Thiel Happenings

Thiel College physician assistant student accepted into Pennsylvania AHEC Scholars Program

Thiel College student Grace Jones ’25 M.S. ’26 was recently accepted into the Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center Scholars Program, where she will complete additional coursework to supplement her current studies, gain additional training experiences, and expand her professional network.

+ Read the full story in the newsroom

Thiel College’s Sigma Phi Epsilon given award for excellence in member development

The Thiel College chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon was honored with the Donald C. McCleary Award for Excellence in Member Development during the fraternity’s Carlson Leadership Academy in Pittsburgh in late January.

+ Read the full story in the newsroom

Thiel College appoints business professor as the Haller Enterprise Institute Director

Assistant Professor of Business Administration and Marketing Steven Kandray has been named the Executive Director of the Haller Enterprise Institute.

+ Read the full story in the newsroom

Academic Honors Convocation

Senior Kaitlyn Schmidt ’25 and alumnus Thomas R. Guskey, Ph.D. ’72 will join hundreds of students to be recognized for the College’s Academic Honors Convocation on at 7 p.m., Friday, Feb. 21 in the William A. Passavant Memorial Center.

Schmidt is a mathematics major who is also seeking a secondary education certificate. She will deliver the student address during the event. Since 1928, the Thiel College community has celebrated the Academic Honors Convocation to recognize the academic achievements of Thiel students. First-year, sophomore, junior, and senior students who earned Dean’s List honors will be awarded certificates to mark their successes. Students who have received named and endowed scholarships will also be formally recognized, along with members of Alpha Chi, the National College Honor Scholarship Society, and the Dietrich Honors Institute.

Guskey is a Professor Emeritus in the College of Education at the University of Kentucky. He has served as Department Chair, Head of the Educational Psychology Area Committee, and President of the Faculty Council. Over his career, Guskey has held Visiting Professorships at 10 universities in the United States, as well as Visiting Scholars at universities in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. He also attended Thiel College and graduated in 1972.

• Read more.

Midterm donut and fry pie sale to benefit equestrians

The equestrian team is scheduled to have donuts and fry pies on campus to sell on March 6, starting around 9 a.m.

Donuts are $2, and fry pies are $3.

Team members will be at the Post Office entrance from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Additionally, smoked country meat sticks will be on sale, two for $3.

Than wins Golden Ladle; Souper Bowl raises funds for local family

It was a Thantastic day at the Soup & Chili Cook Off last week. Assistant Dean for Student Engagement Than Oo won the event, which raised money for a local veteran in need.

Participants made a donation to taste about a dozen soups and chilis and then voted for their favorites to determine the winner.

2026 presents travel opportunities for the Thiel community

Two European trips are on the schedule in 2026 for members of the Thiel College community.

The first trip is a tour with the Thiel Choir that includes stops in Austria and Switzerland from March 6-14, 2026. The second trip is to Oslo, Copenhagen and Stockholm from May 11-21, 2026.

• Read more about the Austria trip with the Thiel Choir.
• Download information about the Scandinavia trip.

Student News

Barbershop Quartet sings for Valentine’s Day

A barbershop quartet made the rounds on campus Friday singing to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

Norris shares her Thiel story with senior seminar class

Margaret “Maggie” Norris ’78 was the featured speaker at the February 12th Ruth A. Miller Senior Business Seminar. Maggie is a principal at Indigo B, LLC in Charlotte, N.C. and serves on the Thiel College Board of Trustees.

“Our speaker was Margaret “Maggie” Norris, who not only attended and graduated from Thiel College in 1978, but was a Sigma Kappa member and a Vira Heinz recipient. Maggie briefly explored her time at Thiel, including how she had met her future husband at Thiel and worked under Prof. David Miller.” Kaitlynn Wolffe ’25

“Her time at Thiel was filled with fond memories of taking intermediate accounting with Professor Logan, working as a student worker for Professor Miller, and being a part of the Sigma Kappa sorority. In fact, her Thiel internship at Price Waterhouse became a stepping stone to her successful career in accounting, finance, and organizational leadership.” Ava Kavulla ’25

