EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA
Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

April 21,1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

636 STUDENTS TO GRADUATE AT EDINBORO’S SPRING COMMENCEMENT
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania President Frank G. Pogue will confer degrees on
636 students at the Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 9, at 1:00 p.m. in McComb
Fieldhouse.
With a December 1997 graduating class of 684 students, Edinboro granted
approximately 1,320 associate, bachelor's and master's degrees during the 1997-98 academic
year.
Carrying the ceremonial mace and leading the academic procession as the Grand Marshal
at the ceremony will be Richard Heasley, professor of sociology, anthropology, and social work.
He has been a member of the Edinboro faculty for 32 years.
Professor Heasley is known by his students and colleagues as a dedicated, studentcentered professional. He and his wife, Patricia, a 1962 Edinboro graduate and a member of the
University’s Council of Trustees, are the parents of two children, Richard II and Andrea
Loeffler, both Edinboro graduates.
Serving as featured speaker and receiving an honorary doctorate will be Fred Rogers, the
creator, writer, and host of Mister Rogers ’ Neighborhood on PBS. The 70-year old Rogers was
bom in Latrobe, Pa. After graduating from high school there, he attended Dartmouth College
two years before going to Rollins College in Florida where he graduated in 1951 with a degree
in music composition.
He went to New York and landed a job with NBC, and a year later he married Joanne
Byrd, a talented concert pianist and fellow Rollins graduate. In 1953 he returned to Pittsburgh at
the request of WQED to work as producer, musician and puppeteer. In February of 1968,
Mister Rogers ’ Neighborhood aired nationally on PBS and is now the longest-running program
on the network.

- more A member of the State System of Higher Education

Edinboro University Spring Commencement, continued

page 2

Rogers has received virtually every major award in television and dozens of others from
special-interest groups in education, communications and early childhood.
-30psl

May 1,1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

AREA NURSES TO OBSERVE NURSES WEEK
Nurses from all over the Erie area will attend the first annual Nurses Week Recognition
Ceremony, Thursday, May 7, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Erie Insurance Exchange Amphitheater.
Up to 25 registered nurses from all walks of the nursing profession will be honored in
conjunction with the start of Nurses Week, May 6-13. The program is being organized by the
Erie County Council of Nursing and the nursing department at Edinboro University of
Permsylvania and is co-sponsored by the Lake Area Health Education Center.
One part of nursing that goes largely unnoticed by the public is the collaborative effort
involved in student nursing education institutions in the area. Edinboro nursing students can be
found at such hospitals as Hamot Medical Center, Meadville Medical Center, Millcreek
Community Hospital, Saint Vincent Health Center, Shriners, and the Veterans Administration
Hospital. They are placed with community service organizations such as Stairways, Visiting
Nurses Associations, and the Department of Public Health.
While a classroom education is essential to becoming a registered professional nurse,
equally important is the hands-on clinical experience nursing students receive while working
under the guidance and supervision of nursing faculty with support from practicing nurses in the
field. “Nursing faculty couldn’t do their job without the collaboration of the staff nurse,” said Dr.
Mary Lou Keller, chair of Edinboro’s nursing department.
“They help create an optimum learning environment for us to do clinical teaching of
students,” added nursing professor Janet Newcamp. “The faculty of Edinboro’s nursing
department want to collectively thank all the nurses, nurse managers, and administrators with
whom they come in contact on a daily basis.”
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AREA NURSES OBSERVE NURSES WEEK, Continued

Page!

Philip Godak, a junior nursing major from the Scranton, Pa., area, and Mike Bonus, a
junior nursing major from Washington, Pa., are currently doing clinical practice in the maternity
department at Hamot Medical Center two days a week. They perform the same clinical activities
that a professional nurse would do - administer medications, monitor vital signs, and chart a
patient’s progress - in addition to taking part in all the department’s duties including labor and
delivery and postpartum nursing care. Although nursing traditionally has been a profession
almost exclusively dominated by women, broadening career opportunities and the growing use of
advanced technology have made it more attractive as a professional career choice for men.
“I like the care-giving aspect,” said Bonus, “as well as the technical aspect of nursing. It’s
the one-on-one care giving, counseling and teaching that I like the best.”
Godak particularly likes the health teaching which involves showing patients how to care
for themselves following childbirth. “People are amazed at the simplest things. They are always
very open to learning,” said Godak. Bonus hopes to eventually become a family nurse
practitioner and Godak would like to teach nursing someday. Right now, they and their fellow
nursing classmates are focused on the many clinical hours of hands-on experience.
Another nursing student is Denise N. Green of Cambridge Springs, who will be
celebrating her 25* wedding anniversary this year. Her plans to become a nurse were put on hold
while she raised her family. “I always wanted to become a nurse,” explained Green of her
decision to begin a career at mid-life. “Nursing is like a calling. It’s something I was meant to
do.”
This semester Green is at Saint Vincent Health Center three days a week, where she has
been doing clinical practice in the intensive care unit, critical care unit, and on the various
medical and surgical floors throughout the hospital. She spends anywhere from two days to three
weeks rotating on a particular unit. “I like it all,” she said. “There’s not really an area I don’t like.
There’s something good about them all.”
Green has four children ranging in age from 13 to 24. She started taking courses at
Edinboro when her youngest child was in second grade and became a full-time student in 1993.
Following graduation in May, Green will be ready to sit for the national licensing examination.
“The goal of our instructors has been for us to be able to function independently,” said Green.
She will graduate summa cum laude.
A typical day for Edinboro’s nursing students begins at 8:00 a.m. when they go over
reports from their professors and the primary nurse on duty that day regarding the status of the
-more-

