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Bloomsburg
W I N T E R 20 21
THE UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
Not Your
Typical
Politician
How Stacy Garrity ’86 went from
being a respected business leader
and Army veteran to state treasurer
Page 12
ALSO INSIDE
Connecting
Across
Generations
Alumni Association
Board nurtures the next
generation of Huskies
The Ultimate
Soccer Mom
Paige Harris balances
motherhood and being a
student-athlete
Page 28
bloomu.edu
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
Page 20
1
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Dear BU Family,
We are pleased to present the Winter
2021 edition of Bloomsburg: The University
Magazine, and I hope that you and your
families continue to remain safe and
healthy amidst the ongoing COVID-19
pandemic.
I first want to recognize and congratulate a
BU alumna who makes us all Husky proud
– not only for what she has achieved in her
military and business careers, but perhaps
more importantly for all that she will
accomplish in her next role in Harrisburg.
Our feature story on Stacy Garrity ’86,
Pennsylvania’s recently elected state
treasurer, is an inspirational one. I had the
honor of serving as an honorary chair of
her transition team, and I know she will
be a great role model and leader for all
Huskies and Pennsylvanians.
While our spring semester began a
bit later this year, it has been great to
see our students back on campus this
President Bashar Hanna
month after an extended holiday break.
Thanks to a partnership with the Columbia County Commissioners, the University was able to purchase rapid
COVID testing kits so that our students could be tested prior to the semester’s start. The health and safety of
our campus community remains our highest priority in the coming months, and I am confident that we will
overcome the challenges the pandemic has brought us as we continue to collaborate with the commissioners
and other community partners.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
Speaking of collaborations, you may have read about the ongoing integration discussions between BU, Lock
Haven University, and Mansfield University. These discussions began last fall, and we remain heavily involved in
the analysis and planning for this potential partnership through regular working group and subgroup meetings.
I am optimistic and excited about the potential of this collaboration because we have a unique opportunity to
partner and grow together for the benefit of our students and their success, providing them greater access and
more opportunities so that they themselves may grow and thrive personally and professionally. I urge you to
visit our website to learn more about this ongoing process: bloomu.edu/integration. I also encourage you to
share your thoughts and suggestions on the feedback form on this site.
2
As we have celebrated Black History Month on our campus this February, we remain steadfast in our
commitment to ensuring an inclusive and equitable BU experience for all. Thanks to the guidance of our
President’s Commission for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) – and the leadership of its co-chairs:
Dr. Shavonne Shorter (Special Assistant to the President for DEI) and Ms. Madelyn Rodriguez – we have
progressed in this endeavor over the past year. Yet, we acknowledge the work ahead of us as we strive to become
more welcoming and inclusive for all members of the BU community.
As always, I thank you for your support of BU, and look forward to seeing you back on campus later this year.
GO HUSKIES!
Sincerely,
Bashar W. Hanna
President
DREAMS
REALIZED
Even masked up, smiles persevered as hundreds of students and their families
and supporters participated in the November graduation walk-through event in
advance of BU's official virtual commencement in December.
Inside Mitrani Hall, graduates received personal congratulations from President
Bashar Hanna and Provost Diana Rogers-Adkinson. Outside, supporters and
family members took photos to share and preserve their memories. Additional
photos on page 32.
“
“This year, you’ve adjusted twice to a remote learning
environment — and you’ve passed this test with
aplomb. With the customary grit and determination
Huskies are known for, you’ve continued to persevere
despite the COVID-19 related challenges, and you’ve
each crossed the virtual finish line. For that I’m
beyond proud of all of you.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
Check out more photos at flickr.com/photos/bloomsburgu
— President Bashar Hanna
1
Winter 2021
6
12
16
20
28
32
Contents
4
6
8
12
16
COMMON GROUND
DONORS STEP UP
A PIPELINE OF SUPPORT
NOT YOUR TYPICAL POLITICIAN
THERE ARE NO SMALL PARTS
20
24
27
30
33
CONNECTING ACROSS GENERATIONS
HUSKY NOTES
A VIEW FROM THE TOP
THEN AND NOW
FALL 2021
Connect with us
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
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
Nicole Dunlop
Alex Fefolt
Tanya I. Garcia
William Gindlesperger
Donald E. Houser Jr.
Senator Scott Martin
Thomas S. Muller
Noe Ortega
Representative Brad Roae
Senator Judith L. Schwank
Larry C. Skinner
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
Arts and Administration Building
400 East Second Street
Bloomsburg, PA 17815-1301
Email address: magazine@bloomu.edu
Visit Bloomsburg University on the web at bloomu.edu.
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 20212021
By Tom McGuire
Rarely does an opportunity come along that
can transform the look and shape of the higher education
landscape. But the proposed integration of Bloomsburg,
Lock Haven, and Mansfield universities is one such instance.
This work, led by Bloomsburg President Bashar Hanna,
who was also named interim president of Lock Haven
in February, and close to 1,000 individuals, will build
stronger institutions with an expanded capacity to serve an
increasingly diverse student population.
When complete, the integration would give students at
all three locations access to a broader array of academic
programs, a larger pool of faculty, and an affordable
education with expansive opportunities for personal
development and professional success.
The integration of the three universities will strengthen
and expand partnerships with the region’s employers and
fulfill northeast Pennsylvania’s workforce needs. Faculty will
have the opportunity to collaborate with their peers for the
benefit of students across three campuses.
“This is an ambitious undertaking aimed at preserving our
legacies while sustainably building a new institution that
will serve the commonwealth’s students for generations to
come,” said Hanna. “Within each institution’s community
will remain the advantage of a thriving university that
continues to have strong partnerships with school districts
and area employers with whom we can partner to prepare
our students for the region’s workforce and beyond.”
For BU’s students, faculty, staff and alumni, there
is a commitment to maintaining the Bloomsburg
name, and honoring BU’s identity, brand, and
traditions — while opening the door to new opportunities.
At each institution, the original University name will
continue to appear on diplomas connecting graduates to a
Husky network of 76,000 and counting alumni. Integration
will also allow the alumni of the three institutions
to interact with more than 60,000 new friends with
similar experiences so that they can collectively provide
professional networks and opportunities for the benefit of
students.
“What gives me great confidence about this complex effort
is that it is being led by BU President Bashar Hanna and
supported by so many faculty and staff across all three
institutions,” said John Wetzel, BU trustee and Pennsylvania
Secretary of Corrections. “Combining Dr. Hanna’s visionary
leadership along with the commitment and support of
faculty and staff, I have no doubt that students across the
Commonwealth who are seeking a high-quality, affordable
education will be the ultimate beneficiaries of this potential
integration.”
The integration team is expected to submit preliminary
implementation plans and aspirational goals to the Board
of Governors in April, and if approved, those plans will
be subject to a
public comment
period lasting 60
days. The Board
will then review the
public comments
and consider final
implementation
plans as early as July,
which would mean
the first cohort of
students to enroll
in an integrated
university is the Fall
semester of 2022.
For more information about integration, visit
bloomu.edu/integration
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
PASSHE
Northeast
Integration
Gains
Momentum
University integration is focused on accessibility and
student success and aims to retain the unique and personal
on-campus experiences, services, and faculty-student
interactions that have historically reinforced campus
identities. Integration includes pursuing a path with the
NCAA where all three campuses would retain their current
complement of athletic teams. This effort also will build
upon an existing foundation of collaboration and shared
services partnerships to expand and deliver undergraduate
and graduate programs across the region and beyond.
3
COMMON GROUND
news on campus
Ramakrishnan Named
Dean of the College of
Science and Technology
Latha Ramakrishnan, Ph.D., knows firsthand the power of
inspiration. BU’s new dean of the College of Science and
Technology, Ramakrishnan was inspired by teachers at
critical points in her life.
Ramakrishnan comes to Bloomsburg after serving for more
than 14 years in multiple roles at St. Cloud State University in
Minnesota.
But her journey in science began as a child in India. “My
first mentor was a high school teacher. I really liked
chemistry a lot because of how he made it so simple,” says
Ramakrishnan. Her interest in science sparked, she went to
the top universities in India — earning her master’s degree in
chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai,
and her doctorate in chemistry from the Indian Institute of
Science, Bengaluru.
Ramakrishnan came to the U.S. to further her education,
doing post-doctoral research in biophysical chemistry at
Cornell University, where she was awarded the Epilepsy
Research Foundation and Milken Family Foundation’s postdoctoral fellowship grant in 2003.
In 2006, she went to Minnesota to join St. Cloud’s
chemistry department. She was promoted to full professor
and became chair of the department of chemistry and
biochemistry in 2013.
In 2016 she became interim associate provost for research
and dean of the School of Graduate Studies, where she
oversaw more than 40 graduate programs.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
Bloomsburg University
to Offer Master of
Social Work Degree
4
BU will begin offering the Master of Social Work (MSW)
degree this fall after the program was approved by the
Board of Governors of the Pennsylvania State System of
Higher Education.
“The demand for master’s-level social workers is on the
rise nationally and in Northcentral Pennsylvania,” says Andy
Dunlap, associate professor and program director of social
work. “Graduates of the program will be trained to assist
individuals, families, and communities to adjust to these
challenging times. Social workers are also charged with
making positive change in their communities.”
“Employers in fields such as health care, corrections, and
substance abuse counseling have been asking for this
program and are eager for us to begin contributing mastersprepared social workers to the workforce in our region,”
“Throughout my education and career at every level, it’s
the faculty who have the greatest influence on me,” says
Ramakrishnan, who has emphasized student-faculty
research throughout her career. As an independent
investigator, she established a research program in
behavioral neuropharmacology testing anti-convulsive
drugs, mentored more than 50 undergraduate students
in research, and published research articles with multiple
student co-authors.
“During the interview process Dr. Ramakrishnan
distinguished herself as someone who has a depth of
experiences that will serve our institution well,” says Diana
Rogers-Adkinson, BU’s provost and senior vice president for
academic affairs. “She also possesses the qualities of being
a collaborative problem-solver, an outstanding mentor to
faculty and students, and a champion of diversity.”
During her tenure at St. Cloud State, Ramakrishnan secured
over $6 million in external grants, including multiple grants
from the National Science Foundation.
Before Ramakrishnan’s arrival to BU in December, Lynn
Hummel ‘02/’03M, Ed.D., had been serving as the interim
dean of the college.
says James Brown, dean of the College of Liberal Arts.
BU’s program will be accredited by the Council on Social
Work Education, enabling graduates to be licensed in
Pennsylvania as a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW).
“LMSWs have more advanced positions in professional
settings,” says Dunlap. “They tend to provide supervision,
specialized care and program leadership. After several years
of clinical supervision, LMSWs may also go on to become
Licensed Clinical Social Workers, who provide specialized
counseling and can be independent practitioners.”
The program is two years for students who have earned
a bachelor’s degree in any field, but students who have
earned a Bachelor’s in Social Work (BSW) may be eligible to
opt out of two semesters of foundational courses.
“Bloomsburg’s social work program already enjoys strong
community ties, and local agencies have expressed
enthusiasm for providing field education sites for master’s
level social work students,” says Dunlap.
For more information, go to
bloomu.edu/gradschool/social-work.
BU Police
Department Earns
Accreditation
BU’s Terry and JoAnn Zeigler College of Business has earned
reaccreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate
Schools of Business (AACSB).
BU initially received accreditation by AACSB in 2005 and is
one of seven schools within the Pennsylvania State System of
Higher Education that hold it. Just 5% of all business schools
globally have this prestigious designation.
“Earning reaccreditation from the AACSB is a testament to our
University’s commitment to excellence,” says Diana RogersAdkinson, BU’s provost and senior vice president for academic
affairs. “It reaffirms our faculty and staff’s unwavering support
for our students and programs.”
The Zeigler College of Business received commendations
from AACSB for the high-level of engagement between
faculty, students, and staff, including:
• The Zeigler Institute for Professional Development.
• Student success in business knowledge competitions,
including professional sales, international business, and
others.
• The Husky Dog Pound, providing college and high school
students the opportunity to share an innovative idea in a
Shark Tank-style competition.
• Professional internship opportunities for students.
• Very active student clubs and organizations.
“Accreditation is earned by meeting or exceeding the rigorous
standards of AACSB for excellence in our degree programs,
faculty research, teaching, and community service. This is
earned by always seeking continuous improvement and
creating high-quality educational and experiential learning
opportunities for our students,” says Todd Shawver, dean of
the Zeigler College of Business.
Accreditation by AACSB International, founded in 1916,
is a voluntary, non-governmental review of educational
institutions and programs.
Accreditation helps institutions evaluate and
improve their performance. The process takes
between 18 and 24 months and covers 136
standards and 184 sub-standards.
“When I arrived back at BU more than three years
ago, I told our administration leadership that I
could reshape the BU PD into a model 21st-century
department,” says Leo Sokoloski, director of the
BU police department.
“To be a model department, we had to transform
training, develop and write 21st-century policies
and then put into practice what we said we were
doing. The department headquarters needed minor
physical changes to retrofit the facilities to be
compliant to accreditation standards.”
The accreditation process continued under new VP
for Finance and Administration Claudia Thrush and
Associate VP for Facilities Management Eric Ness,
who saw the value and importance of the effort.
“This accreditation is a feather in the university’s
cap as it confirms the department is operating at
an exemplary level and providing best-in-class
service,” says Thrush.
Sokoloski is quick to point out the many individuals
involved with the effort.
“Sergeant Rob Neiderhiser and officer Jeff
Bachinger played significant roles and were
focused on driving this initiative to completion after
many, many months of work,” says Sokoloski. “Also,
BU’s skilled craftsmen did great work for us. The
plumbers, electricians, carpenters, painters, and
many more worked tirelessly to make the changes
we needed in our facilities.”
«
«
Alumni share their insights with students at the fall 2019 Zeigler
Institute for Professional Development Business Conference.
BU is now one of only seven accredited institutions
of higher education law enforcement agencies in
Pennsylvania to be accredited by the Pennsylvania
Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission and
one of only 127 statewide.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
Zeigler College of
Business Earns AACSB
Reaccreditation
BU’s Police Department has earned accreditation
from the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association
through its Pennsylvania Law Enforcement
Accreditation Commission.
From left: Sgt. Rob Neiderhiser, Director Leo Sokoloski,
Officer Jeff Bachinger.
5
news on campus
COMMON GROUND
Alumni and Donors
During Challenging Year
By Tom Schaeffer ’02
The numbers are in, and the results
show BU alumni and donors have
come together to provide support for
students when they needed it most.
Despite many pandemic-related
fundraising challenges, the donors’
response helped create opportunities
and alleviate financial stress for
students to the tune of:
58%
increase
in giving from 2019
70%
increase
in donor support
on Giving Tuesday.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
32
6
new
scholarships created
$2M+
increase
to BU’s endowment,
growing to more than
$60M
“2020 was certainly a challenging
year for us all, but the commitment of
our alumni and donors in supporting
our students exemplifies the Husky
spirit of resilience and togetherness
and has truly been an inspiration,”
says President Bashar Hanna. “We are
fortunate to have such a dedicated
community, and I am forever grateful
for their commitment to our students
and their success in especially
challenging times.”
During a tumultuous year filled
with unprecedented academic and
logistical challenges, many students
also faced financial crisis due to
job loss and other circumstances.
In addition to regular fundraising
efforts, these challenges sparked the
Strengthen the Pack Campaign for
emergency student aid, which raised
$105,000 from 241 donors. The fund
helped BU administrators deploy
resources to students facing urgent
short-term needs like computer and
internet access, temporary housing
needs, tuition assistance, and food
insecurities.
“While I’m typically in awe of the
support and generosity of our alumni
and friends, this past year has been
extraordinary,” says Vice President for
Advancement Erik Evans. “What was
especially encouraging was more
than 75% of the gifts we received
were $250 or less. This shows that
donors at all levels are giving what
they can to support our students,
and they know that every gift counts.
When everyone comes together to
give, it makes all the difference.”
Annual gifts to the Bloom On Fund,
emergency aid, and scholarships
to help recruit and retain students
made for a promising year of support,
but the generosity didn’t stop there.
BU donors also bestowed several
transformational gifts, which are
equally vital to the advancement of
the University, including a $10 million
gift from Steph Pettit ’89 to support
student-athletes, a $1.5 million
gift from Craig A. Diehl Esq. ’82 to
establish a center for law school
preparation and a $500,000 gift from
Mike ’85 and Beth Boguski to support
Professional Experience Grants.
Finally, in addition to immediateuse funds provided, BU donors also
stepped up to show their commitment
to future Huskies by pledging more
than $6 million in gifts through estate
intentions, an increase of $2.2 million
from the previous year.
To learn more about how donor
support impacted the BU community
during 2020, visit
giving.bloomu.edu/Impact,
or to make a gift go to
giving.bloomu.edu/GiveNow.
“
“2020 was certainly a
challenging year for us all,
but the commitment of
our alumni and donors in
supporting our students
exemplifies the Husky
spirit of resilience and
togetherness and has truly
been an inspiration. We are
fortunate to have such a
dedicated community, and
I am forever grateful for
their commitment to our
students and their success in
especially challenging times.”
— President Bashar Hanna
COMMON GROUND
First-Generation
Alumni Support
Future Generations
of
Nearly a third of BU students are the first in their family to
attend college. And many of them know, all too well, just
how expensive it can be.
They also know that they need every little bit of support
they can get — especially when their families aren’t always
in a position to help.
Adenuga, a Philadelphia native who came to BU through the
Act 101 program, benefited from a scholarship. Her parents
supported her dream of attending college, but were not in
a position to pay for her education, and she had a difficult
time finding scholarships.
“Several of my friends came to BU through Act 101, and
that’s how I learned about the school,” Adenuga says. “The
program played a major role in laying the foundation for my
education.”
That scholarship and the support she received from the
Act 101 program members inspired her desire to give back.
And her first gift came with a big impact. In 2019, Adenuga
established a scholarship through a virtual endowment,
which allows her to support a student today with an annual
gift and ensure that support for years to come with an
additional gift to
BU in her estate.
“We’ve all gotten
to where we
are because
someone helped
us in some way,”
Adenuga adds.
“We owe where
we are to them,
so it’s important
to find a way
to do that for
someone else if
we can.”
A Bloomsburg
native, Luxardo
and his wife,
Marti, were high
school sweethearts
who both attended
BU and graduated
together in 1995.
Luxardo went on to
pursue his medical
degree at the
Philadelphia College
of Osteopathic
Medicine, with
which BU now
has an established
formal pathway.
His loyalty to his hometown drew him back, and in 1999 he
completed his medical training at Geisinger Health System,
where he has worked ever since.
“I wasn’t sure what would happen until I went out and
experienced more of the world,” says Luxardo. “But it wasn’t
until I was in the city and exposed to that lifestyle that I
realized that I wanted to come back and practice here and
give back to my community.”
His loyalty to BU is just as strong. In 1996, one year after
graduating, Karl and Marti made their first gift to BU, even
while Karl was in med school. They have been loyal donors
ever since.
“We’ve always said that if we were able to give back, we
would. Along with having fond memories of BU, I also got
a great education there that prepared me for med school,”
says Karl. “It’s more than just a university for us. It’s where
our kids had their high school graduation and played high
school field hockey when their field was destroyed by flood
waters. It’s such a big part of our lives and our community.”
Their triplets, Gabrielle, Dominque, and Alexandra,
graduated from college last spring. And with their youngest
daughter Bella hoping to follow in their footsteps as a
Husky, the Luxardos are looking forward to increasing
their contributions to BU to support future first-generation
college students.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
That was especially true for Christina Adenuga ’10 and
Karl Luxardo ’95. Both were first-generation students, and
though they both had very different experiences, they both
knew they wanted to give back to BU.
7
BU Provides a
Pipeline of Support
for First-Gen Students
By Eric Foster
S
erving first-generation students has been a
foundational part of Bloomsburg University’s mission
since its beginning in 1839 as a literary institute. That
mission has remained steadfast through its years as a state
college in the 1960s and 70s, and as recently as 2008, when
more than a third of the student body were the first in their
families to attend college.
that the residence hall closes over breaks and you have to
arrange for a ride home. Or how the final exam schedule
works. The students around you can navigate everyday life
and call mom and dad if they have questions.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
Through those decades, students experienced the
unfamiliar challenges of “navigating” college — obtaining
financial aid, scheduling classes, communicating with
professors — together.
8
“For first-gen students, it is all brand-new,” says Mindy
Andino, interim vice provost and dean of undergraduate
studies. “They face challenge unlike their peers who have
families with college experience and references to college
growing up.”
Today’s first-generation students, making up 28% of BU’s
student population, don’t always have peers to share their
experience with, and the university is working to make sure
they don’t face the challenges alone.
Andino is one of many administrators and faculty, including
President Bashar Hanna and Provost Diana RogersAdkinson, who understand the experiences of these
students because they were first-generation students
themselves.
“You don’t know what you don’t know. There are unspoken
cultural norms about university life you just don’t know
as first-gen,” says Andino. “Little things, like figuring out
“
“You don’t know what you don’t know. There
are unspoken cultural norms about university
life you just don’t know as first-gen.”
— Mindy Andino
BU has been named to the 2021-22 First-gen
Forward cohort by The Center for First-generation
Student Success, an initiative of NASPA (Student
Affairs Administrators in Higher Education) and
The Suder Foundation. The First-gen Forward
designation recognizes higher education institutions
that have demonstrated a commitment to improving
experiences and advancing first-generation college
students’ outcomes.
As a First-gen Forward Institution, BU faculty and
staff will have opportunities to engage with peer
institutions that are also working to improve firstgeneration students’ experiences and outcomes. BU
will participate in the First-gen Forward Workshop
slated for early-June, monthly phone calls, and
virtual professional development sessions. After
two successful years in the program, institutions
are eligible to apply for the Advisory leadership
designation.
First-gen Forward now recognizes and supports
over 200 diverse institutions across three cohorts
committed to first-generation student success.
When she was college-age, Andino’s father was terminally
ill, and she might never have gone to college except on
a scholarship. “For graduate school, my boyfriend, now
husband, helped me with the FAFSA,” says Andino, referring
to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. “And there’s
a massive pressure to succeed and be successful. You have
to manage that and move forward, and it’s not easy. It’s one
of the experiences that’s similar to being an immigrant.”
William Ross ’65 knows this pressure all too well. He was the
first and only member of his family to go to college — his
sister went to business school, and his brother followed
their father into the trades. “Back then, everyone was firstgeneration. The first day, three of us met in the registration
line and wound up being roommates. We’re still friends.”
A constant help for first-gen students over the years are
professors who go the extra mile for their students.
“Dr. (Harold) Lanterman gave me textbooks to read. I was
reading chemistry books like novels,” says Ross. “The next
year, I got a job as a student assistant in the lab for three
years. I spent more time with my professors than just in
class. I was a lab rat.” For Ross, the experience paid off.
After graduation, he worked for major chemical companies
before moving into chemical sales and founding his own
firm, Ross Organic, which supplies materials for health and
beauty firms.
Maddy Rodriguez ’95 has experience at BU both as a firstgeneration student and as a staffer who has shared her
wisdom to help new first-generation students navigate
college.
“
“Campuses operate on social capital.
We’re trying to change that. One of the
challenges is making it more transparent.”
— Rebecca Willoughby
“There’s imposter syndrome, ‘I don’t belong here.’ Even as a
grown woman, I still get that feeling,” says Rodriguez, BU’s
director of multicultural affairs. ”Many of our students carry
that with them. Should I really be in this class?”
Rodriguez — known as ‘Miss Maddy’ by the students she
works with — almost had her own college career derailed
by self-doubt and lack of focus. “My sister, Janet (Rodriguez)
O’Toole ’88, saw my grades from the first semester and said,
‘I’m not wasting gas and paying tolls to pick you up with
grades like this.’ After that, I improved my grades.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
“My father had an accident on the job and had to be cared
for by his family. I chose Bloomsburg because it was close
to home,” says Ross, a native of the Schuylkill County coal
community of Connerton. “It was a lot more intensive than
high school. It took a lot of getting used to.”
9
Among the lessons Rodriguez shares with students is to get to know their
professors. “They don’t realize the relationship with the faculty is important.
They want to stay under the radar. I made sure I knew my professors by
name, and they knew me by name.”
One of the professors first-generation students are likely to meet is
Rebecca Willoughby, executive director of Student Success and the
First-Year Experience, and an ‘01 first-generation graduate of BU.
“I was a commuter, so I didn’t get the full-on experience,” says Willoughby,
“But I still felt like a fish out of water, particularly my first semester. My
family was completely unfamiliar with the whole idea of college and all that
entailed. I came to BU at 17, and I was struggling to decipher my parents’
taxes so I could fill out the FAFSA form.”
“
“They don’t realize the
relationship with the faculty is
important. They want to stay
under the radar. I made sure I
knew my professors by name,
and they knew me by name.”
— Maddy Rodriguez
“Campuses operate on social capital,” Willoughby explains. “We’re trying to
change that. One of the challenges is making it more transparent — if you
need help with this, here is a campus resource that can help.”
Willoughby teaches several sections of BU’s First-Year Seminar course, but
she emphasizes that the First-Year Experience is a more encompassing
project. To start with, each First-Year seminar has a peer mentor assigned
to it. “Students connected to peer mentors is hugely important to ease
the transition,” says Willoughby. “They have a peer to go to, someone like
themselves.”
Another new tool is BU’s HuskySuccess platform, launched last year. While
it is designed to help all students, HuskySuccess can be particularly helpful
for first-generation students to connect to resources. The application is
also a one-stop destination for students seeking help.
“Even students who aren’t first-gen are finding it helpful,” Willoughby says.
From the Dominican Republic
to Bloomsburg
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
Sophomore Celeste Rivas is not only a first-generation
college student but also first-generation American. “I came
to the U.S. eight years ago from the Dominican Republic,”
says the marketing and professional sales major. “I’m the
first in my family to go to school. I have the support of my
family. My dad is paying for college, and he wants me to
focus on school and not work. And I’m taking out loans to
help my dad.
10
“In my culture, if you want to be successful, you have to
have some type of profession. If I want to be something, I
must learn about it and then go do it. That’s the mentality I
came to this country with.”
“Dad’s English is better than mom’s, but if I have a
homework question, for them to help, I have to translate it
for them. My own English is not perfect yet,” adds Rivas. “But
my professors are understanding. Even though my language
is a problem, they saw my hard work, and they really liked
that about me. They would say we can work through it, and
I would go to office hours right away after class.”
In high school, Rivas took part in a career program that
allowed her to work as a florist. “I would make beautiful
flower arrangements with my own hands and made
someone so happy. When I went out and sold the flowers
I made, it opened my eyes. I like making and marketing
things. That really brought me joy.”
“Every facet of the campus is working to be more accessible to students.”
To further build a community of support, two years ago BU launched a
chapter of the first-generation honor society Alpha Alpha Alpha (Tri-Alpha).
And this winter, BU was also named a First-gen Forward Institution by
the Center for First-Generation Student Success. BU has also celebrated
National First-Generation College Student Day on November 8.
“The honor society was brought forward by Cody Deitz, a first-gen graduate
student” says Andino. “We’re creating a pipeline of support.”
“When I was an undergrad at BU, we had a lot of different honor societies,
based on major or minor — never one that talked about being first in your
family to go to college.” says Deitz’ 18/’20 M, now a resident hall director at
California University of Pennsylvania. “Moravian College was one step ahead
of my thoughts and started Tri-Alpha. I worked with them to charter it at BU,
making us the first state institution to have Tri-Alpha.”
As a graduate assistant for BU’s orientation program, Deitz helped bridge
the experience gap with sessions for first-generation students and family
members. “I knew there had to be something that we could continue to do
to help make students’ second and third years successful.”
To bring that vision to life, plans are for BU’s Tri-Alpha chapter to match
upper-class members with younger first-generation students to act as peer
mentors beyond their first year.
“We are also asking faculty and staff who want to self-identify as firstgeneration to let first generation-students know they are not alone,” says
Andino. “Students need to see people who have their shared experiences.
See other first-gen professionals who have made it. And they can see that
they can do that too.”
“
“I knew there had to be
something that we could
continue to do to help make
students’ second and third
years successful.”
— Cody Deitz
Taking ownership of his future
As a first-generation college student, senior digital forensics
major Michael Engle takes full ownership of his education and
future.
“Most people start college right after high school,” says Engle.
“I took a few years off to work, so I forgot a lot of things. I need
something else. I needed a career, not a job.”
“It was a big transition to go from school to work to school. Two
years in, I’m still trying to wrap my head around the idea that I’m
in college.”
“I would get so much joy over not having to worry how I’m
going to pay for this. If I can’t pay something, it’s my problem,
nobody else’s,” says Engle. “But when I graduate, I can say that I
did this.”
Engle came to BU as an undeclared student but quickly
discovered BU’s digital forensics program, a National Center
of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education, jointly
sponsored by the National Security Agency and the Department
of Homeland Security. “I’ve always been interested in solving
crimes and would like to work for the FBI at some point.”
He’s already made connections with his faculty and spent the
last year working on a research project about human trafficking
with professor Scott Inch as a mentor.
— By Andrea O’Neill ’06
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
Like many first-generation students, finances are tight for Engle.
11
NOT YOUR
TYPICAL
POLITICIAN
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
How Stacy
Garrity ’86
went from
respected
business
leader
and Army
veteran
to state
treasurer
12
by Tom McGuire
o say Stacy Garrity ’86 is not your typical politician is
an understatement. She went from political unknown
to winning a state row office, a journey that has taken the
Bradford County native around the world. Her election
victory shocked even the most optimistic of supporters and
has suddenly thrust her into the thick of the political world.
So how did the Athens, Pa., resident and retired Army
Reserve colonel make it to Harrisburg as Pennsylvania’s new
state treasurer?
The oldest of four daughters of Howard Garrity and Beverly
Arbie, “we were raised to be about God, country, and
family,” says Garrity. “We went to church every Wednesday
and Sunday. In the summer, we attended vacation Bible
school, and every morning at school, we recited the Pledge
of Allegiance. And on top of everything, no matter what, I
had to watch out for my sisters.”
“My parents were very encouraging,” says Garrity. “They
always made it a big thing to say that whatever you put your
mind to do, you can do it. I grew up just believing it in a
naive sort of way.”
Following graduation from Sayre High School, Garrity knew
she was going to college. It was something her parents
drilled into her and her sisters. However, the first-generation
student admits she didn’t put much thought into what
school she would attend. “My reason for [first] choosing
Lock Haven was simple; my friends were going there.”
“I wasn’t well-traveled and lived a pretty sheltered life, so
I figured I could carpool and come back home on the
weekends,” Garrity says. “After a year of adjusting to college
life, I realized I should look for a school with more of a
focus on business, which is what I was interested in. When
I looked around, I saw that Bloomsburg had a very good
program and so I transferred.” As a student, Garrity was
intrigued by business and economics and how markets
function. It was a field dominated by males in the 1980s,
which did not worry her in the least. At BU, Garrity studied
finance and accounting and was influenced by then chair
of the accounting and business law department, the late
Bernard Dill. (See obituary, page 26.)
“Professor Dill was very engaging with his students,” Garrity
recalls. “He was funny, he was motivating, and he made me
take a strong interest in the major.”
Garrity, a runner in high school, also found time to be a
varsity cheerleader, but more importantly, she joined the
Army ROTC on the encouragement of her parents, both 20year Navy Reserve veterans.
“Basic training was an eye-opening experience. I wasn’t
mentally prepared for people being in my face and yelling.
We weren’t allowed to call home for a few weeks, and when
we did, of course, my mom immediately said forget it and
to come home. My dad said never quit. So, I stayed so I
wouldn’t disappoint my father.”
“My dad supported us and told us ‘whatever your mind
believes you can achieve, you can achieve’ and that ‘winners
never quit, and quitters never win.’ It stuck with me.”
After graduating from BU, Garrity joined Global Tungsten
and Powders Corporation , or GTP, in Towanda and
advanced through several positions, becoming vice
president of two of GTP’s three business units. She was VP
for government affairs and industry liaison before stepping
down to assume her elected position.
At the same time, Garrity was a member of the Army
Reserve, but certainly had no plans for what would become
a 30-year military career.
“My original idea was to do my six years and then get out.
Of course, after 9/11, I went to Kuwait. That was my first
deployment. Upon returning home, I just could not bring
myself to get out. I felt I needed to stay and serve our
country.”
GTP management shared Garrity’s commitment to the
Reserve. “At some companies, when you return from a
deployment, management will try to reorganize you out.
But every time I got back from a deployment, GTP would
promote me. They are a great company that has been
around for more than 100 years. We have many thirdgeneration employees. And, of course, they were always
very proud of me and my work.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
T
13
“The entire GTP Group organization has deep respect for
Stacy,” says Hermann Walser, president and CEO. “She
is always looking beyond her direct responsibilities. The
well-being of all stakeholders, customers, employees,
community, and country, is her priority. Her ability to
motivate and convince people, to communicate, and to
network are unique. We will desperately miss her in this
function, as well as a member of our GTP family.”
During her last overseas deployment in 2008-09, Garrity
earned the nickname “Angel of the Desert” while serving
as the acting battalion commander of the military police at
Camp Bucca in southern Iraq.“Our mission was to provide
care and custody with dignity and respect to the 7,000
detainees.”
“To make sure all the rules and regulations were being
followed, I would walk the camp after midnight because I
always said nothing good happens after midnight. I would
walk with the senior staff and just check on soldiers. Then
we would have meetings and make sure everything was
going OK.”
“We also had a deal that as long as the detainees weren’t
doing anything to hurt our soldiers, then we would allow
family visitation or even some soccer matches. The
detainees would also get videos once a week. But, among
our staff, we had zero tolerance for abuse. We were the first
internment facility to have zero abuse allegations. I’m very
proud of that fact.”
Garrity’s outstanding work in Iraq did not go unnoticed. She
was twice awarded the Bronze Star and received the Legion
of Merit before retiring from the Army Reserve with the rank
of colonel.
Back in Bradford County, she and her husband Dan
Gizzi, married since 2005, kept busy with water skiing,
snowmobiling and running. But the desire to serve others
was always an itch.
“As I was thinking about what to do, volunteer work and
politics were two of my choices. I’ve always liked politics,
so I called our state representative Tina Pickett, who I knew
from my job in government affairs since my real passion is
the industrial base and making sure that we keep jobs in the
United States.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
Pickett recommended jumping into the race for Tom
Marino’s U.S. Congressional seat after his resignation. “The
next day she had me lined up with a political consultant,
and they pushed me right into the deep end.” Despite 31
candidates in the race, Stacy finished a respectable sixth.
14
That showing led the state GOP leadership to reach out
to her in late 2019 to gauge her interest in running for
statewide office.
“I started praying about it, and I thought, OK, Lord, if you
want me to do this, then open the doors. And, he did, and
then I still was pretty hesitant. When the GOP leadership
said they couldn’t find anyone to run for treasurer, I decided,
if not me, then who’s going to do it.”
Shortly after making the decision to run and receiving
the state Republican Party’s endorsement to challenge
incumbent Democrat Joe Torsella, the COVID-19 pandemic
hit.
“Trying to campaign and raise money during a pandemic
was hard. I had to go total grassroots with the odds stacked
against me. A Republican had not defeated an incumbent
Democrat since 1994. Many people told me ‘Stacy, you’re
running a great campaign, but there’s no way you can beat
this guy.’”
As Election Day grew closer and the polls showed a
tight race, Torsella mounted an advertising blitz with a
campaign chest of more than $2 million. But on election
night, as results showed her in the lead, she was cautiously
optimistic.
A week later her opponent called to concede. She had
pulled off a win no one had expected. “Joe was extremely
gracious and very helpful in the transition. I’m sure it was
tough for him because he was told there’s no way you’re
going to lose to somebody from Bradford County who had
never run before.”
At her swearing-in ceremony in January, Garrity did
something most unusual. She offered Torsella an
opportunity to deliver some remarks. “Joe rose above
politics and helped ensure a smooth transition. As we say in
the military, thanks for your service.”
In her inaugural address, Garrity touched upon several key
points that have been a part of her life. “Service to others, be
it in elected office or wearing the uniform of our country, is
the highest calling.”
“Getting the job done in good faith and with honest effort
is the watchword by which I promise to serve. I say we look
ahead to a place of optimism and cooperation.”
Garrity says her goal for the office is to make transparency
a top priority and put taxpayers first. “Putting those checks
and balances in place is what I want to focus on so that
we can make sure that we’re being a good steward of our
taxpayers’ money. Taking transparency to the next level
is something that I want to do, and then probably further
enhancing the savings programs.”
Throughout her journey from rural Pennsylvania to the
battlefields of Iraq and then through the rigors of a political
campaign, Garrity has never forgotten her roots. Her advice
to young girls and women is to remain true to your values.
“I’ve really tried to live my life with integrity, selfless service,
honor, loyalty, and duty. If somebody like me from Bradford
County, who grew up on the left side of middle-class, can
put myself through college, join the military, then work in
manufacturing and become the first female vice president
in my company, deploy three times overseas, and retire a
colonel, then anyone can do it.”
As for the next part of the Stacy Garrity journey, only one
person knows for sure.
“People have already called me about running for other
offices, and I’ve told them I campaigned on staying in the
job for four years and want to be the best treasurer I can for
the people of Pennsylvania. And then we’ll see what God
has in store for me.”
Spoken like a true non-politician.
1
2
1. Stacy Garrity takes the oath of office as Pennsylvania’s state treasurer.
2. Members of the BU Concert Choir perform at Garrity’s inauguration.
3. Garrity, left, while on a tour of duty in Iraq.
4. A member of the 1985-86 cheerleading squad, Garrity is in the back row,
second from left.
4
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
3
15
There Are No
Parts
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
By Eric Foster
16
Career Highlights (Character names and roles)
2021, Film, Silk Road (Chris
Tarbell)
2016-2020, TV recurring
role, Westworld (William)
2021, Film, Breaking News in
Yuba County (Petey Buttons)
2019, TV recurring role,
Perpetual Grace, LTD
(James Schaeler)
2018-2020, TV appearances,
Dream Corp LLC (Patient 21)
2020, Film, Unhinged (Andy)
2018, TV recurring role,
Unsolved: The Murders of
Tupac and the Notorious
B.I.G. (Detective Russelle
Poole)
2017, TV mini-series
documentary, Wormwood
(CIA Agent)
2016, TV recurring role, Hap
and Leonard (Soldier)
2016, TV appearance, This Is
Us (Andy Fannan)
2016, Theatre, Empathitrax,
HERE Arts Center, New York
City (Him)
2013-2016, TV appearances,
Person of Interest (Logan
Pierce)
2015, Theatre, Trevor,
Atwater Village Theatre, Los
Angeles (Trevor)
“The department was family-oriented,”
Simpson says. “I think that’s why I
connect with people who are more
collaborative. It set me up for being
able to know the types of folks I want
to be around in this industry.”
“Bloomsburg is the reason why I’m
in the industry,” says Simpson, a
Hackettstown, N.J., native. “I did find
my future there. The practicality of
the theatre experience at BU, so many
opportunities to perform. Spaces
where you could reach down deep
and show the department our art,
what’s inside of us. I have colleagues
in the industry who didn’t have those
opportunities.”
In addition to starring in BU
productions such as “The Assassins,”
Anselm and the late Michael Collins
also turned Simpson onto the
Williamstown Theatre Festival. The
annual Massachusetts event allows
college students to apprentice with
seasoned professionals, including the
occasional acting legend.
But acting was not part of Simpson’s
career plans when he first stepped
on campus as a business and English
major.
It all changed with a simple elective
course.
“I took a theatre class with Karen
Anselm (now professor emerita)
thinking she didn’t take attendance,”
says Simpson. To his surprise, Anselm
did take attendance and he had an
acting project due. “I put my back into
it, and I spent so much time doing
my first self-directed acting scene
that professor Anselm reached out to
me and said, ‘I think you should be a
major.’”
That class, that moment, was a key
piece of Simpson’s discussion this
past fall during the virtual CASSH Con
(Careers in Arts, Social Sciences and
Humanities) event when he spoke with
students on how BU kindled his love
of acting 25 years ago.
Winner: Los Angeles Drama
Critics Circle Award: Lead
Performance
“I scooted around Bloomsburg on a
little motorcycle and sold it to pay for
Williamstown,” says Simpson. For four
summers he worked at the festival,
going from building sets to serving
as an extra to acting with regular
speaking parts.
“I never considered being a
professional actor. When I thought
of acting it was just Jack Nicholson
and Tom Cruise — people doing a
thing I would never have access to.
At Williamstown, I see it’s not just the
elite. There’s the entire core which is
99% of these professionals who love
it and struggle and learn and work
together. And that’s what I wanted
to do. I didn’t have any expectations
besides doing community theatre
after my job.”
2005-2013, TV recurring
role, It’s Always Sunny in
Philadelphia (Liam McPoyle)
Having earned an agent, Simpson
picked up a role in the film “Loser”
and appeared on television shows
such as “24” and “NYPD Blue.” In those
early years, Simpson was roommates
with actor/producer Charlie Day. “We
would make videos to make each
other laugh, because we couldn’t get
work, so we made our own work. I
kept returning to this deadpan slackjawed character. It just made Charlie
laugh.”
The self-created work evolved into
the Liam McPoyle character on
“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”
“It was slotting in my natural tendency
to be off-putting into an off-putting
character,” says Simpson in his
trademark low purr, “but it was a
pleasure to bring him to life.”
But a lot of hustle at Williamstown,
and a little luck, determined that
acting would be Simpson’s job.
His diverse career was launched with
a funny story. “Lewis Black taught us
stand-up — which was him telling us
to tell a funny story,” recalls Simpson.
2013, Film, White House
Down (Tyler)
2012, Film, Abraham Lincoln:
2014-2015, TV recurring role, Vampire Hunter (Joshua
House of Cards (Gavin Orsay) Speed)
2014, TV recurring role, The
Newsroom (Jack Spaniel)
“I’m not a stand-up guy, but I wanted
to do an amazing job and so I worked
on it hard. Luckily Black’s agent
noticed me doing my stand-up and
that was my first access to an agent —
which turned into working in film and
television. This industry is all about
work and luck combining to make
something happen.”
2011-2012, TV recurring
role, Breakout Kings (Lloyd
Lowery)
2011, TV appearance, How
I Met Your Mother (Pete
Durkenson)
“
“The department was familyoriented. I think that’s why
I connect with people who
are more collaborative. It set
me up for being able to know
the types of folks I want to be
around in this industry.”
— Jimmi Simpson
2010, Film, The Big Bang
(Niels Geck)
2010, Film, Date Night
(Armstrong)
2010, Film, Good Intentions
(Kyle)
2008-2009, Recurring TV
role, Late Show with David
Letterman (Lyle the Intern)
2008, Film, A Quiet Little
Marriage (Jackson)
2007-2008, Theatre, The
Farnsworth Invention, Music
Box Theatre, New York City
(Philo T. Farnsworth)
Drama League Award:
Distinguished Performance,
Winner: Theatre World Award
2006, TV appearances, My
Name Is Earl (David Hayes)
2005, Film, Herbie Fully
Loaded (Crash)
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
F
rom the stage 25 years ago in
Carver Hall to sharing the screen
with Oscar-winner Russell Crowe
last year, Jimmi Simpson ’98 is by any
measure a veteran in his field … of
stage, television, and film.
17
“
“My deepest love is
theatre, because that’s
where I was trained. That’s
what I know. That’s my
foundation. There’s so
much responsibility for
a stage actor. You’re in
control of that character.
It’s on you to make it
brilliant. When you’re
performing a play, the
director is not there.”
— Jimmi Simpson
In addition to “It’s Always Sunny,”
Simpson is known for his work on
“House of Cards,” “Westworld,” “Black
Mirror,” and “Unsolved,” Simpson has
built a reputation in film and on stage
as well. On stage, his performance in
“The Farnsworth Invention” earned
him a Theatre World Award in 2008.
And for “Westworld’s” second season,
he earned a Primetime Emmy Award
nomination for Outstanding Guest
Actor in a Drama Series.
There are no small parts. A truth
Simpson proves time and again —
whether playing a mysterious hacker
in “House of Cards,” or leaving David
Letterman at a loss for words as Lyle
the Intern.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
1
18
With “Westworld,” says Simpson, “I
thought my guy would show up and
make things a little bit funny or a little
bit creepy.” Instead, he was a key
recurring character with a dramatic
arc.
2004, Film, D.E.B.S. (Scud)
2000, Film, Loser (Noah)
2002, TV series appearances,
24, (Chris)
2000, Theatre, The Skin
of Our Teeth (Fred Bailey),
The Hot l Baltimore
(Delivery Boy), Tonight
at 8:30 (Jimmie Horlick),
Williamstown Theatre Festival
2002, TV mini-series: Rose
Red (Kevin Bollinger)
2001, Theatre, Street Scene
(Apartment Hunter/Fred
Cullen), The Winter’s Tale
(Lord) Williamstown Theatre
Festival
1999, Theatre, Quark Victory
(Artiba), Camino Real (A
Bum in a Window), The Blue
Demon (Omar), Williamstown
Theatre Festival
While his “Westworld” character is
a favorite role and was a major shift
toward drama for Simpson, other
roles that stand out were in smaller
productions.
“I played the character named ‘Soldier’
in the IFC show ‘Hap and Leonard,’”
says Simpson. “It was almost a theatre
experience. We were there by our
bootstraps trying to make it work,
because we thought it was great. I
really threw my back into it. I’m so
proud of it.”
“My deepest love is theatre, because
that’s where I was trained. That’s
what I know. That’s my foundation.
There’s so much responsibility for
a stage actor. You’re in control of
that character. It’s on you to make it
brilliant. When you’re performing a
play, the director is not there.
“I love the control you have in theatre
to push the boundaries that you can
imagine. In film it’s fun to push the
boundaries in a collaborative way that
people in a room can imagine.”
While the COVID-19 pandemic has
closed live theatre, Simpson has kept
busy.
“I pitched a television show earlier
during COVID and instead of driving
to meetings for a week, it was just a
couple of days — a bunch of Zoom
meetings. Nobody drove anywhere,
everyone was ready and present with
their full focus. There were a lot of
pros to that kind of accessibility.”
You’ll be able to catch him on the
screen in the coming year. He’s
featured in the thriller “Silk Road”
about the dark web, and the comedy
crime drama “Breaking News in Yuba
County.”
1998, Theatre, Assassins,
Bloomsburg University
(John Wilkes Booth)
1997, Theatre, A Midsummer
Night’s Dream, Bloomsburg
University (Puck)
1997, Theatre, Square Peg
Ball, Bloomsburg University
(Pinky)
1996, Theatre, Prelude to a
Kiss, Bloomsburg University
1997, Theatre, Purgatory
Café, Bloomsburg University
(Preacher)
1996, Theatre, Temptation,
Bloomsburg University
2
3
1. Jimmi Simpson shows his Husky
pride while taking questions
this past fall during the virtual
CASSH Con (Careers in Arts,
Social Sciences and Humanities)
event.
2. Simpson at BU in the 1990s
with classmate Jeff Lombardi
’98 behind him.
3. Simpson as Lyle the Intern
on the “Late Show with David
Letterman.”
4. Simpson with Russell Crowe on
the set of 2020’s “Unhinged.”
5
4
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
5. Simpson with Damon Herriman
and Chris Conrad in the film
“Perpetual Grace.”
19
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
Connecting
20
Across
Generations
By Andrea O’Neill ‘06
After 150 years, the Alumni Association Board of Directors
commits to nurturing the next generation of Huskies into success
aison Williams ’93 enrolled at
Bloomsburg University after his
mother made him apply. Though he
didn’t know it, she had done so because
an alumnus had assured her that if he
came to BU, her son would be looked
after by the campus community.
So began an experience that Williams
describes as “nurturing,” something
shared by many of his fellow BU Alumni
Association board members. It is an
experience that has led to both personal
and professional success, but also a
desire to nurture success in the next
generation of Huskies.
In many ways, the mission of the BU
Alumni Association is the same today as
it was at its founding in 1871 — to serve
as a conduit for alumni connections and
empower members to be ambassadors
of the institution. In the 150 years since,
the Association has expanded its efforts
to keep students moving to graduation
and to serve as a bridge to satisfying
careers.
“We feel such a sense of dedication
because BU was our home, it took
care of and prepared us,” says Todd
Argenziano ’89, IT director at DeAngelo
Brothers, and Alumni Association board
president. “We want our students to be
the best and spread that message when
they graduate. To do that, our alumni
need to know what our students face.
It is a responsibility that has greatly
impacted us.”
Time and again, the importance of
such close-knit relationships surfaces
in conversations with board members
as they describe caring professors and
an educational process that layered
time and personal attention with high
expectations.
Williams, now a vice president at Fitbit,
says his professors kept in contact
with advice and help with industry
connections after he graduated, which
kept him connected to the university.
“It was literally like I never left,” says
Williams. “Having those relationships
and being involved with the Alumni
Association allows that nurturing we
had as a student to continue.”
“My professors were such a huge
part of my confidence and ability to
contribute very early in my career,” says
Mike Coppa ’00, board vice president
and health care partner at RSM US LLP,
an accounting firm. “If you failed at
something, there was a support system
that could get you back on track.”
“The longevity of any university is
attributable to its ability to change,
identify new opportunities, and have a
good understanding what is needed in
the work force,” says Coppa.
While the quality of the education at
BU certainly remains as robust and
challenging as it was in 1871, and the
grit and determination of its students
just as prominent, the need for alumni
connections, professional polish and
career experience as part of every
academic program is now recognized
as an equal necessity.
Claire Day ’93, chief program officer
with the Alzheimer’s Association of
Northern California and Nevada, joined
the board when BU combined the
departments of Alumni Affairs, Career
Development, and Academic Internships
to advance BU’s Professional U initiative.
The new Department of Alumni and
Professional Engagement was charged
to work with the alumni board to create
professional development opportunities
for students, build relationships with
donors and employers, and engage
alumni as volunteers and experience
hosts to help new Huskies tap into a
network 76,000 strong.
“My friends (at other schools) didn’t
have the opportunity to gain the
professional experience that I did,”
says Day. “Now the board works to
set future alumni on a pace to be
successful in that tough transition into
the workplace.”
To help the university in its mission,
the board has spent the last several
years reorganizing and refocusing on
outreach events that impact alumni and
provide students with a professional
edge.
“
“Bloomsburg never gave
up on me. When I needed
it, it gave me a second
and a third and a fourth
chance and it’s doing
that for students now. If
I take Bloomsburg out
of my life, where would I
be? Not where I am now.
Bloomsburg never let go of
me.”
— Jaison Williams
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
J
21
Bill Benz ’82
Todd Argenziano ’89
Soft skills — conflict management, professional
conversation, meal etiquette, and salary negotiations are
part of events like the Career Intensive Boot Camp. Resume
reviews, mock interviews and LinkedIn labs help students
make that invaluable first impression. College conferences
showcase the career possibilities of every major, and
professional events like Our World Runs on DATA bring
students and alumni in touch with industry leaders.
college experience may end with a degree, but Bloomsburg
can help you even further when you give back with your
experiences.”
All these programs require alumni volunteers to serve
on panels, give presentations, review resumes, and host
students for job shadows and internships.
Although inextricably linked, the need for professional
experiences for students and alumni isn’t the only recent
change in the association’s focus. In the last century and a
half, the profile of the student population, and consequently
the alumni base, has changed to reflect a more diverse
community. While its members continue to work toward
a board that truly represents the increasing diversity of
BU students, Day says the diverse nature of the current
board has allowed them to approach the task of student
development and alumni engagement so everyone is
represented.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
“The IT Professionals Event was a turning point for the
Alumni Association’s ability to engage both students and
alumni,” says Williams. “The online interactive session put
everyone on equal footing as learners and contributors.
I was able to experience the critical thinking, insightful
questions and ideas from individuals at different life and
career stages.”
22
Claire Day ’93
“It’s important we make sure that, as students move into the
world, there is one link back to current students and one
link ahead to older alumni. That way we all move forward,”
Williams adds.
While networking used to be prominent in business settings
alone, it is now the norm in every professional setting,
whether an art museum, research lab, or second-grade
classroom. Volunteering is a way to not only impact a
student directly, but also to contribute to one’s own lifelong
learning, regardless of major or class year.
“That personal interaction and exposure to new ideas is how
people learn,” says Bill Benz ’82, Carnegie Agency, a digital
marketing company. “One can have information, but it
takes somebody else’s perspective to form a new idea. The
“I think about the broad range of experience and knowledge
of the people I’ve met in my time on the board and what I’ve
learned,” adds Ken Lastowka ’05, serving as board secretary.
“To consider the network we have now after 150 years —
imagine what we will have in the next 150.”
“
“We want our students to be the best and spread
that message when they graduate. To do that, our
alumni need to know what our students face. It is a
responsibility that has greatly impacted us.”
— Todd Argenziano
Mike Coppa ’00
Day of Dialogue is an example of how the alumni board has
worked to have more of an impact on students, alumni, and
the institution. The mentoring event allows nontraditional,
first-generation, and other underrepresented students of
diverse backgrounds to network with board members
and alumni who have had similar experiences.
While COVID-19 has resulted in much
heartache and division, it also enabled
record engagement from alumni
who would normally have been
too far away to participate.
Geography is no longer a
deterrent.
“We’ve learned a lot about
what it means to stay
engaged during a global
event, and the power
of what we can do with
technology,” says Day.
“We’ve always had that
need for things to happen
on campus, but this taught
us that we can adapt.”
The board has also created
a standing committee on
diversity, equity and inclusion,
the chair of which is seated on
the president’s commission of the
same name to help alumni get involved
in finding remedies to social ills and upheavals
affecting students.
“Diversity and inclusion are an important part of the college
experience, and we want to make sure it’s at the forefront
Ken Lastowska ’05
and a cornerstone of what we do,” says Lastowka, an adjunct
faculty member at Northampton Community College. “It is
an important conversation in which alumni are able to listen
to student struggles and share their own to help students
navigate their experiences.”
Even with the challenges of the 21st century,
the role of the BU Alumni Association
hasn’t changed all that drastically
from when student recruitment
and alumni celebrations were the
sole focus. After all, what better
way to connect alumni and
represent the university than
by helping fellow Huskies
make a difference in the
world; while returning to the
place, virtually for now, that
introduced them to success,
friendships, spouses, and
their future.
“There are a lot of stories
like mine,” says Coppa “For
this 150th celebration, we can
pause and consider that we were
students once and maybe we can
help that next person have the same
experience, if not better. That’s what
drives me to give back.”
“Bloomsburg never gave up on me,” says
Williams. “When I needed it, it gave me a second and
a third and a fourth chance and it’s doing that for students
now. If I take Bloomsburg out of my life, where would I be?
Not where I am now. Bloomsburg never let go of me.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
Jaison Williams ’93
23
HUSKY NOTES
’70s
Finding Joy
in the Noise
(and Chaos)
» John Braganini ’75 expanded
the capacity of his Michigan-based
business, St. Julian Winery, with
the installation of two large storage
tanks as a major investment in
the winery’s growth. Each tank
holds 70,000 gallons of wine or
juice in a temperature-controlled
environment. St. Julian’s sales have
grown at a double-digit rate, and the
workforce has grown, according to
Braganini.
By Mary Raskob
For the last 30 years, Joe Silimperi ’89 has enjoyed the noise that fills
the halls of a lively school environment. And while he still finds joy in
his everyday teaching, this year has been vastly different for him and all
educators due to COVID-19. But, Silimperi has embraced this new normal
with the same joy he brought to the class his first 30 years.
The Nazareth native began his journey at BU as a transfer student after two
years at Northampton Community College and one semester at Indiana
University of Pennsylvania. It was while he was awaiting his acceptance to
BU that Silimperi met his future wife, April (White) Silimperi ’88/’89M, at the
Helen L. Diller Vacation Home for the Blind in Avalon, N.J. April was already
enrolled in the American Sign Language/English Interpreting program at
BU and Silimperi had his sights on becoming a high school history teacher.
But a teaching symposium at BU connected him to Dr. Gina Scala and the
Centennial School at Lehigh University. Centennial is a special education
day school licensed to provide educational services to students with
emotional disturbance and autism, while the teachers continue their
education to earn their master’s degrees. “It was my indoctrination into
special education when I just needed a job — and here I am 31 years later
still doing it,” says Silimperi.
Silimperi next spent nine years in the classroom in the Pocono Mountain
School District. He then took a consultant position and worked for
five years as a special education administrator. During those years, the
Silimperis had three children.
But in 2005, Silimperi returned to his roots — teaching. “I decided to go
back into the classroom at Nazareth Area Middle School as the seventh
and eighth grade learning support in the special education program. I like
the daily interactions with kids and families. Administration does not allow
for that to happen and I missed helping kids/families directly.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
“A teaching day is not just about content; it’s about creating connections
with the students. And my advice to any future teacher is simple — find
something you like, do what you love, and it’s not work.”
24
With so much teaching delivered online this past year, and knowing he had
students who were non-readers and had special education needs, Silimperi
set up Zoom sessions to interact with his students for an hour each, three
hours a day.
For his dedication, Silimperi was honored by student Ryder Marsh and
his mother last April. They shared a special thank you on CNN for all
of the work he has done for his students, and especially for Ryder. The
recognition by a national network was an unexpected honor. But Silimperi
still longs for the bustle of school hallways.
“I miss the loud, vibrant hallways and the noisy kids. I miss having time
to do the fun stuff, like taking the kids to the pool for swimming lessons,
or taking the kids to learn how to cook, and even movie days! I am very
sentimental these days and I think the first day back to a normal classroom,
I’ll cry!”
» Robert De Carolis ’76, a longtime
college administrator, is in his third
year as Santa Clara University’s
deputy director of athletics, where
he oversees academics, the
business office, compliance, sports
medicine, sports performance and
student-athlete services. Previously,
De Carolis spent 19 years as an
administrator at the University of
Michigan before embarking on
a 17-year stint with the Oregon
State Beavers, including 13 years as
athletic director. He was inducted
into the BU Athletic Hall of Fame in
2009.
» Don Adams ’77 is chair of Hope
Enterprises Foundation, a nonprofit
for people with intellectual
disabilities, Adams leads the
13-member volunteer board in
raising funds for the nonprofit,
oversees the organization’s direction
and mission. Hope Enterprises
serves individuals in Lycoming,
Clinton, Northumberland, Sullivan,
Columbia, Montour, Snyder, and
Union counties. Adams has been a
member of Hope Enterprises’ board
since 2014.
’80s
» Andrea “Gigi” Kilroe ’81 is a
volunteer speaker for Resilient Voices
out of the Office of Victim Advocate
in Harrisburg, and a member
of the Crime Victim Alliance of
Pennsylvania. She is also a member
of the Speakers Bureau of the Rape,
Abuse & Incest National Network.
Her book, “From Within, My Path
of Hope and Healing from Sexual
Abuse,” will be released in early 2021.
She previously was the supervisor
of itinerant programs at BLaST
Intermediate Unit #17, retiring in
2016 after a 32-year career in special
education.
» Donna (Stefanowicz) Yanuzzi
’82 is managing director of F.N.B.
Equipment Finance Sales and
Marketing at F.N.B. Corporation,
parent company of First National
Bank. In her new role, Yanuzzi
is responsible for all origination
activities for the equipment
finance company. In addition to
leading vendor finance sales, she is
responsible for commercial leasing
sales and marketing. Yanuzzi has
been with F.N.B. for more than 23
years, and has made significant
contributions to the expansion of
the bank’s vendor equipment finance
and small business portfolios. At
BU, she earned a bachelor’s degree
in communications and public
relations.
» Phillip Patrone ’86 is board
chair of Habitat for Humanity in
Philadelphia. He is also a senior vice
president and loan team manager at
Wells Fargo.
» Timothy Grunstra ’88 has served
on PSECU’s Board of Directors since
2012 and is currently treasurer.
Additionally, he has served as board
secretary and assistant treasurer
and was an associate director from
2010 to 2012. Grunstra is a principal
with Brown Schultz Sheridan &
Fritz and provides accounting, tax,
and advisory services. A certified
public accountant, he is a graduate
of Leadership Harrisburg Area and
a member of several professional
organizations in his field.
» Rebecca (Kenvin) Warren ’88
spoke on the state of COVID-19
and its impact on the construction
industry in Pennsylvania for the
Associated Builders and Contractors
Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter’s
virtual meeting in August. She
received her J.D. from The Dickinson
School of Law in 1991.
’90s
» Cole Camplese ’96M serves as
the Vice President for Information
Technology and Chief Information
Officer at Northeastern University.
He was one of eight employees
to earn an Outstanding Service
Award. The eight individuals were
tasked with ensuring compliance
with state and federal COVID-19
standards, implementing NUflex
across classrooms and working
with faculty and staff colleagues to
enable seamless and synchronous
learning for students, and making
sure students and parents were wellinformed about every development
impacting the university community.
’00s
» Susan (Bennett) Fetterman ’00
has been selected to serve as BU’s
nursing supervisor for health services
through June 30.
» Kelly (Pollock) Gallo ’00 was
named executive director of the
Brodhead Watershed Association
in East Stroudsburg. Previously,
Gallo was an environmental health
scientist at Summit County Health
Department, Park City, Utah. While
previously living in Pennsylvania,
Gallo was an environmental
education specialist at Hickory Run
State Park.
