Thiel Happenings

Asher Patton ’24 and Jade Rhoads ’23 were recognized by the Thiel Learning Commons as the Extraordinary Effort award winners for September.

Faculty and staff members attend first TNT of the year

The first Thiel News Time of the academic year was held Wednesday.

The presentation included a Homecoming recap, introduction of new employees and updates regarding the strategic plan and health and wellness recommendations for the year.

Remaining Fall TNTs

• Tuesday, October 25 at 11 a.m., Rissell-Beeghly Gymnasia
• Tuesday, November 29 at 11 a.m., Sawhill Georgian Room, Howard Miller Student Center

Application for Tomcat Way Mini-Grants open

The application deadline for Tomcat Way Mini-Grants is Monday, October 3.

• Read more details and apply.

Tomcat Way Mini-Grants will award funds between $500-$1500 for projects that advance the Tomcat Way.

For more information, contact Sheila Nowinski, Ph.D.

Relive the excitement of Homecoming

Thousands of alumni and friends took part in events on campus and around the world during last weekend’s Homecoming. Take a look back some of the moments from the weekend captured in photos.

• Homecoming 2022 Photo Album

Equestrians selling donuts on Tuesday

The Thiel Equestrians will be selling Amish donuts in front of the post office on Tuesday, Oct. 4.

For more information, contact Jenna Malnar.

Student News

Giovengo and Retton share their entrepreneurial insights with peers

Devyn Giovengo ’23 and John Retton ’22 were the featured speakers at the September 21 Entrepreneurship Seminar. Giovengo and Retton are both four-year Haller Enterprise Institute scholarship recipients and have earned Certificates in Entrepreneurship.

“This Wednesday we had two speakers: John Retton and Devyn Giovengo. John graduated this past May, and Devyn will graduate this December. Last spring, the two of them both earned the Student Entrepreneur of the Year award. They both own their own businesses and managed them while still in school. I am a little envious of both men for being so successful and driven at their age, it is quite motivating to better myself and my entrepreneurial skillset. John owns JJ’s Beautification Services and Devyn owns Visions Attire and Gio Made It, where he works with both.” Autumn Gourley ’24

“They both are an inspiration to all aspiring young entrepreneurs working on their dream and a college degree at the same time. How they balance their schedule I do not know, but their success at it is commendable.” Trey Wilt ’23

Comments related to Devyn Giovengo

• “But he learned his hard work ethic from his parents as a kid and this is also where he learned that he didn’t want to work for anyone else. Devyn started his first type of business during sixth grade by buying shoes online and then fixing them up and reselling them.” Matt Castles ’23
• “In the 11th grade, Devyn and his friends made a huge leap that being to form Visions Attire a clothing company. His first release of clothes sold out within a few days. Additionally, he founded his own company called Gio Made It. This company sells clothes and produces music videos. He has been very successful in his music endeavor, and he plans to move to North Carolina with his friends in a few months in order to continue to pursue his music endeavors.” Tyler Zer ’23
  
• “In 11th grade, he met his business partner and started selling shirts. Before high school ended, one celebrity wore his company’s clothes. He reached out to that celebrity’s manager and began to collaborate with a lot more artists.” Siwon Lee ’23
• “He stands out as an entrepreneur who ‘wears many hats.’ He is a skilled graphic designer, video producer, and fashion designer. He owns and co-owns many businesses related to these skills.” Ava Kavulla ’25
• “Last month, he opened a pop-up store and is expanding his business.” Areumsongi Shin ’23
• “All of his businesses flow together even though individually they are separate entities, which supply different products. He offers a multitude of services allowing his business to reach a wider audience, while also running businesses that are all likely to appeal to each individual customer.” Trey Wilt ’23
  

Comments related to John Retton

• “John got into the landscaping business when he received a gifted lawnmower at just eight years old. John’s grandfather helped service the lawnmower which would be the start of John’s business, JJ’s Beautification Service.” Kaleb Achuff ’24
• “He faced some struggles while operating his business. First, it was hard to find employees and manage payrolls accurately.” Chaeeun Lee ’23
  
• “John told the class that he would work on estimates and quotes during class. A lot of his work had to be done in person, so his brother would take over for him during the school year.” Ashley Wolford ’23
  
