CLARION
U N I V E R S I T Y

M A G A Z I N E

WINTER 2021

MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY OFFERS
STUDENTS A HEALTHY FUTURE
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought attention to all
health careers, but one health career in particular has grown
in relevance and need.

health and provide a clearer picture of a person’s physical
well-being. The position was in demand in all 50 states prior
to the pandemic, and its need has only increased.

Medical technology is one of Clarion’s more than 175
programs of study, and it offers a healthy future for the
student who excels in biology and chemistry.

A medical technologist tests and analyzes blood, body
fluids and tissue samples. Medical technologists also are
responsible for operating and maintaining the equipment
used to analyze specimens.

Medical technologists solve the mysteries of a person’s

CLICK OR VISIT CLARION.EDU/NEWS/2021/DECEMBER/MED-TECH TO READ MORE!

CLARION

WI N T ER 2 0 2 1
VOLUME 7
NUMBER 3

FEATURES

DEPARTMENTS

12 A daybreak that’s wondrously clear

4 Clarion Digest

Orphaned as an infant and raised in the foster care system,
Cassie Schwalm found school to be a refuge and a place
where she excelled. Now, as she prepares to graduate, she
plans to become a lawyer to help other kids in foster care.

16 MBA or bust

Marcus Ryan, a senior in the accelerated MBA program,
spent 11 months converting an old school bus into an off-thegrid RV that he hopes to sell to fund his graduate degree. He
learned by watching YouTube videos and through the help
of family and friends.

22 The Golden ticket

When Judge Ruth Bermudez Montenegro ’89 came to
Clarion from California in the 1980s, she had no idea how
much being a Golden Eagle would shape her life. She has
made a name for herself and is shattering glass ceilings as a
woman and a Latina.

28 Gaines in diversity

Florence Gaines, the first Black woman to live on Clarion’s
campus, said the environment is much different from when
she was a student in the 1950s. Gaines ’89, was a special
guest at Homecoming 2021.

Students win cash prizes in the fourth annual BizPitch
Competition; Lineman shares workforce development
expertise; Venango Veterans Club hosted its annual Flags
for the Fallen ceremony on Veterans Day; five honored
for work in social equity; ALL IN Campus Democracy
Challenge awards Clarion’s action plan.

10 Homecoming 2021

30 Coach Cal Court
University of Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari ’82
returns to Clarion for the dedication of the basketball
court in Tippin as the Coach Cal Court.

34 Volleyball cruises to its third PSAC
championship.

40 #Wings Up
The career of Alexis Robison ’20 is off to a good start.
Publication of her research in a top-tier professional
journal is already on her “done” list.

ON THE COVER
Coach Cal Court

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MAGAZINE

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President:
Dr. Dale-Elizabeth Pehrsson
Executive editor:
Tina Horner
Co-editors:
Sean Fagan (sports);
Amy Thompson Wozniak ’02, ’06G
Design:
Bryan Postlewait ’04
Contributors:
Michelle Port
Shawna Bish
Photographers:
Brianna Kirkland ’16
Bryan Postlewait ’04
Address comments and questions to:
Clarion University Magazine
Center for Advancement
Clarion University of Pennsylvania
840 Wood St., Clarion, PA 16214
Email: alumni@clarion.edu
Visit Clarion University on the web at
www.clarion.edu.
Clarion University Magazine is
published by the Division for University
Advancement for alumni, families of
current students and friends of Clarion
University. Alumni information is also
located at www.clarion.edu/alumni.
Clarion University of Pennsylvania is
committed to equal employment and
equal educational opportunities for
all qualified individuals regardless
of race, color, sex, religion, national
origin, affection or sexual orientation,
age, disability or other classifications
that are protected under Title IX of the
Education Amendments of 1972, Section
504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973,
the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990, and other pertinent state and
federal laws and regulations.
Direct equal opportunity inquiries to:
Director of Social Equity
Clarion University of Pennsylvania
423 Becht Hall
Clarion, PA 16214-1232
814-393-2109

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Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher
Education Board of Governors
Chair: Cynthia D. Shapira
Vice Chair: David M. Maser
Vice Chair: Samuel H. Smith
Rep. Tim Briggs
Tanya I. Garcia, PhD, designee for Sec. Ortega
William ‘Bill” Gindlesperger
Allison Jones, designee for Gov. Wolf
Sen. Scott Martin
Marian D. Moskowitz
Noe Ortega, secretary of education
Rep. Brad Roae
Alexander C. Roberts
Sen. Judith L. Schwank
Zakariya Scott
Larry C. Skinner
Stephen L. Washington Jr.
Neil R. Weaver ’00
Gov. Tom Wolf
Janet L. Yeomans

Council of Trustees
Chair: J.D. Dunbar ’77, ’79G
Vice Chair: Milissa Steiner Bauer ’84
Secretary: James L. Kifer ’83G
Susanne A. Burns
The Honorable R. Lee James ’74, ’83G
The Honorable Donna Oberlander ’91
Larry Pickett ’77
Kathryn Robinson, Student Trustee
Brendan Shepherd ’16
Howard H. Shreckengost ’83
Neil R. Weaver ’00
Alumni Association Board of Directors
President: David Reed ’09
President-Elect: Thomas Launer ’10
Treasurer: Michael Phillips ’03, ’04G
Secretary: Samantha Noblit Thauvett ’09
Michael Chapaloney ’99
Brian Cook ’03
Henry Crawford ’02
Theresa Zacherl Edder ’91, ’05G
Chelsea Signorino Ewing ’15
Bridget Linnan Kennedy ’90, ’07G
John Marshall ’87
Barry McCauliff ’72
Sean McDonald ’97, ’01G
Chris Myers ’12
Ryan Peffer ’03
Joseph Sciullo ’02
Virginia Cole Vasko ’88
Sydney Spang
Eagle Ambassadors President
Ann Thompson ex-officio
Director of Alumni Engagement
Dr. Dale-Elizabeth Pehrsson ex-officio
President, Clarion University

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear Clarion family,
As we prepare to celebrate the beginning of a new year, we
have been busy working toward another new beginning – that of
Pennsylvania Western University, or PennWest for short.
Pending Middle States approval, Clarion, Cal U and Edinboro will
begin working as an integrated institution July 1, 2022. Although
much about PennWest will be new, it is rooted in and retains the
histories of the universities it comprises. Throughout the process,
we have remained intentional about building on our successes
of the past as we plan for the future. The goal of integration is
to create new opportunities for students, including expanded
academic programs and support services, and to hold down costs
for students at all three campuses while financially strengthening
our institutions
The work that was completed throughout the fall includes the
selection of the name and a wordmark that represents the
integrated university. From the beginning of the process, we have
remained committed to Clarion (and integrating partner
campuses California and Edinboro) retaining its brand and history,
and our promise that Clarion students and alumni forever will be
Golden Eagles.
Also this fall, we finalized the academic array and established
PennWest leadership and the employment structure we will
use moving forward. This information is available at
www.clarion.edu/integration. I encourage you to review the
section to learn more about the future PennWest.
Wings Up!

