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Seton Hill University - Forward Magazine - Spring/Summer 2026

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SPRING/SUMMER 2026

THE MAGAZINE FOR SETON HILL UNIVERSITY


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Features

1 . . . . . . From the President 2 . . . . . . Sister-Scientists Recognized at Third Founders’ Day Event

6 . . . . . . Seton Hill Capital Campaign

Launch Sets Stage for Growth

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12 . . . . . From Braces to Bots: How AI Is Transforming Orthodontics at Seton Hill University

14 . . . . . Beyond the Classroom: NetVUE

Grant Strengthens Service-Learning

20 . . . . Students Are Finding More

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Than Faith in Campus Religious Groups

24 . . . . . Classroom Ready: Teacher

Preparation Adapts to Today’s Education Environment

28 . . . . . ‘Keep Your Eyes Open’: Class of 2026 Encouraged to Make a Difference in the World

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Departments

30 . . . . Alumni In Action 38 . . . . . News From The Hill 50 . . . . Griffin Notes 62 . . . . . Class News

On The Cover: More than 400 Setonians earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees at Commencement on May 16. Read more on page 28.


From the PRESIDENT

Dear Alumni and Friends, When Mother Aloysia Lowe saw the Jennings Farm from the windows of the train that took her between Altoona to points west, she knew she had found the home for her Sisters of Charity. Nearly a century and a half later, the seeds of what she and the early Sisters grew on a hilltop in Greensburg have flourished beyond what they ever could have imagined. The pioneering Sisters laid the foundation - both figuratively and literally - for the Seton Hill of today. All of us - administrators, faculty, staff, alumni and students - who have come since owe a debt of gratitude for what the Sisters did, and we owe it to future generations to build upon their tremendous legacy. In April, we publicly launched Framing the Future: The Campaign for Seton Hill University, an effort to raise $110 million by 2028 - the 110th anniversary of the founding of Seton Hill as a four-year college. You will learn more about Framing the Future later in this edition of Forward and how its roots are grounded firmly in the courage, tenacity and the entrepreneurial spirit of our founders.

p Director of Service Experience Amanda DeWitt, student Gee Mabiala, President Finger and student Mayah Soliszewska Dengu at the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service and Learning in February.

From providing scholarships and academic support services, introducing new academic programs that meet workforce needs, supporting the mission and identity of Seton Hill as a Catholic, Setonian institution, constructing and renovating facilities for programs in business, technology and healthcare as well as athletics, and building on our strong programs in community and economic development, Seton Hill continues to move forward in innovative ways. We live by the guidance set forth in the 1919 Seton Hill Bulletin - our first catalog - which outlined the Sisters commitment to adaptability: “If the management of Seton Hill find a way of doing things that is better than their present method, they will replace all of that method or any part of it without scruple, for they are bound by no traditions and they fear nothing but God’s disfavor and the closed mind.” In all that we do, Seton Hill continues to look back to our founders but also to the future. Like the Sisters who came before, we continue to take informed risks, be creative and to always move forward.

HAZARD YET FORWARD,

Mary C. Finger President

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Sister-Scientists Recognized at Third Founders’ Day Event By Casey Bowser | Archivist for Seton Hill University and for the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill

p Sister Florence Marie Scott was a Sister of Charity, a Seton Hill alumna and a professor whose scientific research of marine invertebrates was situated at the intersection of biology, embryology, and zoology.

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“Enlighten our minds that we may understand the truth, and when we grasp the truth, fire us with the courage to use it.” With this daily invocation in her science classroom, Sister Florence Marie Scott gave voice to a tradition that has long distinguished Seton Hill: a community of Sister-scientists whose intellectual rigor was matched by a profound sense of purpose. This year’s Founders’ Day, with the theme, “Honoring our Founders, Embracing our Future: Fusing Faith and Reason for the Common Good,” invited reflection on that legacy, situating Sister Florence Marie and her peers within a broader history of women who entered, and helped reshape, fields that had not readily welcomed them.

on the activity coefficients of hydrochloric acid in complex sulfate solutions contributed to the evolving theories of leading chemists of her time. Similarly, Sister Hildeburt Mudler’s research on substituted cinnamic acid esters, conducted in the 1930s, explored compounds intended for hospital testing as potential antiseptics. This was an ambitious undertaking for any scientist and particularly notable for a woman of her era. Commitment to research did not diminish their dedication to teaching. Sisters Florence Marie Scott and Mary Eudes Clougherty secured National Science Foundation grants to pursue summer research, ensuring that their classrooms reflected the latest developments in rapidly changing scientific fields like nuclear studies. Others extended their influence beyond Seton Hill. Sister Miriam Grace Solomon, for example, taught science at Fordham University to all-male classes in the 1950s, while Sister Deborah Kelly brought experience as an analytical chemist at DuPont into her vocation as an educator.

As early as the 1920s, the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill were sending young members to leading universities for advanced scientific training, including Columbia University, Catholic University p Sister Hildeburt Mudler of America, the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Notre Dame, and Cornell University. This commitment was not incidental; it was driven by the founding of Seton Hill College itself. In seeking a charter for the College, the Sisters recognized that their mission demanded faculty who were not only well-trained educators but active Sister Deborah Kelly p Compared to many of their participants in the intellectual life of their contemporaries, both within and disciplines. At a time when most women had limited beyond religious life, the Sisters of Charity of Seton access to higher education, and even fewer to laboratory Hill embraced scientific and professional engagement research, the Sisters pursued rigorous study with intention. in distinctive ways. They entered laboratories, lecture Sister Florence Marie Scott exemplified this mission: halls, and research conversations where women were she completed her doctorate research at the Marine scarce, modeling intellectual authority for generations of Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole, then the largest students, including men who encountered in them a new marine biological lab in the world, where she conducted paradigm of expertise and leadership. pioneering studies in embryology and mentored Seton Hill students in hands-on research. In doing so, she and In her Founders’ Day remarks, Sister Susan Yochum her fellow Sisters brought back to Seton Hill not only reflected on these women not only as accomplished credentials, but the technical expertise and emerging scientists, but as teachers of “lessons of the heart.” It is methodologies of modern science, setting a model for this combination of knowledge, courage, and mentorship women leading in scientific fields. that defines the enduring legacy that continues to shape Their work quickly translated into impact. Faculty such as Sister Mary Dorcas Smith engaged directly with the most advanced chemical research of the day. Her dissertation

Seton Hill University and the lives of those it serves.u MORE ON FOUNDERS’ DAY u

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Scholarship, Community Celebrated Students and faculty showcased their knowledge in the sciences at academic presentations throughout the day. Additional events included student-led social activities, Mass celebrated by Greensburg Bishop Larry J. Kulick, and the evening’s Sister Mary Schmidt lecture in Cecilian Hall featuring Seton Hill Trustee Patricia O’Donoghue.u

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“The tie between natural science research and clinical research is so clear (in the work of Sister Florence Marie Scott.) She was giving a contribution to be used by others to look at what could be done to make a difference. The tunicates she researched have become a specimen that is being used right now … to treat cancer … in the study of Alzheimer’s Disease. Can you imagine how much she’s given us to work with?” - PATRICIA O’DONOGHUE

p Patricia O’Donoghue, a scholar and teacher with broad clinical and research experience who served as president of Mount Mary College (now University), Vice President for Academic Affairs and Professor of Nursing at LaRoche College, and Provost and Executive Vice President among other roles at Carlow University, offered the Sister Mary Schmidt Lecture during Founders’ Day. O’Donoghue serves as a Seton Hill Trustee. t Greensburg Bishop Larry Kulick celebrated the Founders’ Day Mass, held on the vigil of the Feast of Saint Joseph, the Patron Saint of the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill. t Previous Page, Top: Faculty and students in the Biology Department held a Biology Open House as part of Founders’ Day, offering activities inspired by the work of Sister Florence Marie Scott. Biology major Ayianna Martin (left) helped other students learn more about tunicates, an invertebrate studied by Sister Florence Marie. t Previous Page, Inset: Rachael Cameron talks with Sister Louise Grundish. Rachael explored the legacy of the Seton Hill presidents, including Sr. Mary Schmidt, as part of her research for the Setonian Character Education Research Program.

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hroughout its history, Seton Hill has embraced the ability to find opportunity in spite of obstacles and to evolve in response to the educational needs of our students and the region.

We look to the resilience of the Sisters of Charity and embrace the longstanding tradition of the Seton family motto: Hazard yet Forward. In April, we celebrated the public launch of Seton Hill’s largest-ever fundraising campaign, Framing the Future, which will allow the University to remain viable and responsive to the emerging needs of our current and future students. We were pleased to welcome more than 200 guests - Sisters of Charity, members of our Campaign Committee, alumni, friends, students, faculty and staff - to the Performing Arts Center for the formal announcement that we have raised $96.3 million to date. This incredible momentum sets us well on our path to reach our goal of $110 million by 2028, and it is a testament to the belief of our benefactors in our students and our future.

We look to the resilience of the Sisters of Charity and embrace the long-standing tradition of the Seton family motto: Hazard yet Forward.

Framing the Future will support mission and identity initiatives that foster our Catholic, Setonian heritage; scholarships and academic support services that ensure that a Seton Hill education remains within reach for every student; and strategic growth through innovation, including academic program development, outreach and community engagement initiatives, and new and updated facilities that provide students the resources needed to succeed in a rapidly changing global economy. In the pages that follow, you will find out more about each of these priorities, as well as hear stories from the community members who came together at the Campaign launch to share their Seton Hill connections and hopes for the future. We are thankful for all who choose to lend their support to our mission through this milestone Campaign.

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p Members of the Seton Hill community - including students, faculty, staff, alumni, Trustees and Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill - react to applause following a dramatic presentation during the launch of the Framing the Future Campaign.

Seton Hill Capital Campaign Launch Sets Stage for Growth Campaign to raise $110 million by 2028 for key initiatives

Mission & Identity The Catholic, Setonian identity of Seton Hill is a distinguishing mark of the University, as it has been since its founding by the Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill in 1918. Our mission is built upon a commitment to a values-based education that prepares students to “transform the world” through knowledge, service, and truth. Seton Hill recognizes the importance of maintaining its Catholic identity as a faith-based institution of higher learning open to students, faculty, and staff with varied religious beliefs. The University continues to align curricular and co-curricular programs that support Mission. Increased support for Mission will ensure that University’s four pillars of welcoming, learning, celebrating and serving are aligned with the charism of the Sisters and instilled in future Setonians.

“We are living Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton and Mother Aloysia Lowe’s expansive visions, standing alongside them on this highest hill. Their work has had a ripple effect that has reached all of the students educated at Seton Hill - who have gone on in their own lives to take risks, celebrate our differences and care for others. And now we find ourselves where our founders were, once again. We have an opportunity to expand upon our mission. Charged with the changes and challenges of this new expansion effort, we remember the words that Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton wrote: ‘Set your gaze on the future and always strive to fit your students for the world in which they are destined to live.’ We will continue to carry forward the faith and courage of our founders.”

Sister Mary Norbert Long, Area Superior, Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill

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q John Giansante ’25 and Jasmine Browner ’25 served as narrators for the dramatic presentation during the Campaign launch.

Strategic Growth through Innovation Seton Hill has a long history of entrepreneurship and innovation. What started as a small women’s college with two graduates in its first year has grown over more than a century to a co-educational University with nearly 2,000 students - studying in fields the founding Sisters of Charity could not have imagined. “The Sisters of Charity who taught my mother - the late JoAnne Boyle - instilled in her that spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation. When she rose from the English faculty here to become president of Seton Hill in 1987, she found notes on her desk on “how to close a college.”

Securing Student Success Seton Hill’s mission of educating students in a strong liberal arts framework results in students prepared for the world – as seekers of knowledge and truth; as critical thinkers and problem solvers; as graduates ready for and prepared to be part of the transformative change around them. Being prepared to understand, discern, and act in changing environments is what a Seton Hill education has been since the Sisters of Charity first established Seton Hill College in 1918. The University continues to meet the challenges of fully preparing students for the future. Securing the resources necessary to ensure the University’s students excel in their personal, professional, and spiritual lives is at the center of the Framing the Future Campaign. “My family is deeply devoted to Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton and our history is rooted at Seton Hill. My mother attended college here for a time and my sisters - Ada, Gloria and I - all graduated from Seton Hill. The Sisters of Charity were instrumental in our education. Hearing from our student scholarship recipients about the impact our support has on their lives brings home to me that what happens at Seton Hill - and what donors support - can change the course of lives now and for generations to come.” Trustee Linda Fiorelli ’74, Campaign Co-Chair 8

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But rather than take that advice, she looked to what was written in the Seton Hill Bulletin of 1919. It said, “If the management of Seton Hill find a way of doing things that is better than their present method, they will replace all of that method or any part of it without scruple, for they are bound by no traditions and they fear nothing but God’s disfavor and the closed mind.” President Emerita JoAnne Boyle did just that by introducing graduate programs and securing the achievement of university status as well as coeducation for Seton Hill. And, when President Mary Finger began her tenure in 2014, there was never a question that Seton Hill would continue moving forward. Today, as a proud Trustee, I see firsthand how the faculty, staff and administration find inspiration in those that came before them – but they are not afraid to take risks to keep moving Seton Hill forward.” Trustee Elizabeth Boyle McDonald, daughter of President Emerita JoAnne Boyle, Campaign Co-Chair Through the Framing the Future Campaign, Seton Hill will continue its forward momentum by fostering strategic growth through three main areas: Academic Program Development, New and Updated Facilities and Outreach and Community Engagement.


Academic Program Development Over the last decade, Seton Hill has increased its academic programs through the Center for Academic Innovation and Planning. The Center provides resources for market research to determine the viability of new programs, support for faculty to develop the most current curriculum, and connection to industry leaders to understand what education and skills students need for the careers of today and tomorrow. Seton Hill has developed more than 40 new certificates, specializations, and undergraduate and graduate programs through the Center, including Nursing and Cybersecurity, as well as doctoral programs in Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy.

New & Updated Facilities Two building projects are part of the Framing the Future Campaign - the renovation of Sullivan Hall and the construction of a new Athletic Field House. These two projects will convert an iconic campus building to a space better suited for today’s academic needs and add a new indoor practice facility, moving coaches and teams from Sullivan Hall and other spaces into a new home for Griffin Athletics.

of Sullivan Hall will provide a modern home on campus and give students access to contemporary, updated facilities and technology. Nearly 40% of our undergraduate students and almost a third of our graduate students are enrolled in natural and health science programs. The construction of new and upgraded spaces in Sullivan Hall will enable faculty to develop data-rich and immersive experiences that engage students in a case study format. The renovation will provide dedicated spaces for Seton Hill’s programs in Nursing and Physical Therapy as well as general health science classrooms, labs, seminar rooms, a lecture hall, and study areas. Sullivan will also provide a versatile Campus Center with space for dining, programming and studying.

q Emerita Trustee and Former Seton Hill Board Chair Michele Moore Ridge ’69 speaks with current Trustee Elizabeth Boyle McDonald, daughter of the late President Emerita JoAnne Boyle, during the launch event.

SULLIVAN HALL RENOVATION

Built as the original activities building on Seton Hill’s campus more than 100 years ago, Sullivan Hall is beloved by students, alumni and the community-at-large and has served various uses over the years. The future of this historic building will preserve the classic exterior while modernizing the interior to provide state-of-the-art facilities for the School of Business and Technology and the College of Health Professions and Natural Sciences, as well as a gathering space for students and multipurpose room for events. Currently, the School of Business and Technology is primarily housed on the third floor of Maura Hall with some classes held throughout campus. The renovation

NEW ATHLETICS FIELD HOUSE

Athletics have been an integral part of life at Seton Hill from its beginnings. Today Seton Hill boasts 20 athletic teams in NCAA Division II for women and men. This Field House will provide a large additional indoor practice space in the variable Southwestern Pennsylvania weather for a wide variety of sports. An indoor track will give Seton Hill’s nationallycompetitive track team its first on-campus facility and wrestling will have a new dedicated practice space, bringing the team up the Hill from its current location at the bottom of Seton Hill Drive.

Outreach and Community Engagement Seton Hill’s work in the community helps our cities, towns, county, and region remain vibrant. The University is a top employer in Westmoreland County and a key provider of programs that support the health and financial well being of our neighbors as well as cultural activities that enhance their lives. Seton Hill made an intentional decision to extend its reach off the hill and build in the heart of downtown Greensburg and serve FORWARD | THE MAGAZINE FOR SETON HILL UNIVERSITY

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as a leader in the City’s redevelopment. Continuing and expanding Seton Hill’s vital role as an intellectual resource to the broader community is an important aspect of the Framing the Future Campaign. “As I traveled the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania during my time as First Lady, it became clear that collaboration was the key to strong communities. Embracing community partnerships became a key component of my tenure as chair of the Seton Hill Board of Trustees - and it is engagement with the community that allows Seton Hill to continue to thrive today. Seton Hill generates more than $194 million annually in economic development for Pennsylvania. But beyond dollars and cents, Seton Hill provides cultural opportunities for residents in the area through theatre, dance and art shows in our two downtown buildings - and lectures on the Hill. Our students dedicate thousands of hours every year to service in the community - often through their classwork. And our graduates are staying in the region to make our communities better.

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While the Sisters of Charity founded this institution on a hill in Greensburg, its reach has extended far beyond the 200 acres Mother Aloysia purchased more than 140 years ago, beyond the City of Greensburg, Westmoreland County and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The impact of Seton Hill can be felt in every corner of the globe where you find a Seton Hill graduate - women and men of great character, prepared to transform the world.” Emerita Trustee Michele Moore Ridge ’69, Former First Lady of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Campaign Honorary Chair u

Scan the code to learn more about the

Framing the Future Campaign u


1 Board Chair-Elect Robin Heffernan Beck ’64 and Former Board Chair Michele Moore Ridge ’69 at a reception following the launch event. 2 Board of Trustees Chair Rebecca Cost Snyder offers remarks on behalf of the Board. 3 Students, alumni, Sisters, Trustees and Campaign Committee members celebrate the launch, including (seated left to right) Sister Jean Boggs ’59, Catherine Giunta ’75, Jonnie Guerra ’73, Matthew Galando MBA ’04, and Linda Fiorelli ’74 and (standing left to right) Alessandro Sanchez, Carmen Rivera Bauza ’83, Margaret DiVirgilio ’80 and Ellen Katter ’73. 4 Sister Grace Hartzog visits with benefactors Glenn and Carole Johnson. 5 Ryann Bradley MBA ’07 with Sue Brooks and Trustee Bob Brooks. 6 Students who told their stories of how they have been impacted by the Framing the Future Campaign during the dramatic presentation included Oceana Felipe-Sirnic, Alessandro Sanchez, Alayna Marion and Natavia Smith.

