Summer 2019 Niagara University Eagle

The

POWER of the

NU

Isaac De Los Santos, ’15, MBA’16 Assistant Vice President at M&T Bank

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Vol. 34 issue 2

The Niagara University Eagle is published by the Office of Institutional Advancement.

Please send correspondence to: Lisa McMahon, M.A.’09, Editor Niagara University, N.Y., 14109 716.286.8747 / lmcmahon@niagara.edu Editor - Lisa McMahon, M.A.’09 Design - Troy Frymire

Vol. 34, issue 2

Inside this issue

8 10 12 13 14 16 18 21 22 DEPARTMENTS 1 2 19 23 FEATURES

Connecting

Academia To Advocacy

The Power

of the Niagara University Alumni Network

Beilein Caravan

connects with Alums and Fans

Endowed Professorship Honors Dr. Sharon Watkinson

An Uncommon Winter Promoting a Holistic Mission on Monteagle Ridge

Niagara University Commencement Michael & Rosemary Salamone Make Charitable Gift Annuity

Adriano Gatto, ’06,

Performs Alongside Former Professor

Opening Remarks On the Ridge

News From the Nest Catching Up

Founded by the Vincentian Community in 1856, Niagara University is a private liberal arts university with a strong, values-based Catholic tradition.

Its four academic divisions include the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business Administration, Education, and Hospitality and Tourism Management.

The university also maintains an Academic Exploration Program that provides a learning community for students who are undecided about their major.

OPENING REMARKS

Dear Friends,

T

hank you for your continued support and generosity. The commitment shown year in and year out by our alumni, students, and friends helps make our continued growth and prosperity possible.

This year, in celebration of St. Vincent de Paul’s birthday on April 24, we launched our inaugural “Day of Giving,” and invited the entire university community to participate.

This last push for philanthropic support before our fiscal year ended in May was a resounding success.

As part of this special fundraising event, we asked our graduating seniors to consider making their first gift to the university. I am delighted to report that their response was beyond our expectations—they truly understood that, as our newest alumni, they had a responsibility to continue the tradition of support that made their years on Monteagle Ridge possible so that the unique character and environment of our campus would endure for future generations of Niagara students. You can read more about this exciting initiative in this issue of the Eagle.

While Niagara University depends upon and appreciates the financial support of our alumni, there are many other ways to impact the lives of current and future students.

The story about the power of our alumni network on page 10 highlights a few of these very important opportunities.

Recognizing the tremendous impact our mission has on our students, as well, we have taken a comprehensive look at how it is lived by our entire Niagara University community. Father Aiden Rooney will lead our efforts to enhance the ways our mission is woven throughout every aspect of campus life to ensure that our students become alumni with confidence, clarity of direction, and a heightened sense of purpose. You can read more about his vision on page 16.

Thank you for your continued commitment to Niagara University.

With every good wish, Rev. James J. Maher, C.M.

James J. Maher, C.M. President

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ON THE RIDGE “Rock the Block” Volunteers Clean Up Downtown Niagara Falls More than 220 volunteers, including employees from 30 Niagara County-based organizations, joined forces with dozens of area residents on May 15 to spruce up homes in downtown Niagara Falls as part of the South End Housing Initiative’s second annual “Rock the Block.” This year, the State of New York Mortgage Agency (SONYMA) was a major sponsor of the event, as part of the “Spruce Up” neighborhood clean-up events held each year across the state.

The Niagara University-led South End Housing Initiative, a coalition of 30 partners from various organizations throughout Niagara County, links local homeowners with business representatives –including presidents and CEOs–to perform minor housing repairs, such as painting, landscaping and general cleanup, in the city’s South End. This year, 24 homes and 14 alleyways within a 34 city-block area were improved as part of the three-hour effort, which had an economic impact of more than $48,000. “‘Rock the Block’ is an ideal example of the initiatives Niagara University has been, and will continue to be, committed to doing in our local

Rock the Block volunteers clean up along Niagara Street in Niagara Falls.

community,” said the Rev. James Maher, C.M., Niagara University president. “Our mission calls us to use our campus resources to inspire deliberate and focused positive impact in the region surrounding the university, with an emphasis on the City of Niagara Falls. We are happy to join with our community partners and city residents to facilitate transformation in the city’s South End through ‘Rock the Block.’”

Father Maher Receives Key to the City of Vaughan, Ontario

Vaughan, the first-ever university to be established there. Classes began in January at the site, located in the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, in the heart of Vaughan’s emerging downtown core.

The Rev. James Maher, C.M., Niagara University president, was presented the key to the City of Vaughan, Ont., during the 2019 Vaughan Chamber of Commerce Mayor’s Luncheon, Feb. 13, 2019. This marks only the second time in Vaughan’s history that this honor, reserved for distinguished individuals, has been granted.

“On behalf of the City of Vaughan and members of council, it gives me immense pride to present Niagara University President Rev. James J. Maher with the key to the City of Vaughan,” said Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua, who founded the honor. “Father Maher is a trusted, respected, and inspiring city-building partner. He has rightly earned this recognition.”

Father Maher and Mayor Bevilacqua collaborated on the establishment of a permanent location for Niagara University in Ontario in the City of

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In its second phase, the South End Housing Initiative seeks to revitalize housing in Niagara Falls from Fourth Street to Portage Road, within the surrounding perimeter from Niagara Street to Pine Avenue. Organizers contend that the revival of this corridor of homes will encourage economic development in the outlying areas of the neighborhood.

The Rev. James Maher, C.M., accepts the key to the City of Vaughan from Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua.

“I am honored to accept the key to the City of Vaughan on behalf of the students, staff, and faculty of Niagara University,” said Father Maher. “For 35 years, Niagara has offered programs in Canada to prepare students for personal and professional success as teachers and educational leaders, guided by our Vincentian mission and values. The new location, and our continuing partnership with Mayor Bevilacqua and the City of Vaughan, will help to strengthen our binational presence as we mentor a new generation of compassionate, dedicated, and successful graduates into the workplace. I thank Mayor Bevilacqua for his genuine enthusiasm, vision, commitment, and advocacy to bring Niagara University to Vaughan.”

ON THE RIDGE Niagara University Students Provide Meaningful Opportunities for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities Approximately 250 Special Olympians were greeted by volunteers, first responders, and athletes as they entered Niagara University’s Kiernan Recreation Center for the 2019 Special Olympics New York’s Western Regional Basketball Tournament on April 27.

The annual event, which NU has hosted since 2006, is the culminating experience for students who take the Special Olympics: Coaching and Games Management course.

Conceived by Dr. Chandra Foote, dean of Niagara University’s College of Education, for students in both the College of Education and the College of Hospitality and Tourism Management, the course has multiple components, including: providing students with knowledge about the nature of individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities; developing skills among teacher candidates to become certified Special Olympics coaches; training children and adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities to compete in the annual regional basketball tournament; and planning and hosting a sanctioned Special Olympics regional basketball tournament.

Scholarship for College of Hospitality and Tourism Management Students Established The College of Hospitality and Tourism Management Alumni and Friends Scholarship Fund has been established by the college’s alumni association to provide direct, need-based financial support to students enrolled in the college. Recipients must be juniors or seniors who have maintained at least a 2.5 GPA and who are at risk of not graduating due to financial need.

Scholarships will be awarded as-needed provided funds are available. To donate, please call Claire Crean, major gift officer, at 716.286.8789.

The Niagara University Purple Eagle Special Olympians enter the Kiernan Center.

“I decided to take this class because of my major; however, I never expected to have gained this much experience in the class,” said Karlie Schiffler, an event and meeting management major. “One of my favorite parts of planning and executing this event is seeing all the smiling faces throughout the day. Seeing the athletes and their families so happy to be there makes all of the work we did as coaches completely worth it.”

“A key tenet of the Niagara University mission is to inspire our students to serve all members

of society, especially the poor and marginalized,” said Dr. Dennis Garland, assistant professor of education, who teaches the course. “We are fortunate to have incredible partners like Special Olympics New York.

This event is a culmination of a collective effort to provide the athletes with opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills, and friendship with each other and the community.”

Louis Pioli, ’44, Receives Associate’s Degree at NU Commencement In September of 1940, Louis John Pioli was a freshman at Niagara University. One year later, he was drafted into World War II and served honorably as a glider trooper in the 13th Airborne Division, stationed in France. At the end of the war, he returned home to his wife, but never came back to NU to complete his degree.

At this year’s commencement ceremonies, 99-year-old Pioli was conferred his associate’s degree. He wasn’t able to make the trip from his home in South Burlington, Vt., to Monteagle Ridge to accept the diploma himself, but his grandson, Kevin Pioli-Hunt, accepted it on his behalf.

The following Monday, Dr. Timothy Ireland, Niagara University provost, traveled to Saint Michael’s College in Burlington to present Pioli with his official diploma.

Dr. Timothy Ireland, Niagara University provost, presented Louis John Pioli with his associate’s degree 75 years after his anticipated graduation date of May 1944.

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ON THE RIDGE Niagara University’s Day of Giving Is Tremendous First-time Success To celebrate the birthday of its patron, St. Vincent de Paul, Niagara University invited students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends to participate in a Day of Giving on Wednesday, April 24, a fundraising initiative to honor the life and spirit of St. Vincent.

The response was overwhelming: More than 1,680 individuals made a gift, totaling over $299,000, making this the most successful single-day fundraising effort to date. A special focus was given to participation. As a result, 970 of these individuals were new donors.

The generosity of the Niagara University student body was unparalleled during this event.

More than 200 students donated to student

clubs, club sports, and Division I sports.

Other areas where funds were directed included the four academic colleges and selected programs within them.

Several challenge gifts that matched other donations dollar for dollar rounded out the funds raised during the Day of Giving.

students, alumni, and friends, and a wonderful tribute to St. Vincent de Paul,” said Dr. Derek Wesley, vice president for institutional advancement. “I’m proud to be a member of this community!”

“The success of Niagara’s Day of Giving is a testament to the strength and character of our

“One Year to a Teaching Career” Program Addresses Shortage in New York Schools One of the College of Education’s most attractive teacher preparation programs has added a new option to make it even more appealing to prospective graduate students while addressing a pressing need in local school districts.

New York State United Teachers reports that enrollment in teacher education programs has decreased by 47 percent since 2009.

At the same time, it’s estimated that onethird of current teachers could retire in the next five years.

The ripple effect has left schools of all levels scrambling to find qualified teachers–even substitutes.

A potential solution debuted this summer at Niagara University.

Announced May 23, NU’s “One Year to a Teaching Career” program is open to individuals with a bachelor’s degree in virtually any field, and can be completed in as few as three semesters. The program leads to New York state teacher certification at the elementary (grades preK-6) or secondary (grades 5-12) levels in English language arts, math, biology, chemistry, French, Spanish, social studies, or business and marketing.

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Niagara University

“The affordability and speed to degree of this program, coupled with the increasing demand for teachers, make this a great time for anyone who has ever thought about changing their career to become a teacher,” said Dr. Chandra Foote, dean of the College of Education. “Our programs have a legacy of preparing the highest quality teachers, and students in this program will learn from dedicated and highly experienced faculty who lead the way in teaching, research, and service in their profession.”

The program’s flexible scheduling allows students to attend class in the late afternoon and evening, and even take some courses online. Students can also earn money while they complete paid field experiences in local partner schools.

Niagara University recently signed partnership agreements with the Niagara Falls City School District, the West Seneca Central School District, and the Catholic schools of the Diocese of Buffalo. The university is finalizing an agreement with the Buffalo City School District.

The partnerships will help these districts fill current shortages in substitute teaching and teaching associate positions. NU is continuing to work with school districts across the region

to finalize additional partnerships to address the imminent teacher shortage.

One student participating in the program is Natalie Polka, a young woman who always aspired to teach but was encouraged to pursue another career field when she enrolled in college as an undergraduate in 2013.

