Mercyhurst Magazine Spring 2017

MAGAZINE

SPRING 2017

Making connections: Tom Hanchin ’85 P. 12

Inside this issue: RENEWAL THROUGH MERCY: THE NEXT 90 YEARS P.2 MERCYHURST CONSIDERS NEW CAMPUS IN IRELAND P.4 GRAD PROGRAMS GROW OUTSIDE THE GATES P.6 SENIOR CLASSES SINCE ’89 HAVE LEFT THEIR MARKS ON CAMPUS P. 14 WRESTLING’S BAND OF BROTHERS P. 26

The Ofce of Marketing and Public Relations publishes Mercyhurst Magazine twice a year.

Magazine Editor Susan Hurley Corbran ’73 scorbran@mercyhurst.edu 814-824-2090 Design Jeremy C. Hewitt ’07 jhewitt@mercyhurst.edu 814-824-3022 Contributing Writers Susan Hurley Corbran ’73 Deborah W. Morton Allison Seib Jennifer Smith

Inside this issue 2

Contributing Photographers Jeremy C. Hewitt ’07 Angela Zanaglio ’16

MICHAEL T. VICTOR INAUGURATED AS 12TH PRESIDENT NEW RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM ANNOUNCED

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STRATEGIC PLAN GETTING UPDATE MERCYHURST EYES CAMPUS IN IRELAND

Printing Leader Graphics, Erie, Pennsylvania

LEARNING DIFFERENCES PROGRAM CELEBRATES 30 YEARS

5 MERCYHURST TAKES LEAD ON DOWNTOWN ERIE INNOVATION DISTRICT 6 GRADUATE PROGRAMS AVAILABLE ONLINE 7 DINING HALL, ICE CENTER GET UPGRADES 8 STUDENTS EXPLORE MERCY SERVICE 9 DONORS FUND CAMPUS PROJECTS THROUGH CROWDFUNDING 10 LAID-OFF WORKERS TRAIN FOR NEW CAREERS AT NORTH EAST 12 TOM HANCHIN ’85 RECEIVES PRESIDENT’S AWARD 13 JOE LARGE ’01 FINDS DREAM JOB 14 SENIOR CLASS GIFTS FOUND ALL OVER CAMPUS 16 HOSPITALITY GRADUATES MAKING MARK ON INDUSTRY PETER ZOHOS ‘97 D. FORD MENNEL ‘02 STEVE KACZERSKI ’13 AND LOAN VU ‘13 PAUL CAHILL ‘88 MARGARET WEIR MANCHIK ‘87 TONY TUPEK ‘05 DAN PORA ‘96

Director of Alumni Engagement Lindsay Cox Frank ’12 ’14M lfrank@mercyhurst.edu 814-824-2330

Class Notes Editor Courtney Olevnik ’08 ’13M colevnik@mercyhurst.edu 814-824-2333 Send changes of address to: Alumni Relations Mercyhurst University 501 E. 38th St. Erie, PA 16546 alumni@mercyhurst.edu

SHANE KRIGE ‘91 CHRIS WALKER ‘10

If you haven’t been receiving the bi-monthly Alumni eNewsletter, Mercyhurst does not have an active email address for you. Visit hurstalumni.org/get-involved to update your information and reconnect. We’d love to hear from you. Send your story ideas, suggestions and comments to scorbran@mercyhurst.edu .

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ELLEN RYAN ’64 SHARES HER TIME, TALENT, TREASURE SCENES FROM A BUSY FALL AT MERCYHURST SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS FROM ERIE AND NORTH EAST MIZIA BROTHERS SHINE ON WRESTLING TEAM

CLASS NOTES

29 BRITTANY PARKER ADKINS ’07 PENS BOOK FOR BOY FACING PARALYSIS

A message from the president One of our senior staf members reminded me the other day that it wasn’t that long ago that gathering content for our alumni magazine was an easy task. We had room for just about everything.

signifcant opportunities for our students, and provide much-needed and well-paying jobs for our graduates and others. You’ll also see that one of our partners in the innovation district, Erie’s only Fortune 500 Company – Erie Insurance, is also partnering with us on a new risk management

Today, preparing a magazine starts with what seems like a never-ending list of story ideas that has to be painstakingly edited and edited again. Still, we are an institution that refuses to rest, to plateau, or to say we’re good enough. Because, as the old saying goes, good enough never is . Instead, our faculty, administrators, staf and students, not to mention our remarkable alumni, are known for upping their game, and this issue of Mercyhurst Magazine will highlight that energy and inventiveness in a grand way. Our cover story, for instance, features alumnus Tom Hanchin, who took a hospitality degree and an entrepreneurial spirit from Erie’s Elephant Bar to Boulder, Colorado, where today he owns a $25 million tech company. Speaking of hospitality, this issue we check in with a number of hospitality graduates, who are parlaying their skills into impressive careers. We also highlight one of our most generous alumni, Ellen Ryan, a 1964 home economics graduate and a member of our board of trustees. She is passionate about ensuring that today’s young people have the opportunity to experience the rewards of a Mercyhurst education just like she did, and she has gone to great lengths to make it happen. And please check out the latest in athletics, from a story about wrestling’s three gifted Mizia brothers to the latest renovations at the Mercyhurst Ice Center. In the 19 months since I became president, we have worked diligently to restore our collective spirit while making some tough but necessary calls. I’m pleased to say that we have our house in order and are moving forward with a strategic plan to guide us successfully into the future. As much as Mercyhurst remains our primary focus, we would be naïve to think that our future is not inextricably linked to that of our city. As this once thriving manufacturing town looks to reinvent itself, we are stepping up to help. Thanks to a $4 million grant, which you’ll read about within these pages, Mercyhurst is leading the development of a Downtown Erie Innovation District, which we believe will create

program, arguably another win for the university and for the City of Erie. Mercyhurst alumna Betsy Hirt Vorsheck has made a $1.25 million investment to launch the program. These meaningful and fruitful collaborations, I believe, are going to take our university to the next level. I must give my colleague, Provost David Dausey, credit for his untiring commitment to managing these projects and enlisting the support of our distinguished faculty and local community leaders. Finally, whether on campus or in our community, Mercyhurst continues to keep its Mercy mission top of mind. Within these pages, you’ll read about 20 of our students as they commit to service in the tradition of Catherine McAuley during our inaugural 4 th Vow Retreat. You’ll also see how Mercyhurst North East is helping renew the lives of those afected by recent layofs at GE Transportation, 70 of whom are back in school retooling for the future. It is most gratifying to see our students thrive, be it their frst, or second, time around. I’d like to think the Sisters are smiling everywhere.