Dr. Dale

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STUDENT NEWS I CLARION DIGEST

EAGLE SPIRIT
Lauren Murphy, a junior nursing
major and nutrition & fitness
minor from Union City, submitted
the winning design for the 2021
Homecoming T-shirt. Murphy
said she loves to be creative with
art projects in her spare time.

SHOW OF SUPPORT
Students were invited to put their hand print on the apple to show their support for
National Coming Out Day in October. The Allies organization sponsored the activity.

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STUDENT NEWS I CLARION DIGEST

PERFECT PITCH
Three Clarion students won cash prizes in the fourth
annual BizPitch Competition. The competition awarded
$1,500 for first place, $1,000 for second place, $500 for
third place, and a fan favorite award of $250.
Marcus Ryan of Mercer, a senior business management major, won $1,500 for first place and $250 for
fan favorite for a total of $1,750. His business, Skoolie
City, is contract work-based business that facilitates the
remodeling of old school buses into renovated motor
homes. With help from Skoolie City, customers will have
their dream motorhome at a very affordable price. See
page 16 to learn about Ryan’s first Skoolie project.

Indya Durham of Pittsburgh, a sophomore communications major, won $1,000 for second place. Her
business is an online cosmetic store that features a
variety of high-quality and affordable products. The
mission of the business is to give customers a wellness
experience that goes beyond face value.
Shamyia Johnson of McKeesport, a junior early
childhood education major, won $500 for third place
with her business in which she creates one-of-a-kind,
commissioned works of art for customers.

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VENANGO NEWS I CLARION DIGEST

FLAGS FOR
THE FALLEN
Clarion University – Venango’s
Veterans Club hosts Flags for the
Fallen each year on Veterans Day.
The 296 flags placed in front of
Suhr Library are a memorial to
our commonwealth’s heroes who
sacrificed their lives during Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, Operation
Enduring Freedom and Operation
Iraqi Freedom. Flags dotting the
campus represent Pennsylvanians
who fought and died in all wars.
Susan Hileman ’97, was guest
speaker. She is a veteran of the US
Air Force who received the Air Force
Commendation Medal, the Air Force
Training Ribbon; Air Force Outstanding Unit Award; Air Force Good Conduct Medal; and Small Arms Marksmanship Ribbon with Oak Leaf Cluster.
She is pictured with Mark Conrad, advisor of Venango Campus Veterans Club.

LINEMAN SHARES WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT EXPERTISE
Hope Lineman, dean of career and workforce education, presented “#Prepared4PA: Preparing Pennsylvania’s Workforce of the
Future” in November at the Regional UPCEA Conference and again
at the National CAEL Conference in San Diego. Lineman leads the
statewide work for the State System and is strategic advisor to the
chancellor on workforce innovation.
Affordable, career-relevant post-secondary education is an
engine of social mobility and economic development, which
is essential to the future of this commonwealth, Lineman said.
Currently, Pennsylvania higher education is shrinking in the number
of newly credentialed individuals it produces annually. To meet
its workforce needs, Pennsylvania must significantly increase the
number of adults with some postsecondary education.
The #Prepared4PA initiative is a 21st century strategy that better
connects higher education and industry at different levels, building
a stackable career pathway that incorporates certificate programs
or credentials. It leverages opportunities for building a vibrant
economy and helping to foster a brighter future for students. The
initiative also fosters partnerships to improve educational pipelines
into high priority occupations; ensuring our workforce is prepared
for the jobs of today and in the future.

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To learn more, click or visit www.prepared4pa.org.
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ALUMNI NEWS I CLARION DIGEST

CARR PHOTOGRAPHS 2020 OLYMPIC GAMES
FOR NBC NEWS
Evan Carr ’07 covered the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games as a photojournalist for NBC News, Washington, D.C.
Carr has worked for NBC News for eight years, winning multiple Emmy, Murrow and Associated Press awards. He covers
the movers and shakers in Washington, D.C., as well as providing live shots for talent and logistical knowledge about Capitol
Hill and the district.

KNOEDLER HIRED AS PRESS SECRETARY FOR US REP
Matthew Knoedler ’14 is press secretary for U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA). Before
joining Kelly’s team, he was the Washington, D.C., bureau chief for Lilly Broadcasting.
His final story for Lilly was an interview with Clarion political science professor
Dr. Kevan Yenerall and others about the 2022 Pennsylvania Senate race.
At Clarion, Knoedler was part of Yenerall’s 2012 National Convention Experience
class. He completed his fieldwork at the Washington Center academic seminar at the
Republican National Convention in Tampa.

CLICK OR VISIT
ERIENEWSNOW.COM TO WATCH THE INTERVIEW.
CLARION UNIVERSITY
MAGAZINE

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CAMPUS NEWS I CLARION DIGEST

ALL IN
ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge
presented the 2021 Best Action Plan
Award to Clarion University Nov. 9 during
the State Voting Challenges Awards
Ceremony.
The award recognizes an institution's
efforts to develop and implement a
campus democratic engagement action
plan to help college students improve
nonpartisan civic learning, political
engagement and voter participation.
Clarion tied for first place in the 4-year
Institution category.
Sarah Zerfoss, Clarion's assistant
director of student conduct and community development, said the COVID
pandemic presented unique challenges
that required a strategy for engaging
students during remote learning.
"Our civic engagement efforts have
included virtual speakers, social media
campaigns, podcasts and the continued
development of the CU Engaged Coalition on our campus," Zerfoss said.
CU Engaged Coalition works to
promote bipartisan student engagement.

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CAMPUS NEWS I CLARION DIGEST

Ernie helps CU Engaged
Coalition co-chair Taylor Boyle
and member Kaitlyn Krupa
at a Campus Democracy
Challenge event

NATIONWIDE EFFORT TO BE VOTER FRIENDLY
Clarion is one of over 231 campuses in 37 states and
the District of Columbia designated as a Voter Friendly
Campus. The initiative, led by national nonpartisan
organizations Fair Elections Center’s Campus Vote Project
and NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher
Education, held participating institutions accountable for
planning and implementing practices that encourage their
students to register and vote in 2020 elections and in the
coming years.

