Wright Center Meds-Peds Doctor Named 2025 Top Physician Under 40 Dr. Stephen S. Long Jr., a dual board-certified internal medicine and pediatrics (Med-Peds) physician and associate program director of faculty development for the Internal Medicine Residency Program at The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education, has been selected as one of Pennsylvania’s Top Physicians Under 40 by the Pennsylvania Medical Society (PAMED). The statewide award honors physicians under the age of 40 who are making a meaningful difference in the lives of their patients and communities while shaping the future of health care through clinical excellence, education, and advocacy. Dr. Long’s remarkable achievements across multiple domains of medicine in such a short time — particularly in underserved communities across Northeast Pennsylvania — earned him this prestigious recognition. He joins 22 physicians across Pennsylvania who will receive their 2025 Pennsylvania Top Physicians Under 40 awards in September at one of PAMED’s two award ceremonies to be held in Hershey and Latrobe. “I’m incredibly honored to receive this humbling recognition from the Pennsylvania Medical Society,” Dr. Long said. “It’s a reflection of the patients, mentors, and communities that have shaped me. The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education have provided me with the opportunity to practice medicine in a manner that aligns with my values, serving the whole person, investing in future physicians, and advancing access to primary and preventive care for all. I’m proud to be part of this mission-driven organization that believes so deeply in meeting people where they are and walking with them on their journeys to better health.” A 2016 graduate of the University of Scranton with dual Bachelor of Science degrees in biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, and philosophy, Dr. Long, a Bethlehem, Pennsylvania native, earned his medical degree from Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine in Scranton in 2020. After completing his Med-Peds residency at MaineHealth’s Maine Medical Center in Portland, he returned to Northeast Pennsylvania in 2024 to serve the very communities that shaped his professional journey. In just nine months, Dr. Long has become a vital member of The Wright Center’s interprofessional health care teams at two of its busiest teaching community health centers, Mid Valley and Clarks Summit, in Jermyn and South Abington Township, respectively. Dr. Long provides compassionate, comprehensive, whole-person primary health services to patients of all ages, from children to senior citizens. In January, Dr. Long was selected as a 2025 Well-being Champion by the Eastern Region of the American College of Physicians, further cementing his status as a statewide leader in physician wellness, burnout prevention, and resilience-building. His influence extends into community service and advocacy. Dr. Long has mentored aspiring first-generation college students through Geisinger Health System’s REACH-HEI Program, helping underserved eighth-graders explore pathways to careers in health care. He also served as a volunteer camp counselor and primary caregiver at Camp Bruce McCoy, a program of the Brain Injury Association of Virginia, where he provided compassionate care and support to adult male survivors of traumatic brain injuries. Dr. Long is married to Archbald native Juliette Meyers, an art therapist at The Wright Center. Dr. Long is available for appointments with patients of all ages at The Wright Center for Community Health Clarks Summit, 1145 Northern Blvd., South Abington Township, on Mondays and Tuesdays, and The Wright Center for Community Health Mid Valley, 5 S. Washington Ave., Jermyn, from Wednesdays through Fridays. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Long, visit TheWrightCenter.org or call the Clarks Summit location at 570-585-1300 or the Mid Valley location at 570-230-0019. For more information about The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education, visit TheWrightCenter.org or call 570-230-0019.
