FALL 2021
Inauguration of Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J.
Professor Inspires Student Interest in Ham Radio and NASA
Recent Alumni Find Purpose and Balance in Work Post-Pandemic
Alumnus' Virtual Field Trips Get Shared Around the World
FALL 2021 • VOLUME 43, NUMBER 1
EDITOR
Laura Richards DESIGNERS
A Message
Vikki Lawhon Jason Thorne G’13
from the
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
John Gatto Tom Salitsky Stan M. Zygmunt ’84, G’95 ASSOCIATE WRITERS
Maura Sullivan Hill ASSISTANT CLASS NOTES EDITOR
Margery Gleason PHOTOGRAPHY
Tim Dougherty Byron Maldonado Chad Sebring ’93 PRESIDENT
Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J. VICE PROVOST FOR ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT & EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Gerald C. Zaboski ’87, G’95 VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT
Thomas MacKinnon DIRECTOR OF MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS
Lori J. Nidoh ’80, G’89 DIRECTOR OF PRINTING & MAILING SERVICES
Valarie J. Clark ’12 The Scranton Journal is published by The University of Scranton for its alumni and friends.
External Affairs & Enrollment Management Office The University of Scranton, Scranton, PA 18510-4615 570.941.7900
Dear Students, Alumni, Faculty, Staff and Friends: On May 20, the Society of Jesus declared the start of the Ignatian Year, a time to recognize and celebrate the 500th anniversary of the conversion of St. Ignatius Loyola. As a result of that conversion moment, and with the help of God’s grace, Ignatius gifted the world with the Spiritual Exercises and the Jesuit Order. The University of Scranton is a wonderful outgrowth of those two gifts, and I consider it the privilege of a lifetime to have been selected to lead our University into the future in the company of many good and dedicated colleagues. I moved to Scranton this summer, when all was a little too quiet. Now the campus is buzzing with the sounds and sights of students, professors and the rest of our community walking together in mission! That sense of community is something Scranton is known for and deservedly so. It’s one of the most important aspects of the University that attracted me. The campus is alive again! Students are not only enjoying a sense of normalcy, but drawing on the lessons they’ve learned throughout the pandemic to go beyond what they thought was possible. Another fine example of what Ignatius meant by pursuing the magis! I’m so pleased that The Scranton Journal is back in print so that you may flip through the pages of this magazine to connect with our community, near and far, and discover what we have accomplished together in recent months. On campus, we will continue the celebration of the Ignatian Year and I hope that you, too, will find inspiration in the life story of St. Ignatius, as his story continues to guide us and our Jesuit tradition. I wish you a year filled with grace and peace and look forward to greeting you in person very soon.
Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement
The University of Scranton, Scranton, PA 18510-4624 570.941.7660. Email: alumni@scranton.edu Website: scranton.edu/alumni If this issue is addressed to a graduate who no longer maintains a residence at your home, please tear off the mailing panel and mail it, with the corrected address, to the Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement. The University of Scranton is a Catholic, Jesuit educational institution serving men and women. © 2021 The University of Scranton
President
Yours Faithfully,
Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J. President
contents 24
Features 24 A Pastor and a Leader
Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., is inaugurated as The University of Scranton’s
29 th president.
29 Now Launching: Budding Scientists
A ham radio enthusiast involves his students in work for NASA and the
32 Recent Alumni Find Purpose and National Science Foundation.
Balance Post-Pandemic
Despite the pandemic, or perhaps because of it, recent University graduates have f ound purpose, flexibility and balance in their young careers.
Online Journal There is more Scranton news than we can fit in this print edition! Look for icons throughout The Scranton Journal indicating more related content, including photographs, videos or expanded articles, on our website. Visit scranton.edu/scrantonjournal to read the online version of the magazine, and visit scranton.edu/ journalextras to access our web exclusives.
PHOTOS
STORY
VIDEO
HERE ARE SOME HIGHLIGHTS:
29
More Inauguration Hear more from delegates, dignitaries, faculty, staff, alumni and friends by watching Inauguration in its entirety online. You’ll also find more photos from the day on our website.
Departments 4 On the Commons 14 Focus on Faculty
16
Alumni News
We Heard You! Thanks to our Journal readers who answered questions about the all-digital version of this magazine. Find out what others had to say online, which will inform our work going forward.
22 Athletics 34 Profiles 41 Class Notes Community-Based Learning Stories Community-Based Learning did not stop when the pandemic began. Read about how students succeeded in partnering with community organizations virtually.
On the Commons
The Inauguration of 29th president, Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J.
The 29th President of Scranton is Inaugurated The University celebrated the Inauguration of its 29th president, Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., on Sept. 24 at the Byron Recreational Complex. The University named Fr. Marina as the incoming president in February 2021, following approval from the University’s Board of Trustees at the conclusion of a national search overseen by a broadly representative search committee that included trustees and representatives from the faculty, staff, student body, alumni and administration. He began his tenure on June 14, 2021, taking over for Jeffrey P. Gingerich, Ph.D., acting president and provost and senior vice president of Academic Affairs.
4
and professor of education at Le Moyne College from 2016 through the spring of 2021.
“It has been my great privilege to serve as acting president, and I wish to thank you for your support and for your generous service to the University during this challenging period,” wrote Gingerich in a message to the University community in June. Gingerich took on the role of acting president after the passing of Scott. R. Pilarz, S.J., in March.
Nearly 1,500 members of the University community and invited guests attended the ceremony, including representatives from more than 45 colleges and universities: Rev. Joseph M. O’Keefe, S.J., provincial of the USA East Province of the Society of Jesus, who presented the Missioning of the President at the ceremony; Scranton’s Mayor Paige Cognetti, who provided greetings from the city; and Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L., bishop of Scranton, who provided the Invocation, among others. Recorded greetings were given by U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright and U.S. Senator Bob Casey, a Scranton native. The Inauguration also featured the performance of an original work composed for the Inauguration by David Lantz III, titled “To the Ends of the Earth.”
Among his first duties as president, Fr. Marina greeted incoming members of the University’s Class of 2025 and their families during Orientation.
The Inauguration occurred during the Ignatian Year, the 500th anniversary of the conversion of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus.
Prior to becoming Scranton’s 29th president, Fr. Marina served as provost and vice president for academic affairs
Read about Fr. Marina’s Inauguration on page 24 of this magazine.
THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
On the Commons
Royals Back Together The University announced its Royals Back Together plan for the return of in-person classes and activities for the fall 2021 semester in August. On Aug. 30, students returned to in-person class instruction and activities. Only graduate courses which were offered online prior to the pandemic are offered in an online format. The previous academic year was a mix of hybrid, in-person and virtual. The plan incorporates the University’s COVID-19 vaccine requirement for students and employees and takes into account the latest health and safety recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Pennsylvania Department of Health, including flexibility to adjust the plans masking and other health requirements based on the virus spread within the local community.
Students return to a fully in-person semester in August.
Wondering if it’s safe for visitors to come to campus? Check scranton.edu/royalsbacktogether for details.
Conference on disAbility Marks 20th Year The 20 th Annual U.S. Conference on disAbility at Scranton took place on Oct. 14. The conference, “Exploring Autism Across the Spectrum: Building Inclusive Communities,” included a keynote address by Maria Davis-Pierre, founder and CEO of Autism In Black, Inc., and licensed mental health counselor, who discussed autism from a cultural perspective. Edward R. and Patricia Leahy served as Honorary Conference Co-Chairs for the 2021 U.S. Conference on disAbility, which they helped to establish 20 years ago.
“We established the endowment as a way to remember our son and do something to help children with disabilities,” said benefactor Edward Leahy ’68, H’01. Over the past two decades, numerous nationally recognized speakers have discussed topics such as transitioning from school to work and enhancing the quality of life of individuals with disabilities, autism across the lifespan, veterans’ issues, the evolution of the Americans with Disabilities Act, vocational workforce innovations and technology for accessing education and employment. Since 2019, through a partnership with AllOne Foundation, the conference has focused on “Exploring Autism Across the Spectrum: Building Inclusive Communities.”
From left: Conference co-chairs Rebecca Spirito Dalgin, Ph.D., director of the Rehabilitation Counseling Program and Lori Bruch, Ed.D., chair of the Counseling and Human Services Department; and Debra A. Pellegrino, Ed.D., dean of the Panuska College of Professional Studies.
Still the Tops! • No. 5 Among “Best Regional Universities in the North”
• “Best 387 Colleges”
• Among the “Best Undergraduate Teaching”
• “Best Campus Food”
• “Best Undergraduate Business Programs”
• “Best Business Schools”
• “Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs”
— The Princeton Review
• “Best Undergraduate Nursing Programs” in Nation • “Best Value”
— U.S. News & World Report
Find more rankings by visiting scranton.edu/journalextras.
FA L L 2021
5
On the Commons University of Scranton student nurse Amanda Ring of Bridgewater, New Jersey, administers a Pfizer vaccine to Ian Smith, a marketing major from North Wales, at a COVID-19 vaccination clinic held on campus in April.
Students and Faculty Help Scranton Get Vaccinated The University implemented a vaccine requirement for the return of in-person classes and activities for the fall 2021 semester. More than 150 University nursing students and a dozen Nursing Department faculty members volunteered to administer thousands of doses of COVID-19 vaccines in the Scranton area in spring.
“I think this is a really important thing to do,” said nursing student Kathryn Antonawich. “The pandemic has affected so many people, so I wanted to do my part to help out.” In September, the University announced that more than 96 percent of its students, faculty and staff who are on campus for the fall semester were fully vaccinated.
Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service Launches The University established a Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service, with a full launch on Oct. 14. Housed in the University’s Political Science Department of the College of Arts and Sciences, the Center will work to foster the development of ethical and competent public officials and civically knowledgeable, responsible and engaged community members. It aims to develop new educational and networking opportunities for incumbent and aspiring public servants, including training in the legal and ethical obligations of public servants as well as the knowledge, skills and capacities essential to just and effective governance. Moreover, the Center will be a clearinghouse for information on local and state governments and officials in NEPA, and relevant educational and training opportunities for public servants provided by other public and professional entities. 6
THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
In addition to its community offerings, the Center will offer students internships (both on campus and in the community), training programs, networking events with state and local government officials, and research opportunities, all of which will focus on ethics and public service. “The programming and research created and shared by the Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service will offer new and meaningful opportunities for students who wish to pursue a career in public service or are interested in finding ways to pursue justice and contribute positively to their communities,” said Jean Harris, Ph.D., professor of political science and co-director of the Center. Read more from Harris on page 12 of this magazine.
Perfect Union” commemorating the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States. The project also seeks to share underrepresented Scranton stories, including those of recent immigrants and Black Scrantonians and stories of indigenous history, to stitch together a full local and national narrative.
Various University offices are involved in a project that will capture the Scranton story. Find out who is involved by visiting scranton.edu/journalextras.
The National Endowment for the Humanities awarded a $152,791 grant to the University to support a multifaceted twoyear project that seeks to capture the unique story of Scranton and relate it to the history of the United States. The project, called “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story,” involves multiple community partners and relates Scranton’s industrial, religious and ethnically diverse heritage and aspirations to the history of the nation, responding to the NEH special initiative “A More
On the Commons
University Awarded NEH Grant to Tell Scranton’s Story
The University was among just 239 projects in the nation to receive NEH support and among 16 projects in Pennsylvania to receive funding. The grants awarded “demonstrate the resilience and breadth of our nation’s humanities institutions and practitioners,” said NEH’s acting chairman Adam Wolfson in a news release announcing $28.4 million in funding support for the 239 projects. “We are grateful to the National Endowment for the Humanities for its support of this important project for the University, Scranton and the nation,” said University President Joseph Marina, S.J. “The humanities play an integral part in the transformational nature of the Jesuit education we provide to our students. This project will give our students and the greater community a more profound understanding of the human transformations that have occurred in the lives of Scrantonians and Americans.”
New Programs Graduate Certificate in Business Analytics began in fall 2021: The 12-credit program can be completed on-campus or online in as little as six-months. In addition to the graduate certificate, the University offers a master’s degree in business analytics and a MBA degree with a specialization in business analytics.
Major in Public Policy & Service to begin in fall 2022: The major will prepare students for careers in the public, nonprofit and private sectors or to pursue specialized graduate training in public administration, public policy and nonprofit management.
Master of Science Degree in SpeechLanguage Pathology to begin in fall 2023: the program will be offered with online academic courses offered within a synchronous remote learning environment, an on-campus clinical rotation and in-person academic courses during the first summer session and two in-person externship clinical training experiences in the student’s place of residence during year two.
Associate Provost of Academic Affairs Named The University has named David Marx, Ph.D., associate provost of academic affairs in June, concluding a national search for the position. A longtime chemistry faculty member at Scranton, Dr. Marx also served as the interim associate provost. “Dr. Marx brings great experience as a faculty advocate, curriculum expert and research scholar,” said Jeff Gingerich, Ph.D., provost, in an announcement to the University community.
As associate provost, Dr. Marx oversees the University’s Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, Office of Insti-tutional Reporting and Data Analytics, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, Office of Educational Assessment, Office of Graduate Academic and Student Services, the Office of Global Education and the Office of Planning and Institutional Effectiveness.
Read about other new programs, promotions, retirements and news at news.scranton.edu.
