Marywood University’s Nursing Graduates Achieve 100% Pass Rate Marywood University’s nursing program was recently notified that its 2024 graduating class achieved a 100 percent pass rate on the NCLEX Exam. The NCLEX is the world’s premier licensure exam and uses computerized adaptive testing (CAT) technology to deliver the exam, ensuring a valid and reliable measurement of nursing competence. This is the second consecutive year that Marywood nursing graduates have achieved a perfect pass rate within one year of graduation. “Our nursing graduates’ achievement of a 100% pass rate on the NCLEX nursing exam for the second consecutive year is a testament to their dedication, resilience, and exceptional preparation,” said Dr. Theresa Tulaney, chair of Marywood University’s nursing program. “We are committed to empowering our students to excel in their nursing careers while making a meaningful difference and providing their patients with an exceptional standard of care.” Marywood University further expanded its deep commitment to health sciences, including nursing, when it opened the Pascucci Family Health Sciences Pavilion in June.
Marywood University Announces New Faculty Members Shelby W. Yeager, M.Ed., LAT, ATC, CSCS, Dean of the College of Health Sciences, and James F. Eckler, Jr., M.ARCH, MSAS, Interim Dean of the Reap College of Creative and Professional Studies, recently announced new faculty members at Marywood for the 2024-2025 academic year. By college/program, new faculty include: COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES: Communication Sciences and Disorders Kaitlyn Froese, AuD, Instructor of Practice/Clinical Audiologist. Dr. Froese earned a Doctor of Audiology (AuD) degree from the University of Arizona and holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Marywood University. Health, Nutrition, and Exercise Science Maureen Burke, M.S., Assistant Professor of Practice. Ms. Burke holds a Master of Science degree in Exercise Science and Health Promotion from California University of Pennsylvania, and she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Physical Education (athletic training), with minors in Coaching and in Nutrition, from Marywood University. Emily Wargo M.S., Instructor of Practice. Ms Wargo is a Registered Dietitian, who received her Bachelor of Science in Nutrition & Dietetics with a minor in Science and her Master of Science in Sports Nutrition & Exercise Science from Marywood University. She is a board-certified specialist in Lifestyle Medicine and a Mindfulness-Based Eating Awareness instructor. Ms. Wargo was accepted into the International Olympic Committee Sports Nutrition Diploma program, with the goal to receive her Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics credential. Nursing, Respiratory Therapy, and Healthcare Administration Sarah Dalton, B.S., Instructor of Practice/Director of Clinical Education. Ms. Dalton earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Respiratory Therapy from Marywood University. She also holds an Associate of Applied Science in Respiratory Therapy from Luzerne County Community College. Physician Assistant Dane Doornbos, DMSc, Assistant Professor of Practice. Dr. Doornbos holds a Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) degree from the University of Lynchburg. He earned two degrees from Marywood University, including a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, with an emphasis in Clinical Practices, as well as a minor in English. Both of his Marywood degrees were bestowed with honors. Chelsea Robinson, M.S., Assistant Professor of Practice/Clinical Coordinator. Ms. Robinson earn both her Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies and her Bachelor of Science in Pre-Physician Assistant Studies from Marywood University. Psychology and Counseling Mindy Farley, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Counselor Education. Dr. Farley received her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Counselor Education and Supervision from Capella University. She holds a Master of Science degree in Rehabilitation Counseling and a Bachelor of Arts in Counseling & Human Service from the University of Scranton. Her graduate and undergraduate degrees were awarded magna cum laude. Heather Rakestraw, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Practice. Dr. Rakestraw earned a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in the Child and Family track from Kent State University. Additionally, she holds a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology from Kent State, and she was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology, summa cum laude, from Temple University. Science, Mathematics, and Computer Science Derrick Boucher, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Physics. Dr. Boucher was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy in Physics from Lehigh University, where he also earned a Master of Science degree in Physics. Additionally, he holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics, cum laude, from the University of Scranton. Michael Gottstein, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Mathematics. Dr. Gottstein earned a Ph.D. in Mathematics from Binghamton University, where he also received a Master of Arts in Mathematics. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics with a minor in Statistics from Misericordia University. Kimberly Stanek, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Chemistry. Dr. Stanek holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Virginia. She also earned two bachelor’s degrees, a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chemistry, from the University at Buffalo. School of Social Work Yerodin Lucas, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Social Work. Dr. Lucas served as Executive Director of Equity and Inclusion at Marywood University prior to becoming a full-time social work faculty member. He earned two degrees from Marywood University, including a Ph.D. in Administration & Leadership and Master of Social Work degree. Dr. Lucas also holds a Master of Arts in Education from Temple University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science (Minor in International Relations) from Arcadia University. REAP COLLEGE OF CREATIVE AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES School of Architecture Jim Sullivan, M.Arch., AIA, Professor of Architecture. Mr. Sullivan is a licensed architect, who previously served as Dean of the Reap College of Creative and Professional Studies and as Dean of Marywood’s School of Architecture. He holds Master of Architecture degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Environmental Design degree from Miami University of Ohio. School of Visual and Performing Arts (Art Therapy) Jackalynn Wilson, M.A. Instructor of Practice/Art Therapy. Ms. Wilson is a Board-Certified Art Therapist. She holds both a Master of Arts in Art Therapy and a Bachelor of Arts in Art Therapy, with minors in Sculpture and Psychology, from Marywood University. School of Visual and Performing Arts (Music, Theatre, and Dance) Allison Fox, M.A., Instructor of Practice/Interim Director of Music Therapy. Ms. Fox holds a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Lesley University. Her field of study on the master’s level was Expressive Therapies (Music Therapy). She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from the University of Delaware. Her field of study included Music and Jazz Studies.
Marywood Celebrates First Anniversary of Construction Management Program Marywood University is planning to celebrate the first anniversary of its distinctive Construction Management program with a special event and announcement in October. The event, which will be held on Wednesday, October 9, 3 p.m., in the Center for Architectural Studies on Marywood’s campus, will provide attendees the opportunity to meet industry leaders, review student work, and take a “hard hat” tour. The event will also recognize the Sordoni Family by naming the Sordoni Construction Management Program in honor of their generosity in support of the first and only four-year construction management program in Northeastern Pennsylvania. For the last four decades, through The Sordoni Family Foundation, as well as their business, Sordoni Construction Services, Inc., the Sordoni Family has both aided in erecting buildings on campus and in philanthropically aiding the academic activities that take place within them. The recent naming opportunity provides resources to enhance the Construction Management Program within the School of Architecture, which reflects the reputation for excellence and expertise that Sordoni Construction Services, Inc. commands in the area. Construction management occupations are projected to grow by 8 percent in the next few years. The Sordoni Family’s support further expands and enhances the depth of the Marywood University School of Architecture, funds faculty for program expansion, improves the student experience through experiential learning, and sponsors guest lecturers in the field. Marywood University’s School of Architecture is the largest in the state of Pennsylvania. In addition to Construction Management, the School features renowned programs in Architecture and Interior Architecture, as well as the only Virtual Architecture program in the world.
Marywood’s Maria MacDonald to Present Keynote at Greater Erie Awards Maria MacDonald, a practicing interior architect and Program Director of Interior Architecture at Marywood University, will give a keynote presentation at this year’s Greater Erie Awards, sponsored by Preservation Erie, on October 10. In addition to her role at Marywood, Ms. MacDonald also serves as the Executive Director of the Center for the Living City, the only urbanist organization founded by Jane Jacobs. Ms. MacDonald specializes in adaptive reuse, preservation, and restoration projects, as well as creative civic engagement. With over 25 years of experience, she partners her professional practice with her teaching. Ms. MacDonald has been a team leader for many significant community projects throughout her career. As an educator, her intense focus is on service and community outreach, providing community-based, experiential learning opportunities for her students and the people in the communities where they work. Ms MacDonald holds degrees in both Architecture and Interior Architecture from the Rhode Island School of Design, where she received the Excellence in Design award for her work on the “Reclamation of Forgotten Spaces.” She is a founding faculty member of Marywood University’s School of Architecture and has served as the Interior Architecture Program Director for the past 15 years. She has successfully guided the program through two full NASAD accreditations. With her integrative, holistic design approach, Ms. MacDonald works to strengthen the relationships between the allied design disciplines and the people and environments where we live, work, play, and, ideally, thrive. Preservation Erie’s annual Greater Erie Awards acknowledge individuals, businesses, and organizations that are exceptional stewards of the physical and cultural landscape that is Greater Erie and includes a keynote by a distinguished urban planner, historic preservationist, or a similar professional. There are eight recipients of this year’s Greater Erie Awards. The event will be held October 10 at 6 p.m. at the Erie Center for Arts & Technology.
