Sam '82 and Linda-Lee Troiani '83 Niedbala ... - Asoundstrategy

1 

Subject 

ESU Alumni Herald 

Alumni 

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania 

Alumni Herald HeraldFall Fall 

2006 

2006 

Volume 

Volume 

19, 

19, 

No. 

No. 

2 

Sam ’82 and Linda-Lee Troiani ’83 Niedbala: 

Leading the way for the fi rst 

Comprehensive Campaign - Page 24 

TODAY’S DREAM, 

TOMORROW’S REALITY 

Science and Technology Center Is Under Way - Page 23 

Retiring Professor Thatcher ’69, M’70 

leaves legacy of student 

accomplishment - Page 36

From the President’s Desk 

Opening Remarks 

Dear Friends, 

This magazine is an excellent means to catch up 

on what has been happening at the university. It is 

entirely fitting that the cover feature in this first issue 

of the new magazine style format is the inspiring story 

of alumni Sam and Linda Niedbala. It is a classic entrepreneurial 

tale which I feel embodies the true spirit 

of your university. 

Other highlights inside include: 

• Alumni Association honors, Alumni Day 

coverage and Homecoming coverage 

• Spotlight on alumnus Darrin Lamont Byrd 

’91, who is an up and coming international 

musical theater performer 

• Feature on retired Distinguished Professor of 

Athletic Training John Thatcher ’69, M’70 

A few of the highlights that a visit to your university 

would reveal are: A tremendous amount of student 

activity, with a new record number of students (over 

7,000) ; major construction activity on the new Science 

and Technology Center; dynamic academic initiatives 

such as a new organismal biology laboratory/indigenous 

animals exhibit; and visits by speakers as 

prominent as Pakistan’s ambassador to the United 

Nations and 1960s activist Angela Davis. 

Most of you received the university’s Annual Report, 

a 16-month ESU photo calendar which features 

photographs and other highlights of the past year. 

Among those highlights is the groundbreaking for the 

Alumni Herald 

The Alumni Herald is the 

offi cial publication for 

East Stroudsburg University’s Alumni and 

is published three times a year. 

Please address all correspondence to: 

Alumni Relations 

East Stroudsburg University 

200 Prospect St. 

East Stroudsburg, PA 18301 

570-422-3533 

800-775-8975 

Fax: 570-422-3301 

E-Mail: alumni@esu.edu 

Web site: http://esualumni.org 

Robert J. Dillman, Ph.D. 

University President 

Isaac W. Sanders, Ph.D. 

Vice President 

for University Advancement 

Editor 

John J. Ross 

Director of Alumni Engagement 

Design 

Sheree B. Watson 

Offi ce of University Relations 

Dr. Dillman at groundbreaking ceremonies for the new Science and 

Technology Building. (Perry Hebard photo) 

Science and Technology Center and the kick-off of the 

public phase of the Comprehensive Campaign. You 

will read more about this exciting project inside, and 

you can view the progress of the construction by clicking 

on the web cam on the ESU home page. 

Thank you for your continued interest in and 

support of your university. Please let us know what you 

think of the new Alumni Herald magazine format. 

Sincerely, 

Robert J. Dillman 

President 

Contributors 

David Bracetty, 

Amanda Bruck ’06, 

Jessica Cohen, 

Vincent Dent, Regina Diverio, 

Michelle Dramé, 

Perry Hebard, David Hooper ’05 

Bob Kelley ’71, 

Christina Fenton Mace ’00 

Pete Nevins M’84, 

Rita M. Plotnicki ’72 

Tania Ramirez, 

Samantha Robinson, 

John J. Ross, Michelle Rupp, 

Douglas F. Smith, 

Ryan Yanoshak M’05 


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 and 

Equal Opportunity, 200 Prospect 

Street, 115 Reibman Building, East 

Stroudsburg, PA 18301, 570-422- 

3656.

Fall 2006 Table of Contents 1 

Office of University 

Advancement 

Ahnert Alumni Center 800-775-8975 

http://advancement.esu.edu 

Isaac W. Sanders, Ph.D. 

Vice President for University Advancement 

and Executive Director, ESU Foundation 

Laurie Schaller 

Executive Staff Assistant 

Carolyn Bolt 

Assistant Vice President for Development 

Tonya Williams 

Administrative Assistant for Development 

John J. Ross 

Director of Alumni Engagement 

Michelle Dramé 

Coordinator of Alumni Services 

Tania Ramirez 

Alumni Relations Secretary 

Vincent Dent 

Director of Major Gifts/Planned Giving 

Robert Kelley ’71 

Major Gifts/Planned Giving Officer 

Cynthia Lavin 

Major Gifts / Planned Giving Secretary 

Christina Fenton Mace ’00 

Coordinator of Annual Funds 

John Shewchuk 

Database Manager 

Teresa Werkheiser 

Coordinator of Donor Relations and 

Stewardship 

Roberta Russell 

Secretary/Receptionist 

Mona Uathavikul 

Accountant 

Board of Directors 

Roger L. DeLarco ’80 

President 

Lisa Rinaldi Lewis ’80 

Vice President 

Virginia H. Sten ’71 

Secretary 

Departments 

Laura P. Baatz ’00 

DeWitt “Chip” A. Blunden ’82 

Suzanne A. Chludzinski ’90 

Nicholas L. DiGregory ’76 

Dr. Anthony L. Drago ’76 

Eugenia S. Eden ’72 

Robert C. Edwards ’55 

Dr. Betty Collins Henrie ’44 

Patricia Alberts Hibschman ’62 

Robert A. Kearn ’58 

Gerald D. Keyser ’59 

Susan B. Koomar ’88 

Deborah A. Kulick ’80 

John T. Lambert ’54 

Jessee W. Landon ’81 

Ted E. Martz ’47 

24 

Cover Story 

Alumnus Scores With 6 

Niedbalas lead the way for 

Comprehensive Campaign. 

Musical Theatre 

Together again are, from left, Theo Gilbert, Dr. James 

Jackson, Oscar Squire, Darrin Byrd ’91, retired ESU 

Professor Neal Simpson, and Garth Partee. Byrd came 

to ESU last spring to conduct programs for performing 

Features 

arts students. 

Alumni Awards ..............................................................................................2-3 

Alumni Day ...................................................................................................4-5 

Alumni Tony ’69 and Pat Lythgoe ’68 McMunn Host ESU Interns in Ireland ...14 

Barniak Award Goes to Shoudt ’64, Snyder ’58 .............................................39 

Hall of Fame: Record Number Are Inducted ............................................. 38-39 

Homecoming ............................................................................................12-13 

Soccer Success: Phil Wheddon ’94 ...............................................................22 

Science and Technology Center Construction Under Way ...............................23 

Births ...................................................................................33 

Engagements ................................................................. 28-30 

Gatherings & Events ......................................................... 8-11 

Giving Opportunities .............................. 40, inside back cover 

In Memoriam ................................................................. 34, 35 

Message from President Dillman ..................inside front cover 

Upcoming Events .................................................... back cover 

Weddings ....................................................................... 30-33 

“Who’s Doing What”........................................................15-21 

Mark J. Mecca ’96 

Maurice J. Molin ’76 

Charles J. Morton ’64 

Gina Rodriguez Morton ‘98 

James B. Nesbitt, Jr. ’74 

“Pinky” O’Neil-Seiler ’57 

James “Rocky” Rogers ’85 

Mike J. Romano, Jr. ’74 

Dr. Faye Dallmeyer Soderberg ’58 

Irving “Itch” Sommer ’50 

Holli A. VanHook ’93 

Timothy M. Weisse ’74 

Heart of a Warrior 

John Thatcher ’69, M’70 

36 

Emeriti 

Bryan L Hill ’71 

James “Pat” Hyde ’63 

Phyllis M. Kirschner ’63 

Dr. Frank Michael Pullo ’73 

John E. Woodling ’68

2 

Alumni Awards 

Conrad “Skip” Idukas Service 

Award: Meghann J. Healy ’02 

This award is presented to someone 

who has made a significant contribution 

to the university and/or Alumni 

Association through exceptional volunteer 

service. 

Megh Healy graduated from ESU 

with a degree in elementary education 

in December 2002. Returning 

to pursue her graduate degree, Megh 

had the pleasure of working for the 

Residence Life Department as a graduate 

assistant hall director in Lenape 

and Monroe Residence Halls. Her 

only year living in Monroe happened 

to be the 64th and final year it served 

as a residence hall. Along with cur- 

Meghann J. Healy ’02 and her 

rent and previous residents of Mon- 

mother, Cynthia Goodman 

roe Hall, Megh celebrated the end of a 

tradition in closing the all-male hall 

by organizing a memory book, a commemorative 

T-shirt, and open houses. Megh is now the 

director of performing ensembles for a non-profit 

youth organization in Allentown. 

Young Alumni Award: 

David J. DeNotaris ’92 

This award is presented 

to a recent graduate who 

demonstrated exceptional 

ability and made significant 

strides in his/her 

chosen profession or whose 

extraordinary accomplishments 

have brought honor 

to the university and pride 

to alumni. 

Diagnosed as a child 

David J. DeNotaris ’92, his wife, Mariann Serano DeNo- with retinitis pigmentaris 

’92, his mother, and his son, David, Jr. tosa, an eye disease that 

leads to blindness, David 

struggled to maintain a 

fully functional life as his condition worsened 


A League of Extraordinary Ladies and Gentlemen 

Alumni Association Honors Five Very Special People for Their 

Exceptional Contributions, Abilities, Humanitarian Work or Teaching 

with age. He later found solace and support 

from many as an ESU student. This served as a 

catalyst to the enormous success he has had today. 

In 989, David won the International Power 

Lifting Award in Ottawa, Canada. He has written 

a best-selling book titled “Feeling Your Way 

Through Life,” and has become a formidable 

motivational speaker for top Fortune 500 companies. 

Also, David has been featured in numerous 

television and radio programs and remains 

active in speaking engagements to help motivate 

others. 

Humanitarian Award: 

Maryellen McGee ’69 

This award is presented to an ESU graduate who 

has exhibited meritorious participation in a significant 

act or operation of a humanitarian nature. 

Maryellen broke down the barriers that 

existed for families adopting children from 

China. She worked tirelessly to open international 

communication and make it easier for 

Chinese children to be welcomed into U.S. 

homes, particularly in her New England Area. 

Maryellen quickly became the person, having 

gone through the process twice, whom 

families would turn to when they needed advice 

on navigating the bureaucracies involved. 

When adoptions from China were temporarily 

halted in 993 so the Chinese government could 

review international adoptions, she helped bring 

together newly adoptive families with emissaries 

(to investigate how the adoptions were proceeding) 

from the Chinese government. Ms. McGee 

would bring families who had adopted children 

from China together to emphasize Chinese 

culture, as with the annual Chinese New Year 

celebration. She helped found the New England 

branch of Families with Children from China, 

which now includes over ,000 families. Sadly, 

she died last year from cancer, and leaves behind 

her two daughters. 

Perry Hebard photos

Fall 2006 

Great Teacher Award: 

Lois E. Wagner M’71 

This award is presented to 

active or retired faculty members 

with superior teaching ability 

and extraordinary commitment 

to students at ESU. 

Lois, a professor in the 

Movement Studies and Exercise 

Science Department, 

worked at ESU for 36 years before 

her retirement in 2004. 

While at ESU she received the 

Outstanding Service Award 

from the Varsity S Club twice Lois E. Wagner M’71 

for her athletic training. She 

was also one of 35 finalists for athletic trainers for the 

972 U.S. Olympic teams. So respected in her field, she 

was the first woman inducted into the Pennsylvania 

Athletic Trainers’ Society Hall of Fame in 2004. Part of 

a Letter of Commendation from the National Athletic 

Trainers’ Association reads, “You have been one of the 

pioneers in our field. Your time, efforts, and contributions 

to not only the field of athletic training but to the 

role of women in athletic training are greatly appreciated.” 

Lois has publications, presentations and professional 

contributions too numerous to mention. She has 

also been active with the Monroe Unit of the American 

Cancer Society. Lois even was a member of five mission 

teams to Cuba to deliver medicine and do community 

projects. She stays involved with Warrior athletics and 

its Hall of Fame. 

Send news to the 

Alumni Herald! 

Ahnert Alumni Center 


200 Prospect Street 


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 

Alumni Awards 

Helen G. Brown ’37 Honor Award: 

Salome Thomas-El ’86 

This award is presented to 

an ESU alumnus/a whose 

extraordinary accomplishments 

in life have brought 

honor to the university 

and pride to alumni. 

Salome was born 

and raised in the inner 

city of Philadelphia and 

taught in its school district 

since 987. He received 

national acclaim 

as a teacher and chess 

coach at Vaux Middle 

School, where his stu- 

Salome Thomas-El ’86 

dents have been eighttime 

National Chess Champions. Armed with only a 

chess board and a profound belief in their potential, 

Salome has motivated hundreds of children to continue 

their education. 

He has received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane 

Letters from Ursinus College, the Marcus A. Foster 

Award as the outstanding School District Administrator 

in Philadelphia, and the University of Pennsylvania’s 

distinguished Martin Luther King Award. Salome frequently 

appears on C-SPAN, CNN and NPR Radio. His 

students were featured in Reader’s Digest, Education 

Week, NEA Today and Black Enterprise Magazine. 

Salome is the author of the best-selling book “I 

Choose to Stay,” released in March 2003 and purchased 

by the Walt Disney Company for movie rights. He is 

principal at Stoddart Fleisher Middle School in Philadelphia 

and coordinates after-school chess programs. He 

lives in Philadelphia with his wife and daughters. 

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 

3 

happenings in the lives of ESU 

alumni. 

The information we collect 

comes from alumni and from 

various media sources and 

we believe it is accurate. The 

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.

4 

Alumni Day ESU Alumni Herald 

Over 30 members from the Class of ’56 returned to campus to celebrate their 

golden anniversary. Those who attended the lunch are pictured with their 50th 

anniversary medallions and President Dillman were (L-R) first row: Joan Wentz, 

Mary “Mike” (Lipton) Hill, Josephine A. Spencer, Harriet Davis Hall, Joan 

(Chariton) Farrar, President Dillman, Marie Latourette Bartron, Nancy Kern, 

Bev “BJ” (Woods) Stevens and Mae (Frederick) Jubinsky. Second row: Jean 

Alumni Day 2006 

“Liz” McDonnell-Kee, Charlie Mitke, Karl Schnure, William Morgan, Angela 

(Bacinelli) Cobb, Clayton Kern, Michaeline Wojcikowski and Regina (Lamson) 

Williams. Third row: Johanne “Jo” Smith, Rita (Fisher) Blyler, Clyde L. Sweigart, 

Vincent Tomeo and John McKinney. Fourth row: Kathryn (Jones) Sorensen, 

Florence Brizzy, Lee Hill, H.J. “Dink” Deibler, Ed Smith, “Jim Bob” Ealey, Philip 

Jones, Don Griffith and Lew Judy. 

Hundreds returned to campus on June 2 

and 3 to reunite and reminisce. Highlights 

of the weekend included a Hawaiian Luau 

on Friday night to kick off the weekend, 

and an art show and farewell reception on 

Saturday to close the festivities. Of course 

the most important part of the weekend 

was seeing friends, as evidenced by the 

montage of photos on these pages. 

Phil Jones ’56 shows off his socks that are more than 50 years old. 

Jones was part of the “Booee Boys,” whose socks were handmade by 

sweethearts. 

Perry Hebard photos

Fall 2006 Alumni Day 

At right, Beverly “BJ” Woods Stevens ’56 is 

greeted by President Dillman and presented 

with her 50th anniversary medallion. One of the 

highlights of the weekend was hospitality that the 

president and his wife showed at their residence 

in a special reception and presentation. 

Above, John Ross, director of 

alumni engagement, is shown an early postcard 

of East Stroudsburg Normal School 

by Florence “Lem” Brizzy ’56. 

At left, Harriet (Davis) Hall ’56 and George Hall ’58 found 

the Fountain of Youth at the luau and look just like they 

did when they were in school! 

Class of ’56 buddies Lee Hill, Clyde Sweigart, and Karl 

Henthorn reminisced for hours at the Hawaiian Luau. 

The Alumni Association bestowed a top honor to John E. Woodling 

’68 (inset) and Bryan L. Hill ’71 (at left with current President Roger 

DeLarco ’80) by selecting them to be emeriti board members based 

on their decades of service and leadership roles. Bryan served on the 

board since 1983 and was president from 1995-2004. In addition to 

his alumni service, he was the voice of the Warriors for over 30 years. 

Professionally recognized for his leadership in the field of corrections, he 

served as president of the American Jail Association and is active in numerous 

community organizations including the Boy Scouts. He is the District 3 superintendent 

of the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission. John began serving on 

the board in 1982 and was vice president from 1986 to 2004, except for 1987-88 

when he served a year as president. He also served as chairman of the Grants 

Committee. John is the director of the Monroe County Planning Commission. 

5

6 

Alumni Spotlight 

By Rita M. Plotnicki ’72 

“Once upon a time, about 20 years ago, I was you,” 

Darrin Lamont Byrd, ’9 , told the high school and college 

students participating in a musical theatre audition 

workshop at East Stroudsburg University’s Fine and 

Performing Arts Center in April. 

“You can create the life that you want,” he added. 

“Be confident and go for a performing career, especially 

if you know that nothing else will make you happy.” 

The musical theatre audition workshop was the first 

event of a week-long residency at his 

alma mater for Byrd, a musical 

theatre veteran currently 

starring as Mufasa in the 

Hamburg, Germany production 

of The Lion King. 

He also gave two talks 

on the business aspects 

of musical theatre and 

two concerts: one a musical 

theatre concert featuring 

Byrd and the second 

with the University Jazz 

Ensemble as its featured 

soloist. 