FA L L 2021
7
On the Commons
Students Receive Scholarships, Participate in Internships, Place at Competitions • Marissa Angelo was among the 253 students in the na-
tion selected to receive a $10,000 scholarship from the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) for the 20212022 academic year. • Mary-Katherine Cotter was awarded a 2021 Huayu Enrich-
ment Chinese Language Immersion Scholarship from the Education Division of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in New York. • The Royal Experience Summer Internship Program pro-
vided five University students, selected from a competitive pool, a stipend of up to $4,000 to support their participation in a meaningful unpaid internship for the summer of 2021. This summer, recipients interned at Manhattan Justice Opportunities and for the Churches for the Middle East Peace and researched in biology labs, among other experiences. • Scranton students won top awards at state-level business competitions to qualify for the 2021 Phi Beta Lambda National Leadership Conference in its first year of existence as a chapter at Scranton. • For the third consecutive year, the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) named the University’s student chapter as one of just five Outstanding Student Chapters in the nation for the 2020-2021 academic year. Additionally, the IMA student chapter president, Grace Gallagher, was awarded the IMA’s Memorial Education Fund Scholarship for 2020. • Students representing the University came in first place in the inaugural two-day Cyber Forensic Student Competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance. Ten college teams from the northeastern U.S. competed. The competition included evidence discovery, gathering and preservation, investigation and analysis.
Maria Mancuso, a cybercrime and homeland security major; Andrew Huertas, a criminal justice major; and Evan Chang, a criminal justice major represent the University in the Cyber Forensic Student Competition.
8
THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
Community-Based Learning Projects Share Stories, Foster Connections During the uncertainty and physical distancing of the 2020-21 academic year, the University’s Community-Based Learning (CBL) projects offered opportunities for students to connect with the city of Scranton and community members in new ways. Students in associate professor of marketing Satya P. Chattopadhyay’s First-year Seminar courses engaged in a CBL project partnering with Compassionate Care Hospice to capture the life stories of patients to create biographies for their families and caregivers. Chattopadhyay’s students were trained as hospice volunteers and met virtually via Zoom with Cassie Kobeski, volunteer coordinator for Compassionate Care Hospice, and then worked together in small groups with the caregivers and families of the hospice patients to create biographies, which provided a keepsake for families to memorialize the lives of their loved ones.
“The biography program has been a shining light, highlighting the personality and memories sometimes shrouded by the immediate concern of the illness at hand. I am very grateful to The University of Scranton for helping to give a voice to these stories.” — Cassie Kobeski During the spring semester, University students in Principles of Management and Entrepreneurship II courses, led by Ovi Cocieru, Ph.D., worked on a CBL project to provide an updated inventory of Scranton businesses. For this project, students worked with the city of Scranton’s Office of Economic Development and various community-partner organizations to create and conduct a business inventory survey. This project had a transformative effect on both students in Cocieru’s courses and on the work done by community-partner organizations. “From a pedagogical perspective, this project was at the intersection of community-based learning and classroom-as-organization. In this approach, the instructor acts as a guide and trusts the students with critical real-world decisions. When it works, it is an empowering, meaningful and rewarding learning experience,” said Cocieru. Read about more Community-Based Learning projects at scranton.edu/journalextras.
On the Commons CENTER: Thomas Tate, Esq. ’56, visits campus and tours the exhibit “New Frontiers: The Thomas N. Tate, Esq. ’56 Collection of Aerospace Memorabilia,” which he donated to
the University. The collection will be permanently displayed in the new 5,300 square-foot, state-of-the-art learning and laboratory space for the mechanical engineering program in Hyland Hall.
Mechanical Engineering in Hyland Hall During the summer, the University renovated the first floor of Hyland Hall to make space for its new mechanical engineering program. The renovated space on the ground floor of Hyland Hall now includes three laboratories, a workshop, a machine shop, a 16seat computer lab, faculty offices and a student lounge area. “The Physics and Engineering Department at Scranton emphasizes active and applied learning methods to educate our students,” said W. Andrew Berger, Ph.D., professor and chair of the department. “The renovated facilities will allow us to use the latest in laboratory, simulation and modeling techniques to prepare our students to be successful in their professional careers in mechanical engineering.”
In the renovated space, mechanical engineering students will experiment with several pieces of equipment in solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, control dynamics and vibration labs. Students, like aerospace scientists, will work with a wind tunnel, through which they will determine important fluid characteristics by measuring aerodynamics pressures, forces and moments applied to aerodynamics models such as airfoil models by the airflow in laminar and turbulent flows. They will also investigate the behavior of engineering materials by performing precise tensile and compression tests using state-of-the-art Instron equipment to determine material properties such as strength, modulus of elasticity, yield and failure stresses of standard engineering materials.
CLASS OF
Nearly 9,225
Average SAT score of 1,000
2025:
APPLICANTS
405 HIGH SCHOOLS | 17 STATES
BY THE
1,100 INCOMING STUDENTS
NUMBERS *
for fall semester
825 UNDERGRADUATES 40
*estimates
TRANSFER STUDENTS
250 GRADUATE STUDENTS,
both on-campus & online
60
LEGACY CHILDREN
25%
of the 2025 class is from Northeastern Pennsylvania
27%
identify as firstgeneration
college students
20% of incoming students identify as people of color
FA L L 2021
9
On the Commons A Year of Commencement Firsts The year 2021 was a year of firsts for many reasons, and Commencement was no exception. Due to capacity restrictions in place because of the pandemic, and for the first time in University history, separate ceremonies were held for the University’s graduate students and each of the three colleges. All took place at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza, Wilkes-Barre. The University conferred more than 800 bachelor’s degrees at its in-person undergraduate ceremonies on May 23 and more than 500 master’s and doctoral degrees the previous day. Each of the four ceremonies included a tribute to the late Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J. H’15, who served as the University’s 24th and 27 th president. A recorded principal address was given by Susan M. St. Ledger ’86, president of worldwide field operations for Okta, Inc., at the undergraduate ceremonies. St. Ledger received an honorary degree from the University along with Rev. Otto Hentz, S.J., associate professor of theology, Georgetown University; and Nicole Young ’00, Emmy Award-winning producer for “60 Minutes.” Rev. Columba A. Stewart, O.S.B., executive director of the Hill Museum and Manuscript Library at St. John’s University, received his honorary degree on Oct. 21, on campus.
son Donning of the Kente Stole Ceremony to celebrate and honor the accomplishments of 45 members of its Class of 2021 from underrepresented identities who received their undergraduate degrees. The purpose of the ceremony was to highlight the success in overcoming the particular barriers and obstacles students from these groups face, particularly students of color, in attaining a higher education. For the past two years, the Multicultural Center set out to explore opportunities to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of students from underrepresented identities approaching graduation. The Donning of the Kente Stole Ceremony was a student-led initiative that started with the research of Camila Robles ‘19, and the vision of Aba Amon-Kwafo ‘20, who led the efforts to develop the proposal and approval of the Donning of the Kente Stole Ceremony and set the foundation for the ceremony to become a University Commencement event.
In a recorded address played at each undergraduate ceremony, St. Ledger told the members of the Class of 2021 that their “life as a student never ends.” Reflecting on lessons taught to her by her father, Dave, who is also a University alumnus, she told the graduates, “My father taught me that the purpose of education, whether it’s grade school or college, is to learn how to learn, so you understand how to learn for the rest of your life.” This year, on May 21, the University also held its first in-perAnd in yet another first: On July 12, Scranton conferred doctor of business administration (DBA) degrees to the first cohort of students to graduate from the program at a special ceremony in the McIlhenny Ballroom of the DeNaples Center. The University’s DBA program with a concentration in accounting was developed to provide experienced practitioners with a practical pathway to an academic career at a school of business that possesses or is seeking formal accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International). 10
THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
WELCOME New Members of
the University’s Board of Trustees
The University named six individuals to its Board of Trustees.
On the Commons
Mass of the Holy Spirit: A Tribute to Father Pilarz
John Boken P’16, P’22 is managing director in the
turnaround and restructuring services practice at AlixPartners, an international consultancy firm. With more than 30 years of corporate turnaround and restructuring experience, he specializes in complex, high profile, national and cross-border cases, including NRG Energy (2004) and Flying J (2011).
Rev. Thomas W. Neitzke, S.J., is the dean and executive September’s Mass of the Holy Spirit was offered in honor of the late Rev. Scott Pilarz, S.J., the University’s 24 th and 27 th president. Thomas MacKinnon, vice president for Advancement, offered a reflection about Fr. Pilarz’s life and career at the Mass. Here is an excerpt. Mary Oliver, the famed American poet, and one of Father’s favorite writers, once wrote “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” In those moments and days following his ALS diagnosis, Fr. Pilarz chose us. Scranton. He chose our faculty. He chose our staff. He chose our alumni. And mostly, he chose our students. He decided he wanted to spend the rest of his “one wild and precious life” at Scranton. Leading us. Teaching us. Loving us. There are profound lessons to learn from the way Fr. Pilarz lived out his disease. He often said, “This is God’s way of calling me closer to Him.” And to quote St. Ignatius, “find God in all things.” Fr. Pilarz did just that. He didn’t just say we need to find God in all things, he did it. Even when his body was betraying him, he was looking for God. And finding God. Read the full reflection at scranton.edu/journalextras.
director at Arrupe College of Loyola University Chicago. Previously, he served as president of Creighton Preparatory School and was also an adjunct faculty member at Creighton University’s Graduate School.
Crystal E. Newby, Ed.D. ’04, G’08, recently accepted the role of senior director of strategic admission, access and diversity initiatives at the College Board. Previously, Dr. Newby served as the inaugural director of diversity, equity and inclusion at the National Association for College Admission Counseling, where she served for eight years.
Rev. Angelo J. (“A.J.”) Rizzo, S.J. ’03, is a priest of the USA East Province of the Society of Jesus, who began serving as the president of Scranton Preparatory School in July 2021. Most recently, he served as director of mission and identity at Regis High School in New York City.
Joseph L. Sorbera Jr. P’08, P’08 is the CEO and president of JLS Cost Management Systems, Inc., based in New York City. His firm manages finances, costs and strategies associated with major construction projects being conducted by businesses across the United States and Europe.
Anthony J. Yanni, M.D. ’88, P’21, P’23, is senior vice president and head of patient centricity at Astellas, where he is responsible for leading the development and execution of the company’s global patient centricity strategy across all functions of the organization. Read about more about Scranton’s new trustees’ careers and service at scranton.edu/journalextras.
FA L L 2021
11
On the Commons
ONE-ON-ONE
with Jean Harris, Ph.D. You’ve had a busy few years as an expert on presidential first ladies, a go-to for national outlets on Scranton as a political battleground and Pennsylvania as a swing state, an active member of the Lackawanna County League of Women Voters, and the co-director of the new Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service (CEEPS), not to mention, of course, your teaching! What is one crucial thing you’ve learned these past few years? More people now understand that our collection of public servants — those who are elected, appointed and hired based on their merit and expertise — must look like the people they are hired to serve. For our governments — national, state and local — to understand and address the diversity of views and needs of the people they serve, the public servants in each government must mirror the diversity of the people they serve.
Tell us, how has students’ interest in politics changed over the past few years? In general, students’ interest in politics increases and decreases based on what is happening in the world around them. This is true for all of us. When we see things happening around us that violate our values, or that we believe can impact us, we become more interested in what is happening. We may even be mobilized to action. In the past few years, students have expressed greater interest in becoming politically engaged in their communities — locally and globally. The University meets these students where they are, fostering their capacities to be “men and women for and with others,” not just by engaging in acts of charity but also by addressing systemic and institutional problems.
Why was it important to you to weigh in on the role Scranton played in the presidential election? National and international media are interested in Scranton voters every four years, not just when presidential candidates have a connection to Scranton (Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden). The 2020 presidential election brought the largest and most 12
THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
diverse group of journalists to the Scranton area. I can spend a 50-minute class or two explaining why there is so much interest in Scranton during presidential election years. However, instead, I will just say that I appreciate the opportunity to offer a local perspective to media during presidential elections and to use a gendered lens in my political analysis. I integrate into my comments the reality of women’s power in elections, which influences the public policies officials bring to the table as well as policy solutions presented.
CEEPS — designed to “foster the development of ethical and competent public officials and civically knowledgeable, responsible and engaged community members” as well as serve as a resource to train students — launched this fall. How did conversations about this Center begin? The Political Science Department has a long history of collaborating with civic organizations to foster interest in and knowledge of politics and governance with the goal of preparing people to be effective, active participants in their governments. During the past two decades, after cases of public servant corruption in NEPA, government officials serving the people of NEPA have approached members of the University
On the Commons
community with the question: Is there something the University can do to enhance the understanding of NEPA residents and potential and incumbent public servants about the ethics of public service? In the fall of 2019, then-Scranton president Fr. Pilarz determined it was time for the University to answer this request for action.
What do you hope CEEPS will achieve in the first year and in the long term? I hope that CEEPS begins to develop a reputation as an excellent source of information on the roles and responsibilities of local and state governments, and as the host of high-quality educational and networking opportunities to improve the capacities of public servants and politically interested NEPA residents. While we officially launched on Oct. 14, CEEPS has offered events throughout this past year including hosting a workshop on diversity, equity and inclusion for NEPA county and city officials and co-sponsoring candidate debates with the League of Women Voters of Lackawanna County.
“Students’ interest in politics increases and decreases based on what is happening in the world around them.”
CEEPS launched on Oct. 14. At the opening, from left: Jeff Gingerich, Ph.D., provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs; Jean Harris, Ph.D., co-director of the Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service; Michelle Maldonado, Ph.D., dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; JoyAnna Hopper, Ph.D., co-director of the Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service; University student Clara Downey, who spoke at the opening; and U.S. Senator Bob Casey.
