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On the cover: Erick Wong, Blake Gority, and Mark Donlin take the stage during a dress rehearsal of The Mikado. Behind them, sets designed by Mark Gleason add an exotic touch to the Mary D'Angelo Performing Arts Center stage. Photo of dress rehearsal by Roger Coda; photo of G. Biggs by Paul Lorei.

I was in college before I realized how unique my childhood had been. I thought everyone's parents took them to spend free time at art museums, allowed their children to play with the throwing wheel in the basement and took the family to listen in awe to the Illinois Symphony Orchestra on wintry Saturday nights, happily ensconced in a elegant theatre filled with other patrons of the arts. What I found when I started sharing my childhood memories with others was that I am an anomaly. My youth was infused with the sounds and sights and scents of art - the awesome power of a true symphony orchestra playing the Jupiter movement from 'The Planets;" the odd scent of the melted wax used to make hand-batiked cloth; the whir of a potting wheel; the crisp lines of origami Christmas ornaments on a live fir tree; the kaleidoscope of colors found in the paint aisle at the artist supply store. In fact, one of my favorite childhood memories revolves around attending performances of the symphony orchestra in residence at the state university a few miles from my hometown. The evening out with my parents was a special occasion. It meant dressing up, usually in my favorite white dress with its pink buttons and matching sash, and a trip to the breathtakingly beautiful performing arts center. Snuggled into the center's plush seats, surrounded by elegantly dressed adults, I found it easy to lose myself in the magic and the mystery of the music. It was on those evenings I discovered a passion for Vivaldi, found fuel for continuing my clarinet lessons, and began to foster an enthusiasm for classical music that eventually translated into a somewhat covert collection of compact discs. I was lucky both then and now. Twenty years ago, my parents, public school teachers who taught art, felt strongly about the role of the arts theatre, music, visual in my upbringing. They supplied art supplies without question and fervently encouraged any and all artistic efforts at which I tried my hand. Add to that a small, liberal school district that stood strong by its arts program - a high school of only 400 students supported art classes, theatre presentations and an award-winning band and chorus - and 1 was primed to be an arts enthusiast for life. So imagine how I enjoy sitting in the magnificent Mercyhurst College Mary D'Angelo Performing Arts Center, listening to our chorus and orchestra infuse the very air with the emotional intensity of music. And watching our dance majors move so gracefully and effortlessly across the stage never fails to take my breath away. Student exhibits in the Cummings Art Gallery showcase talent just starting to bloom and make me reminisce about my own college days when clay was packed under my fingernails and a camera was jammed in my backpack. But instead, I live vicariously through the talent of dancers such as Bonnie Hair '07, a freshman dancer from Hawaii; the student artists who completed the complex costumes and props for ''The Mikado;" and the vocal performers and musicians who breathe life into the works of geniuses long dead. As I watch school after school balance its budgets by cutting arts programs, I wonder how those youngsters will ever find the beauty, the passion, the peace and the freedom of art. Will they ever experience the wonder of hearing a piece of music flowing from their own fingertips, or bow to thunderous applause after an opera performance, watch with a secret smile as gallery-goers marvel at the texture in the photos they make, or defy gravity with a single leap on a stage empty but for their talent? I can only hope they wall stumble into a well of arts such as found on our campus, where even those here for more earthly pursuits can find the heavenly wonder of the arts just across the quad.

Tabfe of Contents
Greetings from the Editor Opera brings touch of Broadway to Erie Capital campaign heads toward finish And the therapist said ... Let there be art! Three cheers for Bill Chiodo 73: RrrA! RrrA! RrrA! Tauna Hunter: on reality and the ethereal world of dance Education keeps this dancer on his toes: Allan Kinzie '77 There's no biz like Bradvbiz A tradition of art: from Sister Angelica Cummings to today Two graduates, two faculty leaders two divergent stories Breaking waves of creativity fuel final offerings by music department Gotkin nets historic goal, becomes Mercyhurst's 'winningest coach' Class Notes Relay for your alma mater ... and life What can you do ... Alumni Spotlight: If s all downhill for Jeff Jones '84 The Art of Giving 6-8 9-10 11-12 13-14 15-17 18-20
21 22-23 24-25

Inside cover 2-4

26-30 28
30

31
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Issue Editor Gennifer Biggs Director of Public Relations and Publications gbiggs@mercyhurst.edu 814.824.3315 Contributing Writers Gennifer Biggs Deborah Wallace Morton, Assistant Director of Public Relations Photographers Gennifer Biggs Roger Coda Debbie Morton Paul Lorei Class Notes Editor Tammy Roche Gandolfo '76 tgandolf@mercyhurst.edu 814.824.2004

The Office of Public Relations, a division of the Institutional Advancement Office, produces Mercyhurst Magazine. Vice President of Institutional Advancement Gary L. Bukowski, CFRE 73 Director of Alumni Services Patricia Liebel '53 pliebel@mercyhurst.edu Telephone: 1.800.845.8568 Local calls: 824.2538 Fax: 814.824.2153 Send your change of address to: Mercyhurst Magazine Mercyhurst College 501 E. 38th St. Erie, PA 16546 Fax: 814.824.2473

touch oflZroadwavi to Tzrie

Opera is not an amateur art form. Sometimes opera is not well done, and people leave and have serious misconceptions about what opera is. A great deal of enthusiasm is not going to sell opera, you simply must do it well Louisa Jonason, assistant professor of voice at Mercyhurst College

ACT I
"You'll have to excuse me, I am just coming out of Mikado land/' quips Louisa Jonason, assistant professor of voice at Mercyhurst College, as she rummages on her desk for information someone has just requested. After months of preparation, the 2004 opera production is behind Jonason The Mikado is a huge success and it is time to start thinking about next year. After solving the problem at hand, Jonason pushes her hair back from her face, settles into a chair and brings her focus around. It might be hard for someone who doesn't know this petite woman to imagine her in either of the two roles she has owned over her lifetime. For years, Jonason was Puccini's Madama Butterfly, performing the role in more places and more times than anyone. She is a Juilliard graduate, and performed around the world. She graced the stage of Carnegie Hall; she curtsied to audiences enthralled with opera. But now, hundreds of curtain calls later, it is a small group of students who are enthralled, but still with opera. And their emotion is fueled by the steel will of the same woman.

ACT II
"Ms. Jonason knows what she is doing she's had a career, and I feel like she is more than capable of guiding me to mine," said 19-year-old Eric Marshall '06, a sophomore voice major from Erie who has his sights set on a career in opera. "I originally started thinking about musical theatre, but then I heard opera, and I knew I wanted to do that," said Marshall, who is following in the footsteps of several other family members - Mom Patricia is a Mercyhurst graduate, as are brother Brian and sister Kerry. "Opera is so beautiful, and so challenging, I guess that is what makes you work harder for it." After watching his first opera, Hansel and Gretel, from the wings last year, Marshall shared the role of Pooh Bah in The Mikado. He filled the outrageous shoes of the offbeat character during Friday and Sunday performances, and paid close attention to his cast mates when he wasn't onstage. "I think that is one of the things that is overlooked, you still learn when you observe," said Marshall. "You can watch the leads, you can watch the director, you can learn sometime even more when you are observing."

ACT in
The first thing you notice is the color. A brilliant orange disk backed with electric blue lighting dominates the stage as the chorus, dressed in traditional and colorful Japanese kimonos and bamboo peasant hats, fills the stage with movement and music. Fired by dazzling colors, extravagant makeup and a flurry of wellchoreographed movement, the final dress rehearsal for Mercyhurst's presentation of The Mikado, a comedic operetta that premiered in London in 1895, begins. As the cockeyed bamboo hats bob about the stage, the music of one of the world's most popular musical partnerships, William Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, rises from the orchestra pit. The assault on the senses is nearly overwhelming trying to follow the action, listen to the dialogue and music, and take in the beauty of the sets and costumes can almost be too much. But relax, enjoy and you'll soon forget you are in Erie, Pa., and that the performers are college students. Instead, you'll lose yourself in the whirlwind of emotion, history and culture that makes opera unique.

Students studying voice under assistant professor Louisa Jonason began work on The Mikado months before the curtain rose in January. During t dress rehearsal, students donned many of the colorful costumes constructed for the operetta; however, some of the intricate wigs and headdresses w until the final performances.

ACT IV
That immersion into the art of opera, both by the audience and the students performing, is just what Jonason strives for. As part of the D'Angelo Department of Music, she has produced one fully staged major opera or operetta for every one of the 10 years she's been a professor. She is unrelenting in her drive for professional productions because she has lived in the world she'll be sending her students out to compete in, and she is fierce about preparing them for success. "Opera is not an amateur art form," said Jonason sternly. She holds high expectations for her students, and, frankly, for anyone who presents an opera. "Sometimes opera is not well done, and people leave and have serious misconceptions about what opera is. A great deal of enthusiasm is not going to sell opera, you simply must do it well." For Mercyhurst voice students, that means seeing and understanding the entire picture as it relates to opera. "Opera is the mother of all art forms," said Jonason. "The overture that developed into symphony, the dance troupe that turned into ballet, the lavish productions that required such artistry they are all part of opera. And for students to excel, they must understand opera's place in history, and the language and the culture that it portrays." That makes Mercyhurst, a liberal arts school, ideal for student musicians interested in opera, said Jonason. "The interdisciplinary aspect of opera makes it fit particularly well into a liberal arts school, especially one where the arts are supported and valued," she said. "This is a very nurturing school as far as the students are concerned, and our music majors have the opportunity to develop into the kind of human beings who have many qualities that can serve them in other professions as well, if they choose to do that."

ACT V
"Ms. Jonason stresses that she knows this world, the world of opera," said Marshall. "You have to want this, you have to work hard at this, you have to sit down with her and map out where you are going, what classes you are taking everything is focused on opera."
R I

Marshall said working with Jonason can be challenging she never settles for second best. "With the pressure, it is as real as it is going to be 'out there'/' said Marshall. "Having that pressure, her always wanting it better, faster that is just getting us prepared." Part of the preparation offered at Mercyhurst comes with the fact the music department is found in a liberal arts setting. Not only do voice majors face the pressure of their major, they are part of a larger picture, and that can be both a blessing and a curse. "Sometimes it is good, sometimes you just wish you had only music to focus on," admits Marshall with a wide grin. "But it is great, because you have access to the languages and to the history to the culture, and you need that especially with opera." Also making Mercyhurst unique is the number of performances students participate in. 'The amount of performing we get to do makes this program stand out/' said Marshall. "Larger schools you just don't get these opportunities." In past years, Mercyhurst students have staged The Marriage of Figaro, CosiFan Tutte, Don Giovanni, Don Pasquale, Hansel and Gretel, a worl premiere of Seymour Barab's Sleeping Beauty, La Boheme, Madama Butterfly, Suor Angelica and The Medium, among others.

ACT VI
As the production's last dress rehearsal moves forward the crew of nearly 80 student actors, singers and musicians took their show public for three performances during the weekend of Jan. 23-25 laughter fills the Mary UAngelo Performing Arts Center The Mikado, which is set in Japan to take some of the sting out of its satire of Victorian England, holds up even today, although director and alumnus Robert Frankenberry '91 has tweaked a few things to bring an even bigger smile to the audience's faces evident when Blake Gority, filling the role of Ko Ko, sings about modern-day politicians and their unsavory choices and even takes a swipe at the hit show "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" during his rendition of Tve got a little list." Having a strong opera theatre program in place for so long has allowed Jonason an unusual perk alumni. "It is a gift that we have students who have graduated and are in the real world," said Jonason. "We get the benefits of having them come back to work with our current students." Among graduates Jonason mentions are Mary Beth Sederburg '92, who has earned her master's of opera performance at Carnegie Mellon University while working at the Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh; Marianne Suri '02, who is earning her master's at Rice University in Texas; Mark Riley '00, who has started his doctorate at Louisiana State University while performing throughout the South; Amy Stagno '02, who made her New York City debut singing with the American Singers Opera Project and works with the Opera Theatre of Pittsburgh; and Lindsey Poling '04, who is an apprentice with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City.