She earned a degree in accounting and has been working for a major bank since January 2017. However, with job prospects for future educators looking brighter by the day, Polka decided to make the transition from banking to education.

“I was not happy when I came home every day (from my banking position) and I really felt like this was the opportunity to do what I wanted to do,” she said. “Jobs were opening, so the stars were aligning for me to make the decision and go back.”

Natalie’s mom, Kathy Polka, M.S.Ed.’06, a teacher at Harry F. Abate Elementary School in Niagara Falls, wasn’t the least bit surprised when Natalie made the change.

“We knew all along that this is what she wanted to do,” she said, adding, “If you join the program at Niagara and get a master’s degree in teaching, I think you can be successful anywhere you decide to go.”

ON THE RIDGE Crucial Community Conversations Held on Niagara University Campus During the spring semester, Niagara University welcomed community leaders, scholars, and students to campus to engage in important conversations on issues of compassionate communities, economic equity, children living in poverty, and cross-border relations.

Arun Gandhi, fifth grandson of Mohandas Mahatma Gandhi and co-founder of the M.K. Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence, shared lessons he learned from his grandfather on nonviolence and empowering people who are oppressed at the “Compassionate Niagara Conference: Deepening Communities,” March 13. Following Gandhi’s keynote address, the 170 attendees discussed ways different sectors could work together to build a more compassionate Niagara Falls and a more inclusive community, where the needs of all are recognized and met, the well-being of the entire community is a priority, and all people and living things are treated with respect.

on leadership, sport, and immigration; healthcare; and issues of sovereignty, identity, and trade among the indigenous peoples in the border.

The conference, now in its 23rd year, was established to foster academic relations between students throughout the cross-border region under the aegis of the Golden Horseshoe Educational Alliance, a consortium of universities from both sides of the border. The first conference was held at Niagara University in 1996, and venues alternate each year between host universities in the U.S. and Canada. It has been supported by both the U.S. Consulate General, Toronto, and the Canadian Consulate General, New York, as well as government officials and scholars from both sides of the border.

In April, members of the local community discussed the importance of mentoring during the 2019 Mentoring Matters Western New York conference at the Russell J. Salvatore Dining Commons on the Niagara University campus, presented by KeyBank in partnership with First Niagara Foundation, Mentor New York, and Niagara University’s Office of Multicultural Affairs. New York State Lt. Gov. Kathleen Hochul gave the keynote address during the daylong event, which included a panel session and workshops on topics concerning youth in Western New York and around the nation, including building culturally responsive programs; leveraging the research on the power of relationships; performance metrics; building organizational sustainability; and addressing the needs of LGBTQ+ young people and of immigrant and refugee youth.

“Mobilizing the Community to Transform the Lives of Children Living in Poverty,” was the topic of discussion for a summit in January, co-sponsored by the Ostapenko Center, Niagara University’s College of Education, and the Levesque Institute for Civic Engagement.

Arun Gandhi, fifth grandson of Mohandas Mahatma Gandhi, was the featured speaker at the Compassionate Niagara Conference March 13, 2019.

“Arun’s commitment to nonviolence and to the creation of a sustainable and just world closely mirror the mission of Niagara University,” said the Rev. James Maher, C.M., Niagara University’s president. “It is an honor to welcome him to our campus to foster important conversations around racial justice, and to inspire us to continue this important work in our community.”

Approximately 100 people and a dozen community agencies gathered to connect with one another, learn what services are available to children living in poverty, and discuss what else can be done to alleviate economic insecurity in our region.

Dr. Anael Alston, assistant commissioner for the Office of Access, Equity, and Community Engagement Services, gave the keynote address.

On March 5, the university’s Rose Bente Lee Ostapenko Center for Race, Equality and Mission and the College of Business Administration hosted the “Race and Economic Equity Summit,” which assembled more than 125 people to discuss the indicators of economic growth, the ways they affect marginalized community members, and the barriers and solutions for economic security for these individuals, with a special focus on people of color.

Also in March, Niagara University hosted the 2019 “Crossing Borders” interdisciplinary student conference. More than two dozen students from the U.S. and Canada presented their research on issues including human trafficking and poverty in Canada and the U.S.; political influences in federal and provincial governments; shaping policy and public opinion

Panelists Brenda Jimenez, director of operations and growth strategies, Mentor New York; Chotsani Williams West, director of student mentoring, Adelphi University; Dr. Rhonda L. Ward, associate professor of social work and director of the Ostapenko Center at Niagara University; and Niagara University juniors Taylor Lilton and Amanda Ventrella, BELLE mentors, discuss ways mentoring can help young people thrive in college.

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ON THE RIDGE Undergraduate Research Conference Highlights Work of Niagara University Students A new water sampler for conducting water chemistry research; continuing studies on a delivery system for breast cancer therapeutics; and research on retirement planning, cyber warfare, and nursing students’ awareness of human trafficking were some of the 123 projects showcased during Niagara University’s annual Undergraduate Research Conference on May 3.

The event, sponsored by NU’s Honors Program, highlights much of the scholarly work that takes place behind the scenes at Niagara, where faculty-guided undergraduate student research occurs at nearly twice the rate of that at other national institutions, according to National Survey for Student Engagement data.

Thao Huynh’s research project focused on the encapsulation of an anti breast cancer therapeutic.

“Students at Niagara have the rare opportunity to work individually with a professor on their own original research,” said Dr. Michael Barnwell, professor of philosophy and director of the Honors Program. “In fact, all honors students work, at minimum, for an entire year with a professor.

The result is that they make significant contributions to their fields as undergraduates. Not only is this a great benefit to society in general, but it gives our graduates a significant advantage when applying for jobs or graduate schools.”

Kaleigh Block built a water sampler as part of her research on Fayetteville Green Lake, a meromictic lake with a hydrogen sulfide monimolimnion.

Using her sampler, Block investigated the physical and chemical properties of a plate in Green Lake composed of green and purple sulfur bacteria.

According to Block, “The sampler will improve our ability to investigate the lake because we will obtain samples with more precision and control due to the microcontroller communicating data in real-time. This will also improve our existing sampling mechanisms because it permits sampling and data collection simultaneously. Deploying our device into the lake will allow us to attain a better understanding of the properties of the plate, and this

is of importance because our findings may be used as a model for similar meromictic lakes.”

Thao Huynh’s project on the “Encapsulation and Delivery of Trastuzumab into human breast cancer cells using CholestosomeTM” focused on the encapsulation of an anti breast cancer therapeutic. “Our goal is to develop an oral delivery system for anti breast cancer therapeutics that minimize the pain and side effects of current delivery methods such as injections and chemotherapy,” she said. The patented CholestosomeTM, a neutral, lipid-based particle, was developed in Niagara University’s B. Thomas Golisano Center for Integrated Sciences.

Elizabeth Faxlanger examined the importance of retirement savings and financial literacy to determine the value of incorporating financial literacy in education, even as early as in middle school. “If children are exposed to the value of saving at a young age and being financially literate, they will better understand why it is important to put money away for retirement,” she concluded.

Caleb Goldfus compared the capabilities, history, and potential of both government and private cyber operations to identify their weaknesses and possible changes and solutions that can be utilized to augment these operations.

Recognizing that human trafficking has become the second largest method of organized crime, and that nurses are often one of the only healthcare workers to encounter a victim while they are being held in captivity, Kaitlin Saywer surveyed 120 Niagara University nursing students to assess their knowledge, awareness, and feeling of preparedness regarding human trafficking. Sawyer noted that “All nurses can benefit from expanding their field of knowledge and training on this subject. This can often be a matter of life and death for most victims, and as nurses, it is our responsibility to do all that we possibly can to save them from their critical situation.”

Other notable projects that were presented included Marissa Seib’s study of the U.S. mental healthcare system during the progressive era; Emily Steiner’s work in synthesizing a compound found in ginger as a potentially less-expensive antimalarial treatment; and Kaylyn Townsend’s look at the impact a one-day conference on local and national issues of race had on the 175 middle and high school students who attended.

Rev. Craig Damone Pridgen named to Niagara University Board of Trustees The Rev. Craig Damone Pridgen, senior pastor at True Bethel Baptist Church, Niagara Falls, and a senior business and planning analyst at M&T Bank, has been elected to the Board of Rev. Craig Damone Pridgen Trustees of Niagara University. The appointment was announced by the Rev. James Maher, C.M., president of the university.

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A graduate of Medaille College and Berean Baptist College, Rev. Pridgen has extensive management experience in estate collections, risk management, and regulatory compliance.

“Rev. Pridgen brings a wealth of business and social justice experience to his position on our Board of Trustees,” said Father Maher. “He will provide crucial insight and guidance as we continue to develop opportunities for our students to gain the confidence, clarity of direction, and heightened sense of purpose needed to become leaders in their communities.”

Rev. Pridgen has also been recognized for his significant community involvement in Erie and Niagara counties. He currently serves on the Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center Board of Directors and on the boards of the National Federation of Just Communities and Literacy New York Buffalo-Niagara, Inc. He has been an organizer of Pastors, Politicians & Police on Patrol, was a Niagara Christian Basketball League mentor, and a former member of the M&T Bank African American Resource Group Leadership Team.

ON THE RIDGE Niagara University Adds Location in Ontario Niagara University Receives $1.5 Million Gift to Strengthen Binational Presence Niagara University has received a $1.5 million gift from the Cortellucci family, Canadian business leaders and philanthropists. It will be used to support the momentum Niagara has achieved in strengthening its binational presence.

Dr. Vincent Rinaldo, director of Ontario administration, the Rev. James Maher, C.M., Niagara University president, Mario Cortellucci, Romina Cortellucci, and Peter Cortellucci.

Niagara University has strengthened its binational presence with the establishment of an additional location for its Niagara University in Ontario program in Vaughan, Ontario. The site is also the first-ever university to be established in the City of Vaughan and York region, and supports Niagara University’s commitment to becoming the premier binational university within the Province of Ontario.

For 35 years, Niagara University has offered programs in Canada which operate under the written consent of the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities. The opening of an additional location in the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre gives Niagara University students and alumni a place to call their Niagara University home, and provides opportunities to better serve them with the culture, resources, and supports necessary for success in Niagara’s mission-based academic programs.

The site is in the heart of Vaughan’s emerging downtown core, located in the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. The more than 12,000 square-foot addition includes seven classrooms, faculty and administration offices, and student lounge areas. There are nine full-time faculty and administrators as well as a number of parttime faculty and supervisors on staff at that location, where more than 300 students are pursuing Bachelor of Professional Studies in Education and Master of Science in Educational Leadership programs. In addition, approxi-

mately 50 practicing teachers take Additional Qualification course work each year.

“This is an exciting opportunity for Niagara University to continue to strengthen our binational relationship to build and sustain our cross-border community,” said the Rev. James Maher, C.M, Niagara University president. “As the largest university in the region in terms of enrollment, and one of the largest employers in Niagara County, this collaboration with the City of Vaughan will enable us to look beyond Western New York to make a deliberate and focused economic impact on this binational region, positively impacting the lives of others.”

“It has long been my dream to attract a university to Vaughan,” said Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua. “Having a post-secondary institution in an urban setting, within walking distance from homes, businesses, and amenities, connected by regionally integrated transit, will contribute to both the economy and the quality of life for residents of the City of Vaughan. Niagara University in Ontario is an unprecedented investment in our community and in the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre.”

Classes started in Vaughan on Jan. 21 for Niagara University in Ontario’s Bachelor of Professional Studies in Education program, which is accredited by the Ontario College of Teachers, and the Master of Science in Education program. Both prepare aspiring

“On behalf of the students, staff, and faculty, I offer my heartfelt gratitude for the Cortelluccis’ continued faith in Niagara University’s Catholic and Vincentian mission,” said the Rev. James Maher, C.M., Niagara University president. “Niagara University has a 35-year legacy of preparing students for personal and professional success as teachers and educational leaders in Ontario. This gift will enable us to continue to mentor generations of compassionate, dedicated, and successful graduates into the workplace, guided by our Vincentian mission and values.”

