The University of Scranton Sets October and November Open House Dates The University of Scranton will host two Open House events for prospective students and their families on Sunday, Oct. 22 and Sunday, Nov. 5. Inspired by its Catholic and Jesuit mission, Scranton provides a rigorous, in-depth education designed for personal and professional success. For 30 consecutive years, U.S. News & World Report has ranked Scranton among the 10 top Master’s Universities in the North. The Princeton Review included Scranton in its list “Best Colleges” for 22 consecutive years and in its ranking of the nation’s “Best Science Labs” (No. 18) for seven years, among other rankings. At the Open House, participants can learn about Scranton’s 70 undergraduate majors, meet with faculty, students, admissions counselors and financial aid representatives. Participants can also learn about Scranton’s five honors programs, pre-law, pre-medial and pre-health professions programs. Student-led tours of the campus, located in Northeast Pennsylvania, will be conducted throughout the day and will include residence halls, dining halls, computer labs, science labs and academic facilities. In addition, representatives of student organizations, athletic teams and Scranton’s Honors Programs, will be available. For additional information, contact Scranton’s Admissions Office at 1-888-SCRANTON or visit Scranton’s Open House webpage.
The University of Scranton Hosts Acclaimed Pianist On Saturday, Oct. 14, Performance Music at The University of Scranton will present a recital by critically and popularly acclaimed award-winning pianist Llewellyn Sanchez-Werner. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue. Admission is free, with seating on a first-come, first-seated basis. Conductor and Director of Performance Music Cheryl Y. Boga says, “I first became of aware of Llewellyn and his incredible talent when my son would text me from his classes at Juilliard to tell me about this amazing 13-year-old who was already enrolled in pursuit of his undergraduate degree and – according to Joseph – ‘played piano like craaaazy!’ Now, at age 26, he is already one of the most virtuosic, vibrant, and socially committed musicians of his generation.” Described as “a gifted virtuoso” by the San Francisco Chronicle, Sanchez-Werner has been performing with orchestras since the age of 6. The California native has played internationally with the Royal Concertgebouw in the Netherlands, CultureSummit Abu Dhabi, the Louvre and Grenoble Museums in France, Smetana Hall in the Czech Republic, State Philharmonic Hall in Slovakia, Verbier Festival in Switzerland, Ashford Castle in Ireland and Gijon International Piano Festival in Spain. In the United States, he has performed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Lincoln Center and National Sawdust in New York City, Mary B. Galvin Hall in Chicago, Richardson Auditorium at Princeton University, Paramount Theater in Oakland, and the Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian Art Museum, and Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C. In addition, Sanchez-Werner has performed at the Kennedy Center and the White House for former President Barack Obama and current President Joe Biden, for President Peña Nieto of Mexico, Prime Minister Peres of Israel, and President Kagame of Rwanda. Committed to public service, he received the Atlantic Council Young Global Citizen Award recognizing his dedication to social action through music in such countries as Iraq, Rwanda, France, Canada and the U.S. An active chamber musician, Sanchez-Werner has collaborated with Renée Fleming, Eric Owens, Marina Poplavskaya, Richard O’Neill and Cynthia Phelps. He partnered with the Gershwin family on a concert and biographical tribute to the Gershwin brothers, and performed “Hallelujah Junction” for John Adams at his 70th birthday celebration in New York. Sanchez-Werner earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from The Juilliard School, where he was awarded the Kovner Fellowship, won the concerto competition and was the youngest admittee to each program at ages 14 and 18, respectively. Juilliard was Sanchez-Werner’s second college experience – he became a full-time student at Ventura College at age five, where he completed 170 college credits toward degrees in music and international relations. Sanchez-Werner also earned an Artist Diploma from the Yale School of Music, where he was awarded the Charles S. Miller Prize. For further information on the recital, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit scranton.edu/music. For more info on Sanchez-Werner, visit llewellynsanchezwerner.com.
