Two ESU professors and their students are spearheading NASA research projects that may impact future space exploration.

Dr. John Elwood, right, and student

Joshua Joyce at work on the cosmic ray sensor.Dr. Haklin Kimm, right, and student

Brian Pechkis present the robot formula.

ESU’S SPACE AGE

7|Otter Matters 10|Arctic Lessons 18|Homecoming

Alumni Herald Winter 2010 Volume 21, No. 3

EastStroudsburgUniversityofPennsylvania

inthisissue

ESU Alumni HeraldMessage to Alumni

Notice of Nondiscrimination

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, veteran status,

disability or age in its programs and activities in accordance with state and federal laws.

The following person has been designated to handle inquiries

regarding this policy:

Director of Diversity/Ombudsperson, 200 Prospect Street

115 Reibman BuildingEast Stroudsburg, PA 18301

(570) 422-3656

Robert J. Dillman, Ph.D.University President

Frank FalsoVice President

for University Advancement

EditorJohn J. Ross

Director of Alumni Engagement

Assistant EditorWanda Ochei

Assistant Director for Alumni Relations

Design and ProductionOffice of University Relations

ContributorsBGA Studios

Charles Perry Hebard ’07Dr. Jane HuffmanBrenda E. FridayBob Kelley ’71

Dr. Douglas LareDoug Lockwood ’88Greg Knowlden M’04Marilyn J. LoPresti ’08

Allison Mosher ’09Wanda Ochei

Pinky O’Neill ’57Jeff Phillips ’07

Carleen A. PolicastroJohn J. Ross

John ShortinoDouglas F. SmithSheree B. Watson

Timothy M. Weisse ’74Teresa McCraw Werkheiser

Dr. Rod Weston

Alumni HeraldThe Alumni Herald is the official publication for

East Stroudsburg University’s Alumni and is published three times a year.

Please address all correspondence to:

Alumni RelationsEast Stroudsburg University

200 Prospect St.East Stroudsburg, PA 18301

(570) 422-3533 (800) 775-8975

Fax: (570) 422-3301

E-Mail: alumni@esu.eduWeb site: http://esualumni.org

Dear Friends:

As I write this it is the Monday following winter commencement. With this graduation and its most recent addition of more than 400 new ESU alumni to your associa-tion, there are now some 38,000 graduates who comprise our alumni membership. I must say that this institution’s responsibili-

ties to you as ESU alumni, are, in so many ways, just as important to me as are our day to day responsibilities to our current students.

The articles covered in this magazine (not just this is-sue), as well as the updates on your fellow alumni, are intended to keep you informed about the progress of the institution. At the same time we genuinely want to maintain our connection to you and your connection to your university. We could not be more sincere about our passion for maintaining this outreach and for enhanc-ing our communication with you.

Evidence of our determination to share compelling information about the university with you is emerging stronger than ever in this issue of the Alumni Herald. Articles and features, in addition to the columns about gatherings and homecoming that you have become ac-customed to, range from:

n A fascinating feature describing space-related research projects on behalf of NASA by two ESU faculty members and their students; to

n A story documenting an adventurous trek by educa-tion faculty and students to Alaska’s Fort Yukon region to interview Native American elders, and to study per-sistence among teachers in remote locations, and;n A personable article on this year’srecipients of the Distinguished Faculty Awards, David Rheinheimer and Mary Ann Matras.In the spirit of introducing new and exciting information about the univer-sity I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Frank Falso to the position of Vice President for Univer-sity Advancement effective January 4. Mr. Falso will have overall responsibil-ity for the university’s comprehensive fundraising efforts, alumni relations and university relations. He succeeds the acting assistant vice presi-dent, John Ross, who has served in that position since July 2008.Mr. Falso will also serve as a member of the president’s council. Among other duties, he will lead the develop-ment and planning of capital and annual fundraising and will oversee the administration of planned giving programs.I believe that Mr. Falso will be a tremendous asset to our university community and to you, our alumni. I look forward to personally introducing you to Frank in the coming months and years and working with him as we continue to bring the university and its progress to you and to bring you back to the university.On behalf of the university community, please accept my most sincere wishes for a happy and healthy New Year!

Sincerely,Robert J. Dillman, President

OpeningRemarks

Winter 2010 Table of Contents 1

Cover Story

Offices of Development and Alumni RelationsAhnert Alumni Center (800) 775-8975http://advancement.esu.edu

Frank Falso Vice President for University Advancement

Laurie SchallerExecutive Staff Assistant

John J. Ross Director of Alumni Engagement

Wanda OcheiAssistant Director for Alumni Relations

Carleen A. Policastro Alumni Relations Secretary

Michelle Dramé M’07Director of Corporate & Community Relations

Michele Zabriski Major Gifts/Planned Giving Officer

Robert Kelley ’71Major Gifts/Planned Giving Officer

Cynthia LavinMajor Gifts/Planned Giving Secretary

Tina L. Franks McGovern Coordinator of Annual Funds

John D. Shewchuk Database Manager

Teresa McCraw Werkheiser Coordinator of Donor Relations and Stewardship

Roberta Russell Secretary/Receptionist

Christina PrinceAccountant

Laurel BruceSenior Prospect Researcher

Board of Directors

Mark J. Mecca ’96President

James T. “Rocky” Rogers ’85Vice President

Suzanne A. Chludzinski ’90Secretary

Edward J. Curvey ’63Roger L. DeLarco ’80

Nicholas A. DiGregory ’76Anthony L. Drago ’76Eugenia S. Eden ’72

Robert. C. Edwards ’55Robert A. Kearn ’58Gerald D. Keyser ’59

Deborah A. Kulick ’80Gail A. Kulick ’88

John T. Lambert ’54Jesse W. Landon ’81

Marcus Lingenfelter ’95Ted E. Martz ’47

Shirley A. Neas Merring ’57Anne M. Morton ’96Charles J. Morton ’64

James B. Nesbitt, Jr. ’74“Pinky” O’Neil ’57

Bernard A. Peruso ’91Michael J. Romano, Jr. ’74

Robb Ruiz ’08Eric D. Scelza ’99

Dr. Faye Dallmeyer Soderberg ’58Richard D. Vroman ’67Timothy M. Weisse ’74

Christopher S. Yeager ’74Lawrence A. Zaccaro ’77

EmeritiDr. Betty Collins Henrie ’44

Bryan L. Hill ’71James “Pat” Hyde ’63

Phyllis M. Kirschner ’63Dr. Frank Michael Pullo ’73

Virginia M. Hauserman Sten ’71John E. Woodling ’68

DepartmentsBirths ..........................................................31Campus News .............................................12Engagements ....................................... 28, 30Faculty Files ...........................................14-15Gatherings & Events ...................................23

Giving Opportunities ..... 32, inside back coverIn Memoriam .............................................. 31Message to Alumni ..............inside front cover Upcoming Events ........................... back coverWarrior Spirit......................................... 20-22Weddings ....................................................32“Who’s Doing What”.............................. 25-30

FeaturesLessons learned in the Arctic Circle...........................................................10Undercover professor studies how to be a better teacher ..........................25Alum makes final round of Army’s ‘Best Warrior’ competition ................... 29

InsideA biology department trapping and tagging project aims to help the northeastern river otter by tracking its habitat and habits in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

ESU goes universal, as campus physics and computer science projects impact the future of space exploration with NASA. On the cover: Student-programmed robot arms frame photos of professors Haklin Kimm and John Elwood in action.

(Cover design: Allison Mosher ’09)

2

AlumniOutreachBecome an Alumni Outreach Ambassador, and help keep the ESU spirit alive across the country.

167

SuccessStoriesA new feature highlighting what alumni in certain programs are doing now. This issue: Sport Management grads.

24

ESU Alumni HeraldCover Story2

How ESU professors and students are impacting

the future of space exploration

Two East Stroudsburg University professors, along with their students in the Computer Science and Physics departments, are spearheading research

projects that NASA believes may be essential to future space exploration. These projects have been made pos-sible through ESU’s longtime field study relationship with the Marine Science Consortium (MSC), a nonprofit education and research center located in Wallops Island, Va., and its newly established collaboration with the neighboring NASA Wallops Flight Facility.

The NASA affiliation was proposed by ESU President Robert Dillman, a driving force and proponent of the Consortium. The faculty/student research programs de-scribed in this article are designed to serve the missions of both NASA and the MSC, and expand the opportuni-ties available in ESU and the Consortium’s other mem-ber schools.

By working with computer programs and robot-ics, Computer Science Professor Haklin Kimm hopes to apply the skills he teaches ESU students to making satellites more efficient and resistant to failure, while Associate Professor of Physics John Elwood’s project aims to gain a clearer understanding of cosmic rays, the energetic particles that can affect astronauts and devices at high altitudes.

Kimm presented part of his project to develop pro-grams for use in NASA satellites to students and faculty who gathered in the Hoeffner Science and Technology Center’s Niedbala Auditorium in November. The pre-sentation featured three robots carrying out a complex

program designed by Kimm and his students. The long-term goal is a program that would link small, single-task CUBE satellites together for NASA’s use, increasing sys-tem stability and establishing a future design standard.

While many electrical and aerospace engineers work on satellites, Kimm’s approach will be unique to ESU’s Computer Science program, using techniques taught in programming classes to link a series of satellites to-gether. The professor says that while other schools are focused on the tasks of individual satellites, he and his student assistants are working to make a group of satel-lites work together seamlessly. This is an application of skills taught in Computer Science courses at ESU, where students learn to integrate hardware and software to produce the best results possible.

The technology that Kimm is working to improve has been widely used in the automotive and technologi-cal industries, including companies like Bosch, BMW, and Mercedes. NASA is interested in using this versatile technology in its satellites in a variety of applications.

Kimm has met with NASA staff from the Goddard Space Flight Center’s Wallops Island Facility in Virginia, and has already proposed a second project to the MSC-NASA collaboration workgroup that would build on his research to design a program that would extend the bat-tery life of the satellites.

by John Shortinophotographs by Perry Hebard ’07layout by Allison Mosher ’09

Winter 2010 Cover Story 3

Dr. Haklin Kimm Dr. John Elwood with students Joshua Maichin, left, Joshua Joyce, right, and cosmic ray detector platform.

Gus Nylander, left, and Matt Jarrell with robots

Cosmic ray detector hangs from launch vehicle before heading to a high altitude.

