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ALSOIN THISISSUEJointhe ClubClub sportsare right upRMU’s alley

D E A R A L U M N I A N D F R I E N D S ,I continue to be astonished at how tirelessly everyone at RMU works to change students’ lives. You,too, contribute greatly to our students’ success, whether as mentors, providing work experiencethrough internships, or through your generous financial support.Now I am giving you the opportunity to do even more. If you know a high school student, I want youto tell that student about Robert Morris University. Tell her how RMU made a difference in your life.Let him know that you found your success here. Then encourage that student to apply.Any student you recommend who is accepted and enrolls in RMU will earn a $1,000 annual scholarship.Simply fill out an RMU Endorsement Award form (details on page 30 of this magazine). That’s a gift of$4,000, simply because you signed your name. And you can do it for as many students as you like.Our employees and trustees now have the same opportunity, and I’m asking you to do what I ask themto do every day: change lives. I was reminded how much of an impact we can have on the life of a studentby RMU trustee Norm Mitry, the president and CEO of Heritage Valley Health System and the keynotespeaker at our undergraduate commencement ceremony in May.Norm, a 1974 RMU graduate, recalled for the audience his dread when, during his sophomore year, he wasfaced with having to complete a required public speaking course. An eloquent speaker, Norm surprised theaudience by revealing that, at the time, he had a severe stutter. In his own words, “I could not compose asentence and get it out.”Norm wanted the course waived, but the professor, Willy Ann Holmgren, made him a deal: If, aftertwo weeks, Norm had made no progress, then she would waive the course for him. Needless to say,he didn’t drop the course.“It is because of Robert Morris University and Dr. Holmgren that I’m ableto stand here today and give this address,” said Norm.The arena broke into applause, and I can’t describe howproud I was at that moment to be RMU’s president. Howmany young men and women came to RMU faced withsimilar obstacles, and graduated as self-assured leaderswho have made a difference in the world?There have been thousands. And with your help,there will be thousands more.Sincerely,G R E G O R Y G . D E L L ’ O M O , P H . D .P R E S I D E N T> MITRY

CAMPUS REPORT> “Hotel Rwanda” HeroShares His StoryA former hotel manager who saved the lives of more than1,200 people during the Rwandan genocide askedstudents to get involved in the global community.Paul Rusesabagina, whose story is told in the Oscarnominatedfilm “Hotel Rwanda” and in his autobiography,“An Ordinary Man,” visited campus in November.Addressing students in Rogal Chapel, Rusesabaginaencouraged the audience to petition the U.S. governmentto intervene in Africa to promote peace.“Many times people think that to help, we need machine guns and missiles.Me, I believe … in the powers of words. Words can be the best and the worstweapons in a human being’s arsenal,” Rusesabagina said.“MANY TIMES PEOPLE THINKTO HELP, WE NEED MACHINEAND MISSILES. ME, I BELIIN THE POWERS OF WORusesabagina was one of several guests of RMU’s new Diversity Speaker Series. The program, whichhas also featured WTAE-TV anchor Andrew Stockey and consultant Joyce Bender, was launched byPaul Spradley, assistant director for student life and multicultural affairs. The Rwandan hero alsospoke at Heinz Hall as part of RMU’s Pittsburgh Speakers Series.Rusesabagina also praised Americans for choosing Barack Obama, whose father was African, as theirnext president. "This is a very good lesson of democracy to the whole universe, the whole world.All those minorities who are always threatened by the majorities should learn the lesson ofdemocracy from this country," he said.> FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THESE STORIES VISIT> Goose Your GooglingAlumni of RMU soon will have a powerful Internet search tool at their fingertips, free of charge.This semester the library will begin offering alumni online access to the ProQuest database service.Now available only to students, ProQuest includes the full text of more than 6,000 magazines,journals and newspapers. Users can browse or search The Wall Street Journal, The New YorkTimes, PC Magazine, Consumer Reports and many specialized journals in nursing, education,and many other fields. “We’re very happy to offer our most popular database to alumni,”said librarian Jackie Corinth. For more information, call the reference desk at (412) 397-3272.2 • W W W. R M U . E D U

THATGUNSEVE …RDS.”> Treading NewFloorboardsColonial Theatre ventured into new territory inNovember with “Awesome ‘80s Prom.” Theaudience-participation show, directed by BarbaraBurgess-Lefebvre, played off-campus in Pittsburgh’sWest End and featured songs familiar to former (orcontinuing) fans of Cyndi Lauper and Wham!More high notes were on display earlier in the fall, when KenGargaro directed Elton John’s rock-opera adaptation of “Aida.”Junior Alysha Watson starred in he title role, with sophomoreChanning Frampton as her paramour and Maria Mauti as Amneris.WWW.RMU.EDU/FOUNDATIONSThe program celebrates its heritage with a revival of“Godspell” from Feb. 18-22, then finishes the seasonwith “The Miracle Worker” on April 1-4.Also, theater alumnus David Toole ’08 has his thirdlead role at Pittsburgh Musical Theater, where hewill star as Troy in “High School Musical.”> Disability Mentoring DayFifty Pittsburgh-area high school students visited RMU in October for DisabilityMentoring Day, where they learned about education and job opportunities for thosewith special needs. Visitors learned to “be their own best advocate in finding out whatcolleges and universities are best for them,” said Kishma Decastro-Sallis, directorof the PPG Industries Career and Leadership Development Center at RMU. Studentvolunteers acted as mentors during the program. UPMC, FedEx Ground, Bayer, PNCBank and Bank of New York Mellon were among the companies participating in theday-long event, the only one of its kind in the Pittsburgh area. Bender ConsultingServices Inc. organized the event.> RMU HAS MORE THAN 150 INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS FROM 44 COUNTRIES.> ExpertsTo help develop a new business magnetprogram at Carrick High School, thePittsburgh Public Schools have turnedto Dean R. Manna, headof the Departmentof Marketing inthe School ofBusiness. Manna isa member of theoccupationaladvisory committeefor the new Business,Finance and InformationTechnology Academy, which is set toopen in September. The committee ishelping ensure the most up-to-datecurriculum for the new academy.Kathleen V. Davis, dean of the School ofAdult and Continuing Education, spokeat the Women in Educational LeadershipConference at the University of Nebraskain October. Davis spoke on femaleleadership styles and discussed a studyof job satisfaction among femalepresidents of community colleges.RMU professor Valerie Powell,an expert in health careinformation systems,presented a paper at theCognition and ExploratoryLearning in the Digital Ageconference in Freiburg, Germany,in the fall. Her paper, "DesigningHands-On Network Instruction UsingVirtualization," described the innovateway she teaches networks andinformation security here at RMU.Powell’s husband, Jay, who teachespart-time in the School of Engineering,Mathematics and Science, presented apaper entitled "Testing as Feedback:Applying and Interpreting ResponseSpectrum Analysis and Interpretation."R O B E R T M O R R I S U N I V E R S I T Y F O U N D AT I O N S • 3

Nursing NewsThe School of Nursing andHealth Sciences launcheda chapter of the honorsociety Sigma ThetaTau International. Fiftynursing students and localnurse leaders were inductedinto the new Upsilon Phi Chapter.Ninety-one percent of RMU nursinggraduates passed the National CouncilLicensure Examination in the past year –a higher rate than both the state ofPennsylvania (85 percent) and the nationas a whole (87 percent).Associate professor of nursingValerie Howard won a 2008 Cameoof Caring Nurse Educator Awardfrom the University ofPittsburgh Schoolof Nursing.Howard isa pioneerin the use oftechnology and high fidelity simulationin nursing education. The award forexcellence in education was presentedto Howard in November at the DavidL. Lawrence Convention Center.rmurecycle this magazineGive it to a neighbor who’s in high schooland help spread the word about RMU.> FOR MORE PHOTOS FROM HOMECOMING 2008, CHECK OUT WWW.RMU.EDU/FOUNDATIONS.> Cause for CelebrationRMU’s exciting Homecoming 2008 festivities culminated in a big win forthe Colonials, who snapped a four-game losing streak by knocking offconference rival Duquesne by a touchdown, 34-27.Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania Chairman Ralph Papa '67 received theuniversity's Alumni Achievement Award, given to a graduate who hasachieved professional distinction. Papa, who spent most of his career atMellon Financial Corp., received his associate's degree from RMU beforegoing on to Penn State and Rutgers. Hadie Bartholomew '98 receivedthe Young Alumni Achievement Award, and Dale Venables '81 receivedthe Alumni Service Award.> Head of the ClassRMU is significant expanding its UniversityHonors Program, starting with this year’sfreshmen. The program is now separatefrom the RMU Co-Op Honors andthe International Honors programs,and will be open for the first time totransfer students and matriculatingsophomores starting next fall.To be accepted into the UniversityHonors Program, a freshman studentmust have a 3.5 high school GPA anda combined score of 1200 on themathematics and verbal portionsof the SAT or a 26 on the ACT.Sophomores and transfer students willbe required to have earned a 3.5 collegeGPA after completing at least 30 credits.Monica VanDieren, Ph.D., assistant professor ofmathematics, and Philip Harold Ph.D., assistantprofessor of political science, are overseeing anexpanding curriculum as the program’s new directors.4 • W W W. R M U . E D U

