Thiel Happenings

Thiel College welcomes internationally acclaimed Vox Luminis for Con Spirito Concert Series

Thiel College will host Vox Luminis, a Belgian early music vocal ensemble created in 2004, as a part of the Con Spirito Chamber Concert Series at 7 p.m. November 1, 2022, in the David Johnson Memorial Chapel.

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Thiel College hosting variety of events for Family Day and Fall Open House

Thiel College has invited the families of students to participate in and celebrate the school’s Family Day, which will be held on Saturday, October 22, 2022.

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Thiel College to present student-curated print exhibition in Weyers-Sampson Gallery

A new print exhibition will be displayed in Thiel College’s Weyers-Sampson Art Gallery, with the opening reception taking place at noon Thursday, October 20, 2022.

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Thiel College receives esteemed humanities grant for preservation of art and archives

The National Endowment for the Humanities recently named Thiel College as one of 65 recipients of a Preservation Assistance Grant for Smaller Institutions, which will fund a preservation and conservation project for the Thiel Archives and Art Collection at the College.

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Thiel community members attend presentation led by Kevin Hines

Members of the Active Minds organization joined Melanie Broadwater ’98, Director of the Counseling Center, and Jodie Witherite, counselor, at the Kevin Hines: Art of Wellness presentation on October 17 at Butler County Community College. Hines is a world-renowned speaker and award-winning documentary filmmaker on the topic on suicide prevention. He shares his amazing story of survival following an attempt to end his life by jumping off of the Golden Gate Bridge at the age of 19. He now devotes his life to spreading a message of hope.

He is an advocate that tirelessly works to reduce the stigma surrounding the topics of mental health and suicide. He is a firm believer that taking the time to sincerely ask others, “are you OK?” can potentially save lives.

• Read more about Kevin Hines.

Should you or someone you know experience suicidal thoughts, help can be immediately accessed by calling 9-8-8. On campus, help can immediately be accessed by calling campus police at 724-589-2222. Remember, your life matters!

Student News

John Frangakis shares his entrepreneurial and business insights

John Frangakis H’19 was the featured speaker at the October 12 Entrepreneurship Seminar. Frangakis is the President and CEO of Reynolds Services, Inc., headquartered in Reynolds, Pa. He was previously recognized by the Haller Enterprise Institute as the Entrepreneur of the Year in 2014 and was awarded an honorary degree in 2019.

“While taking classes toward the end of his degree he took an entrepreneurship class, and this sparked his interest. Then after graduating, he was applying to some technology companies, but his father needed help with the company he changed his direction in life.” Matt Castles ’23

“His dad wanted John’s help starting Reynolds Service Inc. in 1990. John explains that his story is unconventional for a second-generation entrepreneur because he was there since Day 1 of the company.” Jakob Misencik ’23

“The metal industry business runs deep in his blood; when his ancestors immigrated to America their paperwork stated that their jobs were “tin metal workers.” His family is still an integral part of daily operations. Multiple family members hold positions that best fit their expertise in the company.” Ava Kavulla ’25

“Firstly, his company helps design and prototype metal packaging concepts, trying to help their customers make a conceptual design into an actual physical container. And then, they help source, especially steel and aluminum. Lastly, they process steel.” Siwon Lee ’23

“John stated that he likes the business he is in because it is sustainable; a metal tin can be recycled into another metal tin countless times over again.” Ashley Wolford ’23

“John referred to himself as a “serial entrepreneur,” because at first, he had just helped his father with Reynolds Service, Inc. but has expanded into new businesses, which include, The Meridian Design Studio LLC, Cross IT Services & Solutions, LLC, and a few others.” Justina Jenkins ’23

“He began his lecture with Walt Disney’s quote, ‘We keep moving forward, opening new doors and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosities lead us down new paths.’ He said the quote explains his life.” Areumsongi Shin ’23