AREA NURSES TO OBSERVE NURSES WEEK, Continued

Pages

patients they will be caring for. They check the vital signs, administer treatments, and
perform other nursing duties under the guidance of the nursing professor. The student nurses
remain at the hospital providing nursing care to their assigned patients until early afternoon
when they return to the Edinboro campus to attend a three-hour class lecture. The educational
preparation for the professional nurse of the 21®‘ century encompasses classroom theory and
many hours of clinical practice to develop and master the intricate skills necessary in delivering
expert nursing care to patients and their families.
-30BKP:csw

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA
Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

May 4, 1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE;

EDINBORO PROFESSOR RECEIVES INTERNATIONAL TEACHING AWARD
Dr. William Hunter, assistant professor in the department of English and theatre arts, has
received an award for Innovative Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Technology. The award
was presented this month at the Ninth International Conference on College Teaching and
Learning held in Jacksonville, Florida.
Hunter received the award for using problem-based learning - a concept that was
developed in medical schools - in classes he teaches in literature. By having students raise
questions of how issues in a novel apply to their own lives. Hunter is able to increase the level
of discussion and, ultimately, learning in the classroom.
He was one of 48 people to receive an award at the conference, which was attended by
an international audience of 1,100 people. He also presented a paper on problem-based learning
at the conference.
Hunter received his B.A. from DePauw University and his master’s and doctorate from
Purdue University. He and his wife, Debbie, live in Edinboro with their two sons, Seth and
Noah.
-30BKPrbjf

A member of the State System ofHi^er Education

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA
Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

May 5,1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

LoPRESTO RECEIVES AWARD
The Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh has awarded $1,185 to Dr. James LoPresto,
astronomer and physics professor at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. The money will be
used to purchase equipment for the University’s telescope.
LoPresto was recently honored by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives with a
citation for his role as director of scientific research and education for a total solar eclipse
expedition. LoPresto and other distinguished scientists took part in a cruise which took them to
the island of Guadeloupe where they viewed the eclipse in totality. The citation was sponsored
by State Representative Tracy Seyfert (R-5th Dist.).
-30BKPrbjf

A member of the State System of Higher Education

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVA N I A

Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

May 5,1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

EDINBORO GRAD SUDENT IS CHAMPION WOMAN BOXER
Erie resident Liz McGonigal is a study in contrasts. The magna cum laude graduate of
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania is getting A’s in the University’s demanding clinical
psychology graduate program and impressing professors with her intelligence, her performance
in class and her soft-spoken, respectful demeanor.
But her petite, 5 ft. 2 in.-frame and almost shy personality belie her status as a world-class
athlete. No, not as a gymnast nor as one of Edinboro’s cross-country All-Americans. McGonigal
is the defending national champion in women’s amateur boxing in the 112-lb. weight class.
So, what is a nice, intelligent and attractive young lady (no misshapen nose nor
cauliflower ears mar her face) doing in what many consider the most brutal of sports?
By her own admittance, it is not because of some deep-seated hostility. “I am the most
passive person,” she explains. “I hate hurting people.” That may be small comfort to
McGonigal’s unfortunate opponent in her first-ever boxing match at a Golden Gloves tournament
in Erie in 1995. The fight ended with a TKO in the second round when McGonigal broke the
woman’s nose.
Her compassion for what she had done to her opponent’s face did not diminish what she
had done for herself or the physical experience itself. “It was the most fiin I ever had. My lungs
were burning, my heart was pounding. It was exhilarating!”
McGonigal said her reward in boxing hes in the competition. “I like it for the skill being able to outbox somebody. It’s more skill than force. I like to land a good combination. It’s
a great feehng - more psychological that physical. I’m not in it for the glory. I’m a very private
person. I do it for me. I want to prove that I can do it - that women can do it - just as well as
men.”
-moreA member of the State System of Higher Education

