Mercyhurst Magazine - Spring 1995

8/6/2019 Mercyhurst Magazine - Spring 1995

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ol 12, No. 3 Spring 95

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A RECORDOF GROWTH

In sheer physical terms, Mercyhurst has grown substantially since its founding almost 70 years ago.

A college which began as one building in southeastErie now includes 46 buildings on 50 acres andanother 84 acres and five buildings on theMercyhurst-North East campus.

A student body which began with 25 undergrad uatewomen in 1926 has grown to 2,467 students, including 75 graduate students.

A college once confined to the tri-state region hasgrown to include 1,430 women and 1,074 men from32 states and 20 foreign countries.

A college operating budget of $8.6 million just tenyears ago has grown to $26 million today, with a

payroll of close to $10 million for 310 full-timeemployees.

Some indicators which measureMercyhurst's progressinclude:

Strong admission p icture as demonstrated by thenumber of freshman applicants. 1,500 studentsapplied to Mercyhurst for admission in 1994 compared to 700 applicants in 1984.

Strong student academic credentials, such as thosepossessed by the 1994 freshman class which enteredwith a 3.2 class QPA, and which had an SAT mean of

991 compared to the national average of 902 andPennsylvania average of 879.

Strong financial support from a 3,000-person dono rbase that has tripled in size from ten years ago andwhich produced $1 million in 1993 and again in1994,earning the college a national CASEaward for overall fund-raising improvement.

Strong alumni annual giving participation of30.2% which com pares well to the nationalaverage of 22.5% for private comprehensivecolleges.

Strong endowm ent growth which hasincreased to $4.5 million in 1994 from$234,000 ten years ago.

Impressive plant facilities resu lting in60% of the entire Mercyhurst campusconstructed in the last seven years. Thisextensive $20 million plant growthand renovation program has produceddramatic changes to the face of the campus

All these measurements support the progress of aninstitution committed to continuing the dream of itsfounders to achieve greatness high on the hill overlooking Lake Erie.


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Chairman, Board of TrusteesF. William Hirt

PresidentDr. William P. Garvey

EditorMary Daly'66

Assistant EditorYvonne Maher'93

Feature WritersEd Hess '92Don McQuaidJerry TrambleyLarie Pintea'92

Patrick PonticelPhotographersEd BernikJohn Fontecchio 77Mercyhurst Archives

Cover PhotoEd Bernik

DesignTal,lnc

M e r c v h u r s tM / \ C. / \ Z I M L.

Vol 12, No. 3 Spring 95

Taylor Little Theatre Named

Mercyhurst RankedAmong Top Northern Liberal Arts Colleges

Mercyhurst's Indiana Jones

Final Curtain on Canterbury Feast

New Stations of the Crossat Mercyhurst-North East

About the cover:1994-95 was the most all-around successful year inMercyhurst athletics sinceLaker sports were introducedin 1970. Three Laker teamsclaimed regional championship titles: men's hockeyand the women's soccer andbasketball teams. Leadingtheir teams to victory asregional Players of the Yearare 1-r: Lady Laker forward

Teresa Szumigala, Erie, PA;Laker goaltender ScottBarber, Troy, NY; and LadyLaker midfielder TracyCross,Limerick, Ireland.

Th e Mercyhurst Magazine ispublished by the External AffairsOffice of Mercyhurst College,Glenwood Hills, Erie, PA 16546.Telephone (814) 824-22 85.

Send change of address to WilliamSmith, Computer C enter, MercyhurstCollege, Erie, PA 16546.


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C O N T I N U I N G

T H E

D R E A M

F or a while at least, it lookedlike "the impossible dream."As the result of unprecedented growth inrecent years, Mercyhurst was in immediateneed of $6 million worth of additions andimprovements to the m ain campus. Butbecause of fund-raising guidelines established in the greater Erie community, thecollege could no t launch a public capitalcampaign until 1999.

It was then that M ercyhurst PresidentDr. William P. Garvey recalled, in its entirety, the quote from Horace from which thecollege's m otto,Carpe Diem, is taken: "Evennow whilst we are talking, grudging timepursues his flight. Seize the day, and trustas little as thoumayest to tomorrow's light."

Dr. Garvey explained, "In the wake ofthe two most successful fund-raising yearsin the history of the college, with over amillion dollars raised bo th years, we felt ourmom entum was so strong that wecouldn'tafford to wait another four years to launcha campaign.

alumni and supporters to achieve theambitious goals identified in the college'slong-range plans.

He said that the campaign had receiveda tremendous boost through the generosityof the college board of trustees, who hadpledged $4 million during the quietphase of the campaign; and from membersof the college community who hadpledged $205,732.

He ou tlined the goals of theContinuingthe Dream campaign as:

An enlarged concert hall, projected at$3,200,000.

An addition to the college library,estimated at $2 million.

Equipm ent for Zurn Hall and aremodeled facility for human ecology,projected at $500,000.

An endowmen t for a School of Business,$500,000.

Sisters of Mercy circa 1930

"We felt there was sufficient support toraise the needed funds from the extended

Mercyhurst family and close friends to conduct a private campaign," he explained.The Continuing the Dream campaign was

launched Sept.14,1994 at a gala party forthe college com munity. Dr. Garveyannounced at the gathering that collegeofficials wished to raise $6,250,000 amongmembers of the Mercyhurst family,

According to Dr. Garvey,"Mercyhurst'spast accomplishments were achieved by

persons who understood tomorrow's possibilities. Our future accomplishments mustbe achieved by those who possess the samesort of vision to continue the dream of theSisters ofMercy,who founded Mercyhurst68 years ago, to create a great college onthe hill."


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W e are bombarded with images of allkindson large screens and small,in the print media, on billboards and, now,on the Information Super Highway. Theyhold our attention for a few moments orhours and then recede, an endless succession that ultimately neither enlightens norsustains us.

The theme of the Campaign forMercyhurst isContinuing the Dream"dream" as defined byWebster's is "avisionary creation of the imagination"..."a strongly desired goal or purpo se"..."an ideal."

