CAL REVIEW
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
Vulcans and friends,
Since becoming president of western Pennsylvania’s second-largest public university, I, along with my wife, Kristy, and our son Bryce have been warmly embraced by an amazing community of educators, students, alumni and community members. We are humbled and touched by what we can only describe as a uniquely western Pennsylvania welcome.
I already know that the power of PennWest is in its people and in this special place we now call home.
As a business strategy professor by training and an academic at heart, I stepped into this role enthusiastic about the work that has been done to establish PennWest. Because the previous administration budgeted appropriately, PennWest will continue to see infrastructure improvements and a commitment to student outcomes across all three campuses.
Our students are caring for others through charitable projects. Our educators are putting their talents to work on campus and in the community. Our alumni are making a difference through career success and civic engagement.
The impact of service and achievement among the people who make up PennWest is brought to life in this edition of the Cal Review.
Built on the solid foundations of three historically significant institutions, PennWest is poised for a future that is intentional, sustainable and student-focused. I look forward to continuing this important work together.
In our short time here, we have marveled at the splendor of western Pennsylvania and the beauty of the California campus. As my transition committee begins its work, I hope you’ll join me as I begin a conversation. Follow me @PennWestPresident on Instagram and stay tuned for details on a new podcast.
We are already feeling a buzz on campus in anticipation of every new student. They are the beating hearts and unmistakable power of PennWest.
With gratitude,
Dr. Jon Anderson
Correspondence
Office of Communications
PennWest California
250 University Ave. California, PA 15419
communications@pennwest.edu
President
Dr. Jon Anderson
Vice President of University Advancement
James M. Geiger
Executive Director of Communications and Managing Editor
Wendy Mackall
Executive Director of Creative Services and Brand Identity
Bill Berger
Writers
Kristin Brockett
Tina Horner
Matthew Kifer
Christopher LaFuria
Amy Wozniak
Editor
Gloria Ruane
Photography
Zach Frailey
Rob Frank
Jeff Helsel
Design
Philip Haragos ’10
Deborah Henry
Bryan Postlewait
Greg Sofranko
Past issues of Cal Review can be found at PennWest.edu/cal-review
PAYING IT FORWARD
Supplemental
Instruction program guides high school students toward college success
Twenty students from the California Area School District were sent on a “wild goose chase” at PennWest California one day in December. But the goal was the opposite of chaos: To make their paths after high school more clear.
The scavenger hunt was part of Shadow Day, when PennWest faculty and students invite district students to stop by the California campus for a visit. They participate in college classes – biology, psychology, Earth science and criminology – before heading off on a scavenger hunt to learn more about the campus.
“Shadow Day is intended to give the high school students the confidence that they could consider going to college,” said Tyton Brunner ’16, M.S. ’19, assistant director of supplemental instruction and learning strategies at PennWest. “It also introduces them to the support they receive in order to succeed at PennWest.”
Shadow Day is one part of the Supplemental Instruction program at the California Area School District and also at California Academy of Learning Charter School. The other piece is an after-school program, where PennWest students volunteer as tutors.
Supplemental Instruction – a peer-led, group-learning approach designed to enhance student success in courses with higher failure and withdrawal rates – has been successful
at PennWest California for several years. SI leaders are current students with a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher who already have passed these historically challenging courses with a B+ grade or better.
Brunner and Nicole Hiller, director of peer mentoring, lead the after-school and Shadow Day programs.
In 2023-2024, 10 of the PennWest California SI leaders are volunteering in the after-school program, up from six in the first year.
“The after-school program has made a huge impact in our building,” said Dr. Joshua Pollock ’14, M.Ed. ’16, principal for grades 7-12 at California Area. “Last year, I had about 10 students at risk to not graduate. I paired them up with the SI leaders, and all 10 graduated.”
Andrea Vergnaud ’22, who is pursuing her master’s degree in special education with a concentration in applied behavior analysis, and James Anderson, a secondary education major with a social studies concentration, are two of the PennWest volunteers.
Posing in front of PennWest California's Noss Hall are California Area School District students with members of the PennWest Supplemental Instruction Program. Front row (left to right): Sofia Lazuka, Adam Augustine, Morgan Fegley, Angelina Eperjesi, Ella Fike, Benjamin Dean, Rakiyah Porter, Alex Ross, Hailee Brown, Jadyn Russell, Rachel Suszek, Andrea Vergnaud
Second row (left to right): Desiree Ford, Derek Krafcheck, Addison Wonak, Nasira Williamson, Mia Ola, Bronson Kaneshiro
Back row (left to right): Max Kadash, Parker Griffin, Mady Morton, Hannah Hull, Ashley Volosin, Kennedy McGeehan, Tyton Brunner, Daniel Daniel
“I wanted to help someone who struggled like I did,” said Vergnaud, a nontraditional student who benefited from SI as an undergraduate at PennWest California. “If I learned to study in my 30s, imagine how much it could benefit someone much younger to learn those skills.”
The hands-on experience for the future teachers has been invaluable.
“It has sharpened my teaching skills – talking in front of
people, planning and preparation, helping students advance academically,” Anderson said.
Everyone, it seems, wins with his partnership.
“They are an amazing group of young men and women,” Pollock said of the PennWest students. “They could be studying or working, but out of the goodness of their hearts, they are giving up their time and paying it forward to kids who need additional support.”
Tyton Brunner, assistant director, Supplemental Instruction and Learning Strategies, welcomes California Area School District students to the second annual Shadow Day at PennWest California.
CASD students and Daniel, a supplemental instruction leader and mechatronics major, gather for a group selfie in front of the Vulcans softball championship statue for the Shadow Day scavenger hunt.
Pictured left to right, Hailee Brown, Ashley Volosin, Hannah Hull, Jayden Russell. (Back row) Derek Krafcheck, Adam Augustine, Daniel Daniel, and Morgan Fegley.
CASD high school students Mady Morton and Rakiyah Porter take a selfie photo
Benjamin Dean and Alex Ross pose in the Manderino Library for the Shadow Day scavenger hunt.
FEATURE by Wendy Mackall
MAKING A POSITIVE IMPACT IN MONESSEN
Program teaches life skills to students in grades 6-8
The “MPACT” on children in Monessen, Pa., is growing, thanks to a partnership between PennWest California and the city’s school district.
Started in 2020 with a grant obtained by Dr. Mathilda Spencer, associate professor of criminal justice, Monessen Positive Action is an after-school program for children in grades 6-8 to improve student behavior and motivation.
PennWest University graduate Kaylee Hackinson observes as Ingrid Cook-Moravitz, CEO, entrepreneur, inventor, founder @SHzoom meets with MPACT 8th Grade Scholars King Shabazz, Trevion Williams, and Ny’Zaiah Anderson.
In the 2023-2024 school year, 40 students in Monessen were enrolled in the program, which is held three days a week after school. PennWest California interns in criminal justice along with other leaders and volunteers from the community contribute time and expertise.
Using curriculum from the national Positive Action organization, the program emphasizes how positive thoughts lead to positive actions, and it provides tools that children can use to be successful. Outcomes include improvements in math and reading skills and a reduction in instances of violence, bullying, suspensions and disciplinary referrals.
Children participate in “Tutoring Tuesdays,” where a volunteer teacher helps with their studies. Wednesdays and Thursdays are all about team building and esteem building.
“We have access to their grades, and we can identify areas where they struggle, in order to help with time management, study skills,” said program director Darla Holley-Holmes. “We use the
by Wendy Mackall
other days to really help them see themselves outside of their current environment or situation.”
