Thiel Happenings

Thiel College students, communication faculty member attend conference in New York City

Students and faculty from Thiel College’s James Pedas Communication Center were well represented at the recent Intercollegiate Broadcasting System awards held March 7-8 at the Sheraton Times in New York City.

+ Read the full story in the newsroom

Thiel College’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program announces clinical site partnerships

Thiel College’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program has secured clinical site opportunities for its students at a variety of respected medical and healthcare facilities across western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio.

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The leprechauns will be busy decorating office doors all across campus next week.🍀 Join in on the fun and spirit of St. Patrick’s Day by nominating a colleague to receive an Irish Blessing! 

• Nominate a colleague to receive an Irish Blessing

For more information, contact Melissa Michael.

Campus Wellness & Benefit Fair is April 10

The Human Resources team and the campus Wellness Center are organizing the annual Wellness & Benefit Fair for April 10 in the Lutheran Heritage Room of the Howard Miller Student Center.

The fair is open to faculty and staff members and students, and includes vendors, benefit providers and campus groups.

Anyone interested in hosting a table should contact should contact Diana Mazur at ext. 2004.

In the past, departments have generously donated some incredible baskets, and organizers are hoping the campus community will again contribute gift baskets. 

At the end of the fair, names will be drawn to see who wins the baskets and prizes provided by vendors, providers and groups. 

Any group/department interested in providing a prize basket, should contact Mazur by March 17.

Baskets should be delivered to the Human Resources Office before 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 8.

The department voted by employees to have had the best basket will win a special prize.

QPR Suicide Prevention Training

On Monday, April 7, from 3-5 p.m. in Stamm Hall of the James Pedas Communication Center, Amanda Milliren, the Regional Service Coordinator for White Deer Run Rehabilitation, will present a Question-Persuade-Refer (QPR) information session. This program aims to educate members of the campus community about the warning signs of suicide and how to intervene if you are concerned someone may be at risk.

Anyone with specific questions about the QPR program, can contact Director of the Counseling Center Melanie Broadwater ’98 at ext. 2754.

Anyone interested in participating should go to http://www.redcrossblood.org/And then zip code Thiel or 16125 to find the Thiel College blood drive.

Student News

Hauser shares long connections to Thiel with Miller Seminar

John Hauser ’71 H’20 was the featured speaker at the March 5 Ruth A. Miller Senior Business Seminar. Hauser is the College Archivist and also served Thiel for many years as the Director of Admissions and as an Advancement Officer.

“John Hauser visited our class to share his experiences in the workforce and his journey as a fellow Tomcat. As a 1971 graduate of Thiel and an honorary degree recipient in 2020, Mr. Hauser shared not only his career journey but also his experiences as a dedicated member of the Thiel community, even earning the honorable title of ‘Mr. Thiel.’” Lexi Brown ’26

“Our class had the honor of welcoming John Hauser, a 1971 graduate of Thiel College, who has dedicated many years to the institution in key leadership roles within Admissions, Alumni Affairs, and Development, contributing significantly to student recruitment, alumni relations, and fundraising. He delivered an insightful presentation on his career journey and personal experiences.” Sam Denu ’26

“Before his speech, Professor Witosky honored John by declaring him one of the three "Mr. Thiels," alongside ‘Doc O’ and Professor David Miller. I couldn’t agree more. During my time in Lambda Sigma, the sophomore honor society that John advises, he was always a welcoming and supportive presence. He is the kind of person you go out of your way to talk to, always making time for others. I was fortunate to sit next to John at dinner, where we caught up on all things Thiel—and, surprisingly, pumpkins.” Josie Gadsby ’26

“John Hauser comes from a ‘Thiel’ family, and Professor Witosky referred to him as one of the only people he will call ‘Mr. Thiel,’ simply because of his deep-rooted history, passion, and connections to Thiel.” Kaitlyn Herrmann ’26

“John Hauser’s roots at Thiel run deep; he is one of seventeen Thiel graduates in his family, and his sister-in-law is one of thirty-two! Thiel was the first and only college he applied to, as he fell in love with it immediately.” Ethan Tabaka ’26

