The University of Scranton Among Greenest Colleges The Princeton Review listed The University of Scranton among just 511 colleges in the world “selected for their exceptional programs, policies and practices related to sustainability and the environment” for inclusion in its 2025 edition of its “Guide to Green Colleges,” which was published online in October. This is the sixth year that Scranton has made this listing. The Princeton Review analyzed more than 25 data points to choose the colleges for this year’s guide based on its 2023–2024 survey of administrators about their institutions’ sustainability-related policies, practices and programs, as well as surveys of students attending those colleges about their “green” campus experiences. Banner of Earth Day at the DeNaples Building “We are seeing substantive interest among college applicants in attending green colleges,” said Rob Franek, editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review. According to the Princeton Review, 61 percent of the high school student participating in their 2024 “College Hopes and Worries Survey” indicated that “having information about a college’s commitment to the environment would affect their decision to apply to or attend the school.” The Princeton Review also noted that, as a group, “the schools in the 2025 Edition of the Guide to Green Colleges have impressive sustainability-related statistics: 28 percent of their energy comes from clean and renewable sources; 46 percent of their waste is diverted from incinerators or solid-waste landfills; 98 percent offer a sustainability focused undergraduate major or degree; and 100 percent have a sustainability officer.” Scranton’s long-established sustainability efforts include academics, facilities and community education and outreach. Scranton has infused issues of sustainability in courses across the curriculum, ranging from theology, to business, to the natural sciences, to education, as well as other disciplines. Scranton uses numerous “green” procedures in building maintenance practices, as well as in building design and construction. Scranton currently has three Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified buildings: Leahy Hall, the Loyola Science Center and the DeNaples Center, which became the city’s first LEED certified structure in 2008. Robert S. and Marilyn A. Weiss Hall, currently under construction, is design intended to meet silver LEED certification requirements. In addition, inspired by Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical titled “On Care for Our Common Home,” the University is participating in a seven-year initiative to be recognized by the Vatican as a Laudato Si’ University. To be designated as a Laudato Si University, colleges must evaluate comprehensively current environmental and sustainability programs, then improve and develop further initiatives to address seven goals outlined by the Pope. The goals to be addressed are: to respond to the cries of the Earth; to respond to the call of the poor; to apply ecological economics; to adopt sustainable lifestyles; to implement ecological education programs; to develop ecological spirituality efforts; and to develop of programs to address community resilience and empowerment. In addition to its “Guide to Green Colleges,” The Princeton Review has listed Scranton in its “Best Colleges” guidebooks for 23 consecutive years, also ranking Scranton among the nation’s “Best Science Lab Facilities” (No. 17) for the eighth year.
The University of Scranton Awarded Seven-Figure Grant The University of Scranton receives seven-figure Appalachian Regional Commission grant for Technology-Driven Transformation in Workforce Development and Innovation Project. The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) awarded a $1,321,980 grant to The University of Scranton’s to support its Technology-Driven Transformation in Workforce Development and Innovation project. The grant leverages opportunities for outreach and collaboration, including with area small businesses, that will be created by the August 2025 opening of the nearly 90,000-square-foot Robert S. and Marilyn A. Weiss Hall now under construction. The University of Scranton was awarded a $1,321,980 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to support its Technology-Driven Transformation in Workforce Development and Innovation project which is expected to involve 159 students, 10 businesses and 137 participants. The grant leverages opportunities for outreach and collaboration that will be created by the August 2025 opening of Robert S. and Marilyn A. Weiss Hall, now under construction. Seen here is a rendering of Weiss Hall. ARC announced awards of $68.2 million for 65 projects through its Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) Initiative. POWER directs federal resources to economic diversification and revitalization projects in Appalachian communities affected by the downturn of the coal industry. The awards, announced on Oct. 16, amount to ARC’s largest POWER investment since the initiative was launched in 2015. The projects funded impact 188 counties in 10 Appalachian states: Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Scranton is one of just 20 projects in Pennsylvania selected to receive ARC awards. Scranton received the seventh largest award in the Commonwealth. The ARC grant funding leverages the workforce development, applied research and community outreach opportunities that will be created in the four-story Weiss Hall, including the expanded and dedicated space for the University’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC). The new space furthers the development of SBDC programming and encourage new collaborations with academic departments housed in the new building. The ARC grant will support the development of the Small Business Ready program that builds on the