Clarion Alumni 11/01 - Clarion University

Volume 48 No. 3 December 2001 Clarion University of PA Alumni News 

www.clarion.edu/news

2-CLARION ALUMNI NEWS 

CLARION ALUMNI NEWS 

Clarion Alumni News is published three 

times a year by the Clarion University 

Alumni Association and the Office of 

University Relations. Send comments 

to: University Relations Department, 

Clarion University, 974 E. Wood St., 

Clarion, PA 16214-1232; 814-393- 

2334; FAX 814-393-2082; or e-mail 

rwilshire@clarion.edu. 

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

Larry W. Jamison ’87,President 

John R. Mumford ’73 &’75, Pres.-elect 

Wendy A. Clayton, ’85, secretary 

James J. Wagner ’74 & ’77, treasurer 

Daniel J. Bard, ’74; Mary Beth (Curry) 

Earnheardt ’97 & ’99; Dr. Gus Johnson 

’53; Terry A. Koelsch, ’64; Daniel J. 

Leightley, ’97 & ’99; Lois (Singer) 

Linnan, ’56; Deborah S. Magness ’86; 

Chad E. Mays, ’00; Peter J. Mervosh, 

’53; Rosemary (Cherico) Neiswonger, 

’91; Kenton R. O’Neil ’89; Ronald J. 

Paranick, ’76; Dr. Kevin J. Roth ’81; 

Andrew D. Sayers ’89 & ’90; Christine 

L. Spuck ’94; Leslie L. Suhr, 00; Teresa 

(Frenchik) Wood, ’95, ’96, & ’97; 

Stephen J. Zinram ’85 & ’88 

COUNCIL OF TRUSTEES 

Dr. Syed Ali-Zaidi, Oleta Amsler, 

Susanne A. Burns, H. John Drayer ’77, 

Richard R. Hilinski, Orville Lerch ’81, 

R. Lee James ’74 & ’83, Sheryle L. 

Long, Howard Shreckengost, Joseph 

Sciullo (student trustee), Jeffrey J. 

Szumigale, Judy G. Hample, Ph.D., 

Chancellor, State System of Higher 

Education,(ex-officio). 

Clarion University President 

Diane L. Reinhard 

Vice President of Student and 

University Affairs 

Harry Tripp 

Assistant Vice President 

of Advancement and 

University Relations 

Ron Wilshire ’72 

Director of Alumni and Development 

and Executive Director of Clarion 

University Alumni Association 

Jean (Scott) Wolf ’86 

Clarion University of Pennsylvania is 

committed to equal employment and equal 

educational opportunities for all qualified 

individuals regardless of race, color, sex, 

religion, national origin, affectional or sexual 

orientation, age, disability, or other 

classifications that are protected under Title 

IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 

1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 

1990, and other pertinent state and federal 

laws and regulations. Direct equal 

opportunity inquiries to the Assistant to the 

President for Social Equity, Clarion 

University of Pennsylvania, 216 Carrier 

Administration Building, Clarion, PA 16214- 

1232. 814-393-2000 

EDITORIAL STAFF: 

Editor: Ron Wilshire 

Assistant Editors: Tom Schott, Paul 

M. Hambke 

Writers: Andrew Bundy, Rich Herman, 

Chris Rossetti, Tom Schott, Ron 

Wilshire. 

Photography: Pete Hartle, Ron 

Wilshire, Jerry Sowden, Larry Wheeler 

About our Front Cover: The front 

cover shows the face of 

patriotism at Clarion University. 

From a Silent Walk held Friday, 

Sept. 14 (top left), to the Clarion 

University Wrestling Team a la 

Iwo Jima for a poster cover 

(center), to the flag on display on 

the water tower (right), the flag is 

everywhere. Wrestling photo by 

Pete Hartle and arranged by Rich 

Herman, Sports Information 

Director. 

Cover and inside page design by Paul 

Hambke, Manager of Publications. 

A L U M N I A S S O C I A T I O N 

January 2002 

Sunday, January 13 - Saturday, 

January 20 

State System of Higher 

Education “Southern Caribbean” 

Alumni and Friends Cruise 

February 2002 

Tuesday, February 19 

Clarion University Alumni Assoc. 

Board of Directors meeting, 4:30 

p.m. Location: To be announced. 

March 2002 

Saturday, March 2 

Fifth Annual Spring for 

Scholars Auction 

May 2002 

Friday, May 3 

Sports Hall of Fame Banquet 

Saturday, May 4 

Alumni Day Class Reunions — 

Reunions will be scheduled for the 

classes of 1952, 1957 and 1962, as 

well as for the Half Century Club 

(1951 and before). For more 

information, please contact 

Alumni Relations at 814-393-2637 

Tuesday, May 21 



p.m. Location: To be announced 

July 2002 

Tuesday, July 2 - Sunday, July 

14 

State System of Higher Education 

“Italy and Greek Isles” Alumni & 

Friends Cruise 

August 2002 

Sunday, August 11 - Sunday, 

August 18 


“New England Showcase” Alumni 

& Friends Cruise 

Tuesday, August 20 



p.m. Location: To be announced. 

September 2002 

Saturday, September 21 

Family Day! Clarion Golden 

Eagles vs. Glenville State at 2 p.m. 

October 2002 

Friday, October 11 


Distinguished Awards Banquet 

Saturday, October 12 

Homecoming! Clarion Golden 

Eagles vs. West Chester University 

September 2003 

Saturday, September 13 

Family Day! Clarion Golden 

Eagles vs. Millersville at 2 p.m. 

October 2003 

Friday, October 3 


Distinguished Awards Banquet 

Saturday, October 4 

Homecoming! Clarion Golden 

Eagles vs. IUP 

For more information on an event 

listed on this calendar, please 

contact the Alumni Relations 

Office at 814-393-2637. 

Clarion University Alumni Association 

2002 Spring for 

Scholars Auction 

6:30 p.m. 

Saturday, March 2, 2002 

Clarion University Student 

Recreation Center 

For more information, call 814-393-2637 or visit 

our website: www.clarion.edu/alumni 

Clarion University of Pennsylvania is a member 

of the State System of Higher Education. 

STATE SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION BOARD OF GOVERNORS 

Charles A. Gomulka, chairman, R. Benjamin Wiley, Vice Chair, Kim E. 

Lyttle, vice chair, Syed R. Ali-Zaidi, Angela M. Ambrose, Jeffrey W. 

Coy, Daniel P. Elby, David P. Holveck, Eugene W. Hickok Jr., David P. 

Holveck, Vincent J. Hughes, James V. Manser IV, Patricia K. Poprik, 

James J. Rhoades, David M. Sanko, B. Michael Schaul, Jere W. Schuler, 

Mark S. Schweiker, John K. Thornburgh, Christine J. Toretti, and Amy 

M. Yozviak, Charles Zogby, F. Eugene Dixon Jr., chairman emeritus 

Pride Shows in Alumni 

Through my involvement with the Alumni 

Association over the last five years, I have had the opportunity 

to participate in many outstanding activities 

for Clarion University. I have been involved as the 

alumni speaker for graduation, the emcee for 

Alumni Day, presented award recipients for the 

distinguished alumni award ceremonies and helped 

celebrate the 40 th anniversary of Venango Campus. 

The common theme I have found is the absolute 

pride that Clarion graduates have for their alma 

mater. I wish everyone could attend 

graduation each spring and see the hopes 

and dreams on the faces on the newest 

alums. The realization of the 

accomplishment they worked so 

hard to achieve and the departure 

of close friends is touching every 

time I see it. 

Alumni Day celebrates 

graduates of all years, but 

especially the 40 th -, 45 th - and 50 th - 

By Larry W. Jamison 

Clarion University Alumni 

Association Board President 

year reunion classes. It is remarkable to see the people come together-- 

many for the first time since they graduated--and reminisce about the 

great times they enjoyed together at Clarion. 

Every Clarion alumnus should hear the stories told by the current 

generation of these classes. They truly paved the way for those of us who 

followed. In honoring our distinguished award recipients, we celebrate the 

best and brightest Clarion has to offer. 

They have made outstanding contributions to their profession, their 

communities and have made their Clarion family proud. How does this 

affect you Your Alumni Association Board of Directors is always in 

need of support by the alumni at large. 

We are always looking for nominations for our distinguished awards, 

people to attend and help with Alumni Day activities, or maybe even join 

the board itself. Another event that all alumni can support is the annual 

Spring for Scholars Auction. This year’s event will be held on Clarion’s 

campus on March 2, 2002. To date it has raised over $184,500 for student 

scholarships. If you can donate an item or attend the event, please contact 

the Alumni Relations office. Our university is off and running in the 21 st 

century. 

The backbone of Clarion University has and always will be its alumni. 

With your help we can all be Clarion Proud! 

A Caring Community 

All of us were shocked and 

saddened by the tragic events of 

September 11. As we 

witnessed an assault of 

unimaginable scope 

and horror on our 

nation and its 

values, we felt 

helpless and, at the 

same time, a need to 

reach out to one 

another. In the 

aftermath of the 

terrorist attacks, our 

Clarion University community 

came together, providing comfort 

and support to its members and 

contributing to the broader 

recovery effort. 

A Message 

from the 

President 

This issue of the Alumni News 

reminds us that as members of 

the Clarion University 

family, we belong to a 

caring community. 

May we also take 

some comfort in 

knowing that the 

teaching and 

learning that are 

central to our 

community are 

apowerful means to 

creating a world where 

despicable acts of terrorism do 

not take place. 

By President 

Diane 

Reinhard 

Diane L. Reinhard 

President 


The System Works for Pennsylvania

CLARION ALUMNI NEWS-3 

New System 

Aids Annual 

Fund Effort 

New computer-based equipment 

should increase the efficiency and 

effectiveness of Clarion 

University’s Annual Fund 

Campaign. The campaign, which 

has a $500,000 goal, started 

September 19 and continues 

through April. 

Being placed into operation 

with this campaign is the newly 

purchased Ruffalo Cody Campus 

Call system. The 28 student 

employees use 14 individualized 

computer stations to call alumni 

and prospects during the Annual 

Fund drive. 

The new calling stations add 

opportunities to fund raising that 

were not available in the past 

according to James Johnson, 

director of annual funds and alumni 

programs. 

“The new calling stations will 

decrease the amount of time spent 

on each call,” he says. “Automatic 

calling times to reach people when 

they are available can be 

programmed into the system. 

Access to information about each 

constituent is immediately 

available, and callers may update 

constituent information while doing 

the call instead of later. The system 

also gives us the ability to merge 

information into letters and other 

communications.” 

As part of the follow-up and 

record keeping, instant reports and 

formulas allowing the analysis of 

data in real time also are available 

through the new system. 

“We expect the use of this 

system to increase our pledge 

amounts by improving efficiency, 

effectiveness, and speeding up the 

call times,” says Johnson. “Funds 

raised during the Annual Fund 

Campaign support scholarships, 

technical resources, library 

resources, faculty and student 

research, and other areas of need 

not funded by the Commonwealth 

of Pennsylvania or tuition.” 

During the campaign, Clarion 

University alumni, employees, and 

retirees; parents of students; and 

friends of Clarion University are 

solicited for donations. 

Johnson says the new Ruffalo 

Cody Campus Call system has 

applications beyond the fund 

raising projects. The system will 

also be used to conduct surveys and 

to communicate to the Clarion 

University community on a more 

efficient basis. 

2002 

W W W.C L A R I O N . E D U / A L U M N I 

Clarion University alumni on last year’s British Isles 

cruise included front from left Carroll Gehres (’75), Lisa 

Gehres (’86), and back from left Jean Wolf (’86) and Chuck 

Porter (’87). 

State System Plans Two 

Alumni Trips 

More than 80 people attended 

the State System Alumni and 

Friends travel program to the 

British Isles and Northern Europe 

on June 23-July 6. The cruise 

included stops in London and 

Plymouth, England; Paris, France; 

Cork and Dublin, Ireland; 

Glasgow, Scotland; Berhen, Flam 

and Geiranger, Norway; and 

Amsterdam, Netherlands. 

Clarion University alumni 

included Carroll Gehres (’75), 

Lisa Gehres (’86), Jean Wolf 

(’86) and Chuck Porter (’87). 

Two trips are planned for 2002. 

The State System alumni and 

friends will travel July 2-14 to Italy 

and the Greek Isles. The 13-day 

vacation will capture all the myth 

and magic of the Greek Isles with a 

chance to explore the antiquity on 

the Peloponnesus Peninsula, taste 

the charm of Sicily, and gaze upon 

the cliffs of Capri. 

The trip is a nine-day 

OrientLines cruise on the Crown 

Odyssey, including all meals and 

entertainment, and two night firstclass 

or superior complimentary 

cabin upgrades and a $100 per 

cabin onboard credit. Prices start at 

$2,194. Included in the price is a 

first-class hotel stay in Rome, halfday 

sightseeing tour of the city, 

State System Alumni & Friends 

Reception and all port charges, 

transfers, baggage handling, air 

and air taxes. 

The trip includes two days on 

land in Rome and Taormina, 

Sicily. Then travelers will spend 

two days at sea to Nauplia, Delos, 

Mykonos, Santorini, Greece; 

Malta; and Sorrento, Italy. 

The second summer venture is 

a Norwegian Cruise Lines sevenday 

New England Showcase 

voyage aboard the Norwegian Sea, 

August 11-18, 2002. This trip sails 

from New York and includes the 

ports of Halifax, Nova Scotia; Bar 

Harbor, Me.; Boston, Mass.; 

Martha’s Vineyard, Mass.; and 

Newport, R.I. The cruise starts at 

$899, which includes all port taxes, 

several shore excursions, and all 

meals on board the ship. 

Complimentary motorcoach 

transportation is included from 

Philadelphia to New York. From 

Pittsburgh, add $50 per person. 

No air transportation is 

necessary unless traveling from 

outside the two metropolitan areas. 

For reservations, call Cruisin’ 

Inc. at 800-506-7447. Visit the 

State System alumni travel website 

at alumnivacations.com. 

Missing Alumni 

Addresses Needed 

Lists are being compiled for the class reunions for the 

classes of 1952, 1957 and 1962. Addresses are being sought 

for the following people: 

For the Class of 1952: 

Albert E. Brown 

Alberta W. Craft 

Chester Daugherty 

Robert Ray Miller 

Ruth Ann Miller 

Edward J. Ogurchak 

Katherine Pfendler 

Gloria Gertrude Schmidt 

Don Edwin Weitz. 

For the Class of 1957: 

Sara E. Abram 

Duane M. Caylor 

Anna Edna Gyder 

Carol M. Jenkins 

Robert Jefferson Miller 

John Michael Neese 

Evelyn T. Page 

John E. Simon 

Helen Marie Snyder 

Florence Jones Swallow. 

For the class of 1962: 

Rose Mary Armstrong 

Heidi Jean Bart 

John Joseph Bengel 

Gerald E. Bennett 

Susan Evelyn Brougham 

Esther Lorianne Buhite 

John B. Cliff 

Clarence James Coffman 

Doris Elouise Cooper 

Thomas William Farley 

John Randall Flemming 

Arthur Austin Franks 

Judith Lyn Gardner 

Helen Elizabeth Geary 

S. William Jurenko 

E.E. Kaiser 

Judith A. Law 

John Dennis Lingenfelter 

Jack Arnold Loya 

Carol Lee Martin 

Frank Carmen Mercuri 

Dorothy Lucille 

Shirley Anne Mountain 

Thomas Joseph Nega 

Charles Milton Noonan 

Robert Gary O’Brien 

Howard A. O’Neil 

Allan Foster Pence 

Carol Lea Philips 

Ruth Joyce Rossey 

Sally Ann Shaner 

Martha Grace Shelton 

Ronald Clair Shumaker 

Leona Irrene Smith 

Erma Aldene Stahlman 

Stanley Gordon Strycula 

Rudolph Albert Ventresca 

Ruth Helen Waters 

B.G. Whitmer 

Gloria Ann Zirkle.


N E W S B R I E F S 

ENROLLMENT CLIMBS FOR 

FOURTH YEAR AT CLARION 

UNIVERSITY 

Enrollment increased at Clarion 

University this year for a fourth 

consecutive year. The headcount 

for the Fall 2001 semester was 

6,271, up 79 students or a 1.3 

percent increase. Full-time 

equivalancy (FTE) was 5,807, up 

88.4 or 1.5 percent. The incoming 

freshman class has 1,500 students, 

one more than in 2000, which was 

the largest freshman class since the 

late 1980s. Full-time 

undergraduates increased by 24 to 

4,978, about a one percent increase 

in FTE. Venango Campus’ overall 

headcount was up by 57 and FTE 

was up 12.3 or 4.1 percent. 

TRIPP NAMED CLARION VP OF STUDENT AND UNIVERSITY AFFAIRS 

Harry Tripp, who served as vice president of university advancement since 1993 at 

Clarion, will guide the new Student and University Affairs division, combining Student Affairs 

and University Advancement. Tripp replaces Vice President George Curtis, who retired after 

33 years. 

A long-term organizational structure of the new division is being 

developed. Dr. Marilynn Mikolusky continues as dean of student 

affairs and Dave Tomeo is serving in the temporary capacity as 

director of the University centers and student activities. 

Tripp also named Carol Roth as assistant vice president of 

advancement and planned giving and Ron Wilshire as assistant vice 

president of advancement and university relations. 

Jean Wolf, director of alumni and development and executive 

director of the Clarion University Alumni Association, will lead 

Roth's development team. Wolf will direct James Johnson, 

director of annual funds and alumni programs; Dave Katis, 

director of major gifts and college development; Julia Eckert, 

director of corporate and foundation relations; and Amy 

Sabousky, coordinator of donor relations. 

Wilshire's university relations team includes Rich Herman, 

director of sports information and promotions; Paul Hambke, 

manager of publications; Adam Earnheardt, webmaster, 

director of e-marketing; and Tom Schott, director of news 

TRIPP 

services. 

E-UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA CREATED 

The “college without walls” concept is ready to reach a new level in western Pennsylvania. 

During the Fall 2001 semester, the e-University of Western Pennsylvania, a collaboration 

between Clarion University and IUP, is offering the universities’ first completely on-line 

degree, an Associates Degree in Arts and Sciences. This first degree through the e-University 

will be awarded by Clarion University with both Clarion and IUP faculty members providing 

the on-line courses to support the program. For additional 

information on the e-University, visit 

http://www.clarion.edu/euniversity/. 

PACK FIRST FREDERICK DOUGLASS SCHOLAR 

Clarion University is part of the State System of Higher Education’s Frederick Douglass 

Institute, a window to the world of knowledge, a catalyst for bridging systems of thought and 

expression, and a light of hope and a place of encouragement for all who seek change. Clarion 

University’s Frederick Douglass Summer Scholars program provides university teaching 

experience for new ethnic minority doctoral students. Uraina Pack, a Ph.D. candidate in 

English at the University of Kentucky who served this past summer as Clarion’s first program 

scholar, is an expert in both slave autobiographies and the larger African-American culture 

from which they grew. 

PHILADELPHIA FREE LIBRARY HOSTING LIBRARY COURSES 

The Free Library of Philadelphia’s Central Library is the teaching site for Clarion 

University’s Department of Library Science’s Fall 2001 Philadelphia-based master’s degree 

program. Clarion, one of only 56 U.S. and Canadian graduate programs in library science 

accredited by the American Library Association, has offered library science education since the 

1930s and has held the prestigious American Library Association accreditation since 1974-75. 

STUDENT RESEARCH PROJECTS FUNDED 

Thirteen undergraduates benefit from Clarion’s new initiative to support undergraduate 

research. The competitive research grant program was established through a $10,000 grant 

from Clarion University Strategic Directions. 

The 2001-02 recipients include: 

Bethany Bracken Stuart of Clarion and Adam Dittman of Karns City, $500, for 

“Does Pager Communication Decrease Loneliness” 

Melissa Dunkle of Sheffield and Linda Hayden of Waynesburg, $400, for 

“Biological and Chemical Analysis of Water.” 

Crystal Fyala of Cheswick, $385, for 

“Technology and Children Today.” 

Allison Loll of Lucinda, $500, for 

“Discovering the Distances to 

Interstellar Clouds.” 

Carrie Martz of Ringgold, $480, for 

“Biochemical Characterization 

of the Green Sheen Gene in E. coli.” 

Scott O’Donnell of Butler, $500, for 

“Creation of a Mentoring 

Program for Argumentation 

and Debate Education.” 

Laila Shamsi of Smithfield, $425, for 

“Clarion Academic Partnership 

Program (CAPP).” 

Jessica Smith of Clarion and Jami 

Delaney of Renova, $500, for 

“The Incidence of Antibiotic 

Resistance Found in Bacteria Isolated 

From the Clarion River.” 

Melanie Strohecker of New Castle, $491, 

for “Sculpting Effective Sustained 

Silent Reading (SSR) Programs: 

Bridging Research with Practice.” She will study SSR for developing a lifelong 

appreciation of reading in children. Her project supervisor is Dr. Brian Maguire, 

assistant professor of education. 

Sarah Turner of Jamestown, $496, for “The Effects of Acidity on the Reproductive 

Success of Amphibians.” 

NEW COURSES FOR MATHEMATICS MASTERS 

The first of several new graduate courses leading to a master’s degree for secondary 

mathematics teachers were recently launched. The three credit courses were “Teaching 

Secondary Mathematics,” and “Algebra and Number Theory for Secondary Teachers.” The 

writing of these courses is funded through a $312,000 grant from the Fund for the 

Improvement of Post Secondary Education (FIPSE) and Clarion University. 

STUDENTS PART OF ‘BRAIN GAIN’ INITIATIVE 

Students Dane Graham of Evans City and Matthew Slater of Butler were initial 

participants in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s new “Brain Gain Design Team.” They 

are part of a 30-member team nominated for the project and approved by former Governor 

Tom Ridge. 

PRESIDENT PARTICIPATES IN OXFORD ROUND TABLE 

Clarion University President Diane L. Reinhard was an invited participant for the Oxford 

Round Table at St. Anthony’s College, Oxford University, England, July 8-13. Only 40 people 

are invited to the Round Table to facilitate productive informal dialogue both during Round 

Table sessions and at other scheduled events. All participants are invited by virtue of their 

current leadership positions and for their potential to make significant contributions to the 

Round Table discussions. 

AREA TO BENEFIT FROM NATIONAL $2.2 MILLION GRANT 

K-16 students and their teachers in the Clarion University area will benefit from a $739,859 

grant to the State System of Higher Education. The U.S. Department of Education issued the 

grant to the State System for training teachers to use the latest technology in their classrooms. 

The State System anticipates receiving additional funding over the next three years for a total 

grant award of $2.3 million. 

SMITH ELECTED PENNSYLVANIA ECONOMIC ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT 

Dr. Lynn Smith, associate professor of economics at Clarion University, is the new 

president of the Pennsylvania Economic Association (PEA). Smith’s unanimous election for 

the one-year term came during the PEA’s annual conference. Members and participants in the 

PEA come from academia, the business community, various government agencies - local, 

state, and federal - and the Federal Reserve Banks of Philadelphia and Cleveland. 

NSF GRANT TO FUND DNA EQUIPMENT 

Research possibilities for Clarion University students studying ecology and environmental 

biology will improve because of a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). NSF’s 

Major Research Instrumentation program is awarding a $76,900 grant to Dr. Roger 

McPherson, professor of biology and 

project director, to purchase an 

automated genetic analyzer and the 

associated software for research and 

training in systematics and ecology. 

The equipment for DNA 

fingerprinting offers the ability to 

evaluate genetic diversity in 

populations and determine how 

human use of the land affects this 

diversity. This system allows faculty 

and student researchers at Clarion 

University to carry out gene

N E W S B R I E F S 


sequencing activities and to use genetic markers that can determine the genetic profile, 

“genetic fingerprint,” of individuals and 

populations on a small geographic scale 

with a high degree of resolution. With the 

grant, Clarion becomes one of the few 

universities of its size to use this type of 

technology. 

PINENO ELECTED PRESIDENT OF IMA 

CHAPTER 

Dr. Charles Pineno, professor of 

accountancy and director of the Center 

for Accounting Education and Research 

at Clarion University, is the newly 

elected president of the Keystone 

Mountain States Council of the Institute of 

Management Accountants. The duties 

include holding three council meetings and 

a leadership workshop as well as 

communicating and coordinating with the 

10 chapters within the council. The territory 

covered by the council includes central and 

western Pennsylvania, and northern West 

Virginia. It consists of 10 chapters with a 

total membership of over 1,300 

management accountants at all levels within 

various organizations. 

CLARION UNIVERSITY HOLDS PROJECT 

MOVE 

High school students from throughout 

Pennsylvania completed Project MOVE at 

Clarion University. The two-week, 

residential scholarship program was 

sponsored by Clarion University’s 

Department of Communication. 

Project MOVE (Motivating Learning 

through Opportunity, Vision and 

Experience), is an initiative to expose 

students to the various uses of 

communication technology and their uses in 

the community. 

NSF GRANT SUPPORTS TAXONOMY 

Students at Clarion University and the University of Minnesota will experience unique 

research opportunities thanks to a $749,149 National Science Foundation (NSF) grant. With 

the awarding of this grant, Clarion University’s Department of Biology currently is the home 

of three active NSF funded, student-related research projects. The grants are among the most 

competitive of all scientific grants, and the most difficult to secure. 

The grant is used for the training of students in the study of systematics and taxonomy. 

Two graduate students at Clarion and two graduate students at Minnesota will have the 

opportunity to travel to Venezuela to study caddisflies. 