ACT VII
Regardless of each student's plans for the future, Marshall believes Mercyhurst is a warm, welcoming program for artists. "We are very close-knit, because we all take all our classes together, and we're not competitive/' he said. "We are here to help each other, not to be mad someone else got a role. We want to help each other get better, and we really work well together to do that." The students will soon find out what next year's challenge holds for them. Jonason has already announced the production of Tales ofHoffinann, a complex opera with three acts plus a prologue and epilogue. Marshall has his sights set on a baritone role, maybe one of the villains. Rest assured, whatever role he is cast in, Marshall will fill it with enthusiasm and talent, and with plenty of guidance from Jonason, who has truly entered a new stage of life with her work at Mercyhurst College. "When I was singing, I had to think about myself," she said. "I was the instrument, and I performed at places such as Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, where people paid enormous amounts of money to see me. Now it is all about my students." So after years of standing in the spotlight, Jonason is content to watch from the wings as her young stars launch careers that will carry the Mercyhurst and Jonason tradition of excellence to some of the most highly regarded stages in the country.

By Gennifer Biggs, Photos by Roger Coda and Scott Meier.

CapitalCamhaian heads toward finish

Uon'( miss your chance to ride (fie tailwind
Braving variable economic conditions and an unsettling world situation, the Preserving the Legacy capital campaign continues to draw strength from its supporters as it strides steadily toward the finish line. With less than three months before the fund-raising marathon comes to the end of its four-year run June 30, Mercyhurst College finds itself experiencing a tailwind of support with gifts and pledges topping $21 million. "For those who would like to become part of this historic endeavor the largest fund-raising challenge ever undertaken by the college there is still time remaining/' reminds Gary L. Bukowski, CFRE '73, vice president of institutional advancement. Historic, indeed. The horrors of 9-11, the plummeting economy, the dismal jobless rate all combined to make fund raising during the past four years a task of monumental proportions. Still, record numbers of Mercyhurst supporters continued to give, including 95 percent of the Erie Mercyhurst community and 93 percent at Mercyhurst North East. Thus far, trustees have pledged more than $9 million; alumni, $2.6 million; the Erie corporate community pledged an unprecedented $2.8 million; and Mercyhurst Student Government committed $1 million toward construction of the physical fitness center. "Never in our 77-year history have this many people come forward to raise the boats for the future of Mercyhurst College," Bukowski said. Noteworthy is the fact that dollars raised during the first six months of fiscal year 2003-04 surpassed $2 million, a fundraising record at Mercyhurst. Bukowski said 1,318 donors gave gifts ranging from $10 to $500,000 for a total of $2,147,417. Now, consider the tangible results of the campaign's $21 million. Although frequently depicted in dollars and cents, the success of Mercyhurst's capital campaign represents a life-altering experience impacting thousands of people. "If we didn't build the Audrey Hirt Academic Center, where would all our students be now," asked Bukowski, who has shepherded the campaign since day one. "The construction of that vital hub of academic activity, and the ramifications it has for learning on this campus, cannot be underestimated." Mercyhursf s Erie campus is home to more than 3,000 students, while Mercyhurst North East has 800. With both campuses enjoying record enrollments, it appears Mercyhurst will exceed 4,000 students in the next year. As Mercyhurst welcomes more regional and nationally known speakers and hosts capacity-crowd events; as it becomes a veritable mecca for gifted performing artists, both within and outside the college community; surely something would have to give were it not for the new Dr. Barrett and Catherine Walker Recital Hall in the Hirt Center. Again, Bukowski reiterated the enormous impact the success of the capital campaign has had not only on those who live and work on the Hill, but on those in the region who frequent events on the campus. Imagine what it means to the students who are beneficiaries of close to $10 million in scholarships and endowments that have been created or enhanced during the campaign? For some, it is the difference between having and not having a college education. All told, the campaign's endowment focus has resulted in 45 new or enhanced offerings, among them the Sitter Family Endowed Scholarship, the Dr. Martha Haley Lecture Series, and the Robert and Elizabeth '58 Guelcher Film Series. Benefactors include foundations, corporations, alumni, families, and individuals all of whom are taking generosity to a new level as they contribute to the fulfillment of hundreds of students' academic dreams. At Mercyhurst North East, specifically, the capital campaign created 10 new scholarships and endowments totaling $2 million, thanks, in great part, to a $1 million challenge match from Mercyhurst College trustee Robert S. Miller. Meanwhile, MNE also benefited from a $1 million gift from the Orris C. Hirtzel and Beatrice Dewey Hirtzel Memorial Foundation that has spurred construction of a new $5 million health and safety building that will double existing classroom space and accommodate a student body of up to 1,500. Despite the triumphs of this historic fund-raising mission, which endeavors to sustain and enhance the legacy the Sisters of Mercy first envisioned nearly eight decades ago, there are still goals that we are striving to reach, Bukowski noted. Renovations to Old Main the centerpiece of the Erie campus and Egan Hall have begun, including installation of 430 windows and electric service upgrades. Projects waiting in the wings include the replacement of a remaining 450 windows and installation of a heating and air conditioning system. As talented faculty and cutting-edge programs draw students to Mercyhurst's science division, situated in Zurn Hall, equipment and labs need to be state-of-the-art. Toward that end, the campaign is attempting to raise $300,000 by June 1 to secure a match of $100,000 from the George I. Alden Trust. As of March 30, the college had pledges totaling $144,833. Like Old Main and Egan, Zurn Hall also is in need of structural upgrades. When these projects get the green light depends on the final outcome of the Preserving the Legacy campaign. But Bukowski knows only too well the words of poet Robert Frost: "I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep."

To make a contribution to the Preserving the Legacy capital campaign, please send to Mercyhurst College, Office of Institutional Advancement, 501 E. 38th St., Erie, PA 16546; or call 814-824-2246 for more information. You may also make a gift online the Mercyhurst College Web site at www.mercyhurst.edu
A P R I L

And the therapistsaid\.. ef there he art

In art therapy, it is not so much the product as the process that is most important, the theory being that exploring communication visually allows you to tap into the right hemisphere of the brain and express yourself in ways that the left, more analytical side of the brain, typically does not allow. Cathlyn Hahn, art therapist

She had come to terms with the physical manifestations of her cancer; it was her psyche she refused to surrender. "I want out/' came the wee voice barely audible from the sterile hospital bed that enveloped her shrunken frame. "I want to die at home. I want to see the field behind my house." "Well, go there/' challenged art therapist Cathlyn Hahn as she placed a large canvas and paints within reach. The woman didn't balk. Instead, she slathered on the watercolors, creating a primitive, peaceful landscape. What happened next surprised even Hahn, who many times before had witnessed the transformational process of art as a healing force. "I remember the woman saying to me, 'I feel like Maria,' and then suddenly she burst into song ... The hills are alive with the sound of music ...'" Clearly, in that one brief interlude, the patient had gone home, and it wasn't the physician, the nurse, the spouse, the son or daughter, the minister, or the well-meaning friend who had taken her there. It was the art therapist. Art therapy describes both a creative process and a profession. Through creating art, people can increase awareness of self and others, cope with symptoms, stress, and traumatic experiences; enhance cognitive abilities; and enjoy the life-affirming pleasures of making art. The cancer patient, the child suffering at the hands of an abusive parent, the rape victim, the incarcerated, the drug addict, the dysfunctional family, the troubled teenager ... these are but a few of the individuals for whom art therapy is medicine for the heart,

mind and spirit. The medicine is delivered in many forms, including painting, sculpture, music, dance, and literature. For Cathy Hahn, art therapy is a life rich in reward. In addition to being a registered
*

art therapist working closely with the Erie community, including area school districts that anxiously sought her out in the aftermath of 9-11, she is director of the highly regarded art therapy program at Mercyhurst College. Despite its origins in the early 1920s, art therapy is still considered an emerging discipline. It began gaining ground in terms of exposure and credibility in the 1960s with the founding of the American Art Therapy Association. Mercyhurst's program grew out of an art therapy intersession course offered in 1979 by then-art department director Dr. Joseph Pizzat, who had researched the discipline and believed it was a worthwhile endeavor as well as another career opportunity for Mercyhurst art students. By 1980, the art therapy major was bom and Hahn took the helm, growing it from a single-digit enrollment to a program currently training 65 majors and 12 minors, of which 50 percent will likely go on to graduate school. Dr. Ellen Horovitz, director of graduate art therapy at Nazareth College and president of the American Art Therapy Association, speaks to the reputation of Mercyhurst's program. "For well over 10 years, Mercyhurst graduates have applied to Nazareth College's graduate art therapy program," she noted. "Consistently, the accepted Mercyhurst students have been in the top 1 percent regarding academic rigor and clinical acumen ... I

highly recommend Mercyhurst for undergraduate training." For the most part, art therapy is a women-driven career and, at Mercyhurst, the majors are predominantly female. Interestingly, though, the program was launched by a preponderance of male students, among them a Laker football player and the son of lead guitarist for the '60s smash musical group, The Vogues. "The current trend has been for men to go into graphic design rather than art therapy," Hahn said. "It's really too bad because male counselors are needed across the board." Doing his share for the guys is Will A. Ursprung '76, a registered art therapist practicing at Graterford State Correctional Institution, the largest maximum-security prison in Pennsylvania, located in Collegeville, 30 miles west of Philadelphia. Ursprung majored in art education at Mercyhurst and said some of his best mentors were among the faculty, including Hahn, art professor Dan Burke '69, and the late Sister Angelica Cummings and Ernie Mauthe. He was introduced to art therapy through a workshop Hahn had led before joining the Mercyhurst faculty. That triggered his interest and he opted for grad school, later taking his master's training to an alcohol rehabilitation hospital and, eventually, to Graterford, where he has been for the past 12 years. An advocate of prison arts, Ursprung has curated several inmate exhibitions, including "Art From Within: Inmate Expressions from Graterford Prison," a 1998 offering at the Berman Museum of Art, Ursinus College, which garnered considerable media attention, including coverage in

The Philadelphia Inquirer and The Chronicle ofand helpful strategy that can be used to preHigher Education. He also facilitated "Razor pare prisoners for their release into the free Wire: Words on the Cutting Edge/' an antholworld. It is also a coping mechanism for surogy of poetry art and thought created by vival in a sensory-deprived and oppressive Graterford inmates. milieu. Plus, it is an effective tool for diffusUrsprung said art therapy is a humane ing anger and hostility.

"I know/ he said. "People may have negative feelings about helping prisoners. Why bother, right? But they are still human beings, and whether they are lifers or are eventuallv released into society, they need J J* J our help."

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The creative process, he explained, can be therapeutic and can act as a catharsis. Through art, people can sublimate their deepest thoughts and feelings, allowing them to be expressed in a safe, nonthreatening and Will A. Ursprung 76, a registered art therapistsocially appropriate way practicing at Graterford State Correctional Like Hahn, Ursprung takes his practice Institution, is an early graduate of the very seriously and doesn't take kindly to Mercyhurst art therapy program. those who say art is frivolous, or that art therapy is something akin to voodoo medicine. And they are not alone. In fact, their ranks are swelling with reinforcements as healers everywhere are discovering that art, music, dance and poetry have profound healing effects that can crack the sterile space of fear that patients live in and open it up to joys of the human spirit. That breakthrough, in turn, can help the body to heal. Dartmouth, Stanford, and the University of Florida at Gainesville are among a growing number of institutions providing education in healing and the arts. At Mercyhurst, the art therapy program is blossoming in multiple directions, including a dance/movement/art therapy minor offered through the dance department under the direction of Tauna Hunter. Hahn also said she is involved in a venture to develop a cinema therapy program in cooperation with Mercyhurst psychology department director Rob Hoff, Stairways Behavioral Health, and Erie's Dr. Fuat Ulus, author of the book, "Movie Therapy, Moving Therapy!" Like any artistic expression, cinema therapy has far-reaching applications. For example, Hahn said, a support group for people suffering through the pains of divorce might watch clips of movies that deal with divorce issues, like anger management, rejection, and loneliness, which in turn spark discussions, evoke emotions, and help with coping. In art therapy, Hahn said, it is not so much the product as the process that is most important, the theory being that exploring communication visually allows you to tap into the right hemisphere of the brain and

express yourself in ways that the left, more analytical side of the brain, typically does not allow. Coincidentally, the concept of tapping into the right side of the brain is at the heart of arts-based education, an initiative the education department and the fine and performing arts divisions at Mercyhurst are currently exploring. They are working toward an innovative curriculum that would infuse aesthetic education into the training of early childhood and elementary education majors. As for Mercyhurst's art therapy undergraduates, meanwhile, the job market is ripe with options, including positions at community mental health centers, counseling centers, shelters for women and children, nursing homes, and medical clinics. Those who continue on to graduate school earn credentials and, in some states, Pennsylvania being one, are licensed and eligible for third-party insurance reimbursement, Hahn said. They also can practice independently whereas undergraduates typically work under the supervision of a psychologist or psychiatrist. As the field of art therapy continues to grow in terms of student interest, educational programs, job opportunities, and credibility, Hahn is looking forward to the day when she can identify herself as an art therapist without someone giving her a bewildered look and asking, 'Er, whaf s that?"' By Debbie Morton, contributed photos.

