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Campus News
The Reverend Tylvas Hiatula of Namibia has joined Susquehanna University as international pastor-in-residence for the fall semester. He came to Susquehanna from Namibia where he serves 12 high schools in the capital city of Windhoek. At Susquehanna, Haitula has had the opportunity to participate in several on-campus ministries and meet students from a variety of campus groups. He has enjoyed the opportunity to speak of his church in Namibia, noting that interesting questions always follow. “I put the emphasis on how we perform the church work over there, to make them realize that there is not only one way to do things but there are many ways, especially according to our different talents or gifts God had bestowed upon us,” Haitula continued. In Namibia, he has worked with students between the ages of 12 and 19 and organizes bible studies, prayer groups, and church choirs while also teaching confirmation classes. The Reverend Hiatula’s semester-long visit is made possible by the efforts of Lynn Askew ’57 and the existing tie between the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia and the New Jersey Synod ELCA. Vahid Behmardi, assistant professor of Arabic literature at the American University of Beirut, visited Susquehanna University through the Understanding Contemporary Islam (UCI) Program, established in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks to promote dialogue and mutual understanding between the United States and the Islamic world. For six weeks in the beginning of the fall semester, Behmardi taught Susquehanna students, consulted with the faculty and held a series of popular discussions related to cultural diversity, tolerance and political issues that interface with religion. “The comments and compliments that I have received from many students during my stay at Susquehanna prove that they are eager to learn more about the culture of that part of the world with which they share the destiny of humanity’s welfare,” Behmardi said. Behmardi described his time at Susquehanna as “teaching and learning at the same time,” as it was his first visit to the United States. Behmardi believes that the real impact of his visit transcended formal learning situations. “I could see how easy it is for human beings to become friends with each other, and how difficult and abnormal it is to consider a fellow human being a stranger,” he stated. From his experiences at Susquehanna came hope and optimism for the future and the larger world. “I have been keen to see how much building … bridges between the East and the West is possible at a time of turmoil and conflict,” Behmardi said. Associate Professor of Music Valerie Martin has been appointed interim dean of the School for Arts, Humanities, and Communications for the 2004-2005 academic year. Martin, who holds the doctor of musical arts degree in wind conducting from the University of Alabama, joined the university in 1994 and was the music department head from 2001 until her appointment. Martin is most looking forward to the “opportunity to work at the institutional level and assisting the faculty and students of the school,” she said. She is involved with several strategic plan initiatives, leading the work on “Initiative Six: Creating a Cycle of Continuous Improvement” and collaborating with Vice President of University Relations Ron Cohen on “Initiative Seven: Integrate Major University Events in a Way that Enhances Intellectual Engagement.” In addition, she is managing the Artist Series for the university, and developing a schedule of events for the 2005-2006 academic year. While she is not teaching, Martin continues to work with student advisees and the band program. Mark Huber has been appointed as director of information technology for the university following a national search. Huber, who holds a bachelor of science degree from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, joined Susquehanna from Brodart Company in Williamsport, where he served as manager of application development. Previously, he served as an information technology executive with JPM Company in Lewisburg for four years. Huber joins the university as the campus begins the implementation of a more seamless administrative computing system that will, according to Huber, “transform both functionally and technically the way administrative services operate.” Other immediate priorities for the 20-year IT veteran include network improvements and department restructuring to achieve higher levels of customer service. In Huber’s assessment, the university “has one of the most sophisticated networking environments in the Susquehanna Valley.” He adds: “The university has done a excellent job funding state-of-the-art-networking technology. Now we are working to leverage this investment in terms of security, off-campus access, bandwidth management and wireless capabilities.”