NEW DEGREES OFFERED 

Major in Environmental Biology - New educational opportunities, including studying 

marine biology, will result from this degree developed after two years of monitoring student 

inquiries and assessing the needs of currently enrolled students. The program is unique in 

stressing a field-based, hands-on approach to a study of the environment, which prepares the 

student for entering the job market or continuing study at the graduate level. 

Major in industrial mathematics - Increasing employment opportunities for its graduates is 

the goal of this four-year degree. All of the courses leading to the industrial mathematics 

degree are already offered and other applied courses may be developed as the major grows. 

The major prepares students to work as professional mathematicians. Graduates will look for 

jobs with mathematics themes including traditional positions such as engineering, and also 

compete for jobs in health care, banking and investing, insurance, and shipping and 

transportation, among many others. 

Minor in film studies - Beyond the entertainment value of motion pictures is their value as 

a source for understanding and critiquing the culture that made them. Traditionally, film 

studies is divided into two parts, film theory and criticism, and technique of film production. 

Clarion’s offerings are interdisciplinary and will include both. The departments of modern 

language, English, communication, and art will offer courses in film from the perspective of 

their disciplines. A capstone course will tie it together. 

Minor in religion - In response to an increasingly diverse world, this minor will provide a 

coherent framework for studies in the area of religion. The minor will present students with 

opportunities to learn about various religions of the world from an interdisciplinary 

perspective. Courses offered by the departments of art, anthropology, history, and philosophy 

will provide a balanced, nonsectarian understanding of religion in human experience. 

CLARION JOINS MARINE CONSORTIUM 

Clarion University is no longer land locked. Despite being hundreds of miles from the 

nearest ocean, Clarion students may now concentrate in Marine Ecology within the new B.S. 

The Moving Wall, half-size replica of the Vietnam War Memorial, was 

displayed July 21-27, on east Main Street across from Wilkinson Hall. 

Photos from opening day ceremonies and additional information can be 

found at http://www.clarion.edu/movingwall/ 

degree in Environmental Biology. 

This is possible because Clarion 

University is now a full member of 

the Marine Science Consortium 

(MSC) Inc., a nonprofit educational 

corporation dedicated to promoting 

teaching and research in the marine 

sciences. MSC operates the Wallops 

Island Marine Science Center at 

Wallops Island, Va. 

ROTH/QUESENBERRY HONORED BY 

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS 

The College of Business 

Administration named Dr. Kevin 

Roth, associate professor of 

administrative science, as “Faculty 

Member of the Year”; and Dr. 

LeGene Quesenberry, associate 

professor of finance, “Researcher of 

the Year,” for 2000-01. 

The Faculty of the Year Award 

recognizes outstanding achievement 

by a member of the business faculty. 

The criteria include outstanding 

teaching, active research, service to 

the college/community and faculty 

leadership. The Researcher of the 

Year award is based on both the 

quality and quantity of the 

research published during the 

last year. 

CLARION UNIVERSITY TEAM 

COMPETES AT WORLD DEBATES 

Clarion University’s Debate 

Team was recognized for their 

excellent research work, and their 

performance at the World Debate 

Institute (WDI), held at the 

University of Vermont, Burlington, 

Vt., July 31-Aug. 15. 

Scott O’Donnell of Butler was recognized as the top speaker in the junior varsity division. 

Andrew Barnes of Clarion was the fourth speaker and George Rutherford of Brookville was 

the ninth speaker. The top five teams in the division were recognized, and five of the top ten 

students were Clarion debaters. 

CLARION UNIVERSITY TO USE CROOKED CREEK ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER 

New environmental education opportunities will be available to Clarion University students 

thanks to Clarion joining several other educational and public organizations to help oversee the 

Crooked Creek Environmental Learning Center near Ford City in Armstrong County. 

Crooked Creek Environmental 

Learning Center is considered an 

outdoor classroom with unlimted 

possibilities for environmental 

studies. Originally constructed and 

operated by the U.S. Army Corp of 

Engineers as an educational facility, 

federal budget issues resulted in the 

divesting of such holdings. 

JOSLYN RECEIVES FULBRIGHT TO 

PERU 

Catherine Joslyn, professor of art 

at Clarion University, will be a 

Fulbright Scholar working in the 

Peruvian Andes during the spring 

semester of 2002. Joslyn’s teaching 

and research fellowship will involve 

teaching textile art workshops 

through a university, working with 

indigenous weavers in a remote 

mountain village, and producing art 

work inspired by her Andean 

experiences. 

The J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board is providing the grant for Joslyn to 

participate in the Scholar Program to Peru. Joslyn is the seventh professor (eight previous 

awards to six individuals) to receive a Fulbright at Clarion University since 1981. During that 

same time another professor was awarded a Fulbright travel award, and twice groups of 

Clarion University professors and high school faculty members received Fulbright-Hayes 

Group Project Scholarships.


agreed to work with us as general 

manager. That led to getting Broadway 

director John Tillinger, who did 

Judgment at Nuremberg, on board. We 

also have Rupert Holmes, the 

playwright who did The Mystery of 

Edwin Drood and composed “Escape” 

(The Piña Colada song), as a co-book 

author. We recorded a promotional CD 

of the show’s songs. We’re now ready 

to take the project to the next level.” 

The musical, which Michael wrote 

and produced while a student at 

Clarion University, has already been 

performed as a reading at a New York 

City theatre and will likely soon make 

its way to a regional theater – one of 

the last steps in preparing the show for 

its Broadway premiere. 

“We hope to do another reading,” 

Michael says. “Then we’ll do a 

workshop, 

which is 

like a fullscale 

show 

but 

without 

the 

elaborate 

costumes 

and 

lighting. 

This will 

give us a 

better feel 

for what 

the show 

will actually look and feel like. So far 

the feedback and interest in the project 

has been very positive.” 

A L U M I F E A T U R E 

Clarion Grads Take Their Magic to Broadway 

By Carolyn Booker 

The billboards in Times Square 

may not yet be advertising “HOUDINI 

THE MUSICAL” but soon will be 

thanks in large part to two Clarion 

University alumni. Michael Martin 

and Jay Lavely, both Clarion 

graduates and friends since childhood, 

comprise two-thirds of Believe 

Theatrical, the company they formed to 

produce the Broadway-bound musical 

about famed magician Harry Houdini. 

Filled with original songs composed by 

Michael and masterful illusions–many 

innovative interpretations of classic 

period effects made popular by 

Houdini himself, the project is creating 

a buzz throughout the New York City 

theatre community. 

Broadway Team Prepares 

“Things are taking off now that we 

have a real Broadway team in place,” 

says Jay Lavely who, in addition to his 

work on HOUDINI, is a production 

manager for the Oxygen network. 

“First, Michael and I formed Believe 

Theatrical with Howard Goldberg, a 

vice president of a securities firm and 

an author, so we could get the 

paperwork and legalities worked out. 

We hired a well-respected lawyer to 

represent us, which gave our project 

more credibility and allowed us to 

approach the other people essential to 

making the show a reality. 

“Another high profile professional 

“We’ll open the production in a 

regional theatre – right now we’re 

looking at Ford’s Theater in 

Washington, D.C., as our musical 

director does about 90 percent of his 

work there,” Jay adds. “Runs in 

regional theater typically go for four to 

five weeks which will allow us to 

further fine-tune the production. It’s 

conceivable that we could be on 

Broadway in 2002 or 2003.” 

The Evolution of the Musical 

Michael, who says he’s done his 

share of temp jobs and worked in 

property management to support 

himself since coming to New York 

City, admits he didn’t originally plan 

on a Broadway career. The Clarion 

native says he initially wanted to be an 

astronomer. 

“I’ve always had an interest in 

science, but there’s a part of me that 

has always been a natural showman,” 

Michael says. “My first attempts at 

producing musicals goes back to when I 

would play Broadway cast albums as I 

moved little Fisher Price people around 

on their ‘stage’ in a toy castle,” he says. 

“I also used to put on performances for 

the neighborhood kids. Later, as a 

teenager, I wrote a number of parodystyle 

short shows.” 

Throughout these years, Jay and 

Michael, who attended elementary and 

high school together, also spent time 

creating magic shows and using video 

cameras to create their own films and 

musicals. 

“The phrase ‘partners in crime’ may 

be a cliché, but there couldn’t be a more 

appropriate way to describe Jay and 

me,” Michael says. “We both have 

always had a strong interest in the art 

and history of magic and even 

developed a large-scale stage show with 

big illusions, a project we’ve 

temporarily suspended but plan to 

return to one of these days.” 

It was as theater and 

communications majors at Clarion 

University that Michael and Jay came 

up with the idea of transforming Harry 

Houdini’s story into a musical. 

“The story really wrote itself,” 

Michael says. “It’s the ultimate 

American dream, a story about a poor 

immigrant who became the most 

famous 

magician in 

history. It’s 

also one of 

the most 

remarkable 

love stories 

I’ve ever 

encountered. 

As Houdini 

lay dying in 

his wife’s 

arms, he 

recalled the 

words to a 

song she 

sang at the carnival they worked at 

when they were very young. He told 

her to listen for those words after his 

death because it would mean he had 

found a way to speak to her from the 

afterlife.” 

The story is told in flashback by 

Houdini’s trusted assistant, Jim 

Collins, who acts as the show’s 

emcee. Presented in the style of an 

old Vaudeville show, the musical 

features dramatic scores that blend 

the lively tunes of ragtime with the 

classic themes of traditional 

Broadway musicals. 

Set at the turn of the 20 th century, 

the musical also portrays Houdini’s 

attempt to distinguish between 

sleight-of-hand for the sake of 

entertainment and the parlor magic 

and hoaxes that resulted from the 

rise of the spiritualist movement at 

the turn of the century. 

“After his mother’s death, 

Houdini consulted mediums and 

other spiritualists in a quest to make 

contact with her,” Michael explains. 

“He quickly realized that the socalled 

“spirit mediums” were 

nothing more than fakes and began a 

fierce crusade to expose their tricks.” 

Michael’s first version of 

HOUDINI was presented at the 

Walter Hart Chapel Theatre in 

Clarion. Fellow Clarion alumnus 

Brian Bazala directed the initial 

productions of the musical and even 

played the role of Houdini. Coauthor 

of the book with Michael, 

Brian continued to champion the 

project for the next few years with 

Michael after moving to Florida to 

pursue an acting career. 

Clarion University Connection 

Michael admits that his alma 

mater Clarion University may not 

rank up there with New York 

University or some of the Ivy 

League colleges in terms of 

recognition in the theater 

community. Nonetheless, he and Jay 

both see their years at Clarion as 

valuable assets to their careers. 

“Of course I wanted to go to a 

college with a world class reputation 

in theater,” Michael says. “But I 

chose to attend Clarion University so 

I could remain close by my 

grandfather who was ill at the time. 

I’m eternally grateful that I did. I 

worked hard to get everything I 

could from Clarion University. It 

paid off not only in education and 

experience but also in the incredible 

lasting friendships I formed there. 

“Bob Levy in the theatre 

department remains a great friend 

and collaborator. If a theatre student 

wants no-nonsense information 

about real working theatre, he’s the 

man. Mary Hardwick, my advisor at 

Clarion, still means the world to me. 

Jarapolk Lassowsky in the music 

department is a brilliant musician 

whose commitment to education and 

to students is unparalleled. Don 

Wilson in English is someone I wish 

I could have had as an instructor 

MICHAEL MARTIN 

every semester. John Bodoh and 

Emmett Graybill are incredible minds. 

I wouldn’t have missed one of Rafael 

Diaz’s classes for any reason. 

“A friend of mine, Clarion 

attorney Phil Wein, is a wonderful 

magician and a storehouse of 

knowledge on the subject of Houdini 

and great Vaudeville magicians. His 

enthusiasm and wisdom have 

propelled the Houdini project 

forward. 

“Jay, who’s been a friend since we 

were kids and an important 

collaborator on this show since 

college, continues to be involved in 

many aspects of its development, 

including overseeing the process of 

the recording the demo CD at one of 

NYC’s best studies and establishing 

our web site. He’s in charge of putting 

together the ‘magic team’ that will 

build the onstage illusions that are so 

important to the story. His broad 

knowledge of the media is a great 

asset to our team. I often say that the 

parts of this project that Jay is in 

charge of are the parts I never worry 

about.” 

Jay, who often returned to Clarion 

University to perform in summer 

stock shows during hiatuses from his 

television career after graduation, is 

equally exuberant about his Clarion 

experience and the relationships he 

developed there. 

“Mike and I had the opportunity to 

do just about anything we wanted on 

the productions at Clarion. Plus, 

instructors like Mel Michel used to 

bring in professional actors. One of 

the people I met through Mel became 

a good friend and mentor to me. He 

worked out of New Orleans but knew 

everybody in the L.A. and New York 

performing arts circles. In this 

business, the connections you make 

like this are invaluable. 

“I think some of the people who 

have joined our team to make 

HOUDINI get a kick out of seeing us 

first-timers with a lot going for us. 

HOUDINI has great potential, and 

much of it began at Clarion 

University.” 

For more information on 

HOUDINI THE MUSICAL, visit 

http://www.houdinimusical.com 

(Carolyn Booker is a freelance 

writer specializing in higher 

education and general interest 

topics.)

Scheel Manages New York Advertising for Forbes 

Julia Scheel (’89) has reached vast 

numbers of Clarion University graduates 

over the past five years, and most probably 

do not realize it. Since 1996, Scheel has 

served first in advertising sales for Forbes 

magazine, and currently as New York 

advertising manager for Forbes Custom 

Communications Partners, the custom 

publishing division of Forbes Inc. 

“We are a turn-key publisher providing 

editorial, advertising sales, production and 

distribution for a variety of clients including 

IBM, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, 

Fidelity Investments, Solomon Smith 

Barney, Kinko’s, Northwest Mutual Finance 

Network, among others,” explains Scheel. 

“Each of these magazines has a different 

charge but primarily they work to strengthen 

relationships and build bridges between 

organizations and their various 

constituencies. Basically, they all want to 

increase their brand awareness and grow 

their business with a select audience and a 

custom publication is the perfect vehicle to 

do just that.” 

Scheel, who lives in Hoboken, N.J., 

came to New York City in 1992. 

“It was both a personal and professional 

decision for me,” she says. “First and 

foremost I wanted options and I wanted to be 

in a market where I could explore lots of 

opportunities. I didn’t know if I wanted to 

MICHELLE JURKOVIC 

A L U M N I F E A T U R E S 

work in broadcast, print, or work for a 

nonprofit, but I knew a large market would 

afford me unparalleled opportunities. 

“My environment was equally important. 

I wanted to be surrounded by everything that 

makes a big city exciting: music, theatre, 

arts, photography, etc. It was important for 

me to not have any regrets about not having 

tried to do something fun and rewarding in a 

competitive environment.” 

Those opportunities came to Scheel. Her 

first New York City job was working as an 

ad sales coordinator for Comedy Central 

Television, then a small cable channel. After 

two years and some basic sales experience 

she moved on to join Playboy magazine, 

working for three years in the Entertainment 

Group (Playboy TV and video) and 

eventually in international product licensing. 

Julia found Forbes in 1996, spending three 

years in advertising sales and marketing for 

what employees call the “mothership 

publication,” before assuming her current 

position two years ago. 

Scheel is originally from the Finger 

Lakes region of upstate New York, but 

moved to the Carnegie/Greentree area of 

Pittsburgh during high school. 

“I came to Clarion because of the 

communication program and because it 

wasn’t too far from home,” she recalls. “I 

had visited Clarion when I participated in the 

Autumn Leaf Festival parade with my high 

school marching band. I thought the area 

was just beautiful. When I was a senior, I 

looked at other schools, but felt Clarion was 

most in line with what I wanted.” 

Communication was a logical choice for 

Scheel. 

“I was good in English and I liked 

writing, taking photographs, and basically 

being creative in expressing my ideas with 

others. I’m also a bit of a “media junkie” I 

wanted to be exposed to all types of media in 

an educational environment to see how my 

skills and interests could be best served. 

Looking back, it was a great choice because 

we are absolutely bombarded with so many 

different mediums today.” 

Scheel looks back at her writing courses 

as helping her the most once she graduated 

from Clarion. 

“My Publications Editing class with 

Mary Wilson gave me writing experience 

that is invaluable,” says Scheel. “Any course 

I took with Dr. Al Larson, particularly 

communication law, are also relevant. 

Additionally, photography with Dr. Al Pfaff 

is useful on many levels. He was truly 

unconventional in his approach to teaching 

photography and I came away with the 

understanding that there is no one right way 

to see things; it’s okay to express yourself 

outside of traditional parameters. Some of 

my best ideas now come from thinking 

“outside the box” whether it’s on a sales 

proposal or in helping a client design their 

marketing materials.” 

Outside of communications, Scheel also 

found other valuable courses. 

“A few others stand out for me,” she 

says. “Funny enough, first and foremost in 

my mind is the satire class I took with Dr. 

Darrell Sheraw. What a brilliant course! He 

exposed us so many satirical situations and 

helped us to see that by being clever and 

witty your ideas generally will be better 

served - and that’s important in the crazy 

business of media.” 

Following her graduation from Clarion in 


JULIA SCHEEL (’89) 

1989, Scheel worked for one and a half years 

at an outplacement consulting firm in 

Pittsburgh that specialized in the coal and 

steel industries. She left outplacement to 

attend graduate school at West Virginia 

University, earning a master’s degree in 

communication arts in 1992. 

Scheel returns to Clarion almost every 

year for homecoming, usually with her close 

friend and fellow 1989 graduate Michelle 

Jurkovic, ironically the makeup manger for 

Fortune magazine, a major Forbes rival. 

“We were sorority sisters in Delta Zeta,” 

she says. “We have done so much together 

and are good support for each other. Now 

that we work for competing publications, we 

compare notes and friendly banter. We were 

fortunate to have become great friends at 

Clarion and to have decided to pursue many 

of the same interests in the same city. It 

shows what you can do when you stick 

together long after your days at Clarion 

University.” 

Jurkovic Manages Page Make-Up For Fortune Magazine 

Michelle Jurkovic (’89) makes sure that 

Fortune magazine puts on its best face for 

public consumption. 

Jurkovic, who received her degree in 

marketing, found her niche in the New York 

City publishing industry. She is currently 

makeup manager for Fortune magazine, a 

division of AOL Time Warner. In her 

position, she reviews all of the articles and 

advertisements in advance for the upcoming 

issue, making sure they are not in conflict. 

New York City was Jurkovic’s first stop 

after graduation. 

“I went to see the city,” she explains. “I 

also contacted headhunters, who found 

interviews for me.” 

The interviews resulted in Jurkovic 

entering the publishing industry in 1990. 

“I learned early that I didn’t like 

marketing and sales,” she says about her 

initial jobs. 

Those jobs led Jurkovic into the 

publishing process. 

“I fell into this and really like it,” she 

says. “It is something that involves both 

business and communication.” 

Jurkovic’s first makeup manager job was 

with Times Mirror publications. She worked 

on such magazines as Outdoor Life, Field & 

Stream, Golf Magazine, and Ski Magazine. 

From there she moved to her present position 

with AOL Time Warner, publisher of Time, 

People, Sports Illustrated, Entertainment 

Weekly, and Money, among many others. 

Jurkovic spent two years as the makeup 

manager for Travel Weekly, before taking 

over the same duties with Fortune. 

By seeing all of the articles for Fortune 

before publication, Jurkovic has much 

information ahead of the rest of the financial 

world. It is information she has to keep 

discrete until the issue is published. 

“It is fun hearing about all of this,” she 

says. “I work with people involved in 

writing, sales, and marketing. Contrary to 

Fortune’s reputation, our top editors come 

from diverse fields including art and rock 

bands. They are not all conservatives.” 

Fortune reports on the financial world 

and experiences the fluctuations first hand. 

Jurkovic noted that the 2000 Fortune 500 

magazine had more than 600 pages, while 

the 2001 issue was approximately 150 pages 

smaller. She attributes the drop-off to the 

decline of the dot-com companies. 

Jurkovic credits Clarion University for 

getting her off on the right track. Originally 

from Mt. Pleasant, Pa., she says one of 

Clarion’s attractions to her was, “Its distance 

from home. I also heard good things about 

Clarion and its business program. I read 

many articles about marketing and it seemed 

like the booming field at the time.” 

Additional opportunities helped Jurkovic 

to expand her skills. 

“I tried to explore while I was a student 

at Clarion,” she says. “I took classes outside 

my major and put more diversity into my 

degree. That has helped me in my career. 

“I took courses that other students told 

me were hard. Dr. John Bodah’s humanities 

class had a reputation for difficulty. He told 

us from day one that it would be challenging. 

It was, and I still think he was one of the best 

and most interesting professors I had.” 

The non-marketing courses led Jurkovic 

in a different direction. “My communication 

classes led me to creativity. I got involved in 

public relations and found out I was 

interested in advertising and promotion,” she 

explains. 

She practiced that creativity during a 

one-year internship with the Pennsylvania 

State Employees Credit Union. 

“It was a good internship,” she says. 

“They let me do things on my own. I found 

out there was more to marketing than I 

imagined.” 

Jurkovic designed a program to get 

students to join the credit union. Among her 

implemented ideas were direct mailing 

brochures, which she designed, and an 

information booth. 

“The membership grew during the year I 

worked on the project,” she says. 

Despite residing in Hoboken, N.J., and 

having solid New York City roots after 10 

years, Jurkovic has not forgotten Clarion. 

She has been back to all but one 

homecoming since her graduation, usually 

with classmate Julia Scheel, who works in 

advertising and sales for rival Forbes 

magazine. 

“We drive back to Clarion every year,” 

she says. “It is wonderful to visit and see 

how the campus has changed.”


A L U M N I F E A T U R E 

By Camille P. Downing '82 

What do forecasting the 

weather, spinning 

country music, 

developing a college television 

station, and hosting one of the most 

coveted radio shows in 

the country have 

in common 

Simple. Larry 

Richert. 

Known to 

many people 

as the 

colorful 

weatherman 

on KDKA- 

TV in 

It's Larry Richert 

Larry Richert (front) and the “Clarion KDKA Mafia.” In the back, l to r, are Clarion alumni P.J. 

Kumanchek, Joe Kapp, Jim Amato and Odell Ghafoor. Missing from photo is Clarion alumnus Scott 

Rimmel. 

Pittsburgh, Richert, 42, is a 1981 

graduate of Clarion University's 

communication program. And 

while he is well-known in western 

Pennsylvania, he is about to take 

center stage on January 2 when he 

flips the switch on the microphone 

as the host of the morning drive 

program at KDKA-Radio. As only 

the sixth morning show host in 

KDKA's 80-year history, Richert 

will replace the venerable John 

Cigna. 

For Richert, hosting such a 

show on the area's leading radio 

station is a dream come true. 

"Being a part of the morning 

show is a combination of 

everything I ever wanted to do in 

my broadcasting career," admits 

Richert. "I always wanted to do 

radio . . . and television if I was 

lucky." 

His career has led him down 

both paths, something he never 

thought possible when he first 

hit the airwaves as a teenager 

at North Allegheny High 

School, then later at the 

radio and television 

stations at Clarion 

University. 

While at Clarion, 

Richert worked hard at 

learning the business. 

He co-hosted the first 

television show that 

the school delivered to 

the town via cable, 

"Community Update"- 

a 15-minute 

show that 

provided 

information 

on 

community 

activities. 

He also worked 

spinning records for 

WCCB, which could 

only be picked up in 

the dorms, and 

WCUC-FM, where he later was 

named the sports director and then 

general manager for the studentrun 

station. This hands-on 

experience motivated Richert to 

continue to pursue a broadcast 

career. 

"I was one of the first graduates 

to combine communications with a 

broadcast focus," remembers 

Richert. "The program was so new 

at the time that I could put all of 

my energy into radio and 

television, which really worked for 

me. It was an excellent platform to 

learn about the business and get 

some experience." 

His college work quickly 

landed him an internship and first 

job at WDSY-Radio in Pittsburgh. 

After stints spinning everything 

from country to oldies music at 

various stations, Richert hosted the 

"Wake Up with Larry Richert" 

morning show on KDKA-TV. 

Finally, he trained to become a 

weatherman and could be seen in 

front of the camera every evening 

on KDKA-TV. There he had the 

chance to show Pittsburgh 

audiences some of the dry humor 

and adaptability that caught the 

attention of the big guns at KDKA- 

Radio, who approached him 

personally and asked him to 

consider taking over for the everpopular 

John Cigna. 

"I'm still shocked," admits 

Richert about the sudden interest. 

"KDKA said they wanted someone 

who could keep and attract 

different listeners to the show. And 

being a hometown guy certainly 

helped." 

At the beginning of the year, 

when Richert steps to the mike for 

the first time in his own show, he 

plans to make some modifications, 

introducing what he calls his 

"attempts at humor." But he 

assures listeners that the highly 

successful format will remain the 

same. While the show will no 

doubt sport Richert's name, he 

graciously admits that he is just 

one person in a highly experienced 

team that produces the program. 

Within that team are Program 

Director P.J. Kumanchik, Morning 

News Director Scott Rimmel and 

Producers Odell Ghafoor, Jim 

Amato and Joe Kapp-all Clarion 

alumni. Throughout the radio and 

television stations, Clarion is wellrepresented 

at all levels. 

"I call KDKA the 'Clarion 

Mafia'," notes Richert with a 

sinister grin. "We've taken over 

and we're everywhere." 

