At <strong>The</strong> <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Scranton</strong>, we want our students to be motivated by the magis, a restless desire for excellence grounded in gratitude. This pursuit is one we hope lasts a lifetime as our alumni take their incredible gifts — strengthened by our Jesuit principles <strong>of</strong> being “men and women for others” — and share them with the world. In the following pages, we highlight eight such <strong>Scranton</strong> alumni who have pursued pr<strong>of</strong>essional excellence, all while serving the needs <strong>of</strong> others. Love consists in sharing what one has and what one is with those one loves. T h e S c r a n t o n J o u r n a l Love ought to show itself in deeds more than in words. ST. IGNATIUS OF LOYOLA
97 G99 Ge<strong>of</strong>f Speicher Alumnus Successfully Melds Music and Computers Ge<strong>of</strong>f Speicher ’97, G’99 is a model <strong>of</strong> humility. He co-owns a computer company, but he goes by the title <strong>of</strong> s<strong>of</strong>tware engineer. to maintain a pipe organ at <strong>The</strong> <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Scranton</strong>’s concert hall, yet he credits others for the campaign. He’s also a pr<strong>of</strong>essional musician who plays tenor trombone, bass trombone and tuba, but <strong>of</strong>ten plays out <strong>of</strong> his love for music rather than money. “I try to let my actions speak for themselves,” says the 35-year-old native <strong>of</strong> Archbald, who earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a master’s in s<strong>of</strong>tware engineering. Those who know Speicher, however, say this self-described quiet guy displays a deep passion for his work and music that is rare in today’s world. “I’m seldom speechless,” says Cheryl Boga, the <strong>University</strong>’s director <strong>of</strong> Performance Music. “But I can’t find the words to show the level <strong>of</strong> respect I have for Ge<strong>of</strong>f Speicher.” “I can’t imagine the last 12 years <strong>of</strong> the music program without him,” she continues. “He has become one <strong>of</strong> my dearest friends, and he’s as committed as the day is long.” One <strong>of</strong> his commitments is the campaign to raise funding to maintain the <strong>University</strong>’s Austin Opus 301 symphonic organ. <strong>The</strong> in the church that became the <strong>University</strong>’s Houlihan-McLean Center, home <strong>of</strong> the college’s Performance Music program. “As an undergraduate, I was always fascinated by this Goliath <strong>of</strong> an instrument that had fallen into a state <strong>of</strong> disrepair,” says Speicher, who plays with the <strong>University</strong>’s band. (His daughter Alyssa, a high school senior, plays bassoon with the band.) After the organ was restored in 2005, the next step was to create a fund to maintain it “in perpetuity,” he says. True to his nature, Speicher gives much <strong>of</strong> the credit for the fund to Mike Manzano ’90, who plays tuba with the band. “Ge<strong>of</strong>f’s very, very generous, but he’s also very humble,” says Manzano. “He’ll be part <strong>of</strong> something, but he likes to be in the background,” Manzano says. “He doesn’t want to take credit. He’s not a cheerleader for himself.” When he’s not pursuing his musical passions with the <strong>University</strong>’s band or as a pr<strong>of</strong>essional trombone player in the <strong>Scranton</strong> area, Speicher is writing s<strong>of</strong>tware for his company, S<strong>of</strong>tware Engineering Associates in Archbald, a 15-person firm he co-founded in 1999. “It’s a funny thing,” he says <strong>of</strong> his work. “It’s a lot like music. You’re creating something from nothing.” “You have yourself, a computer, and an idea,” he says. “It’s up to your individual creative talent to see it through from there.” Speicher says his career choice was a difficult decision. “I was torn between music While writing s<strong>of</strong>tware is his day job, Ge<strong>of</strong>f Speicher ’97, G’99 is also an accomplished musician who <strong>of</strong>ten plays with the <strong>University</strong>’s band. He has been instrumental in the effort to raise $100,000 to maintain a pipe organ in the <strong>University</strong>’s Houlihan-McLean Center. and computers,” he recalls, but ultimately decided on computers and hasn’t looked back. His dedication to his field is manifested in a project that’s been 10 years in the making: a s<strong>of</strong>tware-writing tool he’s just beginning to market. At the <strong>of</strong>fice, Speicher is “incredibly focused, and talented above all,” says Eric Tallman ’06, a s<strong>of</strong>tware engineer whom Speicher hired. “I’ve been here three years, and I still learn a ton from him every day,” Tallman says. “I’m one <strong>of</strong> those fortunate people who loves coming to work because I know what’s waiting for me. Ge<strong>of</strong>f’s always looking for ways to improve himself and the work we do.” For Speicher, whether it’s playing his trombone or working at his “day job,” the key to his success is self-motivation. “I think the best advice I can give,” he says, “is to find something that you love and go after it.” ! I N PURSUIT OF THE M a g i s
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