Byrd’s residency was sponsored 

by a grant from the Pennsylvania 

State System of Higher 

Education Office of Diversity 

and Equal Opportunity. 

The tone of the week’s 

residency was 



How do you get to Broadway? 

Audition, audition, audition! 

ESU grad Darrin Lamont Byrd ’91 

passed up football, scored with musical theater 

set in the audition workshop as Byrd mixed advice and 

examples from his ESU experiences and his 5 years as a 

musical theatre performer. 

“When I started out, I didn’t like auditioning,” Byrd 

told the group, “but then I figured out that you have to 

love auditioning to be successful. Preparation is the key 

and you need to start long before the audition. Presentation 

is important—walk in and take the room. Your 

posture is important. Be confident; know your purpose. 

If you’re not there to book the gig, stay home. 

“When I first got to New York, I went to EVERY 

audition,” he said, “even one for Mary Poppins.” Byrd 

chuckled and added, “now what was I going to do in 

Mary Poppins? Years later, however, I got a call from 

that director offering me a part that I was right for 

in the Canadian production of Five Guys Named 

Moe.” 

From Five Guys Named Moe Byrd went on to 

play major roles in Big River, Dreamgirls, the world 

tour of Riverdance and his current engagement. 

In all of his presentations, Byrd talked 

about how his ESU experiences shaped his career. 

“I came to ESU in the summer of 985 to 

play football,” he noted, “but playing college 

level football really hurt.” In the spring of 

986 he chanced upon an audition for Of Mice 

and Men in ESU’s Fine and Performing Arts 

Center, read for a role and got the part. 

Parts in other ESU productions followed. 

“Professors Jay Brennan and Rob Howell 

challenged me to be the 

best that I could 

here is a nurturing atmosphere here with professors who care and

Fall 2006 Alumni Spotlight 7 

be,” Byrd noted, and, after changing his major three 

times, graduated from ESU with a degree in theatre in 

99 . 

While at ESU, Byrd, who enjoyed singing while 

growing up in Newark and Harrisburg, joined the Concert 

Choir and met the director, Terry L. Flatt, associate 

professor of music. “Professor Flatt taught me how to use 

my voice, how to breathe properly, and he also believed 

in me,” Byrd said. “He inspired me to go forward.” 

The mentoring relationship that developed between 

the two continues to this day. “I saw talent and ability 

and I also saw a warm, outgoing personality. He always 

took music and theatre seriously,” Flatt said. “My wife 

and I look on Darrin as part of the family, like an adopted 

son.” 

Neal Simpson, retired head of ESU’s Center for Educational 

Opportunity, also remembered Byrd’s “outgoing 

personality.” The two met when Byrd was one of 

Simpson’s students in the Act 0 summer program, and 

kept in touch over the years. Both are members of Omega 

Psi Phi Fraternity, whose Omega Xi chapter sponsored 

a reception for Byrd. 

“Every time I walk into Cohen Recital Hall, I feel 

a rush of emotion from all that I did in there—classes, 

concerts, musical revues,” Byrd said. “Being back at 

ESU as a teacher is inspirational. It gives me a sense of 

purpose to step outside of myself and give back things I 

learned in the last 5 years.” 

All of the participants in the audition workshop 

were invited to perform with Byrd as part of the musical 

theatre concert. The group served as backup performers 

for Byrd’s rendition of “Free at Last” from the musical Big 

River, a song that is his signature piece. 

Darrin Byrd, right, audition workshop participants, and supporting performers take a bow at the end of “An Evening 

of Musical Theatre.” Performers include: Erin Dent ’10; April Field (community); Dawn Rother (community); Dennis 

Carrig (Byrd’s long-time friend and co-owner of The Deerhead Inn); Jason Zimmer ’06; Ryan Groff, a senior theatre 

major from Perkasie; Regina Sayles ’03; Lindsey M. Buffa ’05; Mike Rogusky ’06; Irwin Antoine (community); Jenell 

Anne Manzi, a sophomore theatre major from Mount Bethel; Michelle Buzzelli (community); and Heather Werline, a 

senior theatre major from Levittown. 

The musical theatre concert also featured ESU alumni 

Regina Sayles ’03 and Lindsey Buffa ’05; graduating 

senior Jason Zimmer ’06; and Dennis Carrig, a local 

actor and co-owner of the Deerhead Inn who has been 

friends with Byrd since they both appeared together in 

“Of Mice and Men.” 

“I was surprised at the level of talent I found here,” 

Byrd stated, “especially since this isn’t a specialized performing 

arts school. There is a nurturing atmosphere 

here with professors who care and many opportunities 

to be onstage. It’s a place to build yourself up.” 

“I am also glad that the Center for Educational Opportunity 

is still up and running because it was very 

instrumental in supporting me while I was at ESU,” he 

added, “but am disappointed that it is not as strong due 

to funding cuts and the loss of the summer program that 

brought me here.” 

While an undergraduate Byrd made his first trip 

to Europe in 988 when the choir toured England. “I 

remember being in awe of different cultures, different 

values, different foods,” he recalled. Now he considers 

himself “a citizen of the world,” with Florence, Italy, as 

his home base. 

After his contract for The Lion King expires in May, 

2007, Byrd, who is fluent in Italian, plans to pursue a 

television career in Italy. “Television will lead you into 

film,” he said. “I’m pretty confident that things will go 

as I plan—first to play a major character in a television 

series and then to go into films.” 

“Darrin’s residency has been a special event, especially 

the musical theatre concert,” Flatt commented. 

“Our faculty and students appreciated his professionalism, 

his even temperament and his sense of caring.” 

many opportunities to be on stage; it’s a place to build yourself up.”

8 

Gatherings and Events 

D.C. Gathering 


Nearly 30 alumni from the Metro D.C. area gathered on April 2 at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Va., for brunch. This event continues to be a 

highlight for area alumni, especially this year because Noah Samara ’78, CEO of WorldSpace, was the keynote speaker. 

At left, event coordinator and chair 

of the Metro D.C. Alumni Group, 

Tom Leshko ’57, visits with classmate 

Shirley (Neas) Merring ’57. 

Enjoying the food, ambiance and 

camaraderie were, 

from left, Barbara Gustis ’98 

and Jill Raimato ’98. 

Arizona Alumni Back in East Stroudsburg 

Phoenix was the site of this gathering of alumni. Getting together for the first 

time in a few years were (L-R) Dr. Isaac W. Sanders, vice president for university 

advancement, Tage (Bosacco) Wood ’40, Tim Weisse ’74, Pattie Hyland 

’75, Brian Smargiassi ’82, and Jane (Cotton) Bruce ’45. 

Former roommates gathered to remember the good ’ol days by planning a 

trip to campus. Sharing in the trip down memory lane were alumnae (L-R) 

Alissa (Huss) Perrone ’91, Audrey (Hazlett) Everly ’91, Sheila (Corrigan) 

Zeman ’91, Susie (Lutz) Painton ’90, Sheri (Kramer) Martelucci ’91, and 

Ellen (Bleach) Sterbenz ’91.

Fall 2006 

Thirty-five years after arriving 

at East Stroudsburg State College, 

the bonds of friendship are as 

strong as ever for this group of 

alumni. A self-described group of 

“middle class kids” from Scranton, 

the suburbs of Philly, and the 

state of Connecticut, arrived as 

individuals in the fall of 970 and 

97 but graduated years later as a 

cohesive family. 

Frank Johnson ’74 recalls, “We 

had a lot in common … none of 

us had any money or a car and we 

didn’t go home on the weekends!” 

What they did have was each other, 

and the third floor of Shawnee 

Hall was their home. In the early 

’70s most of them participated in 

athletics like football, soccer, cross 

country, basketball, wrestling, 

baseball or track and field. None of 

them pledged a fraternity but they 

formed their own bonds of steel that 

have remained as strong today as 

when they were forged. 

They supported each other 

in the hard times and celebrated with each 

other during the good times. Today they 

are professionals with their own lives, wives, 

careers and children; yet they still find 

time for each other. Over the years they 

have vacationed in Florida and New York, 

held special events and joined each other at 

Homecoming. 

It used to be they celebrated with one 

another at their weddings and the birth of their 

children; now they still make time to party, but 

it is at their children’s weddings! 

This group of alumni possesses a 

special relationship that transcends the 

term “classmate.” In recalling the years of 

friendship, Frank notes, “We were lucky to find 

each other, grow up together and appreciate the 

bond of friendship that will last forever. We 

are grateful to the university for providing us 

with the skills to be successful, both in and out of the 

classroom, and for the quirk-of-fate that brought us 

together.” 

Frank’s family, in addition to his wife, Sarah, 

and children, includes: Robert Smith ’73 and Diane 

Smith, Loren Brink ’74, Roger Dontonville ’74 and 

Anne Dontonville, Lee Fahnestock ’74 and Mollie 

Fahnestock, Dean Gardner ’74 and Mary (Pakenas) 


Shawnee ‘Siblings’ - Forever a ‘Family’ 

Celebrating the wedding of a child is a great reason to get together in Towson, Maryland! From left, Jim 

Shearouse ’74, Cherie Shearouse, Frank Johnson ’74, Sarah Johnson, Dave Hair ’76, Moira (Portius) 

Hair ’77, George Vance ’74, Maryann (Van Dyke) Vance ’75, George Shultz ’74, Cindy (Masenheimer) 

Shultz ’74, Dean Gardner ’74, Mary (Pakenas) Gardner ’74, Robert Smith ’73 and Diane Smith. 

In the backyard with some of the “Shawnee Boys circa 1971” (L-R) Frank Newby ’75, 

John Helgesen ’74, Frank Johnson ’74 and his son Reese, George Vance ’74, Frank 

Hollaran ’75, and Dave Hair ’76. 

Gardner ’74, John Helgesen ’74 and Irene Helgesen, 

Al Keglovits ’74 and Linda (Keenan) Keglovits ’74, 

Denny Mohn ’74 and Cathy (Mukai) Mohn ’74, Jim 

Shearouse ’74 and Cherie Shearouse, George Shultz 

’74 and Cindy (Masenheimer) Shultz ’74, Scott 

Willoth ’74 and Denise Willoth, George Vance ’74 and 

Maryann (Van Dyke) Vance ’75, Frank Hollaran ’75 

and Margaret Hollaran, Frank Newby ’75 and Doreen 

Newby, Dave Hair ’76 and Moira (Portius) Hair ’77. 

9

0 

Gatherings and Events ESU Alumni Herald 

Delco Event 

Nearly 40 people attended the 

9th Annual Delco Alumni 

Get-Together. This gathering 

of mostly alumni who live 

or work in Delaware County 

seems to get better each year, 

and a great time is had by all. 

The Delco event is the longest 

running annual alumni event, 

thanks to the hard work of 

Nick DiGregory ’76, who was 

assisted this year by Marcus 

Lingenfelter ’95. 

DaVinci Code Tour 

The event is so fantastic that these alumni 

traveled from New Jersey to join the fun! From 

left are Carl Catino ’64 and his wife, Jacqueline 

Catino, with John Masters ’65 and his wife, 

Susan (Sraj) Masters ’65. 

Nick DiGregory ’76 (right) has the perfect 

personality for a host as he welcomes 

Curtis Bunch ’94. 

A sold-out group of nearly 

30 alumni, students, 

faculty, and community 

members traveled in Italy 

and France for 4 days 

led by Brian Sickels of the 

Theatre Department. One 

of their favorite places was 

the Chateau de Versailles 

in France. 

The group at Versailles included, 

from left, Kathy Lord, Rene 

Wloderczyk, Rosalie Ruiz, Joan 

Perfetti, Tina Bieryla, Lynette Ott 

’92, Lydia Pabon, Kathy Krenitsky, 

Jack Krenitsky, Craig Ott, Joanne 

Macaluso, Ana Ruiz, Barbara Stoffa, 

Alice Murphy, Karen Atwood, Maxine 

DiMaggio, Prof. Brian Sickels, 

Beth Haynes, Dan Wypler, Joanne 

(Fleche) Wagner ’80, Earl Wagner 

’67, Kelvin Chu, Rosemary Hopkins, 

John Scognamiglio (current 

student), Lorinda Homar M’98, and 

Linda Vashlishan.

Fall 2006 

DC Fall 2006 

The Kennedy Center, complete with the backdrop 

of the Washington Monument, served as the 

most ideal setting for the fall gathering of the 

Metro D.C. area alumni. Thanks to the organization 

of Ron Kochan ’75, alumni dined in the 

center and then laughed out loud at the “Shear 

Madness” of this unique performance! L-R are 

Tom Leshko ’57, Jean Miller Leshko ’58, 

Ron Kochan ’75, Matt Stephens ’96, 

Michelle Stephens, Jim Nesbitt ’74, 

Wanda Nuckolls, Sharon Barkley, 

Smiley Shackleford ’85, and Barbara Stephens. 

Chicago 2006 

On a perfect fall evening in Chicago, alumni gathered to reminisce and take in 

a soccer match at Toyota Park, the new home of the Chicago Fire of the MLS. 

With the help of Roland Hahn M’99, the Chicago Fire director of Soccer & 

Team Development, who arranged for great tickets and Stadium Club passes, 

a great evening was had by all. L-R, Jeff Frantz ’63, Gretchen Angle Frantz ’66, 

Roland Hahn M’99, and John Ross, ESU director of alumni engagement. 


The View 

It was a day to remember when ESU alumni attended 

a live episode of the show The View at the ABC 

Television studios on April 18 in New York. ESU 

alumni especially enjoyed the witty and hilarious 

special guest star and comedienne Joan Rivers. 

Highlighting this event, alumni had a chance to 

personally greet the hosts of the show and later 

lunched at the infamous ABC Commissary. From 

left are: Michelle Dramé, ESU’s coordinator of 

alumni services; Rodney Applegate ’65; Dr. Isaac W. 

Sanders, vice president for university advancement; 

Eileen Applegate ’64, Frank Lanterman, Madeline 

Casale, Kelly Wilson, and LaShawne Pryor. 

It pays to be ESU alumni! 

Have you visited the East Stroudsburg University Alumni 

Services Web site lately? Check out some of the great 

benefits offered to ESU grads: 

11 

◊ Personal Health Insurance Services - discounted long term 

care insurance from all the major carriers. 

◊ Dick Milham Ford Toyota Scion Discounts -$500 cash 

back on most new vehicle purchases if you graduated between 

May 2004 and January 2007. For more details call 

(800) 565-9191 and mention you are an ESU alumnus/a. 

◊ Bank of America (formerly MBNA) Master Card - Call 

your Alumni Office at (800) 775-8975 or visit your 

Alumni Services Web site at www.advancement.esu.edu 

and click on Alumni Relations for more information on 

the great benefits that are available to ESU grads.

12 

Homecoming 

HHomecoming was a smashing success! A new twist this year was moving the 

Fan Zone to the Alumni Center, and it worked out great. There was plenty 

of room to tailgate, have the Alumni Tent, and the Entertainment Stage as 

evidenced by the photo above. Those who tailgated, especially the Phi Sigma 

Kappa fraternity and the Shawnee 3rd Floor Guys (circa 1974 and decked out 

in their ESSC shirts) did it with style and shared the prize of “Best Tailgate” 

(see photo below). The festivities actually began on Friday night with a Casino 

Night. Larry Zaccaro ’77 and his wife, Linnette, above, right, were high rollers 

on the black jack tables. 

omecoming 

22006 0 0 6 


Photos by 

David Hooper ’05 

and 

David Bracetty

Fall 2006 Homecoming 3 

There was no need to crank 

your car stereo, the live music 

in the Fan Zone was second to 

none. The rock band MSG got 

things going thanks to the talent 

of Regina Sayles “Koilparampil” 

’03 (above), Matt Abell ’94 

and Skip Detrick. The festivities 

continued with Bobbi Humphrey 

“First Lady of the Flute” (top 

photo) and her edgy jazz sound. 

In addition to the music, tailgating, and Alumni Tent, there were things for the kids like a balloon artist, 

top right, a man on stilts, a face painter, and cotton candy, bottom right. Of course there was a football 

game, and a big “W” didn’t just stand for Warriors—the team won the game. The cheerleaders led the 

frenzy, and the crowd, above, had plenty to get excited about! 

Photos by 

David Hooper ’05 

and 

David Bracetty

4 Alumni Feature 

While some students spend their summer break 

close to home, two ESU Hotel, Restaurant, & Tourism 

Management (HRTM) students spent theirs across 

the Atlantic Ocean working hard to complete their 

internship while enjoying the sites of Ireland. Seniors 

Steve Gehrke of Kinnelon, N.J., and Jamie Dodge of 

Long Valley, N.J., took full advantage of their “chance 

of a lifetime” opportunity in Ireland. An internship 

offered by Charles “Tony” McMunn ’69 and his 

wife, Pat (Lythgoe) McMunn ’68, at their pub in 

Ballybunion, Ireland, helped Steve and Jamie tie their 

classroom education to real-world experience. 

Unlike most internships, this one included a 

stipend, transportation, lodging, meals and even 

passports … a generous package, to say the least, and 

all provided by the McMunns. They have always 

been supporters of their alma mater. By offering an 

internship, the McMunns said, “This is a very tangible 

way for us to help ESU’s most precious commodity, its 

students.” Tony got the idea when he was vacationing 

in Alaska and noticed students assisting at that resort. 