In the Physics Department, Associate Professor John Elwood is processing information on cosmic rays gathered during a NASA high-altitude balloon launch in September. The detector, which Elwood hopes will provide information about the nature and composition of cosmic rays, was developed during the summer and attached to a high-altitude balloon in New Mexico along with several other scientific devices.

Elwood and his student assistants constructed their sensor by affixing thin sheets of polycarbon-ate (a form of plastic) to a wooden base; at altitudes of about 125,000 feet, the polycarbonate sheets are sub-microscopically damaged by cosmic rays. Etching in the laboratory will reveal this damage, and Elwood and his students will analyze these results. What they discover could help develop shielding methods for astronauts and for life forms on Earth.

The launch of the weather balloon and collection of data (lasting 24 hours) occurred on Sept. 19, 2009 a timeframe Elwood said was ideal for these high-altitude experiments.

“During September and March, the high-altitude winds are shifting, so the balloon won’t drift too far,” he said. “When the balloon came down, we had to quickly cover our experiment so that it didn’t get overexposed.”

The experiment was returned to campus in a light-

proof box, and Elwood and his students began “devel-oping” the polycarbonate sheets. It will take several months to analyze the data collected during the launch.

“We’re looking for places where energetic particles entered the material,” he says. “It leaves a tapered shape, and if we’re lucky we’ll find some places where the particles actually stopped within the sheets.” When this occurs, it allows researchers to gather a large amount of information about these cosmic rays.

With these two NASA projects, ESU students and faculty are on the cutting-edge of the next generation of space research, helping to shape the way aerospace tech-nology can work in future spacecraft, from space suits to satellites. Through ESU’s ties to NASA’s Wallops Island Flight Facility, students have access to the technologies and experiments that will lead the space exploration of the next century.

- What do the stars in the sky have to do

with the fish in the sea?

Turn the page for the rest of the Marine Science Consortium story.

Many departments could utilize the facilities and the surrounding environment to enhance their programs. Whether it be creative writing, illustration, fine art, geography, history and of course science, the Marine Science Consortium would provide rich subject matter that is most particular for that area.

“

- Professor Darlene Farris-LaBar whose photograph on this page was a part

of the exhibit “A Symphony on Shallow Water”

ESU Alumni HeraldESU in Action4

© 2008 Darlene Farris-LaBar

”

Winter 2010 ESU in Action 5

Nature’s ClassroomThe Marine Science Consortium:

An ESU Partner in Education on the Scenic Virginia Eastern Seaboard

8

by John Shortinophotograph by Darlene Farris-LaBar

layout by Allison Mosher ‘09

ESU professors and students are now utilizing the learning resources and research partnerships offered through the Marine Science Consortium (MSC) in Wallops

Island, Va., as never before. From physics to computer science to the fine arts and the biological sciences, the sky seems not to have any limits when it comes to hands-on teaching and learning in this veritable wonderland of nature less than a six-hour drive from East Stroudsburg.

The revitalized “nature’s learning center,” with which the university has enjoyed a long-time educational relationship, is now more vital than ever and is currently un-dergoing a $15 million renovation. The renovation will help make the MSC even more of an educational asset to ESU, its other university members and its neighbor, NASA’s Wallops Island Flight Facility, with which ESU now participates in an expanded re-search partnership spearheaded by University President Robert Dillman.

Historically a site for research and laboratory investigation of its coastal habitat, MSC’s campus will be expanded and revitalized to allow for projects across disciplines. Studying the area’s Native American history, the unique lifestyle of the area’s Dia-mondback Terrapins, or the impact of climate change on tidal zones, among others, are the kinds of research projects visiting educators and students will have to choose from.

Other proposed projects designed to expand the scope of work being done at the Marine Science Consortium include establishing an artist-in-residence program and creating a program through which Spanish classes could work with the area’s large Latino population. Through the Marine Science Consortium, professors at member universities will be able to design courses specific to the Virginia coast. ESU Associate Professor of Art Miharu Lane is seeking Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education approval to begin teaching a course focusing on coastal landscapes, an important step toward expanding the variety of courses taught at the campus.

continued next page

ESU Alumni HeraldESU in Action6

Coastal area inspiresThe area’s rich history,

not only in marine science and aerospace fields, makes it an ideal site for a variety of projects.

“Historically, this landscape has been very inspir-ing to artists, poets, and much more, and many depart-ments could utilize the facilities and the surrounding environment to enhance their programs,” says ESU Art professor Darlene Farris-LaBar, who visited the facility last year.With access to the “precious coastal landscapes” surrounding the Marine Science Consor-tium, as well as the counsel of ESU Biology professor Jay Hunt, Farris-Labar was able to study the area’s fiddler crabs and their environment, producing a series of photographs and videos exploring the environmental importance of these animals in their wetland habitat.

The photographic and video project she completed at the Wallops Island, titled “A Symphony on Shallow Water,” was presented at ESU’s Madelon Powers gallery upon her return.

“The facilities at the Marine Science Consortium offered accommodations and resources that enabled me to fulfill my research,” Farris-Labar says.

“Many departments could utilize the facilities and the surrounding environment to enhance their programs. Whether it be creative writing, illustration, fine art, geography, history and of course science, the Marine Science Consortium would provide rich subject matter that is most particular for that area.”

NASA and ESU both win in partnershipThe expanded partnership with NASA, which was

conceived and supported by ESU President Dillman, represents a huge development for the Marine Science Consortium and for East Stroudsburg University. The improved facility’s proximity to NASA’s Wallops Island Flight Facility, as well as the wide-ranging research interests of professors at ESU and other MSC member universities, ensure that a research partnership will benefit both ESU professors and students and NASA re-searchers, who are doing the kind of work that will help ensure the future of space exploration, in both manned and unmanned missions.

ESU professors Haklin Kimm (Computer Science) and John Elwood (Phys-ics) are undertaking work related to satellites and the mapping of cosmic rays at high altitudes, projects that

are moving forward through the university’s relation-ship with NASA and the Marine Science Consortium (see article on Page 3).

The four-phase revitalization project, which began in June and will be completed in July of 2010, is moving along on schedule, and the staff of the Marine Science Consortium is optimistic about the future of the center. The project includes new residence halls and a two-story, LEED-certified education center. While the staff intends to use “green” materials and building practices throughout the project, the education center’s LEED certification, awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council, identifies it as a leader in environmental and energy efficient design.

“It’s important when building an environmental research center that it be as green as possible,” says MSC Executive Director Amber Parker. “We want to have as little impact on the surrounding ecosystem as possible, in all of our buildings.”

The Marine Science Consortium is moving rapidly toward the future, whether it is through an expanded and improved research center or new courses offered to visitors in a variety of fields. Each of these develop-ments will expand the possibilities of the other, with an enhanced campus allowing larger numbers of fac-ulty and students to visit and complete projects.

The MSC, after 40 years as a leading center for coastal research and scientific progress, shows no sign of slowing down. Through the opportunities offered by a revitalized Marine Science Consortium, ESU’s faculty and students will be able to bring their knowledge and passion for learning to the wider world — and through partnerships with NASA, they may be able to go even farther.

/

Drawing of the new Education Center planned for the Marine Science Consortium at Wallops Island, Va.

Winter 2010 ESU in Action 7

OtterMattersESU tracking project tells biologists where river otters live and play.

This northern river otter’s tail will be implanted with a harmless radio

transmitter that will permit graduate

student Jim Kauffman to track its habitat.

Canoeing the waterways of the Poconos, Jim Kauff-man and Sam Loffredo search for signs of river otters, hoping to capture eight of these playful and energetic animals. Radio transmitters will be implanted in the otters. Radio telemetry is an important tool in wildlife research. It is the best available method for estimating home range, and determining habitat selection of wild, free-ranging animals.

“There’s not a lot of information about the otters in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and they’re a species of special concern,” says Kauffman, an ESU graduate student in biological sciences whose thesis is a compre-hensive study of the semi-aquatic mammals known as Lontra canadensis.

Under the guidance of Dr. Jane E. Huffman, distin-guished professor of biological sciences, Kauffman is studying the range, diet, and genetic structure of otters, as well as intestinal parasites they may harbor.

Assisting him is Sam Loffredo, an ESU undergradu-ate student majoring in exercise physiology. The project is funded by the Pennsylvania Trappers Association, a group of sportsmen involved in wildlife research, man-agement and conservation.

Otters were reintroduced into Pennsylvania water-ways in 1982. To locate otters Jim and Sam look for otter sign which include dens and latrine sites. An otter roll

is another sign you might look for when tracking ot-ters. When otters come out of the water, they need to dry themselves off. They will do this either with a roll of grass that is used much like a towel, or they will roll around on their backs, flattening out a large area of grass. Both of these signs can be seen very near the water and often near a latrine site.

Once otters are captured, a veterinarian implants a transmitter in them. Using telemetry equipment, Kauff-man will track each otter, monitoring its movements and establishing the extent of its home range.

“Jim has a built-in curiosity to discover how things work,” says Huffman. “This curiosity has led him to ex-plore what animals need to survive and be healthy.”

Otters primarily feed on fish supplementing their diet with amphibians, crayfish, mollusks and other invertebrates. Kauffman will be looking at the dietary preferences of the local otters

“The development and application of genetic mark-ers will also enable us to establish a genetic profile for the Pennsylvania and New Jersey otters, and possibly deter-mine a population estimate,” Huffman says.

Kauffman, who earned his bachelor’s degree in wildlife and fisheries science from Penn State University, came to East Stroudsburg for his post-graduate work because of ESU’s biology program.

ESU Alumni HeraldESU in Action8

Graduate student Jim Kauffman, left, and student Sam Loffredo with the radio telemetry

device used to track northern river otters which have been implated with transmitters.

Opposite page: Kauffman and Loffredo in the lab, top, and with an X-ray showing a transmitter

implanted under an otter’s tail.

On the hunt to help the river otter

“They have a great reputation, especially in the field of wildlife research,” he says. The state’s otter reintroduction program was initiated by Dr. Larry Rymon and

graduate student Tom Serfass from ESU. Dr. Serfass is now a biology professor at Frost-burg State University in Maryland. Kauffman, with permits from the Pennsylvania Game Commission, has access to many wetlands and waterways for his research.

“There are a lot of opportunities for research in the area, particularly within the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area,” he says.

