Report of the President of King's College 2011-12

September 10, 2012 -For the third consecutive year, King’s College has been recognized as among the best master’s degree granting institutions in the country in a national ranking which recognizes higher learning institutions for service to the community and social mobility of the student body.

The rankings appear in the September/October issue of “Washington Monthly” magazine as part of a cover story titled “2012 College Rankings: A Different Kind of College Ranking.”  The rankings were based on three evenly weighted selection criteria; social mobility, service, and research.

King’s ranked in the top fifth (138^th) of almost 700 “master’s universities” in the United States in the rankings and placed seventh in Pennsylvania.  King’s and the University of Scranton (187^th) were the only local institutions ranked in the top 200.

King’s ranked 11^th nationally from among 682 institutions in the master’s degree category for community service participation and hours served, one of five areas that comprise the service to the community aspect of the survey.   During the 2010-2011 academic year, King’s students combined for more than 174,000 service hours. The student service hours do not include the efforts of many King’s faculty, administrators, and staff members who participated alongside students in service activities and academic service learning.

“The King’s Community values its consistent placement in these rankings because it reflects the dedication of our students to serving those less fortunate and also the impact a King’s education has on their lives after graduation,” said Father John Ryan, C.S.C., college president.

A Catholic College Sponsored by the Congregation of Holy Cross

October 17, 2012 – A traditional Red Mass was celebrated recently in the King’s College Chapel of Christ the King. The Mass is held annually on the same day as the opening session of the United States Supreme Court to invoke God’s blessing upon members of the legal profession, including members of the King’s College community and the Wilkes-Barre Law and Library Association. A Red Mass has been hosted at King’s since 2002.

The name “Red Mass” comes from the color of the vestments worn by the presider and co-celebrants, the scarlet robes of attending justices, and the gowns of law professors.  Members of the Luzerne County legal community attended the Mass and luncheon that followed.

Members of the local legal community participating in the Red Mass at King's College were, seated from left:  Rev. John J. Ryan, C.S.C., President, King's College; King's College student representatives David J. Buckman and Nicole T. Buckman; and Joseph M. Cosgrove, former Court of Common Pleas Judge of Luzerne County.

Standing:  Atty. Richard C. Shiptoski, Adjunct Professor, King's College; Atty. Joseph S. Falchek, Professor, King's College and Chair, Red Mass Committee; Rev. Thomas Looney, C.S.C., Director of Campus Ministry and College Chaplain, King's College; Deacon John E. O'Connor;  Atty. Joseph F. Saporito, Jr., President, Wilkes-Barre Law & Library Association; and Atty. Joseph P.J. Burke, III, Secretary/Treasurer, Wilkes-Barre Law & Library Association.

King’s College is a Catholic College sponsored by the Congregation of Holy Cross.

October 16, 2012 - King’s College and the University of Notre Dame have reached an agreement on a dual degree program in engineering in which students will earn a bachelor’s degree in one of three academic disciplines from King’s and a bachelor’s degree in one of six engineering disciplines from the University of Notre Dame after five years of study.

The 3-2 program agreement joins two of the flagship institutions of higher education sponsored by the Congregation of Holy Cross in an academic affiliation and offers students an opportunity to obtain degrees from both a quality liberal arts institution and from one of the foremost research institutions in the United States.  All of the engineering degree programs at the University of Notre Dame are accredited by The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).

Students will spend three years at King’s College taking mathematics, science, pre-engineering and liberal arts courses, and then transfer to Notre Dame for two years to complete engineering courses in their chosen field. Upon successful completion of the 5 year program, students will receive both a Bachelor of Science from King’s College (in Physics, Chemistry, or Computer Science) and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from Notre Dame (in Aerospace, Chemical, Civil, Computer, Electrical, or Mechanical Engineering).  Since some of the courses taken at Notre Dame will fulfill King’s degree requirements, students will be conferred their degree from King’s upon successful completion of the program at Notre Dame.

The engineering affiliation allows King’s College an opportunity to address the shortage of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) graduates from U.S. colleges and universities.

King’s students who have achieved a minimum grade-point-average of at least 3.3 (4.0 scale) will be granted admission to the University of Notre Dame.  Those students who achieve a grade-point-average of 3.0 to 3.3 will be considered if they have a strong recommendation from the relevant department chair at King’s.

