Widener Magazine - Student Life Issue: Volume 17 Number 01 · PDF fileJim Graham Lauren Piotti ’04 ... our students learned that they can ... Widener Magazine. University Relations

W I D E N E RWidener Magazine

Student Life Issue

Volume 17

Number 01

Spring ’07

From Chester to Cochabamba: Snapshots ofStudent Life

Widener University

One University Place

Chester, PA 19013

Phone: 1-888-WIDENER

Web site: www.widener.edu

Published by the

Office of University Relations

Executive Editor: Lou Anne Bulik

Editor: Debra Goldberg

Class Notes Editor: Meghan Radosh ‘00, ‘02

Contributing Writers:Lou Anne Bulik

Miranda Craige ’07

Derek Crudele

Debra Goldberg

Dan Hanson

Lauren Piotti ’04

Sandy Smith

Photographers:John Ferko

Sue Galeone ’07

Jim Graham

Lauren Piotti ’04

Ryan Riley ’07

184

Widener Magazine Volume 17 Number 01 Spring ’07

24

Editorial Advisory Board:Virginia Brabender

Lou Anne Bulik

Rosemary Connors

Debra Goldberg

Mark Graybill

Dan Hanson

Cecilia McCormick

Tina Phillips

George Thompson

On the cover:Eric Buzzerd ’07 traverses

the Bolivian rainforest,

which dates back to

Inca times.

1

Greeks Who Give

From Thanksgiving dinners to

charity drives, Widener’s fraternities

and sororities connect social lifeto social change.

A Slice of Life at the “Metro”

Students enjoy the suite life with

apartment-style living.

Foreign Service

A service learning trip to rural

Bolivia opens hearts and minds.

Training Days

The toughest summer course

ever taught in the history of

Widener—NFL 101.

2028

14

18

Hometown Boy Makes News

Running The Philadelphia Inquirerand Daily News is a labor of

love for Brian Tierney ’87L.

From Iraq, With Love

A Widener professor and an

Iraqi broadcaster find love in

a battlefield.

3234

2 / President’s Message

4 / On Campus

6 / Arts and Culture

8 / Research

10 / Sports

26 / PMC Remembered

38 / Class Notes

DEPARTMENTS

STUDENT LIFE

P re s i d e n t ’ s M e s s a g e

If we think of a university communityas a living, breathing organism—constantly growing and changing—then undoubtedly, the students areits lifeblood.

This issue of the Widener Magazineis dedicated to the topic of StudentLife, which begins in the heart of ourChester campus and extends its reachthroughout the metropolitan regionand our nation.

During the past year alone, the faceof our campus has changed dramatically.Last spring we opened our state-of-the-art Wellness Center, and in thefall, students moved into an innovativenew living and learning residentialexperience at Metropolitan Hall.

Our vibrant growth is also spread-ing into the Chester community withthe recent ribbon cutting at the SmallBusiness Development Center. Wehave also created a new Racing andGaming Institute within the School of Hospitality Management, inconjunction with Harrah’s newwaterfront “racino.”

And we’re not stopping there.Recently, Widener proudly announcedan exciting development project thatwill transform Providence Avenueinto a lifestyle corridor with shopping,dining, and hotel accommodations.The new jobs and energy created bythis project will further enhance thepartnership between Widener andthe City of Chester.

Farther afield, our Universitymission is being put into practice aswell. Widener students are touchinglives through volunteerism—inChester and beyond—as our coverstory illustrates. A first-hand look atthird-world poverty was a joltingexperience for each of us who traveledto rural Bolivia over winter break.Yet the warm smiles of villagersand their unwavering optimismwere truly inspiring.

Thousands of miles from Chesterour students learned that they canmake a difference every day, no matterwhere they are; as long as they takealong the caring spirit that emanatesfrom the heart of this college campus.

–Dr. James T. Harris III

2

STUDENT LIFE

Heather GoldyAnthropology ’08

Heather Goldy, who received a scholarship through thePresidential Service Corps (PSC), spends 150 hours per year on service activities such as tutoring students and servingas a trainer for the QuadriplegicRugby Team. The Widener Fund subsidizes scholarships for students like Heather.

Thomas R. Lawless Civil Engineering ’08

Thomas Lawless, a member ofstudent government and PhiDelta Theta, participates inneighborhood clean-up campaignsand Adopt-a-Highway programs.Nearly two-thirds of his tuition is paid for by financial aid, which the Widener Fund helps to support.

Dr. Paula SilverDirector, Center for Social Work Education

The Widener Fund supportsoutreach efforts by the Center forSocial Work Education, includingfaculty and student involvement in social work in the neighboringChester community.

Thank you for considering a gift to Widener University.You can now give online at

www.widener.edu/giveonline.

Your gift to the Widener Fundhelps sow the seeds of success.

SBDC Open andReady for BusinessThe Widener University

Small Business Development

Center, made possible

through funding provided

by the Pennsylvania General

Assembly, will provide

Delaware County small

businesses owners and

aspiring entrepreneurs with

a wide variety of services and

resources to help them start

or grow small businesses.

The School of Business

Administration will be the

administrative unit of the

SBDC, according to Savas

Özatalay, dean of the School

of Business Administration.

Glenn McAllister, previously

a business advisor for the

Delaware Small Business

Development Center, will

serve as director of the

Widener University SBDC.

“I think that at some

point in our lives, we have all

dreamed of owning our own

business,” McAllister says.

“... Our purpose is to help

aspiring entrepreneurs take

that next step toward making

their dream become a reality,

and to help those businesses

grow and prosper once they

are established.”

Widener’s SBDC offers

the following services:

• One-on-one management

consulting with an emphasis

on education and problem

solving. Consulting is confi-

dential and provided at no

charge to small business

owners.

• Educational programs that

feature experts and business

leaders who offer practical

information on a wide range

of topics.

• Resources to help entrepre-

neurs obtain the timely,

relevant, and detailed

Happily EngagedWidener University is one

of only 76 institutions in the

nation qualifying for a new

“community engagement”

classification announced

recently by the Carnegie

Foundation for the

Advancement of Teaching.

Unlike the Foundation’s

other classifications which

rely on national data,

institutions must apply to the

Carnegie Foundation to be

included in the community

engagement classification. To

be selected, institutions must

provide descriptions and

examples of institutionalized

practices of community engage-

ment that show cohesiveness

in mission, culture, leadership,

resources, and practice.

In addition to Widener,

only two other institutions

from the five-county

Philadelphia region are

included in the new

classification: Bryn Mawr

College and the University

of Pennsylvania.

The economic revitalization

of the city of Chester has

taken a giant leap forward

with the announcement

of a $50-million Widener

University project that will

bring several businesses

and services to Providence

Avenue in Chester and create

up to 60 new jobs.

The revitalization project

includes construction of three

four-story buildings on the

west side of Providence

Avenue between 14th and

16th streets, with the first

buildings slated for comple-

tion by September 2008.

Planners expect to attract a

full-service bank, 24-hour

convenience store, Chester

Police substation, bookstore,

coffee shop, theme restaurant,

apartments, offices, and a

state-of-the-art boutique hotel.

In addition, the land,

which is currently tax exempt

as part of the university, will

be added to the Chester tax

rolls. Over the next 10 years,

this revitalization project will

provide an estimated $1.8

million in real estate tax

revenue to the city and the

Chester School District, more

than $800,000 in earned

income tax revenues from

the new jobs created, and

$600,000 in business

privilege taxes.

“This is part of an

ongoing effort between

Widener University and

Crozer-Chester Medical Center

to help revitalize Chester by

attracting businesses and

jobs to the city,” notes

Widener University President

James T. Harris III. “This is for

Chester. It is something that

all the residents of the city

can be excited about and

take pride in.”

Harris also points to

the opening of the Widener

University Small Business

Development Center last

month, the recent designation

4

O N C A M P U S

information they require

to make sound business

decisions.

• A Procurement Technical

Assistance Center to provide

in-depth help in pursuing

government contract leads.

• Access to special programs

for developing new tech-

nologies and products,

understanding environ-

mental and worker safety

regulations, identifying

energy savings opportunities,

and engaging in inter-

national trade.

The Widener University

SBDC is located in Suite 120

of the University Technology

Park at 1450 Edgmont Ave.

in Chester. For more infor-

mation, visit the Widener

University SBDC Web site at

www.pasbdc.org/widener.

$50-Million Revitalization Slated for Providence Avenue

of the area as a Keystone

Innovation Zone, and the

opening of the Harrah’s

Chester Casino and Racetrack

as other recent developments

in the revitalization of Chester.

“This is a very exciting time

to be a business owner in the

City of Chester,” Harris says.

According to Ahsan

Nasratullah, chief executive

officer of Teres Holding Co.,

LLC, the store-front and retail

businesses will have very

strong curb appeal. The area

will be accentuated with a

landscaped pedestrian walk-

way, a courtyard with seating

and public art, and new light-

ing standards. Teres Holding

Co. recently completed

similar projects at the

University of Pennsylvania

and at Temple University.

“It will be located directly

between Widener, the Crozer-

Chester Medical Center, and a

technology park,” Nasratullah

says. “It is also located near

residential neighborhoods,

and it’s close to a number of

primary schools and churches.

It will draw from all these

communities surrounding the

Providence Avenue corridor.”

Architecturally, the project

will integrate the existing

period architecture with new

design to create a diverse and

vibrant community, according

to Robert Hoe, chief operating

officer for Teres Holdings. “We

are committed to innovative

architectural design and to

sustainable design principles

through our choice of environ-

mentally friendly building

materials,” says Hoe.

The project is being

financed by the New Markets

Tax Credit made available

through The Reinvestment

Fund with funding from

Sovereign Bank, Nasratullah

says. Individuals interested

in leasing apartment or office

space may contact him

through Teres Holdings Co.,

LLC at (215) 751-0150.

Retailers interested in leasing

space should contact the

project’s leasing agent, Steve

DiPetris at Legend Properties,

at (856) 231-1010.

To make land available

for the project, seven buildings

owned by Widener University

will be razed, including 1410

Upland St., the International

Student Services building at

1439 Upland St., the former

Health Services Building on

1443 Upland St., the Child

Development Center

Administration building

at 115 15th St., the Child

Development Center at 126

15th St., the Andorn House

at 1410 Providence Ave.,

and the Bartholomew Civil

Engineering Laboratory at

1500 Providence Ave.

Demolition is scheduled

to begin in June 2007.

5

Widener andDCCC JoinForcesWidener University and

Delaware County Community

College signed an agreement

in March that will allow

students in the applied

engineering technology

program at DCCC to complete

their bachelor’s degrees at

Widener University in profes-

sional studies with a minor in

applied technology supervision.

“This agreement will not

only give DCCC students the

opportunity to obtain their

bachelor’s degree at Widener,

it will also provide them with

the valuable supervisory

preparation they need to

advance in this growing

field,” said Widener University

President James T. Harris III.

Offered through University

College at Widener, the

bachelor’s degree in

professional studies was

developed for individuals who

have earned an associate’s

degree in applied science

from a regionally accredited

community, junior or tech-

nical college.

DCCC offers six associate

degrees in Applied Engineering

Technology: Mechanical

Engineering, Electronics

Engineering, Machine Tool

Technology, Industrial Systems,

Automated Manufacturing/

Robotics, and Nanofabrication

Manufacturing. All focus on

the advanced manufacturing

industry, which expects a

substantial number of

job openings in the next

few years.

Information is available

at DCCC locations throughout

Delaware and Chester counties,

online at dccc.edu/aet222, or

by calling 610-723-4010.

Slated for Providence Avenue

6

A Tribute ofSuite SoundsIn the early hours of December

3, 1984, gas leaked from a

power plant in Bhopal, India,

killing over 3,500 and dis-

abling thousands more. In

December 2004, Widener

University’s Department of

Chemical Engineering hosted

a conference on Process

Safety in commemoration

of the 20th anniversary of

the Bhopal tragedy.

Gennaro J. Maffia,

professor of chemical

engineering, called upon

Widener Music and Recording

Director John Vanore to

compose a piece of music

as a tribute to the victims of

the disaster. In preparation,

Vanore studied volumes of

Indian music, noting the

nuances in its extended scales.

The resulting five-move-

ment suite was performed by

students for the conference

TemptingTheatricalTreats Since 2001, Widener

University students have

performed quality drama at

little or no cost for schools

and families in the Chester

community, thanks to the

Fresh Baked Theatre Co.,

formerly known as Children’s

Theatre Workshop.

Director Lisa Eckley

Cocchiarale has created a

theater program separate

from Theatre Widener that

performs works for young

audiences. The themes, how-

ever, are just as important as

those tackled by traditional

theater: self-discovery, joy,

sadness, loss, and learning

to survive in the world.

“The new name of the

theater program,” Cocchiarale

says, “reflects its ongoing

commitment to provide

low-cost, innovative, and

nourishing theatrical

productions for audiences

of all ages.”

Performances are held

in both the fall and spring

semesters, and the ensembles

include Widener students and

staff. The Fall 2006 production

of Wiley and the Hairy Manwas seen by over 500 Chester

students, including kinder-

garten and first-grade classes

from the Widener Partnership

Charter School. In lieu of

admission, non-perishable food

was collected for donation to

a local food pantry. The March

A R T S A N D C U L T U R E

and later recorded in 2005.

Vanore recently mixed and

edited the piece titled Suitefor Bhopal.

The piece is sensitive to

the polyrhythmic nature of

Indian music and challenged

the student musicians. Indian

hand cymbals are rung twice

at the beginning of the piece,

in honor of the 2 o’clock

hour—the time at which the

Bhopal gas leak started. The

same hand cymbal is pictured

on the CD cover, which was

also designed by Vanore.

Composer, trumpeter,

and producer Vanore has

received critical acclaim for

the recordings of his jazz

group, Abstract Truth. Its

1990 release, Blue Route, was

selected as one of the top ten

jazz albums of the year by CDReview Magazine. The group’s

second release, Curiosity,

placed high in the DownbeatReaders’ Poll in the Album of

the Year, Big Band, and

Composer categories.

Widener student Daniel Barrios portrays young soldier Henryin the Fresh Baked Theatre Company’s production of The RedBadge of Courage.

CD cover design by John Vanore.