GRAD STUDENT IS CHAMPION WOMAN BOXER, Continued

Page 2

What prompted McGonigal to climb into the ring in the first place? Clearly she was
influenced by her stepfather, Sam Patrei, who used to train fighters. Thus, she and her four older
sisters grew up in a house watching the fights on television. And when sibling squabbles got out
of hand, out came the boxing gloves.
The other factor was her experience in martial arts. She learned karate at age 16 and
worked her way up to first degree black belt. But she eventually tired of facing the same
competition and longed for something more stimulating than the tightly-controlled contact of
karate. For McGonigal, the thrill of boxing is stepping into the ring knowing that your opponent
is going to come after you with everything they’ve got.
Four years ago she took up boxing at Erie’s lower east side sports center. Despite boxing
coach Matt DeForce’s misgivings, she soon proved her seriousness. Her second bout came just
three months after the first, and the results were nearly identical - a TKO in the first round. In her
brief career, McGonigal has faced only nine opponents and defeated them all - seven by TKO.
Because women opponents are so hard to find, most of her training and sparring has been
against men. This has worked to her advantage because it forced her to concentrate on her skills especially defensive ones - rather than trying to outslug someone. Most of her opponents have
been bigger, and she has used her skills to outbox harder-hitting foes. When she faced a brawler
in one match she didn’t back down. “It came down to who had the heart to fight back,” said
McGonigal. “I kept telling myself ‘You will not lose.’”
Her string of victories qualified her for the national championship held last August in
Georgia. In the preliminary round she faced the toughest competition of her career against a
sknied fighter from Brooklyn. The two battled evenly through most of the three-round match
before McGonigal won by unanimous decision. The finals were easier where she defeated a
woman from Boston with a TKO in the second round.
With this year’s national championships coming up in late May in California, McGonigal
has been training since the start of the semester. She usually works out six or seven days a week,
sometimes four or more hours a day. Her routine includes up to 2 hours of weightlifting and
another two hours of boxing. Four or five times a week she forces herself to endure her most
dreaded training — running two miles. “I hate it,” she explains matter-of-factly. But she actually
enjoys pumping iron and can bench press her weight eight times in a row.
She admits it is difficult to train while going to school full time. Her education is her top
priority. “Getting good grades is important to me,” she said. “I take pride in my work.”
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GRAD STUDENT IS CHAMPION WOMAN BOXER, Continued

Page 3

One of her professors. Dr. Sharon Hamilton, raves about McGonigal’s ability as a student
and her focus and dedication to doing the best she can. “Her intelligence is apparent in the
classroom,” said Hamilton. “When she speaks, her comments are right on the money. She is very
motivated and interested in what she is learning.
For her master s thesis McGonigal is studying the psychological responses of athletes to
something that she has not had to experience to any great degree.
While her focus is currenUy on training and her degree, her heart is elsewhere. “My
dream is to go to the Olympics. If they have women’s boxing in 2000 I’ll be there.”
But if boxing for women is not approved as an Olympic sport until the games in 2004, the
24-year-old McGonigal realizes she will be 30. And somewhere along the line she hopes to
marry and have children.
Can a thirty-something mother climb into the ring and win a gold medal? If you don’t
think so, you don’t know anything about Liz McGonigal.
-30-

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA
Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 72,2-27^5 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

May 6,1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

EDINBORO OFFERS ASTRONOMY COURSE ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB
Beginning this spring, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania will offer its popular
Frontiers of Astronomy course over the World Wide Web. Designed for non-science majors, the
three-credit course explains the new revolution in astronomy and the latest developments in
space exploration based on discoveries from the space program.
Students from anywhere in the world will be able to take the entire course over the Web.
Astronomy professor Dr. James LoPresto will assign readings, essays and quizzes from the
textbook and provide each student with individualized attention through e-mail consultations.
The course will focus on star evolution and the hfe histories of the solar system, stars,
galaxies, and the universe.
More information is available by contacting Sharon Pratt Miller at (814) 732-2555, or
Dr. LoPresto at (814) 732-2469. The Web address for the course is
www/edinboro.edu/cwis/physics/observ/home.html.
-30BKP:csw

A member of the State System of Higher Education

r

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA
Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

May 6,1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE;

EDINBORO PROFESSOR’S ESSAY TO APPEAR IN NEW BOOK
Dr. Jean Jones, a professor in the department of speech and communication studies at
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, will have an essay published in a forthcoming book.
Higher Education: A Readerfor College Lives. Her essay, “Merging the Metaphors: Surviving
and Thriving as New Academic,” originally appeared in the fall, 1997 edition of ADE Bulletin.
Jones said the essay is about the transition of a faculty member with a newly-acquired doctoral
degree into academe.
-30BKP:csw

A member of the State System ofHi^er Education

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA

Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

May 7,1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE;

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL PUBLISHES EDINBORO PROFESSOR’S WORK
An international biology journal has published a paper by Edinboro geosciences professor
Dr. Dale Tshudy. The Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington published
“Intraspecific variation in external morphology of the American lobster, Homarus americanus.”
Tshudy and co-author Gary A. Parsons, a lobsterman from Maine, collected and examined
several hundred lobsters to determine which physical characteristics varied the least from lobster
to lobster. Those characteristics would likely be the most reliable in understanding the
evolutionary relationships among fossil and current species of lobsters.
-30BKP;csw

A member of the State System of Higher Education

Ii
EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA

Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

May 1, 1998

REVISED MEDIA ADVISORY:

FRED ROGERS TO DELIVER KEYNOTE REMARKS AT EDINBORO
COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY
Mr. Fred Rogers, creator of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, will serve as the featured
speaker for our 1998 Spring Commencement ceremony which will begin at 1:00 p.m. on
Saturday, May 9, in the University's McComb Fieldhouse. Mr. Rogers will also be presented
with the honorary degree Doctor of Public Service.
The previously scheduled media conference featuring Rogers, originally scheduled for
11:30 am, is cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. Media coverage of the ceremony,
however, is invited.
For the first time, graduating seniors, faculty, administration and visiting dignitaries will
process from the University Center to McComb Fieldhouse just prior to the ceremony (weather
permitting).
For additional information or clarification, call Ms. Patti Loomis, Director of Public
Relations and Publications, at 814-732-2745.