“Norris began her career at Price Waterhouse in Pittsburgh before transitioning to financial services, holding leadership roles at First Union (now Wells Fargo) in Finance, Investor Relations, Mortgage, and Commercial Loan Servicing. Now, she is the principal of IndigoB, a fractional COO consulting firm, and a founding member of the eVolve Group.” Sam Denu ’26

“Her career path showed how opportunities can arise when one is open to growth and change. During her speech, she gave us a quiz called ‘Myths for Us to Solve About Your Career Journey,’ which we discussed as a class. The quiz helped break common misconceptions about career development and gave us a chance to reflect on our own expectations.” Vincent Laribee ’25

“I particularly enjoyed the “quiz” she provided, which was a wonderful way to follow along with her speech and take notes. She did not have a PowerPoint which I personally enjoyed. It felt like we were having a conversation rather than a formal presentation of a topic.” Natalie Pape ’26

“She got right into this interactive conversation that focused on myths about the career journey. As she guided us through a quiz, she shared helpful advice including: asking questions to employers at the interview, keeping a good social media profile, proofreading your resume, following up on interviews with emails, being uncomfortable in new roles, and finding good mentors.” Ava Kavulla ’25

“She emphasized the importance of researching a company before an interview, including understanding recent developments and using LinkedIn to connect with employees and associates. She also stressed the importance of preparing at least three meaningful questions to ask during an interview. I’ve always found it difficult to come up with questions on the spot, so this was a great reminder that preparation is key.” Josie Gadsby ’26

“One of the most valuable takeaways was her advice on thoroughly researching companies and preparing for interview questions, which I found to be highly practical and beneficial.” Seungyeon Hong ’25

“Maggie mentioned the importance of proofreading your resume and cover letter: don’t make it easy for a potential employer to cross your name off their list. If a recruiter sees you misspelled the name of their company or submitted a cover letter clearly written for another company, they will be very likely to just dismiss you and pursue other candidates.” Kelly Oros ’26

“She talked about how it is a great idea to have a second and third set of eyes on your resume even after you proofread it so there are no spelling or grammar mistakes.” Jordan Castona ’25

“She talked deeply about follow-up e-mails. She said that when she is interviewing people and somebody follows up, they tend to get a little bump in chances of being hired. She also noted that it's necessary to get a business card and an email of someone in the company to contact after the interview.” Bryce Stubert ’26

“It is okay to be uncomfortable in a new role. Do not panic. Give it 90 days to take an assessment of how you are doing. Professor Witosky and President Traverso added how uncomfortable positions are growth opportunities.” Ava Kavulla ’25

” She mentioned the importance of mentors and mentioned David Miller and John Logan as two of her early mentors. Professor Miller has been mentioned frequently by our guest speakers, which shows the undeniable impact he had on Thiel and its students. I think this is very fitting considering our class is named for his wife, Ruth.” Kelly Oros ’26

“Leadership was another topic that Maggie focused on, as leadership comes in many forms and has a major impact on the workplace environment. To be a great leader, one must be able to play to the strengths of their team and incorporate a collaborative approach that empowers each person to their fullest potential.” Ethan Tabaka ’26

“Cooperation with co-workers is a very important factor in the workplace, and observing the surroundings from a broad perspective and having an attitude of learning leads to a successful work life.” Ji Hyeon Moon ’25

“You must be a team player, someone that others can rely on, collegial and respectful of those around you, and you must be able to have fun.” Kaitlyn Herrmann ’26

“The one thing that stuck out the most to me was when we talked about if you should be labeled as low maintenance by your boss, the reason this stuck out the most is that there wasn’t a right answer because it’s a fine line as you want to be recognized for doing a good job and not being a problem for your coworkers but you also want your boss to know who you are so you can’t be hidden in the shadow of your good work.” Kevin Gilroy ’25

“The culture in a company is very important and whether you like it or not it will play a role in whether you stay. If your values do not line up with the company, it might not be a good fit for you.” Jacob Castona ’25

“One thing that she reiterated is to have fun, to find a job that has a work culture that you connect with, because enjoying a job can make or break an employee’s work ethic.” Cora Post ’25