How has the number of women in politics changed in recent years, and what does this change mean for our nation? Not only have the numbers of women running for and winning office been increasing incrementally (with larger proportional increases now and then), but attention to societal conditions and public policies that impact the status of women has also increased. Research indicates that more women in government means more attention to problems that impact women, which are more often than not also problems that impact children and families. Research also shows that women govern with a style that tends to be more transparent — and open to listening to and communicating with their constituents — than do men, fostering more interest and participation in politics. Does this mean that more women in government means more efficient, effective and representative government? If so, how do we get more women in government? Two questions my students and I explore regularly!
FA L L 2021
13
Focus on Faculty
Physics Professor Awarded NASA Grant Nathaniel Frissell, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Physics and Engineering Department, was awarded a $481,260 grant through the NASA’s Space Weather Applications Operations 2 Research Program. He will serve as the principal investigator for the research project, entitled “Enabling Space Weather Research with Global Scale Amateur Radio Datasets,” with collaborators at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Haystack Observatory and The University of Alabama.
This new NASA award complements the five-year, $616,054 National Science Foundation CAREER grant Dr. Frissell received in 2020, which aims to understand the source of the traveling ionospheric disturbances observed in both the amateur radio data and other scientific datasets, as well as a National Science Foundation grant in 2019. Read more about Frissell’s work alongside students on page 29 of this magazine.
Professor Named Among Elite Global Ethical Hackers Mehmet F. Bastug, Ph.D., assistant professor in the University’s Sociology, Criminal Justice and Criminology Department, was named to the 100-member Certified Ethical Hacker Hall of Fame by the EC-Council, the International Council of E-Commerce Consultants. The 2021 Hall of Fame celebrates some of the most accomplished Certified Ethical Hackers (CEHs) around the world. The Hall of Fame recognizes EC-Council members who earned their Certified Ethical Hacking certification with a score of 90 percent or better, who were chosen by the council’s selection committee based on their accomplishments regarding their contribution to society and their role in the organization where they are employed, among other factors.
14
THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
Focus on Faculty
Faculty Members Honored by University Yaodong Bi, Ph.D., professor of computing sciences, was named Teacher of the Year by the University’s Class of 2021. The award was presented at a virtual Class Night event on May 21. Yaodong Bi, Ph.D.
Ashley L. Stampone ’10, G’11, faculty specialist in the Accounting Department was selected as the Kania School of Management Professor of the Year for the second year in a row by student members of the University’s Business Club. The virtual announcement was made May 19. Stampone was also selected for this honor in May of 2020.
Ashley L. Stampone ’10, G’11
Daniel J. West Jr., Ph.D., professor and chair the Health Administration and Human Resources Department at Scranton, received the John L. Earl III Award for service to the University,
From left: Daniel J. West, Jr., Ph.D., receives the John L. Earl III Award for service to the University from University President Joseph G. Marina, S.J., and Jeff Gingerich, Ph.D., provost/senior vice president of Academic Affairs.
the faculty and the wider community. The 2021 John L. Earl III Award was presented at the University’s annual Fall Convocation, which took place on campus on Sept. 3.
Provost Faculty Enhancement Awards Nine University faculty members were honored with Provost Faculty Enhancement awards for excellence in teaching, scholarship or service. The Office of the Provost and the Provost Advisory Group selected the recipients from a pool of candidates nominated by academic deans and department chairs. Douglas Boyle, D.B.A., Excellence for University Service and Leadership Award
Rose Sebastinelli, Ph.D., Excellence in Integrating Sustainability into the Curriculum Award
Paul Datti, Ph.D., Excellence in Integrating Diversity in Learning Award
Lori Walton, Ph.D., D.P.T., Excellence in Integrating Mission and Justice into the Curriculum Award
LeeAnn Eschbach, Ph.D., Faculty Senate Excellence in Graduate Teaching Award Virginia Picchietti, Ph.D., Excellence in Advancing Global Learning Award Charles Pinches, Ph.D., Excellence in Advancing Interdisciplinary Study Award
Jill Warker, Ph.D., Excellence in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Award Patricia Wright, Ph.D., Excellence in Scholarly Publication Award
Psychology Professor Receives Conservation Award Jessica Nolan, Ph.D., professor of psychology and director of the Environmental Studies Concentration at Scranton, received a 2021 Women in Conservation Award from PennFuture, an independent, nonpartisan environmental advocacy organization. Dr. Nolan received the award for Woman of Environmental Education. Nolan joined the faculty at Scranton in 2008. She teaches Environmental and Conservation Psychology and Social Psychology, among other courses, and runs the
Conservation Psychology Lab at the University. The Conservation Psychology Lab studies the human impact on the environment and uses the tools and methods of psychology to understand and solve environmental problems. Her research focuses on the application of psychological tools and principles to understand and solve environmental problems. She has studied the effects of normative social influence on various environmental behaviors, including energy conservation and household recycling. She has published more than a dozen articles on environmental behavior in peer-reviewed scientific journals and has presented her research at numerous professional conferences. FA L L 2021
15
Alumni News Alumni Network Continues to Thrive As the world slowly began to reopen during the spring of 2021, Scranton graduates far and wide continued to rely on the alumni network to serve their communities, support current students and bond over their shared love of the University.
Virtual Computing Sciences Spring Social Event On April 22, nearly 50 alumni, students and faculty members continued the yearlong celebration of the 50 th anniversary of the Computing Sciences Department at Scranton with a Zoom social. The discussion and camaraderie lasted more than two hours as alumni fielded industry and career questions from students, and faculty and alumni reminisced about campus and curriculum changes over the past 50 years. Department chair Richard Plishka ’75, along with six fellow faculty members who were also present, look forward to continuing alumni engagement efforts beyond the 50 th year.
Virtual Pre-Law Banquet and Council of Alumni Lawyers Event On May 3, members of the Council of Alumni Lawyers joined students via Zoom for the virtual Pre-Law Society Banquet, an annual celebration of the University’s Pre-Law Society and Mock Trial team. This year’s event featured a keynote address delivered by Melinda Ghilardi, Esq. ’80 and Kathleen Santora, Esq. ’80, H’17 alumnae attorneys who both formerly served on the University’s Board of Trustees. Also, the society presented the 2020 Outstanding Service Award to Victoria Mastrofilippo ’20 and the 2021 Outstanding Service Award to Victoria Sansone ’21.
Melinda Ghilardi, Esq. ’80
Kathleen Santora, Esq. ’80, H’17
Victoria Mastrofilippo ’20
Victoria Sansone ’21
Rainbow Royals Inaugural Meet and Greet Rainbow Royals, the University’s LGBTQIA+ and ally network, held its first virtual Meet and Greet on May 12. The gathering featured an update on LGBTQIA+ life on campus delivered by Maria Marinucci, director of the Cross Cultural Center at the University, and Tara Fay, biology faculty specialist and moderator of S.A.F.E. (Scranton Alliance For Equity) Space, the campus LGBTQIA+ club. Run by students, S.A.F.E. Space provides a space for current students to be themselves. The event also featured a question-and16
THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
🌈
answer session moderated by John Gownley ’06, founding member of Rainbow Royals and assistant director of Campus Ministry for Church Operations and Special Events at Fordham University. To get involved with Rainbow Royals and make your gift to S.A.F.E. Space in support of the campus LGBTQIA+ community, visit scranton.edu/RainbowRoyals.
Alumni News
Women’s Alliance On May 18, over 100 alumnae signed up to view a virtual panel hosted by the University’s Women’s Alliance. Moderated by senior business major and president of the Kania Women in Business Club Alexandra Wanas ’21, the
discussion explored the topic, “One Year later: What We’ve Learned.” Panelists reflected upon an incredibly challenging year in each of their industries and shared the takeaways that have made them stronger leaders.
PANELISTS
To view the recording and get involved with the Women’s Alliance, visit scranton.edu/ WomensAlliance.
Judy Castrogiovanni ’97, G’02
Judith O’Donnell, M.D. ’85
Amanda Gentile, LPC ’11
2021 Pennsylvania National Distinguished Principal
Chief, Division of Infectious Diseases & Hospital Epidemiologist
Mental Health Counselor Small Business Owner
Jefferson Elementary School
Penn Presbyterian Medical Center
The Giving Tree Wellness Center
Day of Service On April 24, small groups of alumni celebrated this year’s Day of Service safely in their hometowns by volunteering and/or dropping off essential food items and supplies at the Community Food Bank of New Jersey, City Harvest New York City, the Central PA Food Bank, the Greater Boston Food Bank, Cooking for Long Island Veterans and the University’s We Care Wednesdays.
For more photos, visit scranton.edu/journalextras.
FA L L 2021
17
Alumni News 5.06.21: Don’t Waste Love More than 3,300 members of the University community joined together to contribute a total of $689,763 to various scholarships and causes for Scranton’s seventh annual Day of Giving on May 6. This year’s campaign shattered all previous 5.06 records and surpassed the initial goal of 2,427 donors, which was chosen to honor the memory of the late Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J. H’15, Scranton’s 24th and 27th president. The
celebration included a Virtual 5.06K, a competitive Athletics Team Challenge, and a generous Trustee Scholarship Match that doubled all gifts to scholarships up to a total of $265,506. Alumni and friends of Fr. Pilarz honored him on 5.06 by submitting videos and photos, joining Team Pilarz in the Virtual 5.06K, contributing to The Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., Scholarship Fund, and sharing heartfelt tributes and memories.
“Ran my 5.06K today in honor of Fr. Pilarz, S.J.”
View more content from the day at scranton.edu/506.
“Spend your love lavishly on the friends you have made at Scranton. Love all that you have learned here. Love the University that is now yours.” — Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J.
18
THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
Alumni News
2021 Peter A. Carlesimo Award Presented to Ed Karpovich ’76, G’86 In June, the University honored Scranton golf legend Ed Karpovich ’76, G’86 with the 2021 Peter A. Carlesimo Award at the annual Carlesimo Golf Tournament & Award Dinner at Glenmaura National Golf Club. The event raised more than $100,000 for Scranton Athletics. Quandel Construction Group served as the event’s title sponsor. More than 160 alumni and friends of the University participated in the golf tournament, and an additional 50 guests attended the award dinner. “The University is proud to honor one of our very own tonight,” said Dave Martin, executive director of Athletics at Scranton, before introducing the evening’s speakers: current softball player Lauren Cawley ’23, a secondary education and math major, basketball legend P.J. Carlesimo, the son of the former University athletic director the award is named after, and, on his very first day on the job, the Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., the 29th president of Scranton. “Thank you … for the generous support you have all provided,” Cawley said. “Because of you, Scranton athletes are able to have a transformative experience both on and off the field.” Fr. Marina spoke next, mentioning some of Karpovich’s outstanding achievements prior to providing the evening’s Invocation. “Under Ed’s great coaching, golf at Scranton has achieved nearly 400 wins,” Marina said. “Absolutely amazing. He’s obviously touched countless lives for the better.” Carlesimo spoke about the parallels between Karpovich’s legacy and that of his late father. “Karp reminds me an awful lot of my father in how much he cared about this school and the students that he worked with,” he said. “I’m so happy that his name is on the Carlesimo Award.” After receiving the award, Karpovich expressed his gratitude for the continued support of the event’s attendees. “This tournament … helps every athletic team out in a big way, so thank you,” he said. “I am honored and privileged to get this award.”
A remarkable career Karpovich has been a part of the men’s golf program at the University for more than four decades. In 39 seasons as the head men’s golf coach at the University, he has compiled an overall record of 354-120-2 in dual match competition. He also led Scranton to a Middle Atlantic Conference team championship in 1988. In the fall of 2016, Karpovich was instrumental in starting the women’s golf program at the University. In five seasons as the women’s head coach, he has led the Royals to 32 dual match victories. Karpovich is a 1976 graduate of the University and a member of its prestigious Wall of Fame. As a player, he led the Royals to three MAC team titles (1973, 1975, 1976) while capturing MAC individual championships in 1974 and 1976. He also competed in the 1974 and 1976 NCAA championships, finishing tied for 150th in 1974 and tied for 42nd in 1976. He currently serves as treasurer of Lackawanna County.
Named in honor of Peter A. Carlesimo, former University coach and athletics director, the Carlesimo Golf Tournament & Award Dinner celebrates athletics at the University by honoring a person who has made special contributions to athletics and Catholic education. The annual fundraising event supports and enhances the student-athlete experience at Scranton. For more information, visit scranton.edu/carlesimoaward. For more photos from this year’s event, visit scranton.edu/journalextras.
FA L L 2021
19
Alumni News Alumni Society Advisory Board Names New Chair During the Alumni Society Advisory Board’s virtual meeting May 22, outgoing chair of the board Mike Short ’99 transferred leadership of the board to his successor, Joseph L. Sorbera III ’08.
Sorbera joined the Alumni Society Advisory Board in 2017 and has led the Student Engagement Committee of the Board for the last year, working closely with the Future Alumni Network of Scranton (FANS) Club to foster the alumni-student connection. Joe graduated cum laude with a B.S. in Management and a minor in Japanese language. During his student days, Sorbera founded the Italian Society on campus, acted in many Liva Arts Company performances and participated in the Business Leadership Program and the Model UN. Sorbera, vice president of JLS Cost Management Systems in Manhattan, lives in Kearny, New Jersey, with his wife, Kristen ’09, and their daughter, Danielle. The two met at an Alumni Christmas reception and were both engaged and married on campus. He is the former co-chair of the Young Professionals Committee for Bideawee, a 116-year-old animal rescue organization based in Manhattan, and also serves on the alumni board for Loyola School in New York City. View current members of the Alumni Society Advisory Board at scranton.edu/alumniboard.
