MERCYHURST MAGAZINE SPRING 2018

Chasing Olympic dreams Ryan Zapolski ’11 and Elizabeth Fisher Zapolski ‘11 P. 2

Inside this issue: HISTORY DEPT. NAMED FOR THOMAS B. HAGEN P. 4 ’68 GRADS RECALL TUMULTUOUS ‘60S P. 8 SISTER CAROLYN HERRMANN IN HER OWN WORDS P. 15 MCCABE SISTERS START FAMILY TRADITION P. 23 The Ofce of Marketing and Public Relations publishes Mercyhurst Magazine twice a year.

Magazine Editor Susan Hurley Corbran ’73 [email protected] 814-824-2090

Design Jeremy C. Hewitt ’07 [email protected] 814-824-3022

Contributing Writers Susan Hurley Corbran ’73 Deborah W. Morton Inside this issue Contributing Photographers 2 FOUR 2018 OLYMPIANS WITH ONE THING IN COMMON: Jeremy C. Hewitt ’07 Angela Zanaglio ’16 4 HURST CHRISTENS THOMAS B. HAGEN HISTORY DEPARTMENT 6 KEYMAN ASEFI: THE MAN BEHIND MERCYHURST’S NEW ARCHITECTURAL FOOTPRINT Printing Leader Graphics, Erie, Pennsylvania 8 CLASS OF 1968 RECALLS CHANGE-FILLED YEARS AT HURST 15 REMARKABLE WOMAN LED MERCYHURST THROUGH TUMULTUOUS ‘60s Director of Alumni 18 DALY WRAPS UP 51-YEAR CAREER AT HURST Lindsay Cox Frank ’12 ’14M [email protected] 18 ROBERTS TO SUCCEED DAUSEY IN PROVOST’S OFFICE 814-824-2330 19 NEW VP OF MISSION INTEGRATION NAMED

Class Notes Editor 19 DEAN NAMED FOR WALKER COLLEGE Courtney Olevnik ’08 ’13M 19 BELOVED LAKERS ATHLETIC DIRECTOR JOE KIMBALL RETIRES [email protected] 814-824-2246 20 ICE BREAKER TOURNAMENT COMING TO ERIE 20 RIDGE-PALMER FRIENDSHIP YIELDS SUPPORT FOR ARCHIVES Send changes of address to: 20 MERCYHURST ADMITTED TO COALITION FOR ACCESS, Alumni Relations AFFORDABILITY AND SUCCESS Mercyhurst University 501 E. 38th St. 21 CHRISTMAS TREE HONORS MERCY LEGACY Erie, PA 16546 21 ERIE INNOVATION DISTRICT MAKES GAME-CHANGING MOVES [email protected] 21 HOSPITALITY DEDICATES WINE ROOM 22 REFERRALS HELP DRIVE GRADUATE ENROLLMENT If you haven’t been receiving the bi-monthly 23 HURST IS A TRADITION FOR MCCABE FAMILY Alumni eNewsletter, Mercyhurst does not have an active email address for you. 24 CLASS NOTES 24 WEAVING CONNECTIONS: JAVI CUBILLOS ’11 Visit mercyhurst.edu/alumni/update to update your information and reconnect. 25 MERCYHURST ALUM CHEERS EAGLES ON TO VICTORY: JESSICA STACHELRODT ’13 26 A HURST LOVE STORY: KALEIGH HUBERT ’13, ALEX VINESKY ’14 We’d love to hear from you. Send your story ideas, suggestions and comments to 27 PATIENT ADVOCACY: KATE DUDA NEWMAN ’71 [email protected]. 28 INTEL GRAD FIGHTING CYBER THREATS: HENRY PELTOKANGAS ’10 28 NEW PROGRAMS ADDRESS NEED FOR CYBER PROFESSIONALS A message from the president

Eleven years ago, New York Times sportswriter Dave Caldwell wrote a And, yes, we are story about our women’s hockey program, quoting then-star forward in good health. and 2006 Olympic gold medalist on why she chose to Construction is on attend Mercyhurst: “I wanted to go to a school where I felt like I could ft schedule for our new in, where it is a family.” sophomore residence hall, which will open I know that feeling resonates with all of us who live and work this fall. The new-and- at Mercyhurst. We are an inclusive community that strives to be improved student compassionately hospitable. What I fnd particularly inspiring, though, union at Mercyhurst is how our graduates take that feeling with them long after they’ve left North East is an Mercyhurst. amazing space, and an equally spectacular As I write this letter, the 2018 Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, interior design are underway, and Mercyhurst is excited to have three alumni and one project is underway in current student on Olympic ice: Ryan Zapolski for Team USA, Meghan Hammermill Library, Agosta and for Team Canada, and for Team where we are building Finland. You can read more about them inside these pages. a new cyber lab center and renovating the main foor. What you’ll see from the interviews with our three alumni is that each I’d also like to recognize that our history department has a new one of them seeks to excel, not so much for themselves as for the greater benefactor and has been named in honor of Thomas B. Hagen, chair good; to inspire others; and to give of themselves through service – of Erie Insurance Group. Tom has generously given $1.5 million to lessons learned, at least in part, from their Mercyhurst years. Mercyhurst, a large part of which will support the university’s pursuits in Could we ask for anything more? the felds of history, specifcally its ongoing academic partnership with the Erie Maritime Museum and the U.S. Brig Niagara. Tom, like so many of Besides these contemporary alumni vignettes, you’ll fnd fashbacks as you, has become family to us and we are grateful for his support. members of the 50-year Class of 1968 recall what it was like on campus during the turbulent ‘60s and share what they did after graduation. I hope you enjoy perusing our spring magazine, and I thank you for being Speaking of after graduation, check out the photo of alumni who now a part of the Mercyhurst family. work at Mercyhurst. It’s amazing how large that network has become over the years. Until next time, Carpe Diem. We have also tried in this magazine to keep you abreast of changes. Provost and alumnus David Dausey will be leaving us to return to his native Pittsburgh where he will become provost at in July. Beloved athletic director Joe Kimball has retired, as has Mary Daly, seemingly the longest-serving employee in Mercyhurst history. Sister Lisa Mary McCartney, RSM, will step down from Cabinet as vice president for Michael T. Victor, J.D., LL.D. Mission Integration at the end of this year to transition to part-time status. President, Mercyhurst University I am grateful for the leadership, the commitment to Mercy, and the loyalty of these dedicated individuals. As always, our people are the common denominator in the health of our institution.

ON THE COVER: Ryan Zapolski ’11 tries out his Team USA gear after being named starting goalie for the American hockey team at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Joining him on the ice is his wife, Elizabeth Fisher Zapolski, also a 2011 Mercyhurst graduate.

1 Four 2018 Olympians with one thing in common: Mercyhurst University When the puck dropped at the in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Mercyhurst University was well represented on the ice. Four Lakers competed: Ryan Zapolski ’11 with Team USA; Meghan Agosta ‘11 and Bailey Bram ‘12 with Team Canada; and current student-athlete Emma Nuutinen with Team Finland. That Mercyhurst’s men’s and women’s programs – and coaches and Mike Sisti – have produced Olympic-caliber athletes comes as no surprise to those familiar with the Lakers’ storied spirit of competition.

Ryan Zapolski ’11

When the (NHL) elected not to participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics, it opened the door for Zapolski, who played for Mercyhurst from 2007 to 2011 and now plays for Finland-based in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He was named starting goaltender for Team USA.

“For guys like me, it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I think that is something that we will all use as motivation – to not let a chance like this go to waste,” he said after his selection.

Zapolski got a late start in youth hockey, not in the crease until age 11. He went on to play at Erie’s Cathedral Preparatory School and then enrolled at Mercyhurst. After graduating, Zapolski started his pro career with the ECHL, where he became just the second player in history to be named Rookie of the Year, Goaltender of the Year, First Team All-Star and MVP in a single ECHL season. Determined to play at the highest level, he traveled overseas and was signed by the Finnish pro team Lukko, where he spent a couple seasons before jumping to Jokerit and leading the team to a 15-game win streak last year.

Just before heading to South Korea, Zapolski spent a week in Erie with his family and continued his workouts at the . During a media event at the MIC, Erie Mayor Joseph Schember issued a proclamation in his honor and his alma mater retired the #35 jersey he wore during his playing days as a Laker.

Ryan and his wife, Elizabeth Fisher, were high school sweethearts who attended Mercyhurst together, Ryan studying biology and Elizabeth marketing. They were married in Christ the King Chapel on Aug. 1, 2015.

Zapolski summed up his feelings this way: “I am honored to have the chance to play for our great country and carry on such a strong hockey tradition. Being able to represent Erie and Mercyhurst is really special to me and I hope it can inspire future generations of kids to really believe in their goals and to never give up on your dreams!”

Top: Young fans Sam Wilkosz, 4 (in goalie mask), and Ian Wilkosz, 2, were thrilled to meet Olympian Ryan Zapolski during a Mercyhurst visit. Bottom: Honoring Ryan Zapolski before his departure for South Korea are from left: Bill Flanagan and Father Scott Jabo of Cathedral Prep; Erie Mayor Joseph Schember; Zapolski; President Michael T. Victor; and Rick Gotkin, head men’s hockey coach. 2 Meghan Agosta ’11 Bailey Bram ’12 Emma Nuutinen

Meghan Agosta would appear to lead a Bailey Bram remembers sitting in the hallway Being named to Finland’s women’s ice hockey charmed life. Everything she touches seems to of Team Canada’s headquarters four years ago, team for the 2018 was a mixed turn to gold. waiting to hear if she had made the roster for bag for Mercyhurst forward Emma Nuutinen. She the 2014 Olympic Games in , Russia, only to was honored and excited to make the team, but She already had her frst Olympic gold medal learn she was out, the very last player cut. disappointed that fellow Laker , when she arrived at Mercyhurst, where her her best friend since childhood, wouldn’t be career (2006-2011) was the stuf of legends: It was devastating. She took comfort in the joining her. a four-time All-American, she fnished her support of her family, and then went of to play NCAA career as the leading scorer in Division hockey in Sweden. “I needed to get away and The women, who grew up in Vantaa, Finland, 1 women's hockey history. She took a year heal,” she said. She also needed to do some real played together in the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, of from her studies to train for the 2010 soul-searching on what to do next with her life. and both competed for a spot this year. Nuutinen Olympics in Vancouver, where she won gold Ultimately, she decided to stick with hockey and was one of 23 women to make the roster; #2. After winning her third gold in Sochi, try again for the Olympics. Tanskanen was named frst alternate. Agosta returned to campus in 2014 where fans lined up to meet her and check out her Fast-forward four years, waiting for the 2018 Despite the fact that Nuutinen headed to medals. This year she set her sights on a fourth roster to be called: same place, same hope, same Pyeongchang alone, she felt she was better gold medal in Pyeongchang, South Korea. sick-to-your-stomach feeling. “I couldn’t even prepared physically and mentally this year than breathe,” said Bram. she was four years ago, when she was only 17. In addition, she has experienced the rare opportunity of fulflling both of her life’s And then the verdict: Bailey Bram was in! “Finland’s women’s hockey has taken big steps passions: ice hockey and police work. She ahead in the past couple of years,” she said. “There were tears, lots of tears,” said the 27-year- earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice “Competition to earn a spot for the Olympic old. “But I knew I was stronger mentally and from Mercyhurst and is a constable with the team this year was very difcult and it demanded physically this time around.” Vancouver Police Department. improving my speed on the ice. I worked a lot with my weaknesses and I’m happy that it paid of. I’m Bailey comes from a hockey family. Her dad, Bill, Balancing Olympic prep and working full defnitely a better player now than I was in 2014.” as head coach of the Eastman Female Selects time as a police ofcer isn’t easy, but Agosta AA team in Landmark, Manitoba, had an eye for squeezes in gym and ice time whenever Nuutinen and Tanskanen came to Mercyhurst talent. Ultimately seven of his eight kids would she can. Since there is no women’s hockey this academic year from the University of North play the game, making the Brams one of the program in Vancouver, she plays on the Dakota, which eliminated its women’s ice hockey most famous hockey families in Manitoba. Bailey Valley West Hawks men’s team in the British program, and both performed extremely well for and her sister Shelby both played for Mercyhurst. Columbia Major Midget League and the the Lakers. Vancouver Police Men’s Hockey Team. Bram’s family life and her Mercy education also Nuutinen said, “I’m more than happy that I found inspired her commitment to service. In Canada, She took a one-year leave of absence from a new home at Mercyhurst. I made the decision she volunteers for a group called Classroom the police force to train with Team Canada to come here after my visit. I loved how small and Champions, which connects underserved in Calgary. She said she was as enthusiastic pretty the campus was and everyone I met was students with world-class mentors. As a mentor, about her fourth go-round at the Olympics as very nice and friendly to me.” she creates classroom video lessons on topics she was her frst. “The Olympics never get old,” like healthy living, diversity and -setting. Nuutinen hopes to graduate with degrees in she said. “It’s always a new journey.” marketing and sport business, but said she’s not Part of her life’s purpose, she said, is to inspire She isn’t yet calling this her last Olympics, sure what career path she’ll pursue. For now, it’s others, especially those who have been through although she turned 31 during the Games. all hockey. hard times. After all, she knows how it feels— “I want to inspire the younger generation to that agony of defeat. But, she also knows, there’s do something special with their lives,” she always tomorrow. She is engaged. She just said, promising to continue the pursuit of her bought a new house. And, she’s fnally part of passions for as long as she can. Team Canada. Medal Update The women of Team Canada took the silver medal, losing in the gold-medal fnal to Team USA.