The mission of the Voter Friendly Campus designation is
to bolster efforts that help students overcome barriers to
participating in the political process. Clarion’s campus was
evaluated based on a plan about how the university would
register, educate and turn out student voters in 2020, how
it facilitated voter engagement efforts on campus, and a
final analysis of these efforts, all in the upheaval caused
by a global pandemic. The designation is valid through
December 2022.

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Out of the huts of history’s shame
I rise
Up from a past that’s rooted in pain
I rise
I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise
(Excerpt from Maya Angelou’s poem, “Still I Rise”)

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A DAYBREAK THAT’S
WONDROUSLY CLEAR
The Maya Angelou poem “Still I Rise” is an indelible part
of Cassie Schwalm. She identifies so strongly with it that
she has it permanently inked on her body.
Angelou’s and Schwalm’s pain came from different
circumstances in different times and places. Their response
to it, however, was the same: They rose.
“My parents passed away when I was two months old,”
Schwalm said. “My grandmother raised me until I was 12, and
she passed away.”
Schwalm became a ward of the court. She had half-siblings
and bounced around among them and other family for a
while.
“I never found a stable environment until I was in ninth
grade. I was placed with a family and stayed until my senior
year,” she said.
The family had guardianship of her, which made her essentially their child. The arrangement provided food and security
for Schwalm, but she said there was verbal and physical abuse.
She wasn’t happy in the home, but she had created a life for
herself at school and with friends, and she didn’t want to go
back into the foster care system.
“Academics is the only area where I found success. I flourished in English and literature, and I found passion in public
service,” Schwalm said. “I was involved in student government,
the National Honor Society, I played multiple varsity sports. It
was my friends and their parents who took me to practice.”
She left that foster home the day she turned 18. She never
looked back.
In spite of the misfortune that had been thrust upon her,
Schwalm was determined to create for herself a bright future. She
knew that the path to the kind of life she wanted was through
higher education.
“I wanted to be more than what I had been reduced to in my
teenage years,” she said. “I knew I was more than the horrible
cards I had been handed.”
Although her A-C Valley high school grades were excellent and
her academic resume showed her to be a well-rounded student
who was sure to succeed in college, she found it difficult to get into
college because of her background and her status as an independent student.

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“When I turned 18, I didn’t know my Social Security
number. I didn’t have my birth certificate, and I had never
had a job,” Schwalm said. She didn’t know how to access
the documents she needed for admission and financial aid.

that I wanted an internship. He got me in touch with the Jill
Beck campaign, and the next week I had my first internship,”
she said. Yenerall helped her secure her second internship –
with John Fetterman’s campaign for senate.

Again, her friends and their families were her support
system. They, along with a “very good admissions counselor
who had dealt with kids aging out of foster care” helped her
to eventually gain admission to Edinboro University.

“This little support system grew in front of my eyes,”
Schwalm said. “People here cared about me more than
anyone in my academic history. I wouldn’t be in the position
I am without those four. I have found the community I’ve
been searching for.”

“I fought hard to get into college. That encouraged me to
base my career on helping other foster kids who age out of
the system to find the resources they need,” Schwalm said.
After one semester at Edinboro, she transferred to Mt.
Aloysius College to play volleyball, remaining there until the
spring semester of 2020.
“Once COVID hit, I transferred home to Clarion. It was the
most financially responsible choice,” she said. “I did it with
remorse at first, but it turned out to be the best decision I
ever made.”
Schwalm said before she transferred to Clarion, she loved
the idea of going to college. She loved classes and learning,
but she lacked a personal connection at Mt. Aloysius.

“WHEN I CAME IN, I KNEW WHAT I
WANTED TO DO WITH MYSELF – I KNEW
WHAT MY GOALS WERE – BUT I DIDN’T
KNOW HOW TO GET THERE,” SHE SAID.
THAT CHANGED IN HER FIRST
SEMESTER AS A CLARION STUDENT.
“Dr. Lingwall was one of my professors, and right off the
bat he took interest in me,” Schwalm said. “Even though
classes were over Zoom, he showed personal compassion
and directed me to Lacey Fulton.”
Fulton became her academic advisor. She suggested
Schwalm consider pre-law and urged her to visit the Center
for Career and Professional Development. There, Erin
Kriebel Lewis ’01 ,‘06G connected her with the people on
campus who could help her reach her goals.
“I knew when I took my first law class that it was the
missing piece,” Schwalm said.
She is taking full advantage of opportunities at Clarion.

With a lifelong interest in politics and the experience of
two political campaigns under her belt, she ran her own
campaign for a seat on Clarion Borough Council.
“Coming out of foster care as an individual who had to
come into adulthood quickly, I understand the weight of
political policies. I have the understanding that as a citizen
of this community, state, and country, I can lessen that
weight on someone else’s back,” she said.
Schwalm will graduate in May 2022. She plans to take a
gap year filled with professional paralegal experience, study
for the LSAT and start applying to law school.
“My goal is Columbia or NYU Law. From there, I’ll start a
career in public service.”
Despite the challenges Schwalm has faced, she’s never felt
like quitting, especially where her education is concerned.
“The idea of not being a student is more terrifying than
anything. I love being in school. My dreams of helping other
students in similar situations has kept me going,” she said.
She admits to struggling with a victim mindset when she
was younger, but going to therapy, finding her community,
and identifying her passions helped her develop the mindset
to rise above her circumstances.

“IF ANYTHING,
I’M PROUD OF
MYSELF.”

“I got connected with Dr. Kevan Yenerall, and I mentioned
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Much like the spacecraft in the Apollo space program,
Marcus Ryan’s Apollo was built for exploration. The
20-year-old business administration major with a minor in
international business loves to travel, and the idea for his
Apollo was borne from his desire to explore America.
Ryan’s parents own a diesel repair garage in Mercer.
During the COVID pandemic when classes were held
remotely, he worked full time as a mechanic in the family
business. He was looking for a project to keep himself busy.

Once the interior was gutted, the next step was measuring and planning. For the planning phase, Ryan called on a
high school friend who is proficient with computer-aided
design software. Ryan had a general idea of the layout he
wanted, but together, they developed a detailed design and
color schemes.

“After previously flipping a car, I decided I wanted a
bigger challenge, so I took on a school bus conversion,” he
said. He sold the car to fund the project and began to look
for a bus.

