A Memorable - King's College

Winter 2011-12
A Memorable
A New Leader Inaugurated
Fall
King’s Aids Community
in Flood Recovery
Also: King’s Connection to Bruce Springsteen – page 8

President’s Message
Dear Alumni,
This is my first letter in Pride as president of King’s College. At the beginning of
the semester I welcomed our first year students. I told them: You and I share the
“first-year” label; you as a first-year student at King’s College and I as a first-year
president at King’s College. This “first-year” experience is new to both of us. It is a
label pregnant with hope, freshness, adventure and possibility yet also a label that can
make us a bit anxious, unsure, nervous and frightened. These “first-year” feelings
can be a wonderful thing; for these feelings speak of our changing--and to grow is to
change, and to grow much is to change much. I told them that change is central to
the mission of King’s College and, indeed, the title of the King’s College strategic plan
is: “a shared commitment to changing students’ lives.”
The alumni and friends of King’s College share in that commitment to changing
students’ lives. At the Inauguration ceremonies in October, I mentioned that the
students are the reason why King’s College exists. The language of our most central
statements of mission are directed towards students: To prepare them for meaningful
and satisfying lives; to teach them not only how to make a living but how to live;
to provide them the competencies to see and the courage to act; and to educate
both their heart and mind. Thank you for supporting King’s College in this noble
profession and sacred privilege of changing students’ lives.
May God bless you and your family and may God continue to bless
King’s College.
Sincerely,
Rev. Jack Ryan, C.S.C.

Contents
Winter 2011-12
PRESIDENT
Rev. John Ryan, C.S.C., Ph.D.
SENIOR STAFF
Director of Campus Ministry
Rev. Richard Hockman, C.S.C.
Vice President for Student Affairs
Janet Mercincavage, C.P.A.
Vice President for Business Affairs and
Chief Financial Officer
Lisa Marie McCauley, Ed.D., ’82
Vice President for Academic Affairs
Nicholas A. Holodick, Ed.D.
Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Frederick Pettit, Esquire ’96
EDITOR
Director of Public Relations
John McAndrew ’84
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Assistant Director of Public Relations
Joseph Giomboni ’03, M.S. ’07
Public Relations Office Coordinator
Nora Conway
Intern
Tammi Sager ’12
SPORTS
Director of Sports Information
Robert Ziadie
Assistant Director of Sports Information
Craig Butler
ALUMNI
Director of Alumni Relations
Laura Haden ’04
Assistant Director of Alumni Relations
Rose Gryskevicz ’96
Alumni Secretary
Nancy Harworth
DESIGN
Nanette Bozentka, Llewellyn & McKane, Inc.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Citizens’ Voice (cover left), Times Leader (cover right, 6),
Photography by Andy (2, 3, 4, 16, 19(left), 20(left center),
21), Frank Lauri (10, 11(left), 14), Mike Touey (11(right),
Daniel Burke Photography (29)
PRINTING
Llewellyn & McKane, Inc.
Pride is published two times a year by the King’s College
Public Relations Office. It is distributed to alumni, parents
of students, donors, and other friends of the College.
Comments should be addressed to Laura Haden, Director
of Alumni Relations, laurahaden@kings.edu, (570) 208-
5879; or John McAndrew, Director of Public Relations,
johnmcandrew@kings.edu, (570) 208-5958. Write: PRIDE,
King’s College, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711
ON THE COVER:
The fall semester welcomed a
rollercoaster of emotions as the King’s
Community helped various Wyoming
Valley locations recover from a record
flood and inaugurated a new president
in the span of four weeks.
Scan the code with your smart phone
or tablet for immediate electronic access
to this issue of Pride. (Or go to
http://www.kings.edu/PRIDE)
2 News on Campus
F Meet the Class of 2015
F
F
Pettit Named Vice President for Institutional Advancement
King’s Connection to Bruce Springsteen
4 King’s Feature
F An Eventful Fall Semester
9 Faculty Profile
F Jonathan Malesic, Ph.D.
10 Monarch Sports
F Winter Preview
F
F
F
F
Fall Wrap-up
Winter Sports Preview
Steven Wilson ’03 Profile
Winter Sports Schedule
16 Staff Profile
F Valerie Musto ’82
17 Alumni Profile
F Mark Brezinski, M.D., Ph.D. ’82
19 Alumni Events & Gatherings
F Reception for Father O’Hara
F
F
F
Legacy Luncheon
Homecoming/Reunion Weekend
KWAC Career Day
23 Alumni Profile
F Laszlo Szabo ’61
24 Faculty Updates
26 Alumni News & Notes
29 Donor Profile
F Tom Kovalich ’68

NEWS ON CAMPUS
Meet the Class of 2015 by Tammi Sager '12
Kiel Eigen
Commuting and navigating campus
seems to be working out nicely for Kiel
Eigen, despite the fact that he’s been in
a wheelchair since the eighth grade. In
2006, Eigen tackled another player to the
ground during a football game, taking a
helmet to his spine and breaking his C-5
vertebrae on impact. He has had to adjust
to being in a wheelchair ever since – thankfully, King’s has done
everything they could to make that adjustment easier for him.
An Old Forge resident, Eigen chose King’s because it had
the academic program he was interested in and he would be
close enough to commute but far enough away that he could
fully grasp the college experience. “I love the professors here.
They’ve been extremely understanding and it’s easy to get close to
them – especially my advisor,” Eigen said. “King’s has been very
accommodating to my needs.” He felt comfortable coming here,
especially since he knew other people from the Old Forge area
who attend King’s. Having friends here made his transition easier.
In his spare time, Eigen enjoys writing motivational rap songs.
“Writing rap songs has been a great way to express my feelings,”
he said. “Rap songs are exactly like poetry, but are expressed
differently.” Eigen’s dream is to be a rapper, but his motivation
is to be a lawyer. “I had a lot of issues with insurance companies
after my accident. As a lawyer, I would like to help people like
me get help and get what they deserve.” As a criminal justice
major and political science minor, Eigen has already begun his
journey toward that goal.
For his first year, Eigen has decided to “take in King’s
environment and get to know people around campus.” He
hopes to become involved with campus activities and other
organizations on campus.
Stephanie Widdoes
Committing to King’s was not a difficult
decision for Stephanie Widdoes. She
instantly fell in love with the campus
after visiting the College’s website. “After
visiting the campus and staying overnight
with members of the swim team, I knew
King’s was everything I dreamed of – it
was the perfect fit,” Widdoes said. She
was enamored by the small college environment that King’s
had to offer while at the same time being located within a city.
“The mix of the two atmospheres was a nice touch.”
History and being involved with children have been passions
of this Mount Laurel, New Jersey, resident for as long as she
could remember. She loves history and wants to teach kids
to love history as much as she does. Impressed by the King’s
education program and its high placement rates, Widdoes felt
that “King’s was the best place to learn how to be a teacher.
Already, my classes have reinforced my instincts.”
The hardest part of transitioning to life at King’s: being
separated from her fraternal twin sister. “King’s has made this
transition easier for me. King’s has become home, and I was
able to get to see her during the events at Family and Friends
Weekend. And there’s always a lot of activities to help me meet
new people. ”
At King’s, Widdoes has become involved with the History
Society and the Education Club. She particularly enjoys her
position working in the Admissions Office as a tour guide,
which she describes as “showing other people my home.” She
would like to study abroad in Ireland for a semester because
“learning about Ireland’s history and culture from experience
rather than books would simply be amazing.”
Marisa Yanuzzi
Jazz music has deeply influenced freshman Marisa Yanuzzi by helping her come out of her shell. In high
school, she became involved with a jazz ensemble and simply fell in love with the music. For Yanuzzi, there
“was nothing better than playing my saxophone and making jazz music.”
Choosing King’s came naturally to the Hazleton resident: “the small class sizes made for a comfortable
learning environment and the Catholic identity was merely an extension of my home life,” Yanuzzi said. “I
would have gotten lost at a big school. Here, everyone is friendly and knows everyone – I like that.” She knew
that she loved King’s atmosphere after her experience visiting the College her senior year.
King’s has already made an impact on Yanuzzi’s life. After the historic flood this past September, she joined the King’s community
as a volunteer helping to clean out affected homes in the downtown Wilkes-Barre area. Reflecting on the experience, Yanuzzi said,
“I was deeply moved by just how appreciative the Wilkes-Barre people were for our help. It made me want to become more involved
with service.”
Long-term, the psychology major would like to use the knowledge she obtains at King’s to “get a job that she enjoys that would
help other people – maybe counseling.”
At King’s, Yanuzzi hopes to become involved with campus activities and Sigma Kappa Tau, the sorority on campus. Eventually, she
would like to do her part to expand King’s music programs so she could utilize her jazz experience on campus.
2 Pride ✦ Winter 2011-12

Kathleen Cheseldine
Music has always played a huge role in the
life of Kathleen Cheseldine. Throughout
her life, she has done everything from
writing her own songs to playing the guitar
and flute to becoming a flute instructor in
her hometown of Waldorf, Maryland. Her
dedication to music has helped her find a
home playing the flute at Mass as a part of music ministry at King’s.
Despite living four hours away, Kathleen knew King’s was
perfect for her the minute she set eyes on it. Her high school,
Bishop McNamara, was Holy Cross affiliated, and she had
been “looking for the same family environment, but at a college
location.” When she came to visit, she knew that she had found
what she was looking for. “I loved that King’s gave me the
opportunity to have a one-on-one relationship with my professors.
That really means a lot to me,” Cheseldine said. “Going to a
school with similar values and with such a close-knit environment
made the transition away from home much easier.”
A member of the soccer team, Cheseldine said that the
teamwork and camaraderie she’s experienced have become one
of her favorite things about King’s. “I love how personal it is
here,” she said. “People actually care.”
A physician assistant studies major, Cheseldine is also the
recipient of the Dujarie Scholarship, a full-tuition scholarship
for students who attended a Holy Cross affiliated high school
and who also have demonstrated exemplary leadership,
scholastic achievement and community service.
While at King’s, Cheseldine plans on becoming involved with
the Shoval Center for Community Engagement and Learning.
She would like to partipicate in the SERVE trips, but she would
also like to help members of the local community. “People
opened up their homes to me during the flood and it was
comforting to know that people were there for me,” Cheseldine
said. “I’d like to be that person for someone else.” In addition,
she plans on studying abroad at the end of her sophomore year –
hopefully with the Irish-American program.
Peter Kmec
Studying abroad is nothing new for Peter
Kmec, a resident of Kosice, Slovakia.
Kmec first came to the United States
his junior year of high school as a
foreign exchange student at nearby Holy
Redeemer High School. Motivated to
learn English, Kmec decided to continue
his “study abroad” experience by looking
at colleges within the United States. At Holy Redeemer, Kmec
“loved the small Catholic school environment and wanted to
go to a college with the same environment and similar values.”
Naturally, King’s was the perfect fit.
“King’s was perfect for me because I’m not just a number to
them,” Kmec said. “It’s a family here. The friends I’ve met at
King’s are my family now. And, it’s not hard to become involved
here because King’s gives us so many opportunities to choose
from.”
Kmec, an international business and accounting major,
has been able to utilize his fascination with numbers both in
and out of the classroom environment as a member of the
Accounting Club and as treasurer of the Class of 2015. He is
also a part of the Emerging Leaders Program. Working in the
Admissions Office has helped him “become friendlier and is a
great way to meet new people and show potential students that
we are a family here.”
Post-graduation, Kmec would like to join an international
business firm to help with globalization efforts, preferably a
United States firm based somewhere in Europe. “While I love
studying in the United States, I would prefer to be in Europe,
closer to my family.”
Reflecting back on his decision to commit to another four
years away from his home, Kmec doesn’t regret a thing. “I am
already in my dream school, Kmec said. I’ve only been here for
a few months and already King’s has shown me time and again
it’s a great place to go to school.”
Pettit Named Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Frederick, “Freddie” Pettit, Esquire ’96,
has been appointed Vice President for
Institutional Advancement at his alma mater.
In the position, Pettit will coordinate the
College’s fundraising efforts as well as alumni,
government, and public relations functions.
“I am thrilled that Freddie Pettit, a true
example of an alumnus who has taken great
advantage of his King’s liberal arts education,
has decided to return to campus and lead the College’s efforts in these
very important areas,” said Father John Ryan, C.S.C., King’s president.
Pettit is a 1996 magna cum laude graduate with a major in political
science and a philosophy minor. He was president of both the
College’s political science and philosophy honor societies and, at his
commencement, was awarded the John P. Moses Award for Public Law.
He went on to earn his law degree from the James E. Beasley School
of Law at Temple University and was appointed an Assistant District
Attorney in the Appeals Unit of the Office of District Attorney in
Philadelphia, a position he held for three years. He was an associate
and, later, shareholder with the law firm of Anderson Kill & Olick, P.C.,
and, most recently, was a principal with the law firm of Offit Kurman.
He worked in each of the firm’s Philadelphia offices. Part of his law firm
duties included representing non-profit organizations on a variety of
matters.
He was recognized as a “Rising Star” by Pennsylvania Super Lawyers
four times in a six-year period.
“It is an honor to be coming ‘home’ to King’s College,” said Pettit.
“King’s and its people had a profound impact on my life and the lives of
countless others. I am thrilled to have this opportunity to help advance
the mission of King’s in a substantial way. Under the leadership of
Father John Ryan, C.S.C., a special man and a uniquely talented leader,
these are truly exciting times at King’s.”
Pettit has extensive volunteer experience with King’s, serving on
both the President’s Council and on the Steering Committee for
the College’s Philadelphia Alumni Club. He is also active in the
community, including service as a member of the board of the Playwicki
Farm Foundation.
Pride ✦ Winter 2011-12 3

