Keystone College Hosts Homecoming and Family Weekend Keystone College will unite the past and the present with Homecoming and Family Weekend October 6-7 on campus. The weekend offers a great opportunity for alumni to reunite with former classmates for a wide variety of events and activities and for families of Keystone students to celebrate as a college community. For more information and a complete schedule of events, visit: www.keystone.edu/homecoming. Homecoming and Family Weekend committee members meeting to plan the event are, from left: Megan Mould, Lucy McConkey, Tim Pryle, Mary Stremski, Scott Gower, Elena O’Connor, Lucas Taylor, Fran Langan, Ed.D., and Sabrina Gray.
Keystone College Ranks Top Tier by “Best Colleges” For the 17th consecutive year, Keystone College has been ranked as one of the nation’s best colleges in U.S. News & World Report. Keystone finished 29th overall in the Regional Colleges/North category. In other key listings, Keystone was also ranked 9th in Social Mobility in the Regional Colleges/North category. Social mobility measures the extent that schools enroll and graduate low-income students as defined by students who receive federal Pell grants. Essentially, the ranking demonstrates that Keystone provides opportunity, support, and personal attention for all students to be successful, regardless of economic circumstances and background. “Keystone College is once again honored to be ranked in U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation’s best colleges,” said Keystone College President John F. Pullo, Sr. “The ranking is a tribute to our dedicated faculty, staff, and especially our students, who strive to excel in the classroom and on campus each and every day. In addition, our excellent ranking for social mobility clearly demonstrates our ongoing commitment to students from a wide range of social and economic circumstances by providing the resources, individual attention, and guidance needed for a successful college career.” Recognized as one of the best educational values in Northeastern Pennsylvania, Keystone offers more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree options in liberal arts and science-based programs in business, communications, education, natural science, environmental science, and social sciences. Located on a beautiful 276-acre campus 15 minutes from Scranton, Pa. and two hours from New York City and Philadelphia, Keystone is known for small class sizes and individual attention focused on student success through internships, research, and community involvement.
Keystone College to Host Giants Hilltop 5K/10K Race The Keystone College football program will host its inaugural Giants Hilltop 5K/10K race on Saturday, May 7 beginning at the Turf Field on campus. The course will continue through community Trolley Trail, the borough of Factoryville, and the Keystone campus before ending at the Turf Field. Race day registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. with the race starting at 9 a.m. There will be awards for the first-place finisher in each age group and the best overall male and female finisher in each race. There will be food, refreshments, and post-race activities. For more information, or to register early, visit www.runsignup.com and search for Giants Hilltop. Proceeds will benefit the Keystone College football program.
Keystone College to Offer ServSafe Class Keystone College will offer a ServSafe manager certification class on Wednesday, April 26 from 9 a.m.– 5 p.m. at 120 College Avenue, Factoryville. The training will cover topics involving food-borne illnesses and health risks that commercial food service establishments must learn in order to provide safe food for customers. ServSafe, a nationally recognized certification program for safe food handling practices, meets Pennsylvania regulations and is accredited by the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation. For more information contact Brenda Lidy, 570-657-0248, or brenda.lidy@keystone.edu.
Keystone College to Host Ceremony For the last 11 years, Keystone College has enjoyed a proud relationship with The Dennis Farm Charitable Land Trust. This summer, that affiliation will be taken to an even greater level. On June 28, The Dennis Farm will be honored during a special sesquicentennial Bell Presentation Ceremony as one of Pennsylvania’s most revered historical landmarks in celebration of the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary in 2026. The ceremony will take place at The Dennis Farm in nearby Brooklyn Township, Susquehanna County, followed by a luncheon at Keystone. In addition to members of the Keystone community and officials from The Dennis Farm, the event will include numerous local, state, and national public officials and dignitaries. The Dennis Farm Charitable Land Trust is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of The Dennis Farm. The 153-acre historic farm was purchased and settled by the ancestors of Denise Dennis, free African Americans who journeyed to northeastern Pennsylvania from Connecticut in the late 1700s. Today, The Dennis Farm serves as a living tribute to the lives and accomplishments of this remarkable family and Ms. Dennis serves as president and CEO of the Dennis Farm Charitable Land Trust. In 2012, Keystone began hosting The Dennis Farm Symposium and Field Tour, an annual on-campus conference which also included guided tours of The Dennis Farm conducted by Keystone students. “Keystone College is truly honored to host a luncheon honoring The Dennis Farm, recognizing the vital role it has played in our nation’s history,” said Keystone College Interim President John F. Pullo, Sr. “We look forward to celebrating with everyone from The Dennis Farm, as well as our many guests from the local community and beyond. This will truly be a special day for the entire Keystone community and our entire region.” Under Ms. Dennis’ leadership, The Dennis Farm, which is open to the public, has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places; featured in the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture; honored by Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Historical and Museum Commission and Department of Agriculture, and listed on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s map of rare African American historical sites in the Northeast United States. “There are very few places like The Dennis Farm, where we can walk for acres and acres and know that when the nation was young, free African Americans owned and worked this land – by and for themselves – and that even today it is in the stewardship of the same family,” Ms. Dennis said. “ ‘The Farm’ as we call it, represents a little-known chapter in the story of the United States, and with our partners we are working to ensure that the property with its rich history and natural environment is preserved for future generations.” Additional details regarding the Dennis Farm reception will be released in the near future.