“I knew I wanted a couch there,” Ryan said, pointing to
the area inside the door on the passenger’s side. “And I
knew I wanted the kitchen table there,” he said of the space
behind the driver’s seat.

Through his parents’ business contacts, they helped Ryan
locate a 40-foot, yellow BlueBird school bus which was
retired from use and parked in a field. A school bus requires
a commercial driver’s license to operate it, so his dad had to
drive it home. That was Sept. 23, 2019.

Initially he envisioned the kitchen on the passenger’s
side and the bathroom opposite it, but the two areas were
flipped because of where the holding tanks for the black
water and gray water would be installed underneath. The
kitchen is equipped with a full-size refrigerator/freezer, a
three-burner stove and plenty of storage.

Overall, the bus was in good condition. It ran well and
needed no engine work. The exhaust and some brake
components were rusted, so Ryan replaced them. He
changed the oil and fuel filters and replaced bulbs in the
exterior lights.

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The first step in actually transforming the bus was removing everything from the interior, including unbolting the 26
seats.

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The master bedroom, furnished with a queen-size bed,
stayed in the location Ryan initially planned, encompassing
the rear third of the bus.

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To power the vehicle when it’s off-the-grid, he installed
solar panels which create enough power to supply the bus
for a couple of hours. The bus can be plugged in if electrical
service is available. Propane powers the heating and cooling
system.

“To prevent that from happening, I sprayed the metal beams
in the ceiling with foam insulation.”

Ryan had no experience with construction, plumbing
or electrical work before he started on his bus project. He
averaged 8 to 10 hours a day of researching and working on
the build.

Friend Gabe Wiley, also a Clarion student, helped with the
project. He laughed, remembering some of the painstaking
work they did.

“I put in hundreds of hours of research and reaching out
to the community for guidance on all the issues I ran into,”
Ryan said. “I spent many hours on YouTube to learn the
aspects of plumbing, electrical and construction.”

“We had to sand every inch of the exterior before we
painted it,” Wiley said. “We thought we’d sand today, prime
tomorrow, and paint the next day. A few weeks later, we
were still sanding.”

As he continued through the conversion, Ryan learned
a lot of construction basics, such as using insulation in the
ceiling to prevent moisture.

On Aug. 14, 2020, 11 months after he started, Ryan
completed the conversion. He calls the bus Apollo, derived
from the letter ‘A’ that identified the bus when it was in
service. He took it for an enhanced inspection, which was
required to convert the vehicle status to motorhome. Once
it was registered as a motorhome, Ryan no longer needed a
commercial driver’s license to get behind the wheel.

“Thermal bridging is when metal comes into contact with
another substance, causing moisture to build up,” he said.

He hoped to try it out on a three-month trip, but because
of COVID, much in the nation was closed. He hasn’t taken

His high school physics teacher helped him with the
electrical work.

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On the exterior, Ryan replaced lighting and painted over
the yellow.

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What is a skoolie?
From washingtonpost.com

Launched in the 1970s as part of the hippie culture, the skoolie
movement today is growing, encompassing smart, custom-crafted
little homes that have handsome finishes and high-tech features
enabling them to provide the comforts of home, the joys of
mobility and the economies of living partially or totally off
grid. With their full metal frame, robust structure, large
tires and height above the ground, skoolies are regarded
by many to be sturdier and safer than typical RVs.
Their home is on wheels but it’s not a trailer.
Nor is it a standard motor home or recreational
vehicle.
Rather, it’s a tiny, one-of-a-kind house that
once was a school bus. Homes like this are
called skoolies, and there are many of
them around the country, especially in
western states.

any trips in the bus, but he’s tried out all of the systems, and
everything functions as intended.
“Five people can comfortably sleep in the bus. As for hanging
out inside, there’s room for about 10 people,” Ryan said.
Ryan, who is enrolled in Clarion’s accelerated bachelor’s
to master’s program, will complete his Bachelor of Science
in Business Administration in May, then continue into the
MBA program. He hopes to spend a portion of his
graduate studies serving an internship abroad to
support his minor in international business. To help
pay for his education, he has listed the bus for sale.

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THE
GOLDEN
TICKET

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When Judge Ruth Bermudez Montenegro ’89
came to Clarion in the 80s on a full-ride
scholarship, the young Latina had no idea how
much being a Golden Eagle would shape the
trajectory of her life.
Montenegro has been nominated by the Biden administration for the United States District Court for the Southern
District of California.
Montenegro now serves as a U.S. Magistrate Judge for
the United States District Court for the Southern District
of California. She is the sole magistrate judge in Imperial
County, the first female to do so and the first Latina judge in
the history of Imperial County. She maintains chambers in El
Centro, California.
Prior to her appointment to the federal bench, Judge
Montenegro served as a Superior Court Judge in Imperial
County.
Before becoming a judge, she served as a family support
commissioner for the Imperial County Superior Court
where she was the first female to serve in that capacity and
assistant county counsel for the Imperial County Counsel’s
Office.
Montenegro also worked as an associate attorney with
Horton, Knox, Carter & Foote representing numerous public
agencies, school districts, businesses, corporations and
nonprofits. During law school, she served as an extern with
the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Civil Division, in Los Angeles.
The California native said Clarion was one of the key
foundations for her personal and professional life.

“My time here at Clarion shaped who I am today,”
Montenegro said. “And all of my experiences at Clarion set
me on a trajectory for personal and professional success.
My time at Clarion is where I formed lifelong friendships,
received invaluable mentorship from professors and staff,
traveled and became familiar with life on the East Coast,
and ultimately realized my goal of being accepted into law
school. All of these experiences were far more than I could
have ever wished for and dreamed.”
She formed mentorships with faculty members Dr. Ngo
Tu, professor of political science, and the late John Shropshire, the first Black dean of admissions at Clarion, who
fostered her undergraduate achievements.
Montenegro said Shropshire drove her to her LSAT exam
and recommended her to represent Clarion at the National
Conference for Women College Student Leaders, where
she had the opportunity to spend a week in Washington,
D.C., all expenses paid, to network and learn from senators
and congress members, as well as women college leaders
throughout our country. This experience cemented her
desire for a life of public service and gave her the goal of
becoming an attorney.
“This conference was a formative experience where I
honed my leadership skills and became inspired to be a
public servant,” she said.