This is a testament to the 

quality education Clarion graduates 

receive, according to Richert, who 

is putting all of his skills to the test 

with his new show. In addition to 

the morning show, Richert will 

continue to lend his support to 

several charities and community 

activities. In a given year, Richert 

averages about 100 engagements 

where he speaks to schools, at 

banquets and charity fundraisers. 

He will also continue to be the 

voice of the Pittsburgh Steelers and 

the Miami Dolphins (his brotherin-law 

is former Dolphin Dan 

Marino) for NFL highlight films, a 

gig that he has enjoyed for many 

years. And, he plans on spending 

more time with his wife, Cindi, and 

their three children. 

As Richert reflects on his new 

job and his successful career, he 

always remembers the advice his 

father gave him some 25 years ago 

when he first stepped foot on 

Clarion's campus. 

"'Get an education and do 

something you want to do. If you 

like it, you'll be good at it and 

success will come'," were his 

fatherly words. "Now, THAT is my 

living today," states Richert. 

(Camille P. Downing is a 

public relations consultant and 

graduate of Clarion University's 

communication program. She 

resides in Hampton, Pa.)


F E A T U R E 

Grad Brings Sights and Sounds 

One Clarion grad helped bring 

the sound and sights of terrorism to 

the nation on Sept. 11. 

Bill Alberter (’86) is a CNN 

camera and sound person based in 

Washington, D.C., working with 

reporter Jamie McIntyre. When 

Congress sang “God Bless 

America” on the steps of the 

Capital to a still stunned country, it 

was Alberter who was handling the 

sound. 

“I thought I had already 

covered the biggest story of my 

lifetime,” says Alberter, who 

filmed impeachment proceedings 

of President Bill Clinton. “I 

couldn’t imagine anything like 

September 11. It was a day where 

time seemed to stand still. I tried to 

think about doing my job as much 

as I could while more updates 

came in. It was stressful and I tried 

to bury myself in my work.” 

Alberter lives in Centerville, 

Va., approximately 20 miles from 

Washington, D.C., and close to 

Dulles International Airport. Sept. 

11 was his day off and he was 

waiting to have a car inspected 

when his pager sounded. He was 

told to turn on his television and 

then report to work. 

“I wasn’t near a television, so I 

turned on my car radio and headed 

for Washington, D.C.,” he says. “It 

was an eerie feeling. I was going 

into the city and everyone else was 

headed out. I tried to visualize 

everything I was hearing on the 

radio and I didn’t see the actual 

attack video until I got to work.” 

The CNN Washington Bureau, 

where Alberter works, was 

planning to send backup teams to 

New York City to cover the attack 

on the World Trade Center. Those 

plans changed when a third 

hijacked airplane hit the Pentagon 

after he reported to work. That was 

the start of a 27-hour day for 

Alberter. 

“I ran on adrenalin,” he says. 

Continued on Page 25 

To Nation 

Dr. Frank Vento (second from left) and Byron Straw ’99 (second from right) used Clarion 

University’s ground radar equipment to help the recovery efforts at the World Trade Center in 

New York City. Straw received his degree from Clarion in earth science and teaches in Fairfax, 

VA. (Photo by Fred Donegan.) 

Bill Alberter (’86) works with reporter Jamie McIntyre at CNN 

in Washington, D.C. 

Vento Lends Support At 

(The following article was 

written by Jack Grazier, staff 

writer for the Erie Times. It 

was published in the Sept. 18, 

2001 edition of the Erie 

Times.) 

Frank Vento, Ph.D., professor 

of geology at Clarion 

University for the past 19 

years, has gone to Italy once or 

twice a year since 1989 to look for 

ancient Roman buildings buried in 

the sand. 

He never dreamed he would be 

using the same technology that he 

uses to find ancient Roman 

columns to scan beneath the sandy 

soil of Manhattan to find steel 

columns that once held 

up the World Trade 

Center. 

But on Thursday at 

1:15 a.m., he was 

awakened by a call 

relayed from New York 

City rescue workers to 

please bring the university’s 

“penetrating ground radar” system 

to New York to help in the 

devastation there. 

The radar system is much like 

the sonar salvagers used to find the 

Titanic: It sends radar beneath the 

surface, the radar reveals what is 

there, then the radar signal is 

processed through a computer to 

provide an image on a screen. 

But Vento’s radar works in the 

earth, not in the sea. 

“It penetrates the ground and 

picks up differences in soil and 

rock,” he said. “It measures the 

difference in density and 

reflectivity of underground matter 

so that on a screen we can see the 

image of what we’re going over 

The devastation of the World Trade Center at the time Dr. Frank Vento and 

alumnus Byron Straw helped with the recovery efforts. (Photo by Fred 

Donegan). 

with the equipment — whether it’s 

a buried pipe or buried wall or an 

open space, a void in which 

survivors could be trapped.” 

The device works to a depth of 

20 feet. 

Falling buildings 

After Vento received the phone 

call, he got out of bed, got dressed, 

and immediately drove to Clarion 

to get his radar equipment. Then he 

drove straight to New Jersey, to be 

escorted by a U.S. marshal across 

the George Washington Bridge to 

ground zero. He arrived at about 

10a.m. Thursday and worked till 

about 9 p.m. both on Thursday and 

Continued on Page 24


’44 

Alice M. 

(Guseman) 

Jones volunteers 

for the newly established 

Environmental Institute by 

organizing and classifying books. 

She was recently honored with an 

award for 15 years of volunteer 

recording for the Library of 

Michigan's Library for the Blind 

and Physically Handicapped. As 

valedictorian of her high school 

class, she gave the invocation for 

the class' 60th anniversary. She has 

two children, Jeffrey and Janice, 

and resides with her husband, 

Kensinger, in Pritchardville, Mich. 

’55 

Ruth E. 

(Shevel) 

Hannold retired 

in 1992 after four years as the high 

school librarian for Chestnut Ridge 

School District and 26 years as an 

elementary teacher for the Bedford 

Area School District. She has three 

sons and resides in Bedford, Pa. 

’62 

Raymond J. 

Bukosky retired 

from the Stow 

School District after 34 years of 

teaching. He has two children, 

Melissa and Greg, and resides in 

Kent, Ohio. 

’64 

Robert D. 

and Lorraine 

(’63) Arbuckle 

have three children, Lisa, Robert, 

and Jeff, and reside in Sault Ste. 

Marie, Mich. Robert is in his 10 th 

year as president of Lake Superior 

State University. He plans to retire 

in June 2002 after 40 years in 

higher education. 

Jery Drayer has retired from 

Akron Central School and resides 

in Geneva, N.Y. 

’66 

Frank W. 

and Adele 

(Desmone ’65) 

Grundler have three sons, 

William, James and Matthew, and 

live in Phoenix, Ariz. They recently 

became new grandparents. Frank 

received his master’s degree from 

Arizona State University and 

recently retired after 31 years of 

teaching and coaching. 

Ronald L. Keller is a professor 

at Millersville State University. He 

’69 

Donald L. 

Adamsky 

retired as a 

speech/hearing/language specialist 

after working with the 

Pennsylvania Department of Public 

Welfare at Selinsgrove Center for 

more than 32 years. During that 

time, he provided services in 

augmentative communication, 

served on the dysphagia team from 

its inception, and provided 

technical support and training for 

computers. He and his wife, Mary, 

have a son, Chris, and reside in 

Selinsgrove, Pa. 

Wendy (Christoff) Klinedinst 

has retired to Navarre, Fla., with 

her husband, Daniel. She has two 

sons, Daniel and Gregory. 

’70 

Jerry T. 

Heckler is an 

adjunct professor 

of anatomy and 

physiology at John Carroll 

University and Lakelin Community 

College. He also has his doctor of 

chiropractic degree and owns North 

Coast Chiropractic Care. He resides 

in Chardon, Ohio. 

Mary Anne Sydlik has spent 

the last year writing science books 

for children including one titled, 

"Woods Hole Summer/Where Have 

All the Horseshoe Crabs Gone" 

She is a research associate for the 

Western Michigan University 

College of Health and Human 

Services. She resides in Holland, 

Mich., with her husband, John 

Badgerow, and children, Jacob and 

Katie. 

’71 

Karen A. 

(Dixon) Ferry 

is an elementary 

principal and 

former teacher for St. Peters 

Church. She was named to Who's 

Who of Professionals last spring. 

She and her husband, James, reside 

in Somerset, Pa. 

’75 

Sheryl A. 

Schwartz is an 

accountant and resides in Winston- 

Salem, NC. 

76 

Gary 

Daum 

recently 

signed 

with enovel.com for the 

publication of a novel 

entitled "Survivors" 

which is set around 

Washington, D.C., and 

Clarion County, including 

Cook Forest. The novel is 

available online at 

www.enovel.com. He has 

conducted the NIH Community 

Orchestra for five years and is 

media center director for 

Georgetown Preparatory School. 

He and his wife, Mary, reside in 

Kensington, Md. His website is 

www.gprep.org/~gldaum. 

retired as special education director 

’76 

for Harrisburg School District. He 

and his wife, Helene, reside in 

Harrisburg, Pa. 

A L U M N I N O T E S 

Beth (Pottiger) Hipple is a 

senior consultant for KPMG 

Consulting, Inc., director of a 50- 

voice choir, and webmaster for 

HOWL hockey league. She has a 

son, Jonathan, and resides in 


’77 

Ann 

(Richey) 

Jackson is a 

manager, 

technical services, for the Rocky 

River Public Library. She resides 

with her husband, Thomas, and 

stepson, Richard, in Fairview Park, 

Ohio. 

Beth (Hepting) and Bob (’78) 

Work have three children, 

Rebeccah, Jonathan, and 

Christopher, and reside in Mount 

Dora, Fla. Beth is the executive 

director of the Lake and Sumter 

Counties Boys and Girls Club. Bob 

is vice president for finance for 

Sunrise Arc of Lake County Inc. 

Donald "Bruce" Holsopple 

received Nationwide Insurance 

Company's District Service Award 

for south-central Pennsylvania. The 

award is given for outstanding 

community service. He is selfemployed 

as a Nationwide agent. 

He and his wife, Jaye, and three 

children, Todd, Joel, and Erin, 

reside in Stoystown, Pa. 

Bonnie L. (Nickell) Meeder is 

a managing agent for Peek 'n Peak 

Recreation Inc. She, her husband, 

Ronald, and son, Eric, live in 

Ripley, N.Y. 

Ann L. Wilson (M.L.S. ’82) is 

the collection development 

librarian for Brodart Company and 

is pursuing her master's degree in 

American studies at Penn State 

Harrisburg. She and her husband, 

Larry Cupp, reside in Williamsport, 

Pa. 

Bob and Beth (Hepting) (’77) 

Work have three children, 

Rebeccah, Jonathan, and 

Christopher, and reside in Mount 

Dora, Fla. Beth is the executive 

director of the Lake and Sumter 

Counties Boys and Girls Club. Bob 

is vice president for finance for 

Sunrise Arc of Lake County Inc. 

’78 ’79 

Leonard 

Bashline is a 

Terrence 

registered 

Hennessy of 

representative, Flagship Services, 

Kennesaw, Ga., 

for the Vanguard Group. He has travels nationwide as a training 

two children, Joshua and Alecia, specialist for LAN International. 

and resides in Royersford, Pa. He trains users on MediaStar, a 

software program utilized by the 

traffic and billing departments of 

radio stations across the country. 

He traveled to London, England, at 

the end of 1999 to assist a major 

client with a Y2K software 

upgrade. 

Longwill Executive Director 

Of Indiana County Tourism 

Jonathan Longwill (’01) of Indiana is the new executive director 

of the Indiana County Tourist Bureau. 

"I am very excited to get started and to promote all of the great 

opportunities Indiana County has to offer," says 

Longwill. "This office has grown tremendously 

over the last couple of years, and I expect to 

continue the tradition." 

Longwill graduated cum laude from Clarion 

University in May 2001 with a degree in 

communications. He participated in a wide 

variety of extra-curricular activities including 

the student publications committee, Phi 

Sigma Pi, WCUC-FM and Collegiate 

Republicans. He served his internship in the 

offices of State Attorney General Mike 

Fisher. 

"I'm very pleased with the hiring of Jon 

Longwill," said Ken Bisbee, the tourism 

bureau's personnel committee chair. "His 

personality is one that shows dedication and commitment, both 

necessities to the position." 

William Warrick received his 

master’s degree in instructional 

education technology and is 

working on his Ph.D. He is an 

instructor at George Mason 

University. He resides with his 

wife, Bobbe, and children, Rachel, 

Jacob, and Benjamin, in 

Fredericksburg, Va. 

’81 

LONGWILL 

’80 

Jay Stewart 

is the county 

athletic director 

for St. Lucie County Schools. He 

has a son, Evan, and resides in Fort 

Pierce, Fla. 

Edith M. 

and Richard D. 

Burns have a 

son, Eric, and reside in Boulder, 

Colo. In August, Edith received her 

doctorate in audiology from Central 

Michigan University. 

Harry D. and Gail (’92) 

Lowers have three children, Marti, 

Bethany, and Abby, and reside in 

Nashport, Ohio. Harry was 

promoted to outpatient services 

coordinator for Perry Behavioral 

Health Choices and presents 

seminars, along with Gail, a 

licensed psychotherapist, on a 

variety of addiction, mental health, 

and relationship topics. 

James J. McCarthy Jr. is the 

store manager for Rite Aid in 

Melrose Park, Pa. He resides with 

his wife, Pamela, and their 

children, James, Lauren, and 

Kathleen, in Levittown, Pa. 

Rose M. Miller attends U.S. 

Army War College. She recently 

completed battalion command at 

Fort Campbell, Ky., and was 

awarded the Meritorious Service 

medal. She resides in Carlisle, Pa.

CLARION ALUMNI NEWS-11 


’82 

Netta M. 

Benamati is a 

curriculum 

coordinator for Liberty County 

High School. In May 2000, she 

received her master's degree in 

educational leadership from 

Georgia Southern University. 

Susan (Pflug) and Jay Frerotte 

have two children, Stefanie and 

Adam, and reside in Bel Air, Md. 

Susan is a legal assistant for 

Gregory A. Rapisarda, P.A. Jay 

received his master's degree in 

business administration from the 

Johns Hopkins University in May 

and is the administrator of the 

safety office of Johns Hopkins 

Hospital. 

Linda C. (Haney) Olmstead is 

a staff pathologist at Trumbull 

Memorial Hospital in Warren, 

Ohio. She graduated from medical 

school in 1986 and completed a 

pathology residency at Cleveland 

Clinic in 1991. She and her 

husband, Floyd, have two sons, 

Eric and Kevin, and reside in 

Southington, Ohio. 

’83 

Janice R. 

(Savko) Dumler 

is a financial 

accounting supervisor for UW 

Physicians. She is treasurer and 

meetings director for the Mt. 

Rainier Chapter of the Institute of 

Management Accountants. She and 

her husband, Michael, reside in 

South Colby, Wash. 

David Vucelich (’85, ’88) is a 

lecturer in English for the 

Longwood College Department of 

English. He retired from 

competitive distance running in 

1992. 

Barbara A. (Wood) Warner is 

an adult education coordinator for 

the Dr. Gertrude A. Barber Center. 

She resides in Erie with her 

husband, Matthew, and children, 

Kelsey and Luke. 

’84 

Phil Clay is 

first vice 

president with Bank One 

Corporation. He and his wife, 

Caroline, have two sons, Philip and 

Joshua, and reside in Lewis Center, 

Ohio. 

Beverly F. Ellis is a reading 

recovery teacher for Fort Worth 

ISD. She and her husband, Keith, 

reside in N.R.H., Texas, with their 

children, Karla and Brian. 

Adelle G. Kurtz is a family 

physician in Harrisburg, Pa. She 

resides in Mechanicsburg, Pa., 

with her husband, Najib 

Benjelloun, and their children, 

Salima, Aleah, and Asha. 

Carol S. (Snyder) 

Malnati is an executive 

assistant to the Carolinas 

office managing partner for 

Arthur Anderson. She and 

her husband, Robert, 

reside in Charlotte, N.C. 

Cheryl (Smith) 

Robbins is selfemployed 

as an 

editor/proofreader. 

She resides in 

Milton, Pa., with her 

husband, Mark, and 

children, Kelsea 

and Austin. 

’85 

Nancy 

M. Stanbery- 

Kellam is a 

system training manager for the 

Gwinnett County Public Library, 

which was named the 2000 Library 

Journal/Gale Group Library of the 

Year. She co-chaired the American 

Cancer Society's Gwinnett County 

Relay for Life, which placed first in 

the country for money raised. She 

and her husband, James, took two 

trips to Russia in 2000 to adopt 

their son, James. She resides in 

Lawrenceville, Ga. 

Shari (King) Nigro is a claims 

approver for United Healthcare and 

recently received her global 

facilitator certification. She has two 

children, Darby and Austin, and 

resides in Tampa, Fla. 

’86 

Sharon 

Reuther is a 

branch manager 

for Community 

Banks, NA. She and her husband, 

Tom, have a daughter, Beth, and 

reside in Milton, Pa. 

Gina (Rago) and Jay 

Slobodzian (’98) reside in Vero 

Beach, Fla., with their sons, Jayson 

and Jeremy. Gina received her 

master's degree in business 

administration from Saint Leo 

University in 1997 and is the 

business office manager for 

Medical Data Systems. 

Michael and Amy (Opina ’91) 

Tysarczyk have a son, Eric, and 

reside in Fairfax, Va. Michael is a 

principal consultant with 

Price/Waterhouse/Coopers 

Government Consulting Practice 

Mushrush Directs TechTV On-Air Promotions 

TechTV, the only cable 

television channel covering 

technology information, news 

and entertainment 24 hours a 

day, has retained television 

veteran Bill Mushrush (’84) 

to the position of director of 

on-air promotions. Mushrush 

will lead the creative strategic 

management of the on-air 

promotions department. He 

will be responsible for all 

channel promotional efforts 

and reinforcing brand and 

channel awareness. 

Mushrush brings extensive 

promotion experience to TechTV 

for both --entertainment and 

news programming. While with 

NBC Entertainment as the 

director of creative services in 

affiliate advertising and 

promotion, Mushrush performed 

a similar role to the one he will 

fill at TechTV. Mushrush served 

as the creative liaison between 

the network and the affiliates 

through the development and 

and is working on his master's 

degree in business administration in 

finance at Marymount University. 

Amy is a manager of sales and 

product training for Yellowbrix 

Inc., an Internet content 

management company in 

Alexandria, Va. 

’87 

Coreen M. 

(Huffman) 

Casadei is a 

principal and 

founder of Collective Efforts, LLC, 

a civil and environmental 

engineering company. She received 

her bachelor's degree in civil 

engineering from the University of 

Pittsburgh in 1987. She resides in 

Pittsburgh, Pa., with her husband, 

Louis, and son, Antonio. 

Rebecca (Bitner) Emerick 

resides in State College, Pa., with 

her daughter, Rhiannon. 

George L. Fillgrove is a 

community relations director for 

the New York State Assembly and 

is on the staff of Assemblywoman 

Catharine Young. He retired from 

the Air Force in 1994 and resides in 

Friendship, N.Y., with his wife, 

Carolyn, and children, Rachael and 

John. 

Judith (Barrett) Holben works 

for Horizon Health Corporation and 

resides in Brookville, Pa., with her 

husband, Mark. 

Mark J. Jacklin is a chemical 

distribution of 

marketing and 

promotional 

materials. He 

also wrote 

and produced 

promos for 

NBC 

Entertainment 

for shows 

such as "The 

West Wing," 

"Third 

Watch," and 

"Law & Order: Special Victims 

Unit." 

"We're really excited that Bill 

has decided to join our team," 

said Greg Drebin, senior vice 

president of programming and 

production, TechTV. "Bill's 

creative skills, combined with 

his strong strategic thinking, 

make him a great addition to 

TechTV." 

TechTV is the only cable 

television channel covering 

technology information, news, 

MUSHRUSH 

engineer for Reliant Energy. He 

and his wife, Vickie, reside in 

Brookville, Pa. 

Susan B. McDonald is the 

hospice coordinator for VNA of 

Erie County and is the newly 

elected vice president of the PA 

Hospice Network. She is an RN, 

OCN, and CRHN and resides in 

Erie, Pa. 

Elizabeth (Betsy) C. Rustad is 

a territory manager for Medtronic 

MiniMed and was recently 

transferred from Pittsburgh to 

Harrisburg. She resides in 

Hummelstown, Pa. 

Paul M. Zollinger is vice 

president/general manager for 

Quest Loan Corporation. He and 

his wife, Lorri, have three children, 

Alyssa, John, and Zoe, and reside 

in Jeannette, Pa. 

’88 

Adam 

Andrusky is the 

regional director 

of association sales for Fine Hotels 

Corporation. He and his wife, 

Cindy, reside in Lititz, Pa., and are 

expecting their first child in 

January. 

Jerri S. (Barhite) Burrows 

was promoted to an area supervisor 

for Kohl's Department Store. She 

resides with her husband, Gregory, 

in McDonald, Pa. 

and entertainment from a 

consumer, industry, and market 

perspective 24 hours a day. 

Offering everything from 

industry news to product 

reviews, updates on tech stocks 

to tech support, TechTV's 

original programming keeps the 

wired world informed and 

entertained. TechTV is one of 

the fastest growing cable 

networks, currently available in 

more than 25 million households 

and distributing content to 70 

countries. With more than one 

million unique visitors per 

month, TechTV.com is a 

community destination that 

encourages viewer interaction 

through e-mail, live chat, and 

video mail. TechTV, formerly 

ZDTV, is owned by Vulcan 

Northwest Inc. 

Mushrush received his 

degree in communication from 

Clarion in 1984. He resides in 

Pasadena, Calif. 

Lori A. (Slagel) Caputi is selfemployed 

as an optometric 

physician and completed an ocular 

therapeutics course at Nova 

Southeastern University in March. 

She resides in Coconut Creek, Fla., 

with her husband, Giovanni, and 

daughter, Brianna. 

Carolyn (Kusbit) Dunn is 

marketing coordinator, Division of 

Continuing Studies, for East 

Carolina University. She resides 

with her husband, Paul, and 

daughters, Olivia and Katherine, in 

Greenville, N.C. 

Alison Ebel works in sales for 

United States Gypsum Company. 

She resides in Baltimore, Md. 

Deanna L. Heasley-Su is an 

attorney. She and her husband, 

Sean, have a daughter, Lienne, and 

reside in Erie, Pa. 

Myron J. Kurtiak is a training 

and development manager for Ecco 

USA. He resides in Deerfield, 

N.H., with his wife, Erika, and son, 

Joseph. 

William C. Marsh is the new 

vice president/chief financial 

officer of Farmers National Bank of 

Emlenton and treasurer/secretary of 

Emclaire Financial Corporation, the 

bank's holding company. He is a 

CPA and resides with his wife, 

Maribeth, and sons, Ryan, Owen, 

and Dylan, in Cranberry Township, 

Pa.



’88 

Donald and 

Samantha 

(Ross ’90) 

Servey have a daughter, 

Alexandra, and reside 

in New Market, Md. 

Donald received his 

master’s degree in 

computer science from 

John Hopkins 

University and is a 

senior engineer for 

Tumbleweed 

Communications 

Corporation. 

Cheryl (Hixson) 

Schultz was promoted to 

vice president of Ultimate 

Systems Design and 

Construction. She resides 

with her husband, Keith, and 

sons, Ryan and Alex, in 

Bossier City, La. 

Jay E. and Gina (Rago 

’86) Slobodzian have two 

sons, Jeremy and Jayson, and 

reside in Vero Beach, Fla. Jay is 

a kitchen designer for Home 

Depot. 

Saurabh Sheth is a managing 

partner for Jai Agro Industries and 

resides in India. 

Jodie Kay (Burford) 

Wyrosdick is lead technology 

teacher for Wayne County Public 

Schools. She resides with her 

husband, Ted, in Goldsboro, NC. 

’89 

Jennifer. 

Angela E. 

(Hevner) 

Karwowski is a 

stay-at-homemom 

and resides in Mill Hall, Pa., 

with her husband, John, and 

daughter, Rachael. 

Janice L. (Zawacki) and 

Raymond (’87) Krouse have a 

son, Noah, and reside in Aurora, 

Ill.. Janice received her doctorate in 

mathematics from the University of 

Pittsburgh in December and is a 

member of the mathematics faculty 

at Illinois Math and Science 

Academy. 

Jessica (Haas) Kuipers is a 

homemaker and resides with her 

husband, Tom, and daughters, 

Sarah and Lindsey, in Alpharetta, 

Ga. 

Matt Lepczyk is an export 

manager for Excel Global 

Logistics. He and his wife, 

Katheryn, reside in Crescent 

Township, Pa., with their children, 

Kyle and Jenna. 

Raymond and Elaine (Leone 

’90) McCanna reside in 

Youngwood, Pa., with their 

children, Raymond, Alexandra, and 

Bill Nesbitt (center) poses with people he visited in the Ukraine. 

Nesbitt Visits Russia and Ukraine 

Bill Nesbitt ('76) has visited 

Russia and the Ukraine with the 

Slavic Gospel Association to see 

missionaries and encourage 

Christians in the area. They also 

visited Moscow and Siberia. 

Nesbitt is the senior pastor at 

Silver Sage Bible Church in 

Fallon, Nev. He graduated from 

Clarion University with a degree 

in secondary educationcommunication 

arts. He received 

Raymond is a history 

teacher and varsity football coach 

for Hempfield Area Senior High 

School, and is employed part-time 

by State Farm Insurance. 

