1 15 193 https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/6335e508ecf6f479ebf0dd3831428429.pdf 2555d59cc90247ac0ba5e86020854f36 PDF Text Text FA L L 2 0 0 7 GEORGE RALSTON | REMEMBERING A LEGEND �president’s letter FA L L 0 7 A Vision of Selfless Devotion I T IS FITTING THAT THIS ISSUE OF WILKES MAGAZINE PAYS tribute to Dean George Ralston. He, perhaps more than any other individual, personified the spirit and essence of Wilkes. George was a huge and powerful spirit in a small package. No one filled a room fuller with optimism, high standards and fun than George did.When you saw and heard George, you received the best of Wilkes. And what he had to say was timeless. He connected positively and directly for a lifetime with the students in every decade he served Wilkes. My first encounter with George was not long after I accepted the presidency.We were at a reception for alumni in Naples, Fla. He came up to me and said, “Welcome! Feel free to call on me any time to help you. You have become president of a great institution. Now take care of it!” And he meant every word. Never did I ask him to do something that he did not rise to the occasion. His loss is a great one, but the memories he has left with us are priceless. His spirit was the essence of our mentoring culture: caring deeply about others — helping them when they need it most, no matter what the time of day or night. Alumni tell story after story about George being there at precisely the moment he was needed and doing absolutely George Ralston the right thing. If George Ralston had a vision for Wilkes, I believe it would be for us to become an even stronger community that selflessly devotes itself to others in the name of making the world a better place. George, in your memory, I believe we will.And as we do come together for others, we will thrive in a way that we all hope will make you proud! WILKES UNIVERSITY President Dr. Tim Gilmour Vice President, Development and Alumni Relations Marty Williams WILKES EDITORIAL STAFF Executive Editor Jack Chielli Associate Director, Marketing Communications Christine (Tondrick) Seitzinger ’98 Wilkes Editor Kim Bower-Spence Manager, Graphic Design Mark Golaszewski Manager, Athletics Administration John Seitzinger Graduate Assistant Cindy Taren M’07 Layout/Design Quest Fore Printing Payne Printery Inc. EDITORIAL ADVISORY GROUP Anne Batory ’68 David DiMartino ’01 Brandie Meng M’08 Bill Miller ’81 George Pawlush ’69 Donna Sedor ’85 ALUMNI RELATIONS STAFF Executive Director Sandra Sarno Carroll Associate Director Michelle Diskin ’95 Alumni and Advancement Services Manager Nancy A. Weeks Alumni Relations and Annual Giving Manager Lauren Pluskey ’06 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OFFICERS President George Pawlush ’69 First Vice President Terrence Casey ’82 Second Vice President John Wartella ’84 Historian Colleen Gries Gallagher ’81 Secretary Bridget Giunta ’05 FALL 2007 Dr. Tim Gilmour Wilkes University President Wilkes University is an independent institution of higher education dedicated to academic and intellectual excellence in the liberal arts, sciences and professional programs. The university provides its students with the experience and education necessary for career and intellectual development as well as for personal growth, engenders a sense of values and civic responsibility, and encourages its students to welcome the opportunities and challenges of a diverse and continually changing world. The university enhances the tradition of strong student-faculty interactions in all its programs, attracts and retains outstanding people in every segment of the university, and fosters a spirit of cooperation, community involvement, and individual respect within the entire university. �contents FEATURES 12 George Ralston: Remembering a Legend Alumni from five decades share memories of this giant of Wilkes history 18 Home, Sweet Business Rhea Simms ’78 grows small real estate firm into regional powerhouse 20 Technology Meets Creativity Integrative media program graduates its first students 22 Bounce Back 12 When life threw baseball standout Tony Vlahovic ’82 a curve, he turned it into an opportunity to help others 24 Collective Memory Kermit Alphonso ’94 fronts popular local band and launches solo career 18 DEPARTMENTS 2 On Campus 20 24 10 Athletics 26 Alumni News 28 Class Notes On the cover: George Ralston graced the Wilkes campus with his wit, wisdom — and bicycle — for six decades. His legacy continues in the lives of alumni he encountered. They share their recollections of “The Dean” beginning on page 12. PHOTO FROM WILKES ARCHIVES WILKES | Fall 2007 22 1 �on campus Above: Wilkes’ 60th annual spring commencement ceremony moved to a new venue: the Wachovia Arena, in Wilkes-Barre Township. All of us deserve to be HEARD, despite how people choose to label us. – Marlee Matlin Above: Proud families, including children, cheer on their graduates. WILKES | Fall 2007 Right: The University conferred 286 bachelor’s, 307 master’s and 61 doctor of pharmacy degrees. 2 �on campus Take those warning signs, take the NAYSAYERS, take any label that someone slaps on you and consider instead the MIRACLE that lies in POSSIBILITIES.You will soar so much higher. Actress Marlee Matlin, who won the 1986 Academy Award for Best Actress for her motion picture debut in Children of a Lesser God, delivered the keynote address via sign language and an interpreter. Matlin’s speech was titled “From Disabilities to Abilities: The Miracle of Possibilities.” WILKES | Fall 2007 – Marlee Matlin PHOTOS BY MICHAEL P. TOUEY 3 �on campus Toward a Law School '' A law school moved one step closer to reality when the University Board of Trustees in June approved hiring a legal education leader to develop a plan, further investigate market demand, explore potential specializations and raise funds for the school’s founding. “We are moving forward in a thoughtful way and are overall very excited about the possibilities this law school will have for Wilkes and the region,” says board chair Jack Miller ’68. The education leader will report and make recommendations to the board at its June or September 2008 meeting.With a favorable report and further faculty approval, Wilkes could open a law school in fall 2009. “The University recognizes how important it is to proceed with the greatest due diligence – Jack Miller ’68 when it comes to Board Chair establishing a law school,” says Wilkes President Tim Gilmour. “The entire Wilkes community wants to provide a distinctive legal education that is based on the core values of the University and will graduate well-motivated and effective lawyer-leaders.” In spring, faculty also backed further planning for a law school. “With its vote, the Wilkes faculty overwhelmingly agreed that developing an academically strong and fiscally well-conceived law school at Wilkes would benefit the institution, its students and the “We are MOVING FORWARD in a thoughtful way and are overall very EXCITED about the POSSIBILITIES this LAW SCHOOL will have for Wilkes and the region. WILKES | Fall 2007 ' 4 region,” observes Kenneth Klemow, professor of biology and chair of the Academic Planning Committee. “We anticipate working productively with the Board of Trustees and administration to develop a solid plan that will ensure the law school's success.” The law school would likely incorporate Wilkes’ core value of mentoring into the heart of its educational program, including a strong experiential education model that will span the length of the curriculum and integrate concepts of lawyering skills, professionalism and ethics.The law school will complement and strengthen the university’s existing mix of academic programs and provide the region with an area of educational training that is in demand and currently not offered in northeastern Pennsylvania. Preliminary plans call for enrolling 80 first-year students in 2009. Former Mexican President to Speak At Outstanding Leaders Forum Former Mexican President Vicente Fox will discuss the new Latin American economy at the 2007 Outstanding Leaders Forum, 8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 5, at the F.M. Kirby Center. Fox, who started his career as a truck driver for Coca-Cola, rose to play a vital role in Mexico’s democratization and strengthening the country’s economy. He served as president from 2000 to 2006. Fox will speak about his business-centered approach to Mexican development and opportunities available for international corporations. Sponsored by the Jay S. Sidhu School of Business and Leadership, the Outstanding Leaders Forum features Vicente Fox national and international luminaries who embody exceptional leadership and strategic excellence. Forum proceeds fund scholarships for Sidhu School students.To date, the event has generated more than $150,000. Tickets for the lecture may be purchased from the F.M. Kirby Center, (570) 826-1100, or from Ticketmaster for $25 or $35. For information, contact Wilkes events coordinator Rebecca Van Jura at (800) WILKES-U Ext. 4306 or rebecca.vanjura@wilkes.edu. �on campus Stitch of Awareness The Wilkes campus community raised more than $2,000 for three Darfur relief organizations by participating in an all-day Stitch-a-Thon. Led by assistant professor of English Marcia Farrell, with assistance of the women’s studies club, students and staff knitted and crocheted items that were auctioned during the Rosenn Lecture on April 29. One of the benefiting organizations, American Care for Sudan Foundation, was founded by Rosenn Lecture guest speaker John Bul Dau, one of the Lost Boys of Sudan. American Care for Sudan partners with tribal chiefs in Duk Payuel, the Sudanese Peoples Liberation Movement and the Ministry of Health, and other non-governmental organizations in the United States and Europe.They aim to build, equip and staff a medical clinic in Duk County, Sudan, the area hardest hit by genocidal atrocities. The groups plan to name the clinic the Duk Lost Boys Clinic. Professors Ernie Trujillo and Marcia Farrell crochet scarves for the Stitch-a-Thon auction. PHOTO BY CHRISTINE SEITZINGER “If we keep our eyes on the prize of INDEPENDENCE, we will ignore the distractions and temptations certain to be placed in our way by the Khartoum government. FINDING UNITY in a shared vision is my prayer for my NEW HOMELAND.” John Bul Dau, one of the “lost boys” of Sudan, and documentary film director Christopher Dillon Quinn discuss Quinn’s film God Grew Tired of Us during April’s Max Rosenn Lecture in Law and Humanities. Inset: Dau signs a copy of his book documenting his escape from Sudan and new life in the United States. PHOTOS BY MICHAEL P. TOUEY WILKES | Fall 2007 – John Bul Dau, speaking of his hopes for southern Sudan in his book, God Grew Tired of Us 5 �on campus Emergency Communication for Generation Text Junior Kate Baas and senior Jon McClave signed up for a new text and voice message service. They will receive emergency or urgent news directly to their cell phones. PHOTO BY CHRISTINE SEITZINGER WILKES | Fall 2007 Graduate Nursing Goes Online 6 Wilkes’ Department of Nursing now offers its master’s program in an online format. Students can currently take only core graduate courses online.The 38-credit program, which will take most part-time students three to four years to complete, offers concentrations in gerontologic nursing, psychiatric/mental health nursing, nursing education and nursing management.The concentrations prepare registered nurses for careers with abundant opportunities for advancement. Bridgette Zielinski ’76, associate professor and codirector of the master’s program, says the online format offers flexibility and convenience.“Our online program allows nurses to enroll in graduate courses and advance their careers regardless of location.” A low-residency requirement will become part of the program, giving the online learning community the opportunity to meet in person. Students, faculty and staff can now receive University emergency alerts via their cellular or landline phones. Besides providing text and voice alerts, the system will also ring classroom emergency phones so students and faculty who have switched off or muted their cell phones will be alerted to emergency news.The system enhances the existing emergency communication plan, which includes mass e-mails, a phone hotline, a Web-based news delivery system and more than 40 emergency phones in campus buildings that directly dial into the public safety office. “We were getting ready to implement this system when the unfortunate events at Virginia Tech occurred,” says President Tim Gilmour. “There cannot be a higher priority than ensuring the safety and security of the campus community. Now we have a more direct and effective way to communicate in case of threat or emergency.” This system will be used only for emergency communication and not for general information or advertisements. Notices may include closures and delays, community crime notifications and weather emergencies.The service is free, but cellular service providers may charge for air time used when receiving messages. -- .. - Ho:,,BI- -• _r,.., ...... IOMI~ ,_.~--I LMfN'I .,...,. T Online enrollment in core courses begins in August. Enrollment in the full program will begin in fall 2008. For more information, contact Zielinski or codirector Deborah Zbegner at (570) 408-4071 or (800) WILKES-U Ext. 4071. �on campus A Masterful Work Steven Thomas, associate professor of music, served as chorus master for the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic’s performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. Thomas recruited and organized four participating choirs with more than 150 singers, served as liaison between philharmonic music director Maestro Lawrence Loh and other choral directors, and helped rehearse choirs at one of two combined rehearsals. “Being able to perform a masterwork like Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with a large, well-prepared chorus and a professional orchestra was a tremendous opportunity for my students at Wilkes.They lived with the work throughout the spring semester, strove to understand and to master it, and ultimately gave a truly inspiring performance of it. I’m very proud of the work they did, and proud to be able to help provide both them and the community with such an important musical experience.” Wilkes University singers joined three other choirs and the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic to perform Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. Steven Thomas served as chorus master for the performance. PHOTOS BY CURTIS SALONICK ReStore-ing Environmental Responsibility Wilkes donated a trailer of products from the renovated University Center on Main to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. PHOTO BY CHRISTINE SEITZINGER campus. All electronic waste, including computers, monitors, printers and light bulbs, has been removed from the waste stream and components are recycled whenever possible. Recently, more than 40 indoor and 18 outdoor commingled recycling containers were added to campus.The University is working with faculty in the environmental engineering and earth sciences department to develop a recycling awareness program. WILKES | Fall 2007 Wilkes donated about $30,000 worth of commercial products to the local Habitat for Humanity ReStore. The trailer full of lavatory equipment, lighting fixtures and solid maple doors came from a former call center built to accommodate 1,000 employees.Wilkes renovated the building, now known as University Center on Main or UCOM, in 2006. It houses a recreation and athletic center on the main floor and 100 employees on the main and second floors. Patty Gilmour, wife of President Tim Gilmour, spearheaded the Habitat project. She frequently buys products from Habitat’s ReStore for her freelance home renovation and restoration business. Contractors find bargain products at the store, which also raises funds for Habitat. This recycling project is one example of Wilkes’ effort to become a “green” campus.The University purchased a trash compactor to reduce the number of trips waste haulers make to 7 �on campus Relay For Life Tops $15,000 Wire Free Wilkes-Barre Students organized a Relay For Life that raised more than $15,000 for the American Cancer Society. The April 27 to 28 event at Ralston Field took place weeks earlier than traditional Relay For Life events so more college students could participate, explains student organizer Blaine Madara, whose grandmother and aunt are breast cancer survivors. Organizers recruited 20 teams and more than 200 participants from the University and neighboring communities.The event exceeded its original fundraising goal by more than $5,000. Madara hopes to make it an annual event and encourages alumni to participate.Those interested can email blaine.madara@wilkes.edu. Wilkes and Wilkes-Barre will have a wireless broadband Internet infrastructure thanks to the efforts of Wire Free Wilkes-Barre, a nonprofit corporation founded in 2006 by Wilkes, the city, Luzerne County and King’s College. By mid-August, Wilkes students and employees were to have access to high-speed Internet and wireless capabilities for laptop computers and other handheld devices around the 27-acre campus and downtown. Wire Free Wilkes-Barre aims to enhance public safety, increase economic development and improve government efficiency by implementing the network throughout the city. Surveillance cameras in strategic locations throughout the city will deter crime and aid flood monitoring, organizers say. Frontier telecommunications company has been selected to build and maintain the infrastructure. More than 200 people participated in a student-organized Relay For Life event. ENROLLMENT TRENDS INCOMING FRESHMEN Wilkes welcomes its largest freshmen class in 25 years this fall. The University has seen steady increases in freshmen enrollment for five consecutive years while maintaining small class sizes and SAT scores above the national average. With a current enrollment of 2,300 full-time undergraduates, Wilkes has already exceeded its enrollment goal of 2,200 students by the year 2010. 584 621* 594 589 525 TOP 5 MAJORS WILKES | Fall 2007 More than 50 percent of Wilkes’ incoming 8 freshmen class will pursue studies in science, health and engineering fields. Nursing, prepharmacy and biology attracted the largest number of students. 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 *Pre-census figures. Actual number of arriving freshmen may be slightly less. �on campus The University welcomes four new administrators. • C. Reynold Verret becomes provost, leading initiatives to build enrollment and enhance quality of academic programs, develop plans for a new science, health and engineering building, and create a plan for a law school. Verret served as dean and professor of chemistry and biochemistry at University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. During his tenure at USP, he led the revision of a university-wide general education curriculum, developed a study abroad program, established collaborative agreements with neighboring institutions at the K-12 and higher education levels, instituted new, state-approved academic programs and oversaw relocation of major programs to a new science and technology center. He also worked at Clark Atlanta University as associate professor, interim chair and later New administrators joining Wilkes over the summer are, from left: C. Reynold Verret, provost; Maggie chair of chemistry. A widely published Lund, vice president for human resources and organizational development; Petra Carver, vice president researcher, his interests include cytotoxicity for finance and support operations; and Maria D. Suarez, special assistant to the president for of immune cells, biosensors and biomarkers. multicultural and community affairs. PHOTO BY KIM BOWER-SPENCE Verret received his undergraduate degree cum laude in biochemistry from Columbia University and • Maria D. Suarez serves as special assistant to doctorate in biochemistry from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. the president for multicultural and community He replaces Maravene Loeschke, now president of Mansfield University. affairs. Suarez will work with President Tim • Petra Carver takes the post of vice president for finance and support Gilmour, the vice president for student affairs operations. At Northland College, Ashland,Wis., she developed and and the Diversity Task Force to develop a diversity strategy. implemented an institution-wide reorganization plan to streamline Suarez served as dean of math and science operations and led new construction and renovation projects. She also initiated a purchasing consortium and established an internal control system. at Gloucester County College, in New Jersey. She comes with extensive experience Carver holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and accounting implementing and funding programs to recruit from Fachhochschule Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany, and an M.B.A. from St. and retain women and underrepresented Martin’s University, Olympia,Wash. minorities in science. • Maggie Lund is vice president for human resources and organizational Suarez is a published researcher in development. She brings more than 20 years of experience and has held biochemistry and molecular cell biology. Suarez senior-level leadership positions in human resources. She most recently served holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from as vice president of human resources for Mercy Health Partners Northeast University of Puerto Rico and a doctorate in Region, based in Scranton, Pa. biochemistry from Michigan State University. Lund earned undergraduate and graduate degrees at University of Scranton and completed doctoral coursework in industrial relations and human resources at Rutgers University. WILKES | Fall 2007 New Administrators Join Wilkes Family 9 �athletics Post-Season PROWESS By John Seitzinger BASEBALL TEAM POWERS UP LATE IN SEASON TO CAPTURE TITLE Pitcher Tom Buckler earned most valuable player honors for the Freedom Conference Tournament. ALL PHOTOS BY WARREN RUDA WILKES | Fall 2007 T 10 he Wilkes baseball team found itself behind the proverbial eight ball after opening Freedom Conference play with a 3-7 record. However, the Colonels rallied to win seven of their final eight conference games to reach the playoffs.Then they swept all three games in the conference tournament to claim their first conference title since 1994 and first NCAA Division III bid since 1978. “We put our own backs to the wall, and then we caught fire.The team played great under pressure,” explains 12-year head coach Joe Folek. “This was not a very vocal, rah-rah type of team. Our guys didn’t say much during our streak. They just got back to playing good, old-fashioned, hard-nosed baseball.” The Colonels ended the year with an overall record of 24-12 and won 14 of their final 17 games.They opened the conference tournament with a 4-3 win in 11 innings over top-seeded DeSales University.The Wilkes bats then came alive in a 17-8 victory over number-two seed King’s College in the winner’s bracket final. In the championship game, junior Tom Buckler, named the tournament’s most valuable player, pitched a complete game four-hitter to lift the Colonels to an 8-1 win over DeSales and the conference crown. Buckler was also the winning pitcher in the Colonels first win over DeSales. The Colonels placed four players on the All-Conference team, including junior outfielder/pitcher Kyle Follweiler. Follweiler, who was also the MAC’s Defensive Player of the Year in football last fall, hit .370 during the season to lead an offensive attack that hit at a .294 clip. Junior third baseman Chris Mayerski, junior outfielder/pitcher Corey Helfrich and junior outfielder/pitcher Brad Woznisky were named to the second team. Folek picked up the conference’s Coach of the Year award, a title he also collected in 2002. �athletics Fall Season Forecast The Wilkes University football team defends its Middle Atlantic Conference championship this fall. The Colonels come off a perfect 10-0 regular season and an 11-1 record overall. “Our team is anxious to face the challenges of the upcoming season,” says head coach Frank Sheptock. “A more difficult schedule and the graduation of an outstanding senior class will make Al Karaffa begins his fourth this season a true test to our program.” year as starting quarterback. That schedule includes the addition of Rowan and Montclair State universities to regular-season play. Rowan blasted the Colonels’ playoff bids in both 2005 and 2006.This fall, they meet at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, at Ralston Field. Sheptock, who was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in July for his standout performance as a linebacker at Bloomsburg University, welcomes back six All-Conference players from a season ago.“Our players understand the commitment and work ethic it takes to reach a championship level.We need to take a very ‘blue collar’ approach to our preparation, and play with the pride that this program was built on through many great players and teams.” Women’s Tennis To Defend Title With five of six singles starters returning, expectations are running high for the 2007 Wilkes women’s tennis team. Under the guidance of head coach Chris Leicht, Freedom Conference Coach of the Year in 2006, the Lady Colonels posted an overall record of 18-2 last fall, winning their first Freedom Conference title and earning their first NCAA Championship bid. Sophomore Xiaoqiao Zhang headlines the list of returnees. Zhang earned Junior Alison McDonald joined the conference Player of the Year honors after All-Conference first team after posting a 19-2 singles record and winning compiling a 17-3 singles record. the MAC number-one singles title. Junior Alison McDonald joined Zhang on the All-Conference first team after compiling a 17-3 singles record out of the number-two position. Singles player junior Kristin Wilt was a second team All-Conference selection last season, registering a 15-4 record in individual play. “I am very excited for the upcoming women’s tennis season,” Leicht explains. His biggest challenge will be integrating freshmen with upperclass players.“I have a strong recruiting class coming into Wilkes, and they will be ready to challenge for varsity positions. I would like to emphasize our doubles play. I feel this is one area we can improve upon.” Field Hockey A more experienced field hockey team takes the field this season.The Lady Colonels return all but one player from last year’s squad, which posted a 9-9 record. Says head coach Sara Fuller, “With our talented veterans and a strong group of incoming freshmen, I am excited to see how the season unwinds.This year, our main goal will be playing a full 70 minutes intensely, and supporting each other in all positions on the field.” Women’s Soccer Women’s soccer welcomes its largest team in history. “We have 20 newcomers, including 11 recruited freshmen, six walk-ons and three other current Wilkes students. This will be an exciting team,” promises head coach John Sumoski. The team looks to build on last season’s 13-6-1 overall record. “We have continued to schedule nationally competitive teams,” Sumoski notes. And fitness standards are significantly more difficult than in the past. Men’s Soccer With three All-Conference players returning, the men’s soccer team is eager to begin the new season.The Colonels went 12-6-1 a year ago. “We graduated eight seniors from last year’s team, including four-year, all-conference players in the goal, central midfield and forward positions,” says head coach Phil Wingert. “That group will be difficult to replace in one year, but the current, senior leadership is excellent, and there’s a strong nucleus of returning players from last year’s playoff team.The incoming group of new players should complement the returnees.” Volleyball With five starters returning, the volleyball team is anxious to begin the 2007 season. Junior Katherine Harrington leads the group after registering a team-high 290 kills a year ago. Also returning are senior Kristen Linhart, who had 255 kills and 291 digs; sophomore LeeAnn Searfoss, who added 151 kills and 51 assists; senior Katherine Simons, who contributed 116 kills; and sophomore Julie Page, with 95 kills. WILKES | Fall 2007 Football Adds Rival Rowan to Regular-Season Schedule 11 �G E O RG E W ITH THE EXCEPTION perhaps of the University’s first RA L S TON REMEMBERING A LEGEND president, Eugene Farley, no one has impacted this institution more than Dean Emeritus George Ralston. The World War II major with two Purple Hearts joined Bucknell University Junior College as a counselor to veterans. He founded the athletics program in 1946 and eventually retired as dean emeritus of student affairs. Legendary for his ability to remember names, he personally interacted with virtually every student to cross campus during his tenure. His passing on March 2 generated hundreds of notes and letters to his wife, Helen, and the Office of Alumni Relations.We share a sampling here. See more remembrances online at 12 Ralston’s affiliation with Wilkes spanned 60 years. ALL PHOTOS FROM WILKES ARCHIVES WILKES | Fall 2007 WILKES | Fall 2007 The Colonel Connection, community.wilkes.edu. 13 �It was my good fortune to have first met George Ralston at Forty Fort (Pa.) High School, when I was a student there and George joined the faculty after his WWII military service. He was a helpful teacher and coach who participated fully in school life. I remember his ringing baritone voice singing “Waterboy” at a school concert. He promoted the living of a healthful, disciplined life and warned everyone of the evils of tobacco. He taught us a little poem: “Tobacco is a filthy weed, From old Satan came the seed. It steals your money and soils your clothes And makes a chimney of your nose.” George Ralston was very helpful when I came to Wilkes as a student in 1947, and throughout my four years there. Although I left the area upon graduation, I kept in touch with George over the years when I came to visit family and drop by Wilkes to see how it was growing. He always remembered me, and I thought this was truly amazing, given the thousands of lives he had touched. When I visited Wilkes for my 50th anniversary in 2001, I recited the tobacco poem during a private moment with George and he hugged me, as was his style, but had to ask, “Do you smoke?” No, George; I learned from you. – Wade Hayhurst ’51 (left), Mollusk,Va. Second Chances WILKES | Fall 2007 The year was 1957 and I was called in to see Dean Ralston in June. In the 1956 semester, I had mostly A’s and B’s, but in the 1957 semester I had a C, D and F’s. I can hear the first words out of his mouth even now: “Son, what happened to you?” Before I could say anything, he went on. “How can you go down so far?” I explained that my father had died, and that I took the finals between funeral services. Dean Ralston said,“Did you ever think to tell anybody? You could have taken the finals later.” Then he said,“Here is what we are going to do.Those grades with F’s, you will be allowed to take the finals over. But those that you passed – even if it’s a D – those grades stand.” And then he called the professors and explained what happened. If he hadn’t been reviewing students’ grades, no would have known. For that I’m very grateful to Dean Ralston. In 1954, Wilkes’ football team was over visiting the Wyoming Seminary post-graduate football team. I was on the high school team watching the teams play, and Wilkes was getting the worse of it. 14 In September 2003, the Ancestral Colonels honored Dean Ralston with a plaque at the football field that bears his name. A Gentle Push Dean Ralston called his team together and stood in the middle of them (he came up to their shoulders) and said,“Men, we have to do better than this, or it is going to be a long year.” That was all he said, and they started playing again. – Kelly J. Mather ’58, Sebastian, Fla. Buy Sneakers Or Leave September 1961: About 75 veterans met the dean at 8 a.m. on the commons to protest taking four years of physical education. George said, “OK, vets, I’m one also…. Buy your sneakers, take two years of physical education, or leave Wilkes.” – Gregory J. Lester ’61, Deposit, N.Y. Giving Thanks In a room full of clergy, George would be asked to say grace! – Robert L. Evans Sr. ’62, Wilkes-Barre Civil Rights Eye Opener I went on the Hampton Institute/Wilkes student visit exchange with Dean Ralston, and it was a life-altering and affirming experience. It was a civil rights experience during the turbulent ’60s, with all the racial tension. – Claire Handler Silverstein ’63, Tampa, Fla. Make a Joyful Noise I was amazed at the enthusiasm of a man who stood before the large class in the gym and stated, “If you can’t sing, make a joyful noise!” We did. I never forgot that day. He was always upbeat! – Ruthanne Macri Porter ’63, Perkasie, Pa. After I graduated from Wilkes and My father, a barber, told George one day as dipped my toes in the chilly waters he cut his hair that I had not done well at of the work world, I decided to school, that I had been asked to leave for attend graduate school. I sought one year, and that my meeting with the dean Dean Ralston's counsel. He said, of women proved fruitless in turning the “Why not come to Wilkes?” So I tide. George suggested that I call him and did, and three years later earned my make an appointment. He told me that he second degree from Wilkes. didn’t care if I took basket weaving, but I In 1999, I returned to Wilkes for could return to school at night and that my my 30th reunion. While attending an Dean Ralston is transported focus should be on “acing every course.” He event on the quad, whom did I see to festivities in his honor at asked that I keep him up to date on my a football game in 2003. but Dean Ralston. He strolled toward success, which he believed was a given. me in one of his bright jackets and greeted me with warmth. It’s Needless to say, I graduated from Wilkes, always GREAT to be remembered! We will miss him. albeit one year after my class, and I have – Bryn Kehrli ’69 M’73, Ithaca, N.Y. gone on to secure a master’s degree with 39 years of professional experience as a rehabilitation counselor and case manager. I give Hello and Good Morning credit to George Ralston. “Always say good morning and hello on campus!” Value another I am certain that he believed in me, and human being was the message. He emphasized this during my his actions at that critical time in my life freshmen orientation in 1967. He learned this and passed it on. were the lifeline that I so desperately I’ve been doing it ever since. needed. Dean Ralston epitomizes what – Theresa Dybach ’71, Reedsville, Pa. great educators are all about. He was a real human being, caring and fair.Words cannot express my high regard for this great man and gentleman. With his passing, someone great and wonderful The Dean is IRREPLACEABLE, not just because he has left a void in this vast world was able to connect the history of Wilkes ACROSS of ours. – Rosemary Baiera Hieronymous ’68, the GENERATIONS, but because no one will ever Springfield, Pa. A Lasting Impression Dean Ralston is the reason why I came to Wilkes, stayed at Wilkes and returned to Wilkes. I first met Dean Ralston when I was in ninth grade, long before I was thinking about college. He made such a positive impression on me that I decided to attend Wilkes. While at Wilkes, I saw Dean Ralston as a role model. On occasion, I would find the opportunity to talk to him. His words, and the way he said them, made me see him as a role model. have the lasting influence over Wilkes that he had. George’s focus on the individual and the emphasis he placed on the bonds formed through relationship are the very core of the student experience at Wilkes. His MARK on Wilkes is INDELIBLE. I can’t imagine anyone will ever better demonstrate through word and deed what it means to value each student, no matter her/his aptitude. In everyone, he could see the GOODNESS and POTENTIAL. – Paul Adams ’77, Kingston, Pa. Vice President for Student Affairs Wilkes University WILKES | Fall 2007 A Healthful, Disciplined Life 15 �Let’s Go Wilkes! A Precious Gift Indeed I vividly remember, during freshmen orientation in September 1967, Dean Ralston leading us in his special cheer.The freshmen in beanies and blue and gold ties sitting on the ground, Dean Ralston raised his arms in front of his face, fingers wiggling. “Let’s go Wilkes,” he whispered. As he drew his arms across his face again and again, the volume increased until we were shouting, “Let’s go Wilkes!” – Walter Furtney ’71, Shoreview, Minn. Many things could be said about George. I mention just two: His marvelous capacity to place names with faces, and his skill at incorporating his faith into his work. I cannot remember a time when I did not know George, or when he did not know me. So I was not terribly surprised when, during freshmen orientation in the fall of 1971, he greeted me by name among a group of fellow freshmen from my dorm, Sterling Hall. My housemates, however, were very impressed: “Wow! Dean Ralston knows you?” The next time we were together with George at some function, he called every single one of us by name, and I understood for the first time how important that mnemonic skill was, and how gifted a practitioner George was. His capacious memory banks must have held thousands of faces, names and factoids about students.What I had attributed, during freshmen orientation, to George having known me from church was translated to a wider world view, embracing everyone even remotely connected with Wilkes. George’s faith was wondrous to behold. Of course, his job at Wilkes was not as a chaplain or spiritual guide; but he stressed core values of fair play, good sportsmanship and academic integrity that grew directly out of his love for and service to Jesus Christ. George was an off-the-scale extrovert, which led to his behavior being well-known and minutely scrutinized, at some level, by all the undergraduates I knew. When a friend of my roommate’s had been “sent down” to see Dean Ralston after a plagiarism incident, my roommate expressed an incredulity that George had dressed her friend down with words that left no doubt about his commitment to leading students down a morality-guided path. Oh, Brother WILKES | Fall 2007 My brother, Grover, had come to visit me and was a little put off by the rules at Sterling Hall that would not allow guys to visit my room. My dorm mother would not believe he was my brother, so Grover got an idea to climb up the fire escape near my room.We visited a while, and when he went to climb down later, the security guards greeted him! My roommate and I were horrified, and as they took my brother to a station wagon in front of the dorm, we went around the block trying to figure out what was going to happen next. Finally, in walked the sense of reason, Dean Ralston, and he met with my roommate and me, and he was so kind and respectful of our feelings. He set everything straight, and my brother was released.We will never forget that night. He cared so much about all of us, and it was incredible how he handled things with grace, dignity and a great sense of humor, which calms everything down, so misunderstandings are easily worked through for everyone’s benefit. – Holly Stults ’74, Santa Fe, N.M. 16 Dean Ralston was Wilkes’ biggest fan and most enthusiastic cheerleader. �Long-Distance Degree I had a rough start during my first year at Wilkes in 1978, but eventually I was able to stay the course only to fall short of funds to finish my last semester. I enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where I was stationed in Okinawa, Japan. While there, I took several night courses over the course of a year and a half to complete my degree in business administration. I wrote Dean Ralston asking if I could possibly transfer my last semester of courses taken overseas toward my degree from Wilkes. I was very happy to receive a letter back from Dean Ralston, who remembered me and granted the transfer. Due to a problem with flights from Japan, I was not able to attend the graduation and be able to personally thank Dean Ralston for both his guidance and kindness. Anton “Andy” Haryluck ’82, Bury Saint Edmunds, Suffolk, England Ubiquitous Biker When I first attended Wilkes back in 1977, I would see Dean Ralston riding around campus on his antique bike, saying hello to everyone. Also, at a pep rally I remember him doing a Wilkes Colonel cheer. He is sadly missed! Donna Karwaski ’82, Avoca, Pa. Helen and George Ralston Dear friends, To all of you who have sent cards, notes and beautiful letters to me, I want to sincerely thank you. Please know that I would love to answer every one of them, but that is impossible.The donations to our scholarship fund have been outstanding. And how better can we show our love and respect for a man such as George, whose whole life was devoted to helping students succeed? Keep his ideals always in your hearts. – Helen Ralston The Dean will be honored homecoming weekend during pre-football game festivities at 12:15 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, at Ralston Field. Memorial contributions may be made to the George F. and Helen B. Ralston Scholarship Fund, Development Office,Wilkes University, 84 W. South St.,Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766. Contact Evelyne Topfer, (800) WILKES-U Ext. 4309. WILKES | Fall 2007 George was a fine speaker, and the times he filled in for Jule Ayers in the pulpit of the First Presbyterian Church were occasions for George to state explicitly what motivated his relationships to students, faculty and administration. George never talked of Jesus at school, but he certainly did, and with great integrity, in other places. His example has motivated me to live, and not just speak, what I believe. He was a role model that has helped me in a variety of both church and secular settings to minister with people who might have no overtly expressed religious beliefs. A precious gift indeed. – The Rev. Nancy E. (Rodda) Topolewski, Ph.D. ’75, Lempster, N.H. 17 �RHEA SIMMS ’78 GROWS SMALL REAL ESTATE FIRM INTO REGIONAL POWERHOUSE WILKES | Fall 2007 By Kim Bower-Spence PHOTO BY EARL AND SEDOR 18 �' now help their mother, Lewith & Freeman’s chief executive officer, manage the company. Virginia Simms Rose, broker associate, serves as its president, and Emma Simms Kluger is vice president. Margaret Simms Evans serves as corporate secretary/treasurer. Simm’s history degree piqued her interest in biography, particularly in people whose lives benefited the community, whether locally or globally. She has subsequently endeavored that her company should significantly serve the community. – Donna O’Toole Sedor ’85 Real estate doesn’t consume all of Simms’ time. She became the first and only woman to chair the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce, a post she held in 1993-94. She has also served on the boards of directors for King’s College, the Wilkes-Barre Board of Realtors and Mellon Bank Northeast Region. She is a founding member and still serves on the board of The Luzerne Foundation and is a director of the Children’s Service Center. She chairs the Earth Conservancy, a Wyoming Valley group dedicated to guiding the reclamation of over 17,000 acres of mine-scarred land and contributing to conservation and economic development. “Rhea is active in almost all aspects of the community, both through her profession and her community service,” confirms Donna O’Toole Sedor ’85, vice president of the Chamber of Commerce. “She has this grace under pressure. She’s just a great role model for women.” Says Simms: “I really am proud to live here, work here and contribute to the well-being of our region.” She has this GRACE UNDER PRESSURE. She’s just a great ROLE MODEL for women. '' Rhea Politis Simms Shavertown, Pa. B.A., History 1978 Career: Owns Lewith & Freeman Real Estate, a full-service agency serving Luzerne and Lackawanna counties. Notable: Over 20 years, expanded the business from one office with eight people to six offices and 120 people. WILKES | Fall 2007 W HEN RHEA POLITIS SIMMS ’78 bought Lewith & Freeman Real Estate in 1986, she felt she had to either keep the Kingston, Pa., company small and “boutique” or adopt technology and grow. She opted for the latter. Simms recruited new agents and sought areas ripe for expansion, buying a small real estate firm in Luzerne County’s Back Mountain area. Later she expanded with additional offices in Mountain Top, Drums and Wilkes-Barre.Three years ago, Lewith & Freeman branched into Lackawanna County, opening an office in fast-growing Clarks Summit. The company has grown from one office staffed with eight people to six offices with 120 realtor associates and support staff. “We became more regional in our thinking,” Simms says, explaining her strategy. She recognized the need for greater regional planning and thinking. The company added a mortgage department, title insurance and insurance services for clients.Though she’s been approached numerous times over the years to join national franchises, Simms remains committed to operating an independent agency. “I’ve always felt that real estate is personal. People want to be taken care of, and people want personal service.” She attributes her company’s growth to dedicated sales associates and excellent managers. The company hires carefully and emphasizes training. Mentors guide new agents for several months as they learn the business. The formula works. Lewith & Freeman ranks first in Luzerne County for factored sales volume, just shy of $330 million in 2006. In Lackawanna County, the company ranks in the top five of 75 real estate offices.“Growth comes with good training, good people, good relationships,” she emphasizes. One of the Wyoming Valley’s most prominent businesswomen, the Shavertown, Pa., resident entered Wilkes as a music major in 1958. She left in 1960 to marry Ron Simms ’60 and move to Oklahoma for his military service. When they returned to the Wyoming Valley, she was raising three daughters while earning her real estate license and taking courses toward the history degree she completed in 1978. “I was by far a more serious student coming back than I was as an 18-year-old,” confesses Simms, who enjoyed her interaction with the younger students. She recalls gathering around the kitchen table with her young daughters to do homework. “We kind of all studied together.” Real estate, with its flexible schedule, seemed like a good business for a woman with young children. Those daughters 19 �Integrative media students learn to create eye-catching imagery. Technology meets creativity INTEGRATIVE MEDIA PROGRAM GRADUATES ITS FIRST STUDENTS By Cindy Taren WILKES | Fall 2007 Jessica Gannon practices assembling digital imagery on the computer. 20 “I hope to one day be a lead supervisor for a major motion picture and postproduction company, and eventually freelance my abilities to different motion pictures.” The integrative media curriculum blends technology and design training to prepare students for careers in feature film, broadcast, independent production companies, interactive media, corporate and government environments. It started in 2001, when a group of faculty led by Darin Fields, dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, developed a new program to target the convergence of media, information, technology, art, culture, business and entertainment. “Universities today must continually innovate to respond to the changing world graduates will enter,” says Fields. Eric Ruggiero, director and cofounder of the integrative media department, says faculty observed that graduates with the most success in the job market were those with training in multiple disciplines. “To prepare yourself to dive into the job market, it’s optimal to have a highly versatile range of skills, as well as the capacity for collaboration.” The recently completed IM Studio houses systems and software comparable to the best facilities worldwide and simulates an environment supportive and critical to the process of visual content creation, Ruggiero explains. The major blends a design and technology curriculum with one or more minors in art, computer science, entrepreneurship, business, communications and English. Students within these specialties might fill artistic or business positions such as production manager, producer, director, art director, editor, motion designer, writer, interactive guru, coder, animator or special effects artist. Eric Miller of Dunmore, Pa., had earned an associate degree in computer design before coming to Wilkes. He was to graduate with an integrative media degree this summer. Miller interned last year with Promax/BDA, a worldwide association of entertainment marketers, promoters and designers, representing television stations and broadcast and cable networks, at its international Chris Hager works in the well-equipped IM Studio. conference in New York City. He works as a freelance Web site designer for a local accounting and management firm. The integrative media program “has led to opportunities to become involved in more of the collaborative process of digital design,” he explains. Miller’s dream job is to become creative director of a design firm. “The program is project oriented,” Ruggiero says, “encouraging students to come up with ideas, either on their own or working with a group.” Students graduate with professional portfolios, which will help show off their skills to potential employers and clients. Matt Beekman ’89 directs creative services at Deluxe Digital Studios, Moosic, Pa. He routinely seeks student interns skilled in mixed media. “Our ideal intern has an eye for art, as well as knowledge of computers, video, audio and editing.” Beekman used his degree in graphic design to start a career in the television industry. “I had to gain the experience needed for my current profession from working in the field over several years and job changes. The (integrative media) major definitely gives graduates an advantage because they will have the skills to get a better job straight from college.” Chelsey Grosse and Pete Mulvey learn about layering text, images and animation. For more information on the program, see www.wilkes.edu or e-mail Ruggiero at eric.ruggiero@wilkes.edu. PHOTOS BY MARK GOLASZEWSKI ' Universities today must continually INNOVATE to respond to the CHANGING WORLD graduates will enter. Students put theory into practice in Integrative Media 301. '' – Darin Fields Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences WILKES | Fall 2007 J USTIN ROGERS ’07 always loved movies and technology. So when Wilkes University announced its new integrative media major in 2005, he quickly switched from computer science. “Having always been a big movie and technology guru, the major seemed to better fit my interests,” the major’s first graduate says. “I didn’t want to sit behind a desk for the rest of my life coding languages for computers. This program will help me to get into a field where creative minds come together to create unique experiences and products.” Rogers, of Dayton, N.J., now plans to pursue a master of fine arts degree in computer graphics and then join the industry in either movies or advertising. 21 �Bounce Back WHEN LIFE THREW BASEBALL STANDOUT TONY VLAHOVIC A CURVE, HE TURNED IT INTO AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP OTHERS WILKES | Fall 2007 By Sherrie Flick 22 Vlahovic’s personal understanding of the psychology of healing motivated him to open a post-rehabilitation fitness center. PHOTO © 2007 JON ROEMER �'' I had to go from my CHILDHOOD DREAM of being a pro athlete to LEARNING TO WALK again. recalls.After a frustrating experience with rehabilitation, he realized a desire to help others. He continued his psychology studies, earning a master’s degree from West Chester University of Pennsylvania. He ran the physical therapy department at University Medical Center at Princeton before opening Momentum Fitness, a post-rehabilitation facility addressing both mental and physical health, Tony Vlahovic’s baseball card shows him as a rookie for the in 1997. 1983 Red Sox. Vlahovic had found his niche. PHOTO COURTESY OF TONY VLAHOVIC Personal experience combined with his psychology education translated into professional success.“I went through it myself. I lived it. …I’m able to make my mark by being empathetic — understanding the psychology of healing.” Vlahovic sought out supportive staff members who would say to clients,“We can do this.This is our first goal; this is where we’re moving to.” Vlahovic originally set up the business near his residence in New Hope, Pa., but moved the center to Princeton, N.J., to be closer to the university medical center. Until June 30, the two-story facility housed 14 personal trainers, 25 specialized instructors, and weight training for all ages and phases of conditioning using top-of-theline equipment. Momentum offered yoga, meditation and pilates classes, along with a heated resistance pool for training and aerobics. Vlahovic closed that facility to open a new one in Hopewell, N.J., this September. The expanded facility will allow more special programming. He plans to offer training for young athletes while continuing special fitness programs for people living with cancer, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. The move will also shorten his daily commute and give him more time with wife Nina and children Anthony, 9, and Sabrina, 5. “I think if you can find something that has some other value to it,” Vlahovic says,“it doesn’t feel like work.You can contribute something while you’re on this earth.” Vlahovic’s best friend of 25 years, Ivan Shidlovsky ’81, confirms Vlahovic’s dedication. “His character is above reproach; honest and caring, always trying to figure out how to help others to improve their lives.” Tony Vlahovic New Hope, Pa. B.A., Psychology 1982 Career: Former pro baseball player who owns a fitness center. During his years at Whitehall High School, Vlahovic played both football (number 3) and basketball (number 24). Notable: Overcame cancer and an auto accident injury to help others through post-rehabilitation fitness programs. WILKES | Fall 2007 G ROWING UP, TONY VLAHOVIC ’82 was what they call “a natural,” a standout in basketball, baseball and football. When cancer and a drunk driver nipped his achievement on the athletic field, they fueled his desire to help others with his own unique mix of fitness and psychology. At age 14, testicular cancer left him frail and compromised his immune system.“It was a real shock,” Vlahovic says, a setback that would have ended most young athletes’ dreams. But with the help of supportive coaches, he began a health and weight-training program that restored his athleticism.“I think maturity-wise I moved ahead then. My friends might laugh — I have a good sense of humor — but I looked at life differently. It took on a different feel. Headed me on a journey I really wasn’t sure where I was going.” By his senior year, large universities came courting. But then an injury cost him their scholarship offers.Wilkes College baseball coach Gene Domzalski saw past the injury. “He came to see me in person and said,‘We have a place for you. Here’s a great opportunity to get a great education, go to a smaller school and play in college.’ ” The psychology major’s college athletic performance didn’t escape the notice of professional baseball scouts. After a year-long stint in a European league, he signed with the Boston Red Sox as a left-handed pitcher in 1983. A childhood dream fulfilled. But more challenges lay in store. On his way to spring training in 1986, a drunk driver rear-ended him. “It destroyed both my truck and my left leg.” Depressed and immobilized, he started physical therapy. “I had to go from my childhood dream of being a pro athlete to learning to walk again,”Vlahovic PHOTOS COURTESY OF TONY VLAHOVIC 23 �WILKES | Fall 2007 24 Alphonso and the band The Collective take to stages in northeast Pennsylvania about three nights a week. PHOTO COURTESY OF KERMIT ALPHONSO �~~· •• IVE He visited bigger schools before choosing Wilkes. “I realized you’re just a number there,” he explains, noting that he wanted to be involved at the university he attended. “I’m from the South. I wanted to go to a place I’d never been before,” he says. “It was an opportunity to grow up, a way to explore.” At Wilkes, the Greensboro, N.C., native received a Minority Student Cultural Scholarship and went on to double-major in sociology and criminal justice. After graduation, though, he wanted to be an artistentertainer. All those years in the gospel choir as a kid kicked in. “My education gave me something that no one can take away,”Alphonso says.“My professors and school administration were great. They were polishing me up. I thank them all. They taught me how to be a gentleman.” '' .·. ·.· ORY KERMIT ALPHONSO FRONTS POPULAR BAND AND LAUNCHES SOLO CAREER blues, soul and hip-hop. They take stage in clubs around northeastern Pennsylvania about three times a week. The band has had some success, receiving awards for best local original band and best local cover band. In addition to fronting The Collective,Alphonso stays busy with solo projects. His extended play Diaries of a Bar Star Volume I was recently self-released with the song “Last Call for Alcohol,” a mostrequested single on WKRZ-FM. Through his new web-based business, Suburban Project Entertainment, he plans to bring exposure to the original music of unsigned artists. Downloadable tracks will be made available for sale via Urban Music Access Key cards sold at clubs. The site will formally launch in the fall via www.wedotunes.net. For now, original songs by The Collective can be downloaded there. “Making something out of nothing,” Alphonso says. “That’s what I do. I got a good base by going to Wilkes. By meeting the people I met there, I became the free thinker I am today.” ' I got a good base by going to Wilkes. By MEETING the PEOPLE I met there, I became the FREE THINKER I am today. By Sherrie Flick Alphonso notes that he and Robb Brown, who also attended Wilkes for a time, sometimes perform together at Fuse Club and Café, Wilkes-Barre, as The Robb and Kermit Show. Fuse is owned by fellow alumnus Ronald Romanoski ’95. Alphonso considers Wilkes-Barre home now. “We’ve been trying to create a community here. We’ve been trying to stick together and help each other out, network with each other.We’re just trying to grow something.” Kermit Alphonso Douglas Wilkes-Barre, Pa. B.A., Sociology and Criminal Justice 1994 Career: Lead singer for popular regional band The Collective Notable: The Collective will perform for Homecoming 2007 festivities from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, in the Henry Student Center. WILKES | Fall 2007 I “ ’VE BEEN SINGING MY WHOLE LIFE,” SAYS Kermit Alphonso Douglas ’94. “My mom says I popped out singing!” He came to Wilkes University to play basketball but is now the lead singer of Wilkes-Barre’s popular band The Collective. The Collective has opened for a wide variety of nationally recognized bands: Grammy Award-winning hip-hop group The Roots, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Nick Lachey, Drake Bell and Ja Rule. “We play music that everybody can get into,” says Alphonso, who often drops the name “Douglas” to make things simple. “We’re flexible. We cross over. We’re fortunate.” The band began on the Wilkes campus as the three-man singing group Smooth Enuf. The group achieved some success, Alphonso says, landing a recording contract and moving to California. Things didn’t go as well as they’d hoped; they returned home and went their separate ways a year later. “It was a very sad experience for me, but I knew I still loved to perform, and I wasn’t done,” he explains. The Collective then formed and began to write and play music throughout the region. “The spirit and the idea continue to move forward with me,” he says. “Now my full-time job is being an entertainer.” The Collective plays covers and originals — a mixture of rhythm and 25 �alumni news New Leaders Seek to Engage More Alumni With a special thanks to the past leadership, and especially Colleen Gries Gallagher, the Alumni Association leadership has already met to map priorities and organize itself. They laid groundwork through the efforts of Colleen and her team for the past two years. Key accomplishments came in the areas of communications and alumni relations. Denise Schaal Cesare ’77 and Fred Demech ’61 ushered introduction of The Colonel Connection and review of this magazine. Undergraduate alumni relations was chaired by Bridget Giunta ’05. Other accomplishments are too numerous to mention, but they provide the springboard for future success.The current leadership team is as follows: • President – George G. Pawlush ’69 • First vice president – Terrence W. Casey ’82 • Second vice president – John Wartella ’84 • Secretary – Bridget Giunta ’05 • Historian (immediate past president) – Colleen Gries Gallagher ’81 • Past president – William A.Tarbart ’70 New to the board are: Rich Kramer ’67, Charlotte Puglia ’00,Wendy Gavin ’90, Brigette McDonald Herrmann ’78,Tom Ralston ’80, David Scordino ’07, Jenna Strzelecki ’07, Matthew Brown ’08 (Student Government president), Amanda Karasinski ’08 (Student Alumni Association president), and Blaine Madara ’08 (senior class president).They join incumbents Garfield Jones ’72, Rosemary LaFratte ’93 MBA ’97, Lou Steck ’55 and Margery Ufberg ’69. Other alumni board members are Laura Barbera Cardinale ’72, Allyn Jones ’60, Clayton Karambelas ’49, Beth Danner Kinslow ’02, Ron Miller ’93, Steve Roth ’84, Dave Carey ’83, Fred Demech ’61, Glen Flack ’73, Ali Qureshi ’96, John Serafin ’90 MBA ’93 and Jodi Viscomi ’05.The Nominating Committee works to assure that the constituency is accurately represented by the membership of the board through a demographic decade analysis. The key focus of the year will be to build relationships, engaging more alumni in an ever-increasing range of programs and events both on and off campus. Committee membership is open on a rolling basis, and new committee chairs are selected through the summer months. If you’re interested in being considered for membership on a committee or the board, please complete the online form at http://community.wilkes.edu/Volunteer. Or contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (800) WILKES-U Ext. 4134 or alumni@wilkes.edu. Special thanks to outgoing board members Kay E. Coskey ’86, Michael J. Fox ’06, Ashley Joslin ’06, John Pullo ’82 (historian), Matthew J. Sowcik ’00 and Peter Zubritzky ’76. Mark your calendars now for Homecoming 2007, Oct. 5 to 7. Read on to see highlights, and make plans to connect and reconnect with friends and classmates. Explore Exotic Locales with Fellow Alumni Tropical Costa Rica Departs Nov. 7, 2007 Price per person: twin, $1,999; single, $2,499 WILKES | Fall 2007 Highlights • San José • Poás Volcano • Thermal Spa Resort • Caño Negro Refuge • Monteverde Cloud Forest • Guanacaste 26 Join fellow Wilkes University alumni as they travel to Costa Rica for nine days.This trip includes round-trip air travel from Allentown, Pa., hotel transfers, air taxes and current fuel surcharges. Eight breakfasts, two lunches and seven dinners are included. Fuel charges are subject to change until trip is paid in full. Cost does not include insurance of $120 per person. French Riviera Departs March 2, 2008 Price per person: twin, $1,849; single, $2,249 Highlights • Nice • Flower Market • Chagall Museum • Grasse Perfumerie • St. Paul De Vence • Ventimiglia • San Remo • St.Tropez • Cannes • Antibes • Picasso Museum • Villefranche • Rothschild Villa and Gardens • Monaco Oceanographic Museum The price of this eight-day trip includes round-trip air travel from Newark, N.J., air taxes, hotel transfers and current fuel surcharges (subject to increase until paid in full). Six breakfasts and four dinners are included in the cost. It does not include insurance of $120 per person. For more information on any of these trips, contact Michelle Diskin ’95, associate director of Alumni Relations, at (570) 408-4134 or michelle.diskin@wilkes.edu. �alumni news Homecoming 2007 Schedule of Events Friday, Oct. 5 9 a.m. 11:30 a.m. 5 to 7 p.m. 6 to 8 p.m. Golf Tournament, Blue Ridge Trail Golf Club Bucknell University Junior College Luncheon and Shuttle Tour, Annette Evans Alumni House Colonels Happy Hour, Bart & Urby’s Wine Tasting with Maiolatesi Wine Cellars, 2nd floor UCOM Golden Colonel Welcome Back Reception and Induction, Kirby Hall Saturday, Oct. 6 8:30 a.m. 9 a.m. Hungry Colonels Breakfast, Dining Hall President’s Breakfast (Ancestral Colonels, Golden Colonels, BUJC Flyboys), Henry Student Center Ballroom 10 a.m. 5K Walk/Run, Alumni House to Tailgate 10 a.m. Crew Regatta on River, Nesbitt Park 10 a.m. to noon Workshops at UCOM: – Pharmacy, Art Kibbe – Sidhu Executive Leadership Program, Erin Drew 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oktoberfest, Lion Brewery 11 a.m. Tailgate and SAA Colonels Carnival, practice field 12:40 p.m. Dean Ralston and BUJC Flyboys Celebration, Ralston Field 1 p.m. Wilkes vs. FDU-Florham football game, Ralston Field 4:30 p.m. 5th Quarter, Fuse Martini Bar 6 p.m. Pergola Dedication/Reception and Reunion Classes 5-, 10- and 25-Year, Karambelas Pergola 8 to 11 p.m. Wilkes Nightclub with The Collective, Henry Student Center PHOTOS BY MICHAEL P. TOUEY Sunday, Oct. 7 Memorial Bells - Remembrance of Alumni Alumni Hall of Fame, 214 Marts and Henry Student Center Ballroom WILKES | Fall 2007 9:45 a.m. 10:30 a.m. 27 �class notes WILKES | Fall 2007 1949 Doris Gorka Bartuska of Philadelphia, emeritus professor of medicine (endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism) at Drexel University College of Medicine, received the Woman in Medicine Award from The Trust Fund of the Alumnae Association of Woman’s Medical College/Medical College of Pennsylvania at the Faculty Development Awards Day program on June 1, 2007. The citation reads: “In recognition of her outstanding contributions and untiring devotion to teaching, mentoring, patient care and leadership, as a role model for women in medicine.” 28 1959 Stephen Poleskie recently published a book titled The Balloonist, about Civil War balloonist T. S. C. Lowe. He has taught or has been a visiting professor at 26 colleges and art schools throughout the world, including the School of Visual Art in NYC and the University of California, Berkeley. During the 1980s and ’90s, Poleskie was known in the United States and Europe for his “aerial theater” performances. A champion aerobatic flyer and artist-writer, Poleskie is professor emeritus at Cornell University. 1973 Joseph Grilli, M.P.A, D.P.A., has been named vice president of training institutes, external affairs and planning at Luzerne County Community College. Grilli resides in Jenkins Township, Pa., with his wife, Lisa, and two children. 1974 Christine (Donahue) Mayo recently became full-time assistant professor of voice at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Ark., where she resides with her husband, George. 1991 Susan (Adamchak) Smith and her husband, Dan, recently welcomed their third child, Riley Samantha. She joins brothers Jordan and Tyler. Enjoying Allenberry: Alumni enjoying an outing at Allenberry Dinner Theater, Boiling Springs, Pa., included, front row from left: Gayle Howard, Donna Argenio ’90, Nancy Juris ’56, Barbara Nagle, Ann Young ’59, Kay Hess, Edna Andrews ’50; middle: Carl Juris ’59, George Speer, Joe Argenio ’90, Jackie Young ’58; back: Bill Trethaway ’67, Janilyn Elias, Jeffrey Fetterman, Chuck Young, Bob Middleton, George Elias ’54, Karen Middleton ’71, Clint Hess ’64. Susan is a human resources manager at a pharmaceutical company.The family resides in Springfield, N.J. 1994 Kermit (Alphonso) Douglas and Matt Smallcomb (’03) performed with their musical group,The Collective, at Susquehanna University.The event was featured in a 2007 edition of Diversity Digest, a Susquehanna University publication. Heather Petruzelli, an adjunct voice teacher in the Wilkes Department of Visual and Performing Arts, was soprano soloist in May with the Astoria Symphony and Central City Singers.The performance of Mendelssohn’s masterpiece Elijah took place at Church of St. John the Baptist, New York, N.Y. 1997 Reunion Oct. 5-7 ~ Richard “Hank” Kutz recently completed a residency in general surgery at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. Next year, he will complete a master’s degree in public health at Dartmouth Medical School, focusing on surgical outcomes and continuous quality improvement in health care. He will then continue training in the Harvard Plastic Surgery Residency Program in Boston, Mass. Hank currently resides in New Hampshire with his wife, Kate, and 1-year-old daughter, Lauren. �class notes $500,000 Gift Endows Scholarship Dr. Richard B. Kent ’55 of Malvern, Pa., recently honored his late wife with a $500,000 gift commitment to Wilkes University. It is one of the largest one-time gifts in Wilkes history. The Edith M. Kent Scholarship will go to a student from the greater Wyoming Valley Area enrolled in the medical science field. Recipients should demonstrate academic ability, good moral character and financial need. Sandra Carroll, interim vice president for development and alumni relations at Wilkes, says, “Dr. Kent is quite humble. We’re grateful that he chose to make a gift of this magnitude at Wilkes, where it can truly transform lives and the institution.” “I come from a very humble start in life, and I’ve been very fortunate,” Kent explains. “I always thought I’d like to give something back to my college, and it’s a wonderful way to honor my late wife.” Commuting allowed him to attend Wilkes economically, and he recalls close ties with faculty. “Dr. Charles Reif was a mentor and a strong role model for me.” He also treasures memories of playing baritone horn with the band, stoking an affinity for art and music he’s enjoyed ophthalmology and establishing a practice in West throughout life. Chester, Pa. Now a professional corporation, Vistarr Laser and Vision Centers employs five ophthalmologists and two optometrists. His family includes four children, two people to round out their education. “I emphasized my stepchildren and seven grandchildren. science studies so greatly I missed some of the Kent originally shied from publicity regarding his humanities courses and some of the arts courses I should generosity, preferring to give anonymously. “However, I have taken. There’s a whole other life out there.” changed my mind on the hope that the article might Originally from Newport Township, near Nanticoke, Pa., inspire others to consider a memorial contribution to Kent attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Wilkes or some other worthy cause. If this happens, then Medicine and served in the U.S. Navy before training in it was a worthwhile choice.” Rivercrest Reunion: Alumni recently reunited during festivities at RiverCrest Golf Club, located in Montgomery County, Pa. In the first photo are, from left: Eubank “Ted” Travis-Bey Jr. ’65, Lonnie Coombs ’70 and son Adam Coombs (beginning classes this fall), and Matthew McCaffrey ’94 M’97. In the second photo are, left to right: Jeff Churba ’89, Jason Griggs ’90, Andy Harris ‘89 and Edward J. Gallagher ’88. WILKES | Fall 2007 A board member of the Kennett Symphony who seeks out opera houses wherever he travels, Kent urges young 29 �class notes A-List members who gathered in Parsippany, N.J., back in March were: row one: Janet Condon Diefenbacher ’75, Susan Hansen ’77, Frania Polakowski Holloway ’76, Bruce Davis ’78, Nick Holgash ’78, Donald Mock ’75, Arlene Rostrun Acoady ’75, Gary Gieschen ’75; row two: Michael De Vincentis ’88, Anthony De Vincentis ’79, Gary Paich ’76, Billy Winter ’76, Jack Brabant ’76, John Zimmerman ’76; row three (balcony): Thomas Pezzicara ’75, Matt McCaffrey ’97, Anthony Shipula ’78, Dave Taylor ’84, Nigel Gray ’79, Arthur Daniels ’77 and Mary Ann Zielinski Holgash ’79. A-List 71-79 Reunites Wilkes Classmates As homecoming 2005 approached, two alumni opened They majored in psychology, engineering, accounting an alumni directory in hopes of persuading as many old and chemistry, among others. Today, the graduates classmates as possible to get together. The effort yielded include teachers, scientists, public relations professionals, more than a healthy turnout at the reunion. It rekindled medical personnel, engineers, optometrists, white- friendships dormant for 30 years. and blue-collar professionals, documentary film makers “It’s just like 30 years melted away,” explains Michael and parents spread across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, De Vincentis ’88 of Pequannock, N.J. (“Michael D,” as Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Illinois, Texas, he’s known, attended Wilkes during the’70s, and later California and even Belize, Central America. “For a received his history degree after earning his last credits bunch of people from a small college, we all did pretty in New Jersey.) well,” says De Vincentis. Now known as the A-List 71-79, the group expanded to “Most of our kids are grown up and in college include students from throughout the ’70s. The 30 or so themselves,” De Vincentis says. Such freedom gives the alumni continue to stay in touch via e-mail, an online alumni time to reconnect with college friends. “It just social network and occasional gatherings. E-mail recharges your batteries and brings you back to a time “birthday alerts” distributed to the A-List feature both when you had less cares and worries. When we’re vintage and current candid photographs of the honoree. together, it’s like we’re back on campus again.” WILKES | Fall 2007 Discussion topics run the gamut from family to work 30 updates. In March, 21 alumni attended an informal event De Vincentis posts A-List updates at the website in Parsippany, N.J., with some traveling more than two http://wilkespics4u.multiply.com/. He can be hours to meet up with friends. contacted at Michaeldvg@hotmail.com. �class notes Fashion Designer Transforms Her Letterwoman’s Jacket Kathleen Haughey Maggio ’75 couldn’t bear to part with her 1971 letterwoman’s jacket from her days on the Wilkes field hockey team. So the fashion designer transformed it into an exaggerated baseball-style jacket. “We all have things in our closets or drawers that we can’t bear to get rid of. Although I no longer wore my letterwoman jacket because the collar had frayed and the silhouette was out of style, I kept it and my hockey stick for sentimental reasons,” the Bucks County, Pa., native explains. She purchased a cardigan at a thrift store and got busy with her scissors. “It now accompanies me to the gym, inspiring me to get back into the shape I was in during my Wilkes days!” Maggio, who has lived in New York City since graduating from college, included the project in Altered Maggio included her memento from days on the Wilkes field hockey team in a book on how to update outdated clothing. © VINEPOD.COM, PHOTO BY TIMOTHY MAGGIO Maggio studied art at Wilkes and earned a degree in clothes and christening gowns. She teaches pattern numerous ideas for updating old or outdated clothing. Philadelphia. She has designed girls’ dresses, maternity and Thread, released last year. The craft book includes fine art from Moore College of Art and Design, Clothing: Hip Fixes and Transformations with a Needle “An editor, who’d been given my name by a colleague, making, draping and construction to juniors in the daughter, Evie, 28. clothes (new and vintage). It was a perfect fit,” she explains. Maggio, shot photos for the book. She also has a frequently alter my own designs as well as store-bought Design, New York City. Her husband, photographer Tim about remodeling clothes. I’ve been sewing since I was 9 and bachelor of fine arts program at Parsons School of called and asked if I would be interested in writing a book Meredith (Cabrey) Nascimento and her husband, Christian, welcomed their first son, Charles Nicholas, on July 3, 2006. 2002 ·po uo1una~ Ronald Metcho graduated from the MBA program at the University of Rhode Island. He is an attorney and resides in Philadelphia. 2004 Amee Mehta will begin a residency in internal medicine at Staten Island University Hospital. John Reese (center with glass) was honored at a May wrestling team reunion. With him are, from left: Mike Evans ’95, current wrestling Coach Jon Laudenslager ’99, Barry VanScoten ’95, John Stout ’95, Bob Hawkins ’92, Coach Reese, Dave Habowski ’97, Ray Monzon ’96, Eric Feese ’93, Matt Reinert ’92 and Ron Miller ’93. WILKES | Fall 2007 ~ L-5 31 �class notes In Memoriam 1935 Dr. Eugene Joseph Gillespie passed away Sept. 18, 2006, in Atlanta, Ga., his home for the last 45 years. He retired from the U.S. Public Health Service after 25 years as associate director of the U.S. Communicable Disease Center in Atlanta. He then became the director of health planning for the state of Georgia, and subsequently medical director for Prudential Insurance Company. 1962 Jozia Mieszkowski, 67, of Seminole, Fla., formerly of Wilkes-Barre, died Thursday, May, 31, 2007. A native of Wilkes-Barre, she was a graduate of Wyoming Seminary, class of 1957. She owned and directed the Wilkes-Barre Theatre School & Company from 1966 to 1980. She then became dance director at the Mississippi University for Women, Columbus, Miss., from 1980 to 1995. In 1995, she moved to St. Petersburg to start a new career in activities at the Masonic Home in Florida, where she stayed until her retirement at age 62. 1988 John F. Kepics, 40, Linglestown, Pa., died May 8, 2007, of leukemia. A standout baseball player at Wilkes, he was a pharmaceutical sales representative for Forest Pharmaceuticals for the last 13 years. He is survived by his wife, the former Debbie Fedor; mother, Edythe Kepics; sister, Mary Louise Harris; and nieces. Faculty Robert W. Partridge of West Chester, Pa., former history professor and baseball and soccer coach at Wilkes, died May 4, 2007, at the age of 88. Partridge graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1941. Later, he earned a master’s degree in education from Harvard University. During World War II, he rose to the rank of lieutenant and served as gunnery and catapult officer on the light cruisers Topeka and Columbia. He began his teaching and coaching career at Wilkes College in 1945. In 1955, Partridge joined the faculty and coaching staff at Kent School in Kent, Conn. He taught history and English before becoming director of athletics, retiring in 1990. Partridge is survived by his wife, Louise; daughter, Carol Pierce; son, Glenn; four grandchildren and one greatgranddaughter. Submitting Class Notes Send your news to The Colonel Connection at community.wilkes.edu. Or mail it to: Class Notes Wilkes Magazine WILKES | Fall 2007 84 W. South St. 32 Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766 Richard Thomas Rees ’62, 69, of Lakeland, Fla., died May 25. Born in Kingston, Pa., he graduated from Kingston High School and served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Rees held a bachelor of science degree from Wilkes, with a major in history and a minor in English. He also held a master’s degree and doctorate in Educational Administration from Rutgers University. Following a career as a high school teacher, coach and administrator, he spent 10 years as a professor at Montclair State University and Wilkes University. Since 1980, Dr. Rees was involved in health care human resource education and development. He was president of Rees and Associates Inc., a private consulting firm centering on learning technology, leadership development, team development and educational efficiencies, especially in small to mid-sized organizations. He is survived by wife Linda Weatherill Rees, son David William Rees, daughter Diane Lynn Rees Mikolon, all of Lakeland, Fla.; mother Anne Rees, sister Margaret A. Fetch of Kingston, Pa.; brother Morgan R. Rees of Naples, Fla.; and two grandsons. �then & now Recognize any of these mud-caked men? Tell us their names or reminisce about football seasons past at The Colonel Connection message boards, at community.wilkes.edu. Or send it to Wilkes Magazine, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766. PHOTO FROM WILKES ARCHIVES Corey Carter gets taken down by a Delaware Valley College Aggie during their September 2006 match-up.The Colonels ended the Aggies’ 22-game regular season winning streak with a 14-7 win. Cherry Blossom Festival 1976: The photo shows co-chairpersons Ginny Edwards and Jean Johnson. Richard “Charlie” Sullivan is believed to be in the center. Thanks go to Stanley Freeda ’80, Bernard Fagnani ’74 and Patty Cullinan Spinelli ’77. “I don’t think I ever saw a picture of Charlie where he wasn’t sandwiched between two girls,” recalls Spinelli. PHOTO BY WARREN RUDA �calendar of events September 15 November SummArt Painters Campus Art Auction, hosted by The John Wilkes Society, Sordoni Art Gallery TBA Alumni Mixer, Pittsburgh 5 Outstanding Leaders Forum, former Mexican President Vicente Fox, F.M. Kirby Center TBA Alumni Mixer, Arizona October TBA Alumni Mixer, Colorado 5-7 Homecoming/Reunion TBA Alumni Mixer, California w WILKES UNIVERSITY PHOTO BY MICHAEL P. TOUEY 7-15 Alumni trip to Costa Rica WILKES UNIVERSITY Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 For details on dates and locations, check www.wilkes.edu and The Colonel Connection! � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Magazine Fall 2007 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Alumni Magazine, 1947-present Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Description An account of the resource <p>An archive of Wilkes University Magazine, from 1947-present. The magazine went through various names including <em>Wilkes Alumnus</em>, <em>Wilkes Quarterly,</em> <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, and the current title, <em>Wilkes Magazine</em>. Some editions for the <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, will have multiple issues within the file record. Our holdings may be missing editions for certain years due to having no physical copy within the collection. </p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Wilkes University Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Wilkes University Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1947-present Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Magazine, Fall 2007 Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Marketing Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 2007 magazine Wilkes Magazine https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/2e7e5bc65b2a9e7b1608cf5db433c57c.pdf 9448fd6450fb235161e52d3ce2a9ed1a PDF Text Text FA L L 2 0 0 8 1933 - 2008 CELEBRATING 75 YEARS OF MEMORIES �Explore the power of learning The Emerging Leader: The High Potential Leadership Program The Next-Level Leader: Management Development Program The Strategic Executive: Executive Development Program Also Available: Results-Driven Consulting Solutions Enrolling now for fall! For course descriptions and schedule, visit www.wilkes.edu/sovereign For more information, contact: Erin Drew Director (570) 408-4253 (800) WILKES-U Ext. 4253 erin.drew@wilkes.edu Lead.Grow.Contribute. Sovereigncenter for leadership and management development W i l k es U n i v e r s i t y, W i l k es - B a r r e , P enns y lva n i a �FALL 2008 contents FEATURES 8 Devoted to Wilkes Wilkes icons Al Groh ’41 and Jane Lampe Groh say commitment to students marked the institution from its beginning 8 12 75 Years of Memories Alumni from all decades and across the United States share tales of their days at Bucknell University Junior College and Wilkes 17 Presidential Reflections Former presidents remember the trials and triumphs of leading Wilkes 19 How Well Do You Know Wilkes? Test your knowledge of history, people and trivia with this fun quiz 19 DEPARTMENTS 3 On Campus 12 6 Athletics 20 Alumni News 22 Class Notes On the cover: From its earliest days as Bucknell University Junior College, Wilkes has been devoted to providing personal attention to students. In this month’s issue, you’ll find reminiscences of alumni, faculty and staff. We hope they conjure up a few memories of your own. And we hope you’ll join us as we kick off the anniversary celebration at Homecoming 2008; look for details on page 21. FUTURE ISSUE Winter 2008 Environmental Initiatives Have a story idea to share? Contact us at wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu or Wilkes Magazine, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766. WILKES | Fall 2008 17 2 President’s Letter PHOTO COMPOSITE DESIGNED BY KARA REID 1 �president’s letter Here’s to the Next 75 Years! W t5cy~ lM WILKES WILKES | Fall 2008 WILKES MAGAZINE University President Dr. Tim Gilmour ILKES UNIVERSITY HAS WEATHERED MANY storms over the years – not just the catastrophic Agnes flood, but the challenges of the Depression, war and economic instability. It continues not only to survive but to thrive as both an educational institution and a vibrant member of the communities it serves. The University’s success stems from its unique and deep commitment to community.That commitment is what attracted me to Wilkes, and such commitment will define the quality of successful institutions in the future. Many initiatives have demonstrated this commitment over the years: engineering UNIVERSITY programs founded to support the region’s 1933-2008 electronics industry; pre-medicine, pharmacy and nursing programs vital to serving medical needs; environmental science studies crucial to healing scars left by mining; and graduate education to enhance K-12 teaching and administration.Wilkes is also committed to providing each undergraduate student with a strong foundation in the liberal arts and sciences, which are essential for success in a constantly changing world. I came to Wilkes because of its capacity to look beyond self-interest and because of the small classes that allow students to develop close relationships with faculty and staff mentors. And as we chart the course for the future, we remain faithful to these values. To succeed and flourish in the long-term, we must broaden our sense of whom we serve and where.We must grow to meet lifelong education needs through graduate and adult programs. As students’ needs University President Tim Gilmour PHOTO BY KIM BOWER-SPENCE change, we will need to change as well. Interest in web-based programs is exploding, especially as the energy crisis comes upon us, and we must be prepared to meet that demand. And we must continuously explore new academic opportunities, as we are with the law school. At the end of the day, we must offer a set of programs that balances the ups and downs of demand while increasing our profile and prominence in the region. However, our dedication to the student will not change. 2 FA L L 0 8 Dr. Tim Gilmour Wilkes University President Vice President for Advancement Michael Wood Editor Kim Bower-Spence Executive Editor Jack Chielli Associate Director, Marketing Communications Christine Tondrick ’98 Creative Services Mark Golaszewski Web Services Craig Thomas Graduate Assistant Shannon Curtin ’07 Layout/Design Quest Fore Printing Payne Printery Inc. EDITORIAL ADVISORY GROUP Anne Batory ’68 Brandie Meng M’08 Bill Miller ’81 George Pawlush ’69 Donna Sedor ’85 ALUMNI RELATIONS STAFF Executive Director Sandra Sarno Carroll Director Mirko Widenhorn Associate Director Michelle Diskin ’95 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OFFICERS President George Pawlush ’69 M’76 First Vice President Terrence Casey ’82 Second Vice President John Wartella ’84 Historian Colleen Gries Gallagher ’81 Secretary Bridget Giunta ’05 Wilkes magazine is published quarterly by the Wilkes University Office of Marketing Communications and Government Relations, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766, wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu, (570) 408-4764. Please send change of address to the above address. Wilkes University is an independent institution of higher education dedicated to academic and intellectual excellence in the liberal arts, sciences and professional programs. The university provides its students with the experience and education necessary for career and intellectual development as well as for personal growth, engenders a sense of values and civic responsibility, and encourages its students to welcome the opportunities and challenges of a diverse and continually changing world. The University enhances the tradition of strong student-faculty interactions in all its programs, attracts and retains outstanding people in every segment of the University, and fosters a spirit of cooperation, community involvement, and individual respect within the entire University. �on campus Celebrating the Class of 2008 More than 4,000 family and friends filled the Wachovia Arena on May 17 for the 61st annual spring commencement. President Tim Gilmour conferred 330 bachelor’s, 307 master’s and 71 doctor of pharmacy degrees. Former N.J. governor and chairman of the 9/11 Commission Thomas Kean delivered the keynote address. Kean is a friend and former colleague of Wilkes Trustee William Tremayne ’57. Four graduates were honored with distinguished awards for academic excellence and leadership. Accounting major Karl Kemmerer, biochemistry major Brynn Beaver and English major Angelina Teutonico received the Mabel Scott Wandell and Sterling Leroy Wandell Award for attaining the highest grade point averages in the graduating class. Beaver and Kemmerer both graduated summa cum laude with a 4.0 average, and Teutonico graduated summa cum laude with a 3.99. The Alumni Award for Leadership went to Kaitlin Taber-Miller, who graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor of arts in musical theatre.Taber-Miller served as an e-mentor and orientation leader and participated in two alternative spring break service trips abroad and to hurricane-ravaged New Orleans. Three Wilkes graduates were commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Air Force. Each graduate completed training at Wilkes’ Air Force ROTC Detachment 752. Lt. Michael Lewis became the first recipient of the Wilkes Flyboys Distinguished Graduate Award; he also received the AFROTC Distinguished Graduate Award. Graduates celebrated with more than 4,000 friends and family at Wachovia Arena. PHOTOS BY MICHAEL P. TOUEY The answer to CORRUPTION AND OPPORTUNISM is not to turn away or to complain about our problems but to ensure that the best and the most qualified and the most compassionate BECOME OUR LEADERS. – Thomas Kean The Wilkes University Chorus and Civic Band recently recorded a CD of traditional Wilkes songs. These songs, often played and sung at graduation and sports events but never before recorded, include the Alma Mater, Wilkes is in Town Again, the Touchdown Song and the Homecoming Song. A number of Wilkes alumni joined current Wilkes students in the production of the recording. The CD, which also includes recordings of other recent performances by the University Chorus and the Chamber Singers, will be available for purchase during Homecoming 2008, Oct. 3 to 5. For more information on the CD, please e-mail alumni@wilkes.edu. WILKES | Fall 2008 The Sounds of Wilkes PHOTO BY CHRISTINE TONDRICK 3 �on campus Law School Initiative Takes Step Forward With Hiring of Dean Loren Prescott Loren D. “Chip” Prescott Jr. took the reins as dean of the Wilkes University Law School Planning Initiative on June 1. Prescott, formerly vice dean and professor at Widener University School of Law, Harrisburg, Pa., leads efforts to investigate feasibility and develop plans for northeastern Pennsylvania’s first law school. Preliminary plans call for enrolling between 80 and 100 first-year students in fall 2010. “If feasible, the addition of a law school represents a great opportunity for the revitalization of Wilkes-Barre and the region.Wilkes’ mentoring culture is uniquely suited to training a new generation of attorneys skilled in the practice, not just the theory, of law,” said President Tim Gilmour. “Chip Prescott brings both experience and vision to this initiative.” As dean, Prescott will complete an in-depth market analysis of enrollment trends, look at parameters for a law school library, and develop a trailblazing curriculum. He is scheduled to submit plans for trustee consideration in April 2009. “The Wilkes Law School Initiative provides Wilkes University with a unique opportunity to serve the legal community in northeast Pennsylvania as it participates in the debate over the future of legal education,” Prescott says. “I look forward to working with my new colleagues at Wilkes and with the bench and bar in NEPA as we continue to pursue this important new project at Wilkes.” Job demand for lawyers remains strong, with starting salaries dependent on where and in what fields one practices, according to the Association of Legal Career Professionals. In addition, 90.7 percent of 2006 law school graduates for whom employment status was known were employed as of Feb. 15, 2007. The overall median starting salary reached $62,000, while the median compensation for private practice was $95,000. Prescott began his career as a certified public accountant, receiving a bachelor’s degree in business administration from University of Washington. He earned his juris doctor degree from Willamette University College of Law and a master of laws degree in taxation from University of Florida College of Law. He is currently a doctoral candidate in public administration at Penn State University. For more information on the law school initiative, contact Prescott at law@wilkes.edu or (800) WILKES-U Ext. 3220. Updates on progress will be posted at www.law.wilkes.edu. Loren “Chip” Prescott. PHOTO BY MARK GOLASZEWSKI WILKES | Fall 2008 Mystery Newspaper Inspires Online Archive 4 contains portable document format (pdf) files of nearly all Beacon editions from 1936 through 1970. Did you know that the first campus newspaper was called the Bison Stampede? His goal is to archive the remaining issues from Neither did University archivist Harold Cox until last year, when he sorted 1971 to 2000. Since 2001, the Beacon has been through the meticulously organized files of the late Norma Sangiuliano Tyburski, dean of women for Bucknell University Junior College. In “Sangy’s” automatically archived online. To help build the archive, Cox asks any alumni files was one copy of the mysterious newspaper. or friends of the university who may have old Cox decided to investigate if additional copies existed.“I had my doubts after issues of the newspaper to contact him at talking with George Ralston,” says Cox.“Even he hadn’t heard of the Bison harold.cox@wilkes.edu. To browse Stampede.” Cox then contacted his Bucknell University counterpart, who and download editions of the confirmed the existence of the newspaper and had in Bison Stampede and Beacon, visit her possession all 13 printed copies. The Bison Staropede http://beaconarchives.wilkes.edu. Inspired by the discovery, Cox set out to archive all editions of the Wilkes Beacon. Six months later, Cox launched an online, searchable database that �on campus Prestigious $1 Million Grant Will Bolster Biology at Wilkes “Super labs,” new faculty, and a beefed-up curriculum preparing students for emerging science careers are among improvements biology majors will soon notice, thanks to a $1 million grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. “Anyone graduating with a Wilkes biology degree can take pride in this award,” says Mike Steele, chair of biology and primary author of the grant. “This recognition by HHMI shows Wilkes is continuing to develop and grow.” HHMI invited 224 of the country’s top colleges and universities to apply for the science education funding and awarded only 48 grants “to the nation’s best undergraduate institutions,” according to HHMI. Wilkes will use the grant to strengthen students’ abilities in mathematics, physical sciences and computer science so they can integrate these disciplines into life sciences. New “super labs” will immerse students in research for 10 days between their sophomore and junior years. Students will have more opportunity for laboratory and research experience thanks to a $1 million grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. These students are tracking songbirds along the Susquehanna River. PHOTO BY KIM BOWER-SPENCE “There is nothing like this in the area,” Steele says. “This kind of requirement is very unusual at the undergraduate level.” Eileen Sharp, coordinator for health sciences professional programs, adds: “The science research and laboratory opportunities available for Wilkes students helps them learn strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills so necessary in a health care career and gives them an advantage over students applying to health professions programs from other undergraduate institutions.” NEW TRUSTEES JOIN BOARD The nation’s first female secretary of state and an environmental innovator will each present lectures at Wilkes University this fall. • Madeleine K.Albright, U.S. secretary of state in the Clinton administration and principal of global strategy firm The Albright Group LLC, will present the annual Outstanding Leaders Forum lecture at 8 p.m.Tuesday, Nov. 18, in the F.M. Kirby Center. Forum proceeds provide scholarships for promising business students at the Jay S. Sidhu School of Business and Leadership. • Electrical engineer Martin Eberhard re-invented the electric car into a sexy roadster that has the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Larry Page lining up to buy one, even with its six-figure price tag.The car went into production earlier this year. The founder and former CEO of Tesla Motors delivers the Allan P. Kirby Lecture in Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 1, in the Darte Center. Madeleine Albright. PHOTO COURTESY OF WASHINGTON SPEAKERS BUREAU The Kirby lecture is free and open to the public. For more information on either lecture, contact Rebecca Van Jura at (570) 408-4306 or rebecca.vanjura@wilkes.edu. The University Board of Trustees has elected four new trustees: • The Rev. Michael E. Brewster is senior pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church, Wilkes-Barre. Brewster became pastor of Mt. Zion in 2004, after serving as interim pastor for one year. • Daniel J. Cardell ’79 is an investment manager from Chicago. A chartered financial analyst, Cardell was recently named president and chief investment officer of Wayne Hummer Asset Management. • Carol Kotlowski Keup ’89 of Kingston, Pa., serves as chief executive officer of Valley Distributing and Storage Company, a privately owned third-party logistics provider with 90 employees in Wilkes-Barre and Scranton. • Hedy Wrightson Rittenmeyer ’72 of Plano, Texas, is a member of the board of directors of The Bridge Breast Network, a nonprofit organization. She is also helping start a therapeutic horsemanship center in Nicholson Township, Pa. Trustee Jay S. Sidhu M’73, former chairman and CEO of Sovereign Bank, currently chairs the board. WILKES | Fall 2008 Madeleine Albright and Environmental Innovator Highlight Fall Lectures 5 �athletics Wilkes Legends THREE HALL OF FAMERS LEAVE AN INDELIBLE MARK ON ATHLETICS By Reid R. Frazier Left to right: John Reese, Doris Saracino and Rollie Schmidt influenced students well beyond the bounds of sport. WILKES | Fall 2008 O 6 NE WAS A LEGENDARY wrestling coach.Another made sure that women, too, could have their turn on the field or court. And another went four years without losing a single game. For decades, John Reese, wrestling coach and athletic director, Doris “Dorie” Saracino, women’s coach and athletic administrator, and Rollie Schmidt, football coach, were Wilkes athletics. Those who played for them say the lessons they learned extended far beyond the bounds of sport. Wrestling Preparedness John Reese was the wrestling coach at Wilkes for 42 years, the longest tenure of any coach at any school in the country, and if you were to ask him how he managed to win 500 matches, two national titles, and go undefeated five times, his answer would be pretty simple.“I prepared,” says Reese, of Kingston, Pa.“Every night after I ate, I’d go upstairs and take my cue cards and get ready for the next practice. Every practice I ran was organized, and I think the kids knew that.” After taking over the program in 1953, Reese built a wrestling powerhouse that tangled with, and often beat, much bigger schools. His most memorable win? At Navy, 1973.Wilkes’ 150-pounder clinched the match by pinning his opponent “on the anchor” — the iconic Navy emblem in the center of the home team’s mat.“It was unbelievable,” remembers Reese, who became a member of eight �athletics Blazing Trails for Women When Dorie Saracino came to Wilkes as a physical education instructor in 1960, women’s athletics consisted of a basketball team that practiced two days a week, and not much else.That soon changed. She coached the basketball team and started a field hockey team. Under Saracino’s guidance, the school eventually added several others.“The women needed something. The women wanted to play,” Saracino, of Kingston, says. Saracino was active on women’s intercollegiate athletics committees with the Mid-Atlantic Conference and NCAA. Representing Wilkes, she voted to include women’s athletics under the NCAA umbrella, granting equal footing for female athletics at small schools like Wilkes. She also coached volleyball from 1975 to 1989. At 4 feet 10 inches, she is “a giant in women’s athletics,” remembers Dotty Martin ’77, a newspaper editor with the Times-Leader in Wilkes-Barre who played basketball. “In my opinion, she is Wilkes women’s athletics,” says Candice Cates Zientek ’71, a professor of exercise science at Shippensburg University. Zientek, of Fayetteville, Pa., adds,“She had a tireless enthusiasm for women’s athletics. She’d work so hard, it would make you want to work hard.” A Golden Career Rollie Schmidt was not one to give rousing halftime lectures to his football teams.“He didn’t have to say a lot,” remembers former Wilkes guard Bill Hanbury ’72, now chief executive officer of the convention bureau of Washington, D.C., where he lives. “We were so well-prepared that by the time the game started, everybody knew what they had to do.” ' In my opinion, she is Wilkes women’s athletics. She had a TIRELESS ENTHUSIASM for women’s athletics. She’d work so hard, it would make you WANT TO WORK HARD. '' - Candice Cates Zientek ’71, Professor of Exercise Science, Shippensburg University Schmidt, who coached the team from 1962 to 1981, amassed a record of 92-73, including a stretch in which the “Golden Horde” won 32 games in a row over five seasons. For three seasons, the team was 8-0. His teams won five conference championships and two Lambert Bowls. Schmidt also coached baseball and golf. “The two catch phrases he had all over the locker room were ‘pride’ and ‘poise,’” says Garfield Jones ’72, a regional vice president for InTouch Health, a medical robotics company.“If you’re prepared, you’re never out of it,” says the Shavertown, Pa., resident. He adds that many games were won in the last quarter or last few plays. A case in point stands out as Schmidt’s most memorable game. In 1966, Lebanon Valley and Wilkes were tied 7-7. LV scored and then missed the extra point, and Wilkes recovered the ball on the 20-yard line. Just one second remained, with 80 yards to go. Quarterback Joe Zakowski ’70 threw a Hail Mary pass. The intended receiver fumbled, but the ball bounced off the shoulder of Paul Purta ’67, who caught it and made the touchdown. WILKES | Fall 2008 halls of fame, including the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1999. Reese also brought home Wilkes’ first national championship in school history, in 1974. “He taught us perseverance,” says Ron Miller ’93, an instructional designer from Woodbridge,Va., who wrestled and coached for Reese. “It wasn’t necessarily about the winning, it was about the effort we put into it.” 7 �Devoted toWILKES AL AND JANE LAMPE GROH SAY COMMITMENT TO STUDENTS MARKED THE INSTITUTION FROM ITS BEGINNING By Kim Bower-Spence A L GROH’S ASSOCIATION WITH Wilkes spans every decade of its 75-year existence. He arrived on the campus of Bucknell University Junior College as a student in 1939, returned less than a decade later to teach at BUJC, Wilkes College and Wilkes University, and still maintains a close relationship and affection for the institution that gave him not only an education but a career, a mission — and wife Jane Lampe Groh. The Wilkes-Barre native and 1941 BUJC graduate recalls walking by the fledgling institution’s buildings on his way to Boy Scouts. His parents encouraged him to attend the local junior college. Classes, each with about 20 students, took place in the original Conyngham Hall, lost to fire in 1968. Groh helped pay his way by working on the maintenance staff. “One of the things I did was clean the gutters on Chase Hall.” After studying English, speech, drama, economics, sociology and music at BUJC, Groh and fellow student Muriel Rees enrolled at Syracuse University Al and Jane Groh still live in the Kingston, Pa., home where they were married in 1977. PHOTO BY MARK GOLASZEWSKI 1933 1934 Bucknell opens junior college BUJC takes over 1935 Director John Eisenhauer Eugene Farley resigns becomes director entire former Business College WILKES | Fall 2008 building First issue of Bison Stampede First issue of is published Bucknell Beacon published School anthem is published 8 �with the help of Norma Sanguiliano, then dean of women and director of thespians at BUJC. “She drove us up and introduced us to the campus” — a six-hour trek in 1941. Groh majored in English, journalism, radio and theater. With World War II brewing, Groh had enlisted in the service before heading off to Syracuse. He was called up the March before his scheduled graduation; he and other soldiers received their degrees on time anyway. Groh flew 50 missions as an engineer gunner in the U.S. Air Force stationed in Foggia, Italy, in 1943-44. Upon his return to Wilkes-Barre, Groh worked at his father’s Studebaker dealership for a year. Then Sanguiliano asked him to replace her as BUJC’s director of theater when she left to marry. A garage behind Chase Hall — a replica of the stately mansion — served as the theater for his production of Barretts of Wimpole Street, depicting the real-life romance of poets Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning. Groh began teaching English, speech and theater at Wilkes in 1948 and never left. Groh recalls enthusiastic support from the community, with local shops donating costumes and citizens attending performances.The Wilkes-Barre Kiwanis Club sponsored musicals from the 1950s through the 1970s. Groh spearheaded efforts to build the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts, completed in 1965. What is a dream but a man’s life As he would want it to be, That shapes itself through all his days In the Light of Eternity. In 1952, he organized the first annual United Nationalities Pageant. He wrote the script and recruited Trustee Annette Evans to narrate the event – From A College is Built in the Image of Truth, celebrating Wilkes-Barre’s written for Eugene S. Farley by Al Groh, 1957 unique blend of ethnicities. was that he talked a little bit about the “We wanted to emphasize the strengths college, and then he talked extensively of each of these ethnic groups and about the students.That just hit me right preserve their customs and costumes and between the eyes.This is the kind of place food,” Groh explains. “I thought it was I wanted to be.” important for people of different faiths An interview on campus with George and backgrounds to work cooperatively Ralston “iced the cake,” she continues. together.” “You couldn’t help but absorb that The first program featured songs and pervasive commitment.” dances from the Jewish,African American, Groh and Lampe married in 1977 in Greek, Swedish, Syrian, Slovak, Irish, the living room of the Kingston, Pa., Italian, Polish, Lithuanian, Welsh and home they still share. Al retired in 1987; Russian communities. It opened with the Jane in 1997. But they’ve maintained Star-Spangled Banner and closed with close ties and boast a strong affection for America the Beautiful. The effort continues the institution. today as the Fine Arts Fiesta, held each Groh’s pride in Wilkes and the value of May on Public Square. education shines through in his prolific Wilkes’ commitment to embracing and poetry, which he started writing in ninth respecting all faiths and nationalities was grade. His work fills four books and one of the things that attracted Jane includes verses celebrating occasions like Lampe to Wilkes in 1969. Wilkes anniversaries, colleagues’ birthdays She had worked at colleges in Illinois and each Fine Arts Fiesta.“I don’t write as and Massachusetts and was attending a frequently as I used to, but I write for an conference in Atlanta when Farley occasion or event.” interviewed her for dean of women. “I But Lampe Groh adds:“He’s still filling was struck by the fact that the president lots of notebooks.” would be interviewing people,” she says. “What impressed me about Dr. Farley Admiral Harold Stark New BUJC Alumni Association donates family home, organizes first outing now Chase Hall donates her home, which becomes the first college-owned HQ 6th Training Detachment, building Aircrew, unit activated (Flyboys) WILKES | Fall 2008 Bertha Conyngham 9 �• CROMWELL THOMAS • ROBERT DEYOUNG • GERTRUDE DOANE • CHARLOTTE LORD • SAM ROSENBERG • LESTER TUROCZI • CATHERINE BONE WILKES My Reminiscence • DORIS SARACINO • • • • • • • • • The school was small When I was young and could not know But the standards were high What I’d grow up to be WELTON FARRAR Students learned to write Or what I’d do, or where I’d go With the who, what, when, where, why One place shaped and molded me And were encouraged to be leaders In those early formative years JOE SALSBURG With a vision and a prayer Where Dr. Eugene Farley repeatedly told And a harvest of dreams, Faculty, colleagues, and students TOM RICHARDS With a challenge to explore and accept new themes The mind should be open not controlled And new ideas with the expectation they will last. BEN FlESTER Above all to try From its inception the College played a prominent role To help others help themselves achieve In cultural and community affairs JOHN REESE Not just get by Earning the Valley the right To be known as the Valley with the heart that cares TOM BIGLER Among them Shelley Freeman, Dan Kopen, Jack Lambert Leadership makes changes that matter Jack Ellis, Bill Crowder, David Greenwald, Joel Fischman And never forsakes those who are troubled Liz Slaughter, Mary Russin, Cathy DeAngelis, David Frey For those who flatter OWENFAUT A university’s strength is the way it addresses As Coach, Counselor, Conscience, and Dean, George Ralston taught us Those in need SYLVIA “Plan your work and work your plan” And helps them help themselves DWORSKI And encouraged students Grow and succeed To be guided by the Faculty’s Marks of an Educated Man ANNE To be open to all ideas Such as the Labor-Management-Citizens Committee Wherever they appear The Institute of Municipal Government, Fine Arts Fiesta LIVA And to face challenges The United Way, Martin Luther King Jr. Committee for Social Justice Without prejudice or fear The Peace Center, Joint Urban Studies Center • PHIL Original Weckesser Hall becomes first dormitory, Wilkes College housing 16 female students formed WILKES | Fall 2008 First 10 Flyboy unit football Eugene Farley deactivated game inaugurated as first president Cheerleading squad formed Military band Colonels adopted as organized athletic nickname �• VORIS B. HALL • FRANK DAVIES • JOHN WHITBY • JOHN CHWALEK • CATHAL O'TOOLE • HAL THATCHER• GEORGEELLIOT• MILLIE GITTENS• ART HOOVER• HAROLD COX • BILL GASBARRO· DICK CHAPLINE • HUGO MAILEY· CHARLES REIF • KONSTANTIN SYMMONS SYMONOLEWICZ• GRACEKIMBALL • KLAUS HOLM • ROBERTAND PATRICIAHEAMAN • NORMA SANGIULIANO Trustees, Colleagues, Alumni, and Friends Like Judge Rosenn, Genevieve Todd Brennan, Clayton Karambelas, Arnaud Marts Secured scholarships and funds For facilities for sports, learning and living, and the arts Acknowledging that education needs proper working tools To build a stronger land for freedom Where conscience rules • UMID NEJIB • BOB RILEY • GENE HAMMER We thank Admiral Harold Stark, Gilbert McClintock, the Kirby family The Sordoni family, Dorothy Dickson Darte, the Conyngham family Annette Evans, Tom Shelburne, Frank Henry, Jay Sidhu, Charles Miner, Gene Roth, Frederick and Ann Weckesser, George Fenner, Geraldine Nesbitt Orr Presidents Farley, Michelini, Capin, Breiseth, Gilmour Whose Faculty, Colleagues, and Friends helped Wilkes reach its 75th year: Your commitment to education at Wilkes Set the standard for students studying here With a challenge from the past to explore new themes With a vision and a prayer And a harvest of dreams To stretch the mind’s dimension And to seek surprise Is to take the journey That leads us to be wise •JOE BELLUCCI • RALPH ROZELLE • JIM RODECHKO • MARY CRAIG • STANKOVUJICA • STANLEY GUTIN ALFRED S. GROH ’41 PROFESSOR EMERITUS Groh acknowledges some of the faculty and staff with whom he was privileged to work during his many years at Wilkes. John Reese appointed wrestling coach First Wilkes graduates Gilbert McClintock Wilkes Gymnasium diplomas opened donates home WILKES | Fall 2008 receive 11 �The War Years In early autumn of 1943, Pennsylvania high school seniors were offered a test to enable them to skip their last year of high school to enter college. George Ralston was my football and basketball coach at Forty Fort High School. Eighteen of us from the Wyoming Valley high schools passed the test and entered Bucknell Junior College as freshmen. I was one of two from Forty Fort High.We had one girl in the group. The theater was the Chase Hall garage or carriage house.We were directed to always refer to it as the theater, never as the garage. The student body was primarily young women, since most males of college age were already in the armed forces. At age 16, I was one of the few males on campus. There were some informal social events such as tea dances in Chase Hall.As I recall, there were off-campus events such as a prom, but there were not enough students to make much of a difference. Also, most of us were concentrating on making good grades, lived at home, and commuted to Bucknell on the trolley. There were some good athletes among the few males on campus, but most intercollegiate sports were a wartime casualty. The nearby YMCA was the center of athletics for BUJC, and we played an informal basketball schedule with local high schools. The strength of the Bucknell Junior College, in my opinion, was the administration of Dr. Eugene Farley and an outstanding faculty. I have learned from other sources that Bucknell University, like many others in wartime, was 75 YEARS of Memories AS WILKES UNIVERSITY CELEBRATES ANOTHER MILESTONE, ALUMNI, FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATORS SHARE THEIR STORIES Five-story Glen Stark Hall Golden Horde era Alden building Artillery Park is expansion begins with football (Parrish Hall) leased for athletics opens team’s 34-0 defeat WILKES | Fall 2008 purchased 12 of Ursinus Stark Hall opens Darte Center for the Performing Arts dedicated First three master’s degrees awarded Ralston Field hosts first athletic contest �under extreme financial pressure, and transferred seven faculty members to BUJC to reduce costs. In doing so, BUJC was on the way to success. The faculty included Drs. Charles Reif, Paul Geis, Daniel Gage and Mary Craig. I am slighting some others, since as a liberal arts major I avoided science and math classes that were not requirements. I do recall Dr. Reif telling his class that overpopulation and destruction of the environment would affect our futures. He was an outstanding prophet as well as a teacher. He also did considerable research of nearby Harvey’s Lake. Over the years, I have enjoyed the alumni magazine articles about “Sangy’s girls,” my classmates of that era. By 1944, there were few males on campus. Poor Norma Sanguiliano was so desperate for a male lead for a play she directed that she cast me in the role. I had little interest in the show, and my performance was mediocre at best. It was apparent that BUJC was barely hanging on financially. There were no male high school graduates to fill classes, and many girls passed up on college to fill jobs that earlier had been the province of boys. Fortunately for BUJC, the college obtained a government contract to train Army Air Force cadets going into pilot training. The happy cadets on campus convinced me that my future was in the Air Force, and I unwisely enlisted in the reserve at age 17, passing up on all the free college alternatives available through the other services, in particular the Navy. Dr. Paul Geis was also an influence, since he offered me part-time employment correcting the papers of cadet navigators. Also, I wanted to enter the service as soon as possible, as I was afraid that I would miss the war if I did not act promptly. This may sound as strange reasoning today; but in those times, it was common thinking of most of the young people I knew. – Arthur C. Williams ’44, Sacramento, Calif. Testing Honor Academic life at BUJC was an excellent experience for me because I had the opportunity to demonstrate that when called upon to do the job, I could meet the challenge.This experience proved that a college career was not beyond my ability, so it was a great confidence builder for me. In all of our classes, it was understood that if there was a test, the teacher had to leave the room. This was part of the honor code. Another part was that if you saw anyone abusing the honor code, that person must be reported. I strongly supported the honor code; if a person could not be trusted in class, then how could that person be trusted to carry out an assigned and necessary task when not supervised? In the classrooms at BUJC, I did not see any abuses of the honor code. I loved Bucknell University Junior College and gained great confidence as a result of my experiences there. Our obligations to Wilkes and the U.S. Army Air Corps were just the ticket for dedicated and enthusiastic young men. BUJC was given a tremendous responsibility in educating its youthful cadets. In taking care of them, it accepted the responsibility and completed its obligation with an earnest commitment to the nation, the boys and the army. – John Agren, East Providence, R.I. (Flyboy) Music Professor Paul Geis First newly constructed Farley Library opens Original Conyngham Hall burns WILKES | Fall 2008 Music Building opens at Darte Center dormitory, Pickering Hall, opens 13 �From Music to Medicine I started when it was Bucknell Junior College. At the time, there were only two women on campus: myself and Dorothy Pickering. I was a student in the fine arts program, taking classes in voice, piano and organ. I took my first science class, with Dr. Charles Reif.A few weeks into the semester,he approached me and said,“Dorothy,I have heard you play and may I say, I think you are very good ... at science.” Later, I would go on to become the first woman president of the pre-med club at the school. It was tough for women to get into medical school at this time, mostly because space was limited and the schools were concerned about a woman being able to commit the time to the work involved in becoming a doctor, instead of committing Doris Gorka Bartuska themselves to raising a family. It was at the urging of Dr. Reif that I did pursue my studies in medicine at what was then called the Women’s Medical School of Philadelphia, today known as Drexel University. I recall the day I graduated from the school. As I was walking up the aisle after having accepted my diploma, I noticed a rather tall man standing there, and as I got closer I noticed it was Dr. Farley. He had driven down to Philadelphia to attend the service and congratulate me. – Doris Gorka Bartuska, M.D. ’49, Philadelphia, Pa. An All-Male Musical Thinking back on my undergraduate years at Wilkes, many things come to mind. The campus itself had a total of three buildings, many of us lived close enough to walk to class, and in the event you bumped into Dr. Farley and you were not wearing your tie, he made sure you knew he noticed. I relished being on the first wrestling and tennis teams and cocaptain and coach of the first swimming team, which met at the local YMCA.And I have many fond memories of the presentations I took part in with the thespians on campus. One unforgettable production was titled All in Fun. It was an all-male musical with words and music written by the students and the professors! The Irem Temple was the venue for the event.A summer was not complete without a picnic at Dr. Farley’s farm. And Dean Ralston coached some of the most astounding football teams, even going as far as driving the teams where they had to go to compete. Since 1949, this campus, with the guidance of some fine presidents and working boards, has undergone a metamorphosis that is remarkable.And despite our growing number and schools of learning, we hope to keep this family feeling, enabling us to help each other and Wilkes University to continue prospering into the 21st century. – Clayton Karambelas ’49, Kingston, Pa. Dinner and Tea With the Farleys I came from a very small high school in Waymart; in fact, we had only 34 students in the class, so it was quite exciting to begin going to Wilkes. I remember there were a lot of veterans going to school at the time I was there. One of my fondest memories of the school has to be the dinners and teas the Farleys would hold at Kirby Hall.They believed it was very important that the students not just study but also socialize outside of the classroom. So every once in a while, Dr. Farley and his wife, Eleanor, would invite some of us over for dinner. Of course, you found yourself having to be on your best behavior; Dr. Farley would expect nothing less. The campus was a very active one; the school would hold dances at St. Stephen’s Church in Wilkes-Barre with either a band or a D.J. Of course,we would go to the theater and other places,both with students and faculty.You always had the sense that faculty was there to help you, both in and out of the classroom; it really was like one big family. – Barbara Medland Farley ’50, Noxen, Pa. (Dr. and Mrs. Farley’s daughter-in-law) Francis Michelini becomes president Stark expansion completed Hahnemann WILKES | Fall 2008 program for pre-medicine Robert Capin begins becomes president Agnes Flood 14 �An Unexpected Turn In the spring of 1964, as I was prepared to graduate with a degree in history and a minor in education, I was summoned to the office of Dr. Eugene Hammer, head of the education department. Dr. Hammer asked me if I had ever considered teaching in a private school. My honest answer was “no.” I fully expected to teach in a public school, but was resigned to the fact that I would probably have to leave the area. The headmaster of Wyoming Seminary Day School (now Wyoming Seminary Lower School in Forty Fort) had contacted Dr. Hammer looking for someone to teach history. Dr. Hammer recommended me, and I went to the interview. Several days later, I was offered the position at what I thought was an insultingly low salary. The reality of securing a history position in 1964 was bleak. So with some trepidation, I accepted the Seminary position, which included free housing, room and board in one of the dormitories in Kingston. I assumed that I would stay a year or two and then move on to a secondary position. I found the teaching conditions at the day school almost ideal, with small classes, enthusiastic students and supportive parents. I spent 11 years at the day school, moving quickly into an administrative position. In 1976, I moved to Vero Beach, Fla., to become head of St. Edward’s Lower School. I remained at St. Edward’s until my retirement in 2004. My 39-year career stemmed directly from that conversation with Dr. Hammer. – Robert Bond ’64,Vero Beach, Fla. A Flood of Memories I have a lot of different feelings about the time of the Agnes Flood in the summer of 1972. At the time, I had decided to spend the time between my junior and senior year at Wilkes on campus. I took a summer job as an RA (resident assistant) and had signed up for a couple of classes, never expecting to find myself in The Agnes flood devastated campus in 1972. the middle of a natural disaster. I can still remember working with other volunteers down along the river, as we were packing sandbags and doing whatever we could to keep the water out. Then came the call to leave, get out of the area. I was very impressed with the way the town’s people welcomed me and other students into their homes and lives during that time. Finally, the water went down and we returned to campus. I recall wading through the mud and thinking about the loss and damage to these great homes and buildings. I was working with the director of housing at Wilkes, Don Yost, and spending days cleaning dorms, pushing out the flood mud, washing down walls and throwing out that which could not be salvaged.Then in the evenings, I would go to friends’ houses in the Pittston area and spend time helping them clean up. During the whole experience, I was amazed by the spirit of the people on campus and in the area, how they came together in such difficult times. – Glen Flack ’73, Delran, N.J. Honored to be Back My years at the college (and it was Wilkes College then!) saw many changes and adjustments, especially as a result of the flood of 1972. Prior to the flood in my freshman year, I remember having classes in the auditorium of the beautiful church on Northampton and South Franklin streets. I have many memories of eating lunch and hanging out at the “commons,” the eatery for commuter students which is no longer there. One of my history classes was in a small one-story building (also removed), next to the commons. The present library was a popular place to study and to socialize with other commuters. Now some 30 plus years later, I am back at Wilkes as an instructor in the ESL (English as a Second Language) program.While walking through the campus, I am able to Series established Evans Hall Chapman and opened Parrish halls Housing in and Guidance Sterling Hotel Center sold discontinued WILKES | Fall 2008 Rosenn Lecture 15 �witness the progress and observe the many improvements that have occurred throughout the years. I feel honored to have lived through part of its history and to be here on campus getting a feel for its future! – Anita (Miller) Williams ’75, Forty Fort, Pa. A Time for Breakthroughs As a Wilkes College student, I had the unique opportunity to view the world in a wider sense – to learn from the experiences of my professors and fellow students. These experiences allowed me to gain information that helped me develop skills and competence, and broaden my knowledge in many areas. They helped me build a foundation from which I have built a satisfying and meaningful career. Developing strong mentoring relationships were important to my success. Reflecting upon my undergraduate years, I can identify many examples where mentoring played a key role in enriching my educational experiences. For example, Alex Pawlenok, my advisor, persuaded me to persevere when I wanted to throw my accounting book out the fifth-floor window of Parrish Hall. Dr. Bradford Kinney helped me develop critical thinking skills and to organize and communicate in a clear and concise way. Having the opportunity to practice much of what I learned in the classroom was important to my development. Being elected junior class president gave me the first opportunity to work with a team of people of diverse backgrounds and skill sets. – Colleen M. Gries Gallagher ’81, Bridgewater, N.J. Rallying the Colonels One memory that stands out in my mind is the afternoon that a huge group of Wilkes students met at the Marts Center.We were all dressed up in blue and gold and we marched down to King’s Bob Wachowski College for their homecoming basketball game. The Wilkes stands were filled with fans that did not sit down and did not stop making noise from tip-off till the final buzzer. Another sport, another parade! Again, meeting at the Marts Center, a caravan of cars and a huge flying W float paraded through the streets of Wilkes-Barre (without a permit) and traveled to the King’s football field. The year was 1993 and the football team was 9-0 going into the final regular-season game. Wilkes fans were seated on both sides of the field, and again they were up and cheering the entire game. – Robert “Colonel Bob” Wachowski ’89, ’94,York, Pa. Preparing for Game Day Looking back and trying to put my finger on the fondest memory I have, one spot on campus always comes to mind: Ralston Field and the Munson Field House. I loved it there! I loved the preparation: a Sunday ice bath to take the edge off the previous football game, the sound the TV made when you turned it on, working with coaches and teammates. Returning to the field on Tuesday for a full-contact practice, I wanted to take advantage of every snap. Game day or practice was always the same speed. I have vivid memories of the work we did and the price we paid. No Saturday ever came without six days of preparation. Graduation was great, and my mother cried, but I would not have walked across the stage if I did not get the tools to succeed from the game that I love and that has given me so much! – J.J. Fadden ’99, Boston, Mass. Burns Bell Tower and Carillon dedicated Marts Center multipurpose WILKES | Fall 2008 building opens 16 Christopher Breiseth becomes president Wilkes becomes a university �History Professor Looks Back I am the last active faculty member on campus who worked with Dr. Farley and along the way has enjoyed the pleasure of working with some of the best faculty members Wilkes has ever seen. I include in the list people such as Dr. Charles Reif, who many referred to as the mayor of Butler Hall. In the day that single faculty members still lived on campus, Dr. Reif and others shared Butler Hall as living quarters, Harold Cox and he earned the title of mayor when he posted a roster outlining times for bathroom use by those staying in Butler. Dr. Harold Thatcher went under the name “Harry the Hatchet” and put himself through school playing the piano at silent movies. Staff member Millie Gittens came to the school in 1941 and went on to run the bookstore for years while still finding time to work with students in their plays. These are just some of the examples of the types of people that Dr. Farley brought to Wilkes, and he expected them to do more than just teach students in a classroom, that the educational experience was more that just information in books. Dr. Farley demanded that the faculty have a loyalty to both the school and the students, and he encouraged them, the faculty, to take a personal interest in the learning and growth of the students. Presidential Reflections – Harold Cox, Ph.D., University archivist and professor emeritus – Compiled by Mark Thomas ’82 and Kim Bower-Spence Want to continue the discussion? Only five men have led this institution through all its 75 years – through depression and war and flood, as well as social and demographic changes. Here are their remembrances: Francis J. Michelini 1970-1975 My Wilkes experience started in 1955, when I joined the faculty as the third full-time member of the thengrowing biology department. Dr. Farley made it very clear that the mission of Wilkes was to bring all people together, that it was a school where the individual worth and accomplishments of the student were most important. He also expected the faculty to impact the community and do more than just teach the students directly from some textbook. I would become the first president to rise through the ranks of Wilkes, starting in 1963, when I became the dean of academic affairs, to the time that I would succeed Dr. Farley. The transition from Dr. Farley into my administration was made easier when he was appointed chancellor at Share your stories at The Colonel Connection: community.wilkes.edu. Classroom and Office Building (Breiseth Hall) opens John Wilkes statue dedicated for Free Enterprise Shelburne Telecommunications and Entrepreneurship Center dedicated established WILKES | Fall 2008 Allen P. Kirby Center School of Pharmacy launches 17 �Wilkes and took on the critical role of fund raising. Having Dr. Farley in this position allowed my administration to focus on academic and curricular program reviews.The academic administrative structure took the form of three newly created divisions: humanities, social sciences and science. New interdisciplinary initiatives were encouraged. Just as this came into place, the Agnes Flood hit in 1972, and Wilkes had to move into a survival mode.The community came together to pull off this tremendous rebuilding effort. Robert Capin 1975-1984 My primary responsibility as president was to balance the budget while rebuilding the campus after the Agnes flood of 1972. I inherited several problems that required constant attention. First, of course, was the cost of rebuilding. Dr. Michelini led the rebuilding project from 1972 to 1975. However, the college was several million dollars in debt after rebuilding. Of course, all the time we were involved in the cleanup I was still charged with putting the college back on its feet both physically and financially. Academically it was also a difficult period because of the impact of the flood and the related costs for the college, students and their families. Despite all these challenges, the quality of our academic programs remained high. COB renamed Breiseth Hall Christopher N. Breiseth 1984-2001 I was the first outsider to become president since Dr. Farley himself. We made a serious commitment to community service during my time at Wilkes. I was active in a group called Campus Compact, involving college presidents to guide students into community service both locally and nationally. Wilkes students were soon not only helping others in the Wyoming Valley but also using spring vacations to help with hurricane relief efforts in Florida and elsewhere. I was impressed and proud of the dedication of Wilkes faculty. Physically, the campus was transformed. We invested nearly $50 million to renovate the wonderful old buildings but also to build several new structures: the Marts Center, the Henry Student Building and Breiseth Hall. We also renovated and expanded facilities at Ralston Field. The Fenner Quadrangle created a campus environment, including the statue of John Wilkes, which is one of my most pleasurable contributions. In addition, the endowment increased from about $2 million to $25 million. – Compiled by Mark Thomas ’82 Jay S. Sidhu School of Business and Leadership Joseph “Tim” Gilmour launches becomes president WILKES | Fall 2008 Joint Urban Studies 18 Center opens Student Center, later First Outstanding named for Frank and Leaders Forum held Dorothea Henry, opens �HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW WILKES? Test Your Knowledge With This Quiz 1. The creation of Bucknell Junior College was largely the work of whom? a. Frank G. Davis b. Eugene Farley c. Charles Pickering 7. What year was Wilkes incorporated as Wilkes College? a. 1945 b. 1947 c. 1951 13. What was the first building to be deeded to BUJC? a. Chase Hall b. Weber Hall c. Conyngham Hall 2. How many students attended BUJC on the first day of classes? a. 95 b. 148 c. 210 8. What is the name of Wilkes’ literary magazine? a. The Beacon b. The Colonel c. Manuscript 14. Which detachment of the Air Force ROTC is located at Wilkes? a. Detachment 668 b. Detachment 752 c. Detachment 418 3. Where was the first class taught? a. Second floor of Kirby Hall b. Third floor of the Wilkes-Barre Business College c. The Farley farmhouse 9. In 1961, Wilkes got national recognition on what news program? a. The Tonight Show c. Paul Harvey’s The Rest of the Story c. NBC’s Today Show 15. What year did Wilkes become a university? a. 1989 b. 1991 c. 1994 4. When the dramatic society was first formed in 1934, where did practice take place? a. Little Theater of Wilkes-Barre b. The Paramount c. The college basement 10. What is the name of Wilkes’ newspaper? a. The Wilkes Record b. The Beacon c. The Bulletin 16. Who is the only alumnus to become president of Wilkes? a. There have been none. b. Robert Capin c. Christopher Breiseth 11. What year was an Air Force pre-flight training program established? a. 1941 b. 1943 c. 1951 17. What is the Wilkes motto? a. Unity Amidst Diversity b. Education is the Key to Success c. From Each His Best 5. What is Wilkes’ “W” symbol known as? a. The Big W b. The Running W c. The Flying W 6. What is the name of the Wilkes mascot? a. The Colonel b. Colonel Bob c. Colonel Wilkes 12. What Wilkes alumna was co-anchor at WNEP Channel 16 in the 1980s? a. Debbie Dunlevy b. Karen Harch c. Fran Pantuso 18. What does amnicola mean in Latin? a. Dwelling by the riverside b. A refreshing drink c. River valley — Compiled by Mark Thomas ’82 Answers: 1. a – Frank G.. Davis; 2. b – 148; 3. b – Third floor of Wilkes-Barre Business College; 4. c – The college basement; 5. c – The Flying W; 6. a – The Colonel; 7. b – 1947; 8. c – Manuscript; 9. c –NBC’s Today Show; 10. b – The Beacon; 11. b – 1943; 12. b – Karen Harch; 13. c – Conyngham Hall; 14. b – Detachment 752; 15. a – 1989; 16. b – Robert Capin ’50; 17. a – Unity Amidst Diversity; 18. a – Dwelling by the riverside 2006 2007. University Center on Main Wilkes magazine debuts (UCOM) opens Student Services, administration Spring Commencement moves to Wachovia Arena Dean for Law School Initiative named WILKES | Fall 2008 consolidate in UCOM 19 �alumni news First Flyboy Award Presented at Air Force ROTC Commissioning Ceremony Michael Lewis ’08 was presented with the first ever Flyboy Award during the May U.S. Air Force ceremony where he was commissioned a second lieutenant.This award will be presented annually to the distinguished graduate. It honors the more than 700 aviation cadets educated at Bucknell University Junior College in 1943 and 1944 as part of the U.S. Army Air Corps 6th College Training Detachment. As Joe Rodowsky, secretary of the Flyboys, says, “The cooperation between BUJC and the Army Air Corps helped the war effort and sustained the school until the war ended and regular students returned. It was a great success.”This annual award is a tribute to the success of the Wilkes Flyboys. '' The COOPERATION between BUJC and the Army Air Corps helped the war effort ... It was a GREAT SUCCESS. - Joe Rodowsky, secretary of the Flyboys Michael Lewis ’08, center, received the Flyboy Award on the day he was commissioned a U.S. Air Force second lieutenant. With him are Trustee Emeritus Arnold Rifkin and Flyboy secretary Joe Rodowsky. PHOTO BY MICHAEL P. TOUEY ' New Faces Join Alumni Board of Directors The Alumni Association welcomed 10 new board members for 2008-09. Joining are: WILKES | Fall 2008 • • • • • • 20 Karen Bednarczyk Cowan ’96 John H. Ellis ’79 Michael Mattern ’04 Mark Rado ’80 Charles Robinson ’57 Kristine Pruett ’99 M’06 (faculty/staff representative) • Deborah Tindell (faculty/staff representative) • Christine Corser (Student Alumni Association president) • Carl Santana (student government president) • David Sborz (senior class president) These officers were elected at the April board meeting and participated in the June meeting. Each board member serves on at least one board committee, which include alumni network, alumni services, homecoming, nominating, scholarship and undergraduate alumni relations. If you would like to get involved, please contact Sandra Carroll, executive director of alumni relations, at (800) 945-5378 Ext. 4132 or sandra.carroll@wilkes.edu. �alumni news Come back for Homecoming 2008 and Wilkes 75th Anniversary! Highlights of the weekend include: • 75th Anniversary Parade • Tailgate Tent • George Ralston Alumni Golf Tournament • Silent Auction of Dean Ralston’s Bowties • Celebration of the Golden Horde football teams and Coach Rollie Schmidt throughout the weekend • Short courses on a variety of topics • Satisfaction – a Rolling Stones tribute band – at the Kirby Center • Opportunity to witness the revitalization of Wilkes-Barre • And much more! PHOTOS BY MICHAEL P. TOUEY Saturday, Oct. 4 8:30 a.m. - President’s Breakfast (Ancestral Colonels, Golden Colonels, BUJC Flyboys), Henry Student Center Ballroom 9:30 a.m. - Alumni College sessions 10 a.m. - Homecoming 5K Ragin’ Road Race - McAndrew Cup, Regatta on the River 10:30 a.m. - 75th Anniversary Parade, starting at West Ross and South Main, ending at Ralston Field 11 a.m. - Tailgate Tent and Colonels Carnival, Ralston Field - Reunion for a celebration of women’s athletics at Wilkes (A Tribute to Doris Saracino), the Golden Horde and football alumni, and much more 12:30 p.m. - Celebration of the Golden Horde football teams and Coach Rollie Schmidt, Ralston Field 1 p.m. - Wilkes vs. Lebanon Valley football game, Ralston Field 4 p.m. - Tent Festival, Fenner Quadrangle 5 p.m. - Tour of campus and of the revitalization of downtown Wilkes-Barre, Alumni House 6 p.m. - Football Alumni and Current Team Reception honoring Coach and Mrs. Schmidt, Henry Student Center 7 p.m. - Class of ’58 Dinner,Weckesser Hall 7:30 p.m. - Golden Horde Reunion and Dinner (by invitation), Henry Student Center - Reception at the F. M. Kirby Center 8 p.m. - Rolling Stones Tribute Band Satisfaction, Kirby Center WILKES UNIVERSITY 1933-2008 Alumni College Return to the classroom during Homecoming Weekend Friday, Oct. 3, 3:30 p.m. • History of Wilkes, by University Archivist Harold Cox • How to Save on Gas! • The Wilkes of Today and Tomorrow Saturday, Oct. 4, 10 a.m. • History of Wilkes, by University Archivist Harold Cox • Forest Green, by Michael Steele, biology professor • 19th and 20th century life in Wilkes-Barre: One Perspective, Juanita Patience-Moss ’58 • Information about Identity Theft • The 2008 Election, by Kyle Kreider, political science professor • Emotional Intelligence: An Introduction, The Sovereign Center for Leadership and Business Development Check The Colonel Connection for updates. REGISTRATION Coming back for Homecoming? Stop by the first floor of the Henry Student Center to pick up your name tags and all information about the weekend. Register from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3, and from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 4. To see more of what’s happening during Sunday, Oct. 5 9:45 a.m. - Memorial Bells (Remembrance of Alumni) 10:30 a.m. - Athletic Hall of Fame Reception (Tribute to Coach Reese), 214 Marts and Henry Student Center Ballroom Homecoming weekend and 75th anniversary celebration or to register, go to http://community.wilkes.edu/2008homecoming WILKES | Fall 2008 Friday, Oct. 3 All day - Open classes 11 a.m. - George Ralston Alumni Golf Tournament, Irem Temple Country Club 11:30 a.m. - Bucknell University Junior College Luncheon and Shuttle Tour 3 to 7 p.m. - Welcome Reception and Registration for Golden Horde, Munson Fieldhouse and Ralston Field 3:30 p.m. - Alumni College sessions, Breiseth Hall 5 p.m. - Colonels Happy Hour, Rodano’s on the Square 6 p.m. - Golden Colonel Welcome Back Reception and Induction, Kirby Hall - 75th Anniversary Celebration Dinner and Dance, Irem Temple w t5cy~ 21 �WILKES | Fall 2008 class notes 22 1956 Joan Shoemaker of Rocky Hill, Conn., retired from the Connecticut State Department of Education in 1997. She spends two days a week as a docent at the Wadsworth Athenaeum Museum of Art, the oldest public art museum in the country. She will celebrate her 10th year in this position. She also works on the advisory council for the North Central Connecticut Area Agency on Aging. She is a graduate of the Leadership Greater Hartford Third Age Initiative. Joan keeps in touch with Gail (Laines) Chase, Helen (Krachenfels) Reed and Della (King) Keller. Philadelphia-based Asher & Company Ltd., where he was the director of accounting and auditing. Davis has served on the ACTS board since 1994 and has previously held the positions of treasurer and vice chairman. 1963 Reunion Oct. 3-5 ~ Nick Alesandro retired six years ago as manager of the Morgan Stanley Dean Witter Albany, N.Y., office. His career spanned 33 years in the stock brokerage business. He currently serves on the board of directors of the Albany Park Playhouse, where he is advertising manager. He spends his spare time golfing and following the New York Yankees. He and Jeanne, his wife of 41 years, have two children, Nicholas and Courtney, and two grandchildren, Mia and Henry. 1967 Richard L. Kramer, C.P.A., received the 2008 Distinguished Public Service Award of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants.This award recognizes CPAs who attain a high level of public service, who positively reflect the contributions that CPAs make in their communities, and who encourage more CPAs to become involved in charitable endeavors. Kramer is the principal of Tax Management Group, Pittston, Pa. He serves on the Wilkes University Alumni Association board of directors and is a past president of the Kiwanis Club of Wilkes-Barre, PICPA Northeast Chapter and Jewish Family Service. He resides in Edwardsville, Pa., with his wife, Ruth.They are the proud parents of daughters Rebecca Stitzer and Allison 1965 Donald L. Davis is chairman of the board of directors of ACTS Retirement-Life Communities Inc. Davis, a certified public accountant, is a retired shareholder in the accounting firm of 1966 Michael G. Hudick is working toward his certified financial planner license in Los Gatos, Calif., where he offers comprehensive financial planning and retirement planning for small businesses. He retired from his position as senior scientist at IBM Corp. in 1996. In his free time, he bikes, skis and hikes. Kramer and the grandparents of Jacob and Robin Stitzer. Bill Schmidt and wife Gretchen have been touring the United States in their 30foot fifth-wheel since July 2007. During their travels, the couple visited Doug Haughwout ’64 and his wife, Ann, in Atlanta, Ga., in February, and met up with them again at an RV rally in March.The couple also traveled to Wilmington, N.C., to visit Col. John Moyer ’69 and his wife, Paula.The Schmidts will be working in Skagway, Alaska, this summer and encourage classmates to contact them by email at bng438@yahoo.com. John Pilosi recently retired as a school counselor from Immaculate Conception School, Clinton, N.J. 1969 Marc M. Levey, a partner at the law firm Baker & McKenzie LLP, has been recognized as one of the “Best of the Best” in tax in Legal Media Group’s Expert Guides series 2008. Levey joined Baker & McKenzie’s New York office in 1997 and was elected partner in 1998. He is admitted to practice in the states of New York, California, Pennsylvania and Illinois and in the District of Columbia. Joe Wiendl of Stockton, Calif., and Bernie Vinovrski of Fresno, Calif., both members of the Golden Horde football team, met to reminisce and plan the upcoming Oct. 3-5 reunion. They also celebrated the birthday of Marcella (Wroblewski) Vinovrski ’70. Bernie is associate vice president of enrollment services at California State University in Fresno, Calif. Marcella teaches first-grade special needs children. Joe works in sales for Contour Bed Systems in northern California. 1971 Richard Mark retired from Faith That Works Ministries in November 2007, ending 39 years of ministry. Mark served in the United Methodist Church from 1967 to 1990 and Faith That Works Ministries from 1992 to 2007. He was recently honored for his years of service by The Worship Center in Lancaster, Pa., with a special service. 1972 Ron Rittenmeyer, chairman, CEO and president of EDS, will continue to run the company after completion of its planned sale to HewlettPackard. Rittenmeyer will join HP’s executive council and report to HP’s chairman and chief executive officer.The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, including approval of EDS stockholders. 1973 Reunion Oct. 3-5 ~ Richard Mendelsohn works for Sacramento County Child Protective Services in Sacramento, Calif. His position includes conducting �class notes investigations of abuse, neglect and molestation of children. 1980 Diane (Brodbeck) Lowe and husband George recently retired to Arizona, where they participate in golf, tennis, pickleball and various other activities.The couple continues to work and reside in California but enjoy their time in their Arizona home.Their son John ’06 works in Philadelphia.They are also the parents of George and William. 1983 Reunion Oct. 3-5 ~ Stuart J. Kall published his second novel, America’s Most Gangsta. It is available on Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com and americasmostgangsta.com. Scot Lefebre is a senior quality assurance analyst for UPS Information Systems Division in Timonium, Md. 1985 Timothy Williams runs the technology departments for two school districts in Lancaster County as part of a cooperative agreement. He has been director of information technology for the Manheim Township School District for the last eight years and was recently named technology director at Eastern Lancaster County School District. He resides in East Petersburg, Pa., with daughter Anna and sons Grant and Owen. 1987 Kimberly (Tokach) Kellar recently passed the nephrology nursing certification examination. She is boardcertified in general nursing practice and is currently the nurse manager of Kennedy Health System’s Out-Patient Dialysis Unit in Voorhees, N.J. She lives in Woolwich, N.J., with husband Jim and two daughters,Taylor and Hayley. Recall the Days of Schmidt’s “Golden Horde” Allan Knox is a mass rescue operations program analyst in the U.S. Coast Guard. In this position, he manages the U.S. Coast Guard Mass Rescue Operations program, as well as serving as agency expert and representative specifically as it relates to mass rescue operations. Allan and wife Elizabeth, daughter Mackenzie and son Shawn reside in Yorktown,Va. Shirley Nelson Brough recently joined Computer Support Services Inc.’s technical services group as a Microsoft Certified Business Solutions Specialist, implementing, training and supporting customers who use Microsoft Dynamics GP accounting software. Brough owns a small business consulting firm that provides accounting, management consulting and training services. She served as an adjunct lecturer in financial accounting and small business management at Susquehanna University and was a senior financial analyst for Geisinger Health System. 1988 Reunion Oct. 3-5 ~ Leonard F. Witczak and his wife, Elizabeth Smith Witczak M ’98, announce the birth of their son,Aiden Robert, on Dec. 29, 2008. He joins a brother, Charlie, age seven. Leonard is the owner/operator of Witczak Tax and Financial Services, and Elizabeth is the Early Childhood Coordinator for Wilkes-Barre Area School District.The family resides in Wilkes-Barre. 1989 Lisa (Kravitz) Miller and her husband, Scott, announce the birth of their daughter, Sienna. She joins a brother, Jagger. Wilkes football team tri-captains Bruce Comstock ’69, Bill Layden ’69 and Joe Wiendl ’69 led the 1968 team. PHOTO FROM WILKES ARCHIVES Celebrate the Wilkes football tradition during Homecoming weekend, Oct. 3 to 5. For the 75th Anniversary, a special reunion is being organized for the Golden Horde and all of Coach Rollie Schmidt’s teams. Recognize the Golden Horde and Wilkes football at the Tailgate Tent and the game. Then join a For more information about Homecoming activities, including the Golden Horde Reunion, see http://community.wilkes.edu/2008homecoming. WILKES | Fall 2008 post-game reception in the Student Center. 23 �class notes 1990 Lori Sportelli, O.D., was named “Optometrist of the Year” by the Maryland Optometric Association in December 2007. 1991 Dina Gavenas Nathan announces the birth of daughter Haylee Elisabeth Nathan on Oct. 26, 2007. Anthony M. Orlando and wife Gina announce the birth of their twin sons, Eric Anthony and Nathan Michael, born Sept. 30, 2007.They join a sister, Olivia, age four. 1992 Regina Costanzo-Krieger is a special education teacher and athletics coach in the East Stroudsburg Area School District, East Stroudsburg, Pa. She is also a driver education teacher for Costanzo’s Driving School, a family business. 1993 Reunion Oct. 3-5 ~ Karen Gerlach completed a Ph.D. in education at American University in Washington, D.C. WILKES | Fall 2008 Frank Mitchell earned a master’s degree in higher education administration from CUNY Brauch College. 24 Bonnee Breese received a Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award on April 15, 2008.The award was given to one outstanding teacher from each of 61 Philadelphia public high schools. Breese teaches English at Overbrook High School. 1995 Kimberly Escarge Keller M’97 and husband Chris announce the birth of daughter Kaitlynn Nicole on Aug. 15, 2007. Keller is a senior accountant in the controller’s office at Wilkes University.The family resides in Dallas, Pa. 1998 Reunion Oct. 3-5 ~ Michael T. Beachem IV was awarded the 2008 Region II Mid-Level Student Affairs Professional Award by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. He is a student affairs administrator at Temple University. George Pawlush IV and his wife, Hunter, welcomed their first child, Margaret Alyson, on April 11, 2008. George is vice president of product control for Wachovia Securities in Charlotte, N.C.The family resides in Waxhaw, N.C. 2000 Heather (Tahan) Keegan and her husband, Kevin, welcomed son Eli Paul on May 14, 2008. He joins a sister, Karyna. Hollie Fields Schramm and her husband,William, welcomed a daughter, Alyssa, in December 2006. Alyssa joins a brother, Alexander. James (Jay) Williams, Pharm. D., and his wife, Carrie (Wilkes) Williams ’00, Pharm. D., welcomed their daughter,Abigail Elizabeth, on Jan. 16, 2007. Jay is a TALKING FINANCE IN CHICAGO Dan Cardell ’79 speaks to members of the Wilkes Students in Free Enterprise team about his career with Wayne Hummer Wealth Management at the company’s Chicago headquarters in May. Later that day, he and wife Ann Marie (Booth) ’79 hosted an alumni event. He serves as president and chief investment officer of Wayne Hummer. pharmacist for Caremark, and Carrie is a pharmacist for Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center.The family resides in Wilkes-Barre. Christina (Stucker) Van Camp and her husband, Jason, announce the birth of their daughter, Sydney Reagan, on March 11, 2008. 2001 Kristy (Tkach) Dawe graduated from DeSales University in September 2007 with a master of science degree in nursing. She is certified as a family nurse practitioner and is currently employed as a nurse practitioner by Penn Medical Group P.C. She resides in Pen Argyl, Pa., with her husband, Greg, two dogs and a cat. Loan Do married Robert Mask on April 19, 2008.The couple resides in Maple Shade, N.J. Lisa Donaldson announces the birth of a son, Coleman Franklin Louis Batchelor, on Oct. 28, 2007. Heather A. Earnest-Drake, Pharm. D., and her husband, Bill, welcomed their third daughter on July 30, 2007. She joins two sisters, ages 4 and 2. Earnest-Drake is a supervising pharmacist at Rite Aid in Corning, N.Y. The family and their Irish Setter reside in Big Flats, N.Y. Jessica (Crowley) Howard, Pharm. D., is the March 2008 Shore Memorial Hospital’s employee of the month. Howard, a staff pharmacist at Shore Memorial since 2002, currently resides in Egg Harbor Township, N.J., with her husband, Brian. 2002 Jennifer Gahwiler Bartell welcomed twin girls, Lauren and Lindsey, on Jan. 14, 2008. They join a sister, Emily. Erin Theresa Priestman married James Moran on Nov. 3, 2007. She is employed by Tobyhanna Army Depot as a mechanical engineer.The couple reside in Berwick. �class notes Rebecca Jean Broyan received a master’s of divinity degree from Lancaster Theological Seminary on May 17, 2008. She is on the path to becoming an ordained minister. Jessica Hinkel married Michael Leibig on May 17, 2008. 2005 Nicole Ripper married Thomas P. Zeiser on May 3, 2008. 2006 Kristin Derlunas accepted a position with the Fairfax Bar Association in Fairfax,Va. Her job duties include running the overall communications efforts for the association. Miranda Heness married Eugene Philbin on May 5, 2007. Heness is employed as an office manager at Taylor Consulting and Contracting in Moosic, Pa.The couple resides in Scranton, Pa. 2007 Nadine Stewart and Mark Schneider, both former residents of Wilkes-Barre, were married Sept. 22, 2007.The couple resides in Hackettstown, N.J. In Memoriam 1942 Jeannette Jones Phethean died May 21, 2008, in Leesburg, Fla. She was born in West Pittston, Pa. Phethean was a graduate of Bucknell University Junior College, Pennsylvania State University and Trenton State University, now known as the College of New Jersey, with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and a master’s degree in teaching. She served in the W.A.V.E.S. during WWII, taught in the Bristol Township, Pa., School District, and had worked as a chemist in the laboratories of Armstrong Cork Company in Lancaster, Pa. She and husband Edward moved to Leesburg in 1997. She wrote a genealogy column that appeared in the Leesburg Daily Commercial from 1987 until 2003 and maintained her involvement in genealogy until her death. She is survived by sons James of Brandon, Fla., Edward of Bensalem, Pa., and George of Leesburg; eight grandchildren; and sister Harriet J. Davies of Pittston, Pa. 1949 June Persing McGuire, Cartersville, Ga., passed away March 4, 2008. She was married to Delbert McGuire ’51. 1950 Martin D. Popky of Kingston, Pa., passed away on May 25, 2008, following a lengthy illness. Born in Wilkes-Barre, he was a graduate of Meyers High School and attended Wilkes College. Popky owned and operated Martin D. Popky Agency, Kingston, for more than 50 years and previously owned several other small businesses, including Avenue Travel, Kingston, and a bowling alley in Wilkes-Barre. In the 1960s, he worked with B’nai B’rith International to lobby Congress to develop and build the first project of its kind in the world: the B’nai B’rith Apartments on Northampton Street,WilkesBarre, which has become a model for nearly 40 similar senior citizen housing projects in six countries worldwide. Popky served for 35 years as president of the local B’nai B’rith Housing Foundation, as well as treasurer and a board member of GRIT, which owns and operates the Washington Square Apartments,Wilkes-Barre. In February 2006, the local B’nai B’rith apartment building was renamed in his honor. Popky was also honored with citations in the Congressional Record of the U.S. House of Representatives, as well as both the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a resolution from the Luzerne County Commissioners.Wilkes-Barre Mayor Thomas M. Leighton declared Feb. 26, 2006, “Martin D. Popky Day.” Popky is survived by his wife of 51 years, the former Janet Monsky; daughters Linda Popky,Woodside, Calif., and Judy Popky, Atlanta, Ga.; a granddaughter and brother. Joseph T. Woznitski of Lititz, Pa., passed away May 10, 2008.Woznitski was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and served in World War II in the U.S. Navy before earning his bachelor’s degree from Wilkes College. He was employed by Nestle Foods for 38 years, holding various sales leadership roles during his tenure.Woznitski was an avid outdoorsman, raising champion field beagles and homing pigeons, as well as enjoying fly-fishing, tennis and golf. He was also a third degree Knight of Columbus and a member of Knights of Columbus Council 10827 of St. James Parish. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Josephine (Grosek) “Babe”Woznitski; a son Harry A. Nobel; daughters Sandra C. and Laura J.Woznitski; and three grandchildren. 1951 William Bennett Jr. of Forty Fort, Pa., recently passed away. Bennett graduated from Edwardsville High School and attended Shrivenham American University, England; Biarritz American University, France;Wilkes-Barre Business School; and Wilkes College. Bennett served honorably with the U.S. Army Air Corps in Europe during World War II. He worked at the WilkesBarre Publishing Co., Easton Structural Steel, Hudson Motor Car Co. and Glen Alden Coal Co. For more than 30 years, he was employed by the Pennsylvania Gas and Water Co., where he served as WILKES | Fall 2008 2004 Selena Marie Bednarz married Brandon Michael Clark on Sept. 8, 2007. She is employed by Aberdeen Proving Ground as a mathematician.The couple reside in Baltimore, Md. 25 �class notes an accountant, tax auditor, supervisor and was promoted to corporate staff assistant. Surviving are his wife of 59 years, Julie Astrauskas; daughter Susan Gorman of Forty Fort; son William Bennett, Glen Gardener, N.J.; five grandchildren; and sister Peggy Kal of Columbia, Md. 1956 Joseph R. Jablonski, Ed.D., died Nov. 23, 2007. Jablonski was born in Ashley and grew up in Kingston, attending Wilkes University for his undergraduate degree in English. Jablonski served in the U.S. Army and received a master’s degree from Trenton State College, now known as the College of New Jersey. Jablonski later received a doctorate in education from Temple University. Jablonski, a Levitttown, Pa., resident, taught in the Bristol Township School District until he retired. He enjoyed skiing and cycling and was a member of the Lower Bucks County dog club, where he was a trainer. WILKES | Fall 2008 1960 Jean A. Ide of Tunkhannock, Pa., died Friday, Dec. 21, 2007. She was a graduate of Coughlin High School. 26 1975 Capt. Raymond T. Woronowicz, Dallas, Pa., died on April 27, 2008. Woronowicz began his career as a patrol officer and through civil service testing and education, he was appointed as a juvenile and narcotics detective. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and in 1978 was promoted to the rank of captain. During his career, he completed extensive training, receiving 58 certificates and diplomas in law enforcement, criminal justice and narcotics training. He was Wilkes-Barre City’s first crime prevention officer and the first crime prevention officer in northeast Pennsylvania.The certified police instructor taught criminal justice courses at LCCC and was a guest instructor at the Pennsylvania State Police training center,Wyoming. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving during the Korean Conflict, assigned to Battery “A” 967th, located at Fort Sill, Okla., as a staff sergeant in charge of communications. Before retiring, he was a member of the Wilkes-Barre City Police Department, appointed in 1962. Surviving are his wife of 57 years, Lois Whittington; son Raymond P., Dallas; daughter Jackie Janus, Dallas; three grandchildren; and brother Edward,Wilkes-Barre. 1977 Michael S. Jarolin of Nanticoke, Pa., passed away on April 8, 2008. Jarolin, a lifelong resident of Nanticoke, was a graduate of Nanticoke High School, Luzerne County Community College and Wilkes University. He was a member of St. Mary’s Church, Nanticoke, and was employed by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources as a sanitation engineer. He was preceded in death by his father, Stanley; son Matthew; and wife Deborah Kravitz Jarolin. Surviving in addition to his mother are sisters Kathleen Bachkowski,West Palm Beach, Fla., and Brenda Heck, Nanticoke; and brother Robert of Douglassville. 1978 Thomas J. Lubas died on Sept. 6, 2007, after a brief illness. A resident of Allentown, N.J., Lubas is survived by his wife, Jan, and daughter, Anna. 1993 Leonard T. Hill Sr. M’97, a 17-year resident of Sterling, Pa., passed away on April 25, 2008. Born in Nanticoke and raised in Shickshinny, he attended Luzerne County Community College and Wilkes University. He was employed for 37 years by the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 542. He was preceded in death by his first wife, the former Mary McCloskey, in 1988. Surviving are his wife of 17 years, the former Louise Gilby; daughter Lisa Hill; son Leonard T. Hill Jr.; and a granddaughter. Faculty/Staff Jerome Kucirka ’67, Ph.D., of Dallas, Pa., passed away June 9 in Wilkes-Barre.The WilkesBarre native was a graduate of James M. Coughlin High School and Wilkes College. He earned his doctorate in physics from Drexel University, Philadelphia. Kucirka was a faculty member for more than 27 years, serving in the physics, engineering and mechanical engineering departments, and finally the engineering and physics division of Wilkes University. He taught a wide variety of advanced and introductory courses in these various departments. For most of his career at Wilkes University, Dr. Kucirka was intimately involved with a variety of courses introducing engineering to students. Over the years, he helped to develop and teach several versions of these introductory courses. He worked on department, school and university-wide committees. He was adviser to the Physics Club and Sigma-PiSigma, the Physics Honor Society, from 1989 to the present. In the early 1990s, Dr. Kucirka was one of the organizers of the Wilkes University’s Core Studies Program, where, among other projects, he worked on “writing across the curriculum.” He taught the freshman introductory core course he developed for several years. He is survived by his wife, Gaye C. Gustitus, D.O.; and brother, John, Beaumont, Pa. Memorial contributions may be made in his name to Wilkes University, Office of Development, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766 Dr. Anthony J. Turchetti, noted area psychiatrist, lawyer and engineer, died March 27, �2008, at J.F.K. Medical Center, Lake Worth, Fla. Born in Pittston, Pa., on March 20, 1925,Turchetti lived in Wyoming, Pa., and was a 1942 graduate of Wyoming High School. Turchetti was professionally qualified in engineering, law, medicine and psychiatry, having received a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering in 1945 and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1947 from Pennsylvania State University, a juris doctor degree in law from the George Washington University School of Law in 1952, and his medical degree from Hahnemann Medical College of Philadelphia in 1960. In 1968, he completed a residency in psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania/ Philadelphia General Hospital Residency Program and did psychiatric research on homicide at the University of Edinburgh, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, in Scotland. Turchetti worked as a research engineer at the Pennsylvania State University’s Ordnance Research Laboratory and was later employed by the U.S. Navy in the Bureau of Aeronautics. In the 1950s, he worked as a patent attorney in Philadelphia. In the early 1960s, he became medical director of American Petroleum Institute in New York City, where he was responsible for execution of medical research projects for oil companies. After completing his residency in 1968,Turchetti worked as a psychiatrist in the Wilkes-Barre area. Turchetti served as associate dean for the Hahnemann Medical College and associate professor of medicine and psychiatry and was involved in the development and execution of the Wilkes-Hahnemann Medical Education Program in family medicine from 1973 to 1981. He served on numerous boards in the Wilkes-Barre area, including United Health and Hospital Services Family Practice Residency Program, and Rural Health Corporation and Maternal Health Corporation. He was also a psychiatric consultant with various area associations. In the 1970s,Turchetti became the co-founder of the television program Call the Doctor and served the Pennsylvania federal courts as a forensic psychiatrist.Turchetti was an adjunct professor of forensic psychology at Wilkes University and also served as a team physician from 1963 to 1975, which contributed to his induction into the Wilkes University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2000. Turchetti retired in 1993 and was residing in Palm Beach, Fla., at the time of his death. He is survived by a sister, Claire Turchetti Wyandt, Singer Island, Fla. Friends of Wilkes Julia (Julie) D. Znaniecki, teacher, local historian, civic and community leader, passed away on May 29, 2008. Znaniecki was a charter member of the Wilkes University Polish Room Committee, where she was a member and past president for almost 50 years.The organization is a historical, educational and cultural organization that sponsors annual scholarships for students of Polish decent to attend Wilkes University and Submitting Class Notes Share personal or career news in any of three ways: • E-mail it to wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu. • Post it at The Colonel Connection Web site at community.wilkes.edu. • Or mail it to: Class Notes Wilkes Magazine 84 W. South St. Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766 serves as a resource and reference room on Polish history and culture. For 20 years, Znaniecki organized the Polish Room’s booth at the Luzerne County Folk Festival. From 1974 to 1985, Znaniecki participated in the Polish Room Chorus and most recently worked on a compilation of Anton Piotrowski’s poetry, published by Wilkes University Press in 1998. Znaniecki grew up in the Hanover section of Nanticoke. She was a graduate of Nanticoke High School in 1926, followed by East Stroudsburg University (Normal School) in 1928. Her first teaching position after graduation was sixth grade at the McKinley School in Nanticoke; the rest of her early career included teaching English to seventh- and eighth-graders. Znaniecki took leadership and fundraising roles in the American Cancer Society, the Nanticoke Hospital Auxiliary, the Luzerne County Historical and Geological Society, the Wyoming Valley Girl Scout Council, Penn’s Woods Girl Scout Council and Kosciuszko Foundation Ball. Her husband of 51 years, Vincent Frank Znaniecki, died in July 1988. Znaniecki is survived by children Jule Znaniecki Wnorowski ’61,Wilkes-Barre; V. Paul Znaniecki, Stevensville, Md.; Jean Z. Smith of Gaithersburg, Md.; four grandchildren; and six greatgrandchildren. WILKES | Fall 2008 class notes 27 �calendar of events For more information on times and locations, visit www.wilkes.edu or The Colonel Connection, community.wilkes.edu. Or phone (570) 408-7787. WILKES | Fall 2008 PHOTO BY MICHAEL P. TOUEY 28 September November Through Oct. 5 Art exhibit: “Remembering Helen:The Sordoni at 35,” Sordoni Art Gallery 7-9, 14-16 Musical Theatre Production, Carousel, Darte Center 5 Alumni Reception, home of Fred ’61 and Janet Demech 13 Connecting the Dots student-alumni career networking event, Henry Student Center Ballroom 7 Cruise Philadelphia Alumni Event 22 Annual Alumni Bus Trip to NYC 25-28 Theatre Production, Picnic, Darte Center 22 Flute Ensemble, Upper Lobby, Darte Center October December 1 1 String Ensemble, Gies Hall, Darte Center 5 Civic Band Concert, off campus 6 Civic Band Concert, Darte Center 6 “A French Christmas,”Wilkes choral ensembles join the Robert Dale Chorale, St. Luke’s Church, Scranton, Pa. 7 “A French Christmas,”Wilkes choral ensembles join the Robert Dale Chorale, St. Nicholas Church, Wilkes-Barre. Kirby Lecture, “green” entrepreneur Martin Eberhard, founder and former CEO of Tesla Motors, Darte Center 3-5 Homecoming/75th Anniversary Celebration 17 Art exhibit: Ron Ehrlich, Sordoni Art Gallery. Closes Dec. 12. �then & now See anyone you recognize in this photo from a past homecoming celebration? Share names or reminisce at The Colonel Connection message boards, found at community.wilkes.edu. Or send responses to Wilkes magazine, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766. You can also e-mail wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu. Alumni from the class of ’57 enjoy a reception during Homecoming 2007. Annual festivities offer plenty of opportunity to renew old friendships and forge new relationships. WILKES | Spring 2007 PHOTO COURTESY OF CHARLES ROBINSON ’57 1 PHOTO BY CURTIS SALONICK �w t5cy~ WILKES UNIVERSITY 1933-2008 WILKES UNIVERSITY Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Alumni Magazine, 1947-present Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Description An account of the resource <p>An archive of Wilkes University Magazine, from 1947-present. The magazine went through various names including <em>Wilkes Alumnus</em>, <em>Wilkes Quarterly,</em> <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, and the current title, <em>Wilkes Magazine</em>. Some editions for the <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, will have multiple issues within the file record. Our holdings may be missing editions for certain years due to having no physical copy within the collection. </p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Wilkes University Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Wilkes University Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1947-present Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Magazine, Fall 2008 Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Marketing Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 2008 magazine Wilkes Magazine https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/25249010c3f3a7610e28a1a2b0332357.pdf 80aee9f607e086e14bac43b934ea2229 PDF Text Text FALL 2009 THINGS THAT GO BUMP | MIXING MAGIC WITH MEDICINE A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT | TEACHING THE DIGITAL NATIVES �president’s letter Vision for a College Town Continues With Law School Project T he Wilkes University Board of Trustees’ approval of the next stage of our law school planning initiative in June was a critical milestone on a journey that is likely to lead to the creation of northeast Pennsylvania’s next professional school.The action recalls another event in Wilkes history that, at the time, carried both risks and rewards. In 1996, the University launched its School of Pharmacy with a vision for what it could mean for the region and for Wilkes. A decade has passed since we graduated the first group of pharmacists in 2000, and we are marking the program’s 10th anniversary. The pharmacy program has been a resounding success, surpassing expectations for enrollment.The quality of students competing for the 70 seats in each year’s entering class remains high. Over 95 percent of our doctor of pharmacy graduates pass the pharmacy boards— the exams required to become registered pharmacists—on the first try. Our pass rate on these exams is higher than the state and national averages. Our pharmacy graduates uniformly receive multiple job offers at good salaries. Seeing this success makes it easy to forget that many concerns were voiced about whether there was a need for another pharmacy school when we launched our program.We proceeded Daniel Breznak takes the pharmacist’s oath as with plans at that time because the only part of the annual white coat ceremony for Wilkes pharmacy students. The program pharmacy programs available in Pennsylvania celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. were in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. University PHOTO BY MICHAEL P. TOUEY leaders believed that starting a school of pharmacy would be a service to northeast Pennsylvania residents, a boon to the region’s economy and an asset to Wilkes University.We were right. Fast forward to 2009 and the recent decision to proceed with plans for a law school. Once again, we are in position to establish a professional school in northeast Pennsylvania where none currently exists. Our market research tells us that interest in a law degree, the juris doctor, is high. Founding a law school at Wilkes is still another important step to revitalize the region, make Wilkes-Barre a major college town, and increase the competitiveness and diversity of the region’s economy. And we fully believe this will be another significant step toward making Wilkes University a premier university in the Mid-Atlantic region. I invite you to read more about plans for the law school initiative on page 3.As this new chapter in Wilkes history unfolds, alumni and friends of the University can follow its progress on Dr. Tim Gilmour the pages of this magazine and on our Web site. Wilkes University President VOLUME 3 | ISSUE 3 FA L L 0 9 WILKES MAGAZINE University President Dr. Tim Gilmour Vice President for Advancement Michael Wood Executive Editor Jack Chielli Managing Editor Kim Bower-Spence Editor Vicki Mayk Creative Services Lisa Reynolds Web Services Craig Thomas Electronic Communications Christopher Barrows Graduate Assistant Rachel Strayer Layout/Design Quest Fore Inc. Printing Payne Printery Inc. EDITORIAL ADVISORY GROUP Anne Batory ’68 Brandie Meng M’08 Bill Miller ’81 George Pawlush ’69 MBA’76 Donna Sedor ’85 ALUMNI RELATIONS STAFF Executive Director Sandra Sarno Carroll Director Mirko Widenhorn Associate Director Michelle Diskin ’95 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OFFICERS President Laura Cardinale ’72 First Vice President Fred Demech ’61 Second Vice President Rosemary LaFratte ’93 MBA’97 Historian George Pawlush ’69 MS’76 Secretary Bridget Giunta ’05 Wilkes magazine is published quarterly by the Wilkes University Office of Marketing Communications and Government Relations, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766, wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu, (570) 408-4764. Please send change of address to the above address. Wilkes University is an independent institution of higher education dedicated to academic and intellectual excellence in the liberal arts, sciences and professional programs. The university provides its students with the experience and education necessary for career and intellectual development as well as for personal growth, engenders a sense of values and civic responsibility, and encourages its students to welcome the opportunities and challenges of a diverse and continually changing world. The university enhances the tradition of strong student-faculty interactions in all its programs, attracts and retains outstanding people in every segment of the university, and fosters a spirit of cooperation, community involvement, and individual respect within the entire university. �contents FEATURES 8 Things That Go Bump Ghost legends highlight history of Wilkes historic buildings 12 Mixing Magic With Medicine Dr. Michael Anger ’77 brings sleight of hand to his work with diabetic children 14 A River Runs Through It 8 New River Common park brings beauty to the banks of the Susquehanna 16 Teaching the Digital Natives Technology has changed 21st Century classrooms, students and teachers 14 12 DEPARTMENTS 6 Athletics 18 Alumni News 20 Class Notes Kirby Hall, one of Wilkes’ historic locales, is one of several University buildings where a ghostly presence is said to be felt. PHOTO EARL & SEDOR PHOTOGRAPHY Have a story idea to share? Contact us at wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu or Wilkes Magazine, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766. /;s FPO FSC WILKES | Fall 2009 16 2 On Campus 1 �on campus Spring Commencement 2009 Wilkes University held its annual spring commencement on May 16 at Wachovia Arena. It was a day to celebrate for more than 700 undergraduate and graduate students. John Brooks Slaughter, president and CEO of the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, delivered the commencement address “Building Your Future.” Top right: Commencement is a reason to smile for Caitlin Dukas and Wayland Davis, who graduated with degrees in psychology. Inset: Tricia Stefanick receives her doctor of pharmacy degree from President Tim Gilmour. PHOTOS BY MICHAEL P. TOUEY A commitment to EXCELLENCE is unquestionably important.You who graduate today, in particular, must recognize that the FUTURE is what you will make it to be. It depends upon what you do today and every day and tomorrow thereafter. Your DESTINATION IN LIFE will be determined by your acts and not by your intentions. WILKES | Fall 2009 Leadership Program for Youth Highlights Outstanding Leaders Forum 2 '' – John Brooks Slaughter, president and CEO, National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, Spring 2009 Commencement Speaker When Elie Wiesel was a teenager, he and his family endured the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps Auschwitz and Buchenwald.Years later,Wiesel chronicled his experiences in the memoir Night. His story comes to Wilkes University when Wiesel—now a Nobel Laureate—is the guest speaker for the annual Outstanding Leaders Forum on Nov. 17. Night has been translated into more than 30 languages and has sold millions of copies since its original publication in 1956. It is required reading for many of today’s high school and college students. High school students in northeast Pennsylvania will have a special opportunity in conjunction with Wiesel’s visit to Wilkes. He will interact in a question-and-answer session with about 120 students from area high schools who will participate in a Leadership Day sponsored by the Sidhu School of Business and Leadership. The program, now in its third year, brings students from about 10 high schools in the region for a day of leadership training. In order to allow as many students and community members as possible to hear Wiesel speak, tickets to the public lecture on Nov. 17 are $10. The lecture is at 8 p.m. in the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts. For more information, please contact the Wilkes University Special Events Office at (570) 408-4306 or 4330. �on campus Lawrence Reed of the Foundation for Free Enterprise to Deliver Kirby Lecture BOARD OF TRUSTEES APPROVES NEXT PHASE OF LAW SCHOOL PLANNING INITIATIVE Wilkes University’s Board of Trustees approved the proposal for a new law school on June 5, setting the stage for the next phase of planning for the professional school. The board’s action clears the way for the administration to develop a business plan to secure the necessary financial resources, identify a suitable building for the new school and seek final board approval. The proposal was approved contingent on the University being able to raise the necessary funds without taxing the university’s other schools, programs or priorities. Tim Gilmour, Wilkes president, said he hopes to seat the inaugural class of 60 fulltime students and 25 part-time students in 2011. “Creating a law school for northeastern Pennsylvania is a once-in-alifetime opportunity that will have a significant impact on Wilkes University and the surrounding communities by increasing graduate-level educational opportunities, creating jobs, and speeding the region’s economic recovery,” says Gilmour. The new law school curriculum will incorporate Wilkes’ emphasis on building close relationships between students and mentors. It will also stimulate the region’s economy by creating new jobs and bringing hundreds of students to downtown WilkesBarre and will supply talented lawyers to lead the region’s law firms, businesses and government entities. Initial work on the project began in 2004 with discussions that led to the formation of a preliminary feasibility committee. In May 2008, Loren D. Prescott Jr. was appointed dean of the Wilkes Law School Planning Initiative (proposed). For more information about the law school initiative, contact Prescott at law@wilkes.edu or visit www.law.wilkes.edu. WILKES | Fall 2009 The Foundation for Economic Education is one of the oldest and most respected economics institutes in the United States. Its president, Lawrence Reed, will deliver the Allan P. Kirby Lecture in Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship on Oct. 8, 2009. He will speak at 7:30 p.m. in the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts. The Kirby Lecture kicks off Homecoming Weekend activities at Wilkes. The foundation, based in Irvington, N.Y., promotes Lawrence Reed of the Foundation for Free Enterprise will deliver the Kirby and researches free-market, Lecture on Oct. 8. classic liberal, and libertarian ideas.The foundation publishes the journal The Freeman, for which Reed writes the column “Ideas and Consequences.” In 1998, he was elected chairman of the foundation’s board of trustees and re-elected chairman in 1999 and 2000. Before assuming this role, Reed served as president of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy for its first two decades and remains president emeritus of the center. Under his leadership, the Mackinac Center emerged as the largest of over 40 state-based free-market think tanks in America. As a freelance journalist, Reed’s interests in political and economic affairs have taken him to 69 countries on six continents since 1985. From firsthand experience, he has reported on hyperinflation in South America, voodoo in Haiti, black markets behind the Iron Curtain, reforms and repression in China and Cambodia, recent developments in Eastern Europe, and civil war inside Nicaragua and Mozambique. Reed holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Grove City College and a master’s degree in history from Slippery Rock University, both in Pennsylvania. 3 �on campus Wilkes pharmacy students Kevin Brittain, left, and his brother, Alex, work at Triangle Pharmacy, in Mountain Top, Pa., their hometown. PHOTO BY VICKI MAYK attended the Wilkes School of Pharmacy.Two other families have had three siblings attend Wilkes School of Pharmacy.The Breznak family includes Valarie, Pharm.D. ’08; Daniel, Pharm.D. candidate class of 2010; and Christina, Pharm.D. candidate class of 2013.The Graver family includes Kristen (Graver) Rudelitch, Pharm.D. ’03; Kimberly Graver, Pharm.D. ’07; and David Graver, Pharm.D. candidate class of 2011. In the case of the Brittain brothers, the Wilkes connection extends to their father, attorney Robert R. Brittain Jr. ’70, and Jeff ’s wife, Kristy (Hulings) Brittain, Pharm.D. ’05. Jeff says he chose the career after working at Triangle Pharmacy.“I liked the job, saw the relationship that the owners had with their customers and thought I’d give it a whirl,” he says. Kevin followed in his brother’s footsteps working Family Legacies Mark there and soon found himself First Decade of Wilkes choosing the same career path. School of Pharmacy “Seeing the impact that pharmacists can have on patient At Triangle Pharmacy in Mountain Top, care convinced me,” he says. Pa., customers know what to expect: Their younger brother Alex personal service, a friendly staff—and, for says he “looked at pharmacy the last decade, one of the Brittain brothers schools all over the east coast,” working behind the counter. but found the best choice was Jeff Brittain, Pharm.D. ’05, and his close to home at Wilkes. “I like brothers Kevin, Pharm.D. candidate class that the classes are not large. of 2010, and Alex, Pharm.D. candidate Jeff Brittain, Pharm.D. ’05 and wife Kristy (Hulings) Brittain, You can get to know people class of 2012, have all worked at the Pharm.D. ’05 are part of the Brittain family legacy at Wilkes. and your professors on a more PHOTO COURTESY JEFF BRITTAIN pharmacy in their hometown. And all personal level,” Alex says, echoing a sentiment three have gone on to study pharmacy at Wilkes. voiced by his siblings. As the School of Pharmacy prepares to After graduating from Wilkes, Jeff served three celebrate its 10th anniversary, marking a decade years as a captain in the U.S. Air Force. He now since graduating the first class, legacy families works as a clinical pharmacist at Medical University already abound in the professional school. of South Carolina in Charleston, S.C. His wife, According to Bernard Graham, dean of the Nesbitt College of Pharmacy and Nursing, about Kristy, is teaching at the university. He says attending Wilkes—a relatively new School of Pharmacy—had 25 pairs of siblings have graduated or enrolled in advantages.“Everything was current and based on the professional program. the latest practice in the field.” “Almost 10 percent of our graduates are related to each other, not counting marriages,” Graham states.The statistic is surprising for a program that accepts only 70 students annually. Attend the Pharmacy Reunion during The Brittains are among three legacy families – Bernard Graham, Homecoming Weekend, Oct. 9-11. in the pharmacy program with a special dean of the Nesbitt College of See page 19 for details! distinction: three siblings in the same family Pharmacy and Nursing '' WILKES | Fall 2009 Almost 10 PERCENT of our graduates are RELATED to each other, not counting marriages. 4 ' �on campus A Visit From The Colonel School in Wilkes-Barre, congratulating students in unique and fun ways while providing them with a glimpse into the Wilkes University community. “When selecting a college, students want to feel like they are more than just a number,” says Jack Chielli, executive director of marketing communications at Wilkes. “Approaching undecided seniors in this way allows Wilkes to not only reach out to these particular students, but to also let their friends, classmates and co-workers see the type of attention that Wilkes offers. It’s the type of interaction you simply can’t provide at an open house or a campus tour.” Left: Dallas Senior High School senior Mary Ketchner gets a visit from The Colonel. Below: The Colonel works out with Ryan Rinehimer, a senior at Hazleton Area High School, at Gerrie’s Fitness Center in Conyngham, Pa. PHOTOS BY 160over90 WILKES | Fall 2009 In the spirit of TV shows like “Candid Camera” and MTV’s “Punk’d,”Wilkes University surprised high school seniors accepted to Wilkes with an unexpected visit from the University’s Colonel mascot. As the May 1 College Decision Day approached,Wilkes reached out to undecided students by showing up at after-school jobs, the local gym, and even during class.The students’ everyday routines were filled with the Colonel’s unique antics as students were recognized for their positive accomplishments such as merit scholarship earnings and their acceptance to Wilkes. At Valley View High School in Archbald, Pa., the Colonel entered fourthperiod calculus with music and a bull horn to present merit scholarship earnings.The Colonel also made stops at Gerrie’s Fitness Center in Conyngham, Pa., Fino’s Pharmacy in Dallas, Pa., and Holy Redeemer High 5 �athletics Semper Fi RETIRED MARINE COL. JOEL KANE ’80 IS FAITHFUL TO LESSONS LEARNED AT WILKES You have to build a team that understands the consequences of what you’re doing.... You learn things like teamwork, never quitting…. Those basic fundamentals were formed on the football field at Ralston Field. WILKES | Fall 2009 By Christopher Barrows 6 �athletics I the Navy and the largest MV-22 squadron in the Department of Defense.The now retired full bird colonel logged over 3,200 flight hours in 10 different types of fixed wing, helicopter and tilt-rotor aircraft. Kane’s service earned him multiple citations and campaign medals, including the Legion of Merit, Joint Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with 3 Gold Stars, Single Mission Air Medal and the Strike Flight Air Medal with numeral 2. Kane also earned three master’s degrees: a master of business administration from National University in San Diego, Calif.; a master of military science from Marine Corps University, Command and Staff College; and a master’s degree in National Resource Strategy from the National Defense University, Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Fort McNair,Washington, D.C. The subject of his last master’s thesis earned him a permanent place in military aviation history. Drawing on the accounting and writing skills he learned at Wilkes, Kane argued that the Marines should purchase new CH-53 helicopters instead of revamping the existing 20year-old model. The new model now under development is called the CH-53K—a name coined in Above: Kane was number 53 and team captain on the Wilkes football team. Kane’s thesis. PHOTO FROM WILKES ARCHIVES. “They (the Marine Corps) brought in consultants that Opposite Page: Joel Kane ’80 with members of the football team at White Oak High came up with the same [recommendation],” Kane says. school in Jacksonville, N.C. PHOTO COURTESY OF JOEL KANE “The K model—I gave it that name in my paper for my name, Kane. They actually kept it. It’s a great honor.” teamwork, never quitting….Those basic It was athletics that first drew Kane to Wilkes. Growing up in Wilkes-Barre, he fundamentals were formed on the football field at was aware of the school’s strong football tradition as well as Wilkes’ reputation Ralston Field.” for academic success. An offensive lineman under Coach Rollie Kane wore number 53 during his Wilkes football career.A four-year starter Schmidt, Kane now shares those lessons training and letterman, he was a team captain as a senior. Joe Moran, former offensive young pilots and high school football players. He line coach, recalls Kane’s leadership abilities.“He was an outstanding individual,” likens flight training to coaching. says Moran,“He was the kind of guy who led by example. He knew everyone’s “When I walk in there, it’s like coaching football,” assignment on the field.When practice was tough, he could interject humor and he says.“The minute I get in the simulator with these make the guys laugh, lighten things up. He had that quality.” young lieutenants, I just want to give back. I share all Football continued to be part of Kane’s life. He played or coached on the football my experience with them: I don’t sugarcoat it. I try to teams at every military base where he worked, from Quantico,Va., to Japan. prepare them physically and mentally for what they’re Kane retired from the Marines in 2006, ending a 31-year military career. He going to experience in Afghanistan or Iraq.” now works as a contract flight instructor.Today, he also serves as the varsity His military career began in 1975 when he offensive line coach at White Oak High enlisted in the U. S.Army and attended the West School, near his home in Jacksonville, N.C. Point Prep School at Fort Monmouth, N. J. He came Kane has been married to his wife, to Wilkes and joined the Marine Corps Platoon Sharon, for 28 years.They have two Leaders Class Program. Kane graduated with a children: Daniel, a college student, and bachelor’s degree in accounting. He was then Joeline, a high school student. commissioned as a second lieutenant of Marines. One of his key messages to both players As a pilot, he has traveled the globe, from Japan and flight trainees is:“Never quit.You may to Saudi Arabia to Djibouti,Africa. He had not win every game, but you have to keep responsibility for hundreds of men and millions of getting back up and continue to fight.” dollars worth of aircraft. Kane commanded both the largest CH-53E squadron in the Department of Retired Col. Joel Kane ’80 had a 31-year career as a Marine aviator. WILKES | Fall 2009 n the Marine Corps, says retired Col. Joel Kane ’80, everything translates to life and death—even in peacetime. “You have to build a team that understands the consequences of what you’re doing,” reasons the veteran Marine pilot who transported men, food and supplies in the Middle East during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.“You learn things like 7 �LEGENDS OF HAUNTED BUILDINGS AND GHOSTLY VISITORS ABOUND IN WILKES’ HISTORIC BUILDINGS WILKES | Fall 2009 By Andrew Seaman 8 The third floor of Doane Hall is said to be haunted by the ghost of a young woman. PHOTOS BY EARL & SEDOR PHOTOGRAPHY �Chase-ing a Ghost As the home of the University’s admissions office, Chase Hall is the first building prospective students see at Wilkes. Built in 1917, it was the home of Frederick Merrill Chase and his family. Chase came to Wilkes-Barre at the age of 14 and worked his way up the coal industry ladder. Four years after construction The staircase of Chase Hall, where ghostly footsteps can be heard. was completed on his mansion, he died.A decade passed before the building was given to Wilkes, then Bucknell University Junior College, by the brother of Mrs. Chase. There is evidence that Mr. Chase may still be “living” in his old home. Al Espada, a former Wilkes admissions counselor, would work in the building late at night after coming back from college fairs in New Jersey. One night around 11 p.m., he was playing a CD while he worked when it suddenly stopped playing. He heard three distinct steps coming towards his office doorway. No one was there. “I was prepared to work for another hour, but the incident made me quit for the night,” says Espada. The Cold Room Sturdevant Hall has been used for many functions since it was acquired by Wilkes in 1951. These include serving as a women’s dorm, the registrar’s office, the office of residence life, the education department and several other uses. Through all of its incarnations, there’s been one permanent resident: a ghost. Back in 1969, girls living in Sturdevant were convinced that their residence was possessed. Often, they would wake to the rapping of a fist on their door, only to discover that there was no one there. It was that kind of activity that led them to run the ad in The Beacon for a “ghost exterminator.” Sturdevant, now a co-ed residence hall, continues to be plagued by the elusive apparition. Elizabeth Roveda ’05, MBA’07, director of residence life, says a resident assistant was in the building alone when locked doors started to open. Public safety officers were summoned and conducted hourly checks. WILKES | Fall 2009 HE CLASSIFIED AD IN THE VALENTINE’S DAY edition of The Beacon read: “WANTED: One ghost exterminator. References necessary. Contact Pat Hill or Bonnie Gellas at Sturdevant Hall.” The year was 1969—and Wilkes co-eds claimed that a ghost walked in the residence hall. In March of that year, ghostly happenings were so much the talk of campus that The Beacon ran an editorial about the ghost stories, stating, “…students on this campus take these stories seriously—if not the tales behind them, at least the fact that there are strange unexplainable goings-on. Some talk of starting ghosthunting parties, or holding séances or going back to the good ol’ Ouija board.Whether they are serious or not, even the skeptical agree that the tales add a bit of flavor and mystery to the old buildings on campus.” University archives, back issues of The Beacon, and conversations with members of theWilkes community all show that ghost stories and haunted happenings have been part of campus lore throughout its history. It’s part of the collective memory of generations of alumni. Today, students, faculty and staff still relish stories about unexplained events in the stately mansions used for classrooms, offices and residence halls. Most buildings on campus have a story to tell. According to William Lewis Jr. ’80, a vice president at Merrill Lynch Global Wealth Management and guide for the Luzerne County Historical Society annual ghost tours, it’s no surprise that such tales abound at Wilkes and in the surrounding community. “Why did so many frightening things happen here? Well, if you walked around any city in the world that had dwellers like the Native Americans, who lived in the area for thousands of years, as well as a modern settlement dating back well over 200 years you would be sure to find all kinds of amazing stories,” says Lewis. The histories of the University’s oldest buildings blend with ghostly tales, yielding stories that have become legends with the passing of time. 9 �After that event, Michele Sabol-Jones, a Wilkes public safety officer, remembers hearing that other officers found vacuum cleaners—previously stored away—returned to rooms. And, in a hall without air conditioning, one room was freezing cold during the dog days of summer. Dealing a Dead Man’s Hand Kirby Hall sits on the “number one” plot of Wilkes-Barre’s original town plan. Stephen Leonard Thurlow, a coal baron, purchased the lot in 1872, and commissioned Frederick Clarke Withers to design what is now known as Kirby Hall. The building changed hands twice before Fred Morgan Kirby acquired it in 1905. However, along the way the house seems to have picked up an unwanted caretaker. NO ONE WAS EVER FOUND, According to a 1981 edition of Wilkes College Quarterly, around the turn of the century, nor did anyone while the home was owned by Reuben Jay Flick, a colorful leave the locked character named Poker Pan was allegedly killed in the house building-except during a gambling dispute. The murder occurred in what was for the guards, then the music room. Poker Pan may not have taken kindly to having his card game Ill suddenly interrupted. Often people hear footsteps for a long on the stairs. Sabol-Jones says that public safety officers have time ... claimed they feel a presence on the third floor. Some even claim to feel a hand on their backs. According to The Beacon archives, people have reported seeing a strange mist by the windows. One report talks about a professor doing late-night research on the second floor. As he exited the building, he saw a white mist in front of him. As he approached it, the mist retreated up the stairs. who REFUSED TO GO BACK Ghostly Laughter Conyngham Center was built in 1897 by William Hillard Conyngham. He hoped that this home would serve his family for many years. To cement that hope, Conyngham had family photographs placed in the building’s cornerstone. Today, the Conynghams’ presence may extend beyond those photographs. Lewis has heard of some interesting activity taking place there. “Several years ago, security guards had locked the building up for the night only to hear the sound of a young woman’s laugh echoing near the elevator on the side of the building. One guard headed upstairs and one headed to the basement to find the woman. No one was ever found, nor did anyone leave the locked building—except for the guards, who refused to go back in for a long time,” says Lewis. WILKES | Fall 2009 The Lady in Red 10 Weckesser Hall is one of Wilkes’ most iconic buildings, and one of the most storied when it comes to ghosts. The home was built by Frederick J. Weckesser, a hardworking business man and former director of the F.W.Woolworth Company, between 1914 and 1916.The home still features a working elevator, surround shower, giant chandelier and indoor rain gutters. The home may also feature some of its original owners. Lewis says,“People claim to see a shadow descending the stairs The parlor of Kirby Hall, where a poker game turned deadly. �The “speakeasy” in the basement of Waller Hall dates back to the original owner. The Girl on the Third Floor Doane Hall was Wilkes University’s only residence hall where quiet hours were observed 24/7. But one former resident broke the rules at the South River Street mansion, as sounds from another world could be heard coming from the third floor. Residents have often complained about the strange occurrences in Doane, but they always know who to blame: the girl on the third floor. Campus legend says that a girl hanged herself there decades before Wilkes acquired the building in 1973. What adds to the mystery and fuels the stories is the single white, steel door with no knob that blocks people from using the staircase to the third floor. The Ghosts of Prohibition? Waller Hall was originally built as the home of Julius Long Stern in 1925. The home is known for being one of the most elaborate residence halls that Wilkes owns. Waller is also one of the strangest. The building is divided into two sides—north and south. Wilkes even acquired the building in two parts. An unusual feature of Waller is the mysterious passageways on the second floor. If students wanted, they could circle the entire floor without ever stepping into a hallway. The second strange feature is the bar—or speakeasy—in the basement. The presence of the speakeasy has become a popular piece of Wilkes lore. It’s a place few have seen, adding to its mystique. Any self-respecting ghost would certainly want to gather there. During prohibition, prominent members of the Wilkes-Barre community could relax in the spacious downstairs bar, sit near a brick fireplace, and order libations from the bartender. Perhaps some of these partygoers have stayed around waiting for their next drink. Andrew Seaman is a Wilkes University senior and served as editor of The Beacon in spring 2009. More on the web: Share your Wilkes ghost stories at The Colonel Connection message boards at community.wilkes.edu. WILKES | Fall 2009 and turn toward the front of the structure. Maybe it’s Mr. Weckesser’s spirit. He was known for his hard work habits: Perhaps he is returning to finish his evening work. Or perhaps it is Dr. Eugene Farley, the founding president of Wilkes.” Another tale involves a University staff member. As she was setting up for an early morning meeting, she noticed an older woman in a red dress standing on the stairs. The staff member smiled and went about her business, but when she went back to check on the woman, she had disappeared. As the staff member turned to resume her duties, she noticed a picture of a woman hanging in the entranceway. The picture looked exactly like the woman she had seen on the stairs, and under it was a small plaque with Mrs. Weckesser’s name engraved on it. The staff member reportedly tendered her resignation later that day. 11 �MIXING ALUMNUS’ VOLUNTEERISM TRANSFORMS THE LIVES OF DIABETIC YOUNGSTERS By Helen Kaiser Michael S. Anger, MD, FASN, FACP, Denver, Colo. B.S., Biology, Wilkes 1977 M.D., Hahnemann Medical College, Philadelphia 1981 Career: President of Western Nephrology Group, a medical practice with 12 physicians, 70 employees and a partnership with five dialysis clinics throughout Denver. Notable: Has combined diverse interests such as his medical practice, magic, biking, ice hockey and skiing, WILKES | Fall 2009 blending fundraising with fun-raising to give back to 12 his family and community. Favorite Wilkes Memory: Skiing with the Polar Bear Club and working as a disk jockey for the school radio station, WCLH-FM. �Opposite page: Dr. Michael Anger ’77 teaches diabetes management strategies against the backdrop of Camp Colorado. Above: Dr. Michael Anger ’77, center, works his medical magic to bring smiles to the faces of children at an American Diabetes Association camp. ' We were honored to recognize someone who is a LEADER in his own profession and who truly embraces FAMILY VALUES. – Suehila Glass, executive director of ADA’s Denver office '' Suehila Glass, executive director of ADA’s Denver office, said Anger was a natural choice for Father of the Year because of his personal and professional connections with diabetes, his belief in the ADA’s mission and his passionate interest in helping patients. “We were honored to recognize someone who is a leader in his own profession and who truly embraces family values. Because he has given of his personal time, finances and expertise, we have been able to fund research and continue programs for persons with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes,” Glass says. Board certified in nephrology—a specialty related to kidney function and diseases—Anger has also served as president of the National Kidney Foundation of Colorado and president of the Colorado Society of Nephrology. He serves on the clinical faculty advisory board for the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine and has been teaching and volunteering as an attending physician at Denver Health Hospital for the past 22 years. Anger recently was honored with the university’s community service award. In the community, Anger has been president and board member of his homeowners association and president of the municipal water board. He enjoys roundtable discussions with the Mile High Magicians group to share techniques in the magic world. He would not, however, reveal how he can levitate a syringe. “It’s magic,” he says. Family time includes biking with his wife on the 100kilometer division of Tour de Cure to raise money for the ADA, playing ice hockey with his eldest son on “The Fighting Kidneys” team, and skiing. Anger fondly recalls his biology coursework at Wilkes and wonderful experiences with Professor Charles Reif and Les Turocszi: “They were both favorite professors of mine, and ones I will never forget.” WILKES | Fall 2009 A S A 12-YEAR-OLD WITH earnings from his Brooklyn, N.Y., paper route, Dr. Michael Anger ’77 was able to fund his fascinating hobby: magic tricks. On visits to the renowned Tannen’s Magic Store in Manhattan, he was captivated by the store clerks’ sleight of hand—card tricks, coin effects, disappearing silks and the like. “Soon I was making my own tricks and performing them at birthday parties,” Anger recalls. Who could predict that, as a grownup physician in Denver, Colo., he would resurrect his box of tricks to bring magic to the lives of children with diabetes? Making insulin syringes appear to float in the air—“just stuff to make kids smile”—is one of the talents Anger uses annually as a volunteer at the week long Camp Colorado, sponsored by the American Diabetes Association.Anger has been involved with the camp for the past eight years, pulling nearly round-the-clock duty over six days as senior physician to ensure the 260 participants, ages 8 to 17, are having a healthy good time. This means supervising the infirmary, dosing insulin at the dining hall and making 2:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. bed checks to ensure campers’ blood sugar levels haven’t spiked or dropped dangerously because of their physically active days and new meal regimens at the pristine Colorado mountain lake retreat. The camp, with about 75 medical and ADA-trained volunteers, blends the fun of regular summer camp with education about diabetes management tailored to each camper’s stage of development. “It’s exhausting, but it’s special,” says Anger, who was named 2009 Father of the Year by the Denver office of the ADA. He and Rachel, his wife of 26 years, have four children: Matthew, 23, a student at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine; Eric, 21, at Northwestern University; Emily, 19, at the University of Oregon, and Max, 17, a high school senior. Max was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of four. “Naturally, this impacted the whole family,” Anger says. “Emotionally it’s very stressful, but we were lucky to be close and work through it. There’s a lot to learn about diet changes and medication, but the philosophy we used to raise our son was: ‘Don’t let diabetes control you; you control the diabetes.’” Max’s disease sparked his dad’s involvement with the ADA, which reaches out to 23.6 million Americans with diabetes. PHOTOGRAPHY BY TIM RYAN PICTURES 13 �Views of the new River Common can be seen from the Wilkes campus. PHOTO OF FOUNTAIN AT NIGHT BY ANDREW SEAMAN WILKES | Fall 2009 ALL OTHER PHOTOS BY MICHAEL P. TOUEY 14 �F EW UNIVERSITIES CAN say that a river flows past the front door of campus.Wilkes University is one of them. The proximity of the Susquehanna River has been a blessing and challenge over the years. For generations of alumni, the River Common—the lovely greenway fronting the river—provided a respite from the classroom. At other times, flooding—most notably following Hurricane Agnes in 1972—was the curse of having a campus bordering a river. A new system of levees completed in 2003 has reduced flooding issues. Now the River Common project, completed in June of this year, tops the flood wall and provides a new riverfront park facing the Wilkes Campus. Two portals in the flood wall along River Street—with the southernmost located near the Wilkes campus—invite visitors to access the riverfront. Looking northeast from the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center, the new River Common provides opportunities for walking, cycling, boating and fishing along the river. An amphitheatre for open-air concerts, a boat launch and other amenities bring the promise of new recreational opportunities for Wilkes students and alumni. WILKES | Fall 2009 More on the web: To take an online tour of the new River Common, go to www.wilkes.edu/rivercommon. 15 �TEACHING THE DIGITAL NATIVES TECHNOLOGY CHANGES 21ST CENTURY CLASSROOMS By Vicki Mayk B uilding a model of the solar system— complete with little planets made from plastic foam balls—has no place in Kathy Schrock’s world. Schrock, an adjunct professor in Wilkes University’s master’s degree program in instructional media, likens it to an ancient artifact WILKES | Fall 2009 with little relevance for today’s digital learners. 16 “We need to be using technology to allow students to do alternative assignments,” says Schrock, a nationally recognized expert on technology and education who has authored six books and presented more than 100 workshops on the subject. “We need to be asking them, ‘Do you want to do a video about that, or a comic strip, or a Flash video presentation?’ They still have to demonstrate that they know the material. Changing how they do it is the big step.” Offering students alternatives for completing assignments is just one aspect of the 21st century classroom, a place that actively engages students by using technology—from interactive whiteboards to digital cameras—as tools to teach and inspire. The 21st century classroom will find some students making a video instead of writing a term paper. Virtual field trips will take them to an art museum on the other side of the world. And if their high school doesn’t offer a particular advanced placement class? No worries: They can take the class online. Computers have been in schools for more than two decades. But it takes more than equipment to transform schools for the future. Michael Speziale MS ’78, dean of Wilkes University’s College of Graduate and Professional Studies, says more is required. “Computers have had little, if any, effect on transforming our classrooms because they haven’t been used effectively,” Speziale says. Classrooms of the 21st century, he explains, must reflect the way members of the millennial generation—those born between 1982 and 2000—think. “They multitask, they collaborate, they live, breathe and work in social networks. And there is a whole body of research that addresses how these students learn and how to reach them,” he states. “Then they come to school, and we ask them to park the technology at the door.” The way to teach them, he explains, is to use a variety of media that engage them in learning collaboratively. The key to transforming schools is transforming teaching methods to incorporate the wide variety of digital and online tools available. Helping educators learn how to do that is the focus of several Wilkes University master’s degree programs in teacher education. One of those programs— 21st Century Teaching and Learning— starts by helping teachers understand why change is necessary. “We tell them that they’re not doing something wrong: The students have changed,” says Kathleen Makuch, program coordinator and a former school superintendent. Their students, �Left: A computer is always close at hand for Pamela Oliveira, a teacher in the Wyoming Valley West Middle School in Kingston, Pa., and a student in Wilkes’ master’s degree program in instructional media. Chalk boards and worksheets aren't preparing our students for the world in which they will perform. PHOTO BY BRUCE WELLER Below: Jim Kotz ’90 MS’92 demonstrates the use of an interactive whiteboard as a technology coach in the Lackawanna Trail School District. PHOTO COURTESY JIM KOTZ Once they do, many become advocates. He cites one veteran science teacher who “jumped right in” and made lessons interactive. For example, students in his classroom study anatomy by placing organs in a digital human body. The assignment to create a model of the solar system still has a place in the digital universe. Using simulated modeling, students can build the solar system, set the planets in motion and watch them orbit the sun. Barbara Moran ’84 MS’88 and Victoria Glod MS’91, program coordinators for Wilkes’ classroom technology and instructional technology graduate programs, can identify dozens of such resources. Technology can be especially helpful in teaching challenging concepts. “Sometimes the concept of slope can be difficult for students to understand,” Glod explains. “If they take digital pictures of roofs with various pitch and then use Google SketchUp to outline the height and width of the roof line, they can calculate the slope of the roof.” And for those who fear that technology is making education more impersonal—Moran disagrees. “It’s getting more personal,” she states. “Students can be online with their peers from New York to California and collaborate with them on a project. Twitter, Facebook, Web cams—here are endless options for being connected.” LEARN MORE ON THE WEB Learn more about online learning tools and the classroom of the 21st century: • http://course.wilkes.edu/web20 • http://school.discoveryeducation .com/schrockguides • www.kathyschrock.net • www.iste.org WILKES | Fall 2009 she explains, are “digital natives”—a term coined by e-learning guru Marc Prensky to describe youngsters who have never known a world without the Internet and cell phones. Teachers are “digital immigrants” who have had to learn the equivalent of a second language. Gone are the days of lecturing by the teacher. For digital natives, Makuch explains, “project-based learning” is the key. “Teachers are the facilitators of learning. They set up projects and the students do the learning.” The need for change drew Pamela Oliveira, a teacher at the Wyoming Valley West Middle School, to enroll in Wilkes’ instructional media program. “Chalk boards and worksheets aren’t preparing our students for the world in which they will perform,” Oliveira says. Jim Kotz ’90 MS’92, focuses on helping teachers master the tools in his role as technology coach for the Lackawanna Trail School District in Factoryville, Pa. “Newer teachers have been using the technology all along. For experienced teachers, it’s a matter of finding the time to incorporate it into their lesson plans,” Kotz says. 17 �alumni news Music Alumni in Tune at Spring Concert Music alumni came back to campus on April 25 and 26 to perform in the annual spring concert and to catch up with each other thanks to the collaborative efforts of Assistant Professor Philip G. Simon and the Office of Alumni Relations.Twenty alumni reunited under the direction of guest conductors Ray Nutaitis '62 and Terry Zipay. Photos of the weekend are available at: http://community.wilkes.edu/band. Pictured above, from left, are David Cooper ’74, Philip Herfort ’69, Donald Williams ’76, Ray Nutaitis ’62, Ethel Shannon Sherman ’73, Clark Hamman ’72, and Mark Dubik ’76. PHOTO COURTESY OF ETHEL SHANNON SHERMAN ’73 2009 Alumni Scholarship honoree Helen Ralston ’52 and Wilkes President Tim Gilmour show off the award presented at the annual scholarship dinner held April 25 at the Henry Student Center. Alumni gathered to honor Ralston for her contributions and accomplishments. Recognized for her heart of blue and gold, she still brings the Wilkes family together and regularly leads the alma mater and National Anthem at University functions. MEET LAURA CARDINALE ’72, ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT Education I hold a bachelor’s degree in economics from Wilkes Wilkes memory is life at Sturdevant Hall, with fond memories of fabulous University and completed post-graduate work in friendships and camaraderie as well as great parties. economics at Northeastern University in Boston. How did you get involved with Alumni Association? Career Four years ago a friend and former classmate contacted me and asked if My current position is vice president-finance and I would be interested in becoming a member of the Alumni Association business planning at Verizon. I began my career Board. I became aware of the great work that was being done to transform at New England Telephone Company and have the post-graduation relationships between the University and alumni. held positions in marketing, finance and What is your vision for the Alumni Association Board? strategic planning there and at Bell Atlantic My vision is straightforward: to strengthen the bond between alumni and Verizon corporations. and the University. Favorite Wilkes Memory My favorite academic NEW ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD MEMBERS WILKES | Fall 2009 memories include multiple 18 walks a day (usually in the The following alumni joined the board in May: cold!) to Parrish Hall, where Jef Bauman ’09 Kristin Hake Klemish ’04 all of the business, finance Cynthia Charnetski ’97 Nick Koch ’12 and economics classes were JJ Fadden ’98 Ruth McDermott-Levy ’82 held at that time. I credit the Roya Fahmy ’83 Anita Mucciolo ’78 small classes and excellent Jill Kalariya ’10 faculty with the high-quality education I received. From a Newly elected Alumni Association officers, from left: Fred Demech ’61, first vice president; Laura Cardinale ’72, president; Rosemary LaFratte ’93 MBA’97, second vice president. social perspective, my favorite PHOTO BY LISA REYNOLDS �alumni news Alumni Homecoming Weekend 2009: Oct. 9-11 The Legend Continues… Relive Wilkes memories and make new ones at Homecoming! Last year 1,000 alumni and friends were back on campus to celebrate. Enjoy events all weekend long: • Tailgate Tent and football game vs. Lebanon Valley • 10th Anniversary Celebration of the pharmacy program • Young alumni Tent Festival on Saturday evening • Running Club-sponsored 5K • Parade through downtown Wilkes-Barre • Gatherings for Doane,Weckesser and Gore Hall alumni, field hockey alumnae and many more • Ralston Alumni Golf Tournament at Irem Country Club • Celebrate your reunion! CELEBRATE YOUR REUNION! If you graduated in 1949, 1959, 1969, 1984, 1999 or 2004, don’t miss out on your class reunion! Find out more and register online today! wilkes.edu/homecoming QUESTIONS? Contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (800) WILKES-U Ext. 7787 or at alumni@wilkes.edu. PH) PHARMACY PROGRAM 10TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION w~'il~~~r~ Come ComE back to campus to get together with faculty members, reconnect with friends and current students. Planned weekend activities include: and meet r ~~,~E_ THE DATE! •• dinner on Saturday night din eebr ate the 10th "-nni •• reception with LKS, Kappa Psi rec Pha "ersary of the rm acy prograrn at Ha 8oo ""1rtl\, -.1om --1 alu~~ILKESU ext. 1781 --..::.::.-••nl@witkoc ~U i'R<v~-•"1· "1khi.-lJUW.illf\l,Ol;ltJJIJ'd ___.. •• events throughout Homecoming Weekend ev1 For information on the Pharmacy Program’s 10th Anniversary Celebration, check For more 11 out outTThe Colonel Connection, http://community.wilkes.edu/pharmacy or contact the Office Offic1 of Alumni Relations at (800) WILKES-U Ext. 7787 or e-mail alumni@wilkes.edu. 11U1 Above: Members of the first Pharmacy School graduating class. PHOTO FROM WILKES ARCHIVES WILKES | Fall 2009 Otta:'ecoming, ~~vuer 9·11! IU:J~ •• continuing education opportunity COi 19 �class notes 1963 Philip Siegel has accepted the position of Peter S. Knox III distinguished chair in accounting at Augusta State University. He was on the accounting faculty at Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, and was to begin his new position in August 2009. 1965 Bill Schwab and his wife, Donna, will be married 30 years in December 2009.They spent their careers working in education in the Wilkes-Barre Area School District. Bill retired as principal of Coughlin High School in 2002, and Donna retired in 2004. Now they are traveling as much as they can.They have spent a month driving around Alaska, cruised the Greek Isles, taken the old American Orient Express train from Idaho to New Mexico, and driven snowmobiles through northern Quebec. Voda Turns Past into Prose 1968 Helen Dugan Worth, director of the Office of Communications and Public Affairs at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, has been named to the laboratory’s principal professional staff.The appointment recognizes the highest professional stature and is equivalent to achieving a tenured faculty appointment. She led media relations for such programs as the nearearth asteroid rendezvous mission that landed the first spacecraft on an asteroid. She lives in Columbia, Md. 1970 Kenneth Gordon recently retired after more than 38 years as an analytical chemist with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife, Karen.They just celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary.The couple have a daughter, Jill, age 29. In her book From Shoebox to Saltbox, Voda described “a When Mary Beth Kennedy Voda ’66 retired from young family’s love affair with an old saltbox house.” The teaching English at Wyalusing Valley Area High School, it family is her own. She wrote about her struggle as a city was her husband who suggested she rediscover her girl adjusting to country life and the challenges of home passion for writing. A mother of two grown children with renovation. “With two kids at home and my husband an English degree from Wilkes, Voda had been waiting working, we tore that house apart and put it back for an opportunity to write about “interesting people together,” she says. Why take on such a challenge? “It who have done interesting things with their lives.” For needed us as much as we needed it,” she explains. Voda, those interesting people look a lot like family. Another success for Voda was an American History magazine article titled “A War in Letters.” It recounted the experience of Voda’s father, World War II Marine Corps Pvt. Tom Kennedy, during the battle of Iwo Jima. The article has led to multiple speaking engagements for the author throughout the Northeast. Voda has published several other articles, including one written for Pennsylvania Heritage magazine on political activist Cornelia Bryce Pinchot, wife of Pennsylvania’s 1922 governor, Gifford Pinchot. She also wrote and performed a 22-part radio series on Pennsylvania women for local Public Broadcasting affiliate station WVIA. Her inspiration, she says, comes from family, particularly her father and grandmother. “I come from a family of storytellers,” she says. Voda continues her love affair with words and is currently WILKES | Fall 2009 working on a children’s book, Dixie Smiles. She makes her 20 home in Wyalusing, Pa., with her husband, John. — By Rachel Strayer Mary Beth Kennedy Voda ’66 poses with an edition of From Shoebox to Saltbox at an author’s event. PHOTO COURTESY TONY MUSSARI �class notes Nicholas Inducted Into National Teachers Hall of Fame Les Nicholas ’81, a teacher at Wyoming Valley West Middle School, was prepared to watch an Earth Day program with his class on April 22, Les Nicholas ’81 stands outside the National Teachers Hall of Fame in Emporia, Kan. 2009, in the school’s auditorium. When he arrived he found the entire school waiting—as PHOTO COURTESY NATIONAL TEACHERS HALL OF FAME well as his family and a representative from the Nicholas was selected as one of the best teachers in to seep into the habits of his students. Because one of Mr. Nick’s many catch phrases is ‘Make it first class or America and was one of five teachers inducted to the third, but never second,’ students quickly realize they Hall of Fame this year. The awards ceremony took place cannot cut corners because if something is worth doing, in June at Emporia, Kan. This is not the first award it is worth making excellent.” bestowed upon Nicholas. His other honors include being named a 2005 Disney Teacher, the 2004 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year, 2005 University of Nicholas says that he emphasizes involving students in the learning process. “Often we educators are imposing too many restrictions Pennsylvania Educator of the Year, and a 2008 First on them. I find that if the kids make decisions, then things Freedom Award winner. like discipline become non-issues. You’ve got to be a little Nicholas graduated from Wilkes College with a triple clever in how you do that,” he says. major in English, German and education. He went on to Nicholas will be permanently honored with a plaque earn his master’s degree in educational leadership from at the Wyoming Valley West Middle School and with a the University of Pennsylvania in 1985. He has worked in display at the National Teachers Hall of Fame Museum, the Wyoming Valley West School District teaching in Emporia. journalism, advanced journalism, broadcast journalism and English for the last 28 years. Lindsey O’Brien, a former student, describes the — By Andrew Seaman, Wilkes University senior Les Nicholas will deliver the first lecture in the 2009-2010 teaching style that has made Nicholas an award- “Issues in Education” speakers series on Sept. 17 at 4:45 p.m. winner: “Mr. Nick’s industrious work ethic never fails at Wilkes University. His topic will be “Becoming a Teacher.” 1972 Karen (Baldoni) Bernardi joined the real estate firm Prudential Poggi & Jones. She had a successful 33-year career in education as an elementary teacher before graduating from the Pennsylvania Real Estate Academy and obtaining her real estate license. She lives in West Pittston, Pa., with her husband, Raymond, and has three sons. 1980 Shepard Willner completed all of the requirements for the Toastmasters International Distinguished Toastmasters Award.This distinction, presented in the form of a medallion, was given at the May 2, 2009, District 27 Spring Conference at George Mason University.The award is achieved by only 2 percent of all members. 1984 Reunion Oct. 9-11 ~ Dr. Daniel J. Glunk received the Susquehanna Council of Boy Scouts of America 2009 Distinguished Citizen Award. The award honored his achievements, which include being the first Pennsylvania Medical Society president from Lycoming County in more than 100 years. 1985 Timothy Williams successfully defended his doctoral dissertation in educational leadership at Immaculata University. He is the director of instruction for the Manheim Township School District. He resides in Lancaster County, Pa., with his three children. WILKES | Fall 2009 National Teachers Hall of Fame. 21 �class notes 1989 Reunion Oct. 9-11 ~ Robert Faille graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a master’s degree in technology management.The program is co-sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Engineering. Ronald E. McHale Jr. of Mountain Top, Pa., recently joined First National Community Bank as a senior financial consultant. He has 20 years experience in the bank brokerage industry. He resides in Mountain Top with his wife, Donna, and their son,Tyler. 1990 John Paul Corcoran Jr. has been appointed an adjunct professor of law at Duquesne University School of Law in Pittsburgh. Keith Silligman has been appointed to the newly created role of executive director with the Omaha Ambulatory Surgery Center and MidWest Pain Clinics in Omaha, Neb. Keith, wife Nancy, and their two children, Ashley and Christopher, have lived happily in Omaha for the last eight years. 1991 Victor James Mosca married Denise Diane Gilbert on May 10, 2008. He is self-employed. The couple reside in Kingston Township, Pa. 1996 Karen (Bednarczyk) Cowan and her husband, Scott, announce the birth of their second daughter, Eden Elizabeth, born on March 4. Eden is welcomed by her big sister, Grace Evelyn.The family resides in Winter Garden, Fla. John Decker and his wife, Mandy, announce the birth of their first child, Luke Charles, on April 24, 2009.The couple reside in Orlando, Fla. STRIKE UP THE BAND Any member of the Wilkes community, student or LOOKING FOR CAREER ADVICE? Are you thinking of changing careers or facing a transition due to the current economic situation? Wilkes is here to help. There are a number of resources available to alumni, including the services of the Wilkes Career Services Office. Find out what’s available to you at http://community.wilkes.edu/career_resources. 1997 Meredith (Cabrey) Nascimento and her husband, Christian, welcomed their second son, S. Christian Jr., on March 27, 2008. 1999 Reunion Oct. 9-11 ~ William John Weidner married Terri Ann Gallagher on Sept. 6, 2008. He is employed as a certified public accountant by Decker Accounting LLC,WilkesBarre.They reside in Hanover Township, Pa. 2000 Laura Burns married Daniel DiMarzo on Nov. 1, 2008, in Westport, Conn.The couple resides in East Norriton, Pa., where Laura works as a marketing director for a telecommunications company. She is the daughter of Robert Burns Jr. ’82 and Wilkes employee Anita Burns. alumnus, is invited to play with the Wilkes Pep Band at home games, Homecoming and other fall activities WILKES | Fall 2009 around campus. Rehearsals are Monday afternoons, 22 4 to 5:30 p.m., and home game Saturdays, 9:30 to 11 a.m. Pep Band shirts and jackets are provided, as well as brunch after rehearsal on home game days. Call Philip Simon, (570)408-4437, for more details. Jennifer Kennedy and Nicholas Wadas were married on Aug. 23, 2008.The groom is employed by Allied Services as an occupational therapist and by Wilkes University as the head cross country coach. They reside in Dallas, Pa. 2002 Ronald Metcho is an associate attorney with the law firm of Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Goggin and Coleman. He resides in Philadelphia. 2003 Kyla Campbell-Bubb is a reporter and weekend morning anchor for WBRE in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton television market. She married Nathan Bubb on Oct. 13, 2007.The couple reside in Drums, Pa. 2004 Reunion Oct. 9-11 ~ Emily Bly graduated from the University of North Texas in December 2008 with a master of music degree in musicology. While at the University of North Texas, Bly was a member of Pi Kappa Lambda honor society in music. 2005 Stephanie Dickert and Joshua Hall were married on June 6, 2009. Joshua is an officer in the U.S. Air Force �class notes Butchko Influences Community Revitalization Through May 31, 2009, more than 405,000 homeowners have received foreclosure counseling through the program. According to Butchko, in many of the communities impacted by NeighborWorks support, the local organizations started to see foreclosures rise in their communities before anyone else. Butchko graduated from Wilkes with a degree in political science. He went on to earn a master’s degree from the University of Rochester in public policy analysis. He says Wilkes and the mentoring he received from faculty like political science professor Thomas Baldino prepared him well for a career that has given him a front-row seat in the political arena. Butchko appears at a property dedication for a senior housing development constructed by NeighborWorks of the Blackstone River Valley, a region encompassing parts of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Butchko has had the opportunity to see the complete political process in action. In the past, he was charged with making his organization’s case in Michael Butchko ‘96 has a hand in rejuvenating distressed communities across the United States through his work with NeighborWorks America. He serves as deputy director of field operations for the Washington, front of Congress in order to continue receiving funds. He says working with members of Congress was a dream come true for a political science major. “Working with Congress was always exhilarating. It’s akin D.C.-based organization. As a nonprofit organization to being a sports fan: You know the players, and you’re just created by Congress, NeighborWorks distributes funds to thrilled to be in that action,” says Butchko. create opportunities for people to live in affordable homes. NeighborWorks also provides technical assistance and training for community-based revitalization efforts. Butchko began working in the public policy office of He also says that it is great to work for an organization like NeighborWorks. ”NeighborWorks America has a commitment to nonprofits across the U.S. that assist America’s most underserved the organization in 2000. Recently, his job has given communities,” he says. “I’m proud to have spent the last him first-hand experience with the foreclosure crisis nine years of my professional career working for such a impacting the housing industry. NeighborWorks terrific organization.” administers the National Foreclosure Mitigation and will be transferring to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, in July of this year. Stephanie is currently working on a master’s in counseling with the expectation of completion in fall 2009. Bridget McHale MBA’07 married Josh Turel Pharm.D. ’07 on May 9, 2009. Bridget is employed by Wilkes University as a coordinator in the Sidhu School of Business. Josh is employed by PharMerica pharmacy as a staff pharmacist. They reside in Dallas, Pa. — By Andrew Seaman, Wilkes University senior 2006 Jami Lynn Shuleski and Matthew John Koch ’02 were married Sept. 27, 2008. She is employed as a software developer by Keystone Automotive Operations, Exeter, Pa.The couple reside in Forty Fort, Pa. 2008 Joseph Magyar married Nina Marie Dumas on Aug. 30, 2008. He is employed at the State Correctional Institution at Mahonoy, Frackville, Pa. They reside in Wyoming, Pa. WILKES | Fall 2009 Counseling program authorized by Congress. 23 �class notes Graduate Students 2001 Raymond Bernardi, Pharm.D., joined the real estate firm Prudential Poggi & Jones. He is a licensed pharmacist and a realtor. He lives in Duryea, Pa., with his wife, Jessica, and son, Dominic. Shanna Lee (Henninger) Dawson, Pharm.D., and her husband, James, would like to announce the births of their two children. Kevin Francis Dawson was born Oct. 31, 2006, and Mallory Jean Dawson was born Feb. 8, 2009. They reside in Nazareth, Pa. Kevin Michael Polifko, Pharm.D., married Susan Elizabeth Pellock ’05, Pharm.D., on Aug. 16, 2008. She is employed as a lieutenant in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Regulatory Affairs, Harrisburg, Pa. He is employed as a pharmacy supervisor for CVS, Harrisburg, Pa.They reside in Harrisburg. 2006 Jennifer Lee Bernick, MS, married Jeffrie Edward Welby on June 28, 2008. Jennifer is in her final year of coursework From Accounting to the FBI From a young age, Karen Bednarczyk Cowan ’96 always dreamed of working in law enforcement. So when it came time to pursue a major at Wilkes University she chose … accounting? “As a high school student I researched the type of people the FBI would hire, and their top candidates at the time were people with accounting degrees,” explains Cowan, an intelligence analyst on the Joint Terrorism Task Force in the FBI’s Tampa, Fla., division. With her accounting degree and minors in finance and management in hand, Cowan went on to earn a master’s degree in educational leadership and policy studies from Virginia Tech. “The FBI rarely hires young adults fresh out of college,” Cowan says. “I remember being told on my first day at the FBI Academy that one in 12,000 people who apply to the FBI are offered a position.” On the Joint Terrorism Task Force, Cowan became a member of the FBI’s Evidence Response Team. She identifies documents, collects and preserves evidence supporting FBI cases. “The ERT provides assistance in Karen Cowan’s accounting degree was a stepping stone to an FBI career. PHOTO BY SCOTT COWAN any area of evidence collection management from traditional search warrants to complex crime scenes. As a member of this team, I received a high level of training to ensure evidence is collected in such a reprioritize her workload quickly. That’s also the most manner that it can be introduced in courts throughout challenging aspect. the United States and the world. Over the years, I WILKES | Fall 2009 have had the opportunity to work a number of 24 The best part of her career, she says, is the uncertainty of the tasks each day will bring. She often has to Cowan lives in Winter Garden, Fla., with husband Scott and daughters Grace and Eden. warrants and crime scenes, including those involving missing children.” — By Shannon Curtin ’07 MBA’09 �class notes 2007 Craig Czury, MA, is the author of “Kitchen of Conflict Resolution,” a collection of poetry published by FootHills Publishing. 2009 Kerrie Stephanik, MS, and Seaton Angley were married on June 21, 2008. She is an English teacher at Hazleton Area High School.The couple reside in Conyngham, Pa. In Memoriam 1945 Dr. Matthew M. Mischinski of Pinehurst, Pa., died May 9, 2009. He was a physician and a diplomate of the American Orthopedic Society and the American Society of Emergency Physicians. He was a graduate of Wyoming Seminary in Kingston, Pa., Bucknell University Junior College and Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia. He served his country during World War II as a first lieutenant in the Army Air Corps. He was a B17 pilot and completed 35 missions over Europe. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Eleanor Mischinski; sons, Richard Mischinski, Austin, Texas, Paul Mischinski, WinstonSalem, N.C., Mark Mischinski, Telford, Pa., and Carl Mischinski, Indian Trail, N.C.; sister, Loretta Dunn, State College, Pa.; eleven granddaughters and one grandson. 1948 William J. Rule of Exeter, Pa., died May 25, 2009. He attended Temple University, Wilkes College, and Legion College at Indiantown Gap. He enlisted in the Army Signal Corps in December 1942 and was honorably discharged in 1946. He has been a legionnaire for over 60 years and was employed at Foster Wheeler Corporation for 25 years. He is survived by his daughters, Linda T. Cook, Alamo, Calif.; and Sherry L. Emerhaw, Dallas, Pa.; a grandson and several nieces and nephews. John Francis Washko of Morrisville, Pa., died June 5, 2009. He was a veteran of World War II, having served in both the Army and Army Air Corps. He saw active duty in the European theater and was awarded the Purple Heart. He graduated from Bucknell University Junior College with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. Washko was employed at General Motors in Ewing, N.J., for 45 years, retiring as a senior mechanical engineer. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Florence Kozik Washko; his daughter Susan, Charlottesville,Va.; son John, Canton, Conn.; daughter Judy; and a granddaughter. 1949 The Rev. Michael Mokris of Kingston, Pa., died April 22, 2009. He graduated from Bucknell University Junior College and received a master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He was a World War II veteran, serving in the U.S. Army. Mokris graduated from Saints Cyril and Methodius Theological Seminary, Pittsburgh, Pa. He was ordained into the holy priesthood in 1961, serving in eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania. He retired from SS. Peter and Paul Byzantine Catholic Church, Lopez, Pa. Surviving is his sister Margaret Jankik, Miami, Fla. Cyprian Rapczynski of Toms River, N.J., died on April 29, 2009. He was a graduate of Bucknell University Junior College and was employed as the vice president of exports at Associated Metals and Minerals Corp., New York City. He was a Navy veteran of World War II. Surviving are his wife, the former Romaine Smar, and son Allen. 1952 Adeline ‘Addie’ Stein of Yuma, Ariz., died May 15, 2009. She attended Wilkes College from 1950 through 1952. She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Carroll “Bert” Stein Jr.,Yuma, Ariz.; a daughter, Linda Fallert, Pine Valley, Calif.; a son, Jeffery Stein,Yuma, Ariz.; sisters, Christine Stankevicz, Luzerne, Pa. and Betty Kazokas, Courtdale, Pa. 1953 Robert “Barry” Jordan of Oceanside, Calif., died April 17, 2009. He attended Wilkes College, Elizabethtown College and Lincoln Chiropractic College, where he received his doctor of chiropractic degree in 1954. He interned at Spears Chiropractic Hospital in Denver, Colo.; spent two years in the medical corps of the U.S. Army; and entered private practice in Wilkes-Barre. He later began a career in sales. After moving to California, he owned a roofing business until his retirement. He is survived by his brothers,Wayne Jordan, Binghamton, N.Y.; Donald Jordan, New Castle, Del.; sister Joyce Jordan, Hummels Wharf, Pa.; children Kimberly Kenyon of Maryland, Brenda Jordan of California, Susan LaNunziata of Exeter, Pa., Scott Jordan of Thornhurst, Pa., Brett Jordan of California, Gregg Jordan of Florida and 10 grandchildren. WILKES | Fall 2009 for her doctorate in educational leadership. She teaches fourth grade in Lake Lehman School District.They live in Dallas, Pa., with their black lab, Marley. 25 �class notes WILKES | Fall 2009 1957 John S. Klimchak of Hanover Township, Pa., died March 16, 2009. He was a World War II veteran, serving in the U.S. Coast Guard and receiving numerous medals for his service. He was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5267 and a 4th Degree Knight in Our Lady of Czestochowa Council 3987. Klimchak worked at the American Chain and Cable Company,Wilkes-Barre, and was a member of the United Steel Workers of America. He also worked at the Highway Trailer Company, Hazleton, Pa., as personnel manager. Surviving are son John Klimchak,Waldorf, Md.; daughter Pat LaPorte, Lancaster, Pa; three grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and sister, Josephine, Berlin, Md. 26 Dr. Anthony W. Kutz of Dallas, Pa., died April 22, 2009. He was a veteran of the Korean Conflict, serving with the U.S. Army in the military police and received his bachelor’s degree in biology from Wilkes College. He furthered his studies at Temple University, graduating from Temple Dental School in 1961. He was a dentist for more than 45 years. He is survived by his wife of almost 52 years, the former Pauline Pelczar; daughter Mary Murphy, Mountain Top, Pa.; son Dr. John Anthony, Clarks Summit, Pa.; and five grandchildren. Gerald B. Lefkowitz of Baltimore, Md., died March 22, 2009. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran of World War II, serving as a staff sergeant with the Eighth Air Force. He was co-owner of The Pittston Corset Shop, founded by his father in 1929. He is survived by his wife, Dolores (Rubin) Lefkowitz; children Diane Celmer and Susan Bellomy, both of Baltimore, David Lefkowitz, Oregon, Marc Lefkowitz, Manchester, Md.; brother Saul "Pinky" Lefkowitz; seven granddaughters; and one great-grandson. Bernard Rubin of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., formerly of Wilkes-Barre, died March 29, 2009. He served in the U.S. Army and was self-employed as an accountant prior to retiring. He was a member of the former United Orthodox Synagogue, Congregation Ohav Zedek and other civic and religious organizations. He is survived by his beloved wife, the former Helen Schainuck; loving children William Rubin, Dr. Keith Rubin, Davida Rubin Baker, Faye Rubin Orefice; and six grandchildren. 1958 Dorothy L. Owens of Kingston, Pa., died May 27, 2009. She graduated from Wilkes and was employed as a teacher at the Franklin Street Elementary School, Plymouth, Pa., until her retirement in 1975. She was a member of the Holy Family Parish, Luzerne, Pa. and the Retired Teachers Association. In addition to her husband, William, of 42 years, she is survived by son Mark; sisters Carol Batroney, Kingston, Pa., and Barbara Swartwood, Wilkes-Barre; and brother Edward Thomas Jr., Plymouth, Pa. 1962 George Gavales of New York City, N.Y., died April 4, 2009. He is survived by his loving companion of 17 years, Jacalyn Brown; his daughter, Lisa Gavales-Connors; granddaughter, Linda Alice; and brother Emmanuel. Ruth M. (Connelly) Walker of Wilkes-Barre died May 21, 2009. She was a graduate of King’s County Hospital School of Nursing and Wilkes. She worked first as a nurse and later as an associate administrator of long-term care for the Pennsylvania State Department of Health. Survivors are her husband, William Walker; stepchildren, Jeff and Wendy Walker (Miller); and two grandchildren. 1971 Ronald James Kamage, Esq., of Inkerman, Pa., died on May 16, 2009. He was a graduate of Wilkes College and Widener Law School. He was in private law practice in Kingston, Pa. He is survived by his wife, the former Darlene Wilde, Inkerman, Pa.; and brother, George Kamage, Pittston, Pa. 1973 Marlene C. Zvirblis of Mountain Top, Pa., died March 25, 2009. She was employed at the United Penn Bank,Wilkes-Barre, and worked for the federal government. Zvirblis was a member of the Gold Prospectors Association of America, Susquehanna Chapter; the Delaware Valley Paleontological Society; and the Mid-America Paleontology Society. She was also a member of the Polish Women’s Alliance and St. Jude’s Church, Mountain Top, Pa. Surviving are her husband, Anthony G. Zvirblis; and a brother Richard Strobel, Granada Hills, Calif. 1977 John J. Sharkowicz of Wanamie, Pa., died April 18, 2009. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army, having served from 1956 to 1958. He was employed as an industrial engineer with the Office of Surface Mining in WilkesBarre from 1977 to 2006. He was a member of Corpus Christi Parish/St. Adalbert’s Church, Glen Lyon, Pa. Surviving is a sister,Wanda Stralka, Oxon Hill, Md. �class notes Remembering Charles N. Burns Sr., M.D. ’37 Charles N. Burns Sr., M.D., of Kingston, Pa., died April 21, and separated from the Army in 1946, after attaining 2009. During a long and distinguished medical career, the rank of major. he also played a significant role at Wilkes University as In 1950, he became chief of urology at Crile VA Hospital alumnus, friend and mentor to both students and in Cleveland, Ohio. Returning to Wilkes-Barre in 1953, he faculty in the biology department. joined his uncle, Peter P. Mayock, M.D., in the practice of In 1987, Wilkes University named the campus bell urology. In 1981, his son, Dr. Charles N. Burns Jr., became tower in his honor, as well as presenting him with an affiliated and they practiced together until the retirement of honorary degree. A scholarship is also given annually in Dr. Burns Sr. in 2006. Prior to retirement, he was involved in his name at Wilkes. His positive influence was felt in basic research on prostate cancer at Wilkes University. many other ways. Linda Gutierrez, assistant professor of biology at Wilkes, Michael Steele, Fenner chair of research biology, recalled her first meeting with Burns as a colleague in remembers his contributions and professional leadership. “Dr. Burns was a superb mentor to many of us in the cancer research. “I met Dr. Burns in 2005, and I still remember how his biology department at Wilkes, regularly sharing his eloquence and bright persona impressed me at first,” says passion for medicine and his research on prostate Gutierrez. “I shared with him the belief and passion in cancer, and frequently involving our faculty and finding a cure for cancer through basic and translational students in these endeavors,” Steele says. “In fact, research.” She continues, “Dr. Burns was a high-caliber many of the students who worked with him followed in physician, a sharp researcher and remarkable mentor for his footsteps by pursuing careers in medicine or all of us here at the department of biology.” medical research. He was a dear friend of the biology community at Wilkes and will be deeply missed.” He is survived by his son, five grandchildren and two great grandchildren. He was a graduate of Wyoming Seminary class of 1933; Bucknell University Junior College, class of 1937; and Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pa., class of 1941. He interned at Mercy Hospital, Wilkes-Barre, where he met his wife, Mary Agnes Quigley, R.N. Drafted into the Army Medical Corps at 28, he participated in the Battle of surgeon with the 104th Infantry Division. He was awarded the Bronze Star The late Charles N. Burns Sr., M.D.’37, left, was mentor and friend to generations of students and faculty. He is pictured with former Wilkes President Christopher Breiseth at the 1987 dedication of the Burns Bell Tower named in his honor. WILKES | Fall 2009 the Bulge as a battalion 27 �class notes 1980 Bette Lynn Gardner of Tunkhannock, Pa., died June 2, 2009. She was employed as a social worker at St. Michael’s School until retirement. She was a member of the Tunkhannock United Methodist Church, the Tunkhannock Borough Council, and the Tunkhannock Community Ambulance Association, serving as an emergency medical technician and board secretary. She was also an EMT and CPR instructor for the American Red Cross and Emergency Medical Services. She is survived by her husband of 45 years, Bruce Gardner; sons David Gardner, Manchester, N.H.; Stephen Gardner,Tunkhannock; Paul Gardner, Courtdale, Pa.; daughter Terri Velez, Colorado Springs, Colo.; sister Heidi May King, Cheyenne,Wyo.; eight grandchildren and two great-granddaughters. 1986 John Michael Phillips of Berwick, Pa., died May 17, 2009. He graduated from King’s College,Wilkes-Barre, with an associate’s degree and a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He continued his education at Wilkes University, graduating with a master’s degree in business administration. He was the owner and operator of Phillips Financial Services, Berwick. Surviving are his brother, Peter Phillips, Fort Meyers, Fla.; and sister Carolyn Williams, Aurora, Ohio. 1989 Amanda J. Picketts of Wilkes-Barre passed away March 25, 2009. She was employed by Sallie Mae in Wilkes-Barre. Surviving are her mother, Irene Solonski, Wilkes-Barre; husband David J. Picketts; daughter Avery Picketts; and sister Amy O’Hara, Charlotte, N.C. Friends of Wilkes Constance Kline Umphred of Naples, Fla., passed away April 7, 2009. She graduated from Moravian Seminary in 1951 and Wheaton College in 1955. Upon graduation from college, she taught at Dedham Country Day School in Massachusetts. She served on the Union Terrace Parent Teacher Association as president and on the board of trustees of Moravian Academy. She later served on the boards of Muhlenberg College, Wilkes University, Sordoni Art Museum, Allentown Art Museum, Allentown Community Concerts, United Way of Lehigh County, and the Wilkes-Barre YMCA. She was a founding member of Wilkes-Barre’s Luzerne Foundation and president of the McCole Foundation. She is survived by her husband,William ’52, Naples; sons David W. Leh, Stroudsburg, Pa., and Edward K. Leh, Short Hills, N.J.; daughter, Lorraine Pearson, Basking Ridge, N.J.; and eight grandchildren. Submitting Class Notes Share personal or career news in any of three ways: • E-mail it to wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu. • Post it at The Colonel Connection Web site at community.wilkes.edu. WILKES | Fall 2009 • Or mail it to: Class Notes 28 Wilkes Magazine 84 W. South St. Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766 �then & now Past generations of Wilkes engineering students toiled over their work under the watchful eye of their professor. See anyone you recognize in this photo? Share names or reminisce at The Colonel Connection message boards, found at community.wilkes.edu. Or send responses to Wilkes magazine, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766. You can also e-mail wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu. PHOTO FROM WILKES ARCHIVES Today’s Wilkes engineers study cutting-edge technology like robotics— but the mentoring relationship with professors is still central to the learning experience. PHOTO BY BRUCE WELLER �w WILKES UNIVERSITY Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 WILKES UNIVERSITY calendar of events September 10 John Wilkes Society Annual Dinner,Westmoreland Club, honoring Eugene Roth, Esq. October 1-4 Theatre Production, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center, 8 p.m.; Oct. 4, 2 p.m. 8 Allen P. Kirby Lecture in Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, Lawrence Reed, president, Foundation for Economic Education 9-11 Homecoming 19 Faculty Exhibition 2009, Sordoni Art Gallery. Opening reception, Oct. 25. Through Dec. 13. November 13-15 Musical Theatre Production, Darte Center. Also Nov. 20-22 17 Outstanding Leaders Forum, humanitarian Elie Wiesel, 8 p.m., F. M. Kirby Center December 5 Flute Ensemble Concert, Darte Center 7 String Ensemble Concert, 7 p.m., Darte Center 10 Jazz Orchestra Concert, 8:15 p.m., Dorothy Dickson Darte Center 11 Choral Ensembles Christmas Concert at St. Stephen’s Church,Wilkes-Barre, 7:30 p.m. 13 Civic Band Concert, 3 p.m., Darte Center For details on times and locations, check www.wilkes.edu and Wilkes student Ashley Deemie works out on the balcony of her University Towers apartment. PHOTO BY BRUCE WELLER The Colonel Connection! Or phone (800) WILKES-U. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Alumni Magazine, 1947-present Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Description An account of the resource <p>An archive of Wilkes University Magazine, from 1947-present. The magazine went through various names including <em>Wilkes Alumnus</em>, <em>Wilkes Quarterly,</em> <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, and the current title, <em>Wilkes Magazine</em>. Some editions for the <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, will have multiple issues within the file record. Our holdings may be missing editions for certain years due to having no physical copy within the collection. </p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Wilkes University Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Wilkes University Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1947-present Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Magazine, Fall 2009 Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Marketing Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 2009 magazine Wilkes Magazine https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/bd516495d3f00e33dd7ae8b220d59d79.pdf e58fc88608a1e6dc31f871540cfa2ae4 PDF Text Text FA L L 2 0 1 0 TALKING TURKEY | PIONEERING SPIRIT ATTENTION TO DETAIL | MADAME MAYOR �president’s letter Strategic Planning Advances Wilkes Mission S TRATEGIC PLANNING IS AN ONGOING PROCESS AT Wilkes University, enabling us to assess where we’ve been and chart a clear course for the future. Like any successful organization, many of our achievements in the last decade have grown out of our strategic plan, Vision 2010.The plan’s success was affirmed by the University’s recent re-accreditation by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Indeed our Middle States Self Study focused on evaluating the impacts ofVision 2010 on Wilkes. I am happy to say that our Middle States visiting team applauded the exceptional work of Wilkes’ faculty, staff and students in makingVision 2010 a reality. Many goals were achieved fromVision 2010, but the most noteworthy referenced by the Middle States report include increasing undergraduate and graduate enrollments.We also made improvements to the salary structure for our faculty and staff, enabling us to recruit and retain the best people.There have been significant improvements to the campus infrastructure, including the addition of University Towers, the University Center on Main and the Barnes and Noble bookstore. Successfully completing one strategic plan means it is time to launch another. A strategic planning team recently completed a year-long process that yielded a new plan,Vision 2015, that was adopted at our June 2010 trustees meeting. Opening the Barnes and The process to develop it was both inclusive and transparent, Noble Bookstore was providing every member of the University community with among the accomplishments opportunities to provide input. of Wilkes’ Vision 2010. Vision 2015 outlines goals in five areas: • Build Great Programs, which includes focusing on excellent teaching and scholarship and developing high-quality academic programs. • Build The Wilkes Team, with a focus on working together with open communication and shared governance. • Broaden Our Horizons, which will focus on a global and diverse experience on our campus, engagement with alumni, community and career partners. • Recruit, Retain and Graduate Students, which will be accomplished by offering an affordable and accessible education. • Exercise Financial Stewardship, focusing on effective acquisition, allocation and utilization of resources. The Alumni Association recently has completed its own strategic planning process that supports the University’s plan.The Association’s five-year strategic plan emphasizes building relationships with graduate alumni and current students. A primary focus is to provide opportunities for alumni-student mentoring. With solid plans in place,Wilkes will build on its strengths, advance its mission and chart an ambitious course.We welcome your comments as we embark on a journey to becoming the unquestioned leader of higher education in northeastern Pennsylvania. Dr. Tim Gilmour Wilkes University President VOLUME 4 | ISSUE 3 FA L L 2 0 1 0 WILKES MAGAZINE University President Dr. Tim Gilmour Vice President for Advancement Michael Wood Executive Editor Jack Chielli Managing Editor Kim Bower-Spence Editor Vicki Mayk Creative Services Lisa Reynolds Web Services Craig Thomas Electronic Communications Christopher Barrows Graduate Assistant Rachel Strayer Layout/Design Quest Fore Inc. Printing Payne Printery Inc. EDITORIAL ADVISORY GROUP Anne Batory ’68 Brandie Meng M’08 Bill Miller ’81 George Pawlush ’69 MS’76 Donna Sedor ’85 ALUMNI RELATIONS STAFF Executive Director Sandra Sarno Carroll Director Mirko Widenhorn Associate Director Bridget Giunta ’05 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OFFICERS President Laura Cardinale ’72 First Vice President Fred Demech ’61 Second Vice President Rosemary LaFratte ’93 MBA’97 Secretary Cindy Charnetski ’97 Historian George Pawlush ’69 MS’76 Wilkes magazine is published quarterly by the Wilkes University Office of Marketing Communications and Government Relations, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766, wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu, (570) 408-4779. Please send change of address to the above address. Wilkes University is an independent institution of higher education dedicated to academic and intellectual excellence in the liberal arts, sciences and professional programs. The university provides its students with the experience and education necessary for career and intellectual development as well as for personal growth, engenders a sense of values and civic responsibility, and encourages its students to welcome the opportunities and challenges of a diverse and continually changing world. The university enhances the tradition of strong student-faculty interactions in all its programs, attracts and retains outstanding people in every segment of the university, and fosters a spirit of cooperation, community involvement, and individual respect within the entire university. �contents 8 FEATURES 8 Pioneering Spirit Wilkes has a tradition of helping first-generation college students achieve academic success 14 Talking Turkey Adrienne Richards ’07 takes turkey promotion under her wing at the National Turkey Federation 16 Attention to Detail Take an up-close look at Wilkes’ architectural treasures and enter our contest 14 18 Madame Mayor Ruth Uy Asmundson MS ’68 shifts career focus from mayor to grandmother DEPARTMENTS 6 Athletics 20 Alumni News 22 Class Notes Adrienne Richards ’07 visits the product she helps to promote—long before they become Thanksgiving dinner. She heads public relations efforts for the National Turkey Federation. PHOTO BY STEPHEN BARRETT 16 Have a story idea to share? Contact us at wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu or Wilkes magazine, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766. WILKES | Fall 2010 18 2 On Campus 1 �on campus Spring Commencement 2010 More than 800 undergraduate and graduate students received their degrees when Wilkes held its spring commencement on May 22.The ceremony at Mohegan Sun Arena was highlighted by remarks from student speaker Jason Woloski ’10, winner of the Alumni Award for Leadership, and an address by keynote speaker Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell. Far right (Inset): The graduates’ view of the stage on a proud day. Right, Below: Commencement speaker Gov. Edward Rendell addresses graduates. Below: Danielle Hritzak of Forty Fort, Pa., prepares to receive her bachelor of arts degree in communication studies during the ceremony. PHOTOS BY EARL AND SEDOR PHOTOGRAPHIC Let no one decide what you measure success by except yourself. – The Hon. Edward Rendell Pennsylvania Governor Spring 2010 Commencement Speaker WILKES LAUNCHES TEACHER CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL Wilkes University is the first college in northeast Pennsylvania to offer a bachelor’s local school districts and agencies. The field experiences focus on degree leading to teacher certification to classroom management, pedagogy, assessment, differentiated teach middle school. The bachelor of arts instruction, accommodations, adaptations and appropriate interventions degree in middle level education launches in to promote student academic success. WILKES | Fall 2010 fall 2010. It offers certification for grades 4 to 2 The program features clinical field experiences in partnership with Middle-level certification is now required to teach students in middle 8 in five concentrations: science, mathematics, school. Requirements for highly qualified teachers, instituted under No English/language arts and reading, social Child Left Behind, has created a need for this specialized degree studies and mathematics/science. program focusing on the needs of students in that age group. For information about the program, call the Education Department at (570)408-4680. �on campus Students in Free Enterprise Team Captures National Honors The Wilkes University Students in Free Enterprise team was awarded second runner-up out of 169 teams representing more than 4,000 students at the SIFE USA National Exposition in Minneapolis, Minn.The honor, awarded at the competition held May 11-13, places the Wilkes students in the top 10 percent of SIFE USA teams. During national competition, SIFE teams presented 24-minute multimedia summaries of the educational outreach project they developed and implemented throughout the year.They were judged by a panel of 14 of the nation’s top business and community leaders on how well they created economic opportunity by helping others. During the 2009-2010 academic year, SIFE students at Wilkes completed 12 educational projects in the areas of market economics, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, success skills, environmental sustainability and business ethics. “The atmosphere of the SIFE National Exposition is truly inspirational,” says team captain Katherine Gallagher, a junior accounting major from Jessup, Pa. “Our team is already developing new projects for next year to strengthen our community.” Team advisor Jeffrey R. Alves was named a Sam M.Walton Free Enterprise Fellow for the 14th consecutive year in recognition of his leadership and support of the Wilkes SIFE program. The Wilkes SIFE team was named regional champion at the New York City SIFE Regional Competition held on March 26. Wilkes Professor Helps Area High School Students Take Written Work From “Page to Stage” Students in four northeast Pennsylvania school districts became playwrights in a pilot program sponsored by Wilkes University. Bonnie Culver, director of Wilkes’ graduate creative writing program, worked with classes in four high schools—Hanover Area, Hazleton, Tunkhannock and Wyoming Valley West—to teach basic elements of playwriting to take ideas from “Page to Stage.” Four teachers worked with Culver, leading 45 students who produced 24 plays. At the end of eight weeks, students presented formal staged readings of their newly developed scripts. A reading of one school’s plays was presented at Wilkes-Barre’s Fine Arts Fiesta in May. Wilkes plans to expand the program to include poetry in fall 2010. Students participating on Wilkes SIFE competition team in Minneapolis, Minn., were, top, from left, Jeffrey Alves, team advisor; Anastasia Genelow ’10, double major in entrepreneurship and business administration; Katherine Gallagher, accounting major; and Brandon Pauling, accounting major. Bottom row, from left, Raina Connor, business administration major; Alison Drake, entrepreneurship major; Sarah Orris, and Olivia Waszkiewicz, entrepreneurship major. PHOTO COURTESY OF STUDENTS IN FREE ENTERPRISE A record number of Wilkes pharmacy graduates are pursuing residency training. Since the first graduating class of doctor of pharmacy students in 2000, between 10 and 15 percent of graduates have pursued post-graduate training. Last year, a record 20 percent pursued residency training, and this year 25 percent of the 2010 class were awarded this privilege. According to Edward Foote, chair of the Department of Pharmacy Practice, “Our graduates keep demonstrating their desire to grow.” Only a select number of graduates are awarded residencies or post-graduate positions, adding to the honor and value of the opportunity. Some of the one-year residency locations for Wilkes pharmacy graduates include the State University of New York, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Orlando Regional Health and VA San Diego Healthcare System. WILKES | Fall 2010 Record Number of Pharmacy Graduates Pursue Residency Training 3 �on campus Professor Recognized as Top Ecology Educator by Ecological Society of America Kenneth M. Klemow,Wilkes professor of biology, has received the Ecological Society of America’s 2010 Eugene P. Odum Award for Excellence in Ecology Education.The award recognizes Klemow as one of the top ecology educators in the United States. It is presented to an ecologist for outstanding work in education that has furthered ecological science through teaching, outreach and student mentoring. Klemow was nominated for the award by Rachel Curtis ’10 of Waymart, Pa., who graduated from Wilkes in May. In her nomination letter, Curtis stated,“My first class with Dr. Klemow was second semester general biology at Wilkes, and it was because of his teaching skills that I began to truly enjoy studying biology. Not only is Dr. Klemow extremely knowledgeable in a wide array of subjects, but he also is able to instill his excitement for the material into his classes.” Curtis said she switched her major from biochemistry to biology because of Klemow’s enthusiasm for his subject and the opportunity to do hands-on projects with him. It also led to her spending the 2009-2010 year in Costa Rica researching poison frogs and medical practices at Duke University’s Organization for Tropical Studies. Klemow founded the Ecological Society’s education section, serving as its first chair in 1988. He has also taken a leadership role in projects aimed at helping undergraduate faculty nationwide use new technologies to improve their courses. However, it is Klemow’s role in educating students of all ages about ecological issues that earned him the honor. At Wilkes, he helped launch the science careers of hundreds of students teaching such courses as general ecology, field botany, medical botany and alternative energy, and has mentored one-on-one research projects with more than 80 students. His influence extends to elementary and secondary-level students in northeast Pennsylvania through ecological education activities at such events as Wyoming Valley Riverfest and Earth Day. Wilkes biology professor Kenneth Klemow, second from right, shares his passion for the outdoors with his students. His commitment earned him the Eugene P. Odum Award for Excellence in Ecology Education. PHOTO BY BRUCE WELLER WILKES | Fall 2010 Wilkes Receives Reaccreditation from Middle States Commission on Higher Education 4 Wilkes has successfully received reaccreditation from the Middle State Commission on Higher Education. A visit by a Middle States evaluation team followed a year of self-study by the University and submission of a detailed self-study report.The team indicated that Wilkes is in compliance with the 14 standards as presented in the Middle States Characteristics of Excellence. The standards include administration, integrity, institutional assessment, student support services, admissions and retention, educational offerings and eight other characteristics. In its exit report, the visiting team members wrote, “Wilkes University is providing a quality education to its students on the local campus as well as around the globe.”The team also commended Wilkes for its undergraduate student mentoring initiatives and stated that it had “visited a strong, quality institution.” To affirm accreditation,Wilkes has been charged with updating and revising its faculty handbook.The University also was charged with implementing planning, improvement and institutional renewal processes that address the changing needs of the university community and incorporating assessment results that measure undergraduate and graduate student learning. �on campus Tom Szaky, CEO and Founder of TerraCycle, to Present Allan P. Kirby Lecture on Oct. 7 Tom Szaky, co-founder and chief executive officer of TerraCycle, Inc., a company that has become the most eco-friendly brand in North America, will be the guest speaker for the Allan P. Kirby Lecture in Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship on Oct. 7.The event, which will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center, is free and open to the public. TerraCycle makes useful products out of seemingly useless waste.They are most well-known for TerraCycle Plant Food, a fertilizer made from worm feces now available through popular retailers such as Walmart,Whole Foods and Home Depot.The company has three manufacturing facilities in North America with headquarters located in Trenton, N.J.They currently manufacture more than 50 consumer products that hold to their brand principles: better, greener and cheaper. Other TerraCycle products include garbage cans made from crushed computers, hand bags made from energy bar wrappers and juice pouches and the most eco-friendly binders and pencils. As a freshman, Szaky left Princeton University to found TerraCycle, building a company that has doubled in size every year since its inception in 2002. Szaky has won over 50 awards for entrepreneurship and blogs for Treehugger and Inc Magazine, and is the star of National Geographic Channel’s hit TV show "Garbage Moguls.” He authored the book Revolution in a Bottle: How TerraCycle is Redefining Green Business. For more information on the Kirby Lecture, please call (570)408-4306. PHOTO COURTESY OF TERRACYCLE, INC. FRESHMAN CLASS AT A GLANCE Every Wilkes freshman class has unique characteristics. This year’s new crop of Colonels—numbering 510—are no exception. Here, at a glance, are some facts about the freshmen: GENDER BALANCE GEOGRAPHY HONORS 10 valedictorians 49% 51% 8 salutatorians Female 15 states represented EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES Marching Band, Pit Orchestra, Jazz Band, Chorus, Yearbook, Newspaper, Key Club, SADD, Student Council, Mock Trial, Martial Arts, Class Officers, and more! WILKES | Fall 2010 Male 5 �athletics H e ill h T n WILKES ROLLS OUT A GREEN CARPET FOR A NEW ERA IN ATHLETICS By Vicki Mayk Laying carpet was never like this: It took several men and a special machine to roll out the artificial turf at Wilkes’ football field. WILKES | Fall 2010 I 6 T CAME ON ROLLS, LIKE THE CARPET for a giant’s living room. For more than a week in early August, crews labored to install the synthetic turf for the athletic field at the Ralston Athletic Complex. After laying the green surface in wide strips, crews added the finishing touches: white and colored lines, followed by stenciling the numbers.You could almost hear the announcer calling the yard lines, as the numbers appeared: the 40, the 30, the 20. And finally, the yellow and gold “W” logo was placed at the center of it all. Welcome to a new era in Wilkes athletics. Renovations began at the athletic complex in May.The synthetic turf is part of a $1.6 million project that includes a field lighting system, new goal posts, a scoreboard and fencing around the perimeter of the field. It transforms the field from a single-sport site to one that will accommodate five intercollegiate sports— football, women’s lacrosse, women’s field hockey and men’s and women’s soccer—and the men’s club lacrosse team.The field also will be used for intramural games and for youth athletic camps offered to the community. Paul Adams,Wilkes vice president for student affairs, says that the project reflects both the University’s commitment to its athletics programs and the proud history of Wilkes athletics, from the championship teams of the Golden Horde to the present-day Colonels. “The work at the Ralston Athletic Complex will provide a multi-purpose athletic field for more than 200 of our student-athletes,” says Adams. Alumnus Bill Hanbury ’72, who played offensive guard from 1968 to 1971 for the Colonels, says the renovations unite past and future generations bound by the tradition of sports. “On game day, Ralston Field was for me a special place…almost a holy �athletics DID YOU KNOW… • The Wilkes turf is a “green” material in more ways than one: Recycled rubber— primarily ground, used tires, is a component of the turf. • It takes a crew of six to eight people 10 to 15 days to install the turf. • The field weighs approximately nine pounds per square foot so the total weight of the field at Wilkes will be approximately 860,000 pounds. • Five colors are being used as accents on the new field in the logo, yard lines and goal lines. Navy and gold are the Wilkes colors. Football is symbolized in white. Orange pays tribute to Wilkes’ origins as Bucknell University Junior College. A lighter shade of blue also is being used in tribute to Dean George Ralston, who was a graduate of North Carolina. • The world’s first turf field was installed in 1966. The first “infill” type turf fields, like the one at Wilkes, were installed in 1997. • The turf is made up of fibers that are 2.5 inches long tufted through a semi-rigid backing. The fibers are tufted in rows that are 3/4 inches apart. The turf is then top Top: A worker uses clippers to cut out green turf so that a colored line can be installed. After the green fibers are cut out, the turf backing is exposed and colored turf is hot glued in its place. Middle: Workers use a cart mounted sewing machine to sew two panels of turf together. Bottom: A turf clamp is used by crews to grab the turf securely as they pull out the turf while rolling it out. It also helps pull out wrinkles. dressed with a combination of silica sand and recycled crumb rubber. This fills in the voids between the fibers and causes them to stand up straight. This “infill” also acts as cushioning for the athletes. THE NEW VIEW FROM THE HILL Wilkes invites all football alumni to cheer on the Colonels at the first home game on Ralston Athletic Complex’s new turf field on Saturday, Sept. 11. Alumni will meet at 11 a.m. at the tent next to Munson Fieldhouse to enjoy lunch, receive a commemorative gift and participate in a pre-game celebration. Tickets to this special event are $10 and guests are welcome. To register or learn more, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (570) 408-7787 or alumni@wilkes.edu. Members of the community also are invited to join the University in celebrating the new era for Wilkes athletics by attending the game on this special day. Admission will be free. Left: A worker readies the giant stencils used to paint numbers on the yard lines. PHOTOS BY EARL AND SEDOR PHOTOGRAPHIC WILKES | Fall 2010 place…where you could only step on to the field if you had adequately prepared, both physically and mentally, to represent Wilkes football and its extraordinary tradition,” Hanbury says. “Playing on that field, I learned so much about myself and what it takes to be successful: courage, pride, poise and teamwork. I’m so glad the next generation of Wilkes athletes will have an opportunity to perform at this outstanding new facility.” Wilkes athletics director Adelene Malatesta says other athletics projects are happening in addition to the field renovations. Resurfacing and painting new logos on the Henry Gymnasium floor, resurfacing tennis courts, and work on the softball field were among recent projects. Upgrades at Artillery Park are planned. “The work benefits 350 student athletes in 16 varsity programs,” Malatesta says. Intramurals add another 450 to that number. The enhancements to athletics facilities grew out of a strategic plan for athletics completed in 2002. Other developments that have occurred, such as the appointment of a full-time athletic director, the return of men’s and women’s cross country and the construction of the $1 million recreation center in the University Center on Main, also were outlined in that plan. All of the work reflects a commitment to athletics that is very much a part of the Wilkes tradition. “To offer a broad-based program in athletics has always been our goal at Wilkes,” Malatesta says. 7 �WILKES CONTINUES TRADITION OF HELPING FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS SUCCEED IN HIGHER EDUCATION By Helen Kaiser 1oneer1ng WILKES | Fall 2010 • 8 • �They are family trailblazers— fueled by hope for a better life. They may have been motivated by the sight of their fathers coming home exhausted from manual-labor jobs. Or they may have been spurred on by mothers who worked in factories or in cleaning jobs to support the family. president for enrollment services, and herself a first-generation student when she attended Wilkes. “Both my grandfathers were coal miners,” says Mickelson, who has worked at Wilkes for the past 15 years. She said she has recently noticed college conferences offering seminars on how to prepare for the population of first-generation students—but this is something that Wilkes has been doing for decades (see accompanying alumni profiles). “Our admissions counseling staff treats every family individually,” Mickelson said. “Some who have been to college will know how to navigate the process, but for others there can be an element of being afraid to ask and not wanting to be humiliated. Our policy is to walk all of our families through the process.” Wilkes usually enrolls about 530 freshmen each year, mostly from Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey. Above: Melanie Mickelson ’93, Wilkes vice president for enrollment services, was a first-generation student. WILKES | Fall 2010 Most importantly, they listened—when counselors, parents and their own inner voice told them, “You can do it!” They are first-generation college students, from homes where neither parent had earned a bachelor’s degree. Typically they make up about 30 percent of entering freshmen on United States campuses, including at Wilkes University. “We became very good, early on, at dealing with first-generation students,” says Melanie Mickelson ’93, vice PHOTO BY MICHAEL TOUEY 9 �' They beat it into my head early that ‘KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.’ I saw what they meant as I got older... classes—as well as on the football field. His academic record plus his skills as a wide receiver and defensive back helped him to gain admission to Wilkes. “I’m very, very excited,” he says, citing the connections he had already made this past spring and summer with coaches and his admissions counselor. He also says he would never forget his high school guidance counselor who helped him so much she was like “a second mom” to him. Before he made the four-hour trip to Wilkes this fall, Jones says he wasn’t nervous about going away to school to major in criminal justice, even though he wouldn’t know any other students at first. It was time to move forward, he says, and he was set for the task: “You will be on your own. There are no guidance counselors there to baby you. If you miss something in class you’ll have to go and get it.” – William Jones DAVID LEWIS ’10: “A JACKET OF COMFORT” ' WILLIAM JONES: TIME TO MOVE FORWARD WILKES | Fall 2010 William Jones, 18, of Asbury Park, N.J., was thrilled to enter Wilkes in August as a first-generation freshman. The youngest of five, Jones says his family pushed him toward college. “They beat it into my head early that ‘knowledge is power.’ I saw what they meant as I got older,” he says. He applied himself in his high school physics, chemistry and foreign language 10 David Lewis ’10 of Wilkes-Barre, reflected on his first-generation degree from Wilkes in English and education: “I hadn’t even applied for admission until April or May of my senior year of high school. Before that, I’d had some discussions with a military recruiter, and I would hear about all of my friends going to places like Penn State; but I really didn’t have a fire under me about college. First-generation student David Lewis ’10, left, received guidance in choosing a major from Karen Riley, right, assistant director of University College and the Act 101 program. PHOTO BY MICHAEL TOUEY “It was my mom who said,‘Why don’t you look into King’s or Wilkes?’ I was afraid they’d be too expensive but thought I would give it a shot.Then there was my dad who was a constant reminder for me. He would come home from his job as a machinist at a factory with bumps and bruises, sweaty, sometimes bloody, or with a sore back. “This was a symbol for me, to go and find a job where I would use my brain,” Lewis says. “At first it was daunting that many of my high school classmates had taken advanced placement classes when I hadn’t.They got a head start,” he says. Once he stepped on Wilkes’ campus, however, “It was like a jacket of comfort around me. I. . .met the right people and got perfect guidance.” His advisor, Karen Riley, helped him figure out what was necessary to be a successful college student and what major to select. “She made me go to (advisors in) five other departments to learn about those fields—business, computer science and others. I found I really like to interpret things, so I decided on English.” �PHOTO BY ANDREW CHILD DAVID HADLEY ’82: SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS CAREER STARTED AT WILKES D avid Hadley ’82 was an unlikely Hadley says. Wilkes was the only school to college prospect. which he applied. His older sister helped The youngest of seven children, Hadley grew up in an economically challenged, single-parent household in Ellenville, N.Y. His father, orphaned at birth, was a construction – David Lewis ’10 Hadley said he had trepidations upon arriving at school. “There was a fear of failure—a concern grade education. Yet he was able to instill two about whether I could do the work. Not major convictions in his son: a belief in only that, I was a naïve boy from upstate himself and an understanding of the New York—unworldly, pretty gullible. I importance of education. had to look to my classmates and “When I was in the fifth grade, my older teammates to fill in the blanks for me brother was serving in Vietnam,” Hadley when I wasn’t sure about the ins and outs says. “My father actually came to me and of daily life on campus. wanted to send him.” ' some financial support. laborer turned janitor with only a fourth- asked me to proofread a letter he had This was a symbol for me, to go and find a job where I would USE MY BRAIN... him with the paperwork and provided “One day the captain of the football team took me aside and said, ‘Here’s the most The impact of that scene stayed with important thing: Go to class and take notes Hadley throughout his life. During his high and read them every day until the next test.’” school years, as a member of the football and Hadley said once he had his first semester wrestling teams, he watched upperclass under his belt and had earned decent teammates go off to college. grades he gained confidence. “I always thought I would go to college too; “My dad survived (his cancer treatment) but I hadn’t necessarily taken college prep and made it to my college graduation; it was curriculum in high school. It was just dumb really a big deal.” luck that I was prepared and able to do the college work,” he says. To get through the admissions process, he was lucky again. He had a friend like Wayne As a businessman, Hadley pursued more education in administration/management and in an executive education program, both at the Harvard Business School. Lonstein ’82, whose parents had taken him A self-made multimillionaire, Hadley is under their wing. During his senior year of now CEO and owner of Pella Windows and high school, Hadley’s father was in the Doors of Boston, New Hampshire and Maine. hospital battling cancer. He and his family live in Tuftonboro, N.H. Hadley accompanied his friend when he “It all starts with the first step,” he visited Wilkes to meet with admissions reflects. “You’ve got to believe in yourself. officials and the football coach. Just because no one in your family has “I figured if it was good enough for Wayne it was the choice for me too,” gone to college before you doesn’t mean you can’t do it.” WILKES | Fall 2010 Lewis said one of the biggest challenges for him as a student was managing his time. “I was spreading myself too thin. I had a job. I had baseball, crew, clubs that I joined and other campus activities. ‘When do I get to study?’ I thought, so I dropped out of some things.” One activity that he kept was his role as one of Wilkes’ Colonel mascots. He believes it is important for firstgeneration students to persevere. “Every time you think you have it bad, just remember there is someone out there who has it worse,” he says. This past summer, the 22-year-old worked as a tutor/counselor for the Upward Bound program—which targets helping low-income, first-generation students—helping to make a difference in other students’ lives. 11 �DON DEVANS ’59: AN EDUCATOR RECALLS FIRST-GENERATION EXPERIENCES “W hen I was in high school I had no “I’d taken just the fundamental classes in plan of going to college,” says Don high school—applied sciences, Algebra I and Devans ’59. “but the Wilkes administrators were so Valley neighborhood. His father worked at helpful and understanding. They sent me to a local coal company, and his mother was a take some tests—IQ tests or something like housewife. the SATs, I guess. father was laid off from his job of 32 years. I had had with my brother,” Devans says. It wasn’t easy to be a first-generation college department, but he suffered a stroke a few student: “Other students’ backgrounds were far years later. Devans’ mother took a superior to mine, and I was a year behind cleaning job with the Wilkes-Barre School because I had worked a year first.” Devans remembers feeling more comfort- Just a few years later in that same school able with some of the Korean War vets on district, Devans launched his 37-year career campus and other students who were also in education with the bachelor’s degree he working their way through school. Part of earned from Wilkes. their day was spent in classes, part of it on It was his brother, Marine Sgt. Robert E. Devans, who inspired him to attend college. the job, the rest of it studying. There wasn’t much time for socializing. “We used to have long talks when he was “The professors made sure you got a well- home on leave, about what he had learned rounded education,” he says. “They were so about the world and how important it was to supportive that it encouraged you.” get a good education,” Devans says. Tragically, Sgt. Devans became a Korean What would Devans tell a first-generation college student today? War casualty at the age of 21. He had “You have to have a study pattern. Maybe designated his younger brother as recipient Friday and Saturday nights you can relax, but of the government’s few hundred dollars of on Sunday it’s back to the books. You can’t “gratuity pay” in the event of his death. procrastinate studying and doing papers. That sum could make a dent in the WILKES | Fall 2010 “It all just fell together, thanks to those talks Eventually he was hired by the city street District in 1957. – Tom Thomas II and no foreign languages,” Devans says, Devans grew up in a modest Wyoming When the coal company closed, Devans’ 12 PHOTO BY MICHAEL TOUEY The second- and thirdgeneration students will call home for ADVICE; first-generation students cannot. You’ve got to set a pattern and stick to it.” modest tuition bills at the time, so the Devans earned his master’s degree in family was supportive of Devans’ decision education from Temple University and his to attend college. He walked over to nearby principal’s certification from the University of Wilkes and asked the dean of students if Scranton. He taught for 33 years and served as there was any way he could attend. It was assistant principal for Wilkes-Barre’s Coughlin August in the year following his high High School for four years before retiring in school graduation. 1997. He and his wife live in Dallas, Pa. TOM THOMAS: HELPING STUDENTS ACQUIRE THE “STREET SMARTS” OF CAMPUS After 27 years of counseling students, Tom Thomas, executive director of Wilkes’ University College, knows about student anxieties, especially those of firstgeneration students. His department provides all students with advising, career services, educational opportunities and tutoring. The department also supports those with disabilities. Students need to acquire the “street smarts” of campus—from knowing what professors expect of them to the deadline for dropping a class without penalty if they’re not doing well. They need to get along with roommates or deal with the hassles of commuting.They need to find a quiet place to study. “It’s not a one-day fix,” Thomas said. “It’s an ongoing process; it goes on for four years. “We design all of our programs to help first-generation students, and we know the others will benefit as well. First- �The f amily MICHAEL TOUEY settled in the United States from Vietnam in 2004. In addition to being a firstgeneration college student, Nguyen faces dual challenges of adjusting to American culture and learning English well enough to understand what professors are teaching. generation “In our whole family, the kids—my students will brother and I and all my cousins—have have the same to go to college. They have no choice. challenges as those Our parents know college is the way to whose parents have been improve,” Nguyen says. to college, but they will be exacerbated Her mom works in a nail salon at because they don’t have people at home Walmart. Her dad was injured two to guide them.” years ago in a manufacturing job and is Challenging issues include: handling not working. independence for the first time, making “They will be very proud to see me decisions, understanding the difference graduate.They have been waiting for that between high school and college moment for too long.” expectations and dealing with financial Nguyen says it was difficult both hardships. enrolling in and adjusting to college. “They don’t have the confidence to “I was kind of upset I had to do my come up to us as administrators with paperwork by myself. Other students had their questions until they get to know us. their parents to help them,” she recalls. We have to develop relationships first,” “Once on campus, it was kind of scary, Thomas says. The primary route for this because you know no one around the is through the advising process. place. It took me about two weeks to get “We have to be approachable,” he says. used to it.” “The second- and third-generation A sophomore at Wilkes, Nguyen is students will call home for advice; firstundecided about her major. She is generation students cannot.” working with Riley, assistant director and Tom Thomas. PHOTO BY Quyen Nguyen, 21, commutes to Wilkes from her home on Scranton’s South Side. Because it would be contrary to family and cultural tradition, she hesitates to complain to her parents about any problems as a student, but she does tell them “the happy stuff,” such as when she made the dean’s list. “They loved that,” she says of her parents, who speak only a little English. Quyen Nguyen shares a moment on the Wilkes campus with her father Su Nguyen. PHOTO BY MICHAEL TOUEY ' They will be very proud to see me GRADUATE.They have been waiting for that moment for too long. – Quyen Nguyen WILKES | Fall 2010 QUYEN NGUYEN: “COLLEGE IS THE WAY TO IMPROVE…” advisor in Wilkes’ Act 101 Program, to identify abilities, interests, strengths and values. Act 101 is an educational opportunity program supporting lowincome, first-generation students. Riley will help her select the remainder of her courses with the goal of choosing not only a major but a future career. “It is rewarding to see any student make the transformation from an awkward firstyear student...to a confident senior equipped to step out to make a difference in the world,” says Riley, who has been working with first-generation students for 15 years, the past 10 of them at Wilkes. Wilkes is ideally suited to assist firstgeneration students because of the supportive programs that it has developed over the years, Riley says. These include academic advising, the educational opportunity program, known as Act 101, and the bridge program for students who receive a conditional admission to Wilkes. The very history of the institution has been one of offering accessibility to students of all socio-economic backgrounds, says Thomas of the University College. “Wilkes was created as Bucknell Junior College to serve first-generation students in the coal mining region.The need was there and was not being met, so this became our mission.” 13 �Adrienne Richards ’07 flies first class with her feathered charge on the way to the bird’s permanent home in Disneyland. WILKES | Fall 2010 Inset: President Barack Obama issues the White House’s annual turkey pardon. PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL TURKEY FEDERATION. 14 ADRIENNE RICHARDS ’07 FINDS CAREER SUCCESS PROMOTING HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES By Diane Stoneback �Courage and Carolina rested quietly after uttering only a few gobbles upon take-off. They really were good fliers. Adrienne Richards, Arlington, Va. B.A., Communication Studies, 2007 Career: Public relations manager, National Turkey Federation Notable: Oversees consumer and food service public relations and social media campaign focused on increasing Americans’ consumption of turkey. Favorite Wilkes place: Henry Student Center for providing snacks and a masseuse during exams to make studying more fun. Andrea Frantz for taking her under her wing.“She kept telling me I had a great ability to write, worked to get me involved with The Beacon and taught me to think critically by challenging me.” Her biggest challenge today is persuading Americans to eat more turkey. Currently, it’s fourth in the pecking order, behind chicken, beef and pork consumption. Previously, she hadn’t cooked any turkey beyond turkey bacon and turkey hot dogs, but she’s really into it now.“I’m making and eating more turkey than ever.Whether speaking to consumers or chefs, I need to know what I’m talking about.” She rattles off dozens of ways to prepare turkey faster than you can make a turkey sandwich. She has helped develop the turkey federation’s new “Upgrade It!” with turkey campaign, which starts by showing consumers the calories and fat they can cut by substituting turkey for other meats. Richards observes, “Switching from roast beef to skinless, roast turkey breast saves 276 calories per serving.” Promoted three times in three years, Richards oversees consumer and food service media campaigns. She spreads the word about turkey on Facebook and YouTube and tweets, too. She and other staffers field wide-ranging turkey preparation questions, including crazy ones like whether or not the birds can be defrosted in dishwashers or toilet bowls. Nothing ruffles her feathers, whether it’s another crazy turkey question, a turkey joke, being called a turkey or having friends joke that going to dinner at her house means eating more turkey. “I don’t mind,” says Richards.“Those turkeys are paying my bills.” MORE ON THE WEB Check out Adrienne Richards ’07’s favorite turkey recipes for Easy Meatball Stroganoff and Easy Salsa Meatloaf. Go to www.wilkes.edu/turkey To calculate the calorie and fat savings on your favorite recipes, check out the Meal Upgrade Calculator on the National Turkey Federation Web site at www.eatturkey.com. WILKES | Fall 2010 M OST FIRST-CLASS AIRLINE passengers would be unhappy to sit next to a real turkey on their flights. But Adrienne Richards ’07 was thrilled to fly first-class from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles with Courage and Carolina, two broad-breasted, celebrity turkeys who also were her tickets to the White House. In fact, she views accompanying the nation’s top turkeys for an official Thanksgiving pardon from President Obama as the most exciting moment of her career as public relations manager for the National Turkey Federation in Washington, DC. When Obama was delivering his pardon, which guaranteed the two turkeys worry-free Thanksgivings for the rest of their lives, Richards was standing in front of his podium. After the ceremony, a police-escorted motorcade whisked the birds, Richards and other turkey federation officials to Dulles Airport, where they boarded “Turkey One” for Los Angeles.After all, the very important turkeys (VITs) had to catch their flight so they could be grand marshals of Disneyland’s Thanksgiving Day parade.After their wild flutter of official duties, they checked in at Disney’s Frontierland for the rest of their days. “Courage and Carolina posed for photos with other passengers onboard our United Airlines flight and then rested quietly after uttering only a few gobbles upon take-off.They really were good fliers,” says Richards of her traveling companions whose kennels each filled two first-class seats. Richards never anticipated talking turkey or a career in public relations. “I wanted to be a war correspondent in Iraq…to be in the line of fire like ABC’s Martha Raddatz,” she says. But spending the fall semester of her senior year as Wilkes’ first student to participate in American University’s Washington Semester changed her original career plans. On her first day as a fledgling ABC news intern, she was dispatched to cover one of then-Sen. Hillary Clinton’s press conferences. “I was in awe. It was pretty amazing. That’s when I realized I didn’t want to start my career at some little station. I wanted to be in Washington. I loved its feel and excitement,” Richards says. Her job search landed her at the National Turkey Federation, a nonprofit organization funded by turkey growers and processors all over the country. She credits the Wilkes communication studies faculty with providing hands-on experiences and the training she needed to build a strong portfolio. But she also praises former faculty member 15 �ARCHITECTURAL TREASURES FROM MANY ERAS HIGHLIGHT WILKES CAMPUS T HERE’S SOMETHING FAMILIAR ABOUT that beautiful cornice on a building, up there near the roofline.You’ve seen that ornate door handle a hundred times, your hand caressing its beauty as you enter the front door. And that distinctive brick pattern—why, you’d know it anywhere. Or would you? WILKES | Fall 2010 Welcome to a close-up look at the rich array of architectural details on buildings, both modern and historic, found on the Wilkes campus. And with it comes a challenge: Can you name the buildings where these details can be found? Alumni and friends of Wilkes are invited to submit their answers to this challenge.To enter, peruse the photos here and also those online at www.wilkes.edu/details. Submit your answers to correspond with the numbered photographs using the online form.The three people with the most correct answers will win a collectible bobblehead of The Colonel mascot. Remember: You must identify the photos both in print and online. 16 \'f( MORE ON THE WEB 1. Top: Gather here for a meeting and see these details by the fireside. 2. Above: Many people spend time here before taking off into the wild blue yonder. 3. This chimney looks down on students from around the world. If you are entering our architectural challenge—or just want to do it for fun—visit www.wilkes.edu/details to see the rest of our architectural detail photos. You must identify the photos by number both in print and online to win our challenge. Submit your answers using the online form for your chance to win a Colonel bobblehead. �6. Most Wilkes students pass this orb at least once a day. 5. This building used to put out the welcome mat for alumni. 7. You won’t find beautiful architectural hardware like this in a Woolworth’s store. 4. The entrepreneurial spirit is alive inside this hall. 8. You can stop and smell the roses near this location. 9. This hall has beautiful metalwork on its exterior—and a view of the Susquehanna from its porch. 10. Female students have called this hall home since the 1950s. WILKES | Fall 2010 PHOTOS BY EARL AND SEDOR PHOTOGRAPHIC 17 �Madame Mayor RUTH UY ASMUNDSON MS ’68 RETIRES AS THE FIRST FILIPINA MAYOR OF A U.S. CITY By Rachel Strayer WILKES | Fall 2010 R 18 UTH UY ASMUNDSON MS ’68 WAS balancing a glass of wine on her head when she first saw the man who would change her life. Asmundson, then a doctoral student, was performing a traditional Filipino wine dance for an international student club dinner and Vigfus A. Asmundson, the newly elected mayor of Davis, Calif., was in attendance. “(The mayor) was so enchanted with my dance that he asked me for a date afterwards,” recalls Asmundson. Three dates later, she accepted his marriage proposal and took an unexpected step toward a career in politics. In July, she celebrated her retirement from a role she never imagined she would play: the first Filipina immigrant to be elected mayor of a U.S. city. Asmundson was born in a remote barrio in the northern Philippines at the end of World War II. The fourth of eight children, she excelled in school, despite being told that “girls didn’t need to get an education.” She studied chemistry on a scholarship to Adamson University in Manila and was offered a teaching job there after graduation. “One of my colleagues suggested that I apply for a California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger receives an update from Davis, Calif., Mayor Ruth Asmundson. Fulbright Scholarship…I never PHOTO BY FRED GLADDIS/DAVIS ENTERPRISE FILE PHOTO thought I would qualify,” Asmundson remembers.“She told me one lesson that has defined my life. She said,‘Ruth, nothing ventured, nothing gained.’ ” Asmundson received the Fulbright, choosing Wilkes because she wanted a school in a smaller city and “Wilkes-Barre was such an interesting name.” She arrived in 1966. Warmer weather and destiny called her to the University of California at Davis two years later. Asmundson was pursuing her doctorate in agricultural chemistry when she met her future husband. Asmundson intended to teach at the university but delayed her professional career to raise a family. She served on the Davis School Board for 10 years, retiring to care for her husband who was suffering from Parkinson’s Disease. “He wanted to run again for city council, but I wouldn’t allow him due to his condition,” Asmundson recalls. “So he asked me, begged me, to run for him.” Asmundson had never entertained the idea of getting involved with city politics, but for the sake of her husband she agreed to run for the position of mayor on the Davis city council. When she won, it was the start of a new love affair. “I fell in love with city politics,” she says. She served for four years and promptly ran again. When she was re-elected, she became one of only three people in the city’s history to serve two terms as mayor. The Asmundsons were the first husband-wife mayors in city history. Vigfus Asmundson died in 2003.While his work was finished, Asmundson’s had just begun.As mayor, much of her job involved “solving problems to make life better…working together with the community to find solutions.” In eight years in office, Asmundson spearheaded initiatives that brought more affordable housing to the city and generated more tax revenue through economic development. Two projects stand out as particular points of pride. The first was a push for alternative transportation by providing bicycle lanes, paths and tunnels. Davis is now the home of the California—soon to be National—Bicycle Museum.The Bicycle Hall of Fame was relocated to Davis from New Jersey. Secondly, Asmundson added four more sister cities to Davis’ sister city relations, bringing the total to eight. Asmundson advocates furthering education and giving back. She has established scholarships and a foundation at Adamson University in Manila. She returned to her barrio to mobilize the village to plant 1,000 trees and established a library there with her late husband. After retirement,Asmundson will focus on her personal life. She plans to spend quality time with her children—four daughters plus two nephews that she raised as her own—and grandchildren. She also hopes to travel with her 90-year-old mother. “I need to step aside and let the next generation take over,” she says. “I’ve done my part and I’m happy and proud of my accomplishments. I have enjoyed serving the community and I’m grateful for the opportunity to experience that kind of leadership.” �Ruth Uy Asmundson, Davis, Calif. B.S., Chemistry, Adamson University, 1964 M.S., Chemistry, Wilkes University, 1968 Ph.D., Agricultural Chemistry, University of California, Davis, 1972 Career: Recently retired mayor of Davis, Calif. Notable: The first Filipina to be elected mayor of a city in the United States and one of only three people in the history of Davis to serve two terms as mayor. Favorite Wilkes Memory: Seeing her first snowfall. “I was outside and all of a sudden there were these snowflakes everywhere. I told a friend that there must be people having a pillow fight in the dorm with all those cotton fillers everywhere. This friend said, ‘Ruth, those are not cotton, MORE ON THE WEB Ruth Uy Asmundson MS ’68 ended her tenure as mayor of Davis, Calif., after establishing the city as home of the National Bicycle Museum. Want to learn more about Ruth Uy Asmundson’s fascinating life? Check out our Q&A with Ruth to find out more at www.wilkes.edu/ruth WILKES | Fall 2010 it is snowing…’” PHOTO BY KENT LACIN 19 �alumni news Homecoming Hint Keep your camera handy while you’re on campus so you can enter your favorite snapshot from the weekend in our photo contest after Homecoming! From tailgates and tweets to photos and football, Homecoming gives you plenty of ways to reconnect, reunite and reminisce! Highlights of the weekend include: • all-you-can-enjoy Tailgate Tent • parade through campus—you’re • Pints with Professors invited to walk or ride with us! • Ralston Alumni Golf Tournament at Irem Country Club • a chance to sit in on classes with current faculty and students • Colonels athletics, including the football game against Albright on the new turf field • trolley tour of campus and downtown Wilkes-Barre • tent festival • an on-campus Friday concert by the Starfires band • Recent Alumni Party (featuring three of our very own Colonels!) • Athletic Hall of Fame Induction • and much more! WILKES | Fall 2010 Spread the Word About Wilkes 20 Do you know a prospective student who would be a great addition to the Wilkes family? Share the tear out card from this magazine with them and their undergraduate application fee will be waived.This is an opportunity for you to help us recruit outstanding students while making the college application process a little easier for family members and friends.The fee waiver can be applied online by selecting ‘Dean Ralston’ in the fee waiver box at the end of the application. Thank you for helping to spread the word about a Wilkes education! Go Mobile and Keep Up With Wilkes Looking to keep up to date with Wilkes while you’re on the go? Check out the new mobile site at www.community.wilkes.edu/mobile.You’ll find the latest news and upcoming events, including Homecoming 2010 updates, as well as Wilkes-Barre weather. Do you have suggestions about other things you would like to see on the mobile site? Let the Office of Alumni Relations know at alumni@wilkes.edu. �alumni news Homecoming Hint Pre-registering makes Homecoming as easy as 1, 2, 3! Sign up online, over the phone or through the mail before September 28 and you’ll: • get a commemorative drawstring backpack and other perks at central registration • save $5 on admission for each event • skip the lines at events If you’re an alumna/us of one of the following groups, Homecoming is the time to come back to campus because we’ve got something special planned for you! • Class reunions: ’60, ’70, ’80, ’90, ’00, ’05 • Department gatherings: biology, chemistry, communication studies, health sciences, nursing, political science, psychology and the Sidhu School • Clubs and Halls: Butler Hall, Circle K, Programming Board and SIFE For the latest Homecoming information, visit www.wilkes.edu/homecoming! Ben Beidel, Stephen Gruver, Jill Kalariya ’10, Donna Talarico ’00 and Lacee Wagaman ’10 were recently elected to the Alumni Board of Directors. Ben, a pharmacy major, serves as Student Government president. Stephen, also majoring in pharmacy, serves as the representative of the senior class, and Lacee and Jill were selected by the Class of 2010 as their representatives to the Alumni Board. Fall Alumni Events Come join the fun with trips and regional events sponsored by the Office of Alumni Relations.The fun continues after Homecoming: From bus trips to dinners, we’re offering many opportunities to reconnect with old friends and make new connections. Oct. 23 New Jersey Alumni Gathering, Morristown Nov. 3 Northeast Pennsylvania Alumni Event: Family Italian Dinner, Henry Student Center, 6 p.m. Nov. 10 Northeast Pennsylvania Alumni Event:Tour & Tasting, Lion Brewery, Wilkes-Barre Nov. 13 Alumni Event:Wilkes vs. King’s football game, Noon Nov. 20 Northeast Pennsylvania Alumni Event: Broadway Bus Trip to New York City. Choice of tickets to Tony Award winner for best musical, “Memphis,” or the Radio City Musical Hall Christmas show. To register or for more information, please contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (570) 408-7787 or visit The Colonel Connection. WILKES | Fall 2010 Alumni Association Board Welcomes New Members 21 �class notes 1959 Stephen Poleskie recently published his new book, Vigilia's Tempest. He has published three other books including The Balloonist in 2007, The Third Candidate in 2008 and Grater Life in 2009. Poleskie is an artist, a pilot and a professor emeritus at Cornell University. 1967 David Foglietta is owner and publisher of Old Forge Times online (oldforgetimes.blogspot.com) and Lackawanna News (lackawannanews.blogspot.com). He is the former publisher of the print publications La Triviata Magazine, The Libertarian American Magazine and the Lackawanna County News. He is retired. Wayne P. Yetter was elected to the board of directors at SDIX, a leading provider of biotechnology-based products and services.Yetter is chief executive officer of ProActive for Patients Media, Inc., providing a physician-topatient messaging system to increase patient adherence to medication therapies. 1971 David Angelovich MBA ’76 is the accounting program coordinator at Napa Valley College in Napa, Calif. He has been a full-time faculty member since 2000. Sedor is executive vice president of the Greater Wilkes- Donna Sedor ’85 Honored with Athena Award Barre Chamber of Business and Industry’s Chamber of Donna Sedor ’85 was honored with the Athena Award by Previously she was the chamber’s vice president of the Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry at its business and information services, vice president of annual dinner in June. The Athena Award is presented communications and director of communications. annually to a woman who demonstrates excellence, Commerce affiliate. She joined the chamber in 1990. Sedor is a member of the board of the Osterhout Free creativity and initiative in her business or profession, Library in Wilkes-Barre, the Northeastern Pennsylvania provides valuable service by contributing time and energy Council of the Boy Scouts of America, where she serves to improve the quality of life for others in the community, as the Exploring Post chair, and Junior Achievement of and who actively assists women in realizing their full Northeastern Pennsylvania. She is president of the leadership potential. Rotary Club of Wilkes-Barre. “I was always taught that if you have the ability to help, you have an obligation to help,” says Sedor. She serves as a mentor for communication studies students at Wilkes and is a member of the Wilkes magazine advisory board. She also has taught communication classes at her alma mater. Sedor is a founding member of Circle 200—an executive women’s group for leaders in Luzerne and Lackawanna counties. She assisted with the start up and planning of the You Are You program, an annual event designed to help tenth grade girls build self-esteem. “I have the privilege of being involved with folks who are constantly looking to what our community can become,” WILKES | Fall 2010 says Sedor. “I have had the opportunity to be a part of a 22 great deal of change.” Donna Sedor ’85, center, celebrates winning the 2010 Athena Award with sons Evan, left, 15, and Sean, right, 16. Donna is married to John Sedor ’87. PHOTO BY CURTIS SALONICK �class notes Andrew Check is the new human resources director for Luzerne County. He most recently worked as executive director for The Lands at Hillside Farms in Kingston Township, Pa. 1977 Mandy Williams, along with her sister,Tina Pennington, developed a financial literacy program that is now part of the curriculum at KIPP Houston High School. Williams and Pennington penned the program’s book, What I Learned About Life When My Husband Got Fired!, under the pseudonym Red & Black.Williams, a retired corporate executive who races Ferraris in her spare time, was featured in the summer 2009 issue of Wilkes magazine. N.J. She lives with her husband, Jim, and two daughters in Woolwich, N.J. 1990 Reunion Oct. 1-3 ~ Janice Saldukas-Parsons is a member of the Organization of Competitive Bodybuilders. She was crowned the overall Figure Champion at the McJilton Classic held in Salisbury, Md., on March 27. She is supervisor of instruction at Caesar Rodney School District, Delaware. 1992 Nancy Chalker was named business development executive for StudentAid.com, a student-lending and debtmanagement advisor. Her primary role is to help university students manage their school debt and plan for their financial future. 1982 Dianne Charsha was named senior vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, N.J. Janice Raspen was named School Librarian of the Year for the Rappahannock region of Virginia. She will compete for the state-level award in October. Raspen has been a school librarian since 2001, and opened the library at her current school, Conway Elementary in Stafford County, in 2005. She lives in Fredericksburg,Va. 1987 1995 Kimberly Tokach-Kellar is employed by Liberty Dialysis LLC. She is the director of nursing at the outpatient dialysis unit in Hammonton, Edward J. Ciarimboli was selected as one of Super Lawyers magazine’s 2010 Rising Stars. He received his law degree from Duquesne University School of Law. Col. Ivan Shidlovsky has been selected to attend the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in Washington, D.C., starting in fall 2010. 1985 Timothy S. Williams teaches fifth grade at Gilbert Magnet School for Communication and Creative Arts in Las Vegas, Nev., recently named the top magnet school in the country out of approximately 5,000 magnet schools. 1996 Matt LaBuda – see 1998 1998 Michael T. Beachem IV, a student affairs administrator at Temple University, was recently awarded the 2010 Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Knowledge Community Outstanding Mentorship Award by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. The annual award recognizes long-term members of the academic profession who have provided consistent and supportive mentorship to both peers and students surrounding social justice and support of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender concerns. This is the second honor Beachem has received from the association in the past two years. In 2008 he was awarded the Region II Midlevel Professional Award for his commitment to student development and the student affairs profession. Kristen (Cookus) LaBuda and Matt LaBuda ’96 announce the birth of their third child, Makayla Marie, on June 29, 2009.The family resides in Boiling Springs, Pa. 1999 Corinna Sowers-Adler made her New York debut in “Stories…a Cabaret” on June 19 at The Laurie Beechman Theater on 42nd St., New York City. Adler served as director of theatre for the Wilkes University Conservatory for 10 years. She co-owns NiCori Studios & Productions, is director of foundations for the Young Actor's Training Center in New York City and serves as theatre/musical theater instructor at New Jersey School of Dramatic Arts. 2000 Reunion Oct. 1-3 ~ Laura Burns married Daniel DiMarzo on Nov. 1, 2008.The bride is the daughter of Bob Burns Jr. ’82 and Wilkes employee Anita Burns. Burns DiMarzo works as a marketing director for a telecommunications company.The couple reside in East Norriton, Pa. 2002 Joyce Elaine Soska and Arthur Raymond Becker were married on Oct. 10, 2009.The bride is employed by the Wyoming Area School District as a music educator.The groom is employed by Jacobson Companies in Mountain Top, Pa.They reside in Harding, Pa. WILKES | Fall 2010 1974 23 �class notes Dr. Asif Ilyas ’97 Lends Surgical Skills to Haitian Relief Efforts During his years of training to become an orthopaedic doctors in specialties such as orthopaedics, emergency surgeon, Dr. Asif Ilyas ’97 never imagined performing medicine and family practice. surgery in a former amusement park. As a medical The earthquake caused many injuries and also destroyed volunteer in the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake, existing hospitals and clinics. As a surgeon, Ilyas set he performed surgeries in just such a setting. broken bones and performed skin grafting, among other “We would be seeing between 300 and 500 patients procedures. He also performed many amputations. He a day. A lot of things were makeshift,” says Ilyas, an assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery and director of the orthopaedic surgery residency program for the Dr. Asif Ilyas ’97, left, worked with Haitian nursing staff as a surgical volunteer in the aftermath of the earthquake. Temple University School of Medicine. “We were treating patients in a tent city of sorts, with no air conditioning and no running water. Conditions were extremely primitive.” Ilyas explains that the amusement park site was chosen for practical reasons: There was a boundary wall around it, making it easy to secure. He had anticipated poor conditions and made sure that he took supplies such as surgical equipment, sutures and gauze. But he was still unprepared for what he found. “Once I was down there, I was a little overwhelmed and shocked,” he says. “The amount of medical need was overwhelming.” Ilyas went to Haiti in January after answering a call for physician volunteers from one of the many nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) providing assistance in Port-au-Prince. He was part of a team of physicians assembled by IMANA and supported by the WILKES | Fall 2010 Aimer-Haiti group. The team included approximately 12 24 2003 Marc Baron graduated from Walden University with a master’s degree in nursing, specializing in nursing education.While teaching part time, he continues to work full time for Main Line Health. He lives with his wife and three children outside of Philadelphia, Pa. Dawn Demchak was named 2010 Patient Choice Award winner by the Wyoming Valley Health Care System.The award recognizes quality care, comfort and compassion offered by nurses throughout the system.The winner is selected from nominations made by former patients.The award was presented during National Nurses Week in May. Demchak is a nurse on Wilkes-Barre General Hospital’s 8 East Medical/Surgical Unit. Demchak received her award from Cornelio Catena, chief executive officer,Wyoming Valley Health Care System. Christopher Tedesco – see 2004 2004 Rebecca Jean Broyan was ordained on June 13 as a reverend and fully authorized minister of the United Church of Christ. Broyan graduated from Lancaster Theological Seminary in 2008 and received a call to be the pastor at First United Church of Christ in Berwick, Pa. �class notes .;.·."'.'\.'"'~\t.\•.'J ..<.?. 1:': •..-, ;v:-::-:·:~.•::-:-:•·:··•.···•:4 ,:., A street in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, after the earthquake. PHOTOS COURTESY OF DR. ASIF ILYAS recalls one case that was typical of the kinds of injuries he encountered. Following his graduation from Wilkes with a degree in biology, Ilyas completed medical school at MCP- “The patient’s hand had been caught in the rubble for Hahnemann University in 2001. He completed his three days. His hand was crushed so severely and so residency in orthopaedic surgery at Temple University compromised that we had no alternative than to perform an Hospital in 2006, followed by a year as a surgical amputation,” Ilyas says. “Because we didn’t have general fellow at Harvard Medical School. He joined the staff anesthesia, we used sedation and regional blocks to numb at Temple in 2007, where he has specialized in hand his arm. Unfortunately this was a common scenario.” surgery and orthopaedic trauma surgery. In addition to volunteering with the NGO, physicians, Ilyas lives in Philadelphia with his wife, Erum, who also including Ilyas, took turns working at the hospital is a physician, and their three children, Dean, 7, Amber, 5 established by the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division. Its and Sammy, 3. Volunteering in Haiti was a first for Ilyas. full-time staff included only one internist, a physician “I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to serve.” assistant and several medics, so two doctors went to that — By Vicki Mayk Pamela Tedesco and Christopher Tedesco ’03 welcomed their second son, Nathaniel Lee, on Dec. 19, 2009. Medicine on June 5. She will continue her medical training in internal medicine at the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey. 2006 Ashley Marie McBreartyHindson received her doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic 2007 Theresa Brewer and John Polson were married on March 20.They reside in Rock City Falls, N.Y. 2009 Ryan Holmes is vice president of public relations for Waterbucket Media, a public relations firm based in Easton, Pa. His responsibilities include drafting and issuing press releases, conducting conferences and seminars, and holding televised interviews. Christine Zavaskas was recently appointed community relations coordinator at Northeast Regional Cancer Institute. She will manage media relations, print and online publications and program promotion. Jessica Woolfolk and William Ives were married on May 15. The couple resides in Nanticoke, Pa. WILKES | Fall 2010 site every day to assist. 25 �class notes Jackie Manzolillo-Blais ’05 Starts Sixth Season Behind the Scenes with “MARTHA” Martha Stewart is one in a million—or at least one in 165. Jackie Manzolillo-Blais ’05 would know. She helped “MARTHA: The Martha Stewart Show” set a Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people with the same first and last name by bringing in an audience of 164 women legally named Martha Stewart/Stuart. “It required a lot of research,” says Manzolillo-Blais, an audience supervisor for the show which moves to the Hallmark Channel this fall. “[It was] definitely one of the most memorable audiences.” The Wilkes communication studies graduate is the show’s audience supervisor, overseeing a team of audience coordinators and production assistants to manage a live television audience. “Our responsibility is to research, procure and book an audience of 164 individuals for each show day,” she explains. “[They] often include theme shows with specialty audiences such as pet owners with their pets in tow or an audience full of individuals named Martha Stewart.” Manzolillo-Blais, who lives with her husband in Washingtonville, N.Y., works with production teams to guarantee a quality show and a positive experience for Jackie Manzolillo-Blais ’05, left, who is audience coordinator for “MARTHA: The Martha Stewart Show,” appeared with the show’s famous host, demonstrating how to make Christmas trees out of magazines. PHOTO COURTESY OF MARTHA: The Martha Stewart Show Members of the staff are given the opportunity to the audience. “What I love the most is that I meet pitch ideas to be featured on “MARTHA.” As a result, people from all over the world and I have an Manzolillo-Blais has appeared on the show three times. opportunity to bring them joy,” she says. She made her debut in the television industry “I grew up in a very crafty family,” she says. “I was able to teach Martha to dye Easter eggs with silk ties working for “The View” while finishing her last and create Christmas trees out of old magazines. I had semester in college. The connections she made there a great time!” led to a job offer from “MARTHA” following graduation. Season six of “MARTHA” starts this fall. In addition, a She began as an audience production assistant and new show hosted by Stewart’s daughter, Alexis Stewart, was promoted to audience coordinator after one and friend and colleague, Jennifer Koppelman-Hutt, is season. She left the show during season three to being produced. Manzolillo-Blais will oversee two teams pursue a reporting job in Lancaster County, Pa. She responsible for booking live audiences for both shows. was back in time for season four. “I missed “MARTHA” and the joy of making people “I am excited for the new challenges this expansion will bring.” WILKES | Fall 2010 happy daily,” she recalls. She was invited back as the 26 audience supervisor. “I love it just as much as I did when I began.” — By Rachel Strayer �class notes 1998 John Ford MBA has been named senior vice president and commercial lending officer at Landmark Community Bank. He will continue his role in developing the bank’s commercial loan and deposit portfolio. Ford has 25 years of experience in commercial banking. 2003 Jeremy M. Gerber PharmD, MBA, and Dr. Dawn S. Knudsen were married on March 19.The bride is a professor at Midwestern University College of Pharmacy in Glendale, Ariz. The groom is a pharmacist at Cancer Centers of America, Goodyear, Ariz.The couple resides in Avondale, Ariz. Jeremy Robert Lisman PharmD and Jaime Monika Beierle were married on July 24, 2009.The bride is employed as an research and development chef consultant at Preferred Meal Systems.The groom is employed as a pharmacist at Walgreens.The couple resides in Wilkes-Barre. Wendy Lee Miller MS, and Mark Richard Landis were married on Oct. 31, 2009.The bride is a sixthgrade computer literacy teacher at Berwick Middle School.The couple resides in Wapwallopen, Pa. 2008 Stephen Bilko, MS – see Graduate Students 2009 2009 Brooke McDonald MS, and Stephen Bilko MS ’08, were married Oct. 3, 2009. Both are teachers in the Pocono Mountain School District.The couple resides in Nanticoke, Pa. Jared Meehan MS – see Graduate Students 2010 2010 Ellen Michael MBA and Jared Meehan MS ’09 were married on March 20.The couple resides in Wilkes-Barre. Shannon Fenstermacher PharmD was recently promoted to clinical pharmacist specialist, pharmacy practice, at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. She began her career as a pharmacist at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown, Pa., prior to accepting a staff pharmacist position at Dartmouth-Hitchcock in October 2009. Submitting Class Notes Share personal or career news in any of three ways: • E-mail it to wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu. • Post it at The Colonel Connection Web site at community.wilkes.edu. • Or mail it to: Class Notes Wilkes Magazine 84 W. South St. Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766 WILKES | Fall 2010 Graduate Students 27 �class notes In Memoriam Fall 2010 1941 Melford Hyman, Oviedo, Fla., died May 4, 2010. He was a World War II Armed Forces veteran and U.S. postal worker. 1952 Edward J. Wallison, Kingston, Pa., died April 4, 2010. He was a Korean War Air Force veteran, teacher and local radio personality. 1945 Helen Stapleton Schmitt, Adamstown, Md., died May 16, 2010. She was a homemaker and volunteer. 1958 Frederick J. Helfrich Sr., West Wyoming, Pa., died March 26, 2010. He was a Korean War U.S. Army veteran and Proctor & Gamble employee. 1949 Flora F. Lopko O’Hannes, Katonah, N.Y., died May 1, 2010. She was a scientific illustrator for the Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C. Raymond B. Williams, Lawrence, Kan., died June 6, 2010. He was a World War II U.S. Army veteran and retired fifth grade teacher, Dutch Neck School. WILKES | Fall 2010 1951 Wade W. Hayhurst, Mollusk,Va., died April 17, 2010. He was a computer software developer and retired publisher. 28 1960 Frank I. Edwards, West Pittston, Pa., died May 20, 2010. He was a music teacher and choir director. He is survived by his wife, Barbara B. Edwards ’60. 1965 Alfred W. Johnson, Plains Township, Pa., died May 15, 2010. He was a retired history teacher and football/ wrestling coach. 1966 John Leo Gurgick, Upper Saddle River, N.J., died Feb. 18, 2010. He was a U.S. Navy veteran; a psychologist for the Veterans Administration of New Jersey; and owner/operator, Softball Pitching Center. 1991 Ann Marie Cesarini Raspen, Shickshinny Lake, Pa., died May 2, 2010. She was a high school and elementary school teacher and a lay reader and eucharistic minister for Exaltation of Holy Cross Catholic Church. 1970 Joan M. McElwee, Mocanaqua, Pa., died April 13, 2010. She was a psychiatric registered nurse and nurse manager for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 1998 Danie Mark Bishop, Harding, Pa., died April 14, 2010. He was a licensed veterinarian. 1973 Judith A. Young, Dallas, Pa., died March 24, 2010. She was a mathematics teacher with the Wilkes-Barre Area School District. 1976 Diane Zelinka, Hanover Township, Pa., died May 27, 2010. She was a medical technologist with WilkesBarre General Hospital. 2000 Ivan J. Bogan Jr., Parsons, Pa., died April 14, 2010. He was a former employee of the Department of Defense in Washington, D.C. and salesman for M.J. Mackarey Snacks. Graduate Students 1981 Mark P. Steele MS Beaumont, Pa., died June 4, 2010. He was a retired elementary school teacher. �then & now When it opened in September 1950, the gymnasium on South Franklin Street was a welcome addition to campus. Its façade was graced with a large concrete medallion of the Wilkes College seal. For more than 30 years,Wilkes students congregated there for fitness and fun. When the gymnasium made way for the Arnaud C. Marts Sports and Conference Center in 1989, the medallion was taken to the Ralston Athletic Complex. It remained there until recent renovations at the football field unearthed it, perfectly intact, under the stands. It has been relocated to a spot on South Franklin Street between the Eugene S. Farley Library and Fenner Hall. PHOTO FROM WILKES ARCHIVES Share names or reminisce on The Colonel Connection message boards, found at www.wilkes.edu/alumni. Or send responses to Wilkes magazine, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766. You can also e-mail wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu. PHOTO BY VICKI MAYK �w WILKES UNIVERSITY Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 WILKES UNIVERSITY events September November 11 First home football game 9 15 Free workshop on Identity Theft and Personal Safety, Lobby, University Center on Main, 6 p.m. Sponsored by Alumni Relations 30-Oct. 2 One Acts at Wilkes, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center, 8 p.m.; Oct 3, 2 p.m. October 1-3 12-13 The Adding Machine, Darte Center, 8 p.m.; Nov. 14, 2 p.m. Also Nov. 19-21 December 10 Chorus and Chamber Singers Concert, St. Nicholas Church,Wilkes-Barre, 7:30 p.m. 12 Civic Band Concert, Darte Center, 3 p.m. 19 Piano Studio Recital, Darte Center, 5 p.m. Homecoming: Get Social with Wilkes 18-Dec. 12 Soul Rebel: An Intimate Portrait of Bob Marley by photographer David Burnett, Sordoni Art Gallery. Opening reception: Oct. 22, 6-9 p.m. Outstanding Leaders Forum, featuring entrepreneur Blake Mycoskie, chief shoe giver of TOMS Shoes, F.M. Kirby Center, 8 p.m. For details on times and locations, check www.wilkes.edu and www.wilkes.edu/alumni or phone (800) WILKES-U. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Alumni Magazine, 1947-present Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Description An account of the resource <p>An archive of Wilkes University Magazine, from 1947-present. The magazine went through various names including <em>Wilkes Alumnus</em>, <em>Wilkes Quarterly,</em> <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, and the current title, <em>Wilkes Magazine</em>. Some editions for the <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, will have multiple issues within the file record. Our holdings may be missing editions for certain years due to having no physical copy within the collection. </p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Wilkes University Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Wilkes University Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1947-present Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Magazine, Fall 2010 Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Marketing Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 2010 magazine Wilkes Magazine https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/930a29114cd80220931a338d03c367c8.pdf 7135d50e56ed70ff58f960d371f51639 PDF Text Text FAL L 20 11 ENDURING INFLUENCE | CHANGE AGENT | FRIENDS INDEED COME HIGH WATER | REPORT OF GIFTS �president’s letter After The Flood, An Army of Colonels I JOINED PAUL ADAMS ’77, WILKES VICE PRESIDENT FOR Student Affairs, on Sept. 8 to monitor the Web site tracking the level of the Susquehanna River. It became clear that—for the second time in Wilkes history—the river was rising to truly dangerous levels. The damage caused by flooding after Hurricane Agnes, nearly 40 years ago, remains a painful memory for many. It looked to both of us that we would be evacuating the University. As I’m sure many of you know, history did not repeat itself. The levee system did its job. Although the Susquehanna crested at a record 42.66 feet, the levees held. Wilkes and the City of Wilkes-Barre were spared. Others in the valley were not as fortunate. While the two events, separated by four decades, had different outcomes for Wilkes, both brought out the best in our University community. How we respond at such times is the very definition of what it means to “Be Colonel.”In 1972, the campus community under President Mike Michelini rallied, cleaning and rebuilding campus in time to begin the fall 1972 academic year and graduate the class of 1973. Witnessing flood damage in communities near Wilkes this fall gave me new appreciation for what Mike and his team accomplished. Wilkes President Tim Gilmour and As we faced the 2011 flood, I realized how truly Paul Adams ’77, vice president, student affairs, pitch in during flood special Wilkes is and how remarkable the people are relief efforts in Wilkes-Barre. in our University family. Everyone worked together PHOTO BY EARL AND SEDOR PHOTOGRAPHIC as we prepared for possible flooding. Our facilities department, with some help from the football team, moved sophisticated scientific equipment, computers, file cabinets and other items to safety on upper floors in buildings. Most importantly, we made sure our students were safe. When we returned to campus, we focused on helping the community. A new Wilkes advertising campaign talks about an Army of Colonels. Faced with incredible need after the flood, we sent our Army of Colonels into the community to help. We ensured that all University employees could join flood relief efforts by instituting a policy granting two days of paid leave for volunteering. I joined a team cleaning up the Brookside section of Wilkes-Barre. Our students, faculty and staff have shoveled toxic river muck, carried tons of junk to the curb, served food, collected and delivered supplies, and repaired damaged library books at the West Pittston Library. You can read more about it in the story on page 14. At our annual Club Day, held days after the flooding, we took time to be thankful that Wilkes was spared from another devastating flood. And thankful we should be! Dr. Tim Gilmour Wilkes University President VOLUME 5 | ISSUE 3 F A L L 2 0 11 WILKES MAGAZINE University President Dr. Tim Gilmour Vice President for Advancement Michael Wood Executive Editor Jack Chielli Managing Editor Kim Bower-Spence Editor Vicki Mayk Creative Services Lisa Reynolds Web Services Craig Thomas Electronic Communications Christopher Barrows Graduate Assistant Rachel Strayer M.A.’11 Layout/Design Quest Fore Inc. Printing Payne Printery Inc. EDITORIAL ADVISORY GROUP Anne Batory ’68 Brandie Meng M’08 Bill Miller ’81 George Pawlush ’69 MS’76 Donna Sedor ’85 ALUMNI RELATIONS STAFF Director of Alumni Outreach and Stewardship Sandra Sarno Carroll Director Mirko Widenhorn Associate Director Bridget Giunta Husted ’05 Coordinator Mary Balavage Simmons ’10 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OFFICERS President Tom Ralston ’80 First Vice President Rosemary LaFratte ’93 MBA’97 Second Vice President Cindy Charnetski ’97 Secretary Ellen Hall ’71 Historian Laura Cardinale ’72 Wilkes magazine is published quarterly by the Wilkes University Office of Marketing Communications and Government Relations, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766, wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu, (570) 408-4779. Please send change of address to the above address. Wilkes University is an independent institution of higher education dedicated to academic and intellectual excellence in the liberal arts, sciences and professional programs. The university provides its students with the experience and education necessary for career and intellectual development as well as for personal growth, engenders a sense of values and civic responsibility, and encourages its students to welcome the opportunities and challenges of a diverse and continually changing world. The university enhances the tradition of strong student-faculty interactions in all its programs, attracts and retains outstanding people in every segment of the university, and fosters a spirit of cooperation, community involvement, and individual respect within the entire university. �contents FEATURES 6 Enduring Influence Wilkes alumni continue mentoring relationships with faculty long after graduation 10 Change Agent Jack Miller ’68, chairman of Wilkes’ Board of Trustees, talks about the University’s strategic priorities 12 Friends Indeed 6 10 Relationships formed at Wilkes are a cause for celebration—year round 14 Come High Water 12 Wilkes comes to the aid of the community after the September 2011 flood DEPARTMENTS 5 Athletics 16 Alumni News 18 Class Notes 26 Report of Gifts John Lynch, left, a member of the Jc Wilkes wrestling team, and Mark Allen, w dean, dE student development, haul damaged books and other items out da of a house in Wilkes-Barre’s Brookside section damaged by floods caused by sec Tropical Storm Lee. Wilkes volunteers Tro played a role in flood-relief efforts. pla\ PHOTO PHOl BY EARL AND SEDOR PHOTOGRAPHIC 14 Have a story idea to share? Contact us at wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu or Wilkes magazine, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766. J;;s FPO FSC WILKES | Fall 2011 26 2 On Campus 1 �on campus African Adventures: Wilkes Faculty Lays Groundwork for Future Study, Service Opportunities Wilkes students will have the opportunity to study and provide service in Africa, thanks to the efforts of a contingent of students and faculty who visited the countries of Uganda and Tanzania during summer 2011. KarenBeth Bohan, an associate professor of pharmacy, visited Africa to plan a study abroad program for students in the Nesbitt College of Pharmacy and Nursing. Her goal is to offer an advanced pharmacy practice elective for fourth professional-year pharmacy students. Bohan is working with a professor at Makerere University College of Health Sciences in Uganda in developing the class. The students who take the elective also will go on a safari to study local wildlife and landscape throughout Murchison Falls National Park. “It is Wilkes’ mission to educate our students for success in a constantly evolving and multicultural world,” Bohan says. “And now more than ever it is important our students are engaged in experiences that can enhance their understanding of other cultures.” While in Africa, Bohan and James Merryman, professor of anthropology, also conducted a pilot study of the impact of clean-water wells on health, culture, and quality of life in villages of the Masindi District in Uganda. The wells are built by Busoga Trust America, a non-profit organization that provides wells and sanitation. Merryman brought Jeremy LaPorte ’11 as his graduate assistant and Bohan was accompanied by pharmacy student Joseph Shipula. Other Wilkes faculty and staff on the trip included Godlove Fonjweng, director of global education, and Evene Estwick, associate professor of communication studies. Godlove Fonjweng, director of global Other African opportunities are being education, second from left, meets developed by Linda Winkler, dean of the with Ugandan representatives about the impact of wells in their community. College of Arts, Humanities and Social Photo courtesy of KarenBeth Bohan KarenBeth Bohan, associate professor of pharmacy, front left, interviews villagers in Uganda for her water study. Photo courtesy of KarenBeth Bohan More on the Web To read more about KarenBeth Bohan’s, James Merryman’s and Linda Winkler’s work in Africa, please visit their blogs on the Wilkes Web site. To find them, click on the ■ B on the homepage. Sciences, who has worked and conducted research in Tanzania for a decade. Winkler, who joined the University in fall 2010, plans to involve Wilkes students in her work. This year, Wilkes student Lisa Bova accompanied Winkler to Tanzania. Bova, who is president of the student group Wilkes in the World, raised money for a water tank for Tegemeo School. ‘Army of Colonels’ Storms NEPA The University’s fall ad campaign had barely hit In addition to calling out various accomplishments and contributions, the northeastern Pennsylvania when a local radio campaign highlights the proximity to Wilkes’ campus to emphasize impact on personality was heard referencing the “Army of the region’s economic development and quality of life. Colonels” lending help to flood victims. The phrase—a nod to the Wilkes tradition Wilkes | Fall 2011 of leadership and selfless determination— 2 Wilkes staff worked with advertising agency 160over90 to develop the campaign. A focus group comprising alumni and Wilkes-Barre-area residents guided creative. anchors a campaign The fall campaign includes television, constructed to build radio, billboards, Internet and newspaper awareness of the University’s advertising throughout the Wyoming Valley. accomplishments and To see all its elements, visit the ways Wilkes helps www.wilkes.edu/adcampaign. bring positive change to the entire region. This billboard in Scranton highlights engineering research that involves undergraduate students in real-world problem solving. �on campus Top Majors Wilkes Expands to Poconos The Poconos is becoming more than a vacation destination. It’s also becoming a convenient location to get a great Wilkes education. The University is expanding to the Poconos this fall with a new adult education facility in the Shoppes at Crossroads at the Bartonsville exit of Interstate 80 in Monroe County. Students at the Wilkes University Pocono Center can enter degree programs for the master of business administration, the accelerated bachelor of business administration for those wishing to complete their degree, and the master of science in engineering management. University President Tim Gilmour says, “We feel this is an ideal place to expand our offerings, based on impressive population growth and numbers of people eager to continue their education.” The 2,800-square-foot facility will house two classrooms, a conference room and office space. Wireless Internet will connect students to campus resources. On-site staff will guide students during the application and enrollment process. For more information, Wilkes-Barre visit www.wilkes.edu/ Poconos. The following were the top five majors among students in Wilkes’ Fall 2011 freshman class. Majors are listed by the number of first-year students registered for fall semester: 69 Engineering* 69 58 Biology ----- • Pharmacy Nursing - Ii\ 48 Education** 35 * includes engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and engineering management U.N. Partnership to Bring Speakers, Global Perspective The global perspectives of the United Nations come to Wilkes through a collaborative program launching during the 2011-2012 academic year. The multi-faceted program, presented in partnership with the Higher Education Alliance for the United Nations, brings U.N. officials to campus throughout the year for lectures and informal meetings with students, organized around the theme Human Security in the 21st Century: Challenges and Solutions. Selected students can intern at the U.N. and a contingent of faculty and students will attend a special behind-the-scenes briefing there. A campus conference at Wilkes during spring semester will focus on an international issue and will feature U.N. representatives as presenters. Wilkes is the only northeast Pennsylvania university participating in the program. All Wilkes first-year students participate in weekly seminars during the fall semester designed to help them develop the strategies essential for a successful transition into the campus community. Students in the First-Year Foundations classes will meet informally with the U.N. lecturers as part of these classes. The U.N. lecture series kicks off on Sept. 26 with a lecture about Elections - Road to Democracy Around the World. It will be presented by diplomat Roland Rich, Executive Head at the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF). Rich’s talk, which is free and open to the public, will be at 3 p.m. in the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center. Other lecture topics during the year will include the U.N.’s role in combating terrorism, peacekeeping, food security, population growth and interfaith dialogue. The Humpty Dumpty Institute, a non-profit based in New York City, launched the Higher Education Alliance (HEA) in 2010. The alliance builds bridges between higher education, the United Nations and the international community. Wilkes | Fall 2011 ** includes elementary and early childhood education and middle school. 3 �on campus Wilkes Biology Professor Studies Effects of Marcellus Drilling on Songbirds The process of hydrofracking and gas drilling in Pennsylvania’s rich Marcellus Shale deposit has raised concerns about its effects on humans and on the environment. Wilkes University professor Jeffrey Stratford has received a grant to study its effects on some of the state’s smallest inhabitants: song birds. Stratford, an assistant professor of biology who specializes in studying birds, received a $22,852 grant from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The project—“Physical Stress in Songbirds Associated With Natural Gas Drilling”—focuses on the possible impact of drilling and contaminants from drilling. Stratford and his team of student researchers are studying songbirds in five Pennsylvania counties: Bradford, Lycoming, Potter, Susquehanna and Tioga. All are counties rich in Marcellus Shale. Gas drilling already has started in most of the sites and promises to increase. Stratford and his team collect blood samples from songbirds in the field, store the samples on ice and bring them back to the lab to test enzyme levels. Locations for gathering the blood samples are chosen from maps indicating where current drilling is happening and where future drilling may occur. Samples are taken back to the laboratory where William Biggers, associate professor of biology, works with students on the enzyme analysis. Stratford explains that birds exposed to environmental stressors and contaminants have increased levels of certain enzymes. The enzymes, Stratford says, help the body to process and rid itself of contaminants. Increased enzyme levels parallel an increase in contaminant exposure. Stratford and his team are gathering baseline data and will study changes in enzyme levels. Levels also will be compared for birds that are close to drilling sites with those at sites isolated from drilling. “This is a great opportunity to teach students the issues related to the environment as well as teaching them important biological techniques,” Stratford says. WEBS Program Doubles in Size Wilkes’ HHMI Women Empowered by Science (WEBS) camp for girls enjoyed unprecedented with laboratory techniques, visiting the world of pharmacy and cleaning success in its third year. Enrollment doubled up an oil spill. Girls also enjoy talks by women working in science over the previous year, with 60 seventh- and eighth-grade girls participating in the two-week camp. Funded by a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the camp aims to increase girls’ interest in science careers. They participate in classes taught by Wilkes faculty and are mentored by Wilkes students—many of them women enrolled in programs Wilkes | Fall 2011 in the sciences. 4 Activities include building Lego robots, solving “The Great Mascot Heist” Inset: Two WEBS participants, above, launch their Lego robot. Right: WEBS participants, get excited about the results of an experiment. From left are Kathryn Waclawski, Hanover Area
 School District, Kaylee Sminkey, Wyoming Seminary, and Kendyl Lyn Kalish, Hanover Area School District. PhotoS by Rachel Strayer careers. For a story about one of the guest speakers—Wilkes alumna Charlotte Moser ’92—please see page 19. �athletics Football Stadium Named for Legendary Colonels Coach Rollie Schmidt By Helen Kaiser Schmidt was inducted into Wilkes’ Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994 and retired at the end of that year after 32 years of teaching and coaching. In 2009, former players formed a Stadium Committee to raise funds to recognize their former coach. The effort was chaired by William A. Hanbury and Anthony M. Cardinale, both members of Wilkes’ Class of 1972 and players on the Golden Horde, as the winning football team was known. “I’m sure I speak for anyone who was privileged to have had Roland Schmidt as a coach and mentor when I say he is one of the most important influences in my life,” says Cardinale, an attorney in Boston, Mass. Hanbury, president and chief executive officer of United Way of the National Capital Area, explains, “For many former players, their success in life can be directly traced back to Wilkes and Coach Schmidt. We felt it was appropriate to memorialize his extraordinary contribution to the countless men and women that he impacted.” Improvements at the Ralston Athletic Complex unveiled at the start of the 2010-2011 football season totaled $1.6 million and included artificial turf, a field lighting system, new goalposts, scoreboard, and fencing. This year, a new press box and new home bleachers were added. Wilkes’ most successful football coach, Rollie Schmidt, was recognized at the 2010 game where the stadium renovations debuted. Pictured from left are William Hanbury ’72, President Tim Gilmour, Rollie Schmidt and Anthony Cardinale ’72. The stadium is being named in Schmidt’s honor. Photo by Michael Touey Wilkes | Fall 2011 L egendary Colonels football coach Rollie Schmidt is being recognized for decades of dedication to the University and its students as Wilkes names its football stadium in his honor. The naming ceremony for Schmidt Stadium at the Ralston Athletic Complex was to occur before the homecoming football game against Widener University on Sept. 24, with Schmidt and many of his former athletic stars attending. Schmidt—the most winning coach in Wilkes’ history—was honored when he heard he had been selected for the tribute. “I never expected it, for sure,” the Dallas, Pa., resident says. “It’s wonderful to know that people thought enough of me to do this.” Schmidt coached the Colonels from 1962 to 1981 and engineered the third-longest winning streak in collegiate football history by winning 32 games in a row. For his success, he is quick to credit the hard work of the players and assistant coaches and the support of the University, his wife Marge, and his now-deceased parents who never missed a game. Schmidt’s contributions to Wilkes went beyond the gridiron. He influenced students on baseball diamonds and golf courses—as well as teaching health science and lifetime activities such as swimming, tennis, racquetball, handball and bowling. As the baseball coach, he guided the Colonels to their first Middle Atlantic Conference title in 1968. For 26 seasons Schmidt coached the golf team, leading the Colonels to 214-179-3 record and three MAC championships. The 1976 team finished 16-0 and had a 14th-place finish in NCAA Division III national championships. “I always made it a point to treat students with respect, no matter what their athletic skills were,” Schmidt says. “I had a no-cut policy. Anyone who wanted to participate in a sport could come and try. Over time, many of them applied themselves and turned out to become good players who were assets to the University.” 5 �athletics Football Stadium Named for Legendary Colonels Coach Rollie Schmidt By Helen Kaiser Schmidt was inducted into Wilkes’ Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994 and retired at the end of that year after 32 years of teaching and coaching. In 2009, former players formed a Stadium Committee to raise funds to recognize their former coach. The effort was chaired by William A. Hanbury and Anthony M. Cardinale, both members of Wilkes’ Class of 1972 and players on the Golden Horde, as the winning football team was known. “I’m sure I speak for anyone who was privileged to have had Roland Schmidt as a coach and mentor when I say he is one of the most important influences in my life,” says Cardinale, an attorney in Boston, Mass. Hanbury, president and chief executive officer of United Way of the National Capital Area, explains, “For many former players, their success in life can be directly traced back to Wilkes and Coach Schmidt. We felt it was appropriate to memorialize his extraordinary contribution to the countless men and women that he impacted.” Improvements at the Ralston Athletic Complex unveiled at the start of the 2010-2011 football season totaled $1.6 million and included artificial turf, a field lighting system, new goalposts, scoreboard, and fencing. This year, a new press box and new home bleachers were added. Wilkes’ most successful football coach, Rollie Schmidt, was recognized at the 2010 game where the stadium renovations debuted. Pictured from left are William Hanbury ’72, President Tim Gilmour, Rollie Schmidt and Anthony Cardinale ’72. The stadium is being named in Schmidt’s honor. Photo by Michael Touey Wilkes | Fall 2011 L egendary Colonels football coach Rollie Schmidt is being recognized for decades of dedication to the University and its students as Wilkes names its football stadium in his honor. The naming ceremony for Schmidt Stadium at the Ralston Athletic Complex was to occur before the homecoming football game against Widener University on Sept. 24, with Schmidt and many of his former athletic stars attending. Schmidt—the most winning coach in Wilkes’ history—was honored when he heard he had been selected for the tribute. “I never expected it, for sure,” the Dallas, Pa., resident says. “It’s wonderful to know that people thought enough of me to do this.” Schmidt coached the Colonels from 1962 to 1981 and engineered the third-longest winning streak in collegiate football history by winning 32 games in a row. For his success, he is quick to credit the hard work of the players and assistant coaches and the support of the University, his wife Marge, and his now-deceased parents who never missed a game. Schmidt’s contributions to Wilkes went beyond the gridiron. He influenced students on baseball diamonds and golf courses—as well as teaching health science and lifetime activities such as swimming, tennis, racquetball, handball and bowling. As the baseball coach, he guided the Colonels to their first Middle Atlantic Conference title in 1968. For 26 seasons Schmidt coached the golf team, leading the Colonels to 214-179-3 record and three MAC championships. The 1976 team finished 16-0 and had a 14th-place finish in NCAA Division III national championships. “I always made it a point to treat students with respect, no matter what their athletic skills were,” Schmidt says. “I had a no-cut policy. Anyone who wanted to participate in a sport could come and try. Over time, many of them applied themselves and turned out to become good players who were assets to the University.” 5 �RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN WILKES PROFESSORS AND STUDENTS CONTINUE AFTER GRADUATION ENDURING Influence WILKES | Fall 2011 W 6 HEN MICHAEL BUTCHKO ’96 MARRIED HIS wife, Amy, in 2009, he delayed the ceremony until Dr. Tom Baldino arrived. Butchko said he didn’t want the ceremony to take place unless Baldino, a Wilkes political science professor, was present. “He was one of the most important people there that day,” recalls Butchko, who says a violent rainstorm slowed his long-time friend’s travel. For alumni like Butchko, relationships with faculty mentors continue after graduation. The bonds formed during undergraduate years don’t break—they strengthen. Wilkes professors become trusted career advisors, friends and professional colleagues for their former students. “There are not a couple of weeks that go by without Tom and me being in touch,” Butchko states. “He’s been invaluable to me. No one in my family went to college, so Tom filled the mentor role. I really trust his opinion on a variety of things.” By Vicki Mayk Butchko and Baldino remember their first meeting. Butchko was a sharp high school senior from Wyoming Valley West High School who visited Wilkes, King’s College and the University of Scranton to talk with heads of the political science departments before making his college decision. Meeting Baldino, then the new chair of political science at Wilkes, was the deciding factor in Butchko’s college choice. “I found his energy and attitude unique. Tom was forwardlooking, focused on the new wave in political science that includes an emphasis on quantitative analysis,” says Butchko. In the case of Baldino and Butchko, it’s no surprise that they continued a relationship started in Wilkes classrooms more than 15 years ago. After earning a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in public policy analysis from the University of Rochester, Butchko launched a career in Washington, D.C. Today he is deputy director of field operations for NeighborWorks, a non-profit organi- �zation that promotes opportunities for people to live in affordable housing. “If you’re political junkies like Tom and me, Washington is the place to be,” Butchko jokes. Over the years, he’s loved sharing anecdotes about his work with Baldino—including the one about the day that a senator named Barack Obama opened the door for Butchko on his way into the building. Such relationships are important to Baldino and other faculty. “It’s what makes it all worthwhile,” Baldino says. “I could teach anywhere, and it would be fun. The chance to get to know and influence students makes the difference.” It’s also what sets Wilkes apart, Baldino adds. “This is what differentiates the faculty at Wilkes….We care about students as people,” he states. Jen Ciannilli Smith ’01 says commitment from faculty makes a difference to students. When she transferred to Wilkes from Luzerne County Community College, the personal attention surprised her. Living away from home for the first time, Smith struggled to balance schoolwork, a job and her social life. She missed some classes—until the day she received a phone call from psychology professor Robert Bohlander. “He left me a message on my answering machine. It said, ‘This is Dr. Bohlander. You haven’t been in class. I hope everything is OK’,” recalls Smith. “I played the message back and listened to it again. It really made an impression on me. I couldn’t believe a professor at Wilkes would do that. It really meant the world to me. It turned my whole attitude around. I became motivated.” Bohlander, who has taught for 32 years, says it’s important for faculty to know when to reach out to a student. “Sometimes you encounter students who are having an issue where you need to intervene,” Bohlander says. Smith is a drug and alcohol counselor for the Choices program in Hazleton, Pa. She began her career with Community Counseling Services—an opportunity that Bohlander suggested. “He recommended my first internship at Community Counseling Opposite page: Psychology Professor Robert Bohlander and Jennifer Ciannilli Smith ’01 are now colleagues in the psychology field. Right: Jeffrey Alves, professor of entrepreneurship and acting dean, Sidhu School of Business and Leadership, and C.J. Copley ’98, MBA ’00 together started the Wilkes’ SIFE chapter—an activity that also launched their friendship. PHOTOS BY EARL & SEDOR PHOTOGRAPHIC His encouragement at that dinner is something I’ll NEVER FORGET. ...To hear that from someone like Dr. Alves meant a lot. WILKES | Fall 2011 – C.J. Copley ’98, MBA ’00 7 �Services and that gave me the perfect beginning. After graduation, any time a career opportunity arose, I’d contact him. He’d talk me through it,” she says. She and Bohlander exchange Christmas cards, talk on the phone and catch up over lunch about Smith’s career and about her 4-year-old daughter. Bohlander says staying in contact with alumni has benefits for his current Wilkes students. It’s a form of networking. “I contacted Jen about possible jobs for my students when she was at Community Counseling,” he says. While many close relationships between faculty and students begin in the classroom, some blossom via co-curricular activities. C.J. Copley ’98, MBA ’00 and Jeff Alves, professor of entrepreneurship and acting dean, Sidhu School of Business and Leadership, together launched the Wilkes chapter of Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE). Copley was its first president and Alves was advisor. Today Copley is executive vice president for sales and marketing for Golden Technologies, Inc., a manufacturer of mobility products, such as lift chairs and scooters, based in Old Forge, Pa. The path to an executive position wasn’t always easy, Copley acknowledges. He credits Alves with inspiring him to persevere. “Getting through my undergraduate years was a challenge. I wasn’t a straight-A student,” Copley says. “Dr. Alves inspired me. I remember our first SIFE competition. I think it was in Parsippany, N.J. We had been up practicing for hours, doing dry runs of our presentation. We took a break and went to dinner. He started sharing his own experiences in school and told me he had challenges too, that it wasn’t always easy for him. He told me, ‘If I can do it, anybody can do it.’ His encouragement at that dinner is something I’ll never forget…. To hear that from someone like Dr. Alves meant a lot.” Copley was a veteran entrepreneur before he graduated—he helped his family start a promotional products business while still at Wilkes—and Alves has tapped that real-world expertise by recruiting his former student to teach at Wilkes. “He’s taught the Integrated Management Experience (IME) course in which students start a business,” Alves says. “He’s taught (a course about) the selling process. He’s done it. He’s started a business.” Copley says he still consults with Alves when choosing textbooks for his classes. Alves emphasizes that mentoring has a trickle-down effect: It passes from faculty member to student, and then, when the student becomes an alumnus, back to current students. Copley has mentored Wilkes interns who work with him at Golden Technologies. Sidhu School alumna, Katie Pearson Desiderio ’01, MBA ’03, followed the same career path as her faculty mentor, Anne Heineman Batory, professor of business. Two years ago, Desiderio completed her doctorate in leadership education at Barry University in Miami, Fla., and joined the business faculty at Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pa. When she was invited to address the graduating class at Moravian in May 2011, the importance of having a mentor was one piece of advice she shared. Desiderio didn’t set out to become a professor when she entered Wilkes. “I thought I was most interested in marketing, but Dr. Batory asked me, ‘Did you ever think about teaching?’” Desiderio says. WILKES | Fall 2011 Anne Heineman Batory, professor of business, left, and Katie Pearson Desiderio ’01, MBA ’03 have the same career path, teaching business to undergraduate students. 8 I realized that I had more PASSION about driving up to Wilkes every Thursday than about what I was doing in my job. – Katie Pearson Desiderio ’01, MBA ’03 �Mike Steele, chair of Wilkes’ biology department, shares some insights in the lab with Salvatore Agosta ’98, who has returned to work with his faculty mentor as a post-doctoral research fellow. MORE ON THE WEB Read more about mentoring relationships that continue after graduation. Visit www.wilkes.edu/Mentor. Have a story to share about your friendship with your Wilkes faculty mentor? Do you have a picture taken since graduation with your faculty mentor? Share them with us by emailing them to wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu and put the word Mentor in the subject line. We’ll post them on the Web page. WILKES | Fall 2011 Batory noticed her student’s talent for teaching during class presentations. “She was able to take things and render them absolutely understandable for others in the class,” Batory says. Desiderio remained at Wilkes, serving as assistant women’s soccer coach and earned a master of business administration degree. Although she initially worked in the corporate arena, including a position as consumer marketing manager at publisher Rodale, Inc., she also served as adjunct faculty at Wilkes. “I realized that I had more passion about driving up to Wilkes every Thursday than about what I was doing in my job,” she recalls. She left the corporate world to earn a doctorate, realizing her dream of becoming a professor in 2009. “We share a lot of interests in common,” says Batory, who converses on email regularly with her protégée. “When she was at Barry (University), it was fun to be re-introduced to material at the doctoral level. It’s great to have your students go out there and come back to you with their current interests.” Desiderio looks forward to combining motherhood and her academic career in the near future. Batory says female faculty fill an important role as mentors for their female students. “The fact that I’m married and have children is important to students,” Batory states. “They are asking themselves, ‘Did superwoman die, or can we do it all?’ I’m here to show them that they can.” Salvatore Agosta ’98, who earned a biology degree at Wilkes, has moved from a student to a colleague of his mentor, Michael Steele, professor and chair of the biology department. After earning a doctorate in ecology from the University of Pennsylvania, he returned to Wilkes in fall 2010 to work with Steele as a post-doctoral research fellow. He credits Steele with inspiring his interest in studying ecology. “I came here as a history major, not knowing what I really wanted to do,” says Agosta, who also had an interest in biology. “He facilitated my going to the school for field studies in Kenya in the summer after my sophomore year. After that, I pretty much knew what I wanted to do.” Agosta spent his remaining two years at Wilkes working with Steele on his research on oak trees and seed dispersal. He notes that his relationship with Steele has not changed much since earning his doctorate because Steele treats his students as equals in the lab. “The thing about Mike is, once he identifies you as someone who is serious about research, he starts to interact with you as a colleague. He’s a great mediator of people.” Steele knows that the mentoring that happens in Wilkes labs leads to long-term success. “Mentoring is about an apprenticeship,” he says. “You have to be totally immersed in the scientific process for it to be a meaningful mentorship.” Steele is proud of his former student, noting that Agosta is gaining recognition as a biologist with research papers published in 25 peer-reviewed journals. He says that Agosta has worked in the field with top ecology researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, including work with Dan Janson in Costa Rica. Agosta helped to arrange a meeting between Janson and Steele when the Wilkes professor visited Costa Rica. Such achievements are clear indications that their relationship has transitioned to a new level. “He and I will be collaborators for the rest of our (professional) lives,” Steele says. 9 �Change Agent A CONVERSATION WITH JACK MILLER ’68 By Vicki Mayk Wilkes magazine interviewed Jack Miller ’68, chairman of the Board of Trustees, to talk about his vision for the institution. Miller began his second term as chairman in June. MORE ON THE WEB To learn more about Vision 2015, Wilkes University’s Strategic Plan, visit www.wilkes.edu/Vision2015. To learn more about the Presidential Search, visit WILKES | Fall 2011 www.wilkes.edu/PresidentialSearch Jack Miller ’68 , chair of Wilkes’ Board of Trustees, helps to set the agenda for the University’s future. PHOTO BY MICHAEL TOUEY 10 �Wilkes Magazine (WM): You’ve been one of the highest ranking executives with one of the world’s largest accounting and consulting businesses. You could do many things with your time. So first of all, a simple question: Why Wilkes? Jack Miller (JM): If you want to change the world, be involved in education for children, youth and young adults. They will make change happen in their lifetime. Every time we graduate a student, we create a change agent for the future. That is powerful stuff. Wilkes provides the foundation skills, instills core values and provides an introduction to life experience that allows individuals to succeed in their chosen area. Knowing that Wilkes does that for its students—that alone makes it worthwhile. WM: The University’s strategic plan—Vision 2015—is the blueprint for the University’s future. What are the most important priorities to emerge from the strategic planning process? JM: Wilkes is at a crossroads. We can either follow a path to mediocrity or a path to a willed future. Something that I learned very early in my career is the concept of a willed future. It’s something that says, ‘I’m sitting down and determining what I want and where I want to go in the future.’ What we did with Vision 2015 is create consensus of what we collectively want to be at Wilkes and also developed a plan that outlines how we’re going to get there. The strategic plan capitalizes on opportunities for growth and growing revenue. Why are we focusing on growth opportunities and growing revenue? Although Wilkes is financially stable, it’s not sustainable. For example, we have an opportunity to grow revenue with adult learners…..Another area for growth is with the development of the Marcellus Shale in the region. With Wilkes’ strength in the sciences, we can position ourselves as independent assessors in the Marcellus Shale development….Wilkes is very heavily dependent on tuition. If we can develop and capitalize on professional & Q A opportunities and broaden the base of revenue, we will no longer have that dependency. WM: What are the board’s priorities at this time? JM: I would say we’ve got three areas that are priorities. First, we must stay abreast or ahead of the curve in the sciences. We’ve got to build a new, state-of-the-art science building and have a successful capital campaign to support that project. We’ll break ground this spring. If we want to contuine to attract the kind and quality of student we want, a state-of–the-art facility along with our top-notch professors is key. Second, we’re continuing with the IMPROVE initiative (Integrating Management Planning and Resources Effectiveness). For alumni who may not be familiar with this, it is a fact-based decision-making process. We are providing data, including financial metrics, to administrators and faculty at the program level or department level, where it is most useful. It allows them to determine where we need more resources in the areas where we want to succeed. That information is not useful if it’s kept on the upper administration level. It has to be shared with people closest to the programs. And finally, our third focus is measuring student learning outcomes….We need to be able to assess the effectiveness of a Wilkes education….The cost of education is so great today. Parents and students have every right to say, ‘Am I getting value for my (tuition) at Wilkes?’ I believe we create lots of value. WM: Wilkes alumni read this magazine. What message would you like to send them? JM: Become involved. We value you. Many of you provide us with financial support. But the most important things our alumni can also give are their time and talent. There are many ways they can do that. Be a mentor to a current Wilkes student. Become active with the alumni association. You can become a member of board of trustees. We want your financial support—but we really want you! The time and talent of our alumni can really make an impact. Jack Miller graduated cum laude from Wilkes in 1968 with a degree in commerce and finance. He says, “I was born and raised in Wilkes-Barre. My mother was in accounting at Planters Peanuts on South Main Street. My father was a city fireman. I was the first in our family to go to college. I very much fit the profile of the student we have at Wilkes today. “ Miller was vice chairman of KPMG LLP, a global accounting, tax and advisory firm. During his 36-year tenure, he served in many positions, including the elected position as a member of its Board of Directors and Management Committee. He also served as chief executive officer of a billion dollar line of business, led the development of tools to assist clients in responding more efficiently in their markets, and managed regulatory compliance, risk management and crisis management activities. He credits Wilkes for preparing him for his career: “Wilkes is outstanding. It says something about Wilkes that a boy from the Wyoming Valley ended up vice chairman of one of the world’s largest accounting and consulting companies.” After being diagnosed with cancer, he retired from KPMG in January 2005 to devote his time to public service. In addition to his work on Wilkes’ board of trustees, he is chairman of the board of trustees of The Osborn Retirement Community and a trustee and regent of the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine in New York City, where he serves as chair of its audit committee and member of its executive committee. Miller lives in Rye, N.Y., with his wife, Sarah. They have four children and six grandchildren. WILKES | Fall 2011 ABOUT JACK MILLER ’68 11 �Friends Indeed Wilkes Alumni Celebrate Friendships Formed at the University By Rachel Strayer Wilkes alumni found much more than an education when they came to the University: They found friendship. The relationships students form are among the most valuable parts of the Wilkes experience. After graduation, alumni don’t wait for Homecoming and class reunions to rekindle their friendships. They hold their own events—from dinner parties to four-day camping trips—to celebrate relationships that are as important as their diplomas. Above: (from left to right) Showing off their matching “W” tattoos are Wilkes creative writing alumn, from left, Donna Talarico MFA ’10, Jonathan Rocks MFA ’10, Carol Lavelle MFA ’10, Justice Fisher MFA ’10, and Angela Eckhart MA ’09. Wilkes | Fall 2011 A Mark of Friendship 12 Donna Talarico MFA ’10, Jonathan Rocks MFA ’10, K. Justice Fisher MFA ’10, Carol Lavelle MFA ’10, Viannah Duncan MFA ’10 and Angela Eckhart MA ’09 share more than a Wilkes creative writing degree. They all sport the same tattoo: a “W” that stands both for Wilkes and for writing. The group remembers when they revealed their matching tattoos to creative writing program director Bonnie Culver. “She thought they were fake!” Talarico says. Students get to see each other only twice a year in Wilkes creative writing program—at eight-day residencies in January and June. The low-residency program conducts classes and writing critiques online the rest of the year. Talarico’s cohort, which includes non-tattooed but equally dedicated MFA ’10 graduates Michael “Papa” Suppa, Cory Brin, and Sarah Pugh, met during their first Wilkes residency in June 2007 and bonded so well they couldn’t wait until January before seeing each other again. Their first get-together took place at Suppa’s home over Labor Day Weekend 2007. According to Suppa, the group’s friendship thrives in the atmosphere provided at Wilkes. “The nurturing atmosphere of the Wilkes Creative Writing program was the catalyst for our group,” says Suppa. “I would recommend the program to any or all! It is truly a community.” Although they lost one member to a long-distance move, most of the group meets twice a year —every August and April—for a four-day weekend of board games, book discussions, dress-up movie nights, and off-season holiday celebrations, including Christmas in April and Easter in August. Locations have included a houseboat, a cabin near Gettysburg and a vacation home in the Poconos. Inked or not, the familial spirit among these Wilkes alumni runs deeper than blue dye. “Donna and the rest of my cohort…have made a permanent and indelible impression on me,” says Rocks. “You know, sort of like a tattoo.” A (Wilkes) Christmas Story When Marcie Kreinces Bono ’90 and Karen Donohue Connolly ’90 became friends as Wilkes freshmen, they had no idea that their friendship would grow into a yearly gathering of close to 30 people. “We kind of started the whole crew,” laughs Bono. Connolly chimes in, “Marcie was the ringleader. (She) knew everyone on the whole campus.” While both women remain close with their entire graduating class, they formed a special bond with Valerie Sweeney Walachy ’90, and three members of the class of 1991, Karen Finn Juliano, Laurie Tappon Furfaro, and Sue Adamchak Smith. Their post-Wilkes gatherings began simply enough. The friends met annually at the University’s Homecoming Weekend. It wasn’t �Left: Celebrating Christmas in January has become an annual tradition for, from left, Karen Finn Juliano ’91, Laurie Tappan Furfaro ’91, Marcie Kreinces Bono ’90, Sue Adamchak Smith ’91, Valerie Sweeney Walachy ’90, and Karen Donohue Connolly ’90. Close-Knit Sharon Snyder Bergin ’82 and Geri McAfee Dougherty ’81 recall spending their college years sunbathing on the roof of Sturdevant Hall and sledding on the cafeteria’s lunch trays with their six closest friends. So how did the eight long-time buddies celebrate turning the big 5-0? “We made potholders!” they say with enthusiasm. “Whatever keeps you laughing,” Bergin explains. Laughing is never a problem for the group, which also includes Helen Gorgas Goulding ’82, Jeannie Bennis Seidof ’81, Mary Giblin Making potholders – complete with Ws -- was one way to mark half-century birthdays for these alumnae. Pictured with their creations, are front row, from left, Helen Gorgas Goulding ‘82, Jeannie Bennis Seidof ‘81, Mary Giblin Galetto ‘81, and Gina Scazzaro Fair ‘82. Back row, from left are Maureen Falvey Creamer ‘80, Sharon Snyder Bergin ‘82, Geri McAfee Dougherty ‘81, and Karen Snyder Zeiser ‘82. Wilkes | Fall 2011 enough: The six New Jersey residents began planning regular dinner dates. They didn’t stop there. “Every January we get together at someone’s house to celebrate Christmas with all the kids and husbands and everyone,” says Connolly. The six of them have a total of 16 children ranging in age from 15 to four years old, making one chaotic, joyful group. “We don’t pick a day unless everyone can make it,” says Bono. “And everybody always shows up,” Connolly adds. The women are thrilled to watch their children build relationships of their own within the group. Now their Christmas gatherings are a relaxing time to catch up because the kids take care of each other, leaving the six women to laugh, talk, and reminisce about their Wilkes days. “I didn’t anticipate that going away to college would give me five of the best friends I could have asked for,” Bono says. Connolly echoes the sentiment. “We’re like sisters…I hope my kids have that someday.” The women planned to reunite the whole crew at Homecoming 2011. Galetto ’81, Gina Scazzaro Fair ’82, Maureen Falvey Creamer ’80, and Bergin’s twin sister Karen Snyder Zeiser ’82. The women, who bonded as residents of the same hall, have an eclectic mix of majors. They get together at least once every year or two—not an easy feat for eight women who have 22 children and three grandchildren among them. For each gathering, the ladies strive to come up with a fun theme or activity. “One year we brought old bridesmaids’ dresses and wore them out to dinner,” says Bergin. “Another year it was crazy hats.” Then came the potholders. “After we all turned 50 we were joking about being old,” says Dougherty. “Someone brought a potholder weaving kit, so we made potholders!” Dougherty even embellished one of hers with a Wilkes “W,” in honor of their “family away from home.” Even though they don’t get to see each other as much as they would like, they still find creative ways to connect. “We have something called ‘The Sisterhood of the Traveling Necklace,’” says Bergin. One necklace is passed around the group every three months or so, usually to someone who is going through a tough time. “We tend to mail it to someone who needs cheered up,” she says. The women are content to be each other’s reminders of their happy college years. “We will always get together…” says Bergin. “…even when there’s only two of us left…” continues Dougherty. “…and we don’t know where we’re going,” laughs Bergin. At least they’ll be going together. 13 �-... Wilkes Rallies To Lend A Hand in Flood Relief W hen a swollen Wilkes | Fall 2011 Susquehanna River heavily flooded the Wilkes campus in June 1972 in the aftermath of Hurricane Agnes, an incoming freshman named Bill Goldsworthy heard the college’s clarion call for help as the water receded. With a group of Circle K members, he cleaned out muddy books from the basement of Eugene S. Farley Library in a campus-wide push to get Wilkes back open by the start of his fall semester. Now, nearly 40 years later, it was Goldsworthy who was in need, as the Susquehanna River rose again to record levels in September due to heavy rains. Levees built after the ’72 Agnes flood held back the river in Wilkes-Barre, sparing the city from major flood damage. But in unprotected communities—such 14 as West Pittston, where Goldsworthy ’76 grew up and still resides—the rushing river pushed into homes and businesses, tossing about furniture, buckling floors and crumbling foundations. This time, the Wilkes community got a chance to pay it forward by helping Goldsworthy and other Wyoming Valley families recover from the extensive flooding. Students, faculty, staff and alumni teamed up to work shifts, hauling out muck from basements, ripping up flooring or tossing damaged furniture curbside and into dumpsters. “Our town is in total devastation,” said Goldsworthy, former West Pittston mayor and former president of the Wilkes Alumni Association. “It’s like we went through a war.” The water rose 3 feet on the first floor of his two-story home, where Goldsworthy and his wife have lived for 33 years and raised their four children. They By Mary Ellen Alu ’77 hadn’t owned the home during Agnes, but back then, the basement was only partially flooded. When the water started to recede and Goldsworthy finally got the first look inside, he was disheartened. “It looked like someone literally trashed your house,” he says. Meanwhile, the Wilkes community was mobilizing, calling for volunteers over the University’s Facebook page and by phone. The University gave all employees up to two paid days off to volunteer. Amy Hetro, Wilkes annual fund manager, used the time off to continue volunteer work at the West Pittston Library, which lost its building and 40 percent of its collection from flooding. Hetro says, “Because of the Wilkes employee volunteer program, I was able to volunteer at the library to pick up where the volunteers left off over the weekend. I helped disinfect books, made arrangements for a temporary library location, secured computers and internet access for this location, and established a fund at a local foundation to assist with recovery.” �MORE ON THE WEB Pieces of family history were already curbside when students arrived— his grandfather’s antique clock, his grandmother’s favorite chair. anything covered in flood mud posed health hazards and had to be tossed, says Goldsworthy, deputy director of the governor’s northeast regional office. Kitchen cabinets had to be removed, as well as tile flooring. when sophomore Megan heverly arrived with the student crew, it was the mounds of debris lining the streets that struck her. “You couldn’t tell what anything was,” she says. “It’s so sad to see.” Inside Goldsworthy’s home, heverly bleached woodwork on the first floor to protect it from mold, as other students hauled muck and a ruined pool table from the basement. “You’re getting them one step closer to getting their house back to what it was,” heverly says. There have been some things Goldsworthy has managed to save. In his file cabinet in his first-floor office, he found his acceptance letter to wilkes from so many years ago, signed by then-Dean John whitby. he dried it out. Far left, wrestlers Myzar Mendoza, Michael Fleck, Matt ellery and Ryan Wilson pull up a floor in a flood-damaged home in Wilkes-Barre. second photo, wrestler Ryan lynch and Philip Ruthkosky, associate dean of student development, remove damaged furniture. This page, left below, Wilkes President Tim Gilmour and Mark allen, dean, student affairs, get ready to don gloves for clean up. Below right, a Wilkes worker shovels mud from a basement. PHoTos BY CHRisToPHeR BaRRoWs and eaRl and sedoR PHoToGRaPHiC. Check out our photo gallery of Wilkes students, faculty and staff pitching in during flood relief efforts after the 2011 flood at www.wilkes.edu/Flood. 2011 Flood Facts Heavy rains caused by Tropical storm lee caused the swollen susquehanna River to spill over its banks. Here are some facts about the flood of 2011 at Wilkes: • The City of Wilkes-Barre—including Wilkes University’s campus—was evacuated at 4 p.m. on Thursday, sept. 8. • The University’s facilities department, with some help from the Colonels football team, moved file cabinets, computers and other equipment out of harm’s way, moving them to upper floors prior to the evacuation deadline. • about 40 Wilkes students were guests of the University of scranton during the evacuation. • The river crested at a record 42.6 feet on Friday, sept 9. The levees constructed after Hurricane agnes held. Communities without levee protection experienced record flooding. • The evacuation order was lifted on saturday, sept. 10 and the Wilkes residence halls reopened on sunday, sept. 11 at 3 p.m. Classes resumed on Tuesday, sept. 13. • The Wilkes volunteer effort continues weeks after the flood. Collections of cleaning supplies, fundraisers and a special volunteer cleanup by alumni during Homecoming Weekend continued as Wilkes magazine went to press. Memories of Agnes The spring 2012 issue of Wilkes magazine will feature memories of another flood—the 1972 deluge caused by Hurricane agnes. if you have 1972 flood memories to share, please e-mail us at wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu. Wilkes | Fall 2011 wrestling coach Jon laudenslager ’98 was among the first to contact the community service office to let officials know his wrestlers were ready to serve. “It was a no brainer,” laudenslager says. Community service was on his mind, he says, because of the service to country of one of his former wrestlers, army Ranger sandrino Plutino, killed in action in afghanistan in august 2011. (see page 25) some 30 wrestlers volunteered to help. at the request of wilkes-Barre officials, the wrestlers and others from wilkes—55 people in all—worked in the Brookside section of the city. wrestler shane everett, a wilkes senior, was among them. “It was pretty eye-opening,” he says. “It was surprising to see that just a few miles down the road (from the campus), many community members weren’t so lucky.” everett said students felt they were making a difference as they cleared homes and streets of debris. “I was soaked in sweat,” he said. “we gave it our all.” Community service coordinator Megan Boone encouraged students not to refer to flood-damaged items as trash. “we’re touching people’s treasured items: wedding dresses, photo albums, the chair that grandma sat on at Thanksgiving, Christmas decorations that you put up every year, things that hold memories.” Goldsworthy didn’t hesitate in accepting the University’s offer of help. he hopes he can rebuild his home in time to celebrate the Christmas holidays there with his family and new granddaughter. 15 �alumni news Alumni Mentor Current Generation of Wilkes Students Wilkes is known for the one-on-one mentoring relationships students have with their professors. The Alumni Association has expanded this tradition of individualized learning by bringing alumni mentors together with current students. Since the alumni-student mentoring program’s inception in 2009, over 200 alumni and about 300 students have been matched according to interest and expertise. The program has been integrated into the psychology, communication studies, business and education departments and includes both undergraduate and graduate alumni. This collaboration is coordinated by a committee of alumni volunteers, faculty and staff members from the alumni relations and career services offices. ...As these young people are getting started, the mentoring program gives them SOMEONE else TO TURN TO besides mom and dad. – Al Melusen ’85 WILKES | Fall 2011 Mentor Kristin Klemish ’04 talks with Allison Roth ’11 before the mentoring dinner in February 2011. PHOTO BY CURTIS SALONICK 16 Deborah Tindell, associate professor of psychology, has been involved with the mentoring initiative from the start. “I have always encouraged students to contact professionals in their chosen field to gain more experience, but it can be difficult to make that initial connection. With this program, our students have a readily available source of advice from mentors who have already indicated a willingness and desire to help,” she says. Mentors and mentees discuss interview preparation, the job search and graduate school applications; however, oftentimes, these talks turn to life after Wilkes. Al Melusen ’85, a senior staff advisor and attorney with the U.S. Department of Labor, is one of the alumni mentoring students. “I remember what a trying and anxious period of time it can be as you are launched into the ‘real world’ from the comparatively protected environment of the University. Many of the questions we discuss are basic, practical issues that you take for granted when you have been working for 10 or 20 years. But as these young people are getting started, the mentoring program gives them someone else to turn to besides mom and dad,” says Melusen, who has worked with two students over the past three years. Allison Roth ’11 appreciated such advice when she was a senior in the communication studies department in spring 2011. Paired with Kristin Klemish ’04, a communications professional, Roth describes their relationship as “an instant connection.” “She gave me insight into the job world and answered all of my questions regarding job applications and interviews. We also bonded over college life. Kristin reminisced about her years on campus and we chatted about classes and professors,” says Roth. According to Tindell, the biggest benefit of the mentoring program can’t be measured. “When a person finds a true mentoring relationship, it can last a lifetime and provide a great deal of support and satisfaction for both the mentor and mentee,” she says. Both Melusen and Klemish encourage other alumni to get involved with the mentoring program. “The time commitment is not overwhelming, and you will be surprised how much you have to offer others and how rewarding an experience it can be,” says Melusen. To learn more about the mentoring program, visit community.wilkes.edu/mentoring or contact Mary Simmons in the Office of Alumni Relations at mary.simmons@wilkes.edu. �alumni news Thank You to Our Alumni Hosts During spring and summer 2011, Wilkes enjoyed the hospitality of alumni along the East Coast. Our hosts included Jason ’90 and Tammy Griggs in Limerick, Pa. (pictured); Jan Seeley ’70 in Boston, Mass.; and Phil ’76 & Carol Gusgekofski ’76 Besler on Long Beach Island, N.J. “I was amazed to learn that there were 350 alumni living within 30 miles of me in Montgomery County, Pa., says Griggs. I thought that there was no better way to let people know that Wilkes alumni are all around us than to hold an alumni event. I cannot wait to do it again, bigger and better than last time.” To view photos from these events, visit www.wilkes.edu/alumni. If you’re interested in hosting an alumni event where you live, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (570)408-7787 or alumni@wilkes.edu. More than 20 alumni and guests attended an event at the home of Jason ’90 and Tammy Griggs in April 2011. PHOTO BY BRIDGET GIUNTA HUSTED ’05 Calendar of Events • Connecting the Dots: Wednesday, Nov. 9 Paul Wender ’69 Presents First Catherine H. Bone Lecture in Chemistry The inaugural Catherine H. Bone Lecture in Chemistry will be presented by Paul Wender ’69, Bergstrom Professor of Chemistry at Stanford University. The lecture is on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011 at 7 p.m. in Stark Learning Center 101. Wender will speak about Molecular Frontiers and Future Transformative Therapies for AIDs, Alzheimer’s, and Resistant Cancer. Wender has pioneered new methodologies for design and construction of naturally occurring and synthetic complex organic molecules. His contributions cover a broad range of chemistry, including synthetic organic, organ metallic, medicinal, and agricultural and photo-chemistry; cancer biology; and computer application in synthesis and drug design. The event is free, but registration is required. For more information call 570-408-4306. • Athletics Hall of Fame Day: Saturday, Nov. 15 • Dave Russo ’93 Comedy Show: Thursday, Dec. 8 • Naples, FL event: March HOMECOMING 2011 PHOTO GALLERY Whether you frequented the party tents, shared a pint with a professor or cheered on the Colonels, Homecoming was the place to be last month! back to campus for the festivities. See who was there by visiting www.wilkes.edu/alumni and mark your calendars for next year’s celebration: Sept. 28, 29 and 30, 2012. WILKES | Fall 2011 Thank you to everyone who came 17 �class notes 1954 Martin J. Meyer recently joined Fellerman & Ciarimboli Law Firm in Kingston, Pa. Meyer has been engaged in the general practice of law with emphasis on civil litigation and family law since 1960. He has been a member of the board and a trustee of the Family Service Association of Wyoming Valley and was honored by the association with the Al Danoff Humanitarian Award in September 2010. 1955 Lou Steck and Norma Moses Steck celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary on Jan. 14, 2011. They are the proud parents of three daughters, six granddaughters and one greatgranddaughter. The couple currently resides in Chicago, Ill. Wilkes | Fall 2011 1957 Dr. Leslie P. Weiner received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Cincinnati’s College of 18 Medicine. Weiner is internationally recognized for his research on the T-cell vaccine for multiple sclerosis. Weiner completed an internship at Syracuse University Hospital, residencies at Baltimore City Hospital and Johns Hopkins Hospital, and fellowships at The Johns Hopkins University and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and working in the National Institutes of Health Laboratory of Slow Virus Infections with Nobel laureate D. Carleton Gadjusek. Weiner was the chair of the neurology department at the University of Southern California for 24 years. 1959 Stephen Poleskie’s book Acorn’s Card was published recently by Wasteland Press. It includes a novella and two short stories. 1969 Robert Wallace retired after 41 years as a high school choral Roger A. Hatch ‘89 married Michelle V. Enright on Oct. 10, 2010. The couple resides in Sewickley, Pa. and instrumental director with the public schools of Cecil County, Md. He is dean-elect of the Delaware Chapter American Guild of Organists and director of music at St. Mary Anne Episcopal Church in North East, Md. Wallace is a published composer. 1973 Rich Mendelsohn and his wife, Suzie, celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary. They live in Alexandria, Va. 1974 Brent Spencer recently published his memoir, Rattlesnake Daddy: A Son’s Search for His Father. The book won the Distinguished Artist Fellowship and the Little Bluestem Award from the Nebraska Arts Council and The Backwaters Press. Barbara H. Zelnick’s book of poetry, The Passage of Seasons, was recently published by Publish America. Bob Spinelli see 1977. 1977 Reunion Sept. 28-30 ~ Patty Cullinan Spinelli and Bob Spinelli ’76 welcomed their granddaughter, Abigail, on July 9, 2011. They live in Rochester, N.Y. 1978 Ellen Ferretti was appointed by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett as deputy secretary for parks and forestry in the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. She was the president of the northeast region office of the Pennsylvania Environmental Council. 1979 Tim Evans’ company, Colours Inc., an automotive paint distributor, is one of four recipients of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce’s annual Pride of Place Award. The company began with one Wilkes-Barre Elizabeth A. Roveda ’05, MBA ’07 and Joshua S. Swantek PharmD ’08 were married May 30, 2010. The bride is the director of residence life at Wilkes University. The groom works for pharmacy services at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base. �class notes Charlotte Moser ’92: A Scientist’s Voice in the Vaccine Safety Debate full-time job in 2005. Her responsibilities include directing and creating education center programs and materials, including the Parents PACK—Possessing, Accessing and Communicating Knowledge about vaccines—program, Charlotte (Hoffman) Moser ’92 helps to educate parents which has more than 30,000 subscribers from throughout about the importance of vaccinating children as assistant the world who receive its monthly email newsletter. director of the Vaccine Education Center at The Children’s Hospital Charlotte Moser ’92 signs books for girls attending the HHMI-WEBS Camp. of Philadelphia. Moser works with Photo by Vicki Mayk Dr. Paul A. Offit, director of the center and one of the world’s leading authorities on vaccines. Parents’ concerns about vaccines, including claims that some are the cause of conditions such as autism, led to the creation of the Vaccine Education Center in 2000. The center filled an important role in the vaccine safety debate. “What was missing was the voice of science in the debate,” Moser explains. “The center filled that role.” A native of Weatherly, Pa., she entered Wilkes as a pre-med student before switching to a research focus. vaccine.chop.edu and http://vaccine.chop.edu/parents. As an undergraduate, she worked on research with Recently, she and Offit co-authored the book Vaccines chemistry professor William Stine and biology professor and Your Child: Separating Fact from Fiction, published Ken Pidcock. Pidcock remembers her as “one of our this year by Columbia University Press. Both the book and best students.” He takes pride in her accomplishments, materials stress the importance of vaccines to safeguard saying, “In not too many years, she built quite a record of children’s health. research activity.” Becoming a health educator is a new step in Moser’s Moser recently returned to Wilkes to speak to science career. After graduating from Wilkes with a major seventh- and eighth-grade girls in the HHMI Women in biology and a minor in chemistry, she joined Offit’s Empowered by Science (WEBS) Camp. She encouraged laboratory as a research technician and supervisor. She them to follow their interest in science while choosing a was part of a team researching ways to improve the career that will allow them to have a work-life balance, human immune response to rotavirus. as she has done. What was supposed to be a two-year commitment at the Moser lives in Bensalem, Pa., with her husband, Dan hospital turned into a career for Moser. She was promoted Moser ’92, who works in the pharmaceutical industry. to senior research associate in Offit’s lab, and eventually They have two children, Andrew, 15, and Victoria, 11. began to divide her time between research and running the Vaccine Education Center. The center became a – By Vicki Mayk Wilkes | Fall 2011 Moser creates educational materials for parents available in print and on the center’s Web sites, http:// 19 �class notes store in 1986 and has grown to 19 locations in three states. Philip Ogren of Kingston, Pa., is now vice president and information technology officer at First National Community Bank. 1980 William V. Lewis Jr. MBA ’86 has been appointed by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett to serve as commissioner of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Lewis is a member of the board of directors of the Luzerne County Historical Society. He is vice president and wealth management advisor with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in Wilkes-Barre. Col. Mark Rado assumed command of the U.S. Army Accessions Support Brigade on July 15, 2011 at Fort Knox, Ky. Anniversary of Air Disaster Also a Milestone for Dr. Donald Spruck ’69 the guidance of biology professor Charles Reif. He Dr. Donald Spruck ’69, a resident of Massapequa, N.Y., program in only two years, thanks to Wilkes business was one of five forensic dentists to identify victims of professor Welton Farrar. TWA Flight 800, one of the most devastating air disasters of recent history. This year marked the 15th anniversary of the crash, which occurred on July 17, 1996, when the Spruck started as a biology major at Wilkes under later changed his major to graduate with a business degree in commerce and finance, completing the “These gentlemen and others helped me to learn to balance school, sports and life,” Spruck says. He changed his major due to his great success on plane, enroute to Paris, exploded just off the shore of the soccer field, receiving honorable mention as an Long Island, N.Y. All-American soccer player at Wilkes. He considered a It took almost a year and a half for investigators to professional soccer career—a goal he abandoned when determine the probable cause of the crash: a spark from he broke his leg soon after graduation. He continued to short-circuited wiring ignited vapors in the center fuel tank. play and coach soccer until he was 45. After the accident, Spruck and his colleagues worked alongside CIA and FBI he revisited his original dream of becoming a dentist agents from July through October of 1996 to conduct an and graduated from New York University in 1974 with a equally important investigation – successfully identifying all doctor of dental surgery degree. 231 passengers who died in the crash, bringing much-needed closure to hundreds of mourning families. “The experience will stay with me forever as one of the most…rewarding experiences of my life,” says Spruck. Spruck became interested in forensic odontology—the examination and evaluation of dental evidence for the purposes of justice—and was trained at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Washington, D.C. His work as a forensic odontologist in Nassau County lines up with what he always intended to do, if not in the way he expected. “The challenge is difficult,” Spruck says of his work. “However, it is gratifying to be able to bring closure to a family waiting to discover a lost loved one.” Spruck and his wife, Cathie, have three children and five grandchildren. Wilkes | Fall 2011 – By Rachel Strayer 20 Dr. Donald Spruck ’69 at the TWA Flight 800 Memorial on Long Island. Photo Courtesy Dr. Donald Spruck �class notes Southport, S.C. The Members Show presents paintings and pottery by regional artists. 1982 Reunion Sept. 28-30 ~ Dr. Bruce Williams was named to the board of trustees of Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, his medical school alma mater. On Jan. 29, 2011, he was installed as the 2010-2011 president of the Missouri Society of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians. 1986 Paul Cummings co-authored an article titled “Two Cancellative Commutative Congruences and Group Diagrams,” which appeared in the March/April 2011 issue of Semigroup Forum, a leading research mathematics journal. 1995 Henry Bisco’s blog, “The Suburban Man’s Guide to Somewhere,” is featured in several online New Jersey newspapers. His blog can be found at guidetosomewhere. blogspot.com. He and his wife, Tammy Cyprich Bisco ’97, a designer and saleswoman for Commercial File of New York, have a 9-year-old daughter, Nina. 1996 Robin C. Minielly is a board-certified anesthesiologist and was named director of anesthesia at Covenant Medical Center in Lubbock, Texas. 1997 Dr. Cynthia Gabrielle Charnetski married Paul Charles Shiber on April 22, 2011. The bride is an optometrist at Northeastern Eye Institute. She also is second vice president of the Wilkes University Alumni Association Board of Directors and is on the board of directors at Step By Step Inc. The couple resides in Kingston, Pa. 1998 Michael Kaschak received a Developing Scholar Award for outstanding scholarship and teaching at Florida State University, where he is the cognitive psychology area director in the department of psychology. Kaschak is also a researcher at the Florida Center for Reading Research. 1999 Jennifer Radzwillowicz was accepted into the 2011/2012 Leadership Lackawanna Class through the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce. 2000 Nancy Stinger was the featured artist at the Franklin Square Gallery’s Members Show in 2001 Matt Reitnour and his wife, Kelly, welcomed their first child, Grace Margaret, on April 15, 2011. They reside in Buffalo, N.Y. 2003 Ty Bowman and Melissa Bowman welcomed their first Ashley Marie Joslin ’06 and Nicholas Witucki ’06, PharmD ’08 were married on June 17, 2011. Wilkes | Fall 2011 Jennifer Iwaniszyn ’06 and George Muller ’06 were married on Sept. 26, 2010. The bride is assistant director of enrollment services processing-admissions at the University of North Florida. The groom is a covert geek squad agent for Geek Squad at Best Buy. The couple resides in Jacksonville, Fla. Pictured with their wedding party, from left to right: Ashley Lehr PharmD ’08, Danielle Smagala, Sarah (Rodstrom) Randazzo ’05, Ashleigh Frueholz, Rebecca Iwaniszyn, Jennifer Iwaniszyn ’06, Allison Hagan, George Muller ’06, Sean Smith ’05, Curtis Wiser ’07, David Retske, and Alex Pacowta. Thomas Ryan Ward is working with the Undershaw Preservation Trust in Surrey, England, to preserve the home of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes and author of the Sherlock Holmes books. Ward was the winner of an international competition to design a logo for the trust. The logo is featured on their web site and in other materials. 21 �class notes child, Briar Elle, on May 3, 2011. They reside in Dallas, Pa. Relay For Life for Greater Pittston Area High School. 2004 Adam Kowalczyk and Krystle Cardamone were married on Nov. 13, 2010. The bride is an adult probation and parole officer. The groom is a Pennsylvania state police trooper. 2010 David Chaump and Rebecca Santoro Hetzel have released a new album of original music with their band Groove Train. Besides showcasing their original songs, Groove Train specializes as one of the top private party/ wedding bands in northeast and central Pennsylvania. 2007 Reunion Sept. 28-30 ~ Nolly Nash and Amanda Avery welcomed their first child, Kaleb Nathaniel Nash, on June 18, 2011. 2009 Jef Bauman is a community income development representative with The American Cancer Society, working in the east region office in Taylor, Pa. His responsibilities include working with the Wyoming Valley Daffodil Days and the collegiate Relay For Life events at Wilkes University, the University of Scranton and Misericordia University. He will also develop a youth community Andrew M. Seaman of Forest City, Pa., received his master’s degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism on May 18, 2011. The school named him Student of the Year, honoring a student whose energy and talent make him an example of a superior Columbia Journalism graduate. Seaman spent 10 months studying newspaper and investigative journalism as a Stabile Fellow. He spent the summer in Washington D.C. reporting on the Affordable Care Act from the White House and U.S. Capitol for Reuters under a fellowship sponsored by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. 2011 Amanda Gunther, Daniel Kautz and Allison Roth co-authored “The Credibility of Female Sports Broadcasters: The Perception of Gender in a Male-Dominated Profession,” an academic paper based on their communication studies research, completed for their Research Methods class at Wilkes. The paper was published in Human Communication, an online academic journal. Graduate Students 1986 William V. Lewis Jr. see 1980. 2007 Reunion Sept. 28-30 ~ Elizabeth A. Roveda MBA see 2005. 2008 Joshua S. Swantek PharmD see 2005. Nicholas Witucki PharmD see 2006. Amanda Kaster is one of seven young women from across the United States selected for a fellowship by the non-profit organization Running Start. The organization’s goal is to get more women involved in politics. As part of the fellowship, Kaster will be working in Washington, D.C., with Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine beginning in September 2011. Kaster will participate in classes offered by Running Start to learn more about running for political office. 2009 Martha Wright M.S. is vice president of dietary and clinical nutrition services for United Methodist Homes. She has held positions with the organization for 13 years. Dr. Sidney Zimmerman, Rye, N.Y., died Feb. 25, 2011. He served on the board of directors at White Plains Hospital, where he was affiliated for his 53 years of medical practice. In 2001, the Sidney P. Zimmerman Nuclear Cardiology Center was dedicated in his honor. 1942 John J. “Jack” Dooley, Harrisburg, Pa., died April 6, 2011. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and a retired employee of Olmsted Air Force Base and New Cumberland Army Depot. 2010 Sara Chisdock MBA and Ryan Hogan were married on Nov. 6, 2010. The bride is the customer service manager at Lord and Taylor. The groom is employed at Wyoming Valley Drug and Alcohol Services. Wilkes | Fall 2011 In Memoriam 22 1935 Robert H. Melson, Wyomissing, Pa., died May 22, 2011. He was a certified public accountant with Lybrands, Ross Brothers & Montgomery before becoming an assistant controller for Carpenter Technology Corp., where he was a member of the board of directors and vice president of administration before retiring in 1977. 1940 Leon F. Wazeter, Wilkes-Barre, died April 16, 2011. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and worked for the Veterans Administration in Washington, D.C. He partnered with his brother at Wazeter Brothers Heating and was district manager for World Book Encyclopedia for three decades. �class notes In Memoriam 1945 Harvey G. Trachtenberg, Kingston, Pa., died July 4, 2011. He was employed as an independent advertising sales representative. 1948 Herman Baumann Jr., Big Cedar Lake, Wis., died June 2, 2011. He was a U.S. Navy Air Force veteran of World War II. He worked for many years in the propeller division of Curtis Wright Air Force Base, N.J., before moving to Wisconsin and becoming a sales engineer for the Elastic Stop Nut Corp. of America. Gordon R. Schlier, New Hope, Pa., died June 22, 2011. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, a business teacher for 17 years at Kingston High School, and a guidance counselor for 22 years at Dallas Junior High School. He also taught evening business courses at Wilkes University. 1950 Anne Ruth (Byorick) Parker, Edwardsville, Pa., died April 13, 2011. She was employed as a retail sales associate for the B. Altman and Strawbridge & Clothier stores and also worked as a real estate agent for the Bleakly Agency in Cherry Hill, N.J., and for the Mertz Corp., Mt. Laurel, N. J. 1951 Jerome John Perry Sr., Raleigh, N.C., died May 17, 2011. He was professor emeritus of microbiology at North Carolina State University. 1952 John Francis Johns, Boca Raton, Fla., died May 14, 2011. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran of World War II before joining his family’s business, Joseph John & Co. He and his brothers went on to found Society Mills Inc., a ladies’ sportswear manufacturer with offices in Wilkes-Barre and New York City. 1953 James W. “Roxy” Reynolds, Wilmington, Del., died Feb. 2, 2011. He worked at General Motors for 24 years and worked for 15 years at A. G. Edwards & Sons. 1954 Leonard C. Seras, Port Richey, Fla., died April 8, 2011. He was a U.S. Army Air Force veteran of World War II and a professional musician. He recorded with groups led by José Moran, Bobby Byrne, Lee Vincent, and Henry Shapiro, and served as a band and music instructor in several Pennsylvania and New Jersey high schools. Howard A. Shaver Jr., Macungie, Pa., died April 13, 2011. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran and a retired employee of the AC Delco Division of General Motors Corp., where he was regional manager for 47 years. 1957 Dr. Marvin Z. Kurlan, Amherst, N.Y., died May 31, 2011. During a 30-year medical career, he was plant surgeon for Bethlehem Steel Corp.; medical director for the Brothers of Mercy; director of trauma services and senior attending surgeon at Millard Fillmore Hospital; and clinical instructor in surgery at the University at Buffalo Medical School. Roland R. Leonard, Webster, Mass., died March 4, 2011. He held executive positions at Joy Manufacturing Co. and Ingersoll Rand Corp. He was the owner and CEO of Numa Tool Company in Thompson, Conn. Dr. Samuel Charles Mines, Mt. Lebanon, Pa., died April 8, 2011. He opened a private practice in Mt. Lebanon and at St. Clair Memorial Hospital, where he was chief of the allergy department until his reitrement. He served on staff at several hospitals and founded an allergy clinic at Western Pennsylvania Hospital. 1958 Joseph M. Halcisak, Drums, Pa., died May 13, 2011. He was a retired employee of the Omrom Electronics Corp. of Chicago, Ill., where he worked as the west coast regional sales manager for over 25 years. 1959 Dr. Frank Dombroski, West Wyoming, Pa., died May 7, 2011. He was a U.S. Army veteran and was a dentist for 36 years until his retirement in 2001. Audrey Radler Lord, Cambridge, Md., died June 24, 2011. She was a retired social studies teacher for Council Rock High School in Newtown, Pa. 1961 Peter T. Connors Jr., Kingston, Pa., died July 13, 2011. He was a veteran of World War II and was employed by the A&P supermarket chain for 27 years. Benjamin (Duke) Jenkins Jr., Plymouth, Pa., died April 16, 2011. He was a teacher for 38 years at Lake-Lehman and Wyoming Valley West high schools, as well as in the Kingston School District. Viola B. (Domain) Van Slyke, Longmont, Colo., died March 2, 2011. She was a medical technician and cyto-technician Wilkes | Fall 2011 1944 Ruth E. Thomas, Plymouth, Pa., died April 4, 2011. She was a teacher at Plymouth High School and Wyoming Seminary Day School. 23 �class notes In Memoriam for Overlook Hospital in Summit, N.J., and for Roche Biomedical in Raritan, N.J., before moving to Colorado. 1962 John A. Moore, Atlanta, Ga., died Sept. 23, 2010. Walter W. Umla, Pittston, Pa., died May 12, 2011. He taught vocal music for 34 years in the Wilkes-Barre Area School District before retiring in 1996. He also served as organist and choir director for churches in Kingston, Pa., and Wilkes-Barre. 1963 Anthony L. Dysleski, Wilkes-Barre, died April 8, 2011. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran of the Korean Conflict and was employed as a teacher and wrestling coach for many years at North Harford High School in Maryland. Wilkes | Fall 2011 Linellen (Charlton) Wantland, Pittsburg, Kan., died May 4, 2011. 24 1966 Stephen L. Flood, Mountain Top, Pa., died July 16, 2011. He was a U.S. Army veteran, an employee of Kingston National Bank; CFO of Wilkes Pools; and Chief Executive Officer of Prospect Harbor Trading Company of Prospect, Maine; and a Luzerne County controller. 1969 William Layden, Nutley, N.J., died May 17, 2011. He was employed as a business manager by the Honeywell Corp., Morristown, N.J. A member of the Colonels football team while a Wilkes student, he was named to the Wilkes University Athletic Hall of Fame. 1970 Mary Agnes Kaiser, Newark, Del., died July 10, 2011. She was an environmental analytical chemist for the DuPont Co. starting in 1977 and was the first woman to achieve the level of senior research fellow. She was the author of Environmental Problem Solving Using Gas Chromatography. The Mary Kaiser Scholarship Fund has been established at Wilkes to aid chemistry students. Frank John Rodella, Wilkes-Barre, died May 6, 2011. He was a teacher for 20 years in the Western Wayne School District and was a dry cleaner for Men’s Wearhouse in Pittston, Pa. 1971 Mary Ann (Demko) Ernst died April 2, 2011. She spent the past seven years living in Germany. 1972 Mary Ellen Hurley, Morristown, N.J., died May 2, 2011. She was a professor at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, N.J., since 1993 and served as chair of the education department since 1997. 1973 Leona Dudascik, Dallas, Pa., died July 5, 2011. She was a second grade teacher at Dana Street Elementary School in the Wyoming Valley West School District for over 30 years. Raymond W. McNulty, Pittston, Pa., died May 28, 2011. He taught English at the West Side Vocational Technical School for 32 years and also coached football, basketball, softball, and volleyball. Daniel G. Ruduski, Hockessin, Del., died June 4, 2011. 1974 Nancy S. (Sologovitch) Carmon, Mountain Top, Pa., died April 25, 2011. She was a retired employee of the call center in Wilkes-Barre and had worked for the American Red Cross Blood Services as director of communications for the northeast Pennsylvania region. She also worked in advertising at the former Boston Store in Wilkes-Barre. 1977 Louise (Cebula) Puchalski, Montville, N.J., died June 4, 2011. She was an office clerk for Dr. Arthur H. Tiger in Dover, N.J., for over 10 years before retiring in 2004. 1981 Barbara Lee Partridge, Rancho Murieta, Calif., died June 29, 2011. She worked at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Wilkes-Barre until she moved to California, where she worked at Smith Kline Company as a registered medical technologist. 1984 Kimberly Lynn (Bush) O’Connor, Lincroft, N.J., died March 24, 2011. She was a wife, mother, and homemaker. 1998 Christopher Evan Cavanaugh, Seattle, Wash., died April 20, 2011. He worked as a bartender and restaurant manager at Elysian Brewpub, the Stumbling Monk and Brouwer’s Café. 2000 Kimberly A. (Prizniak) Rembish, Wilkes-Barre, died June 28, 2011. She was a manager at Gymboree Children’s Clothing Store at the Wyoming Valley Mall. Graduate Students 1977 Thomas Paliscak M.S., Larksville, Pa., died May 15, 2011. He was a retired first sergeant E-8 U.S. Army veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars. He taught English at the West Side Area Vocational Technical School in Pringle, Pa. �class notes In Memoriam Gay Marie Foster Meyers M.S. ’76 of Nuangola, Pa., died Aug. 8, 2011. Meyers was a member of the Wilkes community for more than three decades. During a 33-year career with the University, she served as an assistant professor in the physical education department and served as director of intramurals, ski club advisor and head coach of field hockey. A major contributor to the establishment of women’s athletics at Wilkes, Meyers founded the women’s varsity basketball and softball programs. Later in her career, she was an associate professor in the education department, serving as acting department chair in 1999. She was a member of the Association for Childhood Education International, Kappa Delta Pi, Phi Delta Kappa and the Union Dale Presbyterian Church. Meyers was inducted into the Wilkes Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003, was honored with the Wilkes Athletics Ancestral Colonels Award in 2010 and was inducted into the Wyoming Valley Sports Hall of Fame in August 2011. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Lock Haven State College, a master’s degree in education from Wilkes University and a master’s degree in early childhood education from Bloomsburg University. She is survived by her partner, Eileen Sharp, Wilkes University manager of health sciences; her daughter, Lee Meyers Pollaro, M.D. and son-in-law Vincent of Wellsboro, Pa., grandson, Ethan Pollaro; four sisters and two brothers. Sgt. Alessandro L. “Sandrino” Plutino ’05 A sergeant and rifle team leader in the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Plutino was killed in action on Aug. 8, 2011, in Afghanistan, weeks before he was to end his sixth tour of duty in the Middle East. He is believed to be the first Wilkes alumnus killed in action in that conflict. Plutino graduated from Wilkes with a degree in criminology. He was a member of the wrestling team at Wilkes and at Western New England College. Plutino is survived by his father, Sandro, and sister, Brenna Rae, of Pitman, N.J., his mother, Dianne Hammond, also of Pitman; his fiancé, Natalie Layton of Glassboro, N.J.; and aunts and uncles. Robert Swetts, Sr. Robert S. Swetts Sr., of Sugar Notch, Pa., died Sept. 14, 2011. A member of Wilkes University’s facilities department for 15 years, he was manager of capital assets for the university and supervised the heating and cooling systems for facilities. His service to the University included serving on the Strategic Planning Committee, which developed the Wilkes’ Vision 2015 plan. He also owned and operated Commercial Refrigeration Services. He was a graduate of Hanover Area High School and Wilkes-Barre Vo-Tech. Swetts is survived by his mother, Mary Louise Musrey Swetts; grandmother, Eleanor Swetts; sons, Robert Jr. and Eric; daughters, Noelle and Kristie; granddaughter, Alexis; brothers, John and Richard; former wife, Denise Horro-Schraeder; companion, Colleen Zula, and extended family, Jessica and Nikki Zula. Wilkes | Fall 2011 Gay Marie Foster Meyers M.S. ’76 25 �report of gifts Ac h i e v i n g O u r Destiny REPORT OF gifts | Gifts Received June 1, 2010 through May 31, 2011 report of gifts KEY The John Wilkes Society The Eugene Farley Club Platinum Associates Gold Circle $500,000 or more Diamond Associates $250,000 - $499,999 Honorary Associates $100,000 - $249,999 Trustee Associates $10,000 - $99,999 Wilkes | Fall 2011 Founder’s Circle 26 $500 - $999 Blue Circle $250 - $499 Farley Associates $100 - $249 contributors Up to $99 $5,000 - $9,999 President’s Circle $2,500 - $4,999 John Wilkes Associates $1,000 - $2,499 ©2011 Published by the Advancement Division of Wilkes University. We regret any omissions or errors contained within this report. Due to the number of generous donors, some names may have mistakenly been missed. If you should find an error or omission, please direct the corrections to Evelyne Topfer, Director of Advancement Operations, at (800) WILKES-U Ext. 4309 or evelyne.topfer@wilkes.edu. �report of gifts TABLe OF CONTENTS 28 the John Wilkes society 30 Giving by Constituency TRUsTEEs AnD TRUsTEE EMERiTi UniVERsiTY FAMilY COMMUniTY BUsinEssEs AnD FOUnDATiOns FRiEnDs 34 Giving by Class ClAss OF 1935 THROUgH ClAss OF 2010 45 senior Class Gift 46 the marts society statement oF actiVities From oPerations 47 endowed named scholarships Revenues and other support tuition and fees less scholarship aid net tuition and fees $ $ $ 84,469,184 (24,160,630) 60,308,554 government grants and contracts private grants and contracts private gifts sales and services of auxiliary enterprises income from interest and dividends other revenue endowment income designated for current operations net assets released from restrictions Total revenues and other support $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 3,902,300 464,456 1,153,599 8,868,284 497,909 802,050 1,363,000 — 77,360,152 Expenses instruction research public service academic support student services institutional support auxiliary enterprises Total expenses $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 34,509,427 1,560,298 1,092,103 9,218,770 11,159,312 13,394,233 7,302,066 78,236,209 increase (decrease) in net assets from operating activities $ (876,057) Wilkes | Fall 2011 TOTAl 27 �report of gifts • the john wilkes society The John Wilkes Society is a recognition society for annual donors Wilkes | Fall 2011 who contribute at or above $1,000 each year. 160/90 Acorn Foundation, Inc. Paul Adams ’77 and Jean Reiter Adams ’78 Aeroflex Foundation Albert and Barbara Albert Alexander W. Dick Foundation Richard Allan ’76 Thomas Allardyce ’86 William and Mary Regalis Althauser ’63 Jeffrey Alves Thomas G. Ambrosi ’68 Joan and Dean Arvan ’55 Association of Independent Colleges & Universities Charles Baker ’73 Jeris and John Baranowski ’71 Stephen Batory ’68 and Anne Heineman Batory ’68 Benco Dental Company Joseph Bendoraitis ’51 Berkshire Asset Management, Inc. Philip Besler ’76 and Carolann Gusgekofski Besler ’76 Black Horse Foundation, Inc. Attorney Craig Blakeley Bloomsburg Metal Company Blue Cross of NE PA Bohlin, Cywinski, Jackson Borton-Lawson Engineering Joseph Briskie ’87 Michelle and Robert Bruggeworth ’83 Richard Smith and Lissa Bryan-Smith Richard and Angela Buckley Sandra and Richard Bunn ’55 Nancy and Edward Burke ’70 Barbara and William Bush ’68 Daniel Cardell ’79 and Ann Marie Booth Cardell ’79 Anthony Cardinale ’72 and Laura Barbera Cardinale ’72 Wendy and Terry Casey ’81 Jane and John Cefaly ’70 Chesapeake Operating, Inc. Choice One Community Federal Credit Union Jane and John Chopack ’69 Jesse Choper ’57 The Citizen’s Voice Chuck Cohen and Rebecca Binder Sally and Lawrence Cohen ’57 Comcast Corporation Commemorative Brands, Inc. George Conway ’70 John Conyngham Cohen Family Charitable Trust Ann Coughlin Creative Business Interiors Credit Management Company Patricia and Stephen Croghan ’80 and Family Grace Kirby Culbertson Bonnie Culver Cushman & Wakefield, Inc. CVS Charitable Trust, Inc. Darte-Darling Fund of The Luzerne Foundation William and Essie Davidowitz Jeffrey and Sherry Davidowitz Davidowitz Foundation Stanley and Patricia Davies Virginia and David Davis ’73 Catherine De Angelis ’65 Thomas Deitz Janet and Fred Demech* ’61 Bonnie Desombre Joan and Raymond Dombroski ’78 James Edwards ’80 Sharon and John Ellis ’79 Jane Elmes-Crahall and Brinley Crahall Encana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc. Enterprise Holdings Foundation Ernest Christian Klipstein Foundation Josephine and Richard Eustice F-M Realty Company Stephen Farrar ’69 Welton Farrar First National Community Bank Flack Family Fund of The Luzerne Foundation Don Follmer ’50 Joseph Frappolli ’69 Frontier Communications, Inc. George Fry ’48 Joseph Galli ’81 James Garofalo ’72 Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Staff Geisinger Foundation Richard Gelfond Tim and Patty Gilmour Emilie Roat Gino ’60 Michael Glancey ’69 Jerome and Dorothy Goldstein Golden Business Machines, Inc. Michael and Lisie Gottdenker Bruce Gover ’72 and Elizabeth Clements Gover ’73 Bernard Graham Henry Greener ’61 and Nancy Rosenfeld Greener ’61 David Greenwald ’66 and Carol Saidman Greenwald ’61 Tamara and Jason Griggs ’90 Nancy Ralston Grogan ’52 Ronald Grohowski ’65 and Mary Field Grohowski ’65 Guard Foundation Guard Insurance Group John Guerra ’51 Christopher and Ramah Hackett David Hadley ’82 Michael Hall ’93 and Ellen Stamer Hall ’71 Valerie and William Hanbury ’72 Harkness Foundation for Dance Wilbur Hayes Louise Hazeltine ’44 Robert and Patricia Heaman ’61 Frank and Dorothea Henry Frederick Herrmann ’79 and Brigette McDonald Herrmann ’78 Jean and Frederick Hills ’59 Hirtle, Callaghan & Company Harry Hiscox ’51 and Beverly Blakeslee Hiscox ’58 David Hoats ’55 Stephen and Paula Hoeft Seymour Holtzman ’57 and Evelyn Krohn Holtzman ’60 Intermetro Industries Corporation Jacobi Capital Management James & Florence DePolo Family Foundation John and Josephine Thomas Foundation Edwin Johnson ’50 Susan Dantona Jolley and David Jolley ’78 Allyn Jones ’60 Sharon and Joel Kane ’80 Marge and Leo Kane ’55 * 28 Deceased �Theresa and Clayton Karambelas ’49 Camille and David Kaschak ’71 David and Kathy Price Kautter ’72 Stanley Kay John and Lois Kearney John Kerr ’72 and Renate Dargel Kerr ’72 Keystone College Barbara King ’81 A. P. Kirby, Jr. Foundation, Inc. Milan and Elizabeth Kirby Dorothy and John Kluchinski ’61 Allan and Sue Kluger George Kolesar ’57 and Nancy Carroll Kolesar ’61 Kathleen and Dan Kopen ’70 Lois and Edwin Kosik ’49 KPMG, L.L.P Alan Krieger ’64 Ann and Kenneth Krogulski ’82 Fawn and Drew Landmesser ’77 Michael and Donna Lennon Liberty Mutual Anthony Liuzzo Barbara and Michael LoPresti ’77 Julie and Wayne Lonstein ’82 Ray Lowery ’67 Luzerne County Community College Luzerne Foundation M & T Bank M&T Charitable Foundation Tim and Judith Mills Mack ’78 Michael and Christine Mahoney Mahoney Family Foundation Buck Mallan ’71 Marjorie Henry Marquart Robert and Patrice Stone Martin ’77 Marywood University Melanie Maslow Lumia Jean and George Matz ’71 Edward McCafferty ’59 McCole Foundation Esther Wargo McCormick ’68 Marilyn and Gerard McHale ’67 Edward Meehan Sharon and Frank Menaker ’62 Donald Mencer Robert and Kim Mericle Mericle Commercial Real Estate James Merryman M’10 and Nancy Hawk Merryman ’69 Melanie O’Donnell Mickelson ’93 Bonnie and Neil Millar ’67 John Miller ’68 and Sarah Wise Patricia and Lee Miller ’74 William Miller ’81 Misericordia University Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs Jerry Mohn ’63 and Rowena Simms Mohn ’63 James Morgan ’76 and Kim Witherow Morgan ’77 Cathy and Robert Mugford ’58 Dorian and James Mulligan ’85 Jacqueline and Richard Myers ’84 Marion and Joseph Neetz ’62 N.R.G. Controls North, Inc. Northeast PA American Society of Highway Engineers Northeastern PA Cardiology Associates Paul and Florentine O’Hop One Source Staffing Solutions Lloyd Ortman ’73 PA Society of Public Accountants, NE Chapter Eric Pape ’04 Shirley and Anthony Parulis ’65 George Pawlush ’69 and Carol Corbett Pawlush ’79 Richard and Marion Pearsall Penn Millers Insurance Co. Penn State University, Wilkes-Barre Campus William Perlmuth ’51 Peter Perog ’60 Trudy Piatt Arthur and Sandra Shepard Piccone ’77 Janet and Peter Pisaneschi ’58 Hazel and Ronald Piskorik ’68 Jane and William Plummer ’50 PNC Bank, NA Polish Room Committee Joan and Gary Popovich ’65 Postupak Painting Company, Inc Power Engineering Corporation PPL Chip and Nancy Prescott Prudential Financial Joseph Rauschmayer ’80 and Lisa Prokarym Rauschmayer ’81 Helen Bitler Ralston ’52 Thomas Ralston ’80 Joyce and William Raub ’61 John J. Reese ’76 John G. Reese Florence and Charles Reilly ’55 Renaissance Charitable Foundation Ethel and Jeffrey Renoe ’77 Mary Belin Rhodes M’77 Mary Jean and William Rice ’48 Arnold and Sandy Rifkin Ronald Rittenmeyer ’72 and Hedy Wrightson Rittenmeyer ’72 Gordon Roberts ’60 James and Virginia Rodechko ’91 Amy and Roger Rolfe ’66 Richard and Virginia Simms Rose Rosenn, Jenkins & Greenwald, LLP Pauline and Richard Roshong ’67 Charles Roszko Mary Kay Barrett Rotert ’64 Connie and Eugene Roth ’57 Jay Rubino ’86 William Ryan ’69 Sanofi Pasteur Janice and Joseph Savitz ’48 Michael Schler Schuylkill Energy Resources Janet Neiman Seeley ’70 Y. Judd and Susan Shoval Dee and John Sickler ’65 Sherry and Jay Sidhu M’73 • report of gifts SIFE USA Virginia Sikes Leonard and Rosalie Silberman Jeanne and George Sillup ’73 Ronald Simms ’60 and Rhea Politis Simms ’78 Gerald and Pearl Simonis Richard Simonson ’69 and Susan Ryan Simonson’70 Carol Skalski ’69 Andrew and Susan Sordoni William and Margaret Filipkowski Sordoni ’70 Sordoni Foundation, Inc. Estelle Manos Sotirhos ’62 Michael Speziale M’78 and Kerry Speziale EdD’11 Frank and Monica Stanitski Sanford Sternlieb and Renate Koppelman Mark and Lori Stine William Stinger ’68 and Nancy Wanczyk Stinger ’69 SunGard Higher Education Services Tambur Family Foundation Trust Martin Tansy ’60 John and Margaret Tarone The Commonwealth Medical College Thomas Thomas M’86 and Anne Aimetti Thomas ’70 Megan Reese Thomas and Brian Thomas ’82 John Thomas William Thomas ’75 Joyce Fink Tremayne ’58 Lora and William Tremayne ’57 UGI Corporation William Umphred ’52 University of Scranton Salvatore Valenti ’58 B. William Vanderburg ’65 and Natalie Kowalski Vanderburg ’65 Robert Verespy ’60 Wachovia Bank Foundation Kingston Wal-Mart Walgreens Company Bruce Warshal ’58 and Lynne Herskovitz Warshal ’59 Stephen Wartella Washington Trust Company Gerald Weber ’67 and Cynthia Wisniewski Weber ’69 Thomas and Nancy Wolensky Weeks M’09 Weininger Foundation Paul Wender ’69 Mirko Widenhorn Anna and Joseph Wiendl ’69 Wilkes-Barre Rotary Club Willary Foundation Board John Williams ’58 and Patricia Stout Williams ’56 Bill & Sandy Williams Fund of The Luzerne Foundation Michael and Kim Wood Wyoming Valley Health Care System Pamela and Theodore Yeager ’72 Young Presidents Organization Francis and Mary Lou Butkoski Zaleski ’65 Karen Zingale ’85 Michele and Mario Zinicola ’71 Betsy and Carl Zoolkoski ’59 Dominic Zukoski - DS Machining, LLC Paul and Marianne Zukoski * * Deceased Deceased Wilkes | Fall 2011 the john wilkes society 29 �report of gifts • giving by constituency giving BY CONSTITUENCY tRustees AnD tRustee emeRiti The Eugene Farley Club • • • Daniel Klem, Jr. ’68 Gerald A. Moffatt ’63 The John Wilkes Society Gold CiRClE trustee AssOCiATEs Daniel J. Cardell ’79 John M. Cefaly, Jr. ’70 Joseph E. (Tim) Gilmour William A. Hanbury ’72 John S. Kerr ’72 Milan S. Kirby Michael J. Mahoney Melanie Maslow Lumia John R. Miller ’68 William R. Miller ’81 William A. Perlmuth ’51 Mary Belin Rhodes M’77 Arnold S. Rifkin Hedy Wrightson Rittenmeyer ’72 Eugene Roth ’57 William H. Tremayne ’57 Blue CiRClE Michael R. Brewster Farley AssOCiATEs Robert A. Fortinsky Elizabeth A. Slaughter ’68 uniVeRsity FAmily Faculty, Staff and Emeriti • • • The John Wilkes Society trustee AssOCiATEs Joseph E. (Tim) Gilmour Stanley B. Kay Founder’s CiRClE Founder’s CiRClE Laura Barbera Cardinale ’72 Chuck Cohen Lawrence E. Cohen ’57 Michael I. Gottdenker David Greenwald ’66 Jason D. Griggs ’90 Frank M. Henry Beverly Blakeslee Hiscox ’58 Marjorie H. Marquart George J. Matz ’71 Joseph J. Savitz ’48 Jay S. Sidhu M’73 President’s CiRClE Wilkes | Fall 2011 Richard L. Bunn ’55 Esther Baum Davidowitz Jeffrey Davidowitz Patricia S. Davies Robert A. Mugford ’58 George G. Pawlush ’69 Richard L. Pearsall Virginia P. Sikes 30 JoHn WilKes AssOCiATEs Terrence W. Casey ’81 Jerome R. Goldstein Dan F. Kopen ’70 Bernard W. Graham President’s CiRClE Jean Reiter Adams ’78 Paul S. Adams ’77 Michael J. Wood JoHn WilKes AssOCiATEs Jeffrey R. Alves Anne Heineman Batory ’68 Angela M. Buckley Bonnie C. Culver Jane M. Elmes-Crahall Welton G. Farrar Wilbur F. Hayes Patricia Boyle Heaman ’61 Robert J. Heaman Edwin L. Johnson ’50 Susan Dantona Jolley Camille O. Kaschak Barbara E. King ’81 J. Michael Lennon Anthony L. Liuzzo Donald E. Mencer James L. Merryman M’10 Melanie O’Donnell Mickelson ’93 Paul A. O’Hop Loren D. Prescott, Jr. John G. Reese James P. Rodechko Michael J. Speziale M’78 Mark D. Stine Anne Aimetti Thomas ’70 M’77 M’07 Thomas J. Thomas, Jr. M’86 Mirko Widenhorn The Eugene Farley Club Gold CiRClE Mischelle B. Anthony Sandra Sarno Carroll Mahmoud H. Fahmy Edward F. Foote J. Bartholomay Grier M’02 Blake L. Mackesy Justin Matus William D. Owens John L. Pesta R. Gregory Peters Bruce E. Phair ’73 Debra A. Serfass Nancy A. Weeks M’09 Linda A. Winkler Blue CiRClE William J. Biggers Brian L. Bogert Carol A. Bosack-Kosek ’80 Joyce Victor Chmil ’87 James F. Ferris ’56 Joan Zaleski Ford ’75 Judith Rodda Gardner ’71 M’75 Robert S. Gardner ’67 M’73 Harvey A. Jacobs ’72 Judith L. Kristeller Lynn W. Lundy Susan J. Malkemes M’95 Jonathan M. McClave ’07 Michael D. Pawlik M’01 John P. Sedor ’87 Frank J. Sheptock William B. Terzaghi Rebecca H. Van Jura C. Reynold Verret Jason W. Wagner ’09 Farley AssOCiATEs Charles E. Balasavage Christopher G. Barrows Daniel A. Batzel ’83 Janine M. Becker M’91 Edward T. Bednarz ’01 Barbara N. Bellucci ’69 M’73 Joseph T. Bellucci Louise M. Berard Neal F. Biscaldi Alicia M. Bond Megan A. Boone Janice Broyan Mary R. Byrne Henry Castejon Theresa Cochran Sharon Cosgrove Harold E. Cox Gabrielle Lamb D’Amico ’04 Diane T. Duda Jennifer J. Edmonds Amy L. Edwards Kurt W. Eisele Edward R. Elgonitis Jonathan D. Ference ’01 Kimberly Hritzak Ference ’01 Dean F. Frear Michael F. Garzella Cherylynn Petyak Gibson ’71 M’89 John B. Gilmer Bridget Giunta Husted ’05 Gary L. Gordon Linda S. Gutierrez Sid P. Halsor Mark D. Harris John W. Harrison ’87 Kristen Dulick Hartzell ’06 Vincent A. Hartzell Dale T. Hazlak Amy E. Hetro Michelle R. Holt-Macey Kathleen Moran Houlihan ’95 M’01 Ruth C. Hughes Helenmary Selecky Jarecki William R. Jones Dale R. Keagy Justin Kraynack Mary I. Kropiewnicki Vee Ming Lew Daniel S. Longyhore ’02 Joseph W. Mangan Dana H. Manning ’08 Vicki C. Mayk Christine E. Mellon Debra L. Meszaros Mary E. Miller Barbara Rosick Moran ’84 M’88 James J. Moran M’78 Lyndi L. Moran Mary Beth Mullen Prahlad N. Murthy Barbara L. Nanstiel ’70 Amy M. Patton M’07 Lauren Y. Pluskey ’06 M’10 Kristine Erhard Pruett ’99 M’06 Gerald C. Rebo Lisa E. Reynolds Jerry N. Rickrode Marie Roke Thomas ’83 Debbie J. Rutkoski Doris B. Saracino Matthew J. Sowcik ’00 John C. Stachacz Mary L. Steinberg John T. Sumoski Howard A. Swain Betty L. Taylor Craig P. Thomas M’11 Joanne A. Thomas Deborah R. Tindell Robert C. Tuttle Diane E. Wenger Brian E. Whitman Philip L. Wingert Eric A. Wright Margaret A. Zellner ’74 contriButors Mitchell D. Adams Joseph Alaimo Debra A. Archavage Vijay K. Arora Karen Atiyeh ’07 Mary Babcock Marcia R. Balester Karen Metzger Baranoski ’73 M’77 Katy Betnar * Deceased �giving by constituency * Deceased Pamela L. Koslosky Renee A. Kotz M’05 Kyle Kreider Michael D. Kulikoski ’06 Joseph M. Kultys ’87 M’11 Jonathan G. Laudenslager ’99 Terence J. Laughlin ’03 Christopher T. Leicht Tamatha Curry Limongelli ’97 Catherine Link ’75 Karen I. Lucas Glenn J. Lupole Barbara Kakareka Malinowski ’02 Jennifer M. Malinowski Patricia A. Mangold Philip A. Marino ’80 William M. Martin Frank J. Matthews Thomas E. Mazzolla Amy A. Mbye Frances D. McAleer Michael C. McCree ’99 M’10 Brynn N. McGregor Gay Foster Meyers* ’76 Diane R. Milano ’11 Julian C. Morales ’05 M’09 Lisa A. Mulvey Fred R. Nichols Karen O’Boyle Christine O’Hara Pamela J. Oliveira M’10 Pamela A. Oravic Michaelene S. Ostrum Martha J. Parise Patricia A. Parks Krina H. Patel Gayle M. Patterson ’09 Mary Beth Patterson Anne Straub Pelak M’98 Margaret M. Petty Michael J. Pitoniak Maria M. Poggi Diane M. Polachek ’78 M’81 Kathleen S. Poplaski Alberto Prado Theresa A. Rallo Lisa A. Reilly Sandra A. Rendina ’87 M’95 Karen A. Riley Gisele R. Romanace Jacqueline L. Ruane Theresa A. Rule Tricia M. Russell Philip J. Ruthkosky Joshua R. Savitski ’07 M’09 Roland C. Schmidt John Schmitt Patricia L. Searfoss Francis P. Sempa Eileen M. Sharp Mary Balavage Simmons ’10 Herbert B. Simon Genevieve M. Singer Anne Marie Smith Susan Smith ’06 Karen A. Space Alexander Sperrazza ’08 Tina Stancavage Ebonie Stringer Jonathan P. Strucke Jenna Strzelecki ’07 M’09 Erin Drew Elizabeth A. Swantek ’05 M’07 Robert S. Swetts Jessica Niemiec Swingle ’00 Romaine Szafran Donna S. Talarico ’00 M’10 Marion Tetlak Rhoda B. Tillman Stephen J. Tillman Joann Tomko Evelyne Topfer Kammie T. Towey Dominick P. Trombetta Marleen Troy Bridget McHale Turel ’05 M’07 Mildred Urban Mary Ann Wanyo Mary L. Watkins Ann Molski Wells ’82 Judith Wienckoski ’95 Anita Miller Williams ’75 Susan Williams Felixa J. Wingen ’09 Gretchen Yeninas M’07 James D. Yeninas Cheryl M. Yustat Jean M. Zampetti Karena Zdeb ’07 M’11 COmmunity Businesses And Foundations • • • The John Wilkes Society Trustee Associates 160/90 A. P. Kirby, Jr. Foundation Inc. Black Horse Foundation Inc. Chesapeake Operating Inc. Darte-Darling Family Fund of The Luzerne Foundation Encana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc. Guard Foundation Guard Insurance Group Intermetro Industries Corporation KPMG, L.L.P. Liberty Mutual Mahoney Family Foundation Maslow Family Foundation McCole Foundation Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs Sandy & Arnold Rifkin Charitable Foundation Schuylkill Energy Resources Inc. Sordoni Foundation The Weininger Foundation The Willary Foundation Board Wachovia Bank Foundation Walgreens Company Young President’s Organization BOARD OF TRUSTEES Michael R. Brewster Daniel J. Cardell ’79 Terrence W. Casey ’81 Denise S. Cesare ’77 Laura Barbera Cardinale ’72 Charles F. Cohen Douglas Colandrea ’88 Jeffrey Davidowitz Shelley Freeman ’82 Joseph E. (Tim) Gilmour Michael I. Gottkdenker David Greenwald ’66 Jason D. Griggs ’90 William A. Hanbury ’72 John S. Kerr ’72 Carol Kotlowski Keup ’89 Milan S. Kirby Daniel Klem, Jr. ’68 Dan F. Kopen ’70 Melanie Maslow Lumia Michael J. Mahoney Dorothy Darling Mangelsdorf Marjorie H. Marquart George J. Matz ’71 John R. Miller ’68 William R. Miller ’81 Gerald A. Moffatt ’63 Robert A. Mugford ’58 George G. Pawlush ’69 M’76 Hedy Rittenmeyer ’72 Steven P. Roth ’84 Jay S. Sidhu M’73 Virginia P. Sikes Elizabeth A. Slaughter ’68 TRUSTEE EMERITI Richard L. Bunn ’55 Lawrence E. Cohen ’57 Esther B. Davidowitz Pattie S. Davies Robert A. Fortinsky Jerome R. Goldstein Frank M. Henry Beverly Blakeslee Hiscox ’58 Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Richard L. Pearsall William A. Perlmuth ’51 Mary Belin Rhodes M’77 Arnold S. Rifkin Richard M. Ross, Jr. Eugene Roth ’57 Joseph J. Savitz ’48 Stephen Sordoni Founder’s Circle Aeroflex Foundation Benco Dental Company CVS Charitable Trust Inc. F-M Realty Company Frontier Communications Geisinger Foundation Gottdenker Foundation James & Florence DePolo Family Foundation William H. Tremayne ’57 Norman E. Weiss Alumni Association Board of Directors Paul S. Adams ’77 Jeffrey A. Bauman ’09 Laura Barbera Cardinale ’72, Historian Cynthia Charnetski ’97, 2nd Vice President Karen Bednarczyk Cowan ’96 William D. Eggleston, Student Government President John H. Ellis, IV ’79 J.J. Fadden ’98 Roya Fahmy ’83 Sarah Frable, Student Alumni Association President Stephen N. Gruver ’13 Ellen Stamer Hall ’71 Charles F. Jackson ’51 Allyn C. Jones ’60 Kristen N. Karpinski ’11 Daniel Klem, Jr. ’68 Kristin M. Hake Klemish ’04 Richard L. Kramer ’67 Rosemary LaFratte ’93, MBA ’97, 1st Vice President Ruth McDermott-Levy ’82 Justin Matus, Faculty Representative William R. Miller ’81 Anita Mucciolo ’78 George G. Pawlush ’69, MS’76 Stacy L. Prelewicz, Senior Class President Kristine Pruett ’99, MS’06 Ali E. Qureshi ’96 Mark A. Rado ’80 Thomas N. Ralston ’80, President Adrienne M. Richards ’07 Charles W. Robinson ’57 David M. Sborz ’09 Richard W. Seipp DPH’01 Patricia Fushek Skibbs ’60 Brian E. Switay ’10 Donna Talarico ’00, MFA’08 Bill Tarbart ’70 Deborah R. Tindell, Faculty Representative Frank D. Yamrus ’80 Theodore T. Yeager ’72 John & Josephine Thomas Foundation Luzerne Foundation M&T Bank Northeast PA American Society of Highway Engineers PPL Rosenn, Jenkins & Greenwald LLP Sanofi Pasteur Inc. Tambur Family Foundation Wilkes | Fall 2011 Loretta L. Bilder Susan C. Biskup James P. Blaum Karen Petrosky Blaum ’08 Traci M. Blazosky M’11 KarenBeth H. Bohan Robert W. Bohlander Ajay Bommareddy Kimberly D. Bower-Spence Barbara A. Bracken Christopher N. Breiseth Christopher Busa Gene A. Camoni ’74 Ann Marie Carey David R. Carey ’83 M’98 Eleanor L. Carle Peter C. Castelline M’09 Samira T. Chamoun Debra Prater Chapman ’81 M’84 Cynthia J. Chisarick Georgia Costalas Camille Bobeck Daniels M’91 John Dellegrotto Diane H. Demchak Ellen Proeller Dennis M’84 Susan L. DiBonifazio Deborah L. Dunn Thomas Dunsmuir Maria T. Dwyer Paula M. Eddy Janelle A. Edwards Colette M. Elick M’93 Linda S. Elmy Rachel E. Emmerthal Margaret A. Espada Joanne M. Fasciana Ellen R. Flint Godlove T. Fonjweng Bernadette C. Frail Susan M. Frank Richard A. Fuller Robert J. Gaetano ’80 M’07 Frank P. Galicki ’73 Lorna M. Galliford Barbara A. Garey Michele D. Garrison Mary L. Gillespie Barbara D. Gimble Victoria M. Glod M’91 Mary Beth Gustafson Kenneth L. Hanadel Leona J. Hartland Lynda M. Heffernan David A. Hines ’95 Susan Matley Hritzak ’81 M’88 Catherine Julius ’86 Paul Kaczmarcik Valerie G. Kalter Kimberly Escarge Keller ’95 Danielle K. Kern M’08 Janet M. Kobylski John A. Koch Mary Ann Koch Christina Koerber Lawrence M. Kopenis ’88 Anne Marie Kopetchny Joseph J. Kornblatt • report of gifts 31 �report of gifts • Giving by Constituency President’s Circle Association of Independent Colleges & Universities of Pennsylvania Berkshire Asset Management Inc. Blue Cross of NE PA Borton-Lawson Engineering The Citizen’s Voice Cohen Family Charitable Trust Commemorative Brands Inc. Davidowitz Foundation Alexander W. Dick Foundation Enterprise Holdings Foundation General Electric Foundation Golden Business Machines Inc. Hirtle, Callaghan & Company One Source Staffing Solutions Power Engineering Corporation Prudential Financial Renaissance Charitable Foundation Inc. SunGard Higher Education Services The Commonwealth Medical College Wal-Mart Wilkes-Barre Rotary Club Wilkes | Fall 2011 John Wilkes Associates 32 Bloomsburg Metal Company Bohlin, Cywinski, Jackson Choice One Community Federal Credit Union Comcast Corporation Creative Business Interiors DS Machining, LLC First National Community Bank Flack Family Fund of the Luzerne Foundation Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Staff Jacobi Capital Management Keystone College Ernest Christian Klipstein Foundation Luzerne County Community College M&T Charitable Foundation Marywood University Mericle Commercial Real Estate Misericordia University N.R.G. Controls North Inc. Northeastern PA Cardiology Associates PNC Bank PA Society of Public Accountants NE Chapter Penn Millers Insurance Co. Polish Room Committee Postupak Painting Company Inc. Sickler Foundation UGI Corporation University of Scranton Penn State University, Wilkes-Barre Campus Bill & Sandy Williams Fund of Luzerne Foundation Wyoming Valley Health Care System The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle American Environmental Outfitters Bergman Foundation Tony Drust Painting & Wallcovering First Liberty Bank & Trust Gertrude Hawk Chocolates Frank Martz Coach Company Miller Flooring Co. Inc. PDQ Print Center Payne Printery Inc. S & B Restaurant Inc. Sharper Embroidery Inc. T. J. Cannon Inc. United One Resources Inc. Herman Yudacufski Charitable Foundation Blue Circle Best Western East Mountain Inn Cornell Iron Works Inc. Earl & Sedor Photographic First National Bank of Berwick Futuristic Innovative Graphics Independent Graphics Inc. Keystone Automation Kronick Kalada Berdy & Company Montage Agency Inc. New Era Technologies Inc. PNC Bank Pennstar Bank Phils Sunoco Service Station A. Pickett Construction Inc. Schutt Reconditioning/ Circle Division The Brickman Group Ltd The Oscar A. Fuller Company Inc. Tommy’s Pizza Corner Torrey Pines Bank Tristate HVAC Equipment LLP Twin City Builders Inc. Val & Gus Genetti of the Luzerne Foundation Westmoreland Club Wilkes-Barre Window Cleaning Inc. Woodlands Inn and Resort Farley Associates Action Personnel Services Air Engineering Sales Corp. All Seasons Pool & Spa Arch Comfort Beach Lake Sprinkler Corp. Bedwick Foods Inc. Beer Boys BME Racing Borland & Borland LLP Ceco Associates Inc. Central Clay Products Inc. Champion Builders Inc. DeNaples Auto Parts Dentistry for Children & Adolescents Digital Samba USA Eastern Penn Supply Company Expression of Dance Inc. Fairchild Semiconductor Friedman Property Management Giant Floor & Wall Covering Inc. Highsmith Company Inc. Howell Benefit Services In Home Referral Inc. Jersey Coin Showcase Inc. Kranson Clothes Company Lefkowitz Family Fund of The Luzerne Foundation Lehighton Electronics Lightspeed Technologies Inc. Modern The Floor Store Meyer & Associates Collegiate Alumni Trust O’Donnell Law Offices Quadrant Engineering Plastic Products Ralmark Company A. Rifkin Company Sincavage Lumber Company The Times Leader Times Printing Inc. Trans-Med Ambulance Inc. Valentine & Co. Inc. Waste Management Contributors Atlas Realty Inc. Dauphin Professional Pharmacy Inc. Family Prescription Counter Friedman Family Charitable Fund of Luzerne Foundation Gerrity’s Supermarket Inc. Lackawanna Distributors Corp. Marquis Art & Frame Parsons Sales Company Raritan Valley Tree Service Reeves Rent-A-John Inc. Riccardo Law Center Rowe Door Sales Shades Unlimited The Barber Shop Plus Valentine’s Jewelry FRIENDS • • • The John Wilkes Society Trustee Associates Mr. Richard M. Smith & Mrs. Lissa Bryan-Smith Mrs. Bonnie L. Desombre Dr. Stanley B. Kay Mr. & Mrs. John P. Kearney Attorney & Mrs. Allan Kluger Mrs. Susan Weiss Shoval Mr. & Dr. Andrew J. Sordoni III Mr. & Mrs. William B. Sordoni Dr. Stephen Wartella, Jr. Founder’s Circle Mrs. Clara G. Infausto* President’s Circle Mrs. Grace J. Kirby Culbertson Mr. & Mrs. Stanley S. Davies Mr. & Mrs. Christopher L. Hackett Mr. Charles M. Roszko Mr. & Mrs. Mitchell Huber Mr. & Mrs. Thomas J. Kristofco Mrs. Janet Mattei Mrs. Barbara Davenport Neville Attorney Jonathan Pressman & Sally Jane Poblete Mr. Larry I. Taren Mrs. Barbara Weisberger Blue Circle Dr. & Mrs. Thomas J. Balshi Mr. & Mrs. Hal C. Bigler Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey W. Brandsema Ms. Jane Cokely Attorney Linda A. Fisher Mr. & Mrs. Earl Harrison Mr. Andrew Herman Mr. & Mrs. Carl Kemmerer Mr. Richard Maslow Mr. & Mrs. Anthony L. Minichowski Mr. & Mrs. John Randolph Mr. James Rothstein & Ms. Sharon Scullin Farley Associates John Wilkes Associates Mr. & Mrs. Albert G. Albert Attorney Craig Blakeley Mr. John N. Conyngham III Mrs. Ann M. Coughlin Mr. Thomas J. Deitz Mrs. Josephine Eustice Mr. Welton G. Farrar Attorney Richard Gelfond Mr. & Mrs. Stephen P. Hoeft Mr. & Mrs. Thomas J. Mack, Jr. Attorney Edward J. Meehan Mr. & Mrs. Robert Mericle Mr. & Mrs. Paul A. O’Hop Mrs. Trudy Piatt Mr. Brian Scandle Attorney Michael Schler Mr. & Mrs. Leonard Silberman Mr. & Mrs. Gerald Simonis Mr. & Mrs. Frank J. Stanitski Dr. Sanford B. Sternlieb Mr. & Mrs. John Tarone Mr. & Mrs. Paul C. Zukoski The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Mrs. Fannie Aleo Mrs. Barbara Allan Mrs. Sandra Bernhard Mr. Rick Berry Miss Muriel Bush Attorney & Mrs. Jerry Chariton Attorney Harrison J. Cohen Atty. Diana Donaldson & Mr. Stuart Donaldson Dr. & Mrs. Mahmoud H. Fahmy Dr. & Mrs. Richard A. Hiscox Mr. & Mrs. Richard P. Adams Mr. & Mrs. John P. Alifano Mr. Robert S. Asby Attorney Carol Baltimore Mr. Terry Baltimore Mr. & Mrs. Lonny L. Bartha Mr. Max Bartikowsky Dr. John S. Biernacki Ms. Gloria A. Blandina Mr. Kenneth Bloomhurst Mr. & Mrs. Joseph T. Butkiewicz Mr. Nicholas Bybel, Jr. Dr. Mary R. Byrne Mr. & Mrs. Clyde W. Carpenter Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Charlebois Dr. & Mrs. Leonard Cohen The Honorable & Mrs. Richard P. Conaboy Mr. & Mrs. Bernard Corbett Ms. Margaret S. Corbett Mr. & Mrs. John A. Cordes Mr. & Mrs. David E. Davies Dr. & Mrs. John DeFinnis Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Dellarte Mrs. Janet Demech Mr. & Mrs. Anthony DiMichele Mr. & Mrs. Robert T. Doble Mr. & Mrs. Leroy Dubey Mr. & Mrs. Stanley Fainberg Ms. Ellen Fedor Mr. & Mrs. Gregory V. Feeney Mr. Sidney Friedman Dr. & Mrs. John C. Gaudio Mr. & Mrs. Thomas M. Gehret Mr. Peter A. Gelwarg Attorney Richard M. Goldberg and Ms. Rosemary Chromey * Deceased �Dr. Mark D. Harris Mrs. Virginia D. Hart Ms. Sandra L. Hayes Mr. Jeffrey Heinsheimer Mr. & Mrs. C. Scott Herring Mr. & Mrs. Charles Herring Mr. & Mrs. Michael P. Hinchey Mr. & Mrs. Jimmy S. Hinton, Jr. Mr. John A. Horner Mr. & Mrs. David P. Hourigan Mr. & Mrs. Nat L. Hyman Mr. William R. Jones Mr. & Mrs. Donald Kabat Ms. Elizabeth M. Kautz Mr. & Mrs. Gerald A. Kennedy Dr. David W. Kistler Ms. Susan Kolesar Mrs. Bea Kopec Miss Maggie A. Lund Ms. Colleen McBride Attorney K. Heather McRay Mr. & Mrs. Andrew G. Mihaly Mr. & Mrs. Raymond Mrozack Mr. & Mrs. Barry L. Nolt Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey A. Null Mr. Richard J. O’Hara Mr. & Mrs. Ted W. Plessl Ms. Ruth Rosen Mr. & Mrs. Richard Rosenthal Mr. Joseph J. Rubino Mrs. Marilyn C. Rudolph Attorney Sheila Saidman Mr. Joseph C. Schneider Mr. & Mrs. David Schwager Attorney & Mrs. Charles A. Shaffer Mrs. Janet Siegel Mr. & Mrs. David Silverstein Mr. & Mrs. D. Scott Simpson Mr. & Mrs. William Skumanich Mr. & Mrs. Dale O. Smith Mr. & Mrs. John Smith Mrs. Katherine A. Smith Mr. Irving N. Stein Dr. Kara J. Suche Mr. & Mrs. Richard Tarsi Mr. John Thalenfeld Mr. & Mrs. Melvin Warshal Mr. Gerald J. Yankow Mr. & Mrs. Joel Zitofsky Contributors Ms. Margaret W. Adams Mr. William F. Adams, Jr. Dr. & Mrs. Lawrence Addleson Ms. Helen C. Adonizio Mr. James M. Andorker Mr. & Mrs. Dean Artkop Ms. Betty J. Bailey Mr. Mark Banash Mrs. Nadine M. Banul Ms. Susan Baranek Ms. Vicki Beames * Deceased Ms. Nancy W. Beasley Mr. Daniel Beneski & Ms. Barbara Machinas Mr. & Mrs. David B. Bernard Mr. Fred Bernard Mr. & Mrs. Ashwinkumar Bhatt Mr. & Mrs. Bradley Bingaman Ms. Jaime Blandina Ms. Lisa Bly Mr. & Mrs. Douglas F. Bodenstab Ms. Yvonne Borton Ms. Miriam Boylan Mr. Aaron Bravman Mr. & Mrs. Walter G. Brigham Mr. Anthony T.P. Brooks Mr. & Mrs. John J. Brostoski, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. John J. Brostoski Ms. Marian Brownmiller Dr. & Mrs. William E. Burak Mr. & Mrs. Martin Butkovsky Ms. Carolee S. Byrnes Mr. & Mrs. Robert D. Calabrese Mr. & Mrs. David Campo Ms. Diane Carlton & Mr. Scott Van Arsdale Mr. & Mrs. Joseph M. Carr, Sr. Mr. & Mrs. Neil J. Cassel Ms. Lauren J. Chapman Ms. Jennifer R. Chappell Dr. & Mrs. Joseph P. Chollak, Jr. Ms. Joan E. Clarke Mr. & Mrs. Earl J. Cocchi Ms. Golde L. Cohen Ms. Sally Connor Mr. & Mrs. Frank P. Conyngham Mr. & Mrs. William E. Corey Mr. & Mrs. Peter J. Crimi Mr. David Danilack Mr. & Mrs. John Darrah Ms. Anna Dattolo Mr. Edris A. Davies Mr. & Mrs. Edris W. Davies Mr. & Mrs. Richard A. Davies Ms. Michelle R. Davis Mr. & Mrs. Leonard DeBuck Ms. Maria Diaz & Bernice Reyes Ms. Carrie Dicton Mr. & Mrs. James F. Dicton Mr. & Mrs. William Doss Mr. & Mrs. Joseph A. Eagen Ms. Brianna C. Edgar Ms. Kathryn A. Edgar Ms. Kelly L. Elaouadi Mr. & Mrs. Douglas S. Esposito Mr. & Mrs. Matthew B. Fagan Mrs. Janet Falko Mr. & Mrs. Gerald A. Fasano Mr. & Mrs. Barry A. Felice Ms. Terri L. Finnegan Dr. & Mrs. Louis J. Freedman Mr. Michael Freidlin Mr. William Freundt Mr. & Mrs. Carl E. Fuehrer Ms. Mary Kay Gavlick Mr. & Mrs. Ferrel M. George Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Goldberg Mr. & Mrs. John R. Goodwin Ms. Laura Grant Ms. Julie Griffith Dr. Loren Grossman Mr. & Mrs. Sam J. Guarnieri Ms. Kathy Guinan Mr. & Mrs. Dallas J. Hackman Ms. Grace Hagen Mr. David J. Hagenbaugh Ms. Maureen Harkins Mr. & Mrs. William J. Harring Mr. & Mrs. Wayne E. Harrison Ms. Lana K. Heck Mr. Wayne E. Heck Ms. Hailey Herleman Ms. Lydia Herleman Ms. Deborah Herman Mrs. Jean R. Hughes Ms. Sylvia Hughes Mrs. Pamela Jacobs Ms. Denise D. Jenkins Ms. Madeline Jenkins Ms. Joan U. John Mrs. Suzanne Jones Mr. & Mrs. Duane T. Joyce Mrs. Nancy Judd Mr. & Mrs. Gerald J. Jurrens Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Katchur Mr. Lewis Kautz Mr. Daniel F. Kelleher Mrs. Frank J. Kilyanek Mr. & Mrs. David Kissell Mr. & Mrs. Jack M. Kissinger Ms. Pamela E. Klipstein-Smith Mr. Craig Klore Ms. Jane Koppe Mr. Ronald D. Krolick Mr. Jeffrey Kutner Mrs. Margaret H. Lamere-Raskosky Mrs. Jane Landau Ms. Sylvia Lane Mr. & Mrs. Thomas J. Langan Mrs. Sandra Lefkowitz Mr. Robert S. Letson, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Arnold Libenson Ms. Meral Libenson Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Lindo Mr. & Mrs. Patrick Lindo Mr. & Mrs. Leonard S. Lukas Mr. & Mrs. Paul Lukas Mr. Thomas A. Lynch Ms. Josephine Macaravage Mr. & Mrs. Michael F. Malinoski Mr. & Mrs. John J. Martin Ms. Leona Matscavage Mr. & Mrs. Kevin McAloon Ms. Donna M. McCarthy Mr. & Mrs. P.T. McCollum Mr. & Mrs. Michael McElaney Mr. John J. McGowan, Jr. Ms. Brynn N. McGregor Mrs. Naomi Meyer Ms. Marcia Meyers Mr. & Mrs. John W. Mikitsh Mitsios Family Mr. & Mrs. James R. Moser Mr. & Mrs. Joseph R. Nardone, Sr. Ms. Kristin A. Nelson Ms. Nina Nesky Mr. & Mrs. Howard Newman Ms. Suzie Nichols Ms. Mary Ellen Nieman Ms. Gail H. Niles Ms. Lauren N. Nothstein Mr. & Mrs. Norman L. Nothstein Mr. & Mrs. William O’Connor Ms. Denise O’ConnorManosky Ms. Carol J. O’Hara Mrs. Wanda F. Ogurkis Ms. Cindy Ohara Mr. & Mrs. David E. Olerta Ms. Theresa A. Olson Mr. Thomas J. Opiel Mr. & Mrs. Bill Osterhout Mr. & Mrs. Dana H. Palmer Ms. Leslie Parry Mr. & Mrs. Matthew C. Patrick Ms. Sheryl Patrick Mr. & Mrs. M.T. Pavuk Mr. & Mrs. Gerry Pawlowski Lt. Col. Todd Peachey Ms. Nancy Pearson Ms. Phyllis A. Pelletier Mr. & Mrs. Joey E. Penny Ms. Phyllis A. Penny Mr. & Mrs. Lee F. Pensyl Mr. & Mrs. Michael V. Petrine Ms. Sheerry Pirillo Ms. Patricia E. Podesta Ms. Tonia N. Prelewicz Mr. & Mrs. Richard A. Purcell Mr. & Mrs. Harry G. Reese, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Mark Rucci Mr. & Mrs. Richard D. Rivers Mr. & Mrs. Frank G. Robison Mr. James O. Rodda Mr. & Mrs. Ronald A. Rogers Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Romanowski Mr. Lawrence Rosenfeld & Ms. Amy Drinker Attorney & Mrs. Harold Rosenn Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Rosenthal Mr. Stephen Rosenthal Mr. & Mrs. John Ross • report of gifts Mr. Daniel Roth Mrs. Eunice Rubel Mr. Charles E. Ruch, Jr. Mr. David G. Ruesch Ms. Kathleen Rusak Mr. Patrick M. Ryan & Ms. Melissa Jordan Mr. & Mrs. Thomas J. Rybitski Dr. Dorothy Saladiak Mr. Curtis Salonick Mr. & Mrs. Robert L. Saunders Mr. & Mrs. Jesse Savitz Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth C. Savoia Mr. & Mrs. Michael D. Scarba Mr. Joseph E. Schall Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence Schanker Mr. & Mrs. Edward Schechter Mr. & Mrs. Roland C. Schmidt Ms. Ruth Schooley Mrs. Stella Schub Ms. Kathleen T. Schubert Dr. & Mrs. Joseph M. Semple Ms. Lynn B. Settles Mrs. Nancy H. Shafer Ms. Lindsey M. Shea Mr. & Mrs. Edward Sheetz Mr. & Mrs. Gary E. Smith Mr. & Mrs. Glen T. Smith Mr. & Mrs. Joel Smith Ms. Jessica M. Solt Ms. Leslie A. Stefansky Ms. Anne P. Storms Mr. & Mrs. Scott D. Strough Mr. & Mrs. Robert L. Struble Ms. Rose M. Sullivan Ms. Mary Sutherland Ms. Denice Szekely Mr. & Mrs. Vincent B. Tarsi Mr. & Mrs. Richard H. Taylor Ms. Cassandra Thomas Mr. & Mrs. Joseph D. Tondrick Rev. & Mrs. Stanley R. Trout Mr. & Mrs. Richard B. Van Camp, Sr. Mr. & Mrs. Robert L. Varano Mr. Robert T. Vaughn Ms. Linda F. Vecere Ms. Carol Vilardo Mr. Daniel P. Voitek Mr. Christopher C. Wakeley Mr. & Mrs. Ed Walkowiak Ms. Lori Webster Mrs. Helen Westenheffer Ms. Amanda A. Westgate Ms. Grace J. Wetzel Mr. Ronald Williams Ms. Vickie Wilson & Ms. Maureen Barrett Ms. Nina Windle Mr. & Mrs. Mark Yanchek Mr. & Mrs. Michael D. Yelen Mr. & Mrs. Richard Zeitoun Ms. Bethann Zeshonski Mrs. Patricia G. Zeszotarski Mr. & Mrs. Charles Zoeller Wilkes | Fall 2011 giving by constituency 33 �report of gifts • giving by class giving BY CLASS ClAss OF 1935 • • • The John Wilkes Society JoHn WilKes AssOCiATEs Rita Seitchek Dicker Katherine P. Freund10 Stefana Hoyniak Shoemaker10 Joseph G. Sweeney10 Robert H. Melson* contriButors ClAss OF 1937 • • • The Eugene Farley Club contriButors Harriet Thalenfeld Gray ClAss OF 1938 Phyllis Eichler Berger Elizabeth Womelsdorf Sallyanne Frank Charlotte Waters Rowland ClAss OF 1943 • • • • • • The Eugene Farley Club The Eugene Farley Club Blue CiRClE Gold CiRClE John C. Keeney10 contriButors • • • The Eugene Farley Club Farley AssOCiATEs Julia Place Bertsch5 ClAss OF 1940 Mary Hutchko Flanagan10 Harry S. Katz5 Treveryan S. Kramer Irene Kessler Watkins ClAss OF 1944 • • • • • • The Eugene Farley Club President’s CiRClE Henry C. Johnson10 contriButors James B. Aikman5 Leon F. Wazeter* Louise S. Hazeltine 1, 10 The Eugene Farley Club Gold CiRClE Emma Kanyuck Tredick Farley AssOCiATEs ClAss OF 1941 George Papadoplos • • • The Eugene Farley Club Wilkes | Fall 2011 34 contriButors Kenneth Kressler Irene Sauciunas Santarelli Kathryn Hiscox Quinn5 Ruth Tischler Voelker10 Arthur C. Williams10 contriButors ClAss OF 1945 David L. Friedman5 Carolyn Nagro Lowum Harriet Corner Seeherman The Eugene Farley Club Farley AssOCiATEs The Eugene Farley Club Farley AssOCiATEs Harris R. Boyce Dolores Seitchak Price Joseph V. Pringle Nathaniel W. Trembath contriButors Gloria Paczkowski Kabusk Margaret Holloway Manchester Walter E. Margie George J. Trebilcox5 • • • The John Wilkes Society Farley AssOCiATEs • • • ClAss OF 1948 Ernest Weisberger 5 ClAss OF 1939 ClAss OF 1947 The John Wilkes Society Founder’s CiRClE William H. Rice5 JoHn WilKes AssOCiATEs George F. Fry, Jr. The Eugene Farley Club Farley AssOCiATEs Herman Baumann10 Miriam Golightly Baumann10 Arthur Joseph Berger Albert J. Donnelly10 Muriel Bransdorf Mintzer5 Shirley Phillips Passeri Eugene L. Shaver10 contriButors ClAss OF 1949 Miriam Levinson Brand10 Edna Sabol Andrews10 Julius Brand10 Mary Porter Evans5 Barbara Medland Farley10 Lester S. Gross, Jr. Raymond S. Kinback Francis B. Krzywicki10 Rigo J. Lemoncelli Victor Minetola Virginia Meissner Nelson5 William H. Perry Gwenn Clifford Smith Marvin Smith Farley AssOCiATEs Robert Anthony10 Doris Gorka Bartuska5 Dorothy Wilkes Lewis Mary J. McCarthy Jerome N. Mintzer5 Clemence A. Scott10 contriButors Edward F. Corcoran Michael Fex, Jr. John H. Glowacki Lorraine Gritsavage Glowacki James Morrash5 Donald W. Perrego John J. Verban ClAss OF 1951 • • • The John Wilkes Society trustee AssOCiATEs ClAss OF 1950 William A. Perlmuth10 • • • John B. Guerra Harry R. Hiscox10 • • • contriButors contriButors Founder’s CiRClE ClAss OF 1946 Charlotte Reichlin Cutler5 Arthur D. Dalessandro trustee AssOCiATEs The Eugene Farley Club The Eugene Farley Club Blue CiRClE The John Wilkes Society • • • Farley AssOCiATEs The Eugene Farley Club Joseph J. Savitz10 Elizabeth Faint Fell ClAss OF 1942 contriButors Edwin M. Kosik10 Gold CiRClE Claire Fischer Beissinger Robert J. Dido5 Frances Wentzel Dudeck John J. Fetch William Melnyk William M. Nancarrow Joseph Panzitta • • • John R. Semmer Priscilla Sweeney Smith-Matthews10 Robert L. Williams, Jr.5 JoHn WilKes AssOCiATEs • • • The John Wilkes Society trustee AssOCiATEs Clayton J. Karambelas1, 10 Joseph Sooby, Jr.* Don C. Follmer 1, 10 William A. Plummer JoHn WilKes AssOCiATEs Joseph G. Bendoraitis JoHn WilKes AssOCiATEs Edwin L. Johnson10 The Eugene Farley Club The Eugene Farley Club Gold CiRClE Robert W. Hall10 Nicholas A. Heineman Donald C. Kivler10 Gold CiRClE Daniel Sherman10 Blue CiRClE Jean Ditoro Erickson10 Blue CiRClE John Gresh10 Farley AssOCiATEs James W. Davis Paul E. Huff Thomas J. Jordan5 Edward H. Lidz10 Reed D. Lowrey5 Samuel L. Owens10 Elva Fuller Parker10 Angelo P. Pascucci Lawrence B. Pelesh10 Clyde H. Ritter Farley AssOCiATEs Leonard S. Anthony10 Helene Donn Evans10 William L. Evans10 Charles F. Jackson5 Delbert C. McGuire D. Joseph Pelmoter5 Andrew P. Skumanich 1 5 10 * Class Chair 5 or more years of consecutive giving 10 or more years of consecutive giving Deceased �giving by class Contributors Audrey Seaman Anderson Shirley Salsburg Bernard Arthur W. Bloom Delbert J. Cragle Norman E. Cromack5 Olin W. Evans Joseph B. Gries George P. Heffernan, Jr.10 Francis E. Sajeski Daniel M. Ungvarsky Jeanne Claypool Van Newenhizen Charles F. Woodring5 Contributors Fay Jaffe Berg10 Dolores M. Grabko Dolores Roth Karassik Dorothy Hamaker Roden10 Leo E. Solomon5 David B. Whitney Elsie Giuliani Yarasheski10 Carol Jones Young5 CLASS OF 1954 • • • The John Wilkes Society President’s Circle William J. Umphred, Sr.10 Gold Circle Earl C. Crispell5 Paul J. Delmore10 Carol Reynar Hall10 Robert McFadden John A. Wolfkeil5 Farley Associates Founder’s Circle Patricia Stout Williams10 Gold Circle Theodore R. Angradi Lewis B. Giuliani William R. Glace Thomas J. Goblick Charles T. Reice Andrew Sofranko, Jr. Thomas R. Adams10 Anita Gordon Allen5 James T. Atherton* Barry J. Iscovitz5 Carl Karassik Leonard J. Mather Joseph J. Mosier Katherine Goetzman Peckham10 John B. Vale Albert J. Wallace10 Peter Wurm J. Louis Bush10 Walter E. Elston Joseph A. Fattorini, Jr. CLASS OF 1955 Contributors President’s Circle Marilyn Wilkes Dugan Daniel S. Dzury Howard A. Gonchar Chia-In Wang Rutkowski5 Robert J. Shemo Norma Carey Vale Richard L. Bunn • • • The John Wilkes Society CLASS OF 1953 The John Wilkes Society The Eugene Farley Club Contributors The Eugene Farley Club • • • The Eugene Farley Club John Wilkes Associates Nancy Ralston Grogan Helen Bitler Ralston10 Class of 1956 • • • Farley Associates CLASS OF 1952 Doris Sadowski Merrill5 Joan Wachowski Michalski5 John S. Prater Robert S. Rydzewski10 Thomas R. Sarnecky Donald J. Tosh Howard L. Updyke Edward E. Yarasheski10 John Wilkes Associates Dean A. Arvan5 David L. Hoats5 Leo R. Kane5 Richard B. Kent Charles M. Reilly5 • • • Henry K. Goetzman5 George H. Batterson James F. Ferris10 Clarence C. Givens10 David B. Lucchino Joseph A. Ungvarsky10 Michael J. Weinberger10 Farley Associates Marianna Kraynack Banash Jean Kravitz Barry Younsu Koo Jessie A. Roderick5 Joan Shoemaker10 John E. Suffren5 Victoria Zavatski Wallace Joseph F. Wilk Paul P. Zavada Contributors Dolores Pietroski Cackowski Mary Zavatski Croce5 Henry W. Deibel Helen Stoeckel Hessler5 Basia Mieszkowski Jaworski5 Benjamin Omilian David T. Shearer Samuel R. Shugar10 Arthur Stackel, Jr. Class of 1957 • • • The John Wilkes Society The Eugene Farley Club Trustee Associates Blue Circle Paul B. Beers* James W. Dull10 Howard E. Ennis, Jr.10 Mary Kozak Motsavage10 Eugene Roth10 William H. Tremayne10 Farley Associates Lawrence E. Cohen10 Gold Circle Joseph J. Kropiewnicki10 May Way Vanden Broeck Judith Hopkins Arthur E. Imdorf John J. Kearney10 Russell R. Picton, Jr. Louis F. Steck1, 5 Blue Circle Stephen C. Thomas5 Farley Associates Constance Smith Andrews William E. Caruth Preston R. Eckmeder 1 Class 5 5 5 Chair or more years of consecutive giving 10 10 or more years of consecutive giving * Deceased Contributors Robert H. Burger Marilyn Peters Hirsch Joshua J. Kaufman10 Leona Goldberg Markiewitz Farley Associates Larry D. Amdur Melvin E. McNew10 Howard B. Webb, Jr.10 Marguerite L. Allen William J. Donovan10 Merri Jones Earl10 Eileen Svigals Feibus Max B. Greenwald Edward J. Heltzel Edmund J. Kotula10 Judith Menegus Deluca Juanita Patience Moss10 Martha Wagner Ostrowski George R. Richards Paul J. Tracy10 Keith Williams Farley Associates Nasser N. Bonheur John L. Coates Gloria Dran Elston William M. Farish10 Vincent P. Herron, Jr. Andrew J. Oleksy Nancy Morris Phethean5 Phyllis Walsh Powell10 Charles W. Robinson1, 5 John J. Schultz5 Jerome Stein5 Carl R. Urbanski10 Leslie P. Weiner10 Blue Circle The John Wilkes Society The Eugene Farley Club Blue Circle Trustee Associates Contributors Earl R. Bahl Barbara Thomas Balcomb Lena Misson Baur Elaine Williams Brooks Samuel Dilcer Jacob M. Dvornicky Richard F. Heltzel Beverly Falkinburg Hildebrand Frances Hopkins Jordan Marie Zanowicz Kruska Jean Schraeder Kuchinskas10 Thomas J. Lane Arthur N. Meyer Patricia Reese Morris Lois Myers Martin J. Novak10 Joseph E. Podlesny Terry Lee Smith Class of 1958 • • • The John Wilkes Society Contributors Anthony M. Bianco Susan Shoff Bianco Mary Mattey Borgersen5 Samuel T. Buckman, Jr.5 John G. Carling5 John J. Chick Arthur S. Christianson Janet Jones Crawford10 William P. Giacomini Virginia Leonardi Novak10 Carol Hallas McGinley Clarence Michael Edward J. Milowicki Gerald Minturn10 Joseph W. Oliver5 Joseph S. Pipan5 Vera Wroble Pitel10 Mary Craig Pugh10 Robert Scally Harold L. Schuler Melinda Passarelli Sokol Robert A. Sokol David H. Weber10 Richard E. Wozniak10 Jacqueline M. Young5 Class of 1959 • • • Founder’s Circle The John Wilkes Society Beverly Blakeslee Hiscox10 William I. Williams10 John Wilkes Associates Robert A. Mugford10 Frederick J. Hills10 Edward McCafferty Lynne Herskovitz Warshal10 Carl V. Zoolkoski John Wilkes Associates The Eugene Farley Club Peter R. Pisaneschi10 L. Joyce Tremayne10 Salvatore M. Valenti Bruce S. Warshal10 Gold Circle President’s Circle Founder’s Circle The Eugene Farley Club Elisabeth Schwartz King Blue Circle Robert C. Morgan10 Paul A. Schecter* 10 Gold Circle President’s Circle Jesse H. Choper10 Kelly J. Mather Thomas I. Myers5 Harold P. Shannon John Wilkes Associates Seymour Holtzman5 George Kolesar5 The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Bettijane Long Eisenpreis10 Blue Circle George Ginader10 Theresa Mazzarella Morrow10 Josef M. Reese5 Farley Associates Mary Lou Spinelli Casella Robert E. Davis10 Donald E. Devans1, 10 Thomas M. Dugan Paul J. Earl10 Martha James Flanigan5 Robert A. Florio Charles J. Gareis Jane Norton Granitzki10 Wilkes | Fall 2011 Norman J. Faramelli Philip D. Husband5 Sandor Yelen Thomas D. Stine10 Vester V. Vercoe, Jr.5 • report of gifts 35 �report of gifts • giving by class John P. Karolchyk5 J. Rodger Lewis John Q. Mask, III Chester J. Nocek10 Robert B. Payne Patricia Yost Pisaneschi10 Mary Anchel Sabel5 George R. Schall10 Warren W. Schmid Charles A. Sorber10 Robert J. Yokavonus10 Ann Dixon Young Contributors Richard Aston Alan R. Balcomb Charles S. Butler10 A. Jennie Hill10 Albert P. Kuchinskas10 Sylvia Rapp Kully Janice Reynolds Longo Joan Grish McSweyn10 Robert J. Pitel10 Larry G. Pugh10 Arlene R. Tanalski Marianne Levenoskie Van Blarcom10 Robert W. Walters10 Francine Bishop Watkins Class of 1960 • • • The John Wilkes Society Trustee Associates Peter W. Perog10 Ronald W. Simms5 President’s Circle Emilie Roat Gino10 Charles Billings Walter Glogowski Aaron G. Hastie, Jr. Ira K. Himmel Virginia Lyons Hoesl10 Ronald D. Kross Patricia A. Krull10 Andrew R. Sabol10 Anthony J. Sankus10 Judith Ruggere Schall10 Robert J. Sislian Patricia Fushek Skibbs Roy H. VanWhy Richard J. Weiss Raye Thomas Wileman10 Richard R. Wileman10 Contributors Lynne Boyle Austin Joan Llewellyn Buckman5 Barbara Bachman Edwards Carl R. Havira Marilyn Warburton Lutter10 John F. Marriott, Sr. Frank L. Mazzeo Judith Weiss Moskow5 Richard J. Myers Jean Shofranko Olexy William D. Peters John D. Phillips10 George T. Reynolds Helen Schainuck Rubin Donald J. Sabatino10 Doris Gademan Stephens Robert D. Washburn Bernadine Zapotowski Willard Raymond G. Yanchus5 Emmanuel J. Ziobro Bruce Zollers John Wilkes Associates Class of 1961 Evelyn Krohn Holtzman5 Allyn C. Jones1, 10 Gordon E. Roberts Martin F. Tansy Robert W. Verespy10 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Blue Circle Thomas P. Korshalla10 Patricia A. Levandoski10 Joseph N. Molski5 Lawrence P. Williams10 The John Wilkes Society Founder’s Circle William F. Raub10 Shirley G. Davis Jay P. Keller10 Blue Circle Christopher H. Loesch, Jr. 10 Albert R. Stralka10 Farley Associates Philip J. Amico10 Marvin A. Antinnes5 Marie Honcharik Basta10 Joseph M. Drozdowski Leonard M. Gonchar Nancy Bonham Hontz Carl J. Meyers10 Donald T. Murphy Patricia Lawless Ryan5 Beverly Major Schwartz5 Frank M. Scutch10 Jule Znaniecki Wnorowski Contributors Martha Menegus Amadio5 Norma Wentz Bregen Janice Bronson-Bartlett10 Joseph J. Chisarick5 Richard P. Cobb Ruth Shales Cook5 Robert L. Dickerson Harry E. Filbert, Jr. Walter J. Folek Robert J. Hewitt Stephen L. Klein Margaret Churchill Kuffner5 Gregory J. Lester Robert A. Martin5 June Patrylak Neff5 Joseph P. Olexy, Jr. Emil J. Petrasek Patricia Capers Petrasek A. Francis Riofski Melvin Watkins Jane Jablonski Wills Class of 1962 • • • John Wilkes Associates The John Wilkes Society Fred R. Demech, Jr.* 1, 5 Henry A. Greener5 Nancy Rosenfeld Greener5 Patricia Boyle Heaman John W. Kluchinski5 Nancy Carroll Kolesar5 John Wilkes Associates Frank H. Menaker, Jr.10 Joseph J. Neetz10 Estelle Manos Sotirhos The Eugene Farley Club Beverly Nagle Barnick10 Thomas Barnick10 Gold Circle Elizabeth Tubridy Fairchild10 Warren P. Greenberg Gill Ho Bai Wilkes | Fall 2011 Class Chairs are alumni who promote annual 36 unrestricted giving and offer their thoughts and experiences to Wilkes Fund Appeals to give them a personal touch. If you are interested in becoming a class chair, please contact Lauren Y. Pluskey ’06, MBA ’10 at (570) 408-4331 or at lauren.pluskey@wilkes.edu. Contributors Contributors Audrey Petro Coslett5 Morgan Davis5 Albert M. Dobrowalski Wilbur N. Dotter10 Robert L. Evans, Sr.5 Sandra S. Feldman10 Florence Billings Finn Evelyn Hudyck Gibbons Andrew J. Hassay Joyce Medlock Jones5 Robert A. King5 David R. Kline Philip M. Lear Cory Epps Lyons John J. Miller5 Lorraine Shutta Riofski Michael Samberg Rena Lewine Schoenfeld5 Helen M. Tinsley5 Royal A. Wetzel John S. Adams Paul A. Battisti10 Norman D. James5 Gloria Silverman Kasper10 Lynne Stockton Mutart Zoya Dzury Rakowski Robert B. Singer Barbara S. Soyka Edward A. Stofko Beverly Munson Swift Anne Jamieson Taylor Victor Turoski5 Eleanor Brehm Watts Robert C. Williams Gerard J. Zezza, Jr.10 Class of 1964 • • • The John Wilkes Society President’s Circle Mary Kay Barrett Rotert5 Class of 1963 • • • John Wilkes Associates The John Wilkes Society Alan C. Krieger10 Trustee Associates The Eugene Farley Club Jerry A. Mohn10 Rowena Simms Mohn10 Blue Circle Robert T. Bond1, 5 Richard O. Burns Neil Dougherty Leland D. Freidenburg, Jr. 10 Charles A. Krivenko Daniel J. Lyons10 John Wilkes Associates Mary Regalis Althauser The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Nicholas L. Alesandro Jeremiah E. Berk10 Bernard H. Cohen Erwin F. Guetig10 Adolf L. Herst5 Gerald A. Moffatt Farley Associates Jane Edwards Bonomo Lillian Bodzio Caffrey Thomas M. Farris John A. Gavenonis10 Gilbert A. Gregory Clinton G. Hess10 Joseph Kruczek Richard A. Morgan5 Vicki Burton Sabol10 Bonnie Lewis Turchin10 Peter Winebrake Leonard A. Yankosky, Jr. 10 Barbara A. Yuscavage10 Robert E. Herman Joseph W. Raksis10 Daniel Zeroka5 Farley Associates Blue Circle Class Chairs Stephen E. Phillips10 Edward J. Rogalski Alan A. Schneider Stephen Selige Richard R. Snopkowski5 Geraldine M. Tarantini10 John E. Tredinnick10 Joseph Weinkle5 Edward J. Wilk Blue Circle The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Farley Associates John A. Hosage10 Stanley J. Karmilovich Vivian Cardoni Katsock5 Albert Kishel5 Nancy Martin Lynn10 Ruth Boorom Melberger10 Joanne Pisaneschi Olejnick10 William A. Rishko5 Rachel Altavilla Winebrake Mark H. Adelson Francis J. Machung5 Farley Associates Michael F. Bianco Donald H. Bogert5 Harry Collier10 Miriam Vaskorlis Cooper Janet Simpson Dingman10 Judith Butchko Gallagher10 Mary Ann Foley Hopkins5 Willard S. Achuff10 Jane Downin Alderman Alice Cole Bartlett10 Theodore R. Begun Robert F. Cherundolo Mary Barone Du Mont5 Janice MacDonald Hastie Charles E. Johns10 Jane Woolbert Karpiak Phyllis Cackowski Kempinski Stuart W. Lawson, Jr.5 Carolyn Draper Lippincott Contributors Jeanne Depew Attenborough Lynne Dente John H. Farrell5 Jorgie A. Grimes J. Douglas Haughwout C. Michael Manganaro 1 Class Chair or more years of consecutive giving 10 or more years of consecutive giving * Deceased 5 5 10 �giving by class Lee McCloskey Shubert Catherine Skopic John H. Uhl Robert J. Vincenti John Voda Flora Anderson Weber Charlene Nalbach Yanchik10 John H. Zielinski Class of 1965 Founder’s Circle Class of 1967 Carol Saidman Greenwald5 David Greenwald5 • • • • • • The John Wilkes Society Class of 1966 • • • The John Wilkes Society Founder’s Circle Gary G. Popovich Donald A. Pahls5 Jay L. Reich Anthony J. Ross William Schneider Jane Jancik Stevens Dolores Barone Straka5 Timothy Swanson, Sr. Suzanne Bellone Timko10 Mary Kennedy Voda Gerald L. Weisberger Mary Zezza5 The John Wilkes Society President’s Circle Gerard A. McHale, Jr. 10 The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle John Wilkes Associates Raymond Lowery, Jr. Neil L. Millar5 Richard C. Roshong Gerald F. Weber Catherine De Angelis5 Anthony J. Parulis5 John J. Sickler B. William Vanderburg10 Natalie Kowalski Vanderburg10 Mary Lou Butkoski Zaleski5 Blue Circle The Eugene Farley Club Farley Associates Blue Circle Keith P. Ackerman Alfonse S. Bayo5 Catherine Brader Butler Kent E. Davis William E. Davis, Jr. Jane Charlton Huey Leon E. Obrzut10 Marian Markle Pool Donald W. Ungemah10 Andrea Templar Ackerman Judith Valunas Barr5 Richard L. Bucko5 John S. Cavallini10 Barbara Lewis Cousland5 Jeanne Martin Dhavale5 W. Marshall Evans10 Alan C. Gamble Charles J. Huey John P. Karpiak JoAnn Margolis F. Charles Petrillo William M. Pinkowski5 Susan Evans Pons William Webb Frederick E. Weber Contributors Contributors Contributors Nancy Czubek Barto Jane Cochran Chambers5 Marylin C. Davis Dale H. Edwards Rita Dougherty Groves Frederick E. Hackett John H. Kirschner, Jr. Lois A. Kutish Herbert N. Maier10 Gustave Martin Ruth H. McDermott Carl J. Missal John A. Nork5 Thomas L. Pirnot Barbara Menarick Russo Anita Minelli Salerno Theresa M. Sapp Judith Sisco Shotwell Daniel Baczkowski Sandra Woolf Bauman Barbara Lewis Dipalo Esther Schwartz Dorkin10 Forrest J. Eichmann Clement A. Gaynor, Jr. Lois Boganovitz Gelb Dwight E. Giles, Sr.10 Carol Mazur Glowzenski5 Mark E. Hamdi Robert C. Harding10 E. William Kaylor, Jr. Margaret Gee Kraynanski5 Barbara A. Kubinski W. David Larmouth, II Eugene A. Macur5 Mildred Gross Maier10 Gloria Martin5 Bonnie Brown O’Neill Charles L. Aquilina Mark K. Bauman Eugene J. Bonfanti5 Joseph G. Brillinger, Jr. David R. Cowan5 Donald E. Fredd Theodore J. Gourley Virginia Rome Grabowski Lawrence A. Major Evelyn Morenko Matelski5 Vernie Shiposh Noecker Charlotte Peterson John J. Pilosi5 Henry J. Pownall Daniel R. Price Janice Parsons Robart Darlene Moll Roth Diane Wynne Shallcross Russell G. Shallcross Farley Associates 1 Class 5 5 Chair or more years of consecutive giving 10 or more years of consecutive giving * Deceased 10 The John Wilkes Society Trustee Associates John R. Miller10 Founder’s Circle Ronald Piskorik John Wilkes Associates Thomas G. Ambrosi Anne Heineman Batory William R. Bush10 Esther Wargo McCormick5 William W. Stinger Michael G. Hudick Joyce Callahan Krivenko Grace Jones Kutzmas5 Ruth Partilla Narcum10 Simon S. Russin The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle John Wilkes Associates James J. Vidunas John B. Hall James B. Jenkins Leslie Tobias Jenkins Joseph Kutzmas5 • • • Founder’s Circle John Wilkes Associates Roger A. Rolfe Happy Field Grohowski Ronald P. Grohowski Class of 1968 The Eugene Farley Club Blue Circle Robert S. Gardner5 Russell H. Jenkins Andrea Gallet Lander Walter Narcum10 Paul P. Purta, Jr. William A. Trethaway Farley Associates Judith Adams-Volpe Lewis M. Chere Leona Sokash Dufour Richard H. Firestine Joseph A. Grohowski, Sr.5 Eugene L. Kelleher Richard L. Kramer James M. Mason Barbara Liberasky Nowicki Edwin A. Pashinski Peter S. Phillips10 Maureen Savage Szish Windsor S. Thomas10 William G. Cooper10 Daniel Klem, Jr.10 George J. Sick10 Blue Circle David D. Baum10 George E. Collinson10 Gerald E. Missal5 Edward J. Podehl Farley Associates Soni Stein Baltimore Nicholas Andrew Barna Joyce Christian Detter Eugene S. Farley, Jr. Barry Gold Zdzislawa Paciej Harms5 Marilyn Caprione Heffron Robert C. Klotz10 Marian Zaledonis Kovacs10 A. Dan Murray Charetta Chiampi Mutarelli Fran D. Olexy Michael S. Pipan Elizabeth Scholl10 Thaddeus Seymour John F. Sheldon Wayne A. Sittner Elizabeth A. Slaughter5 Charles W. Snyder5 Paul B. Solomon5 Albert E. Stofko Helen Dugan Worth Contributors David P. Baccanari5 Roger S. Beatty Judith E. Beyer5 Frederick N. Brown Joseph J. Buziuk, Jr.5 Richard G. Cantner Beverly Shamun Carey10 Margaret Klein Deacon Margaret Hoban Dominic Barbara Ann Dorish Eleanor Jachimczak Guzofsky Malcolm Kintz Harris5 John J. Helme Stanley R. Houpt Teresa Cushner Hunt5 Jaquelyn Rubin Kaplan Lee A. Namey Patricia Haydt Nitchie Robert T. Noecker Peter T. Polashenski David Rossi Jay G. Ruckel Judith Labows Sabatino10 Eugene Salko Myrna Brodbeck Schaefer Margaret G. Seals Richard Seidel Charles R. Sgarlat Frank J. Smith Carl G. Sponenberg10 Michael Stefanick10 Leslie Calamari Tinney Michael H. Tinney Anthony J. Turchetti5 Michael J. Worth Class of 1969 • • • The John Wilkes Society Founder’s Circle Richard T. Simonson5 President’s Circle John J. Chopack George G. Pawlush10 William F. Ryan, Jr.5 John Wilkes Associates Stephen G. Farrar Joseph B. Frappolli Michael J. Glancey5 Nancy Hawk Merryman10 Carol A. Skalski10 Nancy Wanczyk Stinger Cynthia Wisniewski Weber Paul A. Wender10 Joseph C. Wiendl The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Dori S. Jaffe5 Ann Alumbaugh McElyea Blue Circle Christopher A. Colovos5 David Ralston Cynthia West Reed5 James S. Reed5 Margery Fishman Ufberg10 Bernard J. Vinovrski Howard Weinberg Farley Associates Barbara N. Bellucci Bruce O. Brugel10 Robert M. Burnat10 John H. Butler R. Bruce Comstock Nathan G. Fink Ronald J. Gabriel Dennis P. Galli10 John T. Harmer5 George C. Harrison5 Stewart J. Harry10 Marilynn Froelich Hummer Wilkes | Fall 2011 Stanley Orlowski10 Leslie Stone Peltan5 Ray R. Pisaneschi10 Virginia Scrimgeour Ravin Mary Lou Searles Raykovicz Michael A. Raykovicz Carol Plonner Savona Lucille Lisnak Segal John Tensa, Jr. Harold B. Vogt Mary Gabla Zelinka • report of gifts 37 �report of gifts • giving by class David A. Jones Thaddeus M. Kalmanowicz5 Joseph G. Kopec Charles A. Kosteva5 Angelo F. Loverro Irving A. Mendelssohn John J. Moyer Albert D. Roke10 Rozanne Sandri-Goldin Donald C. Spruck Leonard E. Strope, Jr.5 Charles J. Tharp David C. Williams James E. Wynn5 Joseph Yozviak10 Contributors Ettore Joseph Anselmi Robert W. Ashton Jeannette Spott Barnes5 Betty Whah Bauman Roger Keith Butler Sylvia Scalise Ciocci Carol Sladin Clothier10 Lawrence B. Collins Henry M. Donati David J. Grandcolas Patricia Cieplik Granito Nicole LePochat Hartman Will Hooper Philip E. Howe Kay L. Huber Edward Janoski Thomas F. Kelly Vladimir W. Lecko Raymond B. Luckenbach Rhoda A. Moses5 Louis M. Pecora David J. Piatt Thomas M. Richards Virginia Thomas Rinehimer Sally Griffiths Robinson Carl V. Romanski Mel Rubin Marsha Weinstein Shapanka Mary E. Shaw Roy A. Shubert Carl J. Siracuse Gail Hadsall Thompson Janet Lutz Thurnau10 Robert C. Thurnau10 Steven Wasserstrom Bette Neroda Wells Rosemary Haydock Williams Carol Womelsdorf5 Class of 1970 • • • The John Wilkes Society Trustee Associates Wilkes | Fall 2011 John M. Cefaly, Jr.5 Margaret Filipkowski Sordoni10 38 Founder’s Circle Susan Ryan Simonson5 John Wilkes Associates Edward F. Burke George E. Conway Dan F. Kopen Janet Neiman Seeley10 Anne Aimetti Thomas The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Robert J. Conologue Renee Mucci Klem10 Charles D. Lengle5 Joyce Nahas Moses Janice A. Saunders10 Blue Circle David M. Bogusko Elaine Lundy Ephlin Jay H. Goldstein Fred A. Harkins, Jr. Barbara Gonzales Kende Carol Densmore Marascio John Marfia, Jr.5 Phyllis A. Petrosky Zygmont A. Pines Barbara Morrison Squeri John E. Squeri Marcella Wroblewski Vinovrski Farley Associates Carl J. Babushko Steven Chromey10 Carl L. Cook5 Lonnie A. Coombs10 Marilyn Rabel Costanzo10 James W. Darlington Leigh Doane Donecker Phyllis L. Gaydos Susan Trenkamp Harmer5 Ralph F. Hodgson, Jr. William C. Johnson Mary A. Kaiser* Joseph R. Kolm J. David Lombardi10 Barbara L. Nanstiel Judith Cobleigh Ockenfuss5 Robert E. Ockenfuss5 Lee Paige5 Stanley M. Pearlman Marion Boyle Petrillo Melvin C. Rogers, Jr. Neil M. Seidel5 Evelyn Rygwalski Snyder5 Mark E. Stair Maureen Clinton Stair Bill Tarbart1, 10 Richard Wetzel10 Contributors Robert C. Artim Phyllis Sun Cheng5 Karen Kelly Chepolis10 Edward J. Davies, II Ronald J. Delese Bernard P. Evanofski Ronald W. Faust Lorna Tarnoff Fredd David C. Hoffman Anthony J. Honko Adele Jancik Kaschenback Herbert F. Kemp5 Kenneth Kovaleski Camille Broski Kramer David W. Kutz10 Owen M. Lavery Joseph A. Lukesh10 Andrew C. Matviak Wendy Badman Sgarlat William Steel Kaye Harding Stefanick10 John R. Telencho Ralph C. Tewksbury, Jr. William S. Tinney5 Elva Costello Valentine Rosemary D’Elia Varone Lea Gina White Class of 1971 • • • The John Wilkes Society Trustee Associates Buck Mallan Founder’s Circle George J. Matz10 John Wilkes Associates John C. Baranowski Ellen Stamer Hall1 J. David Kaschak10 Mario J. Zinicola Susan Staniorski Davis10 Rita S. Du Brow Thomas F. Grant Alvin Justan Eileen Moniak Kackenmeister Stephen E. Kaschenbach10 Barbara Roman Knezek10 George H. Knezek, Jr. 10 Patricia Bauman Kramer Carol Hoffner Lavery Pauline Kmetz Makowski Gerald P. McAfee Daniel T. Powell Dennis J. Puhalla Maxine Levine Rubin Bruce A. Sabacek Joseph T. Sallitt George A. Sattof Della F. Schulz5 Barbara Perry Tokarz William Umbach10 Barbara Young Wagner Eugene H. Wagner, Jr. James C. Weaver10 Candice Cates Zientek Eric D. Hoover Michael T. Hughes Anthony V. Kleinhans10 Barbara Repotski Lach Kathryn Ramsey Massey10 Frances Aiken Mitchell David E. Roberts Enid Sullum Tope10 Dianne Hughes Treacy Joseph M. Treacy Elizabeth Roche Ward Alan E. Zellner Contributors Robert M. Babskie5 Mary Bau Kathryn Bekanich Karen Baldoni Bernardi Pamela Bolesta Lucinda Bryant5 Nancy Button Barbara Aulisio Camoni Thomas P. Casey Richard Chisarick5 Carol Manara Clark Guy J. Comparetta10 Sandra Holl Comparetta10 Eric B. Davenport Alice Hadsall Davis10 Richard J. Davis Thomas P. De Lay Sheila Denion Anne Musto-Van Noy Dragon5 Jane A. Firestine5 Jill Yanoshak Gagliardi10 Teresa Brown Galicki Sheldon S. German George B. Gettinger Karen Trevethan Gilmore5 Mary Ellen Dziak Grant James A. Gribb10 Clark J. Hamman Melissa Burdick Harmon Suzanne Cox Herstek5 Patricia Baranoski Jula10 Jacquelyn Van Tuyle Kelly5 Alexis Buchina Koss Pamela Krakowski Lawson Dixie Davis Mackall John G. Mandell, Jr. Leonard Matysczak Marianne Kolojejchick Matysczak Jacqueline Falk McGinley Rosemary Baratta Novak Mark H. Paikin Carlton E. Phillips10 Joan Skoranski Ralston Anne Marie Latona Roberts5 Connie Kopera Rodski Joseph D. Rosato Anne Gruscavage Sample5 Linda Samuel-Bickford Ilene Schulman Schneider Richard L. Shonk David K. Thomas Class of 1972 • • • The Eugene Farley Club The John Wilkes Society Gold Circle Trustee Associates Bonnie S. Gellas John A. Mazur William A. Hanbury John S. Kerr Renate Dargel Kerr Hedy Wrightson Rittenmeyer Ronald A. Rittenmeyer Blue Circle John R. Deem10 Judith Rodda Gardner5 Howard R. Lander William R. Lazor James B. Marascio Founder’s Circle Anthony M. Cardinale Laura Barbera Cardinale Kathy Price Kautter Farley Associates Terry A. Belles Beverly Peirce Berger10 James L. Butkiewicz10 Mary Ellen Fischer Butkiewicz10 Steven T. Case Martin M. Cebula Robert H. Davis Emil F. DiTullio10 Eugene S. Domzalski Francine Mackinder Douaihy Cherylynn Petyak Gibson10 Andrew J. Gubanich, Jr. Joseph N. Ishley Patricia Mazzeo Lombardi10 William J. Murphy10 Barbara Ward Nixon10 David Reel William E. Reese5 Larry R. Volkel5 Contributors Mary Nasielski Battista Mary MacArthur Bennett Christine Hincken Bloom Charles L. Cappa John P. Cherundolo Richard D. Ciuferri10 Joseph J. Cordora5 Alfred B. Crake5 President’s Circle Bruce E. Gover John Wilkes Associates James Garofalo10 Theodore T. Yeager10 The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Michael M. Mariani10 Gary H. Williams1, 10 Blue Circle Harvey A. Jacobs10 Eugene G. Pappas10 Judithann Walsh Whelley Farley Associates Ronald J. Bonomo Rita Ryneski Borzatti5 Robert A. Byrne Thomas A. Costanzo10 Helene Dainowski10 Frank Dessoye10 Donald L. Drust David A. Furman Catherine McCormick Gourley Dennis R. Gourley Barbara Kish Gubanich 1 Class 5 5 Chair or more years of consecutive giving 10 or more years of consecutive giving * Deceased 10 �giving by class Class of 1973 • • • The John Wilkes Society Founder’s Circle Jay S. Sidhu President’s Circle Elizabeth Clements Gover John Wilkes Associates Charles P. Baker David L. Davis10 Lloyd W. Ortman, Jr.5 George P. Sillup The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Nathan R. Eustis, Jr. Robert P. Matley10 Bruce E. Phair Rosemaria Cienciva Sorg 10 John Wilkes Associates • • • Richard J. Allan James J. Morgan5 John J. Reese John G. Margo10 John Wilkes Associates 1 Class 5 5 Chair or more years of consecutive giving 10 or more years of consecutive giving * Deceased 10 The John Wilkes Society President’s Circle W. Lee Miller10 William R. Thomas10 The Eugene Farley Club The Eugene Farley Club Farley Associates • • • Class of 1975 The John Wilkes Society Joan Popick Achhammer Nancy D. Adler Alain C. Arnould Joseph T. Baranoski Karen Metzger Baranoski John J. Benavage Irene B. Blum10 Hope Pawlush Boback Theodore Boback Janet Mazur Boylan5 Karen Patch Castor Robert L. Ciali David G. Demorat, Sr.* Angela Alba Dessoye5 Josephine Schifano Finlayson Joel Fischman Frank P. Galicki Lindsay Farley Gettinger Barbara Gilotti Class of 1976 Class of 1974 Blue Circle Contributors Anthony L. McHugh10 Gay Foster Meyers Kathleen Visniski Praschak Janet Bartuski Rajchel Joyce Hooley Regna Nancy Ellen Roberts Thomas Runiewicz Gary J. Skeras Jane E. Smith10 Marie Lucas Stolarick H. David Trethaway Amy Santilli Whitehouse Robert N. Yanoshak Peter C. Zubritzky5 Denise H. Chapura Julia K. Chmielowski Joseph C. Damiano10 Kevin J. Davy Charles D. Denkenberger Jean H. Gilroy Michael G. Hischak Ann Bowman Jamieson Karen Cerep Jones Martin J. Kane Joyce Stahl King Marshall I. Kornblatt Richard H. Lopatto, Jr. Ann Lyons Nardone Barbara Lucca Rizzitello Rosemary Petrillo Sarna Marguerite A. Sauer5 Pamela Eggert Schueler Sulochana Gogate Sherman Frank J. Tencza Jill Linder Waselik Robert D. Zettle10 • • • Donna Piston Aufiero10 Diane Chisarick Brennan Yvonne Gnatt Casey John Dubik10 Michael J. Filipowski Clyde H. Fitch Carl J. Galletti Drew M. Klemish5 Thomas S. Lasky5 Pamela Parkin Murphy10 Jeffrey F. Prendergast Paula T. Quinn Felice Oxman Salsburg10 Nancy Fern Snow Thomas R. Steltzer Theodore J. Tramaloni Mary P. Ungvarsky5 Edward P. Gorski Ann Carey Harding Barbara Gannon Hogan Bethann Myers Hornick10 Judith A. Kopetchne Pauline Hayes Lawson Cheryl S. Levey Catherine Link Janet Markowitz Macik Marguerite E. McCollom Alan R. Miller Doralyn Howard Moody Deborah A. Schneider10 Barbara Katra Swiatek5 Anita Miller Williams5 Martha Hall Yohe Preston L. Hess Florence Matura Hozempa Mary Burns Jansen Carol Geiger Kampa Evelyn Kovalchick Lewis Duncan W. MacIntyre James P. McGinley Raymond W. McNulty Denise Goobic Meck Margaret Maciun Perkins Barbara Zembrzuski Pisano John R. Pisano Kay Platt Michael W. Riebe David L. Ritter10 Judith Casola Roeder John Savitsky Brenda Ricco Sumski5 James Thomas Stephanie Pufko Umbach10 Cecilia Rudolph Williams • • • The John Wilkes Society Class of 1977 The John Wilkes Society Trustee Associates Trustee Associates Mary Belin Rhodes10 Carolann Gusgekofski Besler Philip A. Besler President’s Circle Paul S. Adams10 The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle John Wilkes Associates Drew Landmesser Michael S. LoPresti Patrice Stone Martin10 Kim Witherow Morgan5 Sandra Shepard Piccone10 Jeffrey D. Renoe Gold Circle Gold Circle John J. Kowalchik Elizabeth M. Lopez5 Karen Kmietowicz Phair Nelson G. Landmesser Patricia A. Schillaci10 Roger T. Sorensen Blue Circle Blue Circle Gold Circle Ann Marie Bartuska Christine M. Buchina1, 5 Brian M. Finn Bernard J. Ford, III Joan Zaleski Ford Brian K. Haeckler10 David C. Kowalek5 Gary L. Richwine Michael G. Stambaugh Stephen M. Baloga, Jr.10 James Castanzo Joan Domarasky Luksa10 Richard J. Sullivan5 Bruce A. Lear Farley Associates Farley Associates Deborah Lataro Cargo10 Robert D. Clements, Jr. Gail MacIntyre Dohrn10 Carol Kester Dungey Susan V. Fielder10 Diane R. Jones5 Richard W. MacKey Joseph J. Marchetti Michael G. Menichini Deborah Dinkel Nieman Somsy Phrakaysone Margery German Rifkin Michael S. Rifkin Robert J. Spinelli5 Maureen Carey Albrecht Holly G. Baab Richard A. Bellacosa Kathleen Warakomski Benjamin Joan Chemnitius Best Raymond A. Best Arthur S. Daniels10 Ruth McKalips Diestelmeier Paul J. Domowitch Steven Esrick5 T. Chris Hansen, II Gene A. Heath10 Michael J. Kassab Earl W. Monk10 Richard D. Mutarelli5 Catherine Williams Ozgo10 Jeffrey A. Schlicher M. Patty Cullinan Spinelli5 Thomas J. Ward Blue Circle Darlene Kishbaugh Darryl G. Kramer Dwaine Edwards Mattei Duane Sadvary5 Robert P. Singer Angela T. Vauter Farley Associates Paula Castrucci Mary P. Cawley Clifton E. Dungey Robert T. Dzugan5 Lorene Daring Laberge Ann Agnes Loftus Robert Lussi Richard D. Masi John J. Mazzolla Bettie Ann Rogers Morgan Michael J. O’Boyle10 Robert D. Prendergast Beverly Chislo Solfanelli Carol Presnal Stashik Elaine Smith Traynor J. Bruce Weinstock Ann M. Williams Margaret A. Zellner Contributors Gerald C. Alferio Diane Seltzer Bloss Donna Coffin Bresmon Gene A. Camoni Farley Associates Ann Dysleski Armstrong Raymond Bartosh5 Barbara Swandick Duda Rebecca Ceresi Grasavage5 Raymond P. Gustave Robert S. Howes, Jr. Ronald J. Jacobs10 Gary M. Kratz Clarence G. Ozgo10 Thomas W. Pezzicara5 Sally Chupka Pucilowski10 Pauline A. Seleski Amir Shahi-Fakhr Joan Bonfanti Shannon Nancy P. Snee Stephen Solfanelli Ann Rapoch Super5 Jane E. Thompson5 Nancy Rodda Topolewski10 Contributors Jennifer C. Anderson Andrew E. Baron Theodore B. Dennis, Jr. Ellen Schwartz Fischman Contributors Marianne Montague Benjamin Susan Brimo-Cox William F. Burke, Jr. Maryrose Bendik Burlington10 Andrea Mahally Danilack Mark J. Dubik David L. Ellis Regina Gurick Guarin Darice Sabalesky Janusziewicz Marianne Macur Kopcho Frances S. Kuczynski5 Margaret Burgess Lenihan5 Shelley Rubin Liva Paul J. Macik The Eugene Farley Club Blue Circle Joseph W. Buckley Contributors Linda Jamiolkowski Brush Jill Fritz Buntz5 Donna Smith Dickinson Manuel J. Evans Deborah A. Federo Judith Bienkowski Geary Kenneth A. Geary Louise Butkiewicz Goodwin David C. Griffin Wilkes | Fall 2011 Barbara McNicholl Scarpino10 Deborah Berti Walsh • report of gifts 39 �report of gifts • giving by class Margaret Tomczak Interrante Mark J. Jarolen Karen Kuchinskas Kaminski Carl E. Kaschenbach, III Joanne Englot Kawczenski10 Deborah J. Koons5 Christine Koterba Lodge Rick D. Mahonski5 Amy Albanese Mazich John J. Minetola Sandra Horensky Molotsky5 Thomas Paliscak* 5 Barry Allan Pezzner Roy David Preefer James D. Reilly, Jr. Joseph W. Sekusky Leonarda A. Sperrazza Patricia S. Steele Inez S. Stefanko Dianne LaCova Trawick Patrick A. Ward5 Pamela Gingell Webb Class of 1978 • • • The John Wilkes Society Trustee Associates Rhea Politis Simms5 Founder’s Circle Brigette McDonald Herrmann10 Joanne Pugliese Carpenter Paula Heffernan Daley10 Michael V. DeVincentis5 Janine Pokrinchak Dubik Joann Mykulyn Evans Mark Finkelstein Gary E. Gardner Doreen Wickiser Hampton Denise Casem Hasneh5 Carol Pashchuk Huggler5 Andrea Chuba Kealey10 Patricia McCarthy Last Stephen J. Lear John J. Mack10 Leslie Stobel McCafferty Mark A. Miklich Margaret Schutz Mullin Christopher B. O’Brien Diane M. Polachek Harriet Smith Rabinowitz5 Stewart W. Rae, III Mary Kern Reynolds10 Terry J. Schoen Susan Shiskowski Frank R. Sirocki Robert J. Stofko5 Linda Allmon Walden5 David J. Yakaitis5 Maryjean deSandes5 Class of 1979 Deborah Yedlock Glidden Nigel J. Gray David J. Gulitus William M. Havrilchak George P. Hodges Claire Elaine Johnson Nancy Jane Johnson Joseph D. Kerestes, Jr. Rosa Khalife-McCracken John R. Leedy James J. Maloney5 Kurt J. Moody Linda Mizenko Noto Edward F. Orloski Thomas P. Sokola Mary Ann Morgan Stelma Cheryl Berry Washington Class of 1980 • • • The John Wilkes Society Founder’s Circle Joseph T. Rauschmayer Stephen J. Croghan5 Joel P. Kane Thomas N. Ralston10 Gold Circle Stephen S. Grillo10 John R. Silk Dean W. Evans Terri Mackavage Kovalski John Wilkes Associates John H. Ellis, IV5 David L. Blumfield Carol A. Bosack-Kosek Lawrence J. Mullen10 Mark A. Rado5 Michael A. Sibilia David M. Williams Shepard C. Willner10 Blue Circle The Eugene Farley Club Farley Associates Barry J. Niziolek5 Gold Circle Joseph D. Angelella1 Anthony J. Aversa Thomas E. Brooks, III Janet May Cavanaugh James L. Devaney Karen L. Devine Charles E. Hagen Judith Scott Harris Craig A. Jackson David M. Maxim10 Michael G. McNelis Richard J. Nordheim5 William A. Shaw10 Joseph M. Toole5 Wilkes | Fall 2011 40 Michael D. Booth Karen Kennedy Campbell10 Blue Circle Ruth McDermott-Levy10 John Wilkes Associates Blue Circle Contributors Bruce R. Williams1 Lisa Prokarym Rauschmayer Frederick W. Herrmann10 Sharon Zawatski Ellis Jay Finkelstein William D. Frye, Jr. 10 Wilma Hurst Gardner Gold Circle Founder’s Circle Founder’s Circle Contributors The Eugene Farley Club William R. Miller10 Joseph A. Gray Joye Martin-Lamp5 Renee Venarucci Benedetto5 Karen Lucchesi Bostrom John E. Cavanaugh, Jr. Betsy Bell Condron10 David E. Dudick William J. Gibbons Donald E. Horrox10 Michael M. Molitoris Sandra Pensieri-Molitoris Leonard J. Podrasky, Jr. Maureen Shay Prendergast Geraldine Cravatta Samselski Cheryl Moyer Thomas Brian C. Thomas John Wilkes Associates Ann Marie Booth Cardell Daniel J. Cardell Farley Associates John Wilkes Associates Maureen Connolly Cambier Joseph E. Gaydos5 Kathleen Layaou Heltzel Teresa A. Keenan Regina Morse Ana E. Nunez Keith J. Saunders Myron Slota Karen Steckel Vernon John Wilkes Associates Michael A. Calabrese Ann Sharkey Esrick5 Ellen M. Field Diane Pechalonis Groves Lori Ashbaugh Mackey Anita Marie Meehan Jane A. Miller10 James J. Moran10 Anita Mucciolo David A. Palanzo Cynthia M. Patterson5 Lois Enama Pluskey1, 5 Judith L. Reishtein Clark F. Speicher John K. Suchoski5 Jacqueline A. Vitek Kenneth J. Krogulski Wayne D. Lonstein Trustee Associates Gold Circle Farley Associates President’s Circle James P. Edwards10 Trustee Associates Donald I. Burton, Jr.10 David E. Hadley Farley Associates Jean Reiter Adams10 Carol Corbett Pawlush10 Founder’s Circle The John Wilkes Society The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle The John Wilkes Society • • • The John Wilkes Society President’s Circle • • • President’s Circle • • • The Eugene Farley Club Class of 1982 Class of 1981 President’s Circle Raymond E. Dombroski David A. Jolley10 Judith Mills Mack10 Michael J. Speziale5 John J. Woloski, Jr. Marla Brodsky Wright ’81 Sharon Knight Grivner Ronald J. Gronski Bruno E. Kolodgie5 Philip A. Marino Michael Miller John A. Miranda Joanne Harding Murphy10 Thomas B. Needham, Jr.10 Frank A. Pascucci Gary J. Richard Barbara Boote Rupert Kenneth N. Sciamanna10 Jill Molinaro Speicher Susan M. Suchanic Paul R. Torre Maria Miscavage Urick James Michael Wallace Patricia L. Warski Barbara Rodda Welch5 Cheryl Polak Woloski Frank D. Yamrus1 Contributors Julie Keiderling Bordo Edgar S. Brace, III5 Jeanne C. Brady Michael V. Broda Kathryn Roman Davis Donna Mae Eicke Robert J. Gaetano Terrence W. Casey Joseph G. Galli1 Barbara E. King5 Contributors Patricia Wysowski Cooper Linda McCarthy D’Amario Marjorie A. George Linda R. Kistler Rosanne Kramer Brenda Kutz Burkholder Debra Thompson Miller Patricia Markiewicz Patrician Jane Ciprich Ryan Christine Lain Sarno Carl F. Schultheis, III Catherine Durocher Shafer10 John D. Sweeney Brian T. Waugh Ann Molski Wells Deborah Chandler Zuzelski5 Theodore Zwiebel The Eugene Farley Club Blue Circle Rose Ann Salvo Farley Farley Associates Linda Styers Adams Kathleen Potter Atkinson Mary Jean McCarthy Clements Beth Hathaway Glassford Harry C. Hicks, Jr. Susan M. Liberski Gary E. Michael Cheryl Scalese Moyer Mary Rebarchak Schott10 Rosemarie Hubner Swain Class of 1983 • • • The John Wilkes Society Contributors John Wilkes Associates Noreen Sack Burginia Debra Prater Chapman Jacqueline Sunder Demko James J. Grudzinski Susan Matley Hritzak Theresa M. Johnson Keith P. Kolanda James S. Makowski Melissa Demko Molinaro Maria Nilsen Pacchioni5 Donna Pioppi Donna Ferretti Shandra Sarah Farley Stapleton Robert A. Bruggeworth The Eugene Farley Club Blue Circle Jeffrey R. Garbor10 Gerald J. O’Hara Farley Associates Daniel A. Batzel Clair Beard Read 1 Class 5 5 Chair or more years of consecutive giving 10 or more years of consecutive giving * Deceased 10 �giving by class Contributors Michael Ambrosiani Joan Thomas Brody Roy J. Brody Stephen N. Cahoon David R. Carey1 Jennifer Ogurkis Carey Judy Rydzewski Cudo Amy J. Elias Lori Yensavage Gardner Robert D. Haas David Hottenstein Eric L. Johnson10 Kathleen Keller Leon T. Kolanowski Lisa Striefsky Levine Bart L. Matson Debra Malinick-McGraw Elizabeth Huettenmoser North James R. Reap Patricia M. Riley Francis E. Rowe Daniel C. Schilling10 Kimberly Coccodrilli Strickland Leonard J. Swida, Jr. Elaine Puzio Waugh Class of 1984 • • • The John Wilkes Society Ruth E. Renna10 David J. Scopelliti Marguerite McCormick Tolan10 R. Drew Wilkins Contributors Jo Ann Magers Araya Joseph J. Birmingham Stephen J. Bohac Donna Grzenda Bonczewski Edward W. Czeck Alphonse T. D’Amario Ellen Proeller Dennis Patricia Hidock Dodge William B. Dodge Joseph F. Dylewski10 Lisa Howes Eifler Erin Evans Franko Raul Gochez Herbert Godfrey, Jr. Sharon Michener Gross Edward R. Kennelly Joseph J. Leandri Gary M. Mack Elizabeth Larson Ostuni Marie Yeager Pope Marcia Wachs Race Theodore Ruch Dennis W. Sholl David A. Soboleski Ann Marie Burke Sweeney Christopher Thomas Dianne M. Watchulonis5 Karen L. Weltman Donald R. Werts Charmaine Conrad Zoller5 The Eugene Farley Club Karen Bove5 Susan Maier Davis1 Blue Circle 1 Class 5 5 Chair or more years of consecutive giving 10 or more years of consecutive giving * Deceased 10 The John Wilkes Society John Wilkes Associates Thomas Allardyce5 Jay C. Rubino5 Thomas J. Thomas, Jr. The Eugene Farley Club Blue Circle Thomas J. Balutis Dianne Charsha5 Thomas J. Swirbel10 Kathleen Hyde Walsh Denise Selner Bartoletti10 Dawn Lockburner Bayles John A. Chipego Barbara Jarick Ecker Joseph C. Grzenda, Jr. Kathryn Gryzie Johnson Sandra P. Luongo5 David P. Rudis Eugene D. Wachowski5 Timothy P. Williams5 Myron W. Yencha Class of 1987 • • • The John Wilkes Society John Wilkes Associates Joseph S. Briskie The Eugene Farley Club Blue Circle Alice C. Bulger10 John H. Bulger10 Joyce Victor Chmil5 Thomas J. Ricko1, 5 John P. Sedor Mark Tobino Farley Associates Cornelius Douris5 Anthony M. Gavel John W. Harrison Daniel R. Nulton10 Michael Rupp10 Marc E. Shapiro Donald Shaw Greg Trapani Sandra Williams Contributors Michael Mattise10 Michele James Wagner Linda Turowski Attardo Christine Rushforth Banks Elizabeth Payne Bartram Shirley Nelson Brough Karen Klutz Burden Joan Balutis Chisarick5 Charles Cohn Alysse Croft Daches Roy M. DeLay Stephen DiMarco Michael R. Everett Greg A. Feldman Joan Smith Foster Thomas R. Gasper Kimberly Tokach Kellar Joseph M. Kultys Scott Michenfelder5 John R. Patterson, Jr. Alex Rendina Sandra A. Rendina Steve Shearer Ellen R. Smith Sally Vojtek Mazzarella Caryl Goldsmith Wax Blue Circle Russell Banta Kay Brown-Coskey Tom Harfman5 Edward J. Hudson10 Mary Ann Koshatzky Keirans Daniel J. Kennelly John C. Long, Jr. Timothy E. Page Thomas J. Popko, Jr. Michael J. Uter Contributors Farley Associates Christopher D. Way Suzanne Engel Webber Karen Sheard White Thaddeus M. Zuzik Gold Circle Farley Associates Gold Circle • • • James J. Mulligan5 Karen Zingale The John Wilkes Society Richard J. Myers, Jr. Joni Fiester Brooks Donna Nitka Brunelli Kathleen Galli Chupka10 Paul C. Dietrich5 Debra Bligh Gernhart5 Jeffrey S. Gernhart5 Daniel Glunk Francis S. Gruscavage5 Edwin M. Johnson Janet Legault Kelley10 Regina White Klepadlo5 Barbara Rosick Moran10 John S. Perry Class of 1986 John Wilkes Associates • • • The Eugene Farley Club Farley Associates Theresa Gruzenski Alba10 Melissa Bauzon Bohac Neil T. Coy, Sr. Evelyn J. Dopko10 Carmella Butera Fereck5 Suzanne Vassia Fletcher Michael Homishak Gail Lamoreux Kashulon10 Vincent J. Kashulon, Jr.10 John F. Kelly5 Alice Ting Lee5 Michael A. Marino, Jr. Sharon McLoughlin-Fabris Thomas J. Monsell James M. Opet10 Elizabeth Dougherty Quinn Michelle Liddic Schilling10 Jeffrey J. Tokach Annette Winski Spahr Joseph E. Ziobro Paul Chmil5 Paul A. Cummings5 J. B. Earl Karen Galli10 Eric F. Reidinger10 Class of 1985 John Wilkes Associates Valerie Kotula Alba Donna Garber Cosgrove Tracy McElroy O’Hara Contributors Dennis P. Clarke10 Kevin Cooney Cheryl Zack Fischer William N. Gude Catherine Julius Florence Backitis Lauth Gary R. Melusen5 Gary C. Mrozinski Leslie Kramer Rickerson Amy McCluskey Sadvary Jean Dougherty Sam Joseph M. Santuk5 Angela Iyoob Stewart Christine May Terry David J. Warnick10 Class of 1988 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Blue Circle Chadwick E. Tuttle5 Farley Associates Lisa Sigman Banta Karen M. Beretsky Barbara Eyet Matthew T. Ryan Ann Markowski Toole5 Contributors Cynthia Allen Ayers Jeffery E. Ball James Borysowski Roy F. Boyd Christopher R. Connolly Robert Corradetti James S. Cross Francis E. Crowley, III Lesley Demech D’Andrea Stephanie Stine DiGiovanni Deborah DeCesare Duncan Michael Duncan Kyra Duran Rosemary Bottazzi Eibach Lisa C. Jordan Mark Kneeream Lawrence M. Kopenis James Krupa Mary B. Lenahan Deborah Lulis Debra A. Maleski William S. Peightel5 Diana Smith Prinzo Thomas C. Prinzo Dennis J. Procopio10 Marilyn C. Querci5 James H. Ralston Michelle A. Rick Dianne Tometchko Ruch Debra Reisenweaver Schweitzer Jon Shade Thomas Slonaker Edward J. Sullivan Carole Armstrong Tellie Kurt A. Topfer5 Veronica Upwood Matthew P. Wasel Don Zelek Beth Ann Carswell Ziobro Class of 1989 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Blue Circle Robert D. Sitzler5 Farley Associates Kevin M. Gaffey Michael J. Kolessar B. Jean Millard Kosh Joel C. Kotch5 Antoinette Rajchel-Wingert5 Contributors Denise Sushocki Allardyce Robert S. Berger5 Kenneth C. Boyle James J. Carroll James G. Day Salvatore P. DiGiovanni Nancy Hricko Divers5 Erik A. Everett Pauline Wagner Fisher Kristen Henry-Shade Clark A. Herron Renee Swider Horwath Lorraine Malinchock Luscavage Dawn Whalen Marshall Genevieve E. McManus Wilkes | Fall 2011 Joseph J. Chmiola Carol Louise Dean5 Roya Fahmy Richard Havard, III James M. Johnson Paul H. McCabe James V. Musto Janice Nagle Pettinato Marie Roke Thomas5 Sandra Bartels Thomas Stephen C. Thomas V Thomas G. Urosevich Ellen Marie Van Riper • report of gifts 41 �report of gifts • giving by class Susan Stortz Moyer Kimberly Klimek Novak Dale F. Parmenteri Eric J. Price Carol Henry Raymond Sharon Sholtis Schneider Jeffrey D. Seamans5 Jane Coyle Smith Randy S. Stevens Robert D. Wachowski5 Class of 1990 • • • The John Wilkes Society Founder’s Circle Jason D. Griggs The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Carl M. Charnetski10 Wendy Holden Gavin10 Blue Circle Shirley Thomas Butler10 Joseph C. Smith Aimee A. Zaleski Tracy Goryeb Zarola1 Farley Associates Jeffrey J. Cooper Eva E. Patrick Contributors Donna Brown Argenio Joseph F. Argenio Dominick J. Aritz Scott C. Barth Karen Donohue Connolly Teresa M. Costenbader Hazle L. Demellier Michael W. Fender Steven J. Galloway Bruce A. Huggler5 Cynthia L. Miller Neil P. Mullin Franco Rossi, Jr. Mark T. Siegel10 Mark A. Sommers Anthony F. Torquato John M. Wilk Steve W. Wilson5 John Wilkes Associates Class of 1992 • • • Blue Circle Craig J. Engel5 Joseph G. Lannon John F. Sheehan, III Farley Associates Janine M. Becker Erica Simshauser Gaffey Brenda Miller Gaydos5 Mary E. Gould Eric J. Knorr Class of 1995 The Eugene Farley Club Blue Circle Blue Circle Frederick M. Evans10 Paul T. Jellen William J. Umphred, Jr. Farley Associates Aaron D. Albert Melissa Margis-Kapur Rosemary LaFratte1, 5 Ronald N. Miller5 Janel Oshinski Sally Pancheri Contributors Frederick H. Addison5 Eugene J Colosimo John J. Comerford Colette M. Elick Karl J. Hoffman Joann Hartmann Jones John J. Keeler Karen Pryslak Kelly Kathleen S. Klapatch Alan J. Kovacs Lori Kuhar Marshall Ralph C. Miller Lori Guarino Price David Z. Tevet Robert J Wooditch Class of 1994 Blue Circle • • • Arden J. Keller, Jr. Kathleen McGeary Umphred The Eugene Farley Club Farley Associates Charlotte Hoffman Moser Daniel W. Moser Tina Oechler-Dean Jonathan L. Perloff Christopher M. Scarba Suzanne Stanski Scheible James M. Sepko Louis J. Shiber George W. Snyder Frances Stecker Michael C. Hall Melanie O’Donnell Mickelson10 The Eugene Farley Club Diane M. Servello Lillian M. Bostjancic John K. Breckner Ka Kit Chan Eileen E. Colahan Jason C. Eike Evan G. Evans Steven F. Geider Shelley Herb-Fausey Cecelia P. Mercuri5 Joelle Mrozoski5 Stephen D. Puzio5 Janice A. Raspen Kathleen Risley10 Raymond J. Rock Raymond R. Russ5 Kimberly Mattes Sarna The Eugene Farley Club Wilkes | Fall 2011 The John Wilkes Society Nancy Alonzo5 Guenther C. Bareihs John P. Bonin Connie Breese Janice Miller Browning Thomas P. Cawley Albert J. Cihocki Edward F. Cywinski Camille Bobeck Daniels Cindi Cianflone DeRichie Judith A. Ellis Michelle Barry Finnegan James J. Florio Stan J. Giza Victoria M. Glod10 Edward D. Gorman Robert S. Hiller Carol Hiscox10 Corinne Foor Kern Edward J. Kwak1, 5 Clifford A. Melberger Richard A. Melvin Catherine E. Moore Patricia Skozelas Pawlak Charles D. Redding Mary Jo Rubino Richard R. Ruda Randall A. Santarelli Catherine H. Saporito Ronald M. Sebastianelli William F. Shankweiler5 Bridget Krajkovich Todd Robert M. Wanuga • • • Virginia M. Rodechko10 Class of 1993 • • • Contributors John Wilkes Associates David P. Saxton Cheryl Jacobs Schoell Jaime Goldblatt Wales Contributors Class of 1991 The John Wilkes Society 42 Jamie Mazeitis Knorr Francis J. Michelini Frederick A. Mihalow Amy Schukis Sheehan5 Susan Adamchak Smith10 Farley Associates Kevin M. Barno Steven S. Endres Walter R. Guss Brian J. Kobylus George J. Rucco Jean Littzi Rucco Tama L. Schmidt Denise Berberick Stewart10 Contributors Frank D. Beier Jane Ostrowski Brennan Mark F. Buss Brian M. Caloiaro Matthew J. Curry Charlene Klynowsky Decker Tara A. Donleavy Jennifer A. Fasching Gwen Groblewski Alan J. Guitson10 Xin-Tian Hoffman Wendy L. Ide Kevin P. Kratzer5 Contributors Christopher P. Adams Keith L. Adamski James F. Anoia William R. Beggs Philip J. Calabro Kimberly B. Carr Jennifer Ryman Davis Christopher C. Dunbar Brian R. Halpin Stephen W. Hansen5 William R. Keiderling Timothy D. Long LoriAnn Gorrick Pajalich David E. Searfoss Angie Graver Sekellick Patricia K. Spivak Richard D. Wisniewski Carmen M. Zullo • • • The Eugene Farley Club Susan J. Malkemes10 Daniel P. Reilly Farley Associates Sabeth R. Albert Patrick K. Bartorillo Kathleen Moran Houlihan Bruce Kerr Joseph P. McBride10 Vivian Naughton William F. Noone Ronald L. Pecukonis Samuel R. Sebastianelli Jeffrey B. Slank James W. Smith Jason R. Smith Class of 1997 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Karen A. Ephlin Michael G. Noone1 Farley Associates Cynthia Charnetski Bradley R. Klotz10 Edmund R. Zych Contributors Carl M. Achhammer Carmen F. Ambrosino, Jr. Jan H. Ambrutis Ann Blaskiewicz Tammy Palmer Caloiaro Shellene Dixon Clark Joan M. Coffey Tara Breslosky Cooper Lori A. Cotrone Linda L. Crayton Robert J. Dean Thomas F. Donlon Guy A. DuBoice Martha L. Heffers David A. Hines10 Kimberly Escarge Keller10 B. Richard Miller Michael A. Palumbo Melissa Papa-Bakke Joseph P. Ruane David C. Ruskey Gary A. Scott Thomas J. Semanek Carol Morris Shamonsky Judith Wienckoski Contributors Louis E. Atkinson5 Jeanette Beierle Bogdon Abigail Breiseth Patricia S. Daquino Mark J. Dechman10 Amy Webb Horensky Robert D. Horensky Adam Kamor Gary J. Kostrobala Allen Yong-Ung Lee Tamatha Curry Limongelli Ann Marie Marks Rita T. Metcalf Christine Pavalkis Richard P. Pietras Brett A. Sachse Class of 1998 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Joseph J. Fadden Blue Circle Class of 1996 Lisa Niewinski Ciampi Lori Ann Perch10 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Farley Associates Farley Associates Karen Bednarczyk Cowan1, 10 John J. Julius Brian W. McCoy Vani P. Murthy10 Ali E. Qureshi5 Rose Tammaro Smith Tammy Swartwood Noone Michael N. Barrouk1 Paul W. Downton I. Michael Fras Stephen Hughes Jill Fasciana McCoy George G. Pawlush 1 Class 5 5 Chair or more years of consecutive giving 10 or more years of consecutive giving * Deceased 10 �giving by class Farley Associates Stephanie L. Bass5 Marcella H. Buzanowicz Angelina Thomasina Curtis James R. Domzalski Sean C. Flannery Deborah Andres Greco5 Karen L. Guitson10 Mitchell N. Morgan Anne Straub Pelak10 Edward J. Saracino Cynthia M. Sieto Joy A. Sipe Peter M. Stover Timothy M. Straub Phillip J. Torres Judith J. Vendel Rod A. Wilson Richard L. Givens Beverly K. Gooden5 John A. Mason, Jr.5 Jeffrey Reichl Robert S. Rolland Matthew J. Sowcik Kimberly Gross Wolfrom David S. Wolovich Class of 1999 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Blue Circle Sarah Karlavage Rocchio Farley Associates Jill Mackay Barrouk Randy A. Engelman5 Jennifer John Carolyn Chronowski Lauderback Matthew J. Peleschak10 Kristine Erhard Pruett10 Steven D. Tourje Contributors Jan G. Benton Brandon Berretta Mary Ann Kershitsky Blosky Patricia Carpenetti Carpenter Andrew L. Coolidge Tina Dakun Brian Edward Gryboski Cecilia Bukowski Hibbard Allison Potzer Isom Lisa Johnson Ford Tara E. Kojsza Joseph S. Krzysik Carrie Bruno Langdon Jonathan G. Laudenslager Theresa Martincavage Mahon Judith Lahr Martin10 Michael C. McCree James J. Perfetto Debra DuBois Sachse Aaron F. Sherburne Class of 2000 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Christina M. Van Camp Blue Circle Jennifer B. Klinger Charles D. Lemmond, Jr.5 Contributors Floyd T. Allen Holly Renee Baer David G. Bond, Jr. Norbert J. Braun Charles E. Brinker Jason L. Evans Stephanie Huber Gallagher William D. Gallagher Beth Ann Gehret Crystal Culver George Jamelle Nebesky Hartman Rebecca A. Herb Harry W. Hintz, Jr. Robert J. Krehely, Jr. Kirk A. Leslie Brian L. Lubenow Jessica Murray Range Sheri A. Resperski Ann Stanski Rood Kathleen Terrenoir Sachse Joan L. Schneider Lauren Castelli Sherburne Jessica Niemiec Swingle Donna S. Talarico1 James Christopher Tardio Thomas M. Turinski Mary T. Villano Janice E. Williams Lisa M. Yupco Lori A. Zeigler Class of 2001 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Robert Cooney5 William J. Layo Blue Circle 1 Class 5 5 Chair or more years of consecutive giving 10 10 or more years of consecutive giving * Deceased Class of 2002 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle J. Bartholomay Grier5 Blue Circle James T. Best5 Beth Danner Kinslow1, 5 Farley Associates Bethany Yenner Bosha Michael C. Hetzel Joshua G. Mendoza Karen Bradley Mendoza Gregory A. Wojnar Rachel Hammond Wolovich Michael D. Pawlik Class of 2003 Jed J. Starner Mark D. Hulme10 Robert S. Keeney Michael J. Liberski1, 5 Joseph J. Stein5 Christina Rubillo Swanson Jill A. Topalanchik Misty Weidner Davis Julia Gordon Wojnar Farley Associates Contributors • • • The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Steven D. Sefton Blue Circle Robert J. Klepadlo5 James L. McCarthy5 Contributors Michelle A. Allison Heather Chapman Fanucci Margaret L. Coniglio Candace M. Dailey Robert C. Diefenderfer Preethy Dileepkumar James B. Ford Holly D. Gambler Robert E. Gebhard Ronald J. Geise Lorri Ricci Goss Patrick Hanlon Kathleen A. Harris Ruth Hough-Engel Mary Rogan Hurst Tracy M. Jones Tami Joyce Donna M. Laskosky Terence J. Laughlin Timothy E. Letcher Michelle M. Marchetti Melodee A. Minium John A. Murphy Erin L. Murray Laurel D. Peifer Jennifer Quinn-Bulford Thomas R. Rebuck Barbara J. Rizzo Kristin L. Roberts Anita V. Ruskey Edward N. Sartin Elizabeth Alles Sheakoski Kevin R. Sickle1 Lisa A. Smith John E. Thomas Joseph Waschko Eric Zuber Contributors Farley Associates Edward T. Bednarz Heather A. Brown Elizabeth Shultz Conklin Ronald S. Davis Jonathan D. Ference Kimberly Hritzak Ference Scott E. Herb David M. Hinkle Ann Wotring Kirka Marcy Fritz Krill5 Daniel S. Longyhore Martha C. Marchand Richard W. Seipp Contributors Elaine T. Beggs David Brinckman Lisa Charneski Michael J. Cherinka William W. Clark5 Gregory J. Collins Shanna Henninger Dawson Katie Pearson Desiderio David DiMartino Nicole Foelker Palumbo Dennis M. Fox Justin Holmes Brian R. Judge5 Stacy Geiger Mesics10 Robert M. Moore Timothy M. Morgan Christine A. Nestlerode Madelynn Miley Riedel Leonard A. Romanski Judy A. Sawka Barbara Wolfe Scott Patricia Hopfer Sebastianelli Lisa K. Shafer1 Rosemarie C. Sochka Cheryl Scavo Spager Tami Stascavage-Broda Kari Steele Christopher J. Talecki Peter P. Waskiewicz Brian Wolfe Elizabeth A. Yablonski Mary E. Ziegler Milos Barjaktarovic Elizabeth Connelly Alicia A. Cymbala John P. Hawthorne Kariann Iskra Gary T. LaTorre Heidi D. Landis John Leedock Michelle Lukens Barbara Kakareka Malinowski Paul Marciano Douglas K. Mountz Kathleen Quinn Seargent Judy L. Siegle Cheryl A. Snyder Anthony J. Stavenski, III Mark J. Waskovich Michael W. Ziegler Class of 2004 • • • The John Wilkes Society John Wilkes Associates Wendy J. Beard Mary E. Bellissimo David R. Borofski Christine Stange Bouton Katie Boyle-Moore5 Karen B. Brokate Rebecca J. Broyan Jeremy J. Chmiel Carla L. Conner Kristopher S. Fayock Andrew Fisler Susan L. Hubbard Kenneth A. Huntington Colleen Kennedy-Lovecchio Kristin Hake Klemish Ryan Klemish Michelle D. Kostelansky Rosemary Luksha Eileen L. Mathias5 Jessica L. Mehring Shannon M. Myers Seth P. Reed Daniel A. Rempp5 Kelly Lassen Rollman Nicholas S. Rollman Michelle A. Snyder Janna A. Ward John J. Zelena Kerry A. Zellner Class of 2005 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Blue Circle Gordon S. Smoko Farley Associates Allisa K. Bowen Maria T. Currier Bridget Giunta Husted Vincent A. Hartzell5 Jennifer L. Pawleshyn Alessandro L. Plutino* Hassan M. Shah Kimberly A. Whipple Cathleen A. Zanghi5 Eric J. Pape Contributors The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Stephanie Smith Cooney5 Farley Associates John D. Bosha Richard Budnick5 Michael V. Burke Elizabeth Carp Bernotavicius Gabrielle Lamb D’Amico Lisa Doan-Harley Melissa Mauro Gottschall Katherine E. Arensmeyer Harry L. Aultz Matthew A. Begansky Michael G. Benulis Sabrina Naples Benulis Daniel P. Cook Michael J. Crawford Diane Furnanage D’Angelo Philip A. Defranco, Jr. Jillian L. Ford Pamela A. Geisinger Heather Thomas Graham Wilkes | Fall 2011 Contributors • report of gifts 43 �report of gifts • giving by class Sharon Granahan Tricia M. Higgins Brian J. Keating Linda L. Korbeil Renee A. Kotz Melissa Merok Leedock Melissa A. Maybe Sheila M. McArdle Alyssa Mollo Julian C. Morales Francis E. Quinn Tiffany Santarelli Brian R. Sheakoski Daniel Smith Elizabeth A. Swantek James B. Tomaine Lauren N. Trovillion Bridget McHale Turel Jarred Weaver Daniel E. Williams Megan Williams-Less Patricia Wilson Michael Zapotoski Nicole Ripper Zeiser Class of 2006 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Farley Associates Nathan P. Fenstermacher Kofi Gbomita Kristen Dulick Hartzell5 Michele Medek Lauren Y. Pluskey5 Jared M. Shayka Contributors Wilkes | Fall 2011 Michael J. Adamshick Natalie M. Baur Stacey J. Behnert Stacey A. Berkoski William R. Butler Sara M. Grab5 Chad E. Groover Miranda Heness Philbin Cherianne Hollenback Ashley M. Joslin Margaret A. Klem Michael D. Kulikoski Gretchen L. Laviolette Amanda E. Lewis Nicole Matsko Nastassia Sieger Ann O’Connor Michael J. Pedley Nicolas Perez, Jr. Susan Smith Anthony Stavenski, Jr. Ashleigh Stewart Lori Stom Kristina Wall Andrea Weaver 44 Gregory Webber James Wilce, Jr. Amanda Williams Anthony Zigmont Timothy S. Nolt Susan V. Zavistoski Contributors Blue Circle Jamie P. Addley Susan A. Angell Jason D. Artz Lynn M. Bachstein Stephanie Victor Begansky Karen Petrosky Blaum Michael W. Bogdon, Jr. Megan A. Cannon Jennifer Hunter Childs Holly Miller Courter Rebecca L. Duttry Mary A. Evans Stacy M. Fimmano Colin B. Gabler Lee Ann Gera Anthony T. Giuffrida Mark J. Graham Michael Hadginske Gerard M. Hetman Michael A. Hrynenko, Jr. Ashlee Ribec Janusziewicz Ashish A. Javia Amanda L. Johnson Jennifer N. Keating Danielle K. Kern Jessica Krupski Kristen L. Linhart Barry L. Lopatic Mary H. Lukas Blaine P. Madara1 Joseph P. Martin Raymond A. Metzo Sarah A. Miller Madonna Moran Charles Moyer Benjamin S. Murphy Jamie L. Myers Winterford J. Ohland Craig R. Rein Jonathan A. Smith Alexander Sperrazza Sondra N. Steinruck Beth A. Stone Tracy M. Suprick Joshua S. Swantek Keerthi Kaushik Tarani Brian V. Taylor Lindsay A. Thomas James D. Welch Libby J. Wray Keith A. Heim, Jr. Wendy Marek Murphy Class of 2009 Class of 2007 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle John Mishanski, Jr. Blue Circle Michael F. Malkemes10 Jonathan M. McClave Lauren Solski Farley Associates Laurie Agresti Morgan A. Kuhns Matthew A. LoPresto Meagan E. Harkness Amy M. Patton Joyette E. Williams Contributors Thomas Andreopoulos Karen Atiyeh Katherine M. Broda Laura Novak Connolly Mario A. Cozzubbo, III Catherine M. Dzubaty Julie A. Graby Matthew R. Hawk Nora E. Jurasits Mary M. Kostingo Jennifer Kroesen Stephanie Smith Timothy Mirra Jonathan J. Morgan Lindsay Nanz Michelle Reist Adrienne M. Richards Joshua R. Savitski Jonathan H. Schwartz5 Leayn Stockdill Jenna Strzelecki1, 5 Joshua Turel Gretchen Yeninas Karena Zdeb Class of 2008 • • • The Eugene Farley Club • • • Farley Associates The Eugene Farley Club David J. Beretski Shannon Carr Fenstermacher Rebecca Santoro Hetzel Dana H. Manning Gold Circle Nancy A. Weeks5 Nicole T. Borland Margaret Barry Brown Krista Burns Nicole A. Cairns Laura K. Cawley Benjamin A. Childs Sara E. Chisdock Kristen A. Davidson Mark W. DeJong Sarah L. Devine Angela L. Dolheimer Karia Lee Erdman Andrew Feldman Benjamin J. Forsberg Michael J. Frank Amy A. Fusco Christopher A. Gulla Luciana Musto Herman Angela Hetrick Vincent D. Hill Nancy Mitchell Hludzik Maureen O. Hooker Hillary A. Hunter Kristen M. Hyde Maureen A. Iskra Daniel Jordan Jill S. Kalariya Judith L. Keretz Thomas Kresge Kurt Kuklewicz Mary A. Lamb Carol A. Lavelle Stacy J. Malia Janine Mattucci Marquette Lisa L. Megquier Amelia J. Miller Robin E. Moran Kathryn F. Nadeau Lauretta O’Hara Tara Lee O’Toole Pamela J. Oliveira Lisa A. Paradise Maureen Pelot James D. Pilla Michael D. Piotti Jennifer W. Powell Mary E. Saville Erin M. Schaeffer Ronda S. Scirrotto Kristen M. Sebastian Sandy Lee Sharp Jacob Sholtis Jewel M. Shultz Amanda Siarkievicz Mary Balavage Simmons Erin Sweet Brian E. Switay Rachel M. Tretiak Starr M. Troup Donna Truskowski Maria Musewicz Van Norman Erin L. Walters Chelsea Weinstein Sarah R. Wilkinson Jason R. Woloski Shannon M. Woodling Allison R. Yourechko Contributors Susan F. Abert Tracy L. Ambrose Megan M. Bucher Jennifer M. Bullock Adam D. Carpenter Jillian R. Castellano Peter C. Castelline Amber M. Davidson Sally J. Drosnock Carol A. Engelman Gaetano J. Fasciana Trudylee Fisher-Carboni Michele D. Garrison Naveen Kumar Gattu Benjamin E. Gerhart Michael R. Gionfriddo Ramya Hegde Kenneth W. Hensel Tracey A. Herr Laura Hulsey Erika J. Hurst Melissa L. Jones Holly L. Learn Maurene Leary Kimberly L. Leibel Matthew R. Maisano Edward J. Manderfield Valarie A. Matejick Alicia Mattioli Britton Mundy Christina Grzenda Murakami Joseph J. O’Donnell Gayle M. Patterson Stephanie L. Pawelzik Courtenay T. Pientka Jennifer A. Pruskowski Ricky M. Rampulla, Jr. David M. Sborz1 Bethany L. Toczek Lisa M. Truesdale Todd P. Weibel Felixa J. Wingen Lamanda L. Ziegler Class of 2010 • • • The John Wilkes Society John Wilkes Associates James L. Merryman10 The Eugene Farley Club Farley Associates Adam Bachman Jennifer D. Bokal Delores R. Walski Blue Circle Bernard F. Kosek, Jr. James A. Smith, III Jason W. Wagner To make a gift, contact Lauren Y. Pluskey ’06, MBA ’10, Director of Annual Giving (800) WILKES-U Ext. 4331 or lauren.pluskey@wilkes.edu Kathleen M. Dalton Joshua S. Pauling Laura Baudo Sillerman Steven H. Uhas Farley Associates Jeffrey A. Bauman Kevin C. Boylan Contributors Jeffrey T. Bachman Beth Ann V. Barto Alissa J. Bastian Laura M. Bednar Michael J.C. Beil Rajveer Bhatti 1 Class 5 5 Chair or more years of consecutive giving 10 or more years of consecutive giving * Deceased 10 �senior class giFt • report of gifts SeniOr Ali S. Alsagoor Benjamin J. Andrews Lindsey M. Baldwin Anne E. Bauder Lindsay A. Behrenshausen Valentina M. Beneski Jason W. Benjamin Jamar T. Becerley Brice C. Biruta Traci M. Blazosky Shannon M. Bolles Ronald A. Bookin Alyssa M. Bortz John A. Borzell Lacey A. Bowman Samantha L. Bowman Mary Kate Brady Alexandra Bricek Allison M. Butash Victoria A. Bybel Minhui Cai Kellie Capone Nicole M. Capoocia Timothy J. Carroll Francesco Castronovo Victoria M. Chestnut Nicholas F. Ciccone Michael F. Cignoli Anthony J. Cimino Samantha G. Clift Benjamin J. Collins Kassandra R. Confer Adam B. Coombs Darnell R. Corbin Kersten L. Crowl Caitlin Cunningham Brianna V. Cyprich Christian M. D’Ippolitio John T. Dally Brittany R. Daniels Alicia M. Davidson Kaitlyn M. DeFacis Kristen DeMott Russell J. Dehaut Megan E. Dickinson Michael R. Dobbs Anthony N. Dorunda Deanna M. Drako Michele Dubbs * Deceased Bradley D. Dudeck Peter A. Dunford Katherine E. Ebner Kathleen Edwards Steven P. Englesbe Andreanna F. Estades Brian R. Fanelli Brett M. Feger Anthony Ferrese Aaron E. Fink Anthony J. Fiore Keith C. Follweiler Joey M. Freudt Alyssa A. Fusaro Santino A. Gabos Katherine Gallagher Jessica A. Gen Elaine M. Gennaria Nicklaus A. Genuardi Shawn M. Gibbins Melanie Good Heather L. Grabowski Ashley N. Graff Dawn A. Gregor Stephen N. Gruver Michael S. Guba Amanda Jo Gunther Taryn E. Hallowell Mason S. Harriman Katherine A. Harrington Nicholas W. Hartranft John Hawkins Sonja M. Heisey Kevin M. Hettrich Andrew S. Hiller Steven N. Himes Troy C. Hinkley Trevor D. Hirsh Melissa A. Hoover Christopher W. Hopkins Chelsea J. Horst Tyler L. Howe Leah M. Hummer Kevin J. Jacobs Jennifer S. Jones Justin W. Jones Laureen L. Jones Analicia M. Jost Thomas Joyce Paul S. Karmilowicz, Jr. Kristen N. Karpinski Abigail J. Kasprenski Sara P. Kaspriskie Amanda E. Kaster Daniel R. Kautz Shane V. Keister Amanda J. Kemmerer Tara Kennedy Drew M. Kent Christopher J. Ketcham Scott E. Kimberly Jennifer L. Kimble Jasmine M. King Shawn M. Klitsch Amber J. Kozo Bradley M. Kuzawinski Nicholas A. LaBarbera Philip D. LaBell Sean A. LaFleur Hannah L. Laimer Michael F. Leahey Rachel M. Leggieri Joseph A. Lemoncelli Stephanie M. Lenkevich Ryan C. Lerch Jack R. Lewis Joseph J. Lopatka June R. Lor Jacqueline Lukas Tyanne L. Lyman Aubrey N. Madara David M. Mahalak Casey E. Marks Theodore J. Martin Emily Massa Stacy M. Mathis Molly S. McBryan Wes L. McDonald Katie McFarland Brianna L. McGinn Kristen M. McGranaghan Daniel V. McLoughlin Kevin McNavage Brian Meeker Diane R. Milano Matthew C. Miller Anthony T. Mirabile Mark A. Mongillo Kate L. Murtaugh Kenneth D. Muto Cheryl L. Newell Phat T. Nguyen Derek M. Nye Mackensey K. O’Hara Sean A. O’Neill Francis J. O’Shea Gregory C. Obetz Amy M. Orris Sarah D. Orris Matthew D. Ottinger Julie M. Palmer Garifalitsa E. Panteloukas Konstantina A. Papathomas Emily C. Parks Frank E. Pearn, Jr. Alexander J. Pearson Edward L. Pearson Kristen J. Pechulis Joshua J. Perry Melissa M. Polchinski Joshua D. Pstrak Brittany C. Puckett Kimberly J. Rieder Michael C. Ritsick Jacob W. Roberts Amanda L. Rodney Nicole M. Romanoski William G. Roszel Jr. Allison S. Roth Kyle R. Ruby Corrine E. Saltzer Kimberly M. Sandford Danielle M. Sanko Alyssa M. Santos Benjamin D. Sauers Trent A. Savercool Julie K. Schaller Matthew J. Scherr Amanda Schlier Courtney M. Schneider Erin N. Schneider William Schweitzer Danae A. Servose Ashley L. Sherer Richelle M. Shertzer Jessica L. Shuliga Sarah Simon Jeffrey S. Simpson Nora A. Skochinsky Michael A. Skumanick Lori Ann Skurkis Kaleb A. Smith Tonesha S. Sorrell Kristina A. Spaulding Courtney L. Sperger James M. Spickard Teresa M. Stavenski Austin H. Sterns Coleen Schrecengost Steim Matthew Stephens Sarah J. Stiansen Cathy Styles Jessica Supers Troy N. Tanner Michelle Taylor Heather B. Thompson Lorelay Thompson John W. Timme Anthony M. Truppo Donald Ulrich Casandra Valentin Sean P. Van Kersen Angela M. Van Strander Peter J. Vecchione EmmaLee S. Vecere Matthew E. Vital Kimberly Baldino Waldenmayer Andrew J. Wallace Matthew C. Watkins Jacob J. Weinrich Kathryn L. Walsh Ruth A. Whispell Jonathan L. Wilbur Amanda M. Willard Meaghan P. Williams Ryan L. Williams Nicole M. Willis Sarah M. Witkowski Jeanne M. Wood David B. Yezefski Kyle J. Yorke Abdullah Y. Yousef Cody J. Youshock Brenda R. Zagar Jenna L. Zapotoski Gregory M. Zappacosta Wilkes | Fall 2011 CLASS GIFT 45 �report of gifts • the marts society The MARTS SOCIETY Alumni, friends and benefactors have played a sustaining role in the future of the university and its students through bequests and other charitable estate plans. The Marts Society recognizes the increasing number of contributors participating in gift planning programs to benefit Wilkes university. Membership in The Marts Society is attained through the commitment of any number of planned gifts, including bequests, charitable trusts, gift annuities, gifts of property with retained life estate, life insurance policies and retirement plan accounts. Many of these gift vehicles allow donors to contribute cash or appreciated assets to benefit Wilkes while earning income during their lifetime. The Marts Society was named in honor of Dr. Arnaud c. and Anne Mccartney Wilkes | Fall 2011 Marts. Dr. Marts became President of Bucknell university in 1935 and was instru- 46 Anonymous Anonymous George I. Alden Trust Estate of Agnes C. Alderdice ’58 Barbara Zatcoff Allan Estelle B. Andrews ’69 Estate of Richard & Ellen E. Ayre Anthony J. Bartuska* Doris Gorka Bartuska, M.D. ’49 Estate of Paul B. Beers ’53 Estate of Helen E. Berryman George Bierly ’40 Betty Kanarr Bierly ’50 Estate of Tom A. Bigler Estate of Catherine H. Bone Estate of Therese Brennan Lee & Louise Brown Trust Dr. Mary E. Brown ’62 Charles S. Butler ’59 Dr. & Mrs. Robert A. Byrne ’72 Richard G. Cantner ’68 Bruce R. Cardon Trust Estate of Donald F. & Louise C. Carpenter John M. Cefaly, Jr. ’70 Dr. Jesse H. Choper ’57 Estate of Thomas J. Coburn ’49 Lawrence E. Cohen ’57 Estate of Eleanor Kazmercyk Cornwell ’53 Estate of Colonel William Corbett Estate of Samuel M. Davenport, III ’59 Estate of Fred H. Davies Stanley & Patricia S. Davies Thomas J. Deitz Estate of Charles & Sadie Donin Estate of Dr. Sylvia Dworski Estate of Isadore & Getha Edelstein Estate of R. Carl Ernst ’58 Josephine Eustice Estate of Annette Evans Estate of Rulison Evans Barbara Medland Farley ’50 Estate of Attorney & Mrs. George L. Fenner, Jr. Estate of Harry Fierverker ’49 The Honorable J. Harold Flannery ’55 Barbara Flannery Walter R. Fleet Shirley Rees Fleet ’49 Estate of Stephen L. Flood ’66 Dr. Don C. Follmer ’50 Estate of Eleanor S. Fox ’35 Richard Fuller, Ph.D. Estate of Dr. William Louis Gaines Joseph G. Galli ’81 Dr. & Mrs. Joseph (Tim) E. Gilmour Amy D. Goss ’97 Jane Norton Granitzki ’59 Estate of Charlotte Reif Gregory Dr. Benjamin Grella ’65 Doris Woody Grella Estate of William B. Griffith Brynly R. Griffiths Trust Jason D. Griggs ’90 Alfred Groh ’41 Jane Lampe-Groh J. Douglas Haughwout ’64 Louise S. Hazeltine ’44 Estate of Enid Hershey ’66 Frederick J. Hills ’59 Harry R. Hiscox, Esquire ’51 Beverly A. Hiscox ’58 Judith Hopkins ’55 Estate of Richard & Frances Hyde Arthur E. Imdorf ’55 Estate of Evelyn Isserman Estate of Mildred N. Johnson Leo R. Kane ’55 Estate of Bronis J. Kaslas, Ph.D. Dr. Stanley B. Kay Mr. Bryn E. Kehrli ’69 Dr. Richard B. Kent ’55 Mr. & Mrs. John S. Kerr ’72 John J. Kleynowski ’67 Richard O. Kniffen ’65 Estate of Eugene T. Kolezar Estate of Drs. Francis & Lidia Kopernik Estate of Mary R. Koons Marian Zaledonis Kovacs ’68 Estate of Helen Lazarus Glenn F. Leiter Arlen R. Lessin Estate of Dr. Edithe J. Levit ’45 mental in maintaining Bucknell university Junior college in Wilkes-Barre during the Depression years. Because he believed in the service offered to the young people of the Wyoming valley, Dr. Marts provided the support and leadership the fledgling institution needed to become self-sustaining. Dr. Marts established a trust in 1964, which provided a lifetime income for Mrs. Marts after his death. upon her death in 1994, more than $2 million was gifted to the university, which helped to make possible the addition to campus of the Arnaud c. Marts Sports and conference center. For more information on becoming a member of The Marts Society, please contact the Planned giving Office at 570-408-7833 or 1-800-WilKEs-U, ext. 7833 or visit our website at www.wilkes.edu/pages/715.asp and explore the benefits of a planned gift through our interactive planned giving calculator. Estate of Rose G. Liebman ’37 Estate of Madeline R. Magee Buck Mallan ’71 Estate of Anne Marts John A. Mason M’00 George J. Matz ’71 Gerard A. McHale, Jr. ’67 Estate of Ruth Williams McHenry ’49 Clifford K. Melberger Ruth Boroom Melberger ’62 Estate of Robert H. Melson ’35 Joshua G. ’02 & Karen M. Mendoza ’02 John R. Miller ’68 Estate of Charles H. Miner, Jr. Esq. John C. & Mabel Mosteller Trust Estate of Elizabeth Sandish Montgomery Estate of Dorothy R. Morgan Estate of Jessie L. Morgan Paul D. Morgis ’70 Regina L. Morse ’82 Estate of Herbert J. Morris Estate of Walter E. Mokychic ’50 Estate of J. Donald Munson Estate of John J. Musto ’57 Estate of Wilbur A. Myers Martin J. Naparsteck ’69 Barbara W. Nixon ’71 Lois Schwartz Nervitt ’61 Estate of William P. Orr, III Geraldine Nesbitt Orr Estate of Alberta A. Ostrander Richard L. Pearsall Lawrence B. Pelesh ’50 Peter W. Perog ’60 F. Charles Petrillo, Esq. ’66 Estate of Ann Phillips Dr. Cummings* & Trudy Piatt Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Piskorik ’68 Henry B. & Edith M. Plumb Trust Estate of Frieda Pogoreloff Estate of Roy H. Pollack Janice A. Raspen ’92 Estate of Ford A. Reynolds William H. Rice ’48 Estate of Ruth A. Richards Arnold & Sandy Rifkin Estate of Harriet P. Ripley Dr. Jessie A. Roderick ’56 Attorney Harold Rosenn Mrs. Sallyanne Rosenn ’42 Attorney Eugene Roth ’57 Estate of Rae Roth Donald J. Sackrider Mr. & Mrs. Louis Santoro ’83 Janice A. Saunders ’70 Joseph J. Savitz, Esq. ’48 Marian R. Schaeffer Trust Estate of Nathan Schiowitz Rollie & Marge Schmidt Marvin* & Stella Schub Estate of Willard R. Shaw ’48 Daniel Sherman ’50 Estate of Charles E. Shook ’68 Estate of Frances D. Shotwell Estate of Dr. George J. Siles ’57 Mr. Herbert B. Simon Estate of Margaret Mary Sites Estate of Gordon A. Smith Nancy Hancock Smith Andrew F. Sofranko, Jr. ’68 Estate of Joseph Sooby, Jr. ’49 Dr. & Mrs. Charles A. Sorber ’59 Mr. & Mrs. Frank Stanitski Dr. Albert J. Stratton ’49 Joseph A. Sullivan ’51 William H. Tremayne ’57 Dr. Lester J. Turoczi Estate of Constance McCole Umphred Estate of Marie A. Umphred Estate of John A. Vail Estate of Edward A. Venzel ’54 Estate of Walter F. Vorbleski Estate of Ann Brennan Wagner Estate of Esther Weckesser Walker Estate of Marne Lou Weaver ’73 Estate of Wesley Wilkes Bruce R. Williams, D.O. ’82 Estate of Daniel E. Williams ’44 Estate of John F. Wozniak ’61 Estate of William H. Young Emery & Mamie Ziegler Trust * Deceased �endowed named scholarships • report of gifts enDOWeD nAMeD SCHOLARSHIPS Below is the current list of endowed and annual scholarships available to Wilkes students. Please go to www.wilkes.edu/pages/358.asp for descriptions on these scholarships or for more information on how to Mohamad Abraham Scholarship Agnes C. Alderdice ’58 Scholarship Vincent and Martha Aleo Scholarship Alumni Association Scholarship Paul J. Arthur ’53 and Margaret T. Arthur Scholarship David Ayers Scholarship Fund Richard and Ellen Ayre Memorial Scholarship Ballet Society of Wyoming Valley Scholarship Kevin Edward Barker Memorial Scholarship Grant H. Barlow Memorial Scholarship Dr. Alfred W. Bastress Scholarship Ethel G. and Alvan E. Baum Scholarship George Thompson and Sara Wolfe Bell Scholarship Frederic E. Bellas Endowed Scholarship Samuel Berk Memorial Scholarship William Bernhard Scholarship William D. Berryman Scholarship Fund Michael J. Bogdon, III Scholarship Rose Brader Scholarship Christopher N. and Jane M. Breiseth Scholarship Joyce Porter and Norton Millard Breiseth Scholarship Genevieve Todd Brennan Memorial Scholarship Charles N. Burns, Sr., M.D. ’35 Scholarship Robert S. Capin Scholarship in Accounting Bruce R. Cardon and Charlotte J. Cardon Memorial Scholarship Walter S. Carpenter Scholarship in Engineering J. Blanchard Carr and Hildegarde Finger Carr Scholarship John J. Chwalek, Sr. Scholarship Class of 1970 Scholarship Alumni and Friends of Communications Scholarship Conyngham Post No. 97, Grand Army of the Republic, Department of Pennsylvania, Scholarship Elena Lucretia Cornaro Scholarship Alfred Franklin D’Anca, M.D. Scholarship Dr. and Mrs. S. M. Davenport Scholarship Esther and William Davidowitz Scholarship Anthony J. DiMichele Memorial Scholarship Seymour A. Dimond Scholarship Charles and Sadie Donin Memorial Scholarship George F. Elliot Memorial Scholarship * Deceased establish a scholarship, contact evelyne Topfer, Director of Advancement Operations, at (800) WilKEs-U Ext. 4309 or evelyne.topfer@wilkes.edu. Sylvia Dworski, Ph.D. Scholarship Isadore and Getha Edelstein Scholarship Dr. John Henry Ellis, IV Scholarship Mahmoud H. Fahmy, PH.D. Scholarship John Faneck ’50 Scholarship Fund Eugene S. and Eleanor Coates Farley Scholarship David R. Fendrick Scholarship Chlora Fey Scholarship Harry and Gloria Farkas Fierverker Scholarship David J. Findora ’70 Memorial Scholarship Stephen L. Flood ’66 Scholarship Muriel S. Follmer Scholarship Sarah Catherine Ford Adult Learner Scholarship Fortinsky Scholarship Sidney and Pauline Friedman Scholarship Sandy A. Furey Memorial Scholarship Carlton H. Garinger Memorial Scholarship William R. Gasbarro Scholarship Mildred Gittins Memorial Scholarship Cathy Lynn Glatzel ’86 Nursing Scholarship Elizabeth and Albert Grabarek Memorial Scholarship Fund Henry and Sylvia Greenwald Scholarship Brynly R. Griffiths Scholarship Jason ’90 and Tamara Griggs Scholarship Margaret Mary Hagelgans Memorial Scholarship Edward G. Hartmann, Ph.D. ’35 Scholarship George Hayes of Windsor Scholarship Patricia Boyle Heaman and Robert J. Heaman Scholarship William Randolph Hearst Endowed Scholarship Hugh G. & Edith Henderson Scholarship Klaus Holm Scholarship Arthur J. Hoover Scholarship Andrew J. Hourigan, Jr., Esq. Scholarship Sherry Every Hudick Memorial Scholarship Jewish War Veterans, Wilkes-Barre Post 212 Scholarship Harvey and Mildred Johnson Scholarship Fund William D. Jonathan Memorial Scholarship Dr. Dilys Martha Jones & Thomas Evan Jones Scholarship John D. Kearney Memorial Scholarship Grace C. Kimball Scholarship in Biology Harold J. Harris, M.D. - Angeline Elizabeth Kirby Memorial Health Center Scholarship Kaslas-Sheporaitis Educational Scholarship Fund Edith M. Kent Scholarship Eugene T. Kolezar Scholarship Francis A. and Maryann V. Kopen Scholarship Christopher Kopernik Scholarship Koral’s Fashion Scholarship KPMG/John R. Miller Scholarship Esther Lamb Scholarship Jane Lampe-Groh Scholarship William Langfelder Scholarship Letter Women’s Club Scholarship LF Brands, Inc. Scholarship Anne Vanko Liva Scholarship Charlotte V. Lord Scholarship Kathryn H. MacAvoy Scholarship in Nursing Will F. and Regina D. Maguire Scholarship Kathleen Hartzell Mailander Scholarship in Nursing Anthony D. Marseco Scholarship Fund Arnaud Cartwright Marts Scholarship Frances and Louis Maslow Memorial Scholarship Robert J. McBride Memorial Scholarship McGowan Scholarship Ruth W. and John T. McHenry Scholarship in Nursing Marilyn McQuestion-Kay Memorial Scholarship Norris Church Mailer Scholarship Ruth Boorom Melberger ’62 Scholarship Elizabeth Sandish Montgomery and George Heron Montgomery Scholarship Thomas J. Moran Scholarship in Journalism Dr. Jaroslav G. Moravec Memorial Scholarship Mabel and John C. Mosteller Scholarship Sarah D. Moyer Memorial Scholarship Harry J. Moyle ’58 Scholarship Donald and Marion Munson Scholarship Wilkes | Fall 2011 enDOWeD nAmeD sCHOlARsHiPs 47 �report of gifts • endowed named scholarships Wilkes | Fall 2011 Dr. Umid R. Nejib and Omar U. Nejib ’92 Memorial Scholarship Lee A. Namey ’68 Scholarship Taft Achilles Rosenberg Naparsteck Scholarship O’Hop Family Scholarship Overlook Estate Foundation Scholarship Ellen Webster Palmer Scholarship Patel Scholarship Peking Chef Scholarship for International Understanding Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants Northeast Chapter Scholarship Pennsylvania’s Last Frontiersman Scholarship Peter W. Perog, CPA ’60 Scholarship Craig C. Piatt Memorial Scholarship Henry Blackman Plumb and Edith Plumb Scholarship Frieda Pogoreloff Scholarship Roy H. Pollack Memorial Scholarship Kenneth L. Pollock Scholarship George and Helen Ralston Scholarship Charles B. Reif Scholarship for the Biological Sciences Ruth A. Richards Scholarship Thomas Richards Scholarship Lillian Wilkins Rinehimer R.N. Scholarship Dr. James Rodechko Scholarship in History Dr. Samuel A. Rosenberg Memorial Scholarship Sydney and Theodore Rosenberg Scholarship Joseph H. Salsburg Scholarship Amedeo Obici and Thomas P. Sangiuliano Scholarship Dolores E. and Francis Sangiuliano Scholarship Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Paul Sangiuliano Abe and Sylvia Savitz Family Scholarship Fund Nathan Schiowitz Scholarship in Nursing Scholarship to Start Education (SSE) Robert Marc Schub Memorial Scholarship Louis Shaffer Memorial Scholarship 48 Bruce and Bessie Shaw Scholarship Alan David Sherman Scholarship Frances D. Shotwell Memorial Scholarship Samuel H. Shotwell Memorial Scholarship Mark Slomowitz Memorial Scholarship Merritt W. and Marjory R. Sorber Scholarship Stanley F. and Helen Stawicki Memorial Scholarship Surdna Foundation Scholarship George F. and Ruth M. Swartwood Scholarship Cromwell E. and Beryl Thomas Outstanding Junior Scholarship Reed P. and Dorothy Travis Memorial Scholarship Dr. Norma Sangiuliano Tyburski Scholarship Dr. and Mrs. Stanley J. Tyburski Endowed Scholarship Francis A. Umphred Memorial Scholarship Dorothy G. and Edward A. Venzel ’54 Memorial Scholarship Esther Weckesser Walker Scholarship Robert A. West Scholarship in Education Daniel S. Wilcox, Jr. Scholarships in Accounting Wilkes University Faculty Women and Wives Club Scholarship Myvanwy Williams Theater Scholarship William H. and Ruth W. Young Scholarship Ira B. Zatcoff Memorial Scholarship Emery and Mamie Ziegler Scholarship ANNUAL NAMED SCHOLARSHIPS Choice One Community Credit Union Scholarship Mary E. Dougherty Memorial Scholarship Beverly Blakeslee Hiscox ’58 Scholarship Intermetro Industries Scholarship David W. Kistler, M.D. Scholarship Charles Mattei, P.E. Scholarship Fund George ’71 and Jean Matz Scholarship PA Society of Public Accountants, NE Chapter Scholarship Polish Room Committee Scholarship Patricia “Patsy” Reese Nursing Scholarship William H. Rice ’48 Scholarship A. Rifkin & Company Scholarship Joseph M. Roszko ’68 Scholarship Lawrence W. Roth Memorial Scholarship Richard M. Smith and Lissa Bryan-Smith Scholarship Judianne Stanitski Annual Scholarship Sidhu School Outstanding Leaders Scholarship United Parcel Service Foundation Scholarship Wilkes-Barre Rotary Club Scholarship Wilkes University LGBTQ Scholarship Michael and Kim Wood and Family Annual Scholarship Wyoming Valley Health Care System Medical Staff Annual Scholarship FUTURE SCHOLARSHIPS Louise Brown Scholarship Citizens Voice Scholarship Crahall Foundation Scholarship Honorable Jeffry Gallet ’64 Memorial Scholarship Joseph E. and Patty Gilmour Scholarship Kathy Price Kautter ’72 Scholarship Dr. Mary A. Kaiser ’70 Annual Scholarship Miller Family Scholarship Lois Schwartz Nervitt ’61 Scholarship Theresa A. Nowinski-Leiter Scholarship Ronald ’68 and Hazel Piskorik Scholarship Billy “Boog” Powell Scholarship Joanne Raggi Scholarship William H. Rice ’48 Scholarship Sallyanne and Harold Rosenn Scholarship Fund Joseph J. Savitz, Esq. ’48 Scholarship Richard M. Smith and Lissa Bryan-Smith Scholarship Judith and Leslie P. Weiner, MD ’57 Scholarship Matthew J. Zukoski, Ph.D. ’86 Memorial Scholarship �w WILKES UNIVERSITY Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 WILKES UNIVERSITY calendar of events October 20-Dec. 11 Running the Numbers: Portraits of Mass Consumption, Sordoni Art Gallery. 27 Catherine H. Bone Lecture in Chemistry, Molecular Frontiers and Future Transformative Therapies for AIDs, Alzheimer’s, and Resistant Cancer. Speaker: Paul Wender ’69, Stark Learning Center 101, 7 p.m. November 5 Athletics Hall of Fame Day 9 Connecting the Dots: Alumni Event at Wilkes University 11-12 Musical Theatre Production: Tommy, Darte Center, 8 p.m.; Nov 13, 2 p.m. Also Nov. 18-20 12 Wilkes University Admissions Open House 16 Outstanding Leaders Forum featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Thomas Friedman, F.M. Kirby Center, 7:30 p.m. December 8 Jazz Orchestra Concert, Darte Center, 8:15 p.m. 9 Chorus and Chamber Singers Concert, St. Stephen’s Church, Wilkes-Barre, 7:30 p.m. January 8-12 Maslow Reading Series, Faculty, Creative Writing Program, Darte Center, 7 p.m. PHOTO BY MICHAEL TOUEY For details on times and locations, check www.wilkes.edu and www.wilkes.edu/alumni or phone (800) WILKES-U. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Magazine, Fall 2011 Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Marketing Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 2011 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Alumni Magazine, 1947-present Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Description An account of the resource <p>An archive of Wilkes University Magazine, from 1947-present. The magazine went through various names including <em>Wilkes Alumnus</em>, <em>Wilkes Quarterly,</em> <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, and the current title, <em>Wilkes Magazine</em>. Some editions for the <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, will have multiple issues within the file record. Our holdings may be missing editions for certain years due to having no physical copy within the collection. </p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Wilkes University Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Wilkes University Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1947-present Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Magazine, Fall 2011 Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Marketing Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 2011 magazine Wilkes Magazine https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/ddc04b571053441693070025a75918ee.pdf 6649479b9647a90b08fd2b5d6134137d PDF Text Text fal l 20 12 chemical solutions | spin Control | sew successful marketing maven | Report of Gifts �president’s letter volume 6 | issue 3 Greetings From a New Colonel I t’s not easy being new—whether in a job, at school or in a community. I’d like to thank each and every one of you—our alumni, faculty, students and staff—for the way you have welcomed my family and me. We are thrilled to be among the newest members of this Army of Colonels. In my first weeks as Wilkes president, I’ve learned three things about our University. First, this community is singularly focused on student success— from the professors who take the extra time to collaborate on research with students to the coaches who mentor their athletes after wins and losses. From the advising staff who crafts curricular and co-curricular opportunities for our students to the facilities team who keeps our campus beautiful, all of them work to make students successful. This is a place where the idea of mentoring is imbedded into our DNA as a community. Many of our alumni tell me it’s what they remember most about being a student here. Second, this community is committed to improve and to innovate. Whether working to improve student outcomes or identifying ways to keep Wilkes accessible and affordable, everyone at Wilkes is focused on asking a most important question: What can we do today to be better tomorrow? In the days ahead, Wilkes’ newest colonel, President I’ll be asking everyone—including our Patrick Leahy, center, visits with Adam alumni—for their input and suggestions. Welch, associate professor of pharmacy practice, right, and pharmacy students Finally, and perhaps most importantly, at the University’s annual Club Day. the people associated with Wilkes really Photo by Lisa Reynolds care about this place. For those who work here, Wilkes is not just a job; it’s a vocation. For our students, Wilkes is not just a school; it’s a way of life. For those of you who graduated from here, Wilkes isn’t just your university; it’s your alma mater—in the Latin, your “other mother.” Your loyalty—and your personal success—is a testimony that a Wilkes education changes lives. A total commitment to student success, a spirit of innovation, and a caring community—what a privileged situation for a new president! I have said repeatedly that I would have relocated almost anywhere in the country for an opportunity to lead a university like Wilkes. To be able to do it in my adopted hometown of northeast Pennsylvania—a place that my family and I have grown to love—is a special privilege. I’ll be looking to all of you in the days ahead for your support and ideas as we work together to build a stronger and even more successful Wilkes. Dr. Patrick F. Leahy Wilkes University President Fall 2012 Wilkes magazine University President Dr. Patrick F. Leahy Vice President for Advancement Michael Wood Executive Editor Jack Chielli M.A.’08 Managing Editor Kim Bower-Spence Editor Vicki Mayk M.A.’12 Creative Services Lisa Reynolds Web Services Craig Thomas MBA’11 Electronic Communications Christopher Barrows M.S. ’12 Graduate Assistant Thomas Markley ’11 Intern Bill Thomas Layout/Design Quest Fore Inc. Printing Pemcor Inc. Editorial Advisory Group Anne Batory ’68 Brandie Meng M’08 Bill Miller ’81 George Pawlush ’69 M.S.’76 Donna Sedor ’85 Alumni RELATIONS STAFF Director Mirko Widenhorn Associate Director Bridget Giunta Husted ’05 Coordinator Mary Balavage Simmons ’10 Alumni Association Officers President Tom Ralston ’80 First Vice President Rosemary LaFratte ’93 MBA’97 Second Vice President Cindy Charnetski ’97 Secretary Ellen Hall ’71 Historian Laura Cardinale ’72 Wilkes magazine is published quarterly by the Wilkes University Office of Marketing Communications and Government Relations, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766, wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu, (570) 408-4779. Please send change of address to the above address. Wilkes University is an independent institution of higher education dedicated to academic and intellectual excellence in the liberal arts, sciences and professional programs. The university provides its students with the experience and education necessary for career and intellectual development as well as for personal growth, engenders a sense of values and civic responsibility, and encourages its students to welcome the opportunities and challenges of a diverse and continually changing world. The university enhances the tradition of strong student-faculty interactions in all its programs, attracts and retains outstanding people in every segment of the university, and fosters a spirit of cooperation, community involvement, and individual respect within the entire university. �contents 6 Features 6 Chemical Solutions Paul Wender ’69 is a world-class chemist developing treatments for HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer’s and cancer 12 Spin Control Communication studies Professor Jane Elmes-Crahall teaches savvy techniques for dissecting political rhetoric 14 Sew Successful Barbara Hartnett Gavlick ’76 turned her fine arts degree into a career as a costumer 12 16 Marketing Maven Bill Miller ’81’s marketing expertise has been tapped by top brands—from Barnes & Noble and FAO Schwarz to The New York Times departments 14 2 On Campus 5 Athletics 18 Alumni News 20 Class Notes 26 Report of Gifts Have a story idea to share? Contact us at wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu or Wilkes magazine, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766. Paul Wender ’69 in the Wender Group Laboratory at Stanford University, where he directs ground-breaking research. photo by rod searcey /;;s FPO FSC Wilkes | Fall 2012 16 1 �on campus Wilkes to Offer Programs in Arizona Wilkes will bring graduate programs to Mesa, Ariz., as part of the city’s H.E.A.T. (Healthcare, Education, Aerospace, Technology/Tourism) initiative for Economic Development. Beginning in January 2013, Wilkes will offer classes for master’s degree programs in business administration, creative writing, education and engineering management. Wilkes President Patrick Leahy signed a memorandum of understanding with Mesa city Wilkes President Patrick Leahy speaks at the news conference with city officials in Mesa, officials in July. According to Leahy, in order to Ariz., announcing that the University has signed a memorandum of understanding to begin to offer classes in the city. Photo courtesy city of mesa thrive in the rapidly changing world of higher education, Wilkes needs to extend its geographic reach, nationally and internationally, through online and blended learning institutions that provide education with a more offerings at additional locations. personal approach, making Wilkes ideally suited to In August, Leahy announced that Bonnie Culver, director of Wilkes’ the city’s needs. The region has a young, growing graduate creative writing program, would go to Mesa to serve as on-site population with limited opportunities for higher interim executive director for up to a year. Culver, who will education, allowing Wilkes the potential to increase continue to serve as director of the creative writing enrollment while offering the academic excellence program during this time, will coordinate setting up and personalized attention that is part of its tradition. Wilkes programs in Arizona. Culver will work Wilkes and city officials will move forward with the other colleges and universities in the to reach a formal agreement that will include a Mesa educational consortium and will build five-year lease to locate in the Mesa Center for relationships with the Mesa community. Higher Education, with occupancy by fall 2013. Mesa’s H.E.A.T. initiative is designed The Mesa Center for Higher Education will be to increase college competition and located in downtown Mesa. spur economic growth. Wilkes was Additional programs are planned starting in fall selected as a finalist after Mesa invited 2013 in the permanent center location. Those institutions from across the country programs include undergraduate degrees in to submit proposals. City officials engineering and business and a master’s degree in were especially interested in bringing mechanical engineering. For more information, visit www.wilkes.edu. Wilkes | Fall 2012 Documentaries From History Project Being Sold at Wilkes-Barre Barnes & Noble 2 It was lights, camera, action on a hot July day at the Lands at Hillside Farms. Two Wilkes University seniors—Ryan Wood and Todd Oravic—were behind the cameras. With the sounds of sheep, goats and cows lowing in the background, Loran Lewis, assistant professor of communication studies, was directing the videotaping of Doug Ayers, chairman of the 412-acre nonprofit educational dairy farm. The interview will be used in a documentary about the history of agriculture, the latest project in The Wyoming Valley History Project at Wilkes. The history project—which began more than a decade ago—captures the unique local history of the community surrounding Wilkes. DVDs of the earlier documentaries in the series are being sold at the Barnes & Noble Wilkes-Kings Bookstore on Public Square in Wilkes-Barre. The DVDs are $7.99 and proceeds will help support the future of the project. Among the documentaries available for sale are: Wyoming Valley Media: Challenges and Changes; Iron Horses; Wilkes-Barre: The Economic Road of Change: The Trolley; The Pharmacists: Did You Boscov Today? Memories of Department Stores of Northeastern Pa.; and A Bicentennial Celebration: 1806-2006. The project was started by Mark Stine, associate professor and chair of communication studies, and John Hepp, associate professor of history. The two joined their classes to create historical documentaries about local monuments in the Wyoming Valley. Several documentaries were created over the years, and in 2008, with support by a contribution from Wyoming Valley resident Edward Meehan, the Wyoming Valley History Project at Wilkes University was formed. The project is now headed by Lewis. �on campus Wilkes Installs Patrick F. Leahy as Sixth President It was a time to celebrate the past and look to the future on Sept. 15, as Wilkes installed Patrick F. Leahy as its sixth president. Installation week events focused on the theme “Looking Back with Pride, Looking Forward With Confidence.” Festivities included the annual John Wilkes Society Dinner on Thursday, Sept. 13, and a Faculty Scholarship Showcase on Friday, Sept. 14, spotlighting writing and research by faculty representing Wilkes’ five academic colleges. The college community gathered Friday night to celebrate at an informal party in the Henry Student Center, where the ballroom and second-floor areas were transformed with decorations highlighting moments from Wilkes history. The installation ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 15, in the F.M. Kirby Center featured a keynote address by The Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, president of Marquette University and former president of the University of Scranton. Leahy’s remarks focused on his vision for Wilkes University in the changing landscape of higher education. Original musical selections were composed by Wilkes faculty for the ceremony. “Fanfare and Fantasy on Wilkes, Our Alma Mater” was written by Philip Simon, associate professor, performing arts. It was performed by the Wilkes University Civic Band. “Noble Truths” is a new choral work written by Steven Thomas, associate professor, performing arts, in honor of Leahy’s installation. The text is a poem written for the occasion by Wilkes faculty members Lawrence Kuhar and Mischelle Anthony, associate professors in the English department. Wilkes magazine will profile Leahy and his vision for Wilkes in the Winter 2013 issue. More on the Web View photo galleries of installation week activities and see video clips of the installation ceremony at www.wilkes.edu/installation. The text of Leahy’s speech and the keynote address also can be found on the site. Freshmen entering the Jay S. Sidhu School of Business and Leadership this fall added iPads to their list of school supplies. For the first time, first-year business students are required to have iPads for their Sidhu course work. Students received their tablet computers during a special orientation session the weekend before fall classes started. Students pay a technology fee to cover the cost, which includes several applications to assist with their course work. Sidhu School Dean Jeffrey Alves says introducing the technology is in keeping with the school’s mission of preparing tomorrow’s business leaders. “The program will prepare our students to meet the challenges of the changing computing and communication technology field. Adapting and leveraging technology is critical to the success of managers and organizations.” Students will be using the iPads to access course materials for the Integrated Management Experience class required for all Sidhu freshmen in both fall and spring semesters, as well as for the Personal and Professional Development class. Students also will use tablet computers for Sidhu courses in subsequent years, as the initiative rolls out. Electronic texts—eBooks—for the classes using the iPads will replace traditional textbooks in some classes. Sidhu freshmen try out their iPads in class. Photo by joshua bonner Wilkes | Fall 2012 iPad Initiative Launched in Sidhu School 3 �on campus Biology Professor Michael Steele Appointed Bullard Fellow at Harvard Dual Admissions Agreement Paves Way for Community College Students Michael Steele, Wilkes biology professor and H. Fenner Chair of Research Biology, was appointed a Bullard Fellow at Harvard University for the 2012-2013 academic year. Steele will spend 11 months conducting research at Harvard Forest in Massachusetts. Steele’s research at Harvard will focus on the preparation of a book that summarizes his research on oak dispersal over the past 25 years. He also will collaborate with Harvard faculty on several questions concerning oak ecology, and organize an international team of colleagues from Harvard, Purdue University, Wilkes, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences to investigate global patterns of oak-animal interactions. Steele is the co-author and co-editor of six books. His most recent works include Squirrels of the World, which will be published this year by Johns Hopkins University Press, and Terrestrial Vertebrates of Pennsylvania: A Complete Guide to Species of Conservation Concern, published by Johns Hopkins University Press in 2010. Steele has been part of the Wilkes biology department faculty since 1989. Established in 1962, the Charles Bullard Fellowship program was created to support the study and advanced research of individuals likely to make important contributions as scholars or administrators in forest ecology. The fellowship is a highly competitive program that accepts only a few recipients each year from a large applicant pool worldwide. A dual admissions agreement gives Luzerne County Community College students a clear path to earning a degree at Wilkes. The agreement will help to increase the number of students completing bachelor’s degrees in the region. Recent data from the Chronicle of Higher Education show that the percentage of adults with bachelor’s degrees in Luzerne County, at 20 percent, is below the state average of 25.9 percent and the national average of 27.6 percent. Students admitted to LCCC also will sign an agreement to enter the dual admissions program with Wilkes. A grade-point average of 2.3 or better is required. After transferring to the University, each student will receive a $10,000 scholarship, which is renewable annually. They also will be permitted to take up to 9 credits at Wilkes for free to assist with the transition to their chosen major. Students signaling their intention to continue their education at Wilkes will have an advisor from the University while they are still at LCCC. Students also will be able to take advantage of clubs, speakers, sports events and other co-curricular activities, giving them a head start on becoming part of the campus community at Wilkes. Wilkes | Fall 2012 Record Crop of Colonels 4 Over the past decade, Wilkes has set records in recruiting its incoming freshman class. In 2003, the incoming class boasted more than 500 students for the first time in University history. Four years later, in 2007, Wilkes boasted its first-ever class exceeding 600. In fall 2012, Wilkes has welcomed the second largest freshman class in its history, again breaking 600. '02 '03 '04 'OS '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 '11 '12 �on campus Nobel Laureate Roald Hoffmann to Deliver Bone Lecture Roald Hoffmann, winner of the 1981 Nobel Prize in chemistry, will deliver the 2012 Catherine H. Bone Lecture on Oct. 18. Hoffmann will speak about “The Chemical Imagination At Work in Very Tight Places” at 7 p.m. in 101 Stark Learning Center. A member of the faculty at Cornell University since 1965, he is now the Frank H. T. Rhodes Professor of Humane Letters Emeritus. His many honors include the 1981 Nobel Prize awarded jointly with Kenichi Fukui of Japan’s Kyoto University for their theories concerning the course of chemical reactions. Hoffmann, who describes his work as “applied theoretical chemistry,” is the only person ever to have received the American Chemical Society’s awards in three different subfields of chemistry—the A. C. Cope Award in Organic Chemistry, the Award in Inorganic Chemistry, and the Pimentel Award in Chemical Education. Hoffmann earned his doctorate from Harvard University and has been the recipient of more than 25 honorary degrees during the course of his career. In the 1990s, he was a presenter on “The World of Chemistry,” a series of 26 half-hour programs developed at the University of Maryland and broadcast on PBS. Hoffmann also is an accomplished poet and playwright. His collections of poetry include The Metamict State, published in 1987, followed three years later by Gaps and Verges. His recent books of poetry are Memory Effects and Soliton. His plays include Oxygen, co-authored with fellow chemist Carl Djerassi. Hoffmann hosts a monthly cabaret called “Entertaining Science” at the Cornelia Street Café in New York City. Nobel Laureate Roald Hoffmann will deliver the 2012 Catherine H. Bone Lecture on Oct. 18. Photo by MIchael Grace-Martin athletics Celebrating the Legacy of Coach John Reese Left, members of the national championship team are ready to wrestle again. Pictured from left, are Mike Lee ‘74, Art Trovei ’74, Coach John Reese, Gene Ashley ‘75 and John Chakmakas ‘75. Below, a display at the reunion included a photo of the 1974 National Championship team and artwork showing Coach Reese’s legacy at Wilkes. Photos by Knot Just Any Day Photography Wilkes | Fall 2012 Wrestling alumni and current members of the team gathered on campus in June for a reunion that also marked the 85th birthday of Coach John Reese. Reese, who coached Wilkes wrestlers for 42 years, from 1953 to 1995, brought the program to national prominence. Wilkes ranks 11th among college wrestling teams for all-time wins, with 764 in team history. More than 200 people attended the event, which was emceed by former wrestler and Wilkes alumnus Dave Russo ’93, a professional stand-up comedian. Reese’s wrestlers recalled his motto—“Pride, Attitude, Desire”—and his inspiring admonition that “Victory goes to those who are willing to pay the price.” 5 �Wilkes | Fall 2012 Paul Wender advocates for translational medicine and “green chemistry,” producing compounds in a way that minimizes impact on the environment. Wender, pictured in his office, is flanked by a model of a segment of the DNA double helix. 6 photos by rod searcey �Chemical Soluti ns Known worldwide for work on the groundbreaking cancer drug taxol, Paul Wender ’69 seeks therapies for HIV/ AIDS, Alzheimer’s and resistant cancer 0 Wilkes | Fall 2012 By Kim Bower-Spence 7 �Even as a child, Paul Wender ’69 reveled in chemistry. He mixed whatever he could find under the kitchen sink to see if his concoction would foam or change color. Money earned from his Times Leader paper route bought chemicals from the neighborhood drugstore. He recalls mixing zinc and hydrochloric acid, releasing hydrogen gas to fill and float balloons. “I was more or less—without even knowing about the field—in love with chemistry ever since I can remember,” says the Wilkes-Barre native, now the Bergstrom Professor of Chemistry at Stanford University and a world-renowned scientist working at the intersection of chemistry, biology and medicine. His substantial accomplishments include synthesizing taxol, a blockbuster drug for treating breast and ovarian cancers, in the 1990s. The Pacific yew tree, whose bark produces the substance, doesn’t provide enough to meet clinical demand. Wender’s research group was among the half-dozen able to achieve a laboratory synthesis of taxol. His current work centers on new treatments for HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer’s disease and drug-resistant cancers. “His research is in the eye of the storm,” noted Ziwei Huang, director of the SUNY Upstate Cancer Research Institute, who introduced Wender at a summer meeting in Shanghai. Wilkes | Fall 2012 Potential Sea Creature Cure 8 A compound called bryostatin, discovered in a brown, marine creature called bryozoan in the 1960s, shows promise in treating some of society’s most devastating diseases. Wender’s laboratory successfully synthesized a natural bryostatin and is developing simplified, synthetic versions that work just as well or better than the natural product. Wender reports that animals treated with these compounds learn faster and retain information longer. By creating new synapses in the brain, Wender says these agents could not only stop the progression of Alzheimer’s disease but could potentially reverse some of its effects. For HIV, current treatment involves a cocktail of several drugs that stop progression of the disease by suppressing the active virus. But these drugs don’t work on the latent virus that lurks in the genome of certain cells. If patients stop taking the pills, this latent virus resupplies the active virus and they get sick again. Wender’s group is working on bryostatin-derived compounds with potential to flush out and eradicate that latent virus— which would eliminate the lifelong pill regimen. “It’s a pretty remarkable strategy, and it’s getting a lot of support right now.” The September 2012 issue of Nature Chemistry features a cover story on Wender’s HIV work. And Wender receives regular e-mails from grateful HIV/AIDS patients encouraging his coworkers on. “It’s the kind of thing that keeps you up late at night and gets you up early in the morning.” Outsmarting Resistant Cancer Another area of Wender’s research explores ways to get drugs through cell barriers. Ovarian cancer is difficult to detect, and is often already in Stage 3 or 4 by the time it’s found. The standard treatment arsenal includes surgery and chemotherapy, which is effective in many patients. But in recurring cases, Wender says, the cancer often rejects chemotherapy treatment. One reason resistant cancer cells can block treatment is that the new cells sport “export pumps” that expel the drugs, Wender explains. His team modified the drug in a way that allows it to avoid export pumps and get into the cell undetected. “This is the equivalent of getting into a nightclub by bypassing the bouncer,” he relates. Test treatments in cancer tissue samples from nine women— not the patients themselves—yielded positive results in all nine. Sadly, five of the nine patients died because the current therapy wasn’t effective. Wender’s approach can change this. For future cases, he says with optimism, “we might actually have a solution.” Research from his lab has spawned three new companies and spurred interest among both scientists and venture capitalists. Wilkes was a remarkable place. I realized that I loved to learn. – Paul Wender ’69 �Tackling Big Problems academic and research laboratories. Most of the balance—including John C. Lechleiter, chief executive officer of pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly—work in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. “Part of what I do is make them aware of the gift that they have,” Wender says of his students, whom he respectfully calls “coworkers.” He admires their ambition and drive, citing one who seeks to launch a company based on the resistant ovarian cancer therapy. Part of the teaching process, he explains, is helping people realize that they can achieve transformative change. “I’m blessed with such incredible students who are willing to solve problems,” Wender says. “They don’t define themselves in terms of what they have learned; they define themselves in terms of what they will do.” The Wender Group research laboratory at Stanford includes 15 graduate students, three post-doctoral researchers and one undergraduate research assistant. They’ve created a new model for research that crosses disciplines to tackle problems that combine chemistry with biology, medicine and materials science. Wender notes that where graduate students at one time would have worked exclusively in his laboratory, they now regularly interact with Stanford’s medical school, imaging or tissue culture laboratories, and even other universities. He calls it “intellectual bartering.” “This is really the model of the future, where students are free to go out and use all the resources of the university and even beyond.” The design of Wilkes’ new science building, now under construction, was developed with Wender’s input and emphasizes a laboratory design that also encourages collaboration across disciplines. Wender has mentored more than 300 coworkers, with Wender discusses research with two more than 70 of those of his coworkers—graduate students Jessica Vargas, left, and Erika Geihe Stanzl, center—in now working in Wilkes | Fall 2012 the Wender Group laboratory at Stanford. 9 �Wilkes | Fall 2012 In his classroom, Paul Wender uses stories and demonstrations to pique student interest. 10 Like their mentor, they set their sights on solving the problems of the time— energy and health care, for instance—to offer societal benefit. They strive for transformative therapies. Wender holds approximately 20 issued or pending patents. He has earned numerous awards, including recognitions by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation and American Chemical Society. He has been recognized with several teaching awards. He was also elected to the National Academy of Sciences, whose very limited membership is selected from all scientific disciplines. Most recently, he won the Tetrahedron Prize for Creativity in Organic Chemistry for 2012 for contributions to organic synthesis and bioorganic chemistry. In nominating Wender for Yale University’s 2010 Wilbur Cross Medal awarded to outstanding graduate alumni, Scott Miller, Yale’s chair of chemistry, wrote that Wender has “inspired generations of chemists to design remarkable chemical transformations that achieve complex structures instantaneously. There is not a serious graduate course on chemical synthesis, probably world-wide, that does not feature Professor Wender’s chemistry.” Adds Gary Brudvig, the Eugene Higgins Professor of Chemistry at Yale: “Wender continues today as perhaps the world’s preeminent molecular architect for complex molecule assembly. In so doing, his name has become synonymous with molecules such as taxol, phorbol, resiniferatoxin and a host of others that inspire awe in every laboratory concerned with synthesis.” Wender travels extensively sharing his knowledge, logging 120,000 miles last year as he traveled between Europe, China, Japan and the East and West coasts of the United States. Lively Lectures Wender’s penchant for chemistry extends beyond the research lab to the classroom, where his enthusiasm bubbles like baking soda in vinegar. He winces when he encounters people who say their chemistry courses turned them off to the subject. Chemistry is “really intrinsically beautiful, it’s comprehensible,” he stresses, noting that teachers need to approach it differently than in the past. “If I can engage (students) in a way that piques their interest … then what they learn they might want to share with others.” He strives to present lessons in a fashion that students not only remember but want to pass on to others. Take his undergraduate chemistry lesson on acid-based reactions. It begins with a fish that sits out on Wender’s kitchen counter overnight (with the blessing of his wife, Jacqueline, who buys the fish). In class the next day, Wender passes the fish under students’ noses. Foul-smelling �Wender continues today as perhaps the world’s preeminent molecular architect for complex molecule assembly. compounds aptly After Wilkes, Wender earned his named putrescine doctorate at Yale University, served as and cadaverine an NIH postdoctoral fellow at Columbia cause them to draw University and then became an assistant – Gary Brudvig, Eugene Higgins back, noses wrinkled. professor at Harvard University. He Professor of Chemistry at Yale Standing before the relocated to California to join the faculty class, Wender employs his at Stanford in 1981. “Stanford is a place that best Julia Child impersonation nurtures innovation and collaboration.” as he rubs down the fish with When he’s not teaching or researching, he still lemon juice. The acid neutralizes the thinks in terms of chemistry. “I paint, I sculpt. I have a smell and noses wrinkle no more. The next time (pottery) wheel at home,” he says, noting how mixing colors fish graces the menu in the university dining hall, his students and materials relate to his vocation. He also lifts weights, runs invariably share this “chemistry” lesson with their friends and they or cycles every day. Wife Jacqueline is an associate dean at themselves become chemistry teachers. Santa Clara University Law School. She built her career at Wender knew the lesson was successful when within one Stanford, where for a time she served as associate provost with week news of the fish had made it all the way to a top Stanford then-Provost Condoleezza Rice and subsequently as assistant to administrator. “We like to hear stories, and we like to tell President Gerhard Casper. stories,” he reasons. Wender advocates for higher education and basic research, He engages all the senses in his classes. Demonstrating how which can take years to yield societal benefit. “Higher education chemists can manipulate the timing of a reaction—say, how training and research put things into play like concepts for fast a drug will work in the body—Wender employs Rossini’s computers and therapies that might not have an instant impact William Tell Overture (See “More on the Web” and check out but often lead over time to revolutionary change,” he reasons. the faces of his students). On “go,” students simultaneously He notes that his current research builds on work he started combine clear solutions in a line of beakers. As the recorded in the 1970s. He begins with understanding how compounds orchestra charges through the rousing piece (think of the Lone function, then continues to design and synthesize even better Ranger riding Silver), each beaker in succession changes from ones in efficient and “green” ways that minimize impact on the clear to blue as if on cue. environment and maximize therapeutic benefit. Crafting a practical therapeutic use can take decades. “Taxol was discovered in 1962. It was launched for use against breast Passing on Football and ovarian cancer in 1992,” Wender says. “You see a summit, Wender’s parents taught him a healthy respect for education and and you don’t know exactly how you’re encouraged learning as a path to success. He passed up a football going to get there from here scholarship at another college so that he could concentrate on but you know where you chemistry with Wilkes professor (now emeritus) Bill Stine. And want to end up.” he accompanied biology professor Charles Reif to the Nuangola Paul Wender, Ph.D., Bog for core samples, which Wender would analyze. Wender Menlo Park, Calif. also served as vice president and president of student government at Wilkes, often meeting biweekly with President Eugene Farley. B.S., Chemistry, 1969 “Wilkes was a remarkable place. I realized that I loved to Career: Bergstrom Professor of learn,” he recalls. “It just opened up doors that I had certainly Chemistry at Stanford University not passed through before.” Notable: Internationally known chemist who synthesized the blockbuster breast cancer drug taxol; now working on therapies for HIV/AIDS, Alzheimer’s Disease and cancer. Check out one of Wender’s lessons that brings chemistry to life with Rossini’s William Tell Overture at http://www.wilkes.edu/wender Wilkes memories: Biweekly meetings with Wilkes President Eugene Farley, pulling core samples from the Nuangola Bog with Professor Charles Reif, research with Professor Bill Stine, discussions with faculty, classes and “events” with friends. Wilkes | Fall 2012 More on the web 11 �Spin Control Wilkes Professor Helps Voters Focus on the Facts By Helen Kaiser Wilkes | Fall 2012 W 12 Wilkes Communication Studies Professor Jane Elmes-Crahall teaches a class on political communications. photo by michael touey ith an estimated $2 billion being spent on this year’s presidential election race, Americans are subjected to an onslaught of political pitches for nearly two years. Is it any wonder many in the electorate have tuned out or feel overwhelmed at making what is a crucial choice for the nation? For Wilkes communication studies Professor Jane Elmes-Crahall, however, the presidential election is a timely tool for teaching students how to think for themselves. Her popular “Controlling Spin” class is offered every four years during the heated primary season, affording students real-world opportunities to assess what is being said during debates, commercials, media interviews and online. The goal is to enable students to cut through the rhetoric and choose the candidate who best meets their criteria on issues important to them. “I have always been a strong supporter of nonpartisan groups, like the League of Women Voters,” Elmes-Crahall says. “That’s because I believe in the importance of each individual voter forming his or her own opinion, rather than being influenced by groups lobbying for one position or another.” For Dominick Costantino, a Wilkes junior from Hanover Township, Pa., last spring’s course provided an in-depth look at political campaigns that will help prepare him to vote in his first presidential election. “As a communications major, I really was interested in the public relations aspects of the race—how certain messages are framed,” he says. “The whole spin aspect of politics is important to analyze, because this is what they (campaign staffs) all do,” says senior Trevor Kurtz, another communication studies major, from Harleysville, Pa. �A frequent provider of expert analysis on political speeches, debates and policy statements for regional and national news media, Elmes-Crahall shared her strategies for “controlling spin” and evaluating candidate communications: • Don’t let anyone else frame a political event for you. Don’t listen to commentators who are providing analysis. Just focus on the candidates themselves. • Realize that strategists are providing spin even before a candidate’s speeches, town halls or debates. They try to lower your expectations so your impression is more positive if the candidate’s performance is only average. • Learn some of the basics of reason and logic so you can see through any argument that may be fallacious. • Take the time needed to evaluate what you’re hearing. You can record and replay or watch most interviews and debates again online if necessary. • Give some thought to what issues are most important to you, and research candidates’ positions on them. • Develop what you might call a voter’s manifesto—as if you were saying “This is what you, the candidate, must do to win my vote.” • Post your thoughts online in a blog or on the candidates’ websites. Begin a discussion and influence the news cycle yourself. Today, any voter with a computer has a chance to impact other voters. Focus Groups Evaluate Political Attitudes Of Youth When class members analyzed the responses, they found today’s young voters and prospective voters are being shaped by their personal and social media relationships. They are fed up with party politics. According to Wilkes communication studies professor Jane Elmes-Crahall, there has been a dramatic evolution in the electorate in just the past four years. In 2008, television This poster, designed by Wilkes student Bryan Calabro, advertised a was the primary source of young voters rally organized by the campaign information for Controlling Spin class. most people, she said. Now social media has surpassed broadcast media, especially for the younger generation of voters. “Young voters get almost all their information about the 2012 presidential campaign from conversations with friends and from social media (especially Facebook and Twitter),” the focus group research discovered. When they do tune in to broadcasts, it’s likely to be for CNN Headline News, or Comedy Central’s John Stewart and the Colbert Report. The focus group interviews also revealed a distrust of the two-party political system, coupled with growing identification among 18- to 24-year olds as Independents. “Please embrace nonpartisanship—I am so sick of campaigning in Republican or Democratic terms,” pleaded one student. “Address the whole nation’s needs.” The focus groups found that 32.5 percent of respondents identified themselves as Democrats, and 21 percent as Republicans. Independents (23 percent) and Libertarians (18.5) together totaled nearly 42 percent. Two participants had not made a choice. “Ten years from now, almost no young voters will identify with either the Republicans or Democrats,” one student predicted. The focus group participants were fed up with the increasingly used tactic of negative advertising. Said one student: “Polarizing language insults me . . . don’t candidates realize young voters can see right past these cheap tactics?” The issues that meant the most to the young focus group participants were: jobs, mounting student debt, improving the quality of education, civil rights for gay individuals and separation of church and state. More on the Web For more details about the results of the focus group research on young voters or to comment on the spring 2012 focus groups, visit http://controllingspin.blogspot.com/2012_08_ 01_archives.html Wilkes | Fall 2012 The “Controlling Spin” class offered at Wilkes in spring semester 2012 conducted focus groups to determine students’ perceptions of the 2012 presidential campaign. Four discussions involving a total of 43 participants ages 14 to 24 were held in March and April. 13 �Successful Barbara Gavlick Hartnett delights In Career Creating Costumes By Vicki Mayk Wilkes | Fall 2012 Barbara Gavlick Hartnett ’76 remembers them all as they emerged from her sewing machine. The horse costume she spent hours quilting so intricately that it looked like it was made of stones. Or the red, white and blue uniforms festooned with brass buttons produced in a matter of days for a production of Les Miserables at Wyoming Seminary’s Performing Arts Institute. More recently, there was the stunning orchid gown and matching hat made in honor of The Titanic’s 100th anniversary. They have something in common: a label proclaiming they are Costumes by Barbara. Hartnett started her business as a part-time venture in 1987, designing and sewing costumes for Halloween revelers and masquerade party-goers. It became her full-time occupation in 1995 when she moved into the shop at 186 Main St. in Luzerne, Pa. The bell jingles on the door as it opens into the store with its floor-toceiling crush of color. “I’m back here,” Hartnett calls. She’s in the back near the dressing rooms, dressed in a simple peach-colored t-shirt and beige slacks that contrast with the bright primary colors of her creations. Heads of cartoon characters grin down on visitors from a high shelf. Shrek, a cheerful purple dinosaur and a facsimile of a certain famous mouse beam down. A parade of picture hats hangs from a bar suspended from the ceiling. Does Hartnett know how many costumes she has? 14 Barbara Gavlick Hartnett ’76, front, is surrounded by her costume creations in her Luzerne, Pa., shop. Pictured from left, clockwise are Wyoming Valley West High School student Casey Clark, gypsy; Wilkes junior Brittany Battista, harem girl; Liz Swantek ’05, MBA ’07, director of residence life, colonial woman; Wyoming Valley West student Josh Williams, Napoleon; blue rabbit Evan Sedor, son of John Sedor ’87 and Donna O’Toole Sedor ’85; Kevin Saunders, Wyoming Valley West, leprechaun; and Wilkes junior Ian Foley, behind the jester’s mask. Photos by Earl & Sedor Photographic �More on the Web To see more tips from Barbara Gavlick Hartnett on creating memorable costumes, go to www.wilkes.edu/costumes Costume Tips From a Pro Want to come up with a great costume for your next party—or just have your kids stand out on Halloween? If you’re too far away to rent one from Barbara Gavlick Hartnett, she has a few tips for creating your own: Decide what you want to be: “Do you want to be pretty, funny, sexy, spooky? Do you want to have a covered face or not? Such basics can guide your process.” Be open to suggestions: Don’t set too many parameters when picking costumes. Saying you “have” to be a vampire or couples who say they “have to go as a couple” can lead to unhappy choices and eliminate good ones. Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize: A basic dress or outfit can be turned into a multitude of looks with the right accessories. For example, a basic plain black robe or dress becomes a pilgrim costume with the right hat and an apron added to it. Add a wimple, collar and rosary beads, and it becomes a nun’s habit. The same dress plus a peaked hat yields a witch. Barbara Gavlick Hartnett, Swoyersville, Pa. B.A., Fine Arts, 1976 Career: Professional costumer and owner of Costumes by Barbara, a costume rental business in Luzerne, Pa. Notable: During the course of a 25-year career, designed and created more than 1,500 costumes. Favorite Wilkes memory: As a member of Wilkes’ Circle K Club, Hartnett traveled to Florida to the first convention after the national Kiwanis organization admitted women, and later to a convention in Los Angeles. Wilkes | Fall 2012 “About 1,500, no—2,000,” she says. Some are stored at home—such as the Halloween ghosts and goblins that she brings out in the fall. She tracks them by a numbering system. Spiral notebooks organized by dates chronicle special orders. They include the sketches for her original designs and swatches of the fabric she used to make them. She refers to them when asked to make a similar costume. “Why reinvent the wheel?” says Hartnett, who also uses pieces from commercial dress patterns in addition to creating her own. It’s a practical approach for a woman in a somewhat impractical business. “My father used to say, ‘Do what you have to do so that you can do what you want to,’ ” Hartnett recalls. “My father and I were lucky because the two things were the same for us—we’ve done what we loved.” Her late father, Leo Gavlick ’51, was a civil engineer whose passion was numbers. He graduated from Bucknell University Junior College. Hartnett took a different path at Wilkes, majoring in fine arts after she transferred from Luzerne County Community College and Bloomsburg University. Her brothers, Blase ’73, MBA ’77 and Jeffrey Gavlick ’82 and Jeff’s wife, Donna (George) Gavlick ’82, also are alumni. She commuted to Wilkes from Swoyersville, studying painting with Bernice D’Vorzon and Phil Richards, jewelry making with Henry Casilli, sculpture with Herb Simon and textiles and batik with Richard Fuller. Outside of class, she was involved with Circle K—an involvement she continues as a member of the Swoyersville Kiwanis. Hartnett worked for 16 years as an embroidery designer for companies in Ashley, Pa., and New Jersey. “I have embroidery that I designed on some of my costumes,” she says, and pulls out a blue period gown with a delicately embroidered eyelet collar. “We designed it by hand,” she recalls. “Now it’s all done by computer.” Since opening her store, she’s created costumes for businesses, clowns, community groups and party-goers. For nine years, she designed costumes for musicals at Wyoming Valley West High School in Plymouth, Pa., including productions of Pirates of Penzance, Kiss Me Kate and Guys and Dolls. For most of the years she’s been in business, costume rentals have been the mainstay, but the age of her customers has changed. “Seventeen years ago, I rented 110 kids’ costumes. Now, I rent maybe eight.” The costume business is seeing another shift: Customers want to buy as often as they want to rent. A savvy businesswoman, she’s accommodating the shift. “I’m moving more into consignment and sales,” she says. In her free time, Hartnett enjoys travel with her husband, Tom. In fall 2012, she’s partnering with an illustrator to publish a children’s book, The Poor Little Pumpkin. “I’m all about creativity; that’s my thing,” she says with a smile. “I love what I do.” 15 �Bill Miller ’81 popularized brands for Barnes & Noble, The New York Times and FAO Schwarz Marketing Maven ii Bill Miller ’81 loves product. He particularly loves making Wilkes | Fall 2012 product more lovable to consumers across continents. 16 Over three decades the merchandising expert has popularized everything from clip-on lights for tablet computers to baskets woven by Ugandan war widows. By Geoff Gehman �Bill Miller, New York, N.Y. B.S., Business Administration,Wilkes, 1981 Career: President of Galison Publishing LLC/Mudpuppy Press Notable: Recently completed a consulting project marketing archival photos for The New York Times. Bill Miller ’81 is surrounded by the colorful products he markets as president of Galison Publishing/Mudpuppy Press, the latest chapter of his successful career. Photos by Dan Z. Johnson Favorite Wilkes Memories: Bradford Kinney’s communication and marketing class and lessons learned from Jane Lampe-Groh, then assistant dean of student affairs, and George Ralston, then dean of student affairs. “They gave me a vision,” says Miller, “of a kinder, broader world.” store of healthy products for Rodale Press, the organic-lifestyle pioneer, to marketing LightWedge clip-on lights for the Nook and its chief competitor, Amazon’s Kindle. Miller’s splashiest consulting assignment came from The New York Times. Asked to boost the sales and reputation of the newspaper’s archival photographs, he suggested hiring prominent designers as guest curators. Fashion superstar Vera Wang was among the 10 tastemakers who chose 10 pictures apiece. Celebrity cachet has helped boost sales of Times Store photos a heady 12 percent, says Theresa DeRosa, the newspaper’s director of creative services and merchandising. She praises Miller as a remarkably skilled strategist: connected, charismatic, calm in any crisis. A fan of his Barnes & Noble innovations, she waited three years to work with him, finally proposing a partnership when they sat together at a dinner party. Miller missed the excitement of leading a creative team, a daily duty for his husband, Talbot Logan, vice president of wholesale initiatives and brand presentation for Ralph Lauren. Miller filled this void in May when he became president of Galison Publishing LLC/Mudpuppy Press. He likes the company’s lineup of useful, fanciful items: a memo pad shaped like a vintage telephone; a writer’s notebook with a photo of the Chrysler Building, which he can see from the company’s conference room. He especially likes the challenge of trying to transform a well-known family business into a household name under a new owner. In March the company was purchased by the McEvoy Group, a San Francisco-based media company. “My job is to instill a sense of pride and responsibility, to give people a setting to shine,” says Miller, a member of Wilkes’ Board of Trustees. Miller is eager to put his spin on items featuring Babar and the Little Prince, new licensees and old superheroes of children’s literature. He loves to cast novel roles for classic characters, to make something as simple as a little black notebook as flexible, and as important, as a little black dress. “It’s not just a little black notebook; it can have all sorts of designs that can express your lifestyle and your life,” says Miller. “It all comes down to, ‘how do we use product to make our everyday existence a little better?’ ” Wilkes | Fall 2012 Last spring Miller began finding and fine tuning product as president of Galison Publishing LLC/Mudpuppy Press, a supplier of fine-art notecards, children’s games and journals for all ages. Promoting items starring Van Gogh’s sunflowers and Babar the elephant suits a marketing maven who has worked for the world’s biggest bookseller and the world’s best-known toy store. The native of Forty Fort, Pa., earned money for Wilkes by unloading boxes and setting up store displays for his father, a food broker for supermarket chains and mom & pop groceries. Miller learned from his father to exceed customer demands and meet deadlines—essential skills for a future branding boss. Key lessons for his career also were learned at Wilkes. He cites taking the communication and marketing class taught by Bradford Kinney, professor of communication studies. Kinney’s “great energy” inspired Miller to write for The Beacon and work in the school’s public-relations office, where he learned about marketing through media. Miller later polished his skills while serving a pair of venerable department-store chains, Hess’s and Macy’s. He graduated from Macy’s renowned executive-training program. In 1989, Miller joined FAO Schwarz, the famous toy store. He became a quadruple threat, supervising stores outside Manhattan, the company catalog, its Web site and its flagship store on Fifth Avenue. Highlights included escorting Princess Diana and reaping the publicity benefits of the 1988 movie Big, where Tom Hanks dances to “Chopsticks” on the store’s giant floor piano. Miller left in 2000, shortly after FAO Schwarz was sold. He became president of Eziba.com, a three-year-old firm started by an economist-entrepreneur to aid talented artisans in troubled countries. Miller helped launch a museum-quality catalog that compelled young consumers to buy goods online, a strategy then in its infancy. He helped establish an exchange where the sale of goods funded food and shelter. Eziba struggled to turn a profit despite backing from Amazon.com and, in 2005, it sold its assets to Overstock.com. The next year Miller became a vice president at Amazon’s rival, Barnes & Noble. He monitored gifts, cafes, product placement and product development. Miller oversaw developing covers and lights for the Nook, Barnes & Noble’s tablet computer. He commissioned his friend, home-décor specialist Jonathan Adler, to design the company’s first vase. It was his idea to have back-to-school journals and bags decorated by college students, an idea that became a boon for the company’s campus bookstores. He also brokered a partnership with FEED Projects, co-founded by former first daughter Lauren Bush, to provide food and nutrients to children in impoverished countries. Miller remains on FEED’s board. In 2009 he left Barnes & Noble to become a full-time consultant. His projects ranged from developing an online 17 �alumni news Regional Alumni Events Take Wilkes Around the Country From top to bottom: More than 60 alumni from northeastern Pennsylvania visited the recently opened Susquehanna Brewing Company in Pittston, Pa. Jaime Jurado MS ’90, their brewmaster, provided a behind-the-scenes look at the brewing process. Pictured left to right are Kristin Klemish ’04, Ryan Klemish ’04, Megan McAndrew ’04 and Mike Pedley ’06. Duke’s Bar and Grille in Harrisburg was the site for a get together for Wilkes alumni in the state capital area. Pictured from left to right are Tanner Spadafore Rebeil ’00 (holding daughter Elia Grace), Andrea Chuba Kealey ’78, Donna Talarico ’00 MFA ’09, John B. Hall ’65, Cindie Geary Burke PharmD ’04, Jonathan Burke ’01, Bethany Yenner Bosha ’02, John Bosha PharmD ’04, Bob Keeney ’04, Tim Mirra ’07 and Laurie Agresti ’07. More than 80 alumni and friends of the University played in the 60th Annual John Chwalek Golf Tournament held in July. Money raised from the event benefits The John J. Chwalek, Sr. Scholarship and athletic programs. Pictured at the post-tournament luncheon are, from left, Gary Williams ’72 MBA ’82, David Kaschak ’71 MS ’81, John Baranowski ’71, Mike Sharok ’68, Joe Angelella ’80 and Bob Roberts. Alumni enjoyed a weekend full of events hosted by Jason Griggs ’90 in Pawley’s Island, S.C. Pictured in the back row, left to right, are Wilkes Vice President for Advancement Mike Wood, Bill Stinger ’68, Peter Perog ’60, David Baum ’68, Jason Griggs ’90, Rick Simonson ’69. Front row, left to right, are Advancement Director Sue Jolley, Alexia Baum, Nancy Wanczyk Stinger ’69; Sean, Jack and Henry King, grandsons of Rick Simonson ’69. Other alumni in attendance but not pictured included Susan Ryan Simonson ’70, Ken Thompson ’89, Dan Cardell ’79 and George Pawlush IV ’98. In addition to these locations, alumni gathered in Florida, California and Boston. Last chance to update your info for the new alumni directory The deadline for alumni to review the contact information the alumni relations office has on file is Nov. 1, 2012. This information will be compiled into a new alumni directory. If you haven’t done so already, please respond to the email or postcard sent to you by PCI, our partner in this project. If you have any questions, please contact the alumni office at 570-408-7787 or alumni@wilkes.edu. Wilkes | Fall 2012 who is giving back to Wilkes? 18 In the back of this issue, you’ll see our annual Report of Gifts which recognizes everyone who has made a gift to Wilkes between June 1, 2011, and May 31, 2012. The Alumni Association board of directors appreciates the generosity of everyone who has contributed to the success and growth of current students! �campaign update View From The Top: Update On Science Building Project Construction on the new science building continues on schedule for completion in fall 2013. This summer, the steel structure for the building took shape on campus. Alumni visiting Wilkes this fall will have opportunities to see the project first-hand. But there are some aspects of the project that can’t be shared until the building is complete. Here, Wilkes magazine offers a peek at the upper level of Wilkes’ newest building. This summer, incoming students and the campus community signed a connector beam that will be installed in the building. photo by bridget giunta husted ’05 On the uppermost level of the building, utilitarian needs will mix with creative opportunities. Half of the rooftop will house mechanical equipment necessary for the operation of the building, while the remaining space will be for hands-on enhancements to our science programs. This rendering shows the courtyard situated between the new Features include: structure and the existing Stark Learning Center. The Annette • A 1,200-squareEvans Alumni House is indicated in gray on the left. foot, four-room greenhouse, as well as dedicated areas of vegetation to be used for observation and monitoring; • A 3,750-square-foot terrace that will serve as an observation area during both day and night. A telescope storage room will be easily accessible; • A 300-square-foot raised platform that is exposed to the elements for experimental and research purposes, such as biofuel cultivation, solar panel testing and wind turbine testing. Although it has been built with the needs of researchers and future scientists in mind, they won’t be the only ones who can enjoy this very special space. We look forward to sharing it with alumni and the campus community at future events. Wilkes | Fall 2012 The view of the Susquehanna River from the top level of Wilkes’ new science building. 19 �class notes 1955 Louis Steck and his wife Norma welcomed a greatgrandson, Louis Warren Cameron, to their family. 1968 Bill Stinger See 1976 1969 Nancy Stinger See 1976 1978 David Dudick Sr. has been named president of General Mills Bakeries & Foodservice business segment. Dudick brings more than 30 years of experience with General Mills to his new role, serving most recently as senior vice president, president U.S. sales for channels, leading the company’s business with supercenters, drug and discount clubs and dollar stores. General Mills is the world’s sixth largest food company. 1979 Kathleen Bolinski has joined the professional staff of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center as a youth apprentice program coordinator. She is a Pennsylvania licensed social worker and lives in Hunlock Creek, Pa. 1980 Kathi (Roman) Davis of Allentown, Pa., enjoyed a trip back in time when her daughter, Stef, organized the Big Bash 2, recreating a party her mother had organized at Wilkes during her student days. The original Big Bash, which occurred in the student center in 1978, brought the entire Wilkes campus together. Pictured are Davis, right, with her daughter, Stef, at the Big Bash 2, held at her daughter’s house in Forty Fort, Pa. The event included t-shirts and replicas of her original nametag from 1978. Jeannie Swartz O’Donnell and her husband Norbert have opened O’Donnell Winery LLC, in Briar Creek, Pa. O’Donnell is also a health care consultant for Altegra Health, a company based in Los Angeles, Calif. 1976 Wilkes | Fall 2012 Carol and Phil Besler, left, competed in the Miami Beach 13.1 Marathon on March 4 with fellow alumni Nancy Stinger ‘69 and Bill Stinger ‘68. 20 1976 Laura (Parrish) O’Brien, Mary Lou (Murray) Brady, Noel Jorgensen, Bouraine (Meehan) Smith and Sandy (Akromas) Thomson, pictured left to right, held their annual Barre Hall reunion at Easter. 1980 William V. Lewis Jr. MBA ’86, commissioner of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, served as the keynote speaker on July 4 at the 134th annual Wyoming Monument commemoration observance sponsored by the Wyoming Commemorative Association. He is vice president and a certified financial planner with Merrill Lynch Wealth Management in Wilkes-Barre. Barbara Pirrella-Sico is the regional director for Bayada Home Health Care. Pirrella-Sico oversees the pediatric offices throughout the state. She lives in Pittston, Pa. 1981 Joseph Pelchar retired from the U.S. Air Force with the rank of colonel and is working for the Department of Defense in Philadelphia, Pa. Janet Vierbuchen Briel is the senior director of clinical research at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md. She previously held positions at Duke and Stanford universities. 1983 Ellen Van Riper has joined Holloway Odegard and Kelly, a law firm in Phoenix, Ariz. 1984 Andrea Nerozzi was selected as a fellow to the 2012 Siemens STEM Institute at Discovery Communications headquarters in Silver Spring, Md. The institute is an immersion program that promotes hands-on, real-world integration of science, technology, engineering and �class notes 1985 Thomas McGuire, director of sports information/athletic marketing and promotions at Bloomsburg University, Bloomsburg, Pa., has earned top honors at the district level of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Fred Stabley Writing Contest. McGuire’s 2011 story, “Standing Tall,” was the winning piece in District 2, which includes Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. 1987 Ross Macarty is the new director of real estate and special projects for the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry. 1990 Thomas Griffith MS ’94 is the English department chairperson at Wyoming Valley West High School. Dale Heller is Center Stage as Entertainment Publicist for performing arts entertainment. “I liked the idea of Dale Heller ‘03 never studied puppetry, but puppets way, I’d be more inclined to work really hard for my helped launch his career. After graduating with a degree in clients,” says Heller of his decision to go solo as president theater and communication studies, he took a job with Sam and sole-proprietor of his company. With clients like Rudy Media Relations in New York City. “Sam Rudy needed off-Broadway company Page 73 Productions and children’s to bring in help for a little puppet show off-Broadway,” theater company Making Books Sing, Heller says he soon Heller explains. “And that show was Avenue Q.” will add employees. Heller Highwater focuses on public and media relations having all the burden on my shoulders because that “Avenue Q was my first; it was my baby,” continues As a publicist, Heller spends a lot of time making Heller, who became friends with several members of the contacts and writing press releases, but what he most original cast and crew. “That first day I saw it, I knew it enjoys is staying involved with theater. “I dreamed of being was something special.” an actor, but I didn’t have a penchant for poverty,” Heller He was right; the puppet show for grown-ups was a smash hit that eventually went to Broadway and won a Tony Award for best musical. Now Heller has ended a admits with a laugh. “I like being on the managerial side of the creative arts.” “I’m a big fan of Wilkes,” he adds. “Wilkes reinforced in successful 10-year run at Sam Rudy to start his me how to be independent. Wilkes gave me tools in PR to own company, Heller Highwater LLC. “I thought, continue my education.” ‘This is nice,’ “ says Heller of his first job at Rudy Media, “but I really wanted to call the shots.” The Berwick, Pa., native—now a New York City resident—also credits his relationship with Wilkes communication studies professor Jane Elmes-Crahall for helping him start out on the right foot. “I picked PR because Jane was from Berwick and I wanted to find something to take along with theater,” he admits. “Teachers like her, and Bonnie [Culver], and Joe Dawson...that’s what makes Wilkes really special. They really care about their students and they really care about what they’re doing. And that’s what laid the foundation for me starting Heller Highwater. They invested in me.” — By Rachel Strayer MFA ’12 Dale Heller, right, catches up with his Wilkes mentor, communication studies Professor Jane Elmes-Crahall, on a recent visit to campus. photo by vicki mayk Wilkes | Fall 2012 math (STEM) in the classroom. Nerozzi teaches chemistry and advanced placement environmental science and is director of the Science Research Group at Wyoming Seminary Upper School in Kingston, Pa. She was among 50 educators selected nationally for the honor. 21 �class notes John Plishka ’05 Monitors Presidential Campaign Finances When John Plishka ‘05 finished his degree in political science at Wilkes he knew it wasn’t easy to break into politics. That didn’t stop him from working with the Rick something embarrassing gets on one of these reports... you’re responsible for it. If you make a mistake, it’s in the public realm.” That, according to Plishka, is also what makes the job so rewarding. “[I enjoy] the idea that what you do matters.” Plishka credits Wilkes political science professor Thomas Santorum campaign from 2005 to 2006. “After that,” Baldino and adjunct Anthony Poplawski with helping him says Plishka, “there was a mad scramble to get a job.” achieve his goals. “They were always advocates of what I Santorum’s campaign manager, Vince Galko, directed wanted to do,” recalls Plishka. “You have to go the extra Plishka to Campaign Mail and Data Inc., and a job he never mile, but they will help you.” It was their support that got expected to do: accounting. Plishka the hands-on experience needed to succeed in “I said to myself, ‘I’ve got to do something no one else politics. In 2003, Plishka participated in the Washington wants to do,’ “ laughs Plishka, who has made his career Semester program at American University, an opportunity tracking contributions for political campaigns through his that led to his first internship with former Congressman Don work at the Falls Church, Va., company. Sherwood. Wilkes has a partnership with American, making What Plishka calls the “non-glamorous side” of politics turned out to be exactly what he was looking for. As the program available to students at no additional cost. “The opportunities to go out and learn these things deputy political director at CMDI, Plishka has crunched first-hand were phenomenal,” Plishka concludes. “You numbers for the McCain-Palin campaign, Giuliani for can’t really learn politics in the classroom; it’s about taking President and the National Republican Congressional those concepts and applying them.” Committee, among others. He is currently doing finances for Romney for President. — By Rachel Strayer MFA ’12 “It increases the workload dramatically,” Plishka says of his duties during a presidential election year. “You’re always busy...[but] now it’s crunch time.” His work at CMDI includes providing the Romney campaign with daily cash flow projections and reporting financial activities monthly to the Federal Election Commission. Campaign finance law requires disclosure of contributions and the names of those who make them. Checking spelling and contact information for up to 25,000 donors on one disclosure report each month can be a challenge. “If Wilkes | Fall 2012 John Plishka ’05 tracks political contributions at the Falls Church, Va.-based Campaign Mail and Data Inc. 22 1991 Christopher Augustine retired from the U.S. Army and has joined General Electric Lighting in Cleveland, Ohio, as its communications and public affairs manager. 1992 Reunion Oct. 5-7 ~ Robert Feinberg, senior attorney at Brown and Hutchinson, was recently named the 2011 Up and Coming Attorney in Rochester, N.Y. 1993 Karin L Nicholson M.D. was promoted to lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army. She has been serving as a pulmonary critical care and sleep physician in the Army since 2000. She is stationed at Ft. Hood, Texas. 1996 Justin Fasulo See 1998 1998 Kerri and Justin Fasulo ’96 hosted the 2012 Don’t Sweat It Walk to raise money for the National Foundation for Ectodermal Dysplasia on June �class notes 23 at the Walkway on the Hudson in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Their 2 1/2 year old daughter, Nicole, has ectodermal dysplasia, a genetic disorder that affects the hair, nails, sweat glands and teeth. 2006 Kandice Bross and husband Thomas welcomed a daughter, Vivienne Colette, on June 6, 2012. 2007 2001 Matt Reitnour was promoted to assistant athletic director of communications at Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y. Reitnour is entering his twelfth year on the college’s athletic department staff and his sixth year as the director for the college’s athletic communications department. 2002 Reunion Oct. 5-7 ~ Ryan Barhight has been promoted to vice president, credit analyst supervisor, for First National Community Bank, where he is responsible for managing the commercial credit underwriting department. He joined FNCB in 2003. He resides in Old Forge, Pa., with his wife, Jessica. 2004 Selena Bednarz Clark and Brandon Clark welcomed a baby girl, Leah Rose Clark, born in October 2011. They live in Flanders, N.J. 2005 Amanda Kosich started a blog called “Bright-Eyed Blonde,” which is about living a healthy lifestyle. Reunion Oct. 5-7 Allyson Beth Bazarsky earned her doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM). She is continuing her medical training in neurology at the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, S.C. Rachel (Moskal) Gold See 2006 photo. Adrienne Richards is the director of industry and public affairs at the American Frozen Food Institute in Washington, D.C. She was previously public relations manager for the National Turkey Federation. 1997 Reunion Oct. 5-7 ~ Rebecca A. Shedlock M’97 and Donald A. Brominski were married on March 3, 2012. The bride is the director of conference services and community outreach initiatives for the Educational Conference Center at Luzerne County Community College, Nanticoke, Pa. The groom is the director of business development for UGI Utilities Inc., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. The couple reside in Dallas, Pa. 2008 Sarah Dorman MBA ’10 is an English teacher at Wyoming Valley West High School. 2009 Johnathan Botch was awarded a contract to run a store at the National Canal Museum in Easton, Pa. The store will sell small gift items as well as consignment items from vendors, artists and craftsmen. 2001 Edward T. Bednarz III earned his doctorate in mechanical engineering from UMBC (University of Maryland, Baltimore County) while working full-time at the Tobyhanna Army Depot. Bednarz also is an adjunct professor in the Wilkes mechanical engineering department. Wilkes | Fall 2012 2000 Matthew Jagusak welcomed a son, Robert Matthew, on April 15, 2012. 23 �class notes In Memoriam 1948 John E. Krupa, Key Largo, Fla., died May 14, 2012. Krupa served with the U.S. Army during World War II, attaining the rank of staff sergeant. He was employed as an industrial engineer for RCA in Mountain Top, Pa. William H. Lewis, Forked River, N.J., died June 11, 2012. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Lewis was employed by Merck & Co. Inc. for 39 years as a manager in chemical manufacturing. 2006 Jeff Gold and Rachel (Moskal) Gold ’07 welcomed their first child, Mallory May, in August 2012. Pictured at their September 2011 wedding are, front, Rachel and Jeff, and, back from left, groomsman Joseph Gisondi, maid of honor Mandy Ratschof ’07, and best man Joseph Woods. The couple met in Breiseth Hall during their Wilkes orientation. Jeff is employed as a police officer in Falls Township, Pa., where he is also an EMT, an accident reconstructionist, a certified armorer, the training officer for the Falls Township Police Honor Guard, and a member of the SWAT team. Rachel has worked as a kindergarten teacher and as a nanny. 2011 Sean Madden was named head football coach at Montrose High School. During the 2011-2012 academic year, he had been assistant coach under Montrose head coach Todd Smith and a full-time substitute teacher. Wilkes | Fall 2012 Graduate Students 24 Ginger Marcinkowski MFA ’12’s novel Run, River Currents was published in August 2012 by Booktrope Editions. The book is a 2012 semifinalist in the Association of Christian Fiction Writers Genesis Awards. Gale Martin MA ’11 published her second novel, Grace Unexpected, in July 2012 by Booktrope Editions. Her first novel, also published by Booktrope, was Don Juan in Hankey, PA. Tabitha Grace Smith MFA ’12 has joined Geek & Sundry, an online entertainment site and community, as social media strategist. In her new position, she is responsible for social media marketing and community development. 1949 Phyllis M. Meyer Mitchneck, Forty Fort, Pa., died June 4, 2012. She was executive secretary of Wyoming Valley Playground and Recreational Association. 195O Royal J. Culp, Kingston, Pa., died June 24, 2012. Culp was a World War II veteran and served as a fighter pilot in the Army Air Corps. Prior to retirement, he owned and operated Royal Acoustics. The Rev. Dr. Lester Gross, Louisville, Ky., died June 12, 2012. Gross was an Army Air Corps veteran and a retired Episcopal priest. He founded several Episcopal churches in Louisville. Joseph Frank Mizia, Lenox, Mass., died July 30, 2012. Mizia spent his career with GE Chemical, which later became GE Plastics, where he was a member of a team that developed applications for Lexan plastic. 1951 Eugene Zastavny, Glen Lyon, Pa., died on June 6, 2012. Zastavny was a U.S. Army Air Force veteran of World War II, attaining the rank of corporal. He was employed as a corrections officer at the State Correctional Institute in Dallas, Pa. 1958 William J. Powell, Midlothian, Va., died April 13, 2012. Powell worked at the Ethyl Corp. for 35 years. He and his wife established the Billy “Boog” Powell Scholarship at Wilkes in memory of their late son. 1959 Martha J. Flanigan, Dover Plains, N.Y., died Dec. 6, 2011. Flanigan was the director of education at the former Wassaic Developmental Center. 1961 Thomas Griffiths, Bristow, Va., died July 16, 2012. He was employed by the Department of Defense at the Pentagon until his retirement in 1994. �class notes In Memoriam Leonard S. Mierzwa Sr., Nanticoke, Pa., died June 16, 2012. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean conflict. Mierzwa was a manager for Inland Water Sports in Luzerne, Pa. 1963 Joseph J. Altavilla Sr., Larksville, Pa., died May 20, 2012. He was employed as an industrial arts teacher in Hanover Area School District for 25 years. He also coached junior high wrestling in the district, winning multiple league championships. Altavilla later was head wrestling coach at Bishop O’Reilly High School. 1964 Patrick Rutkoski, Drums, Pa., died on May 30, 2012. Rutkoski was a Vietnam veteran, attaining the rank of major in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was employed by RCA, Mountain Top, Pa., until his retirement in 1982. 1968 William R. Watkins, Deltona, Fla., died July 15, 2012. A U.S. Navy veteran, Watkins was an accountant at Fowler Dick and Walker in Wilkes-Barre and at firms in Allentown, Pa., and in Altamonte and Daytona Beach, Fla. 1969 Raymonde Montante Stets, Mountain Top, Pa., died on June 11, 2012. A resident of York, Pa., for nearly 30 years, she was a practicing psychologist. 1970 Joseph Elechko Jr., M.D., Manchester N.H., died June 18, 2012. A physician and pharmacist, Elechko served in the U.S. Navy. 1973 Sharon Foose Moss, Hanover Township, Pa., died May 30, 2012. Moss was employed for 23 years by the Area Agency on Aging for Luzerne and Wyoming Counties. She was a supervisor of the care management department for the past 12 years. 1974 Patricia Patalak, Summerfield, Fla., died July 17, 2012. A native of Wilkes-Barre, she was a captain in the U.S. Air Force. 1975 John Shafer, Larksville, Pa., died July 5, 2012. He worked with the Department of Labor and Industry, Bureau of Disability Determination of Wilkes-Barre. 1980 Joseph Merlie, Ashley, Pa., died June 13, 2012. A pharmacist, he served as an altar server in St. Leo’s Church, and also volunteered his time by coaching baseball for the Ashley-Newtown Little League. 1983 Sandra Lou Thomas, Woodstock, Ga., died on May 15, 2012. She worked as a registered nurse in Lancaster, Pa. most recently at the Conestoga Valley School District. Sandra is survived by her husband, Stephen Thomas ‘83. 1984 James Connell, Forty Fort, Pa., died on July 3, 2012. He was employed for 30 years at P.G. & W/PG Energy/ UGI-PNG, ending his career there as the manager of accounting. Most recently he worked at Guard Insurance Group in Wilkes-Barre as a financial reporting analyst. 1985 David J. Sedor, M.D., Wyoming, Pa., died on June 25, 2012. A board-certified neurosurgeon, Sedor practiced medicine in the Wyoming Valley since 1993. An honors medical graduate of Hahnemann Medical College, he received the Distinguished Young Alumnus Award from Wilkes in 1997. He is survived by his wife, Lee Ann Earl-Sedor ’80, brother, John Sedor ’87, and sister-in-law Donna (O’Toole) Sedor ’85. 1991 Mark J. Jasulevicz, Mountain Top, Pa., died on June 3, 2012. He was employed as a software development specialist for the Guard Insurance Group in Wilkes-Barre. Faculty & Staff Howard A. Swain Jr., Shavertown, Pa., died June 11, 2012. He was Professor Emeritus at Wilkes University, where he taught chemistry. Swain was a member of the American Chemical Society, and served as president of the local ACS chapter. Friends of Wilkes Jane Morhouse Breiseth, Ticonderoga, N.Y., died June 16, 2012. The former first lady of Wilkes University, she was the wife of Christopher N. Breiseth, who served as president of Wilkes from 1984-2001. Editor’s note: A remembrance of Mrs. Breiseth will appear in the winter issue of Wilkes magazine. Wilkes | Fall 2012 Audrey Huntzinger Peter, Rio Rico, Ariz., died on April 23, 2012. She was employed by United Penn Bank in Wilkes-Barre in the trust department. 25 �report of gifts Thank you to our donors REPORT OF gifts | Gifts Received June 1, 2011 through May 31, 2012 report of gifts KEY The John Wilkes Society The Eugene Farley Club Platinum Associates Gold Circle $500,000 or more Diamond Associates $250,000 - $499,999 Honorary Associates $100,000 - $249,999 Trustee Associates $10,000 - $99,999 Wilkes | Fall 2012 Founder’s Circle 26 $500 - $999 Blue Circle $250 - $499 Farley Associates $100 - $249 contributors Up to $99 $5,000 - $9,999 President’s Circle $2,500 - $4,999 John Wilkes Associates $1,000 - $2,499 ©2012 Published by the Advancement Division of Wilkes University. We regret any omissions or errors contained within this report. Due to the number of generous donors, some names may have mistakenly been missed. If you should find an error or omission, please direct the corrections to Evelyne Topfer, Director of Advancement Operations, at (800) WILKES-U Ext. 4309 or evelyne.topfer@wilkes.edu. �report of gifts Table of Contents 28 The John Wilkes Society 30 Giving by Constituency Trustees and Trustee Emeriti UniversIty FamilY Community Businesses & Foundations Friends 34 Giving by Class Class of 1937 through Class of 2011 45 Senior Class Gift 46 The Marts Society 47 Endowed Named Scholarships Revenues and other support Tuition and fees Total Less scholarship aid Net tuition and fees $ 85,831,345 $ (26,149,271) $ 59,682,074 Government grants and contracts Private grants and contracts Private gifts Sales and services of auxiliary enterprises Income from interest and dividends Other revenue Endowment income designated for current operations Net assets released from restrictions Total revenues and other support $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 3,223,879 415,577 586,841 8,872,443 571,352 690,492 409,900 1,585,265 76,037,823 Expenses Instruction Research Public service Academic support Student services Institutional support Auxiliary enterprises Total expenses $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 33,107,971 1,502,237 1,314,767 8,932,459 10,872,773 12,273,248 6,942,656 $ 74,946,111 $ 1,091,712 Increase (decrease) in net assets from operating activities Wilkes | Fall 2012 Statement of Activities from Operations 27 �report of gifts • the john wilkes society The John Wilkes Society is a recognition society for annual donors Wilkes | Fall 2012 who contribute at or above $1,000 each year. 28 Acorn Foundation, Inc. Paul Adams ’77 and Jean Reiter Adams ’78 Aeroflex Foundation Valerie Kotula Alba ’84 Albert* and Barbara Albert Jean and Nicholas Alesandro ’63 Alexander W. Dick Foundation William and Mary Regalis Althauser ’63 Jeffrey Alves American Society of Highway Engineers Joan and Dean Arvan ’55 Gill Ho Bai ’61 Charles Baker ’73 Stephen Batory and Anne Heineman Batory ’68 Robert Becker Benco Dental Company Joseph Bendoraitis ’51 Bergman Foundation Berkshire Asset Management, Inc. Gregory Black ’80 and Marianne Marzen Black ’80 Black Horse Foundation, Inc. Blue Cross of Northeastern PA Bohlin Cywinski Jackson Borton-Lawson Engineering Karen Bove ’85 Joseph Briskie ’87 Robert Brown ’68 Richard and Angela Buckley Sandra and Richard Bunn ’55 Nancy and Edward Burke ’70 Jack Burke Patrick Burke ’69 Barbara and William Bush ’68 Patrick and Maureen Connolly Cambier ’82 Daniel Cardell ’79 and Ann Marie Booth Cardell ’79 Anthony Cardinale ’72 and Laura Barbera Cardinale ’72 Wendy and Terrence Casey ’81 Jane and John Cefaly ’70 Louis Cesare and Denise Schaal Cesare ’77 Charles Cherundolo ’63 Choice One Community Federal Credit Union Jane and John Chopack ’69 Jesse Choper ’57 The Citizens Voice Chuck Cohen and Rebecca Binder Sally and Lawrence Cohen ’57 Comcast Corporation Commemorative Brands, Inc. Commonwealth Health Commonwealth Medical College John Conyngham Stephanie Smith Cooney ’04 and Robert Cooney ’01 Ann Coughlin Creative Business Interiors Credit Management Company Patricia and Stephen Croghan ’80 and Family Grace Kirby Culbertson Bonnie Culver Cushman & Wakefield, Inc. CVS Charitable Trust, Inc. Darte-Darling Family Fund of The Luzerne Foundation William and Essy Davidowitz Jeffrey and Sherry Davidowitz Stanley and Patricia Davies Virginia and David Davis ’73 Catherine DeAngelis ’65 Thomas Deitz Janet Demech Anita and Edmund Diskin Guy DiZebba ’76 Dizebba Brothers, Inc. Colleen and Raymond Dombroski ’78 James Edwards ’80 Bettijane Long Eisenpreis ’57 Sharon and John Ellis ’79 Gayfree Ellison and Sally Sullivan Jane Elmes-Crahall and Brinley Crahall Ernest Christian Klipstein Foundation Josephine and Richard Eustice Christine Evanchick ’80 Joseph Fadden ’98 Fahmy Hudome International, LLC Randa Fahmy Hudome ’86 Stephen Farrar ’69 Welton Farrar Dina and Charles Ferguson ’84 First National Community Bank Flack Family Fund of The Luzerne Foundation Don Follmer ’50 Joseph Frappolli ’69 Shelley Freeman ’82 Sidney Friedman Frontier Communications, Inc. Joseph Galli ’81 James Garofalo ’72 Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Staff Tim and Patty Gilmour Emilie Roat Gino ’60 Michael J. Glancey ’69 Margrit Shoemaker and Daniel Glunk ’84 Jane and Henry Goetzman ’56 Paula Goidell Golden Business Machines, Inc. Jerome and Dorothy Goldstein Michael and Lisie Gottdenker Gottdenker Foundation Bruce Gover ’72 and Elizabeth Clements Gover ’73 R. Wensell Grabarek Bernard Graham Warren P. Greenberg ’62 Henry Greener ’61 and Nancy Rosenfeld Greener ’61 David Greenwald ’66 and Carol Saidman Greenwald ’66 Tamara and Jason Griggs ’90 Nancy Ralston Grogan ’52 Guard Foundation Guard Insurance Group Helen and Erwin Guetig ’63 Christopher and Ramah Hackett Laureen and David Hadley ’82 Arlene and Carmen Hagelgans Michael Hall ’93 and Ellen Stamer Hall ’71 Valerie and William Hanbury ’72 William Hanigan ’91 Harkness Foundation for Dance Wilbur Hayes Louise Hazeltine ’44 Robert and Patricia Heaman ’61 Frank and Dorothea Henry Frederick Herrmann ’79 and Brigette McDonald Herrmann ’78 Jean and Frederick Hills ’59 Hirtle, Callaghan & Company Harry Hiscox ’51 and Beverly Blakeslee Hiscox ’58 Bonnie and Richard Hiscox David Hoats ’55 Seymour Holtzman ’57 and Evelyn Krohn Holtzman ’60 InterMetro Industries Corporation James and Florence DePolo Family Foundation Edwin Johnson ’50 Susan Dantona Jolley and David Jolley ’78 Allyn Jones ’60 * Deceased �Jeffrey Jones ’78 John and Josephine Thomas Foundation Marge and Leo Kane ’55 Theresa and Clayton Karambelas ’49 David and Kathy Price Kautter ’72 Stanley Kay John and Lois Kearney Richard Kent ’55 John Kerr ’72 and Renate Dargel Kerr ’72 Keystone College Barbara King ’81 King’s College A.P. Kirby, Jr. Foundation, Inc. Milan Kirby Dorothy and John Kluchinski ’61 Allan and Sue Kluger George Kolesar ’57 and Nancy Carroll Kolesar ’61 Lois and Edwin Kosik ’49 KPMG, LLP Alan Krieger ’64 Janet and Thomas Kristofco Joyce Callahan Krivenko ’66 and Charles Krivenko ’64 Ann and Kenneth Krogulski ’82 Andrea Gallet Lander ’67 and Howard Lander ’71 Landmark Community Bank Fawn and Drew Landmesser ’77 Law Offices of John P. Moses Linda Layden Lehighton Electronics, Inc. Anthony Liuzzo Julie and Wayne Lonstein ’82 Barbara and Michael LoPresti ’77 Lonstein Law Office, P.C. Jeffrey Lowenthal Ray Lowery ’67 Melanie Maslow Lumia Luzerne County Community College Luzerne Foundation M&T Charitable Foundation Tim and Judith Mills Mack ’78 Gregory MacLean ’78 and Susan Levens MacLean ’78 Magestic Systems, Inc. Michael and Christine Mahoney Mahoney Family Foundation Robert and Patrice Stone Martin ’77 Marywood University Jean and George Matz ’71 Sylvia Mauro ’58 Edward McCafferty ’59 McCole Foundation Flora Wargo McCormick ’68 Linda and Brian McGrath ’69 Marilyn and Gerard McHale ’67 Edward Meehan Sharon and Frank Menaker ’62 Donald Mencer Robert and Kim Mericle Mericle Commercial Real Estate James Merryman M’10 and Nancy Hawk Merryman ’69 Scott and Susan Talbot Meuser ’98 Bonnie and Neil Millar ’67 Sarah Wise and John Miller ’68 William Miller ’81 R. Matthew Minielly ’99 and Maria Shahda Minielly ’01 Misericordia University Mollie and Jerry Moffatt ’63 Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs Jerry Mohn ’63 and Rowena Simms Mohn ’63 * Deceased Monica and Edward Mollahan ’82 James Morgan ’76 and Kim Witherow Morgan ’77 Cathy and Robert Mugford ’58 Dorian and James Mulligan ’85 Jacqueline and Richard Myers ’84 Thomas Myers ’58 Marion and Joseph Neetz ’62 N.R.G. Controls North, Inc. NACDS - National Association of Chain Drug Stores Northeast PA Engineering Company Barbara Davenport Neville Northeast PA American Society of Highway Engineers Northeast PA Paint & Decorating Contractors Northeastern PA Cardiology Associates James and Mariea Barbella Noblitt ’73 Paul and Florentine O’Hop Lloyd Ortman ’73 Anna and Michael Ott PA Society of Public Accountants, Northeast Chapter Eric Pape ’04 ParenteBeard, LLC Shirley and Anthony Parulis ’65 George Pawlush ’69 and Carol Corbett Pawlush ’79 Richard and Marion Pearsall Pella Windows & Doors Penn Millers Insurance Co. Penn State University, Wilkes-Barre Campus The Pepsi Bottling Group William Perlmuth ’51 Peter Perog ’60 Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company Trudy Piatt Arthur and Sandra Shepard Piccone ’77 Hazel and Ronald Piskorik ’68 Jane and William Plummer ’50 Polish Room Committee PPL Chip and Nancy Prescott Jonathan Pressman and Sally Poblete Prudential Financial Helen Bitler Ralston ’52 Thomas Ralston ’80 Joyce and William Raub ’61 John G. Reese John J. Reese ’76 Florence and Charles Reilly ’55 Ethel and Jeffrey Renoe ’77 David Reynolds ’86 and Katherine Potter Reynolds ’84 Mary Belin Rhodes M’77 Mary Jean and William Rice ’48 Arnold and Sandy Rifkin Ronald Rittenmeyer ’72 and Hedy Wrightson Rittenmeyer ’72 Gordon Roberts ’60 James and Virginia Rodechko ’91 Amy and Roger Rolfe ’66 Richard and Virginia Simms Rose Alice Rosen Rosenn Jenkins & Greenwald LLP Pauline and Richard Roshong ’67 Charles Roszko Susan and Steven P. Roth ’84 Mary and Jay Rubino ’86 William Ryan ’69 Sandy & Arnold Rifkin Charitable Foundation Sanofi Pasteur, Inc. Janice and Joseph Savitz ’48 Brian Scandle • report of gifts Kenneth and Constance Kamarunas Schaefer ’56 David and Janet Neiman Seeley ’70 Y. Judd and Susan Shoval Dee and John Sickler ’65 SIDCO Sherry and Jay Sidhu M’73 Virginia Sikes Ronald Simms ’60 and Rhea Politis Simms ’78 Gerald and Pearl Simonis Carol Skalski ’69 Michael Smith ’68 and Regina Belden Smith ’67 Richard Smith and Lissa Bryan-Smith Nancy Fern Snow ’73 Andrew and Susan Sordoni William and Margaret Filipkowski Sordoni ’70 Matthew Sordoni Sordoni Foundation, Inc. Estelle Manos Sotirhos ’62 Michael Speziale M’78 and Kerry Speziale Ed.D. ’11 Catherine and Donald Spruck ’69 Elliot Stahler ’71 Frank and Monica Stanitski William Stavishak Sanford Sternlieb and Renate Koppelman Mark and Lori Stine William Stinger ’68 and Nancy Wanczyk Stinger ’69 SunGard Higher Education Services (Ellucian) Robert and Ginny Tambur Martin Tansy ’60 John and Margaret Tarone Megan Reese Thomas and Brian Thomas ’82 John Thomas William Thomas ’75 Joyce Fink Tremayne ’58 Lora and William Tremayne ’57 UGI Corporation University of Scranton Salvatore Valenti ’58 B. William Vanderburg ’65 and Natalie Kowalski Vanderburg ’65 David Vann ’58 Christopher and Melanie O’Donnell Wade ’93 Wal-Mart Walgreens Company The Washington Trust Company Gerald Weber ’67 and Cynthia Wisniewski Weber ’69 Weininger Foundation Jacqueline and Paul Wender ’69 Mirko Widenhorn Wilkes-Barre Rotary Club Willary Foundation Board John Williams ’58 and Patricia Stout Williams ’56 Bill and Sandi Williams Fund of The Luzerne Foundation Linda Winkler John Wolfkeil ’52 Michael and Kim Wood Wyoming Valley Motors Pamela and Theodore Yeager ’72 Alan Zellner ’72 and Margaret Zellner ’74 Karen Zingale ’85 Dominic Zukoski – DS Machining, LLC Paul and Marianne Zukoski Wilkes | Fall 2012 the john wilkes society 29 �report of gifts • Giving by Constituency Giving by Constituency TRUSTEES & TRUSTEE EMERITI • • • The John Wilkes Society Honorary Associates Frank M. Henry Trustee Associates Daniel J. Cardell ’79 Laura Barbera Cardinale ’72 Shelley Freeman ’82 Joseph E. (Tim) Gilmour Jerome R. Goldstein Michael I. Gottdenker Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Milan S. Kirby Michael J. Mahoney Melanie Maslow Lumia John R. Miller ’68 William R. Miller ’81 William A. Perlmuth ’51 Mary Belin Rhodes M’77 Arnold S. Rifkin Hedy Wrightson Rittenmeyer ’72 Virginia P. Sikes William H. Tremayne ’57 Founder’s Circle Chuck Cohen David Greenwald ’66 William A. Hanbury ’72 Beverly Blakeslee Hiscox ’58 John S. Kerr ’72 Dorothy Darling Mangelsdorf George J. Matz ’71 Jay S. Sidhu M’73 President’s Circle Wilkes | Fall 2012 Richard L. Bunn ’55 Terrence W. Casey ’81 Lawrence E. Cohen ’57 Patricia S. Davies Robert A. Mugford ’58 George G. Pawlush ’69 Richard L. Pearsall Thomas N. Ralston ’80 Matthew Sordoni 30 John Wilkes Associates Denise Schaal Cesare ’77 Esther Baum Davidowitz Jeffrey Davidowitz Jason D. Griggs ’90 Gerald A. Moffatt ’63 Steven P. Roth ’84 Joseph J. Savitz ’48 The Eugene Farley Club Blue Circle Daniel Klem, Jr. ’68 Elizabeth A. Slaughter ’68 Contributors Eugene Roth ’57 UNIVERSITY FAMILY Faculty, Staff and Emeriti • • • The John Wilkes Society Trustee Associates Joseph E. (Tim) Gilmour Stanley B. Kay Founder’s Circle Wilbur F. Hayes President’s Circle Jean Reiter Adams ’78 Paul S. Adams ’77 M’82 Bernard W. Graham Loren D. Prescott, Jr. Kerry M. Speziale Ed.D.’11 Michael J. Speziale M’78 Michael J. Wood John Wilkes Associates Jeffrey R. Alves Anne Heineman Batory ’68 Angela M. Buckley Bonnie Culver Jane M. Elmes-Crahall Welton G. Farrar Patricia Boyle Heaman ’61 Robert J. Heaman Edwin L. Johnson ’50 Susan Dantona Jolley Barbara E. King ’81 Anthony L. Liuzzo Donald E. Mencer James L. Merryman M’10 Paul A. O’Hop John G. Reese James P. Rodechko Mark D. Stine Melanie O’Donnell Wade ’93 Mirko Widenhorn Linda A. Winkler Margaret A. Zellner ’74 The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Mary Babcock Gloria M. Barlow Brian L. Bogert Christopher N. Breiseth Robert S. Capin ’50 Jack J. Chielli M’08 Joyce Victor Chmil ’87 Edward F. Foote J. Bartholomay Grier ’02 Kathleen Moran Houlihan ’95 M’01 Thomas W. Jones ’70 Camille O. Kaschak J. Michael Lennon Blake L. Mackesy Justin Matus John L. Pesta Bruce E. Phair ’73 Kenneth A. Pidcock Brian Redmond ’97 M’07 Karen A. Riley Alexander Sperrazza ’08 John C. Stachacz John T. Sumoski Anne Aimetti Thomas ’70 M’77 M’07 Thomas J. Thomas, Jr. M’86 Jason W. Wagner ’09 Blue Circle William J. Biggers Kristen A. Boyle Henry Castejon James Chiavacci Harold E. Cox Adriana Dinescu Lisa K. Everitt-Ensley Mahmoud H. Fahmy Joan Zaleski Ford ’75 Dean F. Frear Frank P. Galicki ’73 Judith Rodda Gardner ’71 M’75 Robert S. Gardner ’67 M’73 Linda S. Gutierrez Sid P. Halsor Kathleen A. Nelligan Hirthler Lisa A. Kadlec Paul J. Kaspriskie, Jr. Vee Ming Lew Susan J. Malkemes M’95 Jonathan M. McClave ’07 Mary E. Miller Barbara Rosick Moran ’84 M’88 James J. Moran M’78 Prahlad N. Murthy Amy M. Patton M’07 Kristine Erhard Pruett ’99 M’06 Joy B. Rinehimer Marie Roke Thomas ’83 Doris B. Saracino Frank J. Sheptock Howard A. Swain* William B. Terzaghi C. Reynold Verret Diane E. Wenger Farley Associates Karen M. Alessi M’09 Mark R. Allen Charles E. Balasavage Christopher G. Barrows M’12 Janine M. Becker M’91 Edward T. Bednarz ’01 Barbara N. Bellucci ’69 M’73 Joseph T. Bellucci Louise M. Berard Joel A. Berlatsky Katy Betnar Neal F. Biscaldi KarenBeth H. Bohan Scott Bolesta ’00 Carol A. Bosack-Kosek ’80 Amy L. Bradley Janice Broyan Melissa E. Bugdal ’09 Debra Prater Chapman ’81 M’84 Theresa Cochran Rachel Curtis ’10 Gabrielle Lamb D’Amico ’04 Robert H. DeYoung Diane H. Demchak Diane T. Duda Rachel E. Duda ’10 Paula M. Eddy Amy L. Edwards Kurt W. Eisele Edward R. Elgonitis Silvia T. Elias Evene Estwick Jonathan D. Ference ’01 Kimberly Hritzak Ference ’01 Godlove T. Fonjweng Michele D. Garrison ’09 M’12 Michael F. Garzella Cherylynn Petyak Gibson ’71 M’89 John B. Gilmer Bridget Giunta Husted ’05 John W. Harrison ’87 Kristen Dulick Hartzell ’06 Vincent A. Hartzell ’05 Nancy Hlavaty Michelle R. Holt-Macey Susan Matley Hritzak ’81 M’88 Ruth C. Hughes Harvey A. Jacobs ’72 Helenmary Selecky Jarecki Valerie G. Kalter Mark A. Kaster Danielle K. Kern M’08 Arthur H. Kibbe Janet M. Kobylski Justin Kraynack Kyle Kreider Judith L. Kristeller Mary I. Kropiewnicki James J. Lennox Daniel S. Longyhore ’02 Joseph W. Mangan Frank J. Matthews Vicki C. Mayk M’12 Christine E. Mellon Debra L. Meszaros Lyndi L. Moran Mary Beth Mullen Barbara L. Nanstiel ’70 M’74 Karen O’Boyle Julie L. Olenak ’01 Walter A. Placek ’61 Lauren Y. Pluskey ’06 M’10 Gerald C. Rebo Lisa E. Reynolds Jerry N. Rickrode Charles E. Ripa Harold W. Roberts ’76 Gary D. Robinson Debbie J. Rutkoski John P. Sedor ’87 Eileen M. Sharp Jared M. Shayka ’06 Herbert B. Simon Philip G. Simon Cherie Soprano ’87 Peter Stchur, Jr. ’66 William R. Stine Frederick J. Sullivan Margaret R. Sullivan Aniello B. Tambasco ’08 Betty L. Taylor Wagiha A. Taylor Craig P. Thomas M’11 Joanne A. Thomas M’12 Deborah R. Tindell Marleen A. Troy Philip R. Tuhy Robert C. Tuttle Megan Boone Valkenburg Rebecca H. Van Jura Adam C. Welch ’11 * Deceased �giving by constituency Contributors Ann Marie S. Aed Joseph Alaimo Mischelle B. Anthony Debra A. Archavage Karen Atiyeh ’07 M’12 Naomi Hatsfelt Baker Thomas J. Baldino Karen Metzger Baranoski ’73 M’77 Kristi M. Barsby ’07 Maria Bianco ’81 Loretta L. Bilder Susan C. Biskup Jefferson G. Bohan ’12 Robert W. Bohlander Ajay Bommareddy Alicia M. Bond Kimberly D. Bower-Spence Karena Zdeb Brace ’07 M’11 Barbara A. Bracken Michael A. Bridy ’06 M’08 Gene A. Camoni ’74 Ann Marie Carey David R. Carey ’83 M’98 Eleanor L. Carle James M. Case Samira T. Chamoun Carl Charnetski ’70 Cynthia J. Chisarick Kelly A. Clisham ’12 Georgia Costalas Camille Bobeck Daniels M’91 Michael R. Davidson Ethan Davis Ellen Proeller Dennis M’84 Susan L. DiBonifazio Lori Vagnarelli Drozdis ’89 M’05 Deborah L. Dunn Thomas Dunsmuir Maria T. Dwyer Janelle A. Edwards Colette M. Elick M’93 Linda S. Elmy Joanne M. Fasciana Ann Marie Feldmeth Michael Fox ’06 Bernadette C. Frail Susan M. Frank Holly Pitcavage Frederick ’93 Richard A. Fuller Lorna M. Galliford Mary L. Gillespie Barbara D. Gimble Gary L. Gordon James T. Gorman ’90 Maria Grandinetti ’08 Alfred Groh ’41 Kenneth L. Hanadel Michael P. Hardik Leona J. Hartland Catherine Thomas Hauze ’89 Lynda M. Heffernan Annet Kaminski Edward R. Keefe * Deceased Kimberly Escarge Keller ’95 M’97 Diana Lynne Keosayian Kenneth M. Klemow John A. Koch Mary Ann Koch Christina Koerber Lawrence M. Kopenis ’88 Anne Marie Kopetchny Joseph J. Kornblatt Pamela L. Koslosky Michael D. Kulikoski ’06 Joseph M. Kultys ’87 M’11 Dorothy Price Lane ’85 Jonathan G. Laudenslager ’99 Christopher T. Leicht Loran E. Lewis Sarah Lloyd Thomas D. Longenecker ’10 Zenaida P. Lopez-Dee Karen I. Lucas Glenn J. Lupole Douglas R. Macbeth Patricia A. Mangold Philip A. Marino ’80 William M. Martin Thomas E. Mazzolla Julie M. McMonagle John F. Meyers Todd H. Milano Andrew P. Miller Fred R. Nichols Christine O’Hara Pamela A. Oravic Michaelene S. Ostrum Jerry J. Palmaioli Martha J. Parise Patricia A. Parks Krina H. Patel Gayle M. Patterson ’09 Mary Beth Patterson* Scott Z. Patterson Anne Straub Pelak M’98 Margaret M. Petty Kristin A. Pisano Michael J. Pitoniak Kristin L. Pitt Kathleen S. Poplaski Alberto Prado Ellen Krupack Raineri ’82 Theresa A. Rallo Richard G. Raspen ’67 David L. Reese Brenda Vassello Rehrig ’87 Lisa A. Reilly Sandra A. Rendina ’87 M’95 Gisele R. Romanace Jacqueline L. Ruane Theresa A. Rule Tricia M. Russell Philip J. Ruthkosky Brian R. Sacolic Joseph J. Salusky Joshua R. Savitski ’07 M’09 Roland C. Schmidt Patricia L. Searfoss Helen Newton Semanski ’92 Roberta J. Shaffer Diane Drost Shuleski ’75 Mary Balavage Simmons ’10 Renee Kotz Sipple M’05 Anne Marie Smith Margy L. Sromovski Janet W. Starner Jonathan P. Strucke Jenna Strzelecki ’07 M’09 Erin Sutzko Elizabeth Roveda Swantek ’05 M’07 Robert S. Swetts* Jessica Niemiec Swingle ’00 Romaine Szafran Vicki S. Temple Marion Tetlak Joann Tomko Evelyne Topfer Dominick P. Trombetta Mildred Urban Nicholas T. Wadas Mary Ann Wanyo Mary L. Watkins Nancy A. Weeks M’09 Karen Space Weyhenmeyer Judith Wienckoski ’95 Anita Miller Williams ’75 Susan Williams Felixa J. Wingen ’09 Gretchen S. Yeninas M’07 James D. Yeninas Cheryl M. Yustat Jean M. Zampetti BOARD OF TRUSTEES Businesses & Foundations William R. Miller ’81 Ruth McDermott-Levy ’82 Gerald A. Moffatt ’63 Justin Matus, Faculty Michael R. Brewster Alumni Association Board of Directors Daniel J. Cardell ’79 Paul S. Adams ’77 Laura Barbera Cardinale ’72 Jeffrey A. Bauman ’09 Terrence W. Casey ’81 Laura Barbera Cardinale ’72, Denise S. Cesare ’77 Charles F. Cohen Douglas Colandrea ’88 Historian Cynthia Charnetski ’97, 2nd Vice President Jeffrey Davidowitz Karen Bednarczyk Cowan ’96 Michael I. Gottkdenker Meribeth L. Derkach, Jason D. Griggs ’90 Senior Class President Christopher L. Hackett William D. Eggleston David E. Hadley ’82 John H. Ellis, IV ’79 William A. Hanbury ’72 J.J. Fadden ’98 John S. Kerr ’72 Roya Fahmy ’83 Carol Kotlowski Keup ’89 Ellen Stamer Hall ’71 Milan S. Kirby Kathleen L. Heltzel ’82, MBA’85 Daniel Klem, Jr. ’68 Charles F. Jackson ’51 Patrick F. Leahy Clayton J. Karambelas ’49 Melanie Maslow Lumia Daniel Klem, Jr. ’68 Michael J. Mahoney Kristin M. Hake Klemish ’04 Dorothy Darling Richard L. Kramer ’67 Mangelsdorf George J. Matz ’71 John R. Miller ’68 Rosemary LaFratte ’93, MBA ’97, 1st Vice President William F. LePore ’94 • • • George G. Pawlush ’69 M’76 The John Wilkes Society Thomas N. Ralston ’80 Ronald N. Miller ’93 Diamond Associates Hedy Rittenmeyer ’72 William R. Miller ’81 Cushman & Wakefield Inc. Steven P. Roth ’84 Anita Mucciolo ’78 Jay S. Sidhu M’73 George G. Pawlush ’69, MS’76 Virginia P. Sikes Kristine Pruett ’99, MS’06 Elizabeth A. Slaughter ’68 Mark A. Rado ’80 Matthew R. Sordoni Breanne Ralston ’12 Honorary Associates Lehighton Electronics Sordoni Foundation Inc. Trustee Associates Anonymous Bergman Foundation Black Horse Foundation Inc. Frontier Communications Inc. Gottdenker Foundation Guard Foundation Guard Insurance Group Intermetro Industries Corp. KPMG LLP Mahoney Family Foundation Maslow Family Foundation McCole Foundation Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs N.R.G. Controls North Inc. The Weininger Foundation The Willary Foundation Walgreens Company Representative Thomas N. Ralston ’80, President TRUSTEE EMERITI Adrienne M. Richards ’07 Richard L. Bunn ’55 Kristofer R. Rivers, Student Lawrence E. Cohen ’57 Government President Esther B. Davidowitz Charles W. Robinson ’57 Pattie S. Davies David M. Sborz ’09 Robert A. Fortinsky Richard W. Seipp DPH’01 Jerome R. Goldstein Patricia Fushek Skibbs ’60 Frank M. Henry Brian E. Switay ’10 Beverly Blakeslee Hiscox ’58 Donna Talarico ’00, MFA’08 Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Bill Tarbart ’70 Robert A. Mugford ’58 Deborah R. Tindell, Faculty Richard L. Pearsall Representative William A. Perlmuth ’51 Frank D. Yamrus ’80 Mary Belin Rhodes M’77 Theodore T. Yeager ’72 Arnold S. Rifkin Founder’s Circle Richard M. Ross, Jr. Aeroflex Foundation Borton-Lawson Engineering Darte-Darling Fund of The Luzerne Foundation James & Florence DePolo Family Foundation Hirtle, Callaghan & Co. Northeast PA American Society of Highway Engineers Eugene Roth ’57 Joseph J. Savitz ’48 Stephen Sordoni William H. Tremayne ’57 Norman E. Weiss Wilkes | Fall 2012 Kimberly Metka Welsh ’07 Brian E. Whitman Philip L. Wingert Eric A. Wright Ge Xiao Francis E. Zaleski Deborah A. Zbegner • report of gifts 31 �report of gifts • Giving by Constituency PPL Rosenn, Jenkins & Greenwald LLP Sanofi Pasteur Inc. Shoval Foundation Tambur Family Foundation John and Josephine Thomas Foundation President’s Circle Berkshire Asset Management Inc. The Citizen’s Voice Cohen Family Charitable Trust Commemorative Brands Inc. General Electric Foundation Golden Business Machines Inc. Luzerne Foundation Magestic Systems Inc. Misericordia University Robert Mugford Family Fund of The Luzerne Foundation NEPA Engineering Company Polish Room Committee Prudential Financial SunGard Higher Education Services (Ellucian) Wal-Mart Penn State University Wilkes-Barre Rotary Club Parente Beard LLC Penn Millers Insurance Co. Pepsi Bottling Group Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company SIDCO Sickler Foundation The Commonwealth Medical College UGI Corporation University of Scranton Washington Trust Company Wyoming Valley Health Care System The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Association of Independent Colleges & Universities of Pennsylvania BSI Corporation Benefits Central Penn Nursing Care Inc. First Liberty Bank and Trust Gertrude Hawk Chocolates Liberty Mutual Lightspeed Technologies McCarthy Tire Service Company Herman Yudacufski Charitable Foundation Blue Circle Wilkes | Fall 2012 John Wilkes Associates 32 Albert Family Charitable Fund of The Luzerne Foundation Alexander W. Dick Foundation Bill & Sandy Williams Fund of The Luzerne Foundation Blue Cross of NEPA Bohlin Cywinski Jackson CVS Charitable Trust Choice One Community Federal Credit Union Comcast Corp. Creative Business Interiors DS Machining LLC Davidowitz Foundation Ernest Christian Klipstein Foundation First National Community Bank Flack Family Fund of the Luzerne Foundation Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Staff Keystone College King’s College Landmark Community Bank Luzerne County Community College M&T Charitable Foundation MIDA Learning Technologies LLC Marywood University Mericle Commercial Real Estate NACDS - National Association of Chain Drug Stores Northeast PA Paint and Decorating Northeastern PA Cardiology Associates LLP PA Society of Public Accountants, NE Chapter A. Pickett Construction Circle Bolt and Nut Company Mellon Bank Eastern Analytical Symposium First National Bank of Berwick Hewitt Associates Kronick Kalada Berdy & Co. Montage Agency Inc. MotorWorld Ralmark Company Schutt Reconditioning T. J. Cannon Inc. Electrical Contractor Tommy’s Pizza Corner R.J. Walker Company Farley Associates Air Engineering Sales Corp. Apollo Group Inc. Barnes & Noble College Booksellers Beech Lake Sprinkler Corp. Bloomsburg Metal Company Brucelli Advertising Company Builders Supply Company Bureau Veritas North America Inc. Ceco Associates Central Clay Products Champion Builders Inc. Delta Electrical Systems Earl and Sedor Photographic Eastern Penn Supply Company Fabian Masonry & Construction Futuristic Innovative Graphics Giant Floor & Wall Covering Health Systems & Solutions Inc. Independent Graphics Inc. Jersey Coin Showcase Inc. Kranson Clothes Company Lefkowitz Family Fund of The Luzerne Foundation Martin-Rogers Associates O’Donnell Law Offices PNC Bank Phils Sunoco Service Station E.D. Pons & Associates Inc. Quadrant Engineering Plastic Products Sans Souci Stone and Brick Yard Sincavage Lumber Company T-R Associates Inc. Trion Industries Inc. Waste Management White Transit School Buses Inc. FRIENDS The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Mrs. Barbara Allan Mrs. Sandra Bernhard Dr. & Mrs. Louis Blaum, Jr. Attorney & Mrs. Jerry Chariton Mr. & Mrs. Donald K. Duncan Dr. & Mrs. Vernon B. Harper Dr. & Mrs. Joaquin A. Lubkowitz Mrs. Janet Mattei Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence Nicolette Ms. Martha Perfetto Mrs. Marilyn C. Rudolph Mr. Larry I. Taren Mr. & Mrs. Charles G. Wade Mrs. Barbara Weisberger • • • The John Wilkes Society Blue Circle Trustee Associates Carol Baltimore, Esq. Ms. Jane Cokely Dr. & Mrs. Mahmoud H. Fahmy Mr. & Mrs. Joseph L. Glajch Mrs. Elizabeth A. Gulitus Mr. & Mrs. Earl Harrison Mr. S. Mark Kennedy Ms. Mary Jo Kreider Mr. Richard Maslow Mrs. Laura J. Mulderig Mr. Burnaby Munson Mr. & Mrs. Stanley A. Polk Mr. & Mrs. Charles Potter Mr. & Mrs. D. Scott Simpson George A. Spohrer, Esq. Ms. Marilyn Stadalius & Mr. Phillip Branca Ms. Charlene A. Tan Mr. & Mrs. Michael Zolkoski Mr. & Mrs. Christopher L. Hackett Mr. Richard M. Smith & Mrs. Lissa Bryan-Smith Mr. & Mrs. William B. Sordoni Founder’s Circle Edward J. Meehan, Esq. President’s Circle Mr.