Team Finland captured the women’ s bronze medal.

The men of Team USA fell to the Czech Republic in the quarterfnals. 3 From left: Provost David Dausey, Thomas B. Hagen, President Michael Victor, Vice President Cal Pifer, Dean Leanne Roberts Hurst christens Thomas B. Hagen History Department

Thomas B. Hagen’s impact can be seen and felt lifelong dedication to community development “What sets us apart from other programs is the all over Erie and around the state: and historic preservation. diversity of options and possibilities we ofer our students,” says Department Chair Dr. John At Erie Insurance Group, Erie’s only Fortune 500 Hagen recently gave Mercyhurst a $1.5 million Olszowka. “We simply facilitate pathways that company, which he chairs; gift, part of it earmarked to support the allow them to grow into the career they wish university’s pursuits in history, including its to pursue.”Whatever they focus on, he adds, At the Historical Society of Erie County, which partnership with the Erie Maritime Museum the skills they learn – conducting thorough has designated its campus the Thomas B. and the U.S. Brig Niagara. research; analyzing and weighing facts; and Hagen History Center; presenting sound and eloquent conclusions Every student who enters the Hagen History both orally and in writing – will serve them well At Preservation Pennsylvania, which presented Department is fascinated by the past. And in any career they choose. him with its highest honor for historic each will emerge with a strong background preservation, the Otto Haas Award. in history, in keeping with the traditions of a Here’s a snapshot of some of the options liberal arts education. Along the way, they can And now at Mercyhurst as well. As of last fall, available in the history department. also opt to specialize in areas like education, Mercyhurst’s history department is known as public history, and soon documentary the Thomas B. Hagen Department of History. flmmaking. It’s a ftting tribute for a man best known for his

Senior Andrew Gebauer spent fall term “Most people have heard gruesome stories immersed in the study of medicine during the about battlefeld amputations without Civil War, working with primary sources created anesthesia,” he says. “I want them to understand more than 150 years ago. that yes, it was gruesome, but so many medical advances came out of it.” He borrowed a medical journal written in 1865 by the medical director of the Union Army Andrew presented his paper – “From Bull Run through Inter Library Loan. Carefully turning to Petersburg: The Story of the Union Medical pages turned brown and crusty with age, he System and Its Lasting Efects” – in January at learned not only how war injuries were treated, a conference of Phi Alpha Theta, the history but also about lasting advances in medical care honor society, in New Orleans. that resulted. He accessed digitized versions of other resources right on his computer. 4 In August 2017, Mercyhurst announced that The students will enroll in Professor Ben it had become an “Ofcial University Partner” Scharf’s course on the history of the Great of the U.S. Brig Niagara. Lakes, which covers everything from the native peoples who inhabited the region Just months earlier, seven Hurst students to its pivotal role in the War of 1812 to its enjoyed a journey of a lifetime, setting sail current post-industrial condition. for two weeks on the reconstructed replica of the 19th century warship that sailed and But for students the highlight is living aboard fought during the 1813 Battle of Lake Erie. the Niagara and learning traditional seafaring Nine students are already registered to make skills from professional crew members. the trip this summer, and it’s expected to become an annual ofering.

Students in Mercyhurst’s Public History program home for retired veterans since her freshman are front and center in eforts to document Erie’s year. Her flm covers the history of the home past and widely share the stories uncovered. since its founding in 1836, and includes Dr. Chris Magoc, who started the Public interviews with residents, employees and History program in 2003, says his students’ others with a personal connection to the senior projects often live on long after they’ve home. graduated. Just a few examples: Sydney was also the frst Mercyhurst student • “You Are Here, We Are Here: A named a “Historical Scholar” by the Gilder Portrait of Erie’s Historic Eastside Lehrman Institute of American History, one of Multicultural Community.” Students just 15 in the nation chosen to enjoy a week in partnered with the Sisters of St. New York City attending seminars and lectures Joseph Neighborhood Network to Sydney Van Leeuwen knew she wanted to and touring historic sites. help transform the image of Erie’s combine her love of history with documentary Dr. Averill Earls, the newest member of east side. Erie Insurance underwrote flmmaking. So she created her own contract production of a booklet describing the Hagen History Department faculty, minor by combining courses in history, will shepherd the flmmaking program. the cross-cultural diversity of the area, communication, photography and art. It was and other grants will allow students Last spring, students in her Digital History: so successful that it’s become the prototype Storytelling class used the popular new to expand the efort with oral history for a regular documentary flmmaking interviews, photos and more. medium of podcasts to tell historical stories. concentration proposed for next fall. The frst series, titled “Hurstories,” covered • A comprehensive inventory of 31,000 In the meantime, Sydney’s wrapping up topics like Mercyhurst and its assorted historic buildings in Erie County, her senior project: a documentary on Erie’s hauntings, shipbuilding in the Erie harbor, Erie begun by Steve Bukowski ’12, who Soldiers’ & Sailors’ Home. The topic was a County & the Civil War, building the Erie Canal, photographed and documented natural, since she’d been volunteering at the and smuggling around Lake Erie. (Check them 500 properties in the city. In 2014 out at hurstories.podbean.com.) Bukowski’s senior project became the basis for the production of the Now a social studies teacher in Mooresville, Erie County Cultural Heritage Plan North Carolina, he says the program prepared (adopted in 2017), and four other him well. “Being a history major allowed me public history students worked on to take a lot of high-level history courses parts of the inventory and plan. with great professors, do in-depth research and writing, and generally learn to act as a • “African Americans in Erie County: A historian in addition to being a teacher,” he Heritage Trail.” Adriana Houseman ‘11 explains. “I like to think of myself as a historian researched and produced a driving Keven Gregg ’12 ‘13M was one of the frst who teaches rather than a teacher who tour of 22 sites related to the rich students to complete Mercyhurst’s innovative happens to know history.” history of African Americans in the 4 + 1 program, earning both an undergraduate Erie region. Now, thanks to a grant degree in history and a master’s degree in Keven is currently teaching world history, AP from Erie Arts and Culture, current secondary education in just fve years. U.S. Government & Politics, and AP European students will work with a team of History, a course he redesigned for the school. “This program seemed like a no-brainer to community historians to publish He’s also the head cross country coach, me,” he says. “I could get my graduate degree an illustrated brochure and create a assistant coach for the track & feld team, the at a discounted price before even starting my website featuring oral histories and world history team lead, and a senior project career, so once I started teaching I wouldn’t additional information about the sites. advisor. have to worry about ‘going back to school.’”

5 The man behind Mercyhurst’s new architectural footprint By Deborah W. Morton

From the farthest reaches of campus – the talented faculty, there had to be someone Interior Architecture & Design Department whose mind he could pick. So, he reached out on Wayne Street – came a virtual unknown in to Kathy Weidenboerner, chair of the Interior instructor Keyman Asef who, since discovered, Architecture & Design Department. She has taken one bold step after another in recommended Asef, who helped Myron tweak transforming Mercyhurst ’s architectural what would later become the trendy Grotto footprint. Commons.

His frst blip on the college community ’s radar Asef grew up in Tehran, the son of a developer came with the renovation of the student union who built houses for quick sale. Even then, Asef at Mercyhurst North East. His quirky design yearned to put his mark on the spaces, so he elicited universal oohs and ahhs. (See photos at went of to study and later work in Southeast right.) Then, Cal Pifer, vice president for external Asia, eventually making his way to the United relations and advancement, plucked Asef from States to learn frsthand about American the classroom to design two more projects, architecture. He has been an instructor at both in the library: on the ground foor, a cyber Mercyhurst since 2015. security lab and Network Operations Center; and on the main foor, a complete overhaul He says Mercyhurst ’s leaders, like him, think of the lobby and surrounding study spaces, outside the box and are open to innovative including the Ridge Reading Room. design ideas.

What ’s not widely known is just how Asef came In dedicating the MNE student union last fall, to be tapped for these jobs. Enter David Myron, Mercyhurst President Michael Victor told the vice president for fnance and administration. assembled crowd: “I have been through a fair number of building projects in my lifetime, Myron began his Mercyhurst tenure nearly and I can honestly say this is the frst one to three years ago as renovations were underway completely exceed my expectations.” in Egan dining hall. He felt something was missing; more open spaces were needed, Asef explained his vision: “I tried to shape an not to mention some accouterments to add environment on multiple levels where students personality. Certainly among Mercyhurst ’s could hang out together, or be on their own; 6 a place where they could feel motivated and and data analytics, the new lab and operations The new facilities are expected to open creative. The design features random platforms center, funded by a $1 million investment from sometime in the spring. Asef ’s next charge, where you can sit or stretch out. There’ s mini- nationally technology company MCPc, had to meanwhile, is to design the main foor golf and other games. There’ s custom-built be nothing short of sublime. renovation, made possible through a $500,000 study pods where you can be alone. I used gift from alumna and retired Trustee Ellen Ryan vibrant colors and foor-to -ceiling glass that lets He had a comrade in Asef, who believes our and her husband, David. in lots of natural light, and there’ s green turf on surroundings afect the way we think. “’ You can t the walls to absorb sound.” teach creativity in a non-creative environment,” The details are still being fnalized, but Director Asef said. “ You have to practice in an innovative of University Libraries Darci Jones says the The reception to Asef ’s work at North East is space. The spaces where you work or study library is a place where tradition meets universal. “ When working with Keyman, it ’s have an impact on you. If our goal is to send technology. The main foor design includes clear that you’ re working with someone who students out into the cyber security world, why efciency initiatives and more learning spaces, is a visionary and someone who can see and not bring real-work operations into our space a modernized circulation desk, a technology use space as an expansive design element,” here? Why not give our students that kind of assistance area, an updated writing center and said MNE Vice President Dave Hyland. “Keyman experience?” tutoring services area, upgraded ofces and has created something truly unique that our much more. students use every day, can see as an extension Asef ’s plans (see sketches at left) call for clean of themselves, and about which they feel very lines and sharp, often unexpected, angles. Two gifts, $250,000 each from the Henry L. proud. All of us at Mercyhurst North East are Perhaps most striking is the entrance, where Hillman Foundation and the Arnold D. Palmer overjoyed with what Keyman designed for us.” strips of built-in LED lights span the deep blue 2003 Charitable Trust, will make possible walls to create striking patterns. And don’ t construction of the Ridge Reading Room to After witnessing the eye-popping expect all walls and ceilings to meet at standard enhance the Thomas J. and Michele Ridge transformation of the union, Pifer was right angles. TVs, monitors, clocks and lights Collection. (See related story on the Palmer gift, determined not to settle for less with the library don’ t hang on the white aluminum paneled page 20.) projects. With the Ridge College of Intelligence walls – they ’re built in. Everything in the lab is Studies and Applied Sciences committing custom-designed and specially built. heavily to expansion in areas of cyber security

