FoundFall06AR_Rev.qxd 10/5/06 2:56 PM Page 3 Foundations ROBERT MORRIS UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE > FALL 2006 Special Issue: President’s 2005-06 Annual Report FoundFall06AR_Rev.qxd 10/5/06 2:56 PM Page 4 DEAR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS, CREDITS We are fortunate at Robert Morris University to have a bright, energetic student body and EDITOR Jennifer J. Roupe a devoted and talented faculty and staff. With their assistance, and the support of CONTRIBUTORS James Duzyk M’00, Michael Rick, our alumni and friends, RMU accomplished Catherine Skena much this past year. DESIGN Amy Joy, Susan Limoncelli In addition to announcing several new PHOTOGRAPHY academic programs and obtaining Terry Clark, Jason Cohn, Kevin Cooke, accreditation for others, we welcomed many David Kennedy, Ed Macko, Dave Miller new faculty members, including Rooney Visiting Scholars from the United PRINTING Kingdom, South Africa and India. Among the new programs announced was Herrmann Printing & Litho Inc. the proposed School of Osteopathic Medicine, which, if approved, will allow us Foundations is published three times a to build upon our previous success in the health care field that began with the year by the Office of Public Relations and Marketing in conjunction with the Office of School of Nursing and Allied Health. Together, these schools will comprise a new Institutional Advancement and mailed free College of Health Sciences, to which we plan to add other programs over time. of charge to alumni, donors, trustees, faculty, staff and friends of Robert Morris University. The opinions expressed in the In the past year, we were able to offer our students new or renovated facilities in magazine do not necessarily reflect the official policies of Robert Morris University. which to live and learn, including classrooms, laboratories, residence halls and an athletic stadium complex. We celebrated the accomplishments of students Contributions to Class Notes and address changes may be sent to: and faculty in and out of our classrooms, as well as the success of our institution Office of Institutional Advancement during last fall’s Inauguration Week. Robert Morris University 6001 University Boulevard Moon Township, PA We did our part to assist those in need, both regionally and nationally, through 15108-1189 programs and projects coordinated by America’s Promise, the Office of Student Phone: 412-262-8481 Fax: 412-262-8642 Community Service and the University Honors Program, as well as various E-mail: [email protected] hurricane relief projects benefiting the Gulf Coast region. It is the policy of Robert Morris University to provide equal opportunity in all educational Finally, we made great strides in preparing for RMU’s future by undertaking programs and activities, admission of students and conditions of employment for the development of a 10-year strategic plan. all qualified individuals regardless of race, color, sex, religion, age, disability, national origin and/or sexual preference. While we are immensely proud of these accomplishments, there are greater opportunities on the horizon for RMU. I look forward to working with you in the coming year to make the most of those opportunities. Thank you for your interest in and commitment to Robert Morris University. GREGORY G. DELL’OMO, PH.D. PRESIDENT FoundFall06AR_Rev.qxd 10/5/06 2:56 PM Page 5 FALL/06 Foundations Departments 2 CAMPUS REPORT Check out the latest happenings on campus, including commencement, the Colonial Theatre and more! 4 FACULTY SPOTLIGHT A roundup of the latest faculty news, including awards, papers published and appointments. 5 STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Meet some of RMU’s best and brightest, and learn about the new exchange program in Chile. 6 SCOREBOARD Catch up with the Colonials with this review of 2006 spring sports – and check out RMU’s new athletic logo. 35 ADVANCEMENT See how the Class of 2006 is giving back to RMU and learn about two new endowed scholarships. 37 CLASS NOTES Check in to see what your former classmates are up to! 40 UPCOMING EVENTS Mark your calendar now for these upcoming alumni events. ON THE COVER: Robert Morris University’s Colonial Village includes the Melvin D. Teetz Alumni House, home to the Office of Institutional Advancement, and the Rooney House, home to a different Rooney Visiting Scholar each President’s 2005-06 semester. Future houses are planned Annual Report . 8 for the village in years to come. A review of the top stories of Gregory G. Dell’Omo, Ph.D.’s first year as president of Robert Morris University. Board of Trustees . 16 Financials . 17 Honor Roll of Donors . 