University of Scranton Ranked in U.S Top 10 for 30 Years For three decades U.S. News & World Report has ranked The University of Scranton among the top 10 regional universities in the north, placing Scranton No. 5 in its 2024 edition of the “Best Colleges” guidebook, which became available online today. “From the beginning of its Best College rankings, U.S. News has advised colleges not to cheer – or jeer – about year-to-year position changes in the rankings, but rather to look for consistency of trends in the ranking achieved over the years,” said Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., president of The University of Scranton. “Well, I am pleased to say, through the talent and dedication of our faculty and staff, and the outstanding success of our students and graduates, we have achieved exceptional consistency in our status as a top 10 university.” U.S. News also ranked Scranton No. 8 in its category for “Best Undergraduate Teaching,” a selection of the top colleges in the nation that express a strong commitment to undergraduate teaching. Several of Scranton’s programs were also included in national rankings, as opposed to listings by category. U.S. News ranked Scranton among the nation’s “Best Undergraduate Programs in Accounting” at No. 38 in the U.S.; among the “Best Undergraduate Programs in Finance” at No. 40; among the “Best Undergraduate Nursing Programs” at No. 112; and among “Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs” at No. 222 (where a doctorate is not offered). Scranton’s was also listed among the 554 “Best Undergraduate Computer Science Programs” in the nation. Scranton also ranked No. 211 among America’s “Best Undergraduate Business Programs,” which just listed schools that hold accreditation by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). For these program listings, U.S. News only ranked schools holding the highest recognized national accreditations in their fields. The rankings were based solely on dean and senior faculty recommendations from peer institutions. In addition, U.S. News ranked Scranton No. 54 as a “Best Value Regional University in the North,” which compares academic quality of programs to cost of attendance. This is the tenth consecutive year U.S. News has recognized Scranton as a “Best Value” school. Scranton was ranked No. 115 in its category in “Top Performers on Social Mobility,” which looks at the success of schools that enroll and graduate students who were awarded with Pell Grants. U.S. News uses data on up to 19 measures of academic quality to rank bachelor’s degree colleges in America. For its rankings, U.S. News considers a range of quality indicators that include a peer assessment of academic excellence; faculty resources; financial resources; graduate indebtedness; freshman retention; graduation rates; Pell graduation rates, and graduation performance rates, which compares a school’s actual graduation rates with predicted graduation rates based on characteristics of the incoming class. U.S. News ranking analysis also includes student selectivity, as measured by SAT or ACT scores and high school ranking of students in the top 25 percent of their class. U.S. News categorizes colleges for their rankings based on the official Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classification of universities. The 2024 U.S. News “Best Colleges” rankings became available online Sept. 18.
University of Scranton Small Business Center Development News Gretchen Kukuchka Honored as Pennsylvania’s State Star at SBDC Annual Conference Gretchen Kukuchka, Business Consultant, has been named the (Pennsylvania) State Star, an award celebrating outstanding performance and client satisfaction, and recently had the opportunity to celebrate the award at America’s SBDC 44th annual conference during the State Star Reception. The State Star Award is the highest honor that the PASBDC awards, celebrating one exceptional individual who has truly made a difference in their state network. Develop a Strong Business Idea in 8 Simple Steps Tuesday, 9/19/23 | 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Discover the essential steps to turn your business idea into a reality. This webinar will guide you through: Choosing your business idea: Learn how to select a viable business concept. Resource assessment: Understand the financial and time commitments required. Navigating industry regulations: Get insights on industry-specific rules. Target market definition: Identify your ideal customers. Competitive advantage: Determine what sets you apart from competitors. Business plan writing: Recognize the importance of a well-structured business plan. Register here. Applications Are Now Open for StartUP’s Fall Series StartUP is a six-week series where participants learn through live sessions on Zoom and meet weekly on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Sessions kick off on Tuesday, September 26. Topics covered include: Business start-up basics Legal and insurance