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We extend our deep gratitude to the members of the Framing the Future Campaign Committee: Honorary Chairs Michele Moore Ridge ’69 and Thomas J. Ridge; Campaign Co-Chairs Margaret DiVirgilio ’80, Linda Fiorelli ’74, Elizabeth Boyle McDonald and Sean McDonald, Rebecca Cost Snyder, Karen Farmer White; and alumni, faculty, staff and friends Fardan Allen ’20, Carmen Rivera Bauza ’83, Robin Heffernan Beck ’64, John Boyle, Rosalie Carpenter, Christian Carter ’16, Andrew DeMase ’09, Robert A. DeMichiei, Sally Conroy Fullman ’64, Matthew J. Galando ’04, Kathy Garde ’88, Jonnie Guerra ’73, Brent Jackson, Ellen Katter ’73, Ferne Labati, Jennifer Makowski ’11, Marc Marizzaldi, Sr. Maureen O’Brien, SC, ’67, E. Ronald Salvitti, II, Kathleen (Rylander) Sarniak ’80, Bridget Widdowson ’82, and Sr. Susan Yochum, S.C., ’77. FORWARD | THE MAGAZINE FOR SETON HILL UNIVERSITY

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rthodontics has always been the thoughtful blend of science and artistry: a balance of clinical expertise, intuition, and technical precision. But something new is happening in orthodontics across the globe. Artificial intelligence (AI) is actively reshaping how orthodontists diagnose, plan treatment, and care for patients, and the Seton Hill University Center for Orthodontics is at the forefront of understanding how to use it wisely. Think of AI in orthodontics less like a robot taking over and more like a very fast, very thorough second opinion. Here are the areas where AI is making the biggest impact in our program: Intraoral Scanning: Modern intraoral scanners use AI algorithms to stitch together hundreds of individual images into a seamless, accurate 3D model of a patient's teeth in real time. AI also helps identify individual teeth within the scan, which is crucial for planning clear aligner therapy (Invisalign) and simulating how teeth will move.

From Braces to Bots: How AI Is Transforming Orthodontics at Seton Hill University

By Dr. Beth Troy, Assistant Professor and Clinic Director, and Nicole Doherty, Orthodontic Marketing and Insurance Coordinator p Advanced digital scanning captures a patient’s dentition to create highly accurate 3D-printed models for treatment planning, retainer fabrication, and customized orthodontic appliances.

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Clear Aligner Planning: Products like Invisalign use AI to plan and simulate tooth movement. Clear aligner software is increasingly AI-driven, from treatment simulation to aligner fabrication. Customized Brackets: AI can analyze digital dental scans to design brackets customized to each individual patient's tooth anatomy. The result is a bracket with a built-in prescription based on the desired final tooth position, which potentially means more precise movement, less adjustments, and shorter treatment time. AI-Assisted Indirect Bonding: In this workflow, AI places bracket positions on digital scans, human technicians refine them, and the orthodontist makes final decisions. This collaborative humanAI approach streamlines the process while keeping the clinician in control. Remote Monitoring: AI-powered monitoring tools allow patients to scan their own teeth at home and send images to the clinic. AI analyzes and sorts these images, identifies whether treatment is progressing as planned and can send customized instructions to patients between appointments. These instructions are varied and may include suggestions for better oral hygiene or recommendations on increased wear of rubber bands. This benefits patients with clear aligners as well as those in traditional braces. AI is changing what it means to be an orthodontist, and the Center for Orthodontics is thoughtfully preparing residents for this reality. For residents, the goal is to master foundational clinical skills first and to be confident orthodontists who can function expertly with or without AI tools. The program emphasizes skills that humans perform best: empathy, complex reasoning, ethical judgment, patient communication, and hands-on skills. Residents are trained to critically evaluate AI outputs rather than accept them blindly, to understand the "black box" problem (knowing that AI can give


you an answer without showing you why), and to be prepared for situations where AI may be limited, unavailable, or wrong. The Center believes the future of orthodontics belongs to practitioners who combine deep clinical expertise with thoughtful, critical use of emerging technologies. It has developed an AI policy and accompanying checklist to guide residents on appropriate use, ensuring that AI enhances their education, rather than shortchanging it. While AI is a powerful tool, like all powerful tools, it works best in skilled, responsible hands.u

p Orthodontic resident Dr. Michael Davis uses virtual treatmentplanning technology to design precise tooth alignment to achieve optimal patient outcomes.

Orthodontics Resident Creates App for Dentists with Questions At Nick Wilson’s first job out of dental school, he had questions. And as the only dentist in his office, he didn’t have a great place to go to get quick answers. “I didn’t have time to read through dozens of research papers and wanted to make sure I had the right answers for my patients,” Nick said. “When you start practicing and have no mentorship, you have to rely on only what you learned in school, texting other dentists you know and hoping they reply in a timely manner or sometimes just searching the web for information.” Having just completed his first year in the orthodontics residency program at Seton Hill, Nick is hopeful that future dentists who find themselves in his situation – and anyone who works in a dentist’s office – will have a reputable place to go for those quick answers. Nick has spent the last 18 months working on developing an app, Xental Chat, an AI assistant designed specifically for dental practices. After seeing patients for the day Nick has been working on the app during his free evenings, interviewing dentists about their daily pain points to help guide the feature choices and development, finding an open reliable source of information and using his limited background in engineering/robotics coupled with the help of AI coding tools like Claude Code.

While Nick was inspired to create the app when he lacked a mentor as a dentist, he has found two mentors at the Seton Hill Center for Orthodontics. He credits program director Dr. Daniel Rinchuse for instilling the importance of evidence-based practice and assistant professor and clinic director Dr. Beth Troy for being a mentor at the clinic in addition to helping with early testing and feedback on Xental. “I am proud of Nick for taking the initiative to develop a dental AI bot grounded in legitimate and trusted sources,” said Dr. Troy. “His commitment to advancing AI resources in dentistry will help many dentists and specialists provide exceptional care to their patients.” To avoid the issues that can accompany using data pulled from unverified sources, Nick built Xental Chat to pull its data from a proprietary knowledge base along with open source research databases. The app cites its sources for every answer it provides, and even tells users when sufficient evidence is limited or lacking. He designed his chatbot tool to be useful for the entire practice. Nick’s next goal for the app is to integrate with different practice management systems to give providers a true AI copilot for their practice. More information about Xental Chat is available at xental.ai, and the app is now in beta testing.

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p Jordyn Ellis, center, and Trinity Thomas, right, sort through fabric with their classmates at the RewindReuse Center in Export as part of their Textile Chemistry class.

Beyond the Classroom NetVUE Grant Strengthens Service-Learning 14

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earning does not just take place in the confines of a traditional classroom. It can take place through experiential learning like research, study away and internships.

Or it can take the form of learning through service. Seton Hill University received a NetVUE (Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education) grant of $45,000 in 2024 from the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) to develop a more robust academic service-learning program.


The grant helped kick off a two-year academic development program that incorporated disciplinespecific service-learning with faculty members across Seton Hill’s five areas of study. The two cohorts of five committed to incorporating community-engaged service-learning into new courses, or redesigning existing courses to include a focus on service-learning. NetVUE’s Program Development grants are for use over two years to deepen, expand, or otherwise strengthen programs that are already underway and supported by the institution itself, administered by the CIC with generous support from Lilly Endowment Inc. Each professor took a different approach to their project, and all worked with Director of Service Experience Amanda DeWitt, who served as the point person on the grant, to help refine and implement their ideas.

“So many students are interested in fashion, but there is often so little thought put into how textiles are produced and what happens to them when clothing or other textile-based goods are discarded.” SARAH JOINER

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF CHEMISTRY

“The NetVUE grant not only provided professional development to the faculty members already interested and committed to doing communityengaged learning (CEL) well, it has introduced new faculty to this pedagogy to explore ways to develop their existing courses into communityengaged learning classes,” DeWitt said. “In addition to professors developing their Seton Hill courses with CEL, they are now sharing what they learned with other professionals in their disciplines through professional organizations and conferences.” While the grant ended in the spring of 2026, these projects have laid the groundwork for continuing benefits to future students, building new frameworks to incorporate service-learning and vocational discernment into curriculum and the student experience and strengthening connections with community partners.

Textile Chemistry Showcases Science and Sustainability Associate Professor of Chemistry Sarah Joiner was a member of the first cohort and put her project into practice this past spring, developing a Textile Chemistry course that aimed to attract non-chemistry majors and dove into the production process and life cycle of commonly used commercial fabrics.

p Textile Chemistry students had several class meetings at the Rewind-Reuse Center in Export, including one where they performed burn tests on fabric to determine its composition.

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“The students appreciated being able to make a tangible difference in the community that was related to the topics we discussed in the course.” NICOLE MCALLISTER-CONRAD

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY

“So many students are interested in fashion, but there is often so little thought put into how textiles are produced and what happens to them when clothing or other textile-based goods are discarded,” Joiner said. “By using textiles and their sustainability as a foundation to explain scientific concepts, I was able to make a course for a non-science student that would help increase their scientific literacy." For her service-learning component, she partnered with the Rewind-Reuse Center and Workshop in Export, Pa., which focuses on diverting discarded and donated materials from landfills and giving these objects new life. Five of the course meetings were hosted at the Center and featured activities that included identifying and sorting donated fabrics by type, doing a burn test to determine fabric composition and characteristics, and dye tests to see how different fabrics react to the dying process. The students also visited the Friends Thrift Shop in Export to see first-hand what happens to textiles at the end of their lifecycle.

First Aid For Those In Need Assistant Professor of Biology Nicole McAllisterConrad took a different approach for her project, which incorporated the planning, sourcing, assembling and distribution of first-aid kits for individuals experiencing homelessness. For her community partner, McAllister-Conrad chose St. Joseph House of Hospitality in downtown Pittsburgh, an organization with a more-than 50-year history with the Sisters of Charity that helps provide services and resources for the city’s at-risk population. Last fall, the students took on the design and execution of

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creating the kits focusing on basic hygiene supplies and necessities and keeping in mind the needs of the population such as durability and portability. For McAllister-Conrad, this service project was a meaningful way to encourage her students to think globally and act locally. While they were learning about the ways disease spreads around the world, they had to think about ways to prevent infection and disease close to home. They also had to account for real-world parameters like sourcing, budgeting and packaging. “The class became really invested in this project and worked to make the money we had stretch, so that we could also provide shirts and winter gear that the organization desperately needed for its residents,” said McAllister-Conrad. “The students appreciated being able to make a tangible difference in the community that was related to the topics we discussed in the course.” McAllister-Conrad had the opportunity to extend her project’s reach this spring when working with Professor of English and Director of the Honors Program Christine Cusick to create an additional round of first-aid kits of those in need.

Honors Students Connect with Sisters of Charity to Serve The College of Natural and Health Sciences and the School of Humanities came together on Founders’ Day for a service project that brought honors students together with the Sisters of Charity. “We wanted the students to have the opportunity to talk with the Sisters about what it means to be called to


serve and to experience an intergenerational, Setonian encounter about this topic,” Cusick said. Students traveled up the Hill to the Sisters’ motherhouse, Caritas Christi, to complete a Narrative 4 story exchange on faith, reason, vocation and the common good. The Sisters and the students were asked to think of a story about a time that they felt called to serve the common good. After the formal story circles, they continued conversations while packing first aid kits for Feeding the Spirit, a ministry of Otterbein United Methodist Church that provides weekly food distributions to the Greensburg community.

Using Marketing To Promote Social Good Assistant Professor of Communication Catie ClarkGordon has a history of incorporating service-learning

into her courses, but the NetVUE grant specifically supported a redesign of her Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) course to focus on vocational discernment and civic engagement. “Rather than viewing marketing solely as a tool for commercial consumption, students are learning to apply IMC principles to address public behavior change on pressing social concerns, in collaboration with local nonprofits,” Clark-Gordon said. “"The course revisions made through the NetVUE grant have allowed me to show students that marketing isn't only about selling a product; it’s about solving problems.” Through a Community Partner Interview project, students collaborated with organizations across the Greensburg area, including Jeannette Junior-Senior High School, the Westmoreland Diversity Coalition, Hempfield Area High School, Ray of Hope, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Laurel Region, allowing students to gain realworld insight into nonprofit communication strategies while addressing critical issues like anti-vaping, suicide

u Lorena Sanchez and other honors students work with the Sisters of Charity to make first aid kits for the community at Caritas Christi.

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prevention, adolescent mental health, and distracted driving. They then identified specific ways their semesterlong campaigns could provide tangible support to the organization for their chosen cause, such as creating social media copy, infographics, or press releases that the organizations could use for their own outreach. To Clark-Gordon, a component of the work was an analysis of how these nonprofit missions align with principles of Catholic Social Teaching, such as human dignity and solidarity. By reflecting on these connections, students are encouraged to see their professional skills in marketing and communication as a vocation, a way to serve the common good and address societal needs.

Businesses as a Force for Good Jen Jones, Professor in the School of Business and Technology, chose to further pursue integrating B Corp models and ethical "B Economy" practices into the business and science curricula by advancing the goals of B Lab, the global nonprofit behind Certified B Corporations, a community of businesses that

meet verified social, environmental, and governance standards. This spring, Jones shared a training opportunity with B Academics, an organization that fosters Business as a Force for Good in higher education, with six additional faculty and staff members at Seton Hill, expanding her project’s reach across the School of Business and Technology. “The B Impact Teams training helps generate ideas for experiential learning across the school and is strongly aligned with Seton Hill’s mission,” Jones said. Jones has emphasized sustainability and social responsibility in her courses throughout her time at Seton Hill, and looks forward to creating student teams to work as coaches for businesses who may not have the resources to pursue these types of certifications in the future. Jones also worked with Lindsey Mifsud Berger ’18, the Director of Sustainability and Business Operations at 3R Sustainability, a B Corp and Woman-Owned business in Pittsburgh. Berger was a speaker at the B Academics Roundtable event and a guest speaker in Jones’ Corporate Ethics and Social Responsibility course.

p Faculty and staff Rachel Kaplan, Anastasiia Adamova, Amanda DeWitt, Catie Clark-Gordon, Jen Jones, Chris Mintus, and Lyz Marshall (from left) took part in a training opportunity with B Academics this spring.

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“The B Impact Teams training helps generate ideas for experiential learning across the school and is strongly aligned with Seton Hill’s mission.” JEN JONES

PROFESSOR, SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

Changing the Conversation with a Podcast Assistant Professor of Psychology Abby Boytos was able to work with the Blackburn Center on a mutually beneficial project supported not only by NetVUE funds but also a Rape Prevention and Education (RPE) grant through the Pennsylvania Coalition to Advance Respect (PCAR). Students were assigned with creating podcasts structured as 30-60 minute long conversations around campus culture, challenging existing ideas about sexual assault and empowering students to lead conversations on prevention and bystander intervention. The Changing the Conversation podcast project kicked off with a meeting between the Blackburn Center staff and students to discuss the topics and format for the project, a process that continued as the students broke into groups and brainstormed ideas for their podcast episodes. As the conversations continued throughout the semester, students noticed a change. While some were initially hesitant to discuss these topics, they were able to learn from each others’ experiences and perspectives and have deeper discussions. They recorded their podcasts in the Reeves Library podcast studio and worked with the Blackburn Center to complete the editing and distribution process. The podcast is available on all major streaming platforms.

Working with Vulnerable Populations Associate Professor of Criminal Justice Shavonne Arthurs attended a training with The Inside-Out Center, International Headquarters of The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program and Alternative Dialogue & Exchange Initiatives, to develop a new course that will teach traditional students alongside incarcerated students. While she is still working on the logistics needed to fully implement the new class, called "Theories of Justice," she has found a community of support and valuable resources through the detailed training. "The correctional branch of the justice system is much more limited for direct and engaged learning opportunities compared to the other branches (policing and courts)," said Arthurs. "The class would offer direct work with a vulnerable population in criminal justice."

Using Art to Create Community Associate Professor of Art and Graphic Design Chad Sherman, a member of the 2025-26 cohort, attended a conference this spring called Campus Compact 26 and attended sessions to learn how to better implement civically-minded projects into his courses. Assistant Professor of Art Therapy Jennifer Beasley has had some time to implement the work she used grant funding to pursue. She took an introductory training in Photovoice, which focuses on participatory photography or the use of photography to build community and encourage deep listening and conversation, and has been working it into her classes. “Since this initial foray into participatory photography, I have used it for at least one assignment in almost every one of my classes,” said Beasley. “These tools help my students consider how art can impact a community and how photography can serve as a tool for research.” She has used the Photovoice training in her Art and Community Change class for two semesters now, and has since expanded its use to other courses. After receiving positive feedback on these types of assignments, Beasley intends to keep using this strategy in her classes moving forward. u

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Students Are Finding More Than Faith in Campus Religious Groups

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By Sara Fisel, Freelance Writer

he young women climbed into a white van bound for Laurelville Retreat Center in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania. For the next 24 hours, classes and the pressures of college life would be replaced by prayer, conversation, and the possibility of something many students long for: connection. Laughter quickly dissolved any awkwardness inside the van. Some students knew each other, while others offered careful introductions and polite smiles. As the miles passed and conversations flowed more easily, the retreat began to feel like the start of a community.

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Over shared meals, worship songs, late-night conversations, and moments of silliness, strangers became friends. Wrapped in oversized sweatshirts, sipping Capri Sun and breathing clear mountain air, students moved between sessions, small groups, and moments of reflection. Long after official programming ended, honest conversations about stress and the emotional weight of college life continued late into the night. For Shannon McCandless, the retreat offered exactly the kind of pause she needed. “I honestly didn’t really know what to expect,”


McCandless said. “I was looking forward to some peace and quiet from my busy schedule—a chance to relax, breathe in nature, and really plunge into the Word.”

Down the hall at FCA, the atmosphere is louder and more energetic. The smell of food lingers as students settle into tiered seats before worship.

“This generation is The women’s retreat hungry for meaning reflected a larger and purpose,” said shift at Seton Hill Tony Krzmarzick, University: campus Director of Campus t p For students who attended the Women's Retreat at Laurelville Retreat faith groups are Ministry. Center, the constant pressure of college life was replaced by prayer, meaningful bouncing back from conversation, and connection. While faith is Covid, drawing more fundamental, students seeking students and leaders describe something broader: many connection and friendships. seek not only spiritual growth but also friendship, support, and a place where vulnerability feels welcome.