success of the existing Small Business Development Center’s Internship Program. Small Business Ready involves the development of a specialized training program tailored to the unique needs of small business for student interns. The training program will address the development of soft skills, such as interpersonal skills, problem-solving abilities, leadership and written and oral communication, which were identified by employers as often lacking in new hires. The program will also seek to foster an entrepreneurial mindset and nurture creativity and innovation among University students and provide practical training on business planning, management fundamentals, cybersecurity basics, marketing and social media strategies, accounting, and finance principles. SBDC consultants will develop the training program in collaboration with local small business owners, and the University’s career development staff and faculty. The program will leverage specialized equipment and technology that will be available in a 10,000-square-foot innovation hub on the first floor of Weiss Hall, which includes a virtual reality/augmented reality training laboratory. The ARC grant will also establish a networking program to facilitate more meaningful connections between students and small business owners and representatives. University students will take the lead in organizing and coordinating events and activities related to this initiative. In addition, the grant supports the development of initiatives for two of the University’s academic programs housed in Weiss Hall: the Psychology Department Experiential Learning and Outreach; and the Cybersecurity, Crime Analysis, Homeland Security and Criminal Justice Education, Training and Outreach. The University anticipates 159 students, 10 businesses and 137 participants will be impacted through the ARC grant. The Appalachian Regional Commission is an economic development entity of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 423 counties across the Appalachian Region. Since 2015, ARC has invested $484.7 million in 564 projects impacting 365 coal-impacted counties. Collectively, these investments are projected to support nearly 54,000 jobs and prepare nearly 170,000 workers and students for new opportunities in growing industries.
The University of Scranton’s Henry George Lecture to be Delivered by Marc Melitz Marc Melitz, Ph.D., the David A. Wells Professor of Political Economy at Harvard University, will deliver The University of Scranton’s fall 2024 Henry George Lecture titled “Global Production and Innovation Networks: Consequences for Trade and Industrial Policy.” The lecture will take place Thursday, Oct. 24, at 7:30 p.m. in the McIlhenny Ballroom of the DeNaples Center on campus. Dr. Melitz’s primary research interests are in international trade and investment. Theories which he introduced in 2003, now called the “Melitz model,” have been widely adapted by economists. Melitz’s theory holds that only the largest and strongest companies in an industry engage in international trade because of the significant resources required to conduct business in foreign markets. Dr. Melitz’s research has been published in several of the leading economics journals, including the American Economic Review, the Journal of International Economics, The Review of Economic Studies, the Journal of Political Economy, The Review of Economics and Statistics and the Journal of Economic Perspectives. He is a co-author, with Paul Krugman and Maury Obstfeld, of the textbook International Economics: Theory and Policy. A fellow of the Econometric Society, Dr. Melitz is affiliated with the National Bureau of Economic Research, the Centre for Economic Policy Research and the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. His research has been funded by the Sloan Foundation and the National Science Foundation. He was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Science in 2017. In 2008, the Economist magazine named him among the best of a new generation of economists. Dr. Melitz has been a professor in the Economics Department at Harvard University since 2009. Previously he was professor of economics and international affairs in the Department of Economics and the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University from 2007 to 2009. Dr. Melitz served as an associate editor of the American Economic Journal: Microeconomics, from 2007 to 2010, the foreign editor of The Review of Economic Studies from 2007 to 2010, an associate editor of the Journal of International Economics from 2005 to 2011 and an associate editor of the Economic Journal from 2004 to 2008. Dr. Melitz received a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Michigan. He received a bachelor’s degree from Haverford College and a master’s degree from the Robert Smith School of Business of the University of Maryland. Considered the preeminent public lecture series on economics in Northeastern Pennsylvania, the Henry George Lecture Series is presented by the University’s Department of Economics, Finance and International Business and the campus chapter of Omicron Delta Epsilon, an international honor society for economics. Among the distinguished list of speakers who have spoken at previous lectures are eleven winners of the Nobel Prize in Economics: David Card (2021) Paul Romer (2018), Robert Shiller (2013), Tom Sargent (2011), Peter Diamond (2010), Paul Krugman (2008), Joseph Stiglitz (2001), George Akerlof (2001), Amartya Sen (1998), Robert Lucas (1995) and Robert Solow (1987). The lecture series is named in honor of the 19th century American economist and social reformer and is supported financially by a grant from the Robert Schalkenbach Foundation. The Henry George Lecture is presented free of charge and is open to the public. For more information, call 570-941-4048 or email janice.mecadon@scranton.edu.
