Portraits Winter 2023

PORTRAITS

INSIDE

Androsavich ’07 scouts mRNA for Pfizer

Special team lands campus on ESPN

Lacrosse set to debut for NCAA play in 2025

Robbins retires after 40 years in classroom and lab

THE UNLIKELY PRESIDENT

Esch ’83 takes unusual path to presidency

Telling

Overcoming Challenges

University life is always exciting.

We meet a new class of eager students each fall and welcome enthusiastic graduates into the alumni association each spring. Our faculty and students perform groundbreaking research, create beautiful works of art, and work on fascinating projects. Our staff find new ways to innovate to keep our campus running efficiently.

That excitement is one of the reasons why so many of us dedicate most of our careers to higher education and, for some of us, to Pitt-Bradford.

However, university life also is often filled with challenges. As you know, the last few years have been exceptionally challenging, and the next several years will continue to be so as we face three major challenges:

1. The population in our region and most of Pennsylvania continues to decline. That means fewer high school graduates seeking college and increased competition from other colleges and universities as we all try to recruit from a smaller pool of prospective students.

2. Many of our students continue to experience adverse effects from the pandemic and come to us in need of additional academic, financial, and mental health support and care.

3. Funding from the state legislature remains uncertain.

Despite these significant challenges, I am optimistic because our campus community cares deeply about our students, one another, and the future viability of Pitt-Bradford, and our strategic plan includes initiatives that address each of these challenges.

But we can’t do it alone. We continue to need your support.

Providing more scholarships is crucial, particularly as more students face greater financial struggles. Funding is also needed to give students enhanced opportunities and facilities, such as the new turf field and other improvements outlined in the Athletics Master Plan.

Referring college-bound students to Pitt-Bradford will enable them to have the same kind of fulfilling experience you had and assist us in our recruiting efforts.

Advocating on our behalf with Pennsylvania legislators will help them understand the important role Pitt-Bradford plays in the lives of our students, our alumni, and our local and state economy.

Attending events on campus will show our students, faculty and staff that you support them and the work they do.

While these challenges are substantial, they are not insurmountable. Over Pitt-Bradford’s nearly 60-year history, we have proven that we accomplish great things when we work toward a common purpose. I have no doubt that our continued combined efforts will lead to an exciting future.

PORTRAITS

SENIOR EDITOR

Pat Frantz Cercone

EDITOR

Kimberly Marcott Weinberg

COPY EDITORS

Laurie Dufford

Judy Hopkins ’71-’73

Joelle Warner

ART DIRECTOR

John Sizing www.jspublicationdesign.com

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Alan Hancock ’07, ’19

Glenn Melvin ’04

Matthew Lester

PRINTER Knepper Press

Published by the Office of Communications and Marketing University of Pittsburgh at Bradford © 2023 www.upb.pitt.edu

NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY STATEMENT

The University of Pittsburgh, as an educational institution and as an employer, values equality of opportunity, human dignity, and racial/ethnic and cultural diversity. Accordingly, as fully explained in Policy 07-01-03, the University prohibits and will not engage in discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, disability, or status as a veteran. The University also prohibits and will not engage in retaliation against any person who makes a claim of discrimination or harassment or who provides information in such an investigation. Further, the University will continue to take affirmative steps to support and advance these values consistent with the University’s mission. This policy applies to admissions, employment, access to and treatment in University programs and activities. This is a commitment made by the University and is in accordance with federal, state and/or local laws and regulations.

For information on University equal opportunity and affirmative action programs, please contact: University of Pittsburgh, Office of Affirmative Action, Diversity and Inclusion, Carol W. Mohamed, Director (and Title IX, 504 and ADA Coordinator), 412 Bellefield Hall, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15260 (412) 648-7860.

In compliance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, the University guarantees that students have the right to inspect all personally identifiable records maintained by the institution and may challenge the content and accuracy of those records through appropriate institutional procedures. It is further guaranteed by the University that student records containing personally identifiable information will not be released except as permitted by the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act.

Brien

Director of Human Resources and Title IX Liaison (814)362-0251, spb128@pitt.edu

Richard T. Esch ’83, president

Sofia

Telling the Stories of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford

features

12 The Unlikely President

If your career aspiration is to become a university president, the first step would be to earn a doctoral degree, often in education or economics. There would be time spent teaching in the classroom, followed by a shift into administration, where you would acquire skills in budgeting, strategic planning, leadership and problem solving. Pitt-Bradford’s new president, Rick Esch, went about it a bit differently and, in fact, never intended to be president.

20 The Next Big Thing in RNA

John Androsavich ’07 has been focused on the science of RNA – molecules that help DNA give instructions to our cells – since he graduated and began pursuing a doctorate in chemical biology at the University of Michigan. Since he received that degree in 2012, he’s been toiling away in the research and development trenches until the whole world seemed to discover RNA at once as part of the research that led to the highly effective vaccines to prevent the COVID-19 coronavirus. Androsavich has ridden the new wave in interest in RNA to the top of his field, where he’s Pfizer’s lead scout for possible uses for the latest research.

departments

2 First Shot

Senior environmental studies major Jacob Lister has grown up in Mount Jewett, Pa., where Kinzua Bridge State Park felt like an extension of his backyard. An avid landscape photographer, he frequently visits the park to photograph the remains of a railroad trestle.

4

The

Commons Lacrosse to arrive on campus in 2025; nontraditional student competes in Spartan Race in Abu Dhabi; alumni start Little League team for daughter and make it to ESPN; senior Connor Weiss makes the most of Pitt-Bradford; scholarship founded in memory of Stan Heckathorn; and Andrea Robbins retires.

22 Panther Pack

Photographs from Alumni and Family Weekend plus class notes.

Rick Esch’s presidential regalia, reflecting the bright blue adopted by the university in 2019, hangs ready for his inauguration on Sept. 26.

ALAN HANCOCK ’07, ’19

Cover by Matthew Lester

first shot

Evening wonder

Hundreds of thousands of people visit Kinzua Bridge State Park each year to see the Kinzua Skywalk, but senior environmental science major Jake Lister of Mount Jewett, Pa., grew up with it in his backyard about a halfhour south of Bradford. The 316-acre park opened in 1970 and was on the National Register of Historic Places and National Register of Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks due to its centerpiece, the 301-foot-tall Kinzua Bridge, first built out of wrought iron in 1882 as the tallest railroad bridge in the world to get coal from Elk County to Lake Erie for shipping. It was later replaced with a steel structure to carry heavier trains. That bridge was decommissioned in 1959 and sold for salvage.

However, the bridge and tracks weren’t salvaged. The state bought the property for a park, and a tourist railroad ran trips across the bridge until it was declared unsafe. Lister is just old enough to remember taking one of those trips as a train-mad toddler – a memory that was sealed by a cinder in his eye from the steam engine. Although not scrapped, the bridge had not been maintained, so a restoration began in 2002. But it was too late. A tornado in July 2003 caused 11 of the bridge’s 20 towers to collapse, and one of the causes was deemed to be corroded anchor bolts.

Instead of rebuilding the bridge, Pennsylvania built a viewing platform at the point where the bridge ended 225 feet above the Kinzua Valley and the wreckage of the collapsed tower. A visitors center explains both engineering of the bridge and the forces that took it down. It is still a popular site for tourists and PittBradford students to visit. Lister and his fiancée, Daphne Buzard, visit the park often to hike and for him to take photographs. After a thunderstorm on Aug. 17 this year, Buzard insisted they visit the park so he could take pictures.

Lister said the rain had left a mist in the valley below the Skywalk when he captured this picture at dusk.

News from Around the Quad

COMMONS THE New Game in Town

Artificial turf field will provide home for new sport

Lacrosse is coming to Pitt-Bradford once the university builds a new artificial turf field at the Kessel Athletic Complex, which will serve as a threeseason home to soccer and lacrosse.

The need for the $5 million turf field project is threefold – to create a more usable home for the current Panthers men’s and women’s soccer teams, to provide more use for intramural and recreational activities, and to create a home for men’s and women’s lacrosse teams, which will increase the student population by 50 students.