Marywood University Partners with Organizations for Fringe Festival Marywood University’s School of Architecture and its Center for Urban Studies are partnering with The Center for the Living City and the Everhart Museum of Natural History, Science, & Art during the 2024 Scranton Fringe Festival, to present their first large-scale 3D projection mapping art installation for Scranton. The students will transform the exterior of the Everhart Museum into a stunning animated canvas. The kick-off party for the festival is set for Thursday, September 26, from 6 to 9 PM, featuring preview performances, food and drink for purchase, Fringe-inspired original works by CTC of Lackawanna County and Marywood graphic design students, and more. The 3D projection dates include Thursday, September 26, and Friday, September 27, in the evening at the Everhart Museum in Nay Aug Park. Events are free and open to the public. The 2024 Fringe Festival will showcase theater, film, music, visual arts, and more from September 26 – October 6. For the full festival program, visit scrantonfringe.org. This artistic endeavor is made possible by the generous support of the Scranton Area Community Foundation, Lackawanna County, Fancy Parsley Architecture + Design, Endeavor Audio, and Marywood University.
Marywood University to Present Mad Forest by Caryl Churchill Show Dates Are October 3-6 The Marywood University Music, Theatre, and Dance department will present Mad Forest by Caryl Churchill as its major fall theatre production. Performances will run from Thursday, October 3, through Sunday, October 6. Mad Forest is an exciting and compelling play about the events prior to, during, and after the Romanian revolution in 1989 that overthrew the Communist regime of Nicolae Ceausescu. Please note that Mad Forest contains mature content and adult language and is not suitable for all audiences. Performances, which will be held at the Munley Theater in the Sette LaVerghetta Center for Performing Arts, have showtimes from October 3-5 at 7:30 p.m. each evening and a matinee-only performance on October 6 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 for the general public and $10 for non-Marywood students. Marywood students, faculty, staff, and IHM sisters are free. Tickets can be purchased in advance by credit card online at https://marywood.universitytickets.com or with cash at the door. For more information about Marywood University’s Music, Theatre, and Dance department, visit marywood.edu/mtd.
Marywood Features New Art Exhibit “Expand: Concepts of Space in the Maslow Collection” exhibit runs through October 18th. The Maslow Study Gallery for Contemporary Art is currently featuring an art exhibit, “Expand Concepts of Space in the Maslow Collection,” which will run through October 18. In partnership with the School of Architecture’s Foundation Design course, this exhibition invites the viewer to explore the question, “What is space in artmaking?” Featuring a diverse selection of artists working primarily in abstraction, the exhibition examines how space is defined through techniques such as shaping, screening, layering, wrapping, and twisting. These works challenge and blur the boundaries between the two-dimensional and the three-dimensional, and encourage a deeper investigation into the nature of spatial perception itself. Featured artists include: Jurgen Albrecht, Alice Aycock, Robert Cumming, Aaron Fink, Peter Halley, Clint Jukkala, Denny Moers, Ad Reinhardt, Joel Shapiro, Anthony Sorce, Frank Stella, Ryan Ward, and Terry Winters. For more information on Marywood art galleries, visit marywood.edu/galleries.
Marywood Univeristy and NEPA Philharmonic Collaborate on Concert Marywood University’s music, theatre, and dance (MTD) department is part of a unique performance collaboration between its music faculty and the Northeast PA Philharmonic. A concert, titled “Quartet for the End of Time by Olivier Messiaen,” will take place on Saturday, September 28, at 7 p.m. in the Marian Chapel at the Swartz Center for Spiritual Life on Marywood University’s campus. Featured musicians include Sophie Till–violin; Christiane Vaida–cello; Ron Stabinsky–piano, and Pascal Archer–clarinet. To secure tickets prior to the performance, go to: https://marywood.universitytickets.com/w/event.aspx?id=1580&p=1. Tickets are $15 for the general public or free with a Marywood ID. To learn about other Marywood University MTD events, go to marywood.edu/mtd and scroll to the bottom of the page to view upcoming performances.