7

2007 performance of The RedBadge of Courage, an adapta-

tion of the classic Stephen

Crane book, collected new

and used books to benefit

Chester youth programs.

Past productions of the

Fresh Baked Theatre Co.

include Talking with Angels,The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,A Thousand Cranes, Rapunzel,and Beauty and the Beast.

Director Lisa Eckley

Cocchiarale is a Theatre for

Young Audiences specialist

who is also on the faculty of

the Darlington Arts Center,

where she performs with

their professional children’s

theater ensemble. Lisa is the

former director of Lafayette,

Indiana’s Civic Youth Theatre.

In 2000, she was honored as

“Outstanding Youth Director”

for The Orphan Train, an

educational outreach project

uniting youth, theater, and

local history preservation.

Local TalentThe Widener University Art

Gallery kicked off 2007 with

exhibits featuring accom-

plished Philadelphia artists

William Gannotta and

Clifford Ward.

Gannotta, a resident of

Aspen Street in Philadelphia,

abandoned the hustle and

bustle of the city for the

Brandywine River Valley and

the Catskill Mountains of New

York to work on his latest oil

paintings, completed over the

course of five years.

Themed “In a State of

Nature,” each painting began

outdoors “with the bees, the

trees, and sometimes the

wind and snow,” Gannotta

explains. He continued to

work on the paintings in his

Center City Philadelphia studio.

Existing at the midway

point between realism and

surrealism, Gannotta’s paintings

pop with color that presents

the subjects in an idyllic

state where blue skies are the

bluest, reds the richest, and

greens at their most lush.

Gannotta attended the

Philadelphia College of Art

and also has a certificate in

painting from the Pennsyl-

vania Academy of the Fine

Arts, where he studied under

Louis Sloan, who Gannotta

says served as a source of

inspiration for his latest

paintings. He is the director

of the William Gannotta Fine

Art Service in Philadelphia,

which provides art services

to institutional, corporate,

and private collections.

For Clifford Ward, the

subjects of his art originate

from the remote corners of

Left: William Gannotta’s Samskara, oil on linen mounted to panel.

Above: Clifford Ward’s cast and fabrication bronze piece, Afrigometry III.

the earth, including the

African Diaspora, Australian

Aborigines, Native American,

and the Maori People of New

Zealand. His sculptures,

mixed media masks, and

acrylic paintings explore the

mythologies and ethos of

these cultures through dance,

religion, and spirituality.

“It is important that I

bring my work to ordinary,

everyday people, for it is

from these people, both past

and present, that my work is

inspired,” Ward says. “It is

truly from my soul, and I feel

more and more like a conduit

for my ancestors’ message.”

A former instructor at

the Johnson Atelier Technical

Institute of Sculpture in

Mercerville, NJ, Ward has

presented his work at various

exhibitions throughout

Philadelphia and New Jersey.

8

The population of older

Americans has grown so

dramatically over the past

twenty years that social

service agencies are now

desperate for professionals

trained in elder care.

With more than 60,000

geriatric social workers

needed by 2020—a 40-

percent increase over the

current workforce—the onus

falls on social work education

programs to answer the call.

Yet only 3 percent of social

work students nationwide

specialize in aging, and fewer

than 40 percent of graduate

social work programs offer

specialized concentrations in

aging or geriatric social work.

“Universities haven’t

made an investment, and

there is less grant money

for training,” says Robin

Goldberg-Glen, professor

of social work education.

In response to these

training and personnel needs,

the Center for Social Work

Education has received a

$75,000 three-year grant

from The John A. Hartford

Foundation to fund The

Practicum Partnership

Program (PPP), which will

create internship opportuni-

ties to second-year students

enrolled in the Masters of

Social Work program.

Sixteen second-year

MSW students will be placed

in three different settings

throughout the academic

year. They will service a wide

variety of clients ranging

from the developmentally

disabled, to Lesbian, Gay,

Bisexual and Transgendered

(LGBT), to older prisoners

transitioning back into the

community.

There are 20 agencies

in Widener’s PPP consortium,

plus five partnering agencies:

Jewish Community Homes

for Adult Independence;

Center in the Park in

Northeast Philadelphia; The

William Way Lesbian, Gay,

Bisexual and Transgendered

Community Center (The

Silver Foxes); The Alzheimer’s

Association Delaware Valley

Chapter; and Delaware

County Office for Service

of the Aging.

In addition to designing,

implementing, and evaluating

a field instruction program

for graduate students, the

program aims to create a true

collaborative relationship

among the university, local

agencies, and the community.

As Widener’s MSW program

attracts more students to

the geriatric specialization,

Goldberg-Glen hopes

to develop a certificate

program in gerontological

social work practice for both

students and alumni who

need additional training.

And she dreams big:

Goldberg-Glen would like to

offer a certificate in geronto-

logical social work for both

students and alumni to

return for further training.

Eventually, with enough

interest and funding, she

would like to open center

for gerontological studies.

For more information

about the PPP and a complete

list of participating agencies,

contact Dr. Goldberg-Glen at

the School for Social Work

Education at (610) 499-1153.

New institute helps casinoand racing professionals onthe fast track to success.Now that casino gaming has

arrived in Pennsylvania, the

fledgling industry needs

trained professionals to run

the gaming halls and race-

tracks. And because gaming

halls and “racinos” are in

their infancy here, managers,

executives, and policymakers

will all benefit from research

on the industry and how it

might affect the state and

regional economy.

The new Institute for

Gaming and Racing at

Widener University’s School

of Hospitality Management

Education for the Ages Inside Those Walls

Off tothe Races

R E S E A R C H

Ever wonder what life is like

on the inside?

This spring, Widener

began an Inside/Out Prison

Exchange Program, in which

Widener students and prison

inmates attended class

together—inside the Chester

State Correctional Facility.

Coordinated by Barbara

Ryan, professor of sociology,

the Inside/Out Program ties in

to the University’s mission of

civic engagement by providing

a different kind of service

learning.

“Service learning is not

just doing for others. There

are lessons to be learned

from being with others as

well,” Ryan notes.

Issues in the Family,

co-taught by Kit Healey, asso-

ciate professor of psychology,

and Kathryn Mason, adjunct

The Center for SocialWork Education hasreceived a $75,000three-year grantfrom The John A.Hartford Foundationto fund The PracticumPartnership Program(PPP), which will createinternship opportunitiesto second-year studentsenrolled in the Mastersof Social Work program.

9

Those Walls

Employees, supervisors,

and managers can enroll

in nationally recognized

certification programs like

the ServSafe Program in

Responsible Alcohol Service.

Supervisors and managers can

enroll in non-credit courses

to advance their knowledge

of slot parlor operations,

marketing, management,

customer service, and

casino math.

The institute also offers

research services for industry

and government, including

impact studies, gaming and

racing operations studies,

and marketing research.

The institute’s faculty

combines solid scholarship

with industry experience.

Leading the institute faculty

are Shiang-Lih Chen McCain,

whose professional back-

ground includes experience

with the Imperial Palace

Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas

and consulting work for

government and private clients

in the casino, theme park, and

restaurant industries, and

Jeffrey Lolli, a former executive

with Harrah’s Entertainment,

the largest casino operator in

the United States.

“The growth of the gaming

industry and the concept of

racinos in Pennsylvania as

well as throughout the United

States require well-trained

managers and employees.

The Institute for Gaming and

Racing will provide training

support and research services

for the industry, and serve as

a resource for state and local

governments in examining

the industry’s socioeconomic

impact,” says Nicholas J.

Hadgis, dean of the School

of Hospitality Management

at Widener University.

More information about

the institute is available by

calling the School of

Hospitality Management

at 610-499-1101.

professor of social science,

was the first course in

Widener’s program. Sixteen

Widener students traveled to

the Chester State Correctional

Facility once a week for the

class. At the prison, they were

joined by 16 “inside” students

of varying ages, ethnicities,

and social backgrounds.

According to Ryan,

inmate-students were hand-

picked from a pool of 63

volunteers who signed up

on sheets posted in their

cell blocks. Those who passed

an initial screening were

interviewed by the co-teachers.

They were chosen for the

course based on what they

could contribute—and get

out of—the experience.

The course was designed

to expose both groups of

students to race, class, and

gender issues they may not

have encountered before.

Students and inmates used

first names only, and while

inmates were not required

to tell their personal stories,

doing so makes for a richer

class experience.

“The dynamics of the

classroom are very much

about who is sitting in that

classroom,” Ryan explains.

“None of our students have

been inside a prison before. . . .

We want this to be a reciprocal

experience of interaction,

sharing information, and

discussion. There is an oppor-

tunity for them to look at and

hear things in a different way;

to open their minds and

improve themselves.”

The Inside/Out program

was originally developed

by Lori Pompa at Temple

University. The program was

designed for college students

to learn alongside incarcerated

students in a reciprocal

exchange of experiential

learning. Professors Healey,

Mason, and Ryan have com-

pleted an intensive training

workshop offered by Pompa

in order to embark on this

new learning enterprise.

Left to right: Ryan Riley, KateCarney, Kathryn Mason, TimWidener, and Lisa Hoeffeckeroutside their “inside” class-room at the State CorrectionalFacility in Chester.

offers the research expertise

and instruction to both

prepare managers and

employees for industry

careers and guide the

industry and the government

in the shaping of sound

management and policy.

Who doesn’t love a good

homecoming? Returning to

campus, visiting old haunts,

and seeing what’s new is

fun for alumni of all ages.

At Widener’s athletics

department, it’s homecoming

every day for five head

coaches who sport degrees

from the Chester campus.

Having former student-

athletes return to coach at

their alma mater has proven

invaluable from several

perspectives, from recruiting

and mentoring to teaching

and motivating.

Larissa Gillespie ‘98, ‘00

has made the most of her

ascent to senior woman

administrator and field hockey

coach. Sporting a BS in Sport

Management and an MBA,

Gillespie handles many of the

administrative duties within

the department and this

spring also assumed the

title of business manager.

Gillespie made her seventh

season as coach the most

memorable. She led Widener

to its first postseason berth

S P O R T S

A League of Her OwnMallory Meyer is a power player onand off the field.Being a stand-out athlete in

two sports is quite a feat. And

being a standout student

athlete as a two-sport player

is a rare and powerful combi-

nation. Yet that’s exactly what

Mallory Meyer is doing—and

she’s succeeding.

Playing midfield for the

field hockey team, Meyer has

given the Pride stability over

the course of three seasons.

She has started every game

the last two seasons for a

squad that has made plenty

of noise in the

Commonwealth Conference,

arguably the country’s

toughest league. Finishing

the year with three goals and

three assists, Meyer’s effort

went a long way in helping

Widener (13-6) play in the

ECAC Mid-Atlantic Tournament

for the program’s first post-

season appearance.

In the spring, Meyer’s

athleticism carries over to the

softball diamond, where she

is one of the conference’s

premier pitchers and hitters.

Named second team all-

conference in 2006, she

closed the year fifth in the

league with a .400 batting

average; fifth with a .617

slugging percentage; and tied

for seventh with 46 hits. As

Widener’s number-one pitcher,

Meyer posted a 12-11 mark in

the circle, with 92 strikeouts

to end fifth in league.

Her achievement in the

classroom is equally impres-

sive, as she juggles the

demands of classes and

studying with practices and

road trips. Last fall, Meyer

was named to the Middle

Atlantic Conference Academic

Honor Roll. She sports a

3.369 grade-point average in

pre-physical therapy with a

major in psychology and a

minor in Spanish. She made

the league’s honor roll this

spring for softball, and

aspires to open her own

pediatric or sports-related

rehabilitation center.

Just how does she

handle all the pressure?

“Playing two sports and

doing well in the class-

room definitely gets

stressful at times,” Meyer

admits. “To cope, I write

daily schedules for myself

and simply take each day

as it comes. I know that

my school work comes

first and both

Coach Larissa

[Gillespie] and

Coach Fred

[Dohrmann] are

firm advocates

of this as well.

I keep myself

motivated and

obviously busy!”

“Widener Five” Has Home-Field Advantage

in the ECAC Mid-Atlantic

Tournament and tied the

school record for most victo-

ries with 11. September 21,

2006, was a milestone for

Gillespie as her 64th career

victory made her the field

hockey program’s winningest

coach in Widener’s triumph

over Neumann. She also

guided the women’s lacrosse

team from 2004-06.

Dave Wood ‘91, ‘93 might

be the most recognizable of

the group, pacing the side-

lines Saturdays during the fall

as Widener’s football coach.

His leadership during four

seasons as coach has led to

a resurgence in the storied

program and to 26 victories

in that span. Of note are back-

to-back ECAC championships

in 2005 and 2006, marking

the first time in school history

the program won consecutive

postseason titles. An All-

American linebacker for the

Pride, Wood was an Academic

All-District player and a

two-time All-Middle Atlantic

Conference selection. His ties

to Widener remain strong,

serving as a coach here in

15 of 16 seasons since

graduation. Also the school’s

golf coach, Wood earned his

BS in accounting and his

master’s in taxation.

Donovan Anglin ‘93 is

arguably the most versatile

of this five, having been

involved with four different

teams on campus. Just

completing his third season

as women’s volleyball coach,

Anglin has helped the Pride

compete against some of the

region’s elite by bringing in

top players from around the

country. An assistant coach

for 10 years with the program

before getting the top spot in

2004, Anglin led Widener to

an 18-15 record that season

and a 17-8 mark in 2005. He

was a standout athlete as

an undergraduate, qualifying

for the NCAA Track & Field

Championships in the 55-meter

hurdles and the 55-meter

dash. He also played two

seasons on the football

team and one on the soccer

squad. Anglin today serves

as an academic support

counselor and tutorial

coordinator for the Pennsyl-

vania Institute of Technology.

He received his BA in

communication studies.

Chris Carideo ‘96 made

his return to Chester last

summer as Widener’s new

men’s basketball coach.

Success here is not new for

the Ocean City, NJ, native,

who in 1995 became the

eighth All-American in the

program’s history. He

graduated with what was

an NCAA-record 402 three-

pointers and still holds the

Division III mark with a three-

pointer in 75 straight games.

