A DAY IN THE LIFE PORTRAITS
24 hours at today’s Pitt-Bradford at today’s
6:01 PM
President Rick Esch ’83 and his wife, Lisa ’90,
special feature
6 A day in the life
This issue is a look at Pitt-Bradford as it existed on Sept. 25, 2024, when we sent faculty, staff, student and alumni photographers out across campus to create a tiny time capsule of what Pitt-Bradford is like as it enters its seventh decade. Inspired by the 1980s “A Day in the Life” coffee-table books, we sought to capture the breadth of life on campus. While the faces and places may be new, the spirit of our always cozy campus comes through.
departments
2 First Shot Rathburn Family Field, our new artificial turf field, is playing up to its potential.
4 The Commons Campus employees honored by University of Pittsburgh; a new major in emergency medicine is launched.
26 Panther Pack Baseball field dedicated in honor of George Repchick ’82; victims of 1969 Allegheny Airlines crash remembered; class notes, and more.
walk on the Richard E. McDowell Community Trail along the Tunungwant Creek on campus.
Cover by Aimee Obidzinski
Max Salters, a first-year business management major from Bronx, N.Y., shelves books in Hanley Library on Sept. 25, 2024.
Every day at Pitt-Bradford
Each day great things happen on our campus, and I am deeply grateful to witness many of them.
On any given day:
A professor inspires a student during a class or a lab, enabling that student to discover a passion for a subject that leads to a rewarding career and life.
A coach challenges a player who then pushes themselves beyond what they thought they were capable of, giving them a boost to their confidence.
A student extends a hand of friendship to a classmate who appears to be different from them but learns how alike they are, leading to a long friendship.
A staff member stays in the office later into the evening to help a colleague complete a project on time or solve a particularly vexing problem.
A donor sends us a gift that gives at least one student some financial relief, enabling them to continue their education and focus more on their studies and less on money.
Each day on campus, though different, is similar in this wonderful way because we all do what we can to help our students succeed.
A graduate helps a student pursuing a similar career by offering advice, writing a letter of recommendation, or helping them secure an internship or job interview.
These great things happen all over campus. Besides classrooms and labs, they occur in the theater and the art gallery. In the dining hall and residence halls. In the quad, the library, the arena and individual offices.
Each day on campus, though different, is similar in this wonderful way because we all do what we can to help our students succeed. We support one another in the important work we do. And our alumni and donors enthusiastically join us in our shared vision to ensure that our students flourish and our campus’s future – and ultimately the future of the community and the region – remains strong.
I am grateful to each of you for the unique role you play in helping to make every day at Pitt-Bradford a great one.
I look forward to continuing this important work with you so we will have many, many more amazing days.
Richard T. Esch ’83, president
PORTRAITS
Telling the Stories of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford
SENIOR EDITOR
Pat Frantz Cercone
EDITOR
Kimberly Marcott Weinberg
EDITORS
COPY
Laurie Dufford
Judy Hopkins ’71-’73
ART DIRECTOR
John Sizing www.jspublicationdesign.com
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Brooklyn Bellavia, Dylan Berghauser, Marissa Bowman, Pat Frantz Cercone, Connor Cornelius, Alan Hancock ’07, ’19, Matthew Lester, Glenn Melvin ’04, Aimee Obidzinski, Andrew Truman ’23
Kimberly Weinberg, Andy Zeng
PRINTER
Progressive Direct Marketing
Published by the Office of Communications and Marketing University of Pittsburgh at Bradford © 2025 www.upb.pitt.edu
NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY STATEMENT
The University of Pittsburgh, as an educational institution and as an employer, values equality of opportunity, human dignity, and racial/ethnic and cultural diversity. Accordingly, as fully explained in Policy 07-01-03, the University prohibits and will not engage in discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, disability, or status as a veteran. The University also prohibits and will not engage in retaliation against any person who makes a claim of discrimination or harassment or who provides information in such an investigation. Further, the University will continue to take affirmative steps to support and advance these values consistent with the University’s mission. This policy applies to admissions, employment, access to and treatment in University programs and activities. This is a commitment made by the University and is in accordance with federal, state and/or local laws and regulations.
For information on University equal opportunity and affirmative action programs, please contact: University of Pittsburgh, Office of Affirmative Action, Diversity and Inclusion, Carol W. Mohamed, Director (and Title IX, 504 and ADA Coordinator), 412 Bellefield Hall, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15260 (412) 648-7860.
In compliance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, the University guarantees that students have the right to inspect all personally identifiable records maintained by the institution and may challenge the content and accuracy of those records through appropriate institutional procedures. It is further guaranteed by the University that student records containing personally identifiable information will not be released except as permitted by the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act.
Personnel for Nondiscrimination statement
For faculty and staff
Dr. David Fitz Vice president of institutional integration and community engagement, (814)362-5119 dfitz@pitt.edu
For student-related concerns
Kara Kennedy
Director of student care and conduct (814)362-5057 kjk3@pitt.edu
first shot
Out of the mist
Mist was still rising from the Tunungwant Creek when photographer Dylan Berghauser arrived on campus Sept. 13 to capture the day’s main event, the dedication of Rathburn Family Field in honor of Gary Rathburn ’68-’70, his wife, Anita, and their family. Since its completion last spring, the $6.5 million artificial turf field with stadium lights has become a hub of activity on the campus’s eastern end, with a packed schedule of practices for men’s and women’s soccer, men’s lacrosse and even baseball and softball. Women’s lacrosse will soon join the schedule, competing as a club sport this spring and an NCAA Division III sport in spring of 2026.
