Bloomsburg

WIN TE R 2020

T HE UNIVER S I T Y M AG A ZI N E

Trailblazer

The diaries of Edith Angeline Dennis,
Class of 1919, provide a window into
the life of Bloomsburg’s first African
American boarding student.
Page 10

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

ALSO INSIDE

bloomu.edu

Moved to Action
Students respond to a racist video by making their
voices heard and working for change.
Page 14

Living the Hustle
Writer and producer J.C. Lee ‘05 has forged a career
in the competitive world of theatre, TV, and film.
Page 18

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Dear BU Family,
I hope the new year has treated each
of you well so far as we begin this new
decade. As we celebrate the achievements
of African Americans and their significant
contributions to our country this February,
it seems quite appropriate that we honor
the first African American graduate of BU
on the cover of this issue of Bloomsburg:
The University Magazine. The story of Edith
Dennis, Class of 1919, and her family is an
inspiring one – and the fact that her two
sisters also graduated from Bloomsburg
serves as an affirmation of the “BU family”
as far back as a century ago.

President Bashar Hanna with Trustee Ramona H. Alley
and her husband, Dr. Ali A. Alley.

Also, in this issue, you will read about our
students’ impressive display of courage and
leadership last fall, when student leaders
organized a peaceful demonstration on our
Academic Quad. This protest was mainly
in response to a disturbing video on social
media that depicted one of our students,
but it was also a call to action from our
students for a more diverse, inclusive, and
safe campus.

I am quite proud of our students for having the courage to speak their minds and stand up for what was
right. As you read about them, you’ll learn more about our Commission on Diversity and Inclusion, which
I established last year. Through the guidance of this commission, we will ensure that BU becomes a model
institution that welcomes all and embraces diversity of all kinds.
Further inside, we share news of transformational gifts from two BU alumni, Steph Pettit ’89 and Mike
Boguski ’85. I am ever grateful to Steph and Mike for their continued support. You will also learn about
a valuable program that allows our students to get “out of the classroom and into the community” to
demonstrate to inner-city high school students the value of a college education. In addition, we profile
proud BU alumnus and accomplished writer, J.C. Lee ’05, as well as professor Ed Keller for his work with
the citizens of Rwanda.
Lastly, we have a few new leaders on campus: Dr. Daryl Fridley is our new dean of the College of
Education, former Husky great Frank Sheptock ’86 is our new head football coach, and Gary Sohosky is
our first women’s golf coach. I welcome each of them, thank all of you for your continued support, and
wish you the best in 2020.

GO HUSKIES!
Sincerely,
Bashar W. Hanna
President

Homecoming Traditions
Cheerleaders march in front of Carver Hall on a bright sunny morning for
the Homecoming Parade last October. A new tradition was started with the
parade following a new route, beginning in the Andruss Library parking lot
and moving down Second Street.
More Homecoming photos on page 20.
Photo: Eric Foster

Winter 2020

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Contents

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4
7
10
12
14
17

UNLEASH YOUR INNER HUSKY
COMMON GROUND
BOGUSKIS HONORED
LIFE OF A TRAILBLAZER
TRANSFORMED BY RWANDA
MOVED TO ACTION
OUT OF THE CLASSROOM

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20
21
22
26
30
32

LIVING THE HUSTLE
HOMECOMING 2019
READY TO WORK
HUSKY NOTES
VIEW FROM THE TOP
THEN AND NOW
CALENDAR

Connect with us

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

bloomu.edu

2

Pennsylvania’s State System
of Higher Education Board of
Governors
Cynthia D. Shapira, Chair
David M. Maser, Vice Chair
Samuel H. Smith, Vice Chair
Aven Bittinger
Representative Tim Briggs
Audrey F. Bronson
Nicole Dunlop
Alex Fefolt
Donald E. Houser, Jr.
Senator Scott Martin
Marian D. Moskowitz
Thomas S. Muller
Noe Ortega
Secretary Pedro A. Rivera
Representative Brad Roae
Senator Judith L. Schwank
Meg Snead
Neil R. Weaver
Governor Tom Wolf
Janet L. Yeomans

Chancellor, State System
of Higher Education
Daniel Greenstein
Bloomsburg University
Council of Trustees
Judge Mary Jane Bowes,
Chairperson
Nancy Vasta, Vice Chairperson
Brian O’Donnell, O.D., Secretary
Ramona H. Alley
Amy Brayford
Edward G. Edwards
Barbara Benner Hudock
Charles E. Schlegel, Jr.
John Thomas
Secretary John E. Wetzel
Patrick W. Wilson
President, Bloomsburg University
Bashar W. Hanna

Executive Editor
Jennifer Umberger
Co-Editors
Eric Foster
Tom McGuire
Designer
Stacey Newell
Sports Information Director
Dave Leisering
Marketing/Communications
Coordinator
Irene Johnson
Contributing Writers
Thomas Schaeffer ’02
Andrea O’Neill ’06
Cover image editing
Eric Foster

Bloomsburg: The University Magazine is published
three times a year for alumni, students’ families, and
friends of the university. Back issues may be found at
issuu.com/buhuskies.
Address comments and questions to:
Bloomsburg: The University Magazine
Waller Administration Building
400 East Second Street
Bloomsburg, PA 17815-1301
Email address: magazine@bloomu.edu
Visit Bloomsburg University on the web at bloomu.edu.
Bloomsburg University is an AA/EEO institution and is
accessible to disabled persons. Bloomsburg University
does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion,
sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national
origin, ancestry, disability, or veteran status in its programs
and activities as required by Title IX of the Educational
Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VII
of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other applicable statutes
and University policies.
© Bloomsburg University 2020

UNLEASH YOUR INNER HUSKY

students climbing higher

Turn
the Page
More than 500 students, including
85 graduate students, participated in
December commencement in Haas
Center for the Arts, Mitrani Hall.
“The right career can have a profound
impact on your entire life, so don’t stop
until you find it,” said Shavonne Shorter,
associate professor of communication
studies and the speaker for the
morning undergraduate ceremony.
“And when you get it, make the most
of it. Be innovative, be original, work
smarter, blow their minds. Let your
actions show the world just what it
means to have a Bloomsburg degree
behind your name.”
“We’re all part of a story, and you’re
about to write the next chapter. Don’t
be afraid to turn life’s pages. Be brave.
Be bold. Don’t miss an opportunity,”
said Jennifer Venditti, associate
professor of biological and allied health
sciences and afternoon ceremony
speaker. “As Bloomsburg University
graduates, I’m confident you’re
prepared to tackle whatever you find
on the next page.”
Top honor graduates with the highest
grade-point average in their college
were Kathryn Rose Spirk, College of
Liberal Arts; Taylor Cecelia Bozza,
College of Science and Technology;
Derek Grant Swartzentruber, Zeigler
College of Business; and Danielle
Ileana Ghingold, College of Education.

“

The right career can have a profound impact on your entire life,
so don’t stop until you find it.”
– Shavonne Shorter, associate professor of communication studies

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

Photos: Jaime North

3

news on campus

COMMON GROUND

Allentown schools sign
BU admission agreement
The Allentown School District (ASD) and
Bloomsburg University have begun an
expanded partnership that will guarantee
university admission to qualifying students.

ASD seniors who achieve admission
requirements, apply to, and are accepted
into a bachelor’s degree program at BU will
also have their application fee waived.

The partnership established last year at
Dieruff High School, known as the ‘Husky
to Husky’ pipeline, is now poised to give all
ASD graduates – be they a Husky, Phoenix
or Canary – a chance to become a part of
the BU family.

Throughout the school year, ASD and BU
will collaborate to increase touchpoints
between students and their families with
BU’s admissions counselors. Additionally,
ASD has committed to hosting a reception
and open house events for students and
their families with admission, financial aid,
scholarship and advising opportunities. BU
will also offer university scholarships to
eligible students, ranging from $2,000 to
full tuition.

“Having grown up in Allentown, the ‘Husky
to Husky’ program is personally gratifying
to me, and it is exciting to expand the
agreement to all schools within the ASD,”
says BU President Bashar W. Hanna.

MBA going online

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

Bloomsburg’s MBA program is going online this fall,
and students can get a head start on their degree by
taking online courses this summer.

4

The Zeigler College of Business and its MBA program
earned AACSB accreditation – the hallmark of
excellence in business education that has been
earned by less than 5 percent of the world’s business
programs.
Bloomsburg’s MBA is focused on leadership
development and real-world application.
Bloomsburg is also the 16th accredited business
school in the nation to offer the MBA-level
strategic communications course as part of its MBA
curriculum.
In-person MBA classes will still be offered on
Bloomsburg’s campus. For more information,
contact MBA-director@bloomu.edu.

BU designated
Guard-Friendly
BU is one of 30 colleges and universities statewide that
has earned the Pennsylvania National Guard Association’s
inaugural PNGAS Guard-Friendly School designation.
Developed by the PNGAS Education Advisory Council,
the Guard-Friendly School standards were designed to
recognize colleges, universities, and trade schools that
meet criteria for having a supportive learning environment
to assist members of the Pennsylvania National Guard
pursuing post-secondary degrees.
BU is the educational destination for over 300 military
students, a number that has been growing steadily. A
centerpiece of BU’s services for military personnel is the
Office of Military and Veterans Resources.
PNGAS, a nonprofit organization, is not legally connected
to the Pennsylvania National Guard.

Professional Sales
and Marketing
degree approved
Bloomsburg University was granted approval by the
Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education to
offer a bachelor of science degree in professional
sales and marketing, the only one of its kind in
Pennsylvania.

Daryl Fridley is Bloomsburg University’s new dean of
the College of Education. Fridley comes to Bloomsburg
with nearly 30 years of experience in public education,
including the last 13 years at Southeast Missouri State
University.
Fridley began at Southeast Missouri State as a faculty
member in the history department and coordinator of
the Social Studies Education program. During this time,
he oversaw a significant revision of the program, which
garnered national recognition from the National Council
for the Social Studies. In 2013 he was named associate
dean in the College of Education, Health, and Human
Studies.
As associate dean at Southeast Missouri, Fridley
coordinated and oversaw all aspects of the Educator
Preparation Program, including certification,
curriculum alignment, field experiences, assessment,
and accreditation. Under his leadership, the program
developed an annual program review process, revised
nearly all programs to align with new state guidelines,
achieved CAEP accreditation in the spring of 2018, and
earned a renewal of its status as an Apple Distinguished
School.
Fridley spent the first half of his career teaching in P-12
schools in Georgia, New Mexico, and Missouri. Inspired by
challenges he encountered in schools, Fridley applied for
and was awarded a Morris Doctoral Fellowship to study
at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He earned
his Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction in 2006; an M.A. in
history from Southeast Missouri State in 1999; and a B.A.
in secondary education and social studies from Anderson
University in 1989.
Before Fridley’s arrival at BU, Darlene Perner, professor of
exceptionality programs, had been serving as the College
of Education’s interim dean.

“The professional sales major is a unique and
innovative program in Pennsylvania,” said Todd
Shawver, dean of the Zeigler College of Business.
“The program will have a big impact on regional,
national, and global economies and will provide
our students with boundless and lucrative career
opportunities.”

Ranked among
the best
Bloomsburg University is ranked among the nation’s
best colleges and universities by US News & World
Report in its “Best Colleges” guide. BU is tied for
37th in Regional Public Universities in the North and
is tied for 113th overall in Regional Universities in
the North (both public and private) – up four places
from last year.
BU is also ranked among the nation’s best colleges
and universities by both Forbes’ Top Colleges in
2019 and Money Magazine’s Best Colleges for Your
Money in 2019. BU has also been ranked among the
Best Regional Universities in the North for 2019 by
CollegeConsensus.com.
Other rankings include: the Department of
Communication Sciences and Disorders is ranked
third in Pennsylvania by Zippia, a job and careerseeking website.
BU’s Zeigler College of Business ranks among the
top 500 programs in the country.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

Daryl Fridley
named new dean of
College of Education

“There is a need that this program addresses,” said
Monica Favia, chair of the Department of Marketing
and Professional Sales. “The addition of the major,
along with BU’s membership in the University Sales
Center Alliance, represents a distinctive advantage
for Bloomsburg University and its students. This fall,
three students graduated with the major.”

5

COMMON GROUND

After 17 years,
annual 5K run
raises $170,000
for PA Breast
Cancer Coalition
With nearly 500 student participants,
Bloomsburg University’s 17th annual 5K Breast
Cancer Awareness Walk/Run held in October
raised $10,524 for the PA Breast Cancer
Coalition.
October’s tally brings the fundraiser’s 17-year
total to more than $170,000 to benefit women
diagnosed with breast cancer and support the
families of those who’ve lost the battle. The
event is coordinated annually by the Office of
Multicultural Affairs.

A new start for
Fraternities and Sororities
Bloomsburg University is reforming its fraternity and sorority system.

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»

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

The reforms are aimed at curbing dangerous drinking, hazing, sexual assault, and other
negative behaviors following conversations and exchanges of information with other
institutions that have forged new paths for their fraternity and sorority communities. The
scope and intended outcomes align with national standards and will reestablish safety as
the primary focus of the fraternity and sorority system that has traditionally been private and
unregulated.

Nicole Cronenwett

“BU is taking important steps to strengthen fraternity and sorority life on campus and
protect the safety and well-being of our student-members so that their experiences can
be cherished and admired,” said BU President Bashar W. Hanna. “With these changes, we
have established new standards of excellence to which we can all strive. As a community,
we have put a stake in the ground with respect to our values and standards for the benefit
of our fraternity and sorority communities, and most importantly, for the safety of all our
students.”
Previously known as the Office of Greek Affairs, the office now known as the Office of
Fraternity and Sorority Life is directed by Nicole Cronenwett, Ph.D., who brings more than
15 years of experience in fraternity and sorority life to the position. In addition, the office
now reports directly to President Hanna.
During the next 18 months, the entire fraternity and sorority community will be in a
probationary period as the new reforms are implemented. Organizations and individuals
who do not meet the requirements will be held accountable and adjudicated through the
student conduct process.
To view the list of reforms, visit bloomu.edu/ofsl.

Boguskis
Honored for
Professional U
Support
Michael ’85 and Beth Boguski have committed
$500,000 to the Bloomsburg University Foundation
to support experiential learning opportunities for
students. In recognition of this gift and continued
support of the student experience, Bloomsburg
University named the dean’s suite in the Zeigler
College of Business in their honor.
Since 2014 the Boguskis have championed
professional development for students at
Bloomsburg University, starting with a gift of
$1 million to support BU’s commitment to
Professional U. Their latest gift will assist students
applying for Professional Experience Grants;
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
programs; and students competing in the Husky
Dog Pound.

“Mike and Beth Boguski embody the unique spirit
and determination of our students,” says BU
President Bashar W. Hanna. “They share our passion
for and commitment to our mission of providing
experiential learning opportunities for our students
so that they can achieve success during and after
their years at BU. I am ever grateful to Mike and
Beth for their continued generosity and support of
Bloomsburg University.”
A former member of the campaign cabinet for
BU’s largest-ever capital campaign and a current
member of the BU Foundation board, Michael
Boguski maintains a strong connection to BU. He
was a first-generation college student who began
his career in risk management and insurance in
1986 after graduating with a B.S. degree in business
management.
continued next page.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

“We believe it is important to help fund the
education of Bloomsburg University students,
especially experiential learning,” says Michael
Boguski. “Providing our students with access
to internships and professional experiences is a
competitive advantage for them and is a mission
we are pleased to support.”

7

Boguski spent the last 22 years at Eastern
Alliance Insurance Group, a member of the
ProAssurance family of companies. In May
of 2019, he assumed the role of president,
Specialty P&C at ProAssurance in Birmingham,
Ala. Eastern Alliance Insurance Group, under
the leadership of President Kevin Shook,
continues to partner with Bloomsburg
University on numerous student initiatives,
including the Earned Income Tax Credit
program.
As one of eight in his family to graduate from
the university, Boguski places a high value on
the experiences and education he received at
BU. His son, also named Michael, graduated in
2018.

»

“BU is a special place with special people and
was an all-around great college experience for
me,” Boguski added. “We are extremely pleased
to support the student experience into the
future. Our family is proud to have our legacy
associated with these positive and impactful
opportunities for BU students.”
From left: Beth and Michael Boguski, President Bashar W. Hanna,
and Todd Shawver, dean of the Zeigler College of Business.

Donna Watson ’69,
elementary education,
38 years of consecutive
giving

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

“Once I was out of high
school, I enrolled at
Bloomsburg State College with the intent
of becoming a school teacher and that’s
exactly what I did. I taught kindergarten
and second grade students in Bucks
County for almost 40 years.

8

I was able to do that because of the
education I received at Bloomsburg and
specifically thanks to some help I received
through scholarships to pay for my
schooling.
For a very long time, I had given just a
general alumni donation, but within the
last few years I received some pieces in
the mail that told us about students who
might need emergency scholarships or
they may not be able to complete their
education, so I wanted to support that.”

Jeanie Golden ’99,
communication studies
major, anthropology
minor, 21 years of
consecutive giving

“A big part of my
decision to go back to school to get my
degree in 1999 was because my husband
Mark and I moved to Bloomsburg after he
retired from the Navy and started working
for PPL Nuclear.
After we retired and were living less than
a mile from the university, I saw it as the
perfect opportunity to go back to school
and get my degree, as I had always wanted
to do. And of course, my husband who was
my biggest supporter encouraged me to
do so.
I am especially grateful for the education
I received and the relationships I built
while I was there.
Since my husband is a retired Navy
captain, we thought a great way to
support young service members and their
families would be to create an annual
scholarship to help them pay for their
education.”

238
DONORS

Surpassed
our 200
Donor Goal

20

NEW DONORS

OVER

30K
DOLLARS RAISED

19

REACTIVATED DONORS

“My parents worked
hard to give my
brother and I the
chance to be the first members of our
family to go to college. The crazy thing is,
when I graduated, tuition was only $475
per year.
It wasn’t easy for our parents then, so
I can only imagine how hard it is for
students and their families today.
To me, that’s why giving back is so
important. We can’t give a whole lot, but
we want to do our part to give others
the same opportunities we had. It’s also
about pride in where you came from and
wanting to help your school to be the best
it can be.
I give back primarily to support athletics
because that was one of my passions,
but have also recently directed some
of our giving to support emergency
scholarships.”

Stephen Andrejack,
D.Ed. ’74, secondary
education, 17 years of
consecutive giving

“As a life-long educator,
with 40 years in the
public school system, I
am very passionate about the importance
of education, and my family shares that
passion.
But as a first-generation college student,
no matter how much school I attended
or additional degrees I have attained,
the one that is closest to my heart is the
one from Bloom. They were the best four
years of my life.
As a city boy from Harrisburg, I fell in
love with Bloomsburg and forged so many
great relationships with all the people I
met there, including Dr. Jim McCormick,
who became president my senior year and
his wife, Maryan.
My wife and I give and volunteer to many
organizations, but we have always made
giving to BU a priority.”

Cheryl Tedder ’97,
business economics,
4 years of consecutive
giving

“When I arrived at
Bloomsburg, I knew
this was where I wanted
to spend my next four years. Even though
it was more affordable than other schools,
I still had to take out loans by the time I
had entered my sophomore year.
Luckily it worked out for me and I went
on to pursue my masters in economics at
Rutgers University and then law school at
Villanova.
When I started working and was in the
position where I could make charitable
contributions, I thought back to my time
at Bloomsburg and wanted to give back
what I could to ease that burden on future
students and their parents in that same
situation.
I don’t give back to any specific area
because I want my gift to be used where
it is needed most. Plus, my firm matches
unrestricted contributions, which allows
me to maximize my support.”

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

David Gillis ’82,
communication
studies, 20 years of
consecutive giving

9

o
t
n
i
w
o
d
n
i
w
A
the life of a
By Eric Foster

When Edith Angeline Dennis stepped on the
Bloomsburg Normal School campus in 1917, she was
blazing a new trail. She and her first cousin Priscilla
(Young) McDonald were Bloomsburg’s first African
American boarding students.
Trailblazing was a family trait. Edith Dennis’ ancestors
— the Perkins-Dennis family — were free African
Americans who moved to Pennsylvania from New
England in the late 1700s, settled in Kingsley, and
established themselves as prosperous members of the
community.
“There was never any doubt that Edith would go to
college. The family had been educated going back
generations,” says her great-niece Denise Dennis. “There
were other schools she was interested in, but she chose
Bloomsburg. Her two younger sisters, Marion and Hope,
subsequently graduated from Bloomsburg in 1921 and
1925. All three loved their time at Bloom.”
While at Bloomsburg, Edith Dennis ’19 kept a diary — a
window into the life of a self-assured young woman who
would go on to be an educational leader in the state and a
community that welcomed her.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

“Oh! What an exciting day,
it seems as though I were
in a dream. I have arrived at
Bloomsburg State Normal
School,” wrote Dennis on
Sept. 4, 1917.

10

Edith Dennis was at Bloom
when World War I ended and
her entry for Nov. 11, 1918,
begins:
“Peace Final: This morning
was awakened at 4:30 a.m.
by ringing of the bells and
of course got up and went
to town where we had a big
time. After study hall Pris and
I had our picture taken, Boy!
There was a parade at 2 p.m.

“

Oh! What an
exciting day,
it seems as
though I were
in a dream. I
have arrived at
Bloomsburg State
Normal School,”
wrote Dennis on
Sept. 4, 1917.

The end of World War I was particularly important because
Edith’s brother Norman had enlisted in the Navy, and
his ship was torpedoed two days before the Armistice.
Fortunately, Norman survived the war and years later
taught Denise Dennis their family history.
The diaries also highlight a professor who arranged for
Edith and Priscilla to meet the head of the Tuskegee
Institute in Alabama shortly after headmaster Booker T.
Washington died.
“Professor Alberts told Priscilla and me that he was going
to try and get us positions in Tuskegee. We are to meet Dr.
Moton in January,” wrote Edith on Dec. 7, 1917.
While the cousins did not end up working at Tuskegee,
Denise Dennis notes that it’s remarkable that the professor
at Bloomsburg had a network to the Tuskegee Institute
that he used for his students.
After Bloomsburg, Edith became a respected teacher
in Pennsylvania, earned her bachelor’s degree at the
University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and directed
Harrisburg’s first Head Start program. Twenty years after
she graduated from Bloom, she financed the restoration
and renovation of the historic family farmhouse and
153-acre farm for use as a summer home, continuing the
funding until she passed away in 1980.
Denise Dennis and Edith’s youngest sister, Hope Dennis
‘25, who died in 2006, founded the Dennis Farm
Charitable Land Trust in 2001 to continue to maintain the
Susquehanna County property and open it to the public as
a historic site.
“The property is historic in so many ways. The stone walls,
the wall-enclosed cemetery, house, and the barn complex
remains are all archaeologically significant,” says Dennis.
The farm is listed on the National Register of Historic
Places and 30 artifacts and documents from the farm and
family are in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African

American History and Culture. When the Smithsonian had its preview
exhibition in 2015, the first exhibit was, “Early Settlers, the PerkinsDennis Family.”

1. Edith A. Dennis in Bloomsburg’s 1919 yearbook.
2. The front page of Edith A. Dennis’ diary for 1918.
3. Denise Dennis with the Revolutionary War powder horn (shown in inset) taken from the
body of Gershom Prince, a Dennis family ancestor. Photos provided by the Museum of the
American Revolution in Philadelphia.
4. Edith Dennis at about the time of her retirement in 1965.

Connections
Across Time
Edith Dennis and the Dennis Farm came
to BU’s attention when Denise Dennis,
founding president and CEO of Dennis
Farm Charitable Land Trust, reached
out to Nathan Conroy, director of alumni
engagement, for a yearbook photo of
Edith to use at the Annual Dennis Farm
Symposium last fall, which honored Edith
on the 120th anniversary of her birth.
“What was exciting to me was the
possibility of developing a relationship
with the family in connection with the
President’s Commission on Diversity and
Inclusion,” says Conroy ’06. Conroy and
BU anthropology professor David Fazzino
attended the symposium. Plans are being
made for Denise Dennis to speak on
campus and for the University Archives
to scan the historic diaries to make them
available to the public. There may also be
opportunities for anthropology students to
conduct research at the Dennis Farm.

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4

“Although they were free men, in spite
of their service and that of thousands
of black men in the Revolution, liberty
and equality were denied to the majority
of Americans of African heritage in our
nation’s early history,” says Dennis. “When
my ancestors purchased their land, only
10 percent of African Americans were free.
Since that time, we have been working and
are still working to become a more perfect
union that lives up to the early promise of
equality, especially in regard to race.”
“Our farm is an example of what is possible
— that an African American family could
live in an all-white community and thrive
more than 200 years ago,” says Dennis.
“I can’t tell you how many people are
astonished by our family history. They are
not aware that there were also free African
American landowners long before the Civil
War who contributed to this nation and
lived the American Dream.”
“That’s one of the reasons we set up the
farm trust. There’s more we need to know
about our history.”

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

Two African American veterans of the
American Revolution, family members,
are buried in the Perkins-Dennis cemetery
on the farm. A carved and signed
Revolutionary War powder horn taken
from the body of Gershom Prince — a
soldier and Dennis family ancestor who
was killed in the Battle of Wyoming in
1778 — is on loan to the Museum of the
American Revolution in Philadelphia.

11

Transformed by Rwanda
By Tom McGuire

“I remember leaving Sutliff Hall one night, realizing we
need to have a partnership with the University of Rwanda.
Our students need to have that opportunity. One of my
dreams is to replicate our 3D Printing lab at the University
of Rwanda,” says Keller. “Our students could go and teach
their students. We could build prosthetics for Rwandese
people, just as we’re doing and teaching here in the states,
with students from both universities working together.”

A dozen years ago, Ed Keller, assistant professor of
information technology management, was a globetrotting
executive for IBM. But a mission trip to a tiny landlocked
central African country transformed his life more than any
business deal.
“I’d done a lot of mission work, and my son and I had the
opportunity to go to Rwanda to work in an orphanage,”
says Keller, BU’s Stephen J. Jones Professional U
Fellow in the Zeigler College of Business. “That trip was
transformational. I was able to experience the people and
the culture of this tiny country — the smallest country in
Africa, about the size of Maryland — that just went through
a million people being slaughtered in a genocide in 1994. It
changed me forever. I was an executive at IBM, and I kept
asking for more time to work there.” Keller soon separated
from IBM — but not Rwanda.

“Since 2008, I’ve taken two or three trips a year to work,
immerse myself in the culture, and meet with government
leaders,” says Keller. “We’ve built a school for 281 children
and a church for a community of 500. I would walk with
their children about two miles each way to school and
teach grammar and teach English. We’ve partnered with
the sector government in the south province to identify
where the poorest children are and how we can provide
them with food, clothing, and education.”

While working at firms such as Sierra-Cedar, Ciber Global,
IBM, Allfon, LLC, and PriceWaterhouse, Keller continued
to return to the African nation. And through Keller,
Bloomsburg University has begun to forge a connection to
the University of Rwanda (UR) — a school of over 30,000
students. Keller has met with the chancellor of UR multiple
times, been offered a professorship, and stewarded the
signing of a memorandum of understanding. Under the
memorandum, BU and the University of Rwanda will
collaborate in student exchange programs to promote
the development of joint studies, research and training
activities, and other educational programs of mutual
interest.

“What stunned the Rwandans was when they found out
that I’ve been there before, and I’ve come back. Many
people come the first time; few come back. But it was a
warmth and a surprise that I came back. And I know so
many people in the community now. A part of my soul
rests in the land of a thousand hills — Rwanda.”

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

»

12

Keller, back row, center, returning to a familiar village.

»

Keller teaching children in the school that he
helped to build.

»

Keller with leaders at the University of Rwanda.

»

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

“

I remember leaving Sutliff Hall one
night, realizing we need to have a
partnership with the University of
Rwanda. Our students need to have
that opportunity. One of my dreams
is to replicate our 3D Printing lab
at the University of Rwanda. Our
students could go and teach their
students. We could build prosthetics
for Rwandese people, just as we’re
doing and teaching here in the States,
with students from both universities
working together.”
– Ed Keller, assistant professor of
information technology management
Keller teaching children in the school that he helped to build.

13

14

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

Moved
to Action
By Tom McGuire

“Enough was enough.”
Those were Community Government Association President
Steve Lopez’s words after watching a hate-filled video surface
on social media over a November weekend last fall. “We knew
we had to take a stand against the racist language in the video
and fight for what is right.”
Lopez and several of his CGA officers and senate members —
Krystal Garcia, Brianna Vera and Matt Lassus — decided to build
upon a protest that was being talked about on social media.
“A post by a student was urging students to come out on
the Academic Quad at noon on Wednesday to protest the
video,” Vera says. “Our first thought was how do we make this
protest effective? How do we make it peaceful and make sure
everyone’s voices are heard?”
The group of under-represented students didn’t sit back and
wait for someone to speak for them. Instead, with just two days
of planning, hundreds of students, faculty and staff, gathered
on the Academic Quad to show the campus community they
would not stand for racist behavior.
Details of the event spread through social media — even beyond
campus. “We heard from BU alums, individuals at other schools
like East Stroudsburg and Kutztown, and even students from the
Photos: Eric Foster

Enough was
enough.”
Those were CGA
President Steve
Lopez’s words
after watching
a hate-filled
video surface
on social media
over a November
weekend last fall.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2019

“

15

local middle school,” Lopez says. “It was amazing.”
“Our goal from the start was a peaceful protest,” says
Lassus. “If it wasn’t peaceful, it wouldn’t have the impact
we were hoping for. We wanted it to be powerful and
peaceful.”
Starting from the patio of the Warren Student Services
Center with a prayer among the organizers, the prayer
circle quickly enveloped the whole patio. The crowd then
moved to the quad where it eventually numbered more
than 500 and included BU President Bashar Hanna as well
as many faculty and staff.
The voices spoke in unison on that sunny day. We want
“DIS — Diversity, Inclusion, Safety.” From the quad, the
activists marched to Carver Hall where the president
addressed the crowd pledging his support.
“The CGA president and vice president informed us that
they were planning this,” says Hanna. “I believe in their
goals, every human being deserves safety, inclusion and
diversity. I am proud of them for voicing their opinions in a
safe and respectful way.”
For the organizers, the event gave a voice to those without
one.
Garcia, vice president of CGA, grew up in the foster care
system and often had others speaking on her behalf. At BU
and as a member of CGA, she has found her voice.
“I am in power to simply give up my power to people who
don’t have access to it,” says Garcia. “I didn’t want to be
spoken for anymore. I made it my goal to find my crowd
and if they need me to, to be their voice.”
Vera, who was just one of two students of color in her
high school, rejects the label “snowflake” placed upon her
generation by some in the media.
“We hear that we’re too sensitive or that ‘everything hurts
our feelings,’” says Vera. “But if I am upset or distressed by
something, I am going to speak up. It hurt me and those
around me.”
“What’s different about this generation is that we are used
to having a voice on issues through social media,” Garcia
says. “We don’t see the idea of having an opinion as a
privilege. It is a human right. It’s a fundamental difference of
this generation.”

