Marywood University Sets Summer Open House Marywood University will hold a summer undergraduate open house for high school students and their parents on Saturday, July 13, 2024, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. in the Fireplace Lounge at the Nazareth Student Center on the University’s campus, and the last campus tour departs at 1:45 p.m. A complementary continental breakfast and lunch are included in the event. During the open house, prospective students can walk through the student services & organizations fair and find out how Marywood students fit in and have fun on campus. In addition, students will be able to explore various majors at an academic fair, learn more about the admissions process, visit an academic department of their choice and spend some time with faculty, as well as chat with varsity coaches and tour Marywood’s campus. For more information and to register, visit marywood.edu/openhouse, email YourFuture@marywood.edu, or call Marywood University’s admissions office at (570) 348-6234.
Marywood Psy.D. Students to Offer Summer Anxiety Skills Group Two Marywood University doctor of psychology (Psy.D.) students, Eve Galloway and Nic Coccodrilli, are offering a Summer Anxiety Skills Group through the office of a local psychologist. Bree Riley, Psy.D., a Marywood University graduate, will be supervising the doctoral students running the group, which is open to individuals aged 16 and over and is free to the community for those who meet the age requirement. The in-person sessions will be held at Riley Counseling, LLC, 231 Northern Blvd., Clarks Summit, Pa. If enough people express an interest in virtual sessions, this option will be considered. Participants will learn about anxiety and evidence-based skills to cope effectively with anxiety, teaching skills from cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT). The summer group will include two rounds of five weekly meetings, each lasting for an hour and a half. The first round of sessions will be held from 4:30-6 p.m. on Tuesdays, starting on June 18 and running weekly through July 16.The second round of sessions will be held from 6:30-8 p.m. on Tuesdays, starting on July 30 and running weekly through August 27. To sign up or to ask questions, contact Eve Galloway at ecgalloway@m.marywood.edu.
Marywood Professor Named “Trailblazer in Higher Education” Jeffrey Kegolis, Ph.D., Marywood University’s vice president for the student experience, was recently named to City & State PA’s listing of 2024 Higher Education Trailblazers. City & State PA is a premier multimedia news organization that dedicates its coverage to Pennsylvania’s state and local government, including all things politics and public policy, with in-depth, non-partisan news coverage that serves Pennsylvania’s leaders every day as a trusted guide to the issues impacting the Keystone State. Since arriving at Marywood University last year, Dr. Kegolis, who is passionate about supporting college students, has championed a new, counselor-staffed mental health support hotline and rolled out The Hub, a space for academic, career, and veterans’ services at the campus learning commons. Dr. Kegolis’ career in higher education spans more than two decades and features extensive experience in multiple areas of student services, including leadership programs, campus engagement/activities, residence life, fraternity & sorority life, and student conduct, among others. Dr. Kegolis holds a Ph.D. degree in higher education administration from Bowling Green State University. He also is a graduate of Marywood University, where he earned a Master of Science degree in counselor education with secondary school certification. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology with a neuroscience concentration from King’s College.
Marywood Dance Marathon for Children’s Hospital Surpasses Goal Marywood University recently held its first Dance Marathon to benefit the Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital. The event, which set a goal of $12,000, surpassed that amount through generous support from the community and successfully raised $16,000.67. Held near the end of the spring semester, Marywood students came together for the event, and the night of dancing also included face painting, sand art, corn hole, and catered food. Hospital and University representatives also spoke to the students about the impact of their efforts. Food and talent donations were contributed by TGI Fridays, GIANT, Perkins Franchising and Development, Primanti Bros. Restaurant and Bar, Lynn Sandy’s Bakery, Marywood’s Gourmet Dining LLC, Texas Roadhouse, Mike Walton DJ services, Party Crew LLC, Highway Line Dancing, Marywood’s Zumba instructor Vanessa Rodriguez, and more. The event concluded with a closing ceremony the next morning, during which students heard from Anne Baum, President of Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital, and Vanessa Gramm, the Director of Child Life at the hospital. The highlight was hosting the Marzen family, who shared their experience being treated at the hospital and how Marywood’s efforts are making a positive difference for families like them. Kevin Farrell, Marywood’s director of student engagement, noted that the students involved hope to expand this endeavor next year and make it an annual event.