Campus Faith Groups Expanding to Meet Student Interest

For Campus Ministry leaders and student organizers, the retreat is one sign of a greater shift on campus. A handful of gatherings has grown into a network of faith communities—Delight, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, men’s Bible studies, co-ed small groups, and weekly Mass. The growing interest in faith formation reaches beyond weekly gatherings and retreats. One example is the Setonian Mission Scholars program. Launched in spring 2024, the program invites students from diverse faith backgrounds to explore the life and legacy of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton and the University’s mission. Through travel, service, and engagement with the Sisters of Charity, students deepen their understanding and discover how to carry the mission into their own lives and professions. "Seton Hill welcomes students of all faith backgrounds. It is incredible to see the increased interest by students exploring their faith as they long for a deeper connection to God and to each other," said Sister Maureen O'Brien, Vice President for Mission and Identity. "Faith groups and programs like the Setonian Mission Scholars help our students learn more about our mission and, in the end, themselves." Each space looks different. In the Campus Ministry Lounge, students gather in colorful chairs over cupcakes and conversation at Delight, an all-women’s faith group.

The momentum at Seton Hill mirrors a wider trend in the Catholic Church, with dioceses reporting more young adults joining. This year, five Seton Hill students entered the Catholic Church—four during the campus Easter Vigil Mass and one through their home parish, more than in previous years. “Most years we have one or two at the Easter Vigil, and this year we had more,” Krzmarzick said. “We hope this is a new trend.” What appears to be a handful of Campus Ministry events may reflect something deeper among young adults nationwide. In an age dominated by social media and distraction, many students are increasingly drawn to spaces offering face-to-face connection and grounding.

Finding Fellowship Before retreats and packed weekly meetings, there was uncertainty. The question was simple: What were students looking for? Krzmarzick believes part of the answer lies in how students experience relationships today. “The phone is such an interface with the world, and it is isolating by its very nature,” Krzmarzick said. “It is not connection. People will always need people.” Groups emerged to meet a variety of needs: Delight for women’s friendship and faith, FCA for a high-energy Christian community open to all, men’s groups for FORWARD | THE MAGAZINE FOR SETON HILL UNIVERSITY

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accountability and honest discussion, and co-ed groups for deeper conversation and support. The women’s retreat grew out of recognizing that some students wanted a different faith experience. Not everyone believed a women-only retreat would succeed. “One of the pieces of feedback I got was, ¨Why are you going to cut off half of your audience?” Krzmarzick said. “But my recent experience tells me we are enticing people who are looking for this sort of programming.¨ For student leaders like Emma Thimons, the need already felt obvious. Helping lead the retreat was focused on creating a space she believed students had quietly been searching for. “My faith is what has gotten me through college and all the struggles, and I know every person on campus is going through that,” Thimons said. “If I could help even one person, I had a purpose on campus.” She said the retreat came when many students were emotionally exhausted. March, with academic pressure and winter burnout, felt like the right moment to pause and reconnect. “Community and support were the biggest things,” she said. “At the end of the retreat, you realize how much transformation happened in just 24 hours.”

Down the hall, FCA’s atmosphere feels different but serves a similar purpose. Hosted in a tiered classroom, meetings begin with conversation and laughter before moving into worship, prayer, and small groups. Though FCA is rooted in athletics, students attend for community, not just sports.

EMMA THIMONS STUDENT LEADER

Intentional efforts to create supportive spaces quickly became something students wanted to return to—drawn back by community, consistency, and connection.

Small Groups, Strong Community For some students, faith community begins curled into colorful chairs in the Campus Ministry Lounge, where conversations linger long after meetings end. The SPRING/SUMMER 2026

“It was uplifting, supportive, and super friendly with positive energy all around,” McCandless said.

“My faith is what has gotten me through college and all the struggles, and I know every person on campus is going through that. If I could help even one person, it made me feel like I had a purpose on campus.”

What surprised her most was how quickly strangers opened up. Women from Delight, Bible study, and FCA–groups that often met separately–connected almost immediately. Students who barely knew each other on Friday were talking freely late into the night about stress, relationships, faith, and college life.

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atmosphere at Delight feels less like a formal religious gathering and more like a weekly hangout among friends.

Elsewhere, some students find connection in calmer settings— men’s Bible studies focused on accountability, mixed small groups built around prayer, or simply gathering at weekly Mass, where familiar faces are now part of their routines. Regardless of which group students join, many describe the ministries as offering something increasingly difficult to find elsewhere: consistency. For freshmen especially, arriving on campus often means leaving behind home, lifelong friendships, and support systems they had relied on for years. “These groups help students feel noticed, remembered, and included,” Krzmarzick said.

Many students first attended out of curiosity or invitation but stayed for the sense of belonging they found. “I was looking for a group of faith-based people to confide in,” McCandless said, “and to find connections that were like-minded.” Conversations before and after meetings often move beyond faith. Students discuss stress, relationships, homesickness, and academic anxiety. Leaders and peers check in throughout the week, invite new members to meals, and build support systems lasting beyond weekly gatherings. For McCandless, friendships built through these groups were among the most meaningful parts of college.


“This group has meant a lot,” she said. “They have always been there for me, asked me how I am, and kept me grounded. Just knowing that there is someone there that cares about me means a lot.”

Faith, Friendship and Lasting Connection Campus Ministry leaders say growth is visible not only in gatherings but also in greater participation in faith life. Sunday evening Mass attendance, which previously ranged from 25 to 40 students after Covid, now often reaches 50 to 70. Many of the ministry’s newer programs emerged from student interest—a Bible study launched after a student’s request, a men’s faith group formed for accountability, and Delight began when a female student asked for a women-centered faith group. “The newness has come in building the ministry based upon student interest,” Krzmarzick said.

More Than A Weekend Away For Campus Ministry leaders and students alike, the recent growth is not viewed as a temporary trend but as something they hope will continue to shape campus life in the years to come. Students in Campus Ministry hope future students find the same support and sense of belonging. Thimons believes the retreat’s impact extended far beyond a single weekend. “I hope this continues to be fulfilling for people,” she said. “There will always be a need for it.” She said some of the retreat’s most meaningful moments came during final reflections, as students shared insights and personal experiences. “The rewarding moments were anytime we had an ending reflection and seeing the insights that people got that I didn’t even think of,” Thimons said. “It was amazing to see how much we can get out of this and what a weekend can do for people.”

Late into the weekend at the Women’s Faith Retreat, students crowded into cabins singing karaoke, playing card games, and talking long after official p Students offer the Sign of Peace during Ash activities had ended. Earlier, Wednesday Mass. “COVID did things to close us in they hiked to a waterfall and on ourselves,” he said. “Coming gathered for reflection between out of that, faith programs are making a rebound along meals and prayer. By the end, many who had arrived as with the Church and faith at large.” acquaintances left feeling something closer to family. He believes part of the renewed interest can be traced back to the isolation many students experienced during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many students are now searching for something more grounded and intentional than the noise of digital culture. “Faith is bouncing back,” he said. “It’s not going away. It’s intentional. It’s like, ‘How do I really live this out?’” Across the country, churches and dioceses have reported growing participation among young adults, particularly around Easter services and Campus Ministry programs. While students arrive at college with different beliefs and backgrounds, Campus Ministry leaders say many appear increasingly open to conversations about faith, identity, and belonging.

For McCandless, the strongest memories were not necessarily the formal talks themselves, but the people surrounding them. “I remember the connections the most,” she said. “The friendly faces around campus and the friendships I made.” As students packed their bags and climbed back into the van for the trip home, the atmosphere felt transformed from the day before. Yes, the white van was the same vehicle that had driven the young women to the retreat, but the people inside were not. u FORWARD | THE MAGAZINE FOR SETON HILL UNIVERSITY

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Teacher Preparation Adapts to Today’s Education Environment

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n a spring evening in Saint Joseph Hall, senior education students made their way from room to room for their meetings with local school district administrators.

Seven administrators representing five different school districts from around the area came to campus to meet with the students, offer them feedback and share more about the opportunities available in their districts. While the evening was set up as a mock interview night, the students dressed as they would if they were participating in a job interview at the school district and came prepared with cover letters, resumes, portfolios and business cards linking to digital versions of their materials.

The 37 student teachers who graduated in May had the opportunity to spend time with at least two different administrators asking questions, learning about the different districts and what they were looking for, and getting feedback on their materials. Kara Ratai, Assistant Professor of Education and Director of Field Placement for the education department, heard from the administrators about the professionalism, enthusiasm and preparedness that the students demonstrated in their conversations. “The mock interview night was a huge success thanks to the administrators, but also the students,” said Ratai. “The students displayed exceptional professionalism and

p Student teachers Kaden Crump, Madison Hamborsky, Shareea Holland, Marisa Kulyk and Savannah Hoyt prepare for their next meetings with local school administrators in Saint Joseph Hall.

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really took the time to reflect beyond their interviews. A few students even got official interviews because of their efforts in the mock interviews!” While Seton Hill has been educating teachers since its founding, how students are preparing to take on their own classrooms has evolved. In an increasingly competitive environment, Seton Hill’s education department is adding additional opportunities such as the mock interview night to not only prepare teachers, but help them build the connections they need to develop relationships with the school districts where they hope to work.

Graduate Programs Create Pathways, Offer Financial Support In addition to a traditional undergraduate program in education with certification options in various subjects and specialized graduate programs, Seton Hill has added two tracks in the Master of Arts in Teaching in recent years for those who did not major in education as an undergraduate and wish to become certified teachers. Both the Master of Arts in Teaching with Early Childhood Education (PreK4) Certification and the Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education programs can be completed in one year as a full-time student and two years for parttime students.

Students have been required to substitute for two days in 300 level courses, but in the 2025-26 academic year a new requirement was introduced in the Pre-Student Teaching Clinical The Reach Forward Lab course that program, a p Assistant Professor of Education Kara Ratai along with some of the 37 required students to newly created students who were student teaching in the spring during a mock interview substitute teach for night on campus. apprenticeship a minimum of six program, is working days per semester. with local school This experience helps students familiarize themselves districts to place Seton Hill graduate education students with different school districts, classrooms and grade in classrooms this fall to gain field experience and levels, and many have chosen to substitute for additional support teachers in the district while offsetting tuition days beyond the requirement. costs. “Substituting is such a valuable experience for preservice teachers because it gives them a real feel for what it’s like to be in charge of a classroom. It pushes them to think on their feet, manage routines, and build confidence in a way that’s hard to replicate in a typical field placement,” Ratai said. “On top of that, it’s a great way to apply what they’re learning in their courses, build connections in schools, and feel more prepared heading into student teaching and eventually their own classroom.” And as the demand for teachers increases in Pennsylvania, Seton Hill continues to offer a variety of education programs to fit different needs and make the process affordable to anyone who wishes to become a certified teacher.

The program allows graduate education students to complete their education and enter their careers with extensive hands-on classroom experience and little to no student debt. School districts offer tuition remission for all graduate-level education programs, aside from certificates, for completing one or two years of service. If students complete one year of the program, 50% of their tuition will be paid for. If they complete two years, 100% of their tuition for the program will be covered. Seton Hill’s first partnership with Penn-Trafford was announced in February, with Derry joining the program in March and additional partnerships with nearby school districts in process.

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q Seton Hill students Alison Gibson, left, and Kate Kelly work together to create a family engagement game during a joint class session of Seton Hill education students and Central Westmoreland Career and Technology students in the Aspiring Educators program where they learned about available play resources for teachers to share with families.

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“THE PLAN”

Partnership Offers Future Educators a Faster Pathway to the Classroom A partnership with a program for aspiring educators at the Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center is giving high school students a faster route to teaching in their own classrooms. In the Aspiring Educators program, juniors and seniors from six local high schools spend half of their day in education courses. Members of Seton Hill’s education department worked with the teachers at CWCTC to incorporate learning objectives and content from Seton Hill education courses into the classes they offer so that their students have the opportunity to graduate from the Aspiring Educators program with college credits. The accepted courses for the College in High School program were chosen to give students a head start on their requirements, reducing the cost of higher education and helping accelerate future teachers’ timeline to become student teachers and then move into a classroom of their own. After a pilot year in 2024-25 where seniors were awarded college credits if they enrolled at Seton Hill, juniors and seniors enrolled in the program for the 2025-26 academic year were able to earn credits that can be transferred anywhere. They also gain automatic acceptance into Seton Hill’s education program. “Providing our student teachers with opportunities to engage in collaborative school settings contributes to the development of significant collaboration dispositions and skills. Educating our future teachers to stand out as changemakers who are well-prepared and ready to transform and go confidently forward into the world after graduation, builds their capacity for reflective teaching, curriculum development, and relationship-building,” said Kathy Harris, Dean of the School of Education and Applied Social Sciences. “Partnerships with Aspiring Educators shape relationships in the community, opening new opportunities for future teachers who want to make a difference in the lives of students.”u

SCAN THE CODE to learn more about becoming a teacher at Seton Hill!

Undergraduate Teaching Program Created Hundreds of Teachers in Western Pennsylvania

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n 1955, Seton Hill College, Duquesne University, and Mount Mercy College entered into a collaborative partnership with the Diocese of Pittsburgh to establish a scholarship program dedicated to the formation of young teachers. In exchange for financial aid, participating students committed to teaching within the school systems of the Dioceses of Pittsburgh, Altoona-Johnstown, and Greensburg. This initiative not only opened pathways to higher education for young women, but also immersed them in the classroom from the outset of their training. Working alongside experienced Sisters of Charity educators, nearly 500 students gained invaluable, hands-on teaching experience, an opportunity that shaped and sustained many distinguished careers in education. At the same time, the program addressed a pressing institutional need by supplying a steady corps of well-prepared teachers to support the rapid expansion of Catholic schools throughout the region. The program remained active through the 1968 academic year, leaving a lasting mark on both the participants and the Catholic educational system it served. Among its participants was Seton Hill’s future president, JoAnne Woodyard Boyle, who enrolled as an undergraduate and earned her degree in English and History in 1957. She began her teaching career at the Sisters of Charity’s St. John the Baptist High School in Pittsburgh. Notably, several women who took part in the program went on to enter religious life as Sisters of Charity.

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‘Keep Your Eyes Open’ CLASS OF 2026 ENCOURAGED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD

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ust after Dennis Holtschneider, C.M., graduated from college, he traveled to the interior of Panama - an impoverished area where nobody spoke English - so he could better learn Spanish.

And on a trip on the switchbacks of an ancient volcano - on the outskirts of a town with no electricity he found a fully lit casino with an airstrip behind it, used for gambling and drug running by the country’s dictator Gen. Manuel Noriega.

“No one had told me in advance, in fact, when I raised it, most would shrug their shoulders and change the subject,” Holtschneider said in recounting his experience to those gathered for Seton Hill’s undergraduate commencement on May 16. “One woman p Dennis actually denied it existed even Holtschneider, C.M. though we both could see it across the road. The poor of Las Nubes simply went on with their lives. They stayed away, and they pretended it wasn’t there.” “That of course was the exact opposite of the purpose of your education. Many of you came to Seton Hill to train for one of the noble professions. … When you arrived, however, you found a humane culture with a sense of purpose in this world,” he told the graduates. “You didn’t know it at the time, but Seton Hill was training you to see what was always right in front of you but could be easily ignored. All the ways that we construct our world and all the ways that we construct meaning and purpose in our lives. Some of these for better but some of these clearly for worse.” Holtschneider, who was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Seton Hill for his history of service to others through his roles in Catholic higher education, healthcare and fighting global poverty, urged the graduates to take what they’ve learned at the University and act - to try to make better the lives immediately around them or to change the systems that impact society as a whole. “Keep your eyes open. Never ignore the world and its needs that are right in front of you for the seeing,” he said. “See the world around you in all its complexity and

then act on its behalf and in these many years to come I know you’ll make this institution proud.” Dustin McMullen ’26, President of the Student Government Association, echoed Holtschneider’s remarks, adding that commencement is a time of both sadness and joy. “To feel the weight of goodbye is a blessing. It means you were fortunate enough to find something worth missing. It is a reminder that we have been part of something so meaningful that it is difficult to move beyond. Yet here we are about to move forward, about to hazard yet forward,” he said. “…The hazard represents the unknowns of the world waiting for us, the challenges we can’t yet see and the risks we have yet to take. But the forward is our promise. It is the reminder that we don’t wait for the path to be easy. We forge our very own. We have been trained to be bold, to be gracious and to be resilient. Whether we are heading to boardrooms, classrooms, hospitals or studios, we move with the confidence of those who have already conquered this Hill.” “We shouldn’t be sad that our time here is almost over. We should be proud that it happened. Proud that we survived the climb, we found our family and we became Setonians,” McMullen added.u

p Three Ruth O'Block Grant Scholars graduated with Bachelor of Science degrees this spring. Camille Kuczynski, left, was a Dental Medicine 4 + 4, Biology Pre-Medical major with honors and will be attending LECOM School of Dental Medicine. Jada Freeman, center, graduated on the Health Science Pre-Medicine Track and will be pursuing her master’s in biomedical sciences at Duke University. Nora Ozimek, right, was a double major in biology and chemistry and will be attending Johns Hopkins to pursue a Master's in Engineering Management - Innovation and Design.

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ALUMNI In Action DR. ADAM BURKE ’19 LEADING CHANGE IN THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY Dr. Adam Burke ’19 is two years shy of his 30th birthday, but he’s lived a number of lives in the past few years. Since graduating from Seton Hill, he’s completed his osteopathic medicine degree at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, earned an MBA from Youngstown State University, started practicing medicine as a family physician, became Medical Director of Patient Access for Independence Health System, joined a tech company as a clinical leader in AI, got married and started a cattle farm. For his achievements, Dr. Burke was recently recognized by the Pittsburgh Business Times and Leadership Pittsburgh as one of their 30 Under 30 in 2026. “It was honestly very humbling. Medicine is a team effort, and any recognition like that reflects the people who supported me along the way,” Dr. Burke said of the honor. “There’s still a lot of work to be done, especially in improving how our healthcare systems function. Being recognized at this stage reinforces that I’m on the right path, but it also pushes me to think bigger about the impact I can have moving forward.”