“We are honoured and thrilled to be supporting Niagara University find its home in Vaughan,” said the Cortellucci family in a statement. “To be the first university in the York region is an achievement and will allow for the empowerment of Vaughan’s citizens through higher education. The addition of an institution of this calibre strengthens the community. Niagara University will not only attract talented and bright individuals to Vaughan, but help in fostering the citizens already in the area.

It is an exciting and transformative time for the city, and we are here to support this continued growth and vision for a vibrant Vaughan downtown.”

professionals for careers in primary-junior and intermediate-senior teacher positions, among other education-related employment opportunities.

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Connecting Academia to Advocacy

Thanks to the efforts of two professors, raising awareness and promoting prevention of relationship and sexual violence are now key parts of Niagara University’s campus culture.

U

By Lisa McMahon

nder other circumstances or at another university, Dr. Jennifer Beebe, associate professor of

education, and Dr. Dana Radatz, assistant professor of criminology and criminal justice, might never have met.

The two, different in discipline, college, and campus location, might have pursued their shared research interests independent of each other. But they did meet, and because they did, a new, important campus tradition was established at Niagara University.

Dr. Beebe earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in women’s studies from the University at Buffalo in 2000.

While pursuing her master’s degree in counseling and human services at Canisius College, Dr. Beebe worked with women between the ages of 13 and 60 as a clinical counselor at a local agency in Buffalo.

Although she loved the work, she also found that it began to negatively impact her, so, in 2003, she applied for a position as a school counselor at an elementary school in Waianae, Hawaii.

The students in the school were primarily from impoverished families, and Dr. Beebe provided individual, group, and crisis counseling, and academic support to students. She notes that a pivotal point in her career came after an 8-year-old girl was raped while walking home from school.

“I was trying to get away from working with (sexual violence), and I thought I would be safe in a school,” she said. “But sexual violence always comes, and I was always good at

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Dr. Dana Radatz and Dr. Jennifer Beebe spearheaded the inaugural Take Back the Night event on the Niagara University campus in 2016. The event is now an annual part of the campus calendar.

supporting the kids, the community, and the teachers. I just felt the social justice call to action, that this is what I am called to do, and it just is something I am so passionate about.”

Dr. Beebe remained in Hawaii for three years before moving to Colorado to pursue her Ph.D. in counselor education and supervision at the University of Northern Colorado, which she earned in 2010. She held positions as assistant professor of education, focusing on training school counselors and psychologists, at Governors State University in Chicago and at Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y., before accepting a position as an associate professor and coordinator of the clinical mental health counseling program in the College of Education at Niagara University in 2014. Her research dovetails the work she does in the classroom, focusing on enhancing the training of counselors so that they can more effectively work with individuals who have experienced sexual assault, sexual violence, sexual abuse, and child abuse.

Dr. Radatz’s interest in victimology stemmed from classes she took while pursuing a psychology degree at Eastern Michigan University. Originally intending to become a medical doctor, her fascination with offenders and their impact on the criminal justice system motivated her to take classes in criminology, ultimately earning both a minor and a master’s degree in the discipline. As she learned more about offenders and their victims, she realized that her interest was really in the victims of crime, their experiences, and how to change the violence so prevalent in the world.

She taught in the sociology, anthropology and criminology department at EMU for two years before pursuing her Ph.D. at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Upon completing her degree in 2015, Dr. Radatz joined the criminal justice faculty at Niagara University with the intent of using her role to bridge the gap between the resources academia can provide to address the problem of victimization and

Since then, Niagara University has hosted a TBTN event each year. It has become a collaborative, interdisciplinary effort that uses all the skills and resources available on campus, noted Dr. Radatz. Over the years, awards recognizing excellence in leadership and advocacy among faculty and staff, as well as students (the latter is named after Nicholas Albano, a 2016 psychology graduate who was instrumental in the first TBTN event and who passed away in 2017) have been established, and funds have been raised to create “survivor bags” that assist individuals in the YWCA’s rape crisis program.

Members of Tau Kappa Epsilon show their support of “Take Back the Night.”

the individuals and agencies who directly work with victims of family violence, while continuing her research on programs that teach offenders alternatives to violence.

Niagara’s Vincentian mission especially appealed to Dr. Radatz. “I felt as though that was a really great asset for me, because I would be working at a place that valued what I was trying to do,” she said. “And so I came to Niagara because I wanted to work with the local agencies and organizations.”

In 2015, the two women met as members of Niagara University’s women’s studies committee. Their personal commitment to social justice for victims led them to suggest doing a Take Back the Night event on campus.

Take Back the Night is a global effort that began in the 1970s to combat sexual violence. Since then, marches, rallies, education programs, vigils, concerts, imagery, and other events have been hosted around the world to unite those who seek to end all forms of sexual violence, empower survivors in the healing process, and inspire responsibility in all.

personal story of victimization; a performance by the Brazen-Faced Varlets theatrical group; a student-organized march around campus; and a candlelight vigil. It was originally scheduled to be held on the steps of the Castellani Art Museum, but a rainy weather forecast forced organizers to move the event into the Gallagher Center gym.

It turned out to be a good thing.

“Just as the event doors opened, I kept thinking, ‘I really hope this isn’t just for 20 people,’” recalled Dr. Radatz. “Gary Love (then chair of the military science department) came up to me within the first five minutes and pulled me over to one of the side doors of the gym, and there were lines from both sides of the gym out the door, in the rain, trying to get in.

We were aiming for 50, I was hoping for 30… that night, we had over 400 in attendance.”

The two have also developed a curriculum for Niagara’s first-year student Niagara University Beginnings program, which is designed to educate, inform, and empower students on sexual assault prevention and education.

Their work has also encouraged the university to institutionalize Take Back the Night, which gives the event a permanent, annual date on the academic calendar and ensures it will continue into the future.

“I think this generation of students really wants to figure out how to create change and do so effectively,” Dr. Radatz said. “I think they are social justice advocates in the making, and I think part of our jobs as faculty members or as members of NU’s community is to teach them how to do so in a productive way.”

The two professors invited their colleagues from a variety of departments across the campus, students, and representatives from local community agencies to establish a committee to organize a TBTN event.

The first event on April 7, 2016, was an overwhelming success.

Co-sponsored by the YWCA of the Niagara Frontier, the inaugural Niagara University Take Back the Night included resource tables set up by university departments, clubs, and agencies; a prayer and blessing; a speaker who shared her

In addition to TBTN, Dr. Beebe and Dr. Radatz also co-organize a Domestic Violence Awareness event and Red Flag Campaign each fall (in partnership with the Castellani Art Museum and Pinnacle Community Services) to display artwork created by participants of a domestic violence survivor group at Pinnacle.

These events inspired Dr. Beebe and Dr. Radatz to research the effectiveness of Pinnacle’s support group intervention in promoting the healing and empowerment of the survivors. The two professors were awarded the NU Vincentian Poverty Grant to support their research, and hope the research findings will provide justification for future grant funding opportunities for the program.

NUSGA handed out “No More” signs for participants to complete.

“Part of our passion is wanting people to know that we have a university that is embracing (sexual violence awareness) as its core mission,” Dr. Beebe added. “We’re just pleased with the support, it’s encouraging, it’s exciting that we come together as a community to change the status quo and educate and provide prevention and intervention resources for our community and students.”

EAGLE/SUMMER 2019

9

THE

POWER

By Stephanie Morris, Director of Career Services

O F THE

Niagara University

More than 30 Niagara University alumni came back to Monteagle Ridge to recruit current students for full-time, part-time, internship, and summer employment opportunities at their respective companies.

F

rom the Career Services perspective, the Power of Niagara

is our ability to help students develop clarity of direction. Providing the assistance students need comes in many forms–from individual appointments to career events, from internship and employment opportunities to networking activities.

Niagara University’s extensive alumni network is one of our greatest assets in assisting students. Current students see great value in engaging with alumni as they navigate their career journey. Over the past year, the Career Services office has welcomed back almost 100 alumni to assist us with on-campus recruitment, as employers in residence, and by hosting interns, giving presentations, and sharing their professional networks.

PARTICIPATE IN ON-CAMPUS RECRUITMENT Alumni can assist us with on-campus recruitment by participating in our annual Career

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Niagara University

Expo, staffing an information table in the Gallagher Center or in academic buildings, or facilitating interviews for jobs and internships in the Career Services office. This year, more than 30 alums returned to campus to recruit current students at Career Expo, representing a quarter of the employers in attendance. One of those alums was Thomas Queri, ’92, senior executive vice president at Financial Partners of Upstate New York, a Mass Mutual Firm.

“I was beyond impressed, for a number of reasons, with the Career Expo I attended this year Tom Queri, ’92 on campus,” he said.

“I participated in a number of career fairs this year in the Rochester area, and none of them came close to the one at Niagara.

First, the number of students who walked through the door was amazing! Second, the quality of the students stood out—they were dressed appropriately; had clearly done some level of research on the company prior to

arriving at our booth; were outgoing, friendly, and professional; and genuinely seemed interested in finding a career opportunity that day. It was so nice to see! Bottom line is, I thought it was worth the drive in from Rochester, and I plan on participating again in 2020.

“As a side note,” he continued, “we hired a student who is finishing his junior year as an intern for this summer, and we are very excited to get to know him better and work with him. He will be a great addition to the team for the next few months.”

“I came to NU to recruit because of the importance I know service plays every day, in every class, on the entire campus,” said Matthew Matthew Chavez, ’08 Chavez, ’08, VISTA manager of outreach and member development at The Service Collaborative of WNY, Inc. “Since graduating, I have seen Niagara University become a much larger presence in the

HOST AN INTERN community, and I have been encouraged by my alma mater taking a leadership role in the Niagara Falls community. I wanted to combine my professional mission with that passion!

“I was thrilled to speak with NU students, and every person I talked to embodied every bit of the Vincentian spirit. They have a heart for the poor, and earnestly want to make the world a more just, fair, and equitable place for all.

“Through the VISTA program at The Service Collaborative, we are unyielding in our mission to ‘eradicate poverty in America.’

(It’s) obviously a lofty goal, but it’s work that demands doing. I am excited to have the opportunity to recruit others to this cause.”

BECOME AN EMPLOYER IN RESIDENCE This program gives students an opportunity to participate in practice interviews with employers.

Our alumni are Claire Petrie, ’15 great employers in residence, because they are familiar with an NU education and the courses we offer, including those that require students to complete practice interviews. Students value this opportunity because they receive feedback that is relevant to their career goals and are able to expand their professional network. In some cases, employers in residence have even been able to identify students who could be potential hires for their own organizations, like Claire Petrie, ’15, talent acquisition manager at Remedy Intelligent Staffing, did.

“As an NU MBA alumna,” she said, “I love returning to campus to help current students in the school of management prepare for their futures and land their dream jobs! Giving back and ensuring the upcoming professionals know more than I did when I was in their shoes is really important to me. I currently work in human resources, and my company, Remedy Intelligent Staffing, is frequently looking for recruiting specialists to join our team. Through the practice interviews, I was able to identify students who would be a great fit and offer them an opportunity to actually interview with us.”

Internships provide students from all majors the hands-on experience they need to develop professional skills and help them identify roles and organizations where they may be interested in applying. Employers find that our students demonstrate professionalism and have the strong academic foundation necessary to successfully complete internships at their Shannon Chowaniec, ’16, MBA’17 organizations. Alumni who hire interns can mentor the next generation of alumni, like Shannon Chowaniec, ’16, MBA’17, associate product manager at Rich Products Corp., does.

“Niagara University presented me with several opportunities for mentorships while I was a student,” she said. “The mentors I’ve had throughout both my academic and professional careers have guided me and encouraged me to embrace new opportunities and challenges.

