canisius college magazine -- fall 2010

CANISIUS COLLEGE MAGAZINE • FALL 2010

t he inaugur at ion of

John J. Hurley 24t h pr esiden t

of ca nisius col l ege

president’sperspective John J. hurley

The presidential inauguration and its related events

are over and you can read about it in the pages of

this issue of Canisius Magazine. Guests are gone,

hoods and gowns have been returned to the closets,

and the college’s mace and seal have been safely

stored away. It was an extraordinary time for me,

personally, but more importantly for our college.

It provided us with an opportunity to celebrate the

important role that Canisius plays in the lives of our

alumni and friends, in the Buffalo community and

in the world.

Now, the real work begins. I have spent a great deal

of time this semester meeting with every single

academic department on campus and representa-

tive organizations such as the Faculty Senate, the

undergraduate Student association, and our Boards

of Trustees and regents. I have met with student support departments and most of the other

operating departments of the college. I have toured every building on campus to inspect our

operating systems, roofs, kitchens and storage rooms.

My purpose in spending so much time getting around was to hear directly from the people of

Canisius not only about their hopes and aspirations for the college, but also about the frustrations

and obstacles they see in their daily work. While I am in my 14th year at the college, I discovered

that there were a lot of things I did not know and this listening tour has been a tremendous

learning experience for me.

among the highlights:

• There is an incredible passion for the mission of Canisius College at every level, from the most

senior member of the faculty to the engineers who keep the operating systems running each day.

• The development of our students – academically, morally, physically, emotionally - is our primary

concern and the people of Canisius embrace this enthusiastically.

• There is a sense of excitement and anticipation about the future of the college and people want

to be part of that.

These are all great things upon which to build, and I intend to do just that in the months ahead

as we develop a new strategic plan for Canisius College. I invite alumni and friends to follow our

progress on the college’s website (canisius.edu/planning) and participate with us in creating an

exciting shared vision of the Canisius of the future.

With best wishes for the Christmas season,

PresidentJohn J. Hurley

associate Vice President for Public relations & Executive EditorDebra S. Park MS ’06

Managing EditorAudrey R. Browka

Director of Creative Services & Layout EditorAndalyn Courtney

Contributing DesignersShaun M. Maciejewski Rose Twardowski

Director of alumni relationsEileen L. Hudson ’83

Contributing WritersElizabeth M. Bohen ’74, MS ’76 Dianna Civello Kristin E. Etu ’91 Rachel Flammer J. Patrick Greenwald Erin H. Hartnett Eileen C. Herbert ’04 Eileen L. Hudson ’83 Laura B. Marek ’06Marion Mittler Kirsten L. Reppert MS ’07, MBA ’10 Mark D. Weber MSEd ’08

PhotographyEric Frick Shaun Maciejewski Tom Wolf ’86 Susana Raab Yun Gen Yang

To Contact usWe are eager to hear your comments about Canisius College Magazine. Please send correspondence to:

Canisius College Magazine2001 Main Street, Lyons Hall Room 209, Buffalo, NY 14208Phone 716-888-2790Fax 716-888-2778

Canisius College Magazine is published four times a year (winter, spring, summer, fall) by Canisius College at: 2001 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14208

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F a L L 2 0 1 0

V O L u M E 1 1 , I S S u E 4

Canisius College Magazine

departments

4 BLUE & GOLD BRIEFS

CAMPUS NEWS AND NOTES

24 FacULty nOtES

fACUlTy NEWS AND UPDATES

25 a LEGacy OF LEaDERShIp

CAMPAigN NEWS AND UPDATES

29 canISIUS cOnnEctIOnS

AlUMNi NEWS AND NOTES

40 aS yOU WERE

STORiES fROM THE PAST

10

37

37 | Alumni Profilepath tO thE pRIESthOOD

Peter Tassini ’10 follows his

soul’s compass to become a

diocesan priest.

6 | Faculty Profile VIRtUOSO

Composer-in-Residence Persis Vehar

sets her life to music.

10 | Cover Story thE InaUGURatIOn OF

pRESIDEnt JOhn J. hURLEy

Canisius College’s 24th president

invokes the past and embraces

the future during his historic

installation ceremony.

18 | Added Feature StayInG pOWER

Maureen O. Hurley may not be a

Buffalo native but she has adopted

the city as her own.

18

contents FALL 2010

6

4 | C A N I S I U S C O L L E G E M A G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 1 0

Board of Regents appoints three new Members

For Sale: college-Owned homes

Three new members joined the Canisius College Board of Regents. Appointed to three-year terms, Board members serve as an advisory group to the Board of Trustees and Canisius President John J. Hurley.

The new Board of Regents members are:

Canisius launched a new college-sponsored housing program. The Canisius Hamlin Park Initiative dedicates eight college-owned homes for the purpose of renovation and sale to owner-occupiers. When sold, the property deeds will include a restrictive agreement to insure that the properties remain owner-occupied for at least 15 years.

“Homeowners are the key to maintaining vital and vibrant neighborhoods in Buffalo,” says Canisius President John J. Hurley. “This is a privately-financed, market-driven approach designed to foster home ownership in an area that is very important to Canisius.”

The college partnered with Belmont Housing Resources of Western New York, which will oversee the renovations and sales of the prop-erties. Canisius plans to use the net proceeds from the sale of each home to renovate the subsequent homes. Under its agreement with Belmont, Canisius must approve the scope of work to insure quality renovations and strong minority contractor participation in the reno-vations. All homes are expected to be renovated and sold within the next year to two years.

“Improving our community’s housing stock and expanding home own-ership opportunities are key parts of our organization’s mission,” says Belmont’s Vice President for Housing Development Michael D. Riegel. “We’re proud to be partnering with Canisius College on this exciting and much-needed project, which will contribute significantly to the achievement of those goals.”

The Canisius Hamlin Park Initiative is a privately-funded project and therefore, there are no income restrictions for buyers. The college will receive nothing from the sales of the properties.

The Canisius Hamlin Park Initiative is the latest in a series of college initiatives aimed at the promotion of homeownership in Hamlin Park and Buffalo. The college spearheaded the first Employer Assisted Housing program in the community. Canisius also donated two homes in Hamlin Park to Habitat for Humanity.

MIchaEL p. hUGhES ’94 Vice President Kaleida Health

cInDy L. ODOM ’90Chief Executive Officer Girl Scouts of Western New York

REBEcca R. REEDER Principal Nardin Academy High School

Pictured (l-r): Elizabeth Huckabone, president, Belmont Housing Resources for WNY; John J. Hurley, president, Canisius College; Stephanie Barber, president, Hamlin Park Taxpayers’ Association; and Michael D. Riegel, vice president for housing development, Belmont Housing Resources for WNY.

canisius catches a Ride with Buffalo carShare

The Canisius community now has the convenience of a car without all the hassles. The college entered into an agreement with Buffalo CarShare this fall. The service offers an affordable and green alternative to transporta-tion for individuals who only need the occasional use of a car. Members simply reserve cars as needed and pay by the hour. Insurance and gas are included in the price.

The Buffalo CarShare hub at Canisius is located in the Science Hall ramp, at the corner of Jefferson Avenue and East Delavan. The service is available to students, faculty and staff, as well as the neighboring community.

blue&goldbriefs

C A N I S I U S C O L L E G E M A G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 1 0 | 5

Sammarco appointed assistant to the president

Canisius President John J. Hurley named Erica C. Sammarco ’00 assistant to the president. In this position, Sammarco provides admin-istrative support for the college’s long-range strategic planning process and serves as secretary to the college’s Board of Trustees. She will also play a key role in new initiatives originated in the President’s Office.

Sammarco holds an undergraduate degree in English from Canisius College and a master’s degree in English from the University of Rochester. Prior to her current role, she served as director of corporate and foundation relations at Canisius College, responsible for the identification, solicita-tion and securement of funds in support of college-wide initiatives. During her tenure, Sammarco secured more than $4 million in grants and commitments from foundation and corporate prospects.

“Erica brings to this new role a wealth of experience from working with a broad range of constituents across the college and in the com-munity,” says President Hurley. “She has done an excellent job leading our corporate and foundation relations program and I look forward to working with her.”

Jennifer M. Koch, PhD, replaces Sammarco as director of corporation and foundation relations. Koch comes to Canisius with more than 10 years of individual, corporate and foundation fund-raising experience, including seven years in higher education.

Most recently, Koch served as manager of corporate, foundation and government relations for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO), where she helped secure $3.1 million for the organization’s annual

fund, and more than $275,000 in increased government support.

Koch’s higher education experience includes four years at Daemen College, where she served as director of capital campaigns and director of corporate and foundation relations, and three years at the State University of New York at Buffalo as director of development.

Koch holds a BA in art history from the State University College at Buffalo, and an MA in art history and a PhD in comparative literature from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

Erica C. Sammarco ’00

Jennifer M. Koch, PhD

civello promoted to associate Vice presidentDianna Civello became the new associate vice president for institutional advancement in October. Promoted to the position by Craig T. Chindemi, vice president for institutional advancement, Civello works closely with him and the college’s Legacy of Leadership chair to orchestrate campaign solicitation strategies. She also oversees the engagement and stewardship of key alumni, friends, and corporate and foundation partners, as well as communications to inform donors of the impact of their contributions.

A member of President John J. Hurley’s senior operating team, Civello also serves as secretary to the Board of Regents and the Medical Advisory Board. She is a 2008 recipient of the George M. Martin Award, given to a member of the advancement team whose initiative, creativity and teamwork brings distinction to him/herself and the college.

Civello holds a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from the State University College of New York at Buffalo and a master’s degree in Spanish from Middlebury College.

Dianna Civello


Persis Vehar’s music is a reflection of her soul.

“Music is a perfect blend of the heart and head,” says Vehar. “I find I have things I want to say at this point in my life and so I put my experiences into my music.”

Now in her 12th year as Canisius College composer-in-residence, Vehar hopes her composition Golden Griffin Overture strikes a chord with the college community. The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO), under the direction of Music Director Joann Falletta hOn ’00, premiered the piece on October 20 in the Montante Cultural Center. The composition captures the spirit of the mythological Golden Griffin – “the soaring flight of the eagle accompanied by the majestic pride of the lion,” says Vehar. Its rousing crescendo is reminiscent of the light-hearted Latin hymn Gaudeamus Igitur.

“It is meant to be a joyous overture about being young and in college, and rejoicing in that,” says Vehar.

She wrote Golden Griffin Overture in honor of the inauguration of Canisius College president John J. hurley. It is the latest in Vehar’s extensive repertoire, which includes more than 200 original compositions for solo performers, chamber ensembles and orchestras, as well as five full-scale operas.

“Persis is a composer of great imagination and tremendous talent,” says Falletta. “She enjoys writing for musicians whom she knows and cares about, and her music is always deeply personal and very communicative.”

A great number of Vehar’s works are recognized by the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). Many are performed at leading concert halls throughout the United States and Europe, such as New York’s Carnegie Hall and London’s Royal Festival Hall. Almost all originate on the piano.

“I love that the piano enables you to hear all the parts of a composition at once,” she says.

A virtuoso, Vehar began to play the piano at age three. Within a year she could improvise. Vehar attributes her early piano abilities to simply watching her siblings play. “Ours was a house-hold filled with music and dance,” recalls Vehar. “Everyone played instruments.”

By age five, Vehar’s parents enrolled her in formal piano lessons at the Utica Conservatory of Music, close to her hometown. She is also trained in percussion, the baritone horn, the French horn, the clarinet and voice. They all came easily to Vehar. She possesses an innate ability to play by ear. But it is the intuitive arrangement of the keys and the seven-octave span of the piano to which Vehar is most partial.

COMPOSER-iN-RESiDENCE PERSiS VEHAR SETS HER lifE TO MUSiC STORy by AUDREy R. bROWkA PHOTOS by TOM WOlf ’86



COMPOSER-iN-RESiDENCE PERSiS VEHAR SETS HER lifE TO MUSiC


“The piano really provided me with excellent training to write music,” says Vehar, as did the mentors under which she studied.

The first in her family to go away to college, Vehar earned her undergraduate degree in music theory from Ithaca College. It was here that she began to develop, what the late German composer Paul Hindemith referred to as, the ‘inner ear.’

“You can hear the music as you write it,” explains Vehar.

While at Ithaca, she also enjoyed four years of private composition lessons under American Composer Warren Benson. Best known for his work with percussionists and wind ensembles, Benson in-sisted that the impressionable young Vehar “focus on the basics and fundamentals of music.”

Benson was one of several composers under whom Vehar studied.

During her private studies with Pulitzer Prize-winning Composer Ned Rorem, Vehar developed a keen awareness of the capabilities of the human voice. While a graduate student at the University of Michigan, the late contemporary composer Ross Lee Finney inspired Vehar to incorporate an array of melodic materials into her com-positions. But Vehar’s most difficult – yet liberating – lesson as graduate student came from the late Spanish Composer Roberto Gerhard.

“He taught me that to be equal, a woman doesn’t necessarily have to be the same as a man,” she recalls.

Vehar says she was an angry, alienated graduate student. Often the only female in her composition classes, she recalls that she wallowed in frustration and confusion, unsure of whether to pursue her passion.

“Roberto was the only one of my mentors to openly address the problems a woman might encounter striving for a career in the field,” says Vehar.

She brings this personal experience to her fifth and most recent opera Eleanor Roosevelt. Adapted from the play by Rhoda Lerman, the nearly two-hour opera explores the former first lady’s achieve-ments in spite of how society snubbed her involvement in politics.

“There is a lot of importance in Eleanor’s story because still today, there are women who struggle with relationships, public roles and the perception of intelligent women in politics,” says Vehar.

Eleanor Roosevelt premiers in Syracuse, NY in spring 2011. The work keeps Vehar up at night – literally.

She is at her creative best in the evenings so Vehar often works into the early morning hours, in her living room which doubles as a studio. It’s a sustained schedule, too. A five-minute composition, such as Golden Griffin Overture, can take upwards of six to eight months to write. And although Vehar’s works are mostly modern-romantic in nature, they can also a bit tongue-in-cheek.

“I have a wicked sense of humor and that emerges in my music a lot,” says Vehar, whom admits to a few surprises in the percussion

section of Golden Griffin Overture. “Music is supposed to reflect life and life is not always serious.”

But Vehar is serious about her research. Before any melodies are put in play, she studies the subject of her music and its relation to a par-ticular time in history. “I need to get a sense of the character and what things were like historically before I can really begin to write.”

Vehar delved deep into the history of Buffalo for her City of Light CD. Released this year, City of Light is a musical reflection of Buffalo’s transition from gas to electric lighting at the end of the 19th century. The city was the first to be illuminated by electric power and earned the name City of Light, during the Pan American Exposition of 1901. Each piece of music on the CD embodies the concept of light in different forms and through various instrumental combinations.

