magazine Spring 2019
Hilbert Begins New Era Page 4
IN THIS ISSUE Women’s Basketball 6 Academic Stories 8 Around the Quad 10 Faculty, Staff & Board Members 12 News & Notes 14 Eventsue Blue Weekend | Pages 18 - 19 16 Advancement & Alumni Information 21 Athletics 24 Updates 26
PUBLISHED BY Office of Institutional Advancement and Department of Marketing & Communications Hilbert College 5200 South Park Avenue Hamburg, NY 14075
Meet the President
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True Blue Weekend
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MANAGING EDITOR Matt Heidt CREATIVE DIRECTOR Charlene Budziszewski CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Samantha Jo Gill Megan Lee Kara Rehbaum ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL Michael Brophy, Ph.D., M.F.A. Matt Heidt Kristina Lantzky-Eaton, Ph.D. Michael Murrin Rick Pinkowski Greg Roberts Megan Valentine ON THE COVER President Michael Brophy, Ph.D., M.F.A. Fourth President of Hilbert College ON THE WEB giving.hilbert.edu/alumni-hilbert-magazine Copyright © 2019 - Hilbert College All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.
Alumni Stories
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PRESIDENT’S LETTER
Greetings,
I write to you as I begin my service to our precious institution. Please know how grateful I am for all the positive feedback and insights that so many in our community have shared with me. Alumni, faculty, staff, and students have all helped me appreciate Hilbert’s history, traditions, and culture as we plan for its future. Recently, I invited faculty and staff to write to me regarding the opportunities that our institution needs to embrace as we begin this new era. I know, from these letters, that we are motivated and enthusiastic in our effort to continue to grow Hilbert College. There certainly is great joy at the College as we embrace the responsibility bestowed upon us by the Franciscan Sisters of Saint Joseph. As I write you today, Hilbert students are coming to class with aspirations of advancing themselves in preparation for meaningful careers and living lives that sustain the Franciscan charism in all they do. This magazine helps keep Hilbert’s many friends up-to-date on the ways we work to sustain our Franciscan culture inside and outside the classroom for our students. I hope it keeps you connected to the College, and you are invited to be in touch with me with any insights about Hilbert. We need your guidance as we work to assure our vitality and sustainability. As my tenure begins, please know I look forward to working with you in advancing the extraordinary work of the Franciscan Sisters of Saint Joseph. Thank you for all of your support and prayers along the way. Sincerely, Michael S. Brophy, Ph.D., M.F.A President mbrophy@hilbert.edu
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Hilbert Welcomes
Dr. Michael Brophy NEW BEGINNINGS, SAME FRANCISCAN TRADITION By Samantha Jo Gill Waves of excitement hit the Hilbert community upon hearing the announcement of our new president, Dr. Michael Brophy, after an extensive search and a unanimous Board decision. Dr. Brophy comes to us with over 35 years of experience leading in higher education and 12 years of presidential experience – most recently as the president at Benedictine University, where he increased fundraising, opened a new college of business, and reaffirmed accreditation, all while improving enrollment and championing for a diverse student population. During his own academic career, Dr. Brophy earned a bachelor’s degree in music and a master’s in English from The College of Saint Rose, an M.F.A. in writing from Long Island University, and a Ph.D. in educational leadership and policy analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. For those who have had the honor of speaking with Dr. Brophy personally, or have listened to him speak on campus and in the community, you will likely hear him discuss the Franciscan charism, but you might not know that he is full of charisma himself. As a filmmaker, he has written, directed, and edited three films that screened at film festivals, theaters, museums, universities, and foundations throughout the United States, Cuba, and Europe; and has had screenplays selected for the Independent Feature Project Market in New York. As a musician, he has accompanied gospel choirs and performed with students and faculty in classical, pop, and jazz settings. And his accolades don’t stop there. Dr. Brophy is also a Fulbright award recipient, having taught and conducted research in Europe and Cuba.
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MEET THE PRESIDENT
While his talents are certainly impressive, what stands out even more is Dr. Brophy’s drive for success and optimism for the future of Hilbert College. Though he has been at the helm at Hilbert for only a few short months, he has already made his presence known among faculty, students, and staff – requesting input on the college’s strengths and weaknesses, and understanding the complexities of running a successful private college while staying true to the Franciscan values upon which Hilbert was founded. “Within [the Catholic educational] mission we need to forge a transformative story. One that is true, one that inspires, one that builds upon the past in such a way as to assure a relevant future”. The future under Dr. Brophy’s leadership is an exciting thought as we begin to see the momentum build throughout the campus community. Faculty, staff, students and their families, and the community at large can feel this momentum and we all believe that this college is destined for great things. “Having lived through institutional transformation before I know we have three essential elements in place. We have the people. We believe in the Franciscan charism. And we have a Board of Trustees that knows and believes that we can secure a better future for the College.” Dr. Michael Brophy is the fourth president of Hilbert College, following Dr. Cynthia Zane’s 12 years of leadership. He and his wife, Tara, now reside in Western New York with their three children, where they are “[Thrilled to be] a part of the noticeable resurgence.”
