| May 2006
In
this Issue:
- A Word from Sean
- Class of 2010 Update
- Crusader Campus Corner: Commencement to Feature Distinguished Guests
- Crusader Athletics: WQSU Earns Statewide Award for Football Coverage
- News & Notes
A
Word from Sean
I have had to do this way too much recently.
I had to say goodbye to my first grade class last Thursday. I had to say goodbye to the track team as a whole last Saturday. Slowly I have had to say goodbye to underclassmen friends as they filter away from campus throughout Senior Week. Now, one of my last goodbyes is going out to the first group I became a part of here on campus: all of my friends and volunteers with the APAN program. When in the midst of living life there often times is no pause for reflection; instead it is easier to just try to keep on exploring, rolling with life as it turns beneath our feet. Endings though, like graduation, seem to bring life to a jolting halt, I guess because what has become such an important part of what "life" is over the course of four years, is going to diminish abruptly in just a few days. It is that jolting stoppage--and all of these goodbyes--that allow time for reflection.
I was very fortunate that in coming to SU, I had an amazing opportunity in APAN waiting for me before I even arrived. I was excited to find out what I would be doing, who I would be working with, and really to get involved right away so to feel a part of the SU community. I remember some of the looks I would get from Pam Aungst in those first few weeks, (looks I would probably give myself now), who seemed in disbelief about the amount of work I was willing to take on to become a part of the program. As my first two years here progressed, so did the program. We grew to become the largest alumni organization and the largest volunteer organization that we have here at SU, with over 500 active alumni and parent volunteers. With Dave Weisbord's departure in September of 2004, the last two years have been a transitionary period, maintaining the program through 2005, and now growing to new heights under Angela Motto's leadership.
Of course what has made working with APAN such an enjoyable experience is not the program itself, but the people involved who help make it tick. Working with all of you, the parents and volunteers, who contribute so much to the SU community and to APAN, has been the most rewarding experience of all. I have enjoyed talking with you on the phone, exchanging e-mails, and developing relationships with the alumni community that I will soon be joining. It is all of you who I owe my thanks to, who really drove the program last year in Dave's absence, and who have driven my commitment to the program these last four years. Seeing the time and effort you all put forth has always inspired me to try to contribute more to SU as well. I also have to thank everyone here in the Office of Admissions that I have had the privilege to work with. If I was ever having a rough day or needed to test an idea out, I knew the office was open to me. Chris Markle, Angela, and Pam have guided me throughout, and for their advice, care, and patience I am incredibly grateful.
I know too that under their guidance and Angela's dedication to the program, APAN will continue to grow and flourish in the coming years. Already looking ahead, they have hired rising-junior Christina Fegley to take over my role and responsibilities. A friend of Christina's for three years, she is an active and inspiring member of the SU community; a hard working, intelligent student with a sharp sense of humor, I know she will do a tremendous job and you will all love working with her.
You will probably also love that finally, you won't have to read "A Word from Sean" anymore! Always my favorite to write, "A Word from Sean" has given me the opportunity to voice my ideas, thoughts, and reflections on the SU campus and community over the years, and whether it was in a serious vein or based on a goofy premise, the feedback that you all provided me always felt great, and for that I offer you one final thanks.
Lastly, I wish I could share with you some definitive plans for what I will be doing next year, but even I still cannot answer that question. I hope to be teaching abroad in a Spanish-speaking country, and while I have positions I am applying for in Puerto Rico and Costa Rica, nothing is yet set. What I can share with you however is a comic that I posted on my classroom wall for my students, that is posted above my bed for myself, and that I try to share with as many people as possible. I am open to every opportunity coming my way and am looking forward to the adventure ahead. I can only hope that I end up in a place where my friendships will be as rewarding and the love will be as great as that which I have experienced here at SU. Now that my time here is done, it is time to do some new exploring...
Class of 2010 Update
The Susquehanna University Class of 2010 continues to grow. The admissions office has received deposits from 525 new students (on a goal of 540) and is working with dozens of other admitted students who are seriously considering the University. As always, we offer our thanks for all that you have done to help us recruit these exceptional students. We couldn't do it without our many APAN volunteers! We will provide a full report on the Class of 2010 this fall.