Consequently, when I have the chance to mentor others by providing a unique perspective or lend an ear, I am pleased to do so. I feel a responsibility to do so as I wouldn’t be where I am without the professors, co-workers, and peers who have mentored me along the way.

I am passionate about my career and the food industry. I hope that I can use that to fuel the same passion in others!”

SHARE YOUR PROFESSIONAL NETWORK Alumni, like John Osberg, ’13, director of business development and sales at DataSure24, have helped Career Services tremendously in expanding our wide network of employers who offer internship and employment opportunities.

“I got my start in the John Osberg, ’13 business world when I was a 19-year-old undergraduate business student, and Niagara’s Career Services played a pivotal role in that,” he said. “Once I landed in my internship role at M&T Bank in my sophomore year, I came to understand the power of networking, building relationships, and keeping regular contact with executives/ professionals who embodied all of the characteristics that I knew would lead to success.

“Many of the folks at Career Services prepared me for what it would be like out in the business world, and it’s because of that, coupled with my personal values, that I pay it forward every chance I get as it relates to helping students network into career opportunities. If it weren’t for my mentors, professors and, most importantly, the team at Career Services, I would be hard pressed to say that I would have made it to this point in my career thus far.”

ATTEND CAREER EVENTS AS A GUEST PRESENTER Alumni can share what they have learned while attending Niagara University and on the job at career preparation workshops, with campus clubs and organizations, and at events hosted by the Admissions office, like Isaac De Los Santos, ’15, MBA’16, assistant vice president at M&T Bank, does.

“Niagara University offered me a one-of-akind experience through the courses I took, the interactions Isaac De Los Santos, ’15, MBA’16 I had with staff, and its mission of encouraging students to give back,” he said. “I take pride in giving back and adding value to the communities I serve.

Therefore, I’ve made it a personal mission to be able to provide direction to current NU students and add as much value as I can.”

Alumni engagement is critical to the success of our students. If you are interested in assisting current students, join our Alumni Career Network by signing up at https:// baseline.campuslabs.com/nu/careernetwork.

To connect directly with Career Services, please contact us at 716.286.8500 or careers@niagara.edu. We look forward to welcoming you back to NU!

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Caravan Connects with Alums & Fans

By Derick Thornton, Assistant Athletic Director, Communications and Special Events

Eugene Johnson, ’80, and Patrick Beilein

There has been a palpable buzz on Monteagle Ridge since Patrick Beilein was named the 22nd head coach of the Niagara University men’s basketball program on March 28.

To capitalize on the enthusiasm, Beilein, along with Simon Gray, Niagara University’s director of athletics, embarked on a one-week caravan in May to share the vision of the men’s basketball program with its supporters.

“I was extremely proud to introduce Pat Beilein to the alums and supporters at each stop of the caravan,” Gray said. “The passion for Niagara basketball was obvious in each city.

The connection between Pat and our fans was instantaneous. Everyone wants the same thing: a successful program that helps elevate the profile of Niagara University.”

The first leg of the tour started in Philadelphia at the Union League Golf Club at Torresdale on May 15, followed by a visit to New York

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Niagara University

City at the Anchor Bar, and stops in Albany at the C.H. Evans Brewing Co. at Albany Pump Station, in Syracuse at the Bellevue Country Club, and in Rochester at the Country Club of Rochester. The caravan concluded on May 21.

Patrick Beilein, a rising star in the coaching profession, is the son of veteran basketball coach John Beilein, M.S.Ed.’81. John, who has 41 years of collegiate coaching experience, including a pair of NCAA National Championship Game appearances in 12 seasons at the University of Michigan (2007-19), was named head coach of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers on May 13. Patrick spent time in Western New York as a child while his father coached at Canisius College from 1992-97.

Patrick brings an impressive pedigree to Niagara University as a former NCAA Division I student-athlete and with coaching experience at the NBA, NCAA Division I and II level. The two-time Northeast-10

Conference Coach of the Year recipient spent the last four years leading the Le Moyne Dolphins program, guiding it to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including the program’s first-ever NCAA Elite 8 appearance in 2018. Beilein was a four-year letterwinner at West Virginia University, where he was a 1,000-point scorer and a senior co-captain. He was a member of two NCAA Tournament and one NIT Tournament teams.

“The Power of Niagara became very clear to me on the caravan tour,” Beilein said. “It was outstanding to see the following of Niagara University and Niagara basketball over just a few short stops in Philly, NYC, Albany, Syracuse, and Rochester. My staff and I are so appreciative of those who joined us at each event. I truly enjoyed meeting with Niagara alums in those areas, and I look forward to connecting with many more over the course of this year. Go Purple Eagles!”

Endowed Professorship Established in Honor of Dr. Sharon Onevelo Watkinson

T

By Lisa McMahon

he outstanding contributions of

Sharon Onevelo Watkinson, Ph.D.,

former chair of Niagara University’s Department of Theatre and Fine Arts and co-founder, with Brother Augustine Towey, of its bachelor of fine arts in theatre, were recognized on May 4, 2019, with the establishment of the Sharon Onevelo Watkinson Endowed Professor of Theatre and Vocal Performance.

Dr. Watkinson began her relationship with Niagara University as an English major in 1962, graduating with a bachelor of arts four years later. After earning her master’s degree in speech and drama at the Catholic University of America, she returned to Monteagle Ridge in 1968 as a faculty member and associate director of theatre. She subsequently earned her Ph.D. in educational theatre at New York University, and was appointed professor of theatre studies in 1986, then chair of the Department of Theatre and Fine Arts in 1991, a position she held until she retired in May 2018.

During her tenure, Dr. Watkinson, in collaboration with Brother Augustine Towey, founded and built what ultimately became the bachelor of fine arts in theatre, combining a conservatory approach to actor-training and a full liberal arts curriculum. Today, the program offers three areas of concentration—performance, design and production, and theatre specializations—and its performances are staged in the Leary Theatre within the Elizabeth Ann Clune Center for Theatre on the Niagara University campus.

The Rev. James Maher, C.M., Niagara University president, and C. Henrik Borgstrom, Ph.D., associate provost, present a citation to Dr. Sharon Onevelo Watkinson.

Dr. Bridget Moriarty, a highly experienced theatre instructor and veteran of operatic and concert hall stages, holds that professorship.

Dr. Moriarty joined the theatre faculty in 2017 as assistant professor of voice and music director after serving in instructional roles at Syracuse University, Hamilton College, and SUNY Potsdam.

Dr. Moriarty’s honors include placing first in the Mid-Atlantic Region National Association of Teachers of Singing Artist Award Competi-

A recognized scholar, teacher, and leader among the university community, Dr. Watkinson was an inspiring and passionate teacher, who once wrote: “Every class of students, like every audience, is there for the first time, and deserves only the very best performance.”

Dr. Watkinson officially retired last May, after successfully overseeing the inaugural year of the first endowed professor of vocal performance, created through a generous bequest from alumnus George Wiegers, ‘58, and the Wiegers Family Foundation.

tion and earning the Mary Wolfman Award from the National Association of Teachers of Singing. The Syracuse native was also awarded the Syracuse Area Live Theater (SALT) Award for Best Musical Director, and the SALT Award for Lead Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Lucille Frank in Jason Robert Brown’s “Parade.” She earned a doctor of musical arts at the University of North Carolina Greensboro (vocal performance), a master’s of music from Syracuse University (vocal performance) and a bachelor’s of music in music education (concentration in piano and voice) from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam.

The endowed professor is a fitting conclusion to Dr. Watkinson’s extraordinary career, and well-deserved recognition for her dedication to the department and the university she has loved for decades.

“Niagara University has been a way of life for me,” she once said. “It’s all I’ve ever known.

Because I love what I do, I have never worked a day in my life.”

Dr. Bridget Moriarty, the Sharon Onevelo Watkinson Endowed Professor of Theatre and Vocal Performance.

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13

Following the sweep of the Golden Griffins, the Purple Eagles ran their unbeaten streak to six games with a triumph over Army. Performances throughout November by freshman forward Ludwig Stenlund and junior defenseman Noah Delmas earned each of them monthly awards from Atlantic Hockey.

An Uncommon Sept. 25, 2018, was the unofficial welcome to the 2018-19 hockey season. The Atlantic Hockey Association held its annual media day, highlighted by the reveal of the Preseason Poll. Two-time defending champion Air Force topped the list as the favorite to represent the league in the NCAA tournament once again.

At the opposite end of the spectrum were the Purple Eagles, picked to finish last in the 11-team conference. The gauntlet had been thrown down. Now it was time for the team to meet the challenge.

Seventeen days after the preseason poll was released, Niagara opened its season at home with a thrilling 4-3 overtime victory against AIC. The team’s strong play was again on display during a decisive, 5-0 victory at Air Force on Oct. 25, the second straight season the Purple Eagles defeated the defending

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Niagara University

By February, Niagara

had settled into seventh

place in the standings.

On Valentine’s Day,

the team welcomed

white-hot Bentley to

Dwyer for what many

perceived as a test of

character five games

away from the post The Purple Eagles season. The Falcons, celebrate their victory over RIT in the semifinal unbeaten in 11 games of the AHA playoffs.

entering the opener, won the first contest, 3-1. The next night saw the Purple Eagles snap the streak with a 4-3 win to start a streak of their own, one that saw them take six of eight possible points to close out the regular season and snag the sixth spot in the AHA postseason tournament.

Niagara’s continued improvement under head coach Jason Lammers meant that Dwyer would host its first playoff series in five years, and the team’s opponent was none other than the Golden Griffins.

By Matt Birt, Niagara athletic communications champs on home ice. The 39-save performance helped seal AHA Goaltender of the Month honors for sophomore netminder Brian Wilson.

November opened with a split at Robert Morris before the team took three points from Holy Cross. The Purple Eagles then opened a home-and-home series on the road against archrival Canisius on Nov. 15. Niagara pulled out a 5-2 win on enemy ice before romping to a 9-6 victory two nights later in front of a charged Dwyer Arena crowd.

Game one saw plenty of back-and-forth action. Ben Sokay tied the game with 11.9 seconds left to send the game into overtime.

Nearly 10 minutes into the second overtime and after almost 90 minutes of hockey, Justin Kendall finally ended the marathon to put the Purple Eagles up 1-0 in the series.

Like each of the previous three games between the two squads, game two of the opening round series slipped past regulation and into overtime, where the Golden Griffins prevailed. With everything on the line in a decisive game three, Niagara staved off Canisius’ ferocious attempt to erase a 2-1 deficit in the third period to eliminate its rival from the postseason for the first time ever.

Being victorious meant the Purple Eagles faced a tall task: traveling to Colorado to take on the reigning AHA champs.

In game one, the Falcons jumped out to a quick lead in the first period, but the Purple Eagles responded with a power play equalizer before the end of the opening frame.

Tied 2-2 after regulation, the Purple Eagles once again found themselves in a sudden-death overtime situation.

Masterful saves from Wilson helped keep the team alive long enough to allow Stenlund to bury a long shot and shove the Falcons to the brink of elimination.

See-sawing game two featured three lead changes and three ties and once again ended with a one-goal Head coach Jason Lammers. differential. Kris Spriggs and Luke Edgerton swarm of RIT fans. The action on the ice was struck 11 seconds apart in the middle exhilarating, but neither team was able to score period to turn a 3-3 deadlock into a 5-3 despite plenty of chances. Late in a scoreless advantage. Air Force scored less than a third period, defenseman Chris Harpur fended minute into the third to tighten the score, off a 2-on-1 to ensure the game went into but the defense remained stout to hold overtime. the lead and knock out the Falcons.

Back in September, Lammers appeared at a press conference at Harborcenter, where Atlantic Hockey commissioner Bob DeGregorio announced that the league’s postseason championship would be played in Buffalo for the first time ever. The Purple Eagles had not made it to that stage of the playoffs since the 2013-14 season, when they won the regular season crown but lost in the semifinals for the third straight season.

Five years later, Niagara had finally returned and was looking for redemption.