Kauffman enjoys the study of ecology, Huffman notes, specifically the interactions between individual species and their environments. His aptitude for problem-solving and developing new tech-niques is especially useful for this important study.

“The human impact on wildlife populations and habitat continues to increase,” Huffman says. “Conservation and management policies are more important than ever, and field research is vital in order to provide the information and knowledge needed for ef-fective conservation.”

Reported by John Shortino

Winter 2010 ESU in Action 9

Project: Landscape Geneticsand Ecology of Northern River Otters (Lontra canadensis) in Pennsylvania and New Jersey

PrinciPle investigators: James C. Kauffman, BS and Jane E. Huffman, MS, PhD, MPH • ESU Department of Biological Sciences, Applied DNA Sciences

Background: Otters often occupy large home ranges with low population densities, relatively low reproductive rates. Their ranges have gotten smaller due to habitat loss, water quality degradation, and overharvest. Regulations, habitat restoration, and reintroduction programs are expanding their range again.

oBjectives: Conduct geno-typing studies of river otters throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey

• Collect genetic samples.• Analyze blood samples and

external parasites for disease monitoring

• Delineate home ranges using radio-telemetry

• Determine habitat use/preferences using telemetry data and GIS mapping

• Determine diet preferences by analyzing stomach contents

• Investigate internal parasite and pathogens.

• Provide a master’s thesis, a final report, and manuscripts for publication including results of data collected pertaining to river otter genetics and ecology.

Methodology: Capture ot-ters, implant radio-transmitters that emit a signal allowing movements to be monitored for 6-8 mos., the duration of transmitter battery life. Weights, measurements, blood, and tis-sue samples are being collected for disease and DNA analysis. Data acquired will allow better understanding of how land-scape influences gene flow and genetic diversity.

On the hunt to help the river otter

Lessons in the Arctic CircleESU Alumni HeraldESU in Action10

Eight miles north of the Arctic Circle, a group of East Stroudsburg University students discovered the environmental and cultural challenges of teaching in an isolated Native American community.

Nine students spent 10 days in northeastern Alaska, three days of which were dedicated to interviewing teachers, former students and villagers at the Fort Yukon School. The goal was to find

out what it takes for a teacher to succeed in such a remote and culturally different spot. The cross-cultural exchange trip was led last summer by Doug Lare and Rod Weston of ESU’s Professional and Secondary Education Department.

“A lot of the older members of the community grew up in segregat-ed schools. Native students were sometimes beaten for speaking their language. It would impact the students’ belief system and heritage, and this has only recently begun to change,” said Weston, who taught in the Yukon Flats School District for six years.

The school, located in a tiny village of about 600 people, has 125 students, most of them from native Ameri-can families. Weston, who had taught at the Fort Yukon School, noted the population had been very isolated in the Yukon region of Alaska in the past because of a lack of technology. “They didn’t have their first telephones until 1980,” he said.

“But now it’s progressed, from shortwave radio to the Inter-net,” added Lare. “Now we can have a video conference with Fort Yukon.”

The ESU group explored the difficulties faced by outsiders hired to teach in such a community, with the goal of determining what made some teachers more successful there than others.

“There are a lot of challenges specific to Alaska,” said Chris-topher Hipp, an undergraduate social studies student who took part in the exchange. “It can get down to -60°F at night, and then there are long periods of total darkness.”

Added to the physical isolation are cultural barriers that many from outside the community have been unable to cross, resulting in a high teacher turnover rate. Through their interviews, the ESU group hoped to gain a greater understanding of how native cul-ture can be approached in the curriculum, as well as how technol-ogy is improving the way teachers from the outside can integrate into the community.

The ESU students, working in pairs to conduct half-hour interviews, found that the most successful teachers in Fort Yukon were those who made an effort to engage with local culture. A

Tribal elder John Thomas, center, discusses life in Fort Yukon, Alaska, with students visiting from ESU. At left is Tony Kuder, a senior secondary education student; at right is Marc Walter, a graduate student in education.

STUDENT PROJECT REPORTS CHALLENGES OF TEACHING IN REMOTE ALASKAN VILLAGE

Winter 2010 ESU in Action 11

greater emphasis on integrating native culture and language into the classroom, making it an important part of growing up for local students, is proving to be key, as are technological advances that allow classrooms to connect with people outside of the area.

The ESU group also had a unique chance to experience life in the Arctic, camp-ing and boating on the Yukon River and Denali National Park, getting experience with dog sled teams and observing wildlife and native culture.

“We saw a working fishing wheel on the river, and it really showed us how much Alaskans depend on providing for themselves,” said elementary education major Brittany Maccia. “There isn’t a grocery store you can get to easily, so you need to be self-sufficient.”

Before making the trip, the group developed protocols for the interviews, and practiced camping skills at ESU’s Stony Acres Recreation Area in Marshalls Creek. Since returning to campus, the students have met several times to discuss their work, in preparation of publishing their findings.

The Fort Yukon study was funded by a grant, and also made possible through the work of ESU’s Director of Extended Learning, Jennifer Serowick, and Assistant Vice President of Instructional Support and Outreach, Michael Southwell.

Reported by John Shortino, Douglas Lare, Rob Weston and Douglas Smith

The ESU contingent at the airport in Fort Yukon, Alaska. From left, Ryan Connors, Dan Uphold, Miles Weston, Marc Walters, Dr. Rod Weston, Tony Kuder, Chris Hipp, Miguel Tibbit, Beth Weston, Doug Lare, Sharon Santiso and Brittany Maccia

Students Miles Weston, Miguel Tibbits, Brittany Maccia, Tony Kuder, Chris Hipp, and Ryan Connors swim in the muddy Yukon River. River swimming north of the Arctic Circle is cold regardless of the time of year.

Tribal elder John Thomas, center, discusses life in Fort Yukon, Alaska, with students visiting from ESU. At left is Tony Kuder, a senior secondary education student; at right is Marc Walter, a graduate student in education.

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ESU Alumni HeraldCampus News12

Hoeffner Science and Technology Center wins design award for architectural firm

The firm that designed the Warren E. ’55 and San-dra Hoeffner Science and Technology Center earned a “Sensitive to Site” award from the American Institute of Architects. The honor recognized how MKSD Architects of Allentown fit the building to its environment.

“A building of this size could have overwhelmed the ESU cam-pus,” said a contest judge. “Fortu-nately the architects broke the mass down into several appropriately sized volumes and responded to the two intersecting site ‘grids.’

Lead architect John A. Young said the Hoeffner Center shows how architecture can play a positive role. “We are so pleased that our work has created such a great educational space for thousands of students, faculty, staff and community members at ESU.”

The building opened in September 2008 and houses the biology, chemistry, computer science and security, mathematics, and physics departments.

Warriors launch new website offering fan interaction

ESU’s new athletics website, www.esuwarriors.com, offers a dynamic presentation of the Warriors’ latest news, game recaps and press releases, complete with photos. Interactive schedules and rosters for each sport are among the highlights of the new site.

Fans will find a number of ways to follow their favorite teams or the entire department, including a newsletter, text message updates, and links to the War-riors’ official Facebook page and mobile website, www.esuwarriors.com/mobile.

The site also features photo galleries and a link to the Warriors’ online store through the ESU Bookstore website. Coming soon will be online photo purchase, an online auction to supplement to annual Warrior Athletic Club Auction, and streaming and archived video of selected athletic events.

Each individual sport page also offers a historical perspective, with schedules, statistics, game recaps and more from school records and media guides.

‘Euroism 2010’ exercise entices ESU political science students to Belgium

Eleven undergraduate students traveled to Belgium in January to take part in a four-day international simu-lation of the European Union (EU), the world’s largest economic and political union.

Dr. Leif Johan Eliasson, assistant professor of politi-cal science, organized and funded the ESU group’s trip to with support from a Faculty Development and Research grant and ESU’s International Studies program.

The program provided 220 students from through-out Europe and the United States with a culturally, so-cially, and academically rewarding student experience.“Participating ESU students performed well, learned a lot, and served as true ambassadors for the university,” said Eliasson.

Students assume the role of a real head of govern-ment or minister, research policy issues and negotiation strategies, and then apply their knowledge and negotiating skills in negotiations with other countries represented by other schools

The exercise enhances student understanding of Europe and inter-national politics. “Learning about

the world’s largest economic and political union of states is crucial,” Eliasson said.

NewsESU

Winter 2010 Campus News 13

The Celebration of the Arts (COTA) As-sociation presented its Fred Waring Award this fall to Bob Bush, coordinator of the Al Cohn Memorial Jazz Collection at ESU’s Kemp Library.

The Fred Waring Award, named for the Pennsylvania band leader recognized by COTA in 1979, recognizes “outstanding contribution to the arts and community.”

The award came as a “total surprise” to Bush, who has worked to build and maintain ESU’s jazz legacy since 1998, when he began to volunteer for The NOTE, the collec-tion’s magazine.

Originally from western New Jersey, Bush began attending the annual Celebration of the Arts in

Delaware Water Gap after hearing about it at the Deer Head Inn. He and his wife began to volunteer at COTA, where they met ESU Professor Patrick Dorian.

When the position of coordinator at the Al Cohn Memorial Jazz Collection opened up, originally as a part-time position, Bush took the job and has been

there since. This September, the position became a permanent full-time position.

As coordinator, Bush is in charge of maintaining the col-lection of important jazz arti-facts housed in Kemp Library, in addition to editing The NOTE. This prestigious award highlights Bush’s dedication to preserving the area’s jazz legacy, and his efforts to share that legacy with both the ESU community and with the entire region.

Bush said he was “complete-ly blindsided, but delighted” to hear that he was chosen as this year’s winner.

“It’s an award that’s taken very seriously, not only in COTA, but in the jazz community,” he said. “I’m thrilled to have received it.”

The Al Cohn Memorial Jazz Collection, housed on cam-pus at Kemp Library, is named for the legendary saxophonist and musician, who died in Stroudsburg in 1988. For more in-formation about ESU’s jazz archive and to get on the mailing list for The NOTE, go to www.esu.edu/alcohncollection.