“Persis’ music is original in that it has immediate appeal to the casual ear yet there is also great depth to it; a trained ear can hear her influences in the music and her voice in the melodies,” says John Fullam, the principal clarinetist of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and friend of Vehar’s. Fullam commissioned Vehar to write City of Light, Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra, the first and main body of work on the CD.

“The concerto really taxes everything a clarinet player can possibly do,” says Fullam. He laughs, “The soloist who performs the 18-minute piece is just about ready to drop if he plays it the way it is written.”

City of Light pays tribute to a town that Vehar considers home. She arrived here nearly 45 years ago with her husband, Robert, whom she met at Ithaca College and is also an ac-complished musician. Immediately, Vehar became absorbed in the rhythm of Buffalo. She performs as a pianist with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, Ars Nova Musicians Chamber Orchestra and the Amberg Quartet. And although she is prone to performance anxiety (“We musicians refer to it as ‘excite-ment,’” she laughs), Vehar says it keeps her mindful of the musicians for whom she writes.

She is similarly in tune with Buffalo’s cultural history.

Vehar can speak at length about the area’s architectural treasures because “musicians

often perform in churches,” she quips. She admires Buffalo-born poets, Lucille Clifton and Barbara Hollander, whose words often inspire her music. Vehar is also in awe of Buffalo’s music history. “I am amazed at The Colored Musicians Club and all the jazz people who went through it: Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Art Blakely,” says Vehar. She adds that Russian composer and pianist Sergei Rachmaninov and American composer and pianist George Gershwin also spent time in the city.

“Sometimes I think it takes someone coming in from the outside to appreciate everything Buffalo has to offer,” says Vehar, who is equally appreciative of her role at Canisius.

An important component of her position at the college and in the greater Western New York community is to strengthen the areas’ opportunities for young composers at both the high school and undergraduate levels. She hosts lectures and workshops that emphasize 20th century composition, music theory and technique, as well as how to make a career as a composer, and get music published and performed. Next year, the department will hold its first Persis Vehar Competition for Excellence in Composition. Open to high school and undergraduate students, the competition invites young composers to submit original works to be judged. Winners will premier their compositions during an ArtsCanisius concert in spring 2011.

“Composing is somewhat of a dying art these days but Persis brings it alive at Canisius,” says Jane cary, chair of the Fine Arts Department. “The students are excited to learn from a ‘real live’ composer. The faculty appreciate that she helps grow the department academically. And the entire campus community is enriched culturally.”

“I put myself and my life into the music because I believe it helps people see the composer as a person,” adds Vehar. “Through that, perhaps the audience can then find its way into the art form that means so much to me.”

Vehar’s work is her calling. Her compositions reflect her character. But that people respond to her musical expression is a sign of continued life within the genre.


C A N I S I U S C O L L E G E M A G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 1 0 | 1 1

Joy, hope and plenty of good cheer warmed the

Koessler Athletic Center on Saturday, the 16th

of October, when Canisius College inaugurated

its 24th president, John J. Hurley. More than

800 Canisius alumni, family and friends witnessed

the symbolic transfer of leadership, alongside local

and regional civic officials, and delegates from

more than 50 institutions of higher learning

across Canada and the United States.

24t h pr esiden t of c a nisius col l ege

The Inauguration of John J. Hurley

story by audrey r. browka photography by yun gen yang and tom wolf ’86

he installation ceremony marked one of several high-profile public events hosted by the college to commemorate this extraordinary moment in

Canisius history: The Frank G. Raichle Lecture Series on Law in American Society welcomed Chief Justice of the United States John G. Roberts Jr. (page 16) on October 19. The Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO) performed at the Montante Cultural Center on October 20, under Conductor and Music Director JoAnn Falletta HON ’00. The performance fea-tured the world premier of the Golden Griffin Overture written by Canisius Composer-in-Residence, Persis Vehar (page 6). Rev. Edward U. Kmiec HON ’07, bishop for the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo, presided over a Mass of Thanksgiving on October 17, in Christ the King Chapel. Former Canisius President Rev. Vincent M. Cooke, S.J., served as one of several concelebrants.

“Both the college and the new president were well honored and properly recognized by the inauguration itself and the surrounding activities,” said Delegate Dennis R. Black, JD, vice president for university life and services at the State University of New York at Buffalo. “It was a wonderful celebration and beginning.”

The events surrounding the inauguration were the culmination of a year’s worth of careful planning, but it was President’s Hurley’s formal installation and his rousing inaugural address that perhaps left the greatest impression on those in attendance.

“I was particularly heartened by the sense of excitement within the Canisius community,” said Delegate Cary M. Anderson, EdD, vice president for student life at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA, and former associate vice president for student affairs and dean of students at Canisius College. “There is a real sense of pride and hope as the Hurley presidency commences.”

“If there was one attribute that permeated the day it was hope,” added E. Christine Moll MS ’86, PhD, chair of the Counseling and Human Services Department. “Hope for Canisius College, hope for President Hurley, and hope for the community, as we all live the journey of Canisius College now and in the future.”

The ceremony began with all the pageantry and prayer appro-priate for such a rare and seminal occasion, the last of which occurred at Canisius in 1993 (Rev. Vincent M. Cooke, S.J.) and prior to that, 1966 (Rev. James M. Demske ’47, HON

’76, S.J.). Buffalo’s Gordon Highlanders bagpipe band led dignitaries and delegates into the Koessler Athletic Center in a colorful robed procession; a tradition that evolved over centuries from clerical processions in the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England. Representatives of the college’s local, national and international constituencies, as well as its alumni, faculty senate and student government leaders then offered congenial words of welcome, affirmation and support to the new president.

“John is a fervent and active Catholic, true in faith and fidelity,” stated Bishop Kmiec in his welcome. “He is a man of gifted and acquired wisdom, of ecclesial and academic experience, of proven leadership and ability, and though he is not a Jesuit priest, he has a Jesuit heart.”

“I am very excited to be a part of President Hurley’s first year,” added Katelyn Eldredge ’11, president of the Undergraduate Student Association. “He has some great visions for the future of Canisius and the entire student body is very excited to see those come to fruition over the next few years.”

Inaugural tradition allows for the president-elect to choose a fellow president, mentor or friend to reflect on the role, mission and responsibility of higher education in society. President Hurley fittingly chose his eldest brother, Paul B. Hurley ’66, PhD, president of Trocaire College and the first lay president at a Catholic college in Buffalo, to carry out this important task.

“John and I were fortunate to be raised in a family whose parents valued education,” began Paul Hurley. He explained how his brother excelled at St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute, Canisius College and the University of Notre Dame Law School, as well as in his legal career. “He never shirked from his civic responsibilities either,” added Paul Hurley, who noted that his sibling served in leadership positions at Housing Opportunities Made Equal, Jesuit Advancement Administrators and the city of Buffalo’s Charter Revision Commission.

“But it is your role at Canisius College that I must emphasize,” continued Paul Hurley. “There are 22 colleges and universities in Western New York, which serve more than 105,000 students. We all, Canisius included, make significant contributions to the local economy, to the citizens who live here, and to the

In recognition of President John J. Hurley’s call to serve the faith and promote justice, Canisius College invites alumni, students, faculty, staff, family and friends to give a gift of community service.

Service to the community is an integral part of what it means to be educated in the Jesuit tradition. Students not only learn the substance of their respective disciplines but they are taught to use the privilege of their Jesuit education for the benefit of others and society, as they make their way into the world. The inauguration of President Hurley marks a quintessential opportunity to renew this Jesuit ideal through a gift of community service.

The Office of Campus Ministry coordinates a number of service projects and activities, during the academic year. To learn more or participate, visit canisius.edu/campusministry or call 716-888-2420. Participants may also give a gift of service in their own neighborhoods or with agencies of their choice, at any time throughout President Hurley’s inaugural year.

Let Canisius know about your gift of community service at canisius.edu/inauguration/gift.asp. Your information will be used to estimate the total number of hours contributed to the community, on behalf of Canisius College and President John J. Hurley.

G I V E T H E G I F T O F C O M M U N I T Y S E R V IC E


Left Page: Buffalo’s Gordon Highlanders bagpipe band led dignitaries and delegates in the inaugural procession into the Koessler Athletic Center.

Right Page, Clockwise:Rev. Patrick J. Lynch, S.J., professor of religious studies and theolog y, welcomes President Hurley to his new role following his remarks on behalf of the Faculty Senate.

Canisius President John J. Hurley (left) and his brother, Paul B. Hurley ’66, PhD, president of Trocaire College, with Rev. Bishop Edward U. Kmiec HON ’07 (center).

President Hurley shakes hands with Katelyn Eldredge '11, president of the Undergraduate Student Association, following her inaugural remarks on behalf of the student body.

Rep. Brian Higgins (D-27) delivered oral greetings to President Hurley on behalf of the federal government.

neighborhoods in which we live. The city and region would not be the same without our

colleges.”

The responsibilities about which Paul Hurley spoke were symboli-cally acknowledged during the presentation of college artifacts, which represent the trust and authority bestowed upon the new

president: The original, hand-written college charter, granted

by the Regents of New York State in 1883, gave Canisius the right to confer

degrees. The college seal validates the official documents of Canisius. The academic mace signifies President Hurley’s protection over campus and the search for knowledge. The presidential medallion, worn only by the president at official college ceremonies, is a symbol of the Office of the President.

R. Carlos Carballada ’56, HON ’81, vice chair of the Canisius College Board of Trustees, conferred the presidential medal-lion upon President Hurley, formally investing him with the authority of the office. Carballada graciously stepped in for Trustee Chair Catherine M. Burzik ’72, whose flight from Texas was delayed.

Rife with both historic and religious symbolism, President Hurley’s inauguration included a poignant missioning prayer, delivered by Rev. David S. Ciancimino, S.J., provincial of the New York Province of the Society of Jesus and Rev. Michael F. Tunney, S.J., rector of the Canisius Jesuit community. Most commonly considered at the beginning of religious retreats,

the missioning prayer is derived from The First Principle and Foundation, an early meditation in St. Ignatius Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises. In it he writes that human beings are created to praise, reverence and serve God. Freedom for service in the world as our response to God’s gifts to us, is an important note in the meditation. Fathers Ciancimino and Tunney adapted The First Principle and Foundation into a personal missioning prayer for President Hurley.

“So many of our Jesuit ideals are in this meditation and in the prayer Father Ciancimino offered over President Hurley,” explained Father Tunney. “We all want the best for him in his leadership of our school. Calling on St. Ignatius’ words to fill our president with God’s graces is a beautiful gift that we could offer him.”

The formal change of leadership that is symbolized in a presidential inauguration reaffirms long-held traditions of an institution. It also signifies a promise of new beginnings. President Hurley’s inaugural address – the culmination of the one-hour ceremony – eloquently invoked Canisius’ past and embraced its future.

He spoke of anticipation, expectation and hope for a new and deeper collaboration between the Jesuit community and its lay colleagues. President Hurley harnessed both the spirit of the Society of Jesus and his aspirations for the college’s future in three important words, which now serve as Canisius’ theme for this inaugural year: faith, justice and leadership. Derived from the 32nd General Congregation, which transformed the ministry and identity of the Society of Jesus, this theme asserts the college’s mission to serve the faith and promote justice.


“ Let us take the oath together today, to serve the faith, to promote justice and to become leaders.”

-johnj.hurley

The Presidential Medallion

The Canisius College Mace

“The service of faith and the promotion of justice are key responsibilities that Canisius College must embrace if we are to collaborate fully with the Society of Jesus, remain an important apostolic work of the Jesuits and become a great Catholic, Jesuit university,” stated President Hurley.

Canisius serves the faith when it joins with the institutional Church to identify needs, point out injustices and propose solutions. Canisius serves the faith by being an outstanding exemplar of Catholic higher education, “a place where our pursuit of excellence in the humanities, in the sciences, in education and in business is marked by concern for ethical and moral implications, and where theology and philosophy provide the essential synthesis among the disciplines,” stated President Hurley. But Canisius College, its Trustees and Regents, faculty, staff, students and alumni serve the faith, first and foremost, when they seek God in all things.

“This is the essence of the Spiritual Exercises,” said Richard H. Escobales Jr., PhD, professor of mathematics and statistics. “President Hurley challenged all of us to emphasize the importance of this relationship with God,” as we pursue academic excellence, search for truth, unlock a passion for learning in students, and transform them into wise, compas-sionate and committed citizens of the world. “All of education is about one population – the students, and President Hurley’s address clearly acknowledged that,” added Moll. “He set a standard for the Canisius community to stand up on behalf of our students, to respond to our call to be ‘men and women for others,’ to journey with our students and prepare them for our global community beyond Canisius College.”

Ultimately, however, the real measure of a Jesuit university lies in who its students become.

“All of us at Canisius – faculty, staff, students and alumni – must be dangerously unselfish and ask ourselves, ‘If we do not stop to help those in need, what will happen to them,’ said President Hurley. “We must bring our resources – intellectual, spiritual, financial and manual – to bear on the pressing issues” of poverty, hunger, racism, violence and despair, in the heart of the city of Buffalo. President Hurley urged faculty, students and alumni to engage the wider world: regionally, nationally and globally. When people take seriously their responsibility for the service of the faith and the promotion of justice, they become “the leaders that our world needs,” he asserted.

President Hurley’s words resonated with alumni, many of whom have since expressed an interest in “meaningful community projects to make Buffalo an even greater place to live,” said John L. Langer ’76, president of the Canisius Alumni Association. He added, “We must all take on the world in a bigger way and I encourage all alumni to come back to campus or speak with President Hurley when he visits their towns, so they can embrace his vision and be great ambassadors for Canisius.”

For 140 years, Canisius College has made its presence felt through the actions of its faculty, students, Jesuits, alumni and friends. But with a distinguished assembly before him on October 16, President Hurley reenergized the collective hopes and aspira-tions for the college and inspired his audience to do the right thing, to strive for greatness, to pursue the Magis.

“Let us take the oath together today, to serve the faith, to promote justice and to become leaders,” concluded President Hurley. “Together, we will pursue the Magis – not just for the sake of the prestige or high rankings or recognition it will bring our college but because our success will ultimately glorify God. Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam!”

To watch the inauguration, read the inaugural address or to view photos, visit canisius.edu/inauguration.