The affiliation agreement is the result of work by the Pre-Engineering Committee at King’s.  Members of the committee include Nick Holodick, vice president for academic affairs; Joseph Evan, associate vice president of academic affairs and dean of the faculty; Teresa Peck, associate vice president for enrollment and academic services; Paul Lamore, associate professor of management and program coordinator; Kristi Concannon, associate professor of physics; Dan Ghezzi, associate professor and chair of the mathematics department; Maria Jump, associate professor of computer science; Brian Mangan, associate professor and director of the environmental science program; and Brian Williams, professor and chair of the chemistry program.

A Catholic College Sponsored by the Congregation of Holy Cross

October 19, 2012 – Elizabeth Rafter has been named Learning Disabilities Coordinator at King’s College. As a member of the College’s Academic Skills Center, she is primarily responsible for working with students enrolled in the First Year Academic Studies program. The program assists King’s students in all aspects of college life, including time management and research skills, test preparation, and assistance in developing self-advocacy.

A native of Southern New Jersey, Rafter graduated from King’s in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in history and secondary education. She earned a master’s degree in higher education counseling and student affairs from West Chest University of Pennsylvania.

Prior to her return to King’s, she held several positions assisting students on different levels of the autism spectrum. She was also a graduate assistant in the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities at West Chester University and the Office of Student Leadership and Activities at Saint Joseph’s University, and an intern in the Academic Advisement Office at Camden County College.

Elizabeth Rafter

King's College is a Catholic College sponsored by the Congregation of the Holy Cross.

October 31, 2012 – King’s College will present a series of on-campus events as a part of the Hunger for Justice Week, Nov. 12-18.

There will be events throughout the week designed to remind students of those who are homeless and starving around the world.  Students will be involved in events including a 60-hour homeless experience, dance party at Ruth’s Place Women’s Shelter, Hunger Banquet, and CEO food distribution service project.

The public may also participate in some events such as a video presentation of “Poet of Poverty,” King’s Got Talent, and a candle light vigil.

To volunteer or for more information, contact Kimberly Fabbri at (570) 208-5900 at ext. 5915.

King's students will once again participate in the 60-hour homeless experience in Monarch Court, beginning at 9 a.m. Monday, Nov. 12.  Funds raised will be donated to local shelters.

King’s College is a Catholic College sponsored by the Congregation of Holy Cross.

October 31, 2012 – Eighty-two students from the King’s College, William G. McGowan School of Business participated in the Eighth Annual McGowan School of Business Forum held recently at the Union League of Philadelphia.

The Forum, which is held on a rotating basis in New York City, Philadelphia, and Wilkes-Barre, provided the students mentoring and networking opportunities with 35 King’s alumni and other professionals, followed by a dinner and a presentation on ethics and social responsibility.

This year’s keynote speaker was Rev. James M. Lies, C.S.C., Ph.D., vice president for mission and associate professor of psychology at Stonehill College in Easton, Mass. Prior to joining Stonehill College, Fr. Lies served as executive director of the Garaventa Center for Catholic Intellectual Life and American Culture and assistant professor of psychology at the University of Portland. 

Like King’s, Stonehill College and the University of Portland are educational institutions sponsored by the Congregation of Holy Cross.

The Forum is underwritten by, among others, the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund, Inc., and corporate sponsors including Hahnemann University Hospital, pwc (PricewaterhouseCoopers), CohnReznick , and IBM. In addition, students received generous individual sponsorships from alumni and friends of King’s College.

The William G. McGowan School of Business is accredited by AACSB International, which represents the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide.

Pictured at the King’s College MSB Forum, standing row 1 from left: Dr. Joan Blewitt, MSB Forum coordinator. Row 1, seated: Kyle Knigge, Marie Allen, Meagan McRoberts, Lauren Wenner, Abby Mayernik, Crystal Simile, Erin Holcomb, David Abdalla, Paul Chiorazzi, Ryan Powers, Robert Kopycienski, Anthony Koder, and Carl Santoro.