CLARION UNIVERSITY
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25

Tu served as her pre-law advisor, wrote letters of recommendation on her behalf and guided her through the law
school application process. He also served as a reference for
her after she left Clarion.
“Dr. Tu and Dean Shropshire continued to support me
throughout my career,” Montenegro said.
She graduated with a political science degree from Clarion
in 1989 and then from UCLA School of Law in 1992.
“On campus, Ruth was always smiling, sharing stories
about her family and the sunny state of California. You
could always tell, she was on the path to greatness,” said

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Shannon Fitzpatrick Thomas ’92, Montenegro’s friend from
her Clarion days.
While at Clarion, she formed lifelong friendships with
other studednts like Thomas, who would take her with them
when they went home on weekends and breaks. During this
time, she got to taste regional foods and had the opportunity to create a family away from home.
“It (Clarion) became my home and my family,” Montenegro said.
Montenegro joked that Clarion also introduced her to
Bob’s Sub.

Her time at Clarion gave her the gift of travel by moving
across the United States to the East Coast where winters
were cold and snowy. She has since traveled the world with
her beloved family, but she first got a taste of travel by
going on university trips.
“I remember Ruth being so enthusiastic about Clarion’s
Pre-Law Club, her roommate and I joined in the fall 1988,”
said Thomas. “Just a few weeks into the Fall semester,
Ruth’s leadership and organizational skills went into high
gear and she organized a weekend trip to NYC for the club.”
In addition to pounding the gavel, Montenegro is widely
recognized for her community service working with youth.
She is the past president and co-founder of the El Centro
Education Foundation and a member of the California Civic
Learning Partnerships Committee. She previously served as
president of the Imperial County Bar Association, president
of MANA de Imperial Valley, board member of the California
Bar Foundation as well as on the boards of numerous
nonprofit organizations.
Montenegro is a member of the Federal Magistrate Judges
Association, the National Association of Women Judges,
and the California Latino Judges Association. She is the
co-founder of the Imperial County Superior Court Summer
Extern Program.
She is a member of the Federal Magistrate Judges Association Diversity Committee and co-chair of the Diversity
Award Committee. She serves as a guest speaker at educational programs sponsored by the Federal Bar Association
and actively participates in court-sponsored outreach
programs, the Imperial County Mock Trial Competition and
the Imperial County Migrant Education Student Speech and
Debate Competition.
In 2019, Judge Montenegro oversaw the chartering of the
Imperial County Lawyers’ Association. She also mentors
high school students and prospective law students from
Imperial County.

When she was sworn in as a U.S. magistrate judge in
2019, fellow U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Major spoke
of Montenegro in Stephanie Garcia’s story from the “The
Desert Review.”
“I didn’t know Judge Montenegro before she was chosen
to be magistrate, and after she was selected, I contacted her
and we had lunch. I have to tell you, it was like having lunch
with a celebrity,” Major said.
“During lunch, I discovered why she knew so many
people,” Major said. “Initially, Montenegro was born and
raised here in the Imperial Valley and is incredibly involved
in her community.”
She has received numerous honors including one of the
2020 “Women of the Year” for the 40th Senate District,
2012 “Woman of the Year” for the 56th Assembly District,
Imperial County Community Foundation Distinguished
Philanthropist, Inspirational Community Leader – Iron
Woman Award, MANA de Imperial Valley Las Primeras
Award and Legacy Award, two-time recipient of the Soroptimist International of El Centro Ruby Award, and the City
of El Centro Mardi Gras Queen. In 2019, Judge Montenegro
served as the commencement speaker at San Diego State
University-Imperial Valley.
Recently, she was named a Distinguished Alumni at
Clarion’s 2021 Distinguished Awards ceremony and Thomas
nominated her for the award.
“Courageous. Confident. Clarion. You gave me the courage and the confidence to dream big and achieve more than
I had ever imagined possible,” she said.
Judge Montenegro and her husband Joe reside in El
Centro, California, with their daughter Miranda, a recent
UCLA graduate.

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27

Florence Gaines
Florence Gaines was the first Black woman to live on
Clarion University’s campus, and she returned for Clarion’s
2021 Homecoming to find a much different environment
from when she was here in the early 50s.
Gaines, or Flo, as she is known to her friends, now 89,
attended school during the time of segregation and was the
only Black person living on campus.
“It was quite obvious when I enrolled and when I started,”
Gaines said. “There was no one but me.”
Gaines said she was aware of two other Black students
at the time, a brother and sister from Oil City with the last
name Smith, but neither of them lived on campus.
When she first enrolled, she and her father learned that it
wasn’t likely she’d find a roommate. At the time, a Mr. Moore
who was helping her through the admissions process said
some parents probably wouldn’t want their daughters to
room with her, but she could always occupy a single room.
However, a single room cost more than a shared room, and
her family had to keep an eye on the bottom line.
They made an exception for her by not charging her more
for a single room. She began her time in Becht Hall, which
used to be a women’s residence hall.
Despite having no roommate, Gaines became friends
with four white women in the first several days of being at
Clarion. She has fond memories of laughing and talking in
front of Becht Hall after Sunday dinner with these women
and others who were passing through. At that time, the
cafeteria was on the first floor of Becht Hall.
A negative experience came after the holidays when she
and her friends were sharing holiday treats in the dorm.
Another student recited the rhyme “Eenie, meenie, miney,
moe, catch a (expletive) by its toe.” This upset Gaines and
she returned to her room.
Living in the residence hall would prove to be challenging
in another way as white women didn’t understand that
ethnic hair couldn’t be washed every day.
Gaines said the other ladies would ask her, “Why aren’t
you washing your hair?”

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This concern also came to light during shower time
pranks.
This was the time of open-topped showers and girls
would pull pranks such as dumping cold water over top
from the next shower stall. Florence didn’t believe this was
racially motivated as all of the girls were targets. For Florence, however, this was a “don’t” for her hair, so she started
showering at later times when she wouldn’t be pranked.
Despite these incidents she eventually did get to have a
roommate when she later moved to Science Hall. Financial
difficulties sent Gaines home for little while and when she
returned she was back in Becht in a single room again.
Gaines credits her parents with her return to Clarion. “I
had a mother and father who were bound and determined
that their children would be educated.”
Her father told her, “You started something and you’re
supposed to finish what you start.”
In addition to financial difficulties, the times that were
especially difficult for Gaines were when she would encounter someone who had never seen a Black person before her.
In the 50s, there was one laundry facility on campus. She
and her friends went to this facility together. She said it was
a very loud place with the machines always clacking, but
when she walked in, “Everything stopped. All of the workers
stopped.”
Gaines asked her friend, Pauline, “Did I forget to put on all
of my clothes this morning?”
The incident demonstrated a reality to Gaines.
“I know that the majority of them there had never seen a
Black individual before,” she said.
She said that same issue stopped her from going into
town during certain times. Gaines encountered a mother
and her young children who would not stop staring at her.
The mother tried to pull them away to stop them from
staring.
Gaines said she didn’t blame the children for their reaction, but it did make her uncomfortable as others treated
her as if she wasn’t there.