Steve and Jamie not only had a fantastic time in 

Ireland, they honed their professional skills by creating 

a marketing plan, fulfilling their coursework. Steve 

said, “Things here are amazing. I absolutely love 

working at McMunns. The homey atmosphere of the 

place and the rest of the staff are great to be around all 

the time. Ballybunion itself is some kind of gorgeous 

metropolis that I would have never known existed until 

I was lucky enough to visit it.” On being in Ireland, 

Jamie noted, “The best part of this internship was being 

in another country, meeting new people, and gaining 

valuable experience that would not be the same in 


Internships - The Gift that Keeps on Giving! 

Tony ’69 and Pat McMunn ’68 

Host Two ESU Student Interns 

at Their Ireland Pub 

Alumni employers, if you are interested in offering 

an internship to ESU students please contact Dennis 

Steigerwalt, Ph.D., ESU’s director of Career Services, 

at 570-422-3282 to discuss ways to develop and 

promote an internship. This truly is a “win-win” 

situation as the company gets energetic service and 

the students get much needed practical experience 

to complement their class work. 

Tony McMunn ’69, ESU students Steve Gehrke and Jamie Dodge, and 

Carol Miller ’81, associate professor of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism 

Management at ESU, at McMunn’s in Ballybunion, Ireland. 

the United States. I recommend either a study abroad 

program or international internship to any student 

looking for something new and exciting.” 

Without the support and coordination from Carol 

Miller ’81, associate professor of Hotel, Restaurant & 

Tourism Management, this internship might not exist. 

Carol noted that internships are essential because they 

“help students narrow their area of interest while at the 

same time give them breadth of knowledge.” HRTM 

students are required to engage in a one-semester 

internship. Usually this takes place during the junior 

year (they need to have at least 72 credits to qualify). 

The faculty adviser meets with the employer, and 

learning objectives are created. Some students, as is 

the case with Steve and Jamie, choose to complete 

the internship as their last academic requirement and 

hope their internship leads to an offer to continue their 

employment. 

Internships are successful and important for both 

the students and the employers. Steve remarked, 

“I think it is important that students have a kind of 

stepping stone between their education and their actual 

career. An internship is a great chance for students to 

see what they’re getting into while they still have some 

guidance to fall back on.” The McMunns noted, “We 

got to use their services and really teach them. We 

have had many interns from top-notch schools like 

Vanderbilt and the University of Minnesota and we 

would rank the caliber of the ESU students right with 

them.”

Fall 2006 

1940s 

Mary A. Henning ’45 received the 

Margaret Wells Award from the 

Pocono Area Transitional Housing, 

Inc. She has been a member of many 

organizations over the course of her 

life. She is on the advisory board of 

Head Start and Meals on Wheels. 

1950s 

Nicholas Gatto ’55 is a retired principal 

who doubled his hole-in-one 

total in three weeks. Gatto aced three 

different holes at Tioga Country Club 

in Nichols, N.Y., in 22 days. The odds 

of making one hole-in-one are pretty 

long: in 2,750, according to a Golf 

Digest report in 999. But making 

three in a three-week span? That’s 

worth mentioning. 

Marge Worley ’55 recently was inducted 

into the Hall of Fame at In- 

“Who’s Doing What” “Who’s Doing What 

terboro High School in Prospect Park 

for her accomplishments in coaching 

field hockey and basketball. 

Burt Hughes ’57 competed in the 

National Masters Track & Field Meet 

in Boston on March 25 & 26. He was 

a member of the 4 x 400 meter relay 

team that obtained a gold medal in 

the 70-79 year age bracket. 

Jesse DeEsch, Ph.D. ’59 was awarded 

the Association for Specialist in 

Group Work (ASGW) Eminent Career 

Award for 2006. His career as a 

counselor and educator has spanned 

over 38 years. He has held the positions 

of chairperson/coordinator of 

the counseling services program and 

assistant dean of the College of Liberal 

Arts Education and Sciences at 

Rider University in New Jersey. Jessie 

was also a starting center on the 958 

ESU Warrior Football team. 

1968-69 

Katherine Bitow ’68 gathered fellow ESU alumni who graduated between 

the years 968- 969 for an exciting trip to Chadds Ford for a weekend 

adventure in April. Some had not seen one another in 38 years. They traveled 

onto the Brandywine River Museum in North Carolina where they 

shared their love of antiques and wine tasting. Some of the group members 

attended the Wyeth Exhibit at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Pictured 

are: (standing L-R; Vivian Robinson ’69, Kathy McCarthy Treftz ’68, 

Katharine Seed ’68, Carol Weisbraut Brunnabend ’68, Carol Angelo Pinola 

’69, Marilyn Barber Hiller ’68, Susan Meell Padfield ’69, and Mary 

Ellen McNish ’68. Kneeling, from left, are: Judy Briane Armstrong ’68, 

Katherine Bitow ’68, Bev Sanquilly Bogden ’68, and Joanne Comunale 

Janette ’68. 

1960s 

Leonard “Len” Pudelka ’61, professor 

emeritus of history at Hartwick 

College, received a lifetime service 

award from the Phi Alpha Theta National 

History Honor Society in recognition 

of his long service at the Phi 

Alpha Theta 2006 Biennial Convention 

in Philadelphia. 

Charles W. Chronister ’63 was 

inducted into the Adams County 

Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports 

Hall of Fame. He formerly was head 

basketball coach at Hanover High 

School where he posted a 59-8 record. 

After four years as an assistant at 

Gettysburg College, he moved to 

Bloomsburg University in 97 for the 

remainder of his coaching career. Before 

his retirement in 2002, Charles’s 

Bloomsburg teams had posted a 

559-288 record, won nine PSAC East 

titles and advanced seven times to the 

NCAA Division II tournament. 

John R. Gantz, Ph.D. ’63 was 

inducted into the International 

Adult and Continuing Education 

Hall of Fame. He is a distinguished 

adult educator in the Department 

of Defense’s Voluntary Education 

Program. During his 40-year career, 

he has held increasingly significant 

and responsible positions, capping 

his career as the national Chief of 

Troops to Teachers Program, which 

has provided teaching positions for 

more than 8,000 service men and 

women after their retirement from 

military service. 

Gary Sparta ’63 was inducted into 

the Sussex County Sports Hall of 

Fame for his accomplishments as an 

athlete, coach and athletic director. 

In 968 he was selected by the Vernon 

Township board of Education to 

be the district’s first Physical Education 

teacher and was responsible for 

developing the Physical Education 

program for grades through 8 and 

the intramural program for grades 5 

through 8. 

5

6 

“Who’s Doing What” 

Michael Boushell ’67 is an author 

and appeared as a guest speaker on 

Philadelphia Sports Talk Show Daily 

News Live on the Comcast Sports 

Network. Mike’s first novel, “Freshman 

Flash,” was nominated for a 

Young Readers Choice Award in 

2004 and selected by the Pennsylvania 

School Librarians Association 

for its Recommended Reading List in 

2005. His second novel, “Gridiron 

Hero,” was chosen by the Kansas 

State Reading Circle to its Recommended 

Reading List for young 

adults. His third novel, “Freshmen 

Five,” was published the following 

year. He recently completed his 

fourth novel, “Split-finger Phenom.” 

Terrence A. Butler ’69 and his 

daughter, Ashley, an ESU senior, 

qualified for the U.S.A. International 

Crossbow Teams. The teams will 

compete in the World Crossbow 

Championships, hosted by the 

United States, in Clifton, N.J. in July. 

Jorene Jameson 

’69 has been 

named senior 

vice president of 

development at 

KERA Broadcasting. 

In her new 

role, Jorene will 

be responsible for 

securing over $ 3 million through 

memberships, corporate sponsors, 

grants and other public support. Before 

this, Jorene served as the chief 

executive officer for the Girl Scouts. 

1970s 

William Dukett ’70 has been 

named director of athletics at 

Washington & Jefferson College. He 

began his career at the college as the 

associate head coach for the Presidents’ 

football team, head track and 

field coach and the head men’s and 

women’s golf coach. 

Earl Hulihan ’70 is vice president of 

global regulatory affairs and qual- 

ity assurance at Medidata Solutions 

Worldwide. Prior to this Earl served 

as senior vice president, regulatory 

consulting services at META Solutions, 

Inc. in Warren, N.J. 

Diane DeLarco Dunn ’71 has been 

nominated to the Who’s Who 

Among America’s Teachers. Diane 

will be retiring after teaching 35 years 

of Health and Physical Education Pre 

K- 2. She has also coached volleyball, 

track and basketball as well as other 

numerous activities at Susquehanna 

Community School District. 

Ronald W. Gerlufsen ’71, who built 

Brick Memorial’s boys’ basketball 

and tennis teams into perennial 

winners during the six years he 

served as head coach, has resigned to 

take a vice principal’s position at the 

same school, Brick Memorial High 

School in N.J. 

Fred M. Richter ’71 is the women’s 

basketball coach at DeSales University. 

The team’s win over Wilkes in 

January marked Fred’s 300th career 

victory. His entire head coaching 

career has been at DeSales, formerly 

Allentown College, where he has 

won two Freedom Conference titles 

and made five NCAA appearances. 

Leslie Lowrey Farmer ’72 teaches 

and is the director of athletics at 

Keene High School in Keene, N.H. 

She won the New Hampshire American 

Alliance for Health, Physical 

Education, Recreation and Dance 

Teacher of the Year Award in 2002, 

and the Eastern District Teacher of 

the Year in 2004, and was a Final 

Four Candidate for National Teacher 

of the Year in 2004. 

Dr. Linda Groon VanMeter ’72 

received her doctorate of philosophy 

in health administration from Kennedy-Western 

University. Linda is 

an assistant professor and psychologist 

in counseling and psychological 

services at ESU. 

Charles W. Green ’73 is the curriculum 

director, overseeing family 


and consumer science, health and 

physical education, art and music 

for the Stroudsburg School District. 

His focus also includes community 

relations, diversity and serving as 

new teacher induction coordinator. 

Joseph P. Papi ’73 has been the principal 

of Tunkhannock Area Middle 

School for 3 years. The school board 

appointed him athletic director 

starting this past July. 

Rev. Marcia M. 

Thompson ’73, 

shown with her 

dog, Mazie, celebrates 

20 years as 

an ordained minister 

of the Lutheran 

Church. She pastors 

Zion Church 

and Pre School in Flourtown. She 

writes a column for the local newspaper, 

the Enterprise, and has written a 

book, Healing of the Heart, published 

in 2003, and a devotional that will 

be published by the Evangelical Lutheran 

Church in America. 

Susan Young Marsh ’74 earned a 

fellowship at the American Dental 

Assistants Association. Susan is a 

member of the Pennsylvania Dental 

Assistants Association and the 

Lehigh Valley Dental Assistants 

Society. A 30-year professional, she 

is also a dental assisting instructor 

at the Monroe Career and Technical 

Institute, where she initiated and 

wrote the curriculum. 

Stephen J. Axman M’75 was named 

the quarterback coach at the University 

of Montana. He earned master’s 

degrees from Long Island University 

and ESU. He and his wife, Dr. Marie 

Axman, an elementary school principal, 

have four daughters. 

Dr. Janice E. Florey ’75 received the 

President’s Award from Northampton 

Community College at the 

Alumni Association’s Recipes for 

Success Alumni Awards event at 

NCC. The President’s Award is given 

to an individual whose life reflects to

Fall 2006 “Who’s Doing What” 17 

the community the unique character, 

personality and level of excellence 

typified by an NCC educator. 

Gerald P. Strahlendorf ’75 is a 

photographer whose photographs of 

Greece were printed and displayed 

in the Stockton College Hellenic 

Center and the Ocean City Art Center 

exhibit in Ocean City, N.J. 

Dr. John R. Dabrowski ’77 is the 

new US Army Aviation Warfighting 

Center Historian at Ft. Rucker, Ala. 

after having worked in this area for 

the last 16 years. John is also a Colonel 

in the U.S. Army Reserve. 

Gary B. Ebbert, Ph.D ’77 has been 

appointed vice president of antibody 

and small molecule manufacturing 

for MedImmune, where he 

is responsible for all antibody and 

small molecule commercial manufacturing 

activities. 

Michael Kelly ’77 has been named 

the new principal at Staunton River 

High School in Bedford County, 

Virginia. He worked 11 years as a 

teacher before transferring to Forest 

Elementary School where he served 

for eight years as a principal. 

Dr. Barry Purvis ’77 was named 

2006 High School Principal of the 

Year by the Pennsylvania Association 

of Elementary and Secondary 

School Principals, and will represent 

the state in competition for national 

honors. He became principal at 

Chambersburg Area Senior High 

School three years ago and he credits 

the educational community and his 

family for his success. 

Gretchen Eysenbach Bicking ’78 

has been inducted into the Bristol 

Township School District Hall of 

Fame. 

Jean Marie Scott ’79 will be delegated 

executive authority for the 

management of the Division of 

Student Affairs at University of 

California in Santa Cruz. Formerly, 

Jean Marie served as associate vice 

chancellor for colleges and university 

housing services at UC Santa Cruz 

since 2000. Jean Marie also is a guest 

lecturer at San Jose State University 

where she previously taught. She 

is an accomplished sailor and the 

mother of a 5-year-old daughter. 

1980s 

Michael S. Lush ’80 was inducted 

in the Lehigh Valley Chapter of the 

National Football Foundation Hall 

of Fame. He was a two-time all-USFL 

choice and played with the Vikings 

and Falcons in the NFL and finished 

with 26 pro career interceptions. 

Margaret Watson ’80 recently 

published her first book, A Graceful 

Farewell: Putting Your Affairs in Order.” 

Margaret has been a professional 

organizer for the past 20 years. Her 

book resulted from her work with 

clients, hospice and dying people. 

Karin-Susan Breitlauch ’82 was 

inducted into Pleasant Valley’s Athletic 

Hall of Fame. A 1979 graduate 

at age 15, she was a member of the 

school’s Honor Society, chorus and 

yearbook staff. She is a member of 

the Veterinary Dental Society and is 

certified by the American Veterinary 

Chiropractic Association since 1999. 

Anthony Decker ’83 has been 

named head strength and conditioning 

coach at Temple University. Tony 

will oversee the strength and conditioning 

programs for all of the Owls’ 

24 intercollegiate athletic teams 

and will work extensively with the 

football program. He was the winner 

of the prestigious Strength and 

Conditioning Professional of the Year 

Award in 1998. Tony has published 

multiple studies in medical journals 

and is a noted national speaker. 

AXP Brothers Reunion Is Swinging 

Following a night on the town, the brothers of AXP joined for a fantastic 

golf outing at Shawnee Golf Club and Resort on April 8 thanks to the 

efforts of Michael Fenning ’87. While the weather didn’t exactly 

cooperate, the boys found the luncheon and spirits to their liking. 

From left, back row: Ken Carpenter ’86, Keith Heeley ’87, Mike O’Rouke ’86, Fran Brennen ‘86, 

Frank Cinelli ’87 Michael Fenning ’87, Eric Hien ’87, Dennis Messinger ’87, Dave Drexinger ‘87, Mike 

Strausser ’88, Bill Quinlan ’87, Paul McCrone ’88, Paul Fiske ’88, Mike Sylvester ’89, Dave Aull 

’89, Mike Richwalski ’89, John Powers ’86. Front row from left: Mike Perko ’86, Don McCarter ’86, 

Michael DeVito ’86, Dave Marcon ’86, Mark Heltzel ’86, and Bob Stewart ’84. Missing from photo: 

Phil Link ’89, Marc Duetel ’88, Stan Prodes ’88, Bill Jones ’84, Ed Ahn ’87, Vito Trigiani ’87. 

Photo by John Powers ’86

8 


Jeffrey Taylor ’83, a veteran school 

administrator with nearly 20 years 

of experience in various high school 

positions, has been selected as the 

new principal of St. Joseph High 

School in Hammonton, N.J. 

Col. Daniel Woolever ’83 assumed 

command of the 369th Recruiting 

Group at Lackland Air Force Base in 

San Antonio, Tex. Daniel was the 

chief operations officer at Headquarters 

Air Force Recuiting Service at 

Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio. 

He has served in the military 

for 22 years. Daniel graduated from 

the Army War College and earned a 

master’s degree in strategic studies. 

Dr. Robert A. Dodd ’84 recently 

earned a doctoral degree in human 

development/educational leadership 

from Marywood University. He is a 

high school football coach for West 

Scranton and a special education 

supervisor at the Carbon Lehigh 

Intermediate Unit in Schnecksville. 

Jane A. Harris ’84 returned to college 

for a second degree after working 

From the halls of ESU to the 

Marine Corps in D.C. ... 

ESU alumni from the Washington, D.C. Metro Area Alumni Chapter 

had a very special treat June 16, courtesy of Colonel Jerry Yingling, 

USMC, ESU ’75. Jerry was the executive assistant and aide to the 

deputy commandant of the Marine Corps for Manpower and Reserve 

Affairs before retiring. Jerry made it possible for several alumni to 

see the stirring parade that was composed of “The President’s Own” 

Marine Band, “The Commandant’s Own” Drum and Bugle Corps 

(featured above), the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon, and the 

Official Color Guard of the Marine Corps. 

for 0 years at the YMCA/YWCA of 

Hazleton. On May 20, she graduated 

from College Misericordia with a B.S. 

in nursing. She was inducted into 

Sigma Theta Tau, National Nursing 

Honor Society and accepted a position 

with Lehigh Valley Hospital. 

Josette M. Chaffier ’85 works for the 

Developmental Education Services, 

a training center for adults with a 

diagnosis of mental retardation in 

Stroudsburg. As a program specialist, 

she works with DES clients on developing 

vocational skills and daily 

living skills. She also coaches floor 

hockey and basketball for the Special 

Olympics and assists with volleyball. 

Kevin De Vizia 

’86 was named the 

winner of the Presidential 

Award for 

Excellence in Mathematics 

and Science 

Teaching by President 

Bush. President 

Bush commended him for embodying 

excellence in teaching, devotion 

to the learning needs of students, 


and upholding the high standards 

that exemplify American education. 

