FALL 2015 Newsletter Intro Dear Blue and Gold Society Alumni, Thank you for taking the time to check in with us to see what we have been up to so far this year! The 34 of us have been keeping busy all semester long planning, working and organizing events all across campus. In this edition of the Newsletter we will share some of these events with you as well as introduce you to some of our members and fellow PAA friends. As the holiday season approaches, our thoughts tend to turn towards our family and friends. I see all of the BGs as both my friends and my family. I hope that our Newsletter brings back some Pitt memories for you and reminds you of our family that continues to grow each year. Happy Holidays and Hail to Pitt! -Megan Schlegelmilch SHRS ‘16 President, Blue and Gold Society

Interview With a BG -Sid Dash

1) Name: Tom Radomski

Residence: Pittsburgh, PA Fun Fact: I’ve been a huge Frank Sinatra fan my entire life. What year did you join Blue & Gold?: 2003 Hobbies: Running, following politics, exploring new restaurants

2) What have you been up to since you graduated? I graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in the spring of 2006 and almost ten years later I’m finally in my last year of medical training! I started medical school at Penn State in August of 2006 and graduated in 2010. After that I was fortunate enough to match at UPMC for my Internal Medicine Residency. I finished my residency in 2013, chief resident year in 2014, and am currently in my last year of a fellowship in general internal medicine and clinical research.

3) How did Blue & Gold change you experience at Pitt and help you once you graduated? When I think of my time in Blue and Gold Society, I immediately think about the people. I met some of my best friends in college through Blue and Gold, and M.J. and the rest of office staff grew to feel like my Pitt family. I was also struck by how dedicated the leaders of the alumni association were to advancing Pitt’s mission. These leaders really set the example for me in terms of how to be professionally successful and give back to the University. Being a BG also inspired in me a strong sense of Pitt pride that has only gotten stronger over time!

4) What is your favorite Pitt tradition and why? I’ve loved homecoming ever since I saw my first fireworks show at the cathedral my freshman year, but I’m also a huge fan of the victory lights. Driving by the cathedral and seeing the victory lights has never gotten old.

5) What was your favorite Blue & Gold memory? I always really enjoyed working events at the Chancellor’s House as well as our retreats with the leadership of the alumni association.

6) One piece of life advice Don’t rush through life (or especially college!). It’s very important to set goals and prepare for the future, but you will have the rest of your life to work. Don’t be afraid to take the time to travel or make the most of a gap year.

7) How have you maintained a relationship with Pitt since you have become an alumnus? As a physician at UPMC and the VA, I’m around campus everyday. I’m a life member of the alumni association and I’m also a member of the alumni board for my fraternity, Delta Chi. You can also find me tailgating every homecoming!

Homecoming 2015 -Maddie Connelly The University of Pittsburgh celebrated another successful homecoming week as students and alumni came together in appreciation of Pitt's legacy and traditions. In the sake of tradition, the Blue and Gold Society once again organized and directed the race for Homecoming King and Queen. The 2015 race began with seven men and eight women running for the title. This year, candidates amplified the creativity aspect of campaigning by creating videos and social media accounts to spread their campaign message and love for Pitt. Students on campus voted Thursday and Friday to select the five men and five women who represented the homecoming court. The court was announced Friday evening after the Spectacular Fireworks and Laser Show on Bigelow Boulevard. Keeping with tradition, the candidates took the field during half time of the football game on Saturday. Dressed in their finest blue and gold attire, candidates anxiously awaited the results. Michael Hizny and Paige Lumley receiving the title of the University of Pittsburgh's 2015 Homecoming King and Queen. Both this year’s King and Queen are well rounded, involved Pitt students. Michael Hizny, a communications major, is a Pitt cheerleader and a member of Alpha Phi Omega. Lumley, a civil engineering major, is on the track and field team and involved with Engineers for a Sustainable World. As a part of the requirements for the Homecoming King and Queen, the royal pair took part in community service at Pitt Make a Difference Day, and look forward to sharing a dance with a lucky Cathedral Ball guest. Hizny and Lumley's title of the 2015 Homecoming King and Queen marks another successful celebration of Pitt's homecoming festivities. Hail to Pitt!