Carideo arrived after

five seasons as coach at

the United States Merchant

Marine Academy, averaging

17 wins per year and notching

two conference titles. This is

not Carideo’s first coaching

stint at Widener. He served

as an assistant in 1995-96 and

again from 1998-2000, helping

the team capture the 2000

Middle Atlantic Conference

title. Carideo graduated

with a BA in psychology

and secondary education.

Jamie Lockard ‘03 took

over as head coach last

summer of the men’s

lacrosse team, already having

established his place in the

team’s lore. The program’s

only two-time All-American,

he also was tabbed first team

all-conference and first team

All-ECAC his final two seasons.

His four-year stay saw

plenty of team success as

Widener won three Middle

Atlantic Conference titles and

made as many trips to the

NCAA Tournament. The 2003

Widener Male Senior Athlete

of the Year in 2006, Lockard

was an assistant coach for

the team and helped them to

their first NCAA Tournament

victory in school history.

He graduated with a degree

in business.

Five” Has Home-Field Advantage

11

12

S P O R T S

The corner office is a coveted

spot in a work place. The

person within its walls has

earned a rightful place at

the top—based on previous

success and great expecta-

tions for the future. In that

office at Schwartz Center

sits Jack Shafer. What’s on

his mind? Only the best for

Widener University Athletics.

Named Widener’s director

of athletics last June, Shafer

is enjoying well-earned

success in moving the depart-

ment forward while maintain-

ing elite status in the Middle

Atlantic Conference. As third-

year men’s soccer coach on

the Chester campus, he

is aware that people are its

most valuable commodities.

“As far as Division III

universities, Widener is unique

in many ways,” the Somerset,

PA-native says. “Our adminis-

tration gives us the resources

we need to be successful. We

have some of the best facili-

ties in the region. Nearly all

of our sports are staffed by

full-time coaches who are

excellent at what they do,

and are caring about the

well-being of their programs.

They educate, inspire, and

dedicate themselves to their

teams and student athletes.”

Shafer has been instru-

mental in the department’s

growth since he began as

assistant athletic director in

2000, assisting with fund-

raising activities and the

annual golf outing, and man-

aging student involvement

with the Special Olympics

and Big Brothers Big Sisters

program.

His commitment to

student athletes can be traced

to his days at his alma mater,

Bethany (WV) College. After

playing for four seasons—

and in as many NCAA

It teaches you work ethic

and how to work under a

microscope.”

That commitment to

student athletes inspired the

men’s soccer team, which in

1994 won the Division III

national championship with

Shafer as an assistant.

“It was a wonderful

experience,” he recalls. “We

worked very hard and peaked

at the end of the season.

From what I’m told, we were

one of the last teams to get

in. The season was a roller-

coaster ride, and the ending

was unbelievable.”

Widener hired Shafer

after his four-year run as the

men’s and women’s soccer

coach at Lycoming College.

The move coincided with

his wife, Megan, also being

hired in Philadelphia, and

saw Shafer take over as

the Widener women’s soccer

coach—with magical results.

The 2002 squad stepped

out of the shadows to make

the ECAC final, and the team,

which finished 14-5-1, is still

close to Shafer’s heart.

“We had a great recruit-

ing class and the ultimate

element of surprise being

just a .500 team (8-8-1) the

year before. It’s a special

thing when seniors play

in a championship game.

Goalkeeper Melanie Melosh

brought the team together,

and she was the reason we

played as well as we did.”

A return to men’s

soccer came in 2004 when

he took over that program.

Clinching the school’s first

Commonwealth Conference

Tournament berth that season

was just the beginning of a

run for a team that has

earned his respect.

“I absolutely love men’s

soccer. In this conference,

if you have a successful

soccer culture, you’re doing

a great job for the kids. The

competitive level definitely

attracted me.”

The move to director

had plenty to do with Shafer’s

preparation, knowledge,

and dedication to collegiate

athletics as much as anything.

But he is quick to credit his

two predecessors for their

guidance.

Tournaments—his love of

soccer and of coaching

spurred a desire to help

students off the field.

“I wanted to coach, but

I also wanted to assist those

having academic difficulty,”

says Shafer, who was the

department’s coordinator for

academic services. “What

resulted was the opportunity

to work with a lot of young

people to help them attain

goals in the classroom. . . .

Fever PitchNew Athletic Director

Jack Shafer has a passion for soccer—and some

pretty lofty goals.By Derek Crudele

As Widener continues

its forward progress, Shafer

stands firmly at the center

of the athletic department’s

promising future.

“We’ve had Academic

All-Americans and All-District

student athletes, and I’d

like to see us maintain that

tradition,” he notes. “We are

focusing on community

outreach. The life of anyone

in collegiate athletics should

include giving something

back to the sport and the

community. When you have

teams do that, they are

taking steps in leadership

and making the people

around them better. That is

teamwork, and I’d like to think

this department is committed

to those principles.

“I’d like to see our teams

. . . change the face of the

conference the next five

years. I’d like to see a team

national championship. That

would be outstanding.”

WIDENER PRIDE

2007 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

DAY DATE OPPONENT TIME

Sat. Sept. 8 at North Carolina Wesleyan 1:00 pm

Fri. Sept. 14 Wesley 7:00 pm

Fri. Sept. 21 at Rowan 7:00 pm

Sat. Sept. 29 at Lycoming* 1:00 pm

Sat. Oct. 6 King’s* (Homecoming) 1:00 pm

Sat. Oct. 13 Lebanon Valley* 1:00 pm

Fri. Oct. 19 at FDU-Florham* 7:00 pm

Fri. Oct. 26 Delaware Valley* 7:00 pm

Sat. Nov. 3 Albright* 1:00 pm

Sat. Nov. 10 at Wilkes* 1:00 pm

*Middle Atlantic Conference game

Home games in blue

Schedule is subject to change

“Bill (Zwann) and Dave

(Duda) had so much to do in

[my] getting this job. Each

one of them was influential

in helping shape my views of

the department and learning

along the way. I couldn’t

ask for two better people

to learn from.”

13

“As far as Division IIIuniversities, Widener isunique in many ways,”the Somerset, PA-nativesays. “Our administra-tion gives us theresources we need to besuccessful. We havesome of the best facilitiesin the region. Nearly allof our sports are staffedby full-time coacheswho are excellent atwhat they do, and arecaring about the well-being of their programs.”

W

14

S t u d e n t L i f e

GREEKSWHOGIVE

What’s the first word that comes to mind

when you hear the word “fraternity?”

If it was “party,” or something like it,

you don’t know the half of what Widener’s

Greek community is up to these days.

Each year, the brothers and sisters of

Widener’s nine fraternities and sororities

pitch in on projects great and small that

help make life better for their neighbors

and friends. From clean-up days to

clothing drives and beyond, Widener’s

Greek community is deeply involved with

the larger community of which it is a part.

For some Greeks, it’s the service

aspect that drew them into the Greek

system to begin with. “Philanthropy and

community service have always been

important to me,” says Caitlin O’Neill ‘09,

philanthropy chair of the Pan-Hellenic

Council, the umbrella organization for

campus sororities. “It’s something that

my high school stressed and something

that I think is necessary. I think that when

a community has done so much for you,

you have to return something to it.”

The Archbishop Prendergast High

School graduate continued the habits

she learned in high school by participat-

ing in a number of service and charitable

activities and by organizing projects that

will involve not only her own sorority,

Phi Sigma Sigma, but the other houses

as well.

“We have somewhere between 130

and 150 girls involved in Greek life,” she

says. “And every house contributes to

every event we organize.”

Those events this year included

running Alex’s Lemonade Stands to

support childhood cancer research and

a series of charity drives to benefit the

Bernardine Center, a charitable ministry

in Chester run by the Franciscan order.

The center provides emergency assis-

tance to low-income Chester residents

who need help with food, clothing, or

supplies and runs spiritual outreach and

educational programs that help individuals

improve themselves, their families, and

their community.

Kaitlyn Storms ‘07, a Phi Sigma

Sigma sister who chairs the campus-wide

Greek Strategic Planning Committee,

explained that the Bernardine Center

projects sprang from a desire on the part

of committee members to do service that

From Thanksgiving dinners for low-incomeChester residents to charity drives to benefit theBernardine Center, Widener’s fraternities andsororities connect social life to social change.By Sandy Smith

would build emotional bonds between

the students and the community. The

committee, which includes representatives

from every fraternity and sorority on

campus, had originally been formed to

develop a mission statement and a written

set of visions and goals for Widener’s

Greek system. But as the planning process

evolved, Storms says, the committee

members decided that rather than just

write down what they thought Greek

life should look like in the future, they

should try out some of the ideas they

had conceived. One of those ideas was

developing a partnership with a local

charitable, civic, or service organization.

“Up to that time, our community

service projects in Chester had just been

cleanups in Sun Hill”—the residential

neighborhood just east of campus—

“and nobody was emotionally invested

in them,” she says. “We wanted to

create an emotional bond between our

philanthropic activities and the people

who participated in them. That’s where

the idea of a partnership with the

Bernardine Center came from.”

This year, that partnership took

the form of a holiday toy drive and a

Thanksgiving food drive, among other

events. “We asked every fraternity and

sorority to participate in these drives,”

Storms says. “If they couldn’t make a

food item, they contributed money.”

Even those who could only chip

in cash felt good about what they

did, though. “We were able to see the

direct connection between what we

were doing and the benefit they were

receiving at the Bernardine Center.”

That same tangible connection is

what leads many brothers and sisters to

join construction crews building houses

for Habitat for Humanity, one of the

biggest recipients of Widener Greek

largesse.

Jim Heckman ‘05, a Theta Chi brother,

participated in Habitat builds both close

to home and as far away as Tallahassee,

FL, through Widener’s campus Habitat

chapter. “A lot of fraternities and sororities

participated in these projects,” he says.

“Every house sent at least one crew”

to a Habitat build.

“Helping other people as part of a

group feels nice,” he says. “With Camp

Sunshine”—a summer camp for under-

privileged children in Glen Mills, PA,

where Widener fraternity members

cleaned up storm damage in 2006—

15

Have turkey, will travel: Widener Greeks Andrew Ehigiator, Kate Kakoda, Kaitlyn Storms, and Robert Philpot.

“the knowledge that inner-city kids would

get a chance to come out into the country

as a result of this was rewarding. But in

Habitat, you also get to meet the family

who is moving into the house.” Working

side by side with the ultimate beneficiar-

ies, he says, is one reason Habitat is such

a popular service activity among Greeks.

Greg Strom ‘64, a Theta Chi brother

as a cadet at PMC, recalls that Greek

community service has a long tradition.

“There were a lot of outreach programs

during the years of the Cadet Corps—things

like collecting food for Thanksgiving,

clothing drives. Today, they’re much more

detailed in the level of their involvement.”

Strom also notes that if anything,

the impetus to serve has only gotten

stronger as the need has grown. “I

think the world has changed,” he says.

“A lot more people feel they should get

involved.”

Yet even with the growth of service

projects and the rise of partners such as

Habitat, some things haven’t changed.

“There was a school nearby that we went

into,” Strom recalls, and Widener students

are still involved with service projects at

Smedley Middle School today.

Heckman is one of the many brothers

and sisters whose introduction to the

ethos of service came from joining the

Greek system. In his high school, he says,

he was not aware of any opportunities

for community service; that awareness

came once he joined Theta Chi and

learned how its members were expected

to give of themselves.

Reinforcement of the service ethos

comes from inside and outside of each

house. “We set out to do so much com-

munity service each semester, and we

would go out to look for opportunities,”

says Heckman. “Each national organiza-

tion asks its houses to contribute to their

community,” O’Neill says. “We could get

away with the bare minimum, but we

strive for more than that.”

The service bug can also prove to

be infectious. While Heckman was not

involved in service as a high school

student, he was involved in rugby, and

that interest was one of the reasons he

joined Theta Chi, which has a high per-

centage of rugby players in its ranks.

While the practice schedule for Widener’s

rugby team had him scheduling service

work around rugby participation,

Heckman has also found a way to com-

bine the two through his involvement

with the Media (PA) Rugby Club, a team

that encourages civic service on the part

of its members.

Cooperation among the houses

(six fraternities and three sororities) is

a major reason why there is such a

high level of community engagement

among Widener’s Greeks. Storms noted

that in addition to the Bernardine Center

partnership, the strategic planning

committee organized several other

charitable activities that drew from

every house, including an organ donor

awareness walk this past year.

“These activities have allowed us

to incorporate community involvement

more firmly into our strategic plan,” she

says. That plan, currently being “fine-

tuned,” according to Storms, has benefited

from widespread participation in both its

development and the projects themselves.

“We’ve had great success with each of

our charitable activities,” says O’Neill.

16

W

Each year, the brothers andsisters of Widener’s nine fraternities and sororitiespitch in on projects great and small that help make lifebetter for their neighbors andfriends. From clean-up daysto clothing drives and beyond,Widener’s Greek communityis deeply involved with thelarger community of which it is a part.

Just as often, however, the supportthe alums offer current brothers ismore personal. “When you’re a pledgein your fraternity, you have a ‘bigbrother’ to guide you,” says Greg Strom’64, a Theta Chi brother while a cadetat PMC. “Then when you graduate,you become like a ‘big brother’ to theactives.” Strom notes that currentbrothers regularly turn to him foradvice on careers and life after college.

“One of the fascinating things I’vefound at Widener is that the informalnetwork of support and outreach forevents is just unbelievable,” saysSamuel, who notes that it’s only natural that the support from alumniwould be more monetary in nature.“In their early 20s, people have moretime, so you will see more of a timecontribution from them. As they gointo their 30s, you will see morefinancial support.”

17

Never underestimate the power oftradition and of close personal ties tofoster engagement with the community.

For the brothers and alumni ofWidener University’s chapter of Theta Chi, those ties have enabled thefraternity to survive in both fat andlean times, and they have stimulateddeeply personal acts of generosity.

Nowhere is this latter trait moreevident than in the fundraising activi-ties the brothers and alumni engagein to support cancer research. Thesewere spurred in large part by the caseof Jeff Perhach, a Theta Chi brotherwho developed cancer in the mid-1990s. His fellow brothers formeda foundation in his name to fundresearch into squamous cell cancer,and they and their friends fund it inturn with an annual golf tournamentin New Jersey. The event has grown toattract more than 200 participants

from across the network of WidenerGreek alumni.