Marywood University Celebrates 106th Annual Commencement Ceremony More than 800 students were part of Marywood University’s 106th annual commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 18, 2024, at 1 p.m., at the Mohegan Sun Arena, Casey Plaza, in Wilkes-Barre Twp. Marywood University’s two colleges, including the College of Health Sciences and the Reap College of Creative and Professional Studies, conferred degrees on undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students who hail from 24 states and 7 countries. Business, social work, and physician assistant studies were the top graduate level degree granting programs. Architecture, business, and nursing were the top undergraduate level degree granting programs. Sister Mary Persico, IHM, Ed.D., Marywood University’s 12th President, who will retire on June 30, served as keynote speaker, bidding a fond farewell to the Class of 2024, the final graduating class of her eight-year presidential tenure. Prior to her address, Sister Mary received a citation recognizing the many accomplishments of her presidency. Sister Kathleen Lunsmann, IHM, Chair of the Marywood University Board of Trustees, shared that the Board recently granted Sister Mary the lifetime title of President Emerita, effective upon her retirement. Sister Kathleen praised Sister Mary’s leadership and vision, and expressed, “During the course of her presidency, Sister Mary has called upon her innate gifts of authenticity, compassion, courage, collaborative leadership, and bold vision, navigating both unprecedented challenges and outstanding accomplishments, always leading with hope, tenacity, and joy.” In her opening comments, Sister Mary teased that the Class of 2024 was not treated to a famous speaker who could have imparted the generic words of wisdom typically offered by those chosen to give such addresses, noting that she instead represented many people who know the graduates personally, the same people who prepared them for this moment. She chose the musical production, Merrily We Roll Along, to reflect upon the choices that are presented at milestone moments of our lives, and her keynote address culminated with the song “Our Time” from the musical. Sister Mary observed, “Commencement is a time to draw upon the skills you have learned to be leaders in the workforce, to value the friendships you have formed during your university years, and to rely on the values you were taught to guide you in your life choices.”
Marywood to Hold Virtual MFA Info Session Marywood University will hold a virtual Master of Fine Arts (MFA) Information Session on Thursday, May 23, at 4 p.m. This information session is free and open to anyone who is interested in pursuing a low-residency master of fine arts degree. To register, please visit https://admissions.marywood.edu/register/Spr24MFA. Marywood’s “Get Your Master’s with the Masters” MFA program is the oldest and best low-residency program in the country, designed for educators, graphic designers, and illustrators who are working professionally anywhere in the world and are interested in earning a terminal degree. The virtual info session will cover what to expect during the three-year program that includes four, two-week residential summer sessions at Marywood’s campus; six study tours conducted in New York City and other major cities; and independent work. Former student thesis and class project examples will be shared. While production and technical skills are stressed, the thrust of the program is on creativity and conceptual thinking. By design, the program is structured for students to keep their day job while pursuing a terminal degree. While production and technical skills are stressed, the core of the program encompasses creativity and conceptual thinking. For more details about the MFA in Graphic Design and Illustration Degree program, visit marywood.edu/visual-arts-graphic-design-illustration-masters-degree. To register for the MFA Info Session, please visit https://admissions.marywood.edu/register/Spr24MFA. For additional information about Marywood University’s MFA Information Session, please contact Steven Brower, MFA, director of the “Get Your Master’s with the Masters” MFA program at Marywood University, at (570) 348-6211, ext. 2569, or email sbrower@marywood.edu.
Marywood Student Recognized on ALL IN Voting Honor Roll Marywood student Kelly Royer, Weatherly, has been named to the 2024 ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll, which recognizes college students doing outstanding work to advance nonpartisan democratic engagement at participating campuses. Ms. Royer, who is pursuing her degree in Physician Assistant Studies, joins a group of 137 students recognized for their voter registration, education, and turnout efforts during the 2023 elections, which featured critical ballot measures and local and state races. “Whether it’s a presidential election year or one with critical state and local races on the ballot, students have a powerful role to play in fostering active and engaged campuses and getting their peers to participate in our democracy. Ahead of the 2024 presidential election, the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge is honored to celebrate 137 student leaders who model nonpartisan democratic engagement,” said Jennifer Domagal-Goldman, Executive Director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. “These honorees hosted candidate information sessions, created guides on polling location accessibility, registered their peers to vote and so much more. We know these students will continue to make a difference in our democracy.” Studies show that voting and democratic participation are habits that are built and strengthened over time. A recent survey from CIRCLE showed that 86 percent of under-35 youth who voted in 2022 and 72 percent of those who voted in 2020 consider themselves extremely likely to vote in 2024. Colleges and universities have an important role to play in encouraging their students to become active and engaged citizens at the ballot box and beyond. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge engages more than 1,000 institutions enrolling over 10 million students in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student democratic engagement. For more information on Marywood University’s nonpartisan democracy initiative, Pacers to the Polls, along with more information on the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge, visit marywood.edu/life-at-mu/involvement/pacers-to-the-polls.
