The Haven - Winter 2019

WINTER 2019
CREATING
COMMUNITY:
LHU President
Robert Pignatello
on his family’s patriotic roots, and
why he’s proud to be a Bald Eagle

A Message From the President
The spring semester is in full-swing—and as I reflect back on my
first semester as President of Lock Haven University, I am filled
with excitement and pride to be a part of The Haven family. I am
so grateful for the relationships I have formed with our students,
faculty, staff, coaches, alumni, and local community members, and the
welcome I have received.
This is an exciting time for LHU—a time to look to the future of the
University with optimism and a renewed sense of purpose. We are all
working toward common goals—to expand educational opportunities and
access, provide exceptional educational experiences for our students and
work in cooperation with the surrounding community to build a better and
stronger LHU—together.
Enhancing student retention and stabilizing enrollment are top priorities
and we must find new ways to meet our goals in these areas. We will also
continue to celebrate the successes of our students, faculty, and staff and
share their stories about the wonderful and impactful things taking place
here on campus and in the community every day. Those stories greet you
in the pages of The Haven magazine. I hope they stir fond memories of
your time on campus, bring a sense of excitement for the good work our
students, faculty, and staff are engaged in today, and inspire you to remain
a viable asset to our campus as mentors and supporters of our students.
I very clearly see the potential for our University to become more
impactful. It will take open communication, transparency, collaboration,
and hard work across the campus community to begin and continue
important conversations and to then put those ideas and words into
action. We will continue to put our students first—to guide and mentor
them, but also listen to them to improve their experience and help them
achieve their personal and professional goals.
I look forward to pursing a bold future while we honor our past as we
celebrate our 150th anniversary in 2020. Our sesquicentennial will be an
occasion for great celebration and I hope to welcome many alumni back to
campus over the course of the year. We want to engage and involve you
to support the next generation of students.
A big part of my job as president is to maintain and enhance the value of
your degree. I look forward to meeting more LHU alumni, hearing your
stories, learning about what made your campus experience memorable,
and discovering the many ways you are soaring higher so that I can best
exercise that responsibility.
Robert Pignatello
President

CAMPUS VIEW
Over the summer, this photo showing the Susquehanna River,
was selected as LHU’s favorite place on campus in a social
media contest held by the Pennsylvania’s State System of
Higher Education (PASSHE).
LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY THE HAVEN WINTER Bill 2018 Crowell 1

Lock Haven University’s Alumni Magazine
contents
PENNSYLVANIA’S STATE SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Chancellor—Dr. Daniel Greenstein
Board of Governors—Cynthia Shapira, Chair
LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
Robert Pignatello, President
Donna Wilson, Provost and Executive Vice President
William Hanelly, Chief Operating Officer
and Senior Vice President
Tyana Lange, Vice President for Enrollment Management
and Student Affairs
14
Tom Svec ’79 plans to create
commemorative art from LHU’s fallen
Sullivan oak.
COUNCIL OF TRUSTEES
Dr. George Durrwachter ’61, Chair
Daniel Elby ’71, Vice Chair
Deborah Suder ’81, Secretary
Krystjan Callahan ’02
Mary Coploff
Margery Brown Dosey ’66
Guy Graham ’63
James Gregory
Michael Hanna, Jr. BA ’05, MA ’08
Trevor Dietz
Dr. Daniel Greenstein, ex officio
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Edward Wright ‘71, President
Meghan Hepler ’05, Secretary
Susan Crook ’77, Treasurer
Elected Members: Matt Henry ’18, Robert Cooper ’90, Dan
Cruttenden ’73, Robert Smith ’04, Anita Chesek ’80, Malarie Hastings ’09,
Edward Shifflet ’96, Shannon Walker ’04, Billie Miller ’90, Amee
Lewis Vance ’75, Kyle Losch ’15, Terri Koehler ’85, Frank Condino ’85,
Norman Gordon ’85, Jason Madigan ’98, Brandon Pardoe ‘92
Ex-Officio Members:
Robert Pignatello, President
Ashley Koser, Director of Alumni Relations
Joseph Koehler ‘84
LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION
Robert Maguire, Foundation Board President
THE HAVEN MAGAZINE STAFF:
Editors: Elizabeth Arnold, Ashley Koser
Writers: Elizabeth Arnold, Ashley Koser,
Doug Spatafore, Jr., Julie Stellfox, John Vitale
Photography: Josh Grimes, Elizabeth Arnold, Bill Crowell,
Tim Barnhart, Julie Stellfox
Design: PennyHouse Creative, Kayla Waldron
The Haven (ISSN-2474-932X) is published biannually by
the Lock Haven University Office of University Relations in
partnership with the Lock Haven University Foundation, free
of charge, for alumni, supporters, and friends of Lock Haven
University. Alumni news items should be identified by class
year and may be sent to the Lock Haven University Office of
Alumni Relations, 10 Susquehanna Ave, Durrwachter Alumni
Conference Center, Lock Haven, PA 17745. You may email
news items to lhualum@lockhaven.edu. Please contact us by
phone at 570.484.2586
The Haven Magazine connects alumni, parents, and donors
with Lock Haven University. The magazine aims to support,
enhance, and advance the University’s image with its target
audiences by publishing news and stories about LHU alumni,
students, faculty, and stakeholders. The magazine’s feature
stories intend to motivate, inspire, and inform readers about
issues relevant to LHU through content that is both entertaining
and intellectually engaging. Lock Haven University accepts
news submissions from alumni and the broader community but
reserves the right to edit or decline to
print materials at its discretion.
Lock Haven University is an equal opportunity/affirmative
action employer committed to excellence through diversity.
connect with us
@lhualumni @LHUalumni @Lock Haven
University Alumni
Departments
4 haven happenings
17 Alumni News
20 Sports Corner
22 news & Notes
2 WINTER 2018 THE HAVEN LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY

letter From the editors
We come to you in the midst of winter at The
Haven. Our friends in the northeast are likely
fully embraced in winter’s grip—we hope
you’re settling in to enjoy this issue with a
blanket and a warm drink. To our friends reading in the
sunnier and warmer parts of the world—we envy you!
Here on campus there is a bright spot amidst winter’s chill—
the arrival of students for spring semester. As we move
headlong into the new year, we’re taking time to reflect on
the many exciting changes, events, and developments that
have taken place over the past year, as well as planning
events to come in 2019.
In July, we welcomed our 15th president, Robert Pignatello.
Check out what he’s been up to and learn about what led
him to The Haven in our cover story.
Many of you probably remember the stately oak tree that
once stood outside Sullivan Hall. Sadly it succumbed to
time and weather, but alumnus Tom Svec ’79 is breathing
new life into it as he creates commemorative art. Find out
more in our alumni feature.
on the cover
LHU President
Robert Pignatello
shares his vision
for The Haven and
why he’s proud to
be a Bald Eagle.
The Haven Online
You can enjoy the most recent copy of The Haven online. The Haven is
available electronically on the LHU website so that you can catch up with
fellow alumni, read about current LHU happenings, and stay connected to
your alma mater from anywhere! If you did not receive a print copy and would
like to request one, please let us know by emailing LHUalum@lockhaven.edu,
or by calling 570.484.ALUM (2586).
Our students share their favorite winter activity in this
issue’s Heard at The Haven. Maybe they share a few of
yours?
The alumni office has multiple events coming your way this
spring. LHU’s annual 24-hour All In Day of Giving is set for
Thursday April 4th -April 5th from 12pm-12pm. Show
your support and help Lock Haven University students
soar higher by making a gift to the Student Retention
Scholarship and Athletic Programs. Every gift, no matter
the size, makes a difference in the lives of students here at
The Haven.
On March 1st LHU will celebrate the inauguration of 15th
President Robert Pignatello. Visit www.lockhaven.edu/
inaugration to learn more.
For more information about all of LHU’s spring events be
sure to check out the website at www.lockhaven.edu and
the alumni website at www.alumni.lhup.edu.
Elizabeth Arnold
Executive Director of Communications and
Community Relations
Ashley Koser
Director of Alumni Relations
LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY THE HAVEN WINTER 2018
3