Until next time, Carpe Diem .

Michael T. Victor, J.D., LL.D. President, Mercyhurst University

ON THE COVER: Tom Hanchin ’85 in the Boulder plant of CCX (Cable and Connection Experts), the tech frm he co-founded and built into a $25 million business. Photo by Marla Rutherford. Read more about his career on page 12.

Renewal Through Mercy: The Next 90 Years Michael T. Victor, J.D., LL.D., was in a unique

rely on their gut or intuition,”Victor said in his inaugural address. “The days of informal structures and casual leadership are gone. Ours must be a thoughtful, strategic business model rooted in research-based problem- solving, analysis and best practice.” With his background as a business school dean, college president (Lake Erie College 2006-2015), corporate CEO, lawyer and entrepreneur, business models have always been part of Victor’s world. Having inspired a renewed spirit of collegiality on campus rooted in the Mercy mission, Victor said he looks forward to a bright future. Going forward, Victor said the university will continue to establish niche felds of study and anchor them with a strong liberal arts curriculum. It will investigate new technologies for delivering that education. It

will build new local, regional and international collaborations that create the very best learning experiences for Mercyhurst students and generate opportunities for enlightenment and service to the greater good. Further, he said, the university must ensure that in these times of escalating college costs, it fnds ways to draw its members from the widest range of socioeconomic groups and keep Mercyhurst accessible to talented students everywhere. “I maintain an unwavering confdence in the purpose and potential of this university and its role in shaping human lives and, in turn, the future of our world,” said Victor in concluding his inaugural address. “As we gather here, at the intersection of our past and our future, of our mission and our vision, of lessons learned and challenges anticipated, let us appreciate this extraordinary moment and go forward with a spirit of Renewal through Mercy toward Our Next 90 Years .”

position when he was inaugurated as Mercyhurst University’s 12 th president on Sept. 10, 2016 – looking to the future on the strength of a record-setting and transformative frst year. Under his administration, Mercyhurst had enrolled the largest freshman class in its history, welcoming 728 new undergraduates. It achieved a fundraising milestone, bringing in $6.5 million, the largest amount ever in a single year. The university streamlined its academic and administrative functions, restructured its liberal arts curriculum and revamped its academic calendar. It struck a chord for tradition by renewing an old custom – the hourly ringing of the carillon bells – and starting a new one, Hurst Day, a grand-scale celebration of student life.

“Higher education leaders can no longer

President Victor, right, welcomes Erie Insurance guests, from left, Dionne Wallace Oakley, Doug Smith and Sean Dugan to the Mercyhurst press conference. Top: Dionne Wallace Oakley, senior vice president, human resources, Erie Insurance. Mercyhurst partners with Erie Insurance on new risk management program

be named the F.W. Hirt Erie Insurance Risk Management Program at Mercyhurst University after her father. “I’m happy to make this investment with Mercyhurst University to prepare students on the changing needs of the insurance industry,” said Vorsheck. “This program is a great way we can honor my father’s legacy while looking toward the future.” Erie Insurance has committed in-kind resources that will help guide the design of the risk management program. In announcing the new initiative, Mercyhurst President Michael T. Victor said, “We are most grateful to Mrs. Vorsheck and Erie Insurance for their commitment to this partnership, which we believe will be transformative in nature, not only benefting our two institutions, but creating new jobs and opportunities in the Erie region.” He also thanked David Dausey ’97, provost and vice president for academic afairs, and Cal Pifer, vice president for external relations and advancement, for helping bring the project to fruition, along with Ridge College

Two of Erie’s premier institutions – Mercyhurst University and Erie Insurance – announced last month that they are launching a new risk management program to educate a growing workforce, create new economic opportunities and advance the high-demand feld. Erie Insurance board member Betsy Hirt Vorsheck is investing $1.25 million to expand and develop academic programs in risk control, insurance underwriting and insurance claims through the university’s Walker College of Business, and programs in cybersecurity, data analytics and cyberintelligence in the insurance industry through the Ridge College of Intelligence Studies and Applied Sciences. Vorsheck, a 1977 graduate of Mercyhurst, is the granddaughter of Erie Insurance founder H.O. Hirt, and the daughter of F.W. Hirt, a longtime CEO of Erie Insurance and trustee of Mercyhurst University, and Audrey Sitter Hirt ’49, after whom the Audrey Hirt Academic Center at Mercyhurst is named.

Dean Jim Breckenridge and Walker College Dean Missy Breckenridge for their support.

This is the second time in the past six months that Mercyhurst has been linked in projects identifed as “transformative.”The frst was Oct. 12, 2016, when Mercyhurst received a $4 million grant to create a Downtown Erie Innovation District focused on safety and security with corporate partners Erie Insurance, McManis and Monsalve Associates and Velocity Network, Inc. It was funded through the Erie Community Foundation, Susan Hirt Hagen Fund for Transformational Philanthropy and the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority. (See related story on innovation district on page 5.)