“As he shared some information about his company, I could feel how passionate he was about it. He was interested in many different kinds of technologies, and of course, his hobbies were related to that too.” Chaeeun Lee ’23

“They use the Reality Prototype by making a close representation of the item they are trying to sell to the customer. It is a great way to sell the item and provide the people with an example to help them make their decision.” Ian Yahner ’23

“One thing that he said that stood out to me the most was, ‘when hiring people, everyone should be able to bring something to the table. If they can’t do that then there is no need for them to work for you.’ When he said this, it made me think about my future and who all I want to surround me when I am finally established.” Nevaeh Arnold ’23

“Curiosity is the catalyst for innovation and it brings innovation and positive change. As the founder’s curiosity is said to be the growth engine of the company, it can have a positive impact on the entire company and eventually provide a clue to winning the competition.” Seoyeon Choo ’23

“For me, the most impactful statement he made last night was, ‘What could be less risky than taking your destiny into your own hands?’. This quote came about from an interaction he had while at the Wharton School of Business and I found it to be one of the most motivating quotes I have heard all year.” Brycen Dorfmeister ’23

“He claims he is a self-proclaimed computer, electronics, and home auto projects tinkerer as well as an Apple fanatic. Therefore because of his technology enthusiasm, he brought a competitive advantage to Reynolds Services Inc. with their management technology and other computer programs they use in the company.” Autumn Gourley ’24

“The field of computer security is of paramount importance. Defending and detecting external attacks in advance to secure data is the first factor to consider.” Seoyeon Choo ’23

Lessons Learned

• “Your destiny is in your own hands; you’re going to succeed and fail it’s all about how you handle it.” Kaleb Achuff ’24

• “We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things because were curious.” Neveah Arnold ’23
• “Having people that can speak multiple languages helps for international business deals.” Matt Castles ’23

• “Once you decide what you want to do, make a business plan to help discipline yourself to know what path to take when things go wrong.” Autumn Gourley ’24

• “By incorporating your hobbies and passions into your business you can stand out in your industry.” Ava Kavulla ’25
• “Take destiny in your own hands. Don’t let anyone else determine your destiny. If you’re going to fail, at least do it to yourself.” Jakob Misencik ’23
• “Always push your employees to think outside of the box. This includes not only the company they work for, but for themselves.” Ashley Wolford ’23
• “Being up to date on the most current technology can do a lot to benefit you and your company. Mr. Frangakis has used technology in order to be at the cutting edge of his industry.” Tyler Zere ’23
• “The bank does not just hand out money.” Matt Castles ’23

Dinner Dishing

• “The chefs did a splendid job bringing my idea of a French, fall-inspired menu to life. The huge apple dumplings were the star of the menu!” Ava Kavulla ’25
• “For the appetizer, I was a little skeptical because I am not the biggest fan of squash. However, it was very delicious.” Jakob Misencik ’23
• “Not only was the food great, but meeting and talking to Mr. Frangakis also went well.” Ashley Wolford ’23
• “The dinner served tonight was brilliant.” Seoyeon Choo ’23

DHI students tour the Windy City

Last weekend, 45 DHI and international students traveled to Chicago. While there, they visited the Chicago Art Institute, Museum of Science and Industry, and had some free time to explore the city. Anna Reinsel, Ph.D. ’06 and Sean Oros ’15 led the trip.

For many students, this was their first visit to Chicago. 

“It was a great opportunity to get exposure to another community and witness some cultural differences from Greenville,” said Allie Walsh '24.

The group also spent one of the nights viewing an all-female production of Shakespeare's Richard III, which allowed students to see a modern perspective on a literary classic. The DHI’s next trip will be to Cincinnati in the spring of 2023.

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.

Publishing Schedule

T-Notes is published weekly. It arrives Wednesday afternoons. The next edition will be out October 26. Send your event or news to tnotes@thiel.edu by noon Monday, October 24 to be published in that week’s edition.