HAVEN HAPPENINGS
New PASSHE
Chancellor Dan
Greenstein Visits LHU
On October 2 and 3, 2018, PA
State System of Higher Education
Chancellor, Dan Greenstein visited
the Lock Haven University campus.
The visit was part of the new
chancellor’s tour of campuses, as he
made his rounds to all 14 PASSHE
schools during the fall semester.
Greenstein, a former director
at the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation — a nonprofit that has
heavily influenced public education
— became the fifth PASSHE
chancellor in early September, and
he is quick to work.
In the chancellor role, he serves
as chief executive officer of the
State System, which operates
Pennsylvania’s 14 public universities,
serving more than 100,000 total
students. The chancellor works with
PASSHE Chancellor, Dan Greenstein, speaks to LHU
students, faculty, staff, and administration during his visit to
campus in October.
the Board of Governors to recommend and
develop overall policies for the system.
“We are better positioned than anywhere
else to take on these challenges and to
succeed… to win. We, as a system and
a community, have the grit, the passion,
and the sense of urgency to identify and
tackle these challenges head on. The
students depend on it. This is
a challenge we have set for
ourselves, not just redefining who
we are, but redefining what 21st
century higher education looks
like,” Greenstein said during his
visit.
While on LHU’s campus, he was
President Pignattello’s first guest
on his podcast, “Haven Horizons;”
he addressed a crowd of about
100 people during an open forum;
enjoyed an early morning bike
ride with Pignatello, Coach Aaron
Russell, and a few cross country
students; and met with student,
staff, and faculty leaders from
across campus.
Greenstein has received
hundreds of heartfelt calls, emails
and messages from the area. He
sees a community that believes
in him, and a community that
wants success for the well-being
of the students as the system is
reinvigorated.
LHU Launches Pet-Friendly Residence Hall
As Lock Haven University welcomed
students back to campus for the spring
2019 semester, some had their four-legged
companions in tow. The university is the
first in the Pennsylvania’s State System to
introduce a pet-friendly residence hall.
LHU North Hall Residence Hall Director,
Emmy Borst, has fronted the university’s
initiative to allow students to bring
pets to the campus. “Students who are
comfortable where they live have greater
success and pets are a great source of
comfort to many students,” she said.
The move follows a trend in higher
education that sees campuses offering
students a true home-like living
environment. Bringing a pet to campus
is one way LHU hopes to enhance the
student experience.
The pilot program will allow students
to bring their long-term pet, defined by
LHU to have been under the primary care of the
resident or their family for at least three months,
to reside in their room. Pets must be at least
6 months of age. The policy defines allowable
pets as cats, dogs under 40 pounds with breed
restrictions, rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, guinea
pigs, and fish. Animals will not be permitted in
campus buildings other than North Hall.
Students must submit an application for
approval and registration to reside with a pet
prior to bringing an animal to campus.
The residence hall will offer numerous
programs for students centered on their shared
interest in animals. Trained residence life staff will
oversee the program and will offer support to
student pet-owners while also closely evaluating
the program and its policies.
LHU President, Robert Pignatello, is excited
about the program. “Introducing a pet-friendly
residence hall is about increasing opportunities
for our students. The Haven is a great place
In the spring 2019 semester, LHU’s North Hall will become
the first pet-friendly residence hall in the State System.
to live and learn — and allowing students
to bring a beloved pet to campus will only
enhance their residential experience. We look
forward to welcoming students and their animal
companions to campus in January,” he said.
4 WINTER 2018 THE HAVEN LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY

Elizabeth Smart is shown during her
presentation at LHU in September.
Elizabeth Smart
Talk Draws Record
Crowd, National
News Coverage
For LHU
On September 19, 2018,
Lock Haven University
welcomed speaker, activist,
and author Elizabeth Smart to
campus.
Smart spoke in the
Price Performance Center
Auditorium about being
abducted from her home in
2002 when she was 14 and
was held captive for nine
months.
During her presentation,
she said she was grateful to
be able to talk to the Lock
Haven University community
and “to be on a campus that
cares.”
LHU President, Robert
Pignatello, introduced Smart
to the packed auditorium
and the nearly 1,200 total
people watching
her presentation
on campus in
Price, Sloan
Auditorium, and
the planetarium.
Pignatello also
presented Smart
with the LHU
President’s Medal
for Community
Service.
Several members
of the local and
national media were
in attendance for
a press conference
prior to her talk
and stayed for her
presentation and a
question and answer
session following
her talk.
Smart also signed
copies of her books,
“My Story,” and
“Where There’s
Hope: Healing,
Moving Forward,
and Never Giving
Up.”
– Brooke Houseal 2019
– Evannah Phan 2019
– Derrell Alexander 2019
– Cristian Morales 2019
– Jahsir Mitchell 2019
LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY THE HAVEN WINTER 2018
5

Coming home to The Haven
Three generations attend LHU
For many students, college means leaving your
friends and family and starting out alone for the
first time – but for Abbie, Charlie and Blake Miller,
triplets from Quakertown, Pennsylvania, The Haven
feels a little like home.
All juniors, Abbie is a Recreation Management
major with a dual concentration in the Community
Commercial and Therapeutic Recreation tracks, Charlie
is an Ecology and Environmental Biology major with a
minor in Outdoor Recreation Management, and Blake
is a Physics major with a minor in Mathematics.
But their LHU family tree did not begin with them.
Their grandmother, Althea Mae (Farwell) Stone, and
their uncle, Roger Stone, also attended LHU. Althea
’60, was a Health and Physical Education major and
Roger ’85, was a computer science major. The Millers
also were familiar with Lock Haven, since most of their
mother’s family was from the Hyner and Renovo area.
During Althea’s time at the former Lock Haven State
College, she loved to watch the wrestling team
compete, which included Olympian Gray Simons ’62
and she babysat the children of Dr. David Thomas, who
the Thomas Fieldhouse is named after. She also knew
Hubert and Willetta Jack (Hubert Jack Stadium), who
Roger lived with at their home for part of his time at
LHU.
International Club, on the Student Government
Board, a student representative for the Student
Auxiliary Services Board, a member of the
Therapeutic Recreation Club and attends New
Life Women’s Bible Study. She also works on
campus for the Haven Activities Council.
Charlie is a member of the Biology and Marine
Science clubs and the Recreation Society and
Blake is a Resident Assistant at Fairview Suites,
a member of the Global Honors Program and is
a GHP Council member, is on the board for the
Physics Club, and a member of Phi Sigma Pi.
“I feel that the variety of volunteer opportunities,
educational conferences, classroom experiences,
and internships that Lock Haven has provided for
me, really helped me to find a career that I am
happy to pursue,” Abbie said.
Charlie said she feels the courses offered at LHU
help to make for well-rounded students. “Many
of the courses within each major allows for lots
of hands-on experience,” she said. “I have been
able to actually go out into the field and use
methods that I will be using when I get a job in
my profession.”
The Millers said they visited several different schools
when they were choosing a college for themselves, but
the fact that their uncle and “Nee Nee” had previously
attended LHU, played a role in their final decision. Lock
Haven was the perfect fit for them, and all three landed
on LHU as their home away from home.
“I think my favorite part about attending LHU is doing
it at the same time as my sisters and being able to see
my sisters a lot more often than if we went to separate
schools,” Blake said.
The Millers also are involved with many campus
clubs and organizations. Abbie is the Treasurer of
the Recreation Society, Vice President of Circle K
The Millers are shown with their grandmother during Thanksgiving break
2018. From Left are, Charlie Miller, Blake Miller, Althea Stone, and Abbie
Miller.
6 WINTER 2018 THE HAVEN LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY

LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY THE HAVEN WINTER 2018
7

COVER STORY
Robert Pignatello on his family’s patriotic
roots and why he’s proud to be a Bald Eagle
8 WINTER 2018 THE HAVEN LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY
Professor Walt Eisenhauer looks on as PA students practice proper casting technique.