Vorsheck is making the donation on behalf of the Fortune 500 Company for what will

Strategic plan update underway A lot has changed since Mercyhurst’s latest strategic plan was developed in 2012, not only at Mercyhurst but in the higher education landscape in general. “It’s important for the strategic plan to refect President Victor’s way of doing business,”

and Joseph NeCastro ’78 , vice chair of Mercyhurst’s Board of Trustees. Next, the planning team sought input during nine focus groups of faculty, staf and administrators, students and alumni from both the Erie and North East campuses. The talk was wide- ranging, from academic programs to campus facilities to diversity. The university community will also be invited to read and ofer comments on the draft plan before it’s presented the Board of Trustees for approval later this fall.

explains Jeanette Britt ’94 , vice president and chief information ofcer, who is overseeing the planning process. “We’re working to create a succinct plan with clear-cut, measurable goals that can be achieved in a short period. It will include concrete objectives so we can track our progress and report on it annually.” Discussions on the plan started with the president’s cabinet, along with Dr. Joanne McGurk, president of the Erie Faculty Senate,

So, though the plan was scheduled to guide operations through 2020, a new strategic planning initiative is now underway for the rest of the decade. The next strategic plan will then cover the period from 2020 to 2026 – when Mercyhurst will mark its centennial. The plan will represent Victor’s pragmatic, business-minded approach.

Learning Diferences marks 30 years

Mercyhurst considers new campus in Ireland A decision is expected by October on whether Mercyhurst will expand its academic center in Dungarvan, County Waterford, Ireland, into a full-fedged international campus. During a joint news conference (via Skype) on Nov. 14, 2016, President Michael T. Victor, Waterford City and County Chief Executive Michael Walsh and Mercyhurst College Ireland Chair Heidi K. Hosey signed a Memorandum of Understanding that launched a yearlong shared analysis of the project. Mercyhurst’s longstanding relationship with Dungarvan, one of Erie’s Sister Cities, dates to the 1980s, when Mercyhurst began recruiting at St. Augustine College (high school). In 2010, the Mercyhurst Intelligence Studies Department began hosting its biennial Global Intelligence Forum in Dungarvan. Since 2012, small groups of Mercyhurst students and faculty have spent terms in Dungarvan at an academic center known as Mercyhurst College Ireland “This step represents a natural progression of what has been a highly productive and enriching relationship between our university and the people of Dungarvan,” said Victor. “With today’s increasingly global economy and the value of international study, we owe it to all concerned to do our due diligence in evaluating this unique opportunity.” The invitation to expand Mercyhurst’s academic operations in Dungarvan was extended by Dungarvan ofcials with support from Mercyhurst alumnus John Deasy, a member of the Irish Parliament. Besides increasing opportunities for Mercyhurst students to have international experiences, the project would reinforce the university’s Irish Catholic heritage by locating a branch in the country where its founders, the Sisters of Mercy, originated.

II Learning Diferences Program, while more than 330 have received testing accommodations and other Level I services. These students have earned baccalaureate degrees from every major on campus and have distinguished themselves as student ambassadors, student government ofcers, academic and athletic All- Americans, Dean’s List honorees and more. Many have gone on to complete master’s and doctoral programs. AIM (the Autism Initiative at Mercyhurst) grew out of the Learning Diferences Program and is now a separate entity. The program has earned frequent national recognition, too, including a No. 9 ranking on a recent list of “20 incredible small colleges for special needs students.”

Three former directors of Mercyhurst’s Learning Diferences Program were honored during Homecoming 2016, as the pioneering program celebrated its 30 th anniversary. About 100 people, including 50 current and former students, attended the reception. The event also honored the late Sister Maura Smith, RSM, who frst encouraged Mercyhurst to develop a program for students with learning disabilities in 1986, and the late Dr. Barbara Weigert, the education professor who served as its frst director. The new Sister Maura Smith Scholarship will be awarded to an academically qualifed and fnancially deserving student in the Learning Diferences Program; the frst donation to the scholarship fund was made in memory of Dr. Weigert. More than 750 students have been part of the Level

Pictured at the celebration are Elaine Ruggiero, current director of the Learning Diferences Program; Dianne Rogers, who led the program from 1998 until her retirement in 2014; and Tina King, who was responsible for day-to-day operation of the program in its early years.

Pictured, (front row, l-r) Joel Deuterman, president/CEO, Velocity Network, Inc.; Marco Monsalve, chief executive ofcer, McManis and Monsalve Associates; Mike Batchelor, president, Erie Community Foundation; Mercyhurst President Michael Victor; Cal Pifer, Mercyhurst vice president for external relations and advancement; (back row, l-r) Mercyhurst Trustee Chair Richard Lanzillo, Esq., and Perry Wood, executive director, Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority. The check represents “Shaping Tomorrow” grants totaling $10 million, including $4 million to Mercyhurst. Mercyhurst takes lead in creating Downtown Erie Innovation District

When Michael Victor said he was going to shake things up at Mercyhurst University, he wasn’t kidding. In just his frst year as president, he brought in a record-setting freshman class and celebrated a milestone year in fundraising. Now, he’s turned his eye toward the challenges facing the City of Erie as it attempts to rechart its own path toward growth and prosperity. Victor, who has touted achievement through partnership throughout his presidency, announced late last year that Mercyhurst would take the lead in creating a Downtown Erie Innovation District. Mercyhurst’s plan is to drive a new knowledge-based economy, focused on safety and security, with three of the city’s most innovative corporate partners: Erie Insurance, McManis and Monsalve Associates and Velocity Network, Inc. The partners intend to execute joint projects related to safety and security, specifcally in the high-demand felds of data science and cybersecurity, where their combined skills will

create a powerful business alliance to catalyze economic growth.

which prepares students for intelligence careers in national security, law enforcement and the private sector. More than 1,000 alumni work in every major industry sector and 17 agencies of the U.S. intelligence community. A new master’s degree in data science complements the intelligence studies program and many others at the university. Presently, the Ridge College enrolls 600 students and administers $12 million in public and private sector grants and contracts. Increasingly, these funded opportunities involve cyber and corporate security projects. Provost Dr. David Dausey, project leader, noted, “Innovation districts have shown that both American and global corporations are interested in being centered in proximity to trained talent. By focusing heavily on the emerging felds of data science and cybersecurity, Erie will be well positioned as a hub for companies to make investments.” Visit innovationdistricterie.com to keep up with the project as it unfolds.

