath ’70 M.Ed. ’79 Dawn Ketterman-Benner ’70 Deborah A. Kulick ’80 Demetrius Robert Lindsey ’12 Johanna Mazlo ’91 Maury J. Molin ’76 Michael R. Quick ’10 Ritchey J. Ricci ’65 M.Ed. ’72 Paul Scheuch, Jr. ’71 M.Ed. ’77 Kristin M. Hanahan Slipkowsky ’05 Shelley Speirs ’92 Ronald D. Steckel ’71 Richard D. Vroman ’67 Christopher S. Yeager ’74 M.Ed. ’81 Emeriti Eugenia S. Eden ’72 M.Ed. ’76 Bryan L. Hill ’71 Phyllis M. Kirschner ’63 Virginia M. Sten ’71 John T. Lambert ’54 Frank Michael Pullo ’73 Faye D. Soderberg ’58 John E. Woodling ’68 M.Ed. ’76


ESU Alumni Association Board Member Spotlight

Dawn

Ketterman-Benner After graduating from East Stroudsburg University, Dawn Ketterman-Benner ’70 was thrilled to be hired in 1971 by the late Harvey “Gil” Gillespie to be a Moravian College instructor of physical education, the cheerleading-badminton-archery coach, and run the women’s intramural program. She credits Dr. Frank Sills, former president of ESU, for helping her get the job that put her on a successful career path. Ketterman-Benner has credited many of her successes to her ESU education. During the 1980s and 1990s she became active in the Middle Atlantic Conference and was named the Primary Women’s Administrator, a title that would later become Senior Women’s Administrator in Athletics at Moravian College. In 1992, she helped establish Moravian College’s Hall of Fame. Ketterman-Benner was the women’s tennis coach and received her third Conference Coach of the Year Award in 2014; she was also a USTA/Middle States College Coach of the Year two times. During her 43 years at Moravian, she worked to add several women’s sports during the 1970s, started the Moravian College Dance Company, served as an athletic department administrator and chairperson of the Physical Education Department, and compiled winning records as a volleyball and women’s tennis coach. In 2014, she retired as a full professor and was awarded emerita status by President Byron L. Grigsby. On April 21, 2017, she was one of 17 individuals awarded a Moravian Star in celebration of the college’s 275th celebration. While at ESU, Ketterman-Benner was the winner of 12 varsity letters and made the All-Philadelphia team for field hockey twice, her athletic talent noted again in 1991 when she was inducted into the ESU Athletics Hall of Fame for field hockey, gymnastics, and women’s tennis. Ketterman-Benner has remained involved with her alma mater. In 2014, she became a member of the ESU Alumni Association Board of Directors, and in 2015, helped form the ESU Lehigh Valley Alumni Chapter. As Ketterman-Benner begins her second term as an alumni board member, she looks to continue being an ambassador for ESU. Her role as a member of the Outreach Committee of the Alumni Board of Directors allows her to highlight her expertise in engaging and mobilizing alumni. She still also remains very active at Moravian College as an adjunct professor in the education department. esualumni.org 5


If you cut Frank Johnson ’74 he will bleed red and black and for him, the symbol of East Stroudsburg University will always be the proud Native American warrior that represented his alma mater more than 40 years ago. But last fall when Johnson, the president of the Alumni Association Board, listened to ESU student-athletes talk about how the university’s branding campaign had produced a logo that really represented the warrior in them, he was moved. In early September, he walked into a meeting of alumni – some of whom were skeptical about the university’s new logo, mascot and tag line -- and Johnson told them this: We had our time, we enjoyed ESU for what it was, the logos, the branding, the mascot. Now the students of today, it’s their time. So it’s an opportunity for them to own something, to be part of something. His entreaty was a brief but important moment in a two-year rebranding campaign that has changed the university’s symbols in ways that can be seen in everything from the sculpture at the entrance to campus to the two-story image of a warrior inside Koehler Fieldhouse. A transformation is taking place across campus! But as Johnson pointed out, the campaign has had a less tangible effect that is just as real: Students are feeling a renewed sense of pride in being an ESU Warrior, in all its incarnations. That pride, in part, was due to The Big Reveal event on campus in late January. More than 300 students and several dozen faculty and staff members participated in a fashion show that occurred in the Koehler arena. The purpose of the event, which was open to all campus and community members, was to reveal new ESU gear that would be available in the University bookstore and best of all, to reveal the new ESU mascot, The Warrior. More than 1500 people packed Koehler to catch a first glimpse at The Warrior and to check out what many of our student-athletes might be wearing come Fall 2017. Johnson was one of several ESU alumni representing their alma mater at 6 the alumni herald

The Big Reveal, and they were genuinely thrilled that the new mascot and brand identity received such a warm, welcoming reception. Senior Alyssa Simeone, a soccer player majoring in biology, was at The Big Reveal and enjoyed watching fellow students, faculty, staff and alumni as they modeled ESU shirts, uniforms and other garb adorned with the new logos. Performances by the Marching Band, Step Team, Dance Team, Musical Theatre Organization and Vocal Variations led up to the grand entrance of ESU’s new Warrior mascot. A roar went up as The Warrior, clad in a helmet and cape and sporting a sword and a shield, entered the arena. “As soon as I saw the actual mascot, I was like ‘That’s the guy,’” Simeone said. “It felt like a sense of victory that we actually had something to call ourselves as a warrior.” The new logos and the new mascot put the crowning touches on a university-wide marketing and branding initiative that began in Fall 2015 with research to best understand the perceptions of our stakeholders (students – current and prospective, parents, alumni, faculty, staff and community members). Research revealed that students and some alumni had no true connection to the existing ESU identity. “We have experienced three consecutive years of enrollment growth and are appreciative of that,” said Brenda Friday, Ph.D., director of university relations. “But when we discovered there was a disconnect between our stakeholders and our brand, we needed to make a change. ESU is in the crowded Northeast where there is a concentration of colleges and universities competing for the same high school students.

“it was time to develop a

new, bold, confident

brand identity for ESU.”


Students pose in front of the new Warrior painted on the interior walls of Koehler Fieldhouse.

esualumni.org 7


Possibilities on what the new Warrior football uniform could look like were modeled at The Big Reveal. Decisions on final uniforms are still in discussion.

According to Friday, the ESU brand used prior to the new brand identity provided challenges in the modern era. Prior to the launch of the 2017 branding campaign, the university had an institutional logo, created in 1993 to mark the university’s centennial, which didn’t match its athletic logo. ESU had introduced Burgy, a cartoonishlooking bear dressed in a Trojan uniform, as the university’s “No. 1 Fan” to replace the images of a Native American warrior ESU had used until 1995. “We had a university logo created in the early 1990s that used really small type,” Friday said. “The logo was probably very appropriate in its time, but we’ve turned the corner in how we communicate and advertise. Technology has brought us into the digital age and so we needed to create new marks for ESU that are functional and communicate better in all forms of digital and social media.” When Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D., took over as ESU president in 2012, Friday and Welsh began discussing the need to start budgeting for

ESU’s Director of Athletics Joshua Looney unveils the new athletics logo during a press conference held on January 17, 2017, in University Center.

8 the alumni herald

a marketing and branding initiative. Welsh said she showed the old logos to some marketing experts, who confirmed the concerns she and Friday had. “They said the logos are disconnected and are not going to get anybody’s attention,” Welsh said. “In such a competitive world, we really had to step it up to put the university’s best face forward.” In 2014, the university put out a request for proposals for such an initiative and 17 firms responded. The newly formed ESU marketing and branding committee selected Bosack & Co. of Pottsville, Schuylkill County, which has worked on branding and logos for nearly 100 clients in higher education, including Northern Illinois University, University of Houston and Xavier University. For the NCAA, Bosack redesigned all 90 of the logos for its championships across 24 sports in Divisions I, II and III. From the beginning of the ESU rebranding campaign, those spearheading the effort were determined to avoid a battle over the

Alumni participate in the new brand reveal on January 24, 2017, in Koehler Fieldhouse. Pictured, from left, are Dave Super ’80, Maury Molin ’76, Kelsey Kruk ’19, Betty Hay Kruk ’91 and Frank Johnson ’74.


changes by making sure all the stakeholders – students (current and prospective), alumni, faculty, staff, administrators, parents and community members – were invited to have a say in the process. Bosack subcontracted with Copernicus Marketing Consulting and Research (now Isobar) to conduct interviews and research on the perceptions of ESU among the stakeholder groups. The research team was at work through February 2016, collecting and sifting through hundreds of in depth interviews, focus group discussions and survey results. They found that most students and alumni felt they received a great education and were part of a caring community in which faculty and staff were invested in their success. But those surveyed confirmed what Welsh and Friday knew all along; stakeholders couldn’t really identify the logos, a tag line or other symbols associated with the university. “That was really telling for us,” Friday said. With research in place, the Bosack team held several workshops with a wide variety of individuals from the ESU community to develop a brand positioning statement that was true to the research and could also be considered both true and aspirational to the mission, vision and values of the University while also supporting the strategic plan. The positioning statement guided the next steps of the plan – the development of a marketing strategy, a new tagline and advertising plan and (ultimately) a new brand identity.

Athletics and the new brand Until this spring, current and prospective East Stroudsburg University students, alumni and Warriors fans had posed for pictures following events in Koehler Fieldhouse with plain white walls as a backdrop. Now, thanks to the new brand identity and mascot, beaming parents are snapping pictures of their kids and proud Warriors are taking advantage of photo opportunities next to a giant image of ESU’s new Warrior, according to Josh Looney, ESU athletic director. The photos are cropping up on Facebook, Instagram and other social media - important grassroots outreach as the Warriors brand extends from campus to the Poconos and beyond. ESU student-athletes, fans and alumni have shown a strong affinity for the new Warrior which replaced Burgy, the cuddly bear who was created to be the Warriors’ No. 1 fan and represented ESU from 2008 until July 2016. Warriors have been part of the university’s identity since the 1930s, with an image of a Native American warrior representing ESU until 1995, when it was replaced with a logo featuring the word “Warriors” and a horizontal swish mark. ESU made the move in anticipation of the eventual 2005 NCAA ban (with only a few exceptions) on the use of Native American images as mascots by college sports teams during postseason tournaments. The logo allowed the university to continue using the Warriors’ name, but a physical representation was missing. Enter the new Warrior, who was introduced to a cheering crowd of about 1,500 members of the ESU campus community at The Big Reveal on Jan. 24 in Koehler Fieldhouse. Looney said students saw a strong, fearless warrior of whom they could be proud. “We’ve had nothing but great feedback from our student-athletes,” Looney said. The changes in mascot and athletic logos can be seen most prominently at the fieldhouse, where a two-story image of a warrior covers one wall and the slogan “Where Warriors Belong” decorates two others.