Shelley (Deeter) and John 

(’90) Moreau reside in Roswell, 

Ga., and have a daughter, Claire. 

Shelley is a marketing and member 

communications specialist for 

Kaiser Permanente. 

Michaeline (Botti) Neu is a 

teacher for North Penn School 

District. She and her husband, 

Peter, reside in North Wales, Pa., 

with their son, Nicholas. 

Scott L. Pegram is an account 

representative for Yellow Book 

USA. He resides in Greensburg, 

Pa., with his wife, Shelley, and 

children, Derek and Jade. 

Mary Retort-George received 

her master's of theatre degree from 

Bowling Green State University in 

August. She occasionally performs 

in Toledo. She resides with her 

husband, Jerry D. George (’91), 

and daughter, Lillian, in Bowling 

Green, Ohio. 

a master's degree in drama from 

Kansas University in 1979, did a 

few spots on television's 

"General Hospital," and did 

commercials and plays before 

changing careers. His master of 

divinity degree is from the 

Master's Seminary. He ministered 

in Houston and Albuquerque 

before moving to Fallon. 

While at Clarion, Nesbitt 

acted in several plays. He was the 

Cheryl (Nastasi) Vogt is a 

part-time post-closing specialist for 

Nothnagle Home Securities. She 

and her husband, Jeffrey, reside in 

Webster, N.Y., with their children, 

Amanda, Nicholas, and Alexander. 

’90 

Erik A. Bey 

received his 

doctorate in 

regulatory 

biology from Cleveland State 

University. He is a postdoctoral 

research fellow with the Cleveland 

Clinic Foundation,Cleveland, Ohio. 

Christine Marie Byham- 

Yamrick is an advertising sales 

executive for the Meadville 

Tribune. She and her husband, 

Joseph, reside in Meadville, Pa. 

David Cummings is a sales 

representative for National 

Distributing Company and is also a 

musician. He resides with his wife, 

Elizabeth, in Santa Fe, N.M. 

Renee A. (Edwards) 

Cummings works in production 

control for Tyco Electronics. She 

resides with her husband, TJ, and 

daughters, Makenna, Morgan, and 

Caitlin, in Harrisburg, Pa. 

lead in the summer production of 

"6 Rooms River View." 

Nesbitt and his wife, Lisa, 

have three children, Mason, 

Mark, and Kathryn, and reside in 

Fallon, Nev. 

Nesbitt is scheduled to go to 

northern India in 2002 to teach 

the national pastors in a oneweek 

seminar. 

Jeffrey R. James is a special 

agent with the United States Secret 

Service. He resides in Fairfax, Va. 

Raymond and Elaine (Leone 

’90) McCanna reside in 

Youngwood, Pa, with their 

children, Raymond, Alexandra, and 

Jennifer. Elaine works part-time for 

State Farm Insurance. 

John and Shelly (Deeter ’89) 

Moreau reside in Roswell, Ga. 

John is a sales representative for 

Master Builders Technologies. 

’91 

Amy 

(Mauck) Baker 

is a senior 

manager, 

Americas Events, for Marconi. She 

and her husband, Keith, reside in 

Cranberry Township, Pa. 

Karina L. Blose and Michael 

Pastor ('92) reside in Kittanning, 

Pa., with their twins, Thomas and 

Patrick. Karina teaches French at 

Ford City Schools. 

Mary F. (Stewart) Brittain 

will return to teaching fourth grade 

for South Western School District 

next year. She lives in York, Pa., 

with her husband, Mark, and son, 

Matthew. 

Lin M. (Gurney) Danes is a 

web coordinator for Kent State 

University. She resides in Berlin 

Center, Ohio, with her husband, 

John, and daughter, Ayla. 

Amy (Green) Gallagher 

received her master's degree in 

counseling at IUP in 1994 and 

provides career development 

services at New Choices/New 

Options. She and her husband, 

David, reside in Butler, Pa. 

Gerald G. and Mary (Retort 

’89) George reside in Bowling 

Green, Ohio, with their daughter, 

Lillian. Jerry received his masters 

of theatre from Bowling Green 

State University in 1997 and is 

working on his doctorate. He is an 

adjunct faculty member at Terra 

Community College. 

Kristin (Hatfield) and David 

Haines (’92) reside in Oakdale, 

Pa., with their children, Sydney and 

Gabriel. Kristin is an underwriter 

for IBC Inc. David is a selfemployed 

home inspector and 

estimator. 

Lori Lynn Kurimsky is 

manager of course 

administration/technical training 

for Software AG. She resides in 

Ashburn, Va. 

John and Dana (Murdock ’92) 

MacBeth have twins, Braden and 

Danielle, and reside in Sigel, Pa. 

John teaches sixth grade at 

Brookville Elementary School. 

Clarissa (Malizia) Palowitz is 

a retail operations manager for 

ALLTEL. She and her husband, 

Robert, have a daughter, Isabella, 

and reside in Boardman, Ohio. 

Amy (Opina ’91) and Michael 

Tysarczyk have a son, Eric, and 

reside in Fairfax, Va. Amy is a 

manager of sales and product 

training for Yellowbrix Inc., an 

Internet content management 

company in Alexandria, Va. 

Michael is a principal consultant 

with Price/Waterhouse/Coopers 

Government Consulting Practice 

and is working on his master's 

degree in business administration 

in finance at Marymount 


Kristin S. (Smith) Robertucci 

is an assistant vice 

president/accounting with Irwin 

Bank and Trust Co. She and her 

husband, Chris, reside in Scottdale, 

Pa., with their son, John. 

Nancy Surkovich is a certified 

professional in human resources 

and works as a corporate recruiter 

for Symphoni Interactive. She 

resides in Pittsburgh, Pa.

As his business celebrates its 20th 

anniversary, Chris Tyner (’71) has found 

that his education at Clarion University was 

essential to his success. 

"It's amazing what you do apply," Tyner 

said at Neshannock Woods. Located in 

Mercer, Pa., Neshannock Woods & Co. is a 

business that restores antique furniture and 

designs and builds high-end traditional and 

contemporary furniture. Some of the more 

interesting projects Tyner & Co. has been 

commissioned to do was the building of 

furniture for the USS Brig Niagara, a War of 

1812 ship, in Erie, Pa., and furniture for the 

Clipper-Schooner, the Lynx, another War of 

1812 ship built in Rockport, Me., this past 

summer. Also other historical restoration 

projects include restoring furniture for the 

President Buchanan/Harriet Lane House in 

Mercersburg, Pa., and the Lafayette Bed for 

the Millenium celebration in Mercer, Pa.. 

"Colleges and universities teach you both 

subject matter and also how to relate to 

people. You apply all of your experiences 

from college in your job," Tyner said, later 

stressing study discipline and time 

management as important factors in a career. 

He added, "You learn how to think, 

and...how to make decisions." 

Tyner graduated from Clarion University 

in 1971 with a bachelor's in earth science 

and a minor in art. He had a heavy focus in 

geology, but did not pursue a geology career 

because it would have required a master's 

degree and he believes he "just needed to 

work." Currently, he resides in Grove City 

with his wife, Kathleen. The couple has just 

celebrated their 20 th anniversary. They have 

two children, Kathleen, 16, and Christine, 

13. 

One of the major reasons that Tyner was 

drawn to Clarion was the golf coach, Tom 

Caranahan. Tyner had played golf at Bishop 

Boyle High School in Homestead, Pa., and 

wanted to continue in college. 

Tyner's switch to restoring and building 

furniture from a planned career in earth 

sciences is not as unusual as it may seem. 

Tyner's minor in art helped him to step into 

his future career. 

"It's an earthy subject matter that allows 


you to be able to be creative with your 

hands" Tyner said. "I worked a lot of 

different jobs before getting into business for 

myself. I use my art minor interest a lot now 

in designing and orchestrating a piece of 

furniture, and the natural resource, the wood, 

still relates to the natural science." 

His work at Neshannock Woods has 

given him the opportunity to work on several 

high-profile historical projects. 

"Niagara was a very interesting project," 

Tyner said. "It combined history and the art 

of furniture in the early 19th century. We 

had to build the furniture on the ship and it 

took three months. You get the specifications 

from the state and from a marine architect. 

They give you the blueprints but they let you 

choose the wood species, the colortone, the 

finish, and the correct hardware of the 

period. That is the part where you become a 

furniture historian. You research to make 

sure what you give them is very authentic." 

In his work, Tyner uses many early hand 

tools like the ones used during the 

construction of the restored object. The 

furniture for the Niagara originally was built 

using old 19th century guild standards. 

Restoring it required Tyner to recreate the 

thickness and species of the wood, the 

details, the finish, the scribe marks, and 

joinery. The restored furniture is as close to 

the old look and standards as possible. 

Utilizing period tools for most of the work, 

Tyner maintains the authenticity of the 

project, though modern equipment 

sometimes is required. 

Tyner's work on the Niagara directly 

influenced his work on the Lynx. Built 

originally in Baltimore as a Privateer in the 

War of 1812, the Lynx was recreated in 

Rockport, Me., using an architect from 

Annapolis. The furniture for the Lynx was 

based on the work Tyner previously had 

done for the Niagara. 

Another high-profile job Tyner has 

contributed to was the restoration of the 

President Buchanan/Harriet Lane House in 

Mercersburg. 

"President Buchanan was not married, so 

his niece filled the duties of a First Lady," 

Tyner explained. "He built the house for her 

and they used it for all presidential events 


’71 Grad Using Elements of Clarion Education For Restoration Success 

Chris Tyner awaits the next restoration challenge. 

and receptions. We did 10 or 12 pieces for 

the house." 

With all of that work behind him, Tyner's 

business continues to prosper. 

"We have interesting workshops, 

showrooms and related historical museum 

displays," Tyner said. The growth and their 

recent 20th business anniversary are just 

added bonuses to enjoying what he does. 

"You need to have a job or career that 

you enjoy doing," Tyner said, "and college 

helps you sort that out. I feel fortunate, and I 

feel satisfied with my job. Clarion was an 

excellent experience, and it was an important 

step in my life. Your faith, your family, your 

job, and your education are all very 

important. They're the nuts and bolts of life." 

Tyner's job is one that needs a broad 

range of education. Tyner not only uses his 

artistic background and major in earth 

sciences, but he has to deal with the business 

aspects of his vocation. Finances, 

interrelating with customers and employees, 

as well as communicating and explaining the 

projects are all part of the job. 

"Clarion helped me learn how to 

communicate," Tyner said. "Communication 

makes the world go round. All jobs are about 

working with and relating to people. My 

business, furniture and woodwork, is a 

common denominator that brings people 

together. Other general courses at Clarion, 

including writing and speech, have helped 

me a lot." 

Tyner believes Clarion was an important 

stepping-stone in his life and helped him to 

understand himself. 

"The college experience enriches and 

expands your abilities. It helps you sort out 

what you like and don't like," he explained. 

"It's a good thing when you can understand 

yourself and your abilities. I had to relate to 

things in an earthy way and needed to work 

with my hands. I tried accounting and desk 

jobs, but they weren't satisfying. Everyone 

needs to express themselves in their own 

way whether it’s teaching or sports or 

science or business, whatever, find what you 

like and enjoy it." 

’92 

Amy 

(Anderson) and 

John Baxter 

have a daughter, 

Maren, and reside in Monroe, N.C. 

Ingrid J. (Anderson) 

Cartwright is a homemaker. She 

and her husband, James, reside in 

Fredericksburg, Va., with their 

children, MaKayla and Dominic. 

Kimberly J. (Faller) DeGolier 

is an administrative assistant at 

McKean County C.A.R.E. for 

Children. She resides with her 

husband, Matthew, and sons, Eric 

and Brett, in Bradford, Pa. 

Lisa (Oviatt) Garon is a Title 

One Teacher for Franklin Area 

School District. She resides in 

Titusville, Pa., with her husband, 

Steven, and sons, Chad and Shane. 

David and Kristin 

(Hatfield ’91) Haines 

reside in Oakdale, Pa., with 

their children, Sydney and 

Gabriel. David owns a 

home inspection business 

and is also a home 

estimator. 

Jennifer (Dinkel) 

Helfritch is a sales 

representative for Organon 

Pharmaceuticals. She and 

her husband, Garrett, reside 

in Pittsburgh, Pa., with 

their daughter, Kerstyn. 

Michael A. and 

Stephanie (Staudt ’90) 

Kalinowski reside in 

Clarion, Pa., with their 

twins, Dorothy and 

Gregory. Michael teaches 

at Clarion-Limestone High 

School and is the play-byplay 

voice of Clarion 

University football. The 

Pennsylvania Association 

of Broadcasters recently 

recognized him for 

excellence in broadcasting. 

Gail L. and Harry D. 

Lowers (’81) have three 

children, Marti, Bethany, 

and Abby, and reside in 

Nasport, Ohio. Gail is a 

liscensed psychoterapist. 

Harry has been promoted to 

outpatient services 

coordinator for Perry 

Behavioral Health Choices 

and presents seminars with 

Gail on a variety of 

addiction, mental health, 

and relationship topics. 

Dana L. (Murdock) 

and John (’91) MacBeth 

have twins, Braden and 

Danielle, and reside in 

Sigel, Pa. Dana received 

her graduate degree in 

curriculum and instruction 

from Gannon University, 

and she teaches fifth grade 

at Clarion Area Elementary 

School. 

Eileen M. 

(McCloskey) Madgar is 

the executive director for 

the Southwestern 

Pennsylvania Area Labor- 

Management Committee. 

She and her husband, 

Daniel, reside in New 

Brighton, Pa. 

Jane Ellen (Hogue) 

Moore received her 

master’s degree in 

education from Salisbury 

State University in 1999 

and teaches special 

education at Bennett 

Middle School. She resides 

in Salisbury, Md., with her 

husband, Curtis, and 

children, Alex and Jordan. 

Michael Pastor and 

Karina L. Blose (’91) 

reside in Kittanning, Pa., 

with their twins, Thomas 

and Patrick. Michael is a 

stay-at-home dad. 

Tracy (Speerhas) 

Petropoulos is a business 

staff analyst for HighMark 

Blue Cross Blue Shield. 

She resides in Moon 

Township, Pa., with her 

husband, John. 

David Phillips is a 

videographer with 

Matthews International and 

a video replay technician 

for the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

He recently received his 

master's degree from Point 

Park College and was hired 

as an assistant sports 

producer for KDKA-TV 

Renata (Troiani) and 

Edward Seergae (’91) 

have a daughter, Isabella, 

and reside in Las Vegas, 

Nev. Renata is a reporter 

for KLAS-TV. 

Jennifer (Lingle) 

Swanson is a homemaker. 

She resides in Allenwood, 

Pa., with her husband, 

Rick, and daughters, 

Hannah and Lydia. 

Natalie A. (Neelan) 

Sweeney is a regional sales 

director, western Canada 

and midwestern U.S., for 

TVData. She resides in 

Euclid, Ohio, with her 

husband, Mike, and 

daughter, Bridget.


H O M E C O M I N G 2 0 0 1 

All in the Family-2001 

homecoming queen 

Kara Guinther is 

pictured with her 

parents, Paula 

(Schaum ’74) and 

Randy Guinther (’75) 

of North Huntingdon. 

Kara is a senior 

special 

education/elementary 

education major. Kara 

and Ben Chervenak, a 

senior 

communication 

major, were selected 

as the homecoming 

queen and king by 


students. 

The Clarion University Alumni Association Distinguished Award 

winners are from left: Malachy McMahon, Venango Campus 

Distinguished Alumni; Larry Cirka, Distinguished Alumni; Pete 

Mervosh, Distinguished Volunteer; Lois Albrecht, Distinguished 

Achievement; Joanne Vavrek, Distinguished Volunteer; Dr. Marlin 

Hartman, Distinguished Service; and Dr. Anne Day, Distinguished 

Faculty.

A L U M N I F E A T U R E S 


Gamma First Fraternity Alumni To Generate $25,000 Scholarship Fund 

Clarion's first fraternity is also its first 

fraternity alumni association to surpass the 

$25,000 mark for a scholarship endowment. 

A total of $26,183.69 has been raised for 

a scholarship endowment by the Alpha 

Gamma Phi Alumni Association, according 

to an announcement made at the 2001 

Homecoming. 

Although the Alpha Gamma Phi 

Fraternity no longer exists at Clarion 

University, that famous Gamma spirit is far 

from dead. More than 200 Gamma alumni 

established the Alpha Gamma Phi Alumni 

Association in 2000 and launched their 

scholarship drive. 

"Our Alumni Association has been a 

greater success than we could have imagined 

and has prompted other fraternities to 

consider a 

similar program," 

said Wayne 

Norris '65, 

president of the 

Gamma Alumni. 

"The Gammas 

have always 

prided 

themselves in 

being number 

one in whatever 

they attempted 

and welcome the 

challenge that 

may arise from 

the other 

fraternities or 

sororities. In the 

end, the winner 

would always be 

Clarion 

University, our 

common alma 

mater." 

Alpha Gamma Phi Board of Directors proudly announce 

results of their scholarship endowment drive. Pictured are 

Earl Petrucci ’64, Terry Kolesch ’64, Wayne Norris ’65, Robert 

Cornali ’65, Lou Galli ’53, Dan Wolovich ’70, and Jim 

Wilkinson ’64. 

Alpha Gamma Phi Fraternity 

The Alpha Gamma Phi Fraternity holds a 

special place in Clarion history. Formed in 

1930, it was the first social fraternity on 

campus. Many of its members were athletes 

participating in sports programs offered by 

the college. 

The Gammas wore the distinctive red 

and black jackets and were always active in 

all aspects of college activities. The Gammas 

formally ceased to exist on campus after 

1974 but maintained an off campus presence 

until 1992 when all traces of the fraternity 

finally faded away. 

Gamma alumni now meet each year in 

conjunction with Clarion's Homecoming. 

This year's weekend meeting included golf 

on Friday, a meeting, Homecoming activities 

on Saturday, and dinner Saturday night. This 

year they discussed parameters for their new 

scholarship fund and other ideas to generate 

money for the endowment. 

It's one of the association's way of giving 

back to the university for the opportunity. 

“Clarion offered us our futures," says 

Norris. "Many of the Gammas became 

educators, military men, and businessmen. 

Some former members even returned to 

Clarion and became excellent professors." 

A formal Gamma Board of Trustees 

meets regularly to monitor the Association's 

progress and sets goals for the organization. 

Officers are: Wayne Norris ’65, president; 

Dan Wolovich ’70, vice president; Louis 

Galli ’52, secretary/treasurer; Robert 

Cornali ’64, trustee; Terry Kolesch ’64, 

trustee; Earl Petrucci ’64, trustee; and 

James Wilkinson ’64, trustee. 

The Gammas would like to add members 

to its alumni roles. Any former Gamma wants 

further information should contact Norris at 

888-327-0280 or by e-mail at 

wnorris@stargate.net. The association also 

has a Gamma Links web site at 

http://www.angelfire.com/pa3/chazz42/page4 

.html 

Kusbit Tells Students, ‘Turn It Up a Notch’ 

“Turn it up a notch.” 

That was the advice Bob Kusbit (’83) 

gave to students during Clarion University’s 

College Media Day. Kusbit, senior vice 

president of production for MTV’s Total 

Request Live, was one of several alumni to 

speak during the annual event. 

Saying he took some inspiration from the 

movie “This is Spinal Tap,” Kusbit 

explained that his philosophy in his jobs has 

always been to, “turn it up a notch.” This 

involves looking for new and innovative 

ways to do a job. 

“I switched to communication when I 

found some friends filming a stack of beer 

cans in their room,” Kusbit reported. “I got 

all the basics I needed at Clarion University 

and now I use them daily. My 

communication law course is invaluable to 

what I do.” 

Kusbit, originally from Latrobe, also 

urged all students to complete internships 

while in college. “Having an internship is a 

way to see the real world without stepping 

into the real world,” he says. “Internships are 

a free ride to show people what you can do. I 

recommend an early internship to everyone.” 

Kusbit’s internship was with KDKA-TV. 

He worked in local news for 10 years in 

Altoona, Cloumbus, Ohio, and Pittsburgh. “I 

got my first job at WTAJ-TV 10 in Altoona 

because I told them I loved to do the camera 

work,” he says. 

Those jobs led Kusbit to work with FOX 

and NBC in New York City. He served as 

president of Mopo Productions, Maury 

Povich’s company, for three years before 

joining MTV in 1997. 

Advancing to senior vice president of 

production with MTV, Kusbit created and 

executive produced many programs 

including “Total Request Live,” “Spring 

Break,” “New Year’s Eve from Times 

Square,” concerts and sporting events. He is 

also responsible for hiring and overseeing 

talent. He gave Carson Daly his first job in 

TV. 

“Life is a marathon, not a sprint,” he 

reminded his listeners. “Remember when 

you are seeking jobs, there are many 

departments in all companies seeking a 

variety of talents.” 

Kusbit also served on a panel of 

graduates for the College Media Day with 

current Clarion University graduate assistant 

Wayne Anderson and Michael Downing, 

senior editor of Integrated Communications 

Design. 

Anderson (’00 ) is seeking a master’s 

degree in communication at Clarion 

University. He received his undergraduate 

degree in communication in 2000. He resides 

in Clarion with his wife, Rebecca. 

Downing received his degree in 

communication from Clarion in 1986. He 

Bob Kusbitt speaks with Clarion students. 

returned to Clarion to earn a B.A. degree in 

English in 1987 and an M.A. degree in 

English in 1988. He lives in Verona with his 

wife, Wendy.



’92 

Brenda L. 

(Miller) 

Withers is a 

systems analyst for Erie Insurance 

Group. She resides in Waterford, 

Pa., with her husband, Chris, and 

son, Cory. 

’93 

Lesley L. 

(Rhodes) Aiello 

(M.S. '97) 

teaches fifth grade for 

Franklin Area School 

District. She and her 

husband, Craig, reside in 

Utica, Pa. 

Sheila B. Anderson is a 

library director for the 

Dover Public Library. 

She resides in 

Woodbury, N.J. 

Jarrod J. and Sarah 

(Keeler ’92) Barlett have a 

daughter, Leah, and reside in Ford 

City, Pa. Jarrod is a sales manager 

for Riverview Homes. 

Dana (Everett) Bethune is a 

recruiting coordinator for the 

University of Pittsburgh. She and 

her husband, Gregg, have a 

daughter, Gabrielle, and reside in 

North Huntingdon, Pa. 

Lisa (Recker) and Timothy 

Brinton (’93) have three children, 

Connor, Erin, and Lucas, and reside 

in Lancaster, Pa. 

Heather (Linder) Fawcett 

teaches fourth grade for 

Northwestern School District. She 

resides with her husband, Shawn, 

and children, Kyler and Kendall, in 

Albion, Pa. 

Denise (Little) Gesford is an 

information technology associate 

for the Commonwealth of 

Pennsylvania. She resides in 

Hummelstown, Pa. 

Amy (Ransom) Lutz (M.L.S. 

’95) teaches kindergarten at Grafton 

Village Elementary and resides in 

Fredericksburg, Va. 

Sharon (Miara) and Eric 

Malazich (’94) have a son, Brady, 

and reside in Pittsburgh, Pa. Sharon 

is the assistant director of student 

services for the University of 

Pittsburgh. 

’94 

Sheila 

Anderson is a 

manager of 

young adults' 

services for the Allen County 

Public Library and was elected to 

the board of directors of the Young 

Adult Library Services Association. 

In June, she had journal articles 

published in Journal of Youth 

Services Libraries and Voice of 

Youth Advocates. She resides in 

Fort Wayne, Ind. 

Robert and Renee 

(Hardy ’98) reside with 

their sons, Brett and 

Scott, in New Castle, 

Pa. 

Kimberly (Shall) Johnson is a 

stay-at-home-mom for her twins, 

Matthew and Abbi. She and her 

husband, Alan, reside in Wilcox, 

Pa. 

Tracy L. (Wilson) Olivani is a 

supports coordinator for St. Francis 

Health Systems. She resides with 

her husband, Brian, and son, 

Marco, in Robinson Township, Pa. 

Keli Raybuck is a reading 

specialist for Forest Area School 

District. She resides in Tionesta, 

Pa. 

Toni Marie Ross is the public 

relations manager for COSI 

Columbus. She resides in Upper 

Arlington, Ohio, and plans to marry 

Paul Bloomfield in May 2002. 

Linard M. and Heidi C. 

(Kirsch) Thomas reside in Evans 

City, Pa., with their daughter, 

Juliet. Heidi is a stay-at-home-mom 

and will attend Chatham College to 

complete work on her master's 

degree. Linard owns Renaissance 

Systems. 

’95 

Minister 

Kari Davita 

King is a 

teacher for the School District of 

Philadelphia. She resides in 

Philadelphia, Pa. 

Ryan and Dawn (Jessep) 

McCall reside in Keene, N.H. 

Ryan is a regional planner for the 

Southwest Region Planning 

Commission and is a member of 

the Mt. Snow ski school staff. 

School District Goes 

From ‘Worst’ to ‘First’ 

Wilbert McGeorge (’69) of San Antonio, Texas, is part of a 

worst-to-first achievement for his school district. McGeorge is the 

librarian at Louis W. Fox Academic and Technical High School in 

San Antonio, Texas. 

McGeorge, who received a elementary education degree from 

Clarion in 1969, joined the distressed school in 1999. 

Fox Tech, a poor school district had only 25 percent of its 

freshman students reach graduation. Fewer than 25 percent of 

sophomores passed the states' basic-skills exam in mathematics. In 

1996, when the school received a failing grade from the state for the 

fourth consecutive year, the state disestablished the school and 

forced all employees to reapply for their jobs. 