“It stopped me from going into town on Saturdays,”
Gaines said. Instead Gaines would go into town in the
early mornings throughout the week as her class schedule
allowed.
She hopes that her presence inspired Clarion families to
have positive conversations around the dinner tables.
Despite the attitudes of townspeople, Gaines said her
fellow students and teachers treated her well.
Originally, Gaines wanted to obtain a degree in library
science, so she completed a library science student teaching
experience in Erie and another student teaching experience
in English at what was known as the campus school on
Clarion’s campus.
While she was completing her library science student
teaching, she had some Clarion students observe her and
one of the students was none other than Dr. Paul Chandler’s
wife, Kathleen Hicks Chandler.
Good fortune was with her in the form of an 8 a.m.
Saturday morning practicum class that taught students
professionalism. A man named Mr. Skinner taught the
course and cautioned Gaines that she may not be able to
get a job in Clarion.

Delaware, teaching in the Howard High School Library –
fulfilling Gaines’ professional aspiration. She would work in
this capacity for the next 24 years.
Although her parents weren’t happy about the move to
Delaware – it was too far away, and they were concerned
about racial issues there – Florence got married, raised her
family and still lives there to this day.
In 1979, she was asked to take her talents from Howard
to Delcastle Vo-Tech High School in Delaware, an all-white
school they were trying to diversify with Black teachers.
Gaines said she was worried about the change at first, but it
ended up being a positive experience and she retired from
there in 1996.
She’s never doubted that she received a good education
at Clarion, and she is happy to have done her life’s work in
the education system.
She encourages other students of color to put aside any
negativity that they may encounter, “go where you can get
the education that you need,” and find the finances you
need to do it.

“I didn’t necessarily want a job in Clarion,” Gaines said.
Skinner guided her toward the Bryant Teachers Agency in
Philadelphia, which connected her with a job in Wilmington,
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SPORTS ROUNDUP

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SPORTS ROUNDUP

On September 21, 2021,
John Calipari came home.
From now on, part of him
will remain here forever.

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31

SPORTS ROUNDUP

Flanked by former teammates and coaches, family and
friends, the Kentucky head men’s basketball coach and 1982
Clarion graduate was honored for the many contributions he
and his wife Ellen have made to the university. The playing
surface in Tippin Gymnasium was officially renamed the
John V. Calipari Court, with the words “Coach Cal Court”
henceforth emblazoned on the hardwood.
“It is my absolute pleasure to welcome back Coach Calipari and the many teammates, friends, loved ones, coaches,
mentors, and all those who joined us to celebrate,” said
Clarion University President Dr. Dale-Elizabeth Pehrsson.
“This is a rare and extraordinary moment we are sharing.”
The curriculum vitae for Calipari is familiar to even casual
fans of college athletics. Simply put, he is one of the most
successful men’s basketball coaches of the last three
decades. A 29-year veteran of college basketball coaching,
Calipari was a 2015 inductee into the Naismith Memorial
Basketball Hall of Fame. He has guided six teams to the
Final Four, led one to a national championship and helped
54 players earn selection in the NBA Draft during his college
coaching career. From UMass to Memphis and ultimately
Kentucky, Calipari has been among the very best college
coaches in the game for the last three decades.
The roots of that story stretch back to western Pennsylvania, where he was a star high school basketball player

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at Moon High School under another Clarion graduate, Bill
Sacco ’66. Calipari started his college playing career at
UNC Wilmington before transferring to Clarion in 1981,
helping the Golden Eagles reach their first NCAA Division II
Tournament in program history that year. Under legendary
head coach Joe DeGregorio, Clarion went 23-6 and reached
the East Region championship game. He was a key member
of Clarion’s 1981-82 team that started the season 7-0 and
ranked third in Division II at one point.
Upon his arrival in September, Calipari took a guided tour
of the renovated Tippin Gymnasium, seeing with his own
eyes for the first time the updated home of the Golden
Eagles. He then met with the Golden Eagle men’s basketball
team for more than an hour, passing along his wisdom,
reminiscences and anecdotes before joining the unveiling
party already in progress. After hors d’oeuvres and dinner,
the ceremony began in earnest, with a number of visiting
dignitaries taking the opportunity to celebrate Calipari, as
well as the role Clarion University and its athletics programs
play in keeping the community vibrant.
“What I was reminded of again tonight was how important an organization like this is, not just for the region
but for the students,” said Pennsylvania's State System of
Higher Education Chancellor Dr. Dan Greenstein. “The level
of camaraderie and passion I’ve witnessed amongst team-

SPORTS ROUNDUP

mates, their recollections from many years, is really special.
It must continue, and it will continue.
“To the students that are here today, you are part of this
family,” Greenstein said. “You are launching on a trajectory
which I hope will lead you to the same places it led these
graduates.”
Among those special guests honoring Calipari were two
of the most influential voices in his coming to Clarion: his
high school coach Bill Sacco and his head coach from his
time as a Golden Eagle, Joe DeGregorio.
“Congratulations to John, Ellen and the Calipari family,”
Sacco said. “This is quite an honor, to have a court named
after you, and he has absolutely earned it.”
“In this world of ours, there are givers and takers,”
DeGregorio said. “John has always been a giver. From the
day I met him, he’s always been a giver. He never forgets.
DeGregorio recounted what made Calipari such an
effective player for the Golden Eagles. Despite a purported
lack of athleticism – “as John once said, ‘I was small but I
was also slow!’” DeGregorio joked – it was Calipari’s ability
to see the big picture that made him a strong point guard.

the ball to whom it needed to get to,” DeGregorio said. “He
wasn’t concerned about being the high scorer or the leading
rebounder. His concern was being successful and winning
ball games.
“That’s why I love him. He understood the game, and he
still does,” DeGregorio said.
After that, it was time for the grand unveiling of the
“Coach Cal Court” signature and mark on the floor, followed
by statements from Calipari himself.
I’ve had a lot of people help me,” Calipari said. “Whether it
be my coaches, my teammates or mentors in the profession,
I had help. I was carried to that position.” His hope is that
when people ask how he became successful that they’re
told, “He started his path here. He built his foundation here.
He was able to dream big here. You can all dream big if you
choose to. Do more than is expected, and it’s all yours.
“Lastly, I hope they look and they say, ‘He never forgot.’"
I appreciate the opportunity I had to be a student here, an
athlete here, to be coached by who I was coached by, to
play for the guys that I played for,” Calipari said. “For that, it
has all been worth it.”