• “He has about 15 employees right now and they are mostly high school students. He said that finding workers has been difficult. He also said payroll is something he has to heavily consider when budgeting because he pays every other week.” Jakob Misencik ’23
  
• “It's amazing that he gave up his favorite hobby, baseball, to expand his business and focus on his work.” Jisu Kim ’23
  
• “John now has 15 employees and has 125 yards that need a basic mow every week. That number does not include the other aspects of his business, such as the mulching or landscaping.” Ashley Wolford ’23
  
• “He continues to say ‘yes’ to any job someone asks him to do, teaching himself through YouTube videos. This all shows us how important work ethic is to succeed in business. His confidence in himself to be able to learn whatever skill is required and do it well enough for the customer to have a positive attitude towards his company is the driving factor in his success.” Trey Wilt ’23
  

Lessons Learned

• “Don’t trust management groups, do your own thing.” Tyler Zere ’23
• “Find your niche in this world to make money.” Ian Yahner ’23
• “Invest time and energy into yourself, not just the business.” Ashley Wolford ’23
• “There may be many late nights, but in the end it will be worth it.” Justina Jenkins ’23
• “Budgeting is one of the most important facts of owning a business.” Hayley Phillips ’23
• “Have a backup plan.” Jakob Misencik ’23
• “That I should invest in myself and pursue my dream.” Chaeeun Lee ’23
• “Devyn wanted the class to understand that while mistakes will happen, to learn from them instead of trying to avoid and control them.” Hayley Phillips ’23
• “Always address problems right away, to keep a good reputation” Kaleb Achuff ’24
• “The things you learn at Thiel are practical in the real-world.” Brycen Dorfmeister ’23
• “If you have a bad feeling about something, go with your gut and trust yourself. Scammers are a real thing!” Nevaeh Arnold ’23
• “From Mr. Giovengo: “Always make sure the specifics of your business partnerships are put on paper. It is important to watermark and protect your work.” Ava Kavulla ’25
• “Learn from those around you and take odd jobs to get the experience.” Justina Jenkins ’23
• “Invest in yourself. If you have a dream, go pursue it.” Kaleb Achuff ’24
• “Failures will teach you more than money can buy.” Brycen Dorfmeister ’23
• “Put everything on paper.” Sydney Hipps ’23
• “They both spoke on the importance of not wasting any time and starting as soon as possible which they both have success stories from.” Brycen Dorfmeister ’23
• “Gio told the class to not stress over the small things, if you keep up and stay on top of your work then you have plenty of free time to do the things you want.” Ashley Wolford ’23

Dinner “Dishing”

• “The menu was masterfully planned by Trey Wilt. I genuinely enjoyed getting to visit with the people at my table. We had an inspiring conversation about how one’s life journey leads to unexpected and wonderful paths.” Ava Kavulla ’25
• “Dinner was great. I was fortunate enough to sit with Devyn who was one of the speakers. He made great conversation. He shared a lot of information about his brand and what he does.” Tyler Zere ’23
  
• “I was placed with one of the speakers, John Retton. The table discussed classes here at Thiel that helped John learn for his specific business and some of the classes that he may have missed out on. Dinner itself was lovely and I really enjoyed the twist on the salad and the entrée was delicious. Overall, my favorite part of the dinner was the dessert as the Crème Brulé was a surprise after the type of dinner we were served.” Hayley Phillips ’23

Etc.

Tomcat Tributes

Tomcat Tributes recognize the teamwork Thiel College employees exhibit each day. Employees can nominate co-workers for recognition in four categories (Random Act of Kindness, Going the Extra Mile, Had a Great Idea, Just Because).

• To nominate a fellow employee, visit the Campus Resources link on the Thiel Hub.

Going the Extra Mile

Nominee: Collette DiAngi
Nominator: Nancy Katz
Comment: “Thanks to Collette's kind act of placing a work order on my behalf and Maintenance's immediate response, I am basking in warmth as I sit at my desk. My tootsies are so grateful!”

Publishing Schedule

T-Notes has returned to its weekly publishing schedule. It arrives Wednesday afternoons. The next edition will be out October 5. Send your event or news to tnotes@thiel.edu by noon Monday, October 3 to be published in that week’s edition.

