Medaille College Magazine Winter 2011-12

Winter 2011-12 The magazine of the Medaille College Community BUFFALO I AMHERST I ROCHESTER

MEDAILLE MAGAZINE

Winter 2011-12 INSIDE

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Top of Mind

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Donor Roll 2010-11

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People

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College news and updates on individual achievements.

From the Editor For an issue that features the past, present and future of learning, we sifted through thousands of archived images from every decade of Medaille’s history for a selection of snapshots that show students on our campus through the years. By pairing them with restaged images of our current students, we hope that you’re able to reflect on how Medaille has evolved, smile at the ways it has stayed the same and dream about what changes are in our future.

KARA KANE

Honoring the contributions of our generous supporters.

Multi-tasking students and Medaille’s library director.

On the Cover

Every Dream Has an Address

Photo left: Melissa Rigdon ’15, Shannon Nichols ’15, Erik Hibit ’15, David Kozar ’13, Brittany Pilarski ’15 and Marvin T. Atkinson ’14

A profile of Byron Pitts, 60 Minutes correspondent and First-Year Summer Reading speaker.

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Photo center: Amelia Hoffman ’14, Phyllis Grogan ’13 and Qawiyyah Blanford ’14 Photo right: Collin Stucko ’12, Doug Page ’12, Alan Thomas ’13 and Katie Breindel ’12

The Future of Learning

COVER PHOTOS BY CHRISTOPHER RIPLEY ’12 AND MEDAILLE COLLEGE ARCHIVES

Classrooms without walls? Let your imagination run wild.

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Amber Dixon ’90 Buffalo Public Schools’ Interim Superintendent shares her views on learning.

Athletics

Medaille College produces its magazine biannually as a service to its alumni, faculty and staff, students, parents, friends of the College and community leaders. The publication promotes Medaille’s programs and people in an informative and engaging format while documenting the College’s progress and expressing the College’s aspiration: to be known as a leader in preparing leaders for career success and a lifelong commitment to a civic and sustainable future in Buffalo, the region and the world.

Printed in Buffalo, N.Y. by Quantum Color (716) 283-8700 I www.printqcc.com

Magazine Editor

KARA KANE

Designer

CARLA F. KESTNER

Contributors

KEVIN BATES I KATIE BREINDEL ’12 KARA KANE I ALAN PERGAMENT

Photography

BOB EISMAN I KARA KANE I CARLA F. KESTNER I MEDAILLE COLLEGE ARCHIVES CHRISTOPHER RIPLEY ’12 I MICHAEL THOMAS ’09 I GREG WLOSINSKI ’07

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TARA ERWIN

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SUMMER HANDZLIK ’08 ’12

College Relations Office

JOHN P. CRAWFORD Vice President for College Relations RYAN ANSTETT Data Entry Specialist KEVIN BATES Graduate Assistant GWYN BEYER Administrative Assistant ROBERT K. EISMAN Webmaster SARA MOBILIA FLUSKEY Interim Director of Major Gifts-Development

Board of Trustees 2011-12

Officers: CHARLES E. MORAN, JR. Chair STUART H. ANGERT Vice Chair JUANITA K. HUNTER, Ed.D. Secretary MICHAEL K. WALSH Treasurer Stephen L. Cicchinelli ’98 Lawrence Costa David Elias Peter J. Freyburger, DVM Horace A. Gioia, Esq.

Robert S. Graber ’96 Ellen E. Grant, Ph.D., LCSW-R Richard T. Jurasek, Ph.D. Margaret Kafka ’90 James K. Morrell

EVELYN HAMILTON Event and Conference Planner SUMMER (GEMMATI) HANDZLIK ’08 ’12 Coordinator of Student, Parent and Alumni Relations KARA KANE Director of Communications CARLA F. KESTNER Graphic Designer/Publications Specialist VICKI WARD Director of Advancement Services

William H. Pearce, Jr. Darius G. Pridgen ’07 Heidi A. Raphael ’85 Dale Stephens ’99 ’06* Robert L. Stevenson

Robby Takac ’86 Rocco Termini Donald R. Tomasulo ’79 Kenneth D. Trbovich ’99 Joseph E. Wolfson

*President of the Medaille Alumni Association Board of Directors, non-voting board member.

From the President How quickly the world of higher education has changed. When the first group of graduates from a brand new Medaille College earned diplomas in the early 1970s, just over ten percent of American adults had a college degree.

Today, it is a reasonable proposition that America’s employers demand a bachelor’s degree as a minimal qualification by which to enter the workforce. And trumping that, career advancement for most fields depends upon a master’s degree or additional training. It presents the question, is this simply credential-creep? A bold trick designed to sell more programs to more students?

From Medaille, the answer is an emphatic “no.” Successful employment in the jobs of the future will call for flexibility in habits of work and adaptability in habits of mind. No matter what the era, the development of those domains has and will remain within the purview of post-secondary teaching and learning. The American secondary system is simply not designed or calibrated for that agenda. In order to compete, more Americans will have to complete – college, that is.

In a past moment, a hiring manager’s lead query may have been, “what was your college major?” It’s a reasonable question to ascertain an applicant’s fit, but it is by no means adequate for today. The applicant of this moment needs to demonstrate “soft skills” – the ability to work within a team and to interact productively with others in a diverse workplace, and the capacity to adapt and to work independently without supervision.

Going forward, we can transform that appraisal and critique into our own immediate call to action. For incoming students, we pledge to provide uncompromising support through to Commencement. And we can provide ample evidence for that promise. The completion of Medaille’s Student Success Center, the approval of our first doctoral degree, a PsyD in clinical psychology and our prescient move into the realm of online learning are pieces of what we are doing – not what we are thinking or planning, but what we are doing – to exceed our students’ expectations and to prepare them for whatever the future holds.

PHOTO BY GREG WLOSINSKI ’07

Two of the four recipients of the 2011 Allen Lee Downing Memorial Scholarship: LaShaya Washington ’12 (left) and Chelsea White ’11.

Few Americans – no matter their ideological preference – would argue with Vice President Joe Biden’s assessment of today’s education system: “Right now we’ve got an education system that works like a funnel when we need it to work like a pipeline. We have to make the same commitment to getting folks across the graduation stage that we did to getting them into the registrar’s office.”

Winter 2011-12

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TOP OF MIND

Top of Mind Graduate Counseling and Psychology Programs Expand Even More WITHIN THIS ACADEMIC year, Medaille introduced a new master’s degree and two new certificate programs as part of its Department of Graduate Counseling and Psychology.

The Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy is based at the Amherst Campus, training students to become professional counselors who help couples and families deal with the challenges of substance abuse, chronic illness, grief and trauma.

For professionals who already have a graduate degree, the Advanced Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy is a one-year program that meets New York State educational requirements for licensure as a marriage and family therapist.

Changes in licensure laws for mental health practitioners in New York State led to the development of Medaille’s Advanced Certificate in Mental Health Counseling. This online program is designed for students with a master’s degree in related fields like school counseling, counselor education and

Briefs We want to hear about your achievements! Faculty, staff, students and alumni are encouraged to send in news and updates to be published in the Medaille magazine and other college publications.

Send an email to Kara Kane at kara.m.kane@medaille.edu, or go to medaille.edu/submit-news.

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The Department of Athletics welcomed two speakers for its annual student-athlete orientation in September. Buffalo Bills running back Fred Jackson and sports nutrition expert Leslie J. Bonci of the University of Pittsburgh spoke to over 150 students and their coaches.

An opinion editorial by Matthew Bowker, Ph.D. appeared in the Buffalo News on Oct. 14. The visiting assistant professor wrote about the Occupy Wall Street movement.

rehabilitation counseling as they pursue licensure as mental health counselors anywhere in New York State.

For more information, visit medaille.edu/sage.

Elaine Correa, Ph.D. presented a paper, “Cheating! From Disconnected Spaces to Engaged Learning,” at the World Conference on E-Learning in Honolulu, Hawaii in October. She is an associate professor in the School of Education.

Medaille appointed John P. Crawford as vice president of college relations. He directs Medaille’s major gifts fundraising, annual giving, alumni relations and communications operations.

The Buffalo Public Schools Board of Education named Amber Dixon ’90 as interim superintendent. She began her term on Sept. 16.

A full field of golfers came together for an afternoon of hitting the links and an evening of remembrance in honor of Allen Lee Downing. The scholarship fund that bears his name supports four students each year who mirror Downing’s commitment to education and community service.

Erin Driscoll ’12, LaShaya Washington ’12, Chelsea White ’11 and Rocco Zambito ’12 benefited this year.

Winter 2011-12

TOP OF MIND

New Members Join Medaille’s Board of Trustees JAMES K. MORRELL joined the board of trustees in July. He is the manager of planning for the Niagara Frontier Transit Authority (NFTA) and chair of the Buffalo Planning Board. Lawrence Costa was voted in at the October board meeting along with two alumni, Don Tomasulo ’79 and Darius Pridgen ’07. Costa is executive vice president for Capital Management Services, L.P. Pridgen is

pastor at True Bethel Baptist Church in Buffalo, and serves as a representative of the Ellicott District on the Buffalo City Council.

