University of Scranton Rated Among Best Values in U.S.

Spring 2022 photo shoot by Nathan Cox

Money magazine gave The University of Scranton its second highest star rating in its selection of the 2023 “Best Colleges in America” based on value. The University of Scranton received a four and one-half star rating based on the magazine’s analysis of dozens of data points to evaluate affordability and student outcomes.

Just 34 colleges in the nation received Money’s highest rating of five-stars, which included many the nation’s ivy league and near-ivy league schools. Scranton was among 189 schools in America to receive the second-highest, four and one-half star rating, which included highly-regarded Jesuit schools like Boston College and the College of the Holy Cross and prestigious schools in Pennsylvania such as Carnegie Mellon University and Villanova University.

Money rated less than 800 colleges in the nation with two and one-half to five stars. Colleges not included in its listing failed to meet Money’s initial screening requirements, such as having at lease 500 in-person undergraduate students or 150 full-time faculty members, having sufficient data to analyze, and other criteria. According to Money magazine, “the most common reason colleges don’t make the cut is that their six-year graduation rate is too low.”

The factors Money used in assessing the value of the education provided by colleges included an analysis of the schools’ quality (30 percent) and affordability (40 percent) and the outcomes of graduates (30 percent).

The factors Money analyzed to determine a college’s “academic quality” included the six-year graduation rate, the standardized test scores of incoming students, the student-faculty ratio, financial stability and the graduation rate of Pell Grant recipients, among other factors. The analysis also included “value” assessments that looked at a school’s predicted graduation rates based on the academic and economic profile of its student body versus its actual graduation rates.

The criteria used to assess “affordability” included an estimate of the “net price of a degree,” which assessed tuition, the time it takes for students to graduate, and the school’s average financial aid offered to students. The “affordability” criteria also looked at student debt, student loan default rates, and student loan default rates adjusted for the economic and academic profile of a school’s student body, in addition to other factors.

The factors Money used to assess “outcomes” included the average salaries of students ten years after enrollment based on data from U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard as well as salaries of graduates adjusted by major. In addition to other factors, the “outcomes” criteria looked at socio-economic mobility data from Think tank Third Way that measures a college’s share of students from low- and moderate-income backgrounds as well as the cost and payoff of a degree for those students.

Money’s 2023 “Best Colleges in America” rating was published online July 12.

This is the eighth consecutive year that Money included Scranton in its published list of America’s best values in college education.

Marywood University Appoints new VP for Mission Services

Sister Mary Persico, IHM, Ed.D., president of Marywood University, Scranton, Pa., recently appointed Sister Rachel Terry, IHM, to the position of associate vice president for mission services. A member of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Scranton since 2004, she is an experienced educator and leader, with a strong background in faith formation, liturgical preparation, and personal spiritual development.

As associate vice president for missions services, Sister Rachel serves in the Office of Campus Ministry, working directly with students and with her colleagues to promote Marywood’s Catholic identity and affirm its significance as a central part of Marywood’s culture.

Prior to assuming this new leadership role, Sister Rachel served as an Adult Faith Formation Intern at Old St. Patrick’s Church in Chicago, Illinois. She also worked part-time in Marywood’s Office of Campus Ministry from 2019-2021. Before that, she served as a music educator at elementary schools in Pennsylvania and Maryland.

The Wright Center Names New VP of Academic Affairs

James McFadden, Ed.D., will join The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education as the new vice president of academic affairs, chief operations officer for education, and associate designated institutional official.

McFadden, of Nashville, Tennessee, was hired after a nationwide search. He holds a doctorate of education from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, a Master of Education in supervision and administration from Tennessee State University, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. He most recently served as the administrative director of medical education and designated institutional officer at Baptist Health Deaconess Madisonville, an integrated health care provider in Kentucky.

At The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education, McFadden will provide administrative and programmatic leadership across all educational activities, partnerships, and new educational initiatives. He will work closely with Dr. Jumee Barooah, the designated institutional official for The Wright Center for Graduate Medical Education.

McFadden, his wife, Brandy, and three children will relocate to Scranton.

Commonwealth Health Tips to Prevent Type-2 Diabetes

Over 30 million Americans have Type-2 diabetes. If left untreated or unmanaged, the disease can damage all aspects of the cardiovascular system, cause blindness, heart disease, loss of limbs and other serious conditions.