The protest also brought new urgency to the president’s
Commission on Diversity and Inclusion, which President
Hanna established in the spring of 2019.
“The number one charge for that commission is to make
sure Bloomsburg University becomes a model among
universities for how we celebrate each other — and more
importantly embrace each other, regardless of color,
regardless of sexual orientation, regardless of religious
background,” says Hanna. “As someone who comes from
a minority background, the reality is there is nothing more
damaging to a person’s future than being oppressed. We
deserve equal rights in society.”
“They made the rally a catalyst to make the changes
on the commission level to create tangible policies and
practices,” says Shavonne Shorter, chair of the Commission
on Diversity and a communication studies associate
professor. “I don’t know if the students realize how much
of an impact they had on educating their colleagues. It was
transformative and powerful to me, to see the students
in a short amount of time, bring the message that we are
serious about not tolerating racism on this campus. The
first class I saw that week, we spent the majority of our
class having that conversation.”
“We have meetings set up now with Dr. Hanna for the
spring to keep the conversation going,” says Garcia, who
is a member of the Commission on Diversity. “As we said,
we want diversity, inclusion and safety. We want to take
meaningful steps to make that happen. There are a lot of
underclassmen involved with wanting to see change. It’s
impactful.”
“We’re changing the culture,” says Lassus. “We want the
involvement of the younger classes because we need to
train new leaders for the future.”

“

The CGA president and vice president
informed us that they were planning this,”
says Hanna. “I believe in their goals, every
human being deserves safety, inclusion and
diversity. I am proud of them for voicing their
opinions in a safe and respectful way.”

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

“Past CGA President Joar Dahn was our spark here,” says
Vera. “He inspired and taught us to use our voice for

change. We’ve all come together to be here at BU for a
reason to lead our fellow students.”

Photo: Eric Foster

16

Photo: Jaime North

Out of the
Classroom,
Into the
Community

“It was inspiring to see our current students and alumni
working together to beautify the area around the school,”
Godbolt says. “It was nice for BU to give back to Jahri’s
high school since he has been so generous to BU over the
years.”
Godbolt knows this is just the beginning for this program.
“Our vision is to grow ‘Out of the Classroom.’ We want
our students to know they can make a difference in their
communities. They are hungry to give and we’ll be there to
show them how.”

By Tom McGuire

It’s important to see what you want to become.
When Ralph Godbolt took over as director of Access
and Success and Act 101/EOP — BU’s academic, social
and cultural support program designed to help selected
students achieve academic excellence — his vision was to
connect academics and real life for his students. Through
his “Out of the Classroom, Into the Community” program,
he accomplished that and more.
In its second year, Godbolt took a group of students to
Philadelphia in November. In 2018, the group ventured
west to Pittsburgh.

In Philadelphia, Godbolt and 18 BU students visited
Frankford High School and Harding Elementary and its
Autistic Support Program.
“Before our trip, we talked with both the school district
and the Jahri Evans Foundation (Evans ’07 is a Frankford
graduate) and learned how we could be most useful,” says
Godbolt. “The school district recommended the Autistic
Support Group since not many people interact with those
students.”

“

A program like this is powerful since it exposes
our students to experiences and situations that
are new to them, The high school students
we interact with get inspiration to picture
themselves in college someday.”
– Ralph Godbolt, director of Access and Success

“We engaged the autistic students in dance and physical
activities and talked about healthy eating,” says Shannon
Musgrove, assistant director of Act 101/EOP. “Our theme
this year is healthy eating, so we made sure all of the
Harding students left with a bag of fruits and vegetables.
People don’t realize there are neighborhoods where there
are no grocery stores with fresh fruits and vegetables.”
“At Frankford, we talked with 25 students about all aspects
of going to college,” Godbolt says. “The students were
very critical thinkers — asking what college is like, how
do they manage time, or what is it like being a black male
in college. Most of the students never saw college as an
option before the meeting. It was a powerful interaction.”
On the second day of the Philadelphia visit, the BU students
and several alumni from the area did a cleanup around
Frankford.

Brittany Delcastillo

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

“A program like this is powerful since it exposes our
students to experiences and situations that are new to
them,” says Godbolt. “The high school students we interact
with get inspiration to picture themselves in college
someday.”

BU students shown in
photo: Kyree Dingle
and Aminah Cooper

17

Living
the
HUSTLE
By Eric Foster

There’s no road map to having a career like that
enjoyed by J.C. Lee ’05, playwright, television
writer and producer, and now, film writer and
producer.
“The hardest thing is that you graduate and you
go, ‘where do I start?’” says Lee, whose own
start was far from L.A., where he lives and works
today. “I grew up in a housing project in New
York — growing up like working-class people
grow up. Every choice is meaningful. We are
taught to survive.”
Lee — who has been a writer and producer for
the television shows “How to Get Away with
Murder,” “Looking,” and currently, “The Morning
Show” — visited campus in November for
screenings of his 2019 film “Luce” and spoke with
students. “What inspires your work?” a student
asked. “Paychecks,” Lee shoots back. “The hustle
is real.”
BU prepared Lee well for that hustle. The
English/secondary education major took a
theatre class and connected, finding mentors
in theatre professors Ross Genzel and the late
Michael Collins. “The relationships between
the professors and the students, the late nights
putting up sets — it spoke to me of a kind of
family that I was hungry for.”

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

“There was a scrappy quality to the work
— everyone constantly hustling and being
resourceful because we don’t have all the money
in the world,” says Lee. “It instilled an ethos of
hustle where you can make it on your own. That
ethos found its way into my bones, and I took
advantage of it dramatically. We started putting
together shows in my sophomore into junior
year.”

18

One of those plays, written in a diet-soda
fueled session, was the dark satire “Night of the
Wannabes,” which became an underground BU
classic that was nominated to go to the Kennedy
Center American College Theatre Festival.

Photos: Eric Foster

“

“When I produce a TV show, I’m
running a business. The budgets
are millions of dollars. Film, TV,
and theatre are distinctly different
businesses, but I like to have a project
going in each space because they help
make me better in the other ones.”
– J.C. Lee
“The experience of self-production taught me
so much. It taught me my goal is to entertain
people. Asking people to come to a dark room
to watch something is a big ask — understanding
that helps you make it better. You’ve got to give
people something,” says Lee. “Print the flier and
work to get someone to see it who is not your
friend. That’s really hard. You learn that no one
wants your Samuel Beckett play on the El train.
No one wants that.”
Which does not mean that Lee’s works are
lightweight. “Luce,” adapted from Lee’s play of
the same name and co-written and directed by
Julius Onah, garnered critical attention, mostly
positive, for its provocative storyline about race
and identity in the U.S.
The play was a result of Lee’s experience at
Julliard in New York City. “I wrote sci-fi plays
— that was my thing. My professor at Julliard
insisted I write a grown-up play.”
That play was “Luce,” which premiered offBroadway in 2013 and was reviewed positively
in The New York Times. Through Julliard, Lee
got an agent, the initial gatekeepers of the
entertainment industry, and went to Los Angeles
to work in TV — first as a writer and then as a
producer.

“When I produce a TV show, I’m running a
business. The budgets are millions of dollars.
Film, TV, and theatre are distinctly different
businesses, but I like to have a project going in
each space because they help make me better
in the other ones,” says Lee, who wakes at 5 or 6
a.m. for writing time.
The hustle is real.
“Flexibility is important,” Lee tells students.
“Undergrad is the last part of your life where you
take a class just because it sounds interesting.
Give yourself time to explore. Don’t let a passion
for one subject prohibit openness to new
experiences. Then you have a story to tell. And
stories are what writers do.”

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

With one film under his belt, Lee is already at
work on the next screenplay based on a Stephen
King horror story, two TV shows, and a play.

19

20

HOMECOMING 2019

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

CAMPUS CELEBRATION

Photos: Jaime North

The peak of the fall
season draped over “The
Only Halloween Town
in Pennsylvania” for a
Homecoming celebration
that championed maroon
and gold, from the morning’s
Color Run to a newly routed
parade. Then onward to the
Alumni Tent Party and upward
for the day’s ultimate climb
to Redman Stadium, cheering
on the Huskies to a victory
and crowning our first-ever
Homecoming Royalty —
Matthew Lassus ’20.

Photo: Eric Foster

Ready to Work
By Andrea O’Neill ‘06
Tom Mason ’84 arrived at Bloomsburg University
unsure of his career path, but the business major was
certain the campus felt like home.
“It turned out to be a great place for me socially
and academically. I grew a lot at BU,” says Mason. “I
was very active in both athletics and Greek Life and
combined with the strong academic program at BU, I
graduated a very confident individual.”
Hired in claims management at Liberty Mutual
Insurance right after graduation, Mason moved on
to Travelers Insurance and served as the second
vice president of claim management for many years.
Recently named national claim director at CNA
Insurance, Mason regularly returns to campus to
mentor students and to identify potential hires.
“When I left Travelers, the Pennsylvania office alone
had 26 BU alumni — six joined from the class of
2019,” says Mason. “The reason we hired so many BU
grads is that they were ready to get to work on day
one.”
“We have found over and over again that Bloomsburg
students have a good work ethic and the initiative to
get things done and solve problems,” says Mason. “We
can teach the technical skills of the industry, but we
can’t teach good interpersonal skills or initiative. That
is what a BU degree brings.”

Events like the COLA Symposium, COST Pathways
in Science and Technology, Zeigler Institute for
Professional Development, and CATCH (Collaborating
to Assist Teacher Candidates in Hiring) Conference in
the College of Education bring hundreds of alumni
and organizational partners to campus to inspire and
guide students. Workshops, webinars, networking
events, and other programs provide more tools
necessary for students to continue that climb long
after they leave campus. It’s a commitment to student
success the university has named Professional U.
“There are a lot more opportunities today than there
were 30 years ago,” says Mason. “Alumni come back,
and they’re successful, smart, and have a lot to share.”

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

Mason is impressed with how many opportunities
there are for alumni to come and give back time to
help students with career development.

21

alumni achievement

HUSKY NOTES

’50s
» Ralph Wetzel ’59 retired from the
P.I.A.A. District 1 wrestling steering
committee after a record 46 years. He
is a member of the Hatboro-Horsham
Athletic Wall of Fame, the Southeast
Pennsylvania Wrestling Hall of Fame,
the Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches
Hall of Fame and the Pennsylvania
Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall
of Fame.

’60s
» Robert Tucker ’68, a former NFL
star, was honored by the Hazleton Area
High School and the City of Hazleton
at the Hazleton Area football home
opener. A Hazleton native, Tucker was
a durable NFL All-Pro who played 11
seasons with the New York Giants and
Minnesota Vikings and who helped
revolutionize the position of tight end
in professional football.

’70s
» Eugene E. Cioffi III ’70 received
the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime
Achievement Award presented by
Marquis Who’s Who.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

» David E. Tracey ’73 retired after 45
years of clinical social work. A decade
of advocacy, clinical and training work
with the National Center on Institutions
and Alternatives in Washington D.C. led
him to be a co-founder and partner
of Family Advocacy Services, an
urban mental health agency offering
a continuum of treatment programs.
For the last 21 years, Tracey directed
the counseling and wellness program
at the Park School of Baltimore, where
he also maintains a private clinical
practice.

22

» Richard C. Whitmire ’73 retired
after 45 years of clinical social work
practice from the U.S. Penitentiary
Lewisburg as a clinical specialty
consultant responsible for drug
treatment programs. Whitmire was
commissioned in 1993 as a health
services officer in the U.S. Public
Health Service, and retired in 2018 with
the rank of captain. Before that, he
served as a psychiatric social worker at
Danville State Hospital. He maintains
a private practice specializing in
anxiety, depression, and couples
psychotherapy in Bloomsburg.

» Michael Valenti ’79 is a commercial
relationship manager with First
Interstate in Boise, Idaho. He is a small
business administration loan specialist
and has held senior leadership roles at
financial institutions in California and
Idaho, including community banks,
community small business lenders, and
national banks.

’80s
» Bette Anderson Grey ’81 was
appointed to the Pennsylvania State
Board of Osteopathic Medicine for
a four-year term, serving as the
respiratory therapist on the board.
» Barbara Bogart Willders Romano
’83 was inducted into the Warrior Run
School District 2019 Hall of Fame in
Turbotville.
» David Gass ’84 was appointed a
judge on the Arizona Court of Appeals.
Gass began his career in private
practice at Lewis & Roca, LLP, where
he practiced primarily in the areas
of tort, commercial, and insurance
litigation. Before joining the law firm,
he clerked for then Arizona Court
of Appeals Judge Ruth McGregor.
Gass has served in all three branches
of Arizona government. He was an
assistant attorney general and director
of legislative affairs with the Arizona
Attorney General’s Office, counsel
to the Democratic Caucus of the
Arizona House of Representatives and
previously served on the Maricopa
County Superior Court.
» Grace Crampsie Smith ’84 is a
member of the Bethlehem City
Council. She was an adjunct faculty
member at Lehigh Carbon Community
College and also worked as an
addictions counselor and coordinator
of community and early intervention
services for the office of Lehigh County
Mental Health and Developmental
Disabilities. She completed the
Bethlehem Citizen’s Police Academy
program.
» Wayne Brookhart ’85 will retire as
superintendent of the Berwick Area
School district.
» Laura Toole ’85, LCSW, is executive
vice president of The Northeast
Regional Cancer Center, Scranton,
supervising community and patient
services, including the Patient
Navigation Screening Program,
community education, family of
survivors programs and special events,
and healthcare professional education.

» Kelly McBride Young ’87 purchased
the Magic Carpet Preschool in
Bloomsburg with her daughter.
» Jamie Pepper ’87 is supervisor of
instruction for elementary programs
in the Department of Curriculum and
Instruction at St. Mary’s County Public
Schools, Leonardtown, Md.
» David Lesko ’88
retired as a colonel
from the U.S. Air
Force after 31 years
of service. Lesko was
commissioned through
the Air Force ROTC
program and served on active duty
as a medical administrator. His final
assignment was Robins Air Force Base,
Ga., where he was the commander,
Detachment 5, supporting over 1,500
medics, chaplains, and Judge Advocate
General military members.
» John Rohrbach ’88 is vice president
of operations of Rowen Enterprises,
Reading. He is responsible for
managing sales and operations for all
three door divisions. Rohrbach was the
general manager of Overhead Door
Co.
» Debbie Waibel Hippensteel ’89 is
an investment portfolio manager with
River Wealth Advisors, Allentown.

’90s
» J. Karl Alexy ’90 is the associate
administrator for railroad safety and
chief safety officer of the Federal
Railroad Administration (FRA). He
was most recently the FRA’s deputy
associate administrator for railroad
safety and had responsibility for the
Office of Safety Analysis, the Office of
Technical Oversight, and the Office of
Regional Operations.
» Matt Clavin ’94, a professor at the
University of Houston, has published
his third book, The Battle of Negro
Fort: The Rise and Fall of a Fugitive
Slave Community. The book examines
the United States’ destruction of a
colony of runaway slaves in Spanish
Florida in 1816.
» Mary Gronsky Floyd ’94 is a colonel
in the U.S. Air Force. She is stationed at
the Joint Base Elemendorf-Richardson
Army Base, Anchorage, Alaska.

» Peter J. Mayes, ’97
successfully defended
his doctoral dissertation
in educational leadership
at East Stroudsburg
University. He is the
principal of Nitschmann
Middle School in Bethlehem.
» Steven Small ’98 is vice president of
information services at Quality Contact
Solutions in Aurora, Neb.

’00s
» James Becker ’00 is superintendent
of the Southern Columbia School
District in Catawissa. Becker served
as Southern’s middle school principal
for four years after teaching middle
school math in the district. He became
Southern’s high school principal in
2006.
» Stephen Ott ’01 is head coach for
cross country and track and field at
Parkland High School, Allentown. Ott
is also the head coach for indoor track
and has been with the district as a
teacher and coach for 19 years.
» Susan Berryman Moyer ’01
graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy
degree in Nursing Science from
Villanova University. Moyer, who
recently accepted a full-time tenuretrack position as an assistant professor
of nursing at Millersville University, is
a Registered Nurse, Certified Nurse
Educator, and member of Sigma
Theta Tau International nursing honor
society.
» Christian Temchatin ’03 is the
superintendent of the Kutztown School
District. Before joining Kutztown, he
was the principal of Pennridge Central
Middle School in Bucks County for
three and a half years. His previous
administrative experience includes
three years as principal and one as
assistant principal of North Schuylkill
Junior/Senior High School.

» Michael DelPriore ’04/’06M was
published in the Fall 2019 edition of the
Pennsylvania Administrator magazine
of the Pennsylvania Principals
Association. His article was “Transitioning from Teacher to Administrator:
Keys for Success.”
» Rebecca Bender ’05 was inducted
into the Warrior Run School District
2019 Hall of Fame in Turbotville.
» Maurice Dennis ’05 is a vice
president commercial loan officer
at The Dime Bank, Honesdale.
Dennis began his banking career 10
years ago as a commercial credit
analyst underwriting and evaluating
commercial loans.
» Kimberlee Pedersen Josephson ’05
is associate dean of the Breen Center
for Graduate Success and assistant
professor of business administration at
Lebanon Valley College.
» Heather Goshert ’06 is a nursing
assistant residency instructor at
Geisinger and a practical nursing
instructor at the Central Susquehanna
LPN Career Center. In these two jobs
Goshert will support career pathways
for low-income individuals as well as
be an educator.
» Richard Canter ’09 is senior
associate athletics director/
administration at Longwood
University in Farmville, Va. He joined
Longwood as an assistant strength
and conditioning coach in 2011, and
has since worked as Longwood’s
director of sports performance,
assistant athletics director for sports
performance, and most recently
associate athletics director for studentathlete enhancement.

’10s
» Lisa Dooley ’11 is town manager of
the Town of Bloomsburg.
» Lauren ErdmanSheeler ’14 received the
Emerging Fundraising
Professional of the Year
Award from the Central
Pennsylvania Chapter
of the Association of
Fundraising Professionals.

» Bryce Foster ’15 is an urban park
ranger for the New York City Parks
and Recreation Department, based
in Central Park. As a ranger, he is
responsible for helping New Yorkers
and visitors discover and explore NYC’s
natural world through environmental
education, wildlife management, and
active conservation.
» Megan Doe ’16 received a J. William
Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Award to
conduct research, teach English, and
provide expertise abroad. Doe received
her Masters of Science in Global
Studies and International Relations
from Northeastern University in Boston
and will support English teaching
at Westfalen-Kolleg Paderborn in
Germany as part of a Fulbright English
Teaching Assistantship.
» Beth Myers ’16 was selected as one
of the 30 Under 30 Learning Leaders
by CloserStill Media, the producers of
the Learning 2019 conference. Myers
works for C2 Technologies.
» Nicholas Pellechia ’18 is a part-time
police officer of Yardley Borough.
Pellechia attended the Delaware
County Police Academy and
interned with the Locust Township
and Northampton Township police
departments.
» Christine Eckenrod ’18M will lead the
radiography program at Pennsylvania
College of Technology. Eckenrod was
the radiography program director at
JFK Muhlenberg Snyder School of
Radiography in New Jersey, where she
also served as a radiography instructor.
She has been a CT/X-ray technologist
for Altoona Hospital and a CT/MRI
technologist for Alliance Imaging Inc.
and 611 MRI and CT.
» James Farano ’18 is an accounting
associate at Boyer & Ritter CPAs and
Consultants, Camp Hill.
» Katrina Heiser ’19 was accepted into
the Peace Corps and departed for the
eastern Caribbean to begin training as
a primary English literacy volunteer.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

» Jason Kirsch ’96M
received the 2019
Ernest R. McDowell
Award for Excellence
in Public Relations by
the Pennsylvania Public
Relations Society.
The award recognizes individuals for
sustained excellence in both the public
relations field and the community.
Kirsch is a partner and senior counselor
at PRworks, Harrisburg.

23

HUSKY NOTES

1

3

2

HUSKY WEDDINGS
1. UPPLING and HAVILAND — Kelsey Uppling ’12 and Jeffrey Haviland ’12
were married June 8 in Bloomsburg at the Pump House B&B. They met
while working in the university mailroom and the wedding was attended by
a number of Bloomsburg alumni and staff.
2. BARTOL and BACKER — BU alumni at the wedding reception of
Brittany Bartol ’15 and Derrick Backer ’14 on July 6.
3. HOLTRY and PEITZ — From left Carl Peitz Jr, Jillian Peitz, Carl Peitz Sr,
Pamela Peitz, Steven Peitz ’15, Jennifer Holtry ’14, Sara Peitz, Allison Conklin,
Joshua Conklin and children Gavin and Nora Conklin.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

IN MEMORIAM - Art benefactor Tom Toth passes away

24

Tom Toth ’65, who along with his wife, Ceil, was a long-time benefactor of BU, died at home Sept.
29, 2019, of complications from pancreatic cancer.
A resident of Long Neck, Del., Toth was born in 1943 in Bethlehem and graduated from Liberty
High School in 1961 and BU in 1965 with a teaching degree in biology. He and Ceil met at a fall
dance in the Husky Lounge in 1962. Tom and Ceil Toth taught in the Baltimore County School
System for more than 30 years. He was one of three teachers chosen to start the Gifted and
Talented Science Program in the county.
The Toths endowed the Thomas J. and Cecelia Mistal Toth Scholarship to benefit students
of any major through a planned gift in their will. They also donated an art collection to the
university. Ceil’s brother, Stanley R. Mistal, was an artist who introduced them to the art world
in the 1960s. Over the years, in addition to Stanley’s paintings, the Toths amassed a large
collection of paintings by mostly Hungarian artists, many of which are now part of the university
collection. The collection is on display in Centennial Hall.

HUSKY NOTES

Marriages
Samantha Kropa ’09 and
Herman Davis, April 22, 2017
Thomas Visicaro ’10 and
Christina Timoldi, Oct. 19, 2019
Kelsey Uppling ’12 and
Jeffrey Haviland ’12, June 8, 2019
Julie Fufla ’12 and
Scott Yagielniskie, Aug. 10, 2019
Kelsey Harm ’13 and
Stephen Grib ’13, Sept. 7, 2019
Jennifer Holtry ’14 and
Steven Peitz ’15, March 23, 2019
Nicholas Wilson ’14 and
Ellyssa Saroscek, Nov. 2, 2019
Benjamin Carlucci ‘16M and
Leeanne Smollen, Sept. 1, 2019
Anna Marie Duna ’17 and
Andrew Slick ’18, May 31, 2019
Briana Jastrzebski ’17 and
Jared Stock, June 29, 2019

Births
Amy Clewell Goodwin ’94 and husband,
George, a daughter, Mia Grace, Feb. 25,
2017
Jessica Postal ’09 and husband, Brent
’08, a son, Landon Michael, Dec. 15,
2018
Lauren Erdman-Sheeler ’14 and
husband, Ben, a son, Charles Paul,
March 31, 2019
Samantha Davis Kropa ’09 and husband,
Herman, a daughter, Brynleigh Reese
Davis, April 10, 2019
Jessica Shuman Harry ’07 and husband,
Kevin ’02, a daughter, Swayze Grace,
May 28, 2019

Michael Espinosa ’06 and wife, Ashleigh,
a daughter, Elena Rose, June 29, 2019
Amy Forbes-Witt ’99 and husband,
Glenn Witt ’97, a daughter, Rowan Mae,
Aug. 1, 2019
Jeffrey Fellman ’06 and wife, Danielle,
a son, Milo Richard, August 23, 2019
Sandra Dinnella Starkey ’07 and
husband, Joseph ’07, a daughter,
Adalynn, Sept. 12, 2019
Christine Whitehead Litsch ’07 and
husband, Erik ’04, a daughter, Julia,
Sept. 22, 2019

Obituaries
James Deily ’41
Stuart Hartman ’42
Reba Henrie Fellman ’43
Ella Schargo Zinzarella ’44
Buddy Hartman ’49
Robert Millard ’49
Earl Blake ’50
Neil Dent ’50
Ruth Glidden Radicchi ’52
Phyllis Morgan Harper ’53
Constance Wallace Morris ’55
Marjorie Felton Mackert ’56
Vivian Scott Malczyk ’56
Bette Gibson Bisco ’57
Charles Puckey ’58
Robert Beaver ’59
Roland Buck ’59
Julia Ann Muir Krajack ’59
Leo Mulhall ’59
Rodman Roy Ralston ’59
John Eberhart ’60
Edward Wojciechowski ’60
Bernard Balkiewicz ’61
Philip Houser ’61
David Loughlin ’61
Ronald Davidheisir ’62
Daniel Renn ’62
Thomas Davis ’63
Gordon Thomas ’63
Charles Klobe ’64

Virginia Palmer ’64
Dorothy Deitterick ’65
Thomas Toth ’65
Jerry Fritz ’66
Carol Ripa Oliver ’66
Alice Merkle Stahl ’66
Henry Wenzel ’66
Ronald Anderson ’67
Adrian Callender ’67
John Hatton ’67
Donald Hock ’68
Linwood Nester ’68
Betty Seidel Dietz ’69
Janice Langville ’69
Leonard Pawlowski ’69
Margaret Lamison Waltemyer ’69
Frank Yartz ’69
Gayle Thorpe Baar ’71
Linda Szoke Houser ’71
Michael Stugrin ’71
Marie Gvazdauskas Scriptunas ’72
Steven Smith ’72
Debra Hunt ’73
Garry Korman ’73
Denise Martinkovic Rank ’73
Arlene Trush Boles ’75
Kathleen Little Gaydos ’75
Frederick Gessler ’75
Joseph Wertz ’75
John Simon Bernosky ’78
Caryll Lorimer Eck ’78
Arlene Miller ’78
Patricia Hughes Baltusavich ’79
Steven Smith ’79
Robert Elliott ’80
Virginia Taylor Cummings ’82
Elizabeth Hickey Dennen ’82
Susan Dickinson Zerfoss ’84
Jo Ann Michetti Gonsar-Scull ’85
Amy Delvecchio Hackenberg ’92
Keith Weaver ’92
Justin Snarponis ’96
Beverly Miller Yocum ’98
Michael Carroll ’02
Renay Volciak ’02
Erin Bratton ’07
Robert Piekarski ’09
Andrew Hackenberg ’11
Zachary Kravatz ’11

Send information to: magazine@bloomu.edu
Bloomsburg: The University Magazine | Waller Administration Building | 400 E. Second Street | Bloomsburg, PA 17815-1301

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

THE LINE UP

25

sports

26

AIMING HIGHER

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

By Tom McGuire

VIEW FROM THE TOP

Athletic
Complex
Named to Honor
Steph Pettit’s
$10 Million Gift
Bloomsburg
University
coaches will have
new tools for
recruiting and BU
athletes will have
new scholarships
thanks to a $10
million gift from
Steph Pettit ’89.
The gift designates $5 million to support athletic
priorities, specifically scholarships, and a $5
million trust to support future university needs. In
recognition of the impact of this donation, BU has
named the upper campus athletic complex the
Bloomsburg University Pettit Athletic Complex.
“My goal is to elevate the athletic program at BU by
giving the coaches the resources needed to recruit
student-athletes from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and
beyond with stronger academic and athletic profiles,”
says Pettit. “Competition is fierce in the world of
intercollegiate athletics, and our coaches need more
scholarship money to compete at the highest levels. I
am honored to be able to make this gift and support
their efforts to compete for championships at the
conference level and be competitive on a national
level.”
The gift makes Pettit the largest donor in BU history,
bringing his total contributions to more than $12.5
million.
“This gift by Steph, who often calls Bloomsburg
University his home, is transformational,” says BU
President Bashar W. Hanna. “We talk about the grit
and determination shown by our students. This is
an attribute Steph has shown from the first time he
set foot on campus and continues today. On behalf
of our student-athletes, coaches, faculty, staff, and
alumni, I want to thank Steph for his extraordinary
generosity to our university. His gift will impact
generations of Huskies.”

“Steph’s passion for BU is unmistakable,” says
Director of Athletics Michael McFarland. “He is an
ambassador for all our teams with a desire to see
each of them be successful.”
Pettit, who was awarded an honorary doctor of
humane letters in the spring of 2019, graduated
with a degree in mass communications and was a
four-year member of the Huskies football team. He
was part of the 1985 squad that was the first team
in school history to win 12 games while capturing
the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference title and
reaching the NCAA Division II semi-finals.
After graduation, he was a sales manager for
E. & J. Gallo Winery before taking ownership of Clean
Earth Systems, Inc. in 1993. The company has grown
into a nationwide distributor of hazardous waste
containers.
Pettit has given back in many ways to BU. He
served on the record-setting $62 million It’s
Personal campaign cabinet as the lead advocate
and ambassador supporting athletics. Pettit also
co-chaired the First & Goal football scholarship
campaign as well as establishing the SP-59 annual
football scholarship, the Under Armour Football
sponsorship, and the Steph Pettit Legacy Scholarship.
He supported athletics with a $1 million contribution
for stadium improvements to the former Sports
Stadium and additional athletic scholarships. The
Steph Pettit Stadium serves as the home to Huskies’
field hockey, men’s and women’s soccer, and
women’s lacrosse teams, in addition to hosting local
high school teams, BU athletic summer camps, and
university intramural and club activities. Pettit also
supported the banner project at Redman Stadium
that improved the look of the facility.
Pettit supports mass communications by funding
experiential learning opportunities through a
production company for current students that
features documentary and long-form video projects.

Sheptock Comes Home
as Football Coach
Sheptock previously coached at Division III Wilkes
University, serving as the defensive coordinator from
1990-95 and head coach from 1996-2014. As head coach
at Wilkes, he went 107-81 overall and led the team to nine
postseason appearances.
Sheptock also served as the head coach and athletic
director at Berwick High School from 2016-19, posting a
mark of 27-11 after taking over for legendary head coach
George Curry. His Berwick teams reached the District 2
Class 4A title games and a trip to the district semifinals in
his final year. He also served one-year stints as an assistant
at Misericordia University (2019) and BU (2015).

“I am humbled and honored to be the Bloomsburg
University head football coach,” says Sheptock.
“Bloomsburg significantly impacted my development
as an individual, and I take great pride in being allowed
to continue that positive impact on our current and
prospective student-athletes. I look forward to building
relationships with our current student-athletes and
continuing the legacy of success of Bloomsburg University
football.”
A member of the NCAA Division II Team of the Quarter
Century (1973-97), Sheptock played linebacker for head
coach George Landis and holds the school records for
tackles in a career (537), single-season (159), and singlegame (23), as well as career fumble recoveries (12).
Sheptock was inducted into the Bloomsburg University
Athletics Hall of Fame in 1997, the College Football Hall
of Fame in 2007, the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in
2010, and was named to the PSAC’s 150 Contributors of
College Football in 2019 as one of BU’s 10 honorees.

“

I am humbled and
honored to be the
Bloomsburg University
head football coach.”
– Frank Sheptock

Photos: Eric Foster

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

Frank Sheptock ’86, a key member of the Huskies 1985
undefeated football team, has returned to lead the team as
BU’s 28th head football coach.