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Our Hilbert College Family is blest to welcome Dr. Michael Brophy as our multi-talented, forward-thinking, energetic, mission-driven president! We’re expecting great things from him and so far we’ve been greatly impressed! Sister Marcia Ann Fiutko, FSSJ Member, Hilbert College Board of Trustees
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Colleges will need to embrace and strengthen the ‘flipped classroom’ model. This is the teaching model where you provide deep guidance for students to learn material beforehand, so class time becomes a venue for information interpretation, teambuilding, and higher order learning. Colleges will have to meet students ‘where they are’ and inspire them to take class preparation to a higher level before they come into the old-fashioned, non-virtual classroom. Excerpt from Dr. Brophy’s presentation on “Challenges Facing Private Higher Education in the Decade Ahead” February 27, 2019, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Education
PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH COMMITTEE Jill Meyer Laurie Boreanaz Carra Nancy Dobson Chris Gallant Jim Iglewski Maegann Mein Ted Oexle Jeff Papia Amy Smith Lamont Williams Dr. Kate Haley
Trustee Trustee/Alumna Trustee Faculty Trustee/Alumnus Student Trustee Staff Faculty Trustee Consultant
Chief Human Resources Officer, Baillie Lumber Senior Deputy Counsel, Independent Health Executive Vice President (Retired), Uniland Development Corp. Assoc. Professor, Digital Media & Communication Market Executive, Key Private Bank Forensic Science Regional President, Five Star Bank Director, Campus Ministry & Mission Integration (former) Professor, English Executive Director-Buffalo Region, Hillside Work Scholarship Connection Principal, Haley Associates Higher Ed Consulting
Rick Pinkowski
Staffed Committee
Vice President for Business/Finance
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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL BACK-TO-BACK CHAMPS
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CLAIMS AMCC TITLE AND NCAA TOURNAMENT BERTH FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR
AMCC Championship Game After both teams survived a 4.5 hour delay in play due to a citywide power outage in Pittsburgh, the Hilbert College women’s basketball team captured their second consecutive Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Championship Title, earning a 64-54 victory over Penn State Behrend. Emily Gawlak posted game-high scoring honors with 20 points and grabbed a team-best eight rebounds. Katelyn Proy tossed in 17 points (7-for-10 from floor) and was credited with two blocks. Both Gawlak and Proy were named to the 2018-19 All-Tournament team. Six additional Hawks contributed to the scoreboard and six players finished the game with at least one steal. Ashley Repine (two steals, five rebounds) and Taylor Corts (four offensive rebounds/six total) each chipped in eight points while Demi Battin quarterbacked the Hawks to five assists and four points. The power went out at half time and after the long wait, the power returned with Behrend starting faster than the Hawks padding six points to their side of the scoreboard giving them their first lead in the second half (29-28). Hilbert came storming back and never trailed after that point. The Hawks pushed the second half lead to as many as 11 and secured their second automatic bid to the NCAA National Tournament.
NCAA Tournament First Round The Hawks battled to a 34-31 half time lead over Messiah College, the No. 6 ranked team, by doing everything right. They were ready to play and put up one heck of a fight, but the hosts took the floor after the break and showed why they are a nationally-ranked team, having won their 26th straight game this season. The Hawks ran out of gas early in the third quarter and suffered a 71-60 defeat to Messiah (27-1) in the first round of the NCAA Division III Tournament. Ashley Repine led all scorers with 17 points, Emily Gawlak tossed in 16 and Taylor Corts added 12 points to all three juniors will return for their final season next year. Katelyn Proy closed her Hilbert career with 11 rebounds and nine points. Repine collected another double-double by leading her team with 12 boards, four on the offensive end. She added three blocked shots and four assists, both team-highs. Coach Amy Senefelder did a lot of offensive/defense subbing in order to stay competitive and it paid off. Hilbert controlled the glass, limited Messiah’s offense possessions and attacked the rim at the other end of the floor. Messiah elevated their pace after intermission and came out of the locker room running. Hilbert finished their season on a six-game win streak and added a second NCAA game to their program’s history books.
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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
AMCC All-Conference Honors For the first time in the history of the Hilbert College women’s basketball program, four different players were selected to All-Conference teams in the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference. Junior Ashley Repine was honored as an AMCC First Team All-Conference player and senior Katelyn Proy was named the AMCC Defensive Player of the Year as well as being voted to the Second Team All-Conference. Joining Proy on the Second Team were junior guards, Emily Gawlak and Taylor Corts. Repine jumped up two teams from a year ago, and garnered her highest league honor to date with a First Team selection. The 5-10 power forward muscled her way to a league-best .543 field goal percentage (for the second year in a row), which she converted into 14.2 points per game. She averaged 8.1 rebounds per contest including 86 offensive boards. The Sinclairville, NY (Cassadaga Valley) native finished multiple games in double figure scoring (21) and rebounding (11) as she raised her career numbers with 11 double-doubles just this season. Proy, who ranked No. 2 in Division III in Blocks (89) and Blocks Per Game (3.3), was named the AMCC Defensive Player of the Year. She outdistanced her AMCC opponents by 47 blocks. Proy was a reliable offensive threat in the paint working in tandem with Repine. The Kenmore West product tossed in a career-best 311 points this season and scored her 1,000 career point in the final minute of her final home game. Her 11.5 points paired with an 8.4 rebounds-a-game average ranked her as one of the top rebounders in the league. Proy posted six double doubles this winter and reached double figure scoring 12 times. Gawlak’s basketball game also evolved this year as she moved up from the Third Team to the Second Team this winter. The 5-6 guard added pure hustle to the lineup and found success in transition scores using her speed to blow by defenders in the open court. The South Buffalo (Mt. Mercy) native averaged 14.0 points per game, led the Hawks with 58 steals (No. 6 in AMCC), added 5.1 rebounders per game, and typically guarded the opponent’s strongest offensive threat. Gawlak averaged 24.5 points in the AMCC Championship Weekend and posted a career-high 29 points against Pitt-Bradford propelling Hilbert to the Championship game. Corts received her first post-season recognition as a Second Team All-Conference player. The 5-10 guard was a 3-point threat all season long, distracting opponents defensively around the arc. Corts became the Hawks’ All Time 3-point leader on January 25th when she stepped over the 122 mark. Corts averaged 14.1 points per game, as she reached double figure scoring in 19 games this winter. The Ontario, NY (Wayne) native netted a career-high 29 points against Alfred State and followed that performance with her first double-double of the season scoring 26 points and pulling down 11 rebounds at D’Youville.