Tomasulo is a longtime volunteer for the College and is the director of results at Entercom Communications. The board also approved Kenneth D. Trbovich ’99 as a new trustee at its February meeting.

He is vice president of Servotronics in Elma, N.Y.

New Leadership for Alumni Association THE MEDAILLE COLLEGE Alumni Association board of directors elected officers to lead the organization for 2011-12: Dale Stephens ’99, ’06, Paul Dueringer ’03 and Ann Horn-Jeddy ’99, ’06. Stephens, senior personnel administrator with the New York State Thruway Authority, will serve as president. Dueringer, commercial leasing agent at First Amherst Development Group, was elected vice president. Horn-Jeddy, assistant director of Medaille’s Rochester Campus, will serve as parliamentarian.

As president, Stephens will serve as a non-voting member of Medaille’s board of trustees.

New Look, New Features for medaillesports.com

Stephens

Dueringer

Gayle L. Eagan ’66 was named Lawyer of the Year by the Bar Association of Erie County. The award recognizes outstanding contributions to the legal profession and the Western New York community.

Eagan is a partner in the Estate and Trusts practice group at Jaeckle Fleischmann & Mugel, LLP. Patrick Fazioli, visiting assistant professor in the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, earned a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University at Buffalo. His dissertation examined “Technology, Identity and Time.”

Winter 2011-12

Horn-Jeddy

Mary Jean Jakubowski ’88 was named director of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library System, which celebrated 175 years of operation in 2011.

Associate Professor Robert H. Johnson, Ph.D. was certified as a senior ecologist by the Professional Certification Board of the Ecological Society of America. The ESA certification program recognizes professional ecologists who have met high standards of education, original research, professional experience and ethics, and helps identify these standards to the

REGULAR VISITORS TO medaillesports.com discovered a whole new look for the site as the fall sports season began in August. The launch of a new design coincided with expanded social media content on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Find the Mavs on Facebook (www.facebook.com/medaillemavs) and Twitter @medaillemavs.

general public. There are currently 315 ESA-certified senior ecologists worldwide.

President Richard T. Jurasek, Ph.D. was named to the United Way of Buffalo and Erie County board of directors. Collaborative efforts between the College and UWBEC partners in the city of Buffalo are being planned.

Kaleidoscope Theatre Productions opened its tenth season by staging a production of Barefoot in the Park. The troupe performed Sam Shepard’s True West in January.

They will produce Baby: A Musical in June.

Noted local activist and author Jill Kelly gave a talk to invited guests and alumni at the Outstanding Women’s Lecture Series in October.

She focused on messages and themes from her recent book, Without a Word.

Daniel Kotzin, Ph.D. associate professor in the Department of Social Sciences, contributed two talks for the Everett Jewish Life Center’s Summer Series in Chautauqua.

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TOP OF MIND

Expanding the “Sully”: Campus Center Addition and Renovations MEDAILLE COLLEGE BROKE ground on renovations and an addition to its Kevin I. Sullivan Campus Center on Tuesday, Nov. 15.

Buffalo Campus alumni from the late 1990s will remember the construction of Medaille’s campus center in 1995. Sixteen years later, the building was dedicated in memory of Kevin I. Sullivan, the college’s fourth president. As president, Sullivan oversaw a period of extensive growth, from the start of a residence life program and intercollegiate athletic teams to the expansion of adult and graduate programs.

Following remarks by Virginia Sullivan, wife of Kevin I. Sullivan, Jessica Newcombe, SGA president, and Medaille President Richard T. Jurasek, Ph.D., the speakers and representatives from the construction partners officially broke ground on the construction, which is slated for completion by the start of the College’s fall 2012 semester.

Keith F. Sullivan, Virginia Sullivan and Wayne McNally celebrate the groundbreaking of the Kevin I. Sullivan Campus Center expansion.

PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER RIPLEY ’12

Medaille College and Travers Collins earned Telly Awards in 2011 for the undergraduate and graduate television commercials produced for the “Change Your Mind” branding campaign in 2010.

The School of Education and Medaille hosted the 50th Annual Niagara Frontier Reading Council conference in October.

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Through efforts made by the Office of Veterans and Military Affairs, Military Times magazine designated Medaille as a military-friendly school for 2012. This is the second year the College has earned this distinction.

FC Buffalo defender Corey Phillips ’11 was named captain of the National Premier Soccer League All-Stars.

The School of Adult and Graduate Education established a Houses of Worship program at the Amherst Campus, bringing members of WNY’s religious congregations together with professionals from the College’s mental health counseling program. Jerry Inglet, corporate and business community liaison, leads the effort to provide useful information and resources to these organizations.

Mary Beth Scumaci, assistant professor in the School of Education, received a grant from the Niagara Frontier Reading Council, which supported a speaker series in June at the Amherst Campus.

Speakers included Kristen (Tangeman) Streit ’07, gifted programming specialist, and Kristin Jordan ’07, teacher, each of whom works for the Williamsville Central School District.

Winter 2011-12

TOP OF MIND

Once complete, the expanded Kevin I. Sullivan Campus Center will include: • a large multipurpose/campus event center with a seating capacity of over 600 people; • a new 3,000-square-foot fitness center; • four new locker rooms, two for home teams and two for away teams; • an upgraded athletic training room; • an expanded campus bookstore; • a reconfigured student affairs suite with dedicated student group meeting and workroom spaces; • new student lounge space; • a redesigned athletic office suite; • a new late-night snack and food shop; • a reconfigured gymnasium with increased seating capacity; • the President’s Room, which serves as a special event and entertainment suite overlooking the multipurpose center and gymnasium.

Medaille will host Leadercast 2012 at the Amherst and Rochester Campuses on Friday, May 4. This all-day broadcast event includes speakers NFL quarterback Tim Tebow, CNN correspondent Soledad O’Brien and best-selling author John Maxwell. Register online at www.medaille.edu/leadercast.

Winter 2011-12

Charles E. Moran, Jr., Brad Davies ’13 and Dr. Jurasek

PHOTO BY MICHAEL THOMAS ’09

Student Success Center Opens THE PHRASE “HIGH-IMPACT educational practices” has gained traction among liberal arts colleges in the past few years, and the opening of Medaille’s Student Success Center illustrates the seriousness with which the College has approached student engagement and persistence to graduation, especially among underachieving students.

The 20,000-square-foot Student Success Center, which doubles the size of Huber Hall, is now home to student services offices: the Advisement Center, Office of Disability Services, Academic Support Center, Career Planning Services and TRiO. The building offers a flexible learning environment, and on any given day, one can find dozens of students in the learning labs, open spaces and Center offices.

In remarks at the opening of the Center, Richard T. Jurasek, Ph.D., president of Medaille College, said, “Medaille strives to be an ideal institution, which to us means that the institution understands that teaching and learning must be high-touch, high-impact, high-intentionality and high-integration.” He continued, “We are committed to doing everything possible to help our students graduate and then begin a rich and rewarding life that sustains them and their communities.”

In addition to Dr. Jurasek’s comments, Charles E. Moran, Jr., chair of the board of trustees and president and COO of Delaware North Companies, introduced guests to the space. Shelley Drake of the M&T Bank Charitable Foundation, Nancy Brown ’14 and Brad Davies ’13 also gave remarks about what the Student Success Center means for Medaille College.

For more information on the Student Success Center, visit medaille.edu/ssc.

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You give us peace of mind.

Medaille College Donor Roll 2010-11

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* Board of Trustees M Current Faculty & Staff Members + Maverick Club Members ^ Parents ◊ Deceased

President’s Circle DISTINCTION: $10,000 and Over Mr. and Mrs. Stephen L. Cicchinelli ‘98 * Delaware North Companies, Inc. Merchants Insurance Group Phillips Lytle LLP R&P Oakhill Development, LLC The John R. Oishei Foundation The Western New York Foundation COMMENDATION: $5,000 to $9,999 ADPRO Sports ARAMARK Facility Services The Knee Center The M&T Charitable Foundation New York State Education Department Dr. Nicholas D. & Patricia B. Trbovich Foundation HONOR: $2,500 to $4,999 Buffalo Bills Mr. Horace Gioia * Drs. Richard and Barbara Jurasek * KeyBank Illana Lane, Ph.D. Liberty Mutual Insurance Group Medaille College Alumni Association Northwest Buffalo Community Center The Vincent & Harriet Palisano Foundation Ms. Heidi A. Raphael ‘85 * Mr. Mickey Raphael Mr. and Mrs. Rocco Termini * Upstate New York Transplant Services, Inc. Walsh Insurance Group $1,000 to $2,499 – DONOR Anonymous Ardent Commercial Real Estate Advisors Mrs. Barbara J. Bilotta ‘07 BlueCross BlueShield of WNY Mr. and Mrs. Matthew J. Carver