Keystone College Announces Speaker for 2023 Commencement The Honorable William R. Evanina, former director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center in Washington, D.C., will address members of the Keystone College Class of 2023 during the college’s 152nd commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 20 on campus. A 1987 Keystone College graduate and a native of nearby Peckville, Pa., Mr. Evanina is now the founder and CEO of the Evanina Group, advising CEOs and boards of directors on strategic corporate risk. He also serves on multiple advisory boards. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on May 6, 2020 to be the first Senate-confirmed director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC). He served as the NCSC Director since 2014 and was head of counterintelligence (CI) for the United States government. In that role, Mr. Evanina was responsible for leading and supporting the CI and security activities of the nation’s intelligence community, the United States government, and private sector entities at risk from intelligence collection or attack by foreign adversaries. He oversaw national-level programs and activities such as the National Insider Threat Task Force; personnel security and background investigations; information technology protection standards and compliance; counterintelligence cyber operations; supply chain risk management; threat awareness to sectors of the nation’s critical infrastructure; national-level damage assessments from espionage or unauthorized disclosures; CI mission management; and national CI and security training programs. Under Mr. Evanina’s leadership, NCSC produced the President’s National Counterintelligence Strategy of the United States of America 2020, which has been instrumental in raising foreign intelligence threat awareness to critical infrastructure sectors and private sector executives regarding supply chain, economic security, cyber, and malign foreign influence. Mr. Evanina chaired the National Counterintelligence Policy Board and the Allied Security and Counterintelligence Forum comprised of senior CI and security leaders from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. He served as chair of the NATO Counterintelligence Panel. Prior to his selection as the director of NCSC, Mr. Evanina was the chief of the Central Intelligence Agency’s Counterespionage Group. He served as assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, where he led operations in both the Counterintelligence and Counterterrorism Divisions. Mr. Evanina has more than 31 years of distinguished federal service, 24 of which as a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). At the start of his law enforcement career in 1996, he investigated organized crime and violent crimes through the FBI’s Newark Field Office. He then served on an FBI SWAT unit for 10 years, ultimately supervising this unit. He led some of the highest profile terrorism investigations in our nation’s history including the 9/11 attacks, the anthrax attacks, and the Daniel Pearl kidnapping. During his tenure with the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, Mr. Evanina was selected as a supervisory special agent and received the FBI Director’s Award for Excellence for his leadership in the investigation into convicted spy Leandro Argoncillo. His government career began in 1989 as a project manager with the General Services Administration in Philadelphia. He retired from federal service in 2021. Mr. Evanina attended Valley View High School, where he played baseball and football. As the first in his family to attend college, he holds an associate degree from what was then Keystone Junior College, where he played baseball and graduated summa cum laude. He continued his academics and athletics with a bachelor’s degree in public administration from Wilkes University (summa cum laude), and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Arcadia University in Philadelphia. He resides in Alexandria, Va. with his wife, Julie, and their two sons, Dominic and Will.