After the disestablishment, Fox Tech turned around under the 

leadership of Principal Joanne Cockrell. The school district 

examined educational programs and renovated the campus. 

Subsequently, 92 percent of the students passed the state 

mathematics exam. 

McGeorge was hired several year's into the improvement 

project. 

The results are so dramatic that "Time" Magazine featured Fox 

Tech High School's improvements in its May 21, 2001, issue. 

Edward J. Rogers is a human 

relations representative for the 

Pennsylvania Human Relations 

Commission. He and his wife, 

Amy, have a son, Andrew, and 

reside in Camp Hill, Pa. 

Julie Smith 

Maekask is 

a business 

librarian at 

the Toledo- 

Lucas County 

Public Library. 

She and her 

husband, Paul, 

reside in Bowling 

Green, Ohio. 

Kirisa L. Thork is a 

senior high math teacher 

for Butler Area School 

District. She resides in New 

Castle, Pa. 

’96 

Gerard 

Armengau is 

the foreign 

language district chairperson for 

Kings Park School District. He 

received his Spanish permanent 

certification (N.Y.) and is a 

doctoral candidate working on his 

Ph.D. He resides with his wife, 

Michelle, in Oceanside, N.Y. 

Sean Boileau is a private tutor 

and regents scholar at Arizona 

State University where he is 

working toward his master’s degree 

in counseling. He resides in 

Phoenix, Ariz. 

Pamela DiIulio is the English 

Department chair and English 

curriculum coordinator for 

Universal American School. She 

earned her master's degree in 

reading specialization and is 

working on her doctorate. She 

resides in Khaldiya, Kuwait. 

Susan M. Harry was licensed 

as a certified public accountant in 

August and works as a staff 

accountant for Stonemetz and 

Ferren. She is working on 

her master's degree in 

accounting at 

Slippery Rock 

University and resides 

in Wexford, Pa. 

Amy J. (Clover) Interval 

is a commercial underwriting 

coordinator for Burns & 

Burns Associates. She and 

her husband, John, reside 

in Clarion, Pa. 

Kelly (Tomlinson) Liddy 

teaches seventh grade at John Rolfe 

Middle School. She and her 

husband, Robert, reside in 

Richmond, Va. 

Tracey (Kissling) Rothrauff is 

a reading teacher for Penn Hills 

School District. She resides 

with her husband, Rick, 

in North 

Braddock, 

Pa. 

Chubon Named Interim 

Chief of Management 

Richard Chubon (’62) is interim chief of 

Marli L. (Robb) Urey is an 

adult educator for the Literacy 

Council of Mercer County. She 

resides with her husband, Jasson, in 

Greenville, Pa. 

Holly A. (Conner) Wadding is 

a teacher for Indiana County Head 

Start. She resides in Dayton, Pa., 

with her husband, Brian, and 

children, Ezra and Grace. 

Kelly (Gregory) and Jason 

Weber reside in Grove City, Pa., 

with their sons, Kane and Kyle. 

Kelly is a stay-at-home-mom and 

Jason is co-owner of Renaissance 

Systems. 

’97 

Jennifer 

Lynn Baxter- 

Blubaugh and 

Jeremy G. Blubaugh reside in 

Oakmont, Pa. Jennifer teaches 

fourth grade for Burrell School 

District. 

Jennifer (Cook) Brown is a 

prevention specialist with Drug and 

Alcohol Community Treatment 

Services. She resides in New 

Castle, Pa., with her husband, 

Michael, and son, Evan. 

William G. Caugherty teaches 

social studies for Millcreek 

Township School District. He 

coaches the McDowell High 

Debate Team, coordinates the 

S.H.A.R.E. student discussion 

group, and is pursuing his 

master's degree at 

Gannon University. He 

resides in Erie, Pa. 

management services for the Erie Two Chautauqua- 

Cattaraugus Board of Cooperative Educational Services 

headquartered in Angola, NY. He will have general 

oversight of the business, personnel, labor relations, staff 

and curriculum development, operation and maintenance, 

transportation, public relations and risk management 

functions. 

Chubon received a bachelor's degree in mathematics 

from Clarion in 1962. 

Erie 2 Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Board of Cooperative 

Educational Services operates five educational centers in 

a three-county area of western New York and provides 

specialized services to 27 component school districts with 

a combined enrollment of approximately 45,000 students. 

Chubon retired as superintendent at Randolph Central 

School in 1995 and is currently an education and 

management consultant. He has served as interim 

superintendent of both Pine Valley Central School and 

Westville Central School, interim director of both the 

Chautauqua County Department of Economic 

Development and Chautauqua County Industrial 

Development, and as the interim CEO of both the 

Salamanca District Hospital Authority and the Southern 

Tier Health Care System. 

Chubon lives in Randolph, New York, with his wife, 

Donna, and four children Scott, Linda, Karen, and James.


’97 

Jason 

Daryman is a 

science teacher 

for Southeastern School District. 

He resides in Red Lion, Pa. 

Kerry (Chunchick) and Adam 

Falco (’98) reside in Oakmont, Pa. 

Kerry is a training and development 

specialist for National City Bank. 

Sandra (Maitland) Holt is a 

graduate student at Mercyhurst 

College working toward her 

master's degree in special 

education. She resides in Mayville, 

N.Y., and is expecting a baby in 

March. 

Stephanie S. Hoffman is an 

RN shift supervisor for Masonic 

Homes and is the softball coach for 

Palmyra High School. She resides 

in Annville, Pa. 

Kimberly D. (Baker) Hunter 

teaches seventh grade at 

Greensburg Salem Middle School 

and is earning her master's degree 

in curriculum and instruction at 

Gannon University. She resides 

with her husband, David, in 

Delmont, Pa. 

Michele Kontaxes is a senior 

UNIX systems administrator for 

America Online and recently 

became engaged. She resides in 

Gaithersburg, Md. 

Jennifer (Reynolds) Lee and 

her husband, Steve, have two 

children, Nathan and Madelyn, and 

reside in DuBois, Pa. 

Kristin Lutz teaches eighth 

grade for Kettering School District. 

She resides with her daughter, 

Kayla, in Dayton, Ohio. 

Rodrick Marquette works as a 

statistician for the Census Bureau. 

He resides in Alexandria, Va. 

Michael (M.A. ’99) and Lisa 

C. (Sante ’99) Ramandanes reside 

in Belleville, Mich. Michael is an 

account executive for KONE Inc. 

Daniel Shevock received his 

master's degree in music education 

from Towson University last year 

and is an elementary music teacher 

at West Liberty Elementary School. 

He resides in Pittsburgh, Pa. 

Kristen (Molek) Stauffer is a 

life skills support teacher for 

Mifflin County School District. She 

resides in Lewistown, Pa., with her 

husband, William, and son, Kyler. 

’98 

Vinesh 

Bandla is a 

senior sales 

director for 

TMP Worldwide/Monster.com and 

resides in Burlingame, Calif. 

Thomas A. Evans is an 

assistant department head, 

instructional media services, for 

Widener University. He and his 

wife, Natalie, reside in Clifton 

Heights, Pa. 

Adam and Kerry (Chunchick) 

Falco (’97) reside in Oakmont, Pa. 

Adam is a commercial credit 

analyst for National City Bank. 

Susan (Maslyk) and John 

Fisher (’98) reside in Casselberry, 

Fla. Susan teaches second grade at 

Spring Lake Elementary School. 

John is a stock broker for Charles 

Schwab. 

Renee (Phillips) and Robert 

Hardy (’94) reside with their sons, 

Brett and Scott, in New Castle, Pa. 

Renee is a special education teacher 

for Hubbard School District. 

Jennifer L. Jones received her 

juris doctor degree from the 

Dickinson School of Law of The 

Pennsylvania State University in 

May. She resides in Hadley, Pa. 

Heidi (Branchen) and Jeffrey 

Kline (’99) reside in Gibsonia, Pa. 

Heidi teaches English at Mars Area 

High School. 

Vince Kwiatkoski is a financial 

reporting analyst for Pegasus 

Communication Corp. He resides in 

Aston, Pa. 

Jeff Levkulich is a 

reporter/anchor for WKBN-TV in 

Youngstown, Ohio. He resides in 

Houston, Pa. 

Jennifer Lucore is working on 

her master's degree in health policy 

and administration at Penn State 

University. She resides in 

Boalsburg, Pa. 

Stacey A. Novinger received 

her juris doctor degree from the 

Dickinson School of Law of The 

Pennsylvania State University in 

May. She resides in Newark, Del. 

Rachael M. (Bologna) 

Obsenica is an accounting manager 

for Augustus, Rae and Reed. She is 

also a substitute teacher in 

Westmoreland and Somerset 

counties and spends her free time 

writing young adult fiction. She 

and her husband, Ryan, reside in 

Latrobe, Pa. 

Drew A. and Derrece (Jones 

’98) Seaman reside in 

Fredericksburg, Va. Drew is a high 

school social studies teacher at 

Massaponax High School, where he 

is also the assistant head football 

coach and girls track coach. 

Joanie M. Shively is a 

development specialist for Family 

Health Council and resides in 

Pittsburgh, Pa. 


’99 

Staci L. 

Blaszczyk is a 

K-5 E.C. 

resource teacher 

for Lake Wylie Elementary School. 

She resides in Charlotte, N.C. 

Julie (Parsons) Blum is a 

doctoral student at John Hopkins 

University School of Public Health. 

She is researching the roles of 

DNA methyltransferases in the 

progression of breast cancers to a 

hormone-independent state. She 

resides with her husband, Michael, 

in Baltimore, Md. 

Crista Foradori (M.Ed. ’01) is 

a reading specialist for West Shore 



Kristy Garofalo is a teacher 

for Montgomery County Public 

Schools. She resides in Columbia, 

Md. 

Amy L. (Fields) Goodman is a 

learning support teacher for third 

and fourth grade at Smethport 

Elementary School. She is working 

on her master's degree in special 

education. She and her husband, 

Chad, reside in Smethport Pa. 

Adam Hughes is an operations 

executive for Kaufmann's 

Department Store. He resides with 

his wife, Toni, in Ellwood City, Pa. 

Jeffrey R. and Heidi 

(Branchen ’98) Kline reside in 

Gibsonia, Pa. Jeffrey teaches social 

studies and Heidi teaches English 

at Mars Area High School. 

Judy L. (Salamone) Lentz is a 

medical staff coordinator at 

Northwest Medical Center. She is a 

certified medical staff coordinator 

and a certified provider 

credentialing specialist. She and 

her husband, Steve, have two 

children, Eric and Erin, and reside 

in Franklin, Pa. 

Michelle (Adams) and 

Michael (’99) Lis reside in South 

Riding, Va. Michelle teaches fourth 

grade in the Fairfax County Public 

Schools. 

Regina (Kimball) and Dana 

McCombs (’01) reside in Laurel, 

Md. Regina teaches third grade at 

Phyllis E. Williams Elementary 

School. 

Allison B. Miller is an 

elementary special education 

teacher for Elizabeth Forward 


Elizabeth, Pa. 

Sara J. Miller ( M.Ed. ’01) 

teaches special education for 

Highlands School District where 

she is also the assistant track coach. 

She received her master's degree in 

special education from Clarion 

University. She resides in Verona, 

Pa. 

Alumni Information Update 

Alumni Relations, Haskell House 

840 Wood Street 

Clarion University, Clarion PA 16214-1232 

814-393-2637; FAX 814-393-1834 

e-mail: Alumni@clarion.edu 

Submit your update online at http://www.clarion.edu 

Please check one: 

❑ For publication 

❑ For Alumni files only, not for publication 

Note: Data in boldface (yellow shaded portions of this form) 

is for Alumni Office use only and not for publication. Gray 

portions of the form are used in updates, so please fill out 

completely. 

Name______________________________________________ 

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Class________________Major__________________________ 

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Prior to publication, the Alumni Office will contact you to verify 

information in the update. The best time to contact you for 

verification is: _______________________________________ 

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Address______________________________________ 

City______________________State________Zip___________ 

Spouse’s name_______________________________________ 

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___________________________________________________ 

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New jobs, transfers and promotions_______________________ 

___________________________________________________ 

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’99 

Shenendoah 

Podolak is a 

psychiatric 

assistant at Penn 

State's Milton S. Hershey Medical 

Center. She resides in Lebanon, Pa. 

Lisa C. (Sante) and Michael 

(’97, ’99) Ramandanes reside in 

Belleville, Mich. Lisa is pursuing a 

teaching position and Michael is an 

accountant executive for KONE 

Inc. 

Jennie E. Seigler and Briton J. 

Lewis (’00) reside in Richfield, Pa. 

Jennie is a technical assistance 

coordinator for the Pennsylvania 

Coalition Against Rape. 

Katy Wehan is working on her 

master's degree in early childhood 

intervention at Gannon University. 

She resides in Erie, Pa. 

’00 

Christopher 

Davis is a 

psychology 

teacher for Spring Grove Area 

Senior High School. 

Jill (Jovenitti) and Brian (’98) 

Finney reside in Leechburg, Pa. Jill 

is a programmer/analyst for Giant 

Eagle. 

Melissa Friend is an 

administrative computing specialist 

for Chatham College and resides in 

Coraopolis, Pa.. 

Elizabeth Hill is a project 

coordinator for the Pittsburgh Zoo 

and Aquarium. She resides in 

Pittsburgh, Pa. 

Jason E. Johnson is a hotel 

manager at Embassy Suites Hotel 

in downtown Indianapolis. He 

resides in Indianapolis, Ind. 

Kristi Knott is a Housing and 

Urban Development fellow 

participating in the community 

development work study program 

at West Virginia University. She 

will graduate with her master’s 

degree in May. She resides in 

Charleston, W.Va.. 

Marcy B. (Amilkavich) Little 

is a financial systems database 

administrator for Ohio Valley 

General Hospital. She and her 

husband, Robert, reside in New 

Kensington, Pa. 

Nicole M. Mike is a senior 

public relations specialist/publicist 

for Invention Submission 

Corporation. She resides in 

Ambridge, Pa. 

Christine M. Mulay is a first 

grade academy teacher for the City 

of York School District. She 

resides in Dallastown, Pa. 


Fred Harkness (right, '68) played in a practice round 

with Arnold Palmer (left) and Jack Nicholas (center) at 

the 2001 US Senior Open Golf Tournament at the 

Salem County Club in Massachusetts. His opening 

round of the tournament had him tied for eighth place, 

but he did not make the cut for the final two rounds. 

Harkness is the director of golf at Jonathan's Landing 

Golf Club in Jupiter, Fla. He resides in Jupiter with his 

wife, Sue, and four children. 

John M. Panell is the director 

of bands/instrumental music 

instructor for Rochester Area 

School District. He resides in 

Aliquippa, Pa. 

Adrianne (Johnston) 

Robinson teaches fifth grade at Bi- 

Cultural Day School. She resides in 

Stamford, Conn. 

Lindsay E. (Bullick) and 

Matthew (’98) Smith reside in 

Gibsonia, Pa. Lindsay teaches ninth 

grade biology at South River High 

School. 

Nathan Stack teaches sixth 

grade at South View Middle 

School. He resides in Fayetteville, 

N.C. 

Tonya J. Thompson is a 

graduate student in student affairs 

in higher education at Indiana 

University of Pennsylvania. She 

has an assistantship at the 

University of Pittsburgh at 

Bradford and resides in Bradford, 

Pa. 

’01 

Kenny R. 

Adler is a 

learning support 

teacher at Trinity 

Middle School and is also a 

firefighter. He resides in 

Bridgeville, Pa. 

Luke Benedict is a network 

support specialist for the University 

of Scranton Electronic Commerce 

Resource Center. He resides in 

Scranton, Pa. 

Jamie Kissell is a special 

education teacher for Montgomery 

County Public Schools and resides 

in Pilot, Va. 

Cheryl Kulikowski published 

A Survey of Orchestral Clarinet 

Audition Repertoire in The Clarinet 

in June. She resides in Mount 

Pleasant, Pa. 

Rebecca Ziegler and Jeremy 

Shirey (’00) announce their 

engagement. Rebecca resides in 

Greensburg, Pa. 

Births 

Barbara (Wood ’83) and 

Matthew Warner, a son, Luke, July 

25, 2001. 

Addle Kurtz (’84) and Najib 

Benjelloun, a daughter, Salima, 

May 20, 2001. 

Gina (Rago ’86) and Jay 

Slobodzian (’88), a son, Jeremy, 

April 8, 2001. 

Patti and Dave Stanitski (’87), 

twin daughters, Lauren and Erica, 

March 8, 2001. 

Amy (Hrabak ’88) and Manuel 

Colaco, a son, Jacin, July 17, 2001. 

Carolyn (Kusbit ’88) and Paul 

Dunn, a daughter, Katherine, Aug. 

10, 2000. 

Deanna (Heasley ’88) and 

Sean Su, a daughter, Lienne, June 


Karen (Bender ’88) and 

Daniel Thumm, a son, Denver, Feb. 


Lawrence Named To Steering Committee 

Mike Lawrence (’76), North Central 

Workforce Investment Board, PA, Deputy 

Director has been named as a member of 

the National Association of Counties’ 

Labor and Employment Steering 

Committee by NACo President Javier 

Gonzales. 

Lawrence graduated with a degree in 

secondary education/social studies and 

resides in Brookville with his wife, Janet. 

He is employed at the North Central 

Pennsylvania Regional Planning and 

Development Center in Ridgway. 

NACo’s 11 steering committees form 

the policy-making arm of the association. 

Each committee is comprised of 

approximately 60-100 county officials 

who meet several times a year to examine 

issues critical to local government. 

The Labor and Employment Steering 

Committee addresses issues like 

employer/employee relations, equal 

opportunity employment, worker’s 

compensation and other issues. The 

legislative recommendations of the 

committee are presented to NACo 

membership during the annual 

conference. 

Lori (Slagel ’88) and Giovanni 

Capati, a daughter, Brianna, Dec. 1, 

2000. 

Kim and Jim Fortney (’89), a 

son, Andrew, March 2, 1001. 

Angela (Hevner ’89) and John 

Karwowski, a daughter, Rachael, 

Nov. 4, 2000. 

Janice (Zawacki ’89) and 

Raymond Krouse (’87), a son, 

Noah, Feb. 2, 2001. 

Jessica (Haas ’89) and Tom 

Kuipers, a daughter, Lindsey, Jan. 

11, 2001. 

Michaeline (Botti ’89) and 

Peter Neu, a son, Nicholas, June 

21, 2000. 

Darci (Bratter ’89) and 

Michael O'Leary, a son, Jack, June 


Shelley and Scott Pergram 

(’89), a daughter, Jade, April 18, 

2000. 

Mary Retort-George (’89) and 

Gerald George (’91), a daughter, 

Lillian, April 4, 2001. 

Cheryl (Nastasi ’89) and 

Jeffrey Vogt, twin sons, Nicholas 

and Alexander, May 17, 2001. 

Renee (Edwards ’90) and TJ 

Cummings, twin daughters, 

Morgan and Caitlin, May 11, 2001. 

Stephanie Staudt (’90) and 

Michael Kalinowski (’92), twins, 

Dorothy and Gregory, Aug. 3, 

2001. 

Karina Blose (’91) and 

Michael Pastor (’92), twin sons, 

Thomas and Patrick, Nov. 21, 

2000. 

Mary (Stewart ’91) and Mark 

Brittain, a son, Matthew, Aug. 24, 

2000. 

Lin (Gurney ’91) and John 

Danes, a daughter, Ayla, May 29, 


Kristin (Hatfield ’91) and 

David Haines (’92), a son, 

Gabriel, May 7, 2001. 

Clarissa (Malizia ’91) and 

Robert Palowitz, a daughter, 

Isabella, July 16, 2001. 

Amy (Opina ’91) and 

Michael Tysarczyk (’86), a 

son, Eric, Jan. 22, 2001. 

Sarah (Keeler ’92) and 

Jarrod Barlett (’93) a daughter, 

Leah, Aug. 6, 2001. 

Amy (Anderson ’92) and 

John Baxter (’92), a daughter, 

Maren, April 19, 2001.


Births 

Ingrid (Anderson ’92) and 

James Cartwright, a son, Dominic, 

Jan. 21, 2001. 

Kimberly (Faller ’92) and 

Matthew DeGolier, a son, Brett, 

July 18, 2001. 

Dana (Murdock ’92) and John 

MacBeth (’91), twins, Braden and 

Danielle, Sept. 18, 2000. 

Jane (Hogue ’92) and Curtis 

Moore, a daughter, Jordan, June 13, 


Colette (Donachy ’92) Mosier, 

a daughter, Abigail, July 15, 2001. 

Natalie (Neelan ’92) and Mike 

Sweeney, a daughter, Bridget, Oct. 

13, 2000. 


From left: Jami Price, co-chair Community Service Committee; 

Terra DiNardo, president of Eagle Ambassadors; and Jamie 

Johnson, co-chair of Community Service Committee and Eagle 

Ambassadors advisor. 

Clarion’s Golden Eagle 

Ambassadors Attend 

ASAP Conference 

Two members of the 

Clarion University Eagle 

Ambassadors, President 

Terra DiNardo and Jami 

Price, and advisor Jamie 

Johnson, attended the 2001 

International Association for 

Student Advancement 

Programs (ASAP) in 

Toronto, Canada, in August. 

DiNardo is a senior 

marketing and management 

major from Erie. Johnson 

and Price, a senior 

elementary education major 

from Strattanville, cochaired 

the community 

service committee as part of 

the overall conference 

planning committee. The 

Eagle Ambassadors are a 

student organization 

involved in promoting 

Clarion spirit through work 

with alumni, VIPS, and the 

student body. 

The yearly conference 

drew over 600 college 

students from 94 different 

schools. The conference 

promotes and educates 

student alumni groups about 

organizational structure, 

community service, and how 

to build relationships 

between current students and 

alumni. 

Renata (Troiani ’92) and 

Edward Seergae (’91), a daughter, 

Isabella, Oct. 12, 2000. 

Jennifer (Lingle ’92) and Rick 

Swanson, a daughter, Lydia, June 

13, 2000. 

Krista (Hoffman ’92) and 

Glenn Tapper, a daughter, Marissa, 

Aug. 1, 2001. 

Brenda (Miller ’92) and Chris 

Withers, a son, Cory, June 2, 2001. 

Dana (Everett ’93) and Gregg 

Bethune, a daughter, Gabrielle, 

Feb. 13, 2001. 

Lisa (Recker ’93) and 

Timothy Brinton (’93), twin sons, 

Erin and Lucas, Aug. 31, 2001. 

Heather (Linder ’93) and 

Shaun Fawcett, a daughter, 

Kendall, June 6, 


Sharon (Miara 

’93) and Eric 

Malazich (’94), a 

son, Brady, April 23, 


Kimberly (Shall 

’94) and Alan Johnson, 

twins, Matthew and Abbi, 

Feb. 28, 2001. 

Tracy (Wilson ’94) 

and Brian Olivani, a son, 

Marco, July 21, 2001. 

Heidi (Kirsch ’94) 

and Linard Thomas (’94), 

a daughter, Juliet, May 29, 

2000. 

LaVonne (Bucar ’95) and 

Brad Bonn, a daughter, Sierra, 

Jan. 20, 2001. 

Amy and Edward Rogers 

(’95) a son, Andrew, March 23, 


Mary (Vopal ’96) and Brian 

Poe, a son, Colin, Aug. 17, 2001. 

Holly (Conner ’96) and Brian 

Wadding, a daughter, Grace, July 


Kelly (Gregory ’96) and Jason 

Weber (’96), a son, Kyle, May 24, 


Jennifer (Cook ’97) and 

Michael Brown, a son, Evan, June 


Katy (Rhoads) Shand (’97), a 

son, Jackson, July 5, 2001. 

Kristen (Molek ’97) and 

William Stauffer, a son, Kyler, 


Renee (Phillips ’98) and 

Robert Hardy (’94), a son, Scott, 

June 16, 2001. 

Bears Pave Road To Success For Grubesky 

The road to becoming the vice president of 

projects for Boyds Collection Ltd. was not as plush 

as the teddy bears the company sells. Jean (Showers 

’78) Grubesky spent 15 years at the company, 

working virtually every job, before getting the 

position. 

"We've been in business nearly 22 years, and I've 

been here 15 years doing almost everything," says 

Grubesky. "I guess I'm an expert now." 

Grubesky came to Clarion University and 

graduated with a double major, marketing and 

management. Her reasons for attending the 

university were mostly family-related. 

"I grew up four hours away from Clarion, but my 

sister went there," Grubesky said. "I came from a 

small community and liked the small college 

atmosphere Clarion had to offer." 

Following graduation in 1978, Grubesky worked 

as a buyer for stores in Pittsburgh for three years, 

then she became a store manager in Texas. Once she 

had a family, she decided to move back home to be 

closer to her mother. With her mother nearby to 

watch the children, Grubesky went to work on her 

career. 

After 15 years with Boyds, Grubesky is now in 

charge of the research, organization, and 

Marriages 

Ann Richey (’77) and Thomas 

Jackson, July 27, 2001. 

Ann L. Wilson (’78) and Larry 

Cupp, May 2001. 

Carol Snyder (’84) and Robert 

Malnati, June 16, 


implementation of projects. Boyds is a wholesale 

gift business founded by G.M. Lowenthal in 1979 as 

an antique shop. The business eventually evolved to 

selling teddy bears. 