Nate Whitehurst, head men’s soccer coach said that the new field helped him recruit 22 freshmen who began playing in Fall 2024. His 35-man roster was the largest the men’s soccer team has had in its history. “Having the lights is a huge benefit for being able to practice at night and avoid most classes,” he said.
Head Women’s Soccer Coach Lorenzo Rodriguez said in December that his recruiting class for Fall 2025 is five students ahead of where he was last year. “Recruits are fascinated by the state-of-the-art turf that replaced the normal rubber pellets with wood chips. It keeps the players cool during days when the heat index is high. Our players agree the turf is hands down the best in our conference.”
COMMONS THE
Dr. Tony Gaskew accepting the Larry E.
News from Around the Quad
Meeting the blue and gold standard
Pitt-Bradford employees honored by university for scholarship, career
The University of Pittsburgh honored two members of the Pitt-Bradford community in the fall of 2024 – one for scholarship and one for an outstanding career.
Dr. Tony Gaskew, professor of criminal justice and associate dean of academic affairs, received the Larry E. Davis Excellence in Community
Engaged Scholarship Award in November.
He was recognized for his extraordinary contributions to the understanding of Black male studies and criminal justice through his pioneering research, including the creation of the FBI-COINTELPRO (counterintelligence program)
Pittsburgh Collection and his leadership of the Prison Education Program at Pitt-Bradford.
The FBI-COINTELPRO Pittsburgh Collection is a special digital archive of the FBI’s counterintelligence operations targeting the 1960s Black Power Movement in Pittsburgh. As a scholar in Black male studies,
Davis Excellence in Community Engaged Scholarship Award in November.
counterinsurgency and killology, he has authored more than 50 publications, including three books, on the systemic impact of policing on the Black male experience in the United States.
On the staff side, Pitt Chancellor Joan Gabel selected Pat Frantz Cercone, executive director of communications and marketing, as the recipient of the 2024 Outstanding Career Achievement Chancellor’s Staff Award for the University of Pittsburgh.
The Outstanding Career Achievement Award recognizes a staff member with more than 20 years of unparalleled service to the university who, throughout their career, has made exceptional contributions to the success of their department and Pitt.
Gabel recognized Cercone for spearheading the growth of communications at Pitt-Bradford and performing beyond expectations in her leadership roles.
“We hear through the grapevine how respected our campus is in the Pitt system,” said Richard Esch, president of Pitt-Bradford. “A large part of that is due to Pat’s efforts to always represent Pitt at its best.”
Help is on the way Pitt-Bradford to begin emergency medicine program
Pitt-Bradford is working with the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh to provide a new four-year emergency medicine degree on the Bradford campus.
Students in the emergency medicine program will be Pitt-Bradford students for all four years, paying a lower Pitt-Bradford tuition and receiving Pitt-Bradford scholarships. Like all Pitt-Bradford students, they will earn a degree from the University of Pittsburgh.
Emergency medicine students will spend their first two years of college taking generalized college classes in basic subjects. Additionally, they will take a four-credit course to become an emergency medical technician. Then they may apply to the emergency medicine program, which will require for admission a grade point average of 2.5, EMT certification and 54 completed credits, including prerequisites.
If accepted into the emergency medicine program, students will spend their junior year completing and obtaining their paramedic certification and gaining experience outside of the lab and classroom alongside emergency medical professionals. Senior year will be spent taking courses in critical care medicine and other programrelated courses as well as completing graduation requirements.
Emergency medicine students will graduate ready to become certified paramedics.
The emergency medicine junior and senior years of training will begin fall of 2027. Prospective students can begin working on their general college courses in the fall of 2025 while pursuing the pre-emergency medicine program.
Emergency medicine students will graduate ready to become certified paramedics, who have more training than emergency management technicians and are able to provide advanced life support and perform procedures such as providing oral and intravenous medication, monitoring electrocardiograms and performing tracheotomies.
“I think that this is an excellent opportunity for a true academic partnership using the resources available on and around our regional campus, as well as those on the Pittsburgh campus, to create an excellent learning experience for students,” said Dr. Thomas E. Platt, associate dean for academic partnerships in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at Pitt.
Pat Frantz Cercone is the recipient of the 2024 Outstanding Career Achievement Chancellor’s Staff Award.
A Day in the Life
24 hours behind the scenes at Pitt-Bradford
We spend a lot of time telling you what’s new at Pitt-Bradford, but beyond new technology, new bricks and a few new people with fancy titles, much here remains the same –a tight-knit, caring community whose members show up for one another daily.
Your own time at Pitt-Bradford was likely filled with new ideas and new friends, challenging yourself academically and receiving a dozen daily kindnesses from those around you – a door opened, a greeting shared, an extra check-in from a faculty or staff member. And then there was the daily beauty of our little spot in the Tunungwant Valley –the green of August, the golden hours of autumn, the stillness of campus draped in a blanket of morning snow. And surrounding it all, a cozy ring of mountains.
It is still that way today, and we wanted to show you. To do that we recruited photographers from among our own alumni, staff, faculty and
students to document all that we could from a single day in the life of Pitt-Bradford, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024. Talented photographer Aimee Obidzinski from the Pittsburgh campus joined us as well, and we turned her loose in the Bromeley Quadrangle, Fisher Hall and the Duke Engineering and Information Technologies Building.