Fueling the project is a $4 million “Shaping Tomorrow” grant Mercyhurst received in October from the Erie Community Foundation with support from the Susan Hirt Hagen Fund for Transformational Philanthropy and the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority. In awarding the grant, those donors noted that the Innovation District plan dovetails with the goals of Erie’s Comprehensive Plan and is designed to serve three critical community needs:

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Stop brain drain and enhance brain gain. Replace low-wage jobs with family- sustaining jobs.

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Revitalize downtown Erie.

Victor said Mercyhurst is uniquely positioned to drive the innovation district’s strategic focus of safety and security as home to the internationally renowned Tom Ridge College of Intelligence Studies and Applied Sciences,

Grad programs grow outside the gates The year was 2004, and the reputation of Mercyhurst’s Research and Intelligence

graduate oferings in autism, secondary education, and—new in fall 2017—criminal justice administration (CJA). “The criminal justice graduate program is Mercyhurst’s oldest graduate program, and we have a vast network of alumni resources right here in our region,” said Maria Garase, Ph.D., CJA program director. “For us, the opportunity to take our program online opens it up to alumni across the country who want to further their education, or to the coworkers of our alumni, who are generally very impressed with how well Mercyhurst prepares its grads.” Long known as an innovator in educating teachers of all grade levels, Mercyhurst recently seized the opportunity to ofer a Master of Science in secondary education entirely online. In addition to a master’s, this program ofers grads the opportunity to earn their Pennsylvania teaching certifcation. “When you major in a science or humanities feld, it can take some time to fgure out exactly what you want to do with your degree. There are so many potential careers to choose

from,” said Amy Burniston, director of the secondary education graduate program. “Not surprisingly, many students fnd inspiration in what drew them into their chosen major in the frst place: their high school teachers. They realize they want to make that same impact on future generations, and our program gives them a quick and convenient way to achieve their goal.” For Mercyhurst alumni interested in pursuing online graduate education, Mercyhurst’s online graduate programs refect many of the same strengths of the undergraduate Laker experience. “Without the engaged, caring faculty, these programs just would not work,” said Travis Lindahl, director of graduate and continuing education, and an organizational leadership alum. “Opportunity and convenience are what make these programs attractive, but it’s still ‘the Mercyhurst way’ that makes them stand out from our competitors.”

Analyst Program (RIAP) had spread far beyond Erie. Mercyhurst grads were in high demand at nearly every intelligence agency and frm in the D.C. Metro area. Looking to capitalize on RIAP’s reputation, the college’s leadership settled on an innovative method of program delivery: ofer it online. Through corporate partnerships and word of mouth, online graduate courses in intelligence studies were flled, cohorts were educated in the RIAP way, and Mercyhurst online education was born. Thirteen years later, graduate-level education and the credentials that come with it are more in demand than ever. For some students, it’s a springboard for a promotion. For others, it’s the key ingredient needed for a career change. For everyone, it’s tough to ft grad studies into a life flled with family, work and community obligations. Since the inception of the fagship intelligence studies program, Mercyhurst’s online graduate programs have grown to include organizational leadership and, most recently,

To learn more, visit mercyhurst.edu/graduate .

Brand-new Grotto Commons welcomes Class of 2020

Thanks to a combination of Mercyhurst capital funds and a $2 million contribution from its food service partner, Parkhurst Dining, Mercyhurst has completed an estimated $3 million overhaul to the former Egan Dining Hall. Crews began renovations the day after graduation last May and worked right up to Aug. 19, when the dining hall—now known as Grotto Commons— reopened to serve dinner to the record incoming Class of 2020. More work over the holiday break further streamlined trafc fow and added 50 seats to the hall’s capacity. New paint and colorful photos of students also brightened the space.

The changes make ingress and egress more accessible, scatter food stations to enhance speed and efciency, and provide seating that accommodates the gamut of diners, from the individual student who wants to sit at a high- top table and study, to groups who want to have lunch together. The dining hall is totally plugged in, from areas equipped with power- and-data backsplashes to Wi-Fi to high-defnition televisions. Also new is the Clean Plate, an allergen-free station devoted to preparing foods, such as gluten-free products, for students with allergies.

Hockey renovations revealed; men’s team founder remembered

Were he here, you can bet Chris Cuzzola’s face would light up with glee upon viewing the half-million-dollar renovation of the Mercyhurst University Ice Center. Growing up, Cuzzola excelled as an ice hockey player in travel and club programs in Erie and Bufalo. One of Mercyhurst’s most devoted alums and a recipient of the Sister Carolyn Herrmann Service Award, he is credited as both a founder and captain of the university’s frst men’s hockey team in 1986. Sadly, Chris did not get a chance to see the upgrades to the ice arena, dying unexpectedly on Dec. 1, 2016, at the age of 50. “A lot of people love Mercyhurst; I hear it all the time,” said men’s hockey coach Rick Gotkin. “But Chris Cuzzola took that love to a whole other stratosphere. He bled green and blue, and that kind of love and commitment you don’t soon forget.” And Mercyhurst won’t. Just last month, the university announced a scholarship in his name, mounted a memorial plaque in the VIP section of the ice center, and dedicated the last men’s home game of

the regular season to him. A replica of Cuzzola’s #28 jersey was also presented to his family during a private reception for friends and donors who helped make the ice center renovation project a reality. Renovations involved a total redesign of the men’s and women’s locker rooms marked by additions to each space, new custom-built wooden lockers in both the locker rooms and changing rooms, an upgraded ventilation system and an updated equipment room. There are even a few bells and whistles, key among them frosted glass insets between the locker tops and ceiling that house LED strip lighting, which can be set to diferent colors. Fresh paint within the center proper, the addition of new ofce space on the mezzanine and updates to the VIP area on the second foor completed the project. All told, the renovations cost $500,000, which was funded entirely by private donations. The latest round of renovations focused on player facilities; future fundraising is planned for improvements designed to elevate the fan experience.

