vistas: the magazine of villa maria college

The magazine of Villa Maria College

2 | VISTAS THE MAGAZINE OF VILLA MARIA COLLEGE

VISTASThe Magazine of Villa Maria College | Fall/Winter 2014

PresidentSister Marcella Marie Garus, CSSF

Vice President for Academic AffairsDr. Matthew Giordano

Vice President for DevelopmentThomas P. Honan

Vice President for Enrollment Management & Student ServicesBrian Emerson

Vice President for Business AffairsMichael J. Eadie

Executive Assistant to the PresidentSister Mary Raymond Kasprzak, CSSF

Mission LeaderSister Mary Louis Rustowicz, CSSF

EditorJoseph DiDomizio, Director of College Communications

DesignerJesse Stoddard, Graphic Design Specialist

WritersJoseph DiDomizioDeborah HandzlikDavid HillNicholas Schmiedicker

PhotographyJoseph DiDomizioValerie KasinskiDr. Kim KotzJesse StoddardTom Wolf Imaging

Printed byPrint2Web, Inc.

Board of Trustees 2014-15 John F. Daly (Chairperson)

Catherine Grantier Cooley (Vice Chairperson)

Sister Mary Francesca Buczkowski, CSSF, ’68 (Secretary)

David M. Gelia (Treasurer)

Erik P. DeGlopper

Sister Sharon Marie Dombrowski, CSSF Andrew Golebiowski

David F. Granville

Sister Nancy Marie Jamroz, CSSF

Sister Suzanne Marie Kush, CSSF, ‘70

James L. Lubawski

Sister Mary Geralyn Mroczkowski, CSSF James G. Pappas

Lawrence F. Pignataro, Sr. ‘74

Timothy M. Rider

Rev. Mark J. Wolski

Advisor for One Year

Msgr. Angelo M. Caligiuri

Honorable Ann T. Mikoll

Joan M. Priebe

CONTENTS

SECTIONS FEATURES

4 A Message from the President

5 Campus News

16 Commencement 2014

18 FromtheAlumniOffice

10 The Hands That Heal: How Villa’s PTA program merges academics with service By Nicholas Schmiedicker

12 Making The Grade: Newly created Student Success Center will help students thrive By David J. Hill

14 Empowering Students: College unveils Visionary Plan By Joseph DiDomizio

Infographic by Jesse Stoddard

FALL / WINTER 2014 | 3

4 5 10

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WELCOME to the new issue of Vistas: The Magazine of Villa Maria College. Over the past

year the magazine, like the college itself, has undergone a series of transformations, many of which continue to have an impact on and off campus.

With the announcement of our new visionary plan in June, the college put forth its vision as a provider of rigorous, quality college education to all students who seek a degree. As high schools continue to graduate students who are not prepared for the challenges of college, few institutions can provide what the Villa Experience can give them: the instruction, attention, and resources they need to succeed.

Laying out our commitment to become the premiere student-centered college in Western New York has enlivened and energized our faculty, staff, students, and community partners.

In this issue we highlight not only our vision for the future of Villa, but the steps we have already taken as a college to realize that vision. With new hires, the creation of the Student Success Center, and the continued commitment to service our students

and faculty embody, we are demonstrating that this is an institution dedicated to student success.

This academic year also brought a focus on Solidarity With the Poor, one of the Felician Franciscan core values that drive our work at the college. Events like Feed My Starving Children, the Sister Mary Josette Food Pantry, and others help feed families across the globe and at home.

Villa Maria College embraces the challenges of higher education, and continues to give help to those in need through our vision and our actions. With your support, we can continue to grow as an institution committed to truth, charity, and unity.

May the 2014 holiday season bring you blessings of peace and joy!

Many blessings,

Sister Marcella Marie Garus, CSSF President, Villa Maria College

our presidenta message from


Bishop Emeritus Kmiec was honored at the Trustees Dinner, for his support of education.