By summer, the new field should be under construction, said Bret Butler, director of athletics, with completion set for August, giving soccer teams access during pre-season practice. In addition to artificial turf, the project will include lights, further extending the use of the field.

The university is currently recruiting for a men’s lacrosse coach who will begin recruiting for a team to play as a club in spring 2024 and in NCAA Division III in the spring of 2025. A women’s team will follow a year later. Both men’s and women’s lacrosse play in the spring. Combined, the two teams should bring in an added $1 million annually in tuition revenue for the campus.

“We’re looking forward to having lacrosse teams as well as a new turf facility, which will provide new and enhanced opportunities and facilities for our student-athletes as well as for our fans,” said Pitt-Bradford President Rick Esch.

Lacrosse is one of the fastestgrowing sports in the United States, and its popularity is highest in nearby New York state, making it a good fit for Pitt-Bradford.

Butler said, “Lacrosse is a growing sport that we believe will complement our current offerings while also giving us a new avenue for growth as a university and department. These programs will be a terrific addition to Pitt-Bradford Athletics, and we are very excited to get started.”

Field improvements also will help with soccer recruitment and cut down on near-constant maintenance of the current grass field. Additionally, current artificial turf fields are safer than their earlier incarnations.

More time on the field late into the fall and earlier in the spring will mean

that the university will no longer have to send teams to Bradford Area High School to practice before classes begin at 8 a.m. and will make evening and night games possible. The added use of the field also will allow coaches to hold clinics and recruiting weekends and enable the university to host tournaments like those currently held on baseball and softball fields at the Kessel Athletic Complex.

Connor Weiss, a senior exercise science major from Allison Park, Pa., and Adriana Gallas, a senior biology major from East Stroudsburg, Pa., are already excited. The pair of current Panther swimmers have met with Butler and Randy Ruffner, director of intramurals, recreation and club sports, about starting a club team this academic year.

Weiss said that he did not play the game in high school. He and his friends played it for fun, just like they played baseball, football and hockey.

He said the sport was popular in his suburban Pittsburgh hometown and that he and Gallas have gotten a good response to informal polls of interest in a club team. The pair hope to organize pickup games and scrimmage against other club teams.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Weiss said.

Pitt-Bradford currently offers 14 intercollegiate sports and three club sports. To contribute to the artificial turf field project, contact the Office of Philanthropic and Alumni Engagement at (814) 362-5091 or visit givetoupb.org. –Kimberly Weinberg

“Lacrosse is a growing sport that we believe will complement our current offerings while also giving us a new avenue for growth as a university and department. These programs will be a terrifi c addition to Pitt-Bradford Athletics.”

— Bret Butler, A.D.

Bella Anderson, a junior biology major from Richland, Pa., practices cradling the ball on a sunny autumn day. She is one of several Pitt-Bradford students eager to join a club lacrosse team.

STUDENT STANDOUTS

Heckathorn honored

Scholarship created for longtime administrator

It was on the anniversary of the death of her husband, Stan, that Lynn Heckathorn ’78-’86 decided to create a scholarship at Pitt-Bradford in his memory.

Connor Weiss ’23 is taking advantage of everything Pitt-Bradford has to offer, starting even from before he enrolled.

Weiss began swimming competitively during his sophomore year of high school and knew that it was something he would like to continue in college. A sprinter, he swims the 100-yard freestyle, 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard breaststroke and added the 200-yard individual medley (one lap each of butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle) to the events he is competing in this year.

As a senior, Weiss is serving as captain of the men’s swim team as well as helping to organize a lacrosse club on campus (see story on page 4).

An exercise science major who plans to become a physical therapist, he spent the summer of 2022 working in the University of Pittsburgh’s physical therapy department in Pittsburgh with older adults recruited from Pittsburgh hospitals who are experiencing challenges with time and space awareness.

Aside from athletics and studies, he takes part in Greek life on campus, is active in student government and campus life as a member of the Blue and Gold Society, which supplies student support for alumni and donor events, and is even rumored to be the Pitt-Bradford panther mascot.

He’s also reached beyond campus to become involved with Bradford Little Theater’s annual shadow cast of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” in which he plays Rocky, a lab-created muscle man.

She and her daughter, Debi Delach ’96, set up the Stanley C. Heckathorn Memorial Scholarship for students pursuing any field of study.

Stan Heckathorn began his career at Pitt-Bradford in 1971 as director of operations. In 1980, he was promoted to director of business affairs, and was named vice president for business affairs in 1994.

Heckathorn left the position in 1997 to take a new role with a software

Bradford have helped shape the college.”

Current Pitt-Bradford President Rick Esch worked with Heckathorn. “Stan was very instrumental in the development of the Pitt-Bradford campus, including the establishment of the Bradford Educational Foundation (which receives and administers gifts exclusively for the benefit of Pitt-Bradford) and the creation of the campus master plan,” he said. “He was a great mentor and a good friend.”

Lynn Heckathorn said family members, including her daughter, have contributed to the scholarship. In addition, she plans to contribute to the new scholarship a part of the proceeds from the sale of paintings at her recent art show on campus.

Delach said she is pleased with the scholarship in memory of her father and hopes it is successful.Delach said she realizes how fortunate she was to have attended Pitt-Bradford tuition free, which is a benefit provided to employees and their dependents.

company. He told The Bradford Era at the time that it was a difficult decision for him after 25 years.

At the time he left, Dr. Richard E. McDowell, then-president of the university, said, “Stan has shepherded the college through tremendous growth and development. His financial and organizational leadership plus his strong personal commitment to Pitt-

“I can’t imagine if you didn’t have the money to continue” attending college. “It would just be horrible.”

The Heckathorn scholarship will be awarded for the first time during the 2023-24 academic year. For more information about donor scholarships, please contact the Office of Philanthropic and Alumni Engagement at (814)362-5091 or visit www.givetoupb.org.

GLENN MELVIN ‘04 (TOP); FILE PHOTO (BOTTOM)

Stan Heckathorn

Connor Weiss

Andrea Robbins teaching 8 a.m. chemistry. “I’m a morning person,” she said. “My students are there. They know it’s important.”

takes a lot of work to understand tough topics.

“I’m very old school in my methods,” she said. “I believe you get out of learning what you put into it. You only learn by pushing a pencil.”

In 2008, she received the Chairs’ Faculty Teaching Award.

Retiring earlier in 2022 were longtime employees Dr. Jon Draeger, associate professor of chemistry, and Patricia Colosimo, director of arts programming.

Until last summer, Draeger taught general, physical, organic and computational chemistry at Pitt-Bradford starting in 1987, when he came to campus from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Robbins retires after more than 40 years in classroom and lab

Draeger, Colosimo also retire over summer

Andrea Robbins, one of Pitt-Bradford’s longest-serving members of the faculty, retired in December after more than 40 years of service to the university teaching chemistry and algebra.

She had not planned a career in academics when she came to PittBradford in 1982 as a lab instructor –a job she intended to have for a couple of years before pursuing a career in industry. But she fell in love with another lab instructor, Don Robbins, who introduced her to the woods of his native McKean County, where she still prefers to be found today and plans to spend time in retirement.

The Robbinses were married for 31 years before Don’s death in 2015.

Andrea Robbins grew up in Leetsdale, Pa., loving science at a

time when that was uncommon for a girl. After getting a hand-me-down chemistry set from an uncle, she asked for and received one for Christmas, sparking her passion for chemistry. Her 10th grade chemistry class set in motion her desire to be a chemist.

Robbins attended Villa Maria College, in Erie, Pa., and took chemistry classes at Gannon University, where she was often the only woman in upper level courses.

Robbins gained a reputation at PittBradford as an instructor who excelled at breaking down tough topics into digestible bits.

“I try to remember my best what it was like to be on the other side of the desk,” she says of teaching and meeting with students. She also believes that it

In 1996, he took part in a professional exchange with the Academy of Sciences in Beijing, visiting universities and chemical companies.

Draeger lives in Duke Center and enjoys skiing at Holiday Valley and walking on his treadmill.