The 4th vow: a call to service “A friend and I gave a granola bar and a $5 bill to a homeless woman sleeping on the sidewalk. It’s hard to explain, but in that moment, looking into her unexpectedly joyful face was like peering into the eyes of Jesus. It gave ‘community’ a new meaning.” – Catherine

vow if you stay in a place of privilege all the time,” says Campus Ministry director Greg Baker, who developed the 4 th Vow Retreat with Colin Hurley, director of community engagement. “Catherine inherited a great fortune. She could have simply donated money to help the poor but instead she went out among the people,” Baker adds. On Sunday the group joined the congregation at Erie’s Community Missionary Baptist Church, enjoying its welcoming atmosphere, energetic singing and charismatic preaching. A refugee family shared their own story with the students. Throughout the weekend, Mercyhurst employees worked behind the scenes, preparing meals and facilitating activities. Many of the volunteers were members of the Mercy Emissary group. Sister Lisa Mary McCartney, RSM, the only Sister of Mercy now working full time on campus, launched the Emissary program in 2015 to ensure that the Mercy heritage and tradition remain alive and vibrant at Mercyhurst. The 4 th Vow Retreat was funded through a successful campaign on a crowdfunding site developed last spring by the Mercyhurst advancement department.

About 20 Mercyhurst students spent an October weekend following in the footsteps of Catherine McAuley during the frst 4 th Vow Retreat. Since Catherine founded the Sisters of Mercy in 1831, women who join the order have taken not only the traditional vows of women religious— poverty, chastity and obedience—but also a fourth vow of service to the poor, the sick and the uneducated. The weekend challenged students to step out of their comfort zones and experience the power of Mercy service. The retreat began at the Miller Estate on the Mercyhurst North East campus, temporarily dubbed the “Callahan Estate” for the wealthy family that adopted Catherine after her parents’ deaths. Like Catherine, who used her inheritance from the Callahans to open the frst House of Mercy in Dublin, retreat participants then moved out into the community. They ventured from their home base (the former St. Mary’s School in downtown Erie) to explore the city and encounter “the other.”

“You’re never going to understand the fourth

More crowdfunding success Besides supporting the 4 th Vow Retreat, donors made targeted gifts last year to complete three other projects created by Mercyhurst faculty, staf and students.

Scott Koskoski ’00, past president of the Mercyhurst University National Alumni Association and current President’s Associate, was a major contributor. He explains, “One lasting lesson Mercyhurst instilled in me as a student is that our world is much smaller than we think. Humans are interconnected in many ways, and living the Mercyhurst mission means we recognize that every human has dignity, self- worth and is worthy of opportunity. Today's typical college student takes a lot for granted and in their insulated, provided-for world, likely assumes that everyone else feels worthy, dignifed and provided for, too. “I saw the 4th Vow Retreat as a venue for students to be reminded of God's blessings in a very tangible way. I envisioned it as a real-time ‘working refection’ of what Mercy means—not mercy as in sparing someone from harm, but Mercy as in a way of life. Hopefully, participants were able to realize that the line between ‘with’ and ‘without’ is actually thinner than they assumed, and feel what being the hands and feet of Jesus means in the real world. In that sense, it was a pleasure to support the project.”

MakerBot Mania: Graphic design students are using a new 3D printer thanks to 38 donors who contributed $4,500.

Give Up the Boat: Mercyhurst rowing coaches are using a new waveless launch, courtesy of 41 donors who gave $5,475, and matching corporate gifts from Howard & Associates and Our Own Candle Company, both of Findley Lake, New York.

Portal to the Past: Mercyhurst’s anthropology/archaeology department created a new interactive exhibit at the expERIEnce Children’s Museum to teach visitors all about prehistory. It was made possible by 67 donors who gave $4,420.

The advancement staf is in the planning stages for the next round of crowdfunding, set for September 2017.

Laid-of workers begin next chapter, train for new careers at Mercyhurst North East By Jennifer Smith

Imagine working for years earning enough to comfortably support yourself and your family and then suddenly being notifed your job was eliminated. That’s just what happened in 2016 to nearly 1,500 employees at a local manufacturing company. Thanks to a government-funded retraining program, many of those workers were able to turn the upheaval and uncertainty of a layof into a new opportunity. Because their jobs were lost as a result of foreign trade, they qualifed to receive the full cost of tuition at an accredited two-year program through the Trade Adjustment Assistance program funded through the U.S. Department of Labor. According to Linda Bremmer, who has been the government funding coordinator at Mercyhurst

University since 1997, the university must apply with the Department of Labor to participate in the program. While Mercyhurst North East ofers 24 associate degree programs, eight certifcate programs and two bachelor’s degree programs, only certain programs that train students for high-demand jobs and are likely to result in employment qualify, she added. That translated to more than 70 new students at the North East campus utilizing the TAA beneft this year. More than half are seeking health care jobs – enrolling in the registered nursing, practical nursing, occupational therapy assistant, physical therapist assistant, respiratory therapist and medical laboratory technician programs. Another 28 students are enrolled in business and computer systems support programs of study.