Celebrating the opening of the new MNE Student Union (from left): Morgan Barksdale, fall student government president; Trustee Christina Marsh; Vice President David Myron; Director of Student Life Michelle Simpson; President Michael Victor; Vice President David Hyland; designer Keyman Asef; Provost David Dausey; Deacon Raymond Sobina; and De’ Martaz Turner, fall student government vice president 7 At the start of their sophomore year, members of the Class of 1968 witnessed groundbreaking for a second academic building (Zurn Hall of Science and Fine Arts, which would open during their senior year). Pictured during the ceremony: Student Government President Carole Stoiber (Napolitano) ‘66; Sister Carolyn Herrmann, RSM, president; Sister Mary Clare McWilliams, RSM, general superior of the Sisters of Mercy in Erie; Erie Congressman Joseph Vigorito; Father William Beibel, Mercyhurst chaplain; Msgr. Homer DeWalt, Erie Diocesan Schools Superintendent; Erie Mayor Charles Williamson; and Carl Lechner, MD, president of Mercyhurst ’s Advisory Board. Class of 1968 recalls change-filled years at Hurst Twice in the weeks leading up to their June • When Sister Carolyn Herrmann set out Freshman year 2 graduation, members of the Class of 1968 to create a Blueprint for the college’ s gathered in front of Old Main to carry on future. “During orientation week we were assigned a traditions that dated to the college’ s earliest ‘’big sister from the junior class who had the years. • When Barry McAndrew, Bill Bryan, responsibility of looking out for us and teaching John Lincourt, Igor Stalsky and other us about campus life. These juniors gave us Senior Kathy Fitzgerald crowned the statue of men joined the faculty. funny initiations that included wearing a sign Our Lady during the Mary ’s Day celebration. with a made-up name to classes the frst week. And on Lantern Day, the graduating women • When male students from Gannon started taking classes here. My name was Moof—and it has stuck till this dressed in white and launched small sailboats day!” - Linda Salem Burtis into a pond to symbolize their departure from • When the Sisters of Mercy gave up college into the world beyond Mercyhurst ’s their “ in loco parentis” role and rules “My freshman year was still very traditional – gates. were loosened. and somewhat innocent, as I remember. The Sisters lived with us in the dorms as Deans of It was apparently the last time either of those • When the trimester system and Residence. During the week, we were required ceremonies was held – a ftting reminder of intersession were introduced. to be in our dorms by 7:30 p.m. We had quiet the unique experience of this transitional class. hours every night until 9:30, lights out at 11 p.m. When they arrived in 1964, life at Mercyhurst • When Zurn Hall was built. I always had an 8 a.m. class! On the weekends, was little diferent than it had been during the we could have one 10:30 p.m. night, and one ‘40s and ‘50s. By the time they graduated, the As the Class of 1968 gets ready to celebrate 12:30 a.m. night – Friday or Saturday. One of the waves of change that were rolling across the its 50th anniversary this summer, we invited a sisters was always on the desk to check us in nation were being felt on campus as well. number of graduates to reminisce about their and out!” - Paula Blood Pitts time at Mercyhurst during the tumultuous ‘60s. The biggest change – coeducation – wouldn’ t happen until after they left. But they were there: 8 “The code pontifcated no shorts “Dress was always skirts or —no slacks. or jeans (not even on cold, snowy days. We still dressed up to leave campus—coats, Burr-rr, those winters in skirts!); however, heels, gloves—they had loosened up on the ‘slacks and Bermuda shorts and kilts may be ‘’hat rule! We still had room checks on Friday worn at picnics, hayrides, or by decorating afternoon, and there was a demerit system, committees and stage - craft crews in carrying and one could be ‘campus-ed. ’” - Paula Blood out their work. Sneakers may not be worn Pitts on Sundays unless…for a picnic or tennis.’ Evening meals were dress-up, family style “Social life was gathering with a group of afairs served by waitresses like yours truly.” - friends in the suites set aside for that and Shirley Miller Schilling singing Joan Baez songs while some of the girls played their guitars. There were also “I just remember always wearing kilts and Gannon socials - Mixers - on the weekends knee socks, Weejun loafers, matching skirts where you could go and meet guys and and sweater sets and blouses with Peter Pan dance (and pray you weren' t a wallfower!). As collars with circle pins or button-down shirts. far as political issues we were pretty sheltered. Linda Salem Burtis Of course we were never allowed to wear I rarely watched TV but we knew the Vietnam Within three years after graduating from Mercyhurst, Linda pants on campus. When we had any activity of War was going on and we sang all the great Salem had met her husband, David Burtis, in New York City, importance in the chapel we wore academic songs of protest - songs from Peter, Paul and gotten an MSW from Rutgers University, and become a attire and white gloves.” - Jane Carney Mary, Joan Baez, Bob Dylan.” - Maureen Milan mother of two daughters. Her working life since then has been varied. She has been an award-winning environmental Carroll “Those frst weeks we had to wear nylons and reporter; a nationally ranked tennis player who ran a large tennis academy; and, since 2000, has worked in the feld of skirts or dresses. It was like wearing a uniform “For those who didn’ t date or care to date, wind and solar energy. “I love this green work and have no again, but we got to change each day. We fun was had on campus: sledding down plans to retire,” she says. Linda is a peace and environmental couldn’ t wear pants until junior or senior year the Grotto’ s hills, over the mounds of snow, activist who has organized a local nuclear freeze march and – whatever the temperature was.” - Marlene trying not to hit a tree or break a leg (Oops, started several grassroots groups that mobilized her town DiTullio Mosco someone didn’ t get that memo!) or raiding to keep drinking water clean and minimize air pollution. She the cafeterias’ fridge in Egan Hall. There were and David also enjoy long-distance trekking and have walked “At exactly 6 p.m. we (student workers) also ‘sing-a-longs’ with those girls who played several classic routes, including the Tour du Mt. Blanc, which organized platters of meat, vegetables and their guitars. Card games went on day and circles Europe’s highest mountain. potatoes onto large trays, held these heavy night.” - Shirley Miller Schilling trays one-handed on our shoulders, and lined up in the kitchen. A bell was rung, we came out in a line and began serving dinner. We Life as a commuter then stood at our stations on the side of the “Being a day student never bothered me dining hall waiting to clear plates and bring because right from the beginning I chose out dessert. Describing this scene now makes to get involved in things. I loved the dorm it sound as if Mercyhurst was a fnishing students and had a lot of fun with them.” - school for wealthy girls!” - Linda Salem Burtis Jeanne Keim Phillips

Paula Blood Pitts Mary Patalon Schaaf Paula married Tom Pitts just 13 days after her An elementary education major with a focus in math graduation, so she’ll be celebrating her 50th and science, Mary started teaching even before ofcially anniversary as well as her 50th class reunion this graduating from Mercyhurst. She went on to earn a master’s June. They met on a train returning from the 1965 degree in school administration from Edinboro University, World’s Fair in Flushing, New York, and traveled back but fate intervened in 1977 in what she calls a “seize-the- and forth between St. Bonaventure University and day moment.”When Merrill Lynch decided to open a branch the Hurst for the rest of their college years. Certifed ofce in Erie, she applied and was hired, launching a 30+- as a secondary science teacher, Paula taught middle year career in the then-male-dominated world of fnancial school life science in Rome, New York. After a break advising. After a stint on Wall Street, she came home to to raise three children, she returned to work teaching Erie, eventually teaming up with the second woman hired high school science and fnished her career as a high here – Craige Pepper Victor – to run educational seminars school computer lab supervisor. Over the last 50 years, for women, combining elements of her two careers. Mary she also learned to quilt, has been active in whatever was honored several times by Merrill Lynch as one of the parish she has belonged to, and now does volunteer top female fnancial advisors in the nation. After retiring work at her local library in Queechee, Vermont. None from Merrill Lynch, she was recruited to run for public ofce of her children attended Mercyhurst, but she’s part of and is now in her second term as Erie County Controller, a big Laker family: two of her sisters, a brother-in-law, responsible for protecting taxpayer dollars. Mary has one two nieces and a nephew have all attended the Hurst. son and two grandchildren. 9 “In our class, the residents kiddingly called us was a wonderful mentor and friend and teacher dirty old day hops and we retaliated by calling to me. Sr. Mary Charles, Sr. Mary Matthew, all the them dirty old dorm students. We really did get faculty gave me the confdence to pursue my along very well with each other and I always felt seize-the - day moments.” – Mary Patalon Schaaf like we were a very close class. We had a lot of laughs and made some lifelong friends.” - Jane “I am confdent that the infux of male Carney instructors was due to the impending change to coed. I did enjoy the perspective that the “I didn’ t have those dorm experiences and rules male professors brought to our learning and regulations of the nuns that the resident environment. I believe it created an atmosphere students did, but I probably spent more time on that challenged our learning in a positive way.” - campus than most commuters because I was Stephanie Lucas Basile in the work-study program. We played a lot of pinochle in the day hop lounge in the basement “I was an El Ed major and had the ‘luck of the of Old Main. There were Gannon dances every Irish’ to be taught by the best: Dr. Garvey, Friday night.” – Mary Patalon Schaaf Dr. Bryan, Mr. Lincourt, Mr. McAndrew, Sister Matthew among others. Through my life I have “During my frst week of school I met another thought of them, been mindful of what they day hop who dragged me to the college bulletin taught and tried to incorporate their teachings Jeanne Keim Phillips board on the second foor of Old Main (this is in my life.” - Peggy Meagher Pietraszek where we all left notes for each other and you At one point, Jeanne was one of three Keim girls at checked it every day). She signed me up for “I had such knowledgeable teachers and when I Mercyhurst. After teaching for a year in Millcreek, everything. Because of that I got to know so think of how many of them were Ph.D.s and not Jeanne married her high school sweetheart, Carmen many girls from all diferent classes and really graduate assistants like in the bigger schools, I Phillips. When he fnished his military service, they returned to Erie and she taught again in Millcreek felt a part of college life, even though I was a feel I really benefted from their experience and until taking a break to raise her three children. She dirty old day hop! I thank Georgina Cantoni for knowledge. Mother Eustace was head of the English department and my major professor. returned to teaching part time as a math teacher that.” - Jane Carney with the Intermediate Unit, assigned to St. Luke When I started as a freshman I was scared to School, for 17 years before taking a full-time job “‘’We had a day hop lounge that was located death of her but I came to really like and admire with the Erie School District. She loved teaching on the lower level of Old Main. We would meet her. She was just so smart and knew so much and stayed until retiring fve years ago. Now she’s there to discuss the day ’s classes, socialize, or plus she was a very compassionate person.” - an active volunteer with Blessed Sacrament Church some played cards there. Another gathering Jane Carney and School and walks four miles every day with a spot where some of the Erie girls would meet group of friends. Carmen is also retired and they for lunch was in a snack bar in McAuley Dorm. enjoy traveling to visit their seven grandchildren. It was here that friendships were formed and Jeanne served so long and well on the Mercyhurst those friends have remained some of my closest Alumni Association board that she earned emeritus status and this year will receive a Distinguished friends today.” - Gretchen Hinz Brugger Alumni Award for service to Mercyhurst. Faculty memories “Sister Carolyn hired several young male professors at the beginning of our freshman Gretchen Hinz year. They had newly minted graduate degrees, Brugger were just married and began their academic careers at Mercyhurst. They were enthusiastic, Gretchen graduated with a degree in their lectures were riveting and their energy Home Economics education and began teaching at Venango Christian in Oil created a great vibe throughout campus.” - Linda City, Pennsylvania. After her frst year Salem Burtis of teaching, she married John Brugger and then taught at McDowell High “Bill Garvey and Dick Kubiak really infuenced School. She became a stay-at-home my career. I was honored to participate in Bill mom while raising three children. When Garvey ’s fnal publication on Erie’ s Mayors. ” – Sue her youngest was in high school she Sutto returned to work part time as a grocery store home economist, supervising “Through the work-study program, I was and planning fundraising dinners assistant to Sister Angelica, which opened up the for organizations. Now she spends world of art to me. I was Dr. Garvey ’s secretary. retirement traveling with her husband, My mentor was Sister Mary Celine, who basically playing bridge, volunteering at her invented a precursor to computer language. She parish, and attending the sporting events of her eight grandchildren.

10 “My major was history with emphasis on Change comes to campus American History. The three who taught my history classes were Sister Loretta, Dr. Garvey, “I don' t remember really being aware of too and Mr. Kubiak. Each brought a very unique many changes during my frst few years on teaching style to the classroom. And each had a the hill. Of course it was during the Vietnam very diferent approach to teaching. All three of War and Civil Rights marches and we were them had a profound impact on my Mercyhurst aware of and interested in all those issues but experience.” - Stephanie Lucas Basile we were also wrapped up in our own little world of college life...at least I was. Life really “I loved Barbara Weigert, who was in charge of changed senior year. The calendar changed, the education program. Barry McAndrew was Zurn opened, and I went out to student teach. wonderful in English and Sister Mary Matthew, We now had intersession and left school at she was a gem. Dr. Bryan, Dr. Lincourt, Barry Christmas and didn' t have to be back until the all came at the same time. That was exciting.” - end of January. The opening of Zurn made Jeanne Keim Phillips me feel like I was in a big school. I had to go “Of all my teachers, Sister Mary Charles and between TWO buildings for classes and had Dr. Haas (who was from Austria, but taught to leave notes for classmates on TWO bulletin Spanish) stand out the most. Sister Charles boards now. What confusion.” - Jane Carney was brilliant, kind, and patient. She was my “The campus was a sheltered and very ‘town chemistry teacher. If it weren’ t for Dr. Haas and gown’ place during our frst two years. being a sponsor for the American Student I spent little time beyond the gates at the International Service, I would never have bottom of the hill except for weekend mixers thought of going to Europe after freshman year, or basketball games at Gannon and occasional much less staying there to live and work both shopping excursions into Erie. By junior year, in Switzerland at diferent resorts and then in those gates opened, literally and fguratively. Copenhagen, Denmark.” - Shirley Miller Schilling This was due both to Sister Carolyns’ visionary “Many of us took Dr. Donatelli's Aristotle class leadership and the hyper ’60s world outside during intersession so we wouldn' t have such which had fnally reached Mercyhurst. For Stephanie Lucas Basile a load during our last term. It turned out to be the frst time, we were allowed to take classes at Gannon. The college bought the Baldwin Stephanie married Dennis Christenson and they one of my most memorable classes. Aristotle's raised four children before his death in 2006. In philosophy intertwined with Dr. D's philosophy apartments and juniors and seniors didn’ t have 2012, she met and married another amazing man of life really impacted me. To this day, I still to live in the dorms—we could now live in – George Basile. Since graduating, she’s been a think about the things I learned in this class.” - apartments with kitchens. This gave us freedom news reporter, a facilitator, a trainer, a community Jane Carney to come and go without curfews and without education coordinator for a school district in the sisters around to monitor us when our Kentucky, a consultant in community education for “I dealt with Sister Carolyn because of being a boyfriends came by.” - Linda Salem Burtis the Kentucky Department of Education, a Girl Scout class ofcer and on student council. She was a leader, a Band Booster President, a political activist, a magazine editor and story editor, and a CCD teacher wonderful, very charismatic, very caring person, “I think 1968 was the beginning of what Mercyhurst is today. We saw Zurn Hall built for and coordinator. She’s currently a writer, editor, but very soft-spoken. She didn’ t need to raise proofreader and voice actor (with her own business, her voice. Sister Carolyn was a presence that our senior year, more male faculty, a very few male students taking courses—though they Edit Perfect/Voice Perfect). Active in her parish church, was always absolutely respected.” - Jeanne Keim she also graduated from an intense three -year Church were not matriculated at Mercyhurst, and the Phillips Ministry Institute sponsored by the Archdiocese Sisters went from their old traditional habits to of Philadelphia. The Basiles traveled across Croatia a more modifed version. I thought they looked three years ago to explore the villages where her GREAT! It was a feeling of moving toward a new grandparents grew up. and modern beginning.” - Paula Blood Pitts