The new ESU Warrior makes a grand entrance during The Big Reveal in Koehler Fieldhouse.

The new mascot and compact athletic symbols will also make it easier to design uniforms and are a great improvement over the past hodgepodge of styles, Looney said.

“We had teams that were all over the board in what they were wearing on their jerseys,” he said. “Programs were creating uniforms that were one-offs: it might say ‘ESU’, it might say ‘Warriors’, it might be in block format, it might be in cursive or another font. So we didn’t have anything uniform from team to team.” Uniforms with the new logos will be phased in over time according to the university’s existing replacement plans to ensure cost effectiveness, he said. Emily Howell, a senior field hockey player who is majoring in health and physical education, was part of a focus group when ESU was looking at different versions of warriors for the mascot. She had no problem with the idea that the warrior had a male persona. “It was mentioned at our meeting and none of us really looked at it that way,” Howell said. “We were just happy that it was representing something more than ourselves. People are going to know us now.” That warrior spirit links ESU students past and present. “We try to make folks realize that if you’re a student-athlete here today, there were many who were here before you - you’re not the first soccer player, football player, basketball player who has ever competed here,” said ESU sports information director Greg Knowlden M’04. “We’ve had a longstanding tradition of athletics excellence and there are going to be many who come after you who feel the same way about this school, which is a pretty special thing. The strength of our logo and mascot can play an important role in further building those feelings.” That tradition is clear to Leon John, Jr., director of alumni engagement, who said alumni generally were not keen on Burgy. “This is an easier sell because the warrior is a warrior,” said John, who arrived at ESU almost two years ago. The passion alumni have expressed to him shows ESU is part of them. “There’s a deep affinity for ESU with our alumni,” John said. “The pride that they have in their campus is something I’ve never experienced before.” – By Margie Peterson esualumni.org 9


Where Warriors belong

Taking all of the research and perceptions into consideration, and with a positioning statement in place, Bosack and Co. worked with an ESU team to share some taglines with stakeholders during an open forum. From there, “Where Warriors Belong” became the mantra. (Visit esu.edu/new-brand)

Andrew Kissling, Student Senate president, attended focus groups during the selection process and said he really likes the mascot and the motto “Where Warriors Belong,” which Bosack developed. “It’s not just a traditional warrior, in a sense,” said Kissling, a junior business management major. “It can also be what warriors stand for and what they fight for. So there’s definitely a lot of symbolism behind it.” “Where Warriors Belong” is also Keisha Kauffman’s favorite part of the new brand. A senior majoring in criminal justice and political science, Kauffman was a cheerleading co-captain this year, Student Senate vice president and part of a focus group in the fall that looked at athletic logos. “What a warrior is depends on your perspective so it gives students the freedom to define what a warrior is for themselves,” Kauffman said. “It reiterates that ESU is your home and you know that home is where you belong.” Emily Howell, a senior majoring in health and physical education and a field hockey player, agrees.

With the chosen symbols and tagline, Bosack put together a multimedia awareness campaign. The new institutional logo is topped with “ESU” in white block letters against a red background, which sits above white, silver and black shapes representing the Pocono Mountains with the Delaware Water Gap cutting through. Bosack recommended ESU add silver to its colors to give the university more design options. The main athletic logo has the head of a warrior over the team name Warriors in red and black letters. Around the country, some universities have faced extreme opposition from alumni when they try to change mascots or other symbols. To avoid that, ESU administrators made a special effort to involve alumni in the selection. “Brenda Friday’s office has been enthusiastically open about including alumni in the whole process,” Johnson said. “We appreciate it, we really do.” While the branding campaign is key to attracting new students in a competitive market, it is also aimed at increasing the value of an East Stroudsburg University degree to its alumni. “I think it’s important that we always continue to do a better job of marketing and telling our story for the alumni and not just for recruiting,” Welsh said. “The better we get, the more valuable their education becomes.”

“I feel like ‘Where Warriors Belong’ is such an inclusive statement,” Howell said. “It doesn’t discriminate against race, gender, ethnicity; it includes everybody.”

Students also were invited to weigh in each step of the way.

The new tagline led a natural progression to logo re-design and a new brand identity. Bosack showed designs for possible logos and mascots to different focus groups in the campus community and used the feedback they received to come up with the new symbols.

Mazure said he was impressed with the logos Bosack & Co. created and the way they exude a sense of hip, modern design that still pays tribute to the university’s 124-year-old tradition.

Faculty members weighed in on the selection, including Dave Mazure, associate professor of art + design, who teaches classes in branding.

Show your Warrior pride! Get ESU’s new brand apparel at esu.bncollege.com.

Louis Wein, a junior communication major from Schwenksville, Pa., and Theresa Chey, a junior business management major from Lebanon, Pa., browse the newly branded apparel in the University Store.

10 the alumni herald

Students at The Big Reveal.


“It has a link to our past but also pushes us toward the future,” Mazure said. The marketing campaign that sports the new brand leans heavily on digital advertising. However, in March it came with a new, tastier medium. Taking a page from the University of Oregon, ESU created pizza boxes printed with key facts about the university. It distributed the boxes to pizzerias around the Poconos and the greater Philadelphia area. For its innovations, ESU won three awards in March for billboard, radio and online advertising from College and University Public Relations and Associated Professionals (CUPRAP), an organization of communication professionals in higher education. In a message to the campus in February, Welsh said ESU had spent about $700,000 on the branding and marketing campaign and plans to budget $250,000 a year for advertising and marketing. Student Senate President Kissling said he’s heard good things from students overall about the new logos, tag line and mascot, though there have been a few grumblings about the cost of the campaign. Still, as a junior majoring in business management, Kissling said he understands the need for a strong, distinct, modern brand in marketing and recruiting. “In order to go and attract more students you need to make the college as attractive as possible and branding is definitely a huge aspect of it,” Kissling said. “Long term it’s definitely going to be something beneficial to the university.” – By Margie Peterson

A new visual identity washes over campus From College Circle to Koehler Fieldhouse and the bookstore, changes are under way. Jeff Kicska ’93 and a friend spent 90 minutes on Jan. 17 installing his 6-foot-tall aluminum sculpture of the new East Stroudsburg University logo at the entrance to campus on Prospect Street. It would have been easier if Kicska hadn’t just broken his shoulder in a fall while skiing. Postponing the installation was not an option; the new sculpture had to be in place by noon immediately following President Welsh’s announcement about the new brand identity. And like the website, the banners in front of Abeloff and the new graphics in Koehler Fieldhouse, timing was everything! ESU had hired Kicska, a sign maker and artist who majored in fine art at ESU, to create the new sculpture and he knew university officials wanted it in place to affirm the new brand to the campus and local communities. So in true Warrior spirit, Kicska, owner of And the Sign Says in Palmer Township, took some Advil for his shoulder and went to work. This was not the first time Kiscka was asked to help ESU to tout its true Warrior spirit. Working with John Bloshinski, interim director of facilities management, last year Kicska also created giant vinyl panels with murals of student athletes that are hanging from the back of Eiler-Martin Stadium, overlooking ZimbarLiljenstein hall and the outdoor basketball courts that are best known for alumni tailgating activities during Homecoming. Kiscka is already at work swapping out the center vinyl panel with a new one that features ESU’s new athletic logo and the Warrior brand. Kicska’s sculpture is one of the many manifestations of the new ESU branding campaign that can be seen on campus signs, shuttle buses, murals in Koehler Fieldhouse, gear in the University Store as well as the ESU website, publications and so much more. In addition to Kiscka’s impressive handmade sculpture, ESU’s new athletic logo and tagline were incorporated into a cohesive design that was prominently placed in Koehler’s arena, foyer, coaching offices and some academic classroom areas (specifically athletic training and exercise science) to announce the transformation that is underway.

Photos by Susie Forrester, Bob Weidner and David Kidwell.

“Incorporating ESU’s new brand identity will take time,” according to Dr. Brenda Friday, director of university relations. “But we’re off to a great start. It’s encouraging to see so many students on campus identify as a Warrior. Today’s ESU students have a logo and a mascot that are relatable,” said Friday. “They identify as a Warrior for many varying reasons and we celebrate them all! It was so much fun to see students walk into the arena during their first weeks back from winter break. They were instantly taking out their smart phone to capture images of the new logos and post them on social media. Their enthusiasm continues to be infectious and we know that the sense of positivity it brings to campus will just continue to grow!” The campus bookstore is finding that black T-shirts and hoodies with the new athletic logo are selling well, according to University Store manager Joe Knorr. As it moves the old inventory, the bookstore will stock more variations of the new apparel and memorabilia in the next few months. “There are definitely folks who make the trip specifically for ESU branded items,” Knorr said. In a recent trip to the bookstore, the sales team agreed that the black hoodies are hard to keep in stock. “Off campus, the branding campaign is also making an impact,” according to Friday. Early on, ESU tested a billboard on Route 80 using its new tagline: “ESU - Where Warriors Belong” and Friday received lots of unsolicited, positive feedback from individuals in the business community. She added that ESU also received honors at the 2017 College and University Public Relations and Associated Professionals (CUPRAP) Conference for its marketing and brand identity in the areas of outdoor advertising, as well as radio and online advertising. “Our intent was to raise awareness for East Stroudsburg University while also creating a unified look to our brand. By all indications, we know we’re making a positive impact,” Friday said. As for Jeff Kiscka? “As soon as I got done installing the new ESU sculpture, I went to the emergency room and found out my shoulder was broken,” Kicska said. His shoulder has since healed and his passion for ESU is stronger than ever before. – By Margie Peterson


esu foundation

More than 100 student scholarship recipients attended the Ninth Annual Scholarship Dinner. Photo by Susie Forrester

Annual dinner celebrates the gift of scholarship Student scholarship recipients and donors had the opportunity to get to know one another at the Ninth Annual Scholarship Dinner held April 27 at the Stroudsmoor Country Inn, Stroudsburg. Themed Charting a Limitless Future, the signature event sponsored by the East Stroudsburg University Foundation welcomed nearly 240 guests for a dinner celebration.

Through the East Stroudsburg University Foundation, your Annual or Endowed Scholarship gift is more than a private contribution; it’s personal to you, and especially meaningful to the talented young adults creating their path to success! To learn more about creating an annual or endowed scholarship through the ESU Foundation, go to esufoundation.org or call (570) 422-3333.