Three cheers for 'Bill Chiodo: 'RrrAf ftrrA! HrrAf

Bill Chiodo is a man with a mantra: RrrA! RrrA! RrrA! That's short for Reading, 'Riting, 'Rithmatic, and the Arts. As one who advocates that the arts are as basic as the Three R's, Chiodo has built a career on the premise that arts education is fundamental, not incidental, to the total educational experience. A1973 graduate of Mercyhurst College, Chiodo is district supervisor for art education at Miami-Dade County Public Schools, the fourth largest school system in the United States, well known for its progressive posture and innovative arts curriculum. The district employs more than 19,000 teachers, 1,200 of them in the arts; and instructs nearly 340,000 students hailing from 155 different countries and speaking 100 different languages. If there is one language common to them all, it is that of the arts. "We have a unique blend of rich cultures in our school system," Chiodo said. "Many of our students come from cultural backgrounds that have the arts strongly embedded in them." Besides being a vehicle through which people can communicate and understand each other, the arts are a lifeline for many students. "Art reaches kids who are unreachable in many other ways," he said. "In fact, I believe that we save kids every day through the arts. I think kids who think about dropping out of school don't do it because of the arts." More than a salve for hard-to-reach students, though, the arts represent a powerful means of enhancing achievement, added Chiodo, citing reports by the College Entrance Examination Board that students of the arts continue to outperform their non-arts peers on the SAT. Since the early 1980s, education in the United States has undergone vast changes, with reformers espousing a systemic perspective, subscribing to the viewpoint that different components of education are fundamentally interrelated. The challenge for educators is to create schools where students can attain the knowledge, skills, self-worth and motivation to succeed in an increasingly sophisticated workforce and as parents and citizens. But what role do the arts play in all this? For one, the arts stimulate, develop, and refine many cognitive and creative skills and draw upon the multiple intelligences of students. In addition, "nurturing the power of creativity is essential," Chiodo maintained. "Americans are renowned worldwide for their innovative approaches in so many fields. Arts involvement and learning are a vital part of the equation in schools of excellence." Like many of his colleagues, Chiodo got hooked on art after a museum experience. Growing up in Ford City, Pa., just north of Pittsburgh, Chiodo was renowned for two things: running and drawing. "I made posters, I did all the bulletin boards in school, and I had these elaborate doodles that would run up and down the edges of my workbooks," he recalled. But not until he visited Pittsburgh's Carnegie Museum of Art did he realize that what he thought of as a hobby was truly a passion. He proceeded to cultivate it at Mercyhurst College, where he majored in art education, graduating in 1973. He said it wasn't the Erie winters that sent him reeling toward the Sun Belt after graduation; instead it was the large school system Miami boasted and the dynamic home it made for the arts. He took his first teaching job at a Dade County elementary school in the fall of 1973, and has been with the same school system

Bill Chiodo 73 ever since, moving up the ranks from teacher to lead museum educator to educational specialist to his current post, district supervisor of art education, which he assumed in 1997. Along the way, he earned his master's degree in art education at Florida International University and is currently pursuing his doctor of education degree at Barry University. He also has pursued personal projects in graphic design and counts "devoting myself to serious painting" among his retirement goals. As a young teacher, Chiodo said, his Mercyhurst education served him well. "Although the unit planning structures, lesson planning, and cultures in Miami were new to me, the fundamentals of my undergraduate work provided a solid conceptual base of transferable skills," he said.
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In a field where job security is anything but a given, especially considering that arts are often the first to go when school districts wrestle with budgetary constraints, Chiodo has demonstrated considerable staving;
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power. "We've been fortunate at Miami-Dade to have maintained our arts programs since the 1960s," he said. "We've written our own inhouse visual arts curriculum and have it solidly in place for our teachers. I think that is an essential component, and, of course, to demonstrate that the curriculum is working effectively for our students. We do that through regular assessments of student work, including juried exhibitions." As an educational specialist, Chiodo was instrumental in establishing the first student art gallery, a cooperative effort between the school system and an urban mall, which has maintained a rotating exhibit of student art work since its inception 15 years ago. The student gallery is one of many assessments used to illustrate the effectiveness of the Miami-Dade arts agenda. As a museum educator, Chiodo supervised the district's Museum Education Program, which allows art teachers to teach in a museum setting one day a week, a truly unique educational experience for both teacher and student. "It was the best circumstance," Chiodo said. "You could be teaching students about cubism with an original Picasso on one side and a Georges Braque on the other. I remember one day I had a group of elementary students sitting on the floor in front of some paintings. All of a sudden, I looked up and there was Claes Oldenburg, a renowned American artist, standing behind my students. He stayed with us as we moved through four different rooms in the museum before he melted away into the background. It was a magical moment!" Those magical moments are not lost on this teacher-turned-administrator, a man who has accrued his share of accolades, among them the Mercyhurst College Distinguished Alumni award, Florida International University Outstanding Alumni award, Florida International's Distinguished Education Service award, and Florida Art Educator of the Year award.

Art reaches kids who are unreachable in many other ways. In fact, I believe that we save kids every day through the arts. I think kids who think about dropping out of school don't do it because of the arts. Bill Chiodo 73

"I made myself only one promise when I moved from a school site to the district offices: that I would never forget what it was like to be in the classroom, and I haven't," Chiodo said. "I talk with teachers, principals, parents and students all the time. I take a look at what's working and whaf s not, and go from there." In making his case for the arts, Chiodo has a lengthy list of reasons why, not the least of which is posterity. We know about the ancient Greeks and Native Americans, for instance, by the architecture, literature, sculpture and paintings they left behind. And some day, he said, we, too, will be known to future generations by the art we produce and leave to posterity. How can today's students understand culture, their own or others', without a solid sense of the arts? "If our diverse music, art, dance, theatre and cultural heritages are to survive, we must ensure that the next generation is well-versed in all of them," Chiodo said.

By Debbie Morton, contributed photos.

in
M Y H U M
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Tauna Tiunfer: on reafiivi an

ereai wor ofdo. id ance

We have racial diversity, geographic diversity, including dancers from Alaska, Hawaii, South Africa and Mexico City; we have a student with a physical disability and students with learning differences; plus with our returning professional program, we provide role models with professional experience. Tauna Hunter, director, Mercyhurst College Dance Department

Tauna Hunter is a realist. She knows that no matter how rigorous her recruiting, ballet will never be a magnet for the male of the species. In fact, the Mercyhurst College Dance Department she heads is home to only three male dancers, whereas there are 68 women. But Hunter doesn't fret over what is a universal disparity in the dance world. What excites her is that her program is otherwise a wellspring of diversity. "We have racial diversity, geographic diversity, including dancers from Alaska, Hawaii, South Africa and Mexico City; we have a student with a physical disability and students with learning differences; plus with our returning professional program, we provide role models with professional experience," Hunter said. "I think part of our responsibility in training dancers is to create a microcosm of the real world, and I think we've done that through the diversity in this department.

"Our students learn not only from the faculty but from each other by seeing the successes of their peers as well as the pains and challenges that each individual brings to the program." Obviously, the word is out. "We even have body-type diversity," praised sophomore Briana Sullivan, daughter of Andrew and Alice Sullivan, who came all the way from Anchorage, Alaska, to study under Hunter. "At a lot of schools, even if you have very nice qualities as a dancer, you don't get in if you don't have the ideal body type. Here, you don't have to be perfect." Again, Hunter is a realist. "Dance is a very youth-oriented field, and the reality is you can't perform forever, so we try to stress balance," she said. "We aren't just teaching dance. We are creating leaders in the arts and arts administration, in teaching, in choreography, and in dance/movement/art therapy. We support double majors and minoring in other fields."

Sullivan is the perfect example. She is double-majoring in dance and criminal justice. "My mother is a dancer," Sullivan said. "She is artistic director of the Alaska Dance Theatre, so I've been dancing at her studio since I was 3. Mercyhurst has given me a lot of performance opportunities that I enjoy and I would like to audition for a company some day. But, I also like criminology and I think working in that field is a way for me to make the world a better place." Mercyhurst, she said, offers her the opportunity to cultivate both pursuits, and that is what enticed her to come here. Hunter said the main draws for dancers who select Mercyhurst are a rigorous classical ballet-based program, a college in the Catholic tradition, the demographics and size of the institution, and its high academic standards. She said Mercyhurst's dancers are a very intellectual group that last year started a

Bonnie Hair '07, Briana Sullivan '06

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These students are highly motivated, have a strong work ethic and good time-management skills. They all want to dance, but they don't want to put their intellectual pursuits aside to do it. Tauna Hunter

chapter of Nu De honor society, to recognize dance majors who excel academically. "These students are highly motivated, have a strong work ethic and good time-management skills/' she said. "They all want to dance, but they don't want to put their intellectual pursuits aside to do it." Hunter, who is both department director and artistic director to The Mercyhurst Dancers, has been at the helm of Mercyhurst's program, instituted by college President Dr. William P. Garvey, for 10 years and is supported by faculty Christine Marie Hay, C. Noelle Partusch and Mark Santillano, not to mention frequent guest artists, among them Judith Fugate, principal dancer with the New York City Ballet; and Sharon Randolph, dance director of the Interlochen Arts Academy. During her tenure, Hunter has interviewed each and every recruit. She goes on periodic recruiting sweeps of schools like the Interlochen Arts Academy and the Virginia School of the Arts but, more and more, she finds students are finding their way to Mercyhurst by word of mouth. "It's alumni, it's our Web site, it's students from different studios who talk up our program, and it's our own students with whom new ones have interfaced," she said. The latter is what brought freshman Bonnie Hair, daughter of Johnny and Jeannie Hair, across the country from Honolulu, Hawaii, to study on the Hill. Hair attended a summer dance program at Point Park College in Pittsburgh at the conclusion of her junior year in high school. There, she encountered several Mercyhurst dancers. She said she was so impressed with their skills and the enthusiasm they had for Mercyhurst that she knew she had to find her way to Erie, Pa. She did and she stayed.

e dancer, Hair said she appreciates the intensity of dance training at Mercyhurst and finds the danceSpace her oasis. Never mind the glorious scenery and tropical climate of the island she left behind. Even there, her world revolved around her training at the Hawaii State Ballet. Hair said her hope is to dance professionally and she is encouraged by the performance opportunities offered through apprenticeships with the Lake Erie Ballet, as well as the fact that alumni of 'Hurst's dance program have gone on to become affiliated with impressive companies like the Boston Ballet, BalletMet, the Chicago Ballet and Dance Theater of Harlem. Looking toward the long term, Hair is also pursuing a concentration in teaching/choreography. Although growing a dance program with a stellar reputation and a talented and diverse study body are goals Hunter identified at the get-go, some gains have caught her by surprise. The Liturgical Dance Ensemble, a student-directed program that provides performance opportunities to enhance the enrichment of spiritual life on campus and in the community has enjoyed remarkable success. "Many of our students are not Catholic, but they come from backgrounds with strong values and they enjoy sharing their spiritual side through movement," Hunter said. "Many alums tell me they carry this on in their own churches. I would never have expected those kinds of results." Again, Hunter is a realist. She knows life is filled with surprises. Who knows, maybe someday a mass invasion of men will take the dance world by storm. Hunter won't be holding her breath. By Debbie Morton, photos by Roger Coda.