Peggy Meagher Pietraszek Margaret “Peggy” Meagher Pietraszek earned her degree in elementary education and served as editor of the Praeterita yearbook. She also holds a master’s degree from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. Now retired, she was formerly a teacher and team leader in the Millcreek School District and Libertyville (Illinois) School District. She taught English in Tokyo and was a member of the board of directors for the American School in Japan for four years. She and her husband, Henry, spend summers in Chicago and winters in Naples, Florida. She now serves as a Mercyhurst Trustee, carrying on her parents’ long association with the school. Her father, the late Erie newsman Joseph E. Meagher, was among the frst lay advisory board members at Mercyhurst, and her mother, Marie, was a member of the original Carpe Diem Society. 11 “When I was at Mercyhurst, Pope John XXIII much a part of our discussions – should we opened all the doors and windows of a stufy be there?” - Jeanne Keim Phillips church and we saw changes all around us, not just at Mercyhurst, but in our local parishes Going coed as well. Mass with guitars and folk music.... religious in regular clothes....” - Georgina While class members now applaud the Cantoni decision to admit men to Mercyhurst, several acknowledge they ’re glad the change didn’ t “We were that transition class. It was a good come until after they ’d left. transition. We were growing up, school was changing, all for the better. We were a little “Attending an all-girls school was more of a change agent class.” - Marlene important—I had discovered that the DiTullio Mosco learning environment with other women was very appealing—and, the sisters KNEW “The Vietnam War did bring a kind of that! Their focus on educating women was expansion of life to the campus. Girls had inspiring! I had no objection to going coed— friends and relatives being drafted so but, then I didn’ t have to attend classes with awareness became much more intense. the men. I did feel, though, that it needed to Vatican II was concluding and the changes happen for Mercyhurst to survive—I’ m glad it brought by the decisions in Rome afected did happen.” - Paula Blood Pitts some of the practices we had been used to. One I remember in particular was that we “I was supremely glad it happened the no longer needed to wear a head covering semester after I graduated. There were to go into chapel. Another major change approximately 700 women on campus and from Vatican II was that some of the nuns it was a small and close-knit family. We all chose to wear ‘’street clothes, rather than the knew fnancially that men would have to be traditional habit.” - Stephanie Lucas Basile admitted to sustain any growth and despite the fact that most of us were against it, we all “Political issues became huge then. I didn’ t go felt it had to be.” - Maureen Milan Carroll to march at Selma, but I would go to rallies here in Erie. I remember going to Shiloh “Overall, Sister Carolyn and Dr. Garvey Baptist Church in one class for a rally for civil possessed the foresight to repave the rights. Vietnam was such a big thing, students direction of Mercyhurst from a ‘prim and Marlene were involved in protests, and it was very proper’ all-girls college to one that was DiTullio Mosco Marlene was one of the frst Mercyhurst women to take courses at Gannon. She was interested in a business career, but didn’t want to teach, so she went downtown for courses in economics Georgina Cantoni and business management. After graduation, she became a training director at a hometown bank Georgina – who edited the Praeterita where she later moved up to director of marketing yearbook in 1967 and took photos for the and public relations. For 30 years she steadily Merciad newspaper – began her career as climbed the corporate ladder, survived the merger a reporter for the Erie Morning News and of two fnancial institutions, and in 1998 was named did freelance writing and public relations the frst female regional president of PNC Bank. She in the Erie area, then moved to Dallas as a had been elected a trustee of her alma mater three writer/editor for the National Center of the years earlier and made board history as the frst American Heart Association. Completely graduate of Mercyhurst elected chair of the board. switching felds, she later earned a graduate Retired now after 47 years at PNC and 25 years on degree in geology. She put her newly the Mercyhurst board, she’s enjoying her young acquired math and science knowledge grandson. (Both daughter Emily and son-in-law Bob to work as a technical writer and, after Merski are Mercyhurst graduates.) Her husband, working for several years with a small Homer Mosco, runs the travel agency they own. high-tech startup company, opened her own small consulting frm. She eventually focused on usability analysis and business analysis. Now retired, she lives in Duluth, Minnesota, where she volunteers with the local animal shelter and food bank and is a Bear Educator for the North American Bear Center. She married Jheri McMillan in 2010.

12 Maureen Milan Carroll Maureen worked as a dental assistant before she and husband Doug welcomed three daughters and she became a stay-at-home mom. In 1986 she opened her own business as a title abstractor/recorder, where she’s still working 32 years later. She was also a hospice caregiver for several years. She and Doug were married for 44 years before his death. Maureen credits Sister Loretta McHale for bringing them together. When Maureen and Stephanie Lucas Basile visited Washington, D.C., Sister Loretta urged them to look up alumna Bonnie McGough. Bonnie couldn’t meet them, but she did set them up with blind dates. “A little bit of panic ensued when we realized we would not be going together,” Maureen recalls, “but we fgured there was no way Sister Loretta would have steered us wrong on Bonnie! So we went out and met two great guys. The funny part is I never met Bonnie to thank her until three months after Doug and I were married.”

coed. Personally, l felt the all-girl atmosphere foundation. Probably the most important thing was more conducive to study, creativity, and that I learned at Mercyhurst is that you can development of character. Practically, there continue to learn...that there are all kinds of was a need to change in order to survive (note diferent ideas out there. We learn about them Villa).” - Shirley Miller Schilling through the arts, through literature, through history, as well as science. Moving to a diferent “Men and women working together, that ’s life, place from where I grew up required that I it ’s the way things are. I was never a proponent listen to and learn of a diferent perspective. of single-sex school – the world isn’ t built And yet, not to be lost. To be able to evaluate that way. There’ s no chance we would have those diferent ideas. The values I have from my ever survived without becoming coed. Male family, my community, and Mercyhurst have students brought sports and diferent things been a beacon for me. So important, especially that helped build the school and make it now when we are inundated with many proftable.” - Marlene DiTullio Mosco messages and many lies.” - Georgina Cantoni Mercyhurst’s impact “I think the education at Mercyhurst prepared me to be more socially conscious and to Looking back 50 years after graduation, the hold the values I learned there in high regard students interviewed all agreed about the and try to pass them on to my children and impact of their Mercyhurst educations. grandchildren. The value of integrity - doing the right thing when no one is watching; being “Mercyhurst gave me a “-” seize-the day loyal - I still have the same group of lifelong mentality. I like having challenges in my life friends from college; being civil - you can agree and rising to the occasion. I also realized that to disagree without acrimony; and being a lady I should not be intimidated as a woman in a and upholding the principles of Mercyhurst's male - dominated industry. I got that from my founder Mother Borgia Egan who had a vision background at Mercyhurst. They convinced us for the college and the women who attended Jane Carney we could do anything.” – Mary Patalon Schaaf that they would contribute to their families, communities and the world by their actions.” - Jane started teaching in the inner- city Erie “My lifelong friends were made at Mercyhurst. Maureen Milan Carroll junior high school where she had done her From college to 50 years later I consider the student teaching. She had worked in the women I became friends with while I attended “My Mercyhurst education impacted my life by Children’s Room at the Erie Public Library college are still today my best friends. I’ m not all through college, so when she was ready propelling me to enjoy adventure, to look for sure I would have had as fulflling a life if it for new challenges, she earned a master’s the good in everyone, to maintain contact with degree in library science at the University weren’ t for the intellectual stimulus I received and cherish family and friends near and far, of Pittsburgh. She accepted a position as a at Mercyhurst. We are so lucky to be part of this but most importantly to stay true to my belief middle school librarian at Westlake Middle outstanding institution of higher learning.” – in the power of God and His saving graces School in Millcreek Township, where she Sue Sutto through our Lord Jesus Christ and to honor His worked until retiring in 2005. As much as mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary. I think that the she loved her years at Westlake, she is also “About a year or so after I moved to Dallas, I education at Mercyhurst challenged us young enjoying retirement, which ofers freedom realized what an extraordinary education I women at a time when women were ‘ behind and the chance to spend time with family, had. First, in the Erie Public Schools and then the scenes’ to become lady-like, yet resourceful, volunteer, exercise, travel and just socialize at Mercyhurst. The Erie schools gave me a solid with friends. creative, knowledgeable, adventurous, 13 Shirley Miller Schilling

After about a year of teaching in Ohio, Shirley ventured to Europe, landing a job at a school for children of U.S. military personnel in Bindlach, Germany. There she also met and married Sgt. Robert Schilling. Back home in St. Joseph, Missouri, she was a stay-at-home mom for 15 years while she and Bob raised six kids. When her youngest was 6, she became a Mary Kay consultant. She also was a substitute teacher, took graduate courses to become certifed in Missouri, and even worked nights for the U.S. Postal Service. She says, “Then, lo and behold, I ended up in prison!” For more than 23 years, she’s been teaching at a medium-high security men’s prison. Shirley and Bob travel annually to Jamaica, where they help sponsor an impoverished country school called Broughton Primary in Little London. They take along clothing, school supplies, and cash to meet some of the school’s bigger needs.

compassionate, courageous and responsible, daring us to step out of our comfort zone to make our world a better place, and be strong in the faith of knowing there is a higher power.” - Shirley Miller Schilling

“The impact that Mercyhurst has had on my life has been immense. The liberal arts education that I was given taught me how to solve problems, think outside of the box, be an active citizen, and live my Catholic faith fully.” - Stephanie Lucas Basile Sue Sutto “In my years at Mercyhurst, there was a major presence of the Sisters of Mercy. Many were teachers or participated in Sue had been teaching history in Erie for just a few years when a golf game with legendary Erie real estate Broker Jane Theuerkauf, a former Mercyhurst Trustee, activities with the students. Always aware of their mission to sent her into a new career path. Theuerkauf suggested that Sue would be good at serving others, the sisters exemplifed this in teaching social selling real estate. She took the ofered job, excelled at it, and eventually opened values and leadership in the world. I so love the fact that the her own frm, Sue Sutto Realtors Inc. She retired in 2014 after a very successful 42- Mercy tradition is evident in today ’s environment. What the year career in the feld. Along the way, she served as president of the Greater Erie students learn from Mercy values will serve them well in their Board of Realtors and was named “REALTOR of the Year” in 1990. She served on lives, just as it did in my time.” - Peggy Meagher Pietraszek community boards, too, including the Erie County Convention Center Authority, St. Mary’s Home, EmergyCare, the Erie Cemetery Association and the Kahkwa Club. “I think I matured at Mercyhurst. Besides the excellent Retirement has allowed her to play more golf and spend more time in Florida. education I received, I was encouraged to be open to new ideas. I learned about leadership and having a social conscience. I developed lifelong friendships and in addition Members of the committee to all of this had fun and now have a storehouse of many planning the 50th reunion wonderful memories. Most importantly I learned about for the Class of 1968 include tolerance and accepting ideas and others diferent from me. (standing, from left) Jeanne Keim Something that I have tried to practice throughout life. I Phillips, Nancy Ketchel Bennett thank college and Mercyhurst for that.” - Jane Carney and Jane Carney; (seated, “In one of my book clubs we just recently read the book The from left) Mary Anne Zeitler, Outliers whose premise is that no one is self-made. We are Stephanie Lucas Basile and who we are because of the people, places, and events which Peggy Meagher Pietraszek. Not have impacted our lives. Mercyhurst has to be one of those present for the photo: Sue Sutto, places for me. It certainly played a role in making me the Mary Patalon Schaaf, Jean Jacob person I am today. I am grateful I had the opportunity to be a Kamats, Marlene DiTullio Mosco, part of the Hurst family.” - Jane Carney Gretchen Hinz Brugger and Shirley Miller Schilling. “God brings people and encounters into one’ s life for a number of special reasons. There is no ‘’ by accident. If we had made diferent decisions, like not choosing to attend Class members: If you haven’t yet made plans to attend the Mercyhurst, our lives would have been diferent physically, June 8-10 reunion, it’s not too late. To register, use the form mentally, spiritually, and morally.” - Shirley Miller Schilling sent to you by mail or contact Lindsay Frank, director of alumni 14 engagement, at 814-824-2330 or [email protected]. Remarkable woman led Mercyhurst through tumultuous ‘60s Sister Carolyn Herrmann