Kaylee Hackinson, who graduated in December 2023 from PennWest with a criminal justice degree, reflected on the two years she spent working in the MPACT program. She was one of two PennWest students who participated in the program in fall 2023.
“It taught me a lot of patience,” she said. “I thought I was responsible before, but I had to step up my game to get lessons planned. The program helped me to improve my professionalism.
“We go over a lot of concepts and basic life skills that everyone should have. They learn a lot, but so did I. There is a positive way to do everything, and I have included that mindset into my own life. It was so rewarding to see the change in them and impact we made. When I started, the students were distant, but then they started to come to me for things. They brought me so much joy.”
Expanding Outreach
Beyond Grad, a new program funded by a $184,000 grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, begins where Monessen Positive Action ends. “Beginning with ninth grade, Beyond Grad tries to change the culture and focus on the economic advancement,” said Dr. Mathilda Spencer, an associate professor of criminal justice at PennWest, who secured the grant.
“We have kids who don’t know what they want to do after high school or don’t have families who have gone to college or other schooling. We want to help with that, to give them hope beyond high school.”
(from left) Dr. Matilda Spencer, Royona Lewis, junior, criminal justice, Kaylee Hackinson, senior, criminal justice, Art Professor Todd Pinkham
PennWest California Art Professor Todd Pinkham photographs MPACT 8th Grade Scholar Ny’Zaiah Anderson for a portrait painting demonstration.
Climbing back from addiction
Social work degrees arm veteran in his mission to help others in recovery
When Joey Pagano '21, '22 left the Army in 1996, there was no pomp and circumstance.
His Other Than Honorable discharge declared him unfit to serve in the military and ineligible to receive veteran benefits.
“(The Army) called me a junkie and addict. At the time, I did not understand that I suffered from a disease,” Pagano said in his 2023 book, “No Addict Left Behind.” “I did not know there was treatment, let alone what treatment even consisted of. All I knew was that I was suffering, and now, there was no way out.”
The next two decades were filled with some good times mixed with many bad moments as Pagano battled a drug addiction that was, in his words, killing both him and his family. He could not, in his mind, be a family man, son, father and husband to those who loved him because the addiction was destroying him, pushing him to turn himself in to police for a theft he committed to get drug money.
“I was so beat down, so, so beat down, man,” Pagano said in an interview. “I almost killed myself. But there was this moment of clarity – I always liked that quote from ‘Shawshank Redemption’ of ‘get busy living or get busy dying’ – and when I was released from jail, I just decided that this was not going to be the end of my story.”
by Anthony Sonita
Pagano began his climb into recovery. The self-proclaimed “Mon Valley boy” celebrates his clean day as June 1, 2013. Since then, he has devoted himself to helping others overcome addiction. His book, co-authored by Dr. Scott Cook and available through Amazon and other bookstores, recounts the lessons Pagano learned during his climb back to the top.
But Pagano was not happy with just bouncing back and helping those with addiction where he could. He decided that to properly help others, he needed to serve as a social work professional, and only one college came to his mind to pursue that goal.
“My father graduated from Cal, so I always saw value in an education from there,” Pagano said of the PennWest California campus. “I had the life experience and a job that utilized that experience, but I didn’t have that …
nobility, I guess? I believe in education because that was what was instilled into me from my father. I wanted to, as the book says, get good and get chosen.”
After earning his associate degree from Westmoreland County Community College, Pagano enrolled at PennWest California. He completed his bachelor’s degree in social work in 2021 and master’s in social work in 2022. Pagano gives credit to Cal’s social work department for their assistance during the process.
“There are so many members of the faculty at Cal that changed my life and my perspectives,” Pagano said. “They took an interest in me. They were always available to talk and assist and give me opportunities to learn more and better myself. They guided me along this journey.”
Pagano continues to look for ways to help others in their battle with
addiction. His goal is to shatter the stigma around addiction and show that a path to clean and sober living is possible. He travels throughout the area, assisting others in combating the disease. His second book, “From Scars to Stars,” was released in May 2024.
Most importantly, Pagano wants others to know they can atone for past mistakes. He received a pardon from the Pennsylvania Governor’s Office that absolved him of crimes he committed while addicted, and on June 1, 2023, a decade after his clean date, he received a letter from the Army notifying him that his discharge status had been upgraded to honorable. He was, once again, a military veteran.
“To get that letter, to have both your state and your government see your value … that’s why I say that no addict can be left behind. We all still have our stories to tell.”
Joseph Pagano, of Monongahela, earns his Master of Social Work at California University of Pennsylvania's Spring 2022 commencement.
A Future in the Clouds
NASA SCIENTIST STUDIES CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE ARCTIC
r. Patrick Taylor’s head, zero pun intended, is in the clouds.
A climate research scientist at the NASA Langley Research Center, Taylor, a 2004 graduate of California who studied meteorology, is an expert on why the Arctic is responding so dramatically to climate change.
He relies on data collected from satellites, research aircraft, ground stations and weather forecast models to study how clouds in the Arctic are affecting and responding to sea ice loss.
The Virginia Beach, Virginia, resident told us more about his work at NASA Langley, where he has been for 14 years, what he’s learned and why it matters.
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT THE ARCTIC AND CLIMATE CHANGE?
WHAT’S NEXT?
by Wendy Mackall
Clouds are responding to the dramatic reduction in sea ice. This response is hastening the Arctic sea ice decline by slowing the wintertime growth of sea ice. Changes that are happening in the Arctic climate system have ripple effects – with a global reach affecting the entire Earth climate system.
HOW ARE THESE LESSONS BEING APPLIED?
These lessons are being applied to improve our capabilities to anticipate the rate of Arctic climate change in the coming decades. There is more uncertainty in the future rate of Arctic climate change than anywhere else. What we are learning is improving our understanding of the physics governing these interactions so that we can improve our models and make better predictions.
Next for me is to be the deputy lead for Mission Science for NASA ARCSIX (Arctic Radiation-Cloud-AerosolSurface-Interaction Experiment) next summer in northwestern Greenland. This campaign will collect data to determine the most important factors that influence the Arctic sea ice melt in order to improve weather and climate models and our ability to monitor the Arctic from space.
WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT THE FUTURE OF CLIMATE RESEARCH?
NASA is leading the expansion of our Earth System Observatory, which will provide more, better and new measurements of the climate system. The future of climate research is exciting because more and more of our work and NASA data are being used to improve our lives: by improving predictions, by improving the
resilience of our human systems, by understanding human-nature linkages and by supporting climate action. All of us should care about what is happening to the Arctic because, whether we like it or not, a less icy Arctic will affect the economy, geopolitics and food security, in addition to the global sea level.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU’RE NOT RESEARCHING?
I’m a home brewer and a beer judge at the national rank. I was on the baseball team at Cal U. I also like to play gigs at breweries, where I play my guitar and sing covers. I’m happily married to my wife, Jessica Taylor. We met in graduate school at Florida State University. We have two daughters, Claudia (11) and Elise (9).
PennWest California Commencements
Maggie Hay Political Science
Inkia Kallay Marketing and Management
Jonathan Sakaguchi English
D'Angelo Delgado Criminal Justice
Joe Alcaro Doctor of Education FALL 2023
California Commencements
Dr. Sean Madden Mace bearer
Mira Rolan Doctor of Criminal Justice
Sarah Seader Business Administration Management and Management Information Systems
Brittany Straiton Social Work
PennWest Theatre graduates celebrate following their spring 2024 commencement.
We're Better Together.
At Pennsylvania Western University, we believe that collaboration fuels growth and that together, we can create something greater than ourselves. PennWest isn't a onesize-fits-all institution. It's where potential is nurtured, where paths are crafted according to our students’ passions, and where the knowledge they gain becomes a platform for lifelong success.