CAMPUS news


Villa Receives Scholarship Fund Gift Villa Maria College is honored to announce a $150,000 endowment gift to further support the Harry F. Dommer and Clara R. Dommer Scholarship Fund. Announced at the Board of Trustees Dinner in May, Clara Dommer explained that she wished to increase the reach of the fund so more students could benefit from a college education. With this most recent gift she hopes that “someone else will be inspired to do the same.”

She originally established the fund in January 2012 with her daughter to honor their husband and father, a World War II veteran who passed away in 2007. A member of the Villa Maria College Circle of Friends, Mrs. Dommer was honored for her long-standing commitment to Villa Maria College at a Holiday Brunch in 2013.

Villa Partners with Nardin Academy

Villa Maria College and Nardin Academy have entered into a partnership to create a new home for the academy’s athletic programs. For the duration of the three-year agreement, Nardin will be the primary tenant of the Villa Maria College Athletic Center on Doat Street. The center includes a full-size gymnasium, pool, locker rooms, and training facilities.

Both institutions see this as a harmonious opportunity for their students, and as a way to strengthen ties between Catholic education institutions in the Buffalo area.

“We’re excited to have one of Buffalo’s most outstanding independent Catholic schools partnering with us,” said Brian Emerson, vice president of enrollment management and student services. “It will bring additional energy and activity to our bustling campus.”

Nardin Academy faced a lack of space at their Elmwood Village campus for their growing athletic programs. The partnership to use the facilities at Villa will allow the academy to locate their competitive athletics programs— for girls and boys in 5-8 grades, and girls in 9-12—at one easily accessible spot.

Animation Team Wins Award for Documentary

Animation Professor Sarah Hanson and her August Productions team of student and professional animators were awarded The Videographer Award of Excellence – Documentary this past August, for their work on “Building a Basilica.” The animation team included Professor Justin Scricco, former Professor Jon Cone, and Valery Amborski ‘14, Andrew Tomaka ‘14, and James Lang ‘14.

Narrated by well-known actor, Brian Dennehy, the documentary follows the building of the Our Lady of Victory Basilica in Lackawanna, New York, under the leadership of Father Nelson Baker, and included 3D and 2D animation commissioned by Daybreak TV Productions for the film.

College Holds Workshop for Working with Autistic ChildrenDr. Jane Thierfeld Brown spoke to Villa faculty, staff and community professionals in a pair of workshops in August.

Aimed at developing strategies for assisting students on the autism

Assistant professor Jesse Walp celebrated the opening of “Ripe,” his new show at the Burchfield Penney Art Center on August 8.

As part of a show involving modern craft artists, Walp was awarded the 2014 Langley Kenzie Award last November, which led to an exhibition at the Buffalo Arts Center and now this show at the Burchfield Penney.

He explained that the pieces in the show are derived from various organisms in different developmental stages, indicating that with the recent birth of his son, some of these pieces had been influenced by the natural world, as well as his wife’s pregnancy.

“Ripe” is on view through Sunday, January 25, 2015. For more information, contact the Burchfield Penney Art Center at 716.878.6011.

JESSE WALP: “Ripe” Exhibit

Students and staff help with landscaping outside the Franciscan Guest House on Roma Ave.

CAMPUS newsspectrum with internship and career searches, the 90-minute workshops focused on classroom techniques, and skills for service providers.

Brown is the Director of Student Services at the University of Connecticut School of Law and has worked in Disability Services for 33 years. She is also co-director of College Autism Spectrum, an independent organization of professionals whose purpose is to help students with autism find the right college and build work skills.

The workshops were presented by the Villa Maria College Office of Students with Disabilities, and made possible by a grant from The Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation.

Student Group holds Community Service Days Students and staff involved in EASE (Environmental Awareness, Sustainability and Education) a student group at Villa, held service days this fall, where they assisted with landscaping and clean up at nearby facilities.

On September 13, the group volunteered at the St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy on Walden Ave. During the week before, EASE worked in conjunction with the Telecom Pioneer

Group to assist with landscaping at the Franciscan Guest House located on Roma Avenue in Buffalo.