Award-Winning ActionThree years after graduating from Robert Morris University, ThomasDixon already is an award-winning director. Dixon’s first full-lengthfilm, “The Korean” won the Alan J. Bailey Award for best action featureat the 2008 Action On Film Festival in Pasadena, Calif. The summerfilm festival features the work of new directors.Dixon shot his movie, about a man hired to track down four peoplewho have betrayed a crime kingpin, in Pittsburgh with a largely localcast and crew. One exception is the lead role, played by Josiah D. Lee,who garnered two acting nominations at the festival. The two metwhile they were apartment hunting in L.A., and Dixon wrote“The Korean” with Lee in mind for the role.Pittsburgh Post-Gazette critic Barbara Vancheri heralded Dixon as“a filmmaker with great promise” and gave “The Korean”three out of four stars.Dixon wrote and directed some 20 short filmswhile he was a student at RMU. Now he isworking on a sci-fi film script.> Psi Chi, or Psyche?Four years after launching a degree program inapplied psychology, The Department of SocialSciences has founded a chapter of the psychologynational honor society, Psi Chi. The RMUchapter has 18 charter members, said associateprofessor Stephen T. Paul, its faculty sponsor.With more than 1,000 chapters nationwide, PsiChi encourages excellence in scholarship in thestudy of psychology.> FOR THE LATEST NEWS RACE ON OVER TO WWW.RMU.EDU/FOUNDATIONS.> Media MattersThe RMU club baseball team will befeatured in an episode of The HistoryChannel's “Modern Marvels” early thisyear. The program, taped in Septemberat PNC Park,looks at stadiumlighting and hownight games havehad an impacton the sport. Theshow features aninterview with RMU professor DaveSynowka, director of the university’sSports Management Program.The PR/Marketing Department has createdseveral new pages online. Have you seenthem? Twitter: twitter.com/rmunewsYouTube: www.youtube.com/RMUNewsTubeBlogspot: rmunews.blogspot.com. And Roberthimself now has his own Facebook page!If you have a video you’d like us to add toour YouTube channel, contact JonathanPotts at potts@rmu.edu. And if you haveyour own YouTube channel, we would behappy to become one of your subscribers.R.J. Schmitt, a seniorcommunicationsadvertisingmajor, won a minicamcorderfor hisentry in the first RMU Experience VideoContest. Schmitt, from Monroeville,produced a 60-second short on ChrisWalker, a news anchor with RMU-TV.The video focused on the engagededucation and professional experienceWalker has received at the university'sAcademic Media Center. See Schmitt'swinning video and much moreat our YouTube channel:www.youtube.com/RMUNewsTube.R O B E R T M O R R I S U N I V E R S I T Y F O U N D AT I O N S • 5

A More Perfect UnionJim Seguin, director of the Center for Documentary Production andStudy, and visiting documentary scholar Bill Judson spoke about RMU’supcoming film about labor activist Nate Smith at the October annualmeeting of the national Oral History Association in Pittsburgh. Smithwas a Pittsburgh worker who led the integration of trade unionsbeginning in 1969. The center has done extensive research on Smithand the civil rights clashes of that period, and plans to complete afeature-length documentary by next spring.> Heading Out EastKevin Senko is spending this spring semester in the United Arab Emiratesafter winning the William Jefferson Clinton Scholarship at the AmericanUniversity in Dubai. Senko, a junior accounting and finance major, is oneof 10 U.S. students selected for the award on the basis of exemplaryacademic achievement. Besides the region’s history and politics, Senkoalso is studying banking and investment in Dubai, a Middle Easternfinancial hub.“IT WAS STRIKWHICH REFLECT> Bringing Home the GoldProfessor Frank Flanegin’s students had better be warned: The man can really throw a hammer. Flanegin, head ofthe accounting and finance department in the School of Business, won three gold medals at the 2008 PennsylvaniaSenior Games. His hammer throw of 95’ 4”, shot put of 38’ 9.25”, and discus throw of 109’ 4” all outclassed thoseof his competitors in the 50-54 age bracket. Not bad for an athlete who only started training this year after along hiatus following his varsity shot put days at Hampton High School. Flanegin is training for the 2009National Senior Games to be held in Palo Alto, Calif., in August.6 • W W W. R M U . E D U> FLANEGIN

International AppealAn award-winning Hungarian documentary filmmaker and six othernotable European visitors toured Robert Morris University in Octoberand came away impressed.Borbala Kriza, whose 2007 film “Rocking the Nation”examines the political subculture of Budapest’sskinhead rock groups, said the biggest surprise wasseeing the flag of Hungary’s neighbor, Slovakia,flying outside the residence of the RooneyScholars.Vladimir Burcik and Dagmar Polackova,RMU’s visiting international professorsthis past fall, are both from the Slovakcapital of Bratislava.“America is much closer to Europethan it is believed!” Kriza said.A member of parliament from thenew country of Montenegro, aDutch investment banker, and aradio reporter from Portugal werealso part of the visiting delegation,which met with President Dell’Omo andother university officials and faculty to learnmore about American higher education.Their visit was sponsored by the German Marshall Fundof the United States, a Washington, D.C., organizationthat builds transatlantic relationships.Kriza said she might like to be a Rooney Scholar herself.“Walking around the university campus, it was striking to seethe diversity among students, which reflects a true cosmopolitanambience at RMU,” she said.ING TO SEE THE DIVERSITY AMONG STUDENTS,S A TRUE COSMOPOLITAN AMBIENCE AT RMU”> Spring Rooney ScholarsThe Spring 2009 Rooney Scholars are both from China. Gu Ping isassociate dean of the School of Nursing at Nanjing Medical University,and Lirong Wu is associate dean of the nursing department atthe Suzhou Health College.> FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THESE STORIES VISIT WWW.RMU.EDU/FOUNDATIONS> Board MembersNorm Mitry, president andCEO of Heritage Valley HealthSystem, has joinedthe RMU Board of Trustees.A 1974 graduate of RMU,Mitry was formerly theexecutive vice president and chieffinancial officer for the Pittsburgh MercyHealth System. Mitry also served asdirector of cost accounting and specialprojects for Jessop Steel in Washington,Pa. He has a bachelor’s degree inbusiness administration from RMUand a master’s degree in publicmanagement from Carnegie MellonUniversity. In May, Mitry was thespeaker at RMU’s undergraduatecommencement. (See the president’sletter for more about that speech.)Richard Harshman, a 1978 RMUgraduate and member of the board oftrustees, was named “CFO of the Year”by Pittsburgh Business Times. Harshman,chief financial officer of AlleghenyTechnologies Inc., is a past recipient ofRMU’s Alumni Heritage Award and wasthe first alumnus to give $1 million toRMU. Two other men with RMUconnections also werenominated for the CFOaward: RMU TrusteeStephen A. Van Oss,senior vice presidentand chief financialand administrativeofficer of WESCODistribution Inc.,and RMU'sown CFO,Jeff Listwak,vice presidentfor financialoperations.> HARSHMANR O B E R T M O R R I S U N I V E R S I T Y F O U N D AT I O N S • 7

TICKERVOLLEYBALL > With its perfect 8-0 recordin league play, RMU claimed its firstNortheast Conference regular seasonchampionship since 2004. Overall, theColonials finished with a record of 20-9,falling to in-state rival Saint Francis (Pa.)in the NEC Tournament semifinals.Head coach Rob Thomas, in his sixthyear leading RMU, was named the 2008NEC Coach of the Year, while freshmanAlyssa Bennett claimed both NECRookie of the Year and NEC Setter ofthe Year honors. Senior Alaina Gibsonwas tabbed the NEC Libero of the Year.Bennett was named a member of theAll-NEC First Team, and joining heron the squad was senior outside hitterEmily Wolthuis. Earning All-NECSecond Team accolades were Gibsonand sophomore middle blocker AmandaGraham. A five-time NEC Rookie of theWeek and two-time NEC Player of theWeek, Bennett compiled 1,015 assistsover the season, an average of 9.40per game that ranked second in theconference. She also tied with Grahamfor the team’s most service aces (45), hadthe club’s best attack percentage (.373),and ranked third in digs (218). Gibsonled the Colonials in digs with 447,helping push her career total to 1,884,a new school record. Wolthuis led RMUwith 308 kills while adding 296 digs,and Graham contributed 214 kills anda team-high 95 blocks.> FOR THE LATEST SCORES VISIT WWW.RMUCOLONIALS.COM.> SUPER SOPHOMORES LEAD COLOThe Robert Morris University footballteam was dominated by youth in 2008,and a pair of sophomores helped leadthe Colonials to four wins in their finalsix games to surge into a tie for thirdplace in the Northeast Conference.Sophomore halfback Myles Russ andsophomore linebacker Alex DiMichelegrew into leadership positions on thefield and put up lofty numbers. Russposted the third highest single-seasonrushing total in school history with1,255 yards and six touchdowns on 215carries, an average of 5.8 yards per rush.Russ’ running showed a flair for thedramatic, including a 68-yard scoringdash against Bucknell and a 51-yardsideline tightrope run for a touchdownin a 34-27 win over Duquesne.The running back’s strict offseasonworkout and an improving offensiveline both contributed to Russ’s success.With 11 runs of at least 20 yards thispast season, he looks like a future star inthe Northeast Conference.“Myles worked hard in the offseason,and I think you saw the fruits of thatlabor this year,” said 15th-year headcoach Joe Walton. “He played extremelywell, and more importantly, he wasprepared each week both mentally andphysically. He makes people miss, hebreaks tackles and he has good speed.> HALL OF FAME> SCHOLARSHIP RENAMEDFOR WELLING FRUEHAUFThe Robert Morris University Colonial Athletic Club executiveboard has renamed its scholarship The Welling Fruehauf ColonialAthletic Club Scholarship. Fruehauf '63, M '06 is presidentand chief executive officer of the Fruehauf Group Ltd. in theNorth Hills of Pittsburgh, and a longtime member of theRMU board of trustees. The scholarship also was increasedfrom a $6,000 annual grant to $10,000.Six former student-athletes who left indelible marksin Colonials history became the18th class of inducteesinto the Robert Morris Athletics Hall of Fame.Entering the hall as the Class of 2008 were BrianCleary (football 1994-97), Katie Dugan (soccer1999-2002), Tim Levcik (football 1998-2001), KatieNoble (volleyball 1999-2002), Jarrad Pencek (trackand field 1999-2002) and Paul Snyder (golf 1983-86).Five of the six were inducted at halftime of RMU’sSept. 27 home football game against Monmouth;Pencek was enshrined at the Nov. 1 gameagainst Central Connecticut.8 • W W W. R M U . E D U> FRUEHAUF