-30-

psl

A member of the State System of Higher Education

I

I
I

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA

Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

May 6, 1998

MEDIA ADVISORY:
Clarification to the Media Advisory of April 30, 1998:

Our April 30 release indicated that Mr. Fred Rogers would sit for media interviews on
Saturday, May 9, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., in Room 102, McComb Fieldhouse.
Several members of the media are interpreting this to mean that Mr. Rogers will offer
separate, private interviews to those requesting them. This will not be the case. Mr. Rogers will
take questions from the media in the setting of a standard news conference.
Also, the news conference may not last the entire hour from 11:30 to 12:30. The
interview session will end when Mr. Rogers signals that it is over.
Your cooperation with these ground mles is appreciated. They represent the wishes of
Mr. Rogers and his staff.
Thank you.
-30WAR:bjf

A member of the State System of Higher Education

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA
Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

April 30, 1998

MEDIA ADVISORY:
A news conference has been scheduled for print and broadcast media to interview
Mr. Fred Rogers of public television’s Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood in conjunction with his
visit to Edinboro University to accept an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree at the
University’s spring Commencement exercises, Saturday, May 9, 1998.
Mr. Rogers will sit for interviews from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., in room 102, McComb
Fieldhouse. Given his travel schedule to and from Pittsburgh, as well as his participation in the
formal Commencement ceremony, he will only be available for interviews PRIOR TO the start
of the Commencement procession, preparation for which will begin at 12:30 p.m. He is
unavailable for interviews following Commencement.
It is requested that the media be in McComb Fieldhouse room 102 and have any
necessary equipment set up and ready to go by no later than 11:25 a.m. on May 9. Please be on
time.
Questions? Call Bill Reed or Patti Loomis, Edinboro University Public Relations, at
814-732-2745.
-30WAR:bjf

A member of the State System of Higher Education

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA

Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

May 8, 1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE;

SEAN BLILEY NAMED EDINBORO’S DIRECTOR OF BUDGET AND PAYROLL
Sean Bliley of Erie has been named director of budget and payroll at Edinboro
University of Pennsylvania. Prior to his appointment, Bliley was a financial analyst in the
financial planning department at Hamot Medical Center. In his new position he will coordinate
the University’s annual operating budget and oversee the staff and student payrolls.
Bliley is a graduate of Fairview High School and received a B.S. degree in accounting
from the Behrend campus of Penn State University in 1987.
He began his career at Hamot working weekends as an orderly while he was in college.
In 1988 he was hired as the business manager for the Hamot Health Foundation’s Center for
Personal and Family Growth. In 1990 he became Hamot’s financial analyst. He has been a
member of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard since 1987 and is currently a captain serving
as the battalion logistics officer.
Bliley and his wife, Kimberly, who is a nurse with the Erie School District, have three
children, Racheal, Mitch and Matt.
-30BKP:bjf

A member of the State System of Higher Education

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA

Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

May 8, 1998

NEWS ADVISORY;
Due to the closing of 1-90 and the subsequent rerouting of traffic through Edinboro on
Route 6N, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania is recommending that anyone traveling to
Edinboro today or tomorrow allow extra time to arrive. We anticipate a significant number of
individuals will be coming to campus to attend tomorrow’s graduation ceremony and to assist
students leaving campus for the summer.
Additional time should be allowed even if travelers will not be using the 1-90 corridor,
because the rerouting of traffic may cause delays on other roads as well.
The Commencement ceremony will begin promptly at 1 p.m. and the University
recommends that all attendees be in McComb Fieldhouse no later than 12:45 p.m.
-30BKP:bjf

A member of the State System of Higher Education

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA

Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 7yi-27A5 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

May 11,1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

EDINBORO ROTC COMMISSIONS THREE OFFICERS
Three graduating seniors from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania’s ROTC program
were commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army in a commissioning ceremony held
Saturday morning. May 9, at the University Center. The three students were then graduated from
the University that afternoon in commencement ceremonies.
Kenneth S. McCrory of Kirtland, Ohio, graduated with a degree in criminal justice and
will be assigned to active duty in the ordinance corps. Shawn M. Rosh of Athens, Pa., in
Bradford County, graduated with a degree in art education and will be assisgned to active duty in
CAff AT TT. Ltv’ij

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the quartermaster corps. Also graduating with a degre^ in criminal justice was Craig M. Wiley of
Harrisburg who will be assigned to active duty in the chemical corps.

-30BKPicsw

A member of the State System of Higher Education

L ou'-SAA-f

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA
Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

May 11,1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

MR. ROGERS ADDRESSES EDINBORO GRADUATING CLASS
“Everyone is special” was the message presented by Fred Rogers at the spring commencement
ceremonies of Edinboro University of Peimsylvania on Saturday, May 9,
“If you saw our neighborhood on television when you were very young, you may have heard
me say, T’m proud of you,’” he said. “Well, you can be sure that I am today. I’m proud of what has
brought you to this special moment in your life - the choices that you have made that have allowed
your commencement to be.”
Stressing he is very interested in choices and what and who enable human beings to make
choices all through their lives, Mr. Rogers challenged the graduates to examine the choices they make.
“What choices lead to ethnic cleansing? What choices lead to healing?” he asked. “What
choices lead to destruction of the environment? Or teenagers shooting teachers? What choices allow
heroism in the midst of chaos?”
For three decades, the 70-year-old Rogers has visited his young viewers through airwaves,
assuring them with words and music that he likes them just the way they are. He shared the words of
his familiar song, “It’s You I Like,” with the graduates.
Students from Edinboro’s Miller School and Clark Elementary School led the audience in
singing Mr. Rogers’ theme song, “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” Rogers, the creator, writer and host of
his own PBS series climbed down from the stage and knelt with the children as they sang.
Mr. Rogers addressed a capacity crowd of 4,000 in the University’s McComb Fieldhouse,
including the graduating class of 636 seniors. With a December 1997 class of 684 students, Edinboro
granted 1,320 associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees during the 1997-98 academic year.
In his welcoming remarks to the graduates, their families and the guests of the University,
President Frank G. Pogue said, “I hope Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, one of 14 public
universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, has lived up to the public trust and
-moreA member of the State System of Higher Education

