VOL.

19,

NO.

MARCH

2003

greetings from tf)

*
Gennifer Weiss, Director of Public Relations and Publications I

J I first joined the Mercyhurst College family in April 2000,1 made an attempt to I/When
A
meet every single Mercyhurst academic department director for a brainstorming session about attention-grabbing programs in that arena of expertise that could form the foundation for positive media coverage on the college.] What I learned in a few short weeks was astounding. Hidden behind the beautiful elegant campus facade were more fantastic stories than we could ever tell in the pages of our publications. But that doesn't mean we aren't going to try! We will showcase as many as we can, and in this issue, we are taking you behind the scenes in Zurn Hall to look into the world of science. Come with us and peek in on the biology department and its efforts to protect and understand the water resources in northwest Pennsylvania; meet one of the outstanding women on our campus, who keeps herself tucked away in the chemistry department; visit with an alumna who is among those answering the call for more skilled nurses across the country; and get to know a Mercyhur senior who showcased the challenges facing a student-athlete in a series of columns she wrote last fall for the Erie newspaper. We hope you find as interesting as we did the intriguing world of science, a demure division of this liberal "arts" college that deserves many accolades for its work on and off campus. 5j j Enjoy, and let us know what you think.

Gennifer Weiss, Editor

gweiss@mercyh u rst. edu 814.824.3315

On front cover: When freshman forensic science major Jake Ross agreed to participate in the photo shoot for the cover of this edition of Mercyhurst Magazine, he hardly could have expected what followed. The photo of Jake, standing mesmerized by a makeshift laser light show in the physics lab of Zurn Hall, took nearly two hours of work with six people. Under the exacting direction of Erie photographer Paul Lorei, Jake and director of the Mercyhurst physics program, Dr. Candee Chambers (standing in tfie background), managed to look entranced by the light show while Paul shot photo after photo, each requiring Jake and Candee to hold perfectly still for nearly 5 seconds. Meanwhile, the public relations staff handled the lights a lab torch held just above the floor at Jake's feet and an overhead projector with a paper towel muting its light beam while Paul's assistant pounded chalkboard erasers together time after time to create the chalk dust needed for the "sparkling" effect in tlie laser beams. Thanks to all involved for their patience and good humor! On back cover: A petri dish laden with "bugs" keeps junior biology major Katie Krupa enrapt. Photo by Paid Lorei

Ta>fe of Contents
Greetings from the Editor Candee Chambers ... doing science her way Mercyhurst aims for parity in sciences Biology takes learning into the real world ... the real wet world Alumnus spotlight: Sarah Galloway '00 Maier donation provides living lab for biology Looking to the future ... Zurn gets a facelift Forensics flourishes in new space Alumnus spotlight: Dawn Kaliszewski '01 Geriatric careers initiative launched at Mercyhurst North East Longest serving trustees dedicated to vision of Mercyhurst Slow economy heightens need for alumni connections to Career Services Winter sports review Distinguished alumni... it takes one to know one Mark Your Calendar Student spotlight: Danielle Poole Class Notes Across the Ocean: Debbie Duda Gale 10 11 12-13 14-15 16-17 18-20 21-23
23 24-25 4-5

Inside cover
2-3

6-7 8

26-28 Inside back cover

Issue Editor Gennifer Biggs Weiss Director of Public Relations and Publications gweiss@mercyhurst.edu 814.824.3315 Contributing Writers Gennifer Weiss Deborah Wallace Morton, Assistant Director of Public Relations Photographers Paul Lorei Gennifer Weiss Travis Lindahl Roger Coda Class Notes Editor Tammy Roche Gandolfo '76 cgandolfo@mercyhurst.edu

The Office of Public Relations, a division of the Institutional Advancement Office, produces Mercyhurst Magazine. Vice President of Institutional Advancement Gary L. Bukowski CFRE '73 To contact Alumni Services: 1.800.845.8568 or 814.824.2004 Fax: 814.824.2153 Send your change of address to: Mercyhurst Magazine Mercyhurst College 501 E. 38th St. Erie, PA 16546 Fax: 814.824.2473

0 3

"l fet the (fata do tf) taking May he 1 was naive or 1 was wearing Minders, 6utl never thought of myseff.as a woman scientist. 1 have afways seen myse(jas a scientist!'
Dr. Candee Chambers

I Dr. Candee Chambers, an associate proDr. G

fessor of chemistry and physics, doesn't think of herself as a survivor and, yet, as women scientists flow out the academic pipeline, it is clear that she is among a special breed. Chambers appears to be bucking the existing scenario in which women scientists on average represent only 20 percent of faculty in undergraduate education despite the fact that nearly half of the degrees in undergraduate science are earned by women. Where have all the women gone? Business, industry major research centers everywhere but academia it would appear. The statistics tell a different story in the chemistry and biochemistry department of Mercyhurst College. It is headed by a female Dr. Melissa Barranger-Mathys - and is evenly split between female professors Barranger-Mathys and Chambers and male professors Drs. Jack Williams and Ron Brown. Chambers has the added distinction of directing the college's physics program, honors program and its computational science minor. As a physical chemist, computational science is Chambers' specialty. It is a relatively new area of study in the scientific community and one that she pioneered at

Mercyhurst seven years ago as a concentration in the chemistry major that has since evolved into a minor. Essentially, computational science is a discipline in which scientists write software for research-grade computers that simulates chemical phenomena. Put simply, it's chemistry in a computer as opposed to chemistry in a test tube. While the program is in its infancy at Mercyhurst - only two years as a minor - it is one that Chambers said Mercyhurst is as well equipped to offer at the undergraduate level as any college in the country. "The big research schools are just starting to offer computational science as an undergraduate minor and we, at Mercyhurst, have the resources to rival them," Chambers said. "We also have the advantage of a small school in being able to work one-on-one with our students." Mercyhurst utilizes five Silicon Graphics UNIX research-grade computers in its computational science program and will soon add another. Plus, the college boasts two physical chemists in Chambers and Ron Brown. "Most small schools don't have one theoretical physical chemist, let alone two like we do," she added. She noted that if women scientists in academia are underrepresented, the disparity is even more obvious in the field of computational science. "There just aren't the women there," she said. The concerns voiced by many of Chambers' female contemporaries, albeit valid and recognizable, she said, have not been impediments to her as she continues to make gains in what is largely a male stronghold. Chambers cited a Discover 2002 magazine story in which author Peggy Orenstein notes that when it comes to science in academia, equality between the sexes is an oxymoron. Even though nearly half of under-

graduate science and engineering degrees are earned by women, that number plummets to a third at the doctoral level, with just 22 percent of doctorates in physics and 12 percent in engineering awarded to women. Then, at the faculty level, women's representation shrinks to 20 percent. Why the disparity in the science hierarchy of academia? Numerous studies have shown that a subtle, often unintentional gender bias in tandem with a tenure process that overlaps childbearing years is at the heart of the problem. But Chambers had two children before she gained tenure at Mercyhurst. Her department head, Melissa Barranger-Mathys, is presently on maternity leave. "Some places do stop the tenure clock while you leave to have children," Chambers said. "But Mercyhurst didn't do that to me. It was a non-issue. There was never any discussion or even suggestion by the administration of putting my career on hold due to having taken a mere six weeks off due to childbirth." Chambers earned her undergraduate degree in chemistry and mathematics from Illinois College in 1990 and received her doctorate in chemistrv from Oklahoma State University in 1994. She did two years of postdoctoral work at the U.S. Army High Cs=m Performance Computing Research Center, where, she said, "A secretary once told me I was the first (non-support staff) woman to last more than a month." As she pursued her education and, later, navigated the tenure track, Chambers said she did what scientists do. "I let the data do the talking," she said. "Maybe I was naive or I was wearing blinders, but I never thought of myself as a woman scientist. I have always seen myself as a scientist. "I remember being at a seminar at a big university once and there were 177 people in the room and the fact that I was the only woman had to be pointed out to me. That blindness may have been why I stayed on when other women left."

Mercy durst aimsjorparity in sciences

doi science otng

Traditionally, science has been a male bastion and Chambers acknowledged that women in science may be viewed as lacking a certain chutzpah more commonly associated with men. "I once had a graduate school professor tell me that he gave me a "B+" on a science presentation instead of an "A" because my voice wasn't deep enough," she said. "There is a culture of science ...," she continued. "Qualities valued in scientists are qualities more stereotypically male and that may deter some women. For example, at group meetings, where scientists share research, men are more willing stereotypically to be aggressive and talk over people to get their points made. Women often won't." Chambers doesn't let that dissuade her. "I once had a mentor who said to me, 'You're in there with a bunch of guys. Push back!'" But, the tide is turning and, ironically, Chambers believes it is her male colleagues who are driving the change to open the doors to women in science and make it easier for them to enter the academic career track. "Many of the new, young male scientists are participating more in family life and they are eroding the notion that you can't be both a scientist and play an important role in raising your family," she said. "With men doing both, that makes it more acceptable for women to do the same." Chambers sees herself as a role model for other young women interested in pursuing science in academia. She also sees Mercyhurst, particularly her department, as a facilitator toward that end. ^ B "If you are in high school and a female interested in science and you want to go to school where there are women role models, Mercyhurst can provide that for you," she said. "We can make you a scientist. We can lead you to grad school. We can show you that you can do it all." By Deborah Morton Photos by Paul Lord

What propelled Dr. Candee Chambers forward in the scientific hierarchy of academia is passion for the work. She is a driven, gifted scientist who is excited about her work at Mercyhurst College. But women in the scientific community of colleges and universities across the nation remain vastly underrepresented for a plethora of reasons, among them gender bias, a tenure system that overlaps childbearing years, and a combative style that is rewarded in scientific research but tends to put off many women. Admittedly, Chambers is more the exception than the norm and, as such, she is a role model for students like Mercyhurst junior biology major Kathryn Krupa of Buffalo, N.Y., who is interested in advancing her environmental science concentration in graduate school and pursuing a career in academia. "I know it's a tough field for women, but I'll take the challenges head-on," she said. "I'm not going to let anybody tell me I can't do what I want to do." Inasmuch as Krupa is taught by a predominantly male faculty in the sciences at Mercyhurst, whom she admires and respects, she said she has witnessed no bias toward women here. "I think you see it happening more in the bigger research institutions but, even then, I think things are changing," Krupa said. "In the past, women weren't encouraged to go into the sciences. Now, they may not be getting as much encouragement as they could be, but at least they aren't being discouraged." The administration at Mercyhurst College recognizes what is largely a national phenomenon and is taking steps to address it, according to Dr. Andrew Roth, vice president for academic affairs. 'Although we have not reached parity, we are committed to and are making serious progress in increasing the number of women faculty in the sciences," Roth said. He noted that the college has made inroads on several fronts: the sportsmedicine department has two women faculty, one of whom is the director; in biology this year, the college hired a female assistant professor and another woman as a research assistant; the math department is headed by a woman and has several other female members; archaeology/anthropology has two female faculty members and another female research assistant; and chemistry has two female faculty members. "When compared to peer or similar institutions, Mercyhurst aspires to be and is quickly becoming a leader in the diversity of its faculty," Roth said. "At Mercyhurst, we are committed to increasing diversity across all groups.1a Attracting quality professors into the science division is part of the reasoning behind plans to overhaul Zum Hall and its laboratories over the next few years. Dr. James Adovasio, chairman of the natural sciences division and director of the Mercyhurst archaeology department, said that competing to the finite number of women faculty available in the hard sciences will be easier when modem labs are completed. "We first have to find them, then to entice them to Mercyhurst, we must meet their needs with labs that allow for continued research," explained Adovasio, who added that once the facilities are top-notch, he expects the college to attract additional women faculty. "They can do the same science here as they can at Berkeley," said Adovasio. "But we can offer them something different, and that is key. We have a quiet campus, less bureaucracy, outstanding students, a good strong city in which to live, and lots of people want that."
//