n ventful A E
Fall Semester
Inauguration
of Father Ryan
Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton ’82,
providing greetings to attendees of the
inauguration of Father Ryan as ninth president
of King’s, drew the first humorous reaction from
the crowd when he said, “I have recently lived
through an earthquake, a tropical storm and
a hurricane, and only now can I say I’ve seen
everything. An alumnus of Wilkes has been
named president of King’s College.”
After surviving a triad of weather events in
his first two-and-a-half months after assuming
office on July 1, Father Ryan was able to
officially be installed as King’s president on, Bishop Bambera provides comments at the Inauguration. The cross-and-anchor sculpture was
presented to Father Ryan as a gift from the College community.
ironically enough, a perfect weekend of weather
in early October. Among those in attendance
were representatives from 43 colleges and universities, 61 King’s countries, including the United States, Chile and Uganda. Jack
graduating classes, and more than 120 student organizations and (Ryan), that’s a shout-out from three continents.”
programs.
After receiving the Presidential Medallion, Father Ryan led off
Rev. David Tyson, C.S.C., Provincial for the United States his comments by saying, “I am deeply honored to be inaugurated
Province of the Congregation of Holy Cross, reminded the crowd today as the ninth president of King’s College and it is certainly
of more than 700 people that the day was one of celebration in wonderful to have so many good people come forward and say
Wilkes-Barre and around the world among Holy Cross priests, such wonderful things in their greetings – especially since I am
brothers and sisters. “Congregation members are active in many not even dead yet”
More than 50 priests concelebrated the Inauguaration Liturgy.
4 Pride ✦ Winter 2011-12

Later he indicated that the emphasis for the day was misplaced.
“This is not my inauguration so much as it is the inauguration
of your president. This is an opportunity for us to celebrate
and to give thanks for the King’s Community and for all those
communities and persons that are so closely associated with King’s:
the city of Wilkes-Barre, clergy of the diocese of Scranton, the
Congregation of Holy Cross, other academic communities and, in
a special way, my family, friends and neighbors.”
Later he commented, “I think falling in love is a helpful way
of thinking about the mission of higher education in general and
at King’s College in particular. What could be more exciting
and rewarding than to help others fall in love! To fall in love
with learning, a career choice, a vocation, a spouse; with truth,
beauty, goodness, and God are ways in which we as a learning
communities share a commitment to changing student’s lives. A
college or university is a place where professors, staff and students
together, motivated and empowered by a love for learning, pursue
the truth in various and sundry ways.”
Father Ryan also quoted from Saved by Hope, the encyclical of
Pope Benedict XVI, saying, “The present, even if it is arduous, can
be lived and accepted if it leads toward a goal, if we can be sure of
this goal, and if this goal is great enough to justify the effort of the
journey… The one who has hope lives differently; the one who
hopes has been granted the gift of new life.”
A native of the Parsons section, Father Ryan is the first president
in the history of King’s to be a Wilkes-Barre native. (A video
of Father Ryan’s address is available at http://www.kings.edu/
news_and_events/ryan_inaugural_address).
be here again We love having him around. He gives the best
homilies! … Have a nice day, Father.’ ”
The installation ceremony came a day after an inaugural Mass
of Thanksgiving celebrated by Rev. Richard Warner, C.S.C.,
Superior General of the Congregation of Holy Cross, who flew
from Rome to be present for the inauguration activities. Symbolic
of King’s place in the Congregation and the Diocese of Scranton,
there were more than 50 priests who served as concelebrants.
At a reception following the Mass, Father Ryan was presented
with a miniature version of Spec Unica, the cross-and-anchor
statue of the symbol of the Holy Cross Congregation. The fullsize
campus statue, located outside Holy Cross Hall, is based on
the motto of the Congregation, “Ave Crux, Spes Unica!” or “Hail
the Cross, our Only Hope!” The gift to Father Ryan was funded by
a special collection among all King’s employees.
Tropical Storm Lee
King’s students from the past four decades have seen the
markers on campus detailing the level of flooding from Hurricane
Agnes in June 1972. The Susquehanna River reached a level
of 41 feet, four feet higher than the levees that existed at that
time. The resulting flooding not only devastated King’s, but also
downtown Wilkes-Barre and many homes for miles surrounding
the river.
The Most Reverend Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of the Diocese
of Scranton, provided closing remarks and the benediction at the
inauguration ceremony. “Father Ryan, the Diocese sees King’s
College in the same way that it sees itself – grounded in a deep
belief in God and a profound respect for the human person –
committed to the pursuit of knowledge – determined to promote
justice – dedicated to the gospel value of servant leadership. …
And for the years that you have been among us as an educator
and priest, you have given us every reason to believe that you too
see King’s College in just the same way.
“Father Ryan, because you’re a native of this area, many of us
have had the privilege of knowing you for a long time. Being
a native of this area myself, our friendship can be traced back
many years, and was particularly fortified by our joint efforts
serving together in Saint John Bosco Parish in Conyngham
where I served as pastor and you were a weekend mass
celebrant. … Jack, I’ll let you in on a little secret that I kept
for years. Although I was always grateful for your help, you
weren’t the best person to have around for my own ego needs.
I could spend hours on a homily, and at the end of mass
virtually every weekend, what did I have to listen to as people
were leaving mass ‘Father Bambera – when will Father Ryan
Pride ✦ Winter 2011-12 5

For King’s, the timing of the flood was
fortuitous, since it occurred outside the
traditional academic year of August through
May. The campus was able to sufficiently
recover to begin the next academic year on
time. But many wondered: What would
happen if a flood occurred during an
academic year
That scenario almost became reality in
mid-September when the Susquehanna,
already swelled by a hurricane two weeks
earlier, rose to record levels as a result of
three days of precipitation from Tropical
Storm Lee. The King’s campus, as part
of a process involving 65,000 Luzerne
County citizens, was ordered to evacuate
on Thursday, September 8. The College
was given approximately eight hours to
evacuate all students and to close and
secure all buildings. The closing included
turning off all power, thereby shutting
down the College’s phone and computer
systems.
Students were given the options of going
to their own homes, leaving with a fellow student, or going to an
evacuation site at Heights Elementary School in east Wilkes-Barre
that was designated for their exclusive use. The site also offered
an available cafeteria in which members of the campus dining
services staff would be able to prepare and serve food for the
duration of the evacuation.
In true King’s fashion, many students opened their homes to
fellow students who could not arrange transportation to their
residences before having to evacuate. Some students spent the
evacuation period with faculty or staff members. After initially
estimating that several hundred (about one-fifth of the more than
1,000 King’s students living in College housing) would spend the
evacuation period in Heights Elementary School, approximately
25, accompanied by student and adult members of the Residence
Life Staff , were transported by College vehicles to the site.
A posting on the King’s facebook page described the cooperative
spirit that existed during the emergency. “I would like to thank
the generous family who has let my son come stay with them
through the evacuation.”
Almost all of the students temporarily relocated to Heights
Elementary School were able to make alternate arrangements
within the first 24 hours of its opening and the site was closed
on Friday, September 9, the same day that the river eventually
reached a height of more than 42.5 feet, nearly two feet higher
than Agnes levels. While the improved levee system protected
King’s and, for the most part, the city of Wilkes-Barre, many others
A member of the King’s contingent sent to Exeter helps dispose of flood-damaged items.
located both above and below Wilkes-Barre were not as fortunate.
The evacuation order was lifted as of 2:30 p.m. Saturday,
September 10. The College immediately began efforts to open
College housing at noon on Sunday, September 11, and open for
classes at 8 a.m. September 12.
Members of the King’s Community, coordinated by the
outreach efforts of Campus Ministry and the Shoval Center for
Community Engagement and Learning, rolled up their collective
sleeves and immediately began participating in a variety of service
projects.
Volunteers travelled to West Pittston and Exeter, two of the areas
hardest hit by the flood waters, on September 13, just one day
after the resumption of classes. The West Pittston trip was a joint
effort with the Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce and the need
for volunteers at the Exeter location was requested by a King’s
graduate through the College’s facebook page. Students and
staff also assisted cleaning a flooded basement at a Volunteers of
America group home for trouble youth located a block away from
campus.
The following day, a crew from the College responded to a
request for help from Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton ’82
to assist elderly residents in the Brookside area of Wilkes-Barre.
Members of the football team that were from nearby Columbia
County, which was also hard hit from the flood, were able to lend
assistance.
The Shoval Center also identified King’s students and staff
6 Pride ✦ Winter 2011-12

and faculty members whose homes were destroyed or who were
otherwise in need of assistance. A “Giving Tree” was set up in
the Campus Center with lists of needed items and a fund was
established in the Business Office to accept cash donations for
King’s flood victims.
Father Ryan sent the following e-mail to the King’s Community
following the end of the evacuation. “I am grateful that our
collective prayers were answered and that all of King’s students
and employees were evacuated safely and that the campus was
spared from any major damage. I ask all members of the King’s
family to keep in their thoughts those who suffered loss during
this record flood. As we prepare to resume “normal” operations,
I would be remiss not to express my gratitude at how quickly and
effectively the College’s employees and student members of the
residence life staff acted when the evacuation was announced and
in the following three days. I also want to thank, on behalf of the
entire campus, the federal, state, county, and Wilkes-Barre city
officials who admirably performed their vital functions during
the flood.”
A letter of appreciation from Volunteers in America read in part,
“Your willingness to provide meals for our residents, homeless
young adults, was a gift and a blessing to them and our agency.
Your generous offer to allow them to eat in the King’s cafeteria was
very, very helpful. As King’s does so often in our community, you
put faith into action and served those in need.”
Juvenile Justice Mentoring
The King’s Community unveiled its latest in a long line of
cooperative public service programs just several days following
Father Ryan’s inauguration. The formation of the Juvenile
Justice College Mentoring Program of Luzerne County was
announced at an on-campus news conference attended by both
College and Luzerne County officials, including several of the
county judges.
The program involves King’s students mentoring first-time,
non-violent juvenile offenders. The juvenile offenders meet oncampus
with their mentors for two supervised 90-minute sessions
a week for four weeks. The sessions, the first of which started in
mid-October, will be held at least once every academic semester.
implementation. Student volunteers came from the sophomore
through senior classes and represent a wide range of academic
disciplines.
Luzerne County offices involved in the program include the
District Attorney’s Office, Public Defender’s Office, Juvenile
Probation Office, Youth Aid Panels, Children and Youth
Department, Department of Mental Health Services, Luzerne
County Commissioners and Luzerne County District Justices.
The program will act in concert with the newly formed Youth
Aid Panels as a diversionary program to prevent cases from rising
to the level of a court proceeding and will provide the court an
additional tool in cases involving juveniles.
Paul Lindenmuth, associate professor of criminal justice, said
the program will be more educational than punitive and will
demystify the opportunities, like college, that are available to
juveniles.
“We’re not looking at judging these individuals,” said
Lindemuth. “We’re looking at educating them so they make
better decisions in the future.”
“This is the epitome of involvement in the community,”
said Judge Joseph Cosgrove before he swore in the student
volunteers. “We every day see situations where involvement
could have prevented what we judges must deal with.”
The College assisted the County to apply for a federal grant to
fund the program. When the funding wasn’t approved, King’s
decided to supply the funding to get the program started. “A
program like this should not be delayed because of cost,” said
Father John Ryan, C.S.C., president.
The program is similar to one developed in the Lehigh Valley
of Pennsylvania. The program originated at Moravian College
in Bethlehem, but has subsequently been adopted at other
Lehigh Valley colleges and universities. Eventual expansion is
also a goal of King’s and Luzerne County officials.
Lindenmuth reported hearing of positive behavior changes
from either the parents or principals of several juvenile offenders
who participated in the first round of the program. He has
also attended a meeting of all local school superintendents to
introduce them to the program.
A television story detailing the program is available at http://
www.king’s.edu/PRIDE/index.htm
The mentoring sessions are divided into three-30 minutes
sections; one for homework aid; another for a program to
acclimate the participant to an academic department or public
service opportunity at King’s; and an opportunity for a light meal.
The program is being coordinated at King’s by the Criminal
Justice and Sociology Department. Department members
recruited 26 student volunteers for the first round of training and
Mentors sworn-in at
ceremony.
Pride ✦ Winter 2011-12 7

