Thiel Happenings

Local collections begin Dec. 2 for Thiel College fraternity’s 55th annual fundraising walk

Thiel College fraternity Phi Theta Phi began raising funds Nov. 23 in preparation for the organization’s 55th annual Walk-A-Thon on Dec. 6 to raise money for Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

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Financial professional with long connection to Thiel College returns to Board of Trustees

Thiel College, a leading independent college in western Pennsylvania, announces that Joseph Scarpitti ’80 has returned to its Board of Trustees.

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Thiel College Sports Information Office expands with addition of Katrinak, Parente

Assistant Athletic Director of Internal Operations and Interim Sports Information Director Devin Weisbarth ’22 announced the hiring of Abby Katrinak and Dante Parente to the Thiel College Sports Information Office on Friday.

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Thiel College team finishes first in its division and fifth overall at moot court tournament

Thiel College’s Moot Court team finished first among NCAA Division III institutions and tied for fifth place overall at the 2024 Midwest National Moot Court Qualifying Tournament, held November 15–17 at Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio.

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Thiel College welcomes healthcare leader and UPMC executive back to Board of Trustees

Thiel College, a leading independent college in western Pennsylvania, announces that Joel P. Yuhas has rejoined its Board of Trustees.

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Thiel College fraternity’s fundraising efforts generated $15,700 for local veterans in 2024

The Xi Epsilon chapter of Kappa Sigma recently presented a check for $5,700 to the Reynolds VFW following their 30th annual See-Saw-A-Thon bringing the total of their fundraising efforts for local veterans to $15,700.

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Volunteers needed for late night breakfast

Director of Residence Life Bob Philips ’08 is asking members of the community for help with the Thiel College finals week tradition of late night breakfast. The breakfast is from 8-10 p.m. Monday, December 9 in the TC Cafe.

Anyone interested in helping, should contact Phillips at ext. 2011. 

Volunteers are needed for:

• Making pancakes
• Making omelets
• Making eggs
• Line workers
• Food runners
• Clean-Up
• Dish washing

• Learn more at Salvation Army.

For more information, email Cynthia Lawrence.

• Register a person or group to ring the bell.

CYS Angel Tree gift tags are available 

The Mercer County Children and Youth Services angel gift tags are hung on the wall outside of AC 256 and near the mail room in the Howard Miller Student Center. Please stop by to pick one (or more) up today! They will be up until they are all gone. These tags represent child in foster care over this holiday season. The tags include information about age, sex, clothing size, and gift wish list of each child.

Gifts should be brought back in bags (not wrapped) with the angel tag attached. Kelsey will help collect gifts this year in AC 256 or you can drop them off in the Student Life office area in the HMSC.

The gifts need to be returned no later than Dec. 1.

This is a great opportunity to give back—get your family/friends involved or maybe even a class! Black Friday is just around the corner...happy shopping and giving!

Thiel Scenes: A different look at campus

This week’s photo essay was taken last week by digital content specialist Stacy Butera. She found unique angles to showcase the trees and foliage on campus.

The Office of Communications and Marketing is collecting photos that showcase the beauty and spirit of campus life. All faculty and staff members are invited to share their favorite moments from across campus!

Whether it’s a stunning landscape, a memorable interaction with students, or even a rare glimpse of the elusive woodchucks that roam campus, we’d love to see what you capture.

📸 Submit your photos to tnotes@thiel.edu and help us highlight the scenes that make Thiel College special!

Safety Committee offers tips for safe walking and driving this winter

The Thiel College Safety Committee and the Thiel Police Department have provided tips for being safe outside this winter.

Use Caution When Walking on Snow or Ice

• Plan ahead give yourself sufficient time and plan your route.
• Traffic moves slowly in snowy conditions.
• Give yourself extra time—don’t assume a clear path for driving and walking will be available.
• Wear shoes or boots that provide traction on snow and ice.
• Footwear made of rubber and neoprene composite provide better traction than plastic and leather soles.
• Wear flat-soled shoes; avoid shoes with heels.
• Products are available with abrasive soles or cleats that provide special traction for walking on snow and ice, such as Yaktrax. [Remember to remove when entering buildings.]

Use special care when entering and exiting vehicles, climbing or descending stairs, entering or leaving buildings.

• Remove snow/water from shoes when entering buildings.
• Use handrails for support.
• Keep your hands out of your pockets.
• Walk on designated walkways as much as possible.
• Don’t take shortcuts over snow piles or areas where snow and ice removal is not feasible.
• Look ahead when you walk. A sidewalk completely covered with ice may require travel along its grassy edge for traction.
• Don’t text or read while walking.
• Use Caution when crossing Crosswalk in the Winter

Pedestrians

• Do not assume that the vehicle can stop.
• Do not assume that the vehicle will stop.
• During snowfall, drivers may not see you look twice
• At night cross in well-lighted areas.
• Always cross at marked crosswalks.
• You forfeit your rights as a pedestrian if you cross elsewhere.
• Look mutable times to make sure the road is clear in both directions before crossing.
• If a vehicle approaches, make eye contact with the driver to be sure s/he sees you before you cross.
• Look before walking past stopped vehicles. Do not cross just because a driver waves you on. Be sure all lanes are clear first.
• At night, use a flashlight or phone light to illuminate your way.