considerations Marketing and social media essentials Business plan development Accounting and budget skills Financing options and requirements Goal setting and other essential skills… Apply here. Horizon Farm Credit Announces Third Annual ‘Farmers on the Rise’Award Competition Horizon Farm Credit is hosting the third annual Farmers on the Rise award competition this fall. Established in 2021, the Farmers on the Rise program was created to honor outstanding beginning farmers (three to ten years of experience) within the diverse agricultural community who excel in their field. This year’s program will award up to ten $10,000 awards. The application is now open and closes on October 6, 2023 at 4:00 p.m. Visit the link below for additional details, including eligibility requirements. Learn more here. Creative Entrepreneurs: You May Be Eligible for Financial Support from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and Partner Organizations The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and the PCA’s Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts (PPA) partner organizations are pleased to make available the Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program. This program is designed to pair access to existing small business consulting services with financial resources up to $2,000 for creative entrepreneurs who aspire to start their own for-profit business or who operate an existing for-profit micro business Learn more here. Master Online Marketing for Freewith this Webinar from the PennWest Clarion SBDC Tuesday, 9/19/23 | 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Getting your business online is one thing, making sure the content is engaging and actionable is another. Now, more than ever, businesses need to have a strong brand and web presence. Doing so can seem overwhelming, from a time and monetary perspective. This webinar will go over tips and tricks to marketing online that cost $0! We will go over no-cost solutions to help you create and diversify your marketing, such as Canva, Unsplash, Bit.ly, and a few other free programs. Register here.
University of Scranton to Reopen Clinic Thanks to a new partnership with Geisinger, The University of Scranton’s Edward R Leahy, Jr. Clinic for the Uninsured will reopen to the public in January 2024 with enhanced learning opportunities for area undergraduate and medical students. A Master Affiliation Agreement signed today between the University and Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine adopts a “student-run” model for the clinic that provides “high quality care in a welcoming, respectful, and compassionate environment” for the region’s uninsured patients and expands opportunities for practical experience in patient care, clinic management and other aspects of healthcare for students. The clinic’s teaching and learning opportunities began with reimagining the clinic itself, with students from both The University of Scranton and Geisinger involved in every aspect of planning. “Since October 2022 as a senior at The University of Scranton and now as a first-year student in the M.D. program at GCSOM, I have had the unique opportunity to participate in the reimagining of The Leahy Clinic,” said Olivia A. Zehel, a 2023 graduate of The University of Scranton and current first-year GCSOM medical student and Abigail Geisinger Scholar. “As a member of the last undergraduate class to experience the University ’s campus before the pandemic, I felt how passionate my classmates were about serving in such a capacity – and shared in their disappointment when the clinic was forced to close. Simultaneously, as a resident of the broader NEPA community, I recognized that access to quality care became even more of a privilege. I am thrilled that our work for the last 10 months – and the work both institutions will continue to do – will allow us to reinvent and reinforce medical learning and healing in our region.” Third-year GCSOM medical student clinic planner, Madison Gladfelter, said, “During our first and second year of medical school, we spent a lot of time hitting the books and trying to understand each disease and its treatment. However, behind every disease there is a patient. A student-run clinic never lets medical students forget they are not treating the disease, but a patient.” The Leahy Medical Clinic, located in the lower level of McGurrin Hall with a Kressler Court entrance, will operate under a substantially different model of care compared to the original Leahy Medical Clinic, founded in 2008, which ceased operation in 2020 because of the pandemic. The new medical clinic will provide longitudinal care to patients, replacing the former acute care approach of the original clinic. The medical clinic will provide routine physical examinations, primary care, pre-work physical examinations, adult pre-education physical examinations, and sick visits. Susan Russell, M.D., family physician for Geisinger and assistant professor