Catholic Health Chartwells Mr. Ronald J. Christopher Eastman Machine Company Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. Graber ‘96 * Great Lakes Athletic Fields, Inc. Great Lakes Motor Corporation Hart Hotels, Inc. Judith M. Horowitz, Ph.D. & Mr. Alan Thomas Horowitz Douglas W. Howard, Ph.D. Ms. Margaret N. Kafka ‘90 * Larkin Development Group Lender Processing Services, Inc. Lumsden & McCormick LLP M&T Bank Marketing Technologies MCPc, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Moran, Jr. * Mr. and Mrs. William H. Pearce, Jr. * Pearce & Pearce Co., Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Petronella Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Rogers + Roosevelt & Cross, Inc. Sonitrol Security Systems Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Stevenson * Mr. Robert C. Takac ‘86 * Mr. and Mrs. Donald R. Tomasulo ‘79 *+ Travers Collins Ms. Paula R. Valente Mr. and Mrs. Michael K. Walsh * Mr. and Mrs. Joseph E. Wolfson *

Dean’s Circle DISTINCTION: $500 to $999 Blue Chip Prospects, Inc. Buffalo Professional Firefighters Association Local 282 Mr. and Mrs. John P. Courtney ‘79 Daddio’s Pizza John W. Danforth Company Mr. Daniel A. Domino & Dr. Jadwiga H. Domino Elbers Landscape Service, Inc. Gerald J. Erion, Ph.D. Frey Electric Construction Co., Inc. Gerster Sales & Service, Inc. Ellen E. Grant, Ph.D., LCSW-R * Mr. and Mrs. Tom Healy

Ikon Office Solutions, Inc. Industrial Power & Lighting Corp.

Mr. and Mrs. Matthew M. Jacob John W. Murray, Attorney at Law + Mr. and Mrs. Chester R. Klimek Mr. John Leavoy Mrs. Jacqueline S. Matheny Ms. Mary McLean Wilson + Medaille College Student Government Association Mentholatum Co., Inc. New Harbor Financial Management Mr. and Mrs. Donald F. Newman, Sr. ‘73 Niagara Gear Corp.

Raging Wolf Productions LLC Mr. Eric Reilly Mr. Kevin Renaud ‘02, ‘04 Joseph E. Savarese, DVM & Mildred Savarese SportService Corporation Mrs. Deborah A. Strychalski Mrs. Jeannine E. Suk Tony Martin Awards, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. John N. Walsh, III Mr. and Mrs. William G. Weeks COMMENDATION: $250 to $499 Anonymous Ms. Elizabeth L. Anderson Mr. and Mrs. Peter Bonenfant Mr. and Mrs. John P. Bryant, Jr. Buffalo Athletic Club Buffalo Niagara Community Tennis Association, Inc. Mr. Robert D. Chyka, Jr. ‘10 Mr. Henry J. Cole ‘02 Ms. Katherine Connelly Mrs. Barbara Craft Crisis Services Foundation, Inc. CVM Electric, Inc. Mr. E. Webster Dann + Mr. Larry Dewitt + Mr. and Mrs. John H. Edholm, Jr. ‘07 + Dr. and Mrs. Peter J. Freyburger * Gallina Development Corporation Mr. and Mrs. Andres Garcia ‘82 Mr. Gregg A. Goettel ^ + Mr. Ryan L. Hasenauer ‘03, ‘06 + Continues on next page

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Marge Kafka ’90 medaille.edu

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DONOR ROLL 2010-11

Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Hersh ‘99 Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hill Dr. Brad E. Hollingshead & Dr. Amy Jo Adler Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth J. Horoho, Jr. + Mr. and Mrs. Anthony J. Houle Ms. Lynn Houseknecht Juanita K. Hunter, Ed.D. * Independent Health Ms. Pamela R. Jones Ken-Vil Associates, LTD PRTS Mr. and Mrs. Timothy D. Kwiatkowski ‘86 Mr. and Mrs. John MacDonald, Jr. + Mr. and Mrs. Mike MacDonald + Mac-Gray Mr. Jonnie Machmer Mr. Patrick McDonald Ms. Dorothy A. Meindl ‘73 Mr. Joseph P. Michael + Mr. William Miller MJ Peterson Real Estate Modern Disposal Services, Inc. Mary Ellen B. Mulvey, Ph.D. Niagara Scenic Tours Mr. and Mrs. Donald F. O’Connor Mr. Timothy O’Mara & Ms. Eugene Downey Orville’s Appliances Mr. and Mrs. Jerome F. Pawlak ^ + Pepe Construction Co., Inc. Prudential Foundation Nancy L. Pugh, DVM Rainbow Transportation Services, Inc. Rapid Ray’s Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence L. Robinson Ms. Erica L. Schafer Mr. and Mrs. William M. Schickling St. John Baptist Church Mr. and Mrs. Mark N. Taylor Uniland Development Company + Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. David W. Wilson Zenger Group HONOR: $100 - $249 Anonymous A.J. Baynes Group AB&N Plumbing & Heating Co., Inc. Mr. and Mrs. William L. Agronin + Allstate Insurance Company Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. American Sales Company Ms. Cheri Atkinson Mr. and Mrs. David Barnstable Mr. and Mrs. J Barrigar ^ Jenifer M. Bavifard, Ed.D. Bele Vista Land Dr. and Mrs. Howard Benatovich Mr. and Mrs. David Bernosky ‘72 Mr. and Mrs. Barry F. Blake Mr. and Mrs. Keith C. Boerner ‘99 Mr. Paul J. Bogdan ‘03 Mr. and Mrs. James A. Bowers Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Brocato, Jr. ‘87 Bronsky & Company CPA’s Buffalo Gourmet Sandwich, Inc. Business Forms Associates Ms. Catherine Buzanski Mr. and Mrs. Michael P. Carbery + Mr. and Mrs. Joseph J. Castiglia +

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Catholic Health Mr. Fernan R. Cepero CHA Consulting, Inc. Mrs. Angela M. Champion ‘04 Mr. and Mrs. Michael F. Chelus ‘71 Mr. David G. Cooper ‘94 Corbett, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. James T. Crowe ‘75 Mrs. Carol S. Cullinan ‘02 Ms. Mary Ruth Davis ‘99 Mr. and Mrs. Eugene R. Deibel ‘73 Delaware Opticians, LLC Mr. and Mrs. Jack S. Diguiseppe Dr. and Mrs. Robert A. DiSibio Ms. Amber M. Dixon ‘90 Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Dobbin Mr. James P. Doyle ‘78 Susan M. Dunkle, Ed.D. Ms. Joyce A. Dunn ‘97 Eaton Office Supply Co., Inc. Enterprise Media LLC Ms. Elizabeth A. Evans Mr. Robert Everest Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Fagerburg ‘05 Mr. Thomas A. Fentner Mr. Charles T. Fieramusca, Jr. Sara and Robert Fluskey, Jr. + Follett Higher Education Group Food Bank of W.N.Y. Mr. and Mrs. James K. Fort G&G Fitness Equipment, Inc. Ms. Geraldine M. Gaffney ‘91 Ms. Emily Geartz + Geico Insurance Co. Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan D. Gill ‘07 + Mr. and Mrs. Robert D. Gioia Mr. and Mrs. William J. Goc + Mr. Walter Gollinge Gorenflo’s Buffalo Wholesale Lock Co., Inc. Ms. Kathy Graf + Ms. Bonnie J. Griffin & Ms. Vicki Abbey Mr. and Mrs. Douglas D. Hage ^ Mr. and Mrs. Howard H. Hall, Jr. Mrs. Evelyn A. Hamilton Mr. and Mrs. Stephen D. Hansen Ms. Phyllis G. Hart ‘00, ‘03 Mr. Frederick Haskins ^ Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Heim ‘89 Hickory Club P.B.A., Inc. Ms. Shirley A. Hyman IKON Office Solutions Foundation Mr. Gerald Inglet Mr. and Mrs. Roger D. Jackson Jean Jurek Associates, Inc. Mr. James M. Jones, III ‘83 Jostens + Mr. and Mrs. Jerome M. Jozwiak + Mr. Edward J. Kane ‘70 Mr. and Mrs. Allan A. Kasprzak ‘76 Mrs. Suzanne E. Kaunitz-Jack ‘91 Mr. and Mrs. Jack L. Kearly ‘74 Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Kelly Mrs. Dottie A. Kielb ‘73 Mr. William Kish ^ Mrs. Laura Klansky Mrs. Karen Kosowski Mrs. Lynn A. Kozinski Kresses & Piasecki Legal, P.C.