With expanded resources, diversified programs and a strong support network, PennWest has opened doors to infinite possibilities. Here are just a few examples of how students are benefiting from our combined strengths:
PENNWEST LEADERSHIP ACADEMY EMPOWERS LEADERS OF TOMORROW
Emerging student leaders at the California, Clarion and Edinboro campuses are engaging in personal and professional development training workshops as part of the PennWest Leadership Academy.
Led by faculty, staff and community experts, a blend of in-person and virtual sessions focus on communication strategy, conflict resolution, time management, increasing efficiency, career development, wellness, emotional intelligence, team building and leadership styles. Students also have access to cross-campus networking opportunities through the two-year program.
More than 160 students have participated in the program since its founding as the President’s Leadership Academy at Clarion in 2019. Each campus now has two 15-student cohorts.
STUDENTS RETURN FROM ITALY FULL OF PASTA AND LESSONS IN SUSTAINABILITY
Veni, vidi, vici! PennWest students traveled to Italy in August and returned home to complete coursework relevant to their summertime adventure.
Students could earn up to six credits by taking two three-credit classes, including Special Topics in Business, taught by Dr. Chad Smith, and Special Topics in Atmospheric Science, taught by Dr. Anthony Vega. Both professors are based at PennWest Clarion.
Upon their return, groups of students created mock businesses with an environmental sustainability component. Teams presented their projects “Shark Tank”-style, and outside experts served as judges. Since 2015, Clarion students have traveled to destinations such as Belgium, Italy, New Zealand, Portugal and Iceland. The 2023 trip was open to students at all three PennWest campuses.
PENNWEST ADVANCES TO FINAL PHASES OF FINANCIAL PLANNING CHALLENGE
A team of three PennWest finance and personal financial planning students advanced to the final phases of the nationwide Financial Planning Challenge, hosted by the Financial Planning Association, Ameriprise and the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards.
After preparing exceptional comprehensive financial plans for two hypothetical clients in round one, Sarah Keating (Edinboro), Olivia Lewandowski (Edinboro) and Jacob Campbell (California) competed in the finals alongside teams from Texas Tech University, the University of Arizona, the University of Akron, the University of North Florida, the University of Denver, Ohio State University and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
CENTER FOR FACULTY EXCELLENCE PROMOTES
COLLABORATIVE LEARNING, PEDAGOGICAL INNOVATION
PennWest’s Center for Faculty Excellence, a faculty resource that supports high-impact learning practices, scholarship and academic innovation, is fostering collaboration through cross-campus workshops, professional development funding, guest speakers and a book club.
Recent events include a presentation by Dr. Jane Thierfeld Brown, assistant clinical professor at Yale and director of College Autism Spectrum. The presentation focused on two topics: Supporting neurodivergent students through effective academic advising and a discussion on class assessments and promoting academic success for neurodivergent learners.
FOR THE FUTURE
California Science Building
The 67,000-square-foot building will house the chemistry, biology and physics programs. The building will be situated between Watkins and Eberly halls – in a space that older alumni will recognize as the location of Binns Hall.
With the exterior design incorporating elements of the various historic core
buildings of campus (Old Main, South Hall, Watkins Hall, Coover Hall) the building will blend into the campus architecture in a timeless fashion.
In addition to replacing the laboratory spaces in the existing Frich and New Science buildings, there will be a computer classroom lab as well as collaborative work, study and
meeting spaces throughout the building, encouraging students to work together outside of the classroom environment.
Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in early 2025 and end in late fall 2026.
John S. Shropshire Hall
John S. Shropshire Hall, previously Walter R. Egbert Hall, has undergone an extensive renovation
Edinboro’s Baron-Forness Library reopened in January, marking the completion of major renovations. In addition to upgraded elevators, HVAC, electrical, plumbing and fire suppression systems, the library now features expanded seating, 28 group study rooms, seminar space, a 3,000square-foot art gallery and a brand-new entrance.
ALL WRAPPED UP
Aspiring athletic trainers in MSAT program
wo Pennsylvania Western University students are having the time of their lives working alongside seasoned athletic trainers for Division I college football teams.
Gillian Romanchok is at North Carolina State and Emily Lodge is at the University of Georgia, completing what is known as an immersion rotation in PennWest’s Master of Science in athletic training curriculum. Students are required to fulfill two semesters of hands-on training during the second year of the MSAT program.
“An immersion rotation is a practice-intensive experience that allows the student to experience the totality of care provided by athletic trainers,” explained PennWest’s MSAT Program Director Rich Patterson. “This allows students to participate in the day-to-day and week-to-week role of an athletic trainer."
PennWest faculty members had connections to each program, but both women had to interview and earn
“I was looking for an opportunity with a Power 5 football program because I want to pursue an athletic training position in either Division 1 football or within an NFL organization,” Romanchok said.
Lodge plans to apply for NFL internships for next year, but she also wants to experience different clinical settings and to advocate for women’s rights and gender equality within the athletic training profession.
Gillian Romanchok
The National Athletic Trainers’ Association reports that approximately 56% of members are female, but some professional organizations, such as the National Football League, have fewer female athletic trainers than men. Patterson said the NFL has made “significant efforts to increase opportunities for females in both full-time positions and internships.”
Before they can reach any of these goals, the women have been fully immersed in what it means to be an athletic trainer, which can require long hours. Romanchok’s average day starts at 5 a.m.
“The beginning of the day starts with treatment, rehabilitation and pre-practice taping hours before the team heads to meetings. While the team is in meetings, we (the athletic training staff) perform emergency equipment checks, practice emergency CPR and spine boarding situations, or complete game day preparations for the upcoming game,” Romanchok said. “After practice, athletes will come into the athletic training room to receive post-practice treatment.”
Lodge’s typical day starts a little later –at 8 a.m. – for treatment hours with the student-athletes.
“During this time, I am typically assisting my preceptor with treatments and rehabilitation with the athletes. However, I am developing my own patient load and have progressively been given more autonomy,” Lodge said.
Lodge explained that preceptors supervise and engage students in clinical education and must be licensed health care professionals and be credentialed by the state in which they practice.
IN D1 FOOTBALL get hands-on training room experience
“My day ends about an hour after practice, when the players are finished with any postpractice treatment,” Lodge said.
Both women agree their experiences have been vital to their education as they have learned new treatment modalities, how to work with new rehabilitation equipment, and practice innovative rehabilitation techniques.
“During our first game, I was involved in spine boarding of an athlete with a suspected cervical spine injury. Not many athletic trainers can say they have experienced a spine boarding situation, so it was truly an eye-opening learning experience to be a part of,” Romanchok said.
To be part of this major and profession, Romanchok said it takes a person who isn’t afraid to hit the books or spend a great deal of time on the road with a team.
“Students who wish to enter the MSAT program must have a strong science background, specifically in human anatomy and physiology, as the curriculum follows a medical-based education model,” Patterson said. “The most successful students are generally well organized with a good work ethic and a desire to help people return to sport participation or work.”
Lodge added that students in the field must not be afraid of failure.
“In order to gain the most from clinical experiences, you have to step outside your comfort zone to learn and try new things,” Lodge said. “Not everything is going to work the first time or go as planned. The ability to adapt to change is very important in athletic training.”
Before beginning the MSAT, they both had a solid foundation by obtaining Bachelor of Science degrees
in nutrition and fitness from PennWest Clarion.
“I chose to receive my undergraduate degree in nutrition and fitness because athletic training requires a strong background in exercises science, physiology and anatomy. Additionally, I also received extensive knowledge in nutrition, which I can use to my advantage to help guide athletes in all aspects of their return to participation,” Romanchok said.