By Deborah Morton

"Biofoav takes earning wor into

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k1

^( | ^ ^ ^r

1/When Nevin Welte arrived at Mercyhurst College three years ago, nothing going on inside the classrooms piqued his interest. Not until he ventured outside the confines of the campus did he find his calling. "I really enjoyed the field work for the biology classes I took, and Dr. Campbell (director of the biology program at Mercyhurst) and I share a mutual excitement about being outside and working in nature, and so now, here I am/' said Nevin, a promising student in the Mercyhurst biology department. Perhaps not the typical path to a rendezvous with a career, but it seems to be working for Nevin. Since coming to Mercyhurst, Nevin has worked with Campbell on a variety of research projects, and over the past few summers, he snorkeled more than 120 miles as part of an internship with the United States Geological Society survey team evaluating a portion of the Delaware River and its neighboring waterways. Nevin has also worked at Presque Isle State Park as part of efforts to remove invasive plant species that threaten the unique flora of the peninsula. And now, he is preparing to launch the newest effort of the biology department's research efforts in support of Growing Greener initiatives in northwest Pennsylvania. To understand what Nevin does means understanding bugs. When talking about bugs, Mercyhurst biology students don't mean what you probably think they mean benthic macroinvertibrates, the tiny organisms in the region's

freshwater streams and lakes that are remarkable indicators of the health of a watershed. "We call 'em bugs for short," explains Dr. Michael Campbell, associate professor of biology and director of the biology department.

"<We want students to (earn the active science that is behindrestoring ([amazedecosystems. ^e have to continue the

headngj)rocess mltd
repairs that reestablish a heafthy ecosystem!'
Dr. Mike Campbell

"These bugs are very sensitive, and that is why they are so helpful." The goal of tracking and studying all the bugs in the region's waterways is fairly simple. "The overall purpose is to provide a basis for a plan to reduce 'non-point source' pollution," he said. What that means is that the bugs let biologists track the point at which pollution, sometimes otherwise untraceable, is entering the watershed. "It is the pollution everyone contributes to," said Campbell. "The runoff from fields,

yards, sidewalks, sediment, development all of that." All the watersheds researched by the biologists and their students flow into Lake Erie, and therefore, greatly impact the entire region. Mercyhurst just finished its work on the Presque Isle Bay watershed, a multiyear project that tracked drainage into the bay. That project was part of a Growing Greener grant, and Mercyhurst shared $60,000 in funding with Perm State Erie and Gannon University. The grant that Mercyhurst is preparing to begin in April totals $93,000, of which about $20,000 is tied to Mercyhurst student research. Those funds will put students into the campus' new "living lab" along Elk Creek, a portion of land donated by Mary Jo and Ed Maier last fall. (See story, page 8) For students such as Nevin, doing research at the Maier property means monitoring the health of Elk Creek and tracking pollutants they find. The information will eventually lead to protection from the impact of neighboring development. Research by the Mercyhurst biology department, which can go hand in hand with work by the archaeology department when discoveries warrant a cooperative effort, did not start with the Growing Greener grants of the past few years. Instead, explains Campbell, the efforts to combine student research needs with realworld requests for assistance began in the 1980s when efforts to control invasive plants began on Presque Isle and Mercyhurst volunteered to help. "It started with a pilot program, and

reafwet wor
now, we work to control a dozen species/' said Conservation District so closely the college Campbell. Those efforts have blossomed into is negotiating for lab space in the basement of research projects to control plants, study the the newly completely district headquarters just impact the control efforts have on other plants a few miles away from campus at the intersecand animals, and develop a process for reintrotion of Pine Avenue and Interstate 90. ducing native plants. In addition, students The environmentally minded students of from around the state work as summer interns the biology department are only one segment on the peninsula, providing the manpower of a widely integrated curriculum that also needed to monitor the large area. serves the needs of pre-med students, and "These are all real-world problems we can those interested in biological research, such as help with," said Campbell, who offers student genetics, microbiology, cell biology, and the research, but also often writes grants needed to neurosciences. turn a problem into a project. In fact, efforts are under way to build a Other efforts include work with the new niche in the biology department, a molecWestern Pennsylvania Conservancy at Lake ular biology concentration. But that effort is on Pleasant, just down the road from Mercyhurst hold Dr. Mike Campbell helps sophomore Erik Weber while the college concentrates on the renCollege. There students not only work to conovations and refitting of Zurn Hall, the home sort "bugs" in a Zurn Hall lab. trol and study invasive plants, they also moniof the sciences since 1968. (See story, page 9) tor the water in the lake. "As we position to renovate Zurn Hall, we need funds to refit and expand the existing facilities, but also to prepare for the future, for proAlso growing out of earlier efforts is a program scheduled to start grams such as molecular biology and support for our planned forenthis fall, a cooperative effort with the college and the Erie County sics masters program," said Campbell. Conservation District. Dr. Marlene Cross, assistant professor of biology, is expecting funding for a native plant propagation project that will Meanwhile, those in the biology department who would rather be focus student research on reviving native plant populations in areas wading through creeks and slipping and sliding on ice-covered ponds cleansed of invasive non-native plants. collecting samples are doing just that, spreading the spirit of community Those efforts will include work at the Jean B. and J. Douglas James service throughout the region with the help of some little critters they Ecological and Wildlife Preserve (35 acres donated by Doug James in affectionately call bugs. 1992 on the west side of Erie) and at the Maier property. Incorporating community benefits into the curriculum of the biolBy Gennifer Weiss ogy department is not something that has evolved by happenstance. Photos by Paul Lorei Instead, the college revamped its environmental science concentration within the biology department to develop an ecosystem conservation program that clearly outlines the needs of the community that research "Watershed (n) a region or area bounded should support. peripherally by a divide and draining ulti"We want students to learn the active science that is behind restormately to a particular watercourse or body of ing damaged ecosystems," explained Campbell. "We have to continue water." the healing process with repairs that reestablish a healthy ecosystem." Those efforts include working closely with Erie County

umnt 9&\

I /^xen Sarah Galloway '00 was earning her bachelor of arts degree in biology from Mercyhurst College, she wasn't one of those students who sat in class, took notes, and did well on the tests. Nope, Sarah was one of those students who changes the way things are done. Both Sarah and Dr. Michael Campbell, director of the biology department, smile from ear to ear when they tell the story of how watershed research became part of the everyday workings of the Mercyhurst biology department.

"l fove the outdoors, the e trees, th animals - aff fs of it. ljinady Unew: I am meant to he a hiofogist. J just have to havefaith."
Sarah Galloway

Sarah, who had followed a long road to Mercyhurst, full of detours and hurdles, was closing in on her bachelor's degree after nearly 12 years of effort at three different colleges. She was in Campbell's limnology class, studying the physical, chemical and biological features of freshwater lakes and ponds when she stumbled onto a poster about watersheds. She showed up to class with the poster, challenged Campbell to tell her more, and the focus of the class shifted. That, they both say, launched the department's watershed preservation and exploration efforts. Sarah didn't stop there. After getting her

feet wet, literally, she jumped into watershed research full tilt. With her enthusiasm at a high, Campbell convinced the Erie County Conservation District to hire Sarah as a summer intern before her last year at Mercyhurst. "He told me not to get my hopes up, because they almost never take interns," recalls Sarah. But next thing she knew, she was reporting for work at the conservation district office. As she continued her education and prepared for graduation in 2000, Sarah couldn't help but remember warnings her advisers had given her a few months before: the job market for biologists was tight really tight. Rather than fretting and considering a change to something more marketable, Sarah made the choice to stick with science. "I love the outdoors, the trees, the animals all of it," said Sarah. "I finally knew: I am meant to be a biologist. I just have to have faith." And she did just that - kept her faith strong while working her way through the challenges of being an adult student with a family. And when Sarah graduated in 2000, faith saw her through. It was in that year that the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources launched the "Growing Greener" initiative, geared toward integrating development and environmentally friendly habits while protecting watershed areas already incorporated in the community. Suddenly nearly 70 new jobs for biologists were open. One of them was at the conservation district, where, just a few months earlier, Sarah had written and secured a $35,000 Growing Greener grant for study of the area around the new conservation district headquarters. "If you can get your employer 35 grand, that will definitely help you get hired," Sarah says with a laugh. It is even better when you

Sarah Galloway write a grant that includes funds for your own dream job of watershed specialist. Sure enough, Sarah is now the watershed specialist at the conservation district, and she can tell you more than you'd ever remember about watersheds, conservation and the biology of the Erie region. She also assists area watershed associations, which are sort of "neighborhood watches" for local creeks and streams. "I help the associations formalize their interest in keeping safe the waterway in their area, and then help them solve problems with that waterway," explained Sarah, who also works about 10 hours a week with the Pennsylvania Lake Erie Watershed Association (PLEWA), which is the regional watershed association that helps handle paperwork and the grant work for the smaller associations. Sarah helps handle general conservation district tasks as well. The district reviews every construction project that exceeds one acre, educates the public about the environ-

Sard affoway 'oo

ment, trains teachers, and more. "We have to make people understand what watersheds are, why they are important and if they don't understand that, things will never change/' said Sarah. The 12 years it took Sarah to earn her degree have been put to good use, but that isn't surprising considering how much determination it took for her to reach her current position. Sarah started her journey at Mercyhurst back in 1988, after she graduated from high school. She took a few classes, then a detour popped up, and she landed at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. There she met a boy, and that boy became her husband, and life took a second detour. After having a child, Sarah found herself back at college, this time attending the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown at the urging of her in-laws, both teachers, who felt that nothing was more important that getting a good education. But then came another fork in the road, and Sarah found her way back to Mercyhurst. It was 1997, and she had weathered one divorce, married again and was a mom for the second time. She dove back into studies at Mercyhurst, and found that life, again, was going to throw up some hurdles. "I had finally settled back into classes, I was attending full time at Mercyhurst, and I knew where I was going," said Sarah. Then came the news: her youngest son had a hole in his heart, and faced a myriad of health challenges. Yet, there she was, knee deep in college courses. "It was terrible timing, I was so worried about him, and I had just started classes here," said Sarah. "But we decided, I was here, I was signed up and in classes and I wasn't going to pull out." Not only did Sarah stay, she excelled. "I have always loved college," said Sarah, adding that it is the place where great instructors have always challenged her. "College teaches you to think of things from different perspectives. It teaches you to see that life is not black and white; it is thousands of shades of gray." Sarah's son slowly got better, and she slowly moved forward. Now she is enjoying every minute of her life post-college, especially after the hard work and tenacity it took for her to earn that one important piece of paper. And she said she uses what she learned every day not just the biology, but rather the ability to tackle problems. "Your college degree proves you can learn," said Sarah, adding that in her position, that is a must. "My boss knows I can do what he asks me to do, or I will learn to do it. That is what they teach you in college, that is what is important about college." By Gennifer Weiss Portrait by Paul Lorei

While a student at Mercyhurst, Sarah worked with her classmates to study the Mill Creek watershed. Here they are shown working by the Erie Zoo

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Maiers donationprovides 1

For Mercyhurst biologist Dr. Michael Campbell, the recent gift of 17 acres of land in Girard Township, through which Elk Creek flows, is the equivalent of a biological gold mine. The prime parcel, donated to the college last fall by Mary Jo Babowicz Maier '52 and her husband Ed, provides the opportunity to research ways of preserving the unique flora and fauna of the Lake Erie region and gives students an ideal setting for practicing the theories they have learned in the classrooms, said Campbell, who heads the Mercyhurst biology department. "With this new site, there is the potential to develop even further the research we are already doing on Lake Erie watershed restoration," said Campbell. Work has already commenced on the Maier property, with students measuring the presence and activity of benthic macroinvertibrates - better known as bugs - a reliable indicator of pollution and a living marker that helps scientists track where pollutants originate.