The University of Scranton Ranked in U.S. News For more than 30 consecutive years U.S. News has ranked The University of Scranton in the top 10 “Best Regional Universities in North.” U.S. News & World Report has once again ranked The University of Scranton among the top 10 regional universities in the north, placing Scranton No. 6 in its 2025 edition of the “Best Colleges” guidebook, which became available online today. This marks the 31st consecutive year the U.S. News has ranked Scranton in the top 10 in its category. U.S. News ranked Scranton No. 6 among “Best Regional Universities in the North” in its 2025 “Best Colleges” guide, marking the 31st consecutive year that Scranton was ranked in the top 10 universities in its category. U.S. News also ranked Scranton No. 6 in its category for “Best Undergraduate Teaching,” a selection of the top colleges in the nation that express a strong commitment to undergraduate teaching. Three of Scranton’s academic programs were among the top 50 in the nation. U.S. News ranked Scranton among the nation’s “Best Undergraduate Programs in Analytics” at No. 26 in the U.S.; “Best Undergraduate Programs in Accounting” at No. 41; among the “Best Undergraduate Programs in Finance” at No. 43. Other programs also enjoyed national recognition: “Best Undergraduate Nursing Programs” at No. 149; and among “Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs” at No. 190 (where a doctorate is not offered). Scranton’s was also listed among the 584 “Best Undergraduate Computer Science Programs” in the nation. Scranton also ranked No. 248 among America’s “Best Undergraduate Business Programs,” which listed only 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. 53 as a “Best Value Regional University in the North,” which compares academic quality of programs to cost of attendance. This is the 11th consecutive year U.S. News has recognized Scranton as a “Best Value” school. Scranton was ranked No. 116 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 nearly 20 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 2025 U.S. News “Best Colleges” rankings became available online Sept. 24.
The University of Scranton’s October Event Schedule Through Oct. 11 Art Exhibit: “The Lackawanna River and Watershed: History and Environment.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu. Oct. 2 5 p.m. Slattery Center for Ignatian Humanities: “An American Icon in Puerto Rico: Barbie, Girlhood, and Colonialism at Play” presented by Emily Aguilo Perez. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu. Oct. 5 9 a.m. Empower Her: Political Pathways for Women, a non-partisan program to helping women in NEPA become more politically active hosted by The University of Scranton’s Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service. DeNaples Center. $15 fee. Reservations required. Call 570-941-6326 or email ceeps@scranton.edu. Oct. 8 11:30 a.m. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Series: “The Power of Storytelling” presented by Jonathan Conyers, acclaimed author of the memoir “I Wasn’t Supposed to Be Here.” Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email schemelforum@scranton.edu. Oct. 9 8:30 a.m. 23rd Annual U.S. Conference on DISABILITY “The Rehabilitation Act: Learning From Our Past, Knowing Our Present & Building Our Future.” McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Registration required. Free. Call 570-941-4308 or visit www.scranton.edu/disabilityconference. Oct. 9 7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “General Recital” featuring student musicians from Performance Music. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu. Oct. 10 7:30 p.m. Ignatian Values in Action Lecture: “What We Remember Will Be Saved” presented by Stephanie Saldaña, author of “What We Remember Will Be Saved.” Byron Recreation Complex. Free. Call 570-941-7520 or email linda.walsh@scranton.edu. Oct. 18 11:30 a.m. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Series: “There’s a Future in the Past: Leading a Repertory Orchestra/Band in the 21st Century” presented by Vince Giordano, Grammy-winner, multi-instrumentalist and band leader. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email schemelforum@scranton.edu. Oct. 18 7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks!” Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu. Oct. 21-Nov. 22 Art Exhibit: “Hudson River and Delaware Valley: Selections from the Paul Biedlingmaier Jr. Collection.” Hope Horn Gallery, Hyland Hall. Free during gallery hours. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu. Oct. 21 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: “What Can a Body Do? How We Meet the Built World” presented by Sara Hendren, associate professor of art, design and architecture, Northeastern University. Heritage Room, Weinberg Memorial Library. Registration required. Free, courtesy of the Myers Fellowship. Reception follows. Call 570-941-4740 or email schemelforum@scranton.edu. Oct. 21 6:30 p.m. Scranton Stories: “Hispanic/Latinx Voices: Screening and Panel Discussion.” Main Auditorium, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, 525 Pine Street, Scranton. Free. Call 570-941-4419 or email daysi.carreto@scranton.edu. Oct. 24 5 p.m. Ethics Across the Curriculum Speaker: “Beyond the 3Rs: How to Shift the Current Animal Research Paradigm” presented by Kathrin Herrmann. Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Free. Call 570-941-4700 or email sarah.kenehan@scranton.edu. Oct. 24 7:30 p.m. Henry George Lecture: “Global Production and Innovation Networks: Consequences for Trade and Industrial Policy” presented by Marc Melitz, Ph.D., the David L. Wells Professor of Political Economy at Harvard University. McIlhenny Ballroom, DeNaples Center. Free. Call 570-941-4048 or email janice.mecadon@scranton.edu. Oct. 25 11:30 a.m. Schemel Forum’s World Affairs Luncheon Series: “Bridge Over Troubled Water: Harnessing the Power of Music, Art, and the Humanities for Better Health” presented by Olapeju Simoyan, M.D., professor of psychiatry, Drexel University College of Medicine. Rose Room, Brennan Hall. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email schemelforum@scranton.edu. Oct. 25 5 p.m. Art Gallery Lecture: “Hudson River and Delaware Valley: Selections from the Paul Biedlingmaier Jr. Collection.” Pearn Auditorium, Brennan Hall. Reception follows at the Hope Horn Gallery. Free. Call 570-941-4214 or email darlene.miller-lanning@scranton.edu. Oct. 25-27 and Nov. 1-3 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” 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. 26 7:30 p.m. Performance Music: “In Concert: The University of Scranton Jazz Band” with guest soloist Alvin Atkinson, drums. Houlihan-McLean Center. Free. Call 570-941-7624 or email music@scranton.edu. Oct. 27 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. Schemel Courses: Wednesdays: Oct. 16, 23, 30 and Nov. 6, 13, 20 6 p.m. Schemel Forum Course: “From Caligari to Hitler: Cinema and Politics during the Weimar Republic 1918-1933” presented by Andrew LaZella, Ph.D., professor, department of philosophy, The University of Scranton. Room 305, Weinberg Memorial Library. Registration required. Fees vary. Call 570-941-4740 or email schemelforum@scranton.edu.
The University of Scranton to Host Conference on Disability The 23rd Annual U.S. Conference on Disability focuses on access, advocacy and employment in the age of artificial intelligence. Danté Q. Allen, the commissioner of the U.S. Rehabilitation Services Administration in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, will be the featured speaker at the 23rd Annual U.S. Conference on Disability at The University of Scranton on Oct. 9. The day-long conference will feature nationally respected speakers addressing access, advocacy and employment in the age of artificial intelligence. The 23rd Annual U.S. Conference on Disability at The University of Scranton, “The Rehabilitation Act: Learning From Our Past, Knowing Our Present, and Building Our Future,” will feature nationally respected speakers addressing access, advocacy and employment in the age of artificial intelligence, including Danté Q. Allen, the commissioner of the U.S. Rehabilitation Services Administration in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. Registration is required to attend the conference, which begins at 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 9 and is offered free of charge. Also speaking at the conference will be Alison Levy, director of the Office of Technical and Information Services at the U.S. Access Board; Kathy West-Evans, director of business relations for the National Employment Team of the Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation; John Evans, recently retired Vocational Rehabilitation program administrator for employee relations for the State of Washington Department Social Health Services Division of Vocational Rehabilitation; Gary Karp disability awareness speaker, trainer, consultant and author of “Life On Wheels: For the Active Wheelchair User,” among other notable speakers. The annual conference seeks to educate and enhance the lives of individuals with disabilities and their families. The theme for this year’s conference is “The Rehabilitation Act: Learning From Our Past, Knowing Our Present, and Building Our Future.” Commissioner Allen will speak at the opening session of the conference, which begins at 8:30 a.m. in the McIlhenny Ballroom of the DeNaples Center on campus. Allen oversees