While Type-2 diabetes is most often diagnosed in adults 45 and older with a family history of the disease or in those who are overweight or obese, the condition is now becoming more prevalent in children, teens and young adults. Fortunately, there are small lifestyle changes and habits that can help prevent this chronic condition in people of all ages while also improving overall health.

As the most common type of diabetes, Type-2 diabetes is when the body creates too much insulin or resists it, which causes blood sugar levels to rise.

“The reality is that there is no cure for Type-2 diabetes, so taking steps to prevent this disease is your best course of action,” says Neda Danniel, M.D., family medicine physician with Commonwealth Health Physician Network.  “Even small changes in lifestyle like taking a daily walk or drinking water instead of juice can help ward off a diagnosis and make a big impact on your health.” 

Dr. Danniel suggests four ways to prevent Type-2 diabetes.

  • Manage weight and belly fat: Excess weight in the abdomen and obesity are main causes of Type-2 diabetes. Experts recommend maintaining a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 and a waistline of less than 35 inches for women and less than 40 inches for men.

  • Exercise regularly: Daily exercise can help avoid heart disease, reduce stress and Type-2 diabetes. The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise, like walking or biking, and two strength workouts each week.

  • Move more: Additional movement beyond exercise can also help keep off weight. Consider taking the stairs rather than an elevator or standing during work meetings to add more movement into daily life.

  • Eat fresh food: Avoid overly processed foods like chips, candy and deli meats, and focus on foods rich in fiber and nutrients like fruits, vegetables and lean protein.

Unfortunately, Type-2 diabetes could take years to develop and symptoms are often hard to detect. If you experience extreme fatigue, numbness or tingling in the hands or feet or blurred vision, it is important to get tested.

To learn more about preventing Type-2 diabetes, or to schedule a wellness exam, visit https://www.commonwealthhealth.net/.

Pennsylvania American Water Announces Pipe Project in Scranton

Pennsylvania American Water today announced a $6 million project to provide redundant drinking water supply from its Lake Scranton Water Treatment Plant to the city of Scranton.  The project, which is slated to begin in mid-August, involves rehabilitating an existing water line that runs through the East Mountain area of Scranton.

As part of the project, company contractors will be lining and reinforcing an existing 48-inch transmission line with high-density polyethylene pipe.  The transmission line was originally installed through East Mountain in 1908 to serve the city.  It was taken out of service in 2018 after a new transmission line was installed through the mountain. 

“The original cast-iron pipe served us for well over 100 years,” said Rich Dudek, project manager, Pennsylvania American Water.  “The second line was installed to provide redundancy should any repairs be needed on the original pipe, and now we are making these improvements to extend the service life of the water main and add resiliency and redundancy to our Scranton water system.” 

The project is expected to start in mid-August and be completed in the spring of 2024.  Customers’ water service will not be impacted by this work.

In preparation for the project, part of the walking path around the Lake Scranton reservoir will temporarily close to pedestrian traffic beginning Monday, July 31 as contractors begin delivering material and equipment for the project.  The walking path will be closed from the area where the path meets the roadway at the small stone bridge to the dam near the fishing pier.

The walking path will be closed as a safety precaution due to increased truck traffic on the roadway until August 4.  The path will be reopen Saturday, August 5.

For more information, contact Pennsylvania American Water’s customer service center at 1-800-565-7292.

RailRiders to Host Office Night

Calling all “The Office” lovers! Don’t miss Office Olympics Night at PNC Field on Saturday, August 12. 

The first 2,500 fans to enter the ballpark at 5 p.m. will receive an Oswald Peraza & Oswaldo Cabrera Dual Bobblehead Giveaway. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. against the rival Syracuse Mets. During the game, Kate Flannery will return to her Dunder Mifflin roots to meet with fans and sign autographs from 6 to 8 p.m. (*Timeframe subject to change.) You can even enjoy a Meredith Palmer adult beverage and themed games all night long. Stick around after the final out for post-game FIREWORKS to cap off an electric night by the Electric City! 

Greater Scranton YMCA and Ski Shack Present Healing Summer Vibes Event

As part of the Greater Scranton YMCA’s Wellbeing Initiative, the Y will host a Healing Summer Vibes wellness event in partnership with Ski Shack. The event will take place from 1:00-4:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 5th at Aylesworth Park in Jermyn.