at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, will serve as the medical director for the clinic. Dr. Russell and other volunteer physicians will routinely be on site precepting and supervising student volunteers at the free clinic. “Among the things that make Geisinger’s education unique is our emphasis on accountability to the community,” said Julie Byerley, M.D., M.P.H., president, Geisinger College of Health Sciences; dean, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine; and executive vice president and chief academic officer, Geisinger. “The Leahy Clinic incorporates that as well as another aspect we value, teamwork among interdisciplinary professionals. This clinic will serve the long-term needs of some of our most vulnerable neighbors, while also offering invaluable opportunities for residents and medical students to work with a variety of other learners to deliver quality primary care. This truly is making better health easy for our communities.” “At Scranton, we not only want our students to be prepared well within their chosen disciplines – but also want them to be leaders who serve others. That is exactly the role our students – and the medical students – have played in moving this project forward,” said Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., president of The University of Scranton. “The groundwork laid here will benefit, serve and inspire future physicians, nurses, other health care providers and students from other disciplines for generations to come. By addressing the health needs of the most vulnerable members of our community, our students are demonstrating the Jesuit ideal of being ‘men and women for and with others.’” Demonstrating a commitment to inter-professional education, the University’s Leahy Clinic continues to offer several areas of care in addition to the medical clinic, including a counseling clinic, low vision clinic and physical therapy clinic. The Counseling Clinic will offer free clinical mental health counseling and rehabilitation counseling and is conducted by graduate-level counseling students under the direction and supervision of faculty in the University’s Counseling and Human Services Department. The Low-Vision Occupational Therapy Clinic provides free services to uninsured or underinsured residents of Lackawanna County, and offers opportunities for teaching and learning to University faculty and occupational therapy students. The Physical Therapy Clinic provides screening, examinations/evaluations and interventions to the uninsured and underinsured members of the community at no cost. The management of the clinic is run by a team of students from the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program and treatment of patients is conducted by DPT students through collaboration, peer-mentorship, and evidence-based practice. Supervision is provided by DPT program faculty and licensed physical therapy clinicians from the community. The medical Leahy Medical Clinic, which will serve uninsured people primarily in Lackawanna County, will begin operating for the public in January.
The University of Scranton Fall Semester Plans Sept. 8-29 Art Exhibit: “Cura Personalis: Selections from the University of Scranton Art Collection.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu. Sept. 8 11:30 a.m. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Series: “We’ve Got to Get Ourselves Back to the Garden: Inside the Music and Times of the Woodstock Generation” presented by Rob Kapilow, composer, conductor, music commentator and author. The Kane Forum, Edward Leahy, Jr. Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu. Sept. 8 5 p.m. Art Gallery Curator’s Lecture: “Cura Personalis: Selections from the University of Scranton Art Collection.” Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Reception follows at the Hope Horn Gallery. Free. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu. Sept. 8 7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “What Makes It Great? The American Songbook” featuring Rob Kapilow, composer, conductor, music commentator and author, with soprano Magdalyn E. Boga. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu. Sept. 12 11 a.m. Volunteer Fair for area nonprofit agencies offering volunteer opportunities for students. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Pre-registration required. Call 570-941-7429 or email ellen.judge@scranton.edu. Sept. 12 11:30 a.m. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Series: “Gun Violence, Prevention, and the Role of the Media” presented by Jim MacMillan, journalist, educator and social innovator, director of the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu. Sept. 19 11:30 a.m. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Series: “Revitalizing Democracy” presented by Michele Moody-Adams, Ph.D., Joseph L. Straus Professor of Political Philosophy and Legal Theory, Columbia University. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu. Sept. 21 7:30 p.m. Ignatian Values in Action Lecture: “Living Against the Grain” presented by Tim Muldoon, theologian, professor and author of several books including The Ignatian Workout. Byron Recreation Complex. Free. Call 570-941-7520 or email linda.walsh@scranton.edu. Sept. 23 7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “WE!” featuring Wycliffe Gordon, trombone and Eric Reed, piano with an appearance by The University of Scranton Concert Choir. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu. Sept. 28 5 p.m. Lecture: “What is Comparative Theology? How is it humanities? How is it Jesuit? How is it Catholic? Why do you do it, and how have you found that God meets you in this work?” presented by Francis X. Clooney, S.J., Jesuit priest and scholar in the teachings of Hinduism, professor at Harvard Divinity School in Cambridge. Moskovitz Theater, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu. Sept. 23-24 The University of Scranton Family Weekend 2023. Various campus locations. Call 570-941-4222 or email familyweekend@scranton.edu. Sept. 28 7:30 p.m. Asian Studies invites you to the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival tea tasting and dessert pairing and learn about the legends and customs associated with the festival. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Free. Email ann.pang-white@scranton.edu to reserve a seat. Sept. 30 7 a.m. Schemel Forum bus trip to Philadelphia Museum of Art and Rodin Museum. $135 per person. Registration required. Spaces are limited. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu. Oct. 5 8:30 a.m. 22nd Annual U.S. Conference on DISABILITY “Ability Focused Advocacy: Breaking Barriers to Achieving Careers and Independence” McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free for general public. Call 570-941-7819 or visit www.scranton.edu/disabilityconference. Oct. 5 11:30 a.m. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Series: “Transforming Spaces: Public Art and Community Engagement” presented by Michelle Angela Ortiz, 2021 Art is Essential Grantee, 2020 Art For Justice Fund Grantee, Pew Fellow, Rauschenberg Foundation Artist and Activist Fellow, and Kennedy Center Citizen Artist National Fellow. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu. Oct. 6-20 Art Exhibit: “Earth’s Apothecary: Recent Works by Jordan Oakey.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu. Oct. 11 6 p.m. Slattery Center for Ignatian Humanities: “Chanteur of French Songs” presented by Kevin Soucie, guitarist. Slattery Center. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu. Oct. 12 5:30 p.m. Humanities Forum Lecture: “Bison Hide, Elephant Tusk, and Sperm Whale Oil: The Industrial Revolution and the ‘Late Holocene Depletions’ ca. 1800-1920” presented by J.R. McNeill, Distinguished University Professor at Georgetown University. PNC Auditorium, Loyola Science Center. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu. Oct. 13 11:30 a.m. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Series: “AI and Deciphering the Criminal Mind” presented by Ann Burgess, D.N.Sc., renowned expert in trauma, abuse assessment and treatment. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu. Oct. 13 5 p.m. Artist’s Lecture: “Earth’s Apothecary: Recent Works by Jordan Oakey.” Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Reception follows at the Hope Horn Gallery. Free. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu. Oct. 14 7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Recital” featuring Llewellyn Sanchez-Werner, piano. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu. Oct. 17 5:30 p.m. Schemel Forum with the Gail and Francis Slattery Center for Ignatian Humanities Collaborative Program: “Myers Distinguished Visiting Fellow in the Humanities and Civic Engagement Lecture” presented by Dale Jamieson, Ph.D., professor emeritus of environmental studies; director, Center for Environmental and Animal Protection; affiliated professor of law, medical ethics and bioethics; founding director of environmental studies program; and former chair of the environmental studies department and professor of philosophy at New York University. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Receptions follows. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu. Oct. 19 5 p.m. Humanities Forum: Lecture and Book Signing by Patricia Leavy, author of Hollyland. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu. Oct. 22 9 a.m. Open House for prospective students and their families. Various locations on campus. Registration required. Free. Call 888-SCRANTON or email admissions@scranton.edu. Oct. 27-Nov. 17 Art Exhibit: “Scranton’s Story: Oral History Portrait Photographs.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu. Oct. 27 5 p.m. Art Gallery Panel Discussion: “Scranton’s Story: Oral History Portrait Photographs.” Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Reception follows at the Hope Horn Gallery. Free. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu. Oct. 28 7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton Jazz Band with guest soloist Chris Lewis, tenor sax. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu. Oct. 20-22 and 27-29 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” presented by The University Players. Royal Theater, McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts. Ticket prices vary. Call 570-941-4318 or email players@scranton.edu Oct. 30 6 p.m.Schemel Forum with the Friends of the Weinberg Memorial Library Collaborative Program: “Book Bans and Censorship” presented by Tracie D. Hall, executive director American Library Association, author, curator and advocate for the Arts. PNC Auditorium or remote. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu. Nov. 2 11:30 a.m. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Series: “A Molecule Away from Madness: Tales of the Hijacked Brain” presented by Sara Manning Peskin, M.D., assistant professor of clinical neurology, University of Pennsylvania. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu. Nov 2 4 p.m. Humanities Forum Lecture: “Explaining the Cosmos: Can the Philosopher Help?” presented by Dean Zimmerman, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, Rutgers University, author and lecturer. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu. Nov. 4 7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton Symphonic Band. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu.Nov. 5 9 a.m. Open House for prospective students and their families. Various locations on campus. Registration required. Free. Call 888-SCRANTON or email admissions@scranton.edu. Nov. 9 7:30 p.m. Henry George Lecture: “The ‘China Shock’ After 22 Years” presented by Robert C. Feenstra, Ph.D., C. Bryan Cameron Distinguished Chair in International Economics, University of California, Davis. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-4048 or email janice.mecadon@scranton.edu. Nov 10 Noon. Humanities Forum Lecture: “The Habit of Poetry: The Literary Lives of Nuns in Mid-century America” presented by Nick Ripatrazone, author and culture editor of Image Journal. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu. Nov. 12 4 p.m. Performance Music: “The Generation Sing!” The Catholic Choral Society opens their 75th anniversary season jointed by The University of Scranton concert Choir and Valley View High School Choir with middle school and elementary choirs. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu. Nov. 16 7 p.m. Keynote Lecture and Book Signing: “Who are We as a Nation? Education for Democracy” presented by Danielle Allen, Harvard University political theorist and author of Justice by Means of Democracy. The event is part of “Scranton’s Story, Our Nation’s Story,” a project supported by a NEH grant led by The University of Scranton and community partners. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-4419 or email community@scranton.edu. Nov. 16-18 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday. “Footloose” presented by Liva Arts Company. The Royal Theater, McDade Center for Literary and Performing Arts. $5. Call 570-941-7401 or email livaartscompany@gmail.com. Nov. 18 7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert” featuring The University of Scranton String Orchestra with guest violinist Kako Miura Boga. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu. Dec. 2 8 p.m. Performance Music: “56th Annual Noel Night” featuring The University of Scranton Singers and Chamber Ensembles. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu. Dec. 10 7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “Empty Stocking Fund Benefit Concert.” Performance Music student musicians perform solo, duo, trio and small group renditions of a variety of Christmas favorites. Houlihan-McLean Center. Admission: one new unwrapped toy, new toiletry items or a monetary donation. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu. Schemel Courses:Tuesdays: Sept. 12, 19, 26 and Oct. 3, 10, 24 6 p.m. Schemel Forum Course: “Indiana Jones and the Twentieth Century” presented by Sean Brennan, Ph.D., professor of history, The University of Scranton. Room 305, Weinberg Memorial Library. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu.Wednesdays: Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25 and Nov. 1, 8 6 p.m. Schemel Forum Course: “The Crisis of the Sciences: Positivism, Essentialism, and the Need for Critical Theory?” presented by Andrew LaZella, Ph.D., professor of philosophy, The University of Scranton. Room 305, Weinberg Memorial Library. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu.Mondays: Oct. 23, 30 and Nov. 16, 13, 20, 27 6 p.m. Schemel Forum Course: “Writing in Place” presented by Hank Willenbrink, Ph.D., associate professor, English and Theatre, The University of Scranton. Room 305, Weinberg Memorial Library. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email brooke.leonard@scranton.edu.
