Portraits magazine Winter 2024 by Pitt-Bradford

PORTRAITS Telling the Stories of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford

INSIDE

Athletes hit the artificial turf New campus leaders named for business and philanthropy Ogundayo returns from Fulbright year in Niger

SIXTY AND COUNTING From a Bradford geologist’s dream to today’s 491-acre campus, Pitt-Bradford has come a long way in 60 years

WINTER 2024

president’s letter

PORTRAITS Telling the Stories of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford

SENIOR EDITOR

Pat Frantz Cercone

Celebrating 60 years In the world of higher education, Pitt-Bradford is a relatively young campus, considering that many other institutions have histories that span centuries. But our 60-year history, which we are marking in this academic year, is a rich story born of commitment and determination and one worth celebrating. In just 60 years, Pitt-Bradford has transitioned from a two-year feeder school for the University of Pittsburgh to a nationally recognized baccalaureate degree-granting institution that produces successful alumni who help to advance their professions and their communities. Many of you know our story: In the early 1960s, there were no institutions of higher education in this region. Young people seeking a college degree had to leave the area, and they often did not come back. And, with no university here, college-bound students from outside the area did not come to Bradford. A group of forward-thinking community leaders advocated on our community’s behalf, working with University of Pittsburgh officials to establish a campus in Bradford. Their efforts have paid off significantly. In addition to producing well-prepared graduates, many of whom stay in the area, Pitt-Bradford has become an economic anchor in our region. In 2021, the last year for which statistics were gathered, our campus’s economic impact in Pennsylvania totaled $81 million, which includes supporting and sustaining 865 jobs. Pitt-Bradford’s contributions to the region also go beyond economics. Our students, faculty and staff bring added value to the community by volunteering thousands of hours each year to many organizations. We offer many educational and entertaining programs and activities to our neighbors in the region. And, many businesses, industries and organizations have partnered with us, resulting in new academic programs and facilities as well as internships, servicelearning and other valuable experiences for our students. None of this would have been possible if it weren’t for those prescient individuals who, more than 60 years ago, helped to fill the educational void and for the hundreds of people who came after them who continue to support our campus with such fervor. Pitt-Bradford’s story may not be an old one, but it’s a great one. And you, my friends, are an important part of it. Thank you for your continued dedication.

Pitt-Bradford has transitioned to a nationally recognized baccalaureate degreegranting institution.

EDITOR

Kimberly Marcott Weinberg COPY EDITORS

Laurie Dufford Judy Hopkins ’71-’73 ART DIRECTOR

John Sizing www.jspublicationdesign.com PHOTOGRAPHERS

Alan Hancock ’07, ’19 Denny Henry Sydney Herdle Jason Keen Glenn Melvin ’04 W. Forres Stewart Kimberly Weinberg PRINTER

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

Richard T. Esch ’83, president Have a story, comment or suggestion for us? Write to us at Portraits@pitt.edu.

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contents

Dr. Michael Klausner, center, is surrounded by alumni who were his students at the Pitt-Bradford Alumni Association awards dinner during Alumni and Family Weekend, when Klausner received the PBAA Teaching Excellence Award. Dr. Edward G. Robinson ’88 presented the teaching award to Klausner, who began teaching at Pitt-Bradford in 1976. “I was incredibly lucky to have him not just as a professor but also as a mentor. We’ve had so many insightful chats that truly made a difference in my life,” Robinson said. He is known for his passion for his subject and his humor in the classroom. Klausner lives in Bradford.

features 12 60 and Counting Pitt-Bradford began its 60th year in September, and the campus is now old enough that there aren’t many individuals remaining who have experienced the totality of its years. Our memories tend to freeze our idea of campus as being just the way it was during our two, four (or more) years in the Tunungwant Valley. Those who have graduated in recent years may not realize what happened after that. For those who graduated recently, you may not realize what came before. Our look at Pitt-Bradford by the numbers should shed a little light on both.

departments 2

First Shot

With the acquisition of a virtual dissection table, faculty can now show students high-resolution three-dimensional inside-the-body images of hundreds of situations, including medical procedures, tissue structures, wounds, diseases and processes such as childbirth.

The Commons

GLENN MELVIN ’04

Pitt-Bradford athletes gain months of practice and playing outdoors on new artificial turf; President’s Cabinet welcomes two new members; Dr. ‘BioDun Ogundayo on his year teaching in West Africa.

22 Panther Pack

Cover by Jason Keen

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Dave Monroe ’03, ’10 takes on the complex challenges of rural health care; Sarah Lorya ’10 new president of Pitt-Bradford Alumni Association. PORTRAITS

DENNY HENRY

first shot

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The art of dissection Students and faculty in biology, exercise science, nursing, radiological science, forensic science and psychology now have a fantastic new tool to learn about the human body without using real animals or exposing anyone to harmful chemicals used to preserve cadavers. It’s a virtual dissection table that offers access to hundreds of three-dimensional photos, created by scanning real cadavers, including full-body scans, case studies and high-resolution regional scans. Dr. Mark Kelley ’03 spent the fall semester introducing his exercise science students to the new table, which can also stand upright for better viewing by larger classes. “I teach functional anatomy, where we explore every system of the body. With this table, I can create lessons that connect different body systems. For example, I can link the cardiovascular system with the pulmonary system and show how blood moves from the lungs.” Dr. Robin Choo, who directs the forensic science program, uses the table to expose students to gunshot wounds. She can display images and rotate them to show both entry and exit wounds as well as how different layers of tissue are torn. Nursing students can even watch real-time changes in body processes during labor and delivery. “This table helps our students understand the human body in many different ways,” Kelley explained. “And students love using technology to learn about this stuff.” Although the table has many uses, Dr. David Merwine, chair of the Division of Biological and Health Sciences, said that students will still complete some actual dissections. “It’s important, especially for students interested in medical fields, to observe actual organs and tissues and to develop their manual dexterity before entering medical school,” he said.

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COMMONS THE

News from Around the Quad

Dr. Lanre Morenikeji accepts the Dr. Larry E. Davis Emerging Scholar Award at the University of Pittsburgh’s Black Excellence in the Academy Award Dinner in November.

Morenikeji recognized

Biology professor challenging students with undergraduate research

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bacteria than young mice. He is serious about providing undergraduate students with research opportunities. During the 2022-23 academic year, five students collaborated with him on various research projects, and three of them published papers alongside their mentor. This academic year, he is again involving a handful of students in his research. Morenikeji studies how the body responds to disease. In addition to collaborating with undergraduates at Pitt-Bradford, he works with doctoral and graduate students at other

universities on projects. Two of his projects focus on how elevated temperatures affect the health of cattle. In a study he designed at the Rochester (N.Y.) Institute of Technology, where he worked as a post-doctoral fellow before coming to Pitt-Bradford, researchers have found genes that contribute to bovine heat resistance. Animals with these heat-resistant genes can be bred to each other to increase the animals’ ability to withstand heat without falling sick, which is becoming more important as the climate warms. winter 2024

UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH

Dr. Lanre Morenikeji, assistant professor of biology, received the Dr. Larry E. Davis Emerging Scholar Award from the University of Pittsburgh last fall. Morenikeji, now in his third year teaching at Pitt-Bradford, is a prolific immunology researcher who includes his undergraduate students in his research. His current research areas are the genetics of heat resistance in cattle, the genetics that make some people more susceptible to contracting the COVID-19 coronavirus, and whether older mice are more susceptible to the streptococcus

Now the team is looking for molecules in the genes that could become the targets of new drugs aimed at allowing animals or humans to better withstand hot temperatures. An overlapping project looks at the connection between a mammal’s response to heat and the health of its immune system. Morenikeji said that experiencing heat stress can make a body more susceptible to illness. But why are some individuals more vulnerable to heat stress illness than others? He is looking for the gene that makes the difference. “This is work that no one has done yet,” he said.

