PORTRAITS WINTER 2021
Telling the Stories of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford
LOST AND FOUND Painting restoration connects Bradford’s past to university
Donor scholarships benefit students in many ways
Engineering and technology building to host new programs
Donny Johnson and Vicky Pingie ’93 retire after 40 years
Nancy Kenner ’67-’68 remembers time on campus
president’s letter
PORTRAITS Telling the Stories of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford
Planning for the Future On a chilly winter afternoon, I was reflecting on both the year gone by as well as the year ahead, a year filled with promise and possibilities. In this issue of Portraits, we are delighted to share with you some of the extraordinary accomplishments of our students, faculty, staff and alumni as well as give you a glimpse into our plans for the future. I hope you enjoy our special feature “Lost and Found.” This incredible art history restoration project knits together the history of our campus with Bradford and showcases the passion, knowledge and skills of our incredible faculty, staff and students. This issue also includes an update on our soon-to-be-built academic building, a multi-faceted initiative inextricably linked to Bradford and the region. This state-of-the art facility, which will house innovative academic programs for our students, will enable us to meet the pressing needs of our regional employers as well as help to spark economic development and viability. We are also mindful of the importance of athletics to our campus and are sharing some exciting plans. As you know, Pitt-Bradford is so much about the people! This issue showcases several members of our campus community: students who have been impacted by the generosity of our donors, dear faculty and staff who have retired, our new Director of Alumni Engagement, and an alumna from the 1960s who shares some of her memories. We also feature our “Hate Has No Home Here” campaign, which we launched last summer and is more relevant than ever as Pitt-Bradford provides leadership in civil discourse and deliberative dialogue. We are committed to standing together to denounce hate publicly and proudly in all forms and to treating each other with respect, civility and compassion, despite our differences. Looking forward, I am pleased to report that we are well on our way with strategic planning. We created an inclusive process with more than 80 individuals – faculty, staff, students, alumni and members of our Advisory Board and Pitt-Bradford Alumni Association Board – serving on planning committees. We also developed a web response form and conducted 10 focus groups to gather input from many others. The committees are now working on integrating this feedback and developing the strategies and tactics for our strategic plan, which will provide a bold road map for the years ahead. Pour yourself a cup of tea or coffee and settle in to read another amazing issue of Portraits! Warm regards, Catherine Koverola, Ph.D., president
Have a story, comment or suggestion for us? Write to us at Portraits@pitt.edu.
SENIOR EDITOR
Pat Frantz Cercone EDITOR
Kimberly Marcott Weinberg COPY EDITORS
Laurie Dufford Judy Hopkins ’71-’73 ART DIRECTOR
John Sizing www.jspublicationdesign.com PHOTOGRAPHERS
Patty Colosimo, Alan Hancock ’07, ’19, Jason Jones, Nathan Lawyer ’18, Matthew Lester, Glenn Melvin ’04 Kimberly Marcott Weinberg PRINTER
Canfield & Tack Inc. Published by the Office of Communications and Marketing University of Pittsburgh at Bradford © 2021 www.upb.pitt.edu *Some photographs in this publication were taken before the COVID-19 pandemic and do not reflect the current health and safety guidelines.
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. Eddie Buggie Title IX Equity Investigator (814)362-7513 ebuggie@pitt.edu
BEYOND EXPECTATIONS winter 2021
contents SPRING/SUMMER 2018 ON
Jacin THE CO VER t on t ha Clar : “A P he rest k work s orat rom ion o enad whic e f h wil in Ven Blais l hang ice,” dell in Hall. Ph G otog lenn raph Melv by in ’0 4
This is believed to be William O’Connor, owner of the Emery Taxi Company, which ran the cab stand in front of the hotel. The photo was taken in 1934. Read more about the hotel and its history on page 20.
(ABOVE) COURTESY OF THE BRADFORD LANDMARK SOCIETY
departments
features
departments
16 Lost and Found
2 First Shot
In the fall of 2019, a 19th century masterwork oil painting showed up in the warehouse of alumnus Al Swanson ’81. Now Pitt-Bradford is restoring the painting to preserve it not only as art, but as a connection to Bradford’s oil-rich past. When its restoration is complete, the painting, which came to Bradford after being purchased by state Sen. Lewis Emery, will hang in Blaisdell Hall.
22 Gifts From the Heart Three students — a young man on the autism spectrum, a mother of five and an immigrant from Burkina Faso — are able to make their way at Pitt-Bradford in part because of the generosity of donor scholarships.
A dry fall brought out the most beautiful foliage the region has seen in years.
4 The Commons New building planned for engineering and technology; Johnson, Pingie ’93 and other longtime employees retire; Nancy Kenner ’67-’68 remembers Dr. Gerry Madden and early years on campus; artificial turf field will extend seasons and sports; new fund named for Tyler Morris ’19; faculty members publish books; and more.
28 Panther Pack Dave Coon ’91 didn’t even know he was an artist until he gave it a try.
32 Insider Q&A Amanda Foyle ’13, a licensed clinical social worker, shares some mental health ideas related to the coronavirus pandemic.
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first shot Brilliant autumn A dry fall meant a brilliant autumn in Bradford this year. Here, students walk toward the Lester and Barbara Rice House residence hall. At center is the university’s newest residence hall, Livingston Alexander House, which is designated for freshmen only. At right is T. Edward and Tullah Hanley Library. In the background are the colors of Quintuple Mountain, a large swath that is now owned by the university. For more on Pitt-Bradford’s plans for its new property, see Page 15.
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GLENN MELVIN ’04
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News from Around the Quad
Students Eukie Akrong of Woodbridge, Va., and Chelsea Vazquez-Martinez of Lancaster, Pa., show that hate has no home in the Bromeley Quadrangle.
‘Hate Has No Home Here’
Campus and community tackle talking about tough topics
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their support for the message. The “Hate Has No Home Here” signs identify places that are brave spaces for conversation, work, learning and living that are free from hate speech and hateful behavior,” said Dr. Catherine Koverola, president of Pitt–Bradford. The “Hate Has No Home Here” campaign is part of a national movement that began in a Chicago neighborhood characterized by its diversity in age, race, nationality and ethnicity
where schoolchildren worked with a neighborhood organization to develop a campaign to welcome all people to their community. Places where the “Hate Has No Home Here” signs are displayed publicly declare that hate speech and hateful actions against others will not be tolerated by the person or organization displaying the sign. In addition to the signs, the university sponsored discussions for community members that focused on talking winter 2021
NATHAN LAWYER ‘18
Pitt-Bradford joined other community groups this fall to declare that “Hate Has No Home Here.” The project centers on interrupting hate and publicly declaring that “Hate Has No Home Here” in a variety of languages. Pitt-Bradford’s partners in the project include the Bradford Area Alliance, Bradford YWCA, Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce and Bradford Ministerium. Community members volunteered to place signs in their yards to show
about politics and police and community relations. Trained facilitators from Pitt-Bradford led two small in-person discussions with a total of about 20 community members in attendance. The discussions focused on relationships and participants’ own experiences.
NATHAN LAWYER ‘18 (LEFT); KIMBERLY MARCOTT WEINBERG (RIGHT)
Sophomore Jamira Fitchett of Philadelphia shows her support for the “Hate Has No Home Here” campaign. Dr. Reid Helford, career educator, was one of the facilitators. “If you want to make a change in a community, it moves at the pace of relationships,” he said. “And relationships move at the pace of trust. We saw community trust build in those sessions.” Angie Wolfe, associate dean of students and experiential education, was the other facilitator. She said that she and Helford developed the sessions after students and community members had asked for a place for facilitated conversations. “These conversations weren’t about what people knew about a topic. They were about what their experiences have been,” she said. Helford said, “We wanted to give people a safe place to be open and vulnerable about topics that are highly charged, and I think that we succeeded.” winter 2021
ST U ST DENT
Taking opportunity Hana Tefera ’21 attends largest women’s tech conference
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Hanamariam Tefera ’21 didn’t have a lot of opportunity to explore technology growing up in Ethiopia’s capital city, Addis Ababa, but she always wanted to learn more about the world of computers. Now a senior studying computer information systems and technology at Pitt-Bradford, Tefera received a scholarship this fall to attend the Grace Hopper Celebration, the largest annual gathering in the world for women in technology. This year, the conference was held virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but Tefera was still able to attend a week of webinars and workshops with leading women in technology. Tefera said she attended sessions that went beyond technology to helping young women get a foothold in the world of technology by addressing how women have kept their careers moving beyond the entry level and negotiated salaries. “They brought up a lot of important issues,” she said. “It’s important to see a lot of successful women. There’s no such thing as a man’s job and a woman’s job.” During free times in the conference, Tefera could meet individually with women in the field. “Everyone was really open to having a conversation,” she said. “One of the best things about the conference was to get me out of my shell. I think I need to push myself.” Tefera hopes to one day help her native country. “My dream job would be working for a nongovernmental organization to bring more technology to Ethiopia and other countries in need.”