TICKER> FOR MORE STATS FROM THE 2008 FOOTBALL SEASON VISIT RMUCOLONIALS.COM.NIALSOnce he gets through the line, he’s got aburst of natural speed that helps himaccelerate, and that makes him tough tobring down.”A transfer from Temple, DiMichele tookover at inside linebacker and set a newsingle-season record for the Colonialswith 116 tackles. He posted double-digittackles in eight games, including acareer-high 19 against Bucknell. Besideshaving a nose for the ball, DiMichelebecame a vocal leader on an RMUdefense that hit its stride in the secondhalf of the season.“We had a feeling we were getting asolid player when Alex decided totransfer from Temple, and he reallybecame a centerpiece for us ondefense,” said defensive coordinatorScott Farison. “He really helps us onrun defense, but he’s also agile enoughto drop back and help the secondarywith coverage.”DiMichele also understands what thefuture could hold for RMU. “Weonly lose five starters,” he said. “We’vegot 10 guys back on defense and sevenback on offense. We’re young, and nowwe’ve got to work hard in the offseasonand prepare by doing the right things tomake a championship run next season.”> ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANSESPN The Magazine District II Academic All-America Teams hadfour Robert Morris University athletes this fall, selected by the CollegeSports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). For volleyball, seniorAlaina Gibson earned first team honors, and sophomore Amanda Grahamwas named to the second team. Gibson has earned a 3.87 grade pointaverage as a human resource management major, while Graham carriesa 3.98 GPA as a nuclear medicine technology major. In football, juniorsAdam Lawrence and Mark Szymanski were each tabbed for the honor.Lawrence has a 3.98 GPA as an environmental science major, whileSzymanski carries a 3.31 GPA studying computer information systems.> CAGGIANOWOMEN’S SOCCER > Under the directionof eighth-year head coach John Kowalski,RMU posted a 6-12 record, including amark of 2-7 in Northeast Conferenceaction. The Colonials were led byfreshman midfielder Jess Sharik, whoscored four goals and seven assistsfor a team-high 15 points. Sophomoremidfielder Kathleen Caggianocontributed a team-high six goals andposted 13 points. The team won the 2008UNLV Rebel Classic in September, firstbeating the host Runnin’ Rebels, who atthe time were ranked 25th in the country,and then defeating Idaho 2-1 in thechampionship game. Caggiano had ahand in all four goals of the tournament,finishing with three goals and an assist.For those efforts she was named NationalSoccer Coaches Association of AmericaPlayer of the Week and NEC Player ofthe Week. MEN’S SOCCER > Led by12th-year head coach Bill Denniston,RMU posted a record of 2-14-3 in 2008,including 0-7-2 in the NortheastConference. Junior midfielder SeanRiley led the Colonials with threegoals and ranked second on the clubin points with seven, while seniormidfielder Tyler Stanley scored twogoals and a team-high five assists tolead RMU in points with nine. FIELDHOCKEY > In her second year leading theColonials, Olivia Netzler guided RMUto a 5-12 record, and 2-4 in theNortheast Conference. Junior defenderJessica Charles scored five goals andadded an assist to lead the teamwith 11 points, while seniorforward Samantha Lawless addedfour goals and a pair of assists for 10points. CROSS COUNTRY > Led byhead coach Michael Smith, theRMU women’s cross country teamfinished seventh at the 2008Northeast Conference championships,while the men’s squad recorded aneighth-place finish. Leading the wayfor the women was sophomore JessicaDuffel, who finished 17th with a time of19:50 in the 5,000-meter race. FreshmanArthur Leathers led the RMU men,navigating the five-mile course in27:38 to also finish 17th.R O B E R T M O R R I S U N I V E R S I T Y F O U N D AT I O N S • 9

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GHSCHOL ATLIFE SP EDJohn Inserra remembers the exact moment he decidedto become a teacher.For more than a decade, he had worked in the biotech field,rising as high as CEO. But despite a successful career, hefelt that something was missing. “I just reached a pointwhere I wanted to give back in some way,” he says. So, onThanksgiving Day 2005, Inserra decided to make a change.“I wanted to help young people,” he says, “and teachingseemed like a great way to do that.”Today, Inserra is the 10th-grade business and technologyteacher at City High Charter School (City High) in downtownPittsburgh. Located in the Clark Building, in the heart of thecity’s Cultural District, City High is a model of innovationthat’s paving new pathways in education – and Robert MorrisUniversity is playing a big part in its success.Inserra is one of several City High teachers that graduated fromRMU’s Business, Computer and Information Technology (BCIT)certification program, offered by the School of Education andSocial Sciences (SESS). SESS is helping people who wish tochange careers and pursue teaching by offering them flexiblescheduling and different opportunities once they completetheir certification. The school’s success has a lot to do with thenumber of second-career students they attract. Seventy percentof RMU students preparing to become secondary teachers arepost-baccalaureate students, like Inserra, who come to RMUfor their teacher certification.“The number of former SESS students now working at CityHigh is just another example of our school’s growing impacton the region,” says John E. Graham, Ed.D., SESS dean andprofessor of education. “Our certification programs here atR O B E R T M O R R I S U N I V E R S I T Y F O U N D AT I O N S • 1 1

ANDERSON CHECKS A STUDENT’S WORKINSERRARMU provide strong content knowledge and teachingpreparation to ensure our students succeed in all types ofeducational settings. And that’s why they excel at placeslike City High.”City High and RMU share common goals. Both emphasizeprofessionalism and career preparation, and both puta premium on real-world readiness and active,engaged learning.“Teachers who graduate RMU’s Business, Computers andInformation Technology program are a key to our school’ssuccess,” says City High Principal/CEO and co-founderRichard Wertheimer, Ph.D. “They are leaders in both ourtechnology and career programming.”City High is different than your average public school –and it was designed to be that way. The school centers arounda career readiness and post-high school planning curriculum,which is meant to engage students in a focused program thatleads to greater awareness of employment opportunities.City High’s students spend close to 200 hours investigatingcareers, participating in real-world simulations and preparingfor life after graduation. The program culminates in a130-hour internship at a local company or organization.The school also puts great emphasis on providing atechnology-infused learning environment. Everystudent and staff member receives a laptop, and all parents,students and staff can access student records, grades,attendance and assignments via the Internet.Throughout their time at City High, all students receiveinstruction on research, a fundamental workforce skill thatalso helps them with their senior project. These projects mustinclude a 10-page research report, and they require thestudent to create something – a book, a fashion show forcancer awareness, a community basketball league, etc.Students must also write a blog, create both a PowerPointpresentation and a website, and finally present in front of apanel of professionals from the community.City High serves over 500 students in grades 9 through 12,81 percent of which come from the Pittsburgh school district;the rest are from 23 area districts. Unlike at other schools,City High’s teachers stay with the same 156 students for theentire four years they’re at the school. “The key element ofthe program is the looping concept,” says Wertheimer. “Everystudent at City High has a team of eight to 10 teachers that‘loops’ with the student from 9th grade through graduation.This consistency and continuity of support and instruction isthe key to our success.”This new way of thinking has propelled City High to theforefront in secondary education, and it’s creating quite a1 2 • W W W. R M U . E D U

uzz both locally and nationally. Last September, DianeSawyer and ABC’s Good Morning America show paid a visitto City High to spotlight its innovative curriculum and showhow it’s addressing some of the problems with today’seducational system.One of the leaders behind City High’s success is MaureenAnderson M’08, who earned her BCIT certification fromRMU in 2003 and recently received her master’s ininstructional leadership. Anderson’s energy and enthusiasmis contagious. The moment you meet her, you can tell she’ssomeone who knows what she wants and knows how to getit. As a 20-year-old right out of college, she started workingfor the federal government in information systems security.Her ex-husband was an officer in the military, and while shewas still married, she lived all over the world. Anderson’stravels and experiences gave her a global perspective thathelped her when she was selected by Wertheimer to developthe school’s unique curriculum and internship program, alongwith fellow teachers Peter Jenkins and Jackie Perhach, andinternship coordinators Patti Kretschman and Keiha Peck.“Learning about different people and different cultures reallyhelped me design something for a diverse group of students,”says Anderson. City High prides itself on its balanceddemographics of roughly 50 percent male, 50 percent female,with a mixture of various ethnic and racial backgrounds(white males, 21.6%; white females, 20.4%; African-Americanmales, 24.4%; African-American females, 31.5%; other, 2.1%).The school also has a policy of “full inclusion,” where allstudents, regardless of ability, are taught together in the sameclass. “Our classes include kids from special needs to gifted,”says Anderson. “We don’t isolate anyone. It’s just anotherway we try to mimic a real-world setting.”One of City High’s mainobjectives is to preparestudents for the workforceand a fulfilling future career.Their downtown Pittsburghlocation and corporate-likesetting plays a big part in this.“If it wasn’t forthe lockers inthe hallways,”says Anderson,“You wouldn’teven know you werein a school; you’d thinkyou’re in just anotherdowntown office.” City High students must adhere to abusiness casual dress code. “We try to keep the environmentas professional as possible,” says Anderson. “It not only helpsthem keep their mind on their studies, but it also preparesthem for the challenges they’ll face after graduation.Unlike most public schools, City High operates on an 8 a.m.to 4 p.m. schedule, which is meant to be more like a normalcorporate workday. They also operate under a year-roundcalendar with three trimesters and three one-month breaksin April, August and December. According to Anderson,the shorter breaks allow for higher retention andincreased learning.Anderson says that, at first, it takes new students a little whileto get used to City High’s professional atmosphere. “Thisplace is so different than what they’re used to,” she says.“But it’s a positive change, and once they buy into whatwe’re trying to do here, they end up loving it.”Anderson is one of six City High teachers who completedRMU’s BCIT certification:Rob Duty received his certification from RMU in the spring of2007, and is in his second year as digital media teacher at CityHigh. “Students here have a real advantage when it comes totechnology,” says Duty. “Everyone has access to tons ofequipment, and our video production facilities are second tonone.” He says the students love having the opportunity toexpress themselves through video by doing such things ascommercials, music videos, and TV shows.Duty is an example of the type of second-career studentthat RMU’s School of Education and Social Sciencesattracts. After graduating from Indiana UniversityR O B E R T M O R R I S U N I V E R S I T Y F O U N D AT I O N S • 1 3