“I have been a product of good mentors, and I want to pass that down.”

FILE PHOTOS

–Dr. Lanre Morenikeji In these experiments, Morenikeji once again works with cattle, but this time only with cells. By using cells and evaluating their responses, he does not need access to a herd of cows. With cells as models and some relatively simple equipment, he and his undergraduate students can do innovative research. “In a small plate, we culture a cell and look at the response,” he said. Nadiya Andrew, a 2023 graduate of Lansdowne, Pa., had the opportunity to design and execute her own experiment, which explored the role of tiny molecules that can help regulate mammalian immune response to microbes that cause disease. “It was very impactful for her,” Morenikeji said. “My greatest accomplishment is to see students who passed through my teaching go on to prosper. I have been a product of good mentors, and I want to pass that down.” winter 2024

Bodamer to lead business operations Judith Bodamer ’94 is the new vice president of business affairs at PittBradford, succeeding President Richard Esch, who filled the role for nearly 20 years before becoming president in 2022. Bodamer began her new role in October after a national search and will serve on the President’s Cabinet. As vice president of business affairs, she oversees the university’s business and financial reporting, facilities management, accounts payable, human resources, purchasing, computing and media services and auxiliary services. For the past eight years, Bodamer has served as the director of finance for the Bradford Area School District. In that role, she oversaw the district’s non-instructional services, including finance, payroll, accounts payable and purchasing, food service, transportation, maintenance, facility planning, risk management, and general business office operations. During her tenure as the district’s director of finance, the district’s fund balances increased, taxes remained steady, multiple capital improvement projects were completed, and the district’s credit rating improved. Prior to joining the Bradford

Judith Bodamer ’94

Area School District, she served as the business manager for the Port Allegany School District for 14 years. During that time, she prepared and coordinated the district’s annual budget; kept financial records; formulated long-range projections; and supervised accounts payable, accounts receivable, tax collections, debt service, and the insurance program.

Mealy promoted to director of arts programming Courtney Mealy was promoted to director of arts programming in August. Mealy has been working in arts programming at PittBradford for 10 years – first as an arts programming assistant and then as the assistant director and interim director. Before coming to Pitt-Bradford in 2017, she served as the associate director for the Tri-County Arts Council in Olean, N.Y., managing multiple grant-giving programs, curating three galleries and developing community engagement programs. Mealy, who is also an artist, teaches art classes at the Bradford Area Public Library and has been a board member of Leadership McKean since 2022.

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Dr. ‘BioDun Ogundayo, associate professor of French and comparative literature, is surrounded by his undergraduate students at Abdou Moumouni University in Niamey, Niger, where he taught last year.

An American in Africa Ogundayo teaches during year in West Africa

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“I had the opportunity to teach students about America while being African,” said Ogundayo, who was born in Côte d’Ivoire and attended boarding school in Ghana before settling in North America to finish his graduate studies in Kingston, Ontario, and Buffalo, N.Y. Ogundayo taught large lecture classes – 600 students in English for Sociology classes, 174 in African Oral Traditions and 40 graduate students in literary theory and methodology. He also supervised and mentored students working on their graduate degree theses. Each class, he said, lasted four

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COURTESY

Dr. ’BioDun Ogundayo is back at Pitt-Bradford after a year at Abdou Moumouni University in Niamey, Niger, in West Africa. Ogundayo, associate professor of French and comparative literature and director of the African Studies program, won a prestigious U.S. State Department’s Fulbright Scholar Award in March 2022, making the year abroad possible. The goal of the Fulbright program is improving intercultural relations through an exchange of scholars, teachers, scientists and artists. Nominated U.S. citizens are posted to countries around the world each year.

hours. Due to logistical challenges (incessant power outages, etc.) and security concerns, he had to pivot from his research focus from the oral traditions of the Mossi people in the neighboring country of Burkina Faso to editing a collection of essays about Afrofuturism, a recent and multimedia cultural theory that reassesses and promotes positive Black experiences. He wrote a chapter for inclusion in the volume as well, “The Afrofuturism of Afrodiaspora Fiction: Reimagining the World.” Ogundayo’s fluency in many languages – including French, English, Hausa, Yoruba and other West African languages – allowed him to easily adapt to his Fulbright post and neighborhood. During his stay, he regularly engaged students and residents of Niamey, especially his neighborhood of Bobiel. He also attended Catholic Mass and Communion in a country that is 99% Islamic. The local market was one of his favorite places to visit because they had fresh non-genetically modified produce, and he could haggle prices and interact with traders. He gained a deeper sense of the culture from these interactions. Ogundayo said he loved the smells of the market and enjoyed cooking fresh vegetables, fish from the Niger River and lamb, which was a staple meat. He also had visits from friends and relatives while there. Having returned to the United States and his teaching, Ogundayo is serving as the regional coordinator of Pitt’s Center for African Studies and is charged with the recruitment of students at Pitt’s regional campuses for Africa study abroad and African language programs. He is one of Pitt-Bradford’s four affiliated faculty members with the Africana Studies program at the Oakland campus.

PITT GOLD A 1977 Pitt gold Volkswagen Westfalia belonging to Kathryn Kloss, administrative assistant for health and counseling services, and Steve Kloss ’95, lent some retro glam to Founders’ Day and Alumni and Family Weekend, where visitors could take pictures with some bomb props.

GLENN MELVIN ’04

Career tactics for Emma Weir ’25 Criminal justice major Emma Weir ’25 of Bushkill, Pa., spent last summer as the first Pitt-Bradford student to intern with the New York City Police Department. She said her interest was piqued because this was one of the best internships someone could get in the criminal justice field. Being the first Pitt-Bradford student to intern with the NYPD “sparked [her] interest even more.” Her goal, however, is not to become an officer. She’s more interested in other aspects of law enforcement. As an information input analyst last summer, she helped officers collect data from police reports. She also helped coordinate trips for other interns and their mentors. “Everything that goes on in this entire division of the NYPD goes through the unit I work in, and I’ve enjoyed learning the responsibilities that come with this kind of work,” she said during her internship. “I hope to continue to learn how to input thousands of different communications and gain a better overall understanding of all the systems used at the NYPD.” One of her favorite parts of her internship were field trips that included visiting the Bomb Squad Unit, the 911 Call Center, the NYPD Police Academy and the Firearm Range and Tactical Learning Area. – Rachel Close ’21

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ST UD ST ENT A

OU ND T

Emma Weir ’25 spent her summer learning with the NYPD.