» Karena (Kodack) Weikel ’01
was promoted to chief actuary at
The Geisinger Health Plan (GHP).
Previously, Weikel was the vice
president of risk and revenue
management and actuarial services
at GHP since 2015 and interim chief
actuary since May.
» Kevin Hickey ’03 has joined
Acerus Pharmaceuticals Corporation
as senior vice president, US
Commercial. Hickey, who sits on
multiple pharmaceutical executive
advisory panels, is a member of
Acerus’ senior leadership team.
Marriages
Heather Kratz ’05 and
Gregory McMenaman, July 9, 2020.
Kristina Kurelija and Cody Pavlick ’19,
Aug. 15, 2020
Anna Newcomer ’17/’20M and
Cody Cooper ’16/’20M, Sept. 5, 2020
Births
Holly (Shemonis) Keefer ’07 and
Aaron Keefer ’07, a son,
Alexander, on Aug. 24, 2020
Debon (Berger) Kolb ’11 and
David Kolb ’08, a daughter,
Rebecca Linn, on Aug. 27, 2020
Taylor Burkhart and Craig Reinard ’10,
a son, Caige, on Aug. 31, 2020
Kaleena (Lockard) Dietterick ’06
and Jack Dietterick, a son,
Axel, on Sept. 5, 2020
Melissa (Landis) Beer ’08 and
Jonathan Beer ’06, a son,
Devon Jonathan, on Sept. 14, 2020
Mary (Lorence) Schrader ’10 and
Frederick Schrader ’11, a son,
Frederick, on Oct. 15, 2020
Lauren Esser (Kopich) ’09 and
Vince Esser ‘09, a daughter,
Avery Grace Esser, on Oct. 23, 2020
Charity (Trapane) Klinefelter and
Brian Klinefelter ’07, a daughter,
Elyse, on Oct. 25, 2020.
Obituaries
’10s
Jane (Niles) Barndt ’48
Harold Hartley ’52
Royal Miller ’52
Benjamin Burness ’54
William Norton ’59
Paul Kunkel ’60
John Cherup ’64
John Murtin ’65
Bruce Fehr ’72
Sharon Cashman ’73
Wayne Koch ’74
Jeffrey Creveling ’85
Patricia (Disori) Romanoski ’87
Denise (Falborn) Cutillo ’88
William Scherer ’99
Lisa Welms ’02
Jarell Jackson ’17
» Robin Hampton ’14 became
nursing clinical instructor at BU in
the fall of 2020.
Send information to:
magazine@bloomu.edu
» Tiffany (Myers) Forman ’06
has joined RE/MAX Bridges as
an administrative assistant in
the Watsontown office. She also
manages day-to-day business
operations at Forman Grain LLC, a
business owned by her husband,
John, and her father-in-law.
» Andrew Horst ’20 took a
position with the Boyer & Ritter LLC
accounting firm after completing
an internship there. He is pursuing a
Master of Accountancy degree at BU.
Bloomsburg: The University Magazine
Arts and Administration Building
400 E. Second Street
Bloomsburg, PA 17815-1301
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
» Brian Mahlstedt ’81 is the
executive vice president and chief
lending officer of FNCB Bank,
leading commercial lending and
business development and managing
relationships with the bank’s
commercial customers. Mahlstedt
has more than 30 years of credit
administration, commercial lending,
and management experience. He
graduated from BU with a degree in
accounting.
25
IN MEMORIAM
Nelson “Nellie” Swarts
BU’s Inaugural Volunteer of the Year Recipient
Nelson “Nellie” Adler Swarts, 81,
died peacefully at his home in
Mechanicsburg, surrounded by his
loving family, on Feb. 11, following an
arduous battle with Alzheimer’s and
cancer.
Swarts, Class of ’63, was a proud
alumnus, dedicated volunteer, and loyal
supporter of BU. Beyond that, he was
committed to serving and supporting
higher education both at BU and
throughout the commonwealth. For his
service to BU, he was honored with the
inaugural William T. Derricott Volunteer
of the Year Award in 2012.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
His involvement at BU included
service on the Zeigler College of
Business Advisory Board and the
Bloomsburg University Foundation
Board of Directors. He also served the
Pennsylvania State System of Higher
Education in various positions from
2000-2007. Additionally, he drove the
convertible that carried BU’s president
in homecoming parades for many
years.
26
Dr. Bernard C. Dill
Former BU professor taught
finance for 30 years
Dr. Bernard C. Dill, 88, of Sugarloaf
passed away on July 30, 2020. A
finance professor at BU for 30 years,
Dill was born in New York City in
1931 and was raised in Hazleton.
A professor emeritus, he served as
chair of the Department of Business
A native of Bloomsburg, Swarts
competed on BU’s first swim team and
graduated with a degree in Business
Education in 1963. The voice that he
was renowned for was discovered
during his college days as a DJ for
WHLM. He also golfed, skied, and was
a member of the Marine Corps ROTC.
Nelson began a teaching career at Main
Endwell High School in Endwell, N.Y.,
where he met his wife, Paige Parker,
whom he married in 1967 and moved
to Syracuse, N.Y. to start their family.
They both were weekend ski instructors
at Greek Peak in Cortland, N.Y. from
1965-1977.
Swarts left teaching to embark on a
32-year career with IBM, moving to
Allendale, N.J., in 1980, where he and
Paige spent 12 years raising their three
daughters. He became an avid golfer
and coached many young swimmers at
the Ridgewood YMCA.
eventually retire. Instead of retirement,
he found work with the PA State System
of Higher Education as a consultant and
ultimately as a director. In his off time,
Nellie honed his golf skills at West Shore
Country Club, serving as president in
2001, and coaching young swimmers
there and at the West Shore YMCA.
Nellie and Paige have been active
members of Christian Life Assembly
in Camp Hill since 2009. Outside of
BU, Swarts’ many philanthropic and
volunteer efforts included the West
Shore YMCA Board of Managers,
Americhoice Federal Credit Union
Board of Directors, and Hospice of
Central PA. In addition to his wife, he
is survived by three daughters, eight
grandchildren, and a sister.
Memorial donations may be made to
the Nelson A. Swarts Scholarship with
checks payable to BUF or online at
giving.bloomu.edu/nellieswarts.
Nellie and Paige returned to
Pennsylvania in 1992, so Nellie could
return to sales work with IBM and
Administration and taught finance.
He was a passionate educator
and loved hearing from his former
students and learning of their
accomplishments post-graduation.
He also served as president of the
local Penn State Alumni Club.
An avid reader and traveler, he
traveled extensively around the U.S.,
Europe, and Asia with his wife, the
former Kathleen Matarella, to whom
he was married on Sept. 12, 1959,
who survives. He is also survived by
two children and four grandchildren.
An educator to the very end, Dill
donated his body to science through
Humanity Gifts Registry. Memorial
donations to the Dr. Bernard C.
Dill Scholarship Fund for firstgeneration students may be made
through the Bloomsburg University
Foundation, 50 E. Main St., 4th Floor,
Bloomsburg, PA 17815-1301; or
online at giving.bloomu.edu.
David R. Linkchorst
1940s and 50s athletic
standout
David R. Linkchorst, 92, passed away
on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020. Born
in Ashland, he was raised in Maple
Hill and later Frackville.
A 1946 graduate of Mahanoy
Township High School, Linkchorst
played football, basketball and
baseball. He spent nearly two years
in the U.S. Army before starting his
college career, attending BU on the
GI Bill. He graduated in 1953 having
played four years of football and
basketball, and three seasons of
baseball. He started for the Huskies
on the 1948 (cornerback) and 1951
(quarterback) undefeated football
teams. He was also a teammate of
NBA Hall of Famer Chuck Daly.
At BU he met his wife, Mary Louise,
a cheerleader, and they married in
1956. After graduation, he played on
barnstorming basketball and baseball
teams and one season of minor
league baseball.
A basketball and football coach
in the Mahanoy school district,
Linkchorst’s teams won nine
Schuylkill League Basketball
Championships and the 1965 District
11 Class A Tournament. He coached
the professional basketball team,
Hazleton/Hamburg Bullets, for the
1972-1973 season.
Linkchorst was inducted into
the BU Athletic Hall of Fame, the
Jerry Wolman Chapter of the
Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame
and the Northeast Region of the
Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.
He won many golf tournaments and
recorded 10 holes-in-one over his
lifetime.
He is survived by his wife and
four children. Athletic memorial
contributions in Linkchorst’s memory
may be made to the Bloomsburg
University Foundation, 50 East Main
Street, 4th Floor, Greenly Center,
Bloomsburg, PA 17815 or online at
giving.bloomu.edu.
help others in need. We have a wonderful
group of young men who represent BU in a
positive way on and off the court.”
Graduate student Peyton Mortellite was one
of the Huskies who helped with the food
distribution. “The people at the Y are incredibly
giving and never look for anything in return,”
says Mortellite. “It has been an excellent way
for our team to give back to the community.
We have been making it a habit to reach back
into the community over the last few years.
While the BU athletic teams did not get to compete in the
fall and winter seasons because of the COVID-19 pandemic,
that did not stop them from making positive plays this year.
From members of the men’s basketball team helping feed
the community to the football team organizing a Christmas
toy drive for AGAPE, a local humanitarian ministry, studentathletes gave back to the community in a variety of ways.
Members of the men’s basketball team spent parts of two
days in October helping at the Berwick Area YMCA Local
Food Distribution assembling and handing out boxes of food
to 800 families in need.
“It was a great opportunity for our players and coaches to
give back,” says men’s basketball coach John Sanow. “I was
proud of players sacrificing a few hours out of their day to
“I grew up in a neighborhood where money
was tight in a lot of homes,” says Crippen. “We
all need that person to step up and help others.
I was hoping this toy drive would impact those
people who needed it the most.”
Six locations were set up across campus and in the
community to collect donations of new or slightly used toys
that were then donated to AGAPE for distribution for families
in need in the town of Bloomsburg.
“I was very excited when Talid came in to discuss the toy
drive — what a wonderful idea,” says Sheptock. “The idea
made a difference in the community and the children and
allowed everyone the opportunity to provide a random act
of kindness during the holiday season.”
While they couldn’t share their talents on the field or
court last fall, BU student-athletes were able to share their
generosity with those in the area.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
Making Plays to
Help the Community
The kindness didn’t stop there, though. As
the holiday season approached, redshirtsophomore Talid Crippen, from the football
team, got the ball rolling for the Huskies
to partner with AGAPE to collect toys for
those families in need this holiday season.
Crippen brought his idea to head coach Frank
Sheptock, who helped to mobilize the athletics
community.
27
A VIEW FROM THE TOP
The Ultimate
Soccer
MOM
By David Leisering
S
tudent-athletes rely on good time
management skills to handle the
daily grind of practice, games,
team road trips, and of course, lots of
schoolwork. However, Paige Harris
has an even more important task to
juggle. Being a mom.
“My daughter is me in child form,”
laughs Harris, a junior forward on
the women’s soccer team. “She’s
spunky and full of energy. She will
dance around in a puffy Cinderella
dress and then walk outside to dig
up worms with her hands. She’s
my heart. Anytime I feel stressed or
having a bad day, she’ll look at me
and say something funny, and I’m
reminded it will all be OK.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
Harris, who grew up in nearby Danville,
chose to attend Shippensburg
University four years ago for that “away
from home experience.” Following her
freshman season — where she scored
six goals and was named to the AllPennsylvania State Athletic Conference
(PSAC) Third Team — she learned she
was pregnant, resulting in a two-year
hiatus from school.
28
“The first thing I did was move back
home to be with my family,” says
Harris. “I started working full-time to
make as much money as I could before
the baby arrived.”
Holly Mae arrived on Aug. 19, 2017.
After a six-week maternity leave, Harris
returned to working full-time but knew
she wanted something more.
“It was always in the back of my mind
I would return to school and graduate,
so I could get a great job and give us
the best life possible,” says Harris. “I still
had life goals to accomplish and
“
“The hardest part was
not feeling guilty about
doing something that
made me happy.”
— Paige Harris
having a child made me want to work
for those goals even harder. I knew the
next step to get both of us to a better
place in life was to go back to school.”
After discussing her college intentions
with her family and Holly’s father,
she applied to Bloomsburg to pursue
special education with added hope of
renewing her soccer career.
“I always knew her as a tough
competitor,” says Matt Haney, head
women’s soccer coach. “I believe
the birth added maturity to that mix
and has allowed Paige to flourish as
a mother, a student, and a soccer
player.”
However, the comeback trail hasn’t
always been easy.
“To be honest, I wasn’t as prepared as
I should’ve been,” says Harris. “I was
uncomfortable with my body and
exercising again after having a baby. It
was also difficult to find time to work
out. I either had to find someone to
watch her, or I would try to keep her
occupied while I ran on the treadmill.”
The mental aspect was just as
challenging.
“The hardest part was not feeling guilty
about doing something that made me
happy,” adds Harris. “After having Holly,
I felt as though everything I did had to
be for her. Being away from her for a
few hours to practice or to lift would
make me feel guilty. During my time
off from school — just working and
taking care of her — I felt like I only
identified as Holly’s mom. Paige was
gone.”
But not for long. As she physically got
stronger and faster while preparing for
the 2019 season, she began to realize
that by playing soccer, “Paige was still
around” and “she was allowed to be
happy as well.”
“Paige came in, worked hard, and fit
in nicely,” says Haney. “We have a very
welcoming culture, and I believe Paige
noticed that, used it to her advantage
and made some immediate friends
along the way.”
Her grit and determination paid off.
Harris made the team and helped
the Huskies to their second
consecutive NCAA Division II
Atlantic Regional title, resulting
in a second straight trip to
the Elite Eight. She finished
the year with two goals
— both of which came
during a 5-0 win over
Mansfield on Oct. 19 —
nearly three years to the
day she last scored with
Shippensburg.
“My first game was such
a rush of emotions,”
remembers Harris. “I
thought about all I went
through and the times
thinking I might never
play again. But there I was
(playing again). It wasn’t
just any team; it was a darn
good one. It was an honor
and a privilege to be a part of
something so special.”
Holly, meanwhile, is still at the
forefront of everything her mom does
and hopes to accomplish.
“My
parents
bring her to
every game they can,”
says Harris, who as
an early childhood
and special education
major plans to work
with children every day.
“She loves coming, and
I love having her there.
I want her to see how
her mom pursued her
life goals even when
things felt hard. I want
her to feel like she can
accomplish anything
she wants if she puts
her mind to it. I hope this
part of my life inspires her
to do anything she wants
in life — regardless of the
situation.”
sports
Women’s Soccer
Earns Team
Pinnacle Award
BU’s women’s soccer program was one of nine collegiate
programs across all divisions — men or women — to be
named this past year a recipient of the Team Pinnacle Award
from the United Soccer Coaches.
The Team Pinnacle Award honors teams that have achieved
a high level of fair play, educational excellence, and success
on the pitch. To be considered for the award, teams must
have received a version of the Team Ethics and Sportsmanship
Award; achieved recognition in the classroom as a recipient
of the Team Academic Award; and recorded a winning
percentage of .750 or higher during the respective season.
“Our culture of winning and losing the right way and, most
importantly, succeeding in the classroom, helps make the
women’s soccer family a group of dynamic young women
who are in it together and work hard for each other,” says
head coach Matt Haney.
The Huskies, who went 18-3-1 (.841 winning percentage)
en route to their second consecutive Atlantic Regional title
in 2019, earned the Team Ethics and Sportsmanship Bronze
Award as well as the Team Academic Award from United
Soccer Coaches during the 2019-20 academic year.
Bloomsburg was the only institution from the Pennsylvania
State Athletic Conference (PSAC) to earn a Team Ethics and
Sportsmanship Award in 2019-20. That award recognizes
teams that exhibit fair play, good sportsmanship, and adhere
to the game’s rules. A team must not have received any
red penalty cards during the season and the team’s yellow
caution card percentage (total yellow cards divided by total
games played) must not have exceeded 50%.
Meanwhile, the Huskies had a cumulative team grade point
average of 3.55 to earn a Team Academic Award. It marked
the fifth consecutive season that the women’s soccer team
was honored for having a cumulative team GPA of 3.0 or
higher.
Over the last two seasons of competition (the 2020
season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic),
the Huskies claimed back-to-back Atlantic Regional
championships and made consecutive trips to the Elite
Eight. The team also won the 2018 PSAC title —
the program’s first in 16 years. The 18 victories in
2019 tied the school record for most victories in a
season while its 35 wins over the span of the last
two years has set a new program mark.
“We recruit industrious and competitive people who
want to succeed in all facets of life,” adds Haney. “We have
become a place where young women want to continue their
academic and athletic careers. It is not about one of us — it
is about all of us. And we will continue to work together to
reach the very top.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
VIEW FROM THE TOP
29
celebrating our husky history
THEN & NOW
From Small
Beginnings to a
Worldwide Network
By Robert Dunkelberger
T
oday, the Bloomsburg University
Alumni Association has more than
76,000 members with graduates
in every state and around the world.
But the origins of the association 150
years ago were much more modest. On
commencement day, June 22, 1871, the
eight-member first class of teachers at
the Bloomsburg State Normal School and
the dozen new graduates from the second
class met to form an alumni association.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
The association’s activities began
in 1873, when a banquet was held at
commencement to welcome back alumni
and celebrate the newest members. As the
number of graduates grew, the number
of reunions gradually expanded. At first
alumni all met together, but by the 1880s
individual classes began to have their own
reunions. Anniversaries were important,
so classes met formally every five years.
These were the most popular gatherings,
when classmates who had attended
school together could reconnect.
30
And the celebrations became larger, with
more than 500 at the banquet in the main
dormitory’s dining room in 1912. As the
numbers grew, additional class reunions
were added, held in rooms in the main
dormitory or Carver Hall, based on where
a favorite teacher had taught. There
was so much enthusiasm that the most
recent grads couldn’t wait for their fifth
anniversary and so had formal reunions
every two years.
Although many alumni came back for
the reunion at commencement, there
was a strong desire to gather closer to
home and at a different time of year. The
ideal solution was to tie a reunion in with
the annual teachers’ institutes held in
each county every fall, where practicing
teachers gathered to learn new teaching
methods.
The first local association was formed
in 1890 in Luzerne County, which had
the greatest concentration of Bloomsburg
graduates. These quickly
became popular, with up
to 300 attending each
year, often at the Hotel
Sterling in Wilkes-Barre.
The nights would begin
with a reception, followed
by the banquet, an afterdinner program of toasts,
and hours of dancing.
Normal School
administrators saw
the value of the
county chapters
and were well
represented at the
events, often by the
principal and several of the senior faculty.
A primary means of recruitment was
through Normal graduates teaching in
the high schools, who urged prospective
teachers to attend Bloomsburg and earn
the same quality education they had.
The success of the Luzerne County
reunions led more local groups to
organize. Next was Lackawanna County,
which created a chapter in 1901. Eleven
additional counties added associations
between 1909 and 1912, with Montour
and Columbia following soon after. These
reunions were greatly anticipated as
alumni reconnected and reminisced about
their school days.
The reunions on campus remained
fairly consistent until the 1920s. In
1921 an Alumni Day intended solely to
rally graduates was held the day before
commencement. It included class
reunions, an assembly, a luncheon, and a
baseball game. The biggest change was
the addition of Homecoming in 1928,
which provided another opportunity for
graduates to return to Bloomsburg.
The Alumni Association valued the
local organizations, so by the late 1920s
when the chapters became inactive,
efforts were made to revitalize them.
One was formed in Philadelphia in
1931, leading to monthly luncheons
and large annual banquets. In 1934, an
Association resolution urged county
chapters to reorganize and within a
few years there were 10 in central and
eastern Pennsylvania, three covering
two counties. They held reunions and, as
before, the president of the college and
faculty members were in attendance.
In its early years, the Bloomsburg
University Alumni Association worked
to support the school and engage alumni,
recognizing the good they could do
through recruitment and monetary
assistance for scholarships. The alumni
responded, having become endeared
to Bloomsburg through their school
days and wanting to give back. This is a
spirit that, with now 76,000 alumni and
counting, has continued to the present
day.
1
2
1. The Class of
1897 gathers
for a reunion
in 1899.
3
3. Those
attending
the 1934
Philadelphia
Alumni
Banquet
pose for a
photograph.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
2. The 1928
Alumni Day
Luncheon was
held on the
Long Porch
of old Waller
Hall.
31
32
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
The BU campus will once again bustle with activity as the university
plans to return to a full-time, in-person Fall 2021 semester.
Keep up-to-date on plans for the coming Fall semester at
bloomu.edu/fall-2021
ADD
A
TO
YOUR
AVAILABLE IN THREE SIZES
bloomustore.com
400 E. Second Street
Bloomsburg, PA 17815
General Information: 570-389-4175
Customer Service: 570-389-4180
bustore@bloomu.edu
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
FALL ‘21
33
S
R
A
E
Y
0
15
with us
celebrate
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
On June 22, 1871, the Bloomsburg University Alumni
Association was formed to keep the bonds among alumni
and our alma mater strong. This has held true during
every one of the 150 years since its very first meeting.
34
And while the last century and a half has delivered an
array of challenges to Huskies everywhere, we have
weathered those challenges and preserved the lifechanging experiences and relationships we formed at
BU; all while working to ensure current students are
as successful as they have been since the school was
founded in 1839.
With 75,477 alumni world-wide, the Bloomsburg University
Alumni Association has much to celebrate in its legacy of
support; support for the university, support for students, and
support for each other. Every year, events and successes are made more impactful with your
participation. You won’t want to miss what we have planned in 2021!
Join in the celebration by visiting bloomu.edu/alumniassociation150.
Here’s to the next 150 years of grit, loyalty, and excellence! Go Huskies!
SUMME R 20 21
THE UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
ALSO INSIDE
Jackie Lithgow’s inspiring story
now includes a Bloomsburg diploma
Page 14
Spring ‘21 Commencement
Ceremony held in person
Page 18
Making a Difference
in Different Ways
Alumni Association honors
Huskies who make a difference
Page 20
bloomu.edu
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
Grit and
Determination
Personified
Fist Bumps and
Facemasks
1
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
My Dear BU Family,
Please enjoy this Summer 2021 edition of
BLOOMSBURG: The University Magazine.
This past May, we were excited to host our
commencement ceremonies in-person for the
first time since December 2019. Still mindful of the
ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we expanded our
normal three ceremonies to five over the course
of a weekend, and ensured that all in attendance
were socially distanced. It truly was a pleasure to
celebrate in-person with our graduates and their
families once again, and it was quite gratifying
given all that we have endured over the past
year. I commend the members of our staff who
worked so hard in planning and coordinating the
successful ceremonies, and our faculty members
for their efforts in support of our students’
success.
President Bashar Hanna
My congratulations to the Class of 2021, who
overcame so much and displayed incredible
resilience in their final two years at BU. One
particular member of this graduating class, Jackie
Lithgow ‘21, epitomizes the grit and determination
for which we Huskies are known. Seven years
after suffering a traumatic brain injury and facing
very long odds, Jackie inspired us all by walking
across the stage to receive his well-earned
diploma. Congratulations to Jackie on this great
achievement – and to his proud parents, Jim
and Lisa (both BU alumni), who never stopped
believing that their son would recover and
eventually earn a Bloomsburg degree.
You will also read in this issue the courageous journey of one of our alumni, the Honorable David Gass, who earned
his law degree from Arizona State University College of Law after receiving both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees
from BU. Appointed to the Arizona Court of Appeals by Governor Doug Ducey in 2019, Judge Gass was the honored
speaker at our Lavender graduation ceremony this past May. Thank you to Judge Gass for sharing his story and
inspiring so many of our students.
Lastly, we include a tribute to a loyal ambassador and dear friend of our University, Mrs. Ramona Alley, who recently
retired after 37 years as a member of our Council of Trustees. We are profoundly grateful to Ramona for her loyalty
and service, and her unwavering commitment to our students and their success.
We look forward to the Fall 2021 semester and a return to an in-person learning environment. You can learn more
about our Fall 2021 plans at www.bloomu.edu, which you will notice is our newly revamped website (as of July 1).
As always, I thank you for your continued support of BU, and I look forward to seeing you back on campus this fall.
Have a safe and enjoyable summer with your families and friends.
GO HUSKIES!
Sincerely,
Bashar W. Hanna, President
Photo: Marty Coyne
Redman Stadium at Danny Hale Field
at the Steph Pettit Athletic Complex
served as the setting for BU’s Spring 2021
Commencement ceremonies in May.
Graduates were socially distanced on
the field, while parents and supporters
celebrated in the stands.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
See more, page 18.
1
Summer 2021
6
11
14
18
28
31
Contents
3 COMMON GROUND
18
FIST BUMPS AND FACEMASKS
10 HEEDING COVID’S CALL TO ACTION
20
MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN DIFFERENT WAYS
11 CARE PACKAGES MAKE LASTING IMPRESSION
24
HUSKY NOTES
12 DREAMS THAT BLOOM
28
ATHLETICS: A VIEW FROM THE TOP
14 GRIT AND DETERMINATION PERSONIFIED
31
THEN AND NOW: CELEBRATING ART AT BLOOMSBURG
17 TRUSTING WHO YOU ARE
Connect with us
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
bloomu.edu
Pennsylvania’s State System
of Higher Education
Board of Governors
Cynthia D. Shapira, Chairperson
Robert W. Bogle
Representative Tim Briggs
Tanya I. Garcia, Ph.D.
William “Bill” Gindlesperger
Allison Jones
Senator Scott Martin
David M. Maser
Marian D. Moskowitz
Secretary of Education Noe Ortega
Representative Brad Roae
Senator Judith L. Schwank
Larry C. Skinner
Samuel H. Smith
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
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
Contributing
Writers
Thomas Schaeffer ’02
Andrea O’Neill ’06
Cover Photo
Nikki Keller ’97
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
Arts and 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 2021
2
Photo: Jaime North
Integration Update
The proposal calls for each university to retain the unique traits
specific to its campus and community, while coming together
to become something bigger and stronger and positioned to
answer the greatest challenges facing higher education today:
access, cost, opportunity, quality, and relevance.
The board’s vote initiated a 60-day public comment period
that included hearings on June 9 and 10.
Work continues on plans to leverage the “power of three” to
increase access to exemplary academic programs and social
mobility for students. The plans are designed to respond
to the diverse needs of 21st century learners with relevant
academic programs, proven modalities, and flexibility that will
prepare students for careers of the future, while maintaining an
efficient course of study to bring them to graduation.
At all the universities involved, plans provide for students to still
enjoy on-campus housing, student clubs and organizations,
athletics, and a vibrant campus life. Ultimately, students would
design a university experience that is best for them, with
dedicated support services on each campus.
At Bloomsburg University, our priority is to honor our history
and legacy to connect fellow Huskies and provide support for
today’s students and tomorrow’s leaders. Foundations and
alumni associations would remain independent and continue
to keep classmates connected with their alma mater. Donors
would continue to be able to designate funds in support of
students on their campus or program of choice, as they do
today.
You can learn more about the integration plans by visiting
www.bloomu.edu/integration.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
In late April, the Board of Governors for Pennsylvania’s State
System of Higher Education approved moving forward with a
public comment period on two integration plans, one for the
northeast region encompassing Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and
Mansfield universities, and one in the west region to include
California, Clarion, and Edinboro universities.
3
news on campus
COMMON GROUND
Faculty Honored for
Exceptional Teaching
Abby Hare-Harris
Michael Huben
T
hree BU faculty members were named 2020-21
Outstanding Teaching Award recipients by the Teaching
and Learning Enhancement (TALE) Center.
Abby Hare-Harris, a Stephen J. Jones Professional U Fellow, is
an assistant professor of biological and allied health sciences;
Michael Huben, a Stephen J. Jones Professional U Fellow, is
an instructor of marketing and professional sales; and Brett
McLaurin is a professor of environmental, geographical,
and geological sciences. The faculty were nominated by
graduating seniors from the class of 2020-21 and selected by
TALE’s Outstanding Teaching Award Committee.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
“I am grateful to professors Abby Hare-Harris, Brett McLaurin,
Michael Huben, and all our outstanding faculty members who
go above and beyond in support of our students and their
success,” said President Bashar Hanna.
4
Hare-Harris’ research fields are human genetics and genomics,
and many of her students and advisees earn the medical
genomics and counseling certificate. Student nominations
emphasized that her courses are tough yet taught with care
and patience to ensure every student succeeds. Her rapport
with students is exceptional. One student wrote, “She is not
an easy professor by any means. She promotes independent
thinking and has helped me become a better student and
a better person.” Hare-Harris’ life transformative teaching
permeated the students’ nominations, and her empathy helps
students overcome academic and personal struggles.
Michael Huben joined BU following a career at Merck.
Creating bridges between higher education and a career led
Brett McLaurin
students to nominate Huben for the outstanding teaching
award. A nominator wrote, “Mr. Huben teaches in real-world
examples and is able to relate content to everyday life, so
students can understand how the lessons will look outside of
the classroom.” Huben’s dedication is evident in mentoring
students in sales competitions, coaching them on how
to network and interview for jobs, and develop leadership
qualities.
Brett McLaurin is a geologist specializing in stratigraphy and
sedimentology. Students nominating McLaurin spoke of his
exceptional ability to combine theory and practice, making
every topic relevant and engrossing. One student wrote,
“Whenever I had questions, the professor was available and
engaged me in possible learning experiences beyond the
classroom.” McLaurin creates spaces where students can risk
failure, learn from their experiences, and increase confidence
in their skills and knowledge. Engaging, caring, hands-on were
constant themes in his student nominations.
“These three faculty members exemplify the hard work and
dedication all our faculty make to our students in support
of their academic success,” said BU Provost and Senior Vice
President for Academic Affairs Diana Rogers-Adkinson. “What
is even more remarkable is how they adapted to teaching in
a virtual world for the last year, and yet, were able to make
strong connections with their students. As provost, I am very
proud of their work and offer my congratulations to them.”
All three will receive a plaque and be awarded a professional
development stipend sponsored by the BU Foundation.
COMMON GROUND
Photo: Marty Coyne
Bringing Academics
and Administration
Together
Celebrating the New Arts and
Administration Building
“When universities build buildings, they either serve as an academic space or
an administrative space,” said President Bashar Hanna, but BU’s new Arts and
Administration Building has both, “emphasizing that here at Bloomsburg, we
are one family.”
The building features a soaring four-story open atrium topped by skylights
and hosts a mix of functions. The ground level features art department
sculpture studios plus photography and theatre labs, and the first floor
houses the admissions, financial aid, and registrar’s offices, a language lab,
and six classrooms. The second floor includes offices and more studios for
the art and art history department, and the history and the languages and
cultures departments. The top floor houses the offices of marketing and
communications, human resources, administration and finance, student billing
(bursar), and procurement.
Construction began in October 2018 and was shut down from March to
May 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Construction was completed in
November 2020 before opening for the spring semester.
The Honorable Mary Jane Bowes, Council of Trustees chair, thanked everyone
who worked on the project.
“I want to thank Dr. Hanna for his vision and leadership, my fellow trustees, our
dedicated faculty and staff, facilities management – especially Ed Gunshore
in his role as project manager, the Department of General Services, and most
importantly our students,” said Bowes. “We look forward to seeing it enjoyed
by our students, faculty, and staff for many years to come.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
A ribbon-cutting ceremony in early June celebrated the opening of the new
facility, which has been in use since January.
5
Taking Art to a Higher Degree
Art students are enjoying new and improved studio spaces
in the Arts and Administration Building and will soon have
the option of pursuing a new prestigious Bachelor of Fine Arts
(BFA) degree.
The new BFA program was approved by Pennsylvania’s State
System of Higher Education Board of Governors in the spring,
and was approved in June by the National Association of
Schools of Art and Design.
“The BFA is really preparing students as professional artists or
to go on to grad school,” says Meredith Re’ Grimsley, professor
and chair of the Department of Art and Art History. “It’s also
recommended for students who want to get a certificate in
education.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
The new degree increases both the depth and breadth of
preparation for student artists, requiring a 79-credit art studio
and art history curriculum, while the Bachelor of Arts degree
requires 39 credits.
6
“We have students who have crafted their experience here
to look like a BFA, but we haven’t had the degree,” says
Grimsley. “We also include BFA in graphic design, which is
a much stronger, much more competitive degree for our
students.”
“In integration conversations with Mansfield and Lock Haven,
we all have the same mission with our students. We developed
a study-away concept with the other universities. Students
will be able to take a semester to study something we don’t
offer. For example, ceramics at Mansfield and Lock Haven. And
students from Mansfield and Lock Haven could come here to
study fabric design.”
Grimsley also envisions exhibition exchanges between faculty
and students at the different campuses. “Students can start to
know each other across the miles.”
BU will maintain the BA degree in art, which allows students to
have multiple majors.
There are approximately 100 students studying art studio
or art history. And while many art students took classes in
person through the fall and spring, Grimsley is excited to have
a full building and campus again, “I can’t wait until people
are really back. The aesthetics of the space. The light, the air,
the atmosphere. It’s very sophisticated. These are the nicest
facilities I’ve ever worked in.”
College of
Education earns
CAEP accreditation
Retention Numbers
Climb for BU Act 101
Students
The College of Education has been granted
accreditation by the Council for the Accreditation
of Educator Preparation (CAEP). CAEP is one of
only two nationally recognized accrediting bodies
for educator preparation.
One of BU’s biggest success stories in helping
students develop the skills needed to support their
academic success has been the Act 101 program.
Since 2017, Act 101 students have increased their
first- to second-year retention rates by nearly 20
percent (45 to 63.7 percent).
“Earning CAEP accreditation is a testament to
the hard work and commitment to excellence
by our faculty, led by our dean of the college,
Daryl Fridley,” said President Bashar Hanna.
“The excellence of their work is reflected in the
accreditor’s final recommendation, which was all
standards met, no areas for improvement and no
problems.”
“I am very proud of everyone in the College of
Education, and the leadership of Dr. Amy Eitzen,
associate dean, who worked on the accreditation
process,” said Fridley. “The rigorous standards set
by CAEP also give BU the seal of approval that
we are properly preparing the next generation of
educators and give our students the confidence
that BU meets the highest standards of quality and
effectiveness that employers value.”
Educator preparation providers seeking CAEP
accreditation must pass peer review on five
standards, which are based on two principles:
• Solid evidence that the provider’s graduates are
competent and caring educators.
• Solid evidence that the provider’s educator
staff have the capacity to create a culture of
excellence and use it to maintain and enhance
the quality of the professional programs they
offer.
Act 101 is a statewide academic support program
giving first-generation, low-income college
students who demonstrate risk factors that will
increase the likelihood of not completing a fouryear college degree, opportunities to develop the
skills they need to achieve academic excellence.
“Our team here works hard to give these students
a chance to be successful,” said Ralph Godbolt,
director of the Office of Access and Success. “We
provide to them the academic, cultural, and social
interaction they need.”
Participants of the Act 101 program are strongly
encouraged to participate in a program called
Emerging Scholars, which Godbolt developed. “We
provide opportunities for students to develop the
skills that will assist them in achieving academic
success,” he says. “The success of the Emerging
Scholars program directly impacted the strong firstto second-year retention rates of Act 101 students.”
Godbolt and his team provide eight hours a
week of study hall time, compassion-centered
academic advising, and community engagement
opportunities. They also provide yoga and
mindfulness activities and weekly “rap sessions,”
where students engage in intense conversations
about issues going on in their lives.
“The rap sessions help in building a close
relationship between the student and counselor,”
Godbolt said.
In addition to the Act 101 and Emerging Scholars
programs, the Office of Access and Success
oversees the Office of Diversity and Retention,
Board of Governors, SEE Yourself Healthier and
Happier, and the Out of the Classroom: Into the
Community initiative.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
Following a rigorous accreditation process during
which faculty and staff identified, collected, and
analyzed program improvement data, Bloomsburg
University was granted accreditation at the initial
and advanced licensure level. The accreditation is
granted for seven years with renewal in 2026.
7
Alley Honored
for 37 Years
of Service as
Trustee
Ramona Alley has been a witness and participant
in a lot of changes at Bloomsburg University
during her 37-year career on the Council of
Trustees, which recognized her retirement at its
June 2021 meeting.
«
Ramona and Ali Alley at the First and Goal Football Campaign celebration in 2011.
«
Alley, who became a trustee in 1983 before
Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education
was formed, became the first female vice
chairperson and chairperson at Bloomsburg,
serving between 1992 and 1996. She was part
of two presidential search committees and
countless other committees.
Shown from left are, standing: The Honorable Mary Jane Bowes, Council of
Trustees chair, incoming student trustee candidate Julia Burcin ’23, trustees
Duane Greenly, Nancy Vasta, Amy Brayford, Raymond Zaborney and Ed Edwards.
Seated: Dr. Ali A. and Ramona H. Alley.
“When I reflect back to my years of serving at
Bloomsburg University, I leave with having had
the honor and privilege of presenting thousands
of diplomas to graduates and knowing they had
a quality education — thanks to our outstanding
faculty and staff,” said Alley.
She, along with her husband, Dr. Ali Alley,
established the Dr. Ali A. Alley & Ramona H. Alley
Endowed Scholarship, designed for incoming
first-year students from Berwick or Columbia
County with a preference for students majoring
in a health- or medical-related field. This fall,
they will be supporting their seventh recipient.
Together they have also made significant
contributions to the First & Goal Campaign
and Arts in Bloom.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
Student Soars in Sales Competition
8
Senior professional sales and marketing student Autumn Hawk made her
mark in the Redbird Regional Sales Contest held in the spring semester.
In her first-ever sales competition, Hawk advanced to the semifinals.
Faculty member Michael Huben coached Hawk in the competition
along with Molly Groff, Mia Kosoglow, and Ethan Burns.
The Redbird National Sales Competition is a collegiate sales competition
hosted by the Professional Sales Institute at Illinois State University. It
enables students to demonstrate their selling skills through simulated
sale roleplays. More than 150 participants from 20 schools exhibited
their sales skills during roleplay scenarios. Additionally, 11 corporate
sponsors were represented.
BU is also one of only five Pennsylvania institutions listed among the top
North American schools by the Sales Education Foundation.
«
State-Wide Recycling Survey
Yields Important Trend Results
Bloomsburg Town Recycling
Coordinator Charlie Fritz
and Jennifer Haney.
Community recycling programs have never been more
important. Recycling helps preserve environmental quality,
saves landfill space, preserves resources, conserves energy,
reduces air pollution, and saves water.
The top five trends are:
That’s where the work of Jennifer Haney from the Department
of Environmental, Geographical, and Geological Sciences
comes into play. Last summer Haney, the project director, and
John Bodenman, her department colleague and co-author
on the report, conducted a study of recycling programs in
Pennsylvania, the first of its kind in the state.
2. contamination of recyclable materials has decreased the
value of materials collected;
Haney and Bodenman contacted the county recycling
coordinators from around the state for the case studies and
provided each with a list of questions. Questions expanded
on information collected in the web-based survey. They
addressed the following: population served with recycling
collection services, staff employed at the recycling facility,
major challenges and opportunities encountered in the past 10
years and those anticipated over the next five years, key areas
for improving policies governing waste in recycling in the state,
and educational outreach and information on their recycling
collection programs.
3. recycling programs do increasingly rely upon funding from
the state;
4. recycling provides environmental and economic benefits to
Pennsylvania;
5. declining recycling program revenues and rising recycling
program costs are causing a hardship for the sustainability of
recycling programs in Pennsylvania.
Haney and Bodenman will use the collected data to prepare
and submit two manuscripts to peer-reviewed journals — one
in geography and one in waste management. They will also
present the study’s results at the annual Professional Recyclers
of Pennsylvania meeting in July.
“The sustainability of recycling programs depends on all of
us,” says Haney. “Take the time, effort, and energy to carefully
and correctly separate your recyclables — help to reduce
contamination and give more value to your recyclable
materials!”
Scott Kane
Named Dean
of Students
Scott Kane joined BU as the new dean
of students in the Division of Student
Success and Enrollment Services in April.
Kane comes to BU from Mansfield
University where he was serving as
interim dean of students. He will
continue to provide shared services
to Mansfield. Kane has 18 years of
experience, including serving as dean
of students, interim vice president for
student affairs and associate dean for
student life at Rhode Island College. He
also served as vice president and dean
of student affairs at the University of
Pittsburgh at Bradford.
Kane earned a doctoral degree in
higher education from the University
of Maryland and a master’s degree
in counseling and student personnel
services from Kansas State University.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
“Recycling programs across the United States are struggling
to adjust to rapidly changing market conditions for recyclable
materials,” Haney wrote in the proposal. “This project was
designed to test a number of hypotheses concerning
economic and environmental issues impacting recycling
programs in rural Pennsylvania.”
1. Local recycling programs are impacted by global markets
and constraints;
9
By Eric Foster
Members of the U.S. armed forces,
including three BU alumni, have been at
the forefront of the nation’s response to
the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nationally, Army veteran Mark Hall ‘86
has helped the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention staff up to
handle the pandemic workload. “This is
the largest and longest CDC response
that has ever taken place,” says Hall, who
has worked with the CDC both as an
employee and a contractor since 2009.
As an intelligence officer in the Army,
Hall’s tours included Desert Storm,
Desert Shield, Iraqi Freedom, and
Enduring Freedom. Over the years, Hall
has had plenty of tours with the CDC as
well, with assignments to places such as
Sierra Leon and Vietnam.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
“Before COVID, we were working on
exercises for influenza,” says Hall,
a business process analyst for the
CDC’s influenza coordination unit who
had been involved with the agency’s
response to the H1N1 and Ebola
outbreaks. “When the pandemic hit, we
started with 50 people,” says Hall, who
was focused on bringing on new staff for
the agency. “We’re communicating with
the states and municipalities. We went
from a small group to 650 people at its
largest point.”
10
Meanwhile, in Pennsylvania Army
National Guard members, Brig. Gen.
James McCormack ’90/’93M and
Col. Timothy Brooks ’92 coordinated
coronavirus activities as leaders in the
Guard’s Joint Staff at Fort Indiantown
Gap.
McCormack, who is also BU’s associate
vice president for student development
and campus life, was involved with
COVID response on campus and
throughout the state.
“The COVID mitigation measures
on campus were very successful,”
says McCormack, who early in the
pandemic worked with Eric Ness, chief
facilities and safety officer, arranging for
Geisinger medical providers to stay at
BU apartments in order to quarantine
from their families.
“Fortunately, Geisinger had very good
procedures that kept their staff safe, and
few people needed the apartments. We
also had a dialog with the Army Corps
of Engineers about serving as a potential
mass quarantine site.”
While a mass quarantine site wasn’t
needed, McCormack, who has
completed tours in Afghanistan
and Iraq and was the primary lead
on negotiating between Pennsylvania
Emergency Management Agency
(PEMA) and the Pennsylvania National
Guard, emphasizes that planning is still
essential. “The time to figure out what
to do is not after it happens. If you wait
until it happens, you are way too late.”
The Joint Staff, which McCormack
heads, has oversight and tasking
authority for all Pennsylvania
National Guard personnel assigned to
support domestic operations at the
direction of the governor. “There are
four components, Army National Guard,
Air Force National Guard, Veteran Affairs,
and Civil Air Patrol,” says McCormack.
“The need to communicate and rely
on others is critical to getting things
done. The components aren’t siloed. If
I need medics, the Air Force and Army
both have medics that can support
an assigned mission. Tying into other
agencies and units is what makes us able
to function best.”
Brig. Gen.
James McCormack ’90/’93M
Col.
Timothy Brooks ’92
As the pandemic began, Brooks, a retired
Bethlehem police officer, moved to a
full-time role as chief of the Joint Staff,
with McCormack as his direct superior.
“I became the lead representative at
PEMA for the Guard,” says Brooks,
recalling driving on empty roads
from the Guard headquarters at Fort
Indiantown Gap to PEMA’s Harrisburg
headquarters.
“It was important to know the
participants … it wasn’t just the Guard;
it was PEMA and Department of
Health. You stay in your lane but also
learn what the other lanes are. Being
collaborative is the best way. A lot of
senior officers working with me at PEMA
had experience from deployments,”
says Brooks, whose own tours include
Army veteran
Mark Hall ’86
Hungary, Afghanistan, Iraq, and
Louisiana for Hurricane Katrina. “With
our experience with planning, we can
anticipate problems and challenges and
think of things a couple of steps ahead.”
“Long-term care facilities were hit hard,
the National Guard went into help
alleviate pressure,” says Brooks. “We
assisted PEMA in planning for the use of
a system that sterilized N95 masks.”
Brooks was also deeply involved in
planning for vaccination sites this spring.
“We were part of the initial flurry of
activity on a Friday afternoon in February.
For the first Johnson & Johnson shots
for teachers and support personnel;
How many medics were able to give the
shots? How many can you field? That
was a big undertaking. Of the 28 sites
for teachers, the Guard was at eight of
them. It was very successful.”
“The quality of the instruction at BU, the
teachers, their consistency, love for their
work. It gave me the fundamentals to
function in any environment,” says Hall,
who majored in history.
One of few underrepresented students
on campus in the 1980s, Hall worked
with a professor to do a study of
minorities at Bloomsburg University.
“Being given the latitude to do
something like that influenced me. I
never felt limited. I felt prepared by the
time I stepped on the first military base
after I left Bloomsburg, I was competitive
with everyone around me,” says Hall,
who notes that 10 family members have
attended BU, including his daughter Joy
Hall, who earned a master’s degree in
clinical athletic training.
“Some of the other experiences are
just as important as the academics,
the activities may fill in where the
academics didn’t. Leadership, seeing
another side of an issue,” says Brooks.
“Everything I heard about college
seemed to happen at Bloomsburg. From
playing hacky sack, meeting friends. I
ran cross-country two seasons, was a
Husky Ambassador. Totally out of my
comfort zone, I was a Husky Singer for
several semesters. Each experience
added to who I am now and gave me
different perspectives to draw on once I
graduated.”
The preparation and skills learned at BU
served both the citizen solider and our
nation well in a time of crisis.
Shown From left, Erin Pawlick and Catherine Metzger, with a BU flag in Iraq. Gabrielle
Erb is pictured in the Table of Contents on page 2.
Care
Packages
Make a
Lasting
Impact on
Student
Soldiers
By Tom McGuire
Serving overseas in the military far from family,
friends, and all the comforts of home is one
of the sacrifices soldiers make in service to
our country. When deployed soldiers receive
gifts from home, the gesture goes far beyond
getting something different to eat or an item to
use. It gives that soldier the knowledge they are
remembered and appreciated.
When five BU students, Erin Pawlick, Gabrielle
Erb, Leo Malfara, Grant Lyons, and BU graduate
Catherine
(Cat) Metzger ’20, all members of the
Pennsylvania Army National Guard Aviation
group, deployed to Camp Buehring in Kuwait,
the BU Military and Veteran Resources Office
collected both snacks and BU memorabilia and
sent the care packages to their fellow students.
“It is nice to get a piece of BU while serving in
a rough environment,” said Cat Metzger, an
E4 Specialist, via a Facetime call from Kuwait.
“To know that people back at Bloomsburg
University are thinking of us means a lot.”
“The main things that are nice to receive are healthy snacks,” said Sgt. Pawlick.
“They always say that you either get fit or fat on deployments. I work out just
about every day, so making sure I have only healthy things is important to me,
so I’m not eating crap in my downtime.”
For Metzger, who will return to BU this fall as a graduate student in the college
student affairs program, Lyons, an E4 Specialist and Erb, also an E4 Specialist,
who will finish her degree this fall, cards and letters were great to receive.
“Our favorite thing we received here was the multiple Christmas and Veterans
Day cards from elementary schools!” said Metzger. “We taped up every single
one we received in our work break room, and they are still up on the wall.”
Sgt. Malfara is bringing home a flag that flew during a combat mission over
Iraq and will present it to the university.
“The flag flew on Feb. 1, 2021, aboard a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter during
Operation Inherent Resolve, and it will be my honor to present it to BU,” said
Malfara.
No matter the place or circumstance, Huskies always care for other Huskies.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
Hall also had his start with the Pa.
National Guard, joining in high school.
He credits his experience at BU for giving
him tools to succeed throughout his
career in very diverse environments.
«
“National Guard is not just one
weekend a month,” stresses McCormack.
“Pennsylvania is uniquely positioned in
the nation to respond to problems to the
south or the northeast. The Pa. Guard
could just as easily be needed in D.C. or
New York City.”
11
Dreams That Bloom
By Tom Schaeffer “02
H
annah Harple ’21 wanted nothing
more than to make her family
proud by achieving her dreams
of walking across the stage and
shaking hands with BU President
Bashar Hanna when she received
her diploma and officially completed
her early childhood and special
education degree.
Just like the nearly 30 percent of
students who enroll at BU each year,
Harple, a Honeybrook native, is the
first member of her family to go to
college and complete her four-year
degree. Though she has worked hard
to achieve her goals, she is thankful
for the scholarships she received
from the Bloom On Fund that have
helped her finish her climb.
“It’s an amazing feeling to get
selected for that accomplishment
and receive a scholarship,” Harple
says. “It helps you. It’s a lot of money,
and my parents helped all they
could, but that scholarship helped
me feel good knowing that I could
help them too, and I am so grateful
for that.”
«
Hannah Harple
celebrates
graduation with
her parents Kelly
and Mark in May.
Scholarships like the one Harple received are more important than ever before in helping
Bloomsburg University recruit talented students and provide them with the financial support
they need to complete their education. That is why the Bloomsburg University Foundation (BUF)
announced this spring that they have committed $2 million in need-based scholarships from
the Bloom On Fund to help with student recruitment and retention, which will be awarded in
installments of $500,000 per year for the next four years.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
“We are so thankful to the BUF Board and our donors for committing to provide such much-needed
scholarships,” says Hanna. “They are leading our Husky pack by example, and I can’t thank them
enough for the work they’ve done to make this happen.”
12
The demand for an increase in need-based scholarships became clear to BUF leadership after
meeting with Hanna and University administrators and hearing how scholarships like these are
among the most effective tools the BU admissions team can use to help students and their families
make the final decision to attend BU.
“One of the biggest challenges for current and incoming students is the harsh reality that they
may have to postpone their education due to financial obstacles, especially during these uncertain
times,” says BUF Board President Drew Hostetter. “That’s what we’re here for, to help support
students and advance the success of this University. Right now, this is the best way for us to do
that.”
The scholarships awarded through this increased commitment will help BU recruit students and
provide the University with the flexibility to respond to students’ needs to help them stay on course
for timely completion of their degrees.
“The scholarships I received helped me stay on track,
even when things weren’t going as planned,” says Mina
Fayez ’21. “I was accepted for a very beneficial internship
that I was set to begin in my senior year, but it ended
up getting canceled because of COVID. I had also taken
the first steps toward launching my own business, but
COVID derailed that too.”
Fayez is also the first in his family to achieve his fouryear degree, precisely the vision his parents had for him
when they came to the United States from Egypt shortly
after he was born. He embodies the Husky spirit that BU
students and alumni exhibit every day. No matter what
twists and turns this past year presented, he was not
going to let it stop him.
When he realized he would not be participating in
the internship and couldn’t bring in revenue with
his business idea, Mina applied for scholarship
support through the Bloom On Fund to help keep his
educational goals on track. Thanks to the scholarships
he received, he refocused and even graduated a
semester ahead of schedule with a job already secured.
Now he is at the beginning of his journey toward a
career in management.
«
Mina Fayez
The announcement of the increased commitment to
scholarships has also created a groundswell of support
from BU donors who have made gifts or increased their
contributions to support this initiative.
Greg ’01 and Jen Bowden ’02 were both first-generation
students and realized just how vital these types of
scholarships can be for students facing financial need.
They made their first gift to BU right after they graduated
and have been giving back as leaders in the BU
community ever since.
In 2016, the Bowdens set up a gift through their estate to
establish the Bowden Family Leadership Scholarship and
help create the same life-changing opportunity they had
at BU for students today and in the future.
They recently increased their support in response to the
need for additional scholarships to help the University
recruit and retain students.
Eric Pettis ‘83 was also inspired to pledge $1,000 a year
for the next four years to support scholarships that will
help recruit and retain students. Pettis, who established
a scholarship years ago, chose to increase his giving
because he knows how much it can help.
“I have seen the impact of scholarship support firsthand,
and I’m a big believer in giving back to the places that
made you who you are,” Pettis says. “I hope my gift will
inspire others to do the same. When you think about it,
if just 500 donors make a gift of $1,000, that will help
cover these scholarships for the year, and I think Huskies
are up to that challenge.”
To learn more about this initiative or to make a gift,
call 855-282-4483 or visit giving.bloomu.edu/FirstGen.
«
Eric Pettis
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
«
Greg and Jen Bowden while students at BU.
At right, the Bowdens and their children today.
“We worked with the Foundation to increase our gift
because we know how much of a difference it can make
in these students’ lives,” says Greg. “We hope this will
not only help students who need it but also inspire the
recipients to push themselves to become leaders too.”
13
GRIT&
N
O
I
T
A
N
I
M
R
E
T
E
D
d
e
i
f
i
n
o
pers
By Eric Foster
and Tom McGuire
“
“With brain injuries, you’re always
in rehab and always learning and
always healing. My one doctor
told me that when you go to the
real world and go to college and
walk on campus, that will be your
therapy. I’m going to classes and
walking, learning.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
— Jackie Lithgow
14
Photo: Jaime North
Photo: Bill Hughes/
Press Enterprise
“
atching BU’s spring commencement ceremony from
the press box at Redman Stadium, Jim and Lisa Lithgow
never took their eyes off their son Jackie as he sat on the field
with his fellow graduates. As Jackie neared the stage, then
ultimately had his name called as a graduate, tears flowed from
his mother’s eyes. The journey was complete. It was a long
time coming.
Seven years after a head injury left him in a coma, Jackie
Lithgow defied the odds and graduated from Bloomsburg
University with a degree in media and journalism.
Lithgow’s life changed forever on Feb. 23, 2014, when the
19-year-old, trying to break up a fight, was blindsided by a
punch. Falling to the ground, his head struck the pavement. He
was life-flighted to Geisinger Hospital in Danville and lay in a
coma for 15 days. Jackie was given the worst possible ranking
on the Glasgow Coma scale. Over 90% of patients with this
type of traumatic brain injury never regain consciousness and,
if they do, are significantly impaired.
Jackie, though, fought hard. “With perseverance and support
from his parents, BU alumni Jim ‘83 and Lisa ‘83, family and
community, Lithgow defied the odds.
Walking across the stage to receive his diploma was a double
milestone.
“I finished out my therapies while finishing college,” says
Jackie, of Carlisle. “Walking across the stage when I was
getting my diploma was very special to me, the crescendo of
everything I’ve worked for. Your life is like a book. I’ve had a lot
of chapters in the book, this turns another chapter.”
Lithgow fought hard for his recovery and the diploma.
As a fighter, he had powerful role models in his parents. “My
parents mean everything to me. They were at every stage of
my recovery. When I was in the hospital they would sleep on
the bed by me, they would hold my hand.”
“My mom was a fierce advocate for me when I couldn’t be,”
adds Lithgow. “There were many times when things were
going badly. And she stepped in and said this is how it’s going
to be. This is how it has to be. My parents were exceptional in
my recovery. I’ve had many people tell me do you understand
how amazing your parents are. I’m very blessed how they
would put their lives on the line for me.”
— BU President Bashar Hanna
“You know people would come in and they would look at
you in a way that was just like they felt very sorry for you, or
doctors would come in and not with a great prognosis,” says
his mother. “But we could see him in there, I mean, we knew
he was there — we knew it was going to take time, but we
just knew. We knew he could get back, it was just a matter of
taking the time.”
The road back to class was a hard one, involving nine surgeries
and intensive rehabilitation.
A turning point for Lithgow was aquatic therapy in which he
relearned to walk, one step at a time, with a treadmill in a
swimming pool. In addition to those therapies, his father found
a functional medicine doctor who put Jackie on a diet low in
gluten and sugar, which helped speed his recovery.
“With brain injuries, you’re always in rehab and always learning
and always healing,” says Jackie. “My one doctor told me that
when you go to the real world and go to college and walk on
campus, that will be your therapy. I’m going to classes and
walking, learning.”
“My parents told me I don’t have to go back to college,” says
Lithgow. “I wanted to go back to college, I had this. After my
injury and getting better, it intensified my hunger to graduate
and get a diploma.”
In the spring of 2016, two years after his injury, he returned to
BU to begin taking classes again. Those first semesters were
especially challenging.
“I liked to refer to myself as a hermit in my shell. Only
coming out to go to classes and getting something to eat,”
says Lithgow. “I had friends still at Bloomsburg, but from a
mental perspective, what would tire me out the most was
socialization. Being around people at that time was very tiring.
There was a balance I had to find between socializing and
schoolwork. Post-injury, studying had to be more rigorous,
more flashcards. It took up more of my time.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
W
“Jackie is the epitome of the grit and
determination for which we Huskies are
known. We are inspired by all that he has
overcome, and are beyond proud of all that
he has accomplished.”
15
“When I first started BU, I was an ITM (Information and Technology
Management) major and switched to digital forensics,” says Lithgow. “But
when I came back from my injury, I didn’t understand anything going on. So,
I talked with Theresa Bloskey in TRIO Student Support Services, and I took an
intro mass communications class with professor (Jason) Genovese and was
hooked.”
Each semester, Lithgow tried to add a course to his schedule until he was
taking four classes. His mom stayed locally with friends, becoming a source of
help and guidance. Support from BU extended well beyond the first semester
and involved many offices. Among them were athletics director Michael
McFarland and assistant swimming coach Bridget Hilferty, who helped him
increase his strength and stability with exercises. And graduate students in
speech-language pathology and the concussion institute provided therapy.
“Jackie is the epitome of the grit and determination for which we Huskies are
known,” says BU President Bashar Hanna. “We are inspired by all that he has
overcome, and are beyond proud of all that he has accomplished.”
“It starts with Dr. Hanna, I had lunch with him every so often,” says Lithgow.
“Dr. Genovese (chair of media and journalism department) has been a role
model. All the professors have been wonderful.”
“In my 15 years here at BU I have never seen a more inspirational story than
Jackie’s,” says Genovese. “To see how far he has come these past few years
is truly remarkable. He attacked his schoolwork with impressive vigor and
energy. Despite what he’s been through, Jackie always wears a big smile
on his face and has the most charming personality. Whether we chat about
school, family, or Philadelphia sports, I’m just lucky to have crossed paths with
this young man.”
“All those people out there that got him here. It wasn’t just us. It was a total
team effort. From Bloom, to doctors to therapists, so for all those people … to
see him do this is pretty cool,” says Jim Lithgow.
Lithgow has been involved in more than his classes. He also created the
Jackie Lithgow Foundation to support traumatic brain injury survivors during
their road to recovery. Through events such as an annual golf tournament,
the foundation (lithgowfoundation.org) has raised over $65,000 for Magee
Rehabilitation Hospital and local traumatic brain injury patients.
“Media and journalism is where I want to be,” he says. “It’s helped me think
about, especially with the foundation, how to reach out and connect with
people.”
He’s gotten some real-life experience in his chosen field by being the subject
of stories in several newspapers, including The Philadelphia Inquirer, and on
local TV.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
Jackie and his parents were also guests on the nationally syndicated Tamron
Hall show. “Letting go is hard, even growing up, I wanted to keep them in
bubble wrap,” shared Lisa Lithgow about helping Jackie return to college. “You
want to raise independent young adults. He didn’t work that hard for so many
years to not let him do what he wanted.”
16
“I’m trying to stay humble,” says Jackie of the media attention. “I’m glad my
story is getting coverage because if it can impact one other person, I would
love to see that happen, for people to see my story and get inspired.”
“When I was in the hospital, I’ve seen patients who have it worse. I’ve been
fortunate, I have a support system. Not everyone has that support system,”
says Lithgow. “That’s why I started the foundation. I saw people who were
there alone and didn’t have the support system. I really wanted to help support
other traumatic brain injury survivors and let them know there is hope.”
What’s next for Lithgow?
“I have an internship with a local company in Carlisle,” he says. “Then after
that, I’ll see what works best and what jobs open. Explore the real world as
they say. I’m going to enjoy the ride.”
“
“Despite what he’s been
through, Jackie always
wears a big smile on his
face and has the most
charming personality.
Whether we chat
about school, family or
Philadelphia sports, I’m
just lucky to have crossed
paths with this young
man.”
— Jason Genovese
By Eric Foster
Born in Bloomsburg, Gass grew up in
nearby Sunbury. “It certainly was not
an easy place to be gay when I was in
high school. I certainly was not out in
high school. Nobody was. That concept
just didn’t exist,” recalls Gass. A year
after high school, his experience as an
exchange student in Chihuahua, Mexico,
helped Gass open up.
“In Mexico, I had a group of close friends
that I had established that I could trust.
And part of it was just growing up and
discovering who we are. It’s a leap
of faith,” says Gass, who still has his
graduation ring from Chihuahua.
Returning to Pennsylvania, Gass worked
at the then Acme Market in Sunbury
to put himself through college at BU
without loans.