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In addition to his duties at Independence Health, Dr. Burke joined NPAX, a company that’s producing an AI-driven healthcare platform, thanks to a connection he built with the company’s CEO Michael Perry while still a student at Seton Hill. At NPAX, he is focusing on ensuring that AI-driven solutions are clinically sound, scalable, and aligned with improving patient outcomes while driving measurable cost efficiency across the healthcare system. “AI has the potential to fundamentally shift healthcare from reactive to proactive. It allows us to identify risk earlier – whether that’s medication interactions, disease progression, or gaps in care – and intervene before patients deteriorate,” he said. That means fewer hospitalizations, more personalized treatment plans and better outcomes for patients and reduced healthcare spending. “I’ve always believed that the future of healthcare will be shaped by those willing to think beyond traditional roles. For me, that means continuing to care for patients while also working to improve the systems that serve them,” Burke said. “If we can combine clinical insight with technology and data in the right way, we have a real opportunity to transform healthcare, not just incrementally, but in a way that meaningfully improves outcomes for entire communities.”


ALUMNI In Action

ALUMS BRING INDUSTRY AI, HIRING INSIGHTS TO CAMPUS The workplace – and its use of AI – are changing daily. In a March event, titled “Industry Insights: Your Career in the Age of AI,” students from the School of Business and Technology had a chance to hear about real-world examples of how AI is used in the hiring process. In a panel moderated by Christina Sims ’09, MBA ’11, an award-winning AI strategist, speaker, and founder of Precision Edge AI, fellow alums James Yezek ’15, Director of People Operations for the Washington Commanders, and Amanda Bernard ’12, MBA ’15, Director of Human Resources for Westmoreland County, along with Michelle Wardle-Eggers, the senior analyst development manager for the ACA Group, answered questions about the current state of job searching.

“The event was aimed at bridging the gap between academic preparation and industry expectations by connecting Seton Hill University students and faculty with local HR professionals who can provide realworld insights into how AI is reshaping careers, hiring practices, and workplace skills,” said Anastasiia Adamova, Coordinator of Outreach and Innovation for the School of Business and Technology, who worked with the panelists to put together the event. After the panel, student participants had a chance to meet one-on-one with the panelists to ask questions and share their resumes and/or portfolios for review. Faculty from the School of Business and Technology also had an opportunity to network with the panelists and learn more about current industry trends and conditions over lunch. q Michelle Wardle-Eggers and alums Amanda Bernard ’12, MBA ’15; James Yezek ’15, and Christina Sims ’09, MBA ’11 chat about the use of AI in the hiring process and best practices for job searching students in Cecilian Hall in March.

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ALUMNI In Action

MUSIC EDUCATION ALUMNI SHARE SUCCESS WITH UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS In March, Jennifer Kist ’25 was back on stage at Seton Hill’s Performing Arts Center. Kist, who was hired by the Altoona School District before graduation last year and is currently teaching middle school and high school orchestra, returned to campus with her 8th-grade orchestra. “It was truly a full-circle moment getting to bring students of my own to the place that truly shaped me into the musician and music educator I am today, especially so soon after graduation,” said Jennifer. “It felt great to connect with current music education majors and my professors again and serve as a role model for students as they approach graduation and are preparing to enter the field.”

In addition to Kist, the music education program welcomed Emily Hazlett Kempa ’21 and the Greensburg Salem High School Choir back to campus and hosted David Emanuelson ’14 and the Hempfield High School Choir. Along with hosting visiting groups, the program also connects with music education alums for on-site fieldwork, including working with Sarah Palli ’22 and Alexis Zanotti ’25 who are teaching in the Jeanette School District, and has hosted alumni for student teaching seminars to offer insight into having success in both internships and in entering the profession.

Current music education juniors had the opportunity to observe Jennifer teaching her students in small groups as part of their “Fieldwork Friday” experiences while her middle school students from Altoona had the opportunity to take part in clinics with Associate Professor of Music Dr. Christopher Marra and Associate Professor of Music Education Dr. Jessica Vaughan-Marra in Seton Hill’s Performing Arts Center. “It was a very proud moment to welcome back a recent graduate and to have our current students see Jen’s immediate success in the classroom,” said Dr. Marra.

p Jennifer Kist ’25 directs her middle school students from Altoona on stage at the Performing Arts Center during “Fieldwork Friday.”

ALUM FINDS PURPOSE IN CONSERVATION WORK A plant genetics research project at Seton Hill gave Hannah Hartman ’19 a new direction to her passion for biology. Having entered Seton Hill with thoughts of working in the medical field, Hartman realized she was more drawn to working with nature. The plant genetics research she conducted with Associate Professor of Biology Jessica Brzyski, Ph.D., showed her a different avenue to pursue her interests. At Kent State University, Hannah looked to balance her studies in a master of science program in ecology 32

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and evolutionary biology with a connection to nature and the outdoors and began volunteering as a trail monitor at a site co-owned by Kent State and The Nature Conservancy. When she moved back to Central Pennsylvania, Hannah, who works as District Manager for the Lebanon County Conservation District, continued to volunteer with the organization as a trail monitor and nature docent at the Hamer Woodlands at Cove Mountain site, an important location for migratory birds recognized by the Pennsylvania Audubon Society. Her efforts to create programming and make the site inviting and accessible to the public earned her recognition as The Nature Conservancy in Pennsylvania's 2025 Volunteer of the Year.


ALUMNI In Action

SETONIANS ENJOY SUNSHINE AT FLORIDA BALLPARK MEET-UP

Trustee Bob Brooks, a minority owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates, hosted a day of baseball during spring training at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla. Alumni and their friends and family enjoyed reserved seating on the LaPensee Party Deck while connecting with generations of Setonians.u

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1 Seton Hill alumni and friends enjoyed a beautiful day at the ballpark. 2 Some of the Seton Hill group got a photo on the field with the Pirate Parrot. Left to right: Bill Bova, Trustee Bob Brooks, Dayne Sosa, Ally Geier, Tony Grieco, Joann Grieco ’91, Alicia Barnes, Lisa Carino ’88, Kris Sosa, Karen Baumgardner, Marybeth Miller, Jim Miller, Devin Sosa ’22 3 Joe Rose, Elizabeth Rose ’69, Dorothy Sweeney ’69 and Jim Barnett 4 Trustee Bob Brooks with Pirates announcer Guy Junker (second from right) and Joann Grieco ’91 5 Fardan Allen ’20 (center) and his family 6 Peggy DiNinno ’82 and Ralph DiNinno

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ALUMNI In Action

SETON HILL HONORS 2026 CLASS OF

Distinguished Alumni Seton Hill University recognized 10 outstanding alumni for their individual achievements, contributions to their industry or profession, service to their community and loyalty to the University at the Distinguished Alumni Awards Ceremony held in June as part of Alumni Weekend celebrations.

Anthony Palmiscno

David Girardi

After graduating from Seton Hill, Palmiscno accepted a Fulbright Program grant to teach in Spain. He completed his Ph.D. in Iberian Literary and Cultural Studies at The Ohio State University - where he was also an award-winning Graduate Teaching Associate - and worked as an Instructional Designer at Penn State University. He is currently living in Madrid, Spain, working at Lingokids where he helps design research-aligned, globally distributed educational content for children. Palmiscno is a frequent presenter in the academic community and has also served as a mentor working to support high school students from underrepresented backgrounds.

Girardi is entering his ninth season with the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League, where he has coached in five Super Bowls with three victories. Girardi has served as quarterbacks coach since 2023, and has worked with MVP Quarterback Patrick Mahomes each year since Mahomes became starter. Girardi began his NFL career with Kansas City in 2018 as an offensive quality control coach. Prior to breaking into the professional ranks, Girardi had stops at Lafayette College, Northwestern University and Geneva College. Girardi’s first coaching job was at Seton Hill, where he worked as a graduate assistant for two seasons.

CLASS OF 2016

“My experience at Seton Hill University profoundly shaped both my values and the path I have taken since graduating. The University’s emphasis on welcoming, learning, celebrating, and serving the community provided a foundation that continues to guide my personal and professional decisions.”

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MBA CLASS OF 2013

“Seton Hill really sums me up: I love small college football, I cherish being from Western Pennsylvania, and my Catholic faith is very important to me. On the Hill those three things really come together, and Seton Hill really embodies them. I’m deeply grateful for my time there.”


ALUMNI In Action

Toshua Jarrett

Kate P. Shane-Carson

Jarrett began her career at St. Anne Home in Greensburg, Pa. as the Director of Development and Public Relations. After getting married, she and her husband joined the United States Army where she served as a Combat Medic/Team Supervisor providing guidance, direction, and development for 16 junior medics. Since leaving the military, Jarrett has served as the Chief Development Officer of the Veterans Leadership Program, in Pittsburgh since 2014. She has been recognized for her work as a Western PA Rising Star and among the Pittsburgh Business Times Women of Influence.

As a pediatric genetic counselor at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, changes in testing technology showed Shane-Carson the importance of lifelong learning and being willing to adapt and change with new advancements. She then transitioned to The Ohio State University as a cancer genetic counselor where she worked to expand patient access to care and assisted in developing a graduate program in genetic counseling. In her current role as a clinical professor at OSU, her time is equally split between clinical care in cancer genetic counseling and education.

“Seton Hill further instilled a solid work ethic, teamwork, leadership, and critical thinking that has led me to be the leader I was in the United States Army as well as in my current Chief Development Officer role at Veterans Leadership Program.”

“My professors at Seton Hill were extremely supportive of me and provided me with a lot of great opportunities. My liberal arts education also reinforced for me that there are a lot of benefits to having diverse interests, both personally and professionally.”

CLASS OF 2006

CLASS OF 2001

AJ Jefferson CLASS OF 1995

As President and CEO of the Homeless Children’s Education Fund, Jefferson has expanded educational support for students experiencing homelessness by positioning the organization as a leading voice on youth homelessness in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Under her leadership, HCEF has grown from $1 million to $3 million, tripled its student reach from 400 to over 1,200, and is building infrastructure for long-term sustainability. Jefferson is a keynote speaker sharing her lived experience of homelessness, resilience, and overcoming adversity. She has been recognized as a mentor, advocate, and leader, receiving many honors and elevating youth homelessness nationally on Good Morning America and The Kelly Clarkson Show. “Seton Hill sharpened my voice, strengthened my confidence, and grounded me in leadership rooted in integrity. Today, I carry forward what was nurtured on campus: the belief that my voice can create change.”

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ALUMNI In Action

Karen Ponton Gorman CLASS OF 1986

Gorman is the Principal Deputy Special Counsel at the U.S. Office of Special Counsel in Washington, D.C., providing senior leadership of an independent agency protecting federal employees. She previously served as Deputy Chief Counsel for the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics. Her son’s autism diagnosis led her to community advocacy. Gorman partnered with Children’s National Hospital to form a summer camp for autistic children and helped shape a jobs preparation program for students receiving special education services. She was appointed last year to a three-year term as a Commissioner on the Commission on Aging in her county. “Through my experiences at Seton Hill, I learned the power of community and advocacy. Each time I’ve faced a challenge or needed to accomplish something, I have looked to a group of committed individuals and sought the power of collaboration and shared goals.”

Janice Germy Sandrick CLASS OF 1976

Donna Germano Uhrinek CLASS OF 1976

After graduating, Sandrick completed her dietetic internship at Mount Sinai Hospital and earned her master’s degree in nutrition from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Sandrick then came back to western Pennsylvania, working as a clinical dietitian at Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh while beginning her doctoral studies. She returned to Seton Hill in 1980 as a faculty member. Sandrick rose to the rank of associate professor in addition to serving as the program director for the Coordinated Program in Nutrition and Dietetics from 1986 until her retirement in 2018, receiving recognition as the University’s Professor of the Year during her tenure. “Integrating liberal arts education and the principles of Catholic Social Teaching within your area of study at Seton Hill enhances empathy and enlarges your world view. This influenced my approach with clients as a clinical dietitian and with my students as an educator.” 36

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In her decades as an elementary school teacher in the Greensburg Salem School District, Uhrinek educated generations of students and mentored new staff and student teachers. She gave back to Seton Hill as an adjunct professor and student teacher supervisor, and as a member of the Alumni Advisory Council, holding the role of President and later being named one of its first Emeritus Members. She has been involved in the Westmoreland County American Red Cross Advisory Board, Our Lady of Grace Church, Greensburg Central Catholic High School, United Way of Westmoreland County, and the Westmoreland Cultural Trust among others. “My experiences as a work study student at the Child Development Center had the most profound impact on my career. Sister Grace Hartzog was the perfect mentor. Her natural ability with children set an example for me to follow for the rest of my life.”


ALUMNI In Action

Colleen McLaughlin Hammon

Mary-Ann K. Salvatore CLASS OF 1964

CLASS OF 1971

Hammon has spent her life dedicated to the wellbeing of others, with a particular emphasis on the issues of mental health and homelessness in the Erie, Pa., community. In her roles over 32 years, Colleen served as therapist, director, administrator and coordinator of various programs and projects in Case Management Support Services at Erie County Care Management, Inc., and later at the Erie Office Of Children And Youth. In retirement, Colleen serves as a volunteer resource consultant and on numerous boards focused on mental health and eradicating homelessness, in addition to working directly with shelters and individuals and on training and engagement with these populations.

Salvatore’s career began teaching adult education at the State Home for Girls and later transitioning into specialized roles within the New Jersey Department of Corrections where she had a 22-year career. As she approached retirement, she began volunteering with Mukti Mission, which serves children, women, and special needs residents through a variety of ministries in India. Since 1998, she has made 32 trips to India and fallen in love with the children and staff. Salvatore was asked to help develop the Mission’s English-speaking school in 2003 and has served on the Board of Directors of Mukti Mission US since 2008.

“The Seton Hill experience has had a profound impact on my life. It is with deep gratitude that I reflect on Seton Hill’s unwavering dedication to Catholic consciousness and how that transformative power has shaped generations of leaders, teachers and learners, me included. Thank you, Seton Hill!”

“Seton Hill gave me a strong academic and spiritual foundation. Although my path has diverged from its original direction, I believe God led and directed me the whole way, beginning with that foundation.”

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eton Hill University established the Distinguished Alumni Leadership Awards in 1987 to recognize outstanding alumni for their individual achievements, contributions to their industry or profession, service to their community and loyalty to Seton Hill University. There are four unique Distinguished Alumni Leadership Awards: Distinguished Alumni Leadership Award, Distinguished Alumni Leadership Award for Service, Distinguished Alumni Leadership Award for Military Service, and Distinguished Alumni Leadership Award for Young Alumni Achievement. The awards are presented annually during Alumni Weekend. Nominations must be received by September 30 for awards in the following June. Scan the QR code to submit a nomination. u

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News FROM THE HILL

ART SPEAKS NCCHE HOSTS ART AND THE HOLOCAUST SYMPOSIUM FOR LOCAL STUDENTS The inaugural Isadore M. and Ida D. Pollock Annual Symposium on Art and the Holocaust, with the theme of “Young People and the Holocaust,” took place in Cecilian Hall on April 26. Students from Aquinas Academy, Christ the Divine Teacher School, Geibel Catholic, St. Therese School, and Canon-McMillan High School showcased their creative works related to the Holocaust and talked about their creative process with guests. The event was organized by Seton Hill’s National Catholic Center for Holocaust Education. The generous donors whose financial support made this program possible, Gloria Fiorelli Pollock ’68 and Arthur Pollock, attended the event with members of their family.

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p Dane Neidig, an eighth grader at St. Therese School, talks about his artwork with Associate Professor of Art Therapy Dani Moss. q Eliana Masters, a sixth grader at Christ The Divine Teacher Catholic School, with her artwork and the artwork of others from her school.


News FROM THE HILL The Pollocks are retired school teachers, and Seton Hill Distinguished Alumna Gloria was an art teacher who worked closely with the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh. The Pollocks made an initial gift for this year’s program and have also created an endowed fund to allow the exhibition to continue annually. The symposium is named after Arthur Pollock’s parents, Isadore and Ida. While Gloria and Arthur have created several scholarship funds at Seton Hill, it was important for the family to ensure Arthur’s legacy at the institution that they hold so dearly as well. When addressing the Symposium attendees, Arthur said they were pleased to support this important program that addresses the study of the Holocaust. “When studying the Holocaust, creating art is a way to help process our thoughts and feelings about the atrocity,” Arthur said. “It also reminds us that promoting love, peace and respect is critical in combatting hatred and antisemitism.”

RIGHTEOUS AMONG THE NEIGHBORS RECOGNIZES NCCHE DIRECTOR AND FACULTY MEMBER Two members of the Seton Hill community were recognized for their efforts to uproot antisemitism during a February celebration at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh in Squirrel Hill. Dr. James Paharik, Director of the National Catholic Center for Holocaust Education (NCCHE) at Seton Hill, and Dr. Megan Pankiewicz, an adjunct faculty member in the Genocide and Holocaust Studies program – along with seven other non-Jewish Pittsburghers – were honored by the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh as part of the Righteous Among the Neighbors Class of 2025. Paharik was nominated by Melissa Marks, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, who has worked with Paharik on the NCCHE board since 2022. Marks cited Paharik’s work in bringing important Jewish and Holocaust-related programming and resources to Westmoreland County, which has a dwindling Jewish population. Pankiewicz, who also teaches English alongside a course in Holocaust and genocide studies at Canon-McMillan High School, was nominated by Pittsburgh Families Bridging Kindness, a group composed of survivors and family members of victims of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, for the ways she has built connections with the Jewish community and dedicated herself to Jewish and Holocaust education in the area. Previously, Sister Gemma Del Duca ’62, co-founder of the NCCHE, and art therapy alumnae Angelica Miskanin ’14 and Megan Cook ’15 were members of the inaugural class of Righteous Among the Neighbors in 2023.

p Gloria Fiorelli Pollock ’68 and Arthur Pollock talk to the students at the symposium about their work. The Pollocks are retired schoolteachers and the sponsors of the Art and the Holocaust Symposium.

p Dr. Megan Pankiewicz; Rabbi Sara Perman, Rabbi Emerita, Congregation Emanu-El Israel; Distinguished Alumna Dr. Greta Stokes Tucker ’77; NCCHE Director Dr. James Paharik and Distinguished Alumna Dr. Helene Paharik ’87, left to right. Perman and Stokes Tucker are members of the NCCHE Advisory Board.