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the commons

Tyler to lead fundraising efforts Christine Tyler ’16 is the new executive director of Philanthropic and Alumni Engagement.

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she took on added alumni relations responsibilities in the absence of an alumni director (See separate story). In 2020, she earned a master’s degree in public policy and management from the University of

New alumni engagement coordinator named Kayli Kowalczyk joined the Office of Philanthropic and Alumni Engagement in January as Pitt-Bradford’s new alumni engagement coordinator coming to Pitt-Bradford from Wilmington, N.C., where she was a marketing specialist at Viamark Advertising. She grew up in Titusville, Pa., and earned a Bachelor of Science in communications with minors in marketing and social media from Clarion University in 2021.

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BRHE BREESE

Christine Tyler ’16, who had been serving as director of development and major gifts at Pitt-Bradford, has been promoted to executive director of Philanthropic and Alumni Engagement, overseeing that office. Tyler, who was chosen after a national search, also serves on the President’s Cabinet. She began her career at PittBradford in 2013 as an assistant in the office, then gradually assumed more responsibilities. Three years later, she was promoted to assistant director of annual giving. Most recently, in addition to serving as the director of development and major gifts,

Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. As director of development and major gifts, Tyler led the Pitt Day of Giving campaign for the Bradford campus. The day-long campaign, a universitywide challenge among all Pitt campuses held each February, awards more funds to the parts of the university that surpass challenge goals, including increasing the number of gifts, donors, or percentage of donor participation. Under Tyler’s leadership, Pitt-Bradford has won multiple challenge wins and over $300,000 in revenue. While Tyler was assistant director of annual giving, the annual average amount of gifts grew by nearly 55%. Additionally, philanthropic participation reached an all-time high among Pitt-Bradford employees, students and young alumni. Tyler is active on campus. She serves as the adviser for Theta Sigma Delta sorority and the Blue and Gold Society. She also had served as president of the Pitt-Bradford Staff Association. She’s also active in the community. Tyler is a board member of the Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce, the United Way of the Bradford Area and Friends of Hanley Library. She and her husband, Brent ’01, live in Bradford with their two daughters, Grace and Chloe.

sports wire

Workers put the finishing touches on a new artificial turf field in November that will extend the Panthers’ outdoor practice capabilities to nearly year-round.

Field of opportunity

A new artificial turf field means more playing time, more recruits and a plan for winning over more students to Pitt-Bradford

GLENN MELVIN ’04

By Kimberly Weinberg, Portraits editor

Spring is coming early this year for Pitt-Bradford athletics. The actual weather, of course, will be about the same, but if it’s not actively snowing, the university’s softball, baseball, soccer and lacrosse teams will be able to get out as soon as the white stuff is plowed off the long-awaited artificial turf field installed in November at the Kessel Athletic Complex. Athletic Director Bret Butler, who used to coach baseball, said baseball and softball will be the first sports to reap the benefit of the new field. With Bradford’s long winters and seasons that start in late February, the teams were on their spring break trips in Florida most years before fielders could start tracking fly balls in the sky or catching ground balls as they skipped across the diamond. winter 2024

Now it takes about an hour to plow off the field, Butler said, and then it’s open for business. Head Men’s Soccer Coach Nate Whitehurst is planning an “ID camp” to identify recruits this spring – something he’s wanted to do for years. Soccer athletes from both the men’s and

The field will be home to Pitt-Bradford’s newest spring sport, a club men’s lacrosse team that will become a Division III team during the 2024-25 academic year.

women’s teams will be able to practice in the spring, which was impossible when playing on natural grass that turned to mud under cleats. And the field will be home to PittBradford’s newest spring sport, a club men’s lacrosse team that will become a Division III team during the 2024-25 academic year. Lacrosse Head Coach Scott Gwyn is training his 17 club players to be his returning, experienced players next year. He planned to start plowing in January and have his club team play two intercollegiate scrimmages this spring. Gwyn is on track to recruit more than 10 new players by the end of this academic year, and those players are a net gain for enrollment, with players coming from as far away as California to attend a recruitment camp he PORTRAITS

the commons

Current men’s lacrosse club players are, from left, Alex Ortiz of Sinking Spring, Kaua Dos Santos Da Silva of Williamsville, N.Y., Logan Giles of Pittsburgh, Joshua Held of Hamburg, N.Y. At right is senior captain Ty Bowen, who is teaching his teammates about the game’s native roots (see QR code on next page).

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and that’s the mixing of the cultures at work.” The mixing of cultures is more than a metaphor here. Pitt-Bradford players will be playing in the cradle of lacrosse – on land once occupied by the Haudenosaunee nation, also known by the name Iroquois. The Haudenosaunee are the inventors and original players of lacrosse, and Gwyn and his players have been learning about the game’s importance to the Haudenosaunee from a teammate who is Seneca. “It’s a sport that has a weight to it,” Gwyn said. “We need to play it in a way that honors its founders.” The element of historical significance and proximity to the game’s

origins was one of the reasons Gwyn wanted to coach at Pitt-Bradford. One of Gywn’s lacrosse players, senior Ty Bowen (see inset above), is teaching others about the game’s roots. “Lacrosse is a unique sport in that it is a lot of traditional beliefs from my culture,” he said. “My teammates … love hearing about how much the game means to me.” Lacrosse, however, is not the only sport that will be bringing in students who otherwise might not have considered Pitt-Bradford. Butler said that both men’s and women’s soccer are seeing interest in their programs from recruits who live farther away than before the turf installation. “We can already see what it’s done in the short term,” Butler said. “It’s opening more recruiting opportunities and allowing us to cast a wider net.” winter 2024

DENNY HENRY

held in the fall. Those are prospective students who otherwise would likely never have heard of or considered attending Pitt-Bradford. Gwyn is targeting geographic diversity not just to attract the best players he can, but also to recruit a variety of playing styles, since style of play tends to vary by geography, he said. Pitt-Bradford club players are already having an impact on the future DIII team. “A lot of recruits are attracted to the newness of the program and the chance to make an impact,” Gwyn said, “but they also just really like our guys.” “Our guys” being his current club players. “They’re very joyful,

“A lot of recruits are attracted to the newness of the program and the chance to make an impact, but they also just really like our guys.”

DENNY HENRY

– Lacrosse Head Coach Scott Gwyn Head Women’s Soccer Coach Lorenzo Rodriguez said, “The team is excited to play on a brand-new field as well as recruits. They’re excited about being able to play at home under the lights, and now we don’t have to plan around the sun’s schedule.” In addition to laying artificial turf, the university has installed full lights that have greatly expanded the hours the field can be used. It’s a game changer, the soccer coaches explained. Before artificial turf and lights, teams could only practice during daylight hours, which also happens to be when athletes have classes. Whitehurst, the men’s soccer coach, said his starting lineup couldn’t practice together last year. Rodriguez experienced similar problems. “Not being able to practice together takes away from team chemistry,” he said. “The artificial turf is giving us a real home to practice and compete on and will provide a new sense of camaraderie for players.” Even when the sun was shining, soccer teams often had to abandon campus altogether as the wear and tear of practices and games on natural grass led to muddy playing conditions that made injuries more likely. Panther soccer teams would have to change to a less aggressive playing style partway through the season to account for the muddy field. Or the university would rent winter 2024

Lacrosse Head Coach Scott Gwyn is training his 17 club players to be his returning, experienced players next year.