“Every year, the ESU Foundation administers hundreds of scholarships. And while providing scholarships to students is just one aspect of our mission, it continues to be a priority,” said Rich Santoro, executive director of the ESU Foundation. “To date this year, I am happy to share that 19 new annual scholarships and seven new endowed scholarships have been established through the generosity of those who believe in ESU and the education it provides.” As of April 2017, the generosity of donors has resulted in more than $727,308 in scholarships for the 2016-2017 academic year. To date, 310 donors have provided scholarship support to more than 434 of ESU’s most talented students, an increase of more than 10.4 percent. Keynote speakers for the dinner were Thomas Grayuski ’84, creator of the Kathy Grayuski ’82 M’88 Memorial Annual Scholarship, and Eric Januszkiewicz ’17, a recent ESU graduate who majored in biology, biochemistry and chemical biotechnology. He was the recipient of the Third Floor Shawnee Hall Alumni Endowed Scholarship, the Robert J. Shields ’55 Endowed Scholarship, and the PA State Employee Credit Union (PSECU) Annual Scholarship. The master of ceremonies for the evening was graduate student Gerdwine Bourdeau, class of 2018 and recipient of the Dr. Rose Mattioli Annual Scholarship. Event sponsors for the dinner were PSECU and The Haverford Trust Company.

From left: Eric Herner, class of 2017, Robert Kearn ’58 and Anne Kearn at the Annual Scholarship Dinner. Photo by Susie Forrester


Foundation, campus community takes the day to thank local donors The East Stroudsburg University Foundation participated in its first Giving Tuesday on November 29, 2016. Thanks to more than 200 alumni, students, faculty, staff, parents and friends, and generous challenge gifts from ESU Foundation Board members and President Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D., the foundation exceeded its $30,000 goal, raising $36,605 in one day. These funds were directed toward student scholarships, academic programs, research initiatives, campus programs, extracurricular activities and athletics. Throughout the day, the campus community and ESU’s network of alumni, parents and friends came together to support various academic, athletic and extracurricular programs and scholarship funds. Through a lively social media campaign, donors shared

their giving stories and encouraged classmates and friends to join them in supporting the ESU Foundation for Giving Tuesday. On campus, the ESU Foundation hosted “Thank a Donor Day” for faculty, staff and local donors. Guests mingled with students and saw how their gifts directly impact the campus community. Featured at the event was an area designated for students to write thank you notes to donors. Students also had the opportunity to participate by making a gift to the ESU Foundation Warrior Fund. Members of Warrior Elite, the ESU student ambassador program, collected gifts from more than 25 students. “It was encouraging to see the campus community unite for this campaign. We were inspired by the way faculty, staff and students all stepped up to invest in their university,” said ESU Foundation Executive Director Rich Santoro. “We truly appreciate the way everyone came together for our students. We are especially grateful for our matching gift donors who helped increase the impact of every gift.” The foundation has begun planning for its next Giving Tuesday campaign to be held on November 28, 2017.

Rachel Williams, class of 2020, left, and Olivia Schneider, class of 2018, sign donor thank you cards during the ESU Foundation’s Thank A Donor Day Luncheon in the University Center. The event was part of the foundation’s Giving Tuesday campaign on November 29, 2016. Photo by Susie Forrester

esualumni.org 13


esu foundation East Stroudsburg University Foundation

2016-2017 Board of Directors Robert Willever ’75, Chairman President, Willever Wealth Management

Raymond Hamlin ’86, Esq Attorney, Hunt, Hamlin & Ridley

Dr. Frank M. Pullo ’73 M’76 Vice Chairman Retired Faculty, East Stroudsburg University

Harry F. Lee, Esq., Council of Trustees Liaison Attorney, Lee Law Offices

Chris Yeager ’74 M’81, Secretary Pro Tem, Alumni Association Liaison Retired Principal and School Superintendent Robert A. Shebelsky, Treasurer Chairman, Deputy Real Estate Holdings LLC. William B. Cramer, Esq. Attorney, Cramer, Swetz, McManus & Jordan, P.C. MaryEllen Dickey ’80 Senior Vice President of Advancement Diakon Senior Living Services Diakon Child, Family and Community Ministries

Marilouise McNally Chief A.A., Pocono International Raceway, Inc. Gary S. Olson ’76 President and CEO, ESSA Bank & Trust Anthony Pasqua ’00 Chief Operating Officer, Snow Park Capital Partners Dr. Elizabeth Leigh Smith, Faculty Liaison Associate Professor of English, East Stroudsburg University

of giving

back

Adam S. Stauffer ’00 M’02 Executive Director of Principal Gifts and Planned Giving Lafayette College

James Evans ’07 President, Gannon Wealth Security Partners

Louis Wein, ESU Student Liaison Class of 2018

Members Emeriti

Current Faculty/staff giving

William B. Cramer, Esq. Legal Counsel and Emerita Attorney, Cramer, Swetz, McManus & Jordan, P.C. Past chair, served 1987-2001 John T. Lambert ’54 Retired Superintendent East Stroudsburg School District Served 1989-2000 Rosemary Driebe Olofsson Executive Vice President Pocono Pro Foods Past chair, served 1987-1999 14 the alumni herald

Campaign Goal

The East Stroudsburg University Foundation kicked off its Faculty and Staff Campaign in April 2017. Spearheaded by campaign co-chairs Bob Moses, director of residence life & housing, and Dr. Leigh Smith, associate professor of English and 16 committee members, the campaign encourages employees to make a gift, of any size, to the Foundation in support of ESU students. The goal is not measured in dollars but to demonstrate support for the university through involvement. “This year, our primary focus was on awareness. Our current faculty and staff participation rate is at 14 percent, but we hope that number will continue to grow,” said Rich Santoro, executive director of the ESU Foundation. “This campaign is really about educating our community about the needs of our students and increasing this participation rate.” “I believe each of us has a responsibility, perhaps even an obligation, to give something back to the community in which we live and work. I feel we should give of our time, of our talents, and of our treasures,” said Moses. “At the end of the campaign, we want to say that 25 percent of our faculty and staff participated.” Through on-campus letters, presentations at university gatherings and individual meetings with departments, the committee reached out to about 750 employees of ESU and its affiliate organizations.


“We are encouraging people to find something that moves them,” said Moses. Almost every department has scholarships within it, but donors could also give to the student emergency fund, department or program funds, special projects, like the turf field renovations, or the Warrior Fund, to support the university’s greatest needs. With a majority of ESU’s students requiring some type of financial assistance, their success is often dependent on scholarship support. “In these tight financial times, effective recruitment and retention are vital for ESU to continue flourishing and are the concern of all university employees. To continue recruiting and retaining our fine, hardworking students, we must close the gap between their financial needs and the assistance available to them,” said Smith on the importance of the campaign.

The Warrior Fund makes great things possible. The East Stroudsburg University Foundation Warrior Fund helps graduates realize their dreams. Support of scholarships, athletics, technology improvements, faculty research projects and other critical needs, prepares ESU students to compete and succeed in a global market.

Make your gift online at esufoundation.org/givenow or call 570-422-3333 for personal attention.

The Faculty and Staff Campaign also plays an important role in helping the Foundation secure major gifts from community, corporate and foundation partners. When those closest to the organization support it, it serves as a vote of confidence for the institution and inspires gifts from others. “By increasing the proportion of faculty and staff who contribute to the Foundation, we can help our students succeed in two ways: by directly increasing the various scholarship funds—we encourage faculty and staff to choose the one that matters most to them—and by showing potential donors the level of our commitment to student success,” said Smith. “The Foundation is grateful to all of the faculty and staff who participate in giving back to our students,” said Santoro. “We are especially appreciative of the work that the committee has done to increase awareness about philanthropy on campus.” “I hope our faculty and staff will help support our students by continuing to donate to the ESU Foundation’s Faculty and Staff Campaign to increase scholarships at the university,” said Moses. The campaign will run through the end of the fiscal year, on June 30, 2017.

Faculty & Staff Campaign Committee Joseph Akob

Antonio Orlando, Jr.

Dr. Margaret Ball

Joni Oye-Benintende

Dr. Anthony Drago ‘76

William Parrish

Darlene Farris-LaBar

Dr. Elaine M. Shuey

Dr. Heather Garrison ‘95 M’98

Dr. Nancy VanArsdale

Dr. John Kraybill-Greggo

Dr. Nancy Weaver ‘74 M’78

Dr. Sheila Handy

Jeff Wilson ‘86

Carol Miller ‘81

Dr. Martin Wilson M’84

– By Lori Gilio

Do Your Part in Supporting Our Students

Faculty and staff can give directly online at www.esufoundation.org/givenow. For personal assistance, please call 570-422-3333. Payments through automatic payroll deduction are also available. esualumni.org 15


campus news

April 2-8

Held on College Circle, the World Fair featured international music, food and activities from across the globe. Photos by Susie Forrester

16 the alumni herald

The Pulse Memorial was a temporary sculpture honoring those killed at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla., on June 12, 2016. Photos by Susie Forrester


Katie KcGinty speaks with students about engaging a new generation in politics. McGinty was an environmental advisor to the Clinton Administration and served as secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection in the cabinet of Gov. Ed Rendell. Photo by Michael Cuff

Students take part in a Disability Simulation held in the Linden Hall Lounge. Photo by Susie Forrester

Be the Change

Flags hung across College Circle for the World Fair. Photo by Susie Forrester

Sponsored by the Student Activity Association, Global Week engages students, faculty and staff in a cultural celebration of international traditions and promotes conversations of diversity, social justice, equality, and service. Dozens of events were held throughout campus during the week-long program.

Pulse: Still Beating welcomed survivors of the Pulse night club shooting in Orlando, Fla., to speak to students. Pictured, from left, are: shooting survivor Neema Bahrami; Khalisha Pressley; survivor Isaiah Henderson; survivor Luis Roldan; and Fernando Alcántar, director of student engagement for SAA. Pressley and Henderson lost their mother in the June 12, 2016, attack. Photo by Michael Cuff

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life was held overnight in Koehler Fieldhouse. Photo by Cole Kresch

esualumni.org 17


campus news

MLK Jr. Awards acknowledge university and community leaders Annual celebration features renowned author Carey Casey

East Stroudsburg University welcomed nearly 400 campus and community members to the 20th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Breakfast held on January 16, 2017, in the Mattioli Recreation Center. The theme of this year’s breakfast was “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend” and featured keynote speaker Carey Casey, chief executive officer of the National Center for Fathering. The 2017 Martin Luther King Jr. Awards were presented to one student, one faculty member, one staff member and one member of the local community who exemplify characteristics of Dr. King’s philosophy of non-violence, equality, justice, cultural diversity and respect for humanity.

Keynote Speaker Carey Casey

Ashlyn Jackson, a junior majoring in biology from Harrisburg, Pa., received the University Student Award. T. Storm Heter, Ph.D., associate professor of philosophy, received the University Faculty Award while the University Staff Award was presented to Cornelia Sewell-Allen, dean of student life. Virginia Kirkwood is the recipient of the Community Member Award. Kirkwood is the director/co-owner of The Shawnee Group. Three students were recipients of the Gertrude Mary Smith Boddie Scholarship Fund: Janet Sue Jin Ro, a junior majoring in nursing from East Stroudsburg, Pa., Tamar Cato, a sophomore majoring in social work from Stroudsburg, Pa., and Francina E. Phillips, a sophomore majoring in political science from Easton, Pa.