Rookie Coach Narduzzi Resurrects Flame in the Panther Football Experience -Brandon Scott With the December chills coming into the atmosphere, Pat Narduzzi’s first season as head coach of the Pitt Panther’s football team is slowly winds down. Finishing with an 8-4 record overall and a 6-2 record within the ACC and just the Military Bowl against the 9-2 Navy Midshipmen to come, there is no doubt that Pitt will be Narduzzi’s home for many seasons to come. Not only has the team embraced the previous Michigan State defensive coordinator, many players, such as defensive end Ejuan Price, cited saying they believe in their new head coach, but also the excitement has resonated into the stands. The Panther Pitt, the cheering section comprised of hundreds of screaming and enthused panthers, has also warmly welcomed Narduzzi to the Panther family. Returning with NFL prospect Tyler Boyd, and All-American and reigning Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year James Conner, as well as bringing new talent to the table such as the ACC offensive rookie of the year Qadree Ollison and the ACC defensive and overall rookie of the year Jordan Whitehead, the Panthers were able to break the .500 rut. This year’s strong team broke this unfortunate four season streak by winning big games against Virginia Tech and ACC rival Louisville. One of the panthers’ most exciting wins occurred on October 10th when they defeated the now 4-8 Virginia Cavaliers during their Homecoming game. The game ended with a thrilling drive, with Virginia striving to potentially tie the score late in the fourth quarter. However, the star defense of the panthers had something to say about it. They forced Virginia quarterback Matt Jones to throw four straight incompletion, which upheld the 26-19 win. This gave Pitt its first 4-1 start to their season since 2009. The success that the Panthers have earned this season and the introduction of a promising new head coach revitalized the football experience for all students at the university. The navy blue shirts of the Panther Pitt now seem to fill the contrasting yellow seats of Heinz Field for longer each game, the sound of Sweet Caroline at the end of the third quarter now seem to resonate louder throughout the stadium, and the bright gold victory lights at the top of the Cathedral of Learning now seem to shine brighter and more often. With this continued success, the future looks promising for Panther football.

Meet the 2015-2016 Blue and Gold Society! Executive Board

President Megan Schlegemelich

SHRS ‘16

Fun Fact: I used to wrestle greased pigs

when I was younger at the fairground!

External VP Jared Andes

ENGR ‘16

Favorite Pitt Memory: Leading the Cheers at

the Pep Rally and Bonfire and at the

Freshman Convocation this year!

Internal VP Timothy Joy

EDUC ‘17

Favorite Pitt Tradition: The Annual Bonfire Pep Rally that is held every

year at the beginning of the football season.

VP of Traditions Benjamin Schultz

CBA ‘16

Favorite Spot on Campus: The field up by

the Peterson Events Center. It’s a nice, quiet

outdoors spot that, when campus gets

chaotic, can remove you from hectic college

life

Student Director SAA Dustin Herbert

CBA ‘16

Favorite BGS Memory: Getting a behind-the-

scenes tour of the Cathedral.

Seniors

Jessica Bellis CBA ’16

Favorite BGS Event:

Dinner with 12 Panthers - seeing students and

alumni make connections is what BGS is all about.

Amy Check CBA ‘16

Favorite Pitt Memory: My first basketball in

the Oakland Zoo.

Kelsey Johnson A&S ‘16

Favorite Spot on

Campus: Sitting near the fountain in front of Frick Fine Arts Building with a good book and

fresh coffee!

Nathan Kendsersky A&S ‘16

Fun Fact: One of my

original acoustic guitar songs was played in

Times Square on New Years Eve!

Gregory Markiw CBA ‘16

Favorite BGS Memory: 7 am BG meetings with

Pitt’s finest.

Steve Nagib SHRS ‘16

Why I Joined BGS: Because I love my

university, and I want to represent it in the best

way possible!

Brandon Scott A&S ‘16

Fun Fact: I’ve seen every episode of

Friends probably over 10x each. NO SHAME!

Andrew Stefanick CBA ‘15

Favorite Thing About Pitt: Its location in the

heart of Oakland and its proximity to the rest of

this city.

Mallory Thomas A&S ‘17

Favorite BGS Memory: Sitting with a group of

80 year olds at the Dietrich 50+ Luncheon.

Frances Tish CBA ‘16

Favorite Spot on

Campus: Upper floors of Alumni Hall- not the

most beautiful, but certainly one of the

more peaceful places.

Rebecca Wytiaz PHARM ‘18

Favorite Pitt Tradition:

Lantern Night. I will always cherish being able to share that special night

with my mom.

Malia Voytik A&S ‘16

Why I Joined BGS: It was the best way to show my Pitt pride

while representing the school.

Gabrielle Wynn A&S ‘16

Fun Fact: I’ve met two past U.S. Presidents:

Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.