NEPIRC Announces New President/CEO Northeastern Pennsylvania Industrial Resource Center (NEPIRC) is under new leadership. NEPIRC’s Board of Directors recently announced the promotion of Drew Mackie to the role of President/CEO, effective July 1, 2025. Mackie will lead the organization with the mission to empower small and mid-sized manufacturers with world-class assessment, performance evaluation, training, and consultative services. The NEPIRC team provides consultative and training services to more than 1,000 firms and 44,000 manufacturing employees across an 11-county region of northeastern, northern and parts of central Pennsylvania helping them grow and thrive in a highly competitive global manufacturing economy. In a search that spanned the nation, Mackie’s appointment is a testament to his distinguished career of more than 23 years of experience in client services and small business manufacturing support. NEPIRC Board President Gregory Stanton, who led the executive search committee that vetted 44 applicants, expressed enthusiasm about Mackie’s appointment, stating, “Drew’s experience was unmatched in the search, and his deep commitment to our center’s mission resonates profoundly for our future.” Stanton said that after a thorough national search, the best candidate was in front of them at NEPIRC. He added, “We are confident that Drew’s vision, combined with the dedication of the NEPIRC staff and the support of our community of manufacturers, will lead NEPIRC to even greater heights.” Prior to his appointment to President/CEO, Mackie held the position of Executive Vice President at NEPIRC for nearly three years, and CFO, a position in which he focused on the center’s program management, staff leadership, and grant compliance, for nine years. In addition to overseeing all the center’s programmatic activities, Mackie was responsible for increasing the visibility, reach, and outcomes of the center’s mission and strategy, and supporting the manufacturers within the center’s 11-county region. Mackie said, “It is with great honor and appreciation that I accept this promotion. I have deep respect for the depth and breadth of services NEPIRC offers. I am deeply grateful for the trust the Board of Directors has placed in me, and enthusiastic about leading the center into its next chapter of growth and impact to the region.” Mackie, who is a certified public accountant, was a partner at the accounting firm Ginader Jones & Company LLP, where he focused on client support and compliance activities. He also served in the senior and staff accountant roles, illustrating his ability to adapt and advance within challenging environments. Mackie earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from the University of Scranton and is a graduate of the Tab Wilkins Emerging Leaders program from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) The Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP).
The Wright Center, Chelsea Chopko Recognized as ‘Rising Star’ In Pennsylvania Chelsea Chopko, chief of administrative support to the president and CEO at The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education, was one of 40 individuals under the age of 40 in Pennsylvania to be honored as a “Rising Star” by City & State Pennsylvania during a reception in Harrisburg. Each year, the multimedia news organization honors these individuals who work in Pennsylvania government, politics, and advocacy. “Rising Star” members have already distinguished themselves in the eyes of their colleagues and are on their way to amassing many more noteworthy accomplishments. At The Wright Center, Chopko is the operational engine behind the enterprise’s most critical leadership workflows and mission-driven projects. Whether aligning schedules across numerous departments, coordinating sensitive communications, supervising eight administrative assistants, or supporting community outreach, she performs with poise, precision, and a rare blend of warmth and drive. Since joining The Wright Center six years ago, Chopko’s influence has grown in tandem with her title. What began as a role rooted in executive assistance has blossomed into one of trusted partnership and strategic insight. Her work spans the entire enterprise’s more than 677 employees, and she consistently goes above and beyond to ensure every team member – from physicians, clinicians, physician residents and fellows to administrators and front-desk staff – is supported. “Chelsea Chopko is the exemplary of leader every organization hopes to have – thoughtful, brilliant, kind, inspiring, driven, unflinchingly dependable, and deeply mission-aligned,” said Dr. Linda Thomas-Hemak, president and CEO of The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education. “Her well-deserved recognition is a reflection not only of her personal excellence, but also of the high standard she sets for all of us at The Wright Center. We are immensely proud of her and most grateful to have Chelsea on our team.” She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in industrial/organizational psychology from Marywood University. Most recently, she completed the University Scranton Kania School of Management’s Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program. Chopko and her husband, Craig, live in Greenfield Township with their children, Roman, 9, and Isabel, 2.