Looking out over
the Susquehanna
from the third floor
of Ulmer Hall, it’s
sometimes possible
to catch the hint of a wing—a
flash of white and brown
feathers—the promise of an
eagle in flight. A pair of bald
eagles often take rest high in
the trees on the small island
in the center of the river.
President Robert Pignatello
says he hasn’t seen them yet,
but he hopes to soon.
Bald Eagles have long served
as a powerful symbol for Lock
Haven University’s fifteenth
president. He shares that,
“throughout my life, I have
in the midst of the Great
Depression. Life here wasn’t
easy, but Pignatello’s father
knew that, here, opportunity
was within reach.
“My father was fiercely
patriotic and a proud
American,” shares Pignatello.
“He believed in our nation
and the right to vote and
influence the life we have.
That, for him, was sacred.
So we raised the flag on
important American holidays,
he followed events in the
newspaper, on the radio and
television, and was always
informed—and had an
opinion. I remember staying
up as a family and watching as
“As a symbol of our country, it
reminds me of my parents and
their choice to become American
citizens. Leaving all they knew
and what little they had, relying
on hope and a promise that here
they would find the freedom to
achieve the American dream.”
surrounded myself with bald
eagle images. An eagle
portrait and wood sculpture
have resided in my office
for most of my long career
in higher education. Today
they have a proud home in
the President’s office and
serve as reminders of our
mission and our responsibility
to our students and to our
namesake.”
Talk with Pignatello and you’ll
find there’s more to the story.
His father immigrated to the
United States as a 10 year-old
boy, landing at Ellis Island
we landed on the moon. Such
memories serve as indelible
reminders of the value of our
own freedom as Americans
and our national pride.”
Pignatello’s family’s patriotism
led to a lifelong connection to
the bald eagle. “As a symbol
of our country, it reminds me
of my parents and their choice
to become American citizens.
Leaving all they knew and
what little they had, relying on
hope and a promise that here
they would find the freedom
to achieve the American
dream. So today, when I see
Last fall, President Pignatello participated in and hosted a number
of different campus events. A few of those events shown here, are
from top, playing a game with students during Fun Fest, talking
with students and faculty at an ice cream social, playing basketball
with students during his “Pizza with Pignatello” event, and helping
students move into their residence halls at Fairview Suites.
LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY THE HAVEN WINTER 2018
9

“I believe in making our
mission and programs
more accessible to
students and providing
them a high value, high
quality education that
will allow them to pursue
their passions and realize
their dreams,”
the bald eagle, I think of our
country’s values— freedom,
liberty, hope, opportunity, and
how the dream transformed
our family.”
Now, as president of
LHU, he hopes the
bald eagle will serve
as a symbol of dreams made
possible to a new generation
of students. He draws from
his own experience when
relating to students—a role
he’s taken on wholeheartedly
since arriving at The Haven in
July. From riding the trolley
and chatting about campus
issues, to biking around
campus with the chief of
police and regularly eating
lunch with student leaders
in Bentley, Pignatello is a
hands-on leader. Talking
with students, learning
about the issues they care
about, and the challenges
they’ve faced along the
way, reinforces Pignatello’s
belief in the power of public
higher education and the
critical need for an accessible,
affordable, high-quality
education.
A college education was
always the goal for the
Pignatello children. “Despite
his own lack of formal
education, my father knew
it would only be through
a college degree that his
children could achieve what
was not available to him.
With the wages of a factory
worker, he saved and made
sure I graduated college.
Were it not for our local state
institution, its low tuition
and nearby location, that
goal would not have been
attainable,” Pignatello says.
He sees public higher
education as a public
good—a view that drives his
priorities as leader at LHU and
keeps him focused on serving
students first. “I believe in
making our mission and
programs more accessible to
students and providing them
a high value, high quality
education that will allow them
to pursue their passions and
realize their dreams,” he says.
“Already, The Haven is a
positive force in students’
lives, serving as an engine
for upward mobility. We rate
number four in the state
system for our ability to move
students from the lower 60%
of family income to the top
40%. This fact benefits not
only our students, but also
the Commonwealth and our
region. Close to 25,000 LHU
alumni live in Pennsylvania,
driving the state’s economy
and serving as leaders in their
professions.”
Since arriving on campus
President, Pignatello has been
diving in and asking the big
questions. What can Lock
Haven University do to grow
10 WINTER 2018 THE HAVEN LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY

its student population? How
can we make LHU’s programs
available and relevant to a
new generation of students
that care deeply about the
world and are passionate
about their dreams, but who
also depend on an affordable
education?
When Pignatello talks with
prospective students, he
often talks about the meaning
behind the mascot. “It is
very powerful that we are the
Bald Eagles. There is such a
deep personal connection.
Consider the traits an eagle
symbolizes—so much applies
to us. Eagles are renowned
for their superior vision and
focus. They are keen and
resourceful—soaring higher
than almost any other bird.
“Eagles are renowned for
their superior vision and
focus. They are keen and
resourceful—soaring
higher than almost any
other bird. So, too, should
we help our Bald Eagles
at The Haven see clearly
and think strategically to
reach new heights.”
So, too, should we help our
Bald Eagles at The Haven see
clearly and think strategically
to reach new heights.”
“Our students arrive at The
Haven with noble goals—a
desire to lead and to serve.
We are here to help them
achieve their vision—to
contribute meaningfully
to their communities by
preparing them to be leaders
in fields like healthcare,
education, science, and more.
I think back to my own college
years, to the fact that access
to public higher education
provided me with opportunity.
The dream transformed our
family. Our obligation as
educators is to be enablers
of that dream. Serving as
leader at The Haven, my role
is to mobilize all of us to stay
focused on that obligation,
on improving our students’
experience, and ultimately
their success.”
In Pignatello’s view, if we
all work together—faculty,
coaches, staff, community
members, and alumni—we can
help LHU students fly higher—
to soar like bald eagles.
LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY THE HAVEN WINTER 2018
11

homecomin
Lock Haven University celebrated homecoming 2018
from October 15-21. Numerous activities were held for
students, faculty, staff, alumni, and other members of
the LHU and local community.
On October 18, the LHU annual homecoming Golf Cart
Parade was held. A total of 54 golf carts, decorated
by campus clubs and organizations, made their way
through campus and parked on the Poorman Commons,
where the Lawn Party immediately followed. This year’s
parade theme was, “Books, Books, and More Books.”
On the morning of October 19, the 24th annual
Alumni Golf Classic was held at Belles Springs Golf
Course. Later that evening, the annual homecoming
Block Party took place on Water Street, downtown,
which included food, games, giveaways, and more
than 30 local vendors. The event ended with a pep
rally, featuring the LHU football and women’s soccer
teams, who had home games the following day.
LHU President, Robert Pignatello, also sang “Sweet
Caroline” with the LHU band, followed by a fireworks
display.
Tailgating took place before the football game against
Bloomsburg University on October 20, with the launch
of the LHU Tailgate Zone.
The 2019 LHU homecoming dates have been set for
September 23-29, 2019.
12 WINTER 2018 THE HAVEN LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY

g
LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY THE HAVEN WINTER 2018
13

alumni feature
SALVAGING THE SULLIVAN OAK
Svec ’79 Creating Art from Campus History
14 WINTER 2018 THE HAVEN LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY

Tom Svec has built furniture just
miles from Lock Haven University
for nearly four decades. From
South America to Russia, Japan,
and the Middle East, his beautifully
handcrafted designs have traveled the
world. But the 1979 Lock Haven State
College graduate is now aiming to salvage
wood from a tree that lived on campus
for nearly 100 years to bring his creations
much closer to home, and he’s hoping to
benefit his alma mater in the process.
In 2017 a red oak tree that adorned
campus since the early 1900s was
damaged during a storm. More recent
alumni might recall it being just outside
of Sullivan Hall. When the storm brought
down a limb, the tree was discovered to
be diseased, and for safety issues it was
removed from campus. Svec, ever the
artisan that he is, immediately realized the
tree’s historic value and how his creativity
and woodworking could potentially
preserve it.
He purchased the “Sullivan Oak” from
the company that removed it and paid
to have it sawn and kiln dried. His vision
was to take the remnants of this tree that
graced campus for the past century and
revive it into furniture or other works of
art that could be auctioned off to alumni,
employees, and others with an affinity for
LHU, with a portion of the profits to be
donated back to the university.
Until recently, the best estimation of the
Sullivan Oak’s age was that it sprouted
on campus sometime between 1900 and
1930. This was determined by Director
of Library and Information Services,
Joby Topper, by researching historical
photographs of campus. His earliest
discovery of the Sullivan Oak was from a
photo of campus taken in 1931. Based on
evidence from other photographs he was
able to determine that the tree was not on
campus as of 1897.
For a more accurate estimation of the
Sullivan Oak’s age, Associate Professor
of Biological Sciences, Heather Bechtold,
recently had one of her students
approximate how old it was by analyzing
what she referred to as a “tree cookie”
from the tree’s base. LHU junior Biology
major, Shyanne Fulkroad, determined the
tree to be about 99 years old.
This means that practically all living
alumni, current or former employees or
faculty, and recent students have probably
witnessed the beauty of the Sullivan Oak
while on campus. Perhaps for some, they
can close their eyes as they read this and
picture the tree where it once stood; and
for others, even if it were still alive today,
they might walk past it and not even
notice it.
However, if Lock Haven University was
once your home, then the leaves of the
Sullivan Oak have probably fluttered down
upon you or crinkled under your feet while
rushing to class on a windy fall morning or
its limbs have likely provided you a brief
respite of shade while strolling home on a
warm spring afternoon.
For decades, the Sullivan Oak enhanced
the beauty of Lock Haven University, a
place so many have proudly called their
home. Perhaps in the near future, through
Svec’s creative thinking and worldrenowned
handcrafted designs, alumni,
faculty, and others will be able to own a
piece of Lock Haven University’s history
and enhance the beauty of the place that
they call home today. And in the process,
help support the mission of Lock Haven
University for countless tomorrows yet to
come.
LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY THE HAVEN WINTER 2018
15

LHU faculty, staff, students, and community members enjoyed a beautiful evening walk on the levee for October’s Yappy Hour.
YAPPY HOUR
This fall, LHU held two Yappy Hour dog walks. The
events brought together dog enthusiasts and their
canine companions from LHU and the Lock Haven
community. The fun started with a walk on the levee
and ended at the Durrwachter Alumni Conference
Center’s Brown Family Patio with refreshments for
all—cookies and punch and special LHU dog biscuits.
October’s walk featured a Yappy Halloween theme
and a canine costume contest. Yellow lab Barley,
owned by Nicole Rall-Miller and her daughter
Maegan, took home the top award.
LEFT: Maegan Miller, Nicole Rall-Miller, and their dog Barley—winner of the Yappy Halloween
costume contest. RIGHT: Maggie Campbell and Benji, a current resident of the Clinton County
SPCA who was runner-up in the costume contest.
LEFT: The group poses at the start of Yappy Halloween, LHU’s Halloween
themed dog walk. ABOVE: LHU President Robert Pignatello, Amy Molyneux,
and their dog Ralphie hosted LHU’s first Yappy Hour Dog walk on September
25.
16 WINTER 2018 THE HAVEN LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY

ALUMNI news
Alumni Spotlight –
Ben Miller Finds
‘Salvation in the
Poconos’
Ben Miller ’01 served as part
of America’s NATO contingent
during the Bosnian War. His
Naval intelligence squadron
held a security clearance three
compartments above Top Secret.
He was tasked with monitoring
the war’s atrocities and creating
intelligence that was used for
targeting by NATO bombers.
Miller was honorably discharged
from the Navy in 1995 and is
now rated 100% disabled by the
Department of Veteran Affairs. He
suffers from PTSD, depression,
and panic disorder, but those
conditions did not deter him
from attending Lock Haven
University, nor did they prevent
him from some outstanding
accomplishments following
graduation.
Miller is the founder of “Donate
My Weight,” an international
campaign to help raise food and
money for food banks all over
America, to penning the bestselling
history book, The First
Resort: Fun, Sun, Fire and War
in Cape May, Miller’s conditions
have failed to inhibit him from
creative greatness.
Through all his struggles, writing
has always been his “therapeutic
release,” but in more than two
decades since the onset of his
conditions, no release has been
greater than the experience that
culminated with his latest book,
Dear Billie – Salvation in the
Poconos.
Dear Billie focuses on Miller’s
“series of deeply profound
moments of divine clarity”
experienced at Bear Creek,
Pennsylvania’s historic
Bischwind Inn. This “heavenly
psychotherapy” enabled an
objective introspection of his
life’s darkest times, followed by
intervals of inner peace that had
previously eluded him for more
than 23 years.
For a more detailed account
of Miller’s time at LHU, his
professional accomplishments,
and Dear Billie, visit www.alumni.
lhup.edu and click on Author,
Ben Miller ’01, Finds Peace in the
Poconos.
LHU sponsors NASCAR driver in
Gander Outdoors 400 at Pocono
Last July, Lock Haven University
sponsored NASCAR driver, Landon
Cassill, and the Starcom 00 Chevy
Camaro in the Gander Outdoors 400 at
Pocono Raceway.
The sponsorship was an opportunity
for The Haven to distinguish its brand on
a statewide, regional and national scale.
The nationally-televised event pulled in
2.7 million viewers and many alumni and
fans were excited to take pictures of the
car.
The LHU Alumni Association also bused
in 29 people and was met at the track by
more than 60 alumni and friends of the
university to tailgate and celebrate the
day’s events before heading to the track
to cheer on the 00 in the LHU fan section.
Alumni were proudly in the stands, but
also in the pits and working at the track.
Lori Fultz Brickley, a 1990 LHU alum said,
the event was “So awesome! The people,
the party, the race, and the memories.
Hope to do it again!”
LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY THE HAVEN WINTER 2018
17

