The Collegiate: Fall 2014

16
1 FALL 2014 BUILDING A NEW FUTURE... READ ABOUT CLASS OF 2018 | FIRST ® ROBOTICS PROGRAM | NASA’S MAVEN MISSION THE collegiate MAGAZINE OF ST. JOE’S FALL 2014 Kicking off the school year with a fresh new look and an outlook on the next generation

description

The official magazine of St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute.

Transcript of The Collegiate: Fall 2014

Page 1: The Collegiate: Fall 2014

1

FALL

201

4

BUILDING A NEW FUTURE...

READ ABOUT CLASS OF 2018 | FIRST ® ROBOTICS PROGRAM | NASA’S MAVEN MISSION

THEcollegiate

MAGAZINE OF ST. JOE’S FALL 2014

Kicking off the school year with a fresh new look and an outlook on the next generation

Page 2: The Collegiate: Fall 2014

2

ST. J

OSE

PH’S

CO

LLEG

IATE

INST

ITU

TE

MESSAGE from the PRESIDENT

IN THIS ISSUEVOLUME 15 ISSUE 1

4-5 Welcome, Class of 2018

6-7 New Year/New Faces

8 Weight Room Remodel

9 Athletic History & Tradition

10 In the Spotlight: David Mitchell ’80

11 FIRST® Robotic Program

12 Distinguished Lasallian Cirque de LaSalle

13-14 Alumni News & Notes

15 Your Legacy. Our Future.

St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute(716) 874-4024www.sjci.com

PresidentRobert T. Scott, AFSC

Editor & Director of Marketing CommunicationsLatrese Myers

PhotographyLatrese MyersJames McCoy

Contributing WritersBr. Joseph Wilkowski, FSCLindsey DotsonAlexander Eadie ’07

And so … we begin another school year. The freshman Class of 2018 has ar-rived and our upperclassmen have returned for another year of academic excellence, brotherhood and service. The beginning of a new school year – even if you have seen 44 such new years – is the best time to look back and reflect on all that we have accomplished and also establish a vision for where we still wish to go.

As I think back on our extensive history, I can’t help but reminisce about the St. Joe’s of yesterday – the events, the wins and losses, the Christian Brothers and all the many staff members and especially the students who were here and the gentle-men they became. We’ve celebrated wonderful successes and we’ve struggled and met challenges set before us. Remaining faithful to our Founder and to our mis-sion, we use our rich history to help us inspire all who are the St. Joe’s community to continue to learn, to grow and to build upon the wonderful past that has been created for us.

Today, St. Joe’s boasts 812 students who are uniquely different and gifted with a variety of talents. They come from local Catholic middle schools, charter schools, other private schools, City of Buffalo and many different suburban public school districts, and some have been home schooled. We are and will always be a Catholic School, but our students now represent a variety of different faith traditions. Historically, we were populated with German and Italian and Polish students, from the east or west side of the City of Buffalo. Today, they may come from Williamsville or Lewiston or any portion of Western New York, plus some from Rwanda, or Ghana or elsewhere in our global world community. We take pride in our variety of backgrounds and the different talents each of our students brings with him.

St. Joe’s challenges each of our students to excel academically while also encourag-ing participation in athletics, fine arts and other extracurricular clubs and activities. The variety of activities and programming represents the holistic nature of Lasallian education, meant to inspire our young men to find themselves and choose their own path. A young man can find himself within our St. Joe’s community, and grow together with others who – while unique in their own right – are coming to a similar realization. And, in addition, we also encourage our students to share themselves, their gifts and talents – their blessings – with others who may not be as fortunate.

In closing, our facilities are much different and offer more opportunity, and our students represent a wider world view, but we remain true to who we are … to St. La Salle … to our Christian Brothers and to all who have come before us. We are … St. Joe’s! I invite any alumnus who has not been back recently to 845 Kenmore Avenue to come back for a visit.

Live Jesus in Our Hearts … Forever!

Robert T. Scott, AFSCPresident

SJ

Page 3: The Collegiate: Fall 2014

3

FALL

201

4

Over the summer, we did a consid-erable amount of work to bring the St. Joe’s spirit alive from the hallways to the online world.

Thanks to an anonymous gift from an alumnus, the school cafeteria now boasts a life-size Marauder logo that displays school pride during the ever important lunch hour.

The hallway outside of the Ho-gan Gymnasium also got a taste of the new look when the “SJ” logo was proudly added to the floor for students to see with every step of their journey at St. Joe’s.