Recipients of the 2017 Martin Luther King Jr. Awards are, from left, T. Storm Heter, Ph.D., Cornelia Sewell-Allen, Virginia Kirkwood, and Ashlyn Jackson. Photos by Susie Forrester

Campus gives back during Day of Service Students, faculty, staff and alumni welcomed students from Head Start of Monroe County on February 2, 2017, for a day of service in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Students from the Head Start program and their families participated in an afternoon of activities related to science, physical activity, reading and the arts. The day of service event was held after the MLK holiday when students were back on campus and could be involved.

Photo by Susie Forrester

18 the alumni herald

Fifty-five entries were submitted to the annual Julianna V. Bolt art contest. Christie Lee from Stroudsburg High School won first place, Emily Loughery from East Stroudsburg High School South earned second place, and Sidney Lang from Stroudsburg High School was awarded third place. Hannah Defino and Maggie Gavin both from Stroudsburg High School were awarded honorable mention.


Philly Pretzel founder kicks off first entrepreneur speaker series

ESU President Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D., and Philly Pretzel Factory CEO and co-founder Dan DiZio ’95. Photo by Bob Wiedner

East Stroudsburg University launched its President’s Distinguished Entrepreneur Speaker Series on April 4, 2017, to a packed Beers Lecture Hall. The inaugural event featured entrepreneur Dan DiZio ’95, CEO and co-founder of the Philly Pretzel Factory, who shared his start-up story, along with its challenges, successes, and everything he’s learned on the journey. After graduating from ESU, DiZio worked as a stockbroker before he and his college roommate, Len Lehman ’94, agreed to take the plunge, starting a business together. DiZio presented a plan to Lehman to go into the pretzel business. It was something he knew a little bit about given at the age of 11 he would help a neighbor sell bags of fresh pretzels to drivers stopped at red lights in northeast Philadelphia.

The two purchased a 1920’s pretzel-making machine, rented space in northeast Philadelphia, and by 1998 Philly Pretzel Factory was up and running. Through hard work, perseverance, and knowledge picked up along the way, Philly Pretzel Factory has

The President’s Distinguished Entrepreneur Speaker Series brings entrepreneurs to campus to talk about the various challenges they’ve faced in their careers as well as life experiences and educational opportunities that have guided them on their journey.

Choose ESU’s One Book, One Campus For Your Summer Reading Pleasure Looking for a great book to read this summer? Alumni and friends are invited and encouraged to place the 2017-2018 selection for ESU’s One Book, One Campus program on your summer reading list and be prepared to participate in book discussions throughout the Fall 2017 semester. Now heading into its fifth year, ESU’s One Book, One Campus program will feature The Glass Castle, a memoir by Jeannette Walls. The author herself said, “One benefit of summer was that each day we had more light to read by.” The Glass Castle is “a story of triumph against all odds,” according to the official publisher webpage (simonandschuster.com). The One Book selection committee aims to choose a book each year that will engage readers in considering the implications of the work relevant to a theme of current social issues. Themes found in this year’s book include alcoholism, poverty, and unconditional love. The purpose of the One Book, One Campus program at ESU is to promote reading and to unify the campus, regional, and alumni communities through shared content, discussions, activities, conversations and an essay competition. Get your copy of The Glass Castle at the University Store or esu.bncollege.com, and be part of the conversation. For more information about the One Book, One Campus program, visit esu.edu/onebook

grown to more than 200 locations in 19 states. The company now boasts sales of more than $70 million, and will sell more than 175 million pretzels this year. In 2012, DiZio appeared on the reality TV series “Undercover Boss.”

Alumni entrepreneurs interested in sharing their stories should contact the ESU Office of Alumni Engagement at esualumni@esu.edu or by calling 570-422-3194.

Seated from left to right: Linda Niedbala, Yvonne Troiani Sweeney, and Yvonne’s husband, Chris Sweeney. Second row: Sam Niedbala, Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D., president of ESU, Glen Finney, M.D, Laura Waters, R.N., Ph.D., associate professor and chair of ESU’s nursing department, and Christopher Sweeny III. Photo by Bob Wiedner

Annual nursing lecture focuses on 21st century cognitive care The Yvonne Troiani Sweeney Endowed Lecture Series for Nursing Enrichment at ESU was held in the ESU Innovation Center on April 6, 2017. This year’s keynote address by Glen R. Finney, M.D. was titled “21st Century Cognitive Care.” Dr. Finney is a board certified behavioral neurologist and director of aging brain and behavioral neurology for the Geisinger Health System. Yvonne Troiani Sweeney ’78 dedicated her life to her nursing career that spanned 30 years until she was diagnosed with a form of early onset dementia called posterior cortical atrophy. In 2014 her sister, Linda Niedbala ’83, with the help of her husband, Sam Niedbala ’82, started the lecture series in her honor. esualumni.org 19


campus news

Grant awards total more than $1.9 million

Full scale Starbucks opens

in Lower Dansbury on April 26.

in 2015-2016

Annual luncheon recognizes achievements, research and creative pursuits. As homage to ESU’s Strategic Plan, Students First: Innovate ESU, the university recognized faculty, staff and students at the annual Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Recognition Luncheon held on March 22, 2017. The event held at ESU’s Innovation Center highlighted the diligence and innovation from the campus community, celebrating successes in scholarship, creative pursuits, entrepreneurship and research. More than 60 faculty and staff members were acknowledged at the luncheon for grant-funded activity that totaled $1,947,159 in awards during the 2015-2016 fiscal year. Notably, this number does not reflect a request made during that time to the National Science Foundation for $4 million dollars which was awarded in the months following the close of that fiscal year. This award, supporting the program Clear Path, provides scholarships for transfer students at community colleges coming to ESU for bachelor’s degrees in STEM fields. In addition, the grant supports invaluable science education research. Innovative activities showcased at the luncheon included students from Art + Design who presented their talents in 3D printing. The artists, all working in the student-run design agency New Mind Design, demonstrated ingenuity in designing prototypes that enhance the quality of life for a disabled runner and a maimed duck named Scoby who, with his new 3D printed prosthetic leg, will have the ability to waddle once again. – By Sarah Weber ‘07 M’17 To see the 2015-2016 Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities publication noting all achievements, visit www.esu.edu/red/ospr/annual_report.cfm.

20 the alumni herald

Top: Ribbon cutting participants include, from left: Doreen Tobin, D.Ed., vice president for student affairs; Paul D’Imperio, food service committee member; President Welsh; Andrew Kissling, student senate president; and Nancy Weaver, Ph.D., food service liaison and assistant to the vice president. Bottom: The Warrior has trouble deciding between a nonfat mocha and a caramel macchiato at the opening of Starbucks in Lower Dansbury. Photos by Bob Weidner

The project Birds of a Feather represents one of the first social enterprises submitted to ESU’s Entrepreneurship Across the Colleges grant program. The project directors used the C.R.E.A.T.E. Lab to bring professors and students from multiple disciplines together to interact with like-minded ESU innovators and entrepreneurs. As a recruitment tool, Professor David Mazure designed socks which student attendees were given for free. The collaborative group decided to funnel the spirit of entrepreneurism into a social mission and began to sell those same socks and donated the proceeds to a charity that students collectively chose. Photo by Susie Forrester


Published Books by Members of the Academic Community STEPHANIE DAVENTRY FRENCH

MAUREEN McLAUGHLIN

College of Arts & Sciences | Theatre

College of Education | Reading

Experiencing Stanislavsky Today: Training and Rehearsal for the Psychophysical Actor (with Philip G. Bennett) Routledge This pioneering introduction to Stanislavsky’s methods and modes of actor training covers all of the essential elements of his System. Recreating “truthful” behavior in the artificial environment, awareness and observation, psychophysical work, given circumstances, visualization and imagination and active analysis are all introduced and explored.

CAROLINE DIPIPI-HOY College of Education | Special Education and Rehabilitation

Teaching Time Management Skills to Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (with Daniel Steere) AAPC Publishing This publication presents ways to facilitate timemanagement skills for learners with autism spectrum disorder. The book encompasses individuals across the lifespan, as time management is a skill that can be developed throughout one’s life. An individual with ASD may quickly learn time-telling skills; however, simply being able to tell time does not necessarily lead to time-management skills.

SHANNON FRYSTAK College of Arts and Sciences | History

Louisiana Women: Their Lives and Times, Volume II (Co-Editor with Mary Farmer-Kaiser) University of Georgia Press This volume highlights the significant historical contributions of some of Louisiana’s most noteworthy and also overlooked women from the eighteenth century to the present. The book underscores the cultural, social and political distinctiveness of the state and showcases the actions and activities of women who greatly affected the history of Louisiana in profound and interesting ways.

ANNIE MENDOZA

Content area reading: Teaching and learning for college and career readiness (2nd ed.) Pearson A comprehensive resource for future and in-service middle school teachers, Content Area Reading, 2/e provides a unique, Common Core-based, studentcentered approach using innovative features to help students make connections between what they read and how they apply it in the classroom; the book translates theory into practice through a wide range of innovative instructional approaches.

Inside the Common Core classroom: Meeting the ELA standards in Grades 6-8 Pearson An indispensable guide for all who teach in grades six through eight as well as curriculum directors, reading specialists, literacy coaches and school administrators, Inside the Common Core Classroom: Meeting the ELA standards in Grades 6-8 is the middle-grade volume of Pearson’s definitive new series on the Common Core State Standards. It provides essential information about the Common Core initiative, insights into the standards, practical classroom strategies and vignettes from Common Core-aligned classrooms.

Struggling Readers in Grades 3-8: Teaching and engaging (with Timothy V. Rasinksi) International Reading Association Teaching struggling students to become active, engaged, and successful readers is the focus of this idea-filled, comprehensive teaching resource. In this volume, best-selling authors Maureen McLaughlin and Tim Rasinski explore the multifaceted nature of struggling readers, provide practical approaches to teaching, and detail the roles that motivation and engagement play in the process. The book features a strong research base, a sound theoretical framework and numerous practical ideas for teaching struggling readers.

College of Arts and Sciences | Modern Languages

Rewriting the Nation: Novels by Women on Violence in Colombia Tempe (Arizona): Asociación Internacional de Literatura y Cultura Feminina Hispánica (AILCFH) This book discusses the patriarchy and ideology of the novel. It is a space for feminist depictions of Colombia’s violence in the 1960s; re-examines the Masacre de las Bananeras, and explores how Colombian female novelists “re-write” la violencia.

