summer2014 - Chatham University

Transcription

summer2014 - Chatham University
SUMMER2014
introduction
Editor-in-Chief
Bill Campbell
Design
Brown Advertising and
Design, Inc.
Design CONSULTANT
A special message
e v ie l ewis freema n ’70 | p r e si d e n t, c h ath a m Un i v ers i ty a lu m n i asso c i at i o n b oa rd
Dear Chatham Alumni,
Krista A. Terpack, MBA ’09
Contributors
Robert Dvorchak
Leah Samuel
Chriss Swaney
Ray Werner
Photography
John Altdorfer
Annie O'Neill
As your newly-elected President, I am honored to serve the alumni community
through my leadership role on the Alumni Association Board and as a member of the
Chatham University Board of Trustees. I attended Chatham College for Women from
1966-1970 – four years during which our country experienced tremendous social and
political change. By the time I graduated in 1970, Chatham – as well as many other
institutions of higher learning – had instituted countless changes to their curricula,
admissions policies, and the student experience on campus.
Institutions of higher learning are facing new challenges today in light of declining
enrollment, increasing tuition costs, and demands for career and job-focused
coursework. Chatham University is taking bold steps to address those challenges
as it transitions to coeducation, realigns its academic structure, develops the Eden
Hall Campus, and establishes the Women’s Institute. We recognize that the decision
to turn undergraduate programs coed was an emotional one for many graduates,
even as others embraced and welcomed it. The Alumni Association Board strives
to represent all alumni, both undergraduate and graduate, as we partner with the
trustees, faculty, staff, and students to preserve the essence of a Chatham education
during this time of change.
Assisting me on the Alumni Association Board are two Alumni Board Vice-Presidents,
both of whom bring a broad perspective to their responsibility for representing
all alumni of Chatham. Sheri Kosh, MIA ‘11, a graduate of the Master of Interior
Architecture program, will be the first graduate alumni to serve as an officer of the
Alumni Association. Pam Bradley ’70, majored in economics at Chatham, had a
successful career in international economics, and is the daughter of a 1945 graduate
of Pennsylvania College for Women.
The Alumni Association Board will communicate with you on a regular basis to keep
you connected with your alma mater. We will share opportunities for meaningful
volunteer engagement and plan events in Pittsburgh and around the country.
Chatham alumni are a diverse, dynamic, and accomplished group who play an
important role in maintaining Chatham’s tradition in educating women, as well as
helping to guide the University as it embarks on new directions and opportunities.
How do you want to engage with Chatham? Let me know at AlumniAssociation@
chatham.edu.
I look forward to working with you.
Warmest regards,
The Chatham Recorder is
published biannually by
the Office of Marketing
and Communications,
Dilworth Hall, Woodland Road,
Pittsburgh, PA 15232.
Letters or inquiries may
be directed to the managing
editor by mail at this
address, by e-mail at
communications@chatham.edu,
or by phone at 412-365-1125.
FSC Logo
in this issue
2
2014
Commencement
4
Coeducation at
Chatham
10
YWCA STEM
Stars
12
Braddock Bread
16
Award Winning
Health Science
Programs
18
Alumni Awards,
Events, and
Class Notes
1
2014 COMMENCEMENT
Commencement
2
chatham University • RECorder • summer 2014
“Your whole life is stretching out ahead of
you. While you may or may not have more
money than you have today 30 years from
now, you will definitely have less time.
Be conscious of how you use your time.
Spend it or invest it, don’t waste it. It is
the only time you’ve got. Use it well.”
Denis Hayes,
President and CEO, Bullitt Foundation
On Monday, May 19, 445 students graduated
from Chatham University. The spring 2014
commencement ceremony was held at Soldier
& Sailors Hall in Pittsburgh.
Graduates heard inspiring talks from
speaker and honorary degree recipient
Denis Hayes, the president and CEO of the
Bullitt Foundation, and Carol Brown, former
Chatham College faculty member and
president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Cultural
Trust.
To view photos and watch a video of the
ceremony and Mr. Hayes’ commencement
speech, visit www.chatham.edu/
commencement.
3
coeducation at chatham
Change
has again come to Chatham.
by Robert Dvorchak
4
chatham University • RECorder • summer 2014
In a historic decision on May 1, 2014, a three-part transformation was set
in motion that will open Chatham’s high-quality undergraduate education
to more students through coeducation, enhance the University’s ability to
meet the educational needs of its students and the region for the future
with an academic reorganization, and allow us to honor our 145-year
commitment to advancing the causes of women with the creation of the
Chatham University Women’s Institute.
T
he changes approved
with the overwhelming
support of the board of
trustees on May 1 are
in keeping with the
history of adaptation
and progressive
thinking that have
always been at Chatham’s core.
Chatham was founded under the name
Pennsylvania Female College in 1869, a time
when women were largely excluded from
a college education. One of the great social
inequalities then was women’s lack of access
to quality higher education. But nationwide,
women now make up the majority of students
in higher education.
“The need for single-sex education is not
what it was in our day,” said Jennifer Potter
’66, chair of the Board of Trustees.
In fact, Chatham has been a de facto
coeducational institution for the past
twenty years.
Graduate and online programs were created
for men and women in 1994 to extend
Chatham’s educational mission at a time
when the undergraduate women’s college had
only 500 students.
Chatham transformed itself from a
struggling, small liberal arts college into a
comprehensive university that now provides
high-quality education to more than 2,000
students. About 70 percent of Chatham’s
enrollment is in graduate and continuing
education programs. And even though
men make up only about 15 percent of the
The following resolution was adopted by
Chatham University’s Board of Trustees on
Thursday, May 1, 2014.
University’s total enrollment, their presence
indicates that the school can preserve its
mission of nurturing women while opening
up new opportunities.
“The fact that 70 percent of our enrollment
is in co-ed programs made us confident
we could do this without losing the soul of
Chatham,” Barazzone said. “It was a far more
significant change in 1994, but the essence of
the institution didn’t change.”
In fact, change has already started. This fall,
the first group of coeducational students in
the Bachelor of Sustainability program in
the Falk School of Sustainability will start.
The first male students in the undergraduate
college on Shadyside Campus will be
admitted in the fall of 2015.
Calling the changes “historic and strategic,”
Barazzone believes the changes will increase
women’s enrollment, not diminish it.
“Institutions are always evolving, or ought
to be, to remain relevant in a changing
world,” said Dr. Esther Barazzone, the
University’s president. “We have preserved
the best of our mission to support women
in their aspirations for life, careers,
success, and leadership possibilities. We
have also positioned ourselves to build
a stronger future in a gender-balanced,
open environment that provides learning
opportunities for men and women.
“It was the right thing to do,” she added.
“It was not possible to go forward with
an undergraduate program that was
women-only.”
“Institutions are always evolving, or ought to
be, to remain relevant in a changing world.”