Fundraising is one way Theta Chialumni support the active brothers in their service work. “We’ve doneeverything from sponsor golf events to sell tickets to Phantoms and Flyersgames,” says Robert Samuel ’91, treasurer of the Theta Chi AlumniAssociation. “There’s even an eventcoming up that will bring people fromall over to Connecticut to play Yahtzee.”

That “play date” will help raisefunds for Tommy’s Gifts for Kids, acharity started when Tommy Ricci,son of Theta Chi brother Pete Ricci,developed leukemia. In response, thebrothers started a project that providestoys for children undergoing chemo-therapy at the A.I. Du Pont Hospitalin Wilmington, DE. Tommy’s alsoprovides a $1,000 scholarship toformer pediatric cancer patients.

BROTHERLY LOVEAt Widener’s Theta Chi

chapter, brotherhood lasts a lifetime.

By Miranda Craige ’07

With the first year of resident

life at Metropolitan Hall

coming to a close, the future

of on-campus housing has

arrived—and proved to be

a rousing success.

Located on the corner

of 17th and Melrose streets,

Metropolitan Hall was designed

and built in response to

student focus groups who

voiced a need for apartment-

style housing on campus.

On the fourth floor of

Metropolitan Hall, or as

the students on Widener’s

campus call it, ‘Metro,’ live

10 women experiencing a

new and different kind of

residence-hall lifestyle.

The women range in ages,

hometowns, majors, and

graduating years; however,

all have come together to

engage in a unique college

experience.

On the spur of the

moment during the lottery

housing process held on

campus last year, students

Emily Battaglia, Jillian

Panzone, Carli Saraullo, Becky

Kolodziej, Bradleigh Stearns,

Kristy Carpenter, Eleanor

Hewes, Colleen O’Sullivan,

and Kelly Kaighn decided to

try living together with their

assigned RA, Courtney

Kocher, in their “U” shaped,

eight-bedroom suite. Living

with an RA is another innova-

tive idea introduced at Metro.

RAs typically have the luxury

of living solo or with room-

mates of their own choosing.

The Metro experience chal-

lenges these conventions, too.

This unit’s set-up of three

double and five single rooms

is one of several styles of

suites available in Metro.

Regardless of size, every

suite is equipped with a

living room, dining room,

bathroom, and kitchen.

“Having to maintain the

quality of our suite on our

own has allowed us to become

more independent,” sopho-

more Kristy Carpenter notes.

Despite the inevitable

squabbles over whose turn it

is to do the dishes, these

Metro suitemates believe the

freedom and self-reliance

they’re afforded help them

overcome the difficulties

inherent in this Real World-

type living situation. In fact,

the Metro women have

taken advantage of their

close quarters to foster strong

relationships and embrace the

independence of adulthood.

To showcase their

independence—and do some

bonding at the same time—

the suitemates used the

Thanksgiving holiday as

their first opportunity to

take advantage of their

suite’s amenities. Cooking a

Thanksgiving meal for each

other and some friends and

family gave them a sense of

pride and accomplishment.

“There is no where else

on campus we would be able

to make a sit-down dinner for

our friends and family,” Hewes

says. “Metro is a place where

you can bring your parents

and not be stuck in one room

without anywhere to sit.”

The suitemates agree

that, while college is the place

to get out from underneath

their parents’ wings, inviting

them to a suite with a living

room is a great way to main-

tain family ties—but on their

own turf. Birthday parties are

a perfect example.

With streamers, balloons,

and “happy birthday” signs all

over the suite, it is obvious

that students go all out to

celebrate birthdays.

“Having a stove is great

because we can make birthday

cakes when it is someone’s

birthday,” sophomore

O’Sullivan says.

As simple as that sounds,

for many college students,

having a birthday cake is a

reminder that, although

college is their home away

from home, their special day

is not forgotten. And who

doesn’t like a birthday party?

Metropolitan Hall was

designed to incorporate a

“living and learning” compo-

nent to residence life. This

means more than simply

building a classroom inside

a residence hall. Learning has

worked its way into the living

space. Collaborating on a

Thanksgiving dinner, main-

taining the cleanliness of an

apartment, working as a team

to live with people of different

backgrounds, and surviving

the hustle and bustle of

college life are lessons not

found in the lecture hall.

“Metro is by far the

best living accommodation

on campus,” sophomore

Hewes says.

And for the students on

the fourth floor, who organize

their own Pollyanna during the

holiday season and decorate

the entire suite as a winter

wonderland, the experience

has helped them grow

into happy, self-sufficient,

confident women.

18

Their Space: A Slice of Life at the “Metro”

W

Miranda Craige ’07 is a seniorCommunications Studies studentinterning in the University Relationsdepartment.

S t u d e n t L i f e

19

By Ryan Riley ’07 and Laura Stashefski ’07

Why travel across the world to docommunity service that can be donewithin the United States? How big ofa difference can a few people make ina third-world country, where povertyis rampant?

These were the questions asked by10 Widener students who traveled toBolivia over this past winter break ona service-learning excursion. Yet, we,along with two faculty members andthe president of the university, weredevoted to immersing ourselves in acommunity whose politics, language,and culture are different than anythingwe know. We recognized the needto experience events outside of ourown comfort zones in order togrow as leaders and as concernedworld citizens.

After a year of planning, ourgroup headed to Cochabamba, Bolivia,to learn about the poorest country inSouth America and contribute to thebuilding of a schoolhouse in ruralViloma. We were greeted with atraditional Bolivian welcome our first day at the job site, complete withconfetti and hand-picked flowers fromcommunity members. We quicklylearned that, in Bolivia, personal spacedoes not exist, and everyone is greetedwith a smile, hug, and kiss. Our workon the school was rewarding butdifficult. The tools were primitive—the only electric tool was a cement

mixer. Despite the challenges, we tiled,stuccoed, built cement pillars, andpainted. During our lunches, weplayed soccer games and sharedsnacks with Bolivian children.

In our free time, the group traveled to the Cristo de Concordia,the tallest statue of Christ in theworld. We trekked up and down thesteep hills of an Incan rainforest, andconversed with remarkable Bolivianpeople in the marketplaces. As agroup, we experienced foreign politics as witnesses to a peacefulgovernment protest.

Prior to this trip, the group discussed what situations to expect ina developing country compared to theUnited States. Yet the reality of thedaily hardships Bolivians face oftenbrought us to silence: We were unableto find words to match our emotionsupon seeing the orphaned childrenand poverty-stricken communities.We were encouraged, however, bythe incredible determination of theBolivian people, who want to improvetheir communities and the overallquality of life in their country.

Reflecting on our time in Bolivia,each of us, in our own way, reachedhigher, went farther, and became abetter global citizen through thisprofoundly eye-opening experience.

20

Foreign Service

A service-learning trip

to rural Boliviaopens minds and hearts.

Top: Murals adorn the school walls inrural Bolivia.

Bottom: Eric Buzzerd ’07, gives a lift to a young friend.

S t u d e n t L i f e

W

Ryan Riley ’07 and Laura Stashefski ’07are recipients of the 2006 and 2007 John L. Geoghegan Student CitizenshipAwards, respectively.

21

Top: Alison Ostapkovich ’07 receives aformal Bolivian welcome—a kiss.

Middle: The vibrant colors of the marketplace.

Bottom: Bucolic scenery dominates thelandscape.

At right, top to bottom: Eric Buzzerd ’07,Heather Goldy ’08, and Michael Ledoux,associate dean of the Center forEducation.

22

Incessant ringing snatches me

out of my sleeping state into

the reality of a new day. I

reach over and deliver a love

tap to my alarm clock as I

double check to be sure it

really is 5 a.m. and time to

rise. As I roll over and stare at

the ceiling, I begin collecting

my thoughts for the day . . .

Tuesday . . . meetings . . .

regulatory documents . . .

class night.

Fast forward to 6 a.m., and

I’m standing at the door with

three bags: a computer bag

for work, my book bag for

school, and another containing

both lunch and dinner, since I

won’t return home until late

this evening. Balancing my

bags, I look up the stairs and

speak as only a working

mother and student could.

“I’m leaving: don’t forget it is

class night. Dinner is in the

refrigerator and is to be eaten

with vegetables. Love you . . .

have a good day and be safe.”

My son responds: “Love you,

too, but what are vegetables?”

We both laugh as I head

out the door.

I arrive at work close to

7 a.m., and before I know it,

eight-plus work hours are

complete. Driving down I-95

to Chester, I transform from

Lisa the employee to Lisa

the student.

Once on campus, I find a

quiet corner to eat my dinner

and check in with my son,

since I have arrived early for

class. My son and I compare

notes about both our days,

and then address what is the

high point of those days lately:

checking the mail for college

acceptances. No admission

letters today, but my son

expresses uncertainty about

which of the colleges he

wants to attend, if accepted.

I explain that he needs to

review the college Web sites

to see if their offerings attract

him. He hangs up—time to

conquer homework—and I

turn my attention to review-

ing my notes as a refresher

before class. I glance at the

clock. It is now 6:30 p.m. and

time to head into class. Three

hours glide by. At 9:30 p.m.,

I leave the classroom in

Kapelski Hall more enlightened

than when I walked in.

As I make my way back

home, I reflect on my day and

the conversation with my son

about college acceptances.

I need to impress upon him

the importance of finding

the “right fit”—like I did at

Widener. He, too, needs an

institution with professors

who will share their real-world

experiences, as well as the

textbook theory; a place that

encourages personal growth

and development; and pro-

grams that train students for

their careers of choice—and

not just jobs of circumstance.

Well, I am pulling in my

driveway at 10:30 p.m., and

my day as a non-traditional

student, employee, and mother

has come to an end. Until that

alarm rings again at 5 a.m.!

A Day in the Life of a Non-Traditional Student

S t u d e n t L i f e

Working, living, and learning: Just an average day for Lisa Streets.

23

Lisa Streets is a University

College student majoring in

psychology. She resides in

Delaware, where she also

works as a study delivery

associate for a major

pharmaceutical company.

She is proud mom to Tyrell

McGraw, who recently turned

18, and will attend college

in the fall.

During the Fall 2006

semester, University College

celebrated National Non-

Traditional Student Week

by holding an essay contest

on the topic, “My Most

Memorable Moment as an

Adult Student.” As the first-

place winner, Lisa was awarded

a free University College

course this spring.

Congratulations to the

other finalists, Charlene

Carter-Ross and Archie

Holsomback, who each

received a gift certificate

to the Widener Bookstore.

By Professor J. Joseph Edgette

Louise, while on herdeath bed, consoledher small dog bytelling it that eventhough her body maydie, not to fear,because her spiritwould never leave herhome. Over the past37 years, residentshave reported dogbarks coming fromLouise’s bedroom, aswell as the sound of adog’s feet, on occasion.

A couple of years ago, a Phi

Sigma Sigma sorority sister

living at the Manor House

came to me with a strange

problem. She was unable to

play a Madonna CD in her

room—the former bedroom of

Louise DeShong Woodbridge,

original owner of the house.

Following my suggestion,

she borrowed a CD of classical

music from the library and

played it “for Louise,” with

the understanding that the

house’s original owner would

not interfere when modern

music was played. It worked.

The imposing mansion

on the corner of 14th and

Potter streets has long been

known as a haunted house.

It was designed and built in

1888 by Jonathan Edwards

Woodbridge (pictured), a

naval architect and hero in

the Confederate Army. The

Louise, as named by its

inhabitants, was a wedding

gift to his new wife, Louise

DeShong Woodbridge, a well-

known and respected Chester

socialite. It would become

their home for the remainder of

their natural lives and among

the most notable in the area.

Modeled after the late

19th century English country

manor style, the building

was unique for its hand-made

brick construction. The use

of both leaded and stained

glass windows, numerous

fireplaces, and Tiffany crystal

chandeliers generated great

interest among the city’s

socially prominent families

at the turn of the century.

Louise died in her

bedroom on October 31,

1925. Her husband, Jonathan,

followed her in 1935 at the

age of 91 years. The grand

house eventually was given

to the city as a home for

young women. It was pur-

chased by the university in

the 1970s for use as a student

residence and later became

home to Phi Sigma Sigma.

According to a former

employee of the Woodbridge

family, Louise, while on her

death bed, consoled her

24

S t u d e n t L i f e

THE HAUNTED MANOR HOUSE

small dog by telling it that

even though her body may

die, not to fear, her spirit

would never leave her home.

Over the past 37 years, resi-

dents have reported barking

sounds coming from Louise’s

bedroom, as well as the

sound of a dog’s feet, on

occasion.

It is more common for

the residents to be awakened

at night by the aroma of

freshly baked breads and

pastries, and strong coffee

coming from the kitchen;

however, after following the

scent nothing is ever found.

Footsteps on the stairs, the

scent of flowers and perfume,

and the rearrangement of the

furniture in what was once

Louise’s bedroom are not

out of the ordinary.

Interviews with Manor

House residents over the

years have revealed many

interesting and unexplainable

phenomena inside the house;

however, never have they

conveyed a feeling of dread

or malevolence. So why does

Louise make her presence

known to those who live in

‘her’ house?

According to Katherine

M. Briggs, a noted scholar

and authority on the super-

natural, the reason for the

spirit’s return is a matter of

devotion. Louise always loved

the house built for her by her

adoring husband. It was their

only home throughout the

marriage. In death, Louise has

chosen to remain behind to

look after the house that was

built by love for love.

J. Joseph Edgette, professor,Center for Education, is theuniversity’s resident folklorist. Hehas a national reputation in thearea of gravestone studies andis renowned for his knowledgeof hauntings, death and dying,custom and tradition, local history,and teacher education.

The sounds of Old Main are

as much a symbol of Widener

as the dome itself.

What you may not know

is that the bells are actually

the Albie Filoreto Memorial

Carillon dedicated by friends,

faculty, and students of

Pennsylvania Military College

in March 1964. Shortly after

graduating from PMC in

August 1963, Filoreto died

at the age of 23 of aplastic

anemia, a disease that occurs

when the bone marrow stops

making enough blood-forming

stem cells.