Geisinger School of Medicine Student Wins Gold Foundation Fellowship Ethan Boyle, a member of Geisinger School of Medicine’s MD Class of 2028, was awarded a highly competitive Gold Student Summer Fellowship from The Arnold P. Gold Foundation. His project, “Action Against Healthcare Inequalities for Patients Experiencing Substance Abuse and Homelessness,” will address healthcare access issues for people served by Scranton’s Community Intervention Center (CIC). The project focuses on recording weekly vital signs for 100-150 patients, providing essential hygiene and harm-reduction products, and connecting patients to free healthcare clinics. The goal is to rebuild trust between this at-risk population and healthcare systems. Ethan, who plans to pursue a career in psychiatry, said he was inspired to apply for the fellowship thanks to his community immersion experiences at Geisinger’s School of Medicine. “One reason I came to Geisinger was its community focus,” Ethan said. “I’m interested in understanding the social drivers of health. Volunteering at the CIC helped me to see the correlation between things like mental health and substance use, and how supporting hygiene can also support better health.” Working with faculty mentor Kate Lafferty-Danner, PhD, assistant professor of medical humanities and community engagement, Ethan proposed a 10-week summer project to build on CIC’s holistic, patient-centered approach by promoting healthcare access, education, and harm-reduction strategies. Weekly vital-sign screenings and referrals to healthcare clinics will provide preventive and longitudinal care. “My goal is to bridge the gap between CIC patients and healthcare services by providing hygiene and harm-reduction products like Narcan, conducting weekly vital-sign checks, offering healthcare education and connecting patients to free medical services like the Leahy Clinic at The University of Scranton,” he said. “I’ll manage the inventory and create educational materials, as well.” Impact will be analyzed through data generated by the weekly vital sign checks, demand for hygiene products, patient feedback and records from the Leahy Clinic. Ethan will ensure the work continues by training new medical students to take over when he advances in his training.Medical student projects rewarded with a Gold Humanism fellowship must: improve the health and lives of traditionally underserved populations focus on understanding and/or enhancing cultural humility in delivering care encourage collegial and interprofessional teamwork be designed and implemented by students promote a lasting or systemic change The fellowships are awarded to a limited number of medical students each year. The selection process is competitive, requiring applicants to submit a detailed proposal outlining their project and its alignment with the fellowship’s goals. Projects must demonstrate a need identified by the community or patients who will be affected.
The University of Scranton’s Schemel Forum Holds Wine Event Wine education presented by David Falchek, wine writer and former executive director of the American Wine Society A new program of The University of Scranton’s Schemel Forum will feature a unique wine education event, “Vinho and Views: Exploring Portugal’s Wine Heritage,” presented by David Falchek, wine writer and former executive director of the American Wine Society. The event will be held Friday, June 6, beginning at 6 p.m. in the Charles Kratz Scranton Heritage Room of the Weinberg Memorial Library. This 90-minute event will feature a four-course wine tasting accompanied by hors d’oeuvres, a presentation on Portuguese wines and an interactive discussion. “When we think about wine from Portugal, we often think only of Port,” said Falchek. However, Portugal is a centuries-old wine producing region that produces all kinds of wines. “Portugal’s wines have evolved with its people, culture and cuisine, becoming a springboard for the region and what shaped it,” said Falchek. Participants will enjoy a guided tasting of four iconic wines, including the refreshing Vinho Verde, a still white from the Dão region, a bold red blend and the renowned Tawny Port. They will also learn how Portuguese wines are made from indigenous grape varieties that set the country’s wines apart from those of other wine-producing regions throughout the world. “When you open a bottle of Portuguese wine, it is completely unique to the region,” said Falchek. Alongside the tasting, participants will learn about the accidental creation of Port wine during a trade war between England and France and how that influenced not just the wine’s evolution, but also the names of Port wines. The presentation will also include discussions about Portugal’s significant contributions to the worldwide wine industry as the primary producer of wine corks from the country’s sustainable forests. Participants don’t need to be wine connoisseurs to appreciate and enjoy this event, said Falchek. “You’re the master of your own taste. No one can tell you what you do and don’t like,” he said, adding that he hopes participants will come prepared to be more adventurous in drinking something new. For those unsure about trying a new wine, Falchek says, “Try it … try it and find out what you like.” A wine you enjoy today may not be your favorite tomorrow, as tastes change over time. “In the end, it’s really a personal journey,” he said. Falchek has been published in Beverage Media, Vineyard & Winery Management and others, and writes a drinks column for The Scranton Times. To register for this wine education event, or for more information on the Schemel Forum, call 570-941-4740 or email rose.merritt@scranton.edu. The cost for the wine tasting, hors d’oeuvres, lecture and discussion is $60 per person and $100 per couple. There is no additional fee for Schemel Forum Members, Angels and Archangels. University of Scranton and Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine students, staff and faculty must purchase tickets. Attendees must be 21 or older. To pay online, visit: www.scranton.edu/schemelforum. Additional Schemel Forum events can be found on the Schemel Forum’s webpage.