Thiel Happenings

This year’s “All-Star” themed Homecoming starts Thursday, September 22 with online and Greenville events and wraps up through the weekend with a full slate of fun and traditional events.

The Thiel College Education Department’s May 2022 graduates have achieved a 100 percent placement rate by securing employment or graduate program enrollment within three months of graduation.

Fall schedule set for faculty and staff member gatherings

Each semester, TNTs are an opportunity to meet as a community and share information as we work together to advance the College. These sessions take place during community hour when no classes are scheduled, allowing faculty to attend together with the College’s staff.

Included below is the fall schedule for TNTs which will all be held in person. I encourage you to join these sessions, bringing questions, comments, and announcements for the good of the campus community.

Fall TNTs

• Tuesday, September 27 at 11 a.m., Sawhill Georgian Room, Howard Miller Student Center 
• Tuesday, October 25 at 11 a.m., Rissell-Beeghly Gymnasia
• Tuesday, November 29 at 11 a.m., Sawhill Georgian Room, Howard Miller Student Center

Employee survey seeks to measure the volunteer reach of community members

Vice President for College Advancement Roberta Leonard will be sending a survey by email in the coming days asking community members to list their community and civic service.

The survey will help the College measure the contribution Thiel community members make outside of their time at Thiel. It is hoped that the survey provides some indication of the reach of the Thiel community in the region.

Application for Tomcat Way Mini-Grants open

The application deadline for Tomcat Way Mini-Grants is Monday, October 3.

• Read more details and apply.

Tomcat Way Mini-Grants will award funds between $500-$1500 for projects that advance the Tomcat Way.

For more information, contact Sheila Nowinski, Ph.D.

Reserve tickets for the Pittsburgh production of Hadestown

Tickets to Hadestown and transportation to and from the Benedum in Pittsburgh are provided to you at no cost through Student Activities, the Dietrich Honors Institute and Thiel Players. Please note that Thiel students have reservation priority. Since there is a limited number, tickets are on a first come basis and you will only be permitted to reserve one.

On the day of the performance, please be sure to dress appropriately and to arrive at the meeting points in time to board the bus. The bus will not wait for you if you are late.

• Hadestown Ticket Reservation Form

Please contact Dietrich Honors Institute director Sheila Nowinski, Ph.D., Thiel Players director Jessica Rogers, Ph.D., or Director of Student Engagement Than Oo for more information.

Student News

Kappa Sigma riding See-Saw and collecting for military heroes

The brothers of the Thiel College chapter of Kappa Sigma are riding their see-saw for the 28th annual See-Saw-A-Thon. They started at noon Wednesday and will continue until noon Saturday. Money raised during the event will go to the Military Heroes Campaign. Kappa Sigma's Military Heroes Campaign has donated nearly $1,00,000 to non-profit organizations that advocate on behalf of servicemen and women and those wounded in combat since its creation.

Rose shares his entrepreneurial and business insights with seminar group

Casey Rose ’14, MBA’21 was the featured speaker at the September 14 Entrepreneurship Seminar. Rose is a funeral director and the owner of Rose and Black Funeral Homes and Crematory, Inc. with locations in Stoneboro, Sandy Lake, and Mercer, Pa. He was recognized by the Haller Enterprise Institute as the Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2018.

“His business career began in a family environment. Merchandising, which makes money from crops through a family business that started on a farm, is the beginning of his entrepreneurial relationship.” Seoyeon Choo ’23

“Throughout his youth, he helped run the family business and did things such as flipping Oakley sunglasses in high school to make money. He noted that this helped contribute to his success in later endeavors.” Tyler Zere ’23

“In his younger days he showed signs of the entrepreneurship mindset yet did not think about going to school for business despite the signs of having what it took to be an entrepreneur.” Justina Jenkins ’23

“He was going to be majoring in biology and doing a pre-med track. However, he quickly learned that biology was not what he wanted to do. He looked at the list of majors and found out that he was interested in mortuary science. He began with the mortuary business program.” Siwon Lee ’23

“He now runs three separate funeral homes; two being the ordinary setup that everyone is familiar with, and one of them being a simple, discounted option. It initially started with just him in the business but has now grown to four full-time employees and several part-time.” Ashley Wolford ’23

“In January 2020, he finally got everything cleared up and decided to return to Thiel for his MBA. He says that returning for his master’s taught delegation, time management skills, and financial skills as well.” Nevaeh Arnold ’23