27

Magical

A Second
Season for Women’s Soccer

The women’s soccer team had another magical season in 2019,
firmly establishing itself as one of the premier programs in the
country.
The Huskies won their second consecutive NCAA Division II
Atlantic Regional title and finished the season with an 18-3-1
record, including a record-setting 13-straight victories, a 15game unbeaten streak, and a second straight trip to the Elite
Eight round. Bloomsburg was ranked sixth in the country at the
end of the season after a fifth-place finish in 2018. Bloomsburg’s
18 wins tied the program record for most victories in a season
and it’s 35 wins over the last two seasons sets a new program
record.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

Senior defender Tayah Naudascher, redshirt junior goalkeeper
Jenna Hawkins, and junior midfielder Lauren Hoelke earned AllAmerican honors by the Division II Conference Commissioners
Association (D2CCA) and the United Soccer Coaches. Hoelke
earned Second Team honors from the D2CCA and Third Team
accolades from United Soccer Coaches while Hawkins earned
Third Team laurels from both organizations. Naudascher was a
Third Team All-American by the D2CCA.

28

Lauren Hoelke

Tayah Naudascher

Jenna Hawkins

Christina Podpora

Hoelke and Maggie McDonald were named to the 2019 United
Soccer Coaches NCAA Division II Scholar All-East Region team
with Hoelke named a 2019 NCAA Division II Second Team
Scholar All-American.
The team was also recognized for excellence off the pitch.
For the second-straight season, the coaching staff, led by
head coach Matt Haney, was recognized by the United Soccer
Coaches as the Atlantic Region Staff of the Year. Haney also
earned the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Coach
of the Year for the first time in his career. The team earned the
Team Ethics and Sportsmanship Bronze Award as well as the
Team Academic Award following the 2018-19 academic year
from the United Soccer Coaches.

VIEW FROM THE TOP

Sohosky Named First
Head Women’s Golf Coach
Gary Sohosky, a veteran PGA professional with four decades of
experience, is the first head coach of the new women’s golf program.
“Gary’s golf knowledge and understanding of the region ensure we have
the right coach in place to build BU’s 22nd varsity sport,” says Director of
Athletics Michael McFarland. “We look forward to the fall of 2020 and to
meeting the student-athletes he recruits.”
The Huskies’ home course will be the Golf Course at Frosty Valley in Danville.
Sohosky has been a Class A PGA Golf Professional since 1980 and has worked
at PGA teaching clinics and workshops throughout the country since 1983.
Before coming to BU, Sohosky was the head golf professional at Frosty Valley
Resort while also serving as the head instructor and club technician at Tee to Green Golf Center.
Before that, he was the head golf professional at Mill Race Golf and Camping Resort from 2017-18.
Sohosky has worked at the Hershey Pocono Resort in White Haven, TPC of Scottsdale in Arizona, Stratton Golf School in
Vermont, Split Rock Resort in Lake Harmony, Wilkes-Barre Golf Club, and White Deer Golf Club in Montgomery. TPC of
Scottsdale serves as the permanent site of the Phoenix Open on the PGA Tour. He also served as the head coach at Penn
College of Technology where he led the team to three conference titles from 1993-98.
Women’s golf is the second female sport to be added at Bloomsburg in the last three years after women’s volleyball began
play in 2017.
Bloomsburg becomes the 11th institution in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) to offer women’s golf. The
2020 PSAC Championship will be held at the Hershey Country Club from Oct. 15-17.

Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

Seven individuals were inducted into the BU Athletic Hall of Fame in October. Shown from left are
Director of Athletics Michael McFarland, Joel Melitski ‘64 (who accepted the award on behalf of inductee Richard Scorese ’64),
Trisha (Leitzel) Hoffman ’03, Alea (Balthaser) Floren ’02, Megan Hunsinger ’99, Joanne McComb, Ron Morgan,
Justin Shepherd ’07, and BU President Bashar Hanna.

29

THEN & NOW

celebrating our Husky history

125 Years
of Basketball
By Robert Dunkelberger

The story of basketball at Bloomsburg University is a long and
rich one that goes back to nearly the beginning of the game
itself.
Basketball was invented in 1891 by Dr. James Naismith at the
YMCA in Springfield, Mass. Just two years later, Bloomsburg
State Normal School students were shooting hoops influenced
by Albert Aldinger, director of physical education, who trained
at a YMCA.
The 2019-20 season marks the 125th in the history of the men’s
team at the university. Only four other NCAA institutions have
played as many seasons: Allegheny College, Bucknell University,
the University of Minnesota, and Yale University.
In the early days of the game, Bloomsburg was the Duke
University of basketball in the region — dominating the
competition. The 1898-99 season was a high point. Though
Aldinger took a leave of absence two games into the season
to complete his medical degree, the team won the final eight
games to finish undefeated at 10-0. After three close victories
to start the season, the Bloomsburg team steamrolled over its
next seven opponents by a combined score of 298-65, including
a 30-6 rout of Penn State. In a recent ranking of teams from that
year, Bloomsburg was second behind only Yale.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

Over the next several decades, Bloomsburg teams continued
to excel — going 21-9 from 1919 to 1921 and 28-6 from 1923
to 1925. In 1932, George Buchheit came to Bloomsburg after
having served as head coach at both the University of Kentucky
and Duke University — the only person to ever coach both
programs. He set a Bloomsburg career record with 92 wins in 13
seasons, 10 of those coming in 1944-45 with a team composed of
Navy cadets.

30

In 1949, new coach Harold Shelly brought an offensive focus to
Bloomsburg. In his 11 years, his teams won 10 or more games six
times — 112 in all. Three players (Len Kozick, James Gustave,
and William Swisher) set the all-time scoring mark for a career
in consecutive years from 1957 to 1959, while Swisher was the
first basketball player in school history to surpass 1,000 points.
Shelly also coached Chuck Daly, who would go on to become a
world-wide coaching legend.
A member of the Huskies team for two years, Daly averaged
more than 12 points a game, including a team-high 13.3 in
the 1950-51 season. Later, as head coach at the University of
Pennsylvania, Daly led his teams to a record of 125-38 in six
years, winning four Ivy League and three Big Five titles. In the
NBA, he was an assistant coach for the Philadelphia 76ers and
head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, New
Jersey Nets, and Orlando Magic. While coaching for Detroit,

Daly led his team to back-to-back NBA championships. He
is most famous for serving as the head coach of the 1992 U.S.
Olympic team, the original “Dream Team” — considered by
many the greatest collection of basketball talent ever to be
assembled.
In 1960, Bill Foster took the helm of the Huskies squad and,
in just three seasons, led Bloomsburg to a 45-11 record and
the school’s first-ever NCAA playoff berth. Foster went on to
Rutgers and later coached at Duke, leading the team to the 1978
NCAA Division I national title game.
In 1971, young coach Charlie Chronister elevated Bloomsburg’s
game to new heights. In his third season, Chronister led the
Huskies to the PSAC East title and a trip to the NCAA playoffs.
Over his 32 years, Chronister would go on to win 558 games and
earn a national coaching reputation. The Huskies claimed one
PSAC title, nine PSAC East championships, and seven NCAA
playoff appearances during Chronister’s tenure, while the coach
earned three PSAC Coach of the Year awards.
Among Chronister’s stars was Mike Ellzy, who would set a new
career scoring mark with 1,911 points, while overall, 21 players
topped 1,000 career points. More recently, the Huskies would
see a new all-time scoring leader when Christian Mortellite
surpassed Ellzy’s mark and finished with 2,037 points while
playing for head coach John Sanow.
But the men are not alone in dominating the hardwood. The
women, who began playing in 1897 and first fielded a varsity
team in 1962, have also set a high standard of success.
With more than 700 career victories, the women’s team has
earned 10 NCAA championship berths and 30 PSAC playoff
appearances. The 1991-92 and 2012-13 teams each won PSAC
titles. In 1988-89 the women’s team was ranked No. 1 in the
country after going 28-0 in the regular season before losing
both its playoff games.
Two dominant eras for the women were from 1987 to 1993,
when Bloomsburg was 139-31 under head coach Joe Bressi, and
from 2010 to 2015, when coach Bill Cleary guided the women’s
team to a record of 124-28. Current coach Alison Tagliaferri has
built on that legacy, winning 20 games a year ago.
Now, after 125 years and nearly 1,400 victories for the men’s
basketball team and more than 700 for the women’s team,
Bloomsburg University has set the standard in the state. And
the student-athletes of today have emulated the enthusiasm of
those players more than a century ago, who were the first to
learn a new sport and represent their school with pride.

1. Head Coach William Foster’s three teams won 80 percent of their games
from 1960 to 1963.

2. The new gymnasium in 1894, soon after it opened. Most spectators
watched games from the elevated running track.

3. The first team from 1894-95. Coach Albert Aldinger is at center holding the ball.
4. The 1944-45 team composed of Navy cadets, with Coach George Buchheit
standing in the middle of the back row.

2

4

3

5

6

7

8

5. The 1973-74 team that went to the NCAA championships. Charles Chronister
is kneeling at center, with John Willis (44) and Jerry Radocha (40) behind him.

6. Mike Ellzy going for the basket against Lock Haven in 1995.
7. Coach Charlie Chronister
8. The current all-time scoring leader with 2,037 points, Christian Mortellite (15),
taking a foul shot versus Kutztown in 2018.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

1

31

CALENDAR

ACADEMIC CALENDAR
Spring Break begins Monday, March 9
Classes resume, Monday, March 16
Graduate Commencement, Friday, May 8
Undergraduate Commencement, Saturday, May 9

SPECIAL EVENTS
Homecoming
Friday, Oct. 23, through Sunday, Oct. 25
bloomu.edu/homecoming

ART EXHIBITS
Haas Gallery of Art
Jackie Brown
Through Feb. 24
Reception: Monday, Feb. 24, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Gallery Talk 1:15 p.m.
Kristopher Benedict
March 4 through April 9
Reception: Thursday, April 9, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Gallery Talk 1:15 p.m.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2020

Warren Release Reception
Sunday, April 26, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

32

Concert Choir
Saturday, March 28, 7:30 p.m.
First Presbyterian Church, Market St., Bloomsburg
Husky Singers
Friday, April 3, 7:30 p.m.
Haas Center for the Arts, Mitrani Hall
Orchestra and Choirs
Saturday, April 4, 7:30 p.m.
Haas Center for the Arts, Mitrani Hall
Concert Band
Wednesday, April 8, 7:30 p.m.
Haas Center for the Arts, Mitrani Hall
Percussion Ensemble
Tuesday, April 14, 7:30 p.m.
Haas Center for the Arts, Mitrani Hall
Jazz Concert
Thursday, April 16, 7:30 p.m.
Carver Hall, Kenneth S. Gross Auditorium
Guest Recital, Burleson
Thursday, April 23, 7:30 p.m.
Carver Hall, Kenneth S. Gross Auditorium
Knoebel’s Grove Pops
Sunday, April 26, 2 and 5 p.m.
Knoebel’s Grove, Elysburg

Selected Student Exhibit
May 29 through Sept. 16.

Guitar Ensemble
Tuesday, April 28, 7:30 p.m.
Carver Hall, Kenneth S. Gross Auditorium

The Gallery at Greenly Center
Student Exhibition
Feb. 25 through April 14

Piano Studio
Wednesday, April 29, 7:30 p.m.
Carver Hall, Kenneth S. Gross Auditorium

Spring 2020 Senior Exit Show
April 23 through May 8
Reception: Thursday, April 23, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Acapella for a Cause
Thursday, April 30, 7 p.m.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Main and Iron Streets,
Bloomsburg

Meredith Re’ Grimsley, Solo Show-Summer
May 18 through Sept. 24
Reception: Thursday, Sept. 24, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.,
Artist Talk 1:15 p.m.

Young Artist Recital
Saturday, May 2, 1 and 3:30 p.m.
Carver Hall, Kenneth S. Gross Auditorium

CONCERTS
Faculty Recital, Duo Montagnard
Wednesday, Feb. 26, 7 p.m.
Carver Hall, Kenneth S. Gross Auditorium
Orchestra Concerto Concert
Sunday, March 1, 2:30 p.m.
Haas Center for the Arts, Mitrani Hall
Guest Recital, Duo Sureño
Wednesday, March 18, 7:30 p.m.
Carver Hall, Kenneth S. Gross Auditorium
Voice Studio
Wednesday, March 25, 7:30 p.m.
Carver Hall, Kenneth S. Gross Auditorium

THEATRE
Everybody
Feb. 26 to March 1, Alvina Krause Theatre, Bloomsburg
Performances at 7:30 p.m., except Sunday at 3 p.m.
Free for BU Students/CGA Activities Card Holders, $6 for adults,
$4 dollars for students/seniors

For the latest information on upcoming events, check the
Bloomsburg University website bloomu.edu/events.
For alumni events, visit bloomualumni.com,
call 800-526-0254 or email alum@bloomu.edu for details.

Photo: Jaime North
From left: Sophia Robinson,
Krystal Garcia, Brianna Vera

»

NOW IN STOCK: Champion windbreaker, League quarter snap, Ouray T-shirt,
Camelback plastic water bottle, insulated steel bottle, and Storm Duds golf umbrella.

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Trinity Irish Dance - Sunday, March 29, 7:30 p.m., Haas Center for the Arts, Mitrani Hall
Tickets: Adults: $29. Children under 12 and BU students: $15.

FOR TICKETS AND INFORMATION: bloomu.edu/arts-in-bloom or 570-389-4409

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Bloomsburg

S UM ME R 2020

T HE UNIVER S I T Y M AG A ZI N E

Pulling
Together
When BU moved to remote
instruction in March, faculty
and staff pulled together to
accomplish something that had
never been envisioned.
Page 6

CARVER HALL

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

ALSO INSIDE

Strengthening The Pack
Hundreds of Huskies come together to aid students affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Page 13

Celebrating Discovery
A retiring dean leaves a legacy to aid students in their scientific endeavors.
Page 19

bloomu.edu

1

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Dear BU Family,

President Bashar Hanna

Since the year 2020 began, much
has happened across our country
and the world. Here at BU, we have
overcome many challenges related to
the ongoing coronavirus pandemic,
most notably our transition to online
instruction in March. Most recently,
we have witnessed protests on behalf
of people of color in response to recent
unjustifiable murders. The outpouring
of grief, frustration, and anger in
these protests arrived at a time when
the pandemic had already ravaged
communities, seeded fear, and placed
physical distance between us. Later
in this message, I will speak more
about the countless ways our faculty,
staff, students, and alumni stepped up
in response to the COVID-19 virus,
but first would like to address our
University’s commitment to becoming
a more welcoming, more inclusive, and
safer campus community.

Becoming a Stronger and Better BU
When I arrived at BU in July 2017, my first year was spent meeting with many constituencies, listening, and
observing. Based on what I learned that first year, I identified diversity, equity, and inclusion as an area of
opportunity for our community and an area that will be one of three pillars in our strategic plan that will
guide BU for the next decade.
In my second year, I established the President’s Commission for Diversity and Inclusion, co-chaired by Dr.
Shavonne Shorter, associate professor of communication studies, and Mr. Wayne Whitaker, assistant director
of diversity and retention. Comprised of faculty, staff, and students, this commission was formed to assess all
that we do in the areas of equity and inclusion, and to recommend measurable, meaningful ways in which we
may become a stronger and better BU in every way possible.
The commitment to make our University a more diverse, inclusive, and supportive community has never
been more important or more urgent. This criticality was galvanized in November 2019 when faculty, staff,
and I walked arm-in-arm with our students demanding diversity, inclusion, and safety.
On our campus, we recognize that education is an effective antidote for discrimination and bigotry. There is
no better way to challenge our own notions and appreciate our cultural differences than to open-mindedly
learn from one another. On that note, we have been hosting virtual town halls for faculty, staff, and student
leaders this summer, and we will continue these important discussions for all (including students and alumni
in the fall) so that we may educate one another and become a better BU.
I am pleased to inform you that I have appointed Dr. Shavonne Shorter as the Special Assistant to the
President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, effective Aug. 1, 2020. In this role, Dr. Shorter will continue
to serve as co-chair of the Commission, which also serves as one of three working groups dedicated to
developing the framework for BU’s next strategic plan. As a member of the President’s Leadership Council
and a regular contributor to the President’s Cabinet, she will be responsible for developing a comprehensive
University-wide plan that promotes and advances a welcoming and inclusive climate for all members of our
campus community. I am grateful to Dr. Shorter for serving in this important leadership role, and I look
forward to updating you this fall on our progress in this area in particular, and our strategic plan in general.
As I have stated to my colleagues recently, each of us must do our part to inspire our communities. We must
appreciate what makes us different, honor our differences, and steadfastly remain true to our common
humanity.

The Husky Heroes Amongst Us
I remain amazed and so very proud of the myriad of ways in which we all overcame the uncertainties and
challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In March, we quickly adapted to the new normal and moved 100% of our classes online for the remainder of
the semester. Our faculty, students, and staff showed their customary Husky spirit, grit, and determination
by deftly pivoting to our new virtual reality in less than two weeks. My heartfelt thanks to the Husky Heroes
amongst us who put in long hours to assist with this necessary transition.
When we learned of students who needed assistance with laptops and cameras or who lacked proper
connectivity, we had an outpouring of support to provide those students with the items needed to complete
the semester. The dollars raised for Our “Strengthen the Pack” emergency aid fund, which totaled $105,100
from 241 donors, were directed to students who were most impacted by COVID-19. THANK YOU to all of
you who contributed to this important initiative in support of our students and their success.
Bloomsburg: The University Magazine
In this issue highlighting BU’s response to COVID-19, you will learn about a collaborative effort between the
Zeigler College of Business and the College of Science and Technology where we used our 3D printers in the
Nicholas J. Giuffre Center for Supply Chain Management to produce masks and face shields, which helped
local hospitals in need of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE).
Further, you will learn of our faculty who stepped up to aid their colleagues in online teaching, and of one
student who adjusted to distance learning and became a teacher himself. You can also read about BU nursing
alumni – heroes in the truest sense of the word – who continue to battle on the front lines of this pandemic.
Cheers to them and all Husky alumni in the healthcare field during these especially challenging times.
Wishing Dean Aronstam Well
Finally, I hope you will join me in wishing Dr. Robert Aronstam all the best in retirement after a 40-year
career in academia, the last five of which he served as dean of our College of Science and Technology.
Thanks for your leadership, Bob!
As we face uncertain times together, I look forward to soon welcoming our students back to campus, while
we continue to follow health and safety protocols and prepare accordingly for an atypical semester. As
always, our number one priority remains the health and safety of the entire BU community. On that note, I
wish each of you well and hope that you and yours continue to stay safe.

GO HUSKIES!
Sincerely,
Bashar W. Hanna
President

Summer 2020

4

6

19

20

26

29

Contents

4
6
11
13
15

SHARING EXPERIENCE
AND MOVING FORWARD
PULLING TOGETHER
HUSKIES DELIVER
STRENGTHENING THE PACK

19
20
21
26
29

CELEBRATING DISCOVERY
PREPARED TO HEAL
HUSKY NOTES
VIEW FROM THE TOP
THEN AND NOW

COMMON GROUND

Connect with us

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

bloomu.edu

2

Pennsylvania’s State System
of Higher Education Board of
Governors
Cynthia D. Shapira, Chair
David M. Maser, Vice Chair
Samuel H. Smith, Vice Chair
Aven Bittinger
Representative Tim Briggs
Audrey F. Bronson
Nicole Dunlop
Alex Fefolt
Donald E. Houser, Jr.
Senator Scott Martin
Marian D. Moskowitz
Thomas S. Muller
Noe Ortega
Secretary Pedro A. Rivera
Representative Brad Roae
Senator Judith L. Schwank
Meg Snead
Neil R. Weaver
Governor Tom Wolf
Janet L. Yeomans

Chancellor, State System
of Higher Education
Daniel Greenstein
Bloomsburg University
Council of Trustees
Judge Mary Jane Bowes,
Chairperson
Nancy Vasta, Vice Chairperson
Brian O’Donnell, O.D., Secretary
Amy Brayford
Edward G. Edwards
Duane Greenly
Daniel Klingerman
Colin McIntyre
Secretary John E. Wetzel
Raymond Zaborney
President, Bloomsburg University
Bashar W. Hanna

Executive Editor
Jennifer Umberger
Co-Editors
Eric Foster
Tom McGuire
Designer
Stacey Newell
Sports Information Director
Dave Leisering
Marketing/Communications
Coordinator
Irene Johnson
Contributing Writers
Thomas Schaeffer ’02
Andrea O’Neill ’06
Cover Illustration
Stacey Newell

Bloomsburg: The University Magazine is published
three times a year for alumni, students’ families, and
friends of the university. Back issues may be found at
issuu.com/buhuskies.
Address comments and questions to:
Bloomsburg: The University Magazine
Waller Administration Building
400 East Second Street
Bloomsburg, PA 17815-1301
Email address: magazine@bloomu.edu
Visit Bloomsburg University on the web at bloomu.edu.
Bloomsburg University is an AA/EEO institution and is
accessible to disabled persons. Bloomsburg University
does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion,
sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national
origin, ancestry, disability, or veteran status in its programs
and activities as required by Title IX of the Educational
Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VII
of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other applicable statutes
and University policies.
© Bloomsburg University 2020

3

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

By Eric Foster
As early summer protests swept
the nation in support of equal
treatment for Black Americans and
offensive racist social media posts
by BU students were found and
shared online, Bloomsburg, both the
Town and University, took time and
listened.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

At a time when action is being called
for, change — as a result of our work
on campus — is already underway.
For example, this fall semester all
new first-year students will have
workshops on diversity become a
part of their First-Year Experience
Course.

4

“There have been so many instances
of social justice moments going
on right now. We’re seeing a major
shift in the conversation. People are
letting their values be known,” said
Shavonne Shorter, assistant professor
of communication studies and cochair of the President’s Commission
on Diversity and Inclusion. “We are
seeing people come out as allies. It’s
hope-giving.”

“Our own family in
Bloomsburg is not
insulated from what
is going on in the
larger community.
We can’t get past
this moment without
listening to each other and learning
from each other,” said BU President
Bashar Hanna in a virtual meeting for
faculty and staff to discuss concerns
related to diversity.
The virtual meeting, the first of
several for BU employees and
students, came on the heels of a
virtual Town Hall on Racial Equity
sponsored by the Bloomsburg
community’s Coalition for Social
Equity, where panelists listened to
the experiences of Black members
of the community. Panelists included
Hanna as well as community officials
such as Police Chief Roger Van Loan,
Mayor William Kreisher, and Council
Members Bonnie Crawford and Toni
Bell. Shorter moderated both events.

“

“This is an opportunity.
Timing is everything and we
have to grab it. We need to
come together and dialog
about race and appreciate
differences.”
— Maddy Rodriguez

“Our students need it and we
need it to build unity. We need to
come together and dialogue about
race and appreciate differences.
We’re going to be creating more
intentional programming. We need
everyone to participate, not just
students. We need administrators,
police, staff, and community
members.”

“Our own family in Bloomsburg is not insulated from
what is going on in the larger community. We can’t
get past this moment without listening to each other
and learning from each other.”
— President Bashar Hanna
Hanna recalled coming to
Bloomsburg in 2017 and realizing
that the university needed to be
more systemic in its approach to
diversity. “The Commission on
Diversity and Inclusion came into
being two years ago. For most of
the second year, they focused on
listening and learning. They held
town hall meetings, and a campus
climate survey was administered
in fall 2019. The data was being
assessed as COVID-19 struck.”
“One of the most important
things we can do is begin with
education,” said Hanna. “It starts the
first semester with every one of our
students who arrives — recognizing
the richness of diversity and how we
can learn from each other instead
of being afraid of each other. That’s
what is killing our society, not just
in Bloomsburg, but more broadly.
We need to focus on educating
each other and making each other
realize the kind of pain we dish out.
Even sometimes, not intending to be
malicious.”
“We have to confront the fact
that racism is real,” said Shorter.
“Black lives matter. George Floyd’s
life matters. We watched him die
on video. We say their names to

honor their legacy and to let them
know they did not live and die in
vain. It’s because of them we are
here. We’re tired of dying. We’re tired
of being profiled. We’re tired of being
discriminated against. We’re tired of
just being judged for who we are.”
“It isn’t just when we are interacting
with the police. It’s in all facets of
life. When we’re going to school.
When we’re going to work. When
we’re going to seek medical care,”
said Shorter. “We can’t even sleep.
We can’t even be in our own house.
They are so many people who have
died doing those very things.”
“We need to make Bloomsburg is
a place that is inclusive, equitable,
and welcoming to everyone,”
said Shorter. “It hasn’t been good
enough. Our goal is to make it good
enough.”
In addition to workshops for firstyear students, plans are underway to
make diversity training available for
faculty and staff.
“This is an opportunity. Timing is
everything and we have to grab it,”
says Commission Co-chair Maddy
Rodriguez ’95/’98M, who runs the
office of multicultural affairs and
directs the Multicultural Center.

“We need to open our eyes, hearts,
and ears and listen to each other,”
said Hanna. “The pain we dish out
is so remarkable. If that energy
could be harnessed in a way that
would celebrate diversity, imagine
how great a town, a university, a
region we would have for others to
emulate. That’s my challenge for
our own university. It’s looking at
tomorrow and working together
to make tomorrow better than
yesterday.”

“

“There have been so
many instances of social
justice moments going
on right now. We’re
seeing a major shift in
the conversation. People
are letting their values
be known. We are seeing
people come out as allies.
It’s hope-giving.”
— Shavonne Shorter

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

“

“When we tell someone when they
came to our university that you’re
part of our family, we need to treat
them like family. We need to educate
through programming, Black
History Month, Native American
History Month, Pride Month. We
want everybody to be involved,”
said Shorter, who emphasizes that
the Commission’s charge includes
diversity of religion and socioeconomic background as well as
race and ethnicity.

5

By Eric Foster
When more
than 8,000
students left
BU for spring break
in early March, most
expected a relaxing week
away from classes and maybe
some sunning on a beach before
returning to BU.
Returning to campus was not to
happen. The highly contagious COVID-19
virus, just getting a foothold in the state in
March, saw to that.
Returning to learning and education, however, did
happen. And all because of the remarkable adaptability
and resilience of faculty, staff, and students themselves
— pulling together like Huskies to accomplish something
that, just a few weeks prior, was never envisioned.

When faculty resumed teaching
on March 23, they collectively
spent thousands of hours
adapting their courses, training,
and familiarizing themselves
with new technology.
“That was the most unusual
semester of our professional
careers,” says Diana RogersAdkinson, provost and senior vice
president for academic affairs. “Our Teaching and
Learning Enhancement (TALE) team was critical to the
success of the transition.”
“The faculty’s ability to adapt in a span of less than two
weeks was extraordinary,” says President Bashar Hanna.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

More than 530 faculty found a way to teach their courses
remotely. To make it happen, staff found ways to get
critical technology to the faculty and, in dozens of cases,
to get the technology to students. The dramatic shift to
remote instruction — the most significant disruption in
university history — helped faculty forge new relationships
across campus, bridging departments and colleges to
accomplish the mission.

6

“

“This has been the most unusual semester
of our professional careers,”
— Diana Rogers-Adkinson, provost and
senior vice president for academic affairs

Going Remote but
Keeping it Personal
“The Thursday before spring break,
I’d been asked to put together some
plans for training in case there
was a suspension of classes,” says
Lisa Stallbaumer, a veteran history
professor and TALE director.
Things moved quickly when the
word came about moving all classes
online, and the first training sessions
were offered just a week later.

Training accelerated the following
week, with another 20 sessions
offered through the collaboration
of TALE, Media and Design, and
the Office of Technology. The
Department of Instructional Design
scheduled open triage sessions
where faculty members Karl Kapp,
Lynn Hummel, Jessica Briskin, and
Mary Nicholson took questions from
their peers.

“We were so pleased that we had
skills we could share with other
people,” says Nicholson, professor of
instructional technology. “Colleagues
across campus reached out to
us, and in the sessions I sat in, I
continued to learn new things. That
was awesome. I’m presenting, and
I’m still learning.”
“In our first session, we had 30
faculty, then it grew to 80 for the
other sessions,” says Stallbaumer.
“Every training session had someone
to talk about technology. And
someone to explain the pedagogy.
We needed faculty members
to speak to usage, then the
technology.”

“

“In our first session, we had 30 faculty, then it grew to
80 for the other sessions. Every training session had
someone to talk about technology. And someone to
explain the pedagogy. We needed faculty members to
speak to usage, then the technology.”
— Lisa Stallbaumer

Faculty played a crucial role in sharing
information. “Pedagogy is my thing, but
I did not have much experience with
discussion boards,” says Stallbaumer
with a chuckle.
“But Dennis Frohlich (assistant
professor of media and journalism)
and Regina Bobak (assistant professor
of academic enrichment) could talk
about those things. Karl Kapp talked
about how he uses PowerPoint to
create lively recorded sessions and
Mary Nicholson showed how to have
discussions using Zoom.”

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

“I’m just really pleased with the
technology team. And the faculty —
once they were faced with temporary
remote teaching, then the suspension
of on-campus classes — they rallied,”
says Stallbaumer. “I saw a lot of
collaboration and support. A lot of
gratitude.”

7

Innovating
When classes resumed, the TALE team
remained active, with a daily morning
Zoom coffee hour to allow faculty to
share frustrations, find solutions, and
make connections that hadn’t existed
before.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

One of the coffee hour regulars,
Beth Rogowsky, associate professor
of teaching and learning, shared
her experiences with different
technologies and applications with her
students.

8

For his part, McCurry invested in a
high-quality webcam and a digital
drawing tablet, a tool more commonly
found in art studios. “I can pull up
an assignment on screen and draw
right on it so students can see it,” says
McCurry. “This forced me to take the
opportunity of trying the things I was
thinking of trying, like having some
online office hours in the future.”
Despite the move to remote teaching,
“grades stayed right where they were,”
says McCurry. “I’m impressed by how
much students took ownership of
their learning.”

“My students are going to be teachers.
You should be open to trying different
tools. Every week, we used a different
tech tool and rated whether it was
effective,” says Rogowsky. “I was
thinking about how I teach and trying
to find tools that will allow me to use
those same techniques. We used the
Zoom whiteboard ... that was a flop.
The next week we tried breakout
rooms. You have to make sure that it’s
brief. Think. Pair. Share. Teacher poses
question. They think about it. Pair up,
then share.”

“In my world, if you’re interested in
marketing, you want to be online,”
says Thomas Tanner, assistant
professor of marketing. “But not
every student wants to be online
for learning. They may be on social
media. That’s different than online
learning. Even some of the more
obvious things, I’ve had to take a step
back and look at it through their eyes.
Everybody is seeing things differently.
I have to show them in multiple forms.
Send it to them via Twitter, Bolt, email
and Zoom sessions.”

Through the coffee hours, Rogowsky
connected with Dan McCurry,
assistant professor of chemistry and
biochemistry, who introduced her to
Padlet, an online collaborative bulletin
board. “My absolute favorite online
teaching tool,” says Rogowsky. “Dan
really embraced teaching online. He
met with me, virtually, on Saturday to
show me how to use it.”

Some courses in the arts, sciences,
and health care had additional
challenges because they traditionally
have an in-person, hands-on element.
Science professors made videos of
experiments and demonstrations
at their homes, faculty in the arts
set up cameras in their studios, and
academic leaders in several disciplines
sought out simulations for their crafts.
(See “Preparing the Next Generation of
Nurses,” page 9.)
For her students, Cynthia Venn,
professor of environmental,
geographical and geological sciences,
filmed excursions to area wetlands
and demonstrations in her driveway in
what she laughingly calls her “garage
door” classes.