“One of the best things about the conference was to get me out of my shell. I think I need to push myself.” PORTRAITS
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BOOKSHELF Three members of the faculty published new books during the fall semester. Dr. Donald Ulin, associate professor of English, published “Writing Home: A Quaker Immigrant on the Ohio Frontier” with Bucknell University Press. Ulin’s subject, Emma Botham Alderson, was a mid19th-century Quaker immigrant from England to the Ohio frontier, where she wrote with detail and insight from her perspective as a Quaker. As pacifists and abolitionists, Quakers had unique perspectives on racism, slavery, the impending war in Mexico, presidential elections, various religious and utopian movements, and the practices of everyday life in a young country. Ulin edited Alderson’s letters and provided introductions and notes to relate her letters to the literary work of her sister, Mary Howitt, who wrote “Our Cousins in Ohio,” based on Alderson’s family. Dr. Tony Gaskew, professor of criminal justice, published “Stop Trying to Fix Policing: Lessons Learned from the Front Lines of Black Liberation” in December with Lexington Books. “It’s something that I’ve always wanted to research,” said Gaskew, who has been working on the book for several years. His timing for the book’s completion has coincided with a broader interest in the topic — dismantling law enforcement as it currently exists. “I’ve always tried to stay ahead of the curve on these kinds of things,” he said, explaining that his newest book — his third — delves into how groups could or would dismantle policing, but not whether or not they should. “This book speaks to how the Black radical tradition would envision the process of police abolition,” he said. “It represents the voices of the revolutionary Black Diaspora, which has always fought and resisted state violence.”
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Caleb Landmesser ’10 has been named the new director of alumni engagement. He takes over from Lindsay Hilton Retchless ’98, who served as alumni director for 14 years and taught in the campus’s freshman seminar program. As the director of alumni engagement, Landmesser will help lead the alumni engagement office in cultivating connections between Pitt-Bradford alumni and the university through events, planning, fundraising and communications. After graduating from Pitt-Bradford in 2010 with a degree in history/ political science, Landmesser went to work providing data analysis in the private sector. He then returned home to Pitt-Bradford about a year and a half ago and joined the admissions team as a counselor before taking on the role of director of alumni engagement in December. Landmesser is looking forward to helping facilitate relationships with current students and alumni as he believes the university has the potential to host a “healthy culture” between the two. “I really value Pitt-Bradford as an entity and what it offers to both students and the surrounding area,” Landmesser said. Originally from the upstate New York area, Landmesser now lives in Kane, Pa., with his wife and two cats. He also serves as the head coach for the varsity boys’ basketball team at Kane Area High School. winter 2021
ALAN HANCOCK ’07, ’19
In her latest memoir, Dr. Nancy McCabe, professor of writing, reexamines an ill-advised marriage undertaken in her youth. “Can This Marriage Be Saved?” takes its title from one of the genre-bending essays woven together to create a picture of her marriage at the age of 20. “This book is a series of chapters using extended metaphors and borrowed forms (a woman’s magazine quiz, an instruction manual, a school curriculum guide, notes for a Bible study),” McCabe explained. “This book examines my marriage and the events that led to it, including growing up in a neighborhood terrorized by a serial killer and the influence of a fundamentalist Christian upbringing.”
Landmesser ’10 named alumni director
Johnson, Pingie retire
ALAN HANCOCK ’07, ’19
Long time fixtures say goodbye after 40 years of service at Pitt-Bradford Two of campus’s longest-serving staff members retired this fall – Donny Johnson and Vicky Pingie ’93. Both have 40 years of service to the Bradford campus. On a campus that prides itself on its friendliness, Johnson has been its champion, greeting nearly every fellow staff member twice a day as mail carrier. This greeting ritual between Johnson and staff and faculty members went far beyond a simple hello. Johnson carried tidbits of information from one part of campus to another, and then there was usually a short conversation about 1. weather or 2. sports. Ah, sports. Anyone who has met Johnson knows he is synonymous with sports. In a speech to his classmates, Lyndon Orinion ’11, called him “a walking ESPN channel.” In addition to knowing the schedules, scores, practice times and travel arrangements for all Pitt-Bradford teams, he knows them for all major Pitt teams, the Pitt band, all Pittsburgh teams, all Bradford Area High School teams and whatever professional, college or scholastic teams staff and faculty members follow. We’re talking dozens, if not hundreds, of teams. His devotion to Pitt-Bradford sports earned him a place in the campus’s Athletic Hall of Fame and served as the inspiration for the Donny Johnson Athletic Endowment to support Pitt-Bradford athletes. In 2006, he was honored by the University of Pittsburgh and Chancellor Mark Nordenberg with the Chancellor’s Award for Staff Excellence in Service to the Community. In addition to volunteering with Pitt-Bradford athletics (something he plans to continue), Johnson has volwinter 2021
Donny Johnson delivering the mail on campus. unteered with Bradford High booster groups, is a track coach for the McKean County Special Olympics, participates annually in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life with the staff team, The Pitt Crew, and dances and jokes with Bradford’s annual charity fundraising talent show, the Kiwanis Kapers. “I’m a richer man for knowing him,” said Athletic Director Bret Butler. Associate Director of Admissions Vicky Pingie ’93 came to Pitt-Bradford in 1980, working as an administrative
assistant in human resources until she earned her bachelor’s degree from PittBradford in human relations, when she joined the admissions team. Pingie coordinated all on- and offcampus events along with the Student Ambassador program. She counseled and advised high school students in the university’s Bridges program, which allows talented local students to begin taking college courses on campus while they’re still in high school. Pingie was well known in the university’s primary service region, traveling and representing Pitt-Bradford at PORTRAITS
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high schools in McKean, Warren, Elk, Potter, Cameron, Forest and Tioga counties in Pennsylvania and Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Allegany and Steuben counties in New York state. Dr. James Baldwin, vice president of enrollment management, said Pingie was a master event coordinator and developed strong connections between the admissions team and area guidance counselors. He noted that she was also calming in stressful situations. “We’re going to miss her terribly,” Baldwin said at an online retirement gathering. “Vicky told me that she had a very rewarding career. That it’s been fun to meet 17- and 18-year-olds and watch them transform throughout their college careers. To think she may have had a little to do with their success — how could anything be more fun?” A few other longtime staff retired as well, taking advantage of an incentive offered by the university as part of costcutting measures during the coronavirus pandemic. Barbara Uscinski, administrative assistant in the office of the president, retired after 22 years at Pitt-Bradford. Her tasks in the president’s office included organizing large events for faculty, staff and donors, which gave her artistic abilities and decorator’s flair a chance to shine. Before coming to the president’s office, she had
Vicky Pingie talks to a prospective student and his dad at an admissions open house on campus.
worked in the registrar’s office. Judy Cameron retired as an administrative assistant in the academic coaching and tutoring center after 20 years of service to the university. She also served as the advisor to Lambda Xi sorority and, with her daughter Leanna Cameron ’10, raised money for a scholarship in memory of her late daughter, Alissa. Dr. Leslie Rhinehart retired after 20 years of serving as the director of counseling services at Pitt-Bradford, where she had also taught psychology courses. She placed a high priority on offering a friendly and professional environment in which students could discuss problems in a safe, confidential manner.
Klaus Wuersig, assistant professor of engineering, retired after teaching at Pitt-Bradford for 20 years. Wuersig came to Pitt-Bradford in 1998 after retiring as a full professor from SUNY Alfred. From 1998 to 2000, he and other experts set up programs in information technology, math and science at a brand new university for women in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Others retiring this fall were Dianna Beaver, acquisitions and special collections specialist for Hanley Library, with 15 years; Jean Luciano, interlibrary loan and cataloguing specialist at Hanley Library, with 15 years; and Ernest “Ernie” Kallenbach, assistant professor of accounting, after 12 years. Wuersig
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Cameron
ALAN HANCOCK ’07, ’19
Uscinski
Rhinehart
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An architectural rendering of the university’s proposed engineering and technology building, which is being designed by the architectural firm HED.
New Home for Innovation Building will be center for engineering program and information technology Pitt-Bradford plans to break ground this year on a new academic building this year that will be the center of technology and innovation on campus and across the region, chock-full of rapid prototyping machines, oscilloscopes, engineering lab stations and more to provide hands-on technical learning for students. The new engineering and technology building – the first academic building built in nearly 20 years – will be home to the campus’s technology services, growing computer information and systems technology major and two new engineering technology programs – mechanical engineering technology and energy engineering technology. Engineering technology students will have hands-on labs and study applied mathematics. They will create on their own in a maker space full winter 2021
of milling machines, lathes, welding equipment, metal-cutting technology and 3-D printers and scanners. They will test their products – building them, destroying them, and building them again stronger. They will learn all of these steps in brand new labs for fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, strength of materials, electrical circuits and exacting measurements. Students in mechanical engineering technology will be able to design and build a prototype for an industrial process. Energy engineering technology students will add to their knowledge about geology, combustion, automation and sensors, biofuels, wood chemistry, wind and solar power, and the chemistry of petroleum and natural gas. Graduates with engineering
technology degrees can apply to the same jobs as those with engineering degrees. They take similar classes in math and engineering, but everything is focused toward practical applications. It is similar to a current successful program at Pitt-Bradford that will exist alongside the new fouryear engineering programs, computer information systems and technology. In the project lab and glassenclosed spaces, students from various tech-based majors will spend energy drink-fueled hours collaborating on projects and learning skills, both hard and soft. “We are so excited about this project and what it will do for our students, for regional employers and for our communities,” said Dr. Catherine Koverola, Pitt-Bradford’s president. “Students in this new building will use state-of-the-art PORTRAITS
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A new virtual reality lab on the ground floor will be a showcase for the computer information systems and technology program.
