Fall/Winter 2003

Fall/Winter 2003 Magazine

Editor’sInklings It seems an odd trait for humans to thrive during times of difficulty. We pull together when we face mutual struggles. We need that taste of adversity spicing the plenty we have received. Long after we’ve forgotten the struggle, that spice lingers in our memories.

This odd nostalgic feeling typifies fall semester at Gannon University for me.

The crisp mornings, warm days, and cool nights; the (now rare) smell of burning leaves in the air; the sense of seemingly endless possibilities in the new academic year all fill me with nostalgia for my own days as an undergraduate—now fifteen years in the past. Despite memory’s haze, those days were not carefree. Like many of the students I have come to know at Gannon, I struggled to balance academics with work and social life.

Villa alumnae and Gannon alumni returning to campus for Homecoming/Reunion Weekend (page 14) have mentioned this same longing to me—nostalgia for a “simpler” time. But memories can deceive, and many Gannon alumni struggled to find equilibrium here. Some arrived directly from high school. Others returned from World War II or Vietnam, older and forever changed by their service to our country, to try to find new lives for themselves in academe.

Change is inevitable and we should embrace it, we are told.

Gannon’s challenge is to embrace it in such a way as to seize opportunities and expand capabilities without sacrificing its focus upon teaching and the students who are its reason for existence.

The Engineering Program at Gannon has a long history of seizing opportunity.

As obsolescence occurs ever faster, current technology becomes ever more essential and expensive. Through the support of alumni like James Weber ’62, Gannon’s program remains competitive with new software and hardware (page 6).

One way to embrace change is to seize the opportunities it offers to us. Gannon’s Erie Technology Incubator (page 10) is poised to do exactly that. Housed in the old Boys and Girls Club, it will offer entrepreneurs a vital chance to develop their concepts and products in a high-tech environment. Its purpose is to fuel local and regional economic growth, support technological entrepreneurial endeavors, and serve Gannon’s mission by sharing the considerable experience and expertise of Gannon’s talented faculty and staff with regional businesses while offering our students valuable internship and experiential learning possibilities.

Ever-changing seasons flicker past and we find ourselves again at the end of fall semester celebrating December Commencement. As we close one year, the new one dawns full of promise and possibility for Gannon’s students, alumni, faculty, staff and friends.

Deb Bartle, Editor bartle@gannon.edu 814.871.5817 We’ve updated Gannon magazine with larger type and a new design to improve readability.

Gannon’s website has undergone a similar metamorphosis. Check it out at www.gannon.edu.

6 Learning on the Edge Gannon Engineering rides the wave of the future.

10 Gannon’s Erie

Technology Incubator GU encourages entrepreneurs and enhances education.

contents

Features

14 Homecoming 2003

The pictures are worth a thousand words— your presence is priceless.

Departments 2 16 17 18 20 29

NewsNotes AlumniFocus FacultyFocus SportsScan AlumNotes EndNotes

Antoine M. Garibaldi, Ph.D. President David R. Fabian ’63 Director of Communications Deb Bartle Publications Officer and Editor Maggie M. Irvine ’05 Editorial Assistant

Contributors: Jana Hunt Jeannie Kloecker Julie Groenendaal Nick Pronko Design: Tungsten Creative Group

On the Cover: Laser-cut ornament of Old Main mixes new and old as Gannon celebrates the season.

Photo right: A.J.’s Way lit up for the holidays.

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Gannon Names Athletic Director

Gilbert “Griz” Zimmermann has been named Director of Athletics at Gannon University, succeeding the late Michael Corbett.

“Gannon is very pleased to have Mr. Zimmermann join the University,” said Dr. Garibaldi. “He is a seasoned professional in the field of athletics, and his educational and athletics philosophies are consistent with our goals and mission. His extensive experience in athletics will be a great asset to Gannon.”

Prior to accepting the position, which he assumes January 5, 2004, Zimmermann was Saginaw Valley State University’s director of athletics. SVSU is also a member of the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC).

“I have always loved intercollegiate athletics,” stated Zimmermann.

“My first priority is the welfare of student-athletes, for the immediate as well as the long term. Ultimately, the responsibility rests with the student-athlete, but it is the obligation of the Athletic Director to create, develop and maintain an environment and structure for success.”

New Trustees James E. Gehrlein ’72 and Thomas F. Power, Jr. ’63 were appointed to three-year terms on Gannon’s Board of Trustees. Gehrlein, the president of National City Bank in Erie, earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Gannon. Power, who earned a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Management from Gannon, recently retired as president and CEO of Wisconsin Central Transportation, which he helped found in 1987.

Thomas F. Power, Jr. ’63 also delivered the keynote address at Winter Commencement on Sunday, December 14, 2003. Power received an honorary doctor of laws degree during the ceremony. In 1998, he was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus.

America’s Best Gannon’s ranking in the annual America’s Best Colleges has

improved for the third consecutive year. Gannon moved up 11 places in the 2004 edition, placing 44th out of 165 in the Northern region of its category.

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Executive on Campus

L. Scott Barnard ’65, the founder, owner, and managing senior partner of Programmix, LLC, a Norwalk, Connecticut-based sales and marketing firm, was Executive on Campus on October 28.

Barnard attended a faculty breakfast, lectured on “Marketing in Today’s Economy” for students in the Principals of Marketing class, conducted a Q/A session, and lunched with students. According to Advancement Coordinator Jen Woods, “This program provides our students with the opportunity to interact with various accomplished Gannon alumni and see the tangible results of a Gannon education.”

Prayer for Peace Members of the Gannon community joined together to pray for peace in an interfaith prayer service on Thursday, September 11, in honor of those who died in the terrorist attacks. The service opened with Rabbi Leonard Lifshen sounding the shofar, the traditional Hebrew ram’s horn. The service was led by Gannon Chaplain, Rev. George Strohmeyer ’58 and others, offering readings and prayers from Islam, Bahá’í, Judaism, Christianity, and Hinduism.

Winning Coaches The 2003 All-Independent Football Alliance (IFA) named Gannon Football Coach Bill Elias its Coach of the Year after he lead the Golden Knights to a 9–1 record-breaking season. Gannon dominated the IFA and ended the season with nine consecutive victories, setting a school record for the most victories in a season. The Gannon Knights earned 19 post season accolades and swept the IFA’s major awards.

Gannon Men’s Soccer Coach Rob van Rheenen was named Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Men’s Soccer Coach of the Year. He guided Gannon back to national prominence by leading the Golden Knights to their second consecutive winning season. The Golden Knights finished 4–1 in the GLIAC and shared the regular-season title with Mercyhurst College. It was Gannon’s first GLIAC title since 1995.

Scholarship Celebration

At the 16th Annual Scholarship Celebration, Paul Ward Peterson, Ph.D., Thomas L. Doolin ’61 and Mary Alice Doolin ’94M received the Archbishop Gannon Medal of Distinction for their service to Catholic Higher Education.

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NewsNotes

Faculty News GU and GETS co-hosted the Fall 2003 International Technical Conference of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Internal Combustion Engine and Rail Transportation Division in September. Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Gong Chen, Ph.D., PE, presented a paper at the conference, which hosted about 200 attendees from around the world. Dean of SEHS, Hamid Torab, Ph.D. PE, welcomed the participants at the opening.

Larry Maxted, chair of the Faculty Research Committee (FRC) noted that this was the most competitive FRC awards competition in a decade when he announced the 2003 awards. They went to: Gregory M. Andraso, Ph.D., and Edward C. Phillips, Ph.D.; Linda M. Fleming, Ph.D.; Laura Frost; Michelle M. Homan, Ph.D., and Weslene Tallmadge, Ph.D.; Elisa M. Konieczko, Ph.D.; Richard Schauer, Ph.D.; and Ramakrishnan Sundaram, Ph.D. Longtime Gannon staff member, R. Joseph “Joe” Luckey, has given the University $50,000 to establish the Joe Luckey Seminarian Scholarship, which will fund scholarships for seminary students from the Erie Diocese enrolled at Gannon.

Associate Professor Suzanne Richard, Ph.D., has invited volunteers to participate in an archeological dig at a 5,000-year-old Canaanite city in Jordan for summer study abroad. The Khirbet Iskander site is key to the study of first era cities. Participants may go for three- or six-week sessions from May 20 through July 3, 2004, and can earn up to three archeology credits. They will excavate Mondays through Fridays and spend weekends touring the Red Sea, Petra, Amman, Jerash, and Desert Castles. Cost varies from $900 to $1,500 plus airfare. Contact Dr. Richard at (814) 871-5605 or richard@gannon.edu for information.

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Associate Professor Thomas Parthenakis, Ph.D., invites participants to a Tour of Greece from February 25–March 7, 2004.

The tour includes five days and six nights in Athens (with visits to the Acropolis, Agora, National Archeological Museums, and the 5th century Temple of Poseidon); a one-day Saronic Gulf, Three-Island cruise; and four days and three nights on a Classical Tour of ancient Corinth, Olympia, the Temple of Apollo, and other sites. The fee of $1,300 includes roundtrip airfare, lodging, transfers and entrance fees. Contact Dr. Parthenakis at (814) 871-5478 or parthenakis@gannon.edu for information.

The Splendid China Study Tour—Beijing, from February 27–March 5, 2004, will tour the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, Mao Mausoleum, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, and more.

The $1,395–1,455 cost includes transportation from Pittsburgh, meals (except two dinners), 6 nights accommodations in an upscale 4-Star hotel, and admission to all sites. One- or three-credit China Studies courses are offered in conjunction with the tour. Contact Associate Professor Gary Mahan, Ph.D. at (814) 871-7588 or mahan@gannon.edu or visit http://chinastudytour.tripod.com/GU/ for more information.