Santiago Restrepo ’86 is a third-year 

head coach at the University of Oklahoma 

and has catapulted into school 

history as his volleyball team defeated 

the University of Texas for the 

first time ever. As a result, Restrepo’s 

team was ranked in the top 25 of the 

CSTV/AVCA Division I for the first 

time since 988. 

Rosemary Haller ’87 is a health/ 

physical education teacher at Pocono 

Mountain West. Since the school 

opened in 2002, she has been shaping 

the girls’ basketball program into a 

regional powerhouse. 

Vito Trigiani ’87 is a network supervisor 

for the Bangor District of Pennsylvania 

American Water Co. Vito is 

a certified water treatment operator, 

responsible for network and production 

operations in Bangor, which 

serves 0,000 customers. 

Jami L. Smith Bistocchi ’88 received 

the 2006 College Community 

Colonel Gerald A. Yingling, Jr. ’75 

Graduated from ESU in 1975 with a bachelor of science degree in biology 

Commissioned a second lieutenant and designated a Naval aviator on 

December 9, 1977 

First Lieutenant Yingling served 

in HMM-162 as personnel 

officer 

Completed Aviation Safety 

School in 1979 and then 

served as aviation safety officer 

while he participated in several 

Mediterranean and Caribbean 

deployments, as well as 

Jerry Yingling ’75 and his wife, Rae 

numerous Combined Arms and 

NATO exercises 

Assigned to Naval Air Rework Facility at Cherry Point, N.C., in 1982. Captain 

Yingling was quality programs officer, assistant flight test officer, and 

director of safety and standardization 

Reassigned in 1985 to HMM-365 at MCAS New River as Aircraft 

Maintenance Officer, and participated in numerous unit deployments, 

supporting Landing Force Sixth Fleet requirements in the Mediterranean 

Attended the Marine Weapons and Tactics Instructor School in Yuma, Ariz., 

and was designated a weapons and tactics instructor in 1986

Fall 2006 

Appreciation Award from SUNY 

Cortland College. Jami currently 

serves as the director of the Cortland 

YWCA Child Care Program. 

Kathleen J. Harrington ’88 lived 

and worked in Iraq for 4 months as 

a private contractor for the Facilities 

and Transportation Sector of PCO 

(Program and Contracting Office), 

a part of the Iraqi Reconstruction 

Program and the U.S. Department 

of Defense. Their mission for the 

Health Program was to lower the 

infant mortality rate of Iraq by improving 

the medical facilities across 

the country. When she arrived, it 

was 67 percent, and when she left it 

was 53 percent. They brought much 

needed medical equipment into the 

hospitals around the country. She’s 

back home in Colorado working on 

a Reach-Back Program with the U.S. 

and Iraq Coalition. Her photo was 

taken in a tower overlooking one of 

Sadaam Hussein’s Palaces. 

Renee Ethier Massoud 

’89 was a 

recipient of the 

Tribute to Women 

in Industry award 

at the YMCA of Bergen 

County, N.J.’s 

32 nd annual TWIN 

awards dinner. Renee is a director in 

the ethics and compliance group at 

KPMG LLP, handling issues related 

to data privacy. She is also director 

of the board of SLA, an international 

association of more than 2,000 

information professionals. She is 

the co-author of Special Libraries and 

Information Centers: An Introductory 

Text (4 th edition), used in graduate 

programs. 

James L. Pokrivsak Jr., CAA, ’89, 

M’95 has been the director of athletics 

in the Easton Area School District 

since 2003. Previously, he taught 

in Pleasant Valley School District 

and coached football. He lives in 

Nazareth with his wife, Monica, and 

three children. 

1990s 

James Scifers ’90, associate professor 

and director of the athletic training 

education program, received the 

2006 Western Carolina University 

Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching 

Award winner given annually to the 

university’s top professor. 

Kathleen Flood Eufemio ’91 is the 

recipient of an outstanding graduate 

award in nursing from the University 

of Scranton. 

Nadeen Edwards M ’92 released 

her debut album,“Just in Time.” She 

lives in Stroudsburg with her husband, 

Derek, and two daughters, and 

teaches math at Stroudsburg Junior 

High School. 

Dennis Dougherty ’93 is an elementary 

autism teacher in the Brandywine 

School District in Wilmington, 

Del., where he lives with his wife, 

Carol, and daughter. 

John Jenz M ’93 is associate athletic 

director at the University of Wisconsin. 

John had served, among 

other positions, as assistant athletic 

director for business operations since 

2003. John began his administrative 

career at ESU where he supervised 

ticket operations and event staffing 

while earning his master’s degree. 

Steven Lambert ’93 joined the 

New York University Tisch Center 

for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports 

Management in 999 and is associ- 


ate director, Industry Relations. He 

directs the NYU International Hospitality 

Industry Investment Conference 

of ,500 attendees annually, 

and is pursuing his M.A. in higher 

education administration at NYU. 

He is pictured here during a trip 

to Dubrovnik, Croatia, and its surrounding 

islands last summer. 

Claudine Lombardo ’93 recently 

earned her st Degree Black Belt with 

Tiger Schulmann’s Karate. She has 

been training in martial arts for nearly 

four years and passed the multiple 

tests needed the first time, which 

only a handful of students are able 

to do. She plans to join their Junior 

Instructor program, where she will be 

certified to teach. 

Cory C. Reed ’93 has been named 

marketing director for DIRT North- 

East in Weedsport, N.Y. He worked at 

this office from 995 to 2004 before 

spending the past season at Orange 

County Fair (N.Y.) Speedway as competition 

director. 

Lynn Kauffman Sands ’93 enjoyed 

a fun vacation at Disney World in 

Florida with fellow ESU alumni and 

family. Backrow, L-R; Lynn Kauffman 

Sands ’93, Victoria Sands, 

Henry Sands ’93, Dave Purdy ’93, 

and Dana Beukenkamp Purdy ’93. 

Front, L-R: Zach Sands, Evan and 

Ayden Purdy. 

9

20 


Michael A. Stracco ’93, teaches 

freshman and junior English and 

produces the drama and musical productions 

at Rutherford High School 

in Rutherford, N.J. He earned his 

master’s degree in educational technology 

and was named in “Who’s 

Who in American Teachers” for the 

third consecutive year. 

Jamie L. Werner ’93 is environmental 

outreach coordinator for 

Lackawanna College, where she 

develops activities for the college’s 

Environmental Institute, including 

workshops, seminars and children’s 

programs. She also engages in grant 

writing and special projects administration. 

Peter Fagan ’94 was awarded the Dr. 

Daniel Bratton Service to the Association 

Award by the College Student 

Personnel Association of New 

York State. This award recognizes the 

contributions he made, most notably 

chairing the statewide conference 

in 2005 that achieved national 

recognition by being awarded the 

ACPA’s State and International Division 

Innovation Award at the 2006 

ACPA National Convention. Peter is 

writing his dissertation for a Ph.D. 

in professional studies in education 

through Capella University. 

Thomas Hanna M’94 is head coach 

of the volleyball program at Marist 

College, Poughkeepsie, N.Y. He 

served as an assistant coach when 

he was an undergraduate student at 

Marist and as interim head coach 

from November 1990 to May 1991. 

Donna A. McCartney ’94 and her 

partner, Jasmine Abrams, opened 

DM Studios in Marshalls Creek, a gallery, 

custom frame shop and decorative 

wall painting business. They will 

bring in artwork from established 

and new artists, and offer classes. 

Angelo Borzio ’95 recently won the 

heavyweight class in the 240-270 

pounds category in the USA Beach 

Nationals and a bid to the World 

Championships in Turkey. 

William B. Conley ’95 is men’s and 

women’s cross country coach at 

Goldey-Beacom College. He is a science 

teacher at Gauger-Cobbs Middle 

School and resides in Earleville, Md. 

Judith Williams ’95 is an associate 

professor of nursing at Northampton 

Community College. 

Dr. Dana A. Hysock ’96 received 

her Ph.D. in sociology from the University 

of Delaware and is an assistant 

professor of sociology at Macon 

State College in Georgia. 

Jamie Schietzelt Iacobacci ’96 is 

the senior graphic designer at Alamo 

Title Company in Austin, Texas. 

She and her husband, Mike, have a 

daughter, Paige Elena. They bought 

a florist shop in Austin. 

Dr. Amy J. 

Rinker ’96, 

received her 

Ph.D. from 

New York 

Chiropractic 

College. Amy 

practices out 

of her home in 

West Chester 

and plans to open her private business 

in the near future. 

Alex Rolon ’96 is a tenured assistant 

professor of mathematics at 

Northampton Community College. 

James Sacco ’96 

was awarded a Doctor 

of Osteopathic 

Medicine Degree 

from Philadelphia 

College of Osteopathic 

Medicine. 

Elba Carides ’97 was granted a standard 

appointment, the equivalent 

of tenure as an assistant professor at 

Northampton Community College. 

Vicki Pede M’97 is superintendent 

of the Morris Plains School District 

(K-8) and principal of the Mountain 

Way School (K-2) in New Jersey. 

Krystal Slivinski ’97 is executive 

director for Alpha Sigma Alpha National 

Sorority at the headquarters 

in Indianapolis, Ind. 

Kevin Broadhurst ’99 is area director 

of government and community 

affairs for Chester County at Comcast 

Cable. He is responsible for 58 municipalities 

and 119,000 households 

served by Comcast. 

Anthony F. Surace ’99 is the manager 

of sports medicine and athletic 

training with Niagara Falls Memorial 

Medical Center and University 

Sports Medicine of Niagara, N.Y. 

Tony is also the assistant director of 

Sports Medicine Concepts, Inc., in 

Geneseo, N.Y. 

2000s 


Kelly Bradley 

’00 published 

her first novel, 

Frightful Forest, a 

juvenile action/ 

adventure story, 

and has had a 

signing at the 

Waldenbooks 

bookstore in 

the Stroud Mall. She resides in East 

Stroudsburg where she has been 

teaching elementary school children 

for six years. Kelly is pictured, 

on left, with her novel and illustrator 

Heather Lionetti. 

Jean A. Hazelwood M’00 is director 

of athletic facilities at Randolph-Macon 

Woman’s College in Lynchburg, 

Va. She will be responsible for the 

daily operation and programming 

of the 120,000-square-foot athletics, 

recreation, fitness and dance center 

scheduled to open in fall 2008. 

Eugene F. Bazzarelli ’01, former 

ESU Club Lacrosse captain, anchored 

the defense for the Italian 

National Team at the World Lacrosse 

Championships in London, Ontario.

Fall 2006 “Who’s Doing What” 21 

Jeremy Bolles, Esq. ’01 is an assistant 

district attorney with the 

Monroe County D.A.’s office in 

Stroudsburg. 

Benjamin J. Brenneman ’01 was 

awarded a new car for winning the 

season finale of “Pros vs. Joes” on 

Spike TV. 

Matthew Tyler Giobbi ’01 is an 

adjunct faculty member at Rutgers 

University, teaching history of psychology, 

and at DeSales University, 

teaching social psych, development 

and abnormal psychology. Matthew 

is also studying under film maker 

John Waters and French philosopher 

Jean Baudrillard for the D. Phil (Ph. 

D.) in continental philosophy and 

media studies at the European Graduate 

School in Switzerland. 

Matthew Kretiv ’02 is pursuing his 

acting career in New York. He has 

been on Court TV productions as 

well as a pilot episode of “Barfly” 

produced by Jade Barrymore, and 

was the lead in an off-off Broadway 

play called Spare the Goldfish, Spoil 

the Child. Most recently, he has 

acted in productions with the Metropolitan 

Opera. 

Beldina Opiyo-Omolo ’02, M’04 

founded the non-profit organization 

Alice’s Visionary Project Foundation 

which provides meals and constructs 

buildings in Amilo, Kenya. 

Regina Sayles Koilparampil ’03 will 

release a CD titled “It’s Home.” She 

performed all the vocals and guitar 

for the album. On weekends, she usually 

is booked at various clubs and 

performed at The First Friday concert 

at the National Theatre. 

Jonathan H. Pry ’03, former quarterback 

at ESU, is quarterbacks coach 

at South Carolina State University. 

Andrew E. Said ’03 received an 

outstanding graduate award in community 

counseling from the University 

of Scranton. He is a certified 

counselor and a behavior specialist 

consultant for children diagnosed 

with development disabilities. 

Neal Michael Thatcher ’03 received 

his juris doctorate on May 21 from 

Widener University School of Law. 

The magna cum laude graduate was 

inducted into Phi Kappa Phi National 

Honor Society. He also received 

the Association of Pennsylvania 

State College and University Faculties 

Honors Award and the William 

D. McFadden Scholarship Award. 

Matt Viggiano M’03 is men’s soccer 

assistant coach at Iona College. 

Matt has a National Soccer Coaches 

Association of America advanced 

national license, is a staff coach with 

Eastern New York Olympic Development 

Program, and coaches with 

the U.S. club soccer program Middlepath 

Football Club. 

Ronald “Joe” Camacho ’04 is a 

police officer in Dover, N.J. He 

previously was a paraprofessional in 

the special education department of 

Mountain Lakes, N.J., High School. 

Melissa Fabbricatore ’04 completed 

a visual-history book of Pittston. She 

has always had an interest in capturing 

the past for future generations to 

enjoy. 

Barry S. Krammes ’04 finished fifth 

in the nation in the javelin throw at 

the 2006 AT&T USA Outdoor Track 

& Field National Championships. 

Jayleen Galarza ’05 was selected to 

become AmeriCorps Vista Member 

for ESU Host Campus Program. She 

also received the Shirley Chisholm 

Award from ESU’s Commission for 

Women, Commission on Diversity, 

and the Women’s Studies/Women’s 

Center based on her academic excellence, 

commitment to social justice 

and social activism. 

Brian Pedone ’05, center, together 

with ESU senior Michael P. Moynihan 

III, at right, founded Grad 

Techs, a computer security company 

and developed software to evaluate 

student and employee documents 

for plagiarism. They won $20,000 as 

part of the fourth annual Great Valley 

Business Plan Competition. They 

are pictured with N. Paul Schembari, 

ESU professor of computer science. 

Janelle R. Wagner ’05 joined the 

Greencastle-Antrim public school 

staff as a third-grade teacher in Greencastle. 

Joseph Garrera M’06 has been 

named executive director of the Lehigh 

County Historical Society. He 

served eight years as the president 

of the Lincoln Group of New York, a 

nonprofit that hosts lectures on the 

latest Lincoln research by historians. 

What’s New 

at ESU? 

They say a picture’s worth 

1,000 words — click on the 

Photo Gallery on ESU’s home 

page, www.esu.edu, and take 

a pictorial tour of the fall 

semester. 

Or click on “Top Stories” 

and read all the news.

22 


Phil Wheddon ’94 

Coaches U.S in 

World Cup 

From ESU to Team USA, Phil Wheddon 

’94 has had a hand in coaching some 

of the best goalkeepers in the world. Now, 

he can say he did it on the world’s biggest 

soccer stage as goalie coach of the United 

States Men’s National Team. The red, 

white and blue and their coaching staff 

traveled to Germany to compete in the 

FIFA World Cup. The tournament, held 

every four years, pits the top 32 countries 

in the world against each other for a 

month-long competition. 

Although they hoped to advance 

further in the tournament, Phil noted, 

“Being a part of the World Cup is a dream 

for anyone who loves soccer, and it more 

than lived up to my expectations. Despite 

the disappointing results, everything was 

first-class, from the hotel to the training sessions and 

overall treatment by the German public.” 

A native of Basingstoke, England, Phil came to ESU 

after receiving his degree in business finance from 

Crewe and Alsager College in England. Jerry Sheska, 

ESU men’s head soccer coach, gave Wheddon the opportunity 

to coach after finding that he was ineligible to 

play. Wheddon recalled, “Coach Sheska asked if I would 

be his goalkeeper coach. I was also asked to coach the 

women’s goalkeepers which taught me flexibility and 

different ways to approach coaching the men’s and 

women’s game. What it really did was help me get my 

career going.” He graduated from ESU in 994 with a 

degree in physical education and sport management. 

Like every coach, Wheddon has his own philosophy 

on how the game should be played and how he feels 

players best respond. His philosophy is simple and continues 

to be very successful. “I keep training sessions as 

functional as possible and as closely related to the game 

as we can,” Wheddon said. “We will warm up with simple 

footwork and handling exercises. The sessions progress 

from simple to complex and the keepers see shots 

without defenders or attackers. Then we incorporate 

balls from the sides and players finishing from varying 

angles and distances. More attackers and defenders are 


Phil Wheddon ’94 warms up U.S. Men’s National goalkeeper Kasey Keller. 


added so the sessions begin to look like games.” 

Before becoming the U.S. Men’s National Team 

goalkeeper coach, Wheddon has been the U.S. Women’s 

National Team goalkeeper coach since 2002. He 

assisted in the FIFA Women’s World Cup and was with 

the team during the World Cup in 2003 and coached 

Briana Scurry in the Olympics in 2004. “Coaching 

the Women’s World Cup was unbelievable,” Wheddon 

said. “Then we won gold in the Olympics in 2004 and I 

thought life could not get any better.” 

It did get better with his hard work and the chance 

to coach in this year’s World Cup. “I will always remember 

the feeling I had before we played Italy. I have never 

heard our National Anthem sung with such passion 

as it was by the fans in the stadium. It still gives me 

goose bumps. The fans played a huge part in that game, 

especially when things did not go our way. It made me 

exceptionally proud to be an American. Those types of 

memories will stand out for me.” 

Phil, who has professional playing experience in 

England and the United States, resides in Connecticut 

with his wife and two children. 