Row two: Ryan Cordingly, Lindsi West, Laura Panzitta, Alysha Emelett, Anna Scutt, Alicia Higgs, Nicole Buckman, Pasquale Romano, Molly Dahl, William Rehders, Leonard Fox, and Tim Marchetti.

Row three: Lorie Lopez, James Lanahan, Mariah Grabinski, Adam Kudlacik, George Dilger, Kyle Garon, Dan Sheridan, Kyle Haduck, Eric Stanfield, Joseph Groblewski, Laurie Shevock, and Thomas Maloney.

Row four: Jenna Weisenborn, Michael Tavani, Brittany Newell, Cynthia Bodden, Elizabeth Stahl, Lauren Parrish, Amanda Zieba, Ashley Canfield, Andrew Tuminello, David Cipriani, Joseph Foreman, and Denis Rice.

Row five: Cody Jackson, Amanda Lescowitch, Kyle Carruthers, Eric Hess, Thomas Rowley, Joe Dorbad, Mikhail Boris, Anthony Corigliano, Evan Crisman, and Matt Henry.

Row six: Alexandra Mazaleski, Colleen Barr, Caitlyn Ferry, Andrew Agustini, Chris Prater, Blair Costantino, Ali Abualburak, Jillian Pamlanye, Sarah Costa, Will Grabinski, and Al Trinisewski.

Row seven: Rich Acierno, Mike Santiago, Michon Dinwoodie, Erin McLin, Patricia Manning, Katy Warwick, Anthony Varrone, Michael Daly, Christopher Sharry, Preston Balavage, Paul Snarski, and Kyle Hammonds.

King’s College is a Catholic College sponsored by the Congregation of Holy Cross.

The King’s College Theatre Department will present Tom Stoppard’s comedy “Arcadia” at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 14-17 and Nov. 17 at 2 p.m., in the George P. Maffei II Theatre.

Winner of the 1995 New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Play, “Arcadia” is set in an English country house in the years 1809-1812 and the present day. The story follows two modern scholars whose lives are intertwined with the lives of the people who lived in the elegant estate 180 years earlier.

In 1809, gifted teenager Thomasina Coverly studies with her tutor Septimus Hodge, who is a friend of Lord Byron. In the present, writer Hannah Jarvis investigates a hermit who once lived on the grounds, while professor Bernard Nightingale studies a mysterious chapter of Lord Byron’s life. As their investigations unfold, questions of Thomasina's lifetime are gradually revealed.

The production of “Arcadia” features a cast of 11 students, including local actors Brandi George, Emmaus (Hannah Jarvis); Kyle McCormack, Mountain Top (Valentine Coverly); D.J. Nat, Plains (Erza Chater); Drake Nester, Emmaus (Septimus Hodge); Thomas Taraszewski, Pocono Summit (Captain Brice); and Lukas Tomasacci, Shickshinney (Richard Noakes).

The George P. Maffei II Theatre is located in the Administration Building on North River Street. Tickets are $12 for general admission and $7 for non-King’s students and senior citizens.  For more information or to reserve tickets, call the box office at (570) 208-5825 or e-mail boxoff@kings.edu. 

Rehearsing for King’s theatre production of Tom Stoppard’s comedy, ‘Arcadia’, pictured from left, are: Brandi George, Nick Klem, Drake Nester, and Cara Medwick.

King’s College is a Catholic College sponsored by the Congregation of Holy Cross.

As a result of a gift to King’s College from area natives Carmen and Sandra Maffei, the theatre at King’s College has been named in honor of their late son, George P. Maffei, II, a 1979 graduate of King’s, and an endowment has been established in his name to provide a student scholarship.

The scholarship will be awarded annually to a “student interested in participating in theatre productions.”  The first recipient of the scholarship will be named this fall.

Maffei graduated from King’s with a bachelor’s degree in English.  He was very active in the theatre his junior and senior years at King’s, participating in six productions between September 1977 and April 1979.  He acted in plays by Aristophanes, Anton Chekov, Shakespeare, and William Inge.  He also portrayed the huntsman in a Children’s Theatre Production of “Cinderella” sponsored by the Women’s Junior League.