As the vice president of projects, Grubesky has 

many responsibilities. One recent activity was to 

oversee a conference for 2,000 collectors' club 

members in Gettysburg. 

She feels that her time at Clarion prepared her 

for her current duties. "Being four hours away from 

home taught me responsibility," she says. "I had to 

budget my own time and make my own decisions. 

Clarion exposed me to concepts needed in business, 

and different management styles." 

However, she describes selling teddy bears as an 

easy job. 

"Everybody likes teddy bears," says Grubesky. 

"They're easy to sell." 

Currently, Grubesky is assisting with the 

planning of the company museum, scheduled to 

open in October 2002. The museum will show the 

history of products and life story of founder. The 

company's website is www.boydsstuff.com. 

Grubesky and her husband, Rudy (’76), live in 

Biglerville with their children, Brandon, Travis and 

Shelby. 

Christine Marie Byham (’90) 

and Joseph Yamrick, May 4, 2001. 

Amy Mauck (’91) and Keith 

Baker, April 2001. 

Julie Smith (’95) and Paul 

Maekask, May 5, 2001. 

Marli L. Robb (’96) and 

Jasson Urey, June 30, 2001. 

Lisa Sante and Michael (’97, 

’99) Ramandanes, June 16, 2001. 

Heidi (Branchen ’98) and 

Jeffrey Kline (’99), July 7, 2001. 

Susan Maslyk (’98) and John 

Fisher (’98), June 23, 2001. 

Michelle Adams (’99) and 

Michael Lis (’99), July 21, 2001. 

Regina Kimball (’99) and 

Dana McCombs (’01), Aug. 11, 


Jennie E. Seigler (’99) and 

Briton J. Lewis (’00), June 22, 


Marcy B. Amilkavich (’00) 

and Robert J. Little, June 30, 2001. 

Deaths 

Imogene (Lewis) Herge (’25), 

May 21, 2001. 

Agatha Lyautey (’28), June 

30, 1999. 

Katherine D. (Kribbs) Barlett 

(’30), Aug. 23, 2001. 

Florence E. (Gathers) Gordon 

(’38), July 24, 2001. 

William D. Marshall (’38), 

Aug. 28, 2001.


Four returning starters, with Clarion’s 2001 

PSAC title trophy, are Allen Stevens (32), 

Dave Shearer (31), Rollie Smith (12) and 

Steve Serwatka (3). 

S P O R T S 

Clarion Prepares for PSAC Title Defense 

Golden Eagles Ranked 

15th to Start New Season 

Tippin Gym is ready to 

rock and roll. Buy your season 

tickets early! Another exciting 

season of Golden Eagle 

basketball is ready to begin. 

Led by 14 th year head 

coach Dr. Ron Righter, 

Clarion University’s Men’s 

Basketball team is preparing to 

defend its 2001 Pennsylvania 

State Athletic Conference 

Championship title. 

The Golden Eagles start 

the season ranked 15 th by 

Basketball Times and 18 th by 

Division II Bulletin after 

posting a signature year in 

2001. Last season, the Eagles 

were 19-10 overall, 7-5 in the 

rugged PSAC-West, won the 

PSAC Championship with 

three consecutive wins over 

IUP (79-73), Bloomsburg (70- 

65) and West Chester in a 

thrilling 80-77 overtime title 

victory. 

Qualifying for the NCAA 

Division II Tournament for the 

first time since 1981, Clarion 

lost a close 77-72 decision to 

Salem International in Fort 

Mill, S.C. 

Coach Righter has taken 

the Golden Eagles to high 

success in his 13 seasons at 

Clarion with an overall record 

of 217-129. The winningest 

coach in Clarion history, his 

teams have averaged 20 wins a 

year over the last five with a 

record of 100-39 (72 percent). 

The Eagles 

have also 

posted a 

strong 41-19 

PSAC-West 

record during 

those five 

seasons. 

Clarion 

won the 

PSAC-West 

title in 2000 

and 1999. 

“We’re 

really excited 

about the new 

season getting 

started,” 

SHEARER 

analyzed 

coach 

Righter. “We think our fans 

are really going to like this 

year’s team. We have to keep 

Golden Eagles Seeking To Contend For A Playoff Spot 

With an experienced team 

returning for the 2001-2002 season, 


women’s basketball team 

is seeking to contend for a 

playoff spot in the tough 

PSAC-West. The top four 

teams in the seven-team 

conference make the 

postseason. 

The Golden Eagles 

return nine letterwinners, 

including six players who 

saw action for 15 or more 

minutes per game last 

season when Clarion was 

a very deceptive 10-16 

overall and 3-9 in the 

PSAC-West against one 

of the toughest schedules 

Ohio/Parkway). Lantz, who was 

coming off a knee injury that limited 

her to three games two years 

ago, came back strong last 

season scoring 10.3 points per 

game (ppg) while adding 6.7 

rebounds per game (rbg) and 9 

blocked shots. She scored a 

career-high 34 points against 

West Chester last season. 

Joining Lantz in the post will 

be 6-2 junior Courtney 

Willman (Painesville, 

Ohio/Mentor) and 6-1 freshman 

Heather Cigich 

(Davidsville/Conemaugh Twp.). 

Willman was Clarion’s most 

improved and most consistent 

player last season 

leading the team with 

Pa./Redbank Valley) and freshman 

Emily Rolf (Defiance, 

Ohio/Defiance). 

Taylor (8.0 ppg & 67 assists), who 

started 14 games for Clarion last 

season hit 79.7 percent (51-64) of her 

free throws, the fifth-best single 

season mark in school history. 

Duhnke, who scored 3.1 ppg to go 

along with 45 assists & 17 steals last 

year, should share time at the point 

with Taylor. Rolf was a second team 

all-district selection. 

At shooting guard, Clarion has 

three players who should see plenty of 

time in juniors Allison Stodart 

(Madera, Pa./Moshannon Valley) and 

Tameka Washington (Warren, 

Ohio/Warren G. Harding) and 

freshman Amelia Harris 

in the nation. 

“We believe that we 

LANTZ 8.0 rpg and 16 

blocked shots while 

(London, Ohio/London). 

Stodart (9.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 

have matured to the level where we 

have a viable shot at the playoffs,” 

13 th -year head coach Margaret “Gie” 

Parsons said. “The team has great 

chemistry and is working very hard.” 

Clarion is hoping to return to the 

championship level the program 

enjoyed in the 1990s. 

From 1991-95, Clarion won five 

adding 10.3 ppg. She was 

eighth in the PSAC and fifth 

in the PSAC-West in 

rebounds per game. 

Cigich was named allstate 

both her junior and 

senior seasons while scoring 

1,882 points and grabbing 

1,243 rebounds in her 

65 three-points, 56 assists and 

33 steals), who ranks eighth 

in school history with 122 

three-pointers made and sixth 

in school history with 395 

three-pointers attempted, and 

Washington (8.5 ppg and 3.8 

rpg) both have seen 

considerable playing time for 

straight PSAC-West titles, three PSAC career. 

WILLMAN Clarion the last two seasons. 

titles, went to the NCAA Playoffs five Clarion will also have 

Harris, meanwhile, was an 

times and qualified for the “Elite 8” 

twice (1991 and 1994). During the 

five-year run Clarion had an amazing 

overall record of 117-33 (78 percent) 

and a PSAC-West record of 50-10. 

The Eagles set 14 NCAA Div. II team 

and individual records during that run. 

Leading the way in the post for the 

Golden Eagles will be 6-foot senior 

captain Christina Lantz (Rockford, 

added depth in the post with 

6-4 junior Erin Stinnette (Stephens 

City, Va./Sherando) and 5-8 freshman 

Melody Mackin (Warren, 

Ohio/Warren G. Harding). 

At point guard, Clarion has three 

players who should all see playing 

time in senior Tiffany Taylor 

(McKees Rocks, Pa./Aliquippa), 

junior Jen Duhnke (New Bethlehem, 

all-Ohio Honorable Mention 

recipient last season after averaging 16 

ppg, 7 rpg and 2 spg. 

Sophomores Julie McCormack 

(Mentor, Ohio/Mentor) and Lindsay 

Kostorick (Pittsburgh, Pa./North 

Catholic) should also see playing time 

for Clarion at guard. 

our feet on the ground and 

realize that this is a new year 

with all new challenges. We 

certainly look forward to 

accepting those challenges.” 

The Golden Eagle arsenal 

is chalked full of returning 

veteran players. Four starters 

and seven lettermen return 

from last year’s title team. 

The returning starters 

account for 57 points per 

game (ppg), 21.5 

rebounds, 300 assists 

and 208 steals. 

Returning to the 

starting lineup are 

guards Rollie Smith (Jr. 

Cleveland Heights., 

Ohio/St. Joseph’s) and 

Steve Serwatka (Sr. 

New Rochelle, 

N.Y./Salesian) and 

forwards David Shearer 

(Sr. Greensburg, 

Pa./Hempfield) and 

Allen Stevens (Sr. 

Philadelphia/Roman 

Catholic). 

Smith 

runs the offense at 

point guard. A 

poised ball handler 

and clutch shooter, 

Smith averaged 

11.4 ppg and 3.9 

rebounds in 2001 

while dishing 126 

assists and 

grabbing 41 steals. 

He was named the 

PSAC Tournament 

MVP last year with 

his 17 points 

against West 

Chester in the title game. His 

clutch three-pointer with six 

seconds remaining sent that 

game into overtime where the 

Eagles won 80-77. The 2000 

PSAC-West “Rookie of the 

Year” has 574 career points, 

227 assists, 179 rebounds and 

76 steals. 

Serwatka, a deadly threepoint 

shooter who transferred 

to Clarion from Sullivan 

Community College last year, 

was the number two scorer in 

the PSAC last year averaging 

20.2 ppg. He nailed 86 of 209 

three pointers, 89 of 108 free 

throws (82.4 percent), dished 

out 70 assists and was second 

on the team with 49 steals. A 

second team PSAC-West 

choice, he scored 33 points 

against Slippery Rock and 

scored in double figures in 28 

of Clarion’s 29 games. 

Shearer, a versatile 

forward, is a Division II 

Bulletin pre-season All- 

American. He has been named 

to the PSAC-West first team 

in 2001 and 2000, and was the 

1999 Western Division 

“Rookie of the Year.” Last 

year, Shearer averaged 12.5 

ppg, ranked third in the PSAC 

in rebounding at 8.9 per game 

and led the PSAC in steals 

with 83. He ranked 14 in 

Division II in steals and 26 in 

rebounding. Shearer also 

dished out 71 assists and 

posted 10 double-doubles. In 

three seasons, he has collected 

1,056 points and 642 

rebounds. He already ranks 21 

in scoring and 10 in 

rebounding at Clarion and is 

only the ninth player in school 

history to have more than 

1,000 Men’s Basketball 

Carryover points and 600 

rebounds. He has 167 career 

steals and 119 assists. 

Stevens is a very versatile 

forward/center. Last year he 

averaged 12.9 ppg and 5.3 

rebounds while adding 35 

steals and 33 assists. Stevens 

has collected 821 career 

points and 373 rebounds to go 

with 83 steals and 60 assists. 

Also returning to the 

Eagles with experience are 

forwards Steven 

Nesmith (Jr. 

Pittsburgh, Pa.- 

Sewickley 

Academy) and 

John Reddick 

(Sr. Brooklyn, 

N.Y./McClancy), 

plus guard James 

Bigler (Sr. Irwin, 

Pa./Penn 

Trafford). 

Returning 

after sitting out 

last year will be 

guard Chris 

Kelley (Sr. 

Roselle, N.J./Abraham Clark) 

and forward Justin Kreefer 

(So. E. Liverpool, Ohio). 

New additions to the 

Clarion roster should give the 

Golden Eagles a very strong 

bench this season. Ready to 

suit up are forwards Dale 

Thomas (Sr. Cleveland 

Heights, Ohio) and Terrell 

Scott (So. Philadelphia- 

Audennreeid) and guards 

Dereck Rankin (Jr. Brooklyn, 

N.Y./John Jay), Terrance 

Stokes (So. Philadelphia- 

Simon Gratz), Vincent Moley 

(Fr. York, Pa./West York) and 

Mickey Tejeda (Fr. New 

York, N.Y.). 

CLARION NOTES: 

Righter has an unbelievable 

home record of 134-55, a 71 

percent winning rate over his 

13 seasons ... The last five 

years Clarion is 63-14 at 

home, a winning rate of 82 

percent ... The Eagles have 

won PSAC-West titles in 

2000, 1997, 85, 84, 83, 81, 80, 

79, 77, 73 and 71 ... Clarion 

will have 14 home games this 

season ... The PSAC-West 

starts on Jan. 7 when the 

Eagles host Shippensburg at 8 

p.m. 

SMITH

S P O R T S 

4 NCAA Division I Qualifiers Return For 2001-02 

Pinning combinations, cradles 

and single leg takedowns ... The 

2001-2002 wrestling season is here 

and the Golden Eagles are ready for 

another solid season. 

Clarion’s dual meet season 

opens at West Virginia on Dec. 7, 

with the first home dual versus Penn 

State on Dec. 8. 

Head coach Ken 

Nellis begins his 

fifth season directing 

the wrestling 

program. Last year, 

the Eagles marched 

to an 11-3 dual meet 

record, a 5-2 mark in 

the Eastern 

Wrestling League 

and a 42 nd place 

finish at the National 

Collegiate Athletic 

Conference Division 

I Nationals. Clarion 

also placed fourth in 

the Pennsylvania 

State Athletic 

Conference and 

Eastern Wrestling 

League Tournaments during the 

year. Nellis has a four-year dual 

meet record of 25-32-2. 

The 2001-02 outlook 

“We’re looking forward to 

another quality season,” said Nellis. 

“We return four NCAA Division I 

Qualifiers, plus have some quality 

young talent that gives our team 

solid overall balance. We’ll be 

stronger in January when a couple 

additional guys become eligible.” 

The Golden Eagles return 

heavyweight John Testa (Jr. 

Newark, Del.), 133-pounder Rad 

Martinez (Jr. West Jordan, Utah), 

149-pounder Dominic Surra (Sr. 

Kersey, Pa.) and 197-pounder Eric 

Mausser (Jr. Sharon, Pa.). 

Testa, a two-time NCAA 

Division I Qualifier, has posted a 

career record of 57-17. Last season 

he won the PSAC and EWL titles 

while notching a 29-6 record. He 

Clarion’s 

Clarion has won 24 of the last 

Men’s Swimming 

31 PSAC titles and placed in the 

and Diving team is 

top 5 at the National Collegiate 

ready for another 

Athletic Conference 

strong season 

Championships 12 times since 

under second year 

1979. The Eagles last men’s title 

Head Coach 

came in 1998. 

Mark VanDyke. 

Providing the leadership in the 

In 2001, the 

pool will be senior captains Brian 

Golden Eagles 

Monico (Luzerne, Pa.) and Gary 

finished with a 6-1 

Aughinbaugh (Chambersburg). 

dual meet record, 

Monico has been a strong 

placed second at AUGHINBAUGH distance freestyle performer in 

the Pennsylvania 

his career. He was third in the 

State Athletic Championships and 1650- and the 1000-freestyle at 

11 th at the NCAA Division II PSAC Championships last year. 

nationals. 

Aughinbaugh was a four-time 

Van Dyke, who was also All-American last year on relay 

Clarion’s assistant coach for 12 teams and is a strong sprint 

years (1989-2000) and a swimmer freestyler. He placed second in the 

under former coach Bill Miller 50-free at PSAC Championships. 

from 1977-80, knows what to 

Also back to lead the Eagles 

expect from his team. 

are All-Americans Bill Wright 

The 2002 team 

(Jr. Canton, Oh.) and Ben 

“We expect to have a very solid Chandlee (Jr. Red Lion, Pa.). 

team this year,” analyzed Van Wright is a spring freestyler who 

Dyke. “Our goals remain the same placed 16 th in the 100 at nationals 

as they always have. We’d like to last year and earned six-time A-A 

win the PSAC title and place in the status. Chandlee had three relay 

top five at Division II nationals. A-A placings and won the PSAC 

West Chester returns an 

title in the 100 breaststroke. 

outstanding team and will be the Other strong swimmers 

favorite, but we hope to make a returning include Beau Caldwell 

challenge.” 

(So. Columbus, Oh.), Aaron Bell 


Monico and Aughinbaugh Captain 2002 Team 

Earnest, Eight All-Americans Return To Clarion University In 2002 

The 2002 Clarion Women’s 

Swimming and Diving team 

returns eight All-Americans and a 

two-time runner-up as the Golden 

Eagles prepare for another 

traditionally strong season. 

The team will be led by second 

year head coach Mark Van Dyke, 

a 12-time National Collegiate 

Athletic Association (NCAA) All- 

American and former 12-year 

assistant coach with the Golden 

Eagles. Last year, Van Dyke led 

Clarion to a 7-2 dual meet record 

and impressive wins over Division 

I Youngstown State, Kenyon, 

Ashland, Shippensburg and two 

wins over Allegheny. Clarion 

placed second at Pennsylvania 

State Athletic Conference (PSAC) 

Championships behind West 

Chester and sixth at the NCAA 

Division II Nationals. 

Clarion’s tradition is 

outstanding. The Golden Eagles 

was seeded eighth at nationals, but 

went 1-2 without placing. In 2000, 

he was 28-11 overall and won a 

PSAC title. 

Martinez, a junior, had a strong 

29-10 overall record last season in 

his first year at Clarion. Rad was 

second at PSAC championships and 

fourth at EWL 

championships 

and earned a wild 

card to the NCAA 

Tournament. 

Wrestling there 

with a badly 

injured elbow, he 

was 0-2. 

Surra, from 

nearby St. Marys 

High School, 

posted his top 

individual season 

last year with a 

21-15 mark. He 

was fourth at 

PSAC and EWL 

championships 

TESTA 

and earned a wild 

card to the NCAA 

championships at 

149-pounds. 

Mausser, also a two-time NCAA 

Qualifier, is a talented 197-pounder. 

He had a 29-11 overall record last 

year while placing third at the EWL 

championships and fourth at the 

PSAC championships. He was 2-2 

at nationals and hopes to improve 

that record this season. He also 

posted a 25-16 record in 1999 

before red-shirting the 2000 season. 

He is now 54-27 at Clarion. 

Also ready to make strong 

contributions this season will be 

either Starlin Jimenez (So. 

Brentwood, N.Y.) or Peter Derstine 

(so. Coral Springs, Fla.) at 125 and 

Jared Moss (So. Sharon, Pa.) at 141. 

Jimenez sat out last season and 

is a talented newcomer at 125 and 

will battle with Derstine who was 

15-15 as a true freshman last year. 

Moss, a red-shirt sophomore, is 

have won eight Division II 

National Titles 

(1986, ’84, ’83, 

’82, ’81, ’80, ’78, 

’77) and 24 of the 

PSAC’s 26 team 

titles since the 

league started the 

women’s 

swimming and 

diving 

championship in 

1976. 

The 2002 EARNEST 

team 

“We expect to have another 

quality team this year,” said 

VanDyke. “West Chester will be a 

very strong favorite to repeat their 

title, but our goals, as always 

remain the same. We want to win 

the PSACs and place in the top five 

at nationals.” 

Leading the way will be 

captains Amanda Earnest (Sr. 

a three-time PIAA Qualifier from 

Sharon High who has plenty of 

potential. He is expected to have a 

very solid season at 141-pounds 

replacing Frank Edgar who is redshirting 

this season. Edgar was 19- 

19 overall last season and earned an 

EWL wild card to the NCAA 

championships with a fourth-place 

finish. 

In January, the Eagles will have 

two talented wrestlers ready to 

come on board in Jeremy Reitz (So. 

Brookville, Pa.) and Todd 

Schuchert (Fr. Norwin, Pa.). Reitz, 

a 157-pounder who transferred 

Yardley, Pa.) and Mary Cardell 

(Pittsburgh - 

Plum). 

Earnest has 

had a strong 

diving career. 

Last year, she 

was the NCAA 

runner-up on 

both boards 

behind teammate 

Stephanie 

Sutton. With 

Sutton 

CARDELL 

graduating, 

Earnest has a shot at a national 

title. She is a four-time All- 

American. 

Cardell, a breaststroke and 

freestyle specialist, was eighth in 

the 1000 free at PSACs last year. 

Other All-America swimmers 

returning include Missy Baer (Jr. 

Breinigsville, Pa.), Bethany 

Bankovich (So. Latrobe, Pa.), 

from Penn State, was a 

Pennsylvania Interscholastic 

Athletic Association Champion 

from nearby Brookville High 

School. Schuchert, a talented 174- 

pounder, was injured early last year 

and took a medical red-shirt. 

Also looking for lineup time are 

Stephen Stremple (Fr. Pittsburgh, 

Pa.-Plum) at 141, Jim Perry (Jr. 

Reynoldsville, Pa.) at 157, Marcus 

Surin (Fr. Spring Valley, N.Y.) at 

184 and either Jamie Durkin (Fr. 

Lawrence, Mass.) or Jason 

Robinette (Fr. Grafton, Ohio) at 

167. 

Megan Trimbur (So. Warren, 

Ohio), Caroline Miller (So. 

Virginia Beach, Va.), Abby Koch 

(Jr. Harmony, Pa.) and Brandi 

Smithson (So. Mechanicsville, 

Pa.) are back. 

Baer, a nine-time career All- 

American and a freestyle/fly 

specialist, placed fifth in the 200- 

free at nationals as a freshman. 

Bankovich, a 

butterfly/freestyle specialist, 

earned four A-A honors last year 

as a freshman. She placed 16 th at 

nationals in the 200-fly, while 

helping on three A-A relays. 

Trimbur, a sprint freestyler, 

placed 14 th in the 50-free at the 

NCAA’s last year on her way to 

five A-A placings. 

Miller, a breaststroke specialist, 

was a two-time A-A last year, 

while Koch, a six-time career All- 

American, placed 13 th at nationals 

(So. Bradford, Pa.), Adam Lohr 

(Sr. Newville, Pa.) and E.J. Dams. 

Caldwell was the 400-I.M. winner 

at PSAC Championships, while 

Bell was second in the 100- and 

third in the 200-free at PSAC 

Championships. Lohr, a distance 

freestyler, was fifth in the 1000 at 

PSAC Championships and Dams 

placed fifth in the 400 I.M. 

Talented newcomers include 

Brian Nicholas (Kettering, Ohio) 

in freestyle/I.M. races, Aaron 

Cline (Clearfield, Pa.) in the 

backstroke and Scott Wilson 

(Quebec) in the beaststroke. 

Four-time All- 

American diver 

Jimmy McGee 

(So. Warren, 

Ohio) and 

newcomer Shawn 

Colten (Mesa 

C.C.) Lead the 

divers of Coach 

Dave Hrovat. 

McGee was fifth 

MONICO 

MAUSSER 

on one and three 

meter last year at 

nationals and 

looks to place high again. Colten is 

very talented and could challenge 

in the top five on both boards. Also 

diving will be Ray Murray (South 

Park). 

in the 400 I.M. Smithson, a 

freestyle/backstroke swimmer, was 

a relay A-A as a freshman. 

Other divers expected to 

contribute for coach Dave Hrovat 

include Jess Waldman (Jr. Logan 

Station) and Kim Perez 

(Nicholson). Waldman was 12 th on 

three meter and 13 th on one meter 

last year and expects to move up. 

Perez sat out last year. 

Newcomers in the pool include 

Becky Maley (Jr. Mt. Vernon, 

Ohio), Erin Smith (Fr. 

Monroeville, Pa.), Christy Stark 

(So. Edinboro, Pa.), Abby 

Starsinic (Harrisburg, Pa.), 

Bethany Turse (So. Swedesboro, 

N.J.) and Aimee Weis (Fr. 

Latrobe, Pa.). Freshman diver Erin 

Cooper (Coraopolis, Pa.) could 

also qualify for nationals.


Sports ‘Live On the Web’ 

Alumni and friends of Clarion 

University men’s and women’s 

basketball and wrestling will be 

able to hear all the action live on 

the web in the 2001-2002 season, 

according to Sports Information 

Director Rich Herman. 

After a successful streaming of 

the 2001 football season, Red Zone 

Media of Pittsburgh, Pa. will be 

utilzed to stream basketball and 

wrestling broadcasts from Clarion. 

Those interested in hearing the 

broadcasts will be able to directly 

access the Red Zone site on the day 

of the event at 

www.redzonemedia.com, or by 

going to Clarion’s web page at 

www.clarion.edu -- click on the 

athletics site and then click on the 

Red Zone Logo, which will link 

you to Red Zone. The games will 

also be archived for those 

interested in listening at another 

time. 

Those wanting to listen to the 

games live, or even after it is 

archived, will need Windows 

“Media Player” to listen to the 

games. Any software you may need 

to download can be accessed from 

the Red Zone site, or Windows free 

of charge. 

Wrestling broadcasts with Rich 

Herman and former coach Bob 

Bubb will be also be airing from 

WCCR-FM (92.7) in Clarion. 

Clarion University student 

broadcaster Dave Colamarino will 

lead the student radio crew at 

Clarion University’s WCUC-FM. 

A total of 13 wrestling 

broadcasts and 18 basketball 

broadcasts will be produced for the 

internet. This is the largest 

undertaking in Clarion’s three 

years of being on the internet. 

Special thanks to Bill Hearst of 

WCCR and Bill Adams of WCUC. 

Golf Tournament raises $43,000 

The 14 th annual Clarion 

University Classic Golf 

Tournament, to benefit the 

University’s Waldo S. Tippin 

Scholarship Fund, raised $43,000 

for athletic scholarships on Sept. 7. 