* & Mrs. Albert G. Albert Mr. Robert Becker Mrs. Grace J. Kirby Culbertson Mr. & Mrs. Stanley S. Davies Mr. & Mrs. Edmund Diskin Mr. Charles M. Roszko John Wilkes Associates Dr. Stephen S. Batory Mrs. Ann M. Coughlin Mr. Thomas J. Deitz Mrs. Janet Demech Mr. Gayfree Ellison & Ms. Sally Sullivan Mrs. Josephine Eustice Mr. & Mrs. R. Wensell Grabarek Mr. & Mrs. Carmen E. Hagelgans Dr. & Mrs. Richard A. Hiscox Mrs. Jean Robbins Hughes* Mrs. Linda R. Layden Jeffrey Lowenthal, Esq. Mr. & Mrs. Thomas J. Mack, Jr. Mrs. Barbara Davenport Neville Mr. & Mrs. Paul A. O’Hop Mr. & Mrs. Michael C. Ott Mrs. Trudy Piatt Jonathan Pressman, Esq. & Sally Jane Poblete Mr. John G. Reese Mrs. Alice Rosen Mr. & Mrs. Gerald Simonis Mr. & Dr. Andrew J. Sordoni, III Mr. & Mrs. Frank J. Stanitski Mr. William R. Stavishak Dr. Sanford B. Sternlieb Mr. & Mrs. John Tarone Mr. & Mrs. Paul C. Zukoski Farley Associates Mr. & Mrs. Richard P. Adams Ms. Martha Aleo Mr. & Mrs. Tom Apple Ms. Cherie Aquaro Mr. & Mrs. Michael D. Aucoin Dr. John S. Biernacki Mr. Donald D. Bly Mr. Michael S. Bomstein Mr. & Mrs. Will Brockman Mr. & Mrs. Allan M. Brown Mr. & Mrs. Robert C. Buck Hon. Thomas F. Burke, Jr. Miss Muriel Bush Ms. Marianne E. Buzinski Mr. Nicholas Bybel, Jr. Mr. Gary Cardamone Mr. & Mrs. William Carl, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Peter Carr Mrs. Barbara Casper Ms. S. Lorraine Cassel Mr. & Mrs. D. Bruce Chase Mr. & Mrs. W. Gregory Coleman Mr. & Mrs. Bernard Corbett Ms. Margaret S. Corbett Creative Writing M.A. Class January 2012 Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin S. Crowe James J. Curran, Jr., Esq. Mr. & Mrs. William Davidowitz Mr. Richard W. Davidson Mr. & Mrs. Edward R. Davis Mr. Stephen DeCanio Mr. Robert H. DeYoung Mr. & Mrs. James J. Dean Mrs. Nancy DiMeo Mr. & Mrs. Peter Downs Mr. & Mrs. Leroy Dubey Mr. & Mrs. Hermin R. Dybowski Mr. & Mrs. William D. Epstein Mr. & Mrs. Garth S. Estadt Mr. Dennis Evans & Ms. Mary Wirth Dr. Eugene S. Farley, Jr. Ms. Beau Firth Linda A. Fisher, Esq. Mr. Chad M. Forrey Dr. & Mrs. Lawrence F. Gallagher Dr. & Mrs. John C. Gaudio Mr. & Mrs. Thomas M. Gehret Mr. & Mrs. John M. Gentempo Mr. & Mrs. Henry L. Graham, Jr. Mrs. Virginia D. Hart Mr. John A. Horner Mr. & Mrs. David P. Hourigan Mr. & Mrs. Robert M. Ianniello Mr. & Mrs. Afaf L. Jabbour Mr. & Mrs. Ralph J. Katrosh Mr. & Mrs. James T. Keating Mr. & Mrs. Carl Kemmerer Dr. David W. Kistler Mr. Dennis A. Konopka Mr. & Mrs. Paul Konosky Mr. & Mrs. Eric Kornfeld Mr. & Mrs. Stephen H. Korzeniowski Mr. Gunnar F. Kosek Ms. Sharron Laas Ms. Betty Lane Dr. Barbara Larsen Mr. & Mrs. William M. Lawson Ms. Deborah Liczwek & Mr. David Corbin Miss Maggie A. Lund Paul W. MacGregor, Esq. Ms. Josephine Macaravage Mrs. Jane K. Marquart Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Marsh Mr. Victor A. Mazza Mr. & Mrs. Mark McCarthy Ms. Kathleen E. McLeod Mr. Richard T. Melson Mr. David E. Menotti Mr. & Mrs. Raymond Mrozack Mr. & Mrs. James P. Mullins Ms. Mary L. Nilsen Mr. & Mrs. Richard T. Nosaka Mrs. Wanda F. Ogurkis Mr. & Mrs. Richard S. Orlowski Mr. & Mrs. Richard Parness Ms. MaryAnna L. Pavlico Mr. & Mrs. Gary A. Pawleshyn Drs. Haragopol & Dwaraki Bai Penugonda Ms. Virginia Perfetto Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Pesick Mr. Matthew Ramaley Ms. Jane R. Ramsey * Deceased �giving by constituency Contributors Mr. & Mrs. Robert James Aber Ms. Margaret W. Adams Ms. Madeline L. Ahner Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Andidora Ms. Mary Pat Appel Mr. & Mrs. Andrew C. Armstrong Mr. & Mrs. John F. Astleford Ms. Angela Attard Mr. & Mrs. Gerald F. Baer Mr. Shi Bai Mr. & Mrs. Michael Baranowski Mr. John Beck Mr. & Mrs. Jack P. Bednarski Ms. Sara E. Bellanco Mr. & Mrs. Christopher W. Beppler Mr. Fred Bernard Mr. & Mrs. William R. Berti Mr. & Mrs. Ashwinkumar Bhatt Ms. Channing N. Biggers Mr. & Mrs. Richard J. Binkowski Mr. John Bisaha & Ms. Katherine Stika Mr. & Mrs. John Bixler Ms. Ann M. Bolger Mr. & Mrs. Ronald J. Botch Ms. Lydia Breiseth Mr. & Mrs. Thomas B. Brill Mr. Anthony T.P. Brooks Mr. & Mrs. Ronald E. Burns Ms. Tara Bushek Mr. & Mrs. Joseph T. Butkiewicz Ms. Janine K. Buzinski Mr. Scott A. Byers Ms. Nicole A. Caffiero Mr. & Mrs. Robert D. Calabrese * Deceased Mr. & Mrs. Brian J. Calabro Ms. Julianne Calabro Ms. Melissa A. Campbell Mr. & Mrs. James G. Carns Mrs. Sandra Sarno Carroll Mr. Brian M. Cebulko Ms. Samira T. Chamoun Mr. Edwin T. Chase Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Cipriano Ms. Lizanne Clifford Mr. & Mrs. Earl J. Cocchi Mr. Daniel Cohen Ms. Eleanor Cook Ms. Lisa Cook Ms. Rachel J. Crowe Mr. & Mrs. Robert J. D’Angelo Ms. Eliza Sadie Daubert Mr. & Mrs. Edris W. Davies Mr. & Mrs. Richard A. Davies Mr. & Mrs. James Davis Mr. & Mrs. Jay P. Davis Mr. William J. Davis Ms. Barbara Dawson Ms. Marie J. De Brabander Mr. & Mrs. Allen G. Defibaugh Mr. & Mrs. Paul A. Delrosso Mr. & Mrs. Allen A. Denio Mr. & Mrs. Gerald O. Devlin Mr. & Mrs. Anthony DiMichele Mr. & Mrs. Rocco C. DiPietro Mr. & Mrs. James F. Dicton Ms. Roberta Dinsmore Mr. Thomas W. Dombroski Mr. Michael P. Donatoni Ms. Paula M. Dougherty Ms. Jordan A. Dunn Mr. & Mrs. William Dybowski Ms. Kathryn A. Edgar Mr. Peter Eggleston Mr. William F. Eggleston Ms. Sarah J. Elias Mr. & Mrs. Alfonso M. Espada Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Fagan Mr. & Mrs. Paul F. Fagan Mr. & Mrs. Timothy A. Fagan Mr. & Mrs. Guy L. Fasciana Mr. Thomas F. Federo Mr. Robert Feldman Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Ferguson Mr. & Mrs. Sebastian Fiacco, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence E. Firment Ms. Carmen Fiscella Mr. & Mrs. Andrew H. Fissler Ms. Christine S. Fleming Dr. & Mrs. Louis J. Freedman Ms. Catherine A. Fusco Mr. Russ Gall Mr. & Mrs. Greg Garrison Ms. Ruth Gavenus Ms. Bernadette Gdovin Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Gemmo Mr. Joseph George Mr. & Mrs. Karl D. Gerhart Mr. & Mrs. William R. Getrige Mr. Stephen Getty & Ms. Patti Parziale Mr. John Glod Mr. & Mrs. Milton J. Gluen Mr. & Mrs. Keith Goepel Ms. Courtney B. Graham Mr. Douglas E. Graham Mr. & Mrs. George Graham Ms. Carole A. Green Dr. & Mrs. Ira Grossman Mrs. Janet C. Guariglia Ms. Kathleen Hagan Ms. Erin Joy Hanley Mr. & Mrs. Warren E. Harris Ms. Laura C. Hart Ms. Lana K. Heck Ms. Reginia C. Herbert Ms. Amy E. Hetro Mr. & Mrs. Thomas J. Heyer Ms. Lisa Hilliard & Mr. Alvin C. Bach, II Ms. Helen Hoban Ms. Alyse M. Horn Mr. & Mrs. Paul Hovsepian & Family Mr. & Mrs. James L. Hughes Ms. Sylvia Hughes Mr. & Mrs. John J. Hulsizer Mrs. Sylvia Hurlbert Mr. Albert Hutchings Mr. Manuel Isherwood, Jr. Ms. Heather A. Jacobi Mr. Mohamed A. Jalloh Mr. Christopher J. Jankowski Mr. & Mrs. Andrew T. Jecen Ms. Marta A. Jones Mr. Robert J. Kane Mr. & Mrs. Larry Kasuboski Mr. Evan Katz Mr. Daniel F. Kelleher Mr. & Mrs. John V. Kenkel Ms. Jessica Khalil Mr. & Mrs. Mohsen Khalili Mrs. Frank J. Kilyanek Mrs. Josephine A. Kline Mr. Raymond Konopka Ms. Michelle L. Kosloski Ms. Kayla M. Kotch Mr. & Mrs. John J. Kozlowski Mrs. Jane Landau Ms. Sylvia Lane Mr. Richard J. Lawson Ms. Caitlin R. Layden Ms. Kelly A. Layden Ms. Deborah A. Leavy Mr. & Mrs. Daryl J. Lefever Mr. & Mrs. Stephen J. Leinbach Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Lindo Mr. & Mrs. Patrick Lindo* Mr. & Mrs. David J. Loskie Ms. Amanda Loyden Ms. Genevieve Lupini Mrs. Nancy S. Lychos Dr. Michael & Mrs. Tina MacDowell Mr. & Mrs. John R. Magnotta Mrs. Lorraine Maley Ms. Gloria M. Martin Ms. Maggie Elizabeth Mattu Mr. & Mrs. Paul W. Maul Mr. & Mrs. Kevin McAloon Ms. Patricia McLaughlin Mr. Tyler Mensch Mr. & Mrs. Harold B. Merricks, II Mr. Francis A. Michael Mr. & Mrs. John W. Mikitsh Mr. Louis M. Mikitsh Ms. Theresa A. Mirabile Mr. & Mrs. James J. Moore Mr. & Mrs. Lonnie Morris Mr. & Mrs. William Morrissey Mr. & Mrs. Donald Musgrove Mr. & Mrs. Vernon J. Musgrove Mr. & Mrs. Harry Myers Ms. Janet Myers Mr. & Mrs. Joseph R. Nardone, Sr. Ms. Beth Ann Nealon Ms. Joan M. Neare Ms. Susan O’Dell Mr. & Mrs Joseph A. Ocuto Mr. Thomas J. Opiel Ms. Kylene Owen Ms. Kathleen Palummo Ms. Sharon Palummo Mr. & Mrs. Donald F. Pan Mr. Robert M. Parrick Ms. Christine M. Pasqualone Mr. & Mrs. Franklin G. Pater, Jr. Ms. Mary Beth Patterson Mr. Eugene M. Pavilco, Sr. Mr. & Mrs. Daniel J. Pavlico Mr. & Mrs. John D. Pearson Mr. & Mrs. Neomisio Pena Mr. & Mrs. Donald J. Perrault Ms. Helen Perrault Ms. Michele Perrault Mrs. Charlotte P. Perrego Mr. Howell Perry Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Pollock Mr. & Mrs. Carl Postupak, Sr. Mr. & Mrs. Charles R. Powley Ms. Stacey L. Prelewicz Ms. Kathleen M. Proday Mr. Thomas A. Ranieli Mr. & Mrs. James W. Ream, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. William F. Rehring Mr. Matthew Reichart Mr. & Mrs. Michael L. Reiner Ms. Angela N. Reno Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Riley Ms. Yvonne M. Ritsick Ms. Brittany A. Ritter Mr. & Mrs. Richard D. Rivers Ms. Gloria Rolston Mr. Daniel Roth Ms. Evelyn F. Rowley Ms. Susan M. Rowley & Family Ms. Constance Adair Rush Dr. Jamian Ryan Mr. & Mrs. Joseph J. Rymar Mr. Irwin Sagenkahn Ms. Rosaria Saliba Mrs. Louise A. Salva Mr. & Mrs. Salvatore J. Santoli Mr. Albert H. Sarkas Ms. Ann M. Saxton Mr. John E. Scalzo Ms. Theresa A. Scaramastro Mr. & Mrs. Michael D. Scarba Mr. & Mrs. Cal Schaefer Dr. Alexander Scheeline Mr. & Mrs. Roland C. Schmidt Ms. Kathleen T. Schubert Mr. & Mrs. Leonard J. Schwab Mr. & Mrs. George P. Scochin Ms. Dana A. Serafine Mrs. Nancy H. Shafer Mr. & Mrs. Steven D. Shrawder, II Ms. Anna Marie Smith Mrs. A. Dewitt Smith Mr. & Mrs. Gary E. Smith Ms. Natalie E. Smith Mr. & Mrs. Richard M. Smith Ms. Ruth K. Smith Ms. Charlyne L. Stadel Ms. Alyson Stambaugh Ms. Joann Stefanko Mrs. Ann B. Stine* Mr. & Mrs. Gregory Harkcom Stoner Ms. Mary Ann Struckus Mr. & Mrs. James D. Stuart Mr. & Mrs. James J. Sullivan Ms. Marion Tetlak Ms. Helen Tingley Mr. & Mrs. Joseph D. Tondrick Ms. Michele Turoscy Mr. Donald F. Tusar Ms. Romayne Tusar Mr. Garry Vanscoy Mr. Robert T. Vaughn Mr. & Mrs. Alexander J. Vega Mr. & Mrs. David R. Vick Ms. Mary Jane Vilone Mr. Daniel P. Voitek Mr. Nicholas T. Wadas Mr. Zachary Wallenstein Mrs. Ann Warnick Mr. & Mrs. William C. Wassel Ms. Marcia S. Watson Mr. & Mrs. Ronald J. Werner Mrs. Helen Westenheffer Mr. & Mrs. Harold B. White Ms. Meagan C. Williams Dr. Vincent J. Williams & Dr. Clare E. Manzi Ms. Irene Wills & Ms. Butkiewicz Ms. Ruth Winkleman Ms. Genevieve Witkowski Ms. Jo Ann Wolinsky Mr. John Woloski, III Ms. Jan M. Yannopoulos Mr. & Mrs. Richard J. Yost Mr. & Mrs. Daniel P. Zeleniak Mr. & Mrs. Matthew G. Zellner Mrs. Patricia G. Zeszotarski Ms. Rosalie M. Zubyk Mr. & Mrs. Lee H. Zurner Wilkes | Fall 2012 Mr. & Mrs. John H. Respondek Harold Rosenn, Esq. Mrs. Eunice Rubel Mr. Joseph J. Rubino Attorney & Mrs. Charles A. Shaffer Mrs. Mary Jo Slaney Dr. & Mrs. Barton A. Smith Mr. & Mrs. Dale O. Smith Mr. & Mrs. Andrew M. Sopirak Dr & Mrs. William R. Stine Mrs. Polly Henry Stryker Dr. Kara J. Suche Ms. Rose M. Sullivan Mrs. Bernadine Tarasek Ms. Bernadette Taylor Mr. John Thalenfeld Mr. & Mrs. William M. Thomas Mr. & Mrs. William A. Thomas Ms. Marjorie Trethaway Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Trovei Mr. & Mrs. Ronald D. Trusty Mr. & Mrs. Edward Ungvarsky Mr. & Mrs. Melvin Warshal Mr. & Mrs. Alexander M. Yacynych Mr. Gerald J. Yankow • report of gifts 33 �report of gifts • giving by class Giving by Class CLASS OF 1937 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Contributors Harriet Thalenfeld Gray CLASS OF 1938 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Ernest Weisberger5 Contributors Peter P. Caprari Betty Woolcock De Witt Mary Hutchko Flanagan10 Harry S. Katz5 Treveryan S. Kramer Irene Kessler Watkins CLASS OF 1944 • • • The John Wilkes Society President’s Circle CLASS OF 1939 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Farley Associates Darina J. Tuhy CLASS OF 1940 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Farley Associates Charles Fehlinger Henry C. Johnson10 CLASS OF 1941 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Farley Associates Irene Sauciunas Santarelli Contributors David L. Friedman5 Alfred Groh Carolyn Nagro Lowum CLASS OF 1942 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Louise S. Hazeltine1, 10 The Eugene Farley Club Contributors Helen Janoski Parker Robert E. Parker Kathryn Hiscox Quinn5 Ruth Tischler Voelker10 Arthur C. Williams10 Farley Associates Elizabeth Faint Fell Jean Steele Iba CLASS OF 1946 • • • Wilkes | Fall 2012 34 Founder’s Circle Trustee Associates William H. Rice5 Don C. Follmer1, 10 Joseph G. Bendoraitis5 John Wilkes Associates Founder’s Circle The Eugene Farley Club Joseph J. Savitz10 William A. Plummer The Eugene Farley Club John Wilkes Associates Farley Associates Edwin L. Johnson10 Robert W. Hall10 Nicholas A. Heineman William C. Kashatus The Eugene Farley Club Blue Circle William H. Lewis William Melnyk Muriel Bransdorf Mintzer10 Joseph Panzitta Shirley Phillips Passeri Eugene L. Shaver10 William M. Toplis • • • The John Wilkes Society Charlotte Reichlin Cutler5 Rita Seitchek Dicker Charlotte Waters Rowland CLASS OF 1943 Contributors Gloria Paczkowski Kabusk Margaret Holloway Manchester Dolores Seitchak Price George J. Trebilcox5 Gold Circle Robert S. Capin Daniel Sherman10 John Gresh10 Charles F. Jackson5 Donald C. Kivler10 Blue Circle Farley Associates Leonard S. Anthony10 Helene Donn Evans10 William L. Evans10 D. Joseph Pelmoter5 Thomas D. Stine10 Vester V. Vercoe, Jr.10 Farley Associates Edna Sabol Andrews10 James W. Davis Edward H. Lidz10 Reed D. Lowrey5 Samuel L. Owens10 Elva Fuller Parker10 Lawrence B. Pelesh10 Clyde H. Ritter Robert L. Williams, Jr.5 Contributors Clayton J. Karambelas1, 10 Robert Anthony10 Dorothy Wilkes Lewis Jerome N. Mintzer10 Clemence A. Scott10 Julius Brand10 Joseph P. Brennan Edward J. Brill Mary Porter Evans5 Barbara Medland Farley10 Theodore J. Killian Raymond S. Kinback5 Francis B. Krzywicki10 Victor Minetola Virginia Meissner Nelson10 Arne Rasmussen Marvin Smith Priscilla Sweeney Smith-Matthews10 Contributors CLASS OF 1951 Edward F. Corcoran Paul F. De Witt James Morrash5 Evelyn Penaligon Rasmussen Jay F. Rauscher • • • Edwin M. Kosik10 Harris R. Boyce Walter E. Margie Joseph V. Pringle Leo S. Wojcikiewicz John Wilkes Associates Gold Circle Trustee Associates John Wilkes Associates • • • Harry R. Hiscox10 Contributors Contributors Miriam Levinson Brand10 Alberta Novick Killian Founder’s Circle Thomas J. Jordan5 The Eugene Farley Club Farley Associates John C. Keeney* 10 The John Wilkes Society CLASS OF 1949 The Eugene Farley Club The Eugene Farley Club Farley Associates The John Wilkes Society Contributors • • • Sallyanne Frank Rosenn Joseph G. Sweeney10 The Eugene Farley Club • • • Elaine Williams Jones CLASS OF 1945 CLASS OF 1947 • • • CLASS OF 1950 • • • Claire Fischer Beissinger Irene Wienckowski Caprari Frances Wentzel Dudeck John J. Fetch George F. Fry, Jr. William M. Nancarrow Burroughs H. Price Farley Associates Contributors CLASS OF 1948 The Eugene Farley Club Blue Circle Doris Gorka Bartuska5 Farley Associates Contributors Shirley Salsburg Bernard Arthur W. Bloom5 Delbert J. Cragle Norman E. Cromack10 Joseph B. Gries George P. Heffernan, Jr.10 William Holak Thomas M. Morick Charles F. Woodring5 CLASS OF 1952 • • • The John Wilkes Society President’s Circle Helen Bitler Ralston10 John Wilkes Associates Nancy Ralston Grogan John A. Wolfkeil5 The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Earl C. Crispell5 Paul J. Delmore10 The John Wilkes Society Trustee Associates William A. Perlmuth10 1 Class 5 5 Chair or more years of consecutive giving 10 or more years of consecutive giving * Deceased 10 �giving by class Blue Circle J. Louis Bush10 Robert McFadden Farley Associates Walter E. Elston Donald R. Law Contributors George A. Cross Lorna Coughlin Darte Daniel S. Dzury Charles K. Gloman III Howard A. Gonchar Chia-In Wang Rutkowski5 Norma Carey Vale CLASS OF 1953 • • • The John Wilkes Club Founder’s Circle Anita Gordon Allen5 John J. Frankosky Barry J. Iscovitz5 Carl Karassik5 Joseph J. Mosier Katherine Goetzman Peckham10 Andrew Sofranko, Jr. John B. Vale Albert J. Wallace10 Peter Wurm CLASS OF 1955 • • • The John Wilkes Society President’s Circle Richard L. Bunn Leo R. Kane5 John Wilkes Associates Dean A. Arvan5 David L. Hoats5 Richard B. Kent Charles M. Reilly5 Paul B. Beers* Blue Circle The Eugene Farley Club Contributors Fay Jaffe Berg10 Preston R. Eckmeder Norman J. Faramelli Leonard Feld Charles A. Giunta Dolores Roth Karassik Thomas F. Minemier Lucille Reese Pierce Frank M. Radaszewski Dorothy Hamaker Roden10 Myra Kornzweig Smulyan Leo E. Solomon5 David B. Whitney5 Robert H. Burger Joan Russin Cross Marilyn Peters Hirsch Aldona Patrick Hojecki Doris Sadowski Merrill5 Joan Wachowski Michalski5 John S. Prater* Robert S. Rydzewski10 Thomas R. Sarnecky Donald J. Tosh Howard L. Updyke5 Mary Pomicter Zezza CLASS OF 1954 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Farley Associates Lewis B. Giuliani5 William R. Glace Thomas J. Goblick Elaine Bogan Law Leonard J. Mather Charles T. Reice5 Rodion J. Russin CLASS OF 1956 The John Wilkes Society Founder’s Circle Patricia Stout Williams1 John Wilkes Associates Henry K. Goetzman5 Constance Kamarunas Schaefer The Eugene Farley Club Blue Circle Contributors Thomas R. Adams10 Chair 5 5 or more years of consecutive giving 10 10 or more years of consecutive giving * Deceased 1 Class Dolores Pietroski Cackowski Mary Zavatski Croce10 Henry W. Deibel Helen Stoeckel Hessler10 Basia Mieszkowski Jaworski5 Chester H. Miller, Jr. Jan A. Olenginski Benjamin Omilian5 Arthur Stackel, Jr. CLASS OF 1957 • • • William H. Tremayne10 Contributors • • • Contributors Farley Associates Constance Smith Andrews5 William E. Caruth Philip D. Husband5 Stephen C. Thomas5 Elsie Giuliani Yarasheski10 Sandor Yelen Fred J. Boote Clarence C. Givens10 Samuel R. Shugar10 John E. Suffren5 Thomas J. Lane John H. Milliman Patricia Reese Morris Richard Murray Lois Myers Joseph E. Podlesny Phyllis Walsh Powell10 Eugene Roth10 Jerome Stein10 John J. Witinski CLASS OF 1958 • • • The John Wilkes Society Judith Hopkins Arthur E. Imdorf Joshua J. Kaufman10 John J. Kearney10 Mary Kozak Motsavage10 Lawrence J. Nicholson Russell R. Picton, Jr. David Rosser Louis F. Steck1, 5 Edward E. Yarasheski10 Farley Associates Marianna Kraynack Banash5 Jean Kravitz Barry George H. Batterson5 Clifford R. Brautigan Gail Laines Chase James F. Ferris10 Younsu Koo5 Jessie A. Roderick5 Joan Shoemaker10 Joseph A. Ungvarsky10 Michael J. Weinberger10 Howard E. Ennis, Jr.10 Gold Circle Joseph J. Kropiewnicki10 Cledwyn P. Rowlands May Way Vanden Broeck Farley Associates Trustee Associates The John Wilkes Society Jesse H. Choper10 President’s Circle Lawrence E. Cohen10 John Wilkes Associates Bettijane Long Eisenpreis10 Seymour Holtzman5 George Kolesar5 The Eugene Farley Club Blue Circle Melvin E. McNew10 Arthur N. Meyer H. Benjamin Webb, Jr. 10 Leslie P. Weiner10 Farley Associates Charles R. Abate Nasser N. Bonheur5 Elaine Williams Brooks Robert B. Chase, Jr. Gloria Dran Elston William M. Farish10 Vincent P. Herron, Jr. Jean Schraeder Kuchinskas10 Charles W. Robinson1, 5 John J. Schultz5 Terry L. Smith Carl R. Urbanski10 Contributors Earl R. Bahl Barbara Thomas Balcomb Lena Misson Baur Jacob M. Dvornicky Richard F. Heltzel Beverly Falkinburg Hildebrand Frances Hopkins Jordan Marie Zanowicz Kruska CLASS OF 1959 • • • The John Wilkes Society John Wilkes Associates Frederick J. Hills10 Edward McCafferty5 Founder’s Circle The Eugene Farley Club Beverly Blakeslee Hiscox10 William I. Williams1 Gold Circle President’s Circle Elisabeth Schwartz King Robert J. Pitel10 Lynne Herskovitz Warshal10 Robert A. Mugford10 Blue Circle John Wilkes Associates Sylvia Mauro Thomas I. Myers5 L. Joyce Tremayne Salvatore M. Valenti David E. Vann The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Founder’s Circle Joseph S. Pipan5 Mary Craig Pugh10 Robert Scally5 Paul J. Tracy10 Richard E. Wozniak10 Jacqueline M. Young10 Kelly J. Mather Vera Wroble Pitel10 Bruce S. Warshal10 Blue Circle George Ginader10 Theresa Mazzarella Morrow10 Peter R. Pisaneschi1, 10 Josef M. Reese5 Farley Associates Marguerite L. Allen Anthony M. Bianco Susan Shoff Bianco William J. Donovan10 Merri Jones Earl10 Emma Minemier Firda Edward J. Heltzel5 Edmund J. Kotula10 Judith Menegus Deluca Juanita Patience Moss10 Martha Wagner Ostrowski Harold P. Shannon Keith Williams Contributors Carolyn Goeringer Basler Mary Mattey Borgersen5 Samuel T. Buckman, Jr.5 John G. Carling5 Lee W. Eckert Naoma Kaufer Feld Max B. Greenwald Hillard R. Hoffman Matthew I. Kessman Carol Hallas McGinley Clarence Michael Edward J. Milowicki Joseph W. Oliver5 John W. Pieplow Jane Norton Granitzki10 Robert C. Morgan10 Farley Associates Richard Aston Mary Lou Spinelli Casella Robert E. Davis10 Donald E. Devans10 Thomas M. Dugan Paul J. Earl10 Evald R. Eskilson Charles J. Gareis John Harvey Albert P. Kuchinskas10 J. Rodger Lewis John Q. Mask III Chester J. Nocek10 Robert B. Payne5 Patricia Yost Pisaneschi10 Mary Anchel Sabel5 Warren W. Schmid Charles A. Sorber10 Robert J. Yokavonus10 Ann Dixon Young Contributors Alan R. Balcomb Charles S. Butler10 James L. Eidam A. Jennie Hill10 Janice Reynolds Longo Joan Grish McSweyn10 George S. Morris Sherle Baroody Myers Larry G. Pugh10 John M. Saba Robert J. Sestak Gustave E. Sundberg Arlene R. Tanalski Marianne Levenoskie Van Blarcom10 Robert W. Walters10 Carl V. Zoolkoski CLASS OF 1960 • • • The John Wilkes Society Trustee Associates Peter W. Perog10 Ronald W. Simms5 Wilkes | Fall 2012 Carol Reynar Hall10 William J. Umphred, Sr.10 • report of gifts 35 �report of gifts • giving by class Founder’s Circle Emilie Roat Gino10 John Wilkes Associates Evelyn Krohn Holtzman5 Allyn C. Jones1, 5 Gordon E. Roberts5 Martin F. Tansy R. Dale Wagner William J. Woll Raymond G. Yanchus10 Emmanuel J. Ziobro CLASS OF 1961 • • • The John Wilkes Society Founder’s Circle The Eugene Farley Club William F. Raub10 Gold Circle Robert W. Verespy10 Blue Circle Thomas P. Korshalla10 Patricia A. Levandoski10 Robert J. Sislian10 Patricia Fushek Skibbs Lawrence P. Williams10 John Wilkes Associates Gill Ho Bai Henry A. Greener5 Nancy Rosenfeld Greener5 Patricia Boyle Heaman5 John W. Kluchinski5 Nancy Carroll Kolesar5 Gold Circle Jean Broody Azar Beverly Nagle Barnick10 Thomas Barnick10 Donald Barovich Charles Billings Walter J. Grzymski Aaron G. Hastie Jr. Ronald D. Kross Patricia A. Krull10 Judith Weiss Moskow5 John T. Mulhall Andrew R. Sabol10 Anthony J. Sankus10 Carol Emanski Sapiego John J. Sapiego Basil Smith Roy H. VanWhy Raye Thomas Wileman10 Richard R. Wileman10 Frederick J. Williams Shirley G. Davis Jay P. Keller10 Christopher H. Loesch, Jr.10 Anonymous10 Lynne Boyle Austin ’60 Joan Llewellyn Buckman5 Carl R. Havira Virginia Lyons Hoesl10 Marilyn Warburton Lutter10 John F. Marriott, Sr. Margo Meringolo Merin George W. Murdock Donald Murray Richard J. Myers Jean Shofranko Olexy John D. Phillips10 Helen Schainuck Rubin Donald J. Sabatino10 Blue Circle Michael Armstrong Frank M. Scutch10 Jule Znaniecki Wnorowski5 Farley Associates Philip J. Amico10 Marvin A. Antinnes5 Marie Honcharik Basta10 Edward C. Bedner Norma Wentz Bregen Janice Bronson-Bartlett10 Louise Hischak Clark Joseph M. Drozdowski Nancy Bonham Hontz Gregory J. Lester Carl J. Meyers10 Donald T. Murphy5 Virginia Payne Walter A. Placek Patricia Lawless Ryan5 Albert R. Stralka10 Contributors Martha Menegus Amadio5 Louis P. Bierly Catherine Brominski Kovac Walter H. Buzby Martin E. Cherone Joseph J. Chisarick5 Richard P. Cobb Ruth Shales Cook5 Harry E. Filbert, Jr. Class Chairs are alumni who promote annual Wilkes | Fall 2012 CLASS OF 1962 The John Wilkes Society The Eugene Farley Club Trustee Associates Blue Circle Erwin F. Guetig10 Jerry A. Mohn10 Rowena Simms Mohn10 Nicholas L. Alesandro Robert T. Bond1, 5 Jane Edwards Bonomo5 Neil Dougherty5 Thomas M. Farris Leland D. Freidenburg, Jr. 10 Daniel J. Lyons10 John Wilkes Associates Farley Associates Charles J. Cherundolo Gerald A. Moffatt Mary Regalis Althauser Roger A. Rolfe Douglas R. Bennington Richard O. Burns Lillian Bodzio Caffrey John A. Gavenonis10 Clinton G. Hess10 Joseph Kruczek Sally Cohen Levy Richard A. Morgan5 David V. Puerta Vicki Burton Sabol10 David G. Simpson Bonnie Lewis Turchin10 Peter Winebrake Leonard A. Yankosky, Jr. 10 Barbara A. Yuscavage10 • • • The John Wilkes Society unrestricted giving and offer their thoughts and experiences to Wilkes Fund Appeals to give them a personal touch. If you are interested in becoming a class chair, please contact Lauren Y. Pluskey ’06, MBA ’10 at (570) 408-4331 or at lauren.pluskey@wilkes.edu. Barbara S. Soyka Beverly Munson Swift Geraldine M. Tarantini10 Anne Jamieson Taylor Victor Turoski5 Gerard J. Zezza, Jr. 10 CLASS OF 1964 • • • The John Wilkes Society John Wilkes Associates Alan C. Krieger10 Charles A. Krivenko CLASS OF 1963 • • • Warren P. Greenberg1 President’s Circle President’s Circle Frank H. Menaker, Jr.10 John Wilkes Associates Class Chairs 36 Joyce Medlock Jones5 Thomas Kanas Robert A. King5 Ruth Boorom Melberger10 Patrick J. Monaghan, Jr. Marsha Heffran Peters Raymond J. Peters Michael Samberg Rena Lewine Schoenfeld5 Helen M. Tinsley10 Royal A. Wetzel Trustee Associates The Eugene Farley Club Farley Associates Contributors Walter J. Folek Robert J. Hewitt Stephen L. Klein Margaret Churchill Kuffner5 Sandra Ungar Levy Robert A. Martin10 Sally Williams McGinley William L. Morris June Patrylak Neff5 Joseph P. Olexy, Jr. Emil J. Petrasek5 Patricia Capers Petrasek5 Barbara Price Schafer Beverly Major Schwartz5 Joseph J. Neetz10 Estelle Manos Sotirhos The Eugene Farley Club Blue Circle The Eugene Farley Club Nancy T. Armstrong Elizabeth Tubridy Fairchild10 Vivian Cardoni Katsock5 Gold Circle Jeremiah E. Berk10 Adolf L. Herst5 Robert A. Ruggiero Farley Associates Donald H. Bogert5 Harry Collier10 Miriam Vaskorlis Cooper5 Janet Simpson Dingman10 Judith Butchko Gallagher10 Ann Znaniecki Grzymski Joel P. Harrison Mary Ann Foley Hopkins5 John A. Hosage10 Stanley J. Karmilovich Albert Kishel5 Jerome G. Lawrence Judith Wasileski Lawrence Nancy Martin Lynn10 Francis J. Machung5 John J. Miller5 Joanne Pisaneschi Olejnick10 Ralph B. Pinskey William A. Rishko10 William J. Ruzzo Rachel Altavilla Winebrake Contributors Samuel Howard Book Robert E. Conway Audrey Petro Coslett10 A. John Dimond Albert M. Dobrowalski Wilbur N. Dotter10 David R. Edwards Robert L. Evans, Sr.5 Sandra S. Feldman10 Florence Billings Finn Evelyn Hudyck Gibbons Ruth Newman Goldberg Andrew J. Hassay5 Blue Circle Robert E. Herman Joseph W. Raksis10 Edward J. Rogalski Daniel Zeroka5 Contributors John H. Farrell5 J. Douglas Haughwout5 Leonard J. Koerner C. Michael Manganaro Lorraine Rowland Murdock Stanley J. Orlowski10 Ray R. Pisaneschi10 Virginia Scrimgeour Ravin Mary Lou Searles Raykovicz Michael A. Raykovicz Gerald W. Williams Farley Associates Willard S. Achuff10 Jane Downin Alderman Alice Cole Bartlett10 Theodore R. Begun Sandra Egen Bennington Robert F. Cherundolo Mary Barone Du Mont5 Janice MacDonald Hastie William H. Klein Mark S. Levey Carolyn Draper Lippincott5 Lynne Stockton Mutart5 Stephen E. Phillips10 Stephen Selige Robert B. Singer Richard R. Snopkowski10 John E. Tredinnick10 Joseph Weinkle5 Edward J. Wilk CLASS OF 1965 • • • The John Wilkes Society John Wilkes Associates Catherine DeAngelis5 Anthony J. Parulis5 John J. Sickler B. William Vanderburg10 Natalie Kowalski Vanderburg10 Contributors Paul A. Battisti10 Norman D. James5 Charles E. Johns10 Gloria Silverman Kasper10 Stuart W. Lawson5 Romelle Gomba Pethick* Zoya Dzury Rakowski Claire Handler Silverstein The Eugene Farley Club Blue Circle Donald L. Davis John B. Hall James B. Jenkins 1 Class Chair or more years of consecutive giving 10 or more years of consecutive giving * Deceased 5 5 10 �giving by class Farley Associates Kathryn Parsons Alexander Alfonse S. Bayo5 Catherine Brader Butler Kent E. Davis William E. Davis, Jr. Sumner H. Hayward Sharon Keyes Holleran Jane Charlton Huey Ronald D. Kosmala Leon E. Obrzut10 Steven S. Paradise Lee McCloskey Shubert Donald W. Ungemah10 Eva Waskell Mary Lou Butkoski Zaleski5 Contributors Jane Cochran Chambers5 David M. Closterman Doris Evans Closterman Carmaine Crease Joseph R. Czarneck Marylin C. Davis Dale H. Edwards5 Rita Dougherty Groves R. Lawrence Gubanich Frederick E. Hackett Suzanne Stica Koerner Molly Boyle Krafchik Lois A. Kutish Herbert N. Maier10 Ruth H. McDermott Michael J. Mostello, Jr. John A. Nork10 Robert Jan Pethick James Reid Mary Muench Rosencrance Barbara Menarick Russo Anita Minelli Salerno5 Theresa M. Sapp Robert J. Vincenti John Voda Charlene Nalbach Yanchik10 John H. Zielinski Barbara Lewis Cousland5 Jeanne Martin Dhavale5 Bonnie Opella Eskra W. Marshall Evans10 Alan C. Gamble Charles J. Huey Barbara A. Kubinski W. David Larmouth II JoAnn Margolis5 Jane Klein Paradise F. Charles Petrillo William M. Pinkowski5 Susan Evans Pons Simon S. Russin Peter Stchur, Jr. Ellen Chergosky Verhanovitz Richard F. Verhanovitz Farley Associates Farley Associates John Wilkes Associates Judith Adams-Volpe Richard H. Disque Leona Sokash Dufour Richard H. Firestine Virginia Rome Grabowski5 Joseph A. Grohowski, Sr.5 James M. Mason Peter S. Phillips10 Henry J. Pownall Windsor S. Thomas10 William A. Trethaway5 Donna Troiano Robert Vanderoef Douglas W. Weber Elizabeth Dougherty Wood Nicholas Andrew Barna Frederick N. Brown Joyce Christian Detter Barry Gold Teresa Cushner Hunt5 Joseph E. Kiefer Robert C. Klotz10 Marian Zaledonis Kovacs10 Donna Broda Kuliczkowski Michael S. Pipan Karen A. Reed Nicholas S. Reynolds George J. Sick10 Wayne A. Sittner Charles W. Snyder5 Paul B. Solomon5 Albert E. Stofko Virginia Steckel Valentine Elaine Lutkoski Willis Robert J. Ziegler Patrick J. Burke Stephen G. Farrar Joseph B. Frappolli Michael J. Glancey5 Nancy Hawk Merryman10 Carol A. Skalski10 Donald C. Spruck Nancy Wanczyk Stinger Cynthia Wisniewski Weber Contributors Contributors Sandra Woolf Bauman Esther Schwartz Dorkin10 Forrest J. Eichmann5 Linda Fusaro Kahler Clement A. Gaynor, Jr. Carol Mazur Glowzenski5 Robert C. Harding10 E. William Kaylor, Jr. Margaret Gee Kraynanski5 Eugene A. Macur10 Mildred Gross Maier10 Gloria Martin5 Edward P. McGinley Barbara Yannunzio Mostello Bonnie Brown O’Neill Donald A. Pahls5 Susan Schermerhorn Prior Robert C. Roebuck John R. Rokita Anthony J. Ross William Schneider Jane Jancik Stevens Dolores Barone Straka5 Suzanne Bellone Timko10 Mary Kennedy Voda Frederick E. Weber Gerald L. Weisberger5 Allan D. Wickstein Mark K. Bauman Eugene J. Bonfanti5 Jean Cook Ciroalo David R. Cowan5 Sharon Tormey Everett Donald E. Fredd Eugene L. Kelleher Helen Baron Kopec Richard L. Kramer Lawrence A. Major Evelyn Morenko Matelski5 Edwin A. Pashinski John J. Pilosi5 Daniel R. Price Richard G. Raspen Janice Parsons Robart Daniel B. Rosencrance Darlene Moll Roth Edward M. Shiner George E. Collinson10 William G. Cooper10 Elizabeth Scholl10 David P. Baccanari5 Judith E. Beyer10 Bruce R. Brown Carol Tomaselli Brown Joseph J. Buziuk, Jr. 5 Richard G. Cantner Beverly Shamun Carey10 Margaret Hoban Dominic Barbara Ann Dorish5 Nancy Noterman Downing Eleanor Jachimczak Guzofsky Zdzislawa Paciej Harms5 Malcolm Kintz Harris5 John J. Helme David W. Hess Stanley R. Houpt Palmer P. Jones Sheila Carr Jones Jaquelyn Rubin Kaplan Leslie Marino Lessor Timothy M. McGinley Patricia Haydt Nitchie5 Susan Bennett Onze Peter T. Polashenski Sharon Strzelczyk Robinson Pauline Farrar Ruckno Judith Labows Sabatino10 Eugene Salko Myrna Brodbeck Schaefer Charles R. Sgarlat5 Frank J. Smith Carl G. Sponenberg10 Michael Stefanick10 Leslie Calamari Tinney Michael H. Tinney Anthony J. Turchetti5 Michael J. Worth Blue Circle CLASS OF 1969 David D. Baum10 Daniel Klem, Jr.10 Glen D. Klinger Donald M. Kronick Gerald E. Missal5 A. Daniel Murray Edward J. Podehl Elizabeth A. Slaughter10 • • • CLASS OF 1968 • • • The John Wilkes Society Trustee Associates John R. Miller10 Founder’s Circle Ronald Piskorik5 John Wilkes Associates CLASS OF 1967 Raymond Lowery, Jr. Gerard A. McHale, Jr.10 Anne Heineman Batory5 Robert L. Brown William R. Bush10 Flora Wargo McCormick5 Michael D. Smith William W. Stinger John Wilkes Associates The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Blue Circle Andrea Gallet Lander Neil L. Millar5 Richard C. Roshong5 Regina Belden Smith Gerald F. Weber Grace Jones Kutzmas5 Ruth Partilla Narcum10 The Eugene Farley Club CLASS OF 1966 • • • The John Wilkes Society Founder’s Circle Carol Saidman Greenwald5 David Greenwald5 John Wilkes Associates Joyce Callahan Krivenko The Eugene Farley Club • • • The John Wilkes Society Founder’s Circle Gold Circle Farley Associates Alfred M. Airola Carolyn Jenkins Airola Richard L. Bucko5 Mark Cohen 1 Class 5 5 Chair or more years of consecutive giving 10 or more years of consecutive giving * Deceased 10 Paul P. Purta, Jr. Blue Circle Robert S. Gardner5 Walter Narcum10 Maureen Savage Szish Contributors The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Dori S. Jaffe5 Joseph C. Wiendl5 Blue Circle Christopher A. Colovos5 Bryn E. Kehrli Ann Alumbaugh McElyea5 David Ralston Cynthia West Reed5 James S. Reed5 Glenn Stevenson Bernard J. Vinovrski Joseph Yozviak10 Farley Associates Jeannette Spott Barnes10 Betty Whah Bauman Richard R. Bayliss Barbara N. Bellucci5 Bruce O. Brugel10 Robert M. Burnat10 Paul B. Burry John H. Butler R. Bruce Comstock Ronald J. Gabriel Dennis P. Galli10 John T. Harmer5 George C. Harrison5 Stewart J. Harry10 Marilynn Froelich Hummer Joseph G. Kopec Charles A. Kosteva5 Angelo F. Loverro Raymond B. Luckenbach Irving A. Mendelssohn Andrea L. Petrasek Virginia Thomas Rinehimer Michael B. Robertson Sally Griffiths Robinson Albert D. Roke10 Rozanne Sandri-Goldin Marjorie Shaffer Victor William C. Sherbin Roy A. Shubert Leonard E. Strope, Jr.10 Charles J. Tharp5 Howard Weinberg5 Bette Neroda Wells James E. Wynn5 The John Wilkes Society Contributors Trustee Associates Robert W. Ashton James M. Calderone Robert A Catina Carol Sladin Clothier10 Lawrence B. Collins David J. Grandcolas Will Hooper Paul A. Wender10 President’s Circle John J. Chopack Brian McGrath George G. Pawlush10 William F. Ryan, Jr. 5 Wilkes | Fall 2012 Leslie Tobias Jenkins Joseph Kutzmas5 • report of gifts 37 �report of gifts • giving by class Philip E. Howe Kay L. Huber Edward Janoski David A. Jones5 Thaddeus M. Kalmanowicz10 Thomas F. Kelly5 Robert S. Kopec Patricia Zawoiski Kozemchak Joel Lubin Daniel M. Malloy Rhoda A. Moses5 Louis M. Pecora David J. Piatt Robert W. Reynolds Thomas M. Richards Carl V. Romanski Mel Rubin Mary E. Shaw Robert E. Silvi Carl J. Siracuse5 Janet Lutz Thurnau10 Robert C. Thurnau10 Catherine Nielsen Toran Thomas P. Williams, Jr. Carol Womelsdorf10 Robert L. Zeglarski CLASS OF 1970 • • • The John Wilkes Society Diamond Associates John M. Cefaly, Jr.5 Honorary Associates Margaret Filipkowski Sordoni10 John Wilkes Associates Edward F. Burke5 Janet Neiman Seeley10 The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle David M. Bogusko5 Lonnie A. Coombs10 Thomas W. Jones10 Charles D. Lengle5 Carol Densmore Marascio John Marfia, Jr.5 Joyce Nahas Moses Janice A. Saunders10 Barbara Morrison Squeri5 John E. Squeri5 Anne Aimetti Thomas5 Joanne Levandoski Falck Phyllis L. Gaydos5 Susan Trenkamp Harmer5 William C. Johnson Barbara Gonzales Kende Joseph R. Kolm J. David Lombardi10 Andrew C. Matviak Barbara L. Nanstiel Judith Cobleigh Ockenfuss5 Robert E. Ockenfuss5 Lee Paige10 Marion Boyle Petrillo Melvin C. Rogers, Jr. Neil M. Seidel10 David S. Silberman Evelyn Rygwalski Snyder5 William Steel Kathleen Lash Weinstein Richard Wetzel10 Contributors Matthew B. Buglehall Carl Charnetski Phyllis Sun Cheng5 Anita Rein Coplan Ronald J. Delese Ronald W. Faust5 Lorna Tarnoff Fredd Kenneth M. Gordon Fred A. Harkins, Jr.5 Anthony J. Honko5 Mary Carol Hornyak Adele Jancik Kaschenback Kenneth Kovaleski Camille Broski Kramer David W. Kutz10 Joyce Saluski Latoski Joseph A. Lukesh10 Patrick J. Malloy Pauline Gashi Myers Wendy Badman Sgarlat5 Kaye Harding Stefanick10 Ralph C. Tewksbury, Jr. Philip J. Thorick William S. Tinney5 Elva Costello Valentine Lea Gina White Joseph J. Zakowski Donna-Su Brown Zeglarski CLASS OF 1971 • • • The John Wilkes Society Founder’s Circle Blue Circle Wilkes | Fall 2012 Robert J. Conologue Elaine Lundy Ephlin Jay H. Goldstein Barton Hauser Renee Mucci Klem10 Bill Tarbart1, 10 Marcella Wroblewski Vinovrski 38 Farley Associates Carl J. Babushko Steven Chromey10 Carl L. Cook5 Marilyn Rabel Costanzo10 Leigh Doane Donecker George J. Matz10 John Wilkes Associates Ellen Stamer Hall1 Howard R. Lander Elliot J. Stahler The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle John R. Deem10 J. David Kaschak10 James B. Marascio Blue Circle Jerold W. Brown Judith Rodda Gardner5 Farley Associates John C. Baranowski5 Miriam Mohr Bayliss Terry A. Belles Beverly Peirce Berger10 Leonard J. Brozena James L. Butkiewicz10 Mary Ellen Fischer Butkiewicz10 Steven T. Case Martin M. Cebula5 Melinda Dawson Emil F. DiTullio10 Eugene S. Domzalski Cherylynn Petyak Gibson10 Andrew J. Gubanich, Jr. Joseph N. Ishley Barbara Roman Knezek10 George H. Knezek, Jr.10 William R. Lazor Patricia Mazzeo Lombardi10 William J. Murphy10 Judith Potestivo Ogin Richard E. Ogin David Reel William E. Reese5 Dolores Draganchuk Sheppard David G. Shevchuk Larry R. Volkel5 Nancy Button Barbara Aulisio Camoni5 Richard Chisarick5 Guy J. Comparetta10 Sandra Holl Comparetta10 Eric B. Davenport Alice Hadsall Davis10 Richard J. Davis5 Thomas P. De Lay Sheila Denion Anne Musto-Van Noy Dragon5 Larry D. Fabian Jill Yanoshak Gagliardi10 Karen Trevethan Gilmore5 Samuel C. Giunta James A. Gribb10 Melissa Burdick Harmon Suzanne Cox Herstek5 Patricia Baranoski Jula10 Jacquelyn Van Tuyle Kelly5 Stephen J. Kulonda Janie Davidson Larsen Pamela Krakowski Lawson William J. Lukridge Dixie Davis Mackall John G. Mandell, Jr. Leonard Matysczak Marianne Kolojejchick Matysczak Jacqueline Falk McGinley Sally Cooper McGinley Robert A. Moore Rosemary Baratta Novak Alfred L. Pennesi Carlton E. Phillips10 Joseph D. Rosato Richard L. Shonk Barbara McNicholl Scarpino10 Joan Tyree Deborah Berti Walsh Anne Agolino Wasko Richard A. Weinstein Nancy Ziobro Yurek Carolyn A. Williams Nancy Charles Williams Mario J. Zinicola CLASS OF 1972 • • • The John Wilkes Society Trustee Associates Anthony M. Cardinale Laura Barbera Cardinale Hedy Wrightson Rittenmeyer Ronald A. Rittenmeyer Founder’s Circle William A. Hanbury Kathy Price Kautter John S. Kerr Renate Dargel Kerr Theodore T. Yeager10 John Wilkes Associates James Garofalo10 Bruce E. Gover Alan E. Zellner5 The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle G. Garfield Jones, Jr. Michael M. Mariani10 Gary H. Williams1, 10 Contributors Frank Arva Alice Nasielski Battista10 Mary MacArthur Bennett Joyce Rother Burlone John P. Cherundolo Richard D. Ciuferri10 Joseph J. Cordora5 Lorraine Dombroski Cortegerone Alfred B. Crake5 Susan Staniorski Davis10 Rita S. Du Brow Philip T. Gullo John M. Halliday Alvin Justan5 Stephen E. Kaschenbach10 Robert R. Kern Carol Roke Klinetob Patricia Bauman Kramer Pauline Kmetz Makowski Buck Mallan Gerald P. McAfee Karen Braun Middleton Barbara Ward Nixon10 Margaret A. Occhipinti Daniel T. Powell Dennis J. Puhalla Maxine Levine Rubin Bruce A. Sabacek5 Jill Evans Saporito William R. Schultz Della F. Schulz5 Judith Seeherman Robert C. Staffa Barbara Perry Tokarz Mary Ellen Pointek Tracy William Umbach10 Robert J. Vignoli Eugene H. Wagner, Jr. James C. Weaver10 Blue Circle Ronald J. Bonomo Robert J. Cooney Teresa Brown Galicki Eugene G. Pappas10 Judithann Walsh Whelley Farley Associates Robert A. Byrne Thomas A. Costanzo10 Helene Dainowski10 Michael F. Daney, Jr. Frank Dessoye10 Donald L. Drust Jane A. Firestine10 Ronald B. Fritts David A. Furman5 George B. Gettinger Barbara Kish Gubanich Eric D. Hoover5 Harvey A. Jacobs10 Anthony V. Kleinhans10 Alexis Buchina Koss Barbara Repotski Lach Kathryn Ramsey Massey10 Frances Aiken Mitchell Mark H. Paikin Rita Ryneski5 David K. Thomas Enid Sullum Tope10 Dianne Hughes Treacy Joseph M. Treacy Beth Roche Ward5 CLASS OF 1973 • • • The John Wilkes Society Founder’s Circle Mariea Barbella Noblitt Jay S. Sidhu President’s Circle Charles P. Baker John Wilkes Associates David L. Davis10 Elizabeth Clements Gover Lloyd W. Ortman, Jr.10 Nancy Fern Snow The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Nathan R. Eustis, Jr.10 Robert P. Matley10 Bruce E. Phair Rosemaria Cienciva Sorg Contributors Mary Ann Smith Alick Robert M. Babskie10 Mary Bau Kathryn Bekanich Pamela Bolesta 1 Class 5 5 Chair or more years of consecutive giving 10 or more years of consecutive giving * Deceased 10 �giving by class Frank P. Galicki Thomas S. Lasky5 Felice Oxman Salsburg10 CLASS OF 1974 • • • The John Wilkes Society John Wilkes Associates Margaret A. Zellner5 Farley Associates Donna Piston Aufiero10 Louise Beebe-Thornton Yvonne Gnatt Casey Ronald D. DeCanio John Dubik10 Michael J. Filipowski Joel Fischman Carl J. Galletti Lindsay Farley Gettinger Drew M. Klemish5 John G. Margo10 Pamela Parkin Murphy10 Paul Niezgoda Barbara Zembrzuski Pisano5 John R. Pisano5 Jeffrey F. Prendergast Paula T. Quinn Brenda Schmidt Silberman Thomas R. Steltzer Theodore J. Tramaloni5 John H. Welker Edward M. Zadjura Contributors Deborah Kovalchik Adamchak Nancy D. Adler Joseph T. Baranoski Karen Metzger Baranoski Richard L. Berkheiser Irene B. Blum10 Janet Mazur Boylan Robert L. Ciali Angela Alba Dessoye5 Josephine Schifano Finlayson Barbara Gilotti Martha Hall Yohe Preston L. Hess Florence Matura Hozempa Carol Hussa Mary Burns Jansen Richard N. Jones Elaine Moyer Kollar Gene G. Kruczek Evelyn Kovalchick Lewis Bonnie Church MacDonald Duncan W. MacIntyre John F. Macknis James P. McGinley Denise Goobic Meck Margaret Maciun Perkins Kay Platt5 David L. Ritter10 Joseph J. Roberts Judith Casola Roeder John Savitsky George P. Sillup Brenda Ricco Sumski5 Stephanie Pufko Umbach10 Mary P. Ungvarsky5 Linda Pugsley Ward Cecilia Rudolph Williams Matthew M. Wotherspoon 1 Class 5 5 Chair or more years of consecutive giving 10 or more years of consecutive giving * Deceased 10 The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle John J. Kowalchik Elizabeth M. Lopez5 W. Lee Miller10 Karen Kmietowicz Phair Blue Circle Susan Downs Kehrli Darlene Kishbaugh Darryl G. Kramer5 Dwaine Edwards Mattei Ratnakar L. Mitra Duane Sadvary5 Angela T. Vauter Farley Associates Lynn Karnofsky Ahmad Malek Ahmad Philip E. Auron Paula Castrucci Richard F. Curry Nancy Brokhahne Daney Clifton E. Dungey5 Robert T. Dzugan5 Allan A. Fanucci Karen A. Kuzminski Fanucci Lorene Daring Laberge Richard H. Lopatto, Jr.5 Robert Lussi Richard D. Masi John J. Mazzolla5 Michael J. O’Boyle10 Elaine Para Pacheco Robert D. Prendergast Beverly Chislo Solfanelli Carol Presnal Stashik J. Bruce Weinstock Contributors Sheffe G. Abraham Stephen D. Adamchack, Jr. Richard B. Anselmi Diane Seltzer Bloss Frank E. Bria Gene A. Camoni5 Denise H. Chapura5 Joseph C. Damiano10 Kevin J. Davy Charles D. Denkenberger Jean H. Gilroy Marjorie Czulewicz Hingston Michael G. Hischak Betty Wood Hughes Ann Bowman Jamieson Martin J. Kane Jeffrey D. Katra Marshall I. Kornblatt Richard H. Lorenzen Christine Donahue Mayo Bettie Ann Rogers Morgan Ann Lyons Nardone Rosemary Petrillo Sarna Marguerite A. Sauer5 Pamela Eggert Schueler Sulochana Gogate Sherman Charles H. Shiber Ronald A. Shuleski Robert P. Singer Frank J. Tencza Jill Linder Waselik A. Ruth Rinehimer Whalen Robert D. Zettle10 Gayle Kinback Pryor Deborah A. Schneider10 Joan Bonfanti Shannon Diane Drost Shuleski Ann Marie Lewis Strempek Barbara Katra Swiatek5 Anita Miller Williams5 Roseann Cordora Williams CLASS OF 1975 • • • • • • The John Wilkes Society John Wilkes Associates William R. Thomas10 The Eugene Farley Club CLASS OF 1976 The John Wilkes Society John Wilkes Associates Guy J. DiZebba James J. Morgan5 John J. Reese Margaret Burgess Lenihan10 Paul J. Macik Karen Yohn Mack Richard A. Marchant Kerry D’Angelo Miller Marietta Barbara Minelli Linda Papatopoli Joyce Hooley Regna Joseph J. Santini Laureen Carney Santini Carlo Saporito Vilma Schifano-Milmoe Deborah Morano Sfraga Jane E. Smith10 Amy Santilli Whitehouse Donald R. Williams Robert N. Yanoshak John B. Zimmerman Peter C. Zubritzky5 Gold Circle The Eugene Farley Club Andrew E. Baron5 Ann Marie Bartuska Nelson G. Landmesser Gary L. Richwine Gold Circle Richard J. Allan Patricia A. Schillaci10 William Urosevich CLASS OF 1977 Blue Circle Blue Circle Trustee Associates Bernard J. Ford III Joan Zaleski Ford Brian K. Haeckler10 Thomas J. Kaschak Clarence G. Ozgo10 Michael G. Stambaugh10 Nancy Rodda Topolewski10 Stephen M. Baloga, Jr.10 Deborah Lataro Cargo10 Robert J. Spinelli5 Mary Belin Rhodes10 The John Wilkes Society President’s Circle Paul S. Adams10 Farley Associates Raymond Bartosh5 Christine M. Buchina1, 5 Barbara Swandick Duda Brian M. Finn5 Ellen Schwartz Fischman Marla Stopkoski Flack Robert S. Howes, Jr. David C. Kowalek5 Gary M. Kratz5 Patrick J. Moran Anne Tracy Patsiokas Stelios Patsiokas Sally Chupka Pucilowski10 Pauline A. Seleski5 Stephen Solfanelli Ann Rapoch Super5 Jane E. Thompson5 Gloria Zoranski Edward A. Bosha Gary Roger Brod Daniel B. Cabot Robert D. Clements, Jr. Gail MacIntyre Dohrn10 Mark J. Dubik Carol Kester Dungey5 Susan V. Fielder10 William Fromel Thomas D. Glosser Diane R. Jones5 Joan Domarasky Luksa10 Richard W. MacKey Joseph J. Marchetti Anthony L. McHugh10 Deborah Dinkel Nieman Margery German Rifkin5 Michael S. Rifkin5 Harold W. Roberts Nancy Ellen Roberts Thomas Runiewicz Richard J. Sullivan5 Contributors Contributors Philip J. Conrad, Jr. Michael V. DeVincentis5 Theodore B. Dennis, Jr. Janet Condon Diefenbacher Robert A. Dwyer Raymond P. Gustave Richard H. Hingston Barbara Gannon Hogan5 Ronald J. Jacobs10 Larinda Dyson Kaufer Beth Robin Kaye Pauline Hayes Lawson Janet Markowitz Macik Marguerite E. McCollom5 Alan R. Miller Robert B. Milmoe Donald T. Mock Doralyn Howard Moody Thomas W. Pezzicara5 Janice Cohen Barnet Marianne Montague Benjamin Carolann Gusgekofski Besler Philip A. Besler Robert E. Bettin Mary Murray Brady Susan Brimo-Cox Lois Tunaitis Daley Andrea Mahally Danilack Jacqueline Pickering Dzurek David L. Ellis Michael M. Gilbert Regina Gurick Guarin5 Evelyn D. Hager Bruce C. Jackson Darice Sabalesky Janusziewicz Jack W. Keller Sandra Kershaw Thomson Marianne Macur Kopcho5 Farley Associates • • • John Wilkes Associates Denise Schaal Cesare10 Drew Landmesser5 Michael S. LoPresti Patrice Stone Martin10 Kim Witherow Morgan5 Sandra Shepard Piccone10 Jeffrey D. Renoe The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Bruce A. Lear Patricia Reilly Urosevich Blue Circle Joseph W. Buckley5 Catherine Williams Ozgo10 M. Patty Cullinan Spinelli5 John M. Zubris Farley Associates Kathleen Warakomski Benjamin Joan Chemnitius Best Raymond A. Best Ruth McKalips Diestelmeier5 Paul J. Domowitch Andrew B. Durako, Jr. Steven Esrick5 Gene A. Heath10 Kathleen Heilig McInerney Richard D. Mutarelli5 Jeffrey A. Schlicher Christine Hudak Shipula Patricia S. Steele Thomas J. Ward5 Contributors Maureen Carey Albrecht Guy F. Barbato Sue Ann Knight Beck Alan Berger Brian E. Boston Wilkes | Fall 2012 Blue Circle • report of gifts 39 �report of gifts • giving by class Mark P. Buchinski Jill Fritz Buntz5 Christine M. Chmielewski Arthur S. Daniels10 Nancy Slawson Deacon Donna Smith Dickinson5 Harold S. Edmunds Manuel J. Evans5 Dennis G. Falcone Deborah A. Federo Judith Bienkowski Geary Kenneth A. Geary Susan M. Hansen John James Harper Margaret Tomczak Interrante Karen Kuchinskas Kaminski Carl E. Kaschenbach III Joanne Englot Kawczenski10 Deborah J. Koons5 Christine Koterba Lodge Nicholas Lozorak, Jr. Rick D. Mahonski5 John J. Minetola Earl W. Monk10 Eric D. Murray Mary Kay Malloy Pappadeas Barry Allan Pezzner John G. Puchalsky Edward J. Pupa James D. Reilly, Jr. Joseph W. Sekusky5 Leonarda A. Sperrazza Inez S. Stefanko Terri Jackson Swatko Dianne LaCova Trawick Patrick A. Ward5 Pamela Gingell Webb Mary Kadlecik Williams Evelyn Labenski Zakowski CLASS OF 1978 • • • The John Wilkes Society Trustee Associates Rhea Politis Simms5 President’s Circle Jean Reiter Adams10 Gregory A. MacLean Michael J. Speziale5 John Wilkes Associates Raymond E. Dombroski Brigette McDonald Herrmann10 David A. Jolley10 Jeffrey G. Jones Judith Mills Mack10 The Eugene Farley Club Wilkes | Fall 2012 Gold Circle 40 Ann Sharkey Esrick5 Ellen M. Field Edward J. Finn Joel G. Gelb David W. Gregrow Diane Pechalonis Groves5 Carol Pashchuk Huggler5 Diane Malachefski Kollar Patricia McCarthy Last Lori Ashbaugh Mackey Kevin F. McCall Christopher B. O’Brien Cynthia M. Patterson10 Barbara Swantkowski Placek Lois Enama Pluskey5 Anthony James Shipula Clark F. Speicher Jacqueline A. Vitek Contributors William P. Abrams Michael D. Booth Michael A. Calabrese Karen Kennedy Campbell10 Terry A. Christman Paula Heffernan Daley10 Maryjean deSandes5 Mark Finkelstein Gary E. Gardner Doreen Wickiser Hampton Denise Casem Hasneh5 Susan Serio Jack Neil H. Kaufer Suzanne Pudlosky Keller Robert J. Klecanda Stephen J. Lear John J. Mack10 Paula Strinkoski Manley Leslie Stobel McCafferty Donna Stanco McDevitt Jane A. Miller10 Anita Mucciolo5 Diane Zayac Pachucy Gary E. Pohorely Cynthia Perry Possanza Suzanne Fischer Prestoy Harriet Smith Rabinowitz5 Mary Kern Reynolds10 Rosemarie Rosati Shawn Rozett Senning Merle Zipkin Silver Seth M. Silver Frank R. Sirocki Robert J. Stofko5 John K. Suchoski5 Cathleen Teel Linda Allmon Walden5 Ellen DuFosse Wengen Donald J. Williams David J. Yakaitis5 John Wilkes Associates John H. Ellis, IV5 Frederick W. Herrmann10 The Eugene Farley Club Donald I. Burton, Jr.10 Betsy Bell Condron10 Cheryl Roman Grimaldi Blue Circle Sheree Kessler France David J. Gulitus Thomas P. Sokola Farley Associates Renee Venarucci Benedetto5 Karen Lucchesi Bostrom Lynne Mazzanti Brensha John E. Cavanaugh, Jr. William J. Gibbons5 John T. Ho Donald E. Horrox10 John R. Leedy Kurt J. Moody Edward F. Orloski David G. Pawlush Leonard J. Podrasky, Jr. Maureen Shay Prendergast Geraldine Cravatta Samselski Casper Tortella Contributors Mary D. Aschendorf Tami A. Beraud Anthony G. DeVincentis, Jr. Jay Finkelstein William D. Frye, Jr.10 Wilma Hurst Gardner Nigel J. Gray Robert E. Greenwood Mary Louise Kepics Harris Ann Timko Hughes Nancy J. Johnson5 Joseph D. Kerestes, Jr. Rosa Khalife-McCracken John D. Koze James J. Maloney5 Linda Mizenko Noto Jeannie S. O’Donnell Annette Tabone Peck John D. Ralston Susan Cameli Scanland Mary Ann Morgan Stelma5 Cheryl Moyer Thomas Cheryl Berry Washington Paul P. Wengen Ann Marie Yanushefski CLASS OF 1980 • • • CLASS OF 1979 The John Wilkes Society • • • President’s Circle The John Wilkes Society Blue Circle Trustee Associates James P. Edwards10 Thomas N. Ralston10 Alan C. France James J. Moran10 Nancy E. Van Kuren Ann Marie Booth Cardell Daniel J. Cardell John Wilkes Associates Farley Associates Janine Pokrinchak Dubik Carol Corbett Pawlush10 CLASS OF 1981 Gold Circle • • • Roger J. Davis Karen L. Devine Anthony J. Grimaldi The John Wilkes Society William R. Miller10 Blue Circle Founder’s Circle Joel P. Kane Joye Martin-Lamp5 Lawrence J. Mullen10 Mark A. Rado5 William A. Shaw10 Patricia L. Warski Edward J. White III David M. Williams5 Shepard C. Willner10 Frank D. Yamrus Edward S. Mollahan Trustee Associates Gold Circle Terri Mackavage Kovalski5 AnastasiosTsolakis President’s Circle The Eugene Farley Club Gregory A. Black Marianne Marzen Black Stephen J. Croghan5 Christine C. Evanchick President’s Circle Terrence W. Casey Joseph G. Galli John Wilkes Associates Barbara E. King5 The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Stephen S. Grillo10 Ed Johnson Susan M. Liberski Dana C. Shaffer Joan Jacobsen Shaffer John R. Silk Farley Associates Joseph D. Angelella1, 5 Anthony J. Aversa Carol A. Bosack-Kosek5 Janet May Cavanaugh Maureen Falvey Creamer James L. Devaney5 Doreen Swiatek Drescher Susan Theobald Eckmann Charles E. Hagen Judith Scott Harris Bruno E. Kolodgie5 Lynn E. Maelia David M. Maxim10 Jeffrey J. Shovlin Joseph M. Toole5 Blue Circle John J. Frappolli Rosemarie Hubner Swain Farley Associates Debra Prater Chapman Mary Jean McCarthy Clements Louis P. Czachor C. Douglas Drescher Beth Hathaway Glassford Harry C. Hicks, Jr. Susan Matley Hritzak5 Thomas F. Kane Gary E. Michael Cheryl Scalese Moyer5 Mary Rebarchak Schott10 Donna Ferretti Shandra5 Stephen J. Sirocki Sarah Farley Stapleton5 Benedict A. Yatko Contributors Kathleen Sweeney Ashton Scott W. Ashton Julie Keiderling Bordo Edgar S. Brace, III5 Michael V. Broda5 Thomas G. Brown Kathryn Roman Davis Sharon Knight Grivner Ronald J. Gronski John M. Jones David P. Korba Lisa Mastrantuono Lombard Philip A. Marino5 Robert W. Matzelle Michael G. McNelis Michael R. Mey Linda Millar John A. Miranda Joanne Harding Murphy10 Thomas B. Needham, Jr.10 Richard J. Nordheim5 Edward M. Ohmott Judith Bellas Ohmott Frank A. Pascucci Diane Cimakosky Rigotti Joseph A. Rigotti Barbara Boote Rupert Kenneth N. Sciamanna10 Theresa Hussong Kenia Susan M. Suchanic5 James M. Wallace Barbara Rodda Welch5 Cheryl Polak Woloski Donna Whitmore Zimmer Contributors Maria Bianco Mary Ann Dalbo Boccagno Noreen Sack Burginia Andrew W. Contos Dean D’Amico Jacqueline Sunder Demko Melissa Smith Georgiou James J. Grudzinski Robert J. Harper Paul C. Kanner Keith P. Kolanda Leslie J. Nicholas Cynthia Ercolani Olshemski Maria Nilsen Pacchioni5 Douglas Phillips Donna Kachur Pino Margaret Scholl Weidner Carol Buchman Smith Katherine Ochs Wells Pam Bennett Wodzicki 1 Class 5 5 Chair or more years of consecutive giving 10 or more years of consecutive giving * Deceased 10 �giving by class CLASS OF 1982 • • • The John Wilkes Society Trustee Associates Shelley Freeman David E. Hadley1 Roya Fahmy5 Diane Gombeda Fellin Gloria Kopec Hasel Richard Havard III Paul H. McCabe James V. Musto Marianne Hall Sabadish Sandra Bartels Thomas5 Stephen C. Thomas V5 Ellen Marie Van Riper5 President’s Circle Kenneth J. Krogulski Brian C. Thomas John Wilkes Associates Maureen Connolly Cambier Wayne D. Lonstein The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Ruth McDermott-Levy10 Bruce R. Williams5 Blue Circle Mary Ann Gazdick Keith J. Saunders Contributors Joan Thomas Brody Roy J. Brody Stephen N. Cahoon David R. Carey Jennifer Ogurkis Carey Judy Rydzewski Cudo Timothy F. Davis Mary Ellen Moran Doll Robert D. Haas5 Eric L. Johnson10 Kathleen Keller Leon T. Kolanowski Maureen Stanks Kroncke Barbara Young Meigh Janice Nagle Pettinato5 John J. Rainieri James R. Reap Patricia M. Riley Daniel C. Schilling10 Kimberly Coccodrilli Strickland Contributors Donna Nitka Brunelli5 Ann Marie Romanovitch Chikowski Eugene Chikowski Edward W. Czeck Alphonse T. D’Amario Ellen Proeller Dennis Joseph F. Dylewski10 Debra Bligh Gernhart5 Jeffrey S. Gernhart5 Sharon Michener Gross Edward R. Kennelly Joseph J. Leandri Gary M. Mack Frank C. Olshemski Elizabeth Larson Ostuni Ralph Pringle III David A. Soboleski5 Edward E. Urbanski Dianne M. Watchulonis5 Donald R. Werts Charmaine Conrad Zoller10 CLASS OF 1985 • • • The John Wilkes Society Joseph C. Grzenda, Jr. Michael Homishak5 John J. Kapp Nancy Bowen Kennelly Joseph D. Kushner Dorothy Price Lane Alice Ting Lee5 Alan Melusen Robert Nagle, Jr. James M. Opet10 Elizabeth Dougherty Quinn Kathleen Mooney Rainieri Rossar R. Reynolds Karen Lutz Santone Michelle Liddic Schilling10 Jeffrey J. Tokach CLASS OF 1986 • • • The John Wilkes Society John Wilkes Associates Randa Fahmy Hudome David Reynolds Jay C. Rubino10 The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle John Wilkes Associates Thomas Allardyce5 Paul Chmil5 Eric F. Reidinger10 Michele James Wagner Karen Bove5 Karen Zingale Blue Circle CLASS OF 1984 The Eugene Farley Club Paul A. Cummings10 Michael Mattise10 Contributors • • • Gold Circle Brian D. Balliet Linda McCarthy D’Amario Marjorie A. George Rosanne Kramer Brenda Kutz Burkholder5 Michael F. Lombard Patricia Markiewicz Patrician Valerie VanDyke Phillips Roberta M. Price John F. Pullo Ellen Krupack Raineri Jane Ciprich Ryan Christine Lain Sarno Catherine Durocher Shafer10 Deborah Chandler Zuzelski5 The John Wilkes Society Dianne Charsha5 Susan Maier Davis1, 5 David P. Rudis Thomas J. Thomas, Jr.5 Farley Associates Donna De Bastos Fromel Kathleen Layaou Heltzel5 Lorraine Edwards Pawlush Joseph Sabadish John D. Sweeney Karen Steckel Vernon5 CLASS OF 1983 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Blue Circle Carol Louise Dean10 Jeffrey R. Garbor10 James M. Johnson Marie Roke Thomas5 Farley Associates Clair Beard Read Joseph J. Chmiola Lillian Russin Cohen Jay M. Colby Peter T. Creamer Cynthia Bartholomay Demetro 1 Class 5 5 Chair or more years of consecutive giving 10 10 or more years of consecutive giving * Deceased President’s Circle James J. Mulligan10 Farley Associates Thomas J. Balutis Douglas S. Bradley Jacqueline Brown Mastrokyriakos Paul Mastrokyriakos Russell Banta Dennis P. Clarke10 J. B. Earl Karen Galli10 Kevin P. Guns Tom Harfman5 Edward J. Hudson10 Daniel J. Kennelly John C. Long, Jr. Michael J. Uter Blue Circle Farley Associates Contributors Donna Garber Cosgrove Patricia Hidock Dodge William B. Dodge Janet Legault Kelley10 William N. McCann Barbara Rosick Moran10 Ruth E. Renna10 Deborah Vogt Nancy Pardy Cabot Barbara Jarick Ecker Kathryn Gryzie Johnson Mauri Lawler Sandra P. Luongo5 Michael J. Masciola Thomas J. Monsell Alicia Shutack-Silliman Eugene D. Wachowski10 Kathleen Hyde Walsh Timothy P. Williams5 Myron W. Yencha Linda Boock Zanoline David J. Africa Cheryl Zack Fischer Florence Backitis Lauth Gary R. Melusen5 Beth Danzeisen Morpeth Thomas J. Morpeth Amy McCluskey Sadvary Joseph M. Santuk5 Angela Iyoob Stewart James J. Temprine Christine May Terry David J. Warnick10 Thaddeus M. Zuzik5 Contributors CLASS OF 1987 Denise Selner Bartoletti10 Michael D. Bernstein Leslie Turrell Bullock Dave Burak John A. Chipego Evelyn J. Dopko10 Carmella Butera Fereck10 Suzanne Vassia Fletcher • • • Trustee Associates Charles M. Ferguson John Wilkes Associates Valerie Kotula Alba Daniel Glunk Richard J. Myers, Jr. Katherine Potter Reynolds Steven P. Roth The Eugene Farley Club Farley Associates Kathleen Galli Chupka10 Paul C. Dietrich5 Francis S. Gruscavage10 Edwin M. Johnson Marcia Wachs Race5 Theodore Ruch5 Dennis W. Sholl Ann Marie Burke Sweeney Marguerite McCormick Tolan10 Blue Circle Blue Circle Alice C. Bulger10 John H. Bulger10 Thomas J. Ricko1, 5 Farley Associates William J. Buoni Karen Dragon Devine Cornelius Douris10 Greg A. Feldman Chris W. Fellin John W. Harrison John B. Hayward Scott Michenfelder5 Daniel R. Nulton10 Christine Bolcarovic Rakauskas Michael Rupp10 John P. Sedor Marc E. Shapiro Cherie Soprano Greg Trapani Contributors Linda Turowski Attardo Shirley Nelson Brough Joan Balutis Chisarick5 Michael R. Everett Joan Smith Foster Thomas R. Gasper Paul J. Isaac Kimberly Tokach Kellar Joseph M. Kultys5 Ross G. Macarty Claudia Lee Malone Michael J. Moletsky Michelle McAllister Moletsky John R. Patterson, Jr. Brenda Vassello Rehrig Alex Rendina5 Sandra A. Rendina5 Ellen R. Smith Sandra Williams5 CLASS OF 1988 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle The John Wilkes Society John Wilkes Associates Joseph S. Briskie The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Joyce Victor Chmil5 Brian J. Dorsey Farley Associates Lisa Sigman Banta Karen M. Beretsky James S. Cross Michael F. Crusco William F. Harries Dianne Tometchko Ruch5 Ann Markowski Toole5 Chadwick E. Tuttle5 Ronald H. Ulitchney Contributors Scott Bailey James Borysowski Roy F. Boyd Walter A. Connor, III Robert Corradetti Francis E. Crowley, III5 Deborah DeCesare Duncan Michael Duncan Rosemary Bottazzi Eibach5 Wilkes | Fall 2012 John J. Woloski, Jr. Marla Brodsky Wright1 • report of gifts 41 �report of gifts • giving by class Lisa C. Jordan5 Mark Kneeream Lawrence M. Kopenis James Krupa Frederick J. Nagy William S. Peightel5 Daniel A. Perrett Dennis J. Procopio10 Marilyn C. Querci5 James H. Ralston Michelle A. Rick Craig Rome Debra Reisenweaver Schweitzer Joseph J. Snell Edward J. Sullivan Kurt A. Topfer10 Veronica Upwood Carl Vassia Don Zelek CLASS OF 1989 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Blue Circle Michael J. Kolessar Joel C. Kotch5 Farley Associates James J. Byrne Guangda Chu B. Jean Millard Kosh Samuel L. Perry Robert D. Sitzler10 Paul J. Sollazzo Robert D. Wachowski5 Antoinette Rajchel-Wingert5 Carl J. Zbegner Wilkes | Fall 2012 Contributors 42 Denise Sushocki Allardyce Dianne Augugliaro Bailey Robert S. Berger10 John B. Bowman Jamie P. Brasington Eugene C. Cunard John R. Davis James G. Day Nancy Hricko Divers10 Lori Vagnarelli Drozdis William R. Evanina Erik A. Everett Pauline Wagner Fisher Catherine Thomas Hauze Renee Swider Horwath5 Susan Tomasko Lacerda Douglas G. Lane Kimberly Klimek Novak Eric J. Price5 Carol Henry Raymond Robert R. Rees, Jr. Grace Collier Richmond Daniel F. Rowe Sharon Sholtis Schneider Jeffrey D. Seamans5 Adam B. Sieminski Jane Coyle Smith Amy Hopkins Snell CLASS OF 1990 • • • The John Wilkes Society John Wilkes Associates Jason D. Griggs The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Carl M. Charnetski10 Steven M. Schannauer Blue Circle Shirley Thomas Butler10 Joseph C. Smith1 Aimee A. Zaleski Tracy Goryeb Zarola1 Farley Associates Scott C. Barth Wendy Holden Gavin10 Bruce A. Huggler5 Merrel W. Neal Contributors Joan Conologue Abrams Donna Brown Argenio Joseph F. Argenio Daria Schuster Connor Joseph L. Cumbo James T. Gorman Jaime J. Jurado Andrew J. Kovalchick Sandra M. Krokos Cynthia L. Miller Mary O’Hara Mulhern Clara Stetler Noldy Mark T. Siegel10 Mark A. Sommers Staci Keiser Wiernusz Steve W. Wilson5 Stanley J. Zaneski Christopher J. Augustine Connie Breese Janice Miller Browning Thomas P. Cawley Heather A. Chelpaty Camille Bobeck Daniels Judith A. Ellis Norman E. Frederick Laurie Tappan Furfaro Stan J. Giza Victoria M. Glod10 Edward D. Gorman Dennis P. Granahan Robert S. Hiller Carol Hiscox10 Corinne Foor Kern Mark E. Liscinski Richard A. Melvin Frederick A. Mihalow Arkey Morelli Dina Gavenas Nathan Kimberly E. Nole Dawn Marie Penkala Charles D. Redding Sean P. Reilly Mary Jo Rubino Catherine H. Saporito Helane Stucker Saylock John T. Sedlak William F. Shankweiler10 Mary Ann Bobkowski Shillabeer Vaughn A. Shinkus Brian W. Thomas Adam Tillman Donna M. Wilk Linda O’Boyle Zaneski • • • The John Wilkes Society John Wilkes Associates Martina Petrosky Schannauer John F. Sheehan, III1 Contributors Farley Associates Janine M. Becker William J Buzza Anne Kilyanek Crew Craig J. Engel5 Eric J. Knorr Jamie Mazeitis Knorr Edward J. Kwak5 Joseph G. Lannon Sarah Gaumer Neal Amy Schukis Sheehan5 Susan Adamchak Smith10 Jeffery T. Stauffer Contributors Nancy Alonzo5 Michael C. Hall Melanie O’Donnell Wade10 The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Martin L. Strayer Blue Circle Catherine A. Fantini Candice Romanoski Farrell Gerald R. Winton Jeffrey J. Yankow Lillian M. Bostjancic John K. Breckner Eileen E. Colahan Cheryl A. Fritzen Steven F. Geider Robert J. Gershey Gordon R. Hartmann Rosalie D. Mancino Cecelia P. Mercuri5 Charlotte Hoffman Moser Daniel W. Moser Joelle Mrozoski5 Stephen D. Puzio5 Janice A. Raspen Kathleen Risley10 Raymond R. Russ5 David P. Saxton Helen Newton Semanski CLASS OF 1995 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Farley Associates Kathleen Moran Houlihan Joseph C. Reilly Frederick H. Addison5 Aaron D. Albert5 Melissa Margis-Kapur Rosemary LaFratte1, 5 Alisa Coviello Miller Ronald E. Miller Frank C. Mitchell Janel Oshinski5 Sally Pancheri Benito A. Tranguch, Jr. William J. Umphred, Jr. Blue Circle Susan J. Malkemes10 Jeffrey B. Slank Joseph F. Woodward Farley Associates Sabeth R. Albert5 Joseph P. McBride10 B. Richard Miller William F. Noone Christie Meyers Potera James W. Smith Contributors CLASS OF 1994 The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle The Eugene Farley Club John Wilkes Associates Farley Associates • • • Michael J. Dungan Evan G. Evans Jean K. Nepa Dearon K. Tufankjian Kathleen McGeary Umphred William B. Hanigan Virginia M. Rodechko10 The John Wilkes Society Arden J. Keller, Jr. Gary H. Meyers CLASS OF 1992 Kevin P. Kratzer5 Margaret A. Krout Suzanne K. O’Boyle Tina Oechler-Dean Steven A. Polliard Cheryl Cator Reinke Suzanne Stanski Scheible James M. Sepko Louis J. Shiber5 Patricia Y. Staskiel Stanley D. Staskiel Gina Stella-Konnick Julie DePue Vinci • • • Carol L. Burke Eugene J Colosimo John J. Comerford Colette M. Elick Holly Pitcavage Frederick Anthony A. Guidi Karl J. Hoffman Joann Hartmann Jones Lori Kuhar Marshall Ronald N. Miller5 Alfred G. Mueller Patricia A. Royer Sandra A. VanLuvender Blue Circle CLASS OF 1991 CLASS OF 1993 Contributors Ann Blaskiewicz Tina Hite Brunetti Robert J. Dean Guy A. DuBoice Martha L. Heffers David A. Hines10 Kimberly Escarge Keller10 Bruce Kerr William F. LePore William M. Murphy Thomas J. Semanek5 Linda P. Sult Judith Wienckoski Tanya Daigle Zegers • • • The Eugene Farley Club Blue Circle David S. Fantini Jody P. Novitsky CLASS OF 1996 • • • Farley Associates The Eugene Farley Club Kevin M. Barno Walter R. Guss Paul J. Potera George W. Snyder5 Denise Berberick Stewart10 James A. Tricarico Lisa Wrubel Tricarico Blue Circle Vani P. Murthy10 Farley Associates Timothy P. Ahrens James F. Anoia Karen Bednarczyk Cowan1, 10 William R. Beggs Eric J. Freeland Michael J. Grasso Karen M. Grimm John J. Julius Brian W. McCoy Ali E. Qureshi5 Contributors Jolie Decker Bach Susan A. Bower James A. Bruck Charlene Klynowsky Decker Michele A. Donovan Theresa L. Granahan Gwen Groblewski Xin-Tian Hoffman 1 Class 5 5 Chair or more years of consecutive giving 10 or more years of consecutive giving * Deceased 10 �giving by class Contributors Kristin Burick Skiados Leanne Chamberlain Cole Christopher C. Dunbar Stephen W. Hansen10 Timothy D. Long C. Scott Magalengo Rebecca Farrington Peters Tracy Berardi Samson David E. Searfoss Richard D. Wisniewski Michael J. Zeto Deborah Andres Greco5 Michael J. Gundersdorf Karen Mazuka Hartman Mitchell N. Morgan Anne Straub Pelak10 Joseph E. Stella Peter M. Stover Timothy M. Straub Phillip J. Torres Joseph M. Walsh CLASS OF 1999 • • • The John Wilkes Society John Wilkes Associates R. Matthew Minielly CLASS OF 1997 The Eugene Farley Club • • • Blue Circle The Eugene Farley Club Randy A. Engelman5 Sarah Karlavage Rocchio Carolyn Chronowski Lauderback Kristine Erhard Pruett10 Todd J. Vinovrski Gold Circle Karen A. Ephlin Mike P. Handley Asif M. Ilyas Michael G. Noone5 Brian Redmond Farley Associates Blue Circle Alan C. Novitsky Farley Associates Eleanor Quick Bluhm Cynthia Charnetski Bradley R. Klotz10 Scott K. Schonewolf Edmund R. Zych Contributors Louis E. Atkinson5 Robert J. Costello Mark J. Dechman10 Gary J. Kostrobala Christine Pavalkis Brett A. Sachse Jason S. Sites CLASS OF 1998 • • • The John Wilkes Society Patricia A. Brent Daniel W. Doughton Cecilia Bukowski Hibbard Adriana Espinheira Mellas Sanford J. Ungar Brandon Berretta Mary Ann Kershitsky Blosky5 Patricia Carpenetti Carpenter5 Denise M. Castellano Joanne P. Corbett Brian E. Gryboski Cynthia E. Kern Jonathan G. Laudenslager Judith Lahr Martin10 Jeff G. Moisey Matthew J. Peleschak10 Carissa Pokorny-Golden Debra DuBois Sachse5 Carl J. Witkowski Christine Tondrick Baksi Stephanie L. Bass5 Amy Beardsworth Costello 1 Class 5 5 Chair or more years of consecutive giving 10 or more years of consecutive giving * Deceased 10 The John Wilkes Society John Wilkes Associates Robert Cooney5 Maria Shahda Minielly The Eugene Farley Club Blue Circle Robert M. Moore5 Farley Associates Anthony J. DaRe Christina M. Van Camp Contributors • • • Contributors • • • Gold Circle CLASS OF 2000 Lisa Niewinski Ciampi Michael D. Coach I. Michael Fras Jill Fasciana McCoy George G. Pawlush Lori Ann Perch10 Donna Marie Pretko Sarah Kovacs Yoder CLASS OF 2001 Edward T. Bednarz Kelly West Bolesta Heather A. Brown Jonathan D. Ference Kimberly Hritzak Ference Ted D. Foust Scott E. Herb5 Ann Wotring Kirka Edward A. Kollar Marcy Fritz Krill5 Daniel S. Longyhore Julie L. Olenak Richard W. Seipp George M. Waschko Joseph J. Fadden Susan A. Meuser Farley Associates Harris A. Ahmad Holly Renee Baer Paul A. Binner Denise A. Skorupa David G. Bond, Jr. Norbert J. Braun5 Charles E. Brinker Michael J. Corrigan Dustin A. Daniels Jason L. Evans5 Beth Ann Gehret Jeffrey B. Hall Crystal L. Harris Cheryl L. Hersh Harry W. Hintz, Jr. Brian L. Lubenow Mary Jo Petlock Michelle Nallon Phares Alex J. Podsadlik Jessica Murray Range Kathleen Terrenoir Sachse Joan L. Schneider Jessica Niemiec Swingle Donna S. Talarico1 Margaret S. Thomas Contributors John Wilkes Associates The Eugene Farley Club Contributors The Eugene Farley Club Blue Circle Paula Gentilman Gaughan Charles D. Lemmond, Jr.5 Farley Associates Michael G. Bluhm Scott Bolesta Brandon M. Carlin Linda Chong Beverly K. Gooden5 Michael J. Krasulski, Jr. Robert J. Krehely, Jr.5 John A. Mason, Jr.5 Melissa Jo Pammer Kimberly Gross Wolfrom5 Milos Barjaktarovic Daniel Thomas Borden Michael J. Cherinka William W. Clark5 Gregory J. Collins Elizabeth Shultz Conklin Shanna Henninger Dawson5 Dennis M. Fox Megan A. Frey Sheakoski Sharon A. Haffey Brian R. Judge5 Stacy Geiger Mesics10 Christine A. Nestlerode Judy A. Sawka Patricia Hopfer Sebastianelli Lisa K. Shafer1 Jason Sheakoski Heather Barnes Shinkus Kevin S. Siegel Rosemarie C. Sochka Christopher J. Talecki Robert A. Waite Elizabeth A. Yablonski Mary E. Ziegler CLASS OF 2002 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle J. Bartholomay Grier5 Blue Circle James T. Best5 Farley Associates Michael C. Hetzel Contributors Alicia A. Cymbala Beth Danner Kinslow1, 10 Todd B. Hastings Shambhu Jaiswal Heidi D. Landis John Leedock Paul Marciano Douglas K. Mountz Geremia J Palmaioli Palmina B. Pavlico John J. Price Jean R. Sartin10 Anthony J. Stavenski, III Michael Verton Mark J. Waskovich Gregory A. Wojnar Michael W. Ziegler CLASS OF 2003 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Farley Associates Robert E. Gebhard J. Robert Kauffman Timothy E. Letcher5 Jill Rogers Marquette James L. McCarthy5 Nicole L. Neidlinger Brooke Shreaves Rollman CLASS OF 2004 • • • The John Wilkes Society John Wilkes Associates Stephanie Smith Cooney5 Eric J. Pape5 The Eugene Farley Club Farley Associates Emily Bly Richard Budnick5 Michael V. Burke Elizabeth Carp Bernotavicius Brandon M. Clark Selena Bednarz Clark Gabrielle Lamb D’Amico Kristopher S. Fayock Mark D. Hulme10 Michael J. Liberski5 Michael F. Mattern Jessica L. Mehring Jean V. Perrot Jill A. Topalanchik Contributors David R. Borofski5 Rebecca J. Broyan Carla L. Conner Kenneth G. Huelbig Robert S. Keeney Kristin Hake Klemish Ryan Klemish Jason Kotsko Wichitah P. Leng Tiffany Leptuck Meadows Rosemary Luksha Teresa Genna Marszalek Eileen L. Mathias5 Kristin Yarrish McMahon Kevin Moran Shannon M. Myers Daniel A. Rempp5 Colleen M. Rock Judy A. Schappe Joseph J. Stein5 Loretta A. Tambasco Frank L. Walton Julia Gordon Wojnar Sarah Bogusko Yencha John J. Zelena Kenneth C. W. Zenkert Contributors Matthew J Berger Mary Ann R. Boyce Adrienne Williams Camp Heather Chapman Fanucci Laura Rudzinski Dickson Joseph T. Dombroski James B. Ford Ronald J. Geise Jeremy M. Gerber Patrick Hanlon Kathleen A. Harris Andrea Hinestrosa Kimmet John A. Murphy Thomas R. Rebuck Kristin L. Roberts Kristen Graver Rudelitch Edward N. Sartin10 Kevin R. Sickle1 Matthew J. Yencha CLASS OF 2005 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Gordon S. Smoko Farley Associates Stephen T. Bortz Allisa Bowen Waschko Maria T. Currier Bridget Giunta Husted Vincent A. Hartzell5 April Kaczmarczyk Letcher5 Michael J. Marquette Leah Nawrocki Jennifer L. Pawleshyn Kimberly Whipple Pietropola Cathleen A. Zanghi5 Wilkes | Fall 2012 Rose Tammaro Smith Tammy Swartwood Noone Grant F. Yoder • report of gifts 43 �report of gifts • giving by class Contributors Elena D. Archer Matthew A. Begansky Michael G. Benulis Sabrina Naples Benulis Emily E. Bilbow Daniel P. Cook Stephanie R. Corrigan Jillian L. Ford Pamela A. Geisinger Kimberly A. Glass Linda L. Korbeil Amber Lawson Comstock Gabriel B. LeDonne Melissa Merok Leedock Sarah Williams Leng Melissa A. Maybe Robert Mesaros Julian C. Morales5 William B. Palmer Francis E. Quinn Tiffany Santarelli Brent Sergent Renee Kotz Sipple Daniel Smith Mary Ellen Sullivan Elizabeth Roveda Swantek Brett J. Trichilo Jarred Weaver Patricia Wilson Nicole Ripper Zeiser CLASS OF 2006 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Farley Associates Jennifer Compton Catella Kristen Dulick Hartzell5 Lauren Y. Pluskey1, 5 Jared M. Shayka5 Contributors Wilkes | Fall 2012 Natalie M. Baur Jason J. Bozinko Michael A. Bridy Sara Toole Buck Denise M. Cole Carol Deane-Gardner Tiffany B. Duda Michael Fox Kofi Gbomita Julie A. Gilbert Gina Tempesta Gliniecki Sara M. Grab5 Richard J. Hannick Sarah Herbert Hannick Michael D. Kulikoski Amanda E. Lewis5 Megan Mance Ryan Milford Amos T. Odeleye Michael J. Pedley Alexus Buck Rapp 44 Elizabeth C. Sabatini Christine M. Wagner Amanda Williams Anthony Zigmont Blue Circle Katherine Baas McClave Farley Associates Michael F. Malkemes5 Jonathan M. McClave Amy M. Patton Christine G. Corser Danielle M. Dallazia Michael Hadginske Rebecca Santoro Hetzel Danielle K. Kern Sarah A. Miller Wendy Marek Murphy5 Timothy S. Nolt Erin M. Simpson Aniello B Tambasco Kristin M. Wempa Farley Associates Contributors Matthew A. LoPresto Meagan E. Harkness Adrienne M. Richards Lauren Solski Kimberly Metka Welsh Lynn M. Bachstein Stephanie Victor Begansky David J. Beretski Edward J. Buck Adam Butler Christina M. Butler Megan A. Cannon Michael A. Chmiola Adam F. Dick Darin P. Dolan Anthony T. Giuffrida Stacie M. Gogo Maria Grandinetti William G. Heinz Gerard M. Hetman Marc D. Honrath Michael A. Hrynenko, Jr.5 Henry Hunsinger Michael S. Lewis Karyn E. Perestam Kristin A. Pisano Craig R. Rein Georgina A. Robinson Amy L. Sekol Molly K. Sidoti Elizabeth W. Smith Nicholas A. Steidl Sondra N. Steinruck Joshua S. Swantek Keerthi Kaushik Tarani Nicholas A. Testa James D. Welch Kate E. Willis Libby J. Wray Susan V. Zavistoski CLASS OF 2007 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle John Mishanski, Jr. Blue Circle Contributors Vincent A. Abbott Karen Atiyeh Kristi M. Barsby Katherine Broda Booth Karena Zdeb Brace Timothy Butzek Leah D. Cochran Mario A. Cozzubbo, III Melissa Shedlock English Anthony B. Gatto Julie A. Graby Gerald J. Gurka Keith D. Halechko Erica Hardiman-Yanchik Matthew R. Hawk Kathryn Strawderman Heinz Karen Wesolowski Houck Nora E. Jurasits John Lawzano Michael Leaman Jonathan J. Morgan Nolly Nash Lauren M. Peters Joshua R. Savitski Jennifer L. Scanlon Jonathan H. Schwartz5 Melany Stanford Jill Bordell Stone Rebecca Storer-Zenkert Jenna Strzelecki1, 5 Gretchen Yeninas CLASS OF 2008 • • • The Eugene Farley Club CLASS OF 2009 • • • The Eugene Farley Club Gold Circle Jason W. Wagner Gold Circle Blue Circle Jack J. Chielli Alexander Sperrazza Jennifer L. Russell To make a gift, contact Lauren Y. Pluskey ’06, MBA ’10, Director of Annual Giving (800) WILKES-U Ext. 4331 or lauren.pluskey@wilkes.edu Deatrice R.S. Lowe Lauretta O’Hara Jennifer W. Powell Bianca Sabia Erin M. Schaeffer Roberta J. Shaffer Mary Balavage Simmons1 Evan Soda Brian E. Switay Delores R. Walski Erin L. Walters Chelsea Weinstein Jason R. Woloski Ashley Yob Bernard F. Kosek, Jr.5 Joshua S. Pauling James A. Smith, III Farley Associates Karen M. Alessi Melissa E. Bugdal Kathleen M. Dalton Stephen M. Davies Michele D. Garrison Harleen Guraya Contributors Jeffrey A. Bauman Amanda Cawley Elizabeth A. Clark Emily R. Dalton Andrew J. Durako Trudylee Fisher-Carboni Michellle L. Garman Melissa L. Jones Amanda R. Karaffa Brianne R. Kline Kimberly L. Leibel Allison A. Malloy Donna M. Mandes Veronica N. Marzonie Sean K. Moyer Christina Grzenda Murakami Gayle M. Patterson David M. Sborz1 Ann E. Searfoss Angela M. Swartchick James P. Walko Nancy A. Weeks5 Todd P. Weibel Eric S. Wetzel Felixa J. Wingen Alison Woody Christine L. Zavaskas CLASS OF 2011 • • • The John Wilkes Society President’s Circle Kerry M. Speziale The Eugene Farley Club Farley Associates Patricia A. Florio Santino A. Gabos Tracy A. Kaster Craig P. Thomas5 Adam C. Welch Contributors Valentina M. Beneski April M. Bielinski Francesco Castronovo Kassandra R. Confer Adam B. Coombs Russell J. Dehaut Nicholas J. DiPaolo Deanna M. Drako Kathleen Edwards Anthony Ferrese Jennifer A. Fitzmaurice Shawn M. Gibbins Amanda M. Gruszewski Anne B. Henry Trevor D. Hirsh Sherri A. Homanko Tyler L. Howe Amanda J. Kemmerer Philip D. LaBell Julianne Lawson Jacqueline Lukas Emily Massa Diane R. Milano Samuel R. Miller Peter J. Phillips Melissa M. Polchinski Christopher P. Rachor Allison S. Roth William Schweitzer Teresa M. Stavenski Peggy A. Szekeres Michelle Taylor EmmaLee S. Vecere Kathryn L. Welsh Jonathan L. Wilbur CLASS OF 2010 • • • The John Wilkes Society John Wilkes Associates James L. Merryman10 Blue Circle Joseph M. Farrell Farley Associates Stephen Alessi Adam J. Bachman Rachel Curtis Rachel E. Duda Jordan Semar Kathleen Spenik Contributors Samantha Bartolomei Michael J.C. Beil Jennifer D. Bokal Ryan Bracey Katie Buckley Coley Burke Nicole A. Cairns Shirl Cordero Brandan Diemand Austin Foulk Nicole R. Frail Michael J. Frank Sarah Hartman Nancy Mitchell Hludzik Maureen O. Hooker Stephen J. Kline Kurt Kuklewicz Thomas D. Longenecker 1 Class 5 5 Chair or more years of consecutive giving 10 or more years of consecutive giving * Deceased 10 �Senior Class Gift • report of gifts SENIOR Mohammed M. Aburiyaleh Justine M. Adams Krysten L. Alba Devin Albrecht Marwa T. Aldaraweish Katelyn N. Aldinger Heather L. Anderline Shauna Anderson Thomas A. Andresen Leamarie Archery Aubree L. Amezzani Linzey A. Astleford Jolie D. Bach Ryan S. Baicher Justin J. Balint Christopher G. Barna Jason W. Benjamin Maura J. Bernosky Joseph A. Bideganeta Jillian Blair Katie R. Blose Jefferson G. Bohan Miranda Bonetsky Monique A. Bredbenner Jordan C. Brown Heather L. Bryski Gary Buczynski Brian A. Burden Benjamin B. Caiola Joseph B. Chrismer IV Carissa M. Clark Megan M. Clementson Albert H. Clocker Kassandra R. Confer Whitney R. Connolly Cory C. Conrad Colleen M. Conway Sara K. Cosgrove Sean M. Cox Daina M. Curcio Jordan M. D’Emilio Diana Da Silva Anthony S. Dattolo Lindsey T. Davenport Justin A. DeSanto Barbara DiCaprio Alana C. Donnelly Adrienne Dorcent Todd Eagles Brianna C. Edgar Matthew D. Ellery Brittany J. Ely Johnny Espinoza Shane C. Everett Stephen M. Exeter Christopher R. Fadule Marrissa D. Fedor Lindsey A. Fernald Seth S. Fetterolf Christa B. Filipkowski Ms. Kathryn L. Fissel Jeffrey B. Ford Kerri L. Frail Bethany Freed Jessica L. Freeman Jaclyn M. Gadomski Megan M. Gallagher Rebecca A. Gallaher Charles N. Gambo Courtney L. Gans Shadae S. Gates Justin M. Gentile Stephanie L. Gerhat Thomas B. Goldberg Laura V. Gonzales William W. Gouger Cara R. Goughenour Rachel F. Greenlaw Amanda G. Arthur Anthony C. Griseto Genelle N. Gunderson Adam M. Guzik Robert A. Hackenberg Charlotte E. Hacker Osama A. Hameed Gousfin Hanna James R. Harcher Stephanie M. Harkins Robert J. Hillibush Bridget M. Hine Tyler Hippeli Carolyn A. Holecek Jeromy M. Hrabovecky Jeffrey D. Hughes Miles Q. Humenansky Timothy B. Husty Katie M. Jescavage Matthew R. Jones Caitlin M. Jordan Yelena O. Karpeshov Bernard J.Kasteleba Kathleen R. Kearns Julia E. Keefer Michael J. Kegerise Maura C. Kelly Melissa L. Kirwan Melanie K. Koslosky Bridget C. Krukovitz Cody J. Kustrin Bradley M. Kuzawinski Philip D. LaBell Jared R. Lacefield Felicia E. LeClair Kali A. Leach Christopher S. Lehman Kayla M. Leibensperger Alison Lin Benjamin R. Lockwood Lisa M. Lombardo Philip W. Loscombe Samantha L. Lynam John J. Malachowski Allison A. Malloy ’09 Gina M. Manganiello Christopher D. Manzi Benjamin M. Marich Justin M. Marino John Matteo Courtney D. Matus Gabriel McAuley Kaitlyn M. McGurk Daniel V. McLoughlin Christian M. Medek Chelsea T. Minix Anna M. Mitchell James H. Moore Erin D. Morrissey Brendon J. Myer Jonathan D. Nagar Marcella M. Naguib Erica A. Naperkowski Jared J. Nesi Janelle K. Nye Michael D. Olerta Caitlin A. Olvany Adria Parsons Arpita R. Patel Whitney M. Patrusevich Robert E. Paxson Laura A. Perkins Justine H. Pevec Andrew R. Picatagi Thomas W. Plessl Nicole H. Pollock Jessika L. Popowitz Matthew T. Powers Breanne Ralston Holland R. Ramaley Jennifer Renta Gerbeys B. Roa Kimberly C. Rogers Allison M. Romanski Kyle K. Rountree Rachel M. Rovinski Lindsay C. Rowland Matthew J. Ruch Jared M. Sabol Jeffrey Samselski Jessica E. Sanders Craig Santoski Cortny M. Sasserson Gia N. Scavo Nicole R. Schiffner Garrett T. Schrader Ian A. Schreffler Alyssa L. Seiden Daniel J. Sekera Sarah A. Seman Rebekah L. Shanaman Jessica A. Shaw Kathleen M. Shedden Victoria A. Sheldon William A. Sisca Jacob R. Snell Andrew J. Sobiesiak Caitlin Sobota Craig J. Solomon Yasmine P. Solomon Nicholas R. Soroka Nina M. Sparacino Lindsey M. Speck Shane M. Stanek Michael L. Steever Jr. Kyle Stoy Matthew K. Sullivan Noah Svoboda Suzanne Szewczyk Rachael A. Talpash Anthony C. Thomas Ashley M. Thorpe Zachary J. Tivald Victor L. Trentacost Andrew C. Trout Chelsea E. Uselding Justina M. Van Allen John L. Verrant Nelson R. Villalta Elizabeth J. Voda Jaclyn E. Volpe Michelle E. Wakeley Amy Wascavage Benjamin E. Webb Amanda A. Westgate Clayton M. Wicks Ryan P. Wilson Michael S. Witek Erin Wolfe Kayla A. Wolfe Kyle P. Wylezik Danielle Wysokinski Danielle Yaros John A. Yavorski Jr. Harry N. Zinskie Edward J. Zulkoski Wilkes | Fall 2012 Class Gift 45 �report of gifts • the marts society Alumni, friends and benefactors have played a sustaining role in the future of the University and its students through bequests and other charitable estate plans. The Marts Society recognizes the increasing number of contributors participating in gift planning programs to benefit Wilkes University. Membership in The Marts Society is attained through the commitment of any THE Marts Society number of planned gifts, including bequests, charitable trusts, gift annuities, gifts of property with retained life estate, life insurance policies and retirement plan accounts. Many of these gift vehicles allow donors to contribute cash or appreciated assets to benefit Wilkes while earning income during their lifetime. The Marts Society was named in honor of Dr. Arnaud C. and Anne McCartney Marts. Dr. Marts became President of Bucknell University in 1935 and was instrumental in maintaining Bucknell University Junior College in Wilkes-Barre during the Depression years. Because he believed in the service offered to the young people of the Wyoming Valley, Dr. Marts provided the support and leadership the fledgling institution needed Wilkes | Fall 2012 to become self-sustaining. Dr. Marts established a trust in 1964, which provided a 46 Anonymous Anonymous George I. Alden Trust Estate of Agnes C. Alderdice ’58 Barbara Zatcoff Allan Estelle B. Andrews ’69 Estate of Richard & Ellen E. Ayre Anthony J. Bartuska* Doris Gorka Bartuska, M.D. ’49 Estate of Paul B. Beers ’53 Estate of Helen E. Berryman George Bierly ’40 Betty Kanarr Bierly ’50* Estate of Tom A. Bigler Estate of Catherine H. Bone Estate of Therese Brennan Lee & Louise Brown Trust Dr. Mary E. Brown ’62 Charles S. Butler ’59 Dr. & Mrs. Robert A. Byrne ’72 Richard G. Cantner ’68 Bruce R. Cardon Trust Estate of Donald F. & Louise C. Carpenter John M. Cefaly ’70 Dr. Jesse H. Choper ’57 Estate of Thomas J. Coburn ’49 Lawrence E. Cohen ’57 Estate of Eleanor Kazmercyk Cornwell ’53 Estate of Colonel William Corbett Estate of Samuel M. Davenport, III ’59 Estate of Fred H. Davies Stanley & Patricia S. Davies Thomas J. Deitz Estate of Charles & Sadie Donin Estate of Dr. Sylvia Dworski Estate of Isadore & Getha Edelstein Estate of R. Carl Ernst ’58 Josephine Eustice Estate of Annette Evans Estate of Rulison Evans Barbara Medland Farley ’50 Estate of Attorney & Mrs. George L. Fenner, Jr. Estate of Harry Fierverker ’49 The Honorable J. Harold Flannery ’55* Barbara Flannery Walter R. Fleet Shirley Rees Fleet ’49 Estate of Stephen L. Flood ’66 Don C. Follmer, M.D. ’50 Estate of Eleanor S. Fox ’35 Richard Fuller, Ph.D. Estate of Dr. William Louis Gaines Joseph G. Galli ’81 Joseph E. (Tim) and Patty Gilmour Barry D. Gintel ’62 Amy D. Goss ’97 Jane Norton Granitzki ’59 Estate of Charlotte Reif Gregory Dr. Benjamin Grella ’65 Doris Woody Grella Estate of William B. Griffith Brynly R. Griffiths Trust Jason D. Griggs ’90 Alfred Groh ’41 Jane Lampe-Groh J. Douglas Haughwout ’64 Louise S. Hazeltine ’44 Estate of Enid Hershey ’66 Frederick J. Hills ’59 Harry R. Hiscox, Esquire ’51 Beverly A. Hiscox ’58 Judith Hopkins ’55 Estate of Richard & Frances Hyde Arthur E. Imdorf ’55 Estate of Evelyn Isserman Henry C. Johnson ’40 Estate of Mildred N. Johnson Leo R. Kane ’55 Estate of Bronis J. Kaslas, Ph.D. Stanley B. Kay, Ph.D. Bryn E. Kehrli ’69 Richard B. Kent, M.D. ’55 Mr. & Mrs. John S. Kerr ’72 John J. Kleynowski ’67 Richard O. Kniffen ’65 Estate of Eugene T. Kolezar Estate of Drs. Francis & Lidia Kopernik lifetime income for Mrs. Marts after his death. Upon her death in 1994, more than $2 million was gifted to the University, which helped to make possible the addition to campus of the Arnaud C. Marts Sports and Conference Center. For more information on becoming a member of The Marts Society, please contact the Planned Giving Office at 570-408-7833 or 1-800-WILKES-U, ext. 7833 or visit our website at www.wilkes.edu/pages/715.asp. Estate of Mary R. Koons Marian Zaledonis Kovacs ’68 Estate of Helen Lazarus Glenn F. Leiter Dr. Arlen R. Lessin Estate of Dr. Edithe J. Levit ’45 Estate of Rose G. Liebman ’37 Estate of Madeline R. Magee Buck Mallan ’71 Estate of Anne Marts John A. Mason M’00 Dr. Leonard J. Mather ’54 George J. Matz ’71 Gerard A. McHale, Jr. ’67 Estate of Ruth Williams McHenry ’49 Clifford K. Melberger Ruth Boroom Melberger ’62 Estate of Robert H. Melson ’35 Joshua G. ’02 & Karen M. Mendoza ’02 John R. (Jack) Miller ’68 Estate of Charles H. Miner, Jr. Esq. John C. & Mabel Mosteller Trust Estate of Elizabeth Sandish Montgomery Estate of Dorothy R. Morgan Estate of Jessie L. Morgan Paul D. Morgis ’70 Regina L. Morse ’82 Estate of Herbert J. Morris Estate of Walter E. Mokychic ’50 Estate of J. Donald Munson Estate of John J. Musto ’57 Estate of Wilbur A. Myers Martin J. Naparsteck ’69 Lois Schwartz Nervitt ’61 Barbara W. Nixon ’71 Mariea Barbella Noblitt ’73 Estate of William P. Orr, III Geraldine Nesbitt Orr Estate of Alberta A. Ostrander Mr. & Mrs. Richard L. Pearsall Lawrence B. Pelesh ’50 Peter W. Perog ’60 F. Charles Petrillo, Esq. ’66 Marion Boyle Petrillo ’70 Estate of Ann Phillips Dr. Cummings* & Trudy Piatt Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Piskorik ’68 Henry B. & Edith M. Plumb Trust Estate of Frieda Pogoreloff Estate of Roy H. Pollack Helen Bitler Ralston ’52 Janice A. Raspen ’92 Estate of Ford A. Reynolds William H. Rice ’48 Estate of Ruth A. Richards Arnold & Sandy Rifkin Estate of Harriet P. Ripley Dr. Jessie A. Roderick ’56 Harold Rosenn, Esq. Sallyanne Rosenn ’42 Eugene Roth, Esq. ’57 Estate of Rae Roth Donald J. Sackrider Mr. & Mrs. Louis Santoro ’83 Janice A. Saunders ’70 Joseph J. Savitz, Esq. ’48 Marian R. Schaeffer Trust Estate of Nathan Schiowitz Rollie & Marge Schmidt Marvin* & Stella Schub Estate of Willard R. Shaw ’48 Daniel Sherman ’50 Estate of Charles E. Shook ’68 Estate of Frances D. Shotwell Estate of Dr. George J. Siles ’57 Mr. Herbert B. Simon Estate of Margaret Mary Sites Estate of Gordon A. Smith Nancy Hancock Smith Andrew F. Sofranko, Jr. ’68 Estate of Joseph Sooby, Jr. ’49 Dr. & Mrs. Charles A. Sorber ’59 Mr. & Mrs. Robert J. Spinelli ’76 Mr. & Mrs. Frank Stanitski Dr. Albert J. Stratton ’49 Joseph A. Sullivan ’51 William H. Tremayne ’57 Dr. Lester J. Turoczi Estate of Constance McCole Umphred Estate of Marie A. Umphred Estate of John A. Vail Estate of Edward A. Venzel ’54 Estate of Walter F. Vorbleski Estate of Ann Brennan Wagner Estate of Esther Weckesser Walker Estate of Marne Lou Weaver ’73 Douglas W. Weber ’67 Estate of Wesley Wilkes Bruce R. Williams, D.O. ’82 Estate of Daniel E. Williams ’44 Estate of John F. Wozniak ’61 Estate of William H. Young Emery & Mamie Ziegler Trust * Deceased �endowed named scholarships • report of gifts ENDOWED NAMED Scholarships Below is the current list of endowed and annual scholarships available to Wilkes students. Please go to www.wilkes.edu/scholarships for descriptions on these a or for more information on how to establish or contribute to a scholarship, contact Evelyne Topfer, Director of Advancement Operations, at (800) Mohamad Abraham Scholarship Agnes C. Alderdice ’58 Scholarship Vincent and Martha Aleo Scholarship Alumni Association Scholarship Paul J. Arthur ’53 and Margaret T. Arthur Scholarship David Ayers Scholarship Fund Richard and Ellen Ayre Memorial Scholarship Ballet Society of Wyoming Valley Scholarship Kevin Edward Barker Memorial Scholarship Grant H. Barlow Memorial Scholarship Dr. Alfred W. Bastress Scholarship Ethel G. and Alvan E. Baum Scholarship George Thompson and Sara Wolfe Bell Scholarship Frederic E. Bellas Endowed Scholarship Samuel Berk Memorial Scholarship William Bernhard Scholarship William D. Berryman Scholarship Fund Michael J. Bogdon, III Scholarship Rose Brader Scholarship Christopher N. and Jane M. Breiseth Scholarship Joyce Porter and Norton Millard Breiseth Scholarship Genevieve Todd Brennan Memorial Scholarship Charles N. Burns, Sr., M.D. ’35 Scholarship Robert S. Capin Scholarship in Accounting Bruce R. Cardon and Charlotte J. Cardon Memorial Scholarship Walter S. Carpenter Scholarship in Engineering J. Blanchard Carr and Hildegarde Finger Carr Scholarship John J. Chwalek, Sr. Scholarship Class of 1970 Scholarship Alumni and Friends of Communications Scholarship Conyngham Post No. 97, Grand Army of the Republic, Department of Pennsylvania, Scholarship Elena Lucretia Cornaro Scholarship Alfred Franklin D’Anca, M.D. Scholarship Dr. and Mrs. S. M. Davenport Scholarship Esther and William Davidowitz Scholarship Anthony J. DiMichele Memorial Scholarship Seymour A. Dimond Scholarship Charles and Sadie Donin Memorial Scholarship George F. Elliot Memorial Scholarship Sylvia Dworski, Ph.D. Scholarship Isadore and Getha Edelstein Scholarship WILKES-U Ext. 4309 or evelyne.topfer@wilkes.edu. Dr. John Henry Ellis, IV Scholarship Mahmoud H. Fahmy, PH.D. Scholarship John Faneck ’50 Scholarship Fund Eugene S. and Eleanor Coates Farley Scholarship David R. Fendrick Scholarship Chlora Fey Scholarship Harry and Gloria Farkas Fierverker Scholarship David J. Findora ’70 Memorial Scholarship Stephen L. Flood ’66 Scholarship Muriel S. Follmer Scholarship Sarah Catherine Ford Adult Learner Scholarship Fortinsky Scholarship Sidney and Pauline Friedman Scholarship Sandy A. Furey Memorial Scholarship Carlton H. Garinger Memorial Scholarship William R. Gasbarro Scholarship Mildred Gittins Memorial Scholarship Cathy Lynn Glatzel ’86 Nursing Scholarship Elizabeth and Albert Grabarek Memorial Scholarship Fund Henry and Sylvia Greenwald Scholarship Brynly R. Griffiths Scholarship Jason ’90 and Tamara Griggs Scholarship Margaret Mary Hagelgans Memorial Scholarship Edward G. Hartmann, Ph.D. ’35 Scholarship George Hayes of Windsor Scholarship Patricia Boyle Heaman and Robert J. Heaman Scholarship William Randolph Hearst Endowed Scholarship Hugh G. & Edith Henderson Scholarship Klaus Holm Scholarship Arthur J. and Nancy B. Hoover Scholarship Andrew J. Hourigan, Jr., Esq. Scholarship Sherry Every Hudick Memorial Scholarship Jewish War Veterans, Wilkes-Barre Post 212 Scholarship Harvey and Mildred Johnson Scholarship Fund William D. Jonathan Memorial Scholarship Dr. Dilys Martha Jones & Thomas Evan Jones Scholarship John D. Kearney Memorial Scholarship Grace C. Kimball Scholarship in Biology Harold J. Harris, M.D. - Angeline Elizabeth Kirby Memorial Health Center Scholarship Kaslas-Sheporaitis Educational Scholarship Fund Edith M. Kent Scholarship Eugene T. Kolezar Scholarship Francis A. and Maryann V. Kopen Scholarship Christopher Kopernik Scholarship Koral’s Fashion Scholarship KPMG/John R. Miller Scholarship Esther Lamb Scholarship Jane Lampe-Groh Scholarship William Langfelder Scholarship Letter Women’s Club Scholarship LF Brands, Inc. Scholarship Anne Vanko Liva Scholarship Charlotte V. Lord Scholarship Kathryn H. MacAvoy Scholarship in Nursing Will F. and Regina D. Maguire Scholarship Kathleen Hartzell Mailander Scholarship in Nursing Anthony D. Marseco Scholarship Fund Arnaud Cartwright Marts Scholarship Frances and Louis Maslow Memorial Scholarship Robert J. McBride Memorial Scholarship McGowan Scholarship Ruth W. and John T. McHenry Scholarship in Nursing Marilyn McQuestion-Kay Memorial Scholarship Norris Church Mailer Scholarship Ruth Boorom Melberger ’62 Scholarship Miller Family Scholarship Elizabeth Sandish Montgomery and George Heron Montgomery Scholarship Thomas J. Moran Scholarship in Journalism Dr. Jaroslav G. Moravec Memorial Scholarship Mabel and John C. Mosteller Scholarship Sarah D. Moyer Memorial Scholarship Harry J. Moyle ’58 Scholarship Donald and Marion Munson Scholarship Dr. Umid R. Nejib and Omar U. Nejib ’92 Memorial Scholarship Lee A. Namey ’68 Scholarship Taft Achilles Rosenberg Naparsteck Scholarship Wilkes | Fall 2012 ENDOWED NAMED SCHOLARSHIPS 47 �report of gifts • endowed named scholarships Wilkes | Fall 2012 O’Hop Family Scholarship Overlook Estate Foundation Scholarship Ellen Webster Palmer Scholarship Patel Scholarship Peking Chef Scholarship for International Understanding Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants Northeast Chapter Scholarship Pennsylvania’s Last Frontiersman Scholarship Peter W. Perog, CPA ’60 Scholarship Craig C. Piatt Memorial Scholarship Henry Blackman Plumb and Edith Plumb Scholarship Frieda Pogoreloff Scholarship Roy H. Pollack Memorial Scholarship Kenneth L. Pollock Scholarship George and Helen Ralston Scholarship Charles B. Reif Scholarship for the Biological Sciences Ruth A. Richards Scholarship Thomas Richards Scholarship Lillian Wilkins Rinehimer R.N. Scholarship Dr. James Rodechko Scholarship in History Dr. Samuel A. Rosenberg Memorial Scholarship Sydney and Theodore Rosenberg Scholarship Joseph H. Salsburg Scholarship Amedeo Obici and Thomas P. Sangiuliano Scholarship Dolores E. and Francis Sangiuliano Scholarship Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Paul Sangiuliano Abe and Sylvia Savitz Family Scholarship Fund Nathan Schiowitz Scholarship in Nursing Scholarship to Start Education (SSE) Robert Marc Schub Memorial Scholarship Louis Shaffer Memorial Scholarship Bruce and Bessie Shaw Scholarship Alan David Sherman Scholarship Frances D. Shotwell Memorial Scholarship Samuel H. Shotwell Memorial Scholarship Mark Slomowitz Memorial Scholarship 48 Merritt W. and Marjory R. Sorber Scholarship Stanley F. and Helen Stawicki Memorial Scholarship Surdna Foundation Scholarship George F. and Ruth M. Swartwood Scholarship Cromwell E. and Beryl Thomas Outstanding Junior Scholarship Reed P. and Dorothy Travis Memorial Scholarship Dr. Norma Sangiuliano Tyburski Scholarship Dr. and Mrs. Stanley J. Tyburski Endowed Scholarship Francis A. Umphred Memorial Scholarship Dorothy G. and Edward A. Venzel ’54 Memorial Scholarship Esther Weckesser Walker Scholarship Robert A. West Scholarship in Education Daniel S. Wilcox, Jr. Scholarships in Accounting Wilkes University Faculty Women and Wives Club Scholarship Myvanwy Williams Theater Scholarship William H. and Ruth W. Young Scholarship Ira B. Zatcoff Memorial Scholarship Emery and Mamie Ziegler Scholarship ANNUAL NAMED SCHOLARSHIPS Nicholas L. Alesandro ’63 Scholarship Bergman Foundation Scholarship Choice One Community Credit Union Scholarship Jennifer Diskin M’06 Memorial Scholarship Mary E. Dougherty Memorial Scholarship Beverly Blakeslee Hiscox ’58 Scholarship Intermetro Industries Scholarship Mark J. Jasulevicz ’91 Memorial Scholarship David W. Kistler, M.D. Scholarship Charles Mattei, P.E. Scholarship Fund PA Society of Public Accountants, NE Chapter Scholarship Polish Room Committee Scholarship Patricia “Patsy” Reese Nursing Scholarship William H. Rice ’48 Scholarship A. Rifkin & Company Scholarship Joseph M. Roszko ’68 Scholarship Lawrence W. Roth Memorial Scholarship Richard M. Smith and Lissa Bryan-Smith Scholarship Judianne Stanitski Annual Scholarship Sidhu School Outstanding Leaders Scholarship United Parcel Service Foundation Scholarship Wilkes-Barre Rotary Club Scholarship Wilkes LGBTQ Scholarship Wyoming Valley Health Care System Medical Staff Annual Scholarship FUTURE SCHOLARSHIPS Louise Brown Scholarship Citizens Voice Scholarship Crahall Foundation Scholarship Honorable Jeffry Gallet ’64 Memorial Scholarship Joseph E. and Patty Gilmour Scholarship Kathy Price Kautter ’72 Scholarship Dr. Mary A. Kaiser ’70 Memorial Scholarship Lois Schwartz Nervitt ’61 Scholarship Theresa A. Nowinski-Leiter Scholarship Ronald ’68 and Hazel Piskorik Scholarship Billy “Boog” Powell Scholarship Joanne Raggi Scholarship William H. Rice ’48 Scholarship Sallyanne and Harold Rosenn Scholarship Fund Joseph J. Savitz, Esq. ’48 Scholarship Richard M. Smith and Lissa Bryan-Smith Scholarship Judith and Leslie P. Weiner, MD ’57 Scholarship Matthew J. Zukoski, Ph.D. ’86 Memorial Scholarship �ACHIEVING Thank you to the more than 100 alumni, businesses and friends who have supported of the new Science Building as of August 29, 2012. Their generous support has helped raise nearly $12 million toward the $20 million goal of the Achieving Our Destiny Campaign. For a complete list of donors, photos of the building progress, and more information on how you can participate, go to www.wilkes.edu/achieve. The following contributors have pledged their support to the new science building since May 7, 2012: In Their Own Words How Donors and Students are Creating the Future of Science at Wilkes “Wilkes gave me the education and life skills that I needed in order to succeed beyond my time there. As a recent alumnus, I decided to contribute to the campaign because I believe the science curriculum and faculty are second to none. When you give, you’re helping improve your alma mater as well as current students.” – Eric Pape O.D. ’04, is an optometrist with HealthDrive Medical Practices who resides in Astoria, N.Y. Mr. Philip Besler ’76 & Mrs. Carolann Gusgekofski Besler ‘76 Blasi Printing Corporation Mrs. Bettijane Long Eisenpreis ‘57 Dr. Holly Frederick ’93 Dr. George B. Gettinger 72 & Mrs. Lindsay Farley Gettinger ‘73 Mr. Warren “Pete” Greenberg ‘62 Dr. Richard B. Kent ‘55 Mr. & Mrs. Justin Kraynack Dr. Justin Matus “The new science building will add laboratory space for research projects that many students must conduct, such as the work I’m doing in Dr. Kadlec’s genetics lab. I greatly appreciate all of the generous contributions from donors and hope that they will be pleased with its usage for future research.” – Connor Zale ’15 is a sophomore biology major from Clarks Summit, Pa. Connor is the recipient of the 2012 Alumni Association Scholarship and plans to enter the health care field. He assists Dr. Lisa Kadlec, assistant professor, biology, with her research. Mr. & Mrs. John L. Pesta Mr. Kenneth R. Schaefer & Mrs. Constance Kamarunas Schaefer ’56 Mrs. Janet Neiman Seeley ‘70 Service Electric Cable TV and Communications Mr. Russell G. Shallcross ’67 & Mrs. Diane Wynne Shallcross ‘67 Dr. & Mrs. Joseph C. Smith ’90 Dr. Salvatore M. Valenti ‘58 “The new science center is a major breakthrough for a small university. It will allow Wilkes to attract accomplished, high-level professors as well as the best and brightest students. Attracting excellent students raises the bar for everyone at Wilkes—not just science majors. The amount and kind of research that students can be involved in with a facility of this kind has limitless possibilities.” – Carolann Gusgekofski Besler ’76 received her education degree from Wilkes. She and her husband Phil ’76, reside in Loveladies, N.J. Join these donors in supporting facilities for the next generation of science students at Wilkes University! To learn more, please visit: www.wilkes.edu/achieve. �w Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 WILKES UNIVERSITY calendar of events October 9-21 Sordoni Art Gallery exhibit, Rosalyn Richards – Recent Works 11-14 Fall Recess 18 Catherine H. Bone Lecture in Chemistry, Nobel Laureate Roald Hoffmann, 7 p.m., 101 Stark Learning Center 21 2012 Rosenn Lecture, Cory Booker, Newark Mayor, 7:30 p.m., Dorothy Dickson Darte Center Empty Bowls event, benefiting local food banks, 28 Henry Student Center, 1-4 p.m. November Alumni Event, New York City ShaunT, creator of Insanity workout, master class, 1-5 p.m., Rec Center, University Center on Main 7 The Drs. Robert S. and Judith A. Gardner Educational Forum Series, “The Independent School Experience,” presented by Randy Granger, 4 p.m., Marts Center 214 9-11, 16-18 Music Theatre Performance, Darte Center 10 Admissions Open House 14 Connecting The Dots, Alumni networking event with current Wilkes students, Henry Student Center, 5:30 p.m. 18 Alumni Event, Chapel Hill, N.C. 21-25 Thanksgiving Recess 1 3 December 3 Graduate Studies Information Session, Henry Student Center January 14 Spring classes begin February 4-10 Alumni Events, Florida, locations to be announced For details on times and locations, check www.wilkes.edu and www.wilkes.edu/alumni or phone (800) WILKES-U. �NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IFMAILED IN TI-IE UNITEDSTATES BUSINESS REPLY MAIL NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IFMAILED IN TI-IE UNITEDSTATES BUSINESS REPLY MAIL FIRST-CLASS MAIL PERMITNO. 355 WILKES-BARRE PA FIRST-CLASS MAIL PERMITNO. 355 WILKES-BARRE PA POSTAGEWILL BE PAID BYADDRESSEE POSTAGEWILL BE PAID BYADDRESSEE WILKES UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF ALUMNI RELATIONS 84 W SOUTH ST WILKES-BARRE PA 18701-9832 WILKES UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF ALUMNI RELATIONS 84 W SOUTH ST WILKES-BARRE PA 18701-9832 1•••111 ••1.1 •••111 ••••••111.1 ••1••1•••11 •••1.1 •••111 1•••111 ••1.1 •••111 ••••••111.1 ••1••1•••11 •••1.1 •••111 �w WILKES Take our Wilkes trivia quiz for a chance to win a Colonel prize pack! UNIVERSITY w WILKES UNIVERSITY Nominate a new Alumni Association volunteer! Name: ______________________________________________________ Class Year: ___________________ Do you or someone you know enjoy planning and attending events, mentoring students and staying in touch with fellow Wilkes grads? If so, join us as a volunteer on the Alumni Association board and its committees! Address: __________________________________________________________________________________ Leadership positions are available for interested alumni. Learn more by visiting www.community.wilkes.edu/Board. To submit a nomination, please complete the form below or online at www.community.wilkes.edu/nomination. City: ___________________________________________ State: ____________ Zip: ____________________ Nominee name: Email address: _______________________________________ Phone: ( Class Year: )____________________________ Nominee email address: Circle TRUE or FALSE Phone Number: Reasons for recommendation: Dr. Capin was the 2nd President of Wilkes. TRUE FALSE The new science building will be 4 stories high. TRUE FALSE Wilkes is home to the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research. TRUE FALSE Wilkes College was founded in 1933. TRUE FALSE Nominator name: Nominator email address: Phone number: � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Alumni Magazine, 1947-present Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Description An account of the resource <p>An archive of Wilkes University Magazine, from 1947-present. The magazine went through various names including <em>Wilkes Alumnus</em>, <em>Wilkes Quarterly,</em> <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, and the current title, <em>Wilkes Magazine</em>. Some editions for the <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, will have multiple issues within the file record. Our holdings may be missing editions for certain years due to having no physical copy within the collection. </p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Wilkes University Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Wilkes University Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1947-present Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Magazine, Fall 2012 Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Marketing Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 2012 magazine Wilkes Magazine https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/29eba0a1ac1e578d22eca47d149584df.pdf 29ede27cc8289470e5f64b7b455138a9 PDF Text Text FALL 2013 Out of This World Stelios Patsiokas ’75 INSIDE: PHOTOS OF THE NEW LAWRENCE AND SALLY COHEN SCIENCE CENTER �president’s letter VOLUME 7 | ISSUE 3 The Unique College Experience That Defines Wilkes T he start of the 2013-2014 academic year—my second year as Wilkes president—began with an occasion to honor the past while moving forward into an exciting future. We named the University archives in honor of Harold Cox, professor emeritus of history and Wilkes’ archivist. It was appropriate to start the year recognizing an individual who has been part of Wilkes for a half century and who has preserved precious artifacts from our history. It was Dr. Cox who first shared with me the idea that Wilkes is an institution truly unique in American higher education. It was formed to answer an educational need in the city of Wilkes-Barre and, through many challenges, has grown and prospered, even when circumstances might have suggested it would not survive. Wilkes continues to occupy a unique place today, a University with an academic and co-curricular program mix of a larger research institution in the intimate setting of a smaller liberal arts college. That mix makes for the one-of-a-kind college experience that we know as a Wilkes education. Understanding our past provides us with the context for mapping the future. As we move forward to develop a strategic plan for the coming years, six themes have emerged. We will continue to focus on building high-quality curricular and co-curricular programs. In order to do that, we will invest in our people—the faculty and staff who provide a stellar college experience for Wilkes students. Recruiting and retaining talented students will continue to be a priority, as will building the financial strength of the University. Finally, we will develop our campus infrastructure, improving existing facilities and adding new ones. And we’ll continue our commitment to improve downtown Wilkes-Barre, because its success and the success of Wilkes are inextricably linked. Achieving these goals will require us to tap the spirit of innovation that has always been part of our campus culture. Students will remain at the center of our decision-making. We’ll solicit your input, welcome your ideas and keep you informed about our plans for your alma mater. In all that we do, I want to remember the words of the English poet John Masefield, who wrote, “There are few earthly things more beautiful John Stachacz, left, dean of the Farley than a university, a Library, and President Patrick Leahy place where those unveil the Harold Cox Archives Room at a ceremony this fall. PHOTO BY VICKI MAYK who hate ignorance may strive to know, where those who perceive truth may strive to make others see.” Maintaining and growing the beauty—of community, education and spirit—that defines Wilkes is my highest priority in the years ahead. Dr. Patrick F. Leahy Thank you for your continued support. Wilkes University President FALL 2013 WILKES MAGAZINE University President Dr. Patrick F. Leahy Vice President for Advancement Michael Wood Executive Editor Jack Chielli M.A.’08 Managing Editor Kim Bower-Spence Editor Vicki Mayk MFA’13 Creative Services Lisa Reynolds Web Services Craig Thomas MBA’11 Electronic Communications Joshua Bonner Graduate Assistant Bill Schneider, M.A.’13 Francisco Tutella Intern Christine Lee Layout/Design Quest Fore Inc. Printing Pemcor Inc. EDITORIAL ADVISORY GROUP Anne Batory ’68 Brandie Meng M’08 Bill Miller ’81 George Pawlush ’69 M.S.’76 Donna Sedor ’85 ALUMNI RELATIONS STAFF Interim Director Bridget Giunta Husted ’05 Coordinator Mary Balavage Simmons ’10 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OFFICERS President Tom Ralston ’80 Vice President Cindy Charnetski ’97 Secretary Ellen Hall ’71 Historian Laura Cardinale ’72 Wilkes magazine is published three times a year by the Wilkes University Office of Marketing Communications and Government Relations, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766, wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu, (570) 408-4779. Please send change of address to the above address. Wilkes University is an independent institution of higher education dedicated to academic and intellectual excellence in the liberal arts, sciences and professional programs. The university provides its students with the experience and education necessary for career and intellectual development as well as for personal growth, engenders a sense of values and civic responsibility, and encourages its students to welcome the opportunities and challenges of a diverse and continually changing world. The university enhances the tradition of strong student-faculty interactions in all its programs, attracts and retains outstanding people in every segment of the university, and fosters a spirit of cooperation, community involvement, and individual respect within the entire university. �16 10 18 6 contents 6 Out of This World As chief innovation officer for Sirius XM Satellite Radio, Stelios Patsiokas ’75 led the team that launched satellite radio. 10 Game Changer Stelios Patsiokas ’75 stands in the lobby of Sirius XM Satellite Radio, the company he helped launch. PHOTO BY JOHN RICKSEN The Lawrence and Sally Cohen Science Center launches a new era for science at Wilkes. 16 Advocating Understanding Lynn Rosencrance Elko ’95 promotes understanding for the intellectually challenged with products created by her company, Emma’s Friends. 18 Into the Wild Joshua Martin DNP ’13 teaches health-care providers and the military how to deliver care in challenging environments. DEPARTMENTS 2 On Campus 5 Athletics 20 Alumni News 22 Class Notes Have a story idea to share? Contact us at wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu or Wilkes magazine, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766. Wilkes magazine is available online at www.wilkes.edu/wilkesmagazineonline F,;S FPO FSC WILKES | Fall 2013 FEATURES 1 �on campus New Nursing Simulation Center Provides Real-World Environment Visitors walking into the School of Nursing’s new Clinical Nursing Simulation Center might do a double take. Rooms look more like hospital rooms than a simulated environment. Joyce Chmil, director of the center now in Stark Learning Center, says, “The new Clinical Nursing Simulation Center was designed based on years of research and tours of simulation laboratories across the country, as well as on student and faculty input. The new CNSC provides opportunities for our students to fully engage in the experiential learning processes needed to develop clinical nursing judgment and enhance clinical performance.” The patient rooms in the simulation center stress medical-surgical care since that is the primary focus for undergraduate nursing students. One of the patient rooms is set up as a critical care suite.This room offers opportunities for the students to learn and practice Nursing student Gemena Williams checks the heartbeat of Cathy Hauze, skills for basic and advanced cardiac support. simulation specialist, in a hospital Another is set up as a high-fidelity pediatric room in the new simulation center. PHOTO BY VICKI MAYK and obstetric suite. Since critical care, pediatrics and obstetrics are considered high-risk areas in hospitals, students sometimes cannot get hands-on experience with real patients.The simulation rooms give students hands-on experiences in a safe, risk-free environment. All the rooms employ life-like manikins that can be programmed with changes to pulse and breathing and to simulate a variety of conditions. In the center, instructors can observe students interacting with patients via one-way glass. Exam rooms are outfitted with cameras and microphones that allow the demonstrations in the hospital room and pediatric room to be broadcast to the center’s classroom. The center also includes a computer lab and an apartment to simulate home-health visits. -------------------------------------------------1 WILKES | Fall 2013 Wilkes Named A “High ROI College” by Affordable Colleges Online 2 Wilkes has been named one of the top 20 Pennsylvania colleges with the greatest lifetime return on investment by the website AffordableCollegesOnline.org. Wilkes is ranked 16th on the list of 81 colleges and universities in the state that offer a good return on a student’s investment in higher education. Only 81 of more than 400 schools in Pennsylvania made the list. Graduates from these schools enjoy the largest earnings gap between non-degree holders over 30 years, and earn more on average than graduates from other Pennsylvania schools. Wilkes outranks all of its peer institutions in the northeast Pennsylvania region. “It is heartening to receive this endorsement from Affordable Colleges Online because we have long emphasized the value of a Wilkes education,” says Wilkes President Patrick F. Leahy. “We may not be the low-cost provider in our recruiting market; nor are we the premium price option. But at Wilkes we strive to be the highest-value option.” Wilkes new freshmen bring diversity to campus in a variety of ways—including in the number of native languages spoken by members of the class of 2017. In addition to English, members of the freshmen class are fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, Ukrainian, Russian, Polish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Thai, Hindi, Gujarati and Farsi. I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I / I �on campus Creative Writing Program Co-Founder and Professor Emeritus J. Michael Lennon Publishes Norman Mailer Biography J. Michael Lennon, vice president emeritus for academic affairs, professor emeritus of English and co-founder of the graduate creative writing program at Wilkes, has written a comprehensive biography of the late Pulitzer Prize-winning author Norman Mailer. Norman Mailer: A Double Life reflects Mailer’s dual identities: journalist and activist, devoted family man and notorious philanderer, intellectual and fighter, writer and public figure. It will be released this month by Simon and Schuster. “I wrote him a letter of support and also passed on some of my theories about his recent nonfiction books…” – J. Michael Lennon PHOTO BY CURTIS SALONICK Mike Lennon and I were as designed for each other as some species of American Yin and Yang, as hot dogs, perhaps, and mustard. His talents, his discipline, and his ambition form a complement to all the slacks, voids, and indolences of my nature,” Mailer wrote. Integrating the streams of material became the most difficult part of the biography project for Lennon. Included in the plethora of papers were over 45,000 letters written, unpublished journals and interviews with Mailer, his friends and family. Norman Mailer: A Double Life, Mailer won Pulitzer Prizes for written by Wilkes professor emeritus J. Michael Lennon, The Armies of the Night and The Executioner’s was released this month by Song. His first book, The Naked and the Dead, Simon & Schuster. was an enormous bestseller, and Mailer would have 10 more bestsellers from the 44 books he published. He also was co-founder of The Village Voice. Mailer, who died in 2007 at 84, was the founding chair of the Wilkes Graduate Creative Writing Program advisory board. He was the keynote speaker at the June 2004 writing conference that kicked off the program. His wife, Norris Church Mailer, succeeded him on the advisory board and remained involved with the program until her death in November 2010. The Mailer family established a scholarship in her name. – By Bill Schneider M.A.’13 Integrative Media Chair Eric Ruggiero Receives Sony Pictures Fellowship Eric Ruggiero, associate professor and chair of the integrative media and art department, was one of three individuals nationally awarded a fellowship from Sony Pictures Imageworks. Ruggiero was selected for the Faculty Fellowship Program known as IPAX, and spent six weeks this summer at the Sony Pictures motion picture lot in Culver City, Calif., shadowing production team members working on current animated feature films. Ruggiero observed and worked with special effects professionals and animation experts on such current and upcoming releases as The Amazing Spiderman 2, Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs, Smurfs 2 and Hotel Transylvania. He was present for the production of the trailer for The Amazing Spiderman 2 that was shown at this year’s Comic Con. Ruggiero was able to learn how the experts use 3-D modeling, computer graphics and other tools to create the worlds seen on the screen. WILKES | Fall 2013 Lennon will read from the book and sign books on Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. in the ballroom of the Henry Student Center. Lennon describes how he got to know Mailer. “In 1971, right after he got into a tussle with Gore Vidal on the Dick Cavett Show, I wrote him a letter of support and also passed on some of my theories about his recent nonfiction books, which were changing the way major events were reported.” Mailer was one of the leading voices of the New Journalism during the 1960s. This literary genre is a writing technique that combines fictional story telling with reportage. After corresponding, they met in fall 1972 at Western Illinois University. “We talked late into the night at a local bar,” recalls Lennon, who chairs the Mailer Review board. “And every summer after that, my family and I visited him in Maine or Provincetown, Mass.” Over time, they grew closer as Lennon began editing books by and about Mailer. In 1986, after reading Lennon’s book Critical Essays on Norman Mailer, Mailer asked him to serve as one of his literary executors. Mailer described his relationship with Lennon in the preface of a bio-bibliography, Norman Mailer: Works and Days, written by Lennon and his wife, Donna Pedro Lennon. “Sometimes I think 3 �on campus Cancer Researcher Samuel Danishefsky to deliver Catherine H. Bone Lecture WILKES | Fall 2013 Renowned cancer researcher Samuel J. Danishefsky, centennial professor of chemistry at Columbia University, will deliver the 2013 Catherine H. Bone Lecture. Danishefsky also serves as the Kettering Chair of Bioorganic Chemistry at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. He will present his lecture, “Biologics By Chemical Synthesis,” at 7 p.m., Oct. 16 in Stark Learning Center 101. The event is free, but registration is required. Regarded as one of the world’s leading chemists in cancer research, Danishefsky is a leader in the field of organic synthesis, with particular emphasis in carbohydrate chemistry. Nominated multiple times for the Nobel Prize, Danishefsky is the recipient of numerous awards, including prizes from the American Chemical Society and the French Pharmaceutical Society. He earned his doctorate at Harvard University. For more information about the Catherine H. Bone Lecture, call (570)408-4306. To register for the lecture online visit: http://community. wilkes.edu/bonelecture. 4 Cancer researcher Samuel J. Danishefsky will deliver the Catherine H. Bone Lecture. PHOTO COURTESY COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY. Sordoni Art Gallery Features Work by Chad Stanley and James Lennox Chad Stanley and James Lennox work in very different academic disciplines at Wilkes. But the two share something in common: creating visual art. Stanley teaches composition and literature as associate professor of English. Lennox advises senior engineering students as director of instrumentation in the College of Science and Engineering. Their artwork is being exhibited through December 2013 at the Sordoni Art Gallery. Stanley began studying painting at Pratt Institute before transferring to Syracuse University for a broader liberal arts education. After switching his major several times, he found English the best fit. Yet his interest in painting never waned. Stanley prefers painting oil on canvas, culling literature for subject matter. He incorporates art and his artwork into the English courses he teaches. Students write analytical papers focusing on paintings or photographs. He also presents his paintings—which have literary themes—to his classes as visual commentaries about the reading list. Stanley says, “These options do not ever replace writing as our fundamental medium of analyzing and responding to literature; they simply broaden the range of ways of engaging with written texts.” Lennox has sculpted 3-D work in wood and metal for more than 25 years. His interest in art and drawing began in childhood. During a stint in the U.S. Air Force in the 1980s, he realized that he wanted to pursue an artistic career. After his military service, Lennox took a 3-D design class at Wilkes with Herb Simon and has been sculpting ever since. The majority of his work uses hollow-form sheet metal, but he incorporates other elements when he finds that insufficient to complete a project. Lennox says, “For me, being an artist is a way of life; I really do not have a choice. I have always been creative and “Coleridge and the it has helped me throughout all of my Albatross,” top, is a painting by Chad Stanley, associate various careers and experiences.” – By Francisco Tutella professor of English. Left, the 3-D sculpture “Pink Shoes” is the work of James Lennox, director of instrumentation. Both artists are featured in a Sordoni Art Gallery show. �OUT TO WIN athletics Wrestler Kris Krawchuk Finds Athletic and Academic Success at Wilkes By Bill Schneider M.A. ’13 Whether looking at genes through a microscope or wrestling on the mat, senior Kris Krawchuk is out to win. The hard-working biology major is as passionate about his goal of becoming a physician assistant as he is about becoming a finalist in the NCAA Championship. His commitment has earned him recognition academically and athletically. He is a member of the Colonels Elite, a program for Wilkes student athletes who have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.5 or higher. Krawchuk also finished his junior year with a 29-4 overall mark on the wrestling team. The NCAA ranked him in the top five in the country throughout the 2013 season, marking the fifth straight year that Wilkes produced an All-American and its second consecutive national finalist. Krawchuk came to Wilkes three years ago from Slatington, Pa. He was attracted to the college town atmosphere at Wilkes, which was a departure from living in rural northern Lehigh County on an acre of land. Krawchuk also discovered the significant focus on community service at Wilkes was perfect for him. “I was introduced to Women Empowered by Science during my freshman foundations course,” he says. Krawchuk enjoyed working with the program’s summer camp, which provides girls entering seventh or eighth grade the opportunity to explore science through hands-on laboratories and activities. Jon Laudenslager, Wilkes head wrestling coach, looks forward to watching Krawchuk become a national champion this year and continue his strong leadership skills. “Kris has a great combination of work ethic and desire to be very successful,” says Laudenslager. “When you have goals and are willing to pay the overall price and sacrifice to accomplish them, you give yourself a great chance to do what Kris has done.” He is applying to several graduate programs to become a physician assistant after graduating from Wilkes in May 2014. Through his Wilkes experience, Krawchuk has found the perfect way to strike a balance in life. Senior Kris Krawchuk is an All-American wrestler and brings his dedication into the biology lab. PHOTO BY CURTIS SALONICK WILKES | Fall 2013 Krawchuk continues to place a priority on his work in the sciences. He spent summer 2013 at Wilkes performing genetics research on fruit flies, applying different techniques to study the epidermal growth factor receptor, which exhibits behavior characteristic to many forms of cancer. Under the direction of Lisa Kadlec, associate professor of biology, Krawchuk and his cohort worked with characterizing genes, comparing them with genes of known function in humans. 5 �Stelios Patsiokas ’75 helped develop the technology that made satellite radio fly WILKES | Fall 2013 By Geoff Gehman 6 Stelios Patsiokas ’75, chief innovation officer and corporate vice president for Sirius XM Radio, displays the compact technology designed by his team to bring satellite radio to consumers. Behind him, older, more traditional circuitry provides the backdrop. PHOTO BY JOHN RICKSEN �For the next six weeks he ran a technological boot camp that could have been nicknamed “Stell’s Hell.” Patsiokas fed his troops gourmet cuisine to boost their efficiency and enthusiasm while they worked around the clock. He kept their passports so they wouldn’t leave before finishing their jobs to his satisfaction. After 40 days they had become a lean, mean fighting machine. After 40 nights they had roughed out a system that would allow satellite radio to fly. Thirteen years and many patents later, Patsiokas remains a leader of a revolution in audio entertainment. He is the chief innovation officer and corporate vice president of Sirius XM Radio, the nexus of satellite radio. He’s largely responsible for the devices—microchips, radios, receivers, antennae--that enable nearly 25 million subscribers to tune into everything from the Metropolitan Opera to the Grateful Dead, The Catholic Channel to Cosmo Radio. You can thank him for crystal-clear, constant reception of the 24 Hours of Le Mans race while you’re barreling through a small tunnel. Patsiokas has guided satellite radio through a costly competition, a market-saving merger and a boom in wireless links to smarter phones and cars. “It’s one of those rewarding experiences whereby you take a white sheet and turn it into an industrychanging, life-changing concept,” says the expert in radio-waves propagation. “It’s been a tremendous journey, a beautiful trip.” WILKES | Fall 2013 Stelios Patsiokas ’75 was tired of his engineers arguing at cross-purposes across the globe. Hoping to improve productivity through unity, he summoned them from Canada, Germany and Italy to his command center in Florida. 7 �/.. . ·.... . ,... . •.. •• ,,:·). . . . . . .. .·.• . .. . .: . Patsiokas grew up in Serres, Greece, where he listened to Top 40 tunes on a leather-covered transistor radio under the bed covers. The salutatorian of his high-school class, he entered Wilkes on a tuition scholarship awarded to top international students to attend American colleges and universities. He arrived in Wilkes-Barre with a “dismal” knowledge of English, a disadvantage he soon turned into an advantage. Patsiokas knew he was in deep trouble when he opened the first page of a health textbook and jotted 150 words he didn’t know. Unable to understand his Physics I professor, he skipped classes and took exams with the help of a Greek-English dictionary. He received a B-plus, a testament to his superior science background and translating skills. After six months Patsiokas spoke passable English. He starred as a forward-center on the soccer team, receiving an automatic “A” in health given to exceptional athletes. He dated “nice” girls attracted by his “sexy” accent. And he partied hardy. “Let’s just say,” he says, that Wilkes dorms in the early ’70s had “a great celebratory environment.” The celebration dimmed when Patsiokas learned he owed $620 for a semester’s worth of room and food. The bill shocked him largely because it equaled three months of salary for his father, a construction truck driver for the Greek government and a fan of radio shows featuring violins. The bill was eventually forgiven by then-Dean George Ralston. Patsiokas decided to knuckle down and buckle up. He worked for the Wilkes foreignstudent program. He pumped gas, earning the “heavenly” sum of $3.20 an hour. He switched majors from pre-med to electrical engineering, which had fewer English words and more universal technical terms. He became a devoted student, inspired by “holy mackerel” courses in electronic circuits, electromagnetic fields and early software. “I looked at myself in the mirror and said: ‘Are you going to be a bum or are you going to become someone?’ I had a total transformation. I went from a party guy to a monk.” After “the four best years of my life,” Patsiokas entered the doctoral program in electrical engineering at Virginia Tech University. After receiving his doctorate in 1979, he began working at Motorola, . ·. • ... . •· .: . . .. • .. •••• •. .. . . . . • ••• ...•• • • .. . •• • •• • • ,~ . • .• •• •• • • attracted by the Florida climate and the chance to develop groundbreaking communication devices for an electronics giant. For Patsiokas and Motorola, the next 20 years were a golden age. He supervised the system performance of the first digital telephone, a “poor man’s cell” activated at public wireless booths. He helped launch the first two-way pager with an operating system, an embryonic Blackberry that “was very, very slow but nevertheless way before its time.” Patsiokas says he was assigned to rescue the pager after a year of stagnation caused by conflict. He fired troublemakers, united software and hardware specialists, made partners of enemies. “You’ve got to have tremendous engineering talent under you,” he says. “You have to make decisions quickly. You have to have thick skin. Sometimes you get it right, and sometimes you get it wrong. Sometimes it’s one step forward, and sometimes it’s two steps backwards.” By 1998 the golden age at Motorola had been tarnished by low morale. A headhunter convinced Patsiokas to interview with Hugh Panero, the CEO of a fledgling company later called XM Satellite Radio. The year before the company had received a license for satelliteradio frequencies along with Sirius Satellite Radio, its future rival. Patsiokas met with Panero at XM headquarters in Washington, D.C. He told the CEO that he doubted that satellites 22,000 miles above the earth could prevent obstructions—trees, tunnels, towers—from muting or silencing radio signals. “I said: ‘No way it’s going to fly.’ Hugh asked me: ‘So why the hell are you here?’ I told him:‘Well, I wanted to visit the Smithsonian...’ ” Patsiokas leavened the joke by requesting a month to make his decision. In September 1998 he asked XM technicians a blunt question: How could satellite radio work effectively among skyscrapers in Manhattan? Their answer: a terrestrial network, set up specifically for dense downtowns, with radio receivers that blocked bad signals and combined good signals, constructing constantly clear channels. “Right there and then I said ‘Thank you very much,’ ” says Patsiokas. “And I walked out to tell Hugh: ‘I’m your man.’ ” “I looked at myself in the mirror and said: ‘Are you going to be a bum or are you going to become someone?’” ■ 8 • • . .· • . . Doctorate from Virginia Tech • ' ·. • Joined XM to make satellite radio fly “Golden Years” at Motorola • .··•. • . 1999 1979 Graduated from Wilkes 1998 1975 WILKES | Fall 2013 •···· --:.-·. • .. . . . =.-: •.. •• . • . ; • • •. ' ' . • Set standards for microchips, terrestrial networks and signaling for the entire system ·.·.~·· . .. . ... . .. ·_ • ....·:· •••• ••.•• ••. • . . • . • • • •. �• •. . * • . . • . • . . Stelios Patsiokas ’75, Deerfield Beach, Fla. . Bachelor of Science, electrical engineering, Wilkes • • . . • -~ • . • . ~ . . . . .· . . .· . . ..·· . Master of Science and doctorate, electrical engineering, Virginia Tech. Career: Chief Innovation Officer, XM Satellite Radio On Sept. 25 XM broadcast for the first time to San Diego and Dallas/Ft. Worth. On Nov. 12 the company premiered a Favorite Wilkes memory: Playing soccer and partying with nationwide network. In July 2002 it was joined by Sirius, which a United Nations of Greek, Turk and Portuguese students. immediately became its bitter competitor. “That was the beauty of Wilkes: it had tremendous diversity.” Led by Patsiokas, XM produced many innovations. He helped Campus mentor: The late George Ralston, the first Wilkes develop a car system linking an antenna with a cassette and a radio athletic director and dean of students. “He’d just look you in receiver operated by a cigarette lighter. Installed as after-market the eyes and understand you,” says Patsiokas. “The warmth equipment in cars, SKYFi dramatically increased subscriptions for came out of his eyes, the way he treated you with respect. XM, a breakthrough that Patsiokas calls “crossing the chasm.” He was definitely a father figure.” Ralston forgave Patsiokas XM was less successful in its programming war with Sirius.The a $620 bill for food and lodging at the end of his first companies battled fiercely for exclusive deals with carmakers, semester. Patsiokas repaid the favor with interest, donating entertainment networks and stars. XM spent millions to hire money to his alma mater “tenfold.” Oprah Winfrey, the communications queen. Sirius spent millions to hire Howard Stern, the shock jock. After eight years the rivals had lost nearly $7 billion. “It was a content bloodbath,” says Patsiokas. “The mentality was ‘Win this at all costs.’ We forgot we were in the business to When Patsiokas joined XM, the company had only a few weeks make money.” of salary in the bank. He dramatically increased brain capital by The rivals merged to avoid certain death. In February 2007 recruiting members of his Motorola team, starting an exodus that Sirius bought XM for over $4 billion in stock, even though would create the quip that “XM stands for Ex-Motorola.” XM had 40 more channels and 1.6 million more subscribers. By early 1999 the Patsiokas team had set standards for Renamed Sirius XM Radio, the new organization became microchips, terrestrial networks and signaling for the entire system. far more profitable than its predecessors. By 2009 it was $400 By late 1999 Patsiokas was tired of bickering emails from his million in the black. Boosted by subscriptions from new-car engineers around the world. Weary of feeling like “a punching buyers, as well as the recovery of the auto industry, the company bag,” he turned his Florida lab into a United Nations boot camp. this summer projected revenue of $3.7 billion in fiscal 2012. What followed were 40 days and nights of tough work and Today Sirius XM offers more than 160 channels for music, sports, tough love. For Patsiokas and his teammates, the eureka moment news-traffic, comedy and talk. Among the 70-plus commercialcame when they passed a complete song through the system free music stations is “The Blend,” an adult-contemporary mix simulator flawlessly. He recalls “everybody went berserk” at the recommended by Patsiokas, who has an around-the-dial fondness successful conclusion of a remarkable 40-day experience. The for classical, jazz, country and Top 40 from the ’50s to the ’80s.“I’m test tune was doubly symbolic: Money for Nothing, a Dire Straits a strange cat who basically likes all genres except rap,” he says. “In hit that helped make MTV a hit. a way, I’m an ideal radio consumer.” XM launched its radio satellites, appropriately nicknamed Thirteen years and many patents later, Patsiokas remains driven. Rock and Roll, in March and May 2001. On Sept. 11 that year The success of satellite radio is “the ultimate story of what happens Patsiokas was at XM’s headquarters in Washington, meeting with when you have a great, great engineering team, supplemented by officials from General Motors, a major XM investor.The meeting great, great partners, and being led with a positive attitude,” he says. was adjourned early after the news that airplanes hijacked by “We more or less willed this thing to work. It’s like that Star Wars terrorists had struck the World Trade Center and the nearby scene where Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi are riding on Pentagon. Also postponed was the next-day announcement that a motorcycle and a guard asks them for their papers. Obi uses [a XM was ready to begin broadcasting. Jedi mind trick] and the guard suddenly says ‘Pass.’ Luke asks ‘How did you do this, master?’ and Obi says, ‘Never underestimate the ...................................... -~ Launched radio power of The Force.’” . •• • .. . • •• • • .• .... :·. . . .. ... • • . • .• • • • • .-.. : . . . . .. . • . . . ... • . . . . . . . . . . . .. . ' ' .. more than 160 channels for music, sports, news-traffic, comedy and talk . . . . . .. . .. WILKES | Fall 2013 . . . .. . $400 million in the black TODAY 2009 XM broadcast for first time to San Diego and Dallas/Ft. Worth Sirius XM offers ~-·----···----·····--··"• $ 2007 SEPTEMBER . Developed many innovations, including a car system linking an antenna with a cassette ~--·····································• and a radio receiver Sirius bought XM operated by a cigarette lighter satellites “Rock” and “Roll” 2001 MARCH & MAY 2001 Notable: Led the team that enabled satellite radio to fly. .9 �The lobby of the Lawrence and Sally Cohen Science Center offers a dramatic welcome, with a natural stone wall, large flat video screen and seating areas for students and visitors. PHOTOS BY EARL AND SEDOR PHOTOGRAPHIC GAME CHANGER Cohen Science Center Shapes The Future of Science at Wilkes WILKES | Fall 2013 A new building can be a work of art and a presence that transforms the landscape surrounding it. A building on a university campus has a more profound influence. Designed with the educational needs of students and faculty in mind, it helps to define and inspire the work happening within its walls. The new Lawrence and Sally Cohen Science Center at Wilkes is such a transformational and inspiring space. Designed by SaylorGregg architects, the state-of-the-art facility puts the focus on student research— the cornerstone of science education at 10 the University—by providing teaching laboratories rather than typical classroom space. The building also features meeting spaces promoting collaboration among students and faculty and across disciplines. A spectacular view of the Susquehanna River from the River Street side of the facility serves as a reminder of the environment that Wilkes scientists have sought to preserve for decades. The photos on these pages reveal a combination of beauty and utility in a building that is becoming the architectural anchor of campus. �– WINSTON CHURCHILL WILKES | Fall 2013 “WE SHAPE OUR BUILDINGS: THEREAFTER THEY SHAPE US.” 11 �Lawrence and Sally Cohen Science Center At A Glance • 72,500-square-foot building • $35 million project • The center houses the biology, chemistry and biochemistry and environmental engineering and earth science departments. In addition, any Wilkes student studying a laboratory science will have class in the center. Physics labs continue to be held in Stark. • The lobby is graced by a 2- by 3-foot video screen, which will feature Wilkes science and engineering news and readouts of energy use in the building. • The third floor features labs arranged to promote interdisciplinary work among the sciences housed in the building. • Up-to-date technology includes “Smart” classrooms with interactive whiteboards and wireless Internet. WILKES | Fall 2013 • The roof features a greenhouse and terrace. 12 The physiology labs feature stainless steel tops for dissection. Above, a student lounge and meeting space is featured at the end of each floor of the building. �The central staircase is a dramatic focal point in the science center’s lobby. WILKES | Fall 2013 Left, signage on the quadrangle and South River Street identifies the building. 13 �Hallways feature dramatic lighting and polished concrete floors. WILKES | Fall 2013 Bottom right, a videoconference room offers the latest technology for distance learning and meetings with scientists at other institutions. 14 �A meeting space looks out over the Fenner Quadrangle. Below, state-of-the-art fume hoods are among improvements in chemistry labs. • The building was designed to qualify for silver certification for Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) presented by the U.S. Green Building Council. This is achieved via a green building design that conserves energy, materials and water. Green features include natural lighting; partial green roof; water storage outside the building to prevent stormwater runoff to urban sewers; sustainable polished concrete floors, Forest Stewardship Council-rated wood that is harvested responsibly; energy-efficient lighting and windows dedicated on Friday, Oct. 4. But the true kick-off for the new MORE building happened in late August, when students began attending WEB before students returned to campus. For photos capturing the ON THE classes in the center. Photos for this photo essay were taken dedication festivities and a slide show of students at work in the Cohen Science Center, please visit www.wilkes.edu/cohen. glazed with low-emittance coatings that save energy. WILKES | Fall 2013 The new Lawrence and Sally Cohen Science Center was to be 15 �.... .....- ~-;;..-.- .......---- --~·~-- ;:"W" r:; • r.- ---=- :-. r:.; ,,,.. ~ -=~ .,,-r- ii:"111' .-.:- .-.. ........ :-.-...... - ... ...-- . ~ ,......-.; --=~---- Advocating Understanding LYNN ELKO ’95 FINDS NEW CAREER WITH EMMA’S FRIENDS By Bill Thomas ’13 WILKES | Fall 2013 W 16 hen LynnMarie (Rosencrance) Elko’s daughter, Emma, was born with multiple disabilities, it opened her eyes to misconceptions that she—and many others—have about people with special needs. Before Emma’s birth, Elko ’95 recalls seeing people with disabilities with their families. “I would think, ‘That’s so tragic,’ ” she says. Her perceptions changed after becoming Emma’s mother. Her daughter is affected physically and cognitively due to neurological disorders impairing vision, speech and motor skills, but Elko has learned that family life still can be happy. “I didn’t realize that, even though people have disabilities and their lives are different, there is still a tremendous amount of joy,” she says. Nonetheless, helping Emma overcome her daily challenges proved to be a full-time job, one that necessitated Elko leaving her position as vice president of production at Educational Impact, an online provider of professional development programs ,...'P...: • 1 �LynnMarie (Rosencrance) Elko, Tamaqua, Pa. B.A., Communication Studies and Political Science, Wilkes, 1995 M.A., Business Communications, Jones International University, 2005 Career: Owner and founder, Emma’s Friends Soaps & Lotions Notable: Elko started her own handcrafted toiletry business called Emma’s Friends Soaps & Lotions, which employs individuals with disabilities. Favorite Wilkes memory: Working late into the night (and often into the early morning) in The Beacon office where, as editor, she and her staff assembled Wilkes University’s student newspaper on a steady diet of delivery pizza. Opposite page, Lynn (Rosencrance) Elko ’95 poses in her store, which is the retail outlet for Emma’s Friends Lotions and Soaps, on Broad Street in Tamaqua, Pa. Above, Elko and her daughter Emma, 11, who is the inspiration for her mother’s thriving business. PHOTOS BY DAN Z. JOHNSON “I didn’t realize that, even though people have disabilities and their lives are different, there is still a tremendous amount of joy” As a member of the board of directors for Avenues—a Pottsville, Pa.,-based organization that helps disabled individuals improve their work skills and their quality of life—Elko was aware that job opportunities for such individuals are limited. Emma’s Friends was founded to creatively and purposefully employ individuals with special needs. Part of Emma’s Friends mission, Elko says, is advocating greater understanding of such individuals. Elko believes every person she can touch now “will be someone who will be more accepting of our friends today and Emma tomorrow.” Being a mother is still her top priority. “Emma is nonverbal, meaning she is not able to speak, but she lets me know when I’m working too much. Two years ago, around Christmas, our busiest time of the year, I wasn’t spending enough time with her. She made sure to let me know by just ignoring me. That hurt and was a big wake-up call,” Elko says. “I make sure to put her to bed every night. I cuddle with her every night. She wants that quality time every day. I play with her and tickle her and make her laugh, and if I don’t, she lets me know. Which is good. I think a lot of kids whose parents have businesses don’t express that. They have all these filters that keep them from expressing what they really feel, telling them, ‘You’re supposed to be a good kid. You’re supposed to behave.’ Emma doesn’t have that. In a way, we’re very fortunate that she’s so transparent, because it can be hard to balance things. Regardless, she is and will always be my first priority.” WILKES | Fall 2013 for teachers based in Warminster, Pa. She left the company in 2004 to dedicate more time to Emma, now 11 years old. Therapists and teachers were an integral part of Emma’s life and they, indirectly, provided Elko with a surprising new career path. “I started making gifts for her therapists. I spent a lot of time baking treats and eventually started thinking there had to be something better. Then one day I was in the grocery store and I saw an issue of Martha Stewart’s magazine about soaps and I picked it up thinking I’d give it a try,” Elko says. She began making soap as thank-you gifts. Before long, Elko found the demand for her creations growing—so much so that, in 2008, her newfound hobby turned into a full-fledged business called Emma’s Friends Soaps & Lotions. Since then, Elko’s handcrafted, all-natural product line has expanded to lotions, scented sprays and even pet shampoos. Her items can be found in stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Florida, California, including Elko’s own shops in Tamaqua, Pa., and West Hazleton, Pa. She also sells at juried craft shows and online at www.emmasfriends.com. Looking back, Elko admits she never expected her gift-giving endeavor to evolve the way it has. “I spent about two to three years experimenting with different oils and their properties, learning about the oils and how they combine to create different types of soap, developing my own special formulas,” Elko explains, pointing out that her prior background as a communication studies and political science major at Wilkes didn’t quite prepare her for the business of making soaps. “I love research, though. I love to read. And thankfully my husband was a wonderful critic,” she adds with a laugh. While the name “Emma’s Friends” initially referred to the teachers and therapists receiving Elko’s creations, the name now has a double meaning, referring also to the people Emma’s Friends employs, all of whom have intellectual disabilities. These friends wrap and package all the soaps and also make, bottle and label all the dry bath products. 17 �I Wilkes doctor of nursing practice grad Josh Martin applies his education in remote regions WILKES | Fall 2013 by Helen Kaiser 18 Top, military personnel practice evacuations required in the field. Bottom, Josh Martin DNP ’13 draws on training as an Air Force pararescueman to train others in wilderness medicine practices. PHOTOS COURTESY OF JOSH MARTIN. �J osh Martin DNP ’13 teaches health care providers how to After his military discharge, Martin earned a bachelor’s degree in make good decisions in bad environments. As a specialist business studies from Davenport University. He became president in wilderness medicine, he trains paramedics, nurses and and CEO of Northern Cairn in 2003, allowing him to spend more others to deliver care in hostile situations—from remote time in his native region of northern Michigan with his wife, Elsa, military bases in Afghanistan to the open seas. and their three sons. In 2009 he was awarded a fellowship in the As president and CEO of Northern Cairn LLC in Petoskey, Academy of Wilderness Medicine from the Wilderness Medical Mich., Martin coordinates and teaches challenging courses Society, Salt Lake City. He became a family nurse practitioner in in wilderness medicine. The school prepares students for 2010 and in May 2013 received his doctorate from Wilkes. emergency situations that involve prolonged patient care, severe For one doctoral project, Martin drew on experiences environments and improvised equipment. Students range from providing contract wilderness medicine training to 118 Army summer camp counselors and outdoor enthusiasts to the military medics in Afghanistan in 2011. The training addressed the and FBI hostage rescuers. problem of 19-year-old Army medics being shipped off to “We instruct students how to keep out of trouble in extreme war with just basic “street EMT” training. “There’s a huge situations by recognizing potential problems before they occur,” difference in what’s covered in regular EMT textbooks—where says Martin, a member of Wilkes’ first graduating class in its the focus is on being able to access a fully stocked ambulance online doctor of nursing practice program. and arrive at a hospital in 10 or 20 minutes—and the realities Martin credits his eight years in the U.S. Special Operations of people being shot at or blown up in the midst of an austere, Command with galvanizing his eventual career choice of unforgiving environment,” Martin explains. wilderness medicine. The 39-year-old served as a U.S. Air Force pararescueman from 1993 to 2001, with multiple deployments in “You’re caring for a patient who may or may Southwest Asia and North Africa. “My primary role as a pararescueman was not have good mental capabilities, who was to save lives and aid the injured in hostile, non-permissive and austere environments,” likely in bad shape before being wounded.” he says. Translated, that would mean tasks like parachuting from a C-130 aircraft into the middle of the ocean, with limited medical capabilities. “You’re trying to provide good wound care, feeding, hydrating and keeping him warm until he can be rescued,” he explains. To qualify for pararescue, Martin spent more than 30 months in rigorous military training—first to become an emergency medical technician. That training was supplemented with crucial instruction that included helicopter-parachute rescue, advanced land navigation, small arms weapons handling, survival techniques, chemical warfare survival, advanced trauma life support, land and water parachute landings and scuba diving. Joshua Martin DNP ’13, Petoskey, Mich. B.S., Business Studies, Davenport University The wilderness training helped medics to assess whether medical evacuations—dangerous to both flight crews and soldiers—were actually needed. Martin cited the outcomes from the training in his research project, which compared outcomes in traditional emergency medical training programs with those in a hybrid program such as the one he offers for wilderness training. Wilkes Assistant Professor of Nursing Kathleen Hirthler taught three of Martin’s doctoral courses and served as his scholarly project chairperson. “Josh is accomplished in a unique way,” she says. “I expect he will be a leader in finding new ways of providing safe, quality care for populations requiring wilderness medicine. The doctorate will help him to influence his field through sound application of evidence-based research.” Martin agrees, saying, “These days there is a drive to keep patients out of the hospital,” he says, “so we need to teach them self-care and how to recognize when they are starting to fail before their conditions get too serious. The same holds true for healthy people who might be mountaineering in cold or desert-like conditions. They need to recognize their limits.” 19 WILKES | Fall 2013 M.S., Nursing, Grand Valley State University Doctor of Nursing Practice, Wilkes wilderness medicine training company Career: President and CEO of Northern Cairn, LLC, a Notable: Served eight years as a U.S. Air Force pararescueman, giving him expertise in wilderness medicine. 0 �alumni news Alumni Association Board Welcomes Five New Members JESSICA SHORT ’13 The Wilkes University Alumni Association welcomed five new alumni members in June to its Board of Directors. In the following question-and-answer profiles, the new members share their motivations for getting involved with the Alumni Association. Their class years and occupations may vary, but they all have one thing in common: a love of Wilkes University and the desire to give back to their alma mater. Clifford Township, Pa. GABE LEDONNE ’05 News desk manager, SNL Financial, Blakely, Pa. Student development graduate assistant, Wilkes University, Bachelor of Arts, Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education Certification, Reading Minor Being on the Homecoming student team all four years of college had a major influence on my desire to be involved with the Alumni Association after graduation. I am thankful for my Wilkes education and have great pride in my school, making me want to give back and make it a better place for incoming students. Because I was so involved, I could not leave the University without having some kind of tie to the school. Bachelor of Arts, Communication Studies, English I’ve always wanted to continue to be a part of Wilkes after graduating. During my time at the University, I received a lot of great support and guidance from faculty, administrators, staff and others. Wilkes has a great sense of community, and I feel that serving as an alumni board member gives me an opportunity to be a bigger part of that community and to contribute to it. P. CHRISTOPHER SOMMER ’94 Entrepreneur, Wilmington, Del. Bachelor of Science, Accounting When President Leahy came on board with Wilkes, I saw this as a catalyst for change and an opportunity to develop the leadership of the University. I wanted to be involved with the momentum to advance the institution. ROB BURNS ’64 Trial attorney, Piermont, N.Y. JOHN SWEENEY ’13 Bachelor of Science, Business Assurance associate, PwC (the U.S. Administration firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers WILKES | Fall 2013 While at Wilkes, I was president of Student Government, on the wrestling team and a proud member of Ashley Hall. I became active in the Alumni Association because I still have a special place in my heart for my time at Wilkes, even after almost 50 years. Wilkes, with its small student body; teachers who were not only devoted in the classroom but who also came to social events; and my participation in wrestling and student government really helped to shape my life. 20 LLC), Parsippany, N.J. Bachelor of Science, Accounting; Bachelor of Business Administration, Business Management As a student at Wilkes, I was extremely involved in campus life. I decided to join the Alumni Board so that I could keep a strong connection to campus and the events that affect Wilkes. As a member of the Alumni Association Board, I look forward to having the opportunity to foster relationships with alumni and help keep recent alumni engaged. The board does important work with advancement and mentoring and I hope to contribute to its goals in any way possible. �giving back Investing in the Future Louise Hazeltine ’44 and Ray Dombroski ’78 honor faculty, benefit students with gifts to Cohen Science Center “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” – Benjamin Franklin 0 Louise Hazeltine ’44 Retired nurse in the New York Hospital and associate dean and director of the division of education at Cornell School of Nursing Trucksville, Pa. Bachelor of Arts, Nursing, Cornell University Master of Science, New York University 0 Ray Dombroski ’78 Senior Vice President, Product Development 0 0 and Deployment Comcast Corp., Malvern, Pa. Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering, Wilkes University We decided to make a gift because I believe in the mission of Wilkes University and its strong commitment to the region and excellence in its programs. It was a way to show gratitude for my experience at Wilkes and to ‘pay it forward’ to future students.” Like Dombroski, Louise Hazeltine ’44 is providing opportunities for current science students at Wilkes while honoring the faculty members who helped her achieve success. Her gift recognizes biology teachers Charles B. Reif and Lenore Ward, who, Hazeltine says, were invaluable in her pursuit of a science education at Bucknell Junior College in the early 1940s. “Dr. Reif had a good sense of humor and got us all interested in science. I remember his great attention to detail when he prepared slides to view under a microscope. Dr. Ward made even the most reluctant students enjoy the courses she taught, even when they required us to dissect a cat... They challenged us to become excellent students.” Hazeltine says that the greatest impact that these two individuals had on her was “instilling the need to be meticulous.” Mastering this skill served Hazeltine well; she went on to work as a registered nurse at the New York Hospital, earn a master’s degree at New York University and serve as associate dean and director of the division of education at Cornell School of Nursing. “I am pleased to support a space for the next generation as they study to become the best students possible,” she says. WILKES | Fall 2013 A plaque on the third floor of the Cohen Science Center that displays Franklin’s quote reminds students, faculty and staff of the long-term benefits of education. The message becomes even more meaningful when you read the words that accompany it – “In Memory of Umid R. Nejib, Ph.D., Professor, 1965-2002.” The plaque represents a gift by Ray Dombroski ’78 and his wife, Colleen DeMorat, to Wilkes to honor Nejib, Dombroski’s former engineering professor. “The influence of Professor Nejib was important while I was a student, but the real value of my interactions with him only became obvious over time, well after graduation.” Dombroski, a senior vice president of product development and deployment for Comcast Corp., believes that education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics is critical to the economy and global competitiveness. “Having up-to-date lab facilities is an important facet of such an education. As a Wilkes student in the mid-1970s, when Stark Learning Center was built, I recognized that it was time to update the facilities.” 21 �class notes Tom Ralston ’80 Survives Boston Marathon Bombing Tom Ralston ’80 moved to Boston shortly after graduating from Wilkes. It’s a city he’s grown to love. “Everything about Boston is historical, in one way or another—and I love history,” says Ralston, president of the Wilkes University Alumni Association and a fundraiser for Bentley University. Ralston’s personal history merged with his adopted city’s when he was an eyewitness and victim at the April 15, 2013, Boston Marathon bombing. Taking part in the merrymaking at the marathon has long been a tradition for Ralston. “I think I’ve only missed getting to the marathon twice in the 33 years that I’ve lived there,” says Ralston. This year’s event found him strolling by himself on Boylston Street among celebrants near the finish line; Tom Ralston ’80 kneels at the temporary memorial at Copley Square for victims of the Boston Marathon bombing. The memorial has been moved to the Boston Historical Society. Ralston, who was injured in the bombing, is serving on a committee to determine how the city will mark the anniversary of the event in the future. PHOTO COURTESY OF TOM RALSTON. his usual companions were traveling that day. At the hospital, doctors removed “I was enjoying the whole atmosphere when I heard the first explosion to my left, about a block and a half away,” he recalls. Thinking that perhaps the large jumbotron televising the race had exploded, he moved in that direction. Ten to 12 seconds later, the second bomb exploded. “I couldn’t have been more than 12 to 15 feet from it,” Ralston says. The impact knocked him to the ground. “Five, “I think I’ve only missed getting to the marathon twice in the 33 years that I’ve lived there.” him. It was only after he returned home that he realized the black specks on his jeans were small holes burned by bomb debris. He discovered that his leg was burned and had bled. Although his hearing is still impaired nicely” from his other injuries. The that I was on the ground and I was bleeding WILKES | Fall 2013 Boston police detectives questioned in one ear, Ralston says he’s “healing six, maybe seven seconds later, I realized 22 shrapnel from his arm. FBI agents and pretty profusely.” He clambered to his feet and began walking emotional fallout continues, and he still has some flashbacks. He’s from the scene, knowing, even in his confusion, that moving been helped by attending events sponsored by the city of Boston, away from what was obviously an explosion was a good idea. where he’s traded stories with others who were at the scene. Two bystanders who were not injured came to his aid. One, a “I was talking one day to two guys and realized that they were Marine trained in first aid on the battlefield, applied pressure to standing within a couple of feet of where I was. Each of them had stop the heavy bleeding on his arm. He could not hear anything a leg amputated, and I knew God was with me that day.” because the blast had ruptured his eardrums. – By Vicki Mayk MFA ’13 �class notes 1947 Dolores (Seitchek) Price retired after a 64-year career in physical therapy, most recently working at the Masonic Village in Elizabethtown, Pa. Her sister, Rita Seitchek Dicker ’42, and brother, Jacob Seitchek ’49, also attended Wilkes, all when it was Bucknell University Junior College. Price resides in Elizabethtown, Pa. 1954 Elaine (Bogan) Law – see 1952. 1961 Joe Cardone is a humor consultant and inspirational speaker. He presents a variety of seminars, programs and workshops on the value of humor for wellness, stress reduction and positive living. His clients include Celebrity and Royal Caribbean cruise lines and St. Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick, N.J. 1965 G. Joseph Rogers was awarded the IBM President’s Award for Lifetime Achievement for volunteer service in December 2012. His volunteer service includes serving as chairman of the board of the Cambridge Historical Society and secretary/ treasurer of Cambridge Regional Health Center. Both organizations are in Cambridge, Vt., where he lives. Rogers retired from IBM in 1992 after 27 years with the company. 1966 Edward McGinley was inducted into the Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2013. At Wilkes, McGinley was an All-American wrestler in 1963, a Wilkes Open finalist in 1962 and a MidAmerican Conference finalist in 1965. McGinley founded the wrestling program at King’s College and has coached there for the past 44 years. 1970 Edward Burke was inducted into the Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2013. Burke played offensive tackle on Wilkes University’s legendary Golden Horde football team, was a part of a 32-game winning streak and helped Wilkes win three MidAmerican Conference titles and the 1968 Lambert Bowl. From 1972-1977 he coached football at Wyoming Valley West High School. He retired in 2005 after 35 years teaching at the school. 1952 Dianne Charsha is in the second year of Drexel University’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program. She is studying in the executive leadership track. 1972 Bill Hanbury joined the executive search firm Boyden’s Washington, D.C., office as a principal and will recruit candidates to fill board, senior executive and functional leader roles. 1987 Carmen Mazzatta was appointed president of the health care division at Modern Marketing Concepts, Inc. Prior to his appointment, Mazzatta led technology-based health care sales and marketing business processing for inVentiv Health and Express Scripts. Ronald Rittenmeyer received an honorary master’s degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College on June 8, 2013. The degree was presented by Maj. Gen. Anthony Cucolo and U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond T. Odierno. Rittenmeyer was recognized for his leadership of the U.S. Army War College Board of Visitors, including his involvement in the strategic direction of the institution. 1993 Melanie O’Donnell Mickelson and Christopher Wade were married on June 23, 2012, at Weckesser Hall on the Wilkes campus. The bride is the vice president of enrollment services at Wilkes. The groom teaches social studies in Forest City Regional School District and is supervisor at the Edward A. Wade Funeral Home in Carbondale, Pa. 1980 Edward White is director of corporate communications at the National Basketball Association’s Indiana Pacers organization where his job responsibilities include conducting the post-game show. Donald Law and wife Elaine Law ’54 celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on April 11, 2013. They met at Wilkes. Center in the thermal fluid sciences department. She, her husband, Bruce, and children Nathan, 21, and Abigail, 19, live in West Hartford, Conn. 1985 Naomi Cohen has joined United Technologies Research 1995 William F. Noone was inducted into the Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame’s Class of 2013. At Wilkes, Noone was a member of a Mid-American Conference championship baseball team and was named All-MAC Freedom League first team. He was inducted into the University’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005. He works for Prudential Financial. WILKES | Fall 2013 Undergraduate Degrees 23 �class notes of integrated communications at Elizabethtown College. She joined the university in August 2010, previously serving as integrated marketing manager. In her new role, she serves as editor of Elizabethtown, the official college magazine, and managing editor of E-town Now, the college’s online news publication. 2009 Kathy Dalton married Matt Wagner on Oct. 27, 2012. Kathy works as a residence area coordinator for York College of Pennsylvania. Matt is a mechanical engineer for the U.S. Army at the Aberdeen Test Center. They reside in York, Pa. Pictured at their wedding, from left, are Amanda Heyl, Christine Heyl. Lindsay Behrenshausen ‘11, Trudy Dalton, Debbie Welch, Kathy (Wagner) Dalton ‘09, Matt Wagner ‘09, Josh Potts, Joe Wagner, Chris Wagner, Jamie Montville ‘09, Eric Skoglund ‘09 and Pete Wassel ‘09. 1997 Margaret Manley was appointed director of performance measurement and reporting at TMG Health. She also was elected president of the Northeastern Chapter of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants for the 2013-2014 year. WILKES | Fall 2013 Heather (Howell) Johnson and her husband, John, announce the birth of their son Koda Anthony Krys Johnson. He joins John Nelson-Ray, Karl Aidan and Justus Xavier to complete the Johnson clan. 24 1998 Aldith Campbell received her MBA and pursued a doctor of education degree in counseling psychology. She works in the mental health field and serves as an adjunct instructor. 1999 Corinna Sowers-Adler has been asked to sing at Lincoln Center as part of the Mabel Mercer Foundation’s New York City Cabaret Convention on Oct. 10, 2013. James Warner MFA ’09 is managing editor of Quiddity International Literary Journal and Public Radio program in Springfield, Ill. 2000 Donna Talarico-Beerman MFA ’10 was named director 2006 Jeffrey Bartman was appointed assistant principal at Springhouse Middle School in Allentown, Pa. 2008 Janelle Weiand Caruano Pharm. D. see Graduate Students 2008. 2009 Farrah Munir graduated from the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine in Blacksburg,Va. Her father, Dr. Muhammad Munir, presented her diploma. Jamie Gywnn graduated with a master’s degree in public administration from the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania. He is assistant to the manager of Northampton Township in Richboro, Pa. 2011 Anthony Dorunda is the producer for the 10 p.m. weekday and 11 p.m. weekend newscasts at WKRC, the CBS-affiliate station in Cincinnati, Ohio. He previously served as a news producer at WBRE-TV in Wilkes-Barre. 2012 Sara Cosgrove is assistant director in the annual giving office at Princeton University. She manages Princeton’s student-organized phonathon and the alumni phonathon. Liza Prokop was hired as Wilkes-Barre City’s community relations coordinator. 2013 Kirstin Cook is a producer at WBRE-TV in Wilkes-Barre. She received the Society of Professional Journalists Region 1 Mark of Excellence secondplace award in general news reporting for a small college newspaper for her story “Gilmour’s paid sabbatical amid proposal of cuts disturbs faculty” at the society’s Region 1 Spring Conference at Rutgers University.The article appeared while Cook was editor of The Beacon at Wilkes. William Thomas received the Society of Professional Journalists Region 1 Mark of Excellence third-place award in feature writing for a small college newspaper for his Beacon story about Professor Bradford Kinney’s retirement. It was presented at the society’s Region 1 Spring Conference at Rutgers University. �class notes Annual Baseball Trip a Home Run for Grissom Hall Alumni For some members of the classes of 1970 and 1971, baseball has become more than America’s pastime. It’s a way to maintain their Wilkes friendships. Bart Hauser ’70, John Squeri ’70, Jack Mulligan ’70, Ken Ganser ’70, Len Surdi ’70, Jim Darlington ’70, Bob Tarone ’71 and David Silberman ’70, residents of the Grissom Hall section of Pickering Hall, get together once a year to see a major league baseball game. The group has visited 13 cities with hopes of visiting all 30 major league baseball teams during their lifetimes. Graduate Degrees 2007 Jennifer Freed MFA recently published her young adult historical fiction novel The Last Encampment with Northampton Press. The idea surfaced in the mid-90s when a few of them decided to go to Chicago and catch a Cubs game. A trip to see the Baltimore Orioles followed the next year. The group came back to Wilkes for their 30th class reunion in 2000. That same year, after a trip to a Boston Red Sox game, they decided to make it a yearly tradition to visit a major league baseball stadium together. The group has visited St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Milwaukee, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Boston and a minor league game in Memphis. This year, the men went to Toronto to see the Toronto Blue Jays, and next year they plan to visit New York to see the new Yankees Stadium. “It’s just a group decision that we sit around and talk and usually one guy says, ‘Well, let’s go to this place,’ and we basically all agree to it,” Silberman says, adding that the desire to get together is as important as the location. Planning the trip also involves working around each 2008 Erin Delaney MA was featured at Misericordia University’s Speaker Series “From Mouth to Mic: Waxing Poetic II.” She teaches literature at Misericordia and also teaches the sophomore seminar at Southern New Hampshire University. person’s schedule and travel; some years one or two members can’t make the trip. Because most of them live in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, they usually travel together, with Silberman flying in from Memphis, Tenn., and Surdi coming from Bellingham, Wash. In addition to visiting baseball stadiums, the group has also visited Mount Rushmore; the Field 2009 Chad Mullen MFA’s book The Mirror of Aberrantine is scheduled to be published by Northampton House Press. of Dreams movie site in Dyersville, Iowa; Graceland and the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis; and the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. Squeri and Silberman agree that these trips are something each of them look forward to and a chance Lori Myers MA had her short story “Dante’s Window” published in the inaugural issue of Rock Bottom Journal. She also recently interviewed singer Helen Reddy for an article in B Magazine. for them to get together. meet and just become Wilkes College kids every year,” Silberman says. – By Christine Lee Top photo: Grissom Hall alumni traveled to Toronto this year on their annual baseball park pilgrimage to see the Blue Jays play at the Rogers Centre. Pictured from left are David Silberman ’70, John Squeri ’70, Bart Hauser ’70, Bob Tarone ’71, Ken Ganser ’70 and Jack Mulligan ’70. Bottom photo: In 2012, the self-described “Wilkes College kids” traveled to Washington, D.C., to see the Washington Nationals play. Pictured from left to right are Mulligan, Ganser, Silberman. Hauser, Jim Darlington ’70 and Squeri – and a very whimsical “Teddy Roosevelt.” PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAVID SILBERMAN ’70. Kevin Voglino MA’s second book, Tea Time Boys, is now available from Rogue Phoenix Press. James Warner MFA – see Undergraduate Students 1999. 2010 Donna Talarico-Beerman MFA – see Undergraduate Students 2000. WILKES | Fall 2013 “The baseball theme is what has gotten us to stay together and to 25 �class notes Martin Strayer ’93: Hounds and Chicks Play Well Together company Clair Brothers, where he provided audio and sound Martin Strayer ’93 has found his true love in music. In 2006, “I was brought in to help with their sound engineering,” he after he joined the road crew of the popular country music recalls. “They were in rehearsals when I flew to Austin to meet band the Dixie Chicks, he began collaborating with two of its the crew.” three members, producing new material and forming a spin-off mixes for large concert venues around the world. But he missed playing with a band on stage. His biggest musical influences have been Mozart, The Beatles, Eddie Van Halen, Soundgarden, and Pearl Jam, but it was meeting the Dixie Chicks that got him back on stage. The rest, he says, is history. “I started writing songs under the radar. The idea to start a new band came to mind. My time at group, The Court Yard Hounds. He remembers quite well his first-day orientation at Wilkes in fall 1988, especially the encouraging remarks made by Dean Wilkes helped me become a smart business man, right down to finding a band name.” Jane Lampe-Groh, which promised new students that the The name Court Yard Hounds evolved from a novel mentioned friends they made during their time at Wilkes would become in David Benioff’s book City of Thieves. “We brainstormed their best friends throughout life. “What Dean Lampe-Groh about stuff we had read,” Strayer says. “It came down to a said is true,” he says. “My book within a book about a character who never gives up on Wilkes experience helped form his dreams.” life-long friends, including the The group released its self-titled debut album in 2010, guys that became part of the securing a spot in Billboard’s Top 10. Strayer continued to write band.” songs, along with Martie Maguire, who, along with her sister, After graduating, he segued into sound engineering, Emily Robison, also are two thirds of the group known as the Dixie Chicks. Lead vocalist Natalie Maines went on to record a working for the concert audio solo album, which was released earlier this year. Martin Strayer ’93, center, flanked by Court Yard Hounds—and former Dixie Chicks, Martie Maguire and Emily Robison—have released a second album, featuring tunes written by Strayer. on Columbia Records. “Amelita” is the title track, about a young On July 16, Court Yard Hounds released their second album girl from Mexico who needs direction in her life. The album features a dozen tracks, 10 of which Strayer co-wrote. PHOTO COURTESY MARTIN STRAYER WILKES | Fall 2013 – By Bill Schneider MA ’13 26 Sarah Pugh MFA’s original series Killjoy made the Top 25 Semi-Final round of the Austin Television Festival’s Pitch Competition. William Lowenburg MFA’s monograph “Crash Burn Love” was featured with a 14-picture spread on Slate.com’s photo blog “Behold.” Gale Martin MA was featured at the annual book and author luncheon of the Willingboro, Pa., chapter of the American Association of University Women on April 26, 2013, where she gave an author talk followed by a book signing. She appeared at the fourth annual BookFest PA, part of the 2013 Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, on July 13, 2013. Tara Caimi MFA’s memoir excerpt “Without Words” was published in Outside In Literary & Travel Magazine. 2011 Carol MacAllister MFA was accepted into the Horror Writers Association. Patricia Florio MFA’s short story “Golden Boy” was published in the summer issue of Newtown Literary. 2009 Jennifer Cerra, Pharm.D. and James Sharp were married June 22, 2013, at the Nassau Valley Vineyards in Lewes, Del. Pictured in the back row, from left, standing are: Amy Lynn Antos Pharm. D. ’08, Tony Scerbo ’08, Neil Bavitz Pharm. D. ’07, Andrew Eckert ’07, Sarina Kapoor ’07, Tina Guraya-Davies Pharm. D. ’09, Stephen Davies Pharm. D. ’11, Lindsay Klish Pharm. D. ’09, Bill Barbester Pharm. D. ’06 and Jonathan McClave ’07. Pictured in the front row from left are: Brenton Shaffer Pharm. D. ’15, Paola Pardo-Bavitz ’06, Jenna Strzelecki ’09, Cerra, Joellen Cerra-Morgan ’08, Alysha Nicholls ’08 and Kate McClave ’08. �class notes Janelle Weiand Caruano Pharm. D. was named Pharmacist of the Year by the Delaware Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists. She works as a clinical pharmacist at Bayhealth Kent General Hospital in Dover, Del. She is pictured with pharmacy technician Dottie Collison at the awards ceremony. Brian Fanelli MFA began a full-time position teaching English at Lackawanna College in August 2013. His poem “Writing the Last Word” appeared in the June 2013 issue of Spillway and his poem “Temp Worker” was accepted by The Oklahoma Review. A third poem, “Goodbyes in a Blackout,” was accepted by North Chicago Review. Fanelli is studying for his doctorate in English at SUNY Binghamton. In Memoriam 1938 Marion Dunstan Karsten, Kingston, Pa., died April 25. She was a teacher at Wyoming Seminary, Crestwood High School, Wyoming Area Senior High School, and also taught in the Wilkes-Barre Area School District. 1941 Kenneth Kressler, Manchester Township, N.J., died Jan. 12. 1945 Dr. Robert E. Karns, Mayfield Heights, Ohio, died Dec. 27, 2011. 1947 James Patrick Flynn, Midland, Mich., died April 14. Flynn Christopher Bullard MFA had his chapbook Dear Leatherface accepted for publication by Kattywompus Press. His full-length collection Back is also scheduled for publication this year with WordTech Communications. 2012 Ginger Marcinkowski MFA is now a regular column contributor to Book Fun Magazine. worked for 33 years for Dow Chemical as a research scientist and project leader. 1949 Arthur D. Dalessandro, Yatesville, Pa., died May 22. Dalessandro served in the U.S. Air Force and was a World War II veteran. He was a trial lawyer for 17 years and served for two decades as state trial judge. James Morrash, Media, Pa., died May 26. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. Morrash worked for Westinghouse Corp. 1950 Mary Porter Evans, Lexington, Ky., died March 3. She was a charter member of Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Bluegrass. Sandee Gertz Umbach MFA’s book of poetry, The Pattern Maker’s Daughter, received 2nd place in the national Tillie Olsen Award competition for creative writing given by the Working Class Studies Association. Amye Archer MFA became writing center coordinator at the University of Scranton in fall 2013. Kevin McCormick MBA was promoted to assistant vice president at Fidelity Bank. He lives in Dunmore, Pa. Edward V. Gill, WilkesBarre, Pa., died May 17. He served in the U.S. Navy and was a veteran of World War II and the Korean War. He retired from the Tobyhanna Army Depot in 1989. Edward A. Godek, Tappan, N.Y., died March 13, 2012. Godek was a U.S. Army Air Corps veteran of World War II. Before retiring in 1992, he was a teacher at Tappan Grammar School. Walter F. Haczewski, Plains Township, Pa., died April 8. He served in the U.S. Navy and was a veteran of World War II. Haczewski worked at Roth Novelty Co. of Wilkes-Barre. 2013 Todd McClimans MFA’s alternate-history middle grade manuscript Time Traitor was one of five finalists in the 2013 National Association of Elementary School Principals Children’s Book Award competition. Lori A. May MA was featured in an interview at r.kv.ry Quarterly Literary Journal, where her poetry also was featured. She also had an essay published in Northern Cardinal Review. Jason Carney MFA has signed a contract to have his memoir Starve the Vulture published by Kaylie Jones Books, an imprint of Akashic Books. Storefront Pictures has optioned the book for film rights. Paul E. Huff, Vienna, Va., died Oct. 11, 2012. He worked for the CIA for 47 years and, after his retirement, recruited for the agency at colleges and universities. He was a member of the Wilkes board of trustees under former President Christopher Breiseth and received the Wilkes Excellence Award for Public Service in 2000. Editor’s Note: Incorrect information about Mr. Huff was printed in the spring/summer issue of Wilkes. We apologize for the error. Richard “Dick” E. Martin, Cherry Hill, N.J., died March 23. Martin was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II. For 36 years, Martin worked for GMAC. WILKES | Fall 2013 2008 Rachel Strayer MFA’s play, Drowning Ophelia, will be produced by Repurposed Theatre in San Francisco, Calif. Performances are scheduled for fall 2013. 27 �class notes Robert Lee Williams, Jr., Gillette, N.J., died April 5. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. 1951 Donald E. Blankenbush, Pennington, N.J., died May 16. He served in the U.S. Army and was a veteran of the Korean War. For 37 years, Blankenbush taught at the Princeton Regional Schools. Henry F. Heineman, Corning, N.Y., died Sept. 14, 2012. Heineman was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II. He owned and operated Credit Adjustment Bureau of Corning. Richard J. Rappaport, Columbia, Md., died Nov. 23, 2010. He served in the U. S. Army. 1953 Theodore “Ted” Lazarus Krohn, Myrtle Beach, S.C., died March 25. He served as a captain in the U.S. Army Reserve. Krohn was a professor of accounting at Wilkes and for many years worked as an attorney and solicitor, serving the Municipality of Kingston, Borough of Dallas, and Back Mountain Police Association. WILKES | Fall 2013 1954 William J. Lendener, Lacey Township, N.J., died Jan. 11. Lendener served in the U.S. Navy. He worked as a chemist with Citgo Petroleum. 28 1955 William “Bill” W. Walp, Lancaster, Pa., died May 7, 2013. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II.Walp retired from the banking industry, where he worked for National Bank and Fulton Bank. 1957 Frank Lutinski, Hampton, Pa., died June 1, 2012. He was a senior research chemist at Gulf Oil. 1958 William “Bill” A. Littleton, Sr., Devon, Pa., died April 6. Littleton was employed at General Electric Aerospace Division in Philadelphia until opening his own construction business. 1959 Ernest “Ernie” Ashbridge, Jr., Shaverton, Pa., died April 9. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. For 41 years, Ashbridge worked at Hanover Bank of Pennsylvania. 1960 William J. Woll, Harrisburg, Pa., died March 22. Woll served as executive director of the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association. 1965 Keith P. Ackerman, Noank, Conn., died Nov. 18, 2012. He taught art at Fitch Junior High School and Fitch Middle School. 1966 Carol Cowell, Apache Junction, Ariz., died Feb. 21. 1967 Jan Thomas Kubicki, Philadelphia, Pa., died March 6. He worked at Marple Newtown High School, where he won state championships for directing drama club productions. He was self-employed at Truefire, a photography business. 1968 Wayne Bloomberg, Northampton, Pa., died Jan. 8. He served in the U.S. Air Force and was a Vietnam War veteran. Until his retirement in 2003, Bloomberg worked at AT&T. Barbara Mary Salus, Freedom, Pa., died May 2. Salus was a social worker at the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Western Center. 1969 Dayle Hemingway Swisher, Clarks Summit, Pa., died April 27. She was a nurse at the Georgetown University Hospital and Arlington Hospital in Virginia as well as in her husband’s private practice. 1972 Dr. D. Keith Ferrell, WilkesBarre, Pa., died May 1, 2013. Ferrell was the founder and director of the Forensic Assessment and Counseling Unit at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility. He also served as the program director for Pennsylvania Institute for Rational Emotive Therapy and associate professor at the Albert Ellis Institute in New York. 1973 Anthony “Tony” Karuzie, Avoca, Pa., died March 23. Karuzie served in the U.S. Army Special Forces and was part of the 82nd Airborne Division. He worked as an operations manager at Ingersoll Rand Company. David G. Lieb, Wilkes-Barre, Pa., died May 7. 1975 Donald Smith,White Haven, Pa., died April 6. Smith served in the U.S. Air Force and was a veteran of the Korean War and chairman of the NATO working party in Brussels, Belgium. For 36 years, he worked at the Tobyhanna Army Depot. 1982 Dr. Beverly A. Rothery, Kingston, Pa., died Feb. 23. Rothery practiced medicine at Marietta Medical Care in Marietta, Ohio, and also worked at the Stepby-Step Program in Wilkes-Barre. 1985 Jacqueline A. Vandeberg, Fairview Township, Pa., died May 22. She was employed by Nabisco Inc. 1986 Jane D. Lashock, Hazleton, Pa., died Oct. 13, 2012. She worked in nursing at Geisinger Medical Center, Pocono Medical Center, Palmerton Hospital, St. Joseph’s Medical Center and Hazleton General Hospital. 1987 Evan M. Chumard, Scranton, Pa., died July 24, 2011. Chumard worked as a veterinary technician. 2005 Beth Ann Wenner, Freeland, Pa., died Nov. 21, 2011. She was employed by the Keystone Job Corps Center in Drums, Pa., and was studying for her doctorate at Marywood University. Friends of Wilkes Dr. David Walter Kistler, WilkesBarre, Pa., died March 24, 2013. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War. Kistler dedicated his life to service in his community where he had a medical practice for 52 years. �Thank You to Our Donors Thank you to the 2,691 alumni who gave a gift to Wilkes in the 2012-2013 fiscal year. Your gift enables Wilkes to provide current and future students with excellent academic programs, cutting-edge research opportunities, life-changing cocurricular experiences and scholarship aid. Without your generosity, these programs would not be possible. We’re pleased to announce that, for the first time,Wilkes University’s annual report of gifts will be published online. You will receive a postcard in the mail directing you to the new report when it is available. There you will be able to view the following: • John Wilkes Society members—annual donors who contribute at least $1,000 each year • Marts Society members—contributors participating in gift-planning programs • Giving by class year • Giving by constituency Much progress was made across campus in the 2012-2013 fiscal year because of the generosity of our donors, University family, business partners and friends. Highlights include: • more than $5,000 raised by the class of 2013, which furnished a student lounge in the Cohen Science Center; • three new annual endowed and five new endowed scholarships established to benefit students from a variety of disciplines; • the renovation and expansion of the Munson Field House at Ralston Athletic Complex; • and the completion of the $35 million state-of-the-art Cohen Science Center. �w WILKES UNIVERSITY Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 WILKES UNIVERSITY calendar of events October November 1-20 Sordoni Art Gallery exhibit, The Art of Balliet 3 Allen P. Kirby Center Lecture featuring political columnist Jonah Goldberg, Darte Center, 7:30 p.m. 4-6 Homecoming Weekend 4 Dedication, Cohen Science Center, 4 p.m. 17 Wilkes University & King’s College Alumni Networking Night, 6 p.m., Rodano’s 19 Passport to Science, community open house, Cohen Science Center 29-Dec. 15 Sordoni Art Gallery exhibit, nine-O-one: Jim Lennox, Sculpture and Paintings 29-Dec. 15 Sordoni Art Gallery exhibit, Visual Literacy: Paintings by Chad W. Stanley 5 J. Michael Lennon, reading and book signing, 7 p.m., Henry Student Center 6 Connecting the Dots, alumni networking event with current Wilkes students, Henry Student Center, 6 p.m. 8, 9, 15, 16 Theater Performance, Seussical, The Musical, Darte Center, 8 p.m. 9 Admissions Open House 10, 17 Theater Performance, Seussical, The Musical, Darte Center, 2 p.m. 17 Empty Bowls, benefiting local food banks, Henry Student Center,11:30 a.m. 22 Choral Ensembles Concert, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Wilkes-Barre, 7:30 p.m. 24 Civic Band Concert, guest narrator Patrick Leahy, President of Wilkes University, Darte Center, 7:30 p.m. December 2 Graduate Studies Information Session, Henry Student Center Ballroom, 6-8 p.m. 5 Jazz Orchestra Concert, Darte Center, 8 p.m. 7 Flute Ensemble Concert, Darte Center, 7 p.m. 8 Chamber Orchestra Concert, Darte Center, 3 p.m. January 25 Athletic Hall of Fame Celebration, Marts Center For details on times and locations, check www.wilkes.edu and www.wilkes.edu/alumni or phone (800) WILKES-U. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Alumni Magazine, 1947-present Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Description An account of the resource <p>An archive of Wilkes University Magazine, from 1947-present. The magazine went through various names including <em>Wilkes Alumnus</em>, <em>Wilkes Quarterly,</em> <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, and the current title, <em>Wilkes Magazine</em>. Some editions for the <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, will have multiple issues within the file record. Our holdings may be missing editions for certain years due to having no physical copy within the collection. </p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Wilkes University Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Wilkes University Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1947-present Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Magazine, Fall 2013 Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Marketing Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 2013 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Type The nature or genre of the resource Magazine magazine Wilkes Magazine https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/0f7a68dc4ed1e1a980157f1b8c884b7e.pdf 9adb1636d1d8987190912f498ef6c078 PDF Text Text FALL 2014 Hunting for Success Nate Hosie ’08 is a World-Class Hunter and Aspiring Musician INSIDE: THE FUTURE OF BUSINESS AT WILKES UNIVERSITY Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 1 10/6/14 9:15 PM �president’s letter VOLUME 8 | ISSUE 3 WILKES MAGAZINE Strategic Plan Provides Gateway to the Future University President Dr. Patrick F. Leahy Vice President for Advancement Michael Wood S ince becoming president of Wilkes, many alumni have heard me say that we can become one of the finest universities, not just in this region, but in this nation. That can only happen if we have a clear sense of direction and an understanding of how we will get there. With the completion of Gateway to the Future: The Wilkes University Strategic Plan 2014-2020, we are ready to continue this journey. Our new strategic plan focuses on six key themes: 1. Foster Excellence in Academic Programs: As a University dedicated to student success and lifelong learning, Wilkes must continue to develop programs that transform students’ lives. 2. Invest in Our People: Since faculty, staff and alumni are our most important assets in transforming the lives of our students, Wilkes must continue to invest in these relationships. 3. Recruit, Retain, Place and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate Students: As an enrollment-dependent institution, Wilkes must make the most of its opportunities to increase enrollment of undergraduate and graduate students, recruiting these students from an increasingly wide area. 4. Improve Our Financial Strength: With the cost of attendance reaching a tipping point, Wilkes must strengthen and diversify its ability to generate and manage resources. 5. Strengthen Our Campus Infrastructure: With intensifying competition for students, Wilkes must ensure that we have the facilities and resources that our faculty, staff, and students need to excel. 6. Support Efforts at Redeveloping Downtown Wilkes-Barre: As an anchor in the center of Wilkes-Barre, Wilkes must continue to be a force for positive economic, cultural and social development in its community. Wilkes President Patrick F. Leahy shares his vision for the University at the first Founders Gala. This message allows me to provide only the briefest of overviews of this dynamic plan. I invite you to visit www.wilkes.edu and click on “About Wilkes.” Under a link for Leadership, you will be able to read the plan in its entirety. It is an ambitious plan. But, as the poet, Goethe, said: “Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men.” At Wilkes, we have big dreams, and we’ll need everyone in order to realize them. Please join me in supporting these efforts. Dr. Patrick F. Leahy Wilkes University President Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 1 FALL 2014 Executive Editor Jack Chielli M.A.’08 Managing Editor Kim Bower-Spence Editor Vicki Mayk MFA’13 Creative Services Lisa Reynolds Web Services Craig Thomas MBA’11 Electronic Communications Joshua Bonner Graduate Assistant Francisco Tutella Bill Thomas ’13 Interns Shawn Carey Alyssa Stencavage Layout/Design Kara Reid Printing Pemcor Inc. EDITORIAL ADVISORY GROUP Anne Batory ’68 Brandie Meng M’08 Bill Miller ’81 George Pawlush ’69 M.S.’76 Donna Sedor ’85 ALUMNI RELATIONS STAFF Director Bridget Giunta Husted ’05 Associate Director Mary Balavage Simmons ’10 Alumni Events Manager Jacki Lukas ’11 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OFFICERS President Cindy Charnetski ’97 Vice President Ellen Hall ’71 Secretary Kathy Heltzel ’82 MSA ’85 Historian Laura Cardinale ’72 Wilkes magazine is published three times a year by the Wilkes University Office of Marketing Communications and Government Relations, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766, wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu, (570) 408-4779. Please send change of address to the above address. Wilkes University is an independent institution of higher education dedicated to academic and intellectual excellence in the liberal arts, sciences and professional programs. The university provides its students with the experience and education necessary for career and intellectual development as well as for personal growth, engenders a sense of values and civic responsibility, and encourages its students to welcome the opportunities and challenges of a diverse and continually changing world. The university enhances the tradition of strong student-faculty interactions in all its programs, attracts and retains outstanding people in every segment of the university, and fosters a spirit of cooperation, community involvement, and individual respect within the entire university. 10/6/14 9:15 PM �6 12 18 14 contents FEATURES 6 Professional Prognostications The Jay S. Sidhu School of Business and Leadership marks its 10th anniversary as faculty and alumni contemplate the future of business. PHOTO COURTESY “HEADHUNTERS TV” 12 �Passport to Experience 2 On Campus 5 Athletics 20 Alumni News 22 Class Notes Three Wilkes alumni launch their teaching careers at an international school in Malaysia. 14 �Paradise Found Jason Evans ’00 runs his successful video production company, SilverShark Media, on Maui. 18 Hunting for Success Nate Hosie ’08 is a professional hunter and an up-and-coming musician. Have a story idea to share? Contact us at wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu or Wilkes magazine, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766. Wilkes magazine is available online at www.wilkes.edu/wilkesmagazineonline £:j FPO SC WILKES | Winter 2014 Nate Hosie ’08 is a professional hunter on the Outdoor Channel’s “Headhunters TV.” DEPARTMENTS 1 Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 1 10/6/14 9:15 PM �on campus Students in Tune With New Marching Band The Marching Colonels—Wilkes’ new marching band—stepped out for the first time at the Sept. 6 home football game. The 32 band members participated in a ten-day band camp prior to the start of classes to get them ready for their unique role as members of the region’s first collegiate marching band. In addition to learning their repertoire of classic rock and roll and practicing their marching moves, one of the highlights of the camp was trying on their uniforms for the first time. The band is directed by associate professor of music Philip Simon. Left, Marching Colonels Sarah Hankey, Lauren McClintock, and Autumn Peck show off their new uniforms during band camp. Right, freshman Lauren McClintock tries on her hat for marching band for the first time. PHOTOS BY STEVE HUSTED WILKES | Fall 2014 Wilkes Receives $3 Million in State Funding for Engineering Labs The future of engineering education at Wilkes received a boost with a transformative gift from the state of Pennsylvania. Gov. Tom Corbett announced that the University is receiving a $3 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grant for engineering labs in the College of Science and Engineering. The grant, which requires Wilkes to match the funding, will be used to make $6 million in improvements “The laboratories that we create from this funding will allow us to continue our goal of providing students with the facilities and opportunities of a much larger institution in the intimate setting of a liberal arts college,” Wilkes President Patrick Leahy said. “It also will allow us to continue our commitment to support the city of Wilkes-Barre and the region. We will do that by sharing these facilities with our industrial partners.” Because of the interdisciplinary nature of research, science students outside of the engineering major will have opportunities to use the labs, Leahy said. The money will fund renovations to the Stark Learning Center— including creation or upgrading of three new high-tech laboratories for research and development. The labs are: The Nanotechnology Laboratory will be a multi-disciplinary, state-of-the art-facility to support teaching and research in microelectronics and nanotechnology. Nanotechnology, one of the most cutting-edge areas of research, involves understanding and controlling matter at an extremely small scale. The state funding will allow Wilkes to make optimum use of $500,000 in nanotechnology equipment already donated to the University by Fairchild Semiconductor of Mountaintop, Pa. The Additive Manufacturing Laboratory will be an integral part of the Applied Manufacturing Center. Additive manufacturing includes emerging fields like 3-D printing and developing automated processes that allow precise manufacturing at high volumes. The Bioengineering Laboratory will provide for advanced work and research in the fields of microscopy, robotics and computational sciences. Wilkes offers a master’s degree in bioengineering. 2 Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 2 10/6/14 9:15 PM �on campus New Director and New Direction at Allan P. Kirby Center Wilkes’ Allan P. Kirby Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship has a new director and a new direction. Rodney Ridley Sr. is the new director and is also its Allan P Kirby Jr. Distinguished Professor of Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship. In announcing Ridley’s appointment, the University also unveiled plans for major new programs that build on the Kirby Center’s mission and expand its offerings. These include establishing a business incubator in downtown Wilkes-Barre and a technology transfer office at the University. Ridley previously served as director of the Division of Engineering and Physics. “Never satisfied with the status quo, Dr. Ridley in five years has made a significant contribution to engineering education at Wilkes.” – President Patrick F. Leahy STARTING SEASON SPORT COACH SCORECARD New coaches, new sports – you need a scorecard to keep up with all of the developments in Wilkes athletics program. HARRY IZZI METZ SARA MYERS TREY BROWN ARMSTRONG .. 4D• V' .. •& CURTIS JAQUES MARK BARNES .X.~ •~ .. .. Men’s & Women’s Basketball Field Hockey Football Women’s Golf Men’s Lacrosse Swimming 2014-2015 2014-2015 Fall 2014 Fall 2014 Fall 2015 2014-2015 WILKES | Fall 2014 ATHLETICS In announcing the appointment, President Patrick F. Leahy said that Ridley’s vision for encouraging entrepreneurial education spanning academic disciplines and his ability to build strategic partnerships with business and industry makes him uniquely suited to his new role. “In the five years that Dr. Ridley has been at Wilkes, he has become known for his ability to be an innovative and entrepreneurial thinker,” Leahy said. “Never satisfied with the status quo, Dr. Ridley in five years has made a significant contribution to engineering education at Wilkes. His vision for a new direction for the Allan P. Kirby Center promises to transform entrepreneurial education at the University and impact the development of new enterprises in the region.” The Allan P. Kirby Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship was established in 1993 with a focus on teaching the principles of free enterprise and entrepreneurship. The center’s core mission is to educate and encourage young people with the vision, ambition and agility to launch and run the businesses of the future. An annual lecture series, The Allan P. Kirby Lecture in Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, has brought leading experts in business and politics to the campus and community. 3 Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 3 10/6/14 9:15 PM �on campus Distinct School of Nursing Established Beginning With 2014-2015 Academic Year Wilkes Debuts New Web Site Wilkes has established a distinct School of Nursing, becoming the only higher education institution with a separate nursing school in northeast Pennsylvania. The move, which began with the start of the 2014-2015 academic year, allows Wilkes to better respond to a growing demand for nursing programs regionally and nationally. Anne A. Skleder, senior vice president and provost, said that the move allows for a stronger focus on nursing education and reflects Wilkes’ larger academic mission. “Creating a separate Wilkes University School of Nursing will add to the University’s unique academic footprint. Wilkes will have seven separate schools and colleges similar to a much larger university but our programs will be offered in the mentoring culture of a small liberal arts university,” Skleder said. Skleder also announced that Deborah Zbegner Deborah A. Zbegner is interim dean of the School of Nursing. Zbegner, who had served as director of Wilkes graduate nursing programs, will provide leadership and guidance over undergraduate and graduate programs. A national search for a permanent dean will be conducted in the coming year. Wilkes’ undergraduate and graduate nursing programs grew significantly over the last few years. Additional growth is expected due to an expanding job market for nurses. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects nursing jobs to increase by 19.4 percent by 2022. A nursing student practices administering oxygen on a manikin in the nursing simulation center. WILKES | Fall 2014 PHOTO BY LISA REYNOLDS Get ready for a new experience when visiting Wilkes’ web site. A newly designed site with improved navigability will debut at www.wilkes.edu some time in October. A poster campaign on campus, pictured here, piqued interest in the soon-to-be unveiled site. Pharmacy Professor Eric Wright Studies Role of Community Pharmacists in Health Care Eric Wright, associate professor of pharmacy practice, has received a $600,000 research grant from the National Association of Chain Drugstores Foundation to expand the role of community pharmacists within the health care team. Wright is partnering with Geisinger Health System and participating pharmacies Eric Wright in central and northeastern Pennsylvania in conducting the study. “This research is focused on how we can expand the role of the pharmacist to reduce the rate of 30-day readmissions among high-risk patients,” says Wright, principal investigator, who holds a joint appointment as a faculty member in the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy at Wilkes and research investigator at Geisinger’s Center for Health Research. “Our goal is to significantly reduce the percentage of patients readmitted with high-risk conditions, such as heart attack, pneumonia, heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by June 2016.” Wright explained that some readmissions are due to medication errors, adverse reactions to medication or lack of adherence. Wright will analyze what he calls a “warm handoff,” which occurs when a hospital pharmacist forwards a discharged patient’s medical information to the patient’s preferred pharmacist. Provided with this information, the community pharmacist can better evaluate a patient’s medication needs. The pharmacist can then perform an extra consultation with the patient to ensure he or she understands prescription information, when and how to take the drug and its possible side effects. 4 Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 4 10/6/14 9:15 PM �athletics PRESCRIPTION FOR SUCCESS Colonels Defensive Back Omar Richardson Balances Responsibilities By Bill Thomas ’13 Omar Richardson is thinking about the future. Specifically, he’s thinking about his post-graduate plans to pursue a two-year residency specializing in oncology after completing his doctor of pharmacy degree in 2016. It’s a specialization that holds personal resonance for Richardson. “I got into pharmacy because I always liked chemistry, and my dad is in the medical field too, so that influenced me a lot. But my main reason for getting into the healthcare field is to give back to people who have cancer,” says Richardson, whose father commutes to a job as a CT scan technician in Brooklyn. “I’ve lost multiple family members to cancer and I still have family members winning the fight against cancer. I’ve lost my grandfather, aunt and cousins, and I have two aunts right now who are winning the battle against cancer. I don’t mind telling people about my family’s battle with cancer because it’s what motivates me to do well in school and reach my goals.” Staying motivated is key for Richardson. Not only is the East Stroudsburg native enrolled in a challenging major at Wilkes, he’s also a defensive back for the school’s football team. Many students would find maintaining the balance between such demanding priorities to be an obstacle. For Richardson, though, the level of time management required to maintain a rigid schedule of classes, labs and athletic practice is just what he needs to keep him grounded. “My first semester of college was rough. That was the only semester I didn’t play football,” Richardson says. “My lowest GPA was my first semester, but once I started playing football, I started doing way better. It actually got easier for me. “...my main reason for getting into the healthcare field is to give back to people who have cancer.” Omar Richardson is playing his final season for the Colonels. PHOTO BY CURTIS SALONICK It gives me less time to play around and procrastinate. It helps me focus, knowing I have to do this, this and this, in this amount of time.” That focus has earned Richardson a regular spot on the dean’s list. It also earned him a place on the 2014 USA College Football Division III Pre-Season All-American Second Team – Defense. Despite all this, Richardson is quick to admit that he wasn’t always a model student, nor a star athlete. “I actually got into sports as a consequence for my behavior. I used to get into trouble here and there at school, so the principal advised my parents to put me in a sport, which changed my life as I know it,” he says. “Football has been my number-one sport since 7th grade. I chose football over all other sports because football opened many doors for me, from an athletic acknowledgement standpoint to a tool to use to better my academic standing.” He says he’ll miss the sport that’s given him so many opportunities. WILKES | Fall 2014 – Omar Richardson 5 Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 5 10/6/14 9:15 PM �PROFESSIONAL Alumni and Faculty Predict Future Trends In Their Fields -------------------➔ By Helen Kaiser Ask 10 business experts to predict the future of their industries— and get 10 different answers. Ask Justin Matus, assistant professor and director of the MBA program in the Jay S. Sidhu School of Business and Leadership, and he boils it down to one point. “We always have winners and losers in business,” Matus says. “The winners are the ones who find the way to match their strengths to the demands of the market place. This fundamental will not change.” Even as the fundamentals of business success remain constant, the means to achieve it continue to evolve. As the Sidhu School of Business and Leadership marks its 10th anniversary, Wilkes magazine takes this opportunity to reach out to business faculty and successful business alumni. We asked them what changes we can expect to see WILKES | Fall 2014 in their fields over the next decade. Their insights echo certain themes—including the continued globalization of business, rapid increases in technology and the development of products and services individually tailored to the consumer-driven market. The experts also anticipate there will be a critical need for workers to become lifelong learners and to develop skills to become sensitive leaders. Here are their insights: 6 Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 6 10/6/14 9:15 PM �JEFFREY R. ALVES Dean, Jay S. Sidhu School of Business and Leadership Professor of Entrepreneurship Wilkes University Expertise: Entrepreneurship JOHN CEFALY ’70 Executive Vice Chairman, Brokerage Division Cushman & Wakefield Inc.   Expertise: Commercial Real Estate The real estate industry historically has been a very local business with local customs and traditions of how business is serviced and conducted. Presently, however, it is evolving and will continue to evolve into a more global business. Practices are being standardized as international organizations gain a much greater foothold in the marketplace. We must make adjustments in how these organizations are serviced. Transactions with compensation earned as deals are completed will ultimately evolve into a model where compensation will be less risk oriented and will be based more on fees as a result of ongoing advisory business. In other words, brokers will less likely be earning commissions as opposed to earning fees based on advice and strategy. Transactions will be only part of what a real estate firm will be compensated for. In order to serve the large international firms, a global platform will be required. Major real estate firms will need to be all things to all companies—providing top-down to bottom-up services starting with advice and strategy, business consulting, benchmarking and best practices to ongoing maintenance of the client’s facilities. The need and use of technology has expedited this process. Fewer people will be needed to service these accounts as technology will connect the various far-flung offices of these international mega firms. DAN CARDELL ’79 Chairman Chicago Quantitative Alliance Expertise: Investment Management In the past 20 years, there has been a movement toward the use of more quantitative methods in the investment management process. This “quantification” has been driven primarily by rapid changes in the computing power available to professional investors. This trend toward the use of more quantitative techniques will not only continue, but also will accelerate in the upcoming years. As a result of these changes, investment firms will require exceptional skills in the fields of mathematics, statistics and computer science. The days of subjective decision making based on a “gut feeling” are long gone. Today’s markets are driven by hard data and algorithms written by Ph.D.s with advanced programming and data management skills. Portfolio decisions are likely to be driven by probability-based, multi-factored models, and trading strategies are now measured in micro-seconds. The investment business has also become increasingly global, requiring around the clock trading strategies and an understanding of international business relationships, currencies and worldwide economic trends.  WILKES | Fall 2014 I have had the good fortune of serving on the executive committees and as president of the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) and more recently the International Council for Small Business (ICSB).  Since my early involvement with entrepreneurship education in 1978, we have seen entrepreneurship evolve from a concept focused on creating value through the launch and growth of businesses to the recognition that entrepreneurial thinking and attitudes are important and pervasive in many areas of our lives, both here and around the world.   We are seeing this in the United States as public and private support for entrepreneurial activities expands, both for micro and high-potential ventures.  Indeed, public policy has moved in the direction of advocating entrepreneurship as the generator of economic development. Globally we are seeing the same thing.  What is fascinating and encouraging is the fact that this “entrepreneurial revolution” is occurring in countries with the full range of political philosophies and systems—from democratic to dictator to socialist and communist and from developed to developing countries.  Entrepreneurship is helping to level the playing field between the classes, ethnic groups and sexes.   7 Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 7 10/6/14 9:15 PM �DENISE CESARE ’77 President & CEO, Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania Expertise: Health Care ANTHONY J. DaRe ’00 WILKES | Fall 2014 Agency Principal Within the last several years, we have seen a definitive movement to consumerism and a retail market within the health care sector. This shift to a more consumer driven market will continue to have an impact on all sectors of the health care industry: patients/consumers, employers, providers, health insurers, drug manufacturers and government. Coupled with the move to a consumer-centric focus will be the continued aging of the population (in particular, the baby-boomer generation), resulting in an increased demand for health care. Over the next decade, we can expect to see changes designed to improve both the value and convenience of the patient experience. As consumers are becoming increasingly responsible for larger portions of their health care costs, we’ll definitely see investments in technology aimed at assisting the consumer in comparison shopping for both providers and health plans, and decreasing the hassle involved with both financing and delivery. Consumers can expect improvements in transparency tools to assist in choice of provider, showing cost and outcome information; as well as advances in telemedicine, allowing the patient to receive care in lower cost settings, including at home, without sacrificing quality. More employers will increase offerings of their own private insurance exchanges, or participate in regional or national exchanges, to have greater control over benefit offerings and provider networks to appeal to their employees. Payers (i.e. insurers) and providers are already dealing with a significant increase in the amount of regulation and oversight as a result of the recently implemented Affordable Care Act. We can expect to see continued consolidation as well as integration, both within and among these sectors. With the increased attention to cost to consumers, both payers and providers need to achieve efficiency and scale to compete for consumer choice. This means not only administrative efficiency within all of the health care sectors, but also efficiency in managing the patient. There will be a push toward leveraging clinical data for patient management and improved experiences. “We’ll definitely see investments in technology aimed at assisting the consumer in comparison shopping for both providers and health plans.” BSI Corporate Benefits LLC. Expertise: Employee benefits/health care Over the next decade, the courts will decide what health care reform ultimately looks like. It will still be around in 10 years, but it will change quite a bit based on changing Washington, D.C., administrations and various court decisions. There are certain fundamentals that every company looking to remain competitive and control the bottom line should follow in regards to employee benefits and health care over the next decade. “Skin in the game:” For employees, deductibles and co-pays will continue to rise; and the popularity of Health Savings Accounts will continue to explode and most likely take over the majority of the market. The concept is simple: does an employee care what an MRI costs if the cost out of their pocket is zero or minimal? Absolutely not. Will an employee care about the cost of an MRI if it’s his money? Absolutely. For employers, self-funding will continue to rise in popularity. Self-funding allows an employer to take control of medical spending with protection via stop-loss insurance. We will see employers taking the lead in controlling health care costs by negotiating directly with hospitals. Large employers will do it directly; smaller companies will do it collectively through various consortiums. Insurance companies currently handle this responsibility, and they do not do it well. The employers who ultimately pay the claims are not just going to sit at that table, they are going to own the table. Transparency: Not many people know that the cost of an MRI in the same machine varies greatly from place to place. In the next 10 years, everyone will know. Employees will care about cost (see above), and technology will be available for not just price comparison, but also quality comparison at the click of a button. Need a prescription drug? Type it into your smartphone and find out which pharmacies carry the medicine, how much it costs, and how far away from you it is. The power of the consumer is coming to health care in a major way. Ten years and 10,000 per day: That is the number of baby boomers who will turn 65 every day for the next decade. They are living longer; they are working longer, and their health care costs are going to skyrocket. How does our current health care system accommodate them and who is going to subsidize the cost of their care are major questions to resolve. 8 Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 8 10/6/14 9:15 PM �KATHLEEN HOULIHAN ’95, MBA ’01 Assistant Professor of Management Information Systems and Marketing  Jay S. Sidhu School of Business Expertise: Social Media and Business Senior Vice President, General Mills President, General Mills Canada Expertise: Global Food Manufacturing At General Mills, our product offerings and business model are constantly evolving to meet consumer demand around the globe. No longer is packaged food “one size fits all.” Consumers today want differentiated products that are tailored to meet their individual needs, ranging from taste to convenience to nutritional value to sustainability to social responsibility and more. As a company, our key strategy to counter these changes is focusing tightly on our consumers—what they like to eat, where they like to shop and how they approach cooking today. As consumer preferences and shopper habits evolve, I believe the most successful companies will possess deep consumer empathy and be characterized by their high level of integrity, transparency, agility and nimbleness and best-in-class speed to market. In order to achieve these measures of success, food manufacturers and retailers will need to place increased pressure on attracting and retaining talented employees across the business who are capable of dealing with a higher level of complexity. In the end, the ability to accurately assess unmet consumer needs proves you have a right to win and executing with brilliance will separate the winners from the also-rans. THE NEW SIDHU The opening of the 2014-2015 academic year saw the opening of a new home for the Sidhu School of Business and Leadership. The University Center on Main was transformed via a $3 million renovation into the school’s new headquarters. The building boasts a room that simulates a stock exchange trading floor complete with stock ticker, high-tech classrooms, faculty offices and meeting rooms for students. Pictured below is the new videoconferencing classroom. For more photos of the new Sidhu home, visit www.wilkes.edu/newSidhu. WILKES | Fall 2014 DAVID DUDICK ’79 The word-of-mouth/social networking approach was very effective in the past (think Tupperware™ parties in the 1960s), and it will continue to generate sales for organizations in the future. New technologies in the area of social media, however, are now more focused on listening to customers and uncovering new ways of understanding consumer behavior than with creating social networks. Companies that have access to Big Data are more interested in mining existing social media channels and in comparing social media data with other types of data that exists in the company databases. Social media, meaning the use of digital social networking sites to create opportunities for educating the customer and for commerce, is only one of many tools that are emerging. Companies will also use new strategies to reach customers more effectively in the future. Two of these innovations are proximity marketing and tracking devices. Proximity marketing will allow businesses to identify the customer’s approximate age, gender and other traits. When a customer walks by a device in the store it will advertise products based on the customer’s characteristics. The computer will recognize who the best customers are for each product, and develop a database of what the purchase triggers are for each customer persona. Social media and other technologies will continue to evolve, and companies will continue to learn about their customers from listening. Organizations that are agile enough to meet customer needs will have the greatest chance of survival. 9 Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 9 10/6/14 9:15 PM �JUSTIN MATUS Assistant Professor and Chair, Business Division Jay S. Sidhu School of Business and Leadership Expertise: Strategy I think the biggest change in the field of business strategy will be finding new ways to survive and thrive in a more global market. Specifically, there is a trend across all industries for more consolidation—not just within the United States, but across all countries on all of the continents. We are seeing bigger and bigger companies and less and less competition. The great unknown is what governments and policy makers will do in light of these trends.  There is already some pushback against corporations growing bigger and bigger (too big to fail), the lack of competition and the formation of what are essentially oligopolies and even duopolies.Yet the regulatory environment has thus far been rather tepid in trying to slow down the pace of these mergers, acquisitions and consolidations. As I look out over the horizon of 10 years and the effect this will have on “strategy,” I think in many ways it will be just like any other force on an industry. There will always be winners and losers. What may change is the how of winning. To use a sports metaphor, think about the game of football and the evolution of the forward pass. Can anyone imagine winning an NFL game today without a lot of passing? Yet 75 years ago the game of football was dominated by teams that primarily ran the football. In the business world today, the how of winning is typically simply having low prices or high-quality products. In the future a business may need to build its strategy around something else, perhaps by building a strong emotional connection to each customer through social media, data mining and semi-customized products and services. In the field of medicine we are not that far off from diagnosing patients through DNA testing and genetics at a very specific individual level, and soon we will be custom-manufacturing drugs for a specific patient such that each patient has a much nuanced diagnosis and treatment. In that same sense of individualism, strategy for the masses may go the way of football’s ground game of the 1930s and Wal-Mart’s everyday low prices of 2014.   THE FUTURE OF BUSINESS EDUCATION Over the past several decades, the United States has evolved from the preeminent world leader to one of the group of preeminent world leaders. Concurrently, both business practitioners and academics have witnessed the evolution of business over these decades as we have progressed— willingly or unwillingly—from an ethnocentric to a global business economy. During this time, our nation, perhaps because of its ongoing dominant role in world affairs, has been the country that has been the slowest to adopt a global perspective; and, as such, its businesses have also been the slowest to adjust to the challenges of a global economy. Unfortunately, U.S. institutions WILKES | Fall 2014 of higher education have been even slower to acknowledge the DAVID RALSTON ’69 Professor and Knight Ridder Research Fellow College of Business Florida International University changing face of business in the 21st century. Consequently, our institutions of higher education have lagged far behind the better universities of Europe and Asia in regard to the internationalization of business curricula. 10 Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 10 10/6/14 9:15 PM �JAY S. SIDHU MBA ’73 Chairman and CEO, Customers Bank Expertise: Banking In my view, there are three main developments that will become more prominent in business or any kind of industry over the next decade. First, the development of authentic leadership will be a key need as we move toward more technological and less human interaction. The style of a leader will be important and different than it is today. Leaders and their employees will need to develop mutual trust and responsibility for meeting clear goals. With sophisticated methods of measuring employee performance and processes being used more and more, employers can know what their employees are doing all of the time. Just as during the Industrial Revolution when company measurements of how many widgets were being produced caused anxiety for employees, these new technologies may impact employees in the same way. Whether employees are working at home or elsewhere, leaders will need to use a higher level of human skill sets, because they will not have eyeball-to-eyeball contact to interact with and develop their team. Leaders will need to be much more sensitive to keep employees motivated and meeting goals and will need to reward them for performance. Secondly, we have only scratched the surface in the effective use of technology in white collar jobs. Technology will have a major impact not only in what we do and where we work, but in how we provide the highest level of service to our customers and how technology can be of better use to the corporate team. Thirdly, in the upcoming decade the pace of change will be three to five times faster than what we have seen in the last 10 years. We will need to be extremely passionate about continuous improvement and continuous learning. Twenty-five years ago, post-college learning was mainly on-the-job. Within the past five to 10 years it has come to mean what you pursue yourself—whether to improve your current credentials or to train for new employment after a job was eliminated. The ones who can adapt to this change will have a higher level of success. I believe the vision of the Sidhu School is completely aligned with educational needs of this changing environment. Its mission is not just to educate and develop the technical skill set or the core competences expected from business managers today, but to develop the human skills of authentic leaders that can adapt to all types of challenges in this rapidly changing environment. It’s a unique business school, one of its kind at least in the northeast United States. To read more of Ralston’s assessment of international Far-sighted U.S. universities, such as the University of South business education and the reflections of Wilkes Carolina and Thunderbird School of Global Management, business faculty Anthony Liuzzo, Marianne Rexer which internationalized their curricula decades ago, have seen and others on the future of business education, a growing number of other universities follow their lead and please visit www.wilkes.edu/futureofbusiness. start to internationalize their curricula over the past decade. different course content, because teaching management, marketing, finance and accounting based on the international rules of the game is substantially different from teaching these Those universities that are now just thinking about internationalizing are behind the curve; those that haven’t yet started are going to find themselves left behind and having trouble finding students to fill their classes a decade from now. disciplines from the provincial approach that has permeated Furthermore, some business schools develop an international the discipline in the U.S. for the previous several decades. To business program in which perhaps 10 to 20 percent of the this point, we need to acknowledge that change is daunting; business students major, and they consider their work done. and casting a blind eye on the reality of change certainly may What we see in the more progressive schools is a movement be easier and more comfortable, especially for the myopic. toward internationalizing the entire business curriculum so that all students are prepared to be successful in the business world of today, not just a small percentage of them. WILKES | Fall 2014 Internationalization requires a modified curriculum and 11 Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 11 10/6/14 9:15 PM �Nick Barno ’13 calls on a student in his classroom at Sri Utama School in Johor Bahrun, Malaysia. PHOTO COURTESY NICK BARNO Passport to Experience WILKES | Fall 2014 WILKES ALUMNI TEACH AT INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL IN MALAYSIA By Geoff Gehman The Chinese boy was overwhelmed at his new school in his new country of Malaysia. His screaming disturbed his teacher, Rebecca Gallaher ’12, who was already dealing with four Korean students with no English skills and others with suspected learning disabilities. Gallaher’s gut instinct told her that he would improve with more personal attention. She enlisted an unlikely classroom ally: the boy’s nanny. The nanny made sure he followed lessons properly and promptly. She admonished him to improve his awful handwriting. She even took notes so he wouldn’t have to decipher his own notes at home. The nanny experiment exceeded expectations. Daniel became a fine student, one of the best fourth-grade scientists. Gallaher predicts her “super adorable” pupil will prosper in fifth grade, where he’ll be taught by Kaitlyn McGurk ’12, her partner in a program that has sent Wilkes undergraduates to student teach at Sri Utama International School in Kuala Lumpur. McGurk, Gallaher and Nick Barno ’13 are the first Wilkes alumni to return to teach full time in Malaysia after student teaching there. The Wilkes exchange with Sri Utama began after Gina Morrison, an associate professor in Wilkes’ Division of Global History and Languages, was on sabbatical studying the policies of Malaysian female educators in Kuala Lumpur in 2010. She needed a school for her adopted daughter, Victoria. She found Sri Utama, which opened in 1994, the year Morrison first visited Malaysia with her husband, William, a Malaysian of Indian heritage. Impressed with each others’ commitment to education, Morrison and Dato Fawziah, the school’s founding CEO, began working together. She asked Morrison to teach American 12 Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 12 10/6/14 9:15 PM �methods—creative games, classroom management, inclusion—to Sri Utama teachers. In exchange, she decreased tuition for Morrison’s daughter. The arrangement worked so well, the women expanded the novel plan after Morrison returned to Wilkes. In 2011, the first group of six Wilkes undergraduates began teaching at Sri Utama, monitored by veteran teachers for seven weeks. All their costs—airfare, lodging, food, recreational trips—were paid by Dato Fawziah. One of Dato Fawziah’s beneficiaries is McGurk, who majored in elementary education and now teaches fifth- and sixth-graders at the school. Sri Utama, in turn, has benefited from McGurk’s initiatives: an art exhibit, a poetry contest involving parents, the after-school programs Reading Rally and Girl Power. She’s also introduced volleyball, her varsity sport at Wilkes, to a country mad about badminton. Teaching in another country has not been without challenges. McGurk has struggled with Malaysian educational norms: poor technology; lecture-based teaching; frustratingly slow, frustratingly polite decisions made by committee. For Barno, the biggest challenge is teaching English for the first time to students who don’t know English. A history major at Wilkes, he’s made learning a new language easier for seventh- to ninth-graders at the Sri Utama branch in Johor Bahru, a city near Singapore. He’s added classes for struggling students and a friendlier textbook, the lavishly cartooned “Cool Ways to Improve Your English.” Gallaher, who also has a degree in elementary education, was asked to teach lessons about peer pressure, forgiveness and fears—subjects much trickier to teach than English. She encouraged a native Korean to discuss his fear of not returning to his homeland, and a Sudan native to discuss his fear of returning to the country where his father was murdered. Both Dato Fawziah and Morrison have helped make the Americans more Malaysian. McGurk now loves Nasi Lemak, coconut rice with toasted peanuts, fried anchovies and sambal, a chili sauce. Barno digs Chinese New Year, which has more fireworks than eight New Year’s eves. Gallaher follows the Malaysian practice of walking shoeless in homes, which delights her mother. The Wilkes graduates admire the extraordinary tolerance of Malaysians, a celebration of races and religions that Morrison calls “a national treasure.” Muslims attend Christmas parties. Christians eat in Muslim homes during Eid al-Fitr, the three-day feast after Ramadan’s fast, and everyone celebrates Chinese New Year. “On the whole, the people of Malaysia know how to look past the qualities that divide us,” says Barno, “and focus on the things that bring us together.” Indeed, Gallaher couldn’t teach the American civil rights movement because her Malaysian students couldn’t fathom whites oppressing blacks. The Malaysian alliance keeps growing. Last year Wilkes hosted two scholarship students from the Sri Utama branch in Johor Bahru. “On the whole, the people of Malaysia know how to look past the qualities that divide us...” Top, Barno and his students enjoy a relaxed moment. Center, Kaitlyn McGurk ’12 and some of her fifth- and sixth-graders pose in her colorful classroom. Bottom, Rebecca Gallaher ’12’s students show off medals they won. PHOTOS COURTESY NICK BARNO, KAITLYN MCGURK Gallaher has learned lessons in Malaysia that she can use in any classroom anywhere. “I’ve learned that if you’re ever in doubt, don’t run to a book and look it up,” she says. “Follow your basic instincts; go with your gut... I’ve also learned that you can’t always go with your first impression, your first judgment. The problem might not be that a student is stubborn; it might be that he simply doesn’t speak your language.” WILKES | Fall 2014 AND REBECCA GALLAHER 13 Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 13 10/6/14 9:15 PM �WILKES | Fall 2014 Jason Evans ’00 dons attire that reflects the laid-back nature of doing business on the island of Maui, Hawaii. Opposite, Evans takes a break from a busy schedule. PHOTOS BY ANTHONY MARTINEZ 14 Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 14 10/6/14 9:15 PM �JASON EVANS ’00 BUILDS VIDEO BUSINESS ON MAUI By Bill Thomas ’13 Moving to Maui might just be the best decision Jason Evans ’00 ever made. It might also be his most spontaneous. “My dad did a lot of traveling for work, so I was able to go to Hawaii a few times when I was younger, at about 13 or 14. Then I went there again when I was about 24, around 2005. I remember I was telling the people I was with how I always wanted to live there. I love the water, I love the weather and the food, I love scuba diving, wakeboarding and surfing – but there was no TV in Hawaii that I could be involved in,” Evans recalls. Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 15 At the time, the communication studies graduate was working as a producer for Philadelphia-based Banyan Productions, on the top-rated TLC show “Trading Spaces.” “When we got back to the hotel, The Maui Visitor Channel was on. I joked that I could work for those guys. On a whim, I cold-called them to see how often their turnover was and it turned out they were looking for a producer right then and there.” For two years, Evans produced television commercials, programming segments and long-format productions for the Maui Visitors Bureau and the Four Seasons resort at Manele Bay on the island of Lana’i. Then he decided to take another chance. Hoping to provide Hawaii, a small market with few options for media production, with a fresh, forward-thinking alternative, Evans started his own company based in Maui, SilverShark Media. “The way media is going now, if you’re not creating for more than one platform, you’re really limiting your scope,” Evans said. “Television is an industry, like a lot of creative arts industries, whether it be music or art or whatever, where changes in technology have made things more accessible. You don’t have to have a million-dollar bankroll to run a company; you need creativity and talent.” 10/6/14 9:15 PM �That philosophy has already landed SilverShark several noteworthy projects. In addition to commercials and company marketing videos, SilverShark produces “Making Over Maui,” a weekly web-based series for Maui Na Ko Oi, a regional magazine. “Making Over Maui” features local businesses performing positive makeovers within their communities. One notable episode featured “House M.D.” and “Tron: Legacy” actress Olivia Wilde. The company has also worked on such national programs as the Travel Channel’s “Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern” and the Golf Channel’s “The Haney Project.” Evans worked with professional boxer Sugar Ray Leonard, Food Network star Mario Batali, Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Angie Everhart and Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine during one three-month period for the Golf Channel program. In 2010, SilverShark was nominated for the Maui Mayor’s Small Business Award. Evans attributes his success to his proactive nature—it was he who approached Maui Na Ka Oi with the “Making Over Maui” idea—and the head start he got on the technical side of television production from Wilkes University. “I always knew I was going to be in television... I wanted to go somewhere that I could actually get hands-on experience early.” “Making Over Maui” host Lia Krieg laughs with employees of Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. working for Habitat for Humanity, while Evans, in foreground, and his crew film an episode of the long-running web series. Above, Evans poses with “Awesome Planet” host Philippe Cousteau Jr., center, and camera operator Mark Gambol, right, at Yellowstone National Park. WILKES | Fall 2014 PHOTO BY JOHN HARA. 16 Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 16 10/6/14 9:15 PM �Evans celebrates the success he’s found in Hawaii. Jason Evans ’00, Maui, Hawaii B.A., Communication Studies, Wilkes Career: Owns and operates production company SilverShark Media, nominated for the Maui Mayor’s Small Business Award, 2010. Notable: As freelance produce for “Awesome Adventures” was nominated for a 2014 Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Travel Program and also was nominated as producer. Favorite Wilkes Memories: Working on the Wilkes Left, Evans oversees shooting of an episode of his Emmy-nominated syndicated educational travel show “Awesome Adventures” in Maya Bay, Thailand, with host Nicole Dabeau and two local teens. show “The Colonel’s Edge” for three years with close friends January Johnson ’00, Matt Reitnour ’01 and Dave DiMartino ’01. Calling Wilkes football and basketball games for radio and television. WILKES | Fall 2014 -- I “I always knew I was going to be in television, and knowing that I wanted to be in that industry, I wanted to go somewhere that I could actually get hands-on experience early. I didn’t want to wait until my senior year for my first chance to produce something,” Evans says. “I went into that Wilkes television studio and I helped create a sports show in my sophomore year that continued for three more years. I got to edit. I got to host. I got to shoot. I got to work in front of the camera and behind it. During my junior year, when I was doing my internship at ABC in Philadelphia for their sports department, I felt advanced. Just having access to the technology put me a few steps ahead of everybody else.” Not one to be idle, Evans also keeps busy as a freelance producer for Bryn Mawr, Pa.,-based Steve Rotfeld Productions, working on three nationally syndicated educational children’s shows, including “Awesome Planet” hosted by Philipe Cousteau Jr., grandson of famed undersea explorer Jacques Cousteau. Another freelance project, “Awesome Adventures,” was nominated for a 2014 Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Travel Program. “My very first shoot day with Nicole (Debeau), the host for ‘Awesome Adventures,’ was on the big island of Hawaii,” Evans recalls. “We had a boat trip set at sunset to see lava flowing into the ocean. When we got there, a heavy swell had rolled in and it was a 45-minute boat ride blasting over high seas, but it was one of the more incredible things I’ve seen: lava dropping off the cliff into the water like a waterfall. You could hear it sizzle.” Though Evans’ work keeps him on the move with little downtime, don’t expect him to slow down and settle for soaking up the Hawaiian scenery any time soon. For Evans, who once felt like “a small fish in a small pond,” the growth of SilverShark is a never-ending process. “Right now, one project I’m most proud of are the videos for the Fairmont resort brand, a very respected, very well-known brand around the world. We were able to do marketing videos for the Fairmont resort on Maui, which led to us doing work for the Fairmont in Sonoma, Calif.,” he says. “That’s nice to be able to show that, yes, we’re located on a small island in the middle of the ocean, but we can still bring quality to northern California, where San Francisco is an hour away and full of production companies that would chomp at the bit for the same project. To have people in a company who don’t even know you decide to pick you over a local company, that’s a great feeling. It shows the potential SilverShark has for growth beyond its geographic center.” 17 Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 17 10/6/14 9:16 PM �S S A 8 -CL E 0 ’ LD A T E R ND A I NHOSA WOER ABE i nt Hu 9 ’7 T s u IS UN LD AN lock H OU ICI bert B W US y Ro M ar By G ng r fo WILKES | Fall 2014 s es cc Su Nate Hosie is at home hunting in his native Pennsylvania woods, above, and on stage playing guitar in Nashville, right. PHOTOS COURTESY “HEADHUNTERS TV.” 18 Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 18 10/6/14 9:16 PM �Nate Hosie ’08, Montdale, Pa. Career: Host and producer for “Headhunters TV” on the Outdoor Channel. Notable: Guitarist who has been the opening act for country music superstars Luke Bryan, Brantley Gilbert and Travis Tritt. Favorite Wilkes Place: The Student Center and the Rifkin Café. It always had such a great atmosphere. launched the idea for “Headhunters TV.” Hosie is one of the Outdoor Channel show’s hosts. It’s allowed him to hunt with some of the legends of Nashville music, paving the way for another kind of career, one actually spawned during his time at Wilkes. During his recovery from the broken neck, Hosie had a lot of free time. “I got bored with video games after a month and started to teach myself to play guitar,” he says. “My sister Marla knew how to play a few things and the things she showed me amazed me.” The keen ear he developed from calling turkeys for almost 15 years—imitating their clucks, purrs, putts, cackles and yelps—paved the way for perfecting the sound he made from finger picks, bending, hammering, plucking and strumming on a six-string guitar. When he got back to Wilkes, he and some friends formed the band Maybe Someday, which played quite a few gigs at Murray’s Inn on Penn Avenue. Just 10 months after Marla helped him learn to play the guitar, she was killed by a drunken driver. Hosie dedicated himself to becoming a better guitar player in her honor. Some of the country music celebrities Hosie hunted with for “Headhunters TV” were impressed with his music. Earlier this year, he opened for Luke Bryan at the Archery Trade Association Show and for Brantley Gilbert at the Great American Outdoors Show in Harrisburg. Hosie worked on preproduction and composition of songs in Scranton with Jimmy Reynolds. In August, he opened for Travis Tritt at the Buckmaster Show in Montgomery, Ala. “I’ve written some songs and am working on others, doing them in the studio to find a unique kind of sound that is fitting for me musically,” Hosie says. Once he gets the sound to where he wants it, he’ll be heading to Nashville for the actual recording sessions of music that is a blend of country and rock. While Hosie’s no longer in Maybe Someday, maybe is becoming more definite for him, and someday is on his horizon like the red-yellow sunrise over the canopied forest. WILKES | Fall 2014 c ountry music superstars like Luke Bryan and Travis Tritt call him “The Turkey Slayer.” It’s a nickname friends—famous and not-sofamous—have given Nate Hosie, 2008 Wilkes graduate, budding Nashville recording artist, and one of the hosts of the “Headhunters TV” hunting show on the Outdoor Channel. Hosie is a Montdale, Lackawanna County, native and resident, born and bred in the outdoors world of hunting and fishing in northeastern Pennsylvania. An All-State cornerback for Lakeland High School in 2003, he enrolled at Wilkes to major in elementary education and play football for the Colonels. Hosie had a decent freshman year under Coach Frank Sheptock, but three days into his first winter break, his life changed dramatically. “My buddy got into an accident and wrecked his truck when we were going deer hunting, and I broke my neck,” he says. “The doctors told me I’d never be able to play football again.” Despite nearly being paralyzed from the injury, Hosie moved forward with hope rather than dwelling on the loss of his promising athletic career. He had already become a prizewinning turkey caller by the time he entered Wilkes, and that gave him something to hold onto as he worked his way through a three-month period of rehabilitation while missing a semester of college. Hunting eastern turkeys and white-tail deer in Pennsylvania was a passion since grandfather Josh and father Marty started getting him used to Penn’s Woods as a 5-year-old. Hosie followed his dad and granddad into the woods with a cap gun as a youngster, just spending some quality family time while learning the ins and outs of hunting. He liked deer hunting, but turkey hunting absolutely intoxicated him. “When I started turkey hunting, the interaction with them by calling, and them gobbling back, that conversation back and forth is something I took to,” Hosie says. Neighbors Bob Casella and Butch Maiolatsi taught their young Jedi about the cadence and volume of calling, the intricate details that separate good callers from great callers. Those skills launched him into turkey calling contests. Friends started called him “The Turkey Slayer” because of his turkey hunting prowess, an activity he honed by imitating the calls turkeys make, calling them in ever closer before lowering the boom, so to speak. After graduating from Wilkes, Hosie began working with Top Calls, a turkey call company based in Potter County, Pa. Hunter’s Specialties, another calling company, began using him as a videographer and producer with Harrisburg, Pa., native Matt Morrett’s hunting show. During some hunting industry trade shows, Hosie became friends with outdoors personality Randy Birdsong, who Bachelor of Arts, Elementary Education 19 Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 19 10/6/14 9:16 PM �alumni news The Colonel’s Summer Vacation If you thought you saw the Colonel frolicking in the sand this summer or taking in the sites in Italy, you might be right. This summer, the Colonel has been traveling with alumni, faculty and staff all over the nation and even internationally. The Office of Alumni Relations distributed cardstock colonels for people to take on their many summer adventures. We encouraged everyone to participate by snapping a photo with the Colonel showing the location, and send it to the Alumni Office. We added all of the photos to our Facebook photo album, which you can find by searching Wilkes University Alumni Association. A map of his travels was displayed during Homecoming 2014. Everyone kept the Colonel very busy this summer, and he’ll continue his travels throughout the year. For your own cardstock Colonel, contact alumni@wilkes.edu. Alumni Association board members helping at summer orientation were, from left, Matt Berger ’02, Cindy Charnetski ’97, Cheryl Jaworski MBA ’09, Ellen Hall ’71, Ian Foley ’14 and John Sweeney ’13. ALUMNI RELATIONS PHOTO Members of the Alumni Association Board Participate in Campus Events The many locations visited by the Colonel during his summer travels included the coast of Maine, a salt water taffy store at the New Jersey shore and the Roosevelt home in Hyde Park, N.Y. WILKES | Fall 2014 Alumni Discount Available for Legacy Students Do you have a college-age child or grandchild interested in Wilkes University? Wilkes is now offering an alumni discount for undergraduate students of $500 per year of attendance (up to four years), which amounts to $2,000. We value our alumni and hope you will take advantage of this opportunity to pass on the Wilkes legacy to one of your family members! To begin the process, contact the Office of Admissions to schedule a personal visit by calling (570)408-4400 or emailing admissions@wilkes.edu. Members of the Alumni Association board of directors welcomed more than 500 first-year students and their families to Wilkes during both sessions of First Year Orientation this summer. Several board members participated including Matt Berger ’02, president Cindy Charnetski ’97, Ian Foley ’14, vice-president Ellen Stamer Hall ’71, secretary Kathy Heltzel ’82 MBA ’85, Cheryl Jaworski MBA ’09, Kristin Klemish ’04 and John Sweeney ’13.  Alumni board members took this opportunity to welcome everyone to campus and make first-year students feel like Wilkes will be a home away from home. The board members were able to mingle and engage with incoming students during a continental breakfast hosted by student affairs.  “I had a wonderful time welcoming our first-time students at orientation. The topic of conversation among board members was how we wished we could relive our school days all over again!” says Cheryl Jaworski MBA ’09. Look for members of the Alumni Association board of directors at other campus events such as Welcome Weekend, admissions open houses and Family Day. 20 Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 20 10/6/14 9:16 PM �giving back Celebrating Colonel Connections During their trip to Wilkes-Barre, Weinkle also took Kennedy to meet a rabbi in the area. Kennedy’s interaction with the rabbi’s three children provided her with the opportunity of a job teaching Sunday school at the congregation. “Getting a job in the area definitely affected my decision to attend Wilkes,” recounts Kennedy. “It gave me some security and more of a sense of belonging in Wilkes-Barre. This job also pushed me in the direction of making my decision to be an education major.” Kennedy is involved in many different clubs and activities. She is involved in Programming Board, Inter-Residence Hall Council, the Homecoming Student Team and the Dance Team. She also serves as the president of her class in Student Government. “I’m thrilled with how well she’s done,” Weinkle says. “There’s no question that she is really in her own element at Wilkes, doing everything that she wants to do.” Kennedy entered her second year at Wilkes this fall. “My first year at Wilkes University went really well. I could not have asked for a better experience and I cannot wait to come back for more. I made a ton of great friends and I learned a lot, not just through school, but about myself as well,” Kennedy says. Although Weinkle has recommended Wilkes many times, Kennedy is the first student to take him up on his recommen- Sophomore student Sarah Kennedy and Joseph Weinkle ’63 celebrate their shared Wilkes experience outside the Henry Student Center. Weinkle encouraged Kennedy to apply to his alma mater. dation. But he says that any alumni can help young students make decisions on where they choose to go to college, simply by having a meaningful conversation. He recommends just starting with a few questions regarding the student’s wants and needs from a school. “Remember what it was like to think about choosing a college for yourself; you talked to people who cared enough to ask you those questions or someone who had knowledge and insight about different college opportunities.” Weinkle says that his time at Wilkes is truly what influences him to recommend it to others. REFER A FRIEND! Introduce a young person to Wilkes University Have a relative, neighbor or friend starting the college search process? Introduce him or her to Wilkes University! Open houses are scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 15, and Saturday, Jan. 31. Or schedule a personal tour with a prospective student by calling the Office of Admissions at (800) WILKES-U Ext. 4400 or registering online at www.wilkes.edu/visitwilkes. Make sure to mention that you’re an alum! WILKES | Fall 2014 After graduation, the memories you made in college stay with you on your journey throughout life. Joseph Weinkle ’63 passed those memories to a prospective student, who became a current student once she received Weinkle’s guidance. Weinkle introduced Sarah Kennedy, class of 2017, to Wilkes University and she hasn’t looked back since her tour at Wilkes. Weinkle, who has lived in Pittsburgh for 41 years, has known Kennedy since she was an infant because they are members of the same synagogue. Children from the congregation affectionately refer to him as “Uncle Joe.” In this role, he has helped Kennedy and other young people to navigate through their day-to-day challenges in life as well as the college selection process. “I had no idea where I wanted to go to college, but I had an idea of what size and type of school I wanted to attend,” says Kennedy. “I was considering eight schools and had been accepted into most.” Through multiple conversations with Kennedy, Weinkle realized that she could fit in at Wilkes, a place he regards as a second home. “I suggested that Sarah try looking at my alma mater,” says Weinkle, who majored in business administration at Wilkes. “I told her, ‘I think you’ll find what you’re looking for.’” And Weinkle was correct; she found it. “Honestly, I do not think I would have found Wilkes if it wasn’t for Joe,” says Kennedy. “It might have come across on College Board in my school searches, but I do not think I would have clicked the link if he did not suggest it.” One of the things that really sealed the deal was when Weinkle gave Kennedy a personal tour. He brought her to campus after she was accepted; her parents were unable to take her that day. 21 Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 21 10/6/14 9:16 PM �class notes Tara Kojsza ’99 MBA ’03 Sees Small Business as Bigger Enterprise Tara Kojsza ’99 MBA ’03 lowers a batch of fresh-cut boardwalk real products: real cream, real Oreos, real Chips Ahoy cookies. fries into the deep fryer. “Consistency, quality and customer That makes a difference.” service, those are our top three priorities,” she says. She’s just But Jessee’s Place is more than hoagies and soft serve treats. opened her concession stand at Scranton’s Nay Aug Park and For Kojsza, the business is about the relationship between the already she’s filling orders, rushing from fryer to fridge to front proprietors, clerks and customers. “We watch our kids grow counter to serve a young customer. This is the second year in a up,” Kojsza explains, referring to her young customers. “We five-year contract Kojsza has with the city to operate the stand teach the kids how to tie their shoes and count money.” She beside the city pool and her sixth year as the proprietor of asserts that small businesses like Jessee’s Place are about the Jessee’s Place, a mom-and-pop ice cream stand located across relationships that develop. These relationships include those from the Scranton Farmers Market. between Kojsza and the high school and college students who Kojsza graduated from Wilkes in 1999 with a bachelor’s she employs, calling them “my girls.” degree in business administration. She worked for Tri-State Health, gaining experience in sales before returning to Wilkes as a full-time graduate student. She earned her MBA in 2003 and took a sales manager position at PepsiCo, where she oversaw Tara Kojsza ’99 MBA ’03 shows off a soft serve creation. Opposite, the store’s signature t-shirt. PHOTO BY FRANCISCO TUTELLA. operations in nine Pennsylvania counties, putting 5,000 miles on her truck per month. Aiming for what she calls the “gold standard in sales,” she left Pepsi and pursued a position at Sanofi-Aventis, a multinational company that develops, manufactures and markets prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceuticals. Fourteen interviews later, Kojsza beat 1,700 candidates for the job. She excelled and worked for the company for two and a half years. Then she realized, “It was everything I thought it wasn’t.” After re-evaluating her priorities, she returned to her roots and bought an ice cream stand. “Small business is in my blood,” she states, referring to the Sterling General Store, a bar, restaurant and general store operated by her grandparents. “I learned to make change at the age of five. Thirty years later, we’re selling the same Italian hoagie for $3.” In addition to the Italian hoagie, she sells soft pretzels, burgers and ice cream at her two locations. “We’re the flurry headquarters,” she says. “You name it, we create it.” Among the shop’s signature flurry creations—a blend of soft-serve ice cream and premium mix-ins—are Rice Crispy Treat, Fruity Pebble WILKES | Fall 2014 and Chocolate Crunch flurries. Kojsza stresses the quality of the product she offers. “My ice cream is top-notch. We use all “I learned to make change at the age of five. Thirty years later, we’re selling the same Italian hoagie for $3.” 22 Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 22 10/6/14 9:16 PM �class notes Undergraduate Degrees 1960 Gordon Roberts was appointed artistic director and conductor of the Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida. --<'e-.s.seE'' ""~ .s ~ ,..~ f'L-AC..E~ SCMN 570- ~ Kojsza’s father, brother Ryan MBA ’14, and mother Lori ’92 MBA ’97, help her run both establishments and sell food at festivals and events in which the business participates. “My family is huge into what I do,” Kojsza states. “My mom is awesome. She’s my best free asset.” That family atmosphere followed Kojsza at Wilkes. 1961 Richard “Dick” Cobb selfpublished Ambrose: Civil War Journey, which recounts his great-grandfather’s call from his Iowa farm to service in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The idea for the book came to Cobb while on location to film the movie Gettysburg, in which he appeared as one of the six “Hot Heads of the 2nd Maine.” The book has been added to the Jefferson Library at West Point; the archival collection of the United States Army Military history; U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center, Carlisle, Pa.; and Iowa’s Historical Society. 1974 Barry H. Williams MBA ’81 received the Volunteer Service Award from the Northeastern Chapter of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants at the chapter’s annual meeting on May 22. He was recognized for his participation in the organization’s volunteer leadership and financial literacy programs. Williams is dean of the McGowan School of Business at King’s College. 1978 Cynthia Mailloux received the 2014 Pauly and Sidney Friedman Excellence in Service Award from Misericordia University, where she is professor and chair of the department of 1969 Raymond Downey was married to Donna Wisnieski on April 19, 2013. Andy Matviak ’70, the groom’s college roommate, performed the ceremony in Sidney, N.Y., where Matviak serves as mayor. Pictured at the wedding, left to right, are Wisnieski, Downey and Matviak. nursing. The award is given to a faculty member in recognition of service for the university and greater community. “The cool thing about Wilkes is that my mom, brother and I all had the same teachers. They know my family. Besides being mentors, the faculty are friends.” Kojsza still remains in touch with business school faculty members, including Larry Cohen, left, pictured with his wife, Sally, Wilkes President Patrick Leahy and Mike Wood, Wilkes vice president for external affairs, at the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry annual awards luncheon. Wilkes was presented with the chamber’s Pride of Place Award in the community enhancement category for the Lawrence and Sally Cohen Science Center. The $35 million building, which opened in fall 2013, is named for the Cohens, who gave the largest single gift from an alumnus in University history in support of the project. 1957 professors Anne Batory and Wagiha Taylor. When asked what she considers the best aspect of her job, Kojsza says without hesitation: “It’s a lot of fun. There’s nothing more cream cone to someone and putting a smile on her face.” – By Francisco Tutella WILKES | Fall 2014 gratifying than handing an ice 23 Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 23 10/6/14 9:16 PM �class notes 1982 Christine Lain-Sarno was chosen as the Frankford Township School Teacher of the Year 2013-2014. She is a third-grade teacher at the school in Branchville, N.J. Lain-Sarno resides in Wantage, N.J. with her husband Chuck and two children, Skyler and Nikki. 1986 Michael Yencha was appointed president of the Northeastern Chapter of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants for the 2014-15 year. 1989 Bill Evanina was appointed director of the office of the National Counterintelligence Executive after 25 years of working for the United States government and 18 years for the FBI. 1990 John Serafin began a new position as vice president/ Luzerne county commercial marketing manager of Fidelity Bank in Kingston, Pa. Keith Silligman earned an additional bachelor of science degree in accounting from Bellevue University after retiring from a 20-year career in the health care management field. He lives in Omaha, Neb., with his wife, Nancy, and children, Ashley and Christopher. 1994 James Bruck MBA was promoted to the rank of major in the Civil Air Patrol. He currently serves as the public affairs officer with Scranton Composite Squadron 201. Matthew McCaffrey is the new director of admission and institutional advancement at Canton Country Day School in Canton, Ohio. He resides in north Canton with his wife, Andrea, and three children, Matthew, 11, Katy, 9, and Abby, 3. McCaffrey purchased his home from fellow Wilkes alumnus William Downey ’69, who built it in 1977. 1995 Sharon L. Brittingham earned a doctor of divinity from the American Institute for Holistic Theology in May 2013 and was ordained an interfaith clergyperson in May 2014. Timothy Williams was among 28 teachers nationwide selected to participate in the American Geological Institute’s K-5 Earth Science Teacher Leadership Academy in Houston, Texas. He is 1979 WILKES | Fall 2014 1976 Philip Besler, right, was joined by Anthony Shipula ’78, left, during spring 2014 in bringing Besler’s 58-foot 2008 Sea Ray Sedan Bridge from his home in Charleston, S.C., where he lives with wife Carol Gusgekofski Besler ’76, to Long Beach Island, N.J. Gary Blockus received the 2014 Professional Keystone Press Award for top Sports Beat Reporting in Division I from the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association for his coverage of the outdoors. The competition included sports writers covering professional and major college teams at large-circulation newspapers. Blockus, a reporter at The Morning Call in Allentown, Pa., also received an honorable mention in the sports story category. a national board-certified teacher, teaches third grade at Gilbert Magnet School for Creative Arts in Las Vegas, Nev., and instructs professional development classes throughout the Clark County School District in science, literacy and teacher leadership. 1998 Michael T. Beachem IV was chosen to attend the selective NASPA, Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education’s Mid Manager Institute in Albany, N.Y. The intensive, five-day program provides an opportunity for advanced student affairs professionals to interact with and learn from experienced senior administrators. Beachem is associate director of resident life at International House Philadelphia. 1999 Ronald S. Honick Jr. was promoted to senior vice president, audit manager at First National Community Bank, Dunmore, Pa. 2000 Donna Talarico-Beerman MFA ’10 earned the master of business administration degree from Elizabethtown College, Pa. She also completed the regional leadership and professional development program Leadership Lancaster, where she was selected as class speaker at the program’s graduation festivities. She is director of integrated marketing at Elizabethtown College and lives in Lancaster with her husband, Kevin Beerman ’01. 24 Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 24 10/6/14 9:16 PM �class notes Jonathan Perloff ’94 Designs Award-Winning Medical Devices Jonathan Perloff ’94 never thought he’d be working with cadavers when he earned his mechanical engineering degree from Wilkes. But that’s exactly what he does to test the devices he designs for Globus Medical, a company specializing in innovative technologies for patients with spinal disorders. Working with design team doctors who serve as consultants to Globus, Perloff designs devices that improve the quality of life for patients while streamlining surgery techniques. Becker’s Spine Review, an industry trade publication, recently recognized Perloff and his team for LATIS, a lumbar interbody spacer that is inserted in patients with degenerative disc disease. It provides stability for individuals who have had discs removed. The publication recognized it as the outstanding spine device for 2014. The device is designed to allow surgeons to use minimally invasive surgical techniques to insert it—a significant step forward. Perloff, who was the lead engineer on the project, has applied for two patents for the LATIS device and already holds never dreamed of doing when he came to Wilkes. “I’m a motorhead guy,” Perloff jokes. “I was always tinkering Jonathan Perloff ’94 stands in a showroom displaying the many medical devices designed by engineers at Globus Medical. PHOTO BY SAMUEL SUNDERSINGH, GLOBUS MEDICAL with cars. Most people who go into mechanical engineering devices to market. Because medical devices must meet Food want to design cars and airplanes.” and Drug Administration requirements, some new products His first job after graduation was with CFM technologies in West Chester, Pa., a firm that makes wet processing equipment for etching also must go through clinical trials before they can be used. Sometimes Perloff finds himself in the operating room with and a surgeon trying his device. cleaning silicon wafers for the “They don’t want someone semi-conductor industry. He also worked at Lutron Electronics in Coopersburg, Pa., and Knoll Furniture in East Greenville, Pa., before joining Globus in January 2008. Perloff says it takes three “I was always tinkering with cars. Most people who go into mechanical engineering want to design cars and airplanes.” from sales,” he says. “They want the guy who designed it who can answer his questions and who he can give feedback.” Perloff says his current work gives him the greatest years to bring a new device to satisfaction of anything he’s market, with two years from the done in his career. initial sketch or concept to full production. “We have a lab with “It’s nice to be able to do something to make someone’s life doctors on the design team,” Perloff says. Cadavers are used better,” he says. “It’s very rewarding to know that something to help design devices that will be used in the human body. you do will help them to sit up in a wheelchair, get rid of An in-house machine shop allows prototypes to be produced chronic back pain, correct scoliosis, or even walk again.” quickly, cutting down the time that it takes to bring new – By Vicki Mayk MFA ’13 WILKES | Fall 2014 another for an earlier medical device he designed. It’s work he 25 Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 25 10/6/14 9:16 PM �class notes 2001 Adam VanWert Pharm. D. (See Graduate Degrees 2003). 2001 Edward Kollar has been appointed principal at ParenteBeard. Kollar has over 30 years of professional accounting experience, including 14 years in public accounting. He is a certified public accountant in Pennsylvania, an IRS enrolled agent and certified specialist in estate planning. He is treasurer of the Estate Planning Council of Northeastern Pennsylvania. 2002 Joseph Casey and Brooke Anne Polachek were married on Aug. 10, 2013, at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Swoyersville, Pa. The groom teaches at Wyoming Valley West Middle School. The bride is a physician assistant at Geisinger Wyoming Valley. The couple honeymooned at the Riu Palace in Aruba. They reside in Kingston, Pa. 2006 Benjamin Damick and Jeannine Koneski were married on Oct. 12, 2013, in Ithaca, N.Y. The groom is employed as a web developer and the bride is a hair stylist. The couple resides in Rochester, N.Y. Pa., on July 6, 2013. The couple honeymooned in Fiji and currently reside in Uniontown, Ohio. 2010 Jarrod M. Buzalewski received a doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. 2012 John “Randy” Keiser and Stacy Kaiser were married on June 6 at the Luzerne County Courthouse in Wilkes-Barre. The groom is entering his final year at the Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law. The bride is a registered nurse. The couple plan to hold a larger ceremony to mark their first anniversary on June 6, 2015. Graduate Degrees 1981 Barry H. Williams MBA (See Undergraduate Degrees 1974) 1989 Gerard Champi MBA was appointed an at-large representative on the board of directors at First National Community Bank, Dunmore, Pa. 2003 Adam VanWert Pharm.D was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences at Wilkes University. 2007 Shannon Curtin MBA ’09’s first poetry chapbook, File Cabinet Heart, published in June, won the 2014 Mini Collection Competition. 2010 WILKES | Fall 2014 Katie Nealon passed the Pennsylvania Bar exam. She is an associate at Munley Law, a personal injury law firm in Pennsylvania. 2008 Rex Harris participated in Pennsylvania Cage Fight 18 at the Kingston Armory on May 23. The event marked his return after a two-year hiatus to competitive mixed martial arts. 2009 Peter Dombroski and Melinda Gentilesco were married at St. Martin of Tours Church in Susquehanna, 2006 John A. Bednarz Jr. MA has been named a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer in the field of workers’ compensation for the seventh straight year. Only 5 percent of Pennsylvania lawyers obtain the status, and Bednarz is the only attorney practicing in the workers’ compensation field in Wilkes-Barre to have earned the designation. 26 Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 26 10/6/14 9:16 PM �class notes In Memoriam 2009 Shannon Curtin (see Undergraduate Degrees 2007) Janell Marie Stapert MS and James Barna MS were married Aug. 5, 2013, on a beach in Maryland. The bride teaches first grade and the groom teaches physical education in the Greater Nanticoke Area School District. 2010 Donna Talarico-Beerman MFA ’10 (See Undergraduate Degrees 2000) 2011 Alison Carr MS and Ryan Arcangeli ’14 MS were married on June 15, 2013, in St. Jude Parish in Mountain Top, Pa. The bride teaches health and physical education and the groom teaches history in the Crestwood School District. 2012 Jessica Hritzko was featured in the Reading Eagle “In Our Schools” feature. She teaches fifth grade at Bethel Elementary School, Bethel, Pa. Courtney L. Kuklentz MS joined the Parkland School District’s administration team as coordinator of special education. 2014 Suzanne Murray-Galella EdD was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor of education at Wilkes University. 1942 Katherine P. Freund, Wilkes-Barre, Pa., died May 21, 2014. She was a teacher for 30 years with the Wilkes-Barre Area School District at GAR Memorial High School. Joseph C. Kelly, Jenkintown, Pa., died on March 2, 2011. He was a veteran of World War II. After graduating from Bucknell University and Brooklyn Law School, he was an attorney for the National Labor Relations Board in Philadelphia. 1948 Claire F. Beissinger, Baltimore, Md., died May 23, 2013. She was an elementary school music teacher for 32 years in White Plains, N.Y.,Verona, N.J., and Greenlawn, N.Y. 1949 Retired Col. Edward F. Corcoran, Ph.D., U.S. Army, Columbia, S.C., died April 8, 2014. He was a decorated war veteran. Howard J. Dinstel Sr., Palm Harbor, Fla. died May 20, 2014. He started his career at Pfizer, then worked at Greenstein’s Pharmacy and Dinstel’s Pharmacy, until the mid 1970s. Later he worked at Cook’s Pharmacy, Shavertown, and Nesbitt Memorial Hospital, Kingston. 1951 Michael D. Kotch, M.D., Nanticoke, Pa., died June 12, 2014. He graduated Hahnemann Medical College in Philadelphia in 1955. He served in the U.S. Army from 1957 to 1959, stationed in Fulda, Germany, as the commanding officer for the 501st Armored Medical Company, attached to the 14th Armored Cavalry. He worked as private practice general practitioner in Nanticoke for almost 40 years. 1954 Michael J. Lewis Jr., Kingston, Pa., died June 12, 2013. During his first year at Wilkes, he led a student revolt against the custom of hazing freshmen, which received national press recognition. He negotiated a truce between freshmen and upperclassmen. He was a U.S. Navy veteran. Lewis graduated Columbia University Law School and was later appointed to the Pennsylvania State Attorney General’s office, where he oversaw the awarding of pensions of coal miners stricken with black lung disease. 1955 George Saunders, Walnutport, Pa., died June 28, 2014. He was a general adjuster for Saunders Associates and a general adjuster for General Adjustment Bureau. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II. 1956 Sylvia I. Bator, Tilbury Terrace and Edwardsville, Pa., died on May 16, 2014. She was a guidance counselor for the LakeLeham School District and a receptionist for the Russin Funeral Homes. Patricia Stout Williams, Clemmons, N.C., died March 6, 2014. 1957 William DeMayo, Corona del Mar, Calif., died July 11, 2012. He served the U.S. Army in Korea and later started his own export business in California. WILKES | Fall 2014 2008 Joshua Swantek PharmD was promoted to major. He is an Air Force reservist at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. 27 Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 27 10/6/14 9:16 PM �class notes 1959 Michael Goobic died April 15, 2014. He served in the military in Korea. He later worked in marketing, most notably with Johnson & Johnson for 15 years. He also coached baseball and served as a volunteer at the Westfield Memorial Library. Scott Threthaway, Palm City, Fla., died Jan. 23, 2014. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army. Following retirement from Carter Wallace, where he worked as a national sales manager, Threthaway taught mathematics in the Martin County School System. 1960 Joseph F. Andrejko, Woodbridge,Va., died June 11, 2014. 1961 Judith Lamar, Harbeson, Del., died on Nov. 7, 2013. She worked as an elementary school teacher in Maryland and northern Virginia area, and was a Loudoun County master gardener instrumental in establishing a teaching demonstration garden in Leesburg,Va. 1967 Jane Pesavento Grogan, Kingston, Pa., died June 3, 2014. 1969 Paul W. “Pepper” Merrill II, Kingston, Pa., died July 7, 2014. While at Wilkes he played football as a defensive end, earning all MAC honors as a member of “The Fearsome Foursome” Golden Horde. Merrill started his career as an insurance adjuster for General Adjustment Bureau before he established Merrill Associates, which he operated for more than 20 years. 1972 Richard Otto Sarmonis, Trucksville, Pa., died June 27, 2014. He was employed by General Foods, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Council of the Boy Scouts of America and retired in 2008 from Leeward Construction. 1975 Rita M. Mercuri, Yatesville, Pa., died June 20, 2014. She worked as an elementary and intermediate music teacher for the Pittston Area School District for 35 years and was the organist for the First Presbyterian Church in Pittston for 40 years. 1988 Albert Timko, Harveys Lake, Pa., died May 25, 2014. He was a biology teacher at Luzerne County Community College and was known as “the crab man” in Luzerne County, selling crabs roadside on weekends. 1991 Keith Kohut of Scott Township, Pa., died Feb. 27, 2014. He was controller at Olympia Chimney, Scranton, and earlier worked for Lockheed Martin. Michael W. Kuchera, Chambersburg, Pa., died January 12, 2012. He was employed by JLG Industries. 2000 Cheryl Ann (Spudis) Manchester, New Milford, Pa., died March 23, 2012. She taught mathematics and technology for 32 years in the Blue Ridge School District. Friends of Wilkes Dorothea W. “Dottie” Henry, Dallas, Pa., died July 29, 2014. The University’s student center and gymnasium are named for Mrs. Henry and her husband, Frank M. Henry. Mr. Henry served on the University’s Board of Trustees from 1977 through 2006. The Henrys have been generous benefactors of Wilkes University, with significant gifts made in support of the student center, the Henry Gymnasium and the Cohen Science Center. Before moving to the Wyoming Valley in 1960, Mrs. Henry worked as a social worker in the Lutheran Welfare Service, Milwaukee. She was a former Sunday school teacher at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and a board member of the Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries. She was a member and past president of Wilkes-Barre General Hospital Auxiliary as well as a member of Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center Auxiliary and chaired the Geisinger Gala. Faculty Stanley B. Kay, Wilkes-Barre, Pa., died July 4, 2014. He was a professor of philosophy at Wilkes College. As a philanthropist, he gave many donations to Wilkes College and others. WILKES | Fall 2014 Raymond N. Sordoni, Kingsville, Md., died on May 21, 2014. He served in the U.S. Army. 1965 James R. Ward, Jacksonville, Fla., died March 10, 2012. He was a certified public accountant and served in the Marine Corps during the Korean War. 28 Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 28 10/6/14 9:16 PM �■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ S • A •V• E T• H • E D • A •T• E MAY 30 , 20 1 5 • 6 P .M . W ESTMORELAND CLU B , WILKES -BARRE 2015 PRESIDENT’S MEDAL RECIPIENT JOHN REESE former Wilkes University athletic director and wrestling coach WE SOLD OUT! The Inaugural Founders Gala, held on June 7, 2014, raised over $250,000 for the newly established First Generation Fund. Don’t miss the opportunity to support first-generation college students at Wilkes University. Mark your calendar now to join us! For more information, cont act Lisa Everitt-Ensley at lisa.everittensley@wilkes.edu or 570-408- 4137. Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 3 10/6/14 9:16 PM �w WILKES UNIVERSITY Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 WILKES UNIVERSITY calendar of events October 1-31 Faculty Exhibition 2014, Sordoni Art Gallery 9-13 Fall Recess 21 Gardner Lecture Series: Strategies for Teaching Special Needs Students at Graham Academy, 4:30 – 6 p.m. Marts 214 25 “Passport to Science,” Community Open House, 10 a.m – 1 p.m., Cohen Science Center November 1-30 Faculty Exhibition 2014, Sordoni Art Gallery 1 Family Day 2014 4 Gardner Lecture Series: Northeast Innovation Alliance, 4:30 – 6 p.m., Marts 214 7-9 Wilkes University Theatre Presents: Carrie – The Musical, 8 p.m., Sunday, 2 p.m., Darte Center 11 Gardner Lecture Series: Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Luzerne County, 4:30 – 6 p.m., Marts 214 12 “Navigating the Landmines of Conflict in the Landscape of a Family Business,” Family Business Alliance, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., Henry Student Center Ballroom 14-16 Wilkes University Theatre Presents: Carrie – The Musical, 8 p.m., Sunday, 2 p.m., Darte Center 15 Instant Decision Open House 16 Empty Bowls benefiting local food banks, Ballroom, Henry Student Center 21 Chorus/Chamber Singers Concert, 7:30 p.m., St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Wilkes-Barre 22 Civic Band Concert, 7 p.m., Darte Center 23 University Orchestra Concert, 3 p.m., Darte Center December 1-14 Faculty Exhibition 2014, Sordoni Art Gallery 4 Jazz Orchestra Concert, 8 p.m., Darte Center 6 Chambers Singers Performance with the Arcadia Chorale, 8 p.m., Covenant Presbyterian Church, Scranton 7 Chambers Singers Performance with the Arcadia Chorale, 3 p.m., St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, Wilkes-Barre 7 Flute Ensemble Concert, 7:30 p.m., Darte Center 8 Fall 2014 Classes End 10 “Texas Patriarch, The Rise and Fall of Family Dallas Dynasty,” Family Business Allance, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., Henry Student Center Ballroom For details on times and locations, check www.wilkes.edu and www.wilkes.edu/alumni or phone (800) WILKES-U. Wilkes_Fall2014_FINAL.indb 4 10/6/14 9:16 PM � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Magazine, Fall 2014 Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Marketing Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 2014 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Alumni Magazine, 1947-present Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Description An account of the resource <p>An archive of Wilkes University Magazine, from 1947-present. The magazine went through various names including <em>Wilkes Alumnus</em>, <em>Wilkes Quarterly,</em> <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, and the current title, <em>Wilkes Magazine</em>. Some editions for the <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, will have multiple issues within the file record. Our holdings may be missing editions for certain years due to having no physical copy within the collection. </p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Wilkes University Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Wilkes University Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1947-present Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Magazine, Fall 2014 Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Marketing Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 2014 magazine Wilkes Magazine https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/558182dbcc3466e28d9a1c7a2f6b944a.pdf 391ac1e2da7e44b08a437303cb8dd905 PDF Text Text FALL 2015 Crowned With Hope Evana Manandhar ’14 Helps Earthquake Recovery as Miss Nepal INSIDE: WILKES DEDICATES NEW CAMPUS GATEWAY �president’s letter VOLUME 9 | ISSUE 3 FALL 2015 WILKES MAGAZINE Taking Steps Toward Our Future I have often spoken and written about our goal of becoming one of the finest small universities in the country. As I write my message for this issue of Wilkes magazine, I want to share some campus developments that reflect the progress we are making toward that goal. We recently announced the largest gift ever received by the University. This $3.3 million contribution from Wilkes-Barre businessman John. J. Passan is in support of our School of Nursing. The gift, secured with the assistance of Carol Keup, Mr. Passan’s niece and a member of Wilkes’ board of trustees, will transform our nursing program, providing technology, library materials and more. By the time you receive this magazine, we will have dedicated the Passan School of Nursing in Mr. Passan’s honor. Such a gift truly reflects an institution’s quality; a willingness to invest in a university’s programs affirms the institution’s value. This fall we welcomed our first class in our new Honors Program, as they moved into a reconfigured and renovated Barre Hall. Our lacrosse recruits have arrived and have begun their non-traditional season in preparation for their first competition in the fall of 2016. Four new academic deans joined the leadership team, and we launched new programs, including our first fully on-line undergraduate program in nursing. Perhaps nowhere is Wilkes’ progress more visible than on the new campus Gateway, dedicated during Homecoming weekend. This entryway to campus, extending from South Main Street into the heart of the Fenner Quadrangle, physically unites our campus. It also has added beauty and enhanced the sense that we provide a traditional college experience in an intimate setting on our President Patrick F. Leahy speaks at the urban campus. It is making a wonderful first dedication of the Jay S. Sidhu School of Business and Leadership’s new impression on prospective students and their home in fall 2014. families—one that only grows when they visit our classes and meet our excellent faculty. I urge you to visit campus soon and see it yourself. These are just a few examples of successes on our path to creating the best University experience for Wilkes students now and in the future. Please join me in celebrating these successes and working toward more in the future. Dr. Patrick F. Leahy Wilkes University President University President Dr. Patrick F. Leahy Special Assistant to the President for External Affairs Michael Wood Executive Editor Jack Chielli MA’08 Managing Editor Kim Bower-Spence Editor Vicki Mayk MFA’13 Creative Services Lisa Reynolds Web Services Craig Thomas MBA’11 Electronic Communications Joshua Bonner Graduate Assistant Francisco Tutella MA’15 Jennifer Jenkins Layout/Design Kara Reid Printing Pemcor Inc. EDITORIAL ADVISORY GROUP Anne Batory ’68 Brandie Meng MA’08 Bill Miller ’81 George Pawlush ’69 MS’76 Donna Sedor ’85 ALUMNI RELATIONS STAFF Director Bridget Giunta Husted ’05 Associate Director Mary Balavage Simmons ’10 Alumni Event and Communication Manager Jacki Lukas ’11 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OFFICERS President Cindy Charnetski ’97 Vice President Ellen Hall ’71 Secretary Kathy Heltzel ’82 MBA ’85 Historian Tom Ralston ’80 Wilkes magazine is published three times a year by the Wilkes University Office of Marketing Communications, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766, wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu, (570) 408-4779. Please send change of address to the above address. Wilkes University is an independent institution of higher education dedicated to academic and intellectual excellence in the liberal arts, sciences and professional programs. The university provides its students with the experience and education necessary for career and intellectual development as well as for personal growth, engenders a sense of values and civic responsibility, and encourages its students to welcome the opportunities and challenges of a diverse and continually changing world. The university enhances the tradition of strong student-faculty interactions in all its programs, attracts and retains outstanding people in every segment of the university, and fosters a spirit of cooperation, community involvement, and individual respect within the entire university. �10 6 14 16 contents F AL L 2 0 1 5 6 Secrets to His Success Bill Evanina ’89 is a leader in the United States intelligence community. Crowned With Hope Evana Manandhar ’14 Helps Earthquake Recovery as Miss Nepal INSIDE: WILKES DEDICATES NEW CAMPUS GATEWAY Evana Manandhar ’14 celebrates being crowned Miss Nepal World. PHOTO BY RAJAN MAHARJAN, LAXMI NARAYAN MAHARJAN, SAROJ PRAJAPATI AND BIBASH MAHARJAN SUWAL 10 First in the Family Wilkes’ First Generation Scholarships help students who are the first in their families to attend college. 14 Path to Greatness The new campus Gateway transforms the Wilkes campus. 16 Crowned With Hope Evana Manandhar ’14 helps her native country recover from a devastating earthquake in her role as Miss Nepal World. DEPARTMENTS 2 On Campus 5 Athletics 18 Alumni News 20 Class Notes Have a story idea to share? Contact us at wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu or Wilkes magazine, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766. Wilkes magazine is available online at www.wilkes.edu/wilkesmagazineonline F,j FPO FSC WILKES | Fall 2015 FEATURES 1 �on campus Plans Announced to Revitalize Sordoni Art Gallery An artist’s rendering of the entrance at the new location for the Wilkes announced plans to relocate the Sordoni Art Gallery, as seen from South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre. Sordoni Art Gallery and reimagine its role for the campus and surrounding The second part of the plan calls for hiring a highly qualified community. Beginning in fall 2016, the gallery will move to faculty member to run the art gallery and enhance University arts new space at 141 S. Main St. near the new campus Gateway. programming. This faculty member will curate traveling shows, The decision also supports Wilkes’ strategic plan, which calls for develop academic programming, integrate the gallery into the helping to revitalize downtown Wilkes-Barre. campus arts community, and help identify new funding sources to The move is part of a three-part revitalization plan for the enhance the gallery. gallery that aims to enrich the arts experience on campus for The third step—relocation of the gallery—will create a larger students, faculty and staff and contribute to the cultural life of space with areas for teaching and entertaining. It also will be more Wilkes-Barre and the Wyoming Valley. accessible, with on-site parking available. The first step calls for creating a permanent, dedicated $2 Andrew Sordoni III, whose family established the gallery at Wilkes million endowment that will be used to bring to campus in 1973, encouraged the University to revitalize the gallery to better and the community high-quality art exhibits from nationally serve both Wilkes and the surrounding community. Sordoni has and internationally known artists. To create this endowment affirmed the new direction for the gallery, saying, “This is extraordinary and fund the annual schedule of exhibitions, Wilkes will sell stewardship from my experience in the arts. We are going to serve the selected pieces of the collection—a process that is known students, the community and posterity.” as deaccessioning in the art world. The sale of art will be “The plans to reinvigorate the Sordoni Art Gallery reflect Wilkes combined with the existing endowment to create funds needed University’s commitment to become a comprehensive university with for a substantial permanent and dedicated endowment. a national reputation,” University President Patrick F. Leahy says. WILKES | Fall 2015 Wilkes Dedicates Passan School of Nursing Honoring Donor of $3.3 Million Gift 2 Wilkes University has received a $3.3 million gift—the largest in the institution’s history—to support its School of Nursing. The gift, given by local businessman and philanthropist John J. Passan of Wilkes-Barre, will be used to create a dedicated, permanent endowment for the school. The gift will transform nursing education at Wilkes for both graduate and undergraduate nursing students, enabling expanded opportunities for scholarships, technology and professional development experiences. The nursing school was renamed the Passan School of Nursing in Passan’s honor at a dedication ceremony on Wednesday, Oct. 21. “Wilkes University thanks John Passan for his vision in giving this gift to the School of Nursing, which now will bear his name,” says University President Patrick F. Leahy. “Such an investment reflects an awareness of not only what nursing education at Wilkes is—but, more importantly, what it can be, given the resources this his contribution provides.” Passan founded Valley Distributing & Storage Co. of Wilkes-Barre. He has supported a number of charitable causes in the region, including previous support to Wilkes. The building at 267 South Franklin St., which currently houses the office of the University’s dean of students, health and wellness services and residence life, bears his name. Nursing school Dean Deborah Zbegner says the Passan gift provides valuable programmatic support to Wilkes’ nursing programs. “The School of Nursing faculty joins me in thanking Mr. Passan for his support. With its dedication as the Passan School of Nursing, we enter a new era in nursing education with new resources. This gift will allow us to increase the number of scholarships we can provide to nursing students,” Zbegner said. “As technology continues to rapidly evolve, this funding will allow us to ensure that we have the most up-to-date technology resources. In addition, it will allow us to increase the number of nursing journals and online databases available in our library and will provide opportunities for students and faculty to attend professional conferences.” To see photos from the dedication of the Passan School of Nursing, visit www.wilkes.edu/passan �on campus Wilkes Seeks Historic First Patents for Faculty Research Wilkes University has filed patent applications for health care innovations developed by Ali Razavi, professor of mechanical engineering, and Abas Sabouni, assistant professor of electrical engineering. Their research could dramatically improve diagnosis and treatment for wound care, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and other brain-related disorders. The two separate applications are the first intellectual property rights submissions that Wilkes has filed in its 82-year history. Razavi’s background is in materials engineering and chemistry. He has been researching the anti-bacterial properties of silver for the past three years with Owen Faut, professor emeritus of chemistry, Ken Pidcock, professor of biology, and their chemistry and microbiology students. They discovered a silver compound that mimics how the body’s immune system fights infection and produces oxygen to kill harmful bacteria. Their discovery has the potential to revolutionize wound care and healing. Sabouni has developed a non-invasive, real-time method for tracing the effects of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). The FDA-approved procedure uses intense pulsed magnetic fields to induce electrical currents in neuronal tissues, producing therapeutic effects in the brain. It has been used since 2008, but until now there has been no way to provide real-time, visual feedback on the effects of the treatment. Sabouni’s research stimulates the brain’s neurons and captures high-resolution images of induced current in TMS. By using Three Wilkes faculty have collaborated on a compound to be used in wound care. From left, they are Ali Razavi, professor of mechanical engineering, Owen Faut, professor emeritus of chemistry, and Ken Pidcock, professor of biology. Abas Sabouni, assistant professor of electrical engineering, has invented a method for tracing effects of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). PHOTO BY EARL & SEDOR PHOTOGRAPHIC information from MRIs and a computer program simulation, this new technology can pinpoint the area of the brain that needs to be stimulated and allow for faster, less expensive treatment and lower doses of induced current. TMS is helpful in treating depression and cases of post-traumatic stress disorder. It is also used to measure the connection between the primary motor cortex and a muscle to evaluate damage from spinal cord injuries. It may someday prove beneficial in treating a broad range of other neurological problems, such as stroke and Parkinson’s disease. PHOTO BY LISA REYNOLDS Wilkes was recognized with a Rainbow Award by the Northeast Pennsylvania Rainbow Alliance. The award honors individuals and organizations that have helped make northeast Pennsylvania more supportive of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. The Safe Space program at Wilkes was recognized for providing support to the LGBT community on campus by identifying responsive faculty and staff members through the use of the safe space sticker. When the safe space sticker is displayed in an office or room, students know they have the freedom to speak openly about LGBT issues. This voluntary program offers education as well as awareness training. The Safe Space Ally training provides participants with supportive tools to work as advocates both on and off campus for the LGBT community. Awareness training is key for faculty, staff and students to introduce terminology and foster more open discussions. Better understanding of divergent cultures leads to a more open and accepting atmosphere for everyone at Wilkes. The University encourages students to seek out Safe Space allies as a means of support and belonging. The Rainbow Alliance also recognized the University’s Center for Global Education and Diversity and the student-run Wilkes Gay-Straight Alliance for co-sponsoring a three-part film series with the Rainbow Alliance in spring 2014. During Pridefest, Wilkes hosted public events on campus led by the student-run Gay-Straight Alliance. Wilkes has sponsored a table at Pridefest since 2012. WILKES | Fall 2015 Wilkes Honored for Support of LGBT Community 3 �on campus Veterans Council Awarded $10,000 Grant Wilkes’ Veterans Council has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the VetCenter Initiative grant program, a partnership between Student Veterans of America (SVA) and The Home Depot Foundation. The grant will be used to create a center for veterans on campus. A space in Conyngham Hall will be renovated to create a veterans resource center, and will serve as a focal point for veterans’ activities. Student Veterans of America chapters across the country competed for the award, with the 50 best plans receiving grants. Wilkes University Veterans Council President Kellie Palko states that, “This grant means a lot for our club. To receive it is an honor and confirmation that all our hard work paid off last semester. In short, this grant means a future for our club. It means we can grow and reach more veterans who need help. It will give veterans on campus a place to relax and feel safe.” Retired Col. Mark Kaster, veterans outreach coordinator, says the award affirms the University’s commitment to veterans. “Wilkes creates a culture that connects our students to veterans and our veterans to students,” Kaster says. Wilkes has previously been honored for its work with veterans by earning the Military Friendly Schools designation from G.I. Jobs magazine five times. WILKES WELCOMES NEW DEANS WILKES WELCOMED FOUR NEW DEANS FOR THE - ACADEMIC YEAR: WILLIAM B. HUDSON Science and Engineering WILKES | Fall 2015 Career: Professor of electrical engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville; department chair, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Technology at Minnesota State University, Mankato; and dean of the College of Engineering, Mathematics, and Science at University of Wisconsin-Platteville. Industry experience includes serving as principal network design engineer at Sprint. 4 Notable: His research has supported NASA instrumentation, inspection of bridges using tethered robots, determining reasonable human performance shooting reaction times of law enforcement officers, and design of fuel ethanol plants. Patents have resulted from his research in the areas of bridge inspection and firearms response time. PAUL RIGGS RHONDA M. RABBITT DEBORAH ZBEGNER Career: Interim associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, department head and professor of history at Valdosta State University, Valdosta, Ga. Served as executive assistant to the president, secretary of the college, assistant dean of the college, and assistant to the Office of Academic Affairs at Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pa.; and academic advisor in the College of Arts and Sciences at University of Pittsburgh. Career: Assistant dean and director of Graduate Programs in Education at Viterbo University, La Crosse, Wis. Regional development outreach specialist and interim director of the Master of EducationProfessional Development program at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Faculty appointments and teaching positions include assistant professor, School of Education at Viterbo University; and team teaching lecturer, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, Minneapolis campus. Career: Interim dean, Wilkes University School of Nursing. Director of Wilkes School of Nursing’s graduate programs, where she co-developed the doctor of nursing practice program and played an integral role in the development of the University’s online programs in adult gerontology primary care and adult mental health nurse practitioner programs. Formerly associate professor of nursing, Wilkes. Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Notable: Co-principal investigator on a three-year U.S. Department of Education grant totaling nearly $1 million under the Teaching American History program. School of Education Notable: Judge for International Team Excellence Awards and Education Team Excellence Recognition. Served as president of the Wisconsin Independent Colleges of Teacher Education. School of Nursing Notable: Holds national board certification as a women’s health nurse practitioner and is certified in reproductive endocrinology/infertility and obstetric/gynecology ultrasound. Maintains a clinical practice as a women’s health nurse practitioner. PHOTOS BY EARL & SEDOR PHOTOGRAPHIC �athletics Remembering the Legacy of Rollie Schmidt Ask Bill Hanbury ’72 how he’d describe the late legendary Wilkes football coach Rollie Schmidt, and he’d be hard-pressed to choose one word. But somewhere near the top would be the word “motivator.” “Rare is the coach that can motivate players to spend their lives seeking his approval,” said Hanbury in the eulogy he delivered at Schmidt’s memorial service on June 1, 2015. “With every pass thrown, every drill run, every play memorized, every wind sprint completed, every touchdown scored, every game won, every honor made, we all wanted Coach’s approval.” Former players, Wilkes colleagues, friends and members of the community gathered to pay tribute to Schmidt, who died May 28, 2015, leaving his mark on Wilkes athletics through an unprecedented coaching career and indelible influence on the students he mentored. Schmidt’s career at Wilkes began in 1962, continuing until his retirement in 1994. During his tenure he was head football coach, men’s golf coach, head baseball coach and associate professor of physical education. Schmidt was elected to the Wilkes Athletics Above, Rollie Schmidt speaks with former Wilkes President Tim Gilmour on the day the stadium was named in his honor. Right, Schmidt chats with former players. “That desire for his approval didn’t end when we graduated from Wilkes. With every success in life, you wanted Coach to know about it.” – Bill Hanbury ’72 WILKES | Fall 2015 INDELIBLE INFLUENCE Hall of Fame in 1994. In 2010, Schmidt Stadium was dedicated in his honor—the result of the tireless efforts of his former players, who raised money to make it happen. Serving as head football coach from 1962 through 1981, Schmidt led the football team—dubbed the Golden Horde—to its legendary 32-game win streak, resulting in Wilkes College being awarded the Lambert Bowl trophy in 1966 and 1968 as the top small college football team in the East. As baseball coach, he led the Colonels to their first-ever Middle Atlantic Conference baseball championship in 1968. As golf coach, he led his teams to three conference championships. “Coach Schmidt served Wilkes with distinction and dedication for 32 years,” says Wilkes Vice President of Student Affairs Paul Adams ’77, MS ’82. “His 32-game win streak continues to be one of the great achievements in college football history. Always a mentor, he influenced young people not only on the football field, but as a professor in the classroom, and a coach on the baseball diamond and the golf course.” Nicknamed Zeus by his players, Schmidt imparted lessons on the field that players were able to apply to other parts of their lives. “Pride and Poise” were two words emblazoned on the locker room walls during his coaching career—and forever in the memories of his players. In eulogizing him, Hanbury spoke of the influence that continued for a lifetime. “That desire for his approval didn’t end when we graduated from Wilkes. With every success in life, you wanted Coach to know about it.You want to say: ‘Hey, Coach, look what I have done,’ ” Hanbury said. “And you want to thank him for teaching you that success is not an accident. And with failure, he also taught us how to lose with grace. He never made excuses when we lost. “When you’ve been kicked around by life, fallen down a few times, faced adversity, been knocked off your high horse, then you realize just how important Coach was and still is.You always hear his voice: ‘Come on, boys, pick yourself up, do better, pride and poise, never quit.’ ” 5 �SECRETS TO HIS SUCCESS Bill Evanina ’89 Directs Counterintelligence Activities for the United States By Andrew M. Seder WILKES | Fall 2015 A chunk of coal sits on Bill Evanina’s desk at the National Counterintelligence and Security Center in Bethesda, Md. Since he found it in an old coal mine as a youth, the anthracite has traveled with Evanina through each of his life’s phases. “I had it in Pickering Hall and I still have it,” Evanina ’89 says, recalling his Wilkes residence hall. “It’s a great focal point. It reminds you where you came from; that old coal miner’s work ethic. That value and that trust still are with me today. I’m hoping to hand it down to my son one day.” The work ethic has gotten him far. Evanina is the national counterintelligence executive, one of the most powerful people in the United States intelligence community, responsible for leading the counterintelligence and security activities of the United States government. His office works with the counterintelligence and security elements of the United States government, the United States intelligence community and the private sector to ensure awareness and mitigate the threats posed by foreign intelligence entities and malicious insiders. 6 Bill Evanina ’89 has brought his northeast Pennsylvania work ethic to his role as national counterintelligence executive for the United States. PHOTOS COURTESY THE NATIONAL COUNTERINTELLIGENCE SECURITY CENTER �“It’s a great focal point. It reminds you where you came from; that old coal miner’s work ethic. That value and that trust still are with me today. I’m hoping to hand it down to my son one day.” The chunk of anthracite on Evanina’s desk is a reminder of his roots. He also, without hesitation and with the precise memory of someone who handles detailed intelligence matters, remembers the event that set him down the path toward becoming an FBI agent. He was a young teen riding his bike through Olyphant when he saw police cars outside a bank that had just been robbed. As he watched the officers going through their investigative steps he noticed a Dodge Dart pull up, and a man in a suit with a fedora emerge and walk up to the local police. Evanina asked someone who that guy was and was told the man was an FBI agent. He knew from that moment what he wanted to be. Getting there would take another 14 years. In between, his focus was on athletics, where he excelled at baseball and football. Former Valley View football coach Frank Pazzaglia was among those who provided structure and discipline in his life, two key cogs that would aid him in his future. But it was a Peckville town resident who came to watch the Cougars practice and play that left, perhaps, the longest-lasting and most meaningful impression on him as a teen. Local war hero and Medal of Honor winner Gino J. Merli would give pep talks to the players, and Evanina remembers their intent and meaning and carries the message with him to this day. “Fidelity, integrity, character. Don’t let adversity get you down,” Merli would tell the kids. “Let adversity be a tool.” “Him talking to high school kids was invaluable,” Evanina says. When Evanina graduated from Valley View in 1985, he went to Keystone Junior College to play baseball. After two years, he was recruited by Misericordia, Villanova and East Stroudsburg universities as well as by King’s College and Wilkes, among others. He opted to take his pitching and shortstop skills—and still deep-seated FBI aspirations—to Wilkes. He remembered playing high school state playoff games at Artillery Field, he liked the Wilkes campus and especially liked that it was “just far enough away but still close enough to come home on the weekends.” WILKES | Fall 2015 As an FBI agent “detailed out” to lead the center, Evanina first assumed the assignment in June 2014, and he thought he had a pretty good idea what he was getting into. He was wrong. “When I took this job, I didn’t fully understand the vastness and scope of the mission here,” Evanina recalls. But it’s just the latest big assignment for a man who has made his career in government with a focus on law enforcement. In his 18 years with the FBI, he was involved in major investigations that included 9/11, anthrax attacks, terrorist kidnappings and more. In speaking about his current job, Evanina says, “I’m not sure there is an average day. The days don’t end.” The phone never stops ringing. Things have changed from his easygoing days growing up in Peckville, Pa., just outside of Scranton. As one of John and Barb Evanina’s three children, he recalls a youth spent riding his bike around old anthracite mining pits, lettering in baseball and football for Valley View High School and playing video games with his friends. 7 �) William “Bill” Evanina, Alexandria, Va. Bachelor of Arts, Public Administration and History, WILKES | Fall 2015 He spent his two years at Wilkes residing in Pickering Hall, where he also served as a resident assistant. “(Pickering Hall) was attached to the cafeteria and had a triangle shape, which was very conducive to being a social butterfly, which is what I was.” He notes that mostly athletes resided in the sincedemolished hall that was located between West Ross and West South streets and South Franklin and South River streets. In his senior year, his Pickering Hall room neighbor was Jeff Yankow, a fellow Lackawanna County native and baseball pitcher. Yankow, who graduated from Wilkes in 1993 with an economics degree and now teaches that subject at Furman University, says the Bill Evanina he knew then has the same qualities as the man he knows today. “You respected his leadership. He commanded a high level of respect,” says Yankow, who was born in Olyphant, now resides in Greenville, S.C., and who played briefly in the Kansas City Royals’ minor league system. “He has such a work ethic, integrity. It’s no surprise to me he’s excelling at what he’s doing. Not one bit.” While playing both baseball and Sega Genesis took up some of Evanina’s time at Wilkes, he had several professors and staff members guiding him along, making sure his days after Wilkes would be successful and exercising his strong work ethic. Evanina mentioned baseball coach Jerry Bavitz, Dean of Students Mark R. Allen and professors Philip R. Tuhy and Susan Behuniak among those at Wilkes he credits with “being very attuned to the individual and what your needs were as a soon-to-be graduate.” He spent two years in the admissions office as a work-study student, giving tours to prospective students, mailing letters and doing other office work. He also landed an internship with the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office in the summer before his senior year. By watching the detectives and 8 Wilkes; Master of Education, educational leadership, Arcadia University. Career: National counterintelligence executive at the National Counterintelligence and Security Center in Bethesda, Md. Notable: His sister, Tanya, is also an FBI agent, assigned to work in the Pittsburgh field office. Favorite Wilkes Memory: “Weekend nights when we were bored out of our minds, we’d walk down to Public Square and go to Donuts Delight then go back to Pickering Hall and play Sega Genesis all night,” Evanina recalls. prosecutors, he learned that there’s a lot more that goes into a case than you realize. This, perhaps more than anything during his formative years, opened his eyes to the law enforcement community. “You got full exposure to the law enforcement process from crime to prosecution,” Evanina says, adding that prior to this experience he thought more about the crime aspect of such cases. But interacting with victims and even the criminal’s family, gave him a different perspective. “For every person that goes to jail there are many, many victims and friends and family of victims,” he says, When Evanina completed his bachelor’s degree in public administration and history at Wilkes, graduating magna cum laude, he was 21 years old. He still wanted to be an FBI agent, but applicants must be 26 years old. So five days after graduation, he became a federal government employee working in the General Services Administration office in Philadelphia. Left, Bill Evanina, center, celebrates his graduation day at Wilkes with his brother, Stephen, and sister, Tanya. Right, Evanina is up at bat in his days playing for the Colonels. PHOTOS COURTESY WILLIAM EVANINA �economic espionage: don’t be a victim A LECTURE BY BILL EVA NIN A ‘89 NATIONAL COUNTERINTELLIGENCE EXECUTIVE AND DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL COUNTERINTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY CENTER 7 P.M. THURSDAY, NOV. 12, 2015 HENRY STUDENT CENTER BALLROOM Bill Evanina ’89 Delivers Lecture on “Economic Espionage” at Wilkes on Nov. 12 Alumnus Bill Evanina will share the knowledge he’s gained during more than two decades as an FBI agent and as national counterintelligence executive when he returns to Wilkes to deliver a lecture on Nov. 12. His presentation—“Economic Espionage: Don’t Be A Victim”—will provide information about how business owners and individuals can protect themselves from this threat. Evanina will speak at 7 p.m. in the ballroom of the Henry Student Center. The event is free and open to the public. WILKES | Fall 2015 During his five years there he rose to the level of project manager, handling construction projects for federal buildings and courthouses. But month after month the calendar turned another page closer to his chance to apply to the FBI. In 1996, he entered the bureau’s training program in Quantico, Va. After 21 intensive weeks he graduated in January 1997 and was assigned as a special agent in the Newark, N.J., field office, where he was placed on an organized crime unit for two years before being reassigned to an investigative unit handling violent crimes in New Jersey. Two years later his life—and the lives of millions of others— was about to change. On Sept. 11, 2001, two planes struck the World Trade Center, just 10 miles from Evanina’s Newark office. In that instant, Evanina would become intrinsically involved in working against the threat that is terrorism. Over the next 14 years he would move from office to office, unit to unit, while having a hand in counterterrorism, counterintelligence and security matters. While some might view all the moving and new assignments—especially the serious and stressful nature of them—as unappealing, Evanina says he’s been blessed. He reads intelligence reports from more than a dozen different counterintelligence and security organizations that receive guidance and direction from his office. That includes the FBI, CIA and the National Security Agency. From those reports he’s come to understand that the transformation of U.S. counterintelligence and cybersecurity methods has been eye-opening and constant. “The evolution has been not only expeditious but lightning speed,” Evanina says. He laughs, recalling that when he first started with the FBI, cell phones were rare. Agents would get a page, find a pay phone, call an 800 number and be “patched in.” Now pay phones are a rarity and cell phones are the norm. Noting that such things have come a long way in less than 20 years, Evanina says, “It grows and gets more complicated every day.” He says he hears the complaints from citizens about government intrusion and criticisms of the intelligence community, but he hopes Americans realize “there’s so much stuff being done by so many people in the intelligence community they don’t know about, nor should they.” Evanina does what he does each day hoping that his wife, JulieAnne, his son, 10-year-old Dominic, and other Americans can go to bed each night feeling a little safer. 9 �F1 RST IN THE FAMILY WILKES FUND SUPPORTS FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS By Donna Talarico-Beerman ’00, MFA’10 A secretary of state. A first lady. A coffee company CEO. The But being the first in the family to seek a degree does not come professional achievements of Colin Powell, Michelle Obama and without challenges. University Business also reported that first- Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz illustrate that success stories do generation college students are at higher risk of dropping out than indeed arise from being the first in one’s family to attend college. their peers. Earlier this year, The Washington Post reported that More than half of the undergraduates attending four-year institutions today are first-generation college students, the term used to classify those whose parents do not hold a degree. this is due to several factors, including a greater financial need and, in many cases, less moral support. Colleges and universities nationwide have embarked on programs That’s according to University Business magazine, which also to better support this constituency emotionally, academically and reported that 24 percent of students are first-generation and financially—to increase the ability of these students to achieve a low income. Wilkes University’s enrollment is in line with that dream. In addition to its already-strong mentoring for all students, national statistic. Wilkes in 2014 introduced a program that would provide financial “More than half of our incoming freshmen identify themselves as the first in their family to attend a four-year college,” says support to first-generation college students. The Founders Gala, Wilkes’ new premier fundraising event, President Patrick F. Leahy, adding that since it was founded as exclusively supports the First Generation Scholarship Fund. In its Bucknell University Junior College in 1933, Wilkes has helped first year, the sold-out event brought in $250,000 and to date the young scholars blaze the education trail for their families. Fund has raised more than half a million dollars. WILKES | Fall 2015 “In establishing the First Generation Scholarship Fund, the University has made a commitment to support those students in their journey to be 10 the first in their family to earn a degree,” says Leahy—those like Sergey, Margaret, Kyle, Salena and Cody, students you’ll meet on these pages: ASPIRING DOCTORS. A FUTURE NURSE. A BUDDING ENGINEER. �Found in Translation SERGEY SVINTOZELSKIY WHEN SOPHOMORE BIOLOGY MAJOR SERGEY SVINTOZELSKIY was younger, he translated for his Ukrainian family members while his grandfather was in the hospital. He knew, even then, that he felt comfortable in the medical environment. Later, shadowing his family doctor and being treated by an orthopedic surgeon for a shoulder injury sealed his interest in becoming a doctor. Svintozelskiy’s family moved from Ukraine to Plains, Pa., in 1999, when he was 4. His father left behind a career as an assistant veterinarian. In the States, he went into PHOTOS BY EARL AND SEDOR PHOTOGRAPHIC Setting a Precedent SALENA DIAZ Diaz’ younger brother is 17, a senior in high school. She believes she’s a good influence on him and her 11-year-old sister. She is proud to be setting a precedent for the family, and, for that, she says, her mother is ecstatic. “It makes her even more optimistic that [my siblings] are going to be fine. College is absolutely feasible.” WILKES | Fall 2015 SOPHOMORE PSYCHOLOGY MAJOR SALENA Diaz was certain her mother got the message wrong. But the Kingston, Pa., native confirmed the information with Wilkes’ admissions office. “I honestly didn’t believe it,” she says of the moment she found out she was the recipient of a First Generation Scholarship. “Oh my goodness, I was over the moon!” After putting off applying to college, she attended an Instant Decision Day at Wilkes and, by the end of the event, she had been accepted. There was joy—but that soon turned to worry. “Acceptance is only the first hurdle,” she says. “The task of paying for college is a whole new beast.” She had high school friends whose parents went to college who could guide them through the application and financial aid process—something she did not have. “I was going in blind,” she says. “I thought it would be unbearably hard because no one could tell me it wasn’t.” Diaz, who is also minoring in Spanish, wrote a newspaper editorial about being a first-generation student. In the piece, she described herself as the oldest of three children “in a home captained by a hardworking single mother.” Her mom, a secretary, always encouraged her children to do well in school so they could earn a scholarship and continue on to college— “something she never got to do; her parents weren’t supportive [of higher education].” the food industry and now runs a restaurant in Pittston, Pa. Svintozelskiy says his family in Ukraine worked with their hands—on farms or in construction. His father didn’t want that for his kids. “My parents always envisioned us going to the States. They wanted us to excel in academics,” he says. By the time he graduated high school, he had earned 24 college credits at Wilkes through a Young Scholars program. He already knew faculty members and was acquainted with campus, so becoming a Colonel was a natural fit. Being awarded a first-generation student scholarship was a welcome bonus. “The financial aspect made a huge difference [in attending Wilkes]. I was overwhelmed and excited,” he says. Svintozelskiy knows that there’s often something different that motivates a firstgeneration college student. In his case, it was recognizing the sacrifices his family made. “My parents worked hard for us, and through their good will, we have opportunities,” he says, adding that he doesn’t take anything, including the college experience, for granted. 11 �Engineering a Future CODY COLARUSSO AS A HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR, WEST WYOMING, PA., RESIDENT CODY Colarusso job-shadowed at Diamond Manufacturing, where his father had worked for 20 years as a machine operator. There he met Rob Falls ’09, an engineer. Colarusso was fascinated by the way Falls and his team drew on computers. “I asked him where he went to college, and he said Wilkes,” says Colarusso, now a sophomore engineering major. His older brother went to trade school and earned his commercial drivers license, but Colarusso would be the first in his family to receive a four-year degree. He knew he wanted a college degree and his parents pushed him to prepare. He took AP courses in high school and took a summer college-level calculus class. The budding mechanical engineer considered other schools, but decided Wilkes was the right fit for him—and he’d be able to remain at home and maintain his part-time job. Despite getting accepted to his college of choice, he was worried about finances Living for a Dream WILKES | Fall 2015 MARGARET GALATIOTO 12 because, as he describes, “we’re a family of four living on one income.” He was shocked and humbled when he got the call about the First-Generation Scholarship. “I was very driven to attend Wilkes and because of this award I was able,” he says. Colarusso says the engineering program is rigorous, but he knows “it will be worth it to push through.” And although much of his coursework revolves around science and math, he found an English class with associate professor and department chair Mischelle Anthony to be one of his favorites, offering a change of pace from science labs. Colarusso says his father taught him and his brother to always do the best in every situation and “if not, to try again.” That kind of determination, and being prepared for the unexpected, he says, is a trait first-generation college students share. “I want to succeed because I want to leave something behind,” he says. “And to give back to my parents too.” MOST OF HER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL classmates didn’t know what platelets were. But at a very young age Binghamton, N.Y., native Margaret Galatioto did. “I tried to understand [the medical terms] so I could understand what was happening with my father,” the sophomore neuroscience major says, explaining that he passed away from cancer in 2009. She says her father always pushed himself to be the best at everything he did, an expectation he also held for his children. “If we got a 90 on a test, he’d ask what we could do better.” Her mom taught her the importance of family. “She prepared me for how to take care of my, I hope, future family.” Galatioto recognized how hard her parents worked, despite financial and health obstacles; this instilled in her a desire and drive to succeed. �Nurturing a Career KYLE MCHALE “Just because you don’t have ‘XYZ’ doesn’t mean you can’t try hard and achieve crazy dreams,” she says. Her high school teachers continued to encourage her to “ask questions” and that curiosity kept her going in the “science direction.” She took college courses while still in high school—classes that involved rotations in hospitals. That’s where she fell in love with operating rooms. “I’m not a morning person, but the OR got me up at 5:30 a.m.” She also went to “mini-medical camps” as a kid and looked up to her teenaged counselors. “Now I’m that person,” she says. She helped Debra Chapman, biology education specialist, run Women Empowered by Science, Wilkes’ Throughout high school the Wilkes-Barre native worked, sometimes up to 30 hours in a week, and helped contribute to the family finances. Balancing a job, homework and chores afforded him time management skills he transferred to college. McHale, who commutes to campus, became interested in nursing after taking care of two autistic cousins during an entire summer. He administered medications, helped them exercise and bathe, and just assisted with simple, daily tasks. “It’s about wanting to see a person succeed. It’s not just about helping someone you care about, it’s being with them,” he says of his desire to be there fully for his future patients. A highlight of McHale’s campus tour was the nursing simulation center and a lengthy conversation with a professor; he was really moved by how much time she spent with him, even while he was still in “decision mode.” He says something about Wilkes grabbed him. “What I do know is that Wilkes makes you feel like you can succeed,” he says. McHale says that although his family struggled financially, his parents gave abundant support in other ways. The number-one thing that stands out is that his mom and dad never missed a sporting event, from T-ball to high school. He’d notice that his teammates’ families were not always in the stands. “I’d look over and see them hang their heads if they couldn’t find (their parents),” he says. “I may not have had a lot, but in those moments, the other person was envious of what I had.” McHale says that for students whose parents have a degree, the decision to go to college is likely more routine, something expected, constantly instilled. On the other hand, he says, first-generation college students don’t always have someone in their household to guide them through the process from personal experience. “I chose to be here,” he says. summer science program for middle school girls. When Galatioto began looking at colleges, Wilkes made it to the top of her list. She loved that it was small, that students made strong connections with advisors, and that it had a strong science program. But finances were a major factor in her ability to go to college. The First Generation Scholarship Fund lowered her family’s financial burden; and to continue to help her mom with college bills, Galatioto finds time to work on- and off-campus. “Everyone’s situation is different, but if a first-generation college student grew up watching their parents working extremely hard … they will be all the more motivated to persist,” she says. Her idea of success is being able to help people in the medical field, make a lasting impact on someone’s life and inspire other firstgeneration college students “to show them that they can do it as long as they are willing to work hard enough and believe in themselves.” But for now, she’s content on campus. “Wilkes is my second home. When I’m in the Cohen Science Center and look out at the greenway, I realize I have a lot to be thankful for,” she says. “I’m beyond thankful for the many gifts in my life.”� WILKES | Fall 2015 BEFORE THE CALL, THINGS WERE GRAY. DULL. A constant worry. But when sophomore nursing major Kyle McHale learned he was a recipient of a First Generation Scholarship, things changed. “It was like a curtain just dropped. We were relieved,” he says. McHale’s father worked two jobs—as a taxi driver and a hotel laborer—and his mother worked for a call center. His hard-working parents were, and still are, his role models. 13 �PATH TO GREATNESS CAMPUS .................................................................................... GATEWAY OPENS NEW ERA WILKES | Fall 2015 ------ 14 ·-------- - �O nce it was simply a sidewalk between two campus buildings, a well-traveled path from South Main Street to the center of the Wilkes campus. Five months and 47,700 bricks later, it’s become something more. Joining such campus landmarks as the John Wilkes statue, the Burns Bell Tower and the Fenner Quadrangle, the new campus Gateway promises to be a defining feature on the University landscape. Supported by a gift from alumnus Clayton Karambelas ’49 and his wife, Theresa, and a $600,000 PennDOT multi-modal grant, the Gateway provides a well-lit entrance and a cohesive centerpiece for Wilkes’ city campus. Dedicated on Oct. 2 during Homecoming weekend, the $1 million Gateway unites the campus, extending from South Main Street across campus and South Franklin Street to the heart of the greenway. GATEWAY FACTS • The metal archway at the entrance is made of structural steel tube. • 47,700 paver bricks were used. • The Gateway features over 2,000 plants and trees, including five red maples, 1,000 pachysandras, 55 wood ferns and 27 oakleaf hydrangeas. • The Howard replica clock stands 18 feet high. • It includes 11 lamp posts. • Pedestrian crosswalks were created on South Main and South Franklin streets. • The bases on the piers and curbs are Mt. Airy White granite from North Carolina. The cladding and caps on the piers is buff-colored limestone from Indiana, chosen to complement historic Weckesser Hall. • Architects for the project were Derck and Edson of Lititz, Pa. Construction was Opposite page, The archway for the campus Gateway on South Main Street provides an inviting entrance to Wilkes’ campus. This page, top right, clockwise from left, Students fill the Gateway as they travel to and from class. Upper right, The Howard replica clock towers 18 feet over the Gateway. Lower right, The new path crosses South Franklin Street into the heart of the greenway. Above, The seating area outside Weckesser Hall is ready for passersby to take a seat. PHOTOS BY EARL AND SEDOR PHOTOGRAPHIC For more information about the Gateway and to view a time-lapse video of its construction and photos of its dedication, visit www.wilkes.edu/gateway. WILKES | Fall 2015 coordinated by Sordoni Construction Services Inc. 15 �HOPE CROWNED WITH EVANA MANANDHAR ’14 HELPS EARTHQUAKE RECOVERY AS MISS NEPAL WILKES | Fall 2015 By Lori M. Myers MA ’09 16 Above, Evana Manandhar ’14 greets the audience as she learns that she has won the title Miss Nepal World. Below, Manandhar distributes supplies to a woman affected by the earthquake that devastated Nepal. PHOTOS BY RAJAN MAHARJAN, LAXMI NARAYAN MAHARJAN, SAROJ PRAJAPATI AND BIBASH MAHARJAN SUWAL �B ecoming Miss Nepal World 2015 was never a childhood dream of Evana Manandhar ’14, but on April 18, she won the title, viewing this international platform as a stepping stone to help others. She didn’t have to wait long to realize that goal. One week later, a destructive 7.9 Richter scale earthquake struck her homeland and Manandhar was there to offer assistance to those in need. She credits Wilkes University and her family for developing the strength that enabled her to do this important work. “Wilkes helped build me to believe in myself,” Manandhar says. “Wilkes made me conquer Miss Nepal World.” The confidence and strength were important on April 25 while she sat in her sixth-floor residence in Kathmandu, 35 miles from the quake’s epicenter. As the earth shook, she ran to the basement for safety while the tallest tower in her city collapsed. Ironically, it also was Manandhar’s birthday. After several days, she traveled to the devastated areas to see firsthand the results of the quake. More than 8,000 people had died and families were living in tents under harsh conditions. Manandhar went to the local airport and directed foreign relief workers to the hard-hit areas. She distributed maternity kits and sanitary products to women and counseled children in orphanages who were left traumatized by the quake and its strong aftershocks. “I was in places I’d never been,” Manandhar says. “As Miss Nepal, you become the face for the country. The women and children connected with me. If I panicked, what would they do? I created hope for them.” Now, she says, people are concentrating on rebuilding Nepal. “I felt significant and carried lots of hopes of the Nepalese on my shoulders,” she says. “It was the moment to be strong. It was a great privilege to be their representative and make them realize that we are one nation, together.” Back in America, Manandhar’s Wilkes community hadn’t heard from her after the quake because there was no Internet service. Friends at the University were relieved when she finally posted on Facebook. In response to a request Manandhar made Evana Manandhar, Kathmandu, Nepal Bachelor of Business Administration, Marketing, Wilkes Notable: Miss Nepal World 2015; Ambassador for National Trust for Nature Conservation in Nepal Favorite Wilkes Memory: Taking a class with Wilkes University President Patrick F. Leahy and meeting inspiring mentors and professors from the Sidhu School of Business and the Center for Global Education and Diversity. on social media, the Wilkes community lit candles and observed a moment of silence on May 7 to remember the Nepalese people and the innocent lives lost. Manandhar’s dedication and the support and caring from those at Wilkes are not a surprise to Anne Heineman Batory, chair, Department of Entrepreneurship, Leadership and Marketing in the Jay S. Sidhu School of Business and Leadership and a professor of marketing. Batory met Manandhar in fall 2011. She became her advisor when Manandhar declared marketing as her major. Batory recalls her former student as excellent both academically and as a team leader who inspired others. “Evana is a warm and compassionate person,” Batory says. “She was a friend and advisor to many of our international students. She wanted them to be successful at Wilkes, and she enjoyed learning about their home countries. As an international student, Evana wanted her classmates to understand and appreciate the graceful beauty of Nepal, Nepalese people, and Nepali culture. She shared pictures, artwork, fabrics and stories about Nepal in class.” Manandhar came to Wilkes from Kathmandu, Nepal, and was the only student from that country. She found the University through a consultant who was helping her to apply to colleges in the United States. She says it was “luck” that brought her to Wilkes, where she found a home and a family. Once she arrived, she quickly immersed herself in college life. Manandhar reached out to the University’s Center for Global Education and Diversity, working with staff and students on socialization, education, and social events. She hosted the first Nepali New Year at Wilkes to bring awareness of the cultural diversity, ethnicity, and the traditions of her country. When she graduated in May 2014—on her father’s birthday— her entire family came from Nepal and Connecticut to celebrate with her. She earned the Dean’s Excellence Award in Marketing at graduation. Manandhar will compete for the Miss World title in China in December, and continues to help her country. Wilkes, she says, is always part of everything she does. “I am proud to be a Wilkes alumna,” she says. “I am proud to be a Colonel, and once a Colonel, always one. Wilkes University pride.” Manandhar, right, gives books and school supplies to school children in her native Nepal. WILKES | Fall 2015 0 17 �alumni news New Board Members– Back to Campus During the May board meeting, five new members of the Alumni Association Board of Directors were elected. To help introduce them, we asked each one to talk about their favorite spot on campus. STEPHEN MOYER ’10 – Moyer graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in psychology and is the vice president of staffing recruitment at Huntsville Executive Search in Dallas, Pa. “My favorite spot at Wilkes is the Farley Library. I loved going there between classes, whether it was to use the computers or to do work. There was just something about climbing the steps to the second floor, finding a cubicle and getting to work.” COL. MARK RADO ’80 – Rado graduated with a bachelor JAMIE GWYNN ’09 – Gwynn holds a bachelor of arts degree in communication studies and now works as the assistant to the township manager in Northampton Township, Pa., and also assists the Bucks County Association of Township Officials. of science degree in business education. He is the U.S. Army Accessions Support Brigade commander in Fort Knox, Ky. “My spot is on “the hill,” which overlooks the Schmidt Stadium at Ralston Athletic Complex. (Trust me, no one who knows me “My favorite spot on campus was the Henry Student Center, expects me to say the library.) When I played football at Wilkes, it specifically the pool table section. I was a commuter student, was always exciting to come out of Munson Field House on top of and as a freshman I didn’t want to travel back and forth to my “the hill” and march down the steps and run onto the field. Later home between classes so I needed a place to stay and have fun. when I watched as a student, there was no better vantage point to I gravitated to the pool tables and bonded with lots of people. watch the game from. Now, when I return as an alumnus, “the hill” This became a hangout spot in between classes for a lot of us is the place to connect with old friends, make new friends and to throughout my experience at Wilkes.” rekindle memories of our time at our alma mater! Can’t wait to be on “the hill” for homecoming this year! AMY HETRO MBA ’12 – Hetro holds a master of business administration degree from Wilkes and works as an accounting professional for EDM Americas in the West Pittston, Pa., office. She is also an adjunct instructor in the Wilkes MBA program. “My favorite spot on campus is the greenway. Because I was “My favorite spot is the Henry Student Center. While at Wilkes, I evenings or on weekends. During our breaks from class, or even loved being in the middle of the action, and for me that almost between our weekender class sessions, my fellow classmates and always meant spending time in the SUB. From involvement in I would gather there to study, do assignments or just relax. The student clubs and organizations, fundraisers, events and just change of the seasons is one of my favorite parts of the Wilkes spending time with friends, most of my time out of the classroom University area and the greenway was always a great place to was spent in and around the building. As a result, some of my observe the leaves changing, snow falling, or flowers blooming.” favorite Wilkes memories were created there.” When you sign up your child or grandchild for our new Colonel’s Kids Club, they will receive a birthday card each year from the Colonel. Through the years, your child or grandchild may even get a few surprises as one of WILKES | Fall 2015 and graduated from Wilkes with a bachelor of science degree in accounting and business administration. He is an assurance associate at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Florham Park, N.J. an MBA student, most of my time spent on campus was in the SIGN UP FOR THE COLONEL’S KIDS CLUB! 18 JOHN SWEENEY ’13 – Sweeney comes from a family of Colonels the Colonel’s favorite kids! To sign up, please visit community.wilkes.edu/ colonelskidsclub. Pictured with the Colonel is Jack Ference, son of Jonathan PharmD ’03 and Kimberly (Hritzak) PharmD ’03 Ference. �giving back Susan Dalton Saint Onge ’91 Says Thanks With Gift to Women’s Soccer KES Susan Dalton Saint Onge ’91 left her mark as one of the Wilkes women’s soccer program’s inaugural team members. She’s making her mark again with a gift that helped to modernize the team’s locker rooms. In May 2015, Saint Onge and her husband, Kevin, who live in Fanwood, N.J., made a generous contribution of $10,000 for the project—one that is fitting for a player who helped to build a foundation for the more than 180 women who have played soccer for Wilkes since the sport began there in 1987. Saint Onge designated her gift to the women’s soccer program because this was the area that meant the most to her while at Wilkes. “The most fun I ever had in the sport was during my four years on the Wilkes team,” she says. “Susan and Kevin’s extremely generous gift made a great impact locker room space,” says women’s soccer head coach John Sumoski. In this interview, Susan reflects on her experience as a soccer player and why she chooses to give back to Wilkes. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WILKES MEMORY? I have many! One of the most exciting days on campus was when the entrepreneur and publisher Malcolm Forbes arrived via helicopter to dedicate Fortinsky Hall. Winter Weekend was always fun. I remember when the men’s soccer team won the 1990 ECAC Conference Title. And, of course, I remember when our team finally scored our first goal—thank you, Dawn Holser Acacio ’92! WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO BE PART OF THE INAUGURAL WOMEN’S SOCCER TEAM AT WILKES? Exciting and daunting. Those early years of the program were rough. We were, however, hard-working, dedicated and enjoyed the sport enough to show up for practice, even when we knew the odds of us winning the next game were slim-tonone. Looking back now, you could say we were pioneers, but at the time we were just young women having a blast doing something we loved. Members of the women’s soccer team gather to thank Susan Dalton St. Onge ’91 and her husband, Kevin, for their gift supporting refurbishment of their locker room. Pictured from left are Shelby Trumbo, sophomore; Olivia Schlottmann, sophomore; Erin Donnelly ‘14, graduate assistant coach; John Sumoski, head women’s soccer coach; Susan Dalton Saint Onge ’91; Kevin Saint Onge; Sarah Wasley, senior; Megan Binder, senior; Kate Mahoney, senior. WHAT POSITION DID YOU PLAY HOW DID BEING PART OF A AND WHAT WAS YOUR NUMBER? COLLEGIATE TEAM HELP YOU IN I played defense—full back and stopper. I changed my number each year to match my age at the time—18, 19, 20 and 21! YOUR CAREER AFTER WILKES? WHO WAS THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSON FROM WILKES DURING YOUR COLLEGE CAREER? An influential person in my college career was former professor and field hockey Coach Gay Meyers. During my first weeks of freshman year, I experienced several personal and family tragedies. She was my academic advisor and stepped in to help me navigate through a difficult time. WHAT DO YOU ENVISION FOR THE FUTURE OF WOMEN’S SOCCER AT WILKES? Having witnessed the program’s very humble beginnings, Coach John Sumoski has transformed this program into a high-level, world-class and well-respected program. I believe athletics plays an integral part in work dynamics. Everything you do on and off the field contributes to the team. Improving your own skills, incorporating strategies, working with others, setting common goals, sharing ideas, dealing with adversity—all of those things contribute to your individual or team’s success or failure. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THE WOMEN’S SOCCER PROGRAM AS A DESIGNATION FOR YOUR GIFT? It is important to me, to help out where I could make a difference, and to contribute to something that meant the most to me during my time at Wilkes. I recognize and appreciate the importance of women’s sports programs and how often these programs are underserved, especially at small colleges. WILKES | Fall 2015 on our program, inspired our young women and helped us update our 19 �class notes Wayne Henninger ’92 Hits Home Run as Little League Communications Executive Wayne Henninger ’92 emphasizes the importance of Little Henninger solved Little League’s 74-year-old problem: the League in his life. “I played Little League, my dad played Little lack of a direct line of communication to its most influential League, and now my son plays Little League,” he says. constituents: parents. He launched The Parent Connection, a His personal history has come in handy as Henninger monthly newsletter that reaches 1 million readers. managed communications for Little League International as The organization also runs the Urban Initiative Program, which both a consultant and its senior communications executive. develops programs in major cities to give disadvantaged youth an In the latter role, he managed an eight-person staff who opportunity to enjoy the game. Then there’s Henninger’s favorite champion Little League’s message of being a community- aspect about the Little League World Series: the Challenger oriented organization. Using the Little League website, Division, which gives intellectually and physically challenged newsletters and media coverage, the team sends that message children the opportunity to play baseball. to 7,000 leagues in over 80 countries. “We constantly beat the drum of fun, friends and community,” Henninger says. “And we do a lot more than just offer up baseball.” “We give kids that may have been dealt a little of a diminished hand an opportunity to enjoy sport, friends and community,” he says. Henninger knows firsthand the community that sport builds. As both consultant and communications executive, his greatest He was recruited to play basketball for Wilkes, and a campus visit challenge has been informing parents of the benefits that Little convinced him that the small class sizes, reputable instructors League offers over other activities available to children. and good communications program was right for him. “Little League is often the first page of a person’s lifelong He wanted to become an ESPN Sports Center anchor, so he scrapbook. I can remember riding my bike to practice, the taste concentrated on telecommunications and public relations. Then of boiled hotdogs with mustard and onion, the sound of tires an internship with the Detroit Pistons shifted his television crunching gravel as kids were being dropped off, and those focus to sports communications. The Pistons hired him after things have nothing to do with what happens on the baseball he graduated. field. I also remember my teammates, the rainouts and sitting in In 1998, Henninger launched his own sports-focused public the dugout hoping that it would stop, my first catch in left field. relations firm, Wave Public Relations, in Washington, D.C. My challenge is to communicate all of that to parents.” Clients included the Senior Olympics, Major League Lacrosse and the Pistons. He also wrote for Sports Business Journal “We constantly beat the drum of fun, friends and community. And we do a lot more than just offer up baseball.” and ESPN Magazine. He later sold his firm and became a consultant, with Little League International as a client. When a vacancy opened at Little League, Henninger agreed to temporarily fill the position, which lasted three years. As of Aug. 1 of this year, he’s come full circle, leaving his position to become a public relations consultant WILKES | Fall 2015 once again. And once again, Little League 20 International is his client. – By Francisco Tutella MA ‘15 Wayne Henninger ’92, seen at the Little League field in Williamsport, promotes the value of Little League baseball as its communications executive and a consultant. �class notes 1965 Leslie “Toby” Tobias Jenkins and Jim Jenkins celebrated their 49th anniversary in Trinidad, Colo. Leslie also placed 17 out of 90 women her age in the Spokane, Wash., Lilac Bloomsday 12K in May. This was her 27th Bloomsday. 1969 Philip W. Herfort, Ed Havrilla ’88 and Tawny Rushoe Dietrick ’85 are part of the Repasz Band. The band was invited by the U.S. National Park Service to perform at Appomattox,Va., on April 9 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the surrender of Robert E. Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia to Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at the end of the American Civil War. 1971 Steven T. Case, professor emeritus of biochemistry and associate dean for medical school admissions at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, retired after 36 years of service on the faculty. During the last decade, he was actively engaged with the Association of American Medical Colleges in facilitating medical school admissions workshops nationwide. 1972 Robert Byrne retired from The Citadel’s Counseling Center. Prior to that, he had a 24-year career with the Army, retiring as a lieutenant colonel from the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N.Y., where he was director of the center for personal development. Mike Hughes retired as head coach of the women’s rowing program at the U.S. Naval Academy after 18 years at the helm and 24 years total at the academy. He was named Patriot League Coach of the Year in 2005, 2008, 2013 and 2015 and completed his career with three Patriot League Championships and two NCAA Championship bids. He was also named the 2015 Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association Region 2 Coach of the Year. trader and a principal for The Reserve Financial Group, specializing in options and equities trading. He and his wife, Susan, reside at The Encanterra Country Club and Resort in San Tan Valley, Ariz. 1974 Christine Mayo Donahue returned to her native Kingston, Pa., to play the role of Wilkes-Barre native and world’s worst opera singer Florence Foster Jenkins in a special presentation of “Souvenir: A Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins” at Wyoming Seminary’s Kirby Center for the Creative Arts. She teaches voice at the University of Central Arkansas. Sharon Rodgers Naples became grandmother to Gemma Faith Benulis, born July 30, 2014. Naples is president and owner of Freelance Associates Inc., a graphic design, advertising, marketing and promotional product consulting and distribution firm named best local ad agency in 2014 by the Times Leader Luzerne County Reader’s Choice Awards. Naples and her husband, Gary, celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary on May 10, 2015. 1975 Bob Lehman retired from Honeywell Aerospace in July. He resides in Peoria, Ariz., with his wife, Melanie. They have three children and six grandchildren. 1976 William J. Goldsworthy Jr. was named executive director of the American Red Cross Northeastern Pennsylvania Chapter. The chapter covers Luzerne, Lackawanna, Susquehanna and Wyoming counties. 1973 Shirley Davis Newhart and her husband, Bob Hainly, have both retired and relocated to The Landings on Skidaway Island in Savannah, Ga. Ronald Yakus retired from American Greetings Corp. on July 7, 2014, after 40 years of service. He served as the southwest district sales manager for the past 25 years in Phoenix, Ariz. In January 2015, he became the senior 1967 Gerard “Jerry” McHale was named to the American Bankruptcy Institute’s Commercial Fraud Committee. The expert committee is at the forefront of fraud investigations and regularly publishes notices and alerts to others in the field, some of which help shape changes in national laws governing commercial fraud. McHale is a certified public accountant who specializes in bankruptcy, large-scale consumer fraud and litigation support. He has been involved in major national fraud and Ponzi scheme investigations for over 40 years—some of which have been featured on CNBC’s program American Greed. WILKES | Fall 2015 Undergraduate Degrees 21 �class notes 1977 John Jastrem was appointed chief executive officer of North American business at Arcadis, the world’s leading natural and built asset design and consultancy firm. Bruce Lear earned his Six Sigma Master Black Belt certification. He was also promoted to vice president of Global Sales for Hale Products Inc. 1980 Robert “Bob” Gaetano completed his first term as Kane Area School District superintendent of schools. He previously served as the Loyalsock Township Middle School principal in WILKES | Fall 2015 1977 22 Richard A. Russo, a partner in the law firm Rosenn Jenkins & Greenwald LLP, was selected for inclusion in the 22nd Edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the area of Personal Injury Litigation—Plaintiffs. This is the second consecutive year that Russo was selected for this honor. Russo is the chairman of the firm’s personal injury practice. Russo serves on the board of directors for the Kevin Kitchnefsky Foundation for Spinal Cord Research. He lives in Dallas, Pa. Williamsport, Pa., and as an adjunct faculty member for the Wilkes Educational Leadership Program. Thomas Ralston was featured in public service announcements released by the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance. The commercials are part of an outreach effort for survivors of the Boston Marathon bombings. The commercials can be found at www.AskMOVA.org. 1982 Donna Fromel joined Lewith & Freeman Real Estate at the company’s Shavertown, Pa., office. Anthony Vlahovic was a finalist for the 2014 Special Olympics North America Coach of the Year award. He was nominated by Special Olympics New Jersey for initiating and coaching baseball in the state’s Special Olympics movement. A former Major League Baseball player,Vlahovic was among 15 individuals named as finalists. 1985 Tawny Rushoe Dietrick – See Undergraduate Degrees 1969. 1988 Ed Havrilla – See Undergraduate Degrees 1969. 1990 Jason Griggs and his business partner, Matt Cubbler, were featured in Entrepreneur magazine for their business, MaxOut Strength Systems. 1978 Bob Welsh volunteers on weekends as a scuba diver in the shark tank exhibits at Adventure Aquarium, Camden, N.J. He recently performed as “Scuba Santa” and was equipped with a microphone and earphones to speak with audiences during the show. He encourages Wilkes alumni to contact him to arrange for private “back stage” tours. 1993 Carmela Fox was named assistant vice president of human resources at Allied Services Integrated Health System. 1994 Jonny Perloff, along with two other inventors, patented inventions relating to devices and methods for treating damaged, diseased or traumatized portions of the spine. Perloff works for Globus Medical. He lives in Neffs, Pa. 1996 Jill Raspen was named a finalist for the Montgomery County Public Schools Teacher of the Year Award. Raspen is a sixth-grade English resource and classroom teacher at Ridgeview Middle School in Gaithersburg, Md. She was recognized for implementing technology such as Google learning apps in the classroom and leading a pilot program for the county’s 21st Century Learning Spaces Initiative to bridge the divides between individual learners. 1997 Paul Bracken, senior environmental engineer at Arcadis, received Engineering News-Record’s “Top 20 Under 40” award, which recognizes young professionals in all facets of design and construction. Bracken received the award from John Jastrem ’77, chief executive officer of Arcadis’ North American business. 1998 Jennifer Morrell Jordan was married to Craig Jordan in 2013. The couple reside in Lynchburg,Va. Jordan is pursuing a master’s degree in nursing at Wilkes. �class notes Taking A Bow: Corinna Sowers-Adler ’99 Receives Tony Nod for Education Efforts For Corinna Sowers-Adler ’99, the old adage holds true. It really is theatre at the Pocono and Bucks County playhouses. She an honor just to be nominated. During the spring, Sowers-Adler currently serves as executive director of the Gas Lamp received an unexpected message telling her she had been Academy of Performing Arts and Gas Lamp Players in Glen nominated for the first-ever Excellence in Theatre Education Ridge, N.J., where she directed this summer’s camp production Award, presented by the Tony Awards and Carnegie Mellon of Urinetown: The Musical for students in grades 8 – 12. University. According to the Tony website, the annual award was While she enjoys nurturing young talent, Sowers-Adler created “to recognize a K-12 theatre educator in the U.S. who has also has a busy career as an artist in her own right. She runs demonstrated monumental impact on the lives of students and NiCori Studios and Productions in Bloomfield, N.J., with her who embodies the highest standards of the profession.” husband and fellow alum Nick Adler ’00. Since 2010, she’s been “It was pretty thrilling to get that email, ‘You have been nominated performing her cabaret acts at venues throughout New York for a Tony Award,’ ” says Sowers-Adler. “The coolest part is you City. “As much as I miss Wilkes, it’s been the best thing for my get nominated by your students.” Sowers-Adler has worked career,” says Sowers-Adler. “Since moving closer to the city, my with hundreds of young singers and actors during her career. singing career started to take off.” Next up for Sowers-Adler are two performances of her “It was pretty thrilling to get that email, ‘You have been nominated for a Tony Award.’ ” critically acclaimed cabaret show “High Standards” on Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 1 at 4 p.m. at the Metropolitan Room, 34 W. 22nd St., New York, NY. Featuring the award winning pianist Alex Rybeck, “High Standards” spans a variety of classic and contemporary tunes mixed with witty banter. her Though graduation her schedule from Wilkes with a bachelor’s doesn’t allow for much free degree in theatre, she served time, as director of the Wilkes complaining. “In my business, University Sowers-Adler is not Conservatory it’s a blessing to be busy. It’s program for ten years. She good to be working on lots of also held the position of projects and I kind of like it that artistic director of children’s way. I’m singing for my supper.” Corinna Sowers-Adler ’99 leads the cast in a song from Urinetown, The Musical, at the Gas Lamp Academy of Performing Arts in Glen Ridge, N.J. Sowers-Adler’s 1999 Thomas Quinnan was appointed to the board of directors at Johnson College, Scranton, Pa. He is vice president of engineering at Leeward Construction Inc., Honesdale, Pa. To learn more, visit website at www.corinnasings.com. – By Kelly Clisham, ’12 MA’15 Jennifer Radzwillowicz was elected the 2015 Pennsylvania Junior Chamber (Jaycees) state president. 2001 Angelina Cardoso graduated with a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of St. Joseph. 2005 Sabrina Naples Benulis and Michael Benulis welcomed their daughter, Gemma Faith Benulis, on July 30, 2014. The family resides in Drums, Pa. Sabrina’s second book in the dark fantasy trilogy The Books of Raziel, titled Covenant, was published by Harper Collins in April 2014. The third and final book in the series, Angelus, will be released in November 2015. Julian Morales MBA ’08 is now director of admissions at Penn State Law in State College, Pa. WILKES | Fall 2015 Following 23 �class notes 2015 Kyle Romm was hired as an engineer at HNTB Corp., Philadelphia, in the company’s transportation/highways department. Graduate Degrees 2005 Darron Fadden and his wife, Jessica, welcomed a daughter, Lillian Harper, on July 24, 2014. Lillian weighed 7 pounds 13 ounces and measured 20.5 inches long. 2006 Miranda Heness Philbin was featured on Restaurant Startup on CNBC Prime on March 10, 2015, with her company, Peculiar Culinary Company. 2008 Jackie Klahold MS ’15 started a new job at Penn College as head softball coach and senior women’s administrator. Jody L. Post and Steven S. Lada were married Dec. 31, 2014, at the Beaumont Inn in Dallas, Pa. The bride is a program specialist at the Institute for Human Resources and Services in Kingston, Pa., and a therapist for Community Counseling Services, also in Kingston, Pa. The groom is a police officer. 2010 Kimberly Pham and Dominic Serine were married on May 30, 2015, by Moosic Mayor James Segilia at the Woodlands Inn and Resort, Plains Township, Pa. The bride is a physician assistant at Intermountain Medical Group. The groom is a trade finance specialist at Bank of America. Andrew Seaman was named member of the month for July 2015 by the Society of Professional Journalists. He is chairman of the organization’s ethics committee. Seaman is senior medical journalist with Thomson Reuters in New York City. WILKES | Fall 2015 2008 24 Marc Honrath and Brianna Bertoni Honrath were married on June 12, 2015, in Rehoboth Beach, Del. The groom is a captain in the U.S. Air Force. The couple resides in Ohio. 2013 Sheila Cook was named head women’s basketball coach at Alvernia University, Reading, Pa. 1991 Brian Rinker MHA was named senior vice president of the northeastern Pennsylvania region at Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield. 2005 Melissa Leedock PharmD was hired at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center to implement specialty pharmacy services. 2008 Julian Morales MBA – See Undergraduates Degrees 2005. 2009 Amanda Michaud Hess and Ryan Hess MBA ’10 were married on March 18, 2015, at Square Jean XXIII in Paris, France. The bride is a physician assistant at Maricopa County of Public Health. The groom is a student recruiter for Wilkes University’s Mesa Campus. The couple resides in Chandler, Ariz. They are pictured outside the Louvre Museum. PHOTO BY FRAN BOLONI 2010 Ryan Hess MBA – See Undergraduate Degrees 2009. Luciana Musto MA is director of advancement for the NativityMiguel School, Scranton, Pa. 2011 Amye Archer MFA earned the Provost Part-Time Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching from the University of Scranton, Scranton, Pa. She has taught courses in composition, business writing and creative writing at the university for five years and serves as the Writing Center coordinator. 2013 Amanda Dougherty Ward PharmD and Theron Ward PharmD were married on May 30, 2015. 2012 Kevin McCormick MBA was promoted to vice president at Fidelity Bank. 2015 Jackie Klahold MS – See undergraduates 2008 �class notes In Memoriam Remembering Robert S. Capin ’50 Wilkes’ Third President Left Mark as Leader and Teacher When Robert S. Capin ’50 was appointed Wilkes University’s Many former students third president, his comment to The Beacon reflected his remember him as a passionate lifetime commitment to the institution. “I consider it an honor to and invested teacher. His serve as president of Wilkes. The job is a particular thrill to me, academic standards were because I have participated in all phases of the Wilkes College high, and he believed that all family—first as a student, as faculty member, as academic dean, students deserved a quality acting president and finally as president,” said Capin, who earned education. To that end, the a bachelor’s degree in economics. Robert S. Capin Teaching The only one of Wilkes’ six presidents to graduate from the Chair in Accounting was University, Capin, who passed away on June 22, 2015, made a established, as well as the significant impact on the Wilkes community in most of those Endowed roles. The late U.S. Circuit Court Judge Max Rosenn headed up Accounting the presidential search committee that selected Capin, and he accounting majors. Scholarship for in freshman lauded his “unique ability to deal with problems firmly and fairly Education was a vital and and, at the same time, command the respect of faculty, student important part of his own body and administration.” life. He earned a master of Robert Capin ’50, Wilkes third president, used his finance and accounting skills to secure a period of financial stability during his tenure. As a Navy veteran of World War II, Capin began to develop the business administration while leadership skills that would serve him well at Wilkes. One of his teaching part-time at Wilkes most challenging roles as president was tackling the enormous and working as a certified debt load after rebuilding the university from the Agnes flood public accountant, first at in 1972. He used his leadership skills and accounting experience Laventhol & Horwath and as comptroller for Sitkin’s Metal Trading. to enable the school to operate in the black nine years in a row. He ran his own business as a certified public accountant from 1959 He also executed two multimillion-dollar capital campaigns leading to 1974. He was later awarded an honorary doctorate. to a new residence hall—Founder’s Hall which later became Evans Community also was significant to Capin, who worked with Hall—and renovations of several Tom Kelly ’69, professor of management at Binghamton University, was fortunate to have worked with Capin, first as a student and later as a colleague at Wilkes. In the eulogy he delivered at Capin’s many non-profit organizations. “His endearing personality, his knowledge of accounting, and his excellent teaching skills made Bob an excellent professor.” – Tom Kelly ’69 memorial service, Kelly stated, He was always supported by his family, especially his wife, Libby, who encouraged him in all his endeavors. Capin was proud of his daughters, Deborah and Ellen, and his son, David, and his grandchildren, Jeffrey, Mark, Abigail, Claire, Rea, Joshua, Aaron and Shira. “His endearing personality, his knowledge of accounting, and his Capin’s many accomplishments helped to make Wilkes University excellent teaching skills made Bob an excellent professor. And a place where a quality education was the only option. In eulogizing I know of these excellent teaching skills because I benefited in him, Kelly said, “His combination of abilities made him a renowned 1967 from taking an accounting course with Bob—and I have teacher whose classes quickly filled every semester. Many of his modeled some of his effective teaching techniques to this former students whom he personally mentored and counseled very day.” After Kelly earned his doctorate in higher education went on to be partners with the largest and most prestigious administration from Cornell in 1977, Capin brought him back accounting firms in the world: KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers, to serve as a dean on his senior staff. They traveled together Ernst & Young, and Deloitte. Bob was, indeed, a master teacher extensively in support of Wilkes. and masterful mentor.” WILKES | Fall 2015 historic facilities on campus. 25 �class notes 1942 June Owens, of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., died April 26, 2015. She taught mathematics in the Wilkes-Barre Area School District and retired from Myers High School in 1988. 1944 Alex Kotch, of Golden, Colo., died March 8, 2014. He was a research chemist for DuPont Co., program director for organic chemistry at the National Science Foundation, professor and associate chair of the chemistry department at the University of WisconsinMadison, assistant director for Information and Education at the Solar Energy Research Institute, and director of research and program development and professor of chemistry at the University of North Dakota-Grand Forks. Janet Post Phillips, of Shavertown, Pa., died Jan. 24, 2015. She owned a small dress shop, 3 Brook Street. Phillips worked at Maternal and Family Health Services Inc. until her retirement. WILKES | Fall 2015 1947 Harris Roy Boyce, of Whitehall, Pa., died Dec. 18, 2014. He was employed at Duquesne Light Co. for 40 years as an electrical engineer. He also served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. 26 1949 John F. Holbrook, of West Amwell, N.J., died March 19, 2015. He taught and served in school administration in the Westfield, N.J., school district for 35 years. He was a World War II veteran. 1950 Joseph P. Brennan, of Shavertown, Pa., died Feb. 28, 2015. He served with the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was a licensed stockbroker at Butcher and Singer in Philadelphia, returning to the Wyoming Valley to manage the firm’s Wilkes-Barre office. He retired as a financial advisor from Wells Fargo in 2011. Donald Rau, of Berwick, Pa., died July 15, 2015. He was plant manager at Laros Textile Co. in Kingston, Pa., and later plant manager and vice president at Lady Esther Lingerie Corp. 1951 Delbert McGuire, of Cartersville, Ga., died March 2, 2015. He managed stores owned by the W.T. Grant company. He was a U.S. Army veteran and served during World War II. He is preceded in death by his wife, June Persing McGuire ’49. He is survived by his son, Richard ’74. 1952 John Albert Sauciunas, formerly of Kingston, Pa., died April 1, 2015. He worked for the U.S. Postal Service and was a veteran of the U.S. Army. 1953 Victor Turoski, of Neenah, Wis., died June 18, 2015. He was an analytical chemist at Carter Wallace, the American Can Company, and James River Corp. 1954 John J. Wojnar, of Williamsville, N.Y., died Oct. 16, 2014. He served in the U.S. Navy in the Korean War and was a Naval Reserves commander. He was a research chemist and worked in sales at Occidental Petroleum, Niagara Falls, N.Y. 1955 Lawrence J. Nicholson, of Wilmington, Del., died March 12, 2015. He was a charter member of the teaching staff at Brandywine High School and later became director of personnel/pupil personnel services and assistant to the superintendent. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. Charles A. Williams Jr., of Sugar Notch, Pa., died May 7, 2015. He served in the U.S. Army Air Force in the European Theater during World War II and was employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Wilkes-Barre. 1958 Lee W. Eckert, of Dallas, Pa., died June 17, 2015. He enjoyed a four-decade career as a structural engineer, working with the Wilkes-Barre firms Lacy, Atherton and Davis, and Quad Three Engineering, from which he retired as vice president. Gerald Minturn, of Santa Cruz, Calif., died July 26, 2014. He worked at IBM for 28 years and taught as an adjunct professor of computer science at State University of New York at Binghamton. He later relocated to Silicon Valley and joined Cooper & Chyan Technology as vice president. He was a U.S. Marine Corps Korean War veteran. Mary Craig Pugh, of Warner Robins, Ga., died July 4, 2014. Pugh worked in accounting at Miners Bank, West Hazleton, Pa., and at banks in Warner Robins, Ga. She was in-school suspension teacher at Northside Elementary School, Warner Robins, Ga. Shirley Ginz Putt, of Phoenix, N.Y., died Aug. 24, 2014. She served as a registered nurse in the U.S. Navy. Jacqueline Oliver Stevens, of Guilford, Conn., died May 21, 2015. Until her 2004 retirement, she served as reference librarian and head of reference at the Guilford Free Library. 1959 Lisa Chilson, of Virginia Beach, Va., died Aug. 12, 2014. She worked as a registered nurse for over 30 years, concluding as senior clinical analyst with the Clinical Documentation Team at Sentara Healthcare,Va. Don E. Wilkinson Jr., of Upper St. Clair, Pa., died January 23, 2015. He was an administrator of local Pennsylvania taxes for many years. 1960 Donald E. Stein, of Dallas, Pa., died April 20, 2015. He worked for Exxon Mobil Corp. and retired as district manager after more than 30 years with the company. Richard Rawley Wileman, of Prospect, Ky., died March 1, 2015. He worked in sales and marketing in Pennsylvania, New York City and New Jersey before relocating to Kentucky. �class notes Tom Williams Jr., of Liberty, Mo., died April 22, 2013. He was a colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving two combat tours in Vietnam. He retired from the military in 1987 and later served on the Richmond (Mo.) Zoning Board. 1964 Clinton G. Hess, of Mechanicsburg, Pa., died April 4, 2015. He was a supervisory systems analyst from the U.S. Navy Fleet Material Support Office and later worked for PNC Bank. 1966 Robert L. Deets, of Hellertown, Pa., died May 1, 2014. He owned and operated the Robert L. Deets & Associates financial planning and insurance agency. 1968 Arthur “Art” Tevethan, of Westerville, Ohio, died April 10, 2014. He was director of reinsurance for Nationwide Insurance Company, Columbus, Ohio. Following his retirement, he was CEO of Reinsurance Recovery Solutions. 1969 Owen “Jim” Costello, of Mountain Top, Pa., died March 28, 2015. He served as executive director for the Wilkes-Barre Recreation Board from 1974 to 1982. He was president and CEO of the Keystone State Games. 1970 Dan F. Kopen, of Shavertown, Pa., died May 26, 2015. Kopen, a former member of Wilkes Board of Trustees, was a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of the American Society of Breast Surgeons. He earned a medical degree from Penn State Hershey Medical School, a master’s degree in healthcare administration from King’s College, a Six Sigma black belt from Villanova University, and a juris doctorate from Concord University. 1971 Albert Martin, of Harveys Lake, Pa., died March 25, 2015. He served as pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Queens, N.Y., and Christ Lutheran Church, Floral Park, N.Y., for 25 years. 1975 Dominick Pannunzio, of Dupont, Pa., died March 23, 2015. After receiving his law degree, he served as assistant district attorney for Luzerne County and had a law practice in Dupont. 1976 William B. Urosevich, of Lewisburg, Pa., died May 6, 2015. He was an optometrist for 30 years, operating Urosevich Eye Associates in Lewisburg. He also was professor of human anatomy and physiology at Pennsylvania College of Technology, Williamsport, Pa. In 1989 Wilkes University honored him with the Distinguished Young Alumni Award. He is survived by his wife, Patricia Reilly Urosevich ’77, and brother, Thomas ’82. 1980 James Davis, of San Rafael, Calif., died May 15, 2015. He was chair of the economics department at Santa Rosa Junior College. 1985 John M. Stich, of Glen Allen, Va., died on June 30, 2014. He worked at Acosta Sales and Marketing as director of the Super Valu office in Richmond, Va. 1992 Jacquelyn Cunningham, of Norristown, Pa., died June 10, 2015. She worked for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 2005 William B. Palmer, of West Hazleton, Pa., died Dec. 2, 2013. He was last employed by Tobyhanna Army Depot. Faculty Patricia (Boyle) Heaman died June 8, 2015. A professor emerita of English at Wilkes, she chaired the department for 12 years. She established the Writing Lab, now known as the Writing Center, making it an integral part of the department. Heaman graduated from Wilkes in 1961 and earned her doctorate in English literature at the University of Pennsylvania. She was devoted to teaching and scholarship, her mentorship of her students and colleagues and her commitment to her community and social justice. She served on the boards of the League of Women Voters and Planned Parenthood of Northeast Pennsylvania and was instrumental in establishing the White Haven Area Community Library. She is survived by her husband, Robert, professor emeritus of English. John F. Myers died May 5, 2015. A professor emeritus of history, Myers joined Wilkes in 1969. Teaching was his first love and he was a specialist in American colonial history and the American early national period. He also was called upon to fulfill many roles during more than 30 years at Wilkes. In addition to teaching, he filled a half dozen administration roles. In 1986, he became associate dean of academic affairs and, in 1990, added the title and responsibilities of registrar. He served as registrar until his retirement in 2001. He is survived by his long-time companion Mary Ann Merrigan, associate dean of the Wilkes School of Nursing. Friends of Wilkes Arnold S. Rifkin, of WilkesBarre, Pa., died Aug. 3, 2015. Rifkin served as a Wilkes University trustee from 1980 until 1997 and served as board treasurer for three years. His many contributions to the University include the donation of the student residence known as Rifkin Hall and the lobby of Evans Hall, another student residence. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, he served in World War II in the U.S. Army Air Corps. Rifkin was president of A. Rifkin Co., a company started by his father that was a part of Wilkes-Barre for more than a century. Along with his wife, Sandy, he was a community leader, supporting a variety of Wyoming Valley organizations. In addition to his wife, Rifkin is survived by his three children, Michael ’76, Jody and Kathleen. WILKES | Fall 2015 1961 David Lee Gottshall, of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., died Nov. 19, 2014. He had a long career in sales and business management, retiring from Doughboy Recreational as vice president of sales and marketing. 27 �class notes Jane Lampe-Groh Leaves Legacy in Lives of Students She Mentored Jane Lampe-Groh, dean of student affairs emerita, joined Wilkes in 1969 as dean of women after Wilkes’ first president, Eugene Farley, interviewed her for the position. She later served as associate dean of student affairs and then dean of student affairs until retiring in 1997. In a 2008 interview, Lampe-Groh recalled her first meeting with President Farley. She said, “What impressed me about Dr. Farley was that he talked a little bit about the college, and then he talked extensively about the students. That just hit me right between the eyes. This is the kind of place I wanted to be.” Jane Lampe Groh, dean of students emerita, touched the lives of many students during her time at Wilkes. Lampe-Groh showed her commitment to the University’s students through the hundreds of relationships she formed. Michael T. Beachem IV ’98, associate director of residence life With her passing on May 7, 2015, she was remembered by at International House Philadelphia, remembers how nervous alumni whose lives were touched by her mentoring. he was when Lampe-Groh approached him in the Pickering Shelley Freeman ’82, now head of Consumer Credit Cafeteria and asked to speak with him upon finishing his lunch. Solutions at Wells Fargo & Company, remembers Lampe-Groh “I worried in vain,” he says. The dean wanted him to consider as “an extraordinary voice of student advocacy” and a source of taking part in Inter-collegiate Leadership Wilkes-Barre, which strong personal support. Freeman recalls Lampe-Groh’s smile she advised. The program led to his future leadership roles as a and warm embrace, her ability to deliver a funny story deadpan, resident assistant, yearbook editor and class president. and her unmistakable laughter. She says, “Dean Lampe-Groh “As a young closeted gay man, that confidence in me was was the living representation of our Wilkes motto: the power life-changing,” Beachem says. “Dean Lampe-Groh knew how to of independent thinking.” bring out the best attributes of her students and encourage our Several alumni discussed Lampe-Groh’s influence in shaping abilities. She knew so many of us on a personal level. I remember their careers. Sarah Vandermark ’96, director of the Advising driving back from an event in her car and she put on a Barbra Success Center at New Jersey Institute of Technology, says that Streisand CD. Intentional or simply a fan, I’ll never know, but I do know that she knew us all Lampe-Groh took her under her wing as a freshman and later encouraged her interest in working in higher education. “During year, Dean my senior Lampe-Groh allowed me to create an independent three-credit “I truly believe my passion for change, helping students succeed and advising students came when I met Dean Lampe-Groh.” – Sarah Vandermark ’96 WILKES | Fall 2015 She also will be remembered as the wife of the legendary associate professor emeritus of English and theatre arts and Wilkes theatre arts program founder, Al Groh ’41. They were married in 1977 in the Kingston home they shared until Groh’s course and learn about the 28 before we knew ourselves.” different departments on campus,” she says. Her interactions death in February 2013. Beachem says, “The love they shared by with Lampe-Groh led Vandermark to pursue a master’s opening their home and heart to so many Wilkes students over degree in counseling and higher education and a doctorate in the years left an indelible mark on so many Wilkes alumni.” counselor education. In the Spring/Summer 2013 issue of Wilkes magazine, family “I truly believe my passion for change, helping students members recalled the couple’s devotion. “You don’t find many succeed and advising students came when I met Dean couples so utterly content with each other,” said Chris Miller ’83, Lampe-Groh and thought to myself, ‘One day, I want to be just Groh’s nephew. His sister, Alison Miller Kovalchik ’79, added, “It like her,’ ” Vandermark says. was a beautiful love story.” �JOIN US FOR A CELEBRATION OF THE PERFORMING ARTS Join us as we honor the past, celebrate the present and anticipate the future of the performing arts at the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center. An evening of music, theatre and dance performances and special reminiscences is planned to mark the 50th anniversary of the Darte Center and the special place it holds as a home for Wilkes University’s performing arts programs. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2015  •  8 P.M. Please RSVP by visiting http://www.community.wilkes.edu/DDD50. Patrons requesting accommodations or services at Wilkes University or Wilkes University-sponsored events in accordance with The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title III: Public Accommodations are asked to contact the University at 1-800-Wilkes-U to request such services/accommodations. It is recommended that requests be made at least 48 hours prior to any event. �w WILKES UNIVERSITY Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 WILKES UNIVERSITY calendar of events October Through Oct. 11 Blair Seitz: Aerial Perspectives, 12 – 4:30 p.m., Sordoni Art Gallery 15-18 Fall Recess 24 Family Day 2015 24 Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts 50th Anniversary Celebration, 8 p.m. November 12 “Economic Espionage: Don’t Be a Victim” featuring alumnus William Evanina ’89, 7 p.m., ballroom, Henry Student Center 13-22 Wilkes University Theatre Presents: Shout! The Mod Musical, 8 p.m., Sundays, 2 p.m., Darte Center 14 Admissions Instant Decision Open House 15 Empty Bowls benefiting local food banks, ballroom, Henry Student Center, 11:30 a.m.– 2 p.m. 18 Gardner Lecture Series: “How Do We Measure What We Know: The Controversy Over Standardized Testing,” 1 – 2 p.m., Breiseth 206 25-29 Thanksgiving Recess December 6 Civic Band Concert, 3 p.m., Darte Center 7 Chamber Orchestra Concert, 8 p.m., Darte Center 10 Jazz Orchestra Concert, 8 p.m., Darte Center 11 Chorus/Chamber Singers Concert, 7:30 p.m., St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church 13 Flute Ensemble Concert, 7:30 p.m., Darte Center 14 Fall Classes End January 4-15 Intersession 2016 8-15 Graduate Creative Writing Program Residency 10-14 Maslow Faculty Reading Series, Graduate Creative Writing Program, 7 p.m., Darte Center 18 Spring Semester 2016 Classes Commence 23 Wilkes University Admissions Open House Wilkes Homecoming. PHOTO BY KNOT JUST ANY DAY For details on times and locations, check www.wilkes.edu and www.wilkes.edu/alumni or phone (800) WILKES-U. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Magazine, Fall 2015 Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Marketing Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 2015 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Alumni Magazine, 1947-present Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Description An account of the resource <p>An archive of Wilkes University Magazine, from 1947-present. The magazine went through various names including <em>Wilkes Alumnus</em>, <em>Wilkes Quarterly,</em> <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, and the current title, <em>Wilkes Magazine</em>. Some editions for the <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, will have multiple issues within the file record. Our holdings may be missing editions for certain years due to having no physical copy within the collection. </p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Wilkes University Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Wilkes University Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1947-present Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Magazine, Fall 2015 Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Marketing Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 2015 magazine Wilkes Magazine https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/e19821d95b8260a7ede0c7946ea42a52.pdf 7244997f6a4f99d1dbf233d024099562 PDF Text Text F A L L / W I N T E R 2 01 6 A Dose of Success NESBITT SCHOOL OF PHARMACY CELEBRATES TWO DECADES OF EXCELLENCE �president’s letter VOLUME 10 | ISSUE 3 Wilkes Continues Academic Evolution With New Nursing Doctorate T hursday, November 4, 2016, was yet another seminal moment in the storied history of Wilkes University. On that day, the faculty held its monthly meeting to discuss matters important to our institution. During the meeting, the faculty as a whole overwhelmingly endorsed the development of the University's first Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree—the Ph.D. in nursing. Why is this so important? It marks the beginning of the next phase of the University's evolution. Let me explain. In 1933, our institution was founded as Bucknell University Junior College, a two-year school to prepare local students for transfer to Bucknell's main campus in Lewisburg. In 1947, we became Wilkes College, a four-year bachelor’s degree granting institution. In 1961, we offered our first master’s degree. And, in 1990, we became Wilkes University, a name change which much more adequately reflected our commitment to undergraduate and graduate education. In 1996, we offered the University's first doctoral degree, when we started the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy and offered the Doctor of Pharmacy degree. Today, we at Wilkes University serve as many graduate students as undergraduate students. In fact, over the past few years, we are one of only a handful of universities across the country to confer at least 400 bachelor’s degrees, 800 master’s President Patrick F. Leahy shares plans for the South Campus Gateway at a campus degrees, and 100 doctoral degrees in news conference. the same year. Our Ph.D. Program in Nursing continues our dedication to serving students to solve societal challenges. There is a significant shortage of qualified academics to teach the next generation of nurses, and our Passan School of Nursing wants to be part of the solution. We have always been the institution that offers academic opportunity, and the creation of our first Ph.D. program is further proof of this enduring commitment. As we continue to expand the scope and scale of our graduate programs, Wilkes University will likely for the sixth time in our history change our Carnegie Classification to a “Doctoral Research University - Modest Research.” This new designation, made possible in large part due to the expansion of our programming, will provide a fresh opportunity to position this relatively small university among the greatest universities in the nation, while still preserving the mentoring, tight-knit culture that has been our heritage. There has never been a more exciting time to be part Dr. Patrick F. Leahy of Wilkes University. Thank you for all the ways you Wilkes University President continue to support your alma mater! FALL/WINTER 2016 WILKES MAGAZINE University President Dr. Patrick F. Leahy Vice President for Advancement Thomas MacKinnon Executive Editor Jack Chielli MA’08 Managing Editor Kim Bower-Spence Editor Vicki Mayk MFA’13 Creative Services Lisa Reynolds Director of Graduate Marketing Gabrielle D’Amico MA’15 Web Services Craig Thomas MBA’11 Electronic Communications Joshua Bonner Communications Specialist Kelly Clisham MFA’16 Graduate Assistant Jennifer Jenkins MA’16 Hillary Transue MA’15 Layout/Design Kara Reid Printing Pemcor Inc. EDITORIAL ADVISORY GROUP Anne Batory ’68 Brandie Meng MA’08 Bill Miller ’81 George Pawlush ’69 MS’76 Donna Sedor ’85 ALUMNI RELATIONS STAFF Director Bridget Giunta Husted ’05 Associate Director Mary Balavage Simmons ’10 Alumni Event and Communication Manager Jacki Lukas ’11 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OFFICERS President Cindy Charnetski ’97 Vice President Ellen Hall ’71 Secretary Kathy Heltzel ’82 MBA ’85 Historian Tom Ralston ’80 Wilkes magazine is published three times a year by the Wilkes University Office of Marketing Communications, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766, wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu, (570) 408-4779. Please send change of address to the above address. Wilkes University is an independent institution of higher education dedicated to academic and intellectual excellence in the liberal arts, sciences and professional programs. The university provides its students with the experience and education necessary for career and intellectual development as well as for personal growth, engenders a sense of values and civic responsibility, and encourages its students to welcome the opportunities and challenges of a diverse and continually changing world. The university enhances the tradition of strong student-faculty interactions in all its programs, attracts and retains outstanding people in every segment of the university, and fosters a spirit of cooperation, community involvement, and individual respect within the entire university. �14 6 18 contents 6 A Dose of Success The Nesbitt School of Pharmacy marks 20 years of educating pharmacists to meet evolving health care needs. 14 Head of the Class Student pharmacist Hillary Harris works in the Care Lab. PHOTO BY EARL AND SEDOR PHOTOGRAPHIC Melanie Wiscount EdD ’15 puts students first and garners national awards as a top technology teacher. 18 Storyteller Anna Arnett MA ’16’s best story might be about how she became Wilkes’ oldest graduate at age 92. DEPARTMENTS 2 On Campus 5 Athletics 20 Alumni News 21 Giving Back 22 Class Notes Have a story idea to share? Contact us at wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu or Wilkes magazine, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766. Wilkes magazine is available online at www.wilkes.edu/wilkesmagazineonline F,j FPO C WILKES | Fall/Winter 2016 FEATURES 1 �on campus Transformational South Campus Gateway Projects Announced A $3.5 million South Campus Gateway initiative will transform Wilkes and the streets bordering it into a parklike campus in the heart of the City of Wilkes-Barre. President Patrick F. Leahy says the South Campus Gateway will make the campus safer and more attractive, increasing Wilkes’ unique appeal as a University that offers programs comparable to a large, research university in the mentoring culture of a small, liberal arts college. “This is another step in our vision of creating a residential campus in an urban environment,” Leahy says. “This space will be enjoyed by our students, faculty and staff and by people who live and work in Wilkes-Barre.” Dan Cardell ’79, chairman of the University’s board of trustees, said that the project embodies priorities outlined in the institution’s strategic plan, Gateway to the Future. “The strategic plan calls for us to develop and strengthen our campus facilities and infrastructure. It also emphasizes supporting our host city,” Cardell says. “This project marries those two strategic priorities. These campus enhancements have the added benefit of helping us recruit more students and improving the neighborhood surrounding Wilkes. It is a win-win-win for Wilkes, our students and for the City of Wilkes-Barre.” The project combines University resources with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and Department of Community and Economic Development funds to improve pedestrian safety, alleviate traffic congestion and beautify the campus and surrounding neighborhood. For more information on the project, please visit www.wilkes.edu/ WILKES | Fall/Winter 2016 SouthCampusGateway. 2 The South Campus Gateway project will create a plaza behind the Henry Student Center, above. Right, a gateway also will be created from the Student Center across West South Street to the Stark Learning Center. The three parts making up the South Campus Gateway are: • $1 million project to create new entrances to the Henry Student Center parking lot from South River Street and South Franklin Street. It will also create an expanded south entrance plaza to the student center and landscape open space on South Franklin Street that will serve as a pedestrian connector to the Henry Student Center. The project is funded by the Multimodal Transportation Fund program, which provides grants for transportation-related projects. Wilkes received a $650,000 grant and is matching it with $350,000. • $1.35 million project to create a new pedestrian walkway in front of the Henry Student Center. It also will fund streetscape improvements, including new sidewalks and lighting, on West South Street from South River to South Franklin Street and also on South Franklin from West South to Northampton Street. Funding for these improvements came via the PennDOT Transportation Alternatives Program, which provided a $1 million grant that is being matched by $350,000 from Wilkes. • $1.15 million project to create a gateway from the Henry Student Center to Stark Learning Center. The project, which will be entirely funded by Wilkes, will create a Gateway on south campus similar to the one which the University opened in 2015 on South Main Street. The two Gateways will beautify the campus and support renovations to the engineering labs in Stark Learning Center. Work is expected to begin in May 2017 with completion expected by fall 2018. �on campus Senior Jillian Ehret gained international experience while interning at the United Nations. PHOTO BY DAN Z. JOHNSON New Research and Scholarship Fund Awards $1 Million to Faculty Faculty research and scholarship have long been an integral part of the student experience at Wilkes. Undergraduates begin to work in research with their faculty mentors as early as their freshman year in fields as diverse as biology, pharmacy, psychology, business and communications. Now a new faculty research and scholarship fund established by the University will encourage and support faculty with a particular emphasis on projects involving undergraduates. The University awarded 12 grants in spring 2016, ranging from $10,000 for a one-year project to $30,000 for a three-year project. A committee made up of representatives from all of Wilkes’ academic colleges and schools reviewed 18 applications to make the awards, which were judged on a set of criteria that included plans for sharing research results and how students would be involved in the projects. A second set of 9 proposals was funded in fall 2016. The funded projects will be highlighted at the Wilkes Scholarship Symposium each spring. Terese Wignot, associate provost, says the grants are meant to provide a starting point for faculty research and scholarship. “This gives faculty the opportunity to get research going. We want it to be sustainable so that they can leverage this grant to get external funding,” Wignot explains. A diverse group of research and scholarship topics were awarded funding. They include: Wilkes senior Jillian Ehret didn’t need a passport for her summer internship. But the Sugarloaf, Pa., native met people from around the globe every day during her internship with the United Nations. An international affairs and political science double major, Ehret interned with the Permanent Mission of Jamaica to the United Nations. Based in New York City, Ehret researched and attended briefings related to social and economic development issues. The internship is made possible through Wilkes’ partnership with the Humpty Dumpty Institute, which brings a United Nations speakers’ series to campus. • A project exploring factors contributing to entrepreneurial environments spearheaded by Morgan Clevenger, assistant professor of entrepreneurship. • Research involving the analysis of protein dynamics by Del Lucent ’03, assistant professor of physics. • A project examining the role American lawyers have played in shaping international law in the twentieth century, led by John Hepp, professor of history. University Offers First Research Doctorate in Nursing, Adds Family Nurse Practitioner Program The Passan School of Nursing continues its leadership role in nursing education with the introduction of a doctor of philosophy degree in nursing in summer 2017. The Ph.D. in nursing, which is a research-focused degree, meets a critical need in nursing education for Ph.D.-prepared nursing faculty. The school also announced the addition of a low-residency family nurse practitioner degree. Wilkes is the only school in the region offering a family nurse practitioner degree online. Deborah Zbegner, dean of the Passan School, says it is the first research nursing doctorate in northeast Pennsylvania and one of only seven nationally that will be offered online. “The addition of this degree further enhances the Passan School’s position as a comprehensive school of nursing,” Zbegner says, noting the school now offers nursing education from the undergraduate through doctoral levels. For an explanation of the significance of the doctor of philosophy in nursing degree and its impact on the University’s future, please see President Patrick F. Leahy’s letter on the inside front cover of the magazine. WILKES | Fall/Winter 2016 United Nations Internship Yields Worldly Wisdom for Wilkes Senior 3 �on campus Ice Hockey Added to NCAA Sports Offerings President Patrick F. Leahy announced the addition of men’s and women’s ice hockey to its list of NCAA Division III varsity sports. The ice hockey teams are affiliated with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, allowing Wilkes to practice and compete at the Toyota SportsPlex at Coal Street Park in Wilkes-Barre. The women’s team will debut in 2017-2018, with the men’s team expected to begin the following year. The addition of the two ice hockey programs increases the number of intercollegiate sport offerings at Wilkes to 23. Wilkes will field one of only four NCAA Division III men’s ice hockey programs and one of five women’s programs in Pennsylvania. Stephanie Newmark was appointed head coach of the women’s ice hockey program. The announcement of Wilkes’ new men’s and women’s ice hockey teams took place at the Toyota SportsPlex, home of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. From left, President Patrick F. Leahy, the Colonel, Penguins mascot Tux and Jeff Barrett, chief executive officer for the Penguins, try out the ice. PHOTO BY LISA REYNOLDS New Members Welcomed to University Board of Trustees Sidhu School Dean Brings International Experiences Wilkes welcomed new members to its board of trustees in 2016. Abel Adekola is the new dean of the Jay S. Sidhu School of Business and Leadership. Adekola will lead faculty and oversee academic programs in the Sidhu School. He also will facilitate programs and partnerships with the Allan P. Kirby Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship and the Family Business Alliance. Adekola says his first priorities as dean are to raise the Sidhu School’s profile from a regional business school to a national business school. He also plans to lead efforts to gain accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business—a seven-year process that he hopes to complete in 4 years. A native of Nigeria, Adekola comes to Wilkes from the the University of Wisconsin-Stout in Menomonie, Wis., where he was dean of the College of Management, overseeing eight bachelor’s degree programs, five master’s degree programs and an ROTC program. He was a Fulbright Scholar to ISM University of Management and Economics, Vilnius, Lithuania. He also received a Vietnam Faculty Development in International Business Program Fellowship in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Adekola earned the doctor of business degree from Nova Southeastern University, his MBA from Barry University and a bachelor’s degree from Florida International University. Carolann (Gusgekofski) Besler ’76 has enjoyed a long career as an entrepreneur in the child care industry, owning centers and serving as a consultant to people opening daycare facilities. She has served as past president of the N.J. Child Care Association, a past validator for accreditation for existing child care centers and past member of the New Jersey governor’s advisory council to set standards for child care centers receiving funds from the state government. Gerard McHale ’67 is a certified public accountant in Florida and New York and is certified in financial forensics. His firm specializes in bankruptcies, insolvencies, receiverships, litigation support and mass consumer frauds. McHale has been a court-appointed Chapter 11 bankruptcy trustee on complex cases in Florida,Virginia, California and New York. He has had substantial success in recoveries under Ponzi schemes and mass consumer frauds. WILKES | Fall/Winter 2016 Eugene Roth ’57 is a partner at the law firm Rosenn, Jenkins & Greenwald. In June 2016, Roth became the first emeritus member of the board to be re-nominated to the Board of Trustees. He previously served on the board of trustees, serving from 1979 through 2008. In 2008 he was recognized with emeritus status. 4 William J. Grant MBA ’86 is the founder of Hildebrandt Learning Centers LLC, based in Dallas, Pa. The company is a provider of employer related early learning programs for colleges and universities, state and federal governments and corporations in the Middle Atlantic region. �LEADERSHIP LESSONS athletics Field Hockey Captain Taylor Ryan Scores in Multiple Campus Roles by James Jaskolka ’16 Field hockey captain Taylor Ryan practices at Schmidt Stadium. Watching Wilkes field hockey captain Taylor Ryan in action, she seems to be a natural leader. The senior communication studies major feels differently, however, crediting her experiences on and off the field with developing her ability. “I definitely think that it came with time and experience.... It came with people, coaches and professors really pushing me to get where I am,” she says. Ryan, a Fredericksburg, Va., native who also has minors in marketing and women’s and gender studies, has played field hockey since she was 7. Recruited to play for Wilkes, she was voted captain at the beginning of the fall 2016 season. Ryan has led the team through a strong season that ended in the Middle Atlantic Conference Semifinals, but she’s interested in more than just winning. As captain, she strives to make sure the team has chemistry, and that the younger players feel comfortable, included and valued. Her reasoning? She wants new teammates to have the experience she did as a first-year student athlete. “If I was to designate one thing that’s given me more than anything else, I would say it’s field hockey,” she explains. “It’s really shaped me as a student and a person, but also as a leader, and it’s set me up really well for my leadership roles now.” Ryan’s leadership positions outside of athletics include serving as sports co-editor of The Beacon, Wilkes University’s student-run newspaper, and as co-chair of Zebra Communications, the student public relations agency. She also was chosen to be a Kirby Scholar at the Allan P. Kirby Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship. As a scholar, she assists local businesses— and the center itself—with everything from pitching press releases to establishing brand cohesion. Ryan also is committed to giving back to the community. All sports teams complete community service projects. Leading Zebra, Ryan and the other co-chairs made it a point to take on clients that actively make a difference, such as the Special Olympics and the Children’s Miracle Network. To an outsider, it may seem like athletics and academics compete for Ryan’s attention, but she doesn’t see it that way. At Wilkes, she says, she never had to pick one facet of her identity over the other. She attributes this to the faculty and staff—from coaches to administrators—who encourage students to get involved and reach their potential. “Coming to college is when I was able to break out of my shell,” she says. “I evolved and gained that confidence because of the people I surrounded myself with, and I think that’s the most important thing.” WILKES | Fall/Winter 2016 PHOTO BY CURTIS SALONICK 5 �A D SE OF SUCCESS NESBITT SCHOOL OF PHARMACY CELEBRATES TWO DECADES OF EXCELLENCE By Patty Pologruto You won’t find the drugs produced by Lanier Evans PharmD ’04 in your local pharmacy. That’s because they include low doses of radioactivity used by hospitals for high-tech scans that help diagnose WILKES | Fall/Winter 2016 a variety of medical conditions, from cancer to heart problems. 6 It’s a career Evans never dreamed of when he first entered Wilkes’ Nesbitt School of Pharmacy in 2000. He learned about being a nuclear pharmacist from Bernard Graham, founding dean of the Nesbitt School, who had once worked in the field himself. “If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” says Evans, who is manager of a nuclear pharmacy in Atlanta, Ga., for PETNET Solutions, a division of Siemens Medical Solutions Inc. “He introduced this world to me.” At the time, only two pharmacy schools in the United States offered classes leading to nuclear certification. Because Graham and other faculty tailored classes to help prepare Evans for his field of interest, he didn’t need to invest more time and money after graduation. “When I came out of school, I had all of the requirements for the nuclear medicine certification. I was offered a position with PETNET, the company I’m still with,” Evans says. Evans’ experience in the pharmacy school reflects its strengths: close relationships with faculty, a personal approach to pharmacy education and—perhaps most importantly—a school that continues to adapt its curriculum to meet the rapidly changing field of pharmacy. As Nesbitt celebrates the 20th anniversary of its first entering class, it continues to evolve. The Nesbitt School of Pharmacy was first imagined by the late Umid R. Nejib, then dean of Wilkes’ College of Science and Engineering. Nejib saw the need for pharmacy school in northeastern Pennsylvania, advanced the idea at Wilkes and hired Graham from Idaho State University to serve as dean. �I The first student pharmacists entered Wilkes in fall 1994, and the professional pharmacy program commenced in fall 1996. It became the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy in 1999, when Geraldine Nesbitt Orr made a gift to the University to name it in honor of her late husband, Abram Nesbitt II. Then as now, two years of pre-pharmacy education lead to guaranteed seating for the four years of study toward the doctor of pharmacy degree. The program has tracks in pharmacy practice or pharmaceutical sciences. The introduction of the pharmacy program also was a milestone for the University, becoming the first academic program offering a terminal degree—the highest degree in a field of study. It was a turning point in Wilkes’ academic history, says University President Patrick F. Leahy. “Our goal is to create one of the great small universities, with all of the programs, activities and opportunities of a major research university in the caring, mentoring environment of a liberal arts college. Nowhere is that goal more fully realized than in the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy,” Leahy says. “Our student pharmacists study in an outstanding program leading to a doctoral degree, mentored by excellent faculty. At the same time, they are able to enjoy a typical college experience, playing varsity sports, leading student government and participating in clubs and organizations.” Daniel Longyhore, associate professor of pharmacy practice, standing center, works with students in the CVS Pharmacy Care Lab. The Care Lab, an integral part of education in the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy, was renovated and rededicated to mark the school’s 20th anniversary. PHOTOS BY EARL AND SEDOR PHOTOGRAPHIC, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED WILKES | Fall/Winter 2016 Pharmacists are the third largest group of clinicians in the U.S., behind doctors and nurses. 7 �DEVELOPING LEADERS pharmacist’s role is more than filling prescriptions. That’s been Graham’s mantra since he became dean of the school in 1994. “Pharmacists are in a more value-added role in health care today,” Graham says. “The profession has moved from product-focused to patient-focused. There is a lot of responsibility today for pharmacists regarding medication therapy compliance.” Pharmacists are expected to improve medication safety and prevent medication-related problems, contributing to positive patient health outcomes and reducing hospital admissions. To support these industry expectations, Nesbitt’s curriculum now focuses on preparing its graduates for the reality of a value-based health-care environment. The school’s integrated curriculum takes the students beyond the classroom and lab, with 30 percent of the program devoted to out-ofclassroom externship programs. Shelli Holt Macey, director of experiential programs for pharmacy practice, has been a member of the faculty since the school’s founding, and coordinates opportunities for this critical piece of hands-on experience. Knowing how to engage with patients and with other clinicians is essential to the growing number of pharmacists who are part of care teams seeing patients on hospital rounds or in outpatient facilities. Graham says that due to a primary care physician shortage, more pharmacists will act as physician extenders in doctors’ offices, working with patients on medication management and compliance. To better prepare for these changing roles, many Nesbitt graduates go on to receive Lanier Evans PharmD ’04 Focuses on Aiding Diagnoses Lanier Evans PharmD ’04 almost didn’t become a pharmacist. He had long considered a career in dentistry. A stint working in a community pharmacy and time spent observing his brother juggle the challenges of opening a dental practice convinced him to consider a different career. After graduating from Augusta State University in his native Georgia with a degree in biology and psychology, he applied to both dental and pharmacy schools. A visit to Wilkes with his mother convinced him, especially after he met Dean Bernie Graham. “Never would you meet the dean at other places as part of the interview process,” Evans says. “That impressed me and impressed my mom. Actually the • decision was already made for me by my mom; she loves Dr. Graham and Dr. (Harvey) Jacobs.” Assured that he would get personal attention, he enrolled in the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy. During his four years in the school, he not only earned a degree but also honed a career path. Encouraged by Graham, he sought □ a specialty in nuclear pharmacy. ll Twelve years later, he serves as nuclear pharmacy manager for PETNET ••• □ Solutions, a division of Siemens Inc. based in Atlanta. Evans and his team prepare tl Lil drugs that include doses of radioactive isotopes. They are used by hospitals and clinics for diagnosing conditions using high-quality imaging tests, such as PET and CT scans. About five batches of drugs are made each day at his lab. “Then we have to IJ figure out how to get the drug to the patient. Our back is always up against time in this facility.” Because the nuclear drugs can be used for only a limited time before losing their effectiveness, Evans and his crew have to calculate shipping time to a WILKES | Fall/Winter 2016 hospital to determine where and when the drugs can be used. 8 Despite the challenges, Evans is proud of the advances being made by nuclear pharmacists and researchers. “Nuclear is having a major impact on health care,” he states. “In the last four years, two new drugs the FDA has approved are nuclear. One is a new drug for diagnosing Alzheimer’s. The other is a new drug for diagnosing prostate cancer. Alzheimer’s disease has been around for 100 years, but until now it could only be officially diagnosed postmortem. With this drug, people can be diagnosed earlier, while they are still alive.” Evans demonstrates a robotic device in handling the radioactive materials that nuclear pharmacists use to create medicines. PHOTO COURTESY PETNET SOLUTIONS �Eli Phillips PharmD ’06 Forges Career Combining Law and Pharmacy Not many people would choose to follow four years of rigorous study in pharmacy school with another three years of schooling to earn a law degree. Eli Phillips is one of them. When he completed his pharmacy Eli Phillips, PharmD ’06 combines expertise in pharmacy and law in his position at Cardinal Health. degree at Wilkes, he was admitted to Drexel CARDINAL HEALTH University’s new law school, where he earned the juris doctor degree in 2010. When he graduated, he became part of a small number of professionals who combine the fields of pharmacy and law. Among members of the American Society of Pharmacy Law, only around half of its members hold degrees in both fields. It was all part of a career plan for Phillips, a Wilkes-Barre native and son of a pharmacist and pharmacy store manager who worked for CVS. “I always envisioned myself as an executive with one of the large pharmacy chains, so I weighed getting an MBA or a law degree,” says Phillips, who worked for CVS in Philadelphia while attending law school. “I realized that the juris doctor would give me more options.” Phillips now works for Cardinal Health, a global healthcare services and products company, providing custom solutions for drug manufacturers as well as hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, pharmacies, physician offices and clinical laboratories. Based in Dublin, Ohio, Phillips is director of quality and regulatory affairs and pharmacy compliance for the company’s specialty businesses. His wife, Vanessa (Velikis) PharmD ’05, is a pharmacist with Express Scripts, also in Dublin, Ohio. Phillips oversees a team of 52 who work with six of Cardinal Health’s businesses. They include the Cardinal Health repackaging business—which literally repackages larger quantities of drugs into smaller units for sale at pharmacies, and the Cardinal Health specialty drug distribution arm, which delivers expensive drugs or drugs that require special handling, such as refrigeration. He also works with two specialty pharmacies owned by Cardinal Health in Baltimore, Md., and Nashville, Tenn. These specialty pharmacies dispense high-end drugs used to treat rare conditions impacting small numbers of patients. Other areas of responsibility include the company’s private label business, which produces in-store brands such as the Leader brand, used by the Medicine Shoppe chain, and Sonexus, a manufacturer support and third-party logistics provider that handles inventory on behalf of manufacturers. “My role is to keep the supply chain of pharmaceuticals safe for patients and their families, by making sure that we’re meeting FDA and other federal and state regulatory requirements,” Phillips says. Frequent changes make keeping track of state and federal regulations challenging. “You have to be nimble to keep up,” When the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy opened its doors, it was the 80th school of pharmacy in the country. PHOTO COURTESY he says. Technology continues to impact the profession, he explains, citing the introduction of track and trace provisions that will allow companies and regulatory agencies to track every bottle of medication by serial number. No matter how swiftly regulations change, ensuring quality always means one thing for Phillips and his colleagues. “Keeping patients safe always is the top priority,” he says. WILKES | Fall/Winter 2016 advanced education in specialty areas such as cardiology, oncology, pediatrics and emergency medicine. The shift in the pharmacist’s role may have started in the early 2000s, when Pennsylvania approved specially trained pharmacists to immunize patients in community locations like Walgreens. Nesbitt was the first pharmacy school in the state to put the American Pharmacy Association’s Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery Certificate into its curriculum, requiring every student to earn it. More recently, the school adapted its curriculum in response to the opioid addiction issue. “We are training students to identify people who abuse medications, including opioids,” says Ed Foote, professor and chair, pharmacy practice. “We are teaching our students to identify risk factors and when to make an appropriate intervention. They also are being trained on how to administer the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone.” New diseases also mean pharmacists need more information. “Infectious disease lectures are continually being updated for topics like the Zika virus,” says Zbigniew Witczak, professor and chair, pharmaceutical sciences. “A new trend in pharma teaching is putting more core science into the curriculum because pharmacists need that understanding,” explains Witczak, who taught an elective course this fall on how marijuana impacts the body. About 30 percent of Nesbitt students are involved in research. Witczak reminds his students that they cannot separate pharmacy from 9 �Julie Olenak, professor of pharmacy practice and assistant dean of student affairs, clarifies a point for students. - MENTORING MATTERS WILKES | Fall/Winter 2016 Half of Wilkes pharmacy graduates go into community pharmacy, a third go to a residency or graduate training and a third go into other aspects of pharmacy work, such as academia, sales and research. 