Fans clad in purple and white began filling the stands across the ice from an equally raucous

Having played in three postseason overtime games already, Niagara’s bunch were no strangers to the pressure. Any worries of fatigue plaguing the players went out the window when Stenlund patiently took a feed from Johnny Curran in front of the net and coolly slotted it home to push the Purple Eagles to the final.

The following night, Kendall opened the scoring in the second period against AIC, sending the Niagara faithful into a frenzy.

After the Yellow Jackets took a 2-1 lead, Kris Spriggs sent the building into another frenzy by tying things up six minutes into the third period. When the game once again rolled

Picked to finish last in the conference, the gauntlet had been thrown down. Now it was time for the team to meet the challenge.

past the 60th minute, the novelty of overtime gave way to expectation. The Purple Eagles continued to play strong, but ultimately came up a goal short in their first-ever Atlantic Hockey championship game.

As has been the case in each of the previous two offseasons, Lammers’ ultimate goal is to continue building a winning team to put the Purple Eagles on top and to keep them there.

The size and promise of last season’s freshman class has buoyed hopes that the team’s success can be sustained for several years. Returning veterans like Eric Cooley, Wilson, Kendall, and Delmas–who was recently named captain for the 2019-20 campaign–will provide strong leadership for the many younger players already on the roster, as well as those still to come.

EAGLE/SUMMER 2019

15

Promoting a

on Monteagle Ridge

By Lisa McMahon The idea of “mission” can sometimes be a vague notion.

The Rev. Aidan Rooney, C.M., vice president for mission integration at Niagara University, is working to demystify what it means on Monteagle Ridge, and to connect it in a way that resonates with students, alumni, and the campus community, alike.

“I want to help stop people from saying ‘our Vincentian mission,’ to saying ‘our mission,’ which is educational and Catholic and Vincentian,” he explains. “That mission is everything we do, it’s not a separate thing.”

To tackle this challenge, Father Rooney is drawing upon his extensive and varied background, which includes advancement and grant-making, statistical analysis, and finance, as well as his knowledge of the Vincentians and Niagara University, in particular.

Father Rooney’s pastoral career began at Niagara in 1984, where he was a campus minister, a lecturer in the religious studies department and later, a lecturer of research methods and statistics in the graduate education program. A decade later, wanting to explore other options, he accepted an assignment as assistant pastor at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Philadelphia and took on part-time duties as director of continuing formation for the Eastern Province of the Congregation of the Mission. He gave up those duties the next year to become full-time pastor of the parish, a role he served for seven years.

While serving as pastor, Father Rooney chaired the board of Partners for Sacred Places, helping the organization, which is dedicated to sound stewardship and active community use of older sacred places across America, establish offices in Chicago and Texas. He also obtained a certificate in church management from Villanova University.

His next assignments led him to Princeton, N.J., where, as COO/CFO of the Vincentian Center for Youth and Young Adults, he transformed an unused high school seminary into what became the Center for FaithJustice, a nonprofit organization that organizes weeklong mission retreats to inspire the next generation of leaders to serve those in need and educate for justice in the Catholic tradition; to Kenya, where he moved the province’s theological library; and to Bolivia’s Altiplano, where he served as superior for the International

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Niagara University

Vincentian Mission there and as international coordinator for famvin.org and its social media channels and web design business.

The area Father Rooney served in Bolivia was vast, comprising 80 communities over 500 square kilometers, and did not foster the sense of community that first attracted him to the Vincentians. So, in 2016, he asked to be reassigned back home. His superior general requested that he remain in Bolivia one more year to supervise the transition of the mission to new leadership built upon the creation of two independent nonprofit structures that would continue to serve the community with lay leadership.

“

Mission must be more than just a component in a course, it must be threaded throughout everything that we do, so that Niagara students become alumni with a heightened sense of purpose and a deep commitment to their workplaces and their communities.

“

When he did return to the U.S., Father Rooney was able, for the first time in his vocation, to consider what he would be interested in doing. He had spent many evenings in Bolivia studying the Vincentian tradition— “I read almost all of Vincent’s published letters, I read a lot of Louise de Marillac and Frederick Ozanam,” he says—so he thought he might like to do something in Vincentian formation.

That idea brought him back to Niagara University, where a role as director of special projects for the Rev. Joseph L. Levesque, C.M. Institute for Civic Engagement and for the Office of University Mission and Ministry was created for him in 2018. He was given supervision of the Vincentian Mission Institute, which appealed to his desire to work in formation, and helped to assess and develop

projects within the Levesque Institute, where he could apply his experience in program evaluation and annual reporting.

He also redesigned the institute’s Leadership NU program, which prepares students to become leaders in the Vincentian tradition on campus and within their communities.

Less than a year later, he was offered the opportunity to take over the university’s mission office.

Father Rooney typically accepted new challenges with enthusiasm; in this case, he wasn’t sure that it was the right fit. So he studied mission models at several universities and hospitals before developing a mission-integration model and accepting the opportunity in August 2018.

Father Rooney’s first steps have been to develop an assessment process for mission that will give him outcomes he can use for data-driven planning in the future, creating a mission component for Summer Student Orientation, and working with other university officials to develop a plan to increase mission awareness among faculty and staff. He is also re-activating the Vincentian mission certificate program and engaging previous Vincentian Mission Institute cohorts to share their mission stories.

His goal is to ensure that Niagara University’s values and identity are part of every aspect of campus life, from strategic planning and program assessment, to policy-making and internal and external communications, and that they are the focus of administrative processes like enrollment, faculty and curriculum development, student services, and alumni relations.

“Mission must be more than just a component in a course,” he says. “It must be threaded throughout everything that we do,” so that Niagara students become alumni with a heightened sense of purpose and a deep commitment to their workplaces and their communities.

“How do we build students who put together faith and reason and are civically engaged, which is the Catholic piece, and have a special concern for marginalized populations, both in their workplace and in their communities, which is the Vincentian piece?” he says.

“That’s what we mean when we say ‘We are Niagarans.’”

EAGLE/SUMMER 2019

17

Niagara University Commencement Nobel Prizewinner, Olympic Gold Medalist, & Four-Star General Celebrated By Lisa McMahon William Nordhaus, Ph.D., the Sterling Professor of Economics at Yale University who received a Nobel Prize for his pioneering work in integrating climate change into long-run macroeconomic analysis, was one of the distinguished honorees during Niagara University’s commencement ceremonies May 16-18. Dr. Nordhaus, a member of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers and the National Academy of Sciences, received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters during the graduate ceremony on May 16.

Dr. John Stranges, university professor, accepts an award in recognition of his 50 years of service to Niagara University from Father Maher.

Nobel Prizewinner Dr. William Nordhaus was the featured speaker at the graduate commencement.

At the undergraduate ceremony two days later, Sarah Hughes, who won the gold medal in women’s figure skating in 2002 at the age of 16, received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters for her impressive philanthropic record in assisting women athletes gain access to sports at both amateur and professional levels, teaching underprivileged children about the ways sports can improve community life, and raising funds for breast cancer research.

Other commencement honorees included Dorothy Gallagher, president and CEO of the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, the region’s employer-funded economic development organization and regional chamber of commerce; four-star Gen. Walter Kross, a member

18

Niagara University

of Niagara University’s Class of 1964, who was a leader in forging air mobility doctrine and developing and implementing the processes that ensure the operational readiness of American forces for deployment during his 34-year career in the US Air Force; Darren Brown-Hall, Ed.D., chief of staff and district clerk at Buffalo Public Schools; and Eileen Whalen, a member of Niagara University’s Class of 1977 and a nationally recognized trauma systems expert who currently serves as president and CEO of The University of Vermont Medical Center.

In all, Niagara University graduated 1,222 new alumni during its four commencement exercises held on both sides of the border.

In addition, John Stranges, Ph.D., university professor, was honored for 50 years of service to Niagara University.

Dr. Michael Salvatori, chief executive officer and registrar of the Ontario College of Teachers, received the Niagara University Founder’s Award during the Niagara University College of Education’s 12th commencement in Ontario.

Olympic gold medalist and philanthropist Sarah Hughes speaks at the morning undergraduate commencement.

Niagara University’s Alumni Network Provides a Meaningful Way to Stay Connected Jaclyn Rossi, ’08, M.S.Ed.’10, Director of Alumni Relations Niagara University’s newly launched Alumni Network, part of the Niagara University Alumni Association, helps you stay connected to your alma mater where you live and work. Individual networks, led by alumni volunteers and the Office of Alumni Engagement, develop programs tailored to meet the interests of alumni in that region. Networks are located across the country and beyond.

Find a network in your hometown—as an alum, you are automatically a member!

Philadelphia Cleveland Phoenix Dallas/Fort Worth Denver/Colorado Springs Pittsburgh Raleigh Houston Rochester Las Vegas Seattle Metro New York Southern Ontario Miami Syracuse Nashville Tampa/Sarasota New Hampshire The Villages New Mexico Toronto New Orleans Washington, D.C./ Orlando Northern Va. Palm Beach To learn more about getting involved with your local network, or to ask questions about alumni benefits, please contact us at alumni@niagara.edu or visit www.niagara.edu/alumni-network-leaders.

Albany Atlanta Austin Baltimore Binghamton/Elmira Boston Buffalo/Niagara California (Northern) California (Southern) Charleston Charlotte Chicago

Follow us on social media: Facebook.com/niagaraalumni Twitter.com/niagaraalumni Instagram.com/niagaraalumni

Search Groups: Niagara University Alumni

News FROM THE NEST Alumni Benefits Career Services: We can help you continue to achieve your career goals. And you can help current students by joining the Alumni Career Network. See page 10 for more information, and contact Career Services at careers@niagara.edu if you are interested.

Liberty Mutual – Home and Auto Insurance: Receive a special group discount of up to 20 percent on auto, home, and renters insurance through Group Savings Plus from Liberty Mutual.

TD Insurance: Canadian alumni can receive discounted home and auto insurance. Visit www.tdinsurance.com/niagarau for more information and see how much you could save!

Our Lady of Angels Library: You may use the library while on campus.

Kiernan Center: For a reduced membership rate of $300/year, you can participate in intramural programs, take any instructional classes, and utilize all Kiernan Center fitness facilities.

Celebrating Baby Eagles Have you had a baby recently? We want to know about it! Send an email to alumni@niagara.edu and in return, we will send you a Future Purple Eagle baby bib! All we ask is for you to send a photo with the child’s name back to us to be featured in a future Eagle!!

Milo DePietro, son of Brittany (McMahon) DePietro, ’10, MS.Ed.’12.

Hosted by the Office of Alumni Engagement at Niagara University, this is an exciting opportunity to experience Ireland with fellow Niagara University alumni.

ALUMNI Niagara University’s Alumni Trip to Ireland Easter 2020 QUESTIONS? Howard Morgan: 716.286.8772 hmorgan@niagara.edu Rocco Claps: 800.205.7413 x 706 rclaps@miracolotours.com

Trip Highlights Include: • Tour of Dublin City Centre including Christ Church, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Trinity College, and the Book of Kells • Guinness Storehouse Brewery Tour • Galway–the “City of the Tribes” • Visit to Connemara–the setting of John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara’s “The Quiet Man” • Cliffs of Moher tour • Killarney, Cork, Kilkenny • Visit to Blarney Castle • Tour the Ring of Kerry • Private whiskey tasting at authentic Irish pub • Specially selected restaurants Includes: Accommodations, guided tours, admissions to all activities and sites as noted in the daily itinerary, meals per the itinerary, all gratuities and all transportation for scheduled events.

EAGLE/SUMMER 2019

19

Who was there

Fayetteville, Ga.—Alumni Gathering--May 7, 2019—Front row (l-r): Lt. Col. William J. Darmody, ‘57, Marilyn Darmody, Christine Wozniak, Michele Erwin-Haase, ‘94, and Renee Cook, ‘02. Back row (l-r): Gerrell Johnson, ‘09, Ronald Wozniak II, ‘85, and Mark Cook.