JINGFENG XIA Dean of Kemp Library

Scholarly Communication at the Crossroads in China, 1st Edition Chandos Publishing Scholarly Communication at the Crossroads in China follows the dichotomy paradox and focuses on both achievements and challenges at every step of the scholarly communication process, highlighting Insights and trends in the academic infrastructure and scholarly behaviors within the context of local economic, political, and technological development. Since China adopted an open-door policy in the late 1970s, it has experienced a dramatic economic transformation. With a growth rate of around 10% over the past three decades, China is now the second largest economy by nominal gross domestic product and by purchasing power parity in the world. Economic success has impelled restructurings in almost all aspects of social and cultural settings. Among other changes, new pursuits of education, research, and scholarship have redefined the academic community with its development across generations and ideologies.

esualumni.org 21


alumni news

Your breath instantly freezes in the -50F air, so you can expect to pick up a lot of ice during a 3-hour ski trip! Photo by Jonathan Weber ’15

To the Bottom of the Globe and Back 22 the alumni herald


Since earning his bachelor’s degrees in computer science and computer security, Jonathan Weber ’15 has been busy. He is an entrepreneur who runs several tech companies including Marathon Studios, Inc. and TickChek.com.

A “Sun Dog,” a 360-degree rainbow formed by ice crystals, circles the sun over the Antarctic plateau.

Last spring, after watching a documentary on Antarctica, he became curious about opportunities there. He discovered that the U.S. Antarctic Program at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station was hiring research station staff for the upcoming season. He applied in March, received a job offer in April, and completed the required tests and interviews by September. By mid-October he was flying to the South Pole. “Antarctica lurks on the edge of your maps, on the bottom of the globe, and you never meet anyone who’s been there to tell you about it,” said Weber, an East Stroudsburg native. “I’ve always been fascinated by Antarctica. This time I decided to do something about it.”

Antarctic Program members offloading from an Air Force C-17 on arrival at McMurdo Station, Antarctica.

The physical preparation was thorough. Weber’s medical clearance included having all four wisdom teeth removed (which was done preventively, as there is no dental care available at the research station) and undergoing rigorous physical training to ensure he could acclimate to the harsh environment and thin air. He also underwent a background check, drug test, and stringent psychological exam. The South Pole Station is one of the premier locations for field research in cosmology, climatology, and geology. Weber, who was one of about 120 other people there, was assigned as the senior computer technician on the station. His responsibilities were to ensure the computer systems were free from bugs and technical glitches. He also maintained the radio system, was a hoist operator, and served as a medical dispatcher on the Trauma Emergency Response Team.

Antarctic Program members arriving at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station at the beginning of the season

Weber at the Geographic South Pole in Antarctica.

Weber enjoyed the opportunity to grow his skillset in ways he never dreamed were possible. “I was surprised at how quickly I adapted to the environment,” he said. “After this experience, I truly believe that humans can adapt to just about any situation, including deep space travel and By Debbie Burke colonizing other planets.” Photos by Jonathan Weber ’15


alumni news

A LUMNI SPOTLIGHT

me back once a year to perform. I knew my music had a message that students could relate to because I was not the only one going through hard times, and my music portrayed that. I organized “Shine Forth,” a free, all day, music event on campus during my junior year at ESU. As a result of the event, I received a leadership award and was later invited to speak on campus at an Emerging Leaders seminar for the students. I gained much confidence in those days with ESU providing a platform to showcase my abilities. Upon graduating, I began dedicating my life at Labor of Love USA, a ministry in East Stroudsburg where my parents have pastored for over 30 years. My Labor of Love USA team and I, many of whom are ESU alumni, started the ESU Awakening in 2007. Besides singing the National Anthem at many sporting events and being involved over the years performing with the ESU Voices of Triumph gospel choir, this is one of the greatest ways I still give back to ESU. The Awakening meets weekly on campus. It’s a program open to students where we use music and the performing arts to bring to life the message of the Bible. We use improv, comedy and interactive games. I love what I do, and I love hearing from students on how the program has changed their lives. In 2006, our ministry began a summer basketball program for kids ages 10-22. It has quickly grown to over 300 participants at Dansbury Park in East Stroudsburg. In 2007, I went to local second chance school, P.A. Treatment & Healing, for troubled kids. In 2008, my team and I wrote an original Christmas comedy, “Change, The Musical.” The show is about a magical quarter that comes to life and brings “change” to the fictional town of Stroudsville. For many, the holidays are a difficult time with the pain of losing someone you love, which is a pain I can relate to.

By Robin Smith ’04 You can probably remember when you arrived on campus for the first time as a freshman. Your emotions ranged from excitement, fear, anxiousness, or maybe you said a prayer similar to mine, “God, please don’t let me trip or do anything embarrassing on my first day.” Incidentally, I tripped going up the stairwell in Stroud Hall, notebooks sprawled everywhere. I am naturally a shy and quiet individual. Years of being pushed by others who saw greatness in me have made me the woman I am today.

In 2013, I was selected as one of the Pocono Record’s, “40 Under 40.” The article featured 40 movers and shakers under the age of 40 making a difference in the community. In 2014, we held our first women’s conference, “Worthy of Love” that brought a message to women of their worth and value. I was singing annually before hundreds at the Pocono Leadership Prayer Breakfast, which is the largest prayer breakfast of its kind with 700 people from the Pocono area in attendance. I received calls throughout the year to sing God Bless America or the National Anthem at political events. In 2014, I was a guest of Senator Mario Scavello to say a prayer and then sing God Bless America on the floor of the State Capitol. I was also asked to sing the National Anthem at President –Elect Donald Trump’s rally at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes Barre, Pa., and again at his rally the night before the election in Scranton, Pa.

While attending ESU, two of my friends were tragically killed. It was a very difficult time for me especially in the area of my faith. I had already lost a sister in a car accident which left traumatic effects on my family. I came to a crossroads in my life. I could allow what I was going through to discourage me or, I could use my gift of music and faith to believe God had a plan despite what I could understand. I chose the latter.

In 2015, we tragically lost my brother Jason. We had performed music together for years, and opened up for country music star Kellie Pickler in 2013. At his funeral we handed out hundreds of CD’s of our music. Although I’ve recorded my music in the studio in the past, I am looking forward to recording new music because there are so many additional chapters in my life. I currently perform and write music with my youngest brother Casey and sister Kimberly. I have a deep love for God, country, and people. I am fortunate enough to do it with those I love.

Singing was my outlet. My dad taught me that a song was more than just a nice sound and it had the ability to inspire someone again, or bring hope to a broken heart. While at ESU, I began to teach myself piano and write music. I went to the Student Activities Association on campus and asked if I could sing in the Late Night Cafe. They still bring

In 2016, I was the recipient of the ESU Young Alumni Award at my alma mater that I love. Although I have so much more to do, somehow I feel I have already accomplished far above all I’ve ever imagined. I am proud to be an ESU warrior and will continue to encourage students to be all God’s called them to be.

24 the alumni herald


Lights, Camera, ACTION!

East Stroudsburg University will put on the glitz for Homecoming Weekend 2017! Hollywood Homecoming from October 20-22, 2017, will include events for alumni of all generations, including class reunions, the all alumni tailgate and football game, as well as the Annual Alumni Awards that celebrates ESU’s most accomplished alumni and friends. “ The ESU Office of Alumni Engagement is hard at work preparing for what promises to be another fun-filled and amazing Homecoming Weekend,” said Leon John, Jr., director of alumni engagement. “We’re adding several classes who will be holding milestone reunions this year and committees for each group are in the planning and outreach phases.” Classes holding reunions are: • Class of 1957 will hold its 60th Anniversary Reunion • Class of 1967 will hold its 50th Anniversary Reunion • Class of 1992 will hold its 25th Anniversary Reunion

While the schedule of events continues to firm up, some details are available. The Class of 1967 will hold a banquet at the Shawnee Inn on October 20, 2017, as well as an exclusive 50th Reunion Tailgate Class Party in Zimbar-Liljenstein Hall on October 21, 2017, before the football game. The Class of 1957 will hold a class party on campus while volunteers from the class of 1977 and 1992 are mobilizing to ensure alumni return to campus for the their festivities. More details will be made available as they are confirmed at www.esu.edu/homecoming. Homecoming is a celebration for all Warriors and events are scheduled for every age, said John, including the Annual Alumni Awards dinner, a Young Alumni Post-Bonfire Happy Hour at the Warrior Bar and Grill, an alumni vs. student flag football game, campus tours throughout the weekend, a carnival for alumni, students and their families and a brunch at the Schisler Natural History Museum and McMunn Planetarium.

Alumni should check their email for Homecoming information in the coming months, or visit www.esu.edu/homecoming frequently as events and details are added. Questions? Contact the ESU Office of Alumni Engagement at (570) 422-3270 or email esualumni@esu.edu.

There’s nothing like coming home!

Homecoming Weekend 2017

October 20-22

Return to ESU for a weekend of friendship, memories and WARRIOR PRIDE Remembrance Day Alumni Awards and Reunion Banquet Reunions for the Class of 1957, 1967 and 1992 Bonfire Annual All Alumni Tailgate ESU Warriors vs Millersville football game Brunch and Planetarium Show Campus Tours and MORE!

Check esualumni.org/homecoming frequently as information and events are added.


alumni news

3rd Floor Shawnee Hall group gathers for a reunion Alumni and friends gathered at ESU’s Koehler Fieldhouse on January 14, 2017, for a reunion and to cheer on the men’s basketball team versus Slippery Rock. ESU President Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D., attended along with alumni that previously lived on the 3rd Floor of Shawnee Hall and those who have contributed to the 3rd Floor Shawnee Scholarship. Alumni enjoyed ESSC yearbooks and group photographs from the 1970s. ESU Alumni Association Board of Directors President Frank Johnson ’74 presented a poster with a collage of photographs that have been taken with the 3rd Floor Shawnee group over the years. A re-creation of a group photograph was taken in front of the newly painted interior of Koehler Fieldhouse.

warriors College of Business & Management alumni, faculty reconnect Fifteen College of Business & Management staff, faculty and alumni gathered at the Hyatt House in King of Prussia, Pa., for a happy hour and networking event on November 16, 2016. Many alumni were able to reconnect not only with their fellow classmates, but also with several of their favorite faculty members. Among those who attended was Dr. Tribhuvan Puri, dean of the College of Business and Management.

Photo by Leon John, Jr.

Warriors connect in the Sunshine State Close to 100 alumni and friends of East Stroudsburg University attended three events over four days at different locations in the state of Florida. Also in attendance were ESU President Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D., members of the ESU Foundation, staff from the Office of Alumni Engagement and members of the East Stroudsburg University Alumni Association Board of Directors. Each event was hosted by resident alumni in coordination with the Office of Alumni Engagement. Palm Coast David ’76 and Moira ’77 Hair hosted a Photos by Leon John, Jr. happy hour and dinner on February 21 at the Cypress Knoll Golf & Country Club in Palm Coast, Fla. More than 20 alumni and friends were in attendance, including former ESU alumni staff member Bob Kelley ’71.This was the first event of its kind on the East Coast of Florida. Hosts David and Moira are hoping to grow the event next year to include a golf outing. Suncoast Chapter Englewood Golf Outing and Luncheon. The Villages Sandra “Pinky” O’Neil-Seiler ’57 hosted an annual happy hour and dinner on February 23 in The Villages, Fla. In its seventh year, the event attracted 22 alumni and friends of the university. ESU Foundation staff shared information about the recent university rebranding initiative and other updates from campus. Inaugural Palm Coast happy hour and dinner.