10 science. While Nesbitt’s curriculum is built on an interdisciplinary approach involving academic disciplines such as business, nursing and education, Witczak is a proponent for students taking more core science courses. It’s a position that makes sense for a research scientist who recently became president of the International Carbohydrate Organization. He is working to establish an anti-cancer drug derived from carbohydrates. He also is working with four students synthesizing carbohydrates as a potential drug for antibacterial agents and anti-diabetes. Not all pharmacy research is about creating new drugs. Students and faculty members conduct retrospective medical file reviews and analyze data for health-care systems, processes and trends that pharmacy can impact. Judith Kristeller, professor of pharmacy practice, and Dana Manning PharmD ’08, associate professor of pharmacy practice, recently received a $150,000 grant from Cardinal Health Foundation to expand a system for improving the transition of care and medication use for patients discharged from Commonwealth Health Network hospitals to home. In addition, Kristeller and Manning have also been awarded a $41,000 grant from the Moses Taylor Foundation that will further support the project, which focuses on improving medication safety, preventing medication-related problems and preventing hospital readmissions. Students will assist with the research. Nesbitt students also are participating in the Interprofessional Student Hotspotting Learning Collaborative, an annual program that trains interdisciplinary teams of professional students from schools around the country to learn to work with patients who are high users of emergency services in their own communities. Under the guidance of Jennifer Malinowski, associate professor of pharmacy practice and assistant dean of academic affairs, three student pharmacists are part of inter-professional teams studying patients who frequent the emergency departments of Geisinger Health System and Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. The student pharmacists are joined by medical, social work and physical therapy students to develop solutions on reducing emergency room visits. They are expected to present their ideas to top administrators at the hospital systems aimed at achieving better health at lower cost through a hands-on approach which includes home visits. Team members are training at local institutions such as The Commonwealth Medical College, University of Scranton and Marywood University. hanks to yearly entering class sizes of about 70 students, Nesbitt faculty truly know their students and mentor them for success. The mentoring process starts in the pre-pharmacy first year, when students are placed into a team of 12 that includes a faculty member, an upperclassman and an alumnus as mentors. Scott Bolesta PharmD ’00 says his career was impacted by a culture of mentorship that began with the start of the school. Now a Nesbitt associate professor of pharmacy practice, he was the very first Wilkes student to be handed a doctor of pharmacy degree in 2000. It was while shadowing several former faculty members that Bolesta decided he wanted to specialize in critical care, with an ultimate goal of teaching. After several critical care residencies, Bolesta returned to Wilkes in 2005 to teach. Today, he spends three days a week with students at his clinical site, Regional Hospital of Scranton. He rounds with the care team in the hospital’s intensive care unit and regular floors. All pharmacy practice faculty also work in clinical settings. Most faculty members spend 50 percent of their time managing patients in a doctor’s office or clinic, and Nesbitt students then have the opportunity for introductory or advanced practice experiences with those faculty members. “I shadowed a pharmacist at the Geisinger Care Site Pharmacy in Scranton and found the patient interaction and the role of controlling the patient’s blood thinners intriguing,” says second year student pharmacist Nikko Bonavoglia. That experience helped Bonavoglia decide he wants to be a pharmacist in the ambulatory care setting. �EXPERIENTIAL PROGRAMS PROVIDE DIRECTION lot goes on for Nesbitt students outside the classroom. Experiential programs and community service are requirements that help guide career decisions. Sarah Fillman, fourth-year student, said her internship at Geisinger Health System definitely will impact her career. While at Geisinger, she piloted a program to establish public awareness to promote proper drug disposal. Fillman received the U.S. Public Health Service \ Third-year student pharmacist James Steigerwalt participated in a summer 2016 internship at Baltimore’s Johns Hopkins Hospital with 24 other students from pharmacy schools across the nation. “I was a little apprehensive that the students from the larger schools would be more experienced and prepared for the program, but I learned that the Nesbitt School offers the same high-level education and experiences as other schools. In fact, Award last spring for that work. She is the third Nesbitt student in four years to win the prestigious award. Geisinger is one of a number of health systems offering experiential learning for student pharmacists. Hospitals in nearby Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, as well as others in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, Hershey, Pa., and New York state provide opportunities for Nesbitt students. Pharmacies and drug companies also provide externships. Solidifying Roots in the Crestwood Community Sonya Mylet PharmD ’07 and Jessica Ashford Orloski PharmD ’10 Co-own Crestwood Pharmacy community pharmacy residency, splitting her time between Sonya Mylet PharmD ’07 and Jessica Ashford Orloski Orloski after her residency. One year later, they hired Mylet PharmD ’10 didn’t know each other well as students, but and began cutting back their own hours. That’s when Mylet their experience as student pharmacists took them both to and Orloski approached them about buying the business. Mylet worked at the pharmacy during high school and throughout her time at Wilkes. She also completed pharmacy rotations that included Indian Health Services in New Mexico, Medicine Shoppe in Dallas, Pa. Jim and Mark Hanlon, brothers who co-owned Crestwood Pharmacy for over 30 years, hired “In the beginning they weren’t ready to retire because they liked to come to work every once in a while,” Orloski says. “Then after about a year or two they decided to sell.” Mylet and Orloski became owners on Jan. 30, 2015. Owning veterinary medicine at Cornell University and in neonatal a pharmacy comes with myriad challenges, from dealing with intensive care. She credits the Wilkes pharmacy program’s insurance companies to fixing toilets and shoveling snow. rotation options for helping her discover what she wanted However, the patients remain Mylet’s and Orloski’s main focus. to do professionally. After graduation she worked for The Owning a community pharmacy gives them the freedom to Medicine Shoppe in Wilkes-Barre and Dallas, Pa. make every interaction personal. “I like knowing that we’re The year Mylet left Crestwood Pharmacy, Orloski became its student intern. After graduation, she completed a one-year helping our neighbors, family and friends,” Mylet says. They also maintain their ties to Wilkes, taking student interns year-round. Orloski still teaches part-time at the University and fills in for professors. They plan to continue expanding their services and continue to promote Crestwood as a family pharmacy. “I like to bring my kids here, I like to see Jess’ daughter, Eva, here,” Mylet says. “We’re more of a family business. We want our families to be here too.” – By Francisco Tutella MFA’16 Sonya Mylet PharmD ’07, left, and Jessica Ashford Orloski PharmD ’10 chose community pharmacy for their career path when they became co-owners of Crestwood Pharmacy in Mountain Top, Pa. PHOTO BY CURTIS SALONICK WILKES | Fall/Winter 2016 Crestwood Pharmacy, which they now co-own. researching, teaching classes at Wilkes and working at The 11 �WILi< Nesbitt School of Pharmacy’s Founding Dean Bernard Graham Sets Tone for Excellence An appointment to take Bernie Graham’s photo to mark the 20th anniversary of the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy starts with a joke. Getting ready to pose for his portrait as the school’s founding dean, Graham dons a pair of fake glasses, complete with false nose, mustache and eyebrows. Pressing a miniscule button, the mustache and eyebrows flutter up and down. “How’s that?” Graham asks, his blue eyes twinkling before he doffs the joke eyewear and assumes a serious pose. Graham’s sense of humor is legendary—just as is his 100 Bernard Graham, the founding dean of the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy, will retire at the end of the 2016-2017 academic year. PHOTO BY CURTIS SALONICK percent dedication to the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy. When he retires at the end of the 2016-2017 academic year, Olenak PharmD ’03. “The passion we have now is the same Graham will be honored for leading a successful pharmacy as when it was back when the school started. Dean Graham school that continually evolved since its inception more than has provided consistent leadership and has stayed true to the two decades ago. The faculty, students and more than 1,000 school’s mission and vision.” alumni of the Nesbitt School know they owe a lot to Graham. One example of Graham’s visionary leadership is a In spring 2017, faculty, staff, alumni and students will have the commitment to engaging Nesbitt alumni by recently naming opportunity celebrate the dean’s vast accomplishments as he Jon Ference PharmD ’03 as the assistant dean of assessment prepares to retire. and alumni affairs. Ference says he will develop a program “I cannot say enough about Bernie,” says Harvey Jacobs, to engage alumni in mentoring roles, and he plans to form a associate professor. “He led us through the initial accreditation Dean’s Advisory Council made up of alumni who will provide and through three subsequent evaluations. He has met the input on the school, curriculum, industry trends and education changing climate of pharmacy and allowed Wilkes’ School of and training needs. Pharmacy to remain competitive in the ever-growing market. He recruits and retains highly qualified faculty and staff.” Graham likes to point out that the currently enrolled Current students also value Graham’s experience and vision. James Steigerwalt, third-year student, is serving as the president of the Pharmacy Student Senate. “Dean Graham pre-pharmacy students were not born when the school encourages me to find ways to better represent and act started more than 20 years ago. He says Nesbitt is “old” now, upon the needs and concerns of the student body,” says but in reality it is a highly regarded, competitive doctoral Steigerwalt. “He offers great insight when challenges arise, program thanks to Graham’s leadership. and I feel I am learning a lot about my leadership potential by “I am proud of what Dean Graham has accomplished,” says having the opportunity to work closely with him.” Nesbitt alumnus and assistant dean of student affairs Julie WILKES | Fall/Winter 2016 The Nesbitt School of Pharmacy has a 98 percent graduation rate. 12 I think our school provides more leadership and research opportunities than many other schools, and we receive more one-on-one attention from our faculty and professors that allows us to excel outside the classroom.” Opportunities also exist in countries far from the Wyoming Valley. Some students have traveled with Graham to Guatemala on medical mission trips. Others take part in five-week externship opportunities in Uganda and the United Kingdom. In the Amazon jungle in Peru, Fillman studied pharmacology, physical chemistry and ethnobotany of medicinal plants. “This was an irreplaceable experience that extended far beyond the classroom, broadening my social, environmental and global perspectives,” she says. �EXCEPTIONAL STUDENTS, EXCEPTIONAL ALUMNI illman’s list of college accomplishments and activities is long: cross-country runner, minors in neuroscience and psychology, first-year student mentor, biology teaching assistant, bystander intervention student trainer, a member and leader of numerous clubs and organizations. Her involvement is not unusual. Steigerwalt is executive president of the Pharmacy Student Senate and a member of Phi Lambda Sigma and Rho Chi Society. He’s a musician who plays in the University’s Civic Band and Chamber Orchestra. Bonavoglia is the policy vice president-elect for the American Pharmacists Association chapter at Wilkes and advocates for Pennsylvania legislation that impacts pharmacists. The three students reflect the level of engagement for most Nesbitt School students. Upward of 20 percent of student pharmacists play Division III Athletics. Six out of the seven past student body presidents were student pharmacists. Many participate in activities like band and dance. More than 95 percent of Nesbitt students participate in professional organizations, and about 40 percent go off-site to professional meetings and conferences. “Nesbitt students excel, and they are motivated, dedicated and highly professional,” says Jon Ference PharmD ’03, associate professor of pharmacy practice and assistant dean of assessment and alumni affairs. Great students start with a great admissions screening process. Julie Olenak PharmD ’03, associate professor of pharmacy practice, and assistant dean of student affairs, says Nesbitt takes a “holistic approach” when selecting students that includes assessing leadership and communication skills as well as academic ability. ■ Those are skills that will remain important as future student pharmacists specialize in areas like public health, medicine/genomics, hospital pharmaceutical management and independent pharmacy ownership—all programs being considered for the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy. Nesbitt alumni confirm the variety of opportunities in the field. Pharmacy graduates work locally, in places such as community pharmacies. Others have roles where they may have impact on a national level, such as Susan (Pellock) Polifko PharmD ’05 and Stephanie (Victor) Begansky PharmD ’08, who both work for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Others, such as William Eggleston PharmD ’14, literally make national news. Eggleston, a clinical toxicologist at SUNY Upstate Medical Center, was quoted in the May 10, 2016, New York Times about a report he authored detailing new abuses of the over-the-counter anti-diarrheal drug loperamide. “You will never be bored in pharmacy,” states Olenak. “We will always be learning and teaching something new.”� Wilkes remains above state and national pass rates for the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination, with a 97.9 percent threeyear average first-time pass rate. School graduates have a 99 percent pass rate on the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Exam. Edward Foote, professor and chair of pharmacy practice, center, discusses preparation of injectables with student pharmacists Abby Stevens, left, and Erika Zarfoss. WILKES | Fall/Winter 2016 C 13 �Head of the Class Melanie Wiscount EdD ’15 Earns Presidential Teaching Award By Kelly Clisham MFA ’16 One glance at Melanie Wiscount EdD ’15’s résumé and you understand why she won a Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching Mathematics and Science. She’s snagged major honors ever since she switched careers to teach computer science at the middle- and high-school levels. During her 13-year teaching career, Microsoft selected her as a Partners in Learning U.S. and Global Educator. Siemens honored Wiscount as a STEM Institute fellow. Now there’s the WILKES | Fall/Winter 2016 presidential honor, a national 14 prize that comes with $10,000 from the National Science Foundation. Still, when Wiscount talks about her work with the District of Columbia Public Schools, she doesn’t highlight her expertise or honors. She brags about her students, who team up to develop award-winning mobile apps and land prestigious internships with the likes of Microsoft, LockheedMartin, Accenture, World Bank and NASA. Working with a generation of kids who seem to be born with mobile devices in hand, does Wiscount worry about these young computer whizzes outpacing her? Not a chance. She relishes it. “I want them to question me. I want them to beat me out,” she says. “They’re going to find something they’re experts about, and that’s where the confidence comes in. Throw in a little bit of innovation and we’ve got tomorrow’s change-makers.” Change has been a constant in Wiscount’s career, and she proudly embraces it. She majored in accounting at Bloomsburg University, taking math and computer science courses for fun and graduated summa cum laude. She worked as an accountant for years but found she kept asking herself, “How can I serve other people in a better capacity?” Her answer: “Teaching is perfect for that.” She earned a master’s in business education and started teaching at her alma mater, Pine Grove Area High School in Pine Grove, Pa. She enrolled in the doctor of education program at Wilkes in 2007. Wiscount quickly developed an interest in educational reform, and while Pennsylvania was cutting school budgets, Washington, D.C., was putting money into education. Wiscount took a year off from the doctoral program and made the move to the District of Columbia schools. “It was completely different than anything I’ve ever done.” �WILKES | Fall/Winter 2016 Melanie Wiscount works in a new high school in Washington, D.C. PHOTOS BY STEVE BARRETT 15 �She completed her Wilkes doctor of education in educational leadership with a concentration in educational technology in 2015. Her dissertation examined the effects of kinesthetic learning, or learning through movement. Wiscount wanted to learn if students who learned about math kinesthetically would perform better on standardized tests. As part of her research, students kinesthetically manipulated the coefficients of the quadratic function using body movements and gestures using Microsoft Xbox Kinect camera. Wiscount loves the challenges, and the rewards, of teaching in an urban setting. For some of her students, the nation’s capital is not about museums or cherry blossoms. “A lot of my students live in neighborhoods surrounded by violence. They think they’re destined for that kind of future,” Wiscount says. “They’re not used to people believing in them and their potential.” Wiscount does, but more importantly, she teaches them how to believe in themselves. “I teach hope,” she says. “I teach hope every single day.” Wiscount tells the story of a former student who always showed up late for school. When she told him that he wouldn’t secure an internship if he couldn’t make it on time, he explained that his mother was seriously WILKES | Fall/Winter 2016 Wiscount encourages Elijah, one of her students, during an afterschool meeting of the technology club. 16 “The name of the award says it all. She’s an excellent teacher in the STEM arena. She works incredibly hard. She’s dedicated to the students. She cares about them as people.” – Anthony Priest, District of Columbia schools’ career and technical education program manager �Melanie Wiscount works with the tech leaders of the future. Pictured seated are Nashad, Wiscount and Christian. Standing, left to right, are Jelani, Amir, Elijah, Anthony, Kai and Adrian. Melanie Wiscount EdD ’15, Alexandria, Va. Doctor of Education, Wilkes Master of Science, Business Education, Bloomsburg University Bachelor of Science, Accounting, Bloomsburg University Career: Accountant turned computer science teacher and educational technology coach at middle and high schools in Pennsylvania and Washington D.C. Now teaching at Ron Brown College Preparatory High School in Washington, D.C. Notable: Winner of a 2016 Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching Mathematics and Science. The award was established to recognize and encourage outstanding teaching in the STEM fields. Favorite Wilkes memory: Dr. Gina Morrison’s “Leadership, Diversity, & Societal Change” class in her first week in the doctor of education program. “She asked us to write down our full name on a piece of paper and then to add ‘Dr.’ in front of our name. She asked us to look at our name with the title and know it’s our vision. It is up to us to create our path to it. I thought of that moment many times during the doctoral program...” WILKES | Fall/Winter 2016 ill and he was responsible for getting his 2-year-old sister to daycare using public transportation. On her recommendation and the strength of his work, the student persevered and landed a top internship. “That’s what I mean about hope.” Wiscount’s colleagues can’t help but notice her commitment to her students— and fellow teachers. Emmanuel Schanzer of Bootstrap World nominated Wiscount for the Presidential Award. The two first crossed paths years ago at a conference, then again at a workshop. Bootstrap is an open-source framework for building website and web applications. According to Schanzer, “Bootstrap teaches students to program their own videogames in a way that has been shown to reinforce, rather than undermine, key concepts in mathematics.” Wiscount has used Bootstrap content with her own students, and has shared the work with other teachers and administrators. “She’s a veteran Bootstrap teacher and has had wonderful success with her students. She’s been an incredible advocate,” says Schanzer. Anthony Priest, District of Columbia schools’ career and technical education program manager, worked with Wiscount when she taught at McKinley Technology High School in Washington. Priest is not at all surprised that she’s been recognized for excellence. “The name of the award says it all. She’s an excellent teacher in the STEM arena,” says Priest. “She works incredibly hard. She’s dedicated to the students. She cares about them as people.” Since June 2016, Wiscount has put her dedication to student success to use as the educational technology instructional coach at Ron Brown College Preparatory High School. The all-male high school focused on young men in the District of Columbia, especially young men of color. It opened in August with a class of 104 ninth-grade students, with plans to add another grade each year and graduate its first class in 2020. The high school is a one-to-one school, providing one device—a laptop computer—to each student. The school refers to this policy as one-to-world, meaning they teach students to use technology responsibly to connect with a global community. Wiscount’s teaching philosophy encourages students to be creators rather than consumers. Why download an app when you can develop one? Why buy a video game when you can design your own? Her dedication gives her students confidence to try new things, make mistakes and figure out how to fix them. “They become the experts. That empowers them. It’s really magical.” 17 �Storyteller Wilkes’ Oldest Graduate Anna Arnett MA’16 has Tales to Tell By Geoff Gehman Bonnie Culver, director of Wilkes’ graduate creative writing program, prepares to recognize Anna Arnett as the University’s oldest graduate. WILKES | Fall/Winter 2016 PHOTOS BY LINH LAM 18 Kathleen “Kat” Ethington issued a gentle ultimatum in December 2013 to her then 89-year-old mother, Anna Arnett MA ’16. It was high time, she told her mom, to write a book about her late Mormon parents, a pair of potato-farming school principals with a pioneer zest. She needed to preserve her tales on paper for her seven children, 28 grandchildren and 49 great-grandchildren. That day at her Mormon church in Chandler, Ariz., Arnett learned about the Wilkes weekender program in creative writing at the nearby Mesa Center for Higher Education. For once, Arnett—who describes herself as a “procrastinator from the word go”—defied her tendency to dillydally, driving that same day to the center. The program would allow her to pursue a degree by attending class on weekends and writing at home the rest of the time. Learning that her late husband’s military benefits would pay for the degree, she enrolled. Two years and many written pages later, she became the oldest graduate in Wilkes history, earning her master’s degree in creative writing at 92. In the process she completed a memoir of her parents’ early lives called Forever Endeavor. �Arnett’s family story could be the basis for an epic novel. Her mother grew up on a cattle ranch in a log cabin with a dirt floor, a dirt roof and a “nice” fireplace. It was a hardscrabble start for a salt-of-the-earth mom of five who taught kindergarten. Her father was an innovative math teacher who let students proceed at their own pace and tested them without written exams. A shrewd psychologist, he awarded a 1916 silver dollar to the first pupil who finished a book’s exercises. “And that was back when a silver dollar would buy something,” says Arnett, who playfully adds that her dad didn’t scold her for hating math. “Numbers play hide and seek in my brain,” she says. Arnett’s husband, Charles, was an Air Force pilot imprisoned in an abandoned German concentration camp during World War II. She married him 10 days after he proposed, eager to erase the discomfort of two years of separation. “It’s what you call a whirlwind courtship,” she says. It was so whirlwind, she adds merrily, that she flunked all her college finals. Like many military wives, she followed her husband to assignments in Australia, Japan and 16 states, moving her family 29 times. After completing a year-long hitch alone in Vietnam, Charles urged Arnett to resume her college education. At age 45, with her oldest child in high school and her youngest child entering kindergarten, she enrolled at Arizona State University. At night she studied in the bathroom, the only place with a light that wouldn’t wake her sleeping loved ones. She earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary education, followed by a master’s in teaching secondary English. She put the disciplines to work by co-founding, teaching at and directing a school for pregnant teens and leading an association of women who wrote at night. Returning to school many years later at Wilkes, Arnett still fit in well with her much younger classmates, who dubbed her “Miss Anna.” She impressed poet Spencer Aubrey MA ’16 with her wit, wisdom and keenly rendered stories about her parents. Aubrey, a part-time surveyor of new subdivisions, says “Miss Anna” is inspiring his poems about single mothers, including his sister. She charmed Darcy Breault MA ’16 with her positive attitude, strict attention to good grammar and stylish outfits of pink T-shirt, yoga pants and “cute” boots. Breault, a supervisor of college-credit programs for five high schools, says she’s more likely to weave fiction into nonfiction thanks to Arnett. “She would tell us: ‘You never get to an age when you can’t focus on writing and you can’t be publishing,’ ” says Breault. “You can always be following your dream.” Arnett also found an ally in her Wilkes faculty advisor, J. Michael Lennon, professor emeritus of English and co-founder of the creative writing program. Lennon praises Arnett’s panoramic, probing portrait of Mormon migration. “She is a superb writer with an eye like a pair of tweezers for the telling detail. Through her mother’s journals, and her own memories, she has put us in close touch with that golden time in American history when Mormon families walked across a continent to build lives in the West,” Lennon says. Arnett thanks Lennon for instilling a dedication to deadlines, easing her procrastination. She thanks her Wilkes classmates for easing the loneliness she’s felt since the 2008 death of her husband Charles. “He was the most perfect man I could have stood to live with,” Arnett says fondly. According to daughter Kat Ethington, with whom she lives, “Wilkes’ program made (my mother) feel more productive and more important. It definitely enhanced her life.” Arnett continues to enhance her life by pursuing a master of fine arts in creative writing at Wilkes. Lennon is guiding her research paper on great teachers in literature. As far as she’s concerned there’s still a lot she wants to do. “It’s a fascinating, wonderful world, and I’m not eager to leave it. I sometimes wonder at people who say they can hardly wait to get beyond this life to eternal peace and rest and praising God,” Arnett says. “That would be good for me for a week, but after that, you want something you have to do…. But life is good, life is great. When I’m down, I think how good it is and then I’m feeling up.” Anna Arnett MA’16, Chandler, Ariz. Master of Arts, Creative Writing, Wilkes Arizona State University Bachelor of Arts, Secondary Education, Arizona State University Career: Self-published poet and memoirist. Founder and director of the first school for pregnant teens in Mesa, Ariz. Noteworthy: Oldest graduate in Wilkes history at age 92. Anna Arnett is interviewed by Arizona news media about life-long learning. WILKES | Fall/Winter 2016 Master of Arts, Secondary Education, English, 19 �alumni news TAKE THE COLONEL TO YOUR CLASSROOM! The Colonel has traveled all over the world, thanks to our adventurous alumni. Just look at our Facebook album to see all the places he’s been! Now we’re asking education alumni to teach the Colonel a thing or two by taking him to your classrooms. Email alumni@wilkes.edu to get your flat Colonel. Then, take him to your classroom and snap a photo to send us! WILKES | Fall/Winter 2016 Kevin Sickle ’03 MS ’09 taught the Colonel a thing or two about science in his classroom at Heights-Murray Elementary School, Wilkes-Barre. 20 Alumni honored at A Celebration of Education event are pictured with Rhonda Rabbitt, left, dean of the School of Education. Honorees were Kevin Sickle, second from left, Jillian Mullen and Dawn Sutton. PHOTO BY JACQUELINE LUKAS Alumni Honored at A Celebration of Education Event A Celebration of Education was held on Nov. 9 at Wilkes in honor of American Education Week. Wilkes education alumni, faculty members and educators enjoyed time with friends while honoring Wilkes education alumni for their contributions to the field of education and the Wilkes community. Proceeds from the event benefit education scholarships for Wilkes students. Kevin Sickle ’03 MS ’09 received the Educator of the Year Award. Sickle earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology and elementary education and a master’s degree in educational development and strategies, both from Wilkes. He has been a fifth-grade math and science teacher at Heights-Murray Elementary School in the Wilkes-Barre Area School District for 12 years. Outside the classroom, he has served as second vice president of the Wilkes-Barre Area Education Association for four years. In addition, he has been the director of the Heights-Murray Elementary School spelling bee for 12 years and the director of their science fair for 10 years. Jillian Mullen EdD ’16 and Dawn Sutton ’74, EdD ’16 received the Diane Place Doctoral Dissertation Award for their outstanding dissertations in the University’s doctor of education program. Mullen’s research dissertation was, A Comparative Analysis of Nontraditional Students’ Perceptions of Mattering in Small Private Catholic Four-Year Academic Institutions. Mullen has been the executive director of the Schuylkill Community Education Council in Mahanoy City, Pa., for 14 years. The council is a statefunded nonprofit organization promoting higher education and workforce development. Sutton, who also received her undergraduate degree from Wilkes, was honored for her dissertation, A Phenomenological Study: Understanding the Experiences of Emotional and Behavioral Disorder Students in the Use of Virtual Reality Environments. Sutton is a math and special education teacher for high school students at Vision Quest Academy. �giving back “We decided on the room in the science center because he Seventeen may be just another number to the average person, always wanted to help other students,” says John’s sister, Julianna. but to Jack, Mary Claire and Julianna Borzell, it evokes the “By having this lab named after him, this was one way he could memory of a son and brother. Number 17 was worn by the late continue to do that, even after he’s gone.” John ‘Beno’ Borzell ’11 throughout his athletic career. Each year since 2012, the family has raised money through The number 17 appears everywhere in the Borzell family’s the John ‘Beno’ Borzell Golf Tournament. This year, 144 golfers efforts to create a legacy in John’s honor. In 2017, the family participated in the tournament on Sept. 17, 2016. Donations will make the last payment on the environmental chemistry lab from family, friends and boilermakers were received. More than in the Cohen Science Center that bears his name. The payment 70 baskets and multiple prizes also were donated. will be made on Earth Day 2017 as a tribute to John’s love “The support is truly overwhelming. Since we moved our of the outdoors and the environment. Seventeen high school tournament to Emanon Country Club, it has been sold out students at John’s high school, Wyoming Area in Exeter, Pa., also for the past two years. It’s already sold out for next year,” says have received scholarships due to the Borzells’ generosity. Jack. “Beno had a ton of friends, who all participate in the John passed away on Sept. 3, 2011, at age 22 from serious tournament.” injuries sustained from a motorcycle accident. He had received The family says that their donations to Wilkes keep John’s his bachelor of science degree in earth and environmental memory alive and it helps the family cope with the loss. One of science from Wilkes just four months before. John was a John’s life goals was to make a name for himself and the Borzell skilled athlete, determined student, devoted family man, avid family continues their tireless work with that in mind. outdoorsman and so much more to those who knew him. “Every time a student walks by his room, he’s making a name Before entering Wilkes, John graduated from Wyoming Area for himself,” says Jack. High School in 2007. He was scouted by many schools to play In addition to their generosity to Wilkes, the Borzell family football and baseball, and could have received scholarships, but also awards scholarships to Wyoming Area West High School he chose to focus his studies on the environment. He first chose students—$1,700 per student to represent number 17 that John Penn State University, but before formally committing there wore during his athletic career at Wyoming Area. John had a change of heart. The family has more plans for their future giving to Wilkes “He came to me and said, ‘Dad, you know as well as I do University. They are considering a scholarship and investing in that I want to go to Wilkes,’ ” says Jack, a retired boilermaker. other campus improvements such as the Stark Learning Center Jack remembers that the small class sizes and personal attention and South Campus Gateway. from the professors were extremely important to his son. “Any money we make, we give it back. I think that’s what After John passed away, Jack, Mary Claire and Julianna John would want,” says Mary Claire. “We want to give back to decided that they wanted to keep his memory alive through Wilkes—always.” philanthropy and embracing the things that John loved the most: Wyoming Area High School, Wilkes University and the environment. “The month after John passed, I saw “We decided on in the newspaper that Wilkes would be the room in the building a new science building,” says science center Mary Claire. “I looked at my husband and because he said, ‘We need to get a room for John.’ ” The family had to decide between always wanted endowing a scholarship or naming a to help other room in John’s memory in the Cohen students.” Science Center. – Julianna Borzell The Borzell family work together on the golf tournament honoring the late John “Beno” Borzell ’11. Pictured from left are Mary Claire, Julianna and Jack Borzell. PHOTO COURTESY BORZELL FAMILY WILKES | Fall/Winter 2016 Borzell Family Creates Legacy in Memory of John ‘Beno’ Borzell ’11 21 �class notes Kelly Pleva ’14 Launches Opera Career on the Right Note Kelly Pleva ’14 came to Wilkes as a musical theatre major. Wilkes that she was exposed to opera for the first time by her But thanks to the guidance she received at the University, the music teacher Susan Minsavage. Schuylkill Haven, Pa., native is on a new path, working toward a career in opera. Minsavage suggested Pleva try singing opera, and she found her true voice. Although there was no major in classical voice, She’s already achieving success. many on the Wilkes faculty went beyond their appointed roles In summer 2016, Pleva attended to train her in classical music. “I owe so much to the theatre the prestigious Franco-American community. The Wilkes resources allowed me to springboard Vocal into opera,” says Pleva. Academy Austria. in While Salzburg, there, she After graduating, she entered New York University’s performed the role of Madame Steinhardt School and earned her master’s degree in classical Herz in Mozart’s comic opera Der voice in December 2015. While in graduate school, she made Schauspieldirektor. The training her debut at Carnegie Hall in 2014 with the New York Lyric program at the academy included Opera singing Juliette in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette. daily classes in German language, Currently Pleva is singing in concerts throughout the South, diction, voice, weekly master and auditioning for professional companies here and in Europe. classes and performing a recital. She is looking forward to returning to northeast Pennsylvania “My experience with the during the holiday season to perform for the Arcadia Chorale’s Franco-American Vocal Academy annual Messiah Sing-Along, directed by another one of her was wonderful,” says Pleva, who is a coloratura soprano. “I mentors, Steven Thomas, Wilkes professor of music and chair came to work very closely with some of opera’s best voices, of performing arts at the University. take master classes with opera professionals, and coach new music with world-class musicians.” – By Jennifer Jenkins MA ’16 Pleva met her new voice teacher, John Fowler, while in Salzburg. During a 30-year career as an operatic tenor, voice teacher and opera director, Fowler has performed title roles on many of the world’s premier stages, including the Metropolitan Opera, winning an Emmy for his performance as Rodolfo in the “Live at Lincoln Center” production of La Bohème. Pleva and Fowler realized they had worked with some of the same companies back in the States, including “I came to work very closely with some of opera’s best voices, take master classes with opera professionals, and coach new music with world-class musicians.” OperaLancaster. “Since returning from Austria, John has continued to train me, and I have now had four professional performances thanks to him, as well as many new connections that will only aid in getting my career off the ground,” she says. WILKES | Fall/Winter 2016 “I am so incredibly grateful for everything he has done for me 22 and am very excited to see where else this will lead us.” Pleva also credits Wilkes with starting her successful pursuit of her dream. As an undergraduate, she sang in many musicals and concerts, including roles as Mrs. Walker in Tommy and Gertrude McFuzz in Seussical. It was not until she came to Pleva studied opera in Salzburg, Austria, in summer 2016. PHOTO COURTESY KELLY PLEVA �class notes Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis. 1969 Robert S. Wallace II of North East, Md., retired after 41 years as a high school choral/instrumental director with the Cecil County, Md., public schools. He is deanelect of the Delaware Chapter of the American Guild of Organists and director of music at St. Mary Anne Episcopal Church. He is a published composer. 1984 Douglas Evans of Wilkes-Barre is the director of collections for the Westmoreland Museum of Art. 1972 REUNION: OCT 6–8 Ronald Rittenmeyer of Plano, Texas, was named chairman and chief executive officer of Millennium Health in April. He was named chairman earlier in 2016. 1977 REUNION: OCT 6–8 Karen Line of Wilkes-Barre and her company, Strategic Sports Alliance, hold the rights to “Snowflex,” a synthetic system that would create conditions for year-round skiing in the area. 1978 Barry Niziolek of Wilmington, Del., was named executive vice president and chief financial officer of Trinseo on June 13, 2016. Niziolek was most recently vice president and controller at DuPont for 34 years. 1978 John Lack has released two works of fiction, The Other Side of the Kneeler and Tempest’s Arc. They are available through Amazon. 1979 Daniel Cardell of Palatine, Ill., purchased The Windsor Inn in Jermyn, Pa., putting the establishment under new management. 1982 REUNION: OCT 6–8 Ed Eppler of Bethlehem, Pa., joined Discover Lehigh Valley as vice president of finance and operations. Eppler has been with Discover Lehigh Valley as director of finance since April 2012. Previously, he worked at Concannon Miller, CPAs, and Fling Vacations. Eppler founded and ran his own accounting and tax firm, Eppler & Company, for 17 years. 1983 Gautam Yadama of St. Louis, Mo., was named dean of the Boston College School of Social Work. Prior,Yadama was assistant vice chancellor for international affairs and professor in the George Steven P. Roth of Shavertown, Pa., was named managing partner of the Law Firm of Rosenn Jenkins & Greenwald LLP in January 2016. He represents a number of the region’s leading businesses. 1985 Mark Mrozinski of Arlington Heights, Ill., is among the inaugural class of the Aspen Presidential Fellowship for Community College Excellence based in Washington, D.C. Mrozinski also serves as assistant to the president for special projects at Harper College in Palatine, Ill., and is the lone fellow from Illinois. Nancy (Pardy) Cabot of West Tisbury, Mass., was recognized for her work in spearheading the Art Club at Windemere Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. The residents’ artwork was displayed at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum. 1989 Linda McAndrew of Clarks Summit, Pa., presented a paper, “Pain Management of the Substance-Using Trauma Patients and the Impact on Nurses: A Systematic Review,” at the 28th annual Eastern Nursing Research Society Scientific Sessions in Pittsburgh. Maggie Lipperini has been awarded a fellowship in the American College of Healthcare Executives. Lipperini is the executive director of orthopedics and neurosciences at Regional Hospital of Scranton. 1990 Marc Palanchi of Ledgewood, N.J., was named the Roxbury, N.J., police chief in March 2016. He began working for the police department in 1994. 1991 Mary Gould, of St. Petersburg, Fla., retired from active duty in the Air Force in May. Gould served from September 1991 through May 2015. Prior to her retirement, she served as political/military Afghanistan and Pakistan adviser and legislative affairs officer of U.S. Central Command. 1993 Margaret Fiscus of Scranton, Pa., was named director of vocational services at Allied Services. In her new role, her responsibilities include oversight of all facets of the community employment program, the William Warren work services facility and the adult day program. WILKES | Fall/Winter 2016 Undergraduate Degrees 23 �:1mar class notes Three Alumni Help Pay It Forward With SmartSwapp Jordan Semar ’10, Kevin Gerhart ’11 and Anthony Griseto ’12 are hoping to turn the concept of paying it forward into a successful online business with the creation of their website SmartSwapp. It is a site they believe will make a significant contribution to the “sharing economy” revolution brought about by services like Airbnb, where users pay minimal prices to stay in homes of people in different parts of the world. SmartSwapp is a web-based and soon-to-be smart phone application used to connect people in order to exchange tasks Kevin Gerhart, Anthony Griseto and Jordan Semar celebrate at the launch party for their online business, SmartSwapp. PHOTO COURTESY SMARTSWAPP and services. To explain the SmartSwapp concept, Semar uses moving into a new home or apartment as an example. “Whenever anyone helps somebody else move, afterwards they always say, ‘Hey I owe you one,’ ” Semar says. They have says, “People can save a lot of expendable income and will have more money to spend on doing more things but also improve productivity.” created a site where that hypothetical moving helper can Semar, who majored in integrative media, lives in Wilkes-Barre, be paid back—not in money—but in a credit toward another where he does graphic design for Ebay. Griseto and Gerhart task. The mover can use his or her credits to fix a burst pipe, both graduated with business degrees and work for Pella receive an oil change, or even have someone take notes for a Windows And Doors in the Boston area. Griseto and Semar came up with the idea for the site after particularly dull lecture. Griseto explains that unlike most “sharing economy” apps discussing a similar application geared toward homeowners. such as Airbnb, Spinlister, and others, SmartSwapp offers The pair felt they needed to broaden the user demographic. something unique. Users may have to pay a small, $1 connection Griseto proposed the idea of exchanging services. Gerhart was fee or $3.99 for an unlimited month of connections, but they contacted to help finish turning the idea into a reality. won’t have to pay individual costs for specific tasks. In this sense, people are really only paying with their time. Griseto WILKES | Fall/Winter 2016 1994 Nicole Cooper of Mountain Top, Pa., married Marc Cefalo on Sept. 19, 2015, at the First Presbyterian Church, WilkesBarre. She is employed as finance director by Morgan Advanced Materials. 24 1996 Karen Bednarczyk Cowan and her husband, Scott, celebrated the birth of their third child, Shepherd Michael Cowan, on Dec. 29, 2015. 2003 Matthew Beck of Fredon, N.J., was selected as superintendent of the Andover Regional School District. Beck began his career in education teaching social studies in East Orange. Prior to becoming the superintendent, he served as the assistant superintendent at Sussex County Technical School. – By Hillary Transue MA ’15 2005 Daniel P. Cook of Pottsville, Pa., graduated from Villanova University in 2016 with a master’s degree in water resources and environmental engineering. He is employed as a project engineer at Alfred Benesch and Company. 2008 Lisa Dreier and Jared Clossen, celebrated the birth of their son, Dean Anthony Clossen, on Nov. 2, 2015. They live in Wilkes-Barre. 2010 Jason Woloski, of Plains, Pa., was elected to the Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians Board of Directors. He is currently chief family medicine resident physician at Penn State Hershey Medical Center. He has accepted a position with Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center beginning in 2017. �class notes 2009 Jared Nothstein of Dallas, Pa., joined St. Luke’s Medical Associates of Monroe County in East Stroudsburg, Pa. Nothstein specializes in internal medicine and recently completed a three-year internal medicine residency at St. Luke’s University Hospital in Bethlehem, Pa. Michele Garrison MBA ’12, of Wilkes-Barre is the regional education specialist on the south campus in Wilkes-Barre for The Commonwealth Medical College. 2010 Christopher Gulla, of Berlin, N.J., accepted a new position as an associate attorney with Zeller and Wieliczko, LLP. Alan Hack MS ’10 EdD ’14 Becomes State’s Youngest School District Superintendent When Alan Hack completed his doctor of education degree at Wilkes in 2014, he never guessed that two years later he’d be putting it to work as Pennsylvania’s youngest school district superintendent. In July, Hack was selected to lead the Warrior Run School District at age 30. Hack started his career as a middle school math teacher, teaching first in the Northwestern Lehigh School District and later at Danville Middle School. While teaching, he earned a master’s degree in education in 2010 and his doctor of education in educational administration, both from Wilkes. He’d been serving as assistant principal at Warrior Run Middle School when he learned that the superintendent position was open in the rural district. Warrior Run includes townships in three Pennsylvania counties: Union, Montour and Northumberland. “I am truly honored and humbled to have the opportunity to serve Warrior Run in this capacity. Regardless of age, the position of superintendent is highly complex and requires support from others both in and outside the organization,” Hack says. “There is always something new to learn, and I will continue to learn from those around me—those who are smarter than me. My success as a leader will be dependent on the success of our board, administrative team, teaching staff, and support staff all the way down to the individual students at Warrior Run.” In addition to his Wilkes degrees, Hack says he gained valuable insights when he was named a fellow with the Pennsylvania Educational Policy Fellowship Program in 2015-2016. While maintaining full-time positions, fellows develop a deeper knowledge of education policy and increase their professional network in child development and human services. “The EPFP was an invaluable experience and is among the best professional development for any educator,” Hack says. “Political advocacy is our responsibility as an educator to ensure our students receive the highest quality education possible. Whether Graduate Degrees 1973 Jay Sidhu MBA, of Mohnton, Pa., served as the keynote speaker at Entrepreneurship Week at Kutztown University. Sidhu also received an honorary degree from Albright College during its 157th Commencement on May 22, 2016. the advocacy occurs at the local and state levels or at the national level, we have a responsibility to our constituents, but more importantly our students.” – Jennifer Jenkins MA ’16 Alan Hack, pictured outside Warrior Run High School, went from assistant principal to superintendent in the district. PHOTO COURTESY THE DAILY ITEM WILKES | Fall/Winter 2016 Daniel DiMaria of Forty Fort, Pa., married Adrienne Trego, in North Carolina, where they now reside, on May 28, 2016. The two were married at the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher and spent their honeymoon in Ireland. 25 �class notes 2010 Megan Brady PharmD, of Swoyersville, Pa., married Luke Ruseskas on Oct. 15, 2015, at Friedman Farms in Dallas, Pa. She is employed by CVS as a pharmacist. 2013 George Tyler Behlke PharmD and Michelle Marie Choate PharmD of Palmyra, Pa., married on May 9, 2015. Choate is a staff pharmacist at Rite Aid in Lebanon. Behlke is a staff pharmacist at Rite Aid in Harrisburg. 2015 Doreen Rasp MS joined Advanced Behavioral Counseling providing pharmacological management for a variety of mental health disorders. Rasp has been a registered nurse since 1995. Sara Crolick ’12 Finds Writing Career at Startup MeetMindful.com English graduate Sara Crolick ’12 is writing her life’s current chapter working as the managing editor for MeetMindful.com. Crolick began working with the online dating website focused on mindful living two and a half years ago. With the startup based in Denver, Colo., Crolick works from her home in Kingston, Pa., staying in touch through virtual meetings. She is in charge of 15 to 30 writers as well as providing content, creating a weekly newsletter, publishing and managing day-to-day needs. Crolick finds herself submerged in a world she never anticipated working in. “I handle the publication part of the site, but it’s also a dating site. The fact that I’m working with a dating website to this day still blows my mind,” she says. “Being involved in a startup has been something I never anticipated for myself either. There’s this whole entrepreneurial world that I had no idea even existed.” Crolick creates relationship-based content on MeetMindful, using her own experiences as inspiration. 2006 John Bednarz M.A. of Shavertown, Pa., has been selected as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer for 2016. Since 1991 he has been a board-certified civil trial attorney and is the only claims attorney practicing in Wilkes-Barre named a Super Lawyer in the practice area of workers compensation. He has been a member of the Board of Governors of the Pennsylvania Association for Justice since 1988. The Pennsylvania Association also honored him in 2011 with the George F. Douglas Amicus Curiae Award for his outstanding appellate advocacy as an amicus brief writer on worker compensation topics before the Commonwealth Court and Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. He has been practicing law in Wilkes-Barre since 1978. “The umbrella the whole website sits under is mindful living; some people call it conscious living. That embodies more than people even expect it to,” she explains. “Whether it’s meditation, eating healthy, shopping locally, whatever it is… It’s [for] people who identify with that lifestyle and the content is meant to support people on that mindfulness journey.” She says her Wilkes experience helped her to develop the managerial skills she uses on the job. She credits supportive faculty such as Lawrence Kuhar and Thomas Hamill, both WILKES | Fall/Winter 2016 Crolick returns to her favorite Wilkes place, Kirby Hall, home of the English department. 26 associate professors in the English department. Crolick also says that it is the English department community in Kirby Hall that she misses. “Kirby Hall is just like this safe haven for ideas and how you express yourself, and it’s such a safe space to grow and learn,” she says. She continues with her own writing, which includes the 1000 Moments Project, which was inspired by a Facebook challenge called 100 Happy Days. She also publishes her own work on her blog, www.conversationswithahumanheart.wordpress.com. “My love has always been literature and creative writing,” she says. – By Sarah Bedford 2011 Erin Hardiman MBA, of Ocean City, N.J., returned to the University of Miami in March 2016 as the assistant director for business operations. She oversees all aspects of athletics department purchasing and accounts payable. �class notes In Memoriam 1949 John W. Edwards Jr., of Plymouth, Pa., died on May 13, 2016. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He also worked in the Department of Public Welfare. Louis Pezzner, of Ashley, Pa., died June 25, 2016. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He worked for Pezzner Brothers Inc. briefly prior to working as an accountant with the Internal Revenue Service. Mary Jule McCarthy, of Dallas, Pa., died on Aug. 8, 2016. McCarthy taught high school English in Havre de Grace, Md., and Doylestown, Pa. She also taught disadvantaged students at Red Rock Job Corps Center. She established the Christmas Shopping Fund at the center, enabling her students to buy presents for their families. 1951 Robert J. Shemo, of Wyoming, Pa., died on March 26, 2016. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1945. He was a dentist for 57 years and also taught radiology at Luzerne County Community College. He was a member of the board of directors of the Pennsylvania Academy of General Dentistry. 1953 Joseph P. Hirko, of Chico, Calif., died on March 26, 2016. He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1953 and served for 20 years. He worked for PG&E in Chico for 20 years. 1955 Eugene V. Snee, of Patchogue, N.Y., died in March 2016. Leo Kane, of Clair, Pa., died on March 6, 2015. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was the former owner and president of Credit Management Co. 1956 Joseph Modla, of Nanticoke, Pa., died on July 8, 2016. Working as an FDIC bank examiner, he was instrumental in the investigation and subsequent conviction of the Wall Street ponzi scheme led by E.F. Hutton. 1957 Bess (Proferes) Efsathiou, of Swarthmore, Pa., died on Feb. 25, 2016. She taught science in the Belleville (N.J.) Public School system, working at School Number 5, the junior high, and the high school as teacher and department head. She retired in 1994 as the district’s science supervisor. Lena M. (Misson) Baur, of Shavertown, Pa., died on June 9, 2016. She was a teacher for 36 years, teaching mathematics, chemistry, physics and geography. She also owned and operated the Treat Drive-Ins. 1958 Thelma Januskiewicz, of Edwardsville, Pa., died on June 6, 2016. She began her career teaching obstetrics at WilkesBarre General Hospital, working there for more than four decades. Wayne Pugh, of Tunkhannock, Pa., died on June 18, 2016. He was a fifth- and sixth-grade social studies teacher for 36 years in the Tunkhannock Area School District. He also served as a wrestling coach. 1959 Charles Dominick, of Duryea, Pa., died on May 11, 2016. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He was a member of the U.S. Army Band. He became a professional musician and was also employed by the Hagerstown Area School District in Maryland teaching music. He retired from the Yurish Music Store in Kingston and continued to perform with the Starfires. 1960 Donald Barovich, of Gwynedd, Pa., died on Jan. 28, 2016. Donald Sabatino, of Jenkins Township, Pa., died on May 3, 2016. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean Conflict. He served as an elementary school teacher and principal in the WilkesBarre Area School District. He retired after 33 years of service. After retirement, he joined the faculty of the education departments at Wilkes University and King’s College. 1961 Leonard Gonchar, of Kingston, Pa., died on May 25, 2016. He served in the Pennsylvania National Guard. He was co-owner of Carter Footwear and served as the executive in charge of sales. James O. Thomas, of Laporte, Pa., died on Jan. 25, 2016. He was the sole practitioner for 47 years at the Eagle Veterinary Clinic in Havertown, Pa., and member of state and national veterinary associations. 1962 Edmund J. Resperski, of Pittston, Pa., died on July 25, 2016. Resperski was employed by Akzo Nobel, Clarks Summit, Pa., where he served as chief inventory controller. He also worked for Garwood Industries, Exeter, Pa., and Thomson Education Direct, Scranton, Pa., from which he retired. Robert John Slabinski Sr., of Unionville, Conn., died Aug. 25, 2015. He worked for Royal Typewriter in Elmwood, Conn., and for UTC Hamilton Standard. He was awarded several patents. 1966 Forrest Eichmann, of Woodstown, N.J., died on Dec. 31, 2014. He taught music education for more than 20 years in various school districts. He also served as the WILKES | Fall/Winter 2016 1948 Shirley (Phillips) Passeri, of Sun City Center, Fla., died on April 23, 2016. 27 �class notes high school band director at Kingsway and Schalick high schools, both in New Jersey. He also was the director of emergency services in Salem County, N.J., retiring in 2002. John D. Wisloski Jr., of Doylestown, Pa., died Sept. 24, 2015. He taught elementary school at Abington Elementary for 38 years. 1966 Michael D. Elias Sr., of Wilkes-Barre died on May 7, 2016. He retired from Penn State University Wilkes-Barre campus after 15 years as an instructor. He also worked for Wilkes University teaching computer science for several years prior to his retirement in 2014. 1969 Dorothy “Dottie” (Bisher) Craig, of Forty Fort, Pa., died on June 23, 2016. She was a professor at Luzerne County Community College. She was also active in the Forty Fort Borough Council. WILKES | Fall/Winter 2016 1970 Stanley Lewis Perry, of Nanticoke, Pa., died on Feb. 3, 2016. He was employed by Luzerne County for more than 30 years. 28 1971 Richard C. Mark, of Leola, Pa., died Aug. 24, 2015. He was a retired United Methodist pastor. 1972 Eugene “Gene” Pappas Jr., of Kingston, Pa., died on May 26, 2016. He worked for McKinsey & Co. as a banking consultant and was a senior partner in the firm. He continued to work as a senior advisor until his death. 1973 Leonard J. Zaikoski of Wilkes-Barre died on May 29, 2016. He was an accountant for the Leslie Fay Co. for many years prior to retirement. 1974 Francis A. Singer, of Hughestown, Pa., died on Aug. 4, 2016. He was employed for 37 years as a paralegal and office manager at various legal firms including Fish and Neave PC, Arthur Young PC, Slade Pellman, Proskauer LLP and Akin Gump, Strauss, Hauer and Feld LLP, from which he retired in December 2015. 1975 Bernard “B.J.” Ford, of Nanticoke, Pa., died on April 6, 2016. His early career included teaching, coaching and retail management. After retirement from TechnaGlas, he worked at the Farley Library at Wilkes and for Geisinger Wyoming Valley Hospital as a patient sitter. He is survived by his family of Colonels, including his wife Joan ’75, and children James ’03, Jillian ’05 and Jeffrey ’12. 1977 Frederick A. Petrini, of Nanticoke, Pa., died on April 24, 2016. He served in the U.S. Army for two years. He was the owner and general manager of Brunozzi Chevrolet, Buick, Oldsmobile & Pontiac Inc. in Hanover Township for more than 30 years. 1979 Diane (Castrignano) Jones, of West Wyoming, Pa., died on July 8, 2016. Jones taught biology from 1974 to 2007 at Bishop Hoban High School, Wilkes-Barre, and from 2007 until her retirement in 2012 at Holy Redeemer High School, Wilkes-Barre. 1982 Ronald W. Labatch, of Kingston, Pa., died on March 8, 2016. He worked in many drug stores over the years as a clerk then as assistant manager. He read the newspaper as a volunteer for more than a decade on King’s College Radio as part of the Radio Home Visitor Show. 1987 David L. Beaver, of Allentown, Pa., died Dec. 15, 2015. He retired as a financial controller. Mary Jo Meyers, of Wapwallopen, Pa., died on June 13, 2016. She served on the faculty of Wyoming Seminary Day School. 1994 Janice Bullock, of Swoyersville, Pa., died on April 7, 2016. She was a registered nurse, working first at Nesbitt Memorial Hospital and then at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. 1995 Jody Palmer, of Shrewsbury, Mass., died on March 18, 2014. She was a principal global program manager at EMC Corp. in Hopkinton, Mass., where she had been employed for the last 15 years. Charles R. “Charlie” Hepplewhite, of Fort Myers, Fla., died July 4, 2015. He was a business manager for Haystak Digital Marketing. Graduate Degrees 2007 Barbara Snyder MS of Fairfield, Pa., died on April 10, 2016. She was an art teacher at Delone Catholic High School since 2001. 2010 James Craig MA of Lancaster, Pa., died on July 30, 2016. Craig was a middle school teacher in the Ephrata School District for 14 years until his retirement. He was the author of the mystery novel Blue Lines Up In Arms. 2014 Diane Place EdD, of Towanda, Pa., died on March 1, 2016. Place taught Spanish at the Athens Area High School and Towanda Area High School. She was elementary school principal for the Towanda Area School District from 1997– 2006, Towanda Area School District superintendent from 2006–2012 and Athens Area School District superintendent from 2012 until the time of her passing. She was honored by Wilkes for outstanding dissertation in the doctor of education program. �- S AV E T H E D A T E 6 p.m. • Saturday, June 3, 2017 Westmoreland Club, Wilkes-Barre For sponsorships, advertisements, or ticket information, please contact Jennifer Ciarimboli at 570-408-4953 or Jennifer.Ciarimboli@wilkes.edu or visit www.wilkes.edu/foundersgala. �w WILKES UNIVERSITY Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 WILKES UNIVERSITY calendar of events December 1-18 Ying Li: “Geographies” Sordoni Art Gallery 4 “Dances and Dreams,” Wilkes Flute Ensemble, 7:30 p.m., Dorothy Dickson Darte Center 5 Music From Britain and America, Wilkes University Chamber Orchestra, 8 p.m., Dorothy Dickson Darte Center 11 Holiday Pops Concert, Wilkes Civic Band and the Marching Colonels, 3 p.m., Dorothy Dickson Darte Center 12 Fall classes end. January 2017 3-13 Intersession 2017 6-14 Wilkes Graduate Creative Writing Residency 8-12 Maslow Reading Series. 7 to 9 p.m., Jan. 8, Barnes & Noble, Public Square, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center 16 Spring Classes Begin 20-March 3 Lydia Panas: “After Sargent,” Sordoni Art Gallery 21 Instant Decision Open House for Prospective Students 22 Winter Commencement, 1 p.m., Arnaud C. Marts Center 25 Snow Date for the January 23 Instant Decision Open House February 3 Wrestling Alumni Night 4 Athletic Hall of Fame 17-19 “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown,” Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m., Sunday, 2 p.m., Dorothy Dickson Darte Center 24-26 “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown,” Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m., Sunday, 2 p.m., Dorothy Dickson Darte Center 28 Rivka Galchen, author of Atmospheric Disturbances, Allan Hamilton Dickson Fund Writers Series, 7 p.m., Kirby Hall April 29 Softball Alumni Day May 6 Wrestling Reunion & Coach John Reese’s 90th Birthday Celebration June 3 Founders Gala For details on times and locations, check www.wilkes.edu and www.wilkes.edu/alumni or phone (800) WILKES-U. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Magazine, Fall 2016 Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Marketing Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 2016 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Alumni Magazine, 1947-present Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Description An account of the resource <p>An archive of Wilkes University Magazine, from 1947-present. The magazine went through various names including <em>Wilkes Alumnus</em>, <em>Wilkes Quarterly,</em> <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, and the current title, <em>Wilkes Magazine</em>. Some editions for the <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, will have multiple issues within the file record. Our holdings may be missing editions for certain years due to having no physical copy within the collection. </p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Wilkes University Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Wilkes University Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1947-present Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Magazine, Fall 2016 Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Marketing Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 2016 magazine Wilkes Magazine https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/b6d527587ffbfb581c7d2747dc78d51f.pdf b03843112655bb842367f8e6c753c9f9 PDF Text Text F A L L / W I N T E R 2 01 7 Colonel Couple PANOS AND DEB (STEPHENS) KALARITIS SHARE CAREER SUCCESS AND A MARRIAGE MADE AT WILKES INSIDE: THE NEW KARAMBELAS MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION CENTER AND THE SORDONI ART GALLERY �president’s letter VOLUME 11 | ISSUE 2 Milestones Signal Time of Great Progress at Wilkes W ilkes is halfway through our six-year Gateway to the Future strategic plan, and we are making great progress toward our goals. Through the efforts of our campus community, Board of Trustees, alumni, and talented student body, we are positioning Wilkes for the next phase of our continued evolution—becoming one of the nation’s finest small doctoral universities. In just the first few weeks of the fall semester, we celebrated three significant milestones that are evidence of this evolution. In September, the University’s first Ph.D. program in nursing became a reality. Sixteen students from seven different states will be prepared to educate the next generation of nurses through the program’s rigorous coursework. With the addition of the Ph.D. in nursing, we now offer five terminal degrees that enroll more than 550 students. Just two weeks later, Wilkes’ commitment to the arts was renewed with the rededication of the Sordoni Art Gallery in its new location at 141 South Main Street, making a bold statement about the importance of the arts at this University. The opening exhibition, “15 Minutes: From Image to Icon,” featured works by internationally-known artist Andy Warhol. In just the first month since the gallery opened its doors, more than 1,000 people have visited the space. It has been such a thrill to see visitors— Wilkes President Patrick F. Leahy speaks at the dedication of the Sordoni Art Gallery, launching a both art-lovers and novices alike—experience new era for the arts. PHOTO BY KNOT JUST ANY DAY Warhol’s renowned works right here on our campus. This is the beginning of a new era for the Sordoni Art Gallery, during which our students and the community will have the opportunity to view art at Wilkes like never before. And finally, earlier this semester, I had the distinct honor of writing a letter in support of a senior biology student who is applying for a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. Guided by a faculty member with experience in this highly competitive process, we believe that this is the first time in University history that a Wilkes student will apply for this scholarship. Regardless of the outcome, this effort has elevated the level of academic excellence for all of our students. I think you will agree that each of these achievements is individually impressive and worthy of celebration; however, when viewed collectively, they signal something greater. Now is a time of great progress at Wilkes, as we layer exciting investments in academics and infrastructure with initiatives that strengthen our foundational values of community and mentorship. I hope that these three examples of our progress make you as proud of Wilkes as I am. There has never been a better time at Wilkes, and I look forward to celebrating more milestones like these with you in the coming months. Dr. Patrick F. Leahy Wilkes University President FALL/WINTER 2017 WILKES MAGAZINE University President Dr. Patrick F. Leahy Vice President for Advancement Thomas MacKinnon Managing Editor Kim Bower-Spence Senior Editor Vicki Mayk MFA’13 Creative Services Lisa Reynolds Director of Communications Gabrielle D’Amico MFA’17 Web Services Joshua Bonner MS’16 Electronic Communications Brittany Terpstra Communications Specialist Kelly Clisham MFA’16 Graduate Assistants Sarah Bedford ’17 Samantha Stanich Layout/Design Kara Reid Printing Lane Press EDITORIAL ADVISORY GROUP Anne Batory ’68 Brandie Meng MA’08 Bill Miller ’81 George Pawlush ’69 MS’76 Donna Sedor ’85 OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI RELATIONS Executive Director of Development and Alumni Relations Margaret Steele Associate Director, Office of Alumni Relations Mary Balavage Simmons ’10 Manager of Alumni Relations and Advancement Special Projects Jacki Lukas ’11 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OFFICERS President Ellen Stamer Hall ’71 Vice President Matt Berger ’02 Secretary John Sweeney ’13 Historian Cindy Charnetski ’97 Wilkes magazine is published three times a year by the Wilkes University Office of Marketing Communications, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766, wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu, (570) 408-4779. Please send change of address to the above address. Wilkes University is an independent institution of higher education dedicated to academic and intellectual excellence in the liberal arts, sciences and professional programs. The university provides its students with the experience and education necessary for career and intellectual development as well as for personal growth, engenders a sense of values and civic responsibility, and encourages its students to welcome the opportunities and challenges of a diverse and continually changing world. The university enhances the tradition of strong student-faculty interactions in all its programs, attracts and retains outstanding people in every segment of the university, and fosters a spirit of cooperation, community involvement, and individual respect within the entire university. �8 16 14 22 24 contents FEATURES 8 Colonel Couple Panos ’77 and Deb (Stephens) ’78 Kalaritis found success individually and as a couple. Colonel Couple PANOS AND DEB (STEPHENS) KALARITIS SHARE CAREER SUCCESS AND A MARRIAGE MADE AT WILKES INSIDE: THE NEW KARAMBELAS MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION CENTER AND THE SORDONI ART GALLERY Panos ’77 and Deborah (Stephens) ’78 Kalaritis met at Wilkes and went on to success in the pharmaceutical and telecommunications industries. PHOTO BY SETH JOHNSON 14 Artistic Vision The rededicated Sordoni Art Gallery has a new vision, a new location and the works of Andy Warhol. 2 On Campus 28 Alumni News 29 Giving Back 30 Class Notes 16 Collaborative Communicators Students celebrate the possibilities in the new Clayton ’49 and Theresa Karambelas Media and Communication Center. 22 Flying High Deirdre Gurry ’99 is a lieutenant colonel, squadron commander and a pilot in the U.S. Air Force. 24 Creative Community Past editors of Manuscript contribute to an oral history of the magazine’s 70 years. Have a story idea to share? Contact us at wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu or Wilkes magazine, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766. Wilkes magazine is available online at www.wilkes.edu/wilkesmagazineonline f.>iJ ~~s MIX Paper from responsible sources FSC® C022085 WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 FALL/WINTER 2017 DEPARTMENTS 1 �on campus Words of Wisdom Bob Bruggeworth ’83, CEO of Qorvo Inc., shares career insights with students. REAL-LIFE LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP HIGHLIGHTED IN WILKES PRESIDENT’S SEMINAR PHOTO BY RYAN WOOD WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 Bob Bruggeworth ’83 explains to a group of Wilkes students that sometimes failure is necessary in business—especially among innovators. But he adds an important caveat: “I tell the team, let’s fail fast.” Bruggeworth, CEO of Qorvo Inc., a global developer of radio-frequency technology, addressed the President’s Seminar in Leadership, taught by Wilkes President Patrick Leahy in spring 2017. His advice didn’t end with the two-word dictum about failure. “What I mean by that is, I’m okay with failure. Just fail faster,” he explains. “The problem is, we learn too late and spend too much money. Part of innovation is failing. I define innovation as having an idea, creating something and making money with it sooner than your competition.” Bruggeworth was one of seven seminar speakers who brought lessons about leadership to Wilkes students. It offered them the chance to hear from leaders in fields as diverse as technology, child care, investments and retail. Guest speakers also included Frank Joanlanne, president of Borton-Lawson; Dan Cardell ’79, chairman of the Chicago Quantitative Alliance; Bill Miller ’81, president of Galison/Mudpuppy; Tara Mugford Wilson, CEO of Power Engineering Corporation; Carl Witkowski, COO of Guard Insurance; and Bill Grant MBA ’86, founder of Hildebrandt Learning Centers. Structured as a conversation, each class began and ended with questions posed by Leahy to spark discussion. These included what Leahy calls the “lightning round,” a succession of questions designed to elicit one-word responses that give a snapshot of the speaker. Questions posed are as diverse as “What is your favorite word?” and “What is your most irrational indulgence?” The most important information shared, Leahy says, has to do with achievement after Wilkes. “These distinguished individuals have much to share with our students about leadership and success,” Leahy says. 2 Bill Miller ’81 discusses his role as president of Galison/Mudpuppy. PHOTO BY CURTIS SALONICK “The alumni bring the unique perspective of discussing how their Wilkes experiences prepared them for the roles they now fill.” “I really felt like I grew up at Wilkes,” Bill Miller ’81, president of Galison/Mudpuppy, a stationery and gift company, tells the group. Noting that he gained experience just as they did—writing for The Beacon and serving in Student Government—he also shares that summer jobs at the retailer Pomeroy’s paved the way to his selection to Macy’s Management Training Program upon graduation. From those early experiences, Miller became a retail marketing guru for industry giants like FAO Schwarz and Barnes and Noble. His networks supported him through his career transitions, prompting Miller to tell the students, “One lesson that I learned early is to create your own networks.” Emphasizing that he learned many facets of each company where he’s worked, Bruggeworth lauded the value of teamwork. “That’s why I’m a big fan of collaboration. It’s also interesting to get different people’s perspectives to make a good decision, because everybody sees the world differently,” he says. “I’ve been Wilkes President Patrick Leahy a big fan of bringing together hosted Bill Miller ’81 at the President’s Seminar in Leadership. people who are cross-functional.” PHOTO BY CURTIS SALONICK He also encouraged students to become life-long learners. “We’re the only asset that appreciates in business. We become worth more over time if we keep investing in ourselves and bringing more to the part,” he says. Senior finance major Aaron Sadowski of Robesonia, Pa., says he rearranged his schedule to take the leadership seminar. He’s glad he did. “Presidents don’t decide to teach a class unless they are going to do it to presidential standards,” Sadowski says. He especially appreciated hearing the perspectives of Frank Joanlanne and Dan Cardell, who both had successful careers in finance. Among the biggest takeaways for students? “There isn’t one roadmap to success; it’s what you make of your education and experiences,” Sadowski says. �on campus Scott Stolte Appointed Dean of Nesbitt School of Pharmacy Scott Stolte, Pharm.D., has joined Wilkes University as dean of the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy. Anne Skleder, Wilkes provost and senior vice president, praises the breadth of Stolte’s experience in pharmacy education. “We are fortunate to have Dr. Stolte at the helm of the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy. Our outstanding pharmacy program is poised to move forward to educate the next generation of pharmacists,” Skleder says. “I couldn’t be more excited to work with Dr. Stolte and support his vision on behalf of the University.” Stolte says, “I am humbled and honored to lead the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy. I am excited to work with our outstanding faculty and staff members and student pharmacists to improve the health and well-being of the citizens of our community. I look forward to meeting with our alumni and local leaders to discuss how the school can have the greatest impact.” Prior to joining Wilkes, Stolte was professor and dean of the College of Pharmacy at Roseman University of Health Sciences in Henderson, Nev. He began his career in pharmacy education in 1998 at the Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Va. During more than a decade at Shenandoah, he rose through the faculty ranks and served in a variety of leadership positions, including department chair and associate dean of academic affairs. Stolte has an established national reputation in pharmacy education. He is active in the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, serving on a number of national Scott Stolte joined Wilkes this fall as committees and as a leadership pharmacy dean. PHOTO BY EARL & SEDOR fellowship facilitator. Stolte PRODUCTIONS earned a doctor of pharmacy degree from Purdue University. He completed a postdoctoral residency in community pharmacy practice at the Family PharmaCare Center Inc. and Purdue University. He also completed an Academic Leadership Fellowship with the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. MEET THE CLASS OF 2021 the second largest class in University history, as well as the strongest academically. What else do we know about the newest crop of Colonels? 52 Students joining Wilkes honors program, now in its third year. 14 Number of states first-year students call home. : .............. I 16 ....................................................... :• The percentage of all new entering students who 40 Total number of new international students enrolling at Wilkes. count a Wilkes graduate among their immediate or extended family. Number of students in the first-year class who are the first in the family to pursue a four-year degree, reflecting Wilkes’ continuing commitment to its founding mission. 323 WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 Wilkes’ Class of 2021 has 632 students, making it 3 �on campus Wilkes Welcomes New Members to Board of Trustees Ellen Stamer Hall ’71 earned a degree in English from Wilkes and has served as a member of the Alumni Association board of directors since 2010. She became president of the Alumni Association in March 2017 and previously served in leadership roles including vice president and secretary. In addition, Hall chairs the board’s Homecoming Committee and mentors current Wilkes education students. Now retired, Hall taught elementary school in the Northwest Area School District for 34 years. Seymour Holtzman ’57 graduated from Wilkes with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. He is the president and CEO of Jewelcor Inc., which operated a chain of retail stores throughout the United States. He was previously the chairman of the board and CEO of Gruen Marketing Corp., a company involved in the nationwide distribution of watches. Holtzman also serves as chairman and CEO of Jewelcor Management Inc., an investment and management services firm. He owns C.D. Peacock Inc., a retail jewelry Ellen Stamer Hall ’71 store in Chicago, Ill., and the Rolex Boutique Luxury Swiss in Miami, Fla. Holtzman is chairman of the board of Destination XL Group Inc., the nation’s largest specialty retailer of big and tall men’s apparel. He is also the owner of Homeclick.com Inc., an internet retailer specializing in luxury brands for the home. Gregory MacLean ’78 graduated from Wilkes with a Bachelor of Arts degree in art. He was the founder and CEO of Magestic Systems Inc., located in Westwood, N.J. The company provides integrated manufacturing software solutions used worldwide by leading manufacturers in the aerospace, transportation, energy, defense, industrial and construction industries. Seymour Holtzman ’57 Gregory MacLean ’78 WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 A REGAL RETURN AT HOMECOMING 2017 4 Among the alumni returning to campus for Homecoming from Oct. 6-8 was Gloria Dran Elston ’57, the University’s first-ever homecoming queen. Crowned in 1955, Elston traveled to Wilkes from her home in Salt Lake City, Utah, to celebrate her 60th class reunion. Elston did the honors, crowning this year’s king and queen during halftime of the football game against Widener University at the Ralston Athletic Complex. She’s pictured, left, with this year’s royal couple, Nancy Ramirez and Dylan Fox. PHOTO BY KNOT JUST ANY DAY �on campus Honors Students Gain Global Perspective at Conference in Thailand “Think global, act local, and start personal” was the big take away for five Wilkes University honors students who attended the 2017 University Scholars Leadership Symposium. The students traveled to Bangkok, Thailand, with Mark Allen, dean of students and adjunct professor, Sidhu School of Business and Leadership, for the week-long training session. The event draws 1,000 of the world’s most promising leaders from 90 universities and colleges around the world. The students included neuroscience major Raeva Mulloth; management major Christine Walsh; nursing major Angus Fortune; environmental engineering major Nicole Hart; and psychology major Maria Lerch. Held at the United Nations building in Bangkok from Aug. 1-7, 2017, attendees heard speakers and participated in group discussions surrounding the topic of “Causes that Matter” and completed workshop sessions to put their plans into action. Students also spent one day completing community service by working with local schools and planting in mangroves. “Being in the U.S., problems such as famine and widespread disease are not seen as everyday problems. However, for some of the people that I met, these are struggles they face every day in their communities,” says Mulloth. “The symposium not only opened my eyes to the vast and differing amount of problems around the world, it also inspired me to look at the problems I see in my own community.” The Wilkes students attended the symposium as part of an honors course, International Leadership. The students will be graded on their attendance at the symposium and three presentations about their experience at the event that will be given to MORE ON THE WEB Wilkes honors students attended the 2017 University Scholars Leadership Symposium in Bangkok, Thailand, where they gained an international perspective that they shared with first-year honors students. Pictured from left to right are attendees Dean of Students Mark Allen, Raeva Mulloth, Angus Fortune, Nicole Hart, Maria Lerch and Christine Walsh. PHOTO COURTESY CHRISTINE WALSH the honors sections of First Year Foundations classes during fall semester. The honors course continued through fall 2017. It was the second year that Wilkes honors students attended the symposium. In August 2016, four students attended the event in Hanoi, Vietnam. These two international events have created a chance for students and administration to network across the globe. The connections may lead to the development of new curriculum at Wilkes as soon as January 2018. A CONVERSATION WITH JAY SIDHU MBA ’73 President Patrick F. Leahy hosted a conversation with Jay S. Sidhu MBA ’73, Chairman and CEO of a division of Customers Bank, and BankMobile Technologies. The Jay S. Sidhu School of Business and Leadership was named in his honor. The event, held in October, was attended by Sidhu School students. To view a video and highlights from Leahy’s conversation with Sidhu, go to www.wilkes.edu/presidentialconversation. Wilkes University President Patrick F. Leahy listens to a response from Jay S. Sidhu MBA ’73, Chairman and CEO of Customers Bancorp. PHOTO BY LISA REYNOLDS WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 Customers Bancorp, Customers Bank, BankMobile, 5 �on campus History Majors Bring the Past Alive in the Present WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 A young Luzerne County soldier’s draft notice for the Union Army sits in the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pa. The fragile piece of paper took a son away from his family, possibly pitting him against friends. The draft notice was one of the artifacts researched by Wilkes senior history major Sarah O’Hara during an internship at the center. O’Hara and fellow history major Jeffrey Stanford both held internships in which they were responsible for researching and recording American history. History majors at Wilkes are required to complete at least one internship. It reflects the department’s interdisciplinary approach to studying, preserving and sharing the past. O’Hara of Doylestown, Pa., researched artifacts from the Civil War at the Constitution Center, such as a newspaper describing the death of Abraham Lincoln, medical supplies from battlefield hospitals and fans used as Victorian mourning accessories. She also picked out new artifacts to add to the collection and created packets to be used for History major Jeffrey Stanford spent the summer as an intern at the Antique Auto Club of America Museum. PHOTO BY ASHLEIGH CRISPELL retraining the museum programs staff. O’Hara put lessons learned in her material culture class with Diane E. Wenger, associate professor and Both students credit Wilkes for co-chair of global cultures, to good use when writing summaries and developing research skills needed for the questions regarding the objects. internships. Stanford used skills learned in “I liked creating something that I knew would be useful and instrumental in helping his Wilkes classes to research the manufacpeople learn and connect to the past,” O’Hara says. “I also loved being able to interact turing stamps on the back of objects such and talk with visitors when I had time to work on the floor.” as plates. The stamps would help him to Stanford took inventory of a 1950s diner, Valentine Diner, at the Antique Auto identify where the objects were produced. Club of America Museum in his hometown of Hershey, Pa. He described around 400 “I think it is important to make sure objects or more, including duplicates, to create digital records. people have something digital to look at. “I would try to accurately describe how old an object is and what the condition We live in a digital age and we have to was,” Stanford explains. “My only real tools to do this were the objects themselves integrate history into that so people can and the internet. There were objects like a rearview mirror above the stove so the tell stories and connect more with the cook could see what was happening behind him. Objects like that helped me gather past,” Stanford says. information on the diner.” 6 “I liked creating something that I knew would be useful and instrumental in helping people learn and connect to the past.” – Sarah O’Hara Senior history major Sarah O’Hara interned at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, where she is seen in Signers Hall, posing among life-size statues of the signers of the Constitution. PHOTO BY DAN Z. JOHNSON �on campus Enhancements Improve Safety and Beautify Campus WASHINGTON MONTHLY RANKS WILKES AMONG TOP SCHOOLS CONTRIBUTING TO PUBLIC GOOD Wilkes is among the nation’s top colleges and universities included in Washington Monthly’s annual rankings of higher education institutions and what they are doing for the country. Wilkes is ranked in two categories: contribution to public good and best bang for the buck. The University is the highest ranked institution from northeast Pennsylvania in the best bang for the buck category, which looks at schools that help students pursue a marketable degree at an affordable price. Wilkes ranked 83 of 384 institutions in the northeast. In the contribution to public good category, Wilkes ranked 129 of 632 master’s institutions, jumping 15 spots since 2016. Wilkes is the only institution in northeast Pennsylvania to MONTHLY 2017 COLLEGE I I OS “We have always taken issue with rankings that focus on prestige as opposed to outcomes. We look for and value rankings that celebrate our unique, access-based mission,” says University President Patrick F. Leahy. “We’re pleased to be recognized by a respected publication like Washington WhatCanCollege!DoFor-Yettt-c,!'...,, Monthly, which celebrates our enduring commitment to first-generation and P\U5.TMU_.....,_,.oatfti10l'MIIIU Aalfb'IMl.~,.lltt~<oltt" ==--. I ' high-need students.” Tht ........ dtdlllof-kw,i\l,tl'lltll' Tlit(itQtffl,,..,.fflldffUIIC1lliltr_.. ..,.....,..~5111t1fflfWQlt/ll aotlnftlll_.,.~ .... Terese Wignot Appointed Associate Provost for Enrollment Management Wilkes has announced key leadership appointments to the University’s enrollment management team. They will lead efforts to recruit students to the University on both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Terese (Terri) Wignot will serve as the associate provost for enrollment management. Wignot brings 28 years of experience as a faculty member and university leader to the position. During her career at Wilkes, she has served as chair of the Chemistry Department, interim provost, associate provost and in several interim dean roles. In announcing her appointment, University Provost and Senior Vice President Anne Skleder said, “Dr. Wignot has been instrumental in recruitment and retention at Wilkes, serving as a liaison between the faculty and admissions, and leading the development of our innovative WilkesEDGE program. I am confident that her leadership will be instrumental in reaching our ambitious enrollment goals.” Joining Wignot on the enrollment management team is John Baum, who was appointed executive director of undergraduate enrollment. Baum successfully led the Wilkes Air Force ROTC program since 2015 after an exemplary career as a U.S. Air Force aviator. Baum retired in 2017 at the rank of colonel. Under his leadership, the University’s ROTC detachment grew substantially in size and the number of academically prepared and successful cadets increased. Terese Wignot John Baum WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 ~shing-fon improve its ranking in the category this year. New sidewalks, lighting and tree plantings have been installed on streets bordering the Wilkes campus, funded by a $1 million grant from the Pennsylvania State Transportation Alternatives program. Work was completed this summer and fall to enhance pedestrian safety on West South Street between South River and South Franklin streets and on South Franklin between West South and Northampton streets. A new pedestrian crosswalk was installed in front of the Henry Student Center. In addition to the streetscape improvements, the first phase of a planned $8 million renovation to Stark Learning Center will be completed by the end of fall semester. The building will have a new façade facing the Fenner Quadrangle, a project that precedes significant interior renovations. The project is funded in part by a $3 million RACP grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with matching funds from the University. Wilkes also saw the completion of the first phase of a three-part project to improve signage on campus. 7 �Colonel Couple PANOS ’77 AND DEB (STEPHENS) ’78 KALARITIS SHARE CAREER SUCCESS AND A MARRIAGE MADE AT WILKES By Vicki Mayk MFA ’13 WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 I 8 t wasn’t the most auspicious introduction. Wilkes freshman Deb Stephens ’78 had joined her Waller Halls roommate, Sherry Meyer, as a score keeper for the men’s soccer team. Milling around with the players before an away game, Deb, clad in dark pants, had taken a seat on the stairs at the Ralston Athletic Complex. Wilkes soccer player Panos Kalaritis ’77, a junior international student from Greece, was there with the rest of the team. “He was not shy,” Deb says of her first encounter with the man who would become her husband. “And his first words were less than romantic.” When Deb rose from her perch on the stairs, Panos informed her that her pants were dirty—using a very specific word to identify the location of the dirt. Deb retreated to the ladies room in embarrassment. The husband and wife laugh at the memory. “It wasn’t intended to be an ice breaker,” Panos says. “It was just a casual comment.” Despite the dubious first impression, the meeting at Wilkes began a relationship that is now a successful marriage of more than 38 years. And, although they did not know it then, career success lay ahead as well. Panos’ work in the pharmaceutical industry would earn him 35 patents while working with leading pharmaceutical companies such as Abbott Laboratories and Hoffman La Roche, and eventually his own company, IRIX Pharmaceuticals. Deb would make her name in the telecommunications industry, working in marketing for AT&T and Accenture before launching her own consulting firm, Mercury Communications. (See stories on pages 11 and 13.) Careers weren’t yet the focus when the pair formed a friendship at Wilkes in fall 1975, getting together with friends to play cards. Eventually they began dating. On the surface, it seemed a case of opposites attracting—right down to their choice of major. Panos was studying chemistry and Deb majored in international studies. “I was her international studies subject,” Panos chuckles. In her own tonguein-cheek take on their early relationship, Deb notes wryly that her brother wasn’t particularly thrilled that she was dating a chemist, given her history with the subject. “My experience in organic chemistry included causing a fire, which my teacher rapidly doused.” The paths that brought each of them to Wilkes were equally diverse. Above, Panos and Deb Kalaritis confer about plans about their many philanthropic and professional projects. Opposite page, The Kalaritises, who met when they were Wilkes undergraduates, are pictured at their home in Florence, S.C. ALL PHOTOS BY SETH JOHNSON MEDIA UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED �9 WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 �A native of Patras, Greece, Panos was salutatorian when he graduated from the High School of Corinth, Greece. His good academic record earned him a scholarship to study at Wilkes starting in 1973 via a program run by the Anglo Hellenic Bureau of Education. The program identified talented Greek students, providing them with a scholarship and matching them with universities in the United States. The program placed about 10 students per year in colleges in the northeast. Students did not choose which school they would attend. The first person in his family to finish high school, Panos’ trip to America also marked the first time he left his country. He and his wife credit his mother, Georgia Kontea, a woman whose education ended in elementary school, for having the vision to allow her only son to leave Greece to pursue a college degree thousands of miles away. “I went from a small town back then to a huge country without having any relatives nearby to rely on,” Panos says. “The most memorable moment was getting off the Greyhound and seeing Dr. (George) Ralston and the assistant dean, Mr. Domzalski.” Deb also did not choose where she would attend college. Her father, dentist Joseph D. Stephens ’51, formerly Wilkes Alumni Association president, gently insisted his daughter attend Wilkes. “My dad gave my brother (Joseph D. Stephens Jr. ’79 ) and me a choice: We could attend Wilkes or continue living at home. With five siblings all living at home, it seemed like a good decision to come to Wilkes.” Once on campus in Wilkes-Barre, both embraced the experience, academically and socially. “One thing I will say for Wilkes is that it was a perfect environment for me,” says Panos. “Coming from a small environment in Greece, it was a school that gave a lot of personal attention.” A strong background in chemistry, physics and math helped ease his transition to academic life. At Wilkes he was introduced Wilkes sophomore biology student Maria Dima of Corinth, Greece, received a scholarship named in honor of Georgia Kontea, Panos Kalaritis’s mother. PHOTO BY ASHLEIGH WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 CRISPELL 10 to work in the lab by Dr. Owen Faut, professor emeritus of chemistry, and Dr. John Labose, professor of chemistry. Faut remembers his student, characterizing him as “dependable” in class and in the lab. “You knew that you could count on him to do what was expected.” Faut says that Panos’ subsequent success in pharmaceutical research is not a surprise. “His attitude was so very good. One of the most important things we see in a student is their attitude,” he says, noting that the right attitude is often the difference between success or failure. A TWO-CAREER COUPLE Panos headed to the University of Kansas to earn a master’s degree after his 1977 graduation while Deb fast tracked her bachelor’s degree completing her program in three years. The couple were married in 1979, just after he completed his master’s degree. Deb landed a job with AT&T in the years before the company’s breakup and restructuring. Deb’s relocation prompted Panos’ entrance into a doctoral program at Washington University in St. Louis. The Kalaritises became the quintessential two-career couple, frequently taking turns relocating to accommodate a new job or opportunity for either spouse. “Panos supported me in my career and vice versa,” Deb recalls. “We used to say if we lived someplace for more than two years, that was a long time. It’s been a very symbiotic and supportive relationship between the two of us.” Plotting their career moves on a map would find lines taking them from St. Louis and Chicago in the Midwest to East Coast locations in Basking Ridge, N.J., and eventually Florence, S.C. While living in South Carolina, a downsizing at Hoffman La Roche ironically coincided with Panos receiving a bonus for his work there. He jokes, “It left me with a lot of money and a lot of time on my hands.” The combination of capital and time allowed him to launch his own company, IRIX Pharmaceuticals, in 1996. Continuing their pattern of mutual support for career endeavors, Deb, by then running her own marketing consulting firm Mercury Communications, designed the company’s logo and tagline. In ancient Greece, the name IRIX meant falcon. Panos and his partner, J. Guy Steenrod, interviewed chemists for research positions at the new company, seated on folding chairs at a card table in temporary headquarters and retrofitted their first lab at South Carolina’s Francis Marion University. Panos was the company’s co-founder and chief operating officer. Under his leadership, IRIX grew to 200 employees, including more than 40 scientists with doctoral degrees and annual revenues of approximately $75 million. It was sold to Patheon in 2015. Main story continues on page 12 �It started, as it does for so many Wilkes students, with opportunities to work in the lab in Stark Learning Center. Panos Kalaritis ’77 felt at home there. Originally intending to pursue a medical career, by graduation Panos found his lab experience had pulled him in a different direction: putting his chemistry research skills to work, ultimately in the pharmaceutical industry. “I’ve always felt that things happen for a reason,” he says philosophically. His resume summarizing a 34-year career clearly reflects that fate set him on the path to success. He earned a master’s degree in medicinal chemistry at the University of Kansas and a doctorate in organic chemistry from Washington University in St. Louis. His research focused on the design of more effective chemotherapeutic agents for use in cancer treatment. The word “design” is appropriate in describing Panos’ approach to research, his wife Deborah explains. “His field fits his personality,” she says. “He’s not a pocket protector chemist….. Panos has such a creative bent.” That creative bent would earn him 35 patents in the pharmaceutical field, including innovations that assembled complex molecular structures in creative ways and produced commercial drugs more effectively, reducing the number of chemical steps, the processing time, and, ultimately, the costs. “Developing chemical processes for commercial products that are friendly to the environment was always at the forefront of my research endeavors,” he notes. His portfolio of green commercial manufacturing processes includes well-known commercial drugs like Xeloda, used in treating cancer; Lumigan, Xalatan and Travatan, which are used for glaucoma; the cardiovascular drug Berapros; Remodulin, used for COPD; and the blood thinner Warfarin. He began his career working for a combined 13 years for two major pharmaceutical companies— Abbott Laboratories and Hoffman La Roche. He advanced through the ranks to the position of director of synthesis development. He was actively involved with developing many investigational drug candidates, commercializing several of them. He was involved with the commercial manufacturing of Accutane, used in acne treatment; Dormicum, used to treat insomnia; the osteoporosis Panos Kalaritis surveys the company drug Rocaltrol; and the antibache started in 1996, terial drug Sulfisoxazole. He also IRIX Pharmaceuticals, which he later sold worked on a large number of to Patheon. clinical development candidates, including drugs used to treat cancer, HIV, anxiety, ulcers, psoriasis and bacterial infections. “Chemistry is a common thread “I always wonder, if certain things had that ties most of the activities relating not happened, would I have had the to new drug product development from nerve to do it,” he muses. early discovery, to market introduction, Irix was a science-based company and commercialization,” he explains. that offered research and development “I was fortunate to have the services to the pharmaceutical industry. opportunity to develop experience It specialized in making difficult-toacross the entire spectrum.” manufacture active pharmaceutical Panos was instrumental in two ingredients, also known as APIs. “New new drug introductions to market: drug discovery and early phase clinical the anti-bacterial Omniflox and the development today is primarily in anti-cancer drug Xeloda. “The most the expert hands of approximately rewarding moments of my career were 2,000 small pharmaceutical discovery when we introduced a new drug to companies in North America, not the market. The feeling of satisfaction is major pharmaceutical companies,” he hard to describe,” he adds. “It is the explains. “Irix played a pivotal role in thought of having played a small part in helping these companies advance their the creation of a product that improves clinical candidates.” human health or saves lives.” Before the company was sold to Fate once again played a role in Patheon in 2015, Irix supported the Panos’ career when a global reorganidevelopment of approximately 80 zation at Hoffman La Roche ended investigational drugs per year and with him and several research and served more than 200 pharmaceutical development colleagues losing their companies worldwide. Most recently, jobs. Once again stating, “things happen the company was also instrumental for for good reasons,” Panos and a fellow the market introduction and commercial chemical engineer launched their own manufacturing of Viberzi for irritable company, Irix Pharmaceuticals, in 1996. bowel syndrome. WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 PANOS KALARITIS ’77 ACHIEVES SUCCESS IN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY 11 �WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 A NEW CHAPTER 12 The Kalaritises found a new focus in their lives after Deb weathered treatment for breast cancer in 2001. She notes that her husband’s knowledge about cancer treatment, forged during graduate school, added an extra measure of support. “It was a long time after his master’s and Ph.D., when he researched chemotherapy, but he spoke quite knowledgeably with my oncologist, Dr. Michael Pavy. We were surprised there was not significant change in cancer treatment from 1979 to 2001… same drugs with improved administration protocols.” After facing down cancer, Deb stepped up her volunteer activities in the Florence, S.C., community, for church, civic and charitable organizations. With the help of friends who supported her during her cancer treatment, she raised more than $10,000 for the American Cancer Society in 2002. She served on the board of the Florence Symphony Orchestra, chairing its Taste of Symphony benefit, and also lent her talents to supporting the community’s library, museum and domestic violence shelter. Deb and Panos, being avid advocates of higher education, have supported undergraduate academic research and established scholarships. Panos offered scientific internship programs at IRIX Pharmaceutical. He also funded undergraduate research programs at Francis Marion University in Florence, S.C., and the endowed Coffen-IRIX Research Fund at the University of South Carolina. The couple also have taken a personal interest in helping promising students receive a college education. Remembering the help that Panos received, they have founded scholarships for worthy students at Wilkes, Francis Marion University in South Carolina and Towson University in Baltimore, MD. “The passion that Panos and Deb have for higher learning, particularly here at Wilkes, has established a unique opportunity for our students to experience the global education that is key to their success and at the core of our mission,” says Wilkes President Patrick F. Leahy. “The Kalaritises are role models in every sense, from their business success to their ability and desire to provide philanthropic support for our students. We are so proud to count them among our most valued alumni and friends.” Two scholarships at Wilkes have allowed the Kalaritises to honor their parents while helping the next generation of Colonels. The Dr. Joseph Donald Stephens, DDS Global Scholars Award, named in honor of Deb’s father, provides students with scholarships to pursue their education in another country. Three scholarships will be awarded annually. The first three $5,000 awards were presented to three Wilkes students. During summer 2017, Ana Castillo, a nursing major, traveled to Spain for a six-week program to complete her Spanish minor and improve her Spanish language skills in health-care terminology. Junior biology major Dillon Davis completed a two-month summer internship at Southampton University in England. He assisted a doctoral student studying retinal pathophysiology with a focus on age-related macular degeneration. Jacee York will use her scholarship to study in Australia in 2018. Another scholarship established at Wilkes brings Panos’ experience at the University full circle. In summer 2016, he contacted the principal of the high school he attended in Corinth, Greece, to request his help in identifying a student who would benefit from attending Wilkes. Maria Dima, a sophomore biology major, became the first recipient of the four-year scholarship, established in honor of Panos’ mother, an uneducated person who had great appreciation for education, who supported the decision of her only son to study in the United States. Meeting her benefactors just before traveling to the States, Dima was impressed by their friendly and approachable demeanor. “They are so much fun!” she says. Dima learned she was coming to Wilkes only one month before her arrival, so she didn’t have time to think about the giant step she was about to take. “Looking back, it scares me more now,” Dima states. “I ask myself, ‘How did I do that?’ ” She says she has benefited from advice that Panos offered—“In order to be successful in your new environment you will need to adapt in it. Get involved on campus and socialize but not only with international students.” She has joined Enactus and the UNICEF Club. Like her benefactor, she found the culture at Wilkes has been the most significant factor in her transition. “What made me the most comfortable is that everyone was here to help me.” Most recently, the Kalaritises added a third four year scholarship at Wilkes University in their name that will go into effect with the 2018 academic year. BUCKET LIST AND BEYOND Since selling IRIX, the Kalaritises have traveled, checking items off their bucket list of places to visit. Stops have included the Great Barrier Reef and the rainforest in Australia and international wine tasting at Hawkes Bay, New Zealand, at Barossa, Eden, and McLaren Vale valleys in Australia, and Rioja, Priorat, and Ribera del Duero in Spain. Other stops included the Guggenheim Museum in Spain, and visits to Seville, Granada, the Spanish Riviera and the Greek Isles. “Panos had his first taste of golf at St. Andrews in Scotland and we both visited shrines amid the cherry blossoms in Kyoto, (Japan),” Deb says. Their new home in Austin, Texas, signals another development in his pharmaceutical career. “I am looking to start a new company with a focus on commercializing pharmaceutical products with improved therapeutic profiles over their current commercial proteges,” Panos says, explaining that his new company concept will also help to shorten existing approval processes and timelines to bring such products to market. Deb meanwhile, is gearing down her involvement in real estate company Evelpis, LLC to devote more time to managing their donor advisory fund to further their philanthropic efforts. Neither is using the word retired to define their status. �DEB (STEPHENS) KALARITIS ’78 MARKETED TELECOMMUNICATIONS GIANTS Deb (Stephens) Kalaritis ’78 worked in the telecommunications industry in its heyday, when communications technology was rapidly developing. It was 1978, long before cell phones could be found in everyone’s pockets. A new Wilkes graduate, Deb went to work for industry giant AT&T. “I was part of a marketing organization that was developed within AT&T,” Deb says. “I loved every day that I worked there.” Focusing on business-to-business marketing of AT&T’s products, she was based in St. Louis while her husband completed his doctorate at Washington University. “My last job in St. Louis was implementing a private network for Southwestern Bell,” she recalls. The project was the largest electronic tandem network, or ETN, ever installed at the time. The terminology refers to technology used to route calls within a private company network. Her efforts earned Deb a promotion to the Competitive Assessment Organization at AT&T’s headquarters in Basking Ridge, N.J. and a position in the Management Development Program. During her time in New Jersey, she earned an MBA at Fairleigh Dickinson University, where she would later teach as an adjunct professor. In 1988, when Panos accepted a position with Abbott Laboratories in Chicago, Deb transitioned to the AT&T regional vice president’s staff. In the Windy City, Deb made her next major career move, joining the technology consulting firm now known as Accenture. As marketing director, Deb helped position the global firm’s cutting-edge business solutions within the telecommunications industry. “I interfaced with some amazing visionaries at Accenture,” Deb recalls. “Al Burgess was at the top of the pack. He was the global telecommunications visionary at Accenture.” Burgess, who was a managing partner at the time, is credited with initiating several firsts during his career at Accenture, including the creation of the annual Customer Contact Forum in 1989, which is the global communications industry’s premier conference for senior-level executives. “I would set up interviews for him with national and industry publications (Business Week, Newsweek, Telephony), and he could speak eloquently and brilliantly about anything to do with the telecommunications industry; absolutely an amazing man,” Deb says. Panos’ move to South Carolina with Hoffman La Roche brought with it the opportunity to start her own marketing consulting firm, Mercury Communications. Accenture became one of her customers during the five years that she ran the firm. More recently, Deb runs her second business start-up, Evelpis LLC, a real estate development and management company with vacation and residential rental properties in the Myrtle Beach, S.C., area. Evelpis is also parent to two partnerships with another Wilkes graduate, her brother, Joseph Stephens, Jr. ’79. Eline-Stephens focuses on commercial real estate in Maryland while Evelpis Aruba features vacation rentals at Desert Dolphin, an estate home in Aruba. Deb also has turned her marketing acumen to philanthropic efforts, including fundraising for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life and the Florence Symphony Orchestra. She says her philanthropic direction focused early in her career. Her parents had always been civic-minded but, she states, “My interest in philanthropy came from my time at AT&T where community involvement was an organizational objective.”� WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 Deb (Stephens) Kalaritis coordinates her work for the real estate start-up Evelpis LLC and for many philanthropic projects from her home office in South Carolina. 13 �Artistic Vision Sordoni Art Gallery Opens the Doors to New Home With Warhol Exhibit WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 By Geoff Gehman 14 Zigzagging through the opening-night crowd for the opening exhibit of the new Sordoni Art Gallery, people are staring at Andy Warhol’s iconic images: Marilyn Monroe, Jackie O., Brillo. No two people experience Warhol’s art the same way and part of a gallery’s purpose is to provide myriad ways to enter the experience. In its new location with a new director, the Sordoni Art Gallery aims to do that. The bigger, better Sordoni Art Gallery debuted in October beside the new Karambelas Media and Communications Center on South Main Street. It has 7,000 square feet, nearly double than in its previous home in Stark Learning Center. State-of-the-art climate control and convenient parking also are upgrades. Three years ago, Wilkes President Patrick F. Leahy began campaigning for a gallery that was more engaging and empowering. He envisioned a place with more space for a wider range of exhibits and programs to attract visitors, drawing not only arts veterans but arts rookies. The gallery would reflect the University’s investments in academic programs, people and campus infrastructure, all part of the Gateway to the Future strategic plan. “In my opinion, you can’t be a true university without an enduring commitment to the arts,” Leahy said during the Sordoni’s opening ceremony. Leahy’s vision was quickly championed by Andrew J. Sordoni III, who helped launch the Sordoni Art Gallery in 1973 with his artist mother, who provided a naming gift from the family foundation he now heads. Sordoni shared Leahy’s vision to make the gallery more vital. Increasing the endowment for exhibits, they reasoned, would attract shows spotlighting bigger artists, leading to increased attendance. The plan involved judiciously selling some works from the permanent collection, generating more than $600,000 to push the endowment past $1.3 million. Leahy praises Sordoni as an open-minded steward. “I’m glad to lock arms with him,” he says. “I’m very grateful to him for �Above, Grace Leahy, daughter of Wilkes President Patrick F. Leahy, and a friend consider the Warhol exhibit at the opening of the Sordoni Art Gallery. Right, a new era for the Sordoni Art Gallery at its October rededication. Doing the honors at the ribbon cutting are, from left, Paul Riggs, dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, William Sordoni, Wilkes trustee Bill Miller ’81, gallery director Heather Sincavage, President Patrick F. Leahy and Student Government President Cody Morcom. “�You can’t be a true university without an enduring commitment to the arts.” – Wilkes President Patrick F. Leahy lending credibility to a bold investment in the arts via a slightly different model.” “A university has to serve its students, its community, its mission, as it evolves,” says Sordoni. “The arts are fragile; for the arts to survive and thrive, everyone has to buy into the commitment.” Two summers ago while visiting Pittsburgh, Leahy identified the artist whose work would launch the new gallery. In the city’s Andy Warhol Museum, he saw that his four children were impressed by their first exposure to his jarringly colored Pop pictures. If Warhol’s works could captivate his kids, they could captivate Sordoni visitors, especially novice gallery goers. Leahy found a Warhol ally in Heather Sincavage, who became the Sordoni’s new director in June 2016. She too fell under Warhol’s spell as a youngster. Four decades later, Warhol played a role in her job as director of a new gallery at the University of Maine at Presque Isle. She curated a Warhol show there and acquired Warhol prints, including a silkscreen of Sitting Bull, the Native American chief. Sincavage included the Sitting Bull picture in the Warhol show she curated at Wilkes. She covered a wall with Warhol’s Polaroids, most studies for his “vanity” silkscreens of such celebrities as musician Carly Simon and choreographer Martha Graham. During the opening reception, the Polaroids were a backdrop as attendees were photographed with a Warhol impersonator wearing a suit the color of tomato soup. Another Warhol ally was Bill Miller ’81, a Wilkes trustee and a distributor of Warholian merchandise. As president of Galison Publishing LLC/Mudpuppy Press, he works with the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts to produce everything from crayons with signature colors like Jackie O. Pink to an hourglass that empties after 15 seconds, invoking Warhol’s infamous prediction that everyone will be famous for 15 minutes. Miller persuaded the foundation to lend a 54-minute film, projected from floor to ceiling, of slightly moving head shots of 13 ’60s celebrities, including rock musician Lou Reed and actor/director Dennis Hopper. Sincavage also is an assistant professor of integrative media and art. One of her goals is to make the gallery an extension of Wilkes’ academic programs. The women’s and gender studies program will be among the first. In January she’ll launch the initiative with the exhibit “The Bones of Us Hunger for Nothing,” a series of Angela Fraleigh’s realistic, abstract paintings of women in classical settings usually dominated by men. Later in spring semester, the gallery will host a poster workshop led by a member of the Guerrilla Girls, the feminist activist group. Sincavage also plans programming to draw students and community members to the gallery. During fall semester, this included a visit from a mobile glass-blowing studio and a series of “Warhol Wednesdays” lectures. “I want to break down the intimidating factor, especially for first timers,” she says. “I want to make the Sordoni a place where they can really start a lifelong love of the arts, a place that will inspire them to hop on that Martz [Trailways] bus and head into New York.” Warhol began his career as an illustrator. It seems fitting then that the Sordoni will end its 2017-18 season with a spring exhibit of nearly 100 works from Andrew Sordoni’s vaunted collection of classic American illustrations and comic strips. Illustrator heavyweights include N.C. Wyeth, Maxfield Parrish and Alberto Vargas. “Art, if it’s attractive and worthy, deserves to be loved, deserves to be seen,” says Sordoni. “The whole point is to share.”� WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 PHOTOS BY KNOT JUST ANY DAY 15 �Collaborative Communicators WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 New Karambelas Media and Communication Center Launches New Era By Vicki Mayk MFA’13 and Sarah Bedford ’17 A centralized newsroom with computers and meeting space in the Karambelas Media and Communication Center promotes a collaborative environment for students. PHOTOS ON THESE PAGES BY EARL AND SEDOR PRODUCTIONS 16 �Features of the new Karambelas Media and Communication Center include: • new, state-of-the-art equipment; • a radio studio visible from the street; • a centralized newsroom to serve all student media; • a high-definition television studio with theaterstyle viewing; • classrooms equipped with ceiling-mounted cameras for critiquing public speaking classes; • a production control room, which manages the composition of outgoing television programming. WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 W ilkes junior communication studies major J.M. Rey has a window on the world these days—at least the world outside the new Clayton and Theresa Karambelas Media and Communication Center. Rey, production director for campus radio station WCLH, has gone from cramped quarters in a hard-tofind area of the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center to a spacious, state-of-the art studio that looks out on the street through tall windows at 141 S. Main St. Passersby can hear WCLH’s programming broadcast from speakers placed outside. “Now people walking by can see you, say hi, and promote the station,” Rey says. “Now when you’re doing a live show they can hear what you’re playing out in the street. It’s just great to hear reactions and see people jamming out and everything; it’s just so cool.” Rey sums up his first reaction to seeing the new facility in three words: “My jaw dropped.” His reaction is shared by many who visit the new center. Dedicated in August, the $4 million, 14,000-square-foot building houses the communication studies program, consolidating all classes and activities into one modern facility where students can collaborate across media disciplines. Previously, the cocurricular activities that enhance students’ academic experience, such as The Beacon newspaper, WilkesNow television program and Zebra Communications, the student-run public relations agency, were scattered in various locations around campus. The center is named in honor of Clayton and Theresa Karambelas, who made one of the largest gifts in Wilkes history to support the project. Clayton Karambelas earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Wilkes College in 1949. He and his wife, Theresa, are the previous owners of the Boston Candy Shop & Restaurant and C.K. Coffee. In 2016, they were honored with the University’s President’s Medal, presented annually to individuals whose personal and professional lives reflect the highest aspirations of Wilkes University. The new center is designed to promote a collaborative experience for students, according to Mark Stine, professor and chair of the communication studies department. “Convergence in the media and in the communication-related fields is a reality that’s upon us. This center gives students the opportunity to work in an integrated environment to learn and practice the collaborative skills they’ll need in order to thrive in today’s communication industries,” Stine says. On the following pages, student leaders from the communication studies student organizations share their enthusiasm for their new home. 17 �Zawadi Nshimirmana Senior, Communication Studies Vice President of Client Relations, Zebra Communications Concentrations: Strategic Communication, Multimedia Journalism Hometown: Bethlehem, Pa. WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 Above, the viewing room in the new center provides facilities for viewing and critiquing programs, watching political debates for rhetoric classes and a host of other possibilities. 18 “I just want to say thank you to the donors, because not everybody has that kind, warm heart and not everybody would be willing to do this big thing for us to make our dreams come true.” Members of The Beacon staff meet in their new offices to prepare for next week’s edition. From left, faculty advisor Kalen Churcher ’96, standing left, coaches a reporter while staff members life, arts and entertainment editor Amanda Bialek, seated, editor Toni Pennello and news editor Cabrini Rudnick confer. �“It’s going to allow us to more easily pull people from other departments within the communications major to work on stories together, for example—I’m really excited about that. If we have a story going on at The Beacon or at WilkesNow, we can get something and run it on the radio as well. It’s going to allow for a lot more teamwork, which is a great thing.” J.M. Rey Junior, Communication Studies Production Director for 90.7 WCLH Concentration: Media Production Hometown: Wilkes-Barre WCLH staff members, from left, Kendle Peters and J.M. Rey discuss programming in a bigger, brighter studio overlooking South Main Street, with their advisor Kristen Rock ’06. Toni f Pennello Senior, Communication Studies Editor-in-Chief, The Beacon Concentration: Multimedia Journalism Hometown: Tobyhanna, Pa. “One of the main things that I like about it is that everybody is in one place now. We were all over campus … so I didn’t feel like we had a place to be a community…. I think it’s important that we all know each other, for networking purposes and for that sense of community.” WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ 19 �Right, Mark Stine, professor and chair of the communication studies department, gives feedback to students in the new production studio. New digital equipment and monitors give students experience in a setting comparable to commercial studios. Below, Members of the speech and debate team practice while being coached by faculty. Pictured from left are Christopher Smith, Jerome Hannon, Olivia Fakhoury, Christine Mellon, faculty of practice in communication studies and Mia Briceño, assistant professor, communication studies. Jerome Hannon Junior, Communication Studies President of Speech, Speech and Debate Concentration: Public Relations and Broadcast Production WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 Hometown: Wilkes-Barre 20 “It means to me … another degree of professionalism. … This is a communication and media center. This is where we can go to grow and define our talents. This is our capital; it means a lot to my impression of our department to see this. It feels like an amazing step forward.” �“I got really excited because I get to learn all new equipment and it’s up to date, so if I do this in the real world, I’ll be familiar with (working on) a set and behind the scenes. It will provide students with a better sense of the real world once they graduate.” Micaela Oliverio Senior, Communication Studies and Musical Theatre double major Director, WilkesNow Concentration: Media Production Hometown: Carlisle, Pa. WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 Below, the television studio is designed to offer maximum flexibility in configuring space for programs and the latest lighting capabilities. 21 �From Wilkes Colonel to Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Air Force, Deirdre Gurry ’99 has seen the world By Kelly Clisham MFA ’16 WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 GROWING UP IN THE SMALL TOWN 22 of Bushkill, Pa., Deirdre Gurry ’99 never imagined she’d become a pilot. “My vision of my future was very limited. I had no idea as a kid what I would be doing with my life,” she says. Today she has a much higher world view. Gurry is not only a pilot but a lieutenant colonel, squadron commander, teacher and mentor to the next generation of aviators in the United States Air Force. In high school at Notre Dame of East Stroudsburg, Gurry thought she might want to teach. When she told her guidance counselor that she wanted to teach college students, he laughed and replied, “You have to learn something first.” Gurry took the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test, or ASVAB, scoring in the 99th percentile on the mechanical section of the test. She decided to pursue an ROTC scholarship to help cover college costs. �Lt. Col. Deirdre Gurry, Enid, Okla. Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering, Wilkes Opposite page, Lt. Col. Deirdre Gurry ’99 stands next to her aircraft—a T-6 Texan II—which she pilots as the commander of a squadron of T-6 pilots. PHOTO COURTESY U.S. AIR FORCE Master of Business Administration, Trident University International Master of Military Operational Art and Science, Air University, Air Command and Staff College Career: One of an elite group of women pilots in the U.S. Air Force. First female commander of the 8th Flying Training Squadron at Vance Air Force Base. Noteworthy: Gurry’s call sign—the nickname pilots use to refer to each other— is “Nuke.” She’s tight-lipped about its origins, but says, “Everybody earns their call sign. It’s a rite of passage.” Though her days are anything but typical, Gurry tries to fly every day with the students. As a T-6 instructor, she gives her students a solid foundation—from take-off and landing to aerobatics and formation fundamentals—that will translate to every aircraft. She enjoys performing aerobatics while flying in formation. “I like to fly upside down. It’s my favorite thing.” Gurry is hard-pressed to name any specific challenges she’s faced during her Air Force career. Though she has not received every assignment she’s hoped for, she never let it slow her down. “When given a project, whether I like the project or not, I dive into it and own it and make it the best that I could make it. I show up every day with pride and enthusiasm.” Longtime friend and current Wilkes associate professor of pharmacy practice Dan Longyhore saw that same spirit in Gurry, first when they were high school and then college classmates. “She takes on absolutely anything and excels at it,” says Longyhore. Longyhore recalls time spent with Gurry in the roller hockey club at Wilkes. When other players were content to take it easy, Gurry was always focused. “She was motivated and determined and positive. She was like the coach.” The lieutenant colonel’s drive hasn’t changed from her days in the Marts Center. “There’s no surprise in my mind that she’s where she’s at today,” says Longyhore. Gurry hasn’t thought much about life after the Air Force. “I feel that when I get out of the military, I get to start a whole new life, and I don’t know where to go with it.” She may pursue a master’s degree in architecture to satisfy an interest in art. She may travel around to air shows, promoting STEM education by showing off her plane and getting kids excited about the mechanics behind it. “I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up,” she says. Whatever she decides, no doubt Gurry will make a smooth landing.� WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 When she completed the scholarship application, she says, “It’s the first time I ever saw a list of majors.” Encouraged by her high ASVAB score and her fondness for tinkering in the garage with her dad, Gurry checked off mechanical engineering on the list. Visiting Wilkes for the ROTC scholarship interview, Gurry discovered the campus would be an ideal place to spend the next four years. It was close to home, offered a major in mechanical engineering and provided room and board as part of the Air Force ROTC scholarship. “My engineering experience at Wilkes was incredible,” she says. “I loved that we had small classes. It was more of a small-group setting, which really helps in engineering.” Gurry took advantage of hands-on experience in the machine shop, learning how machines work and figuring out how to build things. Outside of class, Gurry occasionally rode into sporting events on horseback as the Wilkes Colonel, though she spent most of her time with the AFROTC detachment. “I enjoyed the program. I enjoyed the structure. I worked well in that environment. I showed up with enthusiasm.” Her enthusiasm led to a spot in the pilot training program at Mississippi’s Columbus Air Force Base, then an invite to stay on as an instructor. “I ended up with my dream career of teaching college kids,” Gurry laughs. “I’m one of the luckiest people in the world.” Luck may play a part, but Gurry demonstrates serious skill in the air. She piloted the C-17 Globemaster III, a large military cargo plane, as well as the T-37 and now the T-6, two-person aircraft used to teach new pilots. Gurry’s service has taken her to all seven continents. As a cargo pilot, she’s been deployed to Iraq in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom, transporting servicemen and supplies in and out of combat zones. She also enjoyed time in Ferrara, Italy, serving as an airlift liaison to NATO, practicing military movements on paper and planning cargo movements. It was “essentially wargaming,” says Gurry. Promoted to lieutenant colonel in October 2014, she took command of the 8th Flying Training Squadron at Vance Air Force Base in Oklahoma in June 2017, the first woman to do so. As squadron commander, Gurry oversees 68 pilots and 110 student pilots annually. She not only teaches pilots in training, but mentors those across the base. “I really enjoy mentoring people and seeing people grow and meet their potential.” Gurry’s mentoring extends to the Supergirls, a group for female pilots that she helped to found. As one of 713 women out of 12,600 pilots in the Air Force, she’s committed to making sure her colleagues have a voice and the support they need. 23 �Creative Community AN ORAL HISTORY OF MANUSCRIPT’S 70 YEARS AS WILKES’ LITERARY MAGAZINE WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 By James Jaskolka ’16 24 Above, Manuscript covers and art culled from the publication’s seven decades. From left to right are the cover from the 1999 edition, the graphic “Eve of the Second Millenium” by Donna Bytheway ’96 and the cover from spring 1960. In the first issue of Manuscript published in 1947, the editors expressed their hope that the literary magazine would become a college tradition of which they might all be proud. As the publication marks its 70th anniversary, it’s clear their dream was realized. Founded as a way to ensure free and open speech in creative work, Manuscript Society and the publication it produces serve as a vital creative outlet at Wilkes. Visual art and writing are accepted from students, faculty or alumni, guaranteeing that each edition reflects Wilkes’ best creative work. Manuscript Society also hosts creative events such as open mics, writing workshops, film showcases and the annual unveiling of Manuscript every spring, where the creators celebrate by reading their works or discussing their art. Sean J. Kelly and Chad Stanley are both associate professors of English and co-advisors of Manuscript. They share a vision for the value it brings to the student experience. �CENSORSHIP AND ARTISTIC FREEDOM An emphasis on free expression distinguished Manuscript from its earliest years. Kross:  I was a pain in the butt for the people there, because my senior year I wrote an article on H.L. Mencken’s view of Christianity. … Of course, it was anti-Christian. At that time, I was in a rebellious stage. … I was told that Dr. Farley was not pleased when he saw the Manuscript out. In this oral history, editors from all generations reflect on their experience with Manuscript. INSPIRATIONAL LOCATION For generations of Wilkes students, working on Manuscript meant time spent in Kirby Hall. Ron [Kryznewski] Kross ’60: We met at Kirby Hall, but at that time, Kirby Hall was the main library … the smaller room on the first floor was the card catalog room; what they call the salon now was a reading and study room … it was a wonderful place in a wonderful school. Jim Warner ’99 MFA’09:  Kirby Hall was a great place for reading. It still is. … The weekly meetings we had used to be in the old alumni offices in the top floor of Kirby, and that place was like a clubhouse for us. We got work done, but it was also a place where a lot of friendships were codified. Read selections from 70 years of Manuscript—including work written by the alumni interviewed in this story—online. To view poetry and prose from seven decades of Wilkes’ literary magazine, please go to www.wilkes.edu/manuscriptanniversary Ray Klimek ’78: There was one issue where we printed something by a woman about Joan of Arc. … I think the clincher line was something like “they couldn’t [expletive] her so they made her a saint…” and this became the subject of a little bit of controversy. … We always had the support of the faculty, which was great because they were like, “We aren’t approving of censorship, they can do whatever they want.” Elyse Guziewicz ’18:  I can’t speak for all of the faculty or the administration, but the English faculty value creativity. As an organization, Manuscript prides itself on not censoring sensitive material and promoting the inclusion of all creative material in our canon. Even if the administration tried to step in, I think both the English faculty and the Manuscript staff would resist that full-force. Warner:  We were never really censored … We had controversial things, issues of sexual identity, drug use … but when you’re in college, being able to discover those spaces to talk about things that were taboo is important … I was fortunate enough to be with a department that gave us free rein. Above, the work “Artist’s Lament” by Hedy (Horbaczewski) Prater ’60 from the 1960 Manuscript. Left, the photograph “Self Portrait” by Murnal Abate ’87 MBA ’94 appeared in the 1985 edition. WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 “There has always been a core group who strongly self-identify as poets, novelists or visual artists. These students often keep writing and even publishing long after graduation. If Manuscript didn’t exist, they would have to invent it,” Kelly says. Stanley adds, “I think it is a crucial medium for students engaging in studies in creative writing, art, or design—and for students who have relevant interests in such work but are not majoring in those fields. It complements education in many ways, and extends education and culture.” Although much about Manuscript has changed over 70 years, reflecting the changing University and the city surrounding it, much remains the same. Interviews with previous editors reflect common themes of community and creativity and the long-term influence that producing Manuscript had on improving skills and influencing careers. 25 �MENTORS Working closely with faculty mentors was a memorable part of working on Manuscript. Deirdre Swinden ’95: I worked with Dr. Bonnie Bedford [Culver]…she was very open with everything we wanted to do. She sort of let us have free rein over Manuscript itself … she was really a wonderful resource. She simply said, ‘Think and then do,’ and that’s what we did. Karen Mason ’85: Bob and Pat ’61 Heaman [professors of English], they were real mentors for me … They were really willing to take students under their wing, spend time with students and help them. … Manuscript in a lot of ways was about relationships to me, and about having a connection. … it was a lot about community. Klimek: Bob Heaman used to have parties every year. We’d go to his house in the woods and hang out. It was a good way to get to know your professors in a more intimate setting, rather than a formal one. It was an important experience for me, to be treated seriously by someone I respected. … there’s a lot of interaction that way, and a lot of support for Manuscript as well … it was a very special kind of thing. LESSONS LEARNED, VALUE GAINED Manuscript added as much to the educational experience as time spent in the classroom. WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 Warner: I was a pretty shy kid, so [writing] was a way for me to try to connect. Things like literary magazines and literary communities are places where the intangible is made flesh. … it’s a space for those connections to be made real … and the older I get, the more important that’s become to me … I think Manuscript planted that seed early on, that it wasn’t just about my work. There’s all this out here. … It kind of gave you that idea, that you’re not creating in a vacuum. 26 Kross: The greatest thing at the time was getting the feedback from the group. It didn’t always happen in the English classes, because the English classes were bigger. … when you wrote something for the Manuscript, people would discuss it, and you could go back and rewrite. Swinden: To have [your work] critiqued by your peers at a university level and get that feedback … is really vital to everyone’s creative process. You can write as many stories as you want, but if nobody sees them, you’re only writing for yourself. Klimek: I think the most important thing was that there were sets of values there that could be applied in all kinds of circumstances. It’s something that comes from studying literature, studying humanities, and studying the arts …It’s learning to ask the right questions, learning to question your own motives, learning to question the values of the culture that you live in. Sarah Simonovich’15: Part of the reason Manuscript was such a positive influence in my life was the creation … being able to put something out there that you’re proud of. We live in a world where it’s so easy to see the negative and all the bad things that people do…but at the end of the day, people are creators. Whether you’re creating text, visual art… if you’re creating in a community, that in itself is such an inherently good thing. PROGRAMMING BEYOND PRINT For 70 years, Manuscript Society has enriched campus life with cultural events that touched the community beyond campus. Mason: We would show films that were open to the public… Hitchcock films, James Dean…that was another way to connect with people and establish a presence for Manuscript. Klimek: The advantage to that was it encouraged a discussion about a common experience, which is harder to do when you’re watching DVDs on your computer screen. I think that fulfilled a really important service, not only to other students but to the larger community … these were people that were sort of starved for foreign films or art films. Warner: When I was at Wilkes we were lucky enough to have writers like Edward Albee and John Updike visit. … having these people come, interact and give their time were sort of models for me on how you’re supposed to act. Swinden: We had Joyce Carol Oates come to dinner, which was an incredible experience for those who were invited to attend. It was great to have people like that to show us that writing isn’t something you could just do on the side, that it was something you could use to express yourself in ways you hadn’t thought of before. �From left, a selection of artwork from Manuscript includes an untitled work from 1999 by Colleen (McKinnon) Boyer ’99, “Computer Cat” from the 1985 edition by Tim Williams ’85, MS’01 and an untitled work by an anonymous artist that appeared in 1995. Manuscript has a tradition of printing anonymous work. LONG-TERM IMPACT Alumni agree that Manuscript was a life-changing part of the Wilkes experience, providing lessons that impacted their careers. Simonovich: Manuscript was the first time I was in a leadership position … It was a learning experience … learning to understand other people’s perceptions.You think, ‘How can I approach this problem, whether its textual or with people, in a different critical way?’ I learned an appreciation for other people’s worldviews and their interpretations of things. Klimek: I just taught my first class of the semester, History of Photography, and I made a big point about photography being, you know, not just taking nice pictures, but a kind of thinking … being both a creative tool and a critical tool … so in that way, Manuscript still informs my ways of thinking. It did make me more confident in my judgments and probably prepared me to be a teacher. Guziewicz: Manuscript has done wonders for my professional and organizational skills, especially since I stepped up as executive editor last year. I had to learn how to communicate to a group, organize events, run meetings, and put together a publication pretty much on the fly as I was the only one returning from the senior staff ... Mason: Part of [my job] is writing a two-page letter of recommendation for every student I advise … we’re comprising that from the facts of the student’s life and shaping it into a story, which is definitely a creative act … I’m also looking at tons of essays, helping students revise, so I use those skills I developed at Manuscript every day. Swinden: It enabled me to move better in the world, and to obtain my first job in communications. Being part of Manuscript helped me learn how to refine my writing skills and techniques, and that I had a resource to show off my editing skills professionally— which in turn enabled me to have a career as a writer and an editor. If I hadn’t been involved with Manuscript, I’m not sure I’d have thought of publishing my own novel, helping to realize a lifelong passion of mine. Warner: Everybody has that moment where something gives you the permission to create, to write. For me, that moment was Manuscript…being the editor gave me confidence about my own work.� Alumni Interviewed for the Oral History The following are the alumni and current students—all editors of Manuscript— interviewed in this oral history. Elyse Guziewicz ’18 is a senior at Wilkes Sarah Simonovich ’15 is lead content writer majoring in English and the current executive for Petroleum Service Company. Ray Klimek ’78 is an assistant professor at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, where he is also the supervisor of the photography lab. Deirdre Swinden ’95 is the director of global marketing communications for West Pharmaceutical Services in Exton, Pa., where Formerly, Klimek taught English at she has been employed since 2009. She Rutgers University. published her novel, The Inn, in 2015. Ron [Kryznewski] Kross ’60 is retired Jim Warner ’99 MFA ’09 is a member of the from a long career as a professional actor and an English teacher in the New York City public schools. Karen Mason ’85 is the director of college counseling for Germantown Academy, a private school in Fort Washington, Pa. faculty in the Master of Fine Arts program in creative writing at Arcadia University. He also is host of the CitizenLit podcast. He has published two poetry collections, Too Bad It’s Poetry and Social Studies. Top, the colorful painting “Hombolovi” by Michael Loverdi ’01 from 1999 and, bottom, the print “Decisions” by Amy (Blease) Strockoz ’96 that appeared in the 1995 Manuscript. WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 editor of Manuscript. 27 �alumni news Alumni Association Welcomes New Board Members Kathy Kautter ’72 The Alumni Association Board of Directors welcomes five new directors elected to the board at its February 2017 meeting. They began their three-year terms in June. The five new directors share their favorite memory about their Wilkes experience: KATHY KAUTTER ’72 Independent arts and crafts professional Brian Palmiter ’13 Fred Pierantoni ’80 I spent six years getting my undergraduate degree, starting full time and ending up going part time...while working full time. With that frantic schedule, I found a little oasis of quiet and comfort in the old Kirby Hall Library. On one of the upper floors, tucked away behind some bookshelves, was a little room with a solitary chair—a big old comfortable chair—that looked out over the Commons. I like to think that I spent a lot of time reading and studying in that chair, but I think I often dozed off to get some much needed rest. I am so happy to see the direction that Wilkes University is taking in 2017 and beyond. ...I want to do whatever I can to help any student who wants to succeed at this great school. BRIAN PALMITER ’13 Civil designer, Borton-Lawson Engineering Alyssa Stencavage ’15 WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 Kate Thomas ’15 28 It is difficult to pick my absolute favorite thing about my Wilkes experience because I loved everything about my four years at the University. …If I had to point out one thing... I would have to say (it would be) my freshmen year living in Catlin Hall. ...As to be expected, putting two dozen men in such a close-knit environment led to frequent fun … I still keep in close touch with several people from Catlin Hall and they are among my best friends to this day. … My point of all this is that life at Wilkes is amazing, not just in the classroom, but around the entire campus.You feel like you are a part of a community … Being a member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors allows me to give back to the University that treated me so well. FRED PIERANTONI ’80 Judge, Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas As a student I enjoyed my time at Wilkes as I received a quality education, which provided an opportunity to achieve my career goals while developing many lasting friendships. I also enjoyed the co-curricular activities. I particularly cherish the time I spent as a disc jockey and station manager at WCLH. As a proud legacy parent, I am honored to serve on the Alumni Association Board of Directors, mentor current students and provide internship guidance while encouraging other graduates to share their own experience and become involved in the Wilkes community. ALYSSA STENCAVAGE ’15 Marketing Coordinator, Aramark This might sound cliché, but I loved the tight-knit connection that exists in the Wilkes community and the relationships that form between students and professors and all others on campus. The professors knew me personally and I could always go to them with a question or concern. Not only did this serve me well during my time at Wilkes, but it has also been beneficial in my post-graduate life … I’m excited about the opportunity to serve on the Alumni Board because it allows me to come back to campus with a fresh and different perspective and also see things in a slightly different light. KATE THOMAS ’15 Assistant director of undergraduate admissions, Wilkes My favorite thing about Wilkes is that there are so many opportunities on campus to get involved and allow yourself to grow. As a student, I met some of my closest friends by getting involved in different activities through my classes, sport and student clubs. As an admissions counselor, I get to work with prospective students and share my story, as well as work with enrolled students who share the same passion for the University that I do, which makes me even more proud to represent the Alumni Association. Meet the 2017 Alumni Scholarship Recipient, Nicole Cumbo Nicole Cumbo ’18 was awarded the Alumni Association Scholarship for the 2017-2018 academic year. Nicole’s father, Joseph Cumbo ’90, MS ’01, pictured with her, left, received two degrees from Wilkes, both in electrical engineering. Nicole is a biology major with a minor in chemistry. She is a member of the women’s softball team, Beta Beta Beta Biology Honor Society, the dance team, Pre-Professional Society, and the Badminton Club. In addition, Nicole is a first-year student E-Mentor and does research with Linda Gutierrez, associate professor of biology. Nicole also works as a nursing assistant at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center. Learn more about Cumbo at www.wilkes.edu/alumnischolarship. �giving back Eugene Pappas ’72 Leaves a Legacy During his career, the late Eugene Pappas ’72 frequently worked in Paris. PHOTO COURTESY NICHOLAS PAPPAS Gene, a family-oriented, hard-working man, always believed in giving back and he greatly appreciated that path that led him to a fulfilling education at Wilkes. To create a legacy for Gene, Nick established an endowed scholarship so that students can benefit from Gene’s generosity for years to come. The scholarship recipient will be an undergraduate student who demonstrates academic ability, good character and The late Eugene Pappas ’72, pictured far right, worked on a project that involved working with former New York Gov. Elliott Spitzer, fourth from left, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, fifth from left and Sen. Chuck Schumer, third from right. financial need. One student will receive the scholarship each year, with the first awardee in the 2019-2020 academic year. While at Wilkes, Gene worked at the Osterhout Library. After graduation, he was hired full-time, but then had the opportunity to receive his master’s degree from the Pratt Institute in New York City, N.Y. While he was in graduate school, he took a part-time position at McKinsey & Co, a global management consulting firm in New York City. He worked his way up through the company, spending more than 30 years of his professional career there as a banking consultant and senior partner in New York and Paris. When he passed away, he was semi-retired and still working for McKinsey & Co. as a senior advisor. “He was on-the-go a lot. He was a frequent flyer on the Concorde for business purposes,” says Nick. “He was able to maintain residency in the Wyoming Valley area and Paris.” His career afforded him many opportunities, including working on a study produced by McKinsey & Co. for New York City. The project enabled him to meet luminaries such as Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY). Gene’s generosity lives on through his scholarship at Wilkes. “A scholarship just seemed to be the best long-term investment,” says Nick. Although he considered other options to create a legacy for his brother, Wilkes seemed the best choice. “The impact would not have been as direct as it is at Wilkes. He’s helping someone to get the same start he had.” ESTABLISHING AN ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP The benefits to endowed scholarships are endless. With your donation, students at Wilkes will benefit from your generosity in perpetuity. At Wilkes, endowed scholarships require a minimum gift of $50,000. For more information, or to begin an endowed scholarship of your own, contact Margaret Steele at (570)408-4302 or margaret.steele@wilkes.edu. WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 When Eugene Pappas ’72 arrived on the Wilkes campus in 1968, he was a first-generation college student with a scholarship award and a dream. Gene passed away in May 2016 and left behind many loving family members and friends, as well as his impeccable collection of personal records. “He had records from the ’60s, including paystubs, and even his original scholarship letter from Wilkes in 1968,” says Nicholas Pappas, Gene’s brother. Seeing the letter made an impression. “Had he not received the scholarship, he probably would not have gone to Wilkes. I don’t think he would have had the same path.” 29 �class notes Jason Homza ’11 MS ’14 Honored as Pat Tillman Scholar For Commitment to Service When Jason Homza ’11 MS ’14’s oldest brother, Joe, became and leadership potential, critically injured in a head-on crash while serving in the Marines, a true sense of vocation he was not expected to survive. But Joe made a full recovery, and a deep commitment returned to active duty and deployed to Iraq. Inspired by his to create positive change commitment, Homza was compelled to follow in his footsteps, through their work in the enlisting as a Marine after high school. fields of medicine, law, Those first steps in service eventually led Homza to a Wilkes degree, a teaching job and most recently to enrollment in medical school at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Surrounded by “amazingly LAVELLE STRATEGY GROUP accomplished leaders” at the Pat Tillman Foundation Leadership national recognition as a Pat Tillman Scholar, awarded for Summit in Chicago, Ill., Homza realized just how big of an honor exemplifying strong leadership and a drive to make a positive it was. Sharing the story of fellow Tillman scholar Jonathan impact on his community and country. Kim, who served in the Navy, earned numerous accolades then Homza says his commitment evolved from his decision became a Harvard medical doctor and an astronaut, Homza says, to enlist in the Marines. The experience helped clarify his “The fact that I’m in the same room as people like that, that’s future goals. when it really hit me.” “At that time I was 16 years old and I didn’t have a direction,” If Homza seems surprised to find himself in such distin- says Homza. After serving for four years, including time in a guished company, those who know him are not. Lt. Col. Mark war zone in Haditha, Iraq, he began a new chapter when he Kaster is Wilkes’ veterans counselor and met Homza as an enrolled at Wilkes on the GI Bill. Homza earned a bachelor’s undergraduate. degree in earth and environ- “He is a remarkable young mental science with a minor man. He served in the Marines was taking a teaching job at Scranton High School while pursuing his master’s degree in education, also from Wilkes. While teaching, he felt called to serve in a different way by studying medicine. He is humble in discussing WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 education and the arts. Jason Homza ’11 MS’14 is committed to making a difference. PHOTO COURTESY OF Medicine. Now his commitment to service has earned him in education. His next step 30 business, policy, technology, TCMC ~ his selection as a Tillman “It’s a great story of a teacher helping people becoming a medical doctor who will help people heal. It warms my heart that I made a difference to this young man.” – Lt. Col. Mark Kaster, Wilkes Veterans Counselor Scholar, crediting his wife, Autumn, for her support. The Tillman Scholars program was in a combat situation,” Kaster says “It’s a great story of a teacher helping people becoming a medical doctor who will help people heal.” Kaster, who spent 32 years in the military himself added, “It warms my heart that I made a difference to this young man.” Homza notes that he’s found that medicine is a perfect career choice for those who wish to serve. established in honor of Pat Tillman, who ended his NFL career “If you aren’t service oriented this isn’t the career for you,” with the Arizona Cardinals to serve in the U.S. Army after the 9/11 he says. While he has yet to declare a specialty, he has found an attacks and was subsequently killed in combat. The scholarship interest in prostate cancer research. “Even small advancements covers educational expenses, including tuition and fees, books can make a difference,” he explains, adding he could see himself and living expenses. Scholars are selected based on academic staying in the area to work in medicine. – Sarah Bedford �class notes 1950 William Plummer of Painted Post, N.Y., has published a book, Fronds and Anemones, a collection of essays on birding and gardening. The collection reflects an interest in nature that began while growing up in north Wilkes-Barre. 1959 Stephen Poleskie of Ithaca, N.Y., is having his artwork studied at a graduate seminar at Humboldt University in Berlin. The course is being taught by the Swiss art historian Inge Hinterwaldner, who is writing a book about Poleskie. Formerly a member of the faculty at Cornell University, Poleskie’s long art career included running the New York City fine-art screen printing shop Chiron Press and the creation of Aerial Theatre, in which he created four-dimensional designs in the sky by flying an aerobatic plane. 1965 Catherine DeAngelis of Baltimore, Md., was among those honored at the Awards and Portrait Presentation at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Biennial Meeting and Reunion Weekend in June 2017. Awards recognized the outstanding achievements of distinguished Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine alumni and faculty, and portraits honored the influential members of the Johns Hopkins Medicine family. 1970 David Koranda received the Distinguished Advertising Educator Award from the American Advertising Federation at its national conference in June 2017. He teaches at the University of Oregon. 1972 Fred DeVecca’s first novel, The Nutting Girl, was published in August 2017 by Coffeetown Press. 1965 Leslie Tobias Jenkins of Aurora, Colo., was one of six women who won the 2017 notecard contest for the national American Association of University Women. Jenkins won for her yellow mailbox photograph. 1973 Kay Marie Platt of Mickleton, N.J., retired on March 17, 2017, after more than 27 years as an administrator at Widener University. She spent the last 22 years as assistant dean for the University College and then for its Center for Continuing Studies. 1974 James Godlewski MS ’77 of Kingston, Pa., was the keynote speaker at the 13th Annual Building Blocks to Early Learning, Early Care and Education Professional Development Event held at Lock Haven University in 1987 Allan Knox of Yorktown, Va., has accepted a position as an analyst with the search and rescue satelliteaided tracking system program with the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Knox retired from the United States Air Force in 2007 after 20 years and since that time has worked as both an Air Force and Coast Guard civil servant in various search and rescue positions. Clearfield, Pa. Godlewski’s presentation was entitled School Readiness: What Early Education Teachers Can Do to Help Families Get Their Child Get Ready for Kindergarten. 1976 W. Lee Miller recently celebrated 30 years in business at his company, Independent Sealing Company. As president and founder, Miller formed the company that serves all of the United States specializing in parts for the fluid sealing industry. Charles D. Jones of Richardson, Texas, had the opportunity to meet Drew Brees, NFL quarterback for the New Orleans Saints on Jan. 28, 2017. The picture was taken at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Orlando, Fla. Andy Dalton, NFL quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals, is married to Jones’ daughter, Jordan. 1976 Garry Taroli was featured on the “Newsmakers” program on WBRE TV in Wilkes-Barre in a segment dealing with new anti-animal abuse legislation signed into law by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf. WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 Undergraduate 31 �class notes Bo Ryan ’69 Inducted Into National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame Bo Ryan ’69, former University of Wisconsin head men’s basketball coach, was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, earning him a place among the sport’s most legendary players and coaches. Ryan’s remarkable coaching career included 27 postseason appearances as the coach at three different University of Wisconsin campuses. Ryan began his head-coaching career at the University of WisconsinPlatteville and won 353 games from 1984 through 1999. He also guided the program to four NCAA Division III national titles. He spent two years at the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee, and gave the team its first back-toback winning seasons in nearly a decade. In 2001, he moved to Division I coaching when he was hired by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Ryan spent the next 14 years in Madison racking up 364 wins for the Badgers. He took all of his Badger teams to the NCAA Tournament, including a Final Four appearance in 2014 and a spot in the national championship game in 2015, his last season on the sidelines. He never finished lower than fourth in the Big Ten standings and won four conference titles. Bo Ryan ’69 cuts down the net at the NCAA Tournament during his time coaching the University of Wisconsin–Madison team. WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 PHOTO COURTESY THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN 32 1997 Christina Poff of Williamsport, Md., was selected as Supervisor of the Year for the Maryland Correctional Training Center. The center contains the largest population of inmates in the State of Maryland’s Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. Poff works as a psychotherapist for Greater Washington Psychiatry Counseling. 1978 Susan Adams of Pottsville, Pa., retired after 38 years as a high school and elementary art teacher with the Williams Valley School District in Tower City, Pa. 1988 Andrew Bossard was chosen as the Outstanding Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Intermediate-Level Civilian of the Year. Each year, the Air Force honors outstanding performance in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions and exceptional contributions to the field of ISR. 1989 Anthony DeCosmo of Swoyersville, Pa., released his latest science fiction novel, Anansi Station, which is available in paperback and e-book formats. 1994 Jonathan Perloff of Slatington, Pa., received his sixth patent issued for an interbody spacer that can be introduced in a minimally invasive manner to help patients with degenerative disc disease. He developed the device as part of his work for Globus Medical, a company specializing in innovative technologies for patients with spinal disorders. 1995 Timothy Williams was appointed superintendent of schools for the Westmont Hilltop School District. The district is located outside of Johnstown, Pa. 1997 Asif Ilyas was featured in The New York Times in March. Ilyas is a hand and wrist surgeon who specializes in wide-awake surgery as well as an associate professor of orthopedic surgery at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. �class notes 1998 Kristen LaBuda of Boiling Springs, Pa., published a children’s book, Don’t Be A Bully, Be A Friend!. LaBuda is a mother of four children and was an elementary school teacher for eight years before becoming a full-time mom in 2007. Sarah Kovacs Yoder MS ’09 earned her doctor of education degree in educational administration from Temple University on May 12, 2017. 1999 Ronald Honick Jr. of Old Forge, Pa., has been appointed to Pennsylvania Bankers Association advisory committee for the Security/ Fraud Committee. Honick is the senior vice president and operations and technology services officer at FNCB Bank. John Lack ’78 Launches Second Career as Published Author 2004 Amanda Leigh Brozana married Victor Barreto Rios on Sunday, May 28, 2017, at a ceremony in Schuylkill County, Pa. She is the director of communications and development at the National Grange. The groom works in customer support and information technology at Comcast. Lack graduated from Wilkes with a commerce and finance degree and received his MBA from Columbia University. He gives substantial credit to his English literature professor at Wilkes, Philip Rizzo, as a central motivator in his writing career. “Dr. Rizzo influenced my interest in literature and the long-term impact it can have on the way people view their lives,” he says. “I can still picture an animated Dr. Rizzo breathing life into the classics as he performed before a captivated class. His passion for the written word left an indelible mark on me.” John Lack traveled the world as a senior manager with a long Wilkes-Barre shines through as the thinly veiled setting of his career in the telecommunications field; but, exotic, faraway upcoming novel, The Context of My Life. The fictional account places couldn’t satisfy his imagination. Lack traded in his centers on a 17-year old boy from upstate New York who goes 31-year career, picked up a pen, and wrote his way to becoming to a small college town in northeastern Pennsylvania. “Expressing my ideas through stories has always appealed to a self-published author. John has four published works. The two newest titles are me,” Lack says. “Triggering a reflective moment or a nascent Scarcity Bites and Heiding Fortunes, Feinding Truths. Scarcity memory that enriches someone’s path through life has a Bites is “a modern economic fable,” where Lack taps into pleasing draw. Hearing directly from readers that my stories his financial knowhow and appreciation of irony to highlight either brightened their day or lessened their load makes the the fact “that no matter how well-meaning the intentions, work gratifying.” the unbending laws of economics will ultimately intervene to dictate the outcome.” – Samantha Stanich Heiding Fortunes, Feinding Truths follows two men named Richard who live 200 years apart, but face similar life challenges. “The Dickensian style novel is my first attempt at creating a entertain the reader,” Lack explains. He describes his other two novels, The Other Side of the Kneeler and Tempest’s Arc, as “comedic fiction with a dash of irreverence.” The Other Side of the Kneeler is set in a funeral parlor and is narrated by a current customer while Tempest’s Arc follows a young girl who adores math, but can’t tolerate the irrational nature of Pi. John Lack ’78 makes notes for his next novel. PHOTO COURTESY JOHN LACK WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 completely serious storyline without an assist from humor to 33 �class notes Kristen Konosky PharmD ’15 Helps With Relief Efforts After Hurricane Harvey Lt. Kristen Konosky, PharmD ’15 is spending her career behind bars, putting her pharmacy degree to work for the Federal Bureau of Prisons in the Federal Medical Center—Fort Worth in Fort Worth, Texas. After graduating from Wilkes, she worked in a retail pharmacy until she had the opportunity to become a Commissioned Corps officer for the U.S. Public Health Service in September 2016. Konosky became interested in working in a prison after completing Lt. Commander Charity Earnhardt, left, a pharmacist with the U.S. Public Health Service’s Indian Health Service, and Wilkes alumna Kristen Konosky PharmD’ 15, who works for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, are ready to take off to aid in Texas hurricane relief efforts. PHOTO COURTESY U.S. PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE one of her clinical rotations in a prison in her last year of pharmacy school. Less than a year after achieving her goal of working for the Public Health Service, her training was put to the test when Hurricane Harvey barreled down on Texas. Konosky was deployed to help with the relief effort. “USPHS officers have day jobs, but we get deployed for humanitarian relief efforts,” she says. During her two-week deployment, Konosky worked in San Antonio, restocking ambulances with supplies to send out to areas in need. She then headed to Houston, where she was stationed in the NRG Stadium parking lot to help disperse medical supplies to ambulances serving the flooded areas. “When we were in Houston, we flew with the Army Reserve to Beaumont to resupply the ambulances,” she said. “Ambulances couldn’t get back to Houston, so we flew to them.” Konosky humbly sees her work in Texas as part of her job. She was excited to be able to help and carry on the mission of the U.S. Public Health Service to protect, promote and advance the health and safety of the nation. “I felt prepared when I got deployed to Texas, largely because of my Alternative Spring Breaks and mission work I did through Wilkes,” she explained. Konosky took trips to the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica for Alternative Spring Break and mission trips, and she also spent time in Uganda for a five-week rotation that included time in the Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala and two weeks in a rural clinic where WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 the closest hospital was four hours away. Konosky also says she benefited from being able to complete a double major in Spanish and pharmacy at Wilkes because she’s been able to use it quite often on her job. Konosky recognizes the connections and great relationships she developed because of Wilkes and its small school environment with a large focus attitude. “I was close to my classmates and got to know my professors,” she says. “I would tell the pharmacy students to be adventurous and don’t be afraid of opportunities as they come to you. People thought I was crazy to take the rotation in the prison or to go to Uganda, but if I hadn’t take that rotation or gone, I wouldn’t be where I am today.” – Samantha Stanich 34 2013 Conor Clair ’13 - see undergraduate degrees 2012. Brian Palmiter, of Kingston, Pa., was nominated as a 2017 Young Professional of the Year by the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce. Palmiter is a civil designer at Borton-Lawson where he has been employed for three years. 2014 Jeremy Wiest was promoted to the national account sales team with Consolidated Electrical Distributors and relocated to Fort Worth, Texas. The national accounts team works with retail operations, restaurants, healthcare providers, property managers and other national multi-site clients helping to fulfill construction and maintenance needs. 2015 Rasha Shaker was named the executive marketing assistant for Grayscale Entertainment Marketing. Grayscale Entertainment Marketing is a full-service marketing agency focused on connecting brands, fans, events and bands located in Nashville, Tenn. �class notes 2012 Darron Fadden of Scranton, Pa., and wife, Jessica, welcomed a daughter, Eleanor June, on Jan. 30, 2017. She weighed 8 lbs. 11 oz. and was 21.5 inches long. Cynthia Riccio Clair of Tannersville, Pa., and Conor Clair ’13 were recently married. Fifteen Wilkes alumni attended the wedding and the group took a Wilkes photo. The alumni who were there include: Nick DiPaolo ’12, Ryan Bracey ’12, Jake Stonelake ’12, Dave Kratzer ’13, Justin Franiak ’13, James Harcher ’12, Ashley Thorpe ’12, Chelsea Minix ’12, Conor Clair ’13, Cindy Clair ’12, Jaclyn Volpe ’12, Mark Fowler ’13, Kerry Morton ’13, Amanda Peters ’12, and Bridget Hine ’12. Graduate 1977 James Godlewski MS – see undergraduate degrees 1974. 2010 Katie Nealon of Huntington Beach, Calif., was named to the 2017 list of Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, an honor awarded to the top five percent of lawyers in Pennsylvania. Super Lawyers is a resource that recognizes the country’s most outstanding attorneys in more than 70 practice areas. Selection is based on independent research, peer nominations and peer reviews. Candidates are evaluated on twelve indicators of professional excellence, including experience, honors/awards, verdicts and settlements, pro bono work, scholarly achievements and other credentials. 2010 Thomas Kresge of Brodheadsville, Pa., had a hole-in-one using a wedge on hole 9 at Whitetail Golf Club on Sunday, July 30. His witnesses were Jerry Rickrode, Wilkes major gifts officer, and Jeremy Gigliotti. 1999 Carissa Pokorny Golden MS of Hellertown, Pa., was named associate dean of the College of Education at Kutztown University this May after serving as the interim associate dean. Pokorny Golden served as an associate professor of English and supervisor of secondary education at Kutztown since 2004. Prior to that, she taught English at Lehigh Carbon Community College and Pleasant Valley School District. 2003 Shawn T. Fitzpatrick MS was named superintendent of the Schuylkill Haven School District. He previously taught middle school in the Hamburg Area School District 2009 Sarah Kovacs Yoder MS – see undergraduate degrees 1998. 2011 Patricia Florio MFA and Donna Ferrara MA’13 co-edited Jewels of San Fedele, published by Serenity Books. The book is a collection of short fiction, memoir, art and photography. After a magical week in Tuscany, a group of writers shared their experiences in this paperback. 2013 Donna Ferrara MA – see graduate degrees 2011 WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 2005 35 �class notes In Memoriam Remembering Doris Saracino – By Dotty Martin ’77 Before Title IX, there was Dorie. Standing just over 4-feet tall, Doris Saracino was a giant when it came to women’s athletics. She believed in equality for female athletes and fought hard to make sure they got that. Saracino—called Dorie by her letterwomen—died June 2 at 81, leaving behind a family who loved her dearly and a nation of female athletes who owe her so much. The mission of Dorie Saracino began when she accepted a position as an educator in the athletic department at Wilkes College in 1960—12 years before Title IX became law, forcing mandatory equality for women in education and athletics. Dorie spent 34 years at Wilkes, where she became affectionately known as the “Mother of Wilkes Women’s Athletics” and where her mission of advocating for female athletes would continue until the day she died. She started the women’s basketball program at Wilkes and served as the first full-time coach of the team, a position she held for 10 years. She started a field hockey program at the school in 1962 and coached that team for eight years. The One of Doris Saracino’s proudest moments came in 2016 when she was one of only eight Wilkes University staff named to the Middle Atlantic Conference Hall of Fame. She is pictured with Wilkes President Patrick Leahy. volleyball program for women at Wilkes began in 1972 under Dorie’s tutelage, and she guided the Lady Colonels in that sport She fit right in with the women, many 20 and 30 years her for 15 years. junior, telling stories and recalling memories of days gone by. As female athletic programs at Wilkes continued to grow, Dorie Saracino stood up for women athletes during a time Dorie recruited Gay (Foster) Meyers to coach the field hockey when they had no one else on their side. She showed them they team and Sandy Bloomsberg, one of the best basketball players deserved equality and, if they had to fight for it, they should do to ever wear a Wilkes uniform, to coach the women’s basketball just that. team upon her graduation. Dorie then started the Wilkes Letterwomen’s Club, an organization whose members continue to network with each WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 other to this day. 36 Dorie commanded respect. When she spoke, her letterwomen responded. Mike, her husband of 56 years, her children, Michael, Maria and Edward, and her grandchildren will miss her. But many She served as part of the women’s volleyball rules committee Wilkes women around the country will mourn her passing just during the 1984 Olympics. Many of her letterwomen were on as much. They know that many of the doors that opened for hand to see her inducted into the Wilkes University Athletic Hall them, both athletically and professionally, opened only because of Fame in 1995 and, in one of her proudest moments in 2016, of Dorie Saracino. when she was named to the Middle Atlantic Conference Hall of Fame, one of only eight Wilkes athletic personnel to receive Dotty Martin ’77, of Forty Fort, Pa. graduated from Wilkes with that prestigious honor. a bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in journalism. Dorie was an annual presence at Wilkes Homecoming events While at Wilkes, she was a four-year starter on the women’s and could always be found under the Letterwomen’s banner in basketball team and a four-year member of the Letterwomen’s the tent. She called meetings every couple of months, urging Club. She is suburban editor of the Times Leader Media Group in local members of the club to socialize with her and each other. Wilkes-Barre. �class notes Paul Hooper Trebilcox of Plymouth, Pa., died on March 19, 2017. He attended Bucknell University Junior College and finished his chemistry degree at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pa., in 1942. Trebilcox worked on the Manhattan Project at the Y-12 plant in Oak Ridge, Tenn. 1941 Thomas E. Brislin of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., died on Jan. 4, 2017. He served as a lieutenant j.g. in the U.S. Navy South Pacific Fleet during World War II. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and was the vice president and trust officer of PNC Bank, Wilkes-Barre. 1942 Rita Dicker of Luzerne, Pa., died on June 26, 2017. She worked as a lab technician and on the venipuncture team at Abington Memorial Hospital, Abington, Pa. 1943 Pearl Kaufman, of New York City, N.Y., and formerly of Edwardsville and Kingston, Pa., died on June 9, 2017. She was a realtor for Lewith & Freeman and was active with Jewish Family Services. 1944 Robert Edward “Bob” Parker, of Dallas, Pa., died on July 29, 2017. He had a 40-year career as an engineer and engineering manager with Bell Telephone Company of Pennsylvania. 1948 Dorothy (Sorber) Garboczi, of Neffsville, Pa., died on March 27, 2017. She worked for the Donnelley Printing company. 1949 Austin C. “Bing” Bisbing, of Kingston, Pa., died on Dec. 13, 2016. He served as a B-17 pilot in World War II. He was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor and retired from the Air Force Reserves as a major. Richard D. Glass, of Wallingford, Pa., died on Jan. 3, 2017. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He worked as a mechanical engineer with Uniroyal. John J. Verban of Potomac Falls, Va., died on Aug. 28, 2015. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II and retired as a colonel after completing his service in the Air Force Reserve. He worked for the Department of the Navy and the General Services Administration. 1950 Reed D. Lowrey of Greenwood, N.Y., died on Sept. 6, 2016. He served in the Canadian Air Force and the U.S. Air Force in World War II. Steven Senko died on May 16, 2017. Marvin Smith of Laflin, Pa., died on April 7, 2017. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He was a manager for Prestige Footwear and Carter Footwear. 1951 Elmo J. Begliomini, of Wyoming, Pa., died on Dec. 15, 2016. He served in the Navy Air Corps. He worked as an accountant and acquired ownership of Atwater Inc., a division of Burlington Industries. Joseph George Bendoraitis, of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., died on Feb. 4, 2017. He was a chemist for Mobil Oil for 41 years and was a pioneer in the development of synthetic motor oil for ExxonMobil in Paulsboro, N.J. Benjamin R. Bona, of Mountain Top, Pa., died on April 23, 2017. He served in the Army during the Korean War. He was employed by the Social Security Administration and the Pennsylvania Department of Welfare. Donald Charles, of Corning, Pa., died on Jan. 3, 2002. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He taught at Corning-Painted Post East High School for 30 years and was inducted into the Corning-Painted Post Sports Hall of Fame in 1991 for coaching. John A. Germann, of Estero, Fla., died on April 19, 2013. He taught at Parkville Senior High School. Harold Hymen, of Baltimore, Md., died on Feb. 12, 2017. He was born in Mildred, Pa. Thomas Daniel Morgan, of Kingston, Pa. and Leesburg, Fla., died on March 16, 2017. He was a former member of the Pennsylvania National Guard and had a 38-year career in education. Doris (Kanarr) Pearsall, of Forty Fort, Pa., died on Dec. 26, 2016. She donated her time to local charities including Planned Parenthood, the United Way and the Dorranceton Methodist Church. WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 1940 Henry C. Johnson of Pittston, Pa., died on Dec. 29, 2016. He served in the U.S. Army Air Force during World War II. He owned and operated Henry C. Johnson Company, his family’s lumber and hardware business in Luzerne. 37 �class notes 1952 Ruth A. Casey, of Dalton, Pa., died on July 22, 2014. Paul John Delmore Sr., of Webster, N.Y., died on July 3, 2017. He served in the U.S. Army. He worked as a chemical engineer and is credited with several patents for products developed for Kodak. Carl A. Fosko, of Plains Twp., Pa., died on Jan. 5, 2017. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1946 to 1948. He worked as an IRS agent and tax accountant in Philadelphia prior to opening his own practice in Kingston, Pa. 1954 Robert “Bob” T. Croucher, of Linden, N.J., died on Jan. 29, 2016. He served in the U.S. Air Force and was a member of the Linden Volunteer Ambulance Corps. WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 Nancy Lee (Hannye) Goodman, of Pacific Grove, Calif., died on Jan. 10, 2017. She had a long academic career lecturing in statistics and probability theory and was the dean of Empire State College in New York. 38 Caroline M. (Szczechowicz) Pierog of Endwell, N.Y., died on Nov. 9, 2015. She worked at UHS Binghamton General Hospitals as a medical technologist. 1955 David L. Hoats, of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., died April 25, 2017. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. Russell R. Picton, of Corvallis, Md., died on Jan. 6, 2016. He served in the Marine Corps, enlisting in 1947 and returning to serve in the Korean War. He was the quarterback for the Parris Island and Camp Lejeune football teams, winning the titles of All-Navy and All-Marine quarterback during his time on both teams. He had a long career as a fund raiser in higher education, serving as director of development at Wilkes College and at other colleges and universities. He ended his career as a consultant for Marts and Lundy. 1956 Clifford R. Brautigan, of Avon-by-the-Sea, N.J., died on Sept. 25, 2016. He taught at Highstown High School for 38 years and worked as an assistant principal and content specialist. Carol (Heuer) Steinhauer, of Kingston, Pa., died on Feb. 8, 2017. She was a homemaker and a past member of Grace Episcopal Church, Kingston, where she worked for a time as a church secretary 1957 Martin Joseph Novak, of Laurel, Md., died on Aug. 24, 2014. Ronald David Slimak, of Orlando, Fla., and formerly of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., died on Jan. 8, 2017. He served in the U.S. Navy on a destroyer during the Korean War. He worked for Air Products and Chemicals for 20 years. 1958 Ruth Younger Davidson, of Pottsville, Pa., died on Feb. 8, 2017. She was an instructor of writing composition at Penn State Schulykill Campus for 22 years and was active in community organizations. Robert S. Jacobs, of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., died on Nov. 21, 2016. He was an educator and guidance counselor at Meyers High School in the Wilkes-Barre Area School District for over 30 years. Rev. George R. Richards, of Scranton, Pa., died on May 13, 2017. He was pastor of churches in Pennsylvania and in Clifton Springs and East Rochester, N.Y. 1959 Eugene “Cord” Sheridan, of Berwick, Pa., died on Jan. 23, 2017. He was employed at Pope and Talbot—previously Potlatch Corporation and Swanee Paper—as a production scheduler and credit manager for 33 years. 1960 Peter “Captain” Janoski, of Hanover Twp., Pa., died on April 18, 2017. He served in the U.S. Air Force for four years. He was employed by Danoff Sporting Goods, and was a member of Exaltation of the Holy Cross Church, Buttonwood, Pa. Shirley (Brandwene) Klein, of Wilkes-Barre, Pa. and Longboat Key, Fla., died on Aug. 9, 2017. She served as president of Hadassah, League of Women Voters and Temple Israel Sisterhood for many years. 1961 Sebastian T. Amico, of Pittston, Pa., died on July 30, 2017. He served in the Air Force during the Korean War. As a 58-year member of American Legion Post 477, Pittston, Pa., he was its longest-living member. Frank A. Spudis, of Pittston, Pa., died on May 28, 2017. He was considered a key contributor to the football program at Wilkes, as both a player and a coach. He was the owner of Fran-Jo’s Pizza, Pittston, and was employed for many years as an insurance manager with INA, now known as CIGNA, and as a car salesman. �class notes Inger Kate Miller, of Bear Creek Twp., Pa., died on Jan. 11, 2016. Robert F. Januszko, of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., died on June 4, 2017. He was captain of the Wilkes golf team. He was employed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for 35 years. 1967 Janie “Jackie” (Black) Eustice, of Frazer, Pa., died on Nov. 7, 2016. She was a teacher for many years in Altoona, Pa. 1963 Lorraine Marie (Rome) Payonk, of The Villages, Fla., died on Feb. 7, 2017. She was an educator, artist and mother. 1964 Donald L. Brominski, of Moosic, Pa., died on Jan. 5, 2017. He was employed in managerial positions by Aetna Casualty, Atlas Chain and Louis Cohen & Sons. Patricia (Gonos) Flannery, of Kingston, Pa., died on April 17, 2017. She was employed for 34 years as a third- and fourth-grade teacher by Wilkes-Barre Area School District. Daniel Lyons died on May 18, 2017. He served in the U.S. Air Force and was an industrial engineer. 1965 Carl John Missal, of Kingston, Pa., died on May 15, 2017. He served in the U.S. Navy and was a teacher in the Groton, Conn., school district for 29 years. Carole Ann Thomas, of Mystic, Conn., died on May 31, 2016. She taught in the Mary Morrisson School in the Groton, Conn., school district and was active in community organizations, including serving on the board of directors of the Mystic Marine Life Aquarium. Dennis Quigley, of Greensboro, Ga., died on April 27, 2017. 1968 David Baum, of Kingston and Shavertown, Pa., died on July 28, 2017. He served in the U. S. Coast Guard. He was the business manager of WBRE TV in Wilkes-Barre. Rosemary Susan (Baiera) Hieronymous, of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., died on Jan. 23, 2017. She worked as a certified licensed vocational rehabilitation counselor for 35 years. Lee A. Nunemacher, of Woodbury, Conn., died on Dec. 21, 2016. He taught high school math in Hazleton, Pa., and Woodbury, Conn., before changing careers to become a machinist, specializing in secondary operations in the screw machine industry. 1969 Sandra Ann “Sandi” (Kulick) Matthews, of Sun City, S.C., died on April 27, 2017. She worked as a pre-kindergarten teacher in Arnold and Annapolis, Md. 1970 Georgiana (Cray) Bart, of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., died on Feb. 19, 2017. She graduated cum laude from Wilkes University and taught art there. She also taught classes on various cruises with Queen Mary II. John J. Guida, of Old Forge, Pa., died on Jan. 1, 2015. He was employed for 32 years as a special-education teacher by the Northeast Education Intermediate Unit 19. Bernard Leo Holleran, M.D., of Harveys Lake, Pa., and Tierra Verdes, Fla., died on Jan. 18, 2017. He had a private practice in West Wyoming, Pa., and worked at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. He was head of emergency medicine and head of the credentials committee at the former Nesbitt Memorial Hospital, Kingston, Pa. He also served as the physician on call for the State Correctional Institution, Chase, Pa. and for the Wyoming Area School District. Philip G. Rudy, of Mountain Top, Pa., died on March 2, 2017. He opened Circles on the Square, a gourmet deli, which became a downtown fixture for 32 years in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 1971 Marilyn (Grzyb) Crossin, of Shavertown, Pa., died on May 28, 2017. She was employed by TV Guide, Triangle Publications, for 26 years. She advanced to the position of regional editor in the Wilkes-Barre office. Ellen Arthur Davenport, of Forty Fort, Pa., died on April 18, 2017. She was a social worker for Family Service in Wilkes-Barre. She also was bookkeeper for Davenport Manufacturing, the metal fabricating business that she owned with her husband in West Wyoming, Pa. WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 1962 Dale DeRonda, of Kingston, Pa., died on April 28, 2017. He served in the U.S. Navy. He worked at CIA headquarters in Langley, Va. while President John F. Kennedy was in office, serving during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Kennedy assassination. 39 �class notes William Huey Roberts Jr., of Kingston, Pa., died on March 8, 2017 . He worked as a defense contractor auditor for the federal government. 1972 Alan J. Bloem, of Archbald, Pa., died on Sept. 3, 2016. Prior to his retirement, he worked in the banking industry. He served as both a deacon and an elder at First United Presbyterian Church of Lackawanna Valley. Mary Elizabeth (M.E.) Morris Mickulik, of Kutztown, Pa., died May, 23, 2017. She earned a music degree at Wilkes and participated in several area church choirs and served as a soloist and cantor. 1973 Walter T. Petrash, of Nanticoke, Pa., died on July 11, 2017. He was a master carpenter and a musician. WILKES | Fall/Winter 2017 1974 Lorna (Stubblebine) Davis, of Dallas, Pa., died on March 21, 2017. She was the guidance counselor for West Side Vocational Technical School. 40 1976 Gilbert Reese Griffiths, of Dallas Twp., Pa., died on April 28, 2017. He served in the U.S. Air Force. He was superintendent of the Dallas School District. He returned to Wilkes University in 2004 where he mentored and educated the next generation of leaders in education. He served as chairman of the board for the Pennsylvania Professional Standards and Practices Commission. 1977 Leo J. Strumski Jr., of West Palm Beach, Fla., died on Nov. 21, 2016. 1979 Joseph Hogan, of New York City, N.Y., died on Feb. 25, 2017. He was a teacher in the New York City public school system until his retirement. Mark A. Molitoris, of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., died on May 3, 2017. 1980 James W. Grey, of Mountain Top, Pa., died on April 12, 2017. He was the owner and operator of Grey and Associates in North Wilkes-Barre, Pa., serving as a financial planner and advisor. Ronald David Williams, of Nuangola, Pa., died on Aug. 8, 2017. He was the owner of a construction company for more than 30 years. 1983 Susan Ann (Harrison) Jenkins, of Monument, Colo., died on Nov. 17, 2015. She worked for several nonprofit organizations in Colorado, including the Colorado Opera Festival and the DaVinci Quartet. William Kopf Lourie, of Mullica Hill, N.J., died on Feb. 18, 2017. He was a computer programmer for Brandywine Global Investments in the Philadelphia area. 1987 Keturah E. Faust, of Harrisburg, Pa., died on Nov. 19, 2016. She served in the U.S. Navy. She retired from the Pennsylvania Department of Health where she worked as a nursing home surveyor. 1989 Robyn Ann Jones MS, of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., died on July 15, 2017. She was the first women’s athletic director at the Wilkes-Barre YMCA. She coached field hockey at Coughlin High School and taught junior high health in the Dallas School District, where she finished her career as a guidance counselor after earning her master’s degree at Wilkes. 1990 Paul “Willie” Williamson, of Kingston, Pa., died on Aug. 26, 2017. He was the owner and operator of “Will-eeze Speedy Lube.” 1996 Mary Ann Stockdell MBA ’00 of Scranton, Pa., died on July 8, 2017. She worked as a financial analyst for IBM in Rochester, N.Y. 2000 R.C. “Mac” Miller, of Plains Twp., Pa., died on Dec. 15, 2016. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War. He served at Malcolm Grow Medical Center, Andrews Air Force Base, Md., attending to the veterans returning home from Vietnam. He continued to serve veterans as a registered nurse at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Plains Twp. 2005 Gregory Michael Haladay, of Danville, Pa., died on May 20, 2017. He was employed by Vintage Tub and Bath. �Creating a Legacy Wilkes University’s giving societies recognize alumni, friends and benefactors for their role in shaping the future of the University and its students. Consider joining the prestigious John Wilkes Society by making a year-end charitable gift of $1,000 or more. Or become a member of the Marts Society, where Wilkes recognizes generous donors for their planned giving support. Your planned gift can provide security for your heirs while giving back to the University that helped to shape your life. Consider sustaining your legacy with one of the many giving options. “As an alumna and member of the Marts Society, I intend to leave a legacy. We created an endowed scholarship which will help future generations of students benefit from a Wilkes education.” - Ronald & Lois (Schwartz) ’61 Nervitt Charitable trusts make clear your giving priorities. “The First Generation Scholarship Fund reminds us to appreciate the educational foundation Wilkes provided to me. This fund is near to our hearts and a natural way to give back.” - Kenneth & Joanne (Schreibmaier) ’72 Schoonover Using a donor-advised fund helps donors manage charitable giving in an immediate, tax-efficient way. “As John Wilkes Society members for many years we see our donation put to direct use. Every year when we visit we see tremendous progress; the campus is clearly on the move.” - Daniel ’63 & Alexandra Zeroka 2017 may be the year to consider an IRA rollover as a tax deductible opportunity and an easy way to support Wilkes University. For more information about how planned giving opportunities can benefit you while supporting Wilkes, please contact Margaret Steele, executive director of alumni relations and advancement, at (570) 408-4302 or margaret.steele@wilkes.edu. �w WILKES UNIVERSITY Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 WILKES UNIVERSITY calendar of events December Through Dec. 20  Andy Warhol: “15 Minutes: From Image To Icon,” Sordoni Art Gallery 2 Chorus Concert, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 7:30 p.m. 3 Chorus Concert, Covenant Presbyterian Church, 3 p.m. 4 Chamber Orchestra Concert, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center, 8 p.m. 6 Chamber Winds Concert, Church of Christ Uniting, 7:30 p.m. 7 Jazz Orchestra Concert, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center, 8 p.m. 9 Flute Ensemble Concert, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center, 7:30 p.m. 10 Civic Band Concert, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center, 3 p.m. January 7-11 Maslow Foundation Salon Reading Series, Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing, nightly at 7 p.m.; Jan. 7, Barnes and Noble, Public Square; Jan. 8-11, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center 15 Martin Luther King Jr. Day 16-March 2  Angela Fraleigh: “The Bones of Us Hunger for Nothing,” Sordoni Art Gallery 20 Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Arnaud C. Marts Center, 4 p.m. 21 Winter Commencement, Henry Gymnasium, Arnaud C. Marts Center. 1 p.m. 27 Admissions Open House ebruary F 22-24 The Crucible, Wilkes University Theatre production, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center, 8 p.m. 24-25 The Crucible, Wilkes University Theatre production, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center, 2 p.m. March 3 Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science 24 Admissions VIP Day April 12-14 A Chorus Line, Wilkes University Theatre production, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center, 8 p.m. 14-15 A Chorus Line, Wilkes University Theatre production, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center, 8 p.m. PHOTO BY KNOT JUST ANY DAY For details on times and locations, check www.wilkes.edu and www.wilkes.edu/alumni or phone (800) WILKES-U. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Magazine, Fall 2017 Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Marketing Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 2017 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Alumni Magazine, 1947-present Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Description An account of the resource <p>An archive of Wilkes University Magazine, from 1947-present. The magazine went through various names including <em>Wilkes Alumnus</em>, <em>Wilkes Quarterly,</em> <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, and the current title, <em>Wilkes Magazine</em>. Some editions for the <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, will have multiple issues within the file record. Our holdings may be missing editions for certain years due to having no physical copy within the collection. </p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Wilkes University Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Wilkes University Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1947-present Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Magazine, Fall 2017 Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Marketing Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 2017 magazine Wilkes Magazine https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/af56484b43900f606375ae91839a3a87.pdf 6f42026d322cccc2b4f1af1cfe6e50ed PDF Text Text FALL 2018 On the Edge of Knowledge WILKES RESEARCH CULTURE PUTS STUDENTS AT ITS CENTER INSIDE: WILKES LAUNCHES $55 MILLION GATEWAY TO THE FUTURE CAMPAIGN �president’s letter VOLUME 12 | ISSUE 2 Gateway to the Future Campaign Will Transform Wilkes S ix years ago, the University’s Gateway to the Future Strategic Plan was created with the bold goal of developing Wilkes into one of the finest small universities in the nation. Significant funds would need to be raised in order to meet the ambitions outlined in the plan, so work began on the Gateway to the Future Campaign. The largest and most comprehensive fundraising effort in University history, the Gateway to the Future Campaign aspires to raise $55 million dollars in support of transformative campus enhancements, endowments for research and scholarships, and annual resources. In the four years since the start of the Campaign, we have raised more than $45 million to advance Wilkes University. To see evidence of this progress, all you need to do is step foot on campus. The Campus Gateway Project has reshaped the Fenner Quadrangle and areas surrounding the Henry Student Center. Investments in Stark Learning Center, including the new Mark Engineering Center, have transformed an aging academic building into a showpiece. In addition, properties along South Main Street continue to be redeveloped in support of our academic programs. The Sordoni Art Gallery welcomed record numbers during its inaugural year in its new location and students continue to thrive in the Karambelas Media and Communications Center. Many more less obvious aspects of the Wilkes experience have been improved through the generosity of donors. Programs were established to enable Wilkes students to study abroad. Naming gifts have provided lasting support for our Passan School of Nursing and Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing, and dozens of deserving students have received tuition Wilkes President Patrick F. Leahy relief from newly endowed scholarships. shares his vision at the kickoff of the Last month, I had the pleasure of celebrating these Gateway to the Future Campaign. PHOTO BY KNOT JUST ANY DAY achievements with the Wilkes community at the public kick-off for the Gateway to the Future Campaign. While much has been achieved since 2012, there is more work to be done. During this final and most critical stage of the Campaign, we will need the support of all of our alumni to ensure success. This fundraising effort allows you to direct your funds to the area of Wilkes that means the most to you. Your contribution is more than just a financial commitment— it is also a display of your pride in Wilkes. You see, the percentage of alumni who give to their alma mater is the only way third-party rankings measure alumni satisfaction. So I urge you to reflect on your Wilkes experience and make a gift of any amount in support of the Gateway to the Future Campaign. I hope that you will consider the ways in which you can help us build the Gateway to the Future here at Wilkes. Dr. Patrick F. Leahy Wilkes University President FALL 2018 WILKES MAGAZINE University President Dr. Patrick F. Leahy Managing Editor Kim Bower-Spence Senior Editor Vicki Mayk MFA’13 Creative Services John Csordas Director of Communications Gabrielle D’Amico MFA’17 Web Services Joshua Bonner MS’16 Electronic Communications Brittany Terpstra Communications Specialist Kelly Clisham MFA’16 Graduate Assistants Sarah Bedford ’17 Samantha Stanich MA’18 Layout/Design Kara Reid Printing Lane Press EDITORIAL ADVISORY GROUP Anne Batory ’68 Brandie Meng MA’08 Bill Miller ’81 George Pawlush ’69 MS’76 Donna Sedor ’85 OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI RELATIONS Chief Development Officer Margaret Steele Associate Director, Office of Alumni Relations Mary Balavage Simmons ’10, MBA ’16 Manager of Alumni Relations and Advancement Special Projects Jacki Lukas ’11 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OFFICERS President Ellen Stamer Hall ’71 Vice President Matt Berger ’02 Secretary John Sweeney ’13 Historian Cindy Charnetski ’97 Wilkes magazine is published two times a year by the Wilkes University Office of Marketing Communications, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766, wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu, (570) 408-4779. Please send change of address to the above address. Wilkes University is an independent institution of higher education dedicated to academic and intellectual excellence in the liberal arts, sciences and professional programs. The university provides its students with the experience and education necessary for career and intellectual development as well as for personal growth, engenders a sense of values and civic responsibility, and encourages its students to welcome the opportunities and challenges of a diverse and continually changing world. The university enhances the tradition of strong student-faculty interactions in all its programs, attracts and retains outstanding people in every segment of the university, and fosters a spirit of cooperation, community involvement, and individual respect within the entire university. �24 16 26 10 22 contents FEATURES On the Edge of Knowledge WILKES RESEARCH CULTURE PUTS STUDENTS AT ITS CENTER INSIDE: WILKES LAUNCHES $55 MILLION GATEWAY TO THE FUTURE CAMPAIGN Holly Frederick, left, associate professor of earth and environmental science, helps to assess water quality at North Lake in Sweet Valley, Pa., assisted by environmental engineering student Scott Heffelfinger. PHOTO BY KNOT 10 On the Edge of Knowledge 2 On Campus The research culture at Wilkes has students at its center. 28 Alumni News 30 Giving Back 16 A Dream Realized Campus enhancements completed in summer 2018 transform campus. 31 Class Notes 22 Safeguarding Safety Samantha Sonnett ’04 trains police as part of the NYPD’s Counterterrorism Unit. JUST ANY DAY 24 Gateway to the Future The University’s $55 million capital campaign will change Wilkes brick by brick, opportunity by opportunity and student by student. 