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Education Keeps this darner on his toes Allan %inzie 'jj

It might surprise some people to hear Allan Kinzie 77 say that there is more to life than dancing. After all, dancing has been good to him. Following graduation, Kinzie joined the Dallas Ballet, and began a professional dance career that has spanned nearly 30 years. He has performed with the Boston Ballet, Ballet du Nord and the Chicago City Ballet, among others, and has appeared in more than 100 performances of the Rudolph Nureyev production of Don Quixote; not to mention his guest appearance as the Prince in Sleeping Beauty during the 1980 "Christmas at Walt Disney World Special." "I have danced all over the world, and that has been wonderful," said Kinzie, 47, from his home in Coppell, Texas, where he lives with his wife of 23 years, Moira. Their son Nikolaus attends Texas A&M University, and is a member of the Corps of Cadets. But according to him, it is education that fires his passion, and that is the message he carries to his students, whether while an instructor at the Boston Conservatory in the '80s, an assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma for seven years in the 1990s, or in his newest position as visiting artist-in-residence at Southern Methodist University's Meadows School of the Arts, where his responsibilities include teaching Ballet I-IV, men's technique, and partnering, all while staging and creating new choreographies. "Education exposes us to a full range of career possibilities and gives us the foundation for a lifetime of learning," said Kinzie, who added that the Sisters of Mercy, Mercyhurst College President Dr. William P Garvey and the many wonderful professors he enjoyed at Mercyhurst instilled those values early on, and he continues to live by them.

Education exposes us to a full range of career possibilities and gives us the foundation for a lifetime of learning.

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'Dance was my goal, and I was following a teacher I really respected, but then I got to Mercyhurst and found there was so much more to be experienced/' said Kinzie, who continued his education, earning a master of fine arts from Smith College in 1986. "I sat and talked to Dr. Garvey, who was dean then, and he told me how much he enjoys students who have a lot of interests, and he really made me realize that there was much more to be experienced that would enrich my life besides dance." S As he spent more and more time in professional dance settings, that lesson kicked in more strongly Kinzie noted, 'Td meet dancers who were retiring, and they would say -1 have no money, I have no degree, what am I going to do?' That, said Kinzie, is why he went back to school and why he encourages his students to get additional degrees in areas of interest that will last a lifetime. ^B So far, education and dance have both served Kinzie well. After moving from his home state of Virginia to Pittsburgh, Pa., to study dance with the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, he met and then continued his training with Ismet Mouhedin, who had just recently founded the program at Mercyhurst. Kinzie completed his degree, and immediately began performing. Over the years, he has danced leading roles in some of the major companies of his time, toured in 15 countries and worked with such notable artists as George Skibine, Marjorie and Maria Tallchief, Rosella Hightower and Violette Verdy.
\"

ir

I'd like to see some changes happen in education and dance, and I think colleges and universities will be the salvation of dance and the arts in general. Allan Kinzie '77

to

In addition, he has choreographed fulllength works including A Midsummer Night's Dream and Coppelia as well as repertoire creations that have been performed in the United States and Europe. Today, he enjoys working with his male students, who face particular challenges as dancers, and also continues flexing his creative muscles by choreographing both classical ballets and modern dance pieces. His biggest reward? Watching students grow and learn. "I like being able to invest in students' lives, I like impacting them," said Kinzie. While he hasn't been able to enjoy that spark back at Mercyhurst since he was a guest artist in the mid-1980s, he has kept in

touch with classmates who have been successful with their dance degrees, and has watched the department build to today's success under director Tauna Hunter. Tve been glad to see what Tauna has done for the program. I think she has brought back good programming and is a stable influence/' said Kinzie, who admits he'd like to get back to the college more, if it wasn't such a long trip. Meanwhile, he works to stay on the cutting edge of dance in education, where he expects the best and brightest work and

dancers to be in the next decade. "I'd like to see some changes happen in education and dance, and I think colleges and universities will be the salvation of dance and the arts in general," said Kinzie. "I believe that in 10 or 15 years, all the dance in the United States, with the exception of major companies, will be based at colleges and universities. It is there that young artists and seasoned professionals will have the opportunity and the freedom to be creative and to fully realize the potential of their art."

By Gennifer Biggs, photo by Austin Kilgore.

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There's No "Biz Hike ...

Francis Brady Patrick Louis never met a microphone he didn't like. That's daughter Jennifer's spin on her amiable dad, a broadcasting legend, at times proclaimed The Voice of Erie, whose career in radk>and television spawned avocations as a sought-after master of ceremonies, steadfast community servant, and devoted patron of the arts. As such, he has invested more than three decades at Mercyhurst College, assuming roles as fund-raiser, President's Associate, Trustee, emcee, spectator, mentor and fan. Growing up, it didn't take long for Jennifer or her six brothers, all of whom are now grown with families of their own, to learn that their dad was a man meant to be shared. As each of them was jockeying for his attention, so were thousands of others: radio listeners, employees, business contacts, and community volunteers. Son David learned the scope of his father's popularity very early in life. The two of them had gone to the Millcreek Mall to buy a Christmas gift for Renie, Louis' wife of 42 years. The father-son outing soon became a celebrity sideshow, punctuated by greetings, handshakes, conversations and, for David, one too many demands on dad's time. "Don't blink, Dad, you might miss someone," came the young boy's wry observation. But fine father that he is, Louis refocused his attention on David and salvaged the day, making it one they would both remember and laugh about later. And David discovered, just like everyone else who has crossed paths with Brady Louis, you can't be in this man's company and not smile. It just doesn't happen. Were you to look for the negative in Louis' life, you'd be hard-pressed to find it. Perhaps that's because he simply doesn't go there.

Consider his telephone greeting. It could be a dank, dismal day, but Louis would beam: "It's a beautiful day in Erie, Brady speaking." Erie is a hometown Louis is proud to call his own, announcing that after spending the first 33 years of his life in Cincinnati, Ohio, he has now logged 34 years in Erie, making him "an official Erieite." Louis' positive outlook is something of a nature-nurture hybrid. He grew up in a vibrant household where he'd sing Sinatra songs or snappy show tunes with his mother and younger brother, Tom, while washing and drying dinner dishes. It was the beginning of Bradybiz. Little did he know that in the years ahead, his inimitable voice would catapult him onto hundreds of stages, perhaps not as a crooner, but as a star in his own right. Just a year out of high school, he broke into the broadcasting business as a prop boy for Cincinnati's WLWT-TV. He went on to study English literature and broadcast communications at Xavier University, all the while working to help pay his tuition. Along life's path, he rose to account executive to owning a radio station (WRIE-Erie) and capped off his career as president and general manager of WQLN-TV, Erie's PBS affiliate. He moved to Erie in 1969 when he bought WRIE radio. As he worked to grow the station, he knew the road to success was

rooted in getting to know his constituency, so he immersed himself in the Erie community, during his career serving on upwards of 20 boards, typically three and four at a time. From the get-go, his talents as a toastmaster were in demand, making him the top choice among emcees for every manner of function, from an intimate Cub Scout breakfast to Erie's gala bicentennial celebration. His children, all swimmers, kept him busy doing the public address work for swim meets at the Glenwood Y, Cathedral Preparatory School and Lake Shore Country Club. Then, weaned on theatre in Cincinnati, he saw to it that his own children were duly indoctrinated, lending familial support to Erie's arts endeavors, particularly through the Mary D'Angelo Performing Arts Center at Mercyhurst College, the Erie Philharmonic, and Erie Playhouse, where he has served on the board, including two terms as president, for more than two decades. In addition, he is in his second term as a board member of the Arts Council of Erie, currently working on its 2004 United Arts Fund Drive, and is a corporator of Discovery Square. Whenever he and Renie would attend a performance with their children, people would delight in referring to the entourage as "The Brady Bunch." But Louis, always giving credit where credit is due, corrected them. "No, folks, this is 'Renins Bunch.'"

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"I missed a lot of meals when the kids were younger, but I tried to be home in time to tuck them into bed/' he said. "Through it all, Renie was very understanding." For all his years in the fast lane, Louis rarely said "no" to requests for his help. Now retired, he remains the proverbial "yes man." '1 think what you give to your community comes back to you in many wonderful ways," he said. "Mercyhurst College is one of them." Louis has been affiliated with Mercyhurst for more than 30 years, a link forged in the early 1970s when then-president Sister Carolyn Herrmann sought his fundraising panache for the Achievement Is Mercyhurst (AIM) annual fund drive. Currently, he is chairman of the President's Associates board at the college and a member of the board of trustees. "Brady serves well in whatever he becomes involved in," said college President Dr. William P. Garvey. "Whenever a vacancy opened up on a community board, the name that came to the forefront was always that of Brady Louis. Thafs the kind of respect this man has earned."

Board positions come and go, but the Mercyhurst community is a spirit that is hard to shake as evidenced by Louis' frequent campus visits, particularly now that he is enjoying retirement. He is here for meetings, athletic contests, dance and theatre performances and, on many occasions, he graciously assumes his post as the always dapper and dynamic master of ceremonies. He's emceed the college's Fourth of July celebration, the

traditional Vienna in Erie performance, the annual basketball tip-off dinner, and building dedications to name a few. While he is frequently in the limelight, he is often behind the scenes, promoting, mentoring and cheering on the college's students. He still gets calls and letters from graduates he befriended while they were on the Hill, among them Danielle Poole '03, Heather Richmond '03, Billy Byrnes '02, and Holly Bisceglia '03. Matthew Rendulic '05, a music composition major, is one Mercyhurst student who is grateful for Louis' support, so much so that he dedicated a song to him that is featured on a CD of Rendulic's compositions.

"He's almost like a surrogate grandfather to me," Rendulic said. "I met him two. years ago when I was performing at "Vienna in Erie" and I think he's come to nearly every concert I've done since, including my personal recitals." Louis is also responsible for encouraging Mercyhurst talent to take a stab at community theater. Among his finds are Karen Milinovich Brennan '98, who has performed several starring roles in Erie Playhouse productions, and Casey Kilroy '03, who made her Playhouse debut last October in the principal role of Josie Cohan in "George M!"

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J think what you give to your community comes back to you in many wonderful ways. Brady Louis, Mercyhurst College trustee

"I take my responsibility as a trustee to heart/' Louis said. "If the product of this institution is its students, then I like to support them where I can ... whether that's going to a field hockey game or a performance of some kind and seeking them out afterwards to say, 'hey, good game, great performance, wonderful job' ... It's what I like to do." An active member of the Rotary Club of Erie, Louis is responsible for starting a college chapter, known as Rotaract, at Mercyhurst College. And, in true trickle-down theory, his oldest son, Mark, also a Rotarian, is doing the same by driving the formation of a high school chapter, Interact, at Villa Maria

Academy, an undertaking that pleases Louis greatly. "Whenever I see one of our children doing something like that I think, Tesssss, we done good/" He also points to his wife Renie's role in promoting the arts locally as both a volunteer and an employee for many years at the ExpERIEnce Children's Museum. Although he is less inclined to speak of his accomplishments than those of others, he admits to being particularly proud of his role in fostering the spirit of cooperation that exists among Erie's arts organizations, particularly paving the way for collaborative productions between the Erie Playhouse and Erie Philharmonic.

"The arts are the soul of a community/' he said. "I can't imagine living anywhere that didn't have performing and visual arts. Erie should be proud of all the performance spaces that have come about in this community in the past couple decades." Speaking of performance spaces, Louis is known to have his own private venue. 'Twelve years ago when our grandchildren starting arriving, Renie said it was going to be up to us to see that they interacted, so we started Family Day at Grammy and Poppa's the third Sunday of every month," Louis said. "In the winter, it is brunch or soup and a sandwich. In the summer, it's a grill-out." It's also the perfect occasion for the little ones to parade around in Jennifer's old Erie Playhouse Youththeatre costumes and perform their own shows. "As you might guess," Louis said, "I'm the emcee. I use my corny microphone voice and they all shout, 'Poppa, introduce me! Introduce me!" J Thus, the show goes I on. Just call it Bradybiz m

...Actn.
By Debbie Morton, photo by Paul Lorei.