MR. ROGERS ADDRESSES GRADS, continued

page 2

that we have provided access to an exceptionally high-quality education at a reasonable cost; that our
learning community has been student centered; that the experience has forged the internalization of the
skills and high moral and ethical values as foundation for citizenship and a hunger for further
education; that we have provided adequate opportunities for you, our students, to evaluate the
effectiveness of our teaching, service and administration; that we have recognized and responded to the
changing needs, in terms of technology, of the demographics of our student body; and that your
university has connected with external communities to maximize and assure that you will be successful
in securing a professional career or graduate opportunities commensurate with your aspirations...
“Let us continue to lead others by making the people we serve discover the good things about
themselves that they didn’t know were there,” Pogue said. “Let’s spread our concept of community and
family to die larger communities in our state, nation, and the world. By all means, let’s stay in touch.”
Carrying the ceremonial mace and leading the academic procession as the Grand Marshal was
Richard Heasley, professor of sociology, anthropology, and social work. He has been a member of the
Edinboro faculty for 32 years.
Professor Heasley is known by his students and colleagues as a dedicated, smdent-centered
professional. He and his wife, Patricia, a 1962 Edinboro graduate and a member of the University’s
Council of Trustees, are the parents of two children, Richard II and Andrea Loeffler, both Edinboro
graduates.

-30-

psl

MISTER

MGERS'

NEIGHBO/mOOD

FRED ROGERS

Launching his 30th season of MISTER ROGERS'
NEIGHBORHOOD on PBS, Fred Rogers says, "Although
children's outsides may have changed a lot over the years, their
inner needs remain very much the same. No matter what lies
ahead, children will always need to know that they are loved
and capable of loving." Photo: James McGoon

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA

Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

May 12,1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

JOSEPH GRISANTI APPOINTED EDINBORO’S DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
Joseph J. Grisanti of Fairview has been appointed director of development at Edinboro
University of Peimsylvania. Prior to his appointment Grisanti was vice president of fundraising
for the United Way of Erie County.
Grisanti, a native of Erie, has a B.A. degree in journalism from Penn State University and
a master’s degree in communication studies from Edinboro.
Early in his career, Grisanti was a human services planner at the Greater Erie Community
Action Committee. In 1986 he was hired by National Fuel to design and operate a specialized
customer service program. Rejoined the company’s corporate communications department in
1992 with responsibility for community relations and corporate contributions. He served briefly
as director of marketing and development for ExpERDEnce Children’s Museum in 1995 before
joining the United Way as a campaign associate.
Grisanti said one of his most important roles is to find oppoitunities for people to become
more involved in the University. “Our challenge is to offer increased access to the University and
continue to grow the Edinboro family,’’ he said.
Grisanti is engaged to Judy Graham of Fairview.
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A member of the State System of Higher Education

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA
Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

May 13, 1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY AWARDS SCHOLARSfflP
TO TOP fflGH SCHOOL SENIOR
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania has awarded an Alumni Association Admissions
Grant Scholarship to Lisa M. Durfee of Springboro. Based on high school curriculum, grades,
overall grade point average, class rank, college board scores, extra-curricular activities, and
leadership qualities, the annual scholarship is renewable for up to four years.
A graduate of Conneaut Valley High School, Lisa participated in National Honor
Society, smdent council and the JETS team. She is the daughter of Harold and Judith Durfee
and plans to major in psychology at Edinboro.
The scholarship program was created by Edinboro University’s Alumni Association
Board of Directors as part of a plan to augment the smdent scholarship program. Funded with
alumni gifts, the program is designed to attract the brightest high school smdents. Recipients
must maintain a minimum 3.0 grade point average while emoUed at Edinboro to be eligible to
have their scholarship renewed each year.
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A member of the State System of Higher Education

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA
Department of Psychology
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2774

MEMOTa

Patti Loomis
Public Relations Director

FROM:
Dr. Gary LaBine, Internship Supervisor
EUP - Psychology Department
DATE:

May 6,1998

SUBJECT:

Press Release - Spring 1998 Interns (BA Psychology)

Please process press releases regarding the Spring 1998 (BA Psychology) Interns from the
Psychology Department (see attached sheet for intern information). The following paragraphs are
suggested for use in the press release:

The Department of Psychology at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
recently announced that

name of intern

internship atsite namein the
direction of

has completed a 12 week

special unit (ifaPDlic.)

under the

site supervisor(s) name(s) & position title

.