Mr. and Mrs. Henry J. Kropidlowski ‘85 Mrs. Barbara Kurasch Mr. and Mrs. Klyde D. Kurtz ^ Ms. Barb Kuzma Ms. Kathleen D. Leipold + Mr. and Mrs. Ettore Leonardi Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Lewis, Jr. Loboy Foods Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Long ^ Mrs. Phyllis Lukewich Lytle Construction Co. Mr. and Mrs. John J. MacDonald + Mr. and Mrs. Doug Mahany + Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Malcolm, Jr. ‘73 Ms. Marshalle Martin Mr. and Mrs. James E. Matecki ‘71 Dr. and Mrs. Eugene W. Matthews ‘81 Mr. and Mrs. Robert F. Maxwell Mr. and Mrs. Thomas McGrath + Mr. and Mrs. Jim McNicholas + Mr. Christopher Meegan ‘06 Mr. and Mrs. John G. Mikla ‘02, ‘04 Millap Investments, Inc Ms. Karen Miller Mister Pizza Elmwood Mr. Jay Moran + Mr. Warren L. Mostiller, Jr. ◊ Mr. Thomas J. Munch Mr. and Mrs. John Murphy + Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Nesslin, CME Niagara Frontier Reading Council Nickel City Sports Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Niederpruem Northrop Grumman Amherst Systems Mr. David Noto + Ms. Robin J. Nowell ‘82 Mr. and Mrs. Thomas M. Orrange Mr. and Mrs. Rob Palano Mr. Gino A. Pari ‘82 Mr. and Mrs. John D. Passerino ^ Pediatric Cardiology Associates of WNY, LLC Ms. Lillian Petrichko Mr. Thomas Petroff Ms. Phyllis D. Pfalzgraf ‘66 Mr. and Mrs. Harold Phillips + Mr. and Mrs. Daniel J. Pihlblad ‘11 PJF Publishing Player’s Sports, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Marc B. Powers Mr. and Mrs. Michael L. Proch Mr. and Mrs. Jerald Ptak ^ Mr. Michael Putzak ^ Mr. Donald P. Quinlan ◊ Mr. and Mrs. Sean P. Quinn Ms. Omara Reese Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Reilly Mr. Edward J. Reska ‘71 Todd C. Riniolo, Ph.D. Mr. and Mrs. Willard G. Rowlands, Jr. ‘92 Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth P. Rozek + Mr. and Mrs. Fady B. Sahhar Scheff Investment Group LLC Scheff Thompson Cress LLC Mr. and Mrs. Donald L. Scherger ‘81 Mr. and Mrs. Kevin S. Schnirel Scholastic Solutions + Mr. Joe Scully + Mrs. Mary Beth Scumaci

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TOP OF MIND

Signature Development Mr. and Mrs. Joseph K. Simmons ‘01 Ms. Donna Sinclair Ms. Barbara A. Smithgall Mr. and Mrs. Richard Sokolowski + The Sports Locker, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Neil Steinbaugh ^ Mr. Dale Stephens ‘99, ‘06 Ms. Margaret Sullivan Ms. Mary J. Syrek ‘67 Terry Youngs Auto Plaza The Guitar Factory, Inc. Mr. Michael Thompson ‘06 Ms. Yvonne C. Thorne ‘04 Ms. Carol J. Tomczak Tomkins Corporation Foundation Ms. Kathleen A. Toner Travelers Companies Foundation Ms. Erika Trueheart Ms. Kathleen E. Turner ‘72 Mr. and Mrs. Kent T. Turner Ulrich Sign Company, Inc. Ms. Mary J. Velazquez ‘07 Verizon Communications Foundation Mr. Jeffrey S. Walker ‘92 Mr. and Mrs. Daniel E. Wantuck Mr. and Mrs. Vincent J. Wantuck The Wellington Pub, Inc. West Herr Automotive Group, Inc. Westcott Insurance Agency Mr. and Mrs. Walter R. Willard Mrs. Melisa Williams Ms. Gloria A. Wilson Wilson Farms, Incorporated Mr. Adrian Wojnarowski + Ms. Barbara Wolkin + Mr. and Mrs. Raymond J. Zelko ^ Ms. Karin A. Ziegler ‘06

In-kind Gifts

AFLAC New York African Lion Safari Anderson’s Arrowhead Golf Club Arthur’s Executive Dry Cleaners Bob-O-Link Golf Club, Inc. Bristol Village Dr. Jim Brown Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society Buffalo Athletic Club Buffalo Bandits Buffalo Bisons Buffalo News Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra Byrne Dairy Cabana Sam’s Candy Land Spa Certo Brothers, Inc. Chartwells Corvette Cleaners Country Florists Creekview Restaurant Crystal Rock Bottled Water Curves of West Seneca D’Arcy McGee’s Irish Pub Darien Lake Theme Park Resort Delta Sonic Car Wash

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Dick’s Sporting Goods Dipson Theatres, Inc. Mr. Lester Downing and Family Encore Restaurant Golf Card International Hampton Inn Williamsville Hayes Seafood House Henderson Associates Holiday Valley Resort HSBC North America, Inc. The Jewish Community Center The Jewish Federation of Greater Buffalo Just Pizza Kabab & Curry Kentucky Greg’s Hickory Pit Lawley Service, Inc. Maid of the Mist Corporation Martin’s Fantasy Island Maureen’s Buffalo Wholesale Market Mazia’s Pizza MCPc, Inc. The Melting Pot of Buffalo Merchants Insurance Group Michael’s Florist Midstate Bakery Mighty Taco Millennium Airport Hotel, Buffalo Mischler’s Florist MusicalFare Theatre Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Neeson Next Generation Food & Vending Service, Inc. Niagara Frontier Transportation Niagara’s Finest Inns North Park Florist Northrop Grumman Amherst Systems Old Orchard Inn Oliver’s Restaurant Pepsi Bottling Group Perry’s Ice Cream Co., Inc. Pizza Plant Prime Wines Corporation Red Osier Landmark Restaurant Ruzzine’s Rock Bottom Sahlen Packing Co., Inc. Salvatore’s Italian Gardens Sara Lee Shaw Festival Staybridge Suites - Buffalo Airport Tandoori’s Restaurant Tarantino Produce The Copy Store The Irishman Pub & Eatery Theatre of Youth Tony Martin Awards, Inc. Twin City Ambulance University at Buffalo Division of Athletics Wendy’s Zenger Group

Donors who contributed gifts from $1 - $99 are acknowledged in a donor roll listing on the Medaille College web site, www.medaille.edu/giving.

This list reflects gifts to Medaille College from July 1, 2010, to June 30, 2011.

Every effort has been made to publish a complete and accurate list of our donors and their contributions. We apologize for any errors in spelling or accidental omissions of names.

Please contact the Office of College Relations at (716) 880-2209 if you would like to report any errors or provide comments on the 2010-11 Donor Roll.

Gifts from our generous donors have made a tremendous impact on our students as they pursue a college degree. On behalf of the students who have received scholarship support, and those who have benefited from the campus services supported by these gifts, we give our sincerest thanks.

To renew or start your contribution, visit medaille.edu/giving.

Statement of Financial Position Audited as of June 30, 2010 Total Assets Total Liabilities Total Net Assets Total Liabilities and Net Assets REVENUES Net Tuition and Fees Government Appropriations Other Sources, Grants, Contributions & Gifts Auxiliary Enterprises Total Revenues EXPENDITURES Total Education and General Auxiliary Enterprises Total Expenditures Non-Operating Activities Increase in Net Assets

2010 $52,380,918 28,813,789 23,567,129

2011 $62,790,993 36,439,676 26,351,317

52,380,918

62,790,993

37,034,698

35,198,960

1,207,378

1,473,258

671,124

877,607

4,082,516 42,995,716

4,143,781 41,693,606

33,990,792

34,807,556

4,188,769

4,351,953

38,179,561

39,159,509

211,943 5,028,098

250,091 2,784,188

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PEOPLE

Morgan Howe ’15 HAILING FROM A rural community about 50 miles south of Rochester, N.Y., Morgan Howe ’15 may be a country girl, but she’s thriving in her urban environment as she assimilates into college life, both on and off campus.

“My high school graduating class had about 65 students in it,” said the Nunda (pronounced “none-day”), N.Y. native. “That’s why I was looking for a smaller college like Medaille. I wanted the smaller class sizes I was used to as well as the individual attention from professors.”

With self-awareness atypical of most freshmen, Howe knew her strengths and weaknesses and wanted to be certain that professors would be there to lend a helping hand should she need any extra help. As she pursues a criminal justice degree, she has not been disappointed.

“I knew I didn’t want to be just another number or get just an e-mail address as a way to contact my professors,” said Howe. “From day one at Medaille,

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PHOTO BY KARA KANE

the teachers went out of their way to be personable and accessible to students. They make it easy to pay attention and enjoy class.”

This self-described “people person” loves meeting and talking to new acquaintances. She’s become close with her roommate and has found a new group of friends among members of the Lady Mavs basketball team.

Howe’s goal is to one day serve in the United States Secret Service, protecting our nation’s leaders in Washington, D.C., a city which captivated her with its busy, bustling atmosphere when she visited.

For now, though, Howe is content to explore Medaille’s campus and the city of Buffalo. “I’m having a great time,” Howe said. “I hate to be bored and there’s always something to do. I’m so lucky to be at Medaille.

It’s the perfect fit for me.”

TARA ERWIN

Winter 2011-12

PEOPLE FOR ANDREW CLARK, it’s all about giving back. As a student ambassador, resident assistant, TRiO peer mentor and psychology major, much of Clark’s time is focused on helping others.

“For me, college is more than what’s going on in the classroom,” Clark said.

He believes the social aspect of campus life is just as important as homework and tests, which is why he strives to make prospective and new students as comfortable as possible at the school.