of Pennsylvania with a degree incommunications, he went on towork for two years at WTAE asassociate director for morning news. Itwasn’t long, however, before he knew he wantedsomething different. “City High posted a job for a digitaleducator, and I thought it was right up my alley, having thereal-world experience and strong teaching background fromRobert Morris University.”While he was getting his certificate from RMU, Duty did hisstudent teaching at Mt. Lebanon High School, where hetaught a class in TV production. “RMU’s education classeswere really helpful to me during that time,” he says. “Theyput us into different situations and showed us how to do alesson plan and how to deal with different types of students.It made easy transitioning from the corporate world toteaching.”Tiana DeLaRosa M’05, received both her BCIT certificationand a master’s in business administration from RMU in2005. Today she works as business and technology teacherat City High, teaching the Microsoft Office certification class.Previously, she worked in banking before deciding to go backto school at RMU.One of the reasons DeLaRosa chose RMU was its flexibility.“I liked the 8-week class schedule,” she says. “It allowedme to work full time while pursuing my degree andcertificate from RMU.”Like many people whochoose a secondcareer inteaching, DeLaRosa was worried what the students wouldbe like. But she soon found out that City High was special.“Teachers and students have better understanding here,”she says. “The interaction among the faculty is helpful,and, because of the positive environment here, the kidsare more tolerant of each other.“I also think the technology these kids are exposed to is areal advantage,” she adds. “and my RMU education reallyprepared me to work with today’s high-tech educationaltools.” Currently, City High has over 200 students with morethan 500 Core and Expert MOS certifications in MicrosoftWord, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and Outlook.Perry Harrop M’08, is a technology teacher at City High.He received his certification from RMU in the fall of 2007and starting working at City High in the spring of 2008.Previously, he worked in accounting and finance as a CPAfor big corporations; however, after 21 years, he decidedto change careers. “I wanted to do something with kidsso that I could pass along my business knowledge,”says Harrop. “I didn’t have a lot of time, but I had somefriends who had completed RMU’s MBA program andreally liked the flexibility and accelerated programs. Plus,I knew I wanted a solid business education, so RMUturned out to be a great move for me.”Harrop fits right in at City High,which places an emphasison both personal andbusiness finance. “Thecourses they offer here,” he says,“you just can’t get anywhere else.When these kids graduate, they’re ready for the world.”Robert Mays is the 11th-grade business andtechnology teacher at City High. He received hisBCIT certification from RMU in the springof 2007, and is currently working on hismaster’s in business education.Before starting at City High inSept. 2008, Robert worked for twoyears with Mellon Financial’sspecial investments group inPittsburgh. He first became1 4 • W W W. R M U . E D U

interested in teaching while tutoring students and coachingyouth basketball at St. Athanasius in West View. Aftergraduating from the University of Pittsburgh in 2004, hecame to RMU to get his certification.“RMU’s small class size and accessible instructors andadministrators really attracted me,” saysMays, who was able to continueworking while takingclasses at night.Mays believes City High’s policyof keeping the same teachers withstudents over four years provides forbetter communication. “It allows for a more team-orientedapproach to help students succeed and graduate,” he says.RMU’s involvement with City High isn’t just on the teachinglevel, either. Some of its graduates are now RMU studentsthemselves, including juniors Brittany Jones and LizCzajkowski; sophomores Korey White and Ryan Singer;and freshman Melanie Komosa.There was a time in Anderson’s life when she felt comfortabletraveling the world, but now she feels right at home at CityHigh. “It’s been really exciting seeing the school evolve andseeing the vision become a reality,” she says. “I love theinteractive learning, and one of my great joys has been gettingto teach every 9th- 10th- and 11th-grade student for onetrimester each year.Anderson believes she works with some of the mostoutstanding educators in the country, including her fellowRMU alumni. “I think they are significantly more investedand prepared to teach their curriculum because of theirunique, real-world experience,” she says. And she creditspeople like Donna Cellante, Ed.D., SESS associate dean andprofessor of education, for helping her get to where she istoday. “When I initially considered the RMU certificationprogram, I was a single mom with two young children,” saysAnderson. “Dr. Cellante worked closely with me, and herencouragement helped me achieve my goal of completing theprogram, including the student teaching component, in oneyear. I will be forever grateful for her support.“We’re trying to promote a culture here that provides optionsand opportunities, and one that shows students the manypaths they can take after high school,” says Anderson. “Andas long as City High continues its relationship with RobertMorris University, I’m confident we’ll be successful.”WRITTEN BY VALENTINE J. BRKICH | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK HOUSERTo watch GMA’s visit to City High, go to http://abcnews.go.comand search for “Education in America.”R O B E R T M O R R I S U N I V E R S I T Y F O U N D AT I O N S • 1 5

I hadn’t known Dwayne Bauknight more thanfive minutes before he started talking about“worm poop.”“Worms are Mother Nature’s finishers,” he said,as we stood before a mountainous pile of horsemanure behind his barn. “The way they breakdown the compost allows plants to uptake thenutrients more readily.” Pushing aside somemanure with his boot, he exposed hundreds ofearthworms wriggling around inside the steamingpile. “This is their natural habitat,” he said, offeringme a handful of the moist, earthy material.“Go ahead, feel it.”Reluctantly, I touched the worm droppings.“Very nice,” I said, wondering how long it wouldbe before I could go wash my hands.“It’s all about the worm poop,” he said. AndI believed him. After all, he’s the one withthree degrees.Bauknight ‘96, M’05, M’06 is the owner andfounder of Shared Acres, a community supportedagriculture (CSA) farm, straddling the borderbetween Beaver and Allegheny counties in Clinton,Pa. Here, on just over 40 acres of land, he promotesa form of communal, sustainable agriculture thatis changing the way many people get theirweekly produce.Unlike other farms, Shared Acres grows solely forits shareholders. Each pays $300 a year for an 8- by4-foot vegetable garden, which Bauknight tends forthem. They’re also welcome to work it themselves,if they choose. From May to October, shareholderscan stop by Shared Acres to pick up a canvas bagfilled with fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, andeven some flowers, all handpicked byBauknight himself. During the spring,shareholders receive spinach, radishes, peas,and baby carrots. Throughout the summer,they can expect a variety of tomatoes, peppers,beans, celery, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, squash,zucchini and mixed greens.Shareholders can choose to get more of one thingand less of another, based on their individual tastes,and all the produce is grown using biodynamicmethods, completely free of the herbicides,pesticides and chemical fertilizers that most farmsuse today. At Shared Acres, it’s all done withall-natural, sustainable methods and practices.Hence, the worm poop.“Shared Acres was built from the commons forthe commons,” says Bauknight. “Here, it’s allabout keeping it natural and local, and that’sbeneficial for everyone.”Bauknight is collaborating with RMU to use SharedAcres as a learning tool for the university’s sciencestudents. “There is a lot of real-life lab work thatthey can perform here,” he says. “I want students tocome out and learn how Shared Acres implementssustainable agriculture. Eventually, I’d also likethem to come here to learn how solar, wind, andother alternative energies work. I still have toimplement these things on the farm, but theyare in definitely in my long-term plans.”Last fall, RMU seniors Jennifer Sabol, Caitlin Dilal,and Steve Zelechowski, along with juniors SaraPowell and Jovonna Kirkling, came to SharedAcres to collect soil samples from the gardens foranalysis and on-site data, such as soil compaction.This spring they’ll return to test Bauknight’s theoryabout tillage radishes. “It’s my contention,” he says,“that these radishes can add plenty of organicmatter to the soil and help with compaction,which, in turn, should eliminate the need fortilling altogether.”

William J. Dress, Ph.D., interim head of the RMUDepartment of Science, sees a great benefit to this analysis,both for Bauknight and RMU students. “This data will helpBauknight manage his operation in a more sustainable wayand give the students hands-on practice with collecting andanalyzing environmental samples and data,” says Dress.“It is a wonderful collaboration between RMU andShared Acres. As someone who is practicing sustainablemanagement techniques in his business, Bauknight reallyis a great resource.”Bauknight’s contributions don’t end at Shared Acres. Hehas also given guest lectures to classes at RMU aboutsustainability and environmental issues. “I enjoy workingwith and sharing my knowledge with the students,” hesays. “I plan to have RMU’s newly created natural sciencedepartment perform some vital lab work for me, whichwill give the students even more hands-on experience.CSA farms are relatively new to America. During the20th century, agriculture transformed considerably. Largespecialized operations, which grew fewer crops and focusedon national and global distribution, replaced traditional,smaller farms, which grew a variety of crops for localconsumers. Most of the produce you buy today has alreadytraveled hundreds, if not thousands, of miles before it reachesthe grocery store shelf. This lengthy travel time not onlydiminishes the freshness and nutritional value of the produce,it also significantly raises the price. “Seventy percent of yourfood costs can be attributed to petroleum, from the fertilizers,to the fuel for the tractors, to the transportation to themarket,” says Bauknight. “I think society is finally realizingthat we need to start thinking locally again by supportingour local farmers.”The growing number of CSAs nationally supports this theory.Today there are over 600 of these farms across the country, andPennsylvania is one of the movement’s biggest supporters.Bauknight believes that Shared Acres serves as a goodbusiness model. “I definitely see this type of agricultureexpanding in the years to come,” he says. “And I hope thatthe Shared Acres model can be adopted by others so thatCSAs based on sustainable agriculture can cross the chasmand be adopted by the herd.”Bauknight and his family moved to Shared Acres onThanksgiving Day 2007. He had been looking for property forabout five years. On vacation at the beach that summer, hesaw an ad for the farm in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s onlineedition. “When we got back, I packed up the family and wentto check it out,” he says. As they drove down the long graveldriveway beneath the towering silver maples, they wereimmediately taken by the charming 150-year-old farmhouse,its expansive fields and wooded hideaways. “We fell inlove with it as soon as we saw it.”For Bauknight, Shared Acres is truly a family affair. Hiswife, Renee (Mahouski) ‘99, who earned a degree inmanagement from RMU, is very involved with the farm