NEWS ON CAMPUS
Bruce Springsteen is considered by many an American icon.
A common reason cited for this distinction is that his songs are
about “real” people and the themes are relatable to “the common
man.” It wasn’t until this past summer that it was revealed
publicly that a subject of a Springsteen song is a King’s alumnus.
More than 25 years after the release of Born in the USA, one
of Springsteen’s most commercially successful albums, an article
appeared in The New York Times that for the first time publicly
identified the “friend (of Springsteen’s) who was a big baseball
player back in high school” referenced in the first verse of Glory
Days as Joe DePugh ’71.
DePugh’s family moved from the Bronx to Freehold, NJ, when
Joe was in seventh grade. He was assigned to share a desk with
Springsteen at St. Rose of Lima School. After school, the boys
would often walk to Springsteen’s
home one block from school and
play. DePugh recalls even sharing
some meals at Springsteen’s house.
While DePugh and Springsteen
both had a passion for baseball, there
was a vast difference in their talent
level. DePugh was a multiple-sport
athlete, including his talent for
pitching mentioned in the song.
Springsteen was an end-of-the-bench
athlete, getting to play only the
required innings in Little League
and rarely in Babe Ruth games. “It
seemed at that time of his life, he just
lacked confidence in both sports and
school,” DePugh said recently.
“We both went to the local public
high school, which was much bigger
than our elementary school,” said
DePugh. “We hung out with different crowds. My life was mostly
sports and Bruce started to wear a leather jacket. I had no idea of
his interest in music.”
DePugh was the oldest of six boys. His youngest brother died
suddenly of spinal meningitis, which emotionally devastated his
father. After the family moved to New Jersey, Joe’s father left and
moved back to New York. To make matters worse, Joe’s mother
was diagnosed with cancer while he was in high school.
Joe was supported by several teachers and coaches throughout
high school. They all helped try to find Joe the best opportunity
for college. While his grades were middling, Joe had the
athletic talent to attract some scholarship offers. His high school
basketball coach “knew someone who knew the freshman coach
at King’s”. Since King’s competed in Division II at that time, it
was able to offer Joe an athletic scholarship. His high school coach
urged him not spread himself too thin playing additional sports at
King’s or his studies might suffer.
DePugh continued to play baseball during his summer breaks.
After his freshman year at King’s, he attended an organized tryout
for the Los Angeles Dodgers. “There were several hundred
players there,” said DePugh. “I later found out the Dodgers were
only picking several from that group. I did not make the cut.
8 Pride ✦ Winter 2011-12
Connection to
DePugh and Springsteen
following one of their N.J. meetings.
That made my decision to return to King’s and continue playing
basketball an easy one.”
After being captain of the freshman team at King’s, DePugh
was named co-captain of the varsity team his sophomore year.
However, Joe’s mother died during that season. The time missed
attending to his mother’s burial and arrangements for his younger
brothers affected his playing time. While he played part of his
junior year, his attention was on other matters.
With an absent father at the time of his mother’s death, Joe’s two
youngest brothers were made wards of the state but Joe remained
their legal guardian. Joe concluded his studies at King’s in the
summer of 1971. He returned to New Jersey and was a substitute
teacher for the local school district and was a waiter at local
restaurants.
He met a divorced woman who had
three children and lived on a farm. He
eventually moved in with her and they
decided that they would remove his
younger brothers from their foster homes
so they could live together.
While at the farmhouse, eight years
removed from his last significant contact
with Springsteen, Joe picked up the local
newspaper and read of an up-and-coming
local musician. “Knowing how he lacked
confidence and not remembering him
once talking about being a musician, I
didn’t think it was possible it was the same
person, but it wasn’t a very common last
name.”
DePugh wanted to attend a
Springsteen concert in Asbury Park in the
fall of 1971. He arrived after the concert
had concluded. After asking a stagehand
if he could meet Springsteen, he was given the expected cold
shoulder. “Please, tell him it’s Joe DePugh.” Springsteen came
out and the two reminisced and Bruce eventually went with Joe
back to the farmhouse. But that was not the meeting mentioned
in the song
Saw him the other night at this roadside bar
I was walking in, he was walking out
We went back inside, sat down, had a few drinks
but all he kept talking about was glory days…..
The next time Joe saw Springsteen was in the summer of 1973.
Joe was playing in a summer basketball league and following a
game he went to the opposing team’s sponsor – the Headliner Bar
in Neptune, New Jersey.
“I was leaving the Headliner at about 9:30 p.m. and when I
get outside, here comes Bruce,” DePugh told the Wilkes-Barre
Times Leader recently. “We were both 24 years old and he was
just hitting it big in the music industry. We went back inside and
started talking, just like in the song.”
Unable to find a permanent teaching job, DePugh became an
independent contractor, eventually moving to Vermont after both
of his younger brothers graduated from high school. A friend
(See The Boss on page 28)

Faculty Profile
Jonathan Malesic, Ph.D.
As a high school student at St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute
in upstate New York, Jonathan Malesic found the subject of
religion boring, tedious. He respected the religious vocation and
doctrine, but he was more interested in science. Jon’s perspective
changed in college; he became more interested exploring the
mysteries of faith than solving complex physics equations.
“Life does change. You don’t always end on the path you
anticipate,” Jon said.
While still in high school, Jon attended a summer camp
at the Engineering New Frontiers Program at The Catholic
University of America in Washington, D.C., listening to lectures
and conducting hands-on experiments with faculty in the labs.
He enjoyed his time on campus and, packaged with a generous
scholarship, pursued a physics degree.
When he arrived in the nation’s Capital, Jon was required
to take four philosophy and four theology classes as part of
the Catholic University core curriculum. As a sophomore, an
introductory religion course by professor Michael Stoeber had a
profound effect on his future.
“He would ask these weird questions in class. I thought it was
real cool that there wasn’t one right answer,” Malesic said. “With
physics and math, there’s a process you need to follow to find a
solution. With religion, different philosophies lead to conflicting
answers. Eventually, my desire to explore those questions won
out.”
Jon’s interest in religion piqued and he soon double majored
in religion and physics, graduating summa cum laude. His
search for theological answers led him to the University of
Virginia, where he concentrated his religious studies on
theology, ethics, and culture. He was particularly attracted
to studying the work of Danish Christian philosopher Soren
Kierkegaard, who was known for his attempts to analyze and
revitalize Christian faith.
A majority of Jon’s academic research is based on one of
Kierkegaard’s most famous works, Fear and Trembling. He has
published numerous articles and reviews in academic journals
and presented on the book at academic conferences.
After Jon earned his doctorate in religious studies, he found
the job market flooded. He spent the next two years applying for
faculty positions while working in a parking lot across the street
from his alma mater.
“In the parking lot, I learned so much I didn’t learn in grad
school,” Malesic said. “A lot of the ideas I’ve had about work
were created there. About teamwork, relying on co-workers,
commitment to a task. Ever since then I’ve been trying to find
that unity of purpose.”
After serving as a lecturer at James Madison University and
visiting fellow at the University of Virginia, Jon came to King’s
in 2005. His academic research has steered toward how people
connect religious ideals with mundane matters. He’s interested
in why people work. Why we dress ourselves up each morning,
navigate gridlocked traffic, and spend 40 hours each week
consumed by an occupation. While many people would argue
we do it for the paycheck, Malesic believes there’s a deeper
meaning.
Malesic was recently rewarded with the funding to explore
the issue. This summer, King’s was awarded a grant from the
National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Enduring
Questions Program to develop and teach a course examining the
value of work. Jon has served as project director, developing the
course, titled “Why Work”
“College students are in a unique position to consider the
value of work, as they are both preparing for professions and
gaining the knowledge appropriate for a leisurely reflection on
life,” Malesic said. “I want students to understand their work
matters. Their work is part of something bigger. It’s not just about
a paycheck.”
In the core course available to students of all academic majors,
Jon examines the value of work from multi-disciplinary angles,
including economics, political science, philosophy, religion, and
history.
Malesic is currently associate professor of theology. He
also teaches courses on the history of Christian thought and
systematic and moral theology. He has written several essays
for the Chronicle of Higher Education, as well as articles on
Christian thought and modern secular philosophy for academic
journals.
His book, Secret Faith in the Public Square: An Argument for
the Concealment of Christian Identity, was awarded a gold medal
in the religion category of the 2010 Book of the Year Awards
presented by ForeWord Reviews.
When Jon is outside the classroom, he and his wife, Ashley, an
adjunct faculty member in the College’s English Department,
enjoy day trips to attend cultural events, museums and
restaurants in New York City and Philadelphia.
A native of Lancaster, N.Y., a town 8 miles outside of Buffalo,
Jon is the youngest of four children. He played defensemen for
his high school hockey team and still enjoys watching Buffalo
Sabres games.
Pride ✦ Winter 2011-12 9

Monarch Sports
King’s Winter Sports Teams
Eyeing Successful Campaigns
The King’s men’s basketball, women’s basketball,
wrestling and men’s and women’s swimming
teams will look to enjoy success when they embark on
their 2011-12 campaigns.
Men’s Basketball
The men’s basketball team was 15-10 a year ago and will face
the challenge of overcoming the loss of one of the finest players
in King’s history. Star center Kevin Conroy graduated in May
after wrapping up a brilliant career at King’s, scoring 1,437 points
to rank seventh on the Monarchs’ all-time scoring list.
Led by 11-year head coach J.P. Andrejko, the Monarchs do
return a solid core of players, including four starters. Heading
the list are seniors Kyle Stackhouse and Nick Reisig. Stackhouse
enters his fourth year as the team’s starting point guard and
comes off a strong junior year in which he averaged 8.8 points,
seven rebounds, and 4.28 assists. Reisig was a starting small
forward last year and contributed 7.5 points and 5.8 rebounds
while connecting on 33 three-pointers.
Junior Matt Fiorino is also back after starting 20 games at
shooting guard. A deadly long-range shooter, Fiorino averaged
11.1 points and connected on an outstanding 48.1 percent of his
three-point attempts. The final returning starter is sophomore 6-3
guard/forward Kyle Hammonds (pictured below) who earned
Freedom Conference “Rookie of the Year” honors last year.
Hammonds started all 25 games as a freshman and averaged 13.1
points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while canning 53 threepointers.
Hammonds sharpened his game
over the summer playing in Europe with a
Division III collegiate all-star team.
Another returning player who played a
significant role last season is sophomore Joe
Caffrey. With the ability to play both the
point guard and shooting guard positions,
Caffrey chipped in 3.3 points per-game and
proved to be a capable long-range shooter
with 13 three-pointers.
The Monarchs will play a challenging
schedule which includes the annual PNC/
Monarch Classic on December 9-10.
King’s will also participate in a new event
involving four local colleges. Previously, the
Wilkes-Barre Challenge would alternate
yearly between King’s and Wilkes and two
teams from outside the region would be
invited to play a round-robin event. Beginning this season the
event will be replaced by the Cross County Challenge in which
King’s and Wilkes will face off against Scranton and Marywood.
This season King’s will face Marywood Jan. 2 before meeting
Scranton Jan. 3.
Women’s Basketball
King’s women’s basketball squad enters the 2011-12 campaign
highly optimistic following a 16-10 season a year ago in which
the Lady Monarchs finished in a three-way tie for first-place in
the Freedom Conference. The Lady Monarchs eventually were
seeded third in the conference tournament due to tie-breakers
and lost to eventual champion DeSales in the semi-finals.
Under the direction of head coach Brian Donoghue, King’s
returns the overwhelming majority of its roster, welcoming back
12 of 13 players, including all five starters.
King’s will be paced by senior guards Brittany Muscatell and
Paige Carlin, both entering the season as three-year starters.
Muscatell has proven to be one of the most reliable point guards
in King’s history and averaged 7.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.0
assists. Muscatell has scored 529 points while distributing 268
assists in her career, averaging 89.3 assists each season. Carlin,
meanwhile, was a 2009-10 all-Freedom Conference second-team
selection, who was second on the team in scoring in 2010-11
with 10.8 points and 4.7 rebounds with 21 three-pointers.
Also returning for King’s is junior guard Celia Rader who
comes off a big 2010-11 season in which she earned second-team
all-Freedom Conference honors. As a sophomore, Rader topped
the team in scoring with 12.9 points and
with 60 three-pointers. Another returning
starter is fellow junior guard Kaitlin
Michaels who made a successful return to
the court last year after suffering a serious
knee injury as a freshman. Michaels
responded by averaging 9.3 points, 4.9
rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.2 steals with 22
three-pointers.
Other key returnees in the paint
include junior forwards Lindsay Atchison
and Molly Dahl. The 6-foot Atchisnon
started 13 games last season, averaging 7.5
points and 6.4 rebounds per-game. The
5-10 Dahl started 17 games and averaged
4.8 points and 5.1 rebounds.
Senior guard Abby Malloy adds
quality depth and experience to the
(See Winter Sports on page 14)
10 Pride ✦ Winter 2011-12