Jazz coordinator wins the Waring

East Stroudsburg University honored five published faculty members at its fifth annual Authors’ Reception in November. The event is designed to recognize university authors whose books have been published during the preceding year. The fall event honored those whose books were published in 2008:

n Dr. Gregory Dwyer and Dr. Shala Davis, co-authors of ACSM’s Health-Related Physical Fitness Assess-ment Manual, 2nd Edition. Lippin-cott, Williams and Wilkins, Balti-more, 2008.

n Dr. Marilyn Narey, author of Making Meaning: Constructing Mul-timodal Perspectives of Language, Lit-

eracy, and Learning through Arts-Based Early Childhood Education. Springer, New York, 2008.

n Dr. Bonnie Green, a co-author of Statistical Concepts for the Behav-ioral Sciences, 4th Edition. Allyn &

Bacon, Boston, 2008.n Dr. Linda Rogers, author of

Shaped by the Standards: Geographic Literacy through Children’s Litera-ture. Teacher Ideas Press, Westport, Conn., 2008.

From left: Dr. Gregory Dwyer, Dr. Marilyn Narey, Dr. Marilyn Wells, Dr. Bonnie Green, ESU President Robert J. Dillman, Dr. Linda Rogers, and Dr. Shala Davis.

University honors its authors

Bob Bush, coordinator of the Al Cohn Memorial Jazz Collection at ESU, accepts the Fred Waring Award at the 2009 COTA Festival.

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ESU Alumni HeraldFaculty File14

Distinguished Professors 2009

He has spent the last 36 years doing what he loves to do – helping people succeed. His efforts were lauded by his peers when he became one of ESU’s 2009 Distinguished Professors for his devotion to establishing tutoring as a profession, his excellence in scholarship, and his willing-ness to lend his expertise in research design and statistical analysis to colleagues and graduate students.

“I love coming to work. I can’t imagine a better job,” Rheinheimer says from his office in Rosencrans East, where an enormous room behind him bustles with the sounds and activities of student and adult tutors helping undergraduates to learn.

Rheinheimer’s tutoring career began when he was a graduate assistant at ESU in what was then called the Cen-ter for Educational Opportunity (CEO) (now the ACT 101 program). His job was to coordinate tutoring at the CEO.

After graduation, he was hired as a professional tem-porary tutor. In 1983 he applied and interviewed for what is now his full-time faculty position as director of ESU’s tutoring program.

During his tenure, the program has grown from 40-50 tutors assisting 300-400 students to a record high of 120 tutors assisting 1,880 tutoring requests last fall.

“Based on information I have received from interfac-ing with peers at national conferences, ESU’s current tutoring program is considered a benchmark program,” Rheinheimer said, and one of the largest in the Pennsyl-vania State System of Higher Education.

Are there students or tutors who have stood out over the years?

“Many, many, many,” he says. “As far back as tutor Gary Lange, who made organic chemistry come alive (which is not an easy thing to do), to Patricia Cameron, a recent tutor of history, geography and education, who is my current sabbatical replacement.”

And countless students who have gone on to receive masters and doctorates who he says “have taken the time to come back and tell me how much their undergraduate tutoring helped them go on in their education."

At ESU, he teaches algebra, research and statistics. He also is a member of the doctoral faculty at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and serves on the disserta-tion committe for the ESU-IUP Educational Leadership program.

n Dr. David Rheinheimer M’74

A new section on the university website features profile pages for each faculty member who has been awarded Distinguished Professor status.

Go to the ESU homepage at www.esu.edu and type Distinguished Professors in the search box.

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Stories reported by Marilyn J. LoPresti ’08

Winter 2010 Faculty File 15

The distinguished professorship is the highest faculty honor East Stroudsburg University bestows. It is awarded to those who have made outstanding contributions in teaching, scholarship, creative endeavor or service to the university or community.

Since it was first awarded in 2000, only 24 faculty members have been honored as distinguished professors.

She is the kind of professor who takes students to a cemetery to test what they’ve learned. Using such innova-tive teaching techniques to keep students interested is one reason she was named an ESU Distinguished Professor.

Matras’s dedication to teaching mathematics arose from her time as a young girl, when her interests ran counter to expectations. “There was still a stereotype that girls aren’t good with math,” she says. “I wanted to rebel against that stereotype.”

Her teacher saw that she and other advanced students were bored with the same math they’d had for years, and gave them algebra to do, she recalled. “It became a reward – my group was the first to have algebra in the seventh and eighth grades.”

Matras went on to obtain undergraduate, master’s and doctoral degrees. She joined the ESU faculty in 1988, seek-ing a career at a university with a separate department for math.

“I knew I did not want to teach math for educa-tors, but actual math,” Matras says. “My experience as a seventh-grader made me appreciate schools that place importance on math programs.”

At ESU, she strengthened the department’s curricu-lum by designing six courses tailored to elementary and secondary school teachers. She also restructured the secondary education program to bring it into compliance with state and national standards.

Matras has reviewed books and articles for the journal Mathematics Teacher for more than 20 years, and has writ-ten more than 35 articles herselfs.

She has served as president of the Pennsylvania Coun-cil of Teachers of Mathematics and as chair of the Pennsyl-vania State Mathematics Coalition. She has been a mem-ber of the executive council of the Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of Mathematics since 1989.

So, how does she use a graveyard to teach math?Students in her “Math Using Technology” class are

taught to use a graphing calculator. She tests their abili-ties by taking a field trip to an old cemetery with head-stones in non-linear shapes such as angels and hearts. The students each pick a stone, measure it, and then write a mathematical function that graphs the shape. If the student are successful, the graph will be shaped like their chosen stone.

n Dr. Mary Ann Matras

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A headstone’s dimensions take shape when students use a graphing calculator in Dr. Mary Ann Matras’ “Math Using Technology” class.

By Pinky o’neil ’57Alumni Board MemberProgram Committee Chair

Twenty one years ago I relocated to Reston, Va. Only one person was on my radar: my future husband, or so I thought.

Two weeks after my arrival, I received a phone call from Jean Miller Leshko ’58 inviting me to an All Pennsylvania College Lun-cheon to be held in Arlington,Va. East Stroudsburg alumni would be attending, she informed me. I was thrilled – my first social event, and a great reason to get my hair and nails done after all the packing, unpack-ing and moving.

There I met former Alumni director Bob Kelley ’71, Jim Nesbitt ’74 and a table full of ESU alumni. We made plans to picnic in Joan Chariton Farrar’s ’56 backyard later that summer.

All of a sudden, doors opened to new friendships and social events. House parties evolved into Happy Hour networking at the Marriott, annual Cherry Blossom Brunches at the Army Navy Country Club, Washington Nationals baseball games, the Capitol Steps perfor-mances and other wonderful gath-erings. Tom ’57 and Jean Leshko became the chapter coordinators of ESU’s Washington Metro area.

My ESU bond has inspired the Outreach Ambassador Program recently approved by the Alumni Board.

Purpose of ESU Outreach Ambassador Program

n To provide an avenue for recent graduates, seasoned alumni and retired Warriors to interact in so-cial, fun and networking events

n To bring ESU ‘Homecoming’ to towns and cities where alumni reside when they are unable to travel to their beloved campus. This is possible via the webcasting of football games. You provide the tailgates!

The map on this page, prepared by the Office of Alumni Relations, shows the concentration by state of more than 35,000 alumni across the country.

Top 10 states for ESU alumniPennsylvania ............................ 22,599New Jersey ..................................5,146New York .................................... 1,561Florida .........................................1,075Maryland ........................................576Virginia .......................................... 560North Carolina .............................. 462California ....................................... 444Georgia ......................................... 271Texas ............................................. 250

What we need now are more “Toms & Jeans” to bring together Warriors across the U.S.A.

Function of ESU Outreach Ambassadors

n Become aware of ESU demograph-ics in your area

n Plan and host a gathering to de-velop an events plan

n Welcome new ESU alumni to your area

How can you become an ambas-sador? Check the map, and see how many alumni live in your state and region. Contact me at 703-966-3776 or pinkyon@aol.com, or the Office of Alumni Relations at 800-775-8975 for details. Give your name, phone, address and graduating year. And having the name Tom or Jean is not required!

Here’s hoping next time you or your fellow alumni relocate, an ESU Ambassador will be at your destina-tion to welcome you!

ESU Alumni HeraldAlumni News16

Reach out to alumni as an Outreach Ambassador

ESU Outreach Ambassadors*james Barchiesi ’05 ... East Stroudsburg*jesse landon ’81 ................Califon, N.J.tom leshko ’57 & jean Miller leshko ’58........................... Metro Washington areashirley Merring ’57.............Stroudsburg*William Martellaro ’87 .......... Scranton*anne Morton ’96 ................Saylorsburg*richard vroman ’67 ...........Norfolk, Va.dick Merring ’57 & joan Merring ’68....................................... Englewood, Fla.*grace Moore Mattes ’86...... Bethlehem*Wanda W. Morgan ’72 .........Jonestown*New Ambassadors

Where The eSU GrADS Are

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Winter 2010 Homecoming 2009 17

East Stroudsburg University held its second annual Remembrance Day during Homecoming 2009.

Eleven families, including six alumni families, returned to campus to help students, faculty, and staff cel-ebrate the lives of ESU Warriors who had passed between August 2008 and August 2009.

During the program, a special rec-ognition of our fallen military alumni was observed. Maj. Kenneth Quimby of the ESU Army ROTC (above) gave honor to their memory and titled them the heroes of their families and of their country.

This is an annual event. For more information about the next Remembrance Day contact the Alumni Relations Office.

Remember.

Jennifer L. Blanco photos

ESU Alumni HeraldHomecoming 200918

More than 1,000 alumni and their families returned to ESU for Homecoming 2009 in October.Live bands, dancing, clowns, reptiles and lots of food added to the excitement of having alumni return to campus.

The weekend began with a networking social at Siamsa Irish Pub on Main Street in Strouds-burg. Alumni exchanged business cards with new graduates while reconnecting with old classmates.

On Saturday the tailgate party began at the Alumni Center with live music by Picture Perfect. The alumni crowd grew to record numbers as tailgaters enjoyed the pregame festivities. The “Alumni Tent” was packed to capacity as alumni enjoyed all they could eat food and drinks.

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FACES IN THE CROWD ABOVE:

Amy Schaeffer Welch ’85, Donna Fiedler Ward ’85,and Gerald D. Keyser ’59

BELOW RIGHT Suzanne Chludzinski ’90,

Faye Dallmeyer Soderberg ’58 and Eugenia S. Eden ’72.