“John was a gym rat, John knew where everyone was on
the court, John was a master planner, and John could get
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SPORTS ROUNDUP

STILL
SOARING
VOLLEYBALL
CRUISES TO PSAC
CHAMPIONSHIP WIN

Thanks in large part to one of the top offenses in the
nation, as well as key defensive contributions at the net
and in the back row, Golden Eagle volleyball made waves
in 2021 with the third Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship in program history. Clarion defeated
perennial contender Gannon Nov. 20 in the championship
match, raising the trophy at East Stroudsburg’s Koehler
Fieldhouse.
The Golden Eagles started their championship run
by avenging a pair of losses to the only team that beat
them more than once in the regular season, the Edinboro
Fighting Scots. Going on the road to take on the team
that held a share of the PSAC West championship, Clarion
stunned the Fighting Scots with a 3-0 sweep at McComb
Fieldhouse, which earned them a trip to the conference
semifinals at East Stroudsburg. The Golden Eagles won
their second straight road match in the tournament,
beating the hosting Warriors 3-1 on their own floor, and

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SPORTS ROUNDUP

followed with a dominant victory over the Golden Knights in
the final.
Three Clarion players earned All-PSAC honors in 2021,
including First Team selections London Fuller and Cassidy
Snider. Fuller, the team’s starting setter, was named the
PSAC Tournament MVP after a dazzling three-match display
in the playoffs, while Snider, an outside hitter, was voted the
West Division Rookie of the Year after leading the conference in kills. Fellow outside hitter Julia Piccolino ranked
third in the PSAC in kills and earned Second Team All-PSAC
West status.
The championship is the third overall for the Golden
Eagle volleyball team, and their first since 2010. That marks
two PSAC championships for head coach Jennifer Herron,
the program’s all-time coaching wins leader who is in her
15th season at the helm. With the victory over the Golden
Knights, the team guaranteed their 10th appearance in the
NCAA Tournament.

It was a confluence of different factors – young players
maturing throughout the year, veterans adjusting to new
roles, and a group needing crucial time to jell – that led to
the Golden Eagles peaking at the right time of year. After
going 8-4 in tournaments to start the season, the team
began to gain traction and make themselves known as a
contender in the PSAC West division.
The league got its wake-up call that the Golden Eagles
were more than an afterthought Oct. 30, when they swept
Gannon at Tippin Gym to move into striking distance of a
regular season division title. Though Clarion was unable to
catch up with the Golden Knights and Edinboro before the
regular season ended, they made it clear they were going to
be tough come playoff time.

CLARION UNIVERSITY
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35

Equity AWA R D S

Student Senate and the Office of Social Equity presented the 2021
Equity Dinner and Awards Ceremony Nov. 9 in Gemmell. From left
are: Dr. Jane Walsh, Presidential Award; Dr. Nripendra Singh, Outstanding Employee Award; Dr. Lorie Taylor, Outstanding Supporter
Award; and student Kendall Watts, Special Equity Award. Lucia Diaz,
not pictured, won received the Outstanding Student Award.

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IN MEMORIAM

1940s

2000s

Evelyn C. Rippy ’41, Sept. 19, 2021

Adrian I. Thornton Baker ’05, Nov. 2, 2021
Brooke Marie Brown ’05, Oct. 6, 2021

1950s

Bonnie K. McDaniel Sharrar ’05, Sept. 18, 2021

Eugene W. Fitzsimmons ’55, Sept. 27, 2021

Marcia Kay Shaw ’06, Sept. 28, 2021

Edward Urban ’56, Oct. 6, 2021

Corey J. Giles ’09, Nov. 16, 2021

1960s

2010s

William Larry Beightol ’61, Oct. 13, 2021

Kayla Rae Branthoover Wessel ’17, Nov. 17, 2021

Michael P. Ferraro ’64, Oct. 13, 2021
Kenneth H. Roadman ’67, Sept. 20, 2021

2020s

Thomas H. Schrecengost ’69, Sept. 26, 2021

Ralph N. Bommer ’21, Sept. 24, 2021

1970s

Friends

Ralph S. Marasia ’70, Sept. 22, 2021

Robert Girvan, Oct. 13, 2021 (retired faculty)

Deborah A. McCanna ’73, Sept. 14, 2021

J. Ivan Rhode, Nov. 6, 2021 (retired faculty)

Susan J. Morrison ’75, Nov. 5, 2021

Ronald Clair Shumaker ’62, Oct. 5, 2021 (retired faculty)

Frances K. Williams ’79, Sept. 30, 2021

David R. Romig, Oct. 19, 2021 (retired staff)

1980s

Mary Landi, Nov. 23, 2021 (retired staff)

Jeff Lavender ’88, Sept. 7, 2021

1990s
Eugene Curtis Schruers ’90, Sept. 30, 2021
Kenneth Wayne Dolby ’95, Sept. 17, 2021
Colleen Ann Silvis Wiser ’96, Oct. 8, 2021
Caryn Lynn Gevaudan Richman ’99, Sept. 18, 2021

Clarion Folk
on the Vineyard:
Livin’ Our Best Life
Join us on
Martha’s Vineyard
August 7-14, 2022

FOR INFORMATION VISIT

www.clarion.edu/marthasvineyard

CLARION UNIVERSITY
MAGAZINE

37

CLARION UNIVERSITY

BABY EAGLES
OUR GIFT TO BABY EAGLES OF CLARION ALUMNI
IS A DASHING NEW BIB!
To receive a bib, visit www.clarion.edu/babybib and complete the online form.
Once you receive your bib, take a picture of your Eaglet putting the bib to
use, and email a high-resolution photo to us for inclusion in Clarion University
Magazine.
For more information, call the Office of Alumni Engagement at 814-393-2572.