Spring Break in London, England, from February 28–March 6, 2004, will be hosted by Assistant Professor Shawn Clerkin. Day trips, sightseeing, theatre performances and more are available based upon participants’ interest. $835 includes roundtrip transportation from Pittsburgh to the hotel in Bayswater (Notting Hill area), six nights and seven days accommodations, and daily continental breakfast. For more information, contact Mr. Clerkin at (814)871-7493 or clerkin@gannon.edu.

NewsNotes

Student News Junior Stephanie Do traveled to Rome with her family for the Creation of the Cardinals this year.

Friends of Archbishop Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Man in Viet Nam, the Do family was invited to Rome when Nam was elected a cardinal by Pope John Paul II. They arrived in time to witness the Beautification of Mother Theresa and the fireworks over the Vatican celebrating the Pope’s silver anniversary. They attended the Creation of the Cardinals, the mass and ring ceremony, met the Pope and new Cardinals, and concluded the trip with a mass in Vietnamese at St. Peter Cathedral.

“This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Do said.

Senior nursing majors Lauren Markovich and Crystal Keck and Professor Suzanne O’Connell, Ph.D., RN, were recognized by Alpha Tau Delta national professional nursing fraternity. Keck was named Member of the Year. O’Connell was named Advisor of the Year, and Markovich received the Miriam Fay Furlong Grant.

Physician assistant majors Bonnie Buxton, Emily Hamilton, Katie Kephart, Melissa Radaker, and Kristen Shay were featured in AAPA News, a national magazine from the American Association of Physician Assistants, in an article about medicine and the arts.

They caught the attention of AAPA because of their involvement with GU’s Concert Band, directed by Conductor Bruce Morton Wright.

Eight students from Gannon University’s Honors Program, accompanied by Director Father Robert Susa, participated in the 38th Annual Conference of the National Collegiate Honors Council, in Chicago, November 5–9. Attending were Sarah Sunseri, Martha Hague, Karen Tellep, Becky Galek, Lynn Lancaster, Dorothy Wolbert, Tricia Dituro, and Ashley Longbine. Becky Galek made a presentation titled “Study Abroad Completes the Cycle of Academic Excellence,” and Martha Hague and Karen Tellep collaborated in presenting “Universal Experiences in Literature.”

GU students celebrated National Chemistry Week from October 19–24 and promoted chemical awareness on campus and in the community. Students from Gannon’s Chemistry Club and Gamma Sigma Epsilon chemistry honor society traveled to a local college to meet with Nobel Prize-Winning chemist Roald Hoffman, participated with five local colleges at an information kiosk in Millcreek, and offered information and activities in Waldron Campus Center.

5

Learning on

the Edge

Gannon Engineering Rides the Wave of the Future

by Maggie M. Irvine

6

Melanie Blauser and Peter Kingsley, senior Electrical Engineering majors with Jim Weber ’62 and Dean Hamid Torab, Ph.D., P.E.

How does a university achieve an international reputation in the field of engineering? World-class teaching is key, but Gannon University professors cannot function alone in a field where competition and technology are forcing companies to optimize manufacturing and society is increasingly reliant upon the latest technology to complete even the simplest functions. Technology has become an integral part of every student’s life, but even more so for students who are involved in engineering programs across the globe.

After engineering students graduate from college, they must enter a job force where they are required to do everything from solving simple communication problems to actually building industrial software. The technology that enables such tasks becomes a key factor in the success of any institution, especially a university.

“Current technology has a huge impact on student learning,” said Dr. Fong Mak, Chair of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department. “We focus on training students to be effective engineers. The only way to become a truly capable engineer is to use the software used by the industry.”

Dedicated faculty such as Mak and a commitment to providing state-of-the-art technology have built an international reputation for Gannon’s School of Engineering.

In his 13 years at Gannon University, Mak has experienced first-hand the benefits that technology brings to his classrooms. “We can take on much bigger projects, more sophisticated content, and more collaboration between engineers,” he said. “What used to take six-tonine months to complete can now be done in two or three months.”

The labs are open to students at all levels of engineering and have become what Mak calls a home to many of the electrical engineering students. Students can be found using the labs between classes, during the evening hours and also during the weekend to prepare for exams or special projects.

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Attempting to keep the department’s technology competitive with the workforce and with other universities can be extremely challenging. Lab equipment— especially computer equipment—needs to be updated every three years before it becomes obsolete, according to Dr. Hamid Torab, Dean of the College of Science, Engineering and Health Sciences.

Torab has a ‘wish list’ of equipment that is needed in the School of Engineering. When opportunity arises, he chooses the most important.

I was really impressed by the new equipment and Wyvern Tech I was glad that I was able Engineers Opportunity to have a part in those In December 2002, Gannon received approximately $13,000 in state funding through Pennsylvania’s improvements.

Engineering Equipment Grant. The award is a two-

for-one match grant that requires universities to double the commonwealth’s funding in order to be eligible for the endowment.

“For every one dollar given to us by Pennsylvania, Gannon had to find two dollars in private funding to meet the requirement of the grant,” said Torab.

Jim Weber ’62, owner of Wyvern Technologies, Inc. in Santa Ana, California, stepped forward and made one of the largest donations the Engineering department has ever received.

Weber graduated from Gannon with a degree in Industrial Management, and has been a great supporter of the University since his graduation.

The gift of nearly $26,000 from Weber and Wyvern enabled the Engineering Department to purchase new lab equipment for two computer labs in Zurn Science Center. This included 32 new computers and software packages for them, according to Torab. The equipment serves the Electrical Engineering Department, though all engineering students are welcome to use the lab.

“It is just my way of paying back the University for everything it has done for me,” Weber commented modestly when making the generous donation.

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Senior Electrical Engineering major Mike Flock.

Weber returned to Gannon for Alumni Homecoming/ Reunion Weekend in September. While here, he toured the Engineering labs and saw the hands-on experience

that the faculty and students gain from using the equipment he donated.

“I was really impressed by the new equipment and I was glad that I was able to have a part in those improvements,” said Weber. “A lot has changed in the 40 years since I had been there, and the University has really made some leaps and bounds.”

Gannon prides itself on maintaining state-of-the-art equipment and exceptional computer software and graphics in its Engineering labs. “New equipment is always needed because the labs are a crucial part of the learning process in Engineering,” Torab said. “The students attend lectures and then practice in the laboratory. They learn about the equipment that they will use in their profession.”

Students Reap Rewards

The students involved in the Engineering Program appreciated the improvements that state-of-the-art technology offered.

Senior Electrical Engineering major Peter Kingsley shook his head in frustration as he remembered how slow and difficult the older computers were to use.

“The programs on the older computers would take a lot longer and even freeze up sometimes, and they were only a few years old,” Kingsley said. In the middle of a project the computer would often freeze and force him to restart. The new computers allow students to get a lot more done in less time.

Meier is also specializing in Power and would like to add a minor in Mathematics by the time he graduates.

He chose Gannon because of its reputation and relationship with surrounding companies such as General Electric. The internships, with companies such as GE, allow students to gain more experience in using the most current technology.

Senior Engineering major Melanie Blauser recently received an internship with General Electric. “Gannon gave me the ability to get hired by giving me a strong background in the engineering field and offering me the technological experience I needed,” she said.

Gannon’s faculty has long recognized the crucial role played by innovation and experimentation within their fields. Through research, practical experience, and innovation, faculty members renew and revitalize their own knowledge. Most of all, they excel at bringing their subjects to life for students through hands-on experience. They know that in order to remain a leading engineering institution, Gannon must not only keep up with the ‘wet-ware,’ knowledge and innovations within the field, but also the ‘hardware’—the equipment, computer software packages and other technology with which the students must be competent as they enter the workforce.

Maggie M. Irvine, a junior English major from Greenville, Pennsylvania, is the Communications Department Intern. In addition to her work for Gannon magazine as Editorial Assistant, Irvine is co-editor for Arts and Leisure at The Gannon Knight.

“If you learn the technology while you are in college, you become more valuable in the workforce because there is less that they have to teach you,” said sophomore Electrical Engineering major Sonja Becker. “If you get hired, managers are not going to want to spend the time and money training you to use their computer software or other equipment. The knowledge and know-how can give you a step up on someone else.”

“Using the standard computer programs has really helped me get a feel for what kinds of things I’ll be doing when I graduate,” said senior Electrical Engineering major Brandon Meier.

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Gannon’s

Erie

Technology GU Encourages Entrepreneurship and Enhances Education

10

Technology. It’s expensive, amorphous, ever-changing, and it’s here to stay. From the Model T to the MP-3, technology changes our lives in fundamental ways,

and as any entrepreneur learns, it can be the bane or blessing of business. Cutting-edge technology is a practical necessity in many fields, but it’s a tool, not a panacea. In the right hands, though, it can change the future of a person, a business, a community, a region, or even the world.

Area businesses and start-ups may soon rely upon Gannon University for help in launching successful technology businesses. Gannon is creating the $10.75 million Erie Technology Incubator (ETI) at 130 West Eighth Street—site of the former downtown Boys & Girls Club. Gannon purchased the building in the fall of 2001 after the club relocated.

The development of ETI furthers the Strategic Plan implemented at Gannon under the direction of University President Antoine M. Garibaldi, Ph.D. “We must expand technology services and communication,” he said, “while increasing Gannon’s involvement in and service to the local and regional communities, and expanding faculty and student research and career opportunities.” s a member of the Civic Coordinating Committee of Erie (C-cubed), which focuses upon increasing the vitality of the Erie County economy, Dr. Garibaldi recognized the economic difficulties facing many area businesses.