Photos by Charles Perry Hebard ’07 and Danielle Heinz

Winter 2010 Homecoming 2009 19

2009

TOP TAILGATERS ... AGAIN!

Alumni from Theta Chi defended their Best Tailgate crown at Homecoming 2009, taking the award for a second year in a row. In recognition of their 35th anniversary, the fraternity also donated $3,500 to the University Foundation scholarship fund.

The party continued in the parking lot where tailgaters were judged for their Warrior spirit. There were many wor-thy contestants, but the “Best Tailgate Award” went again to the Theta Chi fra-ternity, which won the honor last year. Celebrating their 35th anniversary and the award, the fraternity surprised the crowd by presenting a $3,500 scholar-ship donation to the University Founda-tion.

Burgy, our new mascot, was also celebrating his first birthday. Everyone sang Happy Birthday to Burgy and ate birthday cake to celebrate his first year.

And the Homecoming Fan Zone would not have been complete without the Warrior Marching Band performing the Warrior fight song and leading ev-eryone to the stadium for the game.

ESU Alumni HeraldHomecoming 200920

East Stroudsburg University inducted six individuals and the 1967-68 Pennsylvania Conference champi-on wrestling team into its Athletic Hall of Fame this fall.

n Nanette Wagner Addvensky ’89 was a three-time first team All-PSAC East selection and a member of two PSAC tournament teams during her career at ESU, as a fresh-man in 1985-86 and as a senior in 1988-89. She was the ECAC Rookie of the Year as a freshman and the Warriors’ outstanding player as a sophomore and finished with 1,162 career points.

She held three career records when she graduated – assists (434), steals (173) and three-pointers (62) – and also held the single game re-cord with 12 assists against Slippery Rock during her freshman year.

Wagner Addvensky was in-ducted into the Pennsylvania Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993. She is a health and physical education teacher and the head girls volley-

ball coach at Schuylkill Haven High School and lives in Mahanoy City with her husband, Greg, and their three daughters.

n Karen Bauer ’96, a three-time first team All-PSAC selection and the softball team’s most out-standing player from 1994-96, held nearly every school record when she left ESU. She established career records with 165 hits, 32 doubles, 10 home runs, 78 RBI and 101 runs scored and had a .387 career batting average, including a .425 mark dur-ing her senior year in 1996.

Bauer was a four-year starter at shortstop and centerfielder for the Warriors. She is a physical educa-tion teacher at St. Francis Academy in Bally, and an assistant softball coach at DeSales University.

Still active as a player, she is a member of the Lyon’s Spirit, a Class A fastpitch team, and lives in Mertztown.

n Stacy Perryman ’97 was the PSAC East Women’s Basketball Play-

er of the Year and the top scorer on the Warriors’ 1994-95 PSAC cham-pionship team. One of two players in school history to be named to the All-PSAC team in each of her four years, Perryman led ESU to the NCAA Tournament in 1994-95 and 1995-96. She scored 1,695 career points, currently third in school history, and set school records with 607 assists and 305 steals. Perry-man resides in Stroudsburg, where she first made her mark as a high school athlete, and is a special edu-cation teacher and the head coach of the girls basketball program at Pocono Mountain West.

n Damian Poalucci ’98, one of the all-time great quarterbacks in Warriors football history, held 17 school records when he graduated in 1998. He was an All-American and finished third in the Harlon Hill Award voting for the outstand-ing player in Division II football as a junior in 1996, when he set Division II records with 383.1 pass-

Six alumni, 1967-68 wrestling squad inductedNew ESU Athletic Hall of Famers

2009 ESU Athletic Hall of Fame

FROM LEFT:

Lois Wagner M.Ed. ’71,athletic trainer and faculty;

Nanette Wagner Addvensky ’89, basketball;

Damian Poalucci ’98, football; Joel Bennett ’99, baseball,

Karen Bauer ’96, softball, and

Stacy Perryman ’97, basketball. Jeff

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Winter 2010 Warrior Spirit 21

The 1967-68 wrestling squad was inducted into ESU’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Representing the team at the ceremony were (from left):Frank Coco ’69, George Hummel ’73, Rich Schumacher ’70, Ned Bushong ’68, Jim McMaster ’68and Jerry McDonald ’70

ing yards per game and 616 passing yards vs. Mansfield.

Poalucci threw 40 touchdown passes in 1996 and 69 for his ca-reer, both school records at the time, and he still holds the record of 388.3 yards of total offense per game in 1996. He has two of the three 500-yard passing games in school history and recorded 8,654 passing yards in his career. Poalucci is a health and physical education teacher at South Western High School, where he is an assistant var-sity and head JV football coach. He lives in Hanover with his wife, Amy, and their two children.

n Joel Bennett ’99 was the ECAC Division II Player of the Year in 1991 and was the first player se-lected in the Major League Baseball Draft in school history later that summer when he was drafted in the 21st round by the Boston Red Sox. He set ESU records with 215 career strikeouts and 100 strikeouts (in 78.1 innings) while posting a 1.84 ERA as a junior.

Bennett went on to lead minor league baseball in strikeouts in the 1990’s and had a minor league-best 221 strikeouts with Lynchburg

in 1993. He played in the major leagues with Philadelphia and Baltimore and was in professional baseball for 17 years, including three championships with the New Jersey Jackals as a player/coach. Bennett has been a physical educa-tion teacher in the Windsor Central (N.Y.) School District since 2002 and is active in coaching, including serving as a special guest instruc-tor at a youth clinic at the National Baseball Hall of Fame induction weekend. He lives in Windsor, N.Y. with his wife, Jennifer, and their two sons and a daughter.

n Lois Wagner M.Ed. ’71 was an athletic trainer and faculty mem-ber at East Stroudsburg from 1968 until 1999, and retired as a professor in Movement Studies and Exercise Science in 2004. She was one of the first three women to earn national certification as an athletic trainer in 1970, was a finalist for athletic trainers for the 1972 U.S. Olympic teams, and was the first female inducted into the Pennsylvania Athletic Training Hall of Fame in 2004. Wagner earned her master’s in edu-cation from East Strouds-

burg in 1971 and established the NATA-approved Athletic Training Education Program in 1975 with Dr. John Thatcher, a 2006 inductee into the ESU Athletic Hall of Fame. She lives in the Stroudsburg area and is an active golfer and enjoys fishing, traveling and reading.

n The 1967-68 wrestling team crowned five individual conference champions to earn the school’s first Pennsylvania Conference cham-pionship, which was held at the newly-opened Koehler Fieldhouse. The Warriors were coached by Hall of Fame member Clyde “Red” Wit-man and finished the season with a 12-2 dual record.

The squad included confer-ence champions Ned Bushong ’68 (130), Jerry McDonald ’70 (145), Al Detwiler ’71 (177), Gary Cook ’68 (191) and Rich Schumacher ’70 (Heavyweight), along with Frank Coco ’69 (115), Steve Bryant (123), Ted Purdy (137), Dan Rossi ’70 (152) and Bob Devore (160).

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ESU Alumni HeraldWarrior Spirit22

ESU celebrated its first Warrior Football Family Reunion on Parents and Family Weekend.

Former football players, coaches, trainers, and football parents came back to campus to participate in multiple events that recognized and honored Coach Jack Gregory ’52, Coach Charlie Reese, Coach Denny Douds and Warrior football. There was a special Fanzone tailgate with all the picnic fixings for the alumni football family and guests.

Chuck Seese, the radio voice of the Warriors for 21 years, and Drenen Tucker hosted a pre-game football show where Athletic Hall of Fame inductees and honored coaches shared their memories of Warrior football and provided expert analysis of the season.

After the game the reunion contin-ued at the Koehler Field House, which had been transformed into a sports bar. Multiple monitors played pre-recorded Warrior football games spanning five decades. Football trophies, awards and team pictures were on display, and the practice fight songs were played.

The evening was truly a special one for Warrior football and a wonderful time was had by all.

To share your thoughts on this event and to support it becoming an annual event, contact the Office of Alumni Relations.

Football family reunites for special weekend of ESU memories

TOP:Warrior football coaches Charlie Reese, Jack Gregory ’52and Denny Douds.

MIDDLE:Standing, from left: Brian Holkovic’02, Justin Kondikoff ’03, Jeremy Brown ’02, Mike Serafin ’02, Chris Bath ’01, andRichard Hromoko ’02.In front: Jason Wimmer ’03, Chad Weaver ’00and Jeremy Palm ’03.

BOTTOM:John Pitzer ’69, Bill Forte ’69, Bill Horvath ’70and Mike Richardson ’69.

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Winter 2010 Gatherings & Events 23

MinorleagueballmajoralumnifunAugust was the month of base-ball for alumni at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees and Iron Pigs (Allentown) games. The tailgating at both events was entertaining and prepared us all to root on our home teams. The threat of rain could not hold any of us back from the action. Both stadiums were full of excitement that only baseball can bring.

This year we want more War-riors from Scranton and the Lehigh Valley to join us. Let’s try to make it another alumni baseball sum-mer!

KappaPhi

gettogetherMembers of Kappa Phi

Kappa reunite in August at Brian McLendon’s home in Trenton, N.J. From left, Brian McLendon ’79, Rob Johnson ’81, Keith Davis ’81, and Kevin Moore ’80.

ESU IRON PIGS FANS above, from left, are Helen Smithson, William “Shaky” Smithson ’76, Michael “Mole” Molendini ’74, Vichi J. Minelli Card ’74, Christopher Ransel ’74, and Patricia Ransel. Below, Pig fans tailgate outside the baseball park in Allentown. YANKEES FANS Assistant Alumni Director

Wanda Ochei and Richard Foley ’58 at a Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees game last summer.