Keystone College to Present Senior Exhibit at Gallery Students in the Visual Arts Department at Keystone College will present their Senior Exhibition at the AFA Gallery in downtown Scranton beginning Friday, April 7 and lasting through Saturday, April 29. The exhibit, “Feminine Gaze,” will feature seven talented Keystone female artists: Emma Amaral (Mansfield); Cassandra Clapper (New Milford); Madison Guzzo (Lords Valley); Kelly Landon (Dallas, Pa,); Alyssa Morris (Scranton); Yamile Nieves Santana (Nanticoke); and Susan Rode (Lords Valley). The artists have spent the last four years honing their skills in a variety of media including painting, sculpture, glass, photography, and ceramics. AFA Gallery is located at 101 Penn Avenue in Scranton. An opening reception will be held on First Friday, April 7, from 6-9 p.m. The exhibition and reception are free and open to the public. Regular gallery hours are Thursday through Saturday, noon – 6 p.m.
Keystone College Recognizes Austin Burke Since the day he stepped on campus, Keystone College has been an integral part of Austin Burke’s life. Austin, who retired in 2013 after a distinguished 40-year career as president of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, has been involved with Keystone as a student, a proud alumnus, and, today, as an accomplished artist and art student. “I have learned so much at Keystone that has helped me in all aspects of my life,” Austin said. “Most of all, I have met so many kind and talented people. It has been, and continues to be, a wonderful association.” A native of nearby Archbald, Pa., Austin arrived at what was then Keystone Junior College in 1969, eager to continue his education after his service as a sergeant in the U.S. Air Force. After taking summer art classes from Keystone’s renowned professor Karl Neuroth, Austin enrolled as a full-time student. In 1970, he received his associate degree in general studies from Keystone and continued his education at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pa., obtaining a bachelor’s degree in economics and a Phi Beta Kappa key. Upon graduating from Dickinson, he began his career in economic development. After working for the Economic Development Council of Northeastern Pennsylvania, Austin, at the age of the age of 29, joined the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce and began a 40-year career as a key leader in the Scranton area’s economic renaissance from an older, industrial region into a metropolitan area respected for its progress and workforce excellence. For example, Austin played a major role in the development of the Montage Mountain area in Moosic, Lackawanna County, as an important employment, recreation, and residential center which is still one of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s major assets. “We believed in our city and we believed in our region as we still do today,” Austin said. “We knew that working together, we could grow our local companies and bring national companies with well-paying, family sustaining jobs to the Scranton area and that’s exactly what we were able to accomplish.” Austin’s professional accomplishments were recognized not only regionally but across the state as he served from 2010-2011 as Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Community and Economic Development for Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell. While business and economic development may have been his professional calling, Austin’s longtime love for art and creativity has come to the forefront in recent years. His oil and water-color paintings highlighting numerous scenes and landscapes throughout the Scranton and Harrisburg areas have gained widespread acclaim from artists and art-lovers alike. In fact, Austin’s works include several paintings of Keystone’s scenic campus which are featured in Keystone’s 150-year anniversary publication. A complete selection of Austin’s work is available at www.austinburkeart.com. “Over the years, I’ve really come to enjoy painting a great deal. I especially find it gratifying to paint those local scenes and landmarks which make our area so beautiful and so unique,” Austin said. He also credits his classes at Keystone with helping him improve. “In addition to being really interesting and enjoyable, my art classes at Keystone have really helped me enhance and refine my work. I really look forward to coming to campus and being a part of the Keystone community,” he said. Austin credits art professors such as Ward Roe, and retired professor Cliff Prokop, among others, for helping him refine his talents “Austin is a really dedicated and talented artist,” Ward said. “It’s a pleasure to have him in my classes. The other students really gain something from his presence. It makes for a wonderful mix to have younger students and returning alumni learn from each other.” Whether he’s in class or visiting with Keystone students, faculty, and staff members in the student restaurant, Austin is a proud Keystonian. In fact, Keystone honored Austin in 2013 by presenting him with a Doctorate of Humane Letters during commencement exercises. “Keystone is really a special place,” he said. “It’s a great school with a proud tradition that has produced so many graduates who have gone on to be leaders in our area and in the nation. Most of all, it’s a college where people are valued as individuals and care about each other. That’s really what makes Keystone special to me.” Austin still resides in his native Archbald with his wife, Marianne. They are parents of three adult children: Austin, III and wife, Christine (their children are Ella, Austin IV, and PJ); son, Tim and wife, Krista; and daughter, Judy.