Below (L-R): R. Carlos Carballada ’56, HON ’81, vice chair of the Canisius College Board of Trustees, confers the presidential medallion upon President Hurley. Hon. Byron W. Brown, mayor of the city of Buffalo, congratulates President Hurley upon his formal installation.

uesday, October 19 began just like any other day for Brian E. Speers ’12. He woke up, put on a pair of sweat pants and a hoodie, and headed to his American

Constitutional Law class in Lyons Hall. When he arrived, however, a special guest lecturer was there to teach the class: Chief Justice of the United States John J. Roberts Jr.

“I was shocked,” recalled Speers, who notes he would have dressed up for such a visitor. “The whole class was on edge at first but Justice Roberts broke the ice with a joke. He said that most people believe Judge Judy is the chief justice of the United States,” laughed Speers.

Justice Roberts surprised students in three different political science classes that day. In each, he gave brief tutorials on the relevant class topics and then opened the floor to questions.

“We knew he was going to be on campus that evening to speak but never imagined the chief justice of the United States would make time in his day to meet with students,” added Alice Zicari ’12.

The nation’s top judge visited Canisius as part of a week-long series of events to celebrate Faith, Justice & Leadership: The Inauguration of John J. Hurley (page 10). The college’s Frank G. Raichle Lecture Series on Law in American Society sponsored Roberts’ visit and an evening event, ‘A Conversation with the Chief Justice,’ which drew an audience of more than 1,300 Canisius alumni, students, faculty, friends and members of the legal community to the Koessler Athletic Center.

The evening program marked the pinnacle of Roberts’ un-precedented three-day stay in Buffalo, which also included a luncheon with students and faculty from across disciplines, a meeting with professors of the Political Science Department, and a tour of the Raichle Pre-Law Center and the Raichle Library. Chief Justice Roberts also attended a dinner and reception for alumni and friends of the college, where he enjoyed a reunion with former Harvard Law School classmate Lawrence J. Vilardo ’72, as well as his godparents, Thomas J. ’51 and Joan DiPasquale.

“We were just so overwhelmed and proud to see him,” said Tom DiPasquale. The DiPasquales were great friends with the late John G. Sr. and Rosemary Roberts, when the couple

lived in Buffalo. John Sr. was a manager at Bethlehem Steel. Rosemary worked at the telephone company. Their son, John Roberts Jr., was born in Buffalo in 1955. He attended St. Bernadette Elementary School in Orchard Park until the second grade, when John Sr. was promoted to vice president of electrical engineering for Bethlehem Steel and transferred to Indiana.

“John Sr. was a great guy. He had a tremendous personality, and he overflowed with smiles and kindness. John Jr. has all those same attributes and it was a joyous reunion for all of us,” added DiPasquale.

Roberts’ family connections may have influenced his return home but so too did Joseph M. Hassett ’64, PhD. An attorney of counsel at Hogan Lovells U.S., LLP, in Washington, D.C., Hassett and Roberts were partners at Hogan Lovells (formerly known as Hogan & Hartson) from 1993-2003, before Roberts became a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. President George W. Bush nominated Roberts as chief justice in 2005.

“It was wonderful to be able to put that fortuitous aspect of my life into action for the college that I love and in a way that was useful for everybody,” said Hassett, who is also the author of W.B. Yeats and the Muses. “The chief justice’s personality, his range of knowledge and his very articulate nature made the experience one in which people learned substantively about the role that the Supreme Court plays in society.”

Hassett moderated the 90-minute ‘Conversation with the Chief Justice,’ during which he posed a variety of questions submitted by students, alumni and legal minds. Roberts’ answers provided rare insight into Supreme Court functions and matters. His responses were both thoughtful and candid.

Roberts described himself as a “tex-tualist,” someone who interprets the law based on the text of the Constitution and not its intentions for modern day.

A CON V E R S AT ION W I T H T H E CH I E F J UST ICE

The Nation’s Top Judge, John J. Roberts Jr., Hosts a Casual but Candid Discourse About The High Court

story by audrey r. browka and kristin etu ’91

photography by tom wolf ’86

Chief Justice John J. Roberts Jr. attends a luncheon with students and alumni from the Canisius College Raichle Pre-Law Program during his October 19 visit. Pictured (l-r) are: Callie Roemer ’10, Robert Grimaldi ’09, Chief Justice Roberts, Adam Dotzler ’09 and Michael Smith ’06.

He writes his opinions for an audience of intelligent lay people. “I want people, who are not necessarily lawyers, to be able to pick up an opinion, read it, understand what the case is about, understand what we decided and why,” explained Roberts. “It’s an important part of the way our democracy functions.” And while Roberts’ predecessor, the late Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, was famous for running a tight ship, Roberts allows for longer discussions amongst the justices. “I haven’t heard any complaints from my colleagues yet and they wouldn’t be shy about it either,” he quipped.

The Supreme Court was just two weeks into its new term when Roberts spoke at Canisius. He praised its new associate justice, Elena Kagan, who “hit the ground running” and who “contributes in very positive ways to our deliberations.” But when asked whether he agrees with Kagan’s support to televise Supreme Court arguments, Roberts explained “There are arguments on both sides” and noted that the court is slow to adopt change out of fear that it might “injure the institution.”

Careful not to comment on subjects that waded into territory the Supreme Court might possibly find itself, Roberts politely declined questions about an imbalance between corporations and labor unions; a proposed Constitutional amendment to enhance parental rights; and the military’s Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy. He was generous, however, in his responses to questions from pre-law students at the start of their careers.

Roberts encouraged undergraduates to consider constitutional law and civics classes to learn basic legal

concepts, and described a broad

liberal arts-based education as “the ideal foundation for later legal education.” The chief justice gave some insight as to what he looks for in potential judicial clerks.

“One thing I like to be sure of is that people have enough self-confidence to be useful in the process,” he said. “If I want to argue back-and-forth with someone to see if an idea makes sense, he or she must be able to push back.”

Chief Justice Roberts is the fifth sitting Supreme Court justice and the second chief justice to visit Canisius College, under the auspices of the Frank G. Raichle Lecture Series. He is one of the few, however, to be so accommodating, said Klump.

“It’s very unusual for a Supreme Court justice to be so generous with his time but throughout Chief Justice Roberts’ visit, he maintained a friendly smile and willingly answered questions from whomever asked,” said Klump.

In doing so, Chief Justice Roberts provided an unparalleled educational experience for Canisius students and the greater college community.

“To have the chief justice be such a real presence, to be so candid and interesting about his work, I believe helped everyone feel connected to their government in a time when too many of us feel disconnected from it,” said Hassett.

“It was an unforgettable encounter,” added Zicari, “and one that can only happen at a small school like Canisius.”

TO VIEW ROBERTS’ LECTURE IN ITS ENTIRETY, VISIT canisius.edu/itunes


aureen O. Hurley has negotiated countless legal cases throughout her stellar 25-plus year law career. But the case she remembers most is the one she negotiated outside of court against her husband and fellow attorney President

John J. Hurley. The couple was married and lived in Chicago, where they both practiced law, when they decided it was time to move back East closer to family. The question was whether they should move closer to John’s family in Buffalo or Maureen’s family in her native New Jersey.

“We debated about what would be the best place for us to go and we talked about the settings that both places would offer,” recalls Maureen Hurley. “John, being a Buffalo native and an enormous booster, made a list of all the great things about the city and ultimately presented a very convincing case.”

Twenty-six years later, Maureen Hurley admits it is one case she is happy to have conceded.

“The most wonderful part about Buffalo is that you really can manage a very full life,” says Hurley. “John and I have been able to have very satisfying careers; we’ve been able to raise three kids who love this community as much as we do; and we’ve had the opportunity to make a difference in, we hope, some long-term ways.”

While most Canisians know Maureen Hurley as the down-to-earth wife of newly-in-augurated president John J. Hurley, she is also the dynamic, straight-talking executive vice president of Rich Products Corporation, a $2.9 billion, family-owned, frozen food manufacturer and supplier headquartered in Buffalo. A self-described extrovert, Hurley is appropriately responsible for the worldwide strategic leadership of Rich’s ‘People Network,’ which includes communications, corporate services, human resources and legal. In addition, Hurley guides Rich’s global business strategies as a member of the company’s six-person executive leadership team, and manages the company’s global licensing group, which is currently charged with licensing out Rich’s intellectual property through new business partnerships in Europe, Latin America and Asia.

“I knew within the first 15 minutes that I met Maureen, that she had the intelligence and the personality that would work well here,” recalls William G. Gisel Jr., president and chief executive officer of Rich Products.

Gisel hired Hurley to work in Rich’s Legal Department when she moved to Buffalo in 1984. She was just three years out of Notre Dame Law School but the young litigator had already amassed quite a client list. Hurley was an associate at Chicago’s Pattishal, McAuliffe, Newburg, Hilliard & Geraldson, a boutique intellectual property firm that represented Fortune 500 companies in trademark and copyright infringement cases, and Hurley’s cli-ent list included Kraft, SC Johnson and Disney.

“The magic for me was when I stepped into the in-house operation at Rich’s, where I represent one client, whom I know intimately, and as a result, am able to influence many other areas within the company.”

Hurley innovated Rich’s business and its culture.

S T A Y I N G P O W E R Maureen O. Hurley may not be a Buffalo native but she has

adopted the city as her own.

story by audrey r. browka photography by eric frick


She helped shape and champion The Rich Promise. The com-pany’s vision and values statement pledges that the company will hold itself to the highest family values among associates, customers and within the community. Included in The Rich Promise is the company code-of-conduct, ‘Do the Right Thing,’ which emphasizes the ethical expectations of associate behavior. Hurley authored the original ‘Do the Right Thing’ initiative, which received the American Business Ethics Award.

Hurley recognized ‘work-life balance’ as a driver of employee engagement, long before the idea became en vogue, and advocated for such family-friendly initiatives as flexible hours and eldercare assistance. Hurley was also part of the original steering team that initiated The Rich’s Family Center. Now in its 21st year, the on-site childcare program cares for nearly 70 children between the ages of six weeks and five years old. Moreover, it provides a calm reassurance for women, much like Hurley, who choose to pursue a career and have a family. Hurley is proud to note that all three of her children “are graduates” of The Rich’s Family Center.

Clearly, Hurley is a case study of someone who earned her place among the top rungs of the corporate ladder. But she built much of her reputation by reaching down to pull others up.

Hurley redefined the corporate approach to career development when she established the Women Supporting Women Network at Rich’s. The network fosters professional and personal development to boost the number of women in senior lead-ership positions. “Such mentoring is essential for engaged, happy employees and a strong company,” says Hurley. She explains that gender-balanced work teams result in greater productivity, customer satisfaction, creativity and a stronger bottom line.

Hurley now champions her cause, nationally, as chair of the Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF). The organization leads efforts to empower women to achieve their highest potentials in the foodservice industry.

“Maureen is universally respected in the business world but women, in particular, see her as an exemplary role model,” says Fritzi Woods, president and chief executive officer of WFF. “She is understated but extremely effective, and really is the wind beneath the wings of so many professional women.”

Hurley attributes her strong, independent spirit to her own role model, her mother Vera O’Connell, whom she describes as “a bit of a contemporary figure for her time.”

Vera raised Maureen and her three siblings almost single-handedly throughout her husband Danny’s 12-year career as a professional baseball player (infielder) with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1950 and 1953), the Milwaukee Braves (1954-1957), the San Francisco Giants (1957-1959) and the Washington Senators (1961-1962). Vera even home-schooled her children so the family could spend the spring training months together in Florida.

When Danny O’Connell retired from the game in 1962, the family returned to a more idle life in New Jersey.

But things changed again a few years later when Hurley’s father, sadly and suddenly, passed

away. She was 13-years old but the experience forever altered her

perspective. About life, Hurley says, “It’s fragile so I try

“There are all kinds of opportunities in Buffalo for people to get involved, to

inf luence whatever their passions are and to make a difference in this great city.”

-maureeno.hurley


“There are all kinds of opportunities in Buffalo for people to get involved, to

inf luence whatever their passions are and to make a difference in this great city.”

-maureeno.hurley

to make sure that the people I love know that I love them everyday.” About parenting, she says, “I want to make sure that I influence my children in very positive ways, in the time that I have with them.” About her personal ambitions, she says, “I always wanted to make sure I was independent and self-sufficient.”

This aspirant journalist-turned-lawyer was the first in her family to go away to college. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of New Hampshire, and interned at Boston Magazine before a political science professor suggested she apply to law school. Reflecting on her education, Hurley says her liberal arts background “broadened my mind, shaped how I learn and reason, and influenced me to read and write effectively.”

That insight will help influence Hurley in new new role as the first ‘First Lady’ of Canisius College.

“To be honest, I was so thrilled for John when I learned of his appointment that it wasn’t until after all the celebrations that the idea of becoming first lady dawned on me,” recalls Hurley. “Not only has there never been a first spouse, there has never been a first family.”

Maureen and John are the parents of Caroline ’11, a senior at Canisius College; Brian, a sophomore at the University of Notre Dame; and Millie, a freshman at Sacred Heart Acad-emy. “Each one of us represents Canisius by being part of the president’s family,” explains Maureen Hurley.

And while she is “exhilarated” by the opportunity to influence what the role of first lady can or should be at Canisius, Hurley suggests that this unprecedented position will be vastly under-stated for some time.

“I am a servant of Canisius and I will play whatever part I can to help the school succeed, but I think it is more important now for the college to get used to having its first lay president,” says Hurley.

She certainly has plenty to keep her busy in the interim.

Hurley’s roots are sunk deep in the community. In recent years, she volunteered her time and talents to the YMCA, the Housing Assistance Center of the Niagara Frontier and

The Hurley family, pictured at the Inaugural Gala on Saturday, October 16. Pictured (l-r) are: Millie, Brian, Maureen, John and Caroline ’11 Hurley. photo: yun gen yang


St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute. Maureen and John Hurley currently co-chair the Bishop’s Council for the Laity, a dedicated association of Catholics in the Diocese who, among other things, created a philanthropic fund that supports the priorities of Rev. Edward U. Kmiec HON ’07, bishop for the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo.

“Maureen is a Buffalonian by choice and Buffalonians-by-choice are traditionally more passionate about their city than those born and bred here,” says Jordan A. Levy, chair of the Erie Canal Harbor Development Corporation (ECHDC).

Hurley serves alongside Levy on the ECHDC Board of Directors. Appointed by the New York State governor, ECHDC board members spearhead Buffalo’s Canal Side project. The $315 million initiative aims to transform more than 20 acres of the city’s inner harbor into a bustling and historically respectful mixed-use destination.

“The Canal Side project will enable residents, as well as visitors from all over the world, to gather at our waterfront and celebrate Buffalo’s significant past and its limitless future,” says Hurley.

The diverse plan includes roles for local businesses and established entities, and will utilize Canal Side as a portal to the area’s many cultural resources. Hurley is charged with the creation of a cultural master plan for the water’s edge, which will celebrate Buffalo’s history through art and culture.