ESU Alumni HeraldWho’s Doing What24

shawn anderson ’97: Vice president of ticket sales, Philadelphia 76ers (BS)

julie Boorse M’07: Proprietor, Pocono Wellness (MS)

Mark Byers ’97: Assistant executive director, Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (BS)

drew dawson M’04: Assistant men’s basketball coach, Hartford University

elizabeth dillulo-Brown M’98: Senior director of marketing partnerships, Little League International (M Ed)

Murvin english ’06 M’07: Brand marketing coordinator, Majestic Athletics (BS) (MS)

chris Famularo ’08: Account executive, Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom (BS)

ron Farina ’03: Head men’s swimming and diving coach, Seton Hall University (M Ed)

nathan Finkel ’01: Team sponsorship, New York Rangers (BS)

Mark Fleming M’97: Sports information director, Moravian College (MS)

dan Frick ’06: Assistant facilities manager, PUMA North America (BS)

jamie gluck M’06: Head women’s soccer coach, Haverford University (MS)

karen hansen ’97: Associate athletic director for business, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (BS)

karli hausman M’05: Athletics marketing director, St. John’s University (MS)

Willer henriques ’01: Financial analyst, Goodrich (BS)

Malcolm huggins ’07 M’08: Assistant athletic director for marketing and game management, SUNY Oswego

(BS) (MS)

ryan hummel ’04: Director of field operations, Philadelphia Eagles (BS)

Machli joseph M’00: Assistant athletic director and head women’s basketball coach, Baruch College (M Ed)

greg knowlden M’04: Sports information director, East Stroudsburg University (MS)

nick konawalick M’04: Director of marketing, Charlotte 49ers (MS)

Since becoming a separate academic department in 2004-2005, the university’s Sport Management department has as-sumed a leading role in the new College of Business and Management, with a cur-riculum that includes coursework in sport law, sport marketing, facilities planning and management, sport finance, historical aspects of sport, international sport, and sport psychology.

Alumni of the Sport Management program now work in professional sports, intercollegiate athletics, international and Olympic sports and recreational and action sports.

The program offers a bachelor of sci-ence degree in sport management and two graduate-level degrees, including a master of science degree in sport management and an interdisciplinary degree in management and leadership, with a concentration in sport management.

Under the leadership of department chair Dr. Frank Pullo, ESU now has the pre-eminent sport management program of its kind in the state system and region. The program focuses on professional prepara-tion, aimed at developing graduates with the skills needed to succeed in a highly competitive industry.

A good percentage of the graduates continue to work in the sport-related in-dustries, and that helps tremendously with the ESU Sport Management network, where graduates give back to the program and help others seeking success in sport.

From time to time your Alumni Herald will include a column listing fellow alumni and the kinds of positions they have obtained since graduating from various ESU degree programs. Please let us know if you like this idea of showcasing a sampling of what some of your counterparts are doing now ... and in the process, illustrating that an ESU education is a good investment.

dan laMagna ’00 M’07: Assistant football coach, Lackawanna College (BA)(MS)

Brandon lawrence ’07: Account executive, Pittsburgh Pirates (BS)

nick lofaro ’03: Director of marketing, University of Maryland (BS)

dr. robert lombardi ’97: Associate executive director, Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (BS)

kayleigh Mccauley M’09: Scholastic coordinator, Texas A&M Corpus Christi (MS)

kaitlyn Mckittrick, M’07: Assistant director of athletics for compliance and senior women’s administrator, Lafayette College

Patrick Mcverry M’96: President and general manager, Somerset Patriots (M Ed)

robert nydick ’03: Head men’s soccer coach, Arcadia University (BS)

Mike saia M’04: Communications manager, Family Circle Cup (M Ed)

justin scott ’07: Coordinator for special projects, diversity, and social justice education; assistant women’s basketball coach, East

Stroudsburg University (BS)

emily stolkowski M’03: Assistant to the athletic director, East Stroudsburg University (M Ed)

kyle swartz M’05: Event services manager, Mullins Center (MS)

channing swears ’00: Event manager, Disney Wide World of Sports (BS)

emmanuel thomas M’98: Manager of event productions, Madison Square Garden (M Ed)

dale townsend M’02: Promotions manager, Lehigh University (M Ed)

scott verrier M’98: Director of administrative services, PUMA North America (M Ed)

Phil Wheddon ’94: Women’s head soccer coach, Syracuse University (BS)

ross yanco M’96: Regional sales manager for New England, Daktronics (M Ed)

ryan yanoshak M’05: Assistant director and athletic communications special assistant to senior associate athletic

director, Army (MS)

Success Stories

SPORTMANAGEMENT

By Marilyn j. loPresti ’08

Cathy Small M’73 wanted to be a better teacher, so she went undercover as an anonymous, full-time, non-tradi-tional college freshman. Her experience inspired her to write My Freshman Year.

In 2002, she used a pseudonym, Rebekah Nathan, to enroll in classes at Northern Arizona University, where she had been teaching anthropology for more than 15 years.

“As a grad-level teacher, I started to feel disconnected from my students,” she explained. “This book was a way to reconnect with the student experience. Ultimately, I wanted to use this experi-ence to become a better teacher.”

Small took all of her classes in an unfamiliar field with professors who didn’t know her. She concealed her real identity from students as well, except when basic ethical protocol required she identify herself as a re-searcher to anyone she interviewed directly.

My Freshman Year, subtitled “What a Professor Learned by Becoming a Student,” was published by Cor-nell University Press in 2005.

So, what did the professor learn by becoming a student?

For starters, that professors appreciate students who express an interest in class and become engaged in the subject, Small said. Students can communicate this interest by approaching the professor with questions about their classroom experience, or about collaborat-ing on a research paper or article. Projects are a way a student and teacher can form more than the typical “student/professor” relationship.

“I learned that outside-of-classroom experiences are very important,” she said. “Joining organizations, volunteering, choosing internships, graduate assistant-ships, teaching assistantships, are all ways to build an

adult friendship with your professor that is beyond the typical ‘student-professor’ relationship.”

For example, she said that as a result of her experience as a graduate student at ESU, she formed a 35-year friendship with health and physical education professor Janet Felshin, now professor

emeritus.In fact, Dr. Felshin accom-

panied her to the reception hosted by the ESU Alumni As-sociation in Cathy’s honor.

Some students who want to build friendships or bond more strongly with their pro-fessors but are intimidated or afraid to approach them.

“Most professors become professors because they want to make a difference,” Small noted.

“They love stu- dents who seem interested and engaged. At the same time, students commonly make no effort to communicate one-on-one with their teachers. Therefore, most professors would be thrilled if a student approached them about working on a project or meet-ing for coffee to discuss the subject at greater length.”

Stepping out of their comfort zone is also the only way for students to experience diversity, Small said.

“Most incoming freshmen look forward to walking into a completely new world when going off to college. Yet, the majority of students gravitate toward people and experiences that are familiar to them and comfort-able. The only way to avoid this is to explore all that your university has to offer. Attend cultural campus events, join or volunteer for groups that offer experi-ences you’ve never had. Break out of your routine. Think outside the box.”

Winter 2010 Who’s Doing What 25

Cathy Small M’73 came to campus last fall for presentations about her book, and was honored with a reception and book sign-ing hosted by the Alumni Association.

The occasion also provided the opportunity for a reunion with Dr. Janet Felshin (left), who Small formed a friendship with when she was an East Stroudsburg graduate student.

The event was attended by President Dr. Robert Dillman (right), Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Doreen Tobin, several members of the Alumni Association board of directors, and many in the ESU community.

Undercover professor studies to be better teacher

ESU Alumni HeraldWho’s Doing What26

“Who’sDoingWhat”

1920sArline Kanyuck Kerda ’29 celebrated her 100th birthday. Arline taught from 1950 until she retired in 1971, and played piano and organ in a number of churches from age 21 until age 95. She moved to Diven House at the Carroll Lutheran Village in Westminster, Md., in 2005. She plays hymns on the piano for residents one day a week

1950sJanet Orth Richards ’58 M’69 retired from Minisink Valley High School in Middletown, N.Y., after 34 years

teaching chemistry. She was recognized by Cambridge Who’s Who.

1960sEugene R. Slaski ’63 joined the DeSales University faculty as associate professor of history in the department of humanities.

Jim Caverly M’66 and Jeanne Meyer-Caverly M’68 were featured in the Pocono Record for living a very mobile life. The couple, formerly of Stroudsburg, travel throughout the United States, living full-time in a 40-foot motor home.

Kenneth F. Davis ’68 was inducted into the Montgomery County Coaches Hall of Fame. He coached the

Pottstown High School boys varsity basketball team for 17 years.

Robert C. Walker ’68 M’77 was named assistant professor and director of undergraduate education

programs at the University of Scranton. He had previously served as an associate professor and department chair at ESU.

Jorene Jameson ’69 is CEO of the Broward Education Foundation, the non-profit arm of the Broward County, Fla., school board.

1970sFred M. Richter ’71 started his 20th year as the women’s basketball coach at DeSales University,

opening the season with a career record of 370-154. His team won the Middle Atlantic Conferences-Freedom championships for the last two seasons.

Douglas L. Roncolato ’73 was named The Morning Call girls’ soccer coach of the year for his work with the Southern Lehigh High School team.

Stephen H. Sassaman ’73 M’80 delivered the keynote address for the fall 2009 commencement exercises at Wilkes University in Wilkes Barre. He is a regional vice president for Performance Learning Systems.

Sharon O’Donnell Lyter ’73 was promoted to associate professor with the department of social work at Kutztown University.

Hey,Iknowyou!John Cahill ’65 and Tim Challman ’67, former debate team partners, were amazed to run into each other in Norway ... and on a day when both men had chosen to wear their ESU sweatshirts. What are the odds of that happening, you have to wonder.

They both happened to be visiting the Coastal Express Museum in Stokmarknes at the same time. Challman teaches English and French at a Norwegian high school. Cahill, a freelance writer and photographer, happened to be on vacation in Norway.

Winter 2010 Who’s Doing What 27

Sendyournewstothe

Alumni HeraldSend “Who’s Doing What”

news as well as wedding, engagement and birth

announcements to:

Henry A. Ahnert, Jr., Alumni Center

East Stroudsburg University 200 Prospect Street

East Stroudsburg, PA 18301

Fax: (570) 422-3301 or E-mail: alumni@esu.edu

Be sure to include: • your name • graduation year • your name at graduation• your major • your home address• home and work phone numbers • e-mail addresses

Photos may be sent by e-mail or by mail. Please identify everyone in the photo. Space limitations restrict us to publishing only “Who’s Doing What,” wedding and engagement photos. New baby photos will only be used if ESU alumni are also in the photograph. “Who’s Doing What” news may be featured on the ESU Web site unless you advise us otherwise.

The “Who’s Doing What,” Weddings, Engagements, and Births sections in the Alumni Herald are a report on the happenings in the lives of East Stroudsburg University alumni. The information we collect comes from alumni and from various media sources and we believe it is accurate. The Alumni Herald does not discriminate against anyone for any reason nor does it reflect the views or attitudes of ESU or its Alumni Association. Any editing that takes place is done solely for the purpose of clarity and /or length.