Undergraduate internships in psychology are typically undertaken by
students during the summer following their junior year. Occasionally, students will
complete an internship during the Fall or Spring semesters. Internships provide
students with an opportunity to obtain professional work experience in a variety of
settings in the field of psychology.
if applicable, please add the following sentence as a new paragraph:
name of intern_____ is the daughter/son of
name of varent(s)

of

name of parent’s hometowi

1\

Ifi
A member of the State System of Higher Education

nw^

!• !S
MAT - 8 I99«

1: -J

EDINBORO UNIVERSiTi'
PUBLIC RELATIONS

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA
Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

May 18,1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

EDINBORO STUDENT COMPLETES INTERNSfflP
The Department of Psychology at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania recently
announced that Courtney Lynn Kirkpatrick has completed a 12 week internship at Western
Psychology in the adolescent program unit under the supervision of Dale Banks, intake worker.
Undergraduate internships in psychology are typically undertaken by students following
their junior year. Internships provide students with an opportunity to obtain professional work
experience in a variety of settings in the field of psychology.
Courtney is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Kirkpatrick of North Huntingdon.
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A member of the State System of Higher Education

EDINBORO - As the official delegation from Lublin, Poland, looks on, Edinboro University of
Pennsylvania president Dr. Frank G. Pogue signs the cooperative academic exchange agreement
between Edinboro and Poland’s Maria Curie-Sklodowska University. Joining in the ceremonial
signing is professor Zbigniew Krupa, prorector of Maria Curie-Sklodowska University. The
agreement, which offers both institutions opportunities for student and faculty exchanges,
complements the earlier “sister cities” relationship established between the cities of Erie and
Lublin. During the delegation’s recent visit, an affiliation agreement was also formalized with
the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM).

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA
Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-77A5 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

May 19, 1998

REVISED - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

RITA HAYES NAMED EDINBORO’S STAFF MEMBER OF THE YEAR
In ceremonies at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania’s recent spring University-wide
Convocation, president Frank G. Pogue presented the University’s first Staff Member of the
Year Award to Rita Young Hayes, R.N.C., nursing supervisor at the Ghering Health Center on
the Edinboro campus.
In announcing the award in its first year, Pogue said that its purpose is to reinforce the
concept of community through recognition of outstanding performance and service to students,
the University and the community.
Hayes, an Edinboro employee for nearly 30 years, has seen the Ghering Health Center
through many innovative changes since becoming supervising nurse, including inspiring the
plan to remodel its outpatient facility to provide privacy for students and physicians.
Hayes is described as an advocate for the staff and students who is willing to listen to
complaints and suggestions and then act on them. She has opened the Health Center for tours
during the University’s Family Weekend and has assisted her staff in extending the arm of
health care and service to classrooms and residence halls, according to one nomination.
“Rita understands the ‘nuts and bolts’ of managing the Ghering Health Center and its
overall relationship with Edinboro University as a whole,” said another nominator.
Hayes is a graduate of the St. Vincent School of Nursing and has been at Edinboro
University since 1969. The nursing supervisor at Ghering Health Center for the past 10 years,
she has studied health care administration at St. Joseph’s College and is a registered nurse
certified in college health.
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A member of the State System of Higher Education

STAFF MEMBER OF THE YEAR, Continued

Page 2

The other four finalists for Staff Member of the Year were Dusty Barton, technology and
communications; Dr. Donald Dilmore, associate vice president for University libraries and
academic programs; Julia Fedders, University Center coordinator; and Kathleen Strosser, office
for students with disabilities.
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EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA
Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

REVISED - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY NAMES EDUCATORS OF THE YEAR
At its recent spring University-wide Convocation, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
President Dr. Frank G. Pogue presented the University’s first Educator of the Year awards to
history professor and department chair Dr. Jerra Jenrette, and to business and economics
professor Paul Lisowski. Jenrette and Lisowski were among five finalists nominated for
recognition in the first year of the award program.
Jenrette, a member of the Edinboro faculty since 1992, is an educator who “strikes a
chord somewhere deep within to give another individual the incentive to absorb what is being
learned and then go out and learn even more,” according to one nomination.
Jenrette recently coordinated “Take Your Daughter to Work Day” on the Edinboro
campus, which involved 12 young women from the Erie School District spending the day at the
University with faculty or staff mentors.
“She sets boundaries within the classroom, but at the same time, opens up the world to
discussion,” said another nominator, describing Jenrette as an organizer of events and trips to
benefit students and extend their learning beyond the classroom.
A member of the Edinboro faculty since 1975, Lisowski received more than 15
nominations fi:om colleagues, students and alumni, ail with a similar theme of caring about his
students.
Pogue described Lisowski as a professor who takes a personal interest in his students,
ensuring that they attend class and fully understand the lectures and discussion topics, and
making himself available to students at all hours outside of class as well.
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A member of the State System of Higher Education

<

EDINBORO NAMES EDUCATORS OF THE YEAR, Continued

Page 2

“As the adviser to the student Business and Accounting Club, Paul accompanies club
members on educational field trips and tours, hosts social gatherings at his home, helps build
homecoming floats, and ensures that other faculty members are involved in the programs and
activities of the club,” said one of the nominators.
The co-recipients of Edinboro’s Educator of the Year Award, in addition to being
recognized at the Convocation and having their names and photos placed on a perpetual plaque
displayed on the campus, will be nominated by the University for national awards, Pogue said.
The other finalists for Educator of the Year were Mr. John Boylan, speech and
communication studies; Dr. Baher Ghosheh, geosciences; and Dr. John Kebles, who was
nominated posthumously.
-30-

Edinboro resident Kimberly Knickerbocker, second from left, receives Phi Sigma Iota s student
member award from Edinboro University professor Judith Gramley. Looking on are German
professors Virginia Hajewski and Dr. Thomas Hajewski, and Dr. Janusz Czejdo, chairperson of
the department of foreign languages.