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and feature much-improved spaces for each, as well as a second-floor balcony overlooking the first-floor common space. The cantilevered second floor will provide a porch space below it. The whole project has been decades in the making, said Dr. Ron Mattis, director of the engineering program. Currently, the university has a twoyear, pre-engineering program that requires students to transfer to another school to complete their degrees. The new, four-year programs will require much more in the way of lab and testing equipment to continue engineering students’ hands-on experience. Those labs include the following: • A strength and materials lab • A fluid dynamics lab with small hydro tunnel to test designs • A circuit lab with bench space for soldering, generators and analog/ digital trainer desktop kits
• A measurements lab for the energy engineering and energy science and technology programs where students will be able to work with sensors and automation • A machine shop for freshmen engineering students with computer-controlled cutters and plasma cutters used to cut through electrically conducive materials • A maker space with 3-D printing for rapid prototyping to be shared with the information technology program. The content of a final lab is yet to be determined, but it will be a place where students can work on projects for competitions such as robotics, drones, recreational or solar cars. The labs where students will be creating and fabricating are connected to each other to make working on projects easier. Information technology faculty and students are excited for not only new facilities, but facilities in a single winter 2021
JASON JONES
equipment to work on amazing projects in unique spaces that will spark their creativity. When they graduate, they’ll infuse into our region an influx of innovation.” To create the vision for this environment, HED architects met extensively with campus leadership, technology staff and faculty in the information systems and engineering programs to design the 40,000-square foot, $22 million building. The new building will be located on the lawn of the Hanley Library, parallel to West Washington Street and Lester and Barbara Rice House residence hall built in 2014. On the first floor, the new building will feature laboratories for the new engineering programs, student study and project rooms, and a virtual reality lab for the information systems program. The second floor will be home to the university’s technology services and its information systems program
building with campus technology services. Currently, the program’s labs and offices are spread out among three different buildings. “The spaces are going to be so much more accommodating, and we hope that they will promote campuswide collaborations,” said Don Lewicki, associate professor and founder of the computer information systems and technology program. Faculty from both areas look forward to collaborations – such as competitive teams – that would benefit both programs. The maker space will also be an attraction for prospective students in both areas. “The energy between computer information systems students and engineering is important for students,” said Dr. Ken Wang, associate professor and director of the computer information systems and technology program. “They are complementary programs.” On the first floor, the information technology will have a virtual reality lab where students can use a presentation platform and huge screen to present projects. A rack in the 18
foot-high ceiling will allow for space to hang sensors and cameras. “It’s going to be really, really cool. We’re really excited about that,” Lewicki said. “This should be a space where science as well as non-science majors can use the latest VR technologies and engage in many different creative learning opportunities.” He added that possibilities exist with the university’s esports team or broadcast communications program. Many of the downstairs labs will have large windows into the hallways and common areas to draw in prospective students and encourage collaboration. “This will be an exciting opportunity for high school students to see,” Wang said. On the second floor, the IT program will have a new systems, network and projects lab (known as the SNAP Lab) with twice as many networked “stacks” of computers as the current, closet-like lab. The lab allows students to practice setting up small computer and data operation centers. Upstairs will have a new teaching
computer lab, general-use computer lab and four classrooms along with the office space and workshop of the university’s technology services. William Kline ’86, director of Computing, Telecommunications and Media Services, has been as involved as the faculty in designing the new home for his work unit. “It’s an awesome space,” he said. CTM’s seven employees will each have their own office, plus a new central area for the department’s four to six student workers to work on machines. A separate reception area will allow students to staff an after-hours IT help desk. The proximity to the CIST program is a boon since nearly all of CTM’s student workers are in the information technology program, and several of the staff members teach in the program as well. “It’s going to be a fabulous new space for CTM to set up operations and serve the university the way it should be served,” Kline said. For more information about the engineering and technology building, visit upb.pitt.edu/stembuilding.
STUDENT ATHLETES RAISE AWARENESS OF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
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tudents involved in the Student Athlete Mental Health Awareness Committee have been working to help destigmatize and bring awareness to mental health in the campus community. The organization is student-led and has grown to about 30 members since its founding in the Fall 2019 semester, according to SAMHAC adviser Heidi Lucke, who is also a 2016 Pitt-Bradford alumna and an athletic trainer on campus. Although the COVID-19 pandemic forced members of SAMHAC to postpone various in-person events they had planned for 2020, Lucke said the group has continued to meet virtually on a regular basis to check in with each other and discuss different topics related to mental health, such as seasonal depression, finals stress and resiliency. “‘It’s OK to not be OK’ is the message that SAMHAC is trying to spread,” Lucke said.
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Looking ahead, SAMHAC president Colton Davis, a wrestler and biology major from Nunda, N.Y., said he is hoping to get the group’s name out there more and host more in-person activities when COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. In the meantime, however, the group is planning to host guest speakers, forums and fundraisers in a physically distanced manner, Davis said. The group is open to all students on campus – not just student athletes – and Lucke said she hopes SAMHAC continues to expand so it is “more inclusive to the entire campus body.” Follow SAMHAC at Pitt-Bradford on Twitter and Instagram at @SAMHAC_4upb.
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SPORTS WIRE
An artist’s rendering of a future artificial turf field with bleachers, locker rooms, concession stand and press box, plus an indoor multipurpose athletics building, at top left.
Field of Dreams
New soccer field to create opportunities for athletics Pitt-Bradford is about to embark on a three-tiered plan for new athletic facilities that will score points for years to come. Administrators spent last spring and fall creating a long-term master plan to enhance current sports, support new teams and provide opportunities for additional revenue. The first phase will be to replace the current natural sod soccer field with artificial turf. “We have a beautiful soccer facility. It’s great for September and October, but we’re really handicapped in the spring. That field is just a quagmire,” Athletic Director Bret Butler said. Along with new turf, the university plans lighting for the field, fencing and permanent bleachers set into the hillside. “It’s going to be fantastic for our season consistency and the playing field,” said Nate Whitehurst, head men’s soccer coach. Currently, during the short five-week spring season that NCAA Division III permits, Panthers soccer teams travel to Bradford Area High School to use the artificial turf. Using the high school field means 12 PORTRAITS
using it in off hours. Off-off hours. “It will be great not having to get up at 6 a.m. to use the high school turf,” Whitehurst said. “That’s a struggle on students being tired for classes.” Whitehurst said the new field will also be much safer for players, who risk injury slipping on muddy fields. Melissa Graham, head women’s soccer coach, is excited for the difference it will make for her recruiting. A large percentage of PittBradford students are athletes, and athletic recruitment is an important part of the admissions’ strategy. “Just coming to the campus and seeing a nice stadium is going to be a big advantage for us,” she said. With lights and a longer season, Graham will also be able to hold clinics after the season to identify high school talent. “Recruits are always asking about ID clinics,” she said, ‘but you don’t want to bring them here to see our torn-up facilities.” The field will also have more space for parents and fans, and lights will allow games to occur later – after class and work.
Eventually, as part of a larger plan, the university plans to add a building near the field to act as a concession stand, locker rooms and press box for men’s and women’s soccer and men’s and women’s tennis. Perhaps most exciting of all, a dry field in spring will allow Pitt-Bradford to add men’s and women’s lacrosse teams, possibly as soon as the 2022-23 academic year. “Lacrosse is growing nationwide. It’s very popular in the eastern side of the state. We’re looking at it as an enrollment tool,” Butler said, estimating that each team could bring 25 students to campus. Lacrosse is also a popular sport on the nearby Seneca Nation. In addition to being important for recruitment, athletics can also be an important retention tool. Dr. James Baldwin, vice president of enrollment management, noted that retention for first-year students (the hardest year to retain students) is 11% higher for student athletes over non-athletes. Additionally, the student-athlete GPA is 5.6% higher on average than it is for non-athletes, and the six-year graduation rate for athletes is 50% higher than for non-athletes. The second and third phases of the new athletics master plan would build an indoor multipurpose building with a track, courts for intramurals and practice, batting cages, new offices for all coaches and locker rooms for all teams along with a wrestling pod for practice. To accommodate a new building, the facilities management building would move to the west end of campus. Finally, the university bought the former St. Bernard Elementary School on West Washington Street, which could someday be home to an ice rink plus men’s and women’s, as well as intramural, hockey teams.
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Worthy Cause
Tyler Morris Fund to support LGBTQ+ students through Pride Alliance When Professor Emeritus Tim Ziaukas retired from Pitt-Bradford in 2018 and settled in Pittsburgh with his husband, Chris McCarrick, it brought into focus the needs of a group of Pitt-Bradford students near and dear to his heart – the university’s Pride Alliance. Pride Alliance is the club at PittBradford for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning students and their allies. “While my experience at Pitt-Bradford was great, I know from talking to lesbian, gay and trans students over the years that the LGBTQ faculty generally have it easier than many of these younger people,” Ziaukas said. So Ziaukas and McCarrick founded a new fund – the first of its kind on campus – to support the students and
activities of an individual club. “We’ve made great strides, but it’s still not easy for many of these students, especially in rural America,” said Ziaukas, who taught at PittBradford for 24 years. Ziaukas has continued to teach in retirement at the Pittsburgh campus. “Now that I’m back in Pittsburgh, and I see the kind of support students have here, even in a mid-sized city like Pittsburgh, I’m amazed at what our LGBTQ students in Bradford still really need.” The fund will provide the club with resources to hold more events on campus, help students attend conferences and bring speakers to campus. Ziaukas and McCarrick chose to name the fund in honor of Tyler Morris
’19, a past president of the club and the current alumni advisor. Morris has myasthenia gravis, a chronic illness that weakens all of his muscles and put him on a longer-than-anticipated trajectory to graduate from Pitt-Bradford. “I watched his work with the Pride Alliance with gratitude,” Ziaukas said. “If there were braver or nicer students at Pitt-Bradford, I didn’t meet them. Chris and I admire him.” Morris said he was taken aback by Ziaukas’ request to name the fund in his honor. “I want the campus to be better than when I came here,” he said. To contribute to the Tyler Morris LGBTQ+ Fund, contact the Office of Philanthropic and Alumni Engagement at (814)362-5091 or visit upb.pitt. edu/giving.