“

“Grades stayed right where
they were, I’m impressed
by how much students took
ownership of their learning.”
— Dan McCurry

Faculty in the arts and performing arts
adapted to remote teaching by using
social media platforms in robust ways.
They created accounts on Instagram
and YouTube for students to share
artwork and performances and to
conduct virtual critiques and feedback
sessions.
Meeting students where they were
and taking the tools they had into
account was a university-wide
mission. Even though he had a studio
in his home, Chad Andrews, assistant
professor of art and art history, taught

“

“I was at home with my six
siblings. For my younger
siblings, I had to help them
with their school work.”
— Steven Lopez
his printmaking courses from his
kitchen table. “I have two studios that
are set up and very efficient to work
in,” says Andrews. “But I wanted to put
myself in the students’ position and
work with the same resources that my
students had. And have the real-life
interruptions that don’t happen in a
studio, like my daughter coming in
and asking me to make lunch while
I’m working.”
For graduating senior Steve Lopez
of Hazleton, the transition to remote
learning put him in the shoes of
both student and teacher. “I was at
home with my six siblings. For my
younger siblings, I how to help them
with their school work. My youngest
sister, she’s 6 and learning how to
read in kindergarten. How do you
teach someone had to read? It was a
learning experience for both of us.”
“When we had to switch it was a
struggle,” says Lopez, a psychology
major with a minor in Spanish who
is now pursuing a master’s degree in
college student affairs. “I prefer the inclass experience. But there were some
classes that can be done online. I was
taking psychology of learning, which
is about different types of conditioning
and how people learn things. The
professor was great, Dr. (Julie) Kontos.
She worked with us. She was super
understanding.”
Lopez adapted by being very
disciplined about scheduling. “I
needed to find stability. Planning
when I would turn in assignments.
Dedicating certain days to certain
subjects. My goal was achieving the
dean’s list. To achieve that goal, I
needed to have that structure.”

She wasn’t alone in her feelings. “I
think like every other professor, I will
never take face-to-face teaching for
granted again,” says Andrews. “It gave
me a greater appreciation for what the
school provides me.”
As weeks of online instruction went
by, students saw professors in a new
context, sitting at their kitchen table
or making videos in their driveway. But
faculty also saw their students in new
ways that have changed how they
approach teaching.

“Having students tell me, I don’t have a
computer, I don’t have internet. These are
struggles that we weren’t aware of,” says Angela
La Valley, associate professor of communication
studies. “This has been an eye-opening
experience. My daughter in third grade had an
assignment about the difference between wants,
needs, and luxuries. This situation has changed
people’s perspective on wants, needs, and
luxuries.”
“We’re there for the students, that’s our whole
purpose,” says La Valley. “This has made me
a more empathetic instructor. Students have
different backgrounds that I don’t know about
that will impact them. We have to do the best
we can and meet them where they are and help
them navigate this too.”

“

“The faculty
stepped up. It
would be easier for
a faculty member
to say ‘that’s on the
student.’ But they
didn’t.”
— Mark Bauman

Connecting
to Students
in Need
As BU transitioned to remote teaching in
mid-March, some students were missing
critical tools for remote learning: a
computer and an internet connection.
“Early in the transition to remote learning,
Provost Diana Rogers-Adkinson sent a
message to faculty, ‘If you have students
who have fallen off the radar, let me
know,’” says Mark Bauman, then interim
vice provost and dean of undergraduate
education.

“The faculty stepped up. It would be easier for a faculty member
to say ‘that’s on the student.’ But they didn’t,” says Bauman. “I
got a lot of emails from faculty who said I’m concerned about
students A, B, and C. The student was engaged and now they’re
not. I had faculty members contacting me about students with
housing and food insecurity. And I took it from there.”
“There was a term years ago … the digital divide. Not everyone
has a computer or internet at home,” says Bauman. “When our
students are on campus, they don’t feel it, we have computer labs
and Wi-Fi on campus. When they had to go off-campus, then the
problem came to the surface.”
Bauman found about 50 students needed a computer and
another 50 who needed internet access. It was the mission of Bill
Barnes, technology support services manager, to find solutions.
“The normal supply chain collapsed for items like laptops and
webcams,” says Barnes. “We had a significant number of students
that did not have technology except for smartphones. I raided the
Greenly Center for 16 laptops. Staples had some in a warehouse. I
got them. A few students got computers from family members. In
the end, we were able to provide for all the students who needed
them.”
Students living near campus were able to pick up the hardware
at the BU police station from Sgt. Joe Clauser, who cleaned and
disinfected it. Students living farther away had the computers
shipped to them.
Internet connectivity was a tougher problem to crack. In many
cases money from the BU Foundation’s Strengthen the Pack Fund
helped students get the connection they needed. A web form was
created for students to request help. Marty Wygmans, associate
VP of student success, and Kara Shultz, special assistant to the
president, went through the requests to connect students with
resources. (See story on page 13)

“

“Having students tell me, I don’t have a

computer, I don’t have internet. These
are struggles that we weren’t aware of.”
— Angela La Valley

And it wasn’t just technology that was in short supply. “There were
students with housing issues, with food and other insecurities,”
says Bauman. “The Strengthen the Pack Fund was able to help to
cover those gaps.”
“It didn’t always end in a success story. Try as you might, there
are some students that you never connect with. Those who I did
reach were appreciative,” says Bauman. “I’ve talked with students
who have lost family members because of this. I’ve actually had
students expressing concern that our faculty have had to make
these changes too. The patience the students showed was
moving.”

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

New Perspectives

For Stallbaumer, the biggest surprise
of transitioning to remote teaching
wasn’t pedagogical, but personal.
“I’m teaching a course, Hollywood
in History, and I missed seeing my
students’ reaction to the movie that
we’re watching — being able to
pause and discuss it in that moment
together.”

9

Preparing the
Next Generation
of Nurses,
Virtually
When medical professionals are on
the frontlines of a battle against a
new virus, students preparing to be
the next generation of nurses faced a
special hurdle, as hundreds of them
at BU could no longer participate in
hospital clinical experiences.
However, because they already had
completed more than half of their
clinical experience, student nurses
could use simulation software
provided by generous donors to
complete the semester, and seniors
were able to graduate on time.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

“The programs are a computerized
illustration of a patient. The student
and virtual patient can both ask
and answer questions regarding
symptoms, location of the symptom,
and the responses are evaluated as
to what is the best response by the
student and why,” said Sue Fetterman,
then interim department chairperson.
“It is a complicated system that allows
the faculty to evaluate the student’s

10

“

“As the student speaks to the avatar
to develop a patient history, and do
a head-to-toe exam with an avatar,
the program provides the learner
with immediate feedback on how to
improve their skills.”
— Kim Olszewski
ability to take care of a patient with
specific pathology. Most importantly,
it allows the students to learn how to
interact with patients as well as what
symptoms to look for and understand
for certain pathologies.”
Kim Olszewski, Breiner Family
Endowed Professor of Nursing,
suggested purchasing software
through funds provided by Ed ’77 and
Julie Breiner ’77.

Strengthening

There is no way any one of us could
have made this happen alone.”

the Online
Platform

Barnes, with more than 20 years of
experience at BU, played a key role
in marshalling the expertise of the
university’s technology staff to meet
academic needs.

For the staff of BU’s technology
departments, the shift to remote
learning meant one thing. More.

When the campus closed in March,
Sam Josuweit’s network services
team immediately reconfigured the
university’s network to handle far
more external traffic to the drives
where shared information is stored
— going from several hundred to a
thousand simultaneous connections.
Overnight, Douglas Hoffman, network
and server administrator, upgraded
the software that enabled faculty and
staff to remotely access their office
computers.

More users. More files. More
bandwidth. More support. And the
tech team delivered in a big way.
“This is one of the largest team efforts
we’ve ever done on campus,” says
Bill Barnes, manager in technology
support services. “Nobody’s doing
everything, but everybody is doing
something. I take a lot of pride in how
well we worked as a team. And how
some of the more tech-savvy faculty
stepped up to help their colleagues.

Instructional support specialists Jared
Kishbaugh and Jonathan Hedrick
guided the faculty who did not use all

“We are honored to be able to
help,” says Julie Breiner. “Society is
seeing now firsthand how valuable
it is to have properly trained nurses.
Since BU nursing students couldn’t
complete the normal clinical process,
this is the next best way to continue
their education.”
For graduate students, the program
Shadow Health is particularly
sophisticated. “This program is an
avatar that students interact with to
do specific health assessments (digital
clinical experiences),” says Olszewski.
“As the student speaks to the avatar
to develop a patient history, and do
a head-to-toe exam with an avatar,
the program provides the learner
with immediate feedback on how to
improve their skills.”

of the capabilities of the Bloomsburg
Online Learning and Teaching (BOLT)
system. Jason Stettler, information
technology technician, adapted spare
document cameras for faculty to use
like transparency projectors while
teaching remotely.
And use of BU’s Mediasite, where
faculty post video, audio, and
narrated PowerPoint files for classes,
exploded.
“We’ve had Mediasite for 10 years,”
says Asa Kelley, video production
specialist in Instructional Media
Services. “The growth has been
exponential. In the first month of
remote teaching, usage doubled from
the previous 10 months. In the next
month, it was triple.”
“For the professors, this has been no
small task,” says Kelley. “To rebuild
the lab table and replace the 20 seats
with a camera.”

By Tom McGuire
Bloomsburg University has long believed in the
importance of giving back to the local community
which opens its arms to thousands of faculty, staff, and
students each year. As the COVID-19 pandemic struck
in March, that spirit of giving was on full display.

Using 3D printers in the Giuffre Center for Supply Chain
Management and physics department, BU produced more
than 380 face shields, 425 face shield frames, 60 visors,
390 small buckles, 160 straight straps, and 14 three-piece
face masks, and continue to produce more each week.

In the early days and weeks of the pandemic, hospitals
and health care facilities quickly learned that personal
protective equipment (PPE) was in critically short supply
should there be a surge in cases. When BU suspended oncampus classes, PPE and other items normally used in the
classroom were sitting on shelves, and the administration
directed them to be boxed up and delivered to Geisinger
Medical Center, Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital, and
Evangelical Hospital in Lewisburg.

The project required some out-of-the-box
resourcefulness. “We were originally having some issues
with the face shields,” says Shawver. “We searched online
for Mylar and other similar clear materials and came up
empty. We have a laminating machine in the office, and
I have one at my home. We had three mil laminating
pouches in the office. So, I ran one of those through the
machine, and it came out wavy. I then went to an office
supply store, picked up five mil and ran it through the
laminator at the three-mil setting, and it came out perfect.
These were attached to the face shield headbands that are
being 3D printed.”

“Health care workers are on the front lines of this
pandemic,” says President Bashar Hanna. “We are grateful
for the personal sacrifices they are making to help those
suffering with COVID-19, and donating to give Geisinger
Medical Center and Evangelical Hospital items that will help
keep them safe was the least we could do.
”The ingenuity and expertise of BU faculty and students
also helped solve a critical shortage of face shields and
face masks at Geisinger Medical Center.”
Todd Shawver, dean of the Zeigler College of Business,
and faculty members Carolyn LaMacchia from information
technology and John Huckans from physics and
engineering technology, along with several students,
teamed up to produce hundreds of the items to help
protect health care workers from the virus.

BU shared this process with a Los Angeles-based hospital
to help beef up its PPE stockpile.
“When we learned our manufacturing method had been
shared with a hospital in Los Angeles we were moved,
knowing we could help even more people,” Shawver says.

“

“Health care workers are on the front lines of
this pandemic. We are grateful for the personal
sacrifices they are making to help those suffering
with COVID-19, and donating to give Geisinger
Medical Center and Evangelical Hospital items
that will help keep them safe was the least we
could do.”
— BU President Bashar Hanna

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

Supplies were found in the nursing, chemistry and
biochemistry, and physical plant departments. The area
hospitals received more than 1,200 N95 masks of various
types, 3,700 tie-on surgical masks, 20 face shields, 300
medical isolation gowns, 160 pairs of sterile gloves, and 50
Tyvek coveralls.

11

Small Gestures
Big Impact
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced BU to close the
campus, not all students were able to immediately return
home. Nearly 30 students, including some from abroad,
remained on campus, housed in Soltz Hall.
With students being isolated and away from family and
friends, BU Police collected money from members of the
department to purchase gift cards to local supermarkets so
the students could buy food.
“We believed it important to show great empathy and
concern for our students that were still on campus,” says
Chief Leo Sokoloski. “Whether it’s University Police or the
faculty, staff and other persons here, many organizations
came out and said they want to do things not only for the
students that were on campus but as well some students
are living off campus and couldn’t get home, or couldn’t
go home. We want them to know the importance of them
being here and being comfortable in this difficult time.”

“

The University Store also played a role. When campus
closed, the store had many perishable items on its shelves
which manager Laura Heger distributed to students
remaining on campus and to employees of Geisinger
Bloomsburg Hospital.
“When the opportunity presented itself to help someone,
it was a no-brainer to go ahead and do it,” says Heger. “We
were faced with losing a few thousand dollars worth of
product and felt it would be better to give it away.”
Heger made bags for each of the students remaining on
campus which included cookies, candy, potato chips,
microwave popcorn and pretzels, along with toiletries, a
BU hat and pennant.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

The bags were dropped off in the lobby outside the BU
Store for students to pick up so as not to come in contact
with any store employees.

BU
Lends a
Hand for
Business
Recovery

“When the opportunity presented itself to
not only help someone, it was a no-brainer
to go ahead and do it.”
— Laura Heger
“I know the students appreciated the small gesture and it
brought a smile to my face knowing it made a difference,”
Heger continued.
For Geisinger Bloomsburg employees, the store boxed
up and dropped off iced tea, crackers, doughnuts, toaster
pastries, cookies and a variety of other snacks.
“We all know a snack can go a long way in helping a
worker get through a shift,” says Heger.

The Zeigler College of Business has established a Small Business Recovery Program to
assist local businesses in recovery from the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19
pandemic.
“We know these are challenging days for small businesses throughout the region, and we
want to be a partner to help solve those problems,” says Todd Shawver, dean of the Zeigler
College of Business.
The program will assist regional small businesses with any aspect of their business, except
for financial assistance. Services can include, but are not limited to:
• Professional sales assistance
• Social media and marketing strategy
• Business strategy redevelopment
• Cost structures and monitoring
• Tax guidance
• Open to customizing services depending on business needs.

12

Frank Doone

The COVID-19 pandemic put a strain on the finances of
many BU students. Since the hallmark of a Husky pack is
to work together as a team and lift others up, donors and
friends of Bloomsburg University did just that to aid BU
students.
For many students, the transition to online classes and
remote learning was challenging. That’s why from March
through early June, 147 students requested help through
the Strengthen the Pack Student Emergency Aid Fund.
Alumni and donors showed their support for these
students resulting in 241 individuals contributing more than
$105,000.
To date, the Strengthen the Pack Fund has provided
$82,347 in support to students and their families who
faced urgent short-term needs — ranging from internet
connections and textbooks to groceries and housing.
The fund also helped university officials distribute laptops
on loan to more than 50 students who were taking classes
remotely.

“

“I reached out to people at the foundation
and they provided me with a place to live
for the summer and are helping me to
keep my journey going,”
— Chyna Perry

The remaining funds will provide emergency scholarships
and additional support to help students facing longer-term
financial stress due to the pandemic return to BU in the fall.
For a student like art major Heather Maldonado ’20, a
graduating senior from Tobyhanna, online class became
more daunting because the class required software her
computer couldn’t handle.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

By Thomas Schaeffer ‘02

Chyna Perry

13

“My computer just couldn’t run the programs I needed
for class along with Zoom meetings,” Maldonado says. “I
reached out to my professor, and he put me in contact
with people at the university who provided me with a
laptop. I was so grateful. Then I found out it was provided
through support from donors and I was even more grateful
because it’s so incredible to see that there are people out
there who are thinking of the students and helping make
sure we’re able to finish the semester. Without this laptop, I
don’t know what I would have done.”
Another significant need came from students who were
facing the dilemma of not having a place to live after being
displaced from their on-campus housing.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

“After spring break, when everything was shifting to online
courses and we had to leave campus, I didn’t know where
I was going to go. I couldn’t really go home because I
was having a lot of medical issues and all my doctors
were here in Bloomsburg,” says Cassandra Thomas ’22, of
Pittston. “I reached out to Amy Cunningham in the Office
of Residence Life who told me about the Strengthen the
Pack fund. I was so relieved when I was granted the award.
Thanks to these generous donors, I now have a place to
stay for the summer and they also helped me with the
money I needed for food.”

14

apartment,” says Doone. “But with the pandemic, I was laid
off from my job and some of the drills that I would have
been paid for by the National Guard weren’t available. Plus,
with all courses switching to online, I had to upgrade my
internet subscription. The support I was granted through
the Strengthen the Pack fund saved me, and I just hope I
can pay it back through good grades, graduating on time
and community service.”
For Chynah Perry ’23 of Philadelphia, the support she
received kept her college journey on track. One of eight
siblings, Perry’s mother died when she was just 13. She
and her five brothers and two sisters lived with their
grandmother, who did all she could to provide for them.
But last summer, Perry made the decision to be the first in
her family to go to college.
“I came here through the Act 101 program and started
last summer, and I just love it,” says Perry, a business
management major. “I was devastated when I learned we
were going to have to leave campus because I knew that if
I went home, I might not make it back.”

For some students who have no other forms of support,
the generosity of donors has made all the difference. Frank
Doone ’23 left home in Shamokin when he was 17 and
enlisted in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard to put
himself in a more positive situation.

Perry’s adviser, Shannon Musgrove in the Act 101 office,
told her about the Strengthen the Pack Fund. “I reached
out to people at the foundation and they provided me
with a place to live for the summer and are helping me
to keep my journey going,” says Perry. “I was so relieved
because things were going so well for me and I was on
my way to reaching my goals. But then I was devastated
when I thought I would have to leave. This gift has meant
everything to me.”

“The check I receive from the Army, the refunds I get
at the end of each semester, along with my job at a
restaurant, are usually enough to carry me through to the
next semester and cover rent, food, and utilities in my

For more information on the Strengthen the Pack fund, or
to find out how you can provide support for students in
immediate need, visit the BU Foundation website at giving.
bloomu.edu or call 570-389-4138.

Cassandra Thomas

Heather Maldonado

news on campus

COMMON GROUND

Four Join
Council of Trustees

Duane Greenly ’68 and Ray Zaborney ’16 joined the council
in January, while Dan Klingerman ’87 and student trustee
Colin McIntyre were confirmed in May. All were appointed
by Gov. Tom Wolf and approved by the Pennsylvania State
Senate.
Greenly and Zaborney replace Ramona Alley and Charles
Schlegel ’60, whose terms expired, while Klingerman will fill
the vacancy of Pat Wilson ’91. McIntyre fills the vacancy of
John Thomas ’20, who recently graduated. Alley joined the
Council of Trustees in 1983, Schlagel in 2007, and Wilson in
2010.
“I’m delighted to welcome the newest members of our
council and look forward to working with each of them,”
says the Honorable Mary Jane Bowes, chair of the trustees. “I
express my deep appreciation and gratitude to our outgoing
trustees for their leadership and service to Bloomsburg
University and the Council of Trustees.”
“Our university’s priority is our students and their success
during and after their years at BU. We never lose sight of
this focus, thanks in large part to the efforts of our faculty
and staff, and also because of the leadership and support of
our trustees,” says President Bashar W. Hanna. “While I am
saddened to bid a formal farewell to our outgoing trustees,
I am ever grateful for their contributions and look forward
to reaching out to them for their continued guidance. I also
look forward to welcoming our newest trustees in person
when it is safe to do so.”
Greenly earned a bachelor’s degree from BU and a master’s
degree from Morehead State University in Kentucky. He
enjoyed a successful career with Deering-Milliken & Co.,

Ray Zaborney

BF Goodrich, Newell Rubbermaid, Morgan Door, Barry
Controls, and Ames True Temper and continues to work as
a business consultant and mentor. He served two terms as
president of the Bloomsburg University Foundation Board of
Directors. The Greenly Center, BU’s first physical presence
in downtown, is named for Duane and his wife, Sue Basar
Greenly ’72.
Zaborney, who earned a degree in political science from BU,
is the co-founder of Red Maverick Media, a media strategy
group in Harrisburg. He is also the founding partner of
State Street Strategies, a lobbying and government relations
firm he operates with his wife, Jen. Campaigns & Elections
magazine named Zaborney one of the five most influential
Republicans in the state. In 2013, Zaborney won one of
Central Penn Business Journal’s “40 under 40” awards. He
has been named one of the top 17 most influential people in
the state by PennLive.com and as one of the hundred most
powerful people in the state by City & State magazine.
Klingerman graduated from BU with a degree in accounting
and a minor in economics. He owns and operates the Liberty
Group, a private equity holding and investment company
focused on the acquisition, development and financing of
hotels, restaurants and commercial ventures. Klingerman is
also involved in many nonprofit organizations, local boards,
and committees focusing on economic growth and job
creation. Klingerman holds board seats on various nonprofits
such as the UPMC Susquehanna Health System, and The
First Community Foundation Partnership.
McIntyre, a rising senior, is a computer science major from
Marietta. A member of the Honors College, McIntyre is a
five-time Dean’s List honoree, plays club tennis, and served
as a member of the campus food service committee and the
campus shuttle bus committee.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

BU’s Council of Trustees has four new members, including
prominent businessmen, a political strategist, and a
computer science student.

Dan Klingerman

»

Colin McIntyre

»

Duane Greenly

»

»

By Tom McGuire

15

Instructional
Technology
Ranked Second
in the Nation
BU is ranked second nationally among top online
schools for instructional technology in 2020 by
the College Affordability Guide.
BU is one of two institutions from Pennsylvania,
and the only university from the Pennsylvania State
System of Higher Education ranked in the top 20.
Karl Kapp, chairperson of the Department of
Instructional Technology and director of the
Institute for Interactive Technologies, is thrilled by
the ranking.
“We are extremely proud to be featured for
two reasons. First, it shows just how affordable
a master’s degree in instructional design and
technology [formerly instructional design] from
BU can be. Many of our students say the degree
pays for itself in just a short time after graduation,”
says Kapp. “Second, it validates the knowledge,
contribution, and impact our graduates make in
the field of instructional design. Our goal is for our
students to go out and dent the universe and this
ranking shows they are having an impact.”

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

“This ranking also shows why our students have
won the DevLearn DemoFest student design/
development contest five years in a row,” says
Kapp. “Our students consistently rise to the
occasion and are shining examples of what BU can
produce.”

16

BU students in the online program leading to
a Master of Science in Instructional Design
and Technology receive hands-on experience
working for a real-world client. Each student is
matched with an external organization, which
could be a business or nonprofit, and creates a
working instructional technology product for that
organization. BU’s affiliated Institute for Interactive
Technologies receives requests for instructional
technology assistance from organizations all over
the country.

Hummel Named Interim
Dean of Science and
Technology
Lynn Hummel, a two-time graduate of BU and expert in distance
education, has been named interim dean of the College of
Science and Technology. He succeeds Robert Aronstam, who
retired in June after five years of service to the university.
“I believe Dr. Hummel’s experience in educational technology
will be a great support to the college given COVID-19,” says
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Diana
Rogers-Adkinson, who announced the appointment in May. “He
has experiences in leadership in both P-12 and higher education
as well. I am confident in his ability to continue to move the
college forward during these difficult times.”
Hummel graduated from BU as a dual major in elementary
education and early childhood education in 2002 and earned
his Master of Science in Instructional Technology in 2003. He
earned a Doctor of Education degree in educational leadership
and administration from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in
2012. His previous professional experience includes serving as
assistant principal and assistant superintendent in the public
school system and as an instructional technology specialist and
cooperative education coordinator at a career and technology
center.
Since joining BU in 2014, Hummel has served as associate
professor, distance education coordinator, interim department
chair, and faculty fellow for the College of Science and
Technology. He is also a violinist in the University Community
Orchestra.
Hummel was a board member of the Education Consortium of
the Upper Allegheny, which was responsible for the founding
and establishment of the Northern Pennsylvania Regional
College. He volunteers for the Pennsylvania Association
for Educational Communications and Technology (PAECT)
and serves as the representative to the International AECT
organization. Through this role, Hummel is the co-founder
of the Technology Education Research Symposium, which
recently held its ourth annual event. He is also a member of the
International Society for Technology in Education and frequently
presents on educational technology topics at its annual
conferences.

COMMON GROUND

New Scholarships Established
to Help Students’ Climb
In the face of the
COVID-19 pandemic, BU
leaders have established
new scholarships to help
students continue their
education.
The BU Alumni Board has reallocated $80,000 to help
students who face immediate financial needs due to the
COVID-19 pandemic enroll at BU. The funds will jumpstart
the Alumni Association Academic Promise initiative as the
coronavirus crisis will continue to have a dramatic impact
on BU’s enrollment and retention, especially for those
students who are at greatest financial risk. In 2019, 46% of
BU students came from households classified as low- or
very low-income.
“This responsive and thoughtful collaborative effort from
the Bloomsburg University Alumni Board is a testament to
its commitment to supporting our students and exemplifies
the Husky spirit of resilience and togetherness,” says BU
President Bashar Hanna. “We are fortunate to have such
dedicated board members, and I am very grateful for their
flexibility in providing opportunities for our future Huskies.”

The BU Alumni Association will redistribute funds from
the Alumni Reserve originally designated to support
program funds or specific colleges. The funds will
create scholarships to help BU attract qualified students,
regardless of their current financial situations, that may
have been negatively impacted during these times.
“Scholarships can often be the difference between a
prospective student choosing between BU and another
school,” says Chris Lapos, associate vice president of
undergraduate admissions. “Having any extra incentive that
allows us to help students make the transition to BU a little
easier is an advantage for us in a very competitive market,
especially during these times.”
“These funds were originally dedicated to a variety of
specific areas and programs within the university,” says
Alumni Association President Todd Argenziano. “But with
this unusual situation, we realize many students will be
facing the reality their families won’t be able to afford
to enroll them due to job loss and other circumstances.
We thought this would be the best way to provide those
students with the help they need to begin their BU
journeys.”

Students have been awarded seven new performancebased scholarships funded from the Joan and Fred Miller
Distinguished Professor Award.

participate in the Out of the Classroom: Into the
Community initiative from the office of Access and
Success.

The Millers created the Distinguished Professor Award
to support students’ pursuit of academic work that is
outstanding in quality, socially responsible, and personally
meaningful. The recipient of the Distinguished Professor
Award, Mary Katherine Waibel-Duncan, professor of
psychology, worked with BU’s Office of Access and
Success to establish the Hike! and Line Out! performancebased scholarships.

Daijana Applewhite, Nastalgia Jenkins, and David Wilson
are the first three recipients of the scholarships. Applewhite
is a sophomore pre-social work major from Allentown.
Jenkins is a senior majoring in mass communications and
is a Philadelphia native. Wilson is a junior from Philadelphia,
majoring in business management and information
technology management.

“Making a difference in the lives of young people has been
a big part of Drs. Joan and Fred Miller’s focus for years and
these performance-based scholarships are another way to
continue their legacy at BU,” says Waibel-Duncan.
The $1,000 Line Out! scholarship, renewable for four
semesters, is for students in the Act 101 Program’s
Emerging Scholars Program. The student must also

The Hike! scholarships will be awarded to four incoming
students in the Act 101 program.
To learn more or to make a gift in support of BU students
facing financial hardships due to the coronavirus crisis, visit
giving.bloomu.edu/GiveNow or call 1-855-282-4483.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

Helping Hand for Students in Act 101

17

Students Sweep
Cybersecurity
Top Spots

»

BU digital forensics majors Nelson
Maher and Austin Pasquel finished onetwo at the Pennsylvania National Guard
Wi-Fighter Challenge held in April.
The event was part of the third annual
Cyber Security and Digital Forensics
Conference hosted by the Pennsylvania
National Guard.

Nelson Maher participating
in a BloomCon
cybersecurity conference.

Held virtually this year due to the
COVID-19 pandemic, the threehour Wi-Fighter Challenge “gamifies”
concepts to teach the foundational
skills required by cybersecurity experts.

»

To maintain the physical interaction
involved in previous exercises,
the organizers mailed the first 50
registered participants a Raspberry
Pi kit—a mini-computer popular with
hardware hacking, which was the focus
of the exercise.

Austin Pasquel presenting his
research at a conference.

Maher and Pasquel, both of Nazareth,
competed against more than 70
other contestants from 11 states. The
expanded reach was the greatest
benefit of the virtual event, according
to organizer Capt. Sean Smith, deputy
cyber team chief for the Pennsylvania
National Guard.

First-place finisher Maher entered the event to put what he learned
at BU into action. “I learned how to better apply the skills taught
in the digital forensics program,” says Maher. “A Raspberry Pi is a
small, USB powered single board computer. Due to its size, cost,
and ease of use, it’s widely used in educational and enthusiast
projects.“

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

“As someone who has done a few cyber competitions, I was
very pleased with how this one turned out,” says Pasquel. “The
challenges started with background info on the Pi, to how to set it
up, basic Linux commands, intermediate Linux knowledge, up to
the final challenge of a reverse engineering problem.”

18

For Maher, this area of study has always been an interest. “It’s the
reason I chose BU. The maturity, age, and depth of the digital
forensics program at BU completely blew the offerings from other
institutions out of the water.”
Maher moves right into a job creating computer tests to simulate
cyber crimes. “I will start work as a junior penetration tester, but I
want to continue to learn and teach others about the field.”
Pasquel, who graduates in Spring 2021, also selected BU for its
digital forensics program. “This is one of the best cybersecurity/
digital forensics programs out there as the program was built from
the ground up with that specific focus. All my faculty have been
great. Dr. (John) Riley has been very influential and is my adviser on
my research project.”

BU
Selected for
Cybersecurity
Scholarships
The Department of Defense
Cybersecurity Scholarship program
selected five BU digital forensics
majors — the largest group to date
— to receive the coveted awards.
Two students were awarded
returning scholarships and three
were awarded new scholarships.
Due to the sensitive nature of the
positions, the student recipients
cannot be named.
The valuable scholarships are
available to BU students because the
university is designated a National
Center of Academic Excellence
in Cyber Defense Education.
Each cyber scholar receives full
tuition, fees, a book allowance,
and a stipend for living expenses
in exchange for civilian service at
a Department of Defense agency
upon graduation. The package
is worth approximately $27,000
per student. Students attending
CAE designated schools also
become eligible to apply for related
scholarships and grants through the
Federal Cyber Service Scholarship
for Service program.

Celebrating
Discovery
By Thomas Schaeffer “02
FOR BOB ARONSTAM, EDUCATION IS INSEPARABLE
FROM DOING.
“The heart and soul of the university is based on learning,
discovery, and doing, not just teaching,” says Aronstam,
reflecting on the final five years of his 40-year career in
academia, which he spent as dean of BU’s College of
Science and Technology.

Since beginning his career, Aronstam believed success for
the academic community, specifically in the area of science
and technology, comes from getting things done and being
able to engage in high-impact practices.
“In five years, no faculty member who came to my office
and needed support for research or publication was told
no,” he says. “That was my goal. When you can do that,
the faculty will be happy, and the students will be more
engaged.”
But doing things costs money — which is why one of
Aronstam’s proudest accomplishments at BU was growing
revenue and creating the resources needed to pursue those
endeavors.
One of the mechanisms he brought to BU to help achieve
that goal was the cDNA Resource Center. A molecular
neuroscientist, the focus of his research was the human
brain. Aronstam spent the early part of his career working
with colleagues, graduate, and undergraduate students to
clone and sequence proteins that are useful for work in
a variety of fields, including medical and pharmaceutical
research.