Dr. Esther Barazzone, chatham University president
WHEREAS, Chatham University (the
University) was founded in 1869 to address
one of the great social inequalities of the time:
women’s lack of access to the same high
-quality education that men received at the
mostly all-male colleges of the time;
WHEREAS, since its founding the University
has remained committed to providing
access to high-quality education that meets
important societal needs of the times, most
recently by creating graduate and online
education programs to prepare women and
men for professional careers that include
strong liberal arts backgrounds;
WHEREAS, the University’s Board of
Trustees wishes to reorganize the University’s
academic units to provide for closer
collaboration between undergraduate and
graduate programs;
WHEREAS, the University’s Board of Trustees
wishes to preserve the University’s mission
to women and women’s education, through
public programming as well as academic
opportunities, in ways that meet the needs of
women both now and in the future, including
the establishment of the Chatham University
Women’s Institute;
WHEREAS, the University’s Board of Trustees
wishes to provide access to a high-quality
Chatham University education to even more
undergraduate women and men;
NOW THEREFORE, the Board of Trustees
hereby approves: (1) the reorganization of
Chatham University by academic units within
vertically integrated Colleges and Schools;
(2) the implementation of coeducation within
all Chatham University Colleges and Schools;
and (3) alongside the commitment to each
student who will attend Chatham University,
the creation of structures and programs to
preserve Chatham University’s commitment
to women’s education and leadership.
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coeducation at chatham
“The entire industry has to find out ways to do things differently. That’s
a bigger challenge than the one we faced,” Barazzone said. “If you
don’t do business differently, you’re not going to have a business.”
President Barazzone
The decision came after a deliberative process
that weighed the realities of national trends.
In a recent report on the challenges facing
higher education, Standard & Poor noted that
single-sex institutions, among others, faced
particularly difficult times in the absence of
fundamental change.
In addition, fewer than two percent of
college-bound high school females say
they want to attend a women’s college. The
number of women’s colleges across the United
States has declined from 200 to just over 40
in the past half-century. And the number
of Chatham’s undergraduate females is
shrinking. The number of first-time, full-time
first-year students is half of what it was in
2008 and continuing to decline.
The new Women’s Institute being created as
part of this change will ensure that women
are equipped with the tools to overcome
and eradicate the considerable inequalities
that women still face in business and the
workforce, in government and politics, and in
the areas of health and wellness.
The Women’s Institute will support and serve
as a coordinating umbrella for the Center for
Women’s Entrepreneurship, the Pennsylvania
Center for Women and Politics, a new Women
and Health initiative, and the Department of
Women’s and Gender Studies.
“Our thinking is inspired by a contemporary
interpretation of Chatham’s mission – serving
the educational needs of our society and
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chatham University • RECorder • summer 2014
honoring our commitment to women. The
establishment of Chatham University’s
Women’s Institute will address critical
challenges for women in the areas of
business, politics, health, sustainability, and
leadership,” said Barazzone.
In the process of weighing the decision
to go coeducational, various alternatives
were discussed. One was to eliminate the
undergraduate college altogether and move
forward as a graduate institution, but it was
not the future that Chatham’s leaders wanted
to have. Another was to create a structure
of parallel coeducation, but the only way to
share academic resources would have been
to have male and female students in the
classroom together.
Still, the entire sector of higher education
faces, and will continue to face, challenges
in a changing world. In fact, the future of
higher education is not just in the traditional
classroom, but also online and in an
increasing blend of the two.
“The entire industry has to find out ways to
do things differently. That’s an even bigger
challenge than the one we faced with the
coeducational decision, significant as that
is,” Barazzone said. “If you don’t do business
differently, you’re not going to have a
business.”
Change is not only a bedrock of Chatham’s
tradition, it will be part of its future.
1978 For the first time
ever, more women earn
associates degrees
then men.
1982 Women earn more
bachelor’s degrees than
men and continue to
increase their share of
bachelor’s degrees every
year since.
An incredible
forty years of
recent progress
for women
in higher ed
1987 Women earn the
majority of master’s
degrees for the first time
ever. Chatham begins
graduate programs in 1994.
2006 More women than
men earn doctoral degrees.
Chatham becomes a
University one year later.
Sources:
National Center for Education Statistics: http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d12/tables/dt12_310.asp
Stunning college degree gap: Women have earned almost 10 million more college degrees than men since 1982. Mark J. Perry. May 13, 2013, AE Ideas.
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coeducation at chatham
Chatham University Women’s Institute:
A legacy of empowering women yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
Chatham University was founded in 1869
when lack of access to higher education for
women was a pressing social concern. While
access to higher education in the United
States is no longer an issue for the majority
of women today, women still face social
inequality and challenges on many fronts,
including in the workforce and business, in
politics and government, and in health and
wellness.
In keeping with Chatham University’s
leadership and historic commitment to
women and women’s issues, Chatham will
establish the Chatham University Women’s
Institute in 2014. The mission of the Institute
is to help overcome and eradicate the social
inequalities facing women, and to advance
women’s excellence through education,
research, and outreach in areas of modernday social concerns. Its purpose on campus is
to ensure the thoughtful continuation of the
resources and expertise we have – and will
continue to have – in enhancing education
for women and gender equity in all aspects of
campus life and academics.
The Women’s Institute is part of an $8.5
million funding initiative comprising various
endowments, current funds, and $2 million
in newly raised commitments in support of
the Institute and its mission.
The Women’s Institute will help support and
coordinate Chatham’s Center for Women’s
Entrepreneurship and Pennsylvania Center
for Women and Politics, along with a new
Women and Health initiative and Chatham’s
Women’s and Gender Studies Department.
The ability to evolve and expand into other
strategic and critical focus areas will be an
integral part of the Institute.
8
chatham University • RECorder • summer 2014
In addition to the current offering of existing Centers, the
Institute is expected to support and help coordinate the
following areas:
Housing: An all-women residence hall with focus on women’s
leadership
Academics: Courses focused on women and gender issues, as
well as faculty training for gender equal pedagogy
Leadership: A Certificate in Women’s Leadership program that,
along with coursework, could require a mandatory international
experience with women’s organizations in the developing world
and an internship with a Pittsburgh-area women’s organization
Activities: New campus and community programming, plus
Chatham College for Women traditions
Research: Sponsoring of faculty, student, and outside research
Mentoring: Programs for students to work with alumnae and
other women leaders in the community
STEM: Chatham’s Women in STEM initiative and scholarship
program
Gateway: Chatham’s historic Gateway program for nontraditionalage women returning to school
Faculty: Training and programs in creating a gender-balanced
classroom
Honoring the past.
Supporting the Future.
Suzanne Clewell, Sarah Terbush-Drescher, and Linda
Wason-Ellam are all class agents for the Chatham
College class of 1964 who were working on their class
reunion gift project for Reunion 2014. Following the
board vote on May 1, these three women launched a
plan to establish a $50,000 endowed scholarship in
the name of the Chatham College Class of 1964.
The scholarship will be given annually to a Chatham
female student participating in the Chatham
University Women’s Institute.