“He relates his hard work mentality to the days working on his farm. He said it was eat, sleep, and breathe the farm work, and he has translated that lifestyle to his successful funeral homes.” Ian Yahner ’23

“Listening to Casey speak about his entrepreneurship journey was truly inspiring, especially after learning the ups and downs he had to go through. Casey’s story made me realize that no matter what downfalls may come your way you can always stand back up and get your life back on track.” Sydney Hipps ’23

“This goes right into the end of the lightning round, some things are not personal when it comes to business, which really seemed to turn into that there are personal things and business things, and it is imperative to keep them that way.” Trey Wilt ’23

“The last important thing is a business plan. It’s a great way to start getting our idea on paper and having a guideline to start. If we already have a business plan, we have to change it through implementation and then we will most likely laugh whenever we look back at the original plan.” Jisu Kim ’23

“Through Casey, I saw what I could be as a prospective entrepreneur myself in the funeral industry.” Autumn Gourley ’24

“He was modest despite his great achievements. I learned from him that I should always be humble.” Jisu Kim ’23

Lessons Learned

• “Honesty is the best policy. Most people will forgive your mistake if you admit to it and fix it.” Jacob Misencik ’23

• “Know how to manage your money.” Matt Castles ’23

• “Work-life balance does not exist; it is all about managing everything the best you can.” Tyler Zere ’23

• “Having a presence on the internet is very important.” Ian Yahner ’23

• “Don’t get involved in a pyramid scheme.” Justina Jenkins ’23

• “Remember names and let them remember your name. You’re selling yourself as much as selling any kind of product or service.” Areumsongi Shin ’23

• “Know that you cannot make everyone happy.” Sydney Hipps ’23

• “Network, Network, Network! Brycen Dorfmeister ’23

• “Know your business. Make sure to sell what client exactly wants to buy.” Siwon Lee ’23

• “Business is all about networking and the people you know, your reputation is everything.” Kaleb Achuff ’24

• “Be an involved, well-rounded business owner and know how to do a little bit of everything in your business.” Ava Kavulla ’25

• “Remember people’s names.” Matt Castles ’23

Dinner “Dishing”

• “Dinner went very well overall. There were a lot of people missing from the class, but those seats were quickly filled, and everything went smoothly. AVI made a good meal, even though I was skeptical of it at first after hearing the chef’s description.” Ashley Wolford ’23
• “Normally, I am not a fan of pork, but the pork roast wrapped in bacon was surprisingly juicy and enjoyable.” Justina Jenkins ’23
  
• “I really enjoyed how casually Casey talked about his job with Katie and me, it made me honestly excited to get to mortuary school and start my career in the field.” Autumn Gourley ’24
  
• “I enjoyed getting to meet the people at my table. Mr. and Mrs. Rose shared about their time at Thiel and how they met each other. Mrs. Rose is a speech-language pathologist in a local public school. Learning more about her occupation was exciting considering I am studying elementary/special education. It was interesting being at a table with those who are in the mortuary field. The conversation was certainly vivid.” Ava Kavulla ’25

Thiel Happenings

Thiel College Professor of Painting and Curator of Art Sean McConnor, M.F.A. opened an exhibition of his work in The Weyers-Sampson Gallery on Monday, September 12 to October 14.

Erie TV anchor celebrates opening of podcast studio

Erie TV journalist Isaac Petkac was on campus Tuesday for the grand opening of the Podcast Studio.

• Watch Isaac Petkac's comments.

He described the Podcast Studio as a place where students, faculty and staff members can “imagine, create and be yourself.”

“Podcasting allows you to have a conversation...to have deep talks...to go outside of the walls. You are not confined to what a typical radio show or news show should be. You have that freedom...that ability to create,” Petkac said. “Thiel College is an unbelievable place to be able to do this. (The new Podcast Studio) is the place where media will explode at this College.”

According to Instructional Technology Specialist and AV Coordinator Paul Coatsworth, the studio has three remote-controlled cameras and a new video switcher that also has an audio board in one self-contained unit. It also has four top-of-the-line microphones with headphones, connections for laptops, and a one-of-a-kind, custom-made desk, designed and manufactured especially for Thiel College.