Lodge said her undergraduate degree gave her plenty of career opportunities and helps her address all aspects of a patient’s recovery.
In addition to sharing the same undergraduate degree, both women have backgrounds in athletics, which piqued their interest in their undergraduate and graduate studies.
“I chose the athletic training major because of my interest in anatomy and biomechanics,” Lodge said. “During my career as a track and field athlete, I worked with many athletic trainers because of injuries I sustained during participation and enjoyed learning about ways to prevent, recognize and rehabilitate chronic and acute injuries.”
Romanchok shared similar sentiments regarding her love of the profession.
“There is truly no other feeling in this world like knowing I have made a positive impact on a patient and helped them return to something they love,” Romanchok said. “Athletic training combines my love of the sports community and allows me to help athletes treat and rehabilitate injuries perfectly. Truly the best of both worlds.”
Emily Lodge
New murals highlight enduriNg campus legacies
One-of-a-kind murals were installed in prominent locations at California, Clarion and Edinboro. Featuring iconic images that celebrate the history, capture the spirit and embrace the culture of each campus, the photo-ready works of art were carefully crafted in a casual, illustrative style to welcome visitors and inspire the next generation of learners.
Funding for this mural was donated by the Foundation for California University of Pennsylvania.
CALIFORNIA CAMPUS MURAL
Designed by Philip Haragos and Bryan Postlewait
PENNWEST GRADS BAKE, BREW AND GRILL THEIR WAY INTO SUCCESSFUL CULINARY VENTURES
Pretzels. Coffee. Burgers.
Not only does that sound like an appetizing menu to satiate the hungry stomach, but the trio is also a sign of successful experiential ventures from graduates of Pennsylvania Western University campuses.
Each of these menu items comes with its own story of PennWest grads who found their calling in the culinary arts through grit and determination – and some delicious taste testing.
Following her graduation from Edinboro and a career in higher education, Katie Spangenberg ’16 found her calling serving homemade munchies and piping hot coffee at Bean & Bear Café.
While a student at California, Jonathan Sakaguchi ’23 saddled up the barbecue and won a statewide burger competition among three grill masters.
Edinboro graduate Amanda Sanko ’13 and Clarion faculty member Marc Sanko, who earned his master’s degree from Edinboro in 2013, found support – and a captive audience –from family and friends to open a pretzel shop in their town.
by Christopher LaFuria
Spilling the beans with a new coffee shop
Katie Spangenberg hasn’t always been in the coffee business. But she has been around a segment of the population most reliant on the caffeinated beverage: college students.
Katie and her husband, Jason, are both graduates of Edinboro with degrees in business administration and management and business administration/accounting, respectively. They live in the Edinboro area and witness the hustling college students scurrying to class and study halls.
That’s why it made sense for Spangenberg to open Bean & Bear Café within walking distance of Edinboro’s campus.
“It was a big jump for us, but we didn’t hesitate,” she said. “We were just looking to fill a gap that existed in Edinboro, and we’re doing just that.”
Named after the couple’s pets Muenster “Bear” and dog-in-law Fletcher “Bean,” Bean & Bear, located at 222 W. Plum St. in Edinboro, features a small-plate, niche menu with homemade baked items and an array of coffee from Happy Mug, an Erie-area coffee wholesaler.
After opening during Homecoming Week 2023, Spangenberg noticed that the coffee shop has become an extension of campus, with students studying and taking virtual courses from its tabletops.
Spangenberg said that she created a cozy, dark academia vibe in the shop with an interior that reflects a bookish and intellectual study.
“We’ve had a very positive reaction from the students and the customers who have become regulars,” she said. “It’s a little off the beaten path but close to campus and very walkable.”
A self-proclaimed “Type A” personality and business owner, Spangenberg not only runs business operations and staffing, she also throws on the apron to cook and serve her customers. She has also become a job creator in Edinboro with a staff
Katie Spangenberg ’16 and Jason Spangenberg ’14 established Bean & Bear Café in Edinboro in 2023.
Best burger in the business
Making the perfect burger is more than just slicing onions, crisping the perfect strips of bacon, collecting a small pool of barbecue sauce for the dippers and molding the perfectly seasoned patty.
Cooking, for Jonathan Sakaguchi, is an opportunity to pay tribute to his late father, Jeff, who was instrumental in molding the California grad’s love of food. During his stint in the Navy, Jeff Sakaguchi traveled to Germany, Spain and Australia to explore the local cuisine. He would bring stories and recipes back to Jonathan. And a love for cooking was established.
“When I got to a certain age, my dad said to me, ‘You're old enough to start learning how to cook. Here's how
you do it.’ And it kind of just went from there,” said Sakaguchi, who studied English at California and also pursued a minor in music.
This family arrangement and a newfound obsession with cooking led him to discover the Giant Eagle Ultimate Tailgreatness competition in October 2023.
When he arrived at the competition, Sakaguchi found his flattop grill, cast-iron skillet and ingredients to make his signature smash burgers. When his plate was finished and he observed the entries from the two other
“When the announcer called my name, my jaw hit the stage,” he said. “And when I won the contest, knowing my dad’s birthday was coming up, my first thought was I wish my dad could be here for this.”
Now Sakaguchi, who was honored last fall as 2023 California Homecoming Court royalty, can add grill master to his resume as he took home the $2,500 Giant Eagle prize for the best-burger competition and tickets to a Pittsburgh Steelers game.
“This has been an absolute wild ride for me – like the ups and downs
While a student at California, Jonathan Sakaguchi won the 2023 Giant Eagle Ultimate Tailgreatness competition.
A local business that’s well-kneaded
What do you do when the tasty snack you enjoy can’t be found anywhere you look?
Marc and Amanda Sanko, two pretzel-loving academics living in Morgantown, West Virginia, found the salty delights weren’t prevalent in their new town.
The answer to this dilemma was simple: Make them yourselves. Little did the Sankos know this concept would turn into a new business venture.
“Marc loves cooking, so he decided that he was going to figure out how to make them himself for me,” Amanda said. “After he made them a few times at home, we started taking them to friend gatherings, and they quickly became a hit there as well.”
Fast-forward to moving to Clarion and having their son, Grady, and twin daughters, Mara and Cora, Marc and Amanda implemented their pretzel creations for birthday party menus.
“We finally decided that enough family and friends had told us that the pretzels were good enough that people would buy them,” Amanda said. “So, I started doing my research and proceeded to take the steps to start a business. “
After the idea sprouted for the Sankos, the husband-wife team approached Clarion’s Small Business Development Center, which provides entrepreneurs with the education, information, and tools necessary to build successful businesses.
With the paperwork finalized and the business plan in place, it was time to find a location to produce the pretzels for the new Penns Woods Pretzel Company. Since both Marc and Amanda work full time, their ideal location needed to be cost-effective and convenient.
That’s when they found Clarion Modern Markets, located at 606 Main St. in Clarion, a collection of rentable space and kitchens for local entrepreneurs to produce and sell their goods.
“We were very excited about the potential to get into that space,” Amanda said. “It was the perfect space at the perfect time.”
With all the missing pieces falling into place and continued confidence boosts from family and friends, the Sankos confirmed that their decision to start the business was the right one.
“The idea came from a love of a tasty treat,” Amanda said.
“But our family and friends’ words of encouragement and the help of local organizations and the community really brought the idea to life.”
So far, the response from the community has been wildly positive. During the company’s soft opening, a line of customers wrapped around the building and down the block, waiting for a mouthwatering delight.
“We are very thankful for our little community,” Amanda said. “It feels good to have such a supportive community behind our business.”