Drivers

• Do not assume that the pedestrians will stop at the road edge.
• Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and at all intersections.
• Be prepared to stop at all marked crosswalks. Stay alert and reduce speed in areas with crosswalks.
• Come to a complete stop if pedestrians are crossing or preparing to cross.
• Wait until pedestrians have crossed at least one lane past the lane you are in before resuming travel.
• Never pass another vehicle that has stopped or is slowing down at a crosswalk.

Student News

Alumnus entrepreneur shares insights about running a business

On November 13, Mario Marini ’91 Thiel’s Director of Planned Giving and owner of a local tax preparation service talked about his entrepreneurial experiences and gave advice on work-life balance when it comes to balancing multiple ventures.

General Comments

• The speaker shared insights from their journey as a Greenville native, highlighting their diverse career path and entrepreneurial ventures, starting from a landscaping business to real estate investments, and ultimately a successful tax business. —eungwoo Baek ’25
• For class on November 13th, 2024, Mario Marini came to present his story. The speaker reflected on his journey, beginning with his education at Thiel College, where he graduated in 1991 with a double major in Accounting and Business —Chaerin Ryu ’25
• In addition, the speaker stressed essential advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, such as the importance of a well-defined business plan, effective communication, and stepping out of one’s comfort zone to make meaningful connections. —Seungwoo Baek ’25
• Mario keeps his overhead low on purpose in order to make sure his prices are more competitive. He also does a lot of fundraising for smaller organizations. Mario stated that owning your own business requires you to be honest with people always, and it requires a large portion of your time to be successful. —Jordan Lang ’25
• He had owned various business such as a landscaping business in the 80’s, has owned multiple rental properties as well as flipping houses, another landscaping business, and a tax return business. With all these different businesses he got to learn new things in each industry but also needed to manage running these businesses, his 9-5 job, as well as his family obligations. —Zachary Bergstresser ’25
• He emphasized the significance of referrals and the impact of delivering quality and honest work on career advancement. According to him, maintaining integrity in one’s work leads to referrals from satisfied clients and others who recognize the quality of service provided. —Dillon Belknap ’25
• Today you can find Mario working as the Director of State Planning at Thiel, he said he works in the Alumni Office. He has been working at Thiel for 23 years and really enjoys what he does. —Casey Yacos ’25
• Drawing from his education in Accounting and Business Administration at Thiel College and his experience in various roles at the United Way and First National Trust Company, Mario emphasized the importance of trust and transparency in donor relationships, showing how planned giving can provide lasting financial support for the future of the institution. —Yianni Panagiotopoulos ’25
• Marini operates his business from home, stressing the home importance of keeping expenses low and maintaining strong organizational practices. Emily Ripple ’26
• He advises aspiring entrepreneurs to consider volunteering, exploring various business opportunities, and not being deterred by challenges. He attributes his success to faith, hard work, and perseverance. —Emily Ripple ’26
• He mentioned three elements that are crucial for success in both business and life: pursuing their passions, working hard, and maintaining an attitude of gratitude. The speaker provided valuable lessons on perseverance, integrity, and the importance of enjoying one’s work. —Minseo Kim ’25

Lessons Learned

• The Need for Passion and Enjoyment: Enjoying your work is crucial. If your current role isn’t fulfilling, it’s worth exploring areas that align with your personal goals and values to find satisfaction. —Seungwoo Baek ’25
• 1^st important lesson I learned from Mario was you need to have a good business plan. —Jordan Lang ’25
• 2^nd lesson learned: Networking is huge! Face to face is by far the most effective way to network, and communication skills are critical. —Jordan Lang ’25
• Step outside of your comfort zone. —Zachary Bergstresser ’25
• The power of referrals for businesses that require clients and people.
• We can achieve anything and the most powerful tool we have is how we use our time for things. —Dillon Belknap ’25
• Be honest in everything you do. —Casey Yacos ’25
• Communication is so important. —Casey Yacos ’25
• Make time for helping the community around you—Yianni Panagiotopoulos ’25
• Balancing Priorities: It is possible to manage multiple responsibilities, such as family and business, by staying organized and making time for key tasks. —Emily Ripple ’26
• Adaptability to challenges: Navigating changing tax laws and work demands requires resilience and flexibility. —Emily Ripple ’26
• If you're not having fun and you're not enjoying it, I would recommend stepping aside. —Chaerin Ryu ’25
• Engaging in volunteer work can create valuable business opportunities—Minseo Kim ’25

Dinner Dishing

• The Cobb salad prepared by Dana was very impressive because it had a harmonious mix of avocado and various ingredients. The main menu, risotto, and the dessert, crème brulee, were also new menus that I had never tried before, so I think they were good—Seungwoo Baek ’25
• Daeun Lee was our dinner concierge and begin dinner with a prayer. The meal started with a salad, then was followed by pork chops, and ended with a delicious pudding—Jordan Lang ’25
• Daeun Lee and the AVI team had done a wonderful job with the dinner with the crème brulee being the perfect way to end it—Zachary Bergstresser ’25
• Due to the outstanding dessert, I would rate this dinner a 9.5 out of 10—Dillon Belknap ’25
• Our dinner concierge was Daeun Lee. She did an amazing job picking the menu and choosing a prayer to read—Casey Yacos ’25
• Risotto and Cream Brule were so delicious! I had the opportunity to sit with new friends and today’s speaker Mario Marini. —Chaerin Ryu ’25
• During dinner, we talked about the video games we played in the past. We shared our plans for the Thanksgiving break, and I mentioned that I plan to visit the Grand Canyon—Minseo Kim ’25