2018-2019 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL OVERALL 22-6
CONFERENCE 15-3
HOME 9-2
AWAY 10-4
NEUTRAL 3-0
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ACADEMIC STORIES HILBERT’S CRIMINAL JUSTICE RANKS NO. 17 IN THE NATION It’s an exciting time for the Hilbert Criminal Justice department. The program was recently ranked no. 17 for the Top Criminal Justice Bachelor’s Degrees in the nation. The list was published by College Choice and featured 35 colleges that offer full undergraduate degree programs in Criminal Justice. According to College Choice, To determine the best Criminal Justice programs we started first with the academic reputation of each school nationwide that offers the degree. We then examined retention rates, as it reflects student satisfaction. And we then took into account the affordability of the program and the early salaries of its graduates.
After our extensive research, we found those programs that are the country’s absolute best at training leaders in law enforcement and criminology. Our figures and information come from the university and colleges’ websites, PayScale, and nationally recognized U.S. News & World Report and The National Center for Education Statistics.
HILBERT TRAVELS TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC This past January, the Hilbert student club, Enactus, traveled to Bani in the Dominican Republic. Enactus is an entrepreneurial leadership club at Hilbert, and through this trip, ten students and their two faculty mentors had the opportunity to practice service learning by completing project work at a Bani orphanage. Each student who participated in this weeklong trip came up with their own, unique project that directly helped the community of Bani.
added to the back of the dirt area and vegetable seeds were planted. Lastly, the orphanage had a swing set, but it was in bad condition. The students repainted the base of the swing set and bought the supplies needed to add and install swings.
One of the projects involved improving an outdoor space for children at the orphanage. A challenge for this project was the ground, which was mostly concrete with one small dirt corner. Hilbert students helped implement a creative solution, and used the area for games. By adding color to the concrete, they were able to add two hopscotch areas and boxes to play four square. A garden was
In the one week that the Hilbert students were in Bani, they were able to make an unforgettable difference in the community. The Franciscan value of service is a core part of Hilbert’s curriculum, and these students are off to a great start of what is sure to be a lifetime of giving back.
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A second student project involved a fundraiser to bring volleyball to the Dominican. Hilbert students raised enough money to buy a volleyball net and balls, which they set up for the children.
ACADEMIC STORIES
By Megan Lee, ‘19
HILBERT COLLEGE RECEIVES OVER $400,000 IN GRANT SUPPORT FOR NEW SCIENCE LAB New laboratory helps create new program in applied science; meeting requirements for pre-med, pre-dental and more
Hilbert College has received six grants totaling $425,000 for the creation of a new science laboratory. Construction on the new lab is scheduled to begin in May with completion in time for the Fall 2019 semester. The new lab facilitates the introduction of a new academic program in laboratory sciences, which will open new opportunities for students to pursue pre-medical, pre-pharmacy, DNA analysis, and more. The new academic program will also begin this fall. Hilbert received $150,000 from The John R. Oishei Foundation; $100,000 from the Margaret L. Wendt Foundation; $50,000 from the Russo Family Charitable Foundation; $50,000 from the Vincent and Harriet Palisano Foundation; $50,000 from the M&T Foundation; $25,000 from KeyBank in partnership with the First Niagara Foundation; and $25,000 from the Garman Family Foundation administered by the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo. This support will fund the conversion of typical classrooms into a state-of-the-art science laboratory, with spacious benches for lab work, chemical hoods with efficient ventilation systems, cabinetry, glassware, computer software, and the proper instrumentation needed to conduct scientific research projects.
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“I am deeply grateful for the tremendous support from these wonderful Western New York foundations,” Hilbert President Michael S. Brophy, Ph.D., M.F.A. said.
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The new science lab is truly a transformational project for Hilbert, opening doors for our students to pursue advanced science degrees, including meeting pre-medical and pre-dental requirements. -Dr. Michael Brophy, Hilbert College President
“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I would like to thank the foundations who are supporting this project for Hilbert College. It is an immense undertaking that will propel Hilbert College moving forward,” said Fr. Michael Sajda, O.F.M. Conv., Chair of the Hilbert College Board of Trustees. Hilbert’s new science degree is a four-year program, which provides students with a solid foundation of knowledge in the natural/physical sciences and advanced training in the Biological Sciences, specifically Forensic DNA analysis methods and interpretation. Typical science degrees focus on natural sciences in laboratory settings; however, this program involves the laboratory analysis of evidence that is admissible in courts of law. The baccalaureate degree coursework includes biology, chemistry, physics, statistics, cell and molecular biology, population genetics, laws and rules of evidence and moot court. “The lab design will allow students to work in teams or on their own, while increasing faculty-student interaction. Hilbert prides itself on the personal attention offered to students. The design of these spaces fits perfectly into that model, allowing interactive support when needed, or space for independent research projects,” Hilbert Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Kristina Lantzky-Eaton, Ph.D. said.
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AROUND THE QUAD HILBERT COLLEGE CELEBRATES 30% INCREASE IN INCOMING FRESHMEN FOR FALL 2018 Hilbert College announced its freshmen class for the Fall 2018 semester is the college’s largest since 2011. Compared to last year’s incoming freshmen, Hilbert’s first-time freshmen enrollment is up 30%. This is the second consecutive year with an increase at Hilbert, after last fall’s incoming freshmen increased by 15%. “This is a tremendous accomplishment,” said Hilbert College former Interim President Fr. Michael Sajda, OFM Conv. “These past two enrollment cycles are extremely encouraging for Hilbert’s continued growth. We are confident we can build on this momentum, while maintaining our focus on student success, on-time graduation, and our 95.6% career placement rate.” Even with a much larger incoming class, the academic strength increased by a full percentage point, cultural diversity remained constant at nearly 20%, and the geographic diversity increased three percentage points. While the majority of Hilbert students continue to come from WNY, this year’s class includes students from Florida, Maine, Tennessee, Illinois, Connecticut, and Texas. “An increase of 30% for our incoming freshmen class, combined with a 15% increase last fall, is a testament to the great improvements we have made in our admissions and financial aid processes and the enhanced efforts of our overall marketing initiatives,” Sajda said. “We are extremely proud of the quality and diversity of our new freshmen class this year,” said Hilbert Director of Admissions Brian Filjones. “We continue to streamline our enrollment process to best meet the needs of students and their families. We pride ourselves on one-to-one, personalized attention, and that personal attention begins as an applicant and continues right through graduation at Hilbert.”
