Thiel Happenings

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

Thiel Happenings

Thiel College, a leading independent college in western Pennsylvania, announces that Paul Runge ’70 has returned to its Board of Trustees.

Thiel College, a leading independent college in western Pennsylvania, announces that John Barr ’70 has returned to its Board of Trustees.

• Learn more at Salvation Army.

For more information, email Cynthia Lawrence.

• Register a person or group to ring the bell.

Giving Than...ks with Panhel

Join members of Greek organizations from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday outside the TC Cafe for a sweet time and pie Than Oo and other special guests to donate to a great cause! 

We are accepting non perishable food items or a small donation to “pie” one of the three guests

It's all for a good cause, and who doesn't love a good pie toss? Come for the pies, stay for the smiles, and help us
make a difference!

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!

Zumba class free for TC students and staff

Zumba with Deanna Loreno is held from 6-7 p.m. Mondays at the First United Methodist Church on 73 Clinton St. in Greenville. Please sign in with the instructor. It is free for Thiel students and staff.

Pictured on the left (from left to right) are Emily Baker ’22, Brooke Griffith ’26, Cooper Riley ’28, Campus Store manager Nalini Downing, Lillianna Briscoe ’24 M.S.’26, Deanna Loreno (Zumba Instructor), Danielle Ficeti ’25.

Thiel Scenes: Thiel Community members participate in Veterans Tribute Workout

This week’s photo essay was taken on Sunday, Nov. 10, the day before Veterans Day, members of the Thiel community gathered at Stoeber Field at Alumni Stadium to participate in a Veterans Tribute Workout. Participants braved the rain to complete a Murph-style workout.

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!

The Fall/Winter Bell is available to read online

Look back at Dome Day 2024

Student News

• Schedule an appointment!

PA students collect donations for Mercy Center for Women

The PA students gathered items to donate to the Mercy Center for Women as part of the PSPA (Pennsylvania Society of Physician Associates) Annual Charity. Mercy Center for Women provides safe and supportive opportunities for housing, education and other support services for men, women and children facing homelessness. Faculty attended the conference and all the items were brought to the annual conference in Erie, PA.

ECE 335 students engaging with members of the community

Students in ECE 335 students engaged with members of the community throughout this semester. 

Earlier in the semester, Calli Shekell’s Science Methods students went to Pymatuning State Park to begin their training toward their certification in the Project Learning Tree and Project Wild curricula. Interacting with Jared McGary, Megan McDowell and Stacey Marendt of the DCNR and Kelcy Marini of the Mercer County Conservation District, students were trained on the curricula and then went kayaking on the lake. Then, to implement what they learned, they taught lessons from Project Learning Tree to local third graders. The third graders were very impressed with Stamm Hall and want to have all of their classes there. 

Plans are in the works to bring the third graders back to campus later this semester to learn from our Science Methods students who want to teach lessons from the Project Wild curriculum.

Students in the methods course include Jake Badger ’27, Ali Baker ’26, Brooke McKinney ’26, Hannah Miller ’26, Marley Chapman ’25, Carina Loreno ’27, Haley Chiappini ’26, Autumn Hendry ’26, Allie Kidder ’26, Savannah Adams ’26, Carolyn Ruffing ’27 and Amy Batt ’27.

Local pharmacy owners discuss their entrepreneur experience

On November 6, Bretton Walberg, owner of Walberg Family Pharmacies, visited the entrepreneur seminar class to discuss his experience as an entrepreneur in the pharmacy industry. His wife, Stacey, who also plays a major role in the business, had dinner with our class as well.

For class on November 6, 2024, Bretton Walberg came to present his story. He was born and raised in Greenville, where his father was a high school science teacher, but also an entrepreneur at heart. In 1976, his parents bought an independent pharmacy that was on the brink of bankruptcy, and his father played a crucial role in turning it around—Chaerin Ryu ’25

In 1999, Bretton purchased his own pharmacy, and his wife, Stacey, helped with its marketing. He noted that his parents instilled a strong work ethic in him. Since then, he has continued to acquire more pharmacies and even bought a facility where he can produce large quantities of medicine for the community. —Lexi Brown ’26

One of the greatest challenges Walberg described was the gap between paying for medications upfront and receiving reimbursements from insurance companies, which can create cash flow issues. —Gianna Sprecace ’26