NAMI Collaborates with the University of Scranton’s OT Department Spring is a time of hope: the earth awakens with flowers, and we look toward a lighter, colorful season. Amid this time, we highlight professionals who, like flowers, offer a lift to make people’s lives better. Occupational Therapy Month highlights and celebrates the work done by occupational therapy practitioners, educators, and students, including work to enhance the lives of individuals living with mental illness. Dr. Carrie Griffiths, OTD, OTR/L, faculty specialist in the University of Scranton’s Occupational Therapy (OT) Department believes in empowering her students and preparing them with skills they need to work with people living with mental illness. Griffiths, who has spent years working as an OT in mental health settings, has integrated classes and trainings on mental illness for all OT students and forged a valuable partnership with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Northeast Region PA affiliate. Griffiths said, “Getting students to understand mental health conditions is key for them developing holistic and comprehensive treatment plans, which in turn is going to help the clients they eventually serve.” She added, “I hope their training helps to improve overall societal attitudes about mental health.” In addition to the mental health course that Griffiths teaches OT students, students have accessed Adult and Youth Mental Health First Aid training as well as the ‘Hearing Distressing Voices Simulation’ program to better understand individuals who hear voices, and NAMI’s signature program ‘In Our Own Voice,’ through which trained individuals share the story of their own mental health journey. NAMI Northeast Region Executive Director Marie Onukiavage said, “What started as an inquiry from Dr. Griffiths about how to deliver Mental Health First Aid training to her students has blossomed into a collaboration that benefits both parties immensely: the students get access to valuable mental health information they will use in their professional and personal lives, and we benefit from a group of enthusiastic volunteers at the annual 5Kate run/walk, which is one of our most important events to raise awareness in the community.” Students understand the value of this community collaboration too. Kathleen O. Appau, a fifth year OT graduate student who has experienced many mental health trainings, including NAMI’s In Our Own Voice presentation, said, “The more opportunities we have, it will help us as future practitioners to ease our nerves to talk about (mental health) with anyone we think needs help and is open to it. I’m very big on ‘the more you practice, the easier it gets.” Appau said she also appreciated NAMI’s in Our Own Voice program. “It was so eye opening to be able to connect stories to real people. It was such a good experience.” Griffiths has ideas for expanding the mental health and OT connection and says she is encouraged by what her students have already learned through the collaboration with NAMI. She said, “Students are able to recognize mental health crises and provide support until the professional help arrives which is important because as occupational therapists they will work with individuals where they might be the first point of contact for someone who is in distress.” Onukiavage says the relationship with the University is important, as are all of the community partnerships NAMI has in place, adding, “We value all of the partnerships we have with our local education institutions from this one, to the ‘NAMI on Campus’ club at Marywood University, to the many campus fairs and activities that we participate in. They all give us an opportunity to connect with and educate our future care providers!”