His largest role was in the spring 1979 production of Georges Feydeau’s farce “A Flea in Her Ear.”   According to published reviews, "George Maffei is brilliant as Camille Chandebise, a gentleman with a speech impediment.  Young Maffei brillantly carries off his part under the coaching and direction of J. Gerald Godwin.  He does it with class and provided many of the night’s laughs.”

He went on to earn his law degree from Southwestern University School of Law in Los Angeles and participated in community theatre while in California from 1980 through 1984.  He also directed a law clinic for Actors Guild members at Southwestern and was a volunteer for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Maffei relocated to Florida in 1985 and began his own law practice specializing in entertainment law.  He died in an automobile accident in Pompano Beach, Florida, in September 2008.

Carmen Maffei is a 1956 graduate of King’s and a retired attorney.  He and Sandra reside in West Pittston.

“As a student, George was happiest when he was participating in a theatre production,” his parents said.  “The passion, joy and satisfaction that he derived was obvious.  Both of us feel, and at times George agreed, that he was sorry he had not pursued theatre as his vocation.  We are extremely happy and proud that other students will have the opportunity to experience the same passion and joy from the theatre that George cherished.”

“The theatre program has long been a staple of King’s College,” said Father John Ryan, C.S.C., College president.  “The theatre attracts students from a wide range of academic majors and their experiences haveproven to be a treasured part of their liberal arts education at King’s.  George Maffei II is a true example of how the theatre program at King’s enhances students’ experiences and remains a fond memory long after graduation.  We are indeed grateful to Carmen and Sandra Maffei for their generous gift, which will memorialize their son’s love of his theatre experience at King’s and help support the continuation of the program for the benefit of current and future students.”

George Maffei’s King’s senior portrait

Maffei (far left) in “Taming of the Shrew”

A Catholic College Sponsored by the Congregation of Holy Cross

King’s College recently hosted its annual Legal Career Day which involved approximately 100 juniors and seniors from six local high schools.

The students, who have an interest in the legal profession, heard presentations from King’s faculty and student representatives involved in the Pre-Law Program, as well as local attorneys Joseph Cosgrove and Jane Acri.

Students from GAR, Holy Redeemer, Meyers, Hanover Area, Nanticoke Area and Montrose Area high schools attended the event.

Legal Career Day started in the 1980s by the late Dr. Donald Buzinkai, Professor and founding Chairman of the Political Science Department at King’s.

A Catholic College Sponsored by the Congregation of Holy Cross

Pictured, from left, are Legal Career Day participants local attorneys Joseph Cosgrove and Jane Acri; Joseph Rish, associate professor and chair of the political science department at King’s and pre-law advisor; and Ian Oakley, a King’s senior and President of Pre-Law Society.

Members of King’s College’s Sports Medicine Society, along with members of the department’s faculty, recently took part in the eleventh annual “Trick-or-Canning” food drive.

Members of the group, dressed in Halloween costumes, collected more than 1,200 non-perishable food items from neighborhoods in Kingston and Mountain Top to be donated to St. Vincent dePaul Kitchen. This year’s community service effort marked a record total of goods collected.

King’s College is a Catholic College sponsored by the Congregation of Holy Cross.

Members of King’s Sports Medicine Society and Athletic Training faculty members who participated in this year’s “Trick or Canning” food drive are, kneeling from left: Luke Beermann, ATEP student; Annemarie Guest, vice president, sports medicine society; and Steven Davi, president, sports medicine society. Standing: Anne Erndl, secretary, sports medicine society; Jonathan Filipe, treasurer, sports medicine society; Kaitlyn Clegg, historian, sports medicine society; and faculty co-advisors Timothy Kulpa and Ryanne Ziobro.

Five King’s physician assistant studies students have beenselected to receive educational assistance grants made possible by a five-year federal grant awarded to the College in 2010.  Funds from the grant are allowing King’s to expand its physician assistant studies program by up to five students per year through 2015 to meet the growing national need for primary care providers.

The students, who can receive the assistance funds for up to two years, are Emily Buchman, Melanie Call, Tammy Frost, Madeline Schiminger, and Julia Zafia.

The students are the second group to benefit from the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Expansion of Physician Assistant Training Program under the Affordable Care Act.