1 Andrew Crevar, born June 3, 2021, and

Nathan Crevar, born Nov. 16, 2019, sons of
Shane and Lindsey Batchelor ’15 Crevar

2 Decker Anthony Moley,

10

3 Sylvia Ruth Bruckner,

11

4 Charleigh Kate Gravel,

12

5 Brooks Fleming,

13

6 Fox Alex Boyles,

14

7 Landon Schrader,

15

8 Eloise Kathryn Puckey,

16

son of Amanda and Vince ’05 Moley,
born Dec. 10, 2019
daughter of Albert and
Marissa Rapone ’08 Bruckner, born Oct. 5, 2020
daughter of Christopher and
Alicia Barnett ’03 Gravel, born Oct. 6, 2020
son of Andrew and Kristen Pavlina ’08 Fleming,
born Oct. 26, 2020
son of Scott and Ashley Boyles (student),
born Nov. 7, 2020
son of Chad and Rachel Slater ’12 Schrader,
born Nov. 30, 2020
daughter of Jason and Jackie Rodgers ’06 Puckey,
born Feb. 12, 2021

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Deklan Francis Smith,
son of Jacob and Joelle Hoffman ’17, ’18 Smith,
born Feb. 15, 2021
Kyle Jeffrey Kuhn,
son of Matthew ’16 and Megan Mullen ’17 Kuhn,
born March 28, 2021
Nathan Griffin II,
son of Ashley and Nathan ’10 Griffin,
born May 19, 2021
Mark Peter Catrillo,
son of Matthew ‘15 and Lisa Kopczyk ’14 Catrillo,
born June 9, 2021
Palmer Rose Duncan,
daughter of Justin ’13 and
Lyndsey Brecosky ’12 Duncan, born June 20, 2021
Colten Russell Brown,
son of Cody and Meggi Wilcox ’07 Brown,
born July 13, 2021
Kacen Kyle Zimmerman,
son of Sean ’11 and Emily Hulburt ’09 Zimmerman,
born Dec. 1, 2020
Eli Robert Betza,
son of Stephen ’14 and Shalynn Giovannitti ’14
Betza, born Sept. 20, 2021

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#WINGSUP
ALEXIS ROBISON

Alexis Robison ’20 started her professional career by
getting her honors research published in “Freshwater
Biology,” a top-tier journal in her field.

eventually publish it. This 10-week program made me feel
like I had learned years’ worth of experience in something I
love.”

For perspective, Dr. Kurt Regester, biology professor at
Clarion, compared Robison’s accomplishment with his own:
“I published in this journal as a Ph.D. student — Lexi, as an
undergraduate. She has been the most remarkable student
of my career, so far,” he said.

Eastern Kentucky’s Dr. Mott also helped her with research
and drafting and editing of the manuscript.

Robison completed the research for her paper titled
“Impacts of invasive Amur honeysuckle, Lonicera maackii,
leaf litter on multiple trophic levels of detritus-based
experimental wetlands” during a summer in the National
Science Foundation research program at Eastern Kentucky
University, where she worked with two collaborators.
She credits Regester, who served as her research mentor,
with equipping her for success by providing a multitude of
opportunities to get involved in ecological research.
“He introduced me to the world of herpetology, which is
now a passion of mine. He encouraged me to apply for the
NSF position, and gave me the confidence, inspiration and
assistance that I needed to publish my research.”
Her NSF experience further fueled her passion for
ecological research. “I learned how to design a research
project, collect the data, analyze it, present it, and

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Robison now works as a forest insect pest aide 1 with the
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. She is part of the
spotted lanternfly cooperative program in partnership with
the USDA and Penn State Extension.
“My day is different every day, but it mainly involves
responding to public reports of sightings and surveying
areas that are not currently known to have spotted
lanternfly so that we can slow the spread and control
populations early on.”
Robison credits Clarion University’s biology and
geoscience programs for much of her success. Robison said
she was able to get involved in research and field work as
early as her freshman year.
“Attending a small college like Clarion gave me the
opportunity to stand out, get to know my professors, and
get involved in research early, during my freshman year,” she
said. “Clarion also introduced me to many great professional
contacts, which is key to success in the environmental field.”

Your gift matters.

No matter which department or scholarship
you support, no matter the size, your gift makes a difference.

What brought me to Clarion?
When I began looking into universities, I wanted a small
campus that wasn’t too far from home. As I researched
universities that offered environmental biology, I
noticed that Clarion was within two hours of home.
I scheduled a tour on a day specifically for biology
majors. When I stepped onto campus, I knew Clarion
was where I wanted to be: I loved the small-town feel,
the Science and Technology Center, and the welcoming
faculty I met that day.
What do I love about Clarion?
I love its location. As an environmental biology major,
I need a school that offers plenty of field experiences.
Since Cook Forest and a section of the North Country
Trail are close by, I have been able to gain hands-on
skills in the field since freshman year. Another favorite
thing is the friendly faces everywhere I go. There’s
always someone close by to help if I need it.

MARA CHAPPIE, MAY 2022| WINDBER, PA
Environmental Biology with a minor in
Environmental Sustainability

Your gift to Clarion University
creates opportunities
for students like Mara.

Why are you grateful for Clarion?
I am very grateful for the opportunity to continue my
education. My professors are helpful and encouraging.
Within my major, I am grateful for the field experiences
I have had. My professors help students connect with
professionals in our field and gain the skills to be top
candidates as we apply for jobs. I am also grateful for
friends that I have made and for people I have met and
worked with here.
What your gift means to me?
I am responsible for paying for my education, and I am
thankful for the financial help I am receiving along the
way. As soon as I was admitted, I was offered academic
and housing scholarships from the Honors Program.
College is very expensive. Without help, most students
here would not be able to continue their education.
Your gift is helping me and many others to get a degree
and fulfill our dreams.

To make a gift today, click go to clarion.edu/yourgiftmatters
Seifert-Mooney Center for Advancement | Clarion University of Pennsylvania
840 Wood Street, Clarion, PA 16214 | 814-393-2827 | giving@clarion.edu

CLARION UNIVERSITY
MAGAZINE

49

NONPROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO. 2
CLARION, PA

840 WOOD STREET
CLARION, PA 16214-1232
WWW.CLARION.EDU

Jack Bertani Winterfest:
A mid-winter golf outing for all Clarion alumni
(Sponsored by the alumni of Alpha Gamma Phi)

February 21 & 22, 2022

Twin Isles Country Club – 301 Madrid Blvd, Punta Gorda, FL
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 21
Dinner & Cocktails starting at 5:30 pm
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 22
GOLF OUTING
11:15 am Lunch Buffet
12:30 pm Golf Scramble
6:00 pm Dinner Buffet
Come join us for any or all of the events: lunch, golf or dinner. Rooms
will be available at a reduced rate at the Holiday Inn Express. Ask for
Clarion’s rate by February 8, 2022. 941-764-0056
For more information, contact:
Dan Wolovich ’70
724-733-2258 (home) 724-331-7519 (mobile)
dwolovich@comcast.net
or
Ann Thompson, Director of Alumni Engagement
814-393-1784 (office) 814-319-3518 (mobile)
athompson@clarion.edu