Under the Arch     October 15, 2007     Volume IX, Number 8

 

SIX GRADS TO BE HONORED AT ANNUAL DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI DINNER

Gannon University will honor six individuals at its annual Distinguished Alumni Dinner, to be held Friday, Oct. 19.

The dinner, which is being held in conjunction with the university’s annual Alumni Homecoming and Reunion Weekend, will begin at 6 p.m. in the Yehl Room of the Waldron Campus Center, 124 West Seventh Street.

 

The award recipients

From the College of Humanities, Business, and Education – Deborah A. Dubik. Dubik graduated from Gannon in 1976 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and earned a law degree from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. She later joined the Iowa Department of Employment Services as an administrative law judge and represented the state in judicial proceedings. Dubik joined the Iowa Industrial Commissioner’s Office in 1987 as a deputy commissioner charged with hearing and deciding cases involving workers’ compensation benefits. In 1990, she developed and implemented a program for alternative dispute resolution, a successful mediation program that was utilized by many state agencies. She was a frequent speaker at public and private seminars on issues pertaining to employment law, workers’ compensation benefits, and mediation. Dubik joined the Davenport, Iowa, law firm of Betty, Neuman & McMahon in 1992 and became a partner in 1994. She practiced in the areas of employment law and workers’ compensation, representing employers and insurance carriers throughout the state. She has mentored young lawyers and has served on task forces for the state of Iowa and committees as appointed by the Supreme Court of Iowa. She also has served as the chairperson of the Civil Service Commission for the city of Davenport. She is a retired partner with Betty, Neuman & McMahon.

 From the College of Sciences, Engineering, and Health Sciences – William M. Zeitler. Zeitler graduated from Gannon in 1969 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and general science. He currently is senior vice president and group executive of IBM Systems and Technology Group, a $25 billion worldwide operation with approximately 40,000 employees. He is responsible for all of IBM’s hardware offerings as well as the Global Engineering Solutions unit, which develops microprocessors for IBM systems, products from the smallest micro-processors that power game consoles to the processors inside the Mars Rover, and supercomputers. He joined IBM as a programmer in White Plains, N.Y., and has held several executive positions in IBM’s software and hardware operations around the world, including assignments in Tokyo, San Francisco, North Carolina, and New York. Zeitler implemented IBM’s software operations in Asia Pacific and was the general manager of IBM Mainframe, Unix and AS/400 Server Divisions. He was named senior vice president and group executive of IBM Server Group (later the consolidated Systems and Technology Group) in September, 2000. Zeitler and his wife, Nancy, live in New Canaan, Conn., and have one daughter, Megan.

 Young Alumni Award – Kiran K. Rajasenan, MD, and Rosemarie (Mankosky) Rajasenan, CPA. Kiran Rajasenan is a medical oncologist at West Penn Allegheny Health System in Pittsburgh and served as an oncology fellow at Allegheny General Hospital prior to joining West Penn. Rosemarie, his wife, is the accounting manager for Dick’s Sporting Goods, headquartered in Pittsburgh. She previously was a business assurance associate with Coopers-Lybrand; senior accountant with Allegheny Health Education & Research Foundation; and senior accountant with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

The Rajasenans both graduated from Gannon in 1993, with Kiran earning a bachelor’s degree in health services and Rosemarie a bachelor’s degree in accounting.  Kiran received a medical degree from Hahnemann Medical School in Philadelphia, and Rosemarie earned an MBA from Robert Morris University in Moon Township, Pa.

The couple has established the Rajasenan and Mankosky Endowed Scholarship at Gannon. They reside in Wexford, Pa., with their daughter, Lauren.

 Monsignor Wilfrid J. Nash Principles of Christian Conduct Award – David R. and Mary Kay Kalivoda. David Kalivoda is a product developer in the mechanical products division of Lord Corp. Mary Kay, his wife, is a community organizer and volunteer. The Kalivodas both graduated from Gannon in 1976, with David earning a bachelor’s degree in engineering technology and Mary Kay a bachelor’s degree in political science. Mary Kay also received a juris doctorate in 1979 from Cleveland-Marshall College. David earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 2005 from Gannon. The Kalivodas have remained active at Gannon, serving as 25th Class Reunion committee members in 2001 as well as serving on the Phonathon Committee, the Alumni Recruitment Program, the Gannon Athletic Boosters, and The Power To Transform Campaign Erie Regional Committee. David and Mary Kay reside in Erie, and have two children, Kathryn and Kevin.

 

 

RECENT NEWS AND HIGHLIGHTS

News of interest on and around campus...

  • Six faculty recently completed work on their terminal degrees. Please offer your congratulations to the following: James Miller, assistant professor, director of accounting program. Doctor of Business Administration (DBA). Major: Accounting. Institution: Anderson University, Anderson, Ind. Dissertation Topic: Detecting Earnings Management: A Tool for Practitioners and Regulators. Duane “Rick” Prokop, assistant professor of marketing, co-director of the Master of Public Administration Program. Doctor of Strategic Leadership. Institution: School of Global Leadership and Entrepreneurship, Regent University, Virginia Beach, Va. Bernadette Hattjar, DrOT, OTR/L, CWCE, assistant professor and academic fieldwork coordinator, occupational therapy. DrOT (advanced clinical doctorate in Occupational Therapy). Institution: Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Dissertation Topic: Occupational Therapist's Perspectives of Addressing Sexuality with Physically Disabled Clients. Jennifer Gorman, assistant professor of mathematics, Doctor Of Philosophy (Ph.D.). Institution: Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pa. Doctorate in: mathematics. Dissertation Topic: Nested Traveling Salesperson. Shelly A. Bentley, assistant professor, education department. Doctor of Education in Reading Education, Ed.D. Institution: University of Pittsburgh. Dissertation Topic: How Teachers Make Instructional Decisions When Implementing a New Core Reading Program. Parris J. Baker, assistant professor, director of social work program; Doctor of Philosophy, Social Work (Ph.D.). Institution: School of Social Work, University of Pittsburgh. Dissertation Topic: Self-efficacy, co-parenting relationship, and parenting satisfaction: Variables that predict paternal involvement by non-custodial fathers.