Edinboro - Edinboro University of Pennsylvania was the host site and sponsor for a recent
luncheon celebrating collaboration and education to benefit and serve northwestern
Pennsylvania s Hispanic citizens. Pictured with Edinboro University President Dr. Frank G
Pogue (second from left) are (from left) Mr. Richard Hilinski, school board member representing
the City of Erie School District; Ms. Maritza Robert, executive director of the Governor’s
Commission on Latino Affairs, who was the luncheon’s keynote speaker; and Wilfredo Velez,
president of the Hispanic Leadership Development Program. In his welcoming remarks, Pogue
enounced Edinboro’s new “Latino Connection” project, an after-school tutoring and leadership
development program for Latino youth in the greater Erie area designed to increase the numbers
who pursue college degrees. The Latino Connection is funded by a grant from the Pennsylvania
State System of Higher Education.

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA
Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

May 20, 1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

WRITING SCHOLARSHIP ESTABLISHED AT EDINBORO
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania has announced the creation of the Pitzer/Rupnik
Scholarship for students majoring in English, communication studies/media or theatre arts. The
scholarship was established by the late Ruth S. Brink of Greenville in honor of her niece and
nephew - Sara Rupnik of Conneaut Lake and Brian Pitzer of Edinboro.
The scholarship is intended to assist those students who wish to study writing in such
fields as journalism, communications, public relations, creative writing or theater. To qualify for
the award, students must maintain a 3.0 grade point average. Freshmen must have graduated in
the top 40 percent of their high school class with a minimum grade point average of 2.5.
Financial need is not a factor, but the scholarship is restricted to students from the
western Pennsylvania counties of Erie, Crawford, Warren, Mercer, Venango, Lawrence, Butler,
Allegheny, Beaver, Washington, Greene, Fayette, Forest and McKean.
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A member of the State System of Higher Education

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA
Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

May 20, 1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

ERIE CITY VO-TECH SENIOR WINS 1998 CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION
Michael Hanel, a senior from the Erie City Vo-Tech School, was recently named the
grand prize winner in the 1998 Congressional Art Competition and Exhibition sponsored at
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania by U.S. Rep. Phil English (R-21st).
“An Artistic Discovery 1998” was open to high school students in English’s 21st
Congressional District. The weeklong art exhibition and closing reception for the student artists,
their famihes and their teachers was held on the Edinboro University campus. Edinboro has
hosted the event for 15 of the last 16 years.
Hanel’s winning entry, a tempera titled “Still Life,” was judged best among 45 entries
submitted by students from 16 schools in English’s four-county district. The judges were
Edinboro University art professors Suzanne Amendolara and Malcolm Christhilf. Hand’s
artwork is now in Washington, D.C., where it will hang for a year in a corridor of the U.S.
Capitol along with winning works from students in other Congressional Districts across the
nation.
Second place went to Andy Maas of Harbor Creek High School and third place to Tim
Skelly of Erie City Vo-Tech School.
The three prize winners were presented cash awards from Edinboro University.
Honorable mentions were awarded to Andrew Clark of Greenville High School, Hope
Magee of Cochranton Jr./Sr. High School, Joshua J. Shaw of Erie City Vo-Tech School, Tiffany
Sherwood of McDowell Senior High School, and Aaron ZaUk of Cambridge Springs Jr./Sr.
High School. All five also received cash awards from Edinboro University.
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A member of the State System of Higher Education

CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION, Continued

Page 2

Hand, 18, is the son of Theresa Rittenhouse of Erie. Joe Krol, art teacher at Central
High School’s City Area Vo-Tech, accompanied Hanel and the school’s other entrants to the
reception.
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Michael Hand (center) was the grand prize winner in “An Artistic discovery 1998,” the annual
Congressional Art Competition and Exhibition sponsored by members of the U.S. Congress and
hosted by Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. With him are Edinboro University President
Dr. Frank G. Pogue (left) and Congressman Phil English.

Edinboro - A dedication ceremony was held recentiy to name the new
flag complex in front of Edinboro University’s Reeder Hall in honor of
Mr. Richard Morley, Edinboro’s retiring vice president for financial
operations and administration, shown here with a drawing of the three-flag
complex by local artist and Edinboro alumnus Buck Snodgrass. Morley
supervised the design and construction of the complex, which displays our
national colors, the flag of the Commonwealth and the new University flag.
Morley will retire on June 30 after 14 years as Edinboro University’s chief
financial officer.

Edinboro - A dedication ceremony was held recently to name the new
flag complex in front of Edinboro University’s Reeder Hall in honor of
Mr. Richard Morley, Edinboro’s retiring vice president for financial
operations and administration, shown here with a drawing of the three-flag
complex by local artist and Edinboro alumnus Buck Snodgrass. Morley
supervised the design and construction of the complex, which displays our
national colors, the flag of the Commonwealth and the new University flag.
Morley will retire on June 30 after 14 years as Edinboro University’s chief
financial officer.