Describing his childhood in Philadelphia as “rough,” Clark was ready for change when his father, a pastor, announced a move to Buffalo. “I wanted to have a chance at a fresh start – a better environment,” he said.

A graduate of Buffalo’s Math, Science Technology Preparatory School, Clark admitted Medaille wasn’t on his initial list of colleges, as he had his sights set on going back to Philadelphia. However, after encouragement from his guidance counselor, Clark met with an admissions counselor at Medaille, toured the school and was intrigued.

“Besides the fact that Medaille is well-known for its psychology program, what really struck me was the overall atmosphere at the school,” he said. “Everyone here was so friendly and laid back. I also knew I’d get opportunities here that I might not get at a larger university.”

Clark was also grateful for how the admissions office went out of its way to advise him on the financial aid packages his high SAT score earned him. The staff also helped him find ways to lower the cost of living on campus, such as serving as an RA in the South Residence Hall.

“That really showed me the kind of dedication Medaille has for students,” he said.

The idea to study psychology came after a friend’s younger brother was diagnosed with leukemia. Needing someone to listen, Clark empathized with her as she shared her fears and concerns. He found satisfaction in giving comfort to someone in need and decided to turn it into a career aspiration, hoping one day to become a doctor of psychiatry

Andrew Clark ’14

with a focus on childhood trauma.

“It’s something that’s needed and that I can provide,” he said.

Clark is an avid supporter of the Student Success Center, going so far as to give his perspective in a presentation to Medaille’s Board of Trustees. He finds the open space, continuously updated technology and abundance of support strategically geared to give students the resources they need to reach their full potential.

Life could have taken a different turn for Clark, and he knows it. From the ease of assimilating into campus life and making friends to his involvement with the services offered by TRiO and the Student Success Center, Clark seizes every chance to share his enthusiasm about Medaille.

“If I can have the opportunity to talk about a school I enjoy being at and if I can help people discover the same positive experiences I’ve had and give back to the school, I will,” he said. “Medaille has given me the chance to make the most of my education, both in and out of the classroom.”

TARA ERWIN

PHOTO BY BOB EISMAN

Winter 2011-12

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PEOPLE

Shaun Seufert ’13 IS IT POSSIBLE to hold down a demanding full-time job while attending graduate school? Shaun Seufert ’13 seems to think so, and makes the transition from professional to student look easy.

The Oriskany, N.Y. native recently became the communications and advertising manager at Five Star Bank, which serves the Western and Central New York region, where he manages the bank’s brand and image through event marketing, public relations, merchandising, sales referral programs, internal communications and advertising.

“I’m a pretty positive person…and lifelong learner,” said Seufert, who looks forward to contributing to Five Star’s marketing/communications strategy. “I bring a fresh perspective to the bank.”

Seufert may also be a familiar face, as he appeared in the local media as the spokesperson for AAA of Western and Central New York, where he served as public affairs specialist for four years prior to his position at Five Star. “Many of the interviews I conducted at AAA were about traffic safety, new

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legislation for motorists and gas prices,” he said.

After receiving his associate of science in liberal arts from Mohawk Valley Community College in Utica, N.Y., Seufert returned to college at age 25 and earned his bachelor of arts in communications and journalism from St. John Fisher College.

“I returned to school after finding a profession I knew I would enjoy,” said Seufert, who also worked full-time at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester while holding down a full-time course load.

Ever the multi-tasker, Seufert chose Medaille because of its convenient MBA program that allows him the flexibility to fulfill his responsibilities, both in the office and classroom.

“It allows students to learn in a team environment and challenge each other’s ideas; it makes for a great learning experience,” he said. “For someone like me, it presents opportunities to learn new skills not addressed in an undergrad setting but that are required for today’s business person.”

TARA ERWIN

Winter 2011-12

PEOPLE

Pam Jones

PHOTO BY KARA KANE

Winter 2011-12

MENTION A LIBRARIAN and the image of a severe, serious woman impatiently shushing patrons probably comes to mind.

Fortunately, to Medaille’s Library Director Pam Jones, M.L.S., laughter comes easily; she loves finding ways to make the College’s research and learning services more accessible to the Medaille community.

“I see librarians as being teachers as well,” said Jones, who has been in the profession for over 20 years and serves as managing editor of the trade publication Journal of Library Innovation.

“The technology and ways to find information have probably changed 10 times in the past three years. It’s hard to keep up and we want to make sure we are meeting everyone’s needs,” she said, noting the library routinely holds focus groups to ensure that resources and procedures are in line with what patrons are looking for.

“It’s how we get ideas to improve,” she said. For example, the writing lab at the Rochester Campus library was created in response to a need discovered from students’ comments.

Since becoming library director in 2009, Jones and her staff of 17 have acted as tour guides of sorts, helping students, faculty and staff navigate to the information they are seeking. Medaille’s core curriculum requires that certain classes include a librarian who works closely with the professors and students as they explain the vast resources available and how to utilize them.

“I love working one-on-one with students and having the opportunity to connect with them, as well as give them a face to hopefully remember the next time they need help,” she said.

Jones takes pride in the integration of the library’s services with those of the Student Success Center. Before Center’s completion, instruction was often relegated to the library space itself, which sometimes resulted in disturbing other patrons, or to whichever classroom happened to be available, a process Jones described as “cumbersome.” During the planning stages, Jones pushed for specifically designated classroom space that allowed for an open layout and clear visibility for both the students and instructor. The result is the “Collabratorium,” a space where each student has his or her own computer and the teacher can access a printer and Smart Board, or simply walk around and provide individual instruction when needed.

Students can also use the space for personal or group study after hours.

The Collabratorium helps Jones in her ongoing quest to make the library an active part of the Medaille community. “I don’t want to simply sit back and say, ‘let them come to us,’” said Jones. “I think it’s our job to seek the students out, find ways in which we can better help them and give them a good experience so they keep coming back.”

Ever wonder what’s on the librarian’s reading list? Here are Jones’ top three picks: The Five People You Meet in Heaven, by Mitch Albom; The Help, by Kathryn Stockett; and The Paris Wife, TARA ERWIN

by Paula McClain.

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When Pitts told fellow university students that his dream was to work on 60 Minutes, he was a freshman on academic probation.

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grace

THE FAVORITE WORD in Byron Pitts’ vocabulary is grace.

The CBS News correspondent and “60 Minutes” contributor demonstrated before and after a speech at Medaille College on Oct. 3 that the word perfectly fits Pitts.

Pitts was extraordinarily gracious as he talked to Medaille faculty and staff and members of the community at a book signing in the school library before the speech.

He gave everyone on the lengthy line a minute or a two — or five — of his time as he autographed his 2009 book, Step Out on Nothing: How Faith and Family Helped Me Conquer Life’s Challenges.

Pitts, whose book was chosen as Medaille’s first-year summer reading selection, had as many or more questions for faculty members and students stepping up to talk to him as they had for him. He shared experiences, talked with faculty about mutual friends and his love of Baltimore, and asked students where they live and where their dreams for a career will take them.

When a student said she wanted to be a TV or radio talk show host, Pitts followed up with a perennial question: “what’s your plan?”

It’s his favorite question. He asked it to just about everyone in line who wanted their book autographed.

Pitts was supposed to be at the gym at 6 p.m. That plan needed amending because he was so gracious with his time. He was a few minutes late, but he didn’t disappoint the packed crowd after he arrived.

He immediately told the crowd he planned to talk for 20 minutes, which anyone who watched the book signing realized is 40 minutes in Pitts Time.

The late, great “60 Minutes” creator Don Hewitt modeled the legendary show that Pitts is now a part of with a simple philosophy for his correspondents to keep in mind: “Tell me a story.”

True to this statement, Pitts had quite an entertaining and inspiring story to tell and used poet Maya Angelou and such noted philosophers as baseball legend Yogi Berra and football great Deion Sanders to help tell it.

During his inspirational and optimistic speech, Pitts threw out several phrases that would likely inspire greeting cards. The chief among them is “every dream has an address.”

“You have to have a plan to get there,” he explained.

Though he brought some notes, Pitts didn’t refer to them as he walked the stage and told the story of how a 12-year-old who was misdiagnosed as mentally retarded eventually lived his dream to become a “60 Minutes” correspondent and also interviewed six presidents and covered three wars.

The self-deprecating

PHOTO COURTESY OF GREATER TALENT NETWORK

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Pitts realized he wasn’t in the best position when he told fellow students at Ohio Wesleyan University that his dream was to work on “60 Minutes.”

“I wrote that as a freshman on academic probation,” Pitts told the crowd to laughter.

He wasn’t done with the self-deprecation. He later added: “I failed freshman English and went on to “60 Minutes.’”

One of his professors even told Pitts that he wasn’t college material and advised him to withdraw. He broke down and cried, thinking about the single mother who had sacrificed so much for him and all the people that he had failed.

“These weren’t Hollywood tears,” he said. “These were shouldershaking, head-bobbing, nose-running kind of tears.”