It’s been said that Sister Carolyn Herrmann Young Helen Herrmann had studied with was exactly the leader Mercyhurst College the Sisters of St. Joseph at Erie’s Sacred needed to guide it through the 1960s, a Heart School. But as a student at Mercyhurst period of signifcant change in the world and Seminary, she found herself attracted to the on The Hill. Sisters of Mercy. “Whatever I saw in them made me want to become one of them.” But even Sister Carolyn wasn’t quite sure how she got that assignment. She entered the order in 1933, fnishing her high school work as a postulant, then earned In the early 1990s, she told oral historian her college degree in 1938 when she was Larie Pintea, “I don’t know why I was chosen just 20. rather than someone else. I don’t know at all what moved her to select me.”The “her” she Since Mercyhurst’s early days, Mother Borgia referred to was Sister Loretta McHale, the Egan had been sending young sisters of to history professor who automatically became prominent graduate schools each summer Mercyhurst’s president in 1960 when she to prepare them to teach at the college. So was elected Mother Superior of the Sisters of Sister Carolyn earned a master’s degree from Mercy. the University of Minnesota (in 1942) and a doctorate from the University of Notre Dame But Sister Loretta realized she was going to 10 years after that. need help, since the Sisters were also getting ready to build a new motherhouse and high She studied chemistry. “Sister Fidelis was school on the hill south of campus. So she looking for an understudy for the chemistry tapped Sister Carolyn, then a chemistry department and I was a good student. I liked professor, to become the college’s frst everything, and I didn’t know enough to executive vice president. know what I’d really like to do. In those days in religious life, you did what you were asked “She must have recognized potential for to do.” She also obeyed the surprise request leadership. She never told me that. I suppose that she move into administration. she saw strength of character, of conviction, ability to persuade, to lead other people. Sister Loretta remained president, but Sister She knew I was well read. She knew I was Carolyn acted as the CEO, she said. When not just a chemist, but also interested in Academic Dean Sister Mary Esther fell ill and sociology and psychology and philosophy died, Sister Carolyn took over her role as well. and theology and everything else. I would guess that’s why she chose me, but I never Sister Carolyn became president in 1963, did ask her.” after the Sisters of Mercy changed their bylaws to separate the roles of the Mother EDITOR’S NOTE: In 1991 and 1992, Sister Superior and the college president. But well Carolyn Herrmann sat down for several before that election, she had started setting interviews with retired Erie Morning News change in motion. editor Larie Pintea. A good friend of Sister Carolyn’s (and the man who convinced her “My term (as president) was 1963 to 1972, to bring rowing to Mercyhurst), Pintea was but I had already put in two critical years conducting an oral history project to document before that,” Sister Carolyn told Pintea. the development of Mercyhurst College. Her “When people talk about my administration, story and the quotations below are excerpts they look at coeducation as the big from their wide-ranging conversations. accomplishment. But without the other

15 things, we wouldn’t have been around (to go coed).” The biggest changes emerged from Blueprint I – the strategic plan developed by a faculty committee and adopted late in 1966. Among Long before the milestone vote in 1969 to admit male students, she had the changes: curriculum revisions, a new trimester system with an to tackle a number of challenges. intersession, and creation of a College Senate, the frst shared governance at the school. Not everyone was on board yet, but Sister Carolyn had She candidly assessed the situation she faced. “The curriculum was out made it clear that change was coming, one way or another. She told of date and enrollment was falling when I came in 1961. We had only 200 faculty members, “I want you to know before you vote that we’re not students when I came in 1961. We weren’t attracting people. Everything going back to business as usual. If (this) is not approved, we’ll start again was stagnant. There was no excitement, no forward look. And women and develop something else.” were going to coed institutions.” Coeducation The frst big step was forming a lay advisory board. “They enabled us to When talk of coeducation surfaced in the late 1960s, all angles were move the college from being a little closed-door institution where we examined. Sister Carolyn said there were fnancial reasons, academic did everything ourselves,” she said. “We were open to the outside world. reasons and social reasons pushing Mercyhurst in that direction. In We had to make the city more aware of us, and have public relations addition, she said, Mercyhurst had been drifting toward coeducation for so people knew what we were doing up here. We had to have people a few years. interested in supporting us with money – tuition wouldn’t carry us alone.” Gannon and Mercyhurst had begun some cooperative programs. Gannon She hired new faculty (including several men) and encouraged the men came to Mercyhurst for art, music and elementary education classes entire faculty to review and update the curriculum. “I was looking toward not ofered at their school, and Mercyhurst women could take courses making Mercyhurst College a frst-class academic institution, one of like business administration at Gannon. good intellectual caliber, very strong academically,” she explained. Those new faculty members “saw that the college was changing, that I had “Men were already coming up here and liked it here and wanted to stay. something in mind for this college, that we were moving, and they liked We had the foresight to change our charter to allow us to give degrees to being part of it.” men. We were drifting toward coeducation, but we weren’t giving them full status as students at Mercyhurst College. Then when coeducation was Middle States was due to evaluate Mercyhurst in 1965. Sister Carolyn announced in 1969, we began actively recruiting men – but we already wrote most of the self-study herself, and said the Middle States people had 24 full-time male students here. Dan Burke graduated in 1969.” who visited “caught the spirit. They said this college was so alive and on the edge of something and they felt the administration and I particularly were given a mandate for change.”

16 Sister Carolyn Herrmann at Mercyhurst Alumnae Banquet with, from left, Audrey Sitter Hirt ’49, Mary Catherine Sherwood Lieb ’42 and Erie Bishop Alfred Watson. Rules Postscript: Sister Carolyn Herrmann retired as president of Mercyhurst College Many rules that had been enforced for decades were relaxed during Sister in 1972, following a decade during which the school became coeducational Carolyn’s tenure – and some cherished traditions ended. and doubled its enrollment and facilities. She served as director of education with the Catholic Near East Welfare Association in New York City for a year “I didn’t agree with all the rules, some were just too strict, like the printed before returning to Erie as resource coordinator of the Sisters of Mercy and checklist for rooms: baseboards dusted, sink cleaned, etc. director of development and alumni relations for the college. She lived for many years with Sister Maura Smith and other sisters in the old farmhouse on “Knowing the way young people were being brought up, I saw we could the back campus. In 1982, she spent a year at the University of Notre Dame no longer have college freshmen come at age 18 or 19 and impose these as one of 12 women selected for the Religious Leaders Training Program, rules on them when they didn’t have these kinds of rules in their own and later directed the Erie Senior Citizen Advocate Ofce. She was elected as homes… I didn’t feel that was our job. We were no longer in loco parentis. superior of the Sisters of Mercy in 1983. In 1990, the new Mercyhurst Student … Many of the older faculty felt we should continue as we always were. We Union was named in her honor. She died Dec. 28, 1996. would never have been able to survive. I wasn’t just looking at survival. I was looking at making us a very good college.”

She said students rebelled against May Day. “There was rebellion in the ‘60s all over the country. I didn’t like the fact they didn’t go to graduation, but I could understand rebellion against this rigid code, especially with programs like May Day. They looked on it as a big show for the city, too much spent on fancy clothes and fowers. It no longer ft. I knew that too.”

Refecting on her own development, Sister Carolyn told Pintea, “When I look at what has happened to me in my life time, I lay it all to the credit of the Sisters of Mercy. I was given all these opportunities by the Sisters of Mercy. I never would have had a doctorate or gone to graduate school. I thought I wanted to be a nurse when I was young, and I probably would have if I didn’t come to Mercyhurst Seminary. And my whole life changed.”

Right: In 1989, Sister Carolyn Herrmann and Sister Maura Smith show of the fowers that surrounded the Mercy Campus House.

In 1989, Sister Carolyn Herrmann marks the 20th anniversary of coeducation with nine of the original 16 men who enrolled at the college in 1969. Front row, from top: Sister Carolyn Herrmann greets Mercyhurst ’s frst male John Grazier ’71, Thomas Richter ’73, Robert Dillemuth ’72, James Sabol ’70. Back row: graduate, Daniel Burke, in 1969. Gary Bukowski ’73, William Taft ’72, Larry Rice ’72, Mark Santia ’73, Russell Sundy ’71. 17 Daly wraps up Roberts to succeed 51-year career Dausey in provost’s ofice

Dr. David Dausey – Mercyhurst’s executive and Social Sciences, will succeed Dausey at Hurst vice president and provost for the past as provost and vice president for academic After more than a half-century of service to two-and-a-half years – will leave at the end afairs in July. Mercyhurst, Mary Daly retired from her alma of the academic year to become provost at Since joining Mercyhurst’s education faculty mater on her birthday (Dec. 29, 2017) as its Duquesne University in his native Pittsburgh. in 2001, Roberts has been an exceptional longest-serving lay woman administrator. A 1997 Mercyhurst graduate, Dausey educator with wide-ranging expertise in Daly earned her business degree from Mercyhurst returned to Erie in 2011 to launch academic leadership. She was awarded the in 1966 and immediately joined the college’s Mercyhurst’s public health program. An coveted Teaching Excellence Award in 2014, staf. Within a few years she became the college’s internationally respected public health and the same year she was promoted to full public relations director and she later held several health care expert, he had previously been a professor. cabinet-level vice president positions. She was professor at Carnegie Mellon University and In addition to her roles as department chair, the highest-ranking woman administrator at the senior director of health programs and associate dean and dean, she has served on Mercyhurst for 25 years. For the past 17 years, she initiatives at CMU’s Heinz College. He holds a a variety of university committees and on the has served as the president’s liaison to the Board Ph.D. from Yale University. executive board of the Faculty Senate. She of Trustees and board professional. Dausey set aside his teaching career to join has been noted for her intellectual energy, She left Mercyhurst only briefy to earn a master’s President Michael Victor’s administration in creativity and innovative mindset. degree in corporate and political communication August 2015. In that role, he led a complete Roberts has secured many large grants and from Fairfeld University. academic restructuring including new colleges, new administrative deans, a new contracts to enhance the university’s strategic A respected public relations professional, Daly calendar and curriculum overhaul. He was initiatives and the educational experience for was the frst woman elected president of the also active in service to his community, most Mercyhurst students, and to positively afect Erie Ad Club and the frst woman to receive the notably as chair of the Erie Innovation District. the Erie region, in particular through the George Mead Award for a Distinguished Career in nationally recognized Carpe Diem Academy, a Public Relations. She also received a Distinguished Dausey said the opportunity at Duquesne K-2 extended learning day program for inner- Alumni Award from Mercyhurst and was honored allows him to return to his hometown, where city children. by the Mercy Center for Women as a “Woman his parents and extended family live. He and Roberts received her Bachelor of Science and Making History.” his wife, Nichole Putt Dausey ‘97, have two young sons, Eli and Danny. Master of Education degrees from Edinboro Daly’s advertising campaigns captured many University and her doctorate in Education awards. She also launched the school’s frst He said he views Mercyhurst and Duquesne from the University of Akron. Prior to coming professional website; founded Mercyhurst as “kindred souls,” closely aligned in values to Mercyhurst, she worked in public and Magazine and the Monday Morning newsletter; and mission with both institutions sharing a corporate education, consulting with clients and supervised events ranging from graduations strong Catholic heritage. that included Lucent Technologies, Motorola, and Christmas parties to the Old-Fashioned Goodyear, Quest Diagnostics and Veterans “Returning to Pittsburgh is a homecoming for Fourth of July and the D’Angelo Young Artist Afairs Medical Centers. me and my family, but Mercyhurst will always Competition. be my alma mater and I love everything Roberts lives in Erie with her husband, Dr. She spent her fnal months at Mercyhurst about it. It is irreplaceable.” Joseph Morris, chair of Mercyhurst’s Political compiling a chronology of the university’s 90+- Science Department, and two children, Gracie Dr. Leanne Roberts, currently dean of the year history. and Logan. Hafenmaier College of Humanities, Arts 18 New dean named for Walker College

Brenda J. Ponsford, Ph.D., J.D., has been appointed dean of the Walker College of Business, efective Jan. 2, 2018. Previously, Ponsford served as dean of the Sydney Lewis School of Business at Virginia Union University (VUU).

Prior to her tenure at VUU, Ponsford was in Marketing and Economics from Virginia New VP of mission dean of Business and Aviation at Henderson Tech and her juris doctor from Concord State University (the public liberal arts University School of Law. integration named university of Arkansas); and served as the MBA director and the marketing department She is widely published and has presented at Sister Lisa Mary McCartney, RSM, will step down June chairperson at Clarion University of more than 50 conferences here and abroad. 1 from her position as Mercyhurst ’s first vice president Pennsylvania. Among her primary teaching and research for mission integration. Though she’ll reduce her interests are B2B Marketing, Channels, schedule from full time to part time, she’ll remain She earned her doctorate in business Customer Service, eCommerce, Logistics, active on campus while Dr. Greg Baker steps into the administration, MBA and Bachelor of Science Negotiation, Promotion and Strategy. cabinet-level job.

Sister Lisa Mary, who joined the Sisters of Mercy during her sophomore year at Mercyhurst, earned a doctorate in English from the University of Notre Dame and joined the Mercyhurst faculty in 1980. She remained until 2008 when she was elected to the leadership team of the Sisters of Mercy in Erie.