Tyler Morris ’19 is a former vice president and president of Pride Alliance who now serves as an alumni advisor. winter 2021
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the commons
Nancy Knight Kenner ’67-’68 A little bit of encouragement went a long way Nancy Knight Kenner ’67-’68 remembers finding true love and self-confidence M at Pitt-Bradford. ME As a Black woman from the outskirts of Philadelphia, it was unlikely that she would have found Pitt-Bradford at all, but she had some help from an Urban League program in Philadelphia that helped Black students find schools to apply to. She was just about to apply to a new college (even newer than PittBradford), John F. Kennedy College founded in 1965 in Wahoo, Neb., when she heard from Pitt-Bradford. Her dad liked that it was closer than Nebraska. “I had no finances to go to college,” said Kenner, the oldest of 11 children. The summer before her first year at Pitt-Bradford, she worked with her mother in an industrial laundry that washed – among other things – sheets and shirts for Valley Forge
NI M U Y AL O R
Nancy and Milton Kenner
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veterinarian who taught Military Academy. biology, regularly played “They worked in checkers and chess with exhaustive heat. I was the students in the lounge appreciating my mother of Emery Hall. at that time. I said, Madden tried setting ‘There’s no way I’m then-Nancy Knight up with going to do that.’” a sophomore from Chicago Her father drove a – Milton Kenner – but it truck, and she earned wasn’t until the two met a scholarship from Knight Kenner at a dinner party that she the Teamsters that took an interest. covered the cost of the summer Nancy and Milton were both qualifying program at Pitt-Bradford students in Dr. August Freda’s as well as her first semester. astronomy class when he invited In the summer qualifying program, them both to dinner. incoming freshmen would take a few “College was the kind of atmofoundational college courses, but sphere then where you went to your with extra tutoring. “It really boosted professor’s house for dinner all the our morale to pass those first college time. Professors did that kind of thing courses,” she said. all the time.” Even once the semester began, Milton was one of three Black there was still a lot of interaction men at Pitt-Bradford at the time. He between the small student body and had gone to Stockbridge School in its faculty. Dr. Geraldine Madden, a Massachusetts and spent his senior year of high school in Switzerland and enjoyed skiing. He was the goalie on the soccer team. For fun, the couple and other students piled into a car belonging to Tom Philipson ’68 and visited Olean, N.Y., where the drinking age was 18, or went to parties and dances at nearby St. Bonaventure University in Allegany, N.Y. “I don’t recall ever having an incident with racism or prejudice on campus,” she said. “That was the best experience I had in my life.” Well, there was one incident, when civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was shot and killed in April 1968. Nancy recalled that a group of students was watching the funeral on television in the lounge, when someone came in and used a racial slur about King. Nancy lit into him. winter 2021
“She was an amazing professor. I recall flunking my first test, and she said, ‘This is not going to happen.’ She gave me her notes and came over to the dorm and tutored me.”
Milton Kenner Upset, she went to her room and called Gerry Madden at home. “And she came down and lit into that kid, too. “She was an amazing professor. I recall flunking my first test, and she said, ‘This is not going to happen.’ She gave me her notes and came over to the dorm and tutored me.” Fred Rehm, who taught mathematics, had encouraged her as well. “He said I really had a mind for math and that I could study it if I wanted to. Those kinds of talks really made the difference for me. I’m 73 years old, and I’m remembering all of these little anecdotal stories. If you remember a teacher, they had to have had an impact.” With Pitt-Bradford being a two-
year campus where students finished at the campus in Pittsburgh, Milton left after his sophomore year and moved to Pittsburgh. Nancy followed the following year, and the two were married in their junior year, working their way through school at the local Giant Eagle. Nancy Kenner graduated from Pitt in 1970 and went on to work in higher education guidance counseling and academic advisement for more than 30 years at community colleges, Temple University, West Chester University and Lincoln University. She would earn a master’s degree from Pitt as well. Milton became a social worker for the Urban League for five years in Pittsburgh before turning to sales. The couple also reached back to help her siblings get educations. “I had my sister come and live with me and go to school when I worked at a community college,” she said. “I was playing family social worker.” Her siblings all went on to be successes in their own right, including a restaurant owner, an electrician, an assistant teacher and a lab technician.
At top, Milt Kenner signed his picture as soccer goalie to his “mother away from home” – Victoria Freda, wife of Dr. Augie Freda. At bottom, Milt enjoyed skiing, a skill he picked up in the Swiss Alps in high school. winter 2021
CAMPUS PURCHASES QUINTUPLE RIDGE PROPERTY
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itt-Bradford is continuing to grow. Last summer, the university purchased 145 acres of forested mountaintop along Quintuple Ridge above South Avenue, which will be used for academic and recreational use. The university bought the land for a reduced rate from Harold Lindgren of Smethport, who set the rate as a gift to the university. At the top of the mountain, the land adjoins 130 acres of forested hillside property on the south side of West Corydon Street that was a gift to the university in 2016 from Harry R. Halloran Jr. and American Refining Group. With the purchase of the Lindgren property, the university owns forest land on both sides of Quintuple Ridge, which was also an important location in the early development of the Bradford Oil Field. Upon the advice of Ken Kane of Generations Forestry Consulting Foresters, the university will remove about a third of the trees. Those trees are white ash trees that will soon die due to an infestation of emerald ash borer beetles. Treating the trees to prevent the infestation is impractical since it requires yearly injections of insecticide into the trees. Once the ash trees are removed, the remaining trees will quickly fill in the gaps in the tree canopy left by the removal of the ash. The remaining forest is made up of red oak, hard and soft maples, hickory and cherry – a good mix for wildlife, Kane said. Profits from the sale of the trees should cover the cost of the property for the university, which intends to build recreational trails there and use it as an academic resource for its environmental studies and new environmental science programs.
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LOST AND
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FOUND
Pitt-Bradford restores a 19th-century masterwork lost for 55 years b y K I M B E R LY M A R C O T T W E I N B E R G
Conservator Jacintha park paints in damaged portions of the painting. winter 2021
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a
quartet of Pitt-Bradford students took part in a unique hands-on learning experience this fall that combined art, history, research and videography. The students were involved in the university’s Emery Art Restoration Project and a documentary film being made about the conservation of the 19th-century painting and its connection to Bradford history. The painting — a large oil canvas by Italian master artist Tommaso Juglaris — was found last year in a Bradford warehouse, having been moved there in the 1960s when the university purchased a downtown hotel to serve as its first residence hall. (See separate story). The painting first came to Bradford when oil magnate and Pennsylvania State Sen. Lewis Emery, an art lover and collector, bought the painting in the early 1880s in Philadelphia after an exhibition there. Dr. Catherine Koverola, Pitt-Bradford’s president, said, “We’re very excited to see this beautiful piece of artwork
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ALL PHOTOGRAPHS BY GLENN MELVIN ’04 UNLESS NOTED OTHERWISE; PATRICIA COLOSIMO (LEFT)
Senior Alexis Horning of Bradford, left, works alongside conservator Jacintha Clark on a portion of the damage.
restored to its original brilliance and hanging in Blaisdell Hall. It will be a constant reminder of Pitt-Bradford’s longstanding connection to the community.” The university plans to have an event to celebrate its new installment and show the documentary when it is safe to do so. To restore the painting to its original beauty, Pitt-Bradford hired conservators Jeffrey Johnson and Jacintha Clark of Harrisburg to repair both the 15-foot by 9-foot painting and its large and ornate wood and plaster frame. When “A Venetian Promenade” first arrived in America with Juglaris, it did so without a frame. The painter transported the large canvas rolled up. Each time he exhibited the painting, it would be unrolled, stretched on a canvas and exhibited. The canvas was then removed from the stretcher and re-rolled for storage or transport. Juglaris eventually sold the painting to Lewis Emery for a bargain price in order to prevent further damage to the work. The constant bending would end up providing enough of a small space for moisture to enter between the paint layer and the canvas during its years in an unheated warehouse. To create the painting, Juglaris had applied layer after layer of thin tinted oil, which dried into a solid sheet of paint. “The paint film itself held together,” Johnson explained, “but it was detached from the canvas.” Before Johnson could do anything with the painting, he had to stabilize the paint so that no more would fall off by reattaching it to the canvas. Johnson first inserted a fine, medical grade needle between the paint layer and the canvas and injected conservation-grade adhesive. With the paint securely in place, Johnson took the painting and its frame to his workshop in Harrisburg, where he removed the canvas from its stretcher, cleaned the existing paint and filled in where paint is missing. Cleaning began by removing the varnish. Nineteenthcentury oil paintings were regularly finished with a coat of varnish applied on top of the paint film after it had completely dried. The varnish – often called a sacrificial layer – protected the surface of the painting and could be removed without damaging the paint below. Over many years, the varnish yellows, changing the appearance of the colors in the painting. Using their knowledge of the probable varnishes used at the time the painting was originally painted, Johnson and his assistant, Jacintha Clark, carefully applied various solvents to small test patches to see what would remove the varnish safely to reveal the painting’s true colors beneath. As they removed the varnish, decades of dirt and atmospheric grime went with it. In order to work on a piece so large, Johnson had to
It was a drastic change. It looks as close to the way he painted it as it can. The painter’s colors have come back.” – CONSERVATOR JEFF JOHNSON
PATRICIA COLOSIMO (TOP)
At top, conservators stabilize the painting in the warehouse where it was found. Below, the original condition of the painting. build a new table in his studio. While cleaning and restoring the centermost parts of the painting, he said, conservators laid foam on the canvas and sat on it. “It was a drastic change,” he said of the cleaned painting. “It looks as close to the way he painted it as it can. The painter’s colors have come back.” After removing varnish and other old repair work down to the original paint, Johnson applied a new thin coating of varnish to preserve the original work. Next, the team evened out the painting’s surface. Johnson explained that oil paint is applied in layers that can be as thick as a few sheets of paper. Just like a wall with peeling paint needs to be spackled, Johnson and Clark built up the surface before concocting historically accurate pigments to repaint in the missing parts. When exposed under black light, each newly painted part glows, which can show conservators of the future where repairs were made. Johnson then reinforced the brittle, original canvas by gluing it to a new piece of canvas using reversible thermoplastic adhesives. “We actually laid the painting face down on our conservation table, applied a solvent-based adhesive, then laid
the new canvas with its adhesive onto the original canvas,” Johnson explained. “We carefully and methodically ironed the back of the new canvas to heat both of the adhesives to right around 150 degrees. We constantly monitored the temperature of the canvas with an infrared thermometer as we ironed to make sure we were not getting the mix too hot, which could damage the original paint film. As the adhesives cool, they become one, but always reversible at around 150 degrees.” Now clean and stable, the painting was ready to return to Bradford. It arrived in November at its new home – Blaisdell Hall – where it will eventually hang in the KOA Speer Electronics Lobby. Here, work would continue on “infill” painting and the restoration of the frame while a documentary film crew conducted interviews about the history of the work and recorded its restoration. The frame for the painting is an artwork in its own right. The American-made gilt frame extends nearly a foot beyond the canvas on each side. Its base is wood covered with ornate three-dimensional patterns made of cast plaster. Through the years, some of the plaster elements got wet in the warehouse and fell from the frame, leaving unornamented bare wood.