“Chatham opened global doors for me, allowing
me to contribute to society and explore the
world around me. Now, I have an opportunity
to open new doors with the Women’s Institute.
Educating women to embark on careers that
are innovative and critical will ensure the
rich tradition of excellence that Chatham has
provided over many years.”
“Our class of 1964 is but one outstanding thread woven into the
history of the education of women
at the Pennsylvania Female College
(1869-1890), Pennsylvania College
for Women (1890-1955), Chatham
College (1955-2006) and Chatham
University (2007 to present). This
scholarship is a way to acknowledge that history in the name of the
Class of 1964.”
Sarah Terbush-Drescher ’64
“Chatham’s Women’s Institute will
sustain the focus on women’s issues,
which includes the oppression of
women who are facing global
poverty, lack of health treatment,
and inequality in education.”
Linda Wason-Ellam ’64
Suzanne Clewell ’64
Interested in contributing or creating
a similar program supporting the
Women’s Institute and women students
at Chatham? Please contact the Office
of Annual Giving at 412-365-1262 or
AnnualFund@Chatham.edu.
9
ywca stem stars
Creating More
Women Scientists
A partnership between the YWCA and Chatham
by Leah Samuel
One Saturday a month throughout the
2013-14 school year, dozens of girls who
were years away from being college
students visited the Chatham campus.
The middle-school students were
gathered for the Saturday Academy, part
of the Greater Pittsburgh YWCA’s effort
to encourage middle-school girls toward
science and technology careers.
“This is the first year we’ve hosted,” said
Karol Dean, who was dean of the College for
Women last year and is also a board member
of the Pittsburgh YWCA. “Once we got going,
we had to figure out how to make it work.”
“I hope to one day be a counselor to children,”
she pointed out. “But I really thought I would
dislike working with middle-school girls
because of all the negative ideas about the
teenage years.
Chatham recruited students in psychology,
social work, science, and other disciplines to
teach and mentor the teen girls. The YWCA
then trained the Chatham students, who
received college credit for their work with the
program.
“I ended up loving it,” Langhoff added. “It was
really cool to be a positive influence on them.
And there were also times when a young lady
would be so mature and insightful, it was like
she was teaching me.”
“It’s a natural fit,” said Dean, pointing out
that their identical missions, of helping young
women empower themselves, made Chatham
and the YWCA ideal partners.
One of the Chatham student mentors was
senior Brittany Langhoff, who majored in
psychology. Though she had some early
misgivings, she knew she needed to be a part
of the YWCA program.
10
chatham University • RECorder • summer 2014
Chatham hosted 46 female students from
Pittsburgh-area middle schools. In their
weekend classes, the girls explored math
and science with experiments, craft projects,
and other activities. The girls used nail
polish not for decorating their fingers, but
for demonstrating light refraction. They took
on complex calculations as they learned to
weave accessories from rubber bands. With
these and other activities, the teens got
hands-on lessons in applying mathematical
and scientific principles to the real world.
The world needs more women scientists.
And the S-STEM scholarship program at Chatham is helping create them.
Chatham is dedicated to changing the face of science and math
careers by developing strong, smart women making a real difference
in the workplace. Chatham is participating in a $650,000 S-STEM
grant from the National Science Foundation to provide scholarships
for academically talented female undergraduate students in biology,
chemistry, and biochemistry. Students are eligible to receive an
additional scholarship of up to $10,000 per year for four years on top
of Chatham merit and financial aid, which may cover the cost of tuition.
chatham.edu/sstem
T
he YWCA program
addressed other
real-world concerns
as well. Science and
math classes were
interspersed with
discussions and group
activities around
issues such as stress
management, conflict resolution, and selfdetermination.
“Ninety percent of our population comes from
low-income families,” said Alexis Howard,
YWCA teen services coordinator, pointing
out that this makes them particularly
vulnerable to making harmful choices. “So
we include a life skills component. We want
to decrease sexual risk-taking behaviors,
reduce teen pregnancy, and increase positive
communications between the girls and their
parents or caregivers.”
To that end, being on Chatham’s campus has
proven to be especially important.
“It exposes the girls to college life as a
possibility,” Howard said. “The great thing
about the Chatham students is that they were
so open. They were willing to share their
experiences with our girls, and the girls were
eager to learn and ask questions.”
Langhoff hopes she made a difference in the
girls’ futures.
“I was encouraging them toward college, but
they didn’t need it because a lot of them were
already on that path,” she said. “But of course,
I did my part in trying to steer them toward
Chatham. I want at least some of them to end
up here.”
“It exposes the girls to college life as a
possibility. The great thing about the
Chatham students is that they were so
open. They were willing to share their
experiences with our girls, and the girls
were eager to learn and ask questions.”
Alexis howard, teen services coordinator, YWCA
11
braddock bread
12
chatham University • RECorder • summer 2014
Building Community Spirit,
Loaf by Loaf
C
by Ray Werner
atch the 61B bus from
Regent Square to
Braddock and you just
might catch a whiff
of pungent-sweet
sourdough bread, on
its way to a brick oven.
Benjamin Franklin
would approve. You recall he was seen with
a loaf of bread under each arm as he strolled
along Market Street in Philadelphia. No doubt
Ben’s bread was also baked in a brick oven
similar to one run by Chatham University
student Shauna Kearns.
A student in the Falk School of Sustainability’s
Master of Arts in Food Studies (MAFS)
program, Shauna has a ready smile and her
eyes light up like arctic stars at the mere
mention of bread. On her lap is a plastic
container of several pounds of sourdough
rising to the occasion and ready to be baked
in Braddock’s community brick oven. It’s a
trip she makes two or three days a week.
While she shapes her bread, she is also
helping to shape the new community spirit
that is a catalyst behind all the good things
happening in this comeback town. Their
newest community brick oven will be
built this July next to the new and muchanticipated Superior Motors restaurant.
“With the addition of Shauna and our
new oven,” said Mayor John Fetterman,
“Braddock’s fortunes will certainly continue
to rise.”
Shauna’s passion has deep roots. “I grew
up in Toronto in a family that treasured
the outdoors and loved to cook with locally
grown foods. The first time I made bread, I
just fell in love with it.”
That love landed her an apprenticeship at
Tracebridge Sourdough in England.
“This incredible couple, Katie Venner and
Gordon Woodcock, run a small-scale bakery
in Somerset. They have a brick oven they
made from reclaimed materials. With their
weekly pizza nights, they bring people
together with food and music and community
spirit. I learned so much from them.”
Shauna brought a jar of Tracebridge
sourdough starter back to Toronto from
the UK, which she still uses for her bread.
Then, she apprenticed at St. John’s Bakery,
a nonprofit next to a mission that trains the
unemployed. This will be the model for the
bread-baking training program Shauna plans
for Braddock.
These past few summers, Shauna has also
led canoe trips on the Ravensthroat and
Coppermine Rivers in the Arctic, and she’s
going back this summer, along with her
sourdough starter, to paddle the Keele. Yes,
she bakes bread in the Arctic wilderness.