King’s Fall Sports Highlights
King’s College fall sports teams have wrapped up their respective seasons. Despite the
wins and losses, post-season successes and failures, injuries, and teams comprised of
inexperienced players, each squad was able to find a light at the end of the tunnel.
Field Hockey
The King’s field hockey team finished the year with a
12-6 record and advanced to the semi-finals of the Freedom
Conference Tournament before falling 2-1 to two-time
defending conference champion Eastern University. It marked
the 13th straight year the field hockey team has won 10 or more
games in a single-season. It was also ninth straight year King’s
has qualified for the Freedom Conference Tournament.
This was also the final season for King’s outstanding senior trio
of Jenera Quinones, Holly Mannucci and Shawna Walp who
won 52 games in their four seasons and led King’s to four straight
playoff berths.
Men’s Soccer
The King’s men’s soccer team concluded its season with a fine
10-5-2 record. However, a log-jam in the Freedom Conference
standings found five teams competing for the four playoffs
spots. The standings were so close the Monarchs entered the
final game of the year in third-place and could have wound up
anywhere from being in first-place to not qualifying, depending
on how the final conference game played out. Unfortunately,
the team dropped its final game of the year to eventual top-seed
Manhattanville and
missed out on the fourth
seed by a half-game.
The season also marked
the end of the career
of senior standout Joey
Bender (pictured left),
who will graduate as the
all-time leading scorer in
King’s history. In his four
years, Bender has tallied
106 points on 38 goals
and 30 assists, surpassing
the previous mark set by
Cameron Audette, who
scored 105 points from
2005-2008.
Cross Country
The King’s cross country teams enjoyed solid years with
squads comprised of many newcomers. At the Middle Atlantic
Conference Championships on October 29, participants
had the challenge of running in five inches of snow as a rare
October Nor’easter passed over the region. Despite the difficult
conditions, both teams made very respective showings. The
women’s team placed seventh in a 13-team field while the
youthful Monarch men were also
seventh among 14 squads.
For the women, freshmen Michon
Dinwoodie (pictured right) proved
to be a star of the future, leading all
Lady Monarch runners with a 27th
place finish among the field of 122
runners with a time of 26:37 in the
6K event. Four other team members
finished from 50th–70th place.
On the men’s side, sophomore
Robert MacNeal was the top runner
for the Monarchs, crossing the tape
in the 40th spot with a time of 30:03
in the 8K event. Two other freshman
runners and two sophomore harriers
also finished in the top 63.
Women’s Soccer
The King’s women’s soccer team endured a challenging
season plagued by injuries and illness to three top senior players.
Despite the adversity, the team won three more games than it did
the previous season as the Lady Monarchs finished the year with
a 4-15 mark.
The team battled on, though and ended the year with an
exciting 2-1 overtime victory over Manhattanville. Freshman
Samantha Beadle enjoyed a fine rookie year, leading the team
with 13 points on five goals and three assists, while senior
midfielder Brianne Schmidt wrapped up a solid career with 10
points on five goals. Freshman Angelina Renahan also proved to
be a player to watch in the future by scoring three goals.
Women’s Volleyball
King’s women’s volleyball squad faced a challenging season
with its squad comprised primarily of freshmen and sophomore
players. Inexperience combined with a more difficult schedule
resulted in a 3-20 mark. Sophomore Lauren Rockhold topped
the squad with 126 kills and 19 blocks. Junior Heather Bowman
had 123 kills with 152 digs, but was sidelined during the final
seven matches with an injury. Freshman Emily Heimbecker
enjoyed a fine rookie year with 107 kills, 110 digs, and 16 blocks
while fellow freshmen Kelsie Kramer tallied 61 kills and 15
blocks. Sophomore setter Amanda Horton distributed 237 assists
with 152 digs while freshman setter Kaleigh Brady dished out
179 assists. Junior libero Jillian Foster chipped in with a teamhigh
256 digs.
Pride ✦ Winter 2011-12 11

MONARCH SPORTS
Former Monarch Football Great
Steven Wilson
Remains a Man of Unique Talents
In mid August 1999, the King’s College football team
had just begun its pre-season training camp. A few days
into camp, the Monarch coaching staff had its players
line-up on the sideline for a grueling form of physical
conditioning known as Albany Drills. In this drill, the
players would run timed 200-yard sprints non-stop from
sideline to sideline. If as few as one player did not finish
the sprint under a certain time-frame, the entire team
would have an additional 200-yard sprint added. As the
players ran one after another Albany
Drill and the level
of fatigue grew,
one player began to
continually pull away
from the rest of his
teammates.
The player was not
a speedy wide receiver,
or a fleet-footed running
back. This player was a
freshman defensive end
named Steven Wilson.
That this 17-year
old rookie lineman was
standing out amongst
the rest of his teammates
during this exhausting drill
was one thing. The manner
in which Wilson was doing
it, however, was even more
telling. He ran with a level
of athleticism not normally
associated with defensive
linemen; a certain grace and
aesthetic quality that immediately portrayed the feeling
that Steven Wilson was not just different, he was special.
Wilson would go on to enjoy a spectacular career with
the Monarchs, becoming a two-time first-team NCAA
Division III All-American as well as the 2002 National
Defensive Player of the Year. Last year, eight years
after his graduation from King’s, he was selected to the
D3Football.com All-Decade Team.
As a player, he possessed a rare combination of
speed, strength, and technique that made him virtually
unblockable. Many of his statistics are still program
records, including 57 career quarterback sacks and 117.5
tackles for losses totaling an incredible 735 yards. Wilson
had a few NFL tryouts, but was unable to hook on
with teams who projected him as a
linebacker due to his size (6-foot-2,
240-pounds). But he lacked pass
coverage experience having played
in a three-point stance throughout
his King’s career.
Wilson did play one season
of Arena2 Football with the
now defunct Wilkes-Barre/
Scranton Pioneers and served
as an assistant coach at Wilkes
University. He also began boxing
at the Odyssey Fitness Center
in Wilkes-Barre. After a year
of training, he transformed
himself from a 245-pound
football player to a lean
215-pound boxer. He then
went on to the growing
sport of Mixed Martial Arts
(MMA).
“I found myself in
MMA by way of boxing,”
Wilson recalled. “After doing my NFL
workouts, working out at a mini-camp in Canada,
and finishing up with the Pioneers, I got into boxing.
I thought it would be cool to do something different
and won the Pennsylvania Golden Gloves in the Super
Heavyweight Division. Somehow after boxing, I became
interested in MMA. With about six months of ground
game training, I found myself in my first MMA fight and
won by a technical knockout by strikes in the first round.
12 Pride ✦ Winter 2011-12

As rare and unique an athlete as Wilson was during his
playing days at King’s, he is equally as unique today.
Nine years removed from his King’s graduation,
Wilson is many things. He is a full-time personal trainer/
conditioning coach in Philadelphia and Radnor and owns
his own business – 8 Days Later Fitness (www.8dlfitness.
com). He also trains in mixed martial arts and competes
in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments. He is a model,
working for both Wilhelmina Models and Reinhard
Model Management. And most important, he is a
husband, marrying the former Candice Collins on April
27, 2010 during a destination wedding in Iceland.
Wilson also began studying Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu,
a self-defense martial art and combat sport that
focuses on grappling, especially ground fighting and
submissions. The art of Jiu-Jitsu was derived from the
Japanese martial art Kodokan Judo in the early 20th
century.
Wilson currently trains in MMA and Brazilian
Jiu-Jitsu under Abu Dhabi Fighting Championships
competitor Rick Macualy, who himself was a one-time
King’s student. Wilson competes in Jiu-Jitsu tournaments
and has been successful. He won his Beginner and
Intermediate divisions without yielding a point in any
match. Wilson, however, has given up on the notion of
becoming a Mixed Martial Arts fighter. One main reason
is his side profession as a male model.
Under the watchful eye of Wilhelmina and Reinhard,
Wilson is smart enough to know from a financial
standpoint, MMA could be a detriment to his modeling
career. He has worked numerous modeling jobs, most
recently doing advertisements for Showboat and Harrah’s
Casinos; the National Football League, NFL SHOP, the
National Hockey League, Major League Baseball; Sony,
and Burlington Coat Factory.
“People ask me why I don’t fight anymore,” Wilson
stated. “I say joking but also very seriously, I am paid
more money modeling than I ever would be paid fighting
... so be smart.”
As a student-athlete at King’s, Wilson was extremely
popular on campus but was also admittedly shy. As a star
football player who helped the Monarchs win their first
Middle Atlantic Conference title in 2002, Wilson was
frequently sough-after by local newspapers and television
station reporters for interviews – a role he was not entirely
comfortable with.
Ironically, much of Wilson’s life now revolves around
being a public person. Modeling requires him to be in
front of cameras and numerous production personnel.
As a fitness instructor, he is constantly teaching in front
of his various pupils as he works with all types of the
population from baby boomers, Mixed Martial Arts
fighters, and children.
“I feel I was shy and quiet but have since taken the
more open route,” Wilson stated. “I am more comfortable
in my skin, not that I was ever embarrassed or ashamed
of myself. But I know that even at 18-years-old you know
very little about yourself. At 21, when I was traveling
to California, Canada, or other places for workouts by
myself, sitting in airports or hotels with no fan club, you
realize who you are and find out a lot about yourself. I
always loved working out so why not make it a part of my
life. The modeling came along by chance but it has really
helped my personality. I feel that you are always learning
more about the world and about yourself. “
And through it all, Wilson credits his involvement
in sports as playing a major role in the success he has
achieved in his still young life. He also credits his older
brother Andrew ‘00, a standout linebacker with the
Monarchs from 1996-99 and the current strength and
conditioning coach at the University of Maryland, for
helping him with his strength and conditioning while at
King’s.
“Out-working my opposition has always been my best
attribute. My brother Andrew was such a big influence
in my strength and conditioning and I would have never
received the accolades I did if it wasn’t for him. I was
never the smartest, or the fastest, etc., but my will and
always putting in the time to learn, has enabled me be
successful, whatever I am doing. Former King’s women’s
basketball All-American player Jen Wozniak (‘04) once
said to me ... ‘All-Americans never die, they are just
reborn.’”
An old adage from horse racing states ‘You can always
tell the winners at the starting gate’. From those early
days running Albany Drills at King’s College, it comes as
no surprise that Steven Wilson remains a winner.
Pride ✦ Winter 2011-12 13

MONARCH SPORTS
Winter Sports continued from page 8
backcourt, having played in 78 games during her King’s career.
Malloy averaged 2.7 points and hit on 14 three-pointers coming
off the bench a year ago. Fellow senior guard Nina Magan is
also back after battling multiple shoulder surgeries the past two
years and will also add depth to the backcourt. Another returning
contributor is senior guard-forward Samantha Simcox who enters
her second season with King’s after transferring from cross-town
rival Wilkes. The 5-8 Simcox is a gritty, hard-nosed performer
who played in 25 games last season and averaged 4.6 points and
5.0 rebounds.
Wrestling
The King’s wrestling team will welcome long-time head
coach Ned McGinley for his 43rd year as the Monarch boss.
The team comes off one of its most difficult seasons ever as the
2010-11 squad was ravaged by injuries, competed with a line-up
comprised of several freshmen, and faced a brutal schedule that
included 12 dual meets against nationally-ranked opponents.
The result was a 4-22-1 record, but the high level of competition
could do nothing but improve the Monarch squad.
The Monarchs will be bolstered by the return of senior All-
American Mike Reilly, a three-time Metropolitan Wrestling
Conference champion who placed sixth at the NCAA Division
III National Tournament at 174-pounds last year. Reilly, who
sported a 32-3 mark, will likely compete at 184-pounds this
season.
Also back is sophomore Tommy Desir who enjoyed a fine
rookie season with a 16-12 record as well as Peter Dwyer who
finished 10-7 at 197-pounds. King’s returns eight other grapplers
who gained valuable experience by wrestling in 14 or more
matches.
Swimming
King’s swim teams look to continue the progress it has made
under the leadership of third-year head coach Matt Easterday.
The women’s team enjoyed one of it finest seasons in several
years, posting a 6-7 dual meet record, while the men were
2-9. Sophomore Patricia Manning (pictured below) is the top
returning swimmer after she concluded an outstanding freshman
year by winning the Middle Atlantic Conference championship
in the 400 individual medley and placing fifth in the 200
individual medley and the 200 breast stroke.
Other key returnees include seniors Stephanie Hughes and
Amanda Casey while five freshmen look to add depth to the
squad. The men’s squad will be led by sophomores Justin Weilert
and Joe Westcoat while six freshmen will attempt to make an
immediate impact.
Change the Lives of King’s College Students
King’s College graduates stand out among their peers because King’s offers excellent education
experiences, superb faculty, continuous improvements to its programs and facilities, and a dedication to
cultivate both the minds and the hearts of its students. The generosity of our alumni and friends makes
this possible. When you support King’s College through a planned gift, your generosity memorializes your
special relationship with King’s through an enduring legacy.
There are many options to make a planned gift to King’s College.
The King’s website for planned giving offers a wealth of information
to consider depending on your personal circumstances and wishes.
Please visit www.kings.edu/giving and click on the “Planned Giving”
box. Examples of planned giving options are listed in the shaded box.
Thank you for considering a planned gift to King’s College.
Please contact Frederick A. Pettit, Esquire ’96, Vice President for
Institutional Advancement, at (570) 208-5882 or frederickpettit@
kings.edu if you have any questions or would like to discuss planned
giving options in more detail.
Gifts That Pay You Income
Charitable Gift Annuities
Charitable Remainder Trusts
Gifts You Make Today
Charitable IRA Rollover
Memorial and Honorary Gifts
Charitable Lead Trusts
Donor Advised Funds
Gifts That Benefit King’s College
After Your Lifetime Bequests
Bequests
Beneficiary Designations
Endowed Gifts
14 Pride ✦ Winter 2011-12

