SUMMER 2019 West Chester UniversityMAGAZINE THE NEXT FRONTIER FOR WCU: The New Sciences & Engineering Center and The Commons IN THIS ISSUE SUMMER 2 019 On the Cover: The Next Frontier for WCU WCU will offer a new biomedical engineering degree starting in the fall, cultivating the next generation of 12 professionals in the STEM field. Alumni Profile: Christie Silva ’09 Named the National Honoree in the L’Oréal Paris Woman of 25 Worth program, Silva has dedicated her life to helping children. WCUAA Board of Directors Nominations The WCUAA is accepting nominations for the Association’s 28 Board of Directors for the 2020-2023 term. Distinguished Alumni Award Nominations The WCUAA is accepting nominations for the 2020 29 Distinguished Alumni Awards. photo by Fred Weiner 4 University News 17 WCUAA President’s Message lumni volunteers are one reason Camp Abilities PA (CAPA) at WCU has succeeded for the past 13 years. Held during Memorial Day weekend, CAPA is an overnight, 10 Sports News 18 Alumni Awards educational sports camp for youth ages 7-17 who are blind or have low vision. 11 WCU Events 20 Alumni Notes A These athletes receive one-on-one instruction as they participate in such sports 12 Cover Story 26 Donor Profile as swimming, track and field, goalball, tandem biking, and futsal (five-a-side soccer). The alumni join students in WCU’s adapted physical education minor, coordinated by Kinesiol- ogy Professor Monica Lepore, who embodies the CAPA motto “Believe you can achieve.” This year, alumni volunteers were (top row, standing) Chris DiEnno, Erik Mazurkiewicz, Ricky O’Donnell, Mike Oliver, Drew Fitzpatrick, Kyle Williams, Justin Rhines, Eric Van Ess; (middle row, kneeling) Kim Begley, Laura Waite, Anna Lottes, Rachel Lovell, Mim Hughes, Beth Foster (CAPA assistant director); (bottom row sitting) Bri Donnelly, Laura Bigelow, Christina Portelli, Morgan Gottel, Megan Bresnahan, and Maria Lepore-Stevens wcupa.edu/socialmedia (CAPA assistant director). Digital version of the WCU Magazine is available at issuu.com/wcuofpa. SUMMER 2019 Editor & Assistant LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Vice President for Communications and Marketing “Do not go where the path may lead, Nancy Santos Gainer go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Associate Editors words ring especially true for WCU. Matt Born To act as a catalyst is not to take the Loretta MacAlpine road traveled most frequently; rather, it is to venture out passionately while Design welcoming challenges, embracing new JoAnne Mottola capabilities, and asking hard questions along the way. While the journey is far Photography from easy, it is impactful, relevant, and Erica Thompson ’10 quite certainly life-changing. Contributors As a University committed to the suc- Katie Gildea Wells Fargo officials visited campus recently to present a $25,000 grant to West Chester University’s Frederick Douglass Institute (FDI). Pictured cess of all students, WCU has vowed Christine Kozsuch at the ceremony, front row, L-R: Professor of Early and Middle Grades Education Katherine Norris and Coatesville Area Senior High School stu- to be the transformation that makes dents Anthony Stukes, William Blagmon, Donovan Hart, Darius Hart, and Nick DiMidio. Back row, L-R: FDI Board Member Beatrice Adera, Wells the significant difference. Amidst a Fargo Vice President, Community Affairs Stephen Briggs, Superintendent of the Coatesville Area School District Cathy Taschner M’00, Demetrius President Woodard ’19, Assistant Director of the Honors College Gerardina Martin, Tyshawn Hinton ’19, Yami Reyes, Jasmine Howard, Coatesville Area Senior world that is constantly changing, our Christopher M. Fiorentino High School Assistant Principal Jeffery Colf, Katie Coyle, Dominic Jackson, Professor of English Christian Awuyah, Wells Fargo Delaware Valley job is to prepare students for a reality Region Bank President Lauren Tobiassen, WCU Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Tracey Ray. WCU student tutors Reyes, Howard, Coyle, and that will always benefit from having Vice President for Jackson are members of the University’s Coatesville Area School District initiative. mastered critical thinking, effective University Affairs communication, thoughtful responses to diversity, ethical decision making, and John Villella ’76, M’82 WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY COUNCIL OF TRUSTEES community engagement. J. Adam Matlawski ’80 (chair) At a time when the Class of 2019 is now embarking on adventures far and wide, Director of Alumni Relations Marian D. Moskowitz (vice chair) Erin Kaliszak (student) Jenna (Cardaciotto) Birch ’06 this University takes pride in being the impetus for their lives to flourish by setting Barry C. Dozor ’71 Stephen Kinsey ’81 Thomas A. Fillippo ’69 Christopher A. Lewis