Bradford Area High School’s artificial turf field nearly a mile from the Kessel Athletic Complex. Panther practices were scheduled for when high school football and girls’ and boys’ soccer teams weren’t playing, which meant a lot of early mornings and late nights for the Panthers. While the upgrades will have a huge impact on Panther athletics

(including the addition of women’s lacrosse a year behind the men’s team), there’s more to come. A small building at the field will provide an elevated press box, public restrooms and locker rooms. “Once the press box and locker rooms are built, we’re going to have one of the best facilities in the conference,” Whitehurst said.

Player shares roots of game For senior Ty Bowen (pictured on page 11), lacrosse is truly more than a game. Bowen is a member of the Seneca Nation of Indians, part of the Haudenosaunee (also known as Iroquois) Confederacy that invented the game of lacrosse. Scan the QR code above to find out how Bowen is sharing the deep cultural meaning of the game he loves.

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By KIMBERLY WEINBERG

60 AND C

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At Pitt-Bradford, you’re never just a number

OUNTING From a Bradford geologist’s dream to today’s 491-acre campus astride the Tunungwant Creek, Pitt-Bradford’s come a long way in 60 years. Let’s take a look at our campus by the numbers. winter 2024

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* Every number between 0 and 60 is not represented.

Did you know that Pitt’s Greensburg and Titusville campuses also opened Sept. 3, 1963?

Pitt-Bradford campus added its first 4-year baccalaureate programs in 1975. They were social science and liberal studies.

The number of institutions of higher education available in an area the size of Connecticut before Pitt founded its Bradford campus in 1963.

is the number of baseball players to reach the AAA level in the minor leagues when

Ryan Boyer ’20 spent a week in July 2023 pitching with the Buffalo Bisons before returning to the

Vancouver Canadians. Previous Panther pitchers Zach Foster ’12 and Aaron Cressley ’15 had pitched in Minor League Baseball, with Foster advancing as far as AA with the Pittsburgh Pirates system.

Pitt-Bradford began offering 2-year associate degrees for the first time in 1975. Until that time, students took two years of general education courses before transferring to the Pittsburgh campus or another four-year institution. The first associate degree program was an associate of science in petroleum technology.

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On Sept. 3, 1963, Pitt-Bradford opened its doors for the first time at the Hamsher House. The university bought the former nurses’ dormitory as its one-and-only academic building. Faculty included John Shea, political science; June Pfister, chemistry and math; and Gisella Magnella, German. Students lived with housemothers in local apartments at 146 W. Washington St., 87 Kennedy St., 2 School St., 197 Interstate Parkway or the Bradford YMCA.

is the current number of associate degrees available at Pitt-Bradford: Associate of Science in Engineering; Associate of Science in Information Systems; Associate of Arts in Liberal Studies; Associate of Science in Nursing; and Associate of Science in Petroleum Technology.

Bradfordians have served as the chair of the Pitt-Bradford Advisory Board: J.B. Fisher, president of Kendall Refining (see number 8); Dr. Robert Bromeley, entrepreneur and businessman; William F. Higie, vice president of Forest Oil Corp.; Hon. John Cleland, president judge of McKean County; Craig Hartburg ’73-’75, owner of Servco Services Inc.; and Jeannine Schoenecker, former president and COO of American Refining Group Inc. winter 2024

It took 7 months to restore “Venetian Promenade,” an enormous 19th century oil painting that at one time occupied the Hotel Emery at the head of Main Street in Bradford. When Pitt-Bradford bought the building in 1964 to use for student housing, then-president Dr. Donald Swarts, a lover of the arts, had the painting crated and stored, where it was forgotten until it was found in 2019. The university restored the painting, and it hangs in the KOA Speer Electronics Lobby of Blaisdell Hall.

Did you know businesses, industries and individual citizens of Bradford raised $754,775 to bring Pitt to Bradford?

From left, Robert Williams, campaign chairman; Chancellor Litchfield; J.B. Fisher (see number 6); and President Donald Swarts.

Chancellors have led the University of Pittsburgh during Pitt-Bradford’s 60 years: Edward H. Litchfield (1956-65); Stanton C. Crawford (1965-66); David H. Kurtzman (1966-67); Wesley W. Posvar (1967-1991); J. Dennis O’Connor (1991-1995); Mark A. Nordenberg, (1995-2014); Patrick Gallagher (2104-2023); and Joan Gabel (2023-present).

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Did you know enrollment for the university’s first year was 130 students?

Dr. Carys Evans-Corrales

Dr. Carys EvansCorrales, professor of Spanish who taught for 25 years before retiring in 2018, spoke 9 languages. She was known for her wit and kindness.

$10 million was the goal for Pitt-Bradford’s Campaign 2000, which exceeded its goal by more than 25% and provided the money for the construction of Blaisdell Hall. PORTRAITS

Pitt-Bradford Panthers compete in 12 NCAA Division III sports – men’s baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s swimming, men’s wrestling, women’s bowling, women’s softball and women’s volleyball.

For 13 years, Pitt-Bradford has been named a Military Friendly campus, including the 2023-24 academic year – the first time it was named a Top 10 school for embracing military students and their families.

Dr. Livingston Alexander was the university’s first Black president, and he served for 15 years, from 2003 to 2018.

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From left, Rhett Kennedy ‘92, Marilyn Horne and Greg Miller ‘07

On Jan. 16, 1934, Marilyn Horne was born in Bradford, Pa. She left Bradford when she was 11, became a world-renowned opera star and eventually left her personal archive to the University of Pittsburgh for use by scholars and to create a museum run by Pitt-Bradford in downtown Bradford.

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According to Washington Monthly magazine, Pitt-Bradford is 22nd in the nation for the percentage of students enrolled in the ROTC.

There are 17 students in a typical Pitt-Bradford

and even school-sanctioned picnic keggers in Allegany (N.Y.) State Park.

class.

June 19 is Pitt’s newest official holiday, Juneteenth, which commemorates the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Texas received their freedom.

was the drinking age in New York State until 1985 – a situation that led to many runs across the nearby Pennsylvania-New York border for early students

Number of years PittBradford has been named to The Princeton Review’s Best Regional Colleges. The Best Regional Colleges lists colleges it considers academically outstanding based on a survey of students, who

answer 85 questions about their school’s academics, administration and campus community. “All students here need to do is say ‘hi’ to another student, and you can be instant friends,” one student wrote.

% of PittBradford students are Panther student-athletes.

Did you know Pitt-Bradford opened its first Computer-Aided Learning Center in 1983? winter 2024

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states were represented in giving to Pitt-Bradford during last year’s one-day universitywide fundraising event, Pitt Day of Giving. The Pitt-Bradford fund receiving the most donations was Panthers’ baseball.

2025 will be the first year that Panthers’ men’s lacrosse competes in NCAA Division III. See story on page 9.

There are 31 buildings on campus. The two oldest buildings were part of the Harri Emery Airport and have names reflecting their function at the time – The Control Tower and the Hangar Building. The airport was dedicated in 1929 and was also home to a factory that built small training planes – Taylor and Piper Cubs. The Control Tower is shown here during the dedication.