Since he brought the cDNA lab to BU, it has distributed DNA
clones to scientists throughout the world and generated
more than $430,000 in revenue. All profits generated
are managed through the BU Foundation and go directly
toward strengthening BU’s academic community.
Before Aronstam retired on June 5, he wanted to make a
gift to ensure his passion for strengthening the academic
community stayed strong at BU. That is why he has chosen
to give the cDNA lab to Bloomsburg, so the profits can
continue to benefit faculty and students who will use them
to engage in their own high-impact research practices.

In addition to the cDNA lab, Aronstam has created the
Aronstam Family Fellowship, which will be awarded to
faculty members to recognize and support research efforts.
Funds from the fellowship will help cover the cost of
equipment and supplies needed for research efforts.
“We’re a small science institute, so we’re not going to
get large grants from major institutions,” Aronstam says.
“But pound-for-pound, Bloomsburg will out-publish any
institution. We just need more mechanisms like this in place
to provide support for our faculty.”
Aronstam is now looking forward to the next chapter of
his life and spending more time with his wife Joan and
his grandkids. He is also hoping to do more traveling and
sharpen his gardening skills.
“I’m ready. I’ve been doing this for 40 years. It’s a long time.
But I’ve been lucky in a lot of things, especially to work with
the people I’ve worked with here.”
»

“I started the cDNA lab when I worked at Guthrie Medical
Center, and then I took it with me to the University of
Missouri, so it’s been at three different places,” says
Aronstam. “It was never my job to do this. It was an
offspring of my research and creating the tools we needed
to have. But once we had the tools, we realized we better
share these.”

“There are faculty at BU who are very skilled and will be
quite capable of maintaining and expanding this collection,
specifically Ellen Kehres and Michael Borland from
the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry,” adds
Aronstam. “I’ve been approached occasionally to make it
commercial and sell it, but I didn’t want to do that. My heart
and soul is the academic community, so I wanted it to stay
here.”

Bob and Joan Aronstam with grandchildren Moxie Kettinger, Sienna Duga,
Patrick Aronstam, Julia Duga, Luke Aronstam, and Olivia Duga.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

“When the opportunity came up to work here, I knew we
would be able to bring those two things together while also
engaging students in everything we do.”

19

Prepared
to Heal

dozens of polycarbonate versions in
sizes to fit anyone from a child to the
largest adult, according to Heiss. One
week later, multiple versions of the
barriers were available throughout the
Geisinger Health System.

By Eric Foster

One of the tasks that nurse
anesthetists undertake is placing and
removing breathing tubes in patients
— and it’s one of the procedures
that carry the most significant risk
for health care providers. “During
that process, patients can cough
and spread germs,” says Heiss. “The
aerosolization barrier helps protect
us during those events. If the patient
can’t breathe, we can support them
with an endotracheal tube and still
protect ourselves.”

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

In early April, as COVID-19 cases
began to spread across Pennsylvania,
nurse anesthetist Christopher Heiss
’19M knew that there would soon be
cases at Geisinger Medical Center in
Danville.

20

Heiss, a certified registered nurse
anesthetist (CRNA), remembered
seeing a picture on the internet of a
box-shaped transparent barrier that
would protect hospital personnel
while treating patients infected with
COVID-19 virus.
“It was a plexiglass box with armholes.
I brought the idea to Geisinger’s
leadership, and they told me to move
forward with it. The vice president of
facilities (Al Neuner) at Geisinger told
me we could make these in-house, so
we started working in the carpentry
shop together. And I had permission
from the anesthesia department to put
these into practice.”
After the hospital’s internal physical
plant staff created prototypes, a
manufacturer was enlisted to build

The Barrier for Respiratory
Aerosolization (BRA), as Heiss calls it, is
also useful for patients who require a
nebulizer — a device that works like a
continuous inhaler to deliver medicine
to open small airways in the lungs.
“From idea for the barrier to the point
where every hospital had them was
seven days,” says Heiss. “Two days
after that there was a second version
and in the days that followed a
portable PVC version with clear plastic
sheeting was ready for EMS programs
and Life Flight.”

During the rapid development
process — with leadership support
from Dr. Douglas Kupas, emergency
medicine physician and statewide
EMS director; and Dr. Scott Vaughan,
anesthesiologist — Geisinger staff
shared input in an email chain that
grew to more than 50 people.
The diversity of Heiss’ background
made him an ideal fit to spearhead
the effort. His medical career began
as an EMT as a teenager, followed
by functioning as a paramedic in
rural communities, and eventually
serving as a flight nurse on a medical
helicopter. Within the hospital, he’s
worked in the operating room,
emergency room, and intensive care
units. “I’ve been wherever critical
patients are found,” says Heiss.
“I’ve managed both suspected and
COVID-19 positive patients. I’m more
worried about asymptomatic people,”
says Heiss. “I feel more comfortable
around suspected or positive patients
because we’re all taking precautions. I
know I’m going to be protected.”
“One of the most valuable things we
had in all this was time — that time
has been valuable. Not everybody
had that time,” says Heiss. “It took less
than a week to implement the barriers
throughout an entire health system,”
says Heiss. “I’ve never seen something
unfold that quickly.”

alumni achievement

’60s
» Harry Davies ’67 was elected to
the Delaware Baseball Hall of Fame.
A member of the 1965 Bloomsburg
University baseball team that won
the state conference championship,
Davies coached high school baseball in
Delaware for 20 years.

’70s
» Gary Choyka ’74, a member of LPGA
International Golf Club of Daytona
Beach, Fla., had two hole-in-ones in
the same round on the Jones Course
on Jan. 20.
» Patricia Farnack ’74 retired as
news anchor on WCBS Newsradio
880, where she worked for 19 years.
Her radio career spanned nearly five
decades working at iconic stations
such as 66WNBC and KYW in
Philadelphia.
» Mary-Elaine Wszalek Perry ’75
retired from St. Joseph’s University
after 42 years as a higher education
professional. Perry served as assistant
vice president for student development
for 12 years and, more recently, as the
Title IX and bias response coordinator.
» Bob Schweppenheiser ’75 coauthored a book, “Looking for Love”,
which addresses the harsh reality of
abuse and bullying.
» Carl Poff ’79 was inducted into the
National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

’80s
» Garry Benfer ’81 is senior vice
president and chief credit officer of
Mifflinburg Bank and Trust, where
he has worked for 23 years. He is
responsible for consumer and retail
lending, residential mortgage lending,
agriculture lending, and business and
commercial lending.
» Kevin Crosley ’81 received an
honorary Doctor of Humane Letters
degree at the 2020 commencement of
Herkimer County Community College,
Herkimer, N.Y. He is president and CEO
of Arc Herkimer, a nonprofit agency
supporting people with disabilities.

» Rick DiLiberto ’82 received the
Delaware Law Related Education
Center’s Board of Trustees Award at
the Delaware High School Mock Trial
Awards Banquet sponsored by the
Delaware Supreme Court. DiLiberto
was recognized for his many years of
service to the law education center,
which provides mock trial training
and democracy and constitutional
education training to hundreds of
Delaware high school students. He
is a personal injury section partner
at Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor,
Wilmington.
» Rebecca Funk Campbell ’83 is
chairman, Direct-to-Consumer and
International of The Walt Disney
Company. Campbell oversees the
company’s streaming businesses
globally, including Disney+, ESPN+,
Hulu and Hotstar. In addition to leading
Disney’s streaming services and the
technology organization that supports
them, she is in charge of regional
teams stretching from Europe to Asia
to Latin America.
» Brenda Schreffler Nichols ’85
retired from Larson Design Group,
Williamsport.
» William Ryan ’85 retired as the
secretary of the Archdiocese of
Washington’s Catholic schools and
superintendent of the archdiocese’s
Catholic schools for the previous
four years. Ryan will become
superintendent of Catholic schools in
the Diocese of Charleston, S.C.
» Britt Trumbower ’87 is senior vice
president of sales at HealthSavings
Administrators, Richmond, Va.
» Thomas Beck ’88 was promoted
to senior vice president and chief risk
officer of Mifflinburg Bank and Trust.
He has 31 years of experience in audit,
compliance, and risk management, 25
of which are with Mifflinburg Bank and
Trust.
» Nichola Delbalso Gutgold ’88M,
professor of communication arts and
sciences at Penn State Lehigh Valley,
co-wrote a children’s book with
Jessica Armstrong, associate general
counsel at St. Luke’s Health Network,
titled “Growing Up Supremely: The
Women of the Supreme Court.”
» Rebecca Kenvin Warren ’88 is part of
the labor and employment, litigation,
and business law practice groups of
Norris McLaughlin, Allentown.

» Debbie Waibel Hippensteel ’89 is
an investment portfolio manager with
River Wealth Advisors, Allentown.

’90s
» Lee Lesisko, Ed.D., ’91 is
superintendent of the Pleasant
Valley School District in Monroe
County. Lesisko served as supervisor
of technology and data analysis
at Wissahickon School District, a
supervisor of technology at the Lehigh
Career and Technical Institute, and a
senior systems engineer and Novell
instructor.
» Annette Gimbel Villerot Tielle ’92
is superintendent of the Del Valle
Independent School District in Texas.
Tielle has 28 years of experience in
education, formerly serving as the
assistant superintendent of curriculum
in the Comal and Pflugerville school
districts in Texas.
» Melissa Redmond Trala ’95 is
communications adviser for the
Episcopal Academy, Newtown Square.
» Corey Cappelloni ’97 was the first
American to complete the Marathon
de Sables Morocco, an ultramarathon
race that Discovery Channel dubbed
the “Toughest Footrace on Earth.”
» Christian Achuff ’98 is an assistant
football coach at Syracuse University.
Achuff was formerly a defensive line
coach for the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals.
» Jeremy Kipp ’98 is head coach of
men’s and women’s swimming and
diving at the University of Southern
California. Kipp competed in swimming
at BU from 1994 to 1998, serving as
team captain during his final two years.
» Angela Larson ’98 is president
and CEO at Montereau Senior Living
Retirement Community in Tulsa,
Okla. Larson served as Montereau’s
chief financial officer for more than
seven years and is also chairwoman
of Life Senior Services. Before joining
Montereau, Larson was vice president
of senior living finance research and
development at Ziegler, a privately held
investment bank specializing in health
care and senior living and education.
» Jennifer Gadomski Orr-Greene
’98 is eastern policy director at
Trout Unlimited, a national nonprofit
organization working to protect and
restore North America’s coldwater
fisheries and watersheds.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

HUSKY NOTES

21

’00s
» Simon Fiscus ’01 is executive
director of Skyline Community Action
Partnership, a nonprofit agency
combatting poverty in rural Virginia.
» Jason Minnick ’05 is director of
marketing and communications of the
United Soccer League team Phoenix
Rising, serving as primary contact for
all media inquiries. Minnick served
as communications coordinator for
United Soccer League in Tampa, Fla.
» Aniela Wasmanski ’06 is a real
estate agent with Haute Residence in
Breckenridge, Colo.
» Curtis Swanger ’07 was District
3-0 employee of the month at
the Pennsylvania Department of
Transportation. Swanger serves as an
environmental planner specializing in
erosion and sedimentation control,
stormwater control, and regulatory
compliance.
» Gregory Nyce ’08 was hired at the
U.S. Military Academy at West Point,
N.Y. Nyce is a career professional
firefighter and EMT at West Point and
a volunteer firefighter near his home
in Pennsylvania. Nyce served eight
years in the Army, including a combat
deployment to Afghanistan.

» Nicole Kratz Belick ’09/’10M is vice
principal (supervisor of instruction)
in the Allentown School District at
Harrison Morton Middle School.
» Josh Farr ’09/’10M received a
Doctor of Education in Educational
Leadership from Wilkes University.
» Alyssa Keefe Hitchcock ’09 is brand
marketing manager at River Wealth
Advisors, Susquehanna Township.
Hitchcock was the senior market and
brand strategist for Capital BlueCross.

’10s
» Kevin Moyer ’10M is practice
manager of occupational medicine and
urgent care at Rehabilitation Services
Williamsport Regional Medical Center
(RMC). Moyer oversees daily operations
of the occupational medicine practice
and the hospital’s new urgent care
center.
» Lauren Erdman-Sheeler ’14
received the Emerging Fundraising
Professional of the Year Award from
the Central Pennsylvania Chapter
of the Association of Fundraising
Professionals.
» Brendon Hitchcock ’11M is business
manager of the Athens Area School
District in Bradford County.

» Anthony Sajone ’11 is borough
supervisor and secretary/treasurer of
Shenandoah Borough.
» Brianne Globig ’12 is the head coach
of the University of Toledo swimming
and diving program. Globig spent the
2019-20 season as the team’s interim
head coach.
» Phillip Prout ’14 is property
maintenance and zoning inspector
with Barry Isett & Associates of
Scranton. Previously, he worked
for Verizon as a solution specialist
and he holds an additional 15 years
of experience in carpentry. Since
beginning a career in codes, Prout
has earned his Residential Building
Inspector and Residential Plumbing
certifications.
» Katelyn Shaughnessy ’16 is Milton
Area School District’s Elementary
Teacher of the Year.
» Zachary Manning ’19 is an
accounting associate at Boyer & Ritter
CPAs and Consultants, Camp Hill.
» Katrina Heiser ’19 a communications
specialist at SCL Health Montana,
was recently recognized by Hermes
Creative Awards with two gold awards
and one platinum award. The Hermes
Creative Awards is an international
competition for creative professionals.

Picturing a career in music
Josh Nesmith, a ’15 graduate of BU’s music and audio engineering program,
has made a name for himself in Central Pennsylvania as a music videographer
(nesmithfilms.com). Last winter, Nesmith was the inaugural videography award
winner from the Central Pennsylvania Music Hall of Fame, being selected ahead of
several larger firms.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

The Camp Hill native chose BU because the university offered a music major
(percussion) with a focus on audio engineering. “I’ve been a drummer since I was
16,” says Nesmith. “I knew it was the instrument I wanted to play right away.”

22

“

“I’m just a solo run business
and some of the other
business nominees were larger
companies. Winning the award
felt like a bit of validation for
what I’m trying to do.”
— Josh Nesmith

He found a mentor in percussion professor Gifford Howarth, who encouraged his
sense of hustle. “I remember him talking about the idea of getting the big picture
challenges from a piece,” says Nesmith, “and moving on to cover more material.”
“When I graduated from BU, I happened to start making promotional and live
videos for musicians to get a foothold into recording. But the video aspect seemed
to be more popular. I had a full-time job as a media specialist at Big Spring School
District, so I could invest in some gear. Then I just kept doing video projects,”
says Nesmith. “After a while I had a sustainable number of projects and I’ve been
operating as a fully freelance director and cinematographer since November of
2018.”
The Central PA Music Hall of Fame nomination in December 2019 took Nesmith
by surprise. “I’m just a solo run business and some of the other business nominees
were larger companies. Winning the award felt like a bit of validation for what I’m
trying to do.”

Marriages
Tammy Rae Benscoter ’97 and
Jason Robert Taney, Dec. 7, 2019
Kristin Wulterkens ’01 and
Jason Cooper, Sept. 29, 2019
Zachary Pearce ’11 and
Stacey Kay Duensing, May 24, 2020
Jessica Hawk ’12 and
Christian Pavlik ’12, Aug. 11, 2018
Kayleigh Warg ’12 and
Michael Stouffer ’13, Oct. 11, 2019
Clarissa Coffay ’14 and
Michael Mock, June 13, 2020
Angela Noviello ’14 and
Justin Kauffman, Oct. 5, 2019
Stephanie Serafin ’17 and
Evyn Seyler ’15, Sept. 1, 2019

Births
Kristi Lesho Bachman ’05 and
husband, Brady, a daughter, Brityn,
March 4, 2020
Danielle Crane King ’05 and
husband, William, a son, Dakstyn,
May 7, 2020
Angela Dawalt Lannan ’07 and
husband, Joshua, a daughter,
Lily Marie, Feb. 19, 2020
Michael Averto ’07 and wife,
Karissa, a son, Aiden, Dec. 31, 2019
Drew Hampton ’07 and wife,
Kimberly, a daughter, Madison,
April 10, 2020
Shanna Ross Crisman ’11 and
husband, Brent, a son, Dustin,
March, 16, 2020
Jessica Hawk Pavlik ’12 and
husband, Christian ’12, a son, Lua,
Nov. 24, 2019
Jessica Rothman Albertson ’12 and
husband, Matthew ’12, a son,
Garret Richard, April 20, 2020
Julie Carpenter Feiler ’15 and
husband, Matthew, a daughter,
Emery, May 3, 2020

Obituaries
Mary Reilly ’41
Ruth VonBergen Rosenstock ’49
Marjorie Smith Reber ’50
Robert Walther ’50
Shirley Wismer Baker ’51
Richard Ledyard ’52
Rose Marie Domaleski Pogirski ’52
Joseph Barkley ’53
Clyde Bell ’53
John DiRico ’53
Doris Paternoster Wandishin ’53
Edward Weaver ’53
Judith Bauer Andrews ’54
Harry Gray ’54
Franklin Jones ’54
Douglas Stauffer ’54
Olive Fedrigon Yannes ’54
Glenn Wiik ’55
Ronald Krafjack ’56
Eugene Schultheis ’56
James Harris ’57
George J. Miller ’58
Eugene Berg ’59
Elaine DiAugustine-Ego ’59
Gary Egli ’59
Sally Ann Smith Vickery ’59
Margaret Dragna Jaeger ’60
W. Teddy Oakey ’61
Patricia Vaughn Park ’61
Robert Walters ’61
Jane Welch Roche ’62
Ruthann Baer Upperman Willis ’62
Gary Dietz ’63
Shirley Kocher ’63
Joseph Kovalovich ’63
James Dysinger ’64
Elizabeth Stask Goodwin ’64
Larry Melick ’64
Daniel Ritzman ’64
Headley Killian ’65
Louise Terruso ’65
Milton Van Winkle ’65
Sherryl Shaffer Cope ’66
Gerald Gorman ’67
Marlin Kester ’67
Patricia Stickler ’67
Mary Jo Brown Alter ’68
Dennis Bobita ’68
Edward Burtsavage ’69
Paul Canouse ’69
Leland Smeltz ’69
George Beecham ’70

William Evans ’70
James Moore ’70
Connie Keller Nespoli ’70
Jean Passmore Polson ’70
Randall Reich ’70
Susan Skiptunas ’70
Donna Jean George ’71
Jeffrey Kleckner ’71
Jack Kocher ’71
Marian Kracoski McMahon ’71
Barry Payne ’71
Harris Wolfe ’71
George Bruchko ’72
Vicki Lewis Murphy ’72
Bonnie Hagemeyer Kutz ’73
Gregory Reinecker ’73
Rosemary Osenbach Ricketson ’74
Margaret Fest ’76
Leda Pope ’76
Michael Betz ’77
Kenneth Stolarick ’77
Stewart Dreisigacker ’80
Patricia Fuchs Fulton ’80
Anne Sobeck McCabe ’81
Mary Jane Miller ’82
Kathy Rampulla Clark ’83
Susan Parry Pagni ’84
Joseph Barnes ’88
Sloan Sheridan ’88
Maureen Fenner Faller ’89
Susan Yost Grant ’91
Pendrid Slusser ’91
James Hurst ’92
Cheryl Butchko ’94
Donald Dobson ’94
Ralph Norce ’94
Bradley Snyder ’94
Anne Moratelli, Morack Veronick ’97
Amy Vitacco ’98
Jeffrey Matyas ’99
Rosewani Crock Crowther ’01
Charlyne Obrecht Eichner ’01
Jason Cudzil ’02
Willard Hanlon ’02
Timothy Groller ’05
Jill Adams Wujcik ’06
Chad Eddinger ’08
Sean Michaels ’08
Kara Stackhouse ’10
Kathleen Deegan Hughes ’14
Michael Dessino ’14

Send information to: magazine@bloomu.edu
Bloomsburg: The University Magazine | Waller Administration Building | 400 E. Second Street | Bloomsburg, PA 17815-1301

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

HUSKY NOTES

23

HUSKY NOTES

IN MEMORIAM
Carl Stuehrk

Lanny Conner

Carl F. Stuehrk, 92, of Waller, Pa., passed away March 19, in
Centennial, Colo. A longtime member of the BU Foundation
Board, Stuehrk was an Indiana native who served in the Navy,
earned an electrical engineering degree and a master’s degree
in management, and had a long career with AT&T. In 1986, he
moved to Pennsylvania with his wife Peg to restore an 18th
century farmhouse and live and work on an active farm. An
accomplished carpenter, designer and woodworker, he also
worked as a real estate agent in Columbia County for several
years. Donations in Stuehrk’s memory can be made to: The
Bloomsburg University Foundation, C/O Stuehrk Scholarship,
50 East Main St., Bloomsburg, PA 17815.

Lanny Conner, 70, of Berwick, former men’s and women’s cross
country and track and field coach, passed away on May 9. At
BU, Conner coached the men’s programs from 1987-97 and the
women’s programs from 1993-97. The men’s cross country team
finished in the top five at the regional meet in 1992 and 1993.
The ’93 squad is the program’s most successful, placing third at
regionals before finishing 14th at nationals. His most successful
season with the women’s cross country team came in 1997 as
the Huskies placed fifth at the PSAC meet and fourth in the
regional meet. From 2000-2019, Conner coached at Southern
Columbia High School, where he earned seven PHAC Coach of
the Year awards.

Richard Haupt,

Kenneth Stolarick

Richard B. “Dick” Haupt of Bloomsburg, 75, a retired faculty
member, passed away March 24. A Shamokin native, Haupt was
a member of the administrative faculty for 31 years, from his
hiring in 1968 until his retirement in 1999. He spent the first
20 years in Student Life, as first assistant dean of men, which
became assistant dean of student life in 1970. He was a resident
dean in Elwell Hall from 1972 to 1976, then for the next 12 years
was responsible for residence hall operations. From 1988 until
his retirement, Haupt coordinated athletic operations. Among
his survivors are his wife of 48 years, Mary Ellen, a ’77 alumna
of BU.

Kenneth E. Stolarick, 64, of Pine Grove, passed away on May
16. Stolarick served on the Council of Trustees from 2012
to 2017. He graduated from BU with a degree in business
administration in 1977 and was an employee of M&T Bank
for 35 years, serving as vice president of commercial banking.
He was a member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Pine
Grove, Schuylkill Community Action, Schuylkill Economic
Development Corp., Schuylkill YMCA board, Northeast PA
Manufacturers and Employers Association, Pine Grove Area
Education Foundation, and served as a Cub Scout master, and a
manager for Pine Grove Little League.

Donor and Foundation
Board Member

Retired Faculty Member

E. Ross Genzel
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

Theatre Professor

24

E. Ross Genzel, 78, a faculty member in theatre from 1997
to 2005 (and director of theatre from 1998 until he retired),
passed away on May 3. The many shows he directed for
Bloomsburg include included Assassins, Mother Jones, Into
the Woods, City of Angels, The Adding Machine, Angels in
America, and A Lie of the Mind. He also designed scenery
and lights for multiple productions and served as technical
director for some. His production of Angels in America (2003)
was recognized for “Outstanding Production of a Play” at the
Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. He was
also a frequent collaborator with BTE, working with them
on multiple productions and forging many connections with
Ensemble members.

Cross Country, Track
and Field Coach

Former Trustee

HUSKY NOTES

1

1. D’EMIDIO and TAYLOR — Alexandra D’Emidio ’12 married
Kyle Taylor ’13 on Sept. 27, 2019, in Hackettstown, N.J.
The service was officiated by alumna Emma Jean
Grabowski ’12
2.TOCKET and BEAN — Sarie Tocket ’13 married
Hayden Bean on Feb. 21, in Austin, Tex. The ceremony
was officiated by Carl “CJ” Shultz ’13. From left are:
Justin McDonald ’12, Richie DiSammartino,
Kati Ruggiano DiSammartino ’13, Hayden Bean,
Sarie Tocket Bean ’13, Carl “CJ” Shultz ’13,
Dr. Wenxian Tan, Joseph Fisher ’13, and Jonathan Black.
3. HAWK and PAVLIK — Jessica Hawk ’12 married
Christian Pavlik ’12 on Aug. 11, 2018.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

2

3
25

A VIEW FROM THE TOP

by David Leisering
COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CAREERS
AREN’T SUPPOSED TO END THIS WAY.
As the world was coming to grips with the stark realities
of the COVID-19 pandemic in early March, one by one
professional sports leagues and NCAA collegiate sports
were quickly shut down. For six Bloomsburg University
winter and 29 spring student-athlete seniors that meant an
abrupt end to their seasons or careers.
For the winter sport student-athletes, the cancellation
of the NCAA wrestling and swimming championships on
March 12 meant a season’s worth of training and the hope
of winning a national championship were gone — in some
cases, forever.
Six swimmers — seniors Becca Cubbler and Kyle Dix,
juniors Collin Hummel and Noah Cancro, and sophomores
Colton Schnars and Pat Agnew — got just a day-and-a-half
of competition in at the NCAA Division II Championships in
Geneva, Ohio.
Cubbler earned her fourth All-American honor following a
10th-place finish in the 1000-yard freestyle on night one.
The men’s 200-yard freestyle relay team, featuring Dix, also
received All-American status with a 15th-place result in the
morning prelims on day two with Dix collecting his eighth
career All-American award.
Then, everything came to an abrupt halt.

26

“It was a stab to the heart
because I finally made it
and was going to get to
chase my dream,” says
Allard. “Then, in the blink
of an eye, it was gone.
The last three years, I’d be
one spot away or a couple
seconds away, so to finally
make it there, I felt like all
the pressure was going to
be off and it was going to
be a time to shine.”

“

“It was a stab to the heart
because I finally made it
and was going to get to
chase my dream.”
- Trevor Allard

Spring sports were also cancelled in mid-March, ending
the season for nearly 150 student-athletes, including 29
seniors.
The spring season was already well underway. The
baseball team was 9-1 and receiving votes in the national
poll. Women’s lacrosse was 4-1, with several individual
milestones reached. Softball, which was in Florida when
the NCAA announced the cancellation, was off to an 8-6
start. Both tennis teams played a couple of matches after a
successful fall, and the outdoor track and field teams were
ready to compete at Coastal Carolina to open their season
that weekend.
For the seniors who had their final seasons end abruptly,
the NCAA granted an extra year of eligibility. A handful of
those 29 will come back for a chance to finish what they
started. But others will move on to the next stage of their
lives and challenges outside of athletics.
The Roster of Senior Spring Athletes

»

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

The NCAA later announced that individuals invited to
compete in the events that did not take place would be
named All-Americans. Cubbler became a three-time AllAmerican for the second straight year while Schnars, who
was also part of the relay team, earned All-America honors
in the 100-yard backstroke. A silver lining if you will.

The same, however, couldn’t be said for the wrestlers
— senior Trevor Allard and sophomore Alex Carida —
who qualified for the NCAA Division I Championships in
Minneapolis, never got to compete. Carida has two years
of eligibility remaining. But Allard, who qualified for the first
time in his career with an at-large bid in his final season,
ended just four victories shy of 100 for his career.

BU Swimmers at the NCAA Division II Championships.

Brett Alaimo, Christian Ciotti, Chad Cooperman, Ed Herbener,
Andrew Holmes, Nate Krizan, James Reardon IV, Gianni
Sinatore, JJ Spehrley, and Cole Swiger (baseball); Angela
DiPasquale, Cailyn Gormley, Grace Kelleher, Delaney Schappert,
and Kirsten Wozniak (lacrosse); Kelsey Impink, Julia Knight,
and Ashli Venokur (softball); Cassidy Calimer, Taylor Capoferri,
and Vitoria Nery (women’s tennis); Zach Bitner, Marcus Gray,
Eric Heatwole, and Declan McDonald (men’s track and field);
Danielle Adornetto, Amanda Aulenbach, Zoe Berg, and Kirsten
O’Malley (women’s track and field).

Marvin to be Inducted
into Pennsylvania
Aquatics Hall of Fame
Former Bloomsburg University swimming standout and
Huskies’ current head men’s and women’s swimming
coach Stu Marvin ’78, will be inducted into the
Pennsylvania Aquatics Hall of Fame part of the Class of
2020.
Marvin was an 11-time All-American performer for
the Huskies, winning five Pennsylvania State Athletic
Conference (PSAC) titles and setting six conference
records. He twice won the Danny Litwhiler Underclass
Male Athlete of the Year Award and received the Robert B.
Redman Award as the top male senior athlete in 1978. In
1990, he was the first swimmer inducted into BU’s Athletic
Hall of Fame.

Marvin is a member of three other Halls of Fame: the
Florida Gold Coast Masters Hall of Fame (2005), the
Broward County Florida Sports Hall of Fame (2011), and the
Upper Dublin High School Athletic Hall of Fame (2018). In
2002, the YMCA of the USA named him the recipient of the
2002 Joseph G. Rogers Award for outstanding service to
their National Competitive Swimming & Diving Committee.
After BU, Marvin oversaw the operation of the aquatic
complex at the International Swimming Hall of Fame in
Fort Lauderdale for 30 years.
Marvin became the head coach of the men’s and women’s
swim teams at BU in 2008 and has coached numerous
All-Americans, individual PSAC champions, and AllConference performers. He is a six-time PSAC Coach of
the Year honoree.

Wrestling One of Top Academic
Teams in the Country

Two of the Huskies’ grapplers – redshirt senior Trevor Allard (Mexico,
N.Y.) and sophomore Alex Carida (Hackettstown, N.J.) earned
individual Division I Scholar All-American honors.
Allard boasts a 3.92 GPA while working towards his MBA.
Carida sports a 3.73 GPA in supply chain management.

»

The National Wrestling Coaches Association released the top
30 Scholar All-American teams in late April, and BU finished 23rd
in Division I with a team grade point average of 3.2183.
The Huskies finished ahead of such institutions as
Duke, Brown, Oklahoma, Purdue, and Arizona State.

Trevor Allard (left) and Alex Caridia (right)
were named Scholar All-Americans

A VIEW FROM THE TOP

Evans,
Quiteh
Honored as
Athletes of
the Decade

»

Evans was selected in the fourth round by
the Saints in the 2006 NFL Draft, chosen
for six consecutive Pro Bowls (200914), named a First Team All-Pro in four
consecutive seasons from 2009-12, and
earned Second Team All-Pro accolades in
2013. Evans was also named a member of
the New Orleans Saints’ 50th Anniversary
Team in 2016.

Jahri Evans

»

Former BU football greats Jahri Evans and
Franklyn Quiteh were honored for their
success on the gridiron. Evans earned a
spot on the NFL’s All-Decade Team for
his brilliant professional career – primarily
with the New Orleans Saints — while
Quiteh was recognized by d2football.com
with a place on its All-Decade Team.