How different are the images that nowcome tomindimages that are not manufactured or manipulated by man, images

that do not assail us but arise quietly in themind's eye, ofa M otherSuperior journeying by carto Erie fromTitusville, nosmall task in1922,with adream ofestablishing acollege forwomen.

Images ofMercyhurst's Sisters of Mercy 1994visionary but no-nonsense founder, MotherBorgia Egan, as she stands o n an undeveloped tract of land on a lonely hill overlooking Lake Erie and dares to believe that agreat college will someday stand there.

Images of the Sisters of Mercy scurryingthrough the halls of Old M ain as theyattempt to put the finishing touches on thebuilding so it can open in time for its first-ever academic year, 1926-1927. (The workmen had gone on strike; the Sisters completed the work on time).

Images of Mercyhurst stu dents, in classand at play, as they appeared in the distinctive clothing of the eight decades du ringwhich the college has existed, from theRoaring Twenties to the Contented Fifties totheso far at leastGroping Nineties.

Indeed, all of us who have been affiliatedwith the college, in whatever capacity, haveour own little set images that somehow capture for us the specialness of our experiencein a place called Mercyhurst College.

And while these images differ fromdecade to decade and from person to

person, there is a core of images that w illnever change.

Old Main will forever stand where ithas from the time of its building, facingthe magnificent, unpredictable lake. Theautumns will continue to be especiallybeautiful and the winters harsh. And allthe students to come will struggle, andgrow, and complain and maybe fall in lovein mu ch the same way as those who havecome before.

And beneath theseimagesat theheart of them,reallyis the dream thatbegan w ith Mother Borgia and was takenup by her successors, a dream that hasgiven rise to a certain way of looking atlife, a deep respect for the vocation ofteaching, a sincere belief in the education

of the wholeperson, and atradition ofservice to thegreater community.

Plus thatindefinablesomethingmore, something deeperthan the obvious, moresubtle than the

factual, that has been felt by so many whohave spent time at thecollegethe"Mercyhurst Mystique."

But in order for the dream to continue,in order for it to be passed on to the students of the next generation and beyond,we must provide those tangible thingsthe buildings, the state-of-the-art equipment, the scholarships and the increasedendowmentthat will enable Mercyhurstto remain vibrant and competitive as itenters the threshold of the 21st century.

So our mission is clear. Yes, it will be achallenge, for, as we have no ted, the timesare not kindly to dreams. But thanks toour founder and to the Mercy Sisters ofthe past, we know what to do: get busy,keep working,andmost importantlypull together so that the Mercyhurst oftomorrow may open on time.

F R O M

V I S I O N

TO B R I C K S

by Don M cQuaid


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C A M PA I G N ' S

F I R S T

$ 1 M I L L I O NG I F T

Catherine an d Barrett Walker

M ercyhurst received its first$1 million gift to theContinuingthe Dream campaign from college trusteeDr. Barrett C. Walker and his wife,Catherine, ofErie.The gift will be used toestablish the Walker School of Businessand the Catherine McDonough WalkerResearch Center.

The Walker gift was announced by Dr.William P. Garvey, college president, whosaid, "We are extremely gratified by thegenerosity ofDr. and Mrs. Walker. Wehave long dreamt of establishing anendowed School of Business at Mercyhurstand the Walker gift will make this dream areality." Garvey explained the college bus iness division currently enrolls more than

400 students, the largest number of anymajor at the college."It will be equally gratifying for us to

name our planned library addition theCatherine McDonough Walker ResearchCenter," Dr. Garvey said. He explainedthat the11,000 sq. ft. addition will givethe college badly needed space for developing a library to meet the needs of the21st century. Groundbreaking for thenew addition is projected for May 1996to coincide w ith the currentlibrary's25th anniversary.

Dr. Walker, a native of Pittsburgh, hasbeen a member of the Mercyhurst board

library addition

of trustees for 12 years. He attendedWashington and Jefferson College and theUniversity of Pittsburgh School ofDentistry. Following a tour of duty withthe U.S.Air Force, he moved to Erie in1956,where he practiced dentistry for20 years and became an investmententrepreneur.

His wife's ties to the Sisters of Mercydate back to her elementary and highschool days in Pittsburgh, where she graduated from the former Mt. Mercy

Academy. "I have always felt a specialbond with the Sisters of Mercy,"Mrs. Walker explained. "They wereexcellent teachers, health care professionals, and social justice advocates. On apersonal level, I am fond of their heritage,which traces back to Ireland, my parent'shomeland."

She continued, "I can think of no finergroup of religious, academic and staffleaders to be affiliated with and I amtremendously proud and honored to lendmy name toMercyhurst's proposed newinformation center." Catherine added,"Barrett and I feel enriched by our association with the college and the Sisters ofMercy and we are proud to be a part of

continuing their dream."

$2 MillionAnonymous Gifts

T wo other $1 million dollar giftsfrom two college trustees were givento the college with the stipulation that thedonors remain anonym ous. Their giftstotaling $2 million will be used toward theconstruction of the planned Concert Hallon the Mercyhurst campus.

Dr. Garvey noted that these million

dollar gifts also came from two Erieites."It's a fine example of the kind of civicgenerosity that Erie needs if it is todevelop outstanding institutions," Dr.Garvey said.

Gary L. Bukowski, vice president ofinstitutional advancement, who is

Artist's rendering of Mercyhurst's Concert Hall deft), which willadjoin the D'Angelo School of Music shown at the right


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directing the campaign, said that theselatest million dollar anonymous gifts willensure the construction of the enlargedConcert Hall, projected to cost $3.2 million, including equipment. The collegewill begin construction in mid-May, andhopes to have the building completed byFebruary 1996.

Mercyhurst has long dreamt of a newConcert Hall to enhance the cultural activities of the college, particularly in the performing arts.

Currently, Mercyhurst uses theZumRecital Hall, built in 1968, and the TaylorLittle Theatre, built in1953, for its music,dance and theatre produ ctions.

Those facilities seat only 250 people

each and were built for a school of 500.Enrollment at Mercyhurst today is 2,467students, and this space limitation forcesthe college to go off-campus when it sponsors major productions.