Council of Alumni Lawyers Names Next Chair Mara I. Smith, Esq. ’13, G’21 has completed her term as chair of the Council of Alumni Lawyers (CAL) and transferred leadership of the CAL to Eric D. Brophy, Esq. ’92, executive director of the New Jersey Educational Facilities Authority. Brophy serves as the chief executive officer of the Authority and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of a New Jersey independent authority responsible for the issuance of taxable and tax-exempt bonds, as well as the administration of several state-backed grant programs for institutions of higher education in New Jersey. Previously, Brophy served as a member of The University of Scranton Alumni Society Advisory Board. In addition, he and his wife, Elaine ‘92, endowed the Ignatian Global Citizen Program in the University’s Department of Political Science in 2018. Eric graduated from Seton Hall University School of Law
20
THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
in 1999 and spent 20 years in private practice at several law firms, eventually running his own law firm for 11 years before joining Governor Murphy’s administration.
Alumni News Medical Alumni Council Names Next Chair The Medical Alumni Council (MAC) of The University of Scranton has named Joseph A. Butash, M.D. ’07, as its executive committee chair. Born in Scranton and raised in Dickson City, Butash graduated from the University with a bachelor’s in biomathematics and philosophy. He earned his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in 2011 and completed residency training in emergency medicine at Drexel University/Hahnemann University Hospital in 2014. Butash is board certified in emergency medicine and practices at St. Luke’s University Health Network. He and his wife, Ali, reside in the Lehigh Valley with their son. Butash assumed
leadership of the MAC at October’s MAC Symposium, where April L. Troy, M.D. ’02, the previous executive committee chair, completed her term of service and transitioned to the position of immediate past chair. For more information on the MAC, visit scranton.edu/mac.
Royals Come Home
In August, members of the Classes of 1970 and 1971 met with the Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., University president, to celebrate their 50-year reunions.
FA L L 2021
21
Athletics Dowdell Overcomes Personal Tragedy to Help Lead Team to Glory Since last spring, University student-athletes have been dealing with hardships no one could have imagined a year and a half ago. But Meaghan Dowdell ’21 has had to bear witness to unimaginable highs and just as tragic of lows. Without her father, Bryan, a collegiate softball career would not have been a reality. Dowdell’s long-time catcher during throwing sessions, Bryan also served as his daughter’s youth basketball coach in New Jersey. And, when she made the decision to attend Scranton, a huge question loomed for Meaghan: Should I play softball collegiately? She knew who to turn to for advice. “It was my dad who fully convinced me it was in my best interest to play softball,” she said. “Looking back on this now, I cannot imagine how different my college experience would have been if I had not taken his advice and given it a shot.” And give it a shot Meaghan did. In the fall of 2018, Meaghan was preparing for her sophomore season and two days before her world was forever changed, she had her final conversation with her father. The topic: softball. “He was looking forward to watching the team play and mentioned how proud he was of me for continuing to play despite my difficult schedule,” she said. “His hopes were extremely high for the outcome of Scranton’s season.” Forty-eight hours later, Bryan suffered a traumatic brain injury. The next three months for the Dowdell family were excruciating, as they watched Bryan battle every day to recover. Meanwhile in Scranton, Meaghan was dealing with injuries of her own and was contemplating leaving school to be with her family full time.
Dowdell (right) stands alongside Mary Beth Spirk, director of Athletics at Moravian University, at the Landmark Championship in 2019. Moravian hosted the game.
In December 2018, the family received devastating news. Bryan’s health was deteriorating and, just a few days before Christmas, he passed away. Gutted, Meaghan felt like giving up her softball career permanently. But, something brought her back to the field. “Knowing the last conversation with my dad ended around the topic of Scranton softball was enough to fully convince me quitting was not an option,” she said. “I knew that it was going to be hard, but I also knew it was worth it and that my coaches, teammates and friends were supporting me while I was away from home.” What transpired in the 2019 season for the Royals was something only dreams are made of. Finishing with a 32-15 overall mark, Scranton blitzed through the competition at the 2019 Landmark Conference Championship on their way to capturing their first ever Landmark title to earn a bid into the NCAA Division III Championship. Dowdell shined in the tournament, tossing back-to-back complete games against Susquehanna to secure the conference title for Scranton. For her efforts, she was named the Landmark Championship MVP. “(The Landmark Championship) alone was such a surreal experience because I felt (my dad’s) presence there guiding us as we played three games that Saturday,” she said. “After a long and emotional season, receiving the MVP award on top of everything else was proof to me that I was not meant to quit softball.” Over the past two seasons, Dowdell has excelled in the classroom and on the field. After having her 2020 season cut short due to the pandemic, she went 9-3 in the pitching circle in 2021 as Scranton once again advanced to the Landmark Championship game.
22
THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
Athletics
Earning her bachelor’s degree in exercise science in May, Dowdell recently began her first semester of graduate school at Kean University, where she is pursuing her Doctorate of Physical Therapy. She now embarks on her professional life away from Scranton, but she knows that she’ll have someone watching out for her every step of the way. “After my dad passed, his impact on my life only grew,” she said. “I now fully understand how much of a blessing life is and how in an instant everything can change. Because of him, I wake up every morning knowing how precious time is and I cherish every moment I have with my family and friends.”
Matthew Pinto ’21 lost his brother during baseball season. Like Dowdell, he battled on, knowing that his brother would want him to keep playing the sport he loved. Read the story at scranton.edu/journalextras.
Winning the Wait: A Conversation with Dave Martin, Director of Athletics Go back to before the fall 2020 semester began and the cancellation of the fall season in late July. What factors went into the decision and how difficult was it for you personally to deliver the news to coaches and student-athletes?
groups and did not allow any contact at any of the practices. I give our coaches a lot of credit for putting in the time and effort to give our student-athletes a chance to do something in the fall, where most teams were able to practice 15 to 20 times.
There was no playbook for any of this and throughout the process, (the administration here at our University and the Landmark Conference presidents) were thoughtful, always keeping the safety of our students at the forefront.
In January, the Landmark Conference passed a plan to play winter sports, then followed with more plans to play fall sports (in March) and spring sports after that. Describe the process that went into making this decision both as a conference and here at the University.
It was very difficult for me to deliver the news. I know there were some who were frustrated that we waited so long to decide. I felt it was the right move. We waited as long as we could because we had hope that things would get better. What was done throughout the fall (without sporting events going on) to prepare the department for potential events in the spring semester? In the fall, we talked to our student-athletes a lot about “winning the wait.” We were able to develop safety protocols to ensure social distancing, masking and sanitizing could take place so that we could hold some modified practices. We practiced in small
Throughout this entire pandemic, our number one goal was to try to give student-athletes a chance to compete. We wanted to give them a chance to do what they love to do. When the NCAA came out with their resocialization guidelines we spent many hours filtering through them to see if that was something that we would be able to accomplish within our conference. The biggest challenge as it related to the resocialization guidelines was the testing protocol. Fortunately for us, we were able to get into an agreement with a local laboratory, which made the testing a reality. What was the most rewarding part of the job over what was a very difficult period? The most rewarding part of the year was, without question, having the opportunity to watch our student-athletes compete. When our baseball team won the Landmark Conference Championship, I literally had tears in my eyes watching them celebrate! Had we not worked so hard to get to that point, those young men would’ve never had that experience and they would never have those memories! That made an extremely difficult and long year all worthwhile. Read more about how Martin and the athletics department navigated the pandemic at scranton.edu/journalextras. Here, you can also get a recap of spring sports and what’s happening on the field this fall. FA L L 2021
23
24
THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
“A Pastor and a Leader”
The entire world will feel the fire of this
The sun shone on the Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J., as he strolled up the Commons in full academic regalia, waving to students on the way to his Inauguration as the 29th president of The University of Scranton in the Byron Recreation Complex on Sept. 24.
great Catholic and Jesuit university.
It is the students, Fr. Marina promised in his Inaugural Address, who will be his priority during his tenure, which began mid-pandemic. “There is nothing more important than the pastoral care of our students,” he said. “This most certainly includes our graduate and doctoral students as well, along with the rest of our community. And I promise you that, with the help of God’s grace, I will work very hard to live up to your expectations on this.”
“A Faith That Burned at Our Beginnings” The Inauguration took place during the Ignatian Year, marking the 500th anniversary of the conversion of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Fr. Marina, ordained to the priesthood in 2012, connected the crowd of nearly 1,500 students, faculty, administrators, staff, alumni and friends to the University’s Catholic and Jesuit roots by asking them to find inspiration in the life story of St. Ignatius during this special year. And, relying on a phrase from the second decree of 35th General Congregation of the Society of Jesus, he called the University “a fire that kindles other fires.”
— Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J.
tenure along with the four Universal Apostolic Preferences calling upon all Jesuit works to “focus on the Spiritual Exercises and discernment; walk with the excluded; accompanying young people in the creation of a hope-filled future; and care for our global environment.” He addressed access and affordability and the need for more programs to serve non-traditional student populations. He aims to collaborate with the other area Catholic colleges and universities and tap into the networks of both Jesuit and non-Jesuit colleges to improve the quality of education for all. “Through all of this, we will be able to prepare today’s students for tomorrow’s jobs,” he said, “while preserving and enhancing our deeply-rooted commitment to a liberal arts education.”
“Our future will be stoked by the fire of the Holy Spirit for decades to come. This triune reality makes our community open to all, not despite their differences but precisely because of them. We are made stronger by our diversity and by our love for one another,” he said. In fact, demanding that “diversity be a priority as we build an inclusive community and campus culture” is just one goal outlined in the Strategic Plan, adopted in 2020 during the tenure of the late Scott R. Pilarz, S.J. H’15, the University’s 24th and 27th president. The remaining four goals are: to emphasize the humanities as a pathway to understanding the human experience; to help students explore their faith, discern their purpose and pursue their passion as they work to create a more just and sustainable world; to advance the University through innovation in ways that are creative, affordable and relevant; and to invite and inspire partnerships in our mission. The challenges to higher education are “quite real at Scranton and throughout the nation,” said Fr. Marina in his address. The Strategic Plan takes the issues facing higher education into account and will “form the cornerstone” of his vision during his
Despite the challenges, he remains hopeful that “the entire world will feel the fire of this great Catholic and Jesuit University.” “We have a magnificent Strategic Plan to guide us. We have the four Universal Apostolic Preferences of the Society of Jesus to inspire us,” he said. “We have alumni, benefactors and friends who have supported and sustained us since our founding. We have each other … and we have our faith, a faith that burned at our beginnings and is still going strong. A faith that focuses on students and advances academic excellence, cura personalis, service and justice for the poor and the oppressed, a passionate commitment to the magis and to finding of God in all things. May it always be so.” FA L L 2021
25
Heard at Inauguration
“A Fire That Kindles Other Fires”
Celebrating the day alongside Fr. Marina were many delegates, dignitaries, alumni, faculty, staff and guests who spoke at Inauguration. Here is what some of them had to say.
Prior to beginning his work as Scranton’s 29th president on June 14, 2021, Fr. Marina served as provost and vice president for academic affairs and professor of education at Le Moyne College from 2016 through the spring of 2021. His responsibilities included overseeing the Jesuit college’s three academic schools, honors program, library, campus life, student housing, conduct and Title IX compliance, diversity and inclusion programming, global education, student success and support services, disability services and several other areas.
“The University really is a miracle. It is a place in point of fact where miracles are commonplace; where dreams are nurtured; where hope is born in every generation; where the students have a friendship and a genius for loyalty, and therefore a place where friendships are strong and lifelong; where character is formed; where God is discovered, wrestled with, praised and served; where generosity is a way of life.” — Rev. Joseph McShane, S.J., the 23rd president of The University of Scranton and current president of Fordham University
“We have already noticed Fr. Marina’s genuine commitment to students and remain excited about the legacy he will leave on this University long after many of us have graduated.” — Adrianna O. Smith ’22, president of Student Government
“More so than any other person I know, Joe has a stunningly acute sacramental vision. What I mean by that is that he sees clearly what is before him, but he also looks through those things, people, relationships, objects, impasses. He looks beyond them to see possibilities and newness. He sees the best of what can be and ultimately he sees how the finger of God is at work in all of it and in all of us.” — Rev. Peter Folan, S.J., assistant professor of theology and religious studies at Georgetown University, in the introduction of the president
“At its core, the University continues to fulfill its original vision, rooted in the life of the church as a Catholic and Jesuit university animated by the spiritual vision and tradition of excellence characteristic of the Society of Jesus and those who share its way of proceeding.” — Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, D.D., J.C.L., bishop of Scranton
26
THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
From December 2020 to February 2021, Fr. Marina served as acting president at Le Moyne while the college’s president, Linda M. LeMura, Ph.D., participated as a Chancellor’s Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Syracuse University. In her remarks at Inauguration, LeMura extolled Fr. Marina’s leadership abilities. “What we need at this moment in higher education are leaders capable of distinguishing between the inevitable and the possible,” she said. “Leaders with enough creativity and originality to write a new script for the future. And that, University of Scranton, is just one of the ways in which you are so blessed to have Joe Marina as your president.” Before he worked alongside LeMura at Le Moyne, Fr. Marina served as the dean of the School of Continuing Education at Providence College, assistant dean for the College of Science and Mathematics at Montclair State University, and assistant dean for Metropolitan College at St. John’s University. In addition, he taught religious studies at Providence College and mathematics at St. John’s University. He served as pastor of the Church of St. Francis Xavier and as associate pastor of the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola, both in New York City. He also served as a trustee on the boards of several colleges. Fr. Marina holds a Doctor of Philosophy in administration and supervision from Fordham University, of which Joseph M. McShane, S.J., is president. McShane was the 23rd president of Scranton and spoke directly to Fr. Marina in his remarks at the Inauguration. “Joe, I cannot tell you how thrilled I am that our beloved University, aka ‘The U,’ has been placed in your loving, wise and pastoral care,” said Fr. McShane. He referred to Fr. Pilarz’s muchloved metaphor for Scranton: “The University really is a miracle.” Fr. Marina agreed that the University is indeed a miracle, paying tribute to Fr. Pilarz’s description from his first inaugural by offering a new metaphor to describe the transformative effect of the University.