“We’ve had our ups and downs as an organization but Maureen always remains positive,” says Steve Ranalli, senior project manager for ECHDC. “She is forward-thinking. She keeps

our focus task-driven. And she motivates the volunteers to work hard. Her passion to move this project - and this region - forward comes through in everything she does.”

Perhaps that is because Hurley has such a vested interest in its success.

On those rare occasions when she isn’t advocating on behalf of the Buffalo region, Hurley embraces everything it has to offer – and everything President Hurley boasted about when he convinced her to move to Buffalo.

Partial to urban living, Hurley often walks the streets of the Elmwood Village where she and her family reside. Captivated by the area’s art, architecture and ethnic diversity, she capitalizes on many of its traditional festivals, performances and fun. Hurley also savors the region’s four seasons, particularly the “joys of winter.” The Hurleys are all avid skiers and spend most weekends, from December through March, at their family respite in Ellicottville.

“Buffalo affords a rhythm in life that others should envy,” says Hurley. “It’s the kind of community that enables you to have a fulfilling career and remain fully committed to the community. It’s the kind of community where if you want to contribute, there is no shortage of opportunity. And it’s the kind of community that consistently reaches out to those who settle or relocate here.”

Hurley is no longer a Jersey girl. Buffalo is her home now. And the community – and Canisius College - couldn’t ask for a better – or more bullish – booster.

or the first time in its history, the Canisius Jesuit Community’s three apostolates - Canisius College, Canisius High School and NativityMiguel Middle

School of Buffalo – are under lay leadership. These circum-stances prompted community members to develop a new mission and identity statement; one that refocuses the Jesuits’ roles for a contemporary world.

“Now is the time to focus on the future and determine what ministries we are being called to pursue,” says Rev. Michael F. Tunney, S.J., rector of the Canisius Jesuit Community.

The 24 members of the Jesuit community sought inspiration from the scriptures, the Spiritual Exercises, and decrees from General Congregation 35, which challenge Jesuits to rediscover the Society’s identity in an evolving and global environment. Their resolutions are articulated in a three paragraph statement that affirms “In all, we seek to build the Body of Christ across the Diocese of Buffalo” through education, ministry and spiritual companionship.

As the Canisius Jesuit community continues to foster the intellectual, spiritual and per-sonal formations of high school and college

students, new emphasis will be placed on middle school students. One innovative program already underway is at NativityMiguel. The school’s two campuses embrace single-gender, faith-based, extended day programs for low-income students at risk of academic failure. Students develop the character, strength and skills needed to not only finish school but attend college.

“This is new work for the Jesuits in Buffalo but not for Jesuits,” says Rev. Edward J. Durkin, S.J. The director of Na-tivityMiguel explains that the program is patterned after a model for Catholic inner-city education, which was developed by New York City Jesuits in the 1970s. “Our role is to help develop, improve and evolve the model so that this population of children in Buffalo can learn and flourish.”

The Jesuit community vows to maintain its commitment to serve the faith and promote justice throughout Buffalo and Western New York. Much of this ministry occurs at local parishes, nursing homes and hospitals. However, the new living narrative makes Jesuits available for ministry anywhere in the world.

“The Holy Father wants us to be involved in the center of things as well as out there on the margins of society, to be involved in the gritty and contentious issues, and to engage in dialogue with people of other religions or those who have no religion,” says Father Tunney.

This promotion of faith and justice is the hallmark of the Spiritual Exercises. Originally written by St. Ignatius Loyola, the Spiritual Exercises traditionally assist Jesuits from the novitiate onwards grow in their relationships with God and hear the voice of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

But with fewer than 3,000 Jesuits remaining in the United States, “the role of Jesuits now is to hand the Ignatian tradition to our lay colleagues,” says Rev. Thomas Colgan, S.J., who leads the college’s Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life (Canisius Magazine, winter 2010). “The Jesuit charism becomes a defining quality for those who participate in the Spiritual Exercises and the more people who participate, the more likely Ignatius’ vision will be kept alive in a changing world,” says Colgan.

To read the Canisius College Jesuit community mission and identity statement, visit canisius.edu./jesuit/missionstate.asp.

M I S S I O N W O R Kthe canisius jesuit communit y r ediscov ers i t s char ism

story by kristin etu ’91

facultynotes

Daniel P. Starr ’58, PhD, scored a career ‘slam dunk’ on November 4 when the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame inducted him into its Class of 2010. Starr came to Canisius as a part-time history professor but made more history during his 26-year tenure as athletics director than any individual ever affiliated with the Golden Griffins.

Canisius moved the women’s sports program and its club hockey program to varsity status, under Starr’s watch. He also brought Division I lacrosse to Buffalo, and repositioned Canisius sports into more competitive athletic conferences, from the Eastern College Athletic Conference, to the North Atlantic Conference, to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

Starr considers Mary Beth Riley ’91 one of his many career high-lights. The track and field star became the very first NCAA Woman of the Year in 1991, following a battle with Hodgkin’s disease. Another milestone for Starr happened in 1992, when he hired current University of Michigan Basketball Coach John Beilein. Beilein took Canisius to two National Invitation Tournaments, which included a Final Four appearance and an NCAA tournament, during his five years in Buffalo. Beilein also led the Griffins to a historic victory over St. Bonaventure in 1994. It was the first time Canisius beat Bonaventure in the Reilly Center in 52 years.

Outside Canisius, Starr served on various community, regional and national committees, including the Empire State Games and the World University Games. He also assisted in the charge to bring the NCAA men’s basketball championship and the Frozen Four ice hockey tournament to HSBC Arena.

When Starr retired as athletics director in 2000, he became the second longest tenured NCAA Division I athletics director in the country. He continued to teach history part-time at Canisius for five years and last year released The Golden Age of Buffalo Sports: 1945-1950. The book details the explosion of sports and the roles that baseball, basketball, football and hockey teams played in Buffalo, during the pre-television era.

Starr’s fellow Hall of Fame inductees include Buffalo Sabres Coach Lindy Ruff; former Buffalo Bills kicker Steve Christie; and Olympic swimming medalist George Breen.

Longtime readers of Eric Gansworth will recognize some previously-mentioned characters in his new novel Extra Indians. The book tells the story of Tommy Jack McMorsey, a Vietnam veteran and long-haul trucker who, in a moment of kindness, picks up a deluded Japanese tourist. When she dies of exposure in his care, a media storm erupts and evokes a series of memories from Tommy Jack’s past: life on an Indian reservation, the horrors of Vietnam, a love affair, and the suicide of his closest friend.

The book addresses the Native American experience of the Vietnam War and its aftermath, and gives readers a glimpse into contemporary American Indian life.

A member of the Onondaga Nation, Gansworth is a professor of English and a Lowery Writer-in-Residence at Canisius College. Extra Indians is his ninth book and received a starred-review from Publishers Weekly.

The Coleman Foundation awarded Ji-Hee Kim, PhD, associate professor of entrepreneurship, a one-year, $15,000 Faculty Entrepreneurship Fellows Program Grant. The grant will be used to expand entrepreneurial education opportunities for students across disciplines.

Specifically, Kim invited three Canisius faculty members to serve as Coleman Faculty Fellows. Under her guidance, Julia L. Wescott, PhD, professor of modern languages; Betsy M. DelleBovi, PhD, associate professor of adolescence education; and Jamie M. O’Neil, MFA, associate professor and director of the digital media arts program, will develop coursework in their respective fields that provide students with self-employment skills and experiences.

Wescott will incorporate the fellow-ship grant into her MexiCanisius program, in which students travel to Mexico to purchase and import arts and crafts from local artisans for resale on campus. DelleBovi will serve as faculty advisor for MyLinkFace, a student-run social venture in which Canisius education students teach English to Korean university students via webcam. O’Neil (Canisius Magazine, summer 2010) will introduce students to self-employment opportunities in the cutting-edge mobile tech-nology and social media marketing fields.

The Coleman Foundation is a private, independent grant-making foundation that supports educational institutions, cancer care and services for the disabled.

Starr Inducted into class of 2010 Sports hall of Fame

Gansworth Explores Extra Indians

coleman Foundation

Ji-Hee Kim, PhD

Daniel P. Starr ’58, PhD



Q: I’m sure you have had many opportunities to advance your career in fund raising. Why did you choose canisius?

A: As a product of a Catholic liberal arts educa-tion, I understand and appreciate how a liberal arts culture helps develop one’s sense of social responsibility, as well as the intellectual and practical skills needed in the real world. This environment energizes me. I was searching for a campus community that embraced a concept of philanthropy that is not just about receiving but about giving back as well. Also, the consistency of the leadership theme intrigued me. During the interview process, I felt compelled to find out if this was really a place where leaders are made. It quickly became evident that developing leaders is what Canisius is about - and that is important to me.

Q: you held advancement positions in South Florida, new york city, houston and philadelphia, to name a few. how did you feel about coming to Western new york?

A: In my 26 years in philanthropy, I have been blessed to work in wonderful places with outstanding people but only here have people truly welcomed me. The first impression I get is “Welcome to our community.” It’s as if they feel personally responsible for convincing me that this is a great place to live. But they don’t have to. I am humbled by the kindness shown to me by the Canisius family. And mom, Frances (who still lives in Welland,

Ontario where I grew up), is thrilled that I can make it home for Sunday dinner and the occasional chore.

Q: Was there a particular experience that prepared you for this role?

A: Yes, most definitely. I served as vice president of Community Counselling Service (CCS), a comprehensive international fund-raising consultant and management firm. In this role, I was the lead consultant on several multi-million dollar campaigns, including Fairfield University’s. Initially, I went to CCS to strengthen my capital campaign experience. I did accomplish that but equally valuable was the opportunity to interact with multiple organizations, non-profits as well as universities, over a condensed period of time. Working closely with dozens of different presidents, boards of trustees, deans and faculty, advancement staffs and volunteers in various communities had a dramatic impact on my management style and philosophy. No single experience could have provided me with the diverse professional experiences that my 10 years at CCS did.

Q: your division is now called institutional advancement. Why the name change?

A: The institutional advancement team will focus on engaging its constituencies and securing resources through fund-raising efforts in more meaningful ways than ever, while public relations now operates separately, under

On July 1, 2010, Canisius College welcomed Craig T. Chindemi as vice president for institutional advancement. Chindemi is responsible for securing the necessary resources to ensure the financial well-being and growth of the institution. This means he plays a vital and highly-visible role in engaging alumni, friends, parents, faculty and staff, as well as corporate and foundation partners, with the college. The following is an excerpt from a conversation that Canisius Magazine had with the college’s new chief advancement officer.

continued >>

a conversation with craig t. chindemi

Craig T. Chindemi


the guidance of the president. This model reflects President Hurley’s desire to emphasize public relations as a very high priority for the college.

At really successful institutions, philanthropy is embraced by the entire community. That culture of philanthropy begins with students understanding that 140 years of generosity made their experiences possible. We need to communicate that more effectively, just as we need to communicate to our donors that their gifts make an impact - and that every investor is valued and appreciated. Our goal is to position Canisius as one of the top three philanthropic priorities of our donors. To accomplish this, we need to communicate and engage our investors in new and creative ways that are meaningful to them.

Q: What challenges await you and your team, and what is your plan to address them?

A: The fact that 60 percent of Canisius alumni live in Western New York presents many advantages and challenges. When eco-nomic hardship hits a region, a good percentage of funders are affected. I’ve noticed that the Jesuit principle of serving as “men and women for others” is taken very seriously by Canisius graduates. They are committed to alma mater but also heavily involved in other worthwhile organizations.

We are proud to share our leaders with the Buffalo community, even though we realize it means we have to find additional resources elsewhere. My personal goal is to see an upsurge in participation in the Canisius Fund (see page XX) and increased membership in our Leadership Society (gifts of $1,000 or more annually). Currently, 556 of the college’s 40,000 alumni con-tribute at the Leadership Society level. I don’t believe this is an accurate reflection of alumni commitment to Canisius. We need to do a better job of communicating to alumni the importance of reinvesting in the place that invested so much in them.

Q: In your brief tenure, you’ve spoken a lot about alumni engagement. Would you share your thoughts on that?

A: We take our commitment to leadership seriously across campus. “Where leaders are made” needs to be embraced in our alumni efforts as well. We are all proud of the leadership impact our graduates make in communities across the country, especially in Western New York. We must provide alumni with opportunities to make that same impact at Canisius. So, I see an expanded role for alumni in the growth, development and future of the college. I also see opportunities to improve the way alumni are engaged and involved in the life of the campus, and

to better utilize their expertise. I am working with the President of the Alumni Board of Directors, John Langer ’76, who also sees the board as a conduit to expand alumni leadership for the benefit of our students.

Q: Is there anything else you would like canisius alumni and friends to know about you?

A: As an undergraduate student, I majored in sports admin-istration with the goal of becoming an athletics director. Dr. Joseph T. Hoy was chair of the department and he emphasized the value of revenue generation. At the time, I didn’t fully comprehend what a great influence Dr. Hoy would have on my life. Early in my career, I had the great fortune to work at the University of Miami, the University of Houston and Western Michigan in athletics fund raising. That is how I found my career, through my passion for athletics. As I told Men’s Basketball Coach Tom Parrotta, if Derek Wittenberg of North Carolina State had not shot an air ball in the 1983 champion-ship game against the Houston Cougars, I might be wearing a national championship ring today. I understand the importance of quality athletics on a college campus and I have a profound respect for quality academics. Canisius is a great place to be and I’m looking forward to wearing the “Blue and Gold.”

Chindemi holds a BA from St. Thomas University in Miami, FL and an MBA from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL. He is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and a member of the Association of Fund Raising Professionals (AFP). An avid volunteer at his alma mater, Chindemi serves on the St. Thomas University President’s Board of Advisors, its Branding Committee and is a member of the Alumni

Committee.

The 2009-2010 Annual Report of Donors is now available

at canisius.edu/magazine.

Canisius concluded its fiscal year with $6,474,044 million in

voluntary support from loyal alumni, friends, corporations

and foundations, in addition to $3,102,232 from private,

state and federal grants. The college’s success would not

be possible without those who continue to make Canisius

a philanthropic priority. On behalf of Canisius College and

most especially the students, who benefit directly from

this support, thanK yOU!

annual Report of Donors

campaign Update As of November 30, Canisius College has secured $79,546,460 million in commitments toward its $90 million goal for A Legacy of Leadership: The Campaign for Canisius College. To learn more about A Legacy of Leadership, visit canisius.edu/campaign.