Campbell sees continuing potential for the property as a place for undergraduate research in stream ecology and ecosystem restoration and for field trips by students in a number of biology courses, such as limnology, ecology and evolutionary biology, plant

science, botany and field ecology. Ultimately, the area could serve as the site of an environmental research center for the ecosystem conservation program, and members of the archaeology department expect to become involved as well since that entire region is rich with archaeological sites. "I have heard repeatedly from Dr. Campbell that this property has potential," Mary Jo Maier said after the donation was announced last fall as part of the "Preserving the Legacy" campaign. "He seems excited, so I got more excited. It's contagious." The donation of the Maier property couldn't have come at a better time. Campbell explains that not only will a grantfunded watershed project kick off at the Maier land this fall, but a habitat restoration project will also take advantage of the land. "It is not like we'll hold onto this land and take field trips here once a year," said Campbell. "We'll use it for a variety of research projects that will all benefit a much broader community than just the college community. This truly benefits the public and that is why we're excited about it." The Maiers have always known the value this land offers biologists. A biology major when she graduated from Mercyhurst in 1952, Mary Jo often spoke with her husband about turning the land over to the college to become a living, breathing laboratory. "I always thought of that property as a prime laboratory for botanical study and zoological study," Mary Jo said. "My husband and I talked about it quite a lot and we thought, why not let it be productive and be helpful."

Mercyhurst College biology majors work in the waters of Elk Creek, a portion of the land donated to By William Welch and Gennifer Weiss Mercyhurst College by Mary Jo and Ed Maier for use as a ''living lab." Contributed photos

Looking to thefuture...

Zum Hadacts
The bottom line is simple if Mercyhurst College wants to attract outstanding science students, the college must continue to push toward the cutting edge. ''When we are out recruiting top faculty and top students, we have to be able to offer them the top facilities they need to continue to succeed," said Dr. James Adovasio, chairman of the natural sciences division and director of the Mercyhurst archaeology department. "And that investment will return to Mercyhurst tenfold." It can be dizzying to listen to him talk about what is necessary for Mercyhurst to compete for the best and brightest science students microscopes, specialized computer equipment and software, a freeze dryer system, a new parylene conformal coating system equipment for use throughout the science division that ranges in cost from $35,000 to $212,000. Add to those figures the cost for cellular biology and organic residue analysis systems and that number nears a million dollars. The first steps toward breathing new life into the Zum Hall of Arts and Sciences began five years ago with the construction of a new lab at the rear of Zum. Recently, the college continued that trend by purchasing a dozen specialty computers for the chemistry department and adding new microscopes throughout the sciences. The next move forward refitting the Zum labs has been delineated into smaller steps so that one lab at a time will get a complete facelift and state-of-the-art equipment it needs, meaning the bills would come in at a more manageable level. "If we tackle each of these labs with the same idea behind the $60,000 forensic anthropology lab we just completed, making them attractive, modem, well-designed, that will average out to about $100,000 each," said Adovasio, who added he expects those costs to be spread out over several years. Part of that effort will be looking at each area of the sciences and redesigning the lab cient use of faculty and facilities, and the immeasurable enhancement of our research capabilities." New equipment and modem labs will energize efforts by the hard sciences to attain the kind of national respect archaeology has realized a success fueled in part by its access to state-of-the-art equipment. "We have what are widely considered in our field the best archaeology and anthropology labs of a college our size, and some of our capabilities are the best anywhere in the Eyeing the starfish in her grasp, senior biochem- world," said Adovasio. "There is no reason istry/forensic science major Kelly Horstman com- same quality cannot be achieved in other the pletes her dissection assignment. Eric Strasser areas of this division." works in the background. Imminent renovation plans include conversion of a biology lab into a dedicated "We are approaching this as a division, DNA analysis facility and construction of a bringing to the table what we need piece by new geoarchaeology lab, which would generpiece to improve the entire division - a faculate the needed space and equipment for ty person, a new piece of equipment, a renoMercyhurst to move ahead with a molecular vated lab," said Adovasio. "This is about intebiology or DNA program within the biology grated renovations and systematically plandepartment. ning faculty expansion to benefit all the departments within the division." Mercyhurst is in the process of trying to space to serve faculty and students across the division. Those efforts began in 2002-2003 when the college's board of trustees agreed to budget more than $250,000 over the next three years for an infusion of modem equipment. Plans are also under way, as part of the "Preserving the Legacy" campaign, to raise funds for the other improvements Zum requires: new windows, roof repairs, a modem heating /air conditioning system, new flooring. Since Zum opened its doors in the late 1960s, it has been home to Mercyhurst's natural sciences division, and if you walk through the hallways today, you see nearly the same building that the community toured during its dedication celebration in 1969. "These labs have not been thoroughly retrofitted except archaeology when we moved in here since the building opened," confirmed Adovasio. "What renovations to these labs means is an infinitely more effihire a DNA specialist in biology, but a refitted molecular biology lab is essential to getting that new faculty member. Once onboard, the DNA/molecular biology specialist will play a key role in forensic anthropology, archaeology, biology and the college's pre-med program. The DNA lab is another example of what can happen if the science division looks across departmental lines as it plans for the future. As the Mercyhurst "Preserving the Legacy" capital campaign moves forward into its third year, striving to meet its goal of $20 million, the college hopes alumni will consider how important the science portion of "arts and sciences" is to students who must be competitive in the real world. By Gennifer Weiss Photo by Paul Lorei

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Why is glue-fuming useful in forensic investigations? A. It isolates DNA B. It adheres to fiber evidence C. It helps reveal latent prints

The program is unique in that it mandates undergraduates take a core of courses spanning all the sciences before selecting one of four specialized concentrations: forensic anthropology, forensic chemistry and toxicology, criminalistics, and forensic wildlife investigation.

ourwes in new space

If you guessed "c," you would be right, according to an online training game spawned by the popularity of television series C.S.I. (Crime Scene Investigation). For some viewers, games are enough to satisfy their whodunit curiosity, but for many young people, dramas like C.S.I, and its sister show CS.I.-Miami have triggered an unprecedented interest in forensic science and an unparalleled demand for educational programs that will prepare them for careers in the field. At Mercyhurst, the message is being heard loud and clear, and the result is the debut of a new multi- and interdisciplinary program in Applied Forensic Sciences for academic year 2002-2003. At the helm of the new program, which presents state-of-the-art techniques in forensic science and crime scene recovery in the classroom and provides hands-on opportunities in the laboratory and the field, is Dr. Dennis Dirkmaat. In its first year, the program is home to 35 students, mostly freshmen, and they are there as a result of little or no inaugural fanfare. "We are seeing an explosion of applicants and once we go out and actively recruit, I can't imagine the numbers," Dirkmaat said. "There aren't too many colleges that offer a program of study in ' forensic science and we are here creating the best... By the time we're done, we'll be sending students off to the best graduate programs in the country." Key to the pura suit of these areas is a new 616-square-foot lab for forensic study that opened in September 2002. Construction of the $60,000 lab by Crowther Construction of Oil City represents part of the overall initiative by the Mercyhurst College administraDr. Dennis Dirkmaat tion to upgrade the college's forensic capabilities and reinforces the college's commitment to the sciences at large, said Dr. James M. Adovasio, director of the natural sciences and mathematics division. For Dirkmaat, who heretofore taught his human skeletal biology series and zoo archaeology classes out of a cramped lab stacked with heavy-duty cardboard boxes containing artifact collections, the new lab means organization. One wall in the climate- and humidity-controlled lab in the basement of Zum Hall is occupied by floor-to-ceiling drawers 80 in all. The drawers' contents run the gamut: skeletal remains of bum victims, prehistoric archaeological samples, archaeological teaching specimens, animal remains from the Meadowcroft Rockshelter site, * and one of the better teaching collections of fossil human casts in western Pennsylvania. As the Applied Forensic Sciences program moves forward, Dirkmaat said plans are to add a new faculty member renowned forensic anthropologist Steve Symes in the fall of 2003, and to offer graduate programs in forensic anthropology and in archaeology The new program and new lab, Adovasio added, are just the beginning. Future plans call for renovating facilities on the first floor of Zum for processing of case-related materials and purchasing new, high-tech equipment.

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Debbie Pofi, a senior forensic science and anthropology major, measures a tibia, or human shin bone, with a caliper while classmate Megan Lindberg, a post-baccalaureate student in forensic anthropology, examines a bear skull in the new forensics lab that is the first of the Zurn Hall labs to be renovated and refitted with modern equipment

By Deborah Morton Photo by Paul Lorei

10

i:

9kumm Spotfiak
Armed with her husband's blessing and a Nike-esque challenge to her sons "If I can do it, you can do it" 40-year-old Dawn Kaliszewski of Harborcreek headed back to school. For years, Dawn had contemplated returning to the classroom, but it never seemed like the right time. , "Of course," she reflected," is there ever a right time?" The impetus for her came in 1999. Her sons, Tom and Nick, were struggling academically in college so, she decided, "Let's give 'em a little competition!" That strategy was all she needed to resign from her job of eight years as office manager at a local physician's office and enroll in the nursing program at Mercyhurst North East. MNE's two-year program was ideal for Dawn because she did not want to be out of the work force for too long. The North East site, too, had a certain allure. "I grew up out there and used to play there as a child," she said. Once inside the institution, it was something of a deja vu.