The First 100+ Days of a Presidency This summer, Fr. Marina, met his new colleagues and University community members, settled into his new home on campus and got to work, all amidst a global pandemic. Nonetheless, he began his tenure with grace and purpose. Here are some highlights from his first few months on the job.
Meeting alumni. On his first official day as president, Fr. Marina, attended the Carlesimo Award Dinner in honor of legendary golf coach Ed Karpovich ’76, G’86, and met several alumni in person. “Under Ed’s great coaching, golf at Scranton has achieved nearly 400 wins,” Marina said. “Absolutely amazing. He’s obviously touched countless lives for the better.”
A new Royal! “I feel like a first-year student,” he said in a local news segment about Orientation. “As I said to them a few minutes ago, I really do feel like I’m going to have a special bond with this particular class because we are starting together.”
Staff and faculty meet and greet. Staff and faculty met with Fr. Marina just a few days after he began his tenure. “I was quite impressed by the turnout but more so by the love you have for Scranton and how obvious and authentic it truly is,” he told them later.
Administrative duties. James M. Slattery ’86, chair of the Board of Trustees, visited the new president in his second week in office to “show his support and help me settle in,” said Fr. Marina. One order of business was to elect two new Jesuit trustees: Rev. Angelo Joseph (A.J.) Rizzo, S.J. ’03, the new president of Scranton Prep, and Rev. Tom Neitzke, S.J., the new dean of Arrupe College of Loyola Chicago University. You can read about all the new trustees on page 11 of this magazine.
Scranton’s story. The University was awarded a National Endowment for the Humanities grant to support “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story,” a two-year project that seeks to capture the story of Scranton’s indigenous, political, ethnic and religious heritage and relate it to the national narrative of the United States. “The humanities play an integral part of the transformational nature of the Jesuit education we provide to our students. This project will give our students and the greater community a more profound understanding of the human transformations that have occurred in the lives of Scrantonians and Americans,” said Fr. Marina at the announcement.
500 years. Fr. Marina announced that Scranton would
Reflecting on the 20th Anniversary of 9/11.
join the works of the Society of Jesus around the globe in celebrating the Ignatian Year, the 500th anniversary of St. Ignatius’ conversion. He also celebrated the Memorial of St. Ignatius of Loyola on July 31: “I hope you will find much consolation and grace in remembering that our University is a strategic and integral part of a dynamic mission that goes back nearly five centuries and, with God’s help, will continue for many more to come.”
Fr. Marina wrote to the community: “As we mark the 20th anniversary of 9/11, let us recall in memory and prayer our faithful alumni, family and friends who lost their lives on this tragic day. Let us pray for peace and understanding in a world still filled with unrest. Let us also pray for our students today and the faculty and staff who educate and serve them. May they may go into the world as a voice calling for peace and justice and change the world for the betterment of all.”
Hispanic Heritage Month. Marking a month of celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Fr. Marina remembered the Martyrs of El Salvador and “the prominent ways that we connect our campus to the culture and heritage of Mexico, Central and South America,” including Martyr’s Grove, “just steps from the entrance to Campion Hall.” In a note to the community, Fr. Marina quoted the late St. Oscar Romero who said, “We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that. This enables us to do something, and to do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest.”
Pet Therapy. A biannual tradition at Scranton is Pet Therapy, through which animals help ease the stress of the University’s students before exams. This year, amidst the ongoing pandemic, students welcomed the event with enthusiasm. Fr. Marina joined them.
FA L L 2021
27
Toward all these ambitious ends, we have an advantage that is both tactical and sacred. It is the first and most often said word used to describe The University of Scranton — community. — Excerpt from the Inaugural Address
“The University might also be considered a ‘vineyard in the valley,’” he suggested. “The credit goes to our wonderful students, our amazing faculty and staff, loyal trustees, alumni and benefactors who, year after year, have cultivated the soil of this vineyard to make it rich and nurturing.”
own leadership style. How might he “bring us into a future of promise and opportunity,” despite the challenges facing higher education? To Fr. Marina, it seems the answer does not lie with him but with an entire community, which is the University’s “tactical and sacred” advantage.
John D. Dionne ’86 and Jacquelyn Dionne ’89 are two such benefactors. Fr. Marina announced at Inauguration a $1,000,000 gift from the couple to support two programs of excellence in the Kania School of Management: the Frank P. Corcione Business Honors Program and the Robert L. McKeage Business Leadership Honors Program.
“Will you please join me as we carry our mission forward, or, more rightly, may I join you?” he asked at the conclusion of his Inaugural Address. “So that, together, we can cultivate this wonderful vineyard in the valley and be that ‘fire that kindles other fires?’”
In his remarks, Fr. Marina continued to offer credit to and appreciation for members of the University community and the leaders who preceded him, which is perhaps indicative of his
28
THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
Watch the Inauguration, read more and see photos from the day online at scranton.edu/journalextras.
Now Launching:
Budding Scientists
A ham radio enthusiast involves his students in work for NASA and the National Science Foundation. FA L L 2021
29
Nathaniel Frissell, Ph.D. (center), works with students Simal Sami (left) and Veronica Romanek (right) in the new ham radio station on campus.
Scranton physics and electrical engineering professor Nathaniel Frissell, Ph.D., first became enamored with ham radio on a Boy Scout trip in middle school. Now he’s using that same type of radio communication to study space weather in the outer reaches of the Earth’s atmosphere. Ham is an informal name for an amateur radio operator, who uses radio frequencies — rather than the internet or cell phones — to communicate with others. Ham radio is used in emergency communications and has been around as a hobby for nearly a century. The “hams” can use their radios to talk with others and make connections all over the world. “There was a guy who had a ham radio set up in this cabin in the woods (on the Boy Scout trip), and it was the first time I ever heard about it. I heard him talking to these faraway places, and it just captured my interest,” said Frissell, who later earned a ham radio operator license and spent summers during his college years teaching radio at a Boy Scout camp. “Back then I was teaching people about my hobby and my interest and how the science behind it worked. And now I do the same thing but with the purpose of answering scientific questions along with it.” Radio frequencies transmit by going into the Earth’s upper atmosphere and then bend back toward Earth, where a ham radio operator might reach a fellow ham and be able to start a conversation. Unfortunately, because of space weather, this is not always possible. Variations in the upper atmosphere can prevent the radio signal from getting where it needs to go. 30
THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
“We want to understand what’s actually happening in the upper atmosphere,” said Frissell. “So we turn the problem around. Instead of saying, ‘How do I talk from one place to another (on my ham radio)?’ You say, ‘What can I learn about the path my radio signal is traveling through? How can we use that to better understand what is happening in space?’” Much of the communications infrastructure that people rely on every day is impacted by space weather, so it is important to learn as much as possible about it, according to Frissell. Space weather can affect GPS systems, such as Google Maps and systems that are used to land airplanes, as well as other technologies that use satellite communications, including certain phone and TV signals.
A Project in Space Frissell has received multiple grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support his work, and student researchers are integral to these research efforts. Veronica Romanek, a junior from Union Township, New Jersey, is Frissell’s research assistant and decided to major in physics only after enjoying his introductory physics course. After office hours one day, he invited her to help him set up research equipment. “Next thing you know, a few years later, I’m still involved in helping him with his research,” said Romanek. “I think it is a testament to Dr. Frissell and all the professors at Scranton, how welcoming they are in their office hours. I don’t know that if I
went to another school that just having a conversation one day during office hours would have led to the research experience I’m in right now.” The experience she’s getting includes building an atmospheric sensing device as part of a NASA program for students called the RockOn Workshop. The device that Romanek built was chosen by NASA and launched into space — 73 miles into the atmosphere — on June 24, 2021. “I worked with two other Scranton students, Kevin Phiefer and Ryan Lebron, to assemble an atmospheric sensing device, which is a device that contains different sensors that can measure pressure, temperature, humidity, speed and orientation, and there’s some radiation detectors on there,” she said. “Now we have the data from the launch, and we’re working on analyzing it. Dr. Frissell made the opportunity available to us and was super supportive throughout the whole process.” Frissell and Romanek also started a ham radio club at Scranton, which has student and alumni members, and welcomes guest speakers in the field. The club also hosted a physics summer camp for high school students during the summer of 2021.
Broadening Horizons Simal Sami isn’t a physics or engineering major, but the sophomore from Jessup spent the summer working with Frissell full time, studying disturbances in the part of the Earth’s atmosphere where radio waves travel, hoping to learn more about where those disturbances come from. Sami is part of Scranton’s Magis Honors Program in STEM, which culminates in a senior thesis project, and the head of that program recommended that she connect with Frissell. “Coming into this, I knew nothing about space physics or engineering. I’m a computer science major, so at first I wondered, ‘How am I going to be able to help with this?’” Sami said. “But Dr. Frissell said they could use a computer science student, and I’ve found that a lot of fields involve (computer) programming. He’s broadened my horizons and now I feel less restricted in my major.”
There was a guy who had a ham radio set up in this cabin in the woods (on the Boy Scout trip), and it was the first time I ever heard about it. I heard him talking to these faraway places, and it just captured my interest.
— Nathaniel Frissell, Ph.D.
do data analysis, how to read scientific papers, how to present,” Frissell said. “I’m also very transparent with my students about how the grants work and the administration of all this work. I really try to set them up so that they could continue in this field or go into a separate field and have transferrable skills.” Frissell collaborates with fellow amateur ham radio operators and research scientists at other institutions, so the Scranton students who work with him are exposed to mentors across the fields of physics, engineering and programming. “I don’t work in a vacuum, and I think I’ve been successful because I’m a very collaborative person,” Frissell said. His family is also part of the collaboration — his wife, Rachel Frissell, also teaches physics at Scranton and his two-year-old son Anthony is an “honorary member of the ham radio club,” said founder Romanek. “Outside of research, Dr. Frissell is really kind to his students, always willing to answer our questions. He does a lot to instill the same love of ham radio to the community around him,” Romanek said. “There have been several times where he’s invited students to his house for different radio club events. His wife, Professor Frissell, makes delicious brownies and his whole family is very inviting and just a great group of people. We are very fortunate to have someone like Dr. Frissell at the University.”
Sami plans to continue on Frissell’s research team and use her work as part of the Honors Program senior thesis, while Romanek is hoping to study astrophysics in graduate school after Scranton. “Many of the skills the students learn when they work with me aren’t simply space weather skills. Yes, they are going to learn a lot about space weather, but they’re also learning many other skills about how to work, how to use computers, how to
Power supply, radios and microphones for ham radio transmitting and shortwave reception.
FA L L 2021
31
Recent Alumni Find Purpose and Balance Post-Pandemic Despite the pandemic, or perhaps because of it, recent University graduates have found purpose, flexibility and balance in their young careers.
Anna Giannantonio ’19, G’20 is just one of many recent graduates beginning a career in a post-pandemic world.
College students and graduates all over the world were thrust into a labor market disrupted by COVID-19. Some of the best-laid plans — internships, first jobs, graduate school — went awry, but many young Scranton alumni adjusted — even benefitted — from having time to think deeply about what came next.
Uncertainty Turns to Certainty Emilie Tronoski ’19, a seventh-grade math teacher at Pope John Paul II Regional Catholic School in West Brandywine, began her teaching career in 2020. Just months later, she found herself teaching pre-algebra from her dining room table to students on a screen. 32
THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
“I was already overwhelmed and unsure of what I was doing,” she said. “I had to essentially reteach myself how to be a teacher in this new virtual world. The career I signed up for changed completely.” The year left her frustrated and full of uncertainty but dealing with the disruption taught her flexibility. “I have always been someone who needs a schedule. If things digress from that schedule, I can recover but don’t love when things change,” she said. Now, she understood, “Anything and everything can change at, literally, any moment.” When she returned to the classroom, she said she was certain that the profession was for her, but perhaps, one day, she’d
like to teach one-on-one as a reading specialist, a realization that came from having to evaluate her career so early on, she said. Abigail Corrigan ’21, now a marketing and communications associate for consulting company Guidehouse, was a junior when the pandemic hit. As a student involved in various clubs and activities on campus, she suddenly found herself with extra time she wasn’t sure how to use. “There were months throughout the pandemic where I felt that I needed to constantly ‘hustle’ in order to feel like I was being productive, simply because there wasn’t anything else to do! I soon felt burnt out and unmotivated,” she said. Instead of trying to do everything, she found that she should try to focus on one or two things that really interested her. An internship with the mayor of Scranton turned into a full-time job, something she felt like she could manage with her virtual classes and fewer extracurriculars during her senior year. And she also discovered something many take decades to learn: the importance of work-life balance. “I think making sure, especially when working remotely, you ‘clock out’ every day and do something you enjoy, and not something that you’re obligated to do, will give you good balance and help you feel rested for the next day on the job,” she said. Corrigan’s job with Guidehouse, which is based in Washington D.C., remains remote, which has been comfortable, for now. She had taken a “big leap of faith,” taking the job, she said, but because it’s remote, she’s around friends and family in Scranton, and is also beginning to understand D.C. work culture. “If there is a silver lining to all of the events of the past 18 months,” she said, “I am getting big-city experience while in a familiar place and somewhere I truly call home. It’s really been the best of both worlds.”