Pepsi, S & T Bank, New 

Bethlehem Bank and Wienken & 

Associates sponsored the 

tournament. 

“This year’s tournament was a 

huge success,” stated Athletic 

Director Bob Carlson. “We were 

able to raise over $43,000 for 

athletic scholarships. A large part of 

that amount is due to the fantastic 

support of our four corporate 

sponsors. They really helped push 

us over the top. I’d also like to 

thank the Clarion Oaks Gold Club, 

our generous hole sponsors and all 

of those who donated prizes and 

played in the tournament. We have 

received tremendous community 

support and we’re very grateful. 

Last but not least I’d like to 

personally thank our volunteer golf 

committee, who worked a lot of 

hours to make this successful.” 

Held at Clarion Oaks Club, 144 

persons registered and participated 

in the event. The turnout, 144, was 

a full field (reduced from 152 

golfers in 1992-97). The “Classic” 

tournament started with a total of 

96 in 1988, 110 in 1989, 128 in 

1990, 148 in 1991 and 152 from 

1992-97. The field has been full for 

the last 11 years (1991-01). 

The $43,000 raised was the 

second highest total in the history 

of the event. Last year’s $46,000 is 

the most profit the tournament has 

hauled in. Prior to the 2000 Classic, 

the tournament record for money 

raised was $36,000 (1997 & ’98). 

Major prize winners were: 

Team Competition: 

First Place: 60= Todd Corbeil, 

Dave Slember, Matt Fiscus, Steve 

Burns. 

Second Place: 62= Dave Katis, 

Joe Grunenwald, Don Brady, John 

DiTommaso. 

Third Place: 63= Ralph 

Naples, Norb Baschnagel, Jeff 

Szumigale, Ken Slaney. 

Least Putts: Don & Norma 

Stroup, Ken and Joan Miller. 

Closest to the Hole: (Par 3): 

#5-Dave Katis; #8-Ron Dreibelbis; 

#13-Fred Clarke, #17-Becky Leas. 

Putting Contest: John Smith 

Chipping Contest: John 

S P O R T S 

2001-02 Clarion Basketball Internet 

Broadcast Schedule 

Date Day Opponent Time 

Dec. 1 SAT MANSFIELD 1/3 

2 SUN BLOOMSBURG 1/3 

Jan. 9 WED SHIPPENSBURG 6/8 

12 SAT E. STROUDSBURG 1/3 

13 SUN KUTZTOWN 1/3 

16 WED at Edinboro 6/8 

19 SAT at Indiana 6/8 

23 WED LOCK HAVEN 6/8 

30 WED at Slippery Rock 6/8 

Feb. 2 SAT at Shippensburg 1/3 

4 MON CALIFORNIA 6/8 

6 WED EDINBORO 6/8 

9 SAT at Lock Haven 3/5 

11 MON at UPJ (men) 7:30 

13 WED SLIPPERY ROCK 6/8 

16 SAT INDIANA 6/8 

20 WED at California 6/8 

23 SAT at UPJ (women) 6:00 

All Games Streamed at - www.redzonemedia.com 

2001-2002 Clarion Wrestling Internet 

Broadcast Schedule 

Date Day Opponent Time 

Dec. 7 FRI at West Virginia 7:30 

8 SAT PENN STATE 7:00 

16 SUN CLARION DUALS 1:00 

Jan. 5 SAT at Michigan State 7:30 

6 SUN at C. Michigan Duals 12:00 

11 FRI LOCK HAVEN 7:30 

12 SAT at Buffalo 1:00 

18 FRI at Bloomsburg 7:00 

19 SAT at Rider 1:00 

Feb. 2 SAT EDINBORO 7:30 

12 TUE at Pittsburgh 7:30 

16 SAT VIRGINIA TECH 1:00 

21 THU CLEVELAND ST. 7:00 

All Matches Streamed at- www.redzonemedia.com 

Volleyball Records Set At Clarion 

Three Golden Eagle women’s 

volleyball players entered their 

names into the school record books 

this season. 

DiTommaso 

Straightest Drive 1: Mike 

Hetrick 

Closest Third Shot #3: John 

Interval 

Longest Drive #10: Ralph 

Naples 

Longest Drive #10: Melissa 

Bauer 

Longest Putt #9: Pete 

Chernicky 

Summer 

Need something for your 

children or grandchildren 

to do next summer 

June 

Senior Ali Graham 

(Pittsburgh/Plum) entered the 

Clarion career record book in digs 

with a school record 1,382 from 

1998-01. The previous record was 

1,286 set by Christy Boes from 

1995-98. 

Sophomores Melanie Bull 

(York/Susquehannock) and Jackie 

Hill 

(Stewartstown/Susquehannock) 

entered Clarion’s single-season 

record book in digs and set assists 

respectively. 

Bull finished the season with 

602 digs besting the former record 

of 526 set by Tammi Bills in 1992, 

while Hill had 1,552 set 

assists bettering the 

previous mark of 

Call 814-393-1997 for information 

Dates Camp Type Dates Camp Type 

July 

3-7 Football 

7-11 Wrestling 

9-13 Swim/Dive 

Swim/Dive 

10-14 Soccer (Day) 

8-12 Soccer Individual 

Boys BB (Day) 

12-14 Wrestling 


Swim/Dive 

(Father & Son Weekend) 

Basketball (Team HS) 

Track/Field 



Girls BB 

Swim/Dive 

Football (Individual) 

21-25 Boys BB 

Football (Team) 

28-30 Softball 

26-28 Girls BB (JHS Team) 

(Pitchers/Catchers) 

28-Aug 1 Boys & Girls BB Ind. 

30-July 2 

Softball 

(Hitters/Fielders) 

Soccer Team 

1,413 set by Karen Banks in 

1984. Hill had missed setting the 

record last season by five kills 

when she finished her freshman 

year with 1,408. In her two-year 

career, she has 2,960 set assists, 30 

shy of tying the school record of 

2,990 set by Wendy Ellenberger 

from 1989-92 and two shy of tying 

Jamie Soboleski (1996-98) for 

second in school history. 

The Golden Eagles finished the 

season 23-16 overall and 3-7 in the 

PSAC-West under first-year head 

coach Tracey Fluharty. Clarion 

was ranked fifth in the final NCAA 

Division II East Regional poll. The 

23 wins were the most for the 

Golden Eagles since the 1992 team 

won 24 games. 

Options 

Clarion may have just 

the answer. 

August 

Dates 

Camp Type 

2-4 Girls BB Team Camp (HS) 

4-8 Cross Country Ind. 

4-7 Volleyball Ind. 

8 V’ball/Setters/Middle Hitters 

9-11 Volleyball Team 

Cross Country Team


Deaths 

Thelma (Smerkar) 

Thomas (’38), Aug. 9, 


Marie R. Fillipih (’44), 

March 28, 2001. 

Lt. Col. Benjamin F. 

Smith (’44), June 11, 2001. 

David A. Miller (’50), Aug. 


Paul E. Taylor (’50), Aug. 


Walter P. Mahle (’52), July 


Paul L. McNaughton (’52), 


John S. Whitehill (’62), Aug. 


David M. Wilson (’68), Sept. 

27, 2000. 

Charles (Chuck) Koval (’71), 


Charles Lundberg (’71), Oct. 

17, 2000. 

Michael R. Miller (’77), Aug. 


Diana Summerville (’72), July 


Timothy R. Slaper (’87), July 


Nancy (Persinski) Kosheba 

(’93), June 8, 2001. 

Dr. Daniel Cronin, retired 

professor of mathematics (1970- 

89), Sept. 9, 2001. 

Lawrence Named To 

Steering Committee 

Mike Lawrence (’76), North 

Central Workforce Investment 

Board, PA, Deputy Director has 

been named as a member of the 

National Association of Counties' 

(NACo) Labor and Employment 

Steering Committee by NACo 

President Javier Gonzales. 

Lawrence graduated with a 

degree in secondary 

education/social studies and resides 

in Brookville with his wife, Janet. 

He is employed at the North 

Central Pennsylvania Regional 

Planning and Development Center 

in Ridgway. 

NACo's 11 steering committees 

form the policy-making arm of the 

association. Each committee is 

comprised of approximately 60- 

100 county officials who meet 

several times a year to examine 

issues critical to local government. 

The Labor and Employment 

Steering Committee addresses 

issues like employer/employee 

relations, equal opportunity 

employment, worker's 

compensation and other issues. The 

legislative recommendations of the 

committee are presented to NACo 

membership during the annual 

conference. 

obeson Paints Mural For Pittsburgh 

Amy Robeson (’97) of Pittsburgh was recently selected to paint a building-sized mural for 

the city of Pittsburgh. 

The mural is located in downtown Pittsburgh on the corner of Fifth Avenue and Market Square. 

The mural will celebrate the city and some of its attractions, including PNC Park, Heinz Field, the 

Carnegie Museums and many other locations. 

The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, PNC Bank and the Art Institute of Pittsburgh sponsor the 

program, which is sustained by a grant by the Heinz Endowment. The Gallery on the Avenues 

selected Robeson. 

Robeson started painting and drawing at a young age and enjoys sharing the artwork with others. 

After getting her bachelor's degree in fine art with an emphasis in drawing and painting at Clarion 

University, she studied at the Chautauqua School of Art under the direction of Don Kimes from 

American University. 

Since then, Robeson has been working as a freelance artist designing work for the Carnegie 

Science Center and the Engineers Society of Pennsylvania. Her paintings have been displayed in the 

Hazel Sanford Art Gallery at Clarion University, Chautauqua Center for the Visual Arts and the 

Chautauqua Institution. She has also created artwork for several programs, including the Carnegie 

Science Center Educational Programs, Three Rivers Educational Conference, and Highmark Blue 

Cross Blue Shield Science Stage Programs. 

She recently had art displayed at the New Modern Formations Gallery, Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh. 

Clarion Theatre Graduates Finding Success 

If all of the world is a stage, 

Clarion University graduates are 

finding their places on it. 

Eleven recent graduates are 

making their mark in all levels of 

theatre from acting to the technical 

side of the production. Among 

them are: 

Seana Simon (’00) of 

Aliquippa was called by a casting 

agent for Jason Robert Brown, the 

composer for Songs for a New 

World, to audition for his new 

show opening at the Lincoln Center 

in New York in the near future. 

Jarrod Fry (’99) of Pittsburgh 

received his Actors Equity Card 

and has worked in major 

productions at the Pittsburgh 

Public Theatre, Pittsburgh City 

Theater, and at Carnegie Mellon 


Holli Hamilton (’99) of 

Pittsburgh received her Actors 

Equity Card and has worked in 

major productions at the Pittsburgh 

Public Theatre, Pittsburgh City 

Theater and also at Carnegie 

Mellon University. She is working 

the box office for the Pittsburgh 

Public Theatre. 


Tim Free (’00) recently 

worked as assistant stage manager 

for the off-Broadway revival of 

Starmites. He is waiting news of 

the Broadway revival of Starmites 

and is currently stage manager for 

Peter Pan at Stage Right in 

Greensburg. Stage Right is a 

professional regional theatre under 

an Actors Equity Contract. 

Scott Weston (’99) is a master 

electrician/instructor at Point Park 

College. His responsibilities 

include teaching new students 

basic lighting and lighting set-up at 

the theatre, where he supervises 

more than 20 students. He is also 

teaching theatrical make-up to the 

incoming freshman. 

Marty Savolskis (’01) is a 

properties designer/instructor at 

Point Park College. He designs and 

supervises the building of the 

properties for the 16 yearly 

productions at the college. He 

works with many New York and 

regional designers that are guests at 

Point Park College. He is also 

teaching theatrical make-up to the 

incoming freshman. 

Pat McGroarty (’99) is the 

lighting and sound 

designer/operator for Holland 

American Cruise Lines. He is 

responsible for the supervision and 

operation of more than $500,000 of 

lighting and sound equipment. 

Darcie Riedel (’00) is a 

costume cutter for the Pittsburgh 

Public Theatre and wardrobe 

mistress for the City Theatre in 

Pittsburgh 

Joseph Gourly (’00) recently 

completed work as stage carpenter 

for the Utah Shakespeare Festival, 

one of the largest Shakespeare 

Festivals in the United States. In 

the past year, he worked as 

technical director and designer for 

various venues in Michigan. 

Val Carter (’98) recently 

completed her work on her 

master’s degree in technical theatre 

at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va. 

Michelle Kilbert (’98) recently 

completed her master’s degree 

degree in costuming at University 

of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Ala., and 

is assisting the costume shop 

supervisor in the costume shop at 

the University of Alabama. 

McVay Heads 

Clarion's Center 

For Teaching 

Excellence 

Robert McVay (’73 and ’77) 

has come full cycle at Clarion 

University of Pennsylvania. McVay 

is the first director of Clarion 

University's Center for Teaching 

Excellence. The center intends to 

open Clarion University's resources 

to the education needs of K-12 

teachers. 

"It is interesting that I will begin 

and end my career at Clarion," says 

McVay. He took his first two years 

of classes at Venango Campus, Oil 

City, and completed a bachelor's 

degree in elementary education in 

1973. He returned to Clarion to 

earn his master's degree in 

elementary education/mathematics 

in 1977. His administrative 

certificate is from Westminster 

College. 

McVay was an early retirement 

from the public education system, 

where he worked as a teacher and 

administrator in the Franklin 

School District. He then joined the 

Venango Campus as an instructor 

and student teacher supervisor. 

Those jobs led him to the 

Center for Teaching Excellence, a 

part of the Office of Extended 

Programs. It is also operating in 

cooperation with the College of 

Education and Human Services. 

"This office seeks to meet the 

needs for ongoing professional 

development as required by state 

law," says McVay. "Act 48 of 1999 

requires all Pennsylvania-certified 

teachers, educational specialists, 

supervisors, administrators, and 

superintendents to participate in 

professional education every five 

years or risk losing their 

certification." 

Clarion University is an 

approved provider of continuing 

education programs, which will be 

coordinated through the Center for 

Teaching Excellence. McVay is 

taking the message to the school 

districts personally to determine 

how to meet this continuing 

education need. 

He plans programs through the 

conventional means of workshops, 

seminars, or courses, either credit 

or non-credit, either on-site or at 

Clarion. Also available are newer, 

nontraditional methods using 

interactive video presentations or 

internet based offerings. 

McVay resides in Franklin with 

his wife, Shellie. They have two 

sons, Justin and Jared. 

For additional information 

about the Center for Teaching 

Excellence and its programs, 

contact Robert McVay, Room 128, 

Harvey Hall, Clarion University of 

Pennsylvania, Clarion, PA 16214; 

telephone 814-393-2776; fax 814- 

393-2779; or e-mail 

rmcvay@clarion.edu.


Gillespie Consultant For 

Advanced Placement 

Carol Gillespie (’74) was appointed faculty 

consultant for the Advanced Placement 2001 reading for 

“Human Geography” by the Educational Testing Service. 

She received a bachelor’s degree in economics from 

Clarion in 1974, master’s degree in education from 

Duquesne University, and is now in the doctoral studies 

program for geography with Southwest Texas 


“Human Geography” is a new advanced-placement 

subject in high schools and tests for the course include 

essays, which Gillespie will be among those reading and 

grading those essays. The reading will take place in June 

at Clemson University in South Carolina. 

“I feel really excited,” says Gillespie. “I think it will 

be a challenge. Grading essays is always a challenge – to 

be consistent.” 

Gillespie resides in Cranberry with her husband, 

Michael and sons Joshua, David and Kevin. 

Clarion University Professor Vento lends support 

From Page 9 

Friday, then left for home Saturday 

morning. 

“I couldn’t believe the level of 

devastation,” he said. “It is beyond 

description. Huge amounts of ash 

and rubble ... firetrucks and EMS 

vehicles flattened like pancakes 

from the debris that fell from the 

Trade Center complex. Bent steel 

and paper everywhere. And body 

parts, which were handled by New 

York City fighters.” 

New York officials had called 

for Vento and his radar to help find 

voids in which people might be 

trapped. But the machine didn’t 

suit that purpose. It needs to be 

moved over a flat surface to be 

effective, and it could not be used 

over the mounds of rubble and 

jagged edges. 

On Thursday, Vento said, the 

machine could not be used at all. 

“Everyone was freaked out by 

the danger of falling buildings,” he 

said. “When one person would start 

running, as when plaster fell inside 

the American Express Building— 

thousands, not hundreds, but 

thousands—of people would begin 

running. At least three times 

Thursday somebody shouted ‘run’ 

and we ran as fast as we could in 

one big chain reaction of running. 

It ended up that on Thursday all I 

could do was be part of a bucket 

brigade lifting through the rubble 

by hand. All around us they were 

bagging parts of individuals.” 

By Friday, a “no run” policy 

was in effect. 

“If you had to get to an object, 

you had to walk to it, not run, 

because no one wanted to incite 

people to run like the day before,” 

Vento said. 

“When you have buildings 50 

or 80 stories high that you think are 

going to collapse, you don’t know 

which way to run anyway,” Vento 

said. 

Also by Friday, structural 

engineers and laser transits 

determined the buildings where 

Vento and rescuers would be 

working were stable, so Vento 

could get down to work with his 

equipment. 

Columns for cranes 

Although the radar proved 

ineffective for finding voids 

because of rubble that hampered its 

effectiveness, it could be used 

around the perimeter of the trade 

center to locate steel support beams 

in the underground mall beneath 

the trade center. 

These beams were at the edge 

of the debris pile. It was important 

for Vento to find them. 

“I was at the edge of the 

existing street before it dropped 

into the big hole,” he said. “So 

what I did was, I spray painted on 

the surface every location where 

the vertical columns were. Workers 

then knew that these areas were 

strong enough to support the 

weight of a crane that could be 

used to lift away the debris.” 

Surprisingly, Vento said, most 

of the cement between the 

skyscrapers was only about three 

feet deep. Underneath that three 

feet was the underground mall, the 

subway system, and parking 

garages. 

“In some areas, some of the 

beams were bent and ripped. Twoinch 

thick steel that looked like 

someone had cut it with a scissors. 

In other areas, the beams were 

A L U M N I N E W S 

Clarion Graduate Uses Post-It Notes To 

Explain DNA Processes 

(NOTE – This article was 

written by Pat Frantz Cercone, 

assistant director of public 

relations at the University of 

Pittsburgh at Bradford.) 

Those little yellow squares 

of paper with the sticky 

upper edge are seen in 

businesses everywhere — 

stuck to computer screens, 

desktops and walls—to 

remind people of 

meetings, special 

events and tasks they 

need to finish. 

However, one 

biology instructor at the 

University of Pittsburgh at 

Bradford is using them in a 

whole different way to teach her 

students about DNA. 

Lois Kreitzer-Housler, who 

has been teaching at Pitt- 

Bradford for nine years, uses 

yellow, blue and pink Post-it 

notes to help her students 

good.” 

“Because of my work, I feel I 

helped make it possible for cranes 

to go in and safely move away 

rubble,” Vento said. “I think I 

provided them with information as 

to whether they could go in or not. 

I imagine there is a crane sitting 

there right now on a spot that I 

marked.” 

Undaunted bravery 

There is a good chance, said 

Vento, that survivors could have 

lasted for a long time in the mall 

area underneath the Trade Center. 

“As to whether they’re still 

alive, I don’t know. The lower 

levels flooded, and there was a lot 

of smoke. But the fire seemed to be 

concentrated near only one section, 

so I just don’t know about 

survivors.” 

One thing he does know about 

is the bravery of New York City 

firefighters. 

“I saw them going down in 

holes and crevices to search for 

survivors — it was just 

unbelievable. They were crawling 

through holes with very sharp steel 

seeing if there was any void space, 

putting their lives on the line all the 

time.” 

That amazed him, he said, as 

did the American Red Cross: “I 

never saw so much food in my life, 

as the food the Red Cross has for 

the rescue workers.” The New 

Yorkers themselves, not just rescue 

workers, were amazing, Vento 

said. 

“Every night when we left the 

job site, thousands of people lined 

the streets around the whole district 

with signs reading ‘Thank you for 

helping us.’” 

R 

understand how DNA 

reproduces. She calls it Post-it 

Note Science. She explained 

exactly how she does it to other 

biology educators from all over 

the United States when she 

presented her paper DNA 

Replication, Transcription and 

Translation at the annual 

conference of the Association of 

Biology Laboratory Education in 

Chicago from June 18-22. 

“DNA replication, 

transcription and translation are 

essential to a student’s 

understanding of cellular 

functions,” Kreitzer-Housler 

said, “yet they are typically 

difficult concepts to grasp. I 

wanted to develop an exercise 

that allowed my non-science 

major students to visualize these 

processes using DNA models so 

they could understand the 

processes better.” 

At first she had students 

create posters that featured 

analogous examples to DNA, 

such as an assembly line. 

Sometimes she would have 

students form chains, much like 

the double helix of a DNA 

molecule. But there were still 

students who didn’t understand. 

Then she purchased a puzzle kit 

from a biology supply company. 

But the instructions were so 

complicated that the students 

couldn’t figure out how the 

puzzle worked, let alone how 

DNA replicated. 

Then about two years ago she 

had another idea, a much simpler 

idea. While making the 40- 

minute drive from campus to her 

home near Mount Jewett, Pa., 

Kreitzer-Housler figured it out. 

“Again I was having trouble 

getting the idea across to the 

students,” she said, “and I looked 

on the lab bench and there were 

Post-it notes. The idea kind of 

gelled, and I put it together 

going back and forth to work.” 

“It may sound kind of funny,” 

Kreitzer-Housler said, “but it 

works. Students understand these 

concepts much better after they 

use the Post-it notes. They’re 

getting it.” 

Here’s how it works: 

A DNA molecule, which 

gives each person his or her own 

individualized traits, is shaped 

into a double helix held together 

by hydrogen bonds. DNA 

contains the genetic code in the 

form of four nucleotide bases — 

adenine, guanine, cytosine and 

thymine. 

For DNA to reproduce, the 

double helix breaks apart, and 

enzymes spark a chemical 

reaction that will produce two 

complementary strands. The 

bases bind specifically to one 

another — adenine to thymine 

and guanine to cytosine — in 

complementary fashion. 

To illustrate that process 

Kreitzer-Housler instructs her 

students to make a DNA model 

by sticking two rows of yellow 

notes side by side on a desk. 

Then they separate the strand, 

inserting blue notes in the 

middle, which represents two 

new strands. To illustrate the 

binding of bases, the students 

will write the first letter of each 

base on a note. For example, a 

yellow Post-it with “A” for 

adenine would be connected to a 

blue note with a “T” on it for 

thymine and so on. 

Kreitzer-Housler and her 

students add pink Post-it notes to 

the yellow and blue model to 

illustrate transcription and 

translation. Transcription is the 

name of the reaction during 

which RNA, a chain of chemical 

compounds similar to DNA, is 

produced by copying it from 

DNA. That messenger RNA is 

the template used to make a 

protein, a process called 

translation. 

Kreitzer-Housler has been 

using Post-it Note Science in her 

Concepts of Biology and Human 

Genetics classes with great 

success. 

“The students have been so 

pleased to be able to use 

something that would help them 

understand the molecule. Even 

though we’re using materials that 

are a little out of the ordinary, 

they never looked at me as if I 

were strange.” 

And, in an age of ever-rising 

education costs, particularly in 

science courses where equipment 

can costs thousands and 

thousands of dollars, there is 

another dollar-and-cents 

advantage to her approach: it’s 

cheap. 

“I really didn’t think it was a 

big deal,” she said. In fact, she 

never considered presenting her 

unorthodox method to other 

teachers until another faculty 

member at Pitt-Bradford 

encouraged her to submit her 

findings to the Association of 

Biology Laboratory Education, 

which invited her to present her 

exercise in Chicago. 

“All I know is that it works,” 

she said. “That’s the beauty of 

teaching, watching the light bulb 

come on. When you help a 

student grasp a difficult concept 

they’ve been struggling with, it’s 

the best feeling in the world.”

A L U M N I N E W S 


Gay And Lesbian Alumni Group 

Alumni and other members of 

the Clarion University community 

are seeking interest and input into 

the establishment of a gay and 

lesbian alumni group. 

“This group’s primary goal will 

be the support and enhancement of 

Clarion University, especially its 

programs related to sexual 

minorities,” said Terry Boots ’72. 

“Membership will be open to all 

alumni and undergraduates who 

share the group’s interests, without 

regard to sexual orientation or 

identity.” 

The group intends to offer 

networking opportunities, social 

events, mentoring for 

undergraduate students, and other 

areas of alumni support as they are 

identified. Boots said he is very 

encouraged by the university’s 

receptiveness to the formation of 

the alumni group. He intends to be 

involved in the development of the 

groups and will host a reception at 

his Pittsburgh home in the spring of 

2002. After the reception, key 

individuals will be identified to 

formally organize the group. 

“Assuming there is sufficient 

interest among the university 

Want Clarion 

University 

Vanity Plates 

300 People must sign-up 

for the project to go 

forward. For more 

information, call 814-393- 

2637 or visit our web site 

www.clarion.edu/alumni 

community, an additional reception 

will take place during the 2001 

Homecoming events,” said Boots. 

Anyone interested in assisting with 

this effort should contact Boots at: 

Clarion University Alumni 

Association, 840 Wood St., 

Clarion, PA 16214, or e-mail at 

alumni@clarion.edu or 

Tboots9@aol.com 

Boots received his 

undergraduate degree in secondary 

education in 1972. He is employed 

by the Commonwealth of 

Pennsylvania’s Office of Adult 

Residential Facilities. He and his 

partner, William Cohen, M.D., 

reside in the South side 

neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Cohen 

is a charter member of the Gay and 

Lesbian Alumni Association of the 

University of Rochester. 