Plans for M ercyhurst's new ConcertHall call for converting the presentZumRecital Hall into a 900-seat aud itorium,with 640 seats on the main level and250 seats in the balcony, including sixprivate boxes.

It will be located on Mercyhurst's backcampus and will connect with two existingfacilities, Zurn Hall to its north and theDAngelo School of Music to its east.

"With these latest two gifts, we are overthe $5 million mark in the campaign toraise $6 millionby June 30, 1995,"Bukowski explained. He added, "The support from friends and supporters of thecollege has been absolutely gratifying."

L ong-standing trustee,J. RobertBaldwin, one of Erie's most prominent citizens, and his wife, Ruth, havegiven the Baldwin family home at3857State St. to Mercyhurst College as theirdonation to theContinuing the Dreamcampaign.

The Georgian colonial home, built in1953, is valued in the mid-$300,000range. College officials will sell the houseand use the proceeds toward the construction of the Concert Hall.

The home is one of the signature houses in the prestigious upp er State Street residential area, where the Baldwins raisedtheir six children. Situated on almost aone acre plot, the two-story brick house

has 4,863 square feet of living space."Bob Baldwin has been a friend ofMercyhurst College for more than fourdecades," said Dr. Garvey. "He firstbecame involved with the college underthe presidency ofSr. Carolyn Herrmann,"he explained.

"It is most appropriate that Bob andRuth would deed their magnificent homeon State to us as part of our capital campaign to 'continue thedream1 of the Sistersof Mercy, with whom the Baldwins' connection to the college began."

Baldwin Residence Hall on theMercyhurst campus, built in 1970, wasnamed to honor the memory of J. RobertBaldwin's aunt, Mabel Baldwin, whoraised him. The Baldwin gift is part of the$4 million in contributions made to thecampaign by mem bers of the college'sboard of trustees.

One of the Baldwin's foursons,John,is a mem ber of the college's President'sAssociates. He taught at the college forfour years and is married to Mary GailAmbron 7 4 . His sisters, Beth and Regina,both attended Mercyhurst Prep, and

Regina also studied at the college.

B A L D W I N

H O M E

G I V E NT O

C O L L E G E

J. Robert Baldwin

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L IT TL E T H E AT R E N A M E D

S ister M. Eustace Taylor was honoredon Oct. 16, when the college's LittleTheatre was renamed the Taylor LittleTheatre. Sister has been affiliated withMercyhurst for more than 60 years.

At the dedication ceremony, SisterEustace was described as a woman whohas distinguished herself as a religious andeducational leader and as the keystone ofthe liberal arts at Mercyhurst. She washonored for her fierce commitment to theliberal arts and for alwaysinsistinginher quiet but "steely"waythat the col

lege keep the Mercy spirit of elegance onwhich its uniqueness has always beengrounded.

Carolyn Cairns Brabender*50,a formerstudent of Sister Eustace, described her as"a scholar, a master teacher, a formersuperior of the Sisters ofMercy,past chairof the English department, a former president of the college, a lover of the arts, anda valued friend." Brabender may haveearned one final "A" for her description ofSister's teaching, "She polished each of

us like fine silver. Her expressive eyessometimes punctuated an important idea,concern or approval, and often they twinkled in amusement."

Sister Eustace was elected superior ofthe Sisters of Mercy in 1954 and headedMercyhurst College from 1954 until 1960as its fifth president. During her presidency, she was responsible for the initiation ofthe cadet teaching program, which was

Taylor Little Theatre in Weber Memorial

the first form of financial aid at the college.This educational program placedMercyhurst student cadet teachers in the

classrooms of the Erie Diocesan schoolsfollowing an intense accelerated academichonors program.

Also while she was president of the college,Mercyhurst received its first grantfrom the Ford Foundation, which wasused to improve faculty salaries, and itsfirst federal funding which supported theconstruction of the McAuley ResidenceHall in 1959.

Barry McAndrew, who was hired at thecollege when Sister Eustace was chair ofthe English department, stated, "Thirty-

one years ago, as a new, young, frightenedteacher, it was nice to know that I had oneof the best, one of the strongest, one of themost devoted leaders of the school as mymentor, and that this was a person I couldlearn a great deal from." He added, "SisterEustace has given Mercyhurst a sense ofbeauty and dedication to the highestgoalexcellence."


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% ERCYHURST

RANKED

AMONG TOP

NORTHERN

LIBERAL

ARTS

COLLEGES

T he 1995 edition ofU.S. News &World Report's"America's BestColleges," ranks Mercyhurst am ong thetop 20 regional liberal arts colleges inthe North.

"It's definitely a break through for thecollege to be ranked in the top tier of liberal arts colleges in the N orthern region,"said M ercyhurst Dean of EnrollmentServices Andrew Roth."Ratings by nomeans convey the whole story, but whenused in conjunction with other kinds ofinformation, they can help provide a better overall picture of the institution," Rothexplained.

The rankings for the 1,400 colleges inthe guide were partially based on a surveyof 2,800 college officials who were askedto place each school in one of four quar-tiles or tiers based on the school's academic form and reputation.

The educational data supplied by thecollege described graduation rates, applicant rejection levels, percentages of facultywith terminal degrees, alumni giving participation, and educational expendituresper student.

"This ranking is a reflection ofthe combined efforts of the entireMercyhurstcommunityfaculty,students, administration, staff and alumniand fits well with our long-rangeplans for the school," Roth noted.

He said it is difficult to make a clearcomparison between this year's ratingand last year's because until 1995,Mercyhurst was placed in anothercategory, specifically, regional collegesand universities.

Roth explained, "Last year we wereranked in the third tier of regional colleges and universities, but beginning thisyear, they changed the criteria for somecategories and Mercyhurst is now evaluated as a regional liberal arts college,which certainly is a more accurate reflection of who we are and what othersthink of us."

He attributed the ranking toincreasedacademic standards, the geographicdiversity of candidates for admission, thegrowing academic reputation of severalof the school's key programs, and thecollege as a w hole.

"This validates what we have been trying to accomplish in recent years and wilcertainly help as we continue to raise ouracademic standards," Roth said.