Send your news to alumni@esu.edu or fax to (570) 422-3301.

Fall 2006 

Today’s Dream, Tomorrow’s Real Reality ity 

ESU launched the public phase of its first major 

Comprehensive Campaign on a beautiful April day, as 

19 hard hat-clad alumni, administrators and dignitaries 

plunged ceremonial shovels into ground on which the 

new $36 million Science and Technology Center is being 

constructed. 

Vice President for University Advancement Dr. Isaac 

W. Sanders presided over the groundbreaking and kickoff 

of the “public phase” of the Comprehensive Campaign, 

“Today’s Dream, Tomorrow’s Reality.” Assisting 

him were general campaign co-chairs Dr. Sam Niedbala 

’82 and Linda Lee (Troiani) Niedbala ’83, among others. 

The Comprehensive Campaign has already achieved 

more than half of its $15 million goal. 

The Science and Technology Center will be the first 

new major academic building at East Stroudsburg University 

since 1979. The building is the centerpiece of a 

Comprehensive Campaign, which also is raising funds 

for the Annual Fund, Athletic Facilities Renovation, 

Endowment (scholarships), and the Fine and Performing 

Arts Endowment. 

Construction site work at the corner of Normal and 

Ransberry Streets is under way. Completion is projected 

for fall 2008. The Science and Technology Center will 

accommodate diverse university academic departments 

ranging from mathematics to computer sciences, chemistry, 

biology, biotechnology, and physics. The cost to 

build the Science and Technology Center will exceed 

$36 million. 

The 124,000-square-foot-structure will include 

research, classroom, and faculty office space. The center 

was identified as the university’s most needed facility in 

the Campus Master Plan. The building and its academic 

Construction was well under way by late November, right. 

Photo by Michelle Rupp 

Comprehensive Campaign 

Comprehensive Campaign Level Rises 

As Shovels Dig In for ESU’s 

New Science and Technology Center 

mission have been identified as a potential stimulant for 

regional economic growth and development. 

“The center will be much more than simply another 

academic building,” said University President Dr. Robert 

J. Dillman. “The concept for the new center is all about 

inspiring and stimulating the faculty and empowering 

our students to take ideas from concept to reality. 

Ultimately we will provide the necessary tools for our 

students to succeed and excel in the new professions of 

the 21st century as well as the time-honored occupations 

such as teaching.” 

More than $14 million in state and federal dollars 

have been allocated to the building. This includes $13.6 

million announced by former Pennsylvania Governor 

Mark Schweiker in January 2002 and a $500,000 federal 

grant announced by U.S. Senator Arlen Specter in March 

2002. The balance of the cost of construction will be 

provided by the ESU Foundation through private gifts. 

For information about making a gift, call 800-775-8975 or 

visit http://advancement.esu.edu. 

23 

Photo by 

Perry Hebard

24 

Cover Story 

Leading the Way 

Sam ’82 and Linda-Lee Troiani ’83 Niedbala: 

Wedded to Helping ESU Succeed 

In Its Largest Fund Drive Ever 

Teasing Linda-Lee (Troiani) ’83 and R. Sam ’82 Niedbala 

about how they met is too easy. It isn’t often you hear that a 

couple came together across the mat in a college judo class. 

The very idea makes otherwise intelligent people crack the 

lamest of jokes. In the telling of their story, the pair has taken 

to adding their own cracks: “I dropped out—out of fear,” Sam 

deadpans. “Yes, he flipped over me,” adds Linda-Lee. 


Linda-Lee Troiani 

Niedbala ’83 and 

Sam Niedbala ’82 

address the crowd at 

the ground-breaking 

ceremony for the 

new Science and 

Technology Center. 

Story by Regina Diverio Photo by Perry Hebard

Fall 2006 Cover Story 

Above, Linda-Lee and Sam with children Jackie and Carl 

Linda-Lee and Sam began dating 

when she was a freshman at 

ESU. Married now nearly 22 years 

and blessed with two children, Carl 

John and Jacqueline, the Emmaus 

pair still seem like college sweethearts, 

gently adding to each other’s 

thoughts and clarifying each other’s 

points. 

Naturally, they have a tender 

spot for the university. That affection 

is one of several reasons they 

agreed to co-chair ESU’s comprehensive 

campaign, Today’s Dream, 

Tomorrow’s Reality, and to contribute 

$ million toward the $ 5 million 

goal. 

As they will tell you, ESU not 

only brought them together, but 

it also gave them the academic 

grounding and the guidance they 

needed to chart their futures. In 

his sophomore year, Sam was a 

physical education major by default—he 

liked the track program 

and couldn’t pinpoint an alternative 

course of study. Professor Dennis 

Erb wouldn’t let that decision 

languish. “What do you want to do 

with your life?” he probed. 

“Everyone needs a mentor who 

will ask those questions,” Sam says. 

“We concluded: Chemistry. And 

that really changed my life and my 

career path forever.” 

The professor warned him that 

the course of study would be a hard 

one, but Sam was determined. Making 

up for lost time, he scheduled 8 

credits of chemistry each semester 

of his senior year. “That’s how I lost 

my hair,” he jokes. 

Another professor, Philip Keim, 

urged Sam to pursue graduate study 

Continued on next page 

“This effort is important and will 

set ESU apart and make it com- 

petitive with private schools. Why 

shouldn’t ESU students have the 

same opportunities and the same 

caliber of facilities that private 

schools have? They are part of 

the majority of our country, and 

they’re going to be running it 

some day. They need to have the 

best.” 

RFM Photography, Allentown 

Linda-Lee Troiani Niedbala ’83 

25 

TODAY’S DREAM, 

TOMORROW’S REALITY

26 

Cover Story 

Looking back on their lean years, 

Linda-Lee says, “I was never 

fearful through the process. 

I had faith in God and in my 

husband. We believed in the goal. 

We always saw it as attainable, 

and that’s how we feel about the 

and wrote to Lehigh University on 

his behalf; on the professor’s word, 

the university accepted Sam without 

entrance exams. He went on to earn 

a master’s and doctorate in chemistry 

from Lehigh; today, he is a professor 

of practice in the school’s chemistry 

department. But the trajectory that 

brought him there begs telling. His 

story is that of the classic entrepreneur, 

and it is Linda-Lee’s story as 

well. 

Cutting-edge technologies 

born in a basement 

campaign at ESU.” 

An ESU biology major, Linda- 

Lee went on to become a registered 

respiratory therapist before switching 

course and earning a master’s in 

secondary education from St. Peter’s 

College. But while she and Sam had 

their day jobs, their future lay in the 

basement of their New Jersey home. 

The couple had teamed up with two 

acquaintances, one skilled in finance 

and the other in marketing, to form 

STC Technologies. The group didn’t 

know each other well, but their 

individual skills covered all bases and 

made them an efficient team. “It was 

almost like an arranged marriage,” 

Sam says. 

His role in the mix was to be the 

idea man. “Sam is always thinking 

of what people need that is not yet 

expressed,” says Linda-Lee. “He’s 

good at listening to people and really 

hearing them and responding. It’s 

his God-given gift, and it has enabled 

him to be as successful as he’s 

been with business in particular.” 

STC began creating and pitching 

a diversity of products. Among the 

first was a sunscreen on a towelette. 

The group hit the road, carrying the 

product from buyer to buyer, hoping 

for some interest. Back then, Sam 

recalls, Kmart—not Wal-Mart—was 

the “gorilla in the market.” STC’s 

product made it onto Kmart store 

shelves in a limited capacity, and 

when one of the partners ran into 

the Kmart CEO at a college alumni 

event, he thanked the man for giving 

STC a test market. The following 

Monday Kmart’s buyer called with 

a directive from the boss to take the 

product chainwide. 

“I always say there’s no such 

thing as luck,” Sam says. “I believe in 

destiny.” 

“And God designs it,” adds 

Linda-Lee. 

STC eventually licensed that sunscreen 

product to Schering Plough, 

which owns Coppertone, and turned 

to creating prototypes of products 

that tapped Sam’s background in 

clinical chemistry and medical 

diagnostics. The company relocated 

to Pennsylvania and received a small 

grant from the Ben Franklin Tech- 


nology Partners of Northeast Pennsylvania, 

a state-funded initiative to 

help entrepreneurs get their ideas off 

the ground. The going was tough; all 

of the partners held other part-time 

jobs to pay the rent. 

By that time, Linda-Lee was 

focused on caring for a newborn who 

slept only in short spurts and keeping 

the household running. Sam 

was out the door at dawn to the Ben 

Franklin labs and then off to his job 

at a medical diagnostics company, 

not returning home until 9 at night. 

The pace was relentless. 

“We met the bare minimum for 

sustenance, but that never bothered 

me,” recalls Linda-Lee. “It was the 

time apart that bothered me.” 

So when the company Sam 

worked for announced its impending 

move to England, inviting him 

to come along with the rest of the research 

and development team, it was 

the opportunity the couple needed 

to step off the treadmill. Sam refused 

the offer and took a severance package 

that would buy them some time 

to regroup. 

“It was a godsend,” says Linda- 

Lee. “It was the break we needed.” 

That severance package and the 

grant from the Ben Franklin project 

“bridged us,” says Sam. “We had diapers 

and macaroni and cheese and 

we made the mortgage payments.”

Fall 2006 

Developing technology of 

national note - first rapid 

test for HIV 

Most important, their fledgling 

company was growing stronger each 

day. They developed a cryogenic 

treatment for warts that Compound 

W markets today, and they created 

the diagnostic tests for detecting 

substance abuse used by countless 

life insurance companies, law 

enforcement agencies, and health 

organizations. Most notably, after 

merging into the public market in 

2000 as OraSure Technologies, Inc., 

they developed the first rapid test 

for detecting HIV using saliva—a 

technology endorsed by President 

George Bush in his State-of-the- 

Union address as a way to curtail the 

spread of AIDS. 

That merger marked the end of 

the first phase of the company’s life. 

Sam agreed to stay on with OraSure 

as executive vice president and chief 

scientific officer for three years—he 

actually stayed for four—but he and 

Linda-Lee began planning the next 

phase of their lives together. 

“I traveled 100,000 miles a year 

on airplanes for a long, long time, 

giving speeches at research meetings, 

spending time with customers,” 

Sam says. “My philosophy was 

to go out, shake hands, and look 

them in the eye, and that required 

shoe leather.” 

“We wanted to take advantage 

of the fruits of our labor and spend 

time with our high schoolers,” says 

Linda-Lee. Even with all of that 

traveling, she notes, Sam was never 

an absentee father, but he had put 

his own hobbies on hold all those 

years. Today, he has the best of all 

worlds, developing applications for 

clinical medicine in the research lab 

at Lehigh and sharing his expertise 

with students, with time enough 

to spare so he and his son can surf 

and kayak year round and he and 

his daughter can do what she likes 

best—shopping. 

Looking back on those lean 

years, Linda-Lee says, “I was never 

fearful through the process. I had 

faith in God and in my husband. We 

believed in the goal. We always saw 

it as attainable, and that’s how we 

feel about the campaign at ESU.” 

President Dillman’s vision 

of Center for Research and 

Economic Development 

brings them back to ESU 

When their company went 

public, the Niedbalas began getting 

reacquainted with ESU and 

were wowed by President Robert 

Dillman’s vision. “He truly has a 

confidence and an expectation that 

the students at ESU will succeed and 

succeed well, and that they will be 

the leaders of our community in the 

future,” says Linda-Lee. 

That vision led to the creation in 

1999 of the Center for Research and 

Economic Development, on whose 

board Sam serves. The center is 

focused on entrepreneurial innovation, 

applied research, and workforce 

training. The intention, Sam 

explains, is to work with professors 

to see what companies could develop 

out of the university to create 

jobs and business opportunities. 

Cover Story 27 

The idea has taken off, infused 

by plans for the new Science and 

Technology Center. “The new 

building is encouraging entrepreneurs 

to work alongside professors 

to bring new technology to the community,” 

Sam says. “It’s great for job 

creation while students get practical 

real-world experience.” 

The couple is particularly 

excited by the interdisciplinary 

mindset at ESU, which mirrors that 

of industry today, where scientists 

work alongside financial, marketing, 

and management experts. “Gone 

are the days of silos between disciplines,” 

Sam says. “Industry is based 

on teams, and having ESU students 

be aware of those roles and know 

how to work between them only 

increases their value.” 

Helping ESU to achieve the goals 

set forth in the campaign dovetails 

neatly with the Niedbalas’ own master 

plan. Deeply spiritual, the two 

see their involvement as part of their 

own faith walk. 

“Our conviction is to use our 

resources for far-reaching goals, not 

just short-term gratification—although 

that can be fun too,” says 

Linda-Lee with a smile. “This effort 

is important and will set ESU 

apart and make it competitive with 

private schools. Why shouldn’t ESU 

students have the same opportunities 

and the same caliber of facilities 

that private schools have? They are 

part of the majority of our country, 

and they’re going to be running it 

some day. They need to have the 

best.” 

“Gone are the days of silos between disciplines. Industry is based on 

teams, and having ESU students be aware of those roles and know how 

to work between them only increases their value.” 

- Sam Niedbala ’82

28 

Engagements g 

g 

Engagements 

Editor’s note: The Engagements, Weddings, 

Births and “Who’s Doing What” 

listings were compiled as of October 31. 

Over the summer our computer server 

crashed, and as a result some information 

was lost. If your news is not in this 

issue, we apologize; please re-send the 

information for inclusion in the next 

issue. Have a great holiday season! 

Michael D. Kuhns ’95 and Christine 

Varone announce their engagement. 

They work at the Pocono 

Record in Stroudsburg. Mike is 

sports editor and Christine is an accounting 

supervisor. Their wedding 

was planned for October. 

Christopher M. Baines ’96 and 

Coni Poster announce their engagement. 

Chris is a program manager 

for Bethesda Day Treatment Center 

in Lehighton. The bride-elect is a 

registered nurse in the cardiac unit at 

Concord Hospital in Concord, N.H. 

Tammi J. Wallace ’97 and William 

B. Oyler V were to be married in October. 

Tammi is employed by Cecil 

County Public School, Elkton, Md. 

William is employed by ING Direct, 

Wilmington, Del. 

Erin Flower ’98 and Christian Roguso 

announced plans to marry in 

September. Erin is employed by Valley 

Furniture Shop in Watchung, 

N.J. Her fiance is employed with 

Golfsmith in Bridgewater, N.J. 

Bryan Burkholder 

’99 

and Kelly L. 

Herr ’01 have 

announced 

their engagement. 

Bryan 

is an account 

executive for 

APEX Asset Management, LLC and 

Kelly is coordinator of community 

relations for the Lancaster School 

District. Their wedding was planned 

for November. 

Michael Rosenthal ’99 and Amy 

Miller are engaged. Michael is a 

production manager with BML Productions 

Inc. in Raritan, N.J. Amy 

is an assistant media director at 

Kerwin Communications in West 

Caldwell, N.J. An October wedding 

was planned. 

Elysa Katz ’00 and Thomas Handley 

are engaged. Elysa is a social worker 

for Chester County Department 

of Children, Youth and Families. 

Thomas is a high school math 

teacher for Bishop Eustace Preparatory 

School. A wedding is planned 

for October 2007. 

Daniel LaMagna ’00 announces 

his engagement to Michele Minkler. 

Dan was named the running backs 

coach at Lackawanna College, where 

he is an assistant football coach. 

Michele is a fourth-grade teacher 

at Abington Heights Elementary. A 

winter wedding is planned. 

Jennifer A. Potacco ’01 and Ernie 

Andreoli Jr. announced their engagement. 

Jennifer is the director of 

social services and activities at Heritage 

House in Wilkes Barre. Ernie is 

a Volkswagen technician with Kelly 

Motor Co., Scranton. The wedding 

was planned for October. 

Vincent Zelizo ’01 and Elizabeth 

Carrie Lawrence ’02 announced 

plans to marry in July at Waterloo 

United Methodist Church in Stanhope, 

N.J. Vin is an admissions 

counselor for Centenary College 

and Carrie is a teacher in the Byram 

Township School District. They live 

in Portland. 

Joseph D. Bull ’02 is engaged to Jennifer 

Sink. Joseph is a senior consultant 

for Booz Allen Hamilton in Los 

Angeles, Calif. Jennifer is a special 

education teacher in Torrence, Calif. 

A wedding is planned for August 2, 

2008. 


Crystal L. Burger ’02 and Ronald 

J. Mickalowski, Jr. announced their 

engagement. The bride-to-be works 

for the Pennsylvania Department 

of Environmental Protection in the 

Scranton District Office. Her fiance 

works for Associated Wholesalers 

Inc. in Robesonia. The wedding was 

to take place in September. 

Jenny I. 

Hackett 

’02 and Eric 

Kuntz were 

engaged on 

March 20. 

Jenny is a 

fourth-grade 

teacher at Pleasant Valley School 

District in Brodheadsville. Eric is an 

inventory forester for the Pennsylvania 

Department of Conservation 

and Natural Resources in Spring 

Mills. A wedding is planned for October 

7, 2007. 

Steve O’Hara ’02, 

M’04 and Angela 

Lager ’04 have announced 

their engagement. 

Steven 

is a software developer 

with IS Partner 

of Plymouth 

Meeting. Angi is 

a personal banker for Embassy Bank 

for the Lehigh Valley. A September 

8, 2007, wedding is planned. 

Daniel Bratton 

’03 and Heather 

Clouser ’02, M’03 

announced their 

engagement. Dan 

is a middle school 

social studies 

teacher and varsity 

football coach 

at Governor Mifflin School District in 

Shillington and Heather is employed 

at Gettysburg College as an assistant 

athletic trainer. Their wedding is 

scheduled for June 16, 2007.