We had hoped that the day would be one of those breathtaking autumn days with heartbreaking blue skies because we had had a string of them. But the day dawned gray and gloomy and perhaps that was most fitting for an authentic view of campus. As you look through the pictures, perhaps you’ll recognize where you would be if you were a student this year. We like to think that 20 or 30 years from now, someone will stumble across this issue and see what life was like at Pitt-Bradford on this one day. We hope it still looks familiar – full of fun and learning and caring. – Kimberly Weinberg
12:16 AM
Campus police officers John Cradduck ’17, left, and Greg Smith ’21 , lock up Blaisdell Hall during rounds.
7:24 AM
Jon Skaggs of Metz Culinary Management tosses hashbrowns for morning breakfast.
8:02 AM
Kathy Moonan , director of business affairs, makes Toll House cookies as she does many mornings before work, sharing the bounty with those who request them. She can sleep in a bit now before starting her cookies; Moonan retired in December after 46 years at Pitt-Bradford.
8:39 AM
Morning begins in Erie, Pa., for Bob Dilks ’89, assistant vice president of enrollment management, as he sets up for a day of recruiting at the Erie County Technical School’s College and Career Fair.
11:08 AM
Administrative assistant Tammy Luciano files a few last items in the business office before her retirement Oct. 18. She worked at Pitt-Bradford for 26 years, time that was split between The Panther Shop and the Office of Business Affairs.
10:24 AM
Maintenance worker Kevin Niver paints the foul pole at Repchick Family Field.
8:35 AM
Willow Howe, right, a junior nursing major from Kane, Pa., begins her nursing clinical at Penn Highlands Elk in St. Marys, Pa., with instructor and family nurse practitioner Marsha Lehman
ALAN HANCOCK ’07, ’19
12:39 PM
Dr. Max Jensen , assistant professor of Spanish and comparative literature, leads open meditation in the Harriett B. Wick Chapel.
12:09 PM
Dr. Adina Frantescu, coordinator of international student services and global citizenship, negotiates the busy dining hall.
11:17 AM
Servco cleaners Julie and Kaile pause for a student photographer after cleaning the second floor of Livingston Alexander House.
10:27 AM
Maintenance worker Matt Foerstner, right, and student worker Aldin Payne, a senior environmental science major from Kane, plant mums around the new sign for Repchick Family Field. (See Page 26)
ALAN HANCOCK
12:56 PM
Fisher Hall can be a second home for first-year life sciences students like, from left, Oai-Linh Nguyen of Shinglehouse, Pa., Alexah Martinez of Lehigh Acres, Fla., and Maddy Lancy of Charleroi, Pa.
12:24 PM
First-year business management majors
Nastasia Mikhailova, left, from Thailand, and Eleanora Keselman from Warminster, Pa., share an umbrella as they make their way across the Bromeley Quadrangle.
AIMEE OBIDZINSKI
1:20 PM
1:32 PM
Miranda Mong , left, a senior English major from Russell, Pa., and Mara Martinec , a junior English education 7-12 major from Oil City, Pa., rehearse “Timon of Athens,” the fall theater production directed by Dr. Kevin Ewert, professor of theater. Ewert chose an unusual staging for the Shakespeare play, beginning with a party thrown by the titular character in the KOA Lobby of Blaisdell Hall before continuing with the show in the Studio Theater.
Senior biology major Jordan Bass examines an insect specimen with Kaylee McCracken , left, a senior environmental science and environmental studies student, and Marvellous Agbanusi, a junior biology major from Bradford. At right are insect specimens in the new biodiversity lab in Fisher Hall.
KEVIN
12:01 PM
Noah Martin , a junior mechanical engineering technology major from Friendship, N.Y., shoots pool in the game room.
1:48 PM
Sophomore psychology major Kaliya Crouse of Derrick City, Pa., meets with Dr. Greg Page, associate professor of psychology, in his Swarts Hall office.
2:20 PM
Brynn Haviland , a first-year early level education PreK-4 major from Derrick City, Pa., meets with Dr. Patricia Lanzon , assistant professor of education, in the Hanley Library café.
12:56 PM
Any hall can be a study hall, including the KOA Dining Hall, where Jayden Sigey-Ronoh , a freshman from Upper Darby, Pa., hits the books at lunchtime.
3:30 PM
, assistant professor of mechanical engineering technology,
Dr. Michael Liu
and his wife, Lan Liu , walk their 10-year-old Labrador retriever, Pearl, on Chestnut Street downtown.
3:06 PM
Dr. Lanre Morenikeji, assistant professor of biology, teaches concepts of biology.
3:12 PM
When students spend time in the City of Bradford, they’re bound to meet up with alumni. Julianna Grover ’24 works the circulation desk at the Bradford Area Public Library with her service dog, Xoe.
3:26 PM
Kristina Luzzi ’92 , right, co-owner of Small Town Girl Boutique in downtown Bradford, works with intern Kayla Maslowski ’25 , a business management major from Lancaster, N.Y., in her shop.
3:27 PM
Sienna Gaskin , a sophomore civil engineering major from York, Pa., works on a problem in a private study room in the George B. Duke Engineering and Information Technologies Building.
2:56 PM
Head athletic trainer Mitch Vleminckx applies cupping therapy to Panthers pitcher Maddox Stadler as part of a post-surgery rehab program for the junior sport and recreation management major from Harborcreek, Pa.
3:43 PM
Many students work off campus in Bradford.
Georgie Auteri Maines ’26 , a junior early level education PreK-4 major from Bradford, starts the evening shift as manager of The Bradford Brew Station downtown.
5:14 PM
Dr. Matt Kropf, associate professor of engineering technology, hikes Quintuple Mountain, a more than 200-acre parcel of forested hillside between Pitt-Bradford and downtown Bradford, now owned by the university, which is developing trails across the property.