"Our ranking in this year's guide isbased in part on information for the 1993freshman class. The 1994 class is evenstronger, so I look for us to be able to atleast sustain, if not im prove, this positionhe said. Colleges and universities listed inthe 1995 guide are divided into five categories: national universities, national libeal arts colleges, regional colleges and un iversities, regional liberal arts colleges,and specialized institutions.

In addition to Mercyhurst, otherschools ranked in the top tier of Northernregional liberal arts colleges includeElizabethtown, Grove City College, KingsCollege, Lebanon Valley, LeMoyne,Lycoming, St.Anselm and Stonehill.


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OUT IN A BLAZE OF ART

AND

FINGER LICKIN' CHICKEN

by Jerry Trambley

F ifteen years ago, Igor Stalsky had anidea that he thought"just might workin Erie/' a medieval dinner theater wherethe guests would eat with their fingerswhile enjoying a play. He called it aCanterbury Feast.

"I though t its initial success might be aflash in the pan here, but I was wrong.Every year the crowds keep coming.But while we are at our peak, we aregoing to make this, our 15th summer, our last and most memorableCanterbury at M ercyhurst.

"We want to go out in a blaze ofglory," Stalsky chuckles. Certainly, hiscast wants it to be their best.

Although being the founder and director of the Canterbury Feast may be whatStalsky is best known for in the Erie

comm unity, he has been a teacher atMercyhurst for 30 years. His career on andaround the stage has included writingplays, some acting in the early years, anddirecting plays each year as a member of

the Theatre Department.Stalsky's association

with Mercyhurst started back in his owncollege days when heH fr$M

W - ^ w t / . / M j ** >m

was one of the first males allowed to takeclasses at the hilltop school, which wasthen all-female. The administrations ofGannon Universitythen a mostly malecollegeand Mercyhurst had agreedto let men take classes at M ercyhurst ifthe classes weren't available at thedowntown campus.

Stalsky was studying French andRussian culture and literature at Gannon.

He said the late Sister BrigidGallagher, who was directing theaterat the time, "...spotted people withpants on and said she could use themin the theater. She sweet-talked herway into pu tting my friends and meon the stage. We were pretty terrible.She flattered us all the way, so we

came back until we got the bug," he said.


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"My love of theater was born then,through flattery and deceit," he mused.

But Stalsky's career as a thespian wasshort-lived. "As a favor to the audiences, Irealized I should be in the background orbehind stage," he said.

Stalsky, 53 , was born in Warsaw,Poland of Russian paren ts, and as the |Soviet armies moved west, so did hisfamily. H e spent his school years,from 6 to 17, in Paris, France. Hisfamily came to the United Statesand settled in Erie because theyhad a sponsor here. He wentto East High School for hissenior year before headingon to Gannon for a ibachelor's degree, andthen a master's inRussian literaturefrom CaseWestern Reservein Cleveland.

His travels andstudies gave him thebackground for some-^thing else Sister Brigidwantedtranslations ofRussian and other plays.

Stalsky translatedChoke's "TheThree Sisters" for her, which wasproduced by her successor KathleenMcManus Kraus'65.

In 1964, Stalsky joined the 'Hurstfaculty as a teacher in the FrenchDepartment. But as French studiesbecame less popular with students,he started teaching French literaturein translation, then world literature,comparative literature and dramaticliterature.

"Somewhere thro ugh the years, theTheatre Department w as created and Ibecame the dramatic literature end of it. Idid a lot of translating from French andRussian and wrote some plays." Yearslater, another mem ber of the departm ent,the late Paul Iddings, encouraged him todirect a show.

"I did and it was a very good experience. I kept on coming back to do that,"Stalsky said. He would produce and directtwo or three plays a year. "I found it wasquite enjoyable and then, in the midst ofthe whole thing, came the Canterbury

IFeast," he said. His inspiration, he said,was a song called "Tiny Little Boy" thatcomes at the end of Shakespeare's"Twelfth Night." Stalsky said the linesand the words weren't what caught hisfancy, it was the tone, mood and the

music. "It spelled out the medievalworld for me and I wanted to put onsomething medieval," he explained.

Stalsky says the success of theCanterbury Feast in the Erie area is duein part to the fact that he makes suregood food is served. But he admits partof the m ystiqueis just the idea thatthe audience has to eat without forksand spoons.

I "It wou ldn't be the same if youhanded out flatware," he said.

Another part of the success is theI involvemen t of the actors with theI audience. The players don't just speak[ their lines, they also serve the food

and, according to Stalsky, they reallyenjoy it.Stalsky has hopes for the Theatre

Department at Mercyhurst that don'tinclude the Canterbury Feast or evenhis directing the program. "SinceMercyhurst now has such strong musicand dance contingents, I would like tosee the departmen t spearhead a majorin musical theater. The person I w ouldlike to hire would be a specialist inmusical theater who is conversant withdance, voice and directing," he said.T d like to nudge the Theatre

Department in that direction."As for me, I would like to go back to

my first lovewriting."

Fo r his lifelong achievementand for his outstandingaccomplishments as the founder and director of Erie'slongest running dinner theatre, the Erie Theater ArtsInstitute ha s inducted Stalsky into its Hall ofFame

and presented him with thecoveted LifetimeAchievementAward.

anterbury FeastThe final season of Canterbury Feast atMercyhurst will be on the weekends ofJune 2, 3, 4; 9, 10,11;and 16, 17, 18.

Thisyear's production will be"The Merry Men ofSherwood," whichStalsky describes as a thinly disguisedversion of "Pirates of Penzance."

Ticket cost per person: Fridays $29;Saturdays $30; Sundays $27.

For reservations call (814) 824-2347.Seating at tables of eight.No children under 12.

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GENESIS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT SCHOOL

RECIPE FOR AN IDEATeaspoon of Musings,Tablespoon of Chili,

and a Cup of Courage

by Larie Pintea

I t was a rather nond escript dining table.Scarred by at least two generations ofMercyhurst people, ensconced in acorner of the main dining roo m, it was theplace for people who wanted companywhile eating dinner, a place to complainor propose.