When he came to Gannon, he believed that the University should be proactive in economic and community development.

In cooperation with Linda Wagner, Vice President for Finance and Administration, the University assembled a team (page 12) which collaborated with Dr. Garibaldi over the last two years. They defined goals, researched other incubators around the country, analyzed potential models for ETI, reviewed bids for each part of the architectural process, and selected Richard Speicher, Principal in Charge for Weber Murphy Fox, to handle the project.

“The challenge was adapting a building designed almost 80 years ago for a wholly different purpose—meeting the needs of the 21st century and beyond for the ETI,” said Speicher. “The needs back then and the needs now are about as different as you can get.” he team also worked to define ETI’s mission in clear scholastic terms—planning for faculty, staff, and student involvement through research, consulting, and internships. Nearly all of ETI’s programs have the potential to mutually enrich several academic units on campus—particularly the Computer and Information Sciences, Engineering, Science, and Dahlkemper School of Business.

Team members and Dr. Garibaldi have met with federal, commonwealth, county, and city representatives to promote ETI and apply for funding. All were and continue to be enthusiastic about the project (page 13).

“We are eagerly anticipating notification from the Commonwealth and are very excited about its support for the funding,” said Wagner. “We were very encouraged by all of the positive responses and the Number 3 ranking that our ETI proposal received on the project funding list for capital projects submitted in northwest Pennsylvania in June 2003.”

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Incubating Ideas

ETI is a not-for-profit business incubator dedicated to stimulating the development of advanced technologies.

It will promote the formation, growth and retention of early stage technology-based companies in northwestern Pennsylvania. Its entrepreneurial environment will foster innovation and collaboration among its companies and the public and private sector, while providing a cadre of support services customized to the unique needs of each client. ccording to Director Debra Steiner, Gannon’s SBDC, which serves Erie, Warren, Crawford, and Mercer counties, will be a major resource for the project, providing courses, research, and development assistance. The SBDC is perfectly situated for this support, having had contact with more than 1,300 start-up companies in the region.

for information technologies and networks to compete globally. As a resource in Erie’s central business district, ETI will help businesses learn how to grow and compete globally through the use of technology, broadband network services and state-of-the-art engineering and management techniques.

ETI will not only encourage and support tenant start-ups but will also provide needed research, development and high technology resources to existing small businesses throughout the region. Affiliated businesses can use the business and technical expertise offered by Gannon faculty and the ETI manager, participate in training sessions and use the technical resources of ETI.

Enriching our Economy

The significance of the project lies partially in the fact “The full spectrum of business development assistance, that ETI will be the first incubator in the region focused basic and advanced training, and easy access to highon new high-tech and professional service businesses tech facilities will benefit the comwhile also providing business exmunity by giving start-ups the best pertise, technology and engineering possible opportunity to succeed support to the region’s manufacturGU Information Technology Services and grow,” Steiner noted. Each ing-related base of small business.

Director Mark Jordano successful start-up benefits the GU Vice President for Finance and community not only through its “Erie needed start-up technology Administration Linda Wagner employment and related “ripple” and engineering design companies,” GU Dean of Sciences, Engineering, effects, but also by changing the said Linda Wagner. “But start-ups and Health Sciences Hamid Torab, local mindset, proving that techneeded access to computing, broadPh.D. nology companies can thrive in band network services, and overall GU Dean of Humanities, Business, and this area, she said. The climate crebusiness development assistance.

Education Timothy Downs, Ph.D. ated in part by ETI will retain area With ETI, these companies can GU Assistant Physics Professor Michael talent and attract others.

Ferrelli grow up and out.”

The ETI Team

Through community-wide collaborative outreach, Gannon’s SBDC and the UECDC will identify new entrepreneurs and market ETI’s resources. Economic development discussions throughout the region and Commonwealth repeatedly identify business’s pressing need

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GU Director of the Small Business Development Center Debra Steiner GU Finance Professor Robert Brooker, Ph.D. Urban Erie Community Development Corporation (UECDC) Executive Director Gary Horton Economic Development Corporation of Erie County (EDCEC) Vice President Larry Bossolt Principal in Charge for Weber Murphy Fox Richard Speicher

he national and international economic situation makes the development of new business ever more important. “Locally and regionally, there’s a growing commitment to economic development as well as a greater desire to diversify the economic base,” noted Team Coordinator Mark Jordano. “ETI

Easy access to high-tech facilities will benefit the community by giving start-ups the best possible opportunity to succeed and grow. is an important step in both directions. Gannon is always looking for ways to serve downtown Erie and the region, and for that reason we’re very excited about the prospects of this effort.”

“ETI offers unlimited opportunities for job growth,” said Wagner, “and with Dr. Garibaldi’s assistance and the help of Dr. Aydin Yesildirek in soliciting outside support, we have obtained a $5.2 million letter of commitment for software donation already.”

“Effecting ‘brain gain’ rather than ‘brain drain’ is crucial for our local and regional economy,” Dr. Garibaldi noted. “Gannon’s faculty and staff have expertise in areas that are key to planning, starting, and sustaining entrepreneurial growth. Keeping our very talented graduates in the area by making opportunities available to them will improve our local economy at the same time.” his proven model of private, public, and academic partnerships for economic development has been successful in many areas nationally and will have a significant impact regionally. Working with ETI through local school districts, high school students will see increased entrepreneurial activity and increased opportunities in their hometown. Students drawn to the region by Gannon and other colleges and universities will be able to nurture their own ideas locally and globally, benefiting the economic and academic communities and the entire region.

That’s change for the better.

Finding the Funding

U.S. Representative Phil English

(R-Pa.) marshaled federal support for ETI, with $405,000 from the Omnibus Act of 2003. “I am pleased to announce that efforts to make Erie a hub for business and technology just got a shot in the arm,” English said.

“The incubator is an idea that is long overdue,” said State Senator Jane Earll, when she presented Gannon officials with the first $250,000 for the project, in the form of a $100,000 grant from the Community Revitalization Program and a $150,000 grant from the Stay Invent the Future Initiative.

The City of Erie is supporting the project with a $50,000 Community Development Block Grant and plans to contribute $50,000 more, according to Mayor Rick Filippi.

Erie County Executive Rick Schenker has been a vocal advocate for the project and has written a letter of support for the project. Other community partners include the Economic Development Corporation of Erie County and the Urban Erie Community Development Corporation which will be co-located in ETI (along with Gannon’s SBDC).

To keep up with the latest on the project, select the Erie Technology Incubator link at www.gannon.edu/its.

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2003

Alumni

Homecoming

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“We are genuinely touched by the generosity of our alumni and their willingness to invest in their alma mater. Their gifts make a strong statement about the regard in which they hold Gannon and the way in which we are educating students.”

The class of 1963 pledged a record-breaking gift of $5.5 million during alumni weekend.

Reunion

Antoine M. Garibaldi, Ph.D.

Weekend

ver 600 alumni, family, and friends from 22 states returned to campus to celebrate Reunion Weekend with classmates and faculty. Even those who couldn’t attend offered recollections of years past.

Raymond Sullivan ’53 remembered: “Sometimes in warm weather, we would have Theology class on the back porch of the Priest house with Father Crispo. There were six or eight of us in the class and it was almost like having a tutor.”

Marguerite Davis ’78: “One night during the blizzard of 1977, Nancy Masquelier and I were returning from indoor swimming and our swimsuits and hair froze into ice when we went outside.

We laughed ourselves silly!”

Carl Minzenberger ’53: “We protested when Gannon raised the tuition from $10 to $12 per credit hour. Some of us were little kids here as half the college were WWII veterans.

They all smoked in class!”

Carla Miller Noziglia ’63 Villa: “We went to the library on 6th and French, ostentatiously to study. The east windows of the library looked directly onto the parade ground of the ROTC building where—you guessed it—the Gannon boys practiced drill and formations.”

Kevin Rowland ’92 said: “Growing up a Gannon basketball fan, I started watching games in ’83, then went to the school and became involved in the TV station and the production of games and highlight shows!”

Will Seeley ’78: “8-Ball Dances with polyester leisure shirts and suits!”

Susan Slichter Dewey ’63 VMC: “Sister Raymond Marie patiently got me through algebra.”

Dennis Noble ’72 (Δ∑I) recalled: “Stealing every light bulb from the house one night while pledging.”

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AlumniFocus James J. Weber ’62

by Maggie M. Irvine

“Find a job that you like.”

The power, precision, and presence of the B-2 Stealth Bomber fascinates aircraft enthusiasts around the globe. They may not realize that electronics manufactured by 1962 Gannon graduate James J. Weber keep it aloft.

Weber says that his education at Gannon University provided the foundation he needed to get him where he is today. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Management, but recognizes that the liberal studies courses— particularly philosophy and business ethics—enrich the decisions he makes on a daily basis.

During his last two years at Gannon, Weber was a cadet in the ROTC program. After graduation, he spent eight years serving the U.S. Army as an artillery officer in the Far East, Germany, and Vietnam.

Name

James J. Weber

Grad year

Gannon University 1962

Occupation

Owner of Wyvern Technologies, Inc., Santa Ana, California

Family

Wife, Annie Weber; daughters Hope and Shelly; grandchildren Khara, Bryan, Joshua, and Zachary

Miscellaneous

Wyvern Technologies, Inc., is the sole licensed manufacturer of all OEM electronics for the F-5 Fighter and the B-2 Stealth Bomber aircrafts.

