Alumni Insider
May 2012 Issue 5Page 1
Note from the Director of Alumni Relations
I consider myself to be very lucky to live close to Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, PA. For those of you fortunate enough to have visited this park, you may recognize their mascot Kosmo in my photo. Some kids go to town parks, some kids play in backyards, but in my case, I grew up at Knoebels Grove. For me, the park represents enjoying the company of friends, over-indulging in great food, and making wonderful memories.
I invite you, your family, and friends, to join me, and many others from King’s, for our annual Alumni Family Day at Knoebels! We will have raffles, food, gifts, games, and more! Registration will be from 11:00 a.m.—1:00 p.m. Lunch will begin at 1:00 pm at Pavilion L. You will receive $10 worth of ride tickets and your meal ticket at registration. Make sure to wear your red and gold to show off your King’s pride! Cost is just $20 per person. Children 4 and under are free! Please RSVP no later than June 1. I hope that you will bring your family and friends to make some new memories and bring the King’s spirit to Knoebels Grove!
Laura Haden ’04,
Director of Alumni Relations
Wishing you well!
Elaine Zavada, Executive Assistant to the President, and Nancy Harworth, Administrative Assistant in Alumni Relations, will be retiring from their positions in June after many decades of service to King’s.
Please join us in congratulating these two incredible ladies who have touched so many of our hearts on a well earned retirement!
All 15 graduating seniors of King’s College’s Athletic Training Education Program (ATEP) have passed the national Board of Certification (BOC) certification examination on their first attempt, the largest number of graduates to complete the feat in the program’s 13-year history.
Students become eligible for BOC certification by either completing or being in their last semester of study in an athletic training degree program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education. Certified athletic trainers are recognized by the American Medical Association as Allied Health Professionals. Passage of the examination is necessary before candidates can begin practicing as athletic trainers. A national average first-time pass rate for this year’s examination is not available; the rate has been as low as 60 percent two years ago.
“We are extremely proud of our senior students and everything they have accomplished,” said Jeremy Simington, director of the ATEP program. “They serve as an excellent example for the younger students in our program and they are headed for bright futures in athletic training.”
The 15 students will be receiving their bachelor’s degrees at the College’s Commencement ceremony to be held on Sunday, May 20, at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. Students who passed the certification examination are Makenzie Atherton, Amanda Brodhead, Kaleen Cook, Hannah Creveling, Aaron Cusma, James Edelman, William Elliot, Kenneth Faldetta, Joseph Fuchs, Megan Inama, Kaley Kennedy, Shannon McGowan, James McHugh, Michael Selby, and Zachary Zerbe.
Previously, members of the Classes of 2001 and 2003 both achieved a 100 percent pass rate on their first attempt.
King’s Entire ATEP Graduating Class Pass Certification Exam on First Attempt
Baby Announcements!
Congratulations to Michael ’03 and Abby ’03 Kresge on the birth of their son, Emmett Michael, on May 7. Emmett joins big brother Casey Peter and the family resides in Tuscon, Arizona.
Maggie Rose Diehl (daughter of Bridget Walsh Diehl ’03 and Corey Diehl ’04) born Dec. 5 and Fiona Niamh Foley (daughter of Kathleen Bren-nan Foley ’04 and Timothy Foley) born Dec. 6.
We no longer print baby pictures in PRIDE, but we will be including baby pictures in this monthly newsletter!
If you would like to have your little bundle of joy included, please email laurahaden@kings.edu with the picture and
Join fellow golfers for the highly anticipated 28th Annual Rev. Paul Farber C.S.C. Memorial Golf Tournament, to be held at Mill Race Golf and Camping Resort in Benton on Friday, June 8, 2012.
Proceeds benefit the scholarship fund established in memory of Fr. Paul Farber which benefits students with high financial need.
Cost is $150 per golfer. For more information, contact Kim Cardone at 570-208-5900, x5677 or via email at
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40th Annual President’s Dinner
One of King’s College’s signature events is the annual President’s Dinner, which honors our donors who support King’s financially with an annual gift of $1,000 or more.
The 40th Annual President’s Dinner was hosted by ninth president, Rev. John J. Ryan, C.S.C, on Saturday evening, April 21, in the Sheehy-Farmer Campus Center. The black-tie event was attended by over 230 alumni and friends. Amid towering arrangements of calla lilies, guests enjoyed an evening of gourmet food, music, and the company of fellow alumni and friends of King’s. Father Ryan continued the dinner tradition of recognizing a select group of seniors for their many and varied accomplishments. The students were: Michael J. Deegan, Megan A. Inama, Christine M. Guarino, and Noemi Tlatenchi who can be seen with Fr. Ryan in the picture below on the left. Michael Deegan and Christine Guarino, two of the four students highlighted at the event, have been selected to receive Fulbright English Teaching Assistantships (ETA) and will spend almost a year teaching English in a European country.
The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. govern-ment and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The Fulbright Program began in 1946, the same year the first class entered King’s College. The selection of Michael and Christine marks the first time in King’s history that two students were selected for Fulbright Awards in the same year. The last King’s student to receive a Fulbright award was Joseph Deegan, Michael’s brother, in 2008.