Fall 2006 Engagements 29 

Nicholas A. Caprioli ’03 and Kristina 

Landaeta are engaged to marry. 

Nicholas is an electronics engineer 

at Tobyhanna Army Depot in Tobyhanna. 

The bride-elect is a summer 

camp director with Pocono Family 

YMCA. A wedding will take place in 

summer of 2007. 

Louis Chandler ’03 and Melissa 

Rath announced their engagement. 

Louis is employed by Palmyra School 

District. Melissa is employed at Milton 

Hershey Elementary School. A 

wedding was planned for August 2. 

Rachel Hartung ’03 and Stephen 

Ryan Emmerthal are engaged. Rachel 

is the head women’s basketball 

coach at Wilkes University, Wilkes 

Barre. Her fiance is employed by 

RCN, a cable computer technology 

company in Wilkes Barre, and will 

pursue a master’s degree. 

Keith R. Kishbaugh ’03 and Cynthia 

Washington are engaged. Keith 

is a teacher for Berkeley County 

School District in Martinsburg, W. 

Va. Cynthia is pursuing a bachelor 

of science degree in elementary 

education at ESU. The wedding is 

planned for June 2008. 

Stephanie L. Paige ’03 is engaged 

to James Hardy, Jr. Stephanie is an 

intensive case manager for Salisbury 

Behavioral Health in East Stroudsburg. 

Her fiance is employed with 

LTS Builders in East Stroudsburg. A 

wedding is planned for May 2007. 

Jennifer Reed ’03 

and Jeremy Hahn 

announced their 

engagement. The 

bride-to-be is an admissions 

specialist 

at KidsPeace. The 

prospective groom 

is an account executive 

at the Morning 

Call. A wedding is planned for June 

22, 2007. 

Charla Riggi ’03 and James McGlynn 

are engaged. Charla is a re- 

searcher for Martha Stewart Living 

Omnimedia in New York City. James 

is a senior accountant at PKF, Intl. in 

Manhattan. The couple were to wed 

on September 29. 

Heidi L. Huffert ’04 and Kevin 

Lee Zacharias are engaged. Heidi is 

employed by The RedCo Group, Lehighton. 

Kevin is a union pipe fitter 

in Scranton. A wedding has been 

planned for October 2007. 

Brendon Kur ’04 and Stacey Heffner 

’04 have announced their 

engagement. Stacey is employed by 

Split Rock Resort in Lake Harmony. 

Brendon is employed by Pocono 

Mountain School District in Pocono 

Pines. A wedding has been planned 

for July 28, 2007. 

Melissa A. 

Mallick ’04 

and Jake 

Switzer announce 

their 

engagement. 

A wedding 

has been planned for June 23, 2007. 

John A. McDonald ’04 and Carrie 

Ann Snell announce their engagement. 

John is a sales supervisor 

for Unitrin Direct, Scranton. The 

bride-to-be is a kindergarten teacher 

for the Lake-Lehman School District, 

Lehman Township. A July 4 wedding 

was planned. 

Anthony P. Pagotto ’04 and Erica 

Briggs announced their engagement. 

Anthony is the pastor of St. 

James Lutheran Church, Nescopeck. 

Erica is employed by Pocono Mountain 

School District. The couple was 

to marry on September 2. 

Jeffrey Pilch ’04 and Kristen M. 

Matrunich announced their engagement. 

The prospective groom is 

creative director for API Productions 

and Multi-Media Advertising, Kingston. 

The bride-to-be is a co-manager 

for Bath and Body Works in the 

Wyoming Valley Mall, Wilkes-Barre. 

An October 7 wedding was planned. 

Lisa M. Dailey ’05 and Jeffery 

Kojeszewski are engaged. Lisa is 

a first-grade teacher at Coolbaugh 

Learning Center in Pocono Mountain 

School District. Her fiancé is 

a non-teaching assistant at Pocono 

Mountain East High School, Swiftwater. 

A July wedding was planned. 

Samuel P. Jones ’05 and Sarah 

Schnader are engaged. Samuel is a 

counselor with KidsPeace in Orefield. 

Sarah attends ESU. A wedding 

is planned for September 2008. 

Jessica L. Lambert ’05 and Thomas 

Kutylowski Jr. are engaged. Jessica is 

a special education teacher at Colonial 

Intermediate Unit 20 in Easton. 

Her fiancé is a mechanical engineer 

with Burns and Roe Enterprises 

Inc. in Mount Laurel. A wedding is 

planned for July 4, 2007. 

Daniel A. Nealon ’05 and Nicole 

Ann Wellington ’05 are engaged. 

Daniel is employed at Shelley’s Lumber, 

Freeland. Nicole is employed at 

Evergreen Behavioral Intervention 

for Children, Luzerne. A November 

wedding was planned. 

Nicholas Paust ’05 and Jennifer 

Gambino announce their engagement. 

The groom-to-be is employed 

with Bi-County Paving in Queens, 

N.Y. The bride-to-be is employed at 

Burberry in Tannersville. A wedding 

is planned for November 3, 2007. 

Sandra Peck ’05 and Daniel Erb are 

engaged. Sandra is a kindergarten 

teacher at Resica Elementary School 

in East Stroudsburg Area School District. 

Daniel is owner of Erb’s Landscaping, 

Mount Pocono. 

Brian H. Ramage ’05 and Trish 

Pratt ’06 are engaged. Brian is a fitness 

co-director at the Annex, part of 

The Chatham Club in Chatham, N.J. 

Trish is pursuing her bachelor’s degree 

in mathematics at ESU and will 

graduate in December. The wedding 

is planned for May 8, 2007.

30 

Engagements and Weddings 

Timothy Strenfel ’05 and Andrea 

Cannavale ’05 plan to marry. The 

prospective groom is a substitute 

teacher in the Hanover Area School 

District. The bride-to-be is employed 

by the Luzerne County Intermediate 

Unit. The couple planned to exchange 

vows in August. 

Brittany S. Kulp ’06 and Timothy 

Kramer are engaged. Timothy is 

employed with Traffic Planning and 

Design in Pottstown. A wedding is 

planned for July 7, 2007. 

Weddings 

Greg Wolfgang 

’85 and Amy Sanzone 

were married 

on July 2, 2005. 

Greg is the chairman 

of the department 

of English at 

William Penn Senior 

High School 

in York. Amy is a learning support 

teacher at the same high school. 

The couple reside in York. 

Dan Mantis 

Wirth ’87 and 

Khrysteen 

Exposito were 

handfasted in 

a Celtic pagan 

ceremony on 

May , 2005, in 

Lockridge Park 

in Alburtis. Dan does environmental 

emissions reporting for Tyco Healthcare 

in Phillipsburg, N.J. Khrys is a 

business analyst for BOC Gases in 

Murray Hill, N.J. They were expecting 

their first child in October. 

Dawn M. Kollar ’90 and Michael 

Blaum were married on August 3 at 

Water Gap Country Club in Delaware 

Water Gap. Dawn is employed 

at the House of Candles in Henryville. 

Michael owns EMB Builders 

and Excavation. They live in Neola. 

Alissa R. Morris 

’93 and Michael 

D. Alexander 

were married on 

October 6, 2005, 

at the Marriott 

Philadelphia 

Downtown. Alissa 

is a textbook 

manager with 

Barnes & Noble 

College Bookstores, Inc. at Drexel 

University. Michael is an architect 

working in Center City Philadelphia. 

The couple reside in Abington. 

Paul Shemansky ’96 and Mercy A. 

Hendren exchanged wedding vows 

on October 7, 2005, at the Chateau 

Resort in Tannersville. The groom 

is a policy liaison for the Senate of 

Pennsylvania and an adjunct lecturer 

in history and political science at 

DeSales University and Northampton 

Community College. The bride 

is an art teacher at J.T. Lambert 

Intermidiate School in East Stroudsburg 

and an adjunct professor of art 

education for Kutztown University. 

They live in East Stroudsburg. 

Andrew Sloaf 

’96 and Mindy 

Frankel ’98 were 

married on August 

9 in LaConner, 

Wash. The bridal 

party included ESU 

alumni Maryellyn 

Higgins Muller 

’98, Jennifer Flanagan ’98, Jayne 

Dougherty ’98 and Jake Mills ’99. 

Many more from ESU made the trip 

to Washington for the wedding: 

Molly Zepp ’98, Sue Kellenbenz 

’99, Krista Dovin Jacobs ’98, Dan 

Fey ’00 & Amy Corwin Fey ’98, 

Brian Maier ’98, Jennifer Parncutt 

’98, Jennifer DiMinni ’98, Mark 

Sokolowski ’97, Brian Koch ’99, 

Kendyle Crawford Mills ’00, Rico 

Gallo ’95, Jeremy Young ’96, Cathy 

Merli ’98, Dan Janda ’96, Christy 

Connolly ’03 and Chris Magarelli 

’01. Mindy is a training specialist 

for a large technology company and 

Andy manages a commercial salmon 


hatchery. Mindy and Andy moved 

to Seattle, over seven years ago and 

now reside in Rochester, Wash. 

Heather M. MacIntire ’98 and 

Matthew Siptroth married on July 5 

at Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort. The 

bride is a fourth-grade teacher at 

Pleasant Valley Elementary School. 

The groom is an assistant golf course 

superintendent with Shawnee Inn & 

Golf Resort. They live in Shawneeon-Delaware. 

Jonathan M. Sassi ’98 and Kristin 

T. Prebola were united in marriage 

on August 20, 2005, at Sacred Heart 

Church in Plains Township. Jonathan 

is employed by the Commonwealth 

of Pennsylvania State Department 

of Health in Wilkes-Barre. 

Kristin is a business consultant for 

the Wilkes University Small Business 

Development Center. The couple 

reside in Plains Township. 

Michelle 

Hawk 

’99 and 

Richard 

Brady were 

married 

on January 

7, 2005, 

at Saint 

Mark’s Church in Bristol. The bridal 

party included ESU alumnae and Tri 

Sigma sisters, Lisa Bascio ’96, Carol 

Bethel Pollock ’97, Andria Squillari 

’98, Christy DiValerio ’99, Amy 

Kulesa ’99 and Jennifer Royall ’00. 

Another ESU/Tri Sigma alumna in 

attendance was Erin Ennis Werner 

’98. Michelle is the assistant coordinator 

of housing programs for the 

Bucks County Housing Authority 

and Rich works in the web-based service 

department for Merrill Lynch. 

The couple reside in Bristol. 

Melinda Haberstich ’99 and 

Thomas J. Froncek Jr. were united 

in marriage on September 3, 2005, 

at St. Therese’s Church, Shavertown. 

Melinda is employed in the 

emergency department at St. Mary’s 

Hospital in Richmond, Va. Thomas

Fall 2006 Weddings 3 

is employed at Dominion Resources 

as a business systems analyst. The 

couple reside in Richmond, Va. 

Charles Cosmark 

III ’00 and Jennifer 

Rotondella 

’04 married on 

August 3, 2005, 

at St. Mary’s Visitation 

Church in 

Dickson City. ESU 

alumni included 

in the bridal 

party: Brian Smith ’00, Chris Honney 

’05 and Alyssa Acken ’04. ESU 

alumni attending the wedding: 

Megan O’Hara ’04, Megan Mrozinski 

’04, Bonnie George ’04 and 

Heather Dolinsky ’04. Charles is 

the assistant general manager for 

Residence Inn, Columbus, Ohio, and 

Jennifer is a kindergarten teacher for 

Columbus Public Schools. They live 

in Westerville, Ohio. 

Nicole Ellis 

’00 married 

Mark Lemoncelli 

on October 

7, 2005, 

at Ehrhardt’s 

Waterfront 

Resort in Hawley. ESU alumni in 

attendance were: Jenelle Timmins 

’00, bridesmaid, Kevin Ogborn ’97, 

reader, Jen DelGrosso ’01, reader, 

Mike DelGrosso ’92, Robin Kemp 

’98, Michael Blough ’87, and Gary 

Moss ’98. They are employed by 

Pocono Mountain School District; 

Nicole is a fifth-grade math teacher, 

and Mark, a high school history 

teacher. 

Elizabeth Morison 


Randy Heffner 

exchanged vows 

on October 22, 

2005, at PleasantdalePresbyterian 

Church 

in West Orange, 

N.J. ESU alumni 

in the wedding party were: Laura 

Salamone ’01, Len Traber ’00, Mark 

Wachter ’01, Tim Crouch ’00 and 

Mike Tait ’01. Other alumni in attendance 

were: Meaghan McCoy ’00, 

Kendyle Crawford ’00, Stacy Aaron 

’00, Stacy Hamm ’00, Linda Zavitski 

’02, Billy D’Andrea ’00, and Tom 

’99 and Kate ’99 Weinberg. 

Nicole Serwin ’00 and Robert 

Craven exchanged wedding vows on 

June 3 at Sandals Grande St. Lucian 

Spa and Resort in St. Lucia. The bride 

is employed at Pocono Medical Center 

in East Stroudsburg. The groom is 

an electrician with Leber and Bonham 

Electrical Contractors, Local 8 , 

in Waverly. They live in Moscow. 

Matthew F. 

Smith ’00 and 

Charlene M. 

DeLuca ’03 

were united in 

marriage on 

October 22, 

2005, at Our 

Lady of Victory 

Church in Tannersville. The groom 

is employed by McLane Northeast in 

Baldwinsville, N.Y., and Mt. Bethel 

Beverage. The bride is a teacher with 

Pocono Mountain School District. 

They live in Bangor. 

Craig Mesick ’01 

and Joyce Weber 

’01 were married 

June 25, 2005, at St. 

Elizabeth’s Church 

in Avon, N.J. Craig 

is an assistant vice 

president for the 

Bank of New York 

in Malvern. Joyce is a behavior analyst 

for Devereux in Berwyn. The 

couple live in Fort Washington. 

Jon A. Pavuk ’01 and Aubrey L. 

Gaines ’99 were married on July 

9, 2005, in Hope, N.J. ESU alumni 

in the wedding party were: Jessica 

Casey ’99, Karen O’Hanlon ’00, 

Samantha Hall ’99, Jennifer Novak 

Mackey ’99, Carrie Schreckengost 

Froemel ’99, Paul Shemansky ’96, 

M ’01, Aaron Mariano ’03, David 

Mason ’02, John DeCusatis ’00 and 

Greg Garzio ’95. Jon is a teacher in 

the Pleasant Valley School District. 

Aubrey is a special education teacher 

in the Pocono Mountain School District. 

They live in Tobyhanna. 

John M. Alunni ’02 and Melissa A. 

Panunzio were joined in marriage at 

St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Archbald. 

John is a residential treatment 

facility case manager at St. Michael’s 

School, Tunkhannock. Melissa is 

a speech-language pathologist at 

Genesis Rehabilitation Services at 

Little Flower Manor, Wilkes Barre. 

The couple live in Shavertown. 

Ashleigh S. Coffman ’02 married 

Jason A. Snyder on July 9, 2005, 

at Cherry Lane United Methodist 

Church. Ashleigh works for sanofi 

pasteur, Swiftwater. Jason is employed 

at J.A. Snyder Entities, Stroudsburg. 

The couple live in Scotrun. 

Tracey L. Halowich M’02 and Michael 

F. Wagner were married June 

22, 2006, aboard the Carnival cruise 

ship “Inspiration” in the Grand Cayman 

Islands. Upon returning from 

the cruise, a reception was held at 

Checkerboard Pavilion, Trucksville. 

Tracy is a high school principal in 

the Lake-Lehman School District. 

Francis is a science teacher in the Jim 

Thorpe School District. The couple 

reside in Forty Fort. 

Kelly Kerestur 


Jared Hojnowski 

were 

married on 

May 7 at the 

Chateau at 

Camelback. The wedding party included 

Diana DiMino ’02 and Julie 

Cutter ’05. Kelly is a French teacher 

at Lehman Intermediate. Jared 

returned home in April from his tour 

in Iraq. The couple live in Bushkill.

32 

Weddings ESU Alumni Herald 

Jennifer J. Nicholson M’02 and 

Joseph S. Agolino exchanged vows 

on July 9, 2005, at St. Luke’s Church 

in Stroudsburg followed by a reception 

at Ridgecrest at Stroudsmoor 

Country Inn. The bride is employed 

by East Stroudsburg Area School District 

and the groom is employed by 

Pleasant Valley School District. 

Jason S. Sullivan 

’02 and Jennifer 

L. Barnes ’00 

married on July 

2, 2005, at Our 

Lady of Mount 

Carmel Church 

in Boonton, N.J. 

ESU alumni in 

the bridal party 

included Tracey Fedzina Brucker 

’00, Jackie Geli ’01, Grace Ann 

Lombardi Fiocco ’00, Maria Harnett 

’03 and Carolyn Mustachio 

’02. Groomsmen included Brian 

Brucker ’00, Brendon Kur ’04, and 

Jared Campbell ’04. Alumni in attendance 

included Stacy Heffner 

’04, Joseph Muzyka ’01, Erin Dunlevy 

Muzyka ’00, Amy Daugherty 

’00, Brent Johnson ’03, Matt Hess 

’03 and Stan Zalewski ’05. Jason is 

an account manager for First Horizon 

Financial Services and Jennifer 

is a first-grade teacher at Our Lady of 

Mount Carmel School in Boonton, 

N.J. The couple reside in Boonton 

Township, N.J. 

Steven P. Fidler 

Jr. ’03 and Erin 

L. Lobb ’02 exchanged 

vows on 

June 25, 2005 at 

Lower Providence 

Presbyterian 

Church in Lower 

Providence. ESU 

alumnus in the 

wedding party 

was Jason Donoghue ’03. Steve is 

employed by Main Line Distributors 

in King of Prussia. Erin is an athletic 

trainer and strength and conditioning 

coach at Chestnut Hill College 

in Philadelphia. The couple reside 

in Collegeville. 