Marywood Students Join AICUP Day on the Hill A group of six Marywood University students and one staff member recently participated in the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP) Day on the Hill in Harrisburg, Pa. They were among 170 attendees from 23 different schools. The annual one-day event, which was held this year on April 9, brings students from AICUP schools across the Commonwealth together at the Harrisburg Capitol Building to advocate on behalf of their institutions and the Pennsylvania State Grant Programs. Participants get the opportunity to meet with legislators and see how the advocacy process works in Harrisburg. The six students, all members of the Student Government Association, met with Pennsylvania State Representatives from Lackawanna County, including Rep. Kyle Donahue, Rep. Bridget Kosierowski, and Rep. Kyle Mullins, as well as Pennsylvania Senator Marty Flynn. Student Government Association (SGA) President-elect Scott Gartley was selected to speak at the event on behalf of Marywood University. Other Marywood student participants were: Ian Kovatch, Rosalyn Page, Aiyanna Jean, Kevin Budveit, and Kelly Royer. Dr. Ross Novak, Dean of Students, accompanied the students during the event. Image ID: Marywood University SGA President-elect Scott Gartley spoke at AICUP’s recent Day on the Hill event on the steps of the Capitol Building in Harrisburg, Pa.
Retiring President Sister Mary Persico, IHM, Ed.D. to Address Graduates at Marywood Commencement Sister Mary Persico, IHM, Ed.D., Marywood University’s 12th president, who will retire from the institution on June 30, will address graduates at Marywood University’s 106th Commencement on May 18, 2024. She will be recognized with a special tribute at the ceremony, which begins at 1 p.m. at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza, Wilkes-Barre Township, Pa. Sister Mary is a native of Hazleton, Pennsylvania. She attended Marywood as an undergraduate and, in her junior year, entered the IHM Congregation and finished her studies as a candidate. After earning her bachelor’s degree in education and French from Marywood in 1969, Sister Mary went on to earn a master’s degree in French from Assumption College and a doctoral degree in educational leadership from Lehigh University. During her professional life, Sister Mary has been a teacher, an administrator, and a leader in educational, health care, and congregational settings. She was the treasurer, then the president, of the IHM Congregation, serving eight years in each role. Following her congregational leadership, she went on to serve as an executive vice president at Trinity Health, one of the largest multi-institutional Catholic health care delivery systems in the nation. She became president of Marywood University in 2016 and has guided Marywood through tough, but prudent, decisions to position the institution for the 21st century, even when facing unforeseen challenges like a global pandemic. Under Sister Mary’s leadership, strides were made in the scholarly life of the university by restructuring and streamlining the colleges within the university, adding or expanding several signature academic programs, and establishing the offices of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Global Education. Marywood also welcomed national retail partnerships to campus, including Starbucks, the Gear Shop, Apple, and Amazon stores. The university endowment has nearly doubled and maintained a fiscally responsible status, even during universally challenging financial times in higher education. To further strengthen Marywood’s future, Sister Mary is presently bringing the university’s $30 million comprehensive campaign, EMPOWER, to its conclusion. Sister Mary’s engagement, both in the public arena and on campus, are two highlights of her presidency. She has represented Marywood University locally, nationally, and even internationally, but notes that the best part of her presidential tenure has been interacting with Marywood students.
UNC’s 3rd Annual Pine Brook Family Arts Festival Date Set United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania (UNC) and partner John Adams Elementary School are hosting the 3rd Annual Pine Brook Family Arts Festival on Saturday, April 27, 2024, from Noon to 4 pm on the school’s playground. Activities include kids’ yoga, drum making, upcycling planters with flowers, DIY tie-dyes, suncatchers, face painting, balloon making, rock painting, food, music, and more! Antonio’s Pizza and El Buen Amigo will be serving pizza and tacos, for an additional fee. Joining us for the first time is Snook’s Wings and Things, selling burgers, fries, wings, and more. We will be supplying free ice cream from Scoopz Ice Cream truck for all attendees. Our partners Marywood University and The University of Scranton will provide arts education and make and take crafts. We are also hosting five local artists to assist children in creating artwork, this is made possible through a sponsorship from Lackawanna County Arts ENGAGE. Other organizations presenting crafts and resources include Penn State Extension 4H & Master Gardeners, Albright Memorial Library, Be SMART, Scranton Tomorrow with Keep PA Beautiful, and My Center for Independent Living. This free festival is a part of the UNC Pine Brook Neighborhood Revitalization Plan and offers access to different arts and activities for families in the neighborhood to enjoy,” said Holly Yorkonis, UNC event organizer. UNC’s Pine Brook Neighborhood Community Revitalization Plan is funded by Coterra, FNBC Bank, and Peoples Security Bank through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Neighborhood Partnership Program. Anyone interested in volunteering at the annual event should contact UNC Assistant Director of Community Revitalization, Holly at Hyorkonis@uncnepa.org or (272) 228-1366.