Franklyn Quiteh

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

Among offensive linemen, Evans’ six Pro
Bowl appearances ranks second all-time
in Saints’ history. He also ranks second
all-time in Saints’ history with 169 career
games played. He was named to his first
Pro Bowl and earned First Team All-Pro
recognition for the first time in 2009 — a
season that was capped off with the Saints’
victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Super
Bowl XLIV.

28

Quiteh, one of the best running backs ever
to play at the Division II level, finished his
brilliant Huskies’ career with 7,523 rushing
yards — second all-time in Division II
history — and won the Harlon Hill Trophy
as the nation’s top player in 2013. That
season, Quiteh led the country in yards
rushing (2,195) and rushing touchdowns
(29).
He still holds 13 school records, five
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
(PSAC) records, and two Division II records
– most seasons with at least 2,000 rushing
yards (3) and most career games rushing
for at least 100 yards (42).

Students at the
Victory Parade in
Bloomsburg in
November 1918 to
celebrate the end of
World War I.

A
A RECORD
RECORD OF
OF
RESILIENCE
RESILIENCE
By Robert Dunkelberger

On Sept. 4, 1875, a fire swept through
the Bloomsburg State Normal School
dormitory, resulting in a total property
loss, though no loss of life. One of
only two buildings on campus at
the time, this event could have been
catastrophic. But a meeting was held at
the courthouse, and a group of citizens

voted unanimously
to help rebuild the
dormitory and aid the
students. Money was
raised to replace lost
clothing and books,
while private homes
were opened to board
those who had been
living on campus.
Only two days of
instruction were lost,
and the cornerstone
of the new building
was laid at the end
The original campus dormitory after the Sept. 4, 1875 fire.
of October. Work
progressed rapidly,
who less than a decade before had
and the dormitory was
contributed the money to erect the first
completed by late spring. The minimal
structure on campus, Institute (Carver)
disruption to the Normal School would
Hall.
not have been possible without the
support of the citizens of Bloomsburg,

»

The
Community
Comes to
the Aid of
the Campus

A 1916 view of the campus infirmary, a gift of the Class of 1915.
It was removed in 1958 in preparation for the construction of
Northumberland Hall.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

While the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 has caused the most
serious disruption to Bloomsburg University’s operations in
it’s more than 175-year history, the campus community has
weathered floods and other health emergencies — including
the 1918 influenza pandemic — rising to the challenge each
time.

»

This spring, as Bloomsburg’s more than 8,000 students found
themselves taking classes remotely, their experience echoed
the resilience of Huskies from more than 100 years ago.

29

In the three years leading up to the 1918 pandemic, three
different diseases rippled through the Normal School campus
and community.
Scarlet fever struck the dormitory in April 1915. Three ill
students were confined, with a number of their friends sent
home in a successful effort to stop the spread of the disease.
The experience prompted members of the Class of 1915 to
direct their class gift to remodel a small ice house on campus
and turn it into an infirmary. The facility was a tremendous
asset in the years to come.

Fortunately, by 1918 the students and staff at Bloomsburg were
experienced at dealing with infectious diseases and precautions
taken had made a difference. At its peak, 34 students became ill,
but by the time quarantine went into effect there were 12 cases,
and no further cases developed after that. Though millions died
worldwide, only one boarding student on campus passed away
from the dreaded disease.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

And in the fall of 1916, an
outbreak of infantile paralysis,
or polio, caused a three-week
delay in classes. The academic
schedule was adjusted for the
entire school year, pushing
commencement back one
week to June 27. This is the
only occasion uncovered so
far, until 2020, that there has
been a delay in the graduation
ceremony.

30

A personal
account
of the 1918
pandemic
Among the students at
Bloomsburg during the 1918
influenza pandemic was Edith
Angeline Dennis ’19, the school’s
first African American boarding
student.
Dennis who was featured in
the February 2020 issue of

Bloomsburg: The University
Magazine, kept a diary of her
time on campus. Her niece,
Denise Dennis, shares diary
entries from the fall of 1918.
On Sept. 27, she wrote about
classmates who were stricken.
“Elsie Snyder, who was taken to
the hospital Tuesday with the
Spanish Influenza, died today. It
turned to pneumonia. Catherine
Bitting went to the hospital
today.”
Three days later, on Sept. 30,
Edith was ill. “Wrote Mama a
letter. I went to see the nurse
as I felt very sick and I can go
home tomorrow if I am not
improved.” The following day,

The state police command center in the
new administration building, June 1972.

»

In April of 1916, an outbreak of the measles led to a general
quarantine of the town for 12 days, with schools, churches,
and theaters closed. Resident
students were kept on campus
and could not travel into
town, but continued with
their classes. Day students had
no alternative and remained
at home in the community.
When the campus reopened
after several weeks, only
one student had taken ill,
and there was no impact on
commencement.

In 1918, as an influenza pandemic swept the planet, killing more
than 50 million people, Bloomsburg was also affected. The
campus was quarantined from early October into November.
To allow classes for the 300 boarding students to continue, the
professors living in town moved into the campus dormitory.

THEN & NOW

Student-athletes removing damaged flooring from
a home near the Bloomsburg Fair grounds, Sept. 2011.

Flooding in the summer of
2006 and September 2011 knocked out the town’s water supply
and forced the university to close. The 2006 flood inspired the
creation of a disaster relief center for local companion animals,
Annie’s Place, on the upper campus.

Meanwhile, university faculty and staff answered telephones at
emergency operations centers, cared for pets kept at the upper
campus shelter, and used university equipment for debris removal
and transportation. The efforts were invaluable as the town, and
surrounding areas worked to recover.

In 2011, students remaining in town after classes were canceled,
many from athletic teams, rose up to meet the challenge and
worked for days in flood-damaged homes. They removed mud,
debris, and ruined belongings, before tearing out floors and walls
in preparation for rebuilding.

Each crisis has been met in the same manner, including
today’s COVID-19 pandemic. The campus community, often in
conjunction with their neighbors in the community, demonstrated
resilience to meet any and all challenges.

she writes, “Well, I certainly don’t
feel the best, nor does Pris [her
roommate]. Lil Poust, a day
student, died of Influenza in the
hospital.”
On Oct. 2. “Pris went home
today. I’m feeling much better ...
I wouldn’t mind being home, not
that I care about being sick.”
The next day though, she writes,
“Home again. The nurse gave me
permission to go home, as my
cold was worse. Also, she would
not allow me to attend the Fair.
So, I took the 6:00 p.m. home.
All are well as yet unvisited by the
flu. Mrs. Fagley urged me to go
home.”

Edith went to see the doctor on
Oct. 4 and was diagnosed Oct.
7. “Very cool. Today Mama and
I went over to the Dr. He said I
can’t go back to school ... also
that I have the flu.”
On Oct. 11, she writes, “I feel
worse ...” and on Oct. 12, “Papa
sent for Dr. Nurse and he gave
me a prescription.” (A physician,
Dr. Nurse, was a friend of Edith’s
father.)
By Oct. 14, 10 days after she
was diagnosed, Dennis was well
enough to return to Bloomsburg,
still taking medication, and
completed the school year. She
lived a long, productive life, and
passed away in 1980, two months
before her 81st birthday.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

The Agnes flood of June
1972 impacted students
minimally. But the campus
quickly became a base of
operations for the state
police and National Guard,
which set up in the newly
opened administration
building. College personnel
and students staffed phone
banks — at the peak taking
hundreds of calls each hour.
While troops slept on cots
set up in the Centennial
Gymnasium, county
residents who were flooded
out of their homes slept in
Columbia Hall and were fed
in the Scranton Commons.

»

More recently, BU has
served as a community
resource during the floods of
1972, 2006, and 2011.

31

32

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

33

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

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Bloomsburg, PA 17815

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2020

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34

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bloomu.edu/gradschool

A NOTE TO PARENTS
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University Magazine is addressed
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Bloomsburg

FA L L 20 20

THE UNIVERSIT Y MAGAZINE

Mover of
Obstacles
Secretary of Corrections John Wetzel ’98
is a nationally-known advocate
for corrections reform.
Page 12

ALSO INSIDE

Five Minutes Can Change a Student’s Life
Jake Miller ’05 has been honored for excellence in teaching.
His secret: teach children before content.
Page 22

The Unforgettable Season
Twenty years ago, the world learned about the Huskies football team.
Page 28

bloomu.edu

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Dear BU Family,
Over the past 181 years, our alumni
have been thriving in business, science,
education, health care, technology, and
other fields, and they are also making a
positive impact in their communities.
We are fortunate that our rich history
is filled with such influential leaders
across many disciplines, and I am so
very proud of all BU graduates who
are making a difference in the lives of
others.
In this issue of Bloomsburg: The
University Magazine, you will enjoy
reading our profile on a proud BU
alumnus and a true difference maker:
John E. Wetzel, Pennsylvania’s
Secretary of Corrections since
2011. A trusted voice within the BU
community and across the entire
Commonwealth, Secretary Wetzel
is also a leading voice and advocate
on a national scale. Having led the
President Bashar Hanna
charge to reduce Pennsylvania’s prison
population for close to a decade while
serving governors of both parties, Secretary Wetzel is one of our country’s foremost experts on prison
reform. A member of BU’s Council of Trustees and an active supporter of his alma mater, Secretary Wetzel
was recently awarded the well-deserved William T Derricott, ’66 Volunteer of the Year award from the BU
Alumni Association. Congratulations to Secretary Wetzel for his service on behalf of the citizens of the
Commonwealth, and my heartfelt thanks to him for his steadfast leadership and unwavering commitment to
Bloomsburg University.
The COVID-19 virus continues to remain at the forefront of our collective consciousness. This past August,
the University started the semester offering a mix of in-person and remote learning. Due to an increase in
positive COVID cases among students just a couple weeks into the semester, we quickly pivoted to remote
learning for the remainder of the fall. While the campus is usually abuzz with activities and events at this
time of year, this is not a normal semester. We must continue to follow health and safety protocols during
the pandemic, restrict large in-person gatherings, and host events virtually where possible. I look forward
to seeing you at upcoming virtual events; please refer to bloomu.edu/husky-spirit for the latest updates on
events for alumni and friends.
As always, thank you for your continued support of BU, and all the best to your families and you this coming
holiday season. Please be safe and stay healthy.

GO HUSKIES!
Sincerely,
Bashar W. Hanna

Outside, there were hugs and
smiles among family members
and a chance to take photos to
preserve the day.
More photos on page 36.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

Hundreds of students and their
supporters celebrated graduation
this August in a COVID-19 safe
and socially distant way with
a photo walk across the Haas
Center stage and a handshake
with President Bashar Hanna.

1

Fall 2020

9

12

19

24

28

33

Contents

4
9
12
14
19
21

COMMON GROUND
THE PIVOT
MOVER OF OBSTACLES
INSPIRATION AND IMPACT
SETTING THE PACE FOR SUCCESS
BLOOM IS WHERE THE HEART IS

22

FIVE MINUTES CAN CHANGE
A STUDENT’S LIFE

24

BUILDING A CAREER
ONE VIDEO AT A TIME

26
28
33

HUSKY NOTES
ATHLETICS: A VIEW FROM THE TOP
THEN AND NOW

Connect with us

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

bloomu.edu

2

Pennsylvania’s State System
of Higher Education Board of
Governors
Cynthia D. Shapira, Chair
David M. Maser, Vice Chair
Samuel H. Smith, Vice Chair
Representative Tim Briggs
Audrey F. Bronson
Nicole Dunlop
Alex Fefolt
Donald E. Houser Jr.
Patricia Landis
Senator Scott Martin
Marian D. Moskowitz
Thomas S. Muller
Noe Ortega
Representative Brad Roae
Senator Judith L. Schwank
Meg Snead
Stephen L. Washington, Jr.
Neil R. Weaver
Governor Tom Wolf
Janet L. Yeomans

Chancellor, State System
of Higher Education
Daniel Greenstein
Bloomsburg University
Council of Trustees
Judge Mary Jane Bowes,
Chairperson
Nancy Vasta, Vice Chairperson
Brian O’Donnell, O.D., Secretary
Amy Brayford
Edward G. Edwards
Duane Greenly
Daniel Klingerman
Colin McIntyre
Secretary John E. Wetzel
Raymond Zaborney
President, Bloomsburg University
Bashar W. Hanna

Executive Editor
Jennifer Umberger
Co-Editors
Eric Foster
Tom McGuire
Designer
Stacey Newell
Sports Information
Dave Leisering
Mary Raskob

Bloomsburg: The University Magazine is published
three times a year for alumni, students’ families, and
friends of the university. Back issues may be found at
issuu.com/buhuskies.
Address comments and questions to:
Bloomsburg: The University Magazine
Waller Administration Building
400 East Second Street
Bloomsburg, PA 17815-1301
Email address: magazine@bloomu.edu
Visit Bloomsburg University on the web at bloomu.edu.

Marketing/Communications
Coordinator
Irene Johnson
Contributing Writers
Thomas Schaeffer ’02
Andrea O’Neill ’06
Cover Photo
Eric Foster

Bloomsburg University is an AA/EEO institution and is
accessible to disabled persons. Bloomsburg University
does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion,
sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national
origin, ancestry, disability, or veteran status in its programs
and activities as required by Title IX of the Educational
Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VII
of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and other applicable statutes
and University policies.
© Bloomsburg University 2020

Honoring a mentor,
a teacher, and a mother

Sons Dedicate Serenity Garden to Honor Maryan G. McCormick
The BU community has a new place on campus to
retreat to for refuge from a busy day. The Dr. Maryan
G. McCormick Serenity Garden was dedicated in a virtual
event this October. The Serenity Garden, located near the
Haas Center for the Arts, is a gift from McCormick’s two
sons, David and Douglas, and their families.

Photos: Eric Foster

McCormick is the wife of former Bloomsburg University
President James H. McCormick, who served from 1973
to 1983. During her 10 years at then Bloomsburg State
College, she was a mother, teacher, and educator
who mentored countless women. She also served
as assistant executive director of the Central Susquehanna
Intermediate Unit and as the executive director of the
Instructional Support System of Pennsylvania.
The Serenity Garden honors Dr. McCormick, whose
warmth and commitment to others graced the
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania campus from 1973
to 1983. We celebrate her exceptional devotion to family
and friends; her dedication to education and learning; and
her serene, uplifting, and loving spirit.
“Maryan McCormick has woven her understanding,
patience, and nurturing spirit into countless numbers
of lives over the years and has impacted generations of
families through her work,” said President Bashar Hanna.
“May this garden do as Maryan has done throughout her
life: may it provide in the years ahead that same sense of
calm, comfort, and serenity. Thank you to the McCormick
family for creating this lasting tribute to a wonderful
member of the BU Family.”

The garden, originally scheduled to be dedicated on July
27, her birthday, will receive light both day and night and
includes several benches, a stone water fountain, and a red
maple tree that will provide shade to those who stop there.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

The plaque at the garden reads:

3

news on campus

COMMON GROUND

Students Select Top Teachers
Carolyn LaMacchia and Erin Brummett were named
BU’s 2019-20 Outstanding Teaching Award recipients
by the Teaching and Learning Enhancement (TALE)
Center.
LaMacchia is an associate professor in the Department
of Information and Technology Management in
the Zeigler College of Business, while Brummett
is an associate professor in the Department of
Communication Studies in the College of Liberal Arts.
The two were nominated by graduating seniors and
selected by the TALE’s Outstanding Teaching Award
Committee.
LaMacchia teaches undergraduate courses on
developing databases, analytics, and programming
skills and also teaches in the Master of Science in
information technology program. Students who
nominated her wrote of her “dedication to teaching
not stopping at the classroom door.”

“

“Receiving the Outstanding
Teaching Award is very inspiring.”
— Carolyn Lamacchia

A consultant in information technology prior to
working at BU, LaMacchia was praised for drawing
upon her experience to help students apply course
content to the “real world.”
“Each time I experience a student’s growth, whether
it be academically or professionally, I feel rewarded
knowing that I may have played a part in the student’s
development,” said LaMacchia. “Receiving the
Outstanding Teaching Award is very inspiring.”

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

Brummett was lauded for her ability to make “every
classroom an accepting and open environment” that
creates transformative learning experiences. She
teaches courses in the interpersonal communication
area of the major, including interpersonal
communication, conflict management and resolution,
a special topics course on interracial communication,
and a course that she developed for the department
curriculum titled “Communicating Identity and
Difference.”

4

“

“To know that my students
nominated me for this award
means more to me than I can put
into words,”
— Erin Brummett

“To know that my students nominated me for this
award means more to me than I can put into words,”
said Brummett. “I love my job because of the students.
Everything I do in this profession is to encourage them
to be the best versions of themselves that they can
be in life and provide tools that they can use in their
journeys along the way.”
Both teachers will receive a plaque and be
acknowledged by Provost Diana Rogers-Adkinson
at a future date. They will also receive a professional
development stipend sponsored by the BU Foundation.

COMMON GROUND

Community Collaborations

A New Welcome to Bloomsburg

YMCA Gym Wall Mat

A collaboration between the Town of Bloomsburg and BU
has resulted in five new signs welcoming visitors to the
only Town in Pennsylvania and Bloomsburg University. The
cost of the project was split between the town and the
university. Shown from left are: front row, Bonnie Crawford
and Justin Hummel, Bloomsburg Town Council members;
center row: Drew Barton, LIVIC Civil (the Town’s engineer
– assisted with land use contracts and installations),
Jocelyn Wagner, Weis Markets assistant store manager
for Bloomsburg (donated land for one of the signs), and
Jim Garman, Bloomsburg Town Council member; back
row: BU President Bashar Hanna and Bloomsburg Mayor
William Kreisher.

A new BU-branded gymnasium wall mat was installed
at the Bloomsburg Area YMCA, thanks to a $3,000
sponsorship from the Bloomsburg University Foundation’s
Community Engagement Fund. The mat was produced
by Resilite Sports Products, Inc., a Northumberland
company that celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2019 and
whose president is Paul Gilbert ’82. Shown from left are
Bloomsburg YMCA CEO Joe Flanagan, BU Director of
Athletics Michael McFarland, BU President Bashar Hanna,
and YMCA board member Tim Wagner.

Three BU students in the B.S. chemistry and biochemistry
option passed the national American Society for
Biochemistry and Biochemistry Molecular Biology (ASBMB)
Accreditation Exam. Jason Stone, Tara Full, and Stepan
Budkin were among 926 students nationwide that took the
rigorous exam in spring 2020 and among the 40.4% (374
students) who passed. Additionally, Stone was awarded
certification with distinction for extraordinary success on
the exam. Including this year’s cohort, nine BU students
have earned the national certification recognition and
three have earned high distinction. Bloomsburg’s 50%
certification rate exceeds the national average of 43.8%.

BU was the first PASSHE program to garner ASBMB
program accreditation in 2014. Only 85 programs
nationwide hold ASBMB accreditation, including five others
in Pennsylvania.
“The ASBMB has routinely validated what we have always
known,” says Michael Borland, ASBMB accreditation
coordinator and professor of chemistry and biochemistry.
“Small class sizes, hands-on laboratory experiences, use
of cutting-edge instrumentation/methods, and the high
impact practice of one-on-one faculty-mentored research
experiences creates students ready for nationwide success
in whatever path they choose.”

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

Chemistry students get top marks
in accreditation exam

5

A Financially
Responsible
Option
BU a ‘Best College’
says Money
BU is ranking No. 6 in Money’s 2020
rankings of public universities in
Pennsylvania. BU is also ranked 32nd
among all colleges and universities in
Pennsylvania.
“This latest ranking by Money is a
testament to the hard work and
dedication of our faculty and staff,” says
BU President Bashar Hanna. “The credit
goes to them, and most importantly, to
our high-achieving students who are
determined to achieve even more.”
The personal financial website’s seventh
annual “Best Colleges for Your Money”
assessed more than 700 four-year
colleges. The rankings combine the
most accurate pricing estimates available
with indicators of alumni financial
success, along with a unique analysis of
how much value a college adds when
compared to other schools that take in
similar students.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

BU awards $4 million in scholarships to
students each year. BU’s Professional U
initiative offers students the opportunity
to engage in one professional experience
per year — ranging from career
development workshops to internships.

6

Money estimates a college’s “value–
add” by calculating its performance on
important measures such as graduation
rates, student loan repayment and
default rates, and post-graduation
earnings, after adjusting for the types of
students it admits. This year, given the
economic outlook, they’ve increased the
emphasis on affordability. Affordability
now accounts for 40 percent of the
ranking, while quality of education and
outcomes each account for 30 percent.

BU Selected
to Print Etchings
of Famed Artist
BU has been selected to print editions from etching plates by
Donald De Lue (1897 – 1988), regarded as one of America’s
greatest monument sculptors of the 20th century. His prolific
60-year career led him to receive dozens of commissions up
and down the East Coast. In the early part of his career, De
Lue created a small series of etchings. After his death in 1988,
13 plates were found in his studio. In 2017, the De Lue estate
brought all 13 plates to BU to see what could be done with
them.
In the summer of 2019, Hanna Sheppard, studio arts and art
history major, enrolled in an Independent Study with faculty
member Chad Andrews, printmaking and foundations, to
research, clean, and proof all the plates. The proofs were
presented to the De Lue estate and they were so impressed
that they have requested editions of 10 from each plate.
The art and art history department is using the Haas Gallery
as the temporary “Haas Print Annex” and student Aleah Slish
will make 13 to 15 impressions taken in pursuit of making
10 identical prints for each edition. The editions will then be
collated into 10 folios. One of these folios will become part of
BU’s permanent collection.
The work in progress may be viewed through the end of the fall
semester Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Nursing Professor
Garners
National Honors

Nursing faculty member Kimberly Ann Olszewski has
been named a 2020 Fellow by the American Academy of
Nursing.
Olszewski is one of 230 distinguished nurse leaders from
around the globe, and one of just 10 individuals from
Pennsylvania, to join the 2020 class. The inductees will
be recognized for their significant contributions to health
and health care at the Academy’s annual Transforming
Health, Driving Policy Conference, taking place virtually
Oct. 29-31.
An associate professor of nursing, Olszewski holds the
Breiner Family Endowed Professorship for Nursing at
BU, a five-year presidential appointment she received in
2018. She serves as graduate program coordinator, and
the nurse practitioner and doctorate in nursing practice
program director.
Olszewski is an American Nurses Credentialing Center
board certified adult nurse practitioner and a Certified
Occupational Health Nurse Specialist and Case Manager
from the American Association of Occupational Health
Nurses (AAOHN), where she serves on the board of
directors as president-elect.
Olszewski has also been appointed to serve on the
Board of Scientific Counselors (BOSC) for a threeyear term beginning Jan. 1, 2021, and ending Dec. 31,
2024. The BOSC is a federal advisory committee that
provides advice and recommendations to the EPA’s
Office of Research and Development on technical and
management issues of its research programs.

Before enrolling at BU, Findura
served four years in the U.S.
Marine Corps and, during his
service, was a member of an elite
team known as the Body Bearers.
The section’s primary mission is
to bear the caskets at funerals
for Marines, former Marines,
and Marine family members at
Arlington National Cemetery and
the surrounding cemeteries in the
National Capital Region.
You can vote for Findura to be the
captain of the 2020 Allstate AFCA
Good Works Team by visiting
espn.com/Allstate. Vote once a
day through Nov. 22.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

Findura Named to
Good Works Team

Alex Findura became the first BU
football player to be named to the
Allstate AFCA Good Works Team
for stepping up to help those
in need. The senior defensive
lineman is one of 22 studentathletes across the country named
to the 2020 team.

7

news on campus

COMMON GROUND

Andino Named Fellow
for Hispanic Association
BU’s Interim Vice Provost Mindy
Andino is a Fellow for the Hispanic
Association of Colleges and
Universities (HACU).
Andino, an associate professor of
teaching and learning, is one of 26
fellows from across the country
selected for HACU’s second cohort
of its Leadership Academy/La
Academia de Liderazgo.
La Academia seeks to increase the
number of talented individuals who
aspire to leadership positions of
existing and emerging Hispanicserving institutions. Fellows selected
for the program participate in an
array of leadership development
activities that will prepare them for
leadership roles in the full spectrum
of higher learning institutions and in
Hispanic-serving institutions.
“I look forward to learning from an
outstanding group of mentors from
around the country as we work to
increase diversity in higher education
leadership, as well as being able to

better serve our Hispanic students
and all students of difference here
at BU,” says Andino.
“Through this experience, Dr.
Andino will engage with and
learn from other leaders in higher
education from across the country
for the benefit of our students, and
particularly our underrepresented
students,” says President Bashar
Hanna. “The focus of this HACU
program is to champion student
success, which aligns perfectly with
BU’s strategic priorities.”
The one-year fellowship program
includes three seminars. The
first took place in October in
conjunction with HACU’s 34th
Annual Conference. “Fostering
Excellence and Social Justice.”
The second seminar will lead into
HACU’s 26th Annual Capitol Forum
on Hispanic Higher Education
in April 2021. The third seminar
will be held in late spring or early
summer of 2021, with a focus on
international collaborations.

“

“I look forward to learning
from an outstanding group
of mentors from around the
country as we work to increase
diversity in higher education
leadership, as well as being able
to better serve our Hispanic
students and all students of
difference here at BU.”
— Vice Provost Mindy Andino

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

Grant Helps First-Generation
and Under-Represented Students

8

BU’s TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) office was
awarded $319,609, a five-year grant from the U.S.
Department of Education to provide opportunities for
students who are first-generation college students, Pelleligible, and/or students with a documented disability.

The grant allows the TRIO office to continue providing
individualized support for academic advisement, personal
and professional development, and help navigating higher
education financing, as well as academic tutoring with
master tutors.

TRIO SSS’s mission is to help under-represented students
persist in college and earn their degree. The office offers
one-on-one support to help students manage their
academic and social transitions during their time in college.

“Securing this grant for the fifth time is a testament to
the outstanding work of all those in the TRIO office,” says
President Bashar Hanna. “The grant will provide us the
necessary resources to continue helping our students
on their path toward earning a BU degree. My thanks
and appreciation to Senators Casey and Toomey and
Congressman Meuser for their efforts and support.”

Theresa Bloskey, director of the Bloomsburg University
TRIO SSS office, and her staff authored the grant.
Assistance in securing the grant was provided by the
offices of U.S. Sen. Robert Casey, U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey and
U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser.x

By Eric Foster
Behind the masks were smiles as more than 2,300 students moved
onto campus in the early weeks of August for the fall 2020 semester.  
After months of planning how to deal with living and learning safely
during the COVID-19 pandemic, faculty and staff found innovative
ways for students to carry on.
To prevent crowding, families moved to campus in stages, aided
at each step by HOWLS (Husky Orientation Welcome Leaders) and
residence life staff. Dining services spaced tables and chairs and
switched to disposable utensils.

»

Photos: Jaime North and Eric Foster

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

Real innovation came in classrooms, labs and studios.

David Tedford, assistant professor of music, rehearses the Bloomsburg University Community Orchestra, with students masked and distanced.

9

Corridors were marked with directional lanes to help
social distancing and students were spaced between
multiple lab rooms. In the arts, faculty donned plastic
face shields in order to get close enough to students
to provide personalized feedback. Music rooms were
compartmentalized so woodwind and brass musicians could
play together. Small rooms were wired so voice professors
could give feedback to the students in nearby rooms with no
lag.

were switched to remote instruction, as well as most courses
in the College of Science and Technology and the College of
Liberal Arts.  
While classes may have been remote, the Husky can-do
attitude was present in full force. Many students chose to
stay on campus in order to experience college life in some
way. And upper level students in the sciences and arts
continued their work in labs and studios.
Facebook became a concert hall as musicians painstakingly
recorded and posted their performances to the Arts in Bloom
page. And a sidewalk became a gallery as work was exhibited
in the window of Greenly Center on Main Street.

While many courses were already being taught remotely or
in a combination of remote and in person, all courses in the
Zeigler College of Business and the College of Education

And to cap off the semester, the BU Players will stage six
short plays virtually on Nov. 11 and 12. Virtually, or in person,
Huskies don’t stop.

Matthew Polinski, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, wears a face shield to work with students in labs.

»

»

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

»

However, by the end of August, the number of students
testing positive for COVID-19 climbed to over 100 and the
university decided to pivot.

10

Chris Kilcullen, a senior music audio/visual recording major, mixes tracks for a virtual
performance of the BU Jazz Ensemble to be shared later this fall semester.

BU child life specialist majors give virtual presentations for their
120-hour experience with Camp Victory in Millville over the
summer.

A student walks in a hallway marked with
directional lanes in Hartline Science Center.

»

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

»

The BU Jazz Ensemble rehearses with musicians separated by plexiglass shields. Installation of the shields was a collaboration between Abby Manns, director
of performing arts facilities and programs, and BU alumnus Zak Knoll ’04, a theatre alumnus whose company develops and manufactures the shields.

»

Photo: Abby Manns

Meredith Re’ Grimsley (above), chair of the Department of Art and Art History, teaches a fabric design
course.

11

Photo/ »
Governor’s
Office

By Eric Foster

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

If Old Corrections Policies Were an Immovable Object,
John Wetzel is an Unstoppable Force

12

“My entire life is football,” says Pennsylvania Secretary of
Corrections John Wetzel ’98.
“My job was to move obstacles out of the way,” the former
offensive lineman says. “That’s my leadership style, remove
obstacles, and empower people.”
Today, more than 20 years after graduating from BU,
Secretary Wetzel has racked up statistics off the football
field that have made corrections leaders throughout the
country stand up and take notice.

He’s a go-to expert to speak on prison reform in the
popular media — having been featured on “60 Minutes”
and in USA Today. Among his peers, he’s president of
the Correctional Leaders Association and a member of
Harvard’s Executive Session on Community Corrections.
For four decades, Pennsylvania’s prison population grew
by an average of 1,500 people each year. “We have 10,000
fewer people incarcerated than when we took over in
2011,” says Wetzel. “And that’s while the crime rate has also
gone down. In the history of Pennsylvania, nobody has
seen a population reduction like that.”

Do It Quick, But Don’t Hurry

John Wetzel, third from left in the back row, with his Husky teammates.

Toughness and Sensitivity
It’s a feat that seems only possible by someone with
Wetzel’s unique combination of toughness and sensitivity
— qualities that were developed and mirrored in his
experience at BU.
Reminiscing about his days on the offensive line, he quips
that “there’s nothing like moving a man from point A to
point B against their will.”
But in the classroom, the 6-foot-3 student-athlete found
that he was the one being moved — by a psychology
professor.
“Eileen Astor-Stetson was my adviser, and I had her for a
cognitive psychology class. She sat me down and lit me up.
She said, ‘I’m frustrated because you don’t come to class,’”
says Wetzel. “I said I come to two-thirds of my classes. She
said, ‘That’s not a lot.’”
“She also told me that I’d never be happy working for
someone that wasn’t as smart as me.”
The lesson didn’t take immediately. After his last football
season with the Huskies, Wetzel left BU, a semester from
graduation, and began work as a corrections officer in
Berks County. Several years later, an argument with a coworker brought Astor-Stetson’s words back to him.
“I walked out so angry. When I get home, I called AstorStetson. ‘Can you please help me get back into school?’”
Wetzel hit the books as hard as he had once hit defensive
lineman. After one semester as a part-time student, he
moved to Pottsville, midway between campus and his job
in Reading. And he switched his work to third shift to take
a full course-load and make it to graduation. He found
another mentor in professor Marion Mason, who made him
read Viktor Frankl’s “Man’s Search for Meaning,” chronicling
his experiences as a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps,
and his strategy to find a positive purpose in life.
“It starts with BU. That’s the launching pad for me,” says
Wetzel. “I went there as a child. As an undergrad, my life
revolved around football. I came back as a grown-up and
finished my degree.”