"Dawn Kafiszewstii '01

force, effectively switching roles with him. To make his transition to the rigors of housekeeping smoother and to avert blunders like putting liquid soap in the dishwasher yes, she admits, Tom did do that once Dawn composed a manual of homemaker's dos and don'ts. Ever since then, Tom has been more than up to the task of tending the home fires, she said. In fact, Tom's support is why Dawn decided to take her education a step further. She recently became a full-time student at Edinboro University, where she is carrying 16 credits this semester toward a bachelor of science degree in nursing. She also works 36 hours a week as a registered nurse in the intensive care unit of Hamot Medical Center, a position she has held since graduation. "Getting my bachelor's degree increases my options," Dawn said. "I love the clinical side of nursing, but I'd also like to teach, and getting this degree will enable me to do both." The fact that Dawn is juggling a full-time job and full load at college doesn't come as a surprise to Susan Vitron, MSN, RN, director of the associate degree in nursing program at Mercyhurst North East. "Dawn was in our first graduating class in 2001 and she was a standout student from day one, setting the mark for other people to meet," Vitron said. She was instrumental in organizing the student nurses association on campus and served as its first president. When Dawn married Tom 25 years ago and lived the life of a stay-at-home mom for 10 years, she never imagined she'd be on the fast track that she is today. Like so many others, she agonized over what were essentially life-altering decisions but, she is gratified she followed the path she did. By Deborah Morton Photo by Paul Lorei

Dawn Kaliszewski VI "I just loved the closeness of the college community they were like your own small family," she said. "It was easy to get to know people and the instructors were always there to help you." In retrospect, returning to school was one of the better decisions Dawn had ever made, emerging from the experience a threefor-three winner. She graduated in 2001 with an associate degree in nursing from MNE and an overall GPA of 3.76. Her son, Tom, graduated from Clarion University a week before her and is currently teaching in Erie. Nick, meanwhile, is a junior accounting major at the University of Kentucky. At last check, he had a solid 3.2 GPA. "It worked!" Dawn said of her plan. "There was no more, 'But, Mom, you don't understand!' I did understand. I was living it, too." The only one not in the academic huddle was Dawn's husband, Tom, a welder and high school coach. Still, he had everything under control at home. Years earlier, when he was furloughed from his job, Dawn took a nine-month medical assistant course and joined the work

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Dawn Kaliszewski

0 0 3

11

Geriatric careers initiative aunc

Across the country, long-term care providers report labor vacancies and high turnover rates, particularly among the paraprofessional ranks, and forecast a crisis that is likely to worsen over time as baby boomers approach old age and the demand for sendees increases. Mercyhurst North East, already a leader in responding to compelling community issues, established its school of health careers in response to the critical shortage of nurses and allied health professionals, a mission it continues to advance. Now, as the age wave spills across the country, the occupational and career college is rallying to address what it calls "the geriatric imperative" by offering new and innovative programs and expanding its existing health careers curriculum to meet the needs of the geriatric patient. The umbrella under which MNE's new initiative will be provided is the Hirtzel Institute on Aging and Geriatric Health, funded by an unprecedented $1 million grant from The Orris C. Hirtzel and Beatrice Dewey Hirtzel Memorial Foundation in late 2002. The institute will target the needs of the elderly in a six-county region of northwest Pennsylvania. ^ The most pressing concern at present is the dearth of qualified workers in the geriatric health care field, according to Denise Illig Robison, former deputy secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Aging under the Ridge administration and director of Mercyhurst North East's innovative new geriatric care assistant program, which pioneered its first two classes in 2002 with 18 students. "An obvious concern stemming from the employment crisis in geriatric health care is the potential for a reduction in quality of patient care," said Robison, who recently was appointed to the Pennsylvania Council on Aging. "Mercyhurst is working not only to keep care at a satisfactory level but to increase it by placing emphasis on the geriatric patient who has needs that are markedly different from younger patients." The geriatric care assistant program that Robison directs will graduate certified nurses' aides with a concentration in geriatrics. It is the first tangible product being offered through the newly organized and still evolving Hirtzel Institute. The institute, meanwhile, will be housed in a new health and safety building to be constructed on the MNE campus with a funding triumvirate representing the state, which in November 2002 provided a $2 million capital budget grant for the project; the federal government, which awarded $600,000 in March; and the private sector, including $500,000 from an anonymous donor, which brought to $4.1 million the amount currently committed to the project. The building is expected to be constructed and operational by summer 2004. MNE Executive Dean Dr. Gary Brown said Mercyhurst accepts the challenge not only to educate professionals to serve the elderly but to go a step beyond. The college envisions the Hirtzel Institute participating directly in public dialogue, decision-making and networking with existing agencies to coordinate a regional plan of initiatives. As it develops, Brown said, the institute will identify, coordinate and evaluate the services needed by the 65+ population, which numbers 95,000 residents, or 16 percent of the 600,000 people residing within the institute's six-county service area of Erie, Warren, Crawford, Forest, Venango and Mercer.

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Denise Robison

12

Mercy f)urst North Cast

Regarding MNE's health careers curriculum, he noted coursework will be integrated with "a knowledge of and sensitivity to the care requirements of the geriatric patient" to provide a more skilled worker for the employer and more job advancement opportunities and compensation for the worker. The geriatric care assistant program represents the midpoint of a career ladder within the college's new geriatric careers initiative, Brown said. The first step is certification as a nursing assistant, a 104hour training program; the next is certification as a geriatric care assistant, a nine-month program; and, finally, the college is preparing to offer a two-year associate degree as a geriatric services specialist. The geriatric care assistant program is one of a kind, Robison said, and will create a whole new prototype in geriatric health care personnel. In recognizing the need for and the innovation of such a program, Robison said, the state last year provided a $157,000 Critical Jobs in Pennsylvania grant to provide scholarships for students enrolling in the innovative program. Likewise, Brown said the proposed geriatric sendees specialist associate degree program, which is still in the planning stage, represents another groundbreaking effort to meet the needs of an aging population. "There is no such degree at the present time and we will be creating a landmark initiative in offering this particular area of study," said Brown. As Mercyhurst forges ahead into new frontiers, it is working with area health care providers to modify current training and to create new occupations to meet the demands of effectively caring for the elderly. Long-term care providers and agencies working with the elderly in the Erie area have voiced their positive response to MNE's plans. "My fellow administrators in town agree that we have a difficult time getting and maintaining high-quality nurses' aides," said Melanie Titzel '80, vice president of Parkside Senior Living in Erie, in recognizing Mercyhursf s efforts to address the problem. "The shortage is in both qualified people who have the necessary skills and knowledge as well as in people who want to stay on the job long term." Besides frontline workers, like nurses' assistants, shortages continue to exist among the ranks of registered nurses and licensed practical nurses. MNE continues to do all it can to educate RNs and LPNs and

physical therapy assistants, Robison noted, but now it is going a step further by adopting what it hopes will be a solution to the chronic problem of retention of frontline workers with the establishment of its geriatric careers initiative, which is aimed at increasing employees' knowledge, responsibilities and compensation. Titzel commended Mercyhurst for its forward-thinking. "I think we owe it to our seniors in this country that they be cared for by trained individuals who care for them with dignity, respect and professionalism," she said. Meanwhile, Brown said, as Mercyhurst addresses "the geriatric imperative," it will continue to pursue new and customized initiatives at the local level and collaborate with existing agencies to address the issues where they occur - in the communities where the elderly live. By Deborah Morton Photos by Roger Coda

A R C H

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Longest serving trustees

Inspired by their mutual pride in Mercyhurst College, four trustees of longstanding tenure who collectively have given in excess of 100 years to its governance, continue to set the tone as the college proceeds into its 77th year. Chairman Attorney William C. Sennett along with senior trustees Charles A. Dailey Jane Theuerkauf and James A. Zum epitomize the expression that "good enough never is." Granted, Mercyhurst has positioned itself as one of the top 20 liberal arts colleges in the North, is blessed with a dynamic leader in president Dr. William P. Garvey, and is home to an enlightened and forward-thinking board of trustees, administrators and staff, a stellar faculty, a beautiful campus with excellent facilities, dedicated alumni, and talented students. Still, there is much to be done. "I think one of the biggest challenges facing Mercyhurst is to take the next step academically/' said Sennett, a practicing attorney and former president of the Erie law firm of Knox, McLaughlin, Gornall and Sennett and a former Pennsylvania attorney general. "Our posture William C. Sennett has to be one of adaptation and change so that we are no longer just one of the best local or regional institutions but one of the best nationally." A trustee for 32 years, Sennett remains committed to Mercyhurst because it is a wellspring of vitality. "Something is always happening," he said. "It's an exciting place." As one of the first lay individuals appointed to the board in the mid 1960s, retired automobile dealer Chuck Dailey of Erie has had his imprint on many of the changes at Mercyhurst over the past four decades. Dailey can remember the early years of

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financial hardship when Mercyhurst's very existence was teetering on demise. What turned the tide, he said, was then-president Sister Carolyn Herrmann's willingness to change and to appoint lay people to the board and trust their expertise. She looked to Dailey for his business acumen and for his community-mindedness. He wasn't a bad tennis coach, either, having the distinction of co-coaching the Mercyhurst team that won nationals in the early 1970s. "We had an unbelievable schedule," he recalled. "There was MIT, Cornell, Northwestern... We introduced Mercyhurst to the East Coast with a tennis team." Then, there was Sennett who, as state attorney general, was instrumental in helping Sister Carolyn obtain a grant for construction of Zurn Hall. Charles A. Dailey
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Little wonder when he finished his term of office in 1970, Sister Carolyn came knocking on his door, knowing full well that he was a man she could trust to make good things happen at Mercyhurst. The trustees agreed that it is leadership, like that of the late Sister Carolyn and for the past 22 years that of Dr. Garvey, that has made all the difference. Not surprisingly, they believe one of Mercyhurst's more formidable challenges will be to one day find a successor to Dr. Garvey. "We must continue to appoint good trustees and seek good leadership," Dailey said. "A small, private college like Mercyhurst needs a dynamic leader. You have to have a general." While Sister Carolyn is remembered as a master of survival, it is a description that aptly fits trustee Jane Theuerkauf, who has given 30 years to Mercyhurst College. Nearly 40 years ago, she opened a real estate office in Erie and aggressively competed in what was then a I largely male bastion. She . retired in 1990 after a sucJane Theuerkauf cessful career, during which she was named National Realtor of the Year and distinguished herself as the first woman president of the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors. "I look at every challenge as an opportunity to show how creative you can be," said Theuerkauf, who now operates a wholesale jewelry business. It is her insight and creativity that have gone a long way toward making the Mercyhurst of today a giant of its former self. "Mercyhurst College is head-and-shoulders above what we started with," Theuerkauf said. "We have great leadership. We have financial matters in order. We have improved