As the business continues to grow and ideas for new recipes and products pop up, the couple has their eyes set on bigger goals for the business.
“Our little dream is to one day walk into a local ballpark, stadium or zoo and Penns Woods Pretzel be the pretzel you see in their warmers and people walking around with,” Amanda said. “Maybe one day that will be us.”
Amanda (Morley) Sanko ’13 and Marc Sanko M ’13 serve up gourmet pretzels at Penns Woods Pretzel Company in Clarion.
KEEPERS FLAME THE OF
BELOVED ‘MS. B’ SERVES UP SENSE OF BELONGING IN THE GOLD RUSH
Mondays are Ms. B’s days off from serving students lunch and dinner in the Gold Rush.
But it’s when the Student Government Association meets on the California campus, so, if you need to find Brenda Adams – very lovingly known as Ms. B. – around then, check the meeting in Vulcan Theater. She’ll be there, on her own time.
“I wanted to know what our students are doing every day” was her answer to the obvious question. “Now I know that by the time they come to the Rush, they’ve had a whole day because of club activities or academics. I understand how hard they work and what busy lives they have.”
It is clear that Ms. B, who works for AVI, California’s food service provider, loves her students, cares for them authentically, wishes to know them individually – even though 1,300 or so come to the Gold Rush on any given day. She can be found supporting a club fundraiser, riding in the Homecoming Parade, walking the runway at the Women United Fashion Show, attending the BSU Showcase.
Students love her right back:
“Ms. B has made relationships with everyone on campus. Her warm countenance brightens up everyone’s day. She makes it a point to remember students’ names and special things about us.”
That’s just one part of multiple testimonials from students submitted as part of the nomination process for the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Keepers of the Flame Award from Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education.
The award recognizes an individual from each of the 14 State System university campuses for their contributions to creating and promoting diverse, equitable and inclusive environments that cultivate a sense of belonging.
Ms. B; Dr. Brandon Packard, assistant chair of the Department of Computer Information Science at Clarion; and Dr. Shraddha Prabhu, assistant professor of social work at Edinboro, were winners from PennWest. The award recipients were announced during PASSHE’s annual DEI Summit.
Ms. B trained in the culinary arts at Savannah Technical College and at Johnson & Wales University in Charleston, S.C. She learned a variety of cuisines and honed her customer service skills. As a cook and housekeeper at the University of South Carolina, she learned to care about the well-being of “her” kids.
“I am the mother of six and grandmother of 10, and when I see the students, they’re like my own children,” she said. “My heart is equipped to show every student love, no matter what they look like, where they came from, who their mother or father was. When they walk in the Gold Rush and we make eye contact, it’s pure, true, unconditional love.”
“She speaks to everyone and is an important person to this university. PennWest California wouldn’t function properly without Ms. B. She is the shining star of this campus.”
by Wendy Mackall
Friends of Ms. B. gather on the California campus to celebrate her Keepers of the Flame award
Students D'Angelo Delgado (left) and Isaiah Dean celebrate with Ms. B
HALL FAME of 2023 VULCANS
In 2023, California inducted five members into the Athletic Hall of Fame and recognized the Silver Anniversary of the 1998 National Championship softball team.
Erik Harris ’13 was a three-year starting defensive back for the Vulcans and played from 2008-2011. He helped Cal reach the NCAA Playoffs in four straight seasons, winning back-to-back regional championships in 2008 and 2009, plus the 2008 PSAC Championship. Harris earned All-PSAC West status in each of his last two seasons, including first-team laurels as a junior when he received all-region status from multiple organizations. Over his last three seasons, Harris registered nine interceptions and 216 tackles while starting 37 games. He is currently in his eighth season in the NFL and plays for the San Francisco 49ers. He became the third defensive back since 2020 to be selected to the Athletic Hall of Fame.
Paula Jackson ’11 and ’12 was a three-year starting goalkeeper for the Vulcans from 2009-2011. She helped Cal win its first PSAC Championship in 2011 while also capturing a pair of regional titles in three appearances in the NCAA Tournament. Jackson earned All-PSAC laurels in each of her three seasons with the program and received AllAmerica laurels as both a junior and senior. Also a First Team Academic All-American, she holds all-time school records with a 0.51 goals against average (GAA), 55 wins and 34 shutouts. Jackson became the first goalkeeper – men's or women's – in school history to be selected to the Athletic Hall of Fame.
Eric Kush ’12 was a three-year starting offensive lineman for the Vulcans and played from 2008-2012. Following a medical redshirt as a freshman, he helped the Vulcans claim a third-straight regional title in 2009 before returning to the NCAA Playoffs in each of the next two
HJERPE KINCAID
JACKSON
PETTY
seasons. Kush started 32 games in his career, including 22 at center over his final two years. He was named a D2Football. com Second-Team All-American as a senior and was selected to the East-West Shrine Game. Kush was chosen in the sixth round of the 2013 NFL Draft and played eight seasons in the NFL. In the spring of 2020, he was chosen to the D2Football. com All-Decade Second Team for 2010-2019. Kush became the first offensive lineman selected to the Athletic Hall of Fame since 2013.
Kyle Petty ’13 was a two-way standout for the Vulcans from 2010-2013. He was the starting catcher as a freshman when Cal won the 2010 PSAC Championship. Petty started games at seven different positions during his collegiate career and was a consensus All-American at catcher in 2013 after being named the PSAC West Athlete of the Year. He finished his career with a .373 average while also earning 12 victories and 11 saves in 45 career pitching appearances.
1998 National Champions
Front Row:
Jennifer Valeriote, Sarah Cassin, Rick Bertagnolli, head coach
Tara Douglas
Back Row:
Kate Vaughan
Erin Whoolery, Nora Zimmerman
Nikki Fiedler
Stephanie Bromhead Moore
Jill Witt
Petty was selected in the 23rd round of the 2013 MLB Draft and played five seasons in the minor leagues with the Seattle Mariners. He was twice named a Minor League All-Star and advanced to Class AA. Petty became the third player from the 2010 PSAC Championship Team selected to the Athletic Hall of Fame.
Brent Kincaid ’97 was a three-year starter for the Vulcans and played from 1992-1996. He helped Cal reach the NCAA Tournament in four straight seasons, advance to the 1996 Final Four, and win a pair of PSAC Championships. He was an All-PSAC West Second Team selection in back-to-back years and ranked third in the country as a junior in threepointers per game. Kincaid ranks among the top 10 in school history with 1,502 points and still holds the career record with 325 three-pointers made, fourth-most in PSAC history. Kincaid was the fourth member of the 1996 Final Four Team selected to the Athletic Hall of Fame.
In addition to the inductees, Cal recognized the Silver Anniversary of the 1998 softball team, which became the last NCAA Division II softball team to repeat as NCAA National Champions. The Vulcans finished the year with a 47-7 overall record under head coach Rick Bertagnolli to mark the program's fourth-straight year with at least 45 victories. Cal won a third-consecutive PSAC Championship before making a fourth appearance in five years at the NCAA National Championships. The Vulcans won 28 of the last 29 games in the regular season with 17 of those victories
by shutout. Cal posted a 20-0 record in PSAC West play for the fourth straight year, as it outscored divisional opponents by a 139-8 margin. At the championship finals, the Vulcans started play with three straight wins, including a 2-1 victory over Coker and a 5-0 win against Barry. Cal then dropped a 4-3 contest to Ferris State in extra innings before advancing to the championship. In a rematch with Barry, the Vulcans posted a 2-1 victory to secure back-to-back National Championships for the program.
FRANKLIN IN A FLASH
Record-setting sprinter Divonne Franklin ’22 and ‘23 was celebrated at the 2024 NCAA Convention in Phoenix following one of the most decorated careers in school history.