Hallandale Beach, Fla.—Day at the Races at Gulfstream Park— March 3, 2019-Dennis Prouty, ’65, and Dom Pino, ’70.

Buffalo, N.Y.--AHA Hockey Playoffs--March 23--Dave Sharpe, ’93, Dan DiPofi, ’85, and former Buffalo Sabre Larry Playfair.

New York City--St. Patrick’s Day Party at McFadden’s-March 12, 2019--Natalia Antropova, ’18, and Nicole Matheis, ’18.

Buffalo, N.Y.--AHA Hockey Playoffs--March 23--Dave DiBacco, ’85, Nancy DiBacco, Janice Vitch, Mike Vitch, ’83, and Kelly Besaw, ’83.

The Villages, Fla.—Alumni Gathering--March 2, 2019-Richard Degus, ’66, and Pat Santulli, ’63.

20

Niagara University

Syracuse, N.Y.—Accepted Student Reception—March 13, 2019--Greg French, ’81, and Kelly Fitzpatrick, ’17.

Hallandale Beach, Fla.—Day at the Races at Gulfstream Park— March 3, 2019-Margaret and Peter Culkin, ‘59.

Michael & Rosemary Salamone

Make A Charitable Gift Annuity to Support Nursing Students

At Niagara, Michael taught religious education, participated in NUCAP, volunteered as a therapy aide, and was an athletic training assistant for club football. But the highlight of his Niagara experience was meeting his future wife, Rosemary Ascherl, ’73, with whom he has shared a very happy marriage.

Rosemary came to Niagara because she had always wanted to be a nurse and was looking for a four-year baccalaureate program at a co-ed Catholic university.

In her freshman year, she lived at Rosary Hall on Sixth Street in Niagara Falls. The old building proved to be a great place for the freshmen women residing there to build enduring relationships, she says. In her sophomore year, she moved into the first women’s dorm on campus, Seton Hall and, in her senior year, she and the close-knit group of women of ’73 moved together into the newly reopened Laboure wing of Clet Hall. She recalls the much-anticipated dedication of Dunleavy Hall, the nursing building with state-of-the-art nursing labs and facilities, during her senior year, as well. After graduation, Rosemary spent nearly 25 years as a school nurse.

“At Niagara, I formed lifelong friendships, including my roommate, Jean, who is like a sister to me, and met Mike, my husband of 44 years,” Rosemary said. “In the spirit of St. Vincent de Paul, I participated in service projects through NUCAP and continue to be involved in such endeavors at the present time.”

“

We both gained lifelong benefits from our time at Niagara and wanted to give back.

“

M

ichael Salamone, ’72,

considered Niagara University

when he was a senior in high

school when he heard they were offering generous scholarships. As he researched the school further, he realized that it had a very strong accounting program, which was his intended major at the time. During his four years at Niagara University, he changed to a liberal arts track and took enough science courses to be accepted into physical therapy school, the career he worked in for 43 years.

Michael, ’72, and Rosemary Salamone, ’73

Michael also learned to become more socially conscious of the problems in the world in the spirit of St. Vincent de Paul. He appreciates the wonderful changes the Rev. James Maher, C.M., Niagara’s president, is making on campus and in the surrounding Niagara Falls community, which reflect the true Vincentian spirit. Inspired by those changes, and the fact that he and his wife are approaching the 50th anniversary of their graduations, the Salamones felt the time was right to be generous to the university that gave them so much, including each other.

“Fortunately, thanks to the many blessings God has provided us, we had the financial means to make a modest donation through a charitable gift annuity,” Michael said.

“We both gained lifelong benefits from our time at Niagara and wanted to give back,” Rosemary said, “especially to support the nursing program.” She said that she is pleased to see the nursing program reinstated at Niagara, and that it is rapidly growing.

“The training we received at Niagara developed very special nurses, something I

could easily attest to in my working years.

It is good to see this tradition continuing.”

Michael and Rosemary are hoping that their contribution will help a Niagara student in financial need obtain a nursing education and bring more good to the world.

“I would encourage my fellow alumni to think seriously about making a generous lasting contribution to our university,” said Michael. “Besides giving us a sound education, it helped us to become better people and more aware of the planet we all share.

Please consider helping NU continue to make our world a better place.”

A donor who makes a gift though a charitable gift annuity becomes eligible to take a partial tax deduction for the donation and receive a fixed stream of income, also eligible for tax benefits, from Niagara for the rest of his/her life. If you would like to receive information about a CGA and/or receive a free illustration explaining the federal tax benefits you will receive, please call Marilyn Koren at 716.286.8791 or email at mkoren@niagara.edu.

EAGLE/SUMMER 2019

21

Adriano Gatto, ’06,

Editor’s note: Adriano Gatto, BFA’06, Niagara University artist-in-residence, had the unique opportunity to perform alongside one of his first Niagara University theatre professors, Jack Hunter, in “Frost/Nixon,” which was on stage at Buffalo’s Irish Classical Theatre Company in March 2019. Gatto played talk show host David Frost to Hunter’s Richard Nixon, and several other NU alums were part of the production, which takes place three years after the Watergate scandal and gives a fictionalized account of the contentious and controversial conversations between the ex-president and Frost.

Performs Alongside Former Professor in Frost/Nixon

By Lisa McMahon

What interested you in the role of David Frost?

I first learned of the play back in 2007, when one of our alumni, Armand Schultz, B.A.’81, was performing in the Broadway production as Bob Zelnick, with Frank Langella as Richard Nixon and Michael Sheen as David Frost. I bought a copy of the play, read it, and would speak with Army about it on occasion. Upon early research, I became fascinated with the story, and hoped one day it might cross my path again.

Frost, himself, is such a fascinating individual. It’s true that no one understood the power of television better than he; he was an extraordinary producer who had tremendous instincts. And he followed them, even if he got burned.

How did you prepare for your performance?

The wonderful opportunity about doing a play based on such a significant historical event involving real people is the amount of source material available for research and study. In addition to watching the actual broadcast repeatedly, we also obtained close to eight hours and different edits of the four programs they created as part of the Nixon interviews. David Frost also wrote two books specifically about this project, both of which I devoured and referenced regularly.

I watched and listened to hours upon hours of his speech during the ’70s from various programs of his, in an effort to match his cadence, tone, and particular dialect.

While much of the interviews have him seated, I also studied a lot of footage of him from his talk shows walking, moving, to embrace his physicality and posture.

Is playing a real person different from a character, and, if so, how?

Even though David Frost is a real person, the David Frost in the play is still a character.

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Niagara University

Adriano Gatto, BFA’06, Niagara University artist-in-residence, as David Frost, with former NU Theatre professor Jack Hunter as Richard Nixon.

There are, of course, sections of dialog that are verbatim as quoted by David Frost in his books, and some imagined and reconceived for the purpose of the play. If anything, playing a character based on a real person allows the actor to make far more nuanced and specific choices, leading to more dynamic character for the purpose of the story. It’s important to not think about it as an impersonation, but rather an embodiment of the spirit and honest portrayal of the individual.

Jack Hunter, who plays Richard Nixon, was one of your first acting professors at Niagara University. What are your memories/experiences of taking his classes as a student?

He set the bar incredibly high, right out of the gate, treating us not as students, but as aspiring professionals in a studio setting, accountable for our actions (or lack thereof, at times). There are so many fond memories of his class, but he truly left an indelible mark on my artistic soul that inspired me in so many ways. It’s truly an honor and joy to sit opposite him in those interview chairs each performance. I often say to myself, “Man, I have the best seat of his performance in the house.”

What was it like to perform with him now that you have established a career in the industry?

Still incredibly humbling. He’s still taking me to school each night! We have developed

a tremendous friendship and respect for each other.

What is it like to be part of a production with other Niagara University alumni (Renee Landrigan, ’13, who played Caroline Cushing; David Lundy, who played John Birt; Susan Drozd, ’02, who was hair and makeup designer; and Kari Drozd, who was costume designer)?

Absolutely wonderful. I’ve worked with each of them many times, and it always feels like you’re coming home when NU alumni connect on a project. We’re all cut from the same cloth, so to speak, in one way or another and share a very special bond that is Niagara University Theatre.

To what do you attribute NU’s significant presence in the Buffalo theatre community?

The breadth and depth of training instituted

by Brother Augustine Towey, Dr. Sharon Watkinson, and Tim Ward, as well as the countless faculty (including myself now) who are dedicated to maintaining and advancing that tradition of excellence in theatre training programs. The amount of practical training our students receive in our BFA programs is insane; I still cannot believe how much they do in such a short amount of time. The goal was and is to give students as much practical experience in a diverse range of disciplines to develop a far greater skill set that, in turn, will allow them to be far more marketable when they graduate.

CATCHING UP

Class Notes

1970

1951

Walter Rooney, B.S., was honored by the National Basketball Association with this year’s Greg Willard NBA Spirit Award in recognition of his service, professionalism, and leadership as an NBA referee. Rooney was a teacher, coach, and school administrator before joining the NBA as a referee crew chief in 1970, a position he held until 1993. He also served as president of the NBA referee union and a union executive board member, and as a supervisor of referees until his retirement in 1998. Rooney played basketball and baseball at NU from 1947-51 and was inducted into NU’s Hall of Fame in 1992.

1954

Roger Knight, B.S., bungee jumped in Victoria Falls, South Africa, in 2018, becoming the oldest male to do so. He plays tennis and volleyball each work day.

1957

Jim McLaughlin, M.A.Ed., M.A.Ed.’66, successfully competed in the Croquet Club at PGA National’s Invitational Tournament held in Palm Beach, Fla. He was tournament champion in second flight doubles and a finalist in third flight singles.

Lt. Col. E. Gary Pasierb, B.S., serves on the board of directors and as treasurer of the Canyon Springs Senior Men’s Gold Association in San Antonio, Texas.

Walter Rooney Sr., B.S.’51

1966

Frederick Dunne Jr., B.A., was named a Top Lawyer by Marquis Who’s Who. He is the senior attorney in the law firm of Dunne, Dunne & Cohen LLC. Fred has more than 40 years of professional experience as an attorney and is admitted to practice in the states of New Jersey and New York, and in the district courts of New Jersey, New York, and Colorado.

Pam (Tubridy) Baucom, B.A., is co-producer of a film on the history of country music, scheduled for release on PBS in September 2019.

Susan Roll, B.A., retired from the faculty of theology at St. Paul University in Ottawa, Canada, where she taught and directed research in the fields of liturgy and sacraments. She was director of the Sophia Research Centre, a founder of the university’s Indigenous Pastoral Training Program, and a union officer.

1975

William Jones, B.S., retired after a 35-year career as a senior executive in the credit union industry. He most recently oversaw payment operations and digital experience for Truliant FCU in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Dan Anthon, B.A.’69, M.A.’89

1969

Dan Anthon, B.A., M.A.’89, retired after a 30-year career as an art therapist. He is working on a book about his career, “The Magic Carpet Ride: Art Therapy in the Real World,” and is working with the cellist from the Sarasota Symphony to bring art and music to staff, patients, and family on the cancer unit of his local hospital.

Jim McLaughlin, M.A.Ed.’57, M.A.Ed.’66

1973 1974

John Cook, B.A., was inducted into the New York State Section IV Hall of Fame in March.

John’s athletic career includes 42 years as a high school basketball and soccer official, officiating school, college, intersectional, league, and national championships. He has been honored as Schohanna Board 46 Official of the Year twice, and Section 4 New York State Coaches Association Official of the Year for both boys and girls basketball.

1976

Cathy (Schreiber) Barr, B.S., has joined the Pelvital USA, Inc.’s board of directors. She has more than 30 years of operational, strategic planning, and senior leadership expertise.

Bob Dorn, B.S., retired from Port Jervis N.Y. public schools in June 2018 after 42 years of teaching physical education and coaching track and cross country.