Marywood University “Nuns on the Bus & Friends” Event Nuns on the Bus & Friends to Visit Marywood University/Scranton community for a Town Hall as part of “Vote Our Future” Tour The Nuns and the Bus & Friends will visit Marywood University as part of their 2024 nonpartisan “Vote Our Future” tour on Tuesday, October 1, at the Liguori Center in Regina Hall. Doors open at 5 p.m., and the event begins at 6 p.m. Space for the indoor portion of the town hall is limited, so advanced registration is required at: mobilize.us/network/event/677730. The famous bus will be located outdoors, behind the Marywood University Arch on Adams Avenue, rain or shine, and there are no space limitations to see and sign the bus. Marywood University and the Congregation of the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM Sisters) are co-sponsoring the town hall, which is free and open to the public. On their two-and-a-half-week, nationwide “Vote Our Future Tour,” Nuns on the Bus & Friends will call on Catholics and all people of goodwill to be multi-issue voters. At the Town Hall, they will engage people from across Northeastern Pennsylvania in envisioning a community where everyone—no matter what they look like or how much money they have—is able to thrive. According to representatives of NETWORK, the national Catholic advocacy organization that operates the tour, “The Nuns on the Bus & Friends will explore with the Scranton community our visions for our community, share dreams and stories, and look to the ways that people can take action during this election season, to ensure that they are moving on a pathway toward that shared tomorrow.” This nationwide, two-and-a-half-week tour is NETWORK’s first in-person bus tour in six years and a cornerstone of NETWORK’s 2024 nonpartisan voter education campaign, “Vote Our Future: Everyone Thrives, No Exceptions!” Traveling from Philadelphia to San Francisco, Nuns on the Bus & Friends will urge people to protect the freedoms that promote a future of flourishing for everyone. From September 30 to October 18, bus riders will meet with communities across the country to lift up the vision of an inclusive, multiracial, multi-faith democracy and equip everyone to vote.
U.K. Architect Addresses Tangible Spirituality/Sustainable Architecture at Marywood Dr. Iliona Outram Khalili, a U.K licensed architect, spoke on “Tangible Spirituality: The Mason’s Methods, Analogy, and Sustainable Architecture” on Tuesday, September 10, at 7 p.m., in the Center for Architectural Studies at Marywood University. The event, which was an interdisciplinary collaboration between the Center for the Living City and Marywood University’s School of Architecture, School of Humanities, and Centers of Excellence (Center for Urban Studies, Mother Theresa Maxis IHM Center for Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation, and Center for Law, Justice, and Policy), was free and open to the public. In her presentation, Dr. Khalili proposes a sustainable 21st century architecture that inherits methods and figures developed by masons thousands of years ago. Using these ancient practical analogies, a theological meditation emerges that is not limited by cultural or religious symbolism, but brings perennial archetypes together in conscious combinations during design and construction. Dr. Iliona Outram Khalili is a U.K licensed architect and graduate of the Architectural Association School in London. She has been a recent lecturer and course lead at Manchester Metropolitan University and currently teaches “Advanced Earth Architecture Design” with New Earth UK. Her childhood was filled with the architecture of her renowned father, John Outram, and with the diaspora Greek culture of her mother Rima’s family. Later, she learned “earth and ceramic architecture” from humanitarian architect Nader Khalili, who designated her a “Master Builder in Earth Architecture.” She trained by designing and building hands-on to develop Khalili’s innovations on traditional earth architecture, which were inspired by the Sufi mystical poetry of Rumi in his native Persian language. As a widow, she continued her spiritual education with Sufi healers Murshid Shaykh Taner Ansari and Shaykha Muzeyyen Ansari, designing and building for their sustainable living project in New York State, and, most recently, the memorial vault of Shaykh Taner.For details on Marywood’s School of Architecture, visit: marywood.edu/architecture. To learn more about Marywood University’s School of Humanities, go to: marywood.edu/humanities. For information about the Center for the Living City, visit: centerforthelivingcity.org