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After resigning his commission and earning a series of promotions through a variety of manufacturing, sales, and marketing positions of greater responsibility, Weber decided to open his own business in 1984. He founded Wyvern Technologies, Inc., which is the sole licensed manufacturer of all Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) electronics for the Northrop Grumman F-5 Fighter and B-2 Stealth Bomber.

Weber fondly remembers several professors and friends at Gannon who greatly influenced his life, including Father Dipre, Professor Schmaltz, and Father Russell. He once sought advice from Dean Kraus of the Engineering School. “Although I wasn’t doing well in calculus, I explained that grade would be more than offset by the As I expected in epistemology and religion.

He looked at me and said, ‘Weber, if those are going to be your best classes, perhaps you should be looking to buy different collars for your shirts.’” To his wife Annie’s relief, Weber brought up his grades in math.

Weber visits Gannon frequently, and will increase those visits to four per year as of January 2004, when he joins Gannon’s National Alumni Board. “I am absolutely amazed each time I visit to see how far Gannon has progressed,” he said. “I am certain with Dr. Garibaldi’s and the Trustee’s thoughtful leadership, the school will continue to grow and continue to graduate wellrounded students who are able to compete at any level in this increasingly difficult job market.”

Weber’s key to success and advice to current students is simple.

“Find a job that you like and you will never work a day in your life.” His pleasure in his work is apparent and contagious.

FacultyFocus Dawna Torres Mughal, Ph.D. The serene countenance of Dawna Torres Mughal, Ph.D., R.D., LDN, FADA, Associate Professor and Director of Gannon’s Dietetics Program and Gannon’s Medical Technology Program, belies the whirlwind of activity in which she thrives.

In addition to directing, teaching, and conducting research (in chemistry, medicine, nutrition, and food science) at Gannon, Mughal is Director of the Consortium Coordinated Program in Dietetics, and serves in numerous state, federal, and international positions.

Mughal is Secretary of the Special Interest Research Group on Aging and Intellectual Disabilities (SIRGAID), an affiliate of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual Disabilities (IASSID).

During the past five years, her work with SIRGAID has taken Mughal to the UK, Cyprus, Switzerland, Japan, Greece, and Argentina. Her professional presentations at the conferences have drawn the interest of her national and international colleagues, who have invited Mughal to contribute to books and articles. Her current research focuses on nutrition screening of free-living older adults and of adults with intellectual disabilities who live in community-based homes.

Mughal is deeply dedicated to service and giving back.

“Education is valuable as an agent of change, collaboration as a tool for making things happen, and volunteer work as an important investment in the community and its future,” she said. “I know that teaching is my calling. In my native country, we highly value education and good teachers who challenge students to be the best they can be. Many good teachers have influenced me and my work ethic, and I still remember them.”

Above all, Mughal says, “Teaching is a noble profession. I have seen many people whose lives were transformed by education and by teachers who expect nothing but the best from their students.”

“Teaching is a noble profession.”

Education

Ph.D. in Nutrition from Penn State University M.S. in Foods and Nutrition from Southern Illinois University B.S. in Chemistry (Magna cum laude) from Central Philippine University

Service

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director’s Council Director of the Consortium Coordinated Program in Dietetics Board of Pennsylvania Dietetic Association and Delegate to the ADA SIRGAID Leadership Erie United Way Erie International Institute

Awards and certifications

FADA (Charter Fellow of the ADA— the highest credential awarded to registered dietitians by the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the ADA) LDN (Licensed Dietitian/Nutrition) PADA’s Keystone Award for leadership ADA’s Madge Myers Fellowship ADA’s New Researchers Award (for her doctoral research on type 2 diabetes mellitus and dietary adherence) ADA’s Outstanding Dietetics Educator Award Distinguished Alumna, Central Philippine University

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by Dan Teliski, Gannon Sports Information Director

Gannon Fall Athletics Prosper

The Gannon football team completed one of the best seasons in school history with a 9–1 record. After a season-opening loss at Wayne State (Michigan), the Golden Knights reeled off nine straight victories to end the season. In the process, the squad set a school record for most victories in a season and will enter the 2004 campaign two victories shy of the school record for consecutive wins.

The season instilled plenty of confidence in a program that will enter the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) in 2004.

The GLIAC, known nationally for its football prowess, is home to Saginaw Valley State and Grand Valley State. Both teams enter the 2003 post-season ranked in the top 10 of every national poll.

Gannon also finished the season ranked 39th in Don Hansen’s National Weekly Football Gazette’s NCAA Division II Top 40 poll. It was the first-ever national ranking for the Golden Knights since their move to the scholarship level.

Gannon Volleyball Celebrates 30 Years

Posting their fifth winning season in six years with a 21–8 record, the Lady Knights began their season with 13 consecutive victories, the school’s longest winning streak since 1993. The squad went on to win 20 matches for the first time since 1995.

Gannon qualified for the GLIAC Tournament for the second consecutive season and fifth time in the last six seasons. The Lady Knights defeated Ferris State in the quarterfinals before falling to nationally-ranked Northern Michigan in the semifinals.

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Jess Deemer was again named to the All-GLIAC first team while Megan Heisler earned a spot on the second team and Mandi Altomari received honorablemention accolades.

Men’s Soccer Continues to Rise

Head coach Rob van Rheenen enjoyed his seventh year with the program as Gannon posted its second consecutive winning season with a 12–7 record.

The Golden Knights were ranked regionally and nationally throughout the season, ascending as high as second in the Great Lakes region and 22nd nationally.

Gannon was on the brink of its first NCAA Division II playoff bid since 1993 after winning six of seven matches down the stretch, but a 2–1 loss to nationally-ranked Mercyhurst in the season finale before 700 fans dashed any playoff hopes.

Gannon and Mercyhurst tied for the GLIAC title with identical 4–1 league records. It was the school’s secondever GLIAC title in any sport and the first since the same two schools shared the 1995 men’s soccer championship.

Women’s Soccer Shows True Grit

The women’s soccer program completed its season at 2–16 overall and 1–7 in the GLIAC. Gannon fought hard in every match and posted impressive victories over Charleston (3–1) and Saginaw Valley State (2–0).

Despite being out of the playoff race, Gannon showed its true character during a heart-breaking 1–0 loss in overtime at Mercyhurst in the season finale. The Lady Knights held the Lakers at bay for 92 minutes until a bad clearing pass resulted in a Mercyhurst goal 2:05 into the first overtime. The Lakers finished the season with only one loss in the GLIAC.

AthleteFocus Winning in the Water

The men’s water polo team continued its rise from a club team with its second consecutive winning season in 2003. Gannon finished 16–11 in only its third year at the varsity level. The Golden Knights finished seventh at the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Southern Division Championships with a 7–4 victory over Washington & Jefferson.

Twelve Golden Knights scored goals throughout the season, including six players with at least 30 tallies.

Charles Doane broke a school record with 65 goals.

Sean Morphy had another outstanding season in goal, stopping 51 percent of the shots he faced.

Men’s Golf Hosts Championships

The Gannon men’s golf team completed a successful season with a 10th place finish at the 2003 GLIAC Championships. Gannon hosted the championships for the first time. Dave Patronik was Gannon’s top finisher, placing 13th with a three-day total of 225.

Fleet-footed Knights Keep Running

Both Gannon cross country teams concluded their seasons with 12th place finishes at the GLIAC championships at Ferris State University. The men’s team finished 12th of 12 teams with 334 points. Rich Custer was Gannon’s top male runner, placing 51st with a time of 27:29. Joe Covell (65th, 28:09), Neil Anderson (69th, 28:18), Aaron Nicka (73rd, 28:49) and Steve Curcio (76th, 29:11) also competed for the Golden Knights.

The women’s squad finished 13th out of 13 teams with 390 points. Alicia Winters was Gannon’s top female runner, placing 74th with a time of 25:55.

Amanda Steeves (76th, 26:17), Amanda Eidt (78th, 26: 29), Ashleigh Boise (80th, 26:39), Emily Opett (82nd, 26:50), Sara Santilli (85th, 27:54) and Sandi Klingensmith (87th, 28:20) also competed for the Lady Knights.

LeAnn Byer concluded her collegiate

career with one of the most prestigious awards in the sport of volleyball. Byer was named to the 2003 College Division Academic All-District II third team. It’s an award reserved for those players who sit at the head of the class and excel on the court.

The Criminal Justice major earned a 3.93 cumulative grade point average. She started all 30 matches this season and led Gannon in service aces with 45. She was second on the team in digs (429) and assists (112).

Byer acknowledged that balancing academics, athletics, and a part-time job can be difficult. She said the key for her was focus. “My professors have been fantastic.”

In addition to practices, classes, and work, Byer is helping to form a Student Advisory Board. It will be a liaison between students and the Athletic Director. “All the coaches are excellent. I’ve been looking for an internship with a law firm because I’m planning to go to law school next year. My coaches have been helping me out and suggesting people to call.”

Byer was one of 19 student-athletes named to the District II academic teams. The Division consists of all NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, and NAIA colleges and universities in Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

To be nominated for the Academic AllAmerica program, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore with a 3.2 cumulative grade point average and a starter or significant reserve on the team.

“My professors have been fantastic.”

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1950

LEONARD PAULITZ is a governing board member of the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

1953

MARTHA (BRENOT) PASTORE (VMC) was among 12 Erie-area women who were recognized as Women Making History.

1958

REV. GEORGE E. STROHMEYER has been named University Chaplain for Gannon University.

1962

THOMAS C. GUELCHER ‘76M was among the 2003 Koch Award winners from the Mercy Center on Aging.

The award honors the center volunteers for their work and dedication.

1963

JOHN D. PETULLA is the new chief executive at Harborcreek Youth Services.