“With 17 members of his family as Thiel alumni, his connection to the college runs deep. He shared historical insights, such as Thiel’s founding in 1866 and its first graduating class in 1874. He also brought in the first Tomcat hat from 1956 and shared traditions like freshmen wearing beanies for six weeks and the freshman vs. sophomore tug-of-war over the river.” Vincent Laribee ’25

“To start his speech, John engaged us with a few trivia questions about our college. I was proud to answer the first question correctly: the year Thiel was established. My dad, a Thiel alumnus and history teacher, made sure I never forgot this fact. Interestingly, although Thiel was founded in 1866, the first graduating class wasn’t until 1874. Next time I see my dad, I’ll have to see if he knows that fact.” Josie Gadsby ’26

“This brings us to my favorite part of his speech, the history of Thiel. He brought in the physical head of the very first Tomcat mascot, it was kind of creepy! He informed us that this has been around since 1956. The next piece of Thiel history he brought in was the freshman beanie. This was a hat the freshman wore when leaving their dorms, and to be able to stop wearing it they had to win the tug-a-war match between the freshman and sophomore boys. This is something that should be brought back! He also informed us of the house mothers that the girls would have in their dorms. How the girls needed permission to leave and would be “campused” if they were out past curfew. It is crazy to think of how times have changed. Overall, Mr. Hauser was one of my favorite speakers so far. He really went out of his way to get to know each of us individually and he shared some pretty cool Thiel stories!” Natalie Pape ’26

“You can tell that he is great at connecting with others; he knew all of the students’ names in the room, just from a simple greeting and handshake. That level of people skills is incredibly admirable.” Kaitlyn Herrmann ’26

“One day while working, he caught a glimpse of a young student worker who was unbeknownst to him, Nancy Gibson. This woman would play a very important role in his life but would not come to fruition until years later…. While still working at Thiel, he reconnected with Nancy, the student he had seen working in admissions years ago. In 2011 the two married, and they continue to advocate for the college and connect with alumni and current students.” Anna Kavulla ’27

“He said the first best decision he made in life was to marry his wife, also a Thiel alum. In fact, he proposed to her on Brother Martin’s Walk. His second best decision was to come to Thiel in the first place.” Ava Kavulla ’25

“He also spoke about his personal life, particularly his reunion with Nancy after 30 years, showing how relationships whether professional or personal shape our lives in profound ways. Additionally, his reflections on college life in the 1960s provided insight into how much academic and social environments have evolved.” Seungyeon Hong ’25

“John also dedicated himself to philanthropy, working on fundraising for Children's Hospital and supporting Thiel through generous donations and scholarships. His legacy of community, relationship-building, and philanthropy continues to inspire future generations.” Shinyoug Kim ’25

“Mr. Hauser praised Thiel and was very thankful for everything he has found here like friends, his wife, and a career.” Zach Johns ’25

“I asked John what his favorite thing about Thiel was, and he replied that it would have to be the people. He said that Thiel has great people involved with it, as students, professors, and staff. He said that one thing he appreciated as a student was that it was clear that the professors loved what they did and did what they loved.” Kelly Oros ’26

“To end his presentation, John talked about some things for us to remember in our personal and professional lives. These things were to be considerate, be nice to others, be resilient, be involved, don’t forget Thiel, find a way to give back, and admit when you are wrong or make a mistake.” Kevin Gilroy ’25

“I have known John for about a year now, ever since I joined Lambda Sigma; considering he is the advisor of Lambda Sigma, I have spent a considerable amount of time with him, and I am grateful for it! John is an incredibly kind and welcoming person who has an immense love for Thiel.” Ethan Tabaka ’26

“John Hauser is someone I deeply admire. He is truly the king of networking, building relationships that last a lifetime. He keeps in touch with people and genuinely cares about their journeys.” Josie Gadsby ’26