If there was a single place on theMercyhurst cam pus where ideas simmeredand floated to the surface, this roundtablewas it. Only a couple of tables atHerman's

Cafe, a near-campus watering spot, couldmatch it for collective vitality.Even some of the braver seniors of the

college would plunk down a loaded foodray, settle quietly into a hardback chair,

and tune big ears to the faculty shakersand m overs. It was winter 1970-71 anddeas were popping up with an alacrity

only coeducation could introduce.College Dean Dr. William Garvey was

deftly downing a bowl of chili, whileearching aloud for programs to be aimed

at the new male students on campus.

Crew coach Larie Pintea, who only minutes before had returned his sweatsuitedoarsmen from the bay, made a suggestion:why not a program to properly trainpolice officers? He had listened to ErieChief of Police SamGemelli complain foryears about the lack of training for streetofficers and police administrators.

Most new cops got a gun , a stick and abadge, and went immediately on thestreets, to learn the hard way, often the

wrong way, tutored by older officers whotoo often were ill-prepared themselves.Garvey, who was taken with the idea,

mused, "Teach cops?" Then came thequestions: Who needs this police training?People who are considering law enforcement as careers? Why not educate in-service police officers? And why not activeduty officers who want to expand theirlaw enforcement education by getting acollege degree?

The bow l of chili was finished thatevening but not before the idea had been

expanded into a concept for a full lawenforcement school. Only two days later,now outlined on paper in typical Garveystyle, the concept was presented toPresident Sister Carolyn Herrmann.

"Will it fly? Can we find the money toget it off the ground? Who would headsuch a new school?" President Herrmannwanted to know. "It must be someonewith high professional stature in order tobring students here," she charged.

In a matter of only a few days her questions were answered. Police departmentsin northwestern Pennsylvania were thenqueried by Pintea and Chief Gemelli. TheMercyhurst program would be unique. Nosuch degree program geared for men andwomen with police badges existed inPennsylvania.

The big question facing the proposedschool was where we would find $75,000to get the new program off the ground.We contacted Pennsylvania's U.S. SenatorHugh Scott, in Washington. He not only


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If ever there were a dynamic duo at Mercyhurst, it was Dr . William P. Garvey as college dean an d President Sister Carolyn Herrmann,shown here in an archival photo from thelate 60s.

Karl Boyes

thought it was a "great idea," he said hewould see that$55,000 would beprovided through federal discretionary funds.

With that assurance in ourpockets, so to speak, PresidentHerrmann was told that the majorshare of the funding waspromised. All that was neededwas a top flight law enforcementofficer to head the school. Or sowe thought.

The program was given SisterCarolyn's tentative app roval. "1still have to sell it to the trustees,but let's move ahead," sheencouraged. "If everything fallsinto place, we can start this year,"

she said.Pintea remembered a personalconversation he h ad w ith JamesKinnane, resident agent of theErie FBI office. The long-timeagent had talked about retirement. Pintea called him. Not onlydid an excited Kinnane approveof the law enforcement school concept,but, yes, absolutely, he would considerbecoming its director.

Everything had fallen into place "neatly" and the college made the public

James V. Kinnare

announcement to the media. Soonafterward, some 75 men, includingmany in-service police officers, indicat

ed a desire to enroll in the lawenforcement program atMercyhurst.

It was going to be a stunning success. Then the log fell.

The long-awaited telegramarrived from Senator Scott. Hewas delighted to ann ouncethat Mercyhurst had beenawarded $5,000 for the newschool. "Only $5,00 0," ashocked Dean Garvey questioned as he looked at thetelegram. "It must be a mistake. We had counted on$55,000." Had WesternUnion improperly transmittedthe amount?

No such luck. $5,000 itwas. We had announced aschool and now had no fundsto operate it. "Now what are

we going to do?" Garvey asked Pintea."You got us into this, you had betterfind the money."

Pennsylvania Assemblyman KarlBoyes tells what happened next.

"I was deputy director of thePennsylvaniaGovernor's JusticeCommission at the time. I got thisurgent call from a newspaper editor(Pintea) who told me they had a majorproblem with the new law enforcementschoolthe senior senator fromPennsylvania had failed to send themoney needed to start the school.

"I knew right away Pintea washanging me on thehoms of theirdilemma. 'We're counting o n you, Karl,and we know you won't let us dow n/he pressed.

"I told Larie I would d o m y best, butgetting tuition funding for a privateschool would be extremely difficult. 'We

know youwon't let us down , Karl/Pintea rep eated as we finished the telephone conversation."

Boyes recalls, "I read and re-read thegovernment directories and discoveredthat federal funds from the LawEnforcement Assistance Administration(LEAA) could be used to pay faculty butnot tuition. That was the break we needed. Maybe, just maybe, I wouldn't letthem down, after all," I hoped.

We oudined a new proposal, presented it for funding and got the moneyfrom LEAA funds!The James V. KinnaneLaw Enforcement School opened itsclassrooms in September1971.

It was a success from the first day.Hundreds of in-service officers and hundreds of younger students have graduated from the school in the years since.

We have a great sense of satisfactiontoday know ing the impact M ercyhursthas had on the safety and well-being ofthe people from the communities whereour graduates work as police, parole andcorrections officers.

Garvey would rem ember that the new

school "really moved us into coeducationand a whole new era for MercyhurstCollege." Boyes would remember a telephone call that neatly pinned him to thewall. Sister Carolyn would remember thefaith she had in people who said it couldbe done. Pintea would remember the funwe had creating a department out of apoliceman's m usings.

And to thinkit all began over twobowls of Jessie Woodson's chili.

15


16/24

D A R I N G N E W I C O N S

C R E A T E D

B Y P I Z Z A T

C olors that seize the imagination,combined with a centuries old religious theme, make up a wonderful workof art that was revealed for the first time

this Easter atMercyhurst-North East.Dr. Joseph Pizzat, professor of art at

Mercyhurst since 1971, was given a majortask last year when he was asked by thecollege president to create the Stations ofthe Cross for St.Mary's Chapel atMercyhurst-North East.