Do you know someone who should consider Hilbert? Refer them through the Alumni Admission Program hilbert.edu/futurehawks
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AROUND THE QUAD
GRIT N’ WIT
Students competed in obstacle courses that test both the body and the mind.
MOTHER COLETTE’S CROSSWALK
Students planted new plants donated by Hilbert alum Kevin Monaco ’01, Proprietor of Monaco Enterprises Of WNY, Inc., outside the St. Clare Chapel.
PEACE WALK
Students learned about the life of St. Francis of Assisi and Hilbert’s core values.
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FACULTY & STAFF
NEW FACULTY & STAFF APPOINTMENTS
DAVID M. REIS, PH.D., an experienced professor and administrator, was appointed the director of first year programs at Hilbert College. Most recently, Reis served as the lead academic coach at the University of Idaho, where he collaborated to launch the university’s academic coaching program. He taught College Success Strategies, an introductory interdisciplinary course focused on achieving academic and professional success. Previously, Reis has served as a faculty fellow at the University of Oregon. Reis earned his Ph.D. in Religion from Claremont Graduate University, and he has two master’s degrees – Master of Arts in Religion from Claremont and Master of Arts in History from Creighton University. Reis is a native of Vancouver, Wa. GREGORY ROBERTS was appointed interim vice president and dean of students prior to the fall semester at Hilbert College. Roberts has over 30 years of experience working in student affairs with significant experience at Catholic colleges. He served as the vice president for student affairs for 10 years at the University of St. Thomas. During his time there, he co-founded the Masters in Student Affairs program and taught educational leadership programs. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University School of Business, and earned his master’s in education at Indiana University’s Graduate School of Education. He also earned an education specialist degree (Ed.S.) from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and a Certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. BRIAN POLINER, PH.D., a passionate educator and seasoned public policy professional, has been appointed to the position of chairperson of graduate studies at Hilbert College. Most recently, Poliner served as the operations director at for the Erie County Legislature. He was responsible for organizing Legislature special events, mentoring legislative assistants, and assisting with issues, ranging from physical plant and supply chain to Legislator’s community outreach. Poliner has served as an adjunct at Hilbert since 2013 where he has taught numerous courses at the undergraduate and graduate level. Poliner holds a Ph.D. in leadership and policy from Niagara University, two master’s degrees – Public Administration from Hilbert and Master of Science in Leadership from Duquesne University. JOHN C. WISE, PH.D., an experienced higher education administrator, was appointed the director of institutional research and assessment at Hilbert College. Wise brings nearly 20 years of experience in higher education research and assessment to Hilbert. Most recently, Wise served as the executive director of institutional effectiveness at Houghton College. He designed and implemented a system of college-wide data collection and reporting to satisfy federal and state reporting requirements. Wise holds membership to professional associations, including International Society for the Improvement of Performance and Instruction (ISPI) and the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE). Wise earned his Ph.D. and master’s in instructional systems from Penn State.
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FACULTY, STAFF, & BOARD MEMBERS
HILBERT COLLEGE ANNOUNCES FIVE NEW BOARD MEMBERS STEVE BELL is the managing partner at Steve Bell Communications, LLC. Bell spent 12 years at Mower (previously Eric Mower + Associates) leading the agency’s crisis and reputation management practice. He also served as head of Mower’s 40-person Buffalo office for three years. He worked for 20 years at The Buffalo News, serving as editorial page editor, managing editor, business editor, and city editor. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College and Master of Arts from University at Albany.
RHONDA FREDERICK is president and CEO of People, Inc. Frederick has worked at People, Inc. for nearly 40 years, starting as a program instructor and holding various positions, including program administrator, director of program development, and chief operating officer. She has served at a variety of community organizations, including the Developmental Disabilities Alliance of Western New York, Buffalo Niagara Partnership, and Amherst Meals on Wheels. Frederick has been honored multiple times on Buffalo Business First’s lists: “Women of Influence” and “Power Women.” She earned a bachelor’s degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology and a Master of Public Administration from Canisius College. RICHARD HAMISTER is New York region president at Northwest Bank. He returns to the Hilbert Board for a second stint, after serving as a Hilbert trustee from 2010 to 2016. Hamister is a commercial banking executive and community leader with 35 years of financial services experience in the consumer, commercial, small business, and wealth management segments. Prior to Northwest Bank, he also served in leadership roles at KeyBank (formerly First Niagara Bank), Hamister Group, and M&T Bank. Hamister earned his bachelor’s degree from Thiel College and his MBA from Canisius College. HONORABLE CRAIG D. HANNAH is the presiding Judge of the Buffalo City Court’s Opiate Intervention and Adolescent Diversion Parts. The Opiate Intervention Court is the first of its kind in the nation and is dedicated to treating the needs of the people first when they come into contact with the law. He is also the supervising judge of the Lackawanna, North Tonawanda and Tonawanda City Courts. Judge Hannah’s honors and achievements are numerous. He was bestowed with the honor of ‘Jurist of the Year’ by the Buffalo Special Police Benevolent Association in 2008, and the Community Service award by the AfroAmerican Police Association in 2013. Judge Hannah earned his bachelor’s degree from Canisius College and his Juris Doctorate from the University at Buffalo School of Law. CAMILLE P. WICHER, PH.D., ESQ., MSN, RN is vice president for corporate ethics, research subject protections & scientific integrity at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. She has worked at Roswell Park for over 20 years and is responsible for direct oversight of the corporate program for research, clinical, and scientific ethics. Wicher is a member of numerous professional organizations, including the Kennedy Institute of Ethics, American Nurses Association, and the Association of American Cancer Institutes. She is involved with various community activities, including the New York State Commission on Quality of Care, Aids and Family Services, and the Journal of Cancer Education. Wicher earned her bachelor’s degree, Master of Science, Juris Doctorate, and Ph.D. from the University at Buffalo.