THOMAS F. POWER, JR. was approved for a three-year term to Gannon University’s Board of Trustees.

1964

REV. RAYMOND C. GRAMATA has been named pastor of St. Anthony Parish, Sheffield, and Catholic chaplain at Warren State Hospital, Warren, Pennsylvania.

1965

L. SCOTT BARNARD has been elected to the board of directors of Nashua Corporation, a premier manufacturer and marketer of labels, thermal specialty papers and imaging products.

1967

REV. DR. (MELE) MARILYN E. WELTE completed her doctoral studies from Emerson Institute of California on March 6, 2003.

Dr. Welte recently opened Emerson Institute of Hawaii in Honolulu.

1968

SISTER ANN LOUIS GRANDINETTI (VMC), SSJ was honored for her 45 years of teaching service in Catholic Schools.

RICHARD A. JANICKI joined U.S. Pipe and Foundry Company, Inc. on February 16, 2001, as plant manager of the Burlington, New Jersey, facility.

FRANK A. LEONE is vice president of sales for CIMCO Communications, Inc. located in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois.

MICHAEL J. SALACH, II is the new president of Northern New England for FRANNET.

alumcal 2004 January 19

Martin Luther King, Jr. Observance Waldron Campus Center

January 25

Nursing Alumni Winter Tea Boardroom, Old Main

February 23 20

Gannon vs. Mercyhurst Basketball Games at the Hammermill Pre-Game Alumni Party

SISTER MILLICENT ZIMMER, SSJ (VMC) is celebrating her Golden Jubilee this year.

1969

JOANN (MAXWELL) MULLEN stepped down as principal of Cathedral Preparatory School at the end of the school year, June 30, 2003.

GREGORY F. PASHKE had an article on “The Use and Abuse of Models” in the September-October 2003 issue of The Futurist.

DONALD C. SMITH is an information systems consultant with Renaissance Partners, L.C. in Pompano Beach, Forida.

WARREN E. SNYDER, PH.D. ‘76M received his Ph.D. in human development from Virginia Tech in May 2003. Warren retired from the U.S. Army in 1998 as a Lieutenant Colonel.

He is currently an educational project leader for Sytex Inc. in Newington,Virginia.

1970

JUDGE ERNEST J. DISANTIS, JR. is the new secretary of Cathedral Preparatory School’s Alumni Association.

March 6

DENNIS C. O’BRIEN was elected to the board of trustees for Saint Mary’s Home in Erie.

April 17

1971

National Alumni Board Meeting Boardroom, Old Main Distinguished Alumni Awards Dinner Yehl Alumni Room

May 8

Spring Commencement Erie Civic Center

SYLVIA (RAFFAENNER) SMITH (VMC) earned her advanced certificate in religious education leadership from Mercyhurst College. She is a religious education leader from Holy Cross Parish in Fairview.

AlumNotes

1972

ROBERT P. BARKER has been named president of Parker Aerospace.

DAVID A. BRUZGA is retiring as principal of Long Reach High School in Maryland after 30 years.

THOMAS GAMBLE, PH.D. has been named vice president of academic affairs and dean of Mercyhurst College.

JAMES E. GEHRLEIN has been named president of National City Bank in Erie.

Jim has also been approved for a three-year term to Gannon University’s Board of Trustees.

1973

REV. JOHN M. FISCHER ‘73M was ordained 40 years ago on May 23. He has been at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Albion for the past seven years.

JOSEPH M. BIONE ‘75M is a managing director in the Automotive Practice of BearingPoint, Inc., located in Southfield, Michigan.

GREGORY DEVICTOR is a consultant and president of his own high technology firm in Pittsburgh.

MICHAEL M. MURNOCK, M.ED. ‘78M received the Erie County Bar Association Liberty Bell award at a ceremony held on Law Day, May 1, 2003.

He is the executive director of the International Institute of Erie.

ROBERT J. SZCZESNY will long cherish the memories of caddying for the winner of the 2003 PGA Championship, Shaun Micheel.

1974

MICHAEL P. HUMENIK ‘77M is the senior vice president of human resources and communications for Global Exchange Services (GXS).

WILLIAM A. JANICKI ‘82M ‘84M is the director of the Archdiocese of Denver Catechetical School.

PATRICIA MCLAUGHLIN (VMC) has accepted a position at the Erie Catholic School office as Director of Teacher Personnel.

MICHAEL C. SUTIKA has been named as the head of retail banking for County National Bank.

1975

SAMY V. KARUPPANA ‘75M is the vice president of engineering/manufacturing/ quality for Intra Technologies in Tukwila, Washington.

RONALD R. SIMONETTI has earned the life underwriter training council fellow professional designation from the American College in Bryn Mawr. He is a financial associate with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans in Erie.

1976

MARY ANDERSON (VMC) will attend the Native Voices seminar sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities this summer. She was one of 17 teachers chosen nationally to participate in an intensive five-week program at Kenyon College in Ohio, analyzing Native American autobiographies.

Where has the time gone?

It’s been six years since I took over as President of the Gannon and Villa Maria National Alumni Association Board of Directors. It’s been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. I’ve had the opportunity to work with many dedicated people from the faculty, staff, Alumni Board, and the Board of Trustees.

In my six years as President, the National Alumni Board has made some great strides integrating itself into the fabric of the Gannon family.

• We’ve expanded the Board nationally and demographically to better reflect the alumni.

• Through strategic planning we have set attainable goals that help define the role of each Board member.

• We’ve increased the involvement of the alumni body through events across the U.S. that bring us all together.

• We’ve grown Homecoming Weekend into a “can’t-miss” event.

I’ll certainly never forget the pleasure of working with Bishop Trautman, Monsignor Rubino, Dr. Ostrowski, and Dr. Garibaldi. The highlight was being a member of the search committee that chose Dr. Garibaldi as our new President. Being a Trustee gave me the chance to see how Gannon has become the premier Catholic University that it is. You cannot imagine a more passionate, dedicated group of individuals.

As a group we all plan for future students who will occupy the dorms and classrooms throughout this campus. It’s an awesome responsibility and one that each of us takes very seriously.

One of the best things about being president has to be working with the Alumni Office staff. I will truly miss them. Susan Black-Keim, Cathy Fresch, Julie (Krumpe) Groenendaal, and Michelle Potter have been keeping me on track and I couldn’t have done it without them.

There have been many other alumni staff that I’ve worked with through the years and I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank them, too: Susan McDyer, Margie Klein, Rachel Hards, Judy Steele, and Holly Schlosser.

To all of the Gannon administration, faculty, staff, and Board members, please accept my sincere thanks for all that you do and for making these past six years so enjoyable.

To the new Alumni Board Executive Committee and all of the Board members, thank you for your kind words, and I wish all of you the joy I’ve had in serving Gannon University.

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AlumNotes PATRICIA M. FRANZ (VMC) is an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister, working as a hospice chaplain.

1977

J. JAMES GRIFFEY has been production director for Regent Broadcasting of Erie for 13 years, winning several awards from the Erie Ad Club, a “Best in State” award from the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters, and a “Communicator” national award.

MATTHEW J. HAUSER has been honored as the 2002 New GEICO Direct Representative of the Year.

DENNIS M. NEVINSK has been hired by the Erie County MH/MR Administration as a mental retardation program specialist.

1978

ARTHUR C. AMANN ‘78M has been appointed the new director of the Mercyhurst College Civic Institute. He also teaches criminal justice and is a student advisor for the college.

JEFFREY W. BOSWELL was elected first vice president of the Industrial Heating Equipment Association (IHEA) during a meeting of the IHEA Board of Directors. He is vice president of Seco/Warwick Corporation, Meadville, Pennsylvania.

TIMOTHY J. LASKOWSKI, PH.D. wrote a novel entitled Every Good Boy Does Fine, published in 2003 by Southern Methodist University Press in Dallas, Texas. Tim received his M.A. in English and M.F.A.

Debra A. Thompson ’81 VMC ’90 MBA

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coordinated a program development effort for the Achievement Center that included Gannon alumni, students in the Master of Public Administration program, and community members.

As president of Strategy Solutions in Erie, Thompson facilitates planning and program development for organizations. Her involvement in community initiatives enhances Thompson’s work with many community service organizations that benefit from the assistance provided by her students in the program.

Program participants developed products and services for non-profit organizations. They took ideas for new services generated during strategic planning at the Achievement Center and completed feasibility studies to see if the new service ideas were workable and how to implement them.

The alumni included Thompson and Rebecca Brumagin ’84 MBA, executive director of the Achievement Center,

in creative writing from the University of Montana and his Ph.D. from Ohio University.

JEFFREY D. LIEBEL has been named to the national board of directors of the American Canoe Association, the nation’s oldest and largest organization for the support of paddle sport.

Services as its new chief operating officer.

VINCENT H. MERCURI, JR. is the executive director of The Open Door of Indiana, Pennsylvania, a non-profit recovery center for addictions.

1979

LEDU Q. NGUYEN has designed a new oil filter which incorporates a magnetic material within the filter to trap metal particles.

He is senior development engineer at Purolator ArvinMeritor.

GARY A. FRACASSI, CPA was elected president of the Central Florida Chapter of the Florida Institute of CPAs.

MARK R. SQUEGLIA is a program manager for GE Transportation Systems currently assigned to eBizITPA. His article “Digitization Drives Positive Changes to Bottom Line,” appeared in the November, 2003 issue of Business Magazine.

LEE A. (PITONYAK) BELOVARAC ‘79M is a business instructor and assistant to the associate dean of the Walker School of Business at Mercyhurst College.