There is a place in the basement of Lyons Hall that most Canisians know exists but with which few are very familiar. It is the Eberl Call Center, where every Monday through Thursday evening, from now through May, carefully selected and trained Canisius students can be found hard at work for the Canisius Fund (formerly the annual fund). Each night, these student-callers speak with upwards of 100 alumni and generate support that ranges between $3,000 and $20,000, for the college.

“I really enjoy speaking with our alumni on the phone,” says Blake Zaccagnino ’12, a marketing major and second year student-caller. He notes that alumni talk to him about everything from their dorm rooms to the food, and their favorite professors to their least favorite classes. “It’s great to hear their Canisius stories, some of which are inspiring and others which are just plain funny.”

But Zaccagnino and the 29 other student-callers recognize the seri-ousness of their work. Contributions to the Canisius Fund are critical to the college’s financial strength. Ninety-two percent of Canisius Fund dollars supports financial aid and scholarship resources. The remaining eight percent supports faculty retention and resources, academic programs and co-curricular activities.

“I realize that the work I do is important to the college,” says Zaccagnino. “Whether its classmates who receive scholarships or classrooms equipped with state-of-the-art technologies, my experiences

here would not be the same without the support received for the Canisius Fund.”

There’s also a value-added benefit for both alumni and the college.

“It’s a terrific opportunity for Canisius to receive feedback and to maintain an open dialogue with alumni,” says Canisius Fund Director Kirsten L. Reppert MS ’07, MBA ’10.

So the next time your phone rings and Canisius College is on the caller ID, pick up – and answer the call from alma mater.

Alumni can now support what is most important to them through the new Canisius Fund.

The college revamped its yearly fund-raising cam-paign, formerly known as the annual fund, in response to input from alumni, parents and friends.

“Donors not only want to know where their gifts go but they want the opportunity to donate to the areas of the college most important to them,” explains Kirsten L. Reppert MS ’07, MBA ’10, director of the Canisius Fund.

In the past, the annual fund’s success largely depended upon unrestricted gifts, which were allocated by the college to the areas where the gifts were most needed.

The Canisius Fund now gives donors the option to designate their gifts to the programs, departments

or initiatives of their choice. They can support student aid, classroom excellence, campus min-istry, athletics or the presidential discretionary fund. Gifts from donors who choose not to designate their support will be allocated as gen-eral Canisius Fund contributions and directed to areas in which they will have the greatest impact.

“It’s true that every gift makes a difference,” says Nancy W. Ware ’78, MBA ’85, chair of the Canisius Fund cabinet. “But the more opportunities we create for donors, the greater impact we can have on the experiences of the students and the success of the college.”

For more information on the Canisius Fund or to make a gift, call the Canisius Fund Office at 1-800-201-4952 or visit canisius.edu/gift.

canisius is calling

canISIUS FUnD: your Gift. your choice.

Blake Zaccagnino ’12


SaVE thE DatE 45th Board of Regents Scholarship Ball

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Hyatt Regency, Buffalo

For more information,

contact Marion Mittler,

director of stewardship,

at 716-888-8217 or

[email protected].

Canisius College brought the outdoors in for its annual Leadership Society cocktail reception. The garden party-themed event was hosted for more than 300 of the college’s most loyal and generous donors.

Photo, left (l-r): Henry J. Nowak ’57, HON ’90, Frank E. Swiatek ’65 and David M. Stapleton ’87

Photo, above (l-r): Thomas Morrisey, PhD and Marion Fabiano with Col. George F. and Mary Ann Crowe

Payout rates for new charitable gift annuities (CGA) are on the rise for the first time in 13 years. At its semi-annual meeting, the American Council on Gift Annuities (ACGA) recommended new gift annuity rates, effective on those CGAs established on or after July 1, 2010.

More and more financial advisors tout charitable gift annuities as an ideal investment option because they enable individuals to make gifts to their favorite charities and still receive an income for themselves or others. Here’s how a charitable gift annuity works at Canisius:

• A donor makes a gift to the college through cash or securities.

• Canisius pays the donor (or up to two named individuals) quarterly payments for life.

• Canisius College uses the remainder of the CGA to fulfill donors’ philanthropic visions.

The benefits are three-fold: Donors receive an immediate income tax deduction for a portion of their gifts. Their lifetime annuities are backed by the assets of Canisius College. Most important, donors receive “the satisfaction of knowing that they are providing scholarship money for today’s current students, who are also the leaders of tomorrow,” says Sr. Janet M. Holzer ’49, SFCC, who recently established a charitable gift annuity to support a female African American business student. “Where else can you find such a good deal,” she asks.

To learn more about the new charitable gift annuity rates or to obtain a personalized illustration of how a CGA can benefit you, contact Dianna Civello, associate vice president for institutional advancement, at 716-888-8220 or via E-mail at [email protected].

* Minimum requirements may apply; donors age 65 or older are eligible to receive payments immediately but a deferred gift annuity can be established at any age.

a higher Rate of Return

canisius hosts Garden party for Leadership Society

0

2

4

6

8

10

5.5%

65 years70 years

75 years80 years

85 years

5.8%6.4%

7.2%8.1%

As compared to 3.125% U.S. Treasury Bond - 10 year maturity

R at E O F R E t U R nRates reflect those recommended by ACGA.

canisiusconnectionsMost of us know how well a Canisius degree travels. The brand is strong and valuable, and the college’s alumni are a powerful force who help keep the Canisius identity strong. They are led this year by John L. Langer ’76, co-founder and partner of Jensen Marks Langer & Vance LLC, and president of the Alumni Association Board of Directors.

“So much of who we are, our values and what we do for a living was formulated during our four years on campus,” says Langer. “I look forward to this new leadership role, particularly at this exciting time in Canisius history, and I urge all alumni to make alma mater matter in their lives.”

Canisius alumni can contribute to the college’s advancement in many ways. Langer explains that alumni can assist in the recruitment of students to Canisius. They can mentor current students as they discern potential professions. And alumni can use their networks to help young graduates jump-start their careers.

“The first step, however, is to get involved and there is no better time than the present,” adds Langer.

Alumni will have opportunities to meet Canisius President John J. Hurley and learn about his future plans for the college at any number of regional events throughout his inaugural year. Visit canisius.edu/alumni for information on upcoming receptions. Alumni can also reconnect with fellow Canisius graduates online. Just search “Canisius alumni” for the official pages on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. But there is no better way to reconnect with Canisius than to visit campus. The college hosts any number of concerts, lectures and athletic events throughout the academic year. And plan now to attend Alumni Weekend on June 3-4, 2011.

“Canisius College alumni are the greatest ambassadors of the college,” says Langer. “And with nearly 40,000 alumni in Western New York, the United States and across the globe, we can all make alma mater matter in very tangible ways.”

The Canisius College Alumni Association Board of Directors elected four new members. The Board works with the Office of Alumni Relations on initiatives that engage graduates in direct and meaningful ways with the college so that alumni develop long-term relationships with alma mater. Members of the Alumni Board of Directors serve three-year terms. The new members are:

The Alumni Association is now accepting

applications and nominations for at-large

members of the Board of Directors. If you

or someone you know is interested, visit

canisius.edu/alumni/board.asp.

The deadline for applications and nominations

is March 4, 2011.

Make Alma Mater Matter

alumni association Elects Four to Board of Directors

nOMInatE nEW BOaRD MEMBERS


honors reunionMore than 100 alumni of the All-College Honors Program reunited to celebrate 50 years of the close-knit scholarly community, in September.

Pictured (l-r): Dennis Coakly ’94, MSEd ’03, Scott Sroka ’94 and Canisius President John J. Hurley, a 1978 alumnus of the All-College Honors Program.

To view more pictures from the All-College Honors Reunion, visit canisius.edu/alumni.

EDWaRD J. KELLEy ’08 Derivative Operations Specialist Citigroup Inc.

JEFFREy M. pRIORE ’83 Attorney Legal Aid of Buffalo

paULInE c. WILL ’93 Partner Watson Bennett

JEnnIFER J. JOhnSOn- SMIth ’91, MS ’93 Territory Manager Takeda Pharmaceuticals


a n I E L J . Z IMME R ’83, MBa ’87 M AKE S FE W concessions when it comes to sports, travel and leisure. As vice president of corporate finance and develop-

ment for Delaware North Companies, Zimmer is responsible for the strategic finance initiatives of the $2 billion leader in the hospitality and food service industries, whose lengthy client list includes the Buffalo Sabres and the Buffalo Bills, as well as Yosemite National Park and the Kennedy Space Center. The position is the latest in Zimmer’s 15-year climb within the company, which keeps its global headquarters in Buffalo.

“It’s wonderful to be back home,” says Zimmer. “My family is here and the kids are in school here, including my daughter, Margaret, who is a junior marketing major at Canisius.”

For the past four years, Zimmer commuted to and from Boston, MA, where he served as vice president of business operations for the Boston Bruins, the NHL franchise owned by Delaware North Companies Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Jacobs. Responsible for the business operations of the team, Zimmer managed finance, sales, marketing, retail, legal and the box office.

“It was a great part of my career,” says Zimmer, who concedes that his hockey allegiance is now with Boston. “I’m a big Bruins fan. You can tell by my office. It’s a no-Sabres zone.”

Although Zimmer’s hockey loyalty shifted, his Buffalo roots run deep.

Born and bred here, Zimmer graduated from St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute, and earned his bachelor’s degree in finance and his master’s degree in business from Canisus College. He landed his first full-time job as a commercial lender at Chemical Bank in Buffalo, where Zimmer spent 11 years before Delaware North recruited him. He attributes his tenure at Delaware North to the company’s hometown commitment.

“Delaware North is close to a 100-year old business and one of the largest private companies in the country, and it’s right here in Buffalo,” says Zimmer. “I’m very interested in seeing more organizations in Buffalo be successful like this.”

Zimmer had to cut ties with many of his Buffalo board mem-berships when he moved to Boston. But now that he is back, “I am trying to figure out where to re-enter,” he laughs. Alma mater is one of several places on his list, particularly because the school is now part of a family tradition.

“Canisius College is another great success story for Buffalo,” says Zimmer, who served on the college’s Business Advisory Council and Council on Accountancy. “It just has a great story to tell.”

A L u M n i s P o T L i G h TDaniel J. Zimmer ’83, MBa ’87: top of his Game


canisiusconnections

FAvoriTe ProFessor niGhT

Current and retired Canisius College professors hosted their first “Favorite Professors Night", as a way to reconnect with former students. Pictured above (l-r) are those professors in attendance.

Pictured are: Standing (L-R): Peter Schaber '75, PhD; Dewey Bayer, PhD; Joseph Bieron '59, MS '61, PhD; David Costello, PhD; Walter Sharrow, PhD; Larry Jones, PhD; Robert Butler, PhD; and Richard Escobales Jr., PhD. Seated (L-R): Thomas Banchich, PhD; Judith Larkin, PhD; Nancy Rosenbloom, PhD; Rev. Robert Haus, S.J.; James Valone, PhD; Harvey Pines, PhD; and Alan Duchan, PhD.

Nominations for the following 2011-2012 awards, inductions and commendations are now being accepted by the Canisius College Alumni Association:

2011 DIStInGUIShED FacULty aWaRDRecognizes a full-time faculty member for his/her outstanding contributions to the academic world and teaching excellence

Nominations deadline – January 10, 2011

2011 DIStInGUIShED SEnIOR aWaRDSRecognizes Canisius seniors who have distinguished themselves through academic excellence and leadership roles at the college


2011 LaSaLLE MEDaL Recognizes outstanding alumni who have made substantial con-tributions to advance the inter-ests of the college


2011 DIStInGUIShED aLUMnI aWaRDSRecognizes Canisius alumni who have distinguished themselves in their careers

Nominations deadline – March 10, 2011

2012 SpORtS haLL OF FaMEHonors former outstanding varsity athletes and teams that competed in intercollegiate athletics and those who have made outstanding contributions to Canisius athletics in non- playing capacities

Nominations deadline – July 11, 2011

2012 DIGaMMa hOnOR SOcIEty InDUctIOnSRecognizes alumni, faculty and administrators who have distin-guished themselves by working for the advancement of the college

Nominations deadline – August 10, 2011

For information on nomination criteria or to submit a nomination, visit canisius.edu/alumni.

call for nominations

Calling all snowbirds! If you live or vacation in Florida during the winter months, then make plans now to attend any one of the college’s many alumni receptions in the Sunshine State.

For information, call 1-800-201-4952 or visit canisius.edu/alumni.

JUpItER/WESt paLM/paLM BEach Friday, March 25

Ft. LaUDERDaLE/MIaMI Saturday, March 26

taMpa/St. pEtERSBURG Sunday, March 27

SaRaSOta Tuesday, March 29

VEnIcE Wednesday, March 30

napLES Saturday, April 2

Snowbirds: Save the Date


EAD-PAINT POISONING IS A SILENT EPIDEMIC among children in the United States but Fidelma L. Fitzpatrick ’91 is primed to represent those who don’t

otherwise have a voice. A member attorney with Motley Rice LLC and head of the firm’s environmental practice group, Fitzpatrick is renowned for her litigation that holds the lead- paint industry accountable for childhood lead poisoning.

“Lead-paint poisoning remains one of the most common health problems that affect American children,” says Fitzpatrick.

As a result of her work, the Wisconsin State Supreme Court became the first to recognize the legal rights of poisoned chil-dren to sue lead pigment manufacturers. Fitzpatrick currently pursues similar litigation in New York City and San Francisco. She also represented the state of Rhode Island against former corporate manufactures of lead paint.

“One of the problems with the legal system is when you have a lead-poisoned child you have to wait until they show all the affects of being poisoned before you can sue,” explains Fitzpatrick. “What the state of Rhode Island did was to take a proactive stance and say ‘We’re going to solve this problem before a child gets lead poisoning.’”

The danger from lead-paint is inside and outside the home. Residences built between 1900 and 1950 have the highest concentrations of lead paint, although homes built up until 1978 are also at risk. “It wasn’t until then that the U.S. govern-ment prohibited lead-based pigments.” What’s more, adds Fitzpatrick, there is a direct correlation between lead-paint poisoning and socioeconomic status.

“To fix the problem requires professional work and when you’re an inner-city family - where most of these older homes are located - that is struggling to make ends meet, you don’t have the money to pay for a comprehensive inspection, to buy HEPA filters, or to buy the special soap. This leaves families unprotected.”

Fitzpatrick’s landmark litigation against lead-paint is the most recent in her successful legal career. Her early involvement with Motley Rice involved groundbreaking lawsuits against the tobacco industry in Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island, and water and contaminated soil matters. Outside her professional practice, Fitzpatrick serves as a volunteer attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union and a member of the American Association for Justice. She believes all her work has a central theme.