The funds to purchase plantings came through the Telecom Pioneer Group Buffalo Chapter, which chose EASE to sponsor a project designed to benefit the environment and enhance awareness on the importance of planting and beautification to the community.

Enrollment Increases Despite Declining National TrendDespite the lackluster forecasts and declining higher education enrollment numbers from institutions across the nation, Villa Maria College posted an increase in enrollment over

Aimee Nezhukumatathil reads her award-winning poetry at Villa Maria College.


last year. Total enrollment rose to 490 students in 2014 over last year’s total of 465.

As reported in Buffalo Business First, the news comes amidst busy summer and fall seasons for Villa, with the launch of a new visionary plan, academic programs, a Student Success Center, and the welcoming of new vice president for development, Thomas P. Honan.

“Our vision statement is to be the premiere student-centered college in Western New York,” Dr. Matthew Giordano, vice president of academic affairs, said in the article. “I really do think we are extremely well-poised to make that vision a reality.”

Read the article online at villa.edu and learn more about the new visionary plan in this issue.

New Psychology Program Announced

The New York State Education Department approved a new Psychology Bachelor of Arts program at Villa Maria College during a meeting on September 15.

Students can immediately begin enrolling in the program, with classes scheduled to start in the spring 2015 semester.

“The Psychology bachelor’s degree provides Villa a great opportunity to continue offering students attractive options and a foundational program that has synergies with our existing offerings, while receiving the support and personal attention only Villa can

deliver,” Dr. Ryan Hartnett, assistant vice president for academic affairs said.

Expanding the opportunities for students to succeed in their chosen field or continue on to graduate studies, the psychology program is designed to integrate with programs in arts, music, business, and healthcare.

In addition, enrolled students can choose to double major in psychology, minor in psychology, or minor in art therapy or music therapy along with their chosen field.

Award-winning Poet Aimee Nezhukumatathil VisitsAimee Nezhukumatathil, an award-winning poet, read some of her work in the campus Recital Hall on Thursday, September 25.

Author of three books of poetry, including “Lucky fish” and “At the drive-in volcano,” Nezhukumatathil has also won the Hoffer Grand Prize for Prose and Independent Books, the Pushcart Prize, and the Richard Hugo

Prize from Poetry Northwest amongst others for her work. She is currently a professor of English at SUNY Fredonia. This event was co-sponsored by the Liberal Arts & Creative Writing Program and the Office of Student Life, and was funded in part by Poets& Writers, Inc., with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

David Radcliff Speaks at Villa Maria College

As part of the Heritage Week celebrations, David Radcliff, Director of the New Community Project, spent two days on campus meeting with and speaking to students, faculty and staff on October 6 and 7.

Radcliff travels widely around the U.S. presenting in schools, congregations, youth events, and other gatherings, emphasizing living a respectful, responsive and just life with our neighbors, communities and the earth as a whole.

Radcliff graduated from Bridgewater College with a Master of Divinity, where in 2008 he also received the West/Whitelow Humanitarian Award. He received his Doctor of Ministry from Bethany Seminary.

Butterflies and Bees in the Art Gallery

A new exhibit of Errol Daniels’ black and white photography, “Butterflies and Bees: Images of golden gloves boxing” was displayed in the Paul William

Artist and Villa Trustee James Pappas celebrated the opening of his new exhibit “Outer space continuum, edition 2,” in the Paul William Beltz Family Art Gallery, Friday, November 14.

The show opened earlier in the week, and is comprised of Pappas’ colorful, jazz infused abstract paintings, some of which were completed within the last few months.

“For me, making art is like an adventure in time and space. What I am trying to express may be alien to your eye, but it is the soul that I am trying to reach,” Pappas explained in an artists statement he wrote for a previous show.

An associate professor at the University of Buffalo, he currently teaches courses in drawing and Black film. Pappas was one of the founders of the Langston Hughes Center for the Visual and Performing Arts in Buffalo, and has had over 50 exhibitions in North America and Europe.