Much like the Klondike miners did during the
gold rush in the late 19th century. But Shauna
mines a different kind of gold.
“I grew up in Toronto in a family that treasured the outdoors and
loved to cook with locally grown foods. The first time I made
bread, I just fell in love with it.”
Shauna Kearns, Master of Arts in Food Studies Class of 2015
13
braddock bread
• To learn how you can help Shauna build
community in Braddock, contact her at
braddockcommunityoven@gmail.com
• To learn more about Touchstone Center for
Crafts, go to www.touchstonecrafts.org
• For more about Tracebridge Sourdough,
go to: www.tracebridgesourdough.co.uk
• To learn more about the Food Studies
program, visit falk.chatham.edu/foodstudies
“These canoe trips in the Arctic are little
communities,” she says. “They’re nomadic,
self-sufficient. We eat only what we catch and
carry. Baking bread in a small portable Dutch
oven every day in the middle of the nowhere
encourages a community spirit. It’s the same
kind of spirit I discovered in Braddock.”
Shauna received one of the initial Falk
Sustainability Summer Fellowships, which
will help her participate this summer in an
oven-building workshop at Touchstone Center
for Crafts in Farmington, Pennsylvania, and
to serve as an apprentice at their oven- use
workshop in September.
For Shauna, it’s all about what bread from a
brick oven can do to bring people together –
to learn, to share, to develop a skill and give
something back to the community.
14
chatham University • RECorder • summer 2014
“Bread sales from the Braddock oven,”
Shauna says, “have always gone back into the
project. The Falk Fellowship helps ensure this
can continue. Imagine, 100% of our bread
sales goes right back into it – to buy flour and
support the construction of the oven. It will
be for sale Saturdays at the Braddock Farm
Stand beginning in June.”
So, while breaking bread, Shauna is
also breaking the mold. What comes out
of the community oven in Braddock is
extraordinary. But what comes out of her
community spirit is changing people’s lives.
FALK SUMMER SUSTAINABILITY
FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
Thanks to the generosity of the $15 million
Falk Foundation grant to the Falk School
of Sustainability, students selected for the
Falk Summer Sustainability Fellowship
Program will be guaranteed up to $5,000 in
income for their summer placements. These
opportunities may be either student acquired
or come from one of the Falk School’s
developed placements with organizations
working on various sustainable projects.
The Falk Summer Fellowship program is
competitive, with priority given to applicants
who express a preference in international
and/or community development contexts.
Ray Werner initiated the first
community brick oven in Braddock, still
in use, and along with fellow oven builder
and baker Rich Jones, will conduct the
oven-building and oven-use workshops
at Touchstone this summer. Their “Bricks
and Bread, The Pittsburgh Community
Brick Oven Project,” has been endorsed
by The Sprout Fund, and the first community oven for Pittsburgh is planned for
Larimer Avenue.
15
Award Winning Health Science Programs
Living well,
living longer.
T
Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy
Programs Improve Quality of Life for Seniors
hose living to age
90 and older are a
population group
that’s increasing
fastest among the
elderly population.
By 2030, retiring baby
boomers will number
60 million. And that
rate of survival to advanced age is expected
to increase dramatically throughout
this century.
So, it is imperative that healthcare continues
to focus on getting more people to live well
as they live longer. Chatham University is
at the forefront of the call to help “make the
aged, ageless” through its Doctor of Physical
Therapy Program (DPT) and the Master of
Occupational Therapy (MOT) program.
Award-winning and competitive, both
programs give students innovative
curriculums, networking excellence,
entrepreneurial encouragement, and
practical clinical experience in both the
community and a cache of outstanding health
systems to study and emulate.
“The expectation of baby boomers to stay well
and active makes our profession so enduring
and critical,’’ said Patricia A. Downey, DPT
program director at Chatham. “Our problembased learning curriculum presents physical
therapy in an integrated manner through
the study of patient problems typically
encountered in a clinical setting.’’
16
by Chriss Swaney
chatham University • RECorder • summer 2014
The importance of treating patients in
clinical settings brought accolades from the
Fred Rogers Good Neighbor Day Awards
program earlier this year to 22 dedicated
DPT Chatham students.
“We were both surprised and thrilled with
the award,’’ said Julie Stutzbach, a DPT
student from Pitman, New Jersey, and project
leader. “It was so rewarding to see the impact
we had with the elderly adults we visited in
their homes.’’
The students participated in an academic
service learning project in support of the
United Way’s Open Your Heart to a Senior
program. DPT students volunteered 330
hours to conduct home safety checks for
seniors in the region. Students screened for
potential fall and fire hazards. They also
installed smoke alarms, batteries, rubber
tub mats and made recommendations for
larger future projects to reduce safety risks
for seniors. Falling is the leading cause
of unintentional injury at home among
Americans age 65 and older, according to the
National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Both the DPT and MOT programs educate
professionals who will meet the challenge
of a dynamic health care environment and
support scholarly activity that bridges science
and clinical practice.
Joyce Salls, MOT program director at
Chatham, said altruism is a big part of the
occupational therapy environment. “We help
people get back to doing what they need to do
to achieve a quality life.’’
Students not only get real-world experience,
but many get inspired to become
entrepreneurs and start unique training
programs for the elderly.
Chatham MOT alumna Sehra Siddiqui
operates her own occupational therapy
business in Michigan, where she has seven
employees. “Chatham gave me the leadership
tools and confidence to turn a dream into
reality,’’ said Siddiqui, whose family has been
involved in OT for than two decades.
In addition to inspiring students imbued with
entrepreneurial DNA to excel, the programs
also help keep practicing professionals
current with new techniques and everchanging health care requirements.
“I was an OT dinosaur. I had a bachelor’s
degree and 15 years of experience, but I
was feeling out of touch with my profession.
So, I decided to attend Chatham and obtain
my doctorate in OT,’’ said Amy Brzuz. Her
dynamic Chatham experience helped her
develop a driving cessation program as part
of the requirement for her OTD studies.
It is awkward and painful to have to tell
older adults that they aren’t capable of doing
something as basic and essential as driving
a car. For them, it’s another humiliating
reminder of their growing inability to take
care of themselves.
“Chatham teaches us how to help seniors
manage the tasks of daily life with dignity
and safety,’’ said Jocelyn Lyndsay Vojcsik,
who is working as a geriatric physical
therapist. “The university continues to help
all of us find our passion in these vast
career fields.’’
“We help people get back
to doing what they need to do
to achieve a high quality life.’’
Joyce Salls, MOT program director at Chatham
“The expectation of
baby boomers to stay
well and active makes
our profession so
enduring and critical.”
patricia a. downey, dpt program director
chatham university
For additional information
about the Chatham programs, see:
• www.chatham.edu/dpt
• www.chatham.edu/mot
• www.chatham.edu/otd
17
alumni awards
Achievement Awards
The following Chatham alumnae received
alumnae awards at Chatham University’s
2014 Alumnae Reunion Weekend, June
6-8. Congratulations to all our winners.