Filoreto was quite the

big man on campus during

his days at PMC. He served

as vice president of the

Pennsylvania Student Education

Association, sophomore class

vice president, and was a

senior representative of the

class of 1963. Filoreto also

excelled as an athlete. He was

captain of the football team

as a junior in 1962, an out-

standing track star, and also

a member of the Varsity Club

and Ring Committee.

Former Widener

President Dr. Clarence Moll

called Filoreto “the most

popular and best-liked student

at PMC in the past decade,”

adding, “I think we can go

further back than that and

not find Albie’s equal.”

A plaque commemorating

Albie Filoreto and the dedica-

tion of the carillon hangs

outside the front door of Old

Main. The Albie Filoreto

Scholarship, created by

Filoreto’s classmate John

Dishaw, and his wife,

Maryann, provides financial

aid to an incoming freshman—

with preference given to a

student pursuing a degree

in the College of Arts and

Sciences.

When the original carillon

was built by Schulmerich

Carillons, Inc., of Sellersville,

PA, in 1964, it was a relatively

new technology. The instru-

ment consisted of 25 minia-

ture bronze bells which were

struck by metal hammers to

produce tones almost inaudi-

ble to the human ear. The bell

vibrations amplified through

speakers placed in the dome

of Old Main to produce full,

crisp tones that filled the

air with music.

After more than 30 years

of reliable use, the carillon

was replaced in September

1996 with a new, fully digital

unit. Four different “voices,”

including cast bells, English

bells, cast and harp bells, and

English and harp bells call

out across the campus. It can

be programmed with a selec-

tion of more than 100 songs,

ranging from the Beatles to

Rogers and Hammerstein,

from college fight songs and

patriotic tunes, to popular

holiday selections. The carillon

plays a song selection at 10

minutes before each hour,

and chimes on the hour.

25

The Bells of Widener

Snapshots of ’56

Ben Feinsod ’56 recalls hisfours years at PMC as someof the best of his life. Thesephotos and mementos arecourtesy of his personalscrapbook, now at home in thePMC Museum.

Says Feinsod of his cadetdays: “You realize what youleft with years after you left.. . . When you look back, it wasa great education. Because ofthe military, it brought togetherall types of people who mightnever have spoken, but left asfriends. When we meet, it’s like yesterday.”

1) On a class trip to Washington D.C.

Right to left: Randy Pedula, Fred Simon,

Ben, Arnold Singers, and John Sordi.

2) “In our junior year we went to General

MacMorland’s house for a picnic. We

were dismissed early to go back to

campus due to a storm. Those lined up in

this photo did not go back to campus. We

went drinking. As punishment, we were

restricted on furlough and forced to

spend the weekend on campus. So we

made our own mock Sunday parade.”

3) In front of the band barracks on

campus. Back row: Roger Drew and Ben.

Front row: Fred Simon and two friends.

4) Ben and friends in “rare form”,

mugging for the camera. He was member

the of Kappa Sigma Kappa fraternity.

26

P M C R e m e m b e re d

2

1

3

4

27

5) The Copper Beech Ball was PMC’s

annual civilian dance held in Philadelphia

each year.

6) Pamphlet from the inauguration of

General MacMorland as president of

PMC, 1954.

7) Harry Pinsky, who wrestled and played

football for PMC, has remained a close

friend of Ben’s for 50 years.

5

7

6

By Dan Hanson

During the summers between

1973 and 1979, the Philadelphia

Eagles held their summer

training camp at Widener. For

about seven weeks during

those hot summers, Widener

became the football Mecca for

championship-hungry Eagles

fans, for bright-eyed rookies,

and for grizzled National

Football League veterans

competing to don the green

and white for another year.

On the land behind Old

Main passed some of the

legends of Philadelphia

Eagles and National Football

League history—Harold

Carmichael, John Bunting,

Roman Gabriel, Bill Bergey,

Frank LeMaster, Ron Jawarski,

and Wilbert Montgomery. It

was also the proving ground

for Delaware County native

son Vince Papale, subject of

the blockbuster film Invincible.

Those years at Widener

marked a turning point in the

history of the Philadelphia

Eagles. Ironically, those same

years marked a significant

period of transition in the

history of Widener. Just

one year before the Eagles

moved their training camp

to Widener, the institution

disbanded the corps of cadets

and changed its name from

PMC Colleges (a combination

of Pennsylvania Military

College and Penn Morton

College) to Widener College.

By the time that period

ended, the Eagles were vying

for National Football League

supremacy, and Widener

would become a university.

Jim Gallagher, former

director of communications for

the Eagles, doesn’t remember

the exact reason for the Eagles’

move from Albright College

to Widener in 1973, but he

said the change in coaches

probably had something to

do with it. It was the first year

of Mike McCormack’s tenure

as Eagles coach. “A lot of

coaches just like to move for

the sake of moving,” Gallagher

said. “Because it’s a new

regime, and they usually

don’t want anything to do

with the old regime.”

Whatever reason for their

move to Chester, the Eagles

caused quite a buzz among

the faculty and staff at

Widener at the time. Peg

Boyles, business manager in

the Athletic Department since

1978 and a diehard Eagles fan,

remembers taking her two

children, Annmarie and Tom,

to practices. They would sit in

the stands and watch players

such as Roman Gabriel and

Bill Bergey ready themselves

for the season ahead. “They

were always very good with

everyone,” Boyles said of the

players’ attitude toward the

fans. “One of the players,

Gary Webb, asked my son

to be the ringbearer at his

wedding, and we kept in touch

with him over the years.”

As a teenager, Martin

Goldstein, professor of

government and politics at

Widener since 1968, dreamed

of becoming an All American

athlete. “I only lacked one

thing—talent,” Goldstein

quipped. “I used to watch

the Eagles practice, and I was

28

It was arguably the toughest courseever taught in thehistory of WidenerUniversity. Studentsliterally gave theirblood, sweat, andtears to even havea chance to takethe final exam. Itwas NFL 101, andit was taught by thePhiladelphia Eagles.

The 1976 Eagles featured Delaware County’s own Vince Papale (#83, circled above).

TRAINING DAYS: In the ’70s, Widener was home turf for Eagles summer camp.

totally envious of those guys

—they were big, strong, and

fast. For football fans, it was

terribly exciting.”

According to Gallagher,

the Eagles had a similar

admiration for the Widener

faculty and staff. “I remember

the people in particular,”

Gallagher said of the Widener

employees. “They were so

nice and pleasant and glad to

have us there. They made us

feel comfortable and welcome.”

Despite the new coach,

new talent, and new training

facilities at Widener, the

Eagles’ changes did not

translate into a winning record

during the 1973 season, or

the next season, or the next.

While the Eagles were

struggling, Widener football

was experiencing its glory

years. Billy “White Shoes”

Johnson was in his senior

year in 1973, and Widener

won its first of two national

titles in 1977. “Our players

used to say that the Eagles

got more media attention

than we did, but that we were

better than they were,” said

Bill Manlove, who coached

the football team at Widener

from 1969 to 1991.

According to Manlove,

after practice one day during

Johnson’s senior season, some

of the Eagles players recog-

nized Johnson walking with

some other Widener players.

“One of the Eagles players

said, ‘So you’re Billy Johnson,

I hear you’re pretty fast. You

want to race?’ Well, our players

walking with Billy couldn’t

reach for their wallets fast

enough. They wanted a piece

of the action,” Manlove said.

“The one who challenged

Billy to race said that he was

just kidding, but I think he

was a little put off by how

quickly our guys reached

for their wallets.”

After the 1975 season,

the Eagles relieved Mike

McCormack of his coaching

duties and hired Dick Vermeil,

a young college coach with no

previous NFL head coaching

experience. It was during

Vermeil’s first season that

30-year-old Vince Papale

decided to try out for the

Eagles. Papale grew up in

the area around Widener. His

father, Frank “Kingie” Papale,

worked at the Westinghouse

Plant in Tinicum, and his aunt

and uncle used to live across

the street from the campus

when it was Pennsylvania

Military College.

29

“Widener was always

special to me,” Papale said.

“Having camp at Widener was

a tremendous advantage for

me. Every time I would catch

a pass, I would run 30 or 40

yards down field, and everyone

would go nuts. Vermeil would

turn around and wonder what

was going on. He didn’t real-

ize that everyone in the

stands were people from

Westinghouse and Interboro

High School and my friends

from the neighborhood.”

The Eagles had a losing

record in Vermeil’s first two

seasons, winning only nine

games over that stretch. In

1978, however, the Eagles

went 9-7, completing only

their second winning season

since 1961.

In 1979, the Eagles

continued their winning ways

with an 11-5 record and a

victory over the Chicago

Bears in the first round of

the playoffs. Prior to the

1980 season, however, the

Eagles decided to move

their summer camp to West

Chester University, thus

ending their seven-year

relationship with Widener.

Widener had come a

long way in those seven

years. The college obtained

the Delaware Law School

in 1975, and opened the

Delaware Campus in 1976 as

the result of a merger with

Brandywine Junior College.

In 1979, Widener achieved

university status and changed

its name to Widener University.

The Eagles weren’t the

same team they were when

they arrived at Widener in

1973, and Widener wasn’t the

same institution. Both had

grown, and both were ready

to write new chapters in their

storied histories. W

S t u d e n t L i f e

You never know wherelife is going to take you.December ’06 grad LinseyPoletti is living proof of that.

This young womanfrom nearby Media, PA,made her mark in theSchool of HospitalityManagement by capitalizingon internships and co-opopportunities—from study-abroad programs in Switzer-land and Italy to jobs withpro sports teams. In school,she enjoyed the camaraderieof preparing elaborate sit-down dinners at the HeintzDining Room. Yet Polettinever dreamed she’d wind upin the food service industry.

Now, thanks to her co-ops, extensive networking,and some prodding fromProfessor Joy Dickerson,Poletti has changed teamsand hometowns. Through anon-credit internship withthe Philadelphia Flyers andSixers at Comcast-Spectacor,she met Widener alum JoeCarpinella, general managerat Chickie’s & Pete’s SouthPhilly stadium location.Poletti interned there asa management traineefor Aramark, which runsthe restaurant.

That job opened evenmore doors with Aramarkand took Poletti to Baltimore.“I told them what I wantedto do in the future, andthey knew that sales fit mebest,” she explains. “So theygot me in the sales office

for an internship at OriolePark and then I moved overto Ravens Stadium for myco-op. I interviewed withHR and District ManagerKevin Kenney, anotherWidener grad. Kevin is thereason I am here. He reallytook risks to get me here.”

It’s been a real win forPoletti, as her co-op turnedinto a full-time job. Shesplits time between CamdenYards and M&T BankStadium, where she workswith the sales manager tocater 33 hospitality tentsoutside the stadium on anygiven Sunday.

Poletti credits Widenerfaculty for providing supportand networking oppor-tunities. “They look out foreverybody’s best interests,”she says. “Every professormade time for me. Whetherthey’re helping you networkwith alumni or keeping intouch with companies,they’re always willing to help.”

Her long-term goal isto become a meeting andconvention planner, organ-izing corporate retreats,bonus travel, and golfoutings. And after winningan all-expenses paid trip tothe Professional Conventionand Management Associa-tion (PCMA) conferencein Toronto last year, Polettiis well on her way to ahome-run career.

30

THIS IS HER HOUSEA l u m n i P ro f i l e

W

Home-run hitter: Linsey at Camden Yards.

S HER HOUSE LINSEY POLETTI ’06 PARLAYED CO-OP SUCCESS INTO THE BIG LEAGUES.

Brian Tierney, the man who made James

Earl Jones the voice of Verizon, would

like The Philadelphia Inquirer to get its

voice back too. And as chairman and

chief executive officer of Philadelphia

Media Holdings and publisher of the

Inquirer, he is now in a position to

make that happen.

Tierney is the public face of the

group of local investors that purchased

the Inquirer and its sister paper, the

Philadelphia Daily News, from the

McClatchy Company for $515 million

last summer. “My family has read the

Inquirer for three generations,” he says,

so he is familiar with both its past and its

present. And if the Inquirer can regain a

sense of purpose, he said in an interview

not long after the sale, it could have a

future as great as its past.

Tierney offers the Daily News as

an example of what he meant when he

spoke of the paper finding its voice. “The

Daily News has a clear sense of what it is

and what it wants to be,” he says. “The

Inquirer, which is still a terrific paper,

sometimes has some uncertainty about

what it is and what it wants to do.

“It’s like seeing an old friend who

keeps changing the part in her hair every

so often.”

Running Philadelphia Newspapers,

Inc., which is still the region’s dominant

news organization, has required Tierney

to use both the right-brain creativity he

acquired in the course of a career in

advertising and public relations and

the left-brain rigor he developed while

studying law at Widener.

He embarked on both his PR career

and his legal studies at about the same

time, not long after graduating from the

University of Pennsylvania in 1979.

“When I first got out of college, I was

going to go right into law school, but I

decided I wanted to try other things first,”

he says.

So he started a public relations firm,

in his words, “as a day job to pay my

bills while I worked my way through law

school. Here I was, going to be a lawyer,

and I had a family and bills to pay, so

I started the PR firm thinking it was

32

Hometown BoyMakes NewsRunning The Philadelphia Inquirerand Daily News is a labor of love for Brian Tierney ’87L.By Sandy Smith

PH

OT

O: M

IKE

ME

RG

EN

, NE

W Y

OR

K T

IME

S

something I would do while I studied to

become a lawyer. But the firm took off; it

became really successful.”

The success didn’t stop him from

enrolling in law school anyway. Brian

followed his older brother Kevin ‘82L

to Widener Law, where he would be

followed by his younger brother,

Michael ‘93L.

The law school years were a hectic

time for Tierney. “I was dealing with

major clients during the day, then

jumping in my car and driving down to

law school at night,” he recalls. “I knew

that I wasn’t going to practice law, but

I found it stimulating still. It was some-

thing that I thought would be useful,

and it has proved a useful tool as a

businessperson to have the law degree.”

When asked to provide examples, he

continues, “I think it’s helpful in negotia-

tions, obviously. But what is particularly

helpful for me is on the creative side.

“Many times, creativity is about

connecting things in illogical ways, seeing

patterns that aren’t necessarily obvious

at first glance. Law tends to build on

logic—this leads to this leads to that—

and that has made me successful as a

businessperson.