Colosimo worked at Pitt-Bradford for 23 years, beginning her career with conference services and as coordinator of the Spectrum Arts Series. In 2006, she was named assistant director of arts programming and was promoted to director in 2012.

In 2009, Pitt-Bradford staff selected her for its Staff Recognition Award, and in 2010, she was one of a handful of employees across the University of Pittsburgh to receive the Chancellor’s Award for Staff Excellence.

Colosimo introduced children’s programming and arts appreciation for young people at Pitt-Bradford, founding the university’s Kaleidoscope program, brought in top-flight artists on a limited budget, raised money for the arts at Pitt-Bradford, and oversaw the multi-faceted restoration of the historically significant Tommaso Juglaris painting that hangs in Blaisdell Hall.

Moment in the sun

International Little League’s adaptive baseball program for young athletes with intellectual or physical challenges and is available for children aged 4 to 18. Athletes 18 to 22 may also participate if they’re still enrolled in school.

Many of the young athletes for the program were recruited from CARE For Children, a nonprofit organization that helps to improve the lives of children of all abilities. The athletes had the opportunity to play an exhibition game at the Kessel Athletics Complex thanks to an invitation from Bret Butler, director of intercollegiate athletics and recreation.

“Pitt-Bradford was gracious enough to let us use the field,” Erin Bridge said. “It’s handicap accessible, and the restrooms are right there.”

Butler said, “We wanted to provide the venue to do the best possible job we could to help them. Being a member of the community, we want to do as much as we can.”

During the exhibition game, the athletes received the adaptive equipment and support they needed to play and enjoy baseball. For example, “buddies” from Bradford Regional Little League were on hand to help the Challengers.

Delaney’s 12-year-old brother, Jonah, a Bradford Regional Little League player, helped in the dugout and the outfield. Her buddy and best friend on the field was Gabriela Carter.

An alumni couple started an adaptive baseball program in Bradford for special needs children that developed into so much more than giving the youngsters an opportunity to play ball.

Josh and Erin Harvey Bridge, who graduated in 2002 and 2003,

respectively, started the Bradford Little League Challenger program last summer, inspired by their daughter, Delaney, who played on the Warren County Youth Baseball and Softball Challenger team.

The Challenger organization is the

“We are grateful for the support of the BRLL’s board of directors, youth athletes and their parents for allowing them to participate and help in this inclusive and team effort,” said Josh Bridge, who besides being Delaney and Jonah’s dad is also president of the Pitt-Bradford Alumni Association.

The Challenger exhibition game, Bridge said, “was a win-win, with the score ending up to be a lot to a lot.”

But, oftentimes in sports, timing is everything. And that was the case with

ERIN HARVEY BRIDGE ’03

Alumni Josh and Erin Harvey Bridge start a team that became ESPN’s feel-good story of the LLWS

Erin Harvey Bridge ’03 and daughter, Delaney, at the Challenger League baseball game for kids of all abilities.

the Challenger athletes, whose baseball experience turned into so much more than just hitting and catching balls and running the bases.

The Challenger game at Kessel Field followed the Pennsylvania Little League World Baseball State Tournament competition, where Hollidaysburg competed against Keystone to represent Pennsylvania in the MidAtlantic Regional Tournament held in Bristol, Conn., which also happens to be the home of ESPN. Hollidaysburg would end up moving on to the Little League World Series in Williamsport.

“The timing was perfect for the Challengers to use Kessel Field as a showcase,” Butler said. “We were able to use that event to really promote the Challengers … A lot of positive forces came together to help the Challengers.”

As it turned out, the players on both Hollidaysburg and Keystone teams approached the Challenger players and offered to help them, forging what developed into a beautiful friendship.

“It was a total surprise,” Erin Bridge said.

What would have been a warm and fuzzy ending to a nice sports story turned out not to be the end at all. There were more surprises ahead.

In addition to befriending and helping the Challenger players, the Hollidaysburg team adopted the team’s slogan “Bull Power” that had been coined by player Carmine Calderone. As Hollidaysburg advanced to the World Series, the players used the slogan when they were interviewed on ESPN and spoke about their friendship with the Challenger players.

And, when ESPN broadcast promotional segments for the Little League World Series games, the network aired footage from the Challenger game in Bradford.

Nearly everyone in Bradford who saw that local footage was astounded, including 13-year-old Delaney, who saw herself on ESPN and couldn’t help smiling.

Butler, who was watching the Little League World Series game with his wife, had a similar reaction.

“There on national TV, ESPN was talking about the Bradford Challengers. It was beautiful. My phone just started blowing up [with calls from others who saw the same thing].”

To return the support they received, the Bridges traveled to Williamsport

to watch their Hollidaysburg friends play in the World Series, along with a caravan of other fans and supporters from Bradford who brought signs representing Bradford.

Although Hollidaysburg lost against the Southwest division team from Pearland, Texas, it didn’t dampen the spirits of their Bradford friends who enjoyed the Williamsport venue.

And, as a result of what happened at Kessel Field, Josh Bridge said his long-term goal for the Challenger program is to hold an exhibition game at the Little League World Series in Williamsport.

“We’re working on it,” he said. “Williamsport is an amazing atmosphere.” —Kate Day Sager

Video extra Scan to see more photos from the Challenger game at Kessel Field

“There on national TV, ESPN was talking about the Bradford Challengers. It was beautiful. My phone just started blowing up.” – Bret Butler, director of intercollegiate athletics and recreational sports

Erin Harvey Bridge ’03, far left, and Josh Bridge ’02, second from left, take a team photo with the Bradford Regional Little League Challenger Team.

ERIN HARVEY BRIDGE ’03

Warrior mentality

Senior Tyler Newton ’23 has been a competitor all his life. Newton spent most of his life fulfilling his desire to compete on the wrestling mat. Now, with his NCAA eligibility used up, he has also found a new outlet for his competitiveness in endurance obstacle races, specifically Spartan Races.

A nontraditional student, Newton came to Pitt-Bradford in 2021. He graduated from Bolivar-Richburg (N.Y.) Central School in Bolivar, N.Y., in 2012 and attended the NCAA Division I University of Buffalo (N.Y.) as a member of the school’s wrestling team. But after four years at Buffalo, Newton became unsure of his career goals and returned home, where he worked with his father and began coaching wrestling

Coaching alongside his father, Newton found his passion and decided to return to college to earn a degree

in exercise science with a final goal of entering the coaching profession. He enrolled at Pitt-Bradford and, in spring 2022, he used his final semester of NCAA eligibility to join Pitt-Bradford’s wrestling program. He posted a 17-6 record and was named an NCAA Division III Scholar All-American by the National Wrestling Coaches Association. This season, he is serving as a volunteer coach for the Panthers.

It was Newton’s wife, Stephanie, who introduced him to the world of competitive obstacle course racing in 2019. He excelled in the races, slowly working his way through qualifying events until he qualified for and com-

peted in the 2022 Spartan World Championship held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Dec. 3.

“This has given me an amazing opportunity to not only compete at the highest level,” said Newton. “It has also given me the chance to travel the country and now the world, taking in and experiencing new cultures and enjoying different parts of the world’s natural beauty.”

Spartan Race is a series of obstacle course races that have been franchised in 30 different countries. The races vary in length between 5 kilometers and 30 miles, are held on off-road terrain with water and mud and contain 20-30 obstacles. Competitors can enter

Senior Tyler Newton takes part in Spartan Elite World Championship

STEPHANIE NEWTON

Tyler Newton

an open competition or can qualify for elite competition, which gives successful racers opportunities to compete in regional and world championships.

Newton ran his first race in Illinois in 2019 and signed up at once for the elite competition. “If I’m going to do it, I’m going to compete at the highest level I can,” he said. Not only did he compete at the elite level, but he succeeded, finishing in 9th place.

Spartan Races were put on hiatus in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but Newton trained and was ready to compete again when they resumed. He took 13th place in a race in Ohio to requalify for elites, and then in 2022 won his age group, 25-29, at a race in New Jersey, earning a spot in the North American Qualifiers, held in Kelowna, B.C., Canada, in August.