18 ROBERT MORRIS UNIVERSITY FOUNDATIONS • 1 FoundFall06AR_Rev.qxd 10/5/06 2:56 PM Page 6 CAMPUS REPORT > DOCUMENTARY CENTER PREMIERES THAT’S AMORE The Center for Documentary Production and Study premiered its latest project, That’s Amore! The 10th Annual Dean Martin Festival, in June during the 11th annual festival in Steubenville, COMMENCEMENT 2006 Ohio. The 21-minute documentary highlights the 2005 festival, which honors the renowned comedian-singer born in Steubenville as Dino Crocetti. The video covers festival events including a RMU celebrated its 81st – and President Gregory G. Dell’Omo’s parade, memorabilia auction, book signing, tribute show and first – commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 6, in Sewall interviews with festival attendees from around the world. James Center Arena. Approximately 1,130 Seguin, Ph.D., director of the center, served as executive producer, while RMU students Dan Yost ‘07 and Laura Dougherty ‘07 and EDWARD G. RENDELL students earned degrees from RMU during the 2005-06 year, many of staff TV engineer Joe Hale assisted in its production. whom were on hand to hear the > BAYER CENTER OFFERS TECHNICAL HELP TO AREA NONPROFITS commencement address of For a second straight year, RMU’s Bayer Center for Nonprofit Pennsylvania Governor EDWARD G. Management teamed with the United Way of Allegheny County RENDELL. Alumnus MORGAN O’BRIEN and the region’s businesses in May to provide technical assistance ‘82 M’85, president and chief executive to nonprofit agencies during the Technology Day of Caring. officer of Duquesne Light Holdings, was presented with an One of only a few such programs in the nation, the Technology honorary doctoral degree. Day of Caring places volunteers with technical expertise in agencies for one day to provide informal software training, networking and system upgrades, and/or technology Among this mini-assessments and planning. Volunteers from organizations year’s such as UPMC, Giant Eagle, Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson graduates Graham LLP, PNC Financial Services, Ariba and Carmeuse were the first North America devoted an estimated 150 hours to 30 agencies, 34 students providing $15,000 worth of assistance. to receive > NURSING HONOR SOCIETY INDUCTS FIRST MEMBERS degrees Thirteen RMU nursing students were the first to be inducted into through the the School of Nursing and Allied Health’s Nursing Honor Society School of in April. Those inducted were master’s students Pamela Aleck, Nursing and Alix Alton, Mary Boyd, Kathyrn Cremeans, Maureen Dunn, Allied Health, 18 of whom earned the Bachelor Patricia Kowalski and Rebecca Weatherly, and undergraduate of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) and 16 of whom students Deanna Clark, Michaelle Hernon, Emily Hojdila, Susan Lucot, Johnna Resek and Michele Silhanek. earned the Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) degree. Other programs awarding degrees for the first time Several faculty and staff were also inducted, including: Lynda included the Master of Science in Organizational Studies, offered Davidson, Ph.D., R.N., dean and associate professor of nursing; by the School of Adult and Continuing Education, and the Master Lynn George, Ph.D., R.N., associate dean and assistant professor of Science in Information Technology Project Management, of nursing; Carl Ross, Ph.D., R.N., professor of nursing; Patricia offered by the School of Communications and Information Fedorka, Ph.D., R.N., associate professor of nursing; Marge Hardt DiCuccio, R.N., assistant professor of nursing; and Valerie Systems. Howard, R.N., Lisa Locasto, R.N., Kathryn Perozzi, R.N., and Kirstyn Zalice, R.N., all clinical assistant professors of nursing. 2 • WWW.RMU.EDU FoundFall06AR_Rev.qxd 10/5/06 2:57 PM Page 7 CAMPUS REPORT Among the RMU faculty who participated were: Valerie Harvey, Ph.D., R.T. (R), (ARRT), professor of computer and information systems and chair of WorldVistA’s software development education team, who was instrumental in bringing the meeting to RMU; Donald Caputo, Ph.D., associate professor of computer and information systems and a member of the meeting’s program committee; and Lawrence Tomei, Ed.D., associate vice president for academic affairs and associate professor of education. President Gregory G. Dell’Omo, Ph.D., welcomed meeting attendees, while David Jamison, J.D., dean of the School of Communications and Information Systems, provided remarks at a plenary session. > OUTON NAMED TO NONPROFIT TIMES THE BOYS NEXT DOOR POWER & INFLUENCE TOP 50 Peggy Morrison Outon, executive > COLONIAL THEATRE EXPANDS OFFERINGS IN 2006-07 director of the Bayer Center for RMU’s Colonial Theatre presented its first summer production in Nonprofit Management at Robert a decade in August with Tom Griffin’s The Boys Next Door, directed Morris University, was named to the NonProfit Times’ Power & Influence by Barbara Burgess-Lefebvre, M.F.A., assistant professor of PEGGY MORRISON OUTON communications. This dramatic comedy, which examined the lives Top 50 in August 2006. The first of four mentally challenged men under the supervision of an individual from Pittsburgh ever to be named to the prestigious earnest but increasingly burned-out young social worker, marked list, Outon and her fellow 2006 honorees were recognized at a the theatre’s ninth production since its revival in 2003. A gala on Sept. 15 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.