JAMES PAPPAS: Outer Space Continuum Edition 2


Beltz Family Art Gallery at Villa Maria College through the end of October.In the 1960’s Errol Daniels got into photography while he worked in the Civil Rights Movement in Chicago. He found himself drawn to social documentary photography, which enabled Daniels to reveal the complex nature of his subjects who often are challenged by physical, social, mental, or political disadvantages. Through his photography, he exposes the dignity, humanity, complexity, and courage of the people he photographs.

Daniel’s exhibits have been hosted by galleries in cities such as New York City, Spartanburg, South Carolina, Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Washington D.C.

PTA Grads Make Program History

For the first time in program history, all 25 students in the 2014 Physical Therapist Assistant class taking the licensing exam passed on their first attempts.

Last year’s first time passing rate was 90%.

According to The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy, the overall first time passing rate for the exam was 85% in 2013, 84% in 2012 and 83% in 2011.

For the years 2009 through 2011 the ultimate passing rate for Villa Maria College’s program is 97.78%, which is the third highest in New York State.

“This is very good news,” Dr. Matthew Giordano, vice president for academic affairs said. “The entire college should be proud of these results.”

Emile Desmedt Impresses with Workshop

Belgian sculptor Emile Desmedt, who works in metal, ceramics, and other materials, visited Villa on Friday, October 17, to give a presentation and a demonstration of his craft.

After a short talk at the Recital Hall, Desmedt and a number of students and faculty headed over to the Art

Shop, for a fascinating demonstration of metalworking. Visiting prospective students joined the workshop, and they were very impressed with the event, according to Kevin Donovan, director of enrollment management.

Desmedt has participated in numerous exhibitions, workshops and has many outdoor sculptures in Belgium and abroad in Canada, Congo, Finland, France, Lebanon, Niger, and Tunisia. He currently teaches at the Academy of Fine Arts in Tournai.

CAMPUS news

Sister Mary Fredrica Polanski and Sister Paul Marie Baczkowski with Bishop Grosz.


After School Program Begun for Cheektowaga Students

Continuing a long tradition of education, the new Villa Maria After School Homework Program began this October, which aims to support children from low-income families who are in need of academic assistance.

Sponsored by the Felician Sisters, the Town of Cheektowaga, and Villa Maria College, the program will initially provide after school services to second graders from the Cheektowaga Union East Elementary School and Mary Queen of Angels School.

Located on the third floor of Felician Hall, on Villa’s campus, the program will run through May. Currently the program has 10 students enrolled, with a goal to enroll 20 to 25 in the coming years.

Sister Paul Marie Baczkowski and Sister Mary Fredrica Polanski developed the program with a grant from Felician Services Inc., and with close collaboration with stakeholders in Cheektowaga and Villa Maria College. They will now direct the program.

Universal Design Symposium Brings Award-Winning Author to Villa Villa Maria College hosted the 2014 Universal Design Symposium on October 22, an all day symposium teaching the positive effects of Universal Design on quality of life and home design. Award-winning author, international lecturer, and designer Cynthia Leibrock delivered the keynote address. The event, which had nearly 80 registrants from colleges and professionals throughout the region, included other presentations from Dr. Alex Bitterman, Korydon Smith, and Beth Tauke.

Attendees were educated in universal design, which is the practice of designing products in spaces that can be used by the widest range of people possible, including the elderly and people with disabilities. Villa Volunteers Help Feed Hungry Children and Families

For the third year in a row, Villa Maria College helped feed needy children around the world by hosting a Feed My Starving Children MobilePack event on Friday, November 7 and Saturday, November 8 in the college Dining Hall. Over 500 volunteers worked together

packing over 101,000 meals by mixing vitamins, vegetables, soy, and rice intocontainers that are easy to ship and distribute to communities suffering from hunger.

This year’s food will be shipped to the Love a Child organization in Haiti, who can feed 276 children for an entire year with the Villa community’s effort.