Grad Brings Sights and Sounds Of Terrorism To Nation 

From Page 9 

“This was the pinnacle of 

news. We went from place 

to place as events 

happened.” Alberter taped 

evacuations, the closing of 

roads, the return of 

government officials to the 

Capitol, an interview with 

New York Senator Hilary 

Rodham Clinton, and 

actions at the Pentagon. 

“We covered the 

briefings at the Pentagon,” 

he recalled. “The briefing 

rooms are opposite the side 

struck by the plane, but you 

could smell the burning 

portion of the building.” 

September 11 touched 

off a month of 12-14 hour 

shifts for Alberter. Much of 

that time was spent at the 

Pentagon for news 

briefings and other stories. 

“It seems like I’ve been 

in that building forever,” he 

says. “It is an emotional 

place to visit. There are 

many people working with 

me who knew people who 

died in the Pentagon.” 

Allegheny Power Donates Poles to Clarion University 

An in kind gift from Allegheny 

Power of Kittanning has improved 

the athletic facilities at Clarion. 

Allegheny Power donated and 

installed three treated utility poles 

at the Memorial Stadium soccer 

field. The Clarion University 

Foundation accepted the gift of the 

poles for the University. 

Netting purchased by Clarion 

University is attached to the 

twenty-foot poles to keep errant 

soccer balls from rolling off the 

edge of the stadium property, down 

an embankment, and into a wooded 

area. 

“Allegheny Power 

graciously agreed to donate 

and install the poles,” says 

Clarion University Athletic 

Director Bob Carlson. “Their 

generosity saved several 

thousand dollars. The finished 

project looks quite good. The 

poles are close to the hill and 

do not interfere with games or 

any other activities at the site.” 

The poles are valued at 

$4,500. Maintenance and 

installation of the poles are 

coordinated by the Athletic 

Department and the Maintenance 

Department. 

“This was very inexpensive for 

us and allowed us to accomplish 

the goal of keeping the soccer balls 

in the playing area,” says Dave 

Fagan of Clarion University 

facilities planning. “Allegheny 

Power installed the poles on Aug. 

13. This is something that needed 

to be done.” 

Throughout these 

experiences, Alberter says 

he did not feel threatened. 

“I don’t remember 

feeling in danger,” he says. 

“I was concerned for my 

family because I couldn’t 

be with them. I have 

covered tornadoes, 

hurricanes, and other 

natural disasters, but 

nothing this close to home. 

It hit me on an emotional 

level that they were 

attacking my 

neighborhood.” 

The original threat of 

terrorist attacks was 

followed by the multiple 

anthrax scares in the 

capitol. 

“The anthrax has hit 

close to home too, but I am 

dealing with it,” says 

Alberter. “It is the not 

knowing that scares you. 

Luckily, CNN has received 

no threats, but I try to steer 

clear of the buildings 

infected. This has made me 

more aware of my 

surroundings and that is not 

a bad thing.” 

Alberter, who grew up 

in Pittsburgh, heard about 

Clarion from friends and 

after seeing the television 

studio decided Clarion is 

where he wanted to go to 

college. 

“My high school had a 

television and a radio 

studio and that was helpful. 

I knew I wanted to do news 

and television turned out to 

be my direction.” 

Upon graduation, 

Alberter first worked in 

Pittsburgh as a production 

assistant for films including 

commercials and the “Kid 

Brother” movie. From there 

he took a job at WTOV-TV 

in Steubenville, Ohio. 

“I got an understanding 

for what news was all about 

at WTOV,” he says. “I shot 

news, made news packages, 

and had to meet deadlines.” 

From WTOV, Alberter 

moved to the Washington, 

D.C., area and went to 

work for Media General 

Cable, a five day a week 

“Our student athletes appreciate 

this effort on their behalf,” 

concludes Carlson. “Clarion wants 

to establish a first-class operation 

with all of its athletic programs. 

We appreciate all the support we 

receive from the community.” 

The Clarion University 

Foundation, organized in 1969, is a 

not-for-profit corporation. The 

Foundation was formed to promote 

educational purposes in connection 

with or at the request of Clarion 

University. It is 

Former CUP Band Director Serves 

On International Judging Panel 

cable news channel. That 

led him to News Channel 8, 

a 24-hour, regional, CNNtype 

channel for 

Washington, D.C. He was 

there for three and one-half 

years, advancing to senior 

news photographer and 

winning a local news 

Emmy. 

His last stop before 

joining CNN, was working 

for the newly established 

GOP-TV. 

“I produced their 

message and made it look 

like a magazine news 

format,” says Alberter. “I 

always liked news and 

politics. It was something 

different and I got to travel. 

Travel is something I 

always wanted to do.” 

Looking back at his 

time at Clarion University, 

Alberter says, “I set goals 

to go as far as I could go 

using my news skills. My 

goal was to work for a 

large network affiliate. I 

have been fortunate and 

I’ve had good breaks. I met 

the organization designated to 

receive and manage private sector 

gifts provided for the support of the 

activities and programs of the 

University. Such gifts are 

generated through contributions 

from alumni, faculty and staff, 

business and industry, retired 

faculty members, and other friends 

of Clarion University. 

Charlotte resident Dr. Stanley F. Michalski, recently served 

as adjudicator for the World Association of Marching Show 

Bands Competition held in Potsdam, Germany. Michalski 

represented the United States on a panel of 10 adjudicators 

from throughout the world. 

For the past five years, Michalski served in a similar 

capacity for the St. Patrick’s Day Parades in Dublin and 

Limerick, Ireland. A noted conductor of bands, Michalski will 

serve as guest conductor for several honors bands during the 

2001-2002 academic tear including those all-state bands 

scheduled in Mississippi, Georgia, North Dakota, Louisiana, 

and North Carolina. 

Recently, he served as guest lecturer/clinician for summer 

music programs at Oregon State University, James Madison 

University, the University of Southern Mississippi and for the 

Community School of the Arts Music Camp held in Charlotte, 

NC. 

Michalski is an adjunct professor of music at Winthrop 

University and serves as associate conductor of the Old English 

Wind Ensemble. He is also the coordinator of instrumental for 

the Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools in the Diocese of 

Charlotte. 

people who could help me. 

I love shooting news and I 

can’t imagine doing 

anything better than what I 

am doing now.” 

Alberter acknowledges 

Henry Fueg and Al Larson 

for helping him to succeed 

in the television news 

business. 

“Dr. Fueg was a good 

influence on me,” he says. 

“He taught me a lot about 

understanding video and 

making it happen. Al 

Larson helped me put it 

together. I credit them for 

helping me to gain 

understanding that I could 

take with me to work.” 

Alberter is married to 

Georgia (Alcorn ’85). 

Georgia is a legal secretary 

for the law firm of 

Roylance, Abrams, Berdo 

& Goodman in 

Washington, D.C. They 

have two children, 

Katherine and Andrew.


F E A T U R E 

Becht Hall Architects are Focus of California Museum Exhibition 

In 1903, James Edward 

Allison, a 33-year-old 

Pittsburgh architect, set out 

for a visit to California. 

Under construction in the 

Hollywood Hills that year was the 

A. G. Bartlett residence, a 

breathtaking mansion in the 

Spanish mission revival style. 

Five years later, in 1908, J. E. 

Allison and his brother David, 

practicing as Allison & Allison of 

Pittsburgh, presented the Clarion 

campus with a "dormitory for 

young ladies" that bore a striking 

resemblance to the Bartlett 

mansion. Originally named Navarre 

Hall, the dorm was rechristened to 

honor J. George Becht. Clarion 

students and graduates know it now 

as Becht Hall - designed by 

Pennsylvania architects who were 

inspired by early-20th century 

California influences. 

Drawn to California's sunny 

climes and picturesque landscapes, 

J. E. and David Allison left western 

Pennsylvania in 1910 to establish a 

practice in Los Angeles. New 

settlements were springing up 

throughout the Los Angeles basin. 

Midwesterners and Easterners 

swarmed into California, and they 

sought instant communities with an 

established "feel," but with a 

California flair. 

Allison & Allison had designed 

many institutional buildings in 

Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West 

Virginia. Their solid experience in 

the east, and their sensitivity to the 

Mediterranean flavor of California, 

served them well. By 1914, the 

Allison brothers were recognized as 

the premier school and college 

architects in Southern California. 

Between 1910 and 1940, they 

designed hundreds of academic 

buildings, including two beloved 

landmarks at UCLA, Royce and 

Kerckhoff halls. 

The Old Courthouse Museum in 

Santa Ana, California, is hosting 

the opening run of an exhibit 

concentrating on the Allisons' 

California works. "Defining a 

Californian Style: The Architecture 

of Allison & Allison" was launched 

in May, and will travel to Beverly 

Hills, Merced, and Ontario, 

California during 2002. 

Two Clarion graduates have 

had a significant role in bringing to 

light the work of Allison & Allison. 

Susan L. Richards (M.A. 1980), 

university librarian at Lawrence 

University in Wisconsin; and Sally 

Sims Stokes (M.S.L.S. 1982), 

curator of the National Trust for 

Historic Preservation Collection at 

the University of Maryland, are 

guest scholars for the exhibit. 

While a history graduate 

student at Clarion in 1980, 

Richards discovered the Allisons' 

contract for Navarre in Carlson 

Library. Over the years, she and 

Stokes, a former Clarion history 

instructor, painstakingly built up an 

archive of Allison & Allison 

material. This body of information 

forms the basis of "Defining a 

Californian Style." 

Richards and Stokes have 

written or contributed to four 

research grants totaling $21,000 in 

support of their Allison research. 

The University of Maryland 

awarded Stokes a six-month 

sabbatical leave this year so that 

she could devote herself to the 

exhibit project. 

"E-mail and Internet searching 

were incredibly useful tools for 

obtaining new documentation for 

the show," Stokes observes. "When 

Susan and I first began our study, 

we often waited six weeks for 

correspondence to turn around. 

This year, it was sometimes a 

matter of mere minutes before we 

received a reply from a potential 

source." 

Thanks to that quick turnaround 

time, and the enthusiasm of dozens 

of California contacts, the exhibit 

showcases some exceptional items. 

These include the original ink-onlinen 

architectural drawings, and 

the actual cupola, from the 

Shakespeare Club of Pasadena. In 

addition, two 36-inch-long 

panoramic photographs of school 

children in front of their schools in 

Glendora, California; and light 

fixtures and intercom telephones 

from an elementary school in 

Huntington Beach, Calif., are 

included in the show. 

The California Council for the 

Humanities funded the exhibit, 

which employs six humanities 

themes to interpret the role of 

Allison & Allison in articulating 

the built environment in California. 

"Defining a Californian Style" 

examines the factors that brought 

about California's population surge 

in the 19-teens and '20s, and 

considers the myth of California as 

an eden on the Pacific. The exhibit 

also offers a look at how public 

buildings shape a community's 

character, and how earthquakes 

influence construction engineering 

in the west. 

Images of Becht Hall are 

included in the exhibit, as is a 1912 

Sequelle with an early photo of the 

dormitory. 

"We are still hoping to obtain a 

creamy yellow Pennsylvania brick 

for the exhibit. We are fairly 

certain that the bricks for Becht 

were manufactured in either 

Armstrong or Clarion County," 

Ianni Authors Electronic Novel 

Dr. Lawrence Ianni’s (’52) first novel 

was recently published electronically through 

i univeristy.com, a subsidiary of Barnes and 

Noble. “Lars, the Unrepentant,” was written 

under Ianni’s pen name, Poe Iannie. 

“It is fiction dealing with the experiences 

of a university administrator,” says Ianni, who 

has university administrative experience at 

several colleges. “The main character faces 

problems of free speech, political intervention, 

and other internal and external pressures faced 

by an administrator.” 

This is the first of a planned trilogy by 

Ianni. He expects the second book to be 

published in 2002, and the third the following 

year. 

“I think it has a pretty decent story to it, 

and people will not be surprised by my choice 

of subjects, considering my background,” says 

the 1984 Clarion University Distinguished 

Alumni Award recipient. 

Ianni is in his 50th year in education, 

including 20 years in administration. He is 

teaching one course at San Francisco State 


His education career began at Clarion, 

remarks Richards. "California 

exhibit-goers will be interested to 

realize that back in Pennsylvania, 

the Allisons used local brick 

instead of stucco in this Missionstyle 

building." 

Richards and Stokes were the 

featured speakers at the exhibit's 

opening on May 18. Stokes offered 

a history of the Allison firm, and 

Richards's remarks, entitled "The 

Mystery of Navarre Hall," 

chronicled the two speakers' 

research quest over the last two 

decades. 

This fall, the Old Orange 

County Courthouse Museum will 

where Ianni received his English degree in 

1952. 

“Clarion had a wonderful English 

department when I was a student,” he recalled. 

Ianni went on to earn an master’s degree 

and a doctorate in English from Case-Western 

Reserve University. He taught English in 

Pennsylvania and Ohio public schools from 

1952-59 and joined Indiana University of 

Pennsylvania in 1960. He taught English at 

Indiana until 1975, also gaining administrative 

experience in a variety of positions. 

Leaving Indiana, Ianni accepted the 

position of provost and vice president for 

academic affairs at San Francisco State 

University. He left San Francisco State in 

1987 to accept the position of Chancellor at 

the University of Minnesota, Duluth. He 

attending training sessions sponsored by the 

American Association of State Colleges and 

Universities, with another newly named 

president, Clarion’s Dr. Diane Reinhard. 

Approximately 10 years ago, Ianni decided 

he wanted to get serious about his writing. 

“I wrote about a dozen plays and started on 

my novel before I retired,” he says. The 

release a small catalog of the 

exhibit, incorporating the full text 

of the May 18 presentations. Those 

interested may contact Marshall 

Duell, the museum's curator, at 

714-834-3703 or at 

duellm@pfrd.co.orange.ca.us 

And it is still not too late to add 

a creamy Pennsylvania brick, or 

any other Becht memorabilia, to 

the exhibit. Anyone who owns, or 

has leads to, artifacts or documents 

pertinent to the exhibit should 

inform Mr. Duell, or write to 

allisonarchitects@yahoo.com 

retirement brought about his return to 

California in 1997. 

“I was in the fortunate position of not 

depending on writing for an income,” he says. 

“It took me a year to 18 months to produce the 

manuscript for the novel. I learned I should 

not get wedded to my first draft and that 

rewriting was the most important part of the 

task. When I was a student at Clarion, Bertha 

Nair gave me the best advice about my 

writing, telling me, ‘You can improve 

everything you write if you cross out every 

other word’.” 

Ianni and his wife, Mary Ellen (Weeks 

’53), now reside in San Bruno, Calif. Mary 

Ellen taught for 32 years, including time in 

Indiana University’s lab school and as an 

assistant professor of elementary education at 

San Francisco State University. 

They have two daughters, Laura Lucas of 

Bayshore, Long Island, who is seeking her 

master’s degree and teaching certification, 

following several years as an actress; and Beth 

Ianni of San Mateo, Calif., a webside designer 

for the Academy Art College of San 

Francisco.


President Reinhard 

Announces Retirement 

Clarion University of 

Pennsylvania President Diane L. 

Reinhard has announced her 

retirement, effective July 1, 

2003. Reinhard, who has served as 

president since June 1, 1990, 

formally announced her retirement 

at July’s regular meeting of the 

Clarion University 

Council of Trustees. 

“My time at 

Clarion has been the 

high point of my 

professional career,” 

said Reinhard. “I 

have been privileged 

to work with 

an 

outstanding 

group of 

students, 

faculty, 

and staff 

and have 

enjoyed 

the 

dedication and support of a fine 

Council of Trustees.” 

Council Chair H. John Drayer 

expressed the council’s regret at 

Reinhard’s decision and praised 

her leadership and high-level of 

professionalism. 

“President Reinhard has always 

demonstrated a genuine concern 

for the best interests of Clarion 

University. She has contributed 

significantly to the institution, its 

students, faculty, and staff and to 

university relations with the larger 

community.” 

Reinhard is quick to note that 

she still feels she has much to 

accomplish in the next two years, 

but future professional plans 

include teaching and consulting. 

“It has been an honor to serve 

this institution and I would be 

pleased to continue my service any 

way I can after my retirement. I’m 

also looking forward to attending 

the Autumn Leaf Festival on a 

regular basis as a private citizen.” 

A national search for a new 

president is expected to begin in 

Summer 2002, according to 

policies established by the State 

System of Higher Education. The 

search committee will include 

active involvement by the trustees 

and other university constituent 

groups. 

“I want to emphasize that I’m 

not retiring for two years,” said 

Reinhard. “I’ll be working hard 

until my last day to make sure that 

Clarion University is in good shape 

for a new leader to take it to the 

next level.” 

Reinhard has presided over 

some of the most dramatic changes 

in the institution’s history. She 

points to Clarion’s enrollment 

growth, academic strengths 

affirmed by specialized 

accreditations, facilities and 

technology improvements, 

and growth in fund-raising as 

examples of the university’s 

impressive 

accomplishments, 

adding that 

these 

successes 

were achieved 

in the face of 

daunting 

fiscal 

challenges. Reinhard will continue 

to lead the academic growth and 

performance-based initiatives that 

have helped Clarion University 

become a leader in the State 

System. She also plans to make 

sure that new System Chancellor 

Judy Hample is well aware of 

Clarion’s special qualities. 

“The community support we 

have received during my tenure has 

been tremendous. Area residents 

view Clarion University and 

Venango Campus as their 

university. Support has come from 

many different levels, but I do need 

to praise the efforts and leadership 

of the Clarion University 

Foundation Board of Directors in 

completing the most successful 

fund-raising campaign in our 

history. The Alumni Association 

has also continued to grow and 

support our institution, including 

the launch of an extremely 

successful scholarship auction 

event. 

“I’ve enjoyed living in a 

community with the size and spirit 

of both Clarion and Oil City. The 

experience has reminded me of my 

hometown, Watertown, Wis. In 

fact, I intend to return to 

Watertown and use it as a home 

base after my retirement.” 

For the latest in Clarion University News, 

go to www.clarion.edu/news from the 

Office of University Relations. 

U N I V E R S I T Y N E W S 

State System of Higher Education Chancellor 

Dr. Judy G. Hample at Venango Campus. 

Szumigale New Trustee 

Jeffrey J. Szumigale (’82) was introduced as a 

new member of the Clarion University Council of 

Trustees at the July 2001 

meeting. He was appointed by 

former Gov. Tom Ridge to 

fill the vacancy created by the 

resignation of Ken Gaudi 

(’66). 

Szumigale is senior vice 

president and managing 

director for PNC Advisors 

Trust Company of PNC 

Bank in the northwest 

Pennsylvania market. His 

region includes Erie, 

Warren, and Crawford 

counties. 

SZUMIGALE 

He is accountable for all personal and trust 

functions, including investment management, trust 

and estate administration, estate planning and 

wealth transfer planning. He has direct 

responsibility as managing director for the 

Institutional Investment Group, including the 

investment management and administration of all 

pension and retirement related relationships and all 

charitable and endowment relationships. He is also 

responsible for the individual administration of 

various personal and charitable trust relationships. 

A graduate of Cathedral Preparatory School, 

Szumigale earned his bachelor's degree in 

marketing from Clarion University in 1982. Since 

then, be obtained a master's degree in business 

administration from Gannon University in 1989. 

He also completed the Central Atlantic School of 

Trust at Bucknell University and the American 

Banker's Association National Graduate Trust 

School at Northwestern University. 

Szumigale joined PNC Bank in 1985. He has 

held many positions including trust administrator, 

trust officer, assistant vice president and vice 

president and trust group manager. Szumigale 

received the 1989 Sales and Management 

Executive Award as the outstanding sales winner. 

He was recognized again by the Sales and 

Marketing Executives in 1996 as the 

"Distinguished Salesperson of the Year." 

In the community, Szumigale is the vice 

president and a board member for the Boys & 

Girls Club of Erie; a board member of Erie 

Independence House; a President's Associate of 

Mercyhurst College; and athletic advisory board 

member for Cathedral Prep High School. 

Szumigale resides in Erie with his wife, Amy, 

and daughter, Erica. 

Hample named 

System Chancellor 

Dr. Judy G. Hample was named chancellor of 

Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education 

effective Aug. 1, 2001. The chancellor reports directly 

to the State System's Board of Governors and is 

responsible for the administration of the System. 

Hample holds a bachelor's degree in speech 

communication and secondary education/French from 

David Lipscomb University, 

Nashville, Tenn., and master's 

and doctoral degrees in 

communication from Ohio State 


She served as a university 

fellow, graduate teaching 

associate and assistant director of 

intercollegiate debate while 

completing her initial graduate 

work at Ohio State. She then 

began her academic career as 

a lecturer and director of 

intercollegiate debate in the Department of Speech 

Communication at the University of Illinois at 

Champaign-Urbana. Moving on to Western Illinois 

University, Hample held various positions, including 

assistant and associate professor of communication 

arts and sciences, associate director of intercollegiate 

debate, director of the division of communication in 

the Department of Communication Arts and Sciences 

and associate dean for budget and personnel in the 

College of Arts and Sciences. She served as dean of 

the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Emporia 

State University (Kansas) and dean of the College of 

Arts and Sciences at Indiana State University before 

being named senior vice president - academic affairs 

at the University of Toledo. In 1998, Hample was 

hired by the Florida Board of Regents, State 

University System, as vice chancellor for planning, 

budgeting and policy analysis. She was named 

executive vice chancellor in 2000 and chancellor in 


Hample has been affiliated with several 

professional organizations, including the National 

Association of State Universities and Land Grant 

Colleges, the Council of Colleges of Arts and 

Sciences and the Project 30 Alliance, originally 

sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation as the only 

national organization focused exclusively on 

collaboration efforts between faculty in arts and 

sciences and faculty in professional education to 

improve teacher education. She also serves as a public 

consultant-evaluator for the American Bar 

Association. 

Hample has numerous academic publications to 

her credit. She co-edited three volumes of Teaching in 

the Middle Ages and currently serves as editor of 

Studies in Medieval and Renaissance Teaching. 

The State System comprises 14 universities, four 

branch campuses and several regional centers, 

including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg 

and the University for Southwest Pennsylvania in 

Pittsburgh. The regional centers operate as part of the 

Educational Resources Group, which is responsible 

for coordinating statewide programming. With more 

than 96,000 students, the State System is the largest 

provider of higher education in the commonwealth. 

The new chancellor initiated a series of campus 

visits starting with the fall semester, selecting Clarion 

as the first in the series. She also visited Venango 

Campus in Oil City and attended a joint reception by 

area chambers of commerce in honor of the 40th 

anniversary of Venango, the first branch campus in 

the State System.

RETURN TO: 

University Relations 

Clarion University of Pennsylvania 


Clarion, PA 16214-1232 

NON-PROFIT ORG. 

U.S. POSTAGE 

P A I D 

Permit No. 2273 

Pittsburgh, PA 

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED 

Charitable gift annuities are a 

simple way for you to 

receive lifetime income 

while ensuring the continuance of 

Clarion University and its mission 

of educating our future leaders. 

Request a proposal showing income 

and tax savings. Minimums: age 

50, gift $5,000 (cash or appreciated 

securities). For younger donors, we 

have other life income options. 

The benefits of a Charitable Gift 

Annuity include: 

● Guaranteed reliable income, part of 

which is tax-free, for you and/or 

another beneficiary for lifetime. 

● A tax-saving charitable deduction. 

● Reduced or eliminated capital gains tax (when you 

contribute appreciated securities). 

● The satisfaction of making a gift of lasting significance 

to Clarion University. 

Lifetime Income 

Help Clarion Shape the Future 

and receive income for life 

$10,000* Charitable Gift Annuity Example 

Assumptions: IRS Discount Rate of 6% 31% Federal Income Tax Rate 

Single Life Annuity Cash Gift of $10,000 

Age Income Guaranteed Tax-Free Charitable Effective Rate 

Rate Annual Income Portion Deduction of Return** 

50 5.7% $570 $225 $2,571 7.3% 

55 6.0% $600 $255 $2,735 7.8% 

60 6.4% $640 $294 $2,916 8.5% 

65 6.7% $670 $334 $3,346 9.2% 

70 7.2% $720 $393 $3,745 10.1% 

75 7.9% $790 $471 $4,158 11.5% 

80 8.9% $890 $574 $4,602 13.4% 

*The $10,000 figure is merely 

a convenient multiple. We 

will be glad to provide 

calculations for any gift 

amount $5,000 or greater. 

**Effective Rate of Return 

takes into account the 

donor’s charitable tax 

savings and the benefit 

of tax-free income. 

Note: Consult your 

financial advisor about a 

gift’s suitability 

CLIP and MAIL 

For more information on Charitable Gift Annuities, 

please contact Carol Roth 814-393-2572; E-mail: 

croth@clarion.edu or mail the coupon to: 

Clarion University Foundation 

ATTN: Planned Giving Department 


Clarion, PA 16214-1232 

Send me information on a gift annuity established with ❑ cash or ❑ securities 

$ (Minimum Gift $5,000) $ Cost basis of securities (if known) 

Name 

Address 

Street 

Daytime Phone 

City State Zip Area Code 

Tax and income benefits are determined in part by the age of the beneficiary(ies). Provide birth dates for personal proposal. 

1. 2. 

(Minimum age of 50.)

Clarion Alumni 11/01 - Clarion University

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