a strong example about what it means to take the lead. In this spirit, West Chester Christopher Franklin ’87 Eli Silberman (secretary) University Magazine highlights the historical groundbreaking ceremony for the The West Chester University Jonathan Ireland ’95, M’03 Robert M. Tomlinson ’70 176,000-square-foot Sciences & Engineering Center and The Commons that will Magazine is published three times inspire the next generation of scientists, physicists, biomedical engineers, nurses, a year for the alumni, families, students, and friends of West The West Chester University J. Alan Butcher ’88, M ’92 West Chester University Lovisha Love-Diggs nutritionists, and other critical-demand professionals. You will also read about the Chester University. We welcome Foundation Board of Trustees Millie C. Cassidy Alumni Association Jonathan Long ’03 ways those in our WCU family are taking on the grand challenges of the world letters concerning magazine Edward N. Collison ’93 Alison Maguire ’07 by studying the impact of mindfulness programming on children’s physiological content or issues pertaining to the Officers Zebulun R. Davenport, ex officio President Elaine Mann ’91 University. Letters must be signed functioning; creating heart-safe communities for youth through prevention and Paul D. Emrick ’88 Lisa Wright Bryant ’87 Edward Monroe ’89 and kept to one typed page. Please John H. Baker ’74 Vice President Stephen Nicolai ’08 response to sudden cardiac arrest; providing valuable access to a state-of-the-art include address and daytime Thomas A. Fillippo ’69, Council of (president) Patrick O’Connor M’93 laser designed to enhance students’ hands-on learning; and so much more. phone number. Trustees Representative William Scottoline ’74 Treasurer Through steep hills and valleys, our Rams continue to pave trusted trails for Deborah J. Chase ’76 Christopher Fiorentino, ex officio Alyssa Polakowski ’09, M’11 Nick Polcini ’00, M’05 Nick Polcini ’00, M’05 many to follow. Send correspondence to: Editor, (vice president) Maury Hoberman The WCU Magazine, West Chester Secretary William Scottoline ’74 Kathy Leidheiser David P. Holveck ’68 University, West Chester, PA 19383 Lauren Bolden ’12, M’14 Andy Truscott ’09 Sincerely, (treasurer) Joan M. Kaminski ’69 Past President Ruthann Waldie ’80 West Chester University Magazine Sandra F. Mather ’64, M’68 Donald E. Leisey ’59 Matt Holliday ’09 is published by (secretary) Todd Murphy, ex officio Emeriti West Chester University Christopher P. Mominey Directors Communications and Marketing Tahany Naggar Carmen Evans Culp ’52, M’64 (chief executive officer) www.wcupa.edu John N. Nickolas ’90 Lauren Bolden ’12, M’14 (deceased) Jennifer Coffey WCU is an AA/EEO institution Michael Peich Bernard Carrozza ’66 Janice Weir Etshied ’50 (deceased) (assistant treasurer and CFO) Christopher M. Fiorentino Robert H. Plucienik Lisa Wright Bryant ’87 Karl Helicher ’72, M’82, M’87 Lewis Raibley, III ’83 President Trustees Rick Daniels ’75, M’81 Joseph F. Kienle ’72, M’74 James Shinehouse ’80 Mark Drochek ’86 Richard D. Merion ’59, M’69 Keith Beale ’77 Marisa Tilghman Robert Fanelli ’60, M’66 John F. Murphy ’43 (deceased) WEST CHESTER R. Lorraine Bernotsky, ex officio May Van M’89 Matt Holliday ’09 Luther B. Sowers ’49 (deceased) UNIVE R S ITY Eric Bossard ’85 John Villella, ’76, M’82, ex officio 2 WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY SUMMER 2019 | 3 UNIVERSITY NEWS UNIVERSITY NEWS University Receives Eleanor $85,000 Federal Brown Arts Research Grant his spring, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) chose assigned to one of four groups: creative dance/movement classes; to fund research by Eleanor Brown, professor of psychology yoga/mindfulness classes; both classes; or a control group of Head and director of WCU’s Early Childhood Cognition and Start programming as usual. Brown and her students will assess TEmotions Lab (ECCEL). Brown’s NEA Research: Art Works award the effects via the stress hormone cortisol as well as measures of of $85,000 will support her experimental study of the impact of emotion, executive functioning, and school readiness. By compar- 36th Annual Presidential Scholarship Community Gala preschool arts and mindfulness programming for children facing ing “creativity” and “calm,” the study will elucidate the value of Raises Historic Total to Benefit Students economic hardship. including creative arts approaches in efforts to counter the effects An expert in how poverty-related stress and trauma as well as of toxic poverty-related stress and will speak to the impact of a ow much does a textbook or a meal plan cost? Many well- A renewable, four-year award, the Presidential Scholarship is one arts-based interventions affect children, Brown says, “This research scalable model for early childhood arts integration.