the Rehabilitation Services Administration that provides leadership and resources to assist state and other agencies in providing vocational rehabilitation and other services to individuals with disabilities to maximize their employment, independence and integration into the community and the competitive labor market. Born with Spina bifida, Allen is a fulltime wheelchair user, and a staunch proponent of disability rights and equity. He has been a champion in advocating for the awareness of the reduction of healthcare and financial disparities especially among people of color and people with disabilities. He serves as a board member for Resources for Independent Living, Sacramento, a nonprofit that supports the needs of people with disabilities to live as independently as possible. Levy will speak at 10:15 a.m. As a person with disabilities, and with over 30 years of experience in the disability profession, Levy has worked toward improving workplace attitudes and accessibility, and in providing equal opportunity in the post-secondary, public and private sectors. Created in 1973 to ensure access to federally funded facilities, the Access Board, where she serves, is an independent federal agency that promotes equality for people with disabilities through leadership in accessible design and the development of accessibility guidelines and standards. The agency also provides technical assistance and training on requirements and on accessible design. Kathy West-Evans and John Evans will speak together at the session beginning at 1:30 p.m. West-Evans plays a leadership role with the National Employment Team, a cross-state team of vocational rehabilitation business specialists working through a dual customer approach to develop strategies with business (private, public, and non-profit) to employ and retain the talents of individuals with disabilities across the company or organization. She is a past chair of the Veterans Advisory Council on Rehabilitation and a former commissioner on the Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification. She is a frequent speaker and has co-authored articles focused on working with business to employ the talents of individuals with disabilities. Born with profound congenital deafness, Evans spent 31 years of public service in the fields of vocational rehabilitation; labor relations; human resource development; disability integration; and the employment of people with disabilities in the workplace. The closing session, which begins at 3 p.m., will feature Karp, whose spinal cord was injured from falling from a tree when he was 18 years old. The author of four books, Karp’s early career was in computer graphics and he later established an ergonomics consultancy. In 2007, he was inducted into the Spinal Cord Injury Hall of Fame as a disability educator. He was sponsored by the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Resource Center to speak at rehabilitation centers and to college students across the United States. Most recently, Karp has been an emergency manager and trainer, and currently serves as a reservist for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, through which he was deployed to multiple disasters to help people with disabilities access recovery resources and assistance. The Conference on Disability will open at 8:30 a.m. with remarks from University of Scranton President Rev. Joseph G. Marina, S.J.; Victoria Castellanos, Ph.D.,Dean of the University’s Leahy College of Health Sciences; and Edward R. and Patricia Leahy, honorary conference co-chairs, followed by remarks by Allen. Kathy Stefanelli, Ph.D., assistant professor of counseling and human services at The University of Scranton, will also speak at the conference, during the 11:30 a.m. session, and Renée Hakim, Ph.D., professor chair and program director of physical therapy at the University, will discuss “Advances in Rehabilitation Technology to Improve Human Mobility.” A noon luncheon will include an award ceremony and tribute to the late Ralph N. Pacinelli, Ed.D., a lifelong leader in vocational rehabilitation. The conference, which is presented by the University’s Leahy College of Health Sciences and the Edward R. Leahy Jr. Endowment, is free of charge and open to the general public. However, registration is required. Continuing education credits are also offered for some sessions. More detailed information and registration can be found on the disAbility Conference website. For additional questions, contact conference co-chairs Rebecca Dalgin, Ph.D., professor and chair of the University’s Department of Counseling and Human Services, at Rebecca.dalgin@scranton.edu or Lori Bruch, Ed.D, associate professor and faculty fellow, Office of the Provost, at lori.bruch@scranton.edu.