Keystone College Receives Reaccreditation Four Keystone College business programs have been reaccredited by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE), recognizing them as among the world’s best in business education. The Keystone programs reaccredited by the IACBE are the college’s bachelor’s programs in accounting, business administration, sport and recreation management, and the associate of science program in business administration. The programs were originally accredited by the IACBE in 2014. “The (Keystone College) Division of Business, Management, and Technology at Keystone College has demonstrated compliance of its business program(s) with the IACBE Accreditation Principles through a rigorous process of self-evaluation and independent peer review. In addition, the Division of Business, Management, and Technology has demonstrated a commitment to continuous improvement, excellence in business education, and advancing academic quality in its business programs and operations,” the IACBE stated. With its headquarters in Overland Park Kansas, the IACBE was founded in 1997 and is nationally-recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). The IACBE is the leader in mission-driven and outcomes-based programmatic accreditation in business and business-related education for colleges, universities, and other higher education institutions whose primary purpose is excellence in teaching and learning. The IACBE has hundreds of member institutions with campuses worldwide and has accredited thousands of business and business-related programs in the United States, Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Central America, and South America. Keystone’s Business, Management, and Technology Department prepares students for success through excellence in academics and hands-on-learning with faculty and industry leaders. “Keystone College is honored to gain reaccreditation by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education,” said Patricia Davis, Ph.D., professor of accounting and program director of Keystone’s accounting, business, hospitality, and supply chain management programs. “This recognition is the direct result of the excellence and dedication of our talented faculty and students. We are proud to offer business programs at Keystone that are second to none. Our successful alumni working at the top levels of their respective professions are absolute proof of that fact.” Recognized as one of the best educational values in Northeastern Pennsylvania, Keystone offers more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree options in liberal arts and science-based programs in business, communications, education, natural science, environmental science, and social sciences. Located 15 minutes from Scranton, Pa. and two hours from New York City and Philadelphia, Keystone is known for small class sizes and individual attention focused on student success through internships, research, and community involvement.
Keystone College Receives Pennsylvania National Guard Award For the second consecutive year, Keystone College has been honored by the Pennsylvania National Guard Associations (PNGAS) for its service to members of the Pennsylvania National Guard and our nation’s veterans. Keystone is the only college or university in Lackawanna or Luzerne counties to receive this prestigious award. “Every day, we honor our veterans and thank our troops serving our nation both overseas and domestically,” said PNGAS Executive Director Chad Rettew. “Here in Pennsylvania, on behalf of PNGAS, we are honored to recognize such a strong collection of dedicated people and organizations helping veterans and working for the success of the Pennsylvania National Guard.” “Keystone College is once again grateful to receive this prestigious award from the Pennsylvania National Guard Associations,” said Keystone College Human Resources Director and Veterans Outreach Coordinator Daron J. Hogan. “We strive every single day to serve our students and military veterans who dedicate themselves to serving our nation. We thank the Pennsylvania National Guard Associations for this tremendous honor.” The Pennsylvania National Guard Associations is a non-profit organization whose sole mission is supporting the men, women and veterans of the Pennsylvania National Guard, their spouses, and families. PNGAS celebrated its 2022 Guard Awards at its celebration in Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa. Mission-driven, PNGAS is the only organization exclusively promoting the highest levels of readiness, modernization, and quality of life for its 18,000 members and 70,000 (Over)veterans of the Pennsylvania National Guard, their spouses, and families, while making sure those dedicated men and women have the very-best equipment and resources, and the benefits they earned. Keystone has been listed as a top school for veterans by several national military and veterans publications, most recently by Military Times Magazine. Founded in 1868, with a commitment to providing an education to Civil War veterans and their families, Keystone is home to the Elmer Hawk ’48 Veterans Center. The Center is now the East Coast home for Veterans Stand Together, a national non-profit organization dedicated to veterans’ advocacy and support and is also the home of the Keystone Armed Services Club. The Veterans Center offers a comfortable and convenient meeting place for this special group of Keystone students who have given so much to their country. Students can meet with each other, complete their school assignments, or simply relax, read, visit with friends and family members, or watch television while waiting for their next class. Recognized as one of the best educational values in Northeastern Pennsylvania, Keystone offers more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree options in liberal arts and science-based programs in business, communications, education, natural science, environmental science, and social sciences. Located 15 minutes from Scranton, Pa. and two hours from New York City and Philadelphia, Keystone is known for small class sizes and individual attention focused on student success through internships, research, and community involvement.