Aspirations Renewed As someone who had a clear goal throughout college — to work in marketing for NASCAR — Mark Miller ’19 simply stayed the course. Recently, he became a manager of partnership marketing at the company. But then came his first day in March 2020. “My first day at NASCAR was the first day that the organization transitioned into a remote workforce. I met my coworkers for the first time on a video call,” he said. Despite the transition, Miller said, he continues to be passionate about his job, even if he prefers to be with his team “in the office and on the racetrack.”
“My aspirations have not changed,” he said. “Since becoming a part of the team at NASCAR, my passion for the sport has only grown. I never want to be complacent in my role, and my mentors at NASCAR have pushed me out of my comfort zone and have taught me a lot about marketing during a unique time.” Anna Giannantonio ’19, G’20, too, said she remains passionate about her chosen path, despite an intense first year. She is an occupational therapist at Project Renewal in New York City where she works with the unhoused population to support them in increasing their independence in daily life skills as they seek housing, health care and employment. Unlike so many who shifted to remote work, Giannantonio did not.
“
If there is a silver lining to all of the events of the past 18 months, I am getting big-city experience while in a familiar place and somewhere I truly call home. It’s really been the best of both worlds.
— Abigail Corrigan ’21
“Services in the shelter system don’t cease to exist even in a global pandemic,” she said. “The pandemic highlighted the needs of and disparities faced by vulnerable populations even more than they were before.” Giannantonio, who was involved with the Center for Service and Social Justice as a student, said that her years at Scranton and this past year, plus fieldwork placement, with Project Renewal helped her understand that she wanted to join two passions — service work and occupational therapy — for good. “I want to recreate the inclusive community I experienced at Scranton wherever I go, with my coworkers and clients alike,” she said. “The fact that a pandemic hasn’t poorly impacted my experience or my passion for the work I do really confirms for me the fact that I made the right decision in choosing my career and company.” The recent graduates seem ready for whatever comes next. “I want to work with underserved populations no matter what we’re facing,” said Giannantonio, “be it a global pandemic or something else entirely.”
FA L L 2021
33
PROFILE:
Frantz Lucien, Jr. ’12
Bridging the Digital Divide
One alumnus combines a love of science and communication — plus his hip-hop performance skills — to teach STEM concepts and digital literacy all over the world.
By Frantz Lucien’s own estimation, he’s taught students across the U.S. and on every continent except Antarctica, all from the dock of Pier 86 in New York City. As the manager of Interactive Experience and Family Engagement and a museum educator at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum on Pier 86, Lucien ’12 created a distance-learning program for the museum in 2016. The Intrepid Museum is a nonprofit educational institution that features the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier, a National Historic Landmark that served tours of duty in World War II and the Vietnam War, plus home to America’s first space shuttle, Enterprise, and jets and submarines. The museum presents exhibitions and interactive educational programming that showcase American innovation and bravery. “I take a lot of pride in the fact that I created our distance-learning, virtual field trip program,” said Lucien, who majored in communication and media studies on the broadcast track at Scranton. “And it was one of the reasons we were able to pivot so quickly (when COVID happened) and go to the digital version of our museum and do different digital programming.”
Relying on Experience Prior to the pandemic, Lucien would traverse the floor of the museum with an iPad to host virtual field trips, teaching students 34
THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
from as far away as Texas and China. He said teachers often told him that their students felt like they were right there with him at the museum. Fast forward to March 2020. Lucien sought to replicate that experience, even when the museum was closed at the height of the pandemic. “My question was, how do I translate that (immersive experience) when I am sitting in my living room with a sunset painting behind my head?” Lucien said. “So I immediately went down to the ship — because I didn’t live too far from the ship — right before everything closed down. And I took videos walking through and talking, like what we normally do. And then I edited those videos, and added different pictures and video clips, and they literally got shared all over the world.” To create the videos, he used Final Cut Pro software and said, “I only knew how to do that because of my broadcast background at Scranton.” In addition to the virtual field trips and videos, he also participated in a Microsoft Education professional development session for teachers, sharing his tips on how to teach STEM concepts remotely. Lucien said it felt both “nerve-wracking and exhilarating” to use his expertise from before the pandemic to help the museum continue reaching students and interested visitors even when it was closed to in-person guests.
PROFILE:
Frantz Lucien, Jr. ’12
The “Melting Effect”
Engaging With the World
Lucien, who grew up in Newark, New Jersey, got his start teaching others as a park ranger at Thomas Edison National Historical Park, a job he had during high school and college. He first worked at the Intrepid Museum at one of its summer camps, while he earned a master’s degree in rhetorical communication from Hofstra University.
Being in front of a crowd comes naturally to Lucien, who is also a hip-hop artist. He performed back in his Scranton days, taking the stage at campus events to rap and perform with Urban Beats, the campus hip-hop dance team, and he even got pulled up on stage to rap with performer B.o.B. at a Scranton concert.
The seven years he spent working at the Intrepid Museum — hosting planetarium shows, STEM concept demonstrations and virtual field trips — was a perfect marriage of his love of science and communication, Lucien said.
He met his wife, Meagan Molina ’13, at the University, and credits Scranton’s General Education Program with helping him explore topics outside his natural interests.
In a demonstration from Virtual Kids Week at the museum in 2020, he used common household items and dry ice to create a “comet.” By combining ammonia, sand, dirt and water with the dry ice in a bag — while wearing gloves for safety — Lucien showed the students how comets form. The smoke from the dry ice replicates a comet’s tail, and once the materials finish reacting in the bag, a rock forms. He welcomed the challenge of connecting with kids who didn’t seem interested in science, whether he was presenting at the museum or at home on Zoom. “I called it the ‘melting effect,’ when kids would come in and sit there with their arms crossed, and then slowly start to uncross their arms and lean forward and pay attention,” Lucien said. “What they really enjoyed was the fact that it was accessible, and it was done in a way that wasn’t like someone was teaching them.”
“
“One thing that I really enjoyed was the integration of philosophy into my education. It caused me to think a lot differently,” Lucien said. “In terms of being a critical thinker and welcoming diverse ways of thinking, I think that’s something that came through my exploration of philosophy. And the integration of cura personalis, being for the other person.” Matthew M. Reavy, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Communication and Media, taught Lucien when he was an undergraduate and said, “Frantz is one of those people whose spirit stays with you long after graduation. He is engaged with the world and fully committed to his unique expression of it.” Lucien’s work at the Intrepid Museum expanded access for students who might not otherwise have experienced interactive STEM programming, and now he’s working as a STEM Education Consultant at The STEM Alliance, a nonprofit in Westchester, New York, where he and Molina now live. “I’m working on a project to give 500 residents of Yonkers free Wi-Fi, laptops and digital skills training,” Lucien said, “to try to bridge the digital divide that is evident and prevalent in today’s times.”
I called it the ‘melting effect,’ when kids would come in and sit there with their arms crossed, and then slowly start to uncross their arms and lean forward and pay attention.
Frantz Lucien, Jr. ’12 engages a class in distance learning at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.
FA L L 2021
35
PROFILE:
Timothy J. Golden, J.D. ’76 But it’s his work with Villages in Partnership (VIP) that gets him talking. VIP is a development organization that partners with rural villages in Malawi to combat the root causes of extreme poverty, helping to provide clean water, food security, education, health care, improved infrastructure and economic development to thousands of people in the developing world. “We’re not trying to hand people a solution, we’re trying to help them build a solution,” Golden said. “Sustainability is very important.”
Future Returns Sustainability is a value that runs throughout his life — consistently meeting present demands with an eye toward maximizing future returns on investment. In high school, he took enough advanced placement courses at Scranton Preparatory School to begin his studies at the University with a “generous amount” of credits under his belt. As an accounting major, he found that he loved anything tax-related, and he decided to pursue that passion by making a career of it. He met Carol on a trip to London the University had opened up to non-University students, and the two began dating.
Building Solutions
An alumnus uses his accounting and legal expertise to aid rural villages in Malawi during his retirement.
Timothy J. Golden, J.D. ’76 smiles when he recommends retirement “to anybody who’s interested,” and if more people spent their retirement following his example, they might be smiling, too. Since retiring in 2017, Golden, the former tax planning manager for Syngenta, a Swiss-based agribusiness company, has chosen to spend a good chunk of his “golden years” serving others. He has a seat on the advisory board and the finance committee of Our Lady of Angels, a regional Catholic grade school near his home. When the pandemic hit in March of 2020, he and his wife, Carol, began volunteering with their county’s medical reserve corps, serving at food banks, drivethrough flu shot clinics, drive-through COVID-testing sites and, later, COVID vaccine clinics. 36
THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
After attending law school at Villanova, he began working in the tax department of Arthur Andersen, then one of the “big eight” accounting firms. He married Carol, and they had three children, Brian, Kevin and Sean. He eventually landed at Syngenta, where, as tax planning manager, he worked closely with the IRS on a special real-time auditing basis. As retirement approached, he took a piece of advice from a book called How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free and created a list of 50 things he might be interested in doing with his free time, which included volunteering. After Carol, a retired nurse, participated in a medical mission trip to Malawi with VIP, she urged him to get involved, and he soon found himself traveling to Malawi as a member of VIP’s medical support staff. The experience moved him so deeply that he returned the following year. “There is a psychic reward that comes with volunteering,” he said. “Hopefully, we’re changing lives.” Since its founding in 2008 and its incorporation as a 501(c)3 charity in 2012, VIP has attempted to do just that by partnering with 26 villages in Malawi’s Sakata region, a place where the majority of its 19,000 inhabitants make a living as subsistence farmers. Although VIP often acts as a catalyst for change in these communities, drilling wells, running clinics and building schools, it encourages sustainability by providing training and employment opportunities to the local population so the wells, clinics and schools will continue to prosper.
PROFILE:
Timothy J. Golden, J.D. ’76
A 12-year-old not being able to see is really devastating. They’d put the glasses on, and there would be a lot of big smiles because, suddenly, they could see clearly.
“When we build the clinics and the schools, the villagers participate by providing sand, providing bricks, providing labor,” Golden said. “They’re involved in the whole process. “We’re not trying to ... solve all their problems, we’re just trying to improve their lives a little bit, and I think that’s what Villages in Partnership is succeeding in doing, slowly.”
Global Vision On his second trip, Golden and a Malawian teacher helped distribute scores of eyeglasses to villagers who had been prescreened by a Malawian ophthalmologist. Using an eye chart, an eyeglass assembly kit and an adjustable pair of goggles provided to VIP by Global Vision 2020, Golden and the teacher were able to custom-build eyeglasses that, in some cases, drastically improved the quality of life of their clients.
Carol and Timothy Golden share a moment in the supply room of a Villages in Partnership medical clinic in Malawi.
“A 12-year-old not being able to see is really devastating,” he said. “They’d put the glasses on, and there would be a lot of big smiles because, suddenly, they could see clearly. “These are very rural village ... dirt floors, no electricity, no running water — there is no way they have access to glasses. So, this was a way to help.” Since returning from that trip, Golden was asked to join VIP’s board of trustees as its treasurer, a position that allowed him to put his lifetime of experience in accounting to good use, and he believes there are more skilled people out there waiting for a similar opportunity to serve others. “I think people want to be asked to help,” he said. “I think a lot of people conceptually are interested in volunteering, but they don’t know what to do.” Although VIP has not been able to send a mission trip to Malawi since the start of the pandemic, it has continued to serve the Malawian people through its virtual fundraisers. Golden will continue to use his accounting skills in the service of others, and he hopes current students recognize how powerful sustainable financial planning can be.
Tim Golden (second from left) poses with a few of his fellow “Eye Team” partners at a Villages in Partnership vision clinic in Malawi.
“Personal finance is something you have to teach yourself and then apply early and often,” he said with a smile. “Retirement can come early, if you do it right, and early retirement is not a bad thing.” FA L L 2021
37
Judy (Pinataro) Castrogiovanni ’97, G’01, P’25
Key to the Future
An alumna relies on her experience as an R A to create an invaluable community as a principal during the pandemic and beyond.
Castrogiovanni celebrates with students during Jefferson Elementary Center’s Blue Ribbon announcement in 2019.
Judy (Pinataro) Castrogiovanni ’97, G’01, P’25 who was named Pennsylvania’s 2021 Distinguished Principal by the Pennsylvania Principal’s Association, believes that the classroom is the key to the future. “If you want to make a positive impact on the world, there is no better place for you than in the world of education,” said Castrogiovanni, who is currently serving as principal of Jefferson Elementary Center in the North Pocono School District.
38
THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
Photo Courtesy of The Times-Tribune/Jason Farmer
PROFILE:
As a first-year student at the University, the Springbrook Township native initially wanted to pursue a career as an attorney. When she took a job coaching North Pocono High School’s mock trial team, however, she had an epiphany that would one day benefit countless students and families. “I realized what I really loved was working with students,” she said.