“I thoroughly enjoyed when he talked about how connected Thiel is to alumni. Being able to have a family outside of immediate family is comforting and lets me know I made the correct choice in college.” Bryce Stubert ’25

“Overall, John did a great job turning his short notice lecture into a great learning experience. Along with his many stories, he had some great advice for the class.” Derrik Zappa ’26

Lessons Learned

• “You can give back to Thiel, not only by money but by your time.” Jacob Castona ’25
• “Never forget Thiel after leaving, stay connected, cherish the memories, and make it a priority to attend homecomings.” Sam Denu ’26
• “Be involved in your community and local politics. As Dr. Hall says, ‘Don’t be an idiotes (ancient Greek term, which meant a private citizen or someone uninvolved in public affairs)!” Josie Gadsby ’26
• “Don’t forget where you came from and who helped you along the way.” Kevin Gilroy ’25
• “You can stumble upon love anywhere, at any age and point in your life.” Kaitlyn Herrmann ’26
• “Sometimes you must leave a place and come back to it to know in your heart whether it is a perfect fit to spend your life at.” Kaitlyn Herrmann ’26
• “Success is not just about individual achievements but also about meaningful connections with others.” Seungyeon Hong ’25
• “Thiel was very different in the late 60s early 70s,” Zach Johns ’25
• “Get involved in the community and culture of where you are. Seek to have opportunities in areas of service and leadership.” Ava Kavulla ’25
• “Be nice. As a student, be intentional about the Thiel ‘hi.’” Anna Kavulla ’27
• “Be considerate—think of others, hold doors open, and take an interest in people.” Lexi Brown ’26
• “Success comes from treating others with kindness, building strong relationships, and embracing resilience, always maintaining a fighting spirit to overcome challenges and seize new opportunities.” Sam Denu ’26
• “Five important things we should know: Think about people, Be resilient, Be involved, Don’t forget Thiel, Be an influencer.” Shinyoung Kim ’25
• “You can accomplish more as a group than as an individual.” Kelly Oros ’26
• “Make yourself invaluable.” Bryce Stubert ’25
• “Be resilient.” Vincent Laribee ’25
• “Take accountability for your actions; admit when you are wrong.” Ethan Tabaka ’26
• “Utilize every opportunity as a chance to develop and grow.” Kaitlynn Wolffe ’25
• “Don’t burn your bridges.” Jordan Castona ’25
• “Always take the shopping cart back.” Derrik Zappa ’26
• “Thiel is a family.” Jacob Castona ’25

Dinner “Dishing”

• “To commemorate the beginning of the Lenten season, dinner featured a unique spread of romaine lettuce salad and eggplant parmesan over a bed of pasta.” Anna Kavulla ’27
• “The vegetarian dinner was amazing! It was cooked perfectly and tasted incredible. I have a deep love for eggplant parmesan, inspired by my grandfather’s fondness for the dish, and it brought back wonderful memories of sharing meals with him.” Lexi Brown ’26
• “This week was the first week that I got to sit with our speaker for the night. It was nice getting to know the speaker on a more personal level, rather than just listening to their story. Dinner was informative, between Derrik’s pumpkin stories and Mr. Hauser teaching us that the CC in an email stands for carbon copy! This week’s food was my absolute favorite, I love eggplant, and cheesecake is my favorite dessert!” Natalie Pape ’26
• “I had the pleasure of eating dinner tonight with our guest speaker John Hauser. At one point in the dinner, the subject of my giant pumpkins surfaced. It was an interesting conversation with our table, and especially John. John asked many great questions about my hobby and the process of it. I enjoyed explaining some of the processes and procedures that we do to take care of these plants. In addition to our great table conversation, we also had a great meal. The food was very good, and I enjoyed watching some of my friends try eggplant for the first time.” Derrik Zappa ’26

Haller entreprenuer scholarship application available

• Apply online.

The Learning Commons is partnering with the Physician Assistant Studies program to build a tutoring program for PA students.

Interested PA students are encouraged to apply.

• Apply online.
  

Student reminder to fill out the FAFSA