Edinboro University President Frank G. Pogue presents Academic Sports League Scholarships to
Kurt Nuber, left, of McDowell High School, Daniel Massing of Strong Vincent High School, and
Emily Coleman of Villa Maria Academy. The scholarships were presented at the Fifth Annual
Academic Sports League Celebration Luncheon held this month at McComb Fieldhouse. Each
covers the cost of tuition for four years and is currently valued at $3,468 per year.

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA
Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

May 26, 1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

fflGHLAND AMBASSADORS APPOINTED AT EDINBORO
Edinboro Universi^

of Pennsylvania President Frank Pogue has announced the

appointment of 11 new members to the Highland Ambassadors organization.
The Ambassadt >3 are a student organization which was introduced to the campus to
improve the University and local community through service projects as well as to enhance the
educational and social experiences of its members. During the 1997-98 academic year the
Ambassadors contributed nearly 1,700 hours of service.
The organization’s mission is to promote Edinboro University and its interests and goals
among future and current students, alumni, and friends, and to instill in them the value of a life­
long relationship with the University. They are selected by a panel of faculty, staff and students
who are looking for qualities that best represent the standards and character of model University
citizens.
The following new members were announced at a reception held recently: Laurene
Adams of Edinboro, Pa., Cynthia Borger of Orrtana, Pa., Karrie Bowen of Rome, Pa., Sarah
Marie Conklin of Edinboro, Pa., Kimberly Ann Evan of Wattsburg, Pa., Beth Hardesty of
Thompson, Oh., Jessica Leuschen of McKean, Pa., Lori Jane Mason of Clarington, Pa., Dan
Shumate of Albion, Pa., Matthew Stevens of Oil City, Pa., and Shannon Yohn of New Castle,
Pa.
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A member of the State System of Higher Education

EDINBORO UNIVERSITY
OF

PENNSYLVANIA
Office of Public Relations and Publications
Edinboro, PA 16444
(814) 732-2745 or 2929
Fax (814) 732-2621

May 26, 1998

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

GREAT TfflNGS ARE HAPPENING AT
EDINBORO UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
While colleges and universities across the nation are struggling to counter escalating
college costs, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania President Dr. Frank G. Pogue has
announced a new plan to reduce tuition costs for New York and Ohio students to enhance
overall enrollment at the University and make higher education more affordable for all
Edinboro students and families.
Coupled with the announcement in March that Edinboro’s Council of Tmstees had voted
unanimously to hold next year’s costs for room, board and fees at this year’s prices, as well as
the most recent announcement that the State System of Higher Education’s Board of Governors
will not raise tuition for the 1998-99 academic year, Pogue said, “We view these as major steps
to reverse the decline in enrollment - particularly out-of-state enrollment - we’ve experienced
at Edinboro since the steep increase in out-of-state tuition in the early 1990s.’’
In January, the State System established a new policy which would allow System
universities the flexibility to set, within certain guidelines, individual tuition rates for nonPennsylvania students. Out-of-state tuition could be set, once the State System approved a
university’s plan, anywhere between 150 percent and 250 percent of the in-state rate.
The tuition for out-of-state students at Edinboro, $8,824, is currently 254.5 percent of
the in-state rate of $3,468.
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A member of the State System of Higher Education

GREAT TfflNGS ARE HAPPENING AT EDINBORO, Continued

Page 2

Edinboro University enrolled 1,081 out-of-state students in 1990. During the past
acadeinic year, which began in the fall of 1997, the number had dropped to 382. At the same
time, tuition for out-of-state students had climbed by more than 70 percent, essentially pricing
Edinboro out of the out-of-state market.
Edinboro’s plan to reduce tuition for students from the bordering states of New York and
Ohio will be phased in over a two-year period, Pogue said. For the 1998-99 academic year,
which will begin this fall, non-resident tuition will be 200 percent of that charged to
Pennsylvania residents. The following school year, 1999-2000, tuition will be 150 percent of
that charged to in-state students.
“Because of Edinboro University’s location within a few miles of the Ohio and New
York state borders, we have been pushing for flexibility in out-of-state tuition rates since my
arrival here in 1996,” Pogue said.
The University, which was operating at record enrollment levels at the time the out-ofstate tuition increases began, is now more than 1,100 students below the 8,202 student body
enrolled in 1992-93.
“It was very clear to me that our decline in out-of-state students was directly related to
the cost of out-of-state tuition,” said Pogue, “and that the consequences of continuing even
incremental non-resident tuition increases could be devastating to Edinboro and several other
System universities.
“I see the lowering of tuition for New York and Ohio students as a major, positive step
to reach our goal of returning our enrollment to 8,000 students by the end of the century.”
Pogue said also that the decline in the number of out-of-state students has had the effect
of raising the average cost to educate each in-state student.
“This is due to the fact that the under utilization of our capacity has had the result of
spreading overhead costs to a smaller number of students,” Pogue explained. ‘This has raised
the average cost of educating all Edinboro students, and we think that our plan will reverse this
trend.”
Under Edinboro’s plan, fall 1998-99 annual tuition for New York and Ohio students will
be $6,972.
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