Who receives these awards
Distinguished Alumna Award
Cornerstone Awards
The Distinguished Alumna Award is given
annually to an alumna whose achievements
represent the fulfillment of Chatham’s
mission of excellence in the liberal arts
education of women. Recipients have made
inspiring contributions to their particular
fields, volunteer organizations, or society
in general. The final selection each year is
made by the Alumni Association Board.
Established in 1997, the Cornerstone Awards
are presented each year at Reunion to
identify and recognize the achievements of
alumnae in a variety of fields. As a subset
of the Cornerstones, the Young Alumna
Cornerstone Award has been given out
since 2001.
Distinguished Alumna Award • Sarah Bornstein ’69
Sarah Bornstein recently retired as the director of human resources at Neumann Family Services, an
agency serving people with disabilities. She previously worked at Dart & Kraft, the Illinois Institute
of Technology, Roosevelt University, and the Department of Public Health for the city of Chicago. She
earned a bachelor’s degree in political science at Chatham and also holds master’s degrees from Rutgers
University and Loyola University of Chicago. Sarah has served as a leader for the Junior League of Chicago
and Health Evaluation and Referral Service, an organization devoted to women’s health. She volunteers
with Women Employed, which promotes women’s economic equity and independence, and is currently
president of her local block club. Sarah received the Mercedes Mentor Award and was named one of “100
Women Making a Difference” by Today’s Chicago Woman magazine
18
chatham University • RECorder • summer 2014
Cornerstone Award for Social Services • Dr. Toba Schwaber Kerson ’64
Toba Schwaber Kerson is the Mary Hale Chase Chair in Social Science, Social Work, and Social Research
at Bryn Mawr College. She graduated from Chatham with a degree in sociology and went on to earn
her master’s in social work from Columbia University, as well as a doctorate of social work and aPh.D.
in sociology from the University of Pennsylvania. Toba’s research interests include social work in health
care. She is the author of Social Work in Health Settings: Practice in Context and Boundary Spanning: An
Ecological Reinterpretation of Social Work Practice in Health and Mental Health Systems. She serves on
several editorial boards, including Social Work in Health Care. Toba is a Fulbright specialist, supporting
selected scholars and professionals in collaborative work internationally.
Cornerstone Award for Psychology • Dr. Maureen Carroll McHugh ’74
Maureen Carroll McHugh is a professor of psychology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where her
research interests include sexism and violence against women. She received a bachelor’s degree from
Chatham and a master’s andPh.D. at the University of Pittsburgh. Maureen is president of Division 35 of
the American Psychological Association and serves on the APA’s Committee for Women in Psychology, the
Society for Menstrual Cycle Research, as media editor of Sex Roles journal, and as director of the Leadership Institute for Faculty Women for the State System. Maureen received the Legacy Award from the
Greater Pittsburgh Psychological Association, the Pioneer Award for Early Contributions to the Psychology
of Women, and the Florence Denmark Distinguished Mentoring Award from the Association of Women in
Psychology. She has published extensively and is co-authoring The Wrong Prescription for Women.
Cornerstone Award for Public Policy • Muriel Bowser ’94
Muriel Bowser serves as Ward 4 councilmember in Washington, D.C. and is the Demovratic candidate
for the 2014 mayoral election. She earned a bachelor’s degree in history at Chatham, followed by a
master’s degree in public policy at American University. Muriel’s political agenda focuses on improving
neighborhoods, transforming schools, and revitalizing corridors. She chairs the Committee on
Government Operations and is a representative director on the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit
Authority’s Board. She worked in local and regional government for nearly a decade prior to serving on
council. Muriel has been honored as Washington’s Idealist of the Year and has received the Democratic
State Committee’s Legislator of the Year Award, the Phyllis Campbell Newsome Public Policy Leadership
Award, and the NoMa Business Improvement District Public Sector Award.
Cornerstone Award for Young Alumnae • Jamie Baker ’04
Jamie Baker received her bachelor’s degree in behavioral neuroscience from Chatham. Upon entering
the workforce as a research associate at the University of Pittsburgh, she realized her passion for public
health. She completed her master’s degree in public health practice at the University of South Florida,
and is now director of healthcare initiatives at West Central Florida Area Agency on Aging. She directs
Health and Wellness, Medication Management, and Care Transitions initiatives for a five-county area.
Under Jamie’s leadership, the agency is partnering with eight hospitals to monitor the health of Medicare
patients. She is a principal singer in her choir, and she leads youth and young adult ministries.
19
2014 REUNION
O
ver the weekend of June
6-8, 2014, Chatham
alumnae “Followed the
Yellow Brick Road” to
Chatham to reconnect
with friends, faculty, and classmates – all
while rediscovering their alma mater. The
2014 Alumnae Reunion brought together
more than 130 alumnae, representing 20
states and the District of Columbia; the
countries of Canada, Panama, and United
Kingdom; and the years 1943 to 2011.
Attendees enjoyed traditional reunion
favorites such as the Alumnae Reception at
Gregg House, the Alumnae Award Winner
Panel, and Saturday morning Bloody Marys
and Mimosas, along with new options such as
an interactive tour of Chatham Eastside and a
Chatham Alumnae “Caba-Rea” at the restored
Rea Coffeehouse.
Relive the Reunion fun with these snapshots
captured throughout the weekend.
Members of the Class
of 1994 celebrate their
20th Reunion with a
class party in Mellon
Center.
Members of the Class
of 1974 strike a pose
while sharing laughs
and memories.
20
chatham University • RECorder • summer 2014
Young alumnae return
to campus to celebrate
reunion in style.
Chatham University
President Esther
Barazzone bonds with
alumnae award winner
Muriel Bowser ’94 (2nd
from L) and (L to R)
Tamara L. Watkins ‘95,
Gretchen Hart ‘62, and
Jennifer Potter ‘66,
chair of the Chatham
Board of Trustees.
Top: 1984 classmates (L to R) Judith
Stallworth, Colleen Lussier, and Judy
DeTorok are all smiles at the All Alumnae
President’s Reception.
Bottom: Members of the Class of 1979
parade into Anderson Dining Hall for the
All Alumnae Lunch.
President Barazzone greets Linda Wason-Ellam
(L) and Grace Hutchinson at the Class of 1964
Luncheon in the Science Complex.
The Class of 1964 smiles outside the Science
Complex after the luncheon honoring their
50th Reunion.
Bottom Left: 2004 classmates Amy Smerick,
Holly Hickling, Tiffani Loiacono, and Melissa
Lawrie follow the yellow brick road to Mellon
Solarium for a fun photo shoot.
Bottom Middle: Alumni Association Board
members connect in the Mellon Living Room at
the Bloody Mary and Mimosa Reception.