The University of Scranton’s Commencement to Feature Senior Producer of “60 Minutes” Nicole Young ’00, H’20, 16-time Emmy Award-winning senior producer for “60 Minutes,” will be the principal speaker at The University of Scranton’s 2025 undergraduate commencement ceremony on May 18. 60 Minutes Producer, Nicole Young. Photo: CBS News ©2024 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved. “We are honored to have the senior producer of America’s most-watched news program return to her alma matter to share her vast knowledge and insights with our graduating class,” said Rev. Joseph Marina, S.J., president of The University of Scranton. “Few television producers have achieved as much as Nicole Young. She has channeled her innate interest and skill of storytelling into compelling and acclaimed journalism with humanitarianism at its heart. Her concern for justice and passion for Jesuit education shine through in all that she does.” Growing up in Hoptacong, New Jersey, Young was impacted by news stories of famine in Ethiopia. News from across the globe, combined with an interest in international events gleaned from summers spent in Jamaica with family, led Young to pursue a career in journalism as a way to effect positive change by creating awareness of the wrongs in the world. After graduating from The University of Scranton in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in communication, Young earned a master’s degree in international journalism from City University of London. She began her career at CBS News as an intern at 19, working in Washington, D.C., London, and New York. She joined “60 Minutes” in 2004 as an assistant to correspondent Scott Pelley and became his producer a few years later. Over the years, Young has been the producer behind many of the major segments of the broadcast, which is now in its 57th season. She has earned 16 News and Documentary Emmy Awards, three Alfred I. DuPont-Columbia Awards, eight Writers Guild Awards, five Edward R. Murrow Awards, two Gerald Loeb Awards, two Sigma Delta Chi Awards, six National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Salute to Excellence Awards, a George Foster Peabody Award, a George Polk Award, an Investigative Reporters & Editors Award, a Gracie Award, a Media for Liberty Award, and a Wilbur Award. Young’s most recent “60 Minutes” assignments have taken her to cover critical global events, such as the war in Ukraine, the fall of Syria’s dictator, the devastating earthquakes in Turkey, the deadly tornadoes in Kentucky, and the COVID-19 pandemic. She has also covered social injustice, President Donald Trump, and high-profile interviews with celebrities, including Cillian Murphy. She has produced in-depth stories on Syria’s front lines, the famines in South Sudan and Yemen, and toxic electronic waste in China. Her fearless reporting includes investigations on civilian deaths due to airstrikes in Afghanistan, the gold mining conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo and being on the ground after the tsunami in Japan. However, some of her most pivotal stories have focused on issues closer to home, such as job loss, poverty, homelessness and child hunger in the United States. In addition to producing stories for “60 Minutes,” Young leads special projects for the newsmagazine, including the development of the broadcast’s first free streaming channel. She also held a senior producer position at CBS Evening News, covering such major events as the Fiftieth Anniversary of the March on Washington and the historic election choice of Pope Francis in Rome. Young is a member of the University’s Board of Trustees and was awarded an honorary degree from Scranton in 2020. She resides in the New York area with her family. The University’s 2025 undergraduate commencement ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. on May 18 at the Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre.
The University of Scranton Presents World Premieres Composition Series Concert World-Class Musicians Wycliffe Gordon (L) and Jennifer Krupa (R) to Premiere Compositions Apr. 12 The University of Scranton will welcome two guest composers/conductors – trombone legends and internationally acclaimed musicians, composers and educators Wycliffe Gordon (H ’06) and Jennifer Krupa – at its 42nd annual World Premiere Composition Series Concert on Saturday, April 12. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free and seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis at the Houlihan-McLean Center on campus. The concert will feature the University’s Concert Band and Concert Choir performing the world premieres of commissioned works by Gordon and Krupa, written specifically for the student ensembles. Gordon will compose and conduct compositions for the SATB (Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass) mixed choir and trombone soloist Krupa. Gordon and Krupa will reverse roles with Gordon as the soloist for the band piece she composed and will conduct. “Wycliffe Gordon has been an inspiration to me for decades – not just as a mentor, but as a dear friend,” Krupa said. “He introduced me to so many styles of music and pushed me to go beyond studying jazz history to develop my own voice. This concert band piece reflects just a few of the many ways he has influenced me, from introducing me to the worlds of Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton and gospel music, to encouraging me to write my own. The themes in this piece blend his influence with elements from my earliest compositions. I can’t wait to share the stage with Wycliffe and The University of Scranton Concert Band and Choir.” Krupa’s “Cone Themes” for concert band and virtuosic trombonist will be premiered by the University’s Concert Band and soloist Gordon. “There is no musician alive I am more in awe and amazement of than Wycliffe,” said Cheryl Y. Boga, conductor and director of Performance Music at the University. Gordon’s three-piece choral cycle – “Blues Hymn,” “It is Spring” and “Ballad for Lena Mae” – will be premiered by the University’s Concert Choir, piano/bass/drums and soloist Krupa. “Wycliffe and his music hold a very special place in the heart of the university and its students and alumni,” said Boga, who founded the World Premiere Composition Series in 1984. “Wycliffe’s impact musically and spiritually on every heart, ear and mind he touches is immeasurable. We are unbelievably fortunate to regularly benefit from his generosity and open-hearted and expressive musicality.” Gordon is a regular guest at the University, where he was honored in 2006 with an honorary doctorate. An award-winning trombonist, composer, conductor, arranger and educator, Gordon has been a regular guest performer and teacher at the University for nearly 30 years. He has composed and premiered numerous compositions at Scranton through the University’s World Premiere Composition Series, as well as a piece composed and premiered for the celebration of the inauguration of University President Kevin Quinn, S.J. in 2016, and has performed as soloist with various student ensembles at Scranton. Named the Jazz Journalists Association “Trombonist of the Year” for a record-breaking 15 times, Gordon has topped Downbeat Critics Poll for “Best Trombone” for an unprecedented six times (2020, 2018, 2016, 2014, 2013 and 2012). Recent awards include the “Louie Award,” the International Trombone Award and the Satchmo Award, among others. A prolific recording artist, Gordon can be heard on hundreds of recordings, soundtracks, live DVD’s and documentaries, and has an extensive catalog of original compositions that span the various timbres of jazz and chamber music. His arrangement of the theme song to NPR’s “All Things Considered” is heard daily across the globe. Krupa is also a returning guest to the World Premiere and a regular guest artist at the University with student ensembles and her own quintet. An accomplished performer and educator, as well as a prolific arranger and composer who has contributed original works and arrangements to a wide variety of ensembles, Krupa’s extensive discography spans nearly 30 recordings with artists including Gordon. Renowned for her exceptional musicianship, transformative teaching, and dedicated service to the jazz community, her influence extends across generations of musicians and audiences worldwide. Recently retired from a two-decade career with the United States Navy Jazz Commodores, where she served in a variety of roles, including lead trombonist and Music Director, Krupa is currently lead trombonist with the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra and the DIVA Jazz Orchestra. Krupa is also a faculty member at The Juilliard School. She has led guest clinics, masterclasses and adjudications nationwide, guest-conducted the Juilliard Jazz Orchestra, and presented at the Jazz Educators Network, Midwest Clinic and the International Trombone Festival. “I am enjoying preparing the band for Jen’s arrival and am very much looking forward to meeting her, working with her, and hearing the piece come together with the band and Wycliffe under Jen’s direction,” said Janelle Decker, conductor and co-director of Performance Music. Performance Music at The University of Scranton has now commissioned 100-plus musical works in the 42 years since the series was created. The primary focus of Performance Music at the University is its student choral and instrumental performing ensembles. All University students (undergraduate and graduate) are eligible for membership in the University bands, choirs, string ensembles and steel drum band. Hundreds of students, spanning the curriculum and bonded by a love of music, participate each year in the ensembles. For more information on the concert, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit scranton.edu/music. Visit wycliffegordon.com for more information on Gordon and jenkrupa.com for more information on Krupa.
