Building Dedicated in Honor of 24th President
Beloved by students and known for accomplishing transformational projects on campus, Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., the University’s 24th president and current president of Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisc., returned to Scranton Nov. 18 for the dedication of the west building of the Mulberry Street apartment and fitness complex that will forever bear his name.
“During his tenure as president, Father Pilarz led unprecedented growth at Scranton that goes beyond bricks and mortar, skillfully nurturing our genuine care for students and the unique attributes that each brings to our community,” said Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., University president. “His contribution has – and continues to – transform lives.”
Father Pilarz’s list of achievements at Scranton is extensive – reaching from the unprecedented fundraising success of the Pride, Passion, Promise Campaign, to enhancing the University’s reputation on a national stage, to the campus’ capital projects.
“The heart of the matter for me is our incredible students,” said Father Pilarz when the naming of the Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J., Hall was first announced. “I am humbled and thrilled that a residence hall will have my family’s name on it. It is where formation happens.”
New Jesuit Center to Promote Ignatian Spirituality
In keeping its Catholic and Jesuit character at the core of its operation, the University announced the establishment of The Jesuit Center this fall. The center will foster faculty and staff participation in the Jesuit higher educational mission, support faculty teaching and scholarship that advances the University’s character, and promote Ignatian spirituality within an interreligious context.
The University also announced the appointment of former Trustee Rev. Ryan J. Maher, S.J., as the founding executive director of The Jesuit Center, effective July 1. Father Maher currently serves as associate dean of Georgetown College, the undergraduate school of arts and sciences at Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
“The establishment of The Jesuit Center was a personal priority because our Catholic and Jesuit mission and identity is central to all that we do,” said Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., University president. “Because I have so many hopes for the role that the center will play in the life of our community, I am delighted that Father Maher has agreed to join us. He is an accomplished professor and administrator and an articulate champion for the collaborative role that faculty and staff must play in maintaining the vitality of our mission.”
Three New Trustees Appointed
Scranton has named three individuals to its Board of Trustees: Jacquelyn Dionne ’89, Westport, Conn.; Vincent Reilly, Esq. ’80, Philadelphia; and Justin B. Murphy ’76, Oak Hill, Va.
A native of Scranton, Dionne worked as a registered nurse and is currently active in several charitable organizations, including the National Charity League for Mothers and Daughters. In 2008, the University named its football field-sized green at the heart of its campus in honor of her and her husband, John ’86.
Reilly, who founded the law firm of Reilly, Janiczek & McDevitt, has been active in the civil litigation in the state and federal courts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. His firm has 38 attorneys practicing in its Philadelphia, New Jersey and Delaware offices.
Murphy, who serves as the senior law enforcement advisor and special assistant to the chief information officer of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), is responsible for liaising with law enforcement partners on topics such as technology advancement and adoption and security. In addition, Murphy is the deputy executive director for the National Information Exchange Model, a partnership between the DOJ and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
For additional information and biographical sketches of the members of the Board of Trustees, visit scranton.edu/trustees.
University, TCMC Discuss Affiliation
Through an agreement signed in February, The University of Scranton and The Commonwealth Medical College (TCMC) are discussing a possible affiliation, building on a confidential exploratory phase. In a joint announcement, the University and TCMC noted, ìan affiliation could be beneficial both to our respective institutions and to the constituencies and communities that we serve.
For the latest news on the possible affiliation, visit the Universityís website, scranton.edu.
Conference on disAbility Celebrates ‘Giving People a Chance’
In October, the annual Northeastern Conference on disAbility at the University celebrated its 10th anniversary with the theme of “Transition Planning: In School, To Work, For Life.”
While the conference theme has varied from year to year, a consistent message spanned the past decade, according to J. Joseph Grady, Esq. ’81. Reflecting on comments made by Edward Leahy ’68, H’01 at a previous conference, Grady noted that the 10 years of disability dialogue is “about giving people (with disabilities) a chance.” Grady introduced the Honorable Robert P. Casey, United States Senator for Pennsylvania, who addressed the audience via video-conference from Washington, D.C.