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A tradition of art

I like to see a painting take form, coming to life from blank canvas, but at the same time I think I am primarily a teacher; there is something to taking a student and seeing her blossom in front o\ Sister Angelica Cummings, founder of the Mercyhurst art department

When Sister Angelica Cummings founded the Mercyhurst College art department in 1926, she set the bar so high that faculty and students are still trying to vault it. How utterly savvy she must have been. After all, what better plan for the pursuit of excellence than to start with expectations that always keep you reaching? "Sister Angelica set the tone if you aren't going to do it well, or with the expectation of it being excellent eventually don't do it," said Daniel Burke '69, an art major who was the first male graduate of Mercyhurst College and now enjoys status as the art department's longest-serving faculty member. The art department began with one of the college's inaugural majors: art education. Nearly 80 years later, that program is still enjoying an elevated enrollment and enviable graduation rates.

But just as the home of the art department has moved over the years if s first home was a room on the third floor of Old Main, now it enjoys sprawling facilities in Zurn Hall so has the department evolved, but without straying from a dedication to excellence infused by its founder. What started as simply an art education program has expanded to include studio art, graphic design, and a highly respected art therapy program recognized across the country. According to junior art education major Stephen Popadich '05, who came to Mercyhurst from Mars, Pa., the bar set by Sister Angelica remains high. "When you are a freshman, you need the fundamentals, and Mr. Burke does that early on; he really lays out what needs to be in a work to make it to its potential as profession-

al work," said Popadich, who explored the Mercyhurst art program after learning the Governor's School for the Arts has been hosted at the college for more than a decade. "I believe it is the criticism that is key, that Mr. Burke and the other faculty always make you do your best... even if it hurts to say, 'you need to do this better/ they drive you to strive to do better and really stretch to your potential." Popadich is an art education major, along with about 20 or so others who are working toward becoming teachers themselves. They, along with 50 graphic design, 65 art therapy and 10 studio art students, comprise the 150 art majors in the department. Over the years that number has exploded, growing alongside the expanding number of full-time faculty dedicated to art and the quality of facilities supporting both. "The reason I came to this school was the facilities what they have to offer here the lighting, the studios, the amazing space we have to work in, the kiln space, that really made my decision for me," said Popadich. "I looked at four or five other colleges, and they maybe had a room. Add to that the teachers here, with their knowledge, and the experience they have they are excellent." Once here, Popadich said, he found exactly what he was looking for an art department that had as its goal teaching art and teaching teachers.

/ believe it is the criticism that is key, that Mr. Burke and the other faculty always make you do your best... even if it hurts to say, 'you need to do this better/ they drive you to strive to do better and really stretch to your potential. Stephen Popadich '05, art major

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v. RAWlN

JiUWlUtLflOLtlCED
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"I most definitely made the right choice when you have all these opportunities to use these facilities, and with our teachers, what you can do is unlimited ... so many schools don't have that, their students are blocked/' he said. And if you can't learn about art, you certainly can't teach it. "You have to learn your craft, if you don't, that's going to be pivotal," said Popadich, who hopes to teach secondary art,

and, after that, to work in a college setting as an instructor. "I feel the biggest thing they've bestowed on me, in terms of the attitude of a teacher is to place something in front of students, and let them do what they will do let them do their own original work let them do what they think is good." Learning the principles of art will carry you through, he said, a lesson learned from the faculty. "Burke really drills in the principles of

design and art, and then it becomes natural for the student to produce work that is built on those foundations and principles, and then that will carry them through the art world," said Popadich, who hopes to establish that same foundation for his students when he is a teacher, in part by exposing his students to as much art as possible. "I want to show students all types of other artists. I want them to be engulfed in other artists' works my students will get

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millions of slides, I know that. Art that is going on now, and art that has been." Fueling the art department's success it will enjoy a graduating class of 35 seniors in 2004 and has nearly zero attrition is the variety of its faculty and its dedication to teaching the basics, and teaching it well. "The department was grounded in art education, and we still depend on that," said Burke, who has enjoyed his chance to be the adviser, critic, friend and colleague that Sister Angelica was to both her students and fellow faculty. "Sister Angelica felt strong cores in the art department would let the department flow with changes going on around it." For Mercyhurst, that has meant adding art therapy, graphic design and other specialty offerings. It has also meant bringing in students who fit the culture of the department. 'There are a lot of art schools, but we try and find students who connect with us and Mercyhurst," said Tom Hubert '77, a gradu-

ate of the art department program and now director of the department. Connecting with students, he added, has always been linked to the continuing success of the program. One part of that effort, the Sister Angelica Cummings Art Scholarship competition, which is nearly 30 years old, regularly attracts portfolio competition from high school artists across the tri-state region. As for Hubert, he said the focus now is on building the quality, not the size of the department. "When I was here, it was a small, liberal arts college, and we need to maintain that. We want to maintain the hands-on, one-on-one interaction in the art department, and we will need to look at more faculty to continue the excellence we've enjoyed so far." By Gennifer Biggs, photos contributed by Mercyhurst art department and art majors.

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7w# Graduates, two faculty leaders two divergent stories

i For Daniel Burke and Tom Hubert, returning to teach in the Mercyhurst College Art Department was not in their plans while students in the late '60s and early 70s. 1 But they were in the sights of Sister Angelica Cummings, founder of the department, and she had plans of her own for them. "The Sisters would see someone they liked coming down the pike, and they'd pick you and groom you, and you never even saw it coming," said Burke with a wide grin. For him, the tale begins after his release from the U.S. Army when he returned to the area with every intention of re-enrolling in art school in Columbus, Ohio. The cost of tuition had became too much for him a few years before but after joining the Army Burke had the opportunity to use the G.I. Bill to fund the last two years of art school upon his return. Then he heard about the co-op program being offered through Gannon University, a program that allowed him to study art at Mercyhurst College. "So while I was enrolled in Gannon, nearly all my classes were up here at Mercyhurst," explained Burke, who was in local Penn State campus, the Behrend College. An art major, Hubert quickly discovered that campus didn't have an art department, let alone an art education program. After visiting an open house at Mercyhurst, he was hooked, and soon was blossoming under Sister Angelica's tutelage. An art education major, Hubert realized during his last year that he didn't want to teach, but after graduation, some graphic design work and two years at Rochester Institute of Technology, he found himself a part-time instructor at Mercyhurst after a quick visit to say 'hi' to his instructors. After starting his own ceramics business, which flourished for more than 12 years, Hubert returned to his roots, and took a full-time position with the college. Now, as director of the department, he and Burke agree that luring alumni back to teach at Mercyhurst was a gift of Sister Angelica's. "The people who attend here, and then return here, they have longevity, and the longer you are here, the better you fit into the culture of excellence at Mercyhurst," said Burke. 'That was the Sisters' gift to us. Those changes they made years ago have all led to improvement and success." By Gennifer Biggs, Mercyhurst file photos.

m m
Dan Burke '69 his senior year when then-College President Sister Carolyn Herrmann and the board of trustees took the leap into coeducation. With so many credits under his belt, it took no time for Burke to make the decision to "transfer" to Mercyhurst, and in 1969, he became the first male graduate of the college. His memories of early art offerings at the college revolve around Sister Angelica, a woman he treasured as a teacher and a friend. Tve always been thankful for her," said Burke, who began teaching immediately after graduation, taking on full-time responsibilities several years later. He is now an integral part of the art program, and one who strives to make an impact on today's students. "My life has always flowed along, I never had to go out and look for a job, someone was guiding me. I was so lucky to have Sister as a teacher, then a colleague, but also as a friend and confidante." For Hubert, who grew up only two blocks from campus, Mercyhurst was a lucky find after a misguided choice. After being accepted into Penn State University, Hubert found he was being trundled away to the

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Tom Hubert '77

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reafenq waves of creativity fmffinalofferings music department

It seemed like a good idea. Dr. Matthew Inkster, assistant professor of music at Mercyhurst College, admits that sometimes those "good ideas" get him into some pretty complicated places. But he has no regrets about the effort being put into the first Festival of New Music that Mercyhurst will host in May. "I've been involved with these types of festivals at other schools, and they've turned into extraordinary events/' explained Inkster, who has worked with every faculty member and student in the music department in an attempt to incorporate each into the weeklong festival. "I also personally feel an obligation to those people composing music today - since society has changed, getting new music performed is very difficult." Inkster explained that when composers such as Haydn and Mozart were writing music, it was no trouble to get it performed because it was everyone's music. Today, with such diverse offerings as alternative, pop, rock, Latin, world, jazz and traditional art music just to name a few having the connections to see and hear an original composition performed, particularly one written for a large ensemble, is a difficult task, especially for a young musician. The first Mercyhurst Festival of New Music will start Tuesday, May 11, with a concert featuring work by Dr. Albert Glinsky, director of the Mercyhurst D'Angelo Department of Music. The evening begins at 8 p.m. in the Walker Recital Hall in the Audrey Hirt Academic Center, and includes performances of Glinsky's compositions by student musicians. The next night, Wednesday, May 12, the music department will perform original student compositions at 8 p.m. in the Walker Recital Hall. Work by students M. Joseph Rendulic, Richard Rockage, Jared Hinkle and Andrew Thompson will be presented that
M E R C Y H U R S T

t^~^

evening during what Inkster calls a "full concert event." "This performance will include works only by our student composers, and those works will range from orchestral to chamber music to solo vocal and choral works," explained Inkster. 'The variety makes the evening even more interesting." For junior music major Rendulic, who already has three composers' concerts and one personal recital on his resume, the festival and the annual composers' concert are an invaluable part of his education. 'It is wonderful to hear your compositions, especially after working for months on them," said Rendulic, who will participate in the composers' concert and provide an original piece for a later festival performance by faculty member Louisa Jonason. Rendulic explained that since he writes primarily for orchestras, rehearsal time for his portion of the concert is hard to come by, so it is a rather hectic week, but one that is very satisfying. Not to say there aren't moments of angst. "It can be a bit nerve-racking," he admits. "I am a performer, too, so I know we all make mistakes, but when it is your piece, you hear everything, and you really have to learn to trust the performers. All of the composers do have to be at the rehearsals, and that can be a bit tough on the ears."

It can be a bit nerve-racking. lama performer, too, so I know we all make mistakes, but when it is your piece, you hear everything, and you really have to learn to trust the performers. All of the composers do have to be at the rehearsals, and that can be a bit tough on the ears. M. Joseph Rendulic '05, student composer

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This performance will include works only by our student composers, and those works will range from orchestral to chamber music to solo vocal and choral works. The variety makes the evening even more interesting. Dr. Matthew Inkster, assistant professor of music

2004

FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSIC

Mercyhurst Department of Music

But, on the other hand, said Rendulic, there are no customs associated with new music, and the opportunity to take that first step is hard to replicate. / There is no tradition, so you are making the tradition with that first performance," he said, adding that the response from both student musicians and the audience is always overwhelming. "We have great feedback from students, and faculty, and even members of the audience, like Brady Louis and Doris Stackpole (Mercyhurst trustees) who send us notes and cards ... that is an awesome feeling/' That support from fellow students and members of the college and Erie communities helps keep the young composers moving forward. 'There is a sense of pride, and it is very encouraging/' said Rendulic. "Everyone in the creative arts gets writer's block, and to hear your pieces performed can help you spark and get past that and keep working." Since that spark provided by hearing one's composition performed on stage may have to last some of the student composers for quite some time, Inkster said he feels the music department is obligated to ignite that fire. 'The department is dedicated, and has been for years, to giving students the opportunity to see and hear what's in their head out in the world, on stage, being performed," said Inkster. Universities and colleges are key to providing an opportunity for performance of new compositions, added Inkster, and not just those of their own students. That is how the festival landed its final two productions, the first of which will start at 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 13, when Louisa Jonason, assistant professor of voice, pre mieres two song cycles, one by Stephen

Colantti, "Poems by Edna St. Vincent Millay," and one by student composer M. Joseph Rendulic, "Emily Sings: The Poetry of Emily Dickinson/' In addition, Jonason will perform several other modern pieces, all new music written by colleagues. Lastly, the crowning touch of the festival will come at 8 p.m. on Friday, May 14, when the Mercyhurst Wind Ensemble and Concert Choir premiere a work written in honor of American Indian veterans by Chickasaw composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha. They will present the 55-minute original work in the Mary D'Angelo Performing Arts Center. Impichchaachaaha can understand how difficult the road ahead is for the young musicians at Mercyhurst; they will be follow7 ing in his footsteps. And for two w eeks, he will work with the chorus and wind ensemble to bring his vision a piece with nine movements to fruition. 'There are challenges to a new work/' said Inkster, adding that the positives for both students and the community far outweigh any trials encountered along the way. While the students will have several weeks to master the new composition, they will also have to tackle revisions that Impichchaachaaha may need to make, and there is always the challenge of performing a piece no one has ever heard before including the composer. But overall, Inkster said the exhilaration of a premiere will undoubtedly carry the evening to success. "There is a certain excitement to being the first, and from here on, that piece of music will say, right at the top, 'Commissioned by Mercyhurst College, Premiered May 14,2004, Mercyhurst College/ And that is something these students will always have."