The University of Scranton Hosts Election Panel Discussion University students posed thought provoking questions on the upcoming to panelists at the Pennsylvania Cable Network (PCN) panel discussion. University of Scranton students from the International Relations course taught by Gretchen Van Dyke, Ph.D., associate professor of political science, posed thought-provoking questions on the upcoming presidential election to panelists at an event hosted by Pennsylvania Cable Network (PCN) on campus. The panel discussion will air on PCN stations across the commonwealth on Monday, Sept. 16, at 8 p.m. It will also be posted to their website. Participating in the panel discussion at the University, were, from left: Francine Schertzer, senior vice president and chief content officer for PCN-TV, moderator; and panelists Jean Wahl Harris, Ph.D., professor of political science at the University; Borys Krawczeniuk, a reporter with WVIA; Brit Crampsie, principal for Brit Crampsie Communications; and Christopher Nicholas, principal for Eagle Consulting. The discussion will air on PCN stations on Monday, Sept. 16, at 8 p.m., and will air on PCN stations on Monday, Sept. 16, at 8 p.m., and will also be posted to their website. Scranton was one of just four colleges from across Pennsylvania selected to participate in PCN’s panel discussions about the election. The college panel discussions from the other schools will air at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 17-19. Panelists participating in Scranton’s discussion were: Jean Wahl Harris, Ph.D., professor of political science at the University; Borys Krawczeniuk, a reporter with WVIA; Brit Crampsie, principal for Brit Crampsie Communications; and Christopher Nicholas, principal for Eagle Consulting. Francine Schertzer, senior vice president and chief content officer for PCN-TV, was the moderator.
The University of Scranton Welcomes Guest Performers for Family Weekend Joseph Boga and The Scranton Ramblers with guest guitarist Stephane Wrembel, and an appearance by the University Concert Choir set for Sept. 21. On Saturday, Sept. 21, Performance Music at The University of Scranton will present a concert featuring Joseph Boga and the Scranton Ramblers with guitarist Stephane Wrembel, as part of the University’s annual Family Weekend festivities. The concert, which will also include an appearance by The University of Scranton Concert Choir, begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue. Admission is free and the concert is open to the public. Seating on a first-come, first-seated basis. “All of us in Performance Music are delighted to present such an outstanding Family Weekend concert, especially where our choir gets to perform a piece alongside musical powerhouses Joseph Boga and Stephane Wrembel,” said Janelle Decker, conductor and co-director of Performance Music at Scranton. Boga, an area native, is a member of the legendary group Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks, which appears in New York City every Monday in their roost – Birdland. In addition to his work with Giordano and The Nighthawks, Boga also leads his own groups and has performed and/or recorded with a variety of other ensembles such as Stephane Wrembel’s Django New Orleans, David Ostwald’s Louis Armstrong Eternity Band, Jazz Museum in Harlem All-Stars, James Langton’s New York All-Star Big Band and The Kyle Athayde Dance Party, as well as with artists such as Stephane Wrembel, Wycliffe Gordon, Adrian Cunningham, Loren Schoenberg, Wynton Marsalis and many others. His film appearances include Killers of the Flower Moon, season 2 of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Capote vs. The Swans and others. Stephane Wrembel is quite simply one of the finest guitar players in the world. Though specializing in the Django Reinhardt style, he revels in transcending and expanding, and the breadth and range of his playing and compositions are unmatched. His music incorporates jazz, blues, classical, swing, flamenco and rock. All of these influences come together as a genre identifiable only as Stephane Wrembel. This prolific musician, composer, educator and musical director has released a steady stream of music since 2002, truly making his mark as one of the most original guitar voices in contemporary music. He tours the world and has headlined venues such as Jazz at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, The Town Hall in N.Y.C. and The Lyon Opera House in France, and has dazzled audiences at events like Montreal Jazz Festival, Rochester International Jazz Festival, Django Reinhardt Festival in France, Ellnora Guitar Festival, Caramoor Jazz Festival and many others. Wrembel won a Grammy award for his tune Bistro Fada, which Woody Allen used as the theme song for his 2011 Oscar-winning film, Midnight in Paris. Other musicians performing with The Scranton Ramblers for the concert will include trombonist Sam Chess; guitarist Roy Williams (a native and current resident of the Scranton area); Will Reardon-Anderson, alto sax and clarinet; and Jay Rattman, bass saxophonist (a native of the Delaware Water Gap area. The University of Scranton Concert Choir is an soprano, alto, tenor and bass (SATB) mixed choir comprised of members of the University community from majors and departments spanning the curriculum – none of whom are music majors – who are brought together by their mutual love for making music. They will be performing “La Vie En Rose” with the featured guest ensemble. For further information on the performance, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit the Performance Music website. For more on Boga, visit josephboga.com, and for more info on Wrembel, visit stephanewrembel.com
