the magazine
Editor’sInklings Volume XXII, Issue 1 • Winter 2009 Antoine M. Garibaldi, Ph.D. President Karla Mullenax Wludyga Director of Public Relations and Communications Audrey E. Starr Publications Officer and Editor a d v is ory com m ittee
Kimberly Cavanagh Britt Dyer Daehnke ’98, ’05M Cathy Fresch Frank Garland Mary Carol Gensheimer Ron Kerman Jeannie Kloecker Catherine Oakley ’05M Rick Prokop, Ph.D. Nicholas Pronko Rev. George Strohmeyer Steven Ropski, Ph.D. ’78 Richard Sukitsch contributors
Paul J. DeSante, Ph.D. Colleen Dixon Cathy Fresch Jana Hunt James A. Scozzie, Ph.D. ’65 Alex Sibley Dan Teliski ’97 photography
Ed Bernik Rick Klein ’84 Tim Rohrbach d es ig n
Tungsten Creative Group Gannon Magazine is published three times annually (Winter, Spring and Summer) by the Office of Public Relations and Communications at Gannon University. It is mailed free to alumni, friends of the University, graduate students, parents of undergraduate students and college presidents across the country. Contributions: Gannon Magazine welcomes letters to the editor, class notes information, comments and suggestions. Please send class notes information to Jana Hunt, coordinator of gifts and records, at hunt001@gannon.edu. All other information should be sent to Audrey Starr, editor, at starr007@gannon.edu or the University’s mailing address as seen below. Gannon University 109 University Square Erie, Pennsylvania 16541 (814) 871-7000
Whether welcoming new faculty and staff to campus, dedicating new academic buildings or congratulating Winter graduates, transformations have been abundant at Gannon University so far this year. As Greek philosopher Heraclitus put it, “The only constant is change.” Since the summer, the inaugural dean of the new College of Engineering and Business has been selected (p. 3), more than $780,000 in grant funding has been awarded (p. 4) and Gannon service hours topped 72,000 (p. 3). Even in the Communications Office, changes have occurred: I married in May and adjusted to a new surname, while we welcomed a new Director of Public Relations and Communications, Karla Mullenax Wludyga. She replaced Jennifer Mailey Greevy ’95, ’05M, who relocated to Pittsburgh and now serves as Executive Director of Development for the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business & College of Business Administration at the University of Pittsburgh. As the 2007-08 Academic Year ended and the 2008-09 Year began, we honored several retiring faculty—like longtime Economics Professor and Honors Program Director Rev. Robert Susa (p. 14)—and greeted new ones, such as Sister Kathleen Dietz, F.S.O., a new resident of Erie as part of The Spiritual Family “The Work” and now a member of Gannon’s Theology Department (p. 12). While 335 students received diplomas during Winter Commencement, administrators discovered new ways of involving prospective students and reconnecting with alumni (p. 10). Change can represent new growth and progress. In September, the University celebrated its newest academic building with the official blessing and dedication of the Robert H. Morosky Academic Center (p. 2). In October, the grand opening of the Erie Technology Incubator at Gannon University was held (p. 7). Both buildings underwent extensive renovations during the past year to offer students an enhanced educational atmosphere with state-of-the-art technology. December saw another significant milestone, the conclusion of the University’s most successful comprehensive campaign, The Power To Transform, which—thanks to the generosity of Trustees, alumni, faculty, staff and other friends of Gannon—surpassed its goal of $30 million and raised $31.5 million. Although the Campaign is complete, funds raised will continue to help support student scholarships, faculty research and improvements to campus facilities (p. 8). Even Gannon Magazine is undergoing a metamorphosis, with an updated design to be unveiled with the Spring issue. Although its outward appearance may change, Gannon Magazine will continue to highlight many aspects of Gannon that are familiar: supportive faculty, committed students and active alumni. In fact, some of Gannon’s great successes among all of these changes are things that have stayed consistent. For the 13th year in a row, the student-produced literary magazine, Totem, received a first-place award (p. 5), and for the fifth consecutive year, Gannon was ranked as a “Top Tier” university by U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” (p. 2). While Gannon University is a dynamic, evolving institution, its spirit of inclusiveness, commitment to scholarship and celebration of faith remains strong.
Audrey E. Starr, Editor starr007@gannon.edu (814) 871-5817