26 Animal Advocate Lawyer Garry S. Taroli ’76 helps those who can’t speak for themselves. Have a story idea to share? Contact us at wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu or Wilkes magazine, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766. Wilkes magazine is available online at www.wilkes.edu/wilkesmagazineonline Qr'; '1,.,J MIX FSC Paper from responsible sources wwwf~o~ FSC® C022085 WILKES | Fall 2018 FALL 2018 DEPARTMENTS 1 �on campus Wilkes Dedicates Mark Engineering Center Wilkes University’s newest facility, the Mark Engineering Center, officially opened with a dedication ceremony on Sept. 14. The dedication is the culmination of a 16-month, $8 million renovation to the engineering facilities in Stark Learning Center, creating flexible lab and learning space in disciplines that include nanotechnology, additive manufacturing and bioengineering. To see photos of the renovated space, please turn to page 20. The center is named in honor of Randy ’81 and Robin Mark, who made a leadership gift to support the project. Randy Mark earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Wilkes. He is the owner and president of Pulverman, a global manufacturer of precision metal components located in Dallas, Pa. He has served on the University’s board of trustees since 2013. “We are humbled to be part of the Wilkes University community. The growth and success of Pulverman is the culmination of a great education, a community that fosters entrepreneurship and many dedicated and innovative people,” Mark said. “It is our hope that the Mark Engineering Center will inspire innovation and encourage success among Wilkes students for years to come.” The center was also funded by a $3 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. “The growth and success of Pulverman is the culmination of a great education, a community that fosters entrepreneurship and many dedicated and innovative people.” – Randy Mark ’81 Robin and Randy ’81 Mark, pictured left, celebrate the unveiling of the sign for the Mark Engineering Center at the Sept. 14 dedication. Joining them in marking the occasion are, from right of the sign, Wilkes President Patrick F. Leahy, state Sen. John Yudichak and state Rep. Eddie “Day” Pashinski ’67. PHOTO BY JOSHUA BONNER MS ’16 WILKES | Fall 2018 Hark Englncterlna: Center 2 �on campus Legendary Athlete, Author and Activist Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Visits Wilkes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Basketball Hall of Fame center, author and activist, was interviewed by Wilkes President Patrick F. Leahy for the Max Rosenn Lecture in Law and Humanities. The conversation between Leahy and Abdul-Jabbar encompassed key highlights from the athlete’s life. They included reflections on growing up in Harlem, his time playing at UCLA with legendary coach John Wooden and his eventual transition from being the NBA’s highest scorer to his current role as writer and humanitarian. Abdul-Jabbar also offered thoughtful comments about issues of race in America. During his Sept. 30 visit, Abdul-Jabbar took time for pictures with Wilkes students and signed books after the lecture. The event was attended by more than 800 people, one of the highest for an on-campus lecture in recent University history. Top, Wilkes President Patrick F. Leahy, left, interviewed the legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar about his career as an athlete, author and activist during the 2018 Rosenn Lecture. Center, stacks of Abdul-Jabbar’s memoir, Becoming Kareem, are ready to be autographed at the book signing after the lecture. Bottom, the Wilkes men’s basketball team had an opportunity to meet the sport’s all-time leading scorer. WILKES | Fall 2018 PHOTOS BY KNOT JUST ANY DAY 3 �on campus Allan P. Kirby Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Marks 25th Anniversary The Allan P. Kirby Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship celebrated 25 years as a force for economic development in the region with a Nov. 16 dinner at the Westmoreland Club. The event celebrated the center’s successes during a quarter century on the Wilkes campus. The center and its location on West South Street were established in 1993 through a generous gift from Allan P. Kirby Jr. Working with then-Wilkes President Christopher Breiseth and the University’s chief financial officer, Paul O’Hop, Kirby established a center that would promote free enterprise and entrepreneurship as central to American society. The center was named in honor of Kirby’s father. The center’s earliest focus was academic, providing the region’s first undergraduate major in entrepreneurship at Wilkes. Arlen Lessin served briefly as its first director. In 1996, Jeffrey Alves became director and distinguished professor of entrepreneurship. An established leader in entrepreneurship education, under his leadership the University established majors and minors in entrepreneurship in the Sidhu School of Business as well as a concentration in the Master of Business Administration Program and interdisciplinary programs with other departments on campus. During the 25-year history of the center, the Allan P. Kirby Lecture Series has been one of its most successful initiatives, bringing to campus leaders in a variety of business-related fields. The day before the anniversary celebration, the Allan P. Kirby Lecture was to be delivered by Jake Wood, founder and CEO of Team Rubicon, a nonprofit organization that trains and deploys military veterans to disaster zones in the U.S. and around the world. Wood spoke about “The One and the Nine: Building Teams and Organizations that Win.” Past lectures included Steve Forbes, chairman and editor-in-chief of Forbes Media, Andrew Ross Sorkin, author of Too Big to Fail, Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream, and Martin Eberhard, founder and former CEO of Tesla Motors, among others. With the advent of Rodney Ridley in 2014 as executive director and distinguished professor, the center developed a new focus, providing support and services designed to help start-up businesses to grow. Support provided to businesses includes office space ANNIVERSARY Allan P. Kirby Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship in the Allan P. Kirby center’s business incubator, and a full range of services provided via a network of volunteer business mentors. These services include accounting, marketing, technology and legal services. Twenty-four businesses received support in the 2017-2018 academic year, with 15 started by Wilkes students, faculty and staff. Wilkes students derive additional benefits from the center via the Kirby Scholars program. This group of students is selected via a rigorous application process among Wilkes’ academic departments. They benefit from networking and mentoring opportunities. Most importantly, they add valuable experience to their resumes via the work they do with the businesses associated with the center. EDWARD CIARIMBOLI ’95 JOINS WILKES BOARD OF TRUSTEES Edward Ciarimboli ’95 has been appointed to the University’s Board of Trustees. He graduated from Wilkes with dual degrees in political science and engineering and applied science. A graduate of the Duquesne University School of Law, he was admitted to the Order of Barristers for Excellence in Courtroom Advocacy and was named a national semi-finalist in the American Trial Lawyers Association Moot Court Competition while in law school. Ciarimboli became a named partner at Fellerman & Ciarimboli in 2005 where his practice WILKES | Fall 2018 focuses on truck and car crash litigation and medical malpractice. He serves on the board of 4 governors for the Pennsylvania Association for Justice, the board of governors of the National College of Advocacy, the board of regents of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys and the board of governors for the Northeastern Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association. He has been named a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer since 2005. Ciarimboli was recently named one of the Top Ten Attorneys—Pennsylvania Trucking Trial Lawyers Association, The Nation’s Top One Percent, National Association of Distinguished Counsel and The National League of Renowned Attorneys. �on campus Two of the University’s annual lecture series will bring thought leaders to campus during spring semester 2019. Both events are free and open to the public. Award-winning author Dave Eggers will speak in the English Department’s Allan Hamilton Dickson Spring Writers Series on Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019. The lecture begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts. Eggers is the founder of McSweeney’s, an independent publishing company based in San Francisco that produces books, a quarterly journal of Author Dave Eggers will speak at Wilkes on Feb. 28. new writing and a monthly magazine. He also is the founder of 826 National, a network of youth writing and tutoring centers around the United States. Eggers is the author of ten books, including A Hologram for the King, which was a finalist for the 2012 National Book Award, and the memoir A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. Bryan Stevenson will be the featured speaker at the spring Max Rosenn Lecture Series in Law and Humanities. Stevenson’s lecture, “American Injustice: Mercy, Humanity and Making a Difference,” will take place on Sunday, April 14, 2019 at 2 p.m. in the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts. Stevenson is an attorney, human rights activist, executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative, and author of Just Mercy. The Max Rosenn Lecture Series in Law and Humanities, established at Wilkes University in 1980, recognizes Judge Max Rosenn’s exceptional contributions to public service. Author and activist Bryan Stevenson delivers the Rosenn Lecture on April 4. PHOTO BY NINA SUBIN Sidhu Student Michelle Lehman Wins 2018 TecBRIDGE Business Plan Competition Wilkes University student Michelle Lehman ’18 graduated in May with more than a diploma. The marketing major in the Jay S. Sidhu School of Business and Leadership earned $10,000 and $100,000 in in-kind services as the winner of the collegiate division in the annual TecBRIDGE business plan competition. She beat out students from Marywood, East Stroudsburg, the University of Scranton, Lackawanna College and Penn State Worthington-Scranton to win the collegiate prize. Lehman began studying for her Master of Business Administration degree at Wilkes in August. She is also preparing for a product launch around the same time. “Education is extremely important to me,” Lehman says. “To ensure that I am managing RAE SLEEVES to the best of my ability, I will be completing my MBA at Wilkes as Michelle Lehman ’18 became the first a graduate assistant for the Allan P. Wilkes student to win the TecBRIDGE business plan competition, earning Kirby Center for Free Enterprise and $10,000 for her business, RAE SLEEVES. PHOTO BY PATTY DEVIVA Entrepreneurship.” Lehman was awarded the prize based on her business plan for her company, RAE SLEEVES. With the money, Lehman started manufacturing her women’s clothing line. Lehman has designed a form-fitting shirt that allows the wearer to transform the look of any outfit by adding one of her garments— which she calls sleeves—to create a long-sleeved look for any dress or top. “Winning the TecBRIDGE Business Plan competition and gaining $10,000 and $100,000 of in-kind-services from generous sponsors, advanced RAE SLEEVES tremendously,” she says. “I was able to begin the process of manufacturing the product for retail. I am in the final steps of finalizing a manufacturing agreement, sourcing fabric, and completing all the technical papers associated with making RAE SLEEVES available for women around the globe.” Lehman is the first Wilkes student to take first place in the business plan competition. The TecBRIDGE Business Plan Competition is a regional event that celebrates entrepreneurship, innovation and potential in northeast Pennsylvania. The competition includes collegiate and non-collegiate divisions that allow aspiring entrepreneurs to showcase their business ideas, start-ups, and early stage ventures to compete for cash and in-kind services. WILKES | Fall 2018 Spring Lectures Bring Luminaries to Campus 5 �on campus Q&A Meet Christine Muller Director, Honors Program Assistant Professor, American Studies DEGREES B.A., History, Psychology, Villanova University M.A., English, Villanova University Ph.D., American Studies, University of Maryland, College Park What positions did you hold before joining Wilkes? Residential College Dean for Saybrook College and Lecturer, American Studies at Yale University. What attracted you to the job at Wilkes? As a student, then an administrator, in Villanova’s honors program, honors education has long figured significantly in my understanding and value of a university education. I welcomed the opportunity to collaborate with campus colleagues to provide Wilkes students with similarly rich and rewarding curricular and co-curricular experiences. Can you describe your responsibilities as honors program director? The role engages students and colleagues from throughout the university, from admissions and marketing to all of the academic departments and disciplines in which our undergraduates are involved. In collaboration with the Honors Advisory Council, a cross-disciplinary faculty body supporting the work of the program, the director administers program operations ranging from curricular planning to grant funding for student’s co-curricular opportunities to community events. Will you be teaching at Wilkes as well as directing the honors program? Yes. Through the History Department I am teaching Producing the History of 9/11 and through the First Year Foundations program I am teaching What We Can Learn from the Zombie Apocalypse. If you could tell people three things about the benefits of being in the honors program, what would they be? First, the program is guided by faculty and administrators who truly care about the students. We all share a heartfelt investment in manifesting the potential of this talented community. Second, the program is designed to support students’ enhancement of their education, through funding for experiences such as study abroad and research. Third, the students have each other—this highly-motivated, highly-achieving, interdisciplinary group can offer one another camaraderie and collaboration as they each pursue their own unique version of a Wilkes education side-byside with their peers. If I was not teaching, I would be…. writing the great American novel. WILKES | Fall 2018 Right now I’m reading…. Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale 6 People would be surprised to learn that I…. hadn’t traveled on an airplane until I was 23 years old. �on campus Meet the Class of 2022 52 % 48 % MALE FEMALE STATES REPRESENTED 631 NUMBER OF FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS * 8 7 VALEDICTORIANS SALUTATORIANS MOST POPULAR NAME IN THE CLASS: 21 MICHAEL MOST POPULAR MAJORS: ENGINEERING BIOLOGY NURSING PHARMACY * �The Class of 2022 is the second largest class in University history. Wilkes increased opportunities for its students with new student pharmacists to earn two advanced degrees in six degree programs, majors and minors that expand career years. These options join a program in which students options after graduation. They included three programs can earn a bachelor’s degree and M.B.A. in industrial and that allow students to acquire a master of business organizational psychology in five years. administration degree in the Jay S. Sidhu School of Business The Sidhu School also added a new undergraduate major and Leadership while completing degrees in other schools in hospitality leadership. Other new programs include a and colleges. A 4+1 bachelor’s degree/M.B.A. program bachelor of fine arts degree in integrative media, art and gives students the opportunity to earn both a bachelor’s design, a theatre design and technology major and minors in degree and M.B.A. in five years. A Pharm.D./M.B.A. program sport psychology and actuarial sciences, all in the College of introduced in the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy allows Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. WILKES | Fall 2018 NEW MAJORS AND MINORS EXPAND STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES 7 �on campus Wilkes Names Hall In Honor of Jack Miller ’68 Wilkes honored the late John R. (Jack) Miller ’68 with the dedication of Miller Hall. The building at 32 West South Street that houses the finance department was named for Miller in recognition of his many years of service to the University. Miller was a member of the University Board of Trustees from 1999 until his death in 2016 and served two terms as board chair. He also served as vice chair and chair of the governance committee. Miller, who earned a bachelor’s degree in commerce and finance from Wilkes, retired in 2005 as partner and vice chairman of KPMG LLP. Miller’s generosity to Wilkes included naming a geology lab and office suite in the Cohen Science Center, sponsorship of the Miller Conference Room in the Henry Student Center and the establishment of the KPMG/John R. Miller Scholarship, which is awarded to a Wilkes accounting major. Sarah Wise Miller, center, wife of the late Wilkes alumnus John B. (Jack) Miller ’68, attended the dedication of Miller Hall, named in her husband’s honor. She is pictured with Dan Cardell ’79, left, chair of the University’s Board of Trustees, and University President Patrick F. Leahy, right. CHECK OUT THE LATEST ON NEWS@WILKES Alumni and friends of the University can check out the latest f 'I @ In a a 0. about Wilkes on a new web site. News@Wilkes is the official news site of the University. It publishes stories—in print, video WILKES | Fall 2018 and multi-media formats—that reflect the dynamic community 8 that is Wilkes. The site is committed to publishing new, original content that goes beyond news releases to capture the programs, people and events at the University. Check it out any time at http://news.wilkes.edu �on campus Nursing Graduate Student Dana Hatwig Named Tillman Scholar Wilkes graduate nursing student Dana Hatwig of Jacksonville, Fla., was named a 2018 Tillman Scholar. Hatwig, a lieutenant in the United States Navy Nurse Corps, is among 60 scholars selected from 3,000 applicants nationwide. She is pursuing her master of science in nursing as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. This is the second year a Wilkes student has earned the honor. Jason Homza, who earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Wilkes, was recognized in 2017 as a student at the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. After her father’s untimely death, Hatwig began volunteering as a long-term care companion at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in Illinois. The mother of five and business executive was given the opportunity to develop and launch “No Veteran Dies Alone,” a federally sanctioned veterans affairs initiative designed to provide emotional and spiritual support to actively dying veterans. She went on to earn her nursing degree and was commissioned as a Navy Nurse Corps officer. Hatwig coached patients and families through their most challenging days as an emergency nurse. Deployed to Afghanistan, her trauma-nursing role was twofold; first to save lives, later to save minds. While stabilizing an injured unit following a VBIED attack, Hatwig experienced patients’ overwhelming anguish and knew she could make the most significant impact as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. Identifying the acute need for mental health providers, Hatwig will continue her military service after credentialing as a nurse practitioner. Hatwig’s goal is to assist service members and their families to live healthier and balanced lives. “To have two Tillman Scholars from a small university like Wilkes in back-to-back years is humbling, and speaks volumes to the quality of our students. Wilkes University fills an important place in the nation as an institution that prides itself in making a major difference in the lives of our veterans and to those who are still serving our nation like Dana,” said retired Lt. Col. Mark A. Kaster, Wilkes veterans counselor. Founded in 2008, the Tillman Scholars program supports our nation’s active duty service members, veterans and military spouses by investing in education and professional development. It provides academic scholarships, a national network and professional development opportunities, so Tillman Scholars are empowered to make an impact at home and around the world. “Wilkes University fills an important place in the nation as an institution that prides itself in making a major difference in the lives of our veterans and to those who are still serving our nation like Dana.” –L � t. Col. Mark A. Kaster, Wilkes veterans counselor Wilkes graduate nursing student Dana Hatwig, a lieutenant in the United States Navy Nurse Corps, was named a 2018 Tillman Scholar, selected from 3,000 applicants nationwide. PHOTO COURTESY TILLMAN SCHOLARS PROGRAM Remember Wilkes on Giving Tuesday Wilkes University will participate in Giving Tuesday on Nov. 27. Giving Tuesday collaboration. We are asking for the support of alumni and friends on this special day to impact the current students of Wilkes. Mark your calendars for the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and help us to make Nov. 27 a great success by contributing to Wilkes on Giving Tuesday! To learn more about contributing to Wilkes, text Wilkes to 565-12. #GivingTuesday WILKES | Fall 2018 is observed as a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and 9 �On the Rn~R of KNOWLEDGE Wilkes Research Culture Puts Students at its Center WILKES | Fall 2018 By Vicki Mayk 10 �Junior environmental engineering majors Scott Heffelfinger and Jillian Weston collect water samples from North Lake in Sweet Valley, Pa., to measure nitrate and phosphate levels. PHOTO BY KNOT JUST ANY DAY It was a machete engraved with the Wilkes logo, Schall’s name and the words “Stratford Lab Legends.” The memento commemorated the four years she spent as a student researcher in his lab. Stratford, who is an ornithologist, is assisted by students as he studies environmental impacts on bird populations, food webs and other ecology-related topics. “We had used the machetes in our field work for our research projects and it was kind of a funny, thoughtful gift,” Schall explains, adding that fellow alumna Chrissy Shonk ’17 also received one. The tool routinely is used by Stratford’s students as they cut through brush to find birds’ nests and other specimens. Both biology majors worked with Stratford year-round. After graduating, Schall took the machete with her to Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, Pa. Shonk is now at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in North Grafton, Mass., where she is in her second year of veterinary school. Although neither chose a research career, they praise its value in their undergraduate program. “It definitely gave me a lot more confidence to pursue something that I was interested in and the ability to know that I could do it, that is for sure,” Shonk says Schall and Shonk’s experience reflects opportunities that are integral to undergraduate education at Wilkes. From the time students step on campus, they become part of a University with a research culture. Students assist faculty with grant-funded research. Or they complete their own projects, as many majors require students to complete research to earn their degrees. Wilkes’ research emphasis is unique for a university its size. Institutions who tout a research culture are most often large universities, where research primarily involves graduate students. What’s more, student involvement is incidental to the research at those schools. Wilkes faculty are quick to note the difference. “At Wilkes, it is a research culture with students at its center,” states Amjad Nazzal, associate professor of physics. “We are helping young men and women to discover themselves.” His research involves two students— junior mechanical engineering and physics major Sam Lizza and sophomore chemistry/premedical major Stephanie Ko. The project involves synthesizing crystals and exploring their optical properties. Wilkes’ commitment to research opportunities attracts prospective students. Leah Thomas, a senior premedical/biology student, says it was a deciding factor when she transferred to Wilkes as a sophomore. “Other schools didn’t have the research opportunities that we have at Wilkes,” she says. AN EVOLVING EMPHASIS During the past 20 years, there has been an evolution and strengthening of the research culture at Wilkes, says Mike Steele, H. Fenner Chair of Research Biology and head of the biology department. “We’ve always been interested in involving students in experimental questions,” Steele says. He recalls that Les Turoczi, former chair of the biology department, made a conscious decision to strengthen that focus. The benefit to students drove those decisions. “Research makes them better critical thinkers,” Steele says. As students graduate and pursue advanced degrees, they excel above their peers, he adds. Several external grants have funded student research. Two—one from the National Science Foundation in 2000 and a second from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in 2008—were among many that fueled research opportunities in biology. Since then, the University has taken the lead in providing support that encourages student research involvement in all disciplines. WILKES | Fall 2018 When Amanda Schall ’17 graduated from Wilkes, she received a present from Jeff Stratford, associate professor of biology. 11 �Anne Skleder, provost and senior vice president, says that Wilkes’ commitment to support research is reflected in its Gateway to the Future strategic plan. “One of the major goals of the strategic plan is excellence in academic programs, and it calls for support for undergraduate and graduate students to participate in faculty-sponsored research and scholarly activity,” she says. That support has taken several forms. One was a $1 million commitment to fund faculty research projects. Preference for funding is given to those involving students. Another source is University Mentoring Grants, which underwrite everything from student stipends in summer to the cost of travel to present research with faculty at international conferences. Support also comes from endowed scholarships and funds which underwrite student opportunities on campus, off campus and even abroad. (Please see the accompanying story on page 14 about alumni support for student research.) Other funding comes from myriad places, including the academic deans of Wilkes’ seven colleges and schools and from specific academic departments. The results of the increased institutional support are reflected in an annual research and scholarship symposium. Introduced in 2017, the multi-day event features more than 100 presentations by faculty and students. WILKES | Fall 2018 Biology Professor Kenneth Klemow, center, surrounded by members of his student research team, points out varieties of plant life growing around the Williams Transco Pipeline, a natural gas pipeline. Klemow is researching the impact of pipelines on native plants. PHOTO BY KNOT JUST ANY DAY 12 SUMMER RESEARCH COMMUNITY A unique part of Wilkes’ institutional support enables students to remain on campus in summer to assist with faculty research. In addition to receiving stipends offsetting the loss of wages they might have earned from summer jobs, students get free campus housing. It is a perk few schools provide for undergraduates. More than 50 students participated in summer 2018. The result is a robust summer research community. It includes weekly meetings for biology students— informally dubbed “pizza Wednesdays”— where the undergraduates take turns presenting their work to their peers. �Wilkes Students Shine at International Conferences Wilkes students present research at international professional student teams monitored plant growth. Using a one-foot-by-one- conferences in locations as diverse as Singapore, New Orleans and foot frame, the students viewed plants in 120 plots, monitoring Hawaii on topics covering an array of scientific disciplines. Their them three or four times a week from May to August. experiences at these conferences have one thing in common. “We couldn’t find any other undergraduates presenting at The poster presented at the ecological conference boasted a clever title: “Natural Revegetation on Natural Gas Pipelines the conference,” says senior Leah Thomas, who accompanied in NEPA (Surprise: Natives Win!).” It explained results showing Professor Linda Gutierrez to the European Society of Medical that plant species native to the area were not impacted by the Oncology conference in Singapore in 2017. presence of the pipeline. The fact that Wilkes students frequently emerge as the only Klemow says that the poster drew higher than usual attention undergraduate presenters at these prestigious events further in a room with literally hundreds of others. When he checked underscores the unique opportunities available at the University. in with the students manning the table, he learned that they And even more opportunities can emerge as a result of attending received some surprising feedback. “They said, ‘By the way, there the conferences. was a person from a journal, Restoration Ecology, and she said Such was the case with the team of students who accompanied they’d like to see us submit our manuscript,’ ” Klemow says. A biology Professor Kenneth Klemow to the Ecological Society of second visitor from a research institute had left her business card, America’s August 2018 conference in New Orleans. Klemow was suggesting that they apply for funding to continue the research. accompanied by a team of students that included juniors Jillian The students seemed matter-of-fact when they shared this Weston, Scott Heffelfinger, Amber Gruhosky and Cassidy Hyde. news with Klemow—who says it is not typical. What made a They presented a poster on research that assessed the impact of bigger impression was the question they received frequently from a natural gas pipeline on native plant species. Using a site where conference attendees: “When are you going to finish your Ph.D.s?” the Williams Transco Pipeline traverses property owned by Wilkes, Summer provides students with an entry to year-round involvement. Such was the case with first-year pharmacy students John Oberlin and Katy Blankenhorn who began working in summer 2018 with Ajay Bommareddy, associate professor of pharmaceutical science. Bommareddy’s research is investigating the use of alpha santalol as a treatment for prostate cancer. With four years of pharmacy school still ahead of them, the two students jumped at the chance to get a head start on research. “We are learning a lot of lab techniques in case we want to go on for a fellowship after graduation,” Oberlin says. Bommareddy says he especially enjoys working with students from the beginning of their academic careers. “It gives me great pleasure, especially working with the P1s,” he states. “I like the enthusiasm I see in those students. I want to open doors for them and see them grow over the four years.” STUDENT BENEFITS Camaraderie among students enhances the research experience. Members of Frederick’s student team reminisce about working in the rain, falling in the lake while collecting samples and discovering that leeches had attached to Heffelfinger’s legs. In biology professor Linda Gutierrez’s lab, where she researches factors influencing tumor growth, senior biology students Isaiah Pinkerton, Jacob Baranski and Leah Thomas rib each other about their work. “I’m the organized one,” Baranski says, saying he makes sure specimens are properly labeled. “Organized?” Pinkerton chortles. “You’re meticulous.” Gutierrez smiles benevolently, noting that her job is to train them to work independently. “It’s like when you are teaching your son or daughter to ride a bicycle: You give them a push and they have to go all the way by WILKES | Fall 2018 “It’s one of my favorite summer jobs I’ve ever had,” says junior environmental engineering major Scott Heffelfinger. He worked with biology Professor Ken Klemow in 2017 and returned in summer 2018 to work with Holly Frederick ’93, associate professor of earth and environmental science. Frederick’s team also included junior environmental engineering majors Kaitlin Sutton and Jillian Weston. The three spent the summer collecting water samples at North Lake in Sweet Valley, Pa., near Wilkes-Barre. They evaluated the samples to assess how nitrate and phosphate levels were affecting algae bloom, which impacted the use of the lake for residents. “This project was interesting because it had the students out at a site where the residents are interested in what is happening to the lake,” Frederick says. “As we would be sampling, the residents would ask questions or offer comments and advice. It was a good experience to know that they were interested in the results of the work.” 13 �Endowed Scholarships Support Student Research External grants and institutional support from the University underwrite many aspects of the student research experience at Wilkes. Support from alumni and friends of the University provides additional funding that enables students to pursue research both on and off campus. Recent endowed scholarships that support the research experience include: The Carolann G. and Philip A. Besler Scholarship was established The Bierly Fellowship supports a semester-long experience to support students conducting summer research overseen by for a student and may include undergraduate research, a faculty mentor for the purpose of actively participating in a study away or study abroad trips and internships. Awards scholarly research project. To the extent possible, the intention range from $500 to $5,000. The fellowship honors George is to financially support each student with a $3,000 summer W. Bierly, who left a $1.7 million bequest to Wilkes in his stipend. Students from any discipline may apply but are required estate. A Wilkes-Barre native, successful businessman and to obtain faculty documentation confirming their ability to support community leader, Bierly graduated from Bucknell University a full-time summer project in which the student will participate. Junior College, the institution that became Wilkes University. Preference is given to U.S. citizens identified through the FAFSA He earned his bachelor’s degree at MIT. application. The scholarship is made possible by a gift from alumni Carolann (Gusgekofski) Besler ’76, who is a member of the board of trustees, and her husband, Phillip A. Besler ’76. WILKES | Fall 2018 themselves,” she says. Her student researchers affectionately refer to her as “Dr. G,” reflecting another benefit of doing research: developing close faculty relationships. Of greater significance are skills acquired. For example, working with Nazzal gave chemistry/premed studies major Ko a head start on her organic chemistry class. But perhaps the most important student benefit is exposure to the true nature of scientific inquiry, where answers are not pre-determined. “When we are doing research, we are traveling together on this journey to places where no one has been before,” Gutierrez says. Pinkerton concurs, saying 14 that he’s learned as much from mistakes as he has from successes. “In research,” he says, “we’re sitting on the edge of knowledge.” Skills honed in Wilkes labs also make graduates attractive to future employers and graduate programs. “This is how we make our students more competitive in the market,” Nazzal states. Psychology faculty Ellen Newell and Jennifer Thomas have seen the proof in the students who assist them. Thomas, an associate professor and developmental psychologist, and Newell, an assistant professor and social psychologist, are studying the physiological responses of women exposed to overt and covert forms of sexism. Their students perform a variety of functions, from monitoring study subjects to painstakingly entering data in spreadsheets. “In order to get into graduate school in psychology, the really competitive ones, you have to have that kind of experience,” Newell notes. If students do, it pays off: Newell and Thomas recall one student was admitted into all eight graduate experimental psychology programs to which she applied. Boats become the laboratory for associate professor of earth and environmental science Holly Frederick ’93, far left, and her students, from left, Scott Heffelfinger, Jillian Weston and Kaitlin Sutton. The three environmental engineering majors sampled water at the lake during summer research. PHOTO BY KNOT JUST ANY DAY �PART OF THE CURRICULUM Top, Ajay Bommareddy, right, associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences, demonstrates lab techniques used in research to first-year pharmacy students Katy Blankenhorn and John Oberlin. PHOTO BY KNOT JUST ANY DAY Bottom, junior Keira D’Agostino, left, a criminology and psychology major, adjusts equipment on senior criminology and psychology major Jess Snyder. The research will measure physiological responses to sexist behavior. PHOTO BY CURTIS SALONICK being done in both graduate and undergraduate courses. Jennifer Edmonds, associate dean, notes that the research culture is growing in Sidhu. A robust research culture will help to grow the school’s reputation, Edmonds notes. More importantly, it will drive a culture of innovation. “How you get to the point of innovation is through research,” Edmonds says. “It’s when you begin to connect the dots.”� WILKES | Fall 2018 Many academic majors require student research projects to fulfill requirements. Biology and biochemistry are just two of many requiring majors to complete senior research projects. In the engineering disciplines, year-long senior projects center around research. Psychology majors can choose to do research-based capstones. Other programs in the social sciences, such as criminology and sociology, require research papers to complete degrees. The communication studies department has made research an integral part of its curriculum. Beginning with one of their foundation courses, “Principles of Communications,” students are introduced to scholarly research through the review of journal articles. Mark Stine, professor and chair of communication studies, says, “It’s important for graduates to have a working knowledge of that literature. It makes for a much more well-rounded communication studies graduate.” Seniors complete a major research project via a two-semester class, “Research Methods.” For some students, the projects are examples of applied research, in which findings can help determine strategies for public relations campaigns or social media. One such example was the research study completed by Taylor Ryan ’16, which studied the effect of media campaigns in influencing African-Americans to become organ donors. All communication studies students complete a written research paper and make an oral presentation to faculty. “This supports our desire to graduate students who have outstanding oral and written communications,” Stine says. In 2017, the Sidhu School of Business launched a research symposium to showcase research 15 �A DREAM I THE BULLDOZERS AND EARTH MOVERS ARRIVED on campus two days after the May commencement ceremony. They left the Fenner Quadrangle less than a week before first-year students arrived on campus for fall semester. In between their arrival and departure, a series of projects created a green oasis in the center of campus, planted new trees, built walkways and put the finishing touches on a renovation to Stark Learning Center. These campus enhancements, completed during summer and early fall 2018, have achieved Wilkes’ goal of creating a traditional residential campus within the City of Wilkes-Barre. Part of a $100 million plan, the completed projects include an expanded gateway linking the southern part of campus to the Fenner Quadrangle. Other recently completed projects created new green space and a companion gateway at the south entrance to the Henry Student Center. These pages WILKES | Fall 2018 offer a look at a campus transformed. 16 At the start of the fall 2018 semester, students returned to a dramatically different Wilkes campus. Pictured here, the Fenner Quadrangle has been transformed with an expanded gateway linking it to South Main Street, new walkways and meeting places. ALL PHOTOS EARL & SEDOR PHOTOGRAPHIC UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED �REALIZED • WILKES | Fall 2018 AMBITIOUS PROJECTS TRANSFORM CAMPUS 17 �1 2 1. A new façade has transformed the Stark Learning Center and the entrance to the College of Science and Engineering. 2. An archway across from the Henry Student Center marks the entrance to the Fenner Quadrangle. 3. A new walkway and a new gathering place have been built behind the student center. 4. The Stark Learning Center courtyard has been transformed into an inviting area to gather between classes. 5. An aerial view shows the pedestrian walkway created behind the Henry Student Center. 6. The archway behind the student center is seen in close up. PHOTO 6 BY KNOT JUST ANY DAY 3 WILKES | Fall 2018 4 18 �CAMPUS ENHANCEMENT BY THE NUMBERS 61,610 BRICKS used to create new walkways 26,884 SQUARE FEET of new concrete walk 5 6 40 NEW TREES added to campus L_ ____ _ _J WILKES | Fall 2018 LED 50 NEW LIGHTS 19 �r MARK ENGINEERING CENTER The dramatic $8 million renovation of the Stark Learning Center will equip Wilkes engineering students with skills relevant to the 21st Century. Funded by a leadership gift from alumnus Randy Mark ’81 and his wife, Robin, and by a $3 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant, the center was dedicated on Sept. 14. Please turn to page 2 for a photo from the dedication. ABOUT THE MARK ENGINEERING CENTER • Additive manufacturing and high-performance computing labs • Refreshed building facade facing the Fenner Quadrangle and courtyard areas • Microfabrication lab outfitted with equipment donated from ON Semiconductor • Two large flex labs, interdisciplinary-collaboration space and student lounges • Flexible wet lab space for bioengineering experimentation, faculty research and graduate student activities • Dedicated space for 3-D printing and high-end computers that are integral in research and new WILKES | Fall 2018 product design activities 20 1 2 �3 4 1. Xiaoming Mu, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, works with junior mechanical engineering major James DeGerolamo on one of the engineering center’s 3-D printers. 2. Xiaoming Mu, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, standing foreground, supervises mechanical engineering junior Jeshurun Sestito in one of the flexible lab spaces. The space allows students and faculty to work on multiple projects in one area. 3. Rooms for student collaboration line the hallway in the Mark Engineering Center. 4. Matthew Saporito, visiting instructor in electrical engineering and physics, confers with Nikolas Placek, junior electrical engineering major, in one of the collaboration spaces off the main lab. 5. Abas Sabouni, associate professor of electrical engineering, standing center right, coaches electrical engineering graduates Yasmin Aboajila ’18 and Matthew Miller ’18. PHOTO 5 BY MARK MCCARTY/CCA WILKES | Fall 2018 5 21 �SAMANTHA SONNETT ’04 recalls the moment that “Then I started to realize a lot of women were being choked, but not to the point where they were completely unconscious or dead,” she says. “Because of a gap in the law, there wouldn’t be an assault charge even though someone had closed their airway.” In 2010, New York added a second-degree category to its strangulation laws, stating that choking to the point of injury or unconsciousness could be classified as a felony. This meant that cases previously treated as misdemeanors could now result in up to a seven-year prison term. One of Sonnett’s cases was the first to be tried under the new law. A man had beaten his 26-year-old girlfriend and choked her till she passed out. He was charged with misdemeanor assault and second-degree strangulation. Sonnett testified in the groundbreaking trial, but the jury found the boyfriend not guilty of the second-degree charge. He served 38 days in jail for misdemeanor assault. Throughout her career, Sonnett continued to hone her counter-terrorism knowledge and skills and, in 2016, was invited to join the COBRA unit. “I was looking for people to staff the department’s counterterrorism training program and she was the first person who popped into my head,” says New York Police Lt. Matthew changed the course of her education and career: It was Sept. 11, 2001, during a public speaking class at Wilkes. Her instructor switched on a television and Sonnett watched in horror as the Twin Towers fell. “It angered me so much,” she says. “Right after 9/11, I decided to focus my career on ensuring that something like that doesn’t happen again.” It was too late for the psychology major and U.S. Air Force Reserve member to change her degree path. So Sonnett augmented her coursework with self-study, devouring books on terrorism and the Middle East. She later studied master’s degree courses in international criminal justice and counter-terrorism at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. Sonnett had hoped to apply her education to a military career, but the Air Force unexpectedly discharged her because of her sexual orientation. Before the 2011 repeal of the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, openly gay Americans could not serve in the military. Instead, she joined the New York Police Department. Today Sonnett is an instructor with the Chemical, Ordinance, Biological and Radiological Awareness (COBRA) unit, in the police department’s Counterterrorism Division. She and her colleagues teach 18,000 officers a year how to protect the public and themselves when responding to calls related to terrorism and hazardous materials. She is one of two women who are instructors in the four-person unit. The three-day COBRA course includes a day of lecture followed by two days of field exercises. Participants perform tactical operations—shooting, clearing rooms, victim extraction, and running decontamination lines—while wearing hazmat suits and breathing through a respirator. The training covers situations ranging from terrorism-related events to more common dangers encountered on the job. Sonnett cites By Koren Wetmore an example scenario of an overturned tanker surrounded by a low-lying cloud. “A cop with this training will understand how to read the truck Strong, who has known Sonnett since their days as rookie cops. placards and know that the cloud isn’t from some fire. It’s anhydrous “Her enthusiasm is contagious. She motivated everyone to ammonia and if you walk into it, it will kill you almost instantly.” become an expert in the field and that had a positive effect on She also teaches basic life support skills and trauma treatment the whole unit.” through the police department’s Medical Emergency and Critical Sonnett recently expanded her reach to include first Intervention Unit. responders nationwide. As an adjunct instructor for Texas Sonnett began her New York police career two months after A&M’s Extension Service, she uses her vacation time to train graduating from Wilkes. She served several years as a patrol officer officers in hazmat operations. and in 2010 shifted to the Domestic Violence Unit, where she “We go to funerals nearly every week for people who died handled nearly 4,000 cases per year. from what they were exposed to during the 2001 attacks,” Elder abuse was rampant as were crimes against women. Sonnett says. “I want cops to understand the threats—whether Sometimes her investigations led to arrests, but frequently the it’s carcinogens from a building explosion or sarin gas in a elderly had dementia and couldn’t be easily interviewed. subway—so we don’t have another 9/11.”� SAFEGUARDING WILKES | Fall 2018 SAMANTHA SONNETT ’04 WORKS FOR THE NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT’S COUNTERTERRORISM DIVISION 22 �SAFETY Samantha Sonnett ’04 rides on a radiation detection boat in New York harbor—one of the tools she uses in work detecting chemical hazards. WILKES | Fall 2018 PHOTO BY DAN Z. JOHNSON 23 �WILKES | Fall 2018 Wilkes Launches Public Phase of $55 Million Fundraising Campaign 24 Homecoming Weekend 2018—often a time to remember the past—kicked off with a celebration of Wilkes University’s future. Alumni, faculty, staff and students gathered for the Gateway to the Future Campaign Kick-Off Celebration. The event, held in the McHale Athletic Center, launched the public phase of the $55 million fundraising campaign that will transform the University, brick by brick, opportunity by opportunity and student by student. The event was hosted by chief development officer Margaret Steele, who introduced two current students and one young alumna—all first-generation college students—who spoke about the personal transformations each achieved during their Wilkes educations. (Please see the separate story on the opposite page for excerpts from their speeches.) Jason Griggs ’90 spoke on behalf of the Board of Trustees. Noting the campaign’s success during the last four years, Griggs said, “This campaign is an opportunity for each of us to have impact at Wilkes University. Whether you are a golden Colonel, a graduate of our most recent class, or a long-time member of one of our giving societies, Gateway to the Future offers an opportunity to make a difference in a way most meaningful to you personally.” Wilkes President Patrick F. Leahy began his remarks by announcing that the Board of Trustees approved a new campaign goal of $55 million and by announcing that Griggs has made a $500,000 leadership gift to the campaign. Calling the campaign kickoff “a special event on a special weekend,” Leahy noted that when he wrote the University’s strategic plan, also called Gateway to the Future, he was reminded of a quote that he had used in his installation address Left, University Trustee Jason Griggs ’90 addresses attendees at the launch of the Gateway to the Future Campaign on Homecoming weekend. Center, Wilkes President Patrick F. Leahy shares his vision for making Wilkes one of the finest small universities in the nation. Right, Wilkes vocalists sing the alma mater at the campaign kickoff. PHOTOS ON THESE PAGES BY KNOT JUST ANY DAY �at Wilkes. “I quoted the American architect Daniel Hudson Burnham, who said ‘Make no little plans, for they have no power to stir the soul….Make big plans; aim high in hope and work,’ ” Leahy said, explaining that he took his cue from those words to advance an ambitious plan for Wilkes. Leahy outlined four major campaign projects that would be supported by the Gateway to the Future Campaign: • The renovation of the Ralston Athletic Complex • The renovation of the building at 116 S. Main St., which will continue the redevelopment of South Main Street while providing new office space and student housing • General scholarship and research support • Expanding tuition assistance to make Wilkes more affordable and support the University’s tradition of providing access for first-generation students Leahy asked alumni at the kickoff to support the campaign at any level possible. Because alumni support is crucial to Wilkes’ rankings in lists of the top colleges in the United States published by magazines like U.S. News and World Report, Leahy stressed that gifts of any size are helpful. Leahy closed by saying that everything the campaign funds impacts one constituency. “You see, like everything at Wilkes, it’s about the students,” Leahy said, referencing the three student speakers who had opened the program. “I hope you will support the campaign in their names. On behalf of them— and all of our students—thank you.” “To those of you who have made Wilkes a beacon of hope that shines brighter with each effort you make to support each and every capital project: thank you. Because of your Wilkes legacy, we now begin ours.” – Aislinn Speranza, senior communication studies and marketing major, CEO of Zebra Communications and Kirby Scholar “My time at Wilkes University has been absolutely nothing like the vision I had in place as an incoming freshman. I have learned to listen to the advice of others and to believe in myself. And while I believe you should plan and have a plan, the most important thing we can do at Wilkes is to look for opportunities and take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way.” – Dillon Davis, senior biology major and member of the Honors Program. Davis completed research while studying abroad in Southampton, England. “To my fellow first-generation college students in the room, please remember to thank those who helped you achieve this goal....To the faculty, staff, and administration of this University, you have built a place of comfort and understanding, one in which I knew I could succeed, grow, and call my home. Lastly, to the donors: with each and every one of your donations, you have been able to not only give me, but numerous first-generation students, the resources we needed to succeed. Without you, I would not be able to call myself a Wilkes alum.” – Nancy Ramirez, Class of 2018 graduate. WILKES | Fall 2018 STUDENTS AND ALUMNA RECALL OPPORTUNITIES AT WILKES 25 �Animal Adv cate ATTORNEY GARRY S. TAROLI ’76 WORKS TIRELESSLY FOR ANIMAL RIGHTS WILKES | Fall 2018 By Andrew Seder 26 �of the Colonels swim team—he co-captained his final two years—he fondly recalls his teammates, the meets and how that team went from also-rans to powerhouse. “We ended up breaking every swimming record but one,” Taroli says. Although his name is no longer in the record book, his memories remain worthy of a gold medal. He still keeps in touch with many of his teammates and they get together often. But while swimming was rewarding for him personally, his success in the water didn’t make a big splash toward helping the plight of animals, which he yearned to do. After he earned his law degree at Dickinson School of Law and started practicing law with the firm Rosenn Jenkins and Greenwald, he began devoting his free time to animal rights issues. He was instrumental, along with Luzerne County SPCA Executive Director Todd Hevner, in getting the county council to adopt an ordinance prohibiting dogs from being outdoors for more than 30 minutes when the mercury rises above 90 degrees or dips below freezing. The ordinance was a feather in his cap and he was even more pleased when the Pennsylvania Legislature passed Libre’s Law, a statewide statute that incorporated the outdoor dog ordinance Luzerne County instituted and added to it, including stiffer penalties. His activism isn’t limited to local causes. The July 2015 killing of 13-year-old Cecil the lion on a reserve in Zimbabwe by an American infuriated him. He made his outrage known through media interviews, a Washington rally and even a letter to the Zimbabwe embassy. A vegetarian since 1995, Taroli, who loves the Grateful Dead, the San Francisco Giants and Star Trek, quotes Ghandi: “The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” Hevner praises Taroli for his work with the SPCA and his animal rights advocacy, much of it on a pro bono basis. Taroli received the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Pro Bono award in 2017 and was recognized with a citation from the state House of Representatives for his advocacy work. “I don’t know a man who is a bigger advocate for animals, period,” Hevner says, adding that the passion, knowledge and guidance Taroli has provided to the SPCA and other organizations is “invaluable.” Luzerne County District Attorney Stefanie Salavantis says even before she became district attorney, she knew Taroli from his reputation as someone “known for his dedication to help animals who have suffered from abuse and neglect. When I met him, I realized he was so much more.” The press release that accompanied the pro bono award called Taroli “a hero.” Taroli scoffs at the word. “There are people like Todd, humane officers like Wayne Harvey, Marge Bart at Blue Chip, who live this every minute of every day. They’re the heroes,” he says.� The Wilkes alumnus, a Wilkes-Barre real estate attorney by trade, has made a local, state and international name for himself in the animal rights realm. His heart, his checkbook and much of his free time are devoted to making sure the voiceless are heard. Taroli’s involvement is reflected in his board membership with the SPCA of Luzerne County; his work with rescue organizations in northeast Pennsylvania such as Blue Chip Farms Animal Refuge, Valley Cat Rescue or Modified K-9; and his role as a special Luzerne County assistant district attorney tasked with prosecuting animal cruelty cases. The Dallas, Pa., resident has shared his home with more than a dozen animals in his life, including Lilah, a German shepherd/collie mix who died in 2017 at the age of 16. “You always hear about dogs that are your soulmate,” Taroli says. “That was her.” But it was Laddie, his very first dog, that made an indelible impression on his psyche and steered him down a lifelong path of acting in the best interests of animals. His parents brought Laddie home to the family home in Kingston, Pa., when Taroli was 4. The two quickly bonded, but within a few years the dog had contracted distemper, which at that time was a death sentence. His parents sent Laddie to live with Taroli’s grandfather, who worked in the coal mines for decades and who was known as someone who could fix anything. Young Garry thought the dog could be fixed, too, but he learned that wasn’t the case. “Years later, when that scene came back to me, it was one of those things that really affected me,” he says. His love of animals was uncaged. Taroli majored in political science at Wilkes. While he still lived with his parents during college, the Wilkes swimming pool was his home away from home. A four-year member Garry S. Taroli ’76 confers with Big Mama, one of the dogs whose cases he has defended for the Luzerne County SPCA. WILKES | Fall 2018 The curtain has come down on the world’s largest circus. Sea World has stopped breeding orcas in captivity and states have cracked down on puppy mills. There are laws stipulating how long dogs can be kept outside in extreme weather. Garry S. Taroli ’76 has applauded the decisions, seeing each as a victory, not just for animals, but for humans, too. PHOTO BY EARL AND SEDOR PHOTOGRAPHIC • •• 27 •• •• �alumni news Alumni Association Welcomes New Board Members The Alumni Association Board of Directors welcomed six new directors elected to the board during the March 2018 meeting. They began their three-year terms in June. The six new directors talk about their favorite thing about their experience attending Wilkes and about what they like about being involved as alumni. Rich Albrecht ’05 WILKES | Fall 2018 Occupation: Assistant Director, Institute on Protective Services at Temple University 28 My favorite thing about my Wilkes experience was the “Wilkes experience.” On the academic side, taking Dr. (Robert) Bohlander’s class, “Critical Thinking in Psychology,” probably had the largest impact on me, personally and professionally. The second thing that stuck out to me was the atmosphere created by the faculty and staff of the psychology department; it is second to none. I enjoyed the opportunities to travel with Dr. Bohlander and Dr. (Deborah) Tindell attending psychology conferences and getting to know them on a personal level. Dr. (Ed) Schicatano’s contagious passion for neuroscience was a blessing and I am thankful for all the hard work in getting the neuroscience program approved as a minor and, subsequently, as a major. As an alumni board member, I am excited for the additional opportunities to interact with current students and alumni. While I’ve been involved with the mentoring program since its infancy, I am looking forward to those interactions in a variety of differing formats. Troy Carey ’16 Occupation: Information Security Analyst, NBT Bank I came to Wilkes as a freshman in 2013. During my time there, I quickly learned what made this University so special. The faculty and staff are one of a kind. They care about the students and truly want to see them succeed. I had so many professors who I relied on, in and out of class, to make my experience that much more successful. They helped me fulfill goals I didn’t know I was capable of achieving. The alumni board gives former students a unique way to give back to future students, staff, and faculty at a university that’s already given us so much. My time at Wilkes played a huge role in making me the person I am today, and I want to provide that same opportunity for current and future students. It’s also fun to connect with other alumni who I might not otherwise communicate with. This is such an engaging community of people to be a part of, and one that allows me to be an even closer part of Wilkes University. Neal McHugh ’86 Occupation: Manager of Environmental Affairs, Buckeye Partners I transferred to Wilkes after attending a community college and expected to feel like an outsider, but that was not the case. I quickly became part of the Wilkes family with the help of Deans George Ralston and Art Hoover, two men who mentored me during my time at Wilkes. I found that my professors would go the extra mile to help me be successful if I put in the work. Through my participation in Air Force ROTC, the First Aid Team, Student Government and as a resident assistant, I learned many valuable life skills and made lifelong friends. I welcome the chance to become a bigger part of the Wilkes family. I have been working with the mentoring program for a few years and joining the alumni board gives me a chance to become more of an advocate for Wilkes and assist in achieving the goals of the Alumni Association and the University. I think we can really expand alumni participation of the 1980s era alumni—my era—so I plan to make that a focus while I am a member of the alumni board. �alumni news Occupation: Registered Nurse I’ve always spoken highly of my time at Wilkes. Academically, I was prepared to head into my career as a nurse, well prepared to take on whatever job I chose and be successful. So many memories of studying in the library or drinking coffee in the commons added to the exceptional learning experience. I can never talk about my college experience without mentioning the friends I made and how we have a special bond and still remain friends. Returning for Homecoming is one of the highlights of every year for me. Social media has helped us stay close throughout the year, but the time we get to sit together and reminisce is so important to me. Living in Georgia, I sometimes feel so far away, but spending time with my Wilkes people brings me back to my roots! I always wanted to get involved with the University in some way and I am honored that I now have the chance through the Alumni Board. I’m hoping to contribute ideas to keep my fellow alumni interested in coming back to where it all started and celebrate the growth of our great University. Michael Scott ’93 Occupation: Proprietor, Nips Park Avenue Saloon As I take the time to reflect on my educational experience at Wilkes, I am profoundly grateful for everything that I have been blessed with, personally as well as professionally. When I chose Wilkes University, I had no way of knowing that I would be so truly fortunate to have forged the lifelong friendships my time at the University has provided me. My time at Wilkes prepared me to take on many different and challenging opportunities throughout my professional career. It is with great pride that I have introduced several student athletes to Wilkes, and I’ve enjoyed watching them evolve into outstanding young men and great representatives of the University. I am proud that I am able to serve the University that has blessed me with so much. Lisa Shafer ’01 Occupation: Senior Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement, Swarthmore College My appreciation for Wilkes has grown over time. My career in higher education advancement has allowed me to reflect, observe, and truly see the real value in Wilkes as an institution, not just for its students, but also for the region. I look forward to the University continuing to find ways for it to expand its reach, since it has so much to bring to the table. I am excited and honored to join the Alumni Association Board of Directors, because I see this as another opportunity for me to reconnect with Wilkes—learning from it yet again and hopefully contributing more to it this time around. MEET THE 2018 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT: HUNNTER MAXWELL Hunnter Maxwell PharmD ’22 was awarded the Alumni Association Scholarship for the 2018-2019 academic year. Both of Hunnter’s parents, Scott ’94 and Donna Dicton Maxwell ’93, are Wilkes alumni. Hunnter, a pharmacy student, is a student-athlete on the men’s soccer team and is involved in the Pre-Pharmacy Club. Learn more about our recipient by visiting: www.wilkes.edu/HunnterMaxwell Hunnter Maxwell, second from left, is pictured at the White Coat Ceremony in the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy with his siblings and his parents, Scott ’94, right, and Donna Dicton Maxwell ’93. WILKES | Fall 2018 Donna Chisarick Michael ’78 29 �giving back Two Alumni Give Back Through Professional Development Gneiss is a type of metamorphic rock. It’s also the name of a new scholarship started by two Wilkes alumni who wanted to give back to the University. It’s an appropriate name for a scholarship that will give a Wilkes student the opportunity to attend the Field Conference of Pennsylvania Geologists. Heather Shocker ’94 and Jason Sheasley ’93 established the GNEISS Scholarship—which stands for Geologic Networking Experience Initiated by Sheasley and Shocker. With the new geology major at Wilkes, the pair thought that it would provide a good professional experience for students. The two have been regular attendees of the conference for several years. It provides opportunities for geologists and geo-scientists to learn about the geology of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Shocker earned her master’s degree in geology from Michigan Technological University in 1997 and she is now the director of program management with DigitalGlobe, International Defense and Intelligence in Denver, Colo. Sheasley is a licensed professional geologist in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Florida. He is an associate and senior hydrogeologist with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. in Jacksonville, Fla. ABOUT THE GNEISS SCHOLARSHIP Applicants for the scholarship prepare a 500-word essay explaining why they would like to attend the conference. The recipient must give a short presentation to the Earth and Environmental Sciences Department about the conference to encourage other students to apply. Shocker and Sheasley would like to challenge fellow alumni to donate to the scholarship. “Our hope is that we will be able to send more than one student to the conference, offering them this unique experience,” they say. Alumni can donate WILKES | Fall 2018 to the scholarship by contacting them at gneiss. 30 scholarship@gmail.com. For more information about scholarships at Wilkes, contact Margaret Steele at 570-408-4302 or Margaret.steele@wilkes.edu. From left, Jason Sheasley ’93, Wilkes student Emma Sukowaski and Heather Shocker ’94 celebrate opportunities for geologists. “It is important for us to give back to Wilkes students because we both benefited from the generosity of others who were willing to share their knowledge and experience with us,” Shocker and Sheasley recall. “We believe we can make a difference by offering students tangible, real-world experiences and introduce them to others working in the geosciences field.” The conference provides both networking and educational opportunities. “The unique thing about the conference is that it involves traveling to various locations, like mines, quarries, road cuts, around the state to observe and study geologic features first-hand,” says Sheasley. He adds that students also have an opportunity to meet professionals in the industry and explore career opportunities. “The conference is very popular among Commonwealth geo-scientists and, for logistical reasons, the number of participants each year is limited to 275. In most cases, the conference is booked within a weeks’ time,” explains Sheasley. He and Shocker have arranged with the conference coordinators to secure a spot for a GNEISS Scholarship recipient each year. The first scholarship recipient was Emma Sukowaski, who is also the first declared geology major at Wilkes. The second recipient is Ryan Wysocki, a junior geology major. Sukowaski says attending the event helped her to refine career and graduate school choices. “At the conference, I learned that I had many options,” Sukowaski says. She is now considering attending graduate school or obtaining her professional geologist license and becoming a consultant. �class notes Andrew Bartlow ’10 Receives Postdoctoral Fellowship at Los Alamos National Laboratory L~Alamos Andrew Bartlow ’10 discovered a new world when he began conducting research as an undergraduate at Wilkes University. In his sophomore year he joined the laboratory of Michael Steele, professor of biology and H. Fenner Chair of Research Biology, and the experience changed his career path. “I was interested in veterinary medicine at the beginning of my undergraduate career,” Bartlow says. “I started doing research as a sophomore in Mike Steele’s lab and I didn’t realize that it was a profession I would like or that it was even a possibility.” Yet Bartlow has made research his career. He is currently a Director’s Postdoctoral Fellow at Los Alamos National “Having those skills and the basic foundation of ecology that I got at Wilkes...allowed me to explore different areas of research and be involved in a lot of cool projects.” - Andrew Bartlow ’10 Laboratory in New Mexico, the laboratory best known for the Manhattan Project and the development of the first atomic bomb. Andrew Bartlow ’10 presents research from his work at Los Alamos National Laboratory at the Western Asia Bat Research Network (WAB-Net), held recently in the Republic of Georgia. PHOTO COURTESY ANDREW BARTLOW Bartlow joined Los Alamos’ Bioscience Division as a graduate research assistant in October 2017 and applied for the highly for his work examining host/parasite interactions in the Great competitive fellowship in February 2018. He says that of more Basin Desert in western Utah. “They are all the same,” Bartlow says. “They are all biological prestigious fellowship, which provides research funding for communities. Whether it is a bird, microbial, or parasite up to three years. A community ecologist, Bartlow studies community, all the same concepts and skills apply. So I can biological communities and how environmental change, such as use those statistics and those methods and analyze the data climate change and habitat change, influences communities. the same way. Having those skills and the basic foundation Bartlow is currently researching bird communities in the of ecology that I got at Wilkes as an undergraduate, and Los Alamos area in relation to climate change and pine tree researching with Dr. Steele, allowed me to explore different mortality and is involved in projects studying the microbial areas of research and be involved in a lot of cool projects.” communities of people and animals. He describes himself as the Bartlow says it would be great to be converted to a scientist “stats person:” he analyzes collected data to identify patterns at the laboratory but thinks his ultimate goal would be to work and tests hypotheses related to ecological concepts. He hopes at a liberal arts school, have a few graduate students working to use this research to better understand how environmental with him, and work with undergraduate students as well. change impacts biological communities and if scientists can use certain communities as indicators of environmental change. Bartlow credits the education he received and the research He states, “I know the benefit of getting undergraduates involved in research. Being at Wilkes and seeing Dr. Steele and the rest of the biology department foster that undergraduate experience he gained at Wilkes for his career trajectory. research environment, I think I could do that myself. It’s After graduating from the University with a degree in biology, rewarding, benefits many people and gets potentially the best Bartlow pursued a doctoral degree at the University of Utah, people into science as a career.” where he studied parasite community ecology and received a prestigious National Science Foundation Research Fellowship – By Francisco Tutella MFA’16 WILKES | Fall 2018 than 30 applicants, he was one of five chosen to receive the 31 �class notes Andrew Seaman ’10 Earns Society of Professional Journalists Highest Honor Andrew Seaman ’10 attended the Society of Professional Journalists President’s Installation Banquet in Baltimore, “I think of journalism as something that is unchanging— what changes is how you get that information.” – Andrew Seaman ’10 Md., this September for the final time as the chair of the organization’s ethics committee. But what he thought would be a night of reflection turned into a celebration. Seaman was awarded the Wells Memorial Key for sure users are in the know. “LinkedIn wants to start putting achievement, awarded to the member who is judged to have that information out there to utilize that information for other served the society in the most outstanding fashion during the members,” explains Seaman, who majored in communication preceding year or over a period of years. studies at Wilkes. After earning his master’s degree from Columbia University’s with,” says Lynn Walsh, former Society of Professional Graduate School of Journalism, he was employed by Thomson Journalists president. “He is constantly available, timely with Reuters. As the senior medical journalist and then digital editor projects and just fun to work with. Andrew has a way of during his roughly seven years with the organization, he covered getting serious points across by adding in a bit of wit.” the Affordable Care Act, the White House and health policy. In 2014 Seaman became the chair of the organization’s Though the Wells Memorial Key was his lastest ethics committee. “It’s sort of surreal,” he says. “I wouldn’t achievement, Seaman also was previously recognized with have expected to be able to do that.” He first joined the three President’s Awards from the Society of Professional organization’s board of directors as a student member, and Journalists for his work chairing its ethics committee. then was named to the awards committee before chairing the Stepping down from his role at the Society of Professional ethics committee. He was part of the group which reviewed Journalists has allowed time for a new perspective, Seaman and edited the code of ethics which hadn’t been updated reflects. “It’s been a wonderful part of my life.” since 1996. The code provides the cornerstone for professional standards for all journalists. But since then, Seaman has shifted fields in the world of Seaman has been a journalist since his undergraduate career at Wilkes where he was the editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, The Beacon. “Wilkes was a fantastic education communications. He joined LinkedIn in May 2018. Seaman because it wasn’t big and you could do stuff right away,” he joined the company, touted as the world’s largest professional says adding, “That prepared me to jump in on projects.” network, as news editor. Based in New York City, he works He credits his Wilkes mentors for their support—and notes with a team to provide the news and views that members that it does not end at graduation. Part of his support network need to discuss what matters most in their fields. includes Andrea Frantz, who was an associate professor of “The way they approach journalism is unlike other tech companies—it’s really innovative,” he says. “I think of WILKES | Fall 2018 PHOTO COURTESY THE SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS Outstanding Service to the Society. It is the group’s highest “He is one of the most reliable people I have ever worked 32 Andrew Seaman ’10, at podium, accepts the Wells Memorial Key for Outstanding Service to the Society of Professional Journalists. journalism as something that is unchanging—what changes is how you get that information.” LinkedIn provides users with access to information from communication studies during his time at Wilkes, and Mark Stine, professor and chair of communication studies. “It’s fun to run into your Wilkes support network—to run into them in the city,” he says. “It’s good to have people from Wilkes with you throughout your career. Seaman says his leading professionals and industries in resources like the time at Wilkes, as well as his various internships and career LinkedIn Daily Rundown. Seaman explains that the team keeps experiences, have positioned him for what comes next. up to date with professionals and industry trends to make – By Sarah Bedford ’17 �class notes Undergraduate 1967 William Schmidt of Roseburg, Ore., and his wife Gretchen, spent the summer of 2018 working at the front desk of the Best Western Weston Inn in West Yellowstone, Mont. 1969 Robert Catina, of Effort, Pa., received the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division Liberty Bell Award. 1965 Leslie (Tobias) Jenkins of Aurora, Colo., and Jim Jenkins recently took a cruise to the Baltic countries including Russia. Leslie and Jim Jenkins are pictured in front of the iconic St. Basil’s Cathedral in Red Square, Moscow. The award was presented during the state association annual meeting in May in Hershey, Pa. The Liberty Bell Award honors individuals for their outstanding community service and for promoting the blessing of liberty guaranteed by the Constitution. After teaching business law at Pleasant Valley High School for nearly 40 years, Catina currently serves as tipstaff to President Judge Margherita Worthington of the Monroe County Court of Common Pleas. James Wills of Sterling, Va., was named the managing member of Phillips Strategic Advisors, a business development company specializing in Asian, Africa and Middle Eastern markets. 1970 Rabbi and Cantor Elliot Rosenbaum of Laredo, Texas, published his latest video, “Hashkiveynu,” which is available on YouTube. The project began in 2013 with the composing, recording and publishing on YouTube of 20 original songs based upon the liturgy of the Jewish Sabbath Evening Service. Rosenbaum began to republish in 2015, adding vocal harmony and instruments to each audio track. The videos are part of a whole album, “Friday Night!,” which was inspired by The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” Rosenbaum created the album to add accessible melodies to the cantorial repertoire to encourage those with limited 1976 1970 Carl Charnetski of Harveys Lake, Pa., professor of psychology at Wilkes, was recently honored by S.A.F.E. Inc. with the Angel of Autism Pioneer Award. Hebrew skills and to serve as a tool for students to learn the liturgy of the Sabbath evening prayers. 1974 Pamela Pethick Gale and Randall Gale of Camp Hill, Pa., have been married 44 years. Pamela is retired from teaching reading in the Camp Hill School District. She previously worked in the personnel office of the Pennsylvania Department of General Services. Randall is a partner in the Harrisburg, Pa., office of the law firm of Thomas, Thomas & Hafer LLP, where he has worked for the last 33 years. He previously worked in the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General and as a law clerk with the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Bruce Weinstock of Kingston, Pa., and his wife Nancy were honored on April 27 by the Wyoming Valley Children’s Association for more than 30 years of service. Joseph Jedju of Flagtown, N.J., was recently honored as general music teacher of the year for 2018 by the West Virginia Society for General Music. His award was presented in Charleston, W. Va., on March 9 before the start of the annual All State Children’s Choir concert. 1976 Barbara Gavlick Hartnett of Swoyersville, Pa., retired from her costume rental business Costumes by Barbara in March after over 30 years in business. She continues her love of costumes and theatre in her online ETSY shop “Surely You Jester.” Noel Jorgensen Cardew, Bouraine Meehan Smith, Mary Lou Murray Brady and Sandy Akromas Thomson—also known as the Wilkes College Barre Hall girls—got together in July at the Barley Creek Restaurant in Tannersville, Pa., for a mini reunion. 1978 Michael Heller of Marshall, Texas, was named a charter member of the newly formed Brig Gen Camp 5, Department of Texas, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War and has been appointed chaplain by the camp. WILKES | Fall 2018 1962 Ruth Melberger of West Pittston, Pa., conducted a tree tour of West Pittston in conjunction with the West Pittston Library. Area residents attended the 90-minute tour where Melberger pointed out different varieties of trees, including a magnolia tree rarely seen in this climate. 33 �class notes 1980 Mark Rado was presented with the Achievement Medal for Civilian Service by retired commander Sgt. Maj. Marshall Williams. 1982 Ruth McDermott-Levy of Villanova, Pa., received a Fulbright-Saastamoinen Foundation Health and Environmental Sciences Award for teaching and research. She will be at the University of Eastern Finland from August to December 2018. 1983 Margie Eckroth-Bucher of Bloomsburg, Pa., retired on June 30, 2017, from Bloomsburg University after 24 years. She was a full professor of nursing, and upon retiring was granted Faculty Emeritus status by the university’s council of trustees. WILKES | Fall 2018 Ellen Van Riper of Phoenix, Ariz., was promoted to the position of chief deputy city attorney for the City of Surprise, Ariz. 34 1984 Michael Williams of Liberty, N.Y., was recently appointed superintendent of schools in the Tri-Valley Central School District, in Grahamsville, N.Y. 1985 Timothy Williams of Lancaster, Pa., has recently been appointed the superintendent of the York Suburban School District in York County, Pa. He was previously the superintendent of the Westmont Hilltop School District in Johnstown, Pa. Earlier in his career he served in various school administrative roles in Lancaster County, Pa. Williams is pictured being sworn in as a commissioned officer by Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Pedro Rivera. 1987 Helen Barrett Snyder of Watstontown, Pa., recently married Robert Snyder. They live with their golden retriever, Cosette. They were married in Helen’s hometown church, Saints Peter and Paul in Towanda, Pa., and celebrated afterwards at her family’s Barrett Century Farm. She is the director of religious education at St. Joseph’s Church in Milton, Pa. 1988 Edward Nowicki retired from the United States Air Force on June 1, 2016, as a lieutenant colonel. His retirement ceremony was held at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. 1994 Lt. Col. Robert McAllister of Marlboro, Md., assumed command of the historic unit of the 1st Battalion 109th Infantry Regiment, 28TH Infantry Division. The Pennsylvania Army National Guard unit consists of more than 700 soldiers and is based in Honesdale, Williamsport, Tamaqua, Stroudsburg, New Milford, and Carbondale. It is the unit in which McAllister originally enlisted in 1991. McAllister previously had been assigned to the Army Capabilities Integration Center, Fort Eustis, Va.; which develops capabilities for the Army’s future force. He has served in Bosnia and Iraq and in homeland operations related to Hurricane Katrina and Operation Jump Start. 1990 Janice Saldukas-Parsons is an education associate in the Exceptional Children’s Workgroup at the Delaware State Department of Education. 1993 Daryle Cardone of Virginia Beach, Va., was named the executive officer of the USS George Washington, a Nimitz Class aircraft carrier, in Newport News, Va. He serves in the U.S. Navy. 1997 Shawn Harden of Blacksburg, Va., was promoted to senior associate at Dewberry, an engineering consulting firm. Previously, Harden was a civil engineering and land development expert with the Danville, Virginia, firm. Harden has been with the firm for more than 17 years, and is the civil and economic development department manager, responsible for leading an experienced team of engineers in the layout and design of industrial parks and commerce centers. Harden is currently overseeing the design of the SoVa Mega Site at Berry Hill, located in Pittsylvania County, Va. Brian Malina of Easton, Pa., started a new job as director of marketing and communications at the New Jersey Institute of Technology’s Ying Wu College of Computing. 1997 Sean Higginson of Saint Charles, Mo., was recently named president of Radiology Consultants of Lynchburg in Lynchburg, Va. 1998 Phillip Torres of Brooklyn, N.Y., a licensed respiratory care practitioner, is now practicing respiratory therapy at Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno, Nev. �class notes James Alfano Jr. ’15 Promotes Cultural Understanding With Fulbright James Alfano Jr. ’15 received the Fulbright U.S. Student “Taiwan is in the news or brought up occasionally, but only Program award to Taiwan in education. Alfano is teaching in the context of escalating tensions with China,” he says. “The English at Hualien City School Districts as part of a project citizens of Taiwan have been incredibly nice and considerate, to promote cultural understanding and language instruction despite my vast unfamiliarity with the Chinese language. to Taiwanese students. The award is presented by the U.S. I aspire to continue learning about their culture to truly Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign understand the values of both their citizens and students.” Scholarship Board. Alfano graduated from Wilkes with majors in When he returns, he aspires to teach his American students about Taiwanese culture in a more immersive way to remove history and secondary education. Alfano is one of over 1,900 U.S. citizens conducting research, misconceptions and stereotypes. In doing this, Alfano will teaching English and providing expertise abroad for the continue the Fulbright Program tradition of building lasting 2018-2019 academic year through the Fulbright U.S. Student connections between the people of the United States and the Program. Recipients of Fulbright awards are selected on the basis people of other countries. of academic and professional achievement as well as a record of “Ultimately, I believe this experience will make me not only a more culturally empathetic individual, but a more effective service and leadership potential in their respective fields. “I feel very thankful for the opportunity to teach in Taiwan teacher that can draw on real-world, first-hand experiences that are critical when discussing and provide English instruction while teaching their students about Western culture,” Alfano says. “It’s definitely a once-in-alifetime experience and I’m happy to represent my country and university in a way that’s impactful to students who are entering a “...I’m happy to represent my country and university in a way that’s impactful to students who are entering a very different, globalized world.” very different, globalized world.” concepts in high school social studies classrooms,” he says. – By Samantha Stanich MA’18 - James Alfano Jr. ’15 Alfano was nervous about how the citizens of Hualien would respond to him since it is a small city without much diversity. However, as soon as the Wilkes graduate set foot on foreign soil, everyone welcomed him and James Alfano Jr. ’15 is seen at the entrance of Chung Yuan Primary School in Hualien City, Taiwan, where he is teaching. PHOTO COURTESY JAMES ALFANO JR. helped make the cultural adjustment easier than expected. Alfano will be in Taiwan until June 30, 2019, spending almost a full year in Taiwan. Before leaving, he researched the country’s school system and learned how they feel about learning English. “I learned very quickly that it’s different from your typical American school setting,” he says. “I think having that prior knowledge allowed me to align my expectations properly and avoid getting too blindsided by the differences.” He credits his ability to adapt and learn in new, unfamiliar environments to what he learned at Wilkes. life,” he says. “There were challenges to overcome, and I believe the counsel I received from the education and history departments allowed me to persevere and find my own teaching style.” Alfano is hoping to learn about a culture that he believes “often goes unnoticed on the world stage.” WILKES | Fall 2018 “My student teaching seminar was incredibly helpful for preparing me for this, as that was one of the busiest times of my 35 �class notes 2006 Jason Bozinko and Sarah Doman-Bozinko of Swoyersville, Pa., welcomed their baby boy, Jackson Francis on April 16, 2018 2001 William Layo of Memphis, Tenn., is working for SAIC as an information strategic planning consultant for the City of Memphis. 2002 Sandra (Burke Porasky) Fassett of Shickshinny, Pa., had a chance meeting with the granddaughter of Wilkes’ founding President Eugene Farley. While Fassett and her husband were standing in line to enter Magnolia Market in Waco, Texas, owned by Joanna and Chip Gaines of HGTV’s “Fixer Upper,” they struck up a conversation with a young woman standing behind them. They learned that the woman’s grandfather was the founder of Wilkes College. WILKES | Fall 2018 2005 Darron Fadden of Scranton, Pa., and his wife Jessica, welcomed daughter, Cecilia Mae, on Aug. 22, 2018. She weighed in at 7 pounds, 6 ounces and was 21 inches long. 36 2007 Donna Talarico Beerman MFA’10 of Lancaster, Pa., recently was featured in a front-page story in the living section of LNP, Lancaster’s Sunday newspaper. The story was about Hippocampus, the online literary magazine that Talarico Beerman founded and edits, and Books at Hippocampus, a book publishing arm that her business launched in 2017. 2008 Mark Levy of Aventura, Fla., published a collection of 70 short essays, Trophy Envy, that he had broadcast on the public radio show, Weekend Radio. Wendy Miller of Muncy, Pa., was named assistant dean of health sciences at Pennsylvania College of Technology. In May, she completed her doctorate, receiving the Doctor of Education degree in educational leadership from Gwynedd Mercy University. 2009 Jonathan Hummel of Schuylkill Haven, Pa., began working as a staff accountant at Evans Network of Companies in April 2018. Prior to working with Evans, he was a staff accountant at Schuylkill Community Action. 2009 2008 Mark Congdon Jr. of Greensboro, N.C., graduated with a doctorate in communication with a concentration in social entrepreneurship in communication pedagogy and educational leadership from the University of Maine in May. Congdon accepted an assistant professor position at the College of Saint Rose in Albany, N.Y., beginning in fall 2018. Congdon is pictured at his graduation from the University of Maine with his Ph.D. co-advisor, Liliana Herakova, left, and University of Maine President. Susan J. Hunter, right. 2010 Jason R. Woloski of Plains, Pa., was promoted to assistant program director of the Geisinger Kistler Family Medicine Residency in Wilkes-Barre.Woloski continues to see family medicine patients at the Geisinger Kingston Outpatient Clinic and Geisinger Wyoming Valley Hospital. He also serves as a clinical assistant professor of family medicine for the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. 2013 Trisha O’Boyle Perrin of Swoyersville, Pa., wrote a children’s book, Luna the Rescue. It was published Feb. 15, 2018. Jeffrey Bauman of Duryea, Pa., accepted a position at Johnson College as an academic advisor. In this newly created position, Bauman will coach and counsel students through course selection as well as assess and measure student success based on retention and persistence to degree completion. Bauman completed his Master of Arts degree in higher education from Messiah College in spring 2016. He also was recently elected as a member of Duryea Borough Council for a four-year term. Bauman is pictured at his first meeting of the Duryea Borough Council. 2015 Rasha Shaker of Greater Nashville, Tenn., was promoted to research and engagement supervisor at Grayscale Marketing in Nashville, Tenn. Previously she was the advertising and marketing coordinator for the company. She is now a member of The Recording Academy, the largest professional organization in the music industry. 2016 Justin Davis graduated from University of Pennsylvania with a master of science in education degree focusing on policy and reform. �class notes Integrative media alumna Erin Gallagher ’13 of Kingston, Pa., has been creating visual representations of social media activity since February 2017. Her work has been gaining attention and has been featured on the online news site Buzzfeed. It recently earned her an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Company. Gallagher describes her work as “ongoing social media research.” She started her data visualizations to help others understand social media manipulation. “After the 2016 election there was a lot of fear about propaganda bots swaying public opinion and trolls nudging us to vote one way or another, or to not vote at all,” she explains. “So my original intention was to show people what Twitter bots look like, and I’ve done that a few times. But I’ve found that there is also value in showing people what our real human interactions on social media look like.” Describing her process, Gallagher says she downloads tweets for a hashtag or a keyword. She then creates a network graph of that Twitter activity using Gephi, an open source network visualization software that reveals patterns and trends in the data being researched. The result is a visual representation of a digital conversation shown by burst of color on a black background, resembling fireworks at night. Pictured below is a graphic reflecting the online activity around the hashtag #metoo, which exploded on social media amid news related to sexual assault allegations. It was featured in Artnet News in November 2017. – By Samantha Stanich MA’18 2017 James Brown of Scranton, Pa., started a business, The Brown Initiative, LLC., with his siblings, Christian and Dianna Brown. The performing arts company puts on shows featuring singing, dancing, and live music. The trio performs locally near their home in Daleville, Pa., and Scranton, Pa. In March, Brown continued his baseball career when he signed to a team in France that is part of the French Federation of Baseball and Softball. He signed a contract to play for the Metz Cometz for the 2018 season which will keep him in France until October 2018. Rachel Leandri of Wyoming, Pa., is the co-owner of the dance studio, Broadway on the Boulevard in Pittston, Pa., with partner Brad Chikowski. The studio was formerly known as the Pittston David Blight School of Dance. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was conducted by Wilkes University’s Small Business Development Center in August. A feature about the studio ran in the Times Leader online. Graduate 2001 Robert Catina MS, see undergraduate, 1969. 2006 John A. Bednarz Jr. of Shavertown, Pa., has been selected a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer for 2018 by Philadelphia Magazine. 2001 Sherri Maret MS of Chambersburg, Pa., recently published her book, The Cloud Artist. It is now a finalist for the 2018 Oklahoma Book Award. Sherri is a veteran English teacher and librarian and is now a full-time author. She taught in the Chambersburg, Cumberland Valley, and Shippensburg, Pa., school districts for 20 years. Another book is in the works for a release later on this year. Bednarz has received the honor for 10 consecutive years in the field of workers compensation law. 2010 Donna Talarico Beerman MFA, see undergraduate 2007. 2011 Sarah Doman-Bozinko MS, see undergraduate 2006. 2012 Liz Krewson-Ross MBA recently joined the team at the Evergreen Family of Companies in Wyoming, Pa., as the manager of marketing and social media. Prior to her current position, she was the marketing and communications specialist at NiUG International. WILKES | Fall 2018 Erin Gallagher ’13 Creates Graphic Images of Social Media Activity 37 �class notes In Memoriam 1940 Mary Elizabeth (Schwager) Burnaford of Lancaster, Pa., died on Dec. 21, 2018. She loved music and participated actively as a pianist. Annabel (Rosenheim) Morris of Kingston, Pa., died on May 19, 2018. She owned and operated A.E. Morris Jewelers in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., with her husband Abraham. 1954 Thomas Robert Adams of Nanticoke, Pa., died on Feb. 18, 2018. He served in the Navy for four years, ending his career as a lieutenant. 1946 Harriet B. (Brown) Schectman of Scranton, Pa., died June 29, 2018. She was an aging program representative for the Pennsylvania Department of Aging for Lackawanna and adjacent counties. 1950 Edwin Johnson of Dallas, Pa., died on Feb. 16, 2018. 1948 Elmo Clemente of Kingston, Pa., died on March 9, 2018. He was a member of the U.S. Navy, serving as an executive officer aboard the LSM 246 during the invasion of Okinawa in the South Pacific. He also served during the Korean War. He was a certified public accountant and co-founded the accounting firm Snyder & Clemente. Melvin H. Feltz of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., died on March 30, 2018. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps., 4th Air Force West Coast, for three years as a radio operator. He owned and operated an upscale women’s clothing store, The Hollywood Shop, in Wilkes-Barre. 1957 James E. Mark of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and St. Petersburgh, Fla., died on Sept. 23, 2017. He was an internationally renowned polymer chemist and was employed as a professor of chemistry by the University of Michigan. He also was a professor of chemistry at the University of Cincinnati and was the first honoree there to be named distinguished research professor. He published more than 650 research papers; and coauthored or coedited 24 books. He was the founding editor of the journal Computational and Theoretical Polymer Science. He received numerous honors including the ACS Kippling Award; the Flory Polymer Education Award; and the Reed Lectureship at Rensselear. WILKES | Fall 2018 1949 Joseph A. Hughes Jr. of Dallas, Pa., died on July 23, 2018. He served in World War II with the U.S. Army. He was also a professional engineer and principal in the Hughes Corp. and Home Fuel Corp. 38 Jack M. Kloeber of Harleysville, Pa., and Lansdale, Pa., died on May 8, 2018. He was a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army and a veteran of World War II. He was employed by Sordoni Construction in Forty Fort, Pa., and was a partner with Heddon Construction in Dallas, Pa. 1951 Shirley (Salsburg) Bernard of Forty Fort, Pa., died on May 9, 2018. 1952 Charles Augustine Caffrey of Williamsport, Pa., died on Jan. 12, 2018. He was in the U.S. Army where he served in Army Intelligence. After being honorably discharged, he worked for the National Security Agency as an analyst during the height of the Cold War. He earned a degree in law. 1953 Theresa B.(Cionzynski) Lastowski of Nanticoke, Pa., died on Jan. 13, 2018. She was employed by Mercy Hospital, Wilkes-Barre, Pa., as a medical technologist as well as by the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Plains Twp., Pa. 1958 William A. Zdancewicz of Edwardsville, Pa., died on Jan. 13, 2018. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. He also worked for the Girl Scouts and was a barbershop quartet singer. 1959 Lynne (Herskovitz) Warshal died on Aug. 1, 2016. 1960 Norbert ‘Bud’ Hysick of New Britain Borough, Pa., died on Nov. 16, 2017. He was a veteran with the U.S. Army and was stationed in Japan shortly after the Korean conflict. He was employed for 30 years as a salesman by the Joseph Dixon Crucible Company and later worked for the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board and Hatfield Auto Auction. 1961 Maurice D. James of Allentown, Pa., died on April 5, 2018. He was employed by the public accounting firm of Peat, Marwick and Mitchell. He and his wife owned and operated Ashley’s Greenhouses and Florist. Donald Radnor of Charlotte, N.C., formerly of Mountain Top, Pa., died on Feb. 24, 2018. He served in the Navy during the Korean War as a naval aviation electronics engineer, Air Transport Squadron 22. He was an insurance broker and served on the Crestwood School District School Board. 1962 Judy Lawrence of Nanticoke, Pa., and Dover, Del., died on March 27, 2016. She taught language arts and social studies at Central Middle School in Delaware for many years. �class notes Paula A. (Mesaris) Odell of Middlesex, N.J., and formerly of Exeter, Pa., died on April 2, 2017. She was a kindergarten teacher in Middlesex, N.J. 1966 Frank Malia Jr. of Forty Fort, Pa., died on April 16, 2018. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean conflict. He was employed by IBM and was a sales representative for Armour Pharmaceutical. 1968 Marianna (Tomassetti) Baldwin of Havertown, Pa., and Devon, Pa., died on March 2, 2018. She worked as an administrative assistant for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 1969 Fred L. Ford Jr. of Halifax, Pa., died on June 20, 2018. He was a U.S. Army veteran and served with the 759th Military Police during the Vietnam War. He was employed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Welfare, where he led the development of the Pennsylvania Department of Welfare Child Support website. He was a founder of the Heights Packers football team and the Wyoming Valley Junior Football Conference. Eleanor M. Krushefski of Hanover Twp., Pa., died on May 8, 2018. She was the choir director at Exaltation of the Holy Cross Church and made numerous operatic appearances locally and in other areas. Joseph P. McGraw Sr. of Shavertown, Pa., died on May 29, 2018. He was a U.S. Navy veteran and served in the Korean War. He was employed by the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare as an income maintenance caseworker. Katherine M. (Urban) Panzitta of Mountain Top, Pa., died on May 15, 2018. She devoted her life to the healthcare profession and worked with the Keystone Job Corps. 1970 Angelo O. Garofalo of Clarks Summit, Pa., died on May 30, 2018. He was employed as a music history professor at the University of Scranton as well as director of strategic initiatives by American Janitor and Paper Supply. Karen (Lewis) Harvard of Waverly, Pa., died on April 22, 2018. She was briefly employed by International Paper. She was a beautiful swimmer, a talented person with cross-stitch and yarn, and an avid reader and lover of animals. 1971 William H. Theurer of Lancaster, Pa., died on April 23, 2018. He served in the Army Reserve and was employed by Henkels & McCoy for 37 years. 1974 Mary B. (Becker) Marshall of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., died on April 19, 2018. She was employed by the state of Pennsylvania as a disability claims adjudicator for over 30 years. 1975 Hugh M. Richards of Dallas, Pa., died on March 11, 2018. He was a gas well farmer. 1977 Angie B. Chapasko of Ashley, Pa., died on March 14, 2018. She was a registered nurse for Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City; Wilkes-Barre General Hospital, Plains Twp., Pa.; Children’s Service Center, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.; and Northeast Counseling, Hazleton, Pa. Karen Line of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., died on Jan. 2, 2018. 1980 John Miranda of Richboro, Pa., died on Aug. 29, 2016. He was a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps. 1981 R. Malcolm Bowes III of Shavertown, Pa., died on April 16, 2018. He was a systems analyst and a special project manager for the United Postal Service. James W. Kearney of Laflin, Pa., died on June 20, 2018. He was a general agent with the Knights of Columbus for 38 years. Michael A. Kowaleski of Wyoming, Pa., died on June 21, 2018. He worked for Century 21 as a real estate broker. 1982 Mary Teresa Rondine of Plymouth, Pa., died on March 28, 2018. 1983 William Kopf Lourie of Mullica Hill, Pa., died on Feb. 18, 2018. He was employed by Brandywine Global Investments as a computer programmer in the Philadelphia area. James Dabney Watkinson of Richmond, Va., died on May 31, 2018. He was a U.S. Army veteran. He earned a doctorate in American history from the University of Virginia. He taught at various colleges in Virginia, including Virginia Commonwealth University. WILKES | Fall 2018 1964 Jennie A. (Moses) George of Wyomissing, Pa., died on July 29, 2018. She worked loading shells in a munitions factory during World War II. She also taught in the Wilkes-Barre Area School District for 27 years, much of the time teaching fourth grade at Dodson School. 39 �class notes 1985 Nancy J. Lane of Tunkhannock, Pa., died on April 23, 2018. She served as director of Wyoming and Sullivan County Conservation Department. Mike Lavage of Scranton, Pa., died on June 7, 2018. He worked at Iron City Sash and Door, Erie Materials and Harvey Building Products. 1989 Marilyn (Maslowski) Gruenloh of Pittston, Pa., and formerly Glen Lyon, Pa., died on April 30, 2018. She worked as a nurse in various psychiatric units throughout northeast Pennsylvania. She was also a travel nurse in New Jersey and North Carolina. WILKES | Fall 2018 1991 Thomas S. Chirkot of Swoyersville, Pa., died on June 11, 2018. He was employed as a general manager by Hebeler LLC, Tonawanda, N.Y. He was also a U.S. patent holder and a published author. 40 Susan (Dalton) St. Onge of Fanwood, N.J., died on June 21, 2018. She played on the first Lady Colonels soccer team at Wilkes. Her higher education career included positions at Franklin Pierce College, Rutgers University, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Princeton University and Stevens Institute of Technology, where she served as director of graduate admissions. 2003 Deborah Susan Gabriel Macri of Mountain Top, Pa., died on April 14, 2018. She was a health and physical education teacher for 18 years in the Crestwood Area School District. 2010 Katherine (Bialczak) Felker of Scott Twp., Pa., died on April 2, 2018. She was the principal at Evans Falls and Mill City elementary schools in the Tunkhannock Area School District. 2012 Andrea Yorina Vomero of West Wyoming, Pa., died on May 7, 2018. She was a registered nurse in the Wilkes-Barre General Hospital Intensive Care Unit for almost 30 years. 2017 Jessica Lynn Helfrich of Jacksonville, N.C., died on April 11, 2018. She worked for many years as a paralegal. Friends of Wilkes Welton Grant Farrar of Dallas, Pa., died on Aug. 15, 2018. He will be remembered by Wilkes alumni as a beloved professor of economics at the University for more than 40 years. An avid supporter of Wilkes athletics, he was elected to the Wilkes Athletics Hall of Fame. Farrar will be remembered as a fixture at Colonels football and basketball games and at wrestling matches. He earned his bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Pennsylvania and also studied at Harvard and Cornell universities. Farrar served in World War II as a member of the U.S. Navy. Frank Martz Henry of Dallas, Pa., died June 3, 2018. Henry was a member of the Wilkes University Board of Trustees since 1977. He was the recipient of Wilkes’ highest honor, the President’s Medal, in 2017. The honor is bestowed annually on an individual whose personal and professional life reflect the highest aspirations of Wilkes University. He had a distinguished career in the transportation industry. He was president of Gold Line, Inc. and served as the president of First Class Coach Company, Inc. He was chairman emeritus of the Wilkes-Barre-based Frank Martz Coach Company and the Martz Group companies. He served as that company’s president from 1964 to 1995. His generous support for Wilkes is reflected in the Henry Student Center, which serves as the center of campus life at Wilkes since its dedication in November 2001. It was named in honor of Henry and his late wife, Dorothea. Henry’s generosity is also reflected in the Frank M. and Dorothea Henry Gymnasium, named in May 1990 in recognition of their gifts to the Wilkes Tomorrow Capital Campaign. Henry served as a director of many local, regional and national companies. He was director of C-Tec Corp. and served as honorary director of Gray Line Corporation, Inc. and served as its director and as a member of First Union NE Pennsylvania Regional Advisory Board. Other companies benefiting from his leadership as director included Commonwealth Enterprises Inc. (CTE), Wachovia Corp., Wells Fargo and First Fidelity Inc. Henry was a past chairman and member of the Geisinger Health System Foundation Board of Directors, Salvation Army Advisory Board and past chairman of the board of trustees of the Wilke-Barre Family YMCA. Henry graduated from Yale University with a bachelor’s degree in economics. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran, where he served in the Strategic Air Command. John Horner of Forked River, N.J., and formerly of Hoboken and Waldwick, N.J., died on Jan. 18, 2018. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and served during World War II as a radio navigator and gunner. He also served in the Korean conflict as part of B-24, B-17 and B-29 air crews. He was one of the last Flyboys. �We are building the Gateway to the Future BRICK BY BRICK OPPORTUNITY BY OPPORTUNITY STUDENT BY STUDENT The Gateway to the Future Campaign aspires to raise $55 million to meet the goals of the University’s strategic plan of the same name supporting the following goals: CAMPUS ENHANCEMENT | ENDOWMENT | ANNUAL FUND There has never been a better time to contribute to Wilkes University. Join us in this effort by making a gift now! Learn More at www.wilkes.edu/campaign or text Wilkes to 565-12 For more information about ways to give, contact Margaret Steele, chief development officer, at 570-408-4302 or Margaret.Steele@wilkes.edu. �Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 calendar of events December 2 6 8 9 10 14-16 Civic Band Concert, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center, 3 p.m. Jazz Orchestra Concert, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center, 8 p.m. Flute Ensemble Concert, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center, 8 p.m. Choral Concert, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, South Franklin Street, Wilkes-Barre, 3 p.m. Chamber Orchestra Concert, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center, 8 p.m. The Nutcracker, Conservatory/Degnan Ballet Center, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center, Friday and Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. Through Dec. 16 Loud Silence: Expressions of Activism, Sordoni Art Gallery January 2019 6-10 Maslow Foundation Salon Reading Series, 7 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 6, Barnes & Noble, Public Square, Wilkes-Barre; Jan. 7-10, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center 15-March 1 Käthe Kollwitz: Peasant War, Sordoni Art Gallery 15-March 1 Holly Trostle Brigham: Sacred Sisters, Sordoni Art Gallery 20 Winter Commencement, Henry Gymnasium, Arnaud C. Marts Center, 1 p.m. February 9 Admissions Open House 21-24 Cabaret, Wilkes University Theatre, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center, Thursday-Sunday, 8 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 2 p.m. 28 Dave Eggers, author, Allan Hamilton Dickson Spring Writers Series, 7:30 p.m., Dorothy Dickson Darte Center March 2 Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science 11-16 Degnan Ballet Center 2019 Open House 23 Accepted Student Day April 2-May 18 Ukiyo-E to Shin Hanga: Japanese Woodblock Prints from the Syracuse University Art Collection, Sordoni Art Gallery 14 Bryan Stevenson, “American Injustice: Mercy, Humanity and Making a Difference,” Max Rosenn Lecture, 2 p.m., Dorothy Dickson Darte Center 27 Junior Admissions Open House May PHOTO BY KNOT JUST ANY DAY 18 Spring Commencement, Henry Gymnasium, Arnaud C. Marts Center, Graduate Ceremony, 10 a.m., Undergraduate Ceremony, 3 p.m. For details on times and locations, check www.wilkes.edu and www.wilkes.edu/alumni or phone (800) WILKES-U. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Magazine, Fall 2018 Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Marketing Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 2018 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Alumni Magazine, 1947-present Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Description An account of the resource <p>An archive of Wilkes University Magazine, from 1947-present. The magazine went through various names including <em>Wilkes Alumnus</em>, <em>Wilkes Quarterly,</em> <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, and the current title, <em>Wilkes Magazine</em>. Some editions for the <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, will have multiple issues within the file record. Our holdings may be missing editions for certain years due to having no physical copy within the collection. </p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Wilkes University Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Wilkes University Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1947-present Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Magazine, Fall 2018 Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Marketing Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 2018 magazine Wilkes Magazine https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/1cc54bbfa18110900959ee84a8f8160c.pdf 2b4609283fe3a2f1fda13939519e68e8 PDF Text Text FALL 2019 Woman of the World SIDHU SCHOOL PROFESSOR WAGIHA TAYLOR REFLECTS ON 50 YEARS AT WILKES INSIDE: FRANK PASSALACQUA ’15 HAS 1.28 MILLION YOUTUBE FOLLOWERS �president’s letter VOLUME 13 | ISSUE 2 Relationships Built at Wilkes Define the Campus Community S ince becoming interim president in August, I have had the great privilege of celebrating members of the campus community whose contributions have helped shape the University. As you read through this issue of Wilkes magazine, you will see that the campus recently remembered the lives of two University greats - Dr. Umid Nejib, founding dean of the school of science and engineering, and Dr. Francis J. Michelini, Wilkes College’s second president. With the naming of the Dr. Umid Nejib Flex Lab in the Mark Engineering Center in early October, Dr. Nejib’s legacy became part of the lexicon of the University. The dedication of the Nejib Flex Lab will remain a highlight of my time in the President’s Office, not only because Umid is so deserving of this honor, but also because it was a memorable occasion for my friend and former colleague, Barbara King, who was married to Umid. Earlier this fall, the Wilkes community lost Dr. Francis Michelini, more commonly known as simply “Dr. Mike.” After his passing, a standing-room-only crowd gathered together in Weckesser Hall to celebrate Dr. Mike’s life and career. Through memories shared by Dr. Christopher Breiseth, Dr. Thomas Kelly ’69 and Lisa Michelini Spengler, Dr. Mike’s daughter, we were all reminded of his strength of character and his generosity of spirit. Also during Homecoming weekend, we celebrated the contributions of Bob Bruggeworth ’83 with the official dedication of Bruggeworth Field at the Ralston Athletic Complex. The field is also the home to a new tradition for Wilkes Interim President Paul S. Adams ’77 Colonels — the ringing of a victory bell. When led the memorial service held in the victory bell rang — not once, but twice October for Dr. Francis Michelini. Wilkes’ second president. PHOTO BY — on the day of the dedication, we all took PATTY DEVIVA great pride in both the successes of our studentathletes who competed on the field, and in Bob’s accomplishments, which made these improvements possible. Now, with the publication of this edition of Wilkes, we recognize Dr. Wagiha Taylor and her remarkable 50-year career teaching students at Wilkes about the world of economics and business. As you read her feature, and the others in this issue, you will notice a common theme — relationships built at Wilkes have the power to enhance learning, both on campus and long after commencement. By recognizing individuals like Umid Nejib, Francis Michelini, Bob Bruggeworth and Wagiha Taylor, we also celebrate their devotion to Wilkes. It is my hope that by doing so, we will inspire the students of Wilkes today to become the leaders and visionaries of tomorrow. Paul S. Adams ’77 Interim President FALL 2019 WILKES MAGAZINE Interim University President Paul S. Adams ’77 Executive Director of Marketing Communications Kim Bower-Spence Senior Editor Vicki Mayk MFA’13 Creative Services John Csordas Executive Director of Communications and Graduate Marketing Gabrielle D’Amico ’04, MFA’17 Web Services Brittany Terpstra Communications Specialist Kelly Clisham MFA’16 Graduate Assistant Sarah Bedford ’17, MA’19 Layout/Design Kara Reid Printing Lane Press OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI RELATIONS Chief Development Officer Margaret Steele Director of Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving Leigh Ann Jacobson, CFRE Associate Director, Office of Alumni Relations Mary Balavage Simmons ’10, MBA ’16 Manager of Alumni Relations and Advancement Special Projects Jacki Lukas Eovitch ’11 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OFFICERS President Ellen Stamer Hall ’71 Vice President Matt Berger ’02 Secretary John Sweeney ’13 Historian Cindy Charnetski ’97 Wilkes magazine is published two times a year by the Wilkes University Office of Marketing Communications, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766, wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu, (570) 408-4779. Please send change of address to the above address. Wilkes University is an independent institution of higher education dedicated to academic and intellectual excellence in the liberal arts, sciences and professional programs. The university provides its students with the experience and education necessary for career and intellectual development as well as for personal growth, engenders a sense of values and civic responsibility, and encourages its students to welcome the opportunities and challenges of a diverse and continually changing world. The university enhances the tradition of strong student-faculty interactions in all its programs, attracts and retains outstanding people in every segment of the university, and fosters a spirit of cooperation, community involvement, and individual respect within the entire university. �8 12 21 16 24 contents FEATURES 8 Influencer Frank Passalacqua ’15 has found career success as a tech reviewer on YouTube. Woman of the World SIDHU SCHOOL PROFESSOR WAGIHA TAYLOR REFLECTS ON 50 YEARS AT WILKES INSIDE: FRANK PASSALACQUA ’15 HAS 1.28 MILLION YOUTUBE FOLLOWERS Wagiha Taylor brings a world view to her business classes in the Sidhu School. PHOTO BY KNOT JUST ANY DAY 12 Literary Citizen Donna Talarico ’05 MA ’09 MFA ’10 MA ’14 promotes creative nonfiction writing as the publisher of a literary magazine, books and through a national conference that she founded. 16 Campers to Colonel The Women Empowered By Science program introduces young women to science careers and draws some to study at Wilkes. 21 Woman of the World 2 On Campus 28 Alumni News 29 Giving Back 30 Class Notes Have a story idea to share? Contact us at wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu or Wilkes magazine, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766. Wilkes magazine is available online at www.wilkes.edu/wilkesmagazineonline Wagiha Taylor has spent a half century educating students at Wilkes. 24 Saving History Natalie Baur ’06 and Nicholas Zmijewski ’07 preserve the past for future generations in their work as archivists. fl~ !1S MIX Paper from responsible sources FSC®C022085 WILKES | Fall 2019 FALL 2019 DEPARTMENTS 1 �on campus Dedications of Bruggeworth Field and Nejib Flex Lab Highlight Homecoming Bruggeworth Field at the Ralston Athletic Complex was dedicated on Saturday, Oct. 5, highlighting Homecoming weekend. The nearly $8 million project includes a multipurpose turf field that will be used for men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s lacrosse and women’s field hockey. It also includes a new turf baseball field, a scoreboard, press boxes, and stadium lights for evening competition. The project was made possible by a leadership gift from Bob Bruggeworth ’83. The dedication of the field also marked the start of a new tradition: the ringing of a victory bell for winning Colonel teams at the field. Bruggeworth established the field in honor of his mother, who rang a bell to call the family together. Bruggeworth, who majored in electrical engineering at Wilkes, is president and chief executive officer of Qorvo, a global communications company headquartered in Greensboro, N.C. In addition, the engineering flex lab in the Mark Engineering Center was dedicated in honor of the late Umid Nejib. Nejib, the founding dean of the School of Science and Engineering and professor of electrical engineering, joined Wilkes in 1965 and died in July 2002. Later in his career, he laid the groundwork for the establishment of the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy. Clockwise from left, Bob Bruggeworth ’83 and his wife, Michelle, are greeted by Wilkes students before the dedication of Bruggeworth Field. Bruggeworth rings the victory bell for the first time at the new field. Bruggeworth, right, and his father, Bob Bruggeworth Sr., left, unveil the sign at the field. Barbara King ’81, wife of the late Umid Nejib and former associate dean of student affairs, greeted guests at the dedication of the Nejib Flex Lab in the Mark Engineering Center. PHOTOS BY KNOT JUST ANY DAY Dr. Umid R. Nejib DR. UMID R. NEJIB FLEX LAB WILKES | Fall 2019 ~rN/OCICJHf.f,ol0'9 2 �on campus College of Science and Engineering Receives National Science Foundation Grant Deborah Zbegner, dean of the Passan School of Nursing, was a keynote speaker at the World Congress on Nursing and Healthcare, held in July in Rome, Italy. Zbegner’s presentation, “A Dean’s Journey: Revitalizing a School of Nursing,” reviewed innovations and improvements that she has spearheaded since becoming dean in 2015. The conference theme explored innovations in nursing and health care. The event drew more than 300 attendees and included five keynote speakers and more than 60 other speakers, educational sessions and workshops. The proposal was crafted by a multidisciplinary team of faculty members from the College of Science and Engineering with a common goal of integrating computational technology with teaching and research. The team was led by Henry J. Castejon, professor and chair of mechanical engineering, and included Del Lucent ’03, associate professor of physics; Caroline Fortunato, assistant professor of biology; Bobak Karimi, assistant professor of environmental engineering and earth science; Sofya Chepushtanova, assistant professor of math and computer science and Abas Sabouni, associate professor of electrical engineering. “Interdisciplinary learning prepares our students for fulfilling careers while helping to advance scientific discovery,” said interim Senior Vice President and Provost Terese Wignot. “This award will continue our educational emphasis on mentoring and hands-on learning.” WILKES | Fall 2019 Nursing Dean Deborah Zbegner Keynotes International Conference Wilkes University’s College of Science and Engineering has been awarded a major research instrumentation award from the National Science Foundation. Totaling over $486,000, the award will help Wilkes acquire a high-performance computer cluster, a state-of-the-art tool that supports student-faculty research across a variety of science, engineering and mathematics disciplines. Acquiring the high-performance computer cluster will position Wilkes as the only institution in the region with such advanced computational facilities. The instrument will allow faculty and students to perform high-caliber research on the most demanding of computational problems, including climate and earthquake prediction, genomic analysis, artificial intelligence and drug design. Additionally, the equipment will allow melding of real-time modeling and simulation with classroom instruction, providing a more impactful student learning experience. The award will also support Wilkes in its outreach to high school students, promoting science to young people and instilling an interest in research and discovery. “On the heels of being ranked a national university by U.S. News and World Report, this is just another example of the talent and breadth of Wilkes University’s faculty,” said interim President Paul S. Adams. 3 �on campus Search Proceeding for Wilkes’ Seventh President The search for Wilkes’ seventh president is continuing, with the goal of having a new president in place by the start of fall semester 2020. Dan Cardell ’79, chairman of the University’s board of trustees and chair of the presidential search committee, updated the campus community in September about the status of the search. The firm Park Square Executive Search, which has been engaged to assist with the search, created a position description that captured the necessary qualities and characteristics for Wilkes’ next president. The description was based on meetings it held with the campus community in spring 2019 and on feedback from the presidential search committee. Park Square then engaged in an extensive national search to identify and recruit a diverse pool of candidates. In addition, members of the campus community nominated individuals who they felt would be a good fit for the position. In July and August, the search committee evaluated the entire list of qualified, interested candidates and narrowed the pool by identifying the candidates with the highest potential for success at Wilkes. Based on the advice of Park Square, a confidential search is being conducted to attract the best talent to Wilkes. During the fall semester, semifinalists participated in interviews with the search committee. “From this group, we anticipate asking two to three of these candidates to join us on campus as finalists for the position,” Cardell says. “While on campus, finalists will have the opportunity to meet with the presidential search committee, as well as leaders from various areas of campus, during confidential meetings.” Although the process will be confidential, it will still be participative. Select members of the Wilkes community, representing various campus constituencies, will be asked to meet with finalists and then share their feedback with the search committee. Final recommendations will be made by the committee to the Board of Trustees for their consideration. Members of the presidential search committee are faculty members Karim Medico Letwinsky, assistant professor and chair of the doctor of education program, and Eric Ruggiero, associate professor and chair of digital design and media arts; senior administrators Jonathan Ference PharmD ’03, associate provost, and Janet Kobylski, assistant vice president of finance and treasurer; students Hunter Hughes and Caroline Rickard; and board of trustee members Laura Cardinale ’72, Chuck Cohen and Bill Miller ’81. WILKES | Fall 2019 Kishan Zuber Named Vice President of Enrollment Management and Marketing 4 Kishan Zuber has joined Wilkes as the vice president of enrollment management and marketing. Zuber oversees undergraduate and graduate admissions offices, enrollment services, financial aid and marketing. With her leadership, Wilkes will continue to advance its overall enrollment strategy, creating one of the finest doctoral universities in the country. Prior to joining Wilkes, Zuber was the vice president of enrollment services at Wells College in Aurora, N.Y. At Wells, she developed a comprehensive recruiting strategy that consistently increased the number of first-year students and more than doubled the international student population. She previously served as the assistant dean of the graduate school at Binghamton University, State University of New York, where she grew graduate and international applicants and enhanced the academic profile of prospective students in more than 90 academic programs. “I am excited and grateful to join a nationally ranked institution known for its scholarly work, faculty-student research and civic responsibility,” said Zuber. “Wilkes University’s footprint extends well beyond the northeast region, educating students from across the country and around the world with premier undergraduate, professional and online programs. I’m proud to help promote Wilkes nationally and internationally.” Zuber earned her bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and her master’s degree in student affairs and diversity from Binghamton University, State University of New York. �on campus WILKES WELCOMES THE CLASS OF 2023 Wilkes welcomed the Class of 2023 during Welcome Weekend, the kickoff to the fall 2019 semester. 560 FIRST-TIME, FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS WOMEN: 296 President Barack Obama enjoys a personal moment with his wife, Michelle, under the watchful eyes of Secret Service members. The photo by presidential photographer Pete Souza is featured in the Sordoni Art Gallery exhibit. *One student chose not to identify gender. ~.,,,,,-- White House Photographer Pete Souza Visits Campus Launching Sordoni Exhibit ~.,,,,,-- 68 ~.,,,,,--.,,. TOP 10 PERCENT OF THEIR HIGH SCHOOL CLASS 4 5 VALEDICTORIANS ..- ( ...,.--......_../ (including Alaska for the first time!) SALUTATORIANS ...,.--......_../ 20 ...,.--......_../ STATES REPRESENTED J C12 .54% 43 % 26 (__ FOREIGN COUNTRIES REPRESENTED FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS* OF THE ENTERING CLASS J STUDENT ATHLETES *First in their family to attend a four-year college WILKES | Fall 2019 Legendary White House photographer Pete Souza spoke about his career as a chronicler of Presidents Barack Obama and Ronald Reagan in an Oct. 15 lecture at Wilkes. The speech was a prelude to the exhibition of his work, Two Presidents, One Photographer, which continues through Dec. 8 in the University’s Sordoni Art Gallery. It showcases 56 of Souza’s photographs and favorite images taken during his tenure as chief official White House photographer for the two presidents. Souza is a freelance photographer based in the Washington, D.C., area and is the former director of the White House Photography Office. He previously was a national photographer for the Chicago Tribune and a freelancer for National Geographic. He is the author of six photography books, including, “Obama: An Intimate Portrait,” which debuted at Number 1 on The New York Times bestseller list. It is one of the bestselling photography books of all time. His new book, “Shade: A Tale of Two Presidents,” was published in October 2018. The Sordoni Art Gallery is open Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.wilkes.edu/sordoniartgallery MEN: 263 5 �on campus Student Pharmacist Alexis Nicholson Named PQA CVS Scholar Wilkes University fourth-year student pharmacist Alexis Nicholson of Breinigsville, Pa., was accepted in the national Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) and CVS Health Foundation scholars program. Nicholson is one of just 15 student pharmacists across the nation to be accepted into the program based upon their research proposal. Mentored by Nicole Pezzino, director of community outreach in the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy, Nicholson’s research focuses on how pharmacists can best communicate with prescribers after identifying high-risk drug therapy problems (such as drug interactions and fall risk in the elderly). Since the national response rate is 33 percent, Nicholson’s goal is to learn how to increase that response. As a PQA-CVS scholar, Nicholson receives funding to attend two national conferences and access to national mentors to assist in her research. PQA and the CVS Health Foundation provide a $1,250 stipend to each student within the mentor-mentee pair to support their expenses to attend and actively participate in up to two PQA live meetings. Nicholson also will present a poster detailing her project results and present it at the PQA annual meeting in May 2020. NEWS@WILKES OFFERS UNIQUE PERSPECTIVES ON UNIVERSITY LIFE Take an insider’s tour of Wilkes interim President Paul Adams’ Weckesser Hall office. Get introduced to the Dogs of Wilkes — the canine companions of Wilkes’ faculty, staff and students. Grab a closer look at a campus head-shaving event that raised money for breast cancer research. These stories — and more — are featured on News@Wilkes, the official news Student pharmacist Alexis Nicholson was one of 15 student pharmacists in the country named to the Pharmacy Quality Alliance and CVS Health Foundation scholars program. site of the University. Check it out at news.wilkes.edu PHOTO BY SARAH BEDFORD ’17 MA ’19 NEW TRUSTEES WELCOMED WILKES | Fall 2019 The Wilkes University Board of Trustees welcomed three new trustees at the October 4 meeting. Pictured from left to right are Paul S. Adams, interim president, new trustees William Hanbury ’72, Tara Mugford Wilson and Lisa Isbitski Golden ’90, and Dan Cardell, chair of the board of trustees. 6 �on campus EPPIKOJ: NTYNAN Hospital Center Students who study abroad in Greece might talk about visiting a historic site like the Parthenon as a highlight of their trip. When Wilkes junior Jason DeBoard talks about the time he spent in the Mediterranean country, he remembers observing open-heart surgery, plastic surgery and more. DeBoard was able to get an international health care perspective through his participation in the Atlantis Fellowship. The fellowship is an intensive program abroad for American pre-med students. Fellows experience global health care through hospital shadowing rotations and prepare for medical school applications through reflective hospital observation, Wilkes junior Jason DeBoard, pictured above fourth in the second row, volunteering and medical humanities research. earned a Bierly Fellowship at Wilkes to study health care in Greece in summer 2019. PHOTO COURTESY JASON DEBOARD Another Wilkes pre-med student, senior Amina Mustafa, also gained valuable experience examining international health care issues through her study-abroad experience in Amman, Jordan. Mustafa spent seven Mustafa completed two weeks of weeks in the Middle Eastern country in the School for International Training’s classes that examined topics related to program examining refugees, health and humanitarian issues. While staying in Jordan, Syrian refugees in Jordan. Her last five she lived with a host family, enhancing her experience. weeks were spent in an internship with the Eastern Medical Public Health Network, also known as EMPHNET. She helped to analyze data from a survey assessing women’s knowledge “It was such an invaluable experience. There’s of health care issues, such as breast cancer. The data, which was shared no way I would have learned what I learned with UNICEF on completion of her in a classroom.” – Amina Mustafa assignment, will be used to determine what health education programs and services may be needed for a Wilkes senior Amina Mustafa looks back from her perch on a camel during vulnerable population. a summer study abroad trip examining “It was such an invaluable experience,” health care issues in Jordan. PHOTO COURTESY AMINA MUSTAFA Mustafa says of the internship. “There’s no way I would have learned what I learned in a classroom.” The experience has influenced her career plans. Mustafa is considering programs combining study to become a medical doctor with a master’s degree in public health. Both DeBoard and Mustafa received the Bierly Fellowship to fund their study abroad experiences. The Bierly Fellowship is open to full-time undergraduate Wilkes students in any major. Students may receive the one-time award to fund study abroad in their sophomore, junior or senior year. WILKES | Fall 2019 Bierly Fellowships Fund International Health Care Experiences for Pre-Med Students 7 �Frank Passalacqua ’15 has 1.28 million YouTube Followers WILKES | Fall 2019 By James Jaskolka ’16 8 �Frank Passalacqua ’15 still isn’t used to meeting his fans. “It’s such a bizarre experience,” he says. “I’ve probably met 20 or so people, just randomly, who recognized me from my videos.” Passalacqua has gained massive popularity with his YouTube channel, RandomFrankP, where he uploads tech reviews and videos and guides fans on room tours of impressive video gaming setups. His channel currently has 1.28 million subscribers. Producing its content is his full-time job. Opposite, Frank Passalacqua ’15 has built his YouTube channel, RandomFrankP, into a successful business. Above, surrounded by the tools used to create his videos, Passalacqua works in his studio, located in his Avondale, Pa., home. ALL PHOTOS BY DAN Z. JOHNSON WILKES | Fall 2019 Like many millennials, Passalacqua, who earned his degree in communication studies, grew up with YouTube and social media still in its infancy. He understood the way the medium encouraged user-generated content and developed an interest in video production. “I saw the potential for it, and I always wanted to have a viral video,” he says, citing comedy skits he would upload with his friends as a teenager. “There’s always been a part of me that wanted to be in that space.” As he grew up and his interests developed, Passalacqua’s YouTube channel became devoted to video games. His videos featured gameplay commentary and helpful hints for popular games. He posted infrequently but began to develop a small following. Things changed the first time he went viral. 9 �Passalacqua, seen editing one of his videos, can spend five days completing one. “... I figured I could take that summer off and work on the channel, treating it like a full-time job, doing everything I could to grow it and see where I was at…. I doubled my subscriber count in those two or three months alone.” WILKES | Fall 2019 – Frank Passalacqua ’15 10 One 2013 video, a rather profanity-laced clip of Passalacqua getting penalized in-game for cursing on a headset in the popular basketball game “NBA 2K14,” gained notoriety quickly. The clip was picked up by ESPN and Howard Stern, and received over a million views in only 48 hours. “It exploded overnight,” he recalls. With more eyes than ever on his channel, he began to post videos more frequently. Eventually, he realized there was a niche not being filled within the community: reviews for gaming accessories and peripherals, like wireless headsets and gaming keyboards. So, in an effort to give potential buyers information he wished he’d had, he began to post reviews of these items. “Before I’d buy something, I always looked at reviews, and there weren’t too many…so I would buy things that I wanted and review them myself. I noticed those videos started to do a lot better,” he says. “Once I saw that there was immediate interest in those peripherals in PC gaming, I figured I would start to do that more often.” One video, a comparison between two high-tech gaming keyboards, became incredibly popular, amassing more than 6 million views since its upload five years ago. Passalacqua saw the interest and knew he was on the right track. As Passalacqua continued to make videos, his channel grew in popularity, gathering advertisers and sponsors, and reaching 40,000 subscribers in a few months. With graduation quickly approaching, he knew he had a choice to make. “As I was applying for jobs, I looked at starting salaries in public relations and compared them to what I was making [from the channel] at that time. There was still a huge gap,” he recalls. “But I figured I could take that summer off and work on the channel, treating it like a full-time job, doing everything I could to grow it and see where I was at.…I doubled my subscriber count in those two or three months alone.” Since then, Passalacqua, who lives in Avondale, Pa., has turned his YouTube channel into a full-fledged career. This is made possible through a partnership he made with BroadbandTV, a multichannel network, or MCN. Similar to booking agents or management companies, MCNs will sell space in their clients’ videos to advertisers, provide them with music libraries for their videos, assist with strategies for audience growth and retention, pay for travel expenses and provide other services. This has allowed Passalacqua to receive a monthly payment from his videos. Passalacqua says he has gained income from sources other than his YouTube channel. He frequently creates marketing �says. “When I’m doing sponsored or branded content on my channel, it’s gonna be all about the company in the end, and when I make a product review, I need something that’ll appeal to the audience but also make the company happy.” Elmes-Crahall remembers her former student’s time as a board member for Zebra. She says his online persona differs from the off-screen student she knew. “He stood out immediately for two reasons: his tech savvy and his extremely strong analytical and team-building skills,” Elmes-Crahall says. “What might be most surprising considering his current YouTube following is that Frank was often quiet and thoughtful when faced with a question. But when he spoke, he had thought through many perspectives and offered great insights.” Having high-quality content and staying as up-to-date as possible have kept Passalacqua in the spotlight, but he credits consistency as the biggest factor in his success. He posts videos three times a week, usually on weekends, to best reach his target demographic. Most importantly, he committed to consistency when it mattered most. “If it wasn’t for me taking the time off at the end of college and treating it like a full-time job, who knows how far it may have gone, or how little it would have grown?” he said. “I knew that if I took a nine-to-five with 40,000 subscribers and didn’t focus on that, or learn what would become of it, I’d always wonder ‘What if ?’ I think I’m a lot happier now than I would have been working a job I didn’t like,” he says. “It was just a matter of taking that leap and hoping it all went well, and, thankfully, it did.”� Passalacqua’s studio is filled with tech toys and tools used in creating his YouTube channel. WILKES | Fall 2019 materials for companies he’s reviewed products for, like LG and Corsair. He makes videos and takes photos for these companies but never releases them on his channel, instead allowing the company to use them in product rollouts. Though it might be his dream job, Passalacqua emphasizes that it still is a job — and one that takes quite a bit of work, considering he remains a one-man operation. “There are no days off. I’m constantly checking emails or thinking of new video ideas, ways to try to get ahead of the curve,” he explains. Most of his work happens behind the scenes: writing, studio setup, filming and editing. Even the shortest videos require serious effort. “Someone will see an eight-minute video and think ‘Oh, this video took eight minutes to make’...but this one video I’m working on now, I’ve probably put in five 12-hour days already, and it’s a video that might not even perform well,” he says, laughing. Passalacqua credits his time at Wilkes for developing and fostering many of the skills he uses today. His coursework in journalism and public relations trained him to break down company press releases and formulate scripts quickly. His logo, now iconic to more than a million people, was originally sketched in an integrative media class with instructor Steve Husted. The biggest help, Passalacqua says, came from his time in Zebra Communications, Wilkes’ student-run public relations firm, with former professor of communication studies Jane Elmes-Crahall. “Zebra definitely helped me big-time, getting that real-world experience talking to companies to learn what they want,” he 11 �Literary Citizen ___ , __ _ ~ Donna Talarico Writes Her Own Story as a Publisher By Vicki Mayk MFA ’13 Donna Talarico ’05 MA’09 MFA’10 MA’14 remembers exactly when she came up with the name for her online literary magazine. She was sitting with members of her cohort in the Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing, brainstorming project ideas when it came to her. WILKES | Fall 2019 Hippocampus. 12 �Donna Talarico is the publisher of Hippocampus Magazine and Books by Hippocampus, and also leads the nonfiction writing conference HippoCamp. WILKES | Fall 2019 ALL PHOTOS BY ERIC FORBERGER 13 �T Talarico leveraged the magazine’s growing audience to start HippoCamp, a nonfiction writing conference, in 2015. Held at the Lancaster County Convention Center in the Pennsylvania city where Talarico lives, it draws more than 250 attendees from 29 states and four foreign countries. A list of keynote speakers at the conference includes Lee Gutkind, founder of Creative Nonfiction magazine, Mary Karr, author of the “The Liar’s Club,” and Tobias Wolff , author of “This Boy’s Life,” among others. At the conference’s heart is a team of dedicated volunteers and more than 40 sessions presented by writers at all levels of experience. Veteran New Jersey writer Lisa Romeo, author of the memoir “Starting with Goodbye,” is a frequent presenter at HippoCamp. She finds it unique among conferences. Romeo says, “From the very first day of HippoCamp conference, everyone was treated the same and felt valued. Everyone is part of the community there. This is because of Donna. It’s how she set this conference up. You very much have a feeling that the participants are coproducing the conferences.” Community is the word that comes up over and over again when people talk about Talarico. The other words most frequently used to describe her are “literary citizen” and “nice.” “She’s one of the kindest people I’ve ever met,” says Wilkes creative writing classmate and HippoCamp volunteer Angela Eckhart MFA ’10. Eckhart says Talarico’s success is a combination of perseverance, networking and an online platform that she has skillfully nurtured. Talarico, who also works as a freelance writer and content marketing consultant, took a few detours on her way to publishing success. She entered Wilkes as an undergraduate in 1996, but took time off to work full-time Talarico, seated at the book sale as a promotion director for a table at the HippoCamp conference, began publishing books in 2018. Wilkes-Barre radio station. A gig as an admissions representative for a trade school followed. She returned to Wilkes five years later to finish her bachelor’s degree in communication studies, and cites faculty Jane Elmes-Crahall and Andrea Frantz as influences. She returned to Wilkes in 2008 to earn her creative writing master’s degree while at the same time working at e-commerce firm Solid Cactus. The latter job proved invaluable since knowing how to establish and nurture an online presence has been integral to Hippocampus’s success. WILKES | Fall 2019 he hippocampus is the tiny, seahorse-shaped part of the brain associated with memory. It was the perfect name for a publication that would showcase creative nonfiction — a genre which often focuses on work based on memory. Nearly a decade later, Hippocampus Magazine (www.hippocampusmagazine.com) draws between 20,000 and 30,000 visitors to its site each month to read essays, book reviews and craft articles, all focusing on creative nonfiction. There are 9,000 subscribers to its email list that announces when issues go live and trumpets calls for submission. While the internet has spawned a proliferation of online journals, the bimonthly Hippocampus has emerged as one that has caught the attention of readers and writers. In 2020, the publication will celebrate a decade of publishing new and established writers. It has since spawned HippoCamp, an annual literary conference, and a small press, Books by HippoCampus, which has published six volumes. “The first time it hit me that we might have something people were paying attention to was when I heard someone say, ‘Hippocampus published me!’ I know we’re not top tier like The Sun,” Talarico says, citing one of the literary world’s most respected publications. “But someone was proud to be in our magazine.” Allison K. Williams, a writer and editor based in Dubai, says the publication fills a niche. “There aren’t a lot of lit mags that are respected but not impossible to get into,” Williams says. “It’s important to have a magazine like Hippocampus with quality writing that’s still able to accept submissions from writers without agents or big-deal reputations.” 14 �Talarico takes a moment to chat with an attendee at the nonfiction writing conference, HippoCamp, that she runs in Lancaster, Pa. “I feel so grateful that my manuscript was published through Hippocampus,” Fish Ewan states. “I hear a lot of horror stories about working with heavy-handed editors or publishing houses that see writers as small cogs in the big business machine of bookmaking. Donna took my manuscript and brought it into publication with tender care and as I had created it.” Some colleagues were surprised by Talarico’s decision to publish books in print. “That might be where the ‘gutsy’ comes in,” she says, referencing the fact that some say the era of publishing books in print is past. “We’re seeing book publishing moving in the direction of audio books and ebooks and online. People have asked me ‘Why are you publishing books?’ If I had money, Hippocampus would have been a print magazine. I always imagined we’d do an annual print edition or anthology.” “From the very first day of HippoCamp conference, everyone was treated the same and felt valued. Everyone is part of the community there. This is because of Donna.” – Lisa Romeo, author of “Starting with Goodbye” What might seem like risk-taking actually has been a measured strategy. Talarico introduced the writing conference five years after the magazine started. She announced her book publishing endeavor at the first conference, where she had a built-in audience for the first anthology. She likens building her business to the time she watched a friend’s family open a restaurant in the Poconos. The restaurant was almost-but-notquite finished, when it opened. “They weren’t trying to be perfect. They just tried to grow as they were doing it,” she says. Slow but steady progress has been her mantra. She remembers an interview with country singer Kenny Chesney, who had his first big hit after having minor success with earlier albums. The singer noted the value of those more modest beginnings, saying it’s sometimes better to start slow. “He said, ‘Take off like a rocket, fizzle like a rocket,’ ” Talarico says. “It always stuck with me.” WILKES | Fall 2019 “The common thread in my career was that I was always there when something was going to change. I got into e-commerce when it was just starting,” she says. “It has always helped that I’ve been an early adopter and been able to have a skill that others didn’t have at that time.” Talarico says that early experiences hinted that writing and nurturing other writers would become her life’s work. She wrote for The Beacon at Wilkes and freelanced for local newspapers in Wilkes-Barre. She tried her hand at starting an entertainment Web site, NEPAnights.net, and self-published an anthology, “Kids, Have You Seen My Backpack?,” a collection of essays about people who went back to school as adults. After earning creative writing degrees, she became director of integrated communications at Elizabethtown College. While there, she reconnected with Kevin Beerman ’01, who she first met when they were Wilkes undergraduates. They married in 2012 and he’s familiar to attendees at HippoCamp, working the registration desk and troubleshooting technical problems. Talarico left her college job in 2015 to concentrate on her own writing, her literary endeavors and to do freelance consulting. She earned another Wilkes master’s degree — this time in publishing — in 2014 as she prepared to launch her independent publishing company, Books at Hippocampus. The first book published under the Hippocampus banner was “Selected Memories: Five Years of Hippocampus Magazine.” Two other anthologies, “Air,” a collection of essays about radio, and “Dine,” an homage to diners, have followed. The first books Talarico has published by solo authors are “Dig: A Personal Prehistoric Journey” by Sam Chiarelli ’08 MFA ’14 and “By the Forces of Gravity,” an illustrated memoir by Rebecca Fish Ewan. Both writers affirm that publishing with a smaller publisher is a writer’s dream come true. 15 �• CAMPERS TO WILKES | Fall 2019 COLONELS 16 Women Empowered By Science Camp Launches Science Careers By Sarah Bedford ’17, MA ’19 �Squeals and giggles erupt from room 219 of the Cohen Science Center. Inside the “You Be the Vet” lab, Wilkes senior Morgan Tarnalicki lifts her two furry lab assistants, white rats Fish and Chips, from their cage. Tarnalicki and Wilkes senior Bridget Regan, both biology majors, are running the veterinary lab, hoping to inspire the attendees at the Women Empowered By Science Camp to share their interest in veterinary science. Using the long-tailed critters and two pups named Bo and Derby is working: The elementary-aged girls can’t don their stethoscopes fast enough. Commonly referred to as WEBS, the program gives female students entering seventh and eighth grades the opportunity to investigate many areas of science through hands-on laboratories and activities. Now in its eighteenth year, the program has expanded to offer opportunities for high school girls. Two WEBS campers, Dallas School District seventh graders Adriana Kopalek and Gina Pugliese, affirm the program’s success. The two first-time campers hope to return. “I find science really interesting,” Pugliese says. “There are so many types of science and ways you can learn it. It’s just really fun to do.” With their yellow draw-string bags filled with worksheets, lab goggles and snacks, the students-turned-scientists attended labs like “Wizards of Physics,” “Rainbow Density” and “Neuroscience: Brain Cake and Icing.” WEBS provides both an opportunity to explore the many fields of science and an introduction to Wilkes University. “I first heard of WEBS in sixth grade when Deb Chapman (faculty of practice in biology) came to my elementary school,” sophomore Holly Jones explains. Jones has participated in WEBS as both a camper and volunteer. “Deb heard that I was coming to Wilkes and asked me if I would be interested in becoming the student coordinator.” Her answer was an enthusiastic yes. “I had the job before I completed any college credits,” the biology major says laughing. She has been able to relive her WEBS experience when her niece, Raine Coury, a seventh grader at Schuylkill Haven Middle School, decided to attend the camp. “It’s really cool because we get to talk about it,” Jones says. Although the emphasis on hands-on labs has stayed the same, WEBS has grown and transformed since it began some 18 years ago. BEDFORD ’17 MA ’19 Right, seen from left, Wilkes senior Kierstin Parricelli is coached by Megan Bucher Ruhmel ’09, senior research technician at ExxonMobil, in a lab with campers Julia Godfrey and Tessa Kopetchny. PHOTO BY CURTIS SALONICK Far right, Dallas School District seventh graders Adriana Kopalek and Gina Pugliese test their coding skills during the robotics lab in Stark Learning Center. PHOTO BY SARAH BEDFORD ’17 MA’19 WILKES | Fall 2019 Above, WEBS campers Persayis Horvath and Jevahnie Hernandez share a laugh with their four-legged lab instructor. PHOTO BY SARAH 17 �First WEBS Are Spun WILKES | Fall 2019 In 2001, a parent approached Les Turoczi, former Wilkes biology department chair, to find ways to involve local middle school girls in science laboratory activities at the University. That conversation spawned the WEBS after-school program, which is still held in the fall and spring semesters. Fifty girls from participating school districts come to campus once a month to do labs covering various fields of science. Chapman estimates that 1,800 students have participated after school since its inception. Chapman and Professor of Biology Michael Steele saw the need to expand the program because of research showing that young women are often deterred from the sciences. According 18 to a study by Microsoft that included a sample of more than 6,000 females from ages 10 to 30, over 75 percent of girls who participate in hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities outside the classroom feel a sense of empowerment. That finding drops to under 50 percent for those who only experience STEM activities in the classroom. To offer more opportunities, the first WEBS summer camp began in 2009 with the support of a Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant. WEBS was just one element funded by the $1 million grant, which allowed Wilkes to launch new initiatives to creatively engage students in biological sciences. “It allowed faculty and students to offer this outreach program for middle school-aged girls,” Steele says, who was the primary author on the grant. “Several of the campers entering 11th and 12th grade are considering Wilkes for their undergrad degrees. Those students are interested in pre-med, chemistry, engineering and environmental science.” – Shealyn Marino, research assistant in biology �From left to right, campers Robin Stitzer, Avery Kozerski, Jamie Timlin, Kiley Kondraski and Lily Shymanski introduce themselves to white rat lab assistants Fish and Chips. Campers Khristian Banks, Ava Putnam, Megan Ruhmel and Shariah Yearwood test the law of gravity during a lab. Camper Avery Kozerski checks lab assistant Bo’s heart rate during the “You Be The Vet” lab. Deb Chapman, faculty of practice in biology and director of the WEBS program, addresses the campers during the opening session of the weeklong camp. PHOTOS BY SARAH BEDFORD ’17, MA’19 AND CURTIS SALONICK WEBS 2.0 and 3.0 Chapman never thought WEBS would grow in such a way. “When we first started, it was just supposed to be a one-year camp,” Chapman says. Soon girls were asking how they could remain involved once they completed middle school. The solution was WEBS 2.0, which targets rising ninth-grade girls who have successfully completed two years of WEBS Camp and wanted to return to assist current campers. WEBS 3.0, which launched in summer 2019, has been established for rising high school sophomores through seniors. Shealyn Marino, research assistant in biology, had been tasked with creating programming for WEBS 3.0, including new lab activities for the older girls. “Several of the campers entering 11th and 12th grade are considering Wilkes for their undergrad degrees,” Marino explains. “Those students are interested in pre-med, chemistry, engineering and environmental science.” Opposite page, inset, creating an oil spill and learning best practices of clean-up was the goal for campers Maia Costagliola and Kaitlynn Keller during the “Oil Spill” lab. Sophomore biology major Neha Metgud worked as a student coordinator with Jones focusing on community outreach and donations. She started her WEBS journey as a camper in seventh grade and hasn’t left. She acknowledges the long-term benefits of the program — including a renewable WEBS scholarship to study sciences at Wilkes. Students who have participated for two years as campers and one year as a volunteer and then pursue a degree in nursing or science are eligible for the scholarship. WILKES | Fall 2019 Since then, the support of community sponsors such as UGI and internal funding from Wilkes Student Government has supported WEBS’ growth. Twenty girls attended the first WEBS summer camp. Eleven years later, the number was capped at 132 in 2019 when lab capacity was met. Right, Tatiana Schlifka tries levitation during the “Wizards of Physics” lab. PHOTOS BY SARAH BEDFORD ’17, MA ’19 19 �“The WEBS camp has completely changed my life. Working for the program made me love Wilkes… and I was able to form lasting connections with all professors, students and faculty at the University.” – Margaret Galatioto ’18 Life After WEBS Top photo, from left to right Elizaveta Graydus, Chloe DeGraffenreid and Raine Coury do an inventory of the skeletal system during the “Bone Hunt” lab. Middle, camper Kaylee Shaw and Wilkes Associate Professor of Biology Valerie Kalter rearrange bones to form the skeleton during the “Bone Hunt” lab. TOP PHOTOS BY SARAH BEDFORD ’17, MA ’19 Bottom right, WEBS keynote speaker Megan Bucher Ruhmel ’09, center, blue shirt, poses with all the campers and counselor. PHOTO BY CURTIS WILKES | Fall 2019 SALONICK 20 Chapman knows that the camp does wonders for the girls who attend. But student leaders from Wilkes also benefit. She says, “When group leaders that have been with me in the past interview for medical and professional schools or jobs, they are asked, ‘What’s WEBS camp?’ ” Ashley Wojciechowski ’19 served as a student coordinator for WEBS — something she thinks has put her ahead of her peers. “Not many college students can speak to having managerial experience before graduating,” Wojciechowski says. Now she’s employed as chief scribe by the emergency department at Geisinger Wyoming Valley. Margaret Galatioto ’18 agrees. Galatioto has recently completed her master’s degree in physiology and biophysics from Stony Brook University and is applying to medical school. She became involved in the camp as a first-year Wilkes student and was student coordinator. She continues to offer assistance in any way she can. “The WEBS camp has completely changed my life,” Galatioto says. “Working for the program made me love Wilkes… and I was able to form lasting connections with all professors, students and faculty at the University,” she says. Such comments reflect the program’s impact. WEBS students of the past, present and future experience the vast world of science on the Wilkes campus, Steele says. “Deb Chapman has created one thing after another to build this lineage, exposing young women to science from middle school to beginning college.”� �Woman of the World Wagiha Taylor is Wilkes’ Longest Serving Faculty Member By Andrew Seder Sidhu School Professor Wagiha Taylor teaches international business and is known for taking students on her annual spring break trip to Europe. WILKES | Fall 2019 ALL PHOTOS BY KNOT JUST ANY DAY 21 �W agiha Taylor, Ph.D., Wilkes University’s longest serving full-time faculty member, marked her golden anniversary this year and shows no signs of slowing down. She bristles when someone dares mention the dreaded “R Word.” “I will never retire,” Taylor says. “I could never survive sitting around.” Her husband, Merlin Gene Taylor, retired years ago after teaching physics at several universities, including American University in Cairo, Egypt, Wilkes and Bloomsburg University. “He never asks me to retire,” Taylor says with a smile. “He knows better.” The Egyptian-born Taylor still loves what she does and her passion for, as she calls it, “molding brains” is as strong as ever, perhaps even stronger. Abel Femi Adekola, dean of the Sidhu School of Business and Leadership, called Taylor “Wilkes University’s treasure.” He says she has served as a role model for not only students but colleagues, himself included. Some faculty have returned to teach after retiring, but only Taylor has remained so long as full-time faculty. WILKES | Fall 2019 Wagiha Taylor’s office in the University Center on Main is filled with five decades of mementos from her career and her travels. 22 While some criticize members of Generation X or Y, Taylor appreciates them and believes that, thanks to social media, globalization and involvement in politics, today’s college student has a “broad-mindedness” she admires. When she first started teaching, students had a very local mindset. There was little diversity among students in the classroom or their professors. But, as that has changed and students have become accustomed to interacting with those of different religions, ethnicities and nationalities, she believes a stronger student has emerged, more ready to tackle the ever-changing world of business and economics. Taylor, who has taught economics since 1969, jokes that she has taught so many local bankers that her husband tells her she could never rob a bank. “They could all identify me. They all know me.” While some might get bored teaching at the same university for five decades, Taylor, a mother of three who drives a bright blue Porsche and is known for wearing large, opulent, dangling earrings, says she never loses interest in her job. Assuming new roles and new responsibilities has helped. In addition to teaching, she has served as dean of graduate studies, assistant dean of the School of Business and Economics, associate dean of the School of Business, Society, and Public Policy and more. “Change is good for the mind. You can be in the same place but doing completely different things every few years is important,” Taylor says. �TOUR PROFESSOR WAGIHA TAYLOR’S OFFICE ON NEWS@WILKES Posters and prints from around the world, seen left, are part of the colorful collection in Sidhu Professor Taylor’s office. Visit her space and see her collection in the “Office Visits” feature “Change is good for the mind. You can be in the same place but doing completely different things every few years is important.” – Wagiha Taylor, Ph.D. One of her former students, Bernard K. “Buck” Mallan ’71, was a business administration major who credits Taylor and his Wilkes education for his successful career as a commercial insurance salesman, from which he retired in 2010. “Little did I realize as I sat in her classroom so many years ago that her subject material would be so relevant in my business career,” says Mallan, who lives in upstate New York and Jupiter, Fla. The two caught up at Homecoming 2018. “I was overwhelmed when I saw Dr. Taylor at homecoming. So many years had gone by and yet here I was talking to one of my profs from my college days and she was still part of the faculty. I was blown away,” he says. Mallan missed out on what Taylor considers her pride and joy, an annual spring break international trip that draws 50 students for a three-credit course called the “International Business Experience.” After trying to start the class in 2000, she was determined to offer students this potentially life-altering experience and found success relaunching it in 2004. While classroom learning is important, the real-world education the students get for those 10 days is invaluable. Students have visited the United Kingdom and various European countries. “We’re not living in the United States only anymore. It’s an international culture now. International business has changed. The world has changed. And students are eager to see the world. Twenty-five years ago they were not. They were too local-oriented,” Taylor says. If anyone has a worldly view, it’s Taylor. As a girl growing up in Cairo, she learned English and thought about being an ambassador to the United States. Her father, Mohamed Saleh Abdel-Gawad, a judge, and her mother, Nasima Abdel-Gawad, a homemaker, encouraged her. As a college student, she enrolled in a program that would bring the best of the best to America to further their education. “The U.S. government used to give scholarships to prospective bright young students overseas and I won one,” Taylor recalls. She came to America and earned her master’s degree in economics at Brown University and a Ph.D. in economics at Clarke University. She met and married her husband and eight years after she first arrived in America, they headed to Egypt to see her parents. “I went back with a Ph.D. in one hand and a husband in the other,” Taylor says. Her husband took a teaching job at American University in Cairo but they soon returned to the States, where he took a job at Wilkes. A few months later, she did too. He left but she remained. She’s served under six — soon to be seven — Wilkes presidents and nine United States presidents have occupied the White House since she came to Wilkes. She likes presidents and politics. She has pins on her desk from the Clinton/Gore campaign and also one from Trump/Pence. She proudly has pictures of herself with former Egyptian presidents Anwar Sadat and Hosni Mubarak. Her office in the University Center on Main is adorned with posters depicting Paris, Moscow and Rome. She also has a bookshelf filled with mugs, glasses and other mementos from her international travel. “I have been very lucky,” Taylor says. “I have lived a very good life.” Of her many accomplishments, one stands out. In addition to being, at one point, the only female full professor at Wilkes, she’s also had the honor of being the only female to carry the university mace at graduation ceremonies. It’s an honor that goes to the University’s longest serving and highest ranked faculty member. For 15 years, she has been that person. “There’s something to be said about experience. There really is,” Taylor says. WILKES | Fall 2019 online at news.wilkes.edu. 23 �WILKES | Fall 2019 Saving 24 �History Wilkes Alumni Build Careers Preserving the Past Opposite page, Natalie Baur ’06 works as an archivist in Mexico City, which she first visited as a Fulbright Fellow. PHOTO BY JACKIE RUSSO This page, Nick Zmijewski ’07, pictured in front of the remnants of Bethlehem Steel’s blast furnaces, works as an archivist for the Industrial Archives and Library. WILKES | Fall 2019 By Rachel Luann Strayer MFA ’12 PHOTO BY DAN Z. JOHNSON 25 �I f Natalie Baur ’06 and Nicholas Zmijewski ’07 have one thing in common, it’s that history is a part of their past. “I was always into old stuff,” says Baur, recounting trips to estate sales and antique shops with her mother growing up. She even did Civil War reenactments, though the authentic clothing held more interest for her than the battles themselves. “I liked looking at history in a creative and artistic way.” Zmijewski also got his introduction to antiquities through a parent. “My father was an amateur photographer,” he says, “so I got dragged around to coal mines, steel mills, railroad yards.” This led to Zmijewski’s own involvement in photography, and through it, his fascination with old photographs. “It’s a large part of what drew me to become an archivist.” Both Baur and Zmijewski are proud of their roles in preserving history for future generations. Here’s a glimpse at the lives of two Wilkes graduates who turned their fascination with the past into careers for the future. Natalie Baur ’06 WILKES | Fall 2019 PRESERVING INCREDIBLE LIVES 26 When Natalie Baur first came to Wilkes, the only records she planned to keep were medical ones. “Wilkes had an excellent pharmacy program,” she says. “And my family wanted me to do something practical.” But Baur wondered if her love for history, writing and cultural exploration could be a career instead of a hobby. Baur switched to a history major, adding minors in English and anthropology under the guidance of professors Diane Wenger and John Hepp. “It’s not so different from pharmacy,” Baur laughs. “I’m just cataloguing different things.” Baur’s path has been as diverse as the history she preserves. A semester-long internship at the Howell Living History Farm in New Jersey led to a relationship that took her to Ecuador for two years, where she became fluent in Spanish. After completing a master’s degree in history from the University of Delaware and a master of library science degree from the University of Maryland, Baur was offered her first job as an archivist with the Cuban Heritage Collection at the University of Miami. Four years later, she received a Fulbright Fellowship to study digital preservation in Latin America, specifically in Mexico. While researching in Mexico, Baur was offered a position with El Colegio de México, as their first digital preservation librarian. But it was a horseback ride through the woods that would lead to the next twist in her career. At home in Mexico City where she is surrounded by historic architecture, Baur says that archival work combines her love for history, writing and cultural exploration. PHOTO BY JACKIE RUSSO Friends on that ride told Baur about a local man with a film archive she might find interesting. At the time, Baur had no idea that the man in question was Carlos Martínez Suárez, an award-winning documentary filmmaker who had recorded sociopolitical issues in Mexico since the 1980s. His primary collection of raw footage documented Rafael Sebastián Guillén Vicente, also known as Subcomandante Marcos, and the Zapatista National Liberation Army’s 1994 rebellion in Chiapas, Mexico. Suárez was the official cameraman of the movement, recording interviews from both sides of the conflict. Baur approached the project with urgency. “The longer something like that sits on a hard drive, the more likely it is to break down,” she explains. She was able to acquire copies for El Colegio de México, effectively preserving the historic footage. “That was a turning point,” she says. According to Baur, the Suárez project allowed the university to secure grants and funding for further digital preservation and storage, which can sometimes be difficult. “If the money dries up, the files might not be updated and the data could be lost,” Baur says. While she is still a consultant on the Suárez project, Baur left her position in August to pursue another new adventure: teaching. She now works for Escuela Nacional de Conservación, Restauración y Museografía, teaching in the Master of Archival Management Program. She also designs and teaches online classes in digital preservation for Library Juice Academy. �Nicholas Zmijewski ’07 A PERSONAL CONNECTION Nicholas Zmijewski always knew he wanted a degree in history, but he had no idea where it might take him. Fortunately, he had Wilkes mentors John Hepp and Joel Berlatsky to set him on the right track. “It was Dr. Hepp who helped me get the internship,” Zmijewski says, referring to his summer at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, Pa., after which he was hired as a tour guide. It was Zmijewski’s experience scanning and digitizing negatives as a staff photographer and photo editor for Wilkes’ student newspaper, The Beacon, that prepared him for his next career step. When the museum’s nonprofit branch, Friends of the Railroad, received a grant to digitize 2,600 photographic negatives, Zmijewski was a natural fit for the job. Under the grant, he preserved closer to 7,600 negatives. Zmijewski was then hired full time. One of his favorite experiences at the museum was finding a negative of a photo taken by his father. “I called my dad and asked him, ‘What were you doing in Philadelphia on August 3, 1966?’ ” His father responded, “I wasn’t in Philly that day.” Zmijewski enjoyed telling him that he had photographic evidence to prove otherwise. Zmijewski only works sporadically with the Railroad Museum these days but he still lives in Lancaster with his wife, Allison Zell M.S. ’16, and their 11-month-old twins, Zoe and Logan. Three days a week he drives to Bethlehem, where he works for Industrial Archives and Library. The organization’s mission is to collect, organize, conserve and preserve industrial records and to make them available for education and research to historians, scholars and the public Some of the artifacts he’s worked with include original reports from Bethlehem Steel’s first chairman, Charles Schwab, as well as building plans for a bridge he used to drive past in his hometown of Cranford, N.J. “There are a lot of personal connections,” he says. “I’m doing something I would have done as a hobby anyway.” Just like Baur, Zmijewski has diversified his experience by furthering his education and getting involved in numerous organizations. He is pursuing a master’s degree in archives and records administration from San Jose State University and is a member of the Society of American Archivists, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference and vice chair of the board of governors for ArchivesSpace. He has been published in Railroad Museum’s magazine, Milepost, and the popular hobby magazine Ralifan and Railroad. Zmijewski says starting out at a small institution is valuable for someone entering the archival field. “You learn how to do everything,” he says, “and you learn how to do it on the cheap.” He notes that technology has impacted his field, just as it has changed many others. He goes on to explain that 50 years ago, archivists were only working with paper and film. Now an archivist should expect to work with all types of digital materials as well. “There are a lot more opportunities if you know how to handle a lot of different materials.” That personal connection comes in handy too. “You do a better job if you’re interested in what you’re doing.”� With Bethlehem Steel’s blast furnace soaring behind him, Zmijewski says he feels a personal connection to the history he preserves. PHOTO BY DAN Z. JOHNSON WILKES | Fall 2019 Baur is also exploring new ways to preserve history. Recently she served on the advisory board of DocNow, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving content posted on social media. She hopes the next generation will prioritize digital preservation as well. “It’s something I like on a personal level,” she says, “being close to people who made history or witnessed it. People who lived incredible lives.” 27 �alumni news 2019-2020 Alumni Scholarship Recipient: Lacey Bradshaw ’20 This year’s Alumni Association Scholarship recipient is Lacey Bradshaw ’20, an electrical engineering major with a minor in physics. Lacey’s dad, Mark Bradshaw ’96, attended Wilkes and encouraged her to look more closely at his alma mater. “From the moment I stepped onto Wilkes’ campus I knew that it was the school for me. After only being here for a few months, I convinced my sister to apply to go to Wilkes too. Now she is a sophomore in the pharmacy program,” says Lacey, who is expected to graduate in May 2020. On campus, Lacey is involved in Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and Society of Women Engineers. She’s also worked in the Admissions Office, the Disabilities Support Services Department, and as a teaching assistant in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Physics. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT WILKES? The friendly atmosphere on campus. It’s amazing how many people I wave hello to in one day. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR MOST REWARDING OPPORTUNITY HERE AT WILKES? The engineering department allows students to take small lab classes and to use equipment while learning. This is a huge opportunity that has prepared me for my future career field. I have been grateful to have this small class-size setting. WHAT DO YOU DO FOR FUN? DO YOU HAVE A ROLE MODEL? I like to explore nature by hiking and kayaking when the weather permits. On bad weather days, I love to read and bake. There are a lot of high-achieving people in my life that I look up to, but my main role model has been my dad. He is an engineer and has a great work ethic. WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE? HOW DOES RECEIVING THE ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP HELP YOU AND YOUR FAMILY? My future plans involve achieving my degree from Wilkes and later becoming a licensed professional engineer. I hope to work in a technology-driven career that will be based off of my studies at Wilkes. The Alumni Association Scholarship is awarded annually to a current Wilkes undergraduate student (freshman, sophomore or junior) who has had a parent or grandparent attend Wilkes and has at least a 3.0 GPA. Applicants must have a FAFSA on file. This scholarship will allow me to have a significantly smaller financial burden in the coming year. I will be able to focus more on my studies because I will not have to work as much to finance school. WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO UNDERCLASSMEN? I would suggest that every student at Wilkes find what they are passionate about and pursue it. Wilkes offers so many opportunities that not every student knows about. LEIGH ANN M. JACOBSON, CFRE JOINS ADVANCEMENT TEAM WILKES | Fall 2019 Leigh Ann Jacobson joined the Wilkes Alumni and Development team this summer to serve 28 as director of alumni engagement and annual giving. Jacobson is a certified fund raising executive (CFRE) with 20 years of fund development experience. In her role, she will develop and manage programs to engage alumni in meaningful ways to deepen their relationship with Wilkes and to grow alumni philanthropic support. Jacobson can be reached at Leighann.Jacobson@wilkes.edu or (570) 408-4608. �giving back The Class of 1969 Makes an Impact in 2019 December 31, 2019, of any amount, to any area of Wilkes, count as part of the Class of 1969 reunion campaign. Stinger, a first-generation college student, says that staying involved in the Wilkes community is important. “If you were fortunate enough to receive assistance from Wilkes, you should consider giving back. It’s also a way to help others succeed and achieve their goals.” Glancey added that, “Opportunities like the Wilkes experience do not happen by accident. The experience should be continued and shared.” Having fond memories of their time at Wilkes encourages graduates to participate as alumni. Burke, Catina and Zeglarski all look back fondly on their time at Wilkes and reminisce about things that impacted their lives. Burke, also a first-generation college student, says, “My professors made a lasting impression for more than 50 years and serving on this committee is a way to say thank you to Wilkes.” Catina, a retired educator, says that the liberal arts education received at Wilkes is so important. “My exposure to many things at Wilkes that I had never been exposed to before in my life made me a better educator and a better professional. Wilkes epitomizes what it means to get a liberal arts education.” “Well, I don’t have any great memories of studying for my history exam,” jokes Zeglarski, recalling the challenges of academics. “I dormed with my classmates in tight quarters before the new men’s dorm was built, and that made for some great, long-lasting memories and friendships.” Pawlush, who is also a member of the University’s Board of Trustees, is grateful for Wilkes and attributes his successful career in health care marketing and public relations to his Wilkes education. “I am grateful to the faculty and administrators who mentored me and the experiences gained from my involvement in extra-curricular activities. I feel that I was well-prepared to meet the many challenges during my career,” Pawlush says. More than 20 alumni from the Class of 1969 returned to campus to celebrate their Golden Anniversary in Weckesser Hall on Saturday, Oct. 5. The event was made possible through the involvement of members of the 50th Reunion Committee. PHOTO BY KNOT JUST ANY DAY Do you have a reunion coming up in 2020? Get involved by contacting the Office of Alumni Relations. Email: alumni@wilkes.edu, Phone: 570-408-7787. WILKES | Fall 2019 The class of 1969 celebrated its 50th Reunion during Homecoming 2019. The Office of Alumni Relations recruited a committee of six class members, representing a range of majors and interests, to help plan a reunion event that would create unique and lasting memories for the Golden Colonels. Pat Burke ’69, George Pawlush ’69, MS ’76, Bob Catina ’69, Nancy Wanczyk Stinger ’69, Bob Zeglarski ’69, and Mike Glancey ’69 were members of the Class of 1969 50th Reunion Committee. Throughout the Homecoming and reunion planning process, committee members are asked to join calls periodically where they’ll learn about the plans for the reunion, and reach out to their classmates to encourage participation. The group reflected on their time at Wilkes and what it means to be a member of the committee. Glancey says the opportunity to join the committee is a good way to “help catch up with friends, both old and new, in a relaxed and positive atmosphere.” “The more input there is, the better the chances there are for great results,” he says. The committee members agreed that the same opportunities they had in 1969 should be available to today’s Wilkes students. To help support current Wilkes students and the progress at the University, the group fundraised around the occasion of their 50th Reunion. Gifts made between June 1, 2019, to 29 �class notes Megan Bucher Ruhmel ’09 Researches Fuels of the Future for ExxonMobil If biofuels derived from algae ever replace diesel “I’m in the lab every day doing some sort of test. The algae don’t sleep. They grow like crazy.” in our trucks, Wilkes alumna Megan Bucher Ruhmel ’09 might have a hand in making it happen. Ruhmel is a senior research technician at ExxonMobil, where her days consist of testing and analyzing the productivity of algae for the company’s Algae Biofuels Program. She and her research colleagues are working - Megan Bucher Ruhmel ’09 to find ways to dial down the protein and dial up Above, Megan Bucher Ruhmel ’09, a biofuels researcher for ExxonMobil, returned to campus this summer to speak at the Women Empowered By Science Camp. Below, Ruhmel shares her passion for science with girls in one of the camp’s labs. PHOTOS BY CURTIS SALONICK the fat in algae through protein and genetic work. “Remember,” Ruhmel says. “Oil is fat.” The normal strains of Ruhmel, who was the keynote speaker of the Women algae have a lot of protein. Algae biology is very challenging Empowered By Science (WEBS) Camp in July 2019, can’t so researchers are working to develop and apply genetic remember a time when she was not fascinated by science. tools to engineer algae strains that can one day be scaled up. When visiting her grandmother’s house, her first stop was the The eventual goal is to take this science from the lab, to the bottom bookshelf to pick up where she left off in the science greenhouse, to producing 10,000 barrels a day. book collection. As a child, her favorite question was “Why?” “I’m in the lab every day doing “I would always be asking questions: Why is the sky blue? some sort of test,” says Ruhmel. Why, when you put these magnets together, they attract each “The algae don’t sleep. They grow other, but when you turn them around, they repel each other? like crazy.” Why does the ocean look blue but when you get in, it’s clear?” Exxon worked to publicize this While at Wilkes, she fell in love with the laboratory setting program by creating YouTube videos and the faculty helped her to facilitate her energy, and prepare and Ruhmel, who comes equipped her for stepping out into the real world. She names Wilkes with biology faculty Debra Chapman, Valerie Kalter, Kenneth an energetic and bubbly personality, even starred in one. She Ruhmel’s path to ExxonMobil was not a direct one. “A lot of and explains the work she does. It people just assume that you graduate and you get your dream sounds complicated, but as Ruhmel job, and that’s just not the case.” She worked at three different explains to her interviewer, Farrah, companies before being recruited by ExxonMobil, which was WILKES | Fall 2019 it’s relatively simple and algae could be a better source of fuel 30 Klemow, Jeffrey Stratford and Michael Steele as influences. was interviewed by a 6-year-old girl looking for qualified candidates with genetics experience. for future generations. In the video, Ruhmel explains that this Ruhmel has also faced some challenges as a woman in program is trying to find the most productive strain of algae science, but she encourages other women in STEM fields to that produces enough oil to create fuel. (To view the video, log keep challenging themselves and pushing their way into the on to YouTube and search School of ExxonMobil/algae) room by asking, “Why can’t women do what men can do?” – By Jacki Lukas Eovitch ’11 �class notes 1951 Nicholas Heineman of Palm Coast, Fla., recently celebrated his 90th birthday. He has been retired for 15 years. 1965 Steven Paradise and Jane Paradise ’66 have moved to Canal Walk in Somerset, N.J. They have both retired. 1966 Jane Paradise, see Steven Paradise 1965. 1972 Catherine ChandlerOliveira of Saint Lazare, Quebec, recently won the Richard Wilbur Award for her fourth book of poetry, “The Frangible Hour” (University of Evansville Press). Her first book, “Lines of Flight” (Able Muse Press) was shortlisted for the Poets Prize. Her fifth book, “Pointing Home,” will be published later this year by Kelsay Books. Her website is cathychandler.blogspot.com. 1979 Joseph P. Lavelle of Washington, D.C., was recognized by The Best Lawyers in America, a peer-reviewed ranking recognizing lawyers for their professional excellence across the United States. He has more than 25 years of experience litigating patent cases and is currently employed by DLA Piper, a global law firm. 1981 Elizabeth DeCosmo Dean ’82, MBA ’85, formerly of Occoquan, Va., has relocated to the Wilkes-Barre area and been named executive director of the Irem Temple Restoration Project. She previously served as board chair of the Prince William Chamber of Commerce. Dean has been recognized with various awards including “Influential Woman of Virginia” and the Ethel Georges Labor of Love Award. 1982 Andrew Bloschichak of Harrisburg, Pa., was appointed by Gov. Tom Wolf to serve a three-year term on the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s Health Policy Board. As a board appointee, he will serve as an advisor on regulations and other healthrelated issues. Bloschichak currently serves as the senior medical director for Capital Blue Cross. Alvin Bauman of Carlisle, Pa., has retired as senior policy analyst from the Department of Veterans Affairs. He is now performing acoustic music at local venues near his residence. He posts updates on his performances on his FaceBook page, JustAlvinsMusic. 1983 Amy Elias of Knoxville, Tenn., is the recipient of a named fund, the Amy J. Elias Founders Award, awarded by The Association for the Study of the Arts of the Present. The association is an international 1976 Mary Ellen (Dwyer) Jolley MA ’94 of Nanticoke, Pa., was recognized by the League for Innovation at Luzerne County Community College. She was involved in the project, College Ready Math Program, which was recognized as the 2018 Innovation of the Year Award winner for the community college. The program was developed to help high school students enhance their college-ready math skills. Pictured from left are Rosana Reyes, a current Wilkes doctor of education candidate and vice president, enrollment management and student development; Mary Ellen Jolley ’76, MA ’94, off-campus programs specialist; and Nicole (Layaou) Saporito ’94, professor and chair, mathematics and engineering at the community college. 1981 Peter Steve of Plymouth, Pa., was selected as the Northeast Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Advertising Federation’s Silver Medal Award recipient recognizing his lifetime of achievement within the marketing and advertising community. The award was presented on March 1, 2019 at the Westmoreland Club, Wilkes-Barre. Steve is the owner and chief creative officer of Ideaworks Marketing in Wyoming, Pa. scholarly arts organization started by Elias in 2009. The organization’s scholarly journal, published by the Johns Hopkins University Press, was founded by Elias in 2016 and has won three national awards. In 2017, Elias was appointed director of the humanities center at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and also continues her faculty appointment as professor in the English department. WILKES | Fall 2019 Undergraduate 31 �class notes 1991 Shelley (Umbra) Pearce of Los Angeles, Calif., presented at an international tele-summit in March 2019. Entitled “Dharma and the Evolution of Conflict,” the five-day symposium highlighted renowned teachers, authors, religious educators, and psychologists presenting their unique views on conflict, compassion, and healing our divides including integral theory founder, Ken Wilber. 1993 Jason Langdon is now a senior vice president in the enrollment division of Ruffalo Noel Levitz. He previously worked at the College Board. 2000 Jason Evans of Lahaina, Hawaii, is the producer of Xploration Awesome Plant. The program was nominated for a daytime Emmy award in the category of outstanding educational or informational series. Evans has been the producer of Awesome Planet for all five seasons its run. This is his third year with an Emmy nomination and fourth Emmy nomination over the past 5 years. The photo, taken by Evans, is from a 2018 shoot about shark conservation in Fiji. In the shot is the host, Philippe Cousteau, an underwater camera person, and the dive safety team. 1994 Nicole (Layaou) Saporito – see 1976 WILKES | Fall 2019 1992 32 Lee Morrell was recently named manager, advertising and public relations for Mercury Insurance, a provider of home, auto and business insurance. In his role, Morrell will work with the company’s multiple external agencies to craft messages that position the company within the competitive insurance space. Under Morrell, those agencies manage public relations, marketing, social media, advertising and video creation. He also will work with the company’s multiple sports marketing and entertainment initiatives to ensure these relationships continue to draw traffic and new customers. Morrell joins Mercury following four years as public information officer for the Saugus Union School District, a 15 school, elementary-only district in northern Los Angeles County. He lives in Saugus, Calif., with his wife LeeAnn and daughter Sydney, as well as a menagerie of three cats and two dogs. He is pictured cherry picking with his wife and daughter in Leona, Calif. Debbie Yendrick is beginning her 21st year teaching at LincolnHubbard School in Summit, N.J. After being a classroom teacher for 20 years, she will be a basic skills teacher for reading and math. In May 2012, she was named Lincoln-Hubbard’s Teacher of the Year. 1998 Phillip Torres of Elk Grove, Calif., is now a registered respiratory therapist at Sutter Medical Center in Sacramento, Calif. 1999 Lucia Piccolino of Scranton, Pa., recently started her own business, AutoBahn Title and Tag, in June 2018. 2001 Angelina Cardoso of Bridgeport, Conn., accepted a position as the director of curriculum development and implementation at Great Oaks Charter School in Bridgeport. Previously, Cardoso was an educator for the Diocese of Bridgeport for 14 years. More recently she was a math teacher and curriculum enthusiast at a charter school in Bridgeport. �class notes Matthew Reitnour of Kenmore, N.Y., was recently promoted to associate athletic director for communications at Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y. Reitnour, who has served as the college’s lead athletic department spokesman since 2006, is entering his 19th year at the institution. 2004 Nicolle Nyzio of Media, Pa., published an opinion article in the Daily Times in Delaware County about the importance of encouraging STEM education for girls. She is the corporate environmental, health and safety coordinator for Heraeus for the Americas region, including sites in Yardley and West Conshohocken, Pa. 2008 Stacie Gogo of Rockaway, N.J., performed at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C. with the Pushcart Players in “Stone Soup and other Stories.” Gogo appeared Off-Broadway as a Kit Kat Girl in “Cabaret” at The Players Theatre, as Penny Pingleton in “Hairspray” at the Westchester Broadway Theatre, in the ensemble of “Grease!” at the Surflight Theatre and in international tours. 2006 Lauren Pluskey McLain MBA ’10 has been named associate vice president for institutional advancement and senior director of development and campaign at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre. She previously was managing director and director of development for the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts. 2002 Stefanie Taylor and husband, Andrew, welcomed their third child on March 6, 2019. His name is Alexander Joseph Stephen and he has two big sisters, Mackenzey and Ellyson. 2009 Heather (Chulick) Gogas of Wilkes-Barre, married Matthew Gogas ’10 on May 25, 2019. The ceremony was held at Firwood United Methodist Church with a reception held at The Mary Stegmaier Mansion. WILKES | Fall 2019 Katie (Pearson) Desiderio MBA ’03 of Allentown, Pa., was recently honored at the Lehigh Valley Business Forty Under 40 Awards Ceremony, as one of the Greater Lehigh Valley’s most accomplished young business professionals. She is an associate professor of management at Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pa., where she also is executive director of graduate business programs. 33 �class notes Morgan Evans Serpico ’14 is Activist for Suicide Awareness Five years later, Serpico and her mother, Dawn Loftus Evans, have used their loss as the impetus for working to raise awareness and educate others about suicide prevention. Serpico is a volunteer to the board of the Northeast Pennsylvania chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and her mother, Dawn Loftus Evans, serves as board president. Their volunteerism is actively When Morgan Evans Serpico ’14 thinks back to her Wilkes supported by Serpico’s father, David A. Evans ’84, and her graduation, her memories are different than most graduates. husband, Sandro Serpico ’15, who also participate in many Instead of simply recalling it as a day of celebration, she also events. The chapter recently was merged with the Lehigh remembers that it happened barely a month after her brother Valley chapter to become the Eastern Pennsylvania chapter. David, a high school student, died by suicide. Serpico and her family played an integral role in growing While her classmates celebrated, Serpico felt alone. the chapter’s major fundraising event, the annual Greater “Everyone was in a happy space. No one understood my loss,” Northeast Pennsylvania Out of the Darkness Community says Serpico, who works as a regional manager for Suntan City Walk. In January 2019, the event was honored as the most tanning salons. improved community walk at the national organization’s 14th Annual Chapter Leadership Conference in Dallas, Texas. The 2018 walk raised $94,381 and had 1,300 participants. It is the third largest walk in the state, behind Philadelphia and Harrisburg. Morgan Serpico says she and her family want to help provide resources that were not available to them at the time of her brother’s death. The subject of suicide has long been treated as taboo in American society and is seldom discussed openly. And as a person who lost a sibling, Serpico found it especially difficult. No resources focused on the death of a brother or sister by suicide. “Nobody has a book that tells you what to do,” she says. After participating in a glow walk held at Wilkes that benefited the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Serpico and her family found the organization provided helpful resources and support. They began volunteering for the group. In addition to chairing the regional board, Serpico’s mother, Dawn, delivers educational programs to schools, businesses and community groups, to raise awareness about suicide. Both mother and daughter have been trained to facilitate support groups for those affected by suicide loss. Both women staff informational tables at community events throughout the year. Serpico plans to continue her volunteerism to raise WILKES | Fall 2019 awareness about an issue that affects many. Each year “If I can be that one person for somebody, it would mean everything to me.” suicide claims more lives than war, murders and natural - Morgan Evans Serpico ’14 be so grateful to that person,” Serpico says. “If I can be that Morgan Evans Serpico ’14 and her husband, Sandro Serpico ’15 participate in northeast Pennsylvania’s Out of the Darkness Walk in memory of her brother, David. The walk was the most improved in the nation in 2018, raising $94,381. PHOTO COURTESY MORGAN EVANS SERPICO 34 disasters combined, yet funding for research and education about it lags behind many other issues. Serpico is determined to make a difference. “If one person had been able to save my brother, I would one person for somebody, it would mean everything to me.” – By Vicki Mayk MFA ’13 �class notes Jamie Gwynn of Philadelphia, Pa., and his wife, Erica, had a baby girl, Olivia. 2010 Jason Woloski of Wilkes-Barre was one of 42 physicians in Pennsylvania recognized as a “Top Physician Under 40” by the Pennsylvania Medical Society. Honorees are nominated by colleagues and selected by a committee of Pennsylvania Medical Society member physicians. Woloski is a family physician with Geisinger Wilkes Barre-Community Medicine and also is an assistant program director with the Geisinger Kistler Family Medicine Residency Program in Wilkes-Barre. He serves on the board of trustees for both the Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians and the Luzerne County Medical Society. Woloski also is a participant in the Pennsylvania Medical Society’s 2019 Year-Round Leadership Academy. 2010 Megan Grim of Lewisberry, Pa., was promoted to manager at Brown Schultz Sheridan & Fritz. Grim has over eight years of experience in public accounting. She provides tax services to small for-profit and nonprofit entities in a variety of industries, and specializes in employee benefit plans. 2011 Allison Roth of Denver, Colo., along with her mother, Elizabeth Eron Roth, and uncle, Joseph B. Eron, are publishing a book, “Ted Eron Designed That,” in November 2019. The book chronicles the iconic work of Roth’s grandfather, a package designer for some of the most iconic supermarket brands in the 1950s and 1960s. Roth served as the photographer of products, paintings and original sketches for the book. 2013 Jessica (Short) Frazier MS ’15 of Scranton, Pa., was married on May 25, 2019. Pictured are Wilkes alumni in attendance at the wedding: Kevin Ruitenberg ’13, Brian Palmiter ’13, Anthony Cooper ’14, Lauren Machell ’15, Samantha Lindo ’14, Joseph Pugliese ’13, Jessica Short-Frazier ’13, John Sweeney ’13, Lindsey Coval-Cooper ’15, Ashley Mehall ’14, Bethany Sharpless-Chalk ’15 and Dawn DiMaria ’14. 2013 Brian Palmiter of Wilkes-Barre was named the Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers 2019 Young Engineer of the Year. He has been promoted in his role of civil designer in the water and municipal service center at Borton-Lawson. Palmiter is actively involved in community organizations and activities including the Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers, the United Way of Wyoming Valley and his alma mater, Wilkes University. Palmiter also serves as a mentor to younger engineers. Alexandra Roman of San Diego, Calif., was accepted into the International Education Management program at the Middlebury Institute. 2017 John Stoner of Carlisle, Pa., was promoted to senior associate at SEK, CPAs & Advisors. 2018 Joseph Ungvarsky of Wilkes-Barre, is employed as a registered nurse at First Hospital in Kingston and is currently enrolled in Wilkes University’s psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner program. He will be starting a new job at the University as a clinical instructor for the undergraduate nursing program for psychiatric nursing. WILKES | Fall 2019 2009 35 �class notes Graduate 1985 Elizabeth DeCosmo Dean ’82 MBA – see undergraduates 1982 1994 Mary Ellen (Dwyer) Jolley MA ’94 – see undergraduates 1976 2000 Susan Robel MHA of Salt Lake City, Utah, was named senior vice president of clinical operations and chief nursing executive for Intermountain Healthcare. During her 34-year career at Geisinger, Robel led efforts to standardize nursing practices and developed the Geisinger Nursing Institute. She also helped guide the organization’s move toward value-based care, which is a major focus at Intermountain. WILKES | Fall 2019 2003 Katie Desiderio MBA - See Undergraduates 2001 36 2006 Marlon James MA’s book “Black Leopard, Red Wolf ” is a finalist for the National Book Award in fiction. The winner will be announced on November 20, 2019. Described as an African “Game of Thrones,” the book received critical acclaim when it was published in February 2019. Film rights for the novel have been optioned by Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society and Warner Bros. 2010 Lauren Pluskey McLain MBA – See undergraduates 2006 Dania Ramos MA of Bloomfield, N.J., is the series creator of “Timestorm,” a fiction podcast about twelveyear-old twins from Newark who travel through time to preserve Puerto Rico’s true history. The series relaunched on Aug. 1, 2019. Ramos is the author of the middle-grade mystery books “Ignacio in the Dark” and “Who’s Ju?” 2006 John Bednarz MA of Shavertown, Pa., has been selected a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer for 2019. This is the eleventh consecutive year Bednarz has been named a super lawyer. 2015 Jessica (Short) Frazier MS – See undergraduates 2013 2016 Mona Nashman EdD of Alberta, Canada, was recognized with a Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Alberta Alumni Association for leadership in international education. Nashman was honored at one of the highest levels when Queen Elizabeth made her a member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 2016. 2013 David Tirado of Lancaster, Pa., has been named director of information technology at Saxton & Stump, LLC, a full-service law firm. Previously, he worked at multiple school districts in central Pennsylvania in positions ranging from network and PC specialist to director of information technology and services. Tirado has worked for over a decade in the IT industry at multiple companies in the Lancaster area, including as the system administrator for Cardinal Technologies and the network administrator for Miller & Miller CPAs. PICTURE PERFECT: GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING PHOTOS FOR CLASS NOTES 1. Email jpeg or tif files to wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu or upload as an online class note submission on the alumni website at www.wilkes.edu/alumni. Wilkes magazine accepts photos of alumni weddings and to accompany class notes reporting achievements and milestones. To ensure that we can use the photos submitted, please follow these requirements: 2. Digital photos must be at least 4 by 6 inches at 300 dpi or 1200 pixels by 1800 pixels. If you are sending a photo from your smart phone, choose full size or the largest size when prompted to specify the size you wish to send. 3. Please identify everyone in the photo, starting from left to right. Identify both alumni and non-alumni in submitted photos. Include class years for alumni. �class notes In Memoriam Remembering Francis J. Michelini, Wilkes University’s Second President The sign in Michelini Hall proclaims “We’re all in this boat together.” It quotes Francis J. Michelini, Wilkes’ second president and the man for whom the residence hall is named. For Michelini — known as “Dr. Mike” — the quote was especially apt. He was the president who helped to ensure Wilkes’ survival in 1972 in the aftermath of the devastating flood that enveloped campus Francis J. Michelini, Wilkes’ second president, is seen at the 2015 dedication of Michelini Hall, a residence hall named in his honor. following Hurricane Agnes. When his passing was announced on Sept. 12, 2019, many remembered that he quite literally set out leader with great energy and a great strategic plan for in a boat to help with flood rescue operations. restoring Wilkes,” Kelly states. “When Wilkes needed a hero, Michelini was the first Wilkes president to ascend from the Dr. Michelini was there and Wilkes can be forever grateful.” academic ranks when he succeeded founding president Eugene He left Wilkes in 1975 to serve as the president of the Farley in 1970. When he first joined what was then Wilkes Commission of Independent Colleges and Universities, College in 1955, he was the third full-time faculty member in an organization supported by 80 independent colleges the biology department. In 1963, he became Wilkes’ dean of in Pennsylvania created to represent the public policy academic affairs, where he left his mark interests of those institutions and developing programs and majors. their students. Two years after becoming president, In November 2015, Wilkes dedicated he was the driving force behind what the residence hall at 80 West River was known as “Operation Snapback” Street in his honor. The Michelini following the Agnes flood. Dr. Mike Greenhouse on the roof of the brought Cohen Science Center also is named the campus community to assist in recovery efforts for him. and ensure that campus was ready for Michelini’s undergraduate career at classes in fall 1972. New Jersey’s Seton Hall College was Speaking at a campus memorial interrupted when he served in the service held in October, Thomas F. Kelly Army Air Corps during World War II. ’69, retired vice president of external affairs at Binghamton He earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Seton Hall, University, recalled that many wondered whether Wilkes would a master’s degree in biology from the University of Delaware, survive. “Dr. Mike assured us that we could do it — that saving and his doctorate in biological sciences from the University Wilkes was a noble and worthy task,” Kelly recalls. Kelly also of Pennsylvania. says that Michelini asserted that “good education takes place Over the years, he frequently returned to Wilkes from his when you have good faculty and good students interacting.” home in Mechanicsburg, Pa., arriving in his bright red sports Those things remained after the flood. car. Recently he participated in regular gatherings with other Kelly accompanied Dr. Mike on visits to organizations asked former Wilkes presidents — Christopher Breiseth, Joseph to donate money to Wilkes’ flood recovery efforts. He said they “Tim” Gilmour and Patrick F. Leahy — to compile an oral were invariably impressed with him. “They saw a charismatic history of the institution. WILKES | Fall 2019 together 37 �class notes 1947 Victor Swinski of Hunlock Creek, Pa., died on April 8, 2019. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. Prior to retiring, he was employed as a draftsman for American Car Foundry in Berwick and Milton. 1950 Bernice Perloff Fierman of Kingston, Pa., died on March 20, 2019. She was a life member of Temple Israel and served as president of the temple sisterhood and as regional president of Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America. 1951 Arthur Bloom of Groton, Vt., died on Feb. 7, 2019. He served in the U.S. Army for two years as a sergeant. WILKES | Fall 2019 Patricia (Patty) Boyd Thomas Brady of Hanover, Pa., died on June 5, 2019. She was a teacher at Frederick High School in Frederick, Md., and also taught English literature and honors English at California Area High School in western Pennsylvania. After her retirement, she continued substitute teaching in Hanover and later taught English as a second language to families in the area. 38 Joseph Donald Stephens of Hobe Sound, Fla., died on May 21, 2019. Stephens was a dentist with practices in Randallstown, Md., and Eldersburg, Md., for 40 years. He was a veteran and served in the U.S. Air Force. Stephens supported the Junior Chamber of Commerce in Maryland and was recognized as the 1965 Jaycee of the year. In 1966, he was honored as the world’s 5960 Junior Chamber International Senator. He was a member of the American Dental Association and professionally honored as a Fellow in the Academy of General Dentistry. A former president of the Wilkes University Alumni Association, the Dr. Joseph Donald Stephens, DDS Global Scholars Award at Wilkes was established in his honor. His survivors include his daughter, Deborah Stephens Kalaritis ’78, and her husband, Panos Kalaritis ’77, and his son, Joseph Stephens Jr. ’79. Burl Updyke of Sweet Valley, Pa., died on Sept. 3, 2019. Updyke was employed as television engineer at WBRE. He then went on to publish a weekly newspaper, “Country Impressions,” in Sweet Valley for 20 years. He founded and built two Christian radio stations, WRGN F.M. in Pennsylvania and a mission outreach, WIVH, F.M. in St. Croix, U. S. Virgin Islands. He operated both stations 30 years until his retirement. 1953 Anne Markovich Kish of Avoca, Pa., died on June 11, 2019. During World War II, Kish was stationed at the U.S. Marine Corps training facility on Parris Island, S.C., where she was a truck driver. She was an assistant professor of literature and an English scholar at Wilkes College for 20 years. She was active as a volunteer in veterans affairs in the Wilkes-Barre and Scranton areas for many years. Frank Radaszewski of Wilkes-Barre died on March 21, 2019. Radaszewski was a veteran of the U.S. Army. Before retiring in 1995, he was an executive director of human resources at RCA in Scranton, Pa. 1955 Robert Dymond of Bethel Park, Pa., died on Feb. 21, 2019. John Finn of Forty Fort, Pa., died in July 2019. Finn earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Bucknell University. He served in the U.S. Army from 1949 to 1952, where he was stationed in Europe. Finn was employed by Martin Aircraft in Baltimore as a design engineer. In 1957, he began working for PennDOT and was part of the team that built the interstate highway system throughout northeastern Pennsylvania. He later was a PennDOT district engineer for a seven-county region. During his tenure as district engineer, he oversaw the construction of the Cross Valley Expressway in Luzerne County. He later established his own engineering consulting practice. 1958 Thomas Myers of Bear Creek Twp., died on March 16, 2019. He served in the U.S. Navy. Joseph Oliver of York, S.C., died on Aug. 26, 2018. He was a retired teacher from Northern Burlington County Regional High School in New Jersey and also served 12 years on the Willingboro, N.J. board of education, with five years as president. 1959 Bernard Dancheck of Mountain Top, Pa., died on April 2, 2019. He served in the U.S. Army Reserves. Frank Gazda of Naples, Fla., died on March 6, 2019. A former Wilkes-Barre resident, he was an optometrist in northeast Pennsylvania for 56 years. He was a Korean War veteran serving in the U.S. Air Force. Gazda was the past president of the Northeastern Optometric Society, a member of the Pennsylvania and American Optometric associations, an original staff member at the Low Vision Clinic of Allied Services for the Handicapped and a past president and member of the Plymouth Kiwanis Club. Edward Mikolaitis of Hanover Green, Pa., died on May 31, 2019. He was an airman in the U.S. Air Force. Before retiring in 1993, he taught English and history and subsequently was an administrator with the Perkiomen Valley School District in Montgomery County, Pa. 1962 William Ackerman of Bear Creek Twp., Pa., died on March 19, 2019. He served with the U.S. Army in Germany as a medic and retired from Wilkes-Barre General Hospital after 34 years. �class notes Leo T. Morgan Jr., of Pittston, Pa., died on Nov. 24, 2017. He served in the U.S. Navy. Morgan was a certified public accountant and worked at Lavanthol Krekstein. Later he worked for Dupont Anthracite as an accountant and auditor. 1963 Douglas Bennington of Old Tappan, N.J., died on July 6, 2016. Bennington was a social studies supervisor at Bergenfield High School for more than 33 years. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1953 to 1956 and was a member of the National Railway Historical Society. Gerald A. Moffatt of Naples, Fla., died on March 24, 2019. Moffatt served on Wilkes’ Board of Trustees. Barbara Soyka of Exeter, Pa., died on March 23, 2019. Soyka was as an English teacher at Coughlin High School for 38 years. 1964 William Shaner of Dallas, Pa., died on March 6, 2019. Prior to retirement, Shaner worked for Commonwealth Telephone Company. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge, the Telephone Pioneers and was on the board of the Boy Scouts of America. Richard Shemo of Shavertown, Pa., died on July 29, 2019. Shemo served in the U.S. Army at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. He later became an insurance adjuster with Aetna Life and Casualty. He later worked at the law firm Hourigan, Kluger and Quinn as a litigation specialist, retiring after 25 years with the firm in 2005. 1968 Mary (Sokash) Challenger of Dillsburg, Pa., died on April 18, 2019. She worked as a senior computer programmer analyst for 26 years at Mechanicsburg Naval Supply Depot. 1969 Lillian (Geida) Dzwilefsky of Yulee, Fla., died on Aug. 23, 2018. Linda Esopi of Allentown, Pa., died on April 3, 2019. She was a registered nurse in the Allentown School District until her retirement. Michael Gryszkowiec of Chocowinity, N.C., died on Sept. 29, 2018. He served in the U.S. Army Reserves. Gryszkowiec retired as director of planning with the General Accountability Office in Washington, D.C. after 37 years of service. He later worked part time with FEMA, helping with disaster recovery. Charles Morgan Sr. of Warminster, Pa., died on March 15, 2019. He was the owner and operator of Penn Locksmith of Warminster for 35 years. Howard Weinberg of Salisbury, Md., died on April 19, 2019. Weinberg began his career teaching in the Interboro School District in Delaware County, later becoming chair of the business department. He served as president and chief negotiator of the Interboro Education Association. 