4:56 PM
Women’s volleyball hit the road to play a match against the Alfred (N.Y.) University Saxons. Getting there is always half the fun. At left, Hanna Hirata answers the bananaphone. The freshman from Honolulu studies biology. At center, Taylor King , an early level education PreK-4 major from New Bethlehem is that player who plaits her teammates’ hair. Here she braids for Jenna Louser, a junior criminal justice major from Allegany, N.Y. At right, Ruby Smith, a junior biology major from New Bethlehem, brought the snacks to keep the team fueled up.
4:42 PM
Andrii Varlamov, left, a sophomore computer information systems and technology major from Kyiv, Ukraine, and Connor Schott , a senior energy engineering technology and engineering science major from Pittsburgh, work on the laser engraver in the Duke Building’s makerspace.
AIMEE
LEFT-RIGHT: BROOKLYN BELLAVIA ’25, MARISSA BOWMAN ’27, BROOKLYN BELLAVIA ’25
6:05 PM
Ethan & Owen & Amy & Beau cross Campus Drive Beatles style. After seeing photographer Aimee Obidzinski, they couldn’t resist asking for the shot. The four freshmen are, from left, Ethan Winkelman , an English major from Downingtown, Pa.; Owen Torres , an environmental science major from Aspers, Pa.; Amy Castrejon , a forensic science major from El Paso, Texas; and Beau Morgan , a computer information systems and technology major from Kane, Pa.
5:45 PM
Isabella Anderson ’25, a senior exercise science major from Richland, Pa., gets kisses from her emotional support dog, Naga, while they play in the volleyball pit.
6:50 PM
Dr. Vinayak Ranjan , visiting assistant professor of mechanical engineering, burns the evening oil.
AIMEE
OBIDZINSKI
8:04 PM
Sophomore mid-fielder Moises Ochoa-Castellon (10) left it all on the field in the Panthers’ loss to SUNY Fredonia. Ochoa-Castellon is a history-political science and international affairs major from Arlington, Va. Behind him is teammate Mohammad “Zoal” Awad (18), a sophomore sport and recreation management major from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
ANDY ZENG ’27
PANTHER PACK
ALUMNIFOCUS
‘A full-circle moment’ Repchick gives back to Panther athletics
Pitt-Bradford’s baseball field finally has a name. During Alumni and Family Weekend Sept. 28, the field was dedicated in honor of George Repchick ’82, his wife, Lynda, and their family.
The diamond was named Repchick Family Field in appreciation for the Repchicks’ generous donation to the university’s new artificial turf field project (see Page 2) and their past support for the university’s nursing program and scholarships.
“We are profoundly grateful to George and his wife, Lynda, for their very generous gift, one of the
largest ever made by a PittBradford alumnus,” said Rick Esch, president. “We also greatly appreciate George and Lynda’s friendship and longstanding support, which has enabled us to enhance academic programs, provide scholarships, and give our students opportunities they wouldn’t have had.”
Repchick is a serial entrepreneur who came to Pitt-Bradford from a small town near Scranton. One of his joys as a Pitt-Bradford student was playing for the university’s young baseball team coached (as were all teams at the time) by Dick Danielson.
“I fondly remember a lot about the baseball team,” Repchick said in an interview while wearing his authentic retro 1980s royal blue Panthers satin bomber jacket with “George” stitched in cursive over his chest.
After graduating from PittBradford with a bachelor’s degree, Repchick went on to earn a master’s degree from the University of Scranton and embarked on a successful career in health care.
In 2001, he and his partner, Bill Weisberg, began Saber Healthcare Group LLC by operating a single innercity nursing home in Cleveland and growing it to
pre-dedication brunch.
more than 100 skilled nursing and assisted living facilities in six states.
Additionally, Repchick led an initiative to develop and build state-of-the-art nursing homes in all of Saber’s markets. He also successfully co-founded businesses in the institutional pharmacy, oxygen and durable medical equipment, home health, ambulance and even the restaurant industries.
Repchick stepped down as president of Saber in 2019. In January 2020, he joined Embassy Healthcare as CEO with a new business partner, Aaron Handler. Embassy operates a range of assisted living, adult day care, and skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers throughout Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida and North Carolina.
Today he and Lynda split their time between Cleveland and Sarasota, Fla.
“Pitt-Bradford had the largest impact on my development,” Repchick said of his motivation to give back to his alma mater. “I have always had fond feelings from the university.”
Repchick family field: George Repchick ’82, center, celebrates the dedication of Repchick Family Field during Alumni and Family Weekend. He is pictured with, from left, Frank Ciccone, Michele Ciccone, Lynda Repchick, Lauren Bower, Nicholas Romask and President Richard Esch. (inset) Repchick enjoys a studentathlete presentation during a
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Repchick noted that Pitt-Bradford continues to excel at educating firstgeneration students and those with financial need, such as he was.
“It’s a full-circle moment for me,” he said of the dedication. “The giving is truly a two-way street.”
The Repchicks’ donation helped support the creation of the university’s new Rathburn Family Field, an artificial turf field with stadium lights that allows Pitt-Bradford Panthers’ soccer and lacrosse teams to practice and play pre-dawn and post-dusk nearly every day of the year.
Repchick Family Field is home to both Pitt-Bradford Panthers baseball and the Bradford Area High School Owls baseball team. Both Repchick Family Field and the Rathburn Family Field are in the university’s Kessel Athletic Complex.
In time, the university plans to improve Rathburn Family Field further with the addition of a two-story building with a press box on the second floor and public restrooms, concessions and a dining area on the ground floor.