“I also enjoyed the intellectual

stimulation that law school offered.

I found sitting in constitutional law

get the papers back on a growth trajectory.

In a recent interview, he described

some of the underbrush he had to clear.

“We bought a company with a lot of

challenges that was owned by one of

the worst-run media companies in the

country,” he said.“Part of the problem was

the labor contracts. Fortune magazine

described them in December as the

most archaic contracts of any in the

United States.

“But with a lot of conversation,

working in partnership with our unions,

we were able to change just about every

work rule we wanted to change. . . . What I

learned in law school was that negotiating

is not about splitting the difference,” he

said. “The end result has to be some-

thing that works for both sides.” While

Tierney was not directly involved in the

labor negotiations, the negotiating team

he assembled kept this in mind.

Tierney has also put muscle back

into the papers’ marketing efforts, which

have already begun to produce results.

“In November and December, Inquirercirculation was up for the first time in

two years. Daily News circulation was up

for the first time in four years”—a stark

contrast to the papers’ recent perform-

ance under Knight Ridder management.

It’s all in keeping with the ultimate goal

of becoming the region’s preeminent news

source. “The goal of an enterprise is to

grow, to serve the community, and to hire

the right people to do the job,” he said.

classes almost a tonic after the end

of a long day.”

Tierney offered praise for his

Widener Law instructors. “I had some

terrific professors when I was at Widener,”

he says. “I can honestly say that the

professors I had at Widener were on a

caliber with those I had at Penn.

“There was Ruth Gansky, who taught

me contracts and procurement issues;

Chuck Peruto on criminal law; Fairfax

Leary, a constitutional law professor who

had taught at Penn; and the real-world

folks who were members of the Delaware

Supreme Court—a real strong group of

professors.”

The recent drama surrounding

negotiations with the newspapers’

unions and the layoffs of some 70

Inquirer reporters have not dampened

his enthusiasm nor deflected him from

his goal of restoring the paper to promi-

nence. “We want to be in a position

where a year or two from now, if you

ask someone, ‘What is the best media

company in serving its community?’ they

will say, ‘You ought to go to Philadelphia

and check out what they’re doing there.’”

He is also well aware of the role the

Inquirer and Daily News play in setting

the region’s news agenda. Tierney and

his partners have received tons of e-mail

from readers and professionals and

have conducted both focus groups

and informal discussions to learn how

Philadelphians view the papers. “. . . One

thing that comes through is that this is

the most important media site for the

region,” he says of the papers and their

joint Web site, philly.com.

“There’s great affection for the

product,” he notes. “And there’s a lot

of pride in the fact that in Philadelphia,

we’ve been able to do something that no

one else has been able to do, and that’s

have local control of the papers again.

“The New York Times and the national

media are talking about the Philadelphia

experiment. We’ve had people calling in

from other cities—L.A., Baltimore—asking

about what we’re up to.”

It’s definitely a high-wire act, and

so far, Tierney has managed to keep his

balance on the tightrope as he works to

A l u m n i P ro f i l e

W

33

“I had some terrificprofessors when I wasat Widener,” he says.“I can honestly saythat the professors Ihad at Widener wereon a caliber with thoseI had at Penn.”

“I also enjoyed theintellectual stimulationthat law school offered.I found sitting inconstitutional lawclasses almost a tonicafter the end of a long day.”

From Iraq, With Love

They say all’s fair in loveand war. But when Iraqibroadcaster ButhainaHawas-Neveln and Dr. Bob Neveln met inthe course of their jobs,they never dreamed they’dbe spending the rest oftheir lives together.Buthaina was a television commentator

in Iraq for an English news program

before the war. As a broadcaster for

the national Iraqi television station,

Buthaina’s job involved meeting foreign

delegations and interviewing the visitors.

In January 2003, Buthaina met

Widener’s Neveln, an associate professor

of mathematics and computer science.

He was in Baghdad as part of an

“Academics for Peace” delegation that

aimed to mobilize public opinion against

the war. “I was impressed with Bob and

with all the members of the delegation

because they sympathized with our

country,” Buthaina recalls.

Although Academics for Peace spent

only four days in Baghdad, Buthaina kept

in touch with members of the delegation.

“She sent letters about what it was like

expecting the bombs to come and then

what it was like afterwards,” Neveln says.

“I got about six or seven letters from

Buthaina.” Of the 11 letters he sent to

her, only two got through.

Back in the States, Neveln decided

to propose. In June, he returned to Iraq

with “Academics for Peace”, but he also

had another motive. He brought an

engagement ring to propose to Buthaina.

But first, he had to find her. “Iraqi

addresses are like a series of zip codes;

they aren’t street addresses,” he explains.

Neveln enlisted the help of a

colleague to translate, and embarked on

his quest, neighborhood by neighborhood.

“We would get out of the cab, do some

small talk, and ask if people knew her

family,” he says. After several inquiries,

he made his way to Buthaina’s neighbor-

hood. “From there we could telephone,”

Neveln says. When the translator got

through to Buthaina’s house, she spoke

to Buthaina’s brother, who said simply:

“There are some foreigners here to see

you.” Thinking this meant an English

woman who was a close friend, Buthaina

was shocked to find Neveln at the door

instead.

After accepting his proposal,

Buthaina had to get out of Iraq to Jordan

and try to get a visa to enter the United

States. In the process, she encountered

the first Fellujah battle, and then her bus

broke down near the Jordanian border.

“The Jordanians did not want to let any

Iraqis over the border,” she recalls, “but

when they saw that I had an appointment

at the U.S. Embassy, they let me through.”

The embassy granted Buthaina a

visa; Bob and Buthaina wed in Jordan.

“We had a little marriage ceremony in

Amman and two more back here,”

Neveln says.

Back in Chester, Bob and Buthaina

settled down to married life. Their son,

Ibraheem, was born in December 2005.

Buthaina plans to become a U.S. citizen.

In the meantime, she is studying

communications part-time at Widener.

“I am learning video production and

editing here,” she says. “This is some-

thing that I didn’t do in Iraq. I want to

understand everything that’s involved

in producing broadcast programs.”

She also enjoys the freedom to choose

her own courses. In Iraqi universities,

Buthaina notes, “you take a series of

set courses—you don’t get a choice.”

“She sent letters aboutwhat it was like expectingthe bombs to come andthen what it was likeafterwards.”

34

35

Ken and Nancy Miller, both graduates

of Widener University, belong to a very

special donor club, The Widener Legacy

Society (formerly the Heritage Forum).

This club is comprised of alumni and

friends of the university who have pro-

vided for Widener in their estate plans

through a planned gift or bequest. These

gifts may be in the form of a scholarship,

an endowed chair, or may be as simple

as a gift to the university’s endowment.

By making these very important and

meaningful gifts, the Millers and other

members of the Widener Legacy Society

have created their own legacy while also

bolstering the future of Widener University

and its students. While each member has

different reasons for making gifts of this

kind, Ken and Nancy base their gift on

their personal experiences at Widener

and the opportunities they received as

a result of their Widener education.

The Millers have been faithful and

consistent supporters of Widener for

over 18 years! They began giving to the

Widener Fund upon their graduation. Ken

and Nancy wanted to make sure future

students had access to the same

opportunities and resources that they

received. It was also important to the

Millers that their giving reflect their

personal values.

Six years ago, Ken and Nancy began

planning their estate and decided to

leave a bequest in their will to Widener

in the form of an undergraduate scholar-

ship. As they planned, they reflected on

their life together and how they had been

impacted by their Widener experiences.

As a physics major, Ken has fond

memories of professors Steven Adams

and Lawrence Panek, who in Ken’s words,

“were helpful fitting a square peg in a

round hole.” Ken was grateful to both his

employer and the faculty at Widener for

the flexibility that he was given to work

full time and attend class. He graduated

with a degree in physics in 1988, and

from the start of his career, was involved

with entrepreneurial companies at the

verge of the tech boom. Ken spent most

of the ’90s with the same company and

in 2001 began working with Fijitsu. He

happily retired in 2002 at the age of 48.

Nancy was also a non-traditional

student and attended classes at night

through University College while she was

working full time in human resources at

CoreStates bank. She remembers having

an excellent mix of professors from both

academia and those working in the field.

She recalls, “the quality of professors

was amazing, and they brought real-life

scenarios into the classroom.”

After graduating in 1984 with a

degree in management, Nancy wanted

to continue her education and was con-

templating an MBA or a law degree. She

decided to enroll at Widener Law. Nancy

received her JD in 1988, passed the bar

exam, and is a licensed attorney,

although she chose not to practice.

She explains that her law degree

has assisted in her current position in

compensation, specializing in mergers

and acquisitions as a vice president of

compensation for global markets with

JP Morgan.

Both Ken and Nancy believe they

have achieved a great deal in life partly

due to their Widener education. What

better way to honor their experiences

than to give back to Widener.

During their time at Widener, Ken

and Nancy struggled to make ends meet

between work and school. They believe

that early sacrifices have paid off, and

they wanted to make a gift that would

give students in need some of the oppor-

tunities that they had. Ken and Nancy

both felt this gift was an appropriate

solution and the bequest fit their needs.

They have also made bequests in their

will for other charities whose missions

align with their own values.

Today, the Millers are impressed

with Widener’s mission, especially the

emphasis on community involvement.

They appreciate its culture and believe

people from all walks of life can be

comfortable on campus and in

the classroom.

Ken and Nancy remind us that

Widener offers many ways to make a

planned gift. No matter how big or small,

it will ensure that future generations of

Widener students continue to receive an

outstanding educational experience.

If you would like to be included as amember of the Widener Legacy Society,or if you would like information aboutmaking a planned gift or the PlannedGiving program at Widener, pleasecontact Catherine DeHart, associatedirector of development at 610-499-1158, email [email protected], or visit our Web site atwww.widener.edu/alumni/donor.asp.

Please watch for more Widener LegacySociety profiles in future issues of theWidener Magazine.

P ro f i l e s i n G i v i n gWhat is Your Legacy?Ken ’88 and Nancy ’84 & ’88L Miller

The Widener Legacy Society

All in the FamilyFor Brad Barry ’85G, the Widener experience linksclassroom, colleagues, and community to providehealthcare services for thousands of families.

Brad Barry is the CEO of Child

Guidance Resource Centers

(CGRC), a private, non-profit,

community behavioral health-

care organization dedicated

to providing quality care

and educational services to

meet the needs of children,

youth, and their families in

the tri-state area.

Through an array of

clinical services, CGRC serves

some 4,000 children and

families through 25 different

programs. CGRC comprises

150 full-time and 100 part-time

employees, plus seasonal

staff hired for its major

summer programs. As part

of the organization’s 50th

anniversary last year, CGRC

unveiled a new 40,000-

square-foot headquarters

in Havertown, PA.

Barry was an experienced

hospital CFO with a master’s

in taxation when he joined

Widener’s Master’s in Health

Administration program in

the early ‘80s. At the time,

he says, it was the only fully

accredited health administra-

tion graduate program in

the country. For three years,

Barry attended night classes

after putting in long days at

the hospital. He also spent in

his required internship, where

he planned and implemented

a psychiatric services joint

venture for three hospitals.

His Widener connections,

particularly Dr. Larry Walker,

brought him to CGRC. In the

late ‘90s, Walker served on

the board and brought in five

Widener graduates to join the

board and help revitalize the

organization.

Barry served as a board

member from 1997-2000,

including a stint as chairman

in ‘99. He joined the CGRC

executive staff as CFO in 2000

and became CEO in 2004.

Three of those fellow grads

are still on the board, and

Barry is proud of the lifelong

36

Brad Barry

A l u m n i P ro f i l e

connections he has formed

through Widener.

“Widener broadened

my horizons and did a good

job of preparing me for the

myriad challenges I face on

a daily basis. In the MHA

program, I gained insight into

the viewpoints of my peers,

and learned to speak the same

language as they do, which

has helped me in my role as

a change agent in a large

service-based organization.”

CGRC is a training site

for Widener, with two PsyD

interns, five PsyD practicum

students, and at any one

time, two social work student

interns. Clinical director for

outpatient services, Dr. Brad

Richardson, is a Widener

alumnus. Two active board

members, Merv Harris and

Don Ainsworth, are graduates

of PMC. New board member

Cecilia M. McCormick, Esq.,

is executive director of

the office of the president

at Widener.

For more information about

CGRC and its services, go to

www.cgrc.org.

“Widener broadenedmy horizons anddid a good job ofpreparing me for themyriad challenges Iface on a daily basis.”

37

Widener Planned GivingSeasons change, but a gift to Widener

provides lasting benefits for you and your family.

Discover how making a gift to Widenerthrough your will or estate plan willleave a legacy and reduce your taxes.For more information on the benefits of planned giving, callCatherine DeHart, associate director of development at 610-499-1158 or email [email protected].

www.widener.edu

Sue

Gal

eone

’07

Class of 1952Samuel Martorana, BS,

Electrical Engineering, has

been working with Divine

Providence Village (DPV),

a residential home for

women with disabilities, in

Springfield, PA, for years.

This has led him to his real

passion: music. Through one

of his co-workers, he was

invited to join the Knights of

Columbus De LaSalle String

Band and Orchestra, and he

is also a member of Retired

Senior Volunteer Performers

band and orchestra.

Class of 1954Robert Pierpont, BS,

Economics, reports that the

class of 1954 has stepped up

its reunions from every five

years to every year. At the

suggestion of Blair Law and

with the help of Andy and

Marva Velichko, they started

with a 49th anniversary

reunion in Orlando to get

ready for their 50th on

campus. They celebrated their

51st with a small turnout in

the face of Hurricane Wilma

last year, and this year, 13

alumni gathered on Fort Myers

Beach in Florida with 10

spouses or friends. Planning

is underway for next year.

Class of 1963David Hill, BS, Economics,

and wife, Nancy, retired to

their retirement home in the

mountains of Southwestern

Virginia. It is a bittersweet

time having lost their

daughter, Kimberly, to cancer

many months ago. If any

classmates are in the area,

the Hills would like to have

them stop for a visit.

Joseph Lynch, BS,

Management, is now retired

and spending his time travel-

ing through the United States

and Europe with his wife of

53 years, Ethel. He is enjoying

the good life in Vero Beach, FL.