Senior Danica Andrews of Germansville, Pa., worked alongside the film crew. winter 2021
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Conservator Jeff Johnson creates a mold of the frame to replicate lost parts of the plaster decoration.
While Clark continued to paint in the bare spots on the canvas, Johnson created silicon molds of parts of the frame and used them to create replacements for the missing ornamentation. Once the new plaster moldings were ready, Johnson added them to the frame, and cleaning began on the gilt frame. Gilding is a process that leaves a fine coat of gold behind, and through the ages, many different chemical processes have been used to achieve golden effects. Johnson had to again apply his knowledge of historic techniques and chemistry to determine the best cleaning method. Johnson and Clark’s time in Bradford working on the frame and the accompanying documentary provided the opportunities for four students to learn alongside professionals in their fields. Senior Alexis Horning of Bradford, a psychology major with a minor in art, had a chance to observe and take part in the restoration of the painting. “It’s been very interesting,” Horning said of her opportunity. “Walking into this restoration project, I knew nothing about it.” Clark talked with Horning about how she created the paint to be similar to that used by Juglaris, explained color theory and technique and then handed Horning a brush. “In my head, I was like, my goodness, be careful!”
Horning said. “The brush strokes that I am used to didn’t work. It’s less of a brush and more of a pat. It was a little nerve-wracking, but it was a total new experience.” Horning said she loves that she contributed “a couple of little brush strokes” to restore the painting to its original beauty. “I was thrilled that I got to be a part of it. It gave me a newfound respect for things that have been restored.” Horning also spent time with Johnson learning about the techniques used to create and restore the large gilt frame. The three other students’ hands-on lessons lay with cinematographer Adrian Selkowitz, who is documenting the project as a film. Hayley Madl, a senior history-political science major from Beaver, Pa., and Devon Briggs, a junior double major in history-political science and international affairs from Port Allegany, Pa., have been researching the history of the painting’s original owner and the hotel where it hung for 40 years before being crated and stored.
EMERY HOTEL THE LINK BETWEEN PITT-BRADFORD AND BRADFORD’S MILLIONAIRE ERA
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he Emery Hotel played a brief, but memorable, part in Pitt-Bradford’s history. The original luxury hotel was built by Grace Emery in memory of her millionaire father on the eve of the Great Depression. Emery had spared no expense in building the top-of-the-line hotel. The new hotel had seven stories and 105 guest rooms. From a telephone in every guest room to a mahogany baby grand piano in the lobby, Grace Emery’s vision was one of home and friendliness but wrapped in luxury. A huge neon “Emery” sign on the roof lit up the night. A dark blue flag with the Emery family crest and the words “Fidelis et Suavis” or “Faithful and Courteous” flew from the balcony, and all 61 hotel employees, recently hired,
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were expected to honor that creed. There was a barber shop with three barbers, an orchestrope phonograph on the seventh floor that held 26 records and could pipe music to every room and also be used as a paging system, a telephone switchboard, a cigar and newsstand, a laundry, and two elevators. An all-electric kitchen could serve 500 meals a day. Each room had its own toilet and washstand (unheard of in other Bradford hotels!) and either a bathtub or a shower. The bellhops wore navy blue doublebreasted jackets with the name “Emery” embroidered in gold on the sleeve. The doorman wore a long blue overcoat with wide lapels and a military style hat with “E” written in gold braid. There was a coffee house patterned after an old Early American tavern, and a main dining room. There were also
five stores on the first floor, all of which faced the public square and three offices for professional men. A private dining room, named the Venetian Room, featured a ceiling “finished with clouded effects embellished with blocks of various colors to harmonize with the large painting.” The large painting referred to was “Promenade in Venice,” a 19th-century life-size depiction of the Renaissance painter Paolo Veronese gliding through Venice in a gondola. Painted by the Italian artist Tommaso Juglaris, the painting had been purchased by Grace Emery’s father, Pennsylvania State Sen. Lewis Emery, who traveled extensively and brought home eclectic items from around the world. Other items in his collection that were not relocated to the hotel included a Persian javelin inlaid with sliver, Egyptian vases from Alexan-
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“In my head, I was like, my goodness, be careful! The brush strokes that I am used to didn’t work. It’s less of a brush and more of a pat.” — SENIOR ALEXIS HORNING
While Madl has conducted a lot of research in her college career, she said this was the first topic she had researched from scratch. “The Bradford Landmark Society has been immensely helpful,” she said. It provided newspaper clippings and steered her toward other sources, such as the Smithsonian Institution, to work on finding the answers to new questions raised by the landmark materials. While Madl is applying to doctoral graduate programs, she said she appreciated learning about a field she didn’t know much about. For Briggs, it was also his first time conducting original research. In addition to working with the Landmark Society to research the former Emery Hotel, Briggs consulted with Marietta Frank, director of Hanley Library, and combed the scrapbooks of Lewis Emery’s granddaughter, Elizabeth Kennedy Fesenmyer, which are in the Hanley archives. “We’ve gotten to see the whole picture, and now I see how much work goes into making a documentary,” Briggs said. “This whole thing has been a very eye-opening experience for me. “The fun part of the research has been looking at the primary sources and sifting and putting information into a timeline,” he said.
For help with the actual filming, documentarian Adrian Selkowitz turned to Danica Andrews, a senior broadcast communications major from Germansville, Pa. Andrews said she was grateful to have the experience before she graduated in December. She met with Selkowitz during the summer. Then, he shipped her a professional-grade camera so she could record footage on campus and around town that could be used in the documentary while people are talking on camera. She said that at first, carrying the expensive camera made her nervous, but she adjusted both to the camera and not having a professor there to guide and critique her. “Having Adrian looking at my work was a real confidence boost,” she said. Selkowitz said, “Danica has been able to handle all of the Bradford footage. Her footage looks terrific. She’s up for it.” The painting and video will not only provide a valuable link between the campus and Bradford’s own gilded age of oil millionaires, but also serve as a teaching tool for PittBradford students as well as those from the community. Under black light, students will be able to see areas where the painting has been worked on.
THE W. FORRES STEWART COLLECTION AT HANLEY LIBRARY
The Emery Hotel at the time Pitt-Bradford purchased it to become its first residence hall.
dria, amber from Finland and the jawbone of a whale. By the 1960s, however, modern motels were replacing traditional hotels. The Emery Hotel was sold to the University of Pittsburgh in May 1964. Interior renovations began immediately with anticipated completion in time for the fall semester. The new name would be Emery Hall. As the renovations moved at break-
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neck speed, the lobby desk, glass display cases and large hotel safe were sold. Everything was painted, plumbing repaired or replaced, and new wiring installed. The main portion of the former lobby became the Student Union, complete with comfortable chairs, a television, piano and tables for playing bridge or hearts. Gone was the Gold Room, which became a student bookstore. The Coffee Shoppe
became the William Pitt Room, which was open seven days a week to area residents and visiting parents of collegians. Dr. Donald Swarts, president of Pitt-Bradford and a refined art-lover himself, decided that Tommaso Juglaris’s masterwork “Promenade in Venice,” which had once hung in the Paris Salon, should be removed from the vicinity of any hijinks that might break out among the mildly mischievous students. Swarts had the painting professionally crated and sent for safekeeping to a warehouse owned by a member of the university’s original advisory board, Carl E. Swanson, who had a contracting business. It would be 55 years before it was seen again. This article was adapted from those written by Sally Ryan Costik, executive director of the Bradford Landmark Society, that appeared in The Bradford Era.