RICHARD L. HOFMANN, JR. ‘89M has joined the leadership team at Harborcreek Youth

and MPA students Britt Daehnke ’98, Celina Henderson ’02, Kelly Shrout ’90A, Lisa Kelleher, Katrina VincentSmith; Eric Hern, Jeanette Latorre, Jennifer Dobbs Woods, Mary Ann Kerch and Rebecca Swick.

The process will benefit hundreds of children in the region through the expanded service offerings of the Achievement Center.

The philosophy of the Master of Public Administration program, headed by Renee DeGeorge-Lamis, focuses not only on academic, but experiential learning. Students make a positive impact in the community. With this in mind, within each course Thompson teaches, she looks for ways to connect to real projects that are going on in the community that could benefit from student work. She builds those opportunities into project for the students.

“One of the challenges of this experiential learning philosophy is to make the student experience valuable for student and client and to try to fit that within the confines of the schedule of the semester,” she says.

“I learned long ago from my education at Villa and Gannon that good professionals not only make a contribution to the organizations where they work but to the communities in which they live,” said Thompson. Her students agree.

“The research for the Achievement Center project was a labor of love instead of a homework assignment,” said Rebecca Swick. “Knowing that the work was for the benefit of real people instead of just for the benefit of a letter grade made it much more important.”

AlumNotes TIMOTHY G. UZARSKI is the mayor of Linesville and is a sergeant for Geauga County Sheriff ’s Department in Ohio.

1980

ANDREW P. ROTH, JR., PH.D. ‘80M has been named as president of Notre Dame College of Ohio.

ELIZABETH (MAKAR) PICZKO, R.P.A.C. is employed with Strong Health’s Primary Care Panorama Internal Medicine.

1981

DEBRA (SKURCENSKI) THOMPSON (VMC) ‘90M was among 12 Erie-area women who were recognized as Women Making History.

1982

MARK A. FALLONE has been named vice president of production and development for New Perspective Productions, an audio, video and multimedia production company in Pittsburgh.

ROBERT P. MARCOLINE was recently elected to the board of trustees for Saint Mary’s Home in Erie.

CRAIG C. MOFFATT was elected president of the Erie chapter of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants for 2003-2004. Craig is a partner at Diefenbach Delio Kearney and DeDionsio in Erie.

NICHOLAS J. ORLANDO Nicholas J. Orlando has been appointed principal of Kingsville Elementary School in Kingsville, Ohio.

SUZANNE (SHIMMONS) PREVOST, PH.D. (VMC) was selected by the Erie Housing Authority as a Hero of Public Housing.

This honor is bestowed upon individuals who have lived in public housing in Erie and who have gone on to make significant contributions to the Erie Community, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or the nation.

1983

REV. JOHN J. DETISCH has returned to the post of president of Cathedral Preparatory School’s Alumni Association.

LT COL ROBERT “BO” S. HELLMAN, USMC took command of 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, California.

1984

CARRIE M. TANN is the assistant principal at Beaumont School in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.

1985

WALTER L. BORAWSKI ‘95M is a new project manager at Rabe Environmental Systems Inc. in Erie. In addition, he will also serve as a technical specialist and senior professional in the company’s piping division.

marriages Jennifer L. Antonik ’00 ’01M married William S. Edwards ’00 on August 16, 2003.

Mary Margaret Baker ’87 married Evan Steve Claudio on July 12, 2003.

Pamela A. Bergstrom ’00 married Keith M. Liccardi ’99 ’01M on August 16, 2003.

Melissa Marie Bidinger ’01 ’02M married Christopher Michael Mook on July 12, 2003.

Jodie L. Cornell Rowe ’94 married Mark Deutsch.

Douglas L. Cottrell ’94 ’96M married Colleen Patrice Holian on March 1, 2003.

Kristy S. Crooks ’97 married Jason P. Porter ’97 on July 12, 2003.

Dawn L. Dunlap ’98 married Ron Powell on May 10, 2003.

Kevin John Habursky ’99 ’01M married Emily Lyn Fink on May 10, 2003.

Mark Anthony Krahe, D.O. ’98 married Kristen Marie Sisti on June 13, 2003.

Michelle Lynn Krahe ’00 married William Whitney Burch on May 17, 2003.

Donna M. Quagliana ’97 married Senior Chief Woodrow Keith Purkey, USN, on August 23, 2003.

Renee Lynn Shubert ’98 married Jon David Lepley, D.O., on August 9, 2003.

John Patrick Sullivan, M.D., ’98 married Melissa Jane Shaffer on June 21, 2003.

Roger F. Vandervort ’02 married Susan L. Miller on April 12, 2003.

Corry L. Walter ’00 married Christopher T. Wierzbowski on October 18, 2003.

Bradley Ward Williams ’97 married Sara Kristin Childers on July 12, 2003.

Michelle L. Zuba, D.O. ’93 married Robert E. McMichael, D.O. on October 4, 2003.

Greta Ann Zuck ’95M married Steven Richard Luyendyk on June 14, 2003.

DEBORAH (MACK) DEANGELO (VMC) was among 12 erie-area women who were recognized as Women Making History.

KAREN (BRICE) GROSZKIEWICZ and her husband, John, were the winners of the Home and Garden Television (HGTV) Million-Dollar Dream Home contest.

MICHELE (WOLOSZYN) SETH is a sonographer at Hamot Medical Center in Erie.

JANE (ROHLING) FRYE received her master of science in Education from Lake Erie College in Painesville, Ohio.

NEAL G. RABOGLIATTI is the eBusiness catalyst at Catalyst Connection in Pittsburgh.

MICHAEL J. CAMPBELL was appointed president and CEO of PanGo Networks in Pittsburgh.

1986

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AlumNotes SCOTT M. HEIL was appointed vice president of development for Made2Manage Systems Inc., a leading provider of enterprise software for small and midsize manufacturers and distributors.

REV. MARK A. O’HERN ‘96M has been appointed parochial vicar at St. Michael Parish in Greenville, and its mission, St. Margaret in Jamestown.

Scott A. Stewart’86, a

protective intelligence coordinator for Dell, Inc., spoke at Gannon in October about Al-Qaeda, its origins, capabilities, goals, and potentials. Stewart was a federal agent with the U.S. Department of State for 10 years and was one of seven agents recognized for their participation in the investigation and prosecution of those involved in the attempted bombing of the World Trade Center in February 1993.

24

1987

MARY (BAKER) CLAUDIO is a policy processing specialist at Erie Insurance Group.

MICHAEL J. SAMPSON, D.O. is an associate professor and co-director of the Carilion Family Medicine Residency Program. He is also an assistant team physician for Virginia Tech athletics.

ROBERT J. SINGER, D.O. is an orthopedic surgeon with Blair Orthopedic Associates & Sports Medicine in Altoona, Pennsylvania, specializing in adult trauma and reconstructive joint surgery.

WALTER J. STANISLAWSKI completed his MBA from Case Western Reserve University and was hired as the executive VP of the David Family Enterprises LLC. Walt is also the director of The Paul and Carol David Foundation.

1988

VALERIE J. BACIK has been named as Gannon University’s associate provost.

Valerie directs Gannon’s Academic Advising Center.

SARAH (COHEN) KAVENEY, R.N. (VMC) is the nurse manager of the MICU (Medical Intensive Care Unit) at Hamot Medical Center in Erie.

1989

PENNY A. HANES ‘89M is named in a new accounting textbook by Loren A. Nikolai and John D. Bazley.

She is an associate professor of accounting at Mercyhurst College.

Kathleen A. Shelly-Amoriello ’80

was invited to Mike Ditka’s Celebrity Golf Classic in Chicago in August. Kathleen was the national grand prize winner of the Consort Celebration of Coaching Essay Contest. She wrote an essay about her father, Stan Shelly, being her coach and cheerleader throughout her life. Mike Ditka presented the award to Kathleen and her prize of $5,000 in Spalding sports equipment which she and her husband, Attorney James D. Amoriello, presented to the Diocese of Erie.

GARRY D. HENNIS ‘89M has been promoted to senior vice president of retirement and health-care services for Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

MARY (VICKEY) GUSTAFSON was selected to participate in the Fulbright Teacher Exchange Program, spending six weeks teaching English in Tangier, Morocco.

SHARON HEIDECKER ‘00M was recently named the Women’s Roundtable of Erie’s 2003 Woman of the Year. She is a nurse practitioner at Ear Nose & Throat Specialists in Erie.

MICHAEL J. OLIVER is the manager of RF Systems and EMI/RFI Simulations for VitaTech Engineering, LLC, in Springfield, Virginia.

ROBERT C. RODDY was awarded the Fellowship designation by successfully completing nine examinations that are administered by the Casualty Actuarial Society each year. Robert works for Erie Insurance Group.

SHARON (PIERCE) THOMPSON, PH.D., R.N., MPH ‘94M was selected by the Erie Housing Authority as a Hero of Public Housing. This honor is bestowed upon individuals who have lived in public housing in Erie and who have gone on to make significant contributions to the Erie Community, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or the nation.

1990

RICHARD A. MCKINNEY is the president of Walton Financial Services.

AlumNotes KENNETH OGOREK is the director of the Office for Catechesis and editor of News and Notes for the Diocese of Pittsburgh Department for Religious Education.

CHRISTOPHER E. REINHARD is the chief operations officer and co-founder of Channel Pro’s Inc., headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.

DAVID R. TATES joined METC, LLC in June of 2002 as asset manager.