Another highlight was the presentation of the Lane Dixon Kilburn Award to Elaine F. Zavada, pictured below on the right, for her many years of distinguished service to the Office of the President of King’s College.
Upcoming Events
May 19 Senior/Alumni Party May 20 Commencement
June 2 Broadway Bus Trip to see “Sister Act” June 8 Farber Golf Tournament
June 16 Alumni Family Day at Knoebels
Cory Zalewski ‘11 (in the red shirt) and his family with Leo the Lion at the 2011 Senior/Alumni Party
In beginning my study-abroad, I was excited and nervous, yet hopeful that new positive ex-periences awaited me. I was in disbelief that I was going abroad again, that I had yet another unique opportunity at King’s. I had gone to Bulgaria and Turkey the previous summer with a short-term study abroad program led by Dr. Scarboro and Dr. Costello.
It seemed almost unreal that I was able to leave for an entire semester in order to study in Northern Ireland through the Irish-American Scholars Program.
A Student’s International Experience
Coleraine welcomed me with open arms, and it became clear right away that I was going to be part of a big inter-national family. There were over 100 interinter-national students with me for the semester at the University of Ulster and they came from all over the world. I found my place there, and I began to create connections with these new friends, connections that I continue to foster to this day.
Some of the most powerful experiences that I was able to take away from my time in Northern Ireland involved gaining a better understanding of the troubles in Northern Ireland through the personal conversations of Irish and English individuals. My roommates, my friends, and even some of my taxi drivers all had interesting
perspectives on the troubles—many had personal stories that they themselves or their close family members had experienced. Before going to Coleraine, I didn’t realize how prevalent tensions still are from the troubles, even today. It is as if there is a silent tolerance that exists between the two groups, an element of culture that is unique to Ireland. I appreciate the opportunity that I had to learn about this history, and I was able to experience it in a very real way.
The semester flew by, and before I knew it, my time in Coleraine came to a close, and I had to make my way home, well that is, after I backpacked through Europe for two months. I look back on my time in Northern Ireland, and I cherish so many of the memories that I created there. I feel as if leaving King’s for a while gave me an opportunity to reflect on how much I have changed (for the better) since coming to King’s and how much I appreciate my college. I felt so prepared to go to Ireland, and while I was in Europe, I had nothing but positive experiences. I feel more confident in myself now. I feel like I can relate to more people from all walks of life now. Now as my senior year quickly is coming to a close, I am ready to face the next challenge that awaits me. For now, it seems as though that challenge will be to learn Bulgarian as I have received a Fulbright Scholarship to live and teach English in Bulgaria for the 2012-2013 academic year. My experiences abroad began with the King’s faculty-led short-term program to Bulgaria and Turkey, and I became fascinated with the country of Bulgaria. Now, I intend to go back to the country and truly immerse myself in the culture to gain a better understanding of the country. I am hopeful of the bright future that lies ahead, and I know that studying abroad through King’s College has directly contributed to the success that I have had so far.
~Michael Deegan ’12
To learn more about the Study Abroad Program at King’s College, contact Mollie Farmer at 570-208-5900 x5986 or via email at mhfarmer@kings.edu.
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King’s College Alumni Office
133 N. River St., Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711 570-208-5879 (office) 570-208-6012 (fax) alumni@kings.edu www.kingsalumni.info
A Catholic College Sponsored by the Congregation of Holy Cross
For the second straight year, the baseball team’s Extra Inning Club has received its biggest honor from the nation’s highest office as it received the Presidential Volunteer Service Award. The Monarchs received the Gold Level Award which is presented to groups performing more than 1,000 hours of community service over a 12-month period. The King’s baseball team performed 1,604 hours of community service from September 1 through March 1.
A newspaper story highlighting the honor and the holding of the team’s annual Challenger baseball game is available at http://www.timesleader.com/stories/Award-winning-Monarchs-lend-their-support-through-service,143566?search_filter=greeley&town_id=1&sub_type=stories.
Baseball Team Again Placed on Public Service List
Tom Smith ’77, current chairman of the Board of Directors for King’s, will deliver the address to graduates at the 63rd annual Commencement exercises to be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 20, at Mohegan Sun Arena. Smith is vice president-corporate audit for Campbell Soup Company, the global manufacturer and marketer of high-quality foods.
King’s will grant honorary doctorates to two local residents who served as board chairs for a combined one-third of the College’s 66-year existence. Charles Parente ’62, Harveys Lake, served as board chair from 1988 to 1997. Eberhard “Tim” Faber, Bear Creek, succeeded Parente as chair and served until 2010. Parente and Faber both joined the King’s board in the early 1980s and continue to serve as members.
Chairman Tom Smith to Address Class of 2012
Joan Marcus
We “pray” that you will join us for a
blessedly
good time
on June 2, to see the divinely comedic hit,
SISTER
A T
C
Some tickets still available for only $120 per person and includes a roundtrip bus trip from Wilkes-Barre to New York City and a ticket to see the hit show “Sister Act” at a 2:00 pm matinee.
We will leave Wilkes-Barre at 8:00 am (from in front of the Scandlon Gym) and leave New York City at 8:00 pm. Some tickets could be sold without the bus, for those alumni already living in or near New York City.