Class of 1964Nicholas Trainer, BS,

Chemistry, has retired from

Sartomer Company as presi-

dent of specialty chemicals.

Class of 1965Max Gayer, BS, Economics,

says, “congratulations to our

children Drs. Harvey and Julie

Elizabeth Gayer on the birth

of our first grandson, Jake, in

Athens, GA. Jake joins sisters

Amy and Ellie. Also to Stephen

Kris and my daughter, Julie

Karen (both of Manhattan), on

their engagement, and to Erik

on his appointment to Kitchen

Designer at Lowe’s.”

John Newell, BA,

Government and Politics,

is enjoying retirement in his

beloved Republic of Texas and

is looking for his college room-

mate Tony Barker ‘65. To get

in touch, you can email him

at [email protected].

William Stevens, BS,

Accounting, has retired from

the world of commercial

banking and is now a full-

time coordinator of referees

for three NCAA leagues:

the Atlantic 10 Conference,

the Patriot League, and the

Ivy League.

Class of 1966Walter Hempel, BS,

Economics, has joined

CENTRA Technology Inc. in

Burlington, MA, where he is

working as a principal security

specialist after a year of

lecturing at the State

Department on “Terrorist

Travel Tactics.”

Class of 1970Howard Medoff, MS,

Engineering, is an associate

professor of engineering

at the Pennsylvania State

University in Abington, PA,

and has been elected chair-

man of ASTM International

Committee F13 on Pedestrian/

Walkway Safety and Footwear,

which is responsible for 14

standards published in the

Annual Book of ASTMStandards.

Class of 1972William Speer, BA, History,

has retired from teaching

after 32 years and has taken

a job working for Janus

Research Group in Augusta,

GA. He is working for the

US Army Signal Center,

researching and writing the

signal history in the Global

War on Terror.

Andrew Urban, BA, History,

has been working as a

municipal finance advisor to

Indonesian local governments

under a US Agency for

International Development

(USAID) contract since March

2005. Andrew and his family

reside in Jakarta, Indonesia;

his son, Sam, is in the sixth

grade at the Jakarta

International School. They

will return to their home in

Connecticut in July of 2007.

C l a s s N o t e s

38

Below: PMC Class of 1954’s52nd Reunion at Ft. MyersBeach, FL, Nov. 4-7, 2006.From left to right: AndyVelichko, Blair Law, MaryLaw, Marva Velichko, BobPierpont, Marion Pierpont, Al Hilkene, Joan Dubovick,Barry McDermott, MarieMcDermott, Rich Dubovick,Walt Leidig; seated, L to R:Marge Tomasko, Marie Jost,Gaston Jost.

Below, right: Bob Azzolin ‘54explains the equipment at the helm of his yacht, Kismet,to Marge Tomasko, WaltLeidig, and Fred Masino.

William, Thomas, Government

and Politics, is a Senior

Internal Auditor at Harrah’s

Entertainment in Las Vegas,

NV. Harrah’s is the world’s

largest provider of branded

casino entertainment.

Class of 1973Terry Bogorad (Snyder), BA,

Behavioral Science, wrote a

book tilted The Importance ofCivility, which is currently in

bookstores and is about how

who we are as social beings

and how we interact affects

us as individuals and the

communities we are a part of.

William R. Stephens, BA,

History, married Georgellen

Burnett at the Memorial Chapel

at Fort Leavenworth (COL Nick

Marcella ‘75 attended), then

moved west to Makakilo,

Hawaii. Classmates and

friends are welcome; contact

him at Headquarters,

USARPAC DCS-G2-Ops,

Fort Shafter, HI 96858-5100.

Stephens also sees his old

roommate and fellow

Arizonan from “Rook-Year”

Tim Brady ‘74 in Huntsville,

AL, frequently.

Class of 1974Joseph Janus, AS, Science

Undecided, has earned a

paralegal certificate from

Beckfield College in

Florence, KY.

Class of 1976Maureen Holloway-Colon, BA,

Sociology, is the director of

education and military training

at Elmendorf Air Force Base

in Alaska.

Class of 1977Robert Wicks, PsyD, Clinical

Psychology, is a professor at

Loyola College in Maryland.

He is the author of several

books including OvercomingSecondary Stress in Medicaland Nursing Practice: A Guideto Professional Resilience andPersonal Well Being and

Riding the Dragon.

Class of 1978Patricia Davis (Keeth), BS,

Management, is the assistant

controller for Emory Hill Real

Estate Services, Inc., in New

Castle, DE.

Milton Jacobson, Psy D,

reports: I’m on this side of the

grass! Hello Dear Classmates

Ed Schillinger, Linda Valentini,

et al. I’m retired from teaching

and therapizing, but busier

than ever.

Class of 1981Douglas Cooney, BS,

Engineering, and his wife,

Tonamarie Perez-Cooney ‘81,

have relocated to Katy, Texas,

with their children Olivia, 16,

and Joseph, 12. Doug is a

project engineer for the new

offices of STV Engineering in

Houston. Tona continues to

be employed by Allstate

Insurance. And they’re still

Eagles fans!

James Custer, BS,

Management, moved from

Manassas, VA, to Grayson,

GA, in September 2006. This

move was a result of the

merger of the May Co. with

Federated Department Stores.

Jim had worked for Hecht‘s

Department Store as Manager

of Transportation in

Washington, DC. He is now

a Black Belt—Six Sigma for

the Transportation & Logistics

Operations Division of

Federated Department

Stores, which is located

in Atlanta.

Class 0f 1982Frances Fox (McAvoy), BS,

Nursing, is a franchise owner

of Home Instead Senior Care

in Mt. Laurel, NJ. Her busi-

ness hires home caregivers

for seniors to help keep them

independent.

Class of 1984John McAnlis, MBA, Health

Admin, was appointed

director of planned giving

at Princeton Theological

Seminary in Princeton, NJ.

Gerald Montella, JD, a court

administrator of the Delaware

County Court of Common

Pleas, has received an

Everyday Leader Award

from the Pennsylvania Bar

Association for his work help-

ing organizations in need.

Robert Schwarz, PsyD,

Clinical Psychology

(Hahnemann), published a

book, Tools for TransformingTrauma, in 2002. The book

is available from Brunner-

Rutledge. Robert continues

his private practice in

Haverford, PA, in addition

39

Tell usWho are you now?

Where are you now?

Send your own class note

to Meghan Radosh at

[email protected].

2007 HomecomingReunion WeekendOctober 6-8, 2007

We welcome all reunion classes:

the Golden Class of 1957,

the Silver Class of 1982,

and the classes of 1952, 1957, 1962, 1967, 1972, 1977, 1982, 1987,

1992, 1997, 2002, and 2007.

n Class Reunion Dinners

n Homecoming Luncheon

n Football Game

n Young Alumni Events

n Reunion Brunch

n School Receptions

n PMC Museum Open House

n Affinity Group Reunions

For more information, check out our Web site at

www.widener.edu/alumni

or call the Alumni Engagement Office at

610-499-1154.

to providing gender commu-

nication trainings to various

businesses and associations,

including the CIA and US

Forest Service. Robert is

currently writing a popular

book on the power of play

in relationships.

Class of 1985Welton Chase, BS, Electrical

Engineering, changed com-

mand of the 501st Special

Troops Battalion, 101st

Airborne Division (Air

Assault) at Fort Campbell, KY,

on Dec. 12, 2006. LTC Chase

has been assigned to the

101st Airborne Division since

May of 2003 and has com-

manded both the Special

Troops Battalion and the 501st

Signal Battalion, leading both

to combat in Iraq. LTC Chase

was also recently selected

for the Army’s Senior Service

College and promotion to

Colonel.

Philip Hursh, BS, Civil

Engineering, is the director of

transportation for Consul-Tech

Transportation, Inc., in Florida.

Richard Kirk, BA, History,

is stationed in Little Rock,

AR, and would like to

hear from his classmates.

They can email him at

[email protected].

Ronald Nossek, BS,

Accounting, was recently

appointed to serve as the

chair of the Governmental

Accounting and Auditing

Committee for The

Connecticut Society of

Certified Public Accountants

(CSCPA)’s 2006-2007 activity

year. He has also served

CSCPA as a member of the

Legal Relations & Services

Committee and holds

membership in the American

Institute of CPAs (AICPA).

Class of 1987Jeffrey Atkinson, BS, has

retired and sold his company

Invisible Fence of Chicago

and moved to North Carolina.

Class of 1988Patricia Kleven, PsyD, Clinical

Psychology, currently serves

as the director of outpatient

services at the Belmont

Center, where she has recently

initiated a comprehensive

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

Program.

Wayne Satten, PsyD, Clinical

Psychology, is in private

practice in Tucson, AZ, where

his specialties include work in

military settings.

Class of 1989Michelle Hayes (Brogan), BS,

Accounting, was named first

vice president of The Family

and Community Service of

Delaware County, last summer.

Susan Lorenz (Garzon), MS,

Critical Care, is vice president

of patient services at

Princeton HealthCare System.

Michele Steinberg, PsyD,

Clinical Psychology, is in pri-

vate practice on Long Island

where her specialties include

gerontology, bereavement,

and psychospirituality.

Class of 1990Joyce Baugh (Pollock), BS,

Accounting, received her

MBA from Rowan University

in May 2006.

Barry Jacobs, PsyD, Clinical

Psychology, has specialized

in medical family therapy,

integrated primary care, and

behavioral sciences in medi-

cine. He has served as a

faculty member of the Crozer-

Keystone Family Medicine

Residency Program for the

past 11 years. In addition to

five book chapters and over

25 published articles, Barry

authored his first book, TheEmotional Survival Guide forCaregivers: Looking AfterYourself and Your FamilyWhile Helping an AgingParent, published in June

2006 by Guilford.

Joan Lavender, PsyD, Clinical

Psychology, past Fellow of

the Post Doctoral Program

for Psychotherapy Research at

the State University of New

York, and graduate of the

Institute for Contemporary

Psychotherapy, is a practicing

psychologist in the New York

area as well as an associate

of the Bartky HealthCare

Center in Livingston, NJ.

Joan has over 30 years of

experience in psychotherapy,

specializing in women’s

issues, eating disorders,

depression, and anxiety.

Information on Dr. Lavender’s

practice can be found at

www.joanlavender.com.

40

C l a s s N o t e s

Welton Chase ‘87 passing the battalion colors.

Delta Phi Epsilon Class of 1990 at their annual summer girls weekend. Pictured: Joanne (Sullivan) Badger, Gretchen (Book) Plechner, Michelle (Minichino) Lombardi, Rene (Lillicrapp) Campo, Marissa Duffy, Marcy (Nave)McFarland, and Barri (Berlin) Spitzer.

Joanne Sullivan-Badger, BA,

Government and Politics,

celebrated her annual July

Girls Weekend ’06, a get-

together of her classmates

who are Delta Phi Epsilon

sorority sisters. They were in

Avalon, NJ, this past July and

have been getting together

for a girls-only reunion every

summer for the past four

summers.

David Wascavage, BS,

Mechanical Engineering, is

a process engineer for JP

Morgan Chase.

Mary Wascavage (Bonavita),

BA, Media Studies, is a

director of Public Relations

for Taylor Hospital and

Delaware County Memorial

Hospital, members of the

Crozer-Keystone Health

System.

Christine White, MEd, Graduate

Education, was named

assistant principal at Marple

Newtown High School.

Francine Zampaglione, BS,

Accounting, is director of

professional education at

the Pennsylvania Institute of

Certified Public Accountants

and has received the 2006

Distinguished Accounting

Alumnus Award from Widener

University.

Class of 1991Nadine Barnes (Rotondo), BS,

Social Work, and husband,

Kevin Barnes ‘81, ‘85L, reside

in Ocean City, NJ.

Brian Jones, BS, Hotel &

Restaurant Management,

former Resident Assistant,

Graduate Assistant, and

Director of Housing and

Residence Life, was recently

promoted to Major in August,

2005, United States Army

Reserve.

In June, Brian returned from

an 18-month mobilization in

the Army at the United States

Transportation Command,

Scott Air Force Base, IL.

During his tenure at

USTRANSCOM, Brian was

responsible for creating and

41

implementing world-class

global deployment and

distribution solutions in

support of the President,

Secretary of Defense, and

Combatant Commanders-

assigned missions.

Brian also supported cargo

and sustainment to U.S.

warfighters in Iraq and

Afghanistan, and played an

active role in the Tsunami/

Pakistan earthquake relief

efforts.

Brian is most proud of his

efforts in coordinating relief

and supplies to the Hurricane

Katrina evacuees. He lives in

Marietta, GA, with his wife

Tamika, son Tyler, and

daughter Leah, and is

employed as a human

resources manager for

MetroPCS.

Class of 1992Angelo Fatiga, BS, Civil

Engineering, has been named

environmental division man-

ager for Pennoni Associate’s

Wilmington Office.

Kristin McJunkins, BS,

Management, relocated to

New Haven, CT, and is the

associate director of health

programs at the Yale Under-

graduate Career Services.

Class of 1993Richard Borgerson, BS,

Management, is the senior

vice president and relation-

ship manager for government

banking at Citizens Bank in

Pennsylvania.

Alan Schwartz, PsyD, Clinical

Psychology, along with David

York, PhD, and Matthew

Whitehead, Widener student,

presented a poster titled,

“Take your time, most people

can see more than 60 things:

What to do with unusually

long Rorschach protocols”

at the 2006 meeting of the

Society for Personality

Assessment in San Diego, CA.

Jeffrey Wilmot, BA,

Government and Politics,

and wife, Meghan, have three

sons, Sam (please see birth

announcements), Jack, five,

and Charlie, three. Jeff is an

account executive for software

company PTC in Boston, MA.

Class of 1994Lynne Leach, EdD, Higher

Education, is chairperson

and associate professor of

the Department of Nursing

at California State University

in San Bernardino, CA.

Previously, she was associate

dean for academic affairs in

the College of Nursing at

Seattle University in Seattle,

WA. Dr. Leach was a full-time

faculty member in the School

of Nursing at Widener for

16 years from 1983 to 1999

teaching maternal-newborn

nursing.