“This is a tangible way for the volunteers to make a difference in the fight against global poverty,” Dr. Kim Kotz, coordinator of Villa volunteers and professor in the college’s Physical Therapist Assistant program said.

The college independently operates the Sister Mary Josette Food Pantry on campus that serves over 1,000 individuals each month. According to Kotz, participants collected hundreds of pounds of food for the pantry as well.

VILLA Maria is a school that is dedicated

to enriching the lives and fulfilling the potential of its students. Each program is tailored to teach and instill the ideals and core values that make up the school’s mission. The Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) program exemplifies this through its service work and outreach to the Felician Sisters Health and Wellness Center. The PTA program is a two-year associate degree program that began in 1998. Longtime colleagues Dr. Kim Kotz, now a professor and the academic coordinator of clinical education, and Jim Kelley, now an associate professor, came from working together at a clinic to Villa Maria to start the program. They are both firm believers in the school’s mission and

how it specifically relates to the PTA students. “Villa Maria is a mission-driven college and the students need to see that mission at work,” Kotz said. “Students continuously see service projects on campus and teachers volunteering. They’re seeing our mission not just in words but also in action, and I think that helps them internalize the mission.” The school has a community service requirement, but due to the nature of the PTA program the students often go in a different direction than their peers. This is best seen in their work with the neighboring Felician Sisters Health and Wellness Center and the older and infirm sisters of the order that reside there.

“The sisters will come to our labs and allow our students to practice skills with them,” Kotz said. “In essence they’re our students’ first patients in a very safe environment that’s supervised by faculty. In return, we try to give back to the sisters at the care center.” It’s not only physical therapy care that the sisters benefit from when the students visit. “Every year we do a party for Halloween, Christmas and Valentine’s Day,” Kotz explained. “It’s simple really, we play

“Why you’re doing what you’re doing – it’s to improve the quality of people’s lives, and that was great to experience.”

Nicholas SchmiedickerHow Villa’s PTA program merges academics with service.

10 | VISTAS: THE MAGAZINE OF VILLA MARIA COLLEGE

“ “

In the end,WE take CARE of YOU.

Kim M. Kotz, Professor / PTA

games and there’s food for the sisters in the infirmary. It’s a wonderful thing. The sisters get visitors and it really forms a nice relationship between our students and the care center.” Taylor Cleckley, a current PTA student, discovered that his clinic work reaffirmed his decision to study physical therapy. “The first day of my clinical internships put everything in perspective. Why you’re doing what you’re doing – it’s to improve the quality of people’s lives, and that was great to experience.” While working at clinics or with the sisters of the Felician Sisters Health and Wellness Center, students are still required to attend classes.

“It’s an information intensive program and it’s a daunting task for them to get through it,” Professor Kelley said. “We’re committed to helping them and going the extra step.” Cleckley explained the dedication shown by Kelley and the other professors and how beneficial it was to him at this point in his career. “I never had a question that went unanswered,” Cleckley said. “The professors work every day but Sunday and really go out of their way to make sure we’re taken care of. I’ve been to 3 different schools and I’ve never had this involvement before.”

The work of students in the classroom and at clinics all amount to high expectations for the students in the PTA program. “We hope when students graduate, they are not only well prepared PTA’s, but fully developed human beings who live their lives in a way that reflects what they have learned about themselves related to the core values and ideals,” Kotz said. But what Dr. Kotz wants people to come away with the most when they think about physical therapists is that they’ll always be there when you need them. “In the end, we take care of you.” Learn more about Villa and the PTA program at

villa.edu/physical-therapist-assistant.


THE NAME says it all: Villa Maria’s new Student Success Center is

about providing students the tools they need to succeed.

An outgrowth of one of the four pillars of the college’s Visionary Plan, the center offers tutoring services through a writing center and a math lab, and programs in academic advisement and mentoring geared specifically toward first-year students.

It’s all part of Villa’s plan to become the premiere student-focused college in Western New York.