Franklin capped her career on the track by winning the national title in both the 100-meter dash and 200-meter dash in May while in Colorado. She posted the fastest time in NCAA Division II history, regardless of conditions, during the finals of the 100 meters and registered the second-best time in NCAA history in the 200 meters in the preliminaries. Franklin earned
All-America status eight times in her career, the most in track & field history at Cal.
In the summer, Franklin was voted the PSAC Pete Nevins Female ScholarAthlete of the Year while repeating as an Academic All-American. She also was chosen the USTFCCCA Women’s Outdoor National Scholar-Athlete of the Year and the D2CCA Atlantic Region Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Franklin was recognized at the NCAA Convention for her tremendous athletic and academic achievements as both a NCAA Woman of the Year Top 30 honoree and NCAA Today’s Top 10 Award recipient, becoming the first individual to receive either honor in Cal history.
WINNING WAYS CONTINUE
Cal registered a 19th-consecutive winning season in 2023, extending the longest streak in program history. The Vulcans finished second in the PSAC West standings and posted a 7-3 overall record with all three losses to NCAA Playoff teams.
Head coach Gary Dunn ’95 and ’97 became the fourth coach in program history to earn 50 career victories this fall and climbed to second place with 56 wins over seven seasons. He has led the Vulcans to at least seven wins six times in his career and boasts a .771 winning percentage in PSAC West play.
Cal featured seven players on the All-PSAC West Teams, including four first-team selections. The Vulcans also featured the PSAC West Freshman of the Year for the third time since 2018.
BACK AT NATIONALS
Senior Malia Anderson qualified as an individual for the NCAA National Championships for a consecutive year in 2023. The Cal women’s cross-country program has been represented at the national race eight times in the last 10 seasons, as the Vulcans earned a team qualifier three times from 2015-2018.
Anderson placed sixth overall at the PSAC Championships in mid-October to earn All-PSAC First-Team status in back-to-back seasons. Two weeks later, she finished in fifth place at the NCAA Regional Championships to mark the program’s highest individual finish since the 2018 campaign. Anderson became the fourth runner in school history to record multiple top-10 finishes at the regional championships.
In mid-November, Anderson ran in a field of 260-plus runners at the NCAA National Championships in Missouri. Additionally, the Greensburg native repeated as the PSAC Outdoor Champion in the 800-meter run in the spring of 2023.
FRANKLIN
DUNN
ANDERSON
IN THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT
The Vulcans gathered national attention in the opening portion of the 2023-24 season. The Cal men’s and women’s basketball teams were featured near the top of the preseason poll in the PSAC West and mounted early momentum in the season, as both were ranked in the top 10 of the country.
On the women’s side, the Vulcans were the favorites in the division after capturing the seventh PSAC Championship in program history during the 2022-23 campaign. Led by head coach Jess Strom, Cal climbed to No. 10 in the WBCA Top 25 Coaches’ Poll shortly after Thanksgiving.
The men’s program raced off to its best start to a year in at least four decades in the 2023-24 season. Under head coach Danny Sancomb, the Vulcans earned their first national ranking in over 15 years and vaulted to No. 10 in the NABC Top 25 Coaches’ Poll at the end of the 2023 calendar year.
BENNETT PROMOTED TO HEAD COACH
A veteran assistant with the program, Kyle Bennett ’12, was promoted to head coach for the Cal men’s and women’s golf teams over the summer. He previously served six seasons as an assistant coach with the Vulcans and helped the programs combine for 14 All-PSAC selections, plus PSAC Athlete of the Year and PSAC Freshman of the Year recipients.
This fall, Bennett guided the Cal men’s team to its best finish at the PSAC Championships since 2017. The Vulcans placed fourth in the team standings behind a pair of top-10 individuals on the leaderboard in senior Reese Watson and freshman Gavin Goodrich.
In the spring of 2023, the Cal women’s team placed second at the PSAC Championships to mark its best finish since 2016 while featuring a pair of top-five golfers on the individual leaderboard. Additionally, the women’s team became the first Cal recipient of the PSAC Team GPA Award in five years during the summer. The Vulcans boasted an impressive 3.822 cumulative GPA for the top women’s golf GPA in the league and the second-highest GPA among all PSAC teams at league institutions – a total of 292 teams.
BENNETT
STEELWORKER to Corporate Exec
SCHOLARSHIPS AT CALIFORNIA AND EDINBORO CAMPUSES
REFLECT ALUMNUS’ HARD-EARNED DEGREES AND PERSONAL VALUES
Growing up in Walkertown, Pennsylvania, a small mining community situated about 30 miles south of Pittsburgh in West Pike Run Township, Dick Sabo
learned the importance of three things: Hard work, honesty and giving back.
Dick Sabo, who earned a bachelor’s degree in 1955 from California State College and a master’s degree in 1965 from Edinboro State College, and his wife, Gail, support student scholarships at both campuses.
Sabo opted to attend California Area High School after being told he was too small to play football at another local school. The disparaging words were a gift in disguise. At CAHS, he excelled as a member of the football, basketball and baseball teams and met his now-wife, Gail.
“Two years later, I scored three touchdowns against Centerville,” Sabo said. “I went up to that coach and asked, ‘Am I still too small?’ Our football team went undefeated for two and a half years.”
Sabo’s father, Alex, worked two jobs, and his mother, Elizabeth, was a homemaker. Money was, in Sabo’s words, “nonexistent.”
“My father worked in the coal mines until midnight, so he had a very difficult time seeing me play sports,” he said. “But he always looked forward to the shift that was coming on to replace him. They would give him a play-by-play as to what I did that night in football or baseball or whatever it was.”
Despite the family’s financial challenges, Sabo’s parents insisted that he go to college. Luckily, his athletic achievements resulted in several scholarship offers.
He enrolled at California State College, where he played football, baseball and basketball until a knee injury caused him to focus solely on America’s pastime.
“Every penny that my parents put into college was a sacrifice,” Sabo said. “It wasn’t that I was costing them that much by going to college, because I had a scholarship. But I wasn’t contributing to the livelihood of the family, either.”
At the age of 18, he got a summer job in a steel mill in Clairton,
Pennsylvania. Working nights allowed him to play baseball during the day and still help to support his family. He played 28 games in 32 days and earned $680 to give to his mother.
Upon earning his bachelor’s degree in education at Cal in 1955, Sabo accepted a teaching position in West Springfield, Pennsylvania, not far from the shores of Lake Erie. West Springfield later merged with Albion to form Northwestern High School.
“I was teaching and coaching –football, basketball and track. So, I had a busy schedule, and I had a couple of part-time jobs,” said Sabo, who went on to complete a graduate degree in guidance and counseling at Edinboro State College in 1965. “When I started at West Springfield, I would paint classrooms on the weekends. We were broke.”
Sabo and his family were walking home from church one day when a Buick pulled to the side of the road.
D. Neal Manross was recruiting employees for the Cleveland-based Lincoln Electric Company. After a couple of visits from Manross and a review of Lincoln’s generous incentive program, Sabo accepted a manufacturing position at the Fortune 1000 company.
“They didn’t have layoffs,” he said. “Coming from a coal mining community, being laid off seemed to be part of the pressures on all the miners. They worked hard to save a little bit of money. Then the mine would shut down due to flooding or there would be a strike and all their savings would be gone. I really liked the thought of steady income, and within five years I was dining with my wife at the home of the Lincoln family.”
Over the next 33 and a half years, Sabo worked his way from factory worker to head of corporate communications and investor relations and retired in 1999 as assistant to the president and CEO.