Tuesday, May 11 Faculty Recital Series "Twilight Serenade: The Music of Dr. Albert Glinsky
ft

Walker Recital HaU 8 p.m.

Wednesday, May 12 Student Composers Concert Walker Recital Hall 8 p.m.

Thursday, May 13 Faculty Recital Series Louisa Jonason Walker Recital Hall 8 p.m.

Friday, May 14 Mercyhurst Wind Ensemble & Concert Choir Mary D'Angelo Performing Arts Center 8 p.m.

By Gennifer Biggs.

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T-tocfeu s IZjck Got fen nets historic goaf, becomes 74ercijhurst's 'winningest coach'
In a moment that will forever stick in his mind, men's hockey coach Rick Gotkin became the winningest coach in Mercyhurst College history Jan. 9,2004. Gotkin reached the pinnacle when the Lakers recorded a 2-1 victory over Bentlev at the Mercyhurst Ice Center, giving him 286 career wins at the 'Hurst, and vaulting him over former Mercyhurst head baseball coach Joe Jordano, who had held the record at 285 wins. A consummate competitor who knows the exhilaration that comes with winning, Gotkin is in his 16th year as men's hockey coach, making his tenure the longest of any Mercyhurst head coach, past or present. As thrilling a victory as that cold January night provided, Gotkin handled it as he does most big moments, with a modicum of fanfare and a huge helping of humility. "It's a neat little accomplishment, but ifs not solely mine," he said. "I don't think anyone does something like this his or herself. You get here because of great assistant coaches, great players, the support of the administration, the people in financial aid, the guys in maintenance, the fans ... they're all part of the program." Assistant hockev coach Chris
j

Herbolsheimer '98, who played for Gotkin and now coaches with him, said, "Rick is a phenomenal guy to work for and I'm sure this is exciting for him, but he's not one to draw attention to it." Dave Smith, associate coach and recruiting coordinator, added, "Working for Coach Gotkin has been a tremendous experience for both me and my family He is genuinely a family-oriented person who has developed such a positive environment both athletically and academically." Gotkin's staff also includes volunteer

assistant coach Greg Heffernan. Senior and team captain Nolan Brown portrayed Gotkin as "a players' coach, who likes to know what's going on with the guys and cares about them." That, he added, "makes him easy to play for." Gotkin, whose team is playing its first year in the new Atlantic Hockey league, came to Division III Mercyhurst from Division I Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in 1988 and quietly began to build a varsity program that would bring the college national recognition. Sixteen years later, there can be no doubt that Gotkin has achieved those goals, overseeing the program's transformation from Division III to Division II (1993) to Division I (1999) status. This year, the Lakers concluded another successful season, finishing second in the Atlantic Hockey league with a conference record of 16-7-1 and an overall mark of 20-14-

MERCYHURST COLLEGE 2003-2004 MEN'S ICE HOCKEY

24
M E C Y H U R S T

c,

2, making the Division I conference playoffs for the fifth straight year. During the 2002-03 season, Gotkin directed the Lakers to a third successive regular season championship in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Hockey League and, for the second time in three years, reached the NCAA Division I Tournament. Under Gotkin's leadership, Mercyhurst owns a five-year Division I record of 98-33-2, three regular season titles, two regular season runners-up, five conference playoff appearances, two conference championships, and one conference runner-up. Gotkin was conference coach of the year in 2000-01 when he took the Lakers all the wav to the conference regular and postseason titles and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The Lakers' first Division I tournament bid, which teamed them with the University of Michigan Wolverines, tops Gotkin's list of career memories. 'That was really cool... there's little Mercyhurst pitted against big-time Michigan ... your typical David and Goliath story ... I'm sure there were lots of people who figured we'd get killed, but we made a great account for our school... we lost, but it was 4-3, and we made 'em play," Gotkin said, still beaming with pride at the recollection. But no successful program ever got that way without a few hard knocks, or as Gotkin would say "bad puck luck." "There have been times when we haven't been able to do the things we wanted to do/' he said. "We have certain levels we aim for in academics, on-ice performance, overall conduct, and when we miss our mark in those areas, we are disappointed." Fortunately, those times have been few and far between. Gotkin, meanwhile, has reached more than one milestone at Mercyhurst. To his credit, he is the first coach ever to take the same program to the NCAAs at all three division levels. That notoriety got him a spot in Sports Illustrated's "Faces In The Crowd" segment at the conclusion of the 2000-01 season. It took awhile for Gotkin's program to generate momentum. In fact, without a home rink, the Lakers played nearly 70 percent of their games out of town during Gotkin's first three years. But in the spring of 1991 came word that the college's board of trustees had approved building an on-campus facility. "The rink has been an unbelievable addition not only to this school but to the

If s a neat little accomplishment, but it's not solely mine. I don't think anyone does something like this by his or herself. You get here because of great assistant coaches, great players, the support of the administration, the people in financial aid, the guys in maintenance, the fans ... they're all part of the program.
Coach Rick Gotkin, men's ice hockey

whole Erie community/' Gotkin said. "It's used for figure skating, youth hockey school hockey you name it; one lady even wanted to use it for a dog show, but we said, 'naaaa, no dogs on the ice/ And I love dogs." The Laker hockey team has also been very active in the community during Gotkin's tenure. In 1995, it won the Sister Rita Panciera Award, given annually to the campus group that "best exemplifies the values of mei By Debbie Morton photos from Mercyhurst files

ass Notes.,. Shnrm ZOOA

THE SIXTIES
Virginia Accetta Rathbun '61, FuquayVarina, N.C, recently relocated to Raleigh, N.C, after living in Erie for the past 41 years. Janet Ladley DeRosa '61, Crystal River, Ha., is a pre-kindergarten teacher offering inclusion class with developmentally delayed and Down Syndrome children. Geraldine Walko Allison '64, Hilton Head Island, S.C., retired from Clarkston Community Schools in June 2002 and has moved to Hilton Head Island for the winters. "I summer in Andover, N.H." Carol Kruszewski Weir '66 tells us that, after living in Erie her entire life, she has moved to Lutz, Ha., where her son and his family live. Catherine Varca '69, Westerville, Ohio, is a contributing writer to both a published reading series for adult basic education and a textbook for college freshmen. Joseph Cook 76, Oklahoma City, Okla., was named National High School Baseball Coach of the Year in 2002 by the American Baseball Coaches Association, and was elected to Oklahoma Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2003. He is in his 28th year as head baseball coach at Bishop McGuinness High School where he has also been the athletic director for the past four years. Charles Rufo 76, Tulsa, Okla., recently accepted the position of vice president, business development at First Film Extrusion, a fully owned LLC of Balcan Plastics. His new role included leading the United States sales and marketing team, as well as driving the acquisition team. Valerie Sherrange Crofoot 76, North East, Pa., has begun a preschool program at St. Gregory School and Parkside Senior Living Community in North East. Patrick Weschler 78, Akron, Ohio, is in his 16th year with Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs, LLP, a 140-attorney business with five locations. He is co-chair of their trusts and estates practice group. When not working, Weschler enjoys driving and reading. He also tells us that "middle-age sinus problems have had the unexpected effect of improving my voice, and I now sing at Sunday Mass at the small parish in Peninsula, Ohio, of which I am a member."

Rebecca Kessler '85, East Springfield, Pa., has transferred from her job with the State Correctional Institute in Pittsburgh to a position at the State Correctional Institution at Albion. Katherine Swanson '85, Erie, teaches physics at Mercyhurst Preparatory School. Lynn Fisher Anderson '86, Cranberry Township, Pa., tells us that, after 16 years in the healthcare industry, she loves being a stay-at-home mom and enjoys painting and doing various art projects for friends and family. William Nesdore '87, North Myrtle Beach, S.C., has opened a Big Tuna Beach Club and Grille in North Myrtle Beach. Richard Dyer '88, Wooster, Ohio, has been appointed managing partner of David J. Wilson & Associates, LLC, a certified public accounting and management consulting firm in Wooster. John Saxon '89, Irmo, S.C, has accepted the position of president at DLH Industries in Canton, Ohio. He and wife Patty (Kaliszak) '91 will be relocating to Hudson, Ohio. Saxon was previously president of Bunzl Extrusion in Columbia, S.C

THE SEVENTIES
Maria Kanicki Johnson 74, Erie, continues working for GECAC as an adult education teacher. Michael Geertson 75, Erie, recently purchased The Sports Section Franchise, a company that specializes in youth and sports organizational photography. John Welsh 75, Pittsburgh, Pa., tells us that his Prima Donna Restaurant was voted in the top 10 Italian restaurants in the country. John says he'll give the Mercyhurst community a 10 percent discount, so stop in! Kathleen Zangrilli O'Hara 75, Olathe, Kan., has completed two graduate degrees and received her doctoral degree in 2000. She is currently the superintendent of Catholic schools for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, encompassing 50 schools and covering more than 12,000 square miles. She notes that any classmates crossing the country are welcome to give her a call.
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M E R C H R M

THE NINETIES
Diane Adams Brady '90, Glenview, 111., recently starred as Sandy in the musical "Grease" at the Victory Gardens Theatre in Chicago. Christine Kindlin Roper '90, Charlotte, N.C, recently opened her own physical therapy practice. Tracy Irwin Sushel '91, Claysville, Pa., is the director of programming and nutrition at NBA Thomas Campbell Christian Center, a living center for the mobility impaired and older adult population. Keith Veres '91, Fort Myers, Ha., has been admitted as a principal at Hill, Barth & King LLC

THE EIGHTIES
James Kopchuk '82, King of Prussia, Pa., recently concluded a six-month consulting initiative with First Niagara Financial Group in Lockport, N.Y. He is a financial analyst for Philips Medical Capital, a leading supplier of medical equipment and related services all over the world. PMC provides financial solutions for purchases of varying types of health care equipment. Kopchuk is completing his MBA in finance and technology management at the University of Phoenix.

I N

Rachel Green Cheeseman '92, Erie, currently works as a detailer with Builders Hardware. She also owns and operates the Street Smart Self Defense Academy in Erie, and was inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame April 24,2004, in New York City. Robert Bandish '93, Antioch, Term., is currently a master patrol officer with the Nashville Metro Police Department. Martha LaVerde Heise '93, Oil City, Pa., is an elementary music teacher for the Oil City School District, and a piano and vocal music instructor for Studio 22 Performing Arts Center in Franklin, Pa. She began a nonprofit corporation youth choir in 1997 that has traveled around the United States and Canada. Heise is also the vouth theatre director for the Venango County Youth Theater and has served as secretary on the board of directors for the Barrow Civic Theatre in Franklin. Amy Jurek Stoddart '93, Eugene, Ore., is an assistant dance professor at the University of Oregon. Jim Doherty '94, Short Hills, N.J., is the art director and editor for Gettyimages in New York City and is a recent winner of the Bunson Prize. David McQuillen '94, Zurich, Switzerland, reports that in April 2004, he will be mountain biking from Lhasa, Tibet, to Kathmandu, Nepal, to raise money to build children's libraries in the Pokara area of Nepal. The ride is 23 days long, more than 1,100 miles in length, and passes Mt. Everest Base Camp, as well as crossing five mountain passes that top 15,000 feet. Joseph Yurchak '94, Fairbanks, Ark., is the station manager and a lieutenant with the Ester Fire Department. Jessica Bolden Kunes '95, Weedville, Pa., is a staff accountant for Johnston Nelson & Shimmel LLP. Holly McCray McCalla '95, Madison, Conn., is the assistant general manager for Marriott International. Karen Universal Schrader '95, Fredonia, N.Y., teaches ballet in the evenings at Imagination Workshop in Fredonia.