Fortunately, he met a stranger who “stepped out on nothing.” It’s a phrase that Pitts first heard in church and means faith sustains one in difficult times. The stranger had faith in Pitts and persuaded him to give it the old college try and to continue to pursue his dream.

Never underestimate the power of a kind word.

PHOTO BY KARA KANE

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Every dream has an address. You have to have a plan to get there.

“Never underestimate the power of a kind word,” said Pitts.

“She didn’t simply change my life, she saved my life,” said Pitts.

She wasn’t the only one there for Pitts when he needed encouragement or a kick in the pants. He said he was driven by his fear that he would let down his mother and family. He also feels he owes his brother, who took an extra job while he was in college to make it easier for him to study. Pitts also appreciated his college roommate, an upper-class student from Minnesota who couldn’t have been more different than an AfricanAmerican teenager who grew up in inner-city Baltimore. His roommate helped Pitts expand his vocabulary by giving him a dictionary word each day to learn for four years.

Pitts needed all the help he could get as a first-generation college student who had many people rooting for him to be successful. He eventually realized that hard work and determination can pay off.

“In some ways, my story is your story,” Pitts told students.

An optimistic man of faith, Pitts gave students one warning about the danger of being indifferent.

“I’ve learned that indifference can be a deadly weapon,” he said. “That good and decent people take their gifts and do nothing with them... So do not be indifferent about your gifts, your opportunities.”

Many in the crowd felt that hearing Pitts was a gift.

“He gave a very genuine message that resonates,” said Mary Ellen Mulvey, Ph.D., senior director of instructional support and community partnerships at Medaille. “He is giving students and everybody here a hopeful thought. I love ‘every dream has an address.’ I think you can take that away from the speech.”

Winter 2011-12

Heidi Raphael ’85, a member of Medaille’s board of trustees, also loved the “every dream has an address” quote.

“I’m going to wake up in the middle of the night thinking about that,” said Raphael. “I think what he said was a great blueprint for the students and it can be applied anywhere. I think he is fantastic.”

Chatham Marcolini, a junior majoring in communication, was impressed by Pitts as well.

“I thought he was very interesting and energized the audience,” said Marcolini. “Being a communication major, he gave me a good picture of what it is like to get to this point in his career.”

Jonathan Sherman, another junior communication major, expected to hear more from Pitts about what it is like working in broadcasting, but enjoyed the speech anyway.

“I thought it was motivational,” said Sherman, “coming from a place (Baltimore) that is like Buffalo. And he failed freshman English. He made the point it doesn’t really matter where you come from and where you go to school.”

Before he finished, Pitts gave out a final gift to everyone attending – his email address. The journalist whose life could make for a Hollywood movie that could leave viewers in “noserunning tears” told everyone that he’d be happy to help everyone with their dream in any way he can.

But he couldn’t avoid making one more dig at himself. He added that now that he is 50, he might need a reminder if he doesn’t respond within a few days.

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a 1969. udent, circ st d n a y lt fied facu d: Unidenti IVES Backgroun CH AR E EG LL PHOTO MED

AILLE CO

Student Moriah Orwat ‘14 and “Elmo” in the newly expanded Student Success Center with Connie Hanel, academic achievement specialist, Academic Services Center (left) and Lisa Black, assistant director of TRiO/ Student Support Services (right).

PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER RIPLEY ’12

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By Alan Pergament

Winter 2011-12

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THE FUTURE OF LEARNING

Imagine it is 2025, 150 years after what

became known as Medaille College was founded as Sisters of St. Joseph to train teachers.

And then imagine how professors will teach and students will learn.

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“It will probably be in a classroom without walls,” said Illana Lane, Ph.D., dean of Medaille’s School of Education. “I would assume that people would be carrying around small devices to communicate back and forth for instruction. Some of it probably would be done face-to-face, some would not necessarily be done face-to-face.”

Dr. Lane envisions that the future of learning will be done online or on a virtual site.

“Or with avatars, which I’m sure will be old by that time,” said Dr. Lane. “There will be something else new. When I say a wall without classrooms, I mean I could be taking a class in real time with students in another country, where we are engaging back and forth with something that we are doing.”

Dr. Lane’s view of the future of learning is very similar to those of several other people associated with Medaille. And not everyone is going to be celebrating the future.

“I have a fear of what it is going to look like,” said Claudia Conway, clinical assistant professor and chair of the undergraduate education program. “I have a fear it is going all virtual. It is going to be all online. We are going to stop doing face-toface learning and we’re going to move to almost all online.”

Conway noted that Medaille already offers an extensive list of online options.

“I think there are some programs where that would be okay,” she said. “But in my field, my students need to see me teach. They need to see me model what a teacher does and what a teacher sounds like. It is not something you can learn online. We can do some of that but not exclusively. That’s my fear. And that’s what I see as we become more and more dependent on technology. I see that happening.”

Raymond Bailey ’06 teaches a psychology course at the College, and he sees education moving towards a more hands-on approach. He said the technology at Medaille has greatly improved in the last 10 years with the addition of SMART Boards and easy access to the Internet.

“It’s very easy to access video clips and create interactive presentations which really interest the students,” said Bailey. “In regards to my psychology class, it’s one thing to try to discuss theories with students but to be able to interact with theories using technology makes more of an impact and it is fun for teachers to interact with students as well.”

Bridget Brace-MacDonald came to Medaille in August as the director of the Center for Community-Based Learning. She realizes that the College will be educating minds in the future in a very different way than she experienced in college almost a decade ago.

“I think the college classroom of the future is not always going to be in a traditional classroom,” said Brace-MacDonald. “I think there will be more experiential education opportunities out in the field, with professors delivering content in a classroom to some degree and then learning simultaneously taking place outside the classroom.

There will be more diverse ideas of what a classroom can be.”

Winter 2011-12

THE FUTURE OF LEARNING

Things certainly have been revolutionized since 1875 when Medaille was founded as an educational institution training nuns to become educators.

But one thing remains the same: an emphasis on the traditional three Rs – reading, writing and ‘rithmetic.

“The basic skill sets have not changed,” said Dr. Lane. “You still need to read and write critically, effectively and with proper grammar. But communication has clearly shifted in terms of how that is done.”

“Everybody needs to be able to read and write,” said Conway, who has been in education for more than 30 years. She noted that years ago skilled laborers could have a marketable trade and get by with minimal education to be competitive.

“It doesn’t matter what job you are doing now, you have to have more education to be a better reader,” Conway added. “The job force requires educated, literate candidates.”

This includes plumbers and auto mechanics.

“Probably even more so because everything is computerized,” remarked Conway. “Everything has technical manuals. You have to be able to read and to make critical decisions.”

Students also need to develop critical thinking skills, and that has become a problem area, said Brace-MacDonald.

“That’s one of the things employers are really having a difficult time with,” she said.

“One of the things that a liberal arts education like the one Medaille provides is critical thinking skills… It makes you a more agile and competitive job seeker. It gives you more options.”

Amber M. Dixon ’90, who became the interim superintendent of Buffalo Public Schools last summer, agrees that critical thinking skills are in decline.

“I think we spend a lot of time reducing complex situations into their most simple forms,” said Dixon. “And the more we do that I think we have less faith in people understanding the complexity of what we do. Complexity is my favorite word because so much is not simple. With social media, with the press, with the infusion of other people’s thoughts into our daily world, it’s hard to make an informed decision… So critical thinking and thoughtful dialogue is going to keep us as a society to be proud of.

Quick thoughts, quick answers and sound bites are not the way to go.”

Brace-MacDonald believes connecting students to the community where they are learning is the way to go.

“One of the core principles of an educational system is to hopefully graduate civicminded students,” said Brace-MacDonald. “A lot of colleges don’t necessarily act to ensure that this principle is carried out. Medaille is pretty incredible. We’re making sure that at multiple points undergraduates have access to some form of experiential learning so that they can connect with the local community and become more civically engaged.”

Dr. Lane envisions that the future of learning will either be done online or on a virtual site,“Or with avatars, which I’m sure will be old by that time.”

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THE FUTURE OF LEARNING

Governmental policies and mandates like President Bush’s No Child Left Behind in 2001 and President Obama’s Race to the Top in 2009 have also influenced the way education has changed and will change.

“They have definitely influenced our practice in terms of training our students to become teachers,” said Conway. “What the government has mandated for public schools influences how we prepare teachers. So certainly the government has had an impact.”

Conway sees positives and negatives in the policies.

“I think we needed the reform,” she said.

“I’ve been a teacher since 1975 so I’ve gone from a time when there was little direction given to teachers. The practices we used were not research-based. They were what we always did and what we thought was right.

The government’s influence has caused us to be more aware of current and appropriate and relevant research in helping kids become proficient. So I think its input has been good. But I also think there is a bad side because we have to be careful that they don’t dictate that, rather they guide.”

Dr. Lane added there hasn’t been enough time to know whether the government policies have been helpful or not.

“What we try to do is make sure we are preparing our teachers well enough to go out in the field so they are aware of all of those changes,” said Dr. Lane.