Athletic Schedule Winter 2011-2012
Men’s Basketball
December
3 Sat. FDU-Florham* Home 3:00 p.m.
6 Tues. PSU-Hazleton Away 7:30 p.m.
9 Fri. PNC Bank/Monarch Classic Home 8:00 p.m.
@ King’s College PSU-Harrisburg
10 Sat. PNC Bank/Monarch Classic Home 1 or 3 p.m.
@ King’s CollegeConsolation/Championship
January
2 Mon. Cross County Challenge @ Marywood Away 8:00 p.m.
3 Tues. Cross County Challenge @ Marywood Away 8:00 p.m.
7 Sat. Lycoming College Home 3:00 p.m.
11 Wed. DeSales University* Away 8:00 p.m.
14 Sat. Eastern University* Home 3:00 p.m.
18 Wed. Wilkes University* Home 8:00 p.m.
21 Sat. Manhattanville College* Away 3:00 p.m.
25 Wed. Misericordia University* Home 8:00 p.m.
28 Sat. DeSales University* Home 3:00 p.m.
February
1 Wed. Eastern University* Away 8:00 p.m.
4 Sat. FDU-Florham* Away 3:00 p.m.
8 Wed. Delaware Valley College* Home 8:00 p.m.
11 Sat. Manhattanville College* Home 3:00 p.m.
14 Tues. Misericordia University* Away 8:00 p.m.
18 Sat. Wilkes University* Away 3:00 p.m.
22 Wed. Freedom Conference Semi-Finals (Must Qualify) TBA TBA
25 Sat. Freedom Conference Finals (Must Qualify) TBA TBA
Women’s Basketball
December
3 Sat. FDU-Florham* Home 1:00 p.m.
6 Tues. Gwynedd-Mercy College Away 7:00 p.m.
8 Thur. Lycoming College Away 6:00 p.m.
29 Thur. Whittier College Tournament, Illinois Wesleyan Away 4:00 p.m
30 Fri. Whittier College Tournament, Regis College Away 2:00 p.m.
January
7 Sat. Neumann University Home 1:00 p.m.
11 Wed. DeSales University* Away 6:00 p.m.
14 Sat. Eastern University* Home 1:00 p.m.
16 Mon. Keystone College Away TBA
18 Wed. Wilkes University* Home 6:00 p.m.
21 Sat. Manhattanville College* Away 1:00 p.m.
25 Wed. Misericordia University* Home 6:00 p.m.
28 Sat. DeSales University* Home 1:00 p.m.
Events are subject to change; for early
season results, go to
www.kings.edu/athletics
February
1 Wed. Eastern University* Away 6:00 p.m.
4 Sat. FDU-Florham* Away 1:00 p.m.
8 Wed. Delaware Valley College* Home 6:00 p.m.
11 Sat. Manhattanville College* Home 1:00 p.m.
14 Tues. Misericordia University* Away 6:00 p.m.
18 Sat. Wilkes University* Away 1:00 p.m.
22 Wed. Freedom Conference Semi-Finals (Must Qualify) TBA TBA
25 Sat. Freedom Conference Finals (Must Qualify) TBA TBA
Wrestling
December
3 Sat. RIT Tournament Away 9:30 a.m.
7 Wed. Delaware Valley College Away 7:00 p.m.
January
7 Sat. Pennsylvania/New York Duals @ Lycoming Away 2:00 p.m.
13 Fri. Budd Whitehall Duals @ Lycoming Away 9:00 a.m.
14 Sat. Budd Whitehall Duals @ Lycoming Away 9:00 a.m.
18 Wed. Muhlenburg College Away 7:00 p.m.
20 Fri. York College of Pennsylvania Away 7:00 p.m.
26 Thur. Lycoming College Home 7:00 p.m.
28 Sat. Univ. of Scranton/Yeshiva Univ, NY Away 1:00 p.m.
@ Scranton
February
4 Sat. Tri Match @ Gettysburg w/Messiah, Away 12:00 p.m.
PSU Beaver, Gettysburg
8 Wed. Elizabethtown College Away 7:00 p.m.
11 Sat. CUNY-Hunter Away 7:00 p.m.
14 Tues. Centenary College Away 7:00 p.m.
17 Fri. Wilkes University Away 7:00 p.m.
26 Sun. Metropolitan Tournament Away 10:00 a.m.
@ Elizabethtown College
Men’s and Women’s Swimming
December
3 Sat. Franklin and Marshall Invitational Away 9:00 a.m.
4 Sun. Franklin and Marshall Invitational Away 10:00 a.m.
10 Sat. Lebanon Valley College* Home 1:00 p.m.
January
14 Sat. Messiah College and Arcadia Away 1:00 p.m.
18 Wed. Lycoming College and FDU-Florham Home 6:00 p.m.
21 Sat. Albright College Home 1:00 p.m.
28 Sat. Elizabethtown College Home 1:00 p.m.
February
10 Fri. MAC Swim Championships @ CYC Home TBA
11 Sat. MAC Swim Championships @ CYC Home TBA
12 Sun. MAC Swim Championships @ CYC Home TBA
Follow King’s Athletics through the following social media sites:
www.twitter.com/kings_monarchs
https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Kings- College-Pennsylvania-Athletics/152706981418071
*Freedom Conference game
Pride ✦ Winter 2011-12 15

MONARCH SPORTS
Staff Profile
Valerie Musto ’82
Biology Laboratory Director Valerie Musto ’82 epitomizes
the adage that volunteers are the “lifeblood” of an
organization. Her hard work and enthusiasm for, appropriately,
the American Red Cross, has helped save numerous lives in the
Wyoming Valley during the past three decades.
“I wanted to select a charity to lend my time and really liked
what the Red Cross did in our community,” Valerie said. “The
group really helps people on many fronts, including disasters,
first aid training and the blood program. I respected what they
did and wanted to become a part of that tradition.” Valerie has
championed three campus blood drives a year for more than 30
years, each with a unique theme.
Her commitment to assisting the Red Cross blood drives
began as a student at King’s. An employee of the organization
approached her table during lunch in the Susquehanna Room
seeking representatives from local colleges to volunteer for an
intercollegiate talent show fundraiser at the Irem Temple. She
served as the King’s representative for the talent show for several
years.
Valerie’s father Ken Hayden ’56 was a biology teacher at
Meyers High School, so she was interested in the sciences. She
originally enrolled in the Physician Assistant program, but then
became more interested in biology. She was active on campus,
serving as a student aide in the biology department, president of
the Biology Club, and eventually organized blood drives.
“The professors had interesting personalities and teaching
styles, which made me more interested in each succeeding
class,” Valerie said. “It was fun working with professors I just
had in class. I got to know them personally. We were like a big
family.”
As graduation loomed, Valerie considered lab work and
following her father’s footsteps to the classroom, but the
biology field was saturated with teachers. She enjoyed the
college setting and when she heard about a position opening
up in the College’s biology department, Valerie jumped at the
opportunity to apply for the position.
Valerie has served as Biology Laboratory Director for the past
28 years. She is responsible for ordering laboratory supplies
and equipment, supervising student aides, assisting with class
scheduling and laboratory support, and serves as the contact
person in biology for students, staff and the local community.
She has served on numerous college committees, taught firstyear
experience classes, and assisted with college events, such
as orientation and open houses. She created and moderates the
King’s College Blood Council, a student club. She is co-advisor
of Alpha Epsilon Delta, the Pre-Health Professions Honor
Society. She also has represented the College as a volunteer on
the Wilkes-Barre Center City Blood Council for nearly 20 years.
One of Valerie’s hobbies is designing elegant home spaces, an
interest she gained from her mother, Lenora, who is an interior
decorator. Lenora always took her clients to Tuft-Tex Carpets for
flooring. It was there Lenora met the owner and King’s graduate
Patrick Musto ’71 and introduced him to Valerie. The chemistry
was immediate and the King’s alums married in 1988.
Valerie’s favorite “job” is being a mom. She enjoys supporting
her daughters Olivia, 14, and Gianna, 10, and she shares an
interest in the young ladies’ many activities. After work, she’s
usually busy shuttling Olivia to volleyball or listening to Gianna
play the piano or flute during music lessons.
The Mustos live in Dallas. Patrick continues to manage the
family-owned Tuft-Tex Carpets. Unfortunately, Valerie and
Patrick have spent the fall semester cleaning and repairing the
Plains Township business, which was inundated with eight feet
of water during Tropical Storm Lee.
Valerie is proud of the family legacy at King’s College. In
addition to her father and husband, other King’s alums include
brother-in-law Martin Musto ’80, niece Katherine Luvender ’07,
and cousin Joseph Koncewicz ’09. Her niece, Rachel Sutliff, is
currently enrolled in the Masters of Education reading specialist
program.
“The values and nature of the institution have provided us
a sense of an extended family,” Valerie said. “King’s is the only
place I’ve ever known. My children also love this school and
talk about when they will come here as students. King’s College
has become part of our lives.”
16 Pride ✦ Winter 2011-12

Alumni Profile
Mark E. Brezinski, M.D. Ph.D. ’82
Mark Brezinski, M.D. Ph.D. ’82 spent his
childhood as a patient. He was instructed to
remain still while a specialist methodically tapped
around his skull, listening for abnormalities. His
mother, Mary, worried Mark and his younger brother
Damian ’84 were born with a congenital aneurysm; a
condition that a few years prior resulted in the death
of Mark and Damian’s 5-year-old brother, John.
Imaging systems like MRIs or CAT scans were
not available, making the now archaic tapping
Mark is shown with an OCT machine. This advanced technology was designed to
method modern science. Nearly 30 years later, the be compact and user-friendly. The image on screen is early rheumatoid arthritis,
medical imaging world was revolutionized when which could not be detected by any other modality.
Mark created optical coherence tomography (OCT).
This non-invasive technology produces two-or three- dimension was able to fuel another passion: boxing. A welterweight, Mark
images below the tissue surface, similar to a biopsy, allowing combined his competitive instincts with science to develop his
physicians to detect anomalies that otherwise never would have strategy. He focused on the basics: footwork and balance. His
been discovered during preliminary examinations. According to determination landed him in the ring against boxers from the
Mark, the device has the potential to save millions of lives. gym of the late Joe Frazier; he even defeated the University of
Mark excelled at nearby Nanticoke High School, earning
Notre Dame’s champ.
numerous scholarship offers. He selected King’s because he felt “My mother wouldn’t allow me to play football because she
small class sizes and personal attention from faculty would allow feared the wrong hit would cause a blood vessel to burst,” Mark
him to optimize his potential.
said. “And here I am boxing. It wasn’t exactly a smart decision,
“As soon as I visited campus, I knew I wanted to go here,”
but I had a passion for it.”
Mark said. “I knew everything was right. It was a perfect fit for After graduating summa cum laude from Thomas Jefferson
me. If I went to a large classroom, without the individualized University, Mark went on to pursue his postdoctoral training
attention from professors, I would have failed.”
at Harvard University and completed a residency at Brigham
Mark and Damian spent hours in the basement of the old
and Women’s Hospital. He became the first Thomas Jefferson
science building, examining specimens under an electron
graduate in 100 years to get accepted for a cardiology fellowship
microscope under faculty supervision. “At a larger school, twenty
at Mass General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, where
scientists would be fighting over that machine,” Mark said. “At
he subsequently became a staff member in the Cardiac Unit.
King’s, professors gave us a lot of free run to do experiments.” During one resident lecture, Mark learned there was no
Mark credits professors Bob Paoletti, Fred Sauls, and Frank
imagining system available with a high enough resolution to
Smith for fostering his interest in the sciences and preparing him
detect plaque in the arteries, which is critical in preventing a
for medical school. He graduated summa cum laude, majoring
heart attack. This information sparked numerous brainstorming
in chemistry and biology. He said he’s grateful for his liberal arts
sessions in search of a solution.
education because the flexibility allowed him to pursue all his In 1993, while attending an American Heart Association
interests, from business courses to the laboratory.
conference in Atlanta, Mark sat at a restaurant table and
“When I began to teach, I always told my students that courses
outlined his concept for what became optical coherence
you take in your major will get you a degree,” Mark said. “The
tomography on a paper napkin.
courses you take in the liberal arts get you through life.”
In October 1999, Mark developed a program to allow King’s
Mark completed his medical and doctoral training at Thomas
undergraduates to collaborate with researchers at MIT to further
Jefferson University in Philadelphia. In between classes, he
the development of OCT. The program exposed King’s students
Brezinski continued on next page
Pride ✦ Winter 2011-12 17