Class of 1980 graduates Walter Rooney Jr. and Daniel Murphy flank Niagara University Hall of Famer Walter Rooney Sr., ’51, at the wedding of Rooney Jr.’s daughter in Nantucket, Mass., in June 2018.

EAGLE/SUMMER 2019

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CATCHING UP

1978

Elizabeth (Lisa) Rizzuto Dorn, B.S., works as a certified registered nurse practitioner one day a week at TriCounty Ear, Nose & Throat in Honesdale, Penn.

1980 1981

Dr. John Dyster, B.S., was named medical director of Memorial Medical Center’s Lewiston, N.Y., Primary Care Center.

1988

Patrick Riviere, B.A., was appointed director of development for Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater, a professional theater on Cape Cod celebrating its 35th season. He received a Golden Telly Award for his starring role in Winter Is Come, a commercial for attorney Tom Sparks, which debuted during the Super Bowl in 2018 and has also aired online.

His children’s theater programming PIE (Projects In Education) Story Theatre, which debuted in Central Park in 1991 and went on to have successful companies in Chicago and Los Angeles, will make its Massachusetts premiere in 2019.

1975

Loretta Branigan, B.A., was inducted as a director of the Society of the Friends of St. Patrick in Troy, N.Y. She is principal court attorney for the Hon. Henry F. Zwack.

Edward Terzolo, BBA, celebrated the 23rd anniversary of his company, The Terzolo Financial Group, in May 2019. The company concentrates in accounting tax and financial services. Ed is also in the 2020 deaconate class in the Diocese of Syracuse.

1982

Charles Nemeth, M.S.Ed., recently published two books: “A Comparative Analysis of Cicero and Aquinas: Nature and the Natural Law,” which investigates how these two figures may be the most compatible brothers in ideas ever conceived in the theory of natural law; and “Private Security: An Introduction to Principles and Practices,” which focuses on the recent history of the industry and the growing dynamic between private sector security and public safety and law enforcement.

1984

Mike Powers, B.S., is an office assistant at Gunn-Mowery LLC, in Lemoyne, Pa. He previously was an executive project manager with IBM Corp.

24

Niagara University

Patrick Riviere, B.A.’88

1989

Lisa Berta, B.S.’91

Bill Kellick, B.A., was named marketing and public relations manager for the United States Association of Blind Athletes in Colorado Springs, Colo.

1991

Lisa Berta, B.S., accepted a position as a health physicist with the US Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District. She will work with hazardous, toxic, and radioactive waste sites, primarily in New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. She holds three professional credentials: Certified Health Physicist, Certified Hazardous Materials Manager, and Registered Radiation Protection Technologist.

Keith Gessner, B.A., is operations manager for the Atlantic region of the Patriot Group, Global, Inc. He spent 21 years as a special agent with the US Secret Service and Department of Treasury.

While in Philadelphia to celebrate their 60th birthdays, several members of the Niagara University Class of 1981 caught up with Father Louis Trotta and Father Bernard Tracey during a visit to St. Vincent’s Seminary: Kathy Renzo Traugott, Kathy Doerner, Mary Crawford Kerstetter, and Trish Flood Nolan.

Kevin O’Rourke, B.A., joined Patterson Dental as territory sales consultant out of the NY/NJ branch, covering the Long Island area.

He works with dentists, dental hygienists, product manufacturers, and specialists from Patterson Dental, which distributes more than 105,000 products and services and focuses on helping dental practices become up-to-date with their equipment and the business aspect of dentistry.

1995

Dr. Abigail Mitchell, B.S., was recognized

by Continental Who’s Who as a Lifetime Achiever for her outstanding professional accomplishments over almost two decades.

Dr. Mitchell is director of nursing management and quality leadership at D’Youville College in Buffalo, N.Y. She has published more than 20 peer-reviewed nursing journal articles, been a keynote speaker for many nursing venues, and works with the Commission on Collegiate Nursing as an on-site evaluator.

1996

Lucas Avery accepted a position as a health and safety analyst III with Huntington Ingalls Nuclear in Ballston Spa, N.Y. Alicia Wittman, B.S., is director of industrial and office leasing at Hanna Commercial Real Estate in Rochester, N.Y.

CATCHING UP

2006

Meghan Macaulay, B.S., revenue manager at the Hilton Garden Inn in Woodbridge, Va., received Hilton’s CEO Light & Warmth Award in March 2019. She was recognized for embodying the organization’s vision, mission, and values of hospitality, integrity, leadership, teamwork, ownership, and now.

Niagara University alumnus Brian Andrews, ’91, donated nearly 600 NU media guides and sports programs to the university. The “Brian Andrews Sports Memorabilia Collection” contains some items dating back to 1914 and fills major gaps in NU’s archival collections. Simon Gray, NU’s athletics director, and David Schoen, library director, accepted the donation on behalf of the university. Brian is pictured in the front row (center) with his uncle Eugene Antczak, ’48; and his father, John Andrews. In the back row are David Schoen and Simon Gray.

Class of 1966 classmates Jerry Tambroni, Leo Crowley, Robert Daino, PJ Dolan, Richard Degus, George “Tim” Gieselman, and honorary member Neil McClain, gathered in West Palm Beach in March 2019 for the 26th time.

1998

Jaime Opanashuk, B.S., is a victim advocate at the University of Mary Washington. She has a 20-year background in law enforcement and domestic violence.

2000 2002

Kristin Leonardo, B.S., has been promoted to human resources consultant services manager at HR Works Inc.

Robert Pennington, B.A., has been named principal of Rowayton Elementary School in Norwalk, Conn. Robert joined the Rowayton team as curriculum and instruction site director in 2017.

2003

Shannon Patch, B.S.’07

Joseph Dante II, B.S.’07

2007

Shannon Patch, B.S., joined Delaware North as director of government affairs, a newly created role in which she will represent the company in legislative and regulatory matters.

She previously served as the Western New York regional director for Senator Chuck Schumer.

Joseph Dante II, B.S., accepted a limited partnership with The Jones Financial Cos., the holding company for Edward Jones.

He has been a financial advisor for the St. Louis-based financial services firm since 2011, serving investors in Binghamton and Lewiston, N.Y.

2008

Mallory Boron, B.S., has been appointed by M&T Bank as retail banking market manager for New Jersey. She is administrative vice president for the bank.

2009

Melissa Berry, M.S.Ed., earned her National Board Certification in December. A first grade teacher at Silver Creek Central School, she is one of only 2,016 teachers in New York state to have earned this distinction.

Jennie (Wnuk) Gilardoni, B.S., has been accepted into the master of science in educational administration program at the University of Rochester. Her specialization will be in higher education student affairs.

Stephanie (Milicia) Robinson, MBA, was promoted to senior manager at Chiampou Travis Besaw & Kershner LLP.

2011

Britney Godfrey, B.S., joined Crowley Webb as a project manager within Praxis, the agency’s patient recruitment division.

Shannon Howley, B.A., has joined Barclay Damon as an associate in the firm’s Buffalo, N.Y., office.

Patrick Noonan, B.A., was named to the Albany Business Review’s “40 Under 40” list.

He is owner of El Loco Mexican Café and Debbie’s Kitchen.

2004

Jeremy Cortash, B.S., M.S.Ed.’05, accepted a position as assistant principal at Rock Ridge High School in Ashburn, Virginia.

Members of the Horab family gathered for a legacy photo after a Niagara University basketball game: Saima Worgren Horab, ’88, Sarah Elizabeth Horab, ’22, Stanley Horab, ’58, and John Horab, ’87.

EAGLE/SUMMER 2019

25

CATCHING UP

NU’s coaches annually meet in Cooperstown, N.Y., but this year, they met in Phoenix, where Allan Gray, BBA’70, was watching baseball training. Pictured l-r, Bob Brown, Linda Brown, Pete Lonergan, Mary Kay Lonergan, B.S.’76, Joe Brett, Cory Brett, Barbara Layden, Frank Layden, B.S.’55, Richard Conover, Jeanette Olson, Allan Gray, BBA’70, and Tatiana Johnson.

2013

Kelsey Kuppinger, BBA/MBA, has been promoted to manager at Lumsden & McCormick, LLP. Kelsey specializes in international cross-border taxation of individuals and businesses.

John Osberg, B.S., was named to Buffalo Business First’s 30 Under 30 list for “doing great things in (his) workplace and community.” He is director of sales and business development for Datasure24.com.

2014

2016 2017

Matthew Schaffer, A.A., is running in the New York City Marathon Nov. 4, 2019, and in the 2019 Boulder, Colo., Ironman 70.3.

2nd Lt. Jake Cary, a military intelligence officer with the 25th Infantry Division, is stationed at Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Bonnie Kane, Ph.D., received Leadership Niagara’s Distinguished Alumni Award at the organization’s 29th annual awards luncheon in May 2019. She is a school psychologist in the Niagara Falls City School District and serves as co-department chair for special education.

2015 2016

Kevin Basta, BBA, MBA’16, has been promoted to senior accountant at Chiampou Travis Besaw & Kershner LLP.

Michael Crockett, B.S.’18

2018

Michael Crockett, B.S., was promoted to director of technology at McQuaid Jesuit High School in Rochester, N.Y. Jill Lach, MBA, is an account operations specialist at Clinical Support Services in Buffalo, N.Y.

Maj. Mark Kelly, B.S.’70, and his wife, Joyce

Marriages/Anniversaries In memory of Lt. Col. Terrence K. Crowe, ’82, Col. Kirk Holmes raised $10,000, which was donated to the Lt. Col. Crowe, ’82 Memorial Scholarship in April 2019. Col. Holmes and Master Sgt. Larry Sutton, who were members of Lt. Col. Crowe’s team, visited campus with Holmes’ son and Lt. Col. Crowe’s sister and parents to formally present the check.

Pictured back row (l-r): Margaret Crowe White, ’85, Col. Kirk Holmes, and Master Sgt. Larry Sutton.

Front row: Mary Ann Kumro Crowe, ’55, Gage Holmes, and Col. George F. Crowe, ’54.

Maj. Mark Kelly, B.S.’70, and his wife, Joyce, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on April 12, 2019. They visited Ireland, including the Cliffs of Moher in County Galway, for the third time as part of their celebration.

Josh Pietrantonio, B.S., was named Federal Hockey League regular-season MVP for 2018-19. Josh, who captains the Carolina Thunderbirds of Winston Salem, N.C., is the first Thunderbird player to win this award in the FHL. Niagara University hockey alumni Derek Foam, ’11, Danny Baco, ’12, Matt Chartrain, ’15, Kevin Ryan, ’14, Giancarlo Iuorio, ’13, Sam Alfieri, ’15, and Pat Oliveto, ’07, got together to cheer on the Purple Eagles as they took on RIT in the Atlantic Hockey semifinal game at HarborCenter in Buffalo on March 22.

26

Niagara University

CATCHING UP

Steven Burton Barber III

NU alums gathered for the wedding of Brendan Laffey, ’09. Back row (l-r): Timothy Walsh, ’09, James Schell, ’09, Joseph Eaton, ’09, Brendan Laffey, ’09, Timothy Fulham, ’09, Thomas Brown,’09, Nicholas Fuest, ’09, and Ryan Ried, ’10.

Front row: Christopher Ratka, ’09 and Adam French, ’09.

Brendan Laffey, B.S.’09, married Leah Hontz on Dec. 31, 2018.

Births/Adoptions

Justine Mejak, B.A.’10, married Patrick Palkowski on March 29, 2019.

Lt. Col. E. Gary Pasierb, B.S.’70, and his wife, Rita, welcomed a granddaughter, Kyla Elizabeth Pasierb, Aug. 22, 2018.

David, B.S.’06, and Mara (Campo) Rueter, B.A.’06, MBA’08, welcomed a son, Charlie Jude Rueter, on Dec. 31, 2018.

Susie (Pedlow) Barber, B.A.’08, M.S.Ed.’10, and her husband, Steve, welcomed a son, Steven Burton Barber III, on Sept. 23, 2018.