1991

BENJAMIN E. BULKLEY ‘91M has been named as senior vice president of commercial

births a son, Andrew Davie (born on May 8, 2003) to David W.’93 and Julia R. Dembinski Burton ’94.

a son, Gregory Anthony (born on February 9, 2003) to Gregory A. Caldwell, O.D. ’92 and his wife, Dr. Dana GjurichCaldwell. a son, Paul James (born on January 2, 2003) to Andrew N. Canfield ’00M and his wife, Heather. twin boys, Nathan and Noah (born on February 25, 2003) to Jennifer Schroeck ’99 and Stephen J. Habursky ’97 ’01M. a son, Alexander Thomas (born on April 11, 2003) to Renee Vogt Lamis ’90M. a daughter, Lydia (born on May 21, 2003) to Joseph J. Molinero ’93.

operations for Invitrogen Corporation, a provider of life science technologies for disease research and drug discovery.

SHAWN F. RYCHCIK was one of 17 players selected to the USA Softball Men’s National Team, which represented the United States at the 2002 Pan Am Qualifier in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Shawn is the assistant softball coach at Boston University.

1992

BRANDON M. BALL, M.D. was appointed to the medical staff at Uniontown Hospital in the Department of General Surgery. a son, Jack Ryan (born on June 22, 2003) to Erin McCormack Oliver ’91 and her husband, Donald. a son, Mason (born on April 11, 2003) to Jennifer Burrows Pronko ’92 and her husband, Nick.

Mason joins older brother, Ryan, who was born on December 10, 1999. a son, Charles (Charlie) J. (born on Monday, August 19, 2003) to James J. Jr. ’83 and Mary Riley Rutkowski ’87. a daughter, Aaliya Nair (born on February 19, 2003) to Sridevi Nair Taranath ’94 and her husband, Dheeraj. a son, Hunter William (born on July 25, 2003) to Patricia Horvath Wassink ’93 and her husband, Shane. a son, Wyatt Jordan (born on April 6, 2003) to Rita Miceli Woker ’96 and her husband, Craig.

RHONDA (ROSEBERRY) MOTIL has been appointed as the executive director for the Monterey Cakifornia County Vintners and Growers Association.

THOMAS A. SPAGEL ‘98M has been deployed with the Army Reserve’s 298th Transportation Company to Fort Lee,Virginia.

1993

PAMELA (WASIULEWSKI) DOWEY ‘93M is a certified registered nurse anesthetist at Anesthesia Consultants of Columbia, South Carolina.

HEIDI JO (HOLTZHAUSER) MARTIN earned her master’s degree in counseling from Edinboro University.

MICHAEL J. SMITH recently completed basic drug enforcement administration special agent training at Quantico,Virginia, and was selected by his classmates to give the student graduation address.

JAMES B. TOOHEY is an associate attorney in labor and employment at Bell, Boyd & Lloyd in Chicago.

DEBORAH A. WASSON was honored at the 12th Annual Tribute to Women, an award honoring area women who have distinguished themselves in various areas.

MICHELLE L. ZUBA, D.O. is a general surgeon working out of Botsford General Hospital.

1994

DOUGLAS L. COTTRELL ‘96M is a manager of clinical operations at NovaCare Rehabilitation in Meadville.

AMANDA (MAGERL) MARMINS, CCR opened her own court reporting business in the Atlanta, Georgia area.

MICHELE-MARIE (IARUSSI) SCHROECK ‘99M recently earned an advanced administrator certificate from the Assisted Living Federation of America. She is director of assisted living for Parkside Senior Living Communities in Erie.

MARY GRACE (CIOTOLI) SHANNON earned her master of social work degree from Edinboro University.

1995

GRETA (ZUCK) LUYENDYK ‘95M is working toward her doctorate in psychology at North Central University in Prescott, Arizona.

MARIO M. VENNERI has joined the Wexford, Pennsylvania, office of RE/ MAX Select Realty.

1996

ANGELA B. JOHNSON ‘96M has written a book entitled Helpful Hints for the College Bound Student.

DAVID S. TYLER ‘96M is project manager for BuffLink, Inc., a private, nonprofit corporation, founded in 2001 as a community resource designed to increase entrepreneurial and business activity.

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AlumNotes CATHERINE E. LYONS was among 12 Erie-area women who were recognized as Women Making History.

1997

JEFFREY K. DOMSIC, PH.D. received his doctor of philosophy degree in molecular biology from the University of Iowa. He is employed by the University of Maryland at Baltimore.

CARL R. HOEGERL, D.O. has entered specialty residency training at SUNY Hospital, Stony Brook, New York.

SCOTT P. LIZOTTE received his professional engineering registration.

He is a mechanical engineer with Burt Hill Kosar Rittelmann Associates in Butler, Pennsylvania.

JASON P. PORTER is a transit police officer with the Niagara, New York, Frontier Transportation Authority.

KRISTY (CROOKS) PORTER taught third grade in the Jamestown, Pennsylvania, Area School District and was the coach of the 2000 Conneaut Lake State Championship girls’ volleyball team.

MARK A. KRAHE, D.O. is an intern at South Point Hospital in Cleveland.

He earned his doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

JASON D. VAUGHN earned his master’s degree in school administration from Edinboro University.

JOHN F. KROTO recently graduated from Ohio Northern’s Pettit College of Law with a juris doctor degree.

BRADLEY W. WILLIAMS is employed by Roanoke Orthopedic Center.

1998

PETER H. GEDDES has been named director of athletic facilities and assistant baseball coach at Mercyhurst College.

KATHERINE A. KOCZAN, D.O. was awarded the doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She is an interning at Garden City Osteopathic Hospital, Garden City, Michigan.

RENEE (SHUBERT) LEPLEY is an activities therapist at Deerfield Behavioral Health and a figure skating instructor with Westminster Figure Skating Club of Erie.

DOMINIC M. SCIAMANDA, D.O. recently graduated from the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine.

BRIDGET A. SHANAHAN, D.O. recently graduated from the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine.

SHASTA S. STEELE appeared on the first episode of ABC-TV’s “Dance Fever.”

JOHN P. SULLIVAN, M.D. is a neurology resident at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, New York.

KRISTEN D. WRIGHT, CPA became a certified public accountant on June 11, 2003.

1999

AMY R. BELTON is employed as a program director at the YMCA in Erie.

Jill Cameron ’03 served on the Assembly 26

of Student Delegates Steering Committee for the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) National Conference in Florida (with AOTA president Barbara Kornblau, right).

JULIE A. CHAMBERLAIN has been teaching for five years in Charles County Public Schools in Waldorf, Maryland.

TIMOTHY J. CRAIG is a journalist for The Washington Post covering state and local news for the Maryland area.

CAROLYN (IAVARONE) DIETRICH was elected Environmental Health and Safety Manager of 2003 for General Electric. She was selected out of 100 people and the award was given at General Electric Co. in Austin, Texas.

KEVIN J. HABURSKY ‘01M is a physical therapist at Corry Memorial Hospital.

STEPHEN P. KOVACS, D.O. was awarded the doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He is currently doing an internship there.

ALLISON (BOURKE) MORRISON is an intake coordinator for case management at Preferred Care in Rochester.

THOMAS W. PLUT, D.O. was awarded the doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He is doing an internship at Crozer-Chester Medical Center, Springfield, Pennsylvania.

2000

MELISA S. ACKER is an account coordinator for Bensur Advertising in Erie.

KEVIN T. BRIGGS is teaching English at McCaskey High School in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

JENNIFER (ANTONIK) EDWARDS ‘01M is employed by Optimal Therapy Associate Services and the Buffalo Board of Education.

AlumNotes WILLIAM S. EDWARDS is attending Canisius College in education and is employed by Adelphia Communications.

CORRY (WALTER) WIERZBOWSKI is a physician assistant at Dr. Dale Daehn Family Practice in Arcade, New York.

2001

KELLY M. BECKER is a third-year medical student doing rotations at a hospital near Youngstown, Ohio.

MEGHANN A. KELLY is currently living in New Orleans, Louisiana, running a girl’s group home and acting as assistant program director for Boys Hope Girls Hope of New Orleans.

SABRINA A. LANE earned her master’s degree in communication studies from Edinboro University.

MELISSA (BIDINGER) MOOK ‘02M is an occupational therapist at Wadsworth School District in Wadsworth, Ohio.

MARK D. STRAZISAR is currently a second-year student at LECOM and is looking forward to his reunion with the class of 2001 in 2011.

CARRIE A. WASZECIAK is currently living in Mineral, Virginia, on Lake Anna in Louisa County. She is teaching eighth grade and coaching the high school varsity boys’ soccer team.

CHRISTOPHER H. WILLIAMS is a mechanical engineer at Frenchcreek Productions in Franklin, Pennsylvania.

JACQUELYN M. WINDON is the girls’ basketball coach at Hoban High School, Akron, Ohio.

“He made history come alive.”

by Jennifer Mailey ’95 Thomas L. Szendrey, Ph.D., lived a difficult life, yet he deeply touched the hearts and minds of many of his Gannon colleagues and students, particularly, Judge John F. Cherry ’73.

Szendrey was Cherry’s favorite professor at Gannon.

“For me, Dr. Szendrey was Gannon,” Cherry said. The close relationship between professor and student developed into a lifelong friendship.

Cherry recalled his first encounter with Szendrey, but it wasn’t in a Gannon classroom. They met on a bus trip on Holy Thursday in 1971, both visiting Pittsburgh for Easter. Their ethnic and family traditions and their love of the Catholic Church formed a bond between them that day.

Cherry was impressed with Szendrey’s vast knowledge and passion for history, so he registered for his class, The Enlightenment Period, 1648-1815.

As an undergraduate and graduate student, Cherry also enjoyed Szendrey’s Church Reformation, European Senior Seminar, and Medieval History courses.