After graduation from BU, Gass worked
in Philadelphia before heading to
Arizona to complete his law degree. He
graduated from Arizona State College of
Law magna cum laude and Order of the
Coif and clerked for the Honorable Ruth
V. McGregor, now a retired Chief Justice,
before joining a private firm.
“When I graduated, the U.S. Supreme
Court had fairly recently issued the
opinion that LGBT people could be
prosecuted and labeled as sex offenders
and required to register. It’s hard to
imagine that I was going to end up being
able to be a judge,” says Gass, who had
the support of his now-husband Don to
complete law school.
“One of the things you have to do is
learn how to make your own family,”
says Gass. “At Bloomsburg, it was the
forensic society where I found a group
of people that I could trust and work
with.”
Gass notes that Arizona was the first
state in the nation to reject the ban on
same-sex marriage. “That made me
look at the world in a different way and
gave me the courage to say, yeah, I can
apply. When the governor appointed me
to the Superior Court, she knew that I
was gay. Her staff knew I was gay, but it
wasn’t in my application. When I applied
for the Court of Appeals, I put it in my
application. Ten years later, the world
had changed enough that I thought it
was an important aspect that needed
to not be off to the side. I can look at
students now and absolutely say; you
can be a Supreme Court justice.”
At BU, Gass also found a mentor in Anne
Batory, who he had for a psychology
course. “It was a class about learning
how to be who we are and trust that
other people can accept us and learning
what to do when they come. It was an
amazing class, and she was an amazing
mentor. I keep in touch with her still, and
I thank her regularly for inspiring me and
While Gass is an advocate for LGBTQA+
issues, he’s most proud of his work
behind the scenes to have the Fred
Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and
the Constitution observed in Arizona.
Korematsu was a civil rights activist who
objected to the internment of Japanese
Americans during World War II. While the
U.S. Supreme Court upheld the legality
A two-time BU graduate, Gass earned
a bachelor’s degree in business
administration and marketing in 1984
and a master’s degree in communication
in 1985. While at BU, Gass experienced
firsthand the power and importance of
caring mentors and the availability of
spaces for self-discovery.
«
Gass knew, even as a child, that he
wanted to pursue law as a career. “When
I was in fifth grade, my teacher went
around and said, what do you want to
be when you grow up? I said I wanted
to be president. And she said that’s cool.
You can. You need to be a lawyer. I said,
OK, ‘I’ll be a lawyer.’”
Gass, center, as a student at BU,
and as a judge in Arizona.
of the internment order, Korematsu’s
conviction for evading internment was
overturned four decades later in U.S.
District Court.
Gass recalls meeting a young Japanese
American college student who “looked
at me and said, ‘I don’t know anything
about this.” We’re in Arizona, where two
of the largest internment camps were,
and she had never even heard of it. Part
of what we need to do is make sure
that we don’t forget that we can make
mistakes too, that we can do things that
harm people.”
His next mission? “Diversity on the
bench,” says Gass. “I live in a state that
has the largest number and acreage of
reservations, but we have one Native
American judge on a court of record for
the entire state. That’s been my mission.
I’ve talked to the folks in England about
their legal mentorship program. It’s one
judge at a time and one attorney at a
time.”
See sidebar on next page.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
In a legal career spanning more than
25 years, Gass has used this heartfelt
experience to advocate against
discrimination in all forms.
giving me the confidence to believe in
myself.”
«
As a gay teenager growing up in the late
1970s, Arizona Court of Appeals Vice
Chief Judge David Gass ’84/’85M knows
what it means to be an outsider in his
community, school, and even home.
17
Using
Your
Voice to
Mentor
This spring, Judge David Gass
’84/’85M was the featured
speaker for BU’s virtual Lavender
Graduation, a ceremony held
at many universities to honor
and celebrate college seniors
and graduate students who
identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, and allies. He
encouraged the graduating
students to understand their own
power as mentors.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
“I want you to think about
making a difference, and I’m
not talking about making a
difference in changing the whole
world. Sometimes it’s just a little
change, but little changes add
up, and every little change grows
the next one and can ultimately
change the world. I want you
to be who you are. I want you
to walk away from this knowing
who you are is what matters. Be
true to yourself. Be true when
you are interacting with others, it
will come through, and you have
value in being yourself.”
18
“Think about that kid who’s
sitting in your old high school,
who is afraid of college, and
may not be out — maybe having
problems with their family.
You’ve already done this; you’re
graduating from college. So,
recognize that you have a voice,
and you have that power already
in you.”
&
W
hile fist bumps and masks replaced hugs and smiling faces, the BU
Class of 2021 Commencement Ceremonies were perfect in so many
ways. With comfortable temperatures, sunny skies, five ceremonies
were held at Redman Stadium from May 14-16.
A year after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of in-person
commencement, nearly 1,300 graduates and their families were again able to
gather to celebrate the experience of hearing their graduate’s name called.
“It is a joy that I can see you in person and not virtually,” said BU President
Bashar Hanna. “Who would have known that the spring break of 2020 would
have been such a pivotal moment in your education. But you made it! And
just like Huskies do, your grit and determination kept you persevering and
moving forward.”
Hanna’s message also related how he and those who started four years ago
grew together.
“You will always have a special place in my heart, especially those who
started as freshmen in the fall of 2017. We were essentially college freshmen
together. I, a freshman president, and you, college freshmen.”
As the graduates left Redman Stadium to rejoin their families, the joy of
the day wiped away much of the stress of the last 15 months.
Photos: Eric Foster, Nikki Keller, Stacey Newell, Jaime North.
19
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
Making a
Difference in
Different Ways
By Andrea O’Neill ’06
In a virtual ceremony this June, the Alumni Association
honored five Huskies who used their grit, unique experiences,
and successes to provide support and inspiration to others.
realized I could ask for help,” says Abney.
“I spent more time in the writing center
and took advantage of faculty office
hours. I learned to make decisions and be
OK with them.”
Dr. Kimberly Abney:
William T. Derricott ’66
Volunteer of the Year
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
Keeping the Light Shining
20
Dr. Kimberly Abney ’09 describes herself
as a “reluctant student” when she came
to BU. Today, she is a light for other
“reluctant” students through mentorship
and example, and has been named
the Bloomsburg University Alumni
Association’s 2021 William T. Derricott ’66
Volunteer of the Year.
Anxious to explore new places after high
school, Abney chose BU because the
Act 101 program had the earliest start
date. Like many first-generation students,
Abney describes the beginning of her
college career as rough. She needed
time to learn time management skills and
adjust to being on her own. But once
she found her niche, Abney never looked
back.
“Once I got in the swing of things, I
Discovering a sense of belonging at BU
became a cornerstone of personal and
professional growth. For Abney, the
biggest victory wasn’t graduation but
recognizing how hard work had paid off.
She has made it her mission to foster
that growth in others — not only in her
career as a certified school counselor for
the School District of Philadelphia and
director of the Right Balance Counseling
Center, but also through volunteering
at BU and as working as the CEO and
founder of We DREAM, a nonprofit
organization that builds structured youth
programs.
served as a career coach and member
of the Alumni Association Board of
Directors.
“BU will always be home base,” says
Abney. “My classes taught me a lot, but
it was really the people who became a
stepping stone to who I am today. I was
totally prepared, not just academically
but mentally and socially. It’s one of the
reasons I do so much.”
Her mentorship program, Thank
Goodness I’m Female (TGIF), which
she began in 2016, has improved the
graduation rates of female students of
color who must overcome academic
and personal issues while adjusting to
college life. The program’s first students
graduated in 2020 amid the COVID-19
pandemic.
“My purpose in life is to help the next
person recognize their opportunities and
create opportunities for others. I feel like
I made it, and it’s only right that I help
other people.”
“To see that vision come to life and
my mentees graduate has been so
rewarding. We became a family, and
they’re like my little sisters. They value my
opinion and lean on me for support.”
Charles Allen, a member of the We
DREAM board of directors, says that
Abney’s effect on her community is
unparalleled. “She leaves an imprint that
can’t be washed away,” says Allen. “Her
work brings out the best in adults and
kids, and her passion is phenomenal. She
gives so much time and effort, and a lot
of her work goes unnoticed.”
The ripple effect extends back to BU
through the financial support she
provides with the Kimberly T. Abney
Scholarship Fund. Since 2016, five Act
101 students have completed degrees
with assistance from that scholarship.
The rewards, she says, far outweigh what
she gives.
In 2020, Abney volunteered on campus
as a career experience host, speaker, and
workshop leader for Day of Dialogue,
Husky Student Leadership Summit, the
PASSHE GEAR UP program, and the
Leadership Certificate program. She also
“Scholarships are important; it’s another
way to show up and be present for
students. What you do may not seem
like much, but it means the world to
somebody else, and you’ve shown them
there is a way. It’s all about keeping the
light shining.”
Moneghan began work on a master’s
degree in exercise science during her
senior year and achieved her goal of dual
bachelor’s degrees in 2010. During that
time, she became drawn to becoming
a physician’s assistant and earned a
master’s degree in physician assistant
studies from the Massachusetts College
of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in
2014 before returning to BU to finish her
master’s in exercise science the following
year.
Maroon & Gold Excellence Award
A Love of Giving Back
Although Kathleen Moneghan ’10/’15M
calls earning five degrees a “long road,” in
reality her journey only took a decade to
complete.
The Philadelphia native fell in love with
the BU campus as soon as she visited.
Originally an education major, Moneghan
quickly switched to speech pathology
before discovering a love of exercise and
nutrition. Supported by faculty adviser
Tom Martucci, Moneghan set out to earn
dual B.S. degrees in speech pathology
and exercise science in just four years.
“Dr. Martucci was fantastic,” says
Moneghan. “It was a lot of planning
and grit and a lot of summer courses,
but in the end, it taught me about time
management, staying on track, and doing
it on my own. It was a huge learning
experience.”
“It was a lot of fun for me,” says
Moneghan. “I had built a skill set that
helped me start my own business and get
through physician’s assistant (PA) school.”
“Our network had to tap into rural Maine,
and I wanted to share their mission
throughout the state,” says Moneghan.
“Knowing that I’ve connected patients
to resources and other patients and
survivors is a great feeling.”
Moneghan’s efforts do not stop there.
She delivers food to cancer patients
through the Christine B. Foundation and
has served with the PA Foundation as
a lead mentor and Nutrition Outreach
Fellow, as well as a coach with the
Diabetes Prevention Program. Her
volunteer efforts have earned her a
National Daily Point of Light Award.
Yet, despite her success, Moneghan felt
disconnected from her community, and
returned to volunteering.
Moneghan is now the associate medical
director of remote telemedicine at
ConvenientMD, an urgent care center
serving Maine, Massachusetts, and New
Hampshire, and sits on the executive
board of the Maine Association of
Physician Assistants as treasurer and is
part of the educational committee. This
spring, Moneghan added a doctorate
in health administration to her resume,
which she hopes will amplify her ability
to help other PAs achieve a work-life
balance, reach their goals, and maintain a
better sense of well-being.
She chose the Leukemia and Lymphoma
Society, which researched the
experimental trial that saved her father’s
life. She brings a message of help and
hope to the residents of rural Maine,
some of whom drive up to seven hours
for treatment in Boston. Moneghan
serves as a patient advocate and leader
“Small achievements happen every
day, but some of the harder ones are
very impactful for me,” says Moneghan.
“Sometimes, if you’re working a lot in less
forgiving environments, you’re tired, but
you know you’ve worked hard. Those
moments stick with you because you
made the most difference.”
Moneghan has been a practicing
physician’s assistant in Maine since
2015. She has served as an emergency
medicine and surgical physician assistant,
operating room manager, virtual urgent
care associate medical director, and
occupational health physician assistant,
earning her a nomination for the Maine
Physician’s Assistant of the Year Award.
Professor Emeritus Anthony J. Sylvester:
Honorary Alumnus
Opening Hearts and Changing Minds
Anthony Sylvester didn’t attend BU, but
as a faculty member and community
activist with a larger-than-life personality
and commitment to diversity, civil
rights, and world peace, he made an
unalterable impact, earning him a
posthumous Honorary Alumnus Award
from the Bloomsburg University Alumni
Association.
Sylvester joined BU’s history department
in 1965, following service in the Army and
earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees
at Rutgers University and a Ph.D. at the
University of Chicago.
“Teaching for him was an active, rather
than passive experience,” says Dr. Vera
Vititz-Ward, his spouse and now retired
BU art professor. “It wasn’t just about
reading the books and memorizing dates.
He would bring historical concepts and
events to life. He wanted the students to
realize they were a part of history.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
Kathleen Moneghan:
Moneghan spent time as a personal
trainer in her own establishment while
working her way through both programs.
She credits BU for providing the tools and
experiences necessary to achieve each
milestone.
of the Hero Squad, helping fundraising
efforts and teaching elementary and
middle school students about blood
cancers. She is a committee member to
help lead their BigClimb2021 national
campaign.
continued on next page
21
Rodriguez, “That moment opened doors
to my purpose: to be a voice for the
voiceless and fight for those who can’t
fight for themselves.”
“The forefront of everything I do is to
make sure they have a voice and feel
included,” she says. “No student is going
to stay on any campus if they don’t feel
like they belong.”
Madelyn Rodriguez:
Distinguished Service Award
A Voice for Students
Madelyn Rodriguez ’95/’98M knew her
calling was multicultural education from
her days as a student when she lobbied
to create the Multicultural Center on the
BU campus in 1994.
That experience helped Rodriguez find
her voice and strength and cemented
her commitment to helping others in
multicultural education. The family
atmosphere of BU allowed her to feel
welcome, explore her calling, and drove
her desire to return to campus. That
feeling of belonging still drives her focus
to help students on their climb.
After graduation and a stint as a BU
graduate assistant, she became an area
coordinator at Lehigh University before
returning to BU as a residence director
before taking over the Multicultural
Center in 2005.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
“When I was a student fighting to get
the Multicultural Center open, I never
imagined I would be the director,” says
22
He invited witnesses to relay their
firsthand accounts of watershed
moments, such as the siege of Leningrad
during World War II. He established the
International Education Exchange, which
offered cultural trips both stateside and
abroad, such as Russia and West Africa.
“He asked questions. Rather than lecture,
he challenged,” says former student
Mike Caroll ’72, now the supervising
attorney for Community Legal Services of
Philadelphia. “He was pivotal in opening
minds with his warmth and passion
and the way he cared about the basic
humanity of everybody he met.”
Rodriguez, or “Ms. Maddy” as students
refer to her, has been called the heart
and pillar of the Black and brown student
community, dedicated to creating
opportunities to celebrate their culture
and advocate for campus and town
equity and inclusion. She has coordinated
and advised many clubs and events,
mentoring programs, conferences, and
celebrations. She also provides Spanish
translation services for families who need
assistance.
“I want people to know we care,” adds
Rodriguez. “You don’t have to be a
person of difference or a student of color
to come to our space and our office. We
are here for all Huskies.”
For Terrell J. Garrett ’10, now senior
director of OneGoal NYC, Rodriguez
reinforced that he did indeed have
a place on campus and guided him
through the hard conversations that
allowed him to learn about himself and
follow his calling.
“Maddy became a second mom to
me,” says Garrett. “She not only held
me accountable but pushed me to
go beyond limits I had set for myself.
I’m honored to attribute my pride and
identity development to her mentorship.”
As part of Martin Luther King Day
celebrations, Rodriguez has brought
“He was very serious in his commitment,”
says Viditz-Ward. “He was very scholarly,
and I’m not sure people realize that.
Tony was very balanced and fair in his
assessment of political and historical
situations.”
Sylvester was named co-chair of the
BU Human Relations Committee in
1992 after a cross-burning incident on
campus, and was appointed to serve on
the diversity task force created by BU
President Harry Ausprich.
“There was nothing fake about him,” says
professor emeritus Irving Wright, who
served as co-chair on the committee.
prominent speakers to campus such
as Princeton professor and MSNBC
contributor Dr. Eddie Glaude, former
North Carolina state Rep. Bakari Sellers,
and correspondent Soledad O’Brien as
part of the CNN “Black in America” series.
“The work is sometimes hard and even
in celebration, there is often a sense of
sadness and anger when the society
we live in proves far from just,” says
Rodriguez “But the more you know, the
more you grow.”
In 2016, Rodriguez was the recipient
of the Shining Light Award and Student
Organization Advisor of the Year.
She recently received the Mid-Level
Professional Award from the College
Student Educator’s International
Coalition for Women and is part of the
Frederick Douglass Institute for Academic
Excellence board of directors. Her work
has also resulted in her selection as cochair for the President’s Commission on
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and she
helped to organize the student advisory
board of the same name.
Rodriguez also fosters cultural
understanding off-campus as a member
of the Coalition for Social Equity steering
committee in town and has spearheaded
the annual Bloomsburg Breast Cancer
Walk for 18 years. In 2017 she organized
a relief effort for Puerto Rico in the wake
of Hurricane Maria.
“For me, Bloomsburg was and is a place
for me to be who I am and grow,” says
Rodriguez. “If I’m not authentic, how
can I ask someone else to be? How can
I be a model alumnus if I don’t model
inclusion every day? Sometimes that’s
hard, but there is no other way. I’m lying
otherwise.”
“Tony was genuine, and people
reciprocated. Tony was very passionate
about creating a society and community
in Bloomsburg that was fair for everyone
and embraced diversity.”
He served as an adviser to the Foreign
Students, Third World Cultural Society,
Black Cultural Society, Student Coalition,
International Relations Club, and the
Black History Month Committee,
allowing him to reach students who were
struggling the most, both academically
and personally.
Siegmann earned his degree in education
from Bloomsburg, went on to get a
master’s degree in science education
from Western Connecticut State
University in 1980, and a certificate
in educational administration and
leadership in 1996.
Dennis Siegmann:
Distinguished Service Award
Helping Others Grow
Dennis Siegmann ’68 spent more than
37 years in public education as a teacher,
coach, and administrator. Not bad for
someone who didn’t see himself as
college material.
The son of a construction worker from
Levittown, Pa., Siegmann was a state
wrestling qualifier but had not considered
college. He was encouraged to apply to
Bloomsburg by his high school principal
and wrestling coach, both of whom were
alums.
“I probably wouldn’t have gone if it had
not been for them,” says Siegmann.
“They called my parents in one day and
explained that I had a good chance at a
college career.”
As a first-generation college student,
Siegmann struggled to pay his way. In
fact, at the end of his junior year, he
wasn’t sure if he would make it back for
his final year. His high school principal,
Dr. Frank Frageli, wrote a check for his
tuition and found him a job so he could
repay the money.
He landed a teaching position at Bristol
(Conn.) Central High School and also
served as the head wrestling coach. He
led his team to two state championships
and retired in 1999 with a record of 348109-12 to become the principal of the
school.
“In life, you can only hope to be a better
person today than you were yesterday,”
says Siegmann. “Life lessons are in
learning how to earn success and accept
defeat. The hard work that you have
to do every day to be the best that you
can be is one of the skills we hope they
understand when they wrestle.”
He later returned to coaching as an
assistant at Northeastern Oklahoma
A&M and Labette Community College
in Kansas, helping each team win
two national championships. Among
many honors, he is a member of the
Connecticut High School Coaches Hall
of Fame, the Connecticut Chapter of
the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, and
the New Jersey Township Sports Hall of
Fame.
Wrestling has been a tool to teach about
life. “It’s such an individual and humbling
sport that you learn competitiveness and
an understanding of who you are,” says
Siegmann. “There’s always somebody
better than you out there somewhere.
Following his retirement in 1992,
Sylvester served as a part-time
coordinator of the Act 101 program at
BU. He was honored with the Martin
Luther King, Jr. Award in 1999 and
inducted into the Chi Alpha Epsilon
Honor Society.
“We would have students just leave
school and go home for personal
reasons. We wanted to intercede before
that happened. The students respected
him and responded very well. Many
students found their way because of his
support.”
“He was very patient and studentcentered, and that is the key to helping
students,” says Wright. “No matter where
we went, former students would talk
about the great experience they had in
his classes, and that was a great tribute
to him.”
And he remained engaged in social
demonstrations and political discourse
with both the student and local
communities long after he retired.
He served on the Citizen Advisory
Committee on Public Assistance and
the Task Force on Racial Equity in
We developed our programs with a family
atmosphere with students who wanted to
be themselves, as well as part of a team.”
Siegmann was named Volunteer of the
Year by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of
Fame and earned an invitation from the
National Wrestling Coaches Association
to be a facilitator for its Scholastic CEO
Leadership program.
Siegmann has stayed in touch with his
wrestling teammates and classmates
and often returns to Bloomsburg for
Homecoming and the John Devlin Golf
Tournament football fundraiser. “It’s so
important to keep those relationships
going and maintain communication. I’ve
always had good friends from back then
that are still my closest friends.”
Once career and family responsibilities
began taking up less time, Siegmann
became more involved with his alma
mater.
“The camaraderie you develop when
you’re at a small college like Bloomsburg
is amazing,” says Siegmann. “I have an
opportunity now to rekindle what I had
back in the day and help others foster
that same kind of bond.”
He has founded the Siegmann Family
Wrestling Scholarship, which provides
$1,000 each year to a student-athlete
in wrestling. Siegmann also volunteered
as a webinar panelist to help teacher
applicants with resume advice, imparting
his wisdom on the next generation of
teachers and coaches, just like two fellow
Huskies did for him in 1964.
“Driving up that hill, it’s still a special
place in my life. There are a lot of things
to consider when you pick a college,
and you have to find a place to fit.
Bloomsburg fit for me.”
Bloomsburg and frequently volunteered
to facilitate dialogue to promote change.
He actively participated in community
groups like the Coalition for Social Equity
until he became ill in 2020. He died in
January, but those who knew Sylvester
best are certain he would have been
pleased to receive the Honorary Alumnus
Award.
“He came here in 1966 and made his life
here,” says Viditz-Ward. “He would be
proud and delighted, and I am too. It’s a
great way to remember him.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
“I learned a lot about giving back from
Dr. Frageli, and if it wasn’t for him, I might
have dropped out,” says Siegmann. “It
was my turning point.”
23
HUSKY NOTES
60s
80s
Jarold Ackerman ’65 has published a
second book of poems, “February 2,”
with poems and photographs by the
author, which is available as a paperback
book or .pdf file at www.blurb.com/
b/10113558-february-2. Ackerman
is also retired BU faculty member
(1977-2003).
Robert Striewig ’82 is a senior vice
president in AIA, Alera Group’s property
and casualty division. He specializes in
managing and negotiating the domestic
and international contract/commercial
surety programs between clients and
surety companies throughout the United
States. He served as president of the
Striewig Bonding Agency for over 30
years before joining AIA, Alera Group as
one of the principals in 2017. He is a past
president of the Mid-Atlantic Builder’s
Exchange and is chairman of the Central
Pennsylvania chapter of Construction
Financial Management Associate’s
annual scholarship event.
70s
James Scalise ’72 celebrated 30 years
of owning the Montclair Swim Club
in Oakland, Calif. Scalise, who was a
college swimmer and then a masters
swimmer, bought the 90-year-old club
in 1988 and developed it into a threepool facility with hot tub and fitness
center.
Allan Weikel ’76 and his wife, Theresa,
were appointed missionaries with Trans
World Radio (TWR) to serve at the
West Africa Transmitting Station. TWR
transmits Christian programming into
hard-to-reach areas of the world.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
David Arnold ’78 has been named
interim provost/vice president for
academic affairs at Keystone College
in La Plume, Pa., after having been
a consultant with John N. Gardner
Institute, Brevard, N.C. Arnold has served
as interim provost and vice president
for academic affairs at Salve Regina
University; president, chancellor, and
president emeritus of Eureka College;
vice president for academic and student
affairs at Missouri Western State; and
provost and dean of the college at St.
John Fisher College. Arnold earned a
bachelor’s degree in psychology from
BU, master’s and doctoral degrees in
social psychology from the University
of New Hampshire, and has completed
post-doctoral work at Harvard
University.
24
Richard Cordaro ’78 has written a
book, “The Essential Guide to Selling
Your Home: How to Sell Your Home
for the Most Amount of Money in
the Shortest Amount of Time!” A real
estate agent since 2003, Cordaro is a
professor of business at Harrisburg Area
Community College, where he also
teaches real estate courses.
Michael Glovas ’86 was named to the
2021 Best-In-State Wealth Advisors
List. The list spotlights more than
5,000 financial advisors, nominated by
their firms, who are then researched,
interviewed and assigned a ranking by
SHOOK Research. Those on the list
manage more than $6 trillion in client
assets.
Carlos Navarro ’87 has been named
vice president, OTC Sales and Marketing,
for Aphena Pharma Solutions, Inc.
Navarro is a Gulf War veteran, having
served as a military intelligence officer
for the U.S. Army and achieving the rank
of captain. In addition, he serves as a
mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Randall Black ’89, CEO and president
of Citizens Financial Services, Inc. and
First Citizens Community Bank, was
recently named as a class A director of
the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.
Black will help the board oversee the
Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank’s
operations, offer observations on
economic conditions, and establish the
bank’s discount rate. Additionally, the
directors are a link between the Federal
Reserve and the Communities in the
Third District, which includes eastern
Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and
Delaware. The Federal Reserve Bank of
Philadelphia supervises state member
banks, bank holding companies, and
savings and loan holding companies,
and provides financial services to
depository institutions and the federal
government.
Daniel Dimm ’89 was named vice
president of sales for the Eclipse
Corporation. A native of Shamokin,
Dimm earned a bachelor’s degree in
computer information systems and
served in the U.S. Army.
90s
U.S. Army Major Gen.
Michael Morrissey ’90
was promoted in March in a
ceremony in Huntsville, Ala.
Morrissey enlisted in the U.S.
Army Reserves in 1986. Upon
completion of the Army ROTC
program and graduation from
BU, he received a Regular Army
commission as an Air Defense
Officer.
His first assignment was
platoon leader in Operation
Desert Shield / Desert Storm.
Across more than 30 years
of service, he served in 10
countries. As commander of
the 31st Air Defense Artillery
Brigade, he deployed the
brigade headquarters in
support of Operation Enduring
Freedom, leading the forward
air and missile defense mission
across Qatar, United Arab
Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain and
Jordan.
Morrissey also served as
a Congressional Fellow
on the staff of the Senate
Appropriations Committee
Chair, on the Army Staff, and
with the Office of the Secretary
of Defense.
Before joining the MDA,
Morrissey was the
commanding General of
the 94th Army Air and
Missile Defense Command
in Honolulu, Hawaii,
commanding all Army air and
missile defense organizations
in the U.S. Indo-Pacific
Command and its sub-unified
commands.
HUSKY NOTES
Alan Eck ’91 has been named to an NFL
officiating crew for the 2021 season.
Eck, now in his sixth year as an NFL
official, has previously worked for the
Big 12 conference and the CFL. A former
quarterback for the Huskies, he still
holds the school record for most pass
completions in a season with 194.
Louis Defonteny ’92 accepted a
position as director of pupil services at
Palisades School District in Kintnersville.
He previously served as director of
special education and pupil services at
Bristol Township School District, where
he had a 27-year career.
Tanya Lehmann Koval ’93 was
selected to serve on the Robbinsville
Board of Education. Lehmann currently
teaches eighth grade language arts at
Manalapan-Englishtown Middle School.
She is an active volunteer with the PTA
and a past president of the Robbinsville
MOMS Club. She earned her bachelor’s
degree from BU and a master’s from
Rutgers University.
Dawn Patterson ’93 was recently
named Counselor of the Year by the
Burlington County, New Jersey, School
Counselors Association. Patterson has
been a counselor in the Bordentown
Regional School District for the past 20
years. In addition to her counseling role
at BRMS, Patterson is in her second year
serving on the Burlington County School
Counselors Association’s executive
board as the co-chair for elementary,
middle and high school professional
development meetings. At BRMS,
Patterson is the adviser for the school’s
IMPACT Club, a community service
organization.
Vince Aukamp ’95 was promoted to
director of IT at Cargas. Aukamp arrived
at Cargas in 2017 with a background in
both software and finance. After earning
a degree in finance from BU, Aukamp
spent 15 years managing the financial
and operational systems of a large
financial services company and five years
managing implementations of financial
software.
Linda Maldonado Gallagher
’95 was named vice president,
biologics chemistry and
manufacturing controls
at Codagenix. Maldonado
has more than 25 years
of experience in biologics
manufacturing from early
clinical phase to commercial
operations, spanning
development to commercial
launch for vaccine, antibody,
and gene therapy processes
and products. Prior to joining
Codagenix, she served as
senior director of GMP
Manufacturing, Downstream
and Fill Finish for Catalent Cell
and Gene Therapy, where she
led early-phase production
for a wide variety of biologics.
Before Catalent, she held
positions of increasing
responsibility at vaccine and
therapeutic manufacturers
including PharmAthene,
Human Genome Sciences,
Baxter Bioscience, Progenics,
and Sanofi Pasteur. Maldonado
earned a B.S. in biology from
BU and an M.S. in biology from
East Stroudsburg University.
Brian C. Urbas ’95 has been named
vice president, commercial lending
officer, at The Dime Bank. Urbas has
20 years of progressive banking and
lending experience working at financial
institutions serving Wayne, Susquehanna,
and Lackawanna counties. Residing in
the Forest City area with his wife Lora
and three children, Urbas is a basketball
and baseball coach for the Forest City
Regional Schools and a baseball coach
in the Carbondale Teener League.
Zhenia Klevitsky Menendez ’98 has
been named chief growth officer for
Sev1 Tech. She recently served as vice
president, business development for
ASRC Federal’s civilian, health, and
national security $400 million operating
group. Klevitsky is a Washington
Homeland Security Roundtable
steering committee member and has
spoken at multiple Reverse Industry
Days, including the Department of
Homeland Security, Transportation
Security Administration, and the
Department of Defense. Sev1Tech
provides IT modernization, cybersecurity,
cloud, engineering, fielding, training,
and program support services for
U.S. government agencies and major
commercial organizations.
00s
Kristin Austin ’02 has been named
the first director of I.D.E.As. (Inclusion,
Diversity, Equity and Access) for
Rewriting the Code, Inc. Rewriting
the Code is a national not-for-profit
organization that retains undergraduate
women in technology majors at more
than 700 universities with a goal
of increasing the representation of
women in the technology industry. She
also recently authored a book chapter in
College Ready 2021, a comprehensive
guide to first-year college transition.
Daniel Boote ’06 was named assistant
vice president, commercial officer/
small business lender at FNCB Bank. He
has more than 10 years of experience
in banking and most recently held the
position of assistant vice president,
Branch Manager with Community
Bank N.A. He is a member of the board
of directors for the Freeland YMCA,
Northeast Counseling Services, White
Haven Chamber of Commerce and
Shots for Tots Foundation. He has a
bachelor’s in political science.
Lethan Candlish ’07 has written a book,
“Who Am I Now?: Using Storytelling
to Accept and Appreciate Self-Identity
After Traumatic Brain Injury.” Candlish
suffered a traumatic brain injury in a
1999 automobile accident.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
90s
25
HUSKY NOTES
00s
Joseph Kleiner ’07/’08M was named
regional vice president for the Eastern
United States and Eastern Canada by
JLG Industries, Inc., a leading global
manufacturer of mobile elevating work
platforms and telehandlers. In his new
role, Kleiner’s primary focus will lead
JLG’s sales and service growth within the
region. Before taking on this new role,
Kleiner was a district sales manager in
the Western Region and in the Midwest
Region. Kleiner has a bachelor’s degree
in business administration and an MBA
from BU.
Lamar Oglesby ’07 was promoted to
executive director of research financial
services at Rutgers, The State University
of New Jersey. Oglesby began his
employee at Rutgers in March 2018.
10s
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
Dominic Picerno ’10, a Pennsylvania
state trooper, received the Top Gun
Award for his “ongoing commitment
to highway safety in the removal of
impaired drivers from the roadway.”
Picerno, who is stationed at the
Stonington barracks, has recorded 70
DUI arrests in the past year. This is the
third time he has won the award.
26
Karly Sarvis Disalvo ’11 was named
the health services administrator at
Landis Homes in Lititz. She is responsible
for the coordination and delivery of
programs and services for residents
in the health care and personal care
households. She previously worked
as associate executive director at
Watermark Retirement Communities of
Philadelphia. She also provides direction
for assessment coordinators, medical
records, life enrichment, and therapeutic
services. She is licensed for personal
care administration and as a nursing
home administrator. Disalvo received her
undergraduate social work degree from
BU and her Master of Social Work from
Temple University.
Nicolette Grasley-Boy ’11 finished
her doctorate in special education
at the University of Florida and is a
postdoctoral researcher at the Juniper
Gardens Children’s Project in Kansas
City, Kansas, part of the University of
Kansas.
Nicholas DeLuca ’12 earned a Master
of Arts in Education in Educational
Administration degree from Chadron
State College in December 2020. He is
working as a business teacher at Brick
Township Memorial High School in
Brick, N.J., where he advises the Rotary
Interact Club and BMHS High School
Yearbook Club.
Kathryn Howe Berger ’13 was named
the Exemplary Professional Practice
Nurse of the Year and the Nurse
Excellence Recipient for Nurses’ Week
2021 by the Geisinger Medical Center in
Danville.
Erik Pedersen ’13 founded an
independent publishing house and print
shop called Drum Machine Editions in
2018, which has since been featured
at a handful of international art book
fairs in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Norway,
and the Printed Matter Virtual Art Book
Fair held in February. Having earned
bachelor’s degrees in both studio art
and creative writing at BU, Pedersen is
working as a graphic designer at Moog
Music in Asheville, N.C.
Derrick Backer ’14 was named Sunbury
city administrator. Backer formerly
worked as a deputy political director
in Harrisburg and executive director of
Sunbury’s Revitalization, Inc.
Jackie Eddy ’14 was named director
of communications for the Patriot
League. Previously, Eddy worked for
the Big South Conference; Newberry
(S.C.) College, and Greensboro (N.C.)
College. Eddy worked in the BU sports
information office as a student assistant
and intern.
Megan Muthler Young ’15 was named
assistant retail advertising sales manager
for the Lock Haven Express. She earned
a bachelor’s degree in marketing at BU.
Shelby Coleman ’16 has been awarded
a Society of Toxicology Regulatory
and Safety Evaluation Specialty
Section Graduate Student Excellence
Award. A chemistry with biochemistry
option major at BU, Coleman is a
Ph.D. candidate in the environmental
chemistry program at SUNY College of
Environmental Science and Forestry. Her
research focuses on the identification
and characterization of air pollutants in
the Syracuse, N.Y., area.
John ‘Jack’ Fritz ’16 was named the
show producer for the Jon Marks and
Ike Reese Show at 94 WIP radio in
Philadelphia.
Alexandra (Alex) Booth ’14
has been named a pediatric
intensive care unit (PICU)
manager at Oklahoma
Children’s Hospital. In
December of 2020, she was
nominated by the chief nursing
officer of the hospital to apply
for the American Organization
for Nursing Leadership (AONL)
Nurse Manager Fellowship.
In February 2021, Booth was
recognized with the Legacy
Maker Award for her leadership
and dedication to the patients
and staff at the hospital.
Gabriella Loielo ’16 was promoted to
assistant program director of WFRE-FM
in Frederick, Md., while continuing to be
the on-air midday host at the station.
Loielo began her radio career as an
intern for 98.5 WKRZ in Wilkes-Barre.
Following a brief stint in middays with
WFRB in Cumberland, Md., she joined
WFRE as midday host in August of 2017.
Steven Beattie ’18M has been
named Lewisburg Borough’s community
development and grant manager.
Beattie was previously employed with
engineering design groups, including
HRG and Larson Design Group, where
he developed expertise in municipal
projects. Beattie holds a license in
landscape architecture, a high degree of
certification in emergency management,
and has long served as Lewisburg’s
emergency management coordinator.
Elizabeth Shampanore ’18 is a police
officer in the Selinsgrove Borough Police
Department.
HUSKY NOTES
Marriages
Obituaries
Kerry Hoffman, ’70
Cole Kresch ’16 and
Kassy (Beckage) Kresch, Aug. 20, 2020
Gertrude Makowski Grabowski, ’43
Robert Hochlander, ’71
Mildred Dzuris, ’45
Todd Baney, ’72
Tyler Morgan ’16 and
Megan (Johnson) Morgan, Sept. 26, 2020
Donald Houck, ’49
David Billet, ’72
Leon Messner, ’49
Jack Davenport, ’72
Stephanie (Thompson Ellison) Litz ’98
and Gary Litz, Jan. 2, 2020
Martha Stiner Bartleson, ’53
Gary June, ’72
Claude Renninger, ’53
John Michaels, ’72
Stephanie (Weicker) Caldwell ’15 and
Frederick Caldwell IV ’15, Sept. 25, 2020
Joan Kelshaw Palermo, ’54
Ronald Meleski, ’73
Jacqueline McCauley, ’55
Charles Mitke, ’73
Juliana (Brown) Rhoades ’17 and
Ryan Rhoades ’16, Sept. 26, 2020
Victor Michael, ’57
Deborah Orbik Moore, ’73
Eunice Miller Boden, ’58
Thomas Samide, ’74
Olivia (Olver) O’Brien ’17 and
Brendan O’Brien, Oct. 17, 2020
Mary Lontz, ’58
Julie Linda Griffin Sejpal, ’74
Charles Loughery, ’58
Susanne Radice, ’75
Joseph Malt, ’58
Barbara Jean Bean Samide, ’75
John Saraka, ’58
David Scull Conrad, ’76
Gary Fisher, ’59
John Comarnisky, ’76
Edgar Morgan, ’59
Jessica Greco Gaston, ’76
Rolland Quick, ’59
Kathleen Ux Wertz, ’78
Jennifer (Diehl) Linder ’11 and
Eric Linder ’10, a daughter,
Madison Louise, on Nov. 19, 2020
Joan Schuyler Fischer, ’60
Susan Bower St. Clair, ’80
John Laubach, ’60
David Corley, ’80
Neil Beisher, ’61
Phoebe Inch, ’80
Stephanie (O’Leary) Searles ’13
and Anthony Searles ’12, a son,
Andrew, on Feb. 10, 2021
Lloyd Livingston, ’62
Randall Lutz, ’80
Edward Lockman, ’62
Stacy Morane, ’82
Jason Oldenbuttel ’16 and
Leslie Hess, a son,
John, on Feb. 25, 2021
Leonard Ludinsky, ’62
Annette Shalongo, ’83
Melvin Montanye, ’62
Terry Miller, ’87
Ronald Startzel, ’62
Donald Motel, ’87
Richard Wendel, ’62
Mary Fisher Baugher, ’89
John Owens, ’64
Paula Headen, ’90
Marie Smolen Solensky, ’64
Joann Barletta Reed, ’90
Makayla (Waltman) Snyder ’17 and
Keegan Snyder, a son, Malcolm,
on March 12, 2021
Gary Cox, ’65
Keith Bailey, ’94
Donna Bogard Gulluni, ’65
Jeanne Marie Dunkle, ’93
Edward Taylor, ’65
Susan Mitchell Blazer, ’96
Montana (Brown) Jandrasitz ’06 and
Colin Jandrasitz, a son, Kallum,
on March 28, 2021
Phyllis Artz, ’66
Valerie Mills Moyer, ’97
Andrew Kosvitch, ’66
Joanne Pasterski, ’97
Thomas Evans, ’66
Mark Reich, ’97
Raymond Conrad, ’67
Martha Phillips Ermisch Stroble, ’97
Jay Keller, ’67
Michael Cioffi, ’01
Chloe (Stine) Harris ’16, and
Matthew Harris ’16, a son,
Owen, on April 21, 2021
Terry Sharrow, ’67
Cameron Hibshman, ’02
Anthony Tezik, ’67
Kimberly Schappell, ’08
Jimmy Rupert, ’68
Mark Sarisky, ’17
Bryan Snyder ’14 and
Tamara Snyder Bradley, a son,
Cameron on May 11, 2021
Elwood Stetler, ’68
Uriah Derstine, ’18
James Steber, ’69
Morgan Purcell, ’19
Nicolette Grasley-Boy ’11 and
Jacob Boy ’11, a daughter,
Jeanne Boy, on March 17, 2019
Ashley (Kilmer) Funk ’09 and
Brandon Funk, a daughter,
Madelyn, on March 6, 2021
Kyle Connaghan ’16 and
Emily Rae Connaghan, a daughter,
Molly, on April 7, 2021
Send information to: magazine@bloomu.edu
Bloomsburg: The University Magazine
Arts and Administration Building | 400 E. Second Street | Bloomsburg, PA 17815-1301
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
Births
Naomi Young Molnar, ’70
27
sports
VIEW FROM THE TOP
Baseball Makes Run To Second
Straight Conference Title
By Dave Leisering
W
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
inning a post-season baseball game
on the road is never easy, no matter
the level of the game. The BU baseball
team won five road games on its way to
its second straight PSAC title, with a new
hero seemingly stepping up each day to
lead the team.
28
The Huskies were underdogs
going into the COVID-19 altered
tournament, battling through multiple
injuries throughout the year. But the
determination of the veteran-laden
Huskies – and the addition of significant
contributions from younger players –
made all the difference.
The Huskies went 18-14 during the
regular season and entered the
tournament as the third seed from the
Eastern Division. BU’s reward was a
single-elimination quarterfinal game
at second-seeded West Chester.
But, behind the right arm of redshirt
sophomore Jared Marshman, who took
a shutout into the ninth, the Huskies
earned a 5-2 win and were the lone road
team to advance.
The momentum carried into the
semifinal round as BU upset top-seeded
Millersville, two games to one, in a bestof-three series to advance to the finals.
The Huskies won game one, 7-6 in 10
innings, as graduate student Cole Swiger
’20 brought home the eventual gamewinning run in the top of the 10th inning
with an RBI single. After the Marauders
evened the series, the Huskies turned
to freshman Michael Standen who
delivered, limiting Millersville to four hits
while striking out 10 in a complete-game
shutout. Senior Gianni Sinatore provided
the offense with a career-high five RBI in
the Huskies’ 13-0 victory.
In the PSAC finals, Bloomsburg faced
Seton Hill, ranked sixth in the country,
with just four losses and a 22-0 home
record. After a 7-5 loss in game one, the
Men’s Swimming Wins
First Conference Title
It was 62 years in the making, but the men’s swimming team can now be
called Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) champions.
Behind a historic performance from sophomore Andy Thomas, the Huskies
captured their first conference crown in the two-day championship meet.
Bloomsburg finished with 945 team points – nearly 400 points ahead of
second-place Shippensburg.
Huskies again turned to Standen, who
threw a complete-game, 11 strikeout
gem as BU won 9-2. Anthony
Viggiano drove in a career-high six
runs in the game two win and hit his
first career grand slam.
Marshman provided the tournament
clincher with BU’s second
consecutive complete-game
performance on the mound. The
right-hander allowed two runs on
five hits with a career-high nine
strikeouts in the 6-2 game-three
win. Bloomsburg hit five home runs
in game three, including two from
redshirt junior Ben Newbert.
Standen went on to be named the
tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
Bloomsburg won four of its five
games when facing elimination during
the tournament and claimed its fifth
championship crown in the program’s
history.
Of the 19 events held over the two days, BU had the winning time in 10 races,
which included five victories in five relay events – also the first time in program
history that had been accomplished.
Thomas joined former Huskies’ great Sam Feiser ’18 to win seven titles in seven
events at the conference championship. The sophomore, who also joined
Feiser as the only swimmers in program history to be named PSAC Athlete
of the Year, won four individual titles – the 50-yard freestyle, the 100-yard
freestyle, the 200-yard freestyle, and the 100-yard breaststroke – and was
a part of three relay-winning foursomes – the 200-yard medley relay, the
800-yard freestyle relay, and the 400-yard freestyle relay. He broke two meet
records and one conference record in the process.
The Huskies had nine swimmers earn a total of 33 All-Conference accolades.
The top three finishers in each event at the conference championship are
recognized as All-PSAC performers.
Before this year, head coach Stu Marvin ’78 had guided the Huskies to seven
second-place finishes in eight years. The program’s first-ever conference title
comes in Marvin’s 13th season as the head coach of the Huskies.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
Photo: Dave Leisering
29
sports
VIEW FROM THE TOP
Softball Raises
$3,700 for Pediatric
Brain Tumor
Foundation
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
The softball team joined forces
with the Pediatric Brain Tumor
Foundation’s Vs. Cancer
program to fight childhood
cancer – the deadliest disease
affecting children in the United
States.
30
Thanks to the generous support
of athletic corporate partner PSECU,
as well as numerous friends, family,
alums, and fans, the Huskies raised $3,707 this season,
with the money donated going to Nemours/Alfred
I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del.
Among teams across the country participating in
this year’s campaign, the Huskies’ softball program
had the third-highest total of money raised to fight
pediatric cancer.
The foundation’s Vs. Cancer program helps fund child
life programs in local hospitals, provides financial
assistance for families experiencing a pediatric brain
tumor diagnosis, and supports research to cure
pediatric brain tumors.
Wrestling Enjoys
Academic Success
Redshirt sophomore Josh Mason of the
wrestling team was named a Division I
Scholar All-American as announced by the
National Wrestling Coaches Association
(NWCA). A total of 191 individuals were
recognized.
As a team, the Huskies finished eighth in
the country with a team GPA of 3.4524
and were an NWCA Top 30 Scholar AllAmerican team.
On the mat, Mason took seventh at the
2021 Mid-American Conference (MAC)
Championships in the 141-pound bracket.
It was Mason’s second consecutive topeight finish at the conference tournament
as he placed sixth at the 2020 MAC
Championships.
In the classroom, Mason boasts a 3.86
grade point average while majoring in
finance. He was one of eight BU grapplers
named to the MAC All-Academic team,
which aided the team GPA accolade.
Joining Mason on the squad were
graduate student Willy Girard, senior
Jarrett Walters, junior Alex Carida, redshirt
sophomore Vincenzo Miceli, sophomore
Christian Gannone, and redshirt freshmen
Bronson Garber and Bruno Stolfi.
Mason’s selection as an NWCA Division I
Scholar All-American makes it four
straight years that BU has had at least one
representative on the list.
THEN & NOW
celebrating our Husky history
celebrating
at Bloomsburg
ART
By Robert Dunkelberger
W
hile the new Arts and Administration
building brings visual arts programs
to the very forefront of the campus,
throughout BU’s history notable art
professors have left their mark both on
campus and the larger art world.
A colorful character, Keller eventually
become most prominently known for his
hobby of wild animal training. But for
nearly three decades he was the face of art
at Bloomsburg. His primary assignment was
to train students to teach art, with a focus
on practical art that was both beautiful and
served a purpose.
«
Walter Simon’s 1947 painting of his home in Greenwich Village,
now in the collection of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts
Keller also raised Huskies and provided
BU’s first Husky mascot. He taught fulltime until the mid-1940s, when he began
taking time off to tour the country with his
animal act. He resigned in 1952 and was
named the first art faculty emeritus.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
Art has been taught at Bloomsburg since
Carver Hall opened in 1867. For those
first 50 years a single faculty member
taught drawing and painting. In 1921 two
instructors were hired for the first time,
one of them town native George Keller.
31
celebrating our Husky history
THEN & NOW
1
3
1. A formal portrait of Walter Simon.
2. Department chair Percival R. Roberts with a student in 1981.
2
3. The art studio in Old Science Hall in 1921.
Growing enrollment into the 1960s at then Bloomsburg
State College led to an expansion in art faculty and courses.
After nearly 40 years with two faculty, the number grew
to four and by 1965, the number of courses had greatly
expanded. Drawing and painting were reintroduced, while
sculpture and later ceramics were added in 1967.
During this time, three faculty members were hired who
greatly contributed to the growth of the program and
the expansion of art at the college. The first new hire was
painter Ken Wilson, who arrived in 1963. He encouraged
and challenged his students and, over time would display his
work at numerous exhibitions.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
Known for his landscape watercolors, over summers in the
1970s Wilson took groups to Moosehead Lake, Maine, where
they were inspired by the beauty of the nature around
them. He taught for 33 years, the last seven as chair of the
department, before retiring in 1996.
32
A poet as well as an artist, Percival R. Roberts III, came
to BU in 1968 and served as department chair during
his entire 15-year tenure. As fellow art faculty member
Robert Koslosky commented, “Dr. Roberts was the most
outstanding art educator I’ve met in my own 25 years in
education. He took an art department that at one time
was rather minimal and made it into one of the prestige
departments on campus.”
Roberts’ artistic talents were wide-ranging. In addition to
being a practicing artist, an author of numerous articles on
aesthetics and art education, he was also an accomplished
poet. He published seven books of poetry, and before
coming to Bloomsburg, served as the ninth poet laureate for
the state of Delaware.
While Roberts passed away in 1984 at 48, his legacy lives
on through a sculpture garden, located primarily in the
Academic Quad in front of Andruss Library and dedicated
in his memory in 1989.
The art department could not have continued to expand
if not for the talented faculty members attracted to
Bloomsburg, one of whom, Walter Augustus Simon, was
hired in 1971. An outstanding artist, painter, and art history
teacher, he made a great impact on the college in just the
brief time he was here.
Simon was, as Percival Roberts stated in an article in the
December 1983 Alumni Quarterly, “a very special kind of
person: intelligent, warm, outgoing, compassionate, and a
sensitive artist and scholar.” An African American, he was
an important role model for minority students and did all
he could to integrate them into many aspects of college
life. In addition to teaching, he was the first director of the
Educational Opportunity Program, now the Department of
Academic Enrichment, established to help provide students
of all backgrounds with additional academic support.
Simon retired in 1977, and in 1983, four years after his death,
the Council of Trustees honored the outstanding artist
and educator by naming the art department’s ceramics and
sculpture studio (located behind Columbia Residence Hall)
as Simon Hall.
These faculty members laid a rich foundation for the
art program, and with windowed studios and space for
exhibitions on the ground floor, the newest facility on
campus has made it easier than ever to celebrate art at
Bloomsburg.
Today, the Department of Art and Art History boasts faculty
specialists in art history, drawing, fabric design, graphic
design, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture.
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TAKE YOUR GRADUATE
CAREER STUDIES
TO NEW
HEIGHTS
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Considering grad school?
Consider coming home to
Bloomsburg!
Designed to fit your budget and
busy life, our affordable, flexible
graduate programs are offered
online, in-person, or hybrid.
Continue your climb at BU.
Your onward &
upward awaits!
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Accountancy (MAcc)
Audiology (Au.D.)
Biology (MS)
Business Administration (MBA)
NEW Concentrations: General; Accounting; Analytics; Healthcare Management; Marketing
Business Education (M.Ed.)
Curriculum and Instruction (M.Ed.)
Early Childhood Education (M.Ed.)
Educational Leadership (M.Ed.)
Concentrations: College Student Affairs; PK-12 Principal Certification; PK-12 Supervisory
Curriculum and Instruction Certification; PK-12 Counseling Certification
Exercise Science (MS)
Information Technology (MS)
Instructional Design and Technology (MS)
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Concentrations: Post-Masters DNP; Nurse Anesthesia BSN-DNP
Nursing (MSN)
Concentrations: Nurse Practitioner (Adult Gerontology Primary
Care or Family Nurse Practitioner); MSN-MBA; Public Health Nursing
Reading (M.Ed.)
Social Work (MSW) - NEW!
Speech-Language Pathology (MS)
Special Education (M.Ed./MS)
bloomu.edu/gradschool
Photo: Marty Coyne
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FA LL 20 21
THE UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
Hard work is the cornerstone to
Dan Klingerman’s success in business.
Giving back is a key to his success in life.
Page 14
ALSO INSIDE
The Evolution
of Support
The Jacques Weber Foundation
offers helps students with a
passion for the environment.
Page 12
A Champion for
Student Community
New Alumni Association Board
President Felicia Ellzy ’10/’12M
understands the importance of
students finding community.
bloomu.edu
Page 18
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
Building
Big and
Giving Back
1
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Dear BU Family,
This is always a glorious time of year in Bloomsburg,
but it seems especially so after the unusual year
we’ve all had with the continuing presence of
the COVID-19 virus. Despite the pandemic, I
am thrilled to report that we have had an active,
engaged, and lively campus this entire semester.
Our students are happy to be back, enjoying
in-person all the typical BU experiences this fall.
The foliage is beginning to turn as we prepare to
welcome our Husky alumni back for in-person
Homecoming festivities.
I am beyond proud of our students; they have
been following all the necessary health and
safety precautions related to the virus this
semester and they continue to do what is
needed to protect themselves and their fellow
Huskies. My sincere thanks to them and all
my colleagues – our faculty and staff – for all
that they are doing to keep our campus and
community safe.
President Bashar Hanna
This Fall 2021 issue of the magazine highlights
the successes of our students, our faculty, and
our alumni. Our cover story features proud BU
alumnus and current member of our Council of
Trustees Dan Klingerman ‘87, who learned the
value of hard work from an early age, took his
zeal for business, and turned it into a successful
company that is making a positive impact in
our communities every day. You’ll enjoy reading
about his journey and his passion for giving back
to the greater central Pennsylvania region.
We also have an update on the ongoing planning and implementation of the integration between BU, Lock Haven,
and Mansfield. Much progress has been made in bringing these three schools together before and since the Board
of Governors unanimously voted in July 2021 to integrate the three institutions. The official effective date for the
integration is July 1, 2022, but much work remains ahead of us over the coming months as we continue to work
and grow together in planning for this important milestone.
In this issue, we also introduce you to one of our newest colleagues, Mr. Albert Jones, our Chief Diversity, Equity,
and Inclusion Officer. Albert serves in this role at all three institutions (BU, Lock Haven, and Mansfield), and he will
continue in the same capacity within the integrated university. We look forward to his vision and leadership in
this critical role as he partners with senior administrators and students on our campuses, Vice Chancellor Denice
Pearson, and his counterparts across the State System.
We are always proud to highlight the successes of our best and brightest students serving as campus leaders, and
in reading this issue I hope you will see why their success drives us. Indeed, our students and their success is our
mission and our priority above all else.
Finally, I want to thank you – our alumni, parents, and friends – for your continued support of our students
through your generous gifts. Now more than ever, many of our students are in need of financial support to
continue their BU journeys and create their own success stories – and they can only do so with your support.
Thank you for your generosity in helping the next pack of Huskies!
I look forward to seeing you on campus this fall and throughout the year.
GO HUSKIES!
Sincerely,
Bashar W. Hanna, President
Back to Husky Life!
A rallying call at the end of every summer was made extra special
this year with the return of a full in-person campus experience.
Old traditions were renewed as athletes took to the field for sports
and the campus was full of the bustle and energy of students
attending classes in person. New traditions were established as
returning students created a tunnel of maroon and gold to
welcome new students to campus.
Photos: Jaime North and Eric Foster
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
More sports photos and stories are on Page 24.
1
Fall 2021
5
10
12
14
18
26
Contents
3 COMMON GROUND
18
A CHAMPION FOR STUDENT COMMUNITY
10 FACULTY COLLABORATE ON RESEARCH
19
HUSKY NOTES
12 THE EVOLUTION OF SUPPORT
24
ATHLETICS: A VIEW FROM THE TOP
14 BUILDING BIG AND GIVING BACK
26
THEN AND NOW: REMEMBERING 9/11
Connect with us
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
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
Robert W. Bogle
Representative Tim Briggs
Tanya I. Garcia, Designee for
Secretary of Education Noe Ortega
William “Bill” Gindlesperger
Allison Jones, Designee for
Governor Tom Wolf
Senator Scott Martin
Marian D. Moskowitz
Secretary of Education Noe Ortega
Representative Brad Roae
Alexander C. Roberts
Senator Judith L. Schwank
Zakariya Scott
Larry C. Skinner
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, Chair
Nancy Vasta, Vice Chair
Dr. Brian O’Donnell, Secretary
Amy Brayford
Edward Edwards
Duane Greenly
Daniel Klingerman
John E. Wetzel
Raymond Zaborney
Julia Burcin, Student Trustee
President,
Bloomsburg University
Bashar W. Hanna
Executive Editor
Jennifer Umberger
Co-Editors
Eric Foster
Tom McGuire
Designer
Kerry Lord
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
Arts and Administration Building
400 East Second Street
Bloomsburg, PA 17815-1301
Sports
Information
Mary Raskob
Email address: magazine@bloomu.edu
Contributing
Writers
Thomas Schaeffer ’02
Andrea O’Neill ’06
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.
Cover Photo
Eric Foster
Visit Bloomsburg University on the web at bloomu.edu.
© Bloomsburg University 2021
Students from the
Department of Environmental,
Geographical, Geological
Sciences practice soil judging
on upper campus. Integration
may make a collaborative
minor in soil science
available to students.
Photo: Jaime North
Integration Update
Work continues on plans to leverage the “power of three”
to increase access to exemplary academic programs and
social mobility for students at Bloomsburg, Lock Haven
and Mansfield universities.
NCAA Update
The NCAA is aware of the unanimous
vote by the Pennsylvania State System
Board of Governors to proceed with
the integration of Bloomsburg, Lock
Haven, and Mansfield. The NCAA has
indicated that it will act following a
Middle States decision, expected in
Spring 2022. Given state and federal
alignment required for athletics, this is
not a surprise. We are continuing along
the path laid out from the beginning –
that we will retain athletics on the three
campuses that currently host them.
Our athletics programs are a vital aspect
of campus and student life, contributing
to much of what we love most about our
At Bloomsburg University, our priority is to honor our history
and legacy to connect fellow Huskies and provide support
for today’s students and tomorrow’s leaders. Foundations
and alumni associations will remain independent and
continue to keep classmates connected with their alma
mater. Donors would continue to be able to designate funds
in support of students on their campus or program of choice,
as they do today.
universities. For current student-athletes –
we are operating as we would in any
other year. For those currently being
recruited, this path would allow us to retain
our existing sports teams on each campus.
NE Naming Research
As we continue our process of
determining the Northeast integrated
university’s name for Middle States
and other accreditation purposes, we
will conduct more research this fall,
and then determine our next steps. As
we have stated previously, our names,
colors, mascots, and other brand
elements will not change. We want to
ensure that we strategically align our
resources in the Northeast to maintain
the strength of our brands and in ways
that champion our students and their
success.
Future Big-Picture
Opportunities
For high school students – Expansion
of dual enrollment will be part of a
broad portfolio of programs to engage
with our institutions. This includes
opportunities to earn an associate’s
degree, especially in some pre-health
care tracks of interest. In-person and
hybrid modalities will be kept in mind
for flexible offerings.
You can learn more about the integration plans by visiting www.bloomu.edu/integration.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
In July, the Board of Governors for Pennsylvania’s State
System of Higher Education approved the integration of
Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield universities.
Each university will retain the unique traits specific to its
campus and community while coming together to
become something bigger and stronger.
3
Academic Updates
Below are the proposed names of the five colleges and academic departments housed within. In addition to expanded
academic program offerings at each campus, we’re excited to share some of the developing examples of new academic
opportunities that will become available through integration.
ZEIGLER COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
Accounting
Finance, Insurance, Risk
Management, and Economics
Instructional Technology,
Technical Leadership, and
Information and Technology
Management
Allied Health
Communication Sciences
and Disorders
Exercise Science
Nursing – Graduate
COLLEGE OF ARTS, SOCIAL
SCIENCES, AND HUMANITIES
(Proposed)
Anthropology, Criminal Justice,
and Sociology
Communication Studies
English
Nursing – Undergraduate
History, Political Science,
and Philosophy
Marketing and Sales
Physician Assistant
Languages and Cultures
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT (Proposed)
Counseling, Student Affairs,
and Education Administration
Early Childhood Education
Middle Level, Secondary,
and K-12 Education
Social Work
Exceptionality Programs: ASL
and English Interpreting, Special
Education
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
(Proposed)
Management
Plans exist to expand professional
development, Business Idea
Competition, and more through
the AACSB-accredited business
program at BU.
4
COLLEGE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS
Broader opportunities for studentteaching (including residential housing
opportunities) are forthcoming,
including plans to closely align with
districts and employment opportunities
they can offer to our graduating
seniors.
There are plans to offer expanded
clinical settings or clinical rotation
opportunities. We’ll also expand on
new BU partnerships with Temple and
Farleigh Dickinson universities and their
respective Schools of Pharmacy –
these partner institutions are excited
to expand their reach into Central PA
through LHU/MU.
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY
Biology
Biochemistry, Chemistry,
Engineering, and Physics
Mathematics, Computer Science,
and Digital Forensics
Environmental, Geographical,
and Geologic Sciences
Scientist in Residence and enhanced
field study opportunities align with
faculty expertise and research.
Environmental, Geographical, and
Geological Science field camp could
explore differences in our respective
locations, and a new soils minor may
be offered through BU/LHU soils
expertise/partnership. Or learn more
about collaborative Tree Swallow
research with BU/MU faculty on
page 10.
Media and Journalism
Music, Theatre, and Dance
Psychology
Visual Arts
Imagine Artist or Musician in Residence
opportunities, aligned with faculty
expertise, designed to explore new
techniques and develop new skills
in state-of-the-art studio settings. Or
Criminal Justice, where students
would have the opportunity to align
their program with Police Academy
(spend 6-months in the academy as
part of your degree program) or add
EMT-certification (6-weeks) at
Mansfield.