Calendars,
Schedules and Events
(Click
the link to see all of the latest happenings on campus!)
Commencement to Feature Distinguished Guests
SU will celebrate the academic achievements of 450 graduates during its commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 14, which marks the close of the university’s 148th academic year. Preceded by a 10 a.m. baccalaureate service led by university chaplain the Rev. Mark Wm. Radecke, commencement will begin at 2:30 p.m. in the field house of Garrett Sports Complex.
The ceremony will also highlight the achievements of noted guests attending the event. Jaime Escalante, one of the most famous public school teachers in the nation, will present the commencement address and receive an honorary doctor of education degree. Escalante is a Teachers Hall of Fame inductee and the subject of the highly acclaimed 1988 film, “Stand and Deliver.”
A Bolivian physics and mathematics teacher, Escalante came to the United States in 1964, settling in California where he learned the English language and earned American teaching credentials while performing menial labor and attending night classes at Pasadena City College. In 1976, Escalante began teaching at Garfield High School in east Los Angeles, Calif., an area plagued by poverty, drugs, street gangs and violence.
By the early 1980s, Escalante had created a math enrichment program rivaled by only a handful of elite academies. His unique approach to teaching transformed a group of barrio kids into mathematic whiz kids capable of passing the Advanced Placement calculus exam. Escalante went on to become the subject of the book, Escalante: The Best Teacher in America, and the host of “Futures,” the most popular classroom program in the history of PBS. The program was awarded with more than 50 accolades including the George Foster Peabody Award, the highest honor in the broadcasting field. Escalante has received numerous honorary degrees and awards, including the United States Presidential Medal and the Andres Bello Award by the Organization of American States.
Three other distinguished guests will also receive honorary degrees during the ceremony. Dr. Baruch S. Blumberg will receive an honorary doctor of science degree. Blumberg is a distinguished scientist at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia and a professor of medicine and anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania. He previously worked with the National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) as director of its Astrobiology Institute, senior advisor to the NASA administrator based in Washington, D.C., and principal scientist of NASA’s Division of Fundamental Space Biology. Prior to that, Blumberg was master of the Balliol College of Oxford University and associate director for clinical research at Fox Chase Cancer Center. He also served on the staff of the National Institutes of Health.
Blumberg is credited with the discovery of the Hepatitis B virus, and in 1976, was awarded the Nobel Prize for his research. In 1993, he and his co-inventor, Dr. Irving Millman, were elected to the National Inventors Hall of Fame for inventing the Hepatitis B vaccine, as well as the diagnostic test to detect the virus.
Susquehanna will also honor The Rev. Dr. Richard D. Reichard, of Rockville, Md., and James Steffy, of Allentown, Pa. A 1960 graduate of Susquehanna University, Reichard will receive an honorary doctor of divinity degree. Reichard has distinguished himself as a clergyman, an administrator and patriot. For nearly 30 years, Reichard was executive director of the National Lutheran Home, one of the largest Lutheran-related health care facilities in the country. He also served as a chaplain in the U.S. Army Reserve for 26 years before retiring with the rank of colonel.
Steffy, who served Susquehanna University for 26 years, will receive an honorary doctor of law degree. During his tenure at Susquehanna, Steffy served as head of the Department of Music, conductor of the university bands, dean of continuing education and dean of academic services. Following his departure from Susquehanna, Steffy served as executive director of Educational Ventures Inc. in Allentown, Pa., then went on to become vice president for planning and administration at Muhlenberg College. He was appointed Muhlenberg’s interim president from 2002-2003 and continues to serve the university as consultant.
Crusader
Athletics
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all Your Crusader Sports News
WQSU-FM Earns Statewide Award for Football Coverage
WQSU-FM 88.9, The Pulse, received first-place honors from the Pennsylvania Associated Press Broadcasters' Association (PAPBA) in the small market category for its play-by-play coverage of Susquehanna University football last fall. The student-run volunteer broadcasts were recognized during the PAPBA Awards Banquet at the Holiday Inn Battlefield in Gettysburg on April 29.