Dr. Richard E. McDowell was 29 years old when he became the youngest college president in the United States in 1973, succeeding Dr. Donald Swarts, Pitt-Bradford’s founding president. McDowell retired as president in 2002 but continues to be involved in the university’s development and growth.

In the spring of 2026, a women’s lacrosse team will join the men’s team in competing in DIII intercollegiate athletics.

% of PittBradford students are from out of state, while another 4% are international students or hail from U.S. territories.

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Dr. Richard E. McDowell

high schools take part in Pitt-

Bradford’s College in the High School program, which allows high school students to take college courses and receive credit for classes taught by their regular teachers in their high schools.

In a nationwide ranking of colleges and universities by Washington Monthly magazine published last fall, Pitt-Bradford ranked 32nd in social mobility. The magazine calculates social mobility using a complex formula of factors that include graduation rate and a predicted graduation rate given the number of students who come from families with lower incomes, the percentage of students receiving student loans, the admissions rate, and the racial/ethnic and gender makeup of the student body. In other words, Pitt-Bradford students

perform better than expected given the university’s demographic profile.

There are 33 acres in the Onofrio tract, a parcel of land that served as the basis for the Kessel Athletic Complex. In 1967, when Witco-Kendall Corp. donated 78 acres on the site of the former Harri Emery Airport, the City of Bradford and Bradford Township jointly announced they would make the Onofrio tract available for development as a recreation area. As part of the agreement, high school and recreational teams have used the facilities.

Years taught by Dr. YongZhuo Chen before his retirement in August 2023. He was one of the longest-serving members of the faculty winter 2024

The Emery Hotel was built in 1929 by Grace Emery in memory of her father. It was one of Pennsylvania’s finest hotels for 35 years before becoming a dormitory for Pitt-Bradford students in 1964.

and loved the personalized teaching environment at Pitt-Bradford as well as the easygoing, small-town life in Bradford, where he and his wife enjoy walking on trails for exercise. In 2019, Lawrence Feick, then-interim president of Pitt-Bradford, presented Chen with the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, Scholarship and Service.

Dr. Yong-Zhuo Chen

baccalaureate majors are offered on the Bradford campus.

The most recent additions are mechanical engineering technology and energy engineering technology.

This year’s largest majors? Biology/pre-med (9.7%) and business management (9.6%).

credits required for a degree in broadcast communications, which also requires that students complete a minor or a second major.

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PORTRAITS

% of the energy required by the George B. Duke Engineering and Information Technologies Building is provided by the solar panels on its roof.

thousand dollars in challenge funds were earned by the Pitt-Bradford campus during 2023’s Pitt Day of Giving.

45-47

That money went toward construction of the university’s new artificial turf field.

% of current Pitt-Bradford students received a Pell Grant and the Pitt Success Matching Grant. 45% of current Pitt-Bradford students are also the first generation in their family to attend college or university.

46 years working at Pitt-Bradford for Kathy Moonan, our director of business affairs.

Main St. was the address of the Emery Hardware Store, which became the Emery Engineering Building in 1967. It was used until 1975, when science and engineering moved into Fisher Hall.

An unusually large number of community leaders – 49 – were members of Pitt-Bradford’s first Advisory Board. President Donald Swarts wanted the board to help the university win and maintain public support, which it has done. In 2018, President Livingston Alexander honored the board by bestowing on it his final Presidential Medal of Distinction, the university’s highest honor.

Dr. Warren Fass, second from right, associate professor of psychology, has been teaching at Pitt-Bradford for 43 years.

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young women have traveled abroad since 2008 through the Vira I. Heinz program, of which PittBradford is one of 18 Pennsylvania colleges and universities whose students are eligible to apply. The Vira I. Heinz Program for Women, Non-Binary and Transgender Global Leaders provides scholarships of at least $5,000 to put toward the cost of an international experience of their choosing. In the United States, they learn leadership development and engage with their home communities.

before retiring in 2019.

% of Pitt-Bradford students are female. Nationwide, the figure was 58% in 2021. Dr. Marvin Thomas

Dr. Marvin Thomas, professor of history, taught for 50 years at Pitt-Bradford

counties in Pennsylvania are represented in Pitt-Bradford’s student population.

Dr. Diego Vacaflores ’00 played 51 matches in three years on the Panthers’ men’s soccer team, setting the program record for goals at 33. That mark is currently third highest in program history. Last fall, he was inducted into the Pitt-Bradford Athletic Hall of Fame.

Dr. Diego Vacaflores and Dr. Michael Stuckart

Pitt-Bradford marked 60 years of service to students during its annual Founders’ Day celebration on Sept. 3, 2023.

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PA N T H E R PA C K 1960s James Mahon ’64-’66 wore a Pitt shirt when he took third place for age group 75 to 79 for the second year in a row at the Pikes Peak Ascent half marathon. Peter Waterman ’66-’68 is a retired anesthesiologist doing consulting for the Arizona Board of Medical Examiners. He lives in Tempe, Ariz.

1970s David Lunden ’73-’75 retired as a land manager for DallasMorris Drilling Inc. He lives in Bradford.

1980s Chad Jestes ’80 retired from Halliburton, where he spent over 37 years working in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Texas as a global tech

If you have an update for Portraits magazine, visit www.upbalumni.org and click on “How to update your info” or email us at Portraits@pitt.edu.

Bradford Regional Medical Center.

1990s Michelle Parks ’90 has a new job as the director of customer operations for Essential Utilities. She lives in Coraopolis, Pa.

services adviser. He lives in Roulette, Pa., but enjoys traveling to Anchorage, Alaska; Denver; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Traverse City, Mich.; and Washington to visit children and grandchildren. He’s continuing to serve as a consultant.

Melissa Ford ’93 was promoted to principal and senior vice president at Mal Warwick Donordigital. She lives in Vienna, Va.

Greg Koch ’77-’80 retired from working as a photo archivist. He lives in Monroeville, Pa.

Cheryl Patalano ’99 has a new job as a research department assistant with the RAND Corp. She lives in Pittsburgh.

Karen Prosser ’84 was named the Nurse of Distinction for 2023 for the Pavilion at

2000s

Karen McClain ’99 has a new position as a nurse practitioner at UPMC in Bradford.

job as dean of Canisius High School in Lancaster, N.Y., where he is also the associate head basketball coach. The Rev. Dorothy Densmore ’00 was promoted to executive director of the Presbytery of Northumberland, serving 30 member churches. Dot has served as pastor of Presbyterian churches in various communities, including Bradford, over a career spanning 35 years. She lives in Nelson, Pa. James Kelley ’01 was promoted to Environmental Specialist I at American Refining Group in Bradford. In his new role, he is responsible for implementing and maintaining an emergency management system that fulfills compliance obligations with local, state and federal environmental obligations.

John Cullinan ’00 has a new Jessica Melincavage ’03 was promoted to senior manager of Total Rewards and Executive Comp. at McCormick & Co., Inc.