  • See for yourself: Faculty, staff, and administrators can tour the university’s most recent property acquisition, the Robert H. Morosky Academic Center, at 150 West 10th Street (formerly the Verizon building). The building will be open from 1-3 p.m. on Oct. 18 and from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Oct. 30. Extensive renovations will be done prior to the building’s official opening.

  • Please welcome to campus Mike Gorski, who recently was named the university’s webmaster. Mike will work in the marketing department. He formerly worked at Bensur Creative Services.

  • GUSSA members: The following are serving with the Gannon University Support Staff Association: Barbara Roberts, president; Melissa Lesniewski, vice president; Katie Bailey, secretary; and Nancy Kujawinski, treasurer.

 

CAMPUS EVENTS

  • Thursday, October 18 – Lunch-N-Learn Presentation: Suzanne Richard, Ph.D., professor of history/theology and director of the Collins Institute for Archaeological Research, will give a presentation titled “Dig this: A Hands on Workshop.” The presentation and lunch are free and will be held at 12 p.m. in room 2203 of Palumbo.

  • Friday, October 19 – Distinguished Alumni Dinner: Six individuals will be honored: Deborah A. Dubik; William M. Zeitler; Kiran K. and Rosemarie (Mankosky) Rajasenan; and David R. and Mary Kay Kalivoda. The dinner will begin at 6 p.m. in the Yehl Room.

  • Friday-Sunday, October 19-21 – Alumni Homecoming Reunion Weekend: Landmark years to be celebrated include the classes of 1957, 1967, 1982, and 1997. Affinity groups also joining in on the celebration include African-American Alumni, Villa Maria Alumnae, Honors, SGA, Theatre/Communication Arts, Commuters/Non-Traditional, and Gannon Women of the ’60s. The weekend will conclude with an Alumni Brunch with Dr. Garibaldi.

  • Tuesday-Wednesday, October 23-24 – Nash Library Book Sale: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Thousands of books will be available in categories like fiction, children’s, history, engineering, business, psychology, science, education, and medicine. On the first day, hardcover books, videos, and audio books will be $2.50, paperbacks $1, and pocket paperbacks 50 cents. On the second day, all items will be sold at half price. Collect your spare change, because all proceeds will benefit the library’s book budget.

  • Sunday, November 4 – Fall Open House: Registration will begin at 11:30 a.m. in the Waldron lobby. Two Admissions and Financial Aid presentations will be held, as will numerous other activities. For more information, call ext. 7240.

  • “Our Events” is intended to serve as a random sample of campus events. For a more complete listing, refer to Eventcal.

 

THE PRESIDENT’S SCHEDULE

Monday, October 15 – Cathedral Preparatory School visit. Tuesday, October 16 – Villa Maria Academy visit; Keynote Speech at Bowling Green State University College of Education Summit. Thursday, October 18 – WQLN 6th annual Collegiate Challenge; Gathering in Praise; Faculty and staff tours of the Robert Morosky Academic Center; Student Hour; 10th Anniversary Celebration of the Ophelia Project. Friday, October 19 – Northwestern Pennsylvania Educational Technology Summit; Alumni Homecoming/Reunion Weekend events; Distinguished Alumni Dinner. Saturday, October 20 – Alumni Homecoming/Reunion Weekend events; Activities Programming Board Homecoming Parade; Gannon football vs. University of Findlay. Sunday, October 21 – Alumni Homecoming/Reunion Weekend events.

 

 

CURRENT BIRTHDAYS

Suzanne Hawryliw. Sister Min-Shik Kim. Dana Kosko. James Uhrmacher. Chet LaPrice. Ann-Elizabeth Lay. Kathleen MacMurdy. Ann Oshlick. Danielle Wood. Barb Roberts. Robert Rawding. Nicholas Pronko. Timothy Laher. Mary Draghi. Michael Latzer. Christine Rudzinski. Maria Kuklinski. Patricia Marshall. Jiangxia Liu. Janet Goetz. William Colt. Gregory Baran. Shalonda Andrews. Jennifer Gorman. Leslie Patterson. Olga Bovkun. Dick Sukitsch. Ken McCurdy. Donald Henry. Sharon Dugan. Martin Hoch. David Hemenger. Matthew Clark. Lori Jasinski. Lynne Wright. Tisha Beason.

 

 

PICTURE OF THE WEEK

Gannon Day: Bev Pochatko (right), coordinator, applications and transcripts, Admissions Office, shares a light moment with Matthew Brinker, assistant director of the International Student Office, and Linda Loader, administrative secretary, Student Development, during last week’s Gannon Day. The event, held in the Hammermill Center, was intended to serve as informational session for support staff, nearly 100 of whom attended. Thanks to all who helped make the event a success.