He currently owns 11 retail pharmacies in Pennsylvania and Ohio, including a central fill in Greenville PA, Transfer, Jamestown, Mercer, Sharon, New Castle, Linesville Petrolia, Clarion, etc. —Emily Ripple ’26

Beyond prescription filling, he emphasized the importance of automation, patient education, and community service in his business model, positioning his pharmacies as comprehensive healthcare providers. — Jaehee Lee ’25

He highlighted the importance of building relationships with customers and offering a level of service that goes beyond traditional retail pharmacy chains. —Dillon Belknap ’25

As they look ahead, they discuss recent economic challenges in pharmacy reimbursements and closures affecting larger pharmacy chains. Despite these pressures, the speaker credits their strategic foresight, adaptability, and commitment to serving their community for helping their business continue to thrive. —Yeeun Seo ’25

He emphasizes the need for innovation and adaptability in the pharmacy industry, particularly in response to challenges like declining reimbursements. Despite the focus on growth, the speaker maintains that the ultimate goal is to enhance community health rather than merely increase profits. —Minseo Kim ’25

Looking to the future, the speaker’s company is exploring partnerships with insurance companies and pharmaceutical manufacturers, including direct-to-consumer models like working with Eli Lilly to distribute medications. These ventures are part of a broader strategy to expand the business, improve patient care, and continue giving back to the community. —Daeun Lee ’25

They foresee AI complementing the pharmacy workforce, especially in today’s challenging hiring environment, where it can fill in for roles that are harder to staff, allowing pharmacists and technicians to focus more on direct patient interactions and high-value tasks. —Seungwoo Baek ’25

The largest challenge for him at first was cash flow, because insurance companies take 30-40 days to pay invoices, however, the pharmaceutical companies need to be paid every 17 days —Jordan Lang ’25

His biggest advice on how to help cash flow is making sure you have a line of credit even if you don’t need it now because you never know if there would be an emergency—Zachary Bergstresser ’25

Lessons Learned

• Your partners need you as much as you need them. —Lexi Brown ’26
• Find good people to work for you. —Lexi Brown ’26
• Ask for help when needed—Emily Ripple ’26
• Stay determined and keep an open mind, opportunities often arise. —Chaerin Ryu ’25
• The Value of a Strong Leadership Team: The speaker highlighted how building a competent and dedicated leadership team was essential for managing the complexities of a multi-location business. —Yeeun Seo ’25
• A proactive approach can improve customer satisfaction. —Minseo Kim ’25
• Businesses must continually innovate and adapt to changing environments. —Minseo Kim ’25
• As a business grows, it's crucial to bring in the right people and implement effective systems. —Daeun Lee ’25
• Automating processes and adopting innovative solutions, like robotic medication dispensing, can significantly improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance customer satisfaction —Daeun Lee ’25
• As the organization grew, adopting the EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) highlighted the importance of effective management and team alignment, emphasizing that a solid organizational structure is key to sustainable growth. —Seungwoo Baek ’25
• Always innovate, never become complacent on how you do things, always look for better ways. —Dillon Belknap ’25
• Success is driven because of employee and community support. —Casey Yacos ’25
• Hard work pays off —Yianni Panagiotopoulos ’25

Dinner Dishing

• During dinner was a three-course meal which was concierge by Jordan Lang, she had dinner with Caesar salad, hand breaded chicken parmesan with spaghetti and roasted broccolis, and dessert was a blueberry cheesecake. — Emily Ripple ’26
• I had the opportunity to sit with new friends and special guest, Stacey Walberg. She was today’s guest’s wife. She tried to make the atmosphere comfortable, so we had good conversation over a delicious dinner. —Chaerin Ryu ’25
• I was the host for this meal, and I started it with a prayer. The meal started with a salad, then was followed by Parmesan Chicken, and ended with Blueberry Cheesecake —Jordan Lang ’25
• At dinner, I sat with Jordan, who was responsible for the dinner concierge. It was interesting to hear her thoughts on each course selection, which added context I often missed at previous dinners—Jaehee Lee ’25
• This time, the menu that Jordan prepared as a concierge was also excellent, but the most impressive menu was the blueberry cheesecake for dessert, which was as delicious as the food you get at an expensive café—Seungwoo Baek ’25
• Always dress for success. —Jordan Lang ’25
• Look for a niche before diversifying. — Jordan Lang ’25
• Best meal yet! —Dillon Belknap ’25
• I personally liked the chicken parm which had the perfect cut of chicken. The blueberry cake was also very good. AVI did an awesome job. —Yianni Panagiotopoulos ’25
• The blueberry cheesecake, which wrapped up the meal, has now joined my list of favorite desserts from this class. —Gianna Sprecace ’26

Thiel Happenings

The Thiel Players’ production of ‘She Kills Monsters’ by Qui Nguyen opens at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16 at the William A. Robinson Theater.

Thiel College sophomore biology, environmental science and conservation biology triple major Alana Rudolf ’27, completed a 21-day immersive field studies program in the Caribbean, where she engaged directly with marine ecosystems, applying classroom knowledge in a real-world environment.

Oh, Deer! Curious visitor interested in Math Club for this week's Thiel scenes

Sorry for the headline. It was too easy. Golf coach Dan McMillen ’86 had a companion for his morning walk on Sunday, Nov. 3. He said the deer was particularly interested in the Math Club. He said it's common to spot deer on campus during his early morning walks. 

Open Enrollment information sessions set for November 19

OPEN ENROLLMENT

SELECT YOUR 2025 Plan Year Benefit

Choose from two Information Sessions on Tuesday, November 19, 2024

11:30 a.m. & 3 p.m.

These information sessions allow representatives from our medical, vision & dental, life, disability and retirement plans to provide important updates, review plan details and answer questions regarding 2025 benefits.

Introductions: Amy Arbogast, VP for Finance and Administration and Jennifer Clark, Director of Human Resources

Medical: Anthony Benevento, Reschini

Vision, Dental, Flexible Savings Accounts & Accident & Illness Coverage: Adam Seger, Davevic

Retirement: Jack Ryan, Henderson Brothers

Life & Disability: Paula Barnet, CBIZ/EIIA (for The Standard)

All benefit-eligible employees should plan to attend one session (spouses are welcome) and complete the 2025 OPEN ENROLLMENT in PAYCOM between November 20 and December 2, 2024. Although the 2025 Open Enrollment is considered a passive enrollment year, you should still plan to:

Review current coverages and dependents

Review and update Flexible Savings Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) contributions if applicable.

New for 2025: Employees may choose additional coverages through Guardian, such as accident and critical care coverage. Adam Seger will present the plan details during the open enrollment sessions. He will be on campus on November 21 for individual meetings with employees who have questions.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Human Resources team:

For more information, contact a member of the Human Resources team

• Jennifer Clark at ext. 2858
• Diana Mazur at ext. 2004
• Angela Sorg at ext. 2150

Meeting Links

FIRST SESSION

Time: Nov 19, 2024 at 11:30 a.m.

Topic: 2025 Open Enrollment

https://thiel-edu.zoom.us/j/85...

Meeting ID: 857 4204 0849

Passcode: 011259

SECOND SESSION

Time: Nov 19, 2024 at 3 p.m.

Topic: 2025 Open Enrollment

Join Zoom Meeting

https://thiel-edu.zoom.us/j/86...

Meeting ID: 868 7089 7056

Passcode: 095259

New Tomcat Tennis Court signage celebrates donors

The Tomcat Tennis Courts sign was installed at the beginning of the fall 2024 tennis season outside Court #1, along with recognition plaques for the recent court resurfacing. Dr. Robert Burns ’74, Richard Huether ’74, and John Hudson H’21 contributed to the $300,000 tennis court renovations in the summer of 2022. A special thank you to these generous alumni for the positive impact they’ve made on the Thiel Tennis program for our current and future student-athletes!

If you are interested in supporting Thiel Tennis, please contact David Hummel ’83 (Director of Alumni Relations), Mark Batt ’87 (Director of Advancement) or Anthony Kobak (Head Tennis Coach) for a list of available projects.

Trio runs in Gloyer Memorial 5K to honor alumnus

Vice President for College Advancement Roberta Leonard, Assistant Director of IT Operations and Veterans Liaison Mike Mason and Bruno participated in the Ryan Gloyer Memorial 5K Run/Walk on Nov. 3. The event is held to spread community awareness of the life and legacy of SFC and Thiel College alumnus Ryan Gloyer ’04. Ryan Gloyer Middle School is named for Gloyer, who is also an alumnus of Seneca Valley School District. Gloyer, of Zelienople, Pa., died as a result of injuries sustained in combat in Kunduz, Afghanistan.

Zooming from the Archives discusses upcoming Thiel History Book

Wednesday’s Zooming from The Archives including with Thiel College’s 18th President Robert Olson, Ph.D. '60 H'09, College archivist John Hauser’71 H’20 and Professor Emeritus of Business Administration and Accounting Gary Witosky ’79 H’24 discussing the ongoing work for the new Thiel history book that will cover the years from 1974-2024.

Student News

Alumni relations director with real estate license shares tips on being entrepreneurial

On October 30, Thiel College Director of Alumni Relations David Hummel ’83 visited the entrepreneur seminar class to share his experiences in real estate and other ventures with the class.

David is the Alumni Director at Thiel College, and he is a realtor on the side. He earned his real estate license the same week his child was born in 1990. David is still a part-time realtor, and he does 15 hours of continuous education a year to maintain his license.—Jordan Lang ’25

Though being a real estate agent might seem like an easy job it is very much like owning your own business where you manage your own schedule and usually need to find clients yourself through advertising and other sources to get your name and profession out to as many people as possible. —Zach Bergstresser ’25

His passion for entrepreneurship begins from a young age, he started working in his family’s business when he was just 10 years old and was a newspaper delivery boy. In college he was the quieter and more reserved student, but he decided to put himself in an uncomfortable situation by running from what I remember was class president or class representative something along those lines. —Patrick Belback ’25

Overall, it was an enlightening presentation that prompted me to seriously consider a career in real estate sales. —Dillon Belknap ’25

Listening to David Hummel talk about his life feels like hearing a story about finding purpose through experience. He began his career after graduating from Thiel College with a degree in business and accounting, starting out in government work at HUD in Washington, D.C. Soon after, he moved into real estate, earning his license in 1990—Yianni Panagiotopoulos ’25

At the beginning of his presentation, he talked about how he does not like speaking in front of people and had us sitting in a family room style, which I found interesting. This was a good way to give the presentation, as it felt more personable. —Lexi Brown ’26

He is in ‘Your Town Realty’, which is a real estate company based in Pittsburgh. Overall, he was a great public speaker and was powerful and sincere, charismatic, funny, and very interactive with the audience. —Chaerin Ryu ’25

Hummel emphasized how his upbringing in an entrepreneurial family influenced his career and instilled in him values such as resilience, integrity, and the importance of community involvement. He also discussed challenges in the real estate industry, including the 2008 market crash, and highlighted his commitment to ethical practices and customer service. —Jaehee Lee ’25

Additionally, the speaker covered future trends in real estate, noting changes in housing market behavior over the decades. For instance, people used to move frequently, about every seven years, but now tend to stay longer due to factors like the 2008 financial crisis, which affected home values and mortgages. —Yeeun Seo ’25

Lessons Learned

• Second lesson learned: Turn situations into reality. —Jordan Lang ’25
• Third lesson learned: There’s risk with everything, but also many chances to be rewarded. —Jordan Lang ’25
• Do something you enjoy so it doesn't feel like work. —Zach Bergstresser ’25
• How being in the right place at the right time can happen more often if you think about the process of where people will be and how things unfold—Dillon Belknap ’25
• Where skills and passion meet, that’s what you should be doing. —Patrick Belback ’25
• Set goals and work hard to achieve them. —Casey Yacos ’25
• Make challenges into opportunities, do not be scared. —Casey Yacos ’25
• Life doesn’t follow a straight path—Yianni Panagiotopoulos ’25
• Value those who support you—Yianni Panagiotopoulos ’25
• He gave the advice to never show up empty handed (he brought us chocolate with his business card attached), to turn situations into reality, and that there is risk in all things. —Gianna Sprecace ’26
• Skills that you pick up on in life, you do not know when you will use the —Lexi Brown ’26
• Network as often as possible—Emily Ripple ’26
• If you do not know the correct answer, ask—Emily Ripple ’26
• Balancing Ethics with Ambition: His account of handling simultaneous real estate offers underscored the importance of transparency and integrity, even when situations became challenging or contentious. —Jaehee Lee ’25
• Importance of Presence and Visibility: By staying at properties and engaging with people in the area, the speaker was able to make valuable connections that led to successful sales. This practice of being visible around listings helped the speaker stand out in a competitive market. —Yeeun Seo ’25
• Honesty and integrity in all transactions are important to foster credibility with clients. —Minseo Kim ’25
• Goal-Setting: The speaker emphasized that setting clear goals motivates effort and tracks progress, driving personal and professional achievement. —Seungwoo Baek ’25

Dinner Dishing

• It was also great getting to know the people at my table more and I thoroughly enjoyed our conversations together. —Jordan Lang ’25
• Dinner was really good; I enjoyed the meal that was picked out with especially the sauce that was on the fish and rice, it enhanced the salmon flavor a lot, I loved the veggies it came with this week too. —Patrick Belback ’25
• This dessert was a crepe type dessert with whipped cream and strawberries. I am not the biggest fan of crepes, but I enjoyed it after our main course meal it paired nicely. —Dillon Belknap ’25
• For dinner, we were first served a mozzarella salad, then for the main course we were served rice and vegetables with salmon. The sauce on the salmon was the best part, it was absolutely delicious. Lastly, for dessert we were served a crepe cake—Casey Yacos ’25
• The meal was delicious. The salad with mozzarella and salmon was fresh and went well with the rice. The main course had tender salmon that was really tasty—Yianni Panagiotopoulos ’25
• This will be on my “Top Three Dinners” list for this class. I really enjoyed the cheese ball salad, the salmon was great, and I was a huge fan of the dessert — Gianna Sprecace ’26
• Before the presentation, I joined fellow students for dinner, where we shared a relaxed conversation over food. I talked about Korean cuisine and culture, which helped to bridge connections as we swapped stories and experiences —Jaehee Lee ’25
• During dinner, we discussed the menu and shared our preferences. Everyone expressed their likes and dislikes about the dishes. We also talked about any special plans for Halloween, exchanging ideas about activities we might enjoy. —Minseo Kim ’25
• I feel much better after the seminar dinner than I did before. At my first seminar dinner, I found the dining etiquette quite unfamiliar and challenging. Now, I've learned to navigate those skills more skillfully and can truly enjoy the dinner with others. —Daeun Lee ’25
• It was almost the first time that a seafood main dish was served, and the grilling and texture of the salmon were very similar to the taste I usually enjoy, so it was a wonderful dinner. —Seungwoo Baek ’25

A ‘vital’ presentation to her high school alma mater

Caitlin Augustine M.S.’26, a Thiel College didactic physician assistant studies student, was invited back to her high school to pass on what she has learned in her PA Program. She traveled back home on October 11 to teach how to take vitals in anatomy classes at Seneca Valley Senior High School in Harmony, Pa. She also talked about Thiel’s PA program with the students.

Thiel Happenings

Thiel College will host sport psychology coach, author, and speaker Rob Bell, Ph.D. for two presentations on Thursday, Nov. 7. The first session will be tailored for prospective college students visiting campus, while the second will welcome the entire Thiel College community to hear Bell discuss mental toughness.

The Thiel College Moot Court Program will host its first Moot Court Oral Advocacy Night at 6:30 p.m. November 7 in the Stamm Lecture Hall in the James Pedas Communication Center.

Thiel College President Susan Traverso, Ph.D. underscored the College’s strong ties to Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania in an editorial featured in Pittsburgh Quarterly recently. This editorial was part of the magazine’s exploration of Pittsburgh as a college town.

The Thiel College Office of Admission has recognized Seth Phillips ’25 as its Thiel Team Member of the Month for October.

Title IX training video available for review

As part of Thiel’s commitment to fostering a positive culture and providing a campus that is free from discrimination and harassment, the attached recording of the Thiel College Title IX training program educates and addresses the obligations of Thiel College faculty, staff and student employees under Title IX.

• Title IX Training - Prevention of Discriminatory Harassment

The “Prevention of Discriminatory Harassment under Title IX, presented by Kimberly Colonna from McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC includes valuable information designed to educate employees on obligations and rights under Title IX. It provides you with practical advice about what constitutes harassment under the law and misconduct under College policies. You will learn what to do if you see, hear of, or experience conduct that might constitute harassment or discrimination. This program features scenarios taken from real incidents and cases

Faculty, Staff and Student employees who were unable to attend the in-person training program in September are asked to watch the video.

Promote the grammar and punctuation workshop for students

Professor of English and Pedas Endowed Chair of Communication Mary Theresa Hall, Ph.D. is asking faculty and staff to let students know about this spring’s grammar and punctation class.

ENG 115: Grammar and Punctuation Workshop in spring 2025 is a one-credit course that and is offered on a pass-fail basis. The class will be held on from 10:40 a.m. to 11:20 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. 

This course will refine grammar, punctuation, and writing skills.

For more information contact Hall.

Images of the Week showcase fall and Halloween fun 

Asistant Professor of English Sheila Gross, Ph.D. ’10 submitted her photo essay of Thiel in Fall and Physician Assistant Studies Lecturer Jessica Sloan submitted the PA students and staff celebrating Halloween for this week’s photo essays. 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!

Registrar’s office celebrates staff appreciation Halloween party

Registrar Debbie A. Schreiber, Assistant Registrar Amy Stoyer and Associate Dean for Academic Programs & Records and Professor of Psychology Laura Pickens, Ph.D. ’06 picked up the trophy for best costumes during the Staff Appreciation Club’s Halloween Party in Roth Hall last week.

Student News

Entrepreneur shares his journey with seminar class

On October 23, Eric Gaber, Lecturer and Entrepreneurship center Director at Westminster College, visited class and shared his entrepreneurship journey as well as insights about how to succeed as an entrepreneur or employee in today’s world.

Eric Gaber is a third-generation entrepreneur creating many new businesses such as E&C Services Inc., Relizathan Properties, MateriaLink, BHS and other for profit and nonprofit groups — Zachary Bergstresser ’25

[Gaber] He highlighted different types of entrepreneurships such as corporate, social, and small business, explaining that not all entrepreneurship involves inventing new products; many entrepreneurs succeed by innovating, managing teams, and networking effectively. —Suengwoo Baek ’25

To Eric, important tools for success are the following: Risk vs Reward, try, fail, try, fail, and then success, knowing when you don’t know something and using other sources to fill in that information. He then went on to discuss the 5 spokes of entrepreneurship umbrella, which are the following: 1. Ideation 2. Corporate 3. Civic 4. Socio 5. Small Businesses (This is the largest of the 5). —Jordan Lang ’25

Eventually he scaled back on some of his companies and involvements and went to Westminster to teach his experiences as an entrepreneur and became the director of Westminster Entrepreneurship Center, eventually leading him to be the executive chair for the Entrepreneurship Leadership Council. —Patrick Belback ’25

He is also a published author of the book “How to Win the Recruiting Game in the 21^st Century” he wrote the book as a marketing tactic for his recruitment firm which now instead of actually doing the recruiting, they are a recruiting consulting firm. —Patrick Belback ’25

He emphasized the importance of networking with all people and that it is one of the biggest ways to find opportunities and help on day to day projects we might be tasked with. He also told us to find out strengths and what each of us are good at already or naturally —Dillon Belknap ’25

He concluded with the motivational idea that the difference between ordinary and extraordinary lies in doing a little extra. And he inspired us to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams with passion and self-awareness. His message was clear: every individual has the potential to succeed, and the only limit is oneself. —Minseo Kim ’25

Gaber also elaborated on his current goal of fostering an entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Pittsburgh region, aiming to bring together educational institutions, businesses, and government agencies in what he called the "entrepreneurial confluence." Through his energetic storytelling, he underscored how essential it is to remain curious, humble, and willing to take risks in both life and business. — Jaehee Lee ’25

With over 35 years in the private sector, he comes from a family of entrepreneurs, having learned valuable lessons while initially avoiding the family business. —Daeun Lee ’25

Eric believes that entrepreneurship isn’t only about inventing new things; it also involves building businesses, managing teams, and connecting with customers. —Yianni Panagiotopoulos ’25

He also talked about the five spokes of the entrepreneurial umbrella, which consists of ideation, corporate/intrapreneurship, civic, socio, and small business. He also informed us that 90% of employers are small businesses. —Emily Ripple ’26

Eric obviously has a lot of knowledge and success under his belt and he said to us “I have learned as much from failures as successes.” This quote really stood out to me because even someone as successful as him can appreciate and learn from the failures. —Casey Yacos ’25

During his presentation, he explained the five “spokes” of entrepreneurship: Ideation, Corporate (Intrapreneurship), Civic, Social, and Small Businesses, and discussed the differences between them. He emphasized that passionate people build businesses, manage teams, and connect with others, and that finding the right role for oneself involves staying open-minded. —Gianna Sprecace ’26

Lessons Learned

• Self-Awareness and Passion: The speaker stressed the importance of self-awareness and understanding one’s strengths and weaknesses —Suengwoo Baek ’25

• The only reason you can’t be successful is yourself. —Patrick Belback ’25

• The importance of networking and finding the right people to network with not just anyone. —Dillon Belknap ’25
• Be a sponge and learn as much as you can from everyone you meet —Dillon Belknap ’25
• The world of entrepreneurship isn’t just about inventing something brand new. —Zachary Bergstresser ’25
• Successful entrepreneurship comes from collaboration. —Minseo Kim ’25
• An important lesson I learned from Eric was “entrepreneurship needs passionate people to build businesses, manage teams, and to connect with customers. —Jordan Lang ’25
• Gaber's approach of "under-promising and over-delivering" is notably different from the mindset often encouraged in business, where individuals are told to "promote themselves and stand out." This contrast was refreshing and intriguing. — Jaehee Lee ’25
• Learning from failures can serve as a foundation for success, and self-awareness is crucial for understanding one’s strengths and weaknesses —Daeun Lee ’25

• Keep an Open and Positive Mind— Yianni Panagiotopoulos ’25
• He also mentioned 'putting a 7 in your schedule,' meaning you should wake up early and time-block your day —Rachael Smith ’26
• Eric said it is very important to know your personal strengths and know when to hire someone that can do something better than you can. —Casey Yacos ’25
• Eric said optimism and desire are two of the biggest things that make entrepreneurs successful. —Casey Yacos ’25

Dinner Dishing

• The dinner concierge was Yianni Panagiotopoulos. His dinner was of course Greek-inspired, as always, we had a three-course meal consisting of a Mediterranean salad, grilled chicken with roasted potatoes and carrots as well as tzatziki sauce, and for dessert was a type of Greek custard —Emily Ripple ’26
• The Greek food prepared by Yianni was a different experience… It always excites me to taste food from other cultures. —Suengwoo Baek ’25
• Dinner was picked by one of the students and my friend in the class Yanni, He chose a Greek style dinner and read us a script he found before we had our meal —Dillon Belknap ’25
• During dinner, many motivating insights were shared, making it a meaningful experience. —Minseo Kim ’25
• I praise the work AVI does at Thiel College for us. It was also great getting to know the people at my table more and I thoroughly enjoyed our conversations together. —Jordan Lang ’25
• The main course, Greek Lemon Chicken, was amazing the oven-roasted chicken had a great lemon and garlic flavor, and the roasted potatoes on the side were seasoned to perfection. For dessert, the Galaktoboureko was delightful, with layers of flaky phyllo and creamy custard soaked in a light syrup. —Yianni Panagiotopoulos ’25
• I had the opportunity to sit with new friends and Eric Gaber who was today’s speaker. He tried to make the atmosphere comfortable, so we had good conversation over a delicious dinner. It was very nice getting to know each of them better. —Chaerin Ryu ’25
• This evening was all about trying authentic Greek foods. Although I don’t eat peppers or cucumbers, I really enjoyed the salad.—Gianna Sprecace ’26

Sensory Studios accepting appointments

Students can schedule appointments for the Sensory Studios through Accudemia but direct links are also available.

• Sensory Studio 1
• Sensory Studio 2

PLL Appreciation Week continues through Nov. 8 to show gratitude for Thiel’s Peer Learning Leaders and all of the hard work they do for the College. PLLs include tutors, SI/PASS leaders, Writing Lab consultants, English conversation coaches, and a PLL mentor. These dedicated students support everything from math to science to honors, and they do what they do because they want to help others.

Please join us in the TLC during PLL Week to show your appreciation and enjoy some treats!

• Can’t make it? Leave a note for all, some, or one of our PLLs on this form.

We will be sure to share your kind words. Thank you for your continued support of our programs and staff!

Thiel athletes read to elementary students 

Recently a group of Thiel College athletes spent time at Greenville Elementary School to read to the students.