The $990,000 award was one of 32 grants awarded to Physician Assistant training programs in the United States and was the largest of four given to Pennsylvania institutions.  The program is designed to provide patients greater access to preventive and consistent medical care under the Affordable Care Act and to help address a predicted national shortage of medical professionals, especially in areas designated by the federal government as Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Areas.  There are 164 such areas in Pennsylvania, including 23 in Luzerne County.

The Physician Assistant Program was established at King’s as a certificate program in 1975.  Since then it has graduated more than 850 students and has grown into a combined five-year bachelor’s and master’s degree program for King’s students and a two-year master’s degree program for professional phase students who earn a bachelor’s degree from another college.

The PA program recently received a seven-year reaccreditation from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).  The seven-year term is the longest available from the national independent accrediting body.  King’s is one of 170 ARC-PA accredited programs in the country and one of only 18 in Pennsylvania. King’s is only one of three Pennsylvania accredited programs based at a college; most are at universities.

A Catholic College Sponsored by the Congregation of Holy Cross

Photo Ident: Shown, from left, is Diana Easton, director of the Physician Assistant Program; scholarship recipients Tammy Frost, Melanie Call, Emily Buchman, Madeline Schiminger and Julia Zafia; and, Jean Denion, associate clinical professor and academic coordinator of the Physician Assistant Program.

November 21, 2012 – The King’s College choir, Cantores Christi Regis, will celebrate the holiday season with free public performances at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 30, and Saturday, Dec. 1, in the J. Carroll McCormick Campus Ministry Center, located at North Franklin and West Jackson streets.

The 32-member group will perform contemporary and traditional Christmas songs, including “dam Lay Ybounden,” “In the Bleak Midwinter,” “O Nata Lux,” and many traditional holiday carols, such as Silent Night” and “Jingle Bells.”

The concert is part of the College’s “Experiencing the Arts” series. For more information, contact Robert Yenkowski at (570) 208-6044 or RobertYenkowski@kings.edu, or visit the Website at www.kings.edu.

King’s College is a Catholic College sponsored by the Congregation of Holy Cross.

Members of King’s College choir, Cantores Christi Regis, pose during preparations for the 2011 Christmas Concert.

Fifty King’s College students recently travelled to the nation’s capital to participate in the fourth annual Career Day sponsored by the King’s Washington, D.C., Area Alumni Club (KWAC).

The two-day event began with an opening reception.  Twenty-two Washington-area King’s graduates, ranging from the class of 1950 through the class of 2011, hosted the students in their homes that evening.

The program the next day featured 20 speakers, almost half of whom are King’s graduates working in the Washington, D.C., area.  Topics covered in the general sessions included an overview of private industry in the area, applying for a federal job, and career opportunities in the FBI and Veterans Affairs.

Students also had an opportunity to participate in breakout sessions detailing job opportunities in the fields of insurance, financial research, banking, information technology and services, accounting, lobbying, education, law, and acquisitions and contracting.

King’s College is a Catholic College sponsored by the Congregation of the Holy Cross.

Pictured seated, from left, are student participants Tabitha Munlyn, Cassandra Turczyn, Jenny Gonzalez Monge, Kaitlin Murphy, Julie Musto, Amanda Lescowitch, Moria Swartz, Jessica Hildebrand, and Taylor Brainard. Standing, row 1: Allison Baumgartner, Kelsey Mellert, Sarah Scinto, Katheryn Avila, Lindsi West, Jennifer Howell, Olivia Kirk-Jasulevicz, and Kaitlin Bartley. Row 2: Megan Lange, Lisa LaMaire, Kevin Tomaszewski, Jessica Aumick, Neil Keener, Eric Grego, and Danielle Kean. Row 3: Jenna Weisenborn, Jessica McHugh, Kirsten Strauss, Nicole Pierson, Ashley Panko, and Jess Krzywicki. Row 4: Christoffer Dunsmuir, Courtney Doty, James Tribie, Dom Daley, Ryan McGrady, Maureen Kinlan, and Rebecca Taylor. Row 5: Michael Savio, George Dilger, Kyle Carruthers, Steven Parsons, and Melissa Benjamin. Row 6: Kyle Garon, Tommy Armellino, Dave Javick, Brandon White, and Antoine Basquiat.