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News FROM THE HILL

SHU CELEBRATES AMERICA’S 250th SETON HILL HOSTS STITCHING SESSION FOR AMERICA’S TAPESTRY PROJECT The stitchers creating the Pennsylvania panel of the America’s Tapestry project welcomed students, faculty, staff and members of the Alumni Advisory Council to sit with them and sew a stitch in Lowe Dining Hall in March. America’s Tapestry is a project organized by costume designer and fiber artist Stefan Romero, who specialized in the dress and textiles of Colonial America at Carnegie Mellon University. Romero collaborated with Seton Hill University, William & Mary and a number of carefully selected historical and craft organizations to create this fiber arts project. One panel will represent each of the original 13 colonies as part of the exhibition, which is being created in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence this summer. The panels illustrate stories of individual contributions that reveal each colony’s struggle for independence. Historical associations from across the states volunteered to collaborate on the panels’ imagery and generously agreed to host the stitchers as they work. More than 1000 volunteers from the ages of five to 96 have been working on the embroidery throughout the eastern United States, with local directors guiding the effort in each of the participating states. The stitchers for the Pennsylvania

p Student Jesna Thomas tries her hand at stitching in Lowe Dining Hall.

panel were based in the historic Glenshaw Library, the oldest free library west of the Alleghenies, and traveled to Gettysburg, Valley Forge National Historical Park and the Hershey History Center – in addition to their stop at Seton Hill – to host stitching sessions.

AMERICA’S TAPESTRY EXHIBITION ON CAMPUS SEPTEMBER 12-17, 2026 After their inaugural display at William & Mary’s Muscarelle Museum of Art near Colonial Williamsburg, America’s Tapestry will come to the Seton Hill Arts Center before continuing on to other venues throughout the East Coast. All 13 hand-embroidered panels will be displayed at the Seton Hill University Arts Center from September 12-27. t Students Ryan Appleby, Evan Thomas, and Rylee Reed (left to far right) watch Carol Andrews, second from right, as she demonstrates the stitching technique.

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News FROM THE HILL

LOOKING GOOD SETONIAN TAKES HOME STUDENT KEYSTONE MEDIA AWARDS FOR PHOTO, DESIGN Two contributors to the Setonian student magazine earned recognition from the 2026 Student Keystone Media Awards in Division II this spring. The awards, which are sponsored by the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association Foundation, recognize high school, college and university journalism that provides relevance, integrity, and initiative in serving readers.

t Evelyn Swanson ’25

First place for layout and design went to December graduate Evelyn Swanson ’25, the Setonian magazine design editor, for her two-page layout featuring the achievements of the equestrian team. Contributor Elisabeth Gallagher, a member of the women’s soccer team, won an honorable mention in the news photo category for her images of a curious juvenile turkey vulture that decided to join a women’s soccer practice session. Wilda Kaylor ’71 is currently The Setonian advisor. More of their work can be found at setonianonline.com.

p Elisabeth Gallagher captured images of a curious juvenile turkey vulture at a women’s soccer practice.

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News FROM THE HILL

NEW ONLINE GRADUATE PROGRAMS ENROLLING FOR FALL 2026 Seton Hill will be welcoming students into three new graduate programs this fall. The Master of Science in Strategic Communication, Leadership and Applied AI is designed for professionals looking to move forward with new business skills in artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics, strategic leadership, advanced public relations and integrated marketing communication. The Master of Science in Nursing Leadership and Education and the dual degree Master of Science in Nursing/Master of Business Administration were designed to prepare working RNs for advanced roles in the field. Programs are completely online, allowing flexibility for working professionals, and financial assistance is available.

q New graduate programs include a combined Master of Science in Nursing and MBA, bringing together expert faculty and staff in Business and the Health Professions.

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The MS in Strategic Communication, Leadership and Applied AI will help working professionals advance into leadership-level career opportunities in marketing, public relations, internal communications, crisis communications, project management, data analysis and more. Students can also choose to pursue a 12-credit certificate in one of these areas of focus (Applied Artificial Intelligence, Integrated Marketing Communication or Organizational Leadership) and have the option to apply those credits towards a master’s degree in the future. “Seton Hill’s new Master of Science in Strategic Communication, Leadership and Applied AI brings together our historic strengths in communication and leadership with the transformative power of applied artificial intelligence,” said Jared “Jay” Burns, Ph.D., Dean of the School of Business and Technology at Seton Hill University. “In today’s data-driven economy, professionals need more than technical skills; they need to lead teams, craft compelling stories, and use AI ethically to make smarter decisions and drive innovation. Our curriculum and dedicated faculty equip graduates to do exactly that, and ‘Think Forward.’”


News FROM THE HILL The MSN in Leadership & Education combines courses in instructional design and organizational leadership to prepare students for advanced roles in the field, including nurse manager, nurse educator, director of nursing, clinical educator, and academic faculty positions. Seton Hill’s MSN/MBA Dual Degree focuses on integrating graduate-level business knowledge with the realities of healthcare delivery. This program will prepare students for employment in chief nursing officer, director of nursing, healthcare administrator and nurse manager positions. “Future nurse practitioners and nursing leaders will need educational preparation that extends beyond advanced clinical care to include leadership, systems thinking, healthcare innovation, business and organizational strategy, and interprofessional collaboration,” said Associate Dean of Nursing and Health Sciences Anthony Good. “That vision is reflected in the continued growth of graduate healthcare education at Seton Hill with additional expansion of nurse practitioner and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs on the horizon as we continue preparing healthcare professionals for the evolving needs of patients, organizations, and communities.”

SCAN THE QR CODE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE NEW ONLINE GRADUATE PROGRAMS:

LHNPA HONORS ASSOCIATE DEAN OF NURSING AND HEALTH SCIENCES Associate Dean of Nursing and Health Sciences Anthony Good was selected to receive the Lorrie Borrell Outstanding Nurse Practitioner Award at the Laurel Highlands Nurse Practitioner Association (LHNPA) conference in April. “My involvement with the Laurel Highlands Nurse Practitioner Association has always been rooted in service to the profession and support for fellow nurse practitioners. Serving as president has allowed me to focus on mentorship, advocacy, and strengthening professional connections throughout our region,” said Good. “Receiving the Outstanding Nurse Practitioner Award is especially meaningful because it comes from colleagues and peers who share a commitment to advancing patient care and the profession.” Dr. Good has served as LHNPA president since 2024 and was nominated for the award by his colleagues for his commitment to enhancing the visibility of nurse practitioners within the Laurel Highlands community, guiding the organization's strategic direction and strengthening member engagement, and expanding educational opportunities for nurses looking to further their careers.

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News FROM THE HILL

MLK DAY OF SERVICE MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN WESTMORELAND COUNTY On a Saturday in February, more than 230 students, faculty and staff volunteered at 18 different service sites across Westmoreland County as part of Seton Hill’s annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service and Learning. The day opened with breakfast in Lowe Dining Hall with a welcome from President Mary Finger and Director of Service Experience Amanda DeWitt, followed by a prayer from student Mayah Soliszewska Dengu and a reflection on Dr. King’s life from student Gee Mabiala before the volunteers headed to their sites. “One of the reasons I enjoy being a part of the Setonian Community is because of its history of service. As we remember Dr. King, let us all adopt a service mindset,” Gee said. “The community on the Hill feels like one that Dr. King would be proud of. There is a lot of love and support for everyone who walks on this campus.”

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p At Seton Hill’s annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service and Learning, faculty, staff and students volunteered to complete spring garden preparation at the Sisters of Charity Garden Project, preserve Historic Hanna’s Town cabins with the Westmoreland County Historical Society (women’s soccer team), plant and tend trees at St. Xavier Nature Preserve with the Westmoreland Land Trust: Tree-planting (football team) and help with organization at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore (men’s soccer team).


News FROM THE HILL

CELEBRATING NATURE

The 11 honors students in Assistant Professor of Biology Nicole McAllister-Conrad Setonian Seminar’s class worked throughout the spring semester to prepare a special event for the community: an Earth Day celebration at the Westmoreland Land Trust.

The Westmoreland Land Trust also took groups out to both plant trees and tend to previously planted trees on the property. Throughout the academic year, different groups of Seton Hill students have also assisted with the trees including Associate Professor of Marketing and Communication Catie Clark-Gordon’s Social Media Strategy and Associate Professor of Biology Jessica Brzyski's Conservation Biology classes and members of the football team as part of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service.

McAllister-Conrad worked with Director of Service Learning Amanda DeWitt to identify an organization, and the collaboration with the Land Trust pulled in McAllister-Conrad’s experience in biology in addition to building on a previous family fun day event hosted by last spring’s Setonian Seminar Honors Class taught by Professor of Chemistry Diane Miller.

Other classes got involved in the day as well. Students from Associate Professor of Chemistry Sarah Joiner’s Textile Chemistry & Sustainability course brought one of their class projects about textile life cycles and environmental impacts to share with attendees and nursing students were on hand to perform free health checks.

On April 18, the students welcomed more than 100 people of all ages to “Growing Together: An Earth Day Celebration” at St. Xavier Nature Preserve in Latrobe with nature-themed activities such as rock painting, seed planting, nature scavenger hunt bingo and soil exploration.

“It was a wonderful day to spend outside in community with one another, exploring and talking about the nature around us,” McAllister-Conrad said. “The students did an incredible amount of work to collaborate with the Land Trust and host this event. It was impressive to see their dedication to helping the community in this way.”

HONORS SETONIAN SEMINAR CLASS HOSTS EARTH DAY EVENT AT WESTMORELAND LAND TRUST

p More than 100 people attended “Growing Together: An Earth Day Celebration,” an event organized by honors Setonian Seminar students in collaboration with the Westmoreland Land Trust. t Student Gianna Fleck offers assistance with nature scavenger hunt bingo at St. Xavier Nature Preserve.

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News FROM THE HILL

FROM THE HILL TO HARRISBURG SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS ADVOCATE FOR THEIR PROFESSION AT THE STATE CAPITOL Representatives from Seton Hill’s Social Work program traveled to Harrisburg to participate in Legislative Education & Advocacy Day (LEAD) in March, an event hosted by the Pennsylvania chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. Assistant Professor of Social Work Sarah Slates and four social work students – sophomore Andrew Gonzalez, seniors Renell Palm and Benjamin Sanner and junior Taryn Yutzy – met up with social work professionals, faculty and students from across the state to advocate for issues important to their profession at the Capitol. “We had a wonderful and meaningful trip to Harrisburg for Legislative Education and Advocacy Day or LEAD,” Slates said. “After the event, students better understood that advocacy is not only an ethical responsibility for social workers, but it is also more accessible than they thought.” During their trip, the students were able to participate in rallies for legislative priorities, meet with their elected representatives and connect with other colleges, universities and professionals from across the state. “LEAD was an amazing opportunity to advocate for legislation that actively affects everyone,” said Sanner. “It was an opportunity for the social work students to get out of their comfort zones and put their voices and education out there on important topics. We were also able to meet up with other social workers from all around Pennsylvania, which only further made the experience motivating and inspirational for our future work in the legislative world.”

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p Social work students Benjamin Sanner, Renell Palm, Taryn Yutzy and Andrew Gonzalez on the Capitol steps in Harrisburg during LEAD Day.


News FROM THE HILL

MARKETING PROFESSOR, STUDENTS PRESENT ON AI TO PROFESSIONALS AT AMA PITTSBURGH CONFERENCE working professionals, are learning these tools in real time so we are all learning from each other.”

Associate Professor of Business and Marketing Rachel Kaplan and May graduates Bridget Joyce and Brooke Martin presented at a panel about the use of AI tools for marketing professionals at the inaugural American Marketing Association Pittsburgh Conference in April. “The basics of marketing aren't changing. Understanding your consumer, understanding demographic marketing – these are all principles you need to understand with or without these tools,” Kaplan said. Their presentations covered three different ways to interact with AI systems: NotebookLM/Gemini, ChatGPT, and Claude. Kaplan covered how NotebookLM can be used as a learning platform for multimodalities, and how the tool integrates with Gemini to create graphics. Joyce talked about how she uses ChatGPT in her workflow to create a conversation that allows the chatbot to give ideas based on a branding message and graphic standards and incorporate personalization. Martin discussed how she uses Claude to analyze data sets and create stories based on the numbers. “These students not only taught people how to use these AI tools, they served as a poignant reminder of how Seton Hill encourages ethical approaches to everything, including AI,” Kaplan said. “All of our students, and

The three also got to hear from local marketers about what it’s like to run a brand in an oversaturated marketing environment with constantly changing technology, a world the students are now entering after graduating this spring. Joyce is starting a job at the University of Pittsburgh as a communication specialist with Pitt Global and will be pursuing her MBA at Seton Hill, while Martin will be working at Bose Corporation as an Automotive Sales Enablement and Marketing Operations Co-op.

p Associate Professor of Business and Marketing Rachel Kaplan (center) presented about uses of AI tools in marketing along with May graduates Bridget Joyce (left) and Brooke Martin in Pittsburgh in April.

STEPP FORWARD PROGRAM TO SUPPORT ENTREPRENEURS Thanks to a $1.136 million grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development, Seton Hill has launched its STEPP Forward Program to assist small businesses across an eight-county region of southwestern Pennsylvania.

STEP P LEARN MORE:

This effort will be augmented through another grant award of $1.1 million to support small businesses in the program through microgrants. The STEPP (Supportive Training, Entrepreneurial Education, and Partnership Pathways) Forward Program is a community-driven initiative designed to empower local entrepreneurs through tailored business training, education, mentorship, and strategic partnerships. The program will assist in providing access to capital, education, networking opportunities, and support for business owners. Seton Hill is partnering with The Progress Fund on the distribution of microgrants to STEPP Forward Program participants.

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News FROM THE HILL

INNOVATIVE ARTWORK FACULTY SHOWCASE TECHNOLOGY AT LOCAL ELEMENTARY SCIENCE FAIR Associate Professor of Art Brian Ferrell has been representing Seton Hill University for the last five years as a community partner at the Nicely Elementary School Science Fair, an annual event where elementary school students present their science projects to judges, their peers, and the community. In addition to the students’ works, the school brings in a number of community partners such as the local public library, agricultural groups and nearby universities. Ferrell showcased the power of 3D printing through live prints and examples. This year, he was joined by Assistant Professor of Art Josias Figueirido, who demonstrated ‘mixed reality painting’ using the Oculus Virtual Reality Headset. Ferrell demonstrated how 3D printing can be used in a variety of ways and Figueirido invited participants to immerse themselves in an augmented reality experience and create art in that virtual space.

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p Associate Professor of Art Brian Ferrell shared different types of projects that can be completed with 3D printing at Nicely Elementary School. q Assistant Professor of Art Josias Figueirido used a virtual reality headset to show elementary school students a new way to interact with art.


News FROM THE HILL

SHARING THE STAGE REGIONAL COLLEGE DANCE CONFERENCE HOSTED ON CAMPUS, AT PALACE THEATRE More than 300 attendees from over 30 institutions across New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and New Hampshire came together in Greensburg during Seton Hill’s spring break for the American College Dance Association Northeast Conference.

The community was invited to be a part of the conference with six shows at the Palace open to the public and an opportunity for high school students to take part in a weekend experience, which included a selection of classes and performances featuring a variety of dance styles.

The conference opened with a community building event featuring keynote speaker Peter DiMuro, Executive Artistic Director of The Dance Complex in Cambridge, Mass. Classes were hosted throughout campus over a four-day period, with adjudication concerts and the final viewers’ choice gala taking place at the Palace Theatre. This is the second time Seton Hill has been selected to host this event, previously welcoming other college dance programs to campus in 2019.

“From the beginning, our planning focused on building meaningful connections with the local community and extending the conference beyond the Seton Hill campus,” said Assistant Professor of Dance TaMara Swank. “Hosting this conference created leadership and networking opportunities for our Seton Hill dance majors and minors, connecting them with other dancers from Pennsylvania and surrounding states.”

p Students take part in an Intro to Irish Fusion class on stage in the Reichgut Concert Hall at the Performing Arts Center during the ACDA Conference hosted at Seton Hill during spring break.

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GRIFFIN Notes ADAPT AND EXCEL RUBY DEPALMA ’26 DOESN’T LET LIMB DIFFERENCE STOP HER LACROSSE CAREER For a lacrosse player, stick work - the ability to catch, throw, scoop and cradle the lacrosse ball with your stick - is as fundamental as fast feet are to a soccer player or arm strength is to a baseball pitcher. But when Ruby DePalma started playing lacrosse in middle school, she had to take what the coaches taught her about stick work and adapt it to her own situation. Ruby, who was born without a right forearm, took what others would see as adversity and simply found another way of doing things. “I remember playing catch with my sisters in the backyard,” she said of her early days playing lacrosse. “It would just take me longer to do things. I would just have to practice more and figure things out for myself.” Ruby, a four-year starter and three-year captain for the Seton Hill women’s lacrosse team, has never let her limb difference get in the way of her success. A Dean’s List student, she graduated in May with dual degrees in chemistry and forensic science. Growing up in Spencerport, N.Y., Ruby said she can’t remember a time she was treated differently. “I forget I only have one arm sometimes because I never was treated differently,” Ruby said. “I think I became a collegiate athlete because I was always told I could do whatever I wanted to do.”

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GRIFFIN Notes A soccer player in her early years, Ruby took up lacrosse in sixth grade when her oldest sister started playing the sport. She knew right away that she had found her passion. She excelled throughout high school both academically and athletically and she got some interest from some NCAA Division III schools, but then Seton Hill came calling. “I was worried,” Ruby admitted. “My older sister played at Edinboro, and I knew it took a lot of work and was really competitive at the DII level. My mom didn’t think I was going to be happy at a lower level program so she pushed me to go to Seton Hill, and I’m glad I did. I think I’ve had a lot of success here.” Griffins Women’s Lacrosse Head Coach Dina Cifelli took over the program in Ruby’s sophomore season. And while she didn’t recruit Ruby to the team, she was immediately impressed. In fact, Ruby scored her first college goal against the team Cifelli was coaching at the time. “I still remember the first time I saw her play in person – I was genuinely amazed and honestly speechless,” Cifelli said. “From that moment on, I knew she was special. Her stick skills and shot placement are truly elite. She plays like there are no limitations for her.” She added, “Ruby is truly a one-of-a-kind player and a rare find. Someone any program would be incredibly grateful to have, not just on their team, but in their life. She is one of the most genuine people I’ve had the opportunity to coach, and without a doubt, one of the hardest working. She has been an inspiration to me throughout my time coaching her.”