Juniors

Audrey Ann Blakely A&S ‘17

Favorite Spot on

Campus: The Frick Fine Arts Library during the

winter months. The woody, musky air is

warming.

Madison Connelly A&S, CBA ‘17

Why I Joined BGS: Pitt runs through the veins

of my family. I love the university and the

traditions it holds close to its day-to-day

functions.

Joy Cui A&S ‘17

Favorite Pitt Tradition: Singing either the Alma

Mater or “Sweet Caroline.”

Siddhartha Dash A&S ‘17

Fun Fact: I grew up in

India and lived in England.

Fareedah Haroun A&S ‘17

Favorite Pitt Memory:

A round-table discussion with

Chancellor Gallagher! It was such a humbling

experience.

Gabriel Hinding ENGR ‘17

Favorite Spot on

Campus: Nordenberg Hall because it’s where I met

my best friends in the world!

Joseph Klein A&S ‘17

Favorite BGS

Memory: Hide and seek in Alumni Hall

was definitely a highlight!

Katie Kruisselbrink A&S ‘17

Favorite Thing About

Pitt: I love being able to meet and form

friendships with people from all over the

country and world!

Marissa Lutz CBA ‘17

Favorite BGS Event:

Dinner at Jeff Gleim’s house to prepare for

Dinner with 12. It’s so generous of him to have

us over to his lovely home!

Jaron Moore CBA ‘17

Favorite BGS Memory:

The Induction Ceremony with my

class!!!

Megan Raymond A&S, 17

Favorite Thing About

Pitt: The student body is very involved in helping to improve our school

and helping us grow to be even better.

Anna Thomas, ENGR CAS ‘18

Favorite Pitt Memory: Walking from The Point

to Heinz Field in a torrential rainstorm for

my first Pitt football game as a student.

Madeleine Wirth SHRS ‘17

Favorite Spot on

Campus: Way up on top of campus near the

soccer field, overlooking Downtown!

Sophomores

Makenzie Bayer

CBA ‘18

Favorite BGS Event: Cathedral Ball! It’s pretty much straight out of the Harry Potter movies, and who couldn’t love that?

Alexandra Sharick A&S ‘18

Favorite Pitt Memory:

Winning a Biology Research Lab

competition during the Spring 2015 semester.

Peter Zheng CAS, CBA ‘18

Favorite Spot on

Campus: The Alumni Office because there is

always free coffee!

The 2015-2016 Blue and Gold Society is a diverse group of 17 Seniors, 14 Juniors, and 3 Sophomores. The members’ majors range from Pharmacy to Engineering to Business, and everything in between. Members are involved in Greek Life, ROTC, Residence Life, service organizations, and special interest groups across campus. BGS added 10 new members last spring, and recruitment for next year is in the works! We are looking forward to welcoming new members into our happy Pitt family!

Picture to include!

Cathedral Ball -Kelsey Johnson Every year the Blue and Gold Society and the Student Alumni Association hosts the Cathedral Ball, held in the Cathedral of Learning Commons Room the Friday before Finals Week. The Cathedral Ball is a tradition the students look forward to every fall, and it serves as one of the SAA’s biggest events of the year. This event not only brings everyone together once more before the end of the fall semester, but also celebrates the holidays in a fun, stress-free way before the weight of finals. The 2014 Cathedral Ball was Great Gatsby themed, full of feathers, string pearls, and of course, much dancing. Delicious hors d'oeuvres and a photo booth were provided for food and entertainmen,t along with the chance to win a raffle basket and a dance with the Homecoming King and Queen. All together, the Ball transformed the Common Rooms from a place full of nerves, studying, and homework into a place of fun, dancing, and friends. This year’s Cathedral Ball is Yule Ball (Harry Potter) themed. This magical night was full of great food, plentiful dancng, and even better company. The house flags hanging from the walls, the floating candles at the center of every table, and the ambiance that Cathedral naturally exudes created a fantastical environment for the students to escape the worries and pressures of school and to enjoy themselves and their closest friends.