Fred M. Richter ’71 started his 20th year as the women’s basketball coach at DeSales University,

opening the season with a career record of 370-154. His team won the Middle Atlantic Conferences-Freedom championships for the last two seasons.

Douglas L. Roncolato ’73 was named The Morning Call girls’ soccer coach of the year for his work with the Southern Lehigh High School team.

Stephen H. Sassaman ’73 M’80 delivered the keynote address for the fall 2009 commencement exercises at Wilkes University in Wilkes Barre. He is a regional vice president for Performance Learning Systems.

Sharon O’Donnell Lyter ’73 was promoted to associate professor with the department of social work at Kutztown University.

Robert Forbes Cormack ’74 earned a master of business administration degree from the University of Phoenix. He is executive director of the Bucks County Economic Development Corporation and Bucks County Industrial Development Authority.

Stephen E. Crump ’74 retired from Delaware Valley Elementary School in Milford. A math teacher, he coached and advised various clubs.

Maury J. Molin ’76 was elected president of the Stroudsburg chapter of Torch Clubs International. He has concluded 20 years of service to the ESU Alumni Association board of directors, during which time he served six years as the liaison to the ESU Foundation board.

Denise Currier Lewis ’77 received a master in educational leadership degree from St. Joseph’s University in 2008. She is the principal of Our Lady of Grace School in Penndel, Bucks County.

Rick A. Moatz ’78 celebrated his 1,000th victory as the head coach of the Boyertown American Legion baseball program. His teams have won 13 Pennsylvania state titles and five Mid-Atlantic Regional titles.

David A. Moyer ’78 was selected as the head coach of the Pen Argyl High School’s girls basketball team.

Bonnie Randolph Yannelli ’78 was named a business development director with KePRO, a health care management organization.

1980sDavid M. Sanko ’81 is executive director of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors, the

state’s largest municipal organization.

Charlotte D. Ashworth ’82 joined the Bushkill office of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Wilkins & Associates.

Karin-Susan Breitlauch ’82 was named “Veterinarian of the Year” by the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association. She practices at Creature Comforts Veterinary Services in Saylorsburg.

Ann Gladfelter McGinnis ’82 is in her 20th season as head coach of the girls volleyball team at Cedar Cliff High School in Camp Hill. McGinnis, the only female All-American volleyball player in ESU history, is a project manager for Deloitte Consulting.

James F. Wenker M’84 is the principal at Newington High School in Newington, Conn.

Salome Thomas-El ’86 joined radio host Steve Harvey in mentoring young men on Father’s Day weekend at

Harvey’s ranch. A principal and teacher in Philadelphia for more than 20 years, Thomas-El spoke on the importance of going to college.

Glenn E. Pitcher ’87 was voted 2009 “Broadcaster of the Year” at the Binghamton, N.Y., Broadcasters Reunion. He has

been with WHWK-FM radio in Binghamton since 1996.

Joseph J. Koch M’88, ESU’s head track and field coach for more than 20 years, was named Men’s Track and Field

Coach of the Year by the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and the Atlantic Region of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

ESU Alumni HeraldWho’s Doing What / Engagements28

Engagements

1990sLisa Lobasso M’93 was appointed to the faculty at the University of Scranton as a lecturer in education. She is pursuing her doctorate at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

William D. Staples ’93 was featured in an article in the Pocono Record regarding his career as a writer, speaker and a teacher in Phillipsburg, N.J.

Alan M. Dente ’95 was elected chapter president of the American Culinary Federation, Professional Chefs of Northern Pennsylvania.

Amanda S. Grieme ’96 published a novel Dear Prudence. She teaches literature and creative writing at Warren Hills Regional High School in Washington, N.J.

Amy J. Rinker ’96 received a doctorate from New York Chiropractic College in 2005, and has a practice in West Chester named “Turning Leaf Chiropractic.”

Kevin A. Nagle ’99 joined the Pleasant Valley High School football staff as an assistant coach, supervising linebackers and special teams.

2000sPatrick J. Shea M’01, head football coach at Sparta (N.J.) High School, was inducted into the Sussex County Sports Hall of Fame.

Lucas R. Ackerman ’02 co-directed “High School Musical II” at the Sherman Theater in Stroudsburg.

Celisa Y. Counterman ’02 was promoted to associate professor in mathematics at Northampton Community

College – Monroe.

Jessica K. Chong ’07 qualified for the Ford Ironman World

Championship in Kona, Hawaii. She is a health and physical education teacher at Salisbury (N.J.) High School.

Malcolm Huggins ’07 M’08 is assistant athletic director for marketing and game manage-ment at Oswego

State University of New York. He will promote 24 varsity programs and assist with game management.

Heather A. Puhalla ’07 is a full-time fifth grade special education teacher in Wayne Highlands School District in Honesdale.

Jimmy Terwilliger ’07 was featured in a Pocono Record article as he took over the head football coach position at Pleasant Valley High School in Brodheadsville.

Allison L. Meyer ’08 teaches first grade in Philadelphia and choreographed dance routines for her school dance company. She is completing her master of education degree and recently ran in the Broad Street Run & Race for the Cure.

Beth Rincavage Backer ’88 and Pasquale LiNuci Jr. are engaged. She works as a communications manager for InSitech, Inc. in Dover, N.J.,and he is the owner of Pat’s Classic Cuts in Wind Gap.

Joshua A. Clarkson ’00 and Jennifer Youtsey are engaged. He works for PNC Bank in Hackettstown, N.J. She is employed at Riverside Rehabilitation in East Stroudsburg. The wedding is planned for August 2010.

Michael J. Fulmer ’01 and Harriklia Fourlas announced their engagement. He is a district operations manager with Modspace in Bristol, Conn. She is a bereavement counselor for Hebrew Healthcare Hospice of West Hartford, Conn.

Timothy M. Decker ’04 and Felicia Quinones are engaged. The couple owns DQ Fashions, an online store selling women’s clothing.

Elwood W. Perry III ’04 and Paula Marion Schroeck announced their engagement. He is a health and physical eduction teacher at Stroudsburg High School, and she is the director of operations at Eagle Lake Community Association in Gouldsboro.

Jessica E. Plawa ’05 and Gregory Hartshorn are engaged. She is working at Grand View Hospital in Sellersville while pursuing a degree in nursing from Montgomery County Community College. He works for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Their wedding is set for June 2010.

Jennifer L. Schubert ’05 and Theodore W. Kaufmann, Jr. announced their engagement. She is an registered nurse in the intensive care unit of Frankford Hospital/Torresdale in Northeast Philadelphia. He is a loan processor at P.H.H.

Mortgage in Mount Laurel, N.J.

By john shortino

Staff Sergeant Matthew Phelan ’02 was a finalist in the U.S. Army’s prestigious “Best Warrior” competition, a physical and men-tal contest that named the best soldier and best non-commissioned officer of the year. The contest started with more than 1 million competitors and narrowed down to a field of the 24 most elite soldiers in the Army, National Guard, and Reserves, Phelan among them.

“It’s a humongous honor,” Phelan said. “Being recognized as the best of the best by your company and by your commanding offi-cers tells you that you’re the best in your field.”

Phelan joined the Army just a few months after graduating from ESU with a degree in sociology and criminal justice, and he says that completing his undergraduate degree prepared him well for service. “A lot of people come in when they’re 18, but by the time I got here, I had been through college and had grown up a little more.”

He has completed three tours of duty in Iraq, and was promoted to staff sergeant on Oct. 1.

The final round of the “Best Warrior” contest was held over three days in September at Fort Lee, Va. The series of tasks included writ-ten examinations, a timed two-mile run, and “urban orienteering,” in which soldiers were asked to locate certain points scattered over a large geographical area.

“You end up walking from five to seven miles within a two- to three-hour period,” he said. “And then you do it again that night.” Phelan spent months preparing by physically working out and studying.

“One big part of the competition is called the ‘Board Appearance,’ and the sergeant ma-jors can ask you questions about almost any-thing related to the Army, from military justice to Army procedures,” he recalled. Competing soldiers also must be up on about current events, and write an essay as part of the examinations.

Winter 2010 Who’s Doing What 29

Staff Sergeant Matthew Phelan ’02, was one of only 24 soldiers to make it to the final round of the Army’s prestigious “Best Warrior” competition. (U.S. Army photo)

AlumniSpotlight

Alumnus competes to become one of Army’s ‘Best Warriors’

ESU Alumni HeraldEngagements / Weddings30

WeddingsAlan C. Eberhardt ’98 and Christine Marie Moucha ’08 were married July 3 at Skytop Lodge, Skytop, and are living in East Stroudsburg. The bride is a special education teacher in Bangor Area School District. The groom is a dentist at Eberhardt Dental in East Stroudsburg.

Gina Gilbert ’03 and TJ Marston exchanged wedding vows on Nov. 15, 2008. Kara DeBlasio ’03 was a bridesmaid. The bride works in the

Council Rock School District and coaches volleyball.

Robert Bell M’05 and Kari Allen ’05 were married June 19 at Center Square Golf Club in Blue Bell. The couple lives in Ramsey, N.J., and both are teachers.

Sarah Elizabeth Price ’05 and Joseph Daniel Engler exchanged wedding vows on Sept. 26, 2008, at Green Pond Country Club in Bethlehem. The bride is coordinator of the New Jersey Cancer Education and Early Detection program at the Northwest New Jersey Community Action Program, Inc., in Phillipsburg, N.J. The groom is maintenance supervisor for Cornerstone Properties in Bethlehem. They live in Bethlehem.

Loriann Pipech ’06 and Jed Vargo were married on April 25 at the BarnHouse Village in Bath, and are living in Audubon. She is a support coordinator for Montgomery County’s behavioral health/developmental disabilities program. Her husband is a technical director for Quest Communications.

Louis P. Yanni ’08 and Kara Wallingford were united in marriage at the Pocono Evangelical Free Church, and are living in Wind Gap.

Heather E. Castimore ’06 and Gregory Boyd plan to marry. She is an account manager at The THS Company, an event and tournament housing service in Hackettstown, N.J. He owns a construction company based in Knowlton, N.J.

Kristoffer R. Maguire M’06 and Megan Elizabeth Bartow ’08 plan to be married next fall. He works at DeSales University as a financial aid counselor. She is a graduate assistant in the

political science department at ESU and is finishing her master’s degree.