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GLENN MELVIN ’04

Peter Butler, center, was surrounded by his former soccer players when he was inducted into the Pitt-Bradford Athletic Hall of Fame in September. Shown here are, from left, Isaac Woerde ’00, Thomas James ’02, Angel Achar ’01, Butler, Sean Montgomery ’03, Wes Lohrman ’03 and Brent Tyler ’01.

Sara Eddy Furlong ’04 is the new managing editor of The Bradford Era. Before that, she was executive communications coordinator at American Refining Group Inc. for 12 years. She is a founding member of the McKean County Community Foundation and serves as secretary on its executive committee. She lives in Lewis Run, Pa., with her husband, Jim, and children, Colin, Kenley and Jameis.

PA N T H E R PA C K On the move

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GLENN MELVIN ’04

Dave Monroe takes his love of unpredictability to the C-Suite Dave Monroe ’03, ’10 likes unpredictability, challenges and learning. That’s stood him in good stead on his 20-year journey from a community and hospice nurse to where he is today, chief administrative officer at Bradford Regional Medical Center, where he handles the day-to-day administrative and medical operations of the hospital. Along his professional path, he had his dream job, a flight nurse caring for patients as they were flown via helicopter to hospitals. He was also a critical care nurse attending to the most susceptible patients at St. Vincent Hospital in Erie. Later, he began transitioning into managerial Dave Monroe ’03, ’10 looks over an x-ray with a student in Pitt-Bradford’s radiography science program, roles almost by accident. which is a joint venture between Pitt-Bradford and Bradford Regional Medical Center. His openness to new things explains how he came to be a nurse in the first place. A my leadership, and I had to learn very quickly,” he said. Bradford native, he was always interested in medicine and That ability to help more people became his motivaenrolled at Pitt-Bradford with the aim of becoming a doction for staying in management, first returning to his tor while working as an emergency room technician. He hometown to be a nurse manager at BRMC, then directing began listening to ER co-workers talk about their expericardiovascular services at Olean (N.Y.) General Hospital. ences as flight nurses and made a transition to the nursHe pursued a Master of Business Administration to better ing program with the goal of becoming a flight nurse. understand the business of health care and added care “I could see cause and effect,” he said. Later, when he management to his duties. He returned to BRMC as interwent into critical care, he understood even more. “It’s all im chief nursing officer before being named the hospital’s medications and how they interact with each other. It’s chief administrative officer. tangible.” He’s never stopped liking to get in the trenches. For It was while he was serving as a flight nurse that he example, his skill in transporting critically ill patients is was tapped for his first managerial role, one that was supstill needed, and he occasionally helps transport a patient posed to be temporary, when the person managing the needing an intra-aortic balloon pump. “I still like to get base site went on a military deployment. While earning out and engage staff, take care of patients and help out his Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Pitt-Bradford, he where I can around the hospital in caring for our added management, organizational and aviation knowlpatients,” he said. edge to his medical skills. Monroe’s love of complex care has never been more He loved the unpredictability of being a flight nurse – important as he steers a large, complicated system of coming to work not knowing where the day would take through a challenging time for rural health care throughhim. Managing the flight base gave him that same out the state and country, not just in his hometown. stimulation, but he was able to help more people by “I’m here to help preserve health care in Bradford,” he managing the medical care of the unit while continuing said. “It’s the people who motivate me to want to do to work as a flight nurse. “That was the foundation of more and better.”

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PORTRAITS

PA N T H E R PA C K William “B.J.” Folk ’05 is director of property and program for Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg. Bradley White ’05 was awarded a Cameo of Caring Award from the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing for his work as senior

infection control practitioner at UPMC Hamot in Erie. Cameos of Caring Award recipients are recognized as role models within their facility and beyond. Jessica Kubiak ’06 earned her doctorate in English from Old Dominion University and was promoted to associate

vice president for planning and faculty relations at Jamestown (N.Y.) Community College. John Berry ’07 is the chair of the Commercial Liability Committee of the Pennsylvania Defense Institute, a trade group of civil defense attorneys. He is a commercial

Sarah Lorya ’10 new president of PBAA Sarah Lorya ’10 is the new Pitt-Bradford Alumni Association president. While attending Pitt-Bradford, Lorya earned a Bachelor of Arts in history and political science and social sciences. She made great memories at Pitt-Bradford, where she loved being the president of the History Club. During her time in the History Club, she visited Washington, D.C., Gettysburg, Pa., and Boston. She also enjoyed the community she established at Pitt-Bradford and considers many of those she met there among her closest friends.

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Susan DeFazio-Vaughn ’08 received the 2022-23 Allegheny Intermediate Unit’s World of Gratitude Award, which is presented

AL U FO MN CU I

“I never realized how impactful those four years would be in my life,” she said. “It’s truly an honor to be the PBAA president.” After her time at Pitt-Bradford, Lorya went on to The New School of Public Policy Engagement in Manhattan, N.Y., where she graduated with a master’s degree in international affairs: governance and human rights. Lorya has a passion for education with over a decade of experience working in the education sector. She is dedicated to working with immigrant communities and has worked with the International Rescue Committee and as a truancy caseworker with the Southeast Asian Mutual Assistance Association Coalition, one of the oldest and largest refugee-founded agencies in the Philadelphia region. Lorya is fluent in Sudanese, Arabic, German and Swahili languages. She studied in Germany with Youth for Understanding’s Young Leaders Fellowship Program and has served as a member of the steering committee for the Global Education Coalition of New York City. She is actively involved in her community board in Brooklyn as a committee member for the Youth Services Committee. She is currently the director of workforce operations and the chair of the diversity and inclusion committee at St. Nick’s Alliance, a nonprofit community organization serving low- to moderate-income residents of North Brooklyn. She also serves on the New School Alumni Council. Lorya is the 14th president of the PBAA. Denny Lowery ’63-’65 was the first unofficial president and leader of the PBAA, directing efforts to officially launch the Alumni Association. Trish Hall Henniger ’73 was the first woman PBAA president from 1994-1996. Lorya is the eighth female and the first Black PBAA president.

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ASHLEY YOUNG-WATERS ‘16

Sarah Lorya ‘10 shared her expertise with students during Pitt-Bradford Alumni Association Backpack to Briefcase in 2017.

litigation partner with Dinsmore & Shohl LLP in Pittsburgh, concentrating on insurance law, commercial litigation and employment law.

PA N T H E R PA C K annually to a K-12 English as a Second Language teacher who shows an exemplary level of professionalism and dedication to students and staff while displaying leadership, ability and compassion. She lives in Glenshaw, Pa. Shatara Murphy ’08 is the new assistant vice chancellor for anchor initiatives within the Office of Engagement and Community Affairs at Pitt. In her new role, she will coordinate the Pittsburgh campus’s efforts to award more construction, service and purchasing contracts from the region. Prior to working at Pitt, she served as the community health and employee engagement programs manager at Highmark Health.

with the federal government. She lives in Riverview, Fla.

new principal at Southern Tier Catholic School in Olean, N.Y. Christopher Turton ’14 was promoted to frontend developer at Stansberry Research in Baltimore, Md.