ALUMNI NEWS
Brezinski continued from previous page
to cutting-edge research, providing avenues for their professional
recognition and advancement.
After a decade of work that began in 1994 on limited funding,
the technology was released in 2010, has received approval from
the Federal Drug Administation, and is now available to health
care institutions in 47 countries and used in many clinics and
hospitals in the Wyoming Valley, including Geisinger Wyoming
Valley and Wilkes-Barre General Hospital.
Since that time, Mark has become a recognized leader in the
field with over 200 medical journal publications. He formed,
and later sold, the corporation Lightlab Imagining to help bring
OCT technology into the clinical setting. He has received
numerous patents and awards for his research; the most notable
is the Early Career Award for Engineers and Scientists from
former President Bill Clinton.
Back home in Nanticoke, Mark’s family did not realize the
scope of their son’s accomplishments. When a family friend
suffered a heart attack, Mark offered to examine the patient.
After all, Mark had completed his cardiology fellowship at worldrenowned
Mass General Hospital and was a staff member of the
Cardiac Unit at Harvard Medical School. But this was news to
Mark’s father, Edward; he wondered how his son could help.
“Oh, I knew you were a doctor of some sort, but I didn’t
know you were a cardiologist,” Mark joked, remembering his
father’s reaction.
Mark is humble; he simply did not discuss work when he
visited his family, a trait he learned from his dad. During his
father’s wake this past summer, family and friends remembered
Edward’s years of service at the post office or as a crossing guard
for Nanticoke Elementary students. People were surprised to
learn Edward was a military hero, Prisoner of War in Japan, and
recipient of numerous medals.
“That was just how my father was,” Mark said. “He never liked
to talk about himself. He was just a regular guy. My brother and I
are the same way.”
When Mark has time away from the clinic, he enjoys games of
skill. He’s an expert marksman, easily blasting a hole through a
quarter at 100 yards. A scratch golfer in high school, Mark picked
up his clubs with a goal of hitting a golf ball over 300 yards. Not
only did he accomplish that feat, Mark shattered colleagues’
scores at his local country club. While he no longer fights in a
ring, Mark studies the martial arts techniques of Krav Maga, a
self-defense combat system used by Special Force units.
Mark plans to expand his histology lab at King’s, collaborating
with chemistry professor Ron Supkowski, with grants to be
filed in the future. He will maintain his positions at Harvard,
MIT, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He will continue
practicing part-time as a physician and serving advisory roles for
government agencies, but the majority of his time will be spent
directing research at several sites in OCT technology, arthritis,
and cardiology.
Our alumni have given us so much.
We’d like to give something back.
Introducing the ...
King’s College Legacy Grant
The King’s College Legacy Grant
is a special $1,000 grant
awarded to the children or grandchildren
of any King’s College Alumni.
For more information on this
special opportunity please contact
Jim Anderson
director of the Office of Admission
1-888-KINGS PA or jamesanderson@kings.edu
18 Pride ✦ Winter 2011-12

Alumni Events & Gatherings
President’s Reception
For the past 40 years, King’s College has hosted a President’s
Dinner in early May. The black-tie affair was an opportunity
for the College’s president to thank those who support the
College with their “time, treasures, and talents”. This year,
in commemoration of Father Thomas O’Hara’s final year of
a 12-year presidency, the event was transformed into a more
casual reception to allow those who have been affected by Father
O’Hara to thank him and to give Father O’Hara, the College’s
first alumnus president, one final chance to address the people in
the “King’s Community”. The event was held on June 4 on the
third floor of the Sheehy-Farmer Campus Center. There was a
brief program, including remarks from Father O’Hara. Over 300
people, including many leaders of the local community, were in
attendance.
Physician Assistant
Reunion
On June 2, the King’s College Physician Assistant Alumni
Association annual reunion was held at the American Academy
of Physician Assistants Annual CME Conference in Las Vegas,
Nevada. We look forward to seeing all PA alumni at the AAPA
Conference in Toronto, Canada, in May of 2012.
Knoebel’s Family Day
Fr. Tom O’Hara, C.S.C. ’71, greeting guests as they arrive to the
reception.
On June 11, about 200 alumni family and friends gathered for a
fun-filled day at Knoebel’s Amusement Resort in Elysburg. The
King’s grads, proudly displaying their red and gold, enjoyed a day
of rides, food, and fun. The group gathered for a delicious lunch,
program and raffle give-aways! Many future Monarchs were eager
to assist with the raffle drawings. The Alumni team hope you will
join us at Knoebel’s in 2012.
From left: King’s Board Chair Tom Smith ’77 presented Fr. Tom
O’Hara, C.S.C. ’71, with the Lane Dixon Kilburn Medal for
Distinguished Service to King’s.
McGowan Business Forum
On October 20, the seventh annual McGowan School of Business forum was held at the Princeton Club in New York City.
Students enjoyed an hour-long mentoring session with a graduate working in the field in which the students are interested,
followed by a cocktail hour where they could meet and mingle with other professionals. The evening continued with a dinner
and the key-note speaker, Rev. Jack Ryan, C.S.C., President, who discussed the importance of ethics in the business world.
Pride ✦ Winter 2011-12 19

ALUMNI NEWS
KWAC
Phillies/Nationals Game
The King’s Washington Area Alumni Club (KWAC) hosted
a tailgate and Phillies/Nationals baseball game in August at
National Park. Approximately 60 King’s College alumni and
friends gathered for this event and had a great time!
Student Carnival
The Alumni Office participated in the student carnival held
during orientation in late August in the Scandlon Gymnasium.
Nearly 200 students made their way to the Plinko game. It was
a great opportunity for the Alumni office team to engage with
current students and welcome the incoming freshmen to King’s
College! “Everybody’s a winner at PLINKO,” was the catch phrase
of Father Genaro Aguilar, C.S.C., the Alumni Chaplain, during
the evening.
Student Phonathon
Group shot at the pre-game tailgate party.
The annual Fall Phonathon kicked off on Oct. 24 with a group
of students excited to speak with alumni and ask for their support
of their beloved alma mater. If you have not yet made a gift to
the 2011-2012 Annual Fund, you may do so by visiting www.
kingsalumni.info and clicking on Make a Gift! An envelope is
also included in this issue of Pride.
Legacy Luncheon
The Legacy Luncheon is a special annual event that is held
during orientation for those first-year students whose parents
attended King’s. It is very common for first -year students to have
siblings, aunts and uncles, parents and grandparents who are
already part of the King’s Alumni Community. The luncheon is
a special way of saying welcome first-year student and welcome
home to our alumni.
Broadway Show
From Left to right: Maurice Cardone, Esq., ’61, Marie Cardone, Zack
Cardone, Mark Cardone, ’87, Kim Keiper Cardone, ’85, Anthony
Cardone, ’15. Absent from the photo: Amanda Cardone ’14.
On October 1, a bus of King’s alumni and friends travelled to
New York City to enjoy the musical story, Wicked. Wicked takes
a fantasy journey through the unseen side of Oz, sharing a tale
of unexpected friendship and love. The group enjoyed sunny
weather while exploring the city before and after the show.
Boston – June 6
A group of Boston-area
alumni gathered to meet
with each other and with Fr.
Tom O’Hara ’71, outgoing
president. Everyone
enjoyed wonderful food,
a harpist, the ambiance of
Harvard Medical School
and, of course, each others
company!
20 Pride ✦ Winter 2011-12

Homecoming/Reunion Weekend
September 23-25
King’s annual reunion was held during homecoming weekend,
September 23-25. The weekend festivities began Friday evening with a
cocktail reception. On Saturday, a pre-football game barbeque under the
tent and evening cocktail reception/dinner were held. The annual alumni
awards were presented, by King’s College Board Chair Tom Smith ’77,
to notable alumni during the dinner: Dr. Stanley Benjamin ’70, received
the Outstanding Professional Achievement Award; James Leib ’65,
received the Service to Society Award; Kristen Masloski ’06, received The
Leo Award; and, Glenn Tyranski ’84, received the Outstanding Service
to Alma Mater Award. Congratulations to all of the award winners! On
Sunday, members of the class of 1961 received their Golden Monarch
pins in honor of the 50 th anniversary of their graduation at the Alumni
Mass held in the Chapel of Christ the King. The weekend concluded
with a delicious farewell brunch. Old friendships were renewed and new
friendships were made during the Reunion Weekend!
From left to right: Lisa Pettit ’95, Simone
Pettit, and Freddie Pettit ’96, Vice
President for Institutional Advancement.
From left to right: Adele Szabo, Laszlo Szabo ’61, John Hoyt ’61,
George Esseff ’51, and Rosemary Esseff.
From left to right: Gerry Flanagan ’06, Ashley Cerasaro
Flanagan ’06 and Dominick Batkowski ’06.
From left to right Golden Monarchs: John Hoyt ’61, John
McGowan ’61, Jack Walsh ’61, and Laszlo Szabo ’61.
From left to right Golden Monarchs: Maurice Cardone, John
Hoyt, Robert Gallagher, Laszlo Szabo, and Jack Walsh.
Pride ✦ Winter 2011-12 21

NEWS ON CAMPUS
KWAC Career Day
More than 50 King’s College students travelled to the nation’s capital in October to participate in the third annual Career
Day sponsored by the College’s Washington, D.C., Area Alumni Club. This two-day informative program is designed for
students to learn about career opportunities and life in the Washington, D.C., area. The students attended an opening reception
which featured guest speaker Congressman Lou Barletta. Twenty-three Washington-area King’s alumni and friends hosted the
students in their homes that evening.
The program the next day featured 17 speakers, almost half of whom are King’s graduates working in the Washington,
D.C., area. Topics covered in the general sessions included an overview of private industry in the area, applying for federal
jobs, ethical standards of government service, and career opportunities in the FBI and Veterans Affairs. Students also had an
opportunity to participate in breakout sessions detailing job opportunities in the fields of insurance, financial research, banking,
information technology and services, accounting, lobbying, education, and acquisitions and contracting.
The KWAC Career Day was a life-changing and informative time for King’s College students. A huge thank-you goes to the
KWAC Executive Committee and all those involved with making this event a huge success!
Group photo of the students on the terrace of Jones Day Law Firm, the venue for the career day welcoming reception, with the Capitol
Building in the background.
Save this Date…
By mail…
By e-mail…
King’s Theatre Reunion 2012
October 6 & 7
For early reservations contact…
Bro. Jim Miller, C.S.C.
King’s College Theatre
133 North River Street
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711
jhmiller@kings.edu
22 Pride ✦ Winter 2011-12