Returning to school after 30 years was a bit intimidating, admitted Kevin Williams, 49, who worked at GE for fve years as a painter before getting laid of. Anthony Mazzone, 50, good-naturedly points out that most of his classmates, and even some of his professors, are younger than he is. But both were motivated to make the most of the situation. “At frst it was quite overwhelming,” agreed Ryan Irish, a 35-year-old father of two, who was laid of after nearly 10 years. “There was some worry of not being as successful as I was hoping to be. By week two that had passed and I found myself thoroughly enjoying my classes and learning.” In fact, many are fnding success. In the nursing program alone, six TAA students received 4.0 grade point averages during the fall semester. According to the Ofce of Academic Afairs, of the 69

TAA students enrolled for the fall semester, 40 earned a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher with the vast remainder of the students earning a 3.0-3.5. “Seeing and seizing the opportunity for a better future has been a part of Mercyhurst North East since its inception in 1991,” said Dr. Gary Brown, MNE’s chief operating ofcer who, like many long-time staf members, personally invests in students, sharing in their successes and struggles. “We’re proud to be a part of their next chapter.” Non-traditional students also understand the value of the education they are getting, said Dr. David Hyland, associate vice president for academic afairs. They weigh the opportunity cost – in terms of lost wages and time invested – against the overall cost and their future earnings potential. Being able to invest two years

and come out with a new career that pays as much as they were earning after 10 or 20 years in manufacturing is a very appealing investment. “I just wanted to get away from manufacturing altogether,” said James Tupper, 37, who was laid of twice in 10 years and is now studying to be a registered nurse, earning a 4.0 GPA in the fall semester. He and his wife, Kirra, worked together, were laid of together and now are students together at Mercyhurst North East. They were so impressed with the campus setting and surrounding North East community, they decided to relocate there with their children.

It’s exciting, said Kirra Tupper, who went to college at 18 but admits she is a much diferent student now at 34. “At this point in my life I’m thrilled for the opportunity, and have much more desire and determination,” said Kirra Tupper, who is studying to be an occupational therapy assistant. Michelle Hoover feels like losing her job wasn’t the end, but the beginning of a new path. She chose the business administration and accounting degree program to build on previous college credits and enhance management skills and employment experience she had already acquired.

45, of Harborcreek. “There’s more time to access the teachers for questions or help and it’s easier to get to know fellow students.” There’s also a feeling that the faculty and staf really care and want you to succeed, said Ben Custard, 31, who commutes from Meadville for classes in the medical laboratory technician program. While the TAA students may not have known each other before arriving on campus, camaraderie and a support network have developed as they go through classes and the ongoing paperwork required to maintain their benefts.

with support,” said Williams, who is also in the MLT program.

’ Top: Ryan Irish, left, Michelle Hoover and Anthony Mazzone found Mercyhurst North East s small campus and accessible, caring faculty like Randy Rinke eased their transition back into the classroom. Bottom Left: James and Kirra Tupper worked together, were laid of together and now are students together at Mercyhurst North East. Here they are studying anatomy, a common course of their nursing and occupational therapy assistant programs. ’ Bottom Right: Kevin Williams, 49, of Harborcreek was laid of after fve years at GE. He s retraining at MNE through the TAA program to become a medical laboratory technician.

“I like the fact that Mercyhurst North East is smaller,” said Hoover,

“We’re all going through this together and provide each other

Tom Hanchin ’85 An entrepreneur at heart

Tom Hanchin runs a $25 million technology business, and he says it was his Mercyhurst hospitality degree that jump-started his career. “The program prepares you to run a business of your own before you’re 25,” he says – which he did after graduating in 1985. Within a year of joining Erie’s Elephant Bar restaurant, he became its general manager at just 24, running a $3 million business with more than 100 employees. His work today is far removed from the hospitality industry, but he believes his Mercyhurst education prepared him well to grow his own company. “If you’re an entrepreneur at heart, hospitality is a great degree to begin with,” he explains. After several jobs in the hotel-restaurant world, Tom moved to Colorado and decided to explore the growing technology feld. Though he was brand-new to the feld, he convinced a major company to give him a chance. Fourteen months later he was the frm’s

number-one salesman. Just eight months after that, in 1995, Tom and co-worker David Videon ventured out on their own. They didn’t want to compete against their former employer, so they carved out a diferent niche and began providing cables and other connection equipment to that employer and its customer base. Profts – and salaries – were small at frst, but Cable and Connection Experts (CCX) grew steadily. The company soon began manufacturing its own cables and now has facilities in Boulder, Colorado, and Nogales, Mexico. It boasts $25 million in annual sales, more than 200 employees, and a solid reputation for honesty, integrity and service. Tom is the frm’s CEO and chairman of the board, while David handles day-to-day operations as its president. Visit Cleveland’s First Energy Stadium or Heinz Field in Pittsburgh and you’ll see CCX products at work. CCX supplies cables to Daktronics, the scoreboard company that lights up a majority of NFL, NHL and NBA stadiums nationwide.

Big names in the data storage and computing world, including HP and Dell, are clients. Among CCX partners are Uber, Facebook, eBay, PayPal, Pandora, Apple and Netfix. CCX cables are incorporated in everything from CAT scanners and blood monitoring systems to recreational vehicles and solar panels. Tom proudly notes that many of his earliest hires are still with him today, and that he’s never had a lawsuit or a bad debt. He notes, “You don’t have to be a bad guy to succeed in business. You’ll do better if you have empathy, compassion and integrity.” Tom and CCX are active sponsors of Boulder’s “I Have a Dream” program, which helps underprivileged children fnish high school and attend college. He especially likes the opportunity to personally meet the kids he helps and follow them for as long as 10 years. Tom’s now expanding that focus on education for disadvantaged kids, developing a scholarship that will help Erie students attend

Check out Joe’s work at josephlarge.com .