Timothy Duble '96, Dublin, Ohio, is a team leader for the Columbus Children's Sports Medicine Physical Therapy Clinic. Melissa Festa Sosnowski '96, Erie, is a commercial underwriter with Berkley Mid Atlantic. Anthony Woodrome '97, York, Pa., works for the United States Customs and Border Patrol. Seth Andregg '98, Lake wood, Ohio, is a firefighter and paramedic with the Lakewood Fire Department. Stacie Bortz '98, Perrysburg, Ohio, is a lieutenant in the United States Air Force. Heidi Schnaekel Woodrome '99, York, Pa., is a certified clinical perfusionist with Fresenius Medical Care. H. Michael Shiels '99, Painesville, Ohio, is the women's head soccer coach for Notre Dame College in South Euclid, Ohio.

Lawrence Smith II '00, Kersey, Pa., has been promoted to sergeant at the Elk County Prison where he supervises the work release program and is the training sergeant and firearms instructor for all prison staff. Kelly Wasko '00, Warren, Pa., is the central states district manager of Playtex Products Banana Boat Sun Care division. Mary White '00, Chantilly, Va., writes that, after completion of work on the NISCII contract supporting the Federal Aviation Administration, she is now employed with Defense Group Inc. as a technical writer supporting the Alexandria Group in Alexandria, Va., that deals with several United States government agencies, the military and first responders. James Zorn '00, Angola, N.Y, received a master of education degree in school administration from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania on Dec. 13,2003. Krista Doutt '01, Mechanicsburg, Pa., is a sales representative for Chemical Solutions Ltd. Susan Gonnam '01, Exton, Pa., is a physical therapist and athletic trainer for In Motion Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation. Nancy Mealey '01, Erie, is a financial adviser with American Express Financial Advisors. Nathan Wallace '01, Buffalo, N.Y, is a mentor at Erie Community College. Evelyn Leap '02, Moon Township, Pa., teaches third grade in the Burgettstown School District and is also attending classes at Pennsylvania State University toward a master's in teaching and curriculum. Matthew Mihelic '02, Akron, Ohio, has been named marketing and promotions director at the Kemper Golf Company, a national wholesale golf company. He is also the head coach for boys' volleyball at Archbishop Hoban High School. Stephen Gerics '03, Conneaut, Ohio, graduated from the Ohio Police Academy, Lakeland Community College, in September 2003, and is now a patrolman for the Conneaut Police Department.

THE MILLENNIUM
Danielle DeMatteo '00, Williamsville, N.Y., completed her master's degree in elementary education with a concentration in reading from Buffalo State College in December 2003. Jason Espino '00, Oakmont, Pa., is the archaeological field crew chief for Christine Davis Consultants. Heather Gomy Bentley '00, Amherst, N.Y, is director of sales at the Holiday Inn Express at the Buffalo, N.Y, Airport. Scott Koskoski '00, Pittsburgh, Pa., has been promoted to associate director of annual giving at Washington and Jefferson College in Washington, Pa. Michelle Pcsolyar Espino '00, Oakmont, Pa., is a graduate student assistant at the University of Pittsburgh. Scott Peppel '00, Wooster, Ohio, is the director of the athletic development center for the Athletic and Therapeutic Institute.

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fylau for your afma mater,..

Summer is always the perfect time to catch up with old friends ... and classmates! Mark your calendar now for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life event to be held over the 24-hour stretch between noon on Saturday, July 17, and noon on Sunday, July 18, at McDowell High School in Erie, Pa.
m

Just as we have done for several years, Mercyhurst College will sponsor two (or more!) teams of alumni, friends and employees who will relay over the weekend, walking miles around the track and raising funds to support the cause of cancer research. Last year's team of 20 walkers raised more than $1,115 to support the ACS, and we have every expectation of beating that figure this year! If you'd like more information about the walk, please contact team captain Gary Peterson, alumni outreach director, at (814) 824-3320 or gpeterson@mercyhurst.edu.

Joseph Fallon '03, Erie, is co-owner/operator of Fallon Brothers Inc. Landscaping. FBI recently purchased 13 acres of land to build a new shop for the business. Jeffrey Halladay '03 is a 2nd lieutenant in the U.S. Army, Armor Division, and is attending officer basic course at Fort Knox, Ky. He is permanently stationed at Fort Stewart, Ga. Jeffrey Johns '03, Salisbury, Md., will graduate from the Eastern Shore Criminal Justice Academy in June 2004 and then work as a police officer on the Ocean City, Md., police force. Gregory Reeder '03, Butler, Pa., has taken a position at Cornell-Abraxas in Erie as a behavioral specialist working with at-risk youths in the wrap-around program. David Vitale '03, Hendersonville, Tenn., recently opened a new outlet, Sweet Surrender, as part of an expansion and renovation project at Gaylord Opryland's resort and convention center in Nashville, Tenn. He is serving as manager in the cafe services department of the food and beverage division.

WEDDINGS

Dawn DelBianco '97 married Brian Graeser in August 2002. The wedding party included Allison Marsden Benacci '97, Gretchen Storm Mohoney '97, and Brenda Moschel '96. Seth Andregg '98 married Mari DiPasquale April 1,2003. Catherine Bammel '98 married James Hulme May 31,2003, at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, Newport News, Va.

Mary Lynne Shingle '91 married Jonathan Zimmerman June 20,2003, at Trinity United Methodist Church, Erie. Karianne Huther '92 married Brian O'Connor Sept. 28,2002, in Rochester, N.Y. Stacey Urmann '92 married Frank Rubino Sept. 28,1996. Martha La Verde '93 married Michael Heise June 29,2002, at Trinity United Methodist Church, Oil City, Pa. Kelly Kanis '95 married John Brown Sept. 6, 2003, at Peek 'n Peak Resort, Findley Lake, N.Y. Holly McCray '95 married Darrin McCalla Aug. 10,2002. Melissa Festa '96 married Robert Sosnowski June 6,2003. John Barry '97 married Amanda Stefik '98 July 12,2003.

Ellen Burke '99 married Brian Fleckenstein '99 June 14,2003, in the Grotto at Mercyhurst College, Erie. The wedding party included Katherine Burke Kosnar '97, Margaret Wells '99 and Michael Fleckenstein '01. Jeremy DiTullio '99 married Amy Wieczorek '00 Sept. 6,2003, at St. Peter Cathedral, Erie.

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Kerri Mullins '99 married Andrew Levine Nov. 1,2003, in Columbia, Md. Michelle Borsos '99 was maid of honor.

Matthew Adams '95 and wife Julie had a son, Logan Xavier, March 10,2003.

BIRTHS
Michelle Pcsolyar '00 married Jason Espino '00 at St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church, Pittsburgh, Pa. Selena Marino Bachmann '00 was in the wedding party. Amy Ludwig '01 married Jeremy Lutz Aug. 9,2003, at First Baptist Church, New Castle, Pa. Katie Billig '02 married Jay Witosky June 28, 2003, at First Presbyterian Church, Titusville, Pa. Beth Boyda '02 married David Uzzo '02 July 26,2003, at St. Clare Church, Lyndhurst, Ohio. Victoria Cottrill '02 married Jeremy Campaign July 12,2003, at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ohio. Kelly Croll '02 married John Burton Nov. 29, 2003, at St. Angela Merici Church in Fairview Park, Ohio. Danial Donahue '02 married Maria DiCarlo July 12,2003. John Laboski '02 married Jennifer Merski '03 Sept. 6,2003, at Holy Family Catholic Church, Erie. Victor Laurenza '02 married Alicia Dudash Sept. 27,2003, in New Castle, Pa. Jamie Thomas '02 married Joseph Redden Nov. 29,2003, at the Marriott Courtyard, Erie. The wedding party included classmates Sara Stepinski '02, Kelly Landy '02, Jennie Mason '02 and Shannon Seedhouse Gordon '02. Natalya Drozhzhin '03 married Andrew Trapp Dec. 6,2003, at Trinity United Methodist Church, Erie. Daniel Galbreath '03 married Rachel King Sept. 6,2003, at the North East home of his parents. Jillian Montgomery '03 married Kline Barnhart '03 Aug. 23,2003, at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church, Erie. James Sturm '85 and wife Julie have two sons: Jordan, Dec. 19,1997, and Jimmy, May 24,2000. Lynn Fisher Anderson '86 and husband Kirk had a son, Luke Arthur, Feb. 6,2002. Kimberly Gies Leasure '87 and husband Don had a son, Lucas Joseph, Feb. 6,2003. Christopher Johnson '89 and wife Jeanine had a daughter, Lily Isabel. Angela DePietro Perone '91 and husband Tom had a son, Nicholas Thomas, Sept. 12, 2003. Carl Mielke '91 and wife Casey had a daughter, Mackenzie, Jan. 6,2004. Keith Parry '91 and wife Elizabeth have two children: Andrew Linden, 4, and Katherine Emily, 1. Francis (Andy) DeLancey '92 and wife Karen have two children: Samuel Austin, born in 2002, and Brandon Andre, born in 2003. Karen Bell Cobum '92 and husband Michael have three sons: Andrew, Aug. 26,1998, David, March 14,2001, and Ryan, Oct. 31, 2003. Stacey Urmann Rubino '92 and husband Frank had a daughter, Victoria Rose, May 5, 1999, and a son, Nicholas John, Feb. 27,2003. Kristen Ball Dahn '93 and husband Gary had a son, Caleb Michael, Dec. 17,2001, and a daughter, Lauren Marie, Oct. 25,2003. Nicholas Jannetto '93 and wife Denise had a daughter, Julia Nicole, Oct. 22,2003. Patrick Kotek '94 and wife Alicia (Miller) '93 had a daughter, Caitlin Margaret, Feb. 27, 2001, and a son, Patrick Jr., May 27,2003. Cynthia George Kuhn '94 and husband William had two sons: William Charles III, May 3,2000, and Garret George, Oct. 8,2003. Joseph Yurchak '94 had a daughter, Ava, Nov. 28,2002.

Jessica Bolden Kunes '95 had a daughter, Maria Katherine, Sept. 12,2002. Karen Universal Schrader '95 and husband Philip had a son, Gabriel, July 15,2003. Jason Kirby '96 and wife Jennifer had a daughter, Alexandra Ruth, Oct. 10,2001, and a son, Maxwell Jason, Nov. 12,2003. Charles Deitrick '98 and wife Holly (Bhame) '95 had a son, Maclain Dennis, July 24,2003. Peter DeSocio '98 and wife Bridget (Murphy) '96 had a daughter, Catherine, June 3,2003. Kyle Home '99 and wife Jo had a son, Daniel Elliot, Dec. 24,2003. Daniel McNea '99 had a daughter, Maura Grace, Oct. 8,2003. Kathryn Shaffer Klus '99 and husband Patrick had a son, Andrew James, Dec. 27, 2003. Thomas Palmer '00 and wife Heather (Weber) '01 had a daughter, Julia Grace, Nov. 21,2003. Kelly Kroll Burton '02 and husband John had a son, Jacob Anthony, May 31,2003.