14

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and built new buildings. Plus, we have significantly raised our ad sion standards and are getting a higher caliber of student/' One of the key factors necessary to sustain Mercyhurst's status and growth, Theuerkauf said, is increasing its general endowment, a $10 million goal of the college's "Preserving the Legacy" $20 million capital campaign. "When I started at Mercyhurst, there was no endowment," she said. "Since then, we have grown the endowment to about $13 million, and are continuing to improve." Trustee Jim Zum, who served as senior vice president of Zurn Industries Inc. at its former Erie headquarters before moving to Dallas, Texas, with the company several years ago, has witnessed the evolution of Mercyhurst's governing structure over the past 25 years as a trustee and, before that, as an observer in the years his father, the late Everett Zum, served as a trustee. Mercyhurst's Zum Hall was named after their family. "I've seen the board develop from a talented, well-motivated group to one that has achieved an increasingly savvy grasp on the systems necessary for evaluating and reaching decisions on the overall governance of the institution," Zum said. "We have individuals of recent and longstanding tenure who have set the tone and continue to rise to the occasion." Zurn, who joined Mercyhurst's board in the mid '70s and served as its chairman, is a man who believes in keeping pace with the times but not as a trade-off for adherence to tradition and ideals. Thus, for all its advances, Zum said he is proud that Mercyhurst has remained true to its liberal arts tradition as a community of learning dedicated to the lifelong development of the whole person. Its mission, inspired by the founding Sisters of James A. Zurn Mercy, is as solid a foundation as ever there was to carry Mercyhurst into the future. "I think the Sisters of Mercy began with well thought-out ideals that have practical applications in today's world," he said. "The Sisters have always been global in thinking. There are Mercy hospitals and Mercy schools all over the world. They recognize, as we do, that in today's world nothing can or should be provincial." Meanwhile, as the college structures its physical plant to satisfy a growing enrollment, it is also devoted to meeting the diversified needs of today's students, a population that is constantly evolving. "Look at the courses we offered in the 1960s and then look at what we are offering today," said Dailey. "It's a changing world and we have to adapt to educate the students of today for tomorrow." Outside of creating a smorgasbord of curriculum offerings and furnishing a highly respected faculty to implement them, the 'Hurst is providing "smart classrooms" equipped with the latest in technology. Sennett noted that Mercyhurst's capital campaign is giving enormous impetus to ongoing school initiatives in new construction and renovation, technology, and endowment as well as solidifying its commitment to the next generation of Mercyhurst students. And, while the board is committed to maintaining a challenging liberal arts curriculum, it has proven that it will not hesitate to investigate new and creative ways of being responsive to the needs of today's students. There are those students, Theuerkauf noted, who are interested in certificate and associate degree programs. To accommodate them, she said Mercyhurst established the North East campus 12 years ago, a courageous undertaking that has proven enormously successful. Being receptive to people's needs and finding new ways to meet them is inherent in President Garvey's approach to leadership, Theuerkauf acknowledged. "He's always finding new things to intrigue people, particularly students," she said. "When you think about it, he has to satisfy so many groups: students, administrators, faculty ... but he has the talent, insight and ability to get things accomplished that others can't." Not surprisingly, those working in tandem with Garvey are topnotch purveyors of creativity, leadership, and governance. Consider the way Mercyhurst has become stitched into the fabric of the Erie community, Dailey noted. "I remember years ago chairing the fund to build Mercyhurst's library," he said. "I would go out and knock on doors and ask for money and people would say, 'What's Mercyhurst?" Dailey credited the college's leadership, particularly its public relations efforts, in heightening Mercyhurst's profile in the Erie community and fostering a relationship of mutual benefit. Sennett concurred. "I think we have made a pledge to the Erie community that we are going to be here in an even more predominant educational role in the future." And, as Mercyhurst manages the transition from its first 75 years to its next, these four trustees are looking forward to the challenges ahead. Thaf s the genius of this particular board, Dailey said. They roll up their sleeves and they get to work. Whether it's in the front lines or behind the scenes, they get the job done. By Deborah Morton PhotosfromMercyhurst archives

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economy

ens need for alumni connections to

Career Services
As the nation's economy continues its slump, job anxiety among students preparing to graduate is understandably growing more intense. But for Mercyhurst students preparing to enter the job market, help is just a few steps away on the second floor of Old Main. There the Career Services staff works to showcase the skills of students, while also building relationships with alumni who can provide an open door for graduates in workplaces around the country. But don't be misled, Career Services connections flow both ways. "We want to let alumni know we are here for them, just like we are here for our current students," explained Hvezda, who added that alumni often don't realize they can ask for help with resumes and other job search tools after graduation. "Once you are a Mercyhurst student, you are always a Mercyhurst student, and we offer the same services to our graduates as we do to the kids still in school and just now looking for their first job." Hvezda said he works constantly to find alumni at businesses on the local, national and international level, and then tries to use their knowledge to help current students. "If alumni want to get involved with the college, they can help us by setting up intern programs with us, recruiting on campus, participating in the job fair there are many ways they can get involved and help the students who are doing what they once did looking for an internship or job." Even just agreeing to bring materials to the college's annual Career and Job Fair is important, said Hvezda, who added that the advice of an alumnus is often as useful to an undergraduate as a job offer. "We call it a career and job fair for a reason, and opening it up to all ages of students

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allows them to meet with our alumni and ask them questions about what their advice is and what they did while students here," said Hvezda. "To get answers about a double major, or a particular internship or a special class they took ... that can be invaluable to our students." That is why, said Hvezda, it is important to reach even those alumni who may feel their hands are tied because they are not in a position that controls hiring. "Even if you aren't in charge of hiring, if you can put us in touch with the person who does recruiting, or if you write a letter of recommendation, even just open the door to us so we can perhaps make a presentation to your company, all of that is important," said Hvezda.

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The Career Services office facilitates internships and cooperative education opportunities that are required by nearly every major on campus, and works to build the initial contact with a student in their sophomore or junior year into a solid relationship. Once a student is in contact with Career Services, the office can work with him or her on a resume, type it, and then run copies of it. Students can also open a credentials file, which contains evidence of internships, letters of recommendation from faculty, employers and administrators, and evidence of certifications or tests required for some majors, such as education. Once that information is on file with the office, applying for a job or internship is as simple as contacting the office and asking for a packet to be sent out to a prospective employer. While the Career Services staff works with students, they are also helping a record number of displaced workers who have landed back at college for retraining. So when alumni can assist Career Services with job opportunity information, they may be assisting fellow alumni who are back at Mercyhurst College for a midlife career change. "When we talk to our graduate students and to our adult students, we stress that we can help them rejoin the work force just as we can traditional students," said Hvezda. "Those students are invited to participate in all our opportunities, just like the kids are."

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Robert Hvezda, director of Career Services

16

Above: April Worst '02 began preparing for her post-graduation job search at the spring 2002 Mercyhurst College Career and Job Fair. At right: Career Services secretary Cynthia Waidley assists sophomore Sara Greenlee (standing) with her resume. While the economy hasn't seemed to impact internship placements so far, Hvezda said that he expects this spring to be a bit more challenging than in the past few years. "We haven't seen our placement numbers go down, but it is getting tougher out there," he said. So far, the Career Services office is on track for internship placements, running about 275 in the 2002-2003 academic year. The office set a record two years ago when 305 students were placed in internships and cooperative education positions in one year. "We feel that our internships and cooperative education efforts greatly benefit our students when the economy is in a slump," said Hvezda. "With the added depth of an internship, our students are more marketable and very competitive when they leave Mercyhurst, and that makes our job easier when they are looking for jobs." A growing national reputation, and the good example set by alumni already in the work force makes getting positions for Mercyhurst graduates a less daunting task, even when the economy has slowed hiring. "When these companies do decide to hire someone, they are being particularly selective, and when they come here, they see our students' credentials files and know they are getting qualified, competitive students ready to work, and that makes our job easier."

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Gennifer Weiss Photos by Gennifer Weiss and Rich Forsgren/Erie Times News. Reprinted with permission of Times Publishing Co., Erie, Pa. Copyright 2002

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17

Winter Sports Review.

Mercyhurst College rookie netminder Andy Franck of Lakewood, Ohio, was named winner of the Ice Hockey Collegiate Commissioners' Association Commissioners' Choice Awards for January. The awards honor the top rookie and top player of the month in Division I men's college hockey. Franck, the 6-foot-tall, 195-pound freshman goaltender, was chosen as the Commis7 sioners Choice Rookie-of-the-Month. He - ^ posted a perfect 7-0-0 record and a 1.57 goals against average between the pipes during the month of January as Mercyhurst climbed into second place in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference standings by the month's end. He allowed two or fewer goals in six of the seven games and stopped 170 out of 181 shots he faced. # 1 ranked Harvard and #9 ranked Mercyhurst women's ice hockey teams squared off for thefirsttimeon Sunday, Feb. 2. Photo by Rob Engelhardt I Reprinted with permission of Times Publishing Co., Erie, Pa. Copyright 2003 The next night he cleared away 36 of 37 shots to complete the weekend sweep in a 2-1 Laker win, clinching the season series for Mercyhurst over Quinnipiac as the two teams battled for first place down the stretch. Franck began his remarkable month by preserving a 3-1 win over University of Connecticut on Jan. 4 with 31 saves. Franck earned several honors in January, including becoming the first player in the short history of the MAAC to earn MAAC Player of the Week flan. 27), MAAC Rookie of the Week (Jan. 6) and MAAC Goalie of the Week (Jan. 20) in the same month. The IHCCA, with a mandate to address common issues and concerns at a national level, is comprised of the six commissioners of NCAA Division I men's ice hockey conferences; the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA), College Hockey America (CHA), the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC), Hockey East Association (HEA), the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) and the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA).

Women's Hockty
The biggest crowd ever to fill the Mercyhurst Ice Center for a women's hockey game showed up when #9 Mercyhurst College Lady Laker hockey team lined up against #1 Harvard on Feb. 2. More than 1,123 fans cheered on the Lakers during a great game as the Harvard team, which included Olympians Jennifer Botterill, Julie Chu, and Angela Ruggiero, battled Mercyhurst for what eventually was a 5-2 loss for the Lakers. During the game, Mercyhurst senior Tiffany Ribble stopped 38 of 43 Harvard shots to help keep the Lakers in the game.

Andy Franck Franck's most notable performance in January came in a two-game showdown at first-place Quinnipiac on Jan. 17 -18. He stopped Quinnipiac's 21-game home winning streak with a 5-1 win of the first game that featured 30 saves by Franck.

18

King makes the transition this year to shortstop, after three years as the Lakers' starting second baseman while Strohm will continue a record-setting career at Mercyhurst. He is a three-time AU-GLIAC selection and the Mercyhurst record-holder for strikeouts in one season and career. Rounding out the senior class will be closer Mark Thompson, and key middle relief pitcher Matt Spence. Chris Meyer will also be an important piece in the Laker rotation after missing last year's season due to surgery. Defensively, third baseman Brad Pickering will solidify the left side of the infield, Frank Rodriguez will lead a strong group of catchers, and Dan Capretta will compete for a starting DH spot this year. Offensively, the outfield will be the key to this year's lineup success. Junior Paddy Relihan hopes to improve on some impressive numbers from last season, playing in either right or left field. Sophomore Devin Kowalski hopes to build on his outstanding performance in 2002, which earned him a starting spot in the Laker outfield. Freshman Matt Echan, a transfer from Kent State, will also be a key factor in the outfield. Echan was named one of the Top 100 players in Ohio in 2001, then was red shirted in 2002. Junior Dan Coffee, the 38th round pick of the Boston Red Sox out of high school, could provide the big pop the Lakers need in the lineup with his tremendous power and strong arm. He will start in both right field and at first base. Working with Strohm in the starting rotation will be junior lefthander, Chris Lang; junior right-hander, Paul Baumert; and junior lefthander, JD Roewer, who is recovering from surgery. Junior left-hander Jim Sacramento should also start again in 2003, and there is a strong chance two freshmen, right-handed pitchers Nick Candy and Sean McWilliams, could see some time in the rotation. Freshman right-handed pitcher Mike Cahoon has also been impressive. Cahoon and McWilliams were All-New York State Selections in 2002.