Of course, the way students consume and are influenced by media has made educating them more complicated. Their reliance on and use of social networks like Facebook and Twitter can expand knowledge, but can also dramatically reduce attention spans and impact likelihood of student success. It can be helpful or hurtful.

“I think it is a combination of both,” said Dr. Lane. “I think it is helpful because it is another medium and mode of communication. So it is a new way of engaging. You get information quickly, albeit not always correct information. Some of the negatives to it is putting it in perspective what is the best way to educate using those mediums. There is value in having

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Do you recognize yourself or your classmates in these pictures? Contact the Alumni Relations office at (716) 880-2315 or alumni@medaille.edu.

PHOTO CIRCA 1972, MEDAILLE COLLEGE ARCHIVES

“What the government has mandated for public schools influences how we prepare teachers.”

Claudia Conway Winter 2011-12

THE FUTURE OF LEARNING

PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER RIPLEY ’12

“I see social networking as a positive for learning.”

Raymond Bailey ’06 Winter 2011-12

enough time to digest information, reflect upon it, respond, have discussion and engage, dialogue versus being in an environment rooted in getting an immediate response all the time.”

Not surprisingly, a more recent graduate like Bailey sees the positives in social networks and considers Twitter and YouTube “as education giants.”

“You have news directly at your fingertips and for students who may not have access to television or newspapers, it’s a way to stay in the loop. I see social networking as a positive for learning. It’s a way to create new lesson plans with fresh, up-to-date information.

Even seeing what students at other colleges are working on using YouTube is a way to help students form their own opinions on topics covered in class. It also presents a challenge for educators as well to keep up with the ever-changing social media.”

Dixon said she isn’t sure yet whether the influence of social media is a positive or a negative.

“It can be a force for good or a force for evil,” said Dixon. “I don’t know if quick communication is always the way to go. If we reduce ourselves to sound bites, I don’t think it is the communication we need in this society. I think it can be a tool, but I don’t think it should be our primary tool.”

Conway also sees the pluses and minuses.

“I think too much of anything is not good,” she said. “It’s how you use it. The fact that information is so available to us is great because we have instant access to everything. What I think is negative is that it is distracting to us at times.”

“I like the fact people are talking to each other but I don’t think it is the same kind of conversation that you can have faceto-face. Texting and these short little emails don’t have expression or the inflection or tone. Because of that, you lose the message.”

Everyone agrees that the influence of technology on education is an important component now more than ever.

“We have to integrate technology into our classrooms and I think Medaille has done a really good job of that,” said Conway.

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THE FUTURE OF LEARNING L to R: Ross Runf ola Sacha Landrene , Jr. ’94, Keith Overholt ’92, Darre au ’92 PHOTO CIR n Portis ’93 and CA 1992, MEDAILLE COLLE

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Dr. Lane said that there is current research that indicates that children’s brains are developing differently because of technology and teachers have to adapt.

“They are wired differently because they’ve been consistently in a digitized world,” she said. “So they don’t learn the same way we do. And they multi-task differently… They are multi-tasking on multiple forms of digital. And they are highly sensory. Children are waiting to be entertained.

“Everything is a little extra amplified. Sound effects, animation, loud noise. There actually are some children who can’t learn when it is too quiet. So it is a shift in that way.”

That shift affects teachers.

“You are talking about individuals teaching in ways they were not taught when they were in school,” said Dr. Lane. She added that in the past teachers thought the way they learned is the way students should continue to learn. That has changed.

“In essence we are training and preparing students for jobs, careers that haven’t even been invented yet because of how fast the needs are changing,” said Dr. Lane. “The L to R: Collin Stucko ’12, Doug Page ’12, Alan Thomas ’13, Katie Breindel ’12 PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER RIPLEY ’12

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THE FUTURE OF LEARNING

mode we have to be in now, because we don’t technically know what is on the horizon, is to give everybody a skill set that is transitional.”

The job market certainly is in transition.

“Twenty years ago, people generally stayed in one job,” said Dr. Lane. “They stayed in one area. The skill sets they had they were able to use without it being an issue.

Clearly, that has changed. People have multiple jobs.

They don’t necessarily stay within a 5-10-15 mile radius of where they grew up. They need to have transferrable skills because there is not the same commitment either from employer or employee… So part of it is gearing up people so they are in the mode that it is important to have skill sets to be able to do multiple jobs.”

In the past, Dr. Lane said someone who wanted to become a first grade teacher might be able to make that a lifelong career. Not anymore. “The odds you are able to teach the exact same grade are slim to none,” said Dr. Lane.

She said that population changes and the changing needs of school districts may prevent teachers from staying in one job, which has led teachers to get multiple certifications.

“It is not a requirement, it is like a professional development stamp,” said Dr. Lane. “You need it to be an effective instructor. To be a good teacher, you should have more than one certification.”

Many of the teachers Medaille has trained since 1968 may have thought that was hard to imagine. But these days when it comes to the future of education, imaginations run wild.

Alan Pergament was a reporter and columnist for The Buffalo News for 40 years, the last 28 years serving as the newspaper’s daily television critic. He has been an adjunct professor at Medaille since 2006, teaching a course in media criticism.

He writes for Buffalo Spree magazine, and since leaving The News in May 2010, he has written a daily blog about television at http://stilltalkintv.com.

AMBER DIXON ’90 looks at the future of learning and thinks of her past as a Medaille College student in the late 1980s and 1990.

Dixon, who was named the interim superintendent of Buffalo Public Schools in September, came to Medaille as an early education student while working as a Niagara Mohawk electrician and having previously taken courses at several other colleges.

As a single mother, she worked at Niagara Mohawk by day and took courses at Medaille at night.

In a wide-ranging interview over tea, Dixon recalled her college experience, discussed the influence of government programs on education and addressed the decline in critical thinking among students.

“I’m going to go back to who I was,” she said when envisioning the future of learning, “somebody who was raising a child alone and was working a full-time job with mandatory overtime. Getting to school on time was an issue for me. Taking care of my family at the same time was an issue for me. There’s no reason for that to be an obstacle in the future. None whatsoever… The electronic media is going to make it possible for someone like me to stay home and take classes at the same time.

“That’s just one pragmatic view of how it is going to be.

The other is I think we should recognize the learners in front of us are incredibly diverse, especially if you are talking about urban education.”

Dixon noted the classroom of tomorrow will include English language learners with a lot of education, some with limited or no formal education who come from refugee camps, students from impoverished families, and students who come from upper- and middle-class backgrounds.

“You are going to have to be training people in the school of education to address more needs,” said Dixon.

“The students at Medaille in the future are going to have to learn a lot more about targeting their skills. The world is getting bigger.”

She is concerned about the widespread view that future classrooms won’t be in classrooms because of the changes brought about by technology.

Amber Dixon ’90 is interim superintendent of Buffalo Public Schools Winter 2011-12

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THE FUTURE OF LEARNING “There has to be a balance,” said Dixon. “Maybe I’m oldfashioned. I don’t want to negate the power of sitting in a room with some of the professionals I sat in a room with. Maybe not every single night, but there is a power to a conversation with professionals. I think it is all about options, it is all about opportunities. And I think with the use of technology and the use of standard communication we can really all learn a lot more in order to meet the broadening needs we are going to be confronting.”

She didn’t have many options when she was educated at Medaille two decades ago.

“It was very traditional,” said Dixon. “It was the teacher in front of the room. The groups of learners in front of you were a little diverse but not incredibly diverse. The range of skills was within a manageable level.” At that time, classroom techniques relied on lectures and textbooks.

In fact, she had more textbooks than she or anyone else taking a course at night could afford.

“I remember in one class we actually rebelled,” she said.

“Being at night, most of us were working parents. So this was already a stretch. We were supposed to buy six books. We said we’d each buy one, we’d share and asked ‘can you put some in the library?’ Then they started changing with the times, recognizing the reality of the situation.”

In her view, textbooks weren’t always the entire educational answer.

“The value came from the people of Medaille, it didn’t come from the textbooks,” said Dixon.

Dixon also questions whether government programs like President Bush’s No Child Left Behind in 2001 and President Obama’s Race to the Top in 2009 always have the right answers when it comes to their influence on the future of learning.

“We’re talking about shrinking dollars,” said Dixon. “The feeling is, let’s not provide anything to anyone. You can see a real pulling back, let people fend for themselves. So when it comes to education, ‘if we are to get money, what’s the group that’s working? What does society get out of it?’”

She said No Child Left Behind started out with a higher motive and helped those who needed it the most.

“There was a perfect moment at the beginning of No Child Left Behind which meant just what the title gave us,” said Dixon.

“We’ve moved beyond that. So now it is more what are we getting for our public dollars? What are these people on the public dole giving back to society? There is a feeling if we want to put public funds in it, we want to monitor it and we want results.”

She thinks that policy can be wrong-headed.

“I think it is worse,” said Dixon. “Because it is not that simple to quantify what education is. I think this spills into the bigger issue of a liberal arts college like Medaille. Not every course I took was targeted toward education. I took a course in poetry, a course in writing and a wonderful art and music course.

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“Those are valued educational courses that can’t always be reflective and centered on textbooks. So just in the microcosm of education, I don’t think you can measure Medaille by seeing how children do on a math or English test.”