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NEWS & NOTES STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS Sophomore English major Abby Moeller had an essay published in the anthology “Saved by the Page.” Her contribution is called “Reading Through the Grief.” Below is on online review of the book. Beyond Fabulous November 14, 2018 “It was far from what I thought it was. It was so much better, and I cried in the first chapter. If you love reading, if you love books, and if you can say that somehow a book has affected the way you think or has “saved” your life then you should buy this book. I’m so happy that I read it. It’s beautiful and I am going to reread it.” Hilbert’s Peer Leaders led students from all GS 101 classes in preparing gifts to benefit Oshei Children’s Hospital and St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy. They made fleece tie blankets, cards, and activity bags for patients and their families. Ron Sutton from Key Bank presented the Key Bank Scholarship Award to Hilbert’s Vanessa Enciso. Vanessa is a senior in the Psychology program at Hilbert and is from San Antonio, Texas. She is actively involved on campus, particularly with Hilbert Helpers, a community service club aimed toward giving back to the campus and surrounding area. Two student organizations at Hilbert College, Enactus and Rotaract, held a dedication ceremony for Mother Colette’s Crosswalk. This project brought new flowers, plants, and landscaping to the area around Hilbert’s St. Clare Chapel. Special thanks to the generous support of Kevin Monaco ‘01 Proprietor of Monaco Enterprises Of WNY, Inc., for donating the plants & materials!
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NEWS & NOTES
Emily Pawelski ‘18 was selected as a Sigma Beta Delta Fellowship Award recipient. Sigma Beta Delta is an International Honor Society for Business, Management, and Administration. Emily has been involved with many organizations on campus such as Student Government, Franciscan Spirit Club, Enactus, and Rotaract. She is part of the Honors Program and completed the Emerging Leaders Program at Hilbert in April of 2016. HAWK Radio, Hilbert College’s web radio station, celebrated College Radio Day with a 24-hour live broadcast and game night in the college quad with a goal of collecting 200 donations of personal items for homeless youth. Listeners of HAWK Radio visited the live broadcast, which began Thursday, October 4 outside of Franciscan Hall, and donated personal items to support Compass House, a Western New York based notfor-profit, which provides young men and women shelter, counseling, and other services. Dr. Don Vincent is the Hawk Radio faculty advisor. WIVB-TV journalist Erica Brecher visited with Prof. Chris Gallant’s multimedia class and Mr. Justin Sondel’s journalism students on Sept. 27. The visit was supported through an educational outreach initiative of the Buffalo Broadcasters Association. Current Hilbert student Brynn Phynix Biesik recently published her first book. It’s a short chapbook entitled “Letters to Past and Future Love” which was published by a local publisher, Cringe Worthy Poets Collective Press Publication. Brynn describes it as a book “that reveals personal aspects on a topic I rarely pay any words to, love.” She says, “there are many layers to it, but the main takeaway I want my audience to see is that love comes and goes. It’s always beautiful and painful, but it’s always worth fighting for.”
FACULTY & STAFF ACHIEVEMENTS McGrath Library, in connection with the Western New York Library Resources Council (WNYLRC), is kicking off the 2019 Library Advocacy efforts with a letter-writing campaign in support of funding. Please stop by McGrath Library and write a brief letter/note telling our locally elected officials why libraries are so important. Your efforts would be greatly appreciated! Please contact Krisi Kopp (kkopp@hilbert.edu) for more information.
Left to right are Dr. Munroe Eagles (Ph.D. Political Science), Hilbert English Professor Dr. Herb Kauderer, Dr. David Schmid (PhD English, popular culture expert), and Dr. Kari Winters (PhD English), Professor of American Studies
On Tuesday, November 13, McGrath Library hosted a Passport Event for GS101 students. The students got familiar with the Library and its resources in a scavenger-hunt style presentation.
Dr. Kauderer is also an award-winning creative writer. His new book, a 173-page trade paperback collection of science fiction poetry, titled “Recalibrating the Future,” from Diminuendo Press, was released July 27, 2018.
There was a Christmas Card Making Workshop at McGrath Library on November 14. Dr. Marty Floss was recently interviewed and quoted by the Pacific Daily News, a newspaper based in Guam. Dr. Floss was interviewed and commented on the effectiveness of conducting a survey of Guamanians to determine police sentiment. Dr. Andrew Kolin, Professor of Political Science, has published an article: “Repression, Resistance, and the Development of the Labor Movement in the United States” for the book The Palgrave Handbook of Social Movements, Revolution, and Social Transformation, edited by Berch Berberoglu. (New York : Palgrave Macmillian , 2019} Chris Gallant, Chair of the Division of Arts & Sciences and Associate Professor, was appointed to the board of the American Advertising Federation of Buffalo.