“Making these additions to our school is important in our brand development. We have a rich history that we’re proud of and it’s important that we communicate our brand with every turn of a corner,” said St. Joseph’s Collegiate Intitute Presi-dent Robert T. Scott, AFSC. “We’re eternally grateful to the alumnus who helped us make these updates and we’re already seeing a huge sense of pride from the current and prospec-tive students, as well as the faculty and alumni who visit the school.”

In addition to the physical updates

that were made throughout 845 Ken-more Avenue, the St. Joe’s website also underwent a remodel of sorts. Our new website includes larger-than-life imag-ery, a user-friendly toolbar for easy ac-cess to information, and tabs dedicated to student, parent and alumni informa-tion. The website also features a social media feed that integrates the St. Joe’s Twitter updates into the homepage.

Visit www.sjci.com today to see our new look! SJ

School Pride from Top to Bottom845 Kenmore Avenue never

looked so good...

Page 4: The Collegiate: Fall 2014

4

ST. J

OSE

PH’S

CO

LLEG

IATE

INST

ITU

TE

WELCOMEClass of 2018!

225 freshmen from all over Western New York packed the halls of 845 Kenmore Avenue this fall.

Isaiah AcostaWilliam Ainsworth

Nathan AtkinsBenjamin Bailey

Samuel BakerKevin Balkin

Jacob BarberioVincent Barile

Jacob BealsJohn Bellia

Mason BenzBenjamin Bigham

John BlumTrey BolingEvan BooneJoseph BurnsJesse Canavan

Matthew CannonJack Capen

Jaleel CarpenterTyler Carr

Stevin Carroll

Jamel CashAngelo CatalanoNico Catanzaro

Jackson ChristianoVincent Christiano IIIZachary Chrzanowski

Charles CollinsChristopher Collins

Thomas ColucciMatthew ConnollyThomas ConwayGarrett Coolidge

Andrew CorraEric Corra

David CosentinoJoshua CostolnickDante Cracchiola

Mark CraftAndrew Crane

Yang CurryPatrick CurtinKellan Daley

Thomas D’AmicoAlexander D’Anniballe

Tyler DepczynskiCharlie DeRose

Brian DeyellRyan DiLeo

Calvin DimmigJoseph Dispenza

Benjamin DiStasioMatthew DobieszKevin Downing

Zachariah DumaisThomas DuniaKevin DurkinDerek Eddo

Andrew ErdmanJae Falbo

Nicholas FalboAndrew Ferguson

Michael Floccare Jr.Trevor Folsom

David Fretz

Spencer FromeConnor FusilierJoseph GajewskiLiam Gallagher

John GalvinMichael Genco

Alexander GennaroPeter Gerace

Luca GiacobbeMichael Gianadda

Patrick GilbertRobert Gilbert

Bryce GiuseppettiDominyc Glabien

Adam GlicaTyler GodesiaboisTheodore GogosChristopher Goss

James GrableRyan Gracie

Andrew GradolphAdam Graff

Benjamin GramzaMitchell Grantham

Dominic GreccoGunnar GrenauerBraiden GuintherNoah HausbeckGregory HazeletJoshua Hennessy

Gavin HerlanQuinn Higgins

Matthew HilleryGarrett HouseCole HudsonJason Inzeo

Charles IvancicAndre Jackson Jr.

Justin JenneveJames JohnsonJeremy JohnsonPatrick JohnsonNicolas JulianCollin Kemp

Page 5: The Collegiate: Fall 2014

5

FALL

201

4

Domenic KershnerAndrew Kirchgessner

Kyle KirschNathan Kohler

Maxwell KrajacicJordan KrzywickiJonathan KubiakJohn Kwarciak Jr.