At the event, attendees can participate in a variety of sessions including:

  • Forest Bathing Hike led by Melissa Roberts, owner of Ski Shack. Attendees will take a peaceful walk around the lake and will use all senses to experience what nature is around them.
  • Yoga led by Kailin Bouse. Experience a relaxing yoga class focused on inner balance and harmony. Practice breath aligned movements, calm your mind, and raise your vibration while surrounded by nature!
  • Floating Sound Healing Meditation led by Kailin Bouse. Attendees will float peacefully on the water during this unique guided meditation experience outdoors. During this meditative floating sound experience, attendees will be immersed in the healing sound waves of crystal singing bowls, gongs, chimes, rainsticks and more!
  • Jeannine Luby of Laugh to Live! leads laughter yoga, which does not use a yoga mat, nor require fitness clothes or the ability to touch your toes. She leads intentional laughter activities that include breathing, clapping, laughing and simple movements to enjoy multiple benefits that come from laughter, like improved mood, blood flow and lowered stress.

Please note, registration is required for the Floating Sound Healing portion of the event only. To register, click here.

“Prior to joining the Wellbeing Initiative, I worked in inpatient drug and alcohol/mental health for five years,” said Katie Moran, B.S., CAAP, Coordinator of Wellbeing Initiatives, Greater Scranton YMCA. “Every day, I saw people who had lost everything and hit rock bottom in their lives. It is gratifying to have the ability to carry out preventative work with all demographics and teach a social emotional learning curriculum with pre-school. This program has the power to bring people out of their houses, remove economic barriers, and provide the community with positive coping skills.”

In 2022, the Greater Scranton YMCA was awarded an approximate $1.836 million dollar grant through SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), made possible through Community Project Funding from Congressman Cartwright’s office, to support the YMCA’s Mental Health Substance and Use Disorder Treatment Services Programming, which includes wraparound services. The project is a collaborative effort between the Greater Scranton YMCA, Greater Wyoming Valley Area YMCA (which includes the Wilkes-Barre Family YMCA and Greater Pittston YMCA), Greater Carbondale YMCA and Wayne County YMCA.

Our Northeastern Pennsylvania YMCAs understand mental health and the risk for substance abuse are directly affected by limited resources, increased social isolation and extreme economic circumstances. The effects of the COVID-19 public health emergency are long-lasting and our collaborating YMCAs in Lackawanna, Luzerne and Wayne Counties are working to make a profound impact on the mental health and substance abuse emergency we are facing.

Through the YMCA’s Wellbeing Initiative, YMCAs serve as safe, welcoming spaces for community members of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds – both YMCA members and non-members – to convene to grow stronger in mind, body and spirit.

For more information about the Healing Summer Vibes event or the Y’s Wellbeing Initiative, contact Katie at kmoran@gsymca.org or (570) 795-8955. More information can also be found online.

Outreach Call for Career Fair Volunteers

Outreach – Center for Community Resources will host its fourth annual Children’s Career Fair at Outreach, 431 North 7th Avenue, Scranton on Saturday, August 27, 2022, from 10 AM to 1 PM. 

Volunteers are needed for a variety of activities. Volunteers are needed from 9 am to 2 pm on the day of the event. Please consider becoming part of this community event.


It’s never too early for children to think about a career, and research shows that every experience of a child helps develop their understanding of the world. An innovative event that encourages parents and their young or elementary-aged children to engage in career exploration, the Outreach Children’s Career Fair provides an opportunity for children to interact with professionals from numerous businesses and career fields and then dream about what they want to be when they grow up! By introducing young children to potential career options early on in life, parents can keep children focused and engaged in academics throughout their school years, a building block needed to create a well-educated workforce, and help them understand their place in the world as productive, employed adults.

Children and parents will have the opportunity to explore over 30 careers through fun and interactive activities. Several local companies will also be offering information on current employment opportunities within their companies. The Outreach Children’s Career Fair is free and open to all families with children interested in interacting with businesses and exploring future career possibilities!

If interested in volunteering, please call Julie Chowanec at 570-558-7569 or email outreachworks@outreachworks.org