The University of Scranton Presents ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ Recital On Friday, Apr. 4, Performance Music at The University of Scranton will present a recital entitled “Rhapsody in Blue at 100” featuring the acclaimed Frederick Hohman, D.M.A., premiering the first full organ transcription of Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue.” The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Houlihan-McLean Center, Mulberry Street and Jefferson Avenue. Admission is free and the concert is open to the public. Seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis. According to Cheryl Y. Boga, conductor and director of Performance Music, this will be Dr. Hohman’s 4th visit to Houlihan McLean to perform on its fully restored and historic Austin Opus 301 Symphonic Organ. “Every visit by Fred is what I like to call an organ adventure – he doesn’t just perform a concert, he shares his passion and knowledge of the instrument at every opportunity during his visit.” In addition to being a concert organist of stunning musicality and virtuosity, Dr. Hohman is an award-winning composer of organ and choral music, a creator of organ transcriptions, an online educator, a musical instrument designer and a classical music audio-video producer. Hohman earned his performer’s certificate, Mus.B., M.M. and D.M.A. in the organ studio of David Craighead at The Eastman School. In 1984, he won First Prize in both the prestigious Clarence Mader and Arthur Poister competitions. This was the first step leading to decades of organ concert tours, taking him throughout the world, appearing in concert and religious venues, including appearances before regional and national conventions of the American Guild of Organists (AGO), The Organ Historical Society and The American Institute of Organbuilders. Dr. Hohman founded the recording label Pro Organo in 1985 and has overseen the production and release of over 300 organ and choral music titles, including 16 releases, of which he is also the featured artist. Acclaimed by a critic with The Diapason magazine as “one of the symphonic organ’s strongest exponents,” during the 1980s, Dr. Hohman championed a revival of the Symphonic School of organ-playing. His writings and recordings ignited a revival in symphonic organ literature and performance practices of the early 20th century, which led to his first organ transcription publications and several additional CD releases. Dr. Hohman has served The American Guild of Organists (AGO) on its national committees focused upon education and was commissioned by them to appear as video instructor in a series of 30 AGO-produced videos entitled “Lessons for the New Organist,” which are free for all to view at AGO’s website. Hohman has also provided written guidance and encouragement to aspiring organists as an adjudicator in 20 national and international organ competitions. The University of Scranton’s Houlihan-McLean Center Austin Opus 301 symphonic organ was built in 1910 by the Austin Organ Company of Hartford Connecticut for the Immanuel Baptist Church in Scranton and was restored and re-dedicated by the university in 2005 in a recital performed by Thomas Murray of Yale University. Since then, many renowned organists have performed on the instrument in solo-recitals, and it has accompanied the university’s student ensembles in the performance of many major works of the choral and instrumental repertoires. The instrument is one of the few rare surviving original examples of early 20th-century organ building, and the impressive instrument possesses a total of 3,178 pipes, 45 ranks and four manuals. The instrument is currently maintained by Clem, Cole, Dan, and Steve, technicians/artists from Emery Brothers/Dieffenbach organs. For further information on the recital, call 570-941-7624, email music@scranton.edu or visit scranton.edu/music. For more info on Dr. Hohman, visit frederickhohman.net.
The University of Scranton to Host Graduate Open House Those considering graduate school and current undergraduate students can learn about the career advancement opportunities offered through The University of Scranton’s 40-plus advanced-degree programs at its Graduate Open House on Wednesday, Apr. 9. Participants will meet with Scranton alumni, faculty, admissions representatives and current graduate students and learn about flexible on-campus and online program formats offered by the nationally-recognized, Jesuit university. Scranton provides the highest-quality graduate education, with programs meeting the most rigorous state or national accreditations available within their professional fields. Graduate programs include physical therapy, occupational therapy, nurse anesthesia, health care management, clinical rehabilitation counseling, business analytics and MBAs in several concentrations and other business disciplines. In recent years, Scranton has added graduate programs in high in-demand fields, such as an online master’s degree program in cybercrime investigation and cybersecurity, and a synchronous remote master’s degree in speech-language pathology. Scranton also offers a synchronous and asynchronous graduate program in psychiatric mental health nursing. Scranton’s graduate programs are offered in formats that include on-campus and online options. Video Tease: Achieve more with a graduate degree from The University of Scranton. Learn more at Scranton’s Graduate Open House. The Graduate Open House begins on Apr. 9 with registration at 5:30 p.m. on the fourth floor of the DeNaples Center, followed by an alumni panel presentation at 6 p.m. Program-specific information sessions will run from 6:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. Optional campus tours are available from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The event is offered free of charge. For more information or to make reservations, visit the Graduate Open House webpage or email gradadmissions@scranton.edu.
