Answer Special Call to Serve - King's College
Answer Special Call to Serve - King's College
Answer Special Call to Serve - King's College
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Faces of King’s<br />
Jacintha Burke<br />
Adeline Sobol Krupinski wanted her children <strong>to</strong> be special,<br />
so she carefully selected each name. She decided <strong>to</strong> call<br />
her second daughter, Jacintha, after one of the three shepherd<br />
children who witnessed the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin<br />
Mary in the small village of Fatima, Portugal, in 1917.<br />
Jacintha (Krupinski) Burke was raised in Scran<strong>to</strong>n.<br />
Throughout college, she sold shoes at Sears in the Viewmont<br />
Mall until being promoted <strong>to</strong> cashier. Beside a steady income<br />
<strong>to</strong> pay tuition, the experience proved profitable in her personal<br />
life; she met her future husband, Bill, who was also employed by<br />
the retailer.<br />
After graduating from Marywood University with a bachelor’s<br />
degree in elementary education, Jacintha was a substitute<br />
teacher before returning <strong>to</strong> the university for a master’s degree in<br />
reading comprehension.<br />
She credits a men<strong>to</strong>r, Sister Eamon O’Neill, a former<br />
professor at Marywood, with encouraging her <strong>to</strong> change<br />
professions. Sr. O’Neill thought she would work well with<br />
the college population and helped her during her job search<br />
following graduation.<br />
Preparation met opportunity when Jacintha saw an<br />
advertisement <strong>to</strong> teach a reading course at King’s. The part-time<br />
hours worked well with her new responsibilities at home; she<br />
and Bill were the proud parents of their first son, Jonathan.<br />
Jacintha later worked in a number of other part-time<br />
capacities at King’s, including as an academic advisor for firstyear<br />
students, teaching in the <strong>College</strong>’s summer program, and as<br />
a learning specialist for Act 101.<br />
Around the time her second son, Chris<strong>to</strong>pher, stepped on the<br />
bus for his first day of kindergarten, Jacintha was offered a fulltime<br />
position, which later became her current post as direc<strong>to</strong>r of<br />
the Academic Skills Center.<br />
Before federal law and policy was established, physical and<br />
learning disabilities were considered taboo; many students<br />
pursuing higher education were encouraged not <strong>to</strong> disclose<br />
such information. In 1990, public perception had changed<br />
and colleges and universities across the nation were focused<br />
on meeting the standards designated in the Americans with<br />
Disabilities Act.<br />
Jacintha teamed with the late Dr. Donald Farmer, former vice<br />
president of academic affairs, <strong>to</strong> develop services at King’s that<br />
recognized the rights of all individuals with disabilities <strong>to</strong> have<br />
equal access <strong>to</strong> a quality education.<br />
“Dr. Farmer was very encouraging and supportive on the<br />
issue of disabilities,” Jacintha said. “He was always looking<br />
forward, and constantly<br />
challenged me <strong>to</strong><br />
improve the services we<br />
provided here.”<br />
Today, Jacintha<br />
supervises the Academic<br />
Skills Center, which<br />
offers academic support<br />
services <strong>to</strong> all students,<br />
including the tu<strong>to</strong>ring<br />
program, learning<br />
workshops and the<br />
writing center.<br />
“My day is unpredictable. I can never foresee what student<br />
need or crisis will walk through my door,” said Jacintha. “In<br />
the process of helping a student resolve an issue or master a<br />
skill, I identify a new resource or deepen my understanding<br />
of the individual’s needs. That means I am better equipped.<br />
Ultimately, I am as much the learner as the advisor or<br />
counselor.”<br />
Jacintha and Bill are at a comfortable point in their lives.<br />
With two grown children, they now have time <strong>to</strong> travel.<br />
As members of the Genealogical Research Society of<br />
Northeastern Pennsylvania, the couple decided <strong>to</strong> trace the<br />
Burke family roots through Ireland. Jacintha and her husband<br />
recently spent 10 days on the Emerald Isle, traveling the lush<br />
green landscape in Dublin and Waterford, and s<strong>to</strong>pping <strong>to</strong> visit<br />
landmarks, such as Blarney Castle and the Book of Kells at<br />
Trinity <strong>College</strong>.<br />
The highlight of the trip came in Sligo, a drive-by <strong>to</strong>wn on<br />
the west coast of Ireland, known for inspiring the works of<br />
poet William Butler Yeats. While staying at Rosses Point on<br />
Sligo Bay, the Burke’s discovered that only Bill’s great-great<br />
grandfather was born there and the rest of his family was from<br />
Mayo. They believe their ances<strong>to</strong>rs s<strong>to</strong>pped at the port-<strong>to</strong>wn of<br />
Sligo <strong>to</strong> prepare for the journey <strong>to</strong> America.<br />
Considered by colleagues <strong>to</strong> be compassionate and reserved,<br />
Jacintha breaks free from the mold through her musical<br />
interests. She confesses <strong>to</strong> listening <strong>to</strong> the Goo Goo Dolls and<br />
Counting Crows, while still finding time for classic rock-n-roll,<br />
like The Beatles and Bee Gees.<br />
“Most people don’t know it about me, but I’m an aggressive<br />
driver,” said Jacintha with a wry smile. “Music fits my mood.<br />
After 25 years traveling down (Interstate) 81, sometimes rock-nroll<br />
fits the mood. Sometimes you want <strong>to</strong> beep.”<br />
Pride ✦ Fall 2009 13