“Thiel College is a place I can go where I can have a pretty good show and people are going to listen because people care,” Petkac said. He told students to take “this opportunity and run with it. Thiel is blessed to have a wonderful communication center. This is state of the art, and there are major universities that would kill to have something like this.”

Rite Aid Flu Shot Clinic for Thiel College Employees

A flu shot clinic is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, September 20 in the Rudisill Room of the Howard Miller Student Center.

Employees should bring a copy of their insurance card to present to the representative from Rite Aid. BCBS Highmark insurance will cover 100% of the cost of the flu shot. No deductibles. Employees with other insurance should check with their provider to see if the shot will be covered.)=

If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Clark ext. 2858 or Angela Sorg ’23 at ext. 2150.

Student News

Kappa Sigma and local fire department complete stair walk

Members of Kappa Sigma led its third annual stair walk at noon Sunday, Sept. 11 at Greenville’s Plimpton Graul Amphitheater in Riverside Park.

The symbolic walk commemorates the first responders who perished in the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Along with their friends and families, Kappa Sigma invited first responders from the surrounding areas to participate in the event.

“It is important that we continue to honor the first responders who lost their lives in the devastating attacks twenty-one years ago,” Kappa Sigma President Isaac Evans ’23 said. “We hope that by continuing to host this annual event we can support and raise awareness of our philanthropy, Military Heroes.”

Thiel Happenings

Thiel College will host saxophone quartet Mixed Media, the 2022 Senior Wind Division gold medalists at the Fischoff Competition, as a part of the annual Con Spirito Chamber Music Concert Series at 7 p.m. September 15 at David Johnson Memorial Chapel.

Vice President for Student Life and Athletics Mike McKinney, Ed.D. ’02 announces the hiring of Jason Fautas as athletic director at Thiel College. Currently at Walsh University, his first day with the Tomcats will be September 12.

Thiel Forums returns

The Thiel Forums are held on select Tuesdays from 4–5 p.m. in the Stamm Lecture Hall. The event provides faculty, students, and staff an opportunity to share projects or publications and to discuss their work.

• View the Academics calendar for upcoming Thiel Forums

The Thiel College community will enjoy learning about a wide range of topics as a part of the 2022-23 Thiel Forums. Topics will include travel stories, faculty research and conference presentations and much more!

If you are interested in presenting at a Thiel Forum, contact Mary Theresa Hall, Ph.D. at ext. 2154. 

Schedule

September 13
Anna Reinsel, Ph.D. ’06 and students
“Students’ Experience at Yellowstone Park in Summer 2022”
Sean Oros ’15
“First-year Coordinator Update”

October 4
Guru Khalsa, Ph.D.
“Adventures with Chemistry in the Wild, Wild West: Sabbatical Experience at the University of Wyoming”
Kristin Carlson, Ph.D.
“First-year Programming and the Excel Opportunities Program”

November 1
Fatimata Palé, Ph.D.
“Research in Biology”
Morgan Bodnar ’16 MBA’21
“Graduate Programs”

2023
January 24
Calli Shekell, Ph.D.
“NSF-funded Preservice Teacher Project as a Post-doctoral Fellow”
Liza Schaef
“‘Skills That Pay the Bills’: NACE Competencies”

February 7
Jared Johnson, Ph.D.
“Sabbatical Publication on Piracy and Upcoming Publication on The Tempest and Westworld”
Lana Kulik, Ph.D.
“Research project with Colleagues in Kyrgyzstan on Women and Leadership”

March 21
Shannon Deets, Ph.D.
“The Therapist is the Technique: Understanding the Scholar-Practitioner-Clinician Model of Training”

Homecoming right around the corner

The Thiel College community is excited to celebrate Homecoming 2022! This year, we're having an All-star party to celebrate all Tomcat student-athletes from Friday, Sept. 23 through Sunday, Sept. 25.

Homecoming will include the 3rd Annual Thiel College Worldwide Zoom Call at 10 a.m. Sept. 24.

• Read the list of events.

For more information, contact David Hummel '83.

Student News

Rod Wilt serves as the inaugural speaker to the newly launched Entrepreneurship Seminar!