At the North American Championships, Newton ran a 14-mile course featuring more than 30 obstacles, all while battling nearly 9,000 feet of elevation change and cold, snowy conditions in the Canadian Rockies. He finished the

race in 2 hours, 53 minutes, passing two competitors in the final mile to earn his spot in the World Championship to be held in Abu Dhabi in December.

Newton considered whether to compete or not, but he cited the support of his wife, Stephanie, in making the decision to continue.

“Steph has been so supportive of me in this venture,” he said. “Not only did she introduce me to the sport, but as a former high-level competitor herself, she has coached me and pushed me to keep on competing. She told me that this is an opportunity you might not have again, so make the most of it.”

Newton, accompanied by his wife, began his whirlwind trip to the other side of the world on Nov. 30, arriving in the United Arab Emirates 7,000 miles and nine time zones away on Dec. 1. The couple arrived in Abu Dhabi just in time for the UAE’s National Day, a celebration of the country’s unification.

“It was an amazing experience,” he said. “There were festivals, special meals and fireworks shows. It was

really cool to see the celebrations and have an opportunity to join in some of them.” But he did not have too much time to partake in the celebrations since his race was the next day.

The World Championship was a 10-kilometer race with 25 obstacles. Unlike his experience at the regionals, Newton would now battle temperatures in the mid-80s with a tough course that included running in loose sand dunes. Newton was one of 95 men competing in the elite race and finished with a time of 1 hour, 25 minutes, finishing in 29th.

He recalls being emotional both before and after the race.

“As a competitor, being able to compete in a world championship was incredible,” he said. He returned home the next morning (Dec. 4) and was back on campus for class and practice a day after that.

Moving forward, Newton is excited to finish his degree and begin coaching and will restart his qualification process in April for next year’s Spartan Elite Championship. –Matt Lovell

“This has given me … the chance to travel the country and now the world, taking in and experiencing new cultures and enjoying different parts of the world’s natural beauty.”

President Rick Esch addresses a crowd of alumni, students, parents, donors and employees at Light Up the Quad held during Alumni and Family Weekend.

the UNLIKELY PRESIDENT

It is unusual, to say the least, for a vice president of business affairs to be asked to take over as president of a university, but it’s just what happened to Rick Esch this year. We look at why he is the ideal man for the moment.

BY KIMBERLY WEINBERG

In a walk across the Bromeley Quadrangle, Rick Esch’s attention to detail is on full display. He notices and notes every small piece of trash, crack in the sidewalk or miniscule campus imperfection. He will follow up. It’s a display of both his focus and his ability to pay attention to many things at once.

At 62, he still has a charmingly boyish eagerness and intensity. Despite the businessperson’s suit and classic short side-parted hair, glimpses of a motivated young man – the youngest of seven children, washing dishes at the DeSoto Holiday House on South Avenue, first-generation college student – are never far below the surface.

It’s something his longtime friend, mentor and later colleague Dr. K. James Evans, retired vice president and dean of student affairs, noted when he spoke at the inauguration of Esch as president in September, citing his work ethic.

“For every position he has held, he was recruited. Why is that? Because his reputation preceded him, and others wanted him on their team,” Evans said.

What was that reputation? Professionalism, hard work and an ability to get things done right that have Pitt people from the facilities crew to the provost

agreeing he is the right man for the job.

What’s the big deal about a hard-working, competent performer with 20 years’ experience as a vice president being selected to lead an organization? Nothing, outside of academia. But college presidents are expected to have doctoral degrees and years in the classroom. So, although Esch has a Master of Business Administration from the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz School of Business, his background to lead a university is unconventional.

It’s a testament to Esch’s capabilities that the faculty are among his biggest supporters. Dr. Michael Klausner, associate professor of sociology, is the longest-serving faculty member.

He served on the hiring committee that selected Esch as the university’s first director of auxiliary services, overseeing dining services, the bookstore, mail center, vending and other areas. Previously, Esch had been the director of food service on campus with the hospitality company Sodexo.

“Everyone on the committee was so impressed with him,” Klausner said. “He was quite visible when managing the food service.” (Indeed, many remember Esch carving turkey, ham or roast beef at campus celebrations.)

“For every position he has held, he was recruited. Why is that? Because his reputation preceded him, and others wanted him on their team.”

— DR. K. JAMES EVANS

Klausner, who teaches organizational behavior, praised Esch’s interpersonal relationship style. “He makes people feel at ease and makes himself available. You don’t feel uptight when you go talk to him.”

Bill Kline ’84, director of CTM Services, has worked at Pitt-Bradford since he graduated and often worked closely with Esch. “He can be the man in charge, but he’s always spoken to me on an even level,” he said. “It makes it easy to deal with him.”

The lack of an academic background doesn’t bother Klausner. “Being president really does not have a lot to do with expertise in an academic discipline. I think the MBA is much more relevant.”

Dr. Matthew Kropf, associate professor of engineering technology and acting president of the Faculty Senate, backed up Klausner’s assertions.

“Campus presidents are almost always former tenured faculty,” he said. “That’s why it’s so astounding that Rick has the full support of the faculty.”

As unusual as a university president without a doctoral degree is, so is the industry where Esch got his start – food service. It’s something he’s proud of and something that clearly shaped his management style (See separate story).

He got his start in food service on the traditional lowest rung, washing dishes. At 15, he would walk the 2 miles from Bradford Area High School each afternoon to his dishwashing job at the Holiday House.

Within weeks, when the DeSoto staff was short handed one night, Esch was put in a chef’s uniform and sent out to carve roast beef on the buffet line, for which the DeSoto was known. He was a dependable worker and moved up in the kitchen.

At 17, he moved on to the Pennhills Club, a private country club, where he served as sous-chef for four years during his last two years of high school and first two years of college before taking a similar job at Caesar’s Cove, an upscale restaurant in a former mansion on East Main Street.

“Food service requires a lot of organizational and people skills,” Esch said. “It’s high pressure, especially when you’re doing a la carte, but there’s a satisfaction to being able to deliver under the gun.”

He considered pursuing culinary school or studying to be a general manager, but when he started college at PittBradford, something else caught his interest – environmental science.

His love of the outdoors goes back to his earliest memories. He was born in Magnolia, Miss., and spent his very first years on a farm with cows and horses, plenty of brothers to play with, and ponds and creeks and woods to explore.

His father was a senior service oil engineer who troubleshooted what was wrong with heavy equipment, and his family had moved around to follow his father’s work. Both of his parents were originally from Kansas, and Esch’s mom also worked as a bookkeeper all through her high school and while raising seven children. Neither of his parents attended college.

When Esch was 6, his father’s work at Kendall Refining brought the family to Bradford. The family had a house in Derrick City, and Esch resumed playing in the woods with his brothers and other children. Hide-n-seek and softball were favorites.

Despite the environmental science degree he earned in 1983, Esch continued in the food service arena, steadily moving up. After graduating, he returned to Pennhills as the general manager.

The club had 480 members at the time, he said, and he reported directly to a board of directors. Those on the board mentored Esch, helping him learn the ins and outs of a multifaceted operation that required bidding projects and negotiating contracts; overseeing accounts receivable as well

When the university’s current dining services, Metz Culinary Management, experienced a staffing shortage during the height of the pandemic, Rick Esch went back to his roots, and convinced his cabinet to do so as well, helping out at the dining hall’s pizza oven.

The lessons Rick Esch learned from hospitality

Pitt-Bradford President Rick Esch never strays far from his roots in the hospitality and food service industry, regularly pointing to lessons he learned in the field where he spent the first years of his working life.

Esch revealed in a recent discussion with the Pitt-Bradford Staff Association council that his favorite way to train a manager was to “put them on the line,” have them cook and follow an executive chef’s instructions, saying that it is the best way for managers to understand the stressors faced by those they manage.

In the food service sector, he learned about the vulnerabilities of people in the workforce. He gained respect and compassion for people dealing with personal hardships. “Some of the best people I’ve ever worked with were in food service,”

he said. “They took pride in their work and worked hard.”

As a manager, he learned that people work jobs for a variety of reasons – from a veteran who needed the job to a retired executive who needed to feel part of a team – and that they respond to different motivators.