Mystery Solved!From Autumn ’06

Thanks to Kathy McConvilleTracy ’71 for correctlyidentifying these alumnicheerleaders:

Cathy Darymble ’72Gail Graham ’71Robin Sterner ’72Frani Cosena ’71Linda DiBonaventure ’71

Joseph Walker, BS,

Management, has started

his own insurance brokerage

business, Insurance Benefit

Solutions, LLC, specializing

in employee benefit plans,

with a focus on group med-

ical and ancillary insurance

plans for companies that

have 200 to 300 employees

(www.insbenefitsolutions.com).

Brett Wiltsey, BA, History,

has joined the Litigation

Department and the

Bankruptcy Group in the

Dilworth Paxson, LLP’s Cherry

Hill Office. He concentrates

his practice in creditor’s

rights, bankruptcy, and

business litigation.

Kevin Haney, BA, English,

has been a 12th-grade English

teacher for the last seven

years and is coaching basket-

ball, lacrosse, and volleyball

at Strath Haven High School

in Wallingford, PA. In 2005, he

was named “teacher of the

year,” gave the commence-

ment address, and had a year-

book dedication for his teach-

ing of “Positive Psychology.”

42

C l a s s N o t e s

Class of 1997Tobias Cabra, PsyD, Clinical

Psychology, is currently in

private practice at Serenity

Psychology Associates in

Langhorne, PA.

Class of 1998Courtney Brawley (Finch), BA,

Behavior Science, and her

husband, David, reside in

Annapolis, MD.

James Loving, PsyD, Clinical

Psychology, and Nick Patapis

‘02 have an article on juvenile

waivers in press in the

Journal of ForensicPsychology Practice.

Class of 1999Holly Jones, BS,

Management, is engaged to

Michael Ascione. The couple

plan to marry in 2007. They

currently live in Newark, DE.

James Knipler, MSW,

Graduate Social Work, and

wife, Kristinia, got married in

2002, and decided to move

cross-country to Portland, OR.

They bought a house in

Hillsboro, OR, in 2004, and

they have one son, Sage.

David Yudis, PsyD, Clinical

Psychology, MBA, Health

Administration, led the APA

Division 13, Independent

Special Interest Group’s

monthly conference call

in November 2006. His

presentation on “Leadership

Development Across Business

Segments” was extremely

well received by psycholo-

gists calling in from around

the country and from

Australia. The presentation

was based on his work as

director of employee and

organization development at

The Walt Disney Studios.

We would liketo see you inthe next Widener Magazine.Send pictures, along with

your class note, to us at:

Alumni Engagement Office,

One University Place

Chester, PA, 19013.

Or email Meghan Radosh at

[email protected].

Class of 1995Brendon Field, BS,

Management, was named

president of MBR Construction

Services Inc. in Blanond, PA,

where he will manage the

electrical, mechanical, and

plumbing divisions as well as

the service, commercial, and

industrial departments.

Jeffrey Freedman, MEd,

Graduate Education, teaches

at Furness High School and is

an adjunct faculty member at

the Community College of

Philadelphia.

Class of 1996Joan Brennan, MS, Nursing,

was appointed to the position

of vice president of quality

and performance excellence

at Atlanti Care.

Lori Watson (Aquilino), MSW,

Graduate Social Work, is a

single mom raising her

seven-year-old daughter,

Abigail. Lori and her daughter

reside in Valleybrook, located

in Blackwood, NJ. Profes-

sionally, Lori has remained

working for The Wedge

Medical Center (since gradua-

tion in 1996), an outpatient

mental health and substance

abuse treatment facility in

Philadelphia. Lori was recently

promoted to the position of

executive director of Mental

Health Services, overseeing

the clinical operations at

four of The Wedge’s seven

treatment sites.

Michael Brady, BS,

Accounting, was appointed to

Widener University’s Board of

Trustees and is serving as the

Alumni Council President.

Congratulations to our 2007 Alumni

Award WinnersThese awards were presented by the Widener-PMC Alumni

Association at the April 27 Spring Celebration held on campus.

Outstanding Alumni Award

Stephen Wynne ‘77President, PFPC Worldwide, Inc.

R. Kelso Carter Award

Professor Savas OzatalayDean, School of Business Administration

Alumni Service Award

Michele Burns ‘96, ‘04President, Education Alumni Chapter

John L. Geoghegan Alumni Citizenship Award

John S. “Jack” Klotz ‘56

John L. Geoghegan Student Citizenship Award

Laura Stashefski ‘07Head Coordinator, Alternative Spring Break

Class of 2001Jeffrey Walden, PsyD, Clinical

Psychology, MBA, Business

Administration, practices

neuropsychology at the

Florida Institute for

Neurologic Rehabilitation

in Wauchula, FL.

Class of 2003Manish Baliga, BS, Hospitality

Management, has his first

movie acting role in an HBO

production of A Dog Yearopposite Jeff Bridges due

out in 2007.

Douglas Buchek, BS,

Information Systems, was

named an associate at Urban

Engineers, Inc.

Class of 2004Drew Biehl, MSW, Graduate

Social Work, is a social work-

er for the Brandywine-based

Delaware Hospice.

Edward Devenny, BS,

Accounting, was promoted

to senior accountant with

Master, Sidlow, & Associated

P.A. in Wilmington, DE.

James McCloskey, BS,

Electrical Engineering,

passed his Fundamentals

of Engineering Exam earning

him the title of engineer

intern and is working at

Landmark Engineering.

Class of 2005Debra Sulecki, BS, Hospitality

Management, is one of the

14 women selected to be a

ballgirl for the Phillies 2007

season.

Class of 2006Katren Brabender, PsyD,

Clinical Psychology, is a

clinical psychologist at the

Little Keswick School in

Charlottesville, VA.

MarriagesNadine Elizabeth (Rotondo)

‘91, ‘93 and Kevin Joseph

Barnes ‘81, ‘85L, June 2,

2006.

Cara Simon (Brown) ‘99, ‘00

and Robert Simon Jr.,

September 22, 2006.

Joanna Buchanico ‘98 and

Mick Hedderich, May 18, 2007.

Sheri Dinella ‘00 and Joseph

Dawson ‘00, June 19, 2004.

Julia Seaman ‘00, ’03 and

Charles Merritt, December 23,

2005.

Tara-Ann Lee ‘01 and Billy

Dieckhaus, June 3, 2006

(below).

Class of 2000Allison Krauss, MSW, Social

Work, is a “new hope coun-

selor,” working with child

bereavement and counseling

at Brandywine-based

Delaware Hospice.

Brenna McDonald, PsyD,

Clinical Psychology, MBA,

Business Administration, is at

Dartmouth Medical College’s

Department of Psychiatry

where she does neuroimag-

ing research.

Julia Seaman, BS, Allied

Health Education, is part-time

faculty in the radiography

program at Montgomery

County Community College.

Beverly Welhan, DNS,

Nursing, is the interim dean

of health and physical educa-

tion at Montgomery County

Community College, and has

been appointed to the

National League for Nursing

Accrediting Commission

Board of Commissioners.

The Donor RelationsDepartment ofWidener Universitywishes to express itssincerest regret thatthe following donorswere excluded fromthe 2005-2006 HonorRoll of Donors:

Young Conaway Stargatt

& Taylor LLP

Donald J. Bowman, Jr.,

Esq. ‘03L

Teresa A. Cheek, Esq. ‘88L

M. Blake Cleary, Esq. ‘96L

Curtis J. Crowther, Esq. ‘93L

Richard A. DiLiberto, Jr., Esq.

‘86L and Faith P. DiLiberto,

Esq. ‘89L

Eugene A. ‘81L and Marie

Janton ‘89, ‘92 DiPrinzio

Erin A. Edwards, Esq. ‘03L

Lisa B. Goodman, Esq. ‘94L

Stephanie L. Hansen, Esq.

‘00L and J. Christopher

Hansen

Scott A. Holt, Esq. ‘95L

Daniel P. Johnson, Esq. ‘86L

Dawn M. Jones, Esq. ‘02L

Matthew B. Lunn, Esq. ‘01L

Michael W. McDermott,

Esq. ‘03L

John D. McLaughlin, Esq. ‘85L

and Kathleen McLaughlin

Michael R. ‘95L and Monica L.

Loftin ‘95L Nestor

Jennifer R. Noel, Esq. ‘97L

Seth J. Reidenberg, Esq., ‘97L

and Regina M. DeAngelis,

Esq. ‘97L

Timothy J. Snyder, Esq.

‘73, ‘81L

Monte T. Squire, Esq. ‘05L

Patricia A. Widdoss, Esq. ‘98L

Pictured above, from herwedding to David Brawley in 2005 with her fellow PhiSigma Sigma sisters from leftto right: Joanne FriedmanMarino ‘99; Courtney; MichelleJurgens ‘98; and AmyGampico Schreiner ‘98, ‘01L.

44

C l a s s N o t e s

Nancy Ellen Davitt ‘81

Susan Smith ‘81

Thomas Burns ‘83

Patricia Chalfant ‘85

Dawn Lowes ‘85

Nicholas Viek ‘86

Michael Conte ‘87

Leslye Motley (Blackwell) ‘87

Joyce Fowler ‘88

Robert Campbell ‘89

Agnes Calderoni ‘90

Thomas Czymek ‘91

Carol Maclary ‘92

Gary Strohm ‘95

Kathleen Schuyler ‘96

Michael Stala ‘97

Faculty & Friends

Paul Baich

Donn Bichsel

Joseph Bissell

Richard Boekenkamp

Ruth Buzgon

Fitz Dixon

Caroline Ferris

David Garrett

Robert Gioggia

William Kirk

Shane Mahaffee

Margaret McCaffrey

Victor Moretti

Suzanne Price

Regina Ann Quick

Mathilde Rothbart

I. Staples

In the previous edition of themagazine, we incorrectlyreported the passing of KarlBauer, Class of 1987. We apologize to Mr. Bauer andregret any concern this hascaused his fellow alumni.

BirthAnnouncements1. To Carin and David

Esslinger ‘87, a son,

Christopher Esslinger.

2. To Ellen and Tom Trantas,

’90, a son, Thomas Vasilios

Trantas.

3. To Scott and Joanne

(Sullivan) Badger ‘90, a son,

Gavin Sullivan Badger.

4. To Kate (Cangi) ’02 and

Doug Ferguson ‘99, a son,

Connor Douglas Ferguson.

5. To Aimee and Joshua Schier

‘94, a daughter, Sophia Schier.

6. To Alfred and Anne Marie

(Muscianesi) Romano ‘96, a

daughter, Angelina Nicole

Romano.

7. To Shannon and Michael

Birdsall ‘97, a daughter, Ava

Claire Birdsall.

8. To Cristy (Jones) ‘01 and

Greg Stack ‘99, a son,

Brayden Jackson Stack.

9. To Camille Smith ‘03, a

daughter, Natalie Diane Smith.

10. To Carolyn and

Christopher Boyd ’90, a son,

Harrison Christopher Boyd.

11. To Mary (Bonavita) ‘90

and David ‘90 Wascavage,

a daughter, Katelyn Maria

Wascavage, November 2006.

12. To Meredith and Christian

Nascimento, a son, Charles

Nascimento.

In MemoriamJohn Barbose ‘40

George Kassab ‘40

Francis Bader ‘42

George Andrews ‘44

Richard Anstey ‘50

Joseph E. Collins ‘50

Walter Jones ‘50

Allan Sheets ‘50

Jonathan M. Weaver ‘50

Wilfred Plomis ‘51

Ralph Crisanti ‘52

Robert Gourley ‘52

Andrew Mooney ‘52

Joseph Musarra ‘52

Samuel Colly ‘55

Luis Santori ‘57

S. Szymanski ‘57

Harry Bergstrom ‘58

Eugene Lisinski ‘59

Larry Doughty ‘60

George Logan ‘60

Clarence Chew ‘61

John Glatts ‘62

William Sidler ‘64

Douglas Towner ‘64

Robert Blank ‘65

Roger Kuc ‘65

William Camp ‘66

John Godfrey ‘67

Robert Swing ‘68

Michael McHarg ‘72

Edward Rossiter ‘72

Clifford Fisher ‘73

John Boyle ‘74

Joseph Friel ‘74

Gerald Munson ‘74

Richard Fedor ‘75

Donna McLuskey ‘77

Kathleen Knaebel ‘78

Ruth Bachman-Dabrey ‘81

13. To Stephanie (Westerberg)

‘05L and Bernard Mackara ‘91,

a son, Jacob Bernard

Mackara.

14. To Tina Marie (Kennedy)

‘88 and Bob Gallagher, a

daughter, Hope Mary

Gallagher.

Not Pictured:

To Meghan Putney and Jeff

Wilmot ‘93, a son, Samuel

Jeffrey Wilmot.

To Melissa and Tobias Cabral

‘97, a son, Milo Gomez Cabral.

To Dawn and Michael Berman

‘99, a daughter, Talta Rose

Berman.

To Lorna and David Ballard

‘01, a son, Dylan McClean

Ballard.

To Nicole (Chaikin) ‘03 and

Victor Shklyarevsky ‘97, a son

Michael Phillip Shklyarevsky.

To Abigail (Szczepkowski) ‘98

and Nuno Martins ‘97, a son,

Ethan Luis Martins.

To Jackie and Andrew Ritter

‘99, a daughter, Madlyn Jean

Ritter.

To Chantel (Dreher) ‘00 and

Jeff Brunke ‘98, a daughter,

Natalie Amelia Brunke.

In the previous edition ofthe magazine, our Oh Baby!section incorrectly matchedsome captions and babyphotos. We are happy to runthese photos of our alumnichildren with their correctidentification.

6.

4.

1. 2.

5.3.

7. 8.

9. 10. 11.

12. 13. 14.

Oh, Baby!

NONPROFIT ORG

US POSTAGE

PA I D

PITTSBURGH PA

PERMIT NO. 5605

One University Place

Chester, PA 19013-5792

Address Service requested

SAVE THE DATES: October 5, 6, and 7Join All Widener-PMC Alumni for Homecoming Reunion Weekend

Reunion Alumni (classes ending with 2 and 7)

Interested in finding old friends or planning activities? Contact the Alumni Office at 610-499-1154.

Check www.widener.edu/alumni for more details as they become available.