Bottom Right: Maryam Kamran ’09, Nancy
Greco Moran ’64, Judith Anderson Esposito
’64, Sulvia Doja ‘09, Barb Silverman Freed ’64,
Sue Pollack Boitz ’64, Suzanne Fritch Clewell
‘64, Maureen McGuirk Sampson ’09, and Marian
Friedman Siegel ’64 forge bonds across the
decades.
21
class notes
’52
Muriel Spindell Muldorf is ready
for the next major activity before
closing up shop for the return of the lake,
after a fabulous visit with four generations of
sisters and once prince (missing one greatniece and great-grandniece). She had a knee
replacement after having tried every pain
management technique available. She wants
very much to play golf and travel abroad –
hopefully this will be the solution. Muriel is
looking forward to seeing all of her friends
and family with two working knees wherever
and whenever.
’58
Lois Ingham Peeler would like
very much to be in touch with other
classmates living in the New England area.
Kay Kerr seems to be the closest. She lives in
Littleton, NH. From Lois’ viewpoint, she thinks
that President Barazzone has been a miracle
worker for Chatham University!
’61
committed to move toward more volunteer
social activism. There are so many issues
needing attention. Wendy is looking forward
to seeing Karen Blomquist Struckman ’64
when she and her husband visit the Northeast
this September, and she wants to extend an
invite to any classmate who may visit the
Boston area in the future!
’65
Jane Tremble Baumann writes,
“Just when you think nothing
much changes as you get to be our age – it all
changes! My sister moved out, my son moved
in, and now we are selling the house and
moving again! Just returned from Alaska’s
inside passage with over 900 other Master
Gardeners from around the country. Beautiful
trip and lots of gardening tips. My 10-year-old
grandson and my daughter came along on the
cruise. Now, it’s back to work for me.”
EVENT
Marilyn Eckert Winters and
husband Al moved back to MA after
a few years living in Camp Hill, PA to be near
their daughter Holly. They welcomed their
first grandchild in 2010. Kensie is a bright,
kind and delightful little boy. Retirement
is okay – Al continues creating medieval
instruments which, thanks to his website
(silvershellmusic.com) are now played in
several foreign countries! Marilyn continues to
read, knit and “lunch with the ladies.”
’64
Wendy Haskell was sorry to miss
her 50th reunion this June, and
she says “hi” and sends love to all. She wishes
she could just magically be there without
the travel hassles and disruption from
responsibilities at home. Wendy continues
to work pretty much a full work week but is
definitely slowing down, spending more time
with friends, renovating her kitchen – one
of the hardest jobs ever! – and beginning to
do some social activist work related to the
challenge of sustaining the earth. She feels
22
chatham University • RECorder • summer 2014
Warhol Photos: Chatham alumni enjoyed
an Artist Educator-led tour of the exhibition
“Halston and Warhol: Silver and Suede.“
Barbara-Lee Hewitt Orloff writes,
“Dear Chatham Sisters, While we
attended Chatham in the ‘60s, we have now
reached our 70s in years. We continue to seek
with a sense of wonder, all the world holds of
knowledge and adventure. Once we dreamed
our future. Now we live it. I am on my way
to Amsterdam and Paris in April for several
weeks. I celebrated my 70th birthday with son,
Alek, and family and had a wonderful lunch
with Ann (Plummer) and Jim Crawford in and
around Denver, CO. Youngest son, Piotr, lives
near me in Portland, OR with granddaughter,
Beatrice, 3. All continue to thrive. Life is filled
with love and loss sometimes. We must wait
until its end to discover how it all turns out.
In the meantime I salute my Chatham sisters,
lively “cornerstones” of their communities.
Stay ever curious.”
’68
Lea Wait is happy to announce
publication of her latest historical
novel for ages 8 and up. Uncertain Glory is
based on the life of a teenager who ran the
town newspaper in his small Maine town
during the mid-19th century and is set during
the first two weeks of the Civil War. Kirkus
called it “worthy and entertaining ... richly
evoking time and place.” Publishers Weekly
said it was “fast paced and entertaining.” Her
next book, Shadows on a Maine Christmas, is
due out September 6 – it’s the seventh in her
Shadows mystery series for adults.
’70
Ann Firestone Ungar’s poem
“Banksy: A Meditation” was
published in May 2014 by Three Rooms
Press in their journal Maintenant 8. The
publication was celebrated with readings by
the authors at The Cornelia Street Café and
Le Poisson Rouge, both in Greenwich Village,
NY. The Maintenant series is collected by the
Smithsonian.
To Submit
’66
To submit a Class Note or photo for
publication in the Chatham Recorder, visit
chatham.edu/classnotes.
For more information, contact the Office of
Alumni Relations at alumni@chatham.edu
or 412-365-1255. Submissions may be edited
for length and clarity.
’73
Nancy Chubb writes, “Any of my
classmates who wish to find me can
do so via the Internet and Facebook. I hope
you will stay in touch.”
’74
Cynthia Shoemaker traveled to
Tunisia right after the revolution,
went to Antarctica with her 88 year-old
mother, and lived with a family in northern
France. She continues to pursue photography
and work part-time at saving a failing charter
school as an education consultant and reading
coach. www.cynthiashoemaker.com.
EVENT
’69
Lynn Stewart Hillman remarried
on 12/8/13 to Howard Colby
Hillman, her oldest friend, who she found on
Facebook after a 41-year hiatus. Their mothers
went to college together and they’ve known
each other since Lynn was born, since he’s
six weeks older than she is. They bought a
second home in Delaware, OH. Dottie Zorn
Joyce ’69 and her husband, Jim, attended the
wedding.
Business Grads: Chatham graduate business students celebrate the
holidays – and the end of the semester – with faculty and friends at
the Gate House.
23
class notes
’80
Ruthy Price Watson gave a TED
talk at TEDXABQ Women in New
Mexico, December 5, 2013. Her talk was
on the importance of women’s friendships.
The focus of the talk was on the benefits to
health and stress management that girlfriends
provide for women. Ruthy calls it “Girlfriend
Capital.” The talk can be found on the TEDX
YouTube website.
Margie Clark-Kevan graduated with a
Masters in Chemical and Life Sciences from
the University of Maryland in May 2013.
’87
Bonnie Carlson-Phillips recently
accepted a position at USAID located
in New Delhi, India as Education Advisor.
Bonnie recently was employed at the State
Department as Public Affairs Specialist.
’92
Dawn Kulick is an assistant
state attorney and felony division
chief at the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s
Office, prosecuting homicides and death
penalty cases through trial. With over 50
jury trials and 75 homicide investigations
under her belt, she also supervises and trains
attorneys in the office. She recently accepted a
position to clerk for a federal magistrate judge
in the Southern District of Florida.
EVENT
’84
Gail Ruszczyk Emery and her
family are still living in Los Angeles.
CJ has finished his freshman year at Palos
Verdes High School and Chris finished 7th
grade. Both boys continue to play travel
hockey, and Chris has added lacrosse to his
portfolio. Travels this past year have been
primarily Pittsburgh, but the entire family
enjoyed a wonderful spring break in Ixtapa,
Mexico. Gail has enjoyed her two years serving
as Alumni Association Board president and is
looking forward to retirement.