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For recipients, a donor scholarship’s value is more than monetary – it’s a vote of confidence by PAT FRANTZ CERCONE
GIFTS FROM THE
HEART ON THE SURFACE, THE STUDENTS DON’T APPEAR
to have anything in common. One is a trombone-playing young man who is open about being on the autism spectrum and hopes someday to work at a radio station or Walt Disney World. Another is a mother of five who has pulled herself out of difficult circumstances and is on the cusp of getting the college degree she’s always yearned for. The third is a young woman who grew up in the West African country of Burkina Faso and hopes to join the Peace Corps before becoming a gastroenterologist. All three have had very different journeys and challenges. Yet, along the way, each has been helped by scholarships established by kindhearted and generous people who wanted to make their lives – and the lives of many other students – a bit easier as they pursued their degrees.
If you’d like to contribute to an existing scholarship or create one, please contact the Office of Philanthropic and Alumni Engagement at 814.362.5091 or visit upb.pitt.edu/giving.
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fall/winter 2020
Fawzia Yameogo ’22 Biology major from Dillsburg, Pa. 1960s Emeritus Alumni Scholarship
F
awzia Yameogo is getting very good at overcoming obstacles, in part because of her simple philosophy. “I just take it one day at a time and do what I have to do,” she says with a wide smile. Yameogo, a junior biology major, was born in Burkina Faso, a West African country south of Mali. When she was 13, her father moved to New York City for work. A year later, she and her family joined him. At the time, she spoke only Mooré, one of the official languages of her homeland, and French. Fortunately, she found people in New York who spoke her languages and helped her with translations. However, a year later, the family moved to Mechanicsburg, Pa., a much less diverse community, which forced her to learn English. “It was really tough, but I just learned by listening to people talk,” she said. In high school, she worked hard. Yameogo asked her teachers for help, stayed after school and reviewed her lessons again. Math and physics calculations were easier. English and biology were not. She was ready to work even harder at college and chose Pitt-Bradford because “I wanted that one-on-one attention so I could get the help I needed.” Her choice paid off. “The campus is really friendly,” Yameogo said. “The staff and faculty have been very helpful and supporting. It’s been great.” Long before she got to college, Yameogo wanted to be a doctor. During her senior year in high school, she decided on gastroenterology after a gastroenterologist who was the father of one of her classmates gave a class presentation. “This is pretty cool,” she thought. “It was kinda gross, but I liked it.” Once she graduates from Pitt-Bradford, Yameogo knows she’s facing several more years of education and hard work: medical school, residency and a gastroenterology fellowship. She’s looking forward to it but isn’t sure she wants to go to medical school right after she finishes her bachelor’s degree. She’s considering taking two years off to join the Peace Corps and help people in undeveloped countries. “I want to work with people and help in whatever way I can before I go on with my life.” It’s not a direct path to medical school, and others have advised her against it, but she’s determined.
“I want to work with people and help in whatever way I can before I go on with my life.”
GLENN MELVIN ‘04
She wants to help others because others have helped her, including the donors who gave her so much, particularly this academic year. “It’s been a tough semester, but because of them, I was able to push through.” As if the global pandemic weren’t enough, Yameogo knew last summer she would have to have surgery in the fall to correct a misalignment in her knee. Facing medical bills and tuition, she saved as much money as she could from her summer job. Yameogo knew it wouldn’t be enough. She called the Financial Aid Office to see if she could take out more loans and learned she was going to receive the 1960s Emeritus Alumni Scholarship, created by Frank and Mary Rizzo ’64-‘66. “It took the load off so I could feel more at ease. It was more help.” As the first recipient of that scholarship, Yameogo was a featured speaker at the Alumni Emeritus Brunch, where she met the Rizzos. “They’re really nice people. They’re really fun, too. Frank was making jokes.” But the Rizzos gave her more than just financial help. Last March, when students left campus to finish the academic year remotely, the Rizzos sent Yameogo a note of encouragement, which touched her. “Even without knowing me, it helped me to stay steady and keep going. I thank them for that. Their generosity is genuinely helping people.”
Matt Avery ’22 Interdisciplinary arts major from St. Marys, Pa. The Richard S. Johnson Arts Scholarship Dr. Robert C. Laing Creative Arts Awards scholarship
ALAN HANCOCK ’07, ’19
Mary Rizzo ‘64-’66 with Yameogo. 24 PORTRAITS
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Matt Avery enjoys Light the Quad with the Panther.
M
GLENN MELVIN ’04 (LEFT); ALAN HANCOCK ’07, ’19 (RIGHT)
att Avery describes himself — and others like him — as “an autistic awesome person” and speaks freely about being on the autism spectrum and the unique challenges he faces. “It takes me longer to learn some things,” he said, explaining it took him a year longer to learn to drive. But having autism didn’t prevent him from finding a college that has made him happy in many ways. Avery was already familiar with PittBradford; his sister, Rebecca, graduated in 2020. For him, the campus was located in the perfect spot. He could be away from home, but not too far away in case he needed anything from his parents in St. Marys.
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When he got to campus, he discovered that the challenges he had faced as someone with autism were fewer, thanks to the many available services, such as TRIO Student Support Services and Disability Resources and Services, which offer additional support to help students succeed. The staff in both offices also were helpful when he switched majors halfway through his first year. Avery had been a computer information systems and technology major but discovered that despite his interest in computers, the coursework was too stressful. Avery, a trombone player since fourth grade, switched his major to interdisciplinary arts. “It was a struggle to transition from one major to another. With help from TRIO and Disability Services, I was able to get through it.” The IA major seems to suit him, though he’s not sure yet what he wants to do with it when he graduates. “Who knows? Maybe I’ll work at a local radio station,” he said, mentioning The Hound, a country music station in Ridgway, Pa. He’s also considering work as a DJ or at Walt Disney World. Avery may not know what his future holds, but he’s well-tuned into his present. He’s a gregarious guy. Before the pandemic hit and everyone could gather physically on campus, Avery seemed to be everywhere, chatting with people in the quad, laughing with classmates in the dining hall and talking with faculty and staff members he ran into along the way. PORTRAITS 25
Avery’s outgoing personality has helped him make a lot of friends in his almost three years on campus. “I have some amazing friends at Pitt-Bradford who make me happy. Once the pandemic is over, I can’t wait to hang out with them.” He also can’t wait to resume all of his activities. “I want to stay active. I don’t want to stay in my room all year.” Avery is a member of the Student Activities
“These donors are amazing people. Getting these scholarships was an honor and a blessing.” Council and Alpha Phi Omega, which allows him to help people as well as dogs at the McKean County SPCA. He plays trombone in the Pep Band, which performs during athletic and other campus events, and has written for The Source, the former student newspaper. “I’ve had fun on campus,” he said, adding that his favorite time of the year is when the quad gets lit up in school colors during Alumni and Family Weekend. It’s not always easy managing classes and an active social life, but Avery’s done OK. “I’ve juggled stuff pretty well,” he said. He admits he’s turned a few assignments in late, “but the professors are willing to compromise, and they understood.” Who’s his favorite professor? He answers immediately: “I like them all. They’re all amazing. They’ve treated me well, helped me in any way and offered me any support I needed. That’s how great they are.” Avery also thinks very highly of the people who created the scholarships that have helped him and so many other students on campus. “These donors are amazing people. Getting these scholarships was an honor and a blessing,” Avery said, adding that his parents were very proud that he worked hard enough to qualify for them. “These scholarships really help with the financial aspects of college. Paying for college is never easy.” 26 PORTRAITS
At top, Jennifer Fitton’s family, from left, Winnie Reid, Elijah Fitton, Skye Fitton, Jeremiah Fitton, Grayson Fitton, Destiny Fitton and Isaiah Fitton. Below, she enjoys spending time with grandson Grayson. winter 2021
Jennifer Fitton ’21 Business management major from Bradford The Glendorn Foundation Non-Traditional Student Scholarship and the PBAA Matching Scholarship
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ennifer Fitton always wanted to go to college, but fate had something else in mind first. After a short stint in the Army, she had her first child, daughter, Destiny, at age 19. Two more children followed shortly afterward: daughter, Skye, and son, Jeremiah. When she was pregnant with Jeremiah, she enrolled at Jamestown (N.Y.) Community College, but completed only one semester. Fitton had three more children. A daughter, whose death was attributed to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and sons, Elijah and Isaiah. As a full-time wife and stay-at-home mother, she centered her life around her children, whom she homeschooled, and taking care of their home. “I was so involved in learning right along with them,” she said, “things that I missed out of my own childhood education. I kept telling them ‘You need to go to college.’ The focus was always on them to educate themselves.” Unfortunately, as her family grew, so did complications within her marriage. “This is not what I wanted out of my life,” she said. “I loved my children, but I was denying parts of myself. … It was killing me. There was always some reason why my self-growth was put on hold.” As her circumstances deteriorated, Fitton
After living with her mother for six months, she and her children found a permanent home of their own. To maintain that household, Fitton worked three jobs over seven days, all while trying to attend as many of her sons’ high school basketball and football games as she could and completing her schoolwork on time. It wasn’t easy, and Fitton wasn’t afraid to ask for help, sometimes asking her professors for an extension on a paper or project. “My professors have really, really helped in that way. I have nothing but great things to say about every teacher I’ve had at Pitt-Bradford.” She also had help from her family and friends. “Everyone has gotten me to this point, including my kids.” Then, the pandemic hit, and Fitton lost two of her part-time jobs, which left a sizeable financial hole in her budget. “You can’t focus on self-actualization and empowerment until you have some basic needs met,” Fitton said, referring to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Fortunately, she had been receiving donor scholarships since her first semester, and they met some of those basic needs. “Sometimes those donor scholarships have put food on our table, have paid rent.”