when she’s not busy working as an internal quality controlauditor at First Health in Moon Township. They also havethree young children: Joshua, 4; Jacob, 2; and Emily, 8 months.Bauknight’s mother, Elaine, and father, Brian, a retiredpastor with a doctorate in theology, live in a house next totheirs and help out in any way they can. “My mom helpswith the kids,” says Bauknight, “and my dad cuts the grassand helps with planting.”My first visit to Shared Acres was on a breezy spring dayin May 2008. As I pulled down the driveway and parkedbehind two Honda Priuses (one his; the other, his parents’),Bauknight roared up in his John Deere Gator all-terrainvehicle. In the back of the ATV, a radio was tuned in to NPR,a daily staple for this one-time financial analyst turnedfarmer. “The plants like the jazz, too,” said Bauknight. Ihopped in, and we were off on the grand tour of the farm.As we pulled away, Bauknight’s dog, George, circled thesix-wheeled vehicle again and again, somehow avoidingbeing run over while barking incessantly at the knobby tires.Our first stop was the shareholders’ individual gardens,all planted in raised boxes made from scrap wood Bauknightfound around the property. The rows of gardens lie on a pieceof land that used to be an old vineyard. Using raised boxesallows him to easily control and monitor the soil quality andeliminates the need for crop rotation. According to Bauknight,this is the first intercropping model of vegetables growntogether in a one-acre plot. It takes just one-fifth of the spacethat conventional row-cropping does, and it also saves thefarmer time and energy. This cropping model is based on thatof Mel Bartholomew, author of Gardening by the Square Foot.Bartholomew shows that for every 48 square feet that isplanted, you are able to gain a greater yield than if youwere to plant each seed in a plot of its own. Bauknighthas expanded on this by showing that more than enoughvegetables can be grown on one acre for all 200 shareholders.Next, Bauknight fired up the ATV and we headed over tothe barn, as George barked at the tires the entire way. Aswe entered the barn, I noticed something that seemed a littleout of place: a paper shredder. Bauknight smiled. “It’s forshredding newspaper,” he said. “I mix it with the worm poopto make emulsified paper.” He held up a large section of theinch-thick paper. “It’s a little invention I came up with to serveas an insulator for the tomatoes and peppers, which need alot of heat to grow.” Bauknight came up with the idea for theemulsified paper with the help of Nasim Siddeeq ‘08, astudent in RMU’s Environmental Science class. Most farmersuse black plastic to achieve the desired temperature, then tillthe plastic right back into the soil after harvest. “My paperallows for more moisture content than black plastic,” saidBauknight, “which in turn allows for more heat and a bettergrowing environment. Plus, it’s completely biodegradable,unlike the plastic.”We left the barn and bounced down a path to the twospring-fed ponds and fishing shack that sit near the back

of the property beneath a canopy of trees. In spring 2008,sophomores Kirsten Pasko and Krista Anders, studentsfrom RMU’s Intro to Environmental Science class, came hereto analyze the water quality in the ponds as part of theirsenior project. “I want Shared Acres to be a learning facilityfor the students of RMU and other schools,” says Bauknight.“And I hope that this place can be used as a sustainableagriculture extension where other farms in the area can comeand ask questions, learn about new practices and thenimplement them.”Bauknight makes sure that nothing on the property goes towaste. He used Google’s satellite feature to map out the farmand use every bit of land the best way possible, and he’s alsousing various natural, chemical-free methods for pest control.“I use nature to protect my crops,” he says. He plantedgarlic throughout the farm as a pest deterrent, and uses ahomemade hot pepper spray to protect against ants, mitesand various caterpillars. He also planted marigolds to fight offtomato horn-worm and nematodes, and nasturtium to protectagainst whiteflies, aphids and cabbage moths. “Another bighelp, which is often overlooked, is good soil,” says Bauknight.“Pests love to attack what is weak, so allowing a healthy placefor your plants to grow makes a huge difference.”Last spring, RMU students also helped to build and installbat boxes on the farm. Each holds up to 150 of the wingedpredators, whose voracious appetites help control the insectpopulation. Students also installed boxes to attract barn owlsto the property, which can eat up to 3,000 rodents per year.Shared Acres isn’t just about agriculture. It’s also meant as aplace where shareholders can come to relax and experience asense of community. “It’s called Shared Acres for a reason,”says Bauknight. Near the farmhouse, there’s a large open fieldwhere people can play sports, have a picnic, or even hold awedding reception. Next to the field, there’s a place for thekids known as “Frolic & Funland,” a fenced-in area with alarge sand pile and a wooden playset. Bauknight also hasplans for an obstacle course and a mini-golf course thatincorporates herb gardens. “We’re thinking of calling it‘Garden Golf,’” he says. Behind the farmhouse there’s a stonepatio complete with tables and a barbeque pit, and down thetrail behind the property there’s a secluded camping areaknown as Deer Valley. “It’s a place where people can cometo camp out with their family, roast some marshmallows,and just relax,” says Bauknight.Bauknight will surprise you. Hidden behind his dark,photochromic lenses, soft-spoken demeanor, and “Crophugger”t-shirt, is a man with remarkable intellect and anundeniable passion for his work. Before coming to RobertMorris University, which he chose for its strong reputation infinance and business, he served as a boatswain’s mate in theNavy for two years. After receiving his undergraduate degreefrom RMU, he worked as an independent financial advisorwith Allegheny Investments. But the sustainable farming ideawas always in the back of his mind. “I’ve always had a loveof nature and gardening,” he says.

While pursuing his M.S. in engineering management,Bauknight’s wrote a master’s thesis proposing an ecologicalengineering and invention factory for promoting sustainabledevelopment in the local community. “I spent a lot of timereading and then implementing what I learned,” he says.“Eventually, I started to think about how I could integrate mybusiness and technological education into my gardening – likesetting up webcams to watch my plants grow, using chartsto track my garden progress, and realizing the financialproductivity of my model.”Yildirim Omurtag, Ph.D., P.E., professor of engineeringand science at RMU, was Bauknight’s faculty advisor. “WhenDwayne worked on a research topic during his studies withme, I had no idea that he would implement his ideas lateron in a real-world environment,” says Omurtag. Aftercompleting the M.S. work, Bauknight set out to create anenvironmentally sustainable agricultural productionenterprise. “It is rewarding for us academics to see what ourstudents can do with their original ideas, and also how RobertMorris University may have played a role in stimulating suchinnovative work,” says Omurtag.Bauknight is a self-taught farmer, but he credits RMU formuch of his success at Shared Acres. “If it wasn’t for theeducation RMU provided me,” he says, “I probably wouldn’tbe where I am today. Almost every aspect of my educationis being used here.”Although Shared Acres’ first season had its challenges –issues with irrigation, damaging wind storms – Bauknightwas pleased with the results. “I’ve marked my mistakes andadded to my mitigation plan to overcome them,” he says.“And I’m hopeful for an even better harvest this year.” He’salso planning to expand the farm’s offerings, since he soldall 78 shares and had many more inquires. “I had to starta waiting list,” he says.Around the region, word is definitely starting to spreadabout Shared Acres. In November, it received the InnovativeBusiness of the Year Award from the Pittsburgh AirportArea Chamber of Commerce.I can personally vouch for the success of Shared Acres. Notonly has it reduced the number of trips I’ve had to make tothe supermarket, but it’s also helped my family eat healthier.Plus, it’s introduced me to some wonderful new vegetableslike lemon grass, arugula, and some sort of purple hot pepperthat Bauknight calls a “firecracker.” (WARNING: Don’t eatthe seeds! Take my word for it.)If you’re ever out in Clinton, be sure to pay the Bauknightsa visit. They’d love to see you. You might even getto touch the worm poop.WRITTEN BY VALENTINE J. BRKICH | PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN COOKELearn more about Shared Acres at www.sharedacres.com

____________CalloftheWild____________Wolves scholarshipshelp needy students2 2 . W W W. R MU. E DU

Ross Pisano knows how important scholarships are tostudents and their families. For the past 50 years, he’s beenproviding financial support to high school students as amember of the National Association of the Wolves.Pisano is a lifelong resident of Coraopolis. He entered theArmy in 1954 and served with the 63rd Antiaircraft ArtilleryBattalion in Weisbaden, Germany, as a radio interceptoperator until 1956.The Wolves Club, as it’s commonly known,traces its roots back to 1929. That year, a groupof Italian-American businessmen in the thenboomingmill town of New Castle, Pa., formeda civic club to provide financial support toneedy male students. The club expandedto other cities, and in 1951 the NationalAssociation of Wolves was founded.Since then, the organization has grownto 14 dens throughout WesternPennsylvania and Ohio.The club’s motto is “Pro bono publico,” aLatin phrase meaning “For the good of thepublic.” It could just as easily be “For thegood of the student.” The club’s scholarshipand grants program provides financialsupport to needy high school students,regardless of race, color or creed. Allscholarships are granted for a four-yearperiod at a minimum of $1,000 per year.Each den is required to sponsor at least onestudent in college at all times, and each mayoffer further financial support of any amountfor any educational purpose.Pisano is the first Vice President andscholarship chair for Den IX in Coraopolis,Pa., which is just down the road from RMU.Next year, he will be named president of thenational association. In this new position,he hopes to encourage greater collaborationamong the various dens and foster amore active commitment to supportingendowment. “Our club has been successfulbecause of its focus on scholarship andendowments,” says Pisano. “It’s a 100 percentreturn on your money, and long after we’regone, these endowments will still be hereproviding financial support to deserving students.”The Wolves Club has endowments with 14 regional collegesand universities, including two with RMU. Den IX has nineendowments total, more than any other den, and RMU’swas its first. “My goal as national president will be toget more dens to make endowment their primaryobjective,” says Pisano.____________“RossPisano’sefforts havehad a positiveeffect onthe lives ofmany of ourstudents,and we wishhim nothingbut the bestin his newposition asNationalPresident.”____________Starting in 1957, Pisano worked in themailroom for Crucible Steel in Pittsburgh.“Everyone started in the mailroom,” he says.“I’d catch the train from Station Square toBeaver every day to meet the mail boy fromCrucible Midland. Then I’d wait for threehours or so until the next train back toPittsburgh.” During this time, Pisanoattended night classes at Duff’s BusinessInstitute in Pittsburgh and graduated witha degree in accounting. He stayed withCrucible for 13 years, working his wayup to credit manager. He then went on towork at Westinghouse as treasury manageruntil 1975, when he returned to Crucible,retiring in 1982.Last April, Pisano spoke at RMU’s annualScholarship Luncheon, which recognizesthe university’s many scholarship donorsand recipients.Stephanie N. Hendershot ‘98, RMU directorof financial aid, knows what a valuableservice the Wolves Club providesto students. “The scholarship contributionsprovided by the Wolves Club are a valuedresource to many of our students,” saysHendershot. “Ross has a strong commitmentto students and scholarships in his localcommunity, and I am sure he will have aneven greater impact at a national level.”RMU President Gregory Dell’Omo, Ph.D.,also appreciates the generosity of Pisano andthe Wolves Club. “The Wolves Club has beena valued partner of Robert Morris Universityfor many years,” says Dell’Omo. “RossPisano’s efforts have had a positive effectn the lives of many of our students, and we wish him nothingbut the best in his new position as national president.”WRITTEN BY VALENTINE J. BRKICH | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN ALTDORFERROBE RT M O R R I S UN IV E R SIT Y F O UN DATIO NS . 2 3