“There are incredible issues of poverty versus wealth; David versus Goliath. When you look at examples of children being poisoned by lead or people drinking carcinogen-laden water, you realize that a better balance needs to be struck.”

A L u M n i s P o T L i G h T

Fidelma L. Fitzpatrick ’91: Landmark Litigator

class notes1940s’43 Edward S. Czapla, a retired employee of New York Telephone Co., and his wife, Rosemary, were named Family of the Year by the Secular Franciscan Order’s Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha Region. He also received the organization’s 2010 Franciscan Peace Award.

1950s’50 BS Louis C. Cloutier, MD, retired medical director of Sisters of Charity Hospital, received the Presidents Club Award from the Sisters Hospital Past Presidents Club, in recognition of his years of service and innovation at the hospital.

’50 BA, HON ’00 Robert J. Kresse, of counsel at Hiscock & Barclay LLP, was named chairman of the Niagara River Greenway Commission. He was also named chairman of the Darwin D. Martin House Restoration Corporation Complex Board of Directors.

’55 BS, HON ’94 Joseph J. Castiglia, former consultant with JBC Enterprises, was elected treasurer of the Olmsted Parks Conservancy Board of Trustees.

’55 BA Anthony J. Colucci Jr., of counsel at Colucci & Gallaher PC, received the Martindale Hubbell Honoree Award, its highest honor peer recognition, for 25 consecutive years with Martindale Hubbell’s top rating.

’56, HON ’81 R. Carlos Carballada, commissioner of the Rochester Department of Neighborhood and Business Development, was named Hispanic Business Person of the Year by the Rochester Hispanic Business Association. He also received the 73rd annual Rochester Rotary Award, which recognizes dedication to community service.

’57 BA, HON ’78 J. Michael Collins, retired president and chief financial officer of the Western New York Public Broadcasting Association, was elected to the Buffalo Broadcasters Association Board of Directors.

1960s’61 BA Philip R. Bousquet, retired operating supervisor of the Social Security Administration, was elected vice president of District VIII of the New York State Convention of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association.

’63 BA Ronald J. Huefner, PhD, professor of accounting at the State University of New York at Buffalo, received the Distinguished Service Award from the New York State Society of CPAs.

’64 BA Joseph W. Cervi, MD, partner at Parkview Primary Care Physicians, was elected to the Catholic Independent Practice Association Board of Directors.

’64 BA Joseph M. Hassett, PhD, of counsel at Hogan Lovells LLP, authored the book W.B. Yeats and the Muses, which explores how nine women inspired much of W.B. Yeats’ poetry.

’64 BA Robert S. Swiatek, a self-employed author, released his latest book The Joy of Life. The book features recipes and cooking anecdotes.

’65 BS Frank E. Swiatek, president of Frank Swiatek & Associates, was re-elected chairman of the Erie County Water Authority.

’66 BA, HON ’05 Robert M. Greene, partner at Phillips Lytle LLP, received the 2010 St. Thomas More Award from the St. Thomas More Guild, for demonstrating balance between his commitment to the law and his commitment to the principles of the Catholic faith.

’66 BA Joseph A. Ralabate, MD, a general surgeon in his own practice, was re- appointed assistant treasurer of the Catholic Independent Practice Association Board of Directors.

’67 BA Brian J. O’Mara, managing partner of John Hancock Financial Network, received the company’s Leading with Excellence Award.

’68 BA Terrence M. Connors, partner at Connors & Vilardo LLP, received the 2010 Lawyer of the Year Award from the Erie County Bar Association.

’68 BA Dennis J. Dombek, retired president of the JP Morgan Chase Buffalo Division, was appointed chairman of the Catholic Health System Board of Directors.

’69 BA Kenneth E. Kendall, PhD, a distinguished professor of management at Rutgers University School of Business, was named Educator of the Year for 2010 by the Education Special Interest Group, in recognition of his efforts to lead the field of information systems education.

1970s’70 BS Lawrence M. Lawler, a senior partner and tax resolution specialist at Lawler & Witkowski CPAs PC, was interviewed by Bob Sullivan, editor of MSNBC.com, about scam and fraudulent companies that claim to be able to settle tax debt for pennies on the dollar.

’71 BA Mark J. Lema, MD, PhD, chair of anesthesiology at Roswell Park Cancer Institute and a professor at the University at Buffalo, was elected vice president of the Medical Society of Erie County. He also received the Excellence in Service medal from the SUNY-Downstate Medical Center’s Residents & Fellows Alumni Society.

’72 BA Richard F. Cronin, a claims representative at U.S. Social Security Administration, received the 2010 Man of the Year award from St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute Alumni Association, in recognition of his service to the school.

’72 BA John R. Edson, a librarian in the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library system, authored Hamburg Revisited, a pictorial history book that chronicles that people who led Hamburg in business, education, religion and civic events during the town’s period of growth in the first half of the 20th century.

’72 MS Elizabeth N. Kolber, first vice president of investments at Merrill Lynch & Company Inc., was named to the newly-formed Development Advisory Board for the Sisters of Mercy New York & Pennsylvania.

’72 BA Ronald H. Luczak, director of marketing at Travel Team Inc., was appointed to the Arts in Education Institute of Western New York Board of Directors.

’73 MS Elizabeth J. Cappella, PhD, distin-guished service professor in the Education Foundations Department at Buffalo State College, was a co-recipient of the Bernice Poss Award from the Western New York Regional Committee of the Network for Women Leaders in Higher Education.

’75 BA, MBA ’79 Mary Catherine Bukowski, senior project analyst at M&T Bank Corporation, received the 2010 Women of Influence Award in the community supporter category, from Buffalo’s Business First.

’75 BS Kevin M. Marmion, president of William S. Hein & Co., marked his 40th anniversary with the company. Marmion began his career at the company as a part-time warehouse employee.

’76 BA Margaret W. Paroski, MD, executive vice president and chief medical officer of Kaleida Health, was re-elected to the Community Health Foundation of Western & Central New York Board of Trustees.

’76 BA Peter M. Vito, chief executive officer of Peter M. Vito & Associates Inc., was elected to the Suneel’s Light Board of Directors.

’77 BS Kathleen T. (Scully) Grimm, MD, a physician at Quaker Medical Associates, was elected to the Kaleida Health Board of Directors. She also received the Lifeline Chairman’s Distinguished Service Award from the ECMC Lifeline Foundation for her work on the Great Lakes Health of Western New York Inaugural Professional Steering Committee.

’77 BA, MS ’80 Donna J. (Billings) Luh, owner of Luh Consulting Services, was appointed vice president of the Cheektowaga Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors. She was also named vice chair of the Thruway Authority Canal Corporation Board of Directors.

’78 MBA Paul R. Chisholm, president and chief executive officer of Insurance Associates Marketplace, was installed as vice president of the Independent Insurance Agents’ Association of Western New York.

’78 BA James P. Maxwell, chief assistant district attorney of Onondaga County, received the 2010 Prosecutor of the Year - Appellate Advocacy Award from the New York State Prosecutors’ Training Institute.

’78 MS Ellen R. (Domzalski) Pierino, director of library services at Damon & Morey LLP, was elected treasurer of the Buffalo Chapter of the Association of Legal Administrators.

’78 BA Hon. Michael F. Pietruszka, county court judge for the New York State government, was elected to the Polish American Congress, Western New York Division Board of Directors.

’78 BS Douglas D. Smith, vice president and district credit officer at HSBC Bank, was named a section director for Alpha Kappa Psi, a national business fraternity, responsible for the Canisius College, Cornell University, Gannon University, Geneseo College and the State University of New York at Buffalo chapters.

’78 BA, MBA ’85 Nancy W. Ware, president of Edukids Inc., received the 2010 Women of Influence Award in the entrepreneur category from Buffalo’s Business First.

’79 BA Bruce E. Supernault, partner at Planned Futures Financial Planning Coordinators, was elected president of the Buffalo chapter of the Society of Financial Service Professionals Board of Directors.

1980s’80 BS Maureen (Kraus) Athoe, systems group controller at Moog Inc., was appointed to the Mercy Hospital Foundation Board of Trustees.

’80 BA Laurie J. (Styka) Bloom, an attorney at Nixon Peabody, was elected president of the Law Alumni Association at the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law.

’80 BS Robert F. Cavallari is the new vice president of finance and administration at Canisius High School. He previously served as vice president of finance at Synacor Inc.

’80 MS Joseph J. Cozzo, chief executive officer of the Buffalo Hearing & Speech Center, was elected to the Community Health Foundation of Western & Central New York Board of Trustees.

’80 BA Mark A. Montour, Lancaster town justice, was named “Jurist of the Year” by the Judges & Police Conference of Erie County.

’80 BA Mary V. (Travers) Murphy is the new executive director of the Family Justice Center of Erie County. She previously served as town supervisor of Orchard Park.

’82 BA Kevin E. Cichocki, DC, a chiropractor at Lancaster Depew Chiropractic, was elect-ed vice president of the Erie County Medical Center Corporation Board of Directors.

’82 BS Michael F. Ickowski, chief financial officer at Mount St. Mary’s Hospital, was elected to the Catholic Independent Practice Association Board of Directors.

’82 BA Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker, president and chief executive officer of the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, was selected to participate in Vision 2020, a national leadership project focused on advancing gender equality and women’s leadership. She also received the 2010 Women of Influence Award in the nonprofit leadership category from Buffalo’s Business First.

’82 BS C. Brion Neary is the new furniture sales and market manager of Integrity Office Supply. He previously served as national sales manager of Stratmar Retail Services.

’82 BA Timothy G. O’Connell is the new equal senior partner with Gelber & O’Connell. He previously served as partner and senior trial lawyer at Siegel, Kelleher & Kahn.

’82 MBA John R. Pustulka was promoted to president of the pipeline and storage business unit at National Fuel. He previously served as senior vice president of that unit.

’82 BA Teresa M. Wozniak is the new product manager for the lane/refraction products at Reichert Inc. She previously served as senior market research analyst at Gaymar Industries.

’83 BS John W. Eckel is the new head athletic trainer at Whitman College in Washington. He previously served as head athletic trainer at New York University.


new job? newly married? new arrival to the family?Simply E-mail your news and notes to [email protected]. The editors will share your accomplishments in a future issue of Canisius College Magazine. Just remember to indicate Alumni Note, Alumni Wedding or baby griff in the subject field of your E-mail.

’83 BS David M. Gelia, executive vice president of United Insurance Agency Inc., is chairman of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of New York Board of Directors.

’83 BS Karl F. Krebs was promoted to chief financial officer of Financial Institutions Inc., the parent company of Five Star Bank. He previously served as executive vice president.

’83 BA Martin C. Mahoney, MD, PhD, chairman of Roswell Park Cancer Institute, was named to the New York State Colorectal Cancer Guidance Group, a new statewide panel that promotes colorectal cancer screenings.

’84 MBA James R. Boldt, chief executive officer of Computer Task Group Inc., was named vice chairman of the Catholic Health System Board of Directors.

’84 BS, MBA ’91, MPA ’93 Jeffrey F. Hart, assistant vice president of National Fuel, was named deputy county executive of Erie County.

’84 BS, MBA ’95 James R. Nowicki was promoted to assistant vice president of BB&T. He joined the bank in 2009, and served most recently as business development officer in the Lending & Marketing Group Department.

’84 BA Richard T. Saraf is the new partner at Kenney Shelton Liptak & Nowak LLP. He previously served as an attorney and equity partner at Goldberg Segalla LLP.

’85 BA John P. Huber, vice president and regional manager at Lakeshore Savings Bank, was appointed to lead the bank’s newest Erie County branch, located in Depew, NY. He joined the bank in 2003, and served as vice president and regional manager at the East Amherst branch.

’85 BS Peter F. Seitz, financial analyst at National Grid, was named chair of the Western Division Federal Credit Union Board of Directors.

’85 MBA Mary C. (Smith) St. Mary is the new trade commissioner for the Canadian Consulate General in Buffalo. She previ-ously served as a self-employed marketing consultant.

’86 BA Susan J. (Irwvin) Curry is the new director of the Public Interest Law & Policy Program at the University of Chicago Law School. She previously served as executive director and attorney at the Public Interest Law Initiative in Chicago, IL.

’86 BA, MSED ’03 Paula M. DeAngelis-Stein is senior producer and director at Daybreak TV Productions, a part of the Communications Department of the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo.

’87 BA John M. Cambria Jr., equipment specialist and practice management consultant at Patterson Dental, was re-elected president of the St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute Alumni Association.

’87 BS Paula M. (Piotrowski) Catlin is the new vice president and relationship manager at National Wealth Management. She previously served as vice president and trust officer at U.S. Trust Bank of America Private Wealth Management.

’87 BS Gregory G. Emminger, vice president of business banking at First Niagara Bank, was named Lender of the Year for 2010 by the New York Business Development Corporation.

’87 BA Lisa (Bieron) Hoffman, MD, an internist with Southgate Medical Group, was elected to the Catholic Independent Practice Association Board of Directors.

’87 BA Jerome S. Kozacki, partner at Willcox Buyck & Williams PA, in Florence, SC, was elected to the St. Anthony Catholic School Advisory Board.

’87 BA Kirsta M. (Prigg) Kozacki, MD, is a new family physician in the Carolinas Hospital Systems in Florence, SC. She previously served as a family practitioner at Florence Family Health Care.

’87 BS Edward Lisowski is a new wealth adviser with M&T Bank Investment Group. He has 23 years of experience in the financial services industry and previously served as an independent financial advisor.

’87 BS, MBA ’92 William M. Nosky was appointed branch manager of M&T Bank’s East Robinson office in Amherst, NY. He joined the company in 2000, and most recently served as branch manager in Tonawanda, NY.

’87 David M. Stapleton, president of David Homes Inc., was the keynote speaker at the graduation ceremony for Empire State College’s Niagara College Frontier Center.

’88 BA Sean P. Beiter, partner at Jaeckle Fleischmann & Mugel LLP, was elected to the firm’s executive committee. He also received the 2010 Scouter Citizen of the Year award by the Boy Scouts of America Greater Niagara Frontier Council Inc.

’88 BA Barbara J. Burns is the new public information officer for U.S. Attorney Bill Hochul. She previously served as a reporter and anchor for WBEN-AM.

’88 BA, MBA ’90 Andrew J. Shaevel, chief executive officer of Bobalew Ventures, was elected vice chair of the Jewish Community Centers Association of North America Board of Directors.

’89 BA Elizabeth A. (Bauer) Donovan, director of public relations and special events at Baker Victory Services Inc., received the May C. Randazzo Outstanding Practitioner Award from the PRSA Buffalo/Niagara Chapter at the 21st Annual Excalibur Awards.