Alumni and friends gather in The Villages for dinner.

26 the alumni herald

Englewood Dick ’57 and Joan ’67 Merring hosted the annual Suncoast Chapter Golf Outing and Luncheon on February 24 at the Myakka Pines Golf Club in Englewood, Fla. President Welsh spoke to more than 45 alumni and friends in attendance, sharing news of programs and growth at ESU. Dick and Joan also provided an update to the chapter and spoke about the annual Suncoast Chapter Scholarship. Frank Johnson ’76, president of the ESU Alumni Association Board of Directors, gave a board update and appealed for fresh ideas to grow the chapter.

Left: Danielle Zuccarini ’13, Danielle Ingraham Werkheiser ’07, Carol Miller ’84 and Alison Hayes ’11. Right: Dr. Tribhuvan Puri and Dr. Robert McMullin, M.A. ’94 Photos by Leon John, Jr.

COBM alumni host event at Morton’s The Steakhouse ESU College of Business and Management alumni gathered March 29, 2017, for lunch and to network at Morton’s The Steakhouse in New York City. ESU President Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D., attended the event along with COBM faculty, staff, and alumni. The event was planned by COBM faculty and alumnus John Janeczko ’15.

Photo by Leon John, Jr.


connecting Photo by Leon John, Jr.

Wrestling alumni cheer on ESU wrestlers Alumni connect for Philadelphia Flyers game More than 40 ESU alumni and friends came together at McFadden’s at Citizen’s Bank Park in Philadelphia on April 8, 2017, to enjoy a preevent happy hour prior to a hockey game between the Philadelphia Flyers and the Columbus Blue Jackets. The alumni mingled and spoke about their memories of ESU, comparing their experiences and how campus has changed through the years. The group was excited for the game and enjoyed the raffle that was held to win new ESU gear and giveaways with the new Warrior brand.

More than 40 wrestling alumni and friends came together at Koehler Fieldhouse on February 10, 2017, for the Wrestling Annual Alumni Night. Wrestling Head Coach Joey Rivera and Angelo Borzio ’95 spoke about new opportunities and the current scholarship fundraising campaign that will enhance the wrestling program. Athletics Director Joshua Looney also spoke about the university’s vision for the entire athletic department.

Men’s and Women’s soccer alumni return for annual game Men’s and Women’s Head Soccer Coach Rob Berkowitz hosted an alumni day at Eiler-Martin Stadium on April 8, 2017. Both men’s and women’s alumni teams took on the varsity teams in two separate games. Between the action, the ESU Office of Alumni Engagement hosted a barbecue lunch for alumni and families. More than 60 alumni returned to play and reconnect with one another. The event is a yearly tradition for the soccer program. Also at the event was ESU President Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D., and staff from the ESU Foundation.

Photo by Jessica Schultz ’16

Phantoms game brings ESU alumni together

Annual Cherry Blossom Brunch features campus, athletic updates

More than More than 30 alumni and friends attended the Lehigh Valley Phantoms vs. Hartford Wolf Pack hockey game at the PPL Center in Allentown, Pa., on February 18, 2017. Prior to the game, the group gathered at the Roar Social House on Hamilton Street for happy hour. The event was planned by the Lehigh Valley Chapter of the ESU Alumni Association.

More than 30 alumni and friends of ESU gathered at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Va., on April 2, 2017, for the Annual Cherry Blossom Brunch. Hosted by Tom ’57 and Jean ’58 Leshko, the event featured speakers Marcia G. Welsh, Ph.D., president of ESU, and Joshua Looney, director of athletics. Looney updated alumni on athletic programs, including details on the recently painted Koehler Fieldhouse and future plans for renovations of facilities. Dr. Welsh shared news of the recent rebranding initiative and new institutional and athletics logos. Chapter organizers are seeking ideas for upcoming events, including a possible Washington Nationals game in the fall.

Photo by Leon John, Jr.

Women’s soccer alumnae enjoy lunch at the alumni barbecue. Photo by Bob Weidner

Alumni and friends at DelCo/ChesCo Holiday Happy Hour. Photo by Leon John, Jr.

DelCo/ChesCo chapter celebrates the holidays The DelCo/ChesCo Chapter of the ESU Alumni Association hosted a Holiday Happy Hour on December 8, 2016. More than 20 alumni and friends gathered at the Iron Hill Brewery in Media, Pa., to reconnect. Cara Feehan Miller ’01 and Griggs Levy ’01 planned the event.

Lehigh Valley Chapter meets up for holiday fun On December 9, 2016, alumni, board members and friends gathered at ESU’s Lehigh Valley Center in Bethlehem, Pa., for a happy hour. More than 30 guests attended the annual event planned by the Lehigh Valley Chapter of the ESU Alumni Association. Rhonda Miller ’16 and Dawn KettermanBenner ’70 were instrumental in planning the traditional event. Local area businesses offered exclusive discounts to alumni and chapter leaders spoke to the group about events in 2017.

Mike Miller ’66 and Ernest Kovacs ’65 at the Lehigh Valley Center. Photo by Leon John, Jr.

esualumni.org 27


alumni news

ESU GOLD kicks off first official event On November 9, 2016, ESU’s young alumni group, also known as ESU GOLD - Graduates of the Last Decade, kicked off their first official event at the Wicked Wolf Tavern in Hoboken, N.J. More than a dozen young alumni were in attendance and were able to reconnect with their friends from ESU. There was also an opportunity for young alumni to network and converse about their career paths. The event was organized by ESU GOLD leader Michael Quick ’10 and Brandon Lawrence ’07.

ESU GOLD alumni and Alumni Association staff at the Wicked Wolf Tavern.

Pictured, from left, are Katelyn Clancy ’16, Emily Craveling ’16 and Melissa Ciment ’16 at Relay For Life.

ESU alumni participate in campus Relay for Life East Stroudsburg University participated in Relay For Life, the signature fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. The 12-hour event was held on April 8, 2017, in Koehler Fieldhouse and raised more than $22,700. Thirty-two teams participated, including an alumni team organized by Emily Craveling ’16. The event started at 7 p.m. and concluded at 7 a.m. and was part of ESU’s Global Week activities.

Chapter Up d at e On Wednesday May 3, 2017, Peppe’s Bistro in East Stroudsburg was the venue for the first ESU Monroe County Alumni event in many years. Led by Maury Molin ’76 and Frank Johnson ’74, this event is the first of many that the up-and-coming chapter is hoping to plan. “Monroe County has the highest number of ESU alumni in Pennsylvania, so it’s only natural that we would want to plan events in and around the immediate area,” Johnson said. Following the models set up by the Lehigh Valley and DelCo/ ChesCo groups, the Monroe County chapter is planning to have regular meetings to brainstorm ideas for the future that would include events and opportunities for alumni, friends and family members. To get involved with the Monroe County Chapter, please contact Maury Molin’76 at mjczar@hotmail.com or you can contact the Office of Alumni Engagement at (570) 422-3194.

You’re an ESU grad. You’ve got perks! The ESU Office of Alumni Engagement is pleased to offer discount programs and services available exclusively to alumni. PSECU

Liberty Mutual Insurance

Alumni Herald

ESU License Plates

As a member with Pennsylvania State Employees Credit Union, you’ll receive competitive rates, low/no fees, convenience and great service.

Liberty Mutual Insurance offers alumni discounts in auto, homeowners, and rental insurance programs.

The Office of Alumni Engagement publishes an online magazine with the latest news and events exclusively for ESU alumni two times a year-spring and fall.

Show your Warrior pride with an ESU license plate available to Pennsylvania residents.

ESU alumni and their spouses are eligible for membership to ESU’s two recreation centers.

Go to esualumni.org/benefits for an application.

Call 570-422-2977 or email jharper@esu.edu.

Visit psecu.com/esuf

Visit libertymutual.com/eaststrouds or call 800-835-0894.

Visit esualumni.org/herald.

For more information, visit esualumni.org/benefits.

Recreation Center Memberships


Upcoming Events Thursday, June 22, 2017 COBM Alumni and Family Gathering Ron’s Landmark Restaurant Netcong, N.J. | 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Sunday, July 9, 2017 ESU Alumni Day at PNC Field SWB Rail Riders vs. Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs PNC Field, Moosic, Pa. | 12:30 p.m.

Friday, August 11, 2017

ESU Alumni Board of Directors Annual Golf Outing and “Fun-Raiser” Shadowbrook Inn and Resort, Tunkhannock, Pa. | 12 Noon Shotgun Start

Sunday, September 17, 2017 ESU Alumni New York Red Bulls Event New York Red Bulls vs. Philadelphia Union Includes Club Seats, food and a pre-game personal tour of the field Red Bull Arena, Harrison, N.J. | Time to be determined

Friday, October 20 – Sunday, October 22, 2017

Hollywood Homecoming Celebrating reunion years ending in “7” and “2” and all alumni East Stroudsburg University, East Stroudsburg, Pa. Full schedule coming soon!

Thursday, December 7, 2017 ESU Holidays in Bethlehem Alumni Holiday Reception and explore Christmas Village in Bethlehem, Pa. Lehigh Valley Campus, 60 West Broad Street, Bethlehem, Pa. | 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Check www.esualumni.org and www.esu.edu frequently as events are added throughout the year. For more information, or to host an alumni event, contact the ESU Office of Alumni Engagement at ljohn2@esu.edu or (570) 422-3194.

Prince Hall golf classic returns to Shawnee in August Alumni and friends are invited to participate in the 27th Annual Educational Golf Classic on August 7, 2017, at the picturesque Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort in Shawnee On Delaware, Pa. The golf event that benefits the Prince Hall Endowed Scholarship at East Stroudsburg University Foundation returns this year to Shawnee, a premier 45-hole course in the gorgeous setting of the Pocono Mountains. Golfers can create their own team for the four-person scramble format, or a team will be completed for you. Registration and a picnic lunch begin at 11:30 a.m., shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. and a full buffet dinner and awards at 5 p.m. Cost is $125 per golfer, $450 a foursome and $50 for the dinner only. Golf fees include green fees, carts, a group photo, picnic lunch and buffet dinner. To date, 17 Prince Hall scholars have graduated from ESU thanks to the scholarship administered through the ESU Foundation. In 1988, ESU adopted the Prince Hall Elementary School serving the West Oak Lane section of Philadelphia. The partnership established the Prince Hall Endowed Scholarship Fund which is awarded to Prince Hall scholars who demonstrate outstanding academic performance and a strong civic responsibility. To register online, visit www.esufoundation.org/princehall2017 For more information on the golf classic, contact Wayne Bolt, committee chair, at 570-350-0560, or Emily Brennan, event coordinator, at 570-422-3156. esualumni.org 29


warrior spirit

athletic updates MORGAN, GAITA PACE ESU WINTER SPORTS

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL REACHES FIRST PSAC FINAL 4 SINCE 2007

Senior Steve Morgan (60m hurdles) and sophomore Aspen Gaita (pentathlon) earned second team AllAmerica honors at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships to lead the Warriors during the winter 2016-17 season.