Stephanie A. Harris 

’03 and James 

Mosher were 

united in marriage 

on October 29, 

2005, at St. Mary’s 

Catholic Church 

in Williamstown, 

N.J. ESU alumna 

Cheryl Fries ’04 was in the wedding 

party. Other alumni in attendance 

were: Bethany Geiger ’04, Rachel 

Weida ’04, Rachel Holly ’04, Jeanette 

Negri ’03, Jason Beani ’05 and 

Megan Drobniak ’04. Stephanie is a 

graphic designer for Harmon Media 

Group, Trader Publishing. The couple 

reside in Virginia Beach, Va. 

Jennifer Payne ’03 and Mark Fetherman 

were united in marriage on 

May 27 at the Chateau at Camelback 

in Tannersville. The bride is employed 

with Monroe County Children 

& Youth Services. The groom is 

employed with Young Volkswagen. 

They live in Stroudsburg. 

Michael Zimorowicz ’03 and Jessica 

Turner married on February 8 at the 

Sandals Royal Bahamian in Nassau, 

Bahamas. The groom is a beverage 

manager at Great Wolf Lodge in Scotrun. 

The bride is a mortgage processor 

with Lendia, Inc. in Succasunna, 

N.J. They live in East Stroudsburg. 

Danielle R. Black ’04 and Jonathan 

Park were married on August 2 at 

East Stroudsburg United Methodist 

Church. Both are employed by Wal- 

Mart in Hazelton and Johnathan is 

also an intern at BRCTV 3/LVTV. 

They live in Summit Hill. 

Matthew S. Brown ’04 and Stephanie 

S. Lahr wed on November 5, 

2005, at Rooke Chapel, Bucknell 

University. The groom is employed 

by Service st Federal Credit Union, 

Danville. The bride is a manager at 

Dunkin Donuts, Selinsgrove. The 

couple live in Northumberland. 

Kimberly A. Ferlick ’04 and Bryan 

D. Kioske were married on April 8 at 

The Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino 

in Las Vegas, Nev. Kim is a biology 

teacher with Montgomery County 

Public Schools in Potomac, Md. She 

is also the assistant athletic director 

and varsity softball coach at the 

high school. Bryan is employed by 

the United States Postal Service in 

Hagerstown, Md. The couple reside 

in Poolesville, Md. 

Kate Heitman ’04 married Jason 

Weite on September 7, 2005, at 

Hideaway Hills in Kresgeville. The 

bride works at ESSA Bank & Trust 

in Stroudsburg. The groom is employed 

by R.J. Groner in Stroudsburg. 

They live in East Stroudsburg. 

Jeffrey Thomas Roberts ’04 and 

Lori Ann Markovitch ’03 were 

married July 23, 2005, in St. David’s 

Church, Scranton. Jeffrey is pursuing 

a master’s degree in education 

at Wilkes University and is a chemistry/physical 

science teacher in the 

Hazleton Area School District. Lori 

is a lab analyst with Enzyme Development 

Corp., Scranton. The couple 

reside in Wilkes-Barre Township. 

Kristen Cody ’05 

married Scott Littlefield 

on February 

25 at St. Thomas 

More Roman 

Catholic Church in 

Pottstown. Kristen 

is a Mall Marketing 

Manager and 

Scott has a successful career in Inside 

Sales. They reside in Marlton, N.J. 

Lynn Correll ’05 and Juliusz Czarnecki 

were united in marriage on 

October , 2005, at Christ United 

Church of Christ in McKeansburg. 

They live in Stroudsburg. 

Tara-Kate Petrillo ’05 and Stephen 

D. Himes were married on July 5 at 

Brookville Presbyterian Church in 

Brookville. The bride is a substitute 

teacher. The groom is a physical 

therapist at Punxsutawney Hospital. 

They live in Punxsutawney.

Births 

Fall 2006 33 

Births 

Robert Tremblay ’89 and Jane 

Tremblay, Dracut, Mass., a son, Lucas 

Benjamin, born April 13. 

Raymond J. Solinski ’90 and Barbara 

Solinski, Cincinnati, Ohio, welcomed 

their second son, Benjamin 

Patrick on March 19. 

David Comiciotto ’91 and Christine 

Marchese Comiciotto ’92, 

Schwenksville, a son, Evan Warren, 

born February 6, 2006. Evan was 

welcomed by brother Matthew and 

sister Grace. 

Dawn A. Doktorski Sconzo ’91 

and Marc Sconzo, Verona, N.J., announce 

the arrival of their daughter, 

Rebecca Sophia, on September 2, 

2005. 

Michael Powers 

’93 and Andrea 

Bajadek Powers 

’94, Edison, N.J., 

a daughter, Kaitlyn 

Elizabeth, 

born December 

17, 2005. 

Stacey Chassner Mullen ’94 and 

Matt Mullen, Apex, N.C., a son, 

Jamison Luke, born March 13. 

Denise Staffa Wright ’94 and Brian 

Wright, Myrtle Beach, S.C., a son, 

Brady James, born December 31, 

2005, at 10 p.m. 

Tracy Foster Emery ’95 and John 

Emery, Hainesport, N.J., a son, Colin 

Michael, born on August 23, 2005. 

Vanessa Laino-Stultz ’96 and 

Tommy Stultz, Tobyhanna, a daughter, 

Madelyne Lucia, born August 2, 

2005. 

Bryan C. 

Treude ’96 and 

Patricia Betzal 

Treude ’97, 

Springfield, 

twins, Colin 

and Erin, born 

December 8, 

2005. 

Brent Watkins ’96 and Kimberli 

Fithian Watkins ’95, New Holland, 

a daughter, Kaleigh Isabel, born May 

12, 2005. She was welcomed home 

by big sisters Mackenzie and Lindsey. 

Jane Salak 

Spera 


Anthony 

Spera, 

New 

Windsor, 

Md., a 

daughter, 

Julia Jane, born September 22, 2005. 

She joins big brother and sister, Jacob 

and Rachel. 

Nicole Troiano Brasof ’98 and 

Randy Brasof, New Hope, a daughter, 

Autumn Teresa, born July 19. 

Autumn was welcomed by brother, 

Holden. 

Send your news to alumni@esu.edu or fax to (570) 422-3301. 

Erica Larsen Puopolo ’98 and David 

Puopolo, Laurence Harbor, N.J., 

a girl, Katelyn Marie, born July 15. 

Jaclyn Kotanchik Wright ’99 and 

Thomas Wright, Downington, a son, 

Jakob Charles, born on December 

19, 2005. Jake joins big brother, 

Tommy. 

Marlen Elias Horvath 

’00, M’04 

and Charles W. 

Horvath, Easton, 

a son, Elias, born 

June 1, 2005. 

Jill Alesandro 

Johnson 

’01 and Dan 

Johnson, Milford, 

a daughter, 

Natalee 

Nichole Rose, 

born March 2. 

Michael Webster ’02 and Melissa 

Werner Webster ’02, Shilington, a 

girl, Hailey, born in November 2005. 

Jill Marie 

Diesinger Rathmell 

’03 and Nathan 

Rathmell, 

Bethlehem, a 

son, Nathan, Jr., 

born on December 

7, 2005.

34 

In Memoriam 

Send your news to the 

Alumni Herald 

Send “Who’s Doing What” 

news as well 

as wedding, engagement and birth 

announcements to: 

Henry A. Ahnert, Jr., 

Alumni Center 




Fax: (570) 422-330 

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. 

In Memoriam 

Natalie M. Farrell Mertens ’24 

Ann M. Reilly, M’24 

Joseph A. Trigiani ’27 

Mabel M. Lynch Connell ’28 

Grace DelGrosso ’28 

Helen Harvey Jones ’28 

Mildred Evans Beers ’29 

Carrie E. Wagner Dutt ’29 

Martha L. Gill ’30 

Mildred R. Adams Layton ’32 

Marion E. Hartzell Stah ’32 

Jeannette Prosser Davis ’34 

Genevieve Yuskavich Doyle ’34 

Robert A. Oldis ’34 

Eleanor J. Skovronsky ’34 

Vera V. Roberts Wood ’34 

Beulah B. Butz Boyle ’35 

Neal Fenton Flint ’35 

Lelia R. Leedecker Kennedy ’35 

William T. Rusk ’35 

John P. Childs ’36 

Mary K. Jordan Doughton ’36 

Anne E. Moore Wisher ’36 

Alice R. McAndrew Atherholt ’37 

Katharine “Kitty” Fox Walck ’37 

Mary L. Kerwin Gilbert ’40 

Wallace J. Musselman ’41 

Helenmary A. Duganne Pence ’41 

Jack P. Thomas ’41 

Frank E. Mignoni ’42 

Eugene F. Lash ’43 

Nevin R. Nonnemacher ’43 

Edna Miller Dilliplane ’45 

Jean D. Terry ’46 

Benjamin J. Jones ’47 

Charles W. Dubbs ’48 

Robert P. McCullough ’48 

Harry E. Werkheiser ’48 

Marion Price Cooper ’49 

Marian G. Love Reniska ’49 

Edna F. Ponder ’50 

Richard W. Brubaker ’51 

Grace Burkhart Myer ’53 

Jeanne Luckenbill Bowers ’54 


Marilyn L. Dautrich Cockley ’54 

Shirley S. Hamblin Hummel ’54 

Arthur E. Schaare ’54 

William J. Sibley ’55 

George Barna ’56 

Shirley A. McClure ’56 

Robert J. Graham ’57 

William C. Pfeffer, Jr. ’57 

Marilyn Miller Butz ’58 

John Rogers ’59 

Barbara J. McCracken Sharkey ’59 

Charles L. Graefe ’60 

Raymond T. Kressler ’60 

James A. Lindenmuth ’60 

John R. Oravec ’60 

George Martin, Jr. ’62 

Lynn E. Cope ’63 

Leah A. Redmond Haffner ’64 

Carol A. Fox Young ’64 

John L. Behler ’68 

William T. Clancy III ’68 

Maryellen M. McGee ’69 

Carol A. Hargreaves Maclary ’70 

Rev. George M. Doll, Jr. ’71 

Richard J. Greenwood ’71 

Robert Charles Barron ’72 

Mary A. Tysver ’72 

Daniel J. Kozak ’73 

Woodrow W. Brader M’73 

Natalie A. Mizerak ’74 

Robert “Skeets” M. Weber ’74 

Ruth S. Steers Moreton ’79 

Robert J. Solliday ’80 

Walter L. Von Ignatius, Jr. ’80 

John H. Schumacher II ’81 

Wilma N. Dietrich ’85 

Richard J. Farmer ’85 

Joseph D. Kovacs ’85 

George Taptich ’86 

Robert A. Vellucci ’86 

Vaidehi M. Patel ’90 

Jason E. Brunell ’03

Fall 2006 In Memoriam 35 

John Eiler ’34 Dies; Respected Soccer Coach 

and Athletic Director for ESU 

John Eiler first came to East 

Stroudsburg State College as a student 

in 930 and still was following 

the Warriors during the fall of 2005 

as an avid fan 75 years later. He died 

August 7th at the Stroud Manor in 

East Stroudsburg. 

“I’ve never known anyone in 

my life who got the respect from 

everyone that Mr. Eiler did,” said 

Jerry Sheska, who played soccer for 

Eiler as a student. “No one had a bad 

word to say about him. We all loved 

him. He was basically a father figure 

for all of us.” 

Eiler came to East Stroudsburg 

from Schuylkill Haven. He was a 

football center, gymnast and track 

and field competitor and was named 

the best all-around athlete in his 

class. 

After coaching at Slippery Rock 

for ten years, he returned to East 

Stroudsburg in 956 and led the Warrior 

soccer teams from 956 to 965. 

One of East Stroudsburg’s most 

successful and most beloved coaches, 

Clyde ‘Red’ Witman, 74, collapsed 

and died suddenly April 30th. 

Witman coached the ESU 

wrestling team for 7 seasons, guiding 

the team to a record of 80-76-6. His 

teams won two Pennsylvania State 

Athletic Conference titles in 968 

and 97 . His 965-66 squad placed Clyde ‘Red’Witman 

seventh in the NCAA Division 

championships. 

He coached two NCAA champions, 22 conference 

champions and four Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling 

Association (EIWA) champions. His wrestlers earned All- 

American honors 24 times. 

His influence on East Stroudsburg went far beyond 

his coaching record. He served as the school’s athletic 

director for nine years and was a faculty member for 25 

years. He retired in 986. 

First and foremost, however, he was a teacher, 

mentor and friend to a generation of students, almost 

all of them went to highly-successful careers, many as 

wrestling coaches and officials. 

In 995, he was presented with one of the ESU 

He led the Warriors to the NAIA 

national championship in 962. His 

964 and 965 teams both reached 

the quarter-finals of the NCAA Division 

Soccer Tournament before 

losing twice to Michigan State. 

His overall coaching record was 

50-4 -6 over 20 seasons including a 

77-25-7 mark at East Stroudsburg. 

Eiler’s coaching technique was 

“unique compared to today’s world,” 

according to Sheska, the ESU soccer 

coach for the last 24 years. “He was 

low-key, quiet, direct and as his players 

attest, above all honest. 

“I never heard him raise his 

voice,” said Sheska. “He got across 

what he wanted by directly telling 

you what he expected; we all 

followed his direction because we 

respected him so much. I don’t 

know many coaches who do that 

any more.” 

Eiler took over as the school’s 

athletic director at East Stroudsburg 

Eiler during ground-breaking ceremonies for 

renovations at the Eiler-Martin Stadium. 

in 960 and served in the position 

for 8 years until his retirement in 

978. 

After his retirement, Eiler and 

his wife, Betty, split the year between 

homes in Bishop’s Colony, Saylorsburg 

and Pompano Beach, Fla. 

The Eilers were married for 66 years 

when Betty died in December, 2003. 

Eiler then moved back north to the 

Pocono Lutheran Village in East 

Stroudsburg. 

Beloved Coach Clyde ‘Red’ Witman Dies Suddenly at Age 74 

Alumni Association’s Great Teacher Awards. In 

introducing Witman at the Alumni Association 

banquet, former sports information director Pete Nevins 

commented. 

“I don’t know what Clyde will say in accepting this 

award,” Nevins said. “He may pepper his conversation 

with historical references. We may learn about 

Thucydides and The Peloponnesian War as well as his 

career at ESU. He may talk about his upbringing in 

Lancaster County. He may talk about his service in the 

United States Army. He has a tendency to elaborate, 

expand and embellish on his remarks.” 

Witman at one time commented: “I am Clyde 

Witman – I have my own level of humor, my own 

syndrome of behavior when dealing with people and 

this comes natural. The greatest benefit I have ever 

gotten from my years at East Stroudsburg is that many 

of my former students have become very good friends. 

This is very precious to me and more important than 

any of the awards or won-and-lost records.” 

Hundreds of his good friends, including ESU 

graduates, honored Witman either by attending the 

funeral services in Ephrata or by sending their sympathy 

messages to his wife, Jacqueline, and sons, Keith and 

Mitchell.

36 

Warrior Spotlight 

Story by 

Pete Nevins M’84 

John Thatcher ’69, M’70 

Above, Thatcher in 

the 1969 Stroud 

yearboook. 

At right, in the 

classroom in 

2002. 

Heart of a Warrior 

When John M. Hauth ’83, associate 

professor of athletic training, nominated 

ESU athletic training colleague John 

Thatcher ’69, M’70 for a national award 

in 2002, he wrote to graduates and asked 

them “to send letters of support for the 

nomination if you feel so inclined.” 

He expected to receive a handful of 

responses, perhaps as many as a dozen. 

Instead he was inundated by a virtual 

mailbag full of warm, heartfelt and 

sometimes long endorsements of John’s 

candidacy for the award. 

“I received more than 200 letters 

from our graduates about John, how good 

a teacher, mentor and friend he was, 

which I forwarded on to the committee,” 

said Hauth. “That shows the respect 

and appreciation which graduates have 

for John and for his role in getting them 

started on their careers.” 

Perhaps it wasn’t surprising, particularly 

with all the alumni support, that 

Thatcher won the award, the Sayers ‘Bud’ 

Miller Distinguished Athletic Training 

Education Award from the National Athletic 

Trainers Association (NATA). It is the 

highest award which can be bestowed on 

an athletic training educator. 

Shortly after that, 

he was inducted into 

the Pennsylvania Athletic 

Trainers (PATS) Hall 

of Fame in 2002 for his 

contributions to the 

profession, the State 

of Pennsylvania 

and PATS. 

Thatcher 

helped start the 

Athletic Training 

Education 


John Thatcher ’69, M’70 Leaves Legacy 

Of Student Accomplishment As He Retires 

program at the then East Stroudsburg 

State College in 1974. He served as its 

director for 31 years before turning the 

directorship over to Hauth, one of his 

former students, last year. 

After 37 years associated with the 

school, Thatcher retired in early June. He 

left a legacy of talented disciples working 

at schools throughout the region. 

“I’d say we have hundreds and hundreds 

and hundreds of graduates working 

in athletic training,” said Thatcher. “And 

they are just not average professionals; 

many are leaders in the field.” 

And Thatcher touched them all. Unlike 

most disciplines, the athletic training 

field involves hands-on teaching, demonstrating 

the skills in laboratory settings 

and then working with students to help 

them master those skills. 

“John was not only a great athletic 

trainer working with teams and athletes, 

but he was one of the best, if not the best 

teacher I’ve ever seen,” said Hauth. “He 

made the students excited about what 

they were learning and about their future 

careers.” 