There were several keynote speakers throughout the day, including The Honorable Lynnae Ruttledge, commissioner, Rehabilitation Services Administration, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C.
At the opening of the conference, Kevin P. Quinn, S.J., University president, celebrated the work and commitment of Edward and Patricia Leahy, honorary chairpersons of the conference. “They model what we celebrate at the University,” said Father Quinn, noting Scranton’s commitment to service and promotion of justice.
Noted News Anchor Headlines Diversity Fair
John Quiñones, the Emmy Award-winning co-anchor of the ABC News show “Primetime,” told an audience of nearly 600 University students and area residents of the good he has often seen throughout his career, sometimes as the result of uncovering an injustice.
The November lecture was part of the University’s Office of Equity and Diversity’s Diversity Fair – co-sponsored by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Diversity Education Consortium and The University of Scranton Programming Board. The fair included a day full of events that allowed attendees the chance to explore the power of social movements to advance the causes of democracy, justice and human rights.
Quiñones said the Diversity Fair’s theme, “Move It! The Exploration of Human Rights Movements,” relates to the inspiration behind the television series he hosts titled “What Would You Do?” The program sets up ethical dilemmas and uses hidden cameras to gather people’s reactions. Quiñones stressed the importance of doing the right thing, which he said is the idea behind the show. In addition, Quiñones discussed his career in journalism, including his time spent covering spirited issues in Central America during the 1980s.
Hundreds of Gifts Donated to Those in Need
Seven hundred. That’s the number of individual holiday gifts University students, faculty and staff donated to those in need during the Community Outreach Office’s annual gift drive. Eighty-eight children were also included in the “adopt an angel” program in which sponsors provide multiple gifts for a child. The Honesdale Head Start, United Neighborhood Centers, Friends of the Poor and area group foster homes distributed the donated gifts. Students Pete Delong ’13 (from left), Kerry Delaney ’14, Mike Wiencek ’12 and Michelle Dougherty ’14 prepare the gifts for distribution.
Community Donates Thousands of Books
Students, faculty and staff donated more than 4,600 children’s books to help support the community and promote literacy in the Scranton area. Among the organizations receiving donated books this year is the library of Holy Rosary School in Duryea, which was flooded in September. Through the annual drive sponsored by the Panuska College of Professional Studies, the University has collected and donated a total of nearly 14,000 books over the past five years. Standing (from left) are Jason Savino, an MBA student, who helped organize the drive, Kathleen Gilmartin, principal of Holy Rosary School, and Debra Pellegrino, Ed.D., dean of the Panuska College of Professional Studies.
Nobel Prize-Winning Economist Presents Mullin Lecture
John F. Nash, Jr., Ph.D., recipient of the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1994 and subject of the 2001 film “A Beautiful Mind,” delivered the annual Harry Mullin, M.D., Memorial Lecture on campus in November. The lecture, titled “Ideal Money and the Motivation of Savings and Thrift,” was presented to a standing-room-only audience at the Houlihan-McLean Center.
Dr. Nash is best known for his work in game theory and was awarded the Nobel Prize for one of his most well-known concepts, the Nash equilibrium. His lecture touched on several topics including recent economic crises, the national debt of Greece, and the “panic of 2008” in the United States.
President’s Business Council Prepares for Its Next Decade
The University’s President’s Business Council (PBC) marked a milestone anniversary at its Tenth Annual Award Dinner on Oct. 6 at The Pierre in New York City. More than 500 alumni and friends were in attendance as Mary Beth Farrell ’79, former executive vice president of AXA Equitable and current PBC chair, received the President’s Medal. The gala, which raised $1 million for the Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund, was another magnificent evening that also celebrated the three primary objectives of the PBC.
