Cynthia T. McDonald John E. McHale Luanne Mcintosh Mary Mcintosh Gloria M. McKeever Steven C. McKeever Patricia M. Mckim Elizabeth R. McLaren Daniel McMahon Henry Mcmahon James McManus Sue McNally Kathleen M. McNamara Christina M. McNulty Matt McVay Michael Mead Joanne A. Mendiola Jane G. Merkel Joseph Metzinger Kathleen M. Miazga Donald W. Michlin Gregory S. Miele Patricia A. Miskulin Christine M. Mitchell Jack Mitchell John M. Mizia Sr. Nancy L. Mizia Herm Moats Raymond A. Mohr Florence Montalbano Kimberly J. Montalbano Caesar A. Montevecchio Lucia Monti Joyce M. Moore James Miller Tifany Miller Laurie Moore Scott Moore Wayne Morris William T. Morton Susan Moyer Terrance L. Muresan Timothy A. Murray Gary Natter Stephanie A. Nelson Pamela J. Nemenz Rose M. Niedzwiecki Mark Noce Leo V. Noe Robert J. Nordin Shelly Norris Denise A. Norton Andrew M. Novotney Virginia J. Nowak Kathleen Nye Michael A. Nye Susan M. Nye Missy Obrien Catherine O’Bryan
Dolores H. Paluch Penny L. Palutro Steven R. Pantano Brian Pardini James P. Parent
Sally Parese Joseph Paris Susan B. Parry Kristi Parsons
Renee M. Patterson William C. Patterson John Pearson IV Deborah M. Pecchia Elizabeth A. Pellnat Jean C. Pepper Barbara Perino Laura L. Petrella Richard W. Petrella, M.D. Nancy J. Petrof Paul T. Petrof Carmen J. Phillips Edward L. Phipps Sandra H. Phipps Stephen J. Pierangeli Michael J. Pilewski Bob Pillar Glorine B. Pizzo Mark Platteter Diana A. Plitt Mary Ploszkiewicz Dale R. Podlas Laura K. Polacek Martha C. Popio Joseph D. Porpiglia Carol A. Post Dom Pozzuto Hope M. Price Holli Pulice-Lewis Ruth Quinlan Patricia D. Racz Margie J. Ragosta Vincent A. Ragosta Kathleen A. Ramirez Cliford N. Rankin James Ratino Denise S. Raymond Paul M. Reed Marcia K. Reese Barbara K. Reistad Krista T. Rektorik Elaine Renz Erin Reuscher Keith Reynolds Brenda L. Rhoades Albert S. Richardson Jr. Peggy Richardson Adam Riggle Rudolph T. Rinke Sayeh M. Rivazfar Frank J. Rizzo, D.D.S. Donna J. Roberts Nicole Roberts Audrey V. Romito Donna Romito
YOUNG ALUM ENDOWS STUDY-ABROAD SCHOLARSHIP
Megan Verbanick ’02 didn’t study abroad during her time at Mercyhurst. It would have been awesome, she says, but she just couldn’t work out the scheduling and the fnancing. A computer systems major, she’s a sales engineer with Microstrategy, based in Tysons Corner, Virginia. Now well-established in her career, she’s become something of a world traveler. For the last several years, she’s managed at least one international trip annually. This year she traveled abroad twice, once to Morocco and once to Ireland.
And she’s created an endowed scholarship to help Mercyhurst students get what she considers a life-changing experience.
“I think it’s incredibly important for people, especially students, to experience more of the world,” she says. “I’ve learned so much about myself, and about other cultures, by visiting diferent countries. I think travel really expands your worldview and can give you a better understanding of where someone else may be coming from, when they ofer opinions that are drastically diferent from your own.” It costs $25,000 to endow a scholarship at Mercyhurst, a big undertaking for a young professional, though the total can be contributed over a period of several years.
“It wasn’t hard to say I’m not going to buy a cofee every day, $5 a day,” she says. “Little things like that add up and you can make it work.”
Megan named the scholarship in honor of her grandmother, Anne Yeschenko Verbanick, whom she describes as “an amazing person who would have loved to travel more but didn’t have the means to do so.” She cites a parable from Luke’s gospel to explain why she felt inspired to create a scholarship: “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required.” “I truly believe I’ve been blessed and I feel very strongly that I can’t just sit back and do nothing with that. Even before creating the scholarship, I’ve always tried to contribute in ways to help others. I take great joy and pride in being a vehicle to help someone else go along their path.” The same spirit motivated this year’s recipient of the Anne Yeschenko Verbanick Scholarship. Cassandra Kern used the funds to make an FSAT (Faculty-Student Academic Travel) trip to the Dominican Republic in January 2017. She and fellow students helped rebuild a home destroyed by Hurricane William, working with the Mariposa Foundation, which educates and empowers girls to create sustainable solutions to end generational poverty.
Karen O’Connell Kevin O’Connell Jessica O’Kell Geraldine Oligeri Mary J. O’Malley Brandon Owens Larry L. Owens
Lewis W. Rosselli Kathie Rothrock
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