The University of Scranton to Host Performance by Rob Kapilow and Magdalyn E. Boga Performance Music at The University of Scranton will kick off its Fall 2023 concert schedule Friday, Sept. 8, with a presentation of “What Makes It Great? The Great American Songbook,” featuring Rob Kapilow H ’09 with soprano Magdalyn E. Boga. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue. Admission is free, with seating on a first-come, first-seated basis. Part of Kapilow’s long-running “What Makes It Great?” series, the presentation/concert will illuminate for attendees the difference between hearing and listening as Kapilow demonstrates how to pay attention to all the great elements of a song that might otherwise go unnoticed. The evening will include various selections from the Great American Songbook sung by Boga, including the duet “For Good” from “Wicked” in which she will be joined by fellow soprano Jessica Hitchcock. “Rob has a special gift for creating what he refers to as ‘AHA! moments’ for his audiences,” said Performance Music Conductor and Director Cheryl Y. Boga. “Everyone in the hall – regardless of musical ability or experience – finds their ears opened by his presentations.” A frequent Performance Music collaborator and acclaimed conductor, composer, music commentator and author, Kapilow has developed a devoted national and international following through his “What Makes It Great?” and “Family Musik” performances. He has appeared on NBC’s “Today” show, presented a special “What Makes It Great?” for PBS’s “Live From Lincoln Center,” and was the subject of a full-length PBS documentary, “Summer Sun, Winter Moon.” His “What Makes It Great?” radio series was broadcast for more than a decade on NPR’s “Performance Today.” Kapilow has written several books, including “Listening for America: Inside the Great American Songbook from Gershwin to Sondheim,” which was a finalist for the Marfield Prize, and he was the first composer to be granted the rights to set Dr. Seuss’ words to music. Through the years, Kapilow has conducted many of North America’s major orchestras, as well as numerous works of musical theater, among them the Tony Award-winning “Nine” on Broadway, the premiere of “Frida” for the opening of the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Next Wave Festival, and works for the American Repertory Theater. He’s received a number of accolades, including first place in the Fontainebleau Casadesus Piano Competition and second place in the Antal Dorati Conductor’s Competition with the Detroit Symphony. A member of the University’s History faculty since 2010, Magdalyn Boga is equipped with a vocal range of nearly three octaves and a lyric voice capable of unusual power. She studied voice with renowned Bulgarian baritone/bass Guenko Guechev and Chinese mezzo-soprano Xiu-Ru Liu and has delivered solo, duo and quartet performances of operatic and concert repertoire with choirs and orchestras. She has also performed Baroque duet repertoire with New York City-based trumpeters Joseph Boga (her brother) and the legendary Mark Gould. Boga currently serves as the soprano soloist at First Presbyterian Church in Wilkes-Barre and is an active recitalist and chamber musician, performing as a vocal and instrumental soloist and ensemble member throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania. She teaches voice at Scranton Music Academy, and performs professionally on voice, cello and French horn. Jessica Hitchcock is a section leader and regular soloist for both the Choral Society of NEPA, and St. Stephen’s Episcopal Pro-Cathedral, Wilkes Barre, and a professional choir member at Temple B’nai B’rith, Kingston, and has performed as a featured soloist with the Arcadia Chorale. Hitchcock has sung throughout the United States, as well as in Austria, Germany, Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey. Aside from her regular performances as a soloist and chorister, Jessica owns and operates The Vocal Studio of Jessica Hitchcock, which is now in its sixteenth year offering high-quality voice and piano lessons to students of all ages. Also on Sept. 8, Kapilow will present “We’ve Got to Get Ourselves Back to the Garden: Inside the Music and Times of the Woodstock Generation,” as part of the Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Seminars at the University. For more information about the luncheon, visit www.scranton.edu/schemelforum.
The University of Scranton to Host Annual Volunteer Fair The University of Scranton will hold its annual Volunteer Fair for local nonprofit organizations from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12, on campus. The fair offers University students and student-led clubs interested in service projects and community-based learning sites a chance to meet representatives from nonprofit organizations in need of volunteers. There is no cost for a nonprofit organization to participate in the fair, however, registration is required. To register, email ellen.judge@scranton.edu or call 570-941-7429.