Beyond the fundraising initiative, the PBC seeks to provide meaningful networking opportunities for alumni and friends and to provide mentoring and career opportunities for current students. “For the past decade, Mary Beth has been a driving force behind all aspects of the PBC. Her selection as honoree for this dinner was most appropriate,” said Timothy J. Pryle ’89, executive director of the PBC.
Brian Musto ’12, Kania School of Management student and Presidential Scholar, offered remarks on behalf of all of the Presidential Scholars, expressing his gratitude to the attendees for their financial support of scholarships. Musto also described how the mentoring by University Trustee John A. Walsh ’66, a PBC Executive Committee member and the 2009 President’s Medal Recipient, led him to choose Scranton. “With the help of Mr. Walsh, I was able to land a dream internship at the National Basketball Association,” Musto said.
As the PBC begins its second decade, it will do so with an increase in staff. These new resources will allow greater focus on engaging select business alumni and friends with PBC activities and, more importantly, with the students in the Kania School. Annual networking receptions will be held in the University’s primary markets of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Scranton and Washington, D.C., to expand PBC membership and to offer students exposure to more regional contacts.
For more information on the PBC or the dinner, please contact the PBC Office at (570) 941-5837 or pbc@scranton.edu.
The Eleventh Annual Award Dinner will be held on Thursday, Oct. 4, at The Pierre Hotel in New York City. At this year’s dinner the PBC will honor the Lynett-Haggerty family, owners of Times-Shamrock Communications, based in Scranton. In honoring the Lynett-Haggerty family, siblings Cecelia Lynett Haggerty, Edward J. Lynett Jr. ’65, George V. Lynett, Esq. G’71 and William R. Lynett ’72 will receive the President’s Medal.
What Others are Saying About Scranton
Ranked 1, 2
When it comes to “Teaching Practices and Student Engagement,” Scranton ranked No. 1 nationally for online MBA programs and ranked No. 2 nationally for online graduate education programs, according to a ranking of online degree programs published in January by U.S. News & World Report. The new rankings looked at online graduate degree programs in business, education, engineering, nursing and computer information technology offered by both nonprofit and for-profit institutions.
One of the Best 294
The Princeton Review touts the University’s Jesuit influence for adding “an element of social responsibility” and creating an environment where “students can rely on each other for a sense of camaraderie and support” in its profile naming the Kania School of Management among the “Best 294 Business Schools” in the nation.
This marks the seventh consecutive year the University has been included among this elite listing of business schools. The listing is based on a school’s academic reputation and interviews of 19,000 MBA students attending the 294 business schools.
Top Fulbright Producer
Scranton placed second among “Master’s Institutions” in the nation for producing Fulbright scholarships for students in 2011-2012, according to a ranking published by The Chronicle of Higher Education online in October.
This is the seventh consecutive year Scranton has made this prestigious ranking of just 93 colleges recognized as the nation’s “Top Producers of Fulbright Students” and the third consecutive year that Scranton placed second in its category. Six University of Scranton graduates received Fulbright scholarships for the 2011-2012 academic year.
President Obama Recognizes Myers
In November, President Barack Obama announced the appointment of Sondra Myers, senior fellow for international, civic and cultural projects and director of the Schemel Forum, to serve on the Commission on Presidential Scholars. The commission of approximately 20 individuals appointed by the president selects and honors the nation’s Presidential Scholars.
Individuals serving on the commission are selected from across the country, representing the fields of education, medicine, law, social services, business and other professions. The commissioners are charged with selecting high school students to be honored as Presidential Scholars from a pool of approximately 3,000 candidates who demonstrate exceptional accomplishments in academics, the arts and public service.
Fitness Center Opens on Mulberry Street
With the addition of its new 14,000-square-foot fitness center, located in the ground floor of Pilarz Hall, the University community is well equipped to pump some iron and shed a few pounds. The new center is more than double the size of the combined fitness room of the Byron Recreation Complex and weight room of the Long Center. The centerís open, spacious design incorporates modern stainless steel accents and mirrors with plenty of natural light from skylights and large windows with views of Mulberry Street.