Interview with Kathy Ablauf -Nathan Kendsersky Kathy Ablauf, the Assistant Executive Director of Internal Relations in the Pitt Alumni Association, is a native Pittsburgher and a true Panther in every sense. Ablauf’s parents, locals to the Pittsburgh area, raised her and her three sisters in Hampton Township in the North Hills of Pittsburgh. Kathy recalled being fully immersed in Pitt culture as a child, attending football games regularly with her family, cheering for her favorite team. Even as a child, Kathy had strong ties to and love for the university. “My father would always say he helped build the Cathedral of Learning by donating a brick while in grade school,” Kathy recalled. Kathy’s upbringing instilled in her a strong sense of Pitt pride even at a young age. Despite this deep rooted connection to Pitt, she never imagined working for the university. Kathy spent her early career as a business manager in the Hampton School District, remaining close to her childhood home. Interestingly, Kathy never originally sought out a career at the University of Pittsburgh. Instead, Kathy’s husband, Henry Ablauf, was the one who pursued an interview for a position at Pitt. After the interview, he immediately thought the position was more suited for Kathy’s skillset, and he recommended his wife for the position. Although Kathy was perfectly content at her position at Hampton, she was elated at the recommendation. Kathy definitively stated that she could never pass up this exciting opportunity, and she has not once looked back. In 1992, Kathy joined the Pitt Alumni Association and became the fifth employee of the organization. Kathy has experienced many changes throughout her career in the Alumni Association, including the relocation of the PAA to central Oakland and the inception of the Blue and Gold Society. These changes provide Kathy with some of her most cherished memories during her time at Pitt. Kathy is the proud mother of three sons, David, Thomas, and Michael, all of whom attended Pitt, pursuing various degrees. Kathy loved working with the PAA while all of her sons attended Pitt. Her close proximity in Oakland allowed her to watch her sons each grow during their collegiate careers. She had no doubt that her sons would go on to accomplish great things post-graduation, and she was not mistaken. David currently works with the football program at the University of Michigan, and Michael works for Hardline Golf in Austin, Texas, and Kathy relays that they both love their jobs. Thomas earned a degree in Neuroscience from Pitt and was interested in pursuing a career in the pharmaceutical industry. However, Thomas was a victim of a tragic car accident a few months after graduation, unfortunately taking his life. Kathy is certain that Tom would have gone on to achieve all of his goals, but she now wishes to provide current students the opportunity to reach their intended goals in memory of her son. Kathy established the Tom Ablauf Memorial Scholarship so that she could continue her son’s legacy in both the Pittsburgh and Pit community. While attending Pitt, Tom Ablauf was heavily

involved in Greek Life, Neuroscience, the Blue and Gold Society, and Omicron Delta Kappa. These organizations greatly enhanced Tom’s time at the university and made his overall Pitt experience memorable. The Tom Ablauf Memorial Scholarship extends to all students involved in these organizations in order to capture the “spark” that Thomas shared on campus. Establishing this scholarship is one of Kathy’s proudest accomplishments, and she is proud to honor her son and maintain his legacy at the University of Pittsburgh. Kathy’s involvements with the Pitt Alumni Association, the Blue and Gold Society, and the Memorial Scholarship have allowed her to meet numerous dynamic young leaders. She is always eager to chat with current students, and she loves hearing about each student’s personal and professional goals. Kathy states that “it is extremely rewarding to interact with the wonderful students that love this university and ultimately watch their careers develop.” When interacting with current students, Kathy knows that she is talking with the future of not only the University, but also the community at large. Kathy loves her career with the Pitt Alumni Association, as it allows her to form these personal relationships with such great student leaders. When asked about her favorite Pitt tradition, Kathy blurted out “the Victory Lights,” without hesitation. As a local, Kathy has been living under the shine of the Pitt Victory Lights since her childhood, and she still smiles in the same way when seeing the lights today. Recently, Kathy was overjoyed to be invited on a “Secrets of the Cathedral of Learning Tour,” where she got a behind-the-scenes view of her most cherished Pitt tradition. It is opportunities like this that reinforce her love for her job with the PAA and her overall love for the University of Pittsburgh. During our brief interview, Kathy repeatedly told me that the University of Pittsburgh has “a lot of opportunities” and that it is “so rewarding to see students take advantage of all these opportunities.” Kathy continually encourages current students to make the most of their experiences while at Pitt, much like her sons did during their collegiate years. Kathy’s endeavors through the PAA have allowed her to provide exceptional students the opportunity to enhance their experiences at Pitt in her late son’s memory. Kathy is an exemplary member of the Pitt Alumni Association. She strives to connect current students to the university and urges these students to maintain these strong ties post-graduation. Furthermore, she makes it her mission to ensure that each student makes the most of his or her Pitt experience. Kathy Ablauf is Pitt pride. She looks forward to the remainder of her career at the University of Pittsburgh, knowing that many more personal relationships, unforgettable memories, and shining Victory Lights, are to be experienced.