The first of those lessons: “Toughness. There will be people
who are stronger, people who are faster, people who are
smarter,” says Wetzel. “You can control how hard you work
and how tough you work. I focus on what I can control.”
Putting his coach’s words into action, Wetzel rose through
the ranks quickly — becoming warden of Franklin County
Jail in 2002, appointed to the Board of Pardons by Gov. Ed
Rendell in 2007, and selected to be cecretary of corrections
by Gov. Tom Corbett in 2011.
But he also made a difference at each step of his career. At
Franklin County, he oversaw the construction of a new jail
while expanding treatment and program options, so the
inmate population declined from 322 to 297 by the time he
left.
Wetzel’s impact as secretary of corrections was felt quickly.
Shortly after his appointment, he made bold moves,
canceling a new prison in Fayette County in western
Pennsylvania and revising plans for the new prison at
Graterford in Montgomery County to include facilities for
female inmates who would soon be released.
The moves raised some political hackles, but his reasoning
was based on unimpeachable facts. There were more
beds in western Pennsylvania than prisoners, and housing
inmates from the east in the west made it more difficult for
them to successfully return to their communities.
“We’re going to release 20,000 people this year. You’re
going to run into someone who’s been involved in a state
prison,” says Wetzel. “It’s in everyone’s best interest for
these people to be successful.”
Armed with a compelling vision and no-nonsense attitude,
Wetzel has been effective at working across political
boundaries to make change. While he was appointed
secretary of corrections by a Republican, Democratic Gov.
Tom Wolf reappointed him in 2015 and again in 2019.
On the federal level, he’s worked with both Democratic
and Republican administrations. He was tapped by
President Barack Obama to be the corrections expert on
the Chuck Colson task force—tasked with assessing the
Federal Bureau of Prisons and providing the administration
and Congress with recommendations on improvements.
President Donald Trump named him to the Congressional
Oversight Committee to the Federal First Step Act.
And he’s been an unapologetic advocate for his vision in
the media, among his peers, and in prisons themselves.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

»

“I had a football coach who said, ‘do it quick, but don’t
hurry.’ Every step counts. I was graded at every step.
Everything you do counts,” says Wetzel, who played semipro football in 1996 and 1997 and was an assistant coach at
Shippensburg for four years. “Lessons on the football field
translate to the office, the prison, and the Capitol.”

13

»

Wetzel speaking to Department of Corrections staff at a leadership event.

»

»

John Wetzel shows his Husky pride even when he’s away from campus.

Wetzel giving remarks at a 50-State Summit on Public
Safety sponsored by the Council of State Governments.

“
Shining a Light
on Human Costs
At Graterford in 2014, Wetzel organized a TEDx event that
featured talks by inmates and gave the final talk himself.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

“The TED talks put a face on our policy,” says Wetzel. “Our
system previously had a policy that we couldn’t show
inmates’ faces. We have a focus on really humanizing the
population.”

14

Wetzel is no Pollyanna. “We have prison for a reason,”
he says. “There are some people who need to be there.”
But his career has been focused on the human costs of
incarceration and creating human opportunities to avoid it.
“For every problem, corrections is at the back of the
system,” says Wetzel. “Look two or three steps upstream
and be more proactive. One of the starkest facts is that a
young black kid who drops out of high school has a 70
percent chance of being incarcerated.”
“Education is one of the key foundational things because
it’s transformative,” says Wetzel, who has championed
educational programs. “I see what education did for me.”
“Forty percent of new inmates don’t have a high school
degree. Seventy-five percent have an addiction,” says
Wetzel. “A third are experiencing mental illness.”

“We have to help people overcome trauma.
Historic polices have had a terrible effect,
particularly on minority communities. We
have a responsibility to do better. I have
about 41,000 inmates and they have 80,000
children. When you look at generational
incarcerations, we need to change the
narrative. I control the environment. I
control the programs we offer.”
— John Wetzel

And he notes, 80 percent of male prisoners experienced
trauma as a child — ranging from mental, physical, or
sexual abuse to being exposed to alcoholism, drug use, and
domestic violence.
“We have to help people overcome trauma. Historic
polices have had a terrible effect, particularly on minority
communities. We have a responsibility to do better,” says
Wetzel. “I have about 41,000 inmates and they have 80,000
children. When you look at generational incarcerations, we
need to change the narrative. I control the environment. I
control the programs we offer.”

“Our GED pass rate is 10 points higher than the community
pass rate. Providing college classes to people who are
incarcerated — that’s a no-brainer.”

His role as secretary of corrections means that the father of
four daughters — Johna, Tamaira, Ariel and Michaela, aged 18
to 25 — is on call 24/7. If he does get some time away from the
cell phone, he’s looking forward to travelling.
For now, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought new
challenges, but Wetzel notes that infection rates at his
institutions are lower than in inmates’ home communities.
“Now more than ever, reentry matters. Screening people
and making sure they have a place to live,” says Wetzel. “A
connection to medical infrastructure is really critical. [So is]
setting people up to be successful in the community.”
“It’s taken a lot of work to convince people and move the
policy,” says Wetzel. “Our policy makers are very conservative.”
Fortunately, John Wetzel specializes in making things move.

»

Wetzel shaking hands with a graduate at commencement.

Wetzel Honored with
Alumni Volunteer of the
Year Award
While he may spend his days walking the halls of
the Capitol in Harrisburg and touring correctional
institutions around the state, John Wetzel has
never lost touch with his alma mater.
“Every trip to BU, I always go to the stadium.
That’s where I built my career,” says Wetzel.
“Lessons on the football field translate to the
office, the prison, and Capitol. Without BU, I
don’t have the career, the impact, none of that
happens without Bloomsburg.”
This fall, Wetzel was recognized as the 2019
recipient of the William T. Derricott ’66 Volunteer
of the Year Award in acknowledgement of his
efforts on behalf of BU. In addition to serving on
the Council of Trustees, Wetzel is an advocate
for numerous programs and initiatives, including
the BU Anchor Program, the “It’s On Us” Grant
Program, new trustee appointments, and the
annual PASSHE Advocacy Day, where students
travel to Harrisburg to speak with legislators
about funding and issues important to the State
System and higher education.
He also served as the co-chair of the head
football coach search committee and
participated in the Middle States Accreditation
Review last year.
“When I’ve had students down to Harrisburg,
he loves introducing them to legislators,” says
Dan Knorr, director of external and government
relations. “It’s been really great to have someone
who champions for BU wherever he goes.”
Wetzel also makes sure the state Department of
Corrections promotes jobs and internships to
BU students interested in pursuing a career in
corrections.
“Kids coming out of BU are hardworking kids. It’s
important they get a sense of the field they’re
working in. The class works a lot better when
you can apply lessons to the real world,” says
Wetzel. “I try to tailor the experience to them to
make sure they get what they want out of the
experience.”
The Derricott Volunteer of the Year Award
was established in 2012 to recognize BU’s
most outstanding volunteer. The selection is
determined by a scoring system that assigns
values to different volunteer activities.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

To that end, Wetzel’s Department of Corrections has partnered
with universities — including BU — to provide courses for
inmates with federal funding through policies begun by
Obama and expanded by Trump. BU’s 24-credit Rehabilitative
Justice Certificate Program, established in 2016, has provided
40 inmates with a foundation to complete two-year and fouryear degrees. BU’s first partner in the program, Cathy Pickett,
guidance counselor at the State Correctional Institution at
Muncy, was honored with a 2020 College of Liberal Arts
Dean’s Salute to Excellence award.

15

Celebrating Husky Alumni Award Winners
By Andrea O’Neill ’06

Elizabeth Miller
Maroon and Gold
Excellence Award
Elizabeth Miller
’17 transferred to
Bloomsburg University
from St. John’s
University in Queens,
N.Y., in 2014 because she
wanted a smaller school,
and she immediately felt
“home.”
“It was what you picture a college
campus to look like — quaint, comforting
and homey,” says Miller. “There was never a time when I
was upset to be in Bloomsburg.”
BU was recommended to her by a teacher at St. John’s.
Miller settled on a dual major in history and Arabic, with a
minor in Middle Eastern Studies, a choice resulting from
the death of her father on September 11, 2001, when she
was 6.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

Douglas Miller, 34, was finishing an overnight shift as a
member of New York fire department Rescue Company 5
on Staten Island when terrorists attacked the World Trade
Center. He died in the collapse of the south tower while
evacuating civilians.

16

But while you might expect anger and hate growing up
in the wake of that tragedy, Miller has taken her mom’s
lead in approaching the tragedy with understanding and
empathy. The thoroughness with which she has studied the
context of the attack has allowed her to heal and grow, and
presented her with opportunities to impact her profession
and give back to her alma mater.
“I’ve spent a lot of time trying to learn more about the
events that led to my father’s death,” Miller says. “What I
ended up discovering was a beautiful culture that is often
misunderstood. I learned that we can move forward from
tragedy, and my time at BU gave me the opportunity to
not embed myself in the hatred and fear of 9/11. To see all
sides, in a sense.”

Opportunities outside the classroom — studying abroad in
Morocco, a work-study position in the history department,
and an Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative
Activity project on the radicalization of Osama bin Laden
before September 11 — helped her make life connections
and gain professional experience.
“There was always a piece missing when I was growing up,”
says Miller. “I had lost one parent, and I felt I gained another
in Bloomsburg. Faculty and staff were invested in me and
wanted to see me do well. They were my family.”
After graduation, Miller was a social studies teacher in
Yonkers, N.Y., before moving to Pace University and
later becoming the exhibitions research coordinator at
the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in Manhattan. Her work
has included content writing and fact-checking for the
museum, including a newly opened exhibition about
Osama Bin Laden. She has recently completed a master’s
degree in Middle Eastern Studies and plans on continuing
her education to become a trauma counselor. She also
plans to eventually write a book about her 9/11 story that is
more inclusive of people around the world.
“Bloomsburg gave me the tools to be versatile and to make
myself adaptable for certain positions,” says Miller. “You
have to take charge and be persistent. Try to be a leader in
any situation so other people understand you and see who
you can be.”
Miller established the Douglas Miller Memorial Scholarship
for history students who have overcome obstacles
and demonstrated a desire and effort toward cultural
understanding. She hopes this scholarship can assist those
in need while emphasizing the importance of historical
narratives and cross-cultural relationships.
“Scholarships had always helped me with my education,
and the history department was so beneficial to my
growth as a student,” says Miller. “My 9/11 story is a lot
different than that of other people, and I wanted to channel
understanding through my father at a university that helped
form some of those ideas for me. My dad’s legacy lives on
in Bloomsburg.”

Nominees are submitted for consideration by their peers
and colleagues and are then evaluated by a committee of
the Alumni Board of Directors. In addition to the Grimes
Loyalty Recognition, which acknowledges alumni for their
engagement with the University the past year, the BU Alumni
Association will award the following:
Bill Bent ’83 and Paul Clifford ’96 are the recipients of the
Distinguished Service Award. This award recognizes alumni
who have excelled with significant accomplishments in their
profession, outstanding service to Bloomsburg University and/
or the Alumni Association, and contributions to humanity.

Lamar Oglesby
Maroon and Gold
Excellence Award
Lamar Oglesby ’07
called his application
to Bloomsburg
University a “shot
in the dark.” A firstgeneration student from
an underperforming and
underserved high school, he
hadn’t even toured the campus.
But thanks to his grit and use of
available resources, the business
administration graduate now serves as director of grants
and contract accounting for Rutgers University’s office
of research and economic development. He is also a
mentor to other young professionals and provides financial
support for current Huskies.
“I fell in love with Bloom immediately,” says Oglesby. “It
was so different from what I had known; I didn’t even know
where to start.”
After four years of juggling academics with frequent fulltime employment, seeking out jobs around campus just so
he could do laundry, and nearly being forced to withdraw
over an unpaid bill, Oglesby began his career as a mutual
fund accountant. It was a watershed moment for the
Philadelphia native.
“I was so proud I had landed a job before I graduated
and was in a profession associated with my degree,” says
Oglesby.
Oglesby switched to higher-ed in 2012 when he became
a grant analyst at Temple University, moving up to interim
director of post-award operations before landing at
Rutgers in 2018. Oglesby is responsible for maintaining
the financial transparency and compliance vital to both
the reputation of Rutgers and the hundreds of millions of
dollars in sponsorships and grants that fund faculty and
student research there.

Elizabeth Miller ’17 and Lamar Oglesby ’07 are the recipients
of the Maroon and Gold Excellence Award. The award
recognizes alumni who have graduated within the past 15
years and have met one or more criteria for the Distinguished
Service Award and have demonstrated outstanding potential
for further contributions.
John Wetzel ’98 is the recipient of the William T. Derricott ’66
Volunteer of the Year, which recognizes alumni who, through
their volunteer contribution of time and talent on behalf of
the BU Alumni Association, supports the mission of BU and
exemplifies Husky spirit.

“You have to be good at it because there is a lot at stake,”
says Oglesby. “We are talking about faculty life’s work —
like curing cancer and putting people on Mars. There is no
room for delays.”
As a self-described introvert, Oglesby said that BU forced
him to initiate conversation, ask for help, and get involved
on campus. All of which provided the foundation necessary
for his success.
“My field is highly collaborative, and interpersonal
communication is essential,” says Oglesby. “Professors
introduce that idea early on through group work and
making you learn how to work together. At the time,
I found it frustrating, but now I realize how much that
prepares you for the professional world. Regardless of what
you do, you have to work with people.”
Because of his successes, he and his wife and fellow ’07
grad, Dominika, with whom he has four children, decided
to give back. They created the ACT 101 scholarship to
support those who, like Lamar, came to BU with no idea
where to start.
“I was very underprepared academically, but the ACT 101
program prepared me. As a first-gen student, your family
is counting on you, and that pressure to be ‘more than’
causes students to drop out. It was difficult. So when we
saw that we could help young students of color who came
from where we did and faced similar challenges, we knew
we were making the right decision.”
The seasoned professional also has some advice for
students and young alumni.
“Work ethic is air — without it you will suffocate,” says
Oglesby. “Don’t be afraid to fall in love with a person, a
career, or an area of study and work hard to develop that
deep emotional connection. You will mess up multiple
times, but that does not define you. Keep going.”

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

The BU Alumni Association honored five of its own on
Saturday, Oct. 10, during a virtual celebration.

17

Bill Bent
Distinguished
Service Award
Bill Bent ’83,
executive vice
president for retail
production at Loan
Simple, is more
than a mortgage
banker — he is an
accomplished speaker,
author and executive
coach. After a life-altering
accident that almost killed him
in 2014, he made it his mission to share the wisdom of
his life experience and his professional skill in helping
companies grow and flourish. He is passionate about
helping people be their best on all levels — mentally,
emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
Before Bent’s accident, he was five times named one
of the Top 100 Most Influential Mortgage Executives
by Mortgage Executive Magazine. He previously served
on the board of directors at Academy Mortgage
Corporation and as the executive vice president of
national production.
Under Bent’s guidance, Academy grew from being
a 130-person regionally-based mortgage company
to one of the nation’s largest independent mortgage
companies, operating in 40 states, employing over
2,300 people and generating over $8 billion in
annual production in 2015. Previously, Bent was with
Waterfield Financial Corporation for 21 years prior to
its sale, where he served as executive vice president
of production for 10 western states. During his tenure,
he built the highest producing branch in Waterfield’s
history, and developed the western region into the
largest in the company, managing $1 billion in annual
production.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

As a speaker, Bent has presented to organizations that
include the Colorado Mortgage Lenders Association,
Harvard University Business Leadership Club, and
AmeriFirst Financial.

18

Bent and his wife, Liz, have three children. He is an avid
runner, and enjoys hiking, cross-country skiing and
golfing.

Paul Clifford
Distinguished
Service Award
Paul J. Clifford ’96,
chief executive
officer of the Penn
State Alumni
Association and
associate vice
president for alumni
relations for Penn State,
remains a Husky at heart
as an active volunteer at BU
activities such as Career Intensive
Boot Camps.
Clifford, who began his tenure in 2016, guides Penn
State’s alumni relations strategy; oversees engagement
with more than 174,000 alumni and 300 affiliate
groups; leads a 70-member staff; and manages a broad
range of programs, benefits, services, and resources,
including a $13 million annual operating budget.
Clifford has spent his entire career in the alumni
relations field and has broad national experience. A 12time CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of
Education) Award winner, he has served on or chaired
myriad CASE committees and is a five-time faculty
member for the organization’s Summer Institute for
Alumni Relations.
Clifford joined Penn State after serving as the University
of Oregon’s associate vice president of advancement
and executive director of the University of Oregon
Alumni Association. Previously he held positions at
East Carolina University, the University of Connecticut,
SUNY New Paltz, and James Madison University.
Clifford earned his bachelor’s degree in history from
BU and holds a master of education degree in higher
education from Penn State.
Paul and his wife met at BU where Paul was a walk-on
to the football team and Jennefer was a walk-on to the
women’s swimming team. In 2016, they established
the Paul and Jennefer Clifford Walk-On Scholarship to
benefit walk-on student-athletes.
Clifford is also the host of “Alumni Trending”, a highlyrated nonprofit business podcast aimed at fellow
advancement professionals. A native of Conyngham,
Clifford and his wife Jennefer ’96 have three children:
Aidan, Avery and Abbey.

Setting the
Pace for
Success

By Tom Schaeffer ’02

Schneider, who lives in Colorado, says he
adopted that mindset when he was a member
of the men’s swimming team at BU.
Schneider swam for three different coaches —
Mary Gardner, Eli McLaughlin, and Dave Rider.
All with very different coaching styles.
“It probably would have been pretty easy
for me to give up on swimming with all the
changes I had to deal with each year and some
other trying circumstances,” Schneider says.
“But I stuck it out because that was what I
wanted to do when I got there, and I’m glad I
did.”
Originally from Collegeville, Schneider chose
Bloom after he took summer courses here and
felt the school was the right place for him.
“It was just small enough that I wasn’t lost in the crowd,”
says Schneider, “and I didn’t feel like a number, but I could
still fly under the radar.”
After graduating with a degree in business administration
and computer science in 1988, Schneider started working
in information technology in southern Maryland. A little less
than a year later, he relocated to Denver, where he met his
wife, Kathy, and the two have lived there ever since.
Schneider has worked in health care IT for his entire career,
mostly remotely, and is a senior analyst for Cone Health
based out of North Carolina. He attributes his steady
success to his experience at BU.
“I felt very comfortable there from the moment I arrived,
with my surroundings and my professors,” adds Schneider.
“They didn’t just teach us what was in the textbooks.
They always taught us real-world stuff, not just boring
programming that we’d probably never use.”
When Schneider thinks back on his time at Bloomsburg, he
realizes it shaped more than just how he approaches his
work, but also how he approaches life in general. He credits
his experience as a student-athlete for preparing him for
success in his career, his marriage, and with his passion for
competing in triathlons.

“

“There weren’t a lot of
options for swimming
scholarships when I was
there, and that’s why I
always gave to support
that, but I wanted to do
more to help out future
swimmers.”
— John Schneider
“Being on the swim team really helped me learn how to
juggle things,” says Schneider. “I had practice, and worked
as a lifeguard and at the concession stands. I had to
balance that with my studies, too. It helped me as I started
to manage projects at work, and learn how to pace myself
during races.”
That’s why he has always felt compelled to give back to his
alma mater. Schneider has been a regular supporter since
he graduated, giving to men’s and women’s swimming
scholarships.
Tom Ruhl, relationship manager with the BU Foundation,
noticed Schneider’s dedication to supporting BU
swimming and reached out to ask if he’d like to create
more opportunities for student-athletes. The meeting led
to Schneider taking a significant next step in his support
by pledging a $1 million gift in his estate to BU which will
establish the John O. Schneider Swimming Scholarship.
“After meeting with Tom and learning all the options, I
discussed it with my wife, and we decided this was what
we wanted to do,” Schneider adds. “There weren’t a lot of
options for swimming scholarships when I was there, and
that’s why I always gave to support that, but I wanted to do
more to help out future swimmers.”
continues on next page.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

With nine Ironman Triathlons under his belt,
John Schneider ’88 is no stranger to keeping
his head down, pushing forward, and doing
what it takes to achieve his goals.

19

The average Ironman Triathlon race, the kind Schneider
trains for, consists of a 2.4-mile swim, followed by a 112mile bike ride, and finishes with a 26.2-mile run, with each
leg of the race immediately following the last.
“It takes a lot of heart to finish a race like that, and if
you push too hard, you might burn yourself out. That’s
something Bloomsburg instilled in me,” Schneider says. “If
I’m able to help future students learn something like that
through this gift, then it will be money well spent.”

CHALLENGE
ACCEPTED

A New Name
for a Brighter
Vision

Those are the words of Angela DiPasquale ’20, senior goalie for
the women’s lacrosse team, as she recalled the moment when
she and the rest of her teammates learned they would miss out
on their spring 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Henry Carver was one of a kind. He crisscrossed
the country in service of education at a time when
most never strayed beyond their hometown. A
hunting accident slowed him down long enough for
him to establish and serve as the first president of
Bloomsburg University in 1839.

“At first it didn’t seem real. I didn’t leave campus for a week
because I didn’t want it to be true.”

“Once I finally came to terms with it, I was a little depressed,”
says DiPasquale. “I worked really hard in the offseason and I
was coming off a really good junior year. I was hoping to be an
All-American as a senior.”
The story was the same for a member of the women’s tennis
team and several senior baseball players whose final seasons
were abruptly canceled.
“When I had to deliver the message to our student-athletes last
spring, it was one of the most heartbreaking moments of my
career,” says Director of Athletics Michael McFarland.
The news was so disheartening that McFarland met with
coaches and members of the BU Foundation to see if they
could bring those seniors back to finish their BU athletic
careers in the spring of 2021.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

Athletic administrators and coaches shared that they could
save scholarship spots for the returning seniors due to the
unusual circumstances. However, those scholarships were not
budgeted for the 2021 fiscal year, so financial support would be
needed.

20

With the help of the BU Foundation, McFarland and baseball
coach Mike Collins reached out to potential donors looking to
support the initiative, which they named the Finish What They
Started campaign.
An anonymous donor was eager to help these Huskies finish
their climbs, while inspiring others to join him. The result was a
generous challenge gift pledged to provide more than half the
money needed if other donors came together to provide the
other half.
Thirty-two donors stepped up with gifts totaling more than
$20,000, surpassing the challenge goal, and with the $25,000
challenge gift, funds are now available for the seniors to return.
Seven 2020 senior student-athletes will return in spring 2021
to continue their education as graduate students and play their
final season in maroon and gold.

We know Carver’s story well. For years his namesake
fund gave a much-needed hand up to students who
embody his spirit. But as BU recently introduced its
new brand, which focuses on encouraging students
to seize the opportunities that will propel them
onward and upward to success, the BU Foundation
did some research of its own. What we learned was
that our alumni and friends want their support to
align with BU’s goals and mission.
As a result of that research, the Henry Carver Fund
will now become the Bloom On Fund. Alumni and
friends will notice a fresh new look that closely
mirrors the University’s new brand and focuses on
how donor support creates opportunities for our
Huskies through access to flexible and immediate
funding.
With this new name and renewed focus on how our
donors are impacting the lives of students, we can
better convey how gifts to the Bloom On Fund help
keep every onward moving upward at BU. This will
allow us to share the stories of our students’ success
with our donors and show how their support can
make a difference when it makes all the difference.
From a scholarship to fit in an extra class, to funds
that cover travel to an internship or study abroad
opportunity, to conference fees so a student can
present his or her research — a gift to the Bloom On
Fund addresses the greatest and most immediate
needs of the Husky family, making possible a fuller
and more rewarding BU experience.
In a phrase: It will help our Huskies Bloom On.
To learn more about the Bloom On Fund
or to make a gift today, please visit:
giving.bloomu.edu/BloomOn.

By Jaime North

As a student. As a graduate. And for
more than 30 years, as an employee,
helping spearhead a new vision for
admissions and mentoring students in
academic enrichment, many of whom
were the first in their family to attend
college.
As of this summer, add retiree to the
list.
In many ways, Bloomsburg has
become family. Quite literally.
“I spent four and a half years as an
undergrad and had a great college
experience,” says Whitaker, a cofounding member of BU’s Kappa Alpha
Psi fraternity chapter who capped
a 33-year career in July as assistant
director of diversity and retention.
“College not only brought me an
education, but also a wife and child.”
After graduating from Bloomsburg
State College as a psychology major
in 1979, Whitaker was first employed
with the National Job Corps Program
in Lopez. Two job opportunities soon
caught his eye, he says — one at a
retreat correctional facility and the
other in BU’s Office of Admissions as a
minority recruiter.

“I thought what a wonderful
opportunity it would be to work at my
alma mater,” Whitaker says. “I would
have to thank Dr. Jesse Bryan and Dr.
Irvin Wright for making me aware of
this opportunity and mentoring me.”
His first position at BU wasn’t short on
challenges.
“Bloomsburg did not have the best
reputation in the urban communities
due to some incidents in the early
‘80s,” Whitaker says. “I felt in my heart
that BU had something to offer all
students and the personal challenge
was to make it a competitor with
other schools. The assistance of fellow
alums, community leaders, faculty and
staff, and satisfied parents helped put
BU on the map.”
One such indicator of progress,
according to Whitaker, was a
shift in how BU had to recruit
underrepresented students to
campus for an admissions visit.
During this time BU went from having
to provide bus trips to campus for
tours to students choosing to travel
to Bloomsburg on their own for a
campus visit.
“I was able to increase the number
of students of color applying to
Bloomsburg,” Whitaker says. “There
was a noticeable increase in diversity
often mentioned by faculty and staff.

Through collaboration with colleagues
on campus, fellow alumni, and
community leaders, we helped make
Bloomsburg a school of choice for
underrepresented students.”
After 23 years in admissions, a career
shift for Whitaker presented itself. He
went from bringing students onto
campus for their first steps of college
life — many as the first in their family
to do so — to advising them through
school onward to taking steps across
the graduation stage.
“The lasting impact so many students
have had on me is they persevered
through difficult circumstances and
graduated,” says Whitaker, who also
helped lead BU’s Board of Governors
Program. “This let me know they were
ready for the challenges that life was
going to present. Some students even
returned to the campus with their own
families and wanted their children
to be a part of the Bloomsburg
experience.”

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

There aren’t many perspectives of
Bloomsburg University that Wayne
Whitaker ’79 hasn’t seen.

21

5 MINUTES
CAN CHANGE A
STUDENT’S LIFE
By Eric Foster
How much time does it take to change a child’s life for the
better? Eighth-grade teacher Jake Miller ’05 strives to make
sure he has a one-on-one talk with each of his students.
“I make sure I get a good five- to seven-minute
conversation with every student before the end of a
semester,” says Miller, who teaches social studies in the
Cumberland Valley School District.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

“I teach kids before content. Focus on hearts first, minds
second,” says Miller. “Nobody cares what you know until
they know you care. You need to build a relationship. That’s
from Day One.”

22

Miller’s humanistic approach has made him a star in his
field, garnering honors such as Pennsylvania History
Teacher of the Year in 2016, a National Education
Association Global Fellow to China in 2017, and a semifinalist for State Teacher of the Year. He also knows firsthand the transformative power of education.
“I struggled in high school. At one point, my family was not
well off. My favorite teacher in high school (Rick Morgans
’81) took me to visit colleges. I loved how much he loved
Bloomsburg,” said Miller. “I am eternally indebted to the
university. It pulled me out of poverty. I’m the first person to
graduate from college in my whole family.”
Miller arrived at BU in 2001, just after 9/11 occurred, and
soon became involved in the American Democracy Project
and Democracy Matters on campus.

“I was kind of introverted and never thought I would put
myself out there,” says Miller. “Twenty-five kids showed
up at the first meeting, and I was nominated as the first
president.”
Miller and others in the group presented at hundreds of
classes and registered 4,000 students to vote — so many
that a voting precinct was established on campus. Students
ran for town council, and one, Dan Knorr ’07/’16M, was
elected mayor of Bloomsburg in 2007.
Initially, Miller didn’t set out to be a teacher. “I went with
different majors until I took a history class with Jeff Davis.
One of the first lessons was how swear words reflected on
history. I was hooked.”
As he finished his career at BU, Miller had a paid internship
with state Sen. John Gordner and later worked for state
Senate Republicans on the Education Committee, where he
helped craft legislation.
But Miller was called to teaching. At one point, he was set
to study for a master’s in public policy on a scholarship at
Carnegie Mellon. “I bawled my eyes out on what I thought
was the last day of my teaching,” he recalls.
Starting out at Panther Valley School District in Lansford,
Miller has taught math, reading, economics, and civics
in grades six through 12. But middle school is where he’s
found his home. “I love middle school because they’re
weird, and I’m weird.”

Raising two young boys, ages 2 and 4, Miller has some tips
for parents struggling with shifting school routines due to
the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Do not put off chasing dreams because of these new
barriers,” he says. “Communication is key. Teachers and
parents are on the same team. Parents should be in touch
with teachers.”
“And treat kids like people. Kids have different preferences.
What works for one might not work for the other. If there’s
a silver lining to COVID, it’s that maybe we can meet those
needs and diversify our approach.”
After moving to entirely remote instruction last spring,
Cumberland Valley is offering in-person classes this fall.
But, the abrupt switch to remote teaching in the spring
robbed Miller of the opportunity to have that meaningful
conversation with every student, so he wrote letters to all
140 of them, each acknowledging specific qualities of that
student.
“I don’t know many with the power of empathy — the
ability to wear another’s skin or walk in their shoes —
like you do,” he wrote to one student. To another, he
wrote: “When you pointed to the flag indicating where
your family came from, you noted the struggle that your
parents made to get you here and work to realizing the
American dream.”

“

“Do not put off chasing dreams because of these
new barriers. Communication is key. Teachers
and parents are on the same team. Parents
should be in touch with teachers.”
— Jake Miller

He then made a personalized video for 40 graduating
seniors, several of whom are coming to BU.
“Kids crave in-person learning. Science supports that,”
says Miller. “I’m going to have 40 percent of the in-person
time as I’m used to. I’m proud of my colleagues in our
profession. The way we do things has changed more in
the past year than since education became compulsory.”
“I love the between class moments where a kid will come
up and say something like I never thought about that
before. Or going up to them and say ‘You had a great
basketball game,’” says Miller. “Those are foundational for
the relationship. You can’t hang around on Zoom and say
these things.”
“In the end, this is going to build a lot of resiliency in kids.
One thing for them to grasp onto is that their teachers are
rooting them.”

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

Miller actively shares his teaching knowledge as a speaker
and writer at theeducatorsroom.com and on his website,
mrjakemiller.com.

23

building a career
one video at a time
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

Cailley (Breckinridge) Lombardo, ’16, jokes that she’s
“grateful to say she watches cartoons for a living.”