She added that a liberal arts education helps in an area that many employers view as a major problem today: critical thinking.

“You need thinkers, we need inventors, we need creative people,” said Dixon. “That’s the background every one of us in this society needs. I don’t think this push toward more regimentation is helpful.”

She does like one thing about Obama’s Race to the Top. “I like the urgency of it,” she said. “I’m a big fan of urgency. I think every day, when we’re with a child, if we’re not adding to their development we’re holding them back… What I don’t like are a lot of the regulations that try a cookie-cutter approach.”

Dixon’s education certainly wasn’t cookie-cutter. She credits Medaille with putting her in position to be the leading educator in the city of Buffalo.

“It was an incredible influence,” said Dixon. “It was a pivot point that changed my career trajectory.”

She remembers the night she made the decision to go back to school and attend Medaille. She was dealing with a power outage in Amherst for Niagara Mohawk at the same time her son’s school called and said the five-year-old was sick and she needed to get him.

She couldn’t get her son because of the power outage and called her mom. In the age before cell phones, she couldn’t get to a telephone until about 5:30 p.m. near the end of her shift to see where her son had been taken.

“That was the night that I decided I would not live like this,” said Dixon. “I thought, maybe education makes sense.”

She thought of attending Empire State College, but was told that it didn’t accept people who worked full-time because it was not good for students. Medaille gave her credit for all the courses she had taken at schools in other cities where she had lived.

“When I was floundering, Medaille stepped in and said ‘we can do it,’” said Dixon.

That isn’t even her favorite Medaille story.

She was good in math and was taking a math methods course.

One night, the teacher noted that she looked concerned and asked why. Dixon’s son had a soccer game that night and she had arranged for him to get a ride with a parent she didn’t know that well.

“The teacher looked at me and said, ‘go to the soccer game,’” recalled Dixon. “You are fine. You’ve covered the material I’m covering tonight. You have a child, he plays soccer. I have boys, they played soccer. Go take care of your son and I’ll see you next class.”

“Unnecessary, unconventional and it made a difference. It made a huge difference.”

It was an important lesson in the education of Amber Dixon that the future leader of Buffalo schools never forgot.

Winter 2011-12

ATHLETICS

HEATHER BOYZUCK DOESN’T just like lacrosse. An avid player since the eighth grade, it would be fair to say that the biology major has a serious love of the game. The All-American athlete has started for the women’s lacrosse team since her first year at Medaille. Her drive to excel on the field led to an adventure overseas, as she travelled more than 4,000 miles away to play in Prague, Czech Republic over the summer.

In 2010, Boyzuck’s coach Sarah McCabe received an email from American International Sports Teams. The Kansas City, MO-based organization educates athletes and promotes cross-cultural communication through sports, looking for talented athletes at all levels to serve as ambassadors in a number of programs. Taking note of Boyzuck’s abilities, the group showed their interest in having the Mexico, New York native join a group of college athletes for a rapid-fire tournament in Europe.

After spending three days touring Munich, Germany and getting acquainted with the other participants, Boyzuck’s team travelled to the Czech Republic and played for four days against teams comprised of players from around the world.

“Being invited to play the sport you love overseas is a fantastic opportunity that I feel very lucky to have taken part in,” said Boyzuck. Yet, while assimilating into her group was quite easy, adjusting to the style of play used by foreign athletes, as well as the approach to the game taken by referees was more of a challenge. Despite the pace of the trip and tournament, Boyzuck says she enjoyed her time spent abroad and would recommend that those afforded the opportunity to compete in such a unique manner take full advantage.

KEVIN BATES

y Winter 2011-12

PHOTO BY KARA KANE

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ATHLETICS PHOTO BY KARA KANE

AWARDS, PHOTOS, FRAMED newspaper stories and sports memorabilia cover every available inch of the walls in Pete Lonergan’s office. Take a few minutes to examine these artifacts of a 31-year career as a basketball coach, and a story will emerge – one of persistence, patience and an unwavering commitment to the education of his players.

When asked how long he had been a basketball coach, he sat back and calculated in his head: “31 years, the past nine of them at Medaille.” With that much experience, Lonergan knows that there is no true “elevator to success,” as he calls it. Hard work pays off, as do mistakes, which he calls “part of playing the game.” As a coach, he tells his players that “corrections are compliments, and they make you a better player.”

He sees among his players that parsing out playing time is the biggest motivator he can use to inspire his team to work hard, and work hard they have. At the start of the 2011-12 season, the women’s basketball team was ranked 26th out of all conferences in the nation – and 11th out of all 450 teams in Division III play.

Lonergan recently took honors as the ninthwinningest coach in NCAA history, edging out larger, nationally-recognized programs. In his mind, every game is its own entity, and it’s not worth worrying about what’s on the scoreboard. The only things that matter are the preparation and focus that each player brings to the court.

He also cites an excellent coaching staff, with Bill Agronin, associate head coach, and Rob Stepien, second assistant coach.

Basketball season is the longest of all college sports, starting on October 15 and continuing, hopefully, through March Madness. For five months, players are challenged to get in shape, to stay in shape and to keep up with their studies. In the past eight years, Lonergan points to a “great run of talent” that has done those tasks well, including Amanda Walling ’08, Marissa Clark ’08, ’10, Jordan Schrimmel ’11, Kacie Mills ’11, Mandy Sahhar ’11 and too many others to name. These players have propelled teams to three NCAA tournaments, and put Medaille’s D-III team on the map of national prominence.

Pictured: Mame Yaa Ankoma-Mensa ’11 ED PHOTO COURTESY MEDAILLE ATHLETICS

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In Memoriam IN LATE SUMMER and early fall, Medaille lost two employees who made valuable contributions to our undergraduate programs and to the College as a whole.

Lynn Wittmeyer, licensed veterinary technician in the Veterinary Technology Department, passed away in August.

Wittmeyer began her employment at Medaille in 1990 as a veterinary technician. She was the first clinical technician hired at the College, and was an active member in the New York State Association of Veterinary Technicians.

Joseph E. Savarese, D.V.M., professor and chair of the Department of Veterinary Technology, remembered Wittmeyer as a fundamental member of the Vet Tech program. “She fought for and maintained the high standards of training for the veterinary technicians,” he said. Recalling other memories of Wittmeyer, “she was very dedicated to her job and the animals. No matter how busy she was, she was very much a people person. And no matter what, Lynn had a smile. She was always willing to help and was always there.”

Brianna Capria ’13 remembered Wittmeyer as “the kind of person who, once she started something, she had to finish it.”

Capria went on to say, “People knew that she was an extremely kind and warm person. You didn’t have to talk to her. You could just walk up to her and you could just feel [warmth] emanate from her. It was just an unbelievable feeling to be in her presence because you could just feel how much she loved her animals, students and faculty.”

Katrina Thornton ’13 described Wittmeyer as a person who was “absolutely phenomenal at everything she did. She just worked with the animals so unbelievably well and with the students unbelievably well.” Thornton said, “for all those who had the blessing to know her, we know that she’ll always be here. You can always feel her presence.”

Winter 2011-12

Kevin Bosner, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Business, passed away at the beginning of the fall 2011 semester. Dr. Bosner began teaching at Medaille in 2007 after a long career in management and business.

Michael Lillis, Ph.D., professor and chair in the Department of Business, remembered Dr. Bosner for the role he played with SIFE, Students in Free Enterprise: “He was a game changer; he made things happen with students and motivated them, inspired them and [found] ways to help support them.”

Gerard A. Jackson ’12, president of Medaille SIFE, recalled Dr. Bosner as, “an amazing man who genuinely cared for his students, was passionate for life and passionate about all subjects that he taught.”

Kenneth Radig, associate professor in the Department of Business, noted Dr. Bosner’s great sense of humor. “He could just get classes to pay such close attention to him and he would get this humor in there.”

Patrick Johnson, associate professor in the Department of Business, shared, “Whether it was traveling to a conference or helping students, he was always there, always willing to help.

I don’t think I ever heard him complain about anything! Even now after working with him for a number of years, I wish I would have known him better, because he was a great guy – a family man, a good man.”

Sue Wesner, secretary for the Department of Business, was asked to describe Dr. Bosner, and she said, “One of the people commented on his obituary that ‘to know Kevin was a gift.’

And I thought that was really profound, because he was one of those really, really unique people that you don’t see very often.

You know, you’re lucky to have them in your life when you do have them.”

- Compiled by Katie Breindel ’12

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Calendar of Events Undergraduate Open House March 25, 11 a.m.

Buffalo Campus www.medaille.edu/open-house Founders’ Day Celebration April 24, 6 p.m.

Twentieth Century Club, Buffalo www.medaille.edu/founders Leadercast 2012 May 4, all day Amherst and Rochester Campuses www.medaille.edu/leadercast Commencement May 18, 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Kleinhans Music Hall, Buffalo www.medaille.edu/commencement

Detail of painting by Tony Thompson, “Bird’s Eye View of a Goodbye Kiss” Fourth Floor Academic Commons