COMMON GROUND
BU Ranked Among Top
Pa. Schools for Nursing
One hundred and twenty-six sophomore BU nursing
students participated in a White Coat Ceremony in
September. First held in 2014, BU was among the
first 100 schools to hold the ceremony, supported
by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, which provided
the pins given to the students.
Photos: Eric Foster
BU’s nursing program is ranked sixth of 76 schools in Pennsylvania
according to RNCareers,org, and 67th in the Mid-Atlantic region by
NursingSchoolAlmanac.com.
“The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has accentuated the criticality of
the nursing profession in our health care system,” said BU President
Bashar Hanna. “Our world desperately needs well-educated and
well-prepared nurses, and thanks to the faculty and staff in our
nursing program, we at BU are doing our part to prepare our nursing
students to be the very best in their field.”
“This is a testament to our dedicated faculty who have real-life
experience that they bring to our nursing program, and our hardworking students who put the effort into their work to achieve this
recognition,” said Lori Metzger, chair of the Department of Nursing.
BU offers Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Master of Science in
Nursing (MSN), and the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degrees.
Bloomsburg also offers RN to BSN and RN to BSN to MSN programs,
allowing registered nurses to obtain the BSN and MSN online in a
condensed timeframe.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
The sixth annual RNCareers.org ranking of 96.99% is based on each
institution’s first-time NCLEX-RN passing rates, the number of students
taking the test, the program nursing accreditation, and more. The results
were then compared to other nursing programs in Pennsylvania.
5
news on campus
COMMON GROUND
By Tom McGuire
Albert Jones, the new chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) officer for
Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield universities, knows he can make a
lasting impact in his new role by being his natural self.
“When you see me on campus, I’m going to talk to you,” says Jones. “But I
want everyone to feel free to talk to me as well. By talking, we can get to know
each other, grow trust in each other, and build a better campus and eventually
a better world.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
In his new role Jones, a 1999 graduate of Lock Haven and married father of two
children, Collin and Kiahna, will provide vision, leadership, and guidance on a
full spectrum of DEI and social justice matters for all three universities. He will
collaborate with each campus to drive progress in achieving strategic priorities
and work closely with the BU President’s Commission on DEI; the Lock Haven
DEI office; and the Mansfield University Diversity and Inclusion Council.
6
By talking, we
can get to know
each other,
grow trust in
each other, and
build a better
campus and
eventually a
better world.
— ALBERT JONES
“The goal of the office is to create an environment where our living, learning,
and working communities feel supported and there are opportunities for
growth engagement for everyone. It is a goal of mine for the DEI office on
campus to be the resource that people want to come and learn from and see
different perspectives.”
Working collaboratively across three campuses will lead to positive growth for
all, according to Jones, who is a well-respected minor league and high school
baseball umpire in Central Pennsylvania in his spare time.
“Diversity gives a strong sense of identity and well-being,” says Jones. “Our
three offices, working together on programming and services will help to
facilitate change, and bring about new perspectives, challenge the traditional
way of how things used to be done and create a new path forward.”
Most recently, the human resources manager at West Pharmaceutical Services,
Jones, earned an undergraduate degree in business management from LHU
and a master’s degree in organizational management from the University of
Phoenix in 2003. Following his graduation from LHU, Jones returned to his alma
mater as the director of human and cultural diversity. He was later named
assistant to the president for social equity in 2003 before transitioning to
associate director of human resources from 2008-2013.
During his tenure as an employee at Lock Haven, Jones advocated for diversity
and inclusion within the learning and working environment within LHU and
across the state. He directed the Robert D. Lynch Student Leadership Development
Institute from 2007-2011 and was president of the Pennsylvania Black
Conference on Higher Education (PBCOHE) from 2011-2013.
Through integration Jones also feels his office can be a model for other
PASSHE institutions.
“This is an opportunity for us to become a model for other system schools
or schools outside of Pennsylvania,” said Jones. “We’re setting the example
of how to successfully integrate three universities within a complex change
management process and focus on the importance that diversity, equity,
and inclusion contribute to this process. We need to maintain that individual
campus culture, but have consistency across the three campuses that helps to
unify, build trust and promote diversity, equity and inclusion.”
CALLED TO
LEADERSHIP
By Tom McGuire
A Board of Governors scholarship
recipient, Scott learned of the opening
on the BOG from her English professor,
Betina Entzminger.
“Professor Entzminger told me of this
position, and as a naturally curious
person who wants to be in the know,
I thought this would be a way to be a
voice for my fellow students,” said Scott.
Burcin, a member of the Class of 2023,
is an audiology and speech-language
pathology major from Bethlehem with
a minor in linguistics and gerontology.
She is active on campus as a member
of the National Student Speech
Language Hearing Association, and
participated in Bocce Bash and the
Caldwell Consistory Christmas TreeFest.
She is also a member of the BU
women’s volleyball team.
S
tudent leaders play a vital role
in higher education, serving as
the voice of students to campus
leadership. Two students, Zakariya
Scott and Julia Burcin, answered the
call to represent both their fellow
Huskies, and in one case, all students
in the Pennsylvania State System of
Higher Education (PASSHE).
Act 50 of 2020 provided the Board
of Governors for the first time the
ability to make student appointments.
Previously, appointments were by
the governor.
A member of the Class of 2023,
Scott was appointed to serve on
the Board of Governors (BOG).
Scott, from Johnstown, Pa., is majoring
in English with a concentration in
creative writing. She joins Alexander
Roberts from Edinboro University
and Stephen Washington from
Shippensburg University as student
members on the 20-member board
that oversees Pennsylvania’s 14 public
universities. Student members
participate in all Board discussions
and have the same voting rights as all
other members.
“I’m very excited to have been chosen
for this honor and I am very excited
to get started,” said Scott. “This is my
first opportunity to make a difference
in the world.”
“I applied for this position because I want
to make an impact on the university,”
added Burcin. “Bloomsburg is a very
special place, and I am determined
to help it reach its full potential.”
“Congratulations to Zakariya and
Julia for their elections,” said BU
President Bashar W. Hanna. “They’ve
both shown themselves to be active
and engaged students and I know they
will do an excellent job representing
their fellow students.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
Zakariya Scott, Julia Burcin
“I’m beyond thankful to have the
opportunity to be a member of
Bloomsburg University’s Council of
Trustees and honored to represent
our student body,” said Burcin. “Our
trustees demonstrate admirable
qualities — passion, commitment,
and loyalty. I’m eager to learn from
them and grow with them throughout
my next two years at Bloomsburg.”
7
news on campus
COMMON GROUND
Wygmans named Interim VP for
Student Success and Campus Life
Marty Wygmans has been named interim vice
president for student success and campus life.
Wygmans joined BU in 2018 as associate vice
president for student success after coming
from Binghamton University in New York,
where she served as project director for its
TRiO programs and executive director of
student services.
Wygmans has earned a bachelor’s degree in
business administration, a master’s degree in
counseling, and a doctoral degree in higher
education administration.
Student Inspired to Help
Peers with Book Pantry
By Abby Stoudt, student assistant, Marketing and Communications
and they didn’t end up doing that well
in class because they didn’t have the
materials to succeed,” O’Neill said.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
Cameron O’Neill with some of the 250
books she has collected.
8
School is expensive. After paying
tuition, fees, housing, and choosing
a meal plan, students finally get to
attend their classes just to discover
they still have one more important
thing to buy: their textbooks. BU junior
Cameron O’Neill offers a solution for
students struggling with this expense.
The BU Book Pantry officially opened
this fall and already includes nearly 250
books for students to borrow.
O’Neill came up with the idea for the
book pantry during the last academic
year. For her philosophy classes, O’Neill
needed 16 books and was soon lending
her books to classmates who couldn’t
afford them. “By the end of the semester,
they still hadn’t purchased the book
After spring classes ended, O’Neill was
unsure of what to do with her books
that she no longer needed. “I decided
to find someone who was taking the
same classes and just give them my
books,” said O’Neill. “I also reached out
to other classmates who had bought
textbooks to see if there was a possibility
of passing more books onto students
taking the same class after them, and
the foundation of the BU Book Pantry
was built.”
If students would like to donate books,
they can drop them off at the circulation
desk in the Harvey A. Andruss Library.
The library and the University Store
have also partnered for several years to
promote and make low-cost textbooks
available for courses.
Starting the book pantry was challenging,
but many staff and faculty members
helped the project along the way.
“Everyone was helping me however
they could, which shows how much
they want this to just happen,” O’Neill
said. “Something as simple as giving
someone a book is going to change
their whole education.”
Agreements
Create
Pathways
to Pharmacy
Careers
BU has partnered with Temple
University School of Pharmacy
and Fairleigh Dickinson University
School of Pharmacy and Health
Sciences to create pathways for
qualified BU students to earn both
an undergraduate degree and a
Doctor of Pharmacy degree in
seven years, saving a full year of
time and costs.
Both agreements, signed in September,
allow Bloomsburg students majoring
in chemistry or health sciences,
following their junior year, to complete
their final year enrolled in pharmacy
coursework and concurrently to
complete the final credits to receive
their B.A. degree in chemistry or
B.S. degree in health sciences from
Bloomsburg University.
At Fairleigh Dickinson, candidates
for admission must have a 3.3 or
higher overall GPA at Bloomsburg
and complete all prerequisite
courses with a grade of B- or better.
Reserved admission is limited to
a maximum of five Bloomsburg
students each year. At Temple,
candidates for admission must
have a 2.7 or higher overall GPA
at Bloomsburg and complete all
prerequisite courses.
“These agreements will benefit
our students who are interested in
attending pharmacy school, giving them a path to save both time
and money,” said Diana RogersAdkinson, provost and senior vice
president for academic affairs.
“Access to such accelerated pathways
to professional programs are very
attractive opportunities to students,
and we are excited to partner with
these distinguished schools of
pharmacy to provide this opportunity,”
said Latha Ramakrishnan, Dean
of the College of Science and
Technology.
COMMON GROUND
Unique Internship Gives
Insight into Corrections
By Tom McGuire
Seven BU students took part in a new and unique summer
internship program with the Pennsylvania Department of
Corrections (PA DOC) Bureau of Investigations and
Intelligence and the Office of Policy and Legislative Affairs.
The idea for the internship program came from John
Wetzel ’98, a member of BU’s Council of Trustees who
just stepped down as Pennsylvania’s secretary of
corrections after serving for 10 years.
This year, the DOC completed a violence forecast by
analyzing data that indicated the strong likelihood of
a significantly violent summer. The interns monitored
communications in and out of the state’s 24
correctional institutions in order to bolster intelligence
efforts. The interns provided information that could be
used by the DOC and other law enforcement agencies
to investigate and stop crimes.
The BU students, all entering their junior or senior year,
worked alongside experienced and senior personnel,
giving them significant exposure to the internal operations
of a large state agency. Ten students took part in the
program.
“These students are not just pushing paper,” said Wetzel.
“They’re putting in real hours with the Bureau of Investigations
and Intelligence to gain hands-on experience and help
keep our facilities safe for staff and residents.”
“The interns learned early on that this was not a typical
office job,” Wetzel added. “In addition to visits to state
prison facilities, the group participated in an organizationwide training exercise where they saw firsthand how virtually
all facets of the Department prepare to come together in
the event of an emergency or crisis.”
The BU students taking part in the program were Trevor
Dennison, Julia Tappany, Brianna Jones, Meredith Norris,
Conner Pennington, Keron Butcher, and Brandon Gill.
“This internship has been a great experience for me,” said
Butcher, a rising senior from Thorndale. “I have met and
made connections with so many people. There are many
aspects in the corrections field; whatever your field of
study is, there is space for you in the DOC. My plan after
college is to find a job working in cyber security or IT at a
company.”
Norris, a sociology major from Atglen, used the internship
to explore the criminal justice field.
“I learned so much about the fields of corrections and parole,
how closely they work together and how different parts of
each field operate,” said Norris, a senior. “The internship
made me realize my initial interest in criminal justice is
something that I want to explore more. My plan is to apply
for a job in corrections when I graduate in December.”
Student Among 200 Selected for National Workshop
The workshop, typically held in New Orleans, was
virtual this year due to COVID-19.
Attendees will participate in learning sessions and panel
discussions covering topics such as developing leadership skills and passing the CPA exam. Accomplished CPA
professionals will share insights on career opportunities in
accounting and the value of networking.
“I couldn’t believe that I was one of those selected and
feel extremely proud of myself for taking the chance and
applying,” said Morales.
Morales is a first-generation college student and has
served as an officer in the Accounting Association since
her freshman year. She has volunteered at a soup kitchen,
has spent her winter and summer breaks working, including
an internship at a CPA firm this summer, and is a community
assistant at BU.
“I hope to strengthen my networking skills and learn more
about the CPA exam,” said Morales. “Plus, I am looking forward
to hearing the panelists speak about their experiences
within the accounting profession and hear their advice on
career progression.”
Morales has already thought about her future after she
graduates next May.
“My plan is to get my master’s degree in accountancy here
at Bloomsburg, and then pass the CPA exam and work at a
public accounting firm.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
Accounting major Erica Morales from
Easton is one of just 200 students
nationwide selected for the American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Accounting Scholars Leadership
Workshop. The three-day event is
designed to help accounting students
from racial and ethnic minorities develop their leadership ability with the
ultimate goal of increasing diversity
and inclusion in public accounting.
9
Faculty from Integrating Universities
Collaborate on Tree Swallow Research
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
By Tom McGuire
10
Lauri Green, assistant professor of biological and allied
health sciences at BU, is collecting tree swallow nests to
determine if there are any patterns to their construction.
She’s working with Leslie Clifford, associate professor of
biology at Mansfield University, which is one of the
three universities (along with Lock Haven) in Northeast
Pennsylvania that are integrating.
The professors met as part of a faculty discussion from
the three universities interested in natural history. They
soon found out they were both working on tree swallow
research.
Also working with Green are seasonal ranger Lydia Mohn
from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Blue Marsh
Lake in Leesport, Berks County; Rhiannon Summers
from the Department of Natural Resources at Ricketts
Glen, BU graduate students Eric Moeller, Mitchell Liddick,
and Michael Facella; and undergraduate students Gabby
Leonard, Rebecca Burlingame, and Savannah Scherer.
“Tree swallows use the feathers of other species to
construct their nests and form a nest cup where the eggs
are laid and chicks are hatched,” says Green. “The literature
suggests that feather linings help with temperature
regulation and may serve as a parasite barrier for chicks.
Though a few studies noted the number of feathers that
tree swallows use in their nests, largely absent was any
quantification of the feather sizes or types.”
After the nests are collected is when the real work starts.
“In Spring 2021, Gabby quantified the feathers used in tree
swallow nests at my field sites,” says Green. “She meticulously
counted, traced, and identified each feather. Tracing the
feathers in a digitizing program tells us how big each
feather is. She found that tree swallows seem to use
different types of feathers at each site (some used large
flight feathers, some used contour feathers). Interestingly,
the total feather area for each nest (the sum of all the
feather areas in each nest) was not significantly different
across the sites.”
“I’m really excited to involve Mansfield University undergraduate
students in this project because it will allow them to actually
do science themselves and not just learn about the results
of scientific investigations by others,” says Clifford. “It’s much
more exciting to discover patterns and answer original questions
for yourself than it is to be told what the answer is.”
“We are going to repeat the study for the 2021 field season,”
says Green. “Dr. Clifford is working with her undergraduate
students to count, measure and identify the feathers used
in her tree swallow boxes. I will begin the analysis of our
nests soon.”
BU student Leonard learned a lot as part of the research team.
“I thought it was cool to see the type of habitat the tree
swallows prefer firsthand, which I also thought to be
relevant when the differences and similarities between the
nests across the different nesting sites were compared,”
says Leonard. “It was super interesting to see that there
was consistency in how the birds made their nests despite
some observed differences between nesting sites.”
Green is concerned about one aspect of nest construction
she is starting to come across.
“I happened to pick up an old robin nest recently and
found that they included plastic in their nests. This is
intriguing and concerning since plastic will likely change
the temperature regulation of the nest, which would
impact chick survival.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
H
ave you ever been out walking in your yard or on
a hiking trail and come across a bird’s nest and
marveled at its construction? Two faculty members
at Bloomsburg University and Mansfield University have
turned this fascination into a new topic for research.
11
Joan McCarty
THE
Evolution OF Support
By Olivia Kennedy ’22, BU Foundation Student Intern
W
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
hen you mix a passion for supporting
students with a desire to make a difference
in your community and the environment,
the result can make a pretty profound impact.
12
That’s what happened when Joan McCarty and
fellow members of the Jacques Weber Foundation
(JWF) revitalized their scholarship support to
make it more relevant for today’s students.
The JWF Scholarship has undergone many changes
since it was established in 1947 by Jacques Weber,
then president of Bloomsburg Mills, a textile
manufacturer in town since 1889. As it evolved, its
mission has remained constant – to help support
students pursuing their passion while attaining a
college degree.
The JWF initially established the scholarship
to provide financial support for male students
entering the textile and fashion industry. In the
late ’80s, interest in these fields of study declined,
but the JWF’s passion for inspiring students remained,
so the scholarship was redirected to help Mill
employees and their children afford to go to college.
In 2009, the Bloomsburg Mills closed its doors,
and in 2020, the last employee’s child eligible for
the scholarship earned a degree. But McCarty and
her fellow board members decided they wanted
to keep the scholarship going, and they would
need to find a new focus for their support.
“Bloomsburg Mills were a close-knit and family-like
community,” says McCarty. “We wanted to continue that
support, and we know that something that Mr. Weber
would have wanted, too.”
structure the gift to make it a renewable scholarship to
help student recruitment and retention.
The JWF board realized they shared a passion for environmental
conservation and decided to designate the scholarship to
support students pursuing environmental studies:
“There are growing issues with the earth and its climate.
In the future, we are going to need smart leaders to help
solve these problems,” says Shepard. “This scholarship
helps support students who are passionate enough to
make an impact.”
Needing advice, McCarty reached out to Jennifer Whisner,
associate professor in the Department of Environmental,
Geographical, Geological Sciences (EGGS), with whom
she had worked on the Fishing Creek Watershed Association.
For Alexander Lehigh, the first recipient of the JWF
Scholarship in EGGS, this support ultimately pushed him
to decide to come to BU to study geographic information
systems.
Whisner connected McCarty with EGGS department chair
Michael Shepard, who helped make the scholarship a reality.
Shepard saw an excellent opportunity to bring something
new to the department that would benefit. Both the JWF
and the EGGS Department wanted to support a student’s
entire college career, so the BU Foundation helped JWF
“The fact that I was fortunate enough to receive this
scholarship when so many others applied helped me see
my own potential,” Lehigh says. “I want to make the most
of this opportunity, not just for my success, but also to
show my donors that they made the right choice in
supporting me.”
I want to make the most
of this opportunity, not
just for my success, but
also to show my donors
that they made the right
choice in supporting me.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
—ALEXANDER LEHIGH
Photos: Olivia Kennedy
13
By Jack Sherzer
Hard work has been a part of Dan Klingerman’s life since he was 10 years
old and started helping his grandfather John Klingerman in the family’s
feed mill. He remembers his dad Dick Klingerman and uncle Dave
Klingerman showing him the various aspects of the business, while
“Uncle Dave” farmed throughout the Bloomsburg area.
Between hauling corn, wheat, oats, and unloading trucks filled with fertilizer
and lime, he also got a behind-the-curtain look at the business of farming.
The hard work at the mill — which he did through high school and over
summers through college — taught him determination and self-discipline.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
Those early lessons were invaluable as Dan developed into a champion
wrestler and, combined with a natural affinity for numbers, a successful
entrepreneur. Today, he heads The Liberty Group, an investment and
management company he founded in 2002, which has grown to over
$500 million in assets and more than 6,000 workers.
14
But for Dan Klingerman, business success is not a means to
an end. Faith, family, and philanthropy are crucial to a
satisfying life, he says. Much of his support focuses on
north-central Pennsylvania’s hospitals and medical care,
as well as schools and colleges.
“When I started working for myself, and as our organization
grew, I always believed that with increased success comes
increased obligation to give back,” the 56-year-old says.
“I tell my kids that happiness isn’t derived from commas
and zeros.”
Jennifer Wilson, the president and CEO of Williamsport’s
First Community Foundation Partnership, which connects
donors with nonprofits filling community needs, says
Klingerman’s involvement with her organization and the
region has been invaluable.
“Many people don’t realize all that Dan has done and continues to do, not only with his charitable giving but with
his leadership,” says Wilson, who adds that Klingerman
served on her agency’s board for eight years. “I spent a
lot of time with Dan and talking about philanthropy. He
spends his time and money on organizations he believes
are making a tremendous impact on people.”
THE MAKING OF A CHAMPION
“Our family has always been very sports-oriented,”
Klingerman says. “I wrestled in high school and college,
and I think sports-mindedness crosses over into the business
and entrepreneurial world. Both take patience, persistence,
teamwork, and self-discipline. They are the qualities that make
you successful in sports and the working world.”
Klingerman also focused his energies on his other passion –
math– using the same determination, drive, and skill that
made him a powerhouse on the wrestling mat in high school.
By the time he started at BU, he was so advanced that he
helped teach accounting to first- and second-year students.
Most of Klingerman’s family played basketball, but when he
began at Bloomsburg Area Middle School, he spotted a sign
for wrestling tryouts and gave it a shot. At the end of his
eighth-grade season, he captured the tri-state championship
for Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware. By his junior
year, he finished third in the state, and as a senior in 1983, he
was Bloomsburg Area High School’s first state wrestling
champion.
Klingerman, who graduated from BU in 1987 with a bachelor’s
degree in accounting, says becoming a Husky was an easy
choice. While he was heavily recruited by a host of colleges,
especially Penn State, Klingerman had met BU’s Hall
of Fame wrestling coach Roger Sanders and liked his
program. He received a five-year scholarship to BU and
was the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC)
wrestling champion in his sophomore year.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
Dan Klingerman stands outside the
striking building in Montoursville
that serves as headquarters of The
Liberty Group.
15
However, his time on the mat also
ended that year. Injuries to his right
shoulder and both knees caught up
to him.
“I have no regrets whatsoever,”
Klingerman says of wrestling, despite
the injuries that caused him to leave
the sport. “The chapters of our life
define who we are, and each part is
integral to getting you where you
are. That’s the nice thing about a new
day, you can’t go back, but you can
certainly start fresh tomorrow, which
can change the outcome.”
He draws parallels to the aggressiveness
and mental toughness needed to square
off with a wrestling opponent to his
later success in the business world.
“As a wrestler, I felt I had to do a little
more than the others to have that
edge. When high school wrestling
practice was over, I’d go home, have
dinner and then go running,” he says.
“It is the same in the business world –
you’re not going to succeed with a
nine to five mentality.”
Jack Mulka, who retired as BU’s dean
of student development in 2002, says
he’s not surprised at Klingerman’s
accomplishments.
“He was a focused, determined young
man. He was tough and resilient, and
when he didn’t succeed, he would
pick himself back up and go at it again,”
Many people don’t
realize all that
Dan has done and
continues to do,
not only with his
charitable giving but
with his leadership.
— JENNIFER WILSON, PRESIDENT AND
CEO, WILLIAMSPORT’S FIRST COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION PARTNERSHIP
Mulka says. “His mother and father and
his uncles and cousins are all good role
models. Good, hard-working people
willing to help others.”
WINNING IN BUSINESS AND LIFE
After graduating from BU, Klingerman
started looking for an accounting job
when, unbeknownst to him, his brother
signed him up for an interview with
an insurance broker in Williamsport.
Instead of balancing books, Klingerman
earned a securities license and handled
investments, retirement accounts, and
estate planning – making more than
accounting jobs offered in Baltimore.
He also took his first foray into what
would lead to his later success: real estate.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
“I started acquiring student housing
that I would remodel myself, and I did
that until I got into the commercial
space,” Klingerman says. “I first
acquired a 45,000-square-foot
building in Williamsport.”
16
Real estate made sense on multiple
levels. Value, tax write-offs, and
amortization were familiar territory
for Klingerman. Plus, as a salaried
employee, he didn’t have much to
write off until he started investing in
property.
Dan Klingerman with the eagle
sculpture he had installed at
The Liberty Group company
headquarters.
Five years later, he came to a
crossroads: the insurance company
wanted him to take over an office in
Boston, or he could work with his
uncles, Doug Klingerman and Dave
Klingerman, and JDK Management
Company, which primarily focused
on operating nursing homes and
restaurants. His challenge was to turn
around their Perkins franchise.
Within six years, Klingerman had grown
the franchise to 40 restaurants, turning
it into the largest Perkins operation in
the United States. “It’s all about scale
and surrounding yourself with good
people,” Dan says. With growth came
the ability to negotiate better contracts
with suppliers: “You create your own
economies of scale.”
In 2002, Klingerman came to another
crossroads: he enjoyed what he was
doing, but it was time to bet on himself.
“I think everybody at some point thinks
about being your own boss. I enjoyed
my time at JDK, but it was not my
company,” he says. “At the end of the
day, you have to decide what side of
the paycheck you want to sign.”
The company’s name was an easy
choice; in the wake of the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks in the United States,
he wanted to call his new enterprise
“Liberty.” The first business was Liberty
Hospitality Partners, which was soon
joined by LHP Management, Liberty
Healthcare, and LG Settlement
Services. As the number of companies
grew— today more than 50— Klingerman
formed the umbrella company “The
Liberty Group.”
Liberty covers a wide range of
industries, with hospitality properties
such as Bloomsburg’s Frosty Valley
Resort (home of BU’s golf teams)
and the Clinton Country Club in
Lock Haven (home of Lock Haven
University’s golf team). Klingerman
provides six scholarship programs for
BU’s golf program.
Liberty also has construction companies
that have built schools, hospitals, and
more. After finishing a $9 million complex
known as “the Liberty Arena,” he and
his team are working on the $17 million
Williamsport Sports Complex that will
feature seven baseball and softball
fields on a 10-acre brownfield site.
The project is a focus for the Liberty
Group, the Williamsport Chamber of
Commerce and key community
stakeholders and a perfect fit, as
Williamsport is the home of the Little
League World Series.
Klingerman on the top of the podium at the as the Bloomsburg School District’s first state wrestling champion in 1983. At right,
Klingerman as a BU state wrestling champion in 1985.
A conversation with Klingerman about
business inevitably goes hand-in-hand
with his belief in supporting the
community that makes a company’s
success possible. Bloomsburg
University, Pennsylvania College
of Technology, Lycoming College,
University of Pittsburgh Medical
Center, and Geisinger are just some
of the organizations he supports.
“Our family has always supported
local activities, and I believe that we
have an obligation to give back,” he
says. “One of my favorite quotes that
I use frequently is from Winston Churchill:
‘We make a living by what we get but
make a life by what we give.’”
Klingerman readily admits BU has
a special place in his heart. His
Klingerman Family Scholarship, which
benefits the university’s football team,
has helped more than a dozen players.
One of the first award recipients was
Matt Feiler, now an offensive lineman
with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Klingerman also helped raise money
for the BU Husky Wrestling Endowment,
which has supported 18 students.
Then, in May 2020, Gov. Tom Wolf
appointed him to a six-year term as a
Bloomsburg University trustee.
“I was proud to be asked to serve, and
every time I go back to the campus
for a meeting, it feels wonderful,”
I always believed that with increased success
comes increased obligation to give back.
I tell my kids that happiness isn’t derived
from commas and zeros. — DAN KLINGERMAN
Klingerman says. “Bloomsburg allowed
me to grow, and I’m excited to be on
the board and have the chance to
give back and help guide and direct
the university’s direction.”
Danny Hale, who was head coach of
the Huskies for 20 seasons, knows the
Klingerman family well and coached
Klingerman’s cousin and brother.
“The entire family believes in family,
faith, and football. I was inspired by
the whole family,” Hale says, adding
that he’s not surprised at what Dan
has accomplished. “He took that spirit
of wrestling and the toughness – you
don’t get to be a state champion
wrestler without toughness – and
developed Liberty.”
Klingerman met his wife, Monica, when
he took the insurance company position
following graduation, and they have
been married 30 years. They have made
sure to instill the values of hard work
and helping their community to their
three children.
As his family did with him, however,
Klingerman let his kids choose their
own path. The couple’s eldest daughter,
Paige, 29, is the head of marketing for
a publicly-traded company in Denver;
middle daughter Samantha, 27, after
obtaining her master’s at Carnegie
Mellon University and completing
an administrative fellowship with
UPMC, now is director of ENT and
Chronic Pain Medicine at the UPMC
Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh; and
their son, Mitchell, is a senior at SMU
in Dallas studying business. Paige and
Samantha both received gold-medal
state championship awards in soccer,
while Mitchell was a state place winner
in baseball and basketball.
For Klingerman, success has three
pillars: faith, family, and friends.
“You want to surround yourself
with people of the same mindset
and values and principles who also
have different strengths than what
you have,” he says when asked
what advice he would give fellow
entrepreneurs. “Above all, stay
grounded and have humility and
understand that it can leave as
quickly as it came.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
A LIFE BY WHAT WE GIVE
17
It’s all college connections;
always Bloom alumni I
look to. The friendships
I developed are lifelong.
— FELICIA ELLZY
“I took off running once everything was OK,” says Ellzy.
“If I hadn’t found my community, who knows where I
would have ended up?”
Not only was Ellzy first-generation, but she was also a
black student at a predominantly white university and
had to navigate racial tensions in a town that did not
always accept her. Her community became not only a
way for Ellzy to thrive but survive. “It forces you to have a
communal experience with other black people. You must
learn how to function as a high-level person in society
and advocate for yourself.”
Champion
A
for
Student Community
By Andrea O’Neill
W
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
hen Felicia Ellzy ’10/’12M applied to Bloomsburg
University, she had no idea how vital her fellow
Huskies would be to her campus success, or how they
would shape her future. Now, the Williamsport native
is helping to shape the future of the pack’s youngest
members.
18
The bonds that form among students during such a pivotal
time are only cemented by the challenges of living on your
own for the first time: navigating a new environment,
confronting homesickness, and learning time management.
Ellzy first experienced such support soon after her
arrival, when she had a tuition shortfall that her Board
of Governor’s scholarship didn’t cover. Her cousin, an
alumnus, pointed her to Wayne Whittaker, an admissions
counselor turned mentor, who walked Ellzy through the
student loan process.
Of all the life lessons learned at Bloomsburg, Ellzy
says the one that remains true is the importance of
community. After she stayed to complete her M.Ed. in
Curriculum and Instruction, a fellow alum asked her to
teach at Nativity School of Harrisburg (NSoH), where
she fell in love with being a mentor. Now the director of
curriculum and instruction, Ellzy builds the same sense
of community she had at Bloomsburg among the student
body. In her work, the connections Ellzy made on campus
have continued to be a lifeline. BU alumni make up her
friends, colleagues, fellow community volunteers, and
fellow parents. They even make up most guests on the
podcast “The Cool Nerds,” which she co-produces with
fellow Husky, Michael Johnson ’12.
“It’s all college connections; always Bloom alumni I look
to,” says Ellzy. “The friendships I developed are lifelong. It
is interesting to see how we’ve all evolved, or even how
we haven’t. We’re all professionals now, but it’s like we
never left Bloom.”
“All of a sudden, you have to be an adult,” recalls Ellzy.
“You don’t know where anything is unless someone tells
you. I’ll never forget Mr. Whittaker helping me that way.”
In many ways, Ellzy never really did leave Bloom; she has
maintained a presence on campus as an alumni volunteer to help the next generation of Huskies develop their
own support network. In the decade since graduation,
Ellzy has served as an alumni speaker at BOG dinners,
History Club banquets, and CASSH Con, a meeting for
students pursuing careers in arts, social sciences, and the
humanities. She has even recruited new Huskies from her
family and students at NSoH. In 2016, she joined the BU
Alumni Association board of directors and was elected
president this past summer.
Ellzy got acclimated and found her pack in the Montour
residence hall, the Black Culture Society, History Club,
Phi Alpha Theta honors society, and her sorority, Sigma
Gamma Rho.
“One of the most important things you can do as an
alumnus is pass along the connections you’ve made,”
says Ellzy. “Fill that role. Make sure students know the
community is there for them no matter what.”
HUSKY NOTES
Bruce Grant ’64 has written a book,
“Observing Evolution,” dedicated to
the memory of his mentor, the late
Professor Donald D. Rabb, a long-time
member of the Bloomsburg faculty and
a member of the Class of 1946. Focused
on the evolution of peppered moths in
early 20th century London, “Observing
Evolution” is a crash course in natural
selection and the history of evolutionary
biology for anyone interested in Darwin’s
legacy. The book is published by Johns
Hopkins University Press. Grant is
emeritus professor of biology at the
College of William & Mary.
Jane Archer Ackerman ’64 and
Harold Ackerman ’65 have published a
book of photographs. “Bridgework 2021”
is a collection of photographs showing
the covered bridges of Columbia and
Montour counties in various seasons and
light. Harold Ackerman has also published
a second book of poems, “February 2,”
which includes photographs by the author.
Ackerman is a retired BU faculty member
(1977–2003). Both these books are
available at Blurb.com as paper copies
or pdf files.
70s
Barbara Benner Hudock ’75, CEO
and founding partner of Hudock
Capital Group, was recognized by both
Barron’s and Forbes. In its March 13
issue, Barron’s named Hudock as one
of America’s Top Financial Advisors,
including her among its Top 50 Financial
Advisors in Pennsylvania. In its March 24
issue, Forbes named Hudock as one of
America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors,
ranking her 11th among its Top Women
Wealth Advisors in Pennsylvania. This is
the 12th year that Barron’s has included
Hudock in its list of America’s Top
Financial Advisors and the third year in a
row that Forbes has named Hudock one
of its Top Women Wealth Advisors.
80s
Michael Mixell ’80 was named to the
2022 “Best Lawyers in America” list.
Honored attorneys are recognized in 52
practice areas. In addition, Mixell earned
the rank of “Lawyer of the Year” in his
geographic area for trusts and estates
practice. Mixell is a partner at Barley Snyder,
a law firm based in central Pennsylvania
with more than 100 attorneys.
Retired Lt. Col. Walter Zabicki, USMC,
has retired from the Onslow County
North Carolina Sheriff’s Office. During
his law enforcement career, Zabicki
served as a detention officer, deputy
and a school resource officer. He is
transitioning to a career in education
as a substitute teacher with the Onslow
County School System.
Gerald Ganz ’85
was named vice
chancellor of
finance and
administration
at the University
of Arkansas
Little Rock. Ganz
serves as the
university’s chief
financial officer
and is responsible
for the university’s budget and
financial services. Additionally, he
oversees facilities management, public
safety, information technology, mail
services, and printing services. Ganz
was previously with the University
of Connecticut Foundation, where
he served as senior vice president of
finance and administration and chief
financial officer since 2015 and managed
the foundation’s assets totaling nearly
$620 million. He has served as the
chief financial officer at the Florida
State University Foundation, controller
at Eckerd College, and chief financial
officer at Johnson College. He has also
worked as a controller, field auditor, and
senior accountant in private industry.
Gwen Cressman Petersohn ’85 has
written a children’s book, “Closed.” The
illustrated book is about the sudden
advent of the COVID-19 virus and
how families in quarantine managed
their newly changed lives. Cressman
Petersohn is also a member of the BU
Athletics Hall of Fame.
Mary Wash Risner ’87 has been
named chief development officer at
Westover School, Middlebury, Conn.
She previously had a career in banking
and worked in fundraising at Franklin
and Marshall College and the University
of Pennsylvania. She joined Westover
after serving at Brown University as the
executive director of annual giving.
90s
John Pierro ’93 was named executive
vice president and chief operating
officer of the Lehigh Valley Health
Adrienne Mael
Selected To
Lead Second
United Way
Adrienne Mael ’08 has been
chosen as the permanent
president and CEO of the
Greater Susquehanna Valley
United Way after a national
search. Mael was appointed
in early July as the interim
president and CEO. For
the past six years, Mael has
served as a president and
CEO of the United Way of
Columbia and Montour
Counties, a position she will
continue to hold as the two
boards discuss a possible
merger.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
60s
19
HUSKY NOTES
Network. Pierro came to LVHN from
Steward Health Care System, an $8
billion health care network with 35
hospitals in 10 states. He served as
regional chief operating officer of the
organization’s north division, which
includes two academic medical centers
and ten community hospitals, 2,800
beds, and more than 14,000 employees.
At LVHN, Pierro oversees operations at
the network’s hospitals and ambulatory
locations, leads the facilities and
construction team.
Heidi Wasilchak Fiorelli ’96 AuD has
joined Lehigh Valley Physician Group Ear,
Nose & Throat – Health & Wellness Center.
Sean Banfill ’97, a special agent with
the U.S. Department of State, finished his
third deployment to Iraq.
Kristen Lahr Zell ’99 is the new head
of school at Adams County Christian
Academy in Gettysburg. She briefly
taught in public and private schools
before working for 15 years in project
management and operations at U-GRO
Learning Centers, an early childhood
and preschool education provider. She
has recently worked for TCW Computer
Systems/Glick Audio and Video, an
information and technology company.
Angela Cuneo Warner ’99 has been
named the principal of Seven Sorrows of
the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic School
in Middletown, Pa. She has been involved
with the school for several years as a
parent, Parents and Teachers Together
(PTT) president, school board member,
and teacher.
Michael Bartolomucci ’09 is the director
of the Phoenix Physical Therapy center
in Lower Heidelberg Township. After
graduating from BU, he earned a doctor
of physical therapy at D’Youville College
in Buffalo, N.Y. and previously was a facility
director with Pivot Physical Therapy.
00s
David Flynn ’09/’13AuD joined UPMC
Williamsport’s ear, nose, and throat team
as an audiologist.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
Jennifer Sullivan ’00 is the maternal/
child nurse manager at Evangelical
Community Hospital in Lewisburg, where
she has worked since 2003. Sullivan has
worked as an OB nurse since 2000.
20
Jahri Evans ’07, an NFL standout who
was an All-American at BU, has been
named to the ballot for enshrinement
into the College Football Hall of Fame
as announced by the National Football
Foundation (NFF) and the College
Football Hall of Fame. Evans became a
full-time starter on the Huskies’ offensive
line in 2003. At BU, he was an AFCA
first-team All-American as a junior while
earning second-team All-American
honors from both the Associated Press
and from the Don Hansen Football
Gazette. As a senior in 2005, Evans
helped the Huskies to an average of
284.3 rushing yards a game –
eighth-most in the country. Selected in
the fourth round by the New Orleans
Saints in the 2006 NFL Draft, Evans
was selected to six Pro Bowls and was
named a first-team All-Pro four straight
seasons from 2009-12. He helped the
Saints finish in the top six in the league
in total offense in all 11 of his seasons
(2006-2016), including six number
rankings. Evans helped the Saints finish
in the top 10 in scoring nine of his 11
seasons, including number one rankings
in 2008 and 2009. In 2009, New Orleans
defeated the Indianapolis Colts to win
Super Bowl XLIV. Last year, Evans was
named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team
(2010-19).
Richard Kralevich ’01 became the first
vice president of information technology
at Anne Arundel Community College
in Arnold, Md. Kralevich is a former
administrator from Delaware Technical
Community College in Dover, Del.
Nicholas Saenz ’06 has been named
vice president, real estate relationship
manager at Penn Community Bank,
headquartered in Bucks County. With
eight years of experience in the financial
services industry, Saenz has worked
for several financial institutions and the
Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.
Daniel Hineline ’09 was presented
with the International Diamond Society
Award for Sales from Coldwell Banker
in 2018, 2019, and 2020. Alongside his
work with Coldwell Banker, Hineline has
established Twin Property Group LLC
with a business partner.
10s
Kyle Vincelli ’10 was appointed sergeant
in the Cumru Township Police Department.
A former wrestler at BU, Vincelli is a
10-year veteran of the Cumru Town
Police Department and served as a field
training officer.
Samuel Hess ’11 was promoted to vice
president and chief information officer
at Millers Mutual Insurance. Previously,
Hess worked for Millville Mutual as an IT
support/technology developer for five years
and was an IT consultant for three years.
Candyce Musinski ’11, a standup comic,
appeared on Kevin Hart’s “Lyft Comics”
on Peacock streaming TV on June 19.
Kelsey Schwan
Van Alstyne ’11
has been named
the women’s
lacrosse head
coach at SUNY
Cortland. Van
Alstyne served
as head coach
at Slippery Rock
University from
2018-21 and was the winningest coach
in that program’s history. Van Alstyne
also served as interim head coach at
Buffalo State in 2014 after being an
assistant coach. She was an assistant
coach for one season at Ithaca College
and a strength and conditioning intern at
Cornell University. She played three years
of lacrosse for the Huskies, serving two
seasons as captain and earning ScholarAthlete honors each year. In addition to
collegiate coaching, Van Alstyne also
coached USA teams in international
competitions in Australia, Germany, and
the United Kingdom and has worked at
various camps, including the Nike Cup.
Fred Obiero ’12M has coauthored
a book, “The PM Imperative: Guide
for Leading and Managing Projects,
People, and Delivering Value,” with Jahn
Karsybaev. The book provides real-life
examples and experiences to project and
product managers on how to work more
efficiently to deliver value.
Christopher Steck ’14 was named
director of sports performance for Olympic
sports at Virginia Military Institute. Steck
was a four-year starter and two-time
captain of the BU football team.
Capt. Kyle
Mogensen ’16
graduated from
the Interservice
Physician
Assistant Program
as an active-duty
U.S. Army officer.
Mogensen will
continue to serve
active duty as a
physician assistant
in the 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division,
at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Mogensen
volunteered with the Clark, N.J.,
Volunteer Emergency Squad and worked
at Union County Emergency Medical
Services as an emergency medical
technician for more than five years.
He completed the U.S. Army Medical
Department Basic Officer Leader Course
and Airborne School while serving as the
battalion medical operations officer and
medical platoon leader of 2nd Battalion,
505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd
Airborne Division out of Fort Bragg, N.C.
Samantha Kern ’17 joined the TriCounty
Area Chamber of Commerce,
headquartered in Pottstown, as
marketing and communications director.
Kern designs chamber marketing
materials, is responsible for the monthly
editorial content of the chamber’s
electronic newsletter, and manages all
social media outlets for the chamber.
Jedediah Lemon ’17 has joined the
Union County law firm of Mark H.
Lemon. A U.S. Navy veteran, he earned
his law degree at Widener Law School,
graduating cum laude. Lemon will
practice family and criminal law, estates,
estate planning, trusts, and real estate.
Jessica Campbell ’20M, FNP-C, has
joined the Guthrie Health Care System’s
family medicine department in Troy
and Canton with clinical interests in
preventative health, diabetes, and
primary care services. Campbell is
certified by the American Academy of
Nurse Practitioners.
Marriages
Kendall Fokin ’16 and
Spencer Rives ’16, July 15, 2021
Noelle Norton Porcoro Murphy ’89
and Jack Murphy, Aug. 17, 2019
Jessica Segeleon ’14 and
Nathan Sullivan, Sept. 25, 2020
Kylie DiStefano Osman ’01
and Gregory Merrbach, Dec. 12, 2020
Rebekah King ’15 and
Andrew DeMarcantonio ’14,
June 24, 2021
Taylor Williams ’17
and Peter Freda ’16, Sept. 5, 2021
Births
Jen Linder ’11 and Eric Linder ’10,
a daughter, Haley Mae Linder,
on Nov. 19, 2020
Taylor Williams ’17 and Peter Freda ’16 were married Sept. 5 at Overbrook Golf Club
in Villanova.
Alyssa Ruzicka Hiser ’13 and Ryan Hiser,
a daughter, Adelaide Hiser,
on May 1, 2021
Renee Bopp Hahn ’16 and Jared Hahn,
a daughter, Ellie Hahn, on June 15, 2021
Christopher Klunk ’07 and Renee Klunk,
a daughter, Natalie Rue, on June 16, 2021
Sandra Starkey ’07 and Joseph Starkey ’07,
a son, Joseph Thomas Starkey Jr.,
on June 27, 2021
Lindsay Bentz Stevens ’10 and
Christopher Stevens ’10, a son,
Zachary Stevens, on July 12, 2021
Joshua Stewart ’12 and Rachel Stewart,
a daughter, Blake Stewart, on July 9, 2021
Rebekah King ’15 and Andrew DeMarcantonio Jr. ’14 were married June 24 in Cape
May, N.J.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
Cassandra Carns Anczarski ’11 Joseph
Anczarski ’11, a son, Joseph Thomas
Anczarski, on June 2, 2021
21
HUSKY NOTES
In Memoriam
BU President Harry Ausprich speaks to a class in 1990.
Dr. Harry Ausprich, Former BU President
Former Bloomsburg University President Dr. Harry
Ausprich of Philadelphia passed away on July 28,
2021. He was 88. Ausprich served as president of
BU from 1985 to 1993.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
Dr. Ausprich was the first permanent President of
Bloomsburg University, beginning his tenure in July
1985. In keeping with his educational background
and interests he encouraged the growth of arts and
humanities at Bloomsburg and supported expanded
offerings of artistic performances. His personal
involvement in fundraising and development of
other sources of income led to millions of dollars
being raised during his eight years as president.
The money raised went primarily toward student
scholarships, but also to the enhancement and remodeling of the University’s
performing arts facilities: Mitrani Hall in the Haas Center and Gross Auditorium in
Carver Hall; and financial support for athletic programs and the Celebrity Artist Series.
22
The expansion of the Celebrity Artist Series, which has evolved into the Arts in Bloom
program that we have today, was Dr. Ausprich’s most satisfying personal memory
as president of Bloomsburg. He felt it gave students the exposure they needed to
experience superior quality in the arts and noted it was often the first time they had
been to an event such as an opera or ballet.
Dr. Ausprich’s legacy is continued through the ongoing commitment to the arts at
Bloomsburg University. This commitment was further demonstrated by opening the
new Arts and Administration Building in January, which provides a new state-of-theart home base for the visual and performing arts.
Ausprich is survived by the love of his life, Lorraine, his daughters Sarah Ausprich
(Stephen) and Emily Grizer (Ronald), and two granddaughters. He was preceded in
death by his son, Bryce Alfred.
Robert Buehner, Jr.,
Former Trustee
Robert W. Buehner Jr., 69, of
Danville, passed away on Friday,
Sept. 3, at his residence. Buehner
was a member of the BU Council
of Trustees from 1980 to 2003.
Born on May 5, 1952, in Danville,
he was the son of the late Robert
W. Sr. and Mary Jane Derr Buehner
and graduated from Danville High
School, Westminster College, and the
Dickinson School of Law. In addition
to his wife, he is survived by two
daughters: Mary Jane Lenahan and
her husband Eamon of Nanticoke, Pa.,
and Rebecca Goss and her husband
Brandon of Millersville, Pa.; three
grandchildren; Makenzi Scott-Goss,
Briella Goss and Lennon Lenahan.
He is also survived by a brother,
John “Jack” Buehner of Lewisburg,
Pa., and a sister; Molly Morgan
Decoteau and her husband David
of Danville. In addition to his parents,
he was preceded in death by one
daughter: Robin E. Buehner on Dec.
15, 2008. His memberships included
the Mahoning Presbyterian Church,
Danville Rotary Club, Pennsylvania
District Attorney’s Association, where
he served one year as president; the
Westminster University Board of Trustees
for eight years and the Sunnybrook
Park Association.
John Garthwaite ’39
Bette Griffiths Groh ’41
Helen Carroll ’42
Janet Shank McLaughlin ’44
Leona Oakes ’44
Arlene Superko ’45
Athamantia Comuntzis Bowman ’46
Hazel Keeler Brooks ’46
Mary Morrow Waverka ’49
George Chebro ’50
Berdine Logar Rittenhouse ’50
Roy Beyers ’51
Frank Furgele ’52
Anna Heacock Lloyd ’53
Marie Grazel Morris ’53
Joseph Wasiakowski ’53
Kenneth Kirk ’54
Carol Vought Shuman ’54
Ruth Paul Jones ’55
Lewis Mervine ’55
Mary Ellen Henning Poe ’55
Charles Pope ’55
Robert John Abraczinskas ’56
Robert Lyon ’56
Dorothy Horning Fish ’57
Clyde Gass ’57
Donald Nice ’58
Mary Grace Pohutsky ’58
Ronald Scheuren ’58
Mary Heatley West ’58
Margaret Wilkinson Wightman ’58
Jay Bangs ’59
Earl Boehmer ’59
John Fletcher ’59
Sandra Mourey Stinson ’59
Carl Unger ’59
Ann Tooey Bole ’60
John Chidester ’60
Joseph Leonardo ’60
Gloria Glahn Lewis ’60
John Lipovsky ’60
Charles McBride ’60
Ronald Senko ’60
Henry West ’60
Almeda Gorsline Wilmarth ’60
Evelyn Drendall Duncan ’61
Irene Hastie Knorr ’61
Marjorie Matash ’61
Robert Pagnotti ’61
David Stout ’61
Roberta Strain ’61
John Straw ’61
Nellie Purnell Mathias ’62
William Wisor ’62
Joseph Adornato ’63
F. Ammon Curfman ’63
Robert Derkits ’63
Mary Szerafinski Dodge ’63
Tanya Danchak Glosenger ’63
Patrick Golden ’63
Joseph Oravitz ’63
George Strine ’63
Mary Zevas ’63
Betsy Brittingham Anderson ’64
Edward Eill ’64
Carl Millard ’64
Shirley Segin Stanbery ’64
Frieda Vanfleet ’64
Charline Stiavlik Yeager ’64
David Artman ’65
Robert Blue ’65
Robert Griesing ’65
Andrew Kacyon ’65
Charles Liverton ’65
Susan Swarts Lunger ’65
Martin Snella ’65
Lois Moyer Dooley ’66
Robert Gering ’66
Gareth Kase ’66
Edith Capp Mariani ’66
Arno Miller ’66
G. Lynn Poust ’66
Ruey Cloak Dempsey ’67
Daniel Guydish ’67
Terry Henry ’67
Joan Mitchell Moyer ’67
Beverly Smith ’67
Terry Carver ’68
Mary Maloney Mountz ’68
Gary Shuey ’68
Jerome Wisdo ’68
Thomas Reich ’69
Susan Shoup Rhoads ’69
Cynthia Drucis ’70
Dorothy Fague ’70
Ronald Schell ’70
Judith Urso Snyder ’70
Kay Frances Leonard Baker ’71
Thomas Beier ’71
Donald Burris ’71
Ronald Calaman ’72
Anne Jadick Peacock Dietz ’71
Beverly Hubler ’71
John Urban ’71
Richard Abraham ’72
William Dickinson ’72
Ronald Klinetob ’72
Mary Manning Koller ’72
R. Emmet Johnson ’72
Kathy Streleckis Ladany ’72
Donna Allhusen Tavener ’72
Lois Woolbaugh ’72
Kenneth Youst ’72
Rita Davis ’73
Jean Munro ’73
Charles Naradko ’73
Joseph Peck ’73
Stephen Berrigan ’74
Daniel Callaghan ’74
Martha Pangburn ’74
George Robinson ’74
Robert Sarelakos ’74
Louise Teter ’74
Robert Randall Wallis ’74
Martin David Gursky ’75
Kathleen Hess ’75
Elizabeth Roberts Landau ’75
Kathy Ann Deglas Patterson ’75
Franklin Ryan ’75
Wayne Szynal ’75
John Zigner ’75
Kathleen Caragher ’76
Christine Lucarelli Dippre ’76
Carol Hardman Hardman ’76
Robert Johnson ’76
Deborah Ann Snyder Thompson ’76
Marie Deisler ’77
Lois Boheler Musser ’77
Christine Lucarelli Dippre ’77
Craig Smith ’77
Mary Ann Stasik ’77
Gerald Conger ’78
Carson Keiser ’78
E. Malinda Jackson Price ’80
Susan Palangi Sullivan ’80
Nancy Brown Davis ’82
Wendy Clelan Koering ’82
Donald Walp ’82
Richard Lynch ’83
Debra Ann Pompei Ulicny ’83
Brett Conley ’84
Jeffrey Jacobson ’84
Carol Ann Keating ’84
Nancy Miller ’84
Lisa Moyer Prettyman ’84
Suellen Smith Lewis ’85
Janice Bachman Webb ’85
Pasquale Atadornetto ’86
John Casale ’86
Phillip Morgan ’86
Clinton Oxenrider ’86
Gregory Scott Boyer ’87
Lori Ann Hoffmeier Lockard ’90
Lisa Smith ’90
Lynda Cole-Hoagland ’91
Christine Pacitto ’91
Thomas Nikoden ’92
Irene Wagner Frey ’95
Walter Navitsky ’96
Patricia Reade Price ’96
Rebecca Gage Reese ’96
Jeffrey Storck ’99
Charles Ewing ’00
Jeffrey Wozniak ’01
Aaron Gingo ’02
Patricia Anne Joyce Gahagan ’03
Arthur Badger ’05
Jason Egli ’05
Ashley Nahodil ’06
Andrew Michie ’07
Wade Wessner ’14
David Schenck ’15
Send information to: magazine@bloomu.edu
Bloomsburg: The University Magazine | Arts and Administration Building | 400 E. Second Street | Bloomsburg, PA 17815-1301
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
Obituaries
23
sports
VIEW FROM THE TOP
From left: Courtney Hubric, Andy Thomas, Lauren Hoelke, Anna Dempsey, Noah Cancro, and Cole Swiger
END OF YEAR AWARDS
The BU athletic department named its six major
award winners for the 2020-21 season.
Courtney Hubric
Women’s Swimming
Named the Joanne McComb
Underclass Female Athlete of the
Year. At the PSAC Championships,
Hubric was part of four All-PSAC
relays. Outside of the pool, Hubric
holds a 3.70 GPA while majoring
in nursing.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
Lauren Hoelke
Women’s Soccer
The winner of the Eleanor Wray
Senior Female Athlete of the Year
following the 2019-20 season. In
2019, Hoelke was named a CoSIDA
Academic All-District selection, a
D2CCA Second Team All-American,
and a United Soccer Coaches Third
Team All-American. She was named
a United Soccer Coaches Second
Team Scholar All-American in 2019
after earning First Team Scholar AllRegion honors earlier. She has also
been a four-time PSAC ScholarAthlete and was a 2019-20 D2 ADA
Scholar-Athlete.
24
Anna Dempsey
Women’s Lacrosse
The outstanding Senior Female
Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Dempsey was a four-time PSAC
Scholar Athlete and completed her
master’s in information technology
with a 4.00 GPA. She earned her
undergraduate degree in mathematics with a 3.43 GPA. Dempsey
was named All-PSAC East First
Team and IWLCA All-Atlantic Region
First Team. Dempsey finished her
time at BU with 82 goals, 16 assists
for 98 total points.
Noah Cancro
Men’s Swimming
Named the Robert B. Redman
Senior Male Athlete of the Year.
Cancro finished second in two events
and was part of three relay victories.
In his career, Cancro was an 11-time
All-Conference swimmer and a
five-time PSAC champion. Outside
of the pool, Cancro was a four-time
PSAC Scholar Athlete, a member of
BU’s Dean’s List, and a BU ScholarAthlete. Cancro carried a 3.68 GPA
while majoring in criminal justice
and accounting.
Andy Thomas
Men’s Swimming
Named the Danny Litwhiler
Underclass Male Athlete of the Year.
He was named the PSAC Swimmer
of the Year. The sophomore won
four individual titles and was a part
of three relay-winning foursomes.
He broke two meet records and one
conference record.
Cole Swiger
Baseball
The outstanding Senior Male
Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Swiger
had a 3.55 GPA as an undergrad in
finance. He posted a 3.83 GPA in the
MBA program. He was a five-time
PSAC scholar-athlete and a threetime D2 ADA scholar-athlete. Swiger
is a three-time CoSIDA Academic
All-District selection and was named
a CoSIDA Academic All-American
following the 2020 season.
sports
VIEW FROM THE TOP
HALL OF FAME INDUCTION
The 39th class of the
BU Athletic Hall of
Fame will be inducted
on Friday, Oct. 29. The
induction dinner and
ceremony will be held
at the Nelson Field
House starting at 6 p.m.
THE MEMBERS OF THE
ANDY CAPPELLI ’80
WRESTLING
MICHAEL BARNHART ’70
FOOTBALL
JEFF BENSON ’99
MEN’S BASKETBALL
SUSAN BOYER FLANDERS ’84
WOMEN’S SWIMMING
KATE DENNENY PECKHAM ’87
FIELD HOCKEY/SOFTBALL
MICHELE RUZICKA LAMB ’99
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
DANNY HALE ’01(H)
FOOTBALL COACH
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
2021
Hall of Fame
Class are:
25
THEN & NOW
celebrating our Husky history
REMEMBERING
at BU
By Robert Dunkelberger
The events of September 11, 2001, left the students
and employees of Bloomsburg University, like the
rest of the nation, in a state of shock and disbelief.
A beautiful fall day had turned into one of tragedy.
The feelings on campus were no better recorded
than by the student writers of the campus
newspaper, The Voice.
As events unfolded, students gathered in the
Kehr Union Ballroom, watching television news on
a large screen.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
University leaders worked throughout the day to
provide a sense of normalcy, choosing not to cancel
classes in respect for the safety and welfare of the
university community.
26
”Students gather on the mall on the Bloomsburg University campus for a daytime
candlelight vigil to remember those who died in the terrorist attacks on New York
and Washington one week before.” – The Press Enterprise, Sept. 19, 2001
Contemplating the tragedy of the day and the lives lost
was only the start of the long healing process. On Friday,
Sept. 14, classes were cancelled at noon to allow for a day
of reflection. In response, students and faculty gathered
in a packed Mitrani Hall in Haas Center to ease their grief
and put the events of the week in perspective.
The events of September 11 brought about a renewed
sense of patriotism in citizens — the United States flag
was everywhere — and BU’s students felt the need to
contribute money to aid the victims. Residence hall
students led the effort, with the students in Columbia
Hall creating a large flag made from sheets of cardboard.
It was cut into more than 100 pieces, each of which was
sold for a donation. The donor then wrote a message on
their portion and the flag was reassembled.
One week after the first plane hit the World Trade Center, a
vigil organized by students was held in front of the Student
Services Center. In addition, organizers collected more
than 500 letters of encouragement, written by students
and other members of the Bloomsburg community,
which were given to the Red Cross to be delivered to
rescue workers in New York City.
A firsthand account of September 11 was provided by
2001 BU graduate Sheila Held, who the year before
had been a contributing editor on The Voice. She was
Students gather in the Kehr Union ballroom to watch television
news coverage of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
The following day, the newspaper’s staff interviewed
students, recorded what occurred on campus the day
before, and tried to make some sense of it all.
To put September 11 into historical perspective, The Voice
researched student reactions to past national tragedies by
visiting the University Archives and examined old issues
of the student newspaper. A look back to 1941 for the
attack on Pearl Harbor and 1963 for the assassination of
President John F. Kennedy showed that students responded
in similar ways. In 1941, they were shocked and afraid,
using radios and newspapers to gather and stay up to
date on the latest information. In 1963, students heard
initial reports of the assassination and thought it was a
horrible joke. It was only through radio and television
they found out it was true.
Photo: Press Enterprise/Bill Hughes
T
hat evening a memorial service, including students
and faculty and staff, was held in the Ballroom. BU
president Jessica Kozloff offered sympathy on behalf
of the university for the losses felt by its students, especially
those from the New York City and Washington, D.C., areas.
Photo: Press Enterprise/Bill Hughes
celebrating our Husky history
THEN & NOW
27
celebrating our Husky history
THEN & NOW
O
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
From left: BU student Jared Stump, Pennsylvania State Treasurer
Stacy Garrity ’86,, Pennsylvania’s State Treasurer, Elizabeth Miller
’17, U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, and BU President Bashar Hanna.
28
working in New York City and recounted what she
witnessed that fateful morning — a walk to work that
featured the sight of smoke billowing through the air
65 blocks away, the uncertainty of what might happen
next while watching television news with her co-workers, and the evacuation of thousands of people from
area buildings and their movement as a wave of humanity through empty streets as the city came to a standstill.
Most of all she felt the need to be connected to loved
ones. She called home to talk to her parents and let
them know she was shaken, but safe.
“Even after the smoke clears and the remnants of this
tragedy are cleaned up, I will always remember the feelings
and images that I have experienced and a piece of my
heart will eternally go out to all the victims and their loved
ones,” Held concluded. “People will be the memorial of this
tragedy and I hope and pray that it will never happen again.”
n Sept. 10, BU and the BU Student Veterans
Association (BUSVA) held a Day of Remembrance
and Salute to First Responders to mark the 20th
Anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Held on
the steps of the Warren Student Service Center on
the Academic Quad, the remembrance featured
remarks by Pennsylvania State Treasurer Stacy
Garrity ’86, and Elizabeth Miller ’17, whose father
was killed in the 9/11 attack on the World Trade
Center.
Garrity served 30-years in the US Army, retiring
as a colonel having earned two Bronze Stars
and the Legion of Merit for her service. Miller is a
Rule of Law Fellow for September 11th Families
for Peaceful Tomorrows, a nonprofit 9/11 family
member group that is committed to the pursuit
of justice within a rule of law framework. Remarks
were given by BU President Bashar Hanna and
BU student Jared Stump, a veteran of the U.S.