The King’s College Community recently recognized employees for their service to the College during an annual Patron’s Day Mass held on the Feast of Christ the King.

King’s College employees honored for 20 years of service were Christi Regis Award recipients, pictured seated from left: James Nawrocki, DeBorah Carr, JoAnn Kosik, Laurie Sterling, James Dolhon, and Gregory Bassham. Standing: Robert Ziadie, Kimberly Materna, Thomas Drazdowski, David Glick, Barbara Sauls, and John Pegg.

Twenty Year recipients who attended the Patron’s Day ceremony are, from left: Deborah Kotsur, Kathleen James, and Karen Collins. Absent from photo were: Janice Karpovich, Frank Morgan, Eileen Piekutowski, and Andrew Yaletsko.

Also honored at a post-Mass brunch were employees who are celebrating employment anniversaries ranging from 10-45 years. Those marking anniversaries were: 45 years, Alex Byczkowski, Elaine Klukoske and Sandra Socash; 40 years, Lorna Delaney, Jean Evans, and Thomas Ruddy; 35 years, Brother James Miller, C.S.C., and Fred Sauls; 30 years, Kathryn Barber, Joan Blewitt, Terrence Mech, and Edwin Ockerman; 25 years, Robert McGonigle, Mollie Farmer, Joseph Falchek, and Russell Otway; 15 years, Marian Boscia, Shileen Corbett, Sean Cryan, Susanna Dunn, Kyle Fetterolf, Darlene Gavenonis, Megan Lloyd, Amy Parsons, Teresa Peck, Sharon Sapulak, and Brian Williams; 10 years, Linda Bobeck, Charlene Brojakowski, Kristi Concannon, Michael Earley, Michael Kolinovsky, Michelle Lawrence-Schmude, William Lynn, Paul Martinez, Megan Nicholson, Andrew Orlowski, Denise Sipple, David Sosar, and Lynn Tarnowski.

King’s College is a Catholic College sponsored by the Congregation of Holy Cross.

King’s College employees honored for 20 years of service were Christi Regis Award recipients, pictured seated from left: James Nawrocki, DeBorah Carr, JoAnn Kosik, Laurie Sterling, James Dolhon, and Gregory Bassham. Standing: Robert Ziadie, Kimberly Materna, Thomas Drazdowski, David Glick, Barbara Sauls, and John Pegg.

Twenty Year recipients who attended the Patron’s Day ceremony are, from left: Deborah Kotsur, Kathleen James, and Karen Collins. Absent from photo were: Janice Karpovich, Frank Morgan, Eileen Piekutowski, and Andrew Yaletsko.

The King’s College Early LearningCenter, managed by Hildebrandt Learning Centerandlocatedin Thomas J. O’Hara Hall at King’s, has received a maximum 4 STAR rating as part of the Keystone STARS Program administered by the Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development and Early Learning.

Keystone Stars is a quality improvement program that recognizes child care providers who exceed state health and safety licensing requirements.  A center is awarded from one to four stars based on its staff education, learning environment, leadership and management, and family and community partnerships.  The quality performance standards in each level are research-based, and linked to improved outcomes for children.

In order to participate in the program centers must have a regular license and have had no verified complaints for two years prior to application.

The King’s Early Learning Center became the fifth STAR 4 center in Wilkes-Barre.  Two of the other four Wilkes-Barre centers are also operated by Hildebrandt.

Earlier in 2012, the center earned accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the nation’s leading organization of early childhood professionals.

A Catholic College Sponsored by the Congregation of Holy Cross

Pittston native and 1985 King’s College graduate John Loyack has been named vice president for business affairs and treasurer at his alma mater.

Loyack will be responsible for managing and improving the College’s financial process systems; overseeing the business, human resources, facilities, security and information technology offices; and, coordinating the planning and implementation of all campus construction, renovation and repair projects.

Formerly the president and chief operating officer of CPG International in Scranton, Loyack comes to King’s after serving as president and chief executive officer for Optim Energy, a start-up energy company based in Irving, Texas.