Tim Pfeifer is one heck ofa bowler. In 2007 hewas named the USBC’sIntercollegiate SinglesChampion, and last May hebattled legendary bowlerslike Hall of Famer PeteWeber at Bowling’s Clash ofChampions in Kansas City,making it all the way tothe tournament’s semifinalround.Not bad for someone whohasn’t even graduatedcollege yet.Pfeifer, a senior businessmanagement major, is amember of RMU’s ClubBowling team, one of 18teams that make up theuniversity’s growing clubsports program. Morethan 230 current studentsparticipate in the program,which includes sports likebaseball, cycling, golf, icehockey, volleyball, danceteam and synchronizedskating, to name a few.Teams practice twice aweek and compete againstboth regional and nationalcolleges and universitiesin organized leaguesand associations.RMU’s club sports programis led by Garth Ericson 1998,

assistant director ofstudent life for club andintramural sports. “It’s areally great program,”says Ericson, “and we’vehad a lot of success in thepast couple years.”After graduating fromRMU with a degree in sportmanagement, Ericson,a native of York, Pa.,managed a YMCA in themiddle of the state for twoand a half years. He thenmoved on to the LowellSchool in Washington,D.C., where he oversawthe school’s aquatics andsummer programming.Then, after coachingbasketball at Key School,a private high school inAnnapolis, Md., Ericsonreturned to RMU in Sept.2006 to head the university’sclub sports program.RMU provides somefunding annually to eachclub team to supportnecessary team expenses;though, all teams areencouraged to conductfundraising activities tosupplement their budget.Coaches receive a stipendfrom and work for the Officeof Student Life underEricson’s supervision.Club sports providedifferent options forstudent athletes, and theyalso contribute to thestudents’ academic,personal and professionaldevelopment. “Thesesports enhance the qualityof student life on campus,”says Ericson. “And we’rereally proud of our teamsand their high levelof success.”Last year, the programlaunched four new teams:men’s soccer, women’ssoccer, paintball, and cycling.This year, the program hopesto add men’s lacrosse andcoed ultimate frisbee to thelist. They’re also adding ashort-track speed-skatingteam in 2009, which willbe one of the first suchcollegiate teams inthe country.“Our club sports programis wonderful because itgives students a chance tocontinue their athletic career,even if they choose not to bea Division I athlete,” saysJohn Michalenko, M.Ed.,chief student life officer anddean of students. “We takestudents suggestions andcreate the club sports theywant; that’s why so manystudents participate.Athletics and academicsfit together at RMU, andthis adds to our students’quality of life.”The bowling team hasexperienced much successin recent years, thanks toathletes like Pfeifer. Asa sophomore in 2006, heearned a spot on the JuniorTeam USA, and, in 2007,he and teammates BenGalloway ’08 and KevinSenko ’10 were namedUSBC Academic All-Americans. The teamended the 2007 campaignas National runner-up at theUSBC’s Intercollegiate TeamChampionships. This pastseason, the team just missedqualifying for the nationalchampionships, finishingin fifth place at theNational Bowling CongressRegional Qualifier inChattanooga, Tenn.25

RMU’s other club sportshave also tallied up someimpressive victories andhonors. The club icehockey team was theEastern Collegiate HockeyLeague’s regular seasonchampion in 2006-2007,finishing with a record of8-2, and coach Jason EvansAA’02, BSBA ’07, wasnamed the league’s coachof the year. Nicholas Verch,a defenseman for the team,signed to play professionallywith the Varkaus Eagles ofthe Finnish Ice HockeyAssociation.Also that year, the baseballteam won first place at theBob Kloska Tournament atFranciscan University ofSteubenville, Ohio, andsenior Kristina Lippertand Jessica Harman ‘08finished first and secondin the junior dance eventat the U.S. Figure SkatingSynchronized SkatingChampionships.The club sports programhad continued successduring the 2007-2008academic year. The ACHADivision I ice hockey teamwas crowned regular seasonchampion for the secondstraight year, and italso won the leaguetournament, with thenfreshman Bryan Chiavettabeing named tournamentMVP. The Tier I inlinehockey team won itssecond consecutiveWestern PennsylvaniaCollegiate Roller HockeyLeague championship,beating the University ofPittsburgh in a two-gameplayoff series. The Tier II“Blue” team was alsonamed league champion,defeating the CommunityCollege of Allegheny County.The men’s volleyball team,which is coached by Ericson,tied for third place at thePenn-Ohio VolleyballLeague’s Playoff Tournamentin Grove City last year. It wasthe team’s best finish ever.In recent years, universitiesacross the country have cutmany sports programs dueto budgetary constraints.For people like Pfeifer,club sports gave him anopportunity to competeand excel in a sport thatotherwise wouldn’t havebeen an option. “RMU’sClub Sports program is vitalbecause it providesan opportunity for youngathletes to participate insports that they maynot have been able tootherwise,” says Pfeifer.“Offering highly competitiveclub sports here at RMUprovides both currentand future students theopportunity to compete ata high level,” says Ericson.“And we see only bigger andbetter things for the programon the horizon.For Pfeifer, the club sportsprogram opened doors thatcould lead to a professionalcareer. “Getting to bowl inthe Clash of the Championswas a tremendousexperience,” he says.“Looking back, it’s incrediblethat, as a collegiate athlete, Iwas able to participate insuch an event.”WRITTEN BY VALENTINE J. BRKICHPHOTOGRAPHY BY JOE APPEL26

CLASS NOTES1960sLLOYD D. DAVIS ‘62 was anassociate broker with Davies RealEstate, Inc. in Ligonier, Pa. Sinceretirement, Lloyd is enjoyingcountry living. Lloyd is acertified lay speaker in theUnited Methodist Conference.He and his wife, Florence,reside in New Florence, Pa.TOM D. MCKINNEY ‘62, retired assenior advisor and auditor withthe U.S. Army Audit Agency.He is currently president ofthe Dunwoody, Ga., chapter ofNational Active Retired FederalEmployees; and a certified senioradvisor for Magellan PlanningFinancial Group. He and his wife,Sandra, reside in Dunwoody.1970sCHARLES E. LIND ‘70 isemployed by Victory EnergyCorp. as a landman. Charlesresides in Mahaffey, Pa.BRENDA LAUDERBACH ‘72,former group president ofwholesale and retail at NineWest Group, has beenappointed to the board of>JAMES BREHOVE ‘71, who owns Palmer Plastics Inc. in Easton, Pa.,ran the Army Ten-Miler in Washington, D.C., in October with histwo sons, Jordan and Aaron. Nearly 20,000 runners compete in theevent, making it the largest 10-mile race in the country. Jim proudlywore an RMU tank top, and many spectators encouraged him withcheers of, “Go, Robert Morris!”Jordan Brehove (left) is a captain in the Army and earned twoBronze Stars for two combat tours in Iraq. He also spent six yearsstationed in Germany. Jordan recently ended his full time Armyservice and currently attends the Wharton MBA program at theUniversity of Pennsylvania.Aaron Brehove (right) graduated cum laude from West VirginiaUniversity in 2006, and served seven years in the West VirginiaArmy National Guard. He resides in Washington, D.C., and worksfor Ernst & Young in the fraud and dispute services department.Jim has worked in the plastics business for over 25 years. He andhis wife, ELLEN (KARAFIN) BREHOVE ‘69, reside in Succasunna, N.J.directors of Susan G. Komen forthe Cure. Brenda serves as acorporate director for the boardsof Irwin Financial Corp., Big LotsCorp., Select Comfort, Denny’sCorp. and Wolverine WorldWide. She resides in Dallas.RICHARD A. HESS ‘72 recentlymoved to Scottsdale, Ariz., wherehe is employed by Azzuro Inc. aschief operating officer.WALLY W. JONES ‘73 was namedsales representative withTransCore Inc., a majormanufacturer of transportationrelatedsoftware products. Wallyresides in Springfield, Mo.ROGER LOOP ‘77 retired inSeptember after 25 years inthe criminal justice field asa corrections officer inPennsylvania and a parole officerand detention officer in Texas.Roger and his wife, Bonnie,reside in Springfield, Mass.1980sCLAUDIA SCHEIBEL ‘80 wasnamed marketing counselor withProvidence Point, a continuingcare retirement community underconstruction on the site of theformer John Kane Hospital inScott Twp. Claudia resides in Mt.Lebanon, Pa., with her husbandand two children.>MATTHEW M. GURA ‘82 is acertified public accountant atGura and Associates Inc. inSevierville, Tenn. He and hiswife, Theresa, reside inBristol, Tenn.DANIEL E. CROOKSHANK ’84was named vice president ofinvestor relations for Mylan Inc.in Canonsburg, Pa. Previously,Crookshank was vice presidentof investor relations forRockwell Collins. Crookshanklives in Venetia, Pa.YVONNE BEST-PROCTOR ‘87 hastaken a position as “Classroomsfor the Future” coach at FortLeBoeuf High School inWaterford, Pa. She and herhusband, Edward, and twochildren, Lance and Paige,live in Union City, Pa.HARRY E. LECKEMBY, JR. ‘87accepted a new position withBookMyGroup as director ofsports and athletic sales. He andhis wife, Elizabeth, and theirson, Harry III, moved back toPittsburgh in August fromColorado Springs, Colo.1990sJOANNE (HEINTZ) BASKO ‘90and her husband, JOE BASKO‘94, announced the birth of theirson, Joshua Francis, on June 19.He joins siblings Chris, Rachel,Rebecca, and Matthew. Thefamily resides in Monaca, Pa.KATHY S. (HALL) MCKAY ‘92 isemployed by Comcast as ordermanagement lead. She andher husband, Shawn, have adaughter, Raygan, and resideR O B E R T M O R R I S U N I V E R S I T Y F O U N D AT I O N S • 2 7