Appointed to the mission integration role in 2008, she was charged with ensuring that Mercyhurst ’s Mercy and Catholic heritage continues to fourish on campus. Thanks to her foresight, more than 100 staf and faculty members have completed the Mercy Emissary Program and committed themselves to helping preserve the legacy of our founders. Beloved Lakers Athletic Director Baker has served as director of Campus Ministry for the past 10 years and is an adjunct instructor for Joe Kimball retires Catholic Studies. Before coming to Mercyhurst, he was director of youth and young adult ministry for the Erie Joe Kimball retired this spring as then joined the City of Erie School District, Diocese, a parish youth minister, a Jesuit Volunteer, Mercyhurst’s Athletics Director after a career holding a variety of positions including and a long-time camp counselor. He has served as in athletics that spanned more than four principal of Strong Vincent High School. He president of Inter- Church Ministries of Erie County and decades. served as running backs coach for Gannon is currently working with Bishop Lawrence Persico on University from 2006 through 2008 before From the early days of coaching youth the diocesan Faith Formation Implementation Team. returning to Mercyhurst as AD to oversee 24 basketball with his wife, Heather, to helping varsity sports and more than 600 student- Baker and his coworkers in Campus Ministry have organize the Bob Sanders Camp for Erie athletes. overseen the growth of a dynamic ministry program Youth, to coaching college football and centering on student leadership, a ministry whose managing two dozen varsity sports at A lifelong champion of student-athletes, scope is the envy of many Catholic colleges and Mercyhurst, Kimball’s life has been deeply Kimball has guided the Lakers’ ascent to universities. He has overseen the development of the invested in building character, confdence national prominence in both NCAA Division popular Carpe Diem Retreat Program and MYRACLE, and discipline in young people through I and Division II. And, thanks to his emphasis Mercyhurst ’s nationally recognized youth retreat athletic competition. on academics, Mercyhurst student-athletes outreach program. consistently outpace their peers in federal A graduate of , he went graduation rates and NCAA academic He earned his bachelor ’s degree from Gannon on to earn a master of education degree success rates. University, a master ’s in Theology from St. from St. Lawrence University. After serving Bonaventure University and a Doctor of Ministry from 1984 to 1992 as head football coach at The Kimballs are the parents of three sons, degree from Fordham University. He and his wife, St. Lawrence, he came to Erie to head up the Connor, Bryant, and Colin. Bryant and Colin Jennifer, are the parents of four children. Lakers football team from 1993 to 2002. He are Mercyhurst alums. 19 Ice Breaker Tournament coming to Erie The Erie Sports Commission (ESC) and Mercyhurst University will host the 2018 Ice Breaker Tournament. One of the premier NCAA Division I ice hockey tournaments in the nation, the event will feature the University of Notre Dame, Providence College, Miami University and Mercyhurst University.

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) will be the title sponsor for the tourney, set for Oct. 12-13 at Erie Insurance Arena.

“Erie is home to a robust sports community and certainly Mercyhurst University ’s Division I Lakers are a big part of that landscape,” said Mercyhurst President Michael Victor. “ That we are able to host this tournament and provide our city ’s fans the opportunity to see college hockey at its best, not to mention bring scores of visitors to our city, is absolutely thrilling.”

For more information, including ticket details, visit hurstathletics.com/icebreaker.

Mercyhurst admitted to Coalition for Access, Afordability and Success

Mercyhurst University joins 130 Members of the Coalition include a higher education institutions diverse group of public and private across the United States as a universities that provide substantial member of the Coalition for support to lower-resourced and Access, Afordability and Success, underrepresented students, an organization dedicated to maintain holistic admissions streamlining the college application practices, ofer institutional fnancial Photo Courtesy of the Tom & Michele Ridge Collection at Mercyhurst University process for all students, particularly aid, and demonstrate consistent those from underrepresented graduation rates across all income groups, including low-income and levels. Ridge-Palmer friendship frst-generation households. “The Coalition was formed by “During its 92-year history, a cadre of Ivy League Schools yields support for archives Mercyhurst has strived to live the and universities represented in Erie native and former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge met fellow Pennsylvanian and mission of its founders, the Sisters of the Big 10,” said Joseph Howard, professional golfer Arnold Palmer during his campaign for governor in the early Mercy, who believed that a college vice president for enrollment 1990s and they became fast friends, sharing a deep and abiding respect for each education should be available to at Mercyhurst. “To be invited other. all who seek it,” said Mercyhurst to join this cause is an honor President Michael Victor. “Joining for Mercyhurst and afrms our In honor of that friendship, the trustees of the Arnold D. Palmer 2003 Charitable the ranks of the Coalition is closely commitment to providing life- Trust have pledged $250,000 to Mercyhurst University to be used for renovations aligned with that mission and changing educational experiences showcasing the Tom & Michele Ridge Collection in Hammermill Library. provides us one more tool to reach a to all persons, regardless of social diverse community of learners.” class.” “One of the most unexpected but lasting friendships made during my time in public service was my friendship with Arnold Palmer,” Ridge said, in acknowledging The Coalition provides a free Mercyhurst’s participation in the gift. “He was many things to many people, but to me, a dear and beloved friend platform for high schoolers to the Coalition provides the third for over 20 years. I think of him often and miss the regular visits and times together develop online portfolios as early as application option for prospective when the conversation often turned to politics and government at both the state the ninth grade, including a digital students; the university will and national level. I am truly honored and grateful that the legacy of our friendship locker that enables students to build also continue to accept its own will be part of the Mercyhurst archives.” a library of materials to share with Mercyhurst-specifc application and the colleges of their choosing; a the Common Application. The collection spans Tom Ridge’s military service in Vietnam through his years as space for students, counselors and Pennsylvania governor and the frst Secretary of Homeland Security. It also features teachers to engage with each other; the historic papers and ephemera from Michele Ridge’s service as First Lady. and an application. 20 Christmas tree honors Mercy legacy

The front campus at Mercyhurst The intention is to honor the legacy of the University was transformed during the Sisters of Mercy and remind ourselves that Christmas season when the Michael Victor Mercyhurst continues to be a community administration decided to invest in a 30- alive in the Mercy tradition more than 90 foot artifcial tree that could be positioned years after its founding. in front of Old Main, where it would illuminate the statue of Mary.

ErieID partners host a press conference announcing new downtown headquarters and Dell collaboration. From left are Mercyhurst President Michael Victor, Provost David Dausey, ErieID CEO Karl Sanchack and Erie Insurance President & CEO Timothy NeCastro. Erie Innovation District

Pictured during the dedication of Mercyhurst’s new wine room are (from left) makes game-changing moves Joseph G. NeCastro and Richard A. Lanzillo, vice chair and chair of the Board The Erie Innovation District, LLC (ErieID), has taken some major steps of Trustees; donor Christopher S. Johnson; and President Michael T. Victor. toward developing and attracting new businesses to downtown Erie, including forging a collaboration with Dell, one of the largest technology companies in the world. At press time, a number of new Hospitality dedicates initiatives were on the cusp of being announced. Less than six months ago, the ErieID board hired Karl Sanchack as Johnson Wine Room CEO following a national search. Sanchack came to Erie from AB Mercyhurst University hospitality and culinary students now have the Innovations, LLC, a Virginia-based consulting frm focused on best opportunity to learn more precisely about fne wines, thanks to a gift practices in innovation, where he was managing director. He has 25 from alumnus Chris Johnson that led to construction of a wine room years of technology and innovation management experience from and plans to build a prestigious collection. Silicon Valley through the aerospace and defense industries. Next, the ErieID located its initial downtown Erie headquarters in a shared space Johnson, an Erie native and 1989 hospitality graduate who now works with the Erie Insurance Innovation Center at 717 State St. In addition, as a fnancial advisor in Cary, North Carolina, returned to his hometown Cleveland-based national technology company MCPc signed on as Nov. 21 for the dedication of the new Christopher S. Johnson Wine a partner, while Ben Franklin Technology Partners agreed to provide Room. It is situated next to the university’s Marriott Café in the Center funding for eligible early-stage tech startups. for Academic Engagement. The ErieID got its start in September 2016 when Mercyhurst “This represents a remarkable teaching tool for our hospitality and University received a $4 million Shaping Tomorrow grant to lead the culinary programs,” noted Cal Pifer, vice president for external relations transformation of downtown Erie into a hub for innovation in the and advancement. “We are very grateful to Chris for his generosity.” felds of data science, safety and cybersecurity. Besides Mercyhurst, the original partners included Erie Insurance, McManis and Monsalve The Johnson Wine Room is outftted with beautiful cherry wine racks, Associates and Velocity Network, Inc. The grant was awarded by the Erie the latest humidity-control system, and as the pièce de résistance: a Community Foundation, Susan Hirt Hagen Fund for Transformational custom wine barrel that has been transformed into a tasting table. Pifer Philanthropy and the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority. said the collection will comprise “investment-grade wines.” Donors, he said, will be able to contribute bottles to help build the collection. Learn more about the efort at erieinnovationdistrict.com. 21 DEGREE Referrals help drive PROGRAMS graduate enrollment Anthropology Nearly two-thirds of graduate students surveyed recently say they applied to Mercyhurst at the Applied Intelligence suggestion of their friends, family or colleagues – and it ’s no wonder. Mercyhurst has a network of alumni working all around Erie in business, criminal justice and education. And intelligence (Erie, Pa) studies alumni work all over the world in government agencies and multinational corporations. The solid reputation of Mercyhurst graduates even inspires employers with no Mercyhurst Applied Intelligence connection to refer their employees to the Hurst for graduate education. (Online) “’You can t overestimate the power of a referral,” says Travis Lindahl, director of graduate and adult enrollment. In his case, a friend home on break casually suggested that Mercyhurst would Criminal Justice be the perfect place for him. “ Twenty years later, I have two Mercyhurst degrees, a wife I met here, and a career helping others discover Mercyhurst for which to thank her,” he said. Administration (Online)

At both the undergraduate and graduate levels, referrals bring joy to President Michael Victor ’s heart. “First, it helps reassure us that our alumni and friends of the college believe in what we Data Science do. Second, it gives the opportunity for your friends and family, coworkers and colleagues, to discover what ’s so special about Mercyhurst frsthand.” Organizational The opportunity for referrals is even greater now that more and more graduate programs have Leadership moved online. Master ’s degrees in criminal justice, secondary education and intelligence studies can now be earned online, with new programs in cyber security and cyber risk management to follow soon. “ As more and more of our programs move online, there is one less barrier to Physician Assistant recommending a Mercyhurst graduate program,” said Lindahl. Studies Recently, the Ofce of Graduate and Continuing Education sent out an information viewbook to more than 20,000 alumni and friends of the college. “ The best way to encourage referrals is to Secondary Education make sure those who care deeply about Mercyhurst know what we ofer. When you know what ’s (Online) ofered, opportunities to connect the dots pop up in conversations all the time,” according to Lindahl. Special Education His ofce reached out to current and former online intelligence studies students with a mini- referral campaign recently and it paid immediate dividends. “ We received many inquiries and and Applied Disability applications, which went a long way toward flling our spring cohort,” said Lindahl. “I’ m thankful Studies that so many of those alumni cared enough to share our information. Monetary gifts to the university are certainly appreciated, but word-of-mouth referrals are free and go a long way too!”

Visit mercyhurst.edu/grad to learn more about our master ’s degree programs. mercyhurst.edu/grad 22 Top Row: Left: Rosemary McCabe Kaveney, Mary Therese (Tweetie) McCabe Clark, Sister Joan McCabe, RSM Middle: Suzanne Kaveney Iacobucci, Cathleen Kaveney Dolansky, Joanne Kaveney Samsel. Hurst is a tradition Right: Lori Kaveney and Daniel Leonard Bottom Row: Left: Jim and Lisa Staford Kaveney Middle: The Clark family: (clockwise from center) Bill, Debbie, Mom Mary Therese (Tweetie), Mary Therese Clark Ciesa, Patty Clark Thornton, Colleen Clark Radtke for McCabe family Right: Bill Kaveney

Jim Kaveney ‘96 likes to brag that he’s part of the largest Mercyhurst And even two of Jim’s brothers who didn’t come to the Hurst have family ever – and he makes a pretty strong case. connections here. Jef Kaveney’s wife, Lori, has worked for 13 years in Mercyhurst’s Learning Diferences Program, a job she took over from The tradition started with his mom, Rosemary McCabe Kaveney, a 1954 Tom Kaveney’s wife, Lisa. Mercyhurst alumna, and two of her sisters, Mary “Tweetie” McCabe Clark, who graduated in 1952, and Sister Joan McCabe, RSM ’63. Not to be outdone, Tweetie and her late husband, William Clark, sent four of their fve kids to Mercyhurst in the 1980s. Patricia Clark Thornton, The Sisters of Mercy helped all three girls fnish high school and attend William Clark, Colleen Clark Radtke and Mary Therese Clark Ciesa all college after the untimely deaths of both their parents. Rosemary studied hospitality management or business, and all have enjoyed long studied education and taught for many years in the Erie Public Schools. careers in the hotel industry. Patricia is in sales with Marriott-Orlando; Tweetie majored in business. And Joan entered the Sisters of Mercy William is director of fnance at Hilton Columbus Downtown; Colleen while still in high school. After graduating from Mercyhurst in business, has been with Marriott International for 33 years; and Mary Theresa she went on to nursing school. Today she runs the health care facility at also works at Marriott in account sales. Bill also met his wife, Suzanne the Sisters of Mercy Motherhouse. Kozlowski Clark, at Mercyhurst.