Beyond the field and classroom, Ruby has been making a meaningful impact through her service to others. Just before her freshman year of college, she began volunteering with NubAbility, which offers a summer camp for children with limb differences. Each summer, she serves as a counselor at the camp in Illinois, teaching lacrosse to the campers and serving as an example to them. Last year, Ruby was featured in a story for USA Lacrosse Magazine. Several people reached out to her after the article, including the father of a little girl from Long Island, N.Y., who also has a limb difference and was starting to play lacrosse. Seven-year-old Audrey was a special guest at a Griffins lacrosse game this spring where she got to take the field with Ruby. “It was awesome to meet her,” Ruby said. “It was almost like I was seeing myself. It was really a full circle moment to be that role model for her and show her she can do anything.” “I want kids like me to know they don’t have to limit themselves,” she added. “That was something I always focused on. I don’t want to say no to something just because I have one arm. I want to see how I can adapt.”

p Despite being born without her right forearm, Ruby DePalma was a four-year starter and three-year captain for the Griffins women’s lacrosse team. During her senior season, Ruby and her teammates welcomed Audrey, a young girl from Long Island, N.Y. with a limb difference, as an honorary team member at one of their games.

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GRIFFIN Notes coaching side, women’s soccer head coach Riley Butler had experience with a Faculty Athletics Support Team, or F.A.S.T., program at a previous institution and wanted to see a similar program implemented on the Hill. This spring the F.A.S.T. program at Seton Hill concluded its second year – and is looking strong for year three. Faculty volunteers are assigned to athletic teams to serve in a year-long role that is crafted by the coaches, faculty members, and student-athletes for each team’s needs.

F.A.S.T. PROGRAM FOSTERS RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ATHLETICS, FACULTY Conversations about how two key players in the role of college student-athletes could form better relationships have evolved into a program that brings coaches and faculty members together to enhance the student experience. Associate Professor of Physical Therapy Jen Brilmyer had been serving as the Faculty Athletic Representative, but was realizing the limitations of having a single person as a point of connection with around one-third of Seton Hill students taking part in athletics across 20 teams. On the

The roles look different in each situation. Some F.A.S.T. representatives connect over common majors that are found on a team, while others become fans and show up to games. For smaller teams a faculty member can create a personal connection by hosting fun events or study sessions, and others function in more of a listening and support role. Across the board, the primary goal is to create connections and increase understanding and awareness for the roles of faculty members and coaches, and to see how these roles can better align to support studentathletes. “It has been inspiring to see faculty, coaches, and student-athletes fully embrace the F.A.S.T. program,” said Brilmyer. “The program has fostered greater faculty accessibility and deepened understanding of the unique demands placed on student-athletes, all while fostering the mutual respect they share for one another.”

EQUESTRIAN WINS REGION FOR THIRD CONSECUTIVE YEAR The women's equestrian team concluded the regular season in March with a reserve champion finish, led by senior Lauryn Johnsen who placed 1st in her limit flat class. Seton Hill entered their final show with a narrow lead over WVU, but strong performances from all of their riders pushed them even further ahead allowing the Griffins to win their region by 32 points.

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“I am honored to coach a great group of talented, motivated women,” said Head Coach Rebecca Bloom. “Their competitive spirit is matched by their academic success and community involvement. To say that I’m proud is an understatement.” In addition to being the third consecutive year that the team won their region, it is the eighth time that the team has won the region in the last nine seasons.


GRIFFIN Notes

MEN’S LACROSSE BACK TO BACK G-MAC CHAMPIONS The men’s lacrosse team claimed their second straight - and fifth overall - Great Midwest Athletic Conference championship at home. A 16-10 home win over Davenport earned the Griffins the title win and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Seton Hill traveled to New York for the first round of the tournament to take on Pace University. Pace defeated the Griffins with a score of 18-13, ending their season with a 16-3 record.

BACK TO BACK PSAC WEST ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: MILA UDOVICIC

The Griffins earned two of the G-MAC’s six major awards: senior Will Cody was named the G-MAC Goalie of the Year for the third straight season and Dexter Hannigan was named G-MAC Freshman of the Year. Hannigan led the team with 52 goals and 63 points, while Cody ended the season with 199 saves, 7.47 goals against average and a 13-3 record. Both players also earned first-team All G-MAC honors, joining seniors Carter Green, Ryan McCann and Kaden Granberg and juniors Cullen Green and Austin Day.

For the second consecutive season, Seton Hill’s Mila Udovicic took home the Western Division Athlete of the Year. Udovicic tallied 34 goals and 36 assists for 70 points in the regular season, and added 100 draw controls, the third most in the PSAC, as well as 31 ground balls and 26 caused turnovers. Udovicic led the Griffins in many categories including assists, points, ground balls and draw controls and earned first team honors along with teammates Amara Forsyth, Mariah Williams and Katelyn Patts. The women’s season ended at home with a 19-6 loss to Kutztown in the first round of the PSAC Tournament, giving them an overall record of 10-7.

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GRIFFIN Notes

BASKETBALL PROGRAMS MAKE HISTORY AT PSAC SEMIFINALS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL The Seton Hill women's basketball team reached the PSAC semifinals for the first time in program history, finishing their season with an overall record of 22-9 and a 15-5 mark in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). The team’s 79-54 victory over Kutztown in the quarterfinals led them to take on Gannon in their first-ever PSAC semifinal, resulting in a loss of 79-73 to the top seed in the PSAC West.

TEAM ACCOLADES • #3 scoring offense in NCAA Division II – 84.4 points per game • #1 scoring offense in the PSAC • FIRST PSAC semifinal appearance in program history • SECOND CONSECUTIVE NCAA Tournament at-large bid • THIRD NCAA Tournament appearance in program history

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The team's regular-season success earned them an at-large bid to the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional for the second consecutive year, the third NCAA Tournament appearance in the program’s history. The Griffins' postseason was highlighted by a doubleovertime 88-85 victory over Fayetteville State in the NCAA Atlantic Regional quarterfinals, which was followed by a 94-87 loss to Indiana University of Pennsylvania in the semifinals. Junior standout Mia Kalich was named PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Year and a PSAC Winter Top 10 Award Winner for the second straight season. She was the first WBCA All-American Honorable Mention since 2018, the second Seton Hill women’s basketball player to be named to the CSC Academic All-American Division II Women's Basketball Team, her second straight selection as an Academic All-American, and made the D2CCA All-Region Second Team. Kalich led Division II in triple-doubles with three, ranking third in steals with 125 on the season and tied for third in double-doubles with 22. She led the PSAC in field goal percentage at 63.9%, led in steals at 4.1 per game and was second in rebounding. A 4.0 engineering and mathematics major, Kalich led the team in steals, rebounds and assists and averaged 14 points and 12.1 rebounds per game.


GRIFFIN Notes

Seniors Hallie and Helene Cowan also left their mark on the program, finishing their careers as 1500-point scorers. The two earned First Team All-PSAC West honors, with Hallie leading the PSAC in scoring with 18.5 points per game and Helene close behind averaging 16.7 points per game. “Our women provided each other confidence, freedom, and trust to succeed, and that empowered each of them to reach success in their own way,” said third-year head coach Maeve Gallagher. “This group was a steadfast mix of senior leadership, a calming presence from our juniors, and the underclass felt such love and safety to make mistakes and grow. That balance, to me, is irreplaceable. I am extremely grateful to this group for everything they have given to the Seton Hill community.” MEN’S BASKETBALL The men’s team also celebrated their first trip to the PSAC Final Four, and marked their first time hosting a PSAC Tournament matchup in Greensburg. In the first round of the PSAC Tournament, Seton Hill hosted Slippery Rock at home and defeated the Rock 78-70 to advance to the PSAC quarterfinals. Seton Hill made the trip to Millersville, the top seed from the east, for a PSAC Quarterfinal matchup where freshman Rashaad Williams' last second layup gave the Griffins a 77-75 victory and sent the Griffins to their first-

ever PSAC Final Four appearance. In the semifinals, the Griffins battled PennWest California and ended their run with a loss of 77-63. While the Seton Hill men had a strong start to the season, they faced adversity on the court with a rash of injuries slowing their pace. They finished the season 18-13, setting a record for the number of wins in the NCAA Division II era. “We have a humble group of guys who are a joy to coach,” said head coach Ben Wilkins, who completed his fourth year with the team. “We weathered the storm in the middle of the season and were still able to pull together for a good finish. I’m proud of what they were able to accomplish and that we were able to win big at Millersville.” “We feel our season was truly successful – defined not just by results, but by the adversity we faced and overcame together. Through every challenge, we grew stronger as a collective, and by the time March came around, we were playing our best basketball and had fully bought into our culture,” said players Camden Brewer and Dean Simos. “Despite injuries and outside pressures, we never lost sight of our main objectives, staying disciplined and connected throughout. Seeing success so close has fueled our determination to come back even better next season and build on everything we’ve established.”

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GRIFFIN Notes

MCGUIRE NAMED D2CCA ATLANTIC REGIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR BASEBALL SETS RECORDS, BRINGS HOME NCWBA, PSAC WEST AWARDS After leading the PSAC across categories this season, sophomore third baseman Brady McGuire was named the D2CCA Atlantic Regional Player of the Year. McGuire hit a PSAC-best .443 with 66 hits, 48 runs scored, eight doubles, six home runs, and 54 RBIs. Last year’s PSAC West Freshman of the Year, he walked 32 times and was 29-of-34 on stolen base attempts in his sophomore season. “Seeing Brady receive these recognitions and awards for his play this season isn't a surprise. His on-field success is a reflection of his work ethic, passion for the game, and the unmatched competitive energy he plays with,” said Head Coach Marc Marizzaldi. “On top of being talented, he's a tremendous servant leader and mentor for our team.” McGuire was also a D2CCA first team selection along with senior outfielder Jack Whalen and sophomore starter Sean Williams. And the awards don’t stop there. The Griffins won two of the three major awards from the NCBWA for the Atlantic Region with McGuire named the Regional Player of the Year while Marizzaldi earned Regional Coach of the Year, while setting a new program record with 41 wins in the regular season. McGuire, along with Jakob Haynes, Jack Whalen, Sean Williams and Mark Wechtenhiser, were NCWBA first team All Region selections.

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Seton Hill also took home three of the four major awards in the PSAC West, with McGuire as Athlete of the Year and Williams as Pitcher of the Year. Head Coach Marc Marizzaldi earned the PSAC West’s Coach of the Year for the fifth time. McGuire and Williams joined teammates Whalen, Wechtenhiser, Owen Henne and Christian Zilli as first-team PSAC West selections. Whalen made headlines when he became the all-time leader in stolen bases for the PSAC in his senior year, with a 45-of46 stolen base attempts this season bringing him to a total of 149 for his career. Marizzaldi, who is in his 22nd year with the Griffins, earned his 800th win this season against Pitt-Johnstown. He began leading the Griffins in 2004 and is the program’s first and only head coach. The Griffins led the PSAC in hits (530), runs scored (453), home runs (62) and stolen bases (145) and earned their fourth straight PSAC Western Division title. Seton Hill’s season ended with a trio of losses to Millersville. After an early loss to Millersville in the PSAC Tournament, who went on to win their second consecutive PSAC title, the Griffins snagged an at-large invite to the NCAA Division II playoff to continue their season in their 15th NCAA appearance. On day one, Seton Hill defeated Charleston with a score of 5-2 leading to a best-of-three series with Millersville to determine who would advance to the Super Regional. Millersville handed Seton Hill two losses on days two and three to end the season. Last year, Seton Hill beat Millersville in back-toback games to win the 2025 NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional.


GRIFFIN Notes

ESPORTS SETS PROGRAM RECORDS It was a record-breaking year for Seton Hill’s esports program. After sending five different teams to the National Tournament, the Griffins secured four championships over the course of the school year. With six registered teams in the National Esports Collegiate Conference this semester, esports finished the regular season with an overall team record of 38 wins and just four losses. The highlight of the season was a run by the Marvel Rivals team this spring, led by captains Max Kazmierczak and Jess Simonovitch. Entering the postseason with an undefeated streak, the team moved through quarterfinals and semifinals of the National Tournament to face Missouri Valley College in the championship match, emerging victorious to secure the title of national champions. Marvel Rivals scored another program record in December 2025, when they secured the program's first NECC East Conference Championship title. The Rocket League and Overwatch teams also qualified for the national tournament, and both were able to secure third place nationally. The Smash Ultimate team

reached the Round of 16 in the National Tournament, and the Counter Strike team made it one round further, reaching the National Quarterfinals. The Griffins' success on the screen was matched by the growth of their community. The program saw some of its largest viewership numbers ever on its Twitch channel during the national run. The esports program was established in 2022 and has flourished under director and head coach Christopher Sanders, who joined the team in 2023.

WILLIS CONTINUES SUCCESS IN SPRING TRACK Sprinter Jacy Willis continued his success in the spring winning the 400-meter dash with a time of 47.18 seconds and earning a fifth place finish in the 200-meter dash at the PSAC Championships. He was one of 27 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference student-athletes selected to compete in the 2026 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Emporia, Kansas, concluding his junior season with a 15th place finish. Willis finished sixth in heat two of the 400-meter dash preliminaries on Thursday evening with a time of 44.991 seconds. In the PSAC Championships, freshman Breeona Pheasant was third in the 200-meter dash with a time of 25.16.

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GRIFFIN Notes

FROM STUDENT ATHLETE TO HEAD COACH

FOUR-YEAR GRIFFIN WRESTLER NAMED FIRST HEAD COACH OF NEW COLLEGIATE WRESTLING PROGRAM While many graduating seniors wonder what their next step will be after graduation, Mark Paradine had completed more than a month in his new role when he walked across the stage. The four-year member of the Griffins wrestling team began helping launch WVU Potomac State College’s new wrestling program as its first

head coach as he was preparing to graduate and completing his student teaching as an education major. He is one of the youngest ever head coaches in collegiate wrestling. As the head coach of a new junior college wrestling program, Paradine understands that the wrestlers joining his program may have experienced their own adversity and looks forward to using his experience to relate to the players when his college career is only months behind him. “My experiences as a student-athlete, especially overcoming injuries and setbacks, have prepared me for this role more than anything else,” Mark said. “I know adversity is part of sports and life, and I want to help our wrestlers learn how to respond to challenges the right way. In this first year, I’m looking forward to recruiting the right people, building relationships, and laying the foundation for a program that Potomac State College can be proud of for years to come.” While Mark had a quick road from applying earlier this spring to being named to his new position, his path through collegiate athletics was not a smooth one. He suffered seasonending injuries during his sophomore and junior years. While his ability to compete for the Griffins was limited, Mark sought out other ways to contribute to the team’s success. He worked with Seton Hill wrestling head coach Vince DeAugustine to give tours and talk with recruits for the program, experiences which helped set him apart when applying for a head coaching role. “Mark has always had an elite wrestling mind and a gift for teaching the sport. Combine that with his character and energy, and I believe Potomac State has found the perfect person to launch its wrestling program,” DeAugustine said. “We are proud of Mark and everything that he has done for the program at SHU and he will always be a Griffin at heart!”

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GRIFFIN Notes

FOUR GRIFFIN WRESTLERS COMPETE AT NATIONALS

EIGHT WRESTLERS NAMED SCHOLAR ALL-AMERICANS Four Griffin wrestlers traveled to the 2026 NCAA Division II National Championships in Sioux Falls, S.D. in March, the most to qualify for the event since 2019. Seniors Kane Kettering, Jacob Houpt, and Ty Linsenbigler, along with graduate student Mike Zacur, earned the trip to nationals after finishing in the top three at the NCAA Super Regional at East Stroudsburg University. “I am really proud of this group, especially our seniors,” said Head Wrestling Coach Vince DeAugustine. “They've bought into the vision and helped raise the bar for what SHU wrestling can be. This is a great accomplishment, but where we want to go as a program, this needs to become the norm.” This was the second trip to nationals for both Zacur and Kettering, with Zacur placing last year and Kettering earning a place in 2024. Kettering advanced with one win, and all four wrestlers were eliminated from the competition after two losses. Additionally, eight Griffin wrestlers were recognized for their academic achievements. Youssef Abdelsalam, Luke Ananea, Luke Boylan, Jacob Braun, Troy McClelland, and Jacob Sombronski, along with Zacur and Kettering, received NCAA Division II Men's Scholar All-American Awards.

p Seton Hill wrestlers Jacob Houpt, Kane Kettering, Ty Linsenbigler and Mike Zacur, clockwise from top left, at the NCAA Championships in Sioux Falls, S.D.

ANTHONY STRIBLING NAMED PSAC WEST FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR After a stellar first season on the Hill, Anthony Stribling was named the PSAC West Freshman of the Year. The defensive lineman, who hails from Pittsburgh, led Seton Hill and the PSAC in sacks with 10.5 on the season. He also led Seton Hill - and tied for the PSAC lead - with 14.5 tackles for loss.

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GRIFFIN Notes

INDOOR TRACK EARNS TWO FIRSTS AT PSAC CHAMPIONSHIPS The Griffins walked away from 2026 PSAC Indoor Track and Field Championships as champions in two events. Junior Jacy Willis picked up a PSAC title for the men’s team in the 400-meter with a time of 48.56 seconds. The 4x4 relay team of freshmen Mackenzie McIntyre and Kaitlyn Guth and sophomores Nemani Moon and Artemis Conaboy won a PSAC title for the women's team with a time of 3:56.86.

VOLLEYBALL COACH RETIRES AFTER FOUR DECADES ON THE HILL After 41 seasons as coach of the Seton Hill volleyball team, Rick Hall announced his retirement at the end of the fall 2025 season. Hall has witnessed the explosive growth of Seton Hill athletics during his time on the Hill. The team started as one of three sports on campus, playing their matches in the soon-to-be renovated Sullivan Hall. Today, Seton Hill hosts 21 athletic teams and continues to make updates to the teams’ practice and competition facilities. (Volleyball has played their matches in the Salvitti Gym in the Katherine Mabis McKenna Recreation Center since 2005.)