ALUMNI news
Lock Haven University
Alumni Share Success
Stories with Students
Lock Haven University and The
Stephen Poorman College of
Business, Information Systems,
and Human Services welcomed
back four successful business and
accounting alumni last October.
Amanda Oechler, Brodie Dalton,
Paul Brimmeier, and Lindsey
Sommer each shared their advice
and professional experiences
with nearly 100 students in
attendance.
Oechler, of Lock Haven,
graduated in 2009 with a
Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting
and Business Administration. She
is a certified public account and
the owner of ARO & Co.
“You’re going to face hard
times, but always hustle and go
for it, and know that no matter
what you do you can succeed,”
Oechler said.
Dalton, of State College, is a
2010 Accounting and Business
Administration graduate. He
works with Morgan Stanley
Wealth Management as a
certified financial planner.
Brimmeier, of Philipsburg, is
a 2006 Business Administration
graduate. He is the vice
president for Genna Ice and
general manager of Ice Systems
& Supplies.
Sommer, of Fawn Grove,
graduated with a Bachelor’s
Degree in Marketing in
2015. She is the owner of
Coordinating by Lindsey LLC.
“Use the resources that are
available to you,” Sommer
said. “Know who your advisors
are and use them. Whether
its parents, professors or the
Chamber of Commerce, there
are lots of resources out there to
help you get your business off
the ground.”
Alumni Wine in
Style at Folino
Estate
The Lock Haven
University Alumni
Association welcomed
nearly 50 alumni to
the beautiful Folino
Estate Winery in
Kutztown, Pa. last
August.
Jacqueline
(Schepers) Folino,
who graduated
from LHU in 2010
with a Bachelor’s
Degree in Recreation
Management,
helped the Alumni
Association reserve
the venue. The
3-hour social included
unlimited wine and
beer and heavy
appetizers.
Alumni were joined
at Folino Estate by
members of the LHU
Foundation, the
Foundation Board,
the Alumni Board,
and Dr. Stephen
Neun, Dean of LHU’s
Stephen Poorman
College of Business,
Information Systems,
and Human Services.
The Alumni
Association is
committed to
hosting at least one
alumni event each
month and focused
on scheduling
events regionally to
encourage maximum
alumni engagement
and inclusion.
Tau Kappa Epsilon Brothers
Return to LHU for Memorial
Reunion
Brothers of the Tau Kappa Epsilon
(TKE) fraternity traveled back to Lock
Haven University last August for their
annual TKE alumni Richard Weede
Memorial Golf and Social Outing. More
than 30 TKE brothers, ranging from
the class of ’70 to ’81, came back to
The Haven for three days of socializing,
golfing, storytelling, and brotherhood.
The brothers also had a chance to
meet Veronica Morrison, an incoming
senior at LHU, who is a standout on
the volleyball team. Morrison also is
the recipient of the Tau Kappa Epsilon
Alumni Scholarship, which is awarded
to a student-athlete who possesses
great leadership qualities, character and
integrity.
The brothers are building an
endowed scholarship at LHU in
memory of Gary Finken, ’71, who was
the driving force behind maintaining
their fellowship as alums. Their goal
is $100,000. In addition, they provide
small scholarship amounts to several
athletic teams as they gather funds
through outings such as the golf outing.
They also have an event every year in
New Cumberland, where they golf and
socialize as well as host an Antique
Roadshow type of auction. All their
efforts directly benefit their special
projects and endowment.
The TKE brothers are dedicated to
preserving LHU’s past, helping current
students and paving the way for a
brighter future at Lock Haven.
18 WINTER 2018 THE HAVEN LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY

DONOR PROFILE
Members of the LHU Honors Coalition with 2017 Scholarship Recipent Melissa Velardi (Center.)
Donor Profile –
LHU Honors
Coalition
A group of young alumni are coming
together to give back to Global Honors
students at Lock Haven University. For
the past two years the LHU Honors
Coalition (LHUHC) has distributed a $500
award to Global Honors students, but
the group is looking to expand its scope
by connecting with more alumni, raising
additional funds, and aiming to make an
even greater impact in students’ lives.
Chris Brittain ’10 began reaching out to
Global Honors alumni in 2016, when he
learned that funding was 70 percent less
than when he was a student. It did not
take him long to recruit a team to help
bring his vision to life.
One alum who stepped up is LHUHC’s
treasurer, Alex Yeity ’12. As part of her
Global Honors experience, Yeity attended
the Northeast Regional Honors Council
Conference, and also studied abroad in
Spain.
“After seeing how much the budget
was minimized, I felt it was important
to keep some of those core parts of the
program that were so impactful for me
available for others,” Yeity said.
Along with awarding a $500 annual
scholarship to exemplary students,
LHUHC is focused on building a greater
network of Global Honors alumni and
connecting them with current students.
They’ve identified many alumni from the
past eight years, but they’re now focused
on connecting with older alums. They’re
also launching a fundraising campaign in
December. Being able to fund students’
attendance at honors conferences and
providing study abroad opportunities are
two major goals.
LHUHC President, Brent Barge ’13, was
also one of the first people Brittain initially
reached out to. Barge studied abroad
in Oxford, England, while at LHU. Aside
from obtaining his passport and spending
money, his trip was fully funded.
“Being able to raise money to support
honors students to study abroad would
be a dream come true for us,” Barge said.
“If we could help even one student study
abroad, I think we would obliterate any
expectations we ever had for our group.”
Having a chance to exceed those
expectations starts with recruiting more
Global Honors alumni, and the LHUHC is
working with LHU’s Advancement Office
to do just that. They estimate that there
are approximately 500 LHU Global Honors
alumni in total. Any alumni interested
in getting involved with the LHUHC can
reach out to the LHUHC via Facebook (@
LHUHonorsCoalition) or on their website,
at www.lhuhc.com.
LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY THE HAVEN WINTER 2018
19

SPORTS CORNER
LHU Field Hockey Coach Pat Rudy Earns Historic 600th Win
On Friday October 5th, the Lock
Haven University field hockey team
did something that it often does.
The team, led by head coach Pat
Rudy, won.
Winning goes hand-and-hand with
LHU field hockey and a big reason
why, is Rudy. The team’s 2-0 win at
Davidson marked the 600th in her
Hall of Fame head coaching career.
Collecting 600 career wins didn’t
come overnight for Rudy, who is
in her 23rd season coaching at
The Haven, her alma mater, and
the 2018 season marked her 41st
overall season coaching at the
collegiate level.
Rudy entered the 2018 season
with 593 wins which already served
as the third-most in the history of
college field hockey. Now, at 600
wins on the dot, she remains at No.
3 all-time. Prior to Rudy, just two
field hockey coaches in the history
of NCAA field hockey had reached,
and surpassed that elusive 600-win
mark.
Earlier in the season, Rudy claimed
her 350th win at LHU and she’s now
602-223-21 all-time. Her career win
percentage to date is .727, which
ranks among the top-25 all-time
and has her listed among the topfive
for active head coaches.
On the way to 600, Rudy has built
an impressive resume. She has
coached three teams to NCAA
Championships, including the
2000-LHU team that won the
Division II title. Rudy led SUNY-
Cortland to DIII back-to-back
national titles in 1993 and 1994.
She’s coached nearly 40 All-
Americans and countless All-Region
and All-Conference players.
It’s also safe to say field hockey
at The Haven today, wouldn’t be
what it is without Rudy, a former
standout player at LHU, who scored
65 goals from 1973-76, before
graduating in 1977.
One of Rudy’s most notable
accomplishments has been the
guidance of Lock Haven back to
NCAA Division I play and into the
prestigious Atlantic 10 Conference
(A-10).
Since returning to DI play, Rudy has
led Lock Haven to over 200 wins.
Back in 2004, LHU’s return season
at the Division I level, the Bald
Eagles went 19-1 and they’ve never
looked back. Entering this season,
Lock Haven was 202-89 at DI, and
currently Rudy and the Bald Eagles
are 209-94 vs. NCAA Division I
opponents since that return-season
in 2004.
National titles, a National Field
Hockey Coaches Association
(NFHCA) Hall of Fame honor
in January (2018) and 600 wins
highlight an already remarkable
career for Rudy.
20 WINTER 2018 THE HAVEN LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY

ATHLETIC NEWS & NOTES
LHU Announces Plans To Add 2
New Division II Varsity Sports
In August, LHU announced
plans to add two new Division
II varsity sports - women’s
tennis and women’s golf - over
a two-year period. Both sports
are sponsored by the National
Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) at the Division II level
and by the Pennsylvania State
Athletic Conference (PSAC).
The two-year phase-in will give
LHU time for facilities planning
and robust recruitment for golf,
which has never existed as a
varsity sport at the university.
LHU previously had a women’s
tennis team and currently has a
co-ed golf club.
Seven NCAA regulation tennis
courts are currently available
on the LHU campus and the
new tennis team will begin
practice and competition in the
fall of 2019. LHU plans to seek
arrangements for practice and
competition at an area golf club
for the new golf team, which will
begin the following fall of 2020.
Both teams will have a target
roster of 10 student-athletes.
Both women’s tennis and golf
are offered at the high school
level in Pennsylvania and the
surrounding states. Tennis is the
seventh most popular women’s
sport nationwide and golf is
eighth.
Field Hockey Represented
At The Central American
and Caribbean Games
Current field hockey
standout Dana-Lee De
Gannes (right) and program
alumna Teresa Lezama ‘12
(left) helped their home
country of Trinidad and
Tobago win the bronze
medal in field hockey at
the 2018 Central American
and Caribbean Games in
Barranquilla, Columbia.
Nakira Downs (center),
a former Haven standout
and 2016 LHU graduate,
also participated in the
2018 Central American and
Caribbean Games, playing
for the Barbados National
Team.
Ironically enough, Trinidad
and Tobago played
Barbados in the bronzemedal
match where Trinidad
and Tobago won 2-0. The
2018 Central American and
Caribbean Games marked
the 23rd edition of the
competition. Athletes from
37 nations competed in over
40 different sports.
Men’s Soccer Connection Powers Way
To NPSL Mid-Atlantic Title
In mid-July, FC Frederick knocked off
favorite and No. 1 seed FC Baltimore,
2-1, for the National Premier Soccer
League’s (NPSL) Mid-Atlantic title.
The win was another high note on what
was an all-around successful season for
FC Frederick and a big reason behind
that success was a LHU men’s soccer
connection. Former LHU men’s soccer
standout and 2007 LHU graduate Chris
Spinks served as FC Frederick’s head
coach. Fellow-alum and recent standout
Zach Hommey (‘18) played for the team
and was joined by current players Brian
Flatter and Camden Cook.
The NPSL is the largest national soccer
league in the United States.
Hubert Jack Stadium
Renovation Project
Completed
Last spring, Hubert Jack
Stadium started to take on
a new look. The playing
surface was upgraded and
now features not only one
of the most technologically
advanced surfaces, but also
one of the safest.
LHU replaced its former
synthetic turf field with
Astroturf’s Trionic fiber, a breakthrough blend of polyethylene and nylon fibers that
is quickly revolutionizing the synthetic turf world.
The field features stunning and vibrant colors including a new crimson and white
LHU Athletics logo at midfield.
In August, the Hubert Jack Stadium project was finalized with an exclamation
point as a new track surface was installed.
10 Teams Record GPA over 3.0
A total of 10 LHU athletic teams
finished the 2017-18 academic year
with a cumulative GPA over 3.0,
including the volleyball team, who
recorded LHU’s best cumulative team
GPA of 3.432.
Among all Pennsylvania State Athletic
Conference (PSAC) schools, wrestling
recorded the top GPA among the
league’s NCAA Division I teams (3.113).
The LHU field hockey team also
recorded the top GPA among all DI
PSAC field hockey teams (3.302).
Joining volleyball, field hockey
and wrestling as LHU teams with
a cumulative GPA of over 3.0 was:
Men’s Cross Country, Women’s Cross
Country, Men’s Soccer, Women’s
Soccer, Softball, Women’s Swimming
and Women’s Track & Field (indoor/
outdoor).
Individually, nearly 150 LHU studentathletes
were named 2017-18 PSAC
Scholar-Athletes. In order to be
eligible, the student-athlete must have
reached a GPA of 3.25 throughout the
year.
Women’s Track & Field earns Team
Academic Award
The women’s track & field program
earned 2018 U.S. Track & Field and
Cross Country Coaches Association
(USTFCCCA) All-Academic Team
honors.
To earn the award, a program must
have at least a 3.00 cumulative team
GPA.
During the 2017-18 season, the LHU
women hit 11 different individual PSAC
qualifying marks in the six different
individual events.
Volleyball Earns AVCA Team Academic
Award
The volleyball team earned a 2017-18
American Volleyball Coaches Association
(AVCA) Team Academic Award for the
Bald Eagles outstanding year in the
classroom.
The AVCA Team Academic award, which
was initiated in the 1992-93 academic
year, honors collegiate and high
school volleyball teams that displayed
excellence in the classroom during the
school year by maintaining at least a 3.30
cumulative team grade-point average
on a 4.0 scale or a 4.10 cumulative team
GPA on a 5.0 scale.
LHU checked in with a 3.432 team GPA.
Lacrosse Sees Five Land On All-
Academic Team
Five members of the lacrosse team were
named to the Intercollegiate Women’s
Lacrosse Coaches’ Association’s (IWLCA)
2018 Zag Sports Division II Academic
Honor Roll.
Madison Eberly, Emily Gerhart, Ashley
Gochenaur, Katie McDonough and
Anneli Starry all represented the Bald
Eagles with the academic honor.
To be eligible for this honor, studentathletes
must be a junior, senior or
graduate-student and have earned a
cumulative academic GPA of 3.50 or
greater.
LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY THE HAVEN WINTER 2018
21