Currently, his poetry collection iFlying Solo: The Lana Invasion, and his chapbook “Cascade of Stardust: 100 Short Speculative Poems” are nominees for the Elgin Award as best book and chapbook of speculative poetry for 2017. In addition, his poems “keeping company” and “Space Efficient” are juried nominees for the Dwarf Star Award for the best short speculative poem of 2018. The Hilbert Center for Career and Community Engagement hosted two Donate Life Summits on the Hilbert campus. Each event welcomed over 70 high school students from seven local high schools to learn about the importance of organ donation in our communities.
Professor Gallant also helped jury the 2018 Buffalo 48 Hour Film Festival in August. The winner of the Best Film Award will go on to represent Buffalo against other city winners around the world at Filmapalooza 2019 in Orlando, Florida. Last year’s winner went all the way to screen at the Cannes Film Festival, Court Métrage.
This event was held in partnership with Unyts, Western New York’s only organ, eye, tissue, and community blood center. Unyts established the Donate Life Club in 2004 to assist groups of students at area high schools in the planning, development, and implementation of a campaign to increase awareness about organ, tissue, and blood donation among their peers.
Herb Kauderer, English Professor, successfully defended his dissertation on August 7 at the University at Buffalo in the Department of Transnational Studies. The title of the dissertation is “Conspicuously Canadian: Canadian Identity in Anglo Canadian Science Fiction” and the dissertation is registered as interdisciplinary in Literature and Political Science. Renowned Canadian scholar and anthologist John Robert Colombo said of the dissertation, “Your thesis on CDN SF is the best that I have read, the best written and the best argued. As well, it is surprisingly easy to read.”
Rachel Wozniak (Assistant Director, Center for Career & Community Engagement) was recently awarded with the Martha Martin Youth Advocacy Award from Compass House, an emergency shelter for homeless youth in Erie County. The award was given in recognition of Wozniak’s work with Hilbert students via service learning and community engagement events to benefit Compass House and their clients.
Not only is Dr. Kauderer a professor at Hilbert, but he also holds two degrees from Hilbert, an associates in liberal arts, and a bachelor’s in psychology.
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CHRISTMAS AT HILBERT IS A LOCAL TRADITION A Live Nativity brought the Christmas story to life during Hilbert College’s 21st annual Christmas celebration on Sunday, December 2. The celebration included a children’s Christmas party, complete with a visit from Santa, following the nativity. Attendees brought donations of new toys/gifts for children, which were distributed to those in need by Baker Victory Services. Featuring the Holy Family, shepherds, angels, the three wise men, and animals in a small outdoor stable, the Live Nativity took place outside in the campus quad. The Live Nativity dates back to 1223, when it was recreated by St. Francis of Assisi, founder of the Franciscan order, which is the spiritual foundation of the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph, Hilbert’s founding congregation. Immediately following the Live Nativity, the holiday celebration moved indoors for the children’s Christmas party in the Hafner Recreation Center. Free photos with Santa were available, as well as Christmas games and arts & crafts. The event is sponsored by the Office of Campus Ministry, Hilbert Student Government Association, and various student clubs.
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EVENTS
Featured author Gulwali Passarlay speaks to a full house of students, faculty, staff, and the community.
HILBERT READS FILLS THE SEATS IN SWAN AUDITORIUM Members of both the Hilbert community and the local community packed Swan Auditorium for the sixth annual Hilbert Reads event featuring author Gulwali Passarlay. Every year, the Hilbert College Reads committee selects a text and invites the author to present on campus. This year’s selected book was The Lightless Sky by Passarlay. The Hilbert College Reads program is a common intellectual reading experience that engages students and creates a sense of community through crossdisciplinary conversations. All incoming freshmen were provided a copy of the selected text and had a chance to meet Passarlay during a book signing following the event.
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OLD FRIENDS, NEW FRIENDS
Alumni come back to campus and catch up with old friends, and get a chance to meet new students.
JAM PACKED FUN
The weekend featured a variety of activities including an alumni tent.
TRUE BLUE WEEKEND CELEBRATES #THEHILBERTDIFFERENCE Hilbert College’s annual True Blue Weekend was held last September. The celebration included many activities for the entire Hilbert community, including alumni, current students and their families, faculty and staff, and the local community. The Saturday schedule included many events, including a chicken BBQ , a kids zone, food trucks, a hypnotist performance, and an alumni tent. The kickoff event for True Blue Weekend is Hilbert’s Day of Service. The campus-wide event allows students, alumni, faculty, and staff to live out the Hilbert mission of serving and strengthening their communities.
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Also during True Blue Weekend, Hilbert celebrated the 2018 San Damiano Award recipients. The San Damiano Awards honor alumni and friends of the college who personify Hilbert’s core values and tradition of integrity and excellence. Also recognized at the reception were the Hilbert College Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees. This year’s recipients were Lauren Carlin ’19, Sr. Ann Marie Hudzina, FSSJ, Louis Petrucci ’15, Cord Stone ’14, and Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees, Alyssa Hulbert ‘12 and Daniel McFarland ’13.
EVENTS - TRUE BLUE WEEKEND
ALUMNI ATHLETICS GAMES
Alumni played against current studentathletes.
A TIME FOR REFLECTION
“Being a member of the Hilbert Men’s Lacrosse team allowed me to meet people and encounter situations that have made me who I am today. The constant support I received and life lessons that I learned as a Hawk were second to none.” -Grant Stockman, Class of ‘15
SAN DAMIANO AWARDS
Alumni and current students were honored for their dedication to the Hilbert values.
INTEGRITY AND EXCELLENCE
This year’s recipients were shining examples of the core values on which Hilbert was founded.
A CROWD PLEASER
Food trucks came to Hilbert, including Buffalo’s Best food truck, which featured comfort food at its best.
DAY OF SERVICE
Students volunteered at various sites around Western New York on Hilbert’s annual Day of Service, which is a key component of Hilbert’s service learningcentered curriculum.