PROFILE:
Judy (Pinataro) Castrogiovanni ’97, G’01, P’25
“
If you get to steer the ship, you make it a place people believe in, want to be, and are proud to represent. I learned that at Scranton.
Becoming Family That realization was reinforced by her work as a Resident Advisor (RA), where she was encouraged to make her residents feel as if Driscoll Hall was their home away from home. “Being an RA was one of the best experiences of my life,” she said. “We kind of made a little family there. I think it influenced how I lead at school because it’s very much the same way now that I’m a principal.” After graduating, Castrogiovanni became an English teacher. She earned her master’s in educational administration at the University and eventually began teaching seventh grade at North Pocono. About a year and a half later, after a sudden departure within the district, she was asked to fill in as Jefferson Elementary’s principal for the remainder of the year. The following school year, Castrogiovanni was asked to stay in the position permanently. Since then, she has focused on shepherding the “Jefferson Family” and cultivating a “shared vision of excellence” where “every single child deserves a great education” and every family member contributes to its success. As a result, in 2019, Jefferson earned a National Blue Ribbon for Exemplary High Performance from the U.S. Department of Education, the first in the district’s history. Castrogiovanni attributes this accolade to a system-wide embrace of something that sounds an awful lot like the magis. “Every stakeholder is always asking themselves, ‘What more can I contribute?’” she said. “If you have that as your driving force, then any school can rise to the National Blue Ribbon School distinction.” When the pandemic hit in 2020 and North Pocono went into lockdown, Castrogiovanni created a school YouTube channel and posted daily videos so the whole community could enjoy a common experience. And, although COVID-19 continues to raise many new challenges for her students, she hopes the example set by her faculty and staff during these difficult months will make a positive impact on their lives.
“They watched the grown-ups around them put a smile on their faces,” she said. “I feel like that lesson is not lost on five-year-olds, the lesson of when you face a hard time, you can choose either to be defeated by that and downtrodden, or you can choose to say, ‘How can I make this less negative? How can I make this more positive for people?’”
“A Place People Believe in” When Castrogiovanni was named Pennsylvania’s 2021 Distinguished Principal, she attributed her success to the Jefferson Family. “I’m very proud and humbled by it, but I’m mostly just glad it’s one more thing for my team to be proud of,” she said. “I look at it as an opportunity to shine a light on … the great things that our families are doing, that our teachers are doing, that our kids are doing, because that is what made being considered for this award possible.” As a person who radiates positivity, Castrogiovanni, or “Mrs. C.,” as her students would lovingly say, remains excited by all the future holds. In August, she was weeks away from welcoming the Jefferson Family back to in-person learning. “If you get to steer the ship, you make it a place people believe in, want to be, and are proud to represent,” she said. “I learned that at Scranton.” Castrogiovanni and her husband, Joe, have two sons, Jason, a high school sophomore, and Brian, who just began his own Scranton journey as a member of the University’s Class of 2025. Now officially a “legacy” parent, Castrogiovanni said she looks forward to “living that Scranton experience as a mom.” She said she would recommend a career in education to her son’s classmates who are looking to make a difference. “You will be able to put your head on the pillow every night and feel like you did something great for the world,” she said.
FA L L 2021
39
Candid Alumni The University welcomed many alumni back to campus for Fr. Marina’s Inauguration.
James M. Slattery, CPA ’86 , chair of the Board of Trustees, presents Fr. Marina with the University mace.
Current Trustees Kathleen Cummings, Ph.D. ’93, G’93, H’19 who presented Fr. Marina with the presidential medallion, Rachele Browning ’84, Elizabeth Murphy ’83 (Co-Vice Chair), Crystal Newby, Ed.D. ’04, G’08, Mary Haveron, CPA ’85, P’18 and Linda Barrasse, M.D. ’77.
“What an honor it was to return to my alma mater, The University of Scranton in PA, to celebrate the inauguration of their 29th president, Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J. From one president to another, congratulations!” Joe Bertolino, Ed.D. ’86, @SCSUTopOwl, President of Southern Connecticut State University
Members of the Alumni Society Advisory Board gather prior to walking in the procession of Fr. Marina’s inauguration. Back row, from left: Lisa Thomas, M.D. ’87, Chris Neumann, Esq. ’87, Brian Duke ’79, Brianna Tucciarone ’20, Joseph Butash, M.D. ’07, Thomas Umile, Ph.D. ’06, G’06, Matt Prudente, Ph.D. ’09. Middle row, from left: Kevin Gremse ’87, Scott Mullen, Ed.D. ’03, Jessica Palmeri ’11, G’13, Mara Smith, J.D. ’13, G’21, Paul DiPietroantonio ’97, Mike Short ’99 (Past Chair). Front row, from left: Vince Galko G’99, Joseph Sorbera III ’08 (Chair), Marissa Papula ’13, Allison Lott ’99, G’06.
40
THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
Milestones included in this edition were submitted prior to Sept. 8, 2021. Marriages and births were submitted between fall 2020 and summer 2021. To submit your own news or see additional class notes, visit scranton.edu/classnotes.
Milestones William L. Kovacs ’69, Great Falls, Virginia, was awarded the 2021 Independent Press Award (category Social/Political change) for his book Reform the Kakistocracy: Rule by the Least Able or Least Principled Citizens. In 2020, his book received the bronze award from the Non-Fiction Book Association. It was also given five stars from Readers’ Favorite. The book details how the federal government transformed itself from one of limited powers to one of immense power without any constitutional changes. Kovacs states, “These changes in institutional power fundamentally affect the relationship of citizens to their government. Government is now the master and citizens the servant of government. The loyalty of today’s elected officials is to a political party and interest groups, not to solving problems for citizens.” William R. Savage ’79, Lemoyne, had a Dramatists Guild/Philadelphia reading of his play Leave it to the Angels on June 24. Last summer, his play Men of the Empire received a reading in support of the Globe Theatre in London. Earlier in 2020, Savage had live readings of Say He Was a Soldier and Mom, I Smoke! at the Parkway Central Library in Philadelphia, also through Dramatists Guild. John “Jack” Lynch ’83, Bryn Mawr, was elected to the board of trustees of the American Hospital Association (AHA) for a three-year term beginning Jan. 1, 2022. The board of trustees is the highest policymaking body of the AHA and has ultimate authority for the governance and management of its directions and finances. Marion Munley ’83, Moosic, was re-elected to the Executive Committee of the American Association for Justice (AAJ) for the 2021-2022 year at its
ClassNotes
Names in Gold indicate alumnus/alumna is celebrating his/her reunion year.
annual convention. In addition, Munley received two awards in recognition of her service to AAJ: the Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes members of the AAJ Board of Governors who have been a special assistant to the president of the association during the past year, and the Above and Beyond Award, which honors AAJ members who have made exceptional contributions to sustain and strengthen the organization. Thomas J. Grech ’84, Malverne, New York, has been appointed to the Board of the Town of Hempstead Industrial Development Agency (IDA) and the Local Development Corporation (LDC). Michael A. Sebastian ’88, Moosic, has joined Marshall Dennehey’s Moosic office as a shareholder in the Workers’ Compensation Department. Sebastian concentrates the entirety of his practice on workers’ compensation defense and represents employers, insurance carriers and third-party administrators. With more than 20 years of experience, he has appeared on behalf of his clients before many local judges, the Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board, the Commonwealth Court and the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. In addition to litigating claims, Sebastian counsels clients on implementing risk management strategies that focus on lowering workers’ compensation costs and avoiding liability exposure. Lisa W. Shearman ’89, Lansdale, a partner with the firm Hamburg, Rubin, Mullin, Maxwell & Lupin, PC, has recently been elected a fellow to the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC).
Nurses from the Class of 2013, including, from left, Megan Garlasco ’13, Maggie Beyer ’13, Keely McClatchy ’13, Nicole Lamoureux ’13, Eilish Huvane ’13, Christina Hiltu nen ’13, Lauren Delle Donne ’13, Mary Beth Lee ’13, Katherine Torto ’13, Lauren Olmstead ’13, Lisa Girolametti ’13 and Brianna McCullough ’13, work on the frontlines during the COVID pandemic.
FA L L 2021
41
Class Notes
Milestones continued
A Year of Zoom
Members of The University of Scranton Book Club discuss Barking To The Choir: The Power Of Radical Kinship by Greg Boyle, S.J., in June 2020.
Members of The University of Scranton Book Club discuss The Power And The Glory by Graham Greene in August 2020.
Members of the Class of 1990 meet to celebrate their 30th reunion in June 2020.
Members of The University of Scranton Book Club discuss Caste: The Origins Of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson in Sept. 2020.
42
THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
From left, presidential scholars from the Class of 2021 meet with President’s Business Council (PBC) vice chair Elizabeth A. Boyle Madden ’96 (bottom left corner) at the PBC 19th Annual Award Celebration in Oct. 2020.
Class Notes Matthew Cooper, M.D. ’90, Columbia, Maryland, has been named president of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) board of directors. This position in solid organ transplantation is recognized as the most influential position in the world with the U.S. donation and transplantation system being the most successful around the globe. UNOS is the mission-driven nonprofit serving the nation’s transplant system. Cooper currently serves as the director of Kidney and Pancreas Transplantation at the Medstar Georgetown Transplant Institute based at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C.
planning and acting as representatives of their disciplines to the executive council of the society. He guides the activities of the IH committees and initiatives.
Howard R. Kindred, Jr. G’06, Georgetown, Texas, chief financial officer at Trimbuilt Construction, was nominated as Austin Business Journal’s top CFO for a large private company in Austin, Texas.
Brian Eltz ’02, G’05, Millersville, recently published his second children’s book, Perking Up Poe, as a follow-up to last year’s Shaking Up Shakespeare.
John P. McShea ’12, Abington Township, joined Eastburn and Gray, PC and will be working in the firm’s litigation, real estate, land use and zoning, and municipal law practice groups.
Robin Raju ’04, Bronxville, New York, has been appointed to chief financial officer of Equitable Holding, a financial service holding company comprised of Equitable and AllianceBernstein.
Timothy M. Gallen ’96, Hatfield, was recently honored by the Pennsylvania Association for College Admission Counseling with their McClintick Service Award. The award recognizes a person who has demonstrated unwavering loyalty to the profession and leadership to the association while planning to continue to work on behalf of students to ensure access to postsecondary education. Melissa M. Donahue ’98, Philadelphia, has joined Bancroft Capital, a certified service-disabled veteran-owned small business specializing in institutional brokerage and capital markets services, as vice president. Donahue will work on the equity trading desk at the Fort Washington office and will assist with compliance and back-office operations. Kelly A. Thompson-Brazill ’99, Wake Forest, North Carolina, has been promoted to associate professor, School of Nursing and Health Studies, at Georgetown University.
Stephanie Salinis McCarthy ’09 and Will Dennis ’05 share a moment at Villa Joseph Marie High School in Holland, with their students who will be joining the Royals family as members of the Class of 2025.
Paul Collins ’00, Amherst, Massachusetts, received the 2021 Richard E. Neustadt Book Award from the American Political Science Association for the best book published on the American presidency for his book, The President and the Supreme Court: Going Public on Judicial Decisions from Washington to Trump (Cambridge University Press). Nathanial J. Sann ’00, Mechanicsville, Virginia, a family nurse practitioner at Advanced Surgical Partners of Virginia, was named the 12th President of The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) Integrated Health section. The vision of the society is to improve public health and well-being by lessening the burden of the disease of obesity and related diseases throughout the world. Sann is responsible for directing the activities of the integrated health section of the ASMBS, including strategic
Six Scranton alumni, five of whom earned educational degrees and one who earned a counseling degree, are currently all working at Van Derveer Elementary School in the Somerville (New Jersey) Public School system. FA L L 2021
43
Class Notes
Marriages Paul Torok ’90 to Jodi Castiglia Thomas Grady ’07 to Aileen Cordaro Stephanie Kazanas, Ph.D. ’08 to Kevin Berry, M.D. ’09 Stephen Aughenbaugh ’09, G ’12 to Leah Scott Ashley Fisher ’09 to Greg Speca ’12, DPT ’15
Ashley Croft ’12 to Drew Stanley ’12 Emily Halpin ’12 to Peter Thomas ’11 Denise Henry ’12 to Jason Kuzma W. Ryan Schuster, Esq. ’13 to Monica Skibicki Margaret Mester ’15, DPT ’18 to Gary Gifford ’12, DPT ’15
Julia Joyce ’15 to James Dembesky ’14 Lindsay McLaughlin ’15 to Stephen Wasylenko ’15, G’15 Kateri Sternberg ’17 to Matthew Owens ’17 Blaire E. Wilkie ’15, DPT ’18 to Michael C. Balcon ’13, DPT ’16
Thomas Grady ’07 to Aileen Cordaro
Stephanie Kazanas, Ph.D. ’08 to Kevin Berry, M.D. ’09
Ashley Croft ’12 to Drew Stanley ’12
Emily Halpin ’12 to Peter Thomas ’11
Blaire E. Wilkie ’15, DPT ’18 and Michael C. Balcon ’13, DPT ’16 met while working for the Intramural Sports Department at Scranton in 2014, started dating in physical therapy school and became engaged in December 2018. The couple set July 25, 2020, as their wedding date, but the pandemic threw their plans for a loop. The couple decided to keep their original wedding date and scheduled a small civil ceremony with a backyard pig roast at the bride’s childhood home. They were married again in Scranton on June 25, 2021.