“Because of our size, we are able to dedicate a lot of time to each student, and to really get to know them well,” says Dr. Agnieszka Zak-Moskal, who was named the center’s director in July. A native of Poland, Dr. Zak-Moskal knows what it’s like to adjust to a new environment, and she’s excited to help first-year students have a positive experience at the college.

Dr. Zak-Moskal’s family moved to New York City when she was 15. She attended City University of New York-Hunter College and received her master’s degree in organizational psychology from Columbia University. She moved to Buffalo

“Villa Maria’s size and its student-centered focus are what attracted me to this position... I wanted to be part of an initiative like this.” -AGNIESZKA ZAK-MOSKAL

in 2008, after her husband received a job offer at Canisius College, and earned a doctorate in educational leadership from D’Youville College.

“Villa Maria’s size and its student-centered focus are what attracted me to this position,” she says. “I wanted to be part of an initiative like this.”

Though it began operations over the summer, the Student Success Center—which is located on the ground floor of the Library Building, near other student support offices—already seems to be working. “Students feel comfortable coming to talk to us when they have concerns,” says Dr. Zak-Moskal. “They know this is the place to come if they need help, and they don’t have to wait a day to get an answer.”

As director, Dr. Zak-Moskal is overseeing a new advisement model at Villa where all first-year students, regardless of major, receive academic guidance through the Student Success Center. Students meet with their advisor three to four times per semester. Each first-year student is also paired with one of more than 30 mentors from Villa’s administrative and

Newly created STUDENT SUCCESS CENTER will help students thrive.

By David J. Hill


staff ranks. Mentors attend an informational session, where they write a personal statement of hobbies and interests. From those statements, students identify several mentors they’d like to be paired with. Mentors typically have three to four students.

“For students, the mentorship program gives them another point of reference in the college, and helps them feel more comfortable and connected to Villa,” says Dr. Zak-Moskal. “Administrators and staff get a chance to know our students better.”

In only a few short months, Dr. Zak-Moskal has connected with dozens of students, many of whom stop to say hello to her in the hall. “I’m so glad I can be part of their smaller successes here, as well as the bigger success of earning a college degree,” she says proudly.

For more information on the center, visit villa.edu/student-success-center.

Derrick Dupuis and Liz Kerr share more than titles as coordinators and academic success coaches in Villa Maria’s Student Success Center. Both pursued different career paths before discovering their true passion: helping college students succeed.

Dupuis, the center’s math lab coordinator, earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s in computational biology, both from the University at Buffalo. He worked in the restaurant industry for seven years, then decided to pursue a career in higher education. He taught at Villa for two years before joining the center in August.

“I enjoyed teaching, but I really wanted to help students as a whole,” he says. “When the student success plan was unveiled, I knew it was something I absolutely wanted to be part of. This is where I need to be.”

Kerr has a bachelor’s degree in English from SUNY Geneseo and a master’s in literacy from City College, CUNY. She taught middle and high school students in New York City for five years before returning to Buffalo to raise a family with her husband.

“I thought about what I was passionate about in my work, and it was higher education,” says Kerr, who was hired in August to lead the writing center. “This is my dream position—to be able to foster growth and instill confidence in students,” she says.

Their work with students in the transition to college includes tutoring and conducting workshops in skills like time management and note-taking. They’re also key members of the center’s initiative to offer supplemental instruction in English and math. They attended a three-day training at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where supplemental instruction was first developed.

Above all, both have an infectious enthusiasm for their work. “We’re really trying to make the Student Success Center an inviting place where students feel supported,” Kerr says.

-David J. Hill

Center’s Coordinators share Passion for Helping Students:


IN mid June, the Villa Maria College Board of Trustees approved a new visionary plan. Meant to work with the strategic plan

by outlining the purpose, goals and overall vision for the future of the college, the new plan has already seen some success.

Developed over the course of a year, the visionary plan consists of four pillars that touch on nearly every aspect of the college in support of serving individual student needs, and positioning Villa as the premiere student-centered college in Western New York.