ESU’s women’s basketball team had its best season in 10 years, reaching the PSAC Final Four for the first time since 2007 and finishing with a 19-9 record. The Warriors were led by a trio of first team All-PSAC East selections - senior forward Allison Howard, junior guard Imani Brown and sophomore guard Noelle Powell.

Morgan placed ninth in his first trip to the NCAA Championships, running a personal best of 8.05 seconds in the prelims which is just one-hundredth of a second off the school record. He won his second career PSAC indoor hurdles championship and became the 25th All-America in ESU men’s track and field history.

Howard led ESU with 13.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per game to earn her second straight first team honor. She ranks seventh in school history with 1,270 career points and is eighth in rebounds. Brown (13.3 ppg) and Powell (13.0 ppg) added balanced scoring and combined to make more than 100 three-pointers.

Gaita placed 12th in the pentathlon and also competed in the 60m hurdles at the NCAA Championships in her first season at ESU. She set four school records during the indoor season - 55m hurdles, 60m hurdles, long jump and pentathlon - and set a PSAC record in the 60m hurdles (8.54 seconds) at the PSAC Championships. Her mother, Karen Way Gaita ’91, was the 1991 NCAA DII outdoor high jump champion for the Warriors.

Senior forward Rasheed Moore became ESU’s first four-time All-PSAC East selection in men’s basketball and earned his second straight first team honor. He averaged 18.6 points and 7.0 rebounds for the Warriors (18-11), who have reached at least the PSAC quarterfinals for eight straight seasons.

Aspen Gaita competing in the hurdles. Photo by Greg Pammer

30 the alumni herald

MOORE REACHES ESU MILESTONES

Moore finished fourth at ESU in both career points (1,677) and rebounds. He was named to the NABC All-Atlantic Region team and was recognized as the Lehigh Valley Small College Player of the Year for the second straight season. He signed a professional contract to play in Greece, one of the top leagues in Europe, following the season.

ESU’s women’s basketball forward Allison Howard. Photo by Greg Pammer


NACE, KRATOCHVIL QUALIFY FOR NCAA DII WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS Redshirt sophomore Dylan Nace (141 pounds) and senior Joey Kratochvil (157) gave ESU a pair of national qualifiers in wrestling. Nace, nationally-ranked through most of the season, finished 29-7 overall with a 17-2 mark in duals. He has a 55-16 overall record and 30-2 dual mark through his first two years. Kratochvil upset two higher-seeded wrestlers in the regional to reach the NCAA Championships in his final season with the Warriors. He had a career-high 14 wins as a senior and 41 victories in his career while competing at a range of weight classes, from 133 to 174 pounds.

FAGAN SETS SWIMMING RECORDS Junior Annie Fagan, who became the first ESU swimmer since 2010 to reach two “A” finals at the PSAC Championships, set school records in both the 50 free and 100 free. Her time of 23.87 in the 50 free broke the school record of 24.13 set by Karen Linck in 1978.

ESU’s men’s basketball forward Rasheed Moore. Photo by Bob Shank

ALLEN, ECKMAN STAR FOR BASEBALL

MEN’S SHUTTLE HURDLES WIN AT PENN RELAYS

Senior left-handed pitcher and outfielder Ian Allen and senior right-handed pitcher Tyler Eckman lead ESU’s postseason awards hopefuls in baseball. Both were standouts on ESU’s 2016 team which set a school record with 38 wins and reached the NCAA Tournament for the third time in the last six seasons.

ESU’s men’s shuttle hurdles team of senior Steve Morgan, sophomore Mike Matrisciano, sophomore Akeim Thomas and junior Christian Castro recorded a historic victory at the Penn Relays in late April, winning the Championship of American men’s shuttle hurdles in a school record time of 58.63.

Allen became the sixth player in PSAC history, and second in ESU history, with 150 hits at the plate and 150 strikeouts on the mound in his career. He ranks among the PSAC leaders in nearly every offensive category, ranks in the top five in career stolen bases in PSAC history and compiled one of the all-time great careers by an ESU baseball player.

ESU is one of a handful of Division II schools to win a Penn Relays COA event in the last 50 years.

Eckman helped pitch ESU into the PSAC Tournament for the sixth time in the last eight seasons, compiling a 7-0 record in 10 starts and a 2.13 earned run average. Eckman, Allen and junior catcher Steven Zimmerman, Jr. were named to the AllPSAC East first team.

Morgan followed up his Penn Relays performance with a fourth straight PSAC championship in the 110m hurdles. He earned his sixth career PSAC title overall. Sophomore Aspen Gaita won the women’s 100m hurdles with a school record performance.

To read more about the Warriors, please visit esuwarriors.com and follow @ESUWarriors on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

ESU’s men’s shuttle hurdles team claiming a historic victory. Photo courtesy of Penn Relays

esualumni.org 31


warrior spirit The Warriors swept all three PSAC major awards with sophomore midfielder Emma Rufolo named PSAC Athlete of the Year, freshman goalkeeper Tatyana Petteway the PSAC Freshman of the Year, and Xeni Barakos ’11 the PSAC Coach of the Year for the second straight season.

ESU’s women’s lacrosse team won its first-ever PSAC championship with a 10-9 victory over Mercyhurst on May 7, 2017. The Warriors were also selected for the NCAA Division II Tournament for the first time in program history. They entered the postseason with a record-setting 15-2 mark and top-15 national ranking.

ESU had three first team All-PSAC selections - Rufolo, Petteway and junior midfielder Chessie Rahmer - and eight All-PSAC honorees overall. Petteway led DII in save percentage during the regular season and Rufolo and Rahmer controlled the midfield, leading ESU to its first-ever PSAC regular season title. Senior midfielder Emily Fitzsimmons, one of five third team AllPSAC honorees, was named PSAC Tournament MVP with three goals in the championship win over Mercyhurst.

The ESU Women’s Lacrosse Team following their first ever PSAC championship. Photo by Bob Shank

A committee of nearly 20 former East Stroudsburg University wrestlers have joined forces with the ESU Foundation and Department of Athletics to spearhead a fundraising campaign that would significantly increase available scholarships for the wrestling program. To date, more than $100,000 has been raised towards a $200,000 goal. Led by former wrestlers Gary Kessel ’77 and Angelo Borzio ’95, the committee has met in recent months, assessing the program and forming strategies to raise the funds over the next four years. The result will provide more scholarship dollars to prospective studentathletes to attract top-tier talent from the region. “East Stroudsburg University has a rich and decorated athletics program,” said Rich Santoro, executive director of the ESU Foundation. “Koehler Fieldhouse 32 the alumni herald


night and reception on February 10, 2017. Following a match, more than 40 alumni and current wrestlers met in Koehler Fieldhouse to connect and hear from committee leaders about the need to support the program. “This committee is a group of dedicated alumni who recognize the success of the program, and its longevity, is largely dependent on the support and funding it receives. Through the awareness they raise on the grassroots level, we hope to achieve our goal,” said Santoro. Alumni gather in February for a wrestling match and reception. From left, Jan Dutt ’67, Kris Kauffman ’10, Chet Dalgewicz ’67, ESU Director of Athletics Josh Looney and Jim Purdy ’69. Photo by Bob Weidner

is filled with trophies and banners demonstrating our many conference and national titles and the wrestling program is no exception with more than 85 years of tradition at ESU that has produced PSAC, EIWA and NCAA champions.”

Borzio hopes the experiences fellow alumni had in the program will inspire them to give back, as well. “Sometimes we lose touch with what has made us who we are today. I believe that wrestling has shaped many of our lives and we should be grateful for those lessons learned,” said Borzio. “Our future goal should be to help other student-athletes have the same opportunity to experience college wrestling for themselves.”

Funding cuts over the past decade have taken a toll on the program with less money available for athletic scholarships, personnel and other program resources. According to Josh Looney, ESU director of the athletics, years of dwindling financial support has played a major role in the program’s recent competitive struggles.

Former ESU wrestlers are spearheading a fundraising campaign to benefit the program.

“Thanks to the efforts of former coaches and current head coach Joey Rivera, our Hall of Fame is lined with individuals recognized for their achievements ranging from first team PSAC to All-American honors. Among the best of our storied athletics history is the wrestling program,” said Looney. “Unfortunately, over time, we’ve lost many talented recruits to other programs that can provide more scholarship money.” Recognizing the need to bolster support for the program, former wrestlers have banded together and, working with the Foundation and athletic office, developed a comprehensive outreach initiative to alumni and friends to seek their financial support. “I have been associated with ESU wrestling for 25 years, and it was a huge part of my life as a competitor and coach for 15 years,” said Borzio. “I just want to try and help people give back to a place that was so good to many of us during our college and growing years. I want the program to continue to build on its strong tradition. To accomplish this, we all have to give back something.” Kessel shares that sentiment, recognizing the excitement ESU teams generate within the community when they are successful. “Wrestling has always been my passion and I was fortunate to wrestle for ESU and then coach for 20 years. Wrestling enabled me to develop the skills I would use later in life to be successful in my business ventures,” Kessel said. “It’s my hope that I can help generate the funds to return the program to its full potential and allow young athletes to have the opportunities at ESU that I was able to experience as a student-athlete.” Part of that effort included members of the committee participating in the second annual wrestling alumni

Wrestling Campaign Committee Gary Kessel ’77

Jan Dutt ’67 M ’70

Bob Guzzo ’67

Angelo Borzio ’95

Jeff Jacobs ’11

Ned Bushong ’68

Dr. Terry R. Barry ’89 M ’99

Jeremy Sluyter ’05

Gary Taylor ’76

Jason Kobrynich ’96

Don Lehman ’77

Jack Childs ’67

Dr. Gregory E. Shoemaker, Ed.D ’80

Tom Vara ’88

Chet Dalgewicz ’67

Jim Tiernan ’65

John Carr ’06

Thad Frick ’12 Jake Llewellyn ’72

To support the wrestling program, visit www.esufoundation.org/givenow and designate your gift to wrestling. For personal assistance, contact the ESU Foundation at 570-422-3333. esualumni.org 33


Dawn Ketterman-Benner ’70 was honored as a 2017 Star at the Moravian College Night of Stars on April 21, 2017. Ketterman-Benner was selected based on the profound impact she has made on the institution as it celebrates 275 years of service to students, alumni and the local community. Ketterman-Benner supported Moravian College for four years in roles as professor and chairperson of the Physical Education Department, women’s tennis coach, faculty advisor and founder of the Moravian College Dance Company, advisor to the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and member of several faculty committees. She coached several sports teams and served as a strong Title IX advocate for the college. She cofounded the Moravian College Hall of Fame and was active on the Hall of Fame Committee and Blue and Grey Club.