St. Mary's Chapel, with its whitemarble interior andstriking architecture,has always been the focal point of thecomplex and a landmark in the No rth

East community,two years themade significantto theChapel,set of pewschased fromChurch in

Within the lastcollege hasimprovementsA com plete

was pur-St. John's

Erie

when the parish refurbished its church.The carillon from main campus wasinstalled at St.Mary's when a new onewas purchased for Erie. A sound system

was added so Mass celebrants could beheard in the majestic chapel. A privatesacristy was built and the hallway leading to it was rewired and re-tiled. Theinterior was repainted and the imposingpillars received golden crowns. The exterior stone walls were repointed and theentry steps were resurfaced.

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But something was still missing: theStations of the Cross. The originalStations went with the RedemptoristFathers when theyclosed the seminaryin 1986.

"We could havepurchased Stationsthrough a religiousstore," explainedJames G. Lanahan,director of theMercyhurst-NorthEast camp us,"but wewere hoping that we

could do somethingdifferent. There isnothing ordinaryabout the former St.Mary's Seminary,which is now ourMercyhurst-NorthEast cam pus.That'spart of the character,the tradition, and waythe RedemptoristFathers created thestructure. We felt ourneed for Stations of

the Cross in theChapel presented aunique opportunity toshowcase D r. Pizzat'snationally acclaimedart style," Lanahanadded.

Pizzat, himselfadevout Catholic,raised at a time inchurch history whenthe Stations were anintegral part of the

Catholic tradition,accepted the challengeand brought to it hisartistry, creativity, and his unorthodoxstyle.

'The sketching began over the summer, followed by more serious renderingsin the fall," Dr. Pizzat recalls. "The 14Stations were installed in St.Mary'sChapel for the Lenten season," he said.Each Station is18" by 24" and made of

1/8" white melamine-coated Masonite.The stained glass windows of the chapelare complemented by the black, white,

colors in these Stations to create theirown visual images based on their lifeexperiences," he explained.

All of Pizzat's

gold, silver, red, purple, blue and greenin each Station.

Like other modern artists in the country who ap proach religious themes withcontemporary applications, Pizzat's brokefrom tradition with his Stations. He usescontemporary products such as pressure-sensitive sheets, self-adhesive plastic tape,decorator rolls and vinyl film. "I wantpeople viewing the words, symbols and

Stations use theCross as the dominant figure; however,other images includethe fish, lily, pelican,water, and the passion flower. Dr.Pizzat used contemporary traffic/travelsigns as part of hisworks to recount the

journey of Christ.Some of these aredirectional: arrows,one-way, rest stop,detour and no-exitsigns. Pizzat has u sedthe Roman numeral,usually found at thetop of each Station,as a design elementand h as tucked itsomewhere intohis pieces.

"This has been anexhilarating andchallenging experienceone that hasspecial meaning forme," Pizzatexplained. "Religiousthemes and subjectmatter have been arecurring part of myart for the past 45years," he continued."To me, art is a spiritual discipline and

life is a gift fromGod to be lived fullyand with a purpose.

I am grateful to be able to share my artwith others in such a beautiful place asSt. Mary's."

Dr. Pizzat's efforts have produced notonly unique pictures of Christ's walk ofagony, but art in a rendering that is asmasterful as it is creative. He has addedan exciting new chapter to the tradition-rich history of Mercyhurst-North East.

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18/24

KINGS

OF THE ICEby Ed Hess

There are not many events atMercyhurst where "sold out" signs areplaced on the door before the actioneven begins, but that was the scene that

faced the Laker ice hockey team inMarch. The Mercyhurst Ice Center wasthe site of the first national championship to ever take place on the hill andnot a spare ticket could be found for thetwo day series. The tremendou sresponse to thepre-sale of tickets resulted in astanding-room-only crowd andan atmo sphere that will be difficult tomatch in future sporting events atMercyhurst.

Just prior to facing Bemidji StateUniversity for the DivisionII NationalCham pionship, the Mercyhurst ice

hockey team accomplished a fewgoals that had long been out of itsreach. After finishing the season witha 20-1-2 record, the Lakers were cho

sen to host the ECAC championshipsfor the first time in the scho ol's history. Mercyhurst held offElmira by a 5-4 score and then downedRIT by aneasy 9-2 margin to claim its firstECAC title, and earn the local title,"Kings of the Ice."

The national championshipbrought together the two best teamsin the nation. All season long,Mercyhurst held the number-oneranking in every poll and Bemidjistalked behind in second place.

At the two-day championshipmatch, the Beavers started quickly in

front of the partisan Mercyhurst crowdand won the first contest by a 6-2score. The Lakers were determined tohave a better performance the following

night and it showed. Mercyhurst led formuch of the game before the raucouscrowd. Bemidji then demonstrated whyit had won the previous two nationalchampionships. The Minnesota schoolstormed back to down the Lakers by a5-4 score and claim the Division II title.

The 1994-95 hockey team handedhead coach Rick Gotkin a season thathe will not soon forget. The Lakers alsogave the Mercyhurst and Erie community a weekend of hockey the likes ofwhich it has never seen,


19/24

WOMEN'S SOCCER:

THE BEST IS YET TO BE

Determining the champion of women'sDivision II soccer in the NCAA playoffshas been fairly easy in four of the lastseven seasons. Simply check the bracket

ing format. Find out which team is playingMercyhurst, and v oila\ you have thechampion.

The predictable formula held true onceagain last fall when the Lady Lakers fell toeventual national champion FranklinPierce College in the first round of theFinal Four bya 2-1 score.

The fact thatMercyhurst women's soccer team has never wona national championship should hardly diminish itsaccomplishments over the past seven seasons. The Lady Lakers have easily beenthe most successful team in the college'sathletic history.

While most Mercyhurst teams strive tomake the NCAA playoffs, the women'ssoccer team almost takes that goal forgranted. In each of the past seven years,the Lady Lakers have been in contention for a nationalchampionship and havebeen recognized as oneof the most outstandingprograms in the nation.

Some hard facts might be in order totruly understand how good the women'ssoccer team is at Mercyhurst.