CONDOLENCES
Alumni Helen Huether Storey '31 Eleanor Eisert Watts '39 Gertrude E. Pletz Merski '40 Sr. M. Bertha Michalik, RSM '41 Rosemary Lahr Freeh '51 Freda Nappi Couhig '70 Gail E. Sajewski Whiteman '70 Thomas A. Smith '76 Dorothy Ahearn Fuhrmann '82 Erik C. Haas '90 Father of Mary Anne Kern Springer '63 (Edward F. Kern) Catherine Varca '69 (Philip Varca)

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Gerald Fedor 73 (Alex J. Fedor) Donald Gibbon '86 (Donald T. Gibbon) Mother of Tracey Kelley Shellem 78 (Adelaide Harris Kelley) Michael Russo '87 (Doris Russo) Tamara Whiteman Gleason '92 (Gail E. Sajewski Whiteman 70) Jason Staley '05, vice president of Mercyhurst Student Government (Linda Staley) William P. Garvey, President (Dorothy E. Garvey) Husband of Kathryn Sterrett Pericak '51 (Richard Pericak) Mary Witt Sprowls '51 (Christopher Sprowls) Judith Doehla McCarthy '61 (Paul J. McCarthy) Mother-in-Law of Joseph Shellem '77 (Adelaide Harris Kelley) Friends of the College Dorothy E. Garvey, mother of William P. Garvey, President Marguerite A. Urban

Whatcan v\ou
at www. mere urstedu?
Take a look at our newly revamped Campus Tour Submit your nominations for both Distinguished Alumni awards and the sports Hall of Fame Get details on upcoming alumni events such as Homecoming and Parents Weekend Check out the arts and entertainment calendar Find your former professors and drop them an e-mail hello Sign up for the alumni e-bulletin

>vwy^

COMING

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Of's News to W.
Help us fill the Class Notes pages. Share your news of a NEW baby or marriage, promotion, transfer, new job, award or honor, works published or new degrees. We also welcome professional photographs and 35mm one-subject close-up snapshots. Photographs will be returned if requested. Information is used as space permits. Mail your news to Mercyhurst Magazine, Alumni Office, Mercyhurst College, 501 E. 38th St., Erie, PA 16546; fax (814) 824-2153 or e-mail <tgandolf@mercyhurst.edu>. Mercyhurst invites letters to the editor.

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News item

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9fs d(downfiitffor Jeff Jones '84

a*
Yes, Monday I had a business meeting on the mountain. We skied all morning, had lunch at a cabin; Al Gore stopped in, and I spent a moment with him. It was a typical day. It's 8 a.m. on a Monday and business executive Jeff Jones '84 is preparing for an important meeting, gathering together the usual necessities: skis, poles, boots and coldweather gear.
>

Jeff Jones '84, senior vice president and CFO of Vail Resorts Inc.

What, no briefcase, no laptop, no antacid? Not for this new senior vice president and chief financial officer of Vail Resorts Inc. "Yes, Monday I had a business meeting on the mountain/' Jones recalled. "We skied all morning, had lunch at a cabin; Al Gore stopped in, and I spent a moment with him. It was a typical day." Despite being typical, Jones said he still is in awe. "Here's a little Mercyhurst grad sitting next to Al Gore at lunch. That's when I have to pinch myself," he said. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Jones graduated summa cum laude from Mercyhurst with degrees in accounting and American studies. He played fullback on Mercyhursfs first football team in the fall of 1981, and led the Lakers in rushing with 280 yards on the ground that first season. He was also on the rowing team and heavily involved in intramural sports. Although he's climbed many rungs on his career ladder since his days on the Hill, Jones counts the advice of his Mercyhurst adviser college president Dr. William P. Garvey as a key component in his success. "I was majoring in accounting and Dr. Garvey talked me into a second major to take full advantage of the liberal arts aspect of Mercyhurst, so I added American studies," Jones remembered. He's been grateful ever since. In addition to the technical expertise he gained at Mercyhurst, he said the college's liberal arts curriculum enabled him to develop in other ways that have been fundamental to his success in business.

Jones has a long career in finance

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and accounting. He joined Vail Resorts Development Company in September 2003 as senior vice president and chief financial officer and, within two months, was promoted to the same posts at parent company Vail Resorts Inc., where he is responsible for all finance, accounting, purchasing, internal audit, and investor relations functions. Vail Resorts Inc., a business publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange, operates five world-class ski resorts in Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone in Colorado, and Heavenly on the CaliforniaNevada border. Vail is the most visited ski resort in the United States and was ranked the top North American ski resort in SKI magazine's 2003 reader survey. The company also owns or manages more than 20 hotel resorts with more than 4,700 hotel and condominium rooms in seven states. One of its properties, Rancho Mirage in Palm Springs, Calif., hosted the wedding of the year in late 2003 uniting 'The Bachelorette" couple Trista and Ryan before a vast television audience. Before coming to Vail, Jones was executive vice president and CFO of Chicago-based Clark Retail Enterprises Inc. from 1999-2003, and senior vice president and CFO of Boston-

based Lids Corp. from 1998-99. He also worked in a variety of senior finance and accounting positions at Premcor and Dairy Mart Convenience Stores. An accredited certified public accountant, Jones spent the early part of his career, from 1984 to 1988, as a member of the public accounting profession. Now, seated in his office at the base of Beaver Creek Mountain, Jones contemplates the majestic view and knows this is as good as it gets. "I do think this is a dream job," he said, adding that the home he shares with his wife, Donna, 2-year-old son Brett, and 1-year-old boy-girl twins, Jack and Reilly, is situated at a high elevation that provides a breathtaking 360-degree view of the mountains. Ah, yes, for Jones, life is all downhill from here. Jones said he welcomes contact from old friends and acquaintances with whom he has lost touch over the years, adding that they can reach him at jwjones@vailresorts.com. By Debbie Morton, contributed photo.

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The Art of (^win a

Student milter donates coverfet to benefit needy

Mercyhurst College senior Dodie Hammond knows the delight that comes from watching scraps of fabric metamorphose into beautiful quilts at her hands. The Cony, Pa., native has sewn nearly 15 during her college years. Last Christmas, she spread her personal delight, as well as the joy of the season, by donating one of her quilts a nine-patch palette of red and white to the college as a way of helping the needy. It wasn't a gesture for which she sought attention. She simply knew she had more quilts than she could possibly use and perhaps someone else would enjoy having one. Better yet, maybe it could be used to benefit others, especially during the holidays. So, a couple weeks before Christmas break, she offered her quilt to Mercyhurst switchboard manager Sister Damien Mlechick, RSM '56 with the suggestion, "Just use it to help someone." Sister Damien, in turn, passed it on to Sister Geri Rosinski, RSM, director of campus ministry, and there the plan to raffle it off and use the proceeds to purchase grocery gift certificates for the needy took shape. By Dec. 19,2003, the day of the drawing, $150 had been raised, facilitating the purchase of six $25 food certificates. The winner of the quilt was a very enthused Dianne Rogers, director of the learning differences program at Mercyhurst. "I'm still trying to decide how I'll use it," Rogers said. "It has Christmas colors, so it would be nice as a tree skirt. It also has a pixie theme that would make it wonderful for a small child. I may just put it aside until I have a grandchild someday." Sister Geri said Mercyhurst students frequently bring unsolicited donations to cam-

Dianne Rogers, left, looks over the quilt she won as student Dodie Hammond, center, and Sister Ger pus ministry, but no one has ever donated something as personal and time-intensive as a handmade quilt. Dodie, the daughter of Buzz and Miki Hammond, minimizes her contribution. She said the quilts she makes are machine-sewn not hand-stitched, so the time investment is a day or two. Plus, she benefits from their construction in ways that simply aren't measurable. "If s my therapy; it's very relaxing to make one of these," said Dodie, who is a psychology major and religion minor at Mercyhurst. It's also entertaining. Dodie usually does her quilting on weekends, when she works in "My Sewing Room," her mother's quilting shop in Cony. Actually, it took awhile for Dodie to comply with her mother's pleas to help out in the shop. "I thought quilting was for old ladies," she said. But once she completed her first, she knew she was hooked. "I liked picking the colors and the pattern and piecing it together, but the best part was having something to show when you were done," she said. "That was really neat." So is sharing stories with the quilting circle that gathers in her mother's shop. "I'm the youngest one there, and my mother, at 47, is next youngest," Dodie said. "I still think quilting is for old ladies, but fun old ladies." She said she has learned much from them, not the least of which is the art of giving.

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The truth of it is, I felt like I had been doing a pretty good job. After 13 years into this motherhood gig, I could look in the mirror and tell myself: "Girl, I mean Deb, you are still, well, switched-on." I could reasonably comment on the Grammy's, the Bammy's, the Brits or the Oscars. I could spot the difference between the glitterati and The Darkness. After three full years out of the states, I knew from Hello! even if I still craved People. I was also dead cert (Brit speak for certain) that the "Brit" and I were raising well-adjusted, bi-English speaking, third-culture kids. On my secret tally, I was also winning the "mother superior award." How could I not? Our children are well traveled, hold multiple passports and are as comfortable in California as they are on the continent. They wear "proper" shoes and uniforms WITH seasonal hats. They take Latin, fancy the oboe and if you're in need of a tiebreaker, they have REAL English accents. The Brit and I had produced five children, managed five hops across the ocean and shamelessly sampled the expat spoils. With one foot over here and one foot over there, we had things sussed, sorted and all figured out. But when the 7-year-old twins, our only native-born American offspring, did not know what a Marshmallow Peep was, (after having them sent urgently via Fed Ex) I knew I was losing a war and not just the Easter battle. Disappointingly, this Fed Ex fiasco followed my failure to put up our collection of several hundred vinyl window hearts for Valentine's Day and the children's mid-March refusal to wear their shamrock sweaters, even inside the house. Defeat, I hate to admit, had been looming for some time. So what does it all mean? Well, it means you can't give your children your memories. You can show them pictures, take them back to where you became you, have them meet your old friends and even get gushed over by the relatives. You can throw all the money in your available world to buy glimpses and moments but it still can't be done. You can't shrink back, anymore than they can stretch into, your old skin. I'm learning a lot. I may not like it but their life and their memories won't be mine. I am growing old in the mirror, no matter how young my heart feels. So why do I yearn to tell them my stories? Is it because I no longer exist where I came from that I feel the need to keep those lost pieces of me alive?

Perhaps, except if s very different now and we are not like storytellers of old. They had nothing but stories that came laden with custom and tradition. This tidy, inter-generational transfer no longer fits comfortably into our 24/7 full-on existence. Today's stories get told via e-mail or text. Important stories get left to libraries and archivists to be later fueled by search engines. Families can no longer be relied upon to keep the family flame. A new cottage industry has risen from these ashes and legions of creative memory converts wield acid-free paper like insurance against oblivion. It used to be that you could push the past into people's minds and mouths as they grew. This is no longer possible. In our hurry-up or getleft-behind world, we are already losing touch with the next generation. We watch from the wings as they reach farther than we ever thought possible, toward their own future with a critical difference. They are growing up without the stories in a foreign except to them land. By choosing resident alien status in our adopted countries, our numbers have swelled and we have created this new breed of thirdculture kids. Our families flourish in cosmopolitan settings. We are a compelling wave of rich gypsies, legitimized vagabonds, dazzling urbanites. So is it better or easier to hold onto your kids longer if you grow old in the same place your parents did? It must be easier to insert yourself into their noose, via name or reputation or livelihood. It must feel better to make your friendships follow in the well-worn marks of theirs, or do you grow old with their sadnesses and disappointments that much quicker? I have escaped these tracks by choice and now by design but I am heartened by the knowledge that my kids can't grasp my old life anymore than I can. I was in London today and as I looked out of the windows on the train, I took in the grimy streets, dirty buildings, faceless masses and thought I wished for California. In the time since leaving, the memories revert to only my favorite images. I miss the sun drenched every days, eucalyptus and oleander reviving me. And it happens here, as snow lightly falls, in the worst of the waning weeks of March. I ache for something I know to have lost. I fast forward and worry because my girls won't know from Homecoming, Sadie Hawkins or the Junior-Senior Prom. I will have to make do with sprinkles of their same age memories, mixed with mine, to savor. Appeased but not sated. I wonder why I ever washed it possible, to have it all.

Ms Earleen Glas :r
501 East 38th Street Erie, PA 16546 www. mercyhurst. edu

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