MANOR COLLEGE

ANNUAL GIVING SOCIETY NEWSLETTER

MARCH 2014

OFFICE OF DEVELOPMENT AND ALUMNI RELATIONS

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

At the January meeting of the Manor College Board of Trustees, Leonard L. Mazur accept-ed the position of Chairperson of the Board. I am very grateful that Leonard agreed to serve in this position. Leonard has held leadership positions on both the Board of Trustees (2000 to present) and the Council of President Advisors (1971 – 1979). Leonard is Vice Chairman and COO of Akrimax Pharmaceuticals in Cranford, New Jersey. I feel that Leonard has been a true blessing to Manor. I extend my thanks to Leonard for his willingness to share his time, talent and financial support over many decades. From serving as Chair of the Development Committee, to Chair of the Endowment Campaign, to providing leadership support to the campaign and the annual fund, I cannot imagine what the College would be without his assistance. Successful Board leaders require a diverse, talented and dedicated Board of Trustees. Each member of the Manor College Board of Trustees brings strength, personal and professional experience, and the business acumen that positively impacts the College administration and the education of our students. The Board of Trustees determines and establishes the fundamental operating policies of the College. Trustees are responsible for the following specific items relevant to the operation of Manor: Academic, Management and Financial. Trustees are recruited from a variety of professions and areas of expertise in order to carry out these responsibilities.

Sincerely,

Sr. Mary Cecilia Jurasinski, OSBM Sr. Mary Cecilia Jurasinski, OSBM President

STUDENT ATHLETES

BLUE JAYS

Manor College is known for providing its students with individualized attention. Most recently, in 2005, when the men’s soccer team won their division and the Eastern Pennsylvania Collegiate Conference (EPCC) State Championship, the word spread quickly that Manor has competitive sports teams. Students can join the Athletic Department’s soccer, basketball, volleyball teams and cheerleading squad. The soccer team plays at the National Junior College Athletic Association Region (NJCAA) XIX, Division I level. The men’s basketball team competes in Division II, the Lady Jays in Division II. In March, 2014 the Lady Jays played in the Region XIX District Championship game in Massachusetts and earned second place.

Robert Reeves, Athletic Director at Manor and the Head Women’s Basketball Coach, Michael Mahon, Head Men’s Basketball Coach, and John Dempster, Head Men’s Soccer Coach have very tight schedules during their seasons. Student athletes have to maintain a good academic standing, practice three times a week and often play two games. This busy agenda is demanding, but fun at the same time. Coach Mahon holds organized study halls where the teammates work together to ensure that no teammate falls behind in his academics.

Mark Colville will graduate from Manor College in the Spring of 2014. While Mark took some time off after high school to work, he was pushed by family and friends to go back and get his degree. “After I graduated from Roman Catholic High School, I had a full-time job, and was tempted to keep working; however, my mom kept pushing me to go back to school,” Mark states. In September 2012, he began to work on his Associate Degree at Manor. The first class Mark attended was Introduction to Criminal Justice, which started at 8:00AM and was taught by David Caristo. While some people cringe at the idea of an early morning class, Mark didn’t mind at all; he knew right away that he had made the right decision. He has main-tained a 3.5 GPA, and has received a Basilian Scholarship. Mark’s high academic standing and soccer talent has earned him a full athletic scholar-ship to St. Joseph’s University. In 2012, Mark was named Manor’s first-ever First-Team All American. Mark went on to receive this in 2013 as well.

Mark is thankful for the advice he received from his friends and family. His mom is very proud of him. While Mark has not decided on his major, he is interested in sport management, business, and risk-management.

Kira Ogden is a captain of the women's basketball team. She received the Manor College Service Award Scholarship, with a GPA of 3.4. She will graduate in 2015, with an Associate of Arts degree. Speaking of her gratitude for the academic scholarship, Kira talks about her family: “I have siblings - both younger and older - and I know I have to maintain my grades, because the scholarship is a great financial help to my parents.” She works as a Resident Aide and enjoys helping her peers. “I’m interest-ed in social work, psychology, and like to write”, says Kira. Many colleges showed interest, but she doesn’t want to move far from her family. As she plans her summer, Kira would like to continue working at the YMCA, and attend basketball practice as often as she can. “I have to be better; I need to improve on my shooting.”

Avery Brown will graduate in May, 2014. He was accepted to West Chester University on a full scholarship. He is a promising basketball player and is the shooting guard on the men’s basketball team. Avery’s average score is 24.7 per game, which places him 6th on the NJCAA list, and his total scoring of 519 points make him 9th on the national NJCAA list. “I always wanted to play basketball; I don’t even remember a time when I didn’t play. Manor paved my future. I followed Coach’s instructions and it improved my basketball skills and athletic abilities”, says Avery. He was in high school when he began working for his father and learned the electrician trade.