Rosemary and her late husband, James, had nine children and fve of While none of the cousins’ children have come to Mercyhurst (yet), them graduated from Mercyhurst: Joanne Kaveney Samsel ’81 (a nurse); another relative did enroll recently: Daniel Leonard, a sophomore whose Bill Kaveney ’88 (director of national accounts for a pharmaceutical mother is a frst cousin to the McCabe sisters. company); Mary Cathleen Kaveney Dolansky ’93 (a teacher with the Erie School District); Suzanne Kaveney Iacobucci ’96 (a surgical nurse Just inside Mercyhurst’s front gates stands a lamppost inscribed to practitioner); and James Kaveney ’96 (president of Alkemy Partners). commemorate the family’s special relationship with the school and with the Sisters of Mercy: “McCabe-Kaveney Light the Way.” Jim’s wife, Lisa Staford Kaveney, is a Mercyhurst grad, Class of 1997, and earned a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership in 2002. She and “We’ve been indebted to the sisters for ages because of their care and Jim co-own Alkemy Partners, which provides training and development compassion,” Jim says. for pharmaceutical and biotech companies. 23 Class notes

Holly A. Kelly Matczak Chiappazzi ‘98 has created Weaving connections Villella ‘79 is Eagle Point a contributing East, a company Javi Cubillos ’11 had never even titled AkuRuka Mapuche. Seventy artist with Clark dedicated to located Erie on a map before she percent of the population of her soon- Whittington’s empowerment embarked on the three-fight, 24-hour to-be home is from the Mapuche - Artists-in- and helping trek from her home in Chile to enroll at Pehuenche culture, some of Chile’s Cellophane, professionals Mercyhurst in 2007. “It took me forever frst peoples. “Throughout Chile they a venue for and individuals to get there!” she recalls. “Luckily, when have been unfairly marginalized and original art fnd their true I arrived, I found a beautiful campus driven out of their lands, resulting sales in North America. More than paths and and a very welcoming community, in an impoverished community,” she 500 artists contribute their work to be creative solutions to life’s challenges. including very supportive faculty and explains. “This wonderful culture is dispensed through upcycled cigarette She is the author of two books staf and many other Latin American dying, its language runs the risk of machines stationed in national art available on Amazon: Manifesting, and international students who shared being extinct not many years from museums and other high-trafc Willing and Creating: Live the Life You a little of my culture so I never felt too now, and their people strive very hard venues; the Erie Art Museum has Desire and Italy with a Side of Mayo. far away from home.” to fnd ways to endure in the high an Art-O-Mat machine. Holly paints Andean regions of the country.” impressionistic watercolors (submitted Louis D’Ambrosio ‘99, principal of By the time she returned home to stay, with an original Haiku) and gouache Arthur Middleton Elementary School, she had earned two Hurst degrees, a Mapuche women traditionally abstracts. presented on Capitol Hill on Oct. 24, B.A. in Communication in 2011 and an create beautifully intricate weaves 2017, with a panel pertaining to state M.S. in Organizational Leadership in incorporating Mapuche cosmology Karen Gens Jakiel ‘84 has been hired ESSA plans and the efects of Title II 2014, and was ready to put her skills and vision and try to sell them (often at EmergyCare as foundation and funding for recruitment & professional to work. unsuccessfully) in the streets or at local government relations coordinator. She development for principals. fairs. AkuRuka expands the market for will manage grant requests as well as a Javi and her husband, Juan Vidal, these goods using online channels comprehensive government relations Alex Ogeka ‘02 has been promoted now work at the international school like Etsy and Facebook, allowing the program to advocate for legislative to executive director of the Kutztown she attended. But soon they hope to women to become self-sufcient and and policy goals favorable to the University Foundation. From 2011 leave the busy city of Santiago behind economically independent – and, most emergency medical services industry. to 2014, he was director of alumni and relocate to Lonquimay, a remote importantly, encouraging them to engagement at Kutztown and area in the south of Chile where they preserve their culture and pass it on to Monica Klos ‘84 has accepted a served as a campaign committee hope to live in a calmer, more self- new generations. position with Allegheny Health member for KU’s “Setting the Stage” sustainable manner. As partners in a Network as practice manager for the campaign, which generated more tourism business (agrestechile.com), Each unique weave comes with a Bariatric and Metabolic Institute in than $15 million. He was named they plan to provide personalized photo of the woman who made it, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. the foundation’s senior director travel experiences to Lonquimay, a tag telling how the product was of development and alumni relations teaching travelers about the made, and a QR code that leads to John Deasy ‘90 will lead a renewed in 2014. indigenous culture that predominates a video detailing the entire process efort by the Irish government to seek in the area. They’ll ofer everything from obtaining the wool to the fnal relief for the undocumented as the Dr. Brandon Gabler ‘02 has been from cultural activities like Mapuche weaving. The artisans earn a fair frst envoy to help undocumented Irish named regional director and cooking and learning about their price for their extensive work, from people in the United States. vice president of operations with medicinal herbs to exploring the the shearing of the sheep through Commonwealth Heritage Group Inc., a beautiful geography of the area with washing the wool, spinning it into Paul Casey ‘94 was named vice cultural resources consulting company, physical adventures including trekking yarn, dyeing it with natural herbs, and president of operations and branch in its Dexter, Michigan, headquarters. to a volcano crater and skiing virgin fnally weaving it on a loom (which is development for the YMCA of mountain slopes. also made by the women). Metuchen, Edison, Woodbridge and Bradley Sage South Amboy, New Jersey. ‘03 was named Inspired by the people who inhabit Check out her project at director for the region, Javi has also launched facebook.com/AkuRukaMapuche and at Melanie Songer Lucht ‘95 was the athletic a social entrepreneurship project AkuRuka.etsy.com. appointed assistant vice president training program for enterprise risk management at at Indiana Carnegie Mellon University. She will University. help the university proactively manage and mitigate the many inherent risks associated with operating a global Amanda Mountain ‘04 has taken institution of higher education. a new job as associate director of development at McCurdy Ministries Cheryl Sibble Moore ‘95 earned a Community Center in Espanola, New Doctor of Psychology degree with Mexico. She lives in Santa Fe. a specialization in organizational leadership from the University of the Amanda Harnocz ‘07 was promoted Rockies, Denver, Colorado. to director of digital content at Cleveland 19 News. Michael Eldred ‘97 completed an Ironman competition on July 23, 2017, with a time of 16:04.

24 Javi Cubillos (center) with Mapuche women. Class notes

Anna Walzer Ceren ‘09 has been named senior art Elyse Lagana Jones ‘08 and Alfred Jones ‘09 had their director by Engel O’Neill Advertising & Public Relations, frst child, Emerson Alfred Jones, on July 24, 2017. where she supervises design for the agency’s consumer and industrial clients. Nicole Rapacki Konieczki ‘08 and husband David had a daughter, Eva Caileen Farrell ‘11 has been named marketing and Marya, on Sept. 1, 2017, in Erie. communications manager at The Ritz-Carlton Cleveland. Kaitlyn Slomski Trenton Frey ‘14 has been named assistant strength Nelson ‘08 and and conditioning coach for the Los Angeles Kings in the husband Elijah had National Hockey League. a daughter, Madeline Conway Nelson, on May 10, 2017. BIRTHS AND ADOPTIONS Michelle LaSlavic Wagner ‘08 and Quinn Sullivan Boehmler Timothy Wagner ‘09 had a daughter, ‘02 and husband Scott had Lillian Marie, on March 2, 2017. a son, Caellum Hale, and a daughter, Emersyn Rose, on Thomas Eighmey ‘09 ‘11M and April 24, 2017. Caellum and Jacquelyn McCarthy Eighmey ‘11 had Emersyn join big brother their first child, Jayden Thomas, on June Garrison at their home in 10, 2017. Rhode Island. Shannon Reed Grube ‘10 and husband Richard had Mercyhurst alum Brendan Doran ‘05 and wife Elizabeth their frst child, Isabelle Louise, on July 18, 2017. cheers Eagles on had a daughter, Ava Catherine, on Sept. 22, 2017. Meaghan Farrell Christian ‘11 ‘13M and husband Matt had their frst child, Lincoln to victory Elizabeth Tasker Immarino Matthew, on July 3, 2017. ‘05 and husband Tim had From the dance foor to the courtroom, their frst child, James Alessio, on Sept. Mercyhurst alumna Jessica Stachelrodt 22, 2017. has balanced an eclectic lifestyle since Krystle Lacher ‘06 married Matthew Manera on Sept. graduating in 2013, not the least of which is Kristen Wanner Mekota ‘05 and 3, 2017, in Bufalo, New York. The bridal party included her recent appearance at Super Bowl LII as husband Chris had their third daughter, Evelyn Rose, on maid of honor Stephanie Lacher ‘11, a Philadelphia Eagles cheerleader. Her day Oct. 23, 2017. She joined big sisters Ava and Grace. Justin King ‘06, and Vanessa King ‘08. job is as a judicial clerk for the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Valerie Nezich Walker ‘05 and Brian Christina Machesney ‘06 married Jessica was born in San Diego, but lived Walker ‘06 had their frst child, Declan, Sean Rising on Sept. 30, 2017, at St. most of her life in Franklin. She earned a on July 3, 2017. Teresa of Avila Church in Pittsburgh. dance degree from Mercyhurst and later Chrissy Stewart ‘06, Katie Cerqua went on to get her juris doctor from Temple Josh Long ‘06 and ‘06, Matt Peterson ‘06, Matt in 2017. wife Melissa had a daughter, Stewart ‘09, Ania Dunin ‘06 and Charlotte Aspen, on May 28, 2017. She joins Sean Underwood ‘06 participated “I am so happy I went to Mercyhurst,” she sister Emma. in the ceremony. said. “I made lifelong friends and earned a degree in something I actually loved and Carrie Schwabenbauer Gaw ‘07 and continue to love. The Mercyhurst Dance husband Charles had a son, Palmer Sidney, Department also gave me professional- on April 10, 2017. Palmer joins big brother grade resources, facilities and opportunities Peyton. to learn and create. I would not have been able to be a part of the Eagles organization Shelley Herron Hall ‘07 and without the training I got at Mercyhurst. husband Mike had twins Porter Additionally, law schools love academic McNeil and Parker Grayce Hall diversity. My liberal arts, dance degree on Feb. 10, 2017. helped me get admitted to several law schools.” Jessica Lamb ‘07 married Kerry Bowman ‘08 on Oct. Colleen Lanigan Hordych ‘07 and 6, 2017, in Cleveland, Ohio. The bridal party included The former Laker Shakers dance team husband Jacob had their frst child, Maeve Kelly Gavin ‘07, Allison Moore ‘07 and Patrick member said she was thrilled to cross of a Lydia Margaret, on April 22, 2017. Henk ‘07. The Bowmans now live in the Washington, Super Bowl appearance from her bucket list. D.C., area. “I absolutely love to perform,” she said. “That Jamie Krusewicz ‘07 Ashley Saunier ‘07 married Shane Scaf on Sept. 3, love is as integral to my identity as my name and husband Troy 2017, in Imperial, Pennsylvania. and face. The Super Bowl is the largest stage Martin had a son, Tucker Dean Martin, on Dec. I will ever perform on, and it’s absolutely 2, 2017. thrilling.”

25 Class notes

Kaitlyn Slomski ‘08 married Elijah Nelson on Oct. 25, 2015. The bridal party included man of honor Jonathan Slomski ‘11, matrons of honor Rachel Auld Reed ‘08, Jessica Kocent Rodriguez ‘08 and Marie Blum Capizzi ‘08, bridesmaid Kate Balconi ‘10, groomsman Charles Hatfeld ‘04, and mother of the former professor Jill Slomski.

Jenna Kaufman ‘09 married Anthony Koch on Oct. 22, 2017.

David Swickline ‘10 married Leanne Abate at the Abilena Plantation in New Bern, North Carolina. They reside in New Bern, where David is a school psychologist in the Craven County School District and Leanne is a speech language pathologist.

Randi Heitman ‘11 married Bernie Cage on July 15, 2017, outside their home in Waterford, Pennsylvania. Her bridal party included maid of honor Deidre Hartz ‘11 and bridesmaid Jane Henry ‘12. Randi is employed by the Wattsburg Area School District as a music A Hurst teacher for grades 5-12 while her husband works in logistics at Verizon in Erie. love story Jessica Mathew ‘11 married Ryan S. Neal on July 22, 2017, in Zelienople, Pennsylvania. The bridal party included maid of honor Alex Brooks Hyland ‘12, bridesmaid Katelyn Schulmeister ‘11 and bridesman Shamus O’Donnell ‘11. A How’s this for a quintessentially Mercyhurst love story? reception was held at the Doubletree by Hilton in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania. The honeymooned in Budapest, Vienna and Prague. Kaleigh Hubert ‘13 and Alex Vinesky ’14 met in August 2012 Jessica is a family and consumer science teacher at Harbor Creek High School. The when both worked on The House That Hurst Built, a Habitat for couple resides in Erie. Humanity build to celebrate Mercyhurst’s new university status.