Marine Corps and president of BUSVA, served
as master of ceremonies. The Concert Choir,
Women’s Choral Ensemble and Husky Marching
Band provided music.
29
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS
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TAKE YOUR GRADUATE STUDIES
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bloomu.edu/gradschool
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W I N T E R 20 21
THE UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
Not Your
Typical
Politician
How Stacy Garrity ’86 went from
being a respected business leader
and Army veteran to state treasurer
Page 12
ALSO INSIDE
Connecting
Across
Generations
Alumni Association
Board nurtures the next
generation of Huskies
The Ultimate
Soccer Mom
Paige Harris balances
motherhood and being a
student-athlete
Page 28
bloomu.edu
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
Page 20
1
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Dear BU Family,
We are pleased to present the Winter
2021 edition of Bloomsburg: The University
Magazine, and I hope that you and your
families continue to remain safe and
healthy amidst the ongoing COVID-19
pandemic.
I first want to recognize and congratulate a
BU alumna who makes us all Husky proud
– not only for what she has achieved in her
military and business careers, but perhaps
more importantly for all that she will
accomplish in her next role in Harrisburg.
Our feature story on Stacy Garrity ’86,
Pennsylvania’s recently elected state
treasurer, is an inspirational one. I had the
honor of serving as an honorary chair of
her transition team, and I know she will
be a great role model and leader for all
Huskies and Pennsylvanians.
While our spring semester began a
bit later this year, it has been great to
see our students back on campus this
President Bashar Hanna
month after an extended holiday break.
Thanks to a partnership with the Columbia County Commissioners, the University was able to purchase rapid
COVID testing kits so that our students could be tested prior to the semester’s start. The health and safety of
our campus community remains our highest priority in the coming months, and I am confident that we will
overcome the challenges the pandemic has brought us as we continue to collaborate with the commissioners
and other community partners.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
Speaking of collaborations, you may have read about the ongoing integration discussions between BU, Lock
Haven University, and Mansfield University. These discussions began last fall, and we remain heavily involved in
the analysis and planning for this potential partnership through regular working group and subgroup meetings.
I am optimistic and excited about the potential of this collaboration because we have a unique opportunity to
partner and grow together for the benefit of our students and their success, providing them greater access and
more opportunities so that they themselves may grow and thrive personally and professionally. I urge you to
visit our website to learn more about this ongoing process: bloomu.edu/integration. I also encourage you to
share your thoughts and suggestions on the feedback form on this site.
2
As we have celebrated Black History Month on our campus this February, we remain steadfast in our
commitment to ensuring an inclusive and equitable BU experience for all. Thanks to the guidance of our
President’s Commission for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) – and the leadership of its co-chairs:
Dr. Shavonne Shorter (Special Assistant to the President for DEI) and Ms. Madelyn Rodriguez – we have
progressed in this endeavor over the past year. Yet, we acknowledge the work ahead of us as we strive to become
more welcoming and inclusive for all members of the BU community.
As always, I thank you for your support of BU, and look forward to seeing you back on campus later this year.
GO HUSKIES!
Sincerely,
Bashar W. Hanna
President
DREAMS
REALIZED
Even masked up, smiles persevered as hundreds of students and their families
and supporters participated in the November graduation walk-through event in
advance of BU's official virtual commencement in December.
Inside Mitrani Hall, graduates received personal congratulations from President
Bashar Hanna and Provost Diana Rogers-Adkinson. Outside, supporters and
family members took photos to share and preserve their memories. Additional
photos on page 32.
“
“This year, you’ve adjusted twice to a remote learning
environment — and you’ve passed this test with
aplomb. With the customary grit and determination
Huskies are known for, you’ve continued to persevere
despite the COVID-19 related challenges, and you’ve
each crossed the virtual finish line. For that I’m
beyond proud of all of you.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
Check out more photos at flickr.com/photos/bloomsburgu
— President Bashar Hanna
1
Winter 2021
6
12
16
20
28
32
Contents
4
6
8
12
16
COMMON GROUND
DONORS STEP UP
A PIPELINE OF SUPPORT
NOT YOUR TYPICAL POLITICIAN
THERE ARE NO SMALL PARTS
20
24
27
30
33
CONNECTING ACROSS GENERATIONS
HUSKY NOTES
A VIEW FROM THE TOP
THEN AND NOW
FALL 2021
Connect with us
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
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
Nicole Dunlop
Alex Fefolt
Tanya I. Garcia
William Gindlesperger
Donald E. Houser Jr.
Senator Scott Martin
Thomas S. Muller
Noe Ortega
Representative Brad Roae
Senator Judith L. Schwank
Larry C. Skinner
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
Arts and Administration Building
400 East Second Street
Bloomsburg, PA 17815-1301
Email address: magazine@bloomu.edu
Visit Bloomsburg University on the web at bloomu.edu.
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 20212021
By Tom McGuire
Rarely does an opportunity come along that
can transform the look and shape of the higher education
landscape. But the proposed integration of Bloomsburg,
Lock Haven, and Mansfield universities is one such instance.
This work, led by Bloomsburg President Bashar Hanna,
who was also named interim president of Lock Haven
in February, and close to 1,000 individuals, will build
stronger institutions with an expanded capacity to serve an
increasingly diverse student population.
When complete, the integration would give students at
all three locations access to a broader array of academic
programs, a larger pool of faculty, and an affordable
education with expansive opportunities for personal
development and professional success.
The integration of the three universities will strengthen
and expand partnerships with the region’s employers and
fulfill northeast Pennsylvania’s workforce needs. Faculty will
have the opportunity to collaborate with their peers for the
benefit of students across three campuses.
“This is an ambitious undertaking aimed at preserving our
legacies while sustainably building a new institution that
will serve the commonwealth’s students for generations to
come,” said Hanna. “Within each institution’s community
will remain the advantage of a thriving university that
continues to have strong partnerships with school districts
and area employers with whom we can partner to prepare
our students for the region’s workforce and beyond.”
For BU’s students, faculty, staff and alumni, there
is a commitment to maintaining the Bloomsburg
name, and honoring BU’s identity, brand, and
traditions — while opening the door to new opportunities.
At each institution, the original University name will
continue to appear on diplomas connecting graduates to a
Husky network of 76,000 and counting alumni. Integration
will also allow the alumni of the three institutions
to interact with more than 60,000 new friends with
similar experiences so that they can collectively provide
professional networks and opportunities for the benefit of
students.
“What gives me great confidence about this complex effort
is that it is being led by BU President Bashar Hanna and
supported by so many faculty and staff across all three
institutions,” said John Wetzel, BU trustee and Pennsylvania
Secretary of Corrections. “Combining Dr. Hanna’s visionary
leadership along with the commitment and support of
faculty and staff, I have no doubt that students across the
Commonwealth who are seeking a high-quality, affordable
education will be the ultimate beneficiaries of this potential
integration.”
The integration team is expected to submit preliminary
implementation plans and aspirational goals to the Board
of Governors in April, and if approved, those plans will
be subject to a
public comment
period lasting 60
days. The Board
will then review the
public comments
and consider final
implementation
plans as early as July,
which would mean
the first cohort of
students to enroll
in an integrated
university is the Fall
semester of 2022.
For more information about integration, visit
bloomu.edu/integration
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
PASSHE
Northeast
Integration
Gains
Momentum
University integration is focused on accessibility and
student success and aims to retain the unique and personal
on-campus experiences, services, and faculty-student
interactions that have historically reinforced campus
identities. Integration includes pursuing a path with the
NCAA where all three campuses would retain their current
complement of athletic teams. This effort also will build
upon an existing foundation of collaboration and shared
services partnerships to expand and deliver undergraduate
and graduate programs across the region and beyond.
3
COMMON GROUND
news on campus
Ramakrishnan Named
Dean of the College of
Science and Technology
Latha Ramakrishnan, Ph.D., knows firsthand the power of
inspiration. BU’s new dean of the College of Science and
Technology, Ramakrishnan was inspired by teachers at
critical points in her life.
Ramakrishnan comes to Bloomsburg after serving for more
than 14 years in multiple roles at St. Cloud State University in
Minnesota.
But her journey in science began as a child in India. “My
first mentor was a high school teacher. I really liked
chemistry a lot because of how he made it so simple,” says
Ramakrishnan. Her interest in science sparked, she went to
the top universities in India — earning her master’s degree in
chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai,
and her doctorate in chemistry from the Indian Institute of
Science, Bengaluru.
Ramakrishnan came to the U.S. to further her education,
doing post-doctoral research in biophysical chemistry at
Cornell University, where she was awarded the Epilepsy
Research Foundation and Milken Family Foundation’s postdoctoral fellowship grant in 2003.
In 2006, she went to Minnesota to join St. Cloud’s
chemistry department. She was promoted to full professor
and became chair of the department of chemistry and
biochemistry in 2013.
In 2016 she became interim associate provost for research
and dean of the School of Graduate Studies, where she
oversaw more than 40 graduate programs.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
Bloomsburg University
to Offer Master of
Social Work Degree
4
BU will begin offering the Master of Social Work (MSW)
degree this fall after the program was approved by the
Board of Governors of the Pennsylvania State System of
Higher Education.
“The demand for master’s-level social workers is on the
rise nationally and in Northcentral Pennsylvania,” says Andy
Dunlap, associate professor and program director of social
work. “Graduates of the program will be trained to assist
individuals, families, and communities to adjust to these
challenging times. Social workers are also charged with
making positive change in their communities.”
“Employers in fields such as health care, corrections, and
substance abuse counseling have been asking for this
program and are eager for us to begin contributing mastersprepared social workers to the workforce in our region,”
“Throughout my education and career at every level, it’s
the faculty who have the greatest influence on me,” says
Ramakrishnan, who has emphasized student-faculty
research throughout her career. As an independent
investigator, she established a research program in
behavioral neuropharmacology testing anti-convulsive
drugs, mentored more than 50 undergraduate students
in research, and published research articles with multiple
student co-authors.
“During the interview process Dr. Ramakrishnan
distinguished herself as someone who has a depth of
experiences that will serve our institution well,” says Diana
Rogers-Adkinson, BU’s provost and senior vice president for
academic affairs. “She also possesses the qualities of being
a collaborative problem-solver, an outstanding mentor to
faculty and students, and a champion of diversity.”
During her tenure at St. Cloud State, Ramakrishnan secured
over $6 million in external grants, including multiple grants
from the National Science Foundation.
Before Ramakrishnan’s arrival to BU in December, Lynn
Hummel ‘02/’03M, Ed.D., had been serving as the interim
dean of the college.
says James Brown, dean of the College of Liberal Arts.
BU’s program will be accredited by the Council on Social
Work Education, enabling graduates to be licensed in
Pennsylvania as a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW).
“LMSWs have more advanced positions in professional
settings,” says Dunlap. “They tend to provide supervision,
specialized care and program leadership. After several years
of clinical supervision, LMSWs may also go on to become
Licensed Clinical Social Workers, who provide specialized
counseling and can be independent practitioners.”
The program is two years for students who have earned
a bachelor’s degree in any field, but students who have
earned a Bachelor’s in Social Work (BSW) may be eligible to
opt out of two semesters of foundational courses.
“Bloomsburg’s social work program already enjoys strong
community ties, and local agencies have expressed
enthusiasm for providing field education sites for master’s
level social work students,” says Dunlap.
For more information, go to
bloomu.edu/gradschool/social-work.
BU Police
Department Earns
Accreditation
BU’s Terry and JoAnn Zeigler College of Business has earned
reaccreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate
Schools of Business (AACSB).
BU initially received accreditation by AACSB in 2005 and is
one of seven schools within the Pennsylvania State System of
Higher Education that hold it. Just 5% of all business schools
globally have this prestigious designation.
“Earning reaccreditation from the AACSB is a testament to our
University’s commitment to excellence,” says Diana RogersAdkinson, BU’s provost and senior vice president for academic
affairs. “It reaffirms our faculty and staff’s unwavering support
for our students and programs.”
The Zeigler College of Business received commendations
from AACSB for the high-level of engagement between
faculty, students, and staff, including:
• The Zeigler Institute for Professional Development.
• Student success in business knowledge competitions,
including professional sales, international business, and
others.
• The Husky Dog Pound, providing college and high school
students the opportunity to share an innovative idea in a
Shark Tank-style competition.
• Professional internship opportunities for students.
• Very active student clubs and organizations.
“Accreditation is earned by meeting or exceeding the rigorous
standards of AACSB for excellence in our degree programs,
faculty research, teaching, and community service. This is
earned by always seeking continuous improvement and
creating high-quality educational and experiential learning
opportunities for our students,” says Todd Shawver, dean of
the Zeigler College of Business.
Accreditation by AACSB International, founded in 1916,
is a voluntary, non-governmental review of educational
institutions and programs.
Accreditation helps institutions evaluate and
improve their performance. The process takes
between 18 and 24 months and covers 136
standards and 184 sub-standards.
“When I arrived back at BU more than three years
ago, I told our administration leadership that I
could reshape the BU PD into a model 21st-century
department,” says Leo Sokoloski, director of the
BU police department.
“To be a model department, we had to transform
training, develop and write 21st-century policies
and then put into practice what we said we were
doing. The department headquarters needed minor
physical changes to retrofit the facilities to be
compliant to accreditation standards.”
The accreditation process continued under new VP
for Finance and Administration Claudia Thrush and
Associate VP for Facilities Management Eric Ness,
who saw the value and importance of the effort.
“This accreditation is a feather in the university’s
cap as it confirms the department is operating at
an exemplary level and providing best-in-class
service,” says Thrush.
Sokoloski is quick to point out the many individuals
involved with the effort.
“Sergeant Rob Neiderhiser and officer Jeff
Bachinger played significant roles and were
focused on driving this initiative to completion after
many, many months of work,” says Sokoloski. “Also,
BU’s skilled craftsmen did great work for us. The
plumbers, electricians, carpenters, painters, and
many more worked tirelessly to make the changes
we needed in our facilities.”
«
«
Alumni share their insights with students at the fall 2019 Zeigler
Institute for Professional Development Business Conference.
BU is now one of only seven accredited institutions
of higher education law enforcement agencies in
Pennsylvania to be accredited by the Pennsylvania
Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission and
one of only 127 statewide.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
Zeigler College of
Business Earns AACSB
Reaccreditation
BU’s Police Department has earned accreditation
from the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association
through its Pennsylvania Law Enforcement
Accreditation Commission.
From left: Sgt. Rob Neiderhiser, Director Leo Sokoloski,
Officer Jeff Bachinger.
5
news on campus
COMMON GROUND
Alumni and Donors
During Challenging Year
By Tom Schaeffer ’02
The numbers are in, and the results
show BU alumni and donors have
come together to provide support for
students when they needed it most.
Despite many pandemic-related
fundraising challenges, the donors’
response helped create opportunities
and alleviate financial stress for
students to the tune of:
58%
increase
in giving from 2019
70%
increase
in donor support
on Giving Tuesday.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
32
6
new
scholarships created
$2M+
increase
to BU’s endowment,
growing to more than
$60M
“2020 was certainly a challenging
year for us all, but the commitment of
our alumni and donors in supporting
our students exemplifies the Husky
spirit of resilience and togetherness
and has truly been an inspiration,”
says President Bashar Hanna. “We are
fortunate to have such a dedicated
community, and I am forever grateful
for their commitment to our students
and their success in especially
challenging times.”
During a tumultuous year filled
with unprecedented academic and
logistical challenges, many students
also faced financial crisis due to
job loss and other circumstances.
In addition to regular fundraising
efforts, these challenges sparked the
Strengthen the Pack Campaign for
emergency student aid, which raised
$105,000 from 241 donors. The fund
helped BU administrators deploy
resources to students facing urgent
short-term needs like computer and
internet access, temporary housing
needs, tuition assistance, and food
insecurities.
“While I’m typically in awe of the
support and generosity of our alumni
and friends, this past year has been
extraordinary,” says Vice President for
Advancement Erik Evans. “What was
especially encouraging was more
than 75% of the gifts we received
were $250 or less. This shows that
donors at all levels are giving what
they can to support our students,
and they know that every gift counts.
When everyone comes together to
give, it makes all the difference.”
Annual gifts to the Bloom On Fund,
emergency aid, and scholarships
to help recruit and retain students
made for a promising year of support,
but the generosity didn’t stop there.
BU donors also bestowed several
transformational gifts, which are
equally vital to the advancement of
the University, including a $10 million
gift from Steph Pettit ’89 to support
student-athletes, a $1.5 million
gift from Craig A. Diehl Esq. ’82 to
establish a center for law school
preparation and a $500,000 gift from
Mike ’85 and Beth Boguski to support
Professional Experience Grants.
Finally, in addition to immediateuse funds provided, BU donors also
stepped up to show their commitment
to future Huskies by pledging more
than $6 million in gifts through estate
intentions, an increase of $2.2 million
from the previous year.
To learn more about how donor
support impacted the BU community
during 2020, visit
giving.bloomu.edu/Impact,
or to make a gift go to
giving.bloomu.edu/GiveNow.
“
“2020 was certainly a
challenging year for us all,
but the commitment of
our alumni and donors in
supporting our students
exemplifies the Husky
spirit of resilience and
togetherness and has truly
been an inspiration. We are
fortunate to have such a
dedicated community, and
I am forever grateful for
their commitment to our
students and their success in
especially challenging times.”
— President Bashar Hanna
COMMON GROUND
First-Generation
Alumni Support
Future Generations
of
Nearly a third of BU students are the first in their family to
attend college. And many of them know, all too well, just
how expensive it can be.
They also know that they need every little bit of support
they can get — especially when their families aren’t always
in a position to help.
Adenuga, a Philadelphia native who came to BU through the
Act 101 program, benefited from a scholarship. Her parents
supported her dream of attending college, but were not in
a position to pay for her education, and she had a difficult
time finding scholarships.
“Several of my friends came to BU through Act 101, and
that’s how I learned about the school,” Adenuga says. “The
program played a major role in laying the foundation for my
education.”
That scholarship and the support she received from the
Act 101 program members inspired her desire to give back.
And her first gift came with a big impact. In 2019, Adenuga
established a scholarship through a virtual endowment,
which allows her to support a student today with an annual
gift and ensure that support for years to come with an
additional gift to
BU in her estate.
“We’ve all gotten
to where we
are because
someone helped
us in some way,”
Adenuga adds.
“We owe where
we are to them,
so it’s important
to find a way
to do that for
someone else if
we can.”
A Bloomsburg
native, Luxardo
and his wife,
Marti, were high
school sweethearts
who both attended
BU and graduated
together in 1995.
Luxardo went on to
pursue his medical
degree at the
Philadelphia College
of Osteopathic
Medicine, with
which BU now
has an established
formal pathway.
His loyalty to his hometown drew him back, and in 1999 he
completed his medical training at Geisinger Health System,
where he has worked ever since.
“I wasn’t sure what would happen until I went out and
experienced more of the world,” says Luxardo. “But it wasn’t
until I was in the city and exposed to that lifestyle that I
realized that I wanted to come back and practice here and
give back to my community.”
His loyalty to BU is just as strong. In 1996, one year after
graduating, Karl and Marti made their first gift to BU, even
while Karl was in med school. They have been loyal donors
ever since.
“We’ve always said that if we were able to give back, we
would. Along with having fond memories of BU, I also got
a great education there that prepared me for med school,”
says Karl. “It’s more than just a university for us. It’s where
our kids had their high school graduation and played high
school field hockey when their field was destroyed by flood
waters. It’s such a big part of our lives and our community.”
Their triplets, Gabrielle, Dominque, and Alexandra,
graduated from college last spring. And with their youngest
daughter Bella hoping to follow in their footsteps as a
Husky, the Luxardos are looking forward to increasing
their contributions to BU to support future first-generation
college students.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
That was especially true for Christina Adenuga ’10 and
Karl Luxardo ’95. Both were first-generation students, and
though they both had very different experiences, they both
knew they wanted to give back to BU.
7
BU Provides a
Pipeline of Support
for First-Gen Students
By Eric Foster
S
erving first-generation students has been a
foundational part of Bloomsburg University’s mission
since its beginning in 1839 as a literary institute. That
mission has remained steadfast through its years as a state
college in the 1960s and 70s, and as recently as 2008, when
more than a third of the student body were the first in their
families to attend college.
that the residence hall closes over breaks and you have to
arrange for a ride home. Or how the final exam schedule
works. The students around you can navigate everyday life
and call mom and dad if they have questions.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
Through those decades, students experienced the
unfamiliar challenges of “navigating” college — obtaining
financial aid, scheduling classes, communicating with
professors — together.
8
“For first-gen students, it is all brand-new,” says Mindy
Andino, interim vice provost and dean of undergraduate
studies. “They face challenge unlike their peers who have
families with college experience and references to college
growing up.”
Today’s first-generation students, making up 28% of BU’s
student population, don’t always have peers to share their
experience with, and the university is working to make sure
they don’t face the challenges alone.
Andino is one of many administrators and faculty, including
President Bashar Hanna and Provost Diana RogersAdkinson, who understand the experiences of these
students because they were first-generation students
themselves.
“You don’t know what you don’t know. There are unspoken
cultural norms about university life you just don’t know
as first-gen,” says Andino. “Little things, like figuring out
“
“You don’t know what you don’t know. There
are unspoken cultural norms about university
life you just don’t know as first-gen.”
— Mindy Andino
BU has been named to the 2021-22 First-gen
Forward cohort by The Center for First-generation
Student Success, an initiative of NASPA (Student
Affairs Administrators in Higher Education) and
The Suder Foundation. The First-gen Forward
designation recognizes higher education institutions
that have demonstrated a commitment to improving
experiences and advancing first-generation college
students’ outcomes.
As a First-gen Forward Institution, BU faculty and
staff will have opportunities to engage with peer
institutions that are also working to improve firstgeneration students’ experiences and outcomes. BU
will participate in the First-gen Forward Workshop
slated for early-June, monthly phone calls, and
virtual professional development sessions. After
two successful years in the program, institutions
are eligible to apply for the Advisory leadership
designation.
First-gen Forward now recognizes and supports
over 200 diverse institutions across three cohorts
committed to first-generation student success.
When she was college-age, Andino’s father was terminally
ill, and she might never have gone to college except on
a scholarship. “For graduate school, my boyfriend, now
husband, helped me with the FAFSA,” says Andino, referring
to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. “And there’s
a massive pressure to succeed and be successful. You have
to manage that and move forward, and it’s not easy. It’s one
of the experiences that’s similar to being an immigrant.”
William Ross ’65 knows this pressure all too well. He was the
first and only member of his family to go to college — his
sister went to business school, and his brother followed
their father into the trades. “Back then, everyone was firstgeneration. The first day, three of us met in the registration
line and wound up being roommates. We’re still friends.”
A constant help for first-gen students over the years are
professors who go the extra mile for their students.
“Dr. (Harold) Lanterman gave me textbooks to read. I was
reading chemistry books like novels,” says Ross. “The next
year, I got a job as a student assistant in the lab for three
years. I spent more time with my professors than just in
class. I was a lab rat.” For Ross, the experience paid off.
After graduation, he worked for major chemical companies
before moving into chemical sales and founding his own
firm, Ross Organic, which supplies materials for health and
beauty firms.
Maddy Rodriguez ’95 has experience at BU both as a firstgeneration student and as a staffer who has shared her
wisdom to help new first-generation students navigate
college.
“
“Campuses operate on social capital.
We’re trying to change that. One of the
challenges is making it more transparent.”
— Rebecca Willoughby
“There’s imposter syndrome, ‘I don’t belong here.’ Even as a
grown woman, I still get that feeling,” says Rodriguez, BU’s
director of multicultural affairs. ”Many of our students carry
that with them. Should I really be in this class?”
Rodriguez — known as ‘Miss Maddy’ by the students she
works with — almost had her own college career derailed
by self-doubt and lack of focus. “My sister, Janet (Rodriguez)
O’Toole ’88, saw my grades from the first semester and said,
‘I’m not wasting gas and paying tolls to pick you up with
grades like this.’ After that, I improved my grades.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
“My father had an accident on the job and had to be cared
for by his family. I chose Bloomsburg because it was close
to home,” says Ross, a native of the Schuylkill County coal
community of Connerton. “It was a lot more intensive than
high school. It took a lot of getting used to.”
9
Among the lessons Rodriguez shares with students is to get to know their
professors. “They don’t realize the relationship with the faculty is important.
They want to stay under the radar. I made sure I knew my professors by
name, and they knew me by name.”
One of the professors first-generation students are likely to meet is
Rebecca Willoughby, executive director of Student Success and the
First-Year Experience, and an ‘01 first-generation graduate of BU.
“I was a commuter, so I didn’t get the full-on experience,” says Willoughby,
“But I still felt like a fish out of water, particularly my first semester. My
family was completely unfamiliar with the whole idea of college and all that
entailed. I came to BU at 17, and I was struggling to decipher my parents’
taxes so I could fill out the FAFSA form.”
“
“They don’t realize the
relationship with the faculty is
important. They want to stay
under the radar. I made sure I
knew my professors by name,
and they knew me by name.”
— Maddy Rodriguez
“Campuses operate on social capital,” Willoughby explains. “We’re trying to
change that. One of the challenges is making it more transparent — if you
need help with this, here is a campus resource that can help.”
Willoughby teaches several sections of BU’s First-Year Seminar course, but
she emphasizes that the First-Year Experience is a more encompassing
project. To start with, each First-Year seminar has a peer mentor assigned
to it. “Students connected to peer mentors is hugely important to ease
the transition,” says Willoughby. “They have a peer to go to, someone like
themselves.”
Another new tool is BU’s HuskySuccess platform, launched last year. While
it is designed to help all students, HuskySuccess can be particularly helpful
for first-generation students to connect to resources. The application is
also a one-stop destination for students seeking help.
“Even students who aren’t first-gen are finding it helpful,” Willoughby says.
From the Dominican Republic
to Bloomsburg
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
Sophomore Celeste Rivas is not only a first-generation
college student but also first-generation American. “I came
to the U.S. eight years ago from the Dominican Republic,”
says the marketing and professional sales major. “I’m the
first in my family to go to school. I have the support of my
family. My dad is paying for college, and he wants me to
focus on school and not work. And I’m taking out loans to
help my dad.
10
“In my culture, if you want to be successful, you have to
have some type of profession. If I want to be something, I
must learn about it and then go do it. That’s the mentality I
came to this country with.”
“Dad’s English is better than mom’s, but if I have a
homework question, for them to help, I have to translate it
for them. My own English is not perfect yet,” adds Rivas. “But
my professors are understanding. Even though my language
is a problem, they saw my hard work, and they really liked
that about me. They would say we can work through it, and
I would go to office hours right away after class.”
In high school, Rivas took part in a career program that
allowed her to work as a florist. “I would make beautiful
flower arrangements with my own hands and made
someone so happy. When I went out and sold the flowers
I made, it opened my eyes. I like making and marketing
things. That really brought me joy.”
“Every facet of the campus is working to be more accessible to students.”
To further build a community of support, two years ago BU launched a
chapter of the first-generation honor society Alpha Alpha Alpha (Tri-Alpha).
And this winter, BU was also named a First-gen Forward Institution by
the Center for First-Generation Student Success. BU has also celebrated
National First-Generation College Student Day on November 8.
“The honor society was brought forward by Cody Deitz, a first-gen graduate
student” says Andino. “We’re creating a pipeline of support.”
“When I was an undergrad at BU, we had a lot of different honor societies,
based on major or minor — never one that talked about being first in your
family to go to college.” says Deitz’ 18/’20 M, now a resident hall director at
California University of Pennsylvania. “Moravian College was one step ahead
of my thoughts and started Tri-Alpha. I worked with them to charter it at BU,
making us the first state institution to have Tri-Alpha.”
As a graduate assistant for BU’s orientation program, Deitz helped bridge
the experience gap with sessions for first-generation students and family
members. “I knew there had to be something that we could continue to do
to help make students’ second and third years successful.”
To bring that vision to life, plans are for BU’s Tri-Alpha chapter to match
upper-class members with younger first-generation students to act as peer
mentors beyond their first year.
“We are also asking faculty and staff who want to self-identify as firstgeneration to let first generation-students know they are not alone,” says
Andino. “Students need to see people who have their shared experiences.
See other first-gen professionals who have made it. And they can see that
they can do that too.”
“
“I knew there had to be
something that we could
continue to do to help make
students’ second and third
years successful.”
— Cody Deitz
Taking ownership of his future
As a first-generation college student, senior digital forensics
major Michael Engle takes full ownership of his education and
future.
“Most people start college right after high school,” says Engle.
“I took a few years off to work, so I forgot a lot of things. I need
something else. I needed a career, not a job.”
“It was a big transition to go from school to work to school. Two
years in, I’m still trying to wrap my head around the idea that I’m
in college.”
“I would get so much joy over not having to worry how I’m
going to pay for this. If I can’t pay something, it’s my problem,
nobody else’s,” says Engle. “But when I graduate, I can say that I
did this.”
Engle came to BU as an undeclared student but quickly
discovered BU’s digital forensics program, a National Center
of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education, jointly
sponsored by the National Security Agency and the Department
of Homeland Security. “I’ve always been interested in solving
crimes and would like to work for the FBI at some point.”
He’s already made connections with his faculty and spent the
last year working on a research project about human trafficking
with professor Scott Inch as a mentor.
— By Andrea O’Neill ’06
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
Like many first-generation students, finances are tight for Engle.
11
NOT YOUR
TYPICAL
POLITICIAN
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
How Stacy
Garrity ’86
went from
respected
business
leader
and Army
veteran
to state
treasurer
12
by Tom McGuire
o say Stacy Garrity ’86 is not your typical politician is
an understatement. She went from political unknown
to winning a state row office, a journey that has taken the
Bradford County native around the world. Her election
victory shocked even the most optimistic of supporters and
has suddenly thrust her into the thick of the political world.
So how did the Athens, Pa., resident and retired Army
Reserve colonel make it to Harrisburg as Pennsylvania’s new
state treasurer?
The oldest of four daughters of Howard Garrity and Beverly
Arbie, “we were raised to be about God, country, and
family,” says Garrity. “We went to church every Wednesday
and Sunday. In the summer, we attended vacation Bible
school, and every morning at school, we recited the Pledge
of Allegiance. And on top of everything, no matter what, I
had to watch out for my sisters.”
“My parents were very encouraging,” says Garrity. “They
always made it a big thing to say that whatever you put your
mind to do, you can do it. I grew up just believing it in a
naive sort of way.”
Following graduation from Sayre High School, Garrity knew
she was going to college. It was something her parents
drilled into her and her sisters. However, the first-generation
student admits she didn’t put much thought into what
school she would attend. “My reason for [first] choosing
Lock Haven was simple; my friends were going there.”
“I wasn’t well-traveled and lived a pretty sheltered life, so
I figured I could carpool and come back home on the
weekends,” Garrity says. “After a year of adjusting to college
life, I realized I should look for a school with more of a
focus on business, which is what I was interested in. When
I looked around, I saw that Bloomsburg had a very good
program and so I transferred.” As a student, Garrity was
intrigued by business and economics and how markets
function. It was a field dominated by males in the 1980s,
which did not worry her in the least. At BU, Garrity studied
finance and accounting and was influenced by then chair
of the accounting and business law department, the late
Bernard Dill. (See obituary, page 26.)
“Professor Dill was very engaging with his students,” Garrity
recalls. “He was funny, he was motivating, and he made me
take a strong interest in the major.”
Garrity, a runner in high school, also found time to be a
varsity cheerleader, but more importantly, she joined the
Army ROTC on the encouragement of her parents, both 20year Navy Reserve veterans.
“Basic training was an eye-opening experience. I wasn’t
mentally prepared for people being in my face and yelling.
We weren’t allowed to call home for a few weeks, and when
we did, of course, my mom immediately said forget it and
to come home. My dad said never quit. So, I stayed so I
wouldn’t disappoint my father.”
“My dad supported us and told us ‘whatever your mind
believes you can achieve, you can achieve’ and that ‘winners
never quit, and quitters never win.’ It stuck with me.”
After graduating from BU, Garrity joined Global Tungsten
and Powders Corporation , or GTP, in Towanda and
advanced through several positions, becoming vice
president of two of GTP’s three business units. She was VP
for government affairs and industry liaison before stepping
down to assume her elected position.
At the same time, Garrity was a member of the Army
Reserve, but certainly had no plans for what would become
a 30-year military career.
“My original idea was to do my six years and then get out.
Of course, after 9/11, I went to Kuwait. That was my first
deployment. Upon returning home, I just could not bring
myself to get out. I felt I needed to stay and serve our
country.”
GTP management shared Garrity’s commitment to the
Reserve. “At some companies, when you return from a
deployment, management will try to reorganize you out.
But every time I got back from a deployment, GTP would
promote me. They are a great company that has been
around for more than 100 years. We have many thirdgeneration employees. And, of course, they were always
very proud of me and my work.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
T
13
“The entire GTP Group organization has deep respect for
Stacy,” says Hermann Walser, president and CEO. “She
is always looking beyond her direct responsibilities. The
well-being of all stakeholders, customers, employees,
community, and country, is her priority. Her ability to
motivate and convince people, to communicate, and to
network are unique. We will desperately miss her in this
function, as well as a member of our GTP family.”
During her last overseas deployment in 2008-09, Garrity
earned the nickname “Angel of the Desert” while serving
as the acting battalion commander of the military police at
Camp Bucca in southern Iraq.“Our mission was to provide
care and custody with dignity and respect to the 7,000
detainees.”
“To make sure all the rules and regulations were being
followed, I would walk the camp after midnight because I
always said nothing good happens after midnight. I would
walk with the senior staff and just check on soldiers. Then
we would have meetings and make sure everything was
going OK.”
“We also had a deal that as long as the detainees weren’t
doing anything to hurt our soldiers, then we would allow
family visitation or even some soccer matches. The
detainees would also get videos once a week. But, among
our staff, we had zero tolerance for abuse. We were the first
internment facility to have zero abuse allegations. I’m very
proud of that fact.”
Garrity’s outstanding work in Iraq did not go unnoticed. She
was twice awarded the Bronze Star and received the Legion
of Merit before retiring from the Army Reserve with the rank
of colonel.
Back in Bradford County, she and her husband Dan
Gizzi, married since 2005, kept busy with water skiing,
snowmobiling and running. But the desire to serve others
was always an itch.
“As I was thinking about what to do, volunteer work and
politics were two of my choices. I’ve always liked politics,
so I called our state representative Tina Pickett, who I knew
from my job in government affairs since my real passion is
the industrial base and making sure that we keep jobs in the
United States.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
Pickett recommended jumping into the race for Tom
Marino’s U.S. Congressional seat after his resignation. “The
next day she had me lined up with a political consultant,
and they pushed me right into the deep end.” Despite 31
candidates in the race, Stacy finished a respectable sixth.
14
That showing led the state GOP leadership to reach out
to her in late 2019 to gauge her interest in running for
statewide office.
“I started praying about it, and I thought, OK, Lord, if you
want me to do this, then open the doors. And, he did, and
then I still was pretty hesitant. When the GOP leadership
said they couldn’t find anyone to run for treasurer, I decided,
if not me, then who’s going to do it.”
Shortly after making the decision to run and receiving
the state Republican Party’s endorsement to challenge
incumbent Democrat Joe Torsella, the COVID-19 pandemic
hit.
“Trying to campaign and raise money during a pandemic
was hard. I had to go total grassroots with the odds stacked
against me. A Republican had not defeated an incumbent
Democrat since 1994. Many people told me ‘Stacy, you’re
running a great campaign, but there’s no way you can beat
this guy.’”
As Election Day grew closer and the polls showed a
tight race, Torsella mounted an advertising blitz with a
campaign chest of more than $2 million. But on election
night, as results showed her in the lead, she was cautiously
optimistic.
A week later her opponent called to concede. She had
pulled off a win no one had expected. “Joe was extremely
gracious and very helpful in the transition. I’m sure it was
tough for him because he was told there’s no way you’re
going to lose to somebody from Bradford County who had
never run before.”
At her swearing-in ceremony in January, Garrity did
something most unusual. She offered Torsella an
opportunity to deliver some remarks. “Joe rose above
politics and helped ensure a smooth transition. As we say in
the military, thanks for your service.”
In her inaugural address, Garrity touched upon several key
points that have been a part of her life. “Service to others, be
it in elected office or wearing the uniform of our country, is
the highest calling.”
“Getting the job done in good faith and with honest effort
is the watchword by which I promise to serve. I say we look
ahead to a place of optimism and cooperation.”
Garrity says her goal for the office is to make transparency
a top priority and put taxpayers first. “Putting those checks
and balances in place is what I want to focus on so that
we can make sure that we’re being a good steward of our
taxpayers’ money. Taking transparency to the next level
is something that I want to do, and then probably further
enhancing the savings programs.”
Throughout her journey from rural Pennsylvania to the
battlefields of Iraq and then through the rigors of a political
campaign, Garrity has never forgotten her roots. Her advice
to young girls and women is to remain true to your values.
“I’ve really tried to live my life with integrity, selfless service,
honor, loyalty, and duty. If somebody like me from Bradford
County, who grew up on the left side of middle-class, can
put myself through college, join the military, then work in
manufacturing and become the first female vice president
in my company, deploy three times overseas, and retire a
colonel, then anyone can do it.”
As for the next part of the Stacy Garrity journey, only one
person knows for sure.
“People have already called me about running for other
offices, and I’ve told them I campaigned on staying in the
job for four years and want to be the best treasurer I can for
the people of Pennsylvania. And then we’ll see what God
has in store for me.”
Spoken like a true non-politician.
1
2
1. Stacy Garrity takes the oath of office as Pennsylvania’s state treasurer.
2. Members of the BU Concert Choir perform at Garrity’s inauguration.
3. Garrity, left, while on a tour of duty in Iraq.
4. A member of the 1985-86 cheerleading squad, Garrity is in the back row,
second from left.
4
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
3
15
There Are No
Parts
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
By Eric Foster
16
Career Highlights (Character names and roles)
2021, Film, Silk Road (Chris
Tarbell)
2016-2020, TV recurring
role, Westworld (William)
2021, Film, Breaking News in
Yuba County (Petey Buttons)
2019, TV recurring role,
Perpetual Grace, LTD
(James Schaeler)
2018-2020, TV appearances,
Dream Corp LLC (Patient 21)
2020, Film, Unhinged (Andy)
2018, TV recurring role,
Unsolved: The Murders of
Tupac and the Notorious
B.I.G. (Detective Russelle
Poole)
2017, TV mini-series
documentary, Wormwood
(CIA Agent)
2016, TV recurring role, Hap
and Leonard (Soldier)
2016, TV appearance, This Is
Us (Andy Fannan)
2016, Theatre, Empathitrax,
HERE Arts Center, New York
City (Him)
2013-2016, TV appearances,
Person of Interest (Logan
Pierce)
2015, Theatre, Trevor,
Atwater Village Theatre, Los
Angeles (Trevor)
“The department was family-oriented,”
Simpson says. “I think that’s why I
connect with people who are more
collaborative. It set me up for being
able to know the types of folks I want
to be around in this industry.”
“Bloomsburg is the reason why I’m
in the industry,” says Simpson, a
Hackettstown, N.J., native. “I did find
my future there. The practicality of
the theatre experience at BU, so many
opportunities to perform. Spaces
where you could reach down deep
and show the department our art,
what’s inside of us. I have colleagues
in the industry who didn’t have those
opportunities.”
In addition to starring in BU
productions such as “The Assassins,”
Anselm and the late Michael Collins
also turned Simpson onto the
Williamstown Theatre Festival. The
annual Massachusetts event allows
college students to apprentice with
seasoned professionals, including the
occasional acting legend.
But acting was not part of Simpson’s
career plans when he first stepped
on campus as a business and English
major.
It all changed with a simple elective
course.
“I took a theatre class with Karen
Anselm (now professor emerita)
thinking she didn’t take attendance,”
says Simpson. To his surprise, Anselm
did take attendance and he had an
acting project due. “I put my back into
it, and I spent so much time doing
my first self-directed acting scene
that professor Anselm reached out to
me and said, ‘I think you should be a
major.’”
That class, that moment, was a key
piece of Simpson’s discussion this
past fall during the virtual CASSH Con
(Careers in Arts, Social Sciences and
Humanities) event when he spoke with
students on how BU kindled his love
of acting 25 years ago.
Winner: Los Angeles Drama
Critics Circle Award: Lead
Performance
“I scooted around Bloomsburg on a
little motorcycle and sold it to pay for
Williamstown,” says Simpson. For four
summers he worked at the festival,
going from building sets to serving
as an extra to acting with regular
speaking parts.
“I never considered being a
professional actor. When I thought
of acting it was just Jack Nicholson
and Tom Cruise — people doing a
thing I would never have access to.
At Williamstown, I see it’s not just the
elite. There’s the entire core which is
99% of these professionals who love
it and struggle and learn and work
together. And that’s what I wanted
to do. I didn’t have any expectations
besides doing community theatre
after my job.”
2005-2013, TV recurring
role, It’s Always Sunny in
Philadelphia (Liam McPoyle)
Having earned an agent, Simpson
picked up a role in the film “Loser”
and appeared on television shows
such as “24” and “NYPD Blue.” In those
early years, Simpson was roommates
with actor/producer Charlie Day. “We
would make videos to make each
other laugh, because we couldn’t get
work, so we made our own work. I
kept returning to this deadpan slackjawed character. It just made Charlie
laugh.”
The self-created work evolved into
the Liam McPoyle character on
“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”
“It was slotting in my natural tendency
to be off-putting into an off-putting
character,” says Simpson in his
trademark low purr, “but it was a
pleasure to bring him to life.”
But a lot of hustle at Williamstown,
and a little luck, determined that
acting would be Simpson’s job.
His diverse career was launched with
a funny story. “Lewis Black taught us
stand-up — which was him telling us
to tell a funny story,” recalls Simpson.
2013, Film, White House
Down (Tyler)
2012, Film, Abraham Lincoln:
2014-2015, TV recurring role, Vampire Hunter (Joshua
House of Cards (Gavin Orsay) Speed)
2014, TV recurring role, The
Newsroom (Jack Spaniel)
“I’m not a stand-up guy, but I wanted
to do an amazing job and so I worked
on it hard. Luckily Black’s agent
noticed me doing my stand-up and
that was my first access to an agent —
which turned into working in film and
television. This industry is all about
work and luck combining to make
something happen.”
2011-2012, TV recurring
role, Breakout Kings (Lloyd
Lowery)
2011, TV appearance, How
I Met Your Mother (Pete
Durkenson)
“
“The department was familyoriented. I think that’s why
I connect with people who
are more collaborative. It set
me up for being able to know
the types of folks I want to be
around in this industry.”
— Jimmi Simpson
2010, Film, The Big Bang
(Niels Geck)
2010, Film, Date Night
(Armstrong)
2010, Film, Good Intentions
(Kyle)
2008-2009, Recurring TV
role, Late Show with David
Letterman (Lyle the Intern)
2008, Film, A Quiet Little
Marriage (Jackson)
2007-2008, Theatre, The
Farnsworth Invention, Music
Box Theatre, New York City
(Philo T. Farnsworth)
Drama League Award:
Distinguished Performance,
Winner: Theatre World Award
2006, TV appearances, My
Name Is Earl (David Hayes)
2005, Film, Herbie Fully
Loaded (Crash)
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
F
rom the stage 25 years ago in
Carver Hall to sharing the screen
with Oscar-winner Russell Crowe
last year, Jimmi Simpson ’98 is by any
measure a veteran in his field … of
stage, television, and film.
17
“
“My deepest love is
theatre, because that’s
where I was trained. That’s
what I know. That’s my
foundation. There’s so
much responsibility for
a stage actor. You’re in
control of that character.
It’s on you to make it
brilliant. When you’re
performing a play, the
director is not there.”
— Jimmi Simpson
In addition to “It’s Always Sunny,”
Simpson is known for his work on
“House of Cards,” “Westworld,” “Black
Mirror,” and “Unsolved,” Simpson has
built a reputation in film and on stage
as well. On stage, his performance in
“The Farnsworth Invention” earned
him a Theatre World Award in 2008.
And for “Westworld’s” second season,
he earned a Primetime Emmy Award
nomination for Outstanding Guest
Actor in a Drama Series.
There are no small parts. A truth
Simpson proves time and again —
whether playing a mysterious hacker
in “House of Cards,” or leaving David
Letterman at a loss for words as Lyle
the Intern.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
1
18
With “Westworld,” says Simpson, “I
thought my guy would show up and
make things a little bit funny or a little
bit creepy.” Instead, he was a key
recurring character with a dramatic
arc.
2004, Film, D.E.B.S. (Scud)
2000, Film, Loser (Noah)
2002, TV series appearances,
24, (Chris)
2000, Theatre, The Skin
of Our Teeth (Fred Bailey),
The Hot l Baltimore
(Delivery Boy), Tonight
at 8:30 (Jimmie Horlick),
Williamstown Theatre Festival
2002, TV mini-series: Rose
Red (Kevin Bollinger)
2001, Theatre, Street Scene
(Apartment Hunter/Fred
Cullen), The Winter’s Tale
(Lord) Williamstown Theatre
Festival
1999, Theatre, Quark Victory
(Artiba), Camino Real (A
Bum in a Window), The Blue
Demon (Omar), Williamstown
Theatre Festival
While his “Westworld” character is
a favorite role and was a major shift
toward drama for Simpson, other
roles that stand out were in smaller
productions.
“I played the character named ‘Soldier’
in the IFC show ‘Hap and Leonard,’”
says Simpson. “It was almost a theatre
experience. We were there by our
bootstraps trying to make it work,
because we thought it was great. I
really threw my back into it. I’m so
proud of it.”
“My deepest love is theatre, because
that’s where I was trained. That’s
what I know. That’s my foundation.
There’s so much responsibility for
a stage actor. You’re in control of
that character. It’s on you to make it
brilliant. When you’re performing a
play, the director is not there.
“I love the control you have in theatre
to push the boundaries that you can
imagine. In film it’s fun to push the
boundaries in a collaborative way that
people in a room can imagine.”
While the COVID-19 pandemic has
closed live theatre, Simpson has kept
busy.
“I pitched a television show earlier
during COVID and instead of driving
to meetings for a week, it was just a
couple of days — a bunch of Zoom
meetings. Nobody drove anywhere,
everyone was ready and present with
their full focus. There were a lot of
pros to that kind of accessibility.”
You’ll be able to catch him on the
screen in the coming year. He’s
featured in the thriller “Silk Road”
about the dark web, and the comedy
crime drama “Breaking News in Yuba
County.”
1998, Theatre, Assassins,
Bloomsburg University
(John Wilkes Booth)
1997, Theatre, A Midsummer
Night’s Dream, Bloomsburg
University (Puck)
1997, Theatre, Square Peg
Ball, Bloomsburg University
(Pinky)
1996, Theatre, Prelude to a
Kiss, Bloomsburg University
1997, Theatre, Purgatory
Café, Bloomsburg University
(Preacher)
1996, Theatre, Temptation,
Bloomsburg University
2
3
1. Jimmi Simpson shows his Husky
pride while taking questions
this past fall during the virtual
CASSH Con (Careers in Arts,
Social Sciences and Humanities)
event.
2. Simpson at BU in the 1990s
with classmate Jeff Lombardi
’98 behind him.
3. Simpson as Lyle the Intern
on the “Late Show with David
Letterman.”
4. Simpson with Russell Crowe on
the set of 2020’s “Unhinged.”
5
4
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
5. Simpson with Damon Herriman
and Chris Conrad in the film
“Perpetual Grace.”
19
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
Connecting
20
Across
Generations
By Andrea O’Neill ‘06
After 150 years, the Alumni Association Board of Directors
commits to nurturing the next generation of Huskies into success
aison Williams ’93 enrolled at
Bloomsburg University after his
mother made him apply. Though he
didn’t know it, she had done so because
an alumnus had assured her that if he
came to BU, her son would be looked
after by the campus community.
So began an experience that Williams
describes as “nurturing,” something
shared by many of his fellow BU Alumni
Association board members. It is an
experience that has led to both personal
and professional success, but also a
desire to nurture success in the next
generation of Huskies.
In many ways, the mission of the BU
Alumni Association is the same today as
it was at its founding in 1871 — to serve
as a conduit for alumni connections and
empower members to be ambassadors
of the institution. In the 150 years since,
the Association has expanded its efforts
to keep students moving to graduation
and to serve as a bridge to satisfying
careers.
“We feel such a sense of dedication
because BU was our home, it took
care of and prepared us,” says Todd
Argenziano ’89, IT director at DeAngelo
Brothers, and Alumni Association board
president. “We want our students to be
the best and spread that message when
they graduate. To do that, our alumni
need to know what our students face.
It is a responsibility that has greatly
impacted us.”
Time and again, the importance of
such close-knit relationships surfaces
in conversations with board members
as they describe caring professors and
an educational process that layered
time and personal attention with high
expectations.
Williams, now a vice president at Fitbit,
says his professors kept in contact
with advice and help with industry
connections after he graduated, which
kept him connected to the university.
“It was literally like I never left,” says
Williams. “Having those relationships
and being involved with the Alumni
Association allows that nurturing we
had as a student to continue.”
“My professors were such a huge
part of my confidence and ability to
contribute very early in my career,” says
Mike Coppa ’00, board vice president
and health care partner at RSM US LLP,
an accounting firm. “If you failed at
something, there was a support system
that could get you back on track.”
“The longevity of any university is
attributable to its ability to change,
identify new opportunities, and have a
good understanding what is needed in
the work force,” says Coppa.
While the quality of the education at
BU certainly remains as robust and
challenging as it was in 1871, and the
grit and determination of its students
just as prominent, the need for alumni
connections, professional polish and
career experience as part of every
academic program is now recognized
as an equal necessity.
Claire Day ’93, chief program officer
with the Alzheimer’s Association of
Northern California and Nevada, joined
the board when BU combined the
departments of Alumni Affairs, Career
Development, and Academic Internships
to advance BU’s Professional U initiative.
The new Department of Alumni and
Professional Engagement was charged
to work with the alumni board to create
professional development opportunities
for students, build relationships with
donors and employers, and engage
alumni as volunteers and experience
hosts to help new Huskies tap into a
network 76,000 strong.
“My friends (at other schools) didn’t
have the opportunity to gain the
professional experience that I did,”
says Day. “Now the board works to
set future alumni on a pace to be
successful in that tough transition into
the workplace.”
To help the university in its mission,
the board has spent the last several
years reorganizing and refocusing on
outreach events that impact alumni and
provide students with a professional
edge.
“
“Bloomsburg never gave
up on me. When I needed
it, it gave me a second
and a third and a fourth
chance and it’s doing
that for students now. If
I take Bloomsburg out
of my life, where would I
be? Not where I am now.
Bloomsburg never let go of
me.”
— Jaison Williams
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
J
21
Bill Benz ’82
Todd Argenziano ’89
Soft skills — conflict management, professional
conversation, meal etiquette, and salary negotiations are
part of events like the Career Intensive Boot Camp. Resume
reviews, mock interviews and LinkedIn labs help students
make that invaluable first impression. College conferences
showcase the career possibilities of every major, and
professional events like Our World Runs on DATA bring
students and alumni in touch with industry leaders.
college experience may end with a degree, but Bloomsburg
can help you even further when you give back with your
experiences.”
All these programs require alumni volunteers to serve
on panels, give presentations, review resumes, and host
students for job shadows and internships.
Although inextricably linked, the need for professional
experiences for students and alumni isn’t the only recent
change in the association’s focus. In the last century and a
half, the profile of the student population, and consequently
the alumni base, has changed to reflect a more diverse
community. While its members continue to work toward
a board that truly represents the increasing diversity of
BU students, Day says the diverse nature of the current
board has allowed them to approach the task of student
development and alumni engagement so everyone is
represented.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
“The IT Professionals Event was a turning point for the
Alumni Association’s ability to engage both students and
alumni,” says Williams. “The online interactive session put
everyone on equal footing as learners and contributors.
I was able to experience the critical thinking, insightful
questions and ideas from individuals at different life and
career stages.”
22
Claire Day ’93
“It’s important we make sure that, as students move into the
world, there is one link back to current students and one
link ahead to older alumni. That way we all move forward,”
Williams adds.
While networking used to be prominent in business settings
alone, it is now the norm in every professional setting,
whether an art museum, research lab, or second-grade
classroom. Volunteering is a way to not only impact a
student directly, but also to contribute to one’s own lifelong
learning, regardless of major or class year.
“That personal interaction and exposure to new ideas is how
people learn,” says Bill Benz ’82, Carnegie Agency, a digital
marketing company. “One can have information, but it
takes somebody else’s perspective to form a new idea. The
“I think about the broad range of experience and knowledge
of the people I’ve met in my time on the board and what I’ve
learned,” adds Ken Lastowka ’05, serving as board secretary.
“To consider the network we have now after 150 years —
imagine what we will have in the next 150.”
“
“We want our students to be the best and spread
that message when they graduate. To do that, our
alumni need to know what our students face. It is a
responsibility that has greatly impacted us.”
— Todd Argenziano
Mike Coppa ’00
Day of Dialogue is an example of how the alumni board has
worked to have more of an impact on students, alumni, and
the institution. The mentoring event allows nontraditional,
first-generation, and other underrepresented students of
diverse backgrounds to network with board members
and alumni who have had similar experiences.
While COVID-19 has resulted in much
heartache and division, it also enabled
record engagement from alumni
who would normally have been
too far away to participate.
Geography is no longer a
deterrent.
“We’ve learned a lot about
what it means to stay
engaged during a global
event, and the power
of what we can do with
technology,” says Day.
“We’ve always had that
need for things to happen
on campus, but this taught
us that we can adapt.”
The board has also created
a standing committee on
diversity, equity and inclusion,
the chair of which is seated on
the president’s commission of the
same name to help alumni get involved
in finding remedies to social ills and upheavals
affecting students.
“Diversity and inclusion are an important part of the college
experience, and we want to make sure it’s at the forefront
Ken Lastowska ’05
and a cornerstone of what we do,” says Lastowka, an adjunct
faculty member at Northampton Community College. “It is
an important conversation in which alumni are able to listen
to student struggles and share their own to help students
navigate their experiences.”
Even with the challenges of the 21st century,
the role of the BU Alumni Association
hasn’t changed all that drastically
from when student recruitment
and alumni celebrations were the
sole focus. After all, what better
way to connect alumni and
represent the university than
by helping fellow Huskies
make a difference in the
world; while returning to the
place, virtually for now, that
introduced them to success,
friendships, spouses, and
their future.
“There are a lot of stories
like mine,” says Coppa “For
this 150th celebration, we can
pause and consider that we were
students once and maybe we can
help that next person have the same
experience, if not better. That’s what
drives me to give back.”
“Bloomsburg never gave up on me,” says
Williams. “When I needed it, it gave me a second and
a third and a fourth chance and it’s doing that for students
now. If I take Bloomsburg out of my life, where would I be?
Not where I am now. Bloomsburg never let go of me.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
Jaison Williams ’93
23
HUSKY NOTES
’70s
Finding Joy
in the Noise
(and Chaos)
» John Braganini ’75 expanded
the capacity of his Michigan-based
business, St. Julian Winery, with
the installation of two large storage
tanks as a major investment in
the winery’s growth. Each tank
holds 70,000 gallons of wine or
juice in a temperature-controlled
environment. St. Julian’s sales have
grown at a double-digit rate, and the
workforce has grown, according to
Braganini.
By Mary Raskob
For the last 30 years, Joe Silimperi ’89 has enjoyed the noise that fills
the halls of a lively school environment. And while he still finds joy in
his everyday teaching, this year has been vastly different for him and all
educators due to COVID-19. But, Silimperi has embraced this new normal
with the same joy he brought to the class his first 30 years.
The Nazareth native began his journey at BU as a transfer student after two
years at Northampton Community College and one semester at Indiana
University of Pennsylvania. It was while he was awaiting his acceptance to
BU that Silimperi met his future wife, April (White) Silimperi ’88/’89M, at the
Helen L. Diller Vacation Home for the Blind in Avalon, N.J. April was already
enrolled in the American Sign Language/English Interpreting program at
BU and Silimperi had his sights on becoming a high school history teacher.
But a teaching symposium at BU connected him to Dr. Gina Scala and the
Centennial School at Lehigh University. Centennial is a special education
day school licensed to provide educational services to students with
emotional disturbance and autism, while the teachers continue their
education to earn their master’s degrees. “It was my indoctrination into
special education when I just needed a job — and here I am 31 years later
still doing it,” says Silimperi.
Silimperi next spent nine years in the classroom in the Pocono Mountain
School District. He then took a consultant position and worked for
five years as a special education administrator. During those years, the
Silimperis had three children.
But in 2005, Silimperi returned to his roots — teaching. “I decided to go
back into the classroom at Nazareth Area Middle School as the seventh
and eighth grade learning support in the special education program. I like
the daily interactions with kids and families. Administration does not allow
for that to happen and I missed helping kids/families directly.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
“A teaching day is not just about content; it’s about creating connections
with the students. And my advice to any future teacher is simple — find
something you like, do what you love, and it’s not work.”
24
With so much teaching delivered online this past year, and knowing he had
students who were non-readers and had special education needs, Silimperi
set up Zoom sessions to interact with his students for an hour each, three
hours a day.
For his dedication, Silimperi was honored by student Ryder Marsh and
his mother last April. They shared a special thank you on CNN for all
of the work he has done for his students, and especially for Ryder. The
recognition by a national network was an unexpected honor. But Silimperi
still longs for the bustle of school hallways.
“I miss the loud, vibrant hallways and the noisy kids. I miss having time
to do the fun stuff, like taking the kids to the pool for swimming lessons,
or taking the kids to learn how to cook, and even movie days! I am very
sentimental these days and I think the first day back to a normal classroom,
I’ll cry!”
» Robert De Carolis ’76, a longtime
college administrator, is in his third
year as Santa Clara University’s
deputy director of athletics, where
he oversees academics, the
business office, compliance, sports
medicine, sports performance and
student-athlete services. Previously,
De Carolis spent 19 years as an
administrator at the University of
Michigan before embarking on
a 17-year stint with the Oregon
State Beavers, including 13 years as
athletic director. He was inducted
into the BU Athletic Hall of Fame in
2009.
» Don Adams ’77 is chair of Hope
Enterprises Foundation, a nonprofit
for people with intellectual
disabilities, Adams leads the
13-member volunteer board in
raising funds for the nonprofit,
oversees the organization’s direction
and mission. Hope Enterprises
serves individuals in Lycoming,
Clinton, Northumberland, Sullivan,
Columbia, Montour, Snyder, and
Union counties. Adams has been a
member of Hope Enterprises’ board
since 2014.
’80s
» Andrea “Gigi” Kilroe ’81 is a
volunteer speaker for Resilient Voices
out of the Office of Victim Advocate
in Harrisburg, and a member
of the Crime Victim Alliance of
Pennsylvania. She is also a member
of the Speakers Bureau of the Rape,
Abuse & Incest National Network.
Her book, “From Within, My Path
of Hope and Healing from Sexual
Abuse,” will be released in early 2021.
She previously was the supervisor
of itinerant programs at BLaST
Intermediate Unit #17, retiring in
2016 after a 32-year career in special
education.
» Donna (Stefanowicz) Yanuzzi
’82 is managing director of F.N.B.
Equipment Finance Sales and
Marketing at F.N.B. Corporation,
parent company of First National
Bank. In her new role, Yanuzzi
is responsible for all origination
activities for the equipment
finance company. In addition to
leading vendor finance sales, she is
responsible for commercial leasing
sales and marketing. Yanuzzi has
been with F.N.B. for more than 23
years, and has made significant
contributions to the expansion of
the bank’s vendor equipment finance
and small business portfolios. At
BU, she earned a bachelor’s degree
in communications and public
relations.
» Phillip Patrone ’86 is board
chair of Habitat for Humanity in
Philadelphia. He is also a senior vice
president and loan team manager at
Wells Fargo.
» Timothy Grunstra ’88 has served
on PSECU’s Board of Directors since
2012 and is currently treasurer.
Additionally, he has served as board
secretary and assistant treasurer
and was an associate director from
2010 to 2012. Grunstra is a principal
with Brown Schultz Sheridan &
Fritz and provides accounting, tax,
and advisory services. A certified
public accountant, he is a graduate
of Leadership Harrisburg Area and
a member of several professional
organizations in his field.
» Rebecca (Kenvin) Warren ’88
spoke on the state of COVID-19
and its impact on the construction
industry in Pennsylvania for the
Associated Builders and Contractors
Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter’s
virtual meeting in August. She
received her J.D. from The Dickinson
School of Law in 1991.
’90s
» Cole Camplese ’96M serves as
the Vice President for Information
Technology and Chief Information
Officer at Northeastern University.
He was one of eight employees
to earn an Outstanding Service
Award. The eight individuals were
tasked with ensuring compliance
with state and federal COVID-19
standards, implementing NUflex
across classrooms and working
with faculty and staff colleagues to
enable seamless and synchronous
learning for students, and making
sure students and parents were wellinformed about every development
impacting the university community.
’00s
» Susan (Bennett) Fetterman ’00
has been selected to serve as BU’s
nursing supervisor for health services
through June 30.