News & notes
Students’ Research
Featured in National
Geographic
Lock Haven University, in
collaboration with the PA
Game Commission and
Temple University, are
studying the effectiveness
of the antifungal agent
polyethylene glycol 8000
(PEG) to inhibit the growth
of Pseudogymnoascus
destructans (Pd), the
causative agent of White
Nose Syndrome (WNS) in
bats. This research recently
was featured in National
Geographic.
Lock Haven University was
awarded $91,757 for the
project, which has a total
Shown are LHU students studying the cause of White
Nose Syndrome in bats. From left, are Kayla Riehle,
Natasha Ortiz, James Nye, Michael Hudson, Eric
Shuffelbottom, Abigail Rea and Katelynn Owens.
budget of $157,757.
“This grant has afforded
LHU students the
opportunity to work
alongside of wildlife
professionals with the
PA Game
Commission,
such as Greg
Turner a co-PI
on the grant
and Dr. Brent
Sewall, a
bat biologist
from Temple
University
(also a Co-
PI) on a real
world problem
affecting
everyone in
PA,” said Dr.
Barrie Overton, professor
of biology and LHU and
principal investigator
(PI) on the grant. “Bats
provide numerous
ecosystem services such
as eating pests of crops
and mosquitoes, which
benefits all Pennsylvanians,
but their population has
been decimated by this
devastating fungal disease.”
There are seven upperlevel
LHU students actively
working on the project.
They are Michael Casey
Hudson, Eric Charles
Shuffelbottom Jr., James R.
Nye, Katelynn Owens, Kayla
Mae Riehle, Abigail E. Rea,
and Natasha Marie Ortiz.
To read more about
the project in National
Geographic, visit https://
www.nationalgeographic.
com/animals/2018/11/
white-nose-syndrome-batfungus-treatment-animalsnews/.
Initiatives Geared Toward
Stabilizing Enrollment
Lock Haven University has been
analyzing enrollment projections in an
effort to stabilize enrollment outcomes
and make a college degree more
accessible and affordable for all students.
LHU plans to roll out a number of
initiatives including: increasing the
number of applicants by expanding
marketing activities, working more
closely with the local school district,
converting a higher percentage of
accepted students to enrolled students,
offering more need-based institutional
aid to families with lower household
income levels, providing more financial
help to students who struggle to return
their sophomore year and reaching out
to students who have dropped out over
the past few years for financial reasons.
The 2018-19 school year began with a
10.3 percent decline in enrollment and
another 4 percent drop was forecasted
for next fall. The goal of the university is
to stabilize enrollment and to “stop the
drop.”
“We are taking new actions to stabilize
enrollment and begin building a more
robust and effective enrollment strategy
for our future,” said LHU President,
Robert Pignatello.
The Council of Trustees recently
approved new need-based scholarship
aid to help students in lower income
brackets. “Our high need students, with
all grants and standard student loans
applied, still have a gap of $1,071 to
$4,160 per semester,” Pignatello said.
“This new need-based grant support
will help address the gap and make
us more competitive to attract more
students.”
Awards will be need-based by family
income bracket, with specific awards
based on Expected Family Contribution
(EFC):
•$0 to $30,000 – average of $700 per year
•$30,001 to $48,000 – average of $500 per year
•$48,001 to $75,000 – average of $300 per year
LHU also plans to become more
competitive in the marketplace through a
new marketing and advertising campaign
starting with bus ads, which will be visible
by the end of the month. Its new tag
line is “Soar Higher at The Haven,” and
the university homepage also has been
updated.
The university has announced a relaunch
of its associate degree programs to
provide affordable two-year pathways
to a degree in job-ready areas or to get
started on a bachelor’s degree. They
are looking to create more stackable
credentials beginning with credit-bearing
certificates to start students on a path
toward a degree and give them the skills
employers are looking for.
22 WINTER 2018 THE HAVEN LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY

Lock Haven University
Announces 150th
Anniversary Committee
In 2020, Lock Haven University will
celebrate its sesquicentennial. LHU’s
150th anniversary brings an exciting
opportunity to celebrate the history,
legacy, and traditions of the institution.
The city of Lock Haven also will have
reason to celebrate in 2020, as the year
marks the 150th anniversary of Lock
Haven’s incorporation as a city.
LHU President, Robert Pignatello, has
formed a committee to commence
the planning for the university’s
celebration. Joby Topper, LHU director
of library and information services,
and Elizabeth Arnold, LHU executive
director of communications and
community relations, will serve as cochairs.
They will be joined by a robust
committee that represents stakeholders
from across the university and Lock
Haven communities.
LHU 150th anniversary committee
members:
Elizabeth Arnold, Chair, Executive
Director of Communications and
Community Relations
Joby Topper, Chair, Director of Library
and Information Services
Lou Anastos, Clinton County Economic
Partnership President
JoAnn Bowes, Lock Haven Historical
Society
Pam Collins, LHU Alumni Representative
Frank Condino, LHU Alumni
Representative
Mary Coploff, LHU Trustee
Scott Culpepper, LHU Foundation
Board Member
Gayatri Devi, LHU Associate Professor
of English
Kim Everhart, LHU Associate Professor
of Health and Physical Education
Robert Hall, LHU Police Specialist
Mike Hanna Sr., Pennsylvania State
Representative
Bernadette Heiney, LHU Information
Technology Technician
Matt Henry, LHU Alumni Representative
Jaimee Kester, LHU Admissions
Counselor
Ashley Koser, LHU Alumni Director
Amy Kutay, LHU Professor of Biological
Sciences
Jordan McCloskey, Lock Haven Express
Ricky Reinberg, LHU Student
Government President
Ron Reynolds, Vice President of
Clinton County Operations for UPMC
Susquehanna
Robin Rockey, LHU Project Manager for
Enrollment Management and Student
Affairs
Anna Rogers, LHU Assistant Field
Hockey Coach
Pete Smeltz, Clinton County
Commissioner
Tom Svec, LHU Alumnus and Local
Artisan
Lisa Weaver, LHU Associate Professor of
Social Work and Counseling
Greg Wilson, Lock Haven City
Manager
Ed Wright, LHU Alumni Board President
University Holds
Several Events
Honoring Area
Veterans
Last fall, Lock Haven
University hosted and
took part in several events
to honor and thank area
servicemen and women.
A few of the events
included LHU TRIO Student
Support Services (SSS)
students having a booth set
up to write thank you cards
to local veterans in area
hospitals and the November
guest on the Haven
Horizons podcast, hosted
by LHU President, Robert
Pignatello, was Bill Bechdel,
Clinton County Veterans
Affairs Office director.
LHU hosted the annual
Military and Veterans’
Benefits Expo on November
8, 2018 in the Student
Recreation Center. There
were more than 25
exhibitors who provided
educational, employment,
social, emotional and
financial resources to
attendees. Students in the
LHU physician assistant
program provided free
blood pressure and glucose
screenings and there was a
Toys for Tots collection.
Attendees also were
invited to make thank
LHU ROTC students at the Military
and Veterans’ Benefits Expo.
you or Christmas cards,
and children could color
a picture, all for local
veterans. “I love doing the
thank you cards for our local
veterans, especially around
the holiday season,” said
Liza Kopp, LHU Student
Veteran Alliance advisor. “I
love how we can help bring
joy to someone that has
served our country.”
The Clinton County Veterans
Day ceremony was held at
the Durrwachter Alumni
Conference Center on
November 11. President
Pignatello served as the guest
speaker during the event.
On November 19, LHU hosted
a “Giving Thanks” dinner,
welcoming more than 100
local veterans and their guests
to the DACC. LHU students
and members of Team RWB
served the meal. The event
was sponsored by First
Quality and Walker Sales &
Distribution Inc.
LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY THE HAVEN WINTER 2018
23