CONGRATS COACH HALL

822-453 13

CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES

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3

CONFERENCE FINALS

OVERALL RECORD

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NCAA TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES


GRIFFIN Notes

GRIFFINS EARN PSAC ACADEMIC ALL-CONFERENCE AWARD The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference announced its first ever Academic AllConference Team at the end of the fall semester. The new honor was created to increase academic recognition for high-achieving student-athletes. In order to qualify, studentathletes must have completed four semesters academically with at least a 3.50 cumulative GPA, in addition to participating in 70% of a team’s contests. Twenty-eight Griffins from men’s and women’s soccer, football, volleyball and men’s and women’s cross country were named to the Fall 2025 Academic All-Conference Teams, with 10 student-athletes from men’s and women’s basketball and wrestling included in the Winter list. CONGRATULATIONS TO THESE STUDENT-ATHLETES! FALL Men’s Soccer Vasilis Christodoulou Mason Fabean Isaac Foster Women’s Soccer Kilee Coatney Jessica Molitoris Heather Russell Jordan Spozarski Maddie Teakle Morgan Walters

Football Isaac Ashley D’Kairi Boone Dom Caracciolo Royel Fairfax-Byrd Patrick Fleming Jaden Lambert Justin Smith Ben Zavatchan Drew Zimmerman Volleyball Ella Deeter Catie Flohr Elizabeth Kolkowski

Maddie Stout Kendyl Wagner Men’s Cross Country Kaden Crump Women’s Cross Country Jada Freeman Marissa Manko Allison O’Brien Sara Renshaw

Women’s Basketball Hallie Cowan Corrine Eisner Emma Fischer Hailee Ford Mia Kalich Abby Mankins Wrestling Jacob Braun Collin Hearn Mike Zacur

WINTER Men’s Basketball Noah Wright

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Class NEWS 1957

1961

Margaret Spahr Brennan shares, “I have two great-grandchildren and another expected in May. I’m staying in my house as I live in a small town and can walk to everything. My youngest son lives two blocks away and visits me every day. I spent Christmas week in Budapest with my son and his family. We all hope to go to Ireland, and maybe Scotland, in August. In November, we spent several days at The Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vt. We’ve been going there for years and knew Maria.”

Mary Alice Cronin shares, “Can you believe? I graduated in the Class of 1961 and am still kicking, only not as high as the Rockettes anymore. Just letting you know I’ve moved from Connecticut to New Hampshire. Would love to hear from any other 1961 graduates.” Please contact the Office of Alumni Relations for Mary Alice’s contact information.

Mary Lou Cronin Kintz shares, “No earthshaking events. Getting ready to celebrate turning 90 in New York in July and with immediate family over Labor Day here in Georgia. Still driving and walking a mile or two daily. Warm regards to all!”

1959 Marie Secky Emanuel shares, “Nothing new - at 88 I’m still getting around, driving and staying out of trouble. The grandchildren are giving me great-grandchildren, which is fun. Does anyone know the whereabouts of Anne Ritchy or Tess Vetter? I have lost contact. Hope all is well with the Class of 1959.”

p Ann O’Connor Von Hagel ’81 and Mary Farrell Price at St. Sebastian Church, Sebastian Fla.

1963 Irene Drozd Conrad shared that while she and Ed are healthy, they are looking to move closer to their children. Adam, the last of their grandsons, will be graduating from the University of Maine in May. In July, Aidan, another grandson, will be getting married in Pennsylvania. Indeed, tempus fugit! Barbara Nalevanko Lyskava shares, “I am blessed to be 85-years-old and still very active.

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I teach a Silver Sneakers chair yoga class once a week. Spend winters in Hilton Head. I miss so many friends who have passed. My grandsons keep me young. I will be married 62 years in July. Love to all classmates.” Pat Garvey Regan shares, “My leg is elevated from this past week’s MOHS surgery, as I check my calendar to recall events since the last Forward. In October, I took a Road Scholar Opera course. It involved staying at the New Yorker Hotel Sunday through Friday, where various professionals from the Metropolitan Opera spoke to us about their parts in the different productions. We toured backstage and attended performances of La bohème and Carmen. There were about 40 of us from all over the U.S. and a few from Europe. We all bonded quickly and enjoyed our shared opera course experience. In November, about 60 of my siblings, their spouses, children, and grandchildren gathered in Nags Head, N.C. for Thanksgiving week. We all agreed it was probably a once-in-a-lifetime event that so many schedules were able to be coordinated. Seeing the interactions of the generations and the cousins was every grandparent’s dream. Our choir made a Christmas CD for distribution next fall. In the coming months, I’ll be preparing to move from my home in a unique beach community on Long Island Sound to Jefferson’s Ferry,


Class NEWS a life care community near my daughter, about an hour from my house. There is a 5-year waiting list! My independent living unit is under construction and should be completed by February 2027. I’m in no rush, but at 84, I’d rather be proactive than reactive should the need arise. Hazard yet forward, classmates!”

weather, and a knowledgeable tour guide! I am grateful for my faith, family being close by, and the support of good friends. As I see some of my friends passing away or suffering with serious illnesses, I am once again reminded of the precious gifts of health and time. I am so grateful that my health still allows me to travel.”

Lou Anne Wilkes Swetonic says, “Hello from Alabama. We became great-grandparents for the first time on January 7, 2026. It is quite exciting, even though it’s long distance. Our granddaughter, her husband, and Jane live in Salt Lake City. Mother and daughter did well and are thriving. We are so delighted to see the start of the next generation! God bless us all.”

Mary Ann Corbo Connors is staying close to home now where she and her daughter Kathleen provide 24-hour caregiving for her husband Ed. “We pray for the Hand of God to continue to guide us on life’s journey.” Mary Ann is grateful for the excellent preparation for her future provided by the Sisters of Charity. Her doctoral dissertation was on gender and minority issues in mathematics education, appropriate use of technology in teaching and learning, and teacher preparation and enhancement. And she published articles on gender and minority issues in education including the Journal of Women and Minorities in Science and Engineering and others. We see in her a researcher and leader before her time.

1964 Sheila Delaney planned a trip to France in May, eager to see some significant sites, especially Mont Saint-Michel. “It will be a challenge for me given my wobbly nature but I’ll soldier on.” It has been eight years since Sally Conroy Fullman was in France, and she too made a trip in May, visiting friends from her student days in Normandy and Paris. “The friends I made when I was in France are our age and were little children during World War II. They often had very difficult lives, and their health is declining now. I am so grateful to have spent time with them reminiscing about life and the quest for peace which looks so fragile now.” Mary Ann Campalong Myhre and her sister took a tour of Sicily and Mallet recently. “What a great experience – many beautiful churches, delicious food, good

To bring some brightness to our lives, we hear from Nadia Few Nicholson, our scholarship student/classmate, who turned 29 in November. “Life is moving so quickly. My son is now 4-years-old. I am still caregiving for my cousin with Trisomy 18 and my paternal grandmother who has dementia. Taking care of them is truly what I was put on this earth for, and I love being able to do it. Little Malcolm is finishing his first year of preschool and wants to be a ‘train driver’ when he grows up, but he says he never wants to leave home and be

away from mommy and daddy! He recently asked how my husband and I met, and we told him the story of our love blooming at Seton Hill. We also told him about a group of lovely ladies who made my college education possible and showed him some photos from the last time I got together with the Class of 1964! I feel so blessed to share Seton Hill stories with him. Maybe one day he will find himself on the Hill.”

1965 Patricia Gabow, M.D. received the 2026 Welch-Rose Award for Distinction in Public Health from the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health. RetroSpective, an exhibit by Mary Diederich Ott, was recently reviewed by Mark Jenkins. Formerly the art reviewer for The Washington Post, Jenkins now brings his expert critique to Substack, where he highlighted Ott’s latest work.

1969 Linda Delia wrote to say she was grateful to her classmates and everyone at Seton Hill for all the prayers and cards she received when her brother Gene died and she developed major health issues just one week after his passing. “I credit all those prayers for my steady improvement and return to some normal activities and events (especially being IN church for Mass instead of watching it on EWTN). I always said our class is the best and most caring and supportive group of women ever.” Linda credits the Class of ’69, along with her group of childhood friends who “do lunch” with her once a month, and wonderful neighbors for keeping her going. “Each one is in my prayers!”

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Class NEWS Donna Schafer planned to move to Charlestown, a senior community in Catonsville, Md., in April. “I will be closer to my counseling office since I’m still working.” For something related to our time on the Hill, Peggy Marcinizyn Fischbeck tells this story: A woman stopped in her California studio in mid-March. The woman looked at a painting and a conversation started. To make a long story short, Peggy said, the woman did a fundraiser at Seton Hill in the early 1990s for Philip Johnson, the architect of Havey Hall, around his 80th birthday. He wanted to redo the building. Evidently, he designed an Art Quadrangle, but Peggy guessed that it was OBE (overcome by events) due to the developments in downtown Greensburg. Our next few entries have travel and/or France in common: Sandy Yowik and her husband, Bob Thomasson, escaped to Sedona, Ariz., for a week in the red rocks and canyons. “Our trip was short but filled with interesting sights and sunshine, highs near 60,” said Sandy. She hoped the memories would get her to the first daffodils. Good thing as Michigan saw a lot of snow this winter! And now the French connection. Cissy Warga Franca and her husband were flying off to Paris and Nice to celebrate their 50th anniversary toward the end of March. “We were supposed to go five years ago but Covid, terrorist attacks, and some health issues interfered,” Cissy wrote. Bonus is now they could see the renovated Notre Dame and attend Easter Mass in Nice. And while Cissy said her husband couldn’t wait to sing in French, she couldn’t wait to explore the Roman ruins in the south of France. 64

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Cissy and Katie Moloney may have crossed paths in France. Katie’s daughter, Rebecca, surprised her with a Christmas present of a cruise on the Rhone River from Lyon to Arles. And while Cissy celebrated Easter in Nice, Katie and Rebecca were in Paris enjoying dinner at the Eiffel Tower and attending Mass at one of the many churches in Paris. Of course, our agent in Paris, Mme. Pat Boyd Giuli has already dined at la tour Eiffel. These days she’s enjoying her retirement and life as a grandmother to four, so she has nothing spectacular to report - “EXCEPT” that she is assisting her husband, Robert, in setting up the next OESO World Congress, the 17th since 1984. This time it will be held in Versailles in June and will bring together some 400 to 500 experts in the study and treatment of the esophagus. The social program will include a visit to the château guided by the author of a 400page book on the home of Louis XIV. The gala dinner will be held in the stables of the castle with an equestrian show beforehand. Pat’s comment: “I am getting a little old to be hosting this event.”

Hemisphere). They started in Rio de Janeiro, went on to San Paolo in Brazil, then Uruguay, Argentina, Falkland Islands, Antarctica, Patagonia and Chile – including the Andes – and finished up in Santiago.“Antarctica is the most majestic place ever and pictures can’t do it justice,” Kathi said. “On my bucket list was all seven continents – Check! This trip takes us to over 60 countries visited.” What’s next? Egypt, February 2027, for her BIG birthday! Additionally, Kathi writes: Our Seton Hill sisters, the Class of ’69, wish to extend our thanks to Katie Maloney. As stated by classmate, Joyce Petrosky Trew, “Congrats, Katie, on your long tenure in such an arduous job. You have been graciously persistent on asking for input and reporting the same. Your patience is acknowledged.” Pandak went on to say, “Katie please accept our sincere gratitude for these 50+ years of service.” Dorothy Donauer Sweeney was in the bleachers on March 8 for Seton Hill’s fun-friendly day at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Fla., to watch a Pittsburgh Pirates spring training game. “It was wonderful being with the Seton Hill family of alumni from various graduation years and to have conversation updates with staff about the Hill,” Dottie said. “Glad I was in Florida and able to attend.” Note: Pirates won over the Red Sox. Go Bucs!”

1970 p And now, for travels to the end of the Earth, here’s this from Kathi Pandak Bateson Glass. Kathi and her husband, Torrey, took an incredible four-week trip to South America this past February (summer in the Southern

Kathleen Kowalewski Clark shares, “My husband, Gregory D. Clark, passed away on January 14, 2026 after years of battling with several health issues. Please keep him in your prayers.”


Class NEWS

1972 Marian Shaheen Eskay shares that her son Douglas died on April 18, 2025 at the age of 50.

1973 Cathy Fitzgibbons Gleeson was literally gleeful when she sent this report: “We are off!! Newspaper delivery put on hold. Plane tickets purchased. Car hire from the airport booked. The Airbnb for 10 people secured. Appropriate semi-formal wear organized. Bendigo, Victoria: here we come, for the Gleeson wedding of the year!! Son Andrew and his bride Lauren celebrated the Holy Sacrament of Marriage on Saturday, April 11.” Cathy also reported that Andrew and Lauren are absolutely stoked that their first Sunday Mass as a married couple was to be on Divine Mercy Sunday. She agrees with them that it is a perfect start to their marriage. The next adventure for the four Brisbane-based Gleesons will be a trip via the Bass Strait to Tasmania for the third birthday of grandson/nephew Joseph on May 31. Classmates will remember that Cathy became a first-time grandmother shortly before our 50th Seton Hill reunion. Jonnie Guerra celebrated her 16th work anniversary as a Senior Advisor for the Council of Independent Colleges in February. She continues to enjoy the opportunity to assist in designing professional development opportunities for higher education leaders. Jonnie is excited that, when the annual Chief Academic Officer Institute convenes in Baltimore this coming November, classmate Mary Ann Noroski Scully, Dean of the Sellinger School of Business and Management at Loyola University Maryland, will be the

featured lunchtime speaker for the gathering of women leaders. Claudia Kovach barely had time to catch her breath following her daughter Francesca Marie Wang You Smorada’s marriage to Travis Shriver in Chadds Ford, Pa. q

p With a rehearsal dinner the night before, from left to right Claudia Kovach and classmates Carol Seirup, Cathy Callahan, and Jonnie Guerra, are all smiles at Antica Restaurant, the site of the rehearsal dinner. More special events followed with the June wedding of daughter Chiara. Claudia also continues to teach fulltime at Neumann University! Some faculty members use their spring breaks for much-needed rest, but this year, Claudia and husband Ron Smorada were on the road first to Tennessee to prepare their second home for Chiara’s bachelorette weekend and then to Georgia to celebrate Francesca’s 30th birthday and to attend her graduation as a “certified airborne” U.S. Army officer. While Claudia took pictures, a very proud father pinned on Francesca’s medal.

Since 2026 marks the year many classmates will hit the milestone number 75, we will look forward, in the next issue, to hearing the ways in which we celebrated.

1974 Lynn-Catherine “Lenny” Daniels starred in the world premiere of “Plantation Black” at the Proscenium Theatre at The Drake from February 6 through March 1. In this innovative, non-linear production, Lenny starred as “Big Mom,” a character spanning two centuries as the play explores the complex legacy of a Civil War-era plantation family. Lenny remains a dedicated educator in Philadelphia and is currently investigating a new venture into drama therapy. Jackie Kendrick Gravell says, “Passing on good wishes to our classmates. Hope everyone survived this winter’s challenging weather. We are traveling a great deal this year, hoping to get to many places we have missed in the past.” Janet Bender Jacoby writes, “My sister Jayne Bender died on November 7, 2025. She lived in Hopatcong, N.J., and I was so blessed to have Patti Rascher Catacalos and her husband Charlie come to the funeral to support me, as well as Eileen McCarthy Wozniak! How blessed am I in the midst of grief to have the joy of seeing two of my SHU friends!” Christy O’Brien Leslie says, “I enjoyed a year of adventure and joy this year! I have a new granddaughter, Fiona Paulina, soon to be one. It’s great to have a baby in the family! Granddaughter Anna turned 13 this year and they both were celebrated in their new

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Class NEWS home, as my daughter Erika moved to Pittsburgh after 20-plus years! All four of my kiddos are now in the “BURG”! We took a fun trip to London in December to enjoy the Christmas markets. Paul and I are blessed and happy to enjoy the adventures each day presents.”

1976 Janet Frattura-Iaquinto shares, “After completing my MBA and working all these years, I retired about a year ago. I remember when my Dad retired and he said ‘I don’t know how I fit work in.’ I feel the same way. Since retiring, I have been traveling and recently took a long-dreamed-of Rhine Getaway Viking cruise. It was fabulous and I highly recommend it. I also visited Poland with friends. My son has been married for two years now and they live nearby. I spend happy hours visiting them. Although I have painted with watercolors over the years, I have added acrylics too. Recently, I have been learning about icons. I also love gardening, volunteering at my church and getting together with friends.” Andrea Chontos Peters shares, “I’m teaching a new class for East Carolina University’s Lifelong Learning Program in April - Getting to Know World Instruments. Looking forward to seeing some that I’ve never seen up close.”q

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1978 LuAnn Milne Doerzbacher shares, “We are enjoying our new grandson and loving every minute of watching him grow. We have also been traveling much more, most recently to Little St. Simons Island with The Nature Conservancy. I’ve been working with several friends and relatives with their job searches in this unstable economy and continue to serve as a substitute for special education in our school district."

1980

out to the Office of Alumni Relations for Ann’s contact information.

1984 Stefanie Dzombak Puccetti shares, “I retired in June 2024 from a fulfilling 39-year career in banking product and program management. We have two grandsons and a third is expected in June! We snowbird in Fort Myers in the same community as my sister, Laura Dzombak Warren ’80. I enjoy getting together with fellow Setonians and send greetings to the class of 1984.”

Dolores Whiskeyman Gregory, writing as D.W. Gregory, is the author of Radium Girls, named one of the 20 most produced plays of 2025 by Playbill magazine. She is currently working on a musical adaptation, as book writer, with composer Steven M. Alper and lyricist Sarah Knapp. The Yellow Stocking Play, a musical riff on Twelfth Night written with the same team, has been optioned for off-Broadway. As a writer of short stories, she is a two-time winner of the West Virginia Fiction Competition. Her stories appear in several anthologies, including Coolest American Short Stories of 2024.

Jessica Ybanez Morano and daughter Isabella met Pope Leo XIV in November 2025 while Jessica was presenting at the 33rd World Congress on Controversies in Obstetrics, Gynecology & Infertility (COGI) in Rome, Italy.q

1981

Erin Reilly Delany is still awesome.

Ann O’Connor Von Hagel shares, “After nearly 30 years in Arlington, Va., my husband and I have moved to our retirement home in Vero Beach, FL. We signed the papers in late September and got ourselves completely moved by November 1. We were back in Arlington briefly in early February (between snowstorms!) to get our Arlington house sold. Classmates in Florida: please get in touch! Please reach

1988 Angela Gaughan is the Director of Lay Ministry Formation and Pastoral Care for the Diocese of Pittsburgh. Anne Emsurak Keeney has three beautiful grandchildren. Marilyn Paige started her own marketing firm in 2021 called Heywood Paige. In 2025 she received the MarCom Award for logo design and a dotCOMM award for content creation.


Class NEWS Marcia Mlynarski Wallander recently started a new role as Vice President of Advancement at Achieva. She includes that it’s a great time to join the team as the company is celebrating 75 years in Pittsburgh. She’s really enjoying getting to know the organization and its mission – to advocate with, empower, and support people with disabilities and their families throughout their lives.