’89 MBA June W. Hoeflich, retired president and chief executive officer of Sheehan Memorial Hospital, was elected to the HealthNow Board of Directors.

’89 BA Kenneth F. Weixlmann Jr. was appointed manager of Key Bank’s Orchard Park Union Branch. He joined the bank as a teller in 1989 and most recently served as manager of the East Aurora branch.

1990s’90 BA Kyle A. (Clancy) Donaldson, financial development coordinator for the YMCA of Greater Buffalo Corporate Office, received the organization’s Employee of the Year Award.

’90 BS, MBA ’95 Michael F. Newman, executive vice president of NOCO Energy Corp., was elected to the Kaleida Health Foundation Board of Directors.

’90 BA Ronald A. Raccuia, president of Integrity Office and ADPRO Sports, was named to the Canisius High School Board of Trustees.

’91 BS David R. Adams was named a member of Hurwitz & Fine PC. He joined the law firm in 2008 and serves as a member of its Litigation Department.

’91 BS Michael J. Montante, vice president of Uniland Development Company, was elected to the Catholic Health System Board of Directors.

’91 BS Joyce A. Zadzilka, assistant professor of accounting practice at Syracuse University, was named the Beta Gamma Sigma Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year by the 2010 graduating seniors of the University’s Whitman School of Management.

’92 BA John C. Affronti was promoted to regional vice president at Element K in Phoenix, AZ. He previously served as director of sales.

’92 MPA, MBA ’98 Ellen R. Christy, manager of Upstate New York West Security for National Grid, was named chair of the Western Division Federal Credit Union Board of Directors.

’92 BA Sandra J. Marcella, quality improve-ment manager for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, was appointed to the Historical & Architectural Review Board in Carlisle, PA.

’92 MBA Maureen Millane, associate dean of external business programs and profes-sional development at Canisius College, was elected to the P2 Collaborative of Western New York Inc. Board of Directors.

’92 BA Todd M. Orszulak Jr., DO, a physician in private practice, was re-appointed to the Catholic Independent Practice Association Board of Directors.

’92 BS Joseph M. Peter, an accountant at Architect of the Capitol, successfully met the Association of Government Accountants’ certification requirements by examination and was granted the designation of Certified Government Financial Manager.

’92 BS Nora E. Eberl Plizga, controller at Eberl Irons Works Inc., received the 2010 Women of Influence Award in the family business category from Buffalo’s Business First.

’92 BA Molly E. (Eberz) Rump is the new strategic business development leader at C.E.M. Business Solutions in Perrysburg, OH. She previously served as district manager at Automated Data Processing Company.

’92 BA, MPA ’96 Mark A. Sullivan, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Catholic Health Systems, was elected to the Catholic Independent Practice Association Board of Directors.

’93 MBA, MBAA ’96 Sanjay Chadha is the new senior director of service line operations and business development at Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center. He previously served as vice president of ambulatory services and business development at Buffalo General Hospital.

’93 BA Lisa M. Mendonza, MD, a family physician at Kenmore Family Medicine LLP, was elected to the Catholic Independent Practice Association Board of Directors.

’93 BA Christopher L. Sasse is the new senior account executive with Comcast Spotlight’s Southern New Jersey Division. He previously served as vice president of sales at Howard Systems International.

’93 BA Anthony B. Targia, officer and shareholder at Chelus Herdzik Speyer & Monte PC, was named to the Cheektowaga Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

’94 BA Tracy A. (Wessel) Gray was promoted to executive director of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Western New York. She pre-viously served as director of development.

’94 BA Michael P. Hughes, vice president of marketing, public relations and government affairs at Kaleida Health, received the 2010 Canisius College Marilyn G.S. Watt Alumni Award.

’94 BA Matthew J. Igoe is the new general manager of the Chicago division of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway. He joined the company in 1998 following four years of service as an officer in the U.S. Army.

’95 BA Paul F. Bove, technical editor at Water Environment Federation, received his master’s degree in public relations and corporate communications from Georgetown University.

’95 AA, BA ’00 Sharon L. Hanson, manager of public & government affairs at Time Warner Cable, was re-elected to a second term as chair of the Erie County Medical Center Corp. Board of Directors.

’95 MBA Peter J. Munich was promoted to wealth adviser in the M&T Bank Corporation Investment Group. He previously served as an independent financial consultant.

’96 BA Therese J. (Angilella) Hickok is the new senior marketing manager at Uniland Development Company. She previously served as director of communications and corporate marketing services at HealthNow New York Inc.

’96 BA James J. Mezhir, MD, is the new assistant professor and surgical oncologist at the University of Iowa. He previously served as a surgical oncology fellow at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, NY.

’96 BA John F. O’Donnell Jr., founder of O’Donnell & Associates LLP, was elected treasurer of the Erie County Water Authority.

’96 MPA Mary Diana Pouli was promoted to executive director of the newly-combined Youth Recreation Department in Amherst. She previously served as senior program director.

’96 BA Paula M. Sandy is the new manager of communications at the Buffalo Niagara Partnership. She previously served as public relations and development officer at the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library.

’96 MSED Theresa A. (Drilling) Schuta, principal at South Park High School, received the 2010 Women of Influence Award in the community supporter category from Buffalo’s Business First.

’97 BA Mark E. Ciemcioch, staff reporter for Western New York Catholic at the Diocese of Buffalo, was recognized by the Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada with the first place award for his feature article, entitled “Rwandan Couple has Faith in Innocence.”

’97 BS John K. Grandy, physician’s assistant at Lee Medical Associates, gave a presen-tation on “Selected Genetic Destination and the Rise of Homo Sapiens Genomicus” at the International Journal of Arts & Sciences Conference at Harvard University. He also had a chapter, titled “DNA and Genetic Engineering,” published in 21st Century Anthropology.

’97 BA Ernestali Perez Jr. is the new account executive at Toshiba Business Solutions. He previously served at IKON Office Solutions.

’97 BA John S. Prizner III is the new director of development for the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Management. He previously served as a development officer at Canisius College.

’97 BS David R. Stromecki, vice president of Brown & Stromecki Agency Inc., was elected to the Buffalo chapter of the Society of Financial Service Professionals Board of Directors.


’97 BA Marc Swygert was promoted to principal at Independence Elementary School in Rock Hill, SC. He previously served as assistant principal.

’97 BS Mark C. Zawodzinski was promoted to assistant vice president of Five Star Bank. He joined the company in 2008 and most recently served as an accountant.

’98 BS John P. Grimaldi is the new co-owner of FWS Home Furnishings. He previously served as an executive at Raymour & Flanigan.

’98 BA Linda A. Harrington, a Spanish teacher at Starpoint Central School, adopted a 12-year-old orphan from Bogota, Columbia, on February 2, 2010. Her son’s name is Jhonatan Andres.

’98 MS Jill M. Szczesek is the new event coordinator at the Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute. She previously served as co-director of admissions at Canisius College.

’99 BS Kevin J. Helfer is the new commis-sioner of the Department of Parking for the city of Buffalo. He previously served as executive director of Buffalo Civic Auto Ramps Inc.

’99 BS Joseph Philippone is the new vice president and manager of the KeyBank Grand Island branch. He previously served as vice president and branch manager of HSBC Bank.

’99 MBA Catherine F. Schweitzer, executive director of the Baird Foundation, was elected treasurer of the Kaleida Health Foundation Board of Directors and chair of the Women & Children’s Hospital of Buffalo Foundation Board of Directors.

’99 MBA Jeffrey G. Wagner, lead shift supervisor at National Grid, was named vice chair of the Western Division Federal Credit Union Board of Directors.

2000s’00 BS Joseph A. Lombardo was promoted to administrative vice president at M&T Bank. He joined the bank in 2000, and manages the business banking loan processing center and oversees its government guaranteed lending unit.

’00 BA Seth A. Trego, an addiction counselor at Unity Health System, received his National Certified Counselor credential, after success-fully passing a national certification test.

’01 BS Nicholas Fiume, senior manager of assurance services at Deloitte & Touche LLP, was elected assistant treasurer of the Meals on Wheels for Western New York Board of Directors.

’01 MS Lisa M. (Eichner) Roy was promoted to senior director at the Buffalo Niagara Partnership. She previously served as sales and marketing manager.

’02 MBA John T. Gavigan, vice president and general manager of Xerographic Solutions Inc., was appointed to a two-year term on the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences Board of Managers.

’02 MS Deborah F. Philpott, senior business analyst at National Grid, was elected to the Western Division Federal Credit Union Board of Directors.

’02 MSED Christopher A. Robins, dean of students at Niagara Street Elementary School, was elected to a three-year term on the Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center Board of Trustees.

’02 BS Jennifer L. Seymour was promoted to accountant and human resource manager at Nussbaumer & Clarke Inc. She previously served as an accountant.

’02 BS Mark A. Zogaria, a certified public accountant at Seed Capital Partners, was elected to the Meals on Wheels for Western New York Board of Directors.

’03 BS Alexander J. Bielecki was promoted to world-wide financial analyst at Electrophotographic Printing Solutions, for Eastman Kodak Company in Rochester, NY. He previously served as senior financial auditor.

’03 BA Gary A. Bostwick, copywriter at Interpublic Group’s Mullen Agency in Winston-Salem, NC, received three Gold ADDY Awards from the American Advertising Federation.

’03 BS, MSED ’06 Susan P. Burzynski, a clinical hygienist with James A. Hoddick DDS, received the 2010 Sunstar/RDH Award of Distinction, in recognition of her career accomplishments in private practice in the Buffalo, NY area.

’04 BS Ryan J. Gentner is a new engineer in the E-mail and communications group at Synacor. He previously served as a lead programmer for Simple Software Corp.

’04 BS Alan M. Knowles is a new staff accountant at Exigence. He previously served as a general ledger staff accountant at Billit LLC.

’04 MS Lisa M. (Herberger) Krueger is the new principal of High School House III in Orchard Park. She previously served as principal of Eggert Road Elementary School.

’06 BS Brian J. Kern, senior accountant at Lumsden & McMormick LLP, was elected to a three-year term on the Salvation Army Advisory Board.

’07 MSED Richard M. Owczarzak is the new girls’ basketball coach at Spencerport High School. He previously served as an assistant women’s basketball coach at Erie Community College.

’07 BA Daniel S. Sheron was promoted to treasury sales analyst at Bank of America. He previously served as a commercial banker.

’08 BS Daniel R. Paradise, financial consultant at AXA Advisors LLC, was named advisor of the Canisius College Chapter of Alpha Kappa Psi, a national business fraternity.

’08 MBA Christopher Randall was promoted to senior vice president at M&T Bank. He is also president and chief executive officer of M&T Securities, responsible for administra-tion within the bank’s Investment Group.

’09 BS Adam W. Bojanowski, product control analyst at Citi, was named a member of the Chapter Advisory Board for Alpha Kappa Psi, a national business fraternity, with responsibilities pertaining to alumni relations for the Canisius College Chapter.

’09 BA Nicholas F. Borth, associate product manager at Infor Global Solutions, was named a member of the Alpha Kappa Psi’s Delta Tau Chapter at Canisius College. His responsibilities include guiding membership and ritual activities.

’09 BS Meaghan K. Shaffer, a student in the master’s of business administration program at Canisius College, was named a member of the advisory board for Alpha Kappa Psi’s Delta Tau Chapter at Canisius College. Her responsibilities include policies and procedures and the chapter bylaws.

’09 BS Therese E. Taylor is the new store manager at United Parcel Service. She pre-viously served as a service team leader at Wegmans Food Markets.

’10 BS Richard W. Ryskalczyk is a new associate analyst at Sandhill Investment Management.


Benjamin F. Werth ’37 June 7, 2010

helen M. Scanlon ’38 June 21, 2010

Robert c. Schopp ’38, MD May 30, 2010

Leon J. trum ’43 May 23, 2010

Rev. Msgr. Edward J. Ulaszeski ’45 June 24, 2010

Donald W. hoch ’46, MS ’48 May 28, 2010

James B. Salada ’46 May 17, 2010

thomas D. Ryan ’47 June 28, 2010

Richard a. hoen ’50 August 2, 2010

William B. Maloney ’50 June 25, 2010

George Ellis ’51 June 10, 2010

Jean G. Gaulin ’51 May 15, 2010

Daniel L. Johnston ’51 July 19, 2010

John J. nihill ’51 May 8, 2010

John F. O’Donnell ’51 July 5, 2010

Edward a. Roman ’51 June 24, 2010

David F. Weppner ’51, MD August 5, 2010

harry J. Marmion Sr. ’53 May 22, 2010

thomas E. O’Brien ’53 May 9, 2010

Joseph I. Sexton ’53 December 4, 2009

James M. Dougherty ’54 May 12, 2010

austin W. Gaughan ’56 June 11, 2010

Richard D. Walsh ’57 June 14, 2010

James h. McMorrow ’59 May 26, 2010

Janice M. (Wood) camplin MS ’60 July 8, 2010

John W. Bisantz ’61, MBa ’73 June 13, 2010

Wesley W. hughes ’62 June 28, 2010

paul a. peters ’62 June 19, 2010

William c. curtin ’64 July 2, 2010

nicholas J. DiMartina ’64 July 23, 2010

Michael L. Mccarthy ’65 July 27, 2010

clifton R. Sanders MS ’69 May 27, 2010

Richard c. Fleischer ’70 April 27, 2010

Joan M. Gibson MS ’70, phD May 31, 2010

Dorothy D. norton Ma ’71 June 17, 2010

Mina a. callis MS ’72 June 8, 2010

Jerry J. Buccafusco MS ’73 March 6, 2010

helen M. (pasternak) Gottesman MS ’73 June 26, 2010

Barbara L. (Serenski) Becker ’74 August 5, 2010

Judith a. Dompkowski ’74, phD July 14, 2010

peter M. Fox ’78 July 24, 2010

Marlene M. (Sweet) Strader ’78 May 12, 2010

Sr. Jeanne Marie hartigan MS ’80 July 22, 2010

Karen L. pawlik ’80 June 10, 2010

Mark a. Kautz ’84 May 30, 2010

Jeffrey a. Wendling ’87 June 24, 2010

Louise M. Leonard Kumpf ’89 June 13, 2010

ann M. Rubin MS ’92 July 12, 2010

Kevin R. Sweet ’92 July 9, 2010

aleece J. Burdine MSED ’93 July 8, 2010

peter Q. neville ’93 May 12, 2010

patrick t. Butler ’99 July 7, 2010

andrea Zomer MBa ’02 May 7, 2010

to see what alumni events are happening in your area, visit

the alumni calendar of Events at canisius.edu/alumni.