“This is what these donor scholarships are doing for me. I’m finding my voice.” yearned for independence, to have a job outside of the house, to pursue an education. She began gathering information. The more she read, the more she learned about herself, her marriage and her need to pursue a college degree. Fitton called Sue Gleason ’06, director of Pitt-Bradford’s Academic Advising Center, who directed her toward the Financial Aid Office. “I realized I could actually make this happen,” Fitton said. “I would have student loans at the end and maybe a mountain of debt, but it would be worth it.” At 40, Fitton enrolled at Pitt-Bradford and began a precarious juggling act: meeting all of her obligations as a wife, mother and undergraduate student. In January 2020, her life got even more complex. She and her husband separated. winter 2021
They’ve also helped to ease more than just her financial burden. “They’ve enabled me to be independent and show my kids there’s a better way of life. Without them, I would not have been able to be in school and pursue my degree.” This leg of Fitton’s journey is nearly over. She’ll graduate in April and is already working full time as an international business development coordinator at Zippo Manufacturing Co. But she doesn’t expect her journey to end. “I’m not going to stop,” she said, adding she’d like to get an MBA and maybe a doctorate. “I’m in such a different place in my life now,” she said. “This still doesn’t seem like me, but this is what college is doing for me. This is what these donor scholarships are doing for me. I’m finding my voice.” PORTRAITS 27
PA N T H E R PA C K 1970s Wade Robertson ’72 won three first-place awards for his writing from the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association, including the Best of the Best Award for the outstanding column of the year. Robertson’s outdoor column appears weekly in The Bradford Era and Olean (N.Y.) Times Herald. Last year, he published a collection of some of his outdoor columns in “Soul of a Hunter,” available on Amazon.
1980s Al Swanson ’81 has retired and closed his construction business, Carl E. Swanson & Sons Inc., which has built and renovated several of the university’s buildings, most recently the ground floor of Marilyn Horne Hall (formerly the Seneca Building) in downtown Bradford. Stacie Pecora Salerno ’83 retired from Pitt-Bradford after serving for 10 years as manager/financial assistant for the university’s TRIO Student Support Services, a program aimed at increasing success for students who are most likely
to face challenges. Chris Napoleon ’86-’88 received the L.O.U.I.E. award from the Greater Olean (N.Y.) Chamber of Commerce. The award is presented annually to a person who epitomizes the enterprising spirit and qualities embodied by Louis Marra, a longtime Olean businessman and owner of several restaurants over more than 20 years. L.O.U.I.E. stands for “Love of Olean United in Enterprise.” Napoleon is the founder and president of Napoleon Engineering Services. Charlotte Layton ’88 was promoted to director of quality and product development at American Refining Group in Bradford. She leads ARG’s entire quality staff and is responsible for planning and directing quality assurance policies, programs and initiatives, as well as process and product testing to ensure production standards are met.
1990s Rhett Kennedy ’92 is the new director of facilities manage-
The importance of play Valerie Detweiler ’09 starts charity
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Thomas Barbera ’93 was promoted to sales manager at Radici Performance Polymers. He lives in Charlotte, N.C. The Pennsylvania Medical Society recognized Dr. Jill Owens ’93 for her efforts to educate the public in the Bradford area during the COVID-19 pandemic. Owens used her practice’s Facebook page to share tips and knowledge such as how to properly wear a mask and why it is important to stay at home. Michelle Barbich-Rizel ’94 was named interim dean of student engagement at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. She lives in Erie, Pa. Sarah Hayden ’96 has been named vice president of human resources at American Refining Group in Bradford. She and her husband, Donnie, live in Bradford and have two children.
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alerie Donohue Detweiler ’09, left, and her family have relocated to new duty station at Fort Bragg, N.C., where she is working as a makeup artist and founded a charity to benefit local hospitals. The charity – The Little Playroom Foundation – works with hospital child-life specialists to support pediatric playrooms and child-life programs. “Our goal is to ensure that every child admitted to the hospital has access to a playroom, and we help supply these programs with needed items, educational support and referrals for therapy dogs and various volunteers,” she said. To learn more about The Little Playroom Foundation, visit www.Facebook.com/thelittleplayroom.
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ment at PittBradford. He succeeds Peter Buchheit ’92, who retired in July after 41 years of overseeing the construction and upkeep of the campus’s buildings and grounds.
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Bob Veilleux ’96 has been appointed economic development liaison for McKean County (Pa.) Economic Development, providing technical assistance, referrals and planning assistance to local business and industry. Lindsay Hilton Retchless ’98 left her position as the director of alumni relations at Pitt-Bradford to become the assistant director of alumni services at St. Bonaventure University in Allegany, N.Y.
2000s Dr. Craig Dillaman ’01, ’12 is serving as the interim associate vice
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.
provost of student success at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He lives in Indiana, Pa. Mike Ward ’01 was named chief of the City of Bradford Police Department. He had served as assistant chief for 10 years. Michael Miller ’02 co-wrote the autobiography of Tom Bleecker, “Journeying beyond the Mountaintop.” Bleecker is a Hollywood screenwriter and an eighth-degree Black Belt in American Kenpo Karate. Miller, a fifth-degree black belt, owns Miller’s Kenpo Karate Dojo in Bradford. “Journeying beyond the Mountaintop” is his sixth book. Amy Slevinski ’03 is director of global forensic, compliance and integrity services at Baker Tilly US accounting in the Washington, D.C.-Baltimore area. Brad Catale ’04 has a new job on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic as a registered nurse at UPMC Mercy. He lives in Lowellville, Ohio. Andrew Carlson ’06 was promoted to assistant principal at Valley Grove School District. He lives in Slippery Rock, Pa. Jessica Kubiak ’06 received a 2020 State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. Kubiak is an assistant professor of reading and composition at Jamestown (N.Y.) Community College’s Cattaraugus County Campus,
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PA N T H E R PA C K AL U FO MN CU I
Hidden talent
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Dave Coon ’91 discovers he’s an artist Growing up in Warren, Pa., Dave Coon ’91 didn’t have a lot of exposure to the fine arts. He assumed that painting, drawing and sculpture were the only mediums there were. He went to museums occasionally with his family or school groups and appreciated art, but didn’t necessarily understand what the artist was trying to convey. So it might seem unlikely that – at 48 – he became an artist, creating colorful contemporary pieces that were soon appearing at Art Basel Miami Beach – one of the top contemporary art fairs in the world. At second glance, it starts to make sense. The one-time broadcast communications major has had numerous career interests – working in hospitality and software sales, then entering the world of commercial real estate. It was buying and renovating properties where he found a talent for working with his hands. He finally settled in South Florida and made several friends who were artists. He frequently attended exhibitions where his friends were showing works. “I’d wander around, and as I’m looking, my mind’s working” on how he might have done something different. But he didn’t think of taking up art himself until he came across a piece that was more of an installation art work. The piece used acrylic cubes. “I saw that, and my mind started working,” he said. A few months later, he was still thinking about it when he was between jobs. He ordered some acrylic cubes, and that was the start of his Cube Designs. To create his big and bold artworks, Coon first maps out what his design will look like on a 2-foot or 3-foot square board. He paints the board and one or more sides of the clear cubes with beach ball-bright colors. “Growing up, I was conservative with
where she teaches developmental and college-level courses on reading, writing and area studies. She is also working toward a Ph.D. in English from Old Dominion University in Virginia.
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colors,” he said. “As I grew up, I was no longer afraid of color.” After he glues the colorful cubes onto the colorful boards, he coats the whole work with resin, giving it the liquid vibrancy of wet nail polish. “That’s what makes them pop. That’s what makes them come to life.” Coon’s pieces are highly geometric, some mesmerizingly so. They have a neon, South Florida feel. After he’d made a few artworks, his artist friends told him they would sell. His friends were right, and he signed with an international gallery, which is how his art ended up at the one of largest con-
John Berry ’07 was named to the Pennsylvania Rising Stars list for 2020 as a top up-and-coming attorney in the state. Berry is an associate with Dinsmore & Shohl LLP in Pittsburgh specializing in commercial and insurance
temporary art shows in the world: the aforementioned Art Basel Miami Beach. He has gotten some commissions and worked with interior designers to create pieces for hotels and restaurants, but it’s not a full-time gig. “I enjoy doing it. I think that’s the key,” he said. But a little success doesn’t hurt. To see more of Coon’s art for yourself, visit cubeartdesigns.com
litigation financial and bankruptcy litigation, and labor and unemployment law.
and student affairs at Appalachian State University in Blowing Rock, N.C.
Dr. Brandon Nelson ’07 earned his doctorate and was promoted to associate director for housing
Dr. Trisha Wright ’07 earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice in August 2020 from Clarion-
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PA N T H E R PA C K the university’s new website and moving the spring commencement ceremony online.
Engagement What could be more special for two Pitt-Bradford grads than an engagement in front of the Panther? It was special enough for Stephanie Maciag ’17 to say yes to Andrew Bacha ’20.
Edinboro Universities. She continues to work as the quality improvement and infectious disease coordinator at the Federal Correctional Institution, McKean in Lewis Run, Pa. Robert Johnson ’08 married Jamie Burritt ’19 on Nov. 20 at Harriett B. Wick Chapel on campus. The couple live in Bradford. Shawn Spindler ’09 is a senior territory manager at Balt USA in San Diego, which makes products for the treatment of neurovascular diseases.