2010s

Zach Moore ’11 was inducted into the Olean (N.Y.) High Wall of Fame. Moore is the all-time career scoring leader at Olean with 1,681 points and led his team to the New York State Final Four. At PittBradford, he played for his father, then-Head Coach Andy Moore, before playing as a graduate transfer at St. Bonaventure University, where he was a member of the 2012 Atlantic 10 championship team. Following his college career, he played semi-pro basketball for a few years with the Erie Hurricane of the Professional Basketball League.

Vanessa Durland ’11 has a new job as an investigator

Brittany Nichols ’14 is the

Stephanie Cottillion ’09 is a health and physical education teacher at AlleganyLimestone (N.Y.) Elementary School. Alexander Fish ’09 celebrated a five-year anniversary as a teller at Northwest Bank in Coudersport, Pa., where he has also been a self-employed bicycle mechanic for seven years. He donates free bicycle repair services to A Way Out Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Services. GLENN MELVIN ‘04

The PBAA honored Rick Weinberg ’94 for his work keeping his Sigma Lambda Chi brothers close over the years with the Denny Lowery PBAA Volunteer Award. In turn, the Sigs turned out in force to celebrate Weinberg and their 35th anniversary during Alumni and Family Weekend. Pictured are, front row, left to right: Scott Bell ’94, Scott Carlson ’99, Danny DiCesaro ’93, Mark Dougherty ’88-’92, Scott Stewart ’04, Nick Wolocewicz ’02, Robert Swales ’99, Dave Frenz ’92-’93. In the back row are Michael Schumaker ’90-’91, Andy McCole ’93, Dan Miller ’95, Scott Mohler ’95, Brad Zwierlein ’94, Weinberg, Chris Luke ’94 and Bob Hand ’93.

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Victor Robertazza ’15 has a new position as a program manager for the International Republican Institute. Stacy Colosimo ’16 was promoted to academic adviser at Pitt-Bradford, where she has served as an administrative assistant in the areas of admissions and student success. Ben Cafeo ’17 is an application configuration analyst at First Energy in Johnstown, Pa.

Lisa Cook ’17 became a licensed social worker in 2022. She has a new job as a mental health clinician with Connecting Communities in Action and lives in Rixford, Pa. Justin Conley ’17 has a new job as a system administrator for the University of Pittsburgh where he lives. Natalie Foster ’15-’17 wed Brendan Beschock ’15-’17 in August in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland. Natalie recently graduated from law school and is an intellectual property attorney with Dentons Bingham Greenebaum. Brendan is an analytics developer at Alltech. The couple lives in Lexington, Ky. Natalie said the couple knew they wanted a wedding abroad PORTRAITS

PA N T H E R PA C K and planned theirs during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Switzerland had fewer restrictions than other countries. “I had also been there before and fallen in love with the Alps,” she said. No doubt. Brenton Goldthwait ’17 has a new job as an operations specialist at Kinder Morgan in Depew, N.Y.

Dalton Little ’17 is security administrator at Upper Allegheny Health System. Zachary McClure ’18 is an IT support specialist at the Penn State College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. Sage Messenger ’18 has a new position as assistant director of resident life at

Valparaiso (Ind.) University. Thomas Neilly ’18 is principal site reliability engineer at Yahoo in Niagara County, N.Y. Shane Roush ’18 is a network and telecom technician at Alfred (N.Y.) State College. Patrouious Achatz ’19 has a new job as a youth educator

In Memoriam Sharlene Alden ’78 of Erie, Emporium and Bradford, Pa., died last year after a brief fight against advanced metastatic breast cancer. For most of her adult life, she was employed at Zippo Manufacturing Co. Upon retirement, she moved to Erie and spent time volunteering at several agencies to help the homeless. John “Jake” Colligan ’65-’67 died in October at his home in Boynton Beach, Fla. He served as a combat medic in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and went on to work in nuclear medicine. He was a hunter and competitive sport fisherman. As captain of his boat, “Jig’s Up,” he caught a world-record Spanish mackerel weighing 12 pounds and was inducted into the International Game Fish Association Fishing Hall of Fame. Bruce Freeman ’64-’66 died in October. After earning a Bachelor of Arts in literature from the University of Pittsburgh, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served from 1968-1977. He was a civilian for the next 10 years and earned an additional degree in business management before joining the U.S. Army, in which he served for 10 years before retiring to Bradford. Barbara (Lee) Green ’90 died in May. She was an ICU nurse at Jones Memorial Hospital in Wellsville, N.Y., and enjoyed reading, music and driving on back roads. Gregory A. Himes ’80 died in September in Bradford. After graduating from Bradford Area High School in 1966, Himes enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served four years in Vietnam at the Phan-Rang Air Force Base. He worked as a carpenter and as an oil well inspector for the U.S. Bureau of

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Land Management in Wyoming before earning his petroleum technology degree at Pitt-Bradford. David Hokenson ’67-’76 died in July in Ephrata, Pa. He worked in the drafting department at Dresser Manufacturing Co. and then taught mechanical and computer-aided drafting at Bradford Area High School for 30 years. He also taught at Pitt-Bradford, was a gifted singer and part of the singing group 4 Men for God. Timothy “T.J.” Johnson ’89 died in October from an apparent heart attack. Johnson, 56, was chief of the Pleasant Valley Fire Department when he answered an Emergency Medical Service call on Oct. 16. Shortly after the call, he died at home. He had been fire chief for three years and a member of the department since 1986. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Pitt-Bradford in computer science and was employed for 34 years at Whirley Industries, where he was information technology director. William Lord ’11 died in New Castle, Pa. in December. He was employed for 34 years by Ethan Allen – Eldred Division, where he was a supervisor. He volunteered for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and at the McKean County Fair and was a foster parent. Anthony Morici died Aug. 7 in Algonquin, Ill. He and his wife, Rosemary, lived in Bradford from 1976 to 2002, and he taught at Pitt-Bradford. David Mitchell ’88 died in January 2023 after a four-year battle with colon cancer. He was 59. He was a geotechnical engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, retiring in

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PA N T H E R PA C K with the KEYS Service Corps AmeriCorps program in Pittsburgh.

she’s interviewed more than 100 individuals. She lives in Stevens, Mass.

dency in emergency medicine at Hamot Hospital System in Erie, Pa.

manager at Amazon in Hoboken, N.J. He lives in Hewett, N.J.

Joel Austin ’19 is a front-end software engineer with Meta. He lives in Redwood City, Calif.

Max Shanks ’19 is a hosting product manager with Libsyn. He lives in Pittsburgh.

2020s

Martin Carr ’20 is a system administrator at KOA Speer in Bradford.

Maya Bingaman ’19 has a new job in the office of communications at MIT Solve, where

Lucas Smith ’19 graduated from The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. He will complete a three-year resi-

Noah Bartholomew ’20 was named assistant sports information director at Penn State Behrend in Erie, Pa. Joseph Blanco ’20 is an area

Dakoda Dacosta ’20 has a new job as DevOps engineer for Leidos. He lives in Washington, D.C.

2021. He coached youth lacrosse and football for his children Anthony, Elenie and Michael. He enjoyed golfing, kayaking, hiking and traveling and was a sports enthusiast who cheered for the Pitt Panthers, among other teams. He was survived by his wife of nearly 30 years, Mary Ann. He and his wife lived in Penfield, N.Y.