Mens Lacrosse
The 2003 team expects the upcoming season to provide both a Photo by Rob Engelhardt i Reprinted with permission of Times Publishing number of challenges and a great deal of success. At stake is an opporCo., Erie, Pa. Copyright 21103 ^m^ tunity for the Lakers to earn the program's first-ever Final Four berth and the opportunity to play for a national championship. To achieve that, the team must tackle a schedule featuring six of the top 13 teams The win was the 14th straight for the Crimson and improved their in Division II plus traditional rivals, all vying for the chance to play in overall record to 17-1-0 while the Lady Lakers had a 10-game winning the Final Four. streak severed. The contest was the first-ever between the teams. Lacrosse hopes to build on last season's 8-6 record and fourth Harvard hadn't lost since Minnesota edged the Crimson 4-3 in consecutive Top 10 final ranking in the national Division II poll, and Minnesota on Nov. 17. The Lady Lakers hadn't tasted defeat since Nov. will take a big step toward doing that by welcoming back 27 upper23 when Princeton scored in overtime for a 3-2 win at the Ice Center. classman players from last season and adding 11 fresh faces to the roster. The Lakers return seven starters and 15 players who saw considerable field time during last year's season. A very strong senior class, including co-captains Matt King and The Lakers attack brings back three sophomores from last year: Steve Strohm, will lead the 2003 Laker baseball team.

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(Women's Lacrosse
With the return of an experienced defense and explosive offensive players, the Lady Lakers expect to again be a power in Division II women's lacrosse. Mercyhurst returns all of its defenders from the 2002 season, a group that allowed only 111 goals last year. With All-American Danielle Poole and senior goalkeeper Diana Rapacki, the Lakers expect to continue their habit of shutting down the opposition attack. There will also be several new faces on defense this year, including freshman Lauren Belle.

Men '$ Lacrosse Ian Komorek, Jerod Felice, and Joe Poole. Leading the group is Komorek, who blossomed at the end of last season and finished the year with 23 goals and six assists. A great complement to Komorek is Felice, who began the 2002 season as the fourth attack man, but proved his worth as the season progressed and ended the schedule as a starting attack man netting four goals and adding 19 assists. Poole will round out the attack group. Poole played on the first line of midfield last season and finished a strong freshman campaign scoring nine goals and four assists. The attack unit will be bolstered by freshmen Andrew Schuster, Blake Tandoi and Scott Janssen. Also returning this year is a group of talented midfielders who will serve as the backbone of the team's playoff hopes. Leading the group is senior All-American candidate Jim Detwiler, who finished the 2002 season with 16 goals and seven assists. Detwiler has been one of the most underrated midfielders in Division II over the past two years. His competitive attitude and athletic ability have earned him a captain's role for the 2003 team. Returning along with Detwiler is junior Eric Gattie, senior Dom Aratari, also a 2003 captain, and Dan James. In addition, a number of freshmen could contribute a great deal this season, including Jonathan Kane, who is the most imposing of all Laker midfielders. Joining Kane will be Jim Mullaley and Ted Winslow. Defensively, the Lakers return everyone from a young defense that allowed less than 10 goals per game last season. This year's defense is led by senior captain Matt Beach, who will be counted to guard the other team's top attack man. Joining Beach are junior Justin Hapeman and three sophomores: Brendan Doran, Adam Marino, and Josh Mihoc. The defense will be anchored by three returning goaltenders. The duo of junior Mike Rispoli and senior Kevin Tidgewell will fight for the starting spot. Jim McCann will serve as backup.

Women's Lacrosse The offense lost standouts Laurie Sienkiewicz and Vanessa Turner, but there is no shortage of offensive weapons in 2003. Returning junior starter Shannon Griffith will be joined by two experienced sophomores: Dara Liberati and Kristin Jankowski. Adding to the offensive mix will be freshman Kelsey French. With her strong passing skills, she looks to add an explosive touch to the attack. Depth is the name of the game for the Lakers at midfield. Twotime All-American Amy Plumley, who is a potent weapon at both offense and defense, is complemented by her fellow senior midfielders, Jenny Meyers, Kate Stoddard, and Mariel Zummo. This experienced midfield is bolstered by a sophomore class that gained playing time throughout the 2002 season, and by freshman left-hander Karyn Craft. Opposing teams will find it difficult to find a way around this midfield unit.

Contributed by the coaching and sports information staff at Mercyhurst Colleg Photos by Paul Lorei

20

Distinauished alumni
now one

a
If you have ever flipped through the pages of this magazine, pausing to read the various alumni spotlights within, and thought: "My friend my sister my teammate ... would be a great spotlight!" your time has come. Each year Mercyhurst College presents awards to honor those alumni who not only went above and beyond while enrolled at the college, but also continued their dedication to service and excellence throughout their lifetime. The Mercyhurst Alumni Association honors both Distinguished Alumni and Outstanding Young Alumni while the athletic department inducts exceptional athlete-alum-

ni into its Hall of Fame, but both need your help. So often, awards seem to go to those alumni who have served the college well over their lifetime; alumni whose names everyone knows. But Mercyhurst would like to reconnect with those alumni who prefer to remain incognito, and for that, we need the support of our graduates across the country. Is your best friend a former volleyball player who now coaches kids at the local Y? What about that great guy you played football with who is godfather to your son, a doctor and heavily involved in his community? The only way Mercyhurst knows about these

hidden gems is through the input of their classmates and fellow alumni. So take a minute, look over the criteria for Distinguished Alumnus, Outstanding Young Alumnus and the Hall of Fame, and see if you can help us locate graduates to give them the recognition they deserve.

Mercyhurst Coffeye Sports Jiattojjamt

To recognize the accomplishments and achievements of former athletes, Mercyhurst established a Hall of Fame in 1996. Since then, the Hall of Fame inductees list has

21

grown to include 22 graduates representing 14 sports. "It is very important to recognize our athletic past and identify and pay tribute to the student-athletes who were instrumental in the development of our athletic programs through their outstanding athletic achievements and contributions/' said Pete Russo, athletic director at M/ Mercyhurst. He added, "It is essential that we create an athletic history and tradition by recording and recognizing the best student-athletes from the past." Catherine Durkin, Esq. '36 Sister Mar)' Matthew Baltus, RSM '45 Mary Ciaiola Simson '37 Michael E. Heller, CPA 79 Each year, the Hall of Fame committee evaluates nominations and * Alice Reeder Lockhart '34 Sister M. Loretta McHale, RSM '34 strives to maintain the high standards of the honor roll. Barbara A. Chambers, Ed.D. '60 Mary E. Patalon Schaaf '68 With 25 sports on campus, and nearly 700 student-athletes on * Mary Catherine Sherwood Lieb '42 Sister Maura Smith, RSM '48 Judith Pitney, Ph.D. '67 campus, Russo said there is little chance of running out of candidates, Rev. Walter Green '80 Coletta Crawford Ginnard '49 Therese Toflilnski Walter, PhD. '63 but nominating and selecting quality candidates can be an uphill batElizabeth Taylor Kleindinst '37 Edward W. Inscho 76 tle. Martha Jane Matjasko-Chiu, M.D. '64 Margaret J. McMahon '37 Sister Mary Charles Weschler, RSM '40 "We don't want to dilute the 'outstanding' component of the Hall Claudia Evans Garvey '42 Helen Ann Fabian Mullen, Ed.D. '47 Bruce E. Swanson '86 of Fame, so we don't want to settle for anything less than the best," Sandra Mangone Zobrest 70 Sister Christine Vladimiroff, OSB '65 said Russo. "We want to continue to honor only those who go above * Sister Carolyn Herrmann, RSM '38 * H. Patricia Curran '52 Margaret E. Hirsch Whyte '56 and beyond, not only here, but also after Mercyhurst." William Chiodo 7 3 * Sister M. Eustace Taylor, RSM'29 *Dr. Susan Hall '61 Russo explained that the Hall of Fame serves not only as a tribute * Sister M. Eymard Poydock, RSM '43 Marlene DiTullio Mosco '68 to those who helped build the athletic legacy of the college, but also as Rita A. Walter Weiss '57 Sister JoAnne Courneen '64 Sister Joan Chittister, OSB '62 an inspiration to those currently involved in sports. Brent Scarpo '84 James E. Sabol 70 "The existence of the Hall of Fame should serve as an incentive Jeanne Ledoux Linek '48 Patricia J. Liebel '53 Sally CarlowKohler'51 for every student-athlete who aspires to be inducted for his or her Linda M. Colvin Rhodes 70 Honorable Joyce A. Savocchio '65 exceptional athletic contribution," said Russo. "Years from now our * deceased Gary L. Bukowski, CFRE 7 3 inductees can return to Mercyhurst, visit the lobby in the MAC and Joan Kostolansky Evans '60 Past recipients of the show their family and children their Hall of Fame plaque on the wall Katherine Hebert Sloan, Ph.D. '64 Sister M. Damien Mlechick, RSM '56 Outstanding Young and feel a great sense of pride and belonging as part of the Mercyhurst Marilyn Garden Seach '52 Alumni Award (since 1993) family." Margaret Anne Mooney Emling '37 Eligibility for the award is fairly simple: The athlete must have Barbara A. Stone Perry, Ph.D. '57 William Greenleaf '93 Conine Halperin-Egan '80 graduated from Mercyhurst after attending at least two years at Mary Kay Vona, Ed.D. '83 Cathryn F. Bern '77 Joseph E. McGraw, Esq. '85 Mercyhurst; graduates are eligible for nomination five years after they Florene Cherry Joyce '53 Gregory J. Lindner '85 graduate; an athlete must have contributed significantly to the image Charles R. Hayes 74 Diane Erzen Dominick '89 Susan McCartney Horowitz '59 of Mercyhurst athletes in an extremely positive fashion in order to be Daniel Langan '91 Albert P. Messina 71 considered; there is a special category for athletes who helped pioneer sports at Mercyhurst during the earliest years of the college. A few other exceptions are noted in the eligibility rules: A person who was not an athlete or not a graduate of Mercyhurst can be nominated if over a significant period of time that person has contributed greatly to Mercyhurst athletics in an extremely positive fashion; and a whole team can be nominated after five years. Each year at Homecoming, Mercyhurst presents its highest alumTo nominate a graduate, mail your suggestions to John Leisering, ni honor the Distinguished Alumni Award. Since the awards prosports information officer, Mercyhurst College, 501 E. 38th St., Erie, PA gram was launched in 1968,56 graduates have been inducted into this 16546, e-mail jleisering@rnercyhurst.edu or submit an online nominationprestigious group. form found at: To be eligible for this honor, an alumnus must have graduated