For information on contributing to future athletic projects, contact Joelle Warner, director of donor relations and stewardship at jaw104@pitt.edu or 814-362-5104.
1960s
James Mahon ’64-’66 wore a Pitt shirt when he took third place for age group 75 to 79 for the second year in a row at the Pike’s Peak Ascent trail race.
Judith Goodman ’68-’70 retired in June from a 49-year career with the Metropolitan (Washington, D.C.) Police Department. She retired as a support specialist with the Investigative Services Bureau – Violent Crime Suppression Division.
Thomas Stengel ’68-’70 recently started a new job as a physical therapist at Maryland Therapy Network. He lives in Towson, Md.
1970s
Pete Pantuso ’73-’75 retired from the American Bus Association, the National Traffic Association and the American Bus Association Foundation, where he served as president and CEO for 28 years.
Carolyn McDevitt ’76-’78 retired from a career in early childhood education with the Chester County (Pa.) Intermediate Unit. She lives in Atglen, Pa.
Ron Orris ’77-’79 and Taylor Tarahteeff ’20 have collaborated on a book about the early days of the Blaisdell Family in Bradford. Orris and Jack Gorton have spent years studying the family of Zippo lighter inventor George G.
Blaisdell. They unearthed the diary of George Blaisdell’s grandfather, Ebenezer Blaisdell, that told the story of how the entrepreneurial family first came to Bradford with their kindling business. Orris, who is the executive director of the Philo and Sarah Blaisdell Foundation, approached Tarahteeff about turning the diary and other Blaisdell family history into the book, “Blaisdell Legacy,” published by Barnes and Noble. The book was launched during the Made in Bradford celebration in July at the Zippo/Case Museum in Bradford.
1980s
Mark Heider ’80-’82 recently started a new job as patrolman/K9 handler for the Saxonburg (Pa.) Borough Police Department. He lives in Saxonburg.
Blake Malkamaki ’81 was promoted to utility plant supervisor for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He lives in Conneautville, Pa.
Stephen Budihas ’83 was promoted to vice president of operations at Lehigh Valley Public Media. He lives in Allentown, Pa.
1990s
Denise Seagren-Peterson ’90 recently published her first novel, “Soldiers of the Forest,” a work of historical fiction about the Civilian
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Conservation Corps. She lives in Bradford, Pa.
Dr. Christopher Mackowski ’91, professor of journalism and mass communications at St. Bonaventure University, was part of a team honored over the summer with a gold Telly Award, which honors excellence in video and television. Mackowski served as on-air host, interviewer and scriptwriter for a series of virtual video field trips for the American Battlefield Trust. Find the videos on the American Battlefield Trust’s YouTube page.
Dr. John Eldridge ’92 retired from education after 32 years of service and has since joined the Performance Charter School Development as executive director of school services to help charter school leaders with opening new schools or dealing with issues they are having with managing the schools they are currently running. He lives in Siler City, N.C.
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Heidi Hartley ’92 recently started a new job as a training specialist at the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities. She is also a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician in her community and at Watkins Glen International. She lives in Churchville, N.Y.
Dominic Rogers ’93 was recently appointed to the High Point Federal Credit Union board of directors in Olean, N.Y. He has an extensive background in the information technology industry. He currently holds the position of vice president and director of IT at Cutco Corp.
Marcie Schellhammer ’96 was recognized with an honorable mention in the investigative category of the Keystone Media Awards. Her story for The Bradford Era, where she is assistant managing editor, looked at the separation of the Global Methodist Church from the United Methodist Church. She was also named a finalist in The Press Club of Western Pennsylvania’s 2023 Golden Quill Awards for her feature story, “‘Postcard Man’ Seeking More Cards.”
Andy Ludden ’97 recently started a new job as senior director IT community affiliates at Kaleida Health. He lives in Olean, N.Y.
Dawn Cappetta ’98 is an
Everyone who was at Pitt-Bradford in January 1969 remembers the plane crash that killed students Ed Horbal, Steven Scott and Terrance Doyle at the Pine Acres Golf Club. Bill Hughey ’68-’70 and Gary Rathburn ’68-’70 were also on the flight but survived. They’ve never forgotten that harrowing night or the friends they lost. Hughey and Rathburn dedicated a hydrangea tree near the field in the memory of their classmates. Pictured here with the tree are, from left, Gary Riviello ’68-’69, Kathy Riviello, Debby Hughey, Hughey, Anita Rathburn, Rathburn and Jim DiBella ’68-’70.
Scan code to read about the 1969 plane crash that killed three Pitt-Bradford students.
associate vice president sales associate at The Bancorp Bank. She lives in Gibsonia, Pa.
Lindsay Hilton Retchless ’98 has a new role as chief of staff in the president’s office at St. Bonaventure University in Allegany, N.Y. Previously, she served as director of alumni engagement at St. Bonaventure.
2000s
Kevin Klumpp ’01 recently started a new job as the coordinator of business operations with the Newfane Central School District. He lives in Lockport, N.Y.
Nicholas Eichenlaub ’04 recently started a new job as a special agent with the Drug
Enforcement Administration. He lives in Grafton, Ohio.
Jae Ivy ’04 started a nonprofit cat rescue called “Catch to Couch” located in Austin, Texas.
Jana Pahler ’06 and her partner, Bill, welcomed a son, Maxwell, to her family in April. She lives in Pittsburgh.
Dr. John Androsavich ’07 is the new general manager of Ginkgo Datapoints located in Essex, Mass.
Jonathan Campbell ’08 is currently deployed to the Horn of Africa with the Pennsylvania National Guard.