“There’s not many companies that are so close-knit. But they are tremendous people, and I’m still friends with them today,” he said. “It was just a tremendous experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything.”
The Sabos established the Alex S. and Elizabeth Sabo Memorial Scholarship at California for students who are graduates of California Area High School and the Dick and Gail Sabo Scholarship for education majors at Edinboro, with first preference to graduates of Northwestern High School. In addition to offering financial assistance, they hope the scholarships will instill in students the importance of education and philanthropy.
The Sabos reside near Cleveland and have four children and seven grandchildren – all of whom have completed at least one college degree – and three great-grandchildren. Their daughter, Gailyn, was the first female sales representative for Lincoln Electric, and their son, Kerry, worked at Lincoln for 29 years.
“We have 17 college degrees – nine master’s, three Ph.D.s, a Juris Doctorate and an M.D.,” Sabo said proudly. “When I graduated from Cal, I realized that being the first college graduate in my entire family was a real privilege. I referred to Cal as the Harvard of the Mon Valley. When I went to Edinboro, it was like the cherry on top of an ice cream sundae.”
FEATURE by Kristin Brockett
alumni milestones
2023 California Foundation Awards
The Foundation for California University of Pennsylvania has presented its 2023 awards to four individuals: Dixonians Award for service to the campus was presented to Alan James ’62. Alan was the California campus’ first dean of Minority Affairs and one of four administrators leading the Office of Student Development and Services. In 2016, he won the Jennie Carter Award, which recognizes an individual who exemplifies the spirit, resilience and leadership of Elizabeth “Jennie” Carter, California’s first African-American graduate. He served six years on the board of directors for the Cal U Alumni Association, including two terms as treasurer. He also served as a member of the foundation’s board of directors. He was a winner of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education’s inaugural Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Keepers of the Flame Award.
Job Johnson Award for alumni who have received recognition outside the University for excellence, innovation, community service or other notable achievements was presented to Dr. Timothy Susick ’76, M.S. ’78. A former
Vulcans football standout, Tim retired after a 30-year career at the University, most recently as associate vice president for Student Affairs. He was the grand marshal of the 2021 Homecoming parade. He has established an endowed scholarship in his wife’s memory and is a member of the Steele Society.
Society of 1852 Award for significant contributions to, or on behalf of, the campus presented to Dr. Mathilda Spencer, associate professor, Department of Criminal Justice, History and Politics. She spends much of her time supporting community programs for children and young adults in communities in southwestern Pennsylvania.
Linda Hootman Serene ’64 Excellence in and Commitment to Service Award, presented to Dr. Beverly Ross ’03, an associate professor in the Department of Criminal Justice, History and Politics, and director of the Linda and Harry Leadership Institute at PennWest California. She collaborates with various departments to provide student enrichment such as the annual women’s leadership retreat, Strike A Spark Essay contests, scholarship opportunities and internships.
From left: William Flynn ’68, president of the Foundation for California University; Alan James ’62; Dr. Beverly Ross ’03; Dr. Mathilda Spencer; Dr. Timothy Susick ’76, M.S. ’78.
alumni milestones
PennWest Night at PNC Park
Below from left: Jean Smith; Sarah Wright ’14, M.Ed. ’16; Nate Wright ’12; Bob Wright ’78; and Donna Wright ’97 pose for a photo at PennWest Night at PNC Park. Nate threw out the first pitch to his father, Bob, at the Pirates-Phillies game.
In Print
Dr. Melinda Lincoln-Richardson ’70 and Michael Richardson have coauthored a new companion piece, Beautiful Blue & You … Too, to their first book, Beautiful Blue & You, both published in 2023. As an experienced and adept photographer in his retirement, Michael shot hundreds of detailed photos of a resident blue heron in Williamsburg, Va. Melinda, an accomplished educator and writer, relied on a stream-of-consciousness technique to personify the heron and give him a powerful voice.
alumni milestones
1970s
James Nairn ’72 was the first swimmer to be inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame, in 1997. He was the MVP swimmer at Cal four years in a row, the team captain for three years, and a national finalist for three years. Incorrect information was listed in the Spring 2023 issue.
Alan Lynn ’79, a retired Army lieutenant general, has joined the advisory board of the defense-oriented technology company Castellum. He served as defense information systems agency director at Fort Meade, Md. He also served as commander of the Joint Force Headquarters-Department of Defense Information Network. He was the California commencement speaker in December 2015.
1980s
Dr. Lisa Rudolph-Watson ’87 is medical director of the Colquitt Regional Geropsychiatric Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit and also serves as the director of the Georgia South Psychiatry Residency Program.
Brian Roche ’87 is director of facilities at Mainstay Life Services, a nonprofit organization that provides support services to people with intellectual disabilities and autism. Most recently, Brian served as a commercial service carpenter and project manager at F5 Facility Services.
Jeffrey Kuhns ’89 is the superintendent of West Perry School District in Perry County, Pa.
1990s
Christopher O’Brien M.S. ’95, inaugural dean of Health Sciences at King’s College, has been elected by the National Academies of Practice (NAP) as a Distinguished Public Policy Fellow. He also is a Fellow of The Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP) for which he co-chairs the Clinical Education Committee. He serves the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) as its liaison to ASAHP.
Greg Hart ’96 is chief technology officer for Washington University in St. Louis. He specializes in the areas of information technology management, artificial intelligence, process management and systems analysis.
Daniel Weimer M.A. ’98 is the code enforcement officer for the City of Latrobe, Pa.
Frank J. Shoaf ’98 has been promoted to colonel in the Air Force and assumed command of the 171st Mission Support Group of the 171st Air Refueling Wing, Pittsburgh. Col. Shoaf leads more than 500 personnel in civil engineering, communications and information technology infrastructure, logistics, human resources, physical security, and contracting support for an organization of more than 1,200 people. Prior to this assignment, he served as the commander of the 258th Air Traffic Control Squadron (Johnstown, Pa.) and the 193rd Special Operations Force Support Squadron (Harrisburg, Pa). Col. Shoaf is married to Tammy (Panik) Shoaf ’98, a member
of Delta Phi Epsilon. They have three children: Kylee, Abigail and Ethan.
2000s
Shannon Dressler M.S. ’00 is a school psychologist in the Upper St. Clair School District. She was recognized as the Association of School Psychologists of Pennsylvania’s Monthly Spotlight recipient. She also holds school psychology and principal certifications. She is a member of the National Association of School Psychologists and the Pennsylvania Association of Student Assistance Professionals.
Jim Ramsay M.S. ’04 has been named director of sports medicine, performance and head athletic therapist for the Montreal Canadiens. He worked for more than 28 years with the New York Rangers organization as the team’s head athletic trainer and the past six seasons as the director of sports medicine.
Keith Konyk ’96, M.Ed. ’05 is the superintendent of the Elizabeth Forward School District, Elizabeth, Pa.
Ronald Celaschi M.S. ’08 is CEO of Patriot Federal Credit Union. Most recently, he was president and CEO of Clearview Federal Credit Union.
Col. Angela Ochoa M.S. ’08 is the commander of the 19th Airlift Wing, Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas. She works with the 314th Airlift Wing (AETC), 189th Airlift Wing (ANG), 913th Airlift Wing (AFRC), and 29th Weapons Squadron (ACC) in all aspects of C-130 training. Additionally, she is responsible
for organizing, training and equipping the personnel who operate, maintain and sustain more than 62 C-130 aircraft.
Thomas McKelvey M.Ed. ’09 is the assistant principal at Haine Elementary School, Cranberry Township, Pa.