I N M E M O R I A M


Marcie J. (Gruener) aiello ’99 and Todd Aiello, a son, adam Joseph, born December 13, 2009

alexander J. Bielecki ’03 and Julie R. bielecki, a son, alexander John Jr., born November 8, 2009

Gary a. Bostwick ’03 and Vanessa bostwick, a daughter, camille Violet, born July 15, 2009

carrie Jo (Simmons) Brunelle ’02 and Ryan brunelle, a son, chase Mathews, born June 28, 2010

Elaine S. (Fadgen) carder ’02 and brandon E. Carder, a son, nolan Bennett, born July 20, 2010

Laura L. (Kuntz) carter ’97 and Darron Carter, a son, theodore David, born January 25, 2010

Jessica (powers) Egan ’01 and Ryan Egan ’01, a daughter, Riley Madilyn, born April 12, 2010

Jessica J. (Burgasser) hapeman ’99 and Scott R. hapeman ’98, twin sons, tyler thomas and chase alan, born October 21, 2009

Kim M. (nablo) Jordan MBa ’98 and Anthony Jordan, a son, Shane patrick, born March 29, 2010

allison L. (Rooney) Kolarich ’93, MSED ’97 and Steven M. kolarich, a son, Jack James, born July 6, 2010

troy Maccormick ’97, MS ’02 and Niki Churchman MacCormick, a son, Rylan Laec, born January 22, 2010

Scott R. Snyder ’92 and liana (Rozo) Snyder, a son, nicholas Russell, born November 13, 2009

Kristen R. (Ruhland) Staley ’04 and Tony Staley, a son, andrew Joseph, born January 19, 2010

heather M. Stammler MS ’07, a son, John Devlin, born April 1, 2010

penny L. Wilkinson ’01 and billy Outlaw, a daughter, aleecia Marie, born January 8, 2010

think your baby ought to be in pictures? Send us a photo of your newborn with his/her name and date of birth. Each issue, we will draw from the entries. if your child’s picture is chosen, he/she will be featured as the next “baby griff.” Send photos to: Canisius College Magazine baby Pictures; 2001 Main Street, lyons Hall 209; buffalo, Ny 14208 or E-mail a high resolution photo to [email protected]. aLL Baby Griff photos submitted can be viewed on the college’s alumni site at canisius.edu/alumni/wedding_births.asp. Photos will be returned if a self-addressed, stamped envelope is provided.

Weddings

* aubrey a. arnold ’09 and John Hlavaty on June 26, 2010

* annemarie c. Barbarossa ’01, MSED ’08, MSED ’09 and Zachary p. Schneider ’04 on July 31, 2010

* Laura a. Blersch ’06 and andrew R. Boeing ’05 on July 17, 2010

* Brian M. Borawski ’05 and kimberly fura on August 7, 2010

nicole M. clark ’04 and Kristopher V. Kane ’04 on July 3, 2010

angela M. coffin ’04, MBa ’05 and Christopher M. kerr on June 26, 2010

Lauren R. cohen ’02 and andrew J. Kwiatkowski ’03 on July 9, 2010

* Kimberly L. cymerman ’05 and Brian E. Jasinski ’06 on July 17, 2010

andrew R. Doyle ’02 and karen levy on August 7, 2010

* timothy D. Duffy ’07 and Nicole Miller on July 24, 2010

* cassandra L. Ezzo ’05 and Joshua D. Vito ’04 on June 18, 2010

* Lisa c. Foligno ’08 and Daniel Carey on July 31, 2010

* Judith M. Gaume ’06 and Jesse Telaak on June 19, 2010

* Jessica a. Griffin ’04 and kyle kalbarczyk on June 12, 2010

Sarah J. heist ’05 and Robert lynn on June 12, 2010

* alison M. hohman ’07, MBa ’08 and Matthew t. clohessy ’07, MBa ’08 on July 10, 2010

* Renee M. Lefrancois ’06, MS ’10 and Michael D. tunney ’05 on July 24, 2010

amy M. Liberatore ’94 and brian M. Plecas on September 19, 2009

penny a. Marranca ’92 and Damon J. Mancuso on April 16, 2010

pamela S. Montague ’93, MBa ’96 and Rajesh Thanki on June 19, 2010

Melissa B. Montgomery ’07 and Robert E. Miller Jr. on June 18, 2010

* Sarah M. Musilli ’06 and Robert V. poltis ’05 on May 22, 2010

* Marissa M. Muskopf ’08, MSED ’10 and Joshua a. Merewether ’07 on July 3, 2010

* andrea M. narduzzo ’07, MSED ’10 and Daniel R. Wodarczak ’07 on August 21, 2010

* Sarah L. niland ’07 and Eric M. Soehnlein ’06 on June 5, 2010

amanda M. parobek ’02 and Robert Valenti on April 17, 2010

* Jessica M. paufler ’07 and christopher M. Mankowski ’03 on July 30, 2010

* Jacklyn M. percaciante ’06 and andrew c. price ’05 on July 23, 2010

* Eugenia V. Rocco ’08 and Thomas Canty Jr. on June 19, 2010

angela M. Rorabaugh ’08 and AJ bruno on September 26, 2009

* James p. Ryan ’07 and lauren Collins on July 3, 2010

Jeffrey J. Schlabach ’07 and Nicole k. gaske on May 29, 2010

* Jennifer L. Schutte ’03 and Timothy Pincoski on June 26, 2010

tara R. Schwendner ’07 and Adam R. kazmark on April 10, 2010

Kasey p. Scott ’08 and Justin W. goodpaster on June 13, 2010

* Evan M. Smith ’03 and lawren feheley on July 4, 2010

* Kimberly a. Spoth ’08 and Matthew frost on August 14, 2010

* Michael J. Stachowski ’70 and Carol lynn Petronaci on August 7, 2010

* amanda B. Stockwell ’08 and Ivan andrijevic ’09 on July 17, 2010

* Bridget a. Sullivan ’05 and Patrick Ryan on May 29, 2010

* Shannon M. Vitale ’03 and Jeffrey fisher on August 14, 2010

Jamie L. Willard ’02, MSED ’04 and charles R. Brittain MS ’04 on May 29, 2010

*Indicates married at Christ the King Chapel.

T H I S I S S U E ’ S F E A T U R E D B A B Y G R I F F

Patrick Josephborn to heather M. (Kalenda) ’01 and Keith R. Kwiatowski

March 2, 2010


Path to the Priesthood

Peter tassini ’10 follows his soul’s compass to become a diocesan priest, under the spiritual direction of the Jesuits.

STORY BY EILEEN C. HERBERT ’04 • PHOTOGRAPHY BY SUSANA RAAB

eter F. Tassini Jr. ’10 admires the Jesuits but says he is not meant to be one. The Jesuits at Canisius

College agree.

“Peter is very much like St. Peter in the Gospels,” says Rev. Michael F. Tunney, S.J., rector of the college’s Jesuit community and a friend of Tassini’s family. “He has a very pastoral instinct. Peter is an organizer and a leader; traits that will serve him well as a diocesan priest.”

Tassini took the first formal steps to become a diocesan priest this fall, when he arrived at Theological College, the national seminary of the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. The college is owned and administered by the Society of St. Sulpice, an association of diocesan priests dedicated to the formation of priests for the Catholic Church.

His choice to pursue a religious vocation is an increasingly rare occurrence in an age when fewer people choose to join the church. “It takes young people like Peter to step up to ordained service in the church, with all of its challenges in our contemporary world,” says Father Tunney.

Tassini has faith and a deep confidence that God directed him in his decision. He also praises the Jesuits at Canisius for their guidance in his spiritual, personal and intellectual growth.

“The Jesuits at Canisius helped me discern and discover where I would be most happy in my service to God,” says Tassini, who first began to consider a religious vocation as a teenager.

“Peter came to Canisius having a very personal relationship with God, a love of the Catholic faith and a desire to make a difference in the lives of people,” recalls Rev. John P. Bucki, S.J., director of campus ministry. “What’s more, he came here ready to share his love of the Holy Spirit with others. We simply provided him with a means to do so.”

Father Bucki encouraged Tassini to increase his role as a Eucharistic Minister and to undergo instruction to become a lector. Tassini also volunteered as a sponsor and teaching assistant for campus ministry’s Right of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), which prepares students, staff and alumni to receive the blessed sacraments of baptism, the Eucharist and confirmation.

But Tassini’s service ministry always remained paramount. He volunteered in nursing homes, at soup kitchens and in hospitals during campus ministry’s Winter Service Week in New York City. He assisted New Orleans Catholic Charities in the rebuilding ef-forts for victims of Hurricane Katrina. He also helped repair and rebuild houses in rural Appalachia, as part of the college’s annual Alternative Spring Break initiative.

“You see the greatest results when you help people through service work,” says Tassini. “The situation is never so bad that you can’t make a difference.”

Tassini says his most gratifying service experience took place some 7,000 miles away from Canisius College. During his sophomore year, he participated in a campus ministry service trip to Loyola Higher Secondary School in Chennai, India. Here, Tassini lived and learned among the Jesuit priests who teach and care for 800 of the region’s most poor, oppressed and dalit (untouchable) children.

“These children have so little yet they are willing to share so much of themselves, their space and even their food,” says Tassini. He explains that the children awakened him to the richness of relationships over material things. The Jesuits guided him on what it means to be truly flexible, tolerant and compassionate.

The encounter taught Tassini how to connect his experiences with his faith. “These experiences will help Peter when the time comes for him to guide others through hardships,” explains Father Bucki.

Tassini’s India experience also inspired him to initiate new prayer and reflection opportunities for students and the campus com-munity. He researched and produced “The Living Stations of the Cross.” Held during each Lenten season in Christ the King Chapel, the student performance uses scripture and music to follow the journey of Jesus to the cross. Tassini also introduced Eucharistic Adoration at Canisius. This weekly holy hour is a time for indi-viduals to gather outside of Mass to pray and show reverence to the Body of Christ.

“What is so significant here is that the campus community really embraced Peter’s ideas, and that when he organized them, he did so with the intention and planning that they continue long after he graduated,” says Father Bucki. “This showed great maturity and leadership, and was another indication of Peter’s priestly formation.”

Tassini’s formation actually began at a young age.

His parents, Peter Sr. and Margaret, always encouraged the close-knit family to attend weekly Mass together. They placed a priority on Catholic school education, which taught Tassini to recognize the presence of Christ in himself and others. By the time he was a teenager, Tassini became a volunteer at his parish, St. James, and ministered to the sick and elderly.

His chaplain at Bishop Ludden High School recognized Tassini’s penchant toward the church and suggested he speak with a vocation director at the Catholic Diocese of Syracuse. The director encour-aged Tassini to explore the priesthood further at a Jesuit college, which provides a high-quality Catholic education complemented by prayer and contemplation.


Tassini chose Canisius.

“Our job at Canisius and specifically amongst the Jesuits was to encourage Peter to explore different groups and different options, and to pray reflectively so that he could move toward freedom to make a good choice,” says Rev. Thomas Colgan, S.J., associate campus minister.

‘Father Tom’ served as Tassini’s spiritual advisor throughout most of his four years at Canisius. During that time, Tassini contemplated becoming a Jesuit priest, a diocesan priest and other religious vocations. Ultimately, he found his calling to become a diocesan priest through discern-ment and the Spiritual Exercises.

“It was a very rich and fruitful experience that taught me many things about myself and my vocation,” says Tassini. “I now have faith that my place is in a parish. I want to be with the same people week after week. I want to watch them grow and be a part of their lives from baptism to marriage and beyond.”

Tassini graduated from Canisius with a degree in religious

studies and theology and a minor in Catholic studies. His intellectual formation included the study of theology and philosophy, and culminated in a research paper that examined the qualities of Catholic higher education in the American Jesuit tradition and the ways it relates to Canisius College. Specifically, he explored the ways Canisius is Catholic and how the college might strength-en its Catholic identity. Tassini presented his findings at Ignatian Scholarship Day last spring.

“As a Catholic Jesuit university, Canisius College stands at a crossroads in the post-modern world and Peter addressed some very challenging issues in his research,” explains Rev. Patrick J. Lynch, S.J., professor of religious studies and theology, and Tassini’s academic advisor. “But he did so in a dynamic and engaging way. He drew a very large crowd of both students and faculty and really held the audience’s attention.”

Tassini faces his own challenges now, as he begins his first year as a seminarian. Theological College only ac-cepts men with above average leadership potential who are committed to in-depth academic and spiritual for-mation experiences. The expectations are high and the work is rigorous. Requirements include two years of pre-theology (Tassini will complete one year due to his Canisius degree and the number of philosophy classes he has already completed), four years of theology and a one year pastoral internship, which will place him back within the Catholic Diocese of Syracuse. Tassini will be ordained a deacon prior to his final year of school.

Certainly, the road to become a diocesan priest is long and much like Tassini’s Canisius experience it will be filled with education, prayer and contemplation. But he has faith in his future and is reflective of the lessons he learned from the Jesuits at Canisius.

“They taught me that people are most important,” he says. “As a parish priest I will preach the Gospel to and

for the people, pray with and for the people, and always stand for the truth with love.”

The prayers of the Jesuits and the entire Canisius com-munity are with Tassini as he begins his journey of life-long service to God.

“Peter will continue to make Canisius proud because of his human qualities, his aspirations and his idealism,” adds Father Tunney. “He can show people just how blessed our world, Church, and priesthood still can be by his commitment to serve God in this way.”

“The Jesuits at Canisius helped me discern and discover where I would be most happy in my service to God.”

- PETER TASSINI ’10

Canisius College Magazine

2001 Main Street | Buffalo, NY 14208 | canisius.edu

Pictured left is the late Rev. Ludwig Bonvin, S.J., a renowned Jesuit composer who taught music at Canisius College and Canisius High School, from 1887-1913.

Father Bonvin studied medicine and law until a religious calling drew him to Exaten, Holland, where he began his novitiate with the German Jesuits. It was during this time that Father Bonvin began to study music theory and compose orchestral and chamber music, as well as music for violin, piano and chorus.

He is most well-known for advancing the correct rendition of Gregorian chant and his English-Latin hymnbook “Hosanna,” which sets Catholic doctrine to melodies.

Canisius Magazine celebrates the college’s current composer-in-residence, Persis Vehar, on page 6. Vehar premiered “Golden Griffin Overture” on October 20, in honor of the inauguration of Canisius President John J. Hurley. The composition captures the spirit of the mythological Golden Griffin.

To learn more about Rev. Ludwig Bonvin, S.J., visit the Canisius archives online exhibit at canisius.edu/archives.

PHOTO COurTESY OF CaNISIuS COLLEGE arCHIVES

canisius college magazine -- fall 2010

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