Brian Sansom ’08 was promoted to vice president of enrollment and athletics
at Bethany (W.Va.) College. Previously, he was director of athletics and head coach of the women’s basketball program. He and his wife, Erikka (Rosplock) Sansom ’12, live in Bethany with their son, Lucan. Erikka is the director of athletic communications at Bethany.
2010s
Northwest Bank named Levitate Float Spa, owned by Leanna Cameron ’10, one of its top 3 women-owned businesses in Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio and Indiana. She hopes that Levitate becomes a staple retreat for young and old alike. “In today’s fast-paced world, everyone deserves a space where they can escape the stresses of daily life and focus on their well-being,” she said.
Stephen Hale ’10 recently started a new job as a corrections officer with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. He lives in Greenville, Pa.
Sheri Larson ’10 recently started a new job as prevention program manager with Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services. She lives in Emporium, Pa.
Justine Dillon ’11 and Kristine Hughes ’11 were married in May in Jamestown, N.Y., where they live. Justine is a nurse and facility administrator for DaVita Dialysis. Kristine is a
GLENN MELVIN ‘04
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personal trainer for the Warren (Pa.) YMCA.
Brendan Gallagher ’11 recently started a new job as a geospatial intelligence analyst at the National Geospatial Agency. He lives in New Castle, Pa.
Molly Curtis Soppe ’11 welcomed her third child, Cora Ann, in February. She is a physical education teacher at Dundee (N.Y.) High School.
Craig Dillaman ’12 recently started a new job as co-owner and chef at Noble Stein Brewing Company in Indiana, Pa.
Tiara “Tee” Brown ’13 completed her law degree at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law and Master of Business Administration at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.
Alyssa Meier ’13 recently started a new job as education manager at Historic Philadelphia Inc. She lives in Lansdale, Pa.
Sabina Vecellio-Ford ’13 recently passed the Associate Safety Professional Examination. She lives in Bradford and works as a health and safety
The Pitt-Bradford Alumni Association celebrated its 2024 honorees during Alumni and Family Weekend. Those honored were, from left, Ali Rinfrette ’18, Athletic Hall of Fame (basketball); Dr. David Merwine, associate professor of biology, PBAA Teaching Excellence Award; Elizabeth Prager ’18, Athletic Hall of Fame (swimming); and Josh Bridge ’02, past president of the PBAA, Denny Lowery Distinguished Volunteer Award.
professional II at American Refining Group Inc.
Daniel Robinson ’14 was co-author of an article, “Evidence You Can Use,” in the American Nurses Association of New York journal. He is a clinical education coordinator with the Olean (N.Y.) General Hospital.
Samantha Zahm ’14 began working on a Doctor of Public Health degree at The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. She leads and serves on the boards of several nonprofit organizations in York, Pa., where she lives, including as vice chairperson of the York Opioid Collaborative, president of the YWCA York Junior Board of Directors and the H.E.R. (Healing Empowerment and Restoration) House.
Drs. Sam ’15 and Emily Fair Gardner ’16 are the owners of Gardner Chiropractic in Olean, N.Y. Following a severe storm in June that damaged the building they were located in, the couple relocated and expanded their business. They are also taking part in Olean’s Laine Business Accelerator program, which gives $5,000 to selected businesses and helps owners through sharing, education and mentorship.
Taylor McMillen ’15 earned her doctoral degree in psychology from Carlow University. She is a clinical neuropsychologist at Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services in Byron Center, Mich. She lives in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Joshua Blotzer ’16 graduated from PennWest University in December with a Master of Science in legal studies.
He is an income maintenance caseworker with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and lives in Bradford.
Annie Garcia ’16 has been promoted to director of planning and instruction for BASIS Ed in Goodyear, Ariz.
Delaney Held ’16 has a new job as content marketing lead with Brunner, a marketing agency in Pittsburgh, where she lives.
Rafaela Martinez ’16 was promoted to senior associate of business process management at JP Morgan Chase & Co. She lives in Dallas.
Taylor Perkins ’16 married Brett Curtis ’17 in July. Taylor is the supervisor of office services at UPMC Neurosurgery. Brett is the general manager of Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh.
Forrest Works ’16 was promoted to senior partner at New York Life in Pittsburgh. He and his wife, Casey (Schimpf) ’15, have two children and live in Bethel Park, Pa.
Lisa Marie Cook ’17 began a new job as a substance abuse counselor with CASATrinity Inc. in Olean, N.Y.
Jerry Davis ’17 has been promoted to class giving
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director at the University of Pennsylvania, where he is also working toward a master’s degree in nonprofit/ public/organizational management.
Salynda Hogsett ’17 is a content editor for Brethren in Christ, U.S. “I get to tell stories from around the world and create resources that help pastors and churches serve their congregations and communities well,” she wrote,
In Memoriam
adding that she uses skills gained from her experiences with Baily’s Beads and The Source on a daily basis.
Earlier this year, her work as a blog editor earned first prize from a Christian journalism organization. Additionally, she mentors teens through her church’s youth group.
“I’ve had the chance to mentor a group of girls since they were in the 6th grade; now they’re juniors!”
Kaserra Owens ’17 is an assistant basketball coach at St. Bonaventure University in Allegany, N.Y. Previously, she was the head women’s coach of the Pitt-Bradford Panthers.
Daniel Picklo ’17 published a psychological thriller, “The Dead Don’t Forgive,” under the name D.C. Picklo on Amazon.com. He is a senior web developer for BridgeRev.
Jessica Routzahn ’17 has a
new job as a grants and finance specialist with the World Resources Institute in Washington, D.C. She lives in Hyattsville, Md.