Princeton Review Recognizes Scranton Science Labs, Service engagement Students say Scranton professors take an investment in each individual and truly care about their students in The Princeton Review Best 390 Colleges. The Princeton Review selected The University of Scranton among “The Best 390 Colleges” in the nation and ranked Scranton No.17 in the country for “Best Science Lab Facilities,” No. 23 for “Students Most Engaged in Community Service,” and No. 23 in the country for “Best-Run Colleges The Princeton Review has named The University of Scranton as one of the best colleges in the nation for the 23rd consecutive year. The well-known college guidebook also ranked Scranton among the “Best Science Lab Facilities” (No. 17) in the country. This is the eighth year Scranton has made this national list of just 25 schools deemed to have the finest laboratory facilities. The Princeton Review also ranked the school No. 23 in the nation for “Students Most Engaged in Community Service” and No. 23 in the country for “Best-Run Colleges.” Students quoted by The Princeton Review praise the University’s outstanding facilities, approachable faculty and supportive alumni network. Students noted the investment the University has made in laboratory and simulation spaces that resulted in “academic buildings [that] are the greatest strength of the school because most have nice classrooms and places to study that foster learning.” The students also mentioned the small class sizes, capped at around 35 students, that ensure “the professor [is] able to know your name and take an investment in each individual.” According to Princeton Review, many Scranton students describe professors as being “very easy to reach” and “truly [caring] about their students.” Students also said that alumni can be counted on to keep looking out for Scranton students and graduates, which the Princeton Review credited for helping to explain the University’s consistently high 99 percent graduate job-placement rate. Scranton is among just 14 percent of schools in the nation to be listed in the 2025 edition of the “Best 390 Colleges” guidebook to be selected and recommended by The Princeton Review as one of the top colleges in the country. The Princeton Review does not include an overall ranking of the schools selected as the best in the country, however they do publish rankings of schools in 50 categories based on results of their surveys of 168,000 students at the 390 colleges included in the book. Information from the surveys is also used in the profiles included about each school in the publication. The 2025 edition of the guidebook published online on Aug. 27. In addition to The Princeton Review, U.S. News has ranked Scranton among the top 10 “Best Regional Universities in the North” for 30 consecutive years, placing the University No. 5 among the “Best Regional Universities in the North” its 2024 edition of the “Best Colleges” guidebook.
Lackawanna College and University of Scranton Form 30+ Program Articulation Agreement Lackawanna College and The University of Scranton collaborate to establish over 30 program articulation agreements, offering pathways for Lackawanna College graduates to transition to The University of Scranton to complete their bachelor’s degrees. “The formation of more than 30 program articulation agreements between Lackawanna College and The University of Scranton stands as a groundbreaking initiative, reflecting our mission to offer affordable educational opportunities for our students,” Provost of Lackawanna College Erica Barone Pricci, Ph.D., said. “By streamlining credit transfers and offering diverse academic pathways, these agreements allow our students to engage with a large range of bachelor’s programs. This collaborative endeavor underscores our joint dedication to fostering educational accessibility and elevating the academic landscape for our student community.” These agreements cover 33 bachelor’s degree programs, including majors like accounting, finance and operations management. To be eligible, Lackawanna College students must earn their associate’s degree with a minimum GPA of 2.75 and enroll at Scranton within a year of graduation. Students who meet the criteria can complete their bachelor’s degree at the University within four regular semesters. They also have the opportunity to earn nine credits at Scranton while attending Lackawanna at half of the University of Scranton’s tuition rate. Additionally, Lackawanna College graduates with a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher accepted into a degree program at Scranton through an articulation agreement qualify for a University of Scranton merit scholarship, starting at a minimum award of $20,000 per academic year for full-time students. For more information about these articulation agreements, visit Lackawanna.edu or contact Lackawanna College at 570-961-7898 or The University of Scranton at 888-SCRANTON.