“We’re looking to help all students who have a real need, to become successful,” Sister Marcella Marie Garus, President of Villa Maria College said.

Since its approval, a handful of pieces have already fallen into place. An Honors Program has been developed and the Student Success Center has begun taking shape encompassing a major re-envisioning of the academic support services on campus.

New revisions to the core curriculum will be in place for next fall, and with that will come stronger commitments and relationships to the local community through service.

“We’re really committed to making sure that this visionary plan lives, that we implement it, that it is a palpable thing that the whole college is aware of and embraces, and is making happen. It is not just a pamphlet we put together,” Dr. Matthew Giordano, vice president for academic affairs explains.

As additional aspects of the visionary plan are implemented–and there are a couple more on the horizon–it is clear to faculty, staff and students that change is taking place across the campus.

“I know it is at the early stages, but the energy and synergy on campus is really remarkable,” Sister Marcella said. “I’m very excited about it.”

Learn more about the visionary plan at villa.edu/visionary and take a look at our quick guide to the right.

ANEMPOWERING

VISION


FELICIANFRANCISCAN IDENTITY

3 4

1 2

STUDENT FOCUS

STEWARDSHIP ANDGROWTH

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

Taking a transformational approach, the trustees, faculty, staff and other stakeholders have developed a pathway into the future that will make us

more distinctive while holding steadfast to our roots and values. Organized around four pillars of success, the plan touches on every aspect of the college in support of serving individual student needs.

Villa Maria College will be the premiere student-centered college in Western NY, characterized by an unyielding commitment to serving

the needs of individual learners, with: cutting edge pedagogy, compassionate and caring faculty members, robust student life

experiences, and prudent fiscal management.

OVERVIEW

FEEDING INTO THE STRATEGIC PLAN

OUR VISION

The strategic plan carries out the concepts of the visionary plan through the different operational areas of the college. Both plans work together to strengthen each other, and the college.

“It is our vision,” Sister Marcella Marie Garus, president of Villa Maria College explains. “It is our dream for the future.”

8EMPOWERING STUDENTS A visual guide to the 2014-2024

VISIONARY PLAN

All learners deserve the opportunities and tools for personal success. Villa Maria College will take advantage of its Felician Franciscan identity to be an institution that provides these tools to its students.

A robust array of experiences focused on promoting and enhancing student success will be developed, reflecting the mission and core values of the college, while providing a safe, nurturing, and inspirational environment for learning.

Students are entering college with widely varying levels of academic experience and preparedness, requiring a college structured to respond to their individual needs and that works with them to develop the skills and knowledge necessary for success.

The college will pursue prudent and targeted allocation of limited resources, deploying resources to support student learning and to assure the fulfillment of its mission.


V I L L A M A R I A C O L L E G E ’ S

Villa Maria College recognized the Class

of 2014, and celebrated its 50th Commencement with a day of exercises that began with a Hooding Ceremony in the Villa Maria Convent Chapel.



IN July, Villa Maria College announced the appointment of

Thomas P. Honan as its new Vice President for Development. Honan will oversee all development functions at the college, including fundraising, external affairs and alumni engagement.

His appointment marks another major change at the college, following the announcement of a new visionary plan in June. This is the first leadership change in over 30 years for Villa’s Development Office.

“Thomas Honan is an experienced professional with an extensive background in higher education development and non-profit advancement,” wrote Sister Marcella Marie Garus, President of Villa Maria College in a campus announcement.

Honan served for six years as director of corporate and foundation relations for the University at Buffalo, helping to secure grants for capital projects, new programs, research, and scholarships. Prior to his appointment at UB, he was vice president for institutional advancement at Hilbert College where he led efforts to increase annual fund and special event revenues, secured grants to create new academic programs, and directed a capital campaign that led to new construction and renovation of buildings throughout Hilbert’s campus.

Honan previously held leadership positions at arts and cultural organizations throughout the state including the Lake Placid Center for the Arts, Artpark, and the Kenan Center in Lockport. Currently, he serves as secretary and is a founding board member of the Girls Education Collaborative, a Buffalo-based organization that supports education initiatives in developing countries.

