FALL 2019 Creating a legacy of inspiration Brian DeFrancesco ’06 P. 2 Inside this issue: Hurst alums bitten by entrepreneurial bug P. 3 Mercy nun pursued cancer cure P. 6 MNE program aids single moms P. 12 A message from the President As I write this, August is days away and the calmer stretch of time Brian is one of several that June and July bring to campus is quickly slipping away. I enjoy Mercyhurst alumni featured the transition between summer and fall and the rejuvenation that in our Fall 2019 magazine accompanies it. whose entrepreneurial DNA has reaped rewards for As we commence Academic Year 2019-2020, we are energized with a themselves, their families new slate of goals, priorities, and plans of action – all in service to our and the lives of many students who, by the way, never cease to amaze me. In June, for example, others. One of the tenets of a Mercyhurst education is to engender a love we learned that four students in Dr. Joe Morris’ political science class took of lifelong learning, which is also a key characteristic of entrepreneurs: top honors in a competition sponsored by Draw The Lines PA, a statewide Entrepreneurs always seek to learn and to get better at what they do. civic education initiative intended to help Pennsylvanians learn more about political redistricting and gerrymandering. The redistricting maps As our magazine will show, entrepreneurship certainly is not a new and essays our students produced took frst (Logan Ford) and second concept at Mercyhurst. You’ll also read about Sister Mary Eymard Poydock, place (Miranda Henry) and two of three honorable mentions (Sydney RSM, one of our early biology teachers who – with few resources but Gondringer and Admir Barucija) in the Higher Education-West category. remarkable determination – created a respected cancer research program here in the 1960s and ‘70s. To see our students dominate the winners’ circle like that is a testament to the education they receive at Mercyhurst and to the outstanding faculty So, take a moment to peruse our magazine and reconnect. We appreciate members who inspire this kind of accomplishment. your interest in and support of our Mercyhurst community. While deeply honored to be president of our beloved university, my days as a business professor in the Walker College, and the relationships I cultivated with our students, were among the most rewarding. Carpe Diem. Our cover story tells of one such relationship, and my attempts to help a senior business major by the name of Brian DeFrancesco identify and capitalize on his leadership skills. I did not learn that my eforts had had any efect until 13 years later when that young entrepreneur returned Michael T. Victor, J.D., LL.D. to Mercyhurst to thank me for believing in him. I can’t imagine a more President, Mercyhurst University personally fulflling moment in my career than that one, and I suspect many of our faculty know the feeling. These are the relationships that diferentiate Mercyhurst. ON THE COVER: Brian DeFrancesco ’06 is pictured in the ofces of SMET Ventures, his business investment and technology frm in Orange County, California. Before founding SMET, DeFrancesco led two companies from inception to successful exit acquisitions totaling nearly $100M in value. Mercyhurst Magazine is a publication of the Ofce of Marketing and Public Relations. 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 Inside this issue Deborah W. Morton Mary Solberg 3 Contributing Photographers Leena Clint ’16 HURST ALUMNI LAUNCH Ben Friesen THRIVING BUSINESSES Jeremy C. Hewitt ’07 Read profles of Sara Andriacchi Brennan ’07 ‘09M, Whitney Otto Berkowsky Curtis Waidley ’19 Anna Wesley ’11, Anthony Maher ’02, Ben Bluemle ’06, and Dawn Peske Britt ’90. Director of Alumni Engagement 6 Lindsay Cox Frank ’12 ’14M [email protected] MERCY NUN’S PIONEERING 814-824-2330 CANCER RESEARCH Sister Eymard Poydock’s work in the 1960s and ’70s led to creation of ‘Mercytamin,’ which once looked like a promising cure for cancer. 18 LAKER FOR LIFE CAMPAIGN Send changes of address to: OFF TO EXCITING START Alumni Relations Fields get new turf surfaces; ice center gets major upgrades; new feld to Mercyhurst University bring softball program to campus next spring. 501 East 38th Street Erie, PA 16546 [email protected] 8 NEW PRESIDENTIAL RESIDENCE HAS TIES TO MERCYHURST HISTORY If you haven’ t been receiving the bi-monthly 10 GRADUATES INVOLVED IN HIGH-PROFILE FORENSICS CASES Alumni eNewsletter, Mercyhurst does not have an active email address for you. Visit MNE PROGRAM HELPS SINGLE MOMS PURSUE COLLEGE DEGREES mercyhurst.edu/alumni/update to update 12 your information and reconnect. 14 HAPPENINGS AT THE HURST ATHLETICS We’d love to hear from you! 18 Send your story ideas, suggestions and ALUMNI AWARDS, HALL OF FAME 22 comments to [email protected]. 