In the past five seasons, the Lady Lakershave spent one week out of the top tennational rankings and that was duringthe first week of the 1989 season.

Mercyhu rst finished the past twoseasons ranked second in the finalnational poll of the year and receivedconsecutive first round byes into theFinal Four.

The above accomplishments have comefrom winning, and the Lady Lakers havedone plenty of that in the past seven years.The w omen's soccer team sportsa gaudy

101-21-5 ledger over that span of time andmost of the wins weren't even close. TheLady Lakers have outscored their opponents by a 422-92 margin and thatincludes 75 shutouts. When you're

finished crunching the numbers,ittranslates into a whopping numberof victories.

Maybe the most amazing fact is that

the wom en's soccer team has beenanational force sinceit reached varsitystatus in 1987. "With all of the successthat the women's soccer team has had,it's sometimes easy to take their accomplishments for granted," stated headcoach Richard Hartis. "What I hopepeople would realize is that theplayers sacrifice an awful lot in orderto be this good."

The future looks to be even brighterthan the storied past for the women'steam. Coach Hartis adds, "We are justbeginning to enter whatI think will bethe most produ ctive years in the program's history. The best is yet to be."

-E.H.

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20/24

L A D Y L A K E R S :

V I C T O R Y O N T H E C O U R T

The women's basketball team set somany standards this season thatfirst-year head coach Jim Webb willprobably spend much of his career

rying to duplicate them. The LadyLakers finished the season with a 24-6record, which is the most victoriesever recorded in the history of the program; achieved a number-one rankingn the region for the first time ever;

and ranked 13th in the national poll,which was their highest national rankingto date.

Being tops in the region holds certainprivileges. The Lady Lakers hosted andwon the East Regional Tournament for thefirst time. Mercyhurst posted a 73-68 winover Shippensburg University and thenheld off the College ofSt. Rose by a 5 5-53score to claim the regional crown. Theback-to-back wins advanced the Lakers tohe Elite Eight which was played at North

Dakota State University. Each of theregional champions from across thenation then clashed to determine thenational champ ion.

Mercyhurst faced a tough draw inStonehill College, which had won theNew England Region and owned a 29-1record. After opening up a13-point leadn the firsthalf, the Lady L akers eventually

yielded to Stonehill and fell behind by asmany as 14 points. Mercyhurst foughtback to tie the score at 72-72 with justunder two minutes left in the contest.

proved to be the difference downthe stretch as the Lady Chieftains canne dsix straight freebies and downed theLakers by a slim 80-78 margin.

The loss at the Elite Eight should notdiminish the fact that the women'sbasketball team truly advanced to the next levelof play. Only eight teams played in NorthDakota, while over 250 schools fieldedteams at the DivisionII level. The LadyLakers had a great run this season andgave future teams a mark at which to aim.

- E . H


21/24

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President's ContractRenewed

For the fifthconsecutivetime,Dr. WilliamP. Garvey,ninth andcurrentpresident ofMercyhurst,was unanimouslyelected tocontinue asPresident of

Mercyhurst College. His new contract willbe in effect until June30, 1999. The decision to renew his contract was made at theDecember 7th board of trustees meeting,based on the recommendation of theevaluation committee.

"As one board member put it," saidSenate President, Dr. Barbara Behan, "Dr.Garvey will take us to the threshold of themillennium." She continued, "The collegecommittee is very committed to workingwith Dr. Garvey in continuing to strengthen the academic quality and valueorientation that is Mercyhurst."

The Presidents contract comes upfor renewal every four years and Dr. Garveyhas held the position of Presidentsince 1980.

"I thank the board members for their support and confidence, and I appreciate allthey have done over the years to assist thecollege in its development," stated Dr.Garvey. He said, "It is a pleasure to haveworked with each of the board membersand I look forward to more of the same inthe future."

Trustee AlbertF. Duval said, "I have

been on the board for as long as Dr. Garveyhas been president and I have alwaysenjoyed working with h im. I feel he hasdone a great job and will continue to do soin advancing the college in the educationworld." His sentiments were echoed byChairman of the BoardF. William Hirt,who stated, "The evaluation was thoroughand meaningful and I am very happy andexcited that Dr. Garvey is continuing. Hehas done a great deal at Mercyhurst and heis someone I greatly admire."

Sister Julian a RetiresSister Juliana Stora, a fond favorite of thegirls in Baldwin for m ore than two

decades,retired thispast year.Fromhanding outrosaries toofferingbirthdaywishes, SisterJuliana wasalways therefor "hergirls." Sherememberscoming to Mercyhurst in 1932, and working in the kitchen for a year before sheentered the convent.

Her culinary skills moved her aroundto the convents in Titusville, Dubois,Pittsburgh and Franklin. Sister claims thather specialty in the kitchen was herdessert and when asked if she consideredherself a good cook, Sister is quick torespon d, "Well, I always liked it."

Sister returned to Mercyhurst in 1973,where she was the Baldwin desk supervisor until her retirement. She currently

resides at the Motherhouse.

Pictured visitingwith Sister Juliana atthe Motherhouse during Homecoming isPatricia Schramm 72,

Strategic Plan AcceptedThe Strategic Vision Plan, which will moldthe college until 1999, was discussed and

then approved atthe January 16 meetingof the board of trustees. The boardapproval ends a three-year process, whichbegan with the inception of the 21stCentury Planning Committee in 1992."This was an important day for the college," commen ted Dr. Garvey. "It ends asuccessful, inclusive planning process andwe are grateful to mem bers of the collegecommunity who participated in its formation," he continued. He further stated thatit is the most broad-based planning document the college has developed in yearsand "it is an excellent blueprint for yearsto come to position the college in the 21stcentury." The Strategic Vision will begin tobe implemented this spring, and furtherplanning for its implementation will bemade with nextyear's operating budget.