“One size doesn’t fit all,” he said. “Different people respond to different motivations.”

Esch had a chance to see leaders in the kitchen and in the community and learn from them. From his early days as a buffet server at the DeSoto Holiday House in South Bradford, he identified and emulated mentors.

“Being respectful and appreciative builds networks,” he said. As he built networks, people got to know him and

wanted him to join their team, as Dr. K. James Evans, retired vice president and dean of student affairs, pointed out during his speech at Esch’s inauguration.

Esch, as manager of the Pennhills Club, learned from members of the club’s board of directors who taught him skills that set him on a path to larger project management. With their guidance, he took control of his first infrastructure project, building a pipeline from the club’s private reservoirs.

He learned other methods from mentors, such as not taking no for an answer. “If I’m getting ‘no’ for an answer, I’m not asking the right question,” he said.

And his mentors affirmed what he already knew: Details matter, and it pays to always do the right thing.

The food service industry was where

“He makes people feel at ease and makes himself available. You don’t

Esch enjoys watching his grandchildren toss rings on a spider at the annual downtown Pumpkin Fest Kids Zone.

GLENN MELVIN ’04

as bar, dining and kitchen staff; and keeping costs low and service high. It was where he met Howard Fesenmyer, who became an important supporter and Advisory Board member at Pitt-Bradford as well as a lifelong mentor to Esch.

He was working 12-hour days at Pennhills when he was recruited to become the head of dining services for Sodexho at Pitt-Bradford, a role he held for nine years before becoming Pitt-Bradford’s director of auxiliary services.

Esch welcomed the shorter hours of college dining services. As a divorced father of two small children, Michael and Amelia, whom he saw six days a week, he had more time to spend with them outdoors, particularly at Allegany State Park in nearby Salamanca, N.Y.

As director of dining services, he first became involved with the larger community, starting with a citywide project that used volunteers to build a fantastical playground in Hanley Park from recycled tires and other materials. Esch organized and served chicken barbecue to dozens of volunteers working on the project.

Later, Dr. Richard McDowell, then-president of PittBradford, recommended Esch for the region’s tourism board, which became the Allegheny National Forest Visitors Bureau.

Perhaps the community venture nearest to his heart is the Tuna Valley Trail Association, of which he remains president, and which has constructed nearly a dozen hiking,

biking and walking trails in the Bradford area, including the very popular Richard E. McDowell Community Trail on campus, the Community Parks Trail leading from campus to downtown Bradford and through the city’s parks, and the Marilla Bridges Trail, another favorite spot for Pitt-Bradford students and community members alike.

The trail association’s blueprint hangs in Esch’s office, perhaps as a reminder of what can be accomplished even when many are skeptical, as they were when the association formed 25 years ago.

More recently, Esch marshaled all his organizational and people skills plus his own remarkable memory and ability to multi-task during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when he served for 18 months as the point person for anything remotely related to coronavirus safety on the Bradford and Titusville campuses. He met almost nonstop with officials from the University of Pittsburgh’s COVID

Esch developed empathy and came to value clear communication and doing things in the right order: developing a plan, having a system, paying attention to details and working as a team. The essential thing he learned was to value those he works with, whether they were members of the custodial staff or boards of directors.

His wife, Lisa ’90, said, “He tries to see the best in people.”

Esch finds the best in people by getting to know them. He’s known for his eagerness to talk with students, employees and members of the community. He shows that he genuinely cares about students, staff and faculty by asking about their personal circumstances and bragging about their work.

“He is an excellent listener and will always stop for a chat,” said Dr. Michael Klausner, associate professor of sociology who teaches organizational behavior. “I think that’s

crucial for an organization. Rick has great knowledge about the institutional culture.” Pitt-Bradford culture prides itself on being centered around caring for one another, whether that’s students, staff or faculty.

Leasa Maley, assistant director of auxiliary services and a Pitt-Bradford graduate, valued Esch’s faith in her to get the job done. She pointed out that he championed her to become the manager of The Panther Shop and encouraged her studies as she worked toward earning a bachelor’s degree from Pitt-Bradford.

When the university chose to have the bookstore run by an outside company, Maley said that Esch made it a priority to make sure those who had been working at The Panther Shop as Pitt employees found new roles within the university.

“We’re all really grateful to Rick for that.”

He’s the same at work as he is at home, his wife, Lisa, said, centered on family, relationships and doing things right as a team.

“What you see is who he is.”

Wife Lisa, “He tries to see the best in people.”

Esch talks with students in the Hanley Library.

feel uptight when you go talk to him.”

— DR. MICHAEL KLAUSNER

Mitigation Response Office and housing, health and safety officials in Pittsburgh, Bradford and Titusville.

He represented both regional campuses on the chancellor’s Resilience Steering Committee and collaborated with local, regional and state agencies, emergency management agencies and local health officials, all while leading meetings of several groups on campus – all remotely – to hash out the logistics of re-arranging residence hall rooms and classrooms; wiring new spaces for academic use; converting the dining hall to an all take-out operation; increasing air circulation in buildings; determining policies; arranging for COVID-19 testing, quarantine and in-depth cleaning; making sure masks were available; and putting up signs and stickers to explain all of it.

Klausner, always the first to ask a question at any campus presentation, was impressed. “I was just amazed at the excellence of his job [during the pandemic],” Klausner said.“I think he did a magnificent job in addition to his regular duties.”

Last year, Esch’s staff colleagues recognized his incredible pandemic performance by awarding him the PittBradford Staff Association’s Staff Recognition Award.

Shortly after the staff recognized Esch, then-president Dr. Catherine Koverola resigned. Soon Esch had an unexpected call from Pitt Provost Dr. Ann Cudd, who is not only the university’s chief academic officer but also oversees the regional campuses.

“The Chancellor and I would like you to be interim president,” Esch recalls Cudd saying.

Esch’s wife, Lisa ’90, said that “he was gobsmacked.” Esch accepted the position with the idea that a new president would begin in the summer of 2023.

During the pandemic, the campus had lost staff and faculty. As interim president, Esch began to restore morale, fundraising and momentum.

In the spring, Cudd began asking groups of campus constituents what they thought about Esch becoming permanent president. Faculty expressed concern about the process but had no reservations about Esch. Esch spent a day interviewing, but really, it had been a year-long process.

“I was so proud [when he was asked to be president],” his wife, Lisa, said, “but I also thought he was crazy.” She noted that he had been thinking about retiring but felt that accepting was “the right thing to do.”

“All the support that came flooding in was humbling,” she said.

Esch’s relationship with the Bradford and Pitt communities is one of mutual admiration.

“He loves everybody,” Lisa Esch said. “There was no question in his mind [that he would do this].”

Certainly, Esch has a deep well of respect and admiration of others to draw on, and he does.

“My approach has always been that my staff doesn’t work for me; they work with me,” he said, adding that that is the way of a nonprofit board – something he learned long ago at the Pennhills Club and then alongside his mentors on Pitt-Bradford’s Advisory Board.

It will take a team to do what needs to be done. Most small higher education institutions are seeing a decline in population, and that’s true at Pitt-Bradford.

Esch sees that challenge as an opportunity to outperform expectations. His optimism is key to making that happen.

“He’s always positive,” said Leasa Maley, assistant director of auxiliary services and a 2003 Pitt-Bradford alumna who has worked with Esch for many years. “He always sees the glass three-quarters full. If Rick mentions something to you, you better put it on your back burner because it is coming back to you.”

Six months into his time as president, Esch continues to show that optimism, to follow up on the details of projects and problems large and small and to let his passion for the campus that nurtured him be his guide.

“I’ve always been a person who can get things done,” he said of what gives him confidence. “When I say I’m optimistic about something, that means I think it can happen, and you can’t do it yourself. I’ve always had a good network of people that I could call on.”

Lisa Esch knows that her husband’s network gives him confidence. “He wouldn’t be able to do what he does without this community,” she said. “Even when he comes home tired, he comes home exuberant because it was a good day.”

From left, Pitt Chancellor Dr. Patrick Gallagher, Esch, Provost Dr. Ann Cudd and Dr. K. James Evans, former vice president and dean of student affairs, recognize Esch’s family during his inauguration.