It was not uncommon for Dr. Szendrey to invite his students over for dinner with his family, where lively discussions about great historians, philosophers, and the Catholic Church kept everyone entertained.

“Until Tom, history was just a series of dates and events for me,” Cherry said. “He made it come alive.”

After graduation, Cherry stayed in touch with the Szendreys and their children, Tunde and Csongor. Cherry judged Szendrey a genius—with a complex and intelligent mind, a compassionate heart, and beautiful soul.

“He lived a simple lifestyle and always remained true to his family, his Catholic faith, his Hungarian culture, and to Gannon,” noted Cherry.

Szendrey suffered a stroke in 2000, never fully recovered, and was forced to retire. “With all that he suffered, Tom Szendrey was still a gentle and kind man,” Cherry added.

In 2003, Cherry accepted Gannon’s Distinguished Alumni Award in Humanities. During the ceremony, he spoke about the profound impact that Szendrey made in his life and announced that he was establishing the Dr. Thomas L. Szendrey Endowed Scholarship in the amount of $10,000.00 for a deserving Gannon student majoring in history. Szendrey was not able to attend the ceremony because he was hospitalized with pneumonia.

His family accepted on his behalf. Sadly, he died just six weeks later on May 14, 2003.

Cherry’s reasons for establishing the scholarship were three-fold—to honor the legacy of a brilliant professor at Gannon, to keep history alive in the minds of future Gannon students, and to give back to a University that truly transformed his life.

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AlumNotes

in memoriam

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Phillip E. Anderson ’74 John M. Andrews ’75 Louise Bachmaier ’66 Ernest H. Baker ’58 Martin J. Barrett ’55 Donald C. Becker ’54 Roger W. Bloss ’52 Ann M. Brazeau ’84 Homer E. Bulger ’61 Kathleen Short Cable ’63 Grace Lubach Camino ’75 Loretta A. Cardinale, R.N. ’77 Juan C. Casas ’69 Rev. Msgr. Robert W. Cohan, V.F. ’49 John T. Conyngham ’51 Michael T. Corbett ’91 Ernest A. Cray ’48 Sister Kathleen Cribbins ’42 John E. Dalton ’58 Thomas A. Diefenbach ’63 Sister Mary M. Doubet ’49 Sister Marcella Dugan, SSJ ’45 Helene George Dunlavey ’37 Simone E. Durfee ’87 R. Alexander Ellison ’60 Raymond J. Frey ’82 Michael R. Gagen ’85 Albert P. Granetto ’49 Sister Mary P. Gray, SSJ ’44 Thomas Grebenar, Jr. ’82 Mark G. Grocutt ’76 Vincent G. Grosso ’63 Raymond J. Hamernik ’58 James G. Hanes, Esq. ’48 Harry C. Harpst ’48 Otis A. Hecker ’71 Candace Kruse Heidt ’91 Lawrence D. Held, D.D.S. ’55 William J. Hess ’84 Patrick F. Hickey ’63 Herman W. Jeschke, Jr. ’57 Patricia McGinnis Kelsch ’54 David B. Kingsley ’56 Fredrick L. Kinsinger, Ph.D. ’56 William C. Klapthor ’79 Norman F. Klemushin ’49 Joseph W. Kocan ’50 Michael T. Kosinski ’81 Thomas Krespan ’52

Robert L. Latchford, Esq. ’50 John P. MacDuff ’61 James M. McAndrew ’53 Roxanne McKissick ’83 Joseph R. Moore ’70 Richard S. Morrison ’82 Sophia Kowalski Nagorski ’65 Sandra A. Neubert ’72 Vincent J. Oleski ’63 John C. Olone ’48 Walter F. Paprocki ’61 John W. Peplinski ’48 John L. Pilewskie ’54 Salvatore A. Randazzo ’48 Michael F. Reichart ’77 Rev. Msgr Joseph V. Reszkowski ’48 Albert A. Richmond ’85 Sheila Gorniak Ritz ’98 Mary Flynn Rizzo ’76 Frank J. Ross, Sr. ’83 Charles A. Sauer, Jr. ’71 Sister Mary Regis Schrock, SSJ ’64 Scott M. Sidelinger ’97 Nancy A. Smith ’85 Cameron F. Snider, D.D.S. ’54 Harry R. Stauffer ’87 Sister Cherubim Tito ’30 Sister Joan M. Tobin, O.S.B. ’53 Harry M. Tompkins ’80 Stanley Twargowski ’66 David J. Uberti ’81 Donald D. Um, M.D. ’87 Francis L. Vath ’52 Charles P. Verdecchia ’55 John A. White, Jr. ’70 Sister Mary P. White, SSJ ’43 Charlotte McKinnon Yates ’38

2002

ERIN E. BOWLER is currently working in public accounting for KPMG in Denver, Colorado.

ELLEN H. DANOSKI ’02M was selected as the first place winner in the 2003 Pennsylvania Health Improvement Student Research Paper Competition.

DAWN-MARIE (BIHLER) DECENSO is the new third-grade teacher at Erie’s Blessed Sacrament School.

EDWARD A. KOCIS received a master’s degree at Youngstown State and was recently hired as an economist in Washington, D.C. NAVY SEAMAN SARAH L. LESTER recently completed U.S. Navy basic training at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois.

MATTHEW R. SCHRAEDER ‘03 is teaching high school math at Stonewall Jackson High School in Prince William County,Virginia.

JAMES E. THEISEN recently joined Altman-Hall Associates as internet systems developer.

MAUREEN A. WALLS has been accepted into Peace Corps service to work in the Dominican Republic. She will be a special education promoter with the Corps.

MATTHEW D. WEBB is currently attending the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

2003

SARAH R. BILSKI has joined the staff of Neohatch Inc., a product branding and positioning firm in Boston, Massachusetts.

KRISTIN L. ROSEBERRY has been named assistant women’s basketball coach at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana. Following her basketball career at Gannon, Kristin played professional basketball in Belgium.

Friends

Right Reverend William Crittenden, D.D. Irvin H. Kochel Ralph R. Lamb, Jr. Carl Pastore Sidney E. Smith, Jr. Thomas L. Szendrey, Ph.D. Gerard P. Walsh

Gannon Andrews, class of 2017? with “his” sign.

EndNotes

Our Alumni: Living and Modeling the Mission of Gannon University Throughout Gannon University’s history, our faculty and staff have had the challenging and rewarding task of educating more than just the minds of their students. Our faculty work with students to explore not only the professional and technical aspects of their crafts, but the philosophical, intellectual, and ethical consequences of their actions and decisions. As future leaders and agents of change in our country and the world, they understand why we challenge them to look at and weigh all sides of their real or hypothetical decisions. Our students know that those analytical skills will serve them well when they graduate and especially when they are confronted with difficult decisions and choices.

Providing for this holistic development of the individual has been the focus of Gannon and Villa Maria since their inceptions—a focus reflected in the breadth of ability and experience our alumni have amassed in the years since they graduated.

Over the last two-and-a-half years, it has been my pleasure to meet hundreds of alumni who truly epitomize success—and not simply financial success—as I have traveled across the nation and as they have returned to Gannon for Alumni Homecoming and Reunion Weekend.

When I traveled to Illinois in July 2001, I met four successful executives—Chris Cooney ’63, Brian Jackman ’63, Thomas Power, Jr. ’63, and James Boris ’66 ’73M—who continue to express their strong feelings for the education they received at Gannon. In Michigan, there were Mary Freeman Klupp ’73 and Harry Hairston ’77.

Meeting Dr. Michael Cannone ’61, Bernard Caserta ’61, and Jim Borowy ’80 in Florida was a pleasure.

Joseph Wang ’52 and Robert Ruyak, Jr. ’71 visited us here on campus, astonished over the differences the years have brought.

In Pittsburgh, I later met Bill Springer ’63, Mark Minnaugh ’81, Linda Hunley ’83, Don Carlson ’73, Pete Pearson ’84, and John Hadgkiss ’69 ’73M. I spoke with John Vail ’63 and Larry McHugh ’72 in Georgia; got to know Dick McGlinchey ’72, Thomas Nash ’67, Dr. Mark Nelson ’83, and George Hillman ’73 in Massachusetts; Dr. Sally Schulze ’77 and Dr. James Scozzie ’65 in Ohio; spoke with Anne ’74 and Tim McCallion ’75 ’81M and Jim Weber ’62 in California; and met Dr. James Considine ’56 and Dr. Helen Schilling ’77 in Texas.

I have enjoyed speaking by phone with even more alumni such as Terrence Cosgrove ’63 and Louis Cicerone ’67. What is most striking about this diverse group of alumni is that they all reflect Gannon’s values and mission through their careers and their service to their local, regional, national, and international communities.

Today’s faculty and staff continue the mission of Archbishop Gannon, Mother Helena Dillon, and Sister Stella Harrington as they enrich all aspects of our current students’ development. As our students graduate and assume leadership roles in their professions, communities, and faiths, they convey a strong message that Gannon is an outstanding University in many different ways.

During the coming year I hope to meet with many more Gannon and Villa Maria College alumni. Meanwhile, I extend my best wishes to all of you and your families for a blessed holiday season and a happy, healthy and prosperous 2004.

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Gannon University 109 University Square Erie, PA 16541-0001 www.gannon.edu

The Final Touch

Head Coach Beth Pierce ’99 joined Assistant Softball Coaches Casey Criscione ’02 and Bill Strub at Gannon University Field, where they were among the first to see the newly installed plaque honoring the memory of Gannon’s late Athletic Director, Michael Corbett.

Pierce and Criscione both played for Corbett, who also coached the softball team for 12 seasons.