He earned his MBA and BA from Binghamton University.

VILLA MARIA COLLEGE WELCOMES NEW VICE PRESIDENT FOR DEVELOPMENT, THOMAS P. HONAN

Dr. Timothy Allan – Lecturer in Liberal Arts

Ashley Barth-Kuczmanski – Administrative Assistant, Student Success Center Kelly Bucheger – Adjunct in Music

Kyle Butler – Lecturer in Art

William Carr – Lecturer in Liberal Arts

Daniel Colleran – Lecturer in Liberal Arts

Jillian Coniglio – Admissions Counselor

Patricia Dilcher – Lecturer in Fashion Design and Merchandising

Derrick Dupuis – Academic Success Coach, Math Center Coordinator

Mary Duggan – Professional Tutor

Rodrigo Gomez – Animation Faculty

Joy Higgins – Lecturer in Liberal Arts

Elizabeth Kerr – Academic Success Coach, Writing Center Coordinator

Molly Maloney – Reference and Technical Services Librarian

Darlene Meek – Lecturer in Fashion Design and Merchandising

Patricia Pantano – Lecturer in Liberal Arts

Thomas Phillips – Financial Aid Counselor

Sr. Mary Christelle Sawicki – Receptionist

Stephanie Schelble – Lecturer in Biology

Lisa Scherrer – Lecturer in Fashion Design and Merchandising

Jillian Schultz – Professional Tutor

Mark Snyder – Lecturer in Art

Paula Velarde – Occupational Therapy Assistant Coordinator and Instructor

Tyler Welker – Animation Faculty

Agnieszka (Agnes) Zak-Moskal – Director of Student Success

NEW HIRES Between May 1 and November 5, 2014.

from the

THE VILLA MARIA COLLEGE ALUMNI OFFICE offers a wide array of services to assist you in reaching your full potential in life. Whether you’re expanding your networks, looking for your first career position, preparing for a mid-career change, connecting with other professionals in your field or updating your professional skills, let Villa be your guide. Get active in the Villa Alumni Association and start attending the events planned just for you.

Villa’s commitment to your success doesn’t end at graduation

ALUMNI BOARD Members

The Villa Alumni Association is pleased to announce that the following alumni are serving as Alumni Board members:

Elizabeth Chadwick Business Management – ‘07

Lisa Colangelo Interior Design – ‘03

Lucy Drabczyk Music – ‘00

Rachel Ecklund Music Industry – ‘13

Sara Gleason Interior Design BFA –‘10

Valerie Kasinski Photography BFA – ‘14

Alexandra Piotrowski Photography – ‘10

Sabrina Pisano Physical Therapist Assistant – ‘08

Samantha Tagliarino Graphic Design – ’09

If you are interested in serving as an Alumni Board member, please contact Deborah Handzlik at [email protected].

Alumni, students, and friends of Villa Maria College are invited to a Holiday Lunch and basket raffle to support student scholarships. This year, the Circle of Friends will honor Susan B. Glownia for many years of dedicated service to Villa Maria College.

Attendees are also invited to pray with us at the Eucharistic Liturgy in the Villa Maria College Auditorium at 10:00 a.m. Lunch will be served after the liturgy, and the raffles will follow the meal. Tickets for the event are $25 for adults, and $15 for Children 10 and under. Reservations are required, and tickets can be purchased by calling Kathy at 716-961-1851 or Judy at 716-961-1825.

JANUARY 11, 2015 | 11:00 AM Dining Hall, Main Building

Circle of Friends Holiday Lunch

UPCOMING EVENTS


Non-Pro�t Org.U.S. Postage

Bu�alo, NYPermit No. 16

PAID240 PINE RIDGE ROAD | BUFFALO, NY 14225

vistas: the magazine of villa maria college

Documents

challenges of college

quality college education

cssf james

villa experience

future of villa

cssf sister suzanne

hill14 empowering students

new visionary plan