24
chatham University • RECorder • summer 2014
What’s Next: DC-metro alumnae discover What’s Next at Chatham.
’93
Leah Hill Thompson has switched
gears after fifteen years of teaching
English, and is now working in the world of
graduate medical education as an academic
coordinator for the Internal Medicine
Residency Program at UPMC Presbyterian
Shadyside. She loves it! Leah, along with her
parents and her two girls, has been in Munhall
since July 2011. The girls’ activities and
home improvement projects keep everyone
active. Leah is happiest to share news of being
inducted onto the Alumni Association Board
in the fall of 2013. She has enjoyed attending
meetings and Chatham events, especially 2014
Reunion. She is eager to work with alums as
Chatham moves forward. Exciting times are
ahead!
’99
Ailecia Ruscin Parrott is happy
to report that she got married to Max
Parrott on a hippie-owned piece of communal
land. Ailecia wore an unconventional black
wedding dress with mountains of tulle, and
Max wore red Converse tennis shoes and a
smart tie. They enjoyed being doused with
water guns while coming back down the aisle.
The reception: band, dancing, campfire singalongs, s’mores, and swimming – a punk fest
styled wedding. The day was documented by
Chelsea Donoho – check out her blog for pics!
’00
Christina Petrauskis Mars and
Vince celebrated 10 years of
marriage in 2013 (and spent a long weekend
in Pittsburgh and saw many Chatham
women), moved to a new house, and stayed
busy with the kids; Jacob, now age 6, and
Benjamin, now age 4. The family has enjoyed
traveling to Disney, St. Thomas, the Western
Caribbean, and New York City. Please stay in
touch with Christina via Facebook, Twitter, or
e-mail. She and Vince love hosting Chatties in
Cleveland!
Kristan Buck Spencer, MAT ’05 reports
Traci McKissick completed 10 years at the
many changes. First, on Labor Day weekend
of this year (2013) she became engaged to
the love of her life, Jeff Ferguson. Also, in late
fall they learned that their offer on a home
was accepted. They are the proud owners of a
175-year-old farmhouse in Jefferson Hills, PA.
Kristan is thrilled at the prospect of decorating
their new home. She also remains busy
teaching kindergarten in the Clairton City
School District.
Baltimore Police Department in September
2013. Officer McKissick is proud to have
served in all of the nine districts of Baltimore.
She now serves citizens of Baltimore at Orioles
games & city-sponsored special events. Such
festivities include the annual Gay Pride
festival, where she proudly represents not
only the police community, but also the LGBT
community.
’02
Katherine Ross and her husband
welcomed a son, August Julian
Ross Russell, born at home on November 3,
2013, to the delight of big sister Alice. They
are planning a move back to Katherine’s
hometown of Cleveland later this year.
EVENT
’03
Juliette Gouirand, MSCP ’04 is
happy to report that she obtained
her PA state licensure as a professional
counselor (LPC) in December 2013!
’04
Antonietta Pollice Riley recently
Gateway Dinner with the Deans: Chatham’s Gateway students
gather to celebrate the end of the year with a reception.
moved back to Pittsburgh after
moving to Philadelphia to attend the Graduate
School of Education at the University
of Pennsylvania and then working in
Philadelphia. She is now living in the North
Hills and working at City Charter High School
as a transition manager, assisting high school
students with preparing for their lives after
graduation. She has moved with her husband,
Sean, whom she met on a blind date while at
Chatham, and her young daughter, Vivian. She
and her family look forward to rediscovering
Pittsburgh and catching up with old friends.
25
class notes
Amanda Hoover Grubbs was married at
EVENT
Pleasant Hills Presbyterian Church on June
8, 2013. Both Amanda and her husband,
Matt are graduates of Pittsburgh Theological
Seminary. They are currently working at the
Korean United Presbyterian Church in Ross
Park in children’s and youth ministry. One of
the four bridesmaids was Tricia Chicka ’05.
’06
Rebecca Snyder Halligan received
her Master in Higher Education
in 2008, got married in 2010, and had a
daughter in 2013.
’07
Nicole Hagan received her Ph.D.
in environmental science and
engineering from UNC in May 2014. She is
now a National Research Council Fellow.
Joyce Mallilo Calderone, MFAFDT ’08,
has gotten very involved in the photography
profession, managed studios, and decided
to start her own freelance photography
business. She married her high school
sweetheart, and they have been together
for almost 13 years. They have a beautiful
and intelligent 2-year-old daughter, Pamela
Jane. She currently lives in Queens, NY and is
buying a house in Long Island this year.
26
chatham University • RECorder • summer 2014
Senior Toast: Graduating seniors gather at Beatty House to
celebrate with family, friends, faculty and alumni.
’13
Sally Ramirez serves with the
organization Teach for America and
currently lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where
she works with a nonprofit organization
called Community Action Project (CAP).
At CAP, she serves as a pre-K teacher and
empowers children and families to create
their own visions through education. Sally
stays extremely involved by tutoring teacher
assistants for their entry exams so they can
move up within the company or holding art
lessons for teachers to de-stress – all in order
to work toward the larger vision of creating
choices for their students. Most recently,
she and a friend developed a summer arts
camp called Inside-Out: Ignite the Voice
from Within. They are projected to teach
30 children from low-income communities
how to communicate through the arts and
understand that their voice matters in the
community.
Rose Smiechowski and David Tileston are
pleased to announce their engagement. Rose
will be completing her 10-month service
term as an AmeriCorps Public Ally serving
the nonprofit organization Pittsburgh Botanic
Garden as their Program Coordinator this
June. Rose is excited to be moving to the
Washington DC/Baltimore, Maryland area
with her fiancé this fall.
’96
Brad Berry, MOT, writes that his
daughter Janeen (23) was married
June 2014, teaches fourth grade and lives in
Celebration, FL. Daughter Staci (18) attends
Southeastern University, Lakeland, FL to major
in Nursing or PT assistant program. Daughter
Brielle (13) will begin high school next
year. He has taken two online OTD courses
through Creighton University. His wife,
Sharon, works at the i9 Sports, for the
corporate center, which is a national youth
sports organization based near Tampa.
’98
Susan Dobransky Sofayov, MAT
released her debut novel, Defective,
in April by Black Opal Books. Defective tells the
story of University of Pittsburgh law student
Maggie Hovis, who struggles to hold on to
her fiancé, her grade point average and her
own sanity as she unknowingly struggles with
Bipolar II Disorder. It is an honest account
of a rocky journey against mental illness,
and Maggie’s quest to attain the love and
achievements her uncooperative brain has
always insisted she did not deserve. Visit
http://defectivethenovel.com to learn more.
’00
Marylloyd Claytor, MLA, performed at the People’s Gas
Holiday Market in downtown Pittsburgh’s
Market Square in November 2013.