“The two of us volunteered to help put up the roof. I noticed that Charity Moore ‘11 and Matthew Weiss ‘11 were married on Aug. 12, 2017, in Christ Kaleigh was struggling to move her ladder and ofered to help – the King Chapel at Mercyhurst University. The maid of honor was Christy Moore that’s how it all started,” Alex recalls. ‘13 and the best man was Joshua Tracey ‘11. were Briana Duncan ‘11, Emma Bradic ‘11 and Rachel Kandefer ‘11. Groomsmen were Jessy Chase and Dr. A few months later, he asked her to be his girlfriend on the roof Zachary Kwasnicka ‘11. Charity and Matthew reside in Morgantown, West Virginia, of Old Main (in the days before the area was locked at all times). where they are both employed as archaeologists. They spent their They continued to see each other, even heading to Mississippi visiting archaeological sites in England and Scotland. on a spring break Habitat for Humanity trip. Heather Mills ‘14 married Kevin Dudek ‘14 on Aug. Grad school and jobs took them to diferent cities after 12, 2017, in Willoughby Hills, Ohio. John Wagner ‘14 graduation, but they made the best of their long-distance was a groomsman. They reside in Shaker Heights, Ohio, romance. and are doing well as a second grade teacher and sales representative. With both of them fnally back in Erie in 2015, Alex was ready to make it ofcial, but those locks prevented him from returning Caitlin English ‘15 married Nathan Lumley on June 17, to the Old Main roof to propose. Instead he took Kaleigh back 2017, in Frederick, Maryland. to the now- completed Habitat house in east Erie, where owner Rosemary helped pull of the surprise. “I got down on one knee McKenzie Rowland ‘15 and Steven Messina ‘14 were and proposed in the exact spot where it all started,” he says. married in Spring Hill, Tennessee, on Oct. 8, 2017. McKenzie and Steven reside in the Washington, D.C., area. They were married in Christ the King Chapel on Sept. 16, 2017, with a wedding party that included many of their close Mercyhurst friends. They honeymooned in Jamaica.

Kaleigh is a physician assistant with OB -GYN Associates in Erie, and Alex works as a logistics analyst at Ryder Supply Chain Solutions. They recently bought a home in Erie, and are making plans for a trip to England and Ireland this spring.

“We couldn’t be happier that our love story started at the Hurst,” they agree.

26 Class notes

ALUMNI DEATHS Karen Dougherty ‘85 Mother of: Lori Marwood Wheeler ‘86 Shirley Miler Schilling ‘68 (Edith Miller) Rita Rittenhouse Wisner ‘45 Gregory Shabbick ‘89 Sue Sutto ‘68 (Norma von Korf Sutto) Ruth Marsh Swenson ‘47 Robert Pirrello ‘91 Betsy Bierfeldt ‘72 (Helen Bierfeldt) Mary Roberta Hitchcock Harold ‘48 Douglas G. Dailey ‘92 Margaret Mikolay ‘48 Joseph Rupp ‘89 (Nancy Lou Lieb Rupp) Timothy Klein ‘97 Joan Knapp Spakowski ‘48 Garrett Clark ‘97 (Florence Rothwell ‘84) Chad J. Ewings ‘99 Joan Riley Dori ‘50 Jennifer Stackpole Piccirillo ‘03 (Doris Engel Justin T. Ethridge ‘03 Stackpole) Elizabeth Meehan Greenleaf ‘52 Zackery Maier ‘04 Helen Eisert Rowe ‘52 David Dubowski ‘09 Daughter of: Margaret Broderick Mathews ‘53 Blake Stabler ‘12 Pat Dunn ‘78 (Christa Dunn) Mary Theobald Schwartz ‘57 Eleanor Cavanaugh ‘59 CONDOLENCES Sister of: Mary Suzette Cassidy Casey ‘61 Husband of: Patricia Cavanaugh Kirk ‘60 (Eleanor Cavanaugh Judith Cromie Swenson ‘64 ‘59), also aunt of Mary Kirk Barber ‘84 Ann Minnium ‘57 (Richard) Sandra Leone Neumaier ‘65 Marilyn Hirst Welsh ‘74 (Charles Welsh) Grace Paternostro Lococo Batten ‘74 Brother of: Mary Ann Mead Baldauf ‘85 (James Baldauf) Andrew Cameron ‘74 Patricia Lawlor ‘65 (Bernard J. Lawlor) James F. Lieb ‘74 Father of: Mary Ann Lee Bryan ‘75 Former Employees: Kenneth “Breeze”Walker ‘90 (William Walker) Lawrence Randy Shoup ‘75 Sister Agnes Jean Lavin, OSB, a former business Danielle Klein ‘97 (Timothy Klein ‘97) Barbara Dee Engel ‘76 professor Rique Pizarro ‘97 (Ricardo Pizarro) Linda Simpson Sacha ‘77 James F. Lieb ‘74, who retired in 2014 as director of fnance after 38 years of service at Mercyhurst Eric Livingston ‘79 Father and father-in-law of: Nancy Lou Lieb Rupp, a student account ofcer for 23 Gretchen Froehlich Moore ‘80 years who retired in 1997 Norma Telega Johnson ‘95 and Toby Johnson ‘95 Beth A. Paletta, Esq. ‘82 (Edward Telega) Deanna Miller, a senior student Florence Scutella Rothwell ‘84

Patient advocacy

The new Katharine A. “Kate” Newman Protocol for Non-Ambulatory Patients at the nursing staf at Northwest UPMC Northwest honors a woman recognized by the Oil City community for her would have pleased her greatly.” outstanding volunteer eforts. “Kate clocks,” used to identify In addition to a successful career and exemplary service to the community, when it’s time to tend to patients, Kate Duda Newman ‘71 accomplished most of her triumphs later in life from a are an example of the cohesive wheelchair as the result of Multiple Sclerosis. She became a patient advocate, and standardized system that along with her family members, after developing pressure ulcers during a May is now in place to care for non- 2016 stay at UPMC Northwest, just two months before she died. ambulatory patients.

UPMC Northwest’s Nursing Council worked with Newman’s family – including Staf at UPMC Northwest sisters Deborah Duda Gale ’77 and Sherry Duda Donze ’80 – to develop the remember that Newman was protocol for treating non-ambulatory patients, which was presented to the family a dedicated volunteer at the Kate Duda Newman (center front) is fanked by sisters last June. On average, six patients each day are put on Kate protocol. hospital, assisting patients with directions and delivering papers Deborah Duda Gale and Sherry Duda Donze. Standing “Kate’s life’s work was flled with ferce pride, and her story will resonate with from one unit to another on her behind them: Joe, Gregg and Gary Duda. so many. As her condition deteriorated, she became exceedingly disabled to electric scooter. “In her nearly the point where she realized that she was no longer able to adequately direct paralyzed body, Kate knew her her own care. That was a turning point for her,” said Gale. “She wanted to do limitations well, and so she relied something that would help people that might not have the beneft of the strong on her personality and her smile to forge ahead advocates that she herself had had. This combined efort between my family and and live fully despite her disability,” her sister said. 27 Intel grad fighting cyber threats

Henry Peltokangas ’10 entered the still much we can improve, especially on New programs intelligence feld focusing on cyber threat the cyber side.” He moved to Symantec intelligence when much of the attention in 2013 as product manager for its was on terrorism. Now, nine years into his DeepSight Intelligence Portal and created address need career, he’s at the forefront of the fght an intelligence program to provide a new against cyber threats. service known as Managed Adversary and Threat Intelligence (MATI). for cyber For the past two years, Henry has worked for Cisco, where he played an important Now at Cisco he’s tackling a longstanding role in creating the frm’s Threat problem. According to Cisco, “Part of the professionals Intelligence Director technology, which genius of Threat Intelligence Director helps customers rapidly operationalize is its ability to ingest third-party threat cyber threat intelligence to protect their intelligence and operationalize it with The global rise in cyber crime has created an unprecedented computer networks. Cisco’s network security devices. The demand for cyber security professionals, with the U.S. Bureau of ability to have these two parts work Labor Statistics projecting 37 percent job growth over the next four Henry was a teenager in Finland when together – intelligence on one hand years. To meet this growing need, Mercyhurst University recently he watched the World Trade Center fall and security technologies on the other announced two new online master’s programs in Cyber Security and in 2001. “I couldn’t believe what was – was the missing link in making the Cyber Risk Management. Generously funded by Betsy Hirt Vorsheck, happening. When it was confrmed that intelligence valuable.” a 1977 Mercyhurst graduate and board member of Erie Insurance, it was a terrorist attack, I decided that these programs leverage Mercyhurst’s reputation as an international I wanted to make a diference, which Virtually all cyber security companies leader in intelligence and cyber education. eventually drove me to work in security.” use their own intelligence in their products, but major companies have Cyber Security An assignment to military intelligence to take intelligence provided by the Housed in the Ridge College of Intelligence Studies and Applied and long-range reconnaissance during FBI, Homeland Security and industry Sciences, the Cyber Security program prepares students to analyze his military service introduced him to the sharing groups and use it to defend their cyber threats to computer systems, networks and networked career he would pursue, and his search networks. “Companies can’t rely on just devices, and protect those systems from cyber attacks. Students will for schools quickly focused on the United one source of intelligence and, without also evaluate the legal, regulatory and ethical issues related to cyber States. “Mercyhurst was the only place our technology, putting it in use has been security and privacy, and learn to efectively communicate complex that really had a dedicated program for largely a manual process,” Henry explains. cyber security information. One of the few online programs in the intel studies and the best set of courses nation to address cyber threats to business as well as national and available,” he recalls. Cyber security wasn’t a focus of international security, this program prepares students for careers as Mercyhurst’s curriculum when he was cyber analysts and IT security specialists in virtually any industry. The day after taking his last exam at the here, but Henry says the analytical skills Hurst in 2009, Henry few to Amsterdam he learned here have served him well in Cyber Risk Management and his frst job with iSIGHT Partners, the feld, and he’s not alone. He says he’s Although cyber security risks are a growing concern to businesses, a U.S. cyber threat intelligence frm encountered many Mercyhurst graduates managing cyber risk through insurance is relatively new, and thus acquired by FireEye in 2016. He had who have become infuential in the cyber difcult to quantify. A joint ofering from the Ridge College and studied traditional intelligence methods, world. the Walker College of Business, this program integrates traditional but he soon found himself heading to elements of risk management with cutting-edge science in big data the cyber side of the security spectrum. And he’s excited about the new programs and cyber security, providing students with the skills to assess and Promoted to team manager of cyber in cybersecurity being developed at mitigate cyber risks. Coursework highlights the technical, legal and threat intelligence, he transferred back to Mercyhurst. “Look at any report on business aspects of cyber risk management, with special emphasis the States two years later. “I really enjoyed the skill gap in cyber security – there’s on monetizing cyber risk through insurance. This unique program producing intel reports but eventually defnitely room for every single prepares students for careers as cyber security managers in small moved to a product management Mercyhurst grad to work with cyber and and large enterprises, as well as for careers in the insurance industry. role because I wanted to make better they’ll fnd lots of opportunities.” intelligence products. Intelligence has Both programs consist of 36 credit hours and expect to enroll always struggled with what constitutes Henry and his wife Jacqueline married their frst cohorts in Fall 2018. Visit mercyhurst.edu/grad for more ‘good intelligence’ and I think there is in 2016 and now live in Silver Spring, information. Maryland. 28 CELEBRATING MERCY TRADITION

Following the August 2017 Academic Convocation, Mercyhurst employees who are also Mercyhurst graduates gathered for a “family portrait” in front of Old Main. From members of the President ’s Cabinet to faculty to staf in just about every department on campus, more than 100 alumni have decided to stay at – or return to – their alma mater to launch their careers. Once a Laker, always a Laker! Photo: Frank Rizzone

President and Mrs. Michael Victor hosted a Christmas celebration for the Sisters of Mercy in Erie. Seated (from left): Mercy Sisters Mary Louis Oslick, Rita Panciera, Rita Brocke, Pierre Dembinski and Paul Marie Westlake. Standing (from left): Sisters Joan McCabe, Carol Ann Voltz, Kathryn Preston, Edith Langiotti, Mary Mark McCarthy, Mary Andrew Himes, Natalie Rossi; President Victor; Sisters Lisa Mary McCartney, Kathleen Ann Kolb, Phyllis Marie McDonald, Mary Ann Bader, Catherine Edward Delaney, Bernadette Bell, 29 Michele Marie Schroeck, Patricia Whalen, Mary Paul Carioty, Felice Duska, JoAnne Courneen and Maria Lucia Serrano. 501 East 38th Street, Erie, PA 16546

NIVERS T U ITY RS U

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RELIVE YOUR N JUNE 8-10

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K M COLLEGE MEMORIES AT E E W 20 ON CONGRATULATIONS 18 REUNI Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients Sheila Sullivan Coon ’72, Vivetta Petronio ’58, Service to the Community Service to Mercyhurst (posthumously) Sister Lisa Mary McCartney, RSM ’71 Jeanne Keim Phillips ’68, Sister Carolyn Herrmann Award Service to Mercyhurst Joseph Pacinelli ’78, Ivan Rusilko, DO ’06, Service to the Field Young Alumnus Award

Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees 1998 Men’s Soccer Team Anthony Maher ’02, men’s soccer

Meghan Agosta ’11, women’s ice hockey Catrina Sheafer Spano ’04, feld hockey

Register at mercyhurst.edu/alumni/ reunion or call us today at 814-824-2330.