“Mrs. Norris was big on fun and making sure you enjoy work.” Zach Johns ’25

“Maggie not only shared insight on career success but also on the preparation beforehand, which for her took place at Thiel College. This commonality between us gave everyone in the room a sense of shared pride in the college. Hearing stories of her time at Thiel as a student and now as a Board of Trustees member gave me a sense of encouragement, as she was equipped with the necessary skills to be successful in her career journey.” Anna Kavulla ’27

“I personally spoke with Maggie before the dinner and was able to talk about her trip to England through Vira Heinz, which, as a Vira recipient myself, was very interesting and sparked feelings of connection.” Kaitlynn Wolffe ’25

“I am incredibly thankful that Ms. Norris decided to come into town early and talk with our class. Her personable and inspiring demeanor made the night incredibly enriching.” Natalie Pape ’26

“In the end, Maggie's short lecture had a deep impact on me. The words she conveyed were not simply a conveyance of information but became an opportunity to change my way of thinking and attitude.” Ji Hyeon Moon ’25

“Overall, I learned a lot about starting and going through a career in this class lecture. It was a good night, and I am looking forward to the next class.” Derrik Zappa ’26

“I truly appreciated how interactive and insightful her presentation was. Hearing about her journey, advice, and the challenges she overcame was both inspiring and valuable as I am preparing to enter the workforce.” Sam Denu ’26

“Maggie Norris was a great speaker; she made me feel like she was speaking directly to me and my current situations, and I will always remember her advice!” Ethan Tabaka ’26

Lessons Learned

• “If you're too comfortable you are not growing.” Derrik Zappa ’26
• “Network! It is important to be involved.” Bryce Stubert ’26
• “Skills employers want: Teamwork skills, dependability/reliability, respect for the company, and the ability to have fun in the workplace.” Kaitlynn Wolffe ’25
• “Progress is not necessarily linear. “ Kaitlyn Herrmann ’26
• “Lateral career moves can be just as valuable as promotions if they provide new skills.” Josie Gadsby ’26
• “Know yourself and apply your strengths.” Cora Post ’25
• “Push yourself to new limits, and do not be scared to be uncomfortable starting out.” Natalie Pape ’26
• “Be open to opportunities.” Kelly Oros ’26
• You are not bound to your major in terms of your future career.” Kaitlynn Wolffe ’25
• “Asking thoughtful questions in an interview is important, but balance is key.” Vincent Laribee ’25
• “We should respect our colleagues.” Shinyoung Kim ’25
• “Seek mentorship and then mentor others.” Anna Kavulla ’27
• “Don’t be labeled as low maintenance.” Zach Johns ’25
• “The importance of using LinkedIn.” Seungyeon Hong ’25
• “Three Traits of Leadership: understanding differences, being collaborative, and having fun with those around you in the workplace.” Kaitlyn Herrmann ’26
• “Never make the mistake of not asking questions if you don’t understand.” Anna Kavulla ’27
• “Have three good questions to ask at the interview.” Kevin Gilroy ’25

Dinner Dishing

• “We had a delicious Valentine’s Day-themed dinner and great conversations, and President Traverso was our additional guest of honor this evening.” Kelly Oros ’26
• “I sat next to a few of my peers, as well as Maggie Norris and President Traverso. The conversation we had was very fun and lighthearted. Mrs. Norris told us about her experience as a “Groundhog Ambassador” for Punxsutawney Phil and explained some of her family’s traditions rooted around Groundhog Day. President Traverso spoke to us about our experiences at Thiel and shared some details about her time as a student at a women’s college, as well as a few key differences she has noticed between students’ experiences at large schools in comparison to small schools, such as Thiel.” Kaitlyn Herrmann ’26
• “During dinner, we shared the legend of one of our cultural traditions - Groundhog Day, with Ji Hyeon Moon, an international student from South Korea. She is now eagerly awaiting her first encounter with the groundhog who lives under Greenville Hall!” Gary Witosky ’79
• “I was not part of the dinner group this time, but I did enjoy some Domino’s four meat pizza while in my suit! Nothing worth having comes easy, right? I look forward to next week’s meal though!” Ethan Tabaka ’26