CLASS NOTESDEAR FRIENDS,Throughout its history, RobertMorris University has beenfortunate to enjoy the generousfinancial support of its alumnias well as its faculty and staff.The very least we can do isacknowledge this support andsay “thank you.” Every fall issueof Foundations we print a listof all our donors at every levelof giving.You can imagine ourembarrassment when wediscovered that we excluded oneof our most magnanimous donorsthis year. This person had chosento remain anonymous, but evenanonymous gifts should beacknowledged as a sign of ourgratitude. This particular donoris a member of the RMU staffand one of the university’s finestand most visible ambassadors.Not only does he excel in hisprofession and the services heoffers Robert Morris University,but he and his wife are fixturesat RMU sporting events, lecturesand other happenings on campus.He is a tireless supporter of theuniversity whose devotion toRMU is apparent every day.To him and his wife, I offer myapologies and sincerest thankson behalf of the entire RobertMorris University community.I also want to take thisopportunity to thank andacknowledge the support of RMUGeneral Counsel Sid Zonn andhis wife, Ellen, a part-time RMUfaculty member, as well as thesupport of Dr. and Mrs. Joseph M.Moricz, former dean of the Schoolof Business. The Moriczes’ gift wasmisidentified in the donor report.To all our donors, thank youonce again.JAY CARSON, VICE PRESIDENT OFINSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENTin Pittsburgh, Pa. Kathy and herhusband were married in Hawaiion Sept. 2.JOSEPH W. BROWN ‘94 has beenhired as the new director of foodservices for Columbus (Ohio)City Schools. Joseph will overseethe $25 million food servicedepartment, which has about 450employees. Prior to this position,Joseph worked for PhiladelphiabasedAramark. He resides inHilliard, Ohio.JASON W. LONGNECKER ‘97 isan employee benefits specialistwith The Principal FinancialGroup. Jason resides in BelleVernon, Pa., with his wife,Alyson, and their two daughters,Amelia and Natalie.MICHAEL BATTALINI ‘98 marriedLesley Ann Moore on Oct. 25.Michael is vice president ofinvestments at Ferris Baker Wattsand is also a licensed realtor.Lesley is a marketing managerat Thermo Fisher Scientific.JASON P. PHILLIPS ‘98 works instrategic procurement for BayerMaterial Science. He and hiswife, Lynn, welcomed thebirth of their daughter, AubreyNicole, on May 31. The familyresides in Baden, Pa.2000sLAURA C. WARD ’00 is a 9th gradeEnglish teacher at Fox ChapelArea High School. She and herhusband, Nathan, live inPittsburgh, Pa.AMY E. LIPSCOMB ’01 is a regionalsales manager for Frito-Lay. Sheresides in Charlotte, N.C.JENNIFER LILLARD ’01 is atriathlete sponsored byseeMOMMYrun and CorazonasFoods. Jennifer will compete inmore than nine races this season,including two half-iron distancetriathlons (1-mile swim, 56-milebike, 13-mile run). Jennifer andher husband, Sam, and daughter,Ella, reside in Springfield, Va.PHIL MILLER ’00 M’01 and hiswife, Sarah, became the proudparents of Julia Claire on August21. Julia was welcomed home byher 3-year-old sister, Lydia. Phil ismanager of server operations forRMU’s technical services division.AMANDA E. (CALIK) BROWN ’02married Andrew Brown onMay 31 in the Italian Gardens atFelicita near Harrisburg, Pa.Bridesmaids included AMY (HOY)SELLMAN ’04, who brought herdaughter, Abigail. Amanda is asenior implementation consultantwith Tier Technologies in Reston,Va. The couple resides inHummelstown, Pa.>JEFFREY R. BOWSER ’02 recentlypassed all four sections of theCPA exam. Jeff is a financialreporting manager at theUniversity of Pittsburgh. Heresides in Munhall, Pa.SHAWN LIOTTA ’02 was namedthe first head coach to lead theexpansion Wheeling Wildcats ofthe Continental Indoor FootballLeague. Before joining theWildcats, Shawn was headfootball coach and director offootball operations of the ErieRiver Rats of the AIFA. He residesin Lower Burrell, Pa., with hiswife, Allison.>KRISTINE BETH FLUHARTY ’02recently became engaged toNathan Paul Carver. Kristine isemployed by Saber Health Careand is studying occupationaltherapy at Kent State University.Nathan is employed by SherwinWilliams. The wedding date ison May 2, 2009.DAMIAN JACKSON ’03 andAnya Winfield of Eden, NC weremarried on August 9. Damianreceived a master’s in historyfrom Morgan State Universityin May. The Jacksons residein Carnegie, Pa.>2 8 • W W W. R M U . E D U

CLASS NOTESCODIE WALKER ’03 has beenpromoted to assistant financialofficer for the Department ofVeterans Affairs Medical Centerin Salem, Va. Codie resides inRoanoke, Va.JAMES A. SPAGNOLO III ’03 isemployed by PNC FinancialServices as a branch manager.He and his wife, Lacie, reside inGlenshaw, Pa.MEGAN (STEIGHNER) DAVIS ’03and Mark Davis were marriedin Negril, Jamaica, on May 11.The couple now resides inFranklinton, N.C., with theirtwo dogs, Beckham and Lily.EUGENE MAZZUCA ’03 and hiswife, TRACI ANN (ZUREICK) ’03,welcomed their first child, MiaElizabeth, on May 23. Eugeneis a pharmaceutical salesrepresentative with WyethConsumer Healthcare. The familyresides in Hamilton, Ontario.JAMES OGG ’04 married MichelleRain on Oct. 28. James is asocial studies teacher with thePittsburgh Public Schools. Thecouple resides in North Irwin, Pa.>SEAN R. KOCAN ’04, anauditor with Malin, Bergquist& Company LLP, received hisdesignation as a certified fraudexaminer. He earned his CPA in2006. Sean resides in CranberryTwp., Pa.JENNIFER (AUGUSTINE) LENTO ’04is employed by MaximHealthcare Services as a medicalbiller. Jennifer and her husband,John, reside in Elkridge, Md.BRICE FRITTS ’02, M’04 was namedathletic director at BlessedSacrament Huguenot CatholicSchool in Powhatan, Va. Hehad been on the coaching staff atBSH since 2005 and accepted aposition as a physics and scienceinstructor in 2006. Brice resides inRichmond, Va.WILLIAM MCKEOWN ’04 is a salesrepresentative with Respironicsin Murrysville, Pa. RACHEL(PACSI) MCKEOWN ’05 is abusiness development specialistwith Clearview Federal CreditUnit. The couple resides inAmbridge, Pa.KELLIE M. (UNDERWOOD) SELLERS’05 is a research accountant at theUniversity of Pittsburgh. She andher husband, Jason, reside inPittsburgh, Pa.JOHN R. HENNE ’05 and JESSICA(VOLTURNO) ’05 were married onJune 23, 2007. John is a teacher inthe Conewago Valley SchoolDistrict. The couple residesin York, Pa.DAVID D. KICHI ’05 is employedby SAIC – U.S. Departmentof Energy as a networkadministrator. David residesin Morgantown, W.V.BENNY JOE LOBELLO ‘73, welcomed the Food Network’swisecracking, spiky-haired host, Guy Fieri, to his family’s Coraopolisrestaurant, LoBello’s Spaghetti House, to tape an episode of “Diners,Drive-ins and Dives.” The special on LoBello’s premiered in Nov.A longtime commercial banker, Benny Joe decided a few years agoto go back to work at his family’s restaurant, which LoBello’sgrandparents opened in 1944. Nearly everything on the menu is stillmade from scratch, much of it by Benny Joe’s mama, Rose, a regularthere at 809 Fifth Ave.Guests are invited to carve their names into the wooden booths,if they can find a space in between the hundreds who already haveover the years. And anyone showing an RMU ID will get a 25percent discount, Benny Joe promised.NEIL G. GAMROD ’05 becameengaged to Elissa Gilmer onFeb. 12, 2008 while in Dublin,Ireland. Neil is an airlineemployee and resides inPittsburgh, Pa.JENNIFER SNYDER ’05 is nowworking as a client-basedadministrator for Allied Solutionsin Hagerstown, Md. She isengaged to be married on June 7in the Moon Twp. area. Jenniferresides in Cumberland, Md.JUSTIN P. PETRAS ’06, a technicalsupport service manager for TrueCommerce Inc., recently becameengaged to Jillian Radley, whoworks in human resources forEnterprise Rent-A-Car. Thewedding is planned for Oct. 17,2009 at St. John Vianney Churchin Pittsburgh.MARK L. HAUCK ’06 marriedformer RMU student Kara J.Stavros on July 21, 2007. Mark isemployed by Scotts Lawn Serviceas the market sales manager forRhode Island and SoutheasternMassachusetts. Kara is employedby Benefit Concepts as a benefitsadministrator. The couple residesin Cranston, R.I.SEAN S. HAMILTON ’06 isemployed by PA Cyber School asa help desk analyst. He and hiswife, Marcy, and son, Connor,reside in Midland, Pa.ABIGAIL E. BURKES ’06 is a socialstudies teacher in the Mars AreaSchool District. Abigail resides inWexford, Pa.R O B E R T M O R R I S U N I V E R S I T Y F O U N D AT I O N S • 2 9

CLASS NOTESLAURI K. FINK M’06 was recentlynamed program officer withHillman Foundation. Beforethat, Lauri was the director ofdevelopment for Auberle. Laurieresides in Bethel Park, Pa.KEVIN J. BAZNER ’06 was recentlypromoted to senior leadershipconsultant with Phi Delta Thetafraternity. Kevin began workingfor the fraternity in 2007 and hasbeen traveling the South Centralregion of the U.S. He resides inOxford, Ohio.MELISSA MUSICO M’06 is directorof strategic partnerships forDevelopers Diversified Realty.Before that, Melissa was acorporate sales account executivefor the Cleveland Cavaliers.Melissa resides in RockyRiver, Ohio.RICH DEMAIO M’06 joined theFairleign Dickinson Universitycoaching staff in 2008 as theoffensive coordinator andquarterbacks coach. Previously,Rich was the tight ends coachat Middlebury College andquarterbacks coach at RMU.Rich resides in Budd Lake, N.J.,with his wife, Nicole.LINDSEY WRIGHT ’06 has beenhired as the assistant to thedirector of supplier relations atWESCO, and is responsible formanaging the affairs of thedirector and others inadministrative, organizational,and special events coordinationcapacities. Lindsey resides inBeaver, Pa.CHARLES STOWERS ’06 earneda master’s in higher educationleadership and administrationfrom Jones InternationalUniversity. Charles lives inTampa, Fla., and is now pursuinghis doctorate in higher educationand adult learning at WaldenUniversity.MICHAEL VILLELLA ’06 andKRISTINA GONZALEZ ’08 gotmarried on Nov. 22, 2008.Michael works for NorthwesternMutual in Milwaukee, Wisc.Help us findour next success story!At RMU, we’re serious when we say we’re changing lives. Now with your help, we can change even more.The new $4,000 Robert Morris University Endorsement Award puts a powerful gift in your hands.Are there potential new freshmen you’d like to sponsor? Here’s a good way to start:Tell them how RMU made a difference in your life. Explain that RMU has one of the lowest tuitionrates of any Pennsylvania private university. Tell them you can get them a guaranteed$4,000 scholarship.* All they have to do is apply, and you’ll fill out the form.It’s free to apply to RMU online, so there’s no cost or obligation to them.If they’ve never seen the campus, suggest they visit us some time. Schedule a tour by calling (412) 397-5200.Remember, there’s no limit to how many endorsements you can make.Download an RMU Endorsement Award form: www.rmu.edu/endorseaward.Or call Leanne Condron at (412) 397-5869 to have one mailed to you.* Endorsement award is $1,000 per year for four years and is contingent on acceptance and meeting other admission and enrollment requirements.3 0 • W W W. R M U . E D U