“If I’m getting ‘no’ for an answer, I’m not asking the right question.”

— PRESIDENT RICK ESCH

Three of Pitt-Bradford’s presidents gathered for Esch’s inauguration in September. Esch, left, President Emeritus Dr. Richard E. McDowell, center, and President Emeritus Dr. Livingston Alexander, right.

THE NEXT BIG THING IN RNA

IT’S NOT UNCOMMON for students to enroll at Pitt-Bradford with one career path in mind before changing their trajectory and graduating with a completely different degree. This was no different for Dr. John Androsavich ’07.

Androsavich, whose mother was a registered nurse, came to Pitt-Bradford in 2003 with the goal of becoming a pharmacist. He found the biology and technicalities in his mother’s nursing journals fascinating and wanted to learn more.

However, after interning at a CVS drugstore, he realized working at a pharmacy was not what he had envisioned.

“More of the work was with insurance companies and customers,” said Androsavich. Unsatisfied, yet still keen on pharmacology and physiology, he decided to change his major to biology with a chemistry minor.

Androsavich worked with Dr. David Soriano, associate professor of chemistry, during his senior year and that interaction introduced him to a new window of oppor-

John Androsavich ’07 in front of his workplace, Pfizer in Cambridge, Mass., where he leads the pharmaceutical giant’s search for uses for RNA research.

RNA research was still a fringe study when Dr. John Androsavich ’07 became interested in it. Now he’s leading a pharmaceutical giant’s search for the next big thing in RNA.

tunities in the pharmaceutical space.

“We were doing computational simulations of proteins and observing their interplay with drug molecules,” Androsavich said –a process known as docking. “It gave me the molecular insight into pharmacology that I was seeking and didn’t necessarily think I would get as a pharmacist.

“I wish I knew that it didn’t have to be just a one-way path. You don’t have to go to a dental school or medical school. You can do research and work in medicine too. Some of the most influential scientists in the field of medicine understand scientific processes. You don’t have to pick one track.”

The fall of Androsavich’s senior year was also a milestone year for RNA research and recognition. In 2006, Andrew Fire and Craig Mello received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their finding of RNA interference. “That was the first time I saw (RNA) in the limelight, and it got me excited,” Androsavich said.

RNA molecules serve as the intermediary between DNA molecules that contain genetic instructions and production sites that make proteins, which are major building block in cells.

Androsavich continued

learning about RNA during his final year at Pitt-Bradford and conducted his senior capstone research exploring small interfering RNA (siRNA) and the potential it had to treat HIV, the virus which causes AIDS. “I no longer wanted to learn to dispense drugs. I wanted to learn to discover them,” he said.

Following his graduation from Pitt-Bradford, Androsavich went on to earn his Ph.D. in chemical biology at the University of Michigan and then worked at a variety of biotechnology companies, including Regulus Therapeutics, RaNA Therapeutics

and Translate Bio – all focused on RNA drug discovery and development.

Propelling his career even further, Androsavich joined Pfizer’s Emerging Science & Innovation team in 2021. This team was responsible for setting the stage for the eventual development of the well-known Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Years prior to the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 virus, the Emerging Science & Innovation team was already making inroads with the German biotechnology company BioNTech.

“In 2018, before I was at

Pfizer, my team built that relationship, scouted the mRNA/LNP technology and then signed the deal for a flu vaccine with BioNTech. It was only at the beginning of the pandemic that Pfizer and BioNTech adjusted the focus to COVID.”

Androsavich, who is now the global head of RNA medicine emerging science at Pfizer, assumes a business development role in which he engages with academics, technicians, researchers and company executives, and is always on the lookout for new therapeutic applications of RNA.

“My job is to interact with different biotechs and investigators to find the best technology and drug candidates out there that comple-

ment Pfizer’s portfolio. Then, I build those relationships to find out how we can collaborate and partner together. I’m essentially playing matchmaker and facilitating new RNA drugs. I think RNA medicine can be so much more, and it’s important to get in early,” he said.

The field of research in biopharmaceuticals, and RNA specifically, had been expanding in recent years and has now exploded because of COVID-19.

“The world has turned and realized what RNA can do. I was hopeful that this day might come, although

“I no longer wanted to learn to dispense drugs. I wanted to learn to discover

John Androsavich ’07 takes part in a keynote panel about Big Pharma’s role in the progress of RNA medicines at the RNA Leaders Conference held in Boston in September.

it’s unfortunate it took a pandemic to get here,” Androsavich said.

The growth of RNA research at Androsavich’s postgraduate institution serves as a small testament to the market expansion. When he completed his Ph.D. in 2012 at the University of Michigan, there were only four faculty labs focused on RNA research, including the lab where he conducted his thesis research. When Androsavich returned to Ann Arbor, Mich., this past year after being invited to participate in an RNA symposium, there were more than 150 faculty members affiliated with a newly established RNA Center for Biomedicine.

Although the success of

while at Pitt-Bradford, has Crohn’s disease, and he has a personal hope for an RNAbased cure for the condition.

Androsavich attributes much of his career foundation to Pitt-Bradford for giving him the room to explore his interest as an undergraduate student and the opportunity to work closely with talented faculty.

A unique vaccine development process and a boom in RNA research

The pandemic catalyzed tremendous awareness and growth in RNA research and development.

Over 13 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered globally, a significant portion being RNA based. Some models suggest that up to 14 million cases and 240,000 deaths were averted in the first six months of vaccine availability. Time was of the essence.

While RNA technology enabled this rapid speed, Dr. John Androsavich ’07, global head, RNA emerging science lead for Pfizer, noted that the development of the initial RNA vaccines may never be copied.

the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine development has been unprecedented, Androsavich doesn’t expect the momentum to end any time soon and is curious to see what discoveries will come next.

“Can RNA drugs be developed for other diseases that are public health concerns like diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and cancer? There are a lot of concepts and candidate molecules being evaluated for treating different indications,” he said.

Androsavich’s wife, Meredith (Zoschg) Androsavich ’06, whom he met

“You have [a professor’s] full attention. They have time to spend with you. They don’t have a million things on their priority list above their students. They’re thrilled even to have people come to office hours. And even in labs, the professor is there the whole time to see you make mistakes instead of hearing about it second hand from a teaching assistant,” Androsavich said.

Androsavich’s current pharma role might have been ushered in part due to the nature of COVID-19 and overall industry growth, but more so due to his tenacity and dedication to RNA over the course of his career.

“Conviction and dedication go a long way. If you are a student or even already working a job, it’s important to dedicate yourself to that time and space,” Androsavich said.

“There are some students that are too forward looking, and they miss out on the opportunity to give their all

“What needed to happen was an all-hands effort,” Androsavich said. “The emergency nature of the pandemic meant if there was anything that could be done, additional resources added, or any red tape that needed to be cut, it was all done. Everyone was willing to do that...The typical timelines for the vaccine development reached speeds for COVID that probably won’t be replicated, but the potential for RNA, which is considered a plug-and-play technology, to improve conventional timelines is still significant. For instance, flu vaccine development could be accelerated with RNA to provide better protection from the highest risk variants of the season.”

The success of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines has spurred interest from investors who are looking to fund new opportunities for biotech innovation. In fact, 78 biotech companies went public in 2020 – a 77% increase from the year prior. Additionally, 43 private companies working with mRNA technology have raised over $1.6 billion in funding since October 2021.

Androsavich is hopeful that discoveries in RNA delivery, which he cites as the biggest existing challenge, will further bolster RNA as a powerful class of medicines. The goal is to get RNA into the correct cell type so it can be effective, and the target cell type depends on the application and disease. Another application of RNA gaining attention is gene-editing.

“CRISPR (a new gene-editing process) has caused a revolution in cellular and molecular research, and we are on the precipice of a downstream revolution in medicine. CRISPR is fundamentally an RNA technology,” said Androsavich, “and the fates of these fields are intertwined.