Erica Sorrells ’17 graduated with her Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University at Buffalo (N.Y.). She lives in Amherst, N.Y.
Alexander Haefner ’18 was promoted to communications supervisor at the Lycoming
Dr. Yong-Zhuo Chen, retired professor of mathematics, died in November. He taught 34 years at Pitt-Bradford before retiring in August 2023. Chen loved the personalized teaching environment and enjoyed the interactions he had each day with his students. Besides teaching, he served for many years as chair of the Division of Physical and Computational Sciences, overseeing the development of new majors in engineering technology, petroleum technology and environmental science. He also was an active researcher and often presented and published his own research. In 2019, he was awarded the President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, Scholarship and Service for his longtime dedication to our campus. He walked to campus each day from his house on Boylston Street and always had a smile and a kind word for everyone he passed on his walk.
Christopher Downs ’94 died in October from brain cancer. An accomplished sportswriter for the Williamsport (Pa.) SunGazette, he joined the staff of Little League International in 2004 as its media relations manager and retired in 2024 as director of constituent communications. His love for Little League went beyond work. His first association with the organization was a player in Derrick City, Pa., then serving as a volunteer umpire and coach of his sons’ Little League team, the Loyalsock Lions. He is survived by his wife, Kimberly Regis Downs ’91. The celebration of his life held in Williamsport was officiated by his college roommate, the Rev. Brad Walmer ’93
Bruce Freeman ’64-’66 died in October 2023 at UPMC
Hamot Medical Center. After graduating from Pitt-Bradford he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force on Dec. 20, 1968. He was honorably discharged on March 19, 1977. He was a civilian for the next 10 years and earned an additional degree in business management before joining the U.S Army. He served 10 years in the Army before retiring to Bradford.
Kenneth Jadlowiec, emeritus member of the Advisory Board, longtime supporter of Pitt-Bradford and former member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, died in August in Sarasota, Fla. During Jadlowiec’s time in the House, where he served for eight consecutive terms, he supported the campus and helped to secure $7 million in state funds for a 50,000-square-foot addition to what is now the Richard E. and Ruth McDowell Sport and Fitness Center. The Ken Jadlowiec Fitness Center was named in his honor in 2003.
James J. Macfarlane ’85 died in October at his home in Rew, Pa., with his wife of 38 years, Sandra Curren Macfarlane ’82, by his side. After working several years in the oil and gas industry, Jim started MacTech Mineral Management, consulting as an exploration and development specialist. He traveled throughout the Eastern United States, designing and completing horizontal drilling programs through highly regulated areas of public and private lands. In 2011, he joined Minard Run Oil Co., where he served as vice president of operations and business development.
Dr. John Mangravite, who was an assistant professor of chemistry in the 1960s at Pitt-Bradford and lived with his
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(Pa.) County 911 Emergency Communications Center. He lives in Williamsport, Pa.
Sage Messenger ’18 began a new job as a residence hall coordinator at East Carolina University. She lives in Greenville, N.C.
In addition to being inducted into the Pitt-Bradford Athletic Hall of Fame (page 29), Elizabeth Prager ’18 is a USA Swimming coach
alongside her father. She coaches children aged 12 and under. “Working with kids so they can strive for excellence and learn life skills is a joy,” she wrote. “I don’t just want them to be good swimmers but good people.”
Destiny Fitton ’19 is a new staff accountant with Zippo Manufacturing Co. in Bradford.
Tatem Hayes ’19 was named
wife, Mary Ann, on Peach Street, died in June. He was a native of Brooklyn who spent his retirement on a farm in the Green Mountains of Vermont, where he hiked, skied, was a Master Gardener, and welcomed friends and family.
Evelyn Morgan ’98 died in August in Bradford. She was retired from working as an administrative assistant at the Federal Correctional Institution McKean in Lewis Run, Pa.
Tara Straneva ’01 of Corry, Pa., died unexpectedly in October. She was a banker, an animal lover, an equestrienne and community volunteer. Her friends remember how she found joy in little things “like a cup of Earl Grey tea, a good book or a great deal at an auction.”
Bruce West ’86 died in September at his home in Kane, Pa. He had retired from the Georgia Pacific particleboard plant in Mount Jewett, Pa., and kept busy as a caretaker and handyman at East Kane Methodist Church, where he was known as a kind and helpful busybody who could fix anything.
Victoria “Vicky” L. Zarnick ’80 BA, ’99 ASN died in July following a two-year illness. After earning her bachelor’s degree in human relations, she worked for 20 years as a casework supervisor with the Department of Human Services in Warren County, Pa., before returning to PittBradford to study nursing. She had a second career as a registered nurse at nursing homes in Warren County and as a hospice nurse.
to Northwest Montana’s 20 under 40 Class of 2024. She is a digital marketing and content strategist with Logan Health in Kalispell, Mont., managing social media content, digital marketing campaigns and website content.
Reginald Rogers ’19 is in his second year as an assistant men’s basketball coach with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Golden Lions. He is currently becoming a certified strength and conditioning specialist.
Elizabeth Wright ’19 has a new job as a grant and loan specialist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. She lives in Daniels, W.Va.
2020s
Megan Murphy ’20 has a new job as an occupational therapist with the Allegheny Health Network. She lives in Union City, Pa.
Taryn Pecile ’21 completed her master’s degree in forensic psychology and began a position as a certified medical assistant in general surgery at Geisinger Health System. She lives in Drums, Pa.
Justin Peterson ’21 began a new job as senior project manager at Allegheny
Bradford Corp. He lives in Bradford.