CLASS NOTESSUSANNE (KINS) GALUPI ’07 is ateacher in the Northgate SchoolDistrict. Suzanne resides inPittsburgh, Pa.CHRIS KAUFMAN ’08 made hisprofessional hockey debut withthe Bakersfield Condors late lastseason after concluding hiscollege career at RMU. Heappeared in eight regular seasongames with Bakersfield as well asall six playoff games, in which hetallied two assists. Chris residesin Gig Harbor, Wash.>JEFF GILBERT ’08 has been signedas rookie defenseman by theLaredo Bucks of the CentralHockey League in Laredo, Texas.Jeff played in 118 games in hisfour years with the RMUColonials Division I hockey team.Jeff resides in Barrie, Ontario.CHRISTIAN BOUCHER ’08 is one ofthree goaltenders in trainingcamp with the Central HockeyLeague. Christian played threeseasons of hockey at RMU. Heresides in Orleans, Ontario.BRENT COLBERT ’08 is engaged toKristin Kalervo and the coupleare planning an Aug. 15, 2009wedding. Brent is employed byMercer Inc. in Pittsburgh.MICHAEL FLEMING ’08 wasselected by the Toronto Rock, ofthe National Lacrosse League,with their second-round pick (17thoverall) in the league’s entry draftthis September in Boston. Michaelresides in Sarnia, Ontario.In MemoriamROBERT L. BRITT ‘51 passed awayon June 1, 2008. In 1993, Robertretired as controller from HoustonHarbaugh, a Pittsburgh law firm.MICHAEL A. KOVACS ‘52 passedaway at the age of 90 onJan. 9, 2008.SAMUEL FREMONT CAMPBELL ‘58passed away at the age of 79on Oct. 6, 2008.LARRY P. STOFKO M’02 passedaway on Aug. 27, 2008.ROBERT T. SHIRLEY, JR. ’00 passedaway suddenly on July 28, 2008.Robert played basketball for theRMU Colonials for three years.KAREN LYNN (EISENHAUER)MICKUS ’91 passed away onOctober 20, 2008. She was a CPAat Parente Randolph LLC inPittsburgh for 19 years.Includes news submitted betweenOct. and Dec. 2008.Note: Class notes are submitted byalumni and friends and are notverified by the editor. Foundationsmagazine is not responsible forinformation contained in class notes.CorrectionsIn the Aug. 2008 issue, weaccidentally omitted officecoordinator Ivana Spehar fromthe article on the Bayer Centerfor Nonprofit Management.Sorry, Ivana!In Memoriam:Bryan James William GarvinOct. 29, 1982 - Feb. 17, 2006In loving memory of Bryan Garvin ‘05, his friends and familyhave set up a golf scholarship in his honor. Bryan came to RobertMorris University from Northern Ireland on a golf scholarship.He stayed in Pittsburgh after graduation, working for thePittsburgh Pirates. Bryan was an extraordinary golfer,enthusiastic Pittsburgh sports fan and, most importantly, anamazing friend.To contribute please send a check made out to “Robert MorrisUniversity,” with “Bryan Garvin Fund” in the memo, to:Office of Institutional Advancement, 6001 University Boulevard,Moon Township, PA 15108FRIDAY, FEB. 27Reunion and Happy Hour5-7 p.m., Trivia pubSATURDAY, FEB. 28Legacy Lunch1:30 p.m., Sewall CenterFor RMU alumni who keep it in the family. If youand a relative are both RMU alumni, join us!Winter Blast FestivitiesCome in from the cold for family-friendly fun.2-5 p.m., Sewall CenterBasketball doubleheader4 p.m., Sewall CenterIf you missed Homecoming,don't miss Winter Blast!For details visit www.rum.eud/alumniR O B E R T M O R R I S U N I V E R S I T Y F O U N D AT I O N S • 3 1

Paul Spradley is RMU through and through. As an undergraduate majoring in Communication MediaProductions, he was involved in everything from Colonial Theatre and Colonial SportsCenter to intramuralsports and the Black Student Union. He got his bachelor’s degree in 2003, and earned a master’s inInstructional Leadership three years later. He’s still a familiar face on the RMU campus today, as assistantdirector of student life for multicultural affairs.This summer, Paul launched the Diversity Speakers Series. Featuring one-hour conversations withregional and national leaders, the series stimulates conversation and learning about diversity for students,faculty and staff. He also was instrumental in having the university sign on to the Anti-Defamation League’s“No Place for Hate” campaign, which aims at combating prejudice and promoting equality and harmonyamong people of different backgrounds. Paul is also a deacon and youth director for Hillcrest Seventh DayAdventist church in the Hill District.1. What is it about RMU that’ s kept you here forso many years?When students ask me that, I usually respond bysaying, “I’m working my way up to president of theuniversity.” In all seriousness, though, I stay becausethere are some really great people here and thecampus is rich with all kinds of opportunities.2. Why do you think diversity is so important ina university atmosphere?The world is very multicultural and very diverse.Sometimes students and employees come to auniversity with little or no appreciation ofdifferences. If we want our students and employeesto serve as ambassadors of the university, we musthelp them understand and appreciate differencesand other cultures. After all, the many things thatmake us different are fascinating!3. Who are your heroes and role models?Nowadays I would have to say my hero is Jesus,because he saves the day. My role model is TroyPolamalu because in addition to being a hardworker, a superb football player and a real man’sman, he’s a very spiritual person. I mean, he says aquick prayer after every play – how cool is that!4. What’ s your favorite book?I try to read the Bible every day, but I really enjoyTuesdays with Morrie. I love the simplicity of themessages given by Morrie as he helps the readerappreciate what’s really important in life.5. If you could have dinner with any one person,living or dead, who would it be and why?It would be a toss-up between Saint Paul and theDalai Lama, but I think I’d love to go to Primanti’swith Saint Paul. I just think Paul and I have somethings in common, and I’d like to know howspecifically he transitioned from who he was in hislife to who he became.6. What would people be surprised to know about you?That I sang bass in a quartet that produced two lowbudget CDs, and that I’ve done a lot of televisionwork, both as a TV news reporter and an actor inseveral commercials and industrial videos.7. Do you have any hobbies?I write children’s stories, and I already have enoughfor a series of books that I’m planning on publishingwithin the next year.8. What’ s on your iPod right now?The last song was “Mary” by Take 6, the current songis “Echoes” by Pink Floyd, and the next song is“Got to Give it Up” by Marvin Gaye.9. What’ s your favorite movie?It’s a tie between “Pursuit of Happyness” and “300.”10. What’ s the best piece of advice you’ ve ever been given?My mother told me, “Throughout your successesyou’ve got to stay humble, and always keep Godfirst because He got you where you are.”3 2 • W W W. R M U. E D U

Upcoming Events> JANUARY> FEBRUARY> MARCH>APRIL15 Alumni Pre-GameReception, 6 p.m., SewallCenter; Men’s Basketball:Central ConnecticutState, 7 p.m.28 Pittsburgh SpeakersSeries: Anna Quindlen,8 p.m., Heinz Hall31 Women in Sports Day,Basketball vs. Monmouth,Women at 4 p.m.,Men at 7 p.m.2 Men’s Basketball: PittPanthers, 7 p.m. at Pitt12 Alumni Pre-GameReception, Sewall Center;Basketball vs. Sacred Heart,Women at 6 p.m., Men at 8 p.m.27 Winter Blast Weekend:Alumni Happy Hour, 5–7 p.m.,Trivia Pub (facing campus)28 Winter Blast Weekend:Legacy Lunch, 1:30 p.m.,Sewall Center4 Pittsburgh SpeakersSeries: Bob Woodward,8 p.m., Heinz Hall18 Alumni Luncheon:Downtown Pittsburgh(details TBA)27 International Dinner,6 p.m., Food Court,Nicholson Center2-4 The Miracle Worker,8 p.m. (also 2 p.m. Saturday),Colonial Theatre, Massey Hall16 After-Tax Happy Hour:Downtown Pittsburgh(details TBA)22 Pittsburgh SpeakersSeries: David McCullough,8 p.m., Heinz Hall23 RMU Idol contest,9 p.m., Food Court,Nicholson CenterFOR MORE INFORMATION on these and other upcoming events, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (412) 397-2586 or rmualum@rmu.edu.alumniNEWSNAME __________________________________________________________________ YEAR OF GRADUATION __________________PREVIOUS/ MAIDEN NAMEADDRESSCITY/STATE/ZIPHOME PHONEE-MAIL ADDRESS____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ WORK PHONE ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________PROFESSION/POSITION __________________________________________________________________________________________EMPLOYER NAME ______________________________________________________________________________________________ADDRESSCITY/STATE/ZIPSPOUSE’S NAME____________________________________________________________________________________________________CHILDREN’S NAMES AND AGESNEWS ITEM__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________MAIL THIS COMPLETED FORM TO: Office of Alumni Relations, Robert Morris University, 6001 University Boulevard,Moon Township, PA 15108-1189. Or, send your news via e-mail rmualum@rmu.edu or fax (412) 397-2142.R O B E R T M O R R I S U N I V E R S I T Y F O U N D AT I O N S • 3 3

6001 University BoulevardMoon Township, PA 15108-1189www.rmu.eduF O U N D AT I O N S F O R S U C C E S S