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BPO AT HILBERT CELEBRATES THE CHRISTMAS SEASON For the 11th consecutive year, Hilbert College was proud to present the Hilbert Holiday Concert with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. The holiday concert was held on Tuesday, December 4 in William E. Swan Auditorium and
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was conducted by Todd Craven, associate conductor at the BPO. Prior to the concert, Hilbert hosted a reception for Dr. Michael Brophy, Hilbert’s fourth president, in the Franciscan Hall Atrium.
ADVANCEMENT & ALUMNI INFORMATION
CHRISTY NAMED VICE PRESIDENT OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT Hilbert College has named Kathleen M. Christy to the position of vice president of institutional advancement. She will be a member of the college’s senior leadership team and responsible for all development and advancement activities and alumni relations for the college. The appointment will be effective May 1, 2019. Prior to joining Hilbert, Christy served as the vice president for institutional advancement at D’Youville College. She completed the largest capital campaign in the college’s history, raising over $21 million. Christy was also responsible for grants administration, government relations, and the public theater located on campus. “We are thrilled to have a leader of Kathleen’s caliber to serve in this vital role for Hilbert College,” Hilbert President Michael S. Brophy, Ph.D., M.F.A. said. “Her extensive
experience and knowledge of Western New York philanthropy will be invaluable for our Office of Institutional Advancement.” Christy has also served as the executive director of The BISON Children’s Scholarship Fund, Inc., a tuition assistance program for lowincome children (K-8th grade) to attend a private school of choice. She was the regional marketing coordinator for the private clients group of FleetBoston financial group and served as director of development for Buffalo General Hospital. She is a founding member of Girls on the Run – Buffalo and a past board chair and volunteer leader. Christy is a member of the Diocese of Buffalo Education Advisory Board and a member of the New York State Invest in Education Foundation. She is also a member of multiple professional organizations, including
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Western New York Planned Giving Consortium, Association of Fundraising Professionals, Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), and Leadership Buffalo (Class of 2004). Christy is a graduate of the College of Saint Rose in Albany.
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ALUMNI STORIES ALUM BILL HAAS REPRESENTS TEAM USA This past July, Hilbert alumnus Bill Haas ’08 represented Team USA in the International Triathlon Union’s Long Course World Triathlon Championships held in Fyn, Denmark. The event, which took Haas just over eight hours to complete, included a 3 km swim (1.9 miles), 121.5 km bike (75.5 miles), and a 30 km run (18.7 miles) done in sequence. Haas qualified for Team USA at the Long Distance Triathlon National Championships in Miami last November. Bill’s mother Karen, wife Bryana, and three children (Levi 7, Hannah 5, and Aliza 5) worked almost as hard cheering for eight hours as he swam, biked, and ran. Haas’ family celebrated with a two week European vacation and, of course, a trip to Disneyland.
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ALUMNI STORIES
HILBERT ALUM GOES TO CHINA Hilbert alum Tom Doody ’97 recently made a trip to China with his wife, Tracy. They made visits to both Shanghai and Beijing. During their adventures, they toured many Buddhist temples and places of historical significance, including Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Great Wall. As you can see in the photos, Tom brought Hilbert with him! “It was an amazing experience,” Tom said. “The wall is remarkably steep in some places and a tremendously impressive structure. I was happy to represent Hilbert proudly!”
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VALENTINE SELECTED TO LEAD ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT Megan Valentine was named Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Hilbert College last summer. Valentine has more than 16 years of leadership experience in Division III athletics and with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Valentine will continue to build on the athletic department’s success both on and off the playing fields and courts. The women’s basketball team collected Hilbert’s first Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference title and secured an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament. Additionally, the academic success of Hilbert’s student athletes remains a tremendous point of pride, as the 2017-18 student-athletes marked
the department’s 14th consecutive semester achieving a 3.0 grade point average while the retention rate currently holds strong at 85%. Since 2010, Valentine served as an Assistant Athletic Director of Athletics & Recreation at SUNY Fredonia. She was designated the department’s Senior Woman Administrator shortly thereafter and was promoted to Associate Director of Athletics & Recreation in March 2016.
experience in Fredonia’s athletic conference. She was a four-year member of the NCAA Division III Ethnic Minority and Women’s Internship Committee, was the NCAA Division III representative for the Women in the Spotlight Brand Leadership Institute and is a 2017 graduate of the NCAA Pathways Program.
Valentine had oversight of all athletic and recreation facilities, facility employees and the recreation programs at Fredonia. She oversaw the $2.5 million renovation of the Blue Devils Fitness Center in 2013, spearheaded the addition of signage at athletic facilities, and initiated an annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day.
Prior to her tenure at Fredonia, Valentine served as the Director of Membership and Convention Services with the National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators (NACWAA), now recognized as Women Leaders in College Sports. She also spent time at Wellesley College as an Assistant Athletic Director and softball coach as well as the Compliance and Game Management Coordinator at MacMurray College.
Valentine has served as a guest lecturer and has held senior roles in the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) which helped to shape the student-athlete
Valentine earned her bachelor’s degree in sport management from Medaille College and a Master of Education in Sport Administration from Bowling Green State University.
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A Live stream is available for soccer, volleyball, basketball and lacrosse home games for free. Go to hilberthawks.com.
MEGAN LEE EARNS THIRD CONSECUTIVE ALLCONFERENCE HONOR
For the third consecutive year, Hilbert College’s Megan Lee was named to the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference All-Conference Women’s Cross Country Team.
Lee, who transferred into Hilbert at the start of her sophomore campaign, has been a Top 15 finisher at the AMCC Cross Country Championship Meet, which traditionally is dominated by Penn State Behrend and Franciscan University. The Hamburg, NY native (Buffalo Seminary/Canisius College) took a ninth place finish at the hilly and challenging 6K course on the campus of Franciscan University. She clipped the finish line in 26:03.23 on a rainy and chilly Saturday, October 27. Lee joined 14 other runners, seven from Franciscan, six from Penn State Behrend, and one other from Mt. Aloysius College.