Rod Wilt ’86 was the featured speaker at the August 31 Entrepreneurship Seminar, a new course offered for the first time this semester as part of the College’s certificate in entrepreneurship and open to students of any major. Rod is the Executive Director of Penn-Northwest Development Corporation in Hermitage, Pa. and is the Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees of Thiel College.

“I always love being around Rod Wilt because he is very inspiring to me. The first time I met him was in 2021 with Professor Kandray in one of the entrepreneurship classes. Rod is a Thiel alum, Greenville native and if not the most, then one of the most successful entrepreneurs I personally know.” Devyn Giovengo ’23

“Mr. Wilt is enthusiastic about strengthening the Mercer County area that he lives and works in. As the Executive Director of the Penn-Northwest Development Corporation, he advocates the “homegrown initiative” that pushes to keep local college graduates in the area. This initiative seeks to build up small businesses.” Ava Kavulla ’25

“It helps to have a positive mindset about things. If you can’t handle bad news, you’re not cut out for this industry.” Nevaeh Arnold ’23

“When asked the best way to earn respect as a young adult in your career he responded, “You need to become an expert in what you’re working with. Most people don’t care how old you are, they care about how much you know.” Brycen Dorfmeister ’23

“One major fact I took from this presentation is as Rod says, we are in the people business. No matter what field anyone chooses to go into you have to know how to make people happy, whether this be clients, customers, or even investors. If for some reason you fail to make people happy, you have to be willing to fix whatever mistake was made.” Sydney Hipps ’23

“After sharing his background and some of the accomplishments, he talked about how to give a good pitch. What I got from his message was that you must understand your business idea and have a passion for it. When giving the pitch you must keep it simple and introduce yourself. Tell the listener who you are and what you do, and tell them the need that you fill, what the product is, and the benefits from it. Lastly, it is important in a pitch to know your numbers.” Justina Jenkins ’23

“It is important that the means are not important, but that the ends are achieved. For example, people who want to know the time don't want to know how to make a watch.” Areumsongi Shin ’23

“During the speech, Mr. Wilt gave us his idea of what should be included in the perfect pitch: who you are, what you do, what you need and finally, what you need to fulfill. He told the class to keep it simple.” Hayley Phillips ’23

“Sometimes you have to ask what works for them,” or what you can do for them. Make someone’s life easier, then the price really doesn’t matter. What better way to summarize the modern American economy than that, make someone’s life a little easier?” Roy Wilt ’23

“From Rod, my biggest takeaway was that you must be willing to fail. He explained how he has failed before and that is why he isn’t afraid of it anymore because he kept being persistent.” Brycen Dorfmeister ’23

“Rod is part of the board here at Thiel. He was excited to talk about the future at Thiel and some of the new things coming up such as the new business department in the AC building and the renovation of the gym.” Jakob Misencik ’23

Lessons Learned:

• “Keep working with a positive mindset will lead to positive results for coping with bad situations and news.” Seoyeon Choo ’23

• “Keep a positive mindset. It is not the smartest guy who makes it but the hardest worker who does.” Autumn Gourley ’24

• “Ideas have value.” Justina Jenkins ’23

• “A diligent, inquisitive, and positive attitude define successful entrepreneurs.” Ava Kavulla ’25

• “He said we need to understand what our idea is, what our passion is, and where we want to focus our energy.” Siwon Lee ’23

• “Always remember that business is a people business.” Hayley Phillips ’23

• “Be willing to bet on yourself.” Ian Yahner ’23

• “Do not swim with the sharks. Know the climate and culture that you are working with.” Ashley Wolford ’23
• “Be a master networker. Make efforts to reach out and connect yourself with people who will help you be successful.” Autumn Gourley ’24

Dinner “Dishing”:

• “Dinner was fantastic, as the people I sat with made enjoyable conversation. We talked about a range of topics including what we would like to do for work upon graduation. The food was excellent as well.” Tyler Zere ’23
• “During the dinner, I sat with Roberta Leonard, who taught us dinner etiquette. It was really nice meeting her because she was a very considerate person. She asked me if the American dinner etiquette goes against Korean dinner etiquette. Fortunately, we have similar dinner etiquette in some nice restaurants in Korea, so the table setting was quite familiar to me.” Chaeeun Lee ’23
• “Oh, and the whole class sang happy birthday to me. Thanks, Prof. Witosky!” Ashley Wolford ’23