Sara Chambers, B.A.’11, married Paul Trapasso on Sept. 22, 2018.

Anthony Palmiere, B.S.’14, married Holly Tremiti, B.S.’14, on Sept. 22, 2018.

Jeffrey Swick, B.S.’14, married Nicole Thompson on Oct. 7, 2018.

Kyla Elizabeth Pasierb

Bob, ’76, and Elizabeth (Lisa) Rizzuto Dorn, ’78, welcomed their first grandchild, Kaelyn Charlotte Dorn, July 2018.

Jeremy, B.A.’04, ’05, and Katie (Wright) Cortash, B.A.’07, welcomed a son, Easton Alexander Cortash, on July 26, 2018.

William Moen, B.A.’05, and his wife, Kayla, welcomed a son, Asher David Moen, on Sept.

11, 2018.

William Moen, B.A.’05, and Asher David

In Memoriam Emil R. Annunziato, B.A.’43, passed away March 31, 2019. He practiced estate and tax law in New York.

Msgr. James N. Connelly Jr., B.A.’45, SOLA’49, ’15 (Hon.), passed away Feb. 24, 2019. He was Pastor Emeritus of St. Pius X Church in Getzville, served as a Prelate of Honor to His Holiness Pope John Paul II.

Anthony, B.S.’14, and Holly Palmiere, B.S.’14

Easton Alexander Cortash

Robert McDade, B.A.’50, passed away Jan. 17, 2019.

EAGLE/SUMMER 2019

27

CATCHING UP Anthony T. Benfante, B.S.’51, passed away April 8, 2019. He was advertising director at the Niagara Gazette for 40 years.

Susan (Moore) Edgette, B.S.’59, passed away March 3, 2019. Our condolences to her husband, Charles Edgette, M.S.’75.

Nicholas A. DeSocio, B.S.’52, passed away July 4, 2018. He was a dentist in Auburn, N.Y.

Patricia (Kenslea) Murphy, B.S.’59, passed away March 5, 2019.

Sheila (Read) McIntyre, B.S.’53, passed away April 14, 2019. She was a surgical nurse.

Peter S. Swartwout Sr., B.A.’59, passed away Feb. 26, 2019. Our condolences to his wife, Ann (Schmitt) Swartwout, B.S.’60, and to his daughter, Karin (Swartwout) Connerton, B.S.’89.

Msgr. Donald Wangler, B.A.’53, passed away March 22, 2019.

Rita (Caldwell) Lenhart, B.S.’54, passed away Feb. 12, 2019. She had a long career in nursing, culminating in a position as field representative for the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Our condolences to her son, Daniel Lenhart, B.S.’81.

Terrence Gress, B.A.’54, SOLA’58, passed away March 4, 2019.

Vito D’Agostino, B.S.’55, passed away Nov. 23, 2018. He retired as vice president of sales at Henningsen Foods.

Louis Preziosi, B.A.’55, passed away March 17, 2019. He was an entrepreneur who founded businesses in sandblasting, video production, asbestos abatement, and e-commerce. He also opened an Italian restaurant.

Stella M. Wrobel, B.A.’55, passed away Nov. 20, 2018. She was a teacher with the Niagara Falls Board of Education until her retirement.

Dr. Samuel C. Morreale, B.S.’56, passed away Jan. 9, 2019. He was a dentist in Niagara Falls.

Paul Norris, BBA’57, passed away July 4, 2018.

He was a systems analyst for Corning Inc. for 27 years.

Robert J. Clune, B.A.’50, passed away May 23, 2019. He was a managing partner at Williamson, Clune & Stevens, and served on Niagara University’s Board of Trustees and Theatre Advisory Board. The Elizabeth Ann Clune Center for Theatre at Niagara University was named for his daughter. Our condolences to his wife, JoAnn (Guardalibene) Clune, B.S.’58.

Our condolences to Dr. Peter Kennedy, B.A.’58, on the death of his daughter, Leigh Ann Kennedy Poe, who passed away Dec. 14, 2018.

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Niagara University

Rev. Edward A. Colohan, SOLA’61, passed away March 14, 2019. He was a chaplain and a colonel in the US Air Force, and served as assistant pastor at St. Stephen Parish in Trumbull, Conn., for 22 years.

Dr. Richard M. Davitt, B.S.’63, passed away Jan. 17, 2019. He was a faculty member in the mathematics department at the University of Louisville.

Richard R. Nicol, B.S.’64, passed away Jan. 7, 2019. He was owner and operator of Nicol Realty.

Robert E. Ford, B.A.’65, passed away Dec. 22, 2018. He was a councilman for the city of Port Orange, Fla. Paul A. Makowski, BBA’65, passed away April 26, 2019. He was an accountant for the Boston Public Library before he retired.

Mervyn McGeown, B.A.’66, passed away Feb. 9, 2019. He was retired from CNA Insurance.

Rev. William Sangiovanni, SOLA’69, passed away Feb. 4, 2019. He was principal and later president of Notre Dame High School in Fairfield, Conn.

Our condolences to Michael Rinella, B.S.’70, on the death of his brother, James Rinella, who passed away Jan. 29, 2019.

Ambrose Bille Jr., M.S.Ed.’71, passed away May 6, 2018. He had a varied career and retired as North Tonawanda city historian.

Our condolences to Rev. Joseph Hubbert, C.M., B.A.’73, on the death of his sister, Sister Eileen Hubbert, S.S.J., who passed away April 22, 2019.

Kristin Popik Burns, M.S.’74, passed away April 1, 2019. She was a founding faculty member of Christendom College in Front Royal, Va. Ann (Oppedisano) Moore, B.S.’74, M.S.Ed.’93, passed away March 7, 2019.

She was a retired teacher. Our condolences to her husband, Richard Moore, B.S.’74.

Our condolences to Edward Johnson Jr., B.B.A.’76; Paul Johnson, B.B.A.’77; Philip Johnson, B.B.A.’78; Rosaire Johnson, OSP, B.A.’78, M.S.Ed.’89, M.S.Ed.’90; Thomas Johnson, B.S.’80, B.S.’84; Patrick Johnson, B.B.A. ’82; and Gregory Johnson, B.A.’83, on the death of their mother; to John McDermott, B.B.A. ’74; Barbara (Brodfuehrer) Johnson, B.S.’76; Doris (Mende) Johnson, B.S.’81; and Patricia (Thornton) Johnson, B.S.’85, ’90, on the death of their mother-in-law; and to Thomas Johnson, B.A.’17, on the death of his grandmother, Gemma H. Johnson, who passed away Aug. 25, 2018.

George C. Pachter Jr., B.A,’66, M.S.Ed.’71, passed away Feb. 8, 2019. He was dean of enrollment management at Niagara University for 37 years. Our condolences to his son, Jeffrey Pachter, B.A.’95; to his daughter, Amy (Pachter) McMann, B.A.’97, M.S.Ed.’02; and to his daughter-in-law, Cybelle (Nicholsen) Pachter, B.A.’97.

Our condolences to Thomas Ford, BBA’78, on the death of his mother, Dolores M. Ford, who passed away April 23, 2019.

Our condolences to Robert Winzinger, BBA’66, on the death of his wife, Marie Winzinger, who passed away Feb. 1, 2019.

Philip J. Kemper, B.S.’78, passed away Jan. 28, 2019. He was the retired president of Owl Wire & Cable Corp., Canastota, N.Y.

Our condolences to Vincenette (Rangatore) Losasso, M.S.’68, on the death of her husband, Dr. Guido Losasso, who passed away March 3, 2019.

Our condolences to Mary Anne Milone, B.S.’78, on the death of her brother, Joseph Milone Jr., who passed away Dec. 26, 2018.

Thomas C. Beatty, B.S.’79, passed away April 25, 2019. He was the retired chief deputy of the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office and a Wilson town councilman.

Donald C. Lane, BBA’79, passed away Jan. 31, 2019.

Our condolences to Bob Drozdowski, B.S.’80, on the death of his father, John Drozdowski, who passed away Feb. 15, 2019.

Joseph McGrath, B.A.’81, passed away March 14, 2019. He worked at Verizon for more than 30 years. Our condolences to his wife, Nancy (Wojnas) McGrath, B.S.’82.

Our condolences to Michael Vitch, BBA’83, and to Daniel Vitch, B.A.’92, on the death of their mother, Margaret Vitch, who passed away Dec. 23, 2018.

Our condolences to Mark Tambini, B.S.’85, on the death of his brother, Jimmy Tambini, who passed away April 14, 2019.

Our condolences to the Rev. Harry Arnone, C.M., B.A.’86, on the death of his mother, Kathleen Arnone, who passed away Jan. 4, 2019.

Our condolences to Maryalice Demler, B.A.’86, on the death of her father, Walter Demler, who passed away Dec. 22, 2018.

Share Your News With Us! Whether it’s the announcement of a wedding, birth or adoption, a new step in your career, or a retirement update, we’d love to know what’s new with you! Please use this form to submit your information for publication in the Eagle magazine. All information submitted for publication must be signed by the alum listed. Only information submitted on this form, via employers’ public relations departments, available in published articles, or emailed to Lisa McMahon, Eagle editor (lmcmahon@niagara.edu) will be considered for publication.

Mail form to: Lisa McMahon Office of Public Relations - Niagara University, N.Y. 14109 We also encourage you to send photos along with your note. Digital photos should be taken at the camera’s highest quality setting and emailed to lmcmahon@niagara.edu with a brief description of the photo and the names and class years of the people in it.

Due to the volume of submissions received, we cannot guarantee publication of class notes or photos in the Eagle magazine.

Name (first, middle, maiden, married)

Class of

Signature

Career Notes/Retirement Update/Community Service

Our condolences to Christopher Ross, B.S.’86, and to Thomas Ross, B.S.’89, on the death of their father; and to Maryann (Coleman) Ross, B.S.’86, and Michele (DiBeradino) Ross, B.S.’89, on the death of their father-inlaw, Thomas E. Ross, who passed away April 3, 2019.

John N. Curtis, M.S.Ed.’91, passed away July 18, 2018. He taught English in the Niagara Falls School District for 30 years.

Deborah (DeBan) Haseley, B.S.’92, M.S.Ed.’00, MBA’12, passed away March 22, 2019. She was an operations trade specialist at Moog Aerospace and Defense Company.

Bradley J. Kovach, B.S.’97, passed away Feb. 20, 2019. He worked in Homeland Security as an entry specialist. Our condolences to his wife, Carrie (Gressick) Kovach, B.A.’96.

John Nicolia, M.S.Ed.’03, passed away April 26, 2019. He was an attorney in the Buffalo area. Our condolences to his wife, Judith (Allen) Nicolia, B.S.’83.

Wedding Announcement Married to NU Class of

Date of wedding

Birth/Adoption Announcement Birth/Adoption (check one) Date of birth Baby’s Name ❏ Daughter ❏ Son Spouse NU Class of

EAGLE/SUMMER 2019

29

Nonprofit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Niagara University, N.Y. Permit No.1 Office of Institutional Advancement P.O. Box 2008 Niagara University, N.Y., 14109

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

Alumni Weekend 2019 Oct. 11-13, 2019 Celebrating class years ending in 4 & 9!

It’s time to start making plans to come back to Monteagle Ridge and join your classmates at Alumni Weekend.

PLEASE CONSIDER: • Becoming a class connector (reach out to your classmates via phone, email and/or mail).

DON’T FORGET: • Make your reunion gift!

• Reserve your room at our alumni hotel headquarters DoubleTree by Hilton Niagara Falls, N.Y. Call 716.524.3333 or visit Doubletree.com to make your reservation today!

Please reference group code: NUA Contact Jaclyn Rossi in the Office of Alumni Engagement to discuss these suggestions and discover other ways to get involved at 716.286.8761 or email jrossi@niagara.edu. www.niagara.edu/alumni