“It wasn’t just in the classroom 

either,” Hauth continued. “John spent 

countless hours in his office advising students 

and helping them. He always could 

find a way to make even the most difficult 

concepts understandable to people who 

otherwise couldn’t grasp the knowledge.” 

With his outgoing and genial personality, 

Thatcher infused the students with 

his own love for athletic training. 

“It is really a great profession,” said 

Thatcher. “As a trainer, you are in a position 

to really get to know the athletes who 

are generally wonderful people. Athletes 

are very vulnerable when they are injured

Fall 2006 Warrior Spotlight 

‘We have hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of graduates working in athletic 

training. And they are just not average professionals; many are leaders in the field.’ 

John Thatcher ’69, M’70, 

distinguished professor of athletic training 

so therefore if you can provide them 

with adequate advice, the right kind 

of treatment and give them the 

psychological support they need, 

there is a very close relationship that 

develops.” 

The first ESU athletic trainers 

in the approved curriculum, four of 

them, graduated in 1975. 

“By 1980, we had more than a 

dozen graduates each year and now 

our program has about 100 students 

with around 25 in our graduating 

classes,” Thatcher explained. “More 

than half our graduates have earned 

advanced degrees within a year of 

graduating and some have gone on 

to earn doctorates.” 

The graduates all have one thing 

in common, Hauth emphasizes. 

“Look at the great people who came 

out of our program. Whether they 

are now educators, researchers, sports 

medicine clinicians or high school, 

college or professional trainers, John 

Thatcher taught and prepared them 

all; he certainly played a large part in 

their future successes,” Hauth said. 

In retirement, the Thatchers, 

John and the former Pam Jennings 

’70, his wife of 34 years, moved to 

Dundee, N.Y. in the Finger Lakes 

region where they own a house. 

“I had no apprehensions about 

retiring,” he states. “Pam (an elementary 

teacher in the East Stroudsburg 

school district for 22 years) and 

I are both very active; we’re not at a 

loss for things to do. I’ll miss teaching 

very, very much, however. I love 

what I did. 

“I always thought this was the 

way to retire. Going out when the 

students were still saying, ‘Hey, why 

are you leaving? Instead of ‘Thank 

God that old guy is getting out of 

here.’ My wife is in the same place 

- the kids and colleagues saying, ‘Oh 

my gosh, we’re going to miss you so 

much; you were such a good teacher.’ 

Those are the things you want 

said about you; go out on the top of 

your game.” 

And Thatcher was at the top 

of his game as an East Stroudsburg 

athletic training educator for more 

than three decades. His successor, 

John Hauth, and hundreds of other 

graduates can attest to that. With 

their letters, many already have. 

37 

At left, John Thatcher 

’69, M’70, distinguished 

professor of athletic 

training, works with 

Flo Batten, a graduate 

assistant in the Athletic 

Training Department, and 

student Brad Treadway 

on techniques to assist 

soccer player Charlene 

Conklin. 

Photo by 

Perry Hebard

38 

By Pete Nevins M’84 

Twelve former athletes and 

coaches, the largest number ever, 

were inducted into the East Stroudsburg 

University Athletic Hall of 

Fame on the school’s Homecoming 

Day, Saturday, October 21. 

One reason for the increase in 

the size of the induction class is that 

three athletes, the Detzi triplets, 

were inducted together. Joe, Jeff and 

John Detzi, all 1979 graduates, were 

members of the Warrior football 

teams from 1975 to 1978 which 

posted a combined 35-3-1 record and 

won three Pennsylvania State Athletic 

Conference titles. 

Joe was an All-Conference inside 

linebacker and one of the team’s 

leading tacklers. Jeff, also an All- 

Conference pick, and John were 

offensive lineman. They now work 

together as owners of Detzi’s Tavern 

in Wind Gap. 

Two other football players, offensive 

guard Art Schisler ’62 and All- 

America quarterback Andy Baranak 

’84 were honored. 

Other male athletes chosen 

were All-America soccer midfielder 

Blaz Stimac ’77, two-sport athlete 

and long-time athletic trainer John 

Thatcher ’69, M’70 and the late Dr. 

Charles Wolbers, ESU men’s tennis 

coach for 23 years and women’s tennis 

coach for one year. 

Two record-breaking women’s 

basketball players, Claudine Simard 

’93 and Lori Pio ’96 joined the Athletic 

Hall of Fame along with outstanding 

gymnast Suzette Gosling 

Owens ’77 and field hockey standout 

Aimee Ross Ellison ’91. 

For the third year, a team was 

singled out for Hall of Fame recognition— 

the national quarter-finalist 

1970-71 women’s basketball squad. 

The selections for the 29th Athletic 

Hall of Fame class were made by 

a committee headed by Dr. Tom Gioglio, 

athletic director. The committee 

included long-time coaches and 

athletic administrators and former 

players representing a cross-section 


(L-R) Standing: Debra Martin ’74, Chris Lentz Zobel ’72, Sharon Archer ’74, Sharon Whitman Krimmel ’74, Art Schisler ’62, Betty Lou Murphy ’68, Lori 

Pio ’96, Jeff Detzi ’79, John Detzi ’79, Joe Detzi ’79, John Thatcher ’69, M’70, and Kate Formiconi Sola ’73. Sitting: Lynn Breedy ’71, Mary Jane Wolbers, 

Suzette Gosling Owens ’77, Aimee Ross Ellison ’91, Claudine Simard ’93, Polly Case Glowatz ’74, Marian Braine Ressler ’73, and Nancy Weaver ’74. 

Photo by David Hooper ’05 

Record Number Enter Warriors’ Hall of Fame 

of both athletic eras and sports. An 

ESU athlete is eligible to be considered 

for Hall of Fame selection ten 

years after graduation. 

Schisler was a starting guard on 

Coach Jack Gregory’s first football 

teams from 1959 to 1961. He pulled 

out to power the team’s Wing-T offense 

and lead the way for All-Conference 

running back Toby Barkman. 

Over the three years, the Warriors 

compiled a record of 18-6-2. 

Baranek made the Kodak Little- 

America first team as a quarterback 

in 1983 and was a three-time All- 

PSAC choice. He set four school 

passing records and led the Warriors 

to PSAC Eastern Division titles in 

both 1982 and 1983 and to the overall 

crown in 1982. 

Stimac was a two-time All-America 

choice as a midfielder in 1975 and 

1976. He made the All-PSAC team 

four straight years and the All-Region 

team three times. He helped 

the ESU booters to a four-year record 

Continued on next page

Fall 2006 Warrior Spirit 39 

Shoudt, Snyder Receive Barniak 

Award at Homecoming 2006 

At Homecoming the Alumni Association honored 

Robert B. Shoudt ’64 and Roy G. Snyder ’58 aswin- ners of the Jim Barniak Award, presented to alumni for 

exceptional achievement in athletics after graduation. 

Bob Shoudt became well-known throughout 

Pennsylvania in Track and Field. He was an NCAA 

Division I Track and Field Coach of the Year for Indoor 

Track and Field, and he coached the world record in the 

distance medley relay, American Collegiate record 4 x 

800 relay, three national individual champions, 41 All 

Americans, four Olympic trials qualifiers, and was a 

six time Big East Conference coach of the year. He also 

coached five Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) team 

championships, was a four time MAC coach of the year, 

coached three high school national champions, and 

six High School All Americans. He was also a founding 

father of the Pennsylvania State Indoor Track and 

Field Championships, the Montgomery County Cross 

Country Championships, and the Chichester Relays. 

Roy Snyder began his swimming coaching career in 

1958 at the Reading YMCA where he coached numerous 

state and national age group champions during his six 

year YMCA career. In 1964, Roy opened the first school 

pool in Berks County at Wilson High School. At Wilson, 

his swim teams won the Central Penn League title, 

10 Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association 

(PIAA) District three AAA championships, and two PIAA 

State AAA Team titles. His teams recently compiled a 97 

straight dual meet win streak that lasted for seven years. 

Continued from previous page 

of 41-21-3 and conference titles in 

1973 and 1976. 

Thatcher played soccer and competed 

in track and field as a student. 

He served as ESU’s head athletic 

trainer for 25 years from 1974 to 

1999. He was named the nation’s 

outstanding athletic training educator 

by the National Athletic Trainers’ 

Association in 2001. 

Dr. Wolbers guided ESU men’s 

tennis teams to ten conference 

championships and the women’s 

squad to one from 1963 to 1985. His 

1969 men’s squad finished third in 

the NCAA Division II Tennis Tournament. 

The Wolbers Tennis Courts on 

campus are named in his honor. 

Simard is the leading scorer in 

ESU basketball history with 1,733 

career points. She holds the school 

and PSAC career record with 535 free 

throws. She made the All-Conference 

and All-ECAC Region team as 

a senior after averaging 20.0 points 

and 7.6 rebounds per game. 

Pio grabbed a school-record 

1,013 rebounds and scored 1,527 

points during her career. She holds 

school marks for career and season 

field goal shooting. She was a twotime 

All-PSAC first team player and 

was a key member of the Warriors’ 

1995 PSAC championship team. 

Owens set school gymnastics 

record in every event with marks of 

9.00 in the floor exercise, 8.80 on 

the uneven bars, 9.15 in the vaulting, 

8.50 on the balance beam and 35.15 

overall. She became the school’s 

first AIAA national championship 

(L-R) Bob Shoudt ’64 and Roy Snyder ’58 were congratulated at mid-field by 

President Dillman and the Homecoming crowd. 

Photo by David Hooper ’05 

Roy has coached two national interscholastic 

record holders, over 120 High School All-American 

swimmers and water polo players, more than 110 PIAA 

District champs, and 20 PIAA state winners. For his 

efforts he was awarded the Pennsylvania Swimming 

Administrator of the Year Award and the Reading YMCA 

Dr. Councilman Service to Youth Award. He also was 

inducted into the Berks County Swimming Hall of 

Fame, the Pennsylvania Swimming Hall of Fame at Penn 

State, the Berks County Chapter of the Pennsylvania 

Sports Hall of Fame, and was the 2002 Pennsylvania 

Coach of the Year. 

Triplets and Entire Basketball Team Are Among Inductees 

qualifier in 1977. 

Ellison was chosen on the 

National Field Hockey Coaches’ Association 

All-America second team 

in 1989. She was chosen on the All- 

PSAC first team twice. She scored 35 

goals over a four-year period from 

1986-89, fourth best in the school’s 

history. 

The 1970-71 women’s basketball 

team gained the school’s first berth 

in the AIAW national championships 

which included colleges from all 

divisions. The Betty Lou Murphycoached 

team beat Marshall in the 

first round before losing to Mississippi 

College in the quarter finals. 

The team finished with a 13-3 record, 

which tied the school victory record.

40 

Giving g Opportunities pp 

Class of ’62 Awards $1,000 

Scholarships to Five Students 

The Class of ’62 Scholarship Committee 

hosted a luncheon for their scholarship winners. 

This year the committee awarded five 

students with $1,000 each. 

Pictured are, back row, from left, committee members: Ken 

Benner, Bob Sweeney, Diane (Miller) Freed, Patricia (Alberts) 

Hibschman, Lynn (Dambach) Walton, and Dave Luning. Unable 

to attend were Betsy (Reinhard) Masenheimer, Arthur Schisler 

and Ted Laurenseon. Seated, from left, are Michelle L. Weaver, 

New Holland, a senior physical education major; Kimberly L. 

Ramage, East Stroudsburg, a senior special education major; and 

Erica J. DiMarzio, Shohola, a senior English major. Insert is Kevin 

R. Merkel, Bethlehem, a freshman business management major. 

Unable to attend was Alisa D. Keiper, Stroudsburg, a senior 

elementary major. 

The Heritage Society was established by the East 

Stroudsburg University Foundation to recognize those 

alumni and friends who are interested in the long-term 

viability of the university. Heritage Society members 

make planned giving provisions to support ESU 

through: 

◊ Will bequests 

◊ Insurance beneficiary designations 

◊ Charitable Remainder Trusts 

◊ Pooled Income Fund 

◊ Charitable Annuities 

◊ Donations from retirement benefits such as IRAs 

◊ Other planned giving options 

HERITAGE 

SOCIETY 

EAST STROUDSBURG UNIVERSITY 


Friends of ESU Athletics To Hold 

Phonathon from Jan. 28-Feb. 7 

The Friends of ESU Athletics Phonathon 

will be held from January 28 to February 

7. Student callers will contact former 

athletes, alumni and fans to support 

grants-in-aid programs for student athletes. 

Phone calls will be made between 6 p.m. 

and 9 p.m. When you receive your call, 

consider a pledge of $50, $100, even $500. 

Please show your Warrior spirit by being as 

generous as you can. 

This year’s goal is $66,500. Whatever 

your contribution, large or small, know 

that your gift will impact the future for 

more than 450 student athletes who represent 

our University. So don’t be caught on 

the sidelines, instead, prepare to get in the 

game! We’re counting on you to make the 

difference. 

For more information, call (800) 775- 

8975 or visit http://advancement.esu.edu. 

Change in Minimum 

Endowed Scholarship Rate 

Beginning July 1, 2007, the minimum 

amount required to endow a scholarship 

through the ESU Foundation Office will be 

raised from $10,000 to $20,000. Endowed 

scholarship accounts opened with a 

minimum $1,000 deposit prior to July 

1, 2007, may still be endowed under the 

$10,000 minimum level. Please contact 

Vincent Dent at (570) 422-3936 or Robert 

Kelly ’71 at (570) 422-3531, if you have 

any questions or if you are interested in 

establishing an endowed scholarship. 

Giving to ESU through the Heritage Society allows 

you to support ESU and provide for the future well-being 

of your family through planned giving. These types of 

gifts are donations that will live on, supporting ESU for 

generations to come. For more information on how you 

can join the Heritage Society, please call Robert Kelley ’71 

(570) 422-3531 or Vincent Dent (570) 422-3936 or tollfree, 

(800) 775-8975.

Sample Annuity Rates 

Single Life Double Life 

Age Annuity Rate Age Annuity Rate 

60 5.7% 70/70 5.9% 

65 6.0% 75/70 6.1% 

70 6.5% 81/80 7.0% 

75 7.1% 

80 8.0%

36 

Subject 

Following is a partial, preliminary list. For 

current information visit http://esualumni. 

org or http://advancement.esu.edu or call the 

Alumni Offi ce at 570-422-3533. 

February 12 NYC Alumni Social 

The NYC area alumni will join other PA State 

System alumni at Dave and Busters at 234 W. 

42nd St. $20 per person includes appetizer buffet 

and beverages. 

March 2-9 Florida Trip 

Beginning with Englewood, FL we’ll begin a series 

of gatherings across the state. Check the website 

for locations on the east and west coasts of the 

Sunshine State. 

March 24 King Tut Trip 

Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime exhibit at the 

Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. Travel by luxury 

motorcoach from ESU for $50 per person. Trip 

includes entrance to the Franklin Institute, the King 

Tut exhibit, and an IMAX viewing. 

March 31 ESU Couples Dinner 

Alumni who are coupled with an alumnus/a are 

invited back to campus to toast the night away and 

take a walk down memory lane over a special dinner 

with entertainment to follow for $25 per couple. 

April 7-18 Jewels of China Cruise 

Discover China’s most renowned imperial treasures 

and travel along the legendary Yangtze River as you 

take this journey from Shanghai to Beijing. Prices 

start at $2,827. 

ESU Offi ce of Alumni Relations 

Upcoming Events 

Alumni Association 

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania 


East Stroudsburg, PA 18301-2999 

April 14 NYC Car Show or Met Trip 

Leave ESU via motorcoach for NYC to see what’s 

hot in automobiles at the NY International Auto 

Show at the Jacob Javits Center or take in 5,000 

years of art at the famous NY Metropolitan 

Museum of Art. $25 per person for auto show, 

$30 for museum. 

April 22 Metro DC Brunch 

Treat yourself to an elegant brunch at the Army 

Navy Country Club in Arlington, Va. 

May 26- June 6 Waterways of the Czars 

Travel with Professor Brian Sickels from St. 

Petersburg to Moscow along the majestic Svir 

River. Prices start at $3,990. 

June 1 & 2 Alumni Reunion 

If your class year ends in a “2” or a “7” make 

plans to reunite with classmates this summer for a 

memorable weekend. 

July 4-16 British Isles Cruise 

From the spectacular vantage point of the Grand 

Princess, a British Isles cruise presents an enticing 

array of destinations: Ireland, Scotland, Wales and 

France. Prices start at $3,425. 

August 12 Alaska Cruise 

Sail aboard the ms Amsterdam roundtrip from 

Seattle, Wash. to the breathtaking glaciers of 

Alaska. Witness the spectacular wilderness that 

is home to bald eagles, whales, and bears. Prices 


www.esualumni.org 


October 6 Homecoming 

Everyone’s favorite event! Mark your calendars 

today for this fun fi lled weekend. 

October 27- Nov. 8 African Safari 

The best of Kenya driving safari allows you to visit 

magnifi cent national parks and see the beautiful 

country side via a minibus equipped with a roof 

viewing hatch and an experienced guide. Prices 


Other Spring/Summer/Fall events in the 

making: 

California 

Montgomery County (PA) 

DELCO (PA) 20 th Annual Gathering 

Bucks County (PA) 

Atlanta 

Delaware 

North Carolina 

Alumni Golf Outing 

NJ Beach Bash 

Scranton/Wilkes Barre 

NYC taping of an ABC TV show 

Mail your reservation/request to: 

Ahnert Alumni Center 




Or call in your guaranteed reservation to Tania at 

800-775-8975 , visit www.esualumni.org or email 

alumni@esu.edu 

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Sam '82 and Linda-Lee Troiani '83 Niedbala ... - Asoundstrategy

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