2010s Nicholas Moore ’10 was promoted to principal engineer at Westinghouse Electric Co. He lives in Pittsburgh. Lyndon Orinion ’11 is a new public affairs specialist with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Jim Pascarella ’11, web manager of Pitt-Bradford, was chosen by staff members as the recipient of the university’s annual Staff Recognition Award. Co-workers mentioned that in addition to being an overall great co-worker and team member, Pascarella spearheaded two important projects in the past year – creating
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Dr. Yvon Woappi ’11 is a postdoctoral fellow in Harvard University’s Dermatology Research Training Program and is a Ruth L. Kirschstein Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He hopes to one day lead a research team of his own. Erik Austin ’12 is the director of a new TRIO Student Support Services program at Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pa. Chelsea Boyles ’12 was honored by the Junior League of Greater Alton (Ill.) with its Thayer Award, given to a member who personifies the league’s purpose in the community, which is promoting volunteerism and developing the potential of women. She is a digital marketing specialist in the St. Louis area. Jodie Nelson ’12 was promoted to Quality Chemist II at American Refining Group in Bradford. As a quality chemist, her duties include developing lubricants and collaborating with the refinery’s commercial team and private-label customers. She audits first-time production blends and performs root cause analysis of issues in blending and packaging. Jesse DeLoof ’13 was named the new head men’s basketball coach at Pitt-Bradford. He is the seventh men’s basketball coach in the program’s history. DeLoof was an assistant coach under Britt Moore before serving as the head boys’ basketball coach at Youngsville (Pa.) High School for the past three years. Samantha Smith ’14 is a community health specialist with the City of York (Pa.) Bureau of Health. Currently, she is working
on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Primarily, she works with the Overdose Data to Action project to increase substance abuse prevention and decrease overdoses. Kayla Wetzel ’14 was promoted to behavior technician at Vista School. She lives in Elizabethtown, Pa. Dan and Melissa Callahan Robinson ’14 welcomed a new baby girl, Ryleigh, in December. Ryleigh joins a big sister, Everleigh. The family lives in Lewis Run, Pa. Kayla Beers ’15 was promoted to assembly lead for general dynamics at AirBorn Inc., which engineers and manufactures specialized connectors and electronic components for the aerospace, energy, geophysical, industrial, instrumentation, marine, medical, military/defense, space exploration and networking and telecommunication sectors. She lives in Springboro, Pa. Rafaela Martinez ’15 is a business development specialist for Sitecore content management system in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Tom Neilly ’15 is a senior site reliability engineer at Verizon Media in Lockport, N.Y. He is an active volunteer with the university’s computer information systems and technology program, returning to campus to speak with capstone students and working with the program on student training, internship and job development activities. Katharine O’Neil ’15 married Karl McCracken in June. She is a special education teacher in DuBois, Pa. Julian Joyner ’16 is the lead facilitator and manager of youth voice at The Thinkubator, an organization that matches young people in the Bronx, N.Y., with internship
and learning experiences. Everett Chronowski ’17 was promoted to research technician II with the University of Pittsburgh Department of Immunology. He lives in Pittsburgh. Justin Conley ’17 was promoted to systems administrator at the University of Pittsburgh. He lives in Pittsburgh. Adam Shenk ’18 earned his Master of Science from California University of Pennsylvania. He is a physical therapy aide at Cardin and Miller Physical Therapy. Kaitlyn A. Akers ’19 is a radiological technologist at Jones Memorial Hospital in Wellsville, N.Y. Maya Bingaman ’19 earned her master’s degree in public relations from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse (N.Y.) and is a new account associate at InkHouse Media and Marketing in Boston. Vincent Curtis ’19 was promoted to environmental education specialist with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. He lives in Jersey Shore, Pa. Alyssa McGrew ’19 was promoted to the controller’s second deputy for McKean County, Pa. She lives in Bradford. Elizabeth Wright ’19 is studying law at the Syracuse (N.Y.) University College of Law.
2020s Michael Addy ’20 is an information technology specialist at Innovative Defense Technologies. Andrea Allegretto ’20 is a registered nurse at Penn Highlands hospital in DuBois (Pa.). Staci Corbett ’20 is a probation officer in McKean County, Pa.
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PA N T H E R PA C K Hannah Jaroszynski ’20 is a prevention educator for the Chautauqua (N.Y.) Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Council and is pursuing a Master of Education in school counseling and guidance services at St. Bonaventure (N.Y.) University. Several 2020 education graduates have secured their first teaching positions: Rebecca
Jordan and Drew Palta are both teaching first grade at Blackstone (Va.) Primary School. Braden Lynn is a cyber teacher for students in grades 6 through 12 in the Erie (Pa.) Public School District. Melissa Nye is a thirdgrade teacher at Pinecrest Elementary School in Greenwood, S.C. Bryce Sherrard is a physical education teacher at Oswayo Valley (Pa.) Middle/High School.
Aristher Manalaysay ’20 is a software developer at PNC Bank headquarters in Pittsburgh.
toward a master’s degree in ethics, peace and human rights at American University.
Emily Reams ’20 spent her summer as a post-graduate forestry fellow in the Allegheny National Forest. She learned about timber marking, lumber grading and forest science.
Austin Waltenbaugh ’20 is a technical support specialist for Mueller Reports, a valuation and insurance firm based in Towanda, N.Y.
Anuja Sharma ’20 is working
In Memoriam Luann (Baughman) Ackley ’83 died in August in Akron, Ohio. A native of Kane, Pa., she was a registered nurse and had worked for Aetna insurance. Peyton Kirk ’23 died in August in Bradford. He had completed his freshman year at Pitt-Bradford, where he was majoring in business management, and was a member of the Investment Club. Anne Gustafson Leffler ’72 died in May at the age of 88. She worked as a remedial reading teacher with the Intermediate Unit 9 in Smethport, Pa., where she lived. Alexis Robinault Sharkey ’16 died in November in Houston, where she lived with her husband, and was an Instagram influencer. Jessica Catalano Thivener ’12 died in July in St. Marys, Pa. She worked for years as a private duty nurse and most recently had been employed at Elk Haven Nursing Home. Linda Frey Thompson ’95 died following a battle with cancer. For the past 20 years she dedicated her career to serving and raising awareness of the needs of the Bradford area’s homeless population, including five years as the housing and homeless services coordinator for the McKean County Redevelopment Housing Authority.
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Dr. David Myslewski died Sept. 21 at his home in Bradford. He was 78. Myzlewski taught English at PittBradford from 1969 until his retirement in 2006. Alumni remember his gentle nature and classical guitar serenades. Following his retirement, he continued teaching classical guitar to students at Pitt-Bradford.
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insider Q&A
Amanda Foyle ’13
Licensed Clinical Social Worker talks about pandemic mental health With the pandemic now a year old in the United States, news outlets are regularly reporting on the toll COVID-19 has taken on Americans’ mental health – from schoolchildren to isolated senior citizens, from the Zoom-weary working at home to front-line workers whose jobs are both endless and heartbreaking. Even with vaccines’ arrival and an end in sight, physical distancing is as hard as ever, and the pain of police shootings and protests, financial strain and loved ones lost to the disease is slow to fade. We turned to Amanda Foyle ’13, a licensed clinical social worker and director of social work at The Children’s Home of Wyoming Conference in Binghamton, N.Y., for some suggestions coping with mental strain. Is it normal to be stressed out by all this?
There’s a lot going on between COVID-19 and Black Lives Matter.
Amanda Foyle ’13 and the vision board she keeps by her bed to keep her positive and inspired.
It’s a very traumatizing time. People are struggling to live like things are normal, when things aren’t normal. What are some ways that you deal with stress that might be useful for others? Connecting – My family has initiated a Sunday Zoom call during the pandemic. It’s something we’ve never done before, but I’ve gotten closer with my distant family. Changing your mood – My agency uses dialectical behavior therapy, and one of my favorite skills to teach is “Opposite Emotion.” When you’re feeling an emotion you do not want to feel, do something to make you feel the opposite way. If you’re feeling down, watch an episode of a fun TV show. One of my saving graces has been comedy. I kind of need that time to clear my mind and bring up my mood. Or listen and/or dance to music, call a friend, take a short walk or be active inside – whatever works for you.
Breathe – Working in foster care with other people’s children during a pandemic can be stressful. In the middle of the workday, so many things are happening at once that it’s easy to get sucked into a stressful cycle. It’s a very Take a moment for yourself. Use a traumatizing mindfulness app, time. People deep breathing or are struggling a relaxing sound to break the cycle to live like and let that bad things are energy out. normal, when Vision boards – I love vision things aren’t boards. I have normal. mine right next to my bed. I look at it every morning when I wake up. Fill your board with whatever you like – calming pictures or motivational phrases. Things to look forward to – I had Dave Chapelle tickets, and I love Dave Chapelle. That being canceled was devastating to me, but I have routines that provide little things to look forward to. I bought a foot massager and a new great black velvet robe. I put it on as soon as I get home, so it helps me decompress. Nutrition – Meals are really important. If we eat junk, we’re going to feel like junk. Eat fruits. Drink water. How can we help others?
Spend a little time with people. As a social worker, I’m always thinking about what other people are going through. As a supervisor, I try to spend a little time with employees to ask how they are doing. You never know how you can affect someone else’s day. 32 PORTRAITS
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Give Today. Transform Tomorrow. On Pitt Day of Giving, your gift goes further than any other day of the year. Pitt Day of Giving is a 24-hour online event where your support goes further thanks to matching funds that increase your impact. Mark your calendar for February 23 and help Pitt-Bradford climb to the top of the leaderboards!
Tuesday | February 23 | 2021 | www.pittdayofgiving.com
Office of Philanthropic and Alumni Engagement 300 Campus Drive Bradford, PA 16701 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Pitt-Bradford has a new environmental science major. The new major draws from courses in biology, chemistry, environmental science, research methods, geology and physics to prepare students for jobs in conservation, hydrology, geoscience and environmental restoration, science and compliance. To learn more, visit upb.pitt.edu/academics/environmental-science.
MATTHEW LESTER