“There has never been a more exciting time in biomedical research. It’s really gratifying to be in my position, able to see these innovations emerge and mature in real-time, and to be able to act on the most promising ones, to help them succeed and hopefully deliver transformative treatments to patients. I’m thankful for the education, training, and people in my career who helped me get here.”

where they are. Conviction to me means that if you like or believe there is potential in something, stick with it. Keep one thing fixed. You don’t want to become too conservative or narrow in your thinking though, so take that one piece that is

familiar to you and grow vertically upon your expertise and work with others who are experts in other areas who complement your skills. Especially now, the need for collaboration in science, and arguably all areas of life, is critical.”

PANTHER PACK

1970s

Helene Zannelli-Doucet ’76 is retired from being a corporate administrator and lives in Sugar Land, Texas. She began her career as a gifted salesperson, then migrated into the field of record management and retrieval, first with microfilm and later electronically.

1980s

Stephen Budihas ’83 has a new job as the chief operating officer of Adesa Services. He lives in Allentown, Pa.

Randy Miller ’84-’85 officiated at PIAA baseball championships last spring. His day job is as executive director of facilities for Seneca Valley School. He was head baseball coach of the 2018 WPIAL 5A Champion North Hills Indians and has spent more than 20 years as a college basketball and football official. He has also officiated championships for high school basketball (1998) and football (2004).

Anita Holman ’88 is now the director of business development for Journey Health System in Bradford.

1990s

Scott Bell ’94 has a new job as associate director of health-care ecosystems at Indivior. He lives in Cresco, Pa.

Rick Weinberg ’94 began a new position as a professional developer with the Cattaraugus-Allegany (N.Y.) Board of Cooperative Education Services. Previously, he was teaching computer classes at Salamanca (N.Y.) Intermediate School. He and his wife, Portraits editor Kimberly

Know an outstanding alum?

The Pitt-Bradford

levels of personal achievement and service to the community.

The award is presented at Commencement, and recent recipients include Rhett Kennedy ’92, Chris Napoleon ’86-’88 and Peter J. Pantuso ’73-’75.

Nominate that friend you’re a little in awe of for the recognition they deserve online at www.upbalumni.org/aad. Feel free to add supporting information such as news clippings or links, resume, CV, awards, etc.

Nominations are accepted year-round and are kept active for several years. Please do not inform candidates of their nomination.

Weinberg, live in Bradford. Their daughter is a junior environmental science major at Pitt-Bradford, and Rick enjoys connecting and bicycling with his fellow Sigma Lambda Chi alumni.

Breea Willingham ’95 has a new job as an associate professor of criminology at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

After dedicating 20 years to Otto-Eldred School District as an elementary school counselor, Kimberly Alfieri ’96 accepted a new position at Behavioral Health Alliance of Rural Pennsylvania, for which she is a county and provider relations coordinator. She lives in Smethport, Pa.

Sharon Williams ’96 has retired from her position as a staff nurse at Warren (Pa.) Pediatric Associates. She lives in Tidioute, Pa.

Lori Johnson ’98 started working for Pak Energy in September 2021. She helps clients with software issues, provides training and collaborates with clients to solve accounting issues. This past year, she also served as president of the Kiwanis Club of Bradford, pursuing creative ways of helping the children of the community by reading in classrooms and distributing free books. She lives in Bradford.

Lindsay Hilton Retchless ’98 was promoted to director of alumni engagement at St.

Bonaventure University in St. Bonaventure, N.Y.

Michael Wells ’98 is the acting superintendent of schools in Canton Area School District. He lives in Sayre, Pa.

Scott Carlson ’99 is a partner with Greenwood Homes is Charlottesville, Va., where he uses more than 25 years of experience as an expert homebuilder to lead homebuilding operations in the Charlottesville market.

2000s

Nathan Gressel ’01 is the chief executive officer of George Junior Republic, a nonprofit organization dedicated to at-risk youth in Grove City, Pa. Previously, he worked at Beacon Light Behavioral Health Systems in Bradford for 18 years before earning his Master of Business Administration in health care administration from Ohio University.

Scott Kunkel ’01 was promoted to senior director of rehabilitation services at WellSpan Health. He lives in East Berlin, Pa.

Honor Covert Rounsville ’03 was named the Pennsylvania Juvenile Probation Officer of the Year at the 2022 James E. Anderson Pennsylvania Conference on Juvenile Justice in November. McKean County President Judge John H. Pavlock ’88 said, “She is kind and caring, but no pushover. She encourages the

Alumni Association is seeking nominations for its annual Alumni Award of Distinction. We’re looking for outstanding

PANTHER PACK

a state grant team to customize a free psychology textbook for increased access, diversity and representation, ultimately reducing equity gaps with the college’s Introduction to Psychology course. She lives in Knoxville, Tenn.

Steven Douglass ’05 has a new job as vice president of sales and business development at The Clearing House Payments Company. He lives in Pittsburgh.

Keelan Miller ’06 is the new director of Growing with Grace Christian Preschool in Bradford.

Jim Colestro ’07 has been named Northwest Bank’s new executive vice president for retail lending and business banking. He lives in Columbus, Ohio, with his wife, Cami, and English bulldog, Gabby. During his free time, he volunteers for CHA Animal Shelter in Columbus.

She graduated in May 2022 with a Master of Science degree in regulatory affairs and quality assurance from Temple University. She lives in Boothwyn, Pa.

Edward Nolter ’08 was appointed associate judge of the Denton County (Texas) Probate Court. He lives in Argyle, Texas.

Brian Sansom ’08 is the new director of athletics at Bethany (W.Va.) College.

Rebecca Feightner ’09 is the new executive director of the Bradford Area Public Library.

Cory Newcombe ’09 is sales manager and co-host of The Morning Drill for Stream TV. He lives in Titusville, Pa.

2010s

youth she supervises to reach their goals and recognizes their accomplishments when they do. She is an extraordinary juvenile probation officer.” Rounsville, who joined McKean County Juvenile Probation in 2013, is a motivational interviewing coach and case plan coordinator and is an internal trainer for the office.

Chandi Jo Brooks ’04 is a human resources specialist trainee with the Veterans Health Administration. She

lives in Randolph, N.Y., with her husband, Matthew, and their two younger sons, Broden and Landen.

Jennifer Moore ’04 is a new intensive behavioral health services case manager at Beacon Light Behavioral Health Center. She lives in Bradford.

Tracy Rees ’04 was promoted to associate professor of psychology at Pellissippi State Community College. She also worked with part of

Jennifer Lentz ’08 graduated from California University of Pennsylvania with a doctorate of health science and exercise leadership. She is an athletic trainer at Monterey Peninsula College and lives in Seaside, Calif.

Sarah Morrison ’08 was promoted to U.S. Food Safety Manager for IKEA Group, where she influences operational best practices and manages program compliance with internal food safety standards, federal and state and local code regulations.

Caleb Landmesser ’10 has a new position: donor experience officer with alumni annual giving in the Philanthropic and Alumni Engagement office on the University of Pittsburgh’s Pittsburgh campus.

David Monroe ’10 has been named the chief administrative officer at Bradford Regional Medical Center. Prior to this appointment, he served as director of nursing and interim chief nursing officer at BRMC.

Amanda Shaw ’10 is an athletic trainer at Pavilion (N.Y.) High School.

President Esch, left, talks with Professor Emerita of theater Patty Bianco at a new event, brunch for retired employees.

Gamma Psi Omega members Luke Gratz, a biology major from Enola, Pa., left, and Sirus Desnos, a physical sciences major from Ithaca, N.Y., volunteer at a booth in the Pitt-Bradford Kids Zone held during downtown Bradford’s Pumpkin Fest.

PANTHER PACK

He lives in Jamestown, N.Y.

Cyrus Patell ’16 is an information security engineer with Sovos in King of Prussia, Pa.

Everett Chronowski ’17 graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a master’s degree in museum studies. He is a grower at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh, where he lives.

Elizabeth Wright ’19 graduated with her Juris Doctor from Syracuse University College of Law and is an attorney with New, Taylor & Associates in Beckley, W.Va.

2020s

Andrew Bacha ’20 has a new job as a relationship banker at M&T Bank in Bear, Del.

Jason Tobias ’08 warms up in the Hanley Library and catches up with fellow alumni during the Light Up the Quad event.