Thomas Parana ’99 died in August in Kane, Pa. He graduated from Pitt-Bradford with a Bachelor of Science in geology and was a self-employed flooring mechanic and carpenter before he retired. He was a member of the Kane Fish and Game Club, the Kinzua Fish and Wildlife Association and the NRA.

Staff Sgt. Dominic Montemurro ’17 died in September as the result of a motor vehicle accident. A criminal justice graduate of Pitt-Bradford, he was an asset protection assistant store manager at Walmart and served in the Air National Guard 171st Air Refueling Wing. He was a captain with the Fawn Township Volunteer Fire Department.

Paula Smith ’91 died in October in Bradford. She was employed at Zippo Manufacturing Co. in Bradford for 35 years. She was a member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church.

Jill A. (Jeffers) Moore ’06 died in November. A sociology graduate, she worked 17 years at the YWCA Bradford, where, as a victims’ advocate, she changed hundreds of lives helping victims reach safety. She also taught safe dating courses at Fretz Middle School in Bradford and was a minister and member of the board of trustees at the Church of the Living Spirit in Lily Dale, N.Y. Michael Osgood ’96 died in August at his home in Middleburg, Pa., with his family by his side after a 13-year battle with Huntington’s disease. At Pitt-Bradford, he earned a degree in geology, then went on to work as a resource conservation technician for both the Juniata and Snyder County Conservation Districts until 2010, when his health no longer allowed him to work. He enjoyed outdoor activities and was a member of Richfield Life Ministries Church and the Snyder County Gideons. He is survived by his wife, Sara, and their three children, Jonathan, Rebekah and Isaiah.

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Klaus Wuersig, retired associate professor of engineering, died at his home in Cuba, N.Y., in December. He was born in 1939 in Görlitz, Germany, and was the eldest of three sons. He and his mother faced many hardships together before finally being reunited with his father after the war. He and his parents fled their home city before it was made part of East Germany, moving to a small village in West Germany. In 1956, his family immigrated to the United States and settled in Ohio. He earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Tri-State (now Trine) University in Indiana. He was a design engineer at Acme Electric in Cuba, where he met his wife, Celeste. They had three children. He earned his master’s degree from Clarkson before teaching for nearly 30 years at State University of New York Alfred. He also taught in Malaysia and Dubai before teaching at Pitt-Bradford. He retired in 2020 at the age of 81.

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PA N T H E R PA C K Neshaminy School District in Langhorne, Pa. Shiyou Ou ’22 is a Java software developer with Beacon Fire. Drayson Sanders ’22 is a cloud and custom applications consultant at Capgemini. He lives in New York City.

Sisters of Theta Sigma Delta gathered during Alumni and Family Weekend to celebrate 35 years. Ryan Gorgacz ’20 is a data quality analyst with Northwest Bank in Warren, Pa. Daniel Picklo ’20 is a senior web developer with Impulse Creative. He lives in Buffalo, N.Y. Jake Sutton ’20 is an assistant men’s basketball coach at Alfred University. He most

recently spent time with Pennsylvania Western University at Clarion, earning his Master of Business Administration in June.

job as a district manager with ALDI. She lives in Bradford.

Jacob Volz ’20 is an engineering network assistant at Siemens Energy. He lives in the BuffaloNiagara (N.Y.) area.

Logan White ’21 is an associate consultant for VMWare living in Reston, Va.

Jennifer Fitton ’21 has a new

Founder Thomas Bromeley dies Thomas Bromeley, a member of the Advisory Board and a devoted friend of the university who has been with PittBradford since its beginning, died in September. As a young man, he worked with his father, Robert Bromeley, among others to raise the money necessary to open the Bradford campus of the University of Pittsburgh. For 20 years, he served as the chairman of the Bradford Educational Foundation, which receives, administers and invests gifts for Pitt-Bradford. In 2010, Dr. Livingston Alexander, who was then president of Pitt-Bradford, awarded Mr. Bromeley the Presidential Medal of Distinction, the university’s highest honor. “His impact on our campus is immeasurable,” Alexander said.

PORTRAITS

Greg Smith ’21 is a campus police officer at Pitt-Bradford.

Five educators from the class of ’22 have found teaching positions. Emily Cleveland is a new health and physical education teacher and volleyball coach at Hedgesville (W.Va.) High School. Alyssa Hardy Cole is a new 5th grade teacher at BeatyWarren (Pa.) Middle School. Lindsey Greto accepted a position teaching 4th grade in Chesapeake, Va. She was recently recognized for leading her students to the most math growth in the district for the fall growth assessments. Ray Maze is a new 7th and 8th grade social studies teacher at Kane (Pa.) Middle School. Chase Rider is a health and physical education teacher at Herbert Hoover Elementary School in the

Tyler Babinski ’23 is a clinical research assistant at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Brianne Kloss ’23 has a new job as office assistant at the Bradford Area Federal Credit Union. She lives in Bradford. Wes Roeder ’23 is a support analyst with the Seminole County (Fla.) Clerk and Comptroller. Ashley Stein ’23 is a forensic scientist with R.J. Lee Group. She lives in Pittsburgh. Jaclyn Nelson ’23 is a new social studies teacher at Bradford Area High School. Chelsea Vazquez ’23 is a clinical informatics specialist with Oak Street Health. She lives in Lancaster, Pa. Allee Williams ’23 is a commissioning and energy engineer with HBS Solutions. He lives in Washington, D.C. Sarah Wood ’23 is attending Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Pa., to study art therapy. winter 2024

CHANGE THE GAME Our student-athletes give their all, practicing early in the morning, studying late into the evening, and volunteering in their spare time. They’re giving us their very best. We need to do the same. Our plan is to expand and improve our athletic facilities to give our student-athletes the facilities they deserve. Your gift today will help define the future for our student-athletes. Are you ready to change the game?

BRADFORD

Ways to Give GiveToUPB.org or scan the QR code Philanthropic and Alumni Engagement 300 Campus Drive Bradford, PA 16701 814.362.5091

Office of Philanthropic and Alumni Engagement 300 Campus Drive Bradford, PA 16701 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

GLENN MELVIN ’04

The Pitt-Bradford Emeritus Alumni Society inducted new members during a brunch held during Alumni and Family Weekend celebrating the campus’s 60th anniversary. Membership is open to all alumni who attended Pitt-Bradford more than 50 years ago. Those shown are front row, from left, Kaye Andrews Huber ’66-’68, Jeanie Satterwhite ’64-’66 , John Satterwhite ’65-’67, Bill Runyan ’65-’67, Carol Coates ’63-’66; middle row, Al Harris ’66-’68, Terri Leven ’69-’71, Cheryl Lutz ’69-’72, Isabelle Champlin ’64-’65, Sharyn Zias ’67-’69, Ralph Bailey ’67-’69, Mary Rizzo ’64-’66, Frank Rizzo ’64-’66, Hannah Fry ’71-’72, Steve Giordano ’68-’70, James Medlock ’67-’72; back row, Tom Logan ’65-’67, Fred Ruth ’63-’64 and Roger MacDonald ’69-’71.

Portraits magazine Winter 2024

Articles inside

60 and counting

An American in Africa

Field of opportunity