Alumni Profile
Laszlo Szabo ’61
During a cold autumn night in 1956, Laszlo Szabo ’61 stood on
a train platform with fellow “revolutionaries,” waiting to board
a midnight train to Siberia. He was being deported for his role
fueling the Hungarian Revolution.
With the clothes on his back and a briefcase containing a
passport and family photos, Laszlo and three others hopped off
the train 10 miles from his village, absconding into the woods.
He said goodbye to family and raced to the Austrian border,
hitching rides on freight trains or traveling by moonlight. They
hid in the fields during the day in fear of being spotted by the
Soviet Army.
“They say love is the greatest motivator. They’re wrong. It’s
fear,” Laszlo said. “The things you can do when you’re scared!”
He made his way to the eastern train station in Budapest. He
met fellow refugees who said the location wasn’t secure: the
Communist Party was preparing a raid. After a week as a refugee,
Laszlo was exhausted. He wondered how his life was flipped
upside down.
Laszlo was raised in Szekely, Hungary, a small town located
near the Russian border. He was studying medicine on
scholarship at the University of Debrecen, one of the most
prestigious universities in Hungary. He dreamed of becoming
a doctor, but the opportunity was lost when he joined his
classmates during a spontaneous student demonstration against
the People’s Republic of Hungary and its Soviet-imposed
policies.
Armed with a World War 1 rifle, Laszlo patrolled the streets
to keep the peace and deter looting. A week later, the Russian
army invaded the country and ended the conflict. Activists were
arrested, detained and interrogated. Some were released, but
Laszlo was among those being prepared for “Russian hospitality.”
As the minutes ticked and the army inched closer to the
train station, Laszlo decided to continue his march toward the
Austrian border. One friend elected to stay; Laszlo later learned
he was arrested and spent seven years in prison.
Laszlo talked his way across a chain bridge to Buda. Seven
days later, he settled near the Austria border. The problem was
the town was
inundated
with Red
Army soldiers.
Laszlo was
fortunate. Two
Hungarian
police officers
harbored the
refugees (for
a price) until
it was safe to
escape.
Adele and Laszlo Szabo
“They took us to the border at two in the morning,” Laszlo
said. “They said walk across two-three hundred yards, sit there
and start singing. The Austrian Border Patrol will hear you and
pick you up.”
At Graz, university students were separated and sent to
European countries to study. Most selected Germany or Sweden.
Sponsored by a Catholic Welfare Agency, Laszlo decided to
board a Navy transport carrier headed for the United States.
The ship battled two violent storms during the 10-day voyage to
Camp Kilmer in Edison, N.J.
“After three days, I was so sick I couldn’t leave my cot,” Laszlo
said.
After a few weeks, 40 refugees travelled by bus to Davenport,
Iowa. Since he had attended medical school, Laszlo was sent
to Mercy Hospital, an organization sponsored by the Sisters of
Mercy. When he arrived, he was given a Hungarian-English
dictionary and, from March to August, he studied the language
under the watchful eye of a strict nun.
“She demanded I learn 40 words a day,” Laszlo said. “I would
finish my shift and study English at night.”
The Sisters of Mercy recognized his potential and wanted him
to pursue an education rooted in the Holy Cross tradition. He
enrolled at King’s College, majoring in chemistry. “I arrived in
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, a week early with twenty dollars in
my pocket,” Laszlo said.
He met Ray Balut, head of the maintenance department,
who allowed him stay on the couch in the basement of Hafey-
Marian Hall until classes began. He was introduced to Brother
John Grimes, C.S.C., who hired him as part of his scholarship
to work between 20-40 hours each week for the maintenance
department.
Laszlo fondly recalls his experience as a student. From the
“sneaky quizzes’ by English professor Frank Swingle to the tough
problems offered during mathematics lectures by Rev. James
Kline.
As a student, Laszlo was reluctant to participate in one King’s
tradition at that time: Friday night dances with female students
from College Misericordia. He admits he was shy. So, being
older than most students, he gathered his courage at a local pub
before coming to the dance.
(See Laszlo on page 25)
Pride ✦ Winter 2011-12 23

Faculty Update
Dr. Gregory Bassham, professor of philosophy, gave the keynote address,
titled “Blurring Genres: How to Read Harry Potter -- and How Not To”
at Potterfest 2011 hosted by Edinboro University.
He also published his article, “Should ‘Argument’ Be Defined Without
Reference to Use” in the Proceedings of the Seventh Conference of the
International Society for the Study of Argumentation.
Fr. Anthony Grasso, C.S.C., Ph.D., professor of English, presented
a paper at the Northeast Conference on Christianity and Literature
at Regis College, Boston. The conference theme was “Ecocriticsm
and Christianity in Literature.” His paper was titled “Life in This
Circumscribed Place: Comparing Thomas More’s Island Utopia with
Shakespeare’s Isle in The Tempest.”
Dr. Bill Irwin, professor of philosophy, gave the keynote address, titled
“Perception and Reception of Popular Culture” at the Molloy College
Undergraduate Philosophy Conference.
Dr. Brian Mangan, director of the Environmental Program, received a
$10,000 grant from the Degenstein Foundation for Susquehanna River
Research. The grant funded student interns and equipment associated
with Mangan’s ongoing research of mercury in the Susquehanna River.
He will also publish an article in the journal American Midland
Naturalist from the University of Notre Dame. Titled, “First Record of
Phoresy Between Chironomid Larvae and Crayfish” and co-authored
with Michael Bilger, the authors are the first to report crayfish as hosts to
aquatic fly larvae living on their exoskeletons. The article will appear in
the April 2012 issue.
Dr. Terry Mech, director of the D. Leonard Corgan Library, served
as chair of a Library Visiting Team to evaluate the library at DeSales
University.
He also co-presented the lecture “What They Know and What They
Should Know: Research and Information Skills of First-Year College
Students” at the Pennsylvania Library Association’s Lehigh Valley
Chapter conference at Northampton College.
Assistant Professor of Education Dr. Russell Owens’s proposal “Virtual
Learning Environments Using Blackboard as a Learning Tool and
Delivery System,” was accepted for presentation at the 2012 Orlando
International Education Conference.
Dr. Owens and Joseph Asklar, assistant technical professor of
education, will present their proposal “Does the Use of Moodle as an
LMS to Supplement Instruction in a Traditional Classroom Increase
Student Interest” at The International Society for the Social Studies
Annual Conference.
Dr. Ayesha Ray, assistant professor of political science, presented
her research paper “The Indian Military and Counter-Insurgency
Operations,” at the 11th European Research Group on Military and
Society Conference in Amsterdam, Netherlands. She also presented “The
Indian Military’s Role in Unconventional Operations” at The Society for
Military History’s 2011 Conference, “Ways of War,” in Lisle, Ill.
Ray published a chapter, “The Politics and Identity of Kashmiri
Women’s Organizations” in Rafael Marchetti and Nathalie Tocci’s
collection of essays, Conflict, Society and Peace-building: Comparative
Perspectives.
Dr. Michelle Schmude, chair, department of mass communications,
recently presented “Articulating the Holy Cross Charism and Best
Practices at the Apostolate” at the 2011 Congregation of Holy Cross
Communications Summit at the University of Notre Dame.
The way to the future still needs paving.
Buy a brick, mark your place forever in the King’s community
M
onarch Court, dedicated on Oct. 11,
2003, features a large patio of brick
“pavers” encircling a brick design of the King’s
College ’K.’ Inscribed with names of over 1,000
donors, Monarch Court is a permanent reminder
of the ties that bind our alumni and friends with
the College. This area is important to the College,
our neighboring community, and the larger
community.
We ask you to become part of this year’s
installation and join a generous group of alumni
and friends who wanted to become a part of King’s
College history. Consider dedicating a brick in
Monarch Court to honor or memorialize friends,
classmates, your parents, or a member of the
faculty who was instrumental in your life.
The price remains $150 per brick. If you would
like additional information call or e-mail us. Visit
us online at www.kingsalumni.info/paver2007
For more information, contact
Charlene Brojakowski
Development Office
Phone (570) 208-5900 x.5357
E-mail: charlenebrojakowski@kings.edu
24 Pride ✦ Winter 2011-12

Laszlo continued from page 23
“I saw this cute little girl in the corner and I asked her to
dance,” Laszlo said of his chance meeting with his future wife,
Adele (Cioban) Szabo. “She said ‘Yes.’ So, I asked her to marry
me. And she said, ‘Yes.’”
The couple attended graduation at Irem Temple. When his
name was announced to accept his degree, Laszlo earned a
standing ovation.
“After the ceremony, I got offers to become a salesman
because people thought I was popular,” Laszlo joked. “In all
honesty, I was really choked up. The students, the faculty, they
knew what I went through.”
With college degree in hand, Laszlo thought he would finally
be able to pursue medical school. Unfortunately, Uncle Sam had
other ideas. “I graduated and just when I thought I’m going to
finally earn a few bucks, I got drafted.”
Laszlo was sent to Philadelphia for a physical for the United
States Army. He returned to campus and found a flyer for the
State Health Department of Pennsylvania. He was interested in
the job and met with representatives, who were able to void his
enlistment contract. His first job in healthcare was working in
occupational health, inspecting industries for vapors, pollutants,
and radiation.
During that time, Laszlo married Adele and became a United
States citizen. He applied for a grant to get a master’s degree in
public health from the University of Michigan. He earned the
degree and, again, weighed medical school, but he decided not
to pursue further education because the couple was expecting
their first child, Stephen.
The couple returned to New Jersey to be near Adele’s family.
Lazlo earned a Health Officer license and attended New York
University at night to earn a master’s degree in administration.
He became the first director of the Middlesex County Health
Department. He built the department from scratch, developing
the first HAZMAT unit, organizing services for senior citizens,
nursing services, and health clinics.
After a distinguished career, Laszlo retired from the
healthcare arena and the couple moved south, purchasing a
home on Talamore Golf Course in Southern Pines, North
Carolina.
While life never cooperated with his goal of becoming a
doctor, Laszlo lives the American Dream by seeing his three
children reach such prosperity and success. Stephen is an
Ob-Gyn/Surgeon, Richard a pediatrician, and Linda earned a
doctorate in organic chemistry and teaches at the University of
South Carolina.
Laszlo and Adele travel extensively. He now enjoys the
“grandkid tour,” visiting his seven grandchildren in Georgia,
South Carolina and North Carolina. The couple recently
returned to Wilkes-Barre to attend 2011 Reunion Weekend,
where Laszlo was honored with classmates as a Golden
Monarch to mark his 50 th anniversary as an alumnus.
When he thinks back on his career, Laszlo said he appreciates
the education he received at King’s: “It was a great school.
Classes were challenging. You could talk to the professors. It
was a little community. A family.”
Admission Corner
College for a Day
February 27
March 12, 23
April 2, 10
Upcoming Spring 2012 Events
Campus Plunge (Overnight)
January 29-30 March 15-16
February 16-17 April 12-13
February 28-29
Open House 2012 Accepted Students Day
March 25
Kampout at King’s
(Overnight)
March 25-26
Contact the King’s College Admission Office: www.kings.edu • admissions@kings.edu • 888-KINGS PA
“Give me a break!”
We hear you, King’s alumni! That’s why we’re waiving the application
fee when your child applies to King’s College!
This program is for children of alumni. You are a special member of the King’s College family!
When your son or daughter applies to King’s, clip the Monarch Money you see here and
attach it to the application or simply note on the application form that the applicant is the
child of an alumnus.
Thank you again for your continued support of King’s College. We look forward to hearing
from your child.
$
$
Clip this
Coupon Now!
MONARCH MONEY
APPLICATION FEE WAIVER
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Pride ✦ Winter 2011-12 25