Shooting for a dream job Joe Large ’01 has found a dream job—quite literally.

and shot only for fun,” Joe explains. That all changed when his mother died in 2010 after a long battle with cancer. “When my mom passed away, it kind of fipped a switch in my head,” Joe says now. “I realized how short life is and knew I should be doing something I really loved.” He spent all his savings to buy his frst DSLR camera and started calling himself a professional photographer and flmmaker. His dad’s death in 2014 propelled him even further in this direction. “I realized that if you are doing what you love, if you’re passionate about it, the money will eventually come. “Losing both of my parents in such a short period, at such a young age has propelled me to pursue my dreams more than anything else in my life. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the lesson they unintentionally taught me,” he says. Joe primarily flms action sports and motorsports—like the Dew Tour of skate and snow events sponsored by Mountain Dew—and music—like the Vans Warped Tour traveling concert series. He hopes the Peru adventure will open even more doors for him. He enjoys shooting landscapes and documenting cultures. “Shooting for National Geographic has always been a bucket list item for me,” he notes, “so this might improve my odds.” 13

Mercyhurst. He created the Hanchin-Wells Scholarship to honor the man he credits for changing the course of his life. Coming out of high school, Tom expected to become a steelworker and went to work for his uncle, Tom Wells, at Erie Acoustical. But when it came time for Tom to join the union, Wells gave him a challenge instead: if Tom could get accepted to college, he’d cover the bills. Tom chose Mercyhurst and found his niche in the hospitality program with mentors John Wolper and Daryl Georger. And, though he didn’t play high school football, he walked on with the Lakers and played middle linebacker. During Homecoming festivities last fall, President Michael T. Victor presented the frst President’s Award to Tom (photo above left). Tom told those attending he was grateful to Mercyhurst for giving him the opportunity to become both successful and signifcant. “When you pass away, your success comes to an end,” he said. “But when you’re signifcant, you continue to help others become successful.” Tom is pictured above with Christine, his wife of 22 years, and their twin 11-year-old daughters, Andie and Logan.

In June he’ll trek Peru’s famed Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and other historic sites. He won the chance on dreamjobbing.com , billed as “a global opportunity platform that broadcasts the coolest opportunities and experiences in the world.” Adventure travel frm The Clymb invited photographers to compete to be chief instagrammer/photographer for several of its trips. His video application topped hundreds of other candidates in popular voting, and The Clymb tapped Joe to help document the culture, adventure, geography, natural landscape and history Peru has to ofer. His application, which clearly resonated with voters, credits his parents with inspiring his career. Joe majored in business at Mercyhurst, with a concentration in sports management, and took his frst job in marketing at a Vermont resort. He’d always dabbled in photography, and soon found himself flming extreme sports and concerts in the area. Eventually he moved to Breckenridge in the heart of Colorado’s ski country and started a flm company. Then GoPros came out and everyone became a flmmaker. “I listened to the naysayers, quit flming, took a job in IT

Learn more about his company at ccxcorp.com .

Senior classes since ’89 have left their marks on campus Since 2001, graduates, brides and grooms, students and prospective students, and returning alumni have all gravitated to “The Rock” in front of Old Main. A gift from that year’s graduating class, The Rock engraved with the original Mercyhurst College seal has arguably been the most popular photo spot on campus. It got some serious competition this year when members of the Class of 2016 donated a new campus landmark. Their six-foot bronze anchor, installed between the Audrey Hirt Academic Center and Zurn Hall, represents the strength and determination of Lakers everywhere. Since 1989, each Mercyhurst graduating class has left behind a special gift to its alma mater, a tradition that seems to grow stronger each year. Lindsay Cox Frank ’12 ’14M, director of alumni engagement, works with each class to choose a project, raise funds and leave a tangible reminder of their time here. “Students today, more than ever, are focking toward the committee, wanting to be involved, and wanting to support Mercyhurst,” she said. “We have developed a strong culture of giving among students and a sense of tradition in giving back.” This year’s seniors plan to add an after-hours cofee bar to Hammermill Library’s 24/7 lounge – itself a gift from the Class of 2008.

2007 Multi-purpose court

2001 Welcome rock

Twenty-eight classes have now raised more than $600,000 to fund their gifts, and the impact can be seen all over campus.

• Some classes memorialized people who were special during their time here, like the Class of 1997, which created Munson Plaza in honor of Robert “Mr. Help” Munson ’94, and the Class of 2005, which gave the Sr. Damien Spirit Bell to remember one of the Lakers’ most ardent fans. • Many classes added campus amenities, from a multipurpose court and park in the Briggs-Lewis residential area (2007) to the concession stand in the Mercyhurst Athletic Center (2015). • Some seniors added touches of Mercy spirit, like the stained glass window in the Mercy Heritage Room (1989) and the Mercy Cross in the lobby of the Hirt Academic Center (2002).

1992 Student Union gazebo

1989 Stained glass window in Mercy Heritage Room

A few Senior Class Gifts are highlighted here. To view the complete list, visit hurstalumni.org/senior-class-gift .

2005 Sr. Damien Spirit Bell

2016 Bronze Anchor

1997 Munson Park plaza

2011 Outdoor classroom

2014 Spirit section at Tullio Field

1995 Stained glass window in the MSG Chambers

2015 MAC concession stand

‘Hurst graduates making mark in hospitality industry There were fewer than 20 students when Mercyhurst launched its hospitality program in 1972. Today, the Statler Department of Hospitality Management enrolls more than 150 majors. From the start, the program has recruited instructors with extensive experience in food service and hotel management. Also a hallmark of the program is its emphasis on hands-on experience for its students, on campus (in the Grotto Dining Room and more recently in the Marriott Café) and of-campus in internships and part-time jobs. Over 45 years, Mercyhurst’s hospitality management program has earned a reputation for excellence and created an alumni network that spans the country and reaches around the world. From Erie, where ‘Hurst alums run two of the most prominent hotels in the area, to Vietnam, where two recent grads have opened their own restaurant, Mercyhurst alumni can be found in every hospitality job imaginable. Read just a few of their stories in the pages that follow.

Did you know the pineapple is the international symbol for hospitality?

Peter Zohos ’97 Peter Zohos got his frst taste of the hospitality industry in his teens, logging lots of hours at his uncle’s restaurant. He was good at it, but never planned to join the family business. Instead he majored in nutrition. When he decided medical school wasn’t the best ft for him, he realized he could put his training to work in hospitality. So he transferred to Mercyhurst where he was impressed by faculty members who brought their industry experience into the classroom and truly cared about their students. He got lots of hands-on experience through internships and part-time jobs, leading to 13 job ofers from big hotel companies when he graduated in 1997. He chose Hyatt Hotels, working as a management trainee at its fagship property, the Over the next few years, Peter explored every aspect of the hospitality industry, frst in New York City and later back in his hometown of Cleveland. Throughout those jobs, he says, “I was always the manager who focused the most on training, on developing human resources. The people who work for you take care of your customers and you have to take care of them frst before you can be 2,000-room Hyatt Regency Chicago.

After Mercyhurst, he worked as a senior food and beverage manager with Marriott International, which he calls a “roll-up-your-sleeves type of company.” Mercyhurst produces managers who are not afraid to jump in, he says, adding

proudly, “It’s very well respected in the industry.”

Today he’s doing sales, consulting and training for food distributor Maplevale Farms, where his experience as an operator makes him valuable both to the company and to his customers. Peter says he’s always had a second job within the hospitality industry. Today it’s Candlelight Desserts, his own business that creates custom Greek desserts. Deeply proud of his Greek heritage, he’s active with Greek churches in both Erie and Cleveland and volunteers at both of their annual festivals.

successful.”

So it’s not surprising that, in 2003, he came back to join the ‘Hurst faculty. He stayed through 2012, teaching everything in the hospitality curriculum except

Peter and his wife, Karen, have been married for 12 years and have three kids:

engineering and law.

Billy, 9; Toula, 6; and Gracie, 4.

D. Ford Mennel ’02 D. Ford Mennel works today on the periphery of the hospitality industry, but his career has been built solidly on the foundation he got from the Mercyhurst hospitality program. He’s president of The Mennel Milling Company, which has been milling wheat into four in Fostoria, Ohio, since 1886. Mennel fours are used in many foods, from cake mixes and cookies to gravies and soups. The company also sells to major mix manufacturers and bakeries that cater to the fast food and restaurant trades. “My Mercyhurst education taught me teamwork and how to interact professionally with others,” Ford says. “I also learned to try and look at things diferently and to not accept the frst solution.” He says he uses the skills in cost controls, budgeting and stafng that he developed here every day. He’s especially grateful for the hands-on real-world experiences he was ofered. “And I always cherished the time spent in The Grotto completing our foods labs and restaurant operations classes. We had wonderful professors including Daryl Georger, Brenda Moore, John and Brenda Wolper, and Mike Alleruzzo who identifed with us as individuals and not just numbers.” Ford had several job ofers when he graduated, even though the travel and tourism industry was reeling after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. He joined Tharaldson Property Management, which owned 300 hotels nationwide, including some near Erie’s Millcreek Mall where he had worked during his college years. (He had also done an internship with the Westin Hilton Head Resort and Spa.) As a property support manager, he traveled to hotel operations throughout the Great Lakes Region before settling into positions at company hotels in Toledo, Ohio, and Rio Rancho, New Mexico. He then left Tharaldson to take a management position at the Hilton Nashville Downtown, and probably would have stayed in Nashville had his father not encouraged him to join the family business. The emphasis on community involvement that he learned at Mercyhurst has propelled Ford into service with a variety of community organizations. He’s chair of a nonproft nursing home board, vice chair of a local economic development corporation, president of a startup nonproft skilled trades educational center, and chair of an angel investment club. His hobbies are real estate investing and Michigan football, and he’s active on the Walker College of Business Advisory Board.

Steve Kaczerski ’13 & Loan Vu ’13 One reviewer says S & L’s All-American Diner provides “the best American comfort food you will ever fnd in all of Vietnam.” Another lists several “must-try” menu items, like chili fries, Philly cheesesteak and vanilla milkshakes. Steve Kaczerski and Loan Vu, who met as hospitality management students at Mercyhurst and married in 2014, have carved out a unique niche in Hanoi’s crowded restaurant market with the diner they opened late in 2016. It was a huge step, but both agree their Mercyhurst educations prepared them well, teaching them everything from menu planning and costing to restaurant design to training. Loan is a native of Vietnam who always dreamed of studying abroad, but didn’t realize she was cut out for the hospitality industry until she took an intro course at Mercyhurst. Steve arrived already knowing he had a passion for restaurants and hospitality after years of part-time and summer jobs at a restaurant near his home outside Philadelphia. Steve and Loan both point to their Wine and Spirits class as their favorite Mercyhurst memory, not only because of the enjoyable subject but because it’s where they met. Their frst partnership was on their fnal class project. But Loan says she also loved Erie’s winters. “Coming from Vietnam, I had never seen snow in my life, and I couldn’t help falling in love with Mercyhurst’s winter wonderland.”

Both are grateful for their hands-on experiences in the Grotto Dining Room and Marriott Café and for the variety of internships that helped them explore their feld. For Steve, a placement at the Sheraton Erie Bayfront Hotel led to a job post-graduation in 2013. He relocated to Vietnam about two years later. Before deciding to open the diner, he managed a boutique hotel in Hanoi’s Old Quarter and then a fne dining French steak and wine restaurant in the city’s West Lake District. Loan did a summer internship at Sheraton Erie as well, plus assignments at Springhill Suites by Marriott and back home at the InterContinental Hanoi Westlake Hotel. After her 2013 graduation, she worked in retail at Macy’s for a while before returning to her homeland, a detour that she says taught her a lot about customer service. She was a management trainee at Softel Metropole Hanoi until opening the diner. Now they’re sharing responsibilities as owners and general managers of S & L’s All-American Diner, spending long hours every day training and supervising their staf, making sure food quality and presentation meet their standards, visiting with customers to get their feedback, and closely monitoring costs. When they can get away from the diner, they enjoy traveling through Southeast Asia, including a trip to the Philippines during the recent Tet holiday; exercising and swimming. They’re expecting their frst child, a daughter, in July.

He and his wife, Kate, were married last summer.

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