Steven Drummond M.S. ’09 is the associate athletic director for strategic communications for the University of Georgia Athletic Department. He worked for 22 years as a senior executive in the National Football League with the Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars. He will lead Georgia’s social media strategy, content creation and overall communications efforts.
2010s
Kayla Williams ’10 is executive director of U.S. portfolio strategy and commercial development for Accord BioPharma. She was profiled in the March 2023 issue of The Women Achiever magazine.
alumni milestones
Dr. Janet Koposko ’10, an associate professor in the Department of Rural Studies in the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College School of Arts and Sciences, has been selected as the 2023 recipient of the W. Bruce and Rosalyn Ray Donaldson Excellence in Advising Award.
Eric Smith ’11 is head golf professional at Cape Kidnappers Golf Course in New Zealand. He previously worked at the Kiawah Island Club in South Carolina.
Dr. Joseph Testa M.S. ’11 is director of student services for Shaler Area School District, Glenshaw, Pa. He serves as an instructional leader in the planning and overseeing of school psychologists, social workers, nurses, and SAP (Student Assistance Program) as members of a mental health team making services available to the administration, teachers, pupils and the community.
Emily Timko ’12 is an icing cloud calibration engineer at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio.
Joshua Trout ’13 is CEO of Encompass Health, Greenville, S.C., which provides 24-hour nursing care and physical, occupational and speech therapies to patients.
Laura Grimm M.S. ’13 has been promoted to athletic director for the Bethel Park School District, Bethel Park, Pa. She had been assistant director for two years. Previously, Grimm was athletic director for Ringgold School District for six years. In June 2023, she was inducted into the WPIAL Hall of Fame. Grimm and her wife, Nicole, live in Bethel with their daughter, Kyren.
Courtney Brothers ’13 is an athletic trainer at St. John’s Preparatory School in Massachusetts.
Shaun Snee ’14 is an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Denver Broncos.
Kelsey Flinko ’14 is marketing communications coordinator for Chelsea Building Products.
Paul Lorenz ’15 is a private banker and a senior vice president for western Pennsylvania at Mid Penn Bank. He worked at PNC Private Bank, where he was senior vice president and senior relationship manager.
alumni milestones
Erik Johnson M.S. ’16 works for NovaCare Rehabilitation and is the athletic trainer for Kent City School District in Michigan.
Dominic Carrola ’16 is an associate at Peacock Keller LLP, Washington, Pa. Dominic will focus his practice in the areas of civil litigation, medical malpractice defense, landlord-tenant disputes and tax assessment appeals. He earned his degree from California in commercial music technology and his Juris Doctorate from Duquesne University School of Law in 2019. Dominic is licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Bryan Schuerman ’09, M.Ed. ’16 is a permanent member of the 4Warn Weather Team in Detroit after joining Local 4 in May 2022 as a freelance meteorologist.
Haley Bashada McLaughlin ’16, M.Ed. ’19 was recognized with the National Liberty Museum’s annual Teacher as Hero Awards, which recognize outstanding educators from across the country who represent best practices in teaching and serve as role models for their colleagues and students.
Laurel Harry D.C.J. ’19 is the secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections.
2020s
Andie Hill ’20 is on the athletic training staff at Canisius University in Buffalo, N.Y. Hill studied athletic training at California.
Ron Shrift M.S. ’21 is a strength and conditioning coach for the Baltimore Ravens.
Jake Dryzal ’21 has a new album, “The Great American Racer,” which draws parallels between the history of floods and mine pollution and the current opioid epidemic in his hometown of Johnstown, Pa.
McKenzie Johnson M.A. ’22 works for WellSpan Health and is based at the Gettysburg Borough Police Department, where she assists officers in responding to mental health crises.
Anniversary
Pamela Zetka Marcavitch ’74 and Richard Marcavitch of Washington, Pa., celebrated their 50th anniversary in September 2023. Pamela earned her bachelor’s degree in education.
Birth
Benjamin Maxwell Moffitt was born in July 2023 to Ian ’09 and Lauren Shamitko ’10 Moffitt.
in memoriam
With deepest sympathy to the family and friends of the following alumni who have passed away.
Bill Brown ’14, retired head men’s basketball coach, died Feb. 15, 2023. Brown, 71, retired as the head coach of the Vulcans following the 2015-2016 campaign and finished his career as the all-time winningest coach in program history. He led Cal to six appearances in the NCAA Tournament, highlighted by the NCAA East Region Championship and Elite Eight appearance in 2008. He helped guide the Vulcans to the PSAC Tournament 14 times over two decades and earned a share of first place in the PSAC West standings eight times before the league expanded in 2008.
ROBERT J. IREY ’61, who began as a member of the California University of Pennsylvania Council of Trustees in 2002 and served as chair from 2011-2013, died Oct. 12, 2023.
GEORGE NOVAK ’55, a professor emeritus in the Department of Math, Computer Science and Information Systems, died April 25, 2023. He began his 60-year career at California in 1959 and retired in 2019. He received the Cal U Lifetime Achievement Award, the Alumni Association’s John R. Gregg Award, the Foundation for California University’s Dixonians Award and the President’s Faculty Award for Teaching. His impact continues through scholarships established during his long and memorable career.
LINDA SERENE ’64 died Aug. 29, 2023.
Linda worked at California for a year after graduation. She was a long-time member of the California University of Pennsylvania Alumni Association board of directors, a member of the Foundation for California University of Pennsylvania board of directors, a member of former President Angelo Armenti Jr.’s Board of Presidential Advisors and a member of several other university advisory groups. In 2007, she and her husband, Dr. Harry Serene, who survives, formed the Linda and Harry Serene Leadership Institute at California. They also endowed a family scholarship and a scholarship in memory of a family member at PennWest California. Linda received the Job Johnson Award, the Cal U Alumna of the Year award. She was the 2007 Winter Commencement speaker, and she and Harry were honor chairs of the Cal U Gala in 2005.
Ralph E. Armstrong ’75
Joseph C. Barcelona Jr. ’53
Sandra L. Bieniek ’73
Joann D. Bradica ’61
Rebecca Jo Brady ’09
Clarence D. “Pat” Brown ’57
Glenn R. Cavanaugh ’64
San Juana “Juanita” Chuba ’79
Frank Dankovich ’73
Harry E. Farrar ’57
Robert T. Flora ’72
Bertram J. Forsyth ’98
Michael R. Franchak ’61
Christopher “Chris” B. Gaffney ’12
Robert W. Grigor ’65
Dr. Mary Janet Henry, M.Ed. ’90
Shirley Arleen Tylka Hudspith ’71, M.Ed. ’95
Cynthia C. Hyde ’97
Dr. Michael R. Kozak ’63
Joseph Paul Kroskie ’71
Mary Gail Lautner ’79
Kenneth Paul Lucas ’73
Alexander Luckasevic ’82
Karen Ann Raffle Martin ’73
H. Carl McGary ’59
John Gregory “Greg” Medvick ’82
Jamie J. McPoyle ’14
Rosann Nardozzi ’92
David D. Murphy ’71
Barbara Berardino DeBerry Newman ’66
Alex Presley Orange*
David R. Petrun ’74
Susan D. Reihner ’95
Thomas Riedman ’70
Jean J. Sawich Ripepi ’54
Eugene Rubino ’74
Joseph Francis Sank ’65
Dr. Leonard John Siegel, professor emeritus of history
Paul M. Solley Jr. ’49
C.R. “Charles/Chuck” Thomas ’73, M.Ed., professor emeritus, former APSCUF president
Tracey L. Tobal ’94
George Louis Trombola ’77
Holly Wheeler ’95
Carol F. Wormack ’95
*no class year available or on file