24

A producer for Nickelodeon’s Viacom CBS digital studio,
Lombardo is responsible for researching, scripting,
producing, and editing content for six of the network’s
YouTube channels.
The “Visual DNA of Kendrick Lamar,” “Henry Hart House
Tour,” and “Top 13 Krabby Patty Moments.” Yep, those are
Cailley Lombardo’s. These three videos account for over 17
million views on YouTube, with the Krabby Patty video alone
accounting for more than 15 million views, making it the
highest viewed video on the channel and part of the Krusty
Krab installation at the 2019 Comic Con. The Henry Hart
Tour video had 1 million views in its first month on YouTube.

By Mary Raskob

While Lombardo’s job seems fun, her career has been built
on putting in long hours to hone her craft — one video at a
time.
As a student, Lombardo worked in BU’s marketing and
communications office, editing and producing videos
that informed the campus of events and promoted
the university. She was also president of the National
Broadcasting Society and was the managing editor of
BUNow, where she learned responsibility, collaboration, and
had the chance to “flex all of her creative muscles.”
“I loved that the mass communications department (now
called media and journalism) allowed me to dip my toes in
so many different types of media,” remarked Lombardo. “I
was a telecommunications major, but I also took courses in
journalism and emergent media — two skills I use daily.”

While students may feel they spend
a lot of time in McCormick now,
Lombardo sees how developing that
work ethic and persistence is paying
dividends. “Thinking back to my BU
days whenever I am working on a
fairly large project and feel a little
overwhelmed, I am reminded of all
the hours I put in at the editing bays
in McCormick, and it helps me put
into perspective that if I could create
awesome projects even as a student
I can get through any challenge that
comes my way.”
“The professors and department really
prepared me to work hard and not to
give up or take short cuts. Whenever
I am on shoots with my team, I think
of working with the equipment in the
studio in McCormick and how I am
so thankful I had the opportunity to
learn how a studio runs and how to
properly run a shoot.”
When Lombardo first came to BU, she
dreamed of a career in TV news. “After
a few editing classes and creating
videos, I knew I wanted to write and
edit the stories, not just tell them.”
That change in mindset spurred
Lombardo to take risks with her
assignments and hone her dialogue
skills. “I wanted to think out of the
box and do something no one else
was doing. At the end of your time
as a student, those projects will be
what you have to show to future
employers, so do what you can to
make yourself stand out.”

“But what’s nice is that my schedule really varies. I am
not in a routine where I am stuck at my computer for
long stretches of time and I can give myself a little bit of a
mental break when working on less complicated projects,”
said Lombardo.
With Nickelodeon, Lombardo is involved in every step of
the process from conception to the final delivery, while
collaborating with writers, editors, and graphic designers.
“Every day is different for me. One day I’ll be pulling clips of
every time SpongeBob SquarePants said, “I’m Ready!” and
the next day, I am deep diving into every relationship Tori
Vega from Victorious ever had.”
Having good knowledge of the digital space, such as
YouTube, IGTV, Facebook, and Instagram gives Lombardo
an extra edge, while she is trying to learn new things and
do something different. “When it comes to the internet,
something is viral one week, and the next week, it’s entirely
different, so I need to be a few steps ahead of the trends.”
Lombardo’s advice to students dreaming of a career in
digital production: work hard, have fun, and keep a positive
attitude.
“Create your own YouTube channel! Vlog, create stories,
or get together with friends to collaborate with any fun
ideas. These will not only beef up your portfolio but give
you another chance to work on tightening up your skills
for your future career. It may not always be easy, but hard
work and a positive attitude can take you a long way in the
industry.”

The road to Nickelodeon included stops as an intern
for MTV News and a production assistant for its digital
platform. Then she was promoted to associate producer,
creating videos that revolved around pop-culture, daily
breaking news, and big events such as the Video Music
Awards and the Movie and TV Awards. A perk of working
with MTV News was meeting celebrities such as Nick
Jonas, The Chainsmokers, Aubrey Plaza, Chole X Halle, and
Cardi B.
For Lombardo, no days – or assignments – are the same.
A simple execution, like a listicle — an article in the form
of a list — can take around two days to source clips from
research or memory, and then arrange in a simple timeline
before sending off to final delivery. Longer videos require
research, scripting, sound mixing, voice-over work, and
a graphics treatment. It can take up to five days from
beginning of research to final approval.

“

“I wanted to think out of the box and do
something no one else was doing. At the end of
your time as a student, those projects will be
what you have to show to future employers, so do
what you can to make yourself stand out.”
— Cailley Lombardo

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

Lombardo set her sights on digital
rather than traditional television
because it offers more flexibility, and
“allows you to be as creative and as
weird as possible.”

25

HUSKY NOTES

’60s
» Larry Greenly ’65 signed a film rights
option for his book, Eugene Bullard:
World’s First Black Fighter Pilot.

’70s
» Samuel Ceccacci ’74 is a member
of the Keystone College Board of
Trustees. The former executive director
of the Scranton Lackawanna Human
Development Agency, Inc., Ceccaci
spent his entire career with the agency
as Head Start coordinator, director, and
executive director.
» Barbara Benner Hudock ’75 was
named one of the top 10 Women
Wealth Advisors in Pennsylvania.
Hudock is the chief executive officer
and founding partner of Hudock
Capital Group. Earlier this year, she
was included in the Forbes 2020
Pennsylvania Best-In-State Wealth
Advisor Rankings and in the Barron’s
12th Annual Top 1,200 Advisors.
Together, these rankings place her
among the highest-ranked women
financial advisers in the nation.
» Kathleen Williams Gaughenbaugh
’79 retired from Saint Columba School
in Bloomsburg.

’80s
» Randy Deitrich ’80 retired from
Ashland/Valvoline. He progressed from
entry-level accountant to financial
systems manager.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

» Diane Lewis Long McAloon ’80
retired as director of alumni relations
after 19 years at Penn State Lehigh
Valley.

26

» Victoria Bloss Seifred ’80 retired
after 38 years from the Red Clay
Consolidated School District, in
Wilmington, Del. Seifred served as
a social studies teacher and school
counselor and was honored twice
as Teacher of the Year as well as the
Delaware School Counselor of the
Year.
» Nancy Amone Goldfader ’81
retired as treasurer from the board of
Greater Honesdale Partnership. Beck
was a certified public accountant in
Pennsylvania.
» Alfred Beck ’82 retired from Larson
Design Group, Williamsport.
» Denise Molchany Hozza ’82 was
named as a Lehigh Valley Business
Women of Influence winner for 2020.
Hozza is a certified valuation analyst
with Concannon Miller.

» Dwayne Hoffman ’85 is vice
president of franchise development
at Duck Donuts Franchising,
Mechanicsburg.
» Martha Geiger King ’85 is chief client
officer with Infosys, a global retirement
hub in Vanguard. King was managing
director of Vanguard Institutional
Investor Group since 2015.
» Regina Speaker Palubinsky ’87 is
executive director of the Montgomery
County Intermediate Unit. Previously,
Palubinsky was the superintendent
of the Great Valley School District
in Chester County, assistant
superintendent for the Phoenixville
Area School District, and special
assistant to the Pennsylvania Secretary
of Education.
» Thomas Beck ’88 is senior vice
president and chief risk officer of
Mifflinburg Bank & Trust. Beck has
31 years of experience in audit,
compliance, and risk management, 25
of which are with Mifflinburg Bank &
Trust.
» Nichola Delbalso Gutgold ’88M has
written a children’s book, Growing
Up Supremely: The Women of the
Supreme Court, that won first place in
the biography/autobiography category
of the Purple Dragonfly Contest.
» Linda Lehman Hock Swisher ’88
was named registrar of Bloomsburg
University. Swisher had served as
associate registrar since 2012.

’90s
» James McCormack ’90 has been
promoted from colonel to general
in the Pennsylvania National Guard.
McCormack, BU’s associate vice
president for student development and
campus life, began his military career
as an enlisted infantryman in 1987.
He earned a commission through the
Reserve Officer Training Corps in 1990.
Among his numerous command and
staff positions, McCormack served
as the deputy garrison commander
and director of public works of the
Kabul Compound, the senior NATO
headquarters at the time, in support of
Operation Enduring Freedom in Kabul,
Afghanistan in 2003-2004. He also
served as the senior Intelligence and
operations officer for the 213th Area
Support Group charged with general
support logistic management and
distribution throughout central Iraq, in
support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in
2007-2008.

» John Kveragas ’94 is senior vice
president, chief audit officer of Bryn
Mawr Trust, owned by Bryn Mawr
Bank Corporation. Kveragas has more
than 20 years of auditing experience,
including 12 years at ING Direct/Capital
One, where he served as a director of
corporate audit and security services.
» Marae Pharr Reid ’94 is principal
at Overton Elementary School in
Salisbury, N.C. Reid has been an
assistant principal with the district
since 2007 and served as a testing
coordinator, bus coordinator, support
coordinator, and dean of students.
» David Manbeck ’98 is an equity
member with Boyer & Ritter CPAs and
Consultants, Camp Hill. A CPA with
more than 20 years of experience,
Manbeck chairs the firm’s not-forprofit services group. He is a member
of the Pennsylvania Institute of
Certified Public Accountants Not-forProfit Committee and Not-for-Profit
Conference Planning Committee. He
also serves on the board of directors
of The Foundation for Enhancing
Communities.
» Jessica Light ’99M is raising money
to start a nonprofit, the JumpStart Cart,
to provide young adults with special
needs job opportunities operating a
food truck.

’00s
» Belinda Price Heltzel ’00 is owner of
Central Penn Field Hockey. The Camp
Hill-based youth club was named the
2020 USA Field Hockey National Club
of the Year.
» Karen Quintero Molina ’00, a
K-5 World Language Teacher in the
Denville Township (N.J.) School District,
was named the 2020 Staff Member
of the Year for her dedication to her
students and the community. She has
been teaching in Denville since 2000.
» Peter Cheddar ’00 is the
superintendent of the Mount Carmel
Area School District. Cheddar served as
junior high school principal at his alma
mater since 2012.
» Rev. Shawn Simchock ’02 earned a
Masters of Divinity degree from Pope
St. John XXIII National Seminary in
Weston, Mass. Simchock was ordained
a Roman Catholic priest for the
Diocese of Scranton on June 27 and
has been assigned as assistant pastor
at St. Faustina Parish in Nanticoke, Pa.
and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish
in Lake Silkworth, Pa.

HUSKY NOTES
» Crystal Skotedis ’03 is an elected
principal owner of Boyer & Ritter, Camp
Hill. Skotedis, CPA, CFE, is co-chair
of the firm’s employee benefit plan
services group.

’10s

» Jennifer Drey ’05 was named the
Pennsylvania Business Educator
of the Year by the Pennsylvania
Business Education Association. The
award goes to a PBEA member who
demonstrates excellence in business,
computer or information technology in
a kindergarten through 12th grade, or
post-secondary education setting.

» Senahid Zahirovic ’10 is a director at
Boyer & Ritter CPAs and Consultants,
Camp Hill. Zahirovic is a CPA and
member of the firm’s government
services practice group. He is on
the board of Dauphin County Crime
Stoppers and is a 2017 graduate of
Leadership Harrisburg Area.

Marriages
Clarissa Coffay ’14 and
Michael Mock ’13, June 13, 2020

» Jeremy Scheibelhut ’11 is a director
at Boyer & Ritter CPAs and Consultants,
Camp Hill. Scheibelhut is a CPA and
member of the firm’s auto dealership
and not-for-profit services groups.
He is on the boards of the Central
Pennsylvania Food Bank and Harrisburg
Young Professionals, a 2016 graduate
of Leadership Harrisburg Area. He is a
second lieutenant in the Pennsylvania
Air National Guard.

Hope McLaughlin Vaughn ’12 and
husband, Peter, a son, Bennett,
August 21, 2020

Andreana Yocum ’03 and
Jonathan Chappel, Sept. 13, 2019

Jessica Pavlik ’12 and husband,
Christian, a son, Luca Pavlik,
November 24, 2019

Births

Tiffany Drasher Stagliano ’15 and
husband, Aaron ’09, a son, Tyler,
June 5, 2016

Andreana Yocum Chappel ’03 and
husband, Jonathan, a daughter,
Amelia, July 21, 2020

Stefanie Morris Hower ’15 and
husband, Adam, a son, Jacen, July
7, 2020

Crystal Litzenbauer Kovacs ’05 and
husband, Charles ’05, a daughter,
Charlotte Elizabeth, June 10, 2020

Krista Lipps ’16 and Wade Joline Jr.,
a son, Chase Conrad, May 26, 2020

Chad Romig ’07 and wife, Jenna, a
son, Blake, Dec, 15, 2016

Obituaries

Elise Henne Gledhill ’10 and
husband, Ryan, a son, Wyatt,
August 6, 2020

Ann Evans Bacon ’42
Merrill Deitrich ’42
Charlotte Reichart Sharpless ’48
Rosemary Snierski Fiscella ’54
Carol Shupp Heard Clarke ’55
Ann Snyder Roadarmel ’55
Shirley Carey ’56
Miriam Miller Argall ’57
John Simko ’60
Dora Forney Jarrett ’63
Frank Harris ’64

Amanda Brooks Winters ’09 and
husband, John, a daughter, Nora
Josephine, May 22, 2020
Brad Fritz ’10 and wife, Caitlin, a
daughter, Kaylee, July 15, 2020
Elizabeth King Salas ’11 and
husband, Ryan ’08, a daughter, Ava,
July 6, 2020

» Caitlin Donahue ’16 is an associate
attorney with Cipriani & Werner, P.C. in
Lancaster. She practices employment,
business and contracts, and workers’
compensation defense law.

Paul Levitski ’64
Caroline Sager Bakelaar ’65
Judith Radler Truex ’65
Gerard Dick ’66
Wesley Rothermel ’66
Louis Centrella ’68
Claude Coccodrilli ’68
William Roberts ’68
Richard Snell ’70
Marie Walker Carchilla ’71
Claire Sieber Jeppsen ’72
Paul McAuliffe ’72
Barbara Neuhard ’72
Barry Sutter ’72
Gerald Witcoski ’74
Terry Burns ’76
Diane Beers Johnson ’76
James Kodlick ’76
James Perrige ’78
David Fox ’82
Carol Sue Miller ’82
Todd Remley ’86
Filomena Costantino Covert ’88
Craig Moyer ’92
Wendi Friedberg Schrof ’93
David Greene ’96
Morgan Fornwald Baker ’12
Michael Dessino ’14

Send information to: magazine@bloomu.edu
Bloomsburg: The University Magazine | Waller Administration Building | 400 E. Second Street | Bloomsburg, PA 17815-1301

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

» Chad Garrapy ’07 is a senior attorney
at Geraci Law, Indianapolis. Garrapy has
been practicing law since 2011 when he
graduated with honors from Michigan
State University College of Law.

» Amanda Schaffer ’10 is executive
director of Sewickley Valley Historical
Society.

» Eliza Reed ’12 is an emergency
medicine physician at Evangelical
Community Hospital in Lewisburg.
Reed received her Doctor of
Osteopathic Medicine from the
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic
Medicine.

27

sports

A VIEW FROM THE TOP

Two decades ago
the football world
learned about the

By Tom McGuire
With apologies to the Beatles ...
It was 20 years ago today
Danny Hale taught the team to play,
They were going up the rankings in style,
But they’re guaranteed to raise a smile,
So may I introduce to you,
The act you’ve known for all these years,
The 2000 Bloomsburg University football team!
Two decades ago the BU football team turned the
Division II football world upside down and made a
dramatic run to the NCAA Division II national title game.
Head coach Danny Hale had high hopes going into the
2000 season after finishing the previous season with four
straight wins. In the 2000 PSAC East preseason poll, BU was
ranked third behind Millersville and West Chester.
“We were optimistic going into the year,” Hale says. “We had
a prolific offense and an experienced defense, and I felt like
we could be successful.”

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

Eric Miller, a three-year starter at quarterback, led the
offense. At his disposal were wide receivers Mike Lelko
and Tierell Johnson and running backs Marques Glaze and
Arrastene Henry. An offensive line led by Jeff Smith, Sean
Flueso, Manny Henrie, and Matt Russel gave BU fans a lot to
be excited about.

28

Defensively, the Huskies also featured a veteran crew led by
defensive tackle Brian Sims, linebackers Jeremiah Dyer, Matt
Keys, and Greg Roskos and defensive backs Toyae Berry,
Trent Flick and Rudy Garcia.
“We were solid at every position,” said Hale. “And our goal
that year was to win the PSAC East title. Then we started
with two tough losses.”
BU dropped road games to Carson-Newman, the 1999 D-II
national finalists, and Shippensburg. “We wanted to win the
Newman game in the worst way. They thought we were
going to be a cupcake team,” says Hale. “And playing at
Shippensburg was never easy.”
“At 0-2, as coaches, we had to keep the guys together. We
knew they could have easily packed it in on us.”

The Huskies, though, got wins over Lock Haven, Cheyney
and West Chester. A Homecoming win over previously
unbeaten IUP that featured a horrific injury to Juney Barnett
(see story on page 30), turned the heads of the football
world and gave the Huskies something they really needed.
“The IUP game gave us confidence,” says Hale. “They were
a legit team and suddenly we knew we could play with
anyone.”
The Huskies closed out the regular season with five more
wins, including victories over Millersville and Slippery Rock,
both ranked as the top team in the NCAA East Region at
the time, securing a berth in the NCAA playoffs with a 9-2
record.
“We were excited about making the NCAA playoffs after
how we started,” said Hale. “That doesn’t happen often. It
was a real tribute to our team that year how they stayed
together.”
BU took care of two Michigan teams, Saginaw Valley and
Northwood, at home in the opening rounds to reach the
NCAA D-II semi-finals. However, staring them squarely
in the face was one of the toughest teams the program
had ever encountered, long-time powerhouse UC Davis,
unbeaten at 12-0.
“Our goal was to do our best,” Hale says. “Our chances
weren’t good for sure. We had only 8.5 scholarships to their
fully-funded team. They figured it was the year for them to
win it all. For us, it was going to be our bowl game.”

“After three quarters, my thought was just to make the final
respectable,” Hale jokes. “I was working to keep the guys
from giving up. It was one play at a time. UC Davis could
have easily won that game, but they got greedy trying to add
to their point total.”
As the final period began, Miller gathered his team and said,
“Guys, this could be the last quarter of football most of us
will ever play. Let’s just have fun. We’re playing for pride right
now and you never know what could happen.”
What happened was one of the most remarkable comebacks
ever. The Huskies outscored the Aggies, 29-0, in the fourth
period — winning 58-48 and propelling the Huskies to
Alabama for the national title game.
To this day, the words “Bloomsburg University” can’t be
spoken around some people from UC Davis who were
there that day, says Mark Honbo of UC Davis athletic
communications.

Honbo recalls, “Before the game, I asked a buddy of mine
who knew about Bloomsburg; he replied, ‘Everyone hates
playing Bloom. They’re always good, and even when they’re
not, they’re always scary because they still can beat anybody
on the right day.’ So when the game was over, he and I
looked at each other. He put both hands up and had this
amused look on his face that effectively said, “I told you…”
“The bubble burst” the next week in the words of Danny Hale
when Delta State of Mississippi gave a good ‘ole beat down
to the Huskies, 63-34, in the national title game in Florence,
Ala. While the final game was not what the Huskies had
hoped for, the 2000 season remains one of the most storied
in BU athletic history.
Tom McGuire served as BU’s director of sports information
from 1997 to 2016 before becoming the school’s director of
communications, and covered the exploits of the 2000 BU
football team.

»

»

BU players make a tackle during the NCAA Division II title game against
Delta State.

»

The picture of the final seconds of the come-back win at UC Davis that
stunned the college football world.

Quarterback Eric Miller set several NCAA post-season passing marks for
the Huskies.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

The Huskies, in front of 10,000 fans, trailed 48-29 heading
into the final period.

29

A VIEW FROM THE TOP

Juney ’s Journey
By David Leisering

Tough times create tough people. For
Juney Barnett, no truer words have
ever been said.
The 2000 Bloomsburg University
football team made a historic run to
the NCAA Division II national title game
(see related story on page 28) — but it
didn’t come without its challenges.
Barnett, a junior at the time, was the
Huskies’ starting cornerback. He and
his teammates started slowly in 2000
losing the first two games, both on
the road. After the slow start, the
Huskies got home to Redman Stadium
and knocked out both Lock Haven
and Cheyney. An easy road win at
West Chester set up a homecoming
matchup with PSAC West-rival IUP.

strength to return to Bloomsburg to go
back to class and finish the semester.
Once he returned, he learned what
exactly had happened that October
day.
“I spoke with Dr. (Joe) Hazzard (retired
BU athletic trainer), and he told me
that I had made the hit on the field
but never got up,” Barnett recalls. “I
was in and out of consciousness, and
then I stopped breathing. Dr. Hazzard
and his training staff put a tube down
my throat to allow me to breathe and
ultimately saved my life, and, for that, I
am forever grateful.”

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

30

Barnett had made a helmet-to-helmet
tackle in the second quarter that ended
his career, but far worse, nearly his life.
He later learned that he had suffered
a subdural hematoma (a brain bleed
usually associated with traumatic brain
injury). Had the doctor not performed
surgery on time, he could have died.
He remained in the hospital for nearly
a week, but felt well enough to attend
the Huskies’ home game against East
Stroudsburg the following Saturday.
He stayed until halftime, reflecting the
whole time that he had played his last
football game.
Barnett went home with his parents
to North Carolina but gained enough

“My attraction to Bloomsburg came
from a magazine,” explained Barnett. “I
was in Panama with my parents as we
were stationed there with my father
being in the Air Force. Not many scouts
came to Central America to recruit for
American football. One day, my father
gave me a magazine that included
the top 10 teams in Division II. I sent
highlight tapes to three schools and
went on two visits. Out of the two,
Bloomsburg’s campus was the most
breathtaking.”
While on his visit, he had the chance
to sit down with head coach Danny
Hale. “I will never forget the words he
said to me – ‘Juney, you have it. I don’t
know what that is just yet, but you have
it.’” Barnett knew, at that time, that he
belonged at Bloomsburg.

The night before the game, Barnett
recalls watching “Remember the
Titans” with his teammates. As he
describes it, never in his wildest dreams
would he have ever guessed he would
have the lead role the next day.
“I remember IUP driving down the
field,” explains Barnett. “The next thing I
remember is waking up in the hospital.
I could hear my mother’s voice, but I
couldn’t speak or see her. She told me
that I just had emergency surgery on
my head.”

Even his journey to Bloomsburg began
with a bizarre twist.

Dr. Joe Hazzard
Barnett’s goals and vision shifted after
returning to Bloomsburg as he began
to study athletic training because he
“didn’t want what happened to me to
happen to anyone else.”
After receiving his bachelor’s degree
in exercise science in 2002, he
completed an internship at Drexel, then
returned to BU to earn his master’s
degree in exercise physiology in 2003.
Following stints at Division I institutions
and in the National Football League,
Barnett became the director of sports
performance for the football program
at Northern Illinois University in June.
Now that he is a Husky again – albeit at
Northern Illinois – Barnett looks back
to his days as a Bloomsburg Husky
as a time that he wouldn’t trade for
anything.

“To play under Coach Hale was
special,” remembers Barnett. “He
motivated you using the tone of
his voice, the look in his eye, or just
putting his hand on your shoulder.
The staff was also special — the late
Coach (John) Devlin, Coach (Bill)
Perkins, Coach (Frank) Williams, Coach
(Maurice) Daly. And, when we came to
the center of the field after a victory
and Coach Hale would do the ‘Oh
Yeah’ chant — there was no other
place I wanted to be.”
Amidst the challenging times our
country is in, Barnett hopes his story
can provide some solace. “In life,
you may face many obstacles, but,
remember, it’s nothing you can’t
overcome. Right now, these are
uncertain times, but keep the faith that
we will all make it through.”
And, as Barnett says, “once we get past
these tough times, we can all chant
‘Oh Yeah’ in victory.”

Cubbler Named
D2 Scholar-Athlete
of the Year

The award adds to a long list of postseason honors.
An early childhood education and special education major,
Cubbler was a four-time D2 ADA Scholar-Athlete, a fourtime PSAC Scholar-Athlete, a three-time NCAA Academic
All-American, a two-time College Sports Information
Directors of America First Team Academic All-American,
and a two-time member of the PSAC Winter Top Ten list.
She also was named the PSAC’s 2019-20 Pete Nevins
Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Cubbler was the third
student-athlete ever from Bloomsburg, male or female,
to garner the conference’s highest postseason individual
honor.

In the water,
Cubbler is one of
the top swimmers
in BU history. She
wrapped up her
career as a six-time
All-American, an
18-time All-PSAC
honoree, a two-time
PSAC champion,
and competed at
the NCAA Division II National Championships in each of
her four seasons. She also owns six school records — the
200-yard freestyle, the 500-yard freestyle, the 1000-yard
freestyle, the 400-yard medley relay, the 400-yard freestyle
relay, and the 800-yard freestyle relay.

Go Beyond the Bench
Go behind the scenes and gain insight into your favorite teams in a
new weekly video series, “Beyond the Bench: A View From the Top
with BU Coaches.”
Each week, fans can hear from a different head coach to get insights
on what each program has done to stay active during the pandemic,
what to expect in the coming year, and what it means for each coach
to be a Husky. The series will wrap up with Director of Athletics
Michael McFarland, to preview a busy 2021 calendar year.
Visit buhuskies.com to view the videos.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

Becca Cubbler ’20, who just completed her four-year
career with the women’s swimming team, was named the
Division II Conference Commissioners Association Atlantic
Region Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year for 2019-20.

31

A VIEW FROM THE TOP

Hail to the Huskies
In the fall of 1892, a history professor and interested
students at the Bloomsburg State Normal School
organized the school’s first team of an increasingly
popular sport for academic institutions. Ever since,
football has held the imagination of the fans of what is
now Bloomsburg University.
Written by BU archivist Robert Dunkelberger, “Hail
to the Huskies” is the complete history of football
at Bloomsburg — the players, coaches, teams, and
seasons that have made the sport one that thousands
have turned out to watch year after year. Learn about
or relive the memories of days past in the more than
120-year saga of Bloomsburg football.
“Hail to the Huskies” is available for purchase online
through the University Store with proceeds benefitting
athletic scholarships at Bloomsburg University. To
order your copy, please visit bloomustore.com.

Athletics Launches
Protect Our Pack
Campaign
The Athletics Department has launched a Protect Our Pack
ampaign to bring awareness to social justice issues and
help students overcome challenges.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

“Protect Our Pack is a great way to bring hard topics to
light,” says Courtney Noll, assistant field hockey coach
and student-athlete advocate. “This campaign will make a
positive impact on all of our Huskies.”

32

Student-athletes have partnered with coaches and
administrators to address bullying, racism, LGBTQA and
gender discrimination and other social injustice issues.
The Protect Our Pack concept is being developed and led
by student-athletes to create safe spaces where they can
speak up and protect themselves and their teams while
getting the necessary support to excel.
The group announced its first executive board in midSeptember. The board consists of president Angela
DiPasquale (senior; women’s lacrosse), vice president
Lauren Hoelke (senior; women’s soccer), secretary Bryce
Evans (junior; men’s soccer), and technology director

Mackenzie Gebhardt (senior; women’s soccer).
There will be educational opportunities offered for studentathletes, including a resource page on buhuskies.com, as
well as posters, videos, and speakers, to combat the social
justice issues.
“During these challenging times, this student-driven
initiative helps improve life as a Husky,” says Michael
McFarland, director of athletics. “To Protect our Pack can
mean something different to everyone. Yet, with the core
values of celebrating diversity, fostering inclusion, stopping
bullying, breaking down barriers, and ending racism, each
student-athlete can have a voice in making our campus a
better place.”
Visit buhuskies.com for more information.

Two of the three Tiffany windows, with the
one known as “Virtue” on the right, in the
Waller Hall Annex Lobby, 1965.

»

THEN & NOW

BLOOMSBURG
ICONS
By Robert Dunkelberger

»

The 100th anniversary of the dedication of the most
priceless and enduring artworks on BU’s campus, the
three Tiffany windows in the Harvey A. Andruss Library,
occurred on June 5, 2020.
David J. Waller Jr., as he
appeared at the start of his
first term as principal of the
Bloomsburg State Normal
School, 1877.

The windows were the focus of the largest fundraising
campaign in the history of the Bloomsburg State Normal
School, the name which the university was known by
from 1869 to 1927.

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

The Tiffany Windows
and David Waller:

33

»

The Tiffany windows “Truth” (left) and “Virtue” in Andruss Library
today.

The fundraising for the windows, a gift to the school by the Alumni
Association, began in 1919 to commemorate the 50th anniversary
of the Normal School’s first class of teachers. A committee was
organized and all alumni were encouraged to make subscriptions
to the fund between one and ten dollars.
In September 1919, a $3,500 contract was signed with the
ecclesiastical department of Tiffany Studios of New York City. The
windows, to incorporate figures representing Truth and Virtue,
were to fill two existing semi-circular frames in the lobby of the
annex to the main dormitory. In addition, there would be an
arched window over the doorway between the frames.

34

The three Tiffany windows in the west side of the first Harvey A.
Andruss Library, August 1972.

Waller was born in Bloomsburg in 1846, where his father was
pastor of the Presbyterian church. He went through the town’s
school system, and graduated from the Bloomsburg Literary
Institute under Henry Carver in 1867. After earning his bachelor’s
and master’s from Lafayette College and a degree in religion from
the Union Theological Seminary, Waller was convinced to take
over leadership of the Normal School in 1877. Financially shaky the
first few years, by 1890 the school was in better shape when Waller
was named state superintendent of public instruction.
After three years in that position and 13 as principal at the Indiana
State Normal School, Waller returned to Bloomsburg to complete
a distinguished 43-year career in education. He was beloved by
his students and highly respected by the school’s faculty. In 1922
a Tiffany bronze tablet was purchased, now installed on the wall
near the windows, on which were inscribed the sentiments: “With
culture and efficiency as educational aims, he placed character,
honor, right living, and high ideals above every material success.”

»

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

»

The windows arrived in town in late May 1920, were installed, and
dedicated on June 5. They honored not only 50 years of graduates,
but also one of the most influential leaders the school has known,
David J. Waller Jr. Several months before, he had announced his
retirement after having served a combined 27 years as principal of
the Normal School.

Taylor Leonard, a first-year education major from Lititz, studies in
front of the Tiffany windows at the beginning of the fall semester.

The windows remained in the dormitory, named Waller Hall in
1927, until they were moved to the first Andruss Library (now the
Warren Student Services Center) in 1966. The windows remained
there until they were installed in the current library, which
opened in 1998. Placed in the front of the building overlooking the
Academic Quad, ”Truth” and ”Virtue” remain icons of Bloomsburg
University to this day, a remembrance of its graduates and the
dedicated service of David Waller.

400 E. Second Street
Bloomsburg, PA 17815
General Information: 570-389-4175
Customer Service: 570-389-4180
bustore@bloomu.edu

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

bloomustore.com

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Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

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Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2020

®

38

While our traditional Homecoming
has been canceled for safety
this year, we’re moving onward
in celebrating our Husky Spirit
into November through more
than 20 virtual events such as the
#BackThePack 5K, a historical
look at our Tiffany stainedglass windows and a series of
10-minute student-written theatre
productions… not to mention the
50th reunion of the Class of 1970.

bloomu.edu/husky-spirit