The recipient of a bachelor of science degree in accounting from King’s and an MBA from Lehigh University, Loyack is also a certified public accountant. During the past several years, he has also served on the King’s College President’s Council.  He has also held professional positions with Pennsylvania firms PricewaterhouseCoopers in Philadelphia, Lutron Electronics in Allentown and Union Pacific Corporation in Bethlehem and Omaha, Nebraska.

He is married to the former Suzanne Kmiec, a 1986 graduate of King’s College, and has three children.

A Catholic College Sponsored by the Congregation of Holy Cross

John Loyack

Dear Friends and Members of the King's Family:

Holiday greetings from all of us at King's College. As our students head for home to enjoy the holiday break with family and friends, we are about to complete another successful semester here at King's. There are so many exciting things happening at King's College right now, such as fantastic new programs (like the 3+2 dual degree engineering program with the University of Notre Dame) and impactful improvements and additions to our facilities (like the renovation of the Scandlon Gymnasium and creation of the new auxiliary gymnasium). These important developments improve the opportunities and experiences for our students, current and future.

Of all the wonderful developments and improvements that continue to take place on our campus, none are more important or profound than the personal and individual development of our students. Because of the supportive and nurturing environment at King's, our students are taught not only how to make a living, but how to live. That fundamental concept is as true and important today as it was at the time of our founding in 1946. During this special time of year, a time of reflection and introspection, please know of our sincere appreciation for your friendship, your guidance, and your support.

Best wishes to you and your family for a Christmas season filled with faith, family, and friends.

Peace and blessings,

Fr. Jack Ryan, C.S.C.
President
King's College

Wyoming Seminary junior Ryan Frania of Wyoming will display his creative works in a variety of mediums in an exhibition titled, “Redesigning Reality,” in King’s College Widmann Gallery from Monday, Jan. 7, through Friday, Feb. 15.

Frania has displayed his artwork in galleries at Berwick Hospital, Barnes & Noble Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County Community College, and Citizen's Bank in Forty Fort.  He has won “Best of Show” in the annual Rossetti Memorial Art Exhibit and received awards in other exhibitions, including the Cider Painters of America. He also showcased his works in King’s “Emerging Artists” exhibition.

Frania will discuss his craft during a meet-the-artists reception from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 18, in the Widmann Gallery, Sheehy-Farmer Campus Center, located between North Franklin and North Main streets.

“My goal while creating this exhibit was to explore the ways in which images and styles affect observers,” Frania said. “I use a variety of image scales, compositions, and levels of realism. These works exaggerate the variety among them which also serves as a comparison between them.”

The exhibition is free and open to the public. Gallery hours: Mon. through Fri., 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Sat. and Sun., as arranged. The Gallery is closed on national holidays and during scheduled breaks throughout the academic year.

For more information, contact Michelle Leonard, Widmann Gallery Coordinator, at (570) 208-5900, ext. 5328.

King’s College is a Catholic College sponsored by the Congregation of Holy Cross.

“Enlightenment,” oil by Wyoming Seminary junior Ryan Frania will be on display in the Widmann Gallery at King’s College.

The Reginas of King’s College, a group consisting of mothers of past and current King’s College students, recently presented a check to the College to be applied to a scholarship named in honor of a deceased Congregation of Holy Cross priest who previously served as their moderator.

The Reginas organization was founded in 1948, two years after the College opened.  Named in honor of Mary, Queen of Mothers, the group holds monthly meetings during the academic year.

The scholarship is named in honor of the Rev. Clement Podskoch, C.S.C., who served as the group’s moderator for 30 years prior to his death in 1999.  The scholarship is designated for use by a sophomore or junior King’s student who resides in Luzerne County and exhibits financial need.  The student must maintain a minimum 3.0 grade-point-average.

A Catholic College Sponsored by the Congregation of Holy Cross

Pictured at the check presentation are Reginas members, from left to right Dolores McGeehan, treasurer; Dolores Mirro, Ways and Means Committee; Ann Chaump, financial secretary; Gloria Flynn, corresponding secretary; Regina Hrickhison, recording secretary; Eileen Eustice, and Maureen Finnerty, president.  To the left of Finnerty is Father John Ryan, C.S.C., King’s president; Kim Cardone, director of annual giving, King’s; Father Charles Kociolek, C.S.C., chaplain for the Reginas; and Freddie Pettit, vice president for institutional advancement.