9ost winners ojtk (Distinguished flhmniftward(since1968)

ft

'Distinguished'fl(umni Award

httyilIwwwmercyhuntedulAlumm Nominations are taken in late fall, with the committee making its decision early in the new year, and then notifying the recipients. Hall of Fame inductions are conducted during the annual sports banquet held as part of graduation.

from Mercyhurst at least 15 years ago. Awards are given in three categories: outstanding achievement in a chosen profession, outstanding service to community and outstanding service to Mercyhurst since graduation. Also presented at Homecoming is the Young Alumnus award, to recipients who must have graduated no more than 15 years ago. This award recognizes recent college graduates who have made a mark for themselves early on in their professional careers. According to Patricia J. Liebel '53, director of alumni services, the

22

awards were created in 1968 to honor the accomplishments of alumni as they continued their lives post-Mercyhurst That, in and of itself, makes it sometimes difficult to pick recipients. "We don't know what everyone else knows about our alumni/' said Liebel. "We try and keep in touch with as many as we can, but we really need our graduates to let us know about achievements of their peers/' Nominations for these awards should be sent to the Alumni Services Office before June 15. Include your nominee's name, current address, class year, award category and the reason(s) why you feel he or she should be considered as a candidate for an alumni award. , To send nominations, mail your choice to Pat Liebel, Alumni Services, Mercyhurst College, 501 E. 38th St., Erie, PA 16546, e-mail pliebel@mercyhurst.edu or complete the online nomination form found at: http://zimw.mercyhurst.edu/AlumniandParents/APJ.3jilum The alumni board reviews nominations, and potential recipients will be notified during the summer. Because of the prestige of these awards, recipients must be present to receive them. By Gennifer Weiss Photos from the Mercyhurst archives

Mark yiour
For those of you who would like to reconnect with area alumni over the summer while also supporting a great cause y write down Saturday and p ^W^pS^SSBS y*\ Sunday, July 19-20, the dates j ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ s i 7 for the 10th Annual American Cancer Society's Relay for Life event at McDowell High School's Gus Anderson Field in Erie. The event - a 24-hour walk helps fund research toward finding a cure for cancer. During the event, teams of people gather at the high school track and take turns walking or running laps. Each team tries to keep at least one team member on the track at all times during the 24-hour event. Last year was the third year Mercyhurst alumni participated in the walk, which in 2002 drew 168 teams and an estimated 3,500 participants, volunteers and spectators. In 2003, Mercyhurst alumni will again walk as a team, and hopes are high we'll draw a big crowd of alumni who can show their support for cancer research by raising money and walking in the relay. Last year the team of 12 alumni and friends completed the 24-hour event and raised nearly $1,000. Please join us for this wonderful opportunity to reconnect with your former classmates, show your support for cancer patients and survivors, and help raise money for the American Cancer Society. For more information about joining the Mercyhurst Relay for Life Team, or to make a donation to the Mercyhurst team, contact Gennifer Weiss, giveiss@mercyhurst.edu or 814.824.3315 or Gary Peterson, gpeterson@merajhurst.edu or 814.824.3320.
KLAT FORUtt

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Joanne M. Connelly Raymundo '91 Paul Young 78 Gary P. Bowles '92 Dario Cipriani '74 ScottA.Gorring'89 Teresa Szumigala Callaghan '95 Julie A. Kemling '90 Timothy Ruth '86 Dr. Ravinder Sabherwal '82 Veronica M. Sansom '92 * Dorothy Cronauer '34 Helen Louise Patterson Crosby '40 Kay Hebert Sloan, Ph.D. '64 John E. Green '85 Allan Belovarac, Ph.D. 73 David A. Armstrong, Esq. '86 Scott Burfoot '92 John Reilly Costello '83 Mary Margaret Adams Kaliszak '86 Tricia A. Mahoney '83 Lisa Maxson Beery '90 Craig A. Zonna, Esq. '86
* deceased

women's soccer basketball hockey men's golf football women's basketball softball football men's tennis women's soccer field hockey, women's basketball, women's tennis field hockey, women's basketball, women's tennis women's golf men's basketball rowing football men's hockey baseball swimming women's basketball women's basketball football

Don't forget about

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Sept. 19-21,2003

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Oct. 10-12,2003

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Mercyhurst Senior Spotlight..

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When Mercyhurst College senior Danielle Poole wrote those words last October, she poured them straight from the heart. After almost four years at the 'Hurst, playing field hockey and lacrosse and serving as captain of both teams, her college athletic career was nearing its end. Once liberated, the feelings that she held so personally triggered a ripple effect among other senior athletes on campus. Still, Danielle never knew how universal her sentiments were until a senior football player approached her one day and said, 'Thanks for writing that article. It meant a lot. We put it up in our locker room for motivation." Danielle said that was the most meaningful compliment she received in writing her weekly column, "Athlete's Journal," for the Erie Times-News last fall. "It touched me more than anything that my peers were reading and that they cared about what I was writing," she said. Danielle, 22, of Wooster, Ohio, is a biology major with a pre-med concentration. She will graduate this spring and has applied to optometry school, but she is in no rush to leave Mercyhurst. "To tell you the truth, I can't see myself anywhere else," she said. "I love it here. The people make this school. I can't believe how well I've clicked with everyone. I still have friends who graduated two years ago that I keep in touch with." As a team player who juggled three sports in high school and two in college, Danielle can't imagine going solo, although she said she'd like to take up golf and tennis some day and train for her ultimate goal of being in the Ironman competition. "My best friendships have been made on the playing field," she said, acknowledging that she needed those friends last fall when, after three years of starting as a defensive back on Mercyhurst's field hockey team, she lost her spot to a freshman. "I was pretty stressed out - trying to get into optometry school, losing my spot on the team and not playing as much - it was a rough time," she said. "But I never had so much support from a team as that one." Rather than mope, Danielle kept her chin up, stayed on task with her training and subbed in whatever spot she was called upon to fill, eventually settling into midfield. "I hope I taught the girls a lesson," she said. "I hope they saw that you can still achieve things if you keep trying, just maybe in a different way." Danielle hopes to have her last hurrah at Uercvhurst this spring by taking her lacrosse team to the Division II national championship. "We have eight seniors on the team and we are all very close and each one of us wants to win the national championship," said Danielle, who made first-team AilAmerican in lacrosse last season. "Last year, we were fifth in the nation, going 11 and 3, and we are even stronger this year. I think if we keep everybody on track and the seniors go out there as true leaders, we can do it." Danielle is the first to admit that she came to Mercyhurst in the fall of 1999 for sports; academics were secondary. But once inside The Gates, she found herself motivated to achieve in every facet of her life. "I never worked as hard as I did here," she said, winning academic All-American honors in both field hockey and lacrosse. She also is a charter member of Mercyhurst's Rotaract club and currently is organizing a 5K Run/Walk to raise money for Rotary International's mission of eliminating polio worldwide. In the beginning, Danielle said she lacked direction and didn't know what field

"If you happen to be a senior athlete this year, remember the important and special things that make your team unique and be sure to pass them on to those underclassmen. Remember the contributions you have made and be proud of them; it's one of the only ways to look back and never forget."
- Danielle Poole '03 Athlete's Journal Erie Times-News 10-31-02

24

/o- <?/
'Banieffe 9oofe '03
of study to pursue. "I only knew I liked people and I wanted to do something health related/' she said. After taking her core classes, she was drawn to the sciences biology particularly - and decided to concentrate in pre-med. As an athlete, she considered going into podiatry. "I could do feet/'.she said. 'That's a good field for an athlete." As a woman, she considered dermatology. "I could do skin. I could help make women beautiful." As a wanna-be wife and mother, she considered radiology. "I thought that might work for me because I want to have a family and I don't want to be on call all the time." In the end, after shadowing doctors with different specialties during summer vacations, she opted for optometry. "I didn't like the time limitations other doctors seemed to have with their patients/' she said. "In optometry, it seemed as though there was more time to sit down and talk to the patient, and that's something that is important to me." So, with a plan for the future and only a few more months left at college, Danielle is savoring every last moment on the Hill and collecting the memories that she knows will last a lifetime. She's also come to realize that even though its physical presence may soon be gone from her life, the Mercyhurst spirit is something she will carry with her always. J By Deborah Morton Photo by fanet Campbell I Reprinted with permission of Times Publishing Co., Erie, Pa. Copyright 2002

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cfass Notes...
Tfie Seventies
Barbara Luttrell Lewis 73, Hillsboro, W.Va., is in her 30th year teaching kindergarten at Hillsboro School. She received national board certification in May 2000. John Havrilla '74, Lancaster, Pa., is president and CEO of Havrilla Corrigan Advertising in Lancaster. James Lieb 74, Erie, has been promoted to the post of finance director and assistant treasurer at Mercyhurst College. Bonnie James Shaker '82, Niles, Ohio, has Stephanie Buka '92, Pittsburgh, Pa., received published a book: "Coloring Locals: Racial a professional certificate in forensic science Formation in Kate Chopin's Youth's Companion law from the Cyril H. Wecht Institute of and Stories." The book is available through the Forensic Science and Law at Duquesne University of Iowa Press. University in Pittsburgh in February 2003. David Hewett '87, Erie, has been named controller at Mercyhurst College. Brian Dloniak '95, Greensboro, N.C., is an account executive for NewSouth Communications. Charles Andres '97, Washington, D.C., is a project coordinator for the John E Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. James Strouse '97, Bethlehem, Pa., is a supervisor for Easter Seals of New Jersey. John Haltigan '99, Romulus, N.Y, earned his master of arts degree in forensic psychology from Castleton State College in Castleton, Vt. He is a clinical therapist for adolescent sexual offenders and other antisocial children.

ifie Nineties
Carl Mielke III '91, Spartanburg, S.C., received a doctorate of chiropractic from Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic. Shelly VanAlstine O'Hara '91, Saint Marys, Pa., is active in the victim service field as coordinator for Mothers Against Drunk Driving of Elk County, and has her own athome business doing sewing and alterations.

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Ana Hernandez Brandt '82, Cleveland, Ohio, is a cardiac unit secretary at the Cleveland Clinic following several years as a stay-athome mom. She was one of three foreign students at Mercyhurst in the '80s.