» Kelly (Pollock) Gallo ’00 was
named executive director of the
Brodhead Watershed Association
in East Stroudsburg. Previously,
Gallo was an environmental health
scientist at Summit County Health
Department, Park City, Utah. While
previously living in Pennsylvania,
Gallo was an environmental
education specialist at Hickory Run
State Park.
» Karena (Kodack) Weikel ’01
was promoted to chief actuary at
The Geisinger Health Plan (GHP).
Previously, Weikel was the vice
president of risk and revenue
management and actuarial services
at GHP since 2015 and interim chief
actuary since May.
» Kevin Hickey ’03 has joined
Acerus Pharmaceuticals Corporation
as senior vice president, US
Commercial. Hickey, who sits on
multiple pharmaceutical executive
advisory panels, is a member of
Acerus’ senior leadership team.
Marriages
Heather Kratz ’05 and
Gregory McMenaman, July 9, 2020.
Kristina Kurelija and Cody Pavlick ’19,
Aug. 15, 2020
Anna Newcomer ’17/’20M and
Cody Cooper ’16/’20M, Sept. 5, 2020
Births
Holly (Shemonis) Keefer ’07 and
Aaron Keefer ’07, a son,
Alexander, on Aug. 24, 2020
Debon (Berger) Kolb ’11 and
David Kolb ’08, a daughter,
Rebecca Linn, on Aug. 27, 2020
Taylor Burkhart and Craig Reinard ’10,
a son, Caige, on Aug. 31, 2020
Kaleena (Lockard) Dietterick ’06
and Jack Dietterick, a son,
Axel, on Sept. 5, 2020
Melissa (Landis) Beer ’08 and
Jonathan Beer ’06, a son,
Devon Jonathan, on Sept. 14, 2020
Mary (Lorence) Schrader ’10 and
Frederick Schrader ’11, a son,
Frederick, on Oct. 15, 2020
Lauren Esser (Kopich) ’09 and
Vince Esser ‘09, a daughter,
Avery Grace Esser, on Oct. 23, 2020
Charity (Trapane) Klinefelter and
Brian Klinefelter ’07, a daughter,
Elyse, on Oct. 25, 2020.
Obituaries
’10s
Jane (Niles) Barndt ’48
Harold Hartley ’52
Royal Miller ’52
Benjamin Burness ’54
William Norton ’59
Paul Kunkel ’60
John Cherup ’64
John Murtin ’65
Bruce Fehr ’72
Sharon Cashman ’73
Wayne Koch ’74
Jeffrey Creveling ’85
Patricia (Disori) Romanoski ’87
Denise (Falborn) Cutillo ’88
William Scherer ’99
Lisa Welms ’02
Jarell Jackson ’17
» Robin Hampton ’14 became
nursing clinical instructor at BU in
the fall of 2020.
Send information to:
magazine@bloomu.edu
» Tiffany (Myers) Forman ’06
has joined RE/MAX Bridges as
an administrative assistant in
the Watsontown office. She also
manages day-to-day business
operations at Forman Grain LLC, a
business owned by her husband,
John, and her father-in-law.
» Andrew Horst ’20 took a
position with the Boyer & Ritter LLC
accounting firm after completing
an internship there. He is pursuing a
Master of Accountancy degree at BU.
Bloomsburg: The University Magazine
Arts and Administration Building
400 E. Second Street
Bloomsburg, PA 17815-1301
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
» Brian Mahlstedt ’81 is the
executive vice president and chief
lending officer of FNCB Bank,
leading commercial lending and
business development and managing
relationships with the bank’s
commercial customers. Mahlstedt
has more than 30 years of credit
administration, commercial lending,
and management experience. He
graduated from BU with a degree in
accounting.
25
IN MEMORIAM
Nelson “Nellie” Swarts
BU’s Inaugural Volunteer of the Year Recipient
Nelson “Nellie” Adler Swarts, 81,
died peacefully at his home in
Mechanicsburg, surrounded by his
loving family, on Feb. 11, following an
arduous battle with Alzheimer’s and
cancer.
Swarts, Class of ’63, was a proud
alumnus, dedicated volunteer, and loyal
supporter of BU. Beyond that, he was
committed to serving and supporting
higher education both at BU and
throughout the commonwealth. For his
service to BU, he was honored with the
inaugural William T. Derricott Volunteer
of the Year Award in 2012.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
His involvement at BU included
service on the Zeigler College of
Business Advisory Board and the
Bloomsburg University Foundation
Board of Directors. He also served the
Pennsylvania State System of Higher
Education in various positions from
2000-2007. Additionally, he drove the
convertible that carried BU’s president
in homecoming parades for many
years.
26
Dr. Bernard C. Dill
Former BU professor taught
finance for 30 years
Dr. Bernard C. Dill, 88, of Sugarloaf
passed away on July 30, 2020. A
finance professor at BU for 30 years,
Dill was born in New York City in
1931 and was raised in Hazleton.
A professor emeritus, he served as
chair of the Department of Business
A native of Bloomsburg, Swarts
competed on BU’s first swim team and
graduated with a degree in Business
Education in 1963. The voice that he
was renowned for was discovered
during his college days as a DJ for
WHLM. He also golfed, skied, and was
a member of the Marine Corps ROTC.
Nelson began a teaching career at Main
Endwell High School in Endwell, N.Y.,
where he met his wife, Paige Parker,
whom he married in 1967 and moved
to Syracuse, N.Y. to start their family.
They both were weekend ski instructors
at Greek Peak in Cortland, N.Y. from
1965-1977.
Swarts left teaching to embark on a
32-year career with IBM, moving to
Allendale, N.J., in 1980, where he and
Paige spent 12 years raising their three
daughters. He became an avid golfer
and coached many young swimmers at
the Ridgewood YMCA.
eventually retire. Instead of retirement,
he found work with the PA State System
of Higher Education as a consultant and
ultimately as a director. In his off time,
Nellie honed his golf skills at West Shore
Country Club, serving as president in
2001, and coaching young swimmers
there and at the West Shore YMCA.
Nellie and Paige have been active
members of Christian Life Assembly
in Camp Hill since 2009. Outside of
BU, Swarts’ many philanthropic and
volunteer efforts included the West
Shore YMCA Board of Managers,
Americhoice Federal Credit Union
Board of Directors, and Hospice of
Central PA. In addition to his wife, he
is survived by three daughters, eight
grandchildren, and a sister.
Memorial donations may be made to
the Nelson A. Swarts Scholarship with
checks payable to BUF or online at
giving.bloomu.edu/nellieswarts.
Nellie and Paige returned to
Pennsylvania in 1992, so Nellie could
return to sales work with IBM and
Administration and taught finance.
He was a passionate educator
and loved hearing from his former
students and learning of their
accomplishments post-graduation.
He also served as president of the
local Penn State Alumni Club.
An avid reader and traveler, he
traveled extensively around the U.S.,
Europe, and Asia with his wife, the
former Kathleen Matarella, to whom
he was married on Sept. 12, 1959,
who survives. He is also survived by
two children and four grandchildren.
An educator to the very end, Dill
donated his body to science through
Humanity Gifts Registry. Memorial
donations to the Dr. Bernard C.
Dill Scholarship Fund for firstgeneration students may be made
through the Bloomsburg University
Foundation, 50 E. Main St., 4th Floor,
Bloomsburg, PA 17815-1301; or
online at giving.bloomu.edu.
David R. Linkchorst
1940s and 50s athletic
standout
David R. Linkchorst, 92, passed away
on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020. Born
in Ashland, he was raised in Maple
Hill and later Frackville.
A 1946 graduate of Mahanoy
Township High School, Linkchorst
played football, basketball and
baseball. He spent nearly two years
in the U.S. Army before starting his
college career, attending BU on the
GI Bill. He graduated in 1953 having
played four years of football and
basketball, and three seasons of
baseball. He started for the Huskies
on the 1948 (cornerback) and 1951
(quarterback) undefeated football
teams. He was also a teammate of
NBA Hall of Famer Chuck Daly.
At BU he met his wife, Mary Louise,
a cheerleader, and they married in
1956. After graduation, he played on
barnstorming basketball and baseball
teams and one season of minor
league baseball.
A basketball and football coach
in the Mahanoy school district,
Linkchorst’s teams won nine
Schuylkill League Basketball
Championships and the 1965 District
11 Class A Tournament. He coached
the professional basketball team,
Hazleton/Hamburg Bullets, for the
1972-1973 season.
Linkchorst was inducted into
the BU Athletic Hall of Fame, the
Jerry Wolman Chapter of the
Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame
and the Northeast Region of the
Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.
He won many golf tournaments and
recorded 10 holes-in-one over his
lifetime.
He is survived by his wife and
four children. Athletic memorial
contributions in Linkchorst’s memory
may be made to the Bloomsburg
University Foundation, 50 East Main
Street, 4th Floor, Greenly Center,
Bloomsburg, PA 17815 or online at
giving.bloomu.edu.
help others in need. We have a wonderful
group of young men who represent BU in a
positive way on and off the court.”
Graduate student Peyton Mortellite was one
of the Huskies who helped with the food
distribution. “The people at the Y are incredibly
giving and never look for anything in return,”
says Mortellite. “It has been an excellent way
for our team to give back to the community.
We have been making it a habit to reach back
into the community over the last few years.
While the BU athletic teams did not get to compete in the
fall and winter seasons because of the COVID-19 pandemic,
that did not stop them from making positive plays this year.
From members of the men’s basketball team helping feed
the community to the football team organizing a Christmas
toy drive for AGAPE, a local humanitarian ministry, studentathletes gave back to the community in a variety of ways.
Members of the men’s basketball team spent parts of two
days in October helping at the Berwick Area YMCA Local
Food Distribution assembling and handing out boxes of food
to 800 families in need.
“It was a great opportunity for our players and coaches to
give back,” says men’s basketball coach John Sanow. “I was
proud of players sacrificing a few hours out of their day to
“I grew up in a neighborhood where money
was tight in a lot of homes,” says Crippen. “We
all need that person to step up and help others.
I was hoping this toy drive would impact those
people who needed it the most.”
Six locations were set up across campus and in the
community to collect donations of new or slightly used toys
that were then donated to AGAPE for distribution for families
in need in the town of Bloomsburg.
“I was very excited when Talid came in to discuss the toy
drive — what a wonderful idea,” says Sheptock. “The idea
made a difference in the community and the children and
allowed everyone the opportunity to provide a random act
of kindness during the holiday season.”
While they couldn’t share their talents on the field or
court last fall, BU student-athletes were able to share their
generosity with those in the area.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
Making Plays to
Help the Community
The kindness didn’t stop there, though. As
the holiday season approached, redshirtsophomore Talid Crippen, from the football
team, got the ball rolling for the Huskies
to partner with AGAPE to collect toys for
those families in need this holiday season.
Crippen brought his idea to head coach Frank
Sheptock, who helped to mobilize the athletics
community.
27
A VIEW FROM THE TOP
The Ultimate
Soccer
MOM
By David Leisering
S
tudent-athletes rely on good time
management skills to handle the
daily grind of practice, games,
team road trips, and of course, lots of
schoolwork. However, Paige Harris
has an even more important task to
juggle. Being a mom.
“My daughter is me in child form,”
laughs Harris, a junior forward on
the women’s soccer team. “She’s
spunky and full of energy. She will
dance around in a puffy Cinderella
dress and then walk outside to dig
up worms with her hands. She’s
my heart. Anytime I feel stressed or
having a bad day, she’ll look at me
and say something funny, and I’m
reminded it will all be OK.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
Harris, who grew up in nearby Danville,
chose to attend Shippensburg
University four years ago for that “away
from home experience.” Following her
freshman season — where she scored
six goals and was named to the AllPennsylvania State Athletic Conference
(PSAC) Third Team — she learned she
was pregnant, resulting in a two-year
hiatus from school.
28
“The first thing I did was move back
home to be with my family,” says
Harris. “I started working full-time to
make as much money as I could before
the baby arrived.”
Holly Mae arrived on Aug. 19, 2017.
After a six-week maternity leave, Harris
returned to working full-time but knew
she wanted something more.
“It was always in the back of my mind
I would return to school and graduate,
so I could get a great job and give us
the best life possible,” says Harris. “I still
had life goals to accomplish and
“
“The hardest part was
not feeling guilty about
doing something that
made me happy.”
— Paige Harris
having a child made me want to work
for those goals even harder. I knew the
next step to get both of us to a better
place in life was to go back to school.”
After discussing her college intentions
with her family and Holly’s father,
she applied to Bloomsburg to pursue
special education with added hope of
renewing her soccer career.
“I always knew her as a tough
competitor,” says Matt Haney, head
women’s soccer coach. “I believe
the birth added maturity to that mix
and has allowed Paige to flourish as
a mother, a student, and a soccer
player.”
However, the comeback trail hasn’t
always been easy.
“To be honest, I wasn’t as prepared as
I should’ve been,” says Harris. “I was
uncomfortable with my body and
exercising again after having a baby. It
was also difficult to find time to work
out. I either had to find someone to
watch her, or I would try to keep her
occupied while I ran on the treadmill.”
The mental aspect was just as
challenging.
“The hardest part was not feeling guilty
about doing something that made me
happy,” adds Harris. “After having Holly,
I felt as though everything I did had to
be for her. Being away from her for a
few hours to practice or to lift would
make me feel guilty. During my time
off from school — just working and
taking care of her — I felt like I only
identified as Holly’s mom. Paige was
gone.”
But not for long. As she physically got
stronger and faster while preparing for
the 2019 season, she began to realize
that by playing soccer, “Paige was still
around” and “she was allowed to be
happy as well.”
“Paige came in, worked hard, and fit
in nicely,” says Haney. “We have a very
welcoming culture, and I believe Paige
noticed that, used it to her advantage
and made some immediate friends
along the way.”
Her grit and determination paid off.
Harris made the team and helped
the Huskies to their second
consecutive NCAA Division II
Atlantic Regional title, resulting
in a second straight trip to
the Elite Eight. She finished
the year with two goals
— both of which came
during a 5-0 win over
Mansfield on Oct. 19 —
nearly three years to the
day she last scored with
Shippensburg.
“My first game was such
a rush of emotions,”
remembers Harris. “I
thought about all I went
through and the times
thinking I might never
play again. But there I was
(playing again). It wasn’t
just any team; it was a darn
good one. It was an honor
and a privilege to be a part of
something so special.”
Holly, meanwhile, is still at the
forefront of everything her mom does
and hopes to accomplish.
“My
parents
bring her to
every game they can,”
says Harris, who as
an early childhood
and special education
major plans to work
with children every day.
“She loves coming, and
I love having her there.
I want her to see how
her mom pursued her
life goals even when
things felt hard. I want
her to feel like she can
accomplish anything
she wants if she puts
her mind to it. I hope this
part of my life inspires her
to do anything she wants
in life — regardless of the
situation.”
sports
Women’s Soccer
Earns Team
Pinnacle Award
BU’s women’s soccer program was one of nine collegiate
programs across all divisions — men or women — to be
named this past year a recipient of the Team Pinnacle Award
from the United Soccer Coaches.
The Team Pinnacle Award honors teams that have achieved
a high level of fair play, educational excellence, and success
on the pitch. To be considered for the award, teams must
have received a version of the Team Ethics and Sportsmanship
Award; achieved recognition in the classroom as a recipient
of the Team Academic Award; and recorded a winning
percentage of .750 or higher during the respective season.
“Our culture of winning and losing the right way and, most
importantly, succeeding in the classroom, helps make the
women’s soccer family a group of dynamic young women
who are in it together and work hard for each other,” says
head coach Matt Haney.
The Huskies, who went 18-3-1 (.841 winning percentage)
en route to their second consecutive Atlantic Regional title
in 2019, earned the Team Ethics and Sportsmanship Bronze
Award as well as the Team Academic Award from United
Soccer Coaches during the 2019-20 academic year.
Bloomsburg was the only institution from the Pennsylvania
State Athletic Conference (PSAC) to earn a Team Ethics and
Sportsmanship Award in 2019-20. That award recognizes
teams that exhibit fair play, good sportsmanship, and adhere
to the game’s rules. A team must not have received any
red penalty cards during the season and the team’s yellow
caution card percentage (total yellow cards divided by total
games played) must not have exceeded 50%.
Meanwhile, the Huskies had a cumulative team grade point
average of 3.55 to earn a Team Academic Award. It marked
the fifth consecutive season that the women’s soccer team
was honored for having a cumulative team GPA of 3.0 or
higher.
Over the last two seasons of competition (the 2020
season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic),
the Huskies claimed back-to-back Atlantic Regional
championships and made consecutive trips to the Elite
Eight. The team also won the 2018 PSAC title —
the program’s first in 16 years. The 18 victories in
2019 tied the school record for most victories in a
season while its 35 wins over the span of the last
two years has set a new program mark.
“We recruit industrious and competitive people who
want to succeed in all facets of life,” adds Haney. “We have
become a place where young women want to continue their
academic and athletic careers. It is not about one of us — it
is about all of us. And we will continue to work together to
reach the very top.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
VIEW FROM THE TOP
29
celebrating our husky history
THEN & NOW
From Small
Beginnings to a
Worldwide Network
By Robert Dunkelberger
T
oday, the Bloomsburg University
Alumni Association has more than
76,000 members with graduates
in every state and around the world.
But the origins of the association 150
years ago were much more modest. On
commencement day, June 22, 1871, the
eight-member first class of teachers at
the Bloomsburg State Normal School and
the dozen new graduates from the second
class met to form an alumni association.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
The association’s activities began
in 1873, when a banquet was held at
commencement to welcome back alumni
and celebrate the newest members. As the
number of graduates grew, the number
of reunions gradually expanded. At first
alumni all met together, but by the 1880s
individual classes began to have their own
reunions. Anniversaries were important,
so classes met formally every five years.
These were the most popular gatherings,
when classmates who had attended
school together could reconnect.
30
And the celebrations became larger, with
more than 500 at the banquet in the main
dormitory’s dining room in 1912. As the
numbers grew, additional class reunions
were added, held in rooms in the main
dormitory or Carver Hall, based on where
a favorite teacher had taught. There
was so much enthusiasm that the most
recent grads couldn’t wait for their fifth
anniversary and so had formal reunions
every two years.
Although many alumni came back for
the reunion at commencement, there
was a strong desire to gather closer to
home and at a different time of year. The
ideal solution was to tie a reunion in with
the annual teachers’ institutes held in
each county every fall, where practicing
teachers gathered to learn new teaching
methods.
The first local association was formed
in 1890 in Luzerne County, which had
the greatest concentration of Bloomsburg
graduates. These quickly
became popular, with up
to 300 attending each
year, often at the Hotel
Sterling in Wilkes-Barre.
The nights would begin
with a reception, followed
by the banquet, an afterdinner program of toasts,
and hours of dancing.
Normal School
administrators saw
the value of the
county chapters
and were well
represented at the
events, often by the
principal and several of the senior faculty.
A primary means of recruitment was
through Normal graduates teaching in
the high schools, who urged prospective
teachers to attend Bloomsburg and earn
the same quality education they had.
The success of the Luzerne County
reunions led more local groups to
organize. Next was Lackawanna County,
which created a chapter in 1901. Eleven
additional counties added associations
between 1909 and 1912, with Montour
and Columbia following soon after. These
reunions were greatly anticipated as
alumni reconnected and reminisced about
their school days.
The reunions on campus remained
fairly consistent until the 1920s. In
1921 an Alumni Day intended solely to
rally graduates was held the day before
commencement. It included class
reunions, an assembly, a luncheon, and a
baseball game. The biggest change was
the addition of Homecoming in 1928,
which provided another opportunity for
graduates to return to Bloomsburg.
The Alumni Association valued the
local organizations, so by the late 1920s
when the chapters became inactive,
efforts were made to revitalize them.
One was formed in Philadelphia in
1931, leading to monthly luncheons
and large annual banquets. In 1934, an
Association resolution urged county
chapters to reorganize and within a
few years there were 10 in central and
eastern Pennsylvania, three covering
two counties. They held reunions and, as
before, the president of the college and
faculty members were in attendance.
In its early years, the Bloomsburg
University Alumni Association worked
to support the school and engage alumni,
recognizing the good they could do
through recruitment and monetary
assistance for scholarships. The alumni
responded, having become endeared
to Bloomsburg through their school
days and wanting to give back. This is a
spirit that, with now 76,000 alumni and
counting, has continued to the present
day.
1
2
1. The Class of
1897 gathers
for a reunion
in 1899.
3
3. Those
attending
the 1934
Philadelphia
Alumni
Banquet
pose for a
photograph.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
2. The 1928
Alumni Day
Luncheon was
held on the
Long Porch
of old Waller
Hall.
31
32
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
The BU campus will once again bustle with activity as the university
plans to return to a full-time, in-person Fall 2021 semester.
Keep up-to-date on plans for the coming Fall semester at
bloomu.edu/fall-2021
ADD
A
TO
YOUR
AVAILABLE IN THREE SIZES
bloomustore.com
400 E. Second Street
Bloomsburg, PA 17815
General Information: 570-389-4175
Customer Service: 570-389-4180
bustore@bloomu.edu
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
FALL ‘21
33
S
R
A
E
Y
0
15
with us
celebrate
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Winter 2021
On June 22, 1871, the Bloomsburg University Alumni
Association was formed to keep the bonds among alumni
and our alma mater strong. This has held true during
every one of the 150 years since its very first meeting.
34
And while the last century and a half has delivered an
array of challenges to Huskies everywhere, we have
weathered those challenges and preserved the lifechanging experiences and relationships we formed at
BU; all while working to ensure current students are
as successful as they have been since the school was
founded in 1839.
With 75,477 alumni world-wide, the Bloomsburg University
Alumni Association has much to celebrate in its legacy of
support; support for the university, support for students, and
support for each other. Every year, events and successes are made more impactful with your
participation. You won’t want to miss what we have planned in 2021!
Join in the celebration by visiting bloomu.edu/alumniassociation150.
Here’s to the next 150 years of grit, loyalty, and excellence! Go Huskies!
SUMME R 20 21
THE UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
ALSO INSIDE
Jackie Lithgow’s inspiring story
now includes a Bloomsburg diploma
Page 14
Spring ‘21 Commencement
Ceremony held in person
Page 18
Making a Difference
in Different Ways
Alumni Association honors
Huskies who make a difference
Page 20
bloomu.edu
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
Grit and
Determination
Personified
Fist Bumps and
Facemasks
1
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
My Dear BU Family,
Please enjoy this Summer 2021 edition of
BLOOMSBURG: The University Magazine.
This past May, we were excited to host our
commencement ceremonies in-person for the
first time since December 2019. Still mindful of the
ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we expanded our
normal three ceremonies to five over the course
of a weekend, and ensured that all in attendance
were socially distanced. It truly was a pleasure to
celebrate in-person with our graduates and their
families once again, and it was quite gratifying
given all that we have endured over the past
year. I commend the members of our staff who
worked so hard in planning and coordinating the
successful ceremonies, and our faculty members
for their efforts in support of our students’
success.
President Bashar Hanna
My congratulations to the Class of 2021, who
overcame so much and displayed incredible
resilience in their final two years at BU. One
particular member of this graduating class, Jackie
Lithgow ‘21, epitomizes the grit and determination
for which we Huskies are known. Seven years
after suffering a traumatic brain injury and facing
very long odds, Jackie inspired us all by walking
across the stage to receive his well-earned
diploma. Congratulations to Jackie on this great
achievement – and to his proud parents, Jim
and Lisa (both BU alumni), who never stopped
believing that their son would recover and
eventually earn a Bloomsburg degree.
You will also read in this issue the courageous journey of one of our alumni, the Honorable David Gass, who earned
his law degree from Arizona State University College of Law after receiving both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees
from BU. Appointed to the Arizona Court of Appeals by Governor Doug Ducey in 2019, Judge Gass was the honored
speaker at our Lavender graduation ceremony this past May. Thank you to Judge Gass for sharing his story and
inspiring so many of our students.
Lastly, we include a tribute to a loyal ambassador and dear friend of our University, Mrs. Ramona Alley, who recently
retired after 37 years as a member of our Council of Trustees. We are profoundly grateful to Ramona for her loyalty
and service, and her unwavering commitment to our students and their success.
We look forward to the Fall 2021 semester and a return to an in-person learning environment. You can learn more
about our Fall 2021 plans at www.bloomu.edu, which you will notice is our newly revamped website (as of July 1).
As always, I thank you for your continued support of BU, and I look forward to seeing you back on campus this fall.
Have a safe and enjoyable summer with your families and friends.
GO HUSKIES!
Sincerely,
Bashar W. Hanna, President
Photo: Marty Coyne
Redman Stadium at Danny Hale Field
at the Steph Pettit Athletic Complex
served as the setting for BU’s Spring 2021
Commencement ceremonies in May.
Graduates were socially distanced on
the field, while parents and supporters
celebrated in the stands.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
See more, page 18.
1
Summer 2021
6
11
14
18
28
31
Contents
3 COMMON GROUND
18
FIST BUMPS AND FACEMASKS
10 HEEDING COVID’S CALL TO ACTION
20
MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN DIFFERENT WAYS
11 CARE PACKAGES MAKE LASTING IMPRESSION
24
HUSKY NOTES
12 DREAMS THAT BLOOM
28
ATHLETICS: A VIEW FROM THE TOP
14 GRIT AND DETERMINATION PERSONIFIED
31
THEN AND NOW: CELEBRATING ART AT BLOOMSBURG
17 TRUSTING WHO YOU ARE
Connect with us
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
bloomu.edu
Pennsylvania’s State System
of Higher Education
Board of Governors
Cynthia D. Shapira, Chairperson
Robert W. Bogle
Representative Tim Briggs
Tanya I. Garcia, Ph.D.
William “Bill” Gindlesperger
Allison Jones
Senator Scott Martin
David M. Maser
Marian D. Moskowitz
Secretary of Education Noe Ortega
Representative Brad Roae
Senator Judith L. Schwank
Larry C. Skinner
Samuel H. Smith
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
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
Contributing
Writers
Thomas Schaeffer ’02
Andrea O’Neill ’06
Cover Photo
Nikki Keller ’97
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
Arts and 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 2021
2
Photo: Jaime North
Integration Update
The proposal calls for each university to retain the unique traits
specific to its campus and community, while coming together
to become something bigger and stronger and positioned to
answer the greatest challenges facing higher education today:
access, cost, opportunity, quality, and relevance.
The board’s vote initiated a 60-day public comment period
that included hearings on June 9 and 10.
Work continues on plans to leverage the “power of three” to
increase access to exemplary academic programs and social
mobility for students. The plans are designed to respond
to the diverse needs of 21st century learners with relevant
academic programs, proven modalities, and flexibility that will
prepare students for careers of the future, while maintaining an
efficient course of study to bring them to graduation.
At all the universities involved, plans provide for students to still
enjoy on-campus housing, student clubs and organizations,
athletics, and a vibrant campus life. Ultimately, students would
design a university experience that is best for them, with
dedicated support services on each campus.
At Bloomsburg University, our priority is to honor our history
and legacy to connect fellow Huskies and provide support for
today’s students and tomorrow’s leaders. Foundations and
alumni associations would remain independent and continue
to keep classmates connected with their alma mater. Donors
would continue to be able to designate funds in support of
students on their campus or program of choice, as they do
today.
You can learn more about the integration plans by visiting
www.bloomu.edu/integration.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
In late April, the Board of Governors for Pennsylvania’s State
System of Higher Education approved moving forward with a
public comment period on two integration plans, one for the
northeast region encompassing Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and
Mansfield universities, and one in the west region to include
California, Clarion, and Edinboro universities.
3
news on campus
COMMON GROUND
Faculty Honored for
Exceptional Teaching
Abby Hare-Harris
Michael Huben
T
hree BU faculty members were named 2020-21
Outstanding Teaching Award recipients by the Teaching
and Learning Enhancement (TALE) Center.
Abby Hare-Harris, a Stephen J. Jones Professional U Fellow, is
an assistant professor of biological and allied health sciences;
Michael Huben, a Stephen J. Jones Professional U Fellow, is
an instructor of marketing and professional sales; and Brett
McLaurin is a professor of environmental, geographical,
and geological sciences. The faculty were nominated by
graduating seniors from the class of 2020-21 and selected by
TALE’s Outstanding Teaching Award Committee.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
“I am grateful to professors Abby Hare-Harris, Brett McLaurin,
Michael Huben, and all our outstanding faculty members who
go above and beyond in support of our students and their
success,” said President Bashar Hanna.
4
Hare-Harris’ research fields are human genetics and genomics,
and many of her students and advisees earn the medical
genomics and counseling certificate. Student nominations
emphasized that her courses are tough yet taught with care
and patience to ensure every student succeeds. Her rapport
with students is exceptional. One student wrote, “She is not
an easy professor by any means. She promotes independent
thinking and has helped me become a better student and
a better person.” Hare-Harris’ life transformative teaching
permeated the students’ nominations, and her empathy helps
students overcome academic and personal struggles.
Michael Huben joined BU following a career at Merck.
Creating bridges between higher education and a career led
Brett McLaurin
students to nominate Huben for the outstanding teaching
award. A nominator wrote, “Mr. Huben teaches in real-world
examples and is able to relate content to everyday life, so
students can understand how the lessons will look outside of
the classroom.” Huben’s dedication is evident in mentoring
students in sales competitions, coaching them on how
to network and interview for jobs, and develop leadership
qualities.
Brett McLaurin is a geologist specializing in stratigraphy and
sedimentology. Students nominating McLaurin spoke of his
exceptional ability to combine theory and practice, making
every topic relevant and engrossing. One student wrote,
“Whenever I had questions, the professor was available and
engaged me in possible learning experiences beyond the
classroom.” McLaurin creates spaces where students can risk
failure, learn from their experiences, and increase confidence
in their skills and knowledge. Engaging, caring, hands-on were
constant themes in his student nominations.
“These three faculty members exemplify the hard work and
dedication all our faculty make to our students in support
of their academic success,” said BU Provost and Senior Vice
President for Academic Affairs Diana Rogers-Adkinson. “What
is even more remarkable is how they adapted to teaching in
a virtual world for the last year, and yet, were able to make
strong connections with their students. As provost, I am very
proud of their work and offer my congratulations to them.”
All three will receive a plaque and be awarded a professional
development stipend sponsored by the BU Foundation.
COMMON GROUND
Photo: Marty Coyne
Bringing Academics
and Administration
Together
Celebrating the New Arts and
Administration Building
“When universities build buildings, they either serve as an academic space or
an administrative space,” said President Bashar Hanna, but BU’s new Arts and
Administration Building has both, “emphasizing that here at Bloomsburg, we
are one family.”
The building features a soaring four-story open atrium topped by skylights
and hosts a mix of functions. The ground level features art department
sculpture studios plus photography and theatre labs, and the first floor
houses the admissions, financial aid, and registrar’s offices, a language lab,
and six classrooms. The second floor includes offices and more studios for
the art and art history department, and the history and the languages and
cultures departments. The top floor houses the offices of marketing and
communications, human resources, administration and finance, student billing
(bursar), and procurement.
Construction began in October 2018 and was shut down from March to
May 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Construction was completed in
November 2020 before opening for the spring semester.
The Honorable Mary Jane Bowes, Council of Trustees chair, thanked everyone
who worked on the project.
“I want to thank Dr. Hanna for his vision and leadership, my fellow trustees, our
dedicated faculty and staff, facilities management – especially Ed Gunshore
in his role as project manager, the Department of General Services, and most
importantly our students,” said Bowes. “We look forward to seeing it enjoyed
by our students, faculty, and staff for many years to come.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
A ribbon-cutting ceremony in early June celebrated the opening of the new
facility, which has been in use since January.
5
Taking Art to a Higher Degree
Art students are enjoying new and improved studio spaces
in the Arts and Administration Building and will soon have
the option of pursuing a new prestigious Bachelor of Fine Arts
(BFA) degree.
The new BFA program was approved by Pennsylvania’s State
System of Higher Education Board of Governors in the spring,
and was approved in June by the National Association of
Schools of Art and Design.
“The BFA is really preparing students as professional artists or
to go on to grad school,” says Meredith Re’ Grimsley, professor
and chair of the Department of Art and Art History. “It’s also
recommended for students who want to get a certificate in
education.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
The new degree increases both the depth and breadth of
preparation for student artists, requiring a 79-credit art studio
and art history curriculum, while the Bachelor of Arts degree
requires 39 credits.
6
“We have students who have crafted their experience here
to look like a BFA, but we haven’t had the degree,” says
Grimsley. “We also include BFA in graphic design, which is
a much stronger, much more competitive degree for our
students.”
“In integration conversations with Mansfield and Lock Haven,
we all have the same mission with our students. We developed
a study-away concept with the other universities. Students
will be able to take a semester to study something we don’t
offer. For example, ceramics at Mansfield and Lock Haven. And
students from Mansfield and Lock Haven could come here to
study fabric design.”
Grimsley also envisions exhibition exchanges between faculty
and students at the different campuses. “Students can start to
know each other across the miles.”
BU will maintain the BA degree in art, which allows students to
have multiple majors.
There are approximately 100 students studying art studio
or art history. And while many art students took classes in
person through the fall and spring, Grimsley is excited to have
a full building and campus again, “I can’t wait until people
are really back. The aesthetics of the space. The light, the air,
the atmosphere. It’s very sophisticated. These are the nicest
facilities I’ve ever worked in.”
College of
Education earns
CAEP accreditation
Retention Numbers
Climb for BU Act 101
Students
The College of Education has been granted
accreditation by the Council for the Accreditation
of Educator Preparation (CAEP). CAEP is one of
only two nationally recognized accrediting bodies
for educator preparation.
One of BU’s biggest success stories in helping
students develop the skills needed to support their
academic success has been the Act 101 program.
Since 2017, Act 101 students have increased their
first- to second-year retention rates by nearly 20
percent (45 to 63.7 percent).
“Earning CAEP accreditation is a testament to
the hard work and commitment to excellence
by our faculty, led by our dean of the college,
Daryl Fridley,” said President Bashar Hanna.
“The excellence of their work is reflected in the
accreditor’s final recommendation, which was all
standards met, no areas for improvement and no
problems.”
“I am very proud of everyone in the College of
Education, and the leadership of Dr. Amy Eitzen,
associate dean, who worked on the accreditation
process,” said Fridley. “The rigorous standards set
by CAEP also give BU the seal of approval that
we are properly preparing the next generation of
educators and give our students the confidence
that BU meets the highest standards of quality and
effectiveness that employers value.”
Educator preparation providers seeking CAEP
accreditation must pass peer review on five
standards, which are based on two principles:
• Solid evidence that the provider’s graduates are
competent and caring educators.
• Solid evidence that the provider’s educator
staff have the capacity to create a culture of
excellence and use it to maintain and enhance
the quality of the professional programs they
offer.
Act 101 is a statewide academic support program
giving first-generation, low-income college
students who demonstrate risk factors that will
increase the likelihood of not completing a fouryear college degree, opportunities to develop the
skills they need to achieve academic excellence.
“Our team here works hard to give these students
a chance to be successful,” said Ralph Godbolt,
director of the Office of Access and Success. “We
provide to them the academic, cultural, and social
interaction they need.”
Participants of the Act 101 program are strongly
encouraged to participate in a program called
Emerging Scholars, which Godbolt developed. “We
provide opportunities for students to develop the
skills that will assist them in achieving academic
success,” he says. “The success of the Emerging
Scholars program directly impacted the strong firstto second-year retention rates of Act 101 students.”
Godbolt and his team provide eight hours a
week of study hall time, compassion-centered
academic advising, and community engagement
opportunities. They also provide yoga and
mindfulness activities and weekly “rap sessions,”
where students engage in intense conversations
about issues going on in their lives.
“The rap sessions help in building a close
relationship between the student and counselor,”
Godbolt said.
In addition to the Act 101 and Emerging Scholars
programs, the Office of Access and Success
oversees the Office of Diversity and Retention,
Board of Governors, SEE Yourself Healthier and
Happier, and the Out of the Classroom: Into the
Community initiative.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
Following a rigorous accreditation process during
which faculty and staff identified, collected, and
analyzed program improvement data, Bloomsburg
University was granted accreditation at the initial
and advanced licensure level. The accreditation is
granted for seven years with renewal in 2026.
7
Alley Honored
for 37 Years
of Service as
Trustee
Ramona Alley has been a witness and participant
in a lot of changes at Bloomsburg University
during her 37-year career on the Council of
Trustees, which recognized her retirement at its
June 2021 meeting.
«
Ramona and Ali Alley at the First and Goal Football Campaign celebration in 2011.
«
Alley, who became a trustee in 1983 before
Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education
was formed, became the first female vice
chairperson and chairperson at Bloomsburg,
serving between 1992 and 1996. She was part
of two presidential search committees and
countless other committees.
Shown from left are, standing: The Honorable Mary Jane Bowes, Council of
Trustees chair, incoming student trustee candidate Julia Burcin ’23, trustees
Duane Greenly, Nancy Vasta, Amy Brayford, Raymond Zaborney and Ed Edwards.
Seated: Dr. Ali A. and Ramona H. Alley.
“When I reflect back to my years of serving at
Bloomsburg University, I leave with having had
the honor and privilege of presenting thousands
of diplomas to graduates and knowing they had
a quality education — thanks to our outstanding
faculty and staff,” said Alley.
She, along with her husband, Dr. Ali Alley,
established the Dr. Ali A. Alley & Ramona H. Alley
Endowed Scholarship, designed for incoming
first-year students from Berwick or Columbia
County with a preference for students majoring
in a health- or medical-related field. This fall,
they will be supporting their seventh recipient.
Together they have also made significant
contributions to the First & Goal Campaign
and Arts in Bloom.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
Student Soars in Sales Competition
8
Senior professional sales and marketing student Autumn Hawk made her
mark in the Redbird Regional Sales Contest held in the spring semester.
In her first-ever sales competition, Hawk advanced to the semifinals.
Faculty member Michael Huben coached Hawk in the competition
along with Molly Groff, Mia Kosoglow, and Ethan Burns.
The Redbird National Sales Competition is a collegiate sales competition
hosted by the Professional Sales Institute at Illinois State University. It
enables students to demonstrate their selling skills through simulated
sale roleplays. More than 150 participants from 20 schools exhibited
their sales skills during roleplay scenarios. Additionally, 11 corporate
sponsors were represented.
BU is also one of only five Pennsylvania institutions listed among the top
North American schools by the Sales Education Foundation.
«
State-Wide Recycling Survey
Yields Important Trend Results
Bloomsburg Town Recycling
Coordinator Charlie Fritz
and Jennifer Haney.
Community recycling programs have never been more
important. Recycling helps preserve environmental quality,
saves landfill space, preserves resources, conserves energy,
reduces air pollution, and saves water.
The top five trends are:
That’s where the work of Jennifer Haney from the Department
of Environmental, Geographical, and Geological Sciences
comes into play. Last summer Haney, the project director, and
John Bodenman, her department colleague and co-author
on the report, conducted a study of recycling programs in
Pennsylvania, the first of its kind in the state.
2. contamination of recyclable materials has decreased the
value of materials collected;
Haney and Bodenman contacted the county recycling
coordinators from around the state for the case studies and
provided each with a list of questions. Questions expanded
on information collected in the web-based survey. They
addressed the following: population served with recycling
collection services, staff employed at the recycling facility,
major challenges and opportunities encountered in the past 10
years and those anticipated over the next five years, key areas
for improving policies governing waste in recycling in the state,
and educational outreach and information on their recycling
collection programs.
3. recycling programs do increasingly rely upon funding from
the state;
4. recycling provides environmental and economic benefits to
Pennsylvania;
5. declining recycling program revenues and rising recycling
program costs are causing a hardship for the sustainability of
recycling programs in Pennsylvania.
Haney and Bodenman will use the collected data to prepare
and submit two manuscripts to peer-reviewed journals — one
in geography and one in waste management. They will also
present the study’s results at the annual Professional Recyclers
of Pennsylvania meeting in July.
“The sustainability of recycling programs depends on all of
us,” says Haney. “Take the time, effort, and energy to carefully
and correctly separate your recyclables — help to reduce
contamination and give more value to your recyclable
materials!”
Scott Kane
Named Dean
of Students
Scott Kane joined BU as the new dean
of students in the Division of Student
Success and Enrollment Services in April.
Kane comes to BU from Mansfield
University where he was serving as
interim dean of students. He will
continue to provide shared services
to Mansfield. Kane has 18 years of
experience, including serving as dean
of students, interim vice president for
student affairs and associate dean for
student life at Rhode Island College. He
also served as vice president and dean
of student affairs at the University of
Pittsburgh at Bradford.
Kane earned a doctoral degree in
higher education from the University
of Maryland and a master’s degree
in counseling and student personnel
services from Kansas State University.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
“Recycling programs across the United States are struggling
to adjust to rapidly changing market conditions for recyclable
materials,” Haney wrote in the proposal. “This project was
designed to test a number of hypotheses concerning
economic and environmental issues impacting recycling
programs in rural Pennsylvania.”
1. Local recycling programs are impacted by global markets
and constraints;
9
By Eric Foster
Members of the U.S. armed forces,
including three BU alumni, have been at
the forefront of the nation’s response to
the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nationally, Army veteran Mark Hall ‘86
has helped the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention staff up to
handle the pandemic workload. “This is
the largest and longest CDC response
that has ever taken place,” says Hall, who
has worked with the CDC both as an
employee and a contractor since 2009.
As an intelligence officer in the Army,
Hall’s tours included Desert Storm,
Desert Shield, Iraqi Freedom, and
Enduring Freedom. Over the years, Hall
has had plenty of tours with the CDC as
well, with assignments to places such as
Sierra Leon and Vietnam.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
“Before COVID, we were working on
exercises for influenza,” says Hall,
a business process analyst for the
CDC’s influenza coordination unit who
had been involved with the agency’s
response to the H1N1 and Ebola
outbreaks. “When the pandemic hit, we
started with 50 people,” says Hall, who
was focused on bringing on new staff for
the agency. “We’re communicating with
the states and municipalities. We went
from a small group to 650 people at its
largest point.”
10
Meanwhile, in Pennsylvania Army
National Guard members, Brig. Gen.
James McCormack ’90/’93M and
Col. Timothy Brooks ’92 coordinated
coronavirus activities as leaders in the
Guard’s Joint Staff at Fort Indiantown
Gap.
McCormack, who is also BU’s associate
vice president for student development
and campus life, was involved with
COVID response on campus and
throughout the state.
“The COVID mitigation measures
on campus were very successful,”
says McCormack, who early in the
pandemic worked with Eric Ness, chief
facilities and safety officer, arranging for
Geisinger medical providers to stay at
BU apartments in order to quarantine
from their families.
“Fortunately, Geisinger had very good
procedures that kept their staff safe, and
few people needed the apartments. We
also had a dialog with the Army Corps
of Engineers about serving as a potential
mass quarantine site.”
While a mass quarantine site wasn’t
needed, McCormack, who has
completed tours in Afghanistan
and Iraq and was the primary lead
on negotiating between Pennsylvania
Emergency Management Agency
(PEMA) and the Pennsylvania National
Guard, emphasizes that planning is still
essential. “The time to figure out what
to do is not after it happens. If you wait
until it happens, you are way too late.”
The Joint Staff, which McCormack
heads, has oversight and tasking
authority for all Pennsylvania
National Guard personnel assigned to
support domestic operations at the
direction of the governor. “There are
four components, Army National Guard,
Air Force National Guard, Veteran Affairs,
and Civil Air Patrol,” says McCormack.
“The need to communicate and rely
on others is critical to getting things
done. The components aren’t siloed. If
I need medics, the Air Force and Army
both have medics that can support
an assigned mission. Tying into other
agencies and units is what makes us able
to function best.”
Brig. Gen.
James McCormack ’90/’93M
Col.
Timothy Brooks ’92
As the pandemic began, Brooks, a retired
Bethlehem police officer, moved to a
full-time role as chief of the Joint Staff,
with McCormack as his direct superior.
“I became the lead representative at
PEMA for the Guard,” says Brooks,
recalling driving on empty roads
from the Guard headquarters at Fort
Indiantown Gap to PEMA’s Harrisburg
headquarters.
“It was important to know the
participants … it wasn’t just the Guard;
it was PEMA and Department of
Health. You stay in your lane but also
learn what the other lanes are. Being
collaborative is the best way. A lot of
senior officers working with me at PEMA
had experience from deployments,”
says Brooks, whose own tours include
Army veteran
Mark Hall ’86
Hungary, Afghanistan, Iraq, and
Louisiana for Hurricane Katrina. “With
our experience with planning, we can
anticipate problems and challenges and
think of things a couple of steps ahead.”
“Long-term care facilities were hit hard,
the National Guard went into help
alleviate pressure,” says Brooks. “We
assisted PEMA in planning for the use of
a system that sterilized N95 masks.”
Brooks was also deeply involved in
planning for vaccination sites this spring.
“We were part of the initial flurry of
activity on a Friday afternoon in February.
For the first Johnson & Johnson shots
for teachers and support personnel;
How many medics were able to give the
shots? How many can you field? That
was a big undertaking. Of the 28 sites
for teachers, the Guard was at eight of
them. It was very successful.”
“The quality of the instruction at BU, the
teachers, their consistency, love for their
work. It gave me the fundamentals to
function in any environment,” says Hall,
who majored in history.
One of few underrepresented students
on campus in the 1980s, Hall worked
with a professor to do a study of
minorities at Bloomsburg University.
“Being given the latitude to do
something like that influenced me. I
never felt limited. I felt prepared by the
time I stepped on the first military base
after I left Bloomsburg, I was competitive
with everyone around me,” says Hall,
who notes that 10 family members have
attended BU, including his daughter Joy
Hall, who earned a master’s degree in
clinical athletic training.
“Some of the other experiences are
just as important as the academics,
the activities may fill in where the
academics didn’t. Leadership, seeing
another side of an issue,” says Brooks.
“Everything I heard about college
seemed to happen at Bloomsburg. From
playing hacky sack, meeting friends. I
ran cross-country two seasons, was a
Husky Ambassador. Totally out of my
comfort zone, I was a Husky Singer for
several semesters. Each experience
added to who I am now and gave me
different perspectives to draw on once I
graduated.”
The preparation and skills learned at BU
served both the citizen solider and our
nation well in a time of crisis.
Shown From left, Erin Pawlick and Catherine Metzger, with a BU flag in Iraq. Gabrielle
Erb is pictured in the Table of Contents on page 2.
Care
Packages
Make a
Lasting
Impact on
Student
Soldiers
By Tom McGuire
Serving overseas in the military far from family,
friends, and all the comforts of home is one
of the sacrifices soldiers make in service to
our country. When deployed soldiers receive
gifts from home, the gesture goes far beyond
getting something different to eat or an item to
use. It gives that soldier the knowledge they are
remembered and appreciated.
When five BU students, Erin Pawlick, Gabrielle
Erb, Leo Malfara, Grant Lyons, and BU graduate
Catherine
(Cat) Metzger ’20, all members of the
Pennsylvania Army National Guard Aviation
group, deployed to Camp Buehring in Kuwait,
the BU Military and Veteran Resources Office
collected both snacks and BU memorabilia and
sent the care packages to their fellow students.
“It is nice to get a piece of BU while serving in
a rough environment,” said Cat Metzger, an
E4 Specialist, via a Facetime call from Kuwait.
“To know that people back at Bloomsburg
University are thinking of us means a lot.”
“The main things that are nice to receive are healthy snacks,” said Sgt. Pawlick.
“They always say that you either get fit or fat on deployments. I work out just
about every day, so making sure I have only healthy things is important to me,
so I’m not eating crap in my downtime.”
For Metzger, who will return to BU this fall as a graduate student in the college
student affairs program, Lyons, an E4 Specialist and Erb, also an E4 Specialist,
who will finish her degree this fall, cards and letters were great to receive.
“Our favorite thing we received here was the multiple Christmas and Veterans
Day cards from elementary schools!” said Metzger. “We taped up every single
one we received in our work break room, and they are still up on the wall.”
Sgt. Malfara is bringing home a flag that flew during a combat mission over
Iraq and will present it to the university.
“The flag flew on Feb. 1, 2021, aboard a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter during
Operation Inherent Resolve, and it will be my honor to present it to BU,” said
Malfara.
No matter the place or circumstance, Huskies always care for other Huskies.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
Hall also had his start with the Pa.
National Guard, joining in high school.
He credits his experience at BU for giving
him tools to succeed throughout his
career in very diverse environments.
«
“National Guard is not just one
weekend a month,” stresses McCormack.
“Pennsylvania is uniquely positioned in
the nation to respond to problems to the
south or the northeast. The Pa. Guard
could just as easily be needed in D.C. or
New York City.”
11
Dreams That Bloom
By Tom Schaeffer “02
H
annah Harple ’21 wanted nothing
more than to make her family
proud by achieving her dreams
of walking across the stage and
shaking hands with BU President
Bashar Hanna when she received
her diploma and officially completed
her early childhood and special
education degree.
Just like the nearly 30 percent of
students who enroll at BU each year,
Harple, a Honeybrook native, is the
first member of her family to go to
college and complete her four-year
degree. Though she has worked hard
to achieve her goals, she is thankful
for the scholarships she received
from the Bloom On Fund that have
helped her finish her climb.
“It’s an amazing feeling to get
selected for that accomplishment
and receive a scholarship,” Harple
says. “It helps you. It’s a lot of money,
and my parents helped all they
could, but that scholarship helped
me feel good knowing that I could
help them too, and I am so grateful
for that.”
«
Hannah Harple
celebrates
graduation with
her parents Kelly
and Mark in May.
Scholarships like the one Harple received are more important than ever before in helping
Bloomsburg University recruit talented students and provide them with the financial support
they need to complete their education. That is why the Bloomsburg University Foundation (BUF)
announced this spring that they have committed $2 million in need-based scholarships from
the Bloom On Fund to help with student recruitment and retention, which will be awarded in
installments of $500,000 per year for the next four years.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
“We are so thankful to the BUF Board and our donors for committing to provide such much-needed
scholarships,” says Hanna. “They are leading our Husky pack by example, and I can’t thank them
enough for the work they’ve done to make this happen.”
12
The demand for an increase in need-based scholarships became clear to BUF leadership after
meeting with Hanna and University administrators and hearing how scholarships like these are
among the most effective tools the BU admissions team can use to help students and their families
make the final decision to attend BU.
“One of the biggest challenges for current and incoming students is the harsh reality that they
may have to postpone their education due to financial obstacles, especially during these uncertain
times,” says BUF Board President Drew Hostetter. “That’s what we’re here for, to help support
students and advance the success of this University. Right now, this is the best way for us to do
that.”
The scholarships awarded through this increased commitment will help BU recruit students and
provide the University with the flexibility to respond to students’ needs to help them stay on course
for timely completion of their degrees.
“The scholarships I received helped me stay on track,
even when things weren’t going as planned,” says Mina
Fayez ’21. “I was accepted for a very beneficial internship
that I was set to begin in my senior year, but it ended
up getting canceled because of COVID. I had also taken
the first steps toward launching my own business, but
COVID derailed that too.”
Fayez is also the first in his family to achieve his fouryear degree, precisely the vision his parents had for him
when they came to the United States from Egypt shortly
after he was born. He embodies the Husky spirit that BU
students and alumni exhibit every day. No matter what
twists and turns this past year presented, he was not
going to let it stop him.
When he realized he would not be participating in
the internship and couldn’t bring in revenue with
his business idea, Mina applied for scholarship
support through the Bloom On Fund to help keep his
educational goals on track. Thanks to the scholarships
he received, he refocused and even graduated a
semester ahead of schedule with a job already secured.
Now he is at the beginning of his journey toward a
career in management.
«
Mina Fayez
The announcement of the increased commitment to
scholarships has also created a groundswell of support
from BU donors who have made gifts or increased their
contributions to support this initiative.
Greg ’01 and Jen Bowden ’02 were both first-generation
students and realized just how vital these types of
scholarships can be for students facing financial need.
They made their first gift to BU right after they graduated
and have been giving back as leaders in the BU
community ever since.
In 2016, the Bowdens set up a gift through their estate to
establish the Bowden Family Leadership Scholarship and
help create the same life-changing opportunity they had
at BU for students today and in the future.
They recently increased their support in response to the
need for additional scholarships to help the University
recruit and retain students.
Eric Pettis ‘83 was also inspired to pledge $1,000 a year
for the next four years to support scholarships that will
help recruit and retain students. Pettis, who established
a scholarship years ago, chose to increase his giving
because he knows how much it can help.
“I have seen the impact of scholarship support firsthand,
and I’m a big believer in giving back to the places that
made you who you are,” Pettis says. “I hope my gift will
inspire others to do the same. When you think about it,
if just 500 donors make a gift of $1,000, that will help
cover these scholarships for the year, and I think Huskies
are up to that challenge.”
To learn more about this initiative or to make a gift,
call 855-282-4483 or visit giving.bloomu.edu/FirstGen.
«
Eric Pettis
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
«
Greg and Jen Bowden while students at BU.
At right, the Bowdens and their children today.
“We worked with the Foundation to increase our gift
because we know how much of a difference it can make
in these students’ lives,” says Greg. “We hope this will
not only help students who need it but also inspire the
recipients to push themselves to become leaders too.”
13
GRIT&
N
O
I
T
A
N
I
M
R
E
T
E
D
d
e
i
f
i
n
o
pers
By Eric Foster
and Tom McGuire
“
“With brain injuries, you’re always
in rehab and always learning and
always healing. My one doctor
told me that when you go to the
real world and go to college and
walk on campus, that will be your
therapy. I’m going to classes and
walking, learning.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
— Jackie Lithgow
14
Photo: Jaime North
Photo: Bill Hughes/
Press Enterprise
“
atching BU’s spring commencement ceremony from
the press box at Redman Stadium, Jim and Lisa Lithgow
never took their eyes off their son Jackie as he sat on the field
with his fellow graduates. As Jackie neared the stage, then
ultimately had his name called as a graduate, tears flowed from
his mother’s eyes. The journey was complete. It was a long
time coming.
Seven years after a head injury left him in a coma, Jackie
Lithgow defied the odds and graduated from Bloomsburg
University with a degree in media and journalism.
Lithgow’s life changed forever on Feb. 23, 2014, when the
19-year-old, trying to break up a fight, was blindsided by a
punch. Falling to the ground, his head struck the pavement. He
was life-flighted to Geisinger Hospital in Danville and lay in a
coma for 15 days. Jackie was given the worst possible ranking
on the Glasgow Coma scale. Over 90% of patients with this
type of traumatic brain injury never regain consciousness and,
if they do, are significantly impaired.
Jackie, though, fought hard. “With perseverance and support
from his parents, BU alumni Jim ‘83 and Lisa ‘83, family and
community, Lithgow defied the odds.
Walking across the stage to receive his diploma was a double
milestone.
“I finished out my therapies while finishing college,” says
Jackie, of Carlisle. “Walking across the stage when I was
getting my diploma was very special to me, the crescendo of
everything I’ve worked for. Your life is like a book. I’ve had a lot
of chapters in the book, this turns another chapter.”
Lithgow fought hard for his recovery and the diploma.
As a fighter, he had powerful role models in his parents. “My
parents mean everything to me. They were at every stage of
my recovery. When I was in the hospital they would sleep on
the bed by me, they would hold my hand.”
“My mom was a fierce advocate for me when I couldn’t be,”
adds Lithgow. “There were many times when things were
going badly. And she stepped in and said this is how it’s going
to be. This is how it has to be. My parents were exceptional in
my recovery. I’ve had many people tell me do you understand
how amazing your parents are. I’m very blessed how they
would put their lives on the line for me.”
— BU President Bashar Hanna
“You know people would come in and they would look at
you in a way that was just like they felt very sorry for you, or
doctors would come in and not with a great prognosis,” says
his mother. “But we could see him in there, I mean, we knew
he was there — we knew it was going to take time, but we
just knew. We knew he could get back, it was just a matter of
taking the time.”
The road back to class was a hard one, involving nine surgeries
and intensive rehabilitation.
A turning point for Lithgow was aquatic therapy in which he
relearned to walk, one step at a time, with a treadmill in a
swimming pool. In addition to those therapies, his father found
a functional medicine doctor who put Jackie on a diet low in
gluten and sugar, which helped speed his recovery.
“With brain injuries, you’re always in rehab and always learning
and always healing,” says Jackie. “My one doctor told me that
when you go to the real world and go to college and walk on
campus, that will be your therapy. I’m going to classes and
walking, learning.”
“My parents told me I don’t have to go back to college,” says
Lithgow. “I wanted to go back to college, I had this. After my
injury and getting better, it intensified my hunger to graduate
and get a diploma.”
In the spring of 2016, two years after his injury, he returned to
BU to begin taking classes again. Those first semesters were
especially challenging.
“I liked to refer to myself as a hermit in my shell. Only
coming out to go to classes and getting something to eat,”
says Lithgow. “I had friends still at Bloomsburg, but from a
mental perspective, what would tire me out the most was
socialization. Being around people at that time was very tiring.
There was a balance I had to find between socializing and
schoolwork. Post-injury, studying had to be more rigorous,
more flashcards. It took up more of my time.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
W
“Jackie is the epitome of the grit and
determination for which we Huskies are
known. We are inspired by all that he has
overcome, and are beyond proud of all that
he has accomplished.”
15
“When I first started BU, I was an ITM (Information and Technology
Management) major and switched to digital forensics,” says Lithgow. “But
when I came back from my injury, I didn’t understand anything going on. So,
I talked with Theresa Bloskey in TRIO Student Support Services, and I took an
intro mass communications class with professor (Jason) Genovese and was
hooked.”
Each semester, Lithgow tried to add a course to his schedule until he was
taking four classes. His mom stayed locally with friends, becoming a source of
help and guidance. Support from BU extended well beyond the first semester
and involved many offices. Among them were athletics director Michael
McFarland and assistant swimming coach Bridget Hilferty, who helped him
increase his strength and stability with exercises. And graduate students in
speech-language pathology and the concussion institute provided therapy.
“Jackie is the epitome of the grit and determination for which we Huskies are
known,” says BU President Bashar Hanna. “We are inspired by all that he has
overcome, and are beyond proud of all that he has accomplished.”
“It starts with Dr. Hanna, I had lunch with him every so often,” says Lithgow.
“Dr. Genovese (chair of media and journalism department) has been a role
model. All the professors have been wonderful.”
“In my 15 years here at BU I have never seen a more inspirational story than
Jackie’s,” says Genovese. “To see how far he has come these past few years
is truly remarkable. He attacked his schoolwork with impressive vigor and
energy. Despite what he’s been through, Jackie always wears a big smile
on his face and has the most charming personality. Whether we chat about
school, family, or Philadelphia sports, I’m just lucky to have crossed paths with
this young man.”
“All those people out there that got him here. It wasn’t just us. It was a total
team effort. From Bloom, to doctors to therapists, so for all those people … to
see him do this is pretty cool,” says Jim Lithgow.
Lithgow has been involved in more than his classes. He also created the
Jackie Lithgow Foundation to support traumatic brain injury survivors during
their road to recovery. Through events such as an annual golf tournament,
the foundation (lithgowfoundation.org) has raised over $65,000 for Magee
Rehabilitation Hospital and local traumatic brain injury patients.
“Media and journalism is where I want to be,” he says. “It’s helped me think
about, especially with the foundation, how to reach out and connect with
people.”
He’s gotten some real-life experience in his chosen field by being the subject
of stories in several newspapers, including The Philadelphia Inquirer, and on
local TV.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
Jackie and his parents were also guests on the nationally syndicated Tamron
Hall show. “Letting go is hard, even growing up, I wanted to keep them in
bubble wrap,” shared Lisa Lithgow about helping Jackie return to college. “You
want to raise independent young adults. He didn’t work that hard for so many
years to not let him do what he wanted.”
16
“I’m trying to stay humble,” says Jackie of the media attention. “I’m glad my
story is getting coverage because if it can impact one other person, I would
love to see that happen, for people to see my story and get inspired.”
“When I was in the hospital, I’ve seen patients who have it worse. I’ve been
fortunate, I have a support system. Not everyone has that support system,”
says Lithgow. “That’s why I started the foundation. I saw people who were
there alone and didn’t have the support system. I really wanted to help support
other traumatic brain injury survivors and let them know there is hope.”
What’s next for Lithgow?
“I have an internship with a local company in Carlisle,” he says. “Then after
that, I’ll see what works best and what jobs open. Explore the real world as
they say. I’m going to enjoy the ride.”
“
“Despite what he’s been
through, Jackie always
wears a big smile on his
face and has the most
charming personality.
Whether we chat
about school, family or
Philadelphia sports, I’m
just lucky to have crossed
paths with this young
man.”
— Jason Genovese
By Eric Foster
Born in Bloomsburg, Gass grew up in
nearby Sunbury. “It certainly was not
an easy place to be gay when I was in
high school. I certainly was not out in
high school. Nobody was. That concept
just didn’t exist,” recalls Gass. A year
after high school, his experience as an
exchange student in Chihuahua, Mexico,
helped Gass open up.
“In Mexico, I had a group of close friends
that I had established that I could trust.
And part of it was just growing up and
discovering who we are. It’s a leap
of faith,” says Gass, who still has his
graduation ring from Chihuahua.