1989 Donna Campbell King is working at Peraton Inc. as the Program Director for the NASA Balloon Operations Contract II and still living in Maryland. She’ll be spending two weeks each month in Palestine, Texas to manage the NASA site.

1990 Helena Ditko retired July 2025 from Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health as the Program Director of Clinical Policy and Standards as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 17 years of service. Helena relocated to northern Idaho with two of her four children where she works part-time as an LCSW providing mental health therapy to residents/patients in several convalescent and rehab centers. She is working on a second master’s degree in Pastoral Ministry from St. John Seminary in Camarillo, CA. Helena lost both her mom and dad in the last three years.

1992 Mary Kay Agamedi Cooper shares that after starting the alumni program from scratch for Texas

for exceptional leadership and meaningful contributions. AJ serves as President and CEO of the Homeless Children’s Education Fund, and the award recognition highlights the organization’s mission to support students experiencing homelessness and remove barriers to educational equity. p A&M University-San Antonio and building it up for almost a decade, she is heading to the Alamo Colleges District, one of the largest community college districts in the nation. Mary Kay will act as alumni relations manager for the five colleges’ half-million alumni, the first person to hold an alumni engagement position in the 80-year history of the District.

1997

Mari Pumarejo was recently promoted to Chief Marketing Officer at Progressive Insurance, for which she credits the foundation she received at SHU.

Joyce Novotny-Prettiman is serving as Secretary of the Conference of County Bar Leaders (CCBL)’s executive committee for 2026 and will serve as Vice President in 2027. The CCBL works with the Pennsylvania Bar to host an annual conference, which took place in State College from February 27 thru March 1, 2026. The PBA organizes this conference every year with programs that help leaders of bar associations across Pennsylvania meet the needs of their organizations and their members.

1993

1998

Christy Geary Williams will be retiring from teaching elementary vocal music at Kerr Elementary School in the Fox Chapel Area School District on June 30, 2027. Christy has been teaching for 33 years and at Kerr for 30 years. Her daughter Emma Ehman is currently a sophomore at Seton Hill and will complete her junior year when Christy retires. She will graduate in 2028, 35 years after Christy graduated.

1996 AJ (Ardana) Jefferson was selected for City & State Pennsylvania’s Above & Beyond Awards, recognizing women

Amy Baughman Lloyd was elevated to Partner, effective January 1, 2026, at Freeman, Mathis & Gary, LLP, an Am Law 200 law firm with over 550 attorneys in offices nationwide. Amy practices out of the firm’s Cleveland, Ohio office, defending clients on medical malpractice, catastrophic loss, and professional liability matters. Dr. Judith Thomas reports that she is volunteering her cognitive art and cognitive therapy services to help seniors in Johnstown, Pa.

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Class NEWS

2006 Jaime Hickton was elected as a Judge of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas in November of 2025 and was assigned to the Criminal Division.

2009 p Christine Vucinich and her husband, Phil Quinones, celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary with a getaway to San Diego, California. They said “I do” on October 22, 2005, at Saint Joseph Chapel.

2002 Sue Lapenta retired after 29 years as a Quality Assurance Specialist for NiSource Corp.

2003 Sally Bosco sends a reminder that the alumni-run ‘In Your Write Mind Writer’s Workshop’ will take place June 25-28, 2026 at Seton Hill. The workshop will include exciting guests, agents, classes, and special events. Palimpsest Productions will perform a live ‘Embrace What Haunts You’ audio experience. Network with other authors and reconnect with WPF alumni. Go to InYourWriteMind.net for further details. Robert Errett left the board for Unity in the Community of SWPA, was elected Board Vice President for Westmoreland Community Action, became a board member of Housing Freedom, and became a board member and Needs Coordinator for Grassroots Westmoreland in the past year.

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Megan Beckage MA ’19 became a full-time therapist at Good Thoughts in Greensburg, where she is dedicated to empowering clients and specializes in supporting the neurodiverse community.

2016

Siena Frank Vanucci was selected by the Alaska Journal of Commerce in the Class of 2026 for the Top Forty Under 40, an award recognizing an extraordinary group of young professionals whose leadership, drive and community commitment are helping shape Alaska’s future

2011 Erin Cerutti has a new job as Pastoral Care Associate at St. Anne Home in Greensburg.

2012 Leah Shuck recently received her second master’s degree in Social Emotional Learning from Breathe for Change. The SEL strategies were accompanied by training in mindfulness, meditation, and a 500-hour yoga teacher certification.

2014 DJ Beckage shares that the Beckages have built a life defined by growth, creativity, and purpose. In August 2021, DJ earned his Master of Science in Marketing, followed shortly by the birth of their daughter, Emilia, in October. In April 2022, he was promoted to Creative Director at Sweetmore Bakeries and its subsidiaries, helping lead the company to Inc. Magazine’s annual Inc. 5000 list for three consecutive years (2023, 2024, & 2025). In October 2024,

p Geena Barberio Greguric has joined the board of GetWITit Pittsburgh as Marketing & Communications Co-Director. GetWITit Pittsburgh is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing and supporting women in technology through community, mentorship, and professional development. In this role, she will help lead marketing and communications initiatives to expand the organization’s visibility, strengthen engagement, and further its mission of empowering women across the region’s growing tech ecosystem. Nicole Makos Rivera has been promoted to Advancement Director at High Hopes Therapeutic Riding, Inc. This non-profit organization is near and dear to Nicole’s heart, and she is excited to be connecting more people to their work, and propelling their mission forward.

2019 Charlotte Mango began a new job at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid as an Executive Assistant to the Center Director of the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services.


Class NEWS q Joy Gunter Held released a new historical romance novel February 2026 titled ‘Saving Marietta: Journey to Freedom’, Book 1 from Headline Books, Inc. This is Joy’s sixth published book.”

2020 Beck Scassellati completed and published the comic anthology she started for an SHU Honors Capstone project. Titled “Wingbeats and Weedblossoms,” it is a collection of seven comics based on seven lesser-known fairy tales drawn in seven distinct styles. From the poignant and tragic to the silly and heartwarming, the anthology covers a wide range of socially relevant topics.q

of copper influences aroma-active compounds in beer. She is also excited to begin a new chapter as a Postdoctoral Scholar at Penn State, where she will be shifting focus toward teaching and assessing the design of data visualizations.

2025

Emma Shaulis ’22 Master of Science in Pharmacy University of Florida December 2025

Kassidy White was selected as a finalist in the Baseball category of the yearly World Sports Photography Awards. The contest had 23,000 images by 4,100 photographers from more than 123 countries around the world. Final images in each category included the best 50 to 70 images out of those 23,000 images from 2025. She also received an honorable mention in the Amateur category of the Professional Baseball Photographers’ Association yearly contest.

BIRTHS

Leah Shuck ’12 Master of Arts in Social Emotional Learning Breathe for Change

Morgan Vincent earned her PhD in Chemistry from Penn State University. Her dissertation, “Copper Coordination Modulates the Fate of Polyfunctional Thiols in Beer,” captured her work investigating how the environment

Morgan Vincent ’21 PhD in Chemistry Penn State University

Bernie Lukacs started a new job with Youth Advocate Programs Inc. as a School-Based Outpatient Therapist at Arlington K-8 in the Pittsburgh Public Schools.

ADVANCED DEGREES

2021

Christen Robl ’20 PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision Waynesburg University March 2026

Jennifer Joyce Ackerson ’13 PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision Waynesburg University March 2026 Autumn Shuty ’14 Master of Education in Teaching Regent University May 2026

p Shawn Och ’02 Denisse Och Owen Och July 5, 2025 Tiffany Brattina Krupa ’07 Tom Krupa Lynn Louise November 2025 Caroline Kerestes Wagner ’16 Josh Wagner Lucas Thomas Wagner September 5, 2025 Elizabeth Morris Gatten ’18 Luke Gatten Estella Jewell Gatten October 9, 2025 Gwendolyn Little ’20 Luc Bouille Little Brooks Walter Bouille Little November 2, 2025

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Class NEWS Dorothea Barry Jung ’58 June 8, 2024

Tanner Froehlich ’22 DPT ’25 Taylor Sabol Froehlich ’20 Maximus Andrew Froehlich February 23, 2026

Elizabeth McGrath Simon ’58 October 21, 2025 Agnes Steedle, SC ’59 February 9, 2026 Anne Nolan Green ’60 November 25, 2025 Rose-Marie Weibel Merz ’60 December 16, 2025 p Chelsianna Havko Rust ’21 & ’25 Coury Rust June 28, 2025

p Rebecca Havko ’23 Nikolas Boyer April 21, 2025

Tanner Froehlich ’22 DPT ’25 Taylor Sabol Froehlich ’20 May 31, 2025

MARRIAGES

Shania Lipinski Hayden ’24 Logan Hayden ’22 June 25th, 2025

Kaitlin Monier ’11 Daniel Jackson September 2025

DEATHS Patricia Jack Blake SJA ’45 December 26, 2025 Annabelle Wekar Volz ’48 November 12, 2025 Althea Farabaugh ’53 November 20, 2025 Iris Garcia Ottens ’54 Antonia Mollica Reese ’54 March 7, 2026 Nancy Verdon Appoldt ’56 December 6, 2024

p Laura Kerestes ’19 Jake Gribschaw ’17 November 8, 2025

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Anne Walsh O’HaraFrankhouser ’56 July 27, 2024 Katherine “Kay” Coleman O’Brien ’57 July 10, 2025

Mary Philip Aaron, SC ’61 January 25, 2026 Corinne Beinhauer Board ’61 December 11, 2025 Carol Farrell Franc ’61 December 4, 2025 Judith Irwin Marcinko ’62 March 23, 2026 Sheila Mahoney Pettigrew ’62 December 21, 2025 Jan Paré Cox ’63 January 29, 2026 Noela Slapikas Jeffrey ’63 January 9, 2026 Adelle Schmalzried Dawson ’64 March 2, 2025 Jane Steinbuhler Lechman ’64 February 5, 2026 Grace Hoover Puterman ’64 November 12, 2025 Mary Victor Powers, SC ’66 December 12, 2025 Asta Skov Moore ’67 February 26, 2026 Mary Bernadette Pavlick Loos ’68 September 10, 2025 Joan Facchine Myers ’71 March 1, 2026


Class NEWS Pamela Oates Choby ’73 January 1, 2026

Bunnie Prest Miller ’99 December 12, 2025

Dorothy “Dottie” Fischer Petrosky ’73 October 27, 2025

David Vesely ’99 January 15, 2026

Paula Ruskiewicz ’73 February 12, 2026

Kathleen Brungardt Fritz MA WPF ’01 October 30, 2025

Cyndra Beattie Sellari ’73 February 14, 2026 Mary Jane Snyder ’73 February 5, 2026

Chad Amond MBA ’05 January 19, 2026

Janis Price Frazier ’76 January 15, 2026

Adam Vallozzi MA ’05 December 19, 2025

Marilyn Cutshall ’80 January 24, 2026 Anne Wagner Allen ’81 December 31, 2025 Christina Visnesky Wilson ’81 March 22, 2026 Dawn Kackowski Bond ’82 October 11, 2025 Maureen Kane ’82 October 30, 2025 MaryEllen Massaglia Piesik ’91 March 6, 2026 JoAnn Harr ’92 January 11, 2026

Chad Skiavo ’02 March 11, 2026

John Tempo ’09 December 25, 2025 Kaitlin McAlister ’13 February 4, 2026 Aunt of: Carol Corsetti Zeitler ’70 Rosemary Corsetti ’74 Cousin of: Carol Corsetti Zeitler ’70 Rosemary Corsetti ’74 Brother of: Linda Delia ’69 Gwyn Hertzog Zollinger ’97

Sara Garlets ’94 March 25, 2026

Father of: Monica Marinaccio Cornetti ’81

Lynn Pomarico ’95 January 15, 2026

Grandmother of: Alyssa Brunatti Boyd ’09

Husband of: Carole Herwood Gilardi ’59 Anne Nolan Green ’60 Anita Magnelli Gordon ’61 Laurene DiGennaro Kristof ’64 Diane Maguire Sherwood ’66 Kathleen Kowalewski Clark ’70 Debra Colbert Roberts ’98 Mother of: Colleen McLaughlin Hammon ’71 Janis Price Frazier ’76 Mary Sylvester Szczerbienski ’77 Nancy Koval Fearon ’78 Terri Bassi-Cook ’79 Amy Volz ’81 Maria de los Angeles Diaz ’88 Dinorah Diaz Reinmiller ’89 Elizabeth Harr ’92 Lisa Paolillo ’97 Sister of: Maureen Morsey Matty ’73 Mary Susan Snyder Scarpelli ’75 Mary Anne Marcinizyn Pendola ’67 Margaret Marcinizyn Fischbeck ’69 RuthAnn Fischer Ranker ’72 Stephanie Knapp King ’73 Janet Bender Jacoby ’74 Ursula Oates Kaltenbach ’76 Janice Oates Kelly ’80 Mary Catherine Snyder Sherman ’80 Son of: Marian Shaheen Eskay ’72 Quaylyn Carter ’08

SUBMIT YOUR CLASS NEWS Any Time! Visit shualumni.setonhill.edu or email forward@setonhill.edu to let your classmates know about your professional and personal achievements.

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JOIN US ON THE HILL FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE WEEKEND

GRIFFIN

G LD AWARDS

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OCTOBER 2-4

Seton Hill is looking for nominees for our second annual Griffin GOLD Awards. Whether you are a recent grad with a great story to tell, or you know an alum who is having an impact in their field or in the community, we want to hear about it! Honorees will receive their awards as part of Homecoming & Family Weekend 2026. Submit your nomination using the QR code. u


Institutional Advancement Molly Robb Shimko Vice President for Institutional Advancement 724.830.4620•shimko@setonhill.edu

Board of Trustees | 2025–2026 Bishop Larry J. Kulick, J.C.L. Honorary Chair Rebecca Cost Snyder Chair Mary Norbert Long, SC ’67 Vice Chair Robin Heffernan Beck ’64 Chair Elect Grace Hartzog, SC ’71 Secretary Carmen Rivera Bauza ’83 Rachel Blais, S.C. The Honorable Robert J. Brooks Christian Carter ’16 Robert A. DeMichiei Melanie DiPietro, S.C., J.D., J.C.L. Margaret DiVirgilio ’80 Barbara Einloth, S.C. ’71 Mary C. Finger, ex officio Linda Fiorelli ’74 Matthew J. Galando ’04 Eileen Johnston, S.C. ’70 Patricia Laffey, S.C. ’69 Donna Marie Leiden, S.C. ’66 Elizabeth Boyle McDonald Tanya Moximchalk ’95 Miriam Arroyo Murray ’84 Patricia O’Donoghue Paulina Park, S.C. E. Ronald Salvitti, II

Joyce Serratore, S.C. ’67 John Stevens William M. Thalman Bridget Widdowson ’82 Jessica Ybanez-Morano ’84 TRUSTEES EMERITI Jean Augustine, SC ’63 James Breisinger Laurie Ann Carroll ’81 Sara Gill Cutting ’62 Rosemary Donley, SC John R. Echement Christine Delegram Farrell ’79 Richard Hendricks Mary Ellen Lawrie Cooney Higgins ’64 Patrice Hughes, SC ’62 A. Richard Kacin Arthur H. Meehan Donald I. Moritz Barbara Nakles ’76 Maureen O’Brien, SC ’67 Maureen Sheedy O’Brien M. Ellenita O’Connor, SC ’58 Paul M. Pohl Michele Moore Ridge ’69 Marc B. Robertshaw Arthur J. Rooney, Jr. Ralph A. Scalise Daniel J. Wukich

University Administration Mary C. Finger, Ed.D. President Melissa Alsing, M.B.A. Chief Information Officer Rosalie Carpenter, Ed.D. Vice President for Student Affairs, Planning and Athletics Imogene L. Cathey, J.D. Vice President and General Counsel Brent Jackson Vice President for Finance and Administration, CFO

Maureen O’Brien, SC, M.A. Vice President for Mission and Identity Molly Robb Shimko, M.B.A. Vice President for Institutional Advancement Michele Wisnesck, Ph.D. Vice President for Marketing and Enrollment Management Susan Yochum, SC, Ph.D. Provost

Forward magazine is published by Seton Hill University, Greensburg, PA 15601, setonhill.edu, 724.830.1005, for the alumni and friends of the University. Postage paid at Greensburg, PA. Seton Hill University, as a matter of tradition and principle does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, gender, age disability, or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other university-administered programs. Seton Hill University adheres to the non-discrimination legislation of both the federal government and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, including, but not necessarily limited to, the Civil Rights Act or 1964, Title VI, Title IX, 1972 Handicap Provision, and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Lisa Carino Associate Vice President for Institutional Advancement 724.838.2409•carino@setonhill.edu Mira Gornick Associate Vice President for Advancement and Executive Director for the Campaign 724.830.1993•mgornick@setonhill.edu Jennifer Reeger Associate Vice President for Communications and Media Relations 724.830.1069•jreeger@setonhill.edu Erica Adams Advancement Services Manager 724.830.1137•eadams@setonhill.edu Alicia Barnes Major Gifts Officer 724.838.4244•abarnes@setonhill.edu Aubrey Cintron Major Gifts Officer 724.552.4336•acintron@setonhill.edu Jessica Delio Development and Communications Associate 724.552.4329•jdelio@setonhill.edu Sarah Dudik Senior Writer for Advancement 724.838.4200•sdudik@setonhill.edu Cynthia Ferrari Director of Special Grant Projects 724.830.4639•ferrari@setonhill.edu Cecilia Hughes Director of Gift Planning 724.830.4636•cahughes@setonhill.edu Amy Lankey Donor Stewardship Manager 724.552.4303•alankey@setonhill.edu Linda Morlacci Director of Foundation, Government and Corporate Relations 724.838.4232•lmorlacci@setonhill.edu Lisa Seremet Development and Events Manager 724.552.4366•lseremet@setonhill.edu Ashley Zwierzelewski Director of Alumni Relations 724.830.1005•akunkle@setonhill.edu FORWARD DESIGN: Timothy Banks WRITING: Sarah Dudik, Jennifer Reeger, Casey Bowser, Dr. Beth Troy, Nicole Doherty, and Sara Fisel PHOTOGRAPHY: Barry Reeger, Sarah Dudik, Danielle Hegyes, Meg Nassif, Justin Merriman, Kassidy White, and SHU staff and students PRINTER: Freeport Press


Together 1 Seton Hill Drive Greensburg PA 1560-1599

q President Mary Finger celebrates with members of the Class of 2026 at Grad Bash in May.

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