Andrew Shibko, a 20-year-old pianistfrom Minsk, Belarus, was th inner ofthe $10,000 first prize at the 19th AnnualMercyhurst CollegeD'Angelo YoungArtist Competition, which was held at theWarner Theatre on April 22. Shibko, whodoes not speak English, was one of thetwo contestants who traveled from theformer Soviet Union to participate in thisyear's piano competition. His performance ofListzt's Piano Concerto No. 1inE Flat Major was describedin the ErieDaily Times as "dazzling:marvelouslyclean and clearwith every notearticulated, regardless ofthe tem po." "Ifacompetition candiscoverone uniquetalent, itis an overwhelmingsuccess,"explainedSam Rotman, DK Geoexecutive director of theD'Angelo of his yefr^An&io Co ^Competition. "We accomplishedthat ***"*- ngn

by givingMr. Shibkothe platformtoshare his powerfultechniqueand

musicaltalents,"he noted.

*5J***; ***


22/24

Awards of ExcellenceThe Mercyhurst Magazine and theTenthAnniversary Report of the Association ofMercy Colleges (AMC) received th eAward of Excellence in the InternationalAssociation of Business Communicators(IABC) Keystone Awards Competitionheld in February. Judges for the competition were from Harrisburg, Delawareand Virginia.

"We were d elighted to receive a FirstPlace for the magazine and to share thisaward with our readers who, through thepast 12 years, have helped us develop the

publication," saidMary Daly,

vice presidentof externalaffairs.

"We arealso excitedthat the Tenth

AnniversaryReport for the

AMC took tophonors. That publication was pro

duced while Dr. Garvey was thepresident of the Association of MercyColleges, whose m embers include the college and university presidents from the 19Mercy colleges from Maine to N ebraska.

"We felt honored to have been askedto produce that particular piece becauseit wa s the first time the M ercy collegeshad been presented collectively. We areproud to have been the ones given theopportunity to tell the educational historyof the Sisters of Mercy in this co untry,"Daly said.

W rapping up HistoryAt the close of the calendar year,Mercyhurst honored Sister Mary LawrenceFranklin as she retired from her positionas college archivist after 14 years. Herdeath, a short two mon ths later of pneumonia, shocked the Mercy and collegecommu nities. At Mercyhurst's annualChristmas party, it was announced thatthe college's archives would be named theFranklin Archives in recognition of herwork as the guardian of thecollege's andSisters ofMercy's history for almost adecade and ahalf.

Meticulous to detail, peppery in spirit, pint-size in description, Sister graduated from Mercyhurst with a degree inhistory in 1941 and continued her studies at the U niversity of Notre D ame in1949 and '50.Before joiningthe college,she had been ateacher in theErie andPittsburghCatholicDioceses.

"For me,the greatestreward of being an archivist came from

working with the history of the people,places and things that m ake up a cultureand society," Sister reflected."1 lovedbeing part of the historical operationwhich serves the inquiring min d, andthat's been the hallmark of MercyhurstCollege for almost 70 years," she said.

Two Mayors FromMercyhurstIt isn't often that a college can claimtwo of its graduates as mayors. But suchis the case for Mercyhurst College. ErieMayor Joyce Savocchio, a graduate ofMercyhurst in 1965, welcomedIowaCity Mayor Susan McCartney Horowitz'59 to M ercyhurst's H omecoming celebration this year. Horowitz received theMercyhurst Distinguished Alumna ofthe Year Award for Service toGovernment in 1994, and Savocchioreceived the award from the collegein 1990.

Pictured during Homecoming1994 were Erie MayorJoyce A. Savocchio on left and Iowa City Mayor, SusanMcCarthy Horowitz-

What's in a Nam eWas it an honest mistake or aperceptive reading of the future?

That was the question thatfaced Mercyhurst College officials when Dan Cullen, managerof the bookstore, opened his fallshipment and found six dozensweatshirts imprinted with"Mercyhurst University"instead of with MercyhurstCollege.

It certainly gave us something to talk about. And, yes,maybe something to evendream about. But for now,they made a great collector'sitem.

Grace Bruno '94


23/24

INTRODUCINGM E R CYH UR ST TOD A Y

We've taken their requests to heart.Our alumni want to hear from theiralma mater more often. Now they will.Th e Mercyhurst Magazine will continueto be published twice a year, butbetween times, our readers will receive anew publication calledMercyhurstToday. This publication will featurecampus news, alumni stories and classnotes in a reader-friendlytabloid format which willbe published three times ayear. While it will be ofgeneral readership interest,its contents w ill be gearedheavily to the news interestsof our graduates. W atch forMercyhurst Today coming soon.

It's News To Us...Help us fill the Class Notes pages of Mercyhurst Today. Just complete the form below with your newsworthy information.We also welcome professional photographs and 35mm one-subject close-up

snapshots. Photographs will be returned if requested. Mail your news to D eannBauschard, Alumni Office, Mercyhurst College, Erie, PA 16546.

Name Class Degree

Address

City. State

Phone ( ).

ZIP

Check if this is a new address

News item

Name of spouse.

Maiden Name

MercyhurstClass/Degree _

. Mercyhurst Class/Degree.

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Vol 12, No. 3

Erie, PA 16546Spring 95

Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDErie, PA

Permit No. 10

FORWARD AND ADDRESSCORRECTION

Mr David Pinto

YEAROF THE BLUE ANDGREENNot since 1976, when theMercyhurstmen's tennis team brought hom e thenational title, has the gold been withinthe reach of a Laker team. But this year,three Laker teams tried to match those

championship tennis players who werecoached by Bob Sturm and trusteeChuck Dailey. And while tennis stillholds thecollege's only national title,Mercyhurst held its breath over andover this season, as the Laker sportsteams stretched their fans to the maximu m in expectation. "So close" werewords spoken not once, not twice, butthree times this year, asmen's hockeyand the women's soccer and basketballteams surpassed all previously existingrecords, statistics and expectations by

reaching the Division II NationalPlayoffs. Along with thesegreat teams camethe proud andspirited

Lakermaniacs,who cheered thesecollege athletes onto victory. While theLakers will have towait anothe r year for achance at a nationaltitle, the blue and greenspirit of their fans during1994-95 goes unmatchedin the history of the college.

Mercyhurst Magazine - Spring 1995

Documents

Transcript of Mercyhurst Magazine - Spring 1995