Returning to Pennsylvania, Gass worked
at the then Acme Market in Sunbury
to put himself through college at BU
without loans.
After graduation from BU, Gass worked
in Philadelphia before heading to
Arizona to complete his law degree. He
graduated from Arizona State College of
Law magna cum laude and Order of the
Coif and clerked for the Honorable Ruth
V. McGregor, now a retired Chief Justice,
before joining a private firm.
“When I graduated, the U.S. Supreme
Court had fairly recently issued the
opinion that LGBT people could be
prosecuted and labeled as sex offenders
and required to register. It’s hard to
imagine that I was going to end up being
able to be a judge,” says Gass, who had
the support of his now-husband Don to
complete law school.
“One of the things you have to do is
learn how to make your own family,”
says Gass. “At Bloomsburg, it was the
forensic society where I found a group
of people that I could trust and work
with.”
Gass notes that Arizona was the first
state in the nation to reject the ban on
same-sex marriage. “That made me
look at the world in a different way and
gave me the courage to say, yeah, I can
apply. When the governor appointed me
to the Superior Court, she knew that I
was gay. Her staff knew I was gay, but it
wasn’t in my application. When I applied
for the Court of Appeals, I put it in my
application. Ten years later, the world
had changed enough that I thought it
was an important aspect that needed
to not be off to the side. I can look at
students now and absolutely say; you
can be a Supreme Court justice.”
At BU, Gass also found a mentor in Anne
Batory, who he had for a psychology
course. “It was a class about learning
how to be who we are and trust that
other people can accept us and learning
what to do when they come. It was an
amazing class, and she was an amazing
mentor. I keep in touch with her still, and
I thank her regularly for inspiring me and
While Gass is an advocate for LGBTQA+
issues, he’s most proud of his work
behind the scenes to have the Fred
Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and
the Constitution observed in Arizona.
Korematsu was a civil rights activist who
objected to the internment of Japanese
Americans during World War II. While the
U.S. Supreme Court upheld the legality
A two-time BU graduate, Gass earned
a bachelor’s degree in business
administration and marketing in 1984
and a master’s degree in communication
in 1985. While at BU, Gass experienced
firsthand the power and importance of
caring mentors and the availability of
spaces for self-discovery.
«
Gass knew, even as a child, that he
wanted to pursue law as a career. “When
I was in fifth grade, my teacher went
around and said, what do you want to
be when you grow up? I said I wanted
to be president. And she said that’s cool.
You can. You need to be a lawyer. I said,
OK, ‘I’ll be a lawyer.’”
Gass, center, as a student at BU,
and as a judge in Arizona.
of the internment order, Korematsu’s
conviction for evading internment was
overturned four decades later in U.S.
District Court.
Gass recalls meeting a young Japanese
American college student who “looked
at me and said, ‘I don’t know anything
about this.” We’re in Arizona, where two
of the largest internment camps were,
and she had never even heard of it. Part
of what we need to do is make sure
that we don’t forget that we can make
mistakes too, that we can do things that
harm people.”
His next mission? “Diversity on the
bench,” says Gass. “I live in a state that
has the largest number and acreage of
reservations, but we have one Native
American judge on a court of record for
the entire state. That’s been my mission.
I’ve talked to the folks in England about
their legal mentorship program. It’s one
judge at a time and one attorney at a
time.”
See sidebar on next page.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
In a legal career spanning more than
25 years, Gass has used this heartfelt
experience to advocate against
discrimination in all forms.
giving me the confidence to believe in
myself.”
«
As a gay teenager growing up in the late
1970s, Arizona Court of Appeals Vice
Chief Judge David Gass ’84/’85M knows
what it means to be an outsider in his
community, school, and even home.
17
Using
Your
Voice to
Mentor
This spring, Judge David Gass
’84/’85M was the featured
speaker for BU’s virtual Lavender
Graduation, a ceremony held
at many universities to honor
and celebrate college seniors
and graduate students who
identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, and allies. He
encouraged the graduating
students to understand their own
power as mentors.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
“I want you to think about
making a difference, and I’m
not talking about making a
difference in changing the whole
world. Sometimes it’s just a little
change, but little changes add
up, and every little change grows
the next one and can ultimately
change the world. I want you
to be who you are. I want you
to walk away from this knowing
who you are is what matters. Be
true to yourself. Be true when
you are interacting with others, it
will come through, and you have
value in being yourself.”
18
“Think about that kid who’s
sitting in your old high school,
who is afraid of college, and
may not be out — maybe having
problems with their family.
You’ve already done this; you’re
graduating from college. So,
recognize that you have a voice,
and you have that power already
in you.”
&
W
hile fist bumps and masks replaced hugs and smiling faces, the BU
Class of 2021 Commencement Ceremonies were perfect in so many
ways. With comfortable temperatures, sunny skies, five ceremonies
were held at Redman Stadium from May 14-16.
A year after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of in-person
commencement, nearly 1,300 graduates and their families were again able to
gather to celebrate the experience of hearing their graduate’s name called.
“It is a joy that I can see you in person and not virtually,” said BU President
Bashar Hanna. “Who would have known that the spring break of 2020 would
have been such a pivotal moment in your education. But you made it! And
just like Huskies do, your grit and determination kept you persevering and
moving forward.”
Hanna’s message also related how he and those who started four years ago
grew together.
“You will always have a special place in my heart, especially those who
started as freshmen in the fall of 2017. We were essentially college freshmen
together. I, a freshman president, and you, college freshmen.”
As the graduates left Redman Stadium to rejoin their families, the joy of
the day wiped away much of the stress of the last 15 months.
Photos: Eric Foster, Nikki Keller, Stacey Newell, Jaime North.
19
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
Making a
Difference in
Different Ways
By Andrea O’Neill ’06
In a virtual ceremony this June, the Alumni Association
honored five Huskies who used their grit, unique experiences,
and successes to provide support and inspiration to others.
realized I could ask for help,” says Abney.
“I spent more time in the writing center
and took advantage of faculty office
hours. I learned to make decisions and be
OK with them.”
Dr. Kimberly Abney:
William T. Derricott ’66
Volunteer of the Year
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
Keeping the Light Shining
20
Dr. Kimberly Abney ’09 describes herself
as a “reluctant student” when she came
to BU. Today, she is a light for other
“reluctant” students through mentorship
and example, and has been named
the Bloomsburg University Alumni
Association’s 2021 William T. Derricott ’66
Volunteer of the Year.
Anxious to explore new places after high
school, Abney chose BU because the
Act 101 program had the earliest start
date. Like many first-generation students,
Abney describes the beginning of her
college career as rough. She needed
time to learn time management skills and
adjust to being on her own. But once
she found her niche, Abney never looked
back.
“Once I got in the swing of things, I
Discovering a sense of belonging at BU
became a cornerstone of personal and
professional growth. For Abney, the
biggest victory wasn’t graduation but
recognizing how hard work had paid off.
She has made it her mission to foster
that growth in others — not only in her
career as a certified school counselor for
the School District of Philadelphia and
director of the Right Balance Counseling
Center, but also through volunteering
at BU and as working as the CEO and
founder of We DREAM, a nonprofit
organization that builds structured youth
programs.
served as a career coach and member
of the Alumni Association Board of
Directors.
“BU will always be home base,” says
Abney. “My classes taught me a lot, but
it was really the people who became a
stepping stone to who I am today. I was
totally prepared, not just academically
but mentally and socially. It’s one of the
reasons I do so much.”
Her mentorship program, Thank
Goodness I’m Female (TGIF), which
she began in 2016, has improved the
graduation rates of female students of
color who must overcome academic
and personal issues while adjusting to
college life. The program’s first students
graduated in 2020 amid the COVID-19
pandemic.
“My purpose in life is to help the next
person recognize their opportunities and
create opportunities for others. I feel like
I made it, and it’s only right that I help
other people.”
“To see that vision come to life and
my mentees graduate has been so
rewarding. We became a family, and
they’re like my little sisters. They value my
opinion and lean on me for support.”
Charles Allen, a member of the We
DREAM board of directors, says that
Abney’s effect on her community is
unparalleled. “She leaves an imprint that
can’t be washed away,” says Allen. “Her
work brings out the best in adults and
kids, and her passion is phenomenal. She
gives so much time and effort, and a lot
of her work goes unnoticed.”
The ripple effect extends back to BU
through the financial support she
provides with the Kimberly T. Abney
Scholarship Fund. Since 2016, five Act
101 students have completed degrees
with assistance from that scholarship.
The rewards, she says, far outweigh what
she gives.
In 2020, Abney volunteered on campus
as a career experience host, speaker, and
workshop leader for Day of Dialogue,
Husky Student Leadership Summit, the
PASSHE GEAR UP program, and the
Leadership Certificate program. She also
“Scholarships are important; it’s another
way to show up and be present for
students. What you do may not seem
like much, but it means the world to
somebody else, and you’ve shown them
there is a way. It’s all about keeping the
light shining.”
Moneghan began work on a master’s
degree in exercise science during her
senior year and achieved her goal of dual
bachelor’s degrees in 2010. During that
time, she became drawn to becoming
a physician’s assistant and earned a
master’s degree in physician assistant
studies from the Massachusetts College
of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in
2014 before returning to BU to finish her
master’s in exercise science the following
year.
Maroon & Gold Excellence Award
A Love of Giving Back
Although Kathleen Moneghan ’10/’15M
calls earning five degrees a “long road,” in
reality her journey only took a decade to
complete.
The Philadelphia native fell in love with
the BU campus as soon as she visited.
Originally an education major, Moneghan
quickly switched to speech pathology
before discovering a love of exercise and
nutrition. Supported by faculty adviser
Tom Martucci, Moneghan set out to earn
dual B.S. degrees in speech pathology
and exercise science in just four years.
“Dr. Martucci was fantastic,” says
Moneghan. “It was a lot of planning
and grit and a lot of summer courses,
but in the end, it taught me about time
management, staying on track, and doing
it on my own. It was a huge learning
experience.”
“It was a lot of fun for me,” says
Moneghan. “I had built a skill set that
helped me start my own business and get
through physician’s assistant (PA) school.”
“Our network had to tap into rural Maine,
and I wanted to share their mission
throughout the state,” says Moneghan.
“Knowing that I’ve connected patients
to resources and other patients and
survivors is a great feeling.”
Moneghan’s efforts do not stop there.
She delivers food to cancer patients
through the Christine B. Foundation and
has served with the PA Foundation as
a lead mentor and Nutrition Outreach
Fellow, as well as a coach with the
Diabetes Prevention Program. Her
volunteer efforts have earned her a
National Daily Point of Light Award.
Yet, despite her success, Moneghan felt
disconnected from her community, and
returned to volunteering.
Moneghan is now the associate medical
director of remote telemedicine at
ConvenientMD, an urgent care center
serving Maine, Massachusetts, and New
Hampshire, and sits on the executive
board of the Maine Association of
Physician Assistants as treasurer and is
part of the educational committee. This
spring, Moneghan added a doctorate
in health administration to her resume,
which she hopes will amplify her ability
to help other PAs achieve a work-life
balance, reach their goals, and maintain a
better sense of well-being.
She chose the Leukemia and Lymphoma
Society, which researched the
experimental trial that saved her father’s
life. She brings a message of help and
hope to the residents of rural Maine,
some of whom drive up to seven hours
for treatment in Boston. Moneghan
serves as a patient advocate and leader
“Small achievements happen every
day, but some of the harder ones are
very impactful for me,” says Moneghan.
“Sometimes, if you’re working a lot in less
forgiving environments, you’re tired, but
you know you’ve worked hard. Those
moments stick with you because you
made the most difference.”
Moneghan has been a practicing
physician’s assistant in Maine since
2015. She has served as an emergency
medicine and surgical physician assistant,
operating room manager, virtual urgent
care associate medical director, and
occupational health physician assistant,
earning her a nomination for the Maine
Physician’s Assistant of the Year Award.
Professor Emeritus Anthony J. Sylvester:
Honorary Alumnus
Opening Hearts and Changing Minds
Anthony Sylvester didn’t attend BU, but
as a faculty member and community
activist with a larger-than-life personality
and commitment to diversity, civil
rights, and world peace, he made an
unalterable impact, earning him a
posthumous Honorary Alumnus Award
from the Bloomsburg University Alumni
Association.
Sylvester joined BU’s history department
in 1965, following service in the Army and
earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees
at Rutgers University and a Ph.D. at the
University of Chicago.
“Teaching for him was an active, rather
than passive experience,” says Dr. Vera
Vititz-Ward, his spouse and now retired
BU art professor. “It wasn’t just about
reading the books and memorizing dates.
He would bring historical concepts and
events to life. He wanted the students to
realize they were a part of history.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
Kathleen Moneghan:
Moneghan spent time as a personal
trainer in her own establishment while
working her way through both programs.
She credits BU for providing the tools and
experiences necessary to achieve each
milestone.
of the Hero Squad, helping fundraising
efforts and teaching elementary and
middle school students about blood
cancers. She is a committee member to
help lead their BigClimb2021 national
campaign.
continued on next page
21
Rodriguez, “That moment opened doors
to my purpose: to be a voice for the
voiceless and fight for those who can’t
fight for themselves.”
“The forefront of everything I do is to
make sure they have a voice and feel
included,” she says. “No student is going
to stay on any campus if they don’t feel
like they belong.”
Madelyn Rodriguez:
Distinguished Service Award
A Voice for Students
Madelyn Rodriguez ’95/’98M knew her
calling was multicultural education from
her days as a student when she lobbied
to create the Multicultural Center on the
BU campus in 1994.
That experience helped Rodriguez find
her voice and strength and cemented
her commitment to helping others in
multicultural education. The family
atmosphere of BU allowed her to feel
welcome, explore her calling, and drove
her desire to return to campus. That
feeling of belonging still drives her focus
to help students on their climb.
After graduation and a stint as a BU
graduate assistant, she became an area
coordinator at Lehigh University before
returning to BU as a residence director
before taking over the Multicultural
Center in 2005.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
“When I was a student fighting to get
the Multicultural Center open, I never
imagined I would be the director,” says
22
He invited witnesses to relay their
firsthand accounts of watershed
moments, such as the siege of Leningrad
during World War II. He established the
International Education Exchange, which
offered cultural trips both stateside and
abroad, such as Russia and West Africa.
“He asked questions. Rather than lecture,
he challenged,” says former student
Mike Caroll ’72, now the supervising
attorney for Community Legal Services of
Philadelphia. “He was pivotal in opening
minds with his warmth and passion
and the way he cared about the basic
humanity of everybody he met.”
Rodriguez, or “Ms. Maddy” as students
refer to her, has been called the heart
and pillar of the Black and brown student
community, dedicated to creating
opportunities to celebrate their culture
and advocate for campus and town
equity and inclusion. She has coordinated
and advised many clubs and events,
mentoring programs, conferences, and
celebrations. She also provides Spanish
translation services for families who need
assistance.
“I want people to know we care,” adds
Rodriguez. “You don’t have to be a
person of difference or a student of color
to come to our space and our office. We
are here for all Huskies.”
For Terrell J. Garrett ’10, now senior
director of OneGoal NYC, Rodriguez
reinforced that he did indeed have
a place on campus and guided him
through the hard conversations that
allowed him to learn about himself and
follow his calling.
“Maddy became a second mom to
me,” says Garrett. “She not only held
me accountable but pushed me to
go beyond limits I had set for myself.
I’m honored to attribute my pride and
identity development to her mentorship.”
As part of Martin Luther King Day
celebrations, Rodriguez has brought
“He was very serious in his commitment,”
says Viditz-Ward. “He was very scholarly,
and I’m not sure people realize that.
Tony was very balanced and fair in his
assessment of political and historical
situations.”
Sylvester was named co-chair of the
BU Human Relations Committee in
1992 after a cross-burning incident on
campus, and was appointed to serve on
the diversity task force created by BU
President Harry Ausprich.
“There was nothing fake about him,” says
professor emeritus Irving Wright, who
served as co-chair on the committee.
prominent speakers to campus such
as Princeton professor and MSNBC
contributor Dr. Eddie Glaude, former
North Carolina state Rep. Bakari Sellers,
and correspondent Soledad O’Brien as
part of the CNN “Black in America” series.
“The work is sometimes hard and even
in celebration, there is often a sense of
sadness and anger when the society
we live in proves far from just,” says
Rodriguez “But the more you know, the
more you grow.”
In 2016, Rodriguez was the recipient
of the Shining Light Award and Student
Organization Advisor of the Year.
She recently received the Mid-Level
Professional Award from the College
Student Educator’s International
Coalition for Women and is part of the
Frederick Douglass Institute for Academic
Excellence board of directors. Her work
has also resulted in her selection as cochair for the President’s Commission on
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and she
helped to organize the student advisory
board of the same name.
Rodriguez also fosters cultural
understanding off-campus as a member
of the Coalition for Social Equity steering
committee in town and has spearheaded
the annual Bloomsburg Breast Cancer
Walk for 18 years. In 2017 she organized
a relief effort for Puerto Rico in the wake
of Hurricane Maria.
“For me, Bloomsburg was and is a place
for me to be who I am and grow,” says
Rodriguez. “If I’m not authentic, how
can I ask someone else to be? How can
I be a model alumnus if I don’t model
inclusion every day? Sometimes that’s
hard, but there is no other way. I’m lying
otherwise.”
“Tony was genuine, and people
reciprocated. Tony was very passionate
about creating a society and community
in Bloomsburg that was fair for everyone
and embraced diversity.”
He served as an adviser to the Foreign
Students, Third World Cultural Society,
Black Cultural Society, Student Coalition,
International Relations Club, and the
Black History Month Committee,
allowing him to reach students who were
struggling the most, both academically
and personally.
Siegmann earned his degree in education
from Bloomsburg, went on to get a
master’s degree in science education
from Western Connecticut State
University in 1980, and a certificate
in educational administration and
leadership in 1996.
Dennis Siegmann:
Distinguished Service Award
Helping Others Grow
Dennis Siegmann ’68 spent more than
37 years in public education as a teacher,
coach, and administrator. Not bad for
someone who didn’t see himself as
college material.
The son of a construction worker from
Levittown, Pa., Siegmann was a state
wrestling qualifier but had not considered
college. He was encouraged to apply to
Bloomsburg by his high school principal
and wrestling coach, both of whom were
alums.
“I probably wouldn’t have gone if it had
not been for them,” says Siegmann.
“They called my parents in one day and
explained that I had a good chance at a
college career.”
As a first-generation college student,
Siegmann struggled to pay his way. In
fact, at the end of his junior year, he
wasn’t sure if he would make it back for
his final year. His high school principal,
Dr. Frank Frageli, wrote a check for his
tuition and found him a job so he could
repay the money.
He landed a teaching position at Bristol
(Conn.) Central High School and also
served as the head wrestling coach. He
led his team to two state championships
and retired in 1999 with a record of 348109-12 to become the principal of the
school.
“In life, you can only hope to be a better
person today than you were yesterday,”
says Siegmann. “Life lessons are in
learning how to earn success and accept
defeat. The hard work that you have
to do every day to be the best that you
can be is one of the skills we hope they
understand when they wrestle.”
He later returned to coaching as an
assistant at Northeastern Oklahoma
A&M and Labette Community College
in Kansas, helping each team win
two national championships. Among
many honors, he is a member of the
Connecticut High School Coaches Hall
of Fame, the Connecticut Chapter of
the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, and
the New Jersey Township Sports Hall of
Fame.
Wrestling has been a tool to teach about
life. “It’s such an individual and humbling
sport that you learn competitiveness and
an understanding of who you are,” says
Siegmann. “There’s always somebody
better than you out there somewhere.
Following his retirement in 1992,
Sylvester served as a part-time
coordinator of the Act 101 program at
BU. He was honored with the Martin
Luther King, Jr. Award in 1999 and
inducted into the Chi Alpha Epsilon
Honor Society.
“We would have students just leave
school and go home for personal
reasons. We wanted to intercede before
that happened. The students respected
him and responded very well. Many
students found their way because of his
support.”
“He was very patient and studentcentered, and that is the key to helping
students,” says Wright. “No matter where
we went, former students would talk
about the great experience they had in
his classes, and that was a great tribute
to him.”
And he remained engaged in social
demonstrations and political discourse
with both the student and local
communities long after he retired.
He served on the Citizen Advisory
Committee on Public Assistance and
the Task Force on Racial Equity in
We developed our programs with a family
atmosphere with students who wanted to
be themselves, as well as part of a team.”
Siegmann was named Volunteer of the
Year by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of
Fame and earned an invitation from the
National Wrestling Coaches Association
to be a facilitator for its Scholastic CEO
Leadership program.
Siegmann has stayed in touch with his
wrestling teammates and classmates
and often returns to Bloomsburg for
Homecoming and the John Devlin Golf
Tournament football fundraiser. “It’s so
important to keep those relationships
going and maintain communication. I’ve
always had good friends from back then
that are still my closest friends.”
Once career and family responsibilities
began taking up less time, Siegmann
became more involved with his alma
mater.
“The camaraderie you develop when
you’re at a small college like Bloomsburg
is amazing,” says Siegmann. “I have an
opportunity now to rekindle what I had
back in the day and help others foster
that same kind of bond.”
He has founded the Siegmann Family
Wrestling Scholarship, which provides
$1,000 each year to a student-athlete
in wrestling. Siegmann also volunteered
as a webinar panelist to help teacher
applicants with resume advice, imparting
his wisdom on the next generation of
teachers and coaches, just like two fellow
Huskies did for him in 1964.
“Driving up that hill, it’s still a special
place in my life. There are a lot of things
to consider when you pick a college,
and you have to find a place to fit.
Bloomsburg fit for me.”
Bloomsburg and frequently volunteered
to facilitate dialogue to promote change.
He actively participated in community
groups like the Coalition for Social Equity
until he became ill in 2020. He died in
January, but those who knew Sylvester
best are certain he would have been
pleased to receive the Honorary Alumnus
Award.
“He came here in 1966 and made his life
here,” says Viditz-Ward. “He would be
proud and delighted, and I am too. It’s a
great way to remember him.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
“I learned a lot about giving back from
Dr. Frageli, and if it wasn’t for him, I might
have dropped out,” says Siegmann. “It
was my turning point.”
23
HUSKY NOTES
60s
80s
Jarold Ackerman ’65 has published a
second book of poems, “February 2,”
with poems and photographs by the
author, which is available as a paperback
book or .pdf file at www.blurb.com/
b/10113558-february-2. Ackerman
is also retired BU faculty member
(1977-2003).
Robert Striewig ’82 is a senior vice
president in AIA, Alera Group’s property
and casualty division. He specializes in
managing and negotiating the domestic
and international contract/commercial
surety programs between clients and
surety companies throughout the United
States. He served as president of the
Striewig Bonding Agency for over 30
years before joining AIA, Alera Group as
one of the principals in 2017. He is a past
president of the Mid-Atlantic Builder’s
Exchange and is chairman of the Central
Pennsylvania chapter of Construction
Financial Management Associate’s
annual scholarship event.
70s
James Scalise ’72 celebrated 30 years
of owning the Montclair Swim Club
in Oakland, Calif. Scalise, who was a
college swimmer and then a masters
swimmer, bought the 90-year-old club
in 1988 and developed it into a threepool facility with hot tub and fitness
center.
Allan Weikel ’76 and his wife, Theresa,
were appointed missionaries with Trans
World Radio (TWR) to serve at the
West Africa Transmitting Station. TWR
transmits Christian programming into
hard-to-reach areas of the world.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
David Arnold ’78 has been named
interim provost/vice president for
academic affairs at Keystone College
in La Plume, Pa., after having been
a consultant with John N. Gardner
Institute, Brevard, N.C. Arnold has served
as interim provost and vice president
for academic affairs at Salve Regina
University; president, chancellor, and
president emeritus of Eureka College;
vice president for academic and student
affairs at Missouri Western State; and
provost and dean of the college at St.
John Fisher College. Arnold earned a
bachelor’s degree in psychology from
BU, master’s and doctoral degrees in
social psychology from the University
of New Hampshire, and has completed
post-doctoral work at Harvard
University.
24
Richard Cordaro ’78 has written a
book, “The Essential Guide to Selling
Your Home: How to Sell Your Home
for the Most Amount of Money in
the Shortest Amount of Time!” A real
estate agent since 2003, Cordaro is a
professor of business at Harrisburg Area
Community College, where he also
teaches real estate courses.
Michael Glovas ’86 was named to the
2021 Best-In-State Wealth Advisors
List. The list spotlights more than
5,000 financial advisors, nominated by
their firms, who are then researched,
interviewed and assigned a ranking by
SHOOK Research. Those on the list
manage more than $6 trillion in client
assets.
Carlos Navarro ’87 has been named
vice president, OTC Sales and Marketing,
for Aphena Pharma Solutions, Inc.
Navarro is a Gulf War veteran, having
served as a military intelligence officer
for the U.S. Army and achieving the rank
of captain. In addition, he serves as a
mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Randall Black ’89, CEO and president
of Citizens Financial Services, Inc. and
First Citizens Community Bank, was
recently named as a class A director of
the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.
Black will help the board oversee the
Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank’s
operations, offer observations on
economic conditions, and establish the
bank’s discount rate. Additionally, the
directors are a link between the Federal
Reserve and the Communities in the
Third District, which includes eastern
Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and
Delaware. The Federal Reserve Bank of
Philadelphia supervises state member
banks, bank holding companies, and
savings and loan holding companies,
and provides financial services to
depository institutions and the federal
government.
Daniel Dimm ’89 was named vice
president of sales for the Eclipse
Corporation. A native of Shamokin,
Dimm earned a bachelor’s degree in
computer information systems and
served in the U.S. Army.
90s
U.S. Army Major Gen.
Michael Morrissey ’90
was promoted in March in a
ceremony in Huntsville, Ala.
Morrissey enlisted in the U.S.
Army Reserves in 1986. Upon
completion of the Army ROTC
program and graduation from
BU, he received a Regular Army
commission as an Air Defense
Officer.
His first assignment was
platoon leader in Operation
Desert Shield / Desert Storm.
Across more than 30 years
of service, he served in 10
countries. As commander of
the 31st Air Defense Artillery
Brigade, he deployed the
brigade headquarters in
support of Operation Enduring
Freedom, leading the forward
air and missile defense mission
across Qatar, United Arab
Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain and
Jordan.
Morrissey also served as
a Congressional Fellow
on the staff of the Senate
Appropriations Committee
Chair, on the Army Staff, and
with the Office of the Secretary
of Defense.
Before joining the MDA,
Morrissey was the
commanding General of
the 94th Army Air and
Missile Defense Command
in Honolulu, Hawaii,
commanding all Army air and
missile defense organizations
in the U.S. Indo-Pacific
Command and its sub-unified
commands.
HUSKY NOTES
Alan Eck ’91 has been named to an NFL
officiating crew for the 2021 season.
Eck, now in his sixth year as an NFL
official, has previously worked for the
Big 12 conference and the CFL. A former
quarterback for the Huskies, he still
holds the school record for most pass
completions in a season with 194.
Louis Defonteny ’92 accepted a
position as director of pupil services at
Palisades School District in Kintnersville.
He previously served as director of
special education and pupil services at
Bristol Township School District, where
he had a 27-year career.
Tanya Lehmann Koval ’93 was
selected to serve on the Robbinsville
Board of Education. Lehmann currently
teaches eighth grade language arts at
Manalapan-Englishtown Middle School.
She is an active volunteer with the PTA
and a past president of the Robbinsville
MOMS Club. She earned her bachelor’s
degree from BU and a master’s from
Rutgers University.
Dawn Patterson ’93 was recently
named Counselor of the Year by the
Burlington County, New Jersey, School
Counselors Association. Patterson has
been a counselor in the Bordentown
Regional School District for the past 20
years. In addition to her counseling role
at BRMS, Patterson is in her second year
serving on the Burlington County School
Counselors Association’s executive
board as the co-chair for elementary,
middle and high school professional
development meetings. At BRMS,
Patterson is the adviser for the school’s
IMPACT Club, a community service
organization.
Vince Aukamp ’95 was promoted to
director of IT at Cargas. Aukamp arrived
at Cargas in 2017 with a background in
both software and finance. After earning
a degree in finance from BU, Aukamp
spent 15 years managing the financial
and operational systems of a large
financial services company and five years
managing implementations of financial
software.
Linda Maldonado Gallagher
’95 was named vice president,
biologics chemistry and
manufacturing controls
at Codagenix. Maldonado
has more than 25 years
of experience in biologics
manufacturing from early
clinical phase to commercial
operations, spanning
development to commercial
launch for vaccine, antibody,
and gene therapy processes
and products. Prior to joining
Codagenix, she served as
senior director of GMP
Manufacturing, Downstream
and Fill Finish for Catalent Cell
and Gene Therapy, where she
led early-phase production
for a wide variety of biologics.
Before Catalent, she held
positions of increasing
responsibility at vaccine and
therapeutic manufacturers
including PharmAthene,
Human Genome Sciences,
Baxter Bioscience, Progenics,
and Sanofi Pasteur. Maldonado
earned a B.S. in biology from
BU and an M.S. in biology from
East Stroudsburg University.
Brian C. Urbas ’95 has been named
vice president, commercial lending
officer, at The Dime Bank. Urbas has
20 years of progressive banking and
lending experience working at financial
institutions serving Wayne, Susquehanna,
and Lackawanna counties. Residing in
the Forest City area with his wife Lora
and three children, Urbas is a basketball
and baseball coach for the Forest City
Regional Schools and a baseball coach
in the Carbondale Teener League.
Zhenia Klevitsky Menendez ’98 has
been named chief growth officer for
Sev1 Tech. She recently served as vice
president, business development for
ASRC Federal’s civilian, health, and
national security $400 million operating
group. Klevitsky is a Washington
Homeland Security Roundtable
steering committee member and has
spoken at multiple Reverse Industry
Days, including the Department of
Homeland Security, Transportation
Security Administration, and the
Department of Defense. Sev1Tech
provides IT modernization, cybersecurity,
cloud, engineering, fielding, training,
and program support services for
U.S. government agencies and major
commercial organizations.
00s
Kristin Austin ’02 has been named
the first director of I.D.E.As. (Inclusion,
Diversity, Equity and Access) for
Rewriting the Code, Inc. Rewriting
the Code is a national not-for-profit
organization that retains undergraduate
women in technology majors at more
than 700 universities with a goal
of increasing the representation of
women in the technology industry. She
also recently authored a book chapter in
College Ready 2021, a comprehensive
guide to first-year college transition.
Daniel Boote ’06 was named assistant
vice president, commercial officer/
small business lender at FNCB Bank. He
has more than 10 years of experience
in banking and most recently held the
position of assistant vice president,
Branch Manager with Community
Bank N.A. He is a member of the board
of directors for the Freeland YMCA,
Northeast Counseling Services, White
Haven Chamber of Commerce and
Shots for Tots Foundation. He has a
bachelor’s in political science.
Lethan Candlish ’07 has written a book,
“Who Am I Now?: Using Storytelling
to Accept and Appreciate Self-Identity
After Traumatic Brain Injury.” Candlish
suffered a traumatic brain injury in a
1999 automobile accident.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
90s
25
HUSKY NOTES
00s
Joseph Kleiner ’07/’08M was named
regional vice president for the Eastern
United States and Eastern Canada by
JLG Industries, Inc., a leading global
manufacturer of mobile elevating work
platforms and telehandlers. In his new
role, Kleiner’s primary focus will lead
JLG’s sales and service growth within the
region. Before taking on this new role,
Kleiner was a district sales manager in
the Western Region and in the Midwest
Region. Kleiner has a bachelor’s degree
in business administration and an MBA
from BU.
Lamar Oglesby ’07 was promoted to
executive director of research financial
services at Rutgers, The State University
of New Jersey. Oglesby began his
employee at Rutgers in March 2018.
10s
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
Dominic Picerno ’10, a Pennsylvania
state trooper, received the Top Gun
Award for his “ongoing commitment
to highway safety in the removal of
impaired drivers from the roadway.”
Picerno, who is stationed at the
Stonington barracks, has recorded 70
DUI arrests in the past year. This is the
third time he has won the award.
26
Karly Sarvis Disalvo ’11 was named
the health services administrator at
Landis Homes in Lititz. She is responsible
for the coordination and delivery of
programs and services for residents
in the health care and personal care
households. She previously worked
as associate executive director at
Watermark Retirement Communities of
Philadelphia. She also provides direction
for assessment coordinators, medical
records, life enrichment, and therapeutic
services. She is licensed for personal
care administration and as a nursing
home administrator. Disalvo received her
undergraduate social work degree from
BU and her Master of Social Work from
Temple University.
Nicolette Grasley-Boy ’11 finished
her doctorate in special education
at the University of Florida and is a
postdoctoral researcher at the Juniper
Gardens Children’s Project in Kansas
City, Kansas, part of the University of
Kansas.
Nicholas DeLuca ’12 earned a Master
of Arts in Education in Educational
Administration degree from Chadron
State College in December 2020. He is
working as a business teacher at Brick
Township Memorial High School in
Brick, N.J., where he advises the Rotary
Interact Club and BMHS High School
Yearbook Club.
Kathryn Howe Berger ’13 was named
the Exemplary Professional Practice
Nurse of the Year and the Nurse
Excellence Recipient for Nurses’ Week
2021 by the Geisinger Medical Center in
Danville.
Erik Pedersen ’13 founded an
independent publishing house and print
shop called Drum Machine Editions in
2018, which has since been featured
at a handful of international art book
fairs in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Norway,
and the Printed Matter Virtual Art Book
Fair held in February. Having earned
bachelor’s degrees in both studio art
and creative writing at BU, Pedersen is
working as a graphic designer at Moog
Music in Asheville, N.C.
Derrick Backer ’14 was named Sunbury
city administrator. Backer formerly
worked as a deputy political director
in Harrisburg and executive director of
Sunbury’s Revitalization, Inc.
Jackie Eddy ’14 was named director
of communications for the Patriot
League. Previously, Eddy worked for
the Big South Conference; Newberry
(S.C.) College, and Greensboro (N.C.)
College. Eddy worked in the BU sports
information office as a student assistant
and intern.
Megan Muthler Young ’15 was named
assistant retail advertising sales manager
for the Lock Haven Express. She earned
a bachelor’s degree in marketing at BU.
Shelby Coleman ’16 has been awarded
a Society of Toxicology Regulatory
and Safety Evaluation Specialty
Section Graduate Student Excellence
Award. A chemistry with biochemistry
option major at BU, Coleman is a
Ph.D. candidate in the environmental
chemistry program at SUNY College of
Environmental Science and Forestry. Her
research focuses on the identification
and characterization of air pollutants in
the Syracuse, N.Y., area.
John ‘Jack’ Fritz ’16 was named the
show producer for the Jon Marks and
Ike Reese Show at 94 WIP radio in
Philadelphia.
Alexandra (Alex) Booth ’14
has been named a pediatric
intensive care unit (PICU)
manager at Oklahoma
Children’s Hospital. In
December of 2020, she was
nominated by the chief nursing
officer of the hospital to apply
for the American Organization
for Nursing Leadership (AONL)
Nurse Manager Fellowship.
In February 2021, Booth was
recognized with the Legacy
Maker Award for her leadership
and dedication to the patients
and staff at the hospital.
Gabriella Loielo ’16 was promoted to
assistant program director of WFRE-FM
in Frederick, Md., while continuing to be
the on-air midday host at the station.
Loielo began her radio career as an
intern for 98.5 WKRZ in Wilkes-Barre.
Following a brief stint in middays with
WFRB in Cumberland, Md., she joined
WFRE as midday host in August of 2017.
Steven Beattie ’18M has been
named Lewisburg Borough’s community
development and grant manager.
Beattie was previously employed with
engineering design groups, including
HRG and Larson Design Group, where
he developed expertise in municipal
projects. Beattie holds a license in
landscape architecture, a high degree of
certification in emergency management,
and has long served as Lewisburg’s
emergency management coordinator.
Elizabeth Shampanore ’18 is a police
officer in the Selinsgrove Borough Police
Department.
HUSKY NOTES
Marriages
Obituaries
Kerry Hoffman, ’70
Cole Kresch ’16 and
Kassy (Beckage) Kresch, Aug. 20, 2020
Gertrude Makowski Grabowski, ’43
Robert Hochlander, ’71
Mildred Dzuris, ’45
Todd Baney, ’72
Tyler Morgan ’16 and
Megan (Johnson) Morgan, Sept. 26, 2020
Donald Houck, ’49
David Billet, ’72
Leon Messner, ’49
Jack Davenport, ’72
Stephanie (Thompson Ellison) Litz ’98
and Gary Litz, Jan. 2, 2020
Martha Stiner Bartleson, ’53
Gary June, ’72
Claude Renninger, ’53
John Michaels, ’72
Stephanie (Weicker) Caldwell ’15 and
Frederick Caldwell IV ’15, Sept. 25, 2020
Joan Kelshaw Palermo, ’54
Ronald Meleski, ’73
Jacqueline McCauley, ’55
Charles Mitke, ’73
Juliana (Brown) Rhoades ’17 and
Ryan Rhoades ’16, Sept. 26, 2020
Victor Michael, ’57
Deborah Orbik Moore, ’73
Eunice Miller Boden, ’58
Thomas Samide, ’74
Olivia (Olver) O’Brien ’17 and
Brendan O’Brien, Oct. 17, 2020
Mary Lontz, ’58
Julie Linda Griffin Sejpal, ’74
Charles Loughery, ’58
Susanne Radice, ’75
Joseph Malt, ’58
Barbara Jean Bean Samide, ’75
John Saraka, ’58
David Scull Conrad, ’76
Gary Fisher, ’59
John Comarnisky, ’76
Edgar Morgan, ’59
Jessica Greco Gaston, ’76
Rolland Quick, ’59
Kathleen Ux Wertz, ’78
Jennifer (Diehl) Linder ’11 and
Eric Linder ’10, a daughter,
Madison Louise, on Nov. 19, 2020
Joan Schuyler Fischer, ’60
Susan Bower St. Clair, ’80
John Laubach, ’60
David Corley, ’80
Neil Beisher, ’61
Phoebe Inch, ’80
Stephanie (O’Leary) Searles ’13
and Anthony Searles ’12, a son,
Andrew, on Feb. 10, 2021
Lloyd Livingston, ’62
Randall Lutz, ’80
Edward Lockman, ’62
Stacy Morane, ’82
Jason Oldenbuttel ’16 and
Leslie Hess, a son,
John, on Feb. 25, 2021
Leonard Ludinsky, ’62
Annette Shalongo, ’83
Melvin Montanye, ’62
Terry Miller, ’87
Ronald Startzel, ’62
Donald Motel, ’87
Richard Wendel, ’62
Mary Fisher Baugher, ’89
John Owens, ’64
Paula Headen, ’90
Marie Smolen Solensky, ’64
Joann Barletta Reed, ’90
Makayla (Waltman) Snyder ’17 and
Keegan Snyder, a son, Malcolm,
on March 12, 2021
Gary Cox, ’65
Keith Bailey, ’94
Donna Bogard Gulluni, ’65
Jeanne Marie Dunkle, ’93
Edward Taylor, ’65
Susan Mitchell Blazer, ’96
Montana (Brown) Jandrasitz ’06 and
Colin Jandrasitz, a son, Kallum,
on March 28, 2021
Phyllis Artz, ’66
Valerie Mills Moyer, ’97
Andrew Kosvitch, ’66
Joanne Pasterski, ’97
Thomas Evans, ’66
Mark Reich, ’97
Raymond Conrad, ’67
Martha Phillips Ermisch Stroble, ’97
Jay Keller, ’67
Michael Cioffi, ’01
Chloe (Stine) Harris ’16, and
Matthew Harris ’16, a son,
Owen, on April 21, 2021
Terry Sharrow, ’67
Cameron Hibshman, ’02
Anthony Tezik, ’67
Kimberly Schappell, ’08
Jimmy Rupert, ’68
Mark Sarisky, ’17
Bryan Snyder ’14 and
Tamara Snyder Bradley, a son,
Cameron on May 11, 2021
Elwood Stetler, ’68
Uriah Derstine, ’18
James Steber, ’69
Morgan Purcell, ’19
Nicolette Grasley-Boy ’11 and
Jacob Boy ’11, a daughter,
Jeanne Boy, on March 17, 2019
Ashley (Kilmer) Funk ’09 and
Brandon Funk, a daughter,
Madelyn, on March 6, 2021
Kyle Connaghan ’16 and
Emily Rae Connaghan, a daughter,
Molly, on April 7, 2021
Send information to: magazine@bloomu.edu
Bloomsburg: The University Magazine
Arts and Administration Building | 400 E. Second Street | Bloomsburg, PA 17815-1301
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
Births
Naomi Young Molnar, ’70
27
sports
VIEW FROM THE TOP
Baseball Makes Run To Second
Straight Conference Title
By Dave Leisering
W
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
inning a post-season baseball game
on the road is never easy, no matter
the level of the game. The BU baseball
team won five road games on its way to
its second straight PSAC title, with a new
hero seemingly stepping up each day to
lead the team.
28
The Huskies were underdogs
going into the COVID-19 altered
tournament, battling through multiple
injuries throughout the year. But the
determination of the veteran-laden
Huskies – and the addition of significant
contributions from younger players –
made all the difference.
The Huskies went 18-14 during the
regular season and entered the
tournament as the third seed from the
Eastern Division. BU’s reward was a
single-elimination quarterfinal game
at second-seeded West Chester.
But, behind the right arm of redshirt
sophomore Jared Marshman, who took
a shutout into the ninth, the Huskies
earned a 5-2 win and were the lone road
team to advance.
The momentum carried into the
semifinal round as BU upset top-seeded
Millersville, two games to one, in a bestof-three series to advance to the finals.
The Huskies won game one, 7-6 in 10
innings, as graduate student Cole Swiger
’20 brought home the eventual gamewinning run in the top of the 10th inning
with an RBI single. After the Marauders
evened the series, the Huskies turned
to freshman Michael Standen who
delivered, limiting Millersville to four hits
while striking out 10 in a complete-game
shutout. Senior Gianni Sinatore provided
the offense with a career-high five RBI in
the Huskies’ 13-0 victory.
In the PSAC finals, Bloomsburg faced
Seton Hill, ranked sixth in the country,
with just four losses and a 22-0 home
record. After a 7-5 loss in game one, the
Men’s Swimming Wins
First Conference Title
It was 62 years in the making, but the men’s swimming team can now be
called Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) champions.
Behind a historic performance from sophomore Andy Thomas, the Huskies
captured their first conference crown in the two-day championship meet.
Bloomsburg finished with 945 team points – nearly 400 points ahead of
second-place Shippensburg.
Huskies again turned to Standen, who
threw a complete-game, 11 strikeout
gem as BU won 9-2. Anthony
Viggiano drove in a career-high six
runs in the game two win and hit his
first career grand slam.
Marshman provided the tournament
clincher with BU’s second
consecutive complete-game
performance on the mound. The
right-hander allowed two runs on
five hits with a career-high nine
strikeouts in the 6-2 game-three
win. Bloomsburg hit five home runs
in game three, including two from
redshirt junior Ben Newbert.
Standen went on to be named the
tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
Bloomsburg won four of its five
games when facing elimination during
the tournament and claimed its fifth
championship crown in the program’s
history.
Of the 19 events held over the two days, BU had the winning time in 10 races,
which included five victories in five relay events – also the first time in program
history that had been accomplished.
Thomas joined former Huskies’ great Sam Feiser ’18 to win seven titles in seven
events at the conference championship. The sophomore, who also joined
Feiser as the only swimmers in program history to be named PSAC Athlete
of the Year, won four individual titles – the 50-yard freestyle, the 100-yard
freestyle, the 200-yard freestyle, and the 100-yard breaststroke – and was
a part of three relay-winning foursomes – the 200-yard medley relay, the
800-yard freestyle relay, and the 400-yard freestyle relay. He broke two meet
records and one conference record in the process.
The Huskies had nine swimmers earn a total of 33 All-Conference accolades.
The top three finishers in each event at the conference championship are
recognized as All-PSAC performers.
Before this year, head coach Stu Marvin ’78 had guided the Huskies to seven
second-place finishes in eight years. The program’s first-ever conference title
comes in Marvin’s 13th season as the head coach of the Huskies.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
Photo: Dave Leisering
29
sports
VIEW FROM THE TOP
Softball Raises
$3,700 for Pediatric
Brain Tumor
Foundation
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
The softball team joined forces
with the Pediatric Brain Tumor
Foundation’s Vs. Cancer
program to fight childhood
cancer – the deadliest disease
affecting children in the United
States.
30
Thanks to the generous support
of athletic corporate partner PSECU,
as well as numerous friends, family,
alums, and fans, the Huskies raised $3,707 this season,
with the money donated going to Nemours/Alfred
I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del.
Among teams across the country participating in
this year’s campaign, the Huskies’ softball program
had the third-highest total of money raised to fight
pediatric cancer.
The foundation’s Vs. Cancer program helps fund child
life programs in local hospitals, provides financial
assistance for families experiencing a pediatric brain
tumor diagnosis, and supports research to cure
pediatric brain tumors.
Wrestling Enjoys
Academic Success
Redshirt sophomore Josh Mason of the
wrestling team was named a Division I
Scholar All-American as announced by the
National Wrestling Coaches Association
(NWCA). A total of 191 individuals were
recognized.
As a team, the Huskies finished eighth in
the country with a team GPA of 3.4524
and were an NWCA Top 30 Scholar AllAmerican team.
On the mat, Mason took seventh at the
2021 Mid-American Conference (MAC)
Championships in the 141-pound bracket.
It was Mason’s second consecutive topeight finish at the conference tournament
as he placed sixth at the 2020 MAC
Championships.
In the classroom, Mason boasts a 3.86
grade point average while majoring in
finance. He was one of eight BU grapplers
named to the MAC All-Academic team,
which aided the team GPA accolade.
Joining Mason on the squad were
graduate student Willy Girard, senior
Jarrett Walters, junior Alex Carida, redshirt
sophomore Vincenzo Miceli, sophomore
Christian Gannone, and redshirt freshmen
Bronson Garber and Bruno Stolfi.
Mason’s selection as an NWCA Division I
Scholar All-American makes it four
straight years that BU has had at least one
representative on the list.
THEN & NOW
celebrating our Husky history
celebrating
at Bloomsburg
ART
By Robert Dunkelberger
W
hile the new Arts and Administration
building brings visual arts programs
to the very forefront of the campus,
throughout BU’s history notable art
professors have left their mark both on
campus and the larger art world.
A colorful character, Keller eventually
become most prominently known for his
hobby of wild animal training. But for
nearly three decades he was the face of art
at Bloomsburg. His primary assignment was
to train students to teach art, with a focus
on practical art that was both beautiful and
served a purpose.
«
Walter Simon’s 1947 painting of his home in Greenwich Village,
now in the collection of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts
Keller also raised Huskies and provided
BU’s first Husky mascot. He taught fulltime until the mid-1940s, when he began
taking time off to tour the country with his
animal act. He resigned in 1952 and was
named the first art faculty emeritus.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
Art has been taught at Bloomsburg since
Carver Hall opened in 1867. For those
first 50 years a single faculty member
taught drawing and painting. In 1921 two
instructors were hired for the first time,
one of them town native George Keller.
31
celebrating our Husky history
THEN & NOW
1
3
1. A formal portrait of Walter Simon.
2. Department chair Percival R. Roberts with a student in 1981.
2
3. The art studio in Old Science Hall in 1921.
Growing enrollment into the 1960s at then Bloomsburg
State College led to an expansion in art faculty and courses.
After nearly 40 years with two faculty, the number grew
to four and by 1965, the number of courses had greatly
expanded. Drawing and painting were reintroduced, while
sculpture and later ceramics were added in 1967.
During this time, three faculty members were hired who
greatly contributed to the growth of the program and
the expansion of art at the college. The first new hire was
painter Ken Wilson, who arrived in 1963. He encouraged
and challenged his students and, over time would display his
work at numerous exhibitions.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Summer 2021
Known for his landscape watercolors, over summers in the
1970s Wilson took groups to Moosehead Lake, Maine, where
they were inspired by the beauty of the nature around
them. He taught for 33 years, the last seven as chair of the
department, before retiring in 1996.
32
A poet as well as an artist, Percival R. Roberts III, came
to BU in 1968 and served as department chair during
his entire 15-year tenure. As fellow art faculty member
Robert Koslosky commented, “Dr. Roberts was the most
outstanding art educator I’ve met in my own 25 years in
education. He took an art department that at one time
was rather minimal and made it into one of the prestige
departments on campus.”
Roberts’ artistic talents were wide-ranging. In addition to
being a practicing artist, an author of numerous articles on
aesthetics and art education, he was also an accomplished
poet. He published seven books of poetry, and before
coming to Bloomsburg, served as the ninth poet laureate for
the state of Delaware.
While Roberts passed away in 1984 at 48, his legacy lives
on through a sculpture garden, located primarily in the
Academic Quad in front of Andruss Library and dedicated
in his memory in 1989.
The art department could not have continued to expand
if not for the talented faculty members attracted to
Bloomsburg, one of whom, Walter Augustus Simon, was
hired in 1971. An outstanding artist, painter, and art history
teacher, he made a great impact on the college in just the
brief time he was here.
Simon was, as Percival Roberts stated in an article in the
December 1983 Alumni Quarterly, “a very special kind of
person: intelligent, warm, outgoing, compassionate, and a
sensitive artist and scholar.” An African American, he was
an important role model for minority students and did all
he could to integrate them into many aspects of college
life. In addition to teaching, he was the first director of the
Educational Opportunity Program, now the Department of
Academic Enrichment, established to help provide students
of all backgrounds with additional academic support.
Simon retired in 1977, and in 1983, four years after his death,
the Council of Trustees honored the outstanding artist
and educator by naming the art department’s ceramics and
sculpture studio (located behind Columbia Residence Hall)
as Simon Hall.
These faculty members laid a rich foundation for the
art program, and with windowed studios and space for
exhibitions on the ground floor, the newest facility on
campus has made it easier than ever to celebrate art at
Bloomsburg.
Today, the Department of Art and Art History boasts faculty
specialists in art history, drawing, fabric design, graphic
design, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture.
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NEW Concentrations: General; Accounting; Analytics; Healthcare Management; Marketing
Business Education (M.Ed.)
Curriculum and Instruction (M.Ed.)
Early Childhood Education (M.Ed.)
Educational Leadership (M.Ed.)
Concentrations: College Student Affairs; PK-12 Principal Certification; PK-12 Supervisory
Curriculum and Instruction Certification; PK-12 Counseling Certification
Exercise Science (MS)
Information Technology (MS)
Instructional Design and Technology (MS)
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Concentrations: Post-Masters DNP; Nurse Anesthesia BSN-DNP
Nursing (MSN)
Concentrations: Nurse Practitioner (Adult Gerontology Primary
Care or Family Nurse Practitioner); MSN-MBA; Public Health Nursing
Reading (M.Ed.)
Social Work (MSW) - NEW!
Speech-Language Pathology (MS)
Special Education (M.Ed./MS)
bloomu.edu/gradschool
Photo: Marty Coyne
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FA LL 20 21
THE UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
Hard work is the cornerstone to
Dan Klingerman’s success in business.
Giving back is a key to his success in life.
Page 14
ALSO INSIDE
The Evolution
of Support
The Jacques Weber Foundation
offers helps students with a
passion for the environment.
Page 12
A Champion for
Student Community
New Alumni Association Board
President Felicia Ellzy ’10/’12M
understands the importance of
students finding community.
bloomu.edu
Page 18
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
Building
Big and
Giving Back
1
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Dear BU Family,
This is always a glorious time of year in Bloomsburg,
but it seems especially so after the unusual year
we’ve all had with the continuing presence of
the COVID-19 virus. Despite the pandemic, I
am thrilled to report that we have had an active,
engaged, and lively campus this entire semester.
Our students are happy to be back, enjoying
in-person all the typical BU experiences this fall.
The foliage is beginning to turn as we prepare to
welcome our Husky alumni back for in-person
Homecoming festivities.
I am beyond proud of our students; they have
been following all the necessary health and
safety precautions related to the virus this
semester and they continue to do what is
needed to protect themselves and their fellow
Huskies. My sincere thanks to them and all
my colleagues – our faculty and staff – for all
that they are doing to keep our campus and
community safe.
President Bashar Hanna
This Fall 2021 issue of the magazine highlights
the successes of our students, our faculty, and
our alumni. Our cover story features proud BU
alumnus and current member of our Council of
Trustees Dan Klingerman ‘87, who learned the
value of hard work from an early age, took his
zeal for business, and turned it into a successful
company that is making a positive impact in
our communities every day. You’ll enjoy reading
about his journey and his passion for giving back
to the greater central Pennsylvania region.
We also have an update on the ongoing planning and implementation of the integration between BU, Lock Haven,
and Mansfield. Much progress has been made in bringing these three schools together before and since the Board
of Governors unanimously voted in July 2021 to integrate the three institutions. The official effective date for the
integration is July 1, 2022, but much work remains ahead of us over the coming months as we continue to work
and grow together in planning for this important milestone.
In this issue, we also introduce you to one of our newest colleagues, Mr. Albert Jones, our Chief Diversity, Equity,
and Inclusion Officer. Albert serves in this role at all three institutions (BU, Lock Haven, and Mansfield), and he will
continue in the same capacity within the integrated university. We look forward to his vision and leadership in
this critical role as he partners with senior administrators and students on our campuses, Vice Chancellor Denice
Pearson, and his counterparts across the State System.
We are always proud to highlight the successes of our best and brightest students serving as campus leaders, and
in reading this issue I hope you will see why their success drives us. Indeed, our students and their success is our
mission and our priority above all else.
Finally, I want to thank you – our alumni, parents, and friends – for your continued support of our students
through your generous gifts. Now more than ever, many of our students are in need of financial support to
continue their BU journeys and create their own success stories – and they can only do so with your support.
Thank you for your generosity in helping the next pack of Huskies!
I look forward to seeing you on campus this fall and throughout the year.
GO HUSKIES!
Sincerely,
Bashar W. Hanna, President
Back to Husky Life!
A rallying call at the end of every summer was made extra special
this year with the return of a full in-person campus experience.
Old traditions were renewed as athletes took to the field for sports
and the campus was full of the bustle and energy of students
attending classes in person. New traditions were established as
returning students created a tunnel of maroon and gold to
welcome new students to campus.
Photos: Jaime North and Eric Foster
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
More sports photos and stories are on Page 24.
1
Fall 2021
5
10
12
14
18
26
Contents
3 COMMON GROUND
18
A CHAMPION FOR STUDENT COMMUNITY
10 FACULTY COLLABORATE ON RESEARCH
19
HUSKY NOTES
12 THE EVOLUTION OF SUPPORT
24
ATHLETICS: A VIEW FROM THE TOP
14 BUILDING BIG AND GIVING BACK
26
THEN AND NOW: REMEMBERING 9/11
Connect with us
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
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
Robert W. Bogle
Representative Tim Briggs
Tanya I. Garcia, Designee for
Secretary of Education Noe Ortega
William “Bill” Gindlesperger
Allison Jones, Designee for
Governor Tom Wolf
Senator Scott Martin
Marian D. Moskowitz
Secretary of Education Noe Ortega
Representative Brad Roae
Alexander C. Roberts
Senator Judith L. Schwank
Zakariya Scott
Larry C. Skinner
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, Chair
Nancy Vasta, Vice Chair
Dr. Brian O’Donnell, Secretary
Amy Brayford
Edward Edwards
Duane Greenly
Daniel Klingerman
John E. Wetzel
Raymond Zaborney
Julia Burcin, Student Trustee
President,
Bloomsburg University
Bashar W. Hanna
Executive Editor
Jennifer Umberger
Co-Editors
Eric Foster
Tom McGuire
Designer
Kerry Lord
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
Arts and Administration Building
400 East Second Street
Bloomsburg, PA 17815-1301
Sports
Information
Mary Raskob
Email address: magazine@bloomu.edu
Contributing
Writers
Thomas Schaeffer ’02
Andrea O’Neill ’06
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.
Cover Photo
Eric Foster
Visit Bloomsburg University on the web at bloomu.edu.
© Bloomsburg University 2021
Students from the
Department of Environmental,
Geographical, Geological
Sciences practice soil judging
on upper campus. Integration
may make a collaborative
minor in soil science
available to students.
Photo: Jaime North
Integration Update
Work continues on plans to leverage the “power of three”
to increase access to exemplary academic programs and
social mobility for students at Bloomsburg, Lock Haven
and Mansfield universities.
NCAA Update
The NCAA is aware of the unanimous
vote by the Pennsylvania State System
Board of Governors to proceed with
the integration of Bloomsburg, Lock
Haven, and Mansfield. The NCAA has
indicated that it will act following a
Middle States decision, expected in
Spring 2022. Given state and federal
alignment required for athletics, this is
not a surprise. We are continuing along
the path laid out from the beginning –
that we will retain athletics on the three
campuses that currently host them.
Our athletics programs are a vital aspect
of campus and student life, contributing
to much of what we love most about our
At Bloomsburg University, our priority is to honor our history
and legacy to connect fellow Huskies and provide support
for today’s students and tomorrow’s leaders. Foundations
and alumni associations will remain independent and
continue to keep classmates connected with their alma
mater. Donors would continue to be able to designate funds
in support of students on their campus or program of choice,
as they do today.
universities. For current student-athletes –
we are operating as we would in any
other year. For those currently being
recruited, this path would allow us to retain
our existing sports teams on each campus.
NE Naming Research
As we continue our process of
determining the Northeast integrated
university’s name for Middle States
and other accreditation purposes, we
will conduct more research this fall,
and then determine our next steps. As
we have stated previously, our names,
colors, mascots, and other brand
elements will not change. We want to
ensure that we strategically align our
resources in the Northeast to maintain
the strength of our brands and in ways
that champion our students and their
success.
Future Big-Picture
Opportunities
For high school students – Expansion
of dual enrollment will be part of a
broad portfolio of programs to engage
with our institutions. This includes
opportunities to earn an associate’s
degree, especially in some pre-health
care tracks of interest. In-person and
hybrid modalities will be kept in mind
for flexible offerings.
You can learn more about the integration plans by visiting www.bloomu.edu/integration.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
In July, the Board of Governors for Pennsylvania’s State
System of Higher Education approved the integration of
Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield universities.
Each university will retain the unique traits specific to its
campus and community while coming together to
become something bigger and stronger.
3
Academic Updates
Below are the proposed names of the five colleges and academic departments housed within. In addition to expanded
academic program offerings at each campus, we’re excited to share some of the developing examples of new academic
opportunities that will become available through integration.
ZEIGLER COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
Accounting
Finance, Insurance, Risk
Management, and Economics
Instructional Technology,
Technical Leadership, and
Information and Technology
Management
Allied Health
Communication Sciences
and Disorders
Exercise Science
Nursing – Graduate
COLLEGE OF ARTS, SOCIAL
SCIENCES, AND HUMANITIES
(Proposed)
Anthropology, Criminal Justice,
and Sociology
Communication Studies
English
Nursing – Undergraduate
History, Political Science,
and Philosophy
Marketing and Sales
Physician Assistant
Languages and Cultures
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT (Proposed)
Counseling, Student Affairs,
and Education Administration
Early Childhood Education
Middle Level, Secondary,
and K-12 Education
Social Work
Exceptionality Programs: ASL
and English Interpreting, Special
Education
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
(Proposed)
Management
Plans exist to expand professional
development, Business Idea
Competition, and more through
the AACSB-accredited business
program at BU.
4
COLLEGE OF HEALTH PROFESSIONS
Broader opportunities for studentteaching (including residential housing
opportunities) are forthcoming,
including plans to closely align with
districts and employment opportunities
they can offer to our graduating
seniors.
There are plans to offer expanded
clinical settings or clinical rotation
opportunities. We’ll also expand on
new BU partnerships with Temple and
Farleigh Dickinson universities and their
respective Schools of Pharmacy –
these partner institutions are excited
to expand their reach into Central PA
through LHU/MU.
COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY
Biology
Biochemistry, Chemistry,
Engineering, and Physics
Mathematics, Computer Science,
and Digital Forensics
Environmental, Geographical,
and Geologic Sciences
Scientist in Residence and enhanced
field study opportunities align with
faculty expertise and research.
Environmental, Geographical, and
Geological Science field camp could
explore differences in our respective
locations, and a new soils minor may
be offered through BU/LHU soils
expertise/partnership. Or learn more
about collaborative Tree Swallow
research with BU/MU faculty on
page 10.
Media and Journalism
Music, Theatre, and Dance
Psychology
Visual Arts
Imagine Artist or Musician in Residence
opportunities, aligned with faculty
expertise, designed to explore new
techniques and develop new skills
in state-of-the-art studio settings. Or
Criminal Justice, where students
would have the opportunity to align
their program with Police Academy
(spend 6-months in the academy as
part of your degree program) or add
EMT-certification (6-weeks) at
Mansfield.
COMMON GROUND
BU Ranked Among Top
Pa. Schools for Nursing
One hundred and twenty-six sophomore BU nursing
students participated in a White Coat Ceremony in
September. First held in 2014, BU was among the
first 100 schools to hold the ceremony, supported
by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, which provided
the pins given to the students.