Alyssa Reyes ’21 finished her master’s degree in exercise science and health promotion. After graduating, she began working at St. Clair Health in Pittsburgh as a clinical exercise physiologist in cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation. She lives in Pittsburgh.
Patricia Williams ’21 married and has a 1-year-old son. She started a new position as an indirect loan discounter for Community Bank N.A. and lives in Shinglehouse, Pa.
Scott Compson ’22 is a new health teacher for the ClydeSavannah (N.Y.) Central School District.
Michelle Michali ’22 is a social studies teacher at North East (Pa.) High School.
Lillian Baldwin ’23 received “Above and Beyond” recognition for going out of her way to help a patient who was in a great deal of pain with bone cancer by hand-delivering a prescription to the pharmacy so her patient could receive a refill of their pain medication. She is a staff nurse at Mount Nittany Health Pulmonary Medicine in State College.
Breanna Brooks ’23 is a new pre-kindergarten teacher at Friendship (N.Y.) Central School.
Heather Doud ’23 is a lead preschool teacher at the Kids
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Learning Center in Kane, Pa.
Robert Jimerson ’23 has a new job as an analyst with BNY Mellon. He lives in Bradford.
Jarett Mathes ’23 is a business affairs specialist at Pitt-Bradford. He lives in Portville, N.Y.
Matthew McEwan ’23 won the best poster presentation at the Petroleum History Symposium in Canmore, Alberta, where he presented in May with Dr. Drew Flanagan, assistant
Former director of student activities dies
Christina Graham Hansen, former director of student activities, died in August. She was 52.
From 2002 until 2019, she worked closely with Pitt-Bradford students, serving as the adviser of the Student Government Association, the Student Activities Council and the National Society of Leadership and Success. She organized orientation, worked with more than 50 student clubs and organizations on campus, sat on the Cultural Festival Committee, taught a freshman seminar class focused on leadership and served as president of the Pitt-Bradford Staff Association. In 2011, the association awarded her its Staff Recognition Award.
She was Pitt-Bradford’s longest-serving director of student activities. “Christina had a positive impact on many of the students she worked with over the years, with some of them pursuing careers in higher education in large part as a result of her mentorship,” said Dr. K. James Evans, former vice president and dean of student affairs, who was Hansen’s supervisor for most of her Pitt-Bradford career.
In 2008, Hansen was named Outstanding Professional at the National Association for Campus Activities Mid-America Awards. In the same year, Pitt-Bradford was one of five colleges nationwide nominated for Campus Activities Magazine’s Campus of the Year Award.
In 2012, Hansen received the Chancellor’s Award for Staff Excellence from then-Chancellor of the University of Pittsburgh Mark Nordenberg.
The Student Government Association is planning to remember Hansen with a tree dedication this spring.
professor of history. Matthew presented a poster titled “The Patriotic Oilman: The Producer’s Monthly and the Bradford Oilfield in the Second World War.” The poster was based on research and digitization work completed as a student at Pitt-Bradford in partnership with the Penn-Brad Oil Museum.
Emily Snyder ’23 is a claims specialist with the Social Security Administration. She lives in Olean, N.Y.
Allison Atkeson ’24 wed in September with friends from Pitt-Bradford in attendance. “It was so nice to see all of my college friends to catch up, and I can’t wait for the next time we are able to get together!” she wrote.
Evan Baldwin ’24 is pursuing a doctorate in osteopathic medicine at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, Pa.
Several educators from the Class of ’24 have found teaching positions: Eve Brink is a new elementary teacher for the Susquehanna Township (Pa.) School District. Chad Carlson is a new physical education teacher at Smethport (Pa.) Elementary School. Kayla Challingsworth teaches English language arts in the 8th grade at Kane (Pa.) Area High School. Peyton Cook is teaching English language arts in the Scranton (Pa.) School District. Gretchen
Henneman is teaching 2nd grade at Washington West Elementary School in Olean, N.Y. Cole Palmer is doing double duty as a kindergarten teacher at Oswayo Valley Elementary School in Shinglehouse, Pa. Alyssa Persichini is a Pre-K Counts teacher with the YMCA of the Twin Tiers.
Janelis Duran ’24 is a legal support assistant at Ballard Spahr LLP. She lives in Philadelphia.
Nathan Fillman ’24 is enrolled in the doctoral program in physical therapy at Gannon University in Erie, Pa.
Nicholas Haner ’24 is a mechanical engineer at Allegheny Bradford Corp. and continues to work in the makerspace in the George B. Duke Engineering and Information Technologies Building on campus.
Nicholas Marotta ’24 is a group housing coordinator with Marriott Hotels Inc. He lives in Lake Mary, Fla.
Rachel Mertz ’24 is a staff accountant at Zippo Manufacturing Co. in Bradford. She lives in St. Marys, Pa.
Evan Schmidt ’24 is an officer with the Bradford City Police Department after completing his police academy training at Mercyhurst University.
2.25.25 Give Today. Transform Tomorrow.
February 25, 2025, is Pitt Day of Giving when proud alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends come together in support of the university we all love. Your gift fuels every aspect of the Pitt-Bradford experience, equipping our students with the tools they need to transform their lives and build a better tomorrow for us all.
Mark your calendar for February 25 and join us in transforming tomorrow.
Office of Philanthropic and Alumni Engagement
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Alumni and families enjoyed carving jack-o-lanterns at a whole new level during Alumni and Family Weekend in September. Pumpkin carving master Eric Jones, 2023 Guiness World Record holder for carving the world’s largest pumpkin, taught a class in three-dimensional carving.