Nearly 200 High School Students Test Physics Skills Abington Heights High School participated in The University of Scranton’s annual Hayes Family Science Competition for High School Physics and Engineering Students. Seated from left: Rachel Frissell, faculty specialist for the University’s Physics and Engineering Department, team coach Daniel Vannan and Bradley Ames. Standing from left: Brady Kareha, Chris Adonizio, Santo Schiavone, Hannah Puttcamp, Gineva Reese, Michal Zdanowicz and Julian Grives. Nearly 200 area students participated in The University of Scranton’s annual Hayes Family Science Competition for High School Physics and Engineering Students. The academic competition tested the high school students’ knowledge of physics and engineering through a series of quizzes and hands-on challenges. Students competed individually and in teams. John Lockwood from Delaware Valley High School came in first place in the individual competition, based on a quiz given to all participants and placement in a Jeopardy game of those with highest quiz scores. Noah Beckish from North Pocono High School came in second place. John Ebert from Berwick High School came in third place. In the team competition, the Delaware Valley High School team placed first. Members of that team were: John Lockwood, Olivia Bogert, Nixon Kameen, Clint Murray, Jess Rhule, John Rivera and Wil Salus. Steve Rhule was their coach. Wyoming Area High School team two came in second place. Members of the Wyoming Area team were: Nathan Ambrosino, Ben Hollister, Andrew Lucas, Joseph Marranca and Jadan Pepe. David Pizano was their coach. Berwick High School team one placed third. Members of the third-place finishing team were: Gabe Hook, John Ebert, Alysa Lewis, Karly Kile and Luke Peters. Matthew Shrader was their coach. Throughout the daylong competition, the students participated in teams in a series of hands-on challenges that tested their skills in several areas of physics and engineering, including a Data Analysis Event, Static Equilibrium Event, an All Power Out Event and a Trebuchet Event, for which the students had to predict the landing point of a basketball launched across the gym by medieval catapult. In the Data Analysis Event, the Delaware Valley High School team won first place. In the event titled, “All Power Out,” Berwick High School team one and Wyoming Area High School team one won first place. The first-place winner in the Static Equilibrium Event was North Pocono High School team two. The first-place winner of the Trebuchet Event was Mid Valley High School team one. The competition was organized by the University’s Department of Physics and Electrical Engineering to encourage more students to pursue careers in physics and engineering.
University of Scranton Names New Vice President Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., president of The University of Scranton, announced that Lauren S. Rivera, J.D., M.Ed., has been named Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students at Scranton, effective May 1, 2023. Dean Rivera had been serving as interim vice president for student life and dean of students at Scranton. She will continue to serve as a member of the President’s Cabinet. “Since joining the University community in 2009, Lauren has made an impact across all areas of student life. Personally, I marvel at the depth of her commitment to cura personalis, always working to ensure the best possible experience for our students,” said Father Marina in the campus announcement about Dean Rivera’s new position. “Lauren has been instrumental in many successful Student Life programs and projects, including Resilient Royals, which supports first-year students in their transition to college, and the Fail Forward Panel, a program started in 2019, in which speakers share stories of resilience and navigating struggle. She has displayed a deep commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and justice and strives to foster a campus community where students of all identities can thrive.” The Division of Student Life includes the Center for Career Development, the Center for Student Engagement, the Cultural Centers (Multicultural Center and Jane Kopas Women’s Center), the Center for Health Education and Wellness, the Counseling Center, Student Conduct and Assessment, Student Health Services, Student Government, Residence Life and University Police. Dean Rivera joined The University of Scranton community in 2009 as director of student conduct and assessment. In 2015, she was named assistant vice president for student formation and campus life (later student life) and dean of students. Under her leadership, the University expanded student support for issues such as wellness, grief, transition and social challenges. The University launched THR1VE, an initiative that supports first-generation students. In 2022, Scranton was named a First-Gen Forward institution. Colleges selected to the First-gen Forward program receive professional development, community-building experiences and have access to research and other resources.Dean Rivera also supported the development of ROCK (Royals of Color Kickoff) and shepherded the completion of the expanded Multicultural Center. Recently, she announced a reorganization in Student Life, to integrate better the various functions that support student health and wellness and to advance the University’s campus-wide plan for diversity, equity and inclusion. Dean Rivera is active in student life professional associations. She has presented at national conferences and authored a chapter in the 2019 book “Keep Calm and Call the Students: A Guide to Understanding the Many Faces of the Dean of Students’ Role.” Dean Rivera earned her bachelor’s degree from Bucknell University and helped to develop a joint-degree program in law and education at Pennsylvania State University, where she earned her master’s of education and juris doctorate degrees.