Photos: Eric Foster
BU’s nursing program is ranked sixth of 76 schools in Pennsylvania
according to RNCareers,org, and 67th in the Mid-Atlantic region by
NursingSchoolAlmanac.com.
“The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has accentuated the criticality of
the nursing profession in our health care system,” said BU President
Bashar Hanna. “Our world desperately needs well-educated and
well-prepared nurses, and thanks to the faculty and staff in our
nursing program, we at BU are doing our part to prepare our nursing
students to be the very best in their field.”
“This is a testament to our dedicated faculty who have real-life
experience that they bring to our nursing program, and our hardworking students who put the effort into their work to achieve this
recognition,” said Lori Metzger, chair of the Department of Nursing.
BU offers Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Master of Science in
Nursing (MSN), and the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degrees.
Bloomsburg also offers RN to BSN and RN to BSN to MSN programs,
allowing registered nurses to obtain the BSN and MSN online in a
condensed timeframe.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
The sixth annual RNCareers.org ranking of 96.99% is based on each
institution’s first-time NCLEX-RN passing rates, the number of students
taking the test, the program nursing accreditation, and more. The results
were then compared to other nursing programs in Pennsylvania.
5
news on campus
COMMON GROUND
By Tom McGuire
Albert Jones, the new chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) officer for
Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, and Mansfield universities, knows he can make a
lasting impact in his new role by being his natural self.
“When you see me on campus, I’m going to talk to you,” says Jones. “But I
want everyone to feel free to talk to me as well. By talking, we can get to know
each other, grow trust in each other, and build a better campus and eventually
a better world.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
In his new role Jones, a 1999 graduate of Lock Haven and married father of two
children, Collin and Kiahna, will provide vision, leadership, and guidance on a
full spectrum of DEI and social justice matters for all three universities. He will
collaborate with each campus to drive progress in achieving strategic priorities
and work closely with the BU President’s Commission on DEI; the Lock Haven
DEI office; and the Mansfield University Diversity and Inclusion Council.
6
By talking, we
can get to know
each other,
grow trust in
each other, and
build a better
campus and
eventually a
better world.
— ALBERT JONES
“The goal of the office is to create an environment where our living, learning,
and working communities feel supported and there are opportunities for
growth engagement for everyone. It is a goal of mine for the DEI office on
campus to be the resource that people want to come and learn from and see
different perspectives.”
Working collaboratively across three campuses will lead to positive growth for
all, according to Jones, who is a well-respected minor league and high school
baseball umpire in Central Pennsylvania in his spare time.
“Diversity gives a strong sense of identity and well-being,” says Jones. “Our
three offices, working together on programming and services will help to
facilitate change, and bring about new perspectives, challenge the traditional
way of how things used to be done and create a new path forward.”
Most recently, the human resources manager at West Pharmaceutical Services,
Jones, earned an undergraduate degree in business management from LHU
and a master’s degree in organizational management from the University of
Phoenix in 2003. Following his graduation from LHU, Jones returned to his alma
mater as the director of human and cultural diversity. He was later named
assistant to the president for social equity in 2003 before transitioning to
associate director of human resources from 2008-2013.
During his tenure as an employee at Lock Haven, Jones advocated for diversity
and inclusion within the learning and working environment within LHU and
across the state. He directed the Robert D. Lynch Student Leadership Development
Institute from 2007-2011 and was president of the Pennsylvania Black
Conference on Higher Education (PBCOHE) from 2011-2013.
Through integration Jones also feels his office can be a model for other
PASSHE institutions.
“This is an opportunity for us to become a model for other system schools
or schools outside of Pennsylvania,” said Jones. “We’re setting the example
of how to successfully integrate three universities within a complex change
management process and focus on the importance that diversity, equity,
and inclusion contribute to this process. We need to maintain that individual
campus culture, but have consistency across the three campuses that helps to
unify, build trust and promote diversity, equity and inclusion.”
CALLED TO
LEADERSHIP
By Tom McGuire
A Board of Governors scholarship
recipient, Scott learned of the opening
on the BOG from her English professor,
Betina Entzminger.
“Professor Entzminger told me of this
position, and as a naturally curious
person who wants to be in the know,
I thought this would be a way to be a
voice for my fellow students,” said Scott.
Burcin, a member of the Class of 2023,
is an audiology and speech-language
pathology major from Bethlehem with
a minor in linguistics and gerontology.
She is active on campus as a member
of the National Student Speech
Language Hearing Association, and
participated in Bocce Bash and the
Caldwell Consistory Christmas TreeFest.
She is also a member of the BU
women’s volleyball team.
S
tudent leaders play a vital role
in higher education, serving as
the voice of students to campus
leadership. Two students, Zakariya
Scott and Julia Burcin, answered the
call to represent both their fellow
Huskies, and in one case, all students
in the Pennsylvania State System of
Higher Education (PASSHE).
Act 50 of 2020 provided the Board
of Governors for the first time the
ability to make student appointments.
Previously, appointments were by
the governor.
A member of the Class of 2023,
Scott was appointed to serve on
the Board of Governors (BOG).
Scott, from Johnstown, Pa., is majoring
in English with a concentration in
creative writing. She joins Alexander
Roberts from Edinboro University
and Stephen Washington from
Shippensburg University as student
members on the 20-member board
that oversees Pennsylvania’s 14 public
universities. Student members
participate in all Board discussions
and have the same voting rights as all
other members.
“I’m very excited to have been chosen
for this honor and I am very excited
to get started,” said Scott. “This is my
first opportunity to make a difference
in the world.”
“I applied for this position because I want
to make an impact on the university,”
added Burcin. “Bloomsburg is a very
special place, and I am determined
to help it reach its full potential.”
“Congratulations to Zakariya and
Julia for their elections,” said BU
President Bashar W. Hanna. “They’ve
both shown themselves to be active
and engaged students and I know they
will do an excellent job representing
their fellow students.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
Zakariya Scott, Julia Burcin
“I’m beyond thankful to have the
opportunity to be a member of
Bloomsburg University’s Council of
Trustees and honored to represent
our student body,” said Burcin. “Our
trustees demonstrate admirable
qualities — passion, commitment,
and loyalty. I’m eager to learn from
them and grow with them throughout
my next two years at Bloomsburg.”
7
news on campus
COMMON GROUND
Wygmans named Interim VP for
Student Success and Campus Life
Marty Wygmans has been named interim vice
president for student success and campus life.
Wygmans joined BU in 2018 as associate vice
president for student success after coming
from Binghamton University in New York,
where she served as project director for its
TRiO programs and executive director of
student services.
Wygmans has earned a bachelor’s degree in
business administration, a master’s degree in
counseling, and a doctoral degree in higher
education administration.
Student Inspired to Help
Peers with Book Pantry
By Abby Stoudt, student assistant, Marketing and Communications
and they didn’t end up doing that well
in class because they didn’t have the
materials to succeed,” O’Neill said.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
Cameron O’Neill with some of the 250
books she has collected.
8
School is expensive. After paying
tuition, fees, housing, and choosing
a meal plan, students finally get to
attend their classes just to discover
they still have one more important
thing to buy: their textbooks. BU junior
Cameron O’Neill offers a solution for
students struggling with this expense.
The BU Book Pantry officially opened
this fall and already includes nearly 250
books for students to borrow.
O’Neill came up with the idea for the
book pantry during the last academic
year. For her philosophy classes, O’Neill
needed 16 books and was soon lending
her books to classmates who couldn’t
afford them. “By the end of the semester,
they still hadn’t purchased the book
After spring classes ended, O’Neill was
unsure of what to do with her books
that she no longer needed. “I decided
to find someone who was taking the
same classes and just give them my
books,” said O’Neill. “I also reached out
to other classmates who had bought
textbooks to see if there was a possibility
of passing more books onto students
taking the same class after them, and
the foundation of the BU Book Pantry
was built.”
If students would like to donate books,
they can drop them off at the circulation
desk in the Harvey A. Andruss Library.
The library and the University Store
have also partnered for several years to
promote and make low-cost textbooks
available for courses.
Starting the book pantry was challenging,
but many staff and faculty members
helped the project along the way.
“Everyone was helping me however
they could, which shows how much
they want this to just happen,” O’Neill
said. “Something as simple as giving
someone a book is going to change
their whole education.”
Agreements
Create
Pathways
to Pharmacy
Careers
BU has partnered with Temple
University School of Pharmacy
and Fairleigh Dickinson University
School of Pharmacy and Health
Sciences to create pathways for
qualified BU students to earn both
an undergraduate degree and a
Doctor of Pharmacy degree in
seven years, saving a full year of
time and costs.
Both agreements, signed in September,
allow Bloomsburg students majoring
in chemistry or health sciences,
following their junior year, to complete
their final year enrolled in pharmacy
coursework and concurrently to
complete the final credits to receive
their B.A. degree in chemistry or
B.S. degree in health sciences from
Bloomsburg University.
At Fairleigh Dickinson, candidates
for admission must have a 3.3 or
higher overall GPA at Bloomsburg
and complete all prerequisite
courses with a grade of B- or better.
Reserved admission is limited to
a maximum of five Bloomsburg
students each year. At Temple,
candidates for admission must
have a 2.7 or higher overall GPA
at Bloomsburg and complete all
prerequisite courses.
“These agreements will benefit
our students who are interested in
attending pharmacy school, giving them a path to save both time
and money,” said Diana RogersAdkinson, provost and senior vice
president for academic affairs.
“Access to such accelerated pathways
to professional programs are very
attractive opportunities to students,
and we are excited to partner with
these distinguished schools of
pharmacy to provide this opportunity,”
said Latha Ramakrishnan, Dean
of the College of Science and
Technology.
COMMON GROUND
Unique Internship Gives
Insight into Corrections
By Tom McGuire
Seven BU students took part in a new and unique summer
internship program with the Pennsylvania Department of
Corrections (PA DOC) Bureau of Investigations and
Intelligence and the Office of Policy and Legislative Affairs.
The idea for the internship program came from John
Wetzel ’98, a member of BU’s Council of Trustees who
just stepped down as Pennsylvania’s secretary of
corrections after serving for 10 years.
This year, the DOC completed a violence forecast by
analyzing data that indicated the strong likelihood of
a significantly violent summer. The interns monitored
communications in and out of the state’s 24
correctional institutions in order to bolster intelligence
efforts. The interns provided information that could be
used by the DOC and other law enforcement agencies
to investigate and stop crimes.
The BU students, all entering their junior or senior year,
worked alongside experienced and senior personnel,
giving them significant exposure to the internal operations
of a large state agency. Ten students took part in the
program.
“These students are not just pushing paper,” said Wetzel.
“They’re putting in real hours with the Bureau of Investigations
and Intelligence to gain hands-on experience and help
keep our facilities safe for staff and residents.”
“The interns learned early on that this was not a typical
office job,” Wetzel added. “In addition to visits to state
prison facilities, the group participated in an organizationwide training exercise where they saw firsthand how virtually
all facets of the Department prepare to come together in
the event of an emergency or crisis.”
The BU students taking part in the program were Trevor
Dennison, Julia Tappany, Brianna Jones, Meredith Norris,
Conner Pennington, Keron Butcher, and Brandon Gill.
“This internship has been a great experience for me,” said
Butcher, a rising senior from Thorndale. “I have met and
made connections with so many people. There are many
aspects in the corrections field; whatever your field of
study is, there is space for you in the DOC. My plan after
college is to find a job working in cyber security or IT at a
company.”
Norris, a sociology major from Atglen, used the internship
to explore the criminal justice field.
“I learned so much about the fields of corrections and parole,
how closely they work together and how different parts of
each field operate,” said Norris, a senior. “The internship
made me realize my initial interest in criminal justice is
something that I want to explore more. My plan is to apply
for a job in corrections when I graduate in December.”
Student Among 200 Selected for National Workshop
The workshop, typically held in New Orleans, was
virtual this year due to COVID-19.
Attendees will participate in learning sessions and panel
discussions covering topics such as developing leadership skills and passing the CPA exam. Accomplished CPA
professionals will share insights on career opportunities in
accounting and the value of networking.
“I couldn’t believe that I was one of those selected and
feel extremely proud of myself for taking the chance and
applying,” said Morales.
Morales is a first-generation college student and has
served as an officer in the Accounting Association since
her freshman year. She has volunteered at a soup kitchen,
has spent her winter and summer breaks working, including
an internship at a CPA firm this summer, and is a community
assistant at BU.
“I hope to strengthen my networking skills and learn more
about the CPA exam,” said Morales. “Plus, I am looking forward
to hearing the panelists speak about their experiences
within the accounting profession and hear their advice on
career progression.”
Morales has already thought about her future after she
graduates next May.
“My plan is to get my master’s degree in accountancy here
at Bloomsburg, and then pass the CPA exam and work at a
public accounting firm.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
Accounting major Erica Morales from
Easton is one of just 200 students
nationwide selected for the American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Accounting Scholars Leadership
Workshop. The three-day event is
designed to help accounting students
from racial and ethnic minorities develop their leadership ability with the
ultimate goal of increasing diversity
and inclusion in public accounting.
9
Faculty from Integrating Universities
Collaborate on Tree Swallow Research
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
By Tom McGuire
10
Lauri Green, assistant professor of biological and allied
health sciences at BU, is collecting tree swallow nests to
determine if there are any patterns to their construction.
She’s working with Leslie Clifford, associate professor of
biology at Mansfield University, which is one of the
three universities (along with Lock Haven) in Northeast
Pennsylvania that are integrating.
The professors met as part of a faculty discussion from
the three universities interested in natural history. They
soon found out they were both working on tree swallow
research.
Also working with Green are seasonal ranger Lydia Mohn
from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Blue Marsh
Lake in Leesport, Berks County; Rhiannon Summers
from the Department of Natural Resources at Ricketts
Glen, BU graduate students Eric Moeller, Mitchell Liddick,
and Michael Facella; and undergraduate students Gabby
Leonard, Rebecca Burlingame, and Savannah Scherer.
“Tree swallows use the feathers of other species to
construct their nests and form a nest cup where the eggs
are laid and chicks are hatched,” says Green. “The literature
suggests that feather linings help with temperature
regulation and may serve as a parasite barrier for chicks.
Though a few studies noted the number of feathers that
tree swallows use in their nests, largely absent was any
quantification of the feather sizes or types.”
After the nests are collected is when the real work starts.
“In Spring 2021, Gabby quantified the feathers used in tree
swallow nests at my field sites,” says Green. “She meticulously
counted, traced, and identified each feather. Tracing the
feathers in a digitizing program tells us how big each
feather is. She found that tree swallows seem to use
different types of feathers at each site (some used large
flight feathers, some used contour feathers). Interestingly,
the total feather area for each nest (the sum of all the
feather areas in each nest) was not significantly different
across the sites.”
“I’m really excited to involve Mansfield University undergraduate
students in this project because it will allow them to actually
do science themselves and not just learn about the results
of scientific investigations by others,” says Clifford. “It’s much
more exciting to discover patterns and answer original questions
for yourself than it is to be told what the answer is.”
“We are going to repeat the study for the 2021 field season,”
says Green. “Dr. Clifford is working with her undergraduate
students to count, measure and identify the feathers used
in her tree swallow boxes. I will begin the analysis of our
nests soon.”
BU student Leonard learned a lot as part of the research team.
“I thought it was cool to see the type of habitat the tree
swallows prefer firsthand, which I also thought to be
relevant when the differences and similarities between the
nests across the different nesting sites were compared,”
says Leonard. “It was super interesting to see that there
was consistency in how the birds made their nests despite
some observed differences between nesting sites.”
Green is concerned about one aspect of nest construction
she is starting to come across.
“I happened to pick up an old robin nest recently and
found that they included plastic in their nests. This is
intriguing and concerning since plastic will likely change
the temperature regulation of the nest, which would
impact chick survival.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
H
ave you ever been out walking in your yard or on
a hiking trail and come across a bird’s nest and
marveled at its construction? Two faculty members
at Bloomsburg University and Mansfield University have
turned this fascination into a new topic for research.
11
Joan McCarty
THE
Evolution OF Support
By Olivia Kennedy ’22, BU Foundation Student Intern
W
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
hen you mix a passion for supporting
students with a desire to make a difference
in your community and the environment,
the result can make a pretty profound impact.
12
That’s what happened when Joan McCarty and
fellow members of the Jacques Weber Foundation
(JWF) revitalized their scholarship support to
make it more relevant for today’s students.
The JWF Scholarship has undergone many changes
since it was established in 1947 by Jacques Weber,
then president of Bloomsburg Mills, a textile
manufacturer in town since 1889. As it evolved, its
mission has remained constant – to help support
students pursuing their passion while attaining a
college degree.
The JWF initially established the scholarship
to provide financial support for male students
entering the textile and fashion industry. In the
late ’80s, interest in these fields of study declined,
but the JWF’s passion for inspiring students remained,
so the scholarship was redirected to help Mill
employees and their children afford to go to college.
In 2009, the Bloomsburg Mills closed its doors,
and in 2020, the last employee’s child eligible for
the scholarship earned a degree. But McCarty and
her fellow board members decided they wanted
to keep the scholarship going, and they would
need to find a new focus for their support.
“Bloomsburg Mills were a close-knit and family-like
community,” says McCarty. “We wanted to continue that
support, and we know that something that Mr. Weber
would have wanted, too.”
structure the gift to make it a renewable scholarship to
help student recruitment and retention.
The JWF board realized they shared a passion for environmental
conservation and decided to designate the scholarship to
support students pursuing environmental studies:
“There are growing issues with the earth and its climate.
In the future, we are going to need smart leaders to help
solve these problems,” says Shepard. “This scholarship
helps support students who are passionate enough to
make an impact.”
Needing advice, McCarty reached out to Jennifer Whisner,
associate professor in the Department of Environmental,
Geographical, Geological Sciences (EGGS), with whom
she had worked on the Fishing Creek Watershed Association.
For Alexander Lehigh, the first recipient of the JWF
Scholarship in EGGS, this support ultimately pushed him
to decide to come to BU to study geographic information
systems.
Whisner connected McCarty with EGGS department chair
Michael Shepard, who helped make the scholarship a reality.
Shepard saw an excellent opportunity to bring something
new to the department that would benefit. Both the JWF
and the EGGS Department wanted to support a student’s
entire college career, so the BU Foundation helped JWF
“The fact that I was fortunate enough to receive this
scholarship when so many others applied helped me see
my own potential,” Lehigh says. “I want to make the most
of this opportunity, not just for my success, but also to
show my donors that they made the right choice in
supporting me.”
I want to make the most
of this opportunity, not
just for my success, but
also to show my donors
that they made the right
choice in supporting me.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
—ALEXANDER LEHIGH
Photos: Olivia Kennedy
13
By Jack Sherzer
Hard work has been a part of Dan Klingerman’s life since he was 10 years
old and started helping his grandfather John Klingerman in the family’s
feed mill. He remembers his dad Dick Klingerman and uncle Dave
Klingerman showing him the various aspects of the business, while
“Uncle Dave” farmed throughout the Bloomsburg area.
Between hauling corn, wheat, oats, and unloading trucks filled with fertilizer
and lime, he also got a behind-the-curtain look at the business of farming.
The hard work at the mill — which he did through high school and over
summers through college — taught him determination and self-discipline.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
Those early lessons were invaluable as Dan developed into a champion
wrestler and, combined with a natural affinity for numbers, a successful
entrepreneur. Today, he heads The Liberty Group, an investment and
management company he founded in 2002, which has grown to over
$500 million in assets and more than 6,000 workers.
14
But for Dan Klingerman, business success is not a means to
an end. Faith, family, and philanthropy are crucial to a
satisfying life, he says. Much of his support focuses on
north-central Pennsylvania’s hospitals and medical care,
as well as schools and colleges.
“When I started working for myself, and as our organization
grew, I always believed that with increased success comes
increased obligation to give back,” the 56-year-old says.
“I tell my kids that happiness isn’t derived from commas
and zeros.”
Jennifer Wilson, the president and CEO of Williamsport’s
First Community Foundation Partnership, which connects
donors with nonprofits filling community needs, says
Klingerman’s involvement with her organization and the
region has been invaluable.
“Many people don’t realize all that Dan has done and continues to do, not only with his charitable giving but with
his leadership,” says Wilson, who adds that Klingerman
served on her agency’s board for eight years. “I spent a
lot of time with Dan and talking about philanthropy. He
spends his time and money on organizations he believes
are making a tremendous impact on people.”
THE MAKING OF A CHAMPION
“Our family has always been very sports-oriented,”
Klingerman says. “I wrestled in high school and college,
and I think sports-mindedness crosses over into the business
and entrepreneurial world. Both take patience, persistence,
teamwork, and self-discipline. They are the qualities that make
you successful in sports and the working world.”
Klingerman also focused his energies on his other passion –
math– using the same determination, drive, and skill that
made him a powerhouse on the wrestling mat in high school.
By the time he started at BU, he was so advanced that he
helped teach accounting to first- and second-year students.
Most of Klingerman’s family played basketball, but when he
began at Bloomsburg Area Middle School, he spotted a sign
for wrestling tryouts and gave it a shot. At the end of his
eighth-grade season, he captured the tri-state championship
for Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware. By his junior
year, he finished third in the state, and as a senior in 1983, he
was Bloomsburg Area High School’s first state wrestling
champion.
Klingerman, who graduated from BU in 1987 with a bachelor’s
degree in accounting, says becoming a Husky was an easy
choice. While he was heavily recruited by a host of colleges,
especially Penn State, Klingerman had met BU’s Hall
of Fame wrestling coach Roger Sanders and liked his
program. He received a five-year scholarship to BU and
was the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC)
wrestling champion in his sophomore year.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
Dan Klingerman stands outside the
striking building in Montoursville
that serves as headquarters of The
Liberty Group.
15
However, his time on the mat also
ended that year. Injuries to his right
shoulder and both knees caught up
to him.
“I have no regrets whatsoever,”
Klingerman says of wrestling, despite
the injuries that caused him to leave
the sport. “The chapters of our life
define who we are, and each part is
integral to getting you where you
are. That’s the nice thing about a new
day, you can’t go back, but you can
certainly start fresh tomorrow, which
can change the outcome.”
He draws parallels to the aggressiveness
and mental toughness needed to square
off with a wrestling opponent to his
later success in the business world.
“As a wrestler, I felt I had to do a little
more than the others to have that
edge. When high school wrestling
practice was over, I’d go home, have
dinner and then go running,” he says.
“It is the same in the business world –
you’re not going to succeed with a
nine to five mentality.”
Jack Mulka, who retired as BU’s dean
of student development in 2002, says
he’s not surprised at Klingerman’s
accomplishments.
“He was a focused, determined young
man. He was tough and resilient, and
when he didn’t succeed, he would
pick himself back up and go at it again,”
Many people don’t
realize all that
Dan has done and
continues to do,
not only with his
charitable giving but
with his leadership.
— JENNIFER WILSON, PRESIDENT AND
CEO, WILLIAMSPORT’S FIRST COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION PARTNERSHIP
Mulka says. “His mother and father and
his uncles and cousins are all good role
models. Good, hard-working people
willing to help others.”
WINNING IN BUSINESS AND LIFE
After graduating from BU, Klingerman
started looking for an accounting job
when, unbeknownst to him, his brother
signed him up for an interview with
an insurance broker in Williamsport.
Instead of balancing books, Klingerman
earned a securities license and handled
investments, retirement accounts, and
estate planning – making more than
accounting jobs offered in Baltimore.
He also took his first foray into what
would lead to his later success: real estate.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
“I started acquiring student housing
that I would remodel myself, and I did
that until I got into the commercial
space,” Klingerman says. “I first
acquired a 45,000-square-foot
building in Williamsport.”
16
Real estate made sense on multiple
levels. Value, tax write-offs, and
amortization were familiar territory
for Klingerman. Plus, as a salaried
employee, he didn’t have much to
write off until he started investing in
property.
Dan Klingerman with the eagle
sculpture he had installed at
The Liberty Group company
headquarters.
Five years later, he came to a
crossroads: the insurance company
wanted him to take over an office in
Boston, or he could work with his
uncles, Doug Klingerman and Dave
Klingerman, and JDK Management
Company, which primarily focused
on operating nursing homes and
restaurants. His challenge was to turn
around their Perkins franchise.
Within six years, Klingerman had grown
the franchise to 40 restaurants, turning
it into the largest Perkins operation in
the United States. “It’s all about scale
and surrounding yourself with good
people,” Dan says. With growth came
the ability to negotiate better contracts
with suppliers: “You create your own
economies of scale.”
In 2002, Klingerman came to another
crossroads: he enjoyed what he was
doing, but it was time to bet on himself.
“I think everybody at some point thinks
about being your own boss. I enjoyed
my time at JDK, but it was not my
company,” he says. “At the end of the
day, you have to decide what side of
the paycheck you want to sign.”
The company’s name was an easy
choice; in the wake of the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks in the United States,
he wanted to call his new enterprise
“Liberty.” The first business was Liberty
Hospitality Partners, which was soon
joined by LHP Management, Liberty
Healthcare, and LG Settlement
Services. As the number of companies
grew— today more than 50— Klingerman
formed the umbrella company “The
Liberty Group.”
Liberty covers a wide range of
industries, with hospitality properties
such as Bloomsburg’s Frosty Valley
Resort (home of BU’s golf teams)
and the Clinton Country Club in
Lock Haven (home of Lock Haven
University’s golf team). Klingerman
provides six scholarship programs for
BU’s golf program.
Liberty also has construction companies
that have built schools, hospitals, and
more. After finishing a $9 million complex
known as “the Liberty Arena,” he and
his team are working on the $17 million
Williamsport Sports Complex that will
feature seven baseball and softball
fields on a 10-acre brownfield site.
The project is a focus for the Liberty
Group, the Williamsport Chamber of
Commerce and key community
stakeholders and a perfect fit, as
Williamsport is the home of the Little
League World Series.
Klingerman on the top of the podium at the as the Bloomsburg School District’s first state wrestling champion in 1983. At right,
Klingerman as a BU state wrestling champion in 1985.
A conversation with Klingerman about
business inevitably goes hand-in-hand
with his belief in supporting the
community that makes a company’s
success possible. Bloomsburg
University, Pennsylvania College
of Technology, Lycoming College,
University of Pittsburgh Medical
Center, and Geisinger are just some
of the organizations he supports.
“Our family has always supported
local activities, and I believe that we
have an obligation to give back,” he
says. “One of my favorite quotes that
I use frequently is from Winston Churchill:
‘We make a living by what we get but
make a life by what we give.’”
Klingerman readily admits BU has
a special place in his heart. His
Klingerman Family Scholarship, which
benefits the university’s football team,
has helped more than a dozen players.
One of the first award recipients was
Matt Feiler, now an offensive lineman
with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Klingerman also helped raise money
for the BU Husky Wrestling Endowment,
which has supported 18 students.
Then, in May 2020, Gov. Tom Wolf
appointed him to a six-year term as a
Bloomsburg University trustee.
“I was proud to be asked to serve, and
every time I go back to the campus
for a meeting, it feels wonderful,”
I always believed that with increased success
comes increased obligation to give back.
I tell my kids that happiness isn’t derived
from commas and zeros. — DAN KLINGERMAN
Klingerman says. “Bloomsburg allowed
me to grow, and I’m excited to be on
the board and have the chance to
give back and help guide and direct
the university’s direction.”
Danny Hale, who was head coach of
the Huskies for 20 seasons, knows the
Klingerman family well and coached
Klingerman’s cousin and brother.
“The entire family believes in family,
faith, and football. I was inspired by
the whole family,” Hale says, adding
that he’s not surprised at what Dan
has accomplished. “He took that spirit
of wrestling and the toughness – you
don’t get to be a state champion
wrestler without toughness – and
developed Liberty.”
Klingerman met his wife, Monica, when
he took the insurance company position
following graduation, and they have
been married 30 years. They have made
sure to instill the values of hard work
and helping their community to their
three children.
As his family did with him, however,
Klingerman let his kids choose their
own path. The couple’s eldest daughter,
Paige, 29, is the head of marketing for
a publicly-traded company in Denver;
middle daughter Samantha, 27, after
obtaining her master’s at Carnegie
Mellon University and completing
an administrative fellowship with
UPMC, now is director of ENT and
Chronic Pain Medicine at the UPMC
Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh; and
their son, Mitchell, is a senior at SMU
in Dallas studying business. Paige and
Samantha both received gold-medal
state championship awards in soccer,
while Mitchell was a state place winner
in baseball and basketball.
For Klingerman, success has three
pillars: faith, family, and friends.
“You want to surround yourself
with people of the same mindset
and values and principles who also
have different strengths than what
you have,” he says when asked
what advice he would give fellow
entrepreneurs. “Above all, stay
grounded and have humility and
understand that it can leave as
quickly as it came.”
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
A LIFE BY WHAT WE GIVE
17
It’s all college connections;
always Bloom alumni I
look to. The friendships
I developed are lifelong.
— FELICIA ELLZY
“I took off running once everything was OK,” says Ellzy.
“If I hadn’t found my community, who knows where I
would have ended up?”
Not only was Ellzy first-generation, but she was also a
black student at a predominantly white university and
had to navigate racial tensions in a town that did not
always accept her. Her community became not only a
way for Ellzy to thrive but survive. “It forces you to have a
communal experience with other black people. You must
learn how to function as a high-level person in society
and advocate for yourself.”
Champion
A
for
Student Community
By Andrea O’Neill
W
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
hen Felicia Ellzy ’10/’12M applied to Bloomsburg
University, she had no idea how vital her fellow
Huskies would be to her campus success, or how they
would shape her future. Now, the Williamsport native
is helping to shape the future of the pack’s youngest
members.
18
The bonds that form among students during such a pivotal
time are only cemented by the challenges of living on your
own for the first time: navigating a new environment,
confronting homesickness, and learning time management.
Ellzy first experienced such support soon after her
arrival, when she had a tuition shortfall that her Board
of Governor’s scholarship didn’t cover. Her cousin, an
alumnus, pointed her to Wayne Whittaker, an admissions
counselor turned mentor, who walked Ellzy through the
student loan process.
Of all the life lessons learned at Bloomsburg, Ellzy
says the one that remains true is the importance of
community. After she stayed to complete her M.Ed. in
Curriculum and Instruction, a fellow alum asked her to
teach at Nativity School of Harrisburg (NSoH), where
she fell in love with being a mentor. Now the director of
curriculum and instruction, Ellzy builds the same sense
of community she had at Bloomsburg among the student
body. In her work, the connections Ellzy made on campus
have continued to be a lifeline. BU alumni make up her
friends, colleagues, fellow community volunteers, and
fellow parents. They even make up most guests on the
podcast “The Cool Nerds,” which she co-produces with
fellow Husky, Michael Johnson ’12.
“It’s all college connections; always Bloom alumni I look
to,” says Ellzy. “The friendships I developed are lifelong. It
is interesting to see how we’ve all evolved, or even how
we haven’t. We’re all professionals now, but it’s like we
never left Bloom.”
“All of a sudden, you have to be an adult,” recalls Ellzy.
“You don’t know where anything is unless someone tells
you. I’ll never forget Mr. Whittaker helping me that way.”
In many ways, Ellzy never really did leave Bloom; she has
maintained a presence on campus as an alumni volunteer to help the next generation of Huskies develop their
own support network. In the decade since graduation,
Ellzy has served as an alumni speaker at BOG dinners,
History Club banquets, and CASSH Con, a meeting for
students pursuing careers in arts, social sciences, and the
humanities. She has even recruited new Huskies from her
family and students at NSoH. In 2016, she joined the BU
Alumni Association board of directors and was elected
president this past summer.
Ellzy got acclimated and found her pack in the Montour
residence hall, the Black Culture Society, History Club,
Phi Alpha Theta honors society, and her sorority, Sigma
Gamma Rho.
“One of the most important things you can do as an
alumnus is pass along the connections you’ve made,”
says Ellzy. “Fill that role. Make sure students know the
community is there for them no matter what.”
HUSKY NOTES
Bruce Grant ’64 has written a book,
“Observing Evolution,” dedicated to
the memory of his mentor, the late
Professor Donald D. Rabb, a long-time
member of the Bloomsburg faculty and
a member of the Class of 1946. Focused
on the evolution of peppered moths in
early 20th century London, “Observing
Evolution” is a crash course in natural
selection and the history of evolutionary
biology for anyone interested in Darwin’s
legacy. The book is published by Johns
Hopkins University Press. Grant is
emeritus professor of biology at the
College of William & Mary.
Jane Archer Ackerman ’64 and
Harold Ackerman ’65 have published a
book of photographs. “Bridgework 2021”
is a collection of photographs showing
the covered bridges of Columbia and
Montour counties in various seasons and
light. Harold Ackerman has also published
a second book of poems, “February 2,”
which includes photographs by the author.
Ackerman is a retired BU faculty member
(1977–2003). Both these books are
available at Blurb.com as paper copies
or pdf files.
70s
Barbara Benner Hudock ’75, CEO
and founding partner of Hudock
Capital Group, was recognized by both
Barron’s and Forbes. In its March 13
issue, Barron’s named Hudock as one
of America’s Top Financial Advisors,
including her among its Top 50 Financial
Advisors in Pennsylvania. In its March 24
issue, Forbes named Hudock as one of
America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors,
ranking her 11th among its Top Women
Wealth Advisors in Pennsylvania. This is
the 12th year that Barron’s has included
Hudock in its list of America’s Top
Financial Advisors and the third year in a
row that Forbes has named Hudock one
of its Top Women Wealth Advisors.
80s
Michael Mixell ’80 was named to the
2022 “Best Lawyers in America” list.
Honored attorneys are recognized in 52
practice areas. In addition, Mixell earned
the rank of “Lawyer of the Year” in his
geographic area for trusts and estates
practice. Mixell is a partner at Barley Snyder,
a law firm based in central Pennsylvania
with more than 100 attorneys.
Retired Lt. Col. Walter Zabicki, USMC,
has retired from the Onslow County
North Carolina Sheriff’s Office. During
his law enforcement career, Zabicki
served as a detention officer, deputy
and a school resource officer. He is
transitioning to a career in education
as a substitute teacher with the Onslow
County School System.
Gerald Ganz ’85
was named vice
chancellor of
finance and
administration
at the University
of Arkansas
Little Rock. Ganz
serves as the
university’s chief
financial officer
and is responsible
for the university’s budget and
financial services. Additionally, he
oversees facilities management, public
safety, information technology, mail
services, and printing services. Ganz
was previously with the University
of Connecticut Foundation, where
he served as senior vice president of
finance and administration and chief
financial officer since 2015 and managed
the foundation’s assets totaling nearly
$620 million. He has served as the
chief financial officer at the Florida
State University Foundation, controller
at Eckerd College, and chief financial
officer at Johnson College. He has also
worked as a controller, field auditor, and
senior accountant in private industry.
Gwen Cressman Petersohn ’85 has
written a children’s book, “Closed.” The
illustrated book is about the sudden
advent of the COVID-19 virus and
how families in quarantine managed
their newly changed lives. Cressman
Petersohn is also a member of the BU
Athletics Hall of Fame.
Mary Wash Risner ’87 has been
named chief development officer at
Westover School, Middlebury, Conn.
She previously had a career in banking
and worked in fundraising at Franklin
and Marshall College and the University
of Pennsylvania. She joined Westover
after serving at Brown University as the
executive director of annual giving.
90s
John Pierro ’93 was named executive
vice president and chief operating
officer of the Lehigh Valley Health
Adrienne Mael
Selected To
Lead Second
United Way
Adrienne Mael ’08 has been
chosen as the permanent
president and CEO of the
Greater Susquehanna Valley
United Way after a national
search. Mael was appointed
in early July as the interim
president and CEO. For
the past six years, Mael has
served as a president and
CEO of the United Way of
Columbia and Montour
Counties, a position she will
continue to hold as the two
boards discuss a possible
merger.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
60s
19
HUSKY NOTES
Network. Pierro came to LVHN from
Steward Health Care System, an $8
billion health care network with 35
hospitals in 10 states. He served as
regional chief operating officer of the
organization’s north division, which
includes two academic medical centers
and ten community hospitals, 2,800
beds, and more than 14,000 employees.
At LVHN, Pierro oversees operations at
the network’s hospitals and ambulatory
locations, leads the facilities and
construction team.
Heidi Wasilchak Fiorelli ’96 AuD has
joined Lehigh Valley Physician Group Ear,
Nose & Throat – Health & Wellness Center.
Sean Banfill ’97, a special agent with
the U.S. Department of State, finished his
third deployment to Iraq.
Kristen Lahr Zell ’99 is the new head
of school at Adams County Christian
Academy in Gettysburg. She briefly
taught in public and private schools
before working for 15 years in project
management and operations at U-GRO
Learning Centers, an early childhood
and preschool education provider. She
has recently worked for TCW Computer
Systems/Glick Audio and Video, an
information and technology company.
Angela Cuneo Warner ’99 has been
named the principal of Seven Sorrows of
the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic School
in Middletown, Pa. She has been involved
with the school for several years as a
parent, Parents and Teachers Together
(PTT) president, school board member,
and teacher.
Michael Bartolomucci ’09 is the director
of the Phoenix Physical Therapy center
in Lower Heidelberg Township. After
graduating from BU, he earned a doctor
of physical therapy at D’Youville College
in Buffalo, N.Y. and previously was a facility
director with Pivot Physical Therapy.
00s
David Flynn ’09/’13AuD joined UPMC
Williamsport’s ear, nose, and throat team
as an audiologist.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
Jennifer Sullivan ’00 is the maternal/
child nurse manager at Evangelical
Community Hospital in Lewisburg, where
she has worked since 2003. Sullivan has
worked as an OB nurse since 2000.
20
Jahri Evans ’07, an NFL standout who
was an All-American at BU, has been
named to the ballot for enshrinement
into the College Football Hall of Fame
as announced by the National Football
Foundation (NFF) and the College
Football Hall of Fame. Evans became a
full-time starter on the Huskies’ offensive
line in 2003. At BU, he was an AFCA
first-team All-American as a junior while
earning second-team All-American
honors from both the Associated Press
and from the Don Hansen Football
Gazette. As a senior in 2005, Evans
helped the Huskies to an average of
284.3 rushing yards a game –
eighth-most in the country. Selected in
the fourth round by the New Orleans
Saints in the 2006 NFL Draft, Evans
was selected to six Pro Bowls and was
named a first-team All-Pro four straight
seasons from 2009-12. He helped the
Saints finish in the top six in the league
in total offense in all 11 of his seasons
(2006-2016), including six number
rankings. Evans helped the Saints finish
in the top 10 in scoring nine of his 11
seasons, including number one rankings
in 2008 and 2009. In 2009, New Orleans
defeated the Indianapolis Colts to win
Super Bowl XLIV. Last year, Evans was
named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team
(2010-19).
Richard Kralevich ’01 became the first
vice president of information technology
at Anne Arundel Community College
in Arnold, Md. Kralevich is a former
administrator from Delaware Technical
Community College in Dover, Del.
Nicholas Saenz ’06 has been named
vice president, real estate relationship
manager at Penn Community Bank,
headquartered in Bucks County. With
eight years of experience in the financial
services industry, Saenz has worked
for several financial institutions and the
Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.
Daniel Hineline ’09 was presented
with the International Diamond Society
Award for Sales from Coldwell Banker
in 2018, 2019, and 2020. Alongside his
work with Coldwell Banker, Hineline has
established Twin Property Group LLC
with a business partner.
10s
Kyle Vincelli ’10 was appointed sergeant
in the Cumru Township Police Department.
A former wrestler at BU, Vincelli is a
10-year veteran of the Cumru Town
Police Department and served as a field
training officer.
Samuel Hess ’11 was promoted to vice
president and chief information officer
at Millers Mutual Insurance. Previously,
Hess worked for Millville Mutual as an IT
support/technology developer for five years
and was an IT consultant for three years.
Candyce Musinski ’11, a standup comic,
appeared on Kevin Hart’s “Lyft Comics”
on Peacock streaming TV on June 19.
Kelsey Schwan
Van Alstyne ’11
has been named
the women’s
lacrosse head
coach at SUNY
Cortland. Van
Alstyne served
as head coach
at Slippery Rock
University from
2018-21 and was the winningest coach
in that program’s history. Van Alstyne
also served as interim head coach at
Buffalo State in 2014 after being an
assistant coach. She was an assistant
coach for one season at Ithaca College
and a strength and conditioning intern at
Cornell University. She played three years
of lacrosse for the Huskies, serving two
seasons as captain and earning ScholarAthlete honors each year. In addition to
collegiate coaching, Van Alstyne also
coached USA teams in international
competitions in Australia, Germany, and
the United Kingdom and has worked at
various camps, including the Nike Cup.
Fred Obiero ’12M has coauthored
a book, “The PM Imperative: Guide
for Leading and Managing Projects,
People, and Delivering Value,” with Jahn
Karsybaev. The book provides real-life
examples and experiences to project and
product managers on how to work more
efficiently to deliver value.
Christopher Steck ’14 was named
director of sports performance for Olympic
sports at Virginia Military Institute. Steck
was a four-year starter and two-time
captain of the BU football team.
Capt. Kyle
Mogensen ’16
graduated from
the Interservice
Physician
Assistant Program
as an active-duty
U.S. Army officer.
Mogensen will
continue to serve
active duty as a
physician assistant
in the 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division,
at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Mogensen
volunteered with the Clark, N.J.,
Volunteer Emergency Squad and worked
at Union County Emergency Medical
Services as an emergency medical
technician for more than five years.
He completed the U.S. Army Medical
Department Basic Officer Leader Course
and Airborne School while serving as the
battalion medical operations officer and
medical platoon leader of 2nd Battalion,
505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd
Airborne Division out of Fort Bragg, N.C.
Samantha Kern ’17 joined the TriCounty
Area Chamber of Commerce,
headquartered in Pottstown, as
marketing and communications director.
Kern designs chamber marketing
materials, is responsible for the monthly
editorial content of the chamber’s
electronic newsletter, and manages all
social media outlets for the chamber.
Jedediah Lemon ’17 has joined the
Union County law firm of Mark H.
Lemon. A U.S. Navy veteran, he earned
his law degree at Widener Law School,
graduating cum laude. Lemon will
practice family and criminal law, estates,
estate planning, trusts, and real estate.
Jessica Campbell ’20M, FNP-C, has
joined the Guthrie Health Care System’s
family medicine department in Troy
and Canton with clinical interests in
preventative health, diabetes, and
primary care services. Campbell is
certified by the American Academy of
Nurse Practitioners.
Marriages
Kendall Fokin ’16 and
Spencer Rives ’16, July 15, 2021
Noelle Norton Porcoro Murphy ’89
and Jack Murphy, Aug. 17, 2019
Jessica Segeleon ’14 and
Nathan Sullivan, Sept. 25, 2020
Kylie DiStefano Osman ’01
and Gregory Merrbach, Dec. 12, 2020
Rebekah King ’15 and
Andrew DeMarcantonio ’14,
June 24, 2021
Taylor Williams ’17
and Peter Freda ’16, Sept. 5, 2021
Births
Jen Linder ’11 and Eric Linder ’10,
a daughter, Haley Mae Linder,
on Nov. 19, 2020
Taylor Williams ’17 and Peter Freda ’16 were married Sept. 5 at Overbrook Golf Club
in Villanova.
Alyssa Ruzicka Hiser ’13 and Ryan Hiser,
a daughter, Adelaide Hiser,
on May 1, 2021
Renee Bopp Hahn ’16 and Jared Hahn,
a daughter, Ellie Hahn, on June 15, 2021
Christopher Klunk ’07 and Renee Klunk,
a daughter, Natalie Rue, on June 16, 2021
Sandra Starkey ’07 and Joseph Starkey ’07,
a son, Joseph Thomas Starkey Jr.,
on June 27, 2021
Lindsay Bentz Stevens ’10 and
Christopher Stevens ’10, a son,
Zachary Stevens, on July 12, 2021
Joshua Stewart ’12 and Rachel Stewart,
a daughter, Blake Stewart, on July 9, 2021
Rebekah King ’15 and Andrew DeMarcantonio Jr. ’14 were married June 24 in Cape
May, N.J.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
Cassandra Carns Anczarski ’11 Joseph
Anczarski ’11, a son, Joseph Thomas
Anczarski, on June 2, 2021
21
HUSKY NOTES
In Memoriam
BU President Harry Ausprich speaks to a class in 1990.
Dr. Harry Ausprich, Former BU President
Former Bloomsburg University President Dr. Harry
Ausprich of Philadelphia passed away on July 28,
2021. He was 88. Ausprich served as president of
BU from 1985 to 1993.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
Dr. Ausprich was the first permanent President of
Bloomsburg University, beginning his tenure in July
1985. In keeping with his educational background
and interests he encouraged the growth of arts and
humanities at Bloomsburg and supported expanded
offerings of artistic performances. His personal
involvement in fundraising and development of
other sources of income led to millions of dollars
being raised during his eight years as president.
The money raised went primarily toward student
scholarships, but also to the enhancement and remodeling of the University’s
performing arts facilities: Mitrani Hall in the Haas Center and Gross Auditorium in
Carver Hall; and financial support for athletic programs and the Celebrity Artist Series.
22
The expansion of the Celebrity Artist Series, which has evolved into the Arts in Bloom
program that we have today, was Dr. Ausprich’s most satisfying personal memory
as president of Bloomsburg. He felt it gave students the exposure they needed to
experience superior quality in the arts and noted it was often the first time they had
been to an event such as an opera or ballet.
Dr. Ausprich’s legacy is continued through the ongoing commitment to the arts at
Bloomsburg University. This commitment was further demonstrated by opening the
new Arts and Administration Building in January, which provides a new state-of-theart home base for the visual and performing arts.
Ausprich is survived by the love of his life, Lorraine, his daughters Sarah Ausprich
(Stephen) and Emily Grizer (Ronald), and two granddaughters. He was preceded in
death by his son, Bryce Alfred.
Robert Buehner, Jr.,
Former Trustee
Robert W. Buehner Jr., 69, of
Danville, passed away on Friday,
Sept. 3, at his residence. Buehner
was a member of the BU Council
of Trustees from 1980 to 2003.
Born on May 5, 1952, in Danville,
he was the son of the late Robert
W. Sr. and Mary Jane Derr Buehner
and graduated from Danville High
School, Westminster College, and the
Dickinson School of Law. In addition
to his wife, he is survived by two
daughters: Mary Jane Lenahan and
her husband Eamon of Nanticoke, Pa.,
and Rebecca Goss and her husband
Brandon of Millersville, Pa.; three
grandchildren; Makenzi Scott-Goss,
Briella Goss and Lennon Lenahan.
He is also survived by a brother,
John “Jack” Buehner of Lewisburg,
Pa., and a sister; Molly Morgan
Decoteau and her husband David
of Danville. In addition to his parents,
he was preceded in death by one
daughter: Robin E. Buehner on Dec.
15, 2008. His memberships included
the Mahoning Presbyterian Church,
Danville Rotary Club, Pennsylvania
District Attorney’s Association, where
he served one year as president; the
Westminster University Board of Trustees
for eight years and the Sunnybrook
Park Association.
John Garthwaite ’39
Bette Griffiths Groh ’41
Helen Carroll ’42
Janet Shank McLaughlin ’44
Leona Oakes ’44
Arlene Superko ’45
Athamantia Comuntzis Bowman ’46
Hazel Keeler Brooks ’46
Mary Morrow Waverka ’49
George Chebro ’50
Berdine Logar Rittenhouse ’50
Roy Beyers ’51
Frank Furgele ’52
Anna Heacock Lloyd ’53
Marie Grazel Morris ’53
Joseph Wasiakowski ’53
Kenneth Kirk ’54
Carol Vought Shuman ’54
Ruth Paul Jones ’55
Lewis Mervine ’55
Mary Ellen Henning Poe ’55
Charles Pope ’55
Robert John Abraczinskas ’56
Robert Lyon ’56
Dorothy Horning Fish ’57
Clyde Gass ’57
Donald Nice ’58
Mary Grace Pohutsky ’58
Ronald Scheuren ’58
Mary Heatley West ’58
Margaret Wilkinson Wightman ’58
Jay Bangs ’59
Earl Boehmer ’59
John Fletcher ’59
Sandra Mourey Stinson ’59
Carl Unger ’59
Ann Tooey Bole ’60
John Chidester ’60
Joseph Leonardo ’60
Gloria Glahn Lewis ’60
John Lipovsky ’60
Charles McBride ’60
Ronald Senko ’60
Henry West ’60
Almeda Gorsline Wilmarth ’60
Evelyn Drendall Duncan ’61
Irene Hastie Knorr ’61
Marjorie Matash ’61
Robert Pagnotti ’61
David Stout ’61
Roberta Strain ’61
John Straw ’61
Nellie Purnell Mathias ’62
William Wisor ’62
Joseph Adornato ’63
F. Ammon Curfman ’63
Robert Derkits ’63
Mary Szerafinski Dodge ’63
Tanya Danchak Glosenger ’63
Patrick Golden ’63
Joseph Oravitz ’63
George Strine ’63
Mary Zevas ’63
Betsy Brittingham Anderson ’64
Edward Eill ’64
Carl Millard ’64
Shirley Segin Stanbery ’64
Frieda Vanfleet ’64
Charline Stiavlik Yeager ’64
David Artman ’65
Robert Blue ’65
Robert Griesing ’65
Andrew Kacyon ’65
Charles Liverton ’65
Susan Swarts Lunger ’65
Martin Snella ’65
Lois Moyer Dooley ’66
Robert Gering ’66
Gareth Kase ’66
Edith Capp Mariani ’66
Arno Miller ’66
G. Lynn Poust ’66
Ruey Cloak Dempsey ’67
Daniel Guydish ’67
Terry Henry ’67
Joan Mitchell Moyer ’67
Beverly Smith ’67
Terry Carver ’68
Mary Maloney Mountz ’68
Gary Shuey ’68
Jerome Wisdo ’68
Thomas Reich ’69
Susan Shoup Rhoads ’69
Cynthia Drucis ’70
Dorothy Fague ’70
Ronald Schell ’70
Judith Urso Snyder ’70
Kay Frances Leonard Baker ’71
Thomas Beier ’71
Donald Burris ’71
Ronald Calaman ’72
Anne Jadick Peacock Dietz ’71
Beverly Hubler ’71
John Urban ’71
Richard Abraham ’72
William Dickinson ’72
Ronald Klinetob ’72
Mary Manning Koller ’72
R. Emmet Johnson ’72
Kathy Streleckis Ladany ’72
Donna Allhusen Tavener ’72
Lois Woolbaugh ’72
Kenneth Youst ’72
Rita Davis ’73
Jean Munro ’73
Charles Naradko ’73
Joseph Peck ’73
Stephen Berrigan ’74
Daniel Callaghan ’74
Martha Pangburn ’74
George Robinson ’74
Robert Sarelakos ’74
Louise Teter ’74
Robert Randall Wallis ’74
Martin David Gursky ’75
Kathleen Hess ’75
Elizabeth Roberts Landau ’75
Kathy Ann Deglas Patterson ’75
Franklin Ryan ’75
Wayne Szynal ’75
John Zigner ’75
Kathleen Caragher ’76
Christine Lucarelli Dippre ’76
Carol Hardman Hardman ’76
Robert Johnson ’76
Deborah Ann Snyder Thompson ’76
Marie Deisler ’77
Lois Boheler Musser ’77
Christine Lucarelli Dippre ’77
Craig Smith ’77
Mary Ann Stasik ’77
Gerald Conger ’78
Carson Keiser ’78
E. Malinda Jackson Price ’80
Susan Palangi Sullivan ’80
Nancy Brown Davis ’82
Wendy Clelan Koering ’82
Donald Walp ’82
Richard Lynch ’83
Debra Ann Pompei Ulicny ’83
Brett Conley ’84
Jeffrey Jacobson ’84
Carol Ann Keating ’84
Nancy Miller ’84
Lisa Moyer Prettyman ’84
Suellen Smith Lewis ’85
Janice Bachman Webb ’85
Pasquale Atadornetto ’86
John Casale ’86
Phillip Morgan ’86
Clinton Oxenrider ’86
Gregory Scott Boyer ’87
Lori Ann Hoffmeier Lockard ’90
Lisa Smith ’90
Lynda Cole-Hoagland ’91
Christine Pacitto ’91
Thomas Nikoden ’92
Irene Wagner Frey ’95
Walter Navitsky ’96
Patricia Reade Price ’96
Rebecca Gage Reese ’96
Jeffrey Storck ’99
Charles Ewing ’00
Jeffrey Wozniak ’01
Aaron Gingo ’02
Patricia Anne Joyce Gahagan ’03
Arthur Badger ’05
Jason Egli ’05
Ashley Nahodil ’06
Andrew Michie ’07
Wade Wessner ’14
David Schenck ’15
Send information to: magazine@bloomu.edu
Bloomsburg: The University Magazine | Arts and Administration Building | 400 E. Second Street | Bloomsburg, PA 17815-1301
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
Obituaries
23
sports
VIEW FROM THE TOP
From left: Courtney Hubric, Andy Thomas, Lauren Hoelke, Anna Dempsey, Noah Cancro, and Cole Swiger
END OF YEAR AWARDS
The BU athletic department named its six major
award winners for the 2020-21 season.
Courtney Hubric
Women’s Swimming
Named the Joanne McComb
Underclass Female Athlete of the
Year. At the PSAC Championships,
Hubric was part of four All-PSAC
relays. Outside of the pool, Hubric
holds a 3.70 GPA while majoring
in nursing.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
Lauren Hoelke
Women’s Soccer
The winner of the Eleanor Wray
Senior Female Athlete of the Year
following the 2019-20 season. In
2019, Hoelke was named a CoSIDA
Academic All-District selection, a
D2CCA Second Team All-American,
and a United Soccer Coaches Third
Team All-American. She was named
a United Soccer Coaches Second
Team Scholar All-American in 2019
after earning First Team Scholar AllRegion honors earlier. She has also
been a four-time PSAC ScholarAthlete and was a 2019-20 D2 ADA
Scholar-Athlete.
24
Anna Dempsey
Women’s Lacrosse
The outstanding Senior Female
Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Dempsey was a four-time PSAC
Scholar Athlete and completed her
master’s in information technology
with a 4.00 GPA. She earned her
undergraduate degree in mathematics with a 3.43 GPA. Dempsey
was named All-PSAC East First
Team and IWLCA All-Atlantic Region
First Team. Dempsey finished her
time at BU with 82 goals, 16 assists
for 98 total points.
Noah Cancro
Men’s Swimming
Named the Robert B. Redman
Senior Male Athlete of the Year.
Cancro finished second in two events
and was part of three relay victories.
In his career, Cancro was an 11-time
All-Conference swimmer and a
five-time PSAC champion. Outside
of the pool, Cancro was a four-time
PSAC Scholar Athlete, a member of
BU’s Dean’s List, and a BU ScholarAthlete. Cancro carried a 3.68 GPA
while majoring in criminal justice
and accounting.
Andy Thomas
Men’s Swimming
Named the Danny Litwhiler
Underclass Male Athlete of the Year.
He was named the PSAC Swimmer
of the Year. The sophomore won
four individual titles and was a part
of three relay-winning foursomes.
He broke two meet records and one
conference record.
Cole Swiger
Baseball
The outstanding Senior Male
Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Swiger
had a 3.55 GPA as an undergrad in
finance. He posted a 3.83 GPA in the
MBA program. He was a five-time
PSAC scholar-athlete and a threetime D2 ADA scholar-athlete. Swiger
is a three-time CoSIDA Academic
All-District selection and was named
a CoSIDA Academic All-American
following the 2020 season.
sports
VIEW FROM THE TOP
HALL OF FAME INDUCTION
The 39th class of the
BU Athletic Hall of
Fame will be inducted
on Friday, Oct. 29. The
induction dinner and
ceremony will be held
at the Nelson Field
House starting at 6 p.m.
THE MEMBERS OF THE
ANDY CAPPELLI ’80
WRESTLING
MICHAEL BARNHART ’70
FOOTBALL
JEFF BENSON ’99
MEN’S BASKETBALL
SUSAN BOYER FLANDERS ’84
WOMEN’S SWIMMING
KATE DENNENY PECKHAM ’87
FIELD HOCKEY/SOFTBALL
MICHELE RUZICKA LAMB ’99
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
DANNY HALE ’01(H)
FOOTBALL COACH
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
2021
Hall of Fame
Class are:
25
THEN & NOW
celebrating our Husky history
REMEMBERING
at BU
By Robert Dunkelberger
The events of September 11, 2001, left the students
and employees of Bloomsburg University, like the
rest of the nation, in a state of shock and disbelief.
A beautiful fall day had turned into one of tragedy.
The feelings on campus were no better recorded
than by the student writers of the campus
newspaper, The Voice.
As events unfolded, students gathered in the
Kehr Union Ballroom, watching television news on
a large screen.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
University leaders worked throughout the day to
provide a sense of normalcy, choosing not to cancel
classes in respect for the safety and welfare of the
university community.
26
”Students gather on the mall on the Bloomsburg University campus for a daytime
candlelight vigil to remember those who died in the terrorist attacks on New York
and Washington one week before.” – The Press Enterprise, Sept. 19, 2001
Contemplating the tragedy of the day and the lives lost
was only the start of the long healing process. On Friday,
Sept. 14, classes were cancelled at noon to allow for a day
of reflection. In response, students and faculty gathered
in a packed Mitrani Hall in Haas Center to ease their grief
and put the events of the week in perspective.
The events of September 11 brought about a renewed
sense of patriotism in citizens — the United States flag
was everywhere — and BU’s students felt the need to
contribute money to aid the victims. Residence hall
students led the effort, with the students in Columbia
Hall creating a large flag made from sheets of cardboard.
It was cut into more than 100 pieces, each of which was
sold for a donation. The donor then wrote a message on
their portion and the flag was reassembled.
One week after the first plane hit the World Trade Center, a
vigil organized by students was held in front of the Student
Services Center. In addition, organizers collected more
than 500 letters of encouragement, written by students
and other members of the Bloomsburg community,
which were given to the Red Cross to be delivered to
rescue workers in New York City.
A firsthand account of September 11 was provided by
2001 BU graduate Sheila Held, who the year before
had been a contributing editor on The Voice. She was
Students gather in the Kehr Union ballroom to watch television
news coverage of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
The following day, the newspaper’s staff interviewed
students, recorded what occurred on campus the day
before, and tried to make some sense of it all.
To put September 11 into historical perspective, The Voice
researched student reactions to past national tragedies by
visiting the University Archives and examined old issues
of the student newspaper. A look back to 1941 for the
attack on Pearl Harbor and 1963 for the assassination of
President John F. Kennedy showed that students responded
in similar ways. In 1941, they were shocked and afraid,
using radios and newspapers to gather and stay up to
date on the latest information. In 1963, students heard
initial reports of the assassination and thought it was a
horrible joke. It was only through radio and television
they found out it was true.
Photo: Press Enterprise/Bill Hughes
T
hat evening a memorial service, including students
and faculty and staff, was held in the Ballroom. BU
president Jessica Kozloff offered sympathy on behalf
of the university for the losses felt by its students, especially
those from the New York City and Washington, D.C., areas.
Photo: Press Enterprise/Bill Hughes
celebrating our Husky history
THEN & NOW
27
celebrating our Husky history
THEN & NOW
O
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
From left: BU student Jared Stump, Pennsylvania State Treasurer
Stacy Garrity ’86,, Pennsylvania’s State Treasurer, Elizabeth Miller
’17, U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, and BU President Bashar Hanna.
28
working in New York City and recounted what she
witnessed that fateful morning — a walk to work that
featured the sight of smoke billowing through the air
65 blocks away, the uncertainty of what might happen
next while watching television news with her co-workers, and the evacuation of thousands of people from
area buildings and their movement as a wave of humanity through empty streets as the city came to a standstill.
Most of all she felt the need to be connected to loved
ones. She called home to talk to her parents and let
them know she was shaken, but safe.
“Even after the smoke clears and the remnants of this
tragedy are cleaned up, I will always remember the feelings
and images that I have experienced and a piece of my
heart will eternally go out to all the victims and their loved
ones,” Held concluded. “People will be the memorial of this
tragedy and I hope and pray that it will never happen again.”
n Sept. 10, BU and the BU Student Veterans
Association (BUSVA) held a Day of Remembrance
and Salute to First Responders to mark the 20th
Anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Held on
the steps of the Warren Student Service Center on
the Academic Quad, the remembrance featured
remarks by Pennsylvania State Treasurer Stacy
Garrity ’86, and Elizabeth Miller ’17, whose father
was killed in the 9/11 attack on the World Trade
Center.
Garrity served 30-years in the US Army, retiring
as a colonel having earned two Bronze Stars
and the Legion of Merit for her service. Miller is a
Rule of Law Fellow for September 11th Families
for Peaceful Tomorrows, a nonprofit 9/11 family
member group that is committed to the pursuit
of justice within a rule of law framework. Remarks
were given by BU President Bashar Hanna and
BU student Jared Stump, a veteran of the U.S.
Marine Corps and president of BUSVA, served
as master of ceremonies. The Concert Choir,
Women’s Choral Ensemble and Husky Marching
Band provided music.
29
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Fall 2021
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