Meghan Hernandez ’11 has a new job as a project manager associate within the business intelligence and advanced analytics department at Geisinger Health. She lives in Bloomsburg, Pa.

Jennifer Karski ’13 was named the Athletic Trainer of the Month in July by Medco Sports Medicine. She is an assistant athletic trainer for men’s soccer, softball, and indoor track and field at Robert Morris University. She said she loves working with student-athletes, whether it’s watching their successes on the field or working with them through a recovery. She enjoys traveling with her teams. She lives in Coraopolis, Pa.

Michael Moran ’14 has a new position as an associate attorney at Cruser, Mitchell, Novitz, Sanches, Gaston & Zimet, LLP, in Woodcliffe Lake, N.J. Previously, he was

deputy attorney general with the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office.

James Beringer ’15 was promoted to director of quality assurance and production support at Reach Financial, where he’s worked since 2021.

Sam Kleiner ’15 started a new position as a software engineer at Google.

Koran Sharif ’12-’15 is a new product owner with FedEx. He lives in Houston.

Darien Lantz ’16 was named the head women’s basketball coach at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg. Previously, she was an assistant coach at Thiel College.

Shane Marucci ’16 is a fifth grade teacher in Frewsburg (N.Y.) Central School and welcomed a second child.

Mikayla Brinker ’18 earned her Master of Arts in industrial and organizational psychology from the University of New Haven (Conn.) and has a new job as a human resources specialist at PSI Metals in Pittsburgh.

Wesley Dugan ’19 has a new job as a senior site reliability engineer for Target. He lives in Turbotville, Pa.

After earning her Master of Education for school counseling and guidance services earlier this year from St. Bonaventure University, Hannah Jaroszynski ’19 became a mental health therapist in Chautauqua County, N.Y., supplying evidencebased mental health care to children, adolescents, teens and their families.

1st Lt. Matt Langan ’19 completed U.S. Army Airborne School at Fort Benning, Ga.

Jayden Pire ’19 is a product manager for Resulta and welcomed a daughter in May. He lives in Oswayo, Pa.

Alexis “Lexi” Brown ’20 is a registered nurse at Tampa (Fla.) General Hospital.

Makayla Chestnut Pesek ’20 is a medical technologist at UPMC Presbyterian microbiology lab in Pittsburgh.

Taylor Tarahteeff ’20 is a human resources specialist at Pitt-Bradford. He lives in Bradford with his partner.

Several educators from ’21 have found new assignments. Kalie Cowburn is a preschool teacher in the Northern Potter School District.

Anthony D’Orsa is a physical education teacher at Hunters Creek Middle School in Orlando, Fla. Matt Hair is a new physical education teacher at Sherman Central School in New York. Jenna Hicks is teaching special education preschoolers at The Children’s League in Springville, N.Y. Hailey

Hoch and Mark Miller have teaching positions in the Smethport (Pa.) Area School District – Hailey in the elementary school and Mark, teaching social studies in the junior-senior high school.

Alumni and Family Weekend

2.21.23

Give Today. Transform Tomorrow.

February 21, 2023 is Pitt Day of Giving when proud alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends come together in support of the university we all love. Your gift fuels every aspect of the Pitt-Bradford experience, equipping our students with the tools they need to transform their lives and build a better tomorrow for us all. Mark your calendar for February 21 and join us in transforming tomorrow.

PANTHER PACK

Alayna Seggi is a learning loss instructor at Fort LeBoeuf School District in Waterford, Pa. J.C. Sunderlin is a health and physical education teacher at Oswayo Valley Middle School in Shinglehouse, Pa. Emily Treat is a new kindergarten teacher at George G. Blaisdell Elementary School in Bradford, and Caitlin Cipriano is a kindergarten teacher in the Youngstown (Ohio) City School District. She lives in Middlesex, Pa.

Marissa Merritt ’21 is a new graduate hall director for Bloomsburg University. In this role, she supervises a residence hall on campus and its daily functions, such as room changes, maintenance issues, roommate mediations and more as well as supervising

community assistants, undergraduate students who work in the residence halls.

Jarod Piccioli ’21 is pursuing a master’s degree in student affairs in higher education at Slippery Rock University, where he is working in the Office of Inclusive Excellence as a graduate assistant for the Women and Pride Centers. He says both centers work to advocate, educate and empower students of diverse backgrounds. He oversees student workers and programming for both centers.

Alayna Renwick ’21 is attending Penn State University, earning her Master of Education in counselor education with an emphasis in clinical rehabilitation and mental health counseling.

Newly minted educators from the class of ’22 are also finding first positions. Tyler Aires is a physical education teacher for the Caesar Rodney School District in Delaware. T.J. Magro is a health teacher at Olean (N.Y.) Intermediate Middle School. Michelle Michali is teaching ecology and meteorology at Erie (Pa.) High School. Kyle Young is teaching health and adaptive physical education at The Center for Instruction Technology and Innovation in Fulton, N.Y., and Jen Cecchetti is an early intervention coordinator for Forest Warren Human Services in Warren, Pa.

Rachel Close ’22 is the new social media strategist for Pitt-Bradford.

Carly Keenan ’22 is a fulltime security professional at St. Bonaventure University, where she is also working toward a master’s degree in cybersecurity. She lives in Hinsdale, N.Y.

Jake McNabb ’22 is an admissions counselor and transfer coordinator at Pitt-Bradford.

Ty’Jae Murray ’22 is working with CityYear as a student success coach, helping students build on their strengths and cultivate social, emotional and academic skills for school and life.

Dominic Santarelli ’22 is an EMT with MedeVac in Pittsburgh.

In Memoriam

Zachary Karenchak ’12 died following surgery in June. He worked with young adults through Youth MOVE PA, a nonprofit that engages those between the ages of 16 and 29 to become active in public policy and lived in the Harrisburg, Pa., area.

Joseph M. Marasco ’80 died at home in July. Following his graduation from Pitt-Bradford, he earned his law degree from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and practiced law in the Bradford area. He owned his own law firm and served as the juvenile public defender for McKean County for 13 years. He was a member of the Robert H. Jackson Inn of Courts, served on the boards of directors of the American Red Cross and CARE for Children in Bradford, and was an active athlete, enjoying swimming, basketball and golf.

Tammy Bullock Pattison ’90 died in July after a battle with cancer. She was an OB nurse at Bradford Regional

Medical Center from 1990 until the closing of the labor and delivery unit there, when she became a traveling nurse working labor and delivery.

Ruth Ann Ridenour ’75-’79 died in November in Knoxville, Tenn. She worked in admitting at Bradford Hospital and later as an administrative assistant at the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Center. She was a former member of the First Baptist Church in Bradford, the Kinzua Quilters Club and the Ecumenical Home Auxiliary.

Mary Sue VanHoutte ’79 died in June in New Oxford, Pa. A nontraditional student, she served as executive director of the United Way of the Bradford Area for 17 years following her graduation, retiring in 1996. After retiring, she continued to volunteer with Bradford organizations, including Bradford Regional Medical Center and the American Red Cross.

Do you know a student who would make a great Panther?

ALUMNI REFERRALS ARE ONE OF OUR STRONGEST SOURCES OF STUDENT RECRUITMENT.

The Refer a Future Panther Program provides alumni the opportunity to connect prospective students with Pitt-Bradford. Referred students will be sent a package that includes exciting information about the many opportunities available on campus as well as some Pitt-Bradford swag!

As a token of our appreciation, alumni who refer students will receive a gift. Encourage these Future Panthers and their families to visit campus and register for one of our admissions events.

TO REGISTER

EVENT, VISIT: www.upb.pitt.edu/visit-campus. www.upb.pitt.edu/visit-campus

FOR AN ADMISSIONS

Office

300 Campus Drive Bradford, PA 16701

of Philanthropic and Alumni Engagement

Cameron Carter-Green, a first-year business management major and wrestler from Washington, Pa., grapples with the mechanical bull during the Convocation Carnival, a new Pitt-Bradford tradition that celebrates the start of the school year with an evening of food, carnival games, prizes and fireworks.