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Marissa Ortman '00, Anthony, N.M., has accepted a one-year, full-time volunteer placement through Mercy Volunteer Corps, a branch of AmeriCorps, working with Mexican women and children for justice. Thomas Palmer '00, Hamburg, N.Y, is a finance manager at the McGuire Group in Buffalo, N.Y
4

Kelly Boyle '01, Pittsburgh, Pa., is a tax accountant with Thomas Pandolfo & Associates Ltd. Scott Farison '01, Marion, Ohio, is attending the Graduate School of Business at Robert Morris University where he is also a graduate assistant football coach. Heather Weber Palmer '01, Hamburg, N.Y, is a marketing assistant at Buffalo Jewelry in Amherst, N.Y During the summer of 2002, several members of the Mercyhurst College class of 1960 gathered at the home of Agnes Siracusa Bays in Lockport, N.Y. Spending some time together were (front row, left to right): Adele Ontko, Joan Bye Dengler, Joan Kostolansky Evans, Barbara Chambers, Agnes Siracusa Bays and (back row, left to right) Mary Anne Koss Flynn, Connie Revelas Curtis and Sally Koss Rowse '68, sister of Mary Anne Koss.
26
M E R C Y H U

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John Munch '91 married Cynthia Winans Dec. 27,2002, at St. Peter Cathedral, Erie. Melissa Thill '91 married William Jones Nov. 21, 2002, in a private ceremony in Conway, N.H. Matthew Benacci '96 married Allison Marsden '97 July 13,2002, at St. Luke Catholic Church, Erie. Marc Nelson '96 married Constance Cage Oct. 12,2002, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Erie. Carol Brainard '97 married Anthony Letkiewicz Oct. 4,2002, at Christ the King Chapel, Mercyhurst College, Erie. Anthony Woodrome '97 married Heidi Schnaekel '99 Jan. 4,2003, at St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church, Erie. Kristen Kelso '98 married James Goodban II Sept. 21, 2002, at First Presbyterian Church, North East, Pa. Todd Matlak '99 married Heather Lawson July 27,2002, at St. James Catholic Church, Erie. Shane Lemons '00 married Catherine Bowers June 22,2002, at Christ the King Chapel, Mercyhurst College, Erie. Scott Messenger '00 married Lisa Inter Sept. 27,2002, at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Erie. Thomas Palmer '00 married Heather Weber '01 Sept. 14,2002, at Christ the King Chapel, Mercyhurst College, Erie. Amy Doane '01 married Kyle Neubauer April 27,2002, in Frederick, Md. Summer Oler '01 married Steven Bearance July 27,2002, at Christ the King Chapel, Mercyhurst College, Erie. Anthony Cruz '02 married Laurie Kurutz Sept. 21,2002, at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, Erie.

Samantha 1{otf) '92,'%

Samantha Roth's life has taken her down two different roads but, finally, she's reached an intersection. Roth's new position as executive director of Pb X Inc., a Pittsburgh nonprofit organization that helps families maintain healthy, environmentally safe homes, lets her combine the skills she garnered from pursuing two degrees at Mercyhurst College. In 1992, she graduated with a degree in business and marketing, and in 1995, she earned her bachelor's in social work. "I was always asked how my degrees related to one another," said Roth. "Even some of my professors viewed them as polar Samantha Roth '92r '95 opposites." But now Roth says her seemingly opposite paths have merged. Her goal is to utilize her background in business and social work to create a national model for addressing environmental hazards from a community-based perspective. "Our mission is to create and maintain environmentally safe homes by assuring that southwestern Pennsylvania has the knowledge and resources to protect its residents from in-home environmental toxins," she explained. Roth intends to broaden the scope of Pb X beyond its initial focus of preventing lead poisoning by adding new programs that address hazards like pesticides and environmental toxins affecting indoor air quality including contributors to asthma, the leading cause of school absenteeism. Previously Roth was employed by the Erie County Office of Children and Youth, served as consultant to the director of the Allegheny County Department of Human Services, and worked for Heinz Endowments. Although the organization for which she now works is smaller than the large funding institutions and government agencies she had worked for previously, her mission is not. In assuming her new post, Roth said, "I thought it was a pivotal time in my career when I could aptly take a step into the community and bring the knowledge and strengths I had obtained working for government and funding organizations to help grow an organization that matches my value system." Meanwhile, she said she is grateful to her father, Mercyhurst vice president for academic affairs Dr. Andrew Roth, who understood the intersection between business and social work all along and always supported her efforts to get there. By Deborah Morton Contributed photo

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27

Jeffrey Deveney '02 married Christine Spinks June 22, 2002, at St. Peter Cathedral, Erie. Randy Stankey, technical director of the Maty D'Angelo Performing Arts Center, married Melanie Kuebel Jan. 4,2003.

Ronald Fleming Jr. '95 and wife Dawn (Wade) '97 had a son, Nathan Alec, Nov. 14, 2002. Michael Kisiel '97 and wife Shannon had a daughter, Nola Angeline, Nov. 25,2002. Bradley Miller '00 and wife Autumn (McClurg) '00 had a son, Darren Robert, Sept. 3, 2002. Dr. Melissa Barranger-Mathys, director of chemistry, biochemistry and physics department, and husband Jeffrey had a son, Erick Alexander, Dec. 18,2002. Dr. Melissa Gibson, assistant professor of communication, and husband Michael had a daughter, Abigail Lynn, Jan. 23, 2003. Gary Hepler, Erie campus Sodexho chef, and his wife Rosalee, had a son, George Joseph, Dec. 27, 2002. Dr. Terry Pettijohn, assistant professor of psychology and his wife Shelley had a daughter, Ana Grace, Dec. 17,2002.

Eileen Greka Bishop 71 Robert Brown '80 Stanley Kendzior '82 Terri Loranty Almeter '86 James Dixon '94 Husband of Margaret Mooney Emling '37 (Charles N. Emling) Margaret Young Dunn '54 (William Dunn) Barbara DeSantis Bates '59 (Thomas F. Bates) Barbara Luttrell Lewis 73 (Clyde Lewis) Mother of Wendy Lampart '98 (Pam Lampart) Father of Steve Lyons, assistant professor of music education (Gene Lyons) Grandfather of Bonnie Hall, registrar at Mercyhurst North East (Max Schlosser) Becky Van Riper, health services receptionist (Max Schlosser) Brother of Kathleen Bates Dilley '64 (Thomas F. Bates) Sister of Matthew Grimaldi, assistant director of athletics (Catherine Ann Grimaldi) Student Kimberly Ann Spinks, sophomore

<Birtf). !5
Debra Rieger Cooper '90 and husband Jeffrey had a son, Joshua Thomas, April 29, 2002. Frederick Galovich '91 and wife Charlene (Kuhn) '93 had three sons: Adam Benjamin, Aug. 31,1998, Zachary Frederick, Oct. 27, 2000, and Gavin Michael, Sept. 19, 2002. Shelly VanAlstine O'Hara '91 and husband Douglas had a son, Kenneth James, Oct. 3, 2000. Paul Sullivan '93 and wife Robyn had a daughter, Anna Elizabeth, April 25, 2002. Erin Kalgren Waersch '93 and husband Steve had a son, Jacob Neal, Nov. 9, 2001. Matthew Nasman '93 and wife Colleen (Geary) '94 had two daughters: Catherine Mary, Aug. 27, 2000, and Meghan Elizabeth, July 9, 2002. Kelly Kinglsand Rankin '94 had a daughter, Sydney Grace, Sept. 10, 2002.

Condoleences
Alumni Helen Waldinger Rossi '32 Margaret McCarthy Bitting '42 Mary Claire Jones '49 Patricia Urban Wethman '60 Sister Mary Patrick Slavin, RSM '68

Its News to Us!

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Help us fill the Class Notes pages. Share your news of a new baby or marriage, promotion, transfer, new job, award or honor, works published or new degrees. We also welcome professional photographs and 35mm onesubject close-up snapshots. Photographs will be returned if requested. Information is used as space permits. Mail your news to Mercyhurst Magazine, Alumni Office, Mercyhurst College, 501 E. 38th St., Erie, PA 16546; fax (814) 824-2153 or e-mail <cgandolfo@mercyhurst.edu>. Mercyhurst invites letters to the editor.

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M E R C Y H U R S T M A G A Z I N E

Desperately seeking island adventures, I have lived to tell the tale of time spent in the hands of a British Mr, who wasn't even my husband. Hmmm ... or as the English say Phworrr! At this writing I am two weeks past my visit to the hospital for keyhole surgery where I was quite nicely seen to by two Misters. AUTHOR'S SIDE NOTE: I'll be first to agree that it is quite off putting not to be able to address your surgeon as Doctor (it didn't feel right to simply call him Mister and I never could have called him Bob) but that is how they do it here. You just have to soldier on and accept it, same as when you finally accept that they call doctors' offices surgeries and that they don't put periods after abbreviations for Mr and Mrs or Dr... Bloody annoying, I know. Here is the backdrop. Following decades of sports-related abuse, I took up tennis and was immediately referred to an orthopedic surgeon. I showed up for my first appointment with clipboard and questions. I thought he seemed OK, at first, so following a brief examination, I was prepped for surgery ... Ha! Just pulling your leg. I was perfunctorily deemed operable, scheduled for an MRI and offered three upcoming dates for surgery. The American in me reared up with a mighty WHOA and a HOLD YOUR HORSES THERE, PARDNER and I commenced firing off all the normal questions requests for referrals from former patients, career track record, med school grades, etc. My Mister went from shocked to bemused. He told me that he had never been asked questions like this before (read: interrogated) and that he had performed five or six hundred of these operations. Without further ado he said he would see if he could rustle up a living patient for me to talk to but I had better mosey on down to the imaging department and confirm the appointment in the next 24 hours if I wanted that MRI. Then he turned on his heel and vanished in a whitecoated flurry. I was horrified. All of those Self magazine instructions committed to memory over the past two decades on how to select and interview health care practitioners were going to be of zero benefit on this island. The MRI was cavernous, spooky and the choice of music was appalling. I was kicking myself for having forgotten to grab something from the car. Actually, their music was probably better than suffering through my girls' current favorite, Avril Lavigne, screaming at me ad nauseum about things being complicated. She has no idea.

As I was slid out of the MRI tube I asked the technician if she had seen anything suspicious. She laughed, refused to speculate and told me I would have to wait to talk to my Mr. This conspiracy was more far-reaching than I originally had thought! News that the MRI was conclusive was offered with an affect suggesting I was making much ado about nothing before I found myself being offered those dates - again. I panicked, he didn't. I told him I needed to talk to my lawyer, errrr ... husband and he said fine, but he needed an answer or those dates might get snapped up. I knew then what the problem was - either this surgery was extremely popular or he was hiding something. I surged into patient advocacy overdrive, that quintessential^ American, hyper, picky, type A consumer. I fretted, I found my own former patients, talked to nurses, doctors, insurers, God. The walls of silence closed in. The British medical profession has a pre-Burrell palace level of secrecy. I finally confessed my fears to my dear husband, the Brit. He was supportive to a point. He lined up the children, showed me the calendar, circled Christmas and told me to stop stalling. I was a head case. I entered at 10:30 a.m., was weighed, measured and questioned before being seen by my Mr who calmly reviewed the procedure before drawing a big arrow on my leg pointing to the dodgy knee. While certainly effective, I did find this a tad unsettling. Momentarily, I was drugged by an equally excellent Mr anesthesist who was so gorgeous I remember thinking that he could knock me out anytime. I spent the post-op recovery sleeping. Six days later I got the all clear. I hadn't even cracked one of the books I had hoarded in hopes of a lengthy rehab. Mister was quite pleased with me and I saw that a bit of this glory reflected back on to him. He asked me what I thought of British surgeons now. I gushed earnestly in my best American about how pleased I was that it all went so well. He smiled when I pulled out my clipboard and asked what he thought of American patients. He said he was delighted to have made a convert out of me and choosing his words carefully left me with this ... "So, I guess you can die another day." Touche, Mister. Reprinted with permission of "American in Britain
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