news & notes
Class Notes
60’s
Francis “Skip”
Fennell ’66,
mathematics
education expert
and professor
emeritus at
McDaniel College,
served as the Commencement speaker and
received an honorary Doctor of Humane
Letters degree at McDaniel College’s 148th
Commencement ceremony on May 19,
2018. Skip earned a bachelor’s degree in
elementary education, mathematics from
LHU.
Margery Krevsky
Dosey ’66, founder
and CEO of
Productions Plus, a
talent and marketing
agency with offices in
Detroit, Dallas, New
York and Los Angeles,
received the AWC
(American Women
in Communications)
Distinguished Service Award for 25 years
of dedicated contributions and efforts to
the organization. In 2013 she was honored
with the “Founders Award” for excellence
in her field and contributions to women.
Dosey is a member of the LHU Council of
Trustees, donor of the “All Steinway School”
pianos, donor of the Brown Family Patio
at the Durrwachter Alumni Conference
Center in honor of her parents Dr. and
Mrs. John L. Brown and founder of LHU’s
annual Celebration of the Arts Evening and
Scholarship.
70’s
Robert McCracken
’77, retired from
the Methacton
School District in
Montgomery County
on June 12, 2012,
after 35 years of
service. He was the
Department Chair
for Health and Physical Education, a driver’s
education instructor, a sponsor of Fellowship
of Christian Athletes, the Chairperson for the
“Wall of Honor” and had various coaching
responsibilities. His wife, Kim (Schrack)
McCracken ’77, also retired from Methacton
on June 14, 2016. They have three
grandchildren and are currently caring for
the youngest, who is 1, on a weekly basis.
80’s
Rick Thompson ’70, has
retired after a 40-year
journalism career that
included stints as an
award-winning reporter,
editor, and association
publisher before
concluding as Public
Affairs Officer at the
Patuxent River Naval Air
Station.
Thomas Schuetz
’86, was named
Senior Vice President
of Operations for the
Americas for PCMS,
a leading global
provider of retail
commerce software
and services.
Schuetz currently
serves as advisor
to Northwestern
University’s Retail
Analytics Council and
is a 1986 graduate of Lock Haven University
of Pennsylvania.
90’s
Terry Krezmer
’91, summa cum
laude, a veteran
corporate executive,
was elected to the
board of directors
of Larson Design
Group, a nationally
emerging architecture,
engineering and
survey firm with 10 offices in four states.
Krezmer is LDG’s vice president of human
resources. Since joining the firm in 2017, she
has simplified employee benefits reporting
systems, created an annual incentive
compensation program to spur higher levels
of achievement and strengthened recruiting
to attract high quality candidates, with a
focus on minorities and women. Krezmer is
an alumna of Leadership Lycoming.
00’s
Jeff Buterbaugh ’08,
PA-C, a certified physician
assistant, was recently
awarded a specialty
credential called a
Certificate of Added
Qualifications (CAQ) from
the National Commission on Certification of
Physician Assistants (NCCPA). Buterbaugh
received the CAQ in Orthopaedic Surgery,
a distinction earned by meeting licensure,
education, and experience requirements
and then passing a national exam in the
specialty. He has been employed by The
Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics –
Robinwood Division, Hagertown, Maryland,
for 10 years.
10’s
Brianne R. Dickinson ’16, is employed by
Smith Elliott Kearns & Company, LLC, and
has been promoted to Senior Associate.
She provides audit services to non-profit
and for-profit entities, as well as ERISA audit
services. She earned a bachelor’s degree
in Accounting and Business Administration
with concentrations in Economics and
Finance from Lock Haven University.
Christina Fried Bonaparte ’10, wed
her husband, Derek, on October 28,
2017. They also recently bought a
house. Christina was a member of the
women’s lacrosse team at LHU and is
the head women’s lacrosse coach at
Aurora University in Illinois.
Jon Gerardi ’10,
was named Sports
Editor at the
Williamsport Sun-
Gazette newspaper
in June, 2018. He
previously held the
position of Assistant
Sports Editor since 2014 and sports
reporter since 2007, when he was a
sophomore at LHU. Jon graduated
from Lock Haven with a degree
in Communication Media with an
emphasis in both print and broadcast
journalism.
Can’t get enough of
The Haven?
Visit www.lockhaven.edu/thehaven for
extended content.
In Memoriam
Charlotte Kanour ‘53
Emerita Esther Jane Carrier
Emerita Glenda R. Feidler
Emeritus Jerry Updegraff
Prof. Beatrice Brown
Donna Williams
Connie L. (Clark) Davis
‘54, passed on October 26,
2017 at the age of 85. She
received her education from
the former Lock Haven State
Teachers College with a degree
in elementary education. Her
teaching career culminated in the
Jersey Shore Area School District
where she was instrumental to
the gifted program as the first
teacher. She was also significant
in the involvement of the brick
fundraiser for the Durrwachter
Alumni Conference Center.
David W. Price ‘82 of
Quakertown died suddenly on
August. 8,2018. David graduated
from Lock Haven University
in 1982 with a BS in athletic
medicine. He began his 32-year
career in professional football
with the Philadelphia Eagles, also
completing stints with the New
York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs.
Donald Brobst passed away
May 4, 2018. Donald was a 1950
graduate of Williamsport High
School. After serving in the U.S.
Army during the Korean War,
he graduated from Lycoming
College in 1958. He taught earth
science at Williamsport High
School from 1958 to 1966. He
then became a member of the
faculty at the former Lock Haven
State College, where he taught
earth and space science as well as
geology courses. He later became
the director of Ulmer Planetarium
and is remembered by many for
his numerous planetarium shows.
Donald retired in 1996, after a
38-year teaching career. Memorial
contributions may be made
in his memory to the Donald
L. Brobst Lock Haven University
Scholarship Fund.
24 WINTER 2018 THE HAVEN LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY

FROM THE ARCHIVES
The ’Green Book’ Connection
Don Shirley performs at Price Auditorium in 1963
On December 3, 1963, Don
Shirley (1927-2013), renowned
African-American pianist and the
subject of the 2018 film, Green Book,
performed a Community Concert at Price
Auditorium on the Lock Haven State
College campus. He brought Kenneth
Fricker and Juri Taht with him to the
auditorium that evening, and the Don
Shirley Trio played to an audience of
members of the campus community.
Carolyn Stahl ’67, was a fan of
Shirley’s even before she attended his
performance at Price Auditorium. She
and one of her friends sat “where I could
see the hands on the piano,” she said.
“That man put on a tremendous set. He
gave us a full and complete concert and
it was wonderful.”
Shirley was an African-American
pianist and composer, who made his
concert debut at the age of 18, playing
Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in B
flat with the Boston Pops. His first major
composition was performed in 1946
by the London Philharmonic orchestra.
He was a Carnegie Hall Apartment
resident and recipient of the Isaac
Stern Medallion. He also held three
Doctorate degrees in Music, Psychology
and Liturgical Arts, and spoke eight
languages fluently.
He was known for producing music that
melded classical with jazz and other
forms of popular music, to make his own
unique sound and musical genre, after
being told he would not make it as a
classical pianist because he was black.
A musician and music lover herself, Stahl
said Shirley was and still is one of her
favorite musical artists and is happy that
more people now know about him and
his music through Green Book.
The film tells the real-life story of Shirley’s
unlikely friendship with Tony “Lip”
Vallelonga, an Italian-American bouncer
who Shirley hired as his chauffeur
during his 1962 tour through the deep
south, during a time of harsh racism and
segregation. His performance at Price
Auditorium came one year after the tour
depicted in the film.
LOCK HAVEN UNIVERSITY THE HAVEN WINTER 2018
25

University Relations
Durrwachter Alumni Conference Center
Lock Haven University
Lock Haven, PA 17745
Q&A
Kenneth Hall, Director of the
Center for Excellence and
Inclusion, has been employed
by Lock Haven University
for 24 years and is a 1994
graduate of the University.
He holds a Bachelor’s
Degree in Management with
concentrations in Accounting
and Business Administration
and a Master of Education, all
from LHU. Before transitioning
into his current role, he also
held the positions of Admissions
Counselor, Assistant Director of
Admissions, and the Director of
Human and Cultural Diversity.
Q
: What is the most
rewarding part of your job?
A
: Working with students is
truly the most rewarding part
of my job. There is simply nothing
more invigorating or humbling
than to connect with a student in
a way that positively impacts their
educational experience. For me,
this is the difference between a
job and a calling.
Q
: What is one thing you’d
like people to know about
The Center for Excellence and
Inclusion?
A
: We are here to help. It
doesn’t matter what the issue
or problem is. Our mission is to
meet students where they are and
to help them get to where they
need to be.
Q
: In your view, what are
some of the primary
advantages The Haven offers?
A
: Student-centered
relationships and quality
academic offerings. I feel that
these are two areas where
LHU really excels. We also
offer excellent co-curricular
opportunities, such as the Global
Honors Program and the Center
for Global Engagement. These
are just a few of the factors that
have helped LHU become an
attractive destination for faculty,
staff, and students.
Q
: What do you enjoy doing
in your free time?
A
: I spend the majority of
my free time reading and
spending time with my family.
I also enjoy working out and
traveling.