From the roof of the half-built ranch house, the Susquehanna students and community volunteers can see the university’s campus to the northeast, the hills beyond the river, and a silo or two as they shingle. In the midst of the Susquehanna Valley, SU’s chapter of Habitat for Humanity is building its first house. Having broken ground September 18, 2004, the chapter expects to finish the house before Christmas. Students from the Susquehanna chapter and other campus organizations work with volunteers from the Union-Snyder County chapter of Habitat for Humanity throughout the week to accomplish this goal. Some jobs, like the foundation, must be done by professionals, but students and other volunteers do the rest of the work themselves. Lauren Stevenson ’06 said of the experience, “Habitat gives students a chance to do something big. You discover that you have the ability to do amazing things, like building a house.” Sarah Guill ’07 agreed, saying, “I ran in and out of my dorm, I was so excited I would be roofing.” Their advisor, Professor Drew Hubbell, described Habitat for Humanity’s goal as to “confront one of the greatest moral crises in this country…the persistence of homelessness in the wealthiest country in history.” To accomplish this, he said, members of the community identify needy families, complete home-owning legal work and donate materials and labor. In return, the recipients help build their houses. Service is an important part of Susquehanna, encompassing far more than just Habitat for Humanity. In addition to a yearly tradition of introducing first-year students to service during orientation, students have also helped the community in the face of emergency. Following Hurricane Ivan-induced floods on the Isle of Que and in other areas around Selinsgrove this fall, the student organization Arts Alive took the initiative to run the Red Cross’s victim relief tent and helped residents remove debris and recover from the disaster. Other campus organizations joined the effort. As Hubbell said, such service opportunities give students “an opportunity to make a difference in their community, and apply some of the skills they learn in the classroom for a noble cause.” --Erin Markel ’07
Sports Hall of FameMembership of the Sports Hall of Fame will increase to 159 as six former student athletes and two longtime coaches are inducted at halftime of the Crusaders’ men’s basketball game against Lebanon Valley on Sat., Feb. 5, 2005. This year’s inductees are: Bob Shaara ’85 (baseball/football) led the Middle Atlantic Conference in rushing as a senior with 787 yards on 133 carries with seven touchdowns and shared MAC Player of the Year honors. He ranks 11th in school history with 1,648 yards and 16 touchdowns. Shaara was a career .322 hitter in baseball with 26 steals and 63 runs. He resides in Riverton, N.J.
Chris Labrecque ’88 (wrestling) capped a senior season in which he went 25-4 by placing sixth at 167 pounds at the 1988 NCAA Division III championships to earn All-America honors. Labrecque won the MAC title at 167 pounds that year, becoming the only Crusader to earn Most Outstanding Wrestler honors. He resides in Oceanport, N.J. Keith Henry ’91 (football) was a consensus All-American as a senior after setting school records with 35 tackles for loss and 14 sacks. As a junior, Henry made 55 tackles and eight sacks to earn third-team Football Gazette All- America honors. Henry finished with 171 tackles and a school-record 25 sacks, and was first-team All-MAC as both a junior and a senior. Henry resides in Perkasie, Pa.
Will Ciecierski ’91 (men’s basketball) was a three-time MAC Northern Division All-Star and league MVP in 1988-89 after averaging 13.4 points per game. For his career, Ciecierski scored 1,206 points to rank 13th on the career list and ranks fifth with 134 three pointers and 275 assists. Ciecierski resides in Dothan, Ala. Tracey Corrigan ’95 (field hockey) was a two-time All-Commonwealth selection and set what were career records for goals (41) and points (93). As a junior, she scored a then school-record 15 goals as the Crusaders went to the NCAA Division III playoffs, and followed up with 13 goals as a senior. She was the team’s Best Offensive Player award winner as a junior and a senior. Corrigan resides in Sunnyvale, Calif.
Kristen Venne ’99 Marcinko (women’s basketball) was a three-time All- American and the 1999 Jostens Trophy winner as the Division III player of the year, when she was a first-team Academic All-American and a Kodak Division III All-American after averaging 21.4 points and 9.4 rebounds per game. Venne was named All-Conference four times and finished her career second in scoring with 1,929 points and fourth with 894 rebounds. She resides in Shillington, Pa. Jim Taylor (men’s track and field coach) led the Crusaders to 11 MAC championships and coached 32 All- Americans and seven national champions during his 26 seasons (1979-2004). In 1982, the Crusaders won their first MAC title since 1971 to begin a streak of five straight conference titles. Susquehanna added conference crowns in 1988, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998 and 2003. Taylor resides in Selinsgrove.
Connie Harnum (field hockey/ women’s tennis coach) served as field hockey coach for 27 seasons from 1974 through 2002 and compiled a 195-159-23 record, leading the Crusaders to three NCAA appearances while coaching no fewer than 32 first team All-Conference players. Harnum was women’s tennis coach from 1975- 91 with a 95-51-1 record, winning the MAC championship in 1979 and the MAC Northern Division in 1988. She resides in Selinsgrove.
--Jim Miller, Sports Information Director
The Boot is BackThe men’s soccer team kicked off the Homecoming Weekend athletics schedule with a 3-1 win over rival Lycoming in the fourth annual “Battle of the Boot” on September 10. The contest also marked the first night game at the Sassafras Fields. The overflow crowd witnessed a goal-packed second half that allowed the Crusaders to regain possession of the coveted bronzed and mounted soccer shoe first contested in 2001. |