34 the alumni herald

’83 ’88 ’92

Amy Agnesini ’83 a Health and Physical Education graduate retired as district director of health, physical education and athletics for the Rocky Point School District in New York. Agnesini worked as an educator for more than 32 years. She received the Athletic Director of the Year Award for her section at the New York Athletic Administrators Association Conference in March 2016. Col. Lee DeRemer, Ph.D. ’83 addressed graduates at Benedictine University’s 127th Commencement Convocation on May 13, 2017. DeRemer served in the U.S. Air Force for 26 years as a pilot, commander and strategic planner for the Department of Defense. He taught leadership skills to military officers, government officials and students. DeRemer also led Boy Scouts, youth and men’s ministries. Kevin Knopf ’88 a hospitality and management graduate, was named the regional director of operations of Lifespace Communities on January 10, 2017. While he attended ESU, Knopf was a member of the Pi Lamda Phi fraternity. Barry Strube ’92 has been promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force Air National Guard. He serves as the Security Forces Commander at the Delaware National Guard’s 166th Security Forces Squadron in New Castle, Del.

1990s

’75

Tim McEwen ’75 retired as an educational consultant in 2015. McEwen now spends time with his wife of 37 years, Char, a retired high school guidance counselor.

’83 1970s

’70

Jack Childs ’67 was inducted into the Drexel Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2017 on March 30, 2017. Childs guided the Dragons wrestling program for an illustrious 35-year hall of fame career. He retired in 2011 as the active Division I leader in career coaching with 421 wins and led the Dragons to the 1985 East Coast Wrestling Association championship.

’79

Chris Ip ’79 enters his third season as the head coach of the Brown University men’s swimming and diving team. Under Ip’s leadership, five Brown student-athletes were named to the College Swimming Coaches Association of America as Honorable Mention All-American. The team also earned back-to-back CSCAA Scholar All-American team honors.

1980s

’67

1960s

’66

Dolores Bohlman Parsil ’66 recently published a biography of J.P. McCaskey, a beloved teacher and principal at Boys’ High in Lancaster. The book, titled “Lancaster’s Good Man, John Piersol McCaskey,” chronicles McCaskey’s life and many accomplishments, and has met with much acclaim locally. See Parsil on YouTube at http://bit.ly/JPMcCaskeyParsil.

They split time between their homes in Marco Island, Fla., and the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. The couple enjoys travel, and recently completed the 500 mile trek of Camino de Santiago across Northern Spain.


send us your class notes

’97

’09 ’09

Scott Higgins ’06 is the new associate director of sales for the Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board. Higgins will focus on the corporateconvention line of business for the organization. He is a 10-year veteran of the local hospitality industry and spent six of those representing different hotel brands. Higgins recently joined the Philadelphia Chapter of Meeting Professionals International and is co-founder of the ESU Alumni Chapter in Philadelphia.

email: esualumni@esu.edu phone: 570-422-7000 fax: 570-422-3301 NOTE: We publish alumni accomplishments and news of marriages and births, but not engagements or pregnancies. Please note the editorial staff makes every effort to publish the information submitted as it was received.

Hey Warriors…

J e ffr e y C a rl ’09 was promoted to fire lieutenant by the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services in Howard County, Md.

• The first African American fraternity at ESU was Omega Psi Phi which accepted its first pledges in 1973 and its advisor was Professor Neil Simpson. Today we have the following Divine 9 or historically black fraternities and sorority chapters: Kappa Alpha Psi, Phi Beta Sigma and Zeta Phi Beta.

Theodore “Theo” Harkness ’09 earned his master’s degree in disaster medicine and management from Philadelphia University. Harkness will start a career as an Americorps Federal Emergency Corps team leader in the Southern Division. He hopes to apply the experiences and knowledge gained from this role into a disaster management position in New York City. Michael Quick ’10 was selected as Teacher of the Year at Colonia High School in Colonia, N.J. The selection was made by fellow faculty members due to his commitment to his teaching methodology, extra-curricular participation and involvement in the school’s culture. Quick is an English teacher, head cross country coach, head spring track coach, and ski club advisor at the school.

Did You Know? • To commemorate the school’s servicemen and women, in 1919, alumni raised $2,600 for a statue made of Vermont granite depicting a Roman matron representing the alma mater. Known to many as “Julia,” she holds in her right hand a wreath to crown the sons and daughters of East Stroudsburg State Normal School who served in World War I.

2010s

’10

William Schaffer ’97 received the Dick and Pat Richardson Northampton Spirit Award, given annually to a member of the Northampton Community College campus community who embodies commitment to learning, student success, and service to the college. Schaffer is associate director of the Adult Literacy Program and an in-house professional development specialist at NCC.

2000s

’06

online: esualumni.org/classnotes

• The original library on campus was located in the first Stroud Hall. Later it was moved to what is now Rosenkrans East and was known as Kemp Library. Since there were too many books for the space to accommodate, an “annex” was set up in the Keystone Room. It was not open to students and librarians would go over several times a day to bring requested books back for students. In 1980, the current Kemp Library was opened. Did You Know features historical information of interest about the ESU campus, its students, alumni, and more. Have something to say or share? Email esualumni@esu.edu. esualumni.org 35


ALUMNI

JAMES N.J. HENWOOD, PH.D. November 29, 2016 Retired Professor James N. J. Henwood, Ph.D., 84, of Newton Square, Pa., was a member of the ESU family for 37 years. He was a beloved and influential history professor who began his career at ESU in 1966. Henwood served in the U.S. Army from 1959 to 1961 which included a deployment to Korea. Henwood was predeceased by his parents Harry F. and Esther C. Henwood; and by his siblings Marianne Henwood, Harry F. Henwood, Jr., and Sister Christine Noel Henwood, I.H.M.

PHILIP G. JONES ’56 February 5, 2017 Philip G. Jones ’56, of Barto, Pa. taught at Upper Perkiomen High School from 1960 to 1993. Jones loved sports and served as the head coach of Upper Perkiomen High School softball and assistant coach for the varsity football team for many years. He led the softball team to the Bux-Mont Champions in 1974. Philip also led Bauman’s Bandits Girls Softball, a summer league, to the 1989 Atlantic Regional Champion title. In addition to his wife, Meredith A. Einsele Jones, he is survived by his children, Kenneth K. Einsele of Bradenton, Fla., and Sherry L., wife of Douglas Bricker of East Greenville, Pa.; three grandchildren, Corrine, wife of Nicholas Carl, John T. Einsele and wife, Elizabeth, and Heather Ursu; five greatgrandchildren; and a brother, James Jones and wife, Jean of Punta Gorda, Fla. 36 the alumni herald

KEELY E. BLANEY January 3, 2017 Keely Erin Blaney, 18, of Oxford, N.J., was a freshman whose major was undeclared. She was the daughter of Eugene F. Blaney III of Saylorsburg, Pa., and Kim L. Wachelka ‘09, administrative assistant in the ESU college of health sciences and resident of Oxford, N.J. Blaney was a 2016 graduate of Warren County Technical School and majored in health sciences. She worked at the Crossroads Diner in White Township, N.J. while attending ESU. In addition to her parents, Blaney is survived by her stepmother Sarah C. Blaney; her grandmother Ann Armbrecht of Easton, Pa.; her boyfriend of three years Baron S. Markowitz of Hackettstown, N.J.; her siblings Hannah R. Blaney and her boyfriend Sean Murtagh of Long Valley, N.J., J. Hunter Konkoly and his wife, Mollie Castle, of Hampton Va., and Dawn K. Fariello and her husband, Benjamin D. Fariello of Bronxville N.Y.; her uncle Lonnie W. Bryan of North Adams, Mass.; and her aunt Gina Antunucci of Brewster, N.Y. She was predeceased by her sister Alexandria L. Konkoly of Oxford, N.J.; her grandfather Jozef Wachelka of Oxford, N.J.; her uncle Lonnie D. Blaney, of Stroudsburg Pa.; and her aunt Tracey L. Williams of Shasta, Calif.

Memorial Gifts

may be made through the ESU Foundation at esufoundation.org/givenow. For personal assistance, please call 570-422-3333.

Michael J. Arrasate ’15 Theodore Budnovitch ’59 Florence Chaiko ’53 Paul M. Crawn, Jr. M’58 Joseph J. Dallabrida ’53 Leola Dante ’51 Robert G. Deibert ’48 Robert H. DeLuca ’53 Patrick J. Devers, Jr. ’56 Russell E. Engle ’75 John P. Etcho ’48 Carole B. Fake ’64 John M. Fidishun, Sr. ’59 Theodore M. Fish ’71 Joanne E. Gerrity ’50 Jo Ann Goldsmith ’62 John C. Gudikunst ’63 Dominic J. Guzzi ’59 Col. Charles M. Haag ’49 Donald M. Harding ’55 Larry E. Helwig ’66 Martha J. Hoffman ’76 Spencer M. Huck M’83 Virginia A. Illuzzi-Belson ’45 Michael Kostin ’11 Marjorie G. Lyons ’68 Robert F. Massaferi ’49 Joseph M. Mecca ’69 T. S. Moore ’58 Francis J. Navin ’58 Henrietta C. Pessin ’51 Warren R. Petty ’51 Robert M. Phelps ’53 Margaret L. Rankin ’77 Doreen Redline ’56 Fern Rhody ’55 Rosina J. Richards ’59 Allan R. Rose ’61 Thomas C. Ross ’73 James M. Sabol ’78 Richard Sampson ’54 Ollie E. Smith ’44 Ila J. Stiles ’51 Joylene Suhr ’57 Norma Urda ’51 Walter P. Williams ’49 Walter J. Yost ’58 Lottie J. Ziko ’32

FACULTY & STAFF Norman Gelber Dr. Robert F. Macmillan Dr. Leon C. Zinkler

Friends

Wilbur Eckman Mark A. Jansen Lillian G. Lovecchio Edward A. Peterson


Circa

East Stroudsburg Normal School Varsity Football Team


200 Prospect Street East Stroudsburg, PA 18301-2999

Joshua Weidenbaum and Samuel Kashefska, both Class of 2019, light up the stage during the ESU Department of Theatre’s spring production of Little Shop of Horrors.

singing for supper Photo by Michael Cuff


Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.