She performed excerpts of her original
choreography, Women of the Water, and
excerpts of Dances of Isadora Duncan. You
can see her work on demand anytime on
www.pctv21.org Claytor Studio and Gallery.
The program airs in the City of Pittsburgh on
Comcast 21 and Verizon 47.
’05
Ann Dennison, TDPT, will be
speaking at the 2014 Pennsylvania
Physical Therapy Association annual
conference in November.
’06
Christine Billington VanDerMark,
MFA, recently got married New
Year’s Eve 2012. She currently lives in Central
New York with her fun-loving husband and
stepson. She was promoted to associate
supervisor at National Grid and hopes one day
to write a novel that will blow minds.
’08
Shawnte McMillan Elbert, MA,
writes, “Since graduation I have
gotten married and had a child. I also host
interns at UNC Charlotte for students in
Health Administration/Education/Promotion
and Public Health.”
John Yeager, MSCP, and wife Stacey
welcomed daughter Alexandria Grace Yeager
into the world on May 26, 2013.
’09
Nathaniel Fuller, MFACW, was
hired as a writing tutor last fall at
Genesee Community College, and one of his
students was named Student of the Semester.
’10
Pamela Herron, MFACW, recently
released her first book of poetry,
En l’air: a collection of poems created in
the air. The poems look at nature and
relationships and their influence on each
other. Please visit the publisher’s website at
www.unsolicitedpress.com. Release date was
November 12, 2013. Pamela works with New
Mexico State University as a faculty researcher
for the Confucius Institute at the International
and Border Programs Office. She continues to
teach half-time for the University of Texas at El
Paso and focuses on building and expanding
Asian Studies and Chinese Language and
Culture Studies in the Rio Grande border
region.
27
class notes
Jeff Geronimo, MPW, is an e-learning
professional with expertise and experience
in instructional design and technology for
online learning in both higher education and
corporate industry. Jeff is currently doing
his doctorate in instructional technology at
Northern Illinois University as well as working
full-time as a curriculum developer for
Elmhurst College and teaching online
part-time as an adjunct.
Twila Simmons-Walker, MSCP, recently
formed a nonprofit organization to advocate
on behalf of families and children affected by
developmental and behavioral disabilities/
challenges. She serves on the PEAL Center
Board of Directors and will soon undertake
a training program with NAMI (National
Alliance on Mental Illness).
Denise Roubion-Johnson, DNP, writes,
“Once again our city council has awarded me
for performing a job that I absolutely love
,and that is providing care for uninsured with
breast cancer in New Orleans. My Chatham
studies, along with my Capstone Project,
became my platform to continue to service an
underserved population that deserves quality
care...Thank you, Chatham.”
’11
Nicole Culbert Brake, MPW, was
married on May 31, 2013.
Erin McBurney Karam, MOT, celebrated
the birth of son, Levi, on February 17, 2013.
Mildred Negron, DNP, is currently the
acting director for the nursing program in
Universidad del Turabo and a professor in the
MSN FNP program. She was also certified as a
CCRN in October 2013.
’12
Holly Layman, MFACW, gave birth
to a son, Shawn Michael Layman
Cannode, on August 16, 2013.
’13
Claire DiPiero, MPAS, is employed
by Capitol Cardiology Associates
and recently opened Doctors Community
Hospital’s first heart failure clinic. She will be
running the clinic along with a cardiologist.
Jennifer Melendrez, MFACW, served
as a Scholastic Writing judge (high school
competition) in 2014.
Ethan Sahker, MSCP, is a current Ph.D.
student in counseling psychology at the
University of Iowa.
Elizabeth Tomaszewski, DNP, has accepted
a full time position as assistant clinical
professor in graduate nursing at Drexel
University.
EVENT
Grad Student Toast: Bidding farewell to the graduates of Chatham
College for Graduate Studies at the Graduate Student Toast.
28
chatham University • RECorder • summer 2014
In Memory
We mourned the passing of alumni and
friends of Chatham and celebrated their
lives at our annual memorial service during
Reunion Weekend. Information about
deceased alumni may be submitted to
the Office of Alumni Relations at alumni@
chatham.edu or by mail to Chatham
University, Office of Alumni Relations,
Woodland Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15232.
Josephine Johnson Rennich ’34
Helen Birmingham Keenan ’35
Mary Rodgers Moses ’35
Jean Burry Patten ’40
Audrey Horton Skillman ’40
Jean McGowan Marshall ’41
Dorothy Geschwindt Schieber ’41
Ruth A. Succop ’41
Alice McKain Porter ’42
Jane Humphreys Agriesti ’43
Jean Archer Rothermel ’43
Mary Ruth Sampson Eckman ’44
Ruth Laird Grant ’44
Lu Ann Isham Staley ’44
Ellen Saylor Lewis ’46
Eloise P. Haase ’49
Cora “Corky” Davis Anderson ’50
Dorothy Dodworth Scullin ’51
Annette Doolittle Patterson ’52
Sara Crum Ferrell ’53
Catherine Blasing Lyon ’53
Marion Latshaw Boon ’56
Sonya Klein Vernau ’56
Elizabeth Ann MacFarland Wilson ’58
Lee Tarullo ’62
Janine Zimmerman Kirkpatrick ’65
Nona Eisenbies Gage ’71
Deborah Mosby Cook ’74
Karen Glass ’77
Sarah Heyden ’79
Donna Senko Hilliard ’84
Elizabeth Wells ’91, staff
Mia Fuqua Hotkowski ’07
Krissy O’Neill ’10
Michael S. Nanni, MA ’10
Orlando Jardini, faculty
Brett Curtis Weber, faculty
Support Our
Students Today.
was completely stunned by the beauty of campus
and the overwhelming sense of opportunity
awaiting me. It was clear from this one trip that
Chatham was the school for me.
During my time on campus I have also come to
Giving is easy!
truly appreciate Chatham’s rich history. I feel both
My name is Jackie Worst, a rising senior in the
upcoming 2014-15 academic year with a double
major in chemistry and psychology. I plan on
using my Chatham University education to work
as an analytical chemist to help make discoveries
honored and privileged to be part of the Chatham
community and realize that all of us – students,
families, and alumni – can have a role to play in
our online giving page at
Chatham and its students.
chatham.edu/makeagift.
With the very best,
My academic journey brought me to Chatham
three years ago, when I attended a campus event
to learn more about the school. During this visit I
Chatham University by visiting
honoring our past and supporting the future of
resulting in decisions that will benefit my future
employer as well as my peers.
You can make a donation to
Jackie Worst, Class of 2015
BA in Chemistry and Psychology
On behalf of the entire
Chatham community thank
you; for considering an annual
contribution and supporting our
students like Jackie.
Beatty House
Woodland Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
412-365-1517
alumni@chatham.edu
Every gift
counts.
We are here to help. Please
contact the Office of Individual
Giving at 412-­365-­1652 or
elongchari@chatham.edu to
learn more about Chatham’s
NEXT Campaign.
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chatham University • RECorder • summer 2014