1970 Frances (Rosato) Liva of Mountain Top, Pa., died on July 11, 2019. Liva worked in recreational services at Retreat State Mental Hospital until its closing. She later was a licensed real estate agent, working for Tom Heart Realty company. William Tarbart of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., died on Dec. 5, 2016. He was a management consulting professional. In 2011, he received the Ancestral Colonel Trophy award at Wilkes. He served as the Wilkes Alumni Board president from 2004-2007. Alvin Ullman of Reading, Pa., died on June 28, 2019. Ullman studied at Dickinson School of Law before serving in the U.S. Army Jewish Chaplaincy at Fort Mead, Md. After his military service, he worked in advertising sales before starting Area Directory Publishers Inc., a suburban telephone directory company. 1972 Anthony Calore of Oak Ridge, N.C., died on Feb. 4, 2019. As a member of the U.S. Marine Corps, Calore was stationed in Biloxi, Miss., Santa Ana, Calif., Korea and Japan. He retired as a logistics manager after 39 years with Standard Brands, now RJR Nabisco. 1973 John J. Fetch III of Blakeslee, Pa., died on Aug. 2, 2019. He was a sales consultant in the construction industry. Richard Murosky of Redlands, Calif., died on Feb. 2, 2017. Delphine Opet of Miami, Fla., died on Aug. 18, 2019. She taught English at the Dade County High School for more than 35 years. 1974 Janice Margaret Reindel of Bear Creek Twp., Pa., died on Aug. 14, 2019. Reindel was employed for 30 years at Luzerne County Children and Youth Services. Most recently, she led its independent living unit, receiving a prestigious state-wide award for her service in June 2018. 1975 William Lee of Hanover Twp., Pa., died on March 16, 2019. Lee served in the U.S. Air Force as a jet engine mechanic during the Korean War. Lee and his family were the owners of the Sans Souci Mobile Home Court along with the Sans Souci Amusement Park. Hanover Township’s Lee Park was named after his family. Robert Schoner of Spring, Texas, died on June 19, 2019. He served in the U.S. Army with the 17th Infantry Regiment of the 7th Infantry WILKES | Fall 2019 William Greytock of Wilkes-Barre died on May 8, 2019. Greytock served for two years in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Salem. Until his retirement, he was a bookkeeper for Apex Building Products Co. of Edwardsville, Pa. 39 �class notes Division. He was employed by Allegheny Airlines and Anthracite Marble and Tile. 1976 John Norce of Hallandale Beach, Fla., died on Aug. 12, 2016. Rita Loftus of Wilkes-Barre died on May 11, 2019. Loftus taught in the Dodson and Palmer schools in the Wilkes-Barre Area School District and also taught math at the district’s Kistler Elementary School. 1980 Joseph Blizman of Wilkes-Barre died on June 9, 2019. Blizman was a science teacher at the former Sacred Heart of Jesus Slovak Parochial School in Wilkes-Barre. He later taught at several other parochial schools in the Diocese of Scranton. Joseph McFadden of Doylestown Pa., died on Aug. 24, 2019. WILKES | Fall 2019 1986 Katherine (Farrell) Hines of Mountain Top, Pa., died on Aug. 23, 2019. Hines was employed by SmithKline Beecham before joining Sallie Mae in 1990. For the past 19 years, she worked as a job coach with life skills students through Luzerne Intermediate Unit 18. 40 1991 Janice (Miller) Browning of Peckville, Pa., died on July 24, 2017. She was a registered nurse and a certified pediatric nurse. 1993 Mariclare Stinson of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., died on April 23, 2019. 1994 Niki Corba Wallace of Wilkes-Barre died on Sept. 6, 2019. A wife and mother, she was a talented artist, who also enjoyed playing golf and the outdoors. 1997 Paul “PJ” Crawford of Huntington Mills, Pa., died on March 14, 2019. Crawford served in the U.S. Army for four years during the Gulf War era and earned the rank of sergeant. He was a design engineer for Commonwealth Telephone Company before becoming a police officer for the City of Wilkes-Barre in 2008. 2005 Harry Aultz of Lewistown, Pa., died on Jan. 28, 2019. Aultz was a history teacher at the Mifflin County Junior High School and he was also a junior high and varsity football coach. 2008 Jonathan Miller of Scranton, Pa., died on July 7, 2019. He was a roofer for Garvin Construction, Scranton. Graduate 1986 Mary Ann (Koshatzky) Keirans MBA of Mountain Top, Pa., died on Aug. 2, 2019. Until her retirement, Keirans was the administrator for the former Visiting Nurses Association. Prior to that, she worked in New York City as a public health nurse. She was the recipient of the Athena Award for women’s business leadership skills in Luzerne County. 2000 Lisa Marie KliamovichTomchik MS of Hunlock Creek, Pa., died on April 16, 2019. She was employed for several years as a vocational rehabilitation counselor in Wilkes-Barre before earning a teaching certificate in elementary education from King’s College and a master’s degree from Wilkes University. Faculty Mahmoud H. Fahmy, of Dallas, Pa., died on Sept. 23, 2019. Fahmy taught at Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pa., and Wilkes University, where he had an accomplished 30-year career as an academic and administrator. He was professor emeritus of education at Wilkes. He completed his undergraduate education at Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt. He left his birth country of Egypt to come to America in 1958 to study at Columbia University in New York City, where he earned his master’s degree in education and history. He earned a doctorate at Syracuse University. He quickly became a naturalized U.S. citizen and his favorite saying was, “I am an American by choice.” Fahmy devoted time volunteering on various boards and community organizations in Luzerne County. He was often called upon by the community for his expertise and knowledge of global affairs and Middle East politics, providing media commentary and lectures. He strongly believed in interfaith cooperation, and led one of the first interfaith delegations to Egypt and Israel after the Camp David Accords were signed in 1978. His survivors include his wife of 60 years, Irandukht Vahidi Fahmy, and children, Roya Fahmy ’83 of Scranton, Pa., Raef Fahmy ’84 of Newburyport, Mass., and Randa Fahmy ’86 of Washington, D.C. Friends of Wilkes Stanley Davies of Mechanicsburg, Pa., died on Aug. 5, 2019. He was a U.S. Navy veteran and later served multiple roles at Royer Industries in Kingston, including machine assembly, design, general manager and president. His wife, Pattie S. Davies, is a Wilkes trustee emerita. Arthur L. Piccone of Wilkes-Barre died Aug. 4, 2019. An accomplished lawyer in Luzerne County, Pa., he was the first assistant district attorney and special counsel to the Department of Labor. He was a workers’ compensation judge and also served as solicitor for the Borough of Forty Fort, Luzerne Borough and Luzerne Borough Sewer Authority. He was president of the Luzerne County Bar Association and president of the County Conference of Bar Leaders. He served as the 100th president of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, as well as president of the Pennsylvania Bar Foundation. �Become a Part of Building the Gateway to the Future BRICK BY BRICK OPPORTUNITY BY OPPORTUNITY STUDENT BY STUDENT The Gateway to the Future Campaign aspires to raise $55 million. Join the effort by making a gift in support of the following goals: UNRESTRICTED GIFTS | CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS There has never been a better time to contribute to Wilkes University. Join the campaign by making a gift now! Learn more at www.wilkes.edu/campaign For more information about ways to give, contact Margaret Steele, chief development officer, at 570-408-4302 or margaret.steele@wilkes.edu �Wilkes university • Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 calendar of events PHOTO BY KNOT JUST ANY DAY November 14-16 “Nine,” University Theatre production, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts, 8 p.m. 16-17 “Nine,” University Theatre production, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts, 2 p.m. 1-Dec. 8 Pete Souza, “Two Presidents, One Photographer,” Sordoni Art Gallery 24 Chorus and Chamber Singers Concert, First Presbyterian Church, 3 p.m. December 5 Jazz Orchestra, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts, 8 p.m. 7 Flute Ensemble, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts, 8 p.m. 8 Civic Band, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts, 3 p.m. 9 Chamber Orchestra, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 8 p.m. 9 Classes End 23 Winter Intersession begins January 5-9 Maslow Foundation Salon Reading Series, 7 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 5, Bares and Noble, Public Square, Wilkes-Barre; 7 p.m., Jan. 6-9, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center April 10 Winter Intersession ends 13 Classes Begin 14-Feb. 28 Nancy Crow, “Material Pulses: Seven Viewpoints,” Sordoni Art Gallery 18 Martin Luther King Day Recess 19 Winter Commencement February 1 Athletics Hall of Fame Ceremony, Arnaud C. Marts Center 12 Alice Sola Kim, author, Allan Hamilton Dickson Spring Writers Series, 7 p.m. Salon, Kirby Hall 20-22 “The Spitfire Grill,” University Theatre production, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts, 8 p.m. 22-23 “The Spitfire Grill,” University Theatre production, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts, 2 p.m. 29 Spring Recess March 9 Classes Resume 18 Poupeh Missaghi, author, Allan Hamilton Dickson Spring Writers Series, 7 p.m., Salon, Kirby Hall 21-May 17 “Drawn to Abstraction, Marks on Paper from the 60s and 70s,” Sordoni Art Gallery 2-4 “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar,” University Theatre production, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts, 8 p.m. 4-5 “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar,” University Theatre production, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts, 2 p.m. 18 Choreographer’s Concert, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts, 3 p.m. 18 Spring Dance Concert, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts, 8 p.m. 19 Terry Gross, host of National Public Radio’s Fresh Air, Max Rosenn Lecture in Law and Humanities, 2 p.m., Dorothy Dickson Darte Center 25 Civic Band Concert, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts, 7:30 p.m. 29 Classes End May 16 Spring Commencement For details on times and locations, check www.wilkes.edu and www.wilkes.edu/alumni or phone (800) WILKES-U. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Magazine, Spring 2019 Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Marketing Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Spring 2019 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Alumni Magazine, 1947-present Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Description An account of the resource <p>An archive of Wilkes University Magazine, from 1947-present. The magazine went through various names including <em>Wilkes Alumnus</em>, <em>Wilkes Quarterly,</em> <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, and the current title, <em>Wilkes Magazine</em>. Some editions for the <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, will have multiple issues within the file record. Our holdings may be missing editions for certain years due to having no physical copy within the collection. </p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Wilkes University Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Wilkes University Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1947-present Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Magazine, Fall 2019 Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Marketing Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Fall 2019 magazine Wilkes Magazine https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/d062e92ca98e7235d96f766694008b84.pdf fe6f1261e61c12752704f13e252731f3 PDF Text Text SPRING 2019 Looking Back, Looking Forward WILKES PRESIDENT PATRICK F. LEAHY REFLECTS ON SEVEN YEARS LEADING THE UNIVERSITY �president’s letter VOLUME 13 | ISSUE 1 Recalling Seven Years at One of the Finest Small Universities O n September 15, 2012, I had the honor of being installed as Wilkes University’s sixth president. Soon after beginning my tenure, I worked closely with members of the campus community to create a plan that would position Wilkes as one of the finest small universities in the country. This vision placed equal emphasis on the words small and university, instead of viewing them as mutually exclusive descriptors. At Wilkes, we offer a unique experience that celebrates the integration of the words small and university—one that blends a close-knit, mentoring culture with academic opportunities often found at much larger institutions. Over the past seven years, we have worked to more fully develop into a doctoral university by making significant investments in academics, research, and the campus. We have added 25 new academic programs, including the launch of the University’s first Ph.D. To encourage research, we created a $1 million fund that supports scholarly endeavors of faculty members. In many cases, faculty work hand-in-hand with undergraduate students to complete this important work, which is celebrated annually at the Research and Scholarship Symposium. More discovery is happening at Wilkes than ever before, resulting in the University’s first six patents. Unprecedented improvements have also been made to the campus, totaling a remarkable $100 million. The beauty of the Wilkes campus has never been more apparent, and investments in academic labs and classrooms have enhanced the learning environment. And, our enduring commitment to the arts continues. The Sordoni Art Gallery has President Patrick F. Leahy speaks at Sordoni Art Gallery’s opening, one of experienced a resurgence, with an expanded the highlights during his tenure. location, new leadership, and an endowment to support exhibitions. The Marching Colonels, the region’s only collegiate marching band, adds spirit to campus and community events. And, through the generosity of the Maslow Family, Wilkes’ graduate program in creative writing will continue to grow for years to come. In January, these efforts culminated in a milestone achievement for Wilkes University—earning doctoral university status from the Carnegie Classifications. Wilkes is now part of a list (albeit a long one) of the finest universities in the country, and we are one of the smallest on the list. It has been a privilege to play a role in the evolution of this incredible institution and I am confident that more progress lies ahead. Thank you all for your support and dedication to Wilkes University. Dr. Patrick F. Leahy Wilkes University President SPRING 2019 WILKES MAGAZINE University President Dr. Patrick F. Leahy Executive Director of Marketing Communications Kim Bower-Spence Senior Editor Vicki Mayk MFA’13 Creative Services John Csordas Executive Director of Communications and Graduate Marketing Gabrielle D’Amico ’04, MFA’17 Web Services Brittany Terpstra Communications Specialist Kelly Clisham MFA’16 Graduate Assistants Sarah Bedford ’17, MA’19 Samantha Stanich MA’18 Layout/Design Kara Reid Printing Lane Press EDITORIAL ADVISORY GROUP Anne Batory ’68 Brandie Meng MA’08 Bill Miller ’81 George Pawlush ’69 MS’76 Donna Sedor ’85 OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI RELATIONS Chief Development Officer Margaret Steele Associate Director, Office of Alumni Relations Mary Balavage Simmons ’10, MBA ’16 Manager of Alumni Relations and Advancement Special Projects Jacki Lukas ’11 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OFFICERS President Ellen Stamer Hall ’71 Vice President Matt Berger ’02 Secretary John Sweeney ’13 Historian Cindy Charnetski ’97 Wilkes magazine is published two times a year by the Wilkes University Office of Marketing Communications, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766, wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu, (570) 408-4779. Please send change of address to the above address. Wilkes University is an independent institution of higher education dedicated to academic and intellectual excellence in the liberal arts, sciences and professional programs. The university provides its students with the experience and education necessary for career and intellectual development as well as for personal growth, engenders a sense of values and civic responsibility, and encourages its students to welcome the opportunities and challenges of a diverse and continually changing world. The university enhances the tradition of strong student-faculty interactions in all its programs, attracts and retains outstanding people in every segment of the university, and fosters a spirit of cooperation, community involvement, and individual respect within the entire university. �24 8 14 20 26 contents SPRING 2019 8 Looking Back, Looking Forward Looking Back, Looking Forward WILKES PRESIDENT PATRICK F. LEAHY REFLECTS ON SEVEN YEARS LEADING THE UNIVERSITY Putting students first has been the hallmark of Patrick F. Leahy’s presidency at Wilkes. He will leave the University in July. PHOTO BY MARK McCARTY Patrick F. Leahy, Wilkes’ sixth president, reflects on achievements during his tenure. 14 #24atWilkes A look at the University through the lens of social media captured by students, faculty and staff. 20 Game Changers Athletics Hall of Fame inductees recall their experience as student athletes. 24 Gateway to the Future Campaign DEPARTMENTS 2 On Campus 28 Alumni News 29 Giving Back 30 Class Notes Have a story idea to share? Contact us at wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu or Wilkes magazine, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766. Wilkes magazine is available online at www.wilkes.edu/wilkesmagazineonline A new project will enhance the Ralston Athletic Complex for student athletes. 26 Health Care for a Changing Planet Ruth McDermott-Levy ’82 researches environmental impacts on patient health. 'lJ ~~~ MIX Paper from responsible sources FSC®C022085 WILKES | Spring 2019 FEATURES 1 �on campus Wilkes Earns Doctoral University Designation Wilkes University has been categorized as a doctoral university in the revised 2018 Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, the highest classification for institutions in the country. Of approximately 80 private institutions in Pennsylvania, Wilkes is now one of just 14 with this designation. “The change in classification places Wilkes University in the rightful company of some of the finest universities in the nation, completing our evolution from a two-year junior college in 1933 to a national doctoral university in 2019,” says University President Patrick F. Leahy. “Our unique mix of academic programs and robust degree conferrals across bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels set us apart from other private institutions, both regionally and nationally. We are proud of the students we serve and look forward to continued growth.” The doctoral/professional university category includes institutions that award at least 20 research doctoral degrees or 30 or more professional-practice doctoral degrees. In 2016-17, WILKES | Spring 2019 The number of doctoral degrees awarded at Wilkes’ three commencement ceremonies held in January, May and September grew to 165 in the 2017-2018 academic year. 2 Wilkes awarded 122 doctoral degrees across three programs: the doctor of pharmacy, with 69 graduates, the doctor of nursing practice, with 30 graduates and the doctor of education with 23 graduates. In the 2017-18 academic year, the total grew to 165. This represents nearly three times the doctoral degrees of any other institution in northeast Pennsylvania, making Wilkes the leading doctoral university in the region. Wilkes will award the university’s first doctor of philosophy degrees in 2020. The Ph.D. in nursing welcomed its first class in Sept. 2017. There are currently 33 nurses enrolled in the program. The Carnegie Classification has been the leading framework for recognizing and describing diversity among U.S. higher education institutions since 1970, when the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education developed the method of classifying colleges and universities to support its program of research and policy analysis. The classifications, derived from empirical data on colleges and universities, reflect changes among institutions and are used in the study of higher education. �on campus Eugene Roth ’57 will receive the President’s Medal at the Founders Gala 2019. The President’s Medal is bestowed annually on an individual whose personal and professional life reflects the highest aspirations of Wilkes University. Roth, who is an attorney at Rosenn Jenkins & Greenwald, LLP, in Wilkes-Barre, will be presented with the award at the event being held June 1 at the Westmoreland Club. Proceeds from the event benefit the First Generation Scholarship Fund. “Gene is a fierce supporter of our core mission: to provide educational opportunities to all who show potential. His support is evident in his leadership and generosity, but is also demonstrated in the way he supports our students,” says Wilkes President Patrick F. Leahy. “A first-generation college student himself, it is incredibly fitting to have Gene Roth as this year’s President’s Medal recipient.” Roth, who has the distinction of being the longest-serving attorney at his firm, rose through the ranks from law clerk to partner during his 60-year tenure. A prominent figure in northeast Pennsylvania, he frequently has been recognized for his professional, civic and community efforts with awards from the United Hebrew Institute, the Boy Scouts of America and the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. Roth served under each of the University’s six presidents during an association with Wilkes that began when he was a student. He first served as vice president of his undergraduate class, then as president of the alumni association and eventually as a member of the University’s board of trustees, a role in which he continues to serve. He was the chairman of the board from 1993 to 1998, helping to establish the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy. His philanthropic support is apparent across campus, especially in Lawrence W. Roth Hall, a standout residence for first-year students, and the Max Roth Center, home to the Center for Global Education and Diversity. Roth and his wife, Connie, established the Lawrence W. Roth Memorial Scholarship in memory of their son. It is granted annually to a Wilkes student with an interest in the law, politics or community service. Wilkes Launches Search for Seventh President Wilkes has launched a search for its next president following the announcement that President Patrick F. Leahy will leave the University on July 30, 2019. Leahy was Wilkes’ sixth president and joined Wilkes in 2012. He announced in December that he will leave the University to become president of Monmouth University in New Jersey. His tenure has been a period of significant growth with transformational improvements to campus, the addition of academic programs including the University’s first Ph.D., and achieving designation as a doctoral university. For a story summarizing the highlights and accomplishments during Leahy’s seven years as president, please turn to page 8. A Presidential Search Committee has been formed with members representing all constituents in the Wilkes community. It will be chaired by Dan Cardell ’79, chairman of the University board of trustees. The committee includes faculty members Karim Medico Letwinsky, doctoral department chair and associate professor, and Eric Ruggiero, associate professor of digital design and media art; senior administrators Jonathan Ference, associate provost, and Janet Kobylski, assistant vice president of finance and treasurer; students Hunter Hughes and Caroline Rickard; and board of trustee members Laura Cardinale ’72, Dan Klem Jr. ’68, Chuck Cohen, Randy Mark ’81 and Bill Miller ’81. The University has contracted with the Boston-based executive search firm Park Square to assist in identifying candidates for the position of president. Forums were conducted on campus in March in preparation for the search. Faculty, staff and students had opportunities to attend and provide comments about the kinds of skills and characteristics that would be valuable in leading Wilkes. It is expected that the search will continue into 2020. Finalists for the position will be brought to campus during the 2019-2020 academic year. WILKES | Spring 2019 Eugene Roth ’57 to Receive President’s Medal at Founders Gala 2019 3 �on campus WILKES | Spring 2019 Paul Adams ’77 MS ’82 Named Interim President 4 Wilkes alumnus Paul Adams ’77 MS ’82 has been appointed interim president of the University, effective Aug. 1, 2019. Adams, who serves as Wilkes’ vice president for student affairs, will lead the University during the search for a new president. Adams’ appointment was approved in February by the University’s board of trustees. In announcing Adams’ appointment, Dan Cardell ’79, chair of the board, said, “Paul brings a wealth of institutional knowledge to this position. He has studied or served under five of our six presidents, is a two-time alumnus and has dedicated his life and career to the success of our students. I can think of no one better than Paul Adams to lead Wilkes as we recruit our seventh president.” Adams has served as vice president of student affairs since 2002. In that role, he leads areas that enrich student life, including athletics, health and wellness, residence life and student development. The latter encompasses areas that include career development and internships, student activities, campus interfaith, community service, e-mentoring and orientation. Adams joined the university in 1979 as director of housing. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education at Wilkes and holds a doctorate in organizational leadership and curriculum instruction from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a graduate of Harvard University’s Institute for the Management of Lifelong Education. Adams is married to Jean (Reiter) Adams ’78, who is an instructor in the University’s art department. Adams will return to his role as vice president of student affairs when a new president assumes office. Pharmacy Student Earns Top Ten Finish in National Patient Counseling Competition for Second Year Third-year student pharmacist Dylan Fox knows the importance of compassion and empathy when working with patients. It helped him earn his second top ten finish in the National Patient Counseling Competition at the American Pharmacists Association national meeting in March. Every pharmacy school in the nation attends the conference and Fox competed against students representing 140 other institutions. A Denver, Pa., native who also is majoring in Spanish, Fox also placed in the top ten nationally in 2018. For the first round of the competition, Fox counseled a patient on the use of levothyroxine, commonly known as synthroid, which is used to treat thyroid conditions. His second round of counseling included a breast cancer patient being prescribed the nausea medication compazine. He credits his success to the preparation he receives in the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy. “The program at Wilkes sets all of the pharmacists and graduates up to be Third-year student pharmacist Dylan Fox has been a top ten finisher in the National Patient prepared patient counselors and very Counseling Competition for two consecutive effective at what they do,” he explains. years. PHOTO BY SARAH BEDFORD. FULLY ONLINE MBA IN THE SIDHU SCHOOL OF BUSINESS BEGINS IN FALL 2019 Aspiring business leaders wishing to advance in their careers or experienced managers looking to grow their communication, professionalism and decision-making skills can now do it in a completely online MBA program at Wilkes. The University announced that it will offer the Master of Business Administration degree fully online starting in fall 2019. The online MBA emphasizes leadership. The program can be completed in two years. Accelerated, seven-week courses allow students to focus on one course at a time while completing two courses during each academic semester. New online MBA students will be accepted in the fall, spring and summer semesters. Wilkes also offers the MBA in a weekend format. Students in the weekend program attend face-to-face classes on the second Saturday of each month. Supplemental coursework and assignments are conducted online between class sessions. The weekend MBA program offers tracks in global business, leadership and management. Wilkes offers two dozen online and low-residency master’s and doctoral programs in fields like creative writing, education and nursing. For more information about the online MBA, visit www.wilkes.edu/MBAonline. �on campus Marilyn Pryle’s week begins and ends with teaching. The Wilkes doctor of education student teaches English at Abington Heights High School, but when the final bell rings on Friday, she hasn’t finished teaching. Pryle leaves her traditional classroom and switches gears, teaching English at the Lackawanna Children’s Library in Scranton, Pa. Pryle started an English conversation group two years ago for refugees from Congo and Uganda. The group meets every Sunday and on any given week may have 15 volunteers and up to 30 refugees. Her dedication to education in both traditional and community settings led to Pryle being named Pennsylvania’s 2019 teacher of the year. Now she’s in the running for the national teacher of the year award which will be announced in April 2020. The state Department of Education and the state chapter of the National State Teacher of the Year sponsor the Teacher of the Year program. It honors public school teachers in kindergarten through 12th grade who have made outstanding academic contributions. “I am completely honored to receive this award and to represent the excellent, hardworking educators of Pennsylvania. During the SAS Conference, I had a chance to meet the other eleven finalists and they are all exceptional teachers,” Pryle says. Ty Frederickson, who has taught Pryle as an assistant professor in Wilkes’ doctor of education program, says the recognition is well deserved. “Marilyn’s work to build relationships between groups of students and this population of Syrian and Ugandan refugees exemplifies the caliber of her character and her commitment to teaching and learning well beyond the school day,” Frederickson says. “She uniquely understands that her responsibilities as an educational leader are to all people, not only those students within her classroom, and she acts according to this understanding.” Pryle was nominated by students, parents, peers and members of the community for her achievements both inside and outside the classroom. She has been an educator since 1992, beginning at St. Xavier School in Kathmandu, Nepal. After teaching at East Middle School in Braintree, Mass., she taught in higher education settings before finding her place at Abington Heights High School in Clarks Summit, Pa. Summing up her teaching philosophy, Pryle states, “Every student brings unique gifts. The teacher’s work is to create a space for each to grow—to wonder, to risk, to connect. To Marilyn Pryle, right, discusses writing with Abington Heights High School student Sabriya Seid. become more fully oneself, and more deeply human: This is the purpose of education.” She received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from the University of Scranton and a master of fine arts in creative writing and literature from Emerson College. Pryle has shared her passion for teaching by authoring seven books, six of which are with Scholastic, Inc. The books are written for educators, providing strategies for teaching writing. “I always say that I’m in it for the long game—I want students to be confident, engaged readers and writers for their whole lives, not just during my class,” she adds. “I try to find any way possible to show them the power and joy of being active readers and writers.” “She uniquely understands that her responsibilities as an educational leader are to all people, not only those students within her classroom, and she acts according to this understanding.” – Ty Frederickson, assistant professor, doctor of education program WILKES | Spring 2019 Wilkes Doctoral Student Named Pennsylvania Educator of the Year PHOTO COURTESY OF MARILYN PRYLE 5 �on campus Super Seniors go to the Head of the Class Cue “Pomp and Circumstance.” May marks the end of the academic year at Wilkes—and time for spring commencement. Although it would be impossible to spotlight all of the impressive members of the Class of 2019, these six students, representing each of Wilkes’ schools and colleges, illustrate the Wilkes experience and highlight the bright future in store for members of the graduating class. For more stories about 2019 graduates, visit news.wilkes.edu, look under the student life menu for “Super Seniors.” Lauren Bezek Bachelor of Arts, Mathematics and Secondary Education Minor School of Education Hometown: Kingston, Pa. Activities and Achievements: Bezek was a counselor at both the Women Empowered by Science summer camp and the SHINE day camp at Wilkes. She also served as the Kirby Scholar in STEM education at the University’s Allan P. Kirby Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship. Bezek completed research with Vee Ming Lew, associate professor of math and computer science. She was a tutor for the math department and also tutored middle- and high-school students. Noteworthy: Bezek was chosen to complete a week-long field and has established the club as an American Chemical Society Green Chemistry chapter. Favorite part of the Wilkes experience: “The highlight of my time at Wilkes has been all the research and laboratory experience I have gained. I have had the wonderful opportunity of working on multiple research projects and running various instruments that you would never get to use as an undergraduate at another institution. I feel this experience really prepared me for my graduate education, and gave me a huge advantage over other applicants.” Future plans: Fitzpatrick will pursue a Ph.D. in organic Favorite part of the Wilkes experience: “The highlight chemistry at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Future Plans: Bezek plans to pursue a master’s degree in either mathematics or STEM education. Nicholas Fitzpatrick Bachelor of Science, Chemistry College of Science and Engineering Hometown: Jenkintown, Pa. Activities and Achievements: WILKES | Spring 2019 Noteworthy: Fitzpatrick is president of the Chemistry Club experience in education in Arizona. of my time at Wilkes has to be the relationships I have built with my professors and the opportunities these relationships have granted me….I know I would not have had many of the opportunities that I am so thankful for without my professors and Wilkes University.” 6 American Chemical Society where he has presented on behalf of the Chemistry Club. He has been a teaching assistant for organic chemistry, analytical chemistry and general chemistry labs since his sophomore year. Fitzpatrick has done research with Megan Youmans, assistant professor of chemistry. He also was part of a research team with Amy Bradley, associate professor and chair of chemistry. Fitzpatrick attended numerous conferences and national meetings including the Justin Gaskill Bachelor of Fine Arts, Musical Theatre College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Musical Theatre Major Hometown: Somers Point, N.J. Activities and Achievements: Gaskill has performed in 16 mainstage productions with Wilkes University Theatre, four dance shows, six black box productions and many choral concerts. Gaskill also knows how to work behind the scenes, doing set construction, costuming, stage management, props running crew, lighting and painting. Noteworthy: Gaskill had lead roles in five Wilkes productions. Favorite part of the Wilkes experience: “The highlight of my time here at Wilkes was all of the training I received within the field I am studying. I got so much personal attention �on campus because of the smaller class sizes that I really grew and found where I belong within this crazy, hectic career path.” Lok Hong, assistant professor of pharmaceutical sciences, and Thomas Franko, assistant professor of pharmacy practice. Future plans: Gaskill will be a full-time resident actor with the Noteworthy: Ponce planned a medication take-back event in spring 2017. Since then, he has coordinated two additional take-back events collecting more than 250 pounds of unwanted, unused, or expired medications. Dannielle Hickok Bachelor of Science in Nursing, History minor Passan School of Nursing Hometown: Fleetville, Pa. Activities and Achievements: Hickok is a member of Sigma Theta Tau National Nursing Honor Society and the history department’s chapter of the Phi Alpha Theta National Honor Society. She participated in the NCLEX challenge bowl at the Student Nurses Association of Pennsylvania convention. NCLEX is the examination for nursing licensing. Hickok completed her senior research on the implementation of specialized diabetic nurse educators to improve patient outcomes and decrease diabetes related hospital readmissions. Noteworthy: While attending school full-time, Hickok balanced a part-time job and being a mother of two. Favorite part of the Wilkes experience: “The highlight of my time here at Wilkes has been being initiated into a career field together with a group of wonderful individuals that share in the belief that nursing is truly a life vocation.” Future plans: Through her clinical placements, Hickok has developed an interest in emergency medicine and hopes to work in an emergency department. She also hopes to enroll in the Passan School’s Family Nurse Practitioner master’s degree program. Alex Ponce Doctor of Pharmacy Favorite part of the Wilkes experience: “My favorite aspect of Wilkes University is the supportive faculty and family-like learning environment. I also felt as though I was supported with whatever I wanted to do in addition to being pushed to become the best that I can be.” Future plans: Ponce will complete a pharmacy residency at the University of Maryland in Baltimore. Mingzhu Yue Bachelor of Business Administration, Marketing and Management Bachelor of Science, Hospitality Leadership Sidhu School of Business and Leadership Hometown: Zhengzhou, China Activities and Achievements: Yue was the president of the Asian Cultural Society and vice president of the Hospitality Leadership Club at Wilkes. She completed three internships, which included traveling to China, working with local digital marketing agency LSEO and with the Best Western Genetti Hotel in Wilkes-Barre. She does research about the hospitality industry with HyeRyeon Lee, assistant professor, with whom she has presented research papers at conferences in Fort Worth, Texas and Las Vegas, Nev. Noteworthy: With fellow Sidhu student Kacee Diehl, Yue won the award for Best Undergraduate Research Proposal Presentation from THEREPS, a tourism, hospitality, event conference for researchers, educators, practitioners, in April 2019. Nesbitt School of Pharmacy Favorite part of the Wilkes experience: “I know Wilkes-Barre Hometown: Oley, Pa. is a quiet city, and Wilkes University is not a big school; however, the people here make this place warm and lovely. I am so glad that I chose to study at Wilkes.” Activities and Achievements: Ponce served as president of the National Community Pharmacists Association and the chair of Generation Rx. He also participated in Industry Pharmacists Organization, American Pharmacist Association, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, the honor societies Phi Lambda Sigma and Rho Chi. He coordinated 33 different community service events. Ponce did research with Ka Future plans: She plans to earn her master’s degree in hospitality management after graduation. As Wilkes magazine went to press, she already had been offered a scholarship from Boston University. WILKES | Spring 2019 Charleston Stage Company. He will be featured in a minimum of seven shows, including playing the leading role, Ren McCormick, in “Footloose.” 7 �Looking Back, Looking� OCTOBER $35 million Cohen Science Center dedicated. WILKES | Spring 2019 PHOTO BY KNOT JUST ANY DAY 8 2012 2013 SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER Patrick F. Leahy is installed as Nursing Simulation Center opens. Wilkes’ sixth president during three-day event built around the theme “Looking Back With Pride, Looking Forward With Confidence.” ��Forward Wilkes President Patrick F. Leahy Reflects on Seven Years Leading the University By Vicki Mayk MFA’13 Ask Wilkes President Patrick F. Leahy how he would like to be remembered at the University and a wry smile crosses his face. “It’s humbling to think that people would remember me at all,” Leahy quips. His self-effacing comment doesn’t accurately reflect the many accomplishments during his seven-year tenure as president. When Leahy announced that he will leave Wilkes at the end of July 2019 to become president of Monmouth University, a private university on the north Jersey shore, it offered a chance for faculty, staff and alumni to note the many milestones at Wilkes under his leadership. The timeline on these pages highlights, year by year, achievements reached during the Leahy presidency. They include more than $100 million in campus improvements, the establishment of an honors program, the introduction of 25 new academic majors, the launch of a $1 million faculty research and scholarship fund and the start of Wilkes’ first Ph.D. program in the Passan School of Nursing, Wilkes’ fifth terminal degree. Perhaps the most significant moment came in January 2019, when Wilkes achieved doctoral university status, placing it among the nation’s most prestigious institutions. Wilkes magazine sat down with Leahy to reflect on his years leading Wilkes. In the following question-and-answer session, he talks about his fondest memories. SEPTEMBER New home of the Sidhu JUNE Gateway to the School of Business and Future Strategic Leadership dedicated in 2014 JUNE Inaugural Founders Gala raises $250,000 for First Generation Scholarship Fund. The late Joseph ..... ~ ..4,,·: 11 I/. ,/iii'. Savitz ’48 was the first President’s medal honoree. In 2018, the gala raised $820,000, bringing the total raised to $2.3 million since event’s inception. University Center on Main. AUGUST The Marching Colonels, the region’s first collegiate marching band, debuts. WILKES | Spring 2019 Plan launched. 9 �There have been many accomplishments during your tenure at Wilkes. Are there ones of which you’re most proud? Leahy: I hope during my time that we have accelerated our evolution toward becoming a doctoral university. Wilkes was evolving in this way, and we anticipated the shift was coming and decided we were going to double down on our efforts. To do that, we grew the programming in our master’s and doctoral programs, including the addition of our Ph.D. program in the Passan School of Nursing. We delivered graduate programming to a national audience. In addition, I’d like to think we’ve done more impactful research in the last seven years, as evidenced by the fact that we now have six patents that we have issued to protect ideas that might have commercial application. And, obviously, we have made considerable investments in our campus. We took a school that was continuing to evolve and really focused on developing it into an albeit small, nonetheless, bona fide doctoral university. You would appear to have achieved that goal, given the fact that the University’s Carnegie classification was changed to doctoral university. How will that impact Wilkes moving forward? Leahy: I am extremely proud that we’ve achieved that designation. It more adequately reflects the range of ways that we at this university serve students. Educating undergraduate students remains at the heart of what we do. But, offering master’s and doctoral programs is an extension of our mission SEPTEMBER The Wilkes University SHINE Program of providing worthy students with a first-class private education. And I think receiving doctoral university status is important because I want to be sure that our faculty and staff members are properly recognized for their contributions to the University. Moving forward, the new designation has the potential to impact Wilkes practically because it places us on a list of the greatest universities in the country. In addition to seeking doctoral university status for Wilkes, supporting first-generation college students has been another priority since the beginning of your presidency. Why was establishing the Founders Gala so important and why has it been such a success, raising $2.3 million to date? Leahy: I felt strongly that, once a year, we ought to have a first-class black tie fundraising event that could re-set the expectations of people both on and off campus to a level of excellence and demonstrate that Wilkes University can support that kind of a fundraising event. Part of the reason it’s been so successful is because of the purpose of the event, which is to raise money for first-generation students. Serving those students was such an important part of our founding and now, 85 years later, it’s still an important part of who we are. Using that event to raise money for first-generation students resonated with so many constituents of the University, and that is why it has been successful. SEPTEMBER Neurotraining of Luzerne County launches with and Research seven afterschool centers. Center opens. 2015 NOVEMBER WILKES | Spring 2019 SEPTEMBER 10 Honors Program is established. Michelini Hall is named in honor of Wilkes’ second president, Francis Michelini. OCTOBER NOVEMBER $1.7 million Karambelas Wilkes is Ranked 25th in the Nation East Campus Gateway is dedicated. by The Economist for the value its education brings to graduates. �During your time here, you have often been quoted as saying you cannot have a true university without an enduring commitment to the arts. How has that commitment manifested itself during your presidency? In addition to raising the bar related to academic programs, you also provided the impetus for major co-curricular and extra-curricular changes on campus. Under your leadership, Wilkes added seven varsity sports. Why was that important? Leahy: I hope that it is evident in a lot of ways. The most obvious example of our commitment was the multi-pronged strategy around the re-invention of the Sordoni Art Gallery. We made a big investment in a new space and made it more accessible to both the campus and the Wilkes-Barre community. We also began building a permanent exhibition endowment and hired a new director and assistant director for the gallery. But there are other examples of which I am proud. One is the addition of the only marching band in all of northeast Pennsylvania, an expansion to our musical program. And over the years we’ve made big investments in the Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing. First, we made major renovations of the home of the creative writing program, Cox Hall. Then we secured a major financial commitment to name the program after the Maslow family. At Wilkes, emphasis is placed on the liberal arts, even for students in our professional programs. I’ll repeat something now that I stated when I began as president—I believe strongly that even our engineers should read Shakespeare. Leahy: There are many reasons why I think expanding athletic programs is so important. It really is a strategic move. One reason is that it has allowed us to attract students from a much wider geographic area. For example, you have no choice but to recruit ice hockey players and lacrosse players from a wider area because playing those sports happens outside of this region. Having those sports allowed us to grow our recruiting footprint and to bring more student athletes to campus. And we love having student athletes here at Wilkes because the evidence proves that athletes typically retain and graduate at higher rates than our student body as a whole. Plus it’s just fun to have more athletic competitions and more students representing the University. It also gives us more opportunities to build school spirit. FEBRUARY Wilkes launches historic MAY partnership with President Patrick F. the Republic of Leahy speaks at U.N. Panama. as Wilkes is a founding sponsor of Micro-, Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises Day. 2017 MAY JUNE John J. Passan makes $3.3 million gift to Creative Writing Program receives leadership establish the Passan School of Nursing. gift to become the Maslow Family Graduate $1 million Faculty Research Fund is established and first symposium is held to celebrate. AUGUST Inaugural President’s Awards for Excellence are presented. Creative Writing Program. WILKES | Spring 2019 2016 11 �AUGUST Wilkes enrolls the largest and most AUGUST well-prepared first-year class in its history. Karambelas Media and Communication Center is dedicated providing a new home for the communication studies department. NOVEMBER South AUGUST Campus The Wilkes Educational Gateway to Excellence Gateway is (Wilkes EDGE) launches. The program helps support completed. students in the transition from high school to college. 2017 2018 SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER University’s first Ph.D. program established The Mark Engineering Center is dedicated in in Passan School of Nursing. Stark Learning Center, launching a new era for Wilkes’ engineering programs. OCTOBER Sordoni Art Gallery opens in its new home with the exhibit “Andy Warhol, 15 Minutes: From Image to Icon.” It sets a record for attendance, drawing 3,028 visitors. WILKES | Spring 2019 For a moment, let’s switch gears from your professional accomplishments. Your wife Amy and your four children have been a visible presence here during the last seven years. Are there moments at Wilkes that you will remember as a family? 12 Leahy: The first that I remember was at the family holiday party the year that I became president. Our four kids at the time were 5, 7, 11 and 13. All six of us put balloon hats on and were walking out of the event across campus when somebody snapped a picture of us and said, “Things are going to be a lot different around here, aren’t they?” So, from that point on, I hope the family has been an important part of the University community. Another event that stands out was a few years later when Vice President (Joe) Biden visited campus. We picked the kids up early from school so that they would have a chance to meet him. My son, Brian, who was probably 9 at time, said, “Dad, can we get a selfie with the vice president?” and just as the Secret Service said, “No selfies,” Vice President Biden kindly interrupted him and said, “It’s OK. Let’s let him take a picture.” So I have a priceless picture of my family, the six of us, with Vice President Biden. What is the biggest lesson you’ll take away from the experience of being Wilkes president? Leahy: The experience has affirmed something I said when I first became the president of Wilkes: In our line of work, it is always best to put students first. One example that comes to mind is when I traveled to the United Nations for the first time in 2017 to speak at the International Council for Small Business’s Micro-, Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises Summit. When I was introduced on the floor of the United Nations, a roar went up in the audience from more than 30 students that we brought along to experience an insider’s look at the United Nations. It prompted other university presidents who were there to say, “Wow, I didn’t know you could bring your own cheering section.” Here at Wilkes, our first thought when the invitation arrived for me to speak was to consider how many students we could bring. They said 10, and we brought 30. �OCTOBER JANUARY MAY Gateway to the Future Carnegie Ground is broken for Campaign launched Classification Bruggeworth Field at with $55 million goal. awards Wilkes Ralston Athletic Complex. doctoral university status. 2019 ................... ----~ APRIL Number of patents awarded Men’s and women’s ice hockey become the 22nd and 23rd through Allan P. Kirby Center for Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship totals 6. varsity sports, bringing the total added under Leahy’s tenure to 7. JUNE Phases 2 and 3 of the neighborhood enhancement project begins. The project will be completed in August. Leahy: There are really three. The first is when the campus community gathered to do the ice bucket challenge in honor of our dear friend and colleague, the late Jim Merryman (professor of anthropology). We put the call out to do the ice bucket challenge, which was a pretty popular thing at the time, and I suspected there might be 20 or 30 people, and there were probably 200 who showed up. We filled up the entire front of the library with people dressed in shorts and t-shirts and bathing suits. We all did the ice bucket challenge to raise money for ALS research in honor of our friend Jim Merryman. The second time was when we gave Mr. (John) Passan an honorary degree and we recognized him at commencement. He was sitting there on the stage and—without any prompting—each nursing student went over to Mr. Passan and thanked him for his support of the school of nursing when they crossed the stage. They did it with such genuine appreciation. Then, a number of non-nursing students stopped to thank him for his support at Wilkes before they came to me to receive their degrees. As president, I found it very moving to have students who understood how important his support was. And quite honestly, one of the times I felt really proud to be president was when we had commencement in fall 2018. I remembered that one of our graduates had come all the way from Hawaii to receive her degree. It was the first time she’d ever been on campus because she was a graduate nursing student who earned her degree 100 percent online. So on a whim, I said at commencement, “It dawns on me that some of you in our graduating class are visiting Wilkes University and Wilkes-Barre for the very first time. In order to welcome you more formally, I’d like to ask anyone who is here for the first time in our graduating class to please stand.” I was amazed at the number of students who stood—it was half of the class. I turned to (vice president for student affairs) Paul Adams and said, “Now, that’s a 21st century university.” WILKES | Spring 2019 Is there a moment when you were most proud to be the president at Wilkes? 13 �#24atWilkes WILKES | Spring 2019 Campus Life Captured on Social Media for 24 Hours at Wilkes 14 �Henry Student Center, students gather to play bingo—a prelude to Casino Night, one of the year’s biggest campus events taking place the next day. Upstairs at Henry’s Food Court, others grab food at Late Night, so named in students’ unique shorthand to refer to the time from 7:30 to 11 p.m. when they can get a snack to fuel a midnight study session. Crossing West South Street in front of the student center, a pair of students enters the Fenner Quadrangle. Crossing in front of the John Wilkes statue, one of them turns, raises her phone and snaps a picture of the statue silhouetted against the night sky. Over its shoulder, the brightly lit student center sends out welcoming light through the eyes of all of its windows. The picture becomes one of dozens that students, faculty and staff snap in a 24-hour period and post to social media, capturing campus life. In the digital age, the story of life at Wilkes University plays out online over and over again every 24 hours. This spring, Wilkes magazine invited the campus community to share their images from 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 14 until 8 p.m. on Friday, March 15. Using the hashtag #24atWilkes as they posted on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, the University community’s photos caught impressions of campus life, from a coffee at Starbucks to baseball practice. Some used it to record their day, hour by hour. Others composed images to reflect on what Wilkes means to them. On these pages, Wilkes magazine shares a sampling of the photos posted to social media during 24 hours at Wilkes. WILKES | Spring 2019 In the Ballroom of the 15 �♥ � � � From top to bottom: Communications officer Zach Patterson was answering calls for service on the 3-11 p.m. shift in Public Safety. The clock on the Campus Gateway strikes midnight in a photo by student Above: The clock read 10:02 p.m. when criminology major Lindsay Becker snapped this photo of John Wilkes on her walk back to her residence hall following Late Night. photographer Seth Platukis. Communication studies and sports management major Luke Modrovsky, editor- Below: Communication studies major Caroline in-chief of The Beacon, Rickard caught middle level education majors Kyleigh shares part of his day Smeltzer, left, and Kierstin Parricelli, showing their through an Instagram story. BINGO cards during a Casino Week event. To the right, Ryan Balliet, a sports management and WILKES | Spring 2019 0. 16 marketing major, Keeps it Locked at WCLH 90.7 radio. � �� � � � � � Right: Environmental engineering major Khrista Baran posted this Facebook photo saying she finds balance at Wilkes. Below: A group of students takes full advantage of the new study spaces inside the Mark Engineering Center. Above: Engineering majors Kyle Rosler, left and Dayton Benjamin crunch numbers in the basement of the Farley Library. Left: Joshua Bradley, political science and international studies major, shares the view from his balcony in Towers. WILKES | Spring 2019 24atWilkes � 17 �� � � � � � � � - Right: Biology Professor Ken Klemow shared his view of students in his Biology 122 class in Stark Learning Center, room 101. Below: Sophomore catcher and financial investments major Nicholas Malatesta smiles for the camera as he prepares for a game on the Colonels baseball team. Number 24, senior second baseman and accounting major Jack Fischer, is at bat. Baseball photos #24a were shared by communication studies student Kirsten Peters. Right, from top: Student pharmacist Katelyn Jimison snaps a picture of her lunch and laptop while completing school work looking out on the Fenner Quadrangle. Communication Studies major Caroline Rickard has a swinging time on a hammock outside of WILKES | Spring 2019 Capin Hall. 18 �♥ � � � � � atWilkes Clockwise from top right: Electrical engineering major Kris Smetana sets up labs in the Mark Engineering Center. Student pharmacist Patrick Speakman leads a campus tour. The moon shines over campus during the overnight shift with this photo by facilities night supervisor Jim Gabriele. Wilkes Adventure Education students Seth Hanchett, top row left, and Teddy Marines, top row right, highlight teamwork and fun with local Girl Scouts in Troop 30304. Student Allie Gundlah is second WILKES | Spring 2019 from right in the first row. 19 �GAME CHANGERS Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees Reflect on Their Experience as Student Athletes Being a student athlete defines the Wilkes experience for generations of University alumni. The 2018 inductees to the Athletics Hall of Fame reflect on their most memorable moments and the lessons learned on the WILKES | Spring 2019 playing field that they’ve applied to life after Wilkes. 20 Members of the Wilkes 2018 Athletics Hall of Fame class at the induction ceremony are pictured, from left, Carrie Chipego Singer ’98, Kyle Follweiler ’08, Ed Burke ’70, Nadine Taylor Prutzman ’07, MS ’13, Ted Sokolowski ’72 and Joe Folek ’88. �Ed Burke ’70 Kyle Follweiler ’08 FOOTBALL FOOTBALL WHERE HE IS NOW: Burke resides in Dallas, Pa., and runs a coin and metal detector business. He was a teacher in the Wyoming Valley West school district. He retired after 35 years. WHERE HE IS NOW: Follweiler resides in Germansville, Pa., and is the owner of Kyle’s Kars Sales and Service. COLONELS SPORTS CAREER: During three seasons as an offensive tackle, Burke was part of legendary coach Rollie Schmidt’s Golden Horde from 1965-1969 which won 32 straight games capturing three Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) titles. Burke was named Most Valuable Offensive Lineman by the MAC in 1968. He was also selected honorable mention All-American and All-State in 1969. Burke was named to the MAC All-Century Team as well as being inducted in 2013 to the Luzerne County Hall of Fame. MOST MEMORABLE WILKES MOMENT: “My memories from my collegiate days center around Ralston Field and the 32-game win streak we had during those years. The friendships formed during those years last until today.” HOW ATHLETICS CHANGED HIS LIFE AFTER COLLEGE: “My experience on those teams allowed me to coach high school football for several years in the Seventies.” COLONELS SPORTS CAREER: One of the best tacklers to ever suit up for the Colonels, Follweiler played linebacker for four seasons. He was a four-time First Team All-Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) honoree, while also earning Rookie of the Year honors in 2004. Follweiler was named MAC Defensive Player of the Year three times, racking up more than 400 tackles over his career. Follweiler’s accolades continued on the regional and national level as he was named All-Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) four times as well as Rookie of the Year in 2004 and Player of the Year in 2006. Follweiler also excelled on the baseball diamond. He was named All-Freedom three times while standing second all-time in runs scored with 143, sixth in at-bats with 470, second in hits at 185, fifth in doubles with 35, fifth in home runs with 22 and sixth in RBI’s with 123. MOST MEMORABLE WILKES MOMENT: “Winning the MAC title in football and baseball in 2006 and 2007.” HOW ATHLETICS CHANGED HIS LIFE AFTER COLLEGE: “Athletics gives you structure and discipline that isn’t duplicated in other hobbies and ventures. It helps you set goals and work to progress towards achievements.” Joe Folek ’88 BASEBALL WHERE HE IS NOW: Folek resides in Swoyersville, Pa. WHAT HE DOES NOW: Folek teaches special education at Meyers High School in Wilkes-Barre. MOST MEMORABLE WILKES MOMENT: “Being fortunate enough to play baseball at Wilkes for Coach Duliba and Coach Bavitz, and then having them give me my start in the coaching profession by asking me to join the Colonel staff. This led to being able to team up with Coaches Bavitz, Youngblood and Klinetob and accept the head coaching position which got our brand of “old-fashioned hard-nosed baseball” off and running. Right along with this would be my Dad (Walter), a former Colonel himself, taking me to my first alumni game at Artillery Park as a kid in the early 1970s.” HOW ATHLETICS CHANGED HIS LIFE AFTER COLLEGE: “I met some of the greatest, most dedicated and loyal people I have ever met in my life. My teammates, coaches, and especially my players have had a major impact on my life and continue to do so today and in the future.” WILKES | Spring 2019 COLONELS SPORTS CAREER: A four-year letter winner as a student, Folek enjoyed a highly successful career coaching the Colonels baseball team, accumulating 338 wins and finishing as the all-time winningest coach of the program. He began as an assistant coach with Wilkes in 1994 where he helped lead the squad to the Middle Atlantic Conference championship. In 1996 Folek took over as head coach where his teams recorded more than 20 wins in 10 of his 17 years at the helm. In 2007 the Colonels captured the Freedom Conference championship going 24-12 ,earning the school’s second-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. Two years later Folek led the squad to a school-record 29 wins and a Freedom Conference and ECAC Southern Region postseason berth. 21 �Nadine Taylor Prutzman ’07, MS ’13 SOFTBALL WHERE SHE IS NOW: Prutzman currently resides in Archbald, Pa. She is a special education teacher at the Western Wayne Middle School. Colonels sports career: Prutzman helped lead the Colonels to 83 wins and the 2006 Freedom Conference championship and NCAA tournament. She was named All-Freedom Conference three times including Player of the Year as a junior in 2005. She also was named First Team All-ECAC South, First Team All-Region and Second Team All-American in the same season. Taylor was also recognized on the Middle Atlantic Conference All-Century Team in 2013. She ranks seventh in runs scored with 79, seventh in hits with 131, eighth in doubles with 25, third in triples with 8 and fifth in stolen bases with 38, all while playing in the Colonels outfield. MOST MEMORABLE WILKES MOMENT: “My favorite memory at Wilkes University would have to be meeting my future husband in Evans Hall. We both lived on the fourth floor. He was a sophomore and I was a freshman. We will be celebrating 9 years of marriage in November 2019. We welcomed a son, Talon, in November 2013 and a daughter, Taylor, in June 2016.” HOW ATHLETICS CHANGED HER LIFE AFTER COLLEGE: “Athletics impacted my life after college in many ways. My success as a student athlete at Wilkes only made me a stronger individual in confidence and in determination. Being an athlete means you practice to make it perfect and that is exactly what I put into my everyday teaching style with my students, as well as to my two children. Learn from your mistakes and work hard every day.” Ted Sokolowski ’72 Carrie Chipego Singer ’98 BASEBALL FIELD HOCKEY WHERE HE IS NOW: Sokolowski resides in Nanticoke, Pa. He retired from Nanticoke Area school district, where he taught for 38 years in the elementary school. WHERE SHE IS NOW: Singer resides in Forty Fort, Pa., and is a chemist for the Wyoming Valley Sanitary Authority. COLONELS SPORTS CAREER: One of four pitchers in Colonels history to reach 20 wins, Sokolowski earned Middle-Atlantic Conference (MAC) Most Valuable Player honors in 1972. He finished his career with a 21-7 overall record on the mound standing ninth all-time in winning percentage (.750) and second in wins. Sokolowski made his mark throughout the Colonel pitching record book, standing second in innings pitched with 227, third in games started with 32, fifth in complete games with 16 and eighth with an earned-run average of 2.26. MOST MEMORABLE WILKES MOMENT: “Playing baseball, we won a championship and intramural basketball. I had some good friends.” WILKES | Spring 2019 HOW ATHLETICS CHANGED HIS LIFE AFTER COLLEGE: “I played a lot of baseball, basketball and hardball after (college)— it was a big part of my life until I couldn’t do it anymore.” 22 COLONELS SPORTS CAREER: Singer was an integral part of a Colonels field hockey program that won three straight Freedom League championships, two ECAC Mid-Atlantic Championships and made one NCAA tournament appearance. Her finest year came as a junior where she led the team with 35 points on 14 goals and seven assists earning Most Valuable Player honors at the ECAC Championship. Singer was a two-time First Team All-Freedom League selection in both her junior and senior seasons and earned National Field Hockey Coaches Association All-American honors as a senior in 1997. For her career Singer finished with 79 points on 31 goals and 17 assists. MOST MEMORABLE WILKES MOMENT: “I loved going to away games and driving in the van with everyone. We always had such a great time singing songs on the radio and sometimes getting lost along the way to the game.” HOW ATHLETICS CHANGED HER LIFE AFTER COLLEGE: “I really loved the game so much, I ended up teaching seventh and eighth grade field hockey for Wyoming Valley West for ten years. I had so many girls! A few went on to play collegiate sports.” �1994 Baseball Team The 1994 Wilkes baseball team captured the MAC Championship after beating nationally ranked Elizabethtown College in a best-of-three series earning a berth in the ECAC Southern Region Championship Tournament. Wilkes took game one 9-1 and then claimed the title in game three with a 6-5 victory. The Colonels finished the season 19-14 under head coach Bob Duliba and assistant coaches Jerry Bavitz and Joe Folek. Five different players earned all-conference honors led by conference Most Valuable Player Bill Noone and his seven wins and 1.60 earned-run average. Duliba was also named conference Coach of the Year. Team members include: Chris Carver, Geoff Little, B.J. Mushinsky, Keith Adamski, Dave Meyers, Bill Blanck, Chris Tyukody, Bob Klinetob, Mike Wassel, Tony DeCesare, Dave Macedo, Grant Yoder, Aaron Stoker, Rob Michaels, Steve Klem, J.J. Grube, Dave Kelly, Kevin Gryboski, Steve Endres, Chris Tobias, Clarence Baltrusaitis, Dave Kaschak, Joe Balay, Robert Horensky, Mark Youngblood, Bill Noone, Ryan Flynn, and Tom Whille. Members of the 1994 baseball team gathered for a team photo at the Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony. The following alumni are representing the 1994 baseball team for this story: WHERE HE IS NOW: Klem resides in Kingston, Pa., with his wife Lauren and two sons, Trevor and Jesse. He is a teacher at Wyoming Valley West High School where he teaches Advanced Placement psychology and American law. MOST MEMORABLE WILKES MOMENT: “There are three memories I will never forget. [These include] the Saturday afternoon when we won the 1994 MAC Baseball Championship, playing baseball in Florida to start our season and my student-teaching experience which encompasses working with the many talented faculty members within the education and content area of my teaching certificate.” HOW ATHLETICS CHANGED HIS LIFE AFTER COLLEGE: “The lessons that were taught by the coaching staff at Wilkes have shaped my ability to work as a team member and never feel that what other people call impossible is impossible.” Bill Noone ’95 WHERE HE IS NOW: Noone resides in Exeter, Pa., and is the director of product management with Prudential Retirement. MOST MEMORABLE WILKES MOMENT: “Winning the 1994 Middle Atlantic Conference Championship. Also meeting my wife Tammy Swartwood ’96.” HOW ATHLETICS CHANGED HIS LIFE AFTER COLLEGE: “Athletics at Wilkes has made a significant and positive impact on my life over the years after graduation. From the friendships I have maintained with teammates, coaches and many other Wilkes athletes, to the experiences and lessons from the coaches, I am now able to leverage that in my own coaching at the youth sports level.” David Kaschak ’94 WHERE HE IS NOW: Kaschak resides in Sewell, N.J., where he is a sales executive for Aetna. MOST MEMORABLE WILKES MOMENT: “Winning the 1994 MAC Championship.” HOW ATHLETICS CHANGED HIS LIFE AFTER COLLEGE: “Athletics taught me how to deal with different personalities and work towards a common goal.” WILKES | Spring 2019 Steve Klem ’94, MS’08 23 �Gatewar i Future CAMPAIGN WILKES | Spring 2019 Ralston Athletic Complex Project Will Enhance Experience of Student Athletes 24 �The Gateway to the Future Campaign continues its goal of enhancing Wilkes University “brick by brick” with a project launching this summer at the Ralston Athletic Complex. Opposite page: An artist’s rendering shows Bruggeworth Field at the Ralston Athletic Complex. It will include a baseball field and a multi-purpose field that will be used by five sports. This page from top: A new baseball field will replace the current one at Artillery Park. Center, men’s and women’s soccer will be among the sports playing on the new multi-purpose field. Bottom, a rendering shows the proposed pedestrian gateway leading to Schmidt Stadium. Naming Opportunities at Bruggeworth Field Gifts of all sizes are welcome to support the Ralston Athletic Complex project. The following are among the available naming opportunities: • Baseball press box • Multi-use field press box • Scoreboard • Two spectator areas • Pedestrian Gateway to Schmidt Stadium WILKES | Spring 2019 A multi-use field is planned that will transform the experience of student athletes with improved playing fields that will allow better scheduling of games and practices. It also will provide playing surfaces that will be better able to withstand the kind of weather that often accompanies a soggy spring in northeastern Pennsylvania. Bruggeworth Field at the Ralston Athletic Complex, made possible by an initial leadership gift of $1 million from Wilkes alumnus Robert Bruggeworth ’83, will include a baseball field and a second, multi-purpose turf field that will be used by five sports: men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s lacrosse and field hockey. The Gateway to the Future Campaign seeks to raise an additional $1 million for this project as part of its overall campaign goal. Gifts of all sizes are being sought to support the project. Naming opportunities are available for press boxes, scoreboard, spectator areas and a pedestrian gateway to Schmidt Stadium. The new facilities will provide a competitive advantage for the teams using the fields. The Colonels baseball team will be able to play outside earlier in the season. Other teams playing on the multi-purpose field will no longer be dealing with practice and game cancellations because bad weather has rendered a field unplayable. The artificial turf and improved drainage will mean that student athletes can still compete there. The more than 500 student athletes playing in the University’s 23 varsity sports teams as well as the many who participate in intramurals benefit directly and indirectly from this planned project. With the addition of Bruggeworth Field, more teams can simultaneously be practicing or competing at the new facility and in the existing space in Schmidt Stadium. Scheduling problems— often a challenge for student athletes—will be greatly eased by the availability of expanded facilities. The Bruggeworth Field project is the beginning of phased improvements to the Ralston Athletic complex that will continue over the next decade. For more information about supporting the Gateway to the Future Campaign and its goals for the Ralston Athletic Complex, please contact Margaret Steele, chief development officer, at margaret.steele@wilkes.edu or 570-408-4302. 25 �Ruth McDermottLevy ’82 Studies Health Care for a Changing Planet WILKES | Spring 2019 By Koren Wetmore 26 R Ruth McDermott-Levy ’82’s research on health care and the environment often takes her outdoors. She is pictured on the Belmont Plateau near Philadelphia, not far from where she teaches at Villanova University. PHOTO BY DAN Z. JOHNSON uth McDermott-Levy ’82 arrived in Finland in summer 2018 during the third heatwave in what would become the nation’s hottest year on record. Finland’s average temperatures have already risen 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial temperatures—exceeding the 1.5 degree Celsius maximum set by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and double that of the rest of the globe. It was an auspicious start for a scholar who came to discuss the impacts of climate change on patient health. She soon discovered her subject was new to many nurses in Finland. “That was surprising, because Finland is way ahead of us on living sustainably,” she says. “Once nurses started talking about environmental health and our changing climate, however, they could see its relationship to their patients and they wanted to learn more.” While others debate the reality of climate change, McDermott-Levy, associate professor and director of the Center for Global Public Health at Villanova University, is training nurses to discern and address its effects on patients. �Sewing Seeds Early Early on McDermott-Levy had a passion for the outdoors and an interest in people. When the first Earth Day launched in 1970, she saved all her “nickels and pennies” and bought seedlings for everyone she knew. The experience sparked a curiosity about the connection between people and their environment. Yet she didn’t see how to translate that into a health career. Finding Her Focus She returned to school in 2013 to pursue her master’s degree in public health, with an emphasis on environmental and global health. As part of her studies, she examined the effects of fracking on the people in northeastern Pennsylvania. She also became the co-chair of the Pennsylvania State Nursing Association’s environmental health committee. “The health impacts of fracking are awful. As committee co-chair, I had to address those issues. The more I studied fracking and the impact of fossil fuels, it naturally led to the climate change piece.” Now the activist-scholar uses every tool at her command to educate and equip the next generation of nurses to address the health impacts of climate change. She co-edited an open-access ebook, “Environmental Health in Nursing,” published by the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments (ANHE). She serves as co-chair of the ANHE Education Workgroup and a member of its fracking and climate change workgroups. She lectures nationwide, writes articles—she’s currently working on a piece about climate change impacts on older adults with former Wilkes Professor Anne Marie Kolanowski—and continues to do research here and abroad. Her recent trip to Finland was funded by a 2018 Fulbright-Saastamoinen Foundation Health and Environmental Sciences Award. Her work there included teaching and research related to the impacts of climate change on human health. Her study results will inform the creation of future nursing curricula, including an online course for students at Villanova and the University of Eastern Finland. Like the seedlings shared in childhood, McDermott-Levy’s efforts carry a promise for the future. “This younger generation thinks differently than we do. My job is to give them the foundation and skills to look critically at the science, and then step out of their way,” she says. “We haven’t found the solutions to these complex problems that affect human health yet. I’m trusting they will.” WILKES | Spring 2019 “In Oman, the oil fields are far from where people live, so there are only occupational exposures. Here, fracking occurs in a community’s backyard.” Her first clue came while studying nursing at Wilkes. “I took care of people who had black lung disease from working in the mines, and saw patients with health problems related to air quality in their neighborhoods.” More clues arrived after graduation, when she worked in hospital and home health-care settings. There she saw how environmental exposures contributed to heart and respiratory diseases. But it wasn’t until her graduate work that things really started to gel. Between earning her master’s degree in nursing in 1996 and her doctorate in 2008, both from Villanova University, McDermott-Levy participated in multiple trips abroad as a Villanova faculty member. She guided students in service projects in Peru and Nicaragua, where she witnessed the impact of poverty and geography on health-care access. There were places where, if you needed care, you had to “walk two or more days” to get to services. She also spent six years serving as academic advisor to Omani nurses studying at Villanova and as an external reviewer for the University of Niswa. The work involved trips to Oman, and led to a visit to the Islamic sultanate and the Omani oil fields. It was an experience that proved informative when fracking for oil production began in Pennsylvania. “In Oman, the oil fields are far from where people live, so there are only occupational exposures. Here, fracking occurs in a community’s backyard,” she says. 27 �alumni news SAVE THE DATE FOR THE RALSTON MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT The Second Annual Ralston Memorial Tournament to benefit athletics at Wilkes University will be held on Monday, Sept. 9, 2019, at the Wyoming Valley Country Club in Wilkes-Barre. For more information, contact Margaret Steele, chief development officer, at margaret.steele@wilkes.edu or 570-408-4302. Alumni Association Open Board Meeting Are you interested in learning more about the Alumni Association? Participate in our open meeting on Friday, May 31, 2019, at 1 p.m. Whether you join us on campus or call in to the meeting, you’ll get a firsthand look at how our board of directors works with campus partners to provide programs for the alumni community. At the meeting, we’ll review our goals and discuss future opportunities for the upcoming fiscal year. If you are interested in participating, please contact the Office of Alumni Relations at alumni@wilkes.edu or 570-408-7787. Email Information As a benefit of being a member of the Wilkes Alumni Association, we offer an email address for life. In the coming months, we will be transitioning active alumni email accounts which currently end in @wilkes.edu to end in @wilkesalumni.com. If you currently use your @wilkes.edu email address and would like to continue to have an email account hosted by Wilkes, please watch your @wilkes.edu inbox for more instructions on this process in the future. For any questions, please contact the Office of Alumni Relations at alumni@wilkes.edu or 570-408-7787. WILKES | Spring 2019 Contribute to Wilkes, Support its National Ranking 28 By contributing to Wilkes University as an alumnus, you can do more good than you may realize. The number of contributions made to Wilkes are considered in awarding national rankings. If alumni collectively participate, no matter the size of the gift, you can make a big difference in Wilkes University’s national ranking. For more information about the many ways your contributions can be put to use at Wilkes, contact Margaret Steele, chief development officer at margaret.steele@wilkes.edu or 570-408-4302. Save the date for HOMECOMING 2019 October 4-6! Class years ending in 4s and 9s, get ready for your class reunion! www.wilkes.edu/homecoming �giving back The late Umid R. Nejib left a lasting legacy at Wilkes as the man who created the University’s engineering department and the program’s four-year curriculum. Now that legacy will be celebrated at Homecoming 2019 when a lab will be dedicated in the Stark Learning Center to forever commemorate his impact at Wilkes. “He truly was one of those people who bled blue and gold,” says Barbara King ’80, Nejib’s wife who worked at the University for 35 years and retired as associate dean of student affairs. “He just loved the place.” Alumni, faculty and students who knew him return that affection, frequently affirming, “Wilkes University is better because he was here.” Nejib, the founding dean of the School of Science and Engineering and professor of electrical engineering, joined Wilkes in 1965 and died in July 2002. He was originally hired temporarily to develop the engineering program and stayed for 37 years. Later in his career, he took on a new challenge to lay the groundwork for the establishment of the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy. King said that teaching was his true passion and he was always proud of his students. He was committed to the type of education that Wilkes provides, which incorporates technical skills with a liberal arts education. “He was so passionate about engineers who were educated in the liberal arts tradition,” King says. “He came from a background where he had all of the advantages of liberal arts learning, so that was very important to him.” Because Nejib also came from a background where women were very influential, educated and successful, it was a point of pride for him to have both men and women in engineering from the Umid R. Nejib start of the program. “Even from the very first class of engineering graduates, in 1973, he was always proud that there were women in the class,” recalls King. Walter Placek ’61 joined Wilkes as a faculty member around the same time that Nejib arrived at the University. The two were colleagues who became friends and worked together for more than 30 years. “He enjoyed doing all that he did,” recalls Placek. “When he was teaching, it was obvious that he enjoyed teaching. When he was chairing a meeting, he liked that too.” Placek says that Nejib held various positions at Wilkes, but he specifically remembers how his late colleague respected and supported his fellow faculty members in his role as chair of the engineering department. “When he asked you to do something, he would provide you with the resources to follow through.” King says that because Nejib was a modest man, he did not expect recognition for his work. She says that he would be surprised to have a lab named after him but it is an honor nonetheless. Placek agrees, saying that naming the lab is appropriate recognition, but Nejib cared more about the success of the school. “He wanted to do a good job,” says Placek. “He would prefer the degree, the program, the building, and the facility, to be successful. That, to him, would mean more than having a lab named after him.” JOIN US AT HOMECOMING 2019 as we celebrate and honor Dr. Umid Nejib’s legacy at Wilkes by dedicating the Engineering Flex-Lab in the Mark Engineering Center, located on the first floor of the Stark Learning Center. A donor plaque will be placed in the engineering lab recognizing individuals who contribute in honor of Dr. Nejib. For more information about making a gift in his honor, please contact Margaret Steele, chief development officer at margaret.steele@wilkes.edu or call 570-408-4302. WILKES | Spring 2019 Lab Dedication at Homecoming 2019 Will Honor the Legacy of Umid R. Nejib 29 �class notes Mark Hunter ’06’s Research Career Takes Him to Stanford’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory Ask Mark Hunter ’06 what he does as a staff scientist at the Linac Coherent Light Source at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory at Stanford University, and you feel like you’ve taken a step into a scientific future that’s still evolving. The work at the lab centers on X-ray lasers that can help scientists better understand how chemical reactions occur, uncover the 3-D molecular structure of an enzyme that transmits African sleeping sickness, and study microscopic components of air pollution at the nanoscale. And that’s just a few examples. Hunter’s primary role at the Menlo Park, Calif., facility is helping external scientists use the LCLS for biomedical science experiments. He also is continuing his own research into novel ways of doing structural biology at the LCLS. Since its founding in 1962, the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, maintained by the U.S. Department of Energy, has supported ground-breaking research that led to three Nobel Prizes in physics and the 2006 Nobel Prize in chemistry. For Hunter, a Wilkes chemistry graduate who earned a doctorate in chemistry in 2011 from Arizona State University, Hunter’s career path included time as a research associate—a his current role started with his doctoral dissertation related postdoctoral appointment—at Lawrence Livermore National to protein crystallography using X-rays, a technique used Laboratory and then at LCLS at the Coherent X-ray Imaging for determining the atomic and molecular structure of the beamline, where he had conducted most of his experiments as molecules comprising a crystal by means of X-ray diffraction. a graduate student. Promotions to associate staff scientist and Hunter’s research focused on X-ray lasers found at the lab staff scientist followed. where he now works. WILKES | Spring 2019 “I had a great experience at Wilkes and due to the caliber of “Much of our knowledge about the chemical structure of professors and mentors I had, I grew much more as a person matter has ultimately been derived from crystallography, in than can be understood through grades for courses alone,” which you grow a three-dimensionally ordered agglomerate of Hunter states. “The research opportunities at Wilkes definitely a sample—similar to a crystal of table salt—and then probe it helped my resume, and the ability to start research at an early using X-rays or electrons,” Hunter explains. stage in the undergraduate degree is very important.” However, traditional X-rays can damage the samples. Enter He cites Wilkes chemistry faculty Donald Mencer and Amy the X-ray laser technology available at the Linac Coherent Light Bradley and math professor John Harrison as incredibly Source and the research that was the basis of his dissertation. important mentors. He says Henry Castejon, now chair of “The new X-ray lasers seek to avoid this damage by having the mechanical engineering department, provided him with pulses so short that the material doesn’t have time to respond 30 Mark Hunter ’06 pauses outside the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory where he is a staff scientist at the Linac Coherent Light Source. PHOTO COURTESY MARK HUNTER “tough love.” to the X-rays before you collect all the necessary information— “Dr. Castejon always made sure to let me know when I wasn’t damage-free data collection,” Hunter continues. “And what the performing up to my potential, and that perspective has helped large team that I was part of showed was that, yes, you can use me greatly once I left Wilkes and ventured forth along my these techniques at X-ray lasers and avoid the damage caused career,” Hunter says. by traditional X-ray sources.” – By Vicki Mayk MFA ’13 �class notes 1960 Bruce Miles of Stamford, Conn., Jerome Pauley of Shickshinny, Pa., and Robert Martin ’61 of Wall Twp., N.J., along with their classmates, the late Larry Choper and Boyd Hoats, were members of a popular singing group in the late 1950s called the Crewnecks. On Oct. 30, 2018, the CBS television show “NCIS” featured their song “Rockin Zombie,” which they recorded in 1959. The group sang extensively at college functions during that time. 1969 REUNION: OCT. 4–6 George Pawlush MS ’76 of Cheshire, Conn., was inducted into the Connecticut American Legion Baseball Hall of Fame in January 2019. He served as Connecticut state baseball chairman and tournament director from 1999 to 2005. 1970 Caleb McKenzie of Hoboken, N.J., was reelected to a second term as the 92nd president of the Illuminating Engineering Society of New York City. McKenzie and his brother, Jeff, sponsor the Beryl and Cromwell E. Thomas Engineering Scholarship at Wilkes. He is also co-chair of the Richard Kelly Grant and the chair of the Illuminating Engineering Society of New York City Merit Scholarship. McKenzie is a principal at US Lighting Consultants, an international lighting consultancy based in New York City. 1977 Jim Burnetti and Deborah Hynoski Burnetti of Derwood, Md., celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on Sept. 2, 2018, with a trip to the Galapagos Islands. They were accompanied by their son, Tony, who recently earned his doctorate in molecular biology at Duke University. Jim is employed as a senior principal systems engineer at the MITRE Corp. in McLean, Va. Debbie recently retired from her position as an editor with the American Geological Institute to devote her time to writing a book based on her father’s letters to her mother during World War II. 1978 Doreen Wickiser Dzoba MS ’00 of Orlando, Fla., retired from teaching after 36 years. She taught at St. Jude School in Mountain Top, Pa. for 28 years. Her last 8 years of teaching were in Orange County, Fla. She lives in Florida with her husband, Tom Dzoba. Alan France and Sheree (Kessler) France ’79 of Center Valley, Pa., are celebrating their 39th wedding anniversary. They have also 1977 1975 Thomas Pezzicara of Holland, Pa., welcomed his first grandson, Enzo Christopher Pezzicara, on Oct. 12, 2018. Linda Abbey ’77 of New York, N.Y., and Nicholas Adler ’00 of Bloomfield, N.J., recently worked on “Goalkeepers” for the Bill Gates Foundation. The event brings together leaders from around the world to accelerate progress toward ending poverty and fighting inequality. Adler is an associate house manager at Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York City. Abbey is the vice president at Great Performances in New York City. 1962 Florence (Billings) Finn of Dallas, Pa., was inducted into The Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame in August 2018. She taught in the Lake Lehman School District and coached basketball, junior high field hockey and softball. Finn has been retired for 22 years. 1980 Recently, several 1980 graduates met to remember their days at Warner, Gore and Slocum halls. Pictured from left to right; Steve Pavlick ’81, Joe Ferrara, David Arrigoni ’80, Richy Maurer ’82, Nick Gard ’80, John Haffner ’80, Craig Jackson ’80. Missing from the photo are: Peter Pagano ’79, Ken Lesniak ’80, Bill Manley and Jack Manley. WILKES | Spring 2019 Undergraduate 31 �class notes Clothiers, a high-end consignment shop near Salt Lake City, Utah. 1996 William Boyer, M.D., of Allentown, Pa., was appointed chief academic officer/ designated institutional official at Hahnemann University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa. 1985 Donna (O’Toole) Sedor of Larksville, Pa., was named executive director of The Arc of Luzerne County, the leading agency fighting for the rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She previously was the director of development for the Women’s Resource Center of Scranton. welcomed a grandson, Alan Bird. Alan France is the president of France, Anderson, Basile and Company P.C., a CPA firm in the Lehigh Valley, and was recently elected as president of the Lehigh County Historical Society. Sheree retired from teaching in 2015. 1997 Shawn Harden of Semora, N.C., has been promoted to senior associate at Dewberry, a professional services firm. 2005 Brian and Katherine (Green) Fischer of Factoryville, Pa., welcomed twins on Aug. 23, 2018. Lucas and Reid Fischer were welcomed home by big brothers Jack and Everett and big sister, Lia. 1988 John Coble of Reading, Pa., was appointed as a new commissioner by the Middle States Association Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Coble is a middle school English teacher at St. Francis Academy, Philadelphia. 2000 Nicholas Adler – see 1977 2008 Christopher Mayerski MBA ’10 of Springfield, Pa., became the director of graduate admissions at Wilkes University on Nov. 12, 2018. 1995 Alexandria Marchel of Sandy, Utah, opened Primrose WILKES | Spring 2019 1980 Shepard Willner of Arlington, Va., retired from the federal government on Sept. 28, 2018, after 35 years of federal service. 32 1986 Paul Cummings of Cohoes, N.Y., co-authored the article “A solvable conjugacy problem for finitely presented semigroups satisfying C(2) and T(4)” appearing in the April issue of the mathematics journal Semigroup Forum. 2011 Britney Hazleton of Dallas, Pa., and her husband, Michael, welcomed their first child, Madelyn Elizabeth Hazleton, on April 15, 2018. 2012 2011 Jacqueline Lukas of Courtdale, Pa., married Kevin Eovitch on Nov. 3, 2018. Nicole Kaufman of Scranton, Pa., and her husband, Mark, welcomed baby boy Robert Joseph Kaufman to their family on Sept. 20, 2018. �class notes Jenna Strzelecki ’07, MBA ’09 Becomes Business Owner with CrossFit Anthracite When most people wake up for work, Jenna Strzelecki ’07 MBA ’09 has already opened up her gym, CrossFit Anthracite, taught a class and got coffee for the other coaches at the gym. Then she is off to her day job at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine. Later, when her colleagues are calling it a day after eight hours at the office, she is back coaching and encouraging gym members. Strzelecki’s full-time job is working for Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine in Scranton as the director of curriculum development and assessment. For the past ten years, she has been responsible for managing and providing oversight for all aspects of the medical school curriculum. She added a second job in 2013 when she became part owner of what was DK Cross. “After two years of getting my MBA at Wilkes and being busy, “I loved being able to impact people’s lives in a healthy owning a business in addition to a demanding day job seemed and positive way,” says Strzelecki, who earned her bachelor’s like a piece of cake,” she laughs. “Owning a business was always degree in business with a marketing concentration. “The gym a dream of mine. Being your own boss is something I think a lot is not necessarily my passion, but helping people realize their of people dream of but they are afraid the risk will outweigh the potential is my passion. I share my love for CrossFit and the reward. Opening the gym with a business partner at first eased gym with people to help them better themselves.” some of those risks, which was a great start to jumping into the world of business ownership.” Maintaining a routine and intricate schedule helps her to balance her two jobs. Strzelecki credits her MBA from Wilkes In February 2018, she bought out her partner and reopened for the confidence, knowledge and skills needed in making the gym under the name CrossFit Anthracite as the sole owner. important financial business decisions and “ensuring the Her passion and dedication to succeed along with her everyday operations of the business were handled profes- business knowledge allowed Strzelecki to continue fulfilling sionally and to highest standards possible.” her goal of bettering people’s lives through health and fitness. “My MBA at Wilkes taught me to understand what it takes At the gym, she is also the head coach. She earned her Level to make a mark in the ever-changing world of owning and 1 CrossFit Certification in 2012 as well as her Level 2 and Kids operating a business,” she explains. CrossFit certifications, allowing her to lead members and She knows her schedule is hectic but she is confident in her abilities to handle anything thrown her way. fellow coaches. “If you want something badly enough you make time for it. You make time for what matters in your - Jenna Strzelecki ’07, MBA ’09 life no matter how hectic your days become and how late your nights go,” she says. “I am fortunate to work with two great teams that allow me to easily navigate both jobs.” – By Samantha Stanich MA ’18 WILKES | Spring 2019 “...Helping people realize their potential is my passion. I share my love for CrossFit and the gym with people to help them better themselves.” 33 �class notes Levi Leyba MBA ’16 Creates Bilingual Books for Children “The ‘Young Series’ are bilingual children’s books that promote childhood literacy and parental involvement,” Leyba explains. Right now, titles include stories about young Susan B. Anthony, John. D. Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, Abraham Lincoln and Benjamin Franklin. “The stories introduce each character, announce a problem or situation that each character must overcome, and close with a resolution to the earlier mentioned obstacle,” he adds. With the Amazon sale of each “Young Series” book, Leyba donates a book to a child in a low-income community. “In 2012 I started a 501(c)3 non-profit called Guardian Angel Council,” Leyba says. “Through my charity, I have partnered with Title I elementary schools that help with the distribution of books to those who need them the most….with every book purchased, one will be donated. I do this with Guardian Angel Council and its Book for Book program.” A Title 1 elementary school has large concentrations of low-income students and receives additional funding to Levi Leyba MBA ’16 became inspired after writing a research assist in meeting educational goals for students. Though his paper in one of his Wilkes MBA classes on childhood literacy target age group is preschool through sixth grade, Leyba and its relationship to educational and economic success. explains that there is value in adults reading the series, too. Once he completed his degree, the Mesa, Ariz., native took that inspiration and created a publishing business, writing “Through my research, I learned that when someone wants to learn the English language, the first thing they do is and illustrating bilingual check out children’s books children’s books. Part of from the local library,” he that plan was to donate books to students in need. With guidance from his Wilkes mentor, retired business professor Anthony Liuzzo, he set forward. “Dr. Liuzzo helped me with my “The ‘Young Series’ are bilingual children’s books that promote childhood literacy and parental involvement.” final research paper setting – Levi Leyba MBA ’16 WILKES | Spring 2019 up the guidelines that I 34 says. “So, in reality, any age-group can benefit from these bilingual books if they are interested in learning English and Spanish.” Leyba also serves as an adjunct faculty member in business at Mesa should follow to properly research the topic of early childhood Community College and on the board for A New Leaf, a literacy. Without his experience and knowledge, I’m not certain 46-year-old community nonprofit organization, providing a that the type of research I made myself do would have resulted broad spectrum of support services to help individuals and in publishing bilingual children’s books,” Leyba says. families in crisis. The books, now known as the “Young Series,” are helping Leyba connect with Spanish and English language learners and low-income communities to make a difference in children’s lives. – By Sarah Bedford ’17, MA ’19 �class notes 2013 Dustin Hough of Chambersburg, Pa., and Lauren Wood of Kingston, Pa. married on Sept. 13, 2018 at Sand Springs in Drums, Pa. 2012 Mary Siejak of Hanover Twp., Pa., was honored as a 2019 Distinctive Woman by the Times Leader in Wilkes-Barre. Siejak is an individualized instruction teacher at Good Shepherd Academy and a ballet instructor at the Degnan Ballet Center at the Conservatory at Wilkes University. 2018 Madison Scarfaro of Whitehall, Pa., recently graduated from Wilkes and has become a field staff member for the Marsy’s Law for Pennsylvania team. Marsy’s Law would ensure that victims of crime have the same co-equal rights as those who were accused or convicted. The law has been passed unanimously by Pennsylvania’s Senate and House. The law must be approved by the voters of Pennsylvania in a ballot referendum before it can be added into the constitution. 2015 Angela (Cairns) Choate of Camp Hill, Pa., welcomed her second child, Theodore James, with husband Joshua Choate on Nov. 2, 2018. Graduate 1976 See George Pawlush in Undergraduates 1969 2000 See Doreen Wickiser Dzoba MS ’00 in Undergraduates 1978 2008 Holly (Miller) Courter MBA of Wilkes-Barre Twp. welcomed a daughter, Delaney Jane, with her husband, Josh, on Feb. 21, 2018. The couple also have a six-year old daughter, Peyton. 2010 See Christopher Mayerski MBA, Undergraduate 2008 2013 Christina Force Ed.D. of Berwick, Pa., received the Michael and Bree Gillespie Faculty Fellowship from the department of business education at Bloomsburg University. She earned her doctorate from Wilkes in educational administration. Force serves as the adviser of Pi Omega Pi, the business education honor society, and is a member of the national executive board. She is the vice president for both the Pennsylvania Business Education Association and Phi Kappa Phi. In addition, she organizes the Husky Dog Pound, a shark tank-like event for Bloomsburg University students and high school students. WILKES | Spring 2019 2013 Jessica Short of Scranton, Pa., and Nadine Taylor Prutzman ’07 MS ’13 of Scranton, Pa., ran into each other on Future Day at Western Wayne School District. Short works at Western Wayne School District and is the cheerleading coach at Wilkes University. Prutzman is a special education teacher at Robert D. Wilson Elementary School and a member of the Wilkes Athletics Hall of Fame. 35 �class notes MARLON JAMES MA’06 RELEASES NEW NOVEL TO CRITICAL ACCLAIM Marlon James MA ’06 has released “Black Leopard, Red other media outlets. James Wolf,” the first book in a trilogy that has been described also was interviewed on Late as an African “Game of Thrones.” The book’s release has Night With Seth Meyers. The garnered media attention from The New Yorker, The New film rights for the novel have York Times, Time, Vanity Fair, Variety and in dozens of been optioned by Michael B. Jordan’s Outlier Society and Warner Bros. In April 2019, James was named to Time magazine’s list of “100 Most Influential People.” He is listed in the category of “Pioneers.” Legendary author Salman Rushdie wrote the Time tribute to James, calling him “one of the most important voices of his literary generation.” Talking about “Black Leopard, Red Wolf,” Rushdie describes the book as having “echoes of Tolkien, George R.R. Martin and Black Panther, but highly original, its language surging with power, its imagination all-encompassing. Marlon is a writer who must be read.” James has been on the fast track to literary stardom since his novel, A Brief History of Seven Killings won the Man Booker Prize in 2015. As the first Jamaican to win the international prize, the award put James in the company of such notable authors as Rushdie, Hilary Mantel, Philip Roth and Alice Munro. WILKES | Spring 2019 PHOTO BY EARL & SEDOR PHOTOGRAPHIC 36 PICTURE PERFECT: GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING PHOTOS FOR CLASS NOTES 1. Email jpeg or tif files to wilkesmagazine@wilkes.edu or upload as an online class note submission on the alumni website at www.wilkes.edu/alumni. Wilkes magazine accepts photos of alumni weddings and to accompany class notes reporting achievements and milestones. To ensure that we can use the photos submitted, please follow these requirements: 2. Digital photos must be at least 4 by 6 inches at 300 dpi or 1200 pixels by 1800 pixels. If you are sending a photo from your smart phone, choose full size or the largest size when prompted to specify the size you wish to send. 3. Please identify everyone in the photo, starting from left to right. Identify both alumni and non-alumni in submitted photos. Include class years for alumni. �class notes In Memoriam 1940 Charles Fehlinger of Montoursville, Pa., died on Aug. 24, 2018. Fehlinger was a World War II veteran who served in the Army Air Corps. He retired from Conrail. 1943 William S. Myers of Green Valley, Ariz., died in 2017. 1948 John Gorski of Front Royal, Va., died on Oct. 27, 2018. Gorski retired as an advisory systems engineer with IBM. 1949 Dorothy “Pinky” Wilkes Lewis of Staten Island, N.Y., died on Dec. 22, 2018. Lewis continued her education at Wagner College and was a chemist at Seaview Hospital. She was a member of the American Society for Clinical Pathology for over 50 years. Jerome Mintzer of New York, N.Y., died on April 10, 2015. He was a certified public accountant for more than 50 years and a World War II veteran. Stanley Siberski of Newtown Square, Pa., died on Feb. 21, 2017. Siberski served in the U.S. Army during World War II. Frank Sromovski of Wilkes-Barre Twp., died on Dec. 6, 2018. Sromovski was an Army veteran of World War II. He and his late wife owned and operated Frank’s Market in Wilkes-Barre Township for many years. 1950 William Kiselis of Kingston, Pa., died on Nov. 3, 2018. Kiselis retired from the Social Security Administration. John Nixon Shoemaker of Wyoming, Pa., died on Aug. 5, 2018. Shoemaker served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. He was the owner of Shoemaker Card and Gift Shops and Shoemaker Hardware. He was a member of many organizations, including Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce, the Wyoming Business Club and served on the board of directors of the First National Bank of Wyoming. Edward Teno of Plymouth, Pa., died on Oct. 24, 2018. He was a World War II veteran of the U.S. Army. He was employed by RCA Corp./ Harris Corp. as an electrical engineer for many years. 1951 Theresa (Jendrezejewski) Bates of Bangor, Pa., died on Aug. 4, 2018. She was employed by the research department at Perelman School of Medicine, and later worked for RCA in New Jersey and Mountain Top, Pa. 1952 John Murtha of Silver Spring, Md., died on June 26, 2017. 1953 William Veroski of Lancaster, Pa., died on July 25, 2018. He served in the U.S. Navy where he became a naval aviator. He then was an engineer for Goodyear. He later was the city engineer for several communities, eventually retiring as the County Sanitary Engineer for Fairfield County, Ohio. Thomas Vojtek of Virginia Beach, Va., died on Dec. 27, 2018. Vojtek was a retired Navy captain. He earned a juris doctorate from Temple University Law School and was a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. 1954 Robert Bhaerman of Pickerington, Ohio, died on July 30, 2018. He taught at the University of Delaware, Ohio State University and the State University of New York system. He also was associate dean for research and graduate studies in the College of Education at Wayne State University. He was director of educational research for the American Federation of Teachers and coordinator of school-based service-learning for Learn and Serve America. He authored or co-authored more than 100 books, chapters, articles, monographs, reports and guidebooks. Stanley Knapich of Sweet Valley, Pa., died on Nov. 12, 2018. He earned a master’s degree and doctorate from the Pennsylvania State University. He specialized in plant taxonomy and published on that topic as well as on aesthetics in biology. He was biology professor and chairperson of biology and medical technology at Misericordia University. 1955 Ruth (Wilbur) Bretz of Upper Providence, Pa., died on May 21, 2013. Bretz was a past member of the Rose Tree Media School District School Board and former president of Elwyn Institutes Parent Staff Association. Robert C. Dickshinski of Nanticoke, Pa., died on Dec. 22, 2018. Dickshinski served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. He had a long career with American Chain and Cable, Wilkes-Barre. He was last employed by Smith-Miller Associates. Clarence Florkiewicz of Tallmadge, Ohio, died on Nov. 7, 2018. Florkiewicz served in the U.S. Air Force and retired from the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company with 35 years of service designing specialty tires. WILKES | Spring 2019 1939 Chester Weinstock of Tierra Verde, Fla., died on Aug. 30, 2018. He was a graduate of Bucknell University Junior College. 37 �class notes Aldona Lillian “Pat” Hojecki of Carteret, N.J., died on March 29, 2018. Hojecki joined the Catholic War Veterans Auxiliary in 1971 and remained a life-long member, holding the post of secretary for over 20 years. She was a member of the Robert Wood Johnson Hospital Rahway Auxiliary for over 28 years where she volunteered for over 2,900 hours. Frances (Haver) Moran of Wilkes-Barre, died on Oct. 2, 2018. Moran did accounting for Moran & Flynn Iron Works, Jay Dee Shoe Store and United Penn Bank. She was employed at Bell Telephone Co. in various departments until her retirement and was a lifetime member of the Bell Pioneers. 1957 Walter Bednar of Wyoming, Pa., died on Oct. 14, 2018. He began his teaching career in New Jersey before moving to the Southern Lancaster County School (Solanco) System in Quarryville. In 1967, he became a business teacher at Luzerne County Community College. He was also a certified public accountant. WILKES | Spring 2019 Luciana (DiMattia) Suraci of Clarks Green, Pa., died on Oct. 22, 2018. 38 1958 Robert Augustine of Wyoming, Pa., died on Aug. 31, 2018. Augustine served in the U.S. Army. He worked for Consolidated Cigar and also was an agent for Prudential Life Insurance Co. Carol (Hallas) McGinley of Tunkhannock, Pa., died on Oct. 31, 2018. McGinley was a certified public accountant, a teacher at Lackawanna College and a tax preparer at H&R Block. George Morrash of Wilkes-Barre, died on Dec. 8, 2018. Morrash worked as a clerk typist for the federal government and later served as a U.S. Marine in World War II. He was recalled to serve in the Korean War in 1951. He retired from the Social Security Administration after 42 years of service. William “Willy” Players of West Pittston, Pa., died on Nov. 11, 2018. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. Players taught geometry, trigonometry and calculus for 35 years at Wyoming Area High School. Joseph Todryk of Wyoming, Pa., died on Sept. 18, 2018. Todryk was a teacher and principal for more than 25 years in the Tunkhannock Area School District. earned his master’s degree in education from Newark State College in New Jersey. He taught in the Old Bridge, N. J., School District for 37 years, retiring in 1997. John Neddoff of Dallas, Pa., died on Oct. 29, 2018. He was in the restaurant business with his brothers and sisters for over 50 years, with local eateries the Peerless Lunch and Neddoff ’s Restaurant. Arlene Tanalski of DeSoto, Texas, died on Aug. 12, 2018. Tanalski taught elementary school for more than 40 years in Stratford, Conn., Cleveland, Ohio, and Dallas, Texas. She also had her own Montessori School in DeSoto, Texas. 1960 Carl Henning of Bridgton, Maine, died on June 6, 2017. Henning served in the U.S. Coast Guard. His work focused on research and development of diesel fuel injection equipment. 1959 Charles Gender of Glen Burnie, Md., died on Feb. 15, 2018. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1951-1955. He retired from the Anne Arundel County Public School system after many years of service. Gerald J. Killian of Mountain Top, Pa., died on Sept. 9, 2018. He had a private practice in optometry for over 50 years and was a member of the American Optometric Association. He participated in the Low Vision Clinic of Allied Services, Scranton, Pa. David John Edwards Morgan of East Brunswick, N.J., died on Dec. 26, 2017. He was a U.S. Navy veteran and served honorably during the Korean War. Morgan Marilyn (Warburton) Lutter of Washington, D.C., died on Nov. 29, 2018. Lutter was employed as a social worker for over 30 years. Her career included work with an adoption service, at the Moss Rehabilitation Hospital in Philadelphia, Pa., and serving as director of social services at the Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, D.C. 1961 Thomas D. Shaffer of Murieta, Calif., died on Dec. 12, 2018. Shaffer worked for Bethlehem Steel Corp. as an engineer in its Chicago plant. After moving to California, he and his wife were top-selling realtors in the Sacramento/ Rancho Murieta area. 1962 Samuel Book of Cabin John, Md., died on May 13, 2016. William Ruzzo of Wilkes-Barre died on Sept. 22, 2018. Ruzzo earned his juris doctorate from the University of Bridgeport and was a criminal defense attorney. In addition to his private law practice, he was a member of the Luzerne County Public Defender’s Office. 1963 Gary E. Frank of Harvey’s Lake, Pa., died on Aug. 10, 2018. Frank was an optometrist at Dr. Brown’s, a family business, and at Northeastern Eye Institute. 1965 James Reid of Exeter, N.H., died on Sept. 17, 2018. Reid owned and operated a successful insurance business in Dover, N.H., and was active in commercial real estate investing throughout his career. �class notes Harry Wilson of Tunkhannock, Pa., died on Aug. 3, 2017. He was employed by the Tunkhannock Area School District for 35 years, first as a social studies teacher and later as a middle school guidance counselor. 1968 Stuart Jed of El Cerrito, Calif., died on Dec. 16, 2016. His career in management spanned 40 years directing both urban and rural health-care facilities across the country. He founded Delta One, a Bay Area management firm specializing in revitalization of hospitals on the verge of bankruptcy. John Prego of Willow Grove, Pa., died on Feb. 4, 2019. Prego was a U.S. Navy veteran, serving during the Vietnam War. He was a member of The Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Thomas E. Rokita of Shavertown, Pa., died on Sept. 11, 2018. An all-star athlete at Wilkes, Rokita was inducted into the Wilkes University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1989 and was inducted into the Luzerne County Sports Hall of Fame in 2014. He was also head tennis coach and head soccer coach at Wilkes College. He taught at Wyoming Seminary and was the head soccer coach there. He later became the athletic director at Lake-Lehman School District. 1969 Paul Kane of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., died on Aug. 18, 2018. While at Wilkes, he played linebacker for the Golden Horde football team. Kane was employed by Hanover Area High School as a social studies teacher for 33 years. While at Hanover Area, he was the assistant football coach. He was also the assistant football coach at Wilkes and was the assistant wrestling coach at West Side Central Catholic High School. Robert Kopec of Swoyersville, Pa., died on Oct. 20, 2018. He worked as a certified public accountant. Rosalie Mazur of Plymouth, Pa., died on Dec. 2, 2018. Mazur received her master’s degree in clinical psychology in 1972 from University of New York at Buffalo, N.Y. Eloise Griffiths Orsi of East Windsor, N.J., died on September 12, 2018. She worked in child care. Joseph A. Stallone of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, died on Jan. 15, 2019. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. He later had a career as an artist with specialties in ceramic sculpture and decorative painting. James B. Thomas of Plymouth, Pa., died on Dec. 3, 2016. Prior to his retirement, Thomas had been employed by UGI Corp. as a supervisor and by John Connolly & Sons. He was also a representative for Plymouth Borough to the Westside Landfill Authority. John Turner of Shavertown, Pa., died on Feb. 21, 2019. Turner retired in 2005 from Dallas High School after teaching history for 36 years. Turner created the first fire science associate’s degree program at Luzerne County Community College, where he taught both fire science and history courses for over 25 years. He authored the Pennsylvania Firefighter Certification Exam and taught local level training programs to firemen throughout northeastern Pennsylvania. He served on the Luzerne County Emergency Management Team and most recently served as the Kingston Township Emergency Management coordinator. 1970 David Bogusko of Bel Air, Md., died on Nov. 26, 2018. He served in the Marine Corps Reserve from 1970 to 1976. He worked as a school psychologist in the Harford County Public Schools in Maryland. 1972 Anthony Calore of Oak Ridge, N.C., died on Feb. 4, 2019. David Furman of Fayetteville, N.Y., died on June 28, 2018. Furman retired as chief financial officer of Dey Brothers in Syracuse. He also was a financial consultant. Robert D. Jarrett of Plymouth, Pa., died on Aug. 12, 2018. Early in his career, he worked as a research chemist for Diamond Shamrock Corp. in Ohio and was awarded several patents for advancements in the medical field. He later worked in the laboratory of the former Mercy Hospital in Wilkes-Barre and as an instructor in the Biology Department of Luzerne County Community College. David Richards of Forty Fort, Pa., died on Jan. 7, 2019. Prior to his retirement, Richards was a supervisor for the Veterans Administration Office in Philadelphia. Daniel L. Son of Mountain Top, Pa., died on Nov. 26, 2018. Son received his medical degree from the University of Guadalajara. He began his surgical career at Hahnemann University Hospital, where he served as a senior instructor of urology. He served in various capacities within the Hazleton/St. Joseph Medical Center and most notably was the chairman and chief of surgery. He also practiced at several hospitals in the region, including the Greater Hazleton Health Alliance and was a sole practitioner in the Hazleton/Drums area. WILKES | Spring 2019 1966 Ernest John Krute of Conneaut Lake, Pa., died on March 25, 2018. Krute was a financial officer for the Economic Progress Alliance of Crawford County. 39 �class notes 1975 Pauline (Hayes) Lawson of Garland, Maine, died on November 26, 2013. Lawson was a retired elementary school teacher from the Hazleton School District, Hazleton, Pa. Emerson Logan of Mountain Top, Pa., died on Jan. 6, 2019. Logan was employed by the Sunday Independent for 25 years, and subsequently by The Citizens’ Voice, the Hazleton Standard-Speaker and The Scranton Times-Tribune. 1981 Melissa Molinaro of Hazleton, Pa., died on May 23, 2017. Molinaro was employed as a same-day surgery nurse for Lehigh Valley HospitalHazleton. WILKES | Spring 2019 1983 Richard Martin of Westminster, Md., died on Oct. 18, 2018. Martin studied special education for the deaf at Gallaudet University, Washington, D.C. He later was employed by Tricon Construction Inc., Crofton, Md., where he served as chief administrative officer and chief information officer for many years. 40 1984 Theodore Dalpiaz of Berwick, Pa., died on Jan. 1, 2018. Dalpiaz started his career with United Engineers in Philadelphia. He also worked for Southport Nuclear Station in Southport, S.C. He later worked for PPL Electric at the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station for 30 years. 1993 Cindy Haefele of Plains Twp., Pa., died on Dec. 13, 2018. James Scales of Myrtle Beach, S.C., died on Jan. 5, 2019. Ann Marie O’Donnell of Nanticoke, Pa., died on July 25, 2018. She was a reading specialist with the Greater Nanticoke Area School District. Marguerite “Peggy” (McCormick) Tolan of Wilkes-Barre, died on Oct. 8, 2018. Tolan was director of nursing at Valley Crest Nursing Home when she retired in 2000. 1987 Philip Cyriax of Whitehall, Pa., died on July 23, 2018. Cyriax served as a claims adjustor for multiple insurance companies. Mary Therese (Koval) Pitcavage of Swoyersville, Pa., died on Sept. 15, 2018. She retired after 29 years of service as a math teacher and director of community service at The Wyoming Seminary Upper School. 1989 Thomas C. George of Bethlehem Twp., Pa., died on February 23, 2017. He worked for Minerals Technologies in Easton, Pa., until retiring. 1990 Dominick Aritz of West Pittston, Pa., died on Jan. 12, 2019. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. Artiz worked as an electrician and was a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 163. 1994 Bonita (Rynkiewicz) Mosley of Bear Creek Twp., Pa., died on April 27, 2018. She was employed by Blue Cross of Wilkes-Barre as a data analyst for 24 years. 1996 Philip J. Calabro of Clifford Twp., Pa., died on Sept. 28, 2015. Calabro was a maintenance supervisor at Tredegar Film Products. He also served in the National Guard. 2001 Joseph Cortegerone of Exeter, Pa., died on Sept. 21, 2018. 2002 Barbara Benesky of Dallas, Pa., died on Oct. 4, 2018. Benesky worked for Nanticoke Special Care Hospital from 1976 to 2004. 2004 Anita Legge of Mountain Top, Pa., died on Feb. 22, 2019. 2009 Patricia Ann (Trisha) Fenton of Jessup, Pa., died on June 18, 2018. She worked at HRSI, Scranton as a health care receivables specialist. 2014 S. Ryan Kojsza of Scranton, Pa., died on Oct. 2, 2018. Kojsza worked as a supervisor for United Parcel Service. 2015 Daniel Ruth of Slatington, Pa., died on Aug. 8, 2018. He was an airman at Ellsworth Air Force Base and belonged to the 37th Bomb Squadron. 2018 Lauren Lewis of Moscow, Pa., died on Nov. 19, 2018. She was employed by Walgreens Pharmacy. �There’s still time to help build the Gateway to the Future BRICK BY BRICK OPPORTUNITY BY OPPORTUNITY STUDENT BY STUDENT The Gateway to the Future Campaign aspires to raise $55 million. Join the effort by making a gift in support of the following goals: UNRESTRICTED GIFTS | CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS | RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP There has never been a better time to contribute to Wilkes University. Join the campaign by making a gift now! Learn more at www.wilkes.edu/campaign or text Wilkes to 565-12 For more information about ways to give, contact Margaret Steele, chief development officer, at 570-408-4302 or margaret.steele@wilkes.edu �Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 calendar of events PHOTO BY JAMES MUSTO May 1-18 “Ukiyo-e to Shin Hanga: Japanese Woodcuts from the Syracuse University Art Collection,” Sordoni Art Gallery 18 Spring Commencement, McHale Athletic Center, University Center on Main 20 Summer Presession Begins 20 Summer Full Session Begins June 1 Founders Gala, Westmorland Club, Wilkes-Barre 1-2 “The Little Mermaid” and “Waltzes From Vienna,” Degnan Ballet Center at the Wilkes Conservatory 7:30 p.m., Dorothy Dickson Darte Center 2 Summer Presession Ends 10 Summer Session I Begins 10 Nine-Week Session Begins 11-Aug. 4 Liz Godley, Sordoni Art Gallery 16-20 Maslow Faculty Reading Series, 7 p.m. Sunday, Barnes & Noble, Public Square; Monday-Thursday, Dorothy Dickson Darte Center 30-July 1 New Student Orientation July 8-Aug. 23 Summer Creative Writing Workshops 12 Summer Session I Ends 14-15 New Student Orientation 15 Summer Session II Begins 15-18 Advanced Placement Summer Institute for High School Teachers, 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. 19 Admissions Open House for prospective students 21-27 Women Empowered By Science Summer Camp August 13 Nine-Week Session Ends 16 Summer Full Session Ends 16 Summer Session II Ends 23-25 Welcome Weekend 26 Start of Fall 2019 Semester September 8 Summer Commencement, Marts Center 9 Ralston Memorial Golf Tournament, Wyoming Valley Country Club, Wilkes-Barre 29 Collegiate Marching Band Festival October 4-6 10 10-12 14 18 15 Wilkes Homecoming 2019 Fall Recess Begins Norman Mailer Conference Classes Resume Earth and Environmental Science Day Lecture, Pete Souza, speaking about the exhibit of his photographs, “Two Presidents, One Photographer,” 7 p.m., Dorothy Darte Center 22-Dec. 8 Pete Souza, “Two Presidents, One Photographer,” Sordoni Art Gallery 27-Oct. 5 “Rust Belt Biennial,” Sordoni Art Gallery For details on times and locations, check www.wilkes.edu and www.wilkes.edu/alumni or phone (800) WILKES-U. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Magazine, Spring 2019 Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Marketing Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Alumni Magazine, 1947-present Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Description An account of the resource <p>An archive of Wilkes University Magazine, from 1947-present. The magazine went through various names including <em>Wilkes Alumnus</em>, <em>Wilkes Quarterly,</em> <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, and the current title, <em>Wilkes Magazine</em>. Some editions for the <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, will have multiple issues within the file record. Our holdings may be missing editions for certain years due to having no physical copy within the collection. </p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Wilkes University Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Wilkes University Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1947-present Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Magazine, Spring 2019 Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Marketing Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Spring 2019 magazine Wilkes Magazine https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/db3d07df165b7bc027076289da723f66.pdf 6e225dcde7a40648633d1ccdc7eaec88 PDF Text Text SPRING 2007 MENTORING MATTERS | HISTORY MYSTERY | ARTIST AND ANGLER �president’s letter SPRING 07 Building a College Town WILKES UNIVERSITY President Dr. Tim Gilmour Vice President, Development and Alumni Relations Marty Williams WILKES EDITORIAL STAFF Executive Editor Jack Chielli Associate Director, Marketing Communications Christine (Tondrick) Seitzinger ’98 “Wilkes” Editor Kim Bower-Spence Manager, Graphic Design Mark Golaszewski Manager, Athletics Administration John Seitzinger Contributing Writers Cindy Taren M’07 Kimberly Pupillo Photography Earl & Sedor Photographic C. Richard Gillespie Jason Jones Photography Howard Korn Warren Ruda Phil Sheffield Michael Touey Layout/Design Quest Fore I N KEEPING WITH WILKES UNIVERSITY’S HISTORY OF HELPING build the economic prosperity of our region, I began service as chair of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry in January.This is a wonderful opportunity for our university to integrate more fully its strategic and master plans into the economic revitalization of our region and help lead an organization that has done so much to facilitate that revitalization. The outstanding results the region enjoyed last year are a tribute to many dedicated and talented people who work to bring our region economic growth: Gov. Ed Rendell, the county commissioners, Mayor Tom Leighton, the chamber and colleges in the Wyoming Valley. One headline after another extolled the economic progress of our downtown business district: Barnes & Noble Booksellers, the purchase of 10 E. South (University Towers) for student apartments, Movies 14, new restaurants and businesses, and creation of a downtown Business Improvement District.We have a great opportunity to challenge the business community to accelerate this progress even more. Many leaders, including me, believe the key to our region’s future is promoting Wilkes-Barre as a college town, with the additional richness of a vibrant arts community and a strong business and retail presence. Success at making Wilkes-Barre a college town will be good for Wilkes University and good for all of Wilkes-Barre. If we have learned anything from the past, it is that working together to find new solutions to old problems produces exciting results from which everyone can benefit. Printing Payne Printery Inc. EDITORIAL ADVISORY GROUP Anne Batory ’68 David DiMartino ’01 Brandie Meng M’08 Bill Miller ’81 George Pawlush ’69 Donna Sedor ’85 ALUMNI RELATIONS STAFF Executive Director Sandra Sarno Carroll Associate Director Michelle Diskin ’95 Alumni and Advancement Services Manager Nancy A. Weeks Alumni Relations and Annual Giving Manager Lauren Pluskey ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OFFICERS President Colleen Gries Gallagher ’81 First Vice President George Pawlush ’69 Second Vice President Terrence Casey ’82 Historian John Pullo ’82 Secretary Beth Danner ’02 SPRING 2007 Movies 14, located on Northampton Street, is just one of the recent downtown improvements in Wilkes’ neighborhood. PHOTO BY MARK GOLASZEWSKI Dr. Tim Gilmour Wilkes University President Wilkes University is an independent institution of higher education dedicated to academic and intellectual excellence in the liberal arts, sciences and professional programs. The university provides its students with the experience and education necessary for career and intellectual development as well as for personal growth, engenders a sense of values and civic responsibility, and encourages its students to welcome the opportunities and challenges of a diverse and continually changing world. The university enhances the tradition of strong student-faculty interactions in all its programs, attracts and retains outstanding people in every segment of the university, and fosters a spirit of cooperation, community involvement, and individual respect within the entire university. �contents FEATURES 8 Mentoring Matters More than simple advising, mentoring permeates the Wilkes culture with one-on-one relationships that drive students to achieve more than they thought possible. 13 Window to a Tiny World Donation of two scanning electron microscopes helps establish Microscopy Center on campus. 8 14 History Mystery Unveiled Even historians didn’t know that blacks served in white Union regiments during the Civil War – until Juanita Patience Moss ’58 told them about her great-grandfather. 16 Artist and Angler Passions for painting and fly fishing converge in watercolors and oils that bring Luther Kelly Hall ’70 national recognition among sportsmen. DEPARTMENTS 2 On Campus Welcome to “Wilkes,” the newly redesigned university magazine • Leadership Day brings together scholars from area colleges for Giuliani visit. 13 6 Athletics Football and women’s tennis teams post championship seasons; Sheptock and Leicht are named coaches of the year. 14 18 Alumni News Get ready for the Last Hurrah Wrestling Reunion, and check out tour opportunities to Italy, Costa Rica and the French Riviera. WILKES | Spring 2007 20 Class Notes What’s happening in the lives of fellow alumni? See who has a new job, spouse or baby. On the cover: Amanda Lewis ’06, left, credits mentor Tom Thomas, right, with helping her confirm that a communications career is the right fit for her. PHOTO BY JASON JONES PHOTOGRAPHY 16 1 �on campus Giuliani Addresses ‘Leadership in Difficult Times’ “America’s Mayor” and potential presidential contender Rudolph Giuliani shared his vision of leadership during the Second Annual Outstanding Leaders Forum in November. Giuliani listed six principles outlined in his 2002 book titled “Leadership”: • Strong beliefs. “You have to know what you believe.” • Optimism. “Train yourself to be a problem solver.” • Bravery and courage. Manage and overcome fear. • Relentless preparation. “Take the fear and put it into relentless preparation.” • Teamwork. “Leaders have to understand it’s about the other people.” • Communication. “A leader, I think, ultimately comes down to teaching and motivating.” He concluded: “You can’t dictate to people.You’ve got to get them to participate.You’ve got to be there when things go wrong.” The lecture, coupled with a New York-style buffet, raised funds to support Outstanding Leaders scholarships in the Jay S. Sidhu School of Business and Leadership. Rudolph Giuliani. PHOTO BY MICHAEL TOUEY THANKS TO THESE SUPPORTERS OF THE OUTSTANDING LEADERS FORUM: UNDERWRITER Young Presidents’ Organization PARTNER Entercom Pocono Northeast Commonwealth Telephone Enterprises Maslow Foundation Sodexho Umphreds/McCole Foundation Wachovia Bank LEADERSHIP Ballard, Spahr, Andrews & Ingersoll Benco Dental Diversified Information Technologies Hirtle, Callaghan & Company Lockheed Martin Corporation One Source HR Solutions Power Engineering Service Corporation Rosenn, Jenkins & Greenwald LLP SunGard Higher Education ASSOCIATE A. Pickett Construction Amtire Corporation Bloomsburg Metal Brdaric Excavating Coca-Cola Enterprises Gavin Law LLC Gould Evans WILKES | Spring 2007 New Look, New Name 2 Welcome to the new “Wilkes” magazine, and thanks to all who responded to our fall readership survey. You spoke and we heard you. You’ve asked for more color, more features about alumni, and more emphasis on achievements of our alumni, students and faculty.We aim to deliver a timely and engaging glimpse into how Wilkes University impacts students, our community and our world. You’ll notice a name change too.The magazine is now called simply “Wilkes” to spotlight its position as the university’s premier publication. Let us know what you think about the changes. Send a note through The Colonel Connection (www.community.wilkes.edu) or to “Wilkes” magazine, Marketing/Communications Department, 84 W. South St.,Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766. GUARD Insurance Group Intermetro Industries Michael Gottdenker Morgan Stanley Prudential UBS Financial Services Inc./UBS Securities LLC �on campus Einstein Another Smart Move for Campus Einstein Bros. Bagels, a national restaurant franchise, opened Jan. 2 in the recently renovated University Center on Main (UCOM). Einstein Bros. employs five full-time and three part-time workers at the 2,250-square-foot facility. It currently operates in more than 300 locations in 27 states, serving hot and cold sandwiches, salads, baked goods, desserts and to-go and gourmet coffee.The franchise adds another casual dining option for the campus and downtown business communities. “With 100 full-time Wilkes employees in UCOM and a capacity for 400 students living directly across the street at University Towers, Einstein Bros. will have a built-in customer base and become another success story for downtown Wilkes-Barre,” says Scott Byers, vice president for finance and general counsel for Wilkes. Einstein Bros. Bagels will serve Wilkes and the downtown business community. PHOTO BY CHRISTINE SEITZINGER Eight Outstanding Leaders scholarship recipients spent the day leading up to Rudolph Giuliani’s speech reflecting on his leadership and preparing themselves to tackle tomorrow’s challenges. College Misericordia, King’s College, Penn State Wilkes-Barre and University of Scranton each sent two students to participate in Leadership Day with the Wilkes scholars. Morning workshops explored leadership styles. Then they moved to the new ropes courses in the University Center on Main (UCOM) for exercises in confidence and team building. Sophomore entrepreneurship major Elizabeth Lewis of Falls, Pa., appreciated the teamwork exercises. “We needed to communicate ideas, encourage participation, trust each other and help each other perform the task at hand. At the end of the session, the group discussed how some people emerged as prominent leaders, and we talked about the differences in everyone’s contribution to the team.” Salman Punekar, a senior business administration major, admires Giuliani’s leadership in high-pressure situations. “Many people can easily lead when things are going well, but few can be calm, composed and effective when things are falling apart,” observes the Manhattan resident. “It takes an exceptional leader to maintain control when things are going bad. Applying this to a business model seems very fitting.” Organizer Matthew Sowcik ’00, director of leadership education in the Sidhu School of Business and Leadership, says, “I received so many wonderful e-mails and letters from the students and administrators at the other universities that we are currently in the process of planning some future events.We will definitely do Leadership Day each year.” Elizabeth Lewis tackles the ropes course. PHOTO BY KIM BOWER-SPENCE WILKES | Spring 2007 Discourse to Ropes Course: Leadership Day Brings Together Scholars from Neighboring Colleges 3 �on campus Decisions Made Easy The one-stop Student Service Center is open for business in the University Center on Main. Wilkes University is taking some of the anxiety out of the college application process. High school seniors visiting campus now can find out immediately whether they’re accepted to the university. The process is easy. Prospective students who schedule an on-campus appointment with a counselor any time during their senior year of high school are asked to bring an official transcript, SAT scores and completed application. Admissions counselors review the file and give an admissions decision the very same day. The Instant Decisions program applies only to traditional students applying to full-time undergraduate programs. Pharmacy and some health science programs may require a secondary application for acceptance into these popular programs. PHOTO BY MARK GOLASZEWSKI Freshmen Dig Up the Past Wilkes University freshmen archaeologists uncovered human bone and ceramics fragments from the basement of a local church. The excavation project, conducted by about 20 students as part of an archaeology course, unearthed more than 100 artifacts buried beneath St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church.Theresa Kintz, instructor of sociology and anthropology, led the students as they discovered artifacts ranging from historic ceramics dating back to the late 18th century to human hair and bone fragments. Kintz believes the human remains were displaced from burial sites during the 1972 flood, but further investigation is required into recorded burial locations in the vicinity. Students excavated in the church basement, which was consecrated in 1823, in an approximate 12-by-12-foot area where the concrete and brick floor had been removed to accommodate a heating system. Kintz has previously led students on excavations at Doane and Kirby halls on campus. Her course offers freshmen an opportunity to explore the human odyssey from the Stone Age to the Space Age through study of archaeology.The artifacts remain on display in Stark Learning Center. Archaeology students found human hair and bone fragments buried beneath St. Stephen’s. WILKES | Spring 2007 PHOTOS BY MARK GOLASZEWSKI 4 �on campus Savitski Named McGowan Scholar Joshua R. Savitski, a senior in the Jay S. Sidhu School of Business and Leadership, was named the 2006 William G. McGowan Scholar and received an $18,000 scholarship.The McGowan Scholars program began at Wilkes in 1999. Savitski serves as secretary of the Society for the Advancement of Management (SAM), where he helps supervise fund-raising events and prepares the team for annual competitions. He also is a member of the Programming Board and Commuter Council. Administered by the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund, the Scholars Program honors William G. McGowan, the Ashley, Pa., native, humanitarian and telecommunications pioneer who founded MCI Communications.The program provides select colleges and universities with a program to identify outstanding business students. Left to right: Paul Browne, dean of the Jay S. Sidhu School of Business and Leadership, Josh Savitski and Wilkes President Tim Gilmour. PHOTO BY CHRISTINE SEITZINGER '' Not only should you look AHEAD TO THE FUTURE, you must also learn to LIVE IN THE PRESENT moment. – Edward Schicatano ' Edward Schicatano, associate professor of psychology at Wilkes University, received the annual Carpenter Outstanding Teacher Award for the 2007-08 academic year. The Carpenter Award recognizes a faculty member who has been an outstanding educator during a three-year period. A committee of colleagues generates nominations.The recipient must meet professional qualifications, which include teaching effectiveness, interaction with students, research contributions and overall excellence. “I’m especially honored because this award is given to me by my peers,” says Schicatano. In addition to receiving the Carpenter Award, he also won the Wilkes Outstanding Faculty Award during the 2002-03 academic year. In a commencement speech on Sept. 10, 2006, he said, “Not only should you look ahead to the future, you must also learn to live in the present moment. Appreciate what is here today. Notice the beauty that exists outside you. And don’t be afraid to show the beauty that is inside you.” It’s a philosophy that Schicatano says reached him after college, as he got older. He imparts this wisdom on his students on a daily basis by “showing respect in the classroom and smiling.” Edward Schicatano, Carpenter Outstanding Teacher for 2007. PHOTO BY CINDY TAREN WILKES | Spring 2007 Professor Lauded as Outstanding Teacher 5 �athletics athletics Lady Colonels Net Tennis Title The Wilkes University women’s tennis team left its mark on the 2006 season with poised domination.The Lady Colonels fashioned a 16-0 record en route to their first Freedom Conference title and an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Championship. Wilkes overpowered the opposition during the year, winning 79 of 89 singles matches and 41 of 48 doubles contests.Team members garnered a number of individual accolades along the way. Coach Chris Leicht was named Freedom Conference Coach of the Year after leading Wilkes to its best season in school history. Freshman Xiaoqiao Zhang was honored with the conference’s Player of the Year award after fashioning a 17-1 record while playing number one singles in her rookie season. A first-team All-Freedom Conference recipient, Zhang claimed the number one singles title at the Middle Atlantic Conference Individual Championships. She was joined on the All-Conference team by first-team selection and Freedom Conference team tournament MVP sophomore Alison McDonald, and second-team honoree sophomore Kristin Wilt. The Lady Colonels, ranked 17th in the Atlantic South Region, will continue their historic season in the spring as they make their first NCAA Division III Tournament appearance in May. A talented group of Colonels claimed its first Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) football championship and first unbeaten regular season since 1993. For the second straight year,Wilkes earned a berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs, where players garnered a win for the first time in school history. Head coach Frank Sheptock led the football team to an 11-1 mark and a new school record for victories in a season. For his efforts, Sheptock was recognized as the MAC Coach of the Year and AFCA Region 2 Coach of the Year. Junior Kyle Follweiler earned D3football.com All-East Region and ECAC Southeast Player of the Year honors. Follweiler and senior Anthony Serafin were named second-team All-Americans by D3football.com, while senior Mike Ferriero and junior Jordan Purdy earned honorable mention honors. Follweiler garnered MAC Defensive Player of the Year honors as well, while senior Jim Jordan was the MAC’s Offensive Player of the Year. Follweiler and Jordan were among 14 Colonels named to the All-MAC team. Senior Bryan Vivaldo was recognized as a first-team Academic All-American by “ESPN The Magazine,” while both Vivaldo and senior John Darrah copped first-team “ESPN The Magazine” District II Academic All-America honors. Senior running back Tom Andreopoulos (#8) rushed for 1,285 yards and 12 touchdowns this season. Freshman Xiaoqiao Zhang was honored with the conference’s Player of the Year award. PHOTO BY WARREN RUDA WILKES | Spring 2007 WILKES | Spring 2007 Football Team Claims MAC Championship PHOTO BY WARREN RUDA 6 7 �LITTLE GUIDANCE PUSH, GENTLE A LITTLE PUSH, AGENTLE AND GUIDANCE UNIQUE ANDPROPEL UNIQUE STUDENTS OPPORTUNITIES PROPEL OPPORTUNITIES TO ACHIEVE STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE MORE THAN THEY THOUGHT POSSIBLEMORE THAN THEY THOUGHT POSSIBLE By Kim Bower-Spence w ~ WILKES | Spring 2007 U I\IER ITY Tom Thomas, right, administered personality and career tests to help Amanda Lewis, left, confirm a communications major was a good fit for her. S ALVATORE AGOSTA ’98 WAS convinced his interest in natural history couldn’t translate into a job. So as a student at Wilkes University, he needed direction to find an ordinary profession that held his interest. Enter biology professor Mike Steele. “Mike steered me away from doing something ordinary by showing me the path to a career doing something that I would do for free,” explains this northern New Jersey native. Now in the last year of a fiveyear doctoral program in ecology at University of Pennsylvania, he studies how different plants impact the growth, development and survival of the caterpillars that eat them. And he does that in the tropical dry forests of northwestern Costa Rica’s Guanacaste Conservation Area. One-on-one relationships with professors are common at small universities. But Paul Adams, vice president of student affairs, says Wilkes takes it further. “It’s the culture of the institution. And while there are numerous and separate initiatives aimed at developing different aspects of mentoring relationships, what we’re really doing is initiating and fostering that culture and taking it to a greater level. We’re working to assure that everyone who wants to be engaged in such a relationship at the university has an opportunity to do so.” The challenge is to not institutionalize the natural, organic nature of the process — to not create a mechanized system but rather nurture conditions that allow relationships to evolve naturally. Notes Adams: “Education is about people learning and changing and developing, and that involves risk.” WILKES | Spring 2007 Mentoring Mat ters PHOTO BY JASON JONES PHOTOGRAPHY 8 9 �Research Boost All faculty in the biology department run their own research programs in their own research space. Freshmen can volunteer to help with research projects. And at least five paid summer research positions are available for undergraduates, with free housing provided on campus.“We try to provide those opportunities for full-time research,” says biologist Steele. “Research defines much of our culture, and we really believe it has made for a much more dynamic and exciting atmosphere for our students and provides much more opportunity for career development.” Many students work on two or three research projects before they get to their senior project. Notes Steele: “This is how a graduate student would learn science.” And that translates into a good number of students entering the best doctoral programs in the country. That includes Agosta, who now studies with renowned Penn scientist Dan Janzen. Agosta credits Mike Steele’s mentorship with helping get him there. “Mike’s research program is well-designed to foster and nurture the interests of undergraduates.” He is currently writing his dissertation, with plans to defend in May 2007. Afterward, he hopes to continue his research in tropical ecology. Agosta adds: “Initially, undergraduates like me have only a foggy idea of what ecology is and what it means to do research. Through his mentoring and friendship, Mike helps lift this fog, which is the first step to defining one’s goals and harnessing one’s ambition.” WILKES | Spring 2007 Finding a Path - 10 For Amanda Lewis ’06 of Somerset, N.J., defining that ambition was the challenge. She arrived at Wilkes undecided on a major but with a passion for dance. She met Tom Thomas, executive director of University College, when he taught a freshman foundations course. Two years later, as a junior, she looked him up, and he remembered her. Even though Thomas wasn’t her advisor, Junior Beth Horn reworked her resume and focused her marketing ambitions as a result of e-mail communications with alumni mentor Brian Summers. PHOTO BY EARL AND SEDOR he took time to administer a personality test and a career test to gauge whether a communications major was a good fit. “I was so overwhelmed in college. I didn’t know there were so many choices in my career path,” acknowledges Lewis, who works as a Relay for Life coordinator for the American Cancer Society.“He showed me the light that there was something I was good at. He just gave me that little extra push, and I was able to take it from there.” Building confidence is a big part of the mentor’s role,Thomas asserts. “If we as mentors have confidence in someone and we point out their strengths, they’re more likely to listen because they see us as being objective.” Beyond the Comfort Zone Gabe LeDonne ’05 planned on a college path that would launch his career as a political reporter. He became editor of “The Beacon” and a mentee of advisor Andrea Frantz, who encouraged him to “get out of your comfort zone.” With her prodding, this Lake Wallenpaupack, Pa., native accepted a position as a financial reporter with SNL Financial, based in central Virginia. Writing about investing and the financial services industry was foreign to this communications studies and English double-major with no business background. “I’m gaining knowledge in something that I previously had no knowledge of at all, and now I enjoy it.” Says Frantz:“My job is to be a sounding board. I need to listen and ask questions. My job as a mentor is as coach and supporter and advisor, someone who continues to push and advocate and even challenge ideas.” And that doesn’t stop when student dons cap and gown.“I don’t believe in false openings and false closings of education,” she says. “Relationships established with students continue because learning never ends.” LeDonne and Frantz continue to touch base almost weekly. Bridging Generations Adams sees mentoring efforts tying together generations of alumni. As decades pass, the value of mentoring sustains itself and has really become part of Wilkes’ fabric. Take Brian Summers ’90 and Beth Ann Horn ’08. “Having a mentor, somebody to lean on, is so important,” explains Summers, Skillman, N.J., who serves as chief operating officer of Construction Financial Management Association. Fellow Wilkes alumnus Jason Griggs recruited him to participate in a Sidhu School of Business and Leadership program that pairs sophomores with alumni mentors. Summers and Horn corresponded via email over an eight-week period in spring 2006. �Horn, of Roseland, N.J., credits Summers with helping her focus her career interests. She hadn’t realized that within marketing, her chosen concentration, she could go into promotion or research. She’s already updated her resume to reflect Summers’ suggestion that she highlight how her employers to date had benefited from her efforts. “I’m more focused now, so I’m more confident about what I’m going to do in the future,” reports Horn, who’s never met Summers in person. Summers benefited from the discussions too, picking up ideas he’ll use in mentoring his own staff, and in establishing a mentoring program to groom his association members for leadership. And Horn’s determination reminds him to “prepare a little more for things I don’t see.There’s more for me out there, and I’d better be prepared.” ' Initially, undergraduates like me have only a foggy idea of what ecology is and what it means to do research. Through his MENTORING and FRIENDSHIP, Mike (Steele) helps lift this fog, which is the first step to DEFINING ONE’S GOALS and HARNESSING ONE’S AMBITION. – Salvatore Agosta ’98 '' WILKES | Spring 2007 Mary Waldorf, left, teaches communication and team building while belaying for students like Michael Lewis, right, in UCOM’s Recreation and Athletic Center. PHOTO BY EARL & SEDOR 11 �' I was so overwhelmed in college. I didn’t know there were SO MANY CHOICES in my career path. ...He just gave me that LITTLE EXTRA PUSH, and I was able to take it from there. Student to Student Climbing Higher The nurturing culture permeates right down to students. Upperclassmen often help and encourage classmates through programs like E-mentoring (see fall 2006 issue) and the Writing Center. Matt Zebrowski ’06 benefited both from mentoring and serving as a mentor to others. An English major now studying linguistics at Temple University, he began working in the Wilkes Writing Center as a freshman. He served several semesters as a writing fellow, coaching fellow students who needed extra help in English 101 and 120. “If education is done right, it is mentoring,” reasons Zebrowski, who comes from a family of teachers in Laflin, Pa. “I don’t really see the two as distinct.” Zebrowski and Patrick Austin ’07 are developing an online writing center based on MySpace.com to expand consulting services and allow students to direct papers to tutors best able to help them. A mentoring mini grant allowed English professor and Writing Center Director Chad Stanley to take the two students to a writing conference at University of Illinois, where they presented the concept. Says Stanley: “I love the mentoring culture at Wilkes. It’s wonderful to see it being funded and supported.” Mentorship sometimes happens in surprising places. Michael Lewis, a junior mechanical engineering major and a cadet with the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Detachment 752 on campus, names Mary Waldorf ’01, coordinator of student development, as his mentor. "Mary is my advisor for the National Society of Leadership and Success and a co-belayer for the Wilkes rock wall.” For those unfamiliar with climbing, a belayer is the person who secures the ropes to ensure climbers don’t fall very far if they slip. Waldorf headed the project to bring a rock wall and ropes course to the Recreation and Athletic Center in the University Center on – Amanda Lewis ’06 Main (UCOM). She says it adds an experiential adventure component to leadership training — and an opportunity for mentoring. “At Wilkes, our doors are always open to the students.This mentality gives us, the faculty and staff, the opportunity to learn as much from students like Mike as they can learn from us.” Adds Lewis: “Mary inspires me with her optimistic view on life and positive attitude. Although she has a very busy job at Wilkes University, she always finds time for students. She serves as a constant reminder to me of the motto ‘Mission first, people always.’” Grants and mini-grants augment and encourage mentoring at Wilkes University. Among projects funded are: • Scholarly research projects in biology. The program funds paid summer research positions for undergraduates. • Sidhu School of Business and Leadership '' mentors. All sophomores studying business have opportunity to pair with alumni mentors. • Writing mentors and writing associates programs. Students are paid to coach and assist fellow students with writing assignments. • Mini-grants to promote travel to conferences such as an October 2006 Chicago Writing Center Conference at University of Illinois and a national WILKES | Spring 2007 clinical competition for pharmacy students. 12 To learn how you can help nurture the mentoring culture at Wilkes University, contact (800) WILKES-U ext. 4130 or alumni@wilkes.edu. Summers invites anyone with questions to contact him at bsummers@patmedia.net. Can’t Be Contrived Thomas asserts that the most important factor in a mentoring relationship is respect.“I truly don’t believe that it is a contrived or artificial relationship. I don’t think it’s something you can set out to become.” He says: “Oftentimes when someone assigns us to that mentoring role, it is not because we have done more than we would for any other student.These are the kinds of relationships we want to develop with all our students.” Concludes Adams: “Every encounter — no matter with whom — is a moment of truth and frames our future encounters and relationships.” �Window to a Tiny World Left to right: Ali Razavi and Don Mencer will head the newly established Microscopy Center for faculty and student research. PHOTO BY MARK GOLASZEWSKI DONATION OF ELECTRON MICROSCOPES OPENS NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESEARCH T WO SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPES (SEM) worth $600,000 were recently donated to Wilkes University’s newly established Microscopy Center. The powerful microscopes will open up a new path of research for students and faculty who can now experiment and learn on some of the most sophisticated equipment in the region. Ali Razavi, associate professor of mechanical engineering, and Donald Mencer, associate professor of chemistry, have teamed up to head the Center, which will be located on the first floor of Stark Learning Center.The equipment will be particularly useful to faculty and students from chemistry, biology, pharmacy and engineering programs, Razavi explains. The microscopes give students and faculty an opportunity to experiment and learn on some of the most sophisticated equipment in the region. Schott Optical Company, Duryea, Pa., and Fairchild Semi Conductor, Mountain Top, Pa., donated the equipment because of ongoing relationships with Razavi, who has done work for them in the past.“We are ecstatic that these two companies have decided to donate their equipment to Wilkes,” Razavi said. A scanning electron microscope forms topographical images by moving a beam of electrons across an object. Electron microscopes can produce high-resolution images of the surface of microscopic materials. The microscopes, which can magnify objects up to 200,000 times their size, are used in research and development of electronic devices such as computer microprocessors. And research on biological specimens helps scientists better understand microorganisms. The microscopes will also be used by the university to build partnerships with area industries to stimulate economic development, Mencer says. In fact, Razavi and Mencer already have their first partnership, with Gentex Corporation of Carbondale, Pa. “If Gentex needs to use this type of equipment, they either have to invest in a new SEM or travel out of the region to use one at another location,” Mencer said. “Now they can come here. These types of projects provide valuable research and development experience in the form of real-world, hands-on work for our students.” WILKES | Spring 2007 By Jack Chielli 13 �History Mystery UNVEILED RETIRED TEACHER UNCOVERS PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN HISTORY OF BLACKS SERVING IN CIVIL WAR’S WHITE REGIMENTS By Kim Bower-Spence J UANITA PATIENCE MOSS ’58 RECALLS LAYING flowers on the West Pittston, Pa. grave of her greatgrandfather each Decoration Day when she was a girl. As American Legion members led a parade for what we now call Memorial Day, her family made sure the youngster knew escaped slave Crowder Patience had served with the Union Army in the Civil War. The retired biology teacher didn’t think much about that part of her family history until she noticed a Washington Post article in 1998. It invited descendants of black Civil War veterans to a symposium coinciding with the unveiling of the AfricanAmerican Civil War Monument. Moss, living just across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., in Alexandria, Va., searched a National Park Service database of United States Colored Troops (USCT) and was surprised to find no record of her ancestor. Before she headed to the symposium, Moss combed the contents of an old box given to her by Patience’s daughter. Discharge papers revealed the regiment in which he served, and she was able to find his name listed as a Union soldier. At the symposium, she stood before politicians, archivists, historians and authors to ask why they weren’t also honoring black men who served in white regiments. “Because there weren’t any,” she was told. “Oh, yes there were. I know of one: my great-grandfather,” she recalls telling the assembly. She pulled his discharge papers from her briefcase. “You could tell by the looks on their faces that this was entirely new information to them.” The mystery launched a search that would divert Moss from a quiet retirement in which she had planned to learn Spanish and quilting. Instead, the 74year-old has mined Civil War records to research Patience and other black soldiers in white regiments. WILKES | Spring 2007 '' 14 Overcoming — those are the STORIES that NEED TO BE TOLD. And every family has them. “She’s done a good job of digging,” confirms Wilkes University history professor Harold Cox. “The evidence is there. She’s proven to my satisfaction that there were integrated units in the northern army.” Moss learned that Patience enlisted in the 103rd Pennsylvania Regiment on Jan. 1, 1864, in Plymouth, N.C., serving as a cook. In April 1864, this Union regiment was among 16 that fought Confederate troops in the Battle of Plymouth. All Yankees were killed or captured, but Moss’ grandfather apparently escaped. “He had not deserted,” she confirms. After the war, he ventured north to Harrisburg, Pa., to collect his last pay from the Union Army. Patience married and eventually made his way to West Pittston, where he raised eight children in the predominately white community. Savoring the mystery, Moss refuses to reveal how he got away. The answer is in Moss’ first book, “Created to be Free.” She wrote this fictional account of Patience’s life because she lacked enough details to write a biography.“He didn’t discuss his former life in slavery at all.” That doesn’t mean the book lacks a historical basis. Cox helped fill in Civil War facts, and Moss did extensive research. Moss has discovered 1,000 black Civil War soldiers in white regiments so far, and she plans to keep looking. After writing “Created to be Free,” she was encouraged to write the nonfiction “The Battle of Plymouth, N.C., April 17–20, 1864: The Last Confederate Victory” and “Forgotten Black Soldiers in White Regiments During the Civil War.” At the encouragement of a friend who appraises African art, she authored “Anthracite Coal Art of Charles Edgar Patience” about her father’s work. Moss is a frequent speaker at historical societies, universities and other organizations from Connecticut to Florida. Besides recounting history, she offers workshops on “Becoming Your Own Family Storyteller.” Moss has no interest in encouraging others to write “Mommy Dearest”- type books that air family skeletons.“Overcoming — those are the stories that need to be told.And every family has them.” Juanita Patience Moss Alexandria, Va. BA, Secondary Education 1958 Career: High school biology teacher, New Jersey Notable: Amateur historian revealed previously unknown fact that black men served with white regiments in the Civil War �Insets: Photos show Moss’ father, coal sculptor Charles Edgar Patience. Crowder Patience’s grave can be found in West Pittston Cemetery. PHOTOS BY HOWARD KORN WILKES | Spring 2007 Above: Moss has learned of at least 1,000 black soldiers who served in white Union regiments during the Civil War. AND KIM BOWER-SPENCE 15 �artist and... LUTHER KELLY HALL HOOKS NICHE PAINTING SCENES OF FLY FISHING WILKES | Spring 2007 By Kimberly Pupillo 16 angler �B Y COINCIDENCE – OR MAYBE NOT – Wilkes University alumnus Luther Kelly Hall ’70 was watching the movie “A River Runs Through It” when called in December to talk about the juncture of his vocation and passion. Hall, a renowned watercolor painter and illustrator of fly fishing scenes, actually watched the 1992 classic about family and fly fishing twice that week. It happened to be on cable, but he owns the DVD too.“It’s an incredible story,” says Hall, of Mystic, Conn. “It just reminds me of my own family. A river ran through it all. My family does a lot of fishing. I grew up going fishing with my father’s family — my grandfather, my father, my brother and now my son and daughter. I had so many great times in the stream fishing. I can just really relate to it.” He relates so much so that he decided to focus his artistic abilities on this unique genre. Hall, who earned a bachelor’s degree in art at Wilkes, had been painting traditional landscapes when he received a book showing fly fishing scenes.At that point, he decided to follow his heart and paint what he loves so much. “Landscape is extremely competitive,” Hall notes.“Fly fishing is a good, unique niche.” In 1992, he started exclusively painting fly fishing scenes. He’s done two-person shows with the American Museum of Fly Fishing, Manchester, Vt., as well as events in cities such as Denver and San Francisco. He also has provided illustrations for numerous magazines, including “Gray’s Sporting Journal,”“Sporting Classics Magazine” and “Flyfisher” magazine, based in Tokyo.“Yale Angler’s Journal” featured one of Hall’s paintings on its front cover – the first time the magazine used an image from a living artist. ' I GREW UP GOING FISHING with my father’s family – my grandfather, my father, my brother and now my son and daughter. He also works with the Atlantic Salmon Federation and auctions paintings off to raise money for conservation efforts. His work is featured in galleries such as Redbone Gallery, Islamorada, Fla.; Sportsman’s Gallery and Paderewski Fine Art,Atlanta, Ga., and Beaver Creek, Colo.; Morgan Gallery, Blakeslee, Pa.; and others. Primarily, Hall uses watercolors as his medium of choice. Within the past year, however, he has used mainly oil.“I did oil at Wilkes, and I was interested in trying and developing my skill,” he explains. “I decided to experiment, and I found I enjoyed the medium. I’ve put a really serious effort into oils.” Hall works full-time as a middle school art teacher in Mystic, but he still finds time to paint every day. The length of time it takes to complete a painting or illustration varies.After fishing a particularly scenic spot, he may shoot photographs from several vantage points. “I try to find a place that has good angles and good design.”Then he creates practice sketches and completes one or two smaller versions before completing a project. Sometimes, he will do several practice studies. Finding time to fish can be a challenge, considering the amount of commission work he does. And he participates in celebrity fishing tournaments to raise money to fight cystic fibrosis. Still, he enjoys salt-water fly fishing from his Hydra-Sports center console boat in the Atlantic Ocean, just 10 minutes from his home. And the Kingston, Pa., native still likes to cast about the Keystone State, particularly Spruce Creek and the Little Juniata River. Hall and wife Susan, a dental hygienist, have two children: Michael, 18, and Ashley, 12. Recently, Michael had to write an essay for a college application on a unique skill he possesses.“He’s writing it about fly fishing,” Hall said. “He came in and saw that I was watching ‘A River Runs Through It,’ and he sat down with me and we watched it together.” '' Luther Kelly Hall, Mystic, Conn. BA, Art 1970 Notable: Gained renown with paintings depicting his favorite pastime, fly fishing Website: www.lutherhall.com Above: Luther Kelly Hall’s painting “Fishing the Grande,” acrylic, 18” x 24”. Left: Hall’s paintings have appeared in magazines across the United States and in Japan. WILKES | Spring 2007 Career: Painter, middle school art teacher PHOTO BY PHIL SHEFFIELD 17 �alumni news Wrestlers to Gather May 26-27 for ‘Last Hurrah’ Legendary Wilkes University wrestling coach John Reese will host the Last Hurrah Wrestling Reunion on Saturday and Sunday, May 26 and 27, in the Marts Center. The reunion, which coincides with Coach Reese’s 80th birthday, will begin Saturday at 4 p.m. with a meet-and-greet and cocktail reception. Following the reception, dinner will be served in the Marts Center, with a storytelling session scheduled for later in the evening. The event concludes Sunday with a brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The reunion is free and is open to former wrestlers and fans of the program. For more information on the event, please contact current Wilkes head coach Jon Laudenslager at (570) 408-4035 or jon.laudenslager@wilkes.edu. WILKES | Spring 2007 Alumni Association Meets Its Goals 18 After a full year of activity, the Wilkes University Alumni Association has made real progress toward its three initial goals: Improve communications to alumni. • Completed are a readership survey and redesign of “Wilkes” magazine to include full color. • The Colonel Connection, the Wilkes online community (http://community.wilkes.edu), has been launched and includes online transaction capability. Develop programs and services that stimulate and re-engage alumni. • The association introduced a networking component to alumni events and programs. • Alumni programs/visits have been scheduled in areas with populations of alumni. See back cover for upcoming locations. Enhance use of technology to improve alumni relations and the alumni services’ support process. • “Neighborhoods” based on alumni affinity groups (for example, residence halls, sports, clubs) have been developed. • The online community includes self-service directory/e-mail/ message board capability. Celebrate Coach John Reese’s 80th birthday at the Last Hurrah Wrestling Reunion. The work accomplished in committee reflects an enormous commitment of time and energy on the part of committee chairs and members and is the direct result of Alumni Association President Colleen Gallagher’s pledge to move the organization forward in new and positive directions. For example, through the leadership of Chair John Wartella ’84, the Development Committee assured that the Alumni Board achieved 100 percent participation in the Annual Fund.The Affinity Committee, shepherded by John Serafin ’90, worked tirelessly to develop several new benefits for alumni.These include long-term healthcare insurance, a student loan consolidation program and AFLAC insurance. Beyond this work is the underlying “buzz” that comes as the result of many alumni being engaged in activities of benefit to the organization, to Wilkes and to alumni in general.The association hosted an open meeting at Homecoming 2006, and plans are in place to do so again in October 2007. If you are interested in a leadership role or committee membership, please complete the tear card in this issue of the magazine or e-mail alumni@wilkes.edu. �Wlm fKUIJ!'kdl Alonrl &111,;I, ~1!.f11-$11i,1 alumni news ,,welcome to the Colonel Connection!Th••-v.,a-eo_,, Explore Exotic Locales with Fellow Alumni The Colonel Connection Relaunches — With Prizes! Since the launch of The Colonel Connection in July 2006, almost 3,000 people from the Wilkes community have logged into the new online community to see what this website is all about. What is it all about, you ask? The Colonel Connection is the new MySpace and Facebook at Wilkes. It is the university’s very own Wilkes social networking space, strictly geared toward Wilkes alumni, students, parents, faculty/ staff, friends and family of the university.The Colonel Connection works just like MySpace and Facebook. It is a virtual neighborhood where you can find old friends, share your news, chat online, post your resume, search job openings, share class notes, create a photo gallery and network with classmates and friends from all over the world. The community is a great place to find a former classmate or professor and reach out to them. Jonathan Henry ’03 says he found a friend he hadn’t talked to since his junior year.“I was looking for a friend I hadn’t talked to in years and e-mailed her through the community and found out she had moved to Oklahoma. If it wasn’t for the community, I don’t think I would have ever found her.” If you haven’t already, sign up now.The more members who log in and update their information, the more useful the site will be to users. A prize will be given to the 100th person who registers to this online community.There also will be a weekly scavenger hunt called “Catch the Colonel,” where the first person to find the “hidden colonel” on The Colonel Connection website will win a prize for that week. Anyone who has not yet signed in should have recently received a postcard with instructions on how to do so.To check out The Colonel Connection, go to http://community.wilkes.edu. For more information on how to login into The Colonel Connection, contact the alumni office at (570) 408-4331 or e-mail alumni@wilkes.edu. Stay tuned for more good news. Highlights • Stresa • Como • Lugano • Milan • Bergamo • Cremona • Cinque Terre • Parma • Busseto Wilkes University alumni will travel to Italy for nine days. This trip includes round-trip air travel from Philadelphia, hotel transfers, air taxes and current fuel surcharges.The cost also includes seven breakfasts and four dinners. Fuel charges are subject to change until trip is paid in full.This amount does not include insurance of $120 per person. Tropical Costa Rica Departs Nov. 7, 2007 Price per person: twin, $1,999; single, $2,499 Highlights • San Jose • Poas Volcano • Thermal Spa Resort • Cano Negro Refuge • Monteverde Cloud Forest • Guanacaste Join fellow Wilkes University alumni as they travel to Costa Rica for nine days.This trip includes round-trip air travel from Allentown, Pa., hotel transfers, air taxes and current fuel surcharges. Eight breakfasts, two lunches and seven dinners are included. Fuel charges are subject to change until trip is paid in full. Cost does not include insurance of $120 per person. French Riviera Departs March 2, 2008 Price per person: twin, $1,849; single, $2,249 Highlights • Nice • Flower Market • Chagall Museum • Grasse Perfumerie • St. Paul De Vence • Ventimiglia • San Remo • St.Tropez • Cannes • Antibes • Picasso Museum • Villefranche • Rothschild Villa and Gardens • Monaco Oceanographic Museum The price of this eight-day trip includes round-trip air travel from Newark, N.J., air taxes, hotel transfers and current fuel surcharges (subject to increase until paid in full). Six breakfasts and four dinners are included in the cost. It does not include insurance of $120 per person. For more information on any of these trips, contact Michelle Diskin, associate director of Wilkes University Alumni Relations, at (570) 408-4134 or michelle.diskin@wilkes.edu. WILKES | Spring 2007 - Northern Italy Departs June 21, 2007 Price per person: twin, $2,799; single, $3,049 19 �class notes 1955 Robert Fay resides in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He is retired. 1958 Judith (Menegus) DeLuca resides in Belvidere, N.J. 1962 eunion Oct. 5_7 Rick Rees co-authored a book titled “The Successful Leadership Development Program: How to Build It and How to Keep It Going.”The book was published in June 2006 by Pfeiffer, an imprint of John Wiley Inc. WILKES | Spring 2007 1970 Georgiana Cray Bart is an artist who has been featured at The State Museum of Pennsylvania, in Harrisburg, Pa., and the 78th annual regional exhibition of the Hazleton Art League, where she was awarded the Theodore R. Laputka Memorial Award. Her work has been accepted into exhibitions at the Broome Street Gallery in New York City and the National Association of Women Artists 217th annual meeting at GoggleWorks, Reading, Pa., among others. Her work was also featured in three publications in 2006. Bart resides in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 20 Don Turner is president of Jorad & Company. He owns and operates a number of northern California businesses, including hotels, restaurants and a financial services company. Turner currently serves as chair of the California Lodging Industry Association. He resides in Napa, Calif. 1971 Raymond Smith resides in Hazleton, Pa., with his wife, Marlene (Atherholt) Smith ’71, and their daughter, Lindsay. 1972 eunion Oct. 5•7 Judith (Greenstein) Davis is human resource director at Bradley Arant Rose & White LLP, the oldest and largest law firm in Alabama. She resides in Birmingham, Ala., with her husband, Patrick, and children, Abby and Jamie. Leo C. Petroski is an IT audit senior manager for Accume Partners. He resides in Morrisville, Pa., with his wife, Joan Ann (Usevicz) Petroski. They celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary in November 2006. issued patents dealing with biotechnology. He resides with his wife, Dr. Deborah L. Galson, and his three children in Wexford, Pa. Ray Dombroski resides in Malvern, Pa. Bernard Fagnani is owner of Bernard A. Fagnani & Company, CPAs. In addition, he is a full-time instructor at Penn State Worthington Scranton since 1989. He is also an investment advisor representative with Genworth Financial Securities Corp., specializing in management of retirement assets, since 1999. Fagnani resides in Peckville, Pa., with his wife, Linda Marie, and their children, Karly Marie, Linnzi Rae and Dustin. Diane Kiwior resides in Dedham, Mass. 1975 Michael V. DeVincentis is an owner of Tony D Electric Inc. He resides in Pequannock, N.J. Beth Robin Kaye resides in Port Washington, N.Y. William Rice ’48 Endows Pharmacy Scholarship William H. Rice ’48 gave more than $90,000 as a charitable gift annuity to fund the first endowed 1974 Philip E. Auron recently accepted a position as professor and chairman of the department of biological sciences at Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pa. He received his doctorate in biochemistry from the Pennsylvania State University in 1980 and did postdoctoral training at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He then accepted an appointment to the faculty of Harvard Medical School, where he remained as an associate professor until 2002, when he accepted a position as professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Auron has published 90 scientific papers and holds 11 pharmacy scholarship. The scholarship will go to a student enrolled in the Nesbitt College of Pharmacy & Nursing studying for a doctor of pharmacy degree. The recipient must demonstrate financial need and maintain acceptable grades. Preference will be given to a person who contributes to campus diversity efforts. Rice, of Oberlin, Ohio, was a member of Wilkes' first wrestling William Rice, shown in a 1947 wrestling photo. WILKES ARCHIVE team in 1946. His mother always hoped one of her children would become a pharmacist. None ever did, which is why Rice designated the gift for pharmacy. Rice retired from General Electric as an engineer in 1987. �class notes Pashinski Wins House Seat; Trades Music for Politics Greater Nanticoke Area School District while a Retired music teacher Edwin “Eddie Day” Pashinski ’67 rock groups and helped local musicians organize their was sworn into the Pennsylvania House of own bands. Representatives in January, handily winning the 121st District seat vacated by Kevin Blaum. member of Eddie Day and the TNT. After that group broke up in 1982, Pashinski managed several other As a teacher, Pashinski became active as a union representative in his local teacher’s association. He began “It’s totally exhilarating, and it’s quite humbling,” as a school representative and advanced to chief Pashinski says. The democrat hopes to “balance the spokesperson, vice president and eventually local scales of fairness” toward working-class families. “Those president. Pashinski retired in June 2005. people who work every day and do the right thing every day — they need to have a voice.” Pashinski hopes his new position will let him work On a regional and state level, Pashinski represented Luzerne County as president of the PSEA Coordinating Council, chair of the Luzerne County Legislative toward healthcare reform benefiting all Americans. He Committee and regional assistant and chair of the state began researching the issue about four years ago due PACE Committee. to his involvement with the Pennsylvania State He and his wife, the former Millie Ritza, reside in Education Association (PSEA). “Every company, every Wilkes-Barre, Pa. They have four children and seven school district is struggling trying to find ways to pay grandchildren. for the health insurance plans for their employees.” Pashinski graduated from Wilkes University with a bachelor’s degree in music education and received a master’s equivalency from Penn State University. He began his music career as a member of the Back Mountain rock band Starfires, which he joined as a freshman. Upon graduation, he became a music teacher and choral director for Pashinski, left, hopes to tackle healthcare reform as a state representative. Ann Timko-Hughes has taught world and American history for four years at Methuen Public Schools. She also works as the coordinator of education for the Worcester Diocese of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church. She resides with her husband, Edward, and their children in Methuen, Mass. 1976 David L. Davies and Gina P. Davies ’77 reside in Plano,Texas. Shavertown, Pa., with his wife, Pam, and their children, Chuck, Lauren, Ray Anthony and Brett. Raymond Ostroski is senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary at Commonwealth Telephone Enterprises. He resides in Anthony M. Schwab was recently appointed principal of Meyers High School,WilkesBarre Area School District. He resides in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 1977 Reunion Oct. 5-7 ~ Christine A. (Koterba) Lodge has served as a director for American Education Services for 10 years, managing federal student loan programs for the state of Delaware. She resides with husband John in Wilmington, Del. WILKES | Spring 2007 PHOTO BY GUY CALI 21 �class notes Rittenmeyer Takes Helm of Technology Giant EDS Ron Rittenmeyer ’72 became president of Plano, Texas-based EDS in December. He retains his role as chief operating officer. The Kingston, Mary P. (Patty Cullinan) Spinelli is assistant vice president of human resources at Rochester Institute of Technology. She resides with her husband, Robert J. Spinelli ’76, and their children, Elizabeth, Christopher and Amanda, in Rochester, N.Y. 1980 John Kazanecki resides in Thornhurst, Pa. Barbara Pirrella is a division director for Bayada Nurses in Pittston, Pa. She resides in Pittston with husband Bob and daughter Giavanna. Pa., native oversees all of EDS’ operations, including about 145,000 employees in 63 countries. “2006 for us will be a very good year, and we want to continue that growth in a positive way,” Rittenmeyer noted, speaking before release of full-year earnings reports. “Our goal is to continue that growth and get a better return for our shareholders.” Before joining EDS in July 2005, Rittenmeyer served as managing director of The Cypress Group, a private equity firm. He was responsible for all operating aspects of the company's $3.5 billion investment portfolio. Previously, Rittenmeyer served as chairman, chief executive officer and president of Safety-Kleen Inc., a $1.5 billion hazardous and industrial waste management company. At Safety-Kleen, he successfully led the company's reorganization from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. At Wilkes, he earned a degree in commerce and finance. “Wilkes provided me with an opportunity 1978 Dr. Cynthia Mailloux has been appointed associate professor and chair of the Department of Nursing at College Misericordia. She completed her doctorate in nursing with a concentration in education at Penn State University in 2003. She contributes to her community’s educational goals by serving as a Crestwood School Board director and is a member of Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center’s advisory board. Dr. Mailloux resides in Mountain Top, Pa. with her husband, Peter, and two children, Bradley and Clifford. Tina (Falcone) Stehl has been a vice president of software development for Agilysys Inc. for five years. She received an MBA degree in May 2006 from Emory University’s Goizueta School of Business. She resides in Alpharetta, Ga., with husband Jim Stehl ’77 and daughter Lauren. to learn that I still respect and appreciate,” he says, noting that he worked three jobs while a WILKES | Spring 2007 student. He also holds a master of business 22 administration degree from Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Mo. He and his wife, Hedy Wrightson Rittenmeyer ’72, are the parents of a son, 29, and a daughter, 22. 1979 Karen Lucchesi Bostrom is a marketing specialist at Krugliak,Wilkins, Griffiths & Dougherty Co. in Canton, Ohio. She resides with husband Brian and son Anthony in North Canton, Ohio 1981 Kathryne (Whitney) Lavoie is a foster care supervisor with Chenango County Department of Social Services. She resides in Norwich, N.Y., with husband William and their three children, Scott, Matthew and Whitney. Judith (Barnick) Steve is partner/chair of Ideaworks Marketing & Design in Plymouth, Pa. She resides in Dallas, Pa. 1982 Reunion Oct. 5-7 ~ Michael A. Gould is a district assistant superintendent for the Department of Defense Education at Quantico Marine Corps Base and Dahlgren Naval Base in Virginia and the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. He resides in Fredericksburg,Va., with wife Lori J. (Cavalla) Gould ’81 and their children, Jessica and Megan. 1983 Stephanie Grenfell has been a nurse manager at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for 23 years. She is recipient of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Nursing �class notes Excellence in Leadership Award for 2006. Grenfell resides in Philadelphia. Stuart Kall resides in Jamaica Estates, N.Y. Alice Merlino has worked as an associate broker for DeMulder Realty USA.com for the past year. She resides in Norwich, N.Y. 1984 Jerome P. Nachlis was promoted to president and CEO of ImageFirst Professional Apparel, a directsale uniform company located in New Castle, Del., that supplies uniforms throughout the United States to mid-to large-size companies. In addition, he serves on the board of directors of the Bernard and Ruth Siegel Jewish Community Center, located in Wilmington, Del., and has been named treasurer. He resides in Wilmington, Del., with wife Debbie and two sons, Joshua and Aaron. Albert Solomito is a full-time emergency physician working for Emergency Physician Medical Associates in Indianapolis since 2000. He resides in Indianapolis, Ind., with his wife, Michelle, and their children after completing 12 years in the U.S. Air Force. Jeffrey Yablon ’80 Publishes First Novel By day, neurosurgeon Jeffrey Yablon ’80 delves deftly into the life-and-death cases of patients in need of his highly specialized care. But he spent late nights during much of the last decade dissecting and weaving characters for his first novel, “Eight Cases.” Drawing on Yablon’s own experiences, the book is told from the perspective of a mechanic and fledgling writer who befriends a neurosurgeon. In his visit to the Michael Williams is a principal at Hancock High School. He resides in Liberty, N.Y., with his wife, Christine, and their children, Brittany and Gillian. mechanic’s shop, the fictional Dr. Robert Green offers compelling insight into his professional and personal life as he shares with his friend. Yablon wanted to leave a legacy for his 16-year-old son, Jeremy, so the teen would understand his father’s work. “I had a lot of information and stories that I wanted to tell from my training and practice.” The New York native had written journal articles through the years, but this was his first attempt at fiction, with characters to develop and grow through the story. “It was almost cathartic. I had the story in me, and I wanted to get it out. And I wanted it to have a surprise ending.” He co-wrote the book with the late Jerry Leech, a handyman friend with whom Yablon shared a love of literature. Leech, who passed away two years ago, told the 1985 Maureen (McDermott) Cannon has been an elementary band director for the Caesar Rodney School District in Camden, Del., for 12 years. She is also the principal flutist of the Dover Symphony Orchestra in Dover, Del., where she resides with husband John. physician, “I have a lot of free time. I can help you.” another two years to the project. “Eight Cases” is available for purchase on Amazon.com. The biggest reward came at a local book signing. “A whole group of my patients showed up and had me sign the book.” Yablon’s private practice in Pottstown, eigh Pa., serves patients in Chester and Montgomery counties. Named Wilkes’ Outstanding Young Alumnus in 1995, he also is affiliated with Temple University and Graduate Hospital and serves as a medical legal expert. He is married to Monique and has two stepdaughters. cases Yablon hopes to follow “Eight Cases” with a sequel, and he has other ideas for stories that don’t deal with medicine. “I hope in retirement David Foster is a lieutenant colonel for the U.S. Air Force. He resides with his wife, Chris, and their sons, Kyle and Evan, at McGuire AFB, N.J. 1986 Carl Sosnowski is a detective with the Broward County Sheriff ’s Department, where he has worked for 21 years. He resides in West Palm Beach, Fla., with his wife, Cindy, and their children, Carly, Casey and Caley. to continue writing extensively.” Michele J. Wagner, SPHR, has been a college relations WILKES | Spring 2007 The actual writing took eight years of late-night powwows. Editing and publishing added 23 �class notes manager for six years in Englewood, Colo. She resides with her husband, Jeff Wagner, and their children, Lizzy and Spenser, in Centennial, Colo. 1987 Reunion Oct. 5-7 ,-.._ Thomas Gasper is chief investment officer at Columbia Ridge Capital Management. He resides with his wife, Hollie, and their children, Zachary, Alex,Valerie and Lacey, in Raleigh, N.C. 1988 Deborah J. (Marquart) Liddick has been a lieutenant colonel with the U.S. Air Force in Washington, D.C., for 17 years. She resides with her husband,Terry S. Liddick, in Bowie, Md. 1989 Jeff Churba and his wife celebrated the birth of twin daughters in September. WILKES | Spring 2007 1990 Elizabeth (Walsh) Barbieri has been a senior medical information specialist for Sanofi-Aventis Pharmaceuticals for five years. She resides in Bridgewater, N.J., with husband Jeffrey and daughter Caitlin. 24 Steve Fidyk is an accomplished percussionist and educator. He has made more than 30 recordings, three of which were Grammynominated. Fidyk is a drummer with the United States Army Jazz Ensemble, a gig that has taken him into the White House, the vice president's house and to many other diplomatic Washington events. He holds a master’s of jazz studies from the University of Maryland. Fidyk has also taught music at several universities, including Wilkes. Daniel Fisher is a teacher at the Carbon-Lehigh Intermediate Unit. He resides in Drums, Pa., with his wife, Dawn. Keith Silligman has been director of ambulatory care services for Children’s Hospital in Omaha, Neb., for five years. He resides with his wife, Nancy, and their children, Ashley and Christopher, in Omaha. 1991 Jason Griggs and his wife welcomed twin daughters in September. Joann (Scubelek) Prushinski has been a division sales manager with the Avastin brand for Genentech BioOncology for three years. She resides in Palmyra, Pa., with her husband, Scott ’93. 1993 Andrew Banks married Yvette Stackhouse on Feb. 2, 2002. Cristina Bruno is a guidance counselor for Patchogue Medford Schools. She resides in Great River, N.Y., with husband Bill and children Lindsay, Douglas and William. Lori Guarino is an account executive for Pfizer Inc. in the animal health veterinary industry. She resides in Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. Gregg Steuben is a computer scientist for GE Global Research. He resides with his wife, Nicole, in Clifton Park, N.Y. 1994 Kevin M. Barno is owner and therapist of Pinnacle Rehabilitation Associates in Kingston, Pa. He resides with his wife, Bridget, and their children, Drew and Erin, in Mountain Top, Pa. Tom Brisbane is a sales engineer for Brisbane Industrial, a power transmission and motion control equipment manufacturer in Jim Thorpe, Pa. He resides in Middletown, Del., with his wife,Yesim, and their children, Alex and Ryan. Nancy (Stanislow) Crake resides in Newark, Del. Wilkes Visits California Dina (Gavenas) Nathan is a registered nurse and has worked for eight years as an operating room nurse at St. Barnabas Medical Center. She resides in West Orange, N.J., with husband Mark and son Nicholas. Scott Redfield resides in St. Charles, Mo. 1992 Reunion Oct. 5-7 ~ Susan (Merchant) Denner has been a label specialist at Shire Pharmaceuticals for one year. She resides in Royersford, Pa., with husband Edward and daughter Faith. Bill Harries ’88 hosted Wilkes alumni director Sandra Carroll during a recent visit to the San Francisco, Calif., area. Harries owns and operates a mortgage franchise helping underserved multicultural populations. �class notes 1995 Cherie Casari has been vice president of Microbac Laboratories Inc. in Camp Hill, Pa., for 10 years. She resides in Weatherly, Pa. Guy DuBoice is a senior corporate planning engineer at Century Telecommunications. He resides in West Monroe, La., with his wife, Jully, and their children, Joseph and Daniel. Arada (Kunyosying) Halder resides in Pearland,Texas, with her husband, Kallol, and their children, Priya and Arun. Julie (Good) Heffner resides in Lititz, Pa., with her husband, Chad, and their children, Owen and Natalie. Natalie Donna Heffner was born July 19, 2006. Jean (Gaudioso) Hemmer and Chris Hemmer ’97 announce the birth of their second son, Andrew Martin, on Jan. 9, 2006. Jean is a stayat-home mom, and Chris works as a fund-raiser. Andrew joins older brother Thomas, who is 3. Jean and her family reside in Airmont, N.Y. Jerome Hunsinger works in strategic sourcing for Wawa Corp. He resides in Mount Laurel, N.J., with his wife, Tine, and their son, Jerome Jr. J. Corey (Chick) Jackoby resides in Springboro, Ohio, with her husband, Henry, and their children, Joshua, Andrew and Lucas. 1996 Timothy Ahrens is a project manager for AMEC E&E. He resides in Schenectady, N.Y., with his wife,Vanessa. Bill LePore is an account executive for Otterstedt Insurance Agency in Summit, N.J. Bill and his wife, Sandy, became parents of twins, Justin Tyler and Olivia Paige, on April 1, 2006. Karen B. (Bednarczyk) Cowan and husband Scott announced the birth of their first daughter, Grace Evelyn, on Dec. 7, 2005.The family resides in Winter Garden, Fla. Andrew Mazzeo is an operations manager at Tetra Tech EM Inc. Andrew, his wife, Hope, and their daughters, Clare and Jane, recently relocated to the Philadelphia area after spending 10 years in Kansas City. Daniel Reilly is an attorney at Drinker, Biddle & Reath LLP in Philadelphia, Pa. He resides with his wife, Jennifer, in Conshohocken, Pa. Timothy Williams is a fifthgrade teacher in the Clark County School District in Las Vegas. He also teaches multi-age dance classes at Gilbert Magnet School for Creative Arts and Communication.Timothy trains teachers in literacy/ writing as a teaching consultant for the Southern Nevada Writing Project. He was named to the 2005-06 edition of Who’s Who Among American Teachers. Tanya (Daigle) Zegers and her husband, Ernie, welcomed their first child, Emma Margret, on Aug. 14, 2006. They reside in Roscoe, N.Y. Jodi DePue resides in Binghamton, N.Y. Chad Edwards is a senior clinical dietician at Temple University Hospital. He completed his master’s at Marywood University in 2001. Edwards resides in Philadelphia with his wife, Michelle. Marci McDade is a 10-year guidance counselor in Scranton School District. She resides in Scranton, Pa., with husband Kenneth P. Barnansky and daughter Katherine Anna, who was born April 20, 2006. Ali Qureshi was recently promoted to director of advanced business solutions for the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer at the U.S. House of Representatives. He completed his Executive Master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania (Wharton School and Penn Engineering) and now plans to focus on his Ph.D. and spend time with his two boys, Daniyal and Ryaan, and his wife, Sarah. Ali serves on the alumni board at Wilkes. 1997 Reunion Oct. 5-7 ~ Paul Chimock has been a mortgage specialist for NEPA home loans for the past year. He resides in Duryea, Pa., with his wife, Meredith. Matthew Connor is a senior chemist for the Pall Research and Development Corporation. He resides in Van Etten, N.Y., with his wife, Laura (Rhodes) Connor ’97, and their children, Shannon and Michael. Mark B. Evans has been a mortgage specialist for NEPA home loans for the past year. He resides in Scranton, Pa. Asif Ilyas recently completed a residency in orthopedic surgery at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia. He was awarded a fellowship in surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital of Harvard Medical School. He and his wife recently welcomed their second child, Amber.Their oldest child, Dean, is 3.They reside in Boston. Amy (Michel) Lounsbury and her husband, Scott, welcomed their first son, Zachary William, on Oct. 19, 2006.The family resides in Nanuet, N.Y. Tonya Masenheimer is an owner of Pinnacle Wireless in Hanover, Pa. She resides in McSherrystown, Pa. Michael Noone is an assistant district attorney in the Chester County District Attorney’s Office. He resides in West Chester, Pa. WILKES | Spring 2007 Suzanne (Stanski) Scheible and her husband, Robert Scheible, announce the birth of their second daughter, Zoe Emma, born May 17, 2006. Suzanne resides with her family, including daughter Hannah, age 4, in Andover, N.J. 25 �class notes Christine Pavalkis has been a graphic designer for Wizdom Media for three years. She resides in Weehawken, N.J. William Zigmund is a project manager at PRA International, a pharmaceutical research facility in Charlottesville,Va. He resides in Crozet,Va., with wife Heather and daughter Catherine Wynn. 1998 Amy Lynn (Reilly) Craig is a registered nurse of 13 years for the Wyoming Valley Healthcare System. She resides in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., with son Mathew. Kerri (Gosling) Fasulo is an acquisitions marketing manager for Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield based in New York City. She resides in LaGrange, N.Y., with husband Justin ’96. Brian Miller has been a leasing director for Dranoff Properties Inc. for three years. He resides in Newark, Del., with his children, Brian and Briya. WILKES | Spring 2007 Jacqlyn Ryan resides in Pottsville, Pa. 26 1999 Jennifer (McDonnell) Mleczynski is a certification specialist at Tri County Housing Council, a non-profit organization in Big Flats, N.Y. She resides in Elmira, N.Y., with husband Shawn. Bridget E. (Finnerty) Moran has been a special education teacher at Forest City Regional High School for five years. She resides with husband Tom and sons Thomas and Michael in Forest City, Pa. Susan (Smith) Shetti resides in Nashua, N.H. Danielle (Lillis) Spadafora resides in Sellersville, Pa., with husband Elio and children Dylan, Nico and Matthew. Andrew Yenser has been a sales engineer for KME Fire Apparatus for six years. He resides in Lehighton, Pa., with wife Sarah and children Bradley and Quinn. 2000 Dustin Daniels has been a quality assurance manager at Power Packaging in Reading, Pa., for more than two years. He resides with his wife, Amy (Wenz) Daniels, and their son, Brody Daniels, in Blandon, Pa. Michael Krasulski is a public services librarian at Philadelphia University. Krasulski recently co-authored an article titled “Keeping Up with Google: Resources and Strategies for Staying Ahead of the Pack,” which was published in “Internet Reference Services Quarterly.” He resides in Philadelphia. Lisa Marconi is an administrative assistant with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). She resides in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Amanda Muscavage works as a civil/environmental engineer at the Tobyhanna Army Depot in Tobyhanna, Pa. She resides with husband Mohamed in Plymouth, Pa. Jeffrey Nason recently became president of Crossroads Group LLC. He is a primary design engineer for the firm. He and Jeremy Hoagland ’01, Harleysville, Pa., started this business to “address the ever-growing need for responsible engineering.” Crossroads is based in Quakertown, Pa. Nason resides in Pottstown, Pa., with wife Mary. Wendy-Ann (Skiro) Oresick is a first-grade teacher at Rice Elementary in the Crestwood School District. She and husband Michael welcomed their second child, Olivia Elisabeth, on June 28, 2006. She joins big brother Tyler Michael.The family resides in Drums, Pa. Abby (Sherburne) Stroud is a claims representative for the Social Security Administration and coaches the dance team at Towanda High School. She resides in Towanda, Pa., with husband Jake and daughter Jocelyn. Will Taylor resides in Ridgefield Park, N.J. Miranda H. Thresher is a phlebotomist at Chester County Hospital. She resides in West Chester, Pa. Jennifer Lynn (Gadomski) Vallach is an adjunct faculty at Wilkes University in the nursing department. She is also employed with Geisinger Health System as a perioperative nurse.Vallach resides in Plains, Pa. with husband Scott and son Ryan. Carol (Hudak) Vallinino resides in Cornwall on Hudson, N.Y., with husband Brian.They were married in July 2006. 2001 Danielle (Flock) Michaels is a mortgage broker with Wells Fargo Home Mortgage. She resides in Philadelphia with husband Etzion. Megan (Stevens) Greenman has been a clinical nurse specialist at SUNY Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse, N.Y., for two years. She resides with husband Jason and daughter Kathleen in Cortland, N.Y. Skyler Rohwedder resides in Millburn, N.J. Raymond Wascavage resides in Old Forge, Pa. 2002 Reunion Oct. 5-7 ~ Aaron Kuzmick is a pharmaceutical technician for SanofiAventis. He resides in Forty Fort, Pa. Debbie Brandt Landry is an attorney at Covais Law Offices. She resides in Hanson, Mass., with husband Charles. �class notes master’s degree in education at Wilkes University. Aaron is employed as a network engineer at Lightspeed Technologies.They reside in Forty Fort, Pa. Erin Priestman resides in Berwick, Pa. Elizabeth (Alles) Sheakoski is a sales manager at Residence Inn Sandestin. She resides in Destin, Fla. with husband Brian ’03.They were married Sept. 16, 2006. Brian is an activeduty captain and pharmacist in the U.S.Air Force. He is stationed at Eglin AFB. Emily Sheston resides in Philadelphia. 2003 Kyla Cambell is a sports reporter at WJAC, Johnstown/Altoona, Pa. Jason Holloway is a financial representative with Northwestern Mutual. He resides in Nescopeck, Pa., with wife Whitney (Bull) Holloway. James Moran resides in Larksville, Pa. Erin Schultz and Aaron Moreck ’03 were married Aug. 6, 2005, in Wilkes-Barre. Erin is employed as an English teacher in the Dallas School District and is pursuing a 2004 Emily Bly resides in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Misty (Weidner) Davis is a clinical staff pharmacist at Lehigh Valley Hospital. She resides in Martin’s Creek, Pa., with husband Ron ’02 and children Evan and Rece. Ronald Krysiewski resides in Moosic, Pa. Jessica Pezolano is a special education teacher at Brandywine High School in Glenmoore, Pa. She resides with husband Jeremy Gordon ’04, in Exton, Pa. Lori Ann Phillips is an engineer in training for BBL, an Arcadis Company, the world’s largest environmental consulting company. She resides in Apex, N.C. Tammy (Perry) Sweigart is a psychiatric caseworker at St. Joseph Medical Center in Reading, Pa. She resides in Wyomissing, Pa., with husband Craig and sons Elliot Neil and Adian Daniel. 2005 Matthew Caines is a graduate student at A.T. Still University, the principal school of Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine. Matthew has been inducted into Alpha Epsilon Delta, the national college honor society for premedical students. Upon completion of the Master of Public Health program at ATSU, he plans to pursue medical school in preparation for a career as a physician. Caines resides in Fort Washington, Pa. Rachael Conner is a kindergarten teacher at the Beginnings Company. She resides in Philadelphia. 2006 Ashley Ambirge resides in Spring City, Pa. Brian Tull ’02 and Michael V. O’Neill ’77 chat with Michael Wood, Wilkes’ executive director of advancement, in Washington, D.C. Kate Thomas is an operations coordinator for International SOS, an international medical assistance organization. She resides in Berwyn, Pa. Master’s Degrees 1986 Abiodun Ogunkoya resides in Hartstown, Dublin, Ireland. 1987 Reunion Oct. 5-7 ~ Betty Z. Harris is currently retired and resides in Mechanicsburg, Pa. 1999 Heather Johnson-Mullisky is an English teacher in the Wilkes-Barre School District. She resides in Mountain Top, Pa., with her daughters, Caitrin and Ruth. 2002 Reunion Oct. 5-7 ~ Corey Yanoshak is a high school teacher at Lake Forest School District in Felton, Del., responsible for its Daylight/Twilight Program. He was hired in August and is currently taking courses to become a certified business education teacher. 2006 Amanda Wojcik is a special education teacher at Voorhees High School. She resides in Phillipsburg, N.J. WILKES | Spring 2007 Dr. Kara (Jones) Martin has been a staff pharmacist at Costa Drugs for nearly 13 years. She resides with husband Christopher in Duryea, Pa. 27 �class notes In Memoriam 1949 John M. Culp Jr. died July 19, 2006, at Hospice Care of the Visiting Nurses Association at Heritage House,Wilkes-Barre. He served in World War II. Culp had resided on Rutter Avenue in Kingston for 46 years. A life member of the Irem Temple, he was past president of the Kingston Rotary. He served on the council of the Church of Christ Uniting as the council moderator and Sunday school teacher. Surviving are his wife of 56 years, the former Rhuea Williams; sons John, Jeffrey and Drew; brother and sisters. WILKES | Spring 2007 1950 John “Jack” D. Joseph of Hanover Township died Sept. 29, 2006, at Riverside Manor, Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Jack was a graduate of Meyers High School. He attended Bucknell University Junior College and Wilkes College. He was instrumental in naming Wilkes College the “Colonels.” He was a member of the undefeated Wilkes football teams of the late 1940s. As a member of the Eighth Air Force, he was stationed in England and France during World War II. He was a retired sales representative for Lion Brewing Company, Wilkes-Barre. 28 1960 Mary (Homan) von Guilleaume died Sept. 16, 2006, of pneumonia in Johannesburg, South Africa, her home for the last 44 years. She went to South Africa in 1962, was married and had six children. 1962 Dr. Stephen W. Schwartz died June 11, 2006, of complications from a 19-month battle with lung cancer. He is survived by his wife, Beverly Major Schwartz ’61, son Jonathan and daughter Jennifer Moroz. He was a nationally recognized figure in leadership education and was instrumental in creating Marietta College’s McDonough Leadership Program, which became a national model for small liberal arts college leadership programs. 1968 Joseph Roszko died Dec. 23, 2005, after battling cancer. He played four years as a Colonel and was co-captain of the undefeated football team. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Infantry immediately after graduating from Wilkes. Serving two years in Vietnam, he was a decorated soldier, receiving two purple hearts. He spent much time tutoring and coaching young people. He retired from the Pennsylvania Welfare Department in June 2004. 1973 Regina Bria died May 14, 2006, in the Hospice Care of the Visiting Nurses Association at Heritage House,WilkesBarre, after a battle with breast cancer. She was a member of St. Mary’s of the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church, where she was a Eucharistic minister and had been employed as an outreach coordinator. Regina had been employed as a seventh grade school teacher at St. Boniface Interparochial School. Surviving are her parents, Leonard J. and Marie A. Gdovin Sulzinski; a son, Frank Bria Jr.; daughters Rebecca and Alyssa Bria; a brother and a sister. 1980 Monsignor Andrew J. McGowan died July 19, 2006, at Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore after a long illness. He was 80. A distinguished toastmaster, community leader and longtime priest in the Diocese of Scranton, he served in such local organizations as Leadership Wilkes-Barre, the F.M. Kirby Center, Wachovia Arena and all four Catholic universities in Northeast Pennsylvania. He also was a leading public figure in both his work as a clergyman and community advocate. 1989 Christine A. (Dodds) Brasington died Aug. 11, 2006, after a long battle with brain cancer. She died peacefully at home surrounded by her family. She is survived by her two children, Lauren and Tyler, and her husband, Jamie. Friend of Wilkes Geraldine Townend NesbittOrr died, July 21, 2006, at her home in Dallas, Pa. She endowed $3 million for Wilkes University’s Nesbitt School of Pharmacy. Mrs. Orr named the school in honor of her late husband,Abram Nesbitt II, who died in 1982.The gift was the largest one-time gift in the 66year history of Wilkes University. Orr helped to shape the Luzerne County Birth Control League, which secured its first clinic space in the Kirby Memorial Health Center in 1934. She served as president of the league from 1939-41. Her family has been associated with quality health care and philanthropy in Northeastern Pennsylvania since 1912, when Abram Nesbitt donated land for West Side Hospital. In 1929, the name of the hospital was officially changed to Nesbitt Memorial Hospital. She was dedicated to serving the community on the board of Nesbitt Hospital and its auxiliary. She also had a longtime association with such organizations as the Wyoming Valley Philharmonic, the League of Women Voters and the Junior Aide. She was active at her residence in Palm Beach, Fla., with the Garden Club, Crippled Children’s Association and the United Way.The Nesbitt-Orr Trustee Scholarship was named in honor of her and her second husband,William P. Orr III. Mrs. Nesbitt-Orr had attended the Wilkes-Barre Institute and the Sarah Lawrence School, Bronxville, N.Y. �then & now Recognize anyone from these photos? Cue and Curtain presented Gershwin’s “Girl Crazy” at the Irem Temple in November 1954.The musical comedy was the first production to combine efforts of the theatre and music departments and included a pit orchestra. To identify cast members shown here, or to reminisce about these productions, visit The Colonel Connection at www.community.wilkes.edu and click on Message Boards. Or send us a note at “Wilkes” Magazine, 84 W. South St., Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 18766. Below is a scene from the Department of Visual and Performing Arts’ April 2006 production of “Antigone,” by Jean Anouilh.The production was directed by guest artist Stephen Benson with costume designs by Tasjanna Lee Smith, scenery by Teresa Fallon and lighting by David Shock. Laura Dunbar played the role of Antigone. Shown here are (left to right) Deidre Lynch, Jared Roberts, Dara Rees, Andrea Kinal and Rachel Dyer. PHOTO BY C. RICHARD GILLESPIE �calendar of events February April 1 Exhibition “Sudan:The Cost of Silence,” Sordoni Art Gallery. Runs through March 18. 13 Alumni Mixer, Connolly’s Pub, New York City 21 Alumni Mixer, Don Cesar Beach Resort, St. Pete Beach, Fla. 22 Alumni Mixer, Bay Colony Beach Club, Naples, Fla. 23 Alumni Mixer, Hemisphere Lounge, Miami Beach, Fla. 26 Alumni Mixer, Chapel Hill Golf Club, Douglasville, Ga. 1 Wilkes University Art Faculty Show, Sordoni Art Gallery. Runs through June. 19-22 “The Pied Piper” theatre production, Darte Center 27 Chorus/Chamber Singers Concert, St. Stephen’s,Wilkes-Barre 28 Dance Concert, Darte Center 29 Civic Band Concert, Darte Center 29 Max Rosenn Lecture, featuring film “God Grew Tired of Us” and lecture by director Christopher Dillon Quinn and John Dau, one of the Lost Boys of Sudan in the film, Darte Center TBA Alumni Mixer, Boston March 12 Alumni Mixer, Omni Tucson National, Tucson, Ariz. 13 Gallery Talk, “Sudan:The Cost of Silence” with photographer Ryan Spencer Reed, Sordoni Art Gallery 14 Alumni Mixer, Omni Interlocken Resort, Denver, Colo. 29 Allan P. Kirby Lecture Series in Law and Humanities, featuring Ken Schmidt, former director of communications for Harley-Davidson 30 Alumni Yield Party, RiverCrest Golf Club, Montgomery County, Pa. For details on dates and locations, check www.wilkes.edu and The Colonel Connection! w WILKES UNIVERSITY WILKES UNIVERSITY Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 May 5 Flute Ensemble Concert, Darte Center 10 Wilkes Alumni Day at Lackawanna County Stadium (Yankees vs. Pawtucket Red Sox) 19 Spring Commencement 26-27 “Last Hurrah”Wrestling Reunion, Wilkes University (Come celebrate Coach Reese’s 80th birthday!) June 21-29 Alumni trip to northern Italy TBA Alumni Mixer, Philadelphia � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Alumni Magazine, 1947-present Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Description An account of the resource <p>An archive of Wilkes University Magazine, from 1947-present. The magazine went through various names including <em>Wilkes Alumnus</em>, <em>Wilkes Quarterly,</em> <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, and the current title, <em>Wilkes Magazine</em>. Some editions for the <em>Wilkes Universe</em>, will have multiple issues within the file record. Our holdings may be missing editions for certain years due to having no physical copy within the collection. </p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Wilkes University Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Wilkes University Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1947-present Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Magazine, Spring 2007 Subject The topic of the resource Alumni Relations Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Marketing Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource Spring 2007 magazine Wilkes Magazine