25 CLASS NOTES 1 Successful tech entrepreneur passes on legacy of inspiration Brian DeFrancesco ’06 It’s been said that “Success isn’t just about what in 2006, the two went their own ways. Victor that he may have played a role in his former you accomplish in your life; it’s about what you went on to become president of Lake Erie student’s success. Most of all, he was proud inspire others to do.”While it’s hard to argue College for the next nine years and then that his example had such a profound efect on that individual achievements don’t validate return to Mercyhurst as president in 2015, DeFrancesco. success, it’s undeniable that inspiration is the while DeFrancesco pursued his own career in greatest legacy that one can create. business and entrepreneurship. “I really wanted him to know that he set a great example,” said DeFrancesco. “Seeing him devote The story of Mercyhurst President Michael With a major in Business Finance and a minor his time to higher education and to lead and Victor and Mercyhurst Class of 2006 alumnus in Computer Systems, DeFrancesco’s career inspire students when he could have easily Brian DeFrancesco is an example of how took him across the country, eventually settling retired after his successful business career was inspiration and leading by example can have a in California, where he found a natural ft for a great example of how to not defne success crucial and lasting impact. both his business and technology abilities. from what you achieve in business alone, but After learning the ropes in roles at various by how you give back and inspire others.” A product and technology entrepreneur digital data, media, and advertising companies, now living in Orange County, California, he quickly worked his way up to become an Today, DeFrancesco is giving back on multiple DeFrancesco was a senior in the fnal Business executive, including roles as vice president of fronts. He currently runs SMET Ventures, Policy & Strategy course that Victor taught at Product and Technology at Vindico and Specifc through which he consults and invests in Mercyhurst as dean of the university’s business Media (acquired by Time, Inc.). small businesses to help other entrepreneurs school. For their senior capstone projects, realize their dreams. In addition, he and his Victor organized his students into groups, In his early 30s, he embarked on his wife, Jessica, oversee a charitable foundation and charged each with preparing a business entrepreneurial journey and never looked they founded to empower people to overcome plan for a local organization. He appointed back. “It wasn’t always easy and there were hardship and enhance their well-being. DeFrancesco to lead the group working with days when I had more failures than successes, the YMCAs of Greater Erie County. but I always leaned on the foundation He’s also showing his gratitude to his alma and confdence that was instilled in me at mater, which was part of the reason for his “I recognized Brian’s leadership abilities early Mercyhurst,” said DeFrancesco. “When I failed, recent visit to Mercyhurst. on,”Victor said. “I wanted to let him know I I learned, and when I succeeded, I always set believed in him to be a successful leader for the higher goals.” “Mercyhurst was a turning point in my capstone project, but more importantly for his life,” he said. “When I heard Michael career after Mercyhurst.” In December 2017, the hard work and perseverance paid of, as DeFrancesco led Victor had become president, I had DeFrancesco remembers the class well. “It was the acquisition sale of his company, Likqid even more pride in the university and the culmination of my studies at Mercyhurst Technologies, a digital video infrastructure belief in its future, so I wanted to help and the fnal preparation for the real world provider, for more than $90 million to a large of business,” he said. “Students respected U.S. television broadcaster. where I could.” Victor immensely because he had been a very successful business CEO. So, when he After leading the company through its Since reconnecting last spring: believed in me, it gave me a ton of confdence – acquisition transition during 2018, DeFrancesco • The two re-established their friendship; especially at such a pivotal time in my life.” set out on a new mission – to make a diference through philanthropy, inspiration, and thought • DeFrancesco agreed to Victor’s request Victor said DeFrancesco and his team did leadership. The frst step was to reconnect to become a member of the university’s an excellent job on their case study and with Victor. Last spring, 13 years after they had board of trustees; and, that the YMCA ultimately put some of their parted ways, the two caught up over lunch recommendations into practice.