Safiyah Hernandez attended a summer volleyball workout at Manor and Coach Reeves liked her enthusiasm and strong will to play. She plays on the volleyball and basketball teams. “I have training every day and my schedule is full”, says Safiyah proudly. She wishes to pursue a career as a physical therapist. She began taking her prerequisite courses in the fall semester of 2013. She is also interested in athletic training. Her family lives in Upper Darby and she enjoys going there to have dinner with her parents. Safiyah placed third in the All Region Team XIX, October 28, 2013.

Mark Perez is a great student athlete who plays the shooting guard position on the basketball team and takes his academic work very seriously. His GPA of 3.25 is a reflection of his hard work. Mark will graduate in May, 2014 with an Associate Degree in Business Administration. From a very young age, Mark helped his mother in her hair salon. Mark involved himself in every aspect of the business, from ordering supplies, to scheduling and, lately, he helps with the bookkeeping. His long term goal is to start a business, but his dream is to coach basketball. Mark was re-cruited from high school by Coach Mahon. “Coach visited my games and also came to see me in practice. Manor offered me a generous scholarship. I feel I gained so much here not just academically, but personally, as well. I matured because of my responsibilities on the basketball court and in the classroom.” Mark noted that he respects the Manor teachers because: “They care about each student’s success.” He particularly enjoyed Mr. Eader’s Macro and Microeconomic class. “I was offered a full scholarship from Virginia Intermont College, but I have committed to La Salle Univer-

sity on an academic scholarship. I am looking forward to transferring to La Salle and would like to graduate with my Masters degree in three years”, says Mark.

ANNUAL GALA 2014

Manor College will host the Annual Basilian Scholarship Gala, April 24, 2014. The primary purpose of the Gala is to highlight the positive impact which the Basilian Scholarship Program has on the lives of Manor College students. During the Gala, the Manor College Board of Trustees recognizes an individual who has been an avid contributor to the Manor community by presenting a Community Service Award. This year the Community Service Award recipient is Thomas N. Alvare, President, Comprehensive Investment Solutions, LLC (CIS), for his contributions of time, talent and financial support for the benefit of Manor College.

Contact Marialice Stanzeski, Director, Manor College Office of Development and Alumni Relations at 215-885-2360 Ext. 215 for more information regarding your participation in this year’s Gala ceremony.

VASILE AVRAMENKO:

THE FATHER OF UKRAINIAN DANCE IN NORTH AMERICA

The Ukrainian Heritage Studies Center (UHSC), at Manor College was award-ed a grant from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts/Pennsylvania Partner-ship in the Arts. The grant supports an exhibit featuring Vasile Avramenko - the father of Ukrainian Dance in North America. The Manor College UHSC will be joined by Branch 88, the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America, Philadelphia Regional Council. The Ukrainian Education and Cultural Center (UECC), will host the exhibit on March 21-22, 2014 at the Ukrainian Center, 700 Cedar Road, Jenkintown, PA, 19046.

The exhibit, performances and seminars are free to the general public, thanks to a generous grant from the Ukrainian Community Foundation of Philadelphia.

The exhibit is organized by Curator and Researcher, Iryna Balan. Opening night Friday begins at 7:00PM, with the exhibit showcased in the Dr. Alexander Chernyk Gallery in the Ukrainian Center. On Saturday, March 22, the exhibit is open from 9:00AM until 5:00PM. At 11:00AM “Natilka Poltavka” will be shown. At 1:30PM, a seminar on Vasile Avramenko will be chaired by Dr. Paula Holoviak and Iryna Balan. There will also be a performance of Avramenko by the Kazka Dance Ensemble (KDE).

KDE was founded in 1987 to preserve, promote, and enhance Ukrainian culture, music and dance in the anthracite coal regions of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Kazka is particularly dedicated to preservation of the music and dance of the first wave of immigrants to the anthracite regions in the 19th and early 20th centuries. KDE seeks to share Ukrainian music and dance with a wide audience both at home in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania and throughout the United States through performances, workshops, and lectures. www.kazka.org.

The project is supported in part by the Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts program of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endow-ment for the Arts, a federal agency. Support is also provided by PECO, the Ukrainian Community Founda-tion and the Cenko Dobro Tworyty Fund of St. Sophia Religious Association of Ukrainian Catholics., USA.

The dances were choreographed by Vasile Avramenko (1895-1981). He is considered by many to be the “Father of Ukrainian Dance” in North America. Avramenko was a choreographer, ballet master, director and film producer, credited with spreading Ukrainian folk dance across the world. His legacy is alive and his love of Ukrainian culture still inspires Ukrainians in the motherland and over its borders.

“The dance is a language — a powerful language from which we communicate from the soul.” -Vasile Avramenko.