Thiel Happenings

Benefactors support new president with $150,000 gift

A group of anonymous donors made a $150,000 gift to Thiel College for incoming president Susan Traverso, Ph.D., to use for the College at her discretion. The donors said they were “making the gift in honor of Thiel College’s 150-year history of educating men and women and with a deep belief in the promise of the leadership by Dr. Traverso.”

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Curriculum the focus at fourth annual Hodge Institute

Thiel College faculty members recently completed the first phases of the fourth annual Dr. Edwin Hodge Jr. Institute for Teaching and Learning for summer 2016.

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Three staff members graduate from Leadership Shenango program

Admission Counselor Justin Gregorich, Senior Associate Director of Admission Sonya Lapikas and Director of Alumni Relations Kelly Sanzari ’13 graduated from Leadership Shenango on May 19.

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Students present research about Thiel College reading lists at psychology conference

Thiel College psychology majors Amanda Hautmann ’17, Mandy Slupek ’17 and Nicole Johnston ’16 presented their research into gender bias in Thiel College course texts on April 23 at the Laurel Highlands Undergraduate Psychology Research Conference.

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Student presents research at American Chemical Society national meeting

Thiel College student Amber Martin ’17, a biology major from Allison Park, Pa., presented at the spring 2016 National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS) in San Diego. Martin spoke on the transient absorption spectrometer she built with Associate Professor of Chemistry and Department Chair Christopher Stanisky, Ph.D.

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Thiel College Cycling Club completes ride to Maine

Pictured (L to R): front row—Frank Jackson ’18, Associate Dean of Career Development Martin Black and Clarissa Miller ’11; back row—Hunter Young ’18, Vince Vahaly ’17, Nick McNutt ’17, Cody Wagner ’19, Izabella Griffith ’16, Ty Hendzell ’16, Jill (Shackett) Haer ’66 and Fred Haer ’65. 

Nine members of the Thiel College Cycling Club arrived in Bowdoin, Maine last Friday, completing the 800-mile bike trek from Greenville, Pa. in 10 days. The team crossed the hills of New York’s southern tier, then headed north to Saratoga Springs, N.Y. After heading east to the hills of Vermont and New Hampshire, they reached their destination north of Portland, Maine. 

The trek’s destination was FHC Inc., a neuroscience research and medical device firm founded and run by the Haers.

Along the way, the group stopped in Canandaigua, N.Y. and—with the help of Rochester, N.Y. resident and Joe Nairn ’79—made multiple presentations to children from that area on the importance of exercise for brain health.

McElroy and Ulrich take on new roles in the IT Division

Michael McElroy and Eric Ulrich both have new roles and titles in the Information Technology Division.

McElroy is the assistant director of digital marketing in the Office of Communications and Marketing. McElroy came to Thiel in 2014 as the media production engineer in the James Pedas Communication Center. In early May, he moved to Roth Hall. McElroy will continue creating and producing videos in addition to managing social media for the College.

Ulrich is the interim Solution Center supervisor. Ulrich had been a computer technician since joining Thiel College in 2014. In his new role, which began May 16, he will oversee the team in the Solution Center and the audio-visual support team.

Both McElroy and Ulrich were awarded Founders' Day staff awards in February 2016.

Grass, soil replacement underway in front of the Pedas Center

A better soil mixture and heartier grass that can withstand the variances between wet and dry conditions is getting installed in front of the James Pedas Communication Center. 

Seeding begins today and should be complete by early next week.

The maintenance department is asking people on campus to stay off the new grass while it is growing.

Student News