The award marks the station's third consecutive AP award and first victory. Among the 10 categories and three different market classifications judged by professional broadcasters from Arizona, WQSU was the lone college station to receive an award in the commercial station category this year. “The fact that we won this award as a non-commercial station makes the award even more significant,” said WQSU sports director and junior broadcasting major Nick Marrongelle of Orwigsburg, Pa. “To be a college radio station and win this award is just a tremendous honor and I would like to thank the whole sports staff of WQSU for all their hard work and dedication this year.”
Larry Augustine, professor of communications and theatre arts, and general manager of WQSU-FM, is equally proud of the team of sportscasters. “We are extremely pleased and excited to win first place in this sports announcing competition. There were so many outstanding stations competing, especially commercial stations. Our station’s sportscasters work hard and are very dedicated in bringing SU football to the airwaves.” Recognized by the PAPBA for their contributions to the broadcasts were Jack Burns of Mifflinburg (play-by-play), sports information director Jim Miller of Selinsgrove (color commentary), Marrongelle (pre-game show host), senior broadcasting major Chris Pride of Danville (halftime show host), and junior broadcasting major Rick Pagliarulo of Philadelphia (producer).
Operating with a radiated power of 12,000 watts, The Pulse is the third largest college radio station in Pennsylvania. It can be heard within a 70-mile radius of Selinsgrove, Pa., offering a wide variety of modern rock, as well as specialty shows including blues, country, bluegrass, reggae, metal, and electronic music. University sporting events and Associated Press news are also featured on the non-commercial radio station, owned by Susquehanna University and operated primarily by students through underwriting grants from area businesses and individuals.
News & Notes
APAN WEB SITE UPDATE
We would like to remind you
that all of the materials you receive via mail will also be available
through links on our Web site, http://www.susqu.edu/apan/.
A PDF version of the APAN manual is available to view and print
on the APAN Web site. Please continue
to check the APAN Web site as we are continually making updates
and improvements. Many key aspects of the program are now run
on the Web site. Members can update their personal information,
refer a prospective student, submit their College Night Evaluation
form, order an APAN Polo Shirt, and read their favorite monthly
newsletter, The Pipeline!
REFER A PROSPECTIVE
STUDENT
Please be sure to send us
the names of any rising high school sophomores, juniors or seniors
who you think would make a good Susquehanna student. You can submit
the student's name on-line at http://www.susqu.edu/APAN/studentreferral.htm
and we will send the student information about Susquehanna.
REPLYING TO E-MAILS
We here at APAN are
continually sending out mass e-mails as it is the fastest and
most efficient way to contact all members. If you are going to
contact us in response to a specific e-mail, it is fine to leave
the same subject line. However, if you are responding to us with
an urgent or important request, PLEASE CHANGE THE SUBJECT LINE
to reflect your request. E-mails with the changed subject line
will be read and replied to as soon as possible. If you need to
reach us right away, please contact Pam at 1-800-326-9672. Thank
you!
ADDRESS/CONTACT INFORMATION
CHANGES
Please be sure to keep us
informed of any changes to your contact information (address,
phone numbers, e-mail). IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE
YOUR CURRENT E-MAIL ADDRESS. You can update your information on-line
at http://www.susqu.edu/apan/UpdateInformation.htm
and we will be sure to pass your updated information along to
the Office of Alumni Relations.
Questions,
Comments, Concerns, or Feedback are always welcome! We want to
know what you think! Please e-mail APAN at apan@susqu.edu,
or call us at 1-800-326-9672.
Contact Information:
Alumni-Parent Admissions Network
Susquehanna University Office of Admissions
514 University Avenue
Selinsgrove, PA 17870
APAN/Office of Admissions: 800-326-9672 or 570-372-4260
Office of Alumni Relations: 570-372-4115
Office of Development: 570-372-4106
APAN Fax: 570-372-2722
www.susqu.edu/apan
E-mail: apan@susqu.edu
Angela Motto '03, APAN Coordinator
Chris Markle '84, Director of Admissions
Sean Capkin '06, APAN Assistantship Student
Pam Aungst, Manager of Admissions Operations
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