ROBILLARD CROWNED NCAA STATISTICAL CHAMPION IN SOCCER Freshman Evan Robillard became the fifth Hilbert studentathlete to be crowned an NCAA Statistical champion. The rookie from Hamburg closed his first year with a 10.2 saves per game average having played 681:18 minutes in goal. The 2018 Hilbert team was recognized for leading Division III with a 14.93 saves per game average. Sharing the duties in goal and deserving the national recognition alongside Robillard was sophomore Tucker Reynolds, who also hails from Hamburg High School. This duo covered every minute between the pipes and each shared time leading the country in saves per game. Reynolds, who was the starting goalie for seven consecutive games at the beginning of the season, was the NCAA Statistical Leader on October 1 and 8 with a 13.57 SPG average. He was sidelined with an injury after the October third game and coach Brandon Butts inserted Robillard into goal. Once Robillard passed Reynolds ‘minutes in goal’ Robillard took over as the national leader and held on through the Division III National Champion game. By the close of the season, Robillard and Reynolds were recognized for their combined efforts in goal as they gave Hilbert Athletics its first Team NCAA Statistical Champion Award. ‘17-’18 MALE & FEMALE ATHLETES OF THE YEAR Hunter Martineau (Men’s Basketball) Kelsi Ebert (Women’s Basketball) ‘17-’18 MCGRATH AWARD RECIPIENTS Austin Good (Men’s Lacrosse) Samantha Bugenhagen (Women’s Cross Country)
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ATHLETICS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP BANNER UNVEILED Prior to the start of the Hawks’ game on November 10 against Elmira College, the athletics department and Hilbert fans joined in the 2017-18 AMCC Championship Banner Unveiling. Coach Amy Senefelder was also recognized and presented with her 2017-18 Hilbert College Sal Buscaglia Coach of the Year plaque. Last year’s 21-7 Hawks swept the AMCC Final Four tourney and secured Hilbert’s first automatic bid to any NCAA National Tournament. Students, faculty, staff, and fans shared in the celebration along with the 2017-18 team (Jenna Castricone, Taylor Corts, Alayna DeFazio, Kelsi Ebert, Emily Gawlak, Morgan McNeill, Maegann Mein-Phelps, Abbey Monahan, Katelyn Proy, Ashley Repine, and Natassia West) and their coaches, Amy Senefelder, Scott Foster, and John Hall.
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HILBERT COLLEGE NAMED TO 2019-20 MILITARY FRIENDLY® SCHOOLS LIST Hilbert College has been named a 20192020 Military Friendly® School with a Bronze designation. Continuing its mission to provide veterans and their spouses with the finest choices for postsecondary education, VIQTORY released the 2019-2020 Military Friendly® Schools list. Now in its 10th year, the Military Friendly® Schools list has come to set the standard for higher education institutions to provide the best opportunities for veterans and their spouses. This prestigious list provides a comprehensive guide for veterans and their families using data sources from federal agencies and proprietary survey information from participating organizations. Institutions earning the Military Friendly School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey completed by the school. The 2019-2020 Military Friendly® Schools list will be published in the May issue ®
The college gathers for the annual Veteran’s Day Ceremony.
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UPDATES
of G.I. Jobs magazine. The list can also be found at www.militaryfriendly.com. Hilbert particpates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, offers reasonable transfer of credit, and recognizes military training. Hilbert is approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs to certify VA educational benefits. Hilbert is proud to provide the Hafner Veterans Center, located in Paczesny Hall, just off the West Herr Atrium. The Veterans Center offers an area for veterans to relax, study, or reminisce with fellow veterans. Hilbert is a campus chapter of the Student Veterans of America. This organization provides service members, veterans, and family members with resources and support necessary to succeed in college. The group is dedicated to advocacy on campuses as it relates to policies affecting student veterans and their needs. For more information about Hilbert’s commitment to attracting and supporting military students, visit Hilbert’s website at hilbert.edu/student-life/veterans.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2018-2019
SAVE THE DATE June
24 Aug.
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ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP GOLF TOURNAMENT ALUMNI FAMILY DAY WITH THE BUFFALO BISONS
OFFICERS Fr. Michael Sajda, OFM Conv. Chairperson Peg Adams Vice Chairperson Jill Meyer Secretary
MEMBERS Contact esimons@hilbert.edu for more information.
Do you know someone who should consider Hilbert? Refer them through the Alumni Admission Program hilbert.edu/futurehawks
Steve Bell Jill Bond Laurie Boreanaz Carra Lisa Cilano John A. Ciminelli Russell Corigliano Beth DelGenio, Ph.D. Nancy Dobson Sr. Marcia Ann Fiutko, FSSJ Rhonda Frederick Richard Hamister Honorable Craig D. Hannah Jed Hunter James Iglewski Sr. Michael Marie Jordan, FSSJ Fr. Ted Jost Joseph Kubarek Michael McCabe Honorable Jeremiah McCarthy Ted Oexle Philip Perna Christopher Randall Joseph Salvatore Michelle Sullivan Boyd Wible Camille P. Wicher, Ph.D. Lamont Williams
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HILBERTCOLLEGE
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Hilbert now has SCIENCE! The construction of a new, modern science lab this summer will mark the beginning of a new future for Hilbert College in the applied sciences. This addition will open new opportunities for students in areas such as:
LABORATORY SCIENCES, DNA ANALYSIS, PRE-MEDICAL, PRE-PHARMACY, AND MORE!
Best of all, it starts this fall!
Schedule a visit at VISIT.HILBERT.EDU Questions? Contact us at 716-926-8780 or admissions@hilbert.edu