Brooke A. Kohlmann ’07 and Sean Ferretti are planning a wedding. Brooke is an office manager at The Agency, Inc. in Greensboro, N.C. He is a manager at Randolph Bank in Asheboro, N.C. A wedding is planned for April 2010.

Matthew C. Carfagno ’08 and Lydia Eden are engaged. He is a paraprofessional with Norristown Area School District. She works for Children’s Specialized Hospital in New Brunswick, N.J. Their wedding will be in 2010.

Tyler Boyer ’08 and Stephanie Esposito ’08 plan to be married in May 2011. He works for the City of Bethlehem Health Bureau. She works at the Lehigh Valley office of Brown & Brown, a national insurance intermediary.

Ashley Ellen Hansberry ’08 and Michael Steven Potestio announced their engagement. She works at Montclair State University and is pursuing her master of arts degree in French Studies. He works for Citigroup, Inc. in Weehawken, N.J.

Ryan T. Waltner ’08 and Erin Whitney Bullock announced their engagement. Ryan is a retail representative for T-Mobile and is a wide receiver for the Lehigh Valley Outlawz Indoor Arena football team. She is an early childhood education teacher in Marshalls Creek.

Engagements

Winter 2010 Births / In Memoriam 31

InMemoriamEdith Howell Firmstone ’25Kathryn Rader Day ’31Marian Rhoads Williams ’39Margaret Kintz Arnt ’40Norman G. Arnt ’40Herbert A. DeVries ’43Grace Kunkle Palmer ’44Helen Chikotas Schumack ’45Lois Remaley Minnich ’46Gwen Gray Kase ’48

David R. Weiler ’48Marie Biles Treible ’49Glenn E. Brands ’50Philip A. Braun ’51Gloria Shackman Keren ’51Joseph J. DeRenzis ’52Victor G. Gilbert ’54Howard H. Pewterbaugh ’54Rosalyn M. Bombala ’55Kathleen Lucious Fast ’55JoAnn Brink Decker ’56Marion Hobbs Gumm ’58JoAnn Fischi Mahle ’58Janet Werkheiser Garrahan ’60

Robert N. Doran ’62John V. Dunleavy ’62Valerie Frisbie Riddle M’72Jaime G. Teles ’72Ava Kinney Griffiths ’77Joan F. Odenwelder M’77Susan L. Mazur ’79Noel J. Rituper ’80Otto R. Weber ’93, M’95Debra L. Bauer M’94Leslie G. Kolodin M’95Richard S. Cowell ’96Jonathan M. Bogli M’98Brian C. Koytek ’09

BirthsKaren Harte Shito ’94 M’99 and Salvatore Shito welcomed a son, Gabe Michael, born on November 16, 2008. He is joined by big brothers AJ and Sal, Jr.

Amy Gomes Petersen ’99 and Alfred Petersen, Jr. of Staten Island, N.Y. announced the birth of their son, Jacob Gunnar Petersen, born May 3,2008.

Jennifer Paige Totten ’99 M’03 and Charles Totten adopted two foster children, a brother and a sister. Jade is 7 years old and Julius is 4.

Kim Ritter Nalepka ’00 and her husband, Jonathan, announced the birth of a son, Ian Alixander Nalepka, on June 30. He was welcomed home by his big sister, Keira.

Melissa Mallick Switzer ’04 and Jake Switzer welcomed a son, Sawyer Jacob on Dec. 12, 2008.

Ashley Rutt Breidinger ’06 and her husband, Stan, announced the birth of a son, Wesson Stanley, on November 20, 2008.

ESU Alumni HeraldGiving Opportunities32

This is the fifth in a series of articles that Doug Lockwood ’88 has been asked to provide for the ESU Office of Advancement, illustrat-ing some effective estate planning and gifting techniques that are available to all ESU alumni and donors.

When most people consider securities, stocks come to mind. Stocks represent an equity position in the issuing corpora-tion—whether large or small. The stock-holder’s investment returns are tied to the performance of the corporations. However, bonds that are debt instruments are not as familiar as stocks, even though they trade as actively as stocks and fluctuate in value on a daily basis — sometimes quite sharply. The principal factor that affects the movement in the price of bonds is interest rates. As interest rates head up, the value of bonds trends down; as interest rates go down, the value of bonds trends higher.

Many individual bond owners view bonds as invest-ments that generate cash flow. This is particularly true of many older individuals who are retired and rely on the interest that bonds pay for their living expenses. And whenever one of their bonds matures, it is simply rolled over and reinvested in a similar bond.

The risk of bonds in a recovering marketAs most of you know, the U.S. government and the

Federal Reserve in their efforts to deal with the current economic crisis have driven interest rates to historic lows. The impact of their efforts is that the value of bonds has risen, in some cases quite dramatically.

For example, a $100,000 30-year U.S. government bond yielding more than 9 percent in 1989 would now be worth more than $150,000. Reason: The yield to maturity on a comparable 10-year bond is only about 2.8 percent.

A person who is fortunate enough to own such a bond will continue to collect the promised interest of $9,170 a year for the next 10 years, at which time the government will pay back the $100,000 face value of the bond that it borrowed 30 years ago.

So what happens to the $50,000 profit appreciation that the bond has today? It simply evaporates over time and is completely gone when the bond matures. An-other downside is that if interest rates start going up—which they will probably do as the economy improves—the value of the bond will go down. So the current profit is at risk from both passing time and higher interest rates.

As this example illustrates, bondholders may feel as though they are sitting on a time bomb with three fuses:

The bond may be subject to provisions that allow

the bond issuer to call in the bond at face value.

Even if the bond is not called, it will be worth nothing more than its face value if held until maturity.

Rising interest rates will signal the melting away of investment appreciation.

If the investor in our example wishes to lock in the profit in the bond, then the bond must be sold, thus generating capi-tal gain of $50,000 and a 15 percent tax of $7,500. The question then is where to reinvest the proceeds. For the older, retired person who is averse to risk, stocks are not a viable option. Fixed-income instru-

ments currently have a paltry yield, so that is not a very good option either—although it is a safe one. For these reasons, appreciated bonds can be an excellent choice to fund charitable gifts.

Safe, viable option: A charitable gift annuityA charitable gift annuity with ESU is tailor-made for

this situation.example: Mr. Smith, 80, owns a 30-year U.S. Trea-

sury bond that he purchased in 1989. He paid $100,000 for the bond originally, and it pays him $9,170 a year. Because of the drop in interest rate to below 3 percent, the current value of the bond has risen to more than $155,000. But if Mr. Smith holds on to the bond until maturity, the government will pay him only $100,000, the original face value of the bond. The appreciation of more than $55,000 will vanish.

Mr. Smith is delighted to learn that by contributing the bond to ESU in exchange for a gift annuity, he is able to capture the significant appreciation in the value of the bond, generate guaranteed income at a high rate of return, and also make a meaningful charitable gift.

results: Mr. Smith receives guaranteed annual annuity payments of $11,005; nearly 50 percent of the annual payment is tax-free; and about 26 percent of the payment is taxed at the favorable 15 percent capital-gain tax rate for the duration of his life expectancy. In addi-tion, he receives a charitable deduction of more than $77,000, saving him nearly $27,000 in his 35 percent tax bracket.

Doug Lockwood, CFP, principal, Harbor Lights Financial Group, Inc., Manasquan, N.J. 08736. 800-995-HLFG • www.hlfg.com. Securi-ties and advisory services offered through LPL Financial; Member FINRA/SIPC.

All reports and materials are for informational purposes only and are not to be considered a solicitation to buy or sell securities. All data is obtained from sources believed to be reliable, however, Linsco/Private Ledger (LPL) and Harbor Lights Financial Group, Inc., do not ensure the complete-ness or accuracy thereof. Past performance is no indication of future results. Neither LPL nor Harbor Lights Financial Group, Inc. engages in investment banking services.

Lock in bond gains now with gift annuity

Doug Lockwood ’88

Sample Annuity RatesBased on gift of $100,000

Age Income Rate Single Income

60.............................5.0% ...................... $5,00065.............................5.3% ...................... $5,30070.............................5.7% ...................... $5,70075 .............................6.3% ...................... $6,30080..............................7.1% ....................... $7,10085............................. 8.1% .......................$8,10090.............................9.5% ...................... $9,500

For the latest information on these and other events, visit www.esualumni.org or call the Alumni Office at (570) 422-3533

March 21Washington D.C. Metro Area Brunch

11 a.m. Annual Grand Brunch at the Army Navy Country Club, 1700 Army Navy Dr., Arlington, Va. $24 per person, underwritten by ESU Alumni Association.

Guest speaker to be determined.

March 28Philadelphia Flyers - N.J. Devils Hockey

7 p.m. The Flyers host rival New Jersey Devils in one of the last home games of the NHL season. Watch for “ESU Alumni” written in lights on

the Wachovia Center scoreboard during the game. Seats are in sections 207A-209A. Tickets are $25; reserve now, and they will be available at the ticket box office two hours before the game

Tickets limited; contact Carleen in the Alumni Office by March 18.

April 10Murder Mystery Dinner Theater6-9 p.m., Lower Dansbury Commons, ESU. Join in on a great evening of entertainment as you watch “Rachael Ray’s Food Network Nightmare.” $30 per person, underwritten by the ESU Alumni Association.

June 4 & 5Alumni DaySave the date! Return to our alma mater to reminisce and visit. Special reunion year for the classes of 1950, 1955, 1960, 1965, 1970,1975, 1980, 1985, and 1990. Details in the next Alumni Herald.

Mail your reservation/request to:Ahnert Alumni Center

East Stroudsburg University200 Prospect Street

East Stroudsburg, PA 18301

Or call in your guaranteed reservation to Carleenat (800) 775-8975, visit www.esualumni.org

or e-mail alumni@esu.edu

Upcoming EventsESU Office of Alumni Relations

Alumni AssociationEast Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania200 Prospect StreetEast Stroudsburg, PA 18301-2999

www.esualumni.org

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania is a member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE). Establishsed in 1983, PASSHE comprises Pennsylvania’s 14 public universities, with a combined enrollment of more than 112,500, making it the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth. The 14 PASSHE universities offer degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. Approximately 405,000 PASSHE alumni live and work in Pennsylvania.

The 14 PASSHE universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania.