Thiel Happenings

Office of Admission hosting full schedule of visit days for prospective students

Thiel College will host prospective students through a variety of visit days designed to match their interests and provide an immersive experience beyond a standard campus tour.

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Teacher of the Year finalist, author/education expert to speak at Thiel Education Summit

Thiel College will host an Education Summit at 9:30 a.m. February 20, 2025, featuring two leading experts in the field of education.

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Thiel College physician assistant students honor donors at Gratitude Ceremony

Students in the Thiel College Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program recently held a Gratitude Ceremony to honor the individuals who generously donated their bodies to science and the members of the donors’ families to recognize that gift.

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Plauger is one of two Edgewood H.S. students surprised with full tuition scholarship to Thiel

Maryland high school senior Zoe Plauger, of Abingdon, Md., won an academic scholarship worth $156,970 to Thiel College during a surprise presentation Thursday morning at Edgewood High School.

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Thiel College recognizing alumnus and two students at its Entrepreneur of the Year event

Thiel College has named Mark Marmo ’93 its 2025 Haller Enterprise Institute Entrepreneur of the Year and Ava Kavulla ’25 and Casey Yacos ’25 as Student Entrepreneur of the Year winners. All will be honored in the College’s Lutheran Heritage Room in the Howard Miller Student Center on January 29, 2025, at 6:30 p.m.

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Thiel soccer scarf available

For more information, contact men’s soccer coach Zack Walters at ext. 2768.

Student News

Roberta Leonard kicks off the 2025 Ruth A. Miller Seminar

Vice President for College Advancement Roberta Leonard was the featured speaker at the January 22 Ruth A. Miller Senior Business Seminar. Leonard guided the class through an etiquette dinner, highlighting the “do’s and don’ts” of dining in a business situation. After dinner, she shared her experiences working in government and at Thiel.

“Despite the frigid weather on Wednesday, the 22nd, students from the senior seminar class gathered in the welcoming warmth of each other’s company, fine dining, and an enlightening speech delivered by guest speaker, Roberta Leonard.” Anna Kavulla ’27

“Roberta began her speech by sharing a bit about her personal life. She mentioned that she was one of six kids and that her father was in the United States Air Force, which allowed her to travel all over the world—something she has been extremely grateful for.” Lexi Brown ’26

“A University of Pittsburgh graduate and Thrivent Fellows Program participant, Leonard emphasized gratitude, family values, and the influence of her father in supporting her and her siblings through college.” Sam Denu ’26

“Roberta explained her career path, where she started as a paternity officer and learned the importance of kindness and respect. After this, she assumed the role of fiscal director of Mercer County at the age of 29, which taught her other valuable lessons, such as the importance of work ethic and the vitality of being prepared for whatever might come her way. She was then drawn to Thiel for a job where she wrote grants, which led her to her true purpose.” Ethan Tabaka ’26

“When she arrived at Thiel, we had no grant programs, and she made it her mission to rectify that. I did find it interesting to compare the similarities in her journey of becoming a Thiel staff member to Professor Witosky’s journey, as they both had unexpected starts.” Cora Post ’25

“When Roberta came to Thiel, she thought she would stay for only one year. However, she quickly changed her mind as she became involved with the students. When they began to invite her into their worlds and share their stories with her, that is when her life at Thiel truly started. Despite not being a Thiel graduate herself, that is when Roberta became a Tomcat.” Lexi Brown ’26

“She attributes her love for working at Thiel to its mission-driven organization, which has not only changed her through her relationships, friendships, and mentorships, but also in her day-to-day work, where she hears the stories of students every day as they travel from freshmen year to graduation.” Kaitlynn Wolffe ’25

“Roberta started her presentation by talking about why she loves her job and explained that she gets the honor to talk to people about their personal Thiel experience and bring them back to Thiel.” Bryce Stubert ’26

“During her speech, she mentioned a few times that ‘relationships drive the world,’ and that we should use our connections that we make throughout our career. These relationships that we build will drive our careers forward, and she made a point of this throughout her speech.” Natalie Pape ’26

“Her dedication to networking and professional growth is visible in her connection with over 2,000 Thiel College graduates on LinkedIn, demonstrating the power of relationships in leadership.” Vincent Laribee ’25

“Throughout her speech, she continued to stress how important it is for your values to align with your company’s values. She quoted Prof. David Miller, ‘Culture trumps strategy every time.” Kaitlyn Herrmann ’26

“Through Roberta and her team, Thiel has been able to secure funding to ensure that the next generation of Tomcats will have abundant scholarships and that the campus itself will have new updates.” Ava Kavulla ’25

“While she has been through hardships, such as losing two sisters, she found a way to turn that pain into good by choosing to honor her sisters’ memories by focusing on what they were passionate about: education. Roberta truly cares about us students at Thiel, and her passion is very evident when she speaks of the college.” Kelly Oros ’26

“Central to Leonard’s message was the idea of pivot points—defining moments of transformation in life. She encouraged students to reflect on their own experiences and identify the moments that shaped their personal growth. For Leonard, her pivot point was joining Thiel College, where the students welcomed her into their worlds.” Josie Gadsby ’26

“She said, ‘Reflect what your driver is, where it is, and where you will go.’ I think this is an important thing to remember because it can help you think clearly and straighten yourself out in a stressful time.” Derrik Zappa ’26

“A lot of her presentation resonated with me, as I had a similar familial situation, and similar views on how relationships sustain us, that kindness should be freely given, and to care about people.” Cora Post ’25

“Throughout her speech, Roberta displayed her true self: someone dedicated to service. She is proof that working for a purpose other than money leads to fulfillment.” Ethan Tabaka ’26

“Leonard’s speech was a testament to the power of resilience, integrity, and mission-driven leadership. Her journey serves as a reminder that success is not just about individual achievements but about the impact we have on others and the values we uphold along the way.” Vincent Laribee ’25

“She said that the experience that we have here, the education we receive here, the friendships that we make here fundamentally change our lives. And she’s happy when she sees the graduation of the students.” Shinyoung Kim ’25

“I was seated with fellow students Ethan Tabaka and Sam Denu, in addition to honorary guests and Thiel alumni, John and Nancy Hauser. We had such wonderful conversations about the history of Thiel College, hearing countless stories of their experiences. These stories about classes, traditions, and friendships were very similar to the experiences I have had as a current student.” Anna Kavulla ’27

“Both her instruction on dining etiquette and the insights gained from her life provide invaluable advice and guidance to us for our future careers.” Kaitlynn Wolffe ’26

“Ms. Leonard was not only educational, but she was also inspirational.” Natalie Pape ’26

Lessons Learned

• “The more you know, the more valuable you are to the company.” Angela Moon ’25
• “Look for those pivotal points in your life.” Jacob Castona ’25
• “Surround yourself with good people.” Derrik Zappa ’26
• “Work ethic will define you and how far you will go in your career.” Jordan Castona ’25
• “Never underestimate the value I bring to my employers. No matter where I end up, I should always recognize my worth and remember that they are fortunate to have me as part of their team.” Sam Denu ’26
• “You can’t grow where you can’t breathe.” Josie Gadsby ’26
• “Don’t judge others because you don’t know what they are going through in their lives.” Kevin Gilroy ’25
• “Relationships are the foundation of personal and professional success.” Sophia Hong ’25
• “The quicker you learn to say ‘team’ in a professional setting, the better!” Ava Kavulla ’25
• “Take the trip. It is worth the story.” Anna Kavulla ’27
• “A supportive culture is vital for success; success requires a team effort and valuing each other’s contributions.” Shinyoung Kim ’25
• “Culture trumps strategy every time.” Natalie Pape ’26
• “You don’t get to bring your personal beliefs to someone else’s situation.” Cora Post ’25
• “You never know someone’s back story or how they got to where they are.” Bryce Stubert ’26
• “Do not underestimate yourself.” Ethan Tabaka ’26
• “Always be Prepared – it shows I care enough about your time to not waste it.” Kaitlynn Wolffe ’25
• “When the person interviewing you asks if you have any questions, ask what they are most proud of their organization for.” Kelly Oros ’26
• “Nearly every business-related dinner that you attend will be a test, impressions and proper etiquette are essential.” Kaitlyn Herrmann ’26
• “Place the napkin on your lap within the first minute of being seated.” Zach Johns ’25
• “The order and rules of silverware and how to properly eat different food at the table and properly pass items around the table.” Derrik Zappa ’26
• “I learned a good lesson from the hard ice cream: you have to work hard to get the prize. While it was a difficult task, I persevered until I got to the brownie at the bottom of the cup, and it was well worth my effort.” Kelly Oros ’26

Dinner “Dishing”

• “Dinner started with grace, which was led by Professor Witosky. Ms. Leonard then spoke about some of the important details when starting to eat. This included which way to pass the items on the table, who is responsible for each item, and to always make sure to be polite to the staff working the dinners.” Zach Johns ’25
• “Dinner was an interesting experience, because I had never attended any sort of meal that required a specific and professional etiquette! It had never occurred to me to be careful about what I order based on its messiness factor until this dinner. I enjoyed learning about the little nuances that go along with formal settings, as well as getting to know some of my peers who were seated with me.” Cora Post ’25
• “The dinner experience was initially nerve-wracking, but thanks to Nancy and John Hauser, Anna, and Sam, it quickly became an enjoyable experience. The conversation was always interesting but polite and professional, and everyone did an excellent job of engaging in genuine conversations with each other.” Ethan Tabaka ’26
• “The dinner was very enjoyable. Everything was delicious, and I enjoyed sitting with students I don’t normally sit with and getting to know them. I sat next to an international student, Angela, who told me her favorite class this semester is College Writing. She said she liked it so much because the professor, Sean, is so much fun. She was surprised to hear that I am Sean’s sister!” Kelly Oros ’26

• Schedule an appointment now.

Math Office Hours are times each week when math tutors sit in the TLC ready to accept drop-in visits from any student seeking impromptu math help. No appointments are necessary during Math Office Hours. Students also have the option of scheduling one-on-one or small-group appointments with our math tutors by scanning the Tommy QR code.