News & Notes
50’s
The American Bar
Association Tort
Trial & Insurance
Practice Section
will honor Leo
J. Jordan, Esq.
’53 of Lewisville,
Texas, with its first
James K. Carroll Leadership
Award, which recognizes those
association members who have
outstanding leadership qualities
and service to the selection.
60’s
James F. Mundy, Esq. ’65
has been named as one of the
Pennsylvania Super Lawyers for
2011. James has been designated
a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer
every year since the program
began.
Michael Bentley ’68 has
published a new book for student
teachers and beginning teachers,
The Educator’s Field Guide, From
Organization
to Assessment
(And
Everything
in Between).
The book can
be found for
purchase
online
at www.
corwin.com.
Tim Barberich ’69 announced
that he is a non-executive director
for GI Dynamics, a company
that is developing non-surgical
treatments for type 2 diabetes and
obesity. GI Dynamics has offices
in the United States and Australia.
Bernard J. Sadusky ’69 was
named interim superintendent of
the Maryland State Department
of Education.
70’s
Dr. Bernard Leo Remakus ’70
is the author of a new book, Mia.
The novel is a psychological
thriller that deals with terrorism,
covert operations and military
families whose loved ones are
missing in action. During his
30 years of medical practice
in Susquehanna County, Dr.
Remakus has published 6 books
and more than 200 journal
articles.
Hospice of the
Valley, a leading
provider in
advancing
palliative care
at end of life,
community
grief support
and education in Northern
California, has named Vince
Evans ’71, Vice President of
Patient Services.
Thomas Walski ’72 was named as
one of the 50 movers and shakers
in the water industry over the
past 50 years by Water and Waste
Digest Magazine.
Henry Falkowski, Ed.D., ’73 was
named Potomac State College
of West Virginia University’s
Professor of the Year.
Valley National Bank has
announced the appointment of
Steve McDonald ’77 to assistant
vice president/branch sales
manager of the bank’s Edison
branch.
Joseph J. Earyes ’78 has been
named first senior vice president,
retail banking officer at First
National Community Bank.
80’s
Don Holton ’80 was promoted
to the rank of Lieutenant by the
NYS Department of Corrections
and Community Supervision at
Queensboro Correctional Facility
in Long Island City (Queens),
NY, and serves as the Day Watch
Commander.
Rosemont College recently
appointed Kevin McIntyre
’80 as the Vice President for
Enrollment Management. He is
responsible for all undergraduate
and graduate admissions to the
College as well as Financial Aid.
Kevin and Kathy (McGrane)
’81 also celebrated their 30 th
anniversary in August.
Circulation, a prominent medical
journal, invited Mark Brezinski,
M.D., Ph.D. ’82 to submit
an editorial regarding Optical
Coherence Tomography, (see
page 17).
James Bone, C.P.A. ’83 has
been promoted to executive
vice president of information
technology and operations with
First National Community Bank.
Joseph Matika, Esq. ’84 won
on both the Democrat and
Republican ballots to become a
judge in Carbon County.
Michael A. Spitz ’87 has been
selected as an Honored Member
of the Biltmore Who’s Who
Executive and Professional
Registry. The selection recognizes
Michael’s commitment to
excellence in Finance and
Accounting.
90’s
Eckert Seamans Cherin and
Mellott, LLC announced that
Renee C. Mattei Myers ’91,
a member of the firm’s Labor
and Employment Group, was
honored among the 2011 Women
of Influence by the Central Penn
Business Journal.
Darren Zagarola, C.P.A. ’93 was
named as one of the Five Star
Wealth Managers in New Jersey
Monthly.
Kim Harrison ’94 has been
named as one of the Philadelphia
Business Journal’s “40 under
Forty.”
The Buffalo Valley Regional
Police Commission has hired
Brian L. Kerstetter, Esq., ’96 as
the board’s solicitor.
Scott J.
Weiland,
Ph.D., ’96 has
been named
as senior vice
president of the
commercial
division of
Semian Real Estate Group.
Erin Brennan ’98 has been
named as a “Rising Star” by the
Scranton Sunday Times for the
second year in a row.
Danielle A. Knott ’98 is an editor
at Liturgy Training Publications,
an agency of the Archdiocese
of Chicago. For the past several
years, she has been actively
involved with the preparation of
resources for and the publication
of the new translation
of The Roman
Missal, the prayer
book used by priests
for the celebration
of Mass. This new
translation was
implemented in
November and is one
of the most significant events in
the liturgical life of the Church
over the past 40 years. The
published book, The Roman
Missal, is available from Liturgy
Training Publications. See their
websites, www.LTP.org and
www.RevisedRomanMissal.
org. Danielle has been speaking
nationally and locally in the
Chicago-area about the new
translation of the prayers of the
Mass.
Mark A. Macek ’99 has been
accepted into the University of
Baltimore School of Law.
00’s
Lisa Rizzo ’02 was selected by
her high school alma mater, the
Queen Anne’s Country High
School, to be inducted into the
2011 Athletic Hall of Fame.
Mark Chalmers ’07 graduated
from Saint Joseph’s University
in May 2010 with an M.A. in
Writing and has published his
thesis as a collection of poetry
titled “Obituary For a Toaster”
under SJU Press. Mark works
as the Assistant Director of
Admissions at Thomas Jefferson
University.
Rachael Marie
Pugh ’07, ’08
graduated with
the 2011 Ave
Maria School of
Law graduating
class. This class
was the last of
its kind in which the 90 students
began at a campus in Ann Arbor,
Mich., and then completed their
degrees in North Naples, FL.
Andrew Brown ’08 is a recent
graduate of the Montgomery
Country Police Academy and now
serves as an officer for the Upper
Southampton Police Department.
Leigh Ann Kemmerer ’08
joined Borton-Lawson as an
environmental scientist in the
firm’s environmental resources
business unit.
26 Pride ✦ Winter 2011-12

Alumni Weddings
Malinda Moore ’01,’10
wed John Nealon ’00
on June 25, 2010, at
the Waterfront Banquet
Facility, Plains. The
couple reside in Plains.
Pictured here are: Andrea
Gagliardi ’99, Malinda
Moore Nealon ’01, ’10,
Angela Kobilinski ’02,
Allan Bonin ’01, Katie
Moore ’11, Stacey Stroud
Lokuta ’00, David Nealon ’89, Dr. Stanley Benjamin ’70, Bro. Jim Miller ’74, John
Nealon ’00, Ryan Fogle ’00, and S.R. Benjamin ’99.
Vanessa Bogdan ’08 wed William Parry
III on October 1, 2010.
Kelly Bray,
Esq., ’02 wed
Darren Snyder
’98 on April 30
at St. Nicholas
Church,
Wilkes-Barre.
A reception
followed at
the Highlands
at Newberry
Estates.
First row seated l-r: Michael Spencer ’98, Ken Zurich ’98, Holly Billman Zurich ’00,
Brian Taylor ’99, Bobbi Watkins ’01, Colleen Meehan ’01, Kimberly Bray ’04, Holly
Bray ’07, Jamie Pikul Ricciardi ’05, Mike DiGennaro ’98, Janine Snyder Oldenhage ’90.
Standing l-r: Brian Finnerty ’05, Joseph Stelmack ’66, Miguel Almonte ’03, Tim
McManus ’11, Larry Pikul ’81, Michael Chmarney ’02, Brian Horgan ’04,
Tom Graber ’01, Dom Giglio ’00, Jon Roberts ’99, Kelly Bray-Snyder ’02, Frank Pikul
’95, Jim Sanders ’98, Darren Snyder ’98, Mike Bukosky ’75, Joe Winning ’07, Leonard
Snyder, Sr. ’59, John Jablonski ’73, Bob Bray ’73, Judy Bukosky ’75, Jim Carey ’73,
Amy Allen ’02, Ed Brosh ’87, Mike Burke ’01, Maureen Collins ’00, John Harkins ’02.
Kelly Ann Dougherty ’05 wed Anthony
S. Medici on May 21.
Kristy Lynn Murphy
’06 wed Britt Moore
’04 in Philadelphia
on July 22. Front
row, left to right:
Kim Murray ’07,
Kimmy Bray ’04,
Amanda Ward ’06,
Colette Makowiec
Thomas ’06, Ryan Thomas ’06, David “No Shirt” Breese ’07
Second row, left to right: Jess Linkchorst ’06, Erin Gallagher Pierce ’06, Britt Moore ’04,
Kristy Murphy Moore ’06, Leanne Poluka Clee ’06, Karen Harp ’06, Kelly Bowes ’06
Third row, left to right: Lyle Kares ’06, Marty Healy ’06, Jared Lavelle ’06, Brandon Abney
’04, Dave “Pudding” King ’07, Thomas Moore ’06, Josh Aniska ’07, Dan McCarty ’06
Back row, left to right: Bill Noss ’06, Pat Gallagher ’06, Mark Finley ’06, Bob King ’06,
Adam “Sticks” Fedorko ’06, Marty O’Hora ’05, Dave Marks ’04, Vince Sobocinski ’07,
Brian Horgan ’05, Brendan O’Malley ’06.
Karen Elaine Petrosky ’05 wed James
Patrick Blaum on August 20.
Pride ✦ Winter 2011-12 27

NEWS & NOTES
Alumni Births
Congratulations to Robert and Christine Melnick-Wolff ’96
on the birth of their daughter, Carly Anne, on February 16.
Congratulations to Chris and Rebecca Saba Beck ’98 on
the birth of their daughter, Kelly, on April 24. Kelly joins big
brother Ryan, age 2.
Congratulations to Molly and Mark A. Macek ’99 on the
birth of their son, Andrew Gabriel, on September 16.
Congratulations to Michele and Cory Fountain ’00 on the
birth of their daughter, Malina Claire, on June 29.
Congratulations to Fred and Erin Dawson DeFeo ’01 on
the birth of their son, Lucas Frederick, in January. The
family resides in Medford, NJ.
Congratulations to Shawn and Michele Betterly
McLaurin ’01 on the birth of their daughter, Avery Anna,
on February 4. Avery Anna joins big brothers Ian, age 6,
and James, age 4.
Congratulations to Eugene and Amy Ash Burke ’02 on the
birth of their son, Eugene Jr. on April 25. Eugene Jr. joins
big sisters Chloe, age 8, and Torey, age 3.
Congratulations to Danny ’02 and Lynn Klein ’02 on the
birth of their daughter, Grace Kristiana, on May 30.
Congratulations to Jason and Therese Adelizzi Schweyer
’03 on the birth of their daughter, Lorelei Anne, on April 23.
Lorelei joins big sister Leah Grace, age 2.
In Memoriam
Our prayers and condolences are extended to the
families of the following alumni and friends who
recently passed away:
John H. O’Brien ‘50
Edward Turnberger ‘51
Vivian T. Gullo ‘52
George H. Evans ‘55
Bill Elias ‘57
Thomas R. Sotack ‘58
Vincent P. Martino ‘66
Joseph R. Thomas ‘68
Adam Demchalk ‘69
Leonard P. Charney ‘71
Thomas Paliscak ‘72
Alfred P. Lawrence ‘73
Leonard R. Mayday ‘73
George Maffei ‘79
Kevin J. Lanning ‘84
Michael J. Mras ‘84
Deborah Samko Pearlman ‘85
Sarah R. Feldman ‘05
Jack Craig ‘08
Mary Jane Donnelly – former Librarian
Margaret Mary Fischer – former Librarian
Dr. Jay Young - former faculty
The Boss continued from page 8
at the job site liked Springsteen music. He was the first to tell Joe
about the Glory Days song. “It’s exactly the story you told me
about meeting him at the Headliner that night,” said his friend.
The two, along with Joe’s wife, phoned a local radio station and
requested the song. “My wife started crying when she heard the
song. I knew immediately it was about our encounter 11 years
earlier.”
DePugh and some high school friends attended a Springsteen
concert at Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey in 2004. “Bruce
left us tickets and backstage passes,” said DePugh. “Before he
sang Glory Days, Bruced yelled into the microphone ‘Joe D, are
you out there’”
“DePugh said there was and remains a dynamic between he
and Springsteen,” according to the Times Leader story. “That
dynamic has never changed,” said DePugh. “We’ve only been
together a couple of times since high school but when we do see
each other, I’m still the big baseball star and he’s still the same,
quiet, humble kid at the end of the bench. We used to call him
‘Saddie’ because he hardly ever played.”
A “semi-retired” widower, DePugh spends his summers in
Vermont and his winters in Florida. On two occasions, a mutual
friend arranged for DePugh and Springsteen to meet in New
Jersey as DePugh was traveling north.”
“In 2005, I met Bruce at a restaurant in New Jersey. Bruce
pulls in and I point at him and he points at me, and that’s when
the hugging started” DePugh recalled the encounter to The New
York Times. “We stayed until we were the last customers, just as
we did at the Headliner back in the 70s.”
At the end of the night, they said their goodbyes at the
restaurant’s back door. “He said ‘Always remember, I love
you’ not like some corny Budweiser commercial, but a real
sentimental thing,” DePugh said. “I was dumbfounded. I just
said, Thanks, Saddie.’ That was all I could come up with, and
all of a sudden he’s out the door. And it hit me that you’ve got to
do better than that, so I pulled the door open and yelled down to
him, ‘Sad!’ He turned around and I pointed at him and said, ‘I
love you too, and I’m real proud of you.’ And he just waved.”
Putting his English degree to work, DePugh wrote about his school
and baseball relationship with Springsteen and submitted the piece
in the late 70s to Sports Illustrated for consideration to be included in
a regular feature of reader-written sports-related remembrances. The
article, which was rejected by Sports Illustrated, is available at
http://www.kings.edu/pride. One thing Springsteen reminded
DePugh of that was not included in the article was that Springsteen,
after being called at the last minute to be the team’s ninth player,
wore the wrong team shirt during the game.
28 Pride ✦ Winter 2011-12

Donor Profile Tom Kovalich ’68
As a savvy businessman who worked for Sunoco for 30 years, Tom Kovalich ’68 knows
that debt is sometimes unavoidable for corporations and that it can actually have
strategic advantages. But the “semi-retired” Kovalich is also aware that debt presents no
advantage to a 22-year-old newly minted college graduate.
“When I attended King’s, tuition was approximately $500 per semester. Students who
worked hard during the summer and breaks could probably raise enough to cover their
net cost after financial aid. Today, this is not possible. I decided to structure my estate
to create an endowed scholarship.” The scholarship will provide a deserving entering
freshman who will study at the McGowan School of Business a scholarship covering
tuition, room and board, and incidental expenses for their four years at King’s. Once that
student graduates, another student recipient of the scholarship will be selected.
“I am a strong believer in education and feel it is an essential part of a strong society. I’m
glad I can do my part to assure some King’s students can start their post-King’s lives free of
debt. And, I invite my fellow alumni to consider remembering King’s in their estate plans.”
A charitable bequest, or gift from an estate, is a
relatively simple mechanism that can be used to
leave a lasting gift to King’s College. Estate gifts have
been a significant source of support for King’s, such
as through the creation and funding of more than 60
scholarships that directly help our students. For more
information on supporting King’s through an estate
gift, please visit the King’s College website (www.
kings.edu/giving) or call Frederick A. Pettit, Esquire
’96, Vice President for Institutional Advancement
(570-208-5882).

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