44
THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
Class Notes Denise Henry ’12 to Jason Kuzma
Margaret Mester ’15, DPT ’18 to Gary Gifford ’12, DPT ’15
W. Ryan Schuster, Esq. ’13 to Monica Skibicki
Julia Joyce ’15 to James Dembesky ’14
Ashley Fisher ’09 to Greg Speca ’12, DPT ’15
Lindsay McLaughlin ’15 to Stephen Wasylenko ’15, G’15
Kateri Sternberg ’17 to Matthew Owens ’17
Stephen Aughenbaugh ’09, G’12 and Leah Scott celebrated their marriage on May 14. They were joined by, from left: Meagan Pehnke-Serafini ’10, G’11, Joe Serafini ’09, Jessica Gibney G’13, Sean Gibney ’09, Michael Aughenbaugh ’11, TJ Gentile ’09, Cecelia Boran ’78, Meghan Aughenbaugh ’06 and Gregory Aughenbaugh ’06. FA L L 2021
45
Class Notes
Births & Adoptions A son, Maxwell Dominic, to Amanda and Jeffrey Manganaro ’02 1 A son, Jack Robert McDermott, to Michael ’10 and Joan Miller McDermott ’10, Kennett Square; grandson of Michael McDermott ’71, Newtown Square 2 A son, Emilio Xavier, to Susan Ingraffea ’01 and Luis Meza 3 A son, Flynn Joseph, to David and Angela Colarusso Boonstra ’02, Hoboken, New Jersey 4
A daughter, Rory, to John ’12 and Molly Harms Hogan ’13, Rockville Center, New York 24 A son, Paul Aloysius, to Paul ’13 and Aileen McGonigle McCormick ’13, Yardley 25 A daughter, Ella Rose, to Dave ’13 and Cassie Doheny Savino ’14, Paramus, New Jersey 26
A daughter, Cora Sophia, to Anthony and Erin Barrett DeCicco ’03, Clarks Summit
A son, David William Savino, to Dave ’13 and Cassie Doheny Savino ’14, Paramus, New Jersey 27
A son, Archer Lawrence, to Jennifer and Lawrence Rubal ’05, Alexandria, Virginia 6
A daughter, Gia Rey, to Ashley and James Cilento ’14, Scranton 28
A son, Aaron Joseph, to Ali, M.D. and Joseph Butash, M.D. ’07, Buffalo, New York 7
A son, Hayes Michael, to Jonathan ’14 and Shannon O’Gorman Grueter ’15, Nutley, New Jersey 29
5
A daughter, Hannah Jena, to Rebecca and Philip Loscombe ’07, Wyoming 8 A daughter, Noelle Isabella, to Neil ’07 and Jacqueline O’Connor Trama ’06, Scranton 9
A daughter, Elliot Louise, to Eric and Sarah Albrecht Ward ’09, Oreland
A daughter, Isabella Angelina, to Patrick and Alexandra Mickler Auth ’08, Hoboken, New Jersey 10
A son, Jacob Joseph, to Robert and
A daughter, Lauren Anne, to Bill ’08 and Ashley Miller Colona ’09, Teaneck, New Jersey 11
A daughter, Quinn Kathleen, to Kerry and Paul Boye ’09, West Orange, New Jersey
A son, Wyatt Ellis, to Grif and Jen Gentile Gassert ’08, Alpharetta, Georgia 12
A daughter, Avery Lisa, to Olivia Warnero ’16 and Tyler Sherman, North Port, Florida
A son, Sam, to Healther and Marlana Morell G’08 13
Elizabeth Pulice Wideman, VMD ’10, Harleysville
A daughter, Michalina Marie, to Chris ’08 and Allison Martyn Samuels ’08, Centennial, Colorado 14 A daughter, Danielle Marie, to Joseph ’08 and Kristen Maresca Sorbera ’09, Kearney, New Jersey 15 A son, Edward Michael, to Thomas, M.D. ’09 and Tara Gramigna Churilla, D.O. ’11, Roaring Brook Township 7 16
1
2
A daughter, Reagan Raquel to Joe and Rebecca Devlin Gallagher ’05, New York, New York 17 A son, Chase Jonathan, to Jonathan ’09 and Caroline Crennan Perina ’09, North Brunswick, New Jersey 18 A son, Caleb Daniel, to Christopher and Mary Rose Ho ’10, New York, New York 19 A son, Owen Charles, to Christopher and Maria Kern Haggerty ’09, South Abington Township 20 A son, John Joseph, to John ’11 and Stephanie Reidlinger O’Connor ’11, Havertown 21 A son, Everett Noah, to Justin and Kayla Coady Chirdon ’12, G’13, Raritan, New Jersey 22 A daughter, Olivia Quinn, to Stephen ’12 and Sarah Phillips Fernando ’12, Dunmore 23
3
46
THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
4
5
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
Class Notes
6
4
FA L L 2021
47
“May the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace. Eternal rest grant unto them, Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.”
In Memoriam Vincent J. Gryctko ’50, Altavista, Virginia Gregory Hodowanec ’50, Edison, New Jersey Eugene J. Roe, M.D. ’51, Clarks Summit Thomas B. Stim, Ph.D. ’51, Ambler Paul J. Coolican, D.D.S. ’52, Clarks Summit Katherine Reilly ’53, Scranton LTC Edmund Sieminski ’55, Mountaintop William P. Morris ’57, Old Forge Joseph A. Noto, M.D. ’57, Asheville, North Carolina John P. Gower ’58, Rockville, Maryland J. Roger Kemple ’58, Alachua, Florida Robert C. Moran ’58, Columbus, New Jersey Richard J. Rembecki ’58, Scranton Brian E. McHugh G’59, Kingston Robert C. Davey ’60, Branford, Connecticut Edward J. Manley, Sr. ’60, H’97, Scranton Peter E. Herguth ’61, Fountain Hills, Arizona Edwin M. Brandes ’65, Clarks Summit Eugene J. Sullivan ’65, Santa Rosa Beach, Florida Wayne W. Elvidge ’67, Etters James F. Kettrick, M.D.’67, Zion Crossroads, Virginia Michael Kosh ’68, Redwood City, California
Martin J. Domiano ’69, Apalachin, New York E. John Fedor ’69, New York William P. Lawler ’69, West Wyoming David M. Philips ’69, Northampton Charles J. Pineno, Ph.D. ’69, Marco Island, Florida Paul A. Ruddy ’69, Dunmore John A. Brunetti ’71, Archbald Gerard A. Coury, Peckville Clair T. Kenny, Ed.D, Scranton Patrick G. McHale ’73, Carbondale, Augusta, Georgia and Scranton Lorraine C. Kevra ’77, Fair Haven, New Jersey John J. Wehrum, Dunmore John V. Kane ’79, Concord, North Carolina Ellen Moran DeLorenzo, Bloomfield, Connecticut and Forest City George P. Skumanick, Tunkhannock Karen Edwards Smith ’83, Matamoras, Clarks Summit and Vero Beach, Florida Robert J. Kleck, Jr. ’84, Harding Bethlehem Michael F. Mazzarella, Scranton, Wellesley, Massachusetts John T. Dellamalva, Moosic, Springfield Sarah Farrell Hutchison ’08, Glenburn Township Ryan J. Kiess ’18, Manhasset, New York
In Memoriam Friends & Family Michael G. Cappucci, husband of Rosemarie Clark Cappucci ’86, brother-in-law of Charlene Clark Laniewski ’88 and Marybeth Clark ’00
Nicholas Huth, father of Peggy Huth Redmond ’90
Carol Ann Clark, mother of Rosemarie Clark Cappucci ’86, Charlene Clark Laniewski ’88 and Marybeth Clark ’00
Sally Ann Kozlowski, wife of Frederick J. Kozlowski ’64 and mother of Frederick H. Kozlowski, M.D. ’90
Eugene Demyan, brother of Phil Demyan ’76 Patricia Anne Gahagan, wife of Mike Gahagan ’00
Walter Frank Karas, father of Noelle D. Karas ’97 and April Karas Fletcher ’00
Marilyn Lewis, mother of James Lewis ’77 and grandmother of Jason Lewis, M.D. ’00
We Want to Hear from You!
Please send your class notes, photos, address changes and feedback. There are four easy ways to reach us: ONLINE: scranton.edu/BeEngaged E-MAIL: alumni@scranton.edu FAX: 570.941.4097 STANDARD MAIL: The Scranton Journal, 800 Linden Street, Scranton, PA 18510
Class Notes Publication Policy: The University of Scranton accepts submissions of news of professional achievements or personal milestones for inclusion in the Class Notes section of The Scranton Journal. Submissions can be submitted electronically to alumni@scranton.edu or by mail to Marge Gleason, Class Notes editor, University of Scranton, 800 Linden Street, Scranton, PA 18510. Digital photos should be 300dpi, JPG or TIFF format and at least 3x5 inches. The University of Scranton reserves complete editorial rights to all content submitted for Class Notes, and posts and publishes listings in as timely a fashion as possible, as space permits. Reasonable steps are taken to verify the accuracy of the information submitted, but the University cannot guarantee the accuracy of all submissions. Publication of achievements or milestones does not constitute endorsement by The University of Scranton. The University of Scranton is committed to providing a safe and nondiscriminatory employment and educational environment. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or other status protected by law. Sexual harassment, including sexual violence, is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its educational, extracurricular, athletic, or other programs or in the context of employment. Inquiries regarding non-discrimination and sexual harassment and sexual misconduct policies may be directed to Elizabeth M. Garcia, executive director, Office of Equity and Diversity, 570.941.6645.
48
THE SCRANTON JOURN A L
A Shared Vision
Bob ’68 & Marilyn Weiss It begins and ends with a simple notion: gratitude.
The Estate Society
TH E UNIV ERSI T Y OF SCR A N TON "I love what Scranton did for me,” Bob Weiss ’68 said in August via Zoom as he sat next to his wife, Marilyn, in his home office in Pleasanton, California. “I owe what I have to what I learned there, pure and simple, so giving back is a big thing.” One need only look at Robert and Marilyn Weiss Field at the Quinn Athletics Campus or The Robert and Marilyn Weiss Pediatric Low Vision Research and Training Suite to see how “big of a thing” giving back truly is to the couple, and they tend to operate like a human pair of binoculars, marrying two complimentary perspectives into one shared vision for the future. Strangely enough, it’s been that way since the very beginning, when Bob, a farm boy from Lake Ariel, met Marilyn Chesick, a city girl from South Side, at a “U Dance” at the Gunster Memorial Student Center in 1966. At the time, Bob, the first person in his family to go to college, studied accounting at Scranton through its ROTC program, and Marilyn would soon begin taking classes at the University, from chemistry to medical ethics, through a partnership with the Scranton State General Hospital School of Nursing. Marilyn’s studies inspired Bob to serve in the Army Medical Service Corps as a medical supply officer in Vietnam, where he rose to the rank of captain and was awarded two Bronze Stars and the Army Commendation Medal. Bob and Marilyn married in Hawaii shortly before he left active duty. The couple moved to New York City, where Marilyn began working as a nurse (and later, head nurse) at the Edward S. Harkness Eye Institute at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center. Bob became a certified public accountant and began working for The Cooper Companies, a multinational manufacturer and marketer of health care products, including contact lenses, and his background in medical supply helped position him for rapid advancement.
The couple had three children and moved to Pleasanton, California, one year ahead of Cooper’s settlement in Palo Alto, and Marilyn began working as a pediatric nurse. During his 40-plus years with Cooper, Bob moved up the corporate ladder, eventually rising to president and CEO; along the way, Cooper had a number of industry-defining breakthroughs, including the development of intraocular lenses, or lenses implanted directly into the eye, and the creation of Lasik surgery, two advancements that have helped millions see more clearly. The University honored Bob with the Frank J. O’Hara Award in 2008. In 2015, the couple made a $1.25 million gift to the University that resulted in the creation of The Robert and Marilyn Weiss Pediatric Low Vision Research and Training Suite, a facility that embodies their shared vision for a better tomorrow, and Bob joined Scranton’s Board of Trustees later that same year. In 2016, the couple made a $1 million gift to what is today known as the Quinn Athletics Campus, and, a few days after Bob retired as president and CEO of Cooper in April of 2018, he and Marilyn attended the official opening of Robert and Marilyn Weiss Field a few blocks away from the house where Marilyn grew up. Two complimentary perspectives, one shared vision, and none of it would have been possible without that “U Dance” in 1966, and a common interest in giving back. Bob, who remains the chair of Cooper’s board of directors, said it was the time he spent studying philosophy under the Rev. Edward Gannon, S.J., that truly shaped his worldview, providing him with a sort of intraocular lens for his mind’s eye. “I kind of adopted who I am from what I learned in philosophy,” he said. “How you do business, and how you conduct yourself, is all about — and we don’t use these terms enough these days — morality and ethics. “(The humanities) become more and more important as life goes on.”
For helpful planning tools, articles and spotlights on Estate Society members, please visit our website scranton.edu/plannedgiving. For personalized illustrations or options, contact Carol Maculloch, director of Planned Giving, at carol.maculloch@scranton.edu or 570.941.7799.
NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID PPCO
800 Linden Street • Scranton, PA 18510
WELCOME HOME
First-year students and their alumni family members gathered with University President Joseph G. Marina, S.J., during Welcome Weekend to capture the beginning of their Scranton journeys. The Class of 2025 includes a total of 64 legacy students whose parents are University of Scranton alumni.
SCAN TO
Support
Scranton
By giving to Scranton, you can make a difference, transform lives and inspire others to do the same.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT of The University of Scranton and your investment in our students.
To make a gift online, visit scranton.edu/makeagift.