Larry Livingston Jr.John Lomeo

Vincent LoTempioJared Maloney

Andrew MankowskiNicholas ManningJoseph Marciniak

Todd MarzecNolan Mathur

David MatthewConnor McArthur

Joshua MetzDaniel Mikolajczak

Andrew MillerMichael Miller

Alejandro Miller-GonzalezWilliam Minderler

Noah MintonGarrett MistrettaSpencer Mitchell

Salvatore MordinoMark Morlock

Nathan MrowinskiBryce Murphy

Timothy MurphyAlexander MyersSteven Nguyen

Charles NiesciurCharles NoonanKeith Norward

Jack OhleMichael Olsen

Alexander OrgekMassimo OrtolanoTimothy Paglione

Lucas PalmerJoseph Pappano

Michael Pappano

Jacob ParishAlessio Passalacqua

Alexander PatkalitskyDominic Pavone

Grayson PawlowskiJohn Pesarchick

Ethan PetzAdam Pohrte

Braden PritchardJoshua PrygonRobert RaleyGabe RapiniDeclan Rapp

Skyler Reczek-McKnightJacob Riester

Benjamin RinaldoAlexander RineWilliam Ritchie

Joseph RizzoMarquel RobertsWilliam RobertsRobert RobinsonTaylor Robinson

Gregory RodasSean Rooney

Matthew RottarisBrandon RusinCiaran RussellRobert RussellBryce ScheelerShane Scheeler

Thomas SchweigerMatthew Sciandra

Frank SclafaniJohn Seewagen

John SeibertNathan Shanley

Anthony Shilen IIIVikram Singh

Ty SlaugenhouptCameron SochaJacob Stablewski

Thomas StankowskiJacob StobnickiEdward SullivanRyan Sutherland

Nicholas TaboneAndrew Thein

Dakota ThompsonVincent TobiaAndré Torrico

Alexander ValachosLucas Vande Velde

Frederic VinalJames Wagner

Benjamin WeppnerChristopher Werts

Jack Westner Christopher Wittmann

ConnorWolbertJoseph Wood

Preston WoodsMax WoppererKurtis WozniakMichael ZatkosMitchel ZelaskoDavid ZulewskiJohn Zulewski

Alex Zulia

Page 6: The Collegiate: Fall 2014

6

ST. J

OSE

PH’S

CO

LLEG

IATE

INST

ITU

TE

New Year

Mollie RossForeign Language TeacherWhat brought you to St. Joe’s?Ross: I always knew that I wanted to be a teacher. I loved chalkboards, red pens and interacting with people from a very young age. I have worked in many schools, and being in one that carries a mission and also has a great community makes me very happy.What has been your favorite St. Joe’s mo-ment so far?Ross: My favorite moments at St. Joe’s have been the morning announcements. Every day starts with a new song. I like the fact that they play oldies and songs that make you wake up.

Xingyun WuChinese Language & Culture TeacherWhat brought you to St. Joe’s?Wu: I was sent by the Confucius Institute of the State University of New York. However, I would like to say it was Confucius, the greatest educator in Chinese history, who brought me to St. Joe’s. It was him who let me know why, what and how to teach. I also would like to say that it is St. Joe’s, a won-derful school with a long history and rich teaching resources that led me here.What has been your favorite St. Joe’s moment so far?Wu: Getting to know more about St. Joe’s, the teachers and students.

Alex EadieAlumni Relations CoordinatorWhat brought you back to St. Joe’s?Eadie: I am a proud alumnus, so it was a chance for me to return “home” to my alma mater!What has been your favorite St. Joe’s moment so far?Eadie: There are many, but being part of Alumni Weekend was a great experience. Seeing how many St. Joe’s alumni came from far and wide to celebrate their class reunions and re-connect with the school and with each other was awesome to be a part of.

Jessica WrightEnglish TeacherWhat brought you to St. Joe’s?Wright: My love for teaching, my familiarity with the St. Joe’s presence in the WNY com-munity and a little bit of fate brought me to this wonderful school. What has been your favorite St. Joe’s moment so far?Wright: My favorite St. Joe’s moments are the daily interactions I have with my stu-dents, whether they are within the confines of my classroom or around campus.

Latrese MyersDirector of Marketing CommunicationsWhat brought you to St. Joe’s?Myers: I had been working for one of the area’s top advertising agencies, but I was looking for an opportunity to combine my love of marketing with my passion for education. What has been your favorite St. Joe’s moment so far?Myers: The pep rally prior to the St. Joe’s vs. Canisius football game. There was so much school pride in that room.

Page 7: The Collegiate: Fall 2014

7

FALL

201

4

New Faces

Benjamin DaleyLong-Term Substitute Academic Enrichment Center (AEC)What brought you to St. Joe’s?Daley: I felt very strongly that my skills and experience made me a great fit for this job. Little did I know how right I was. St. Joe’s strong commitment to community and whole student education align perfectly with my own educational philosophy.What has been your favorite St. Joe’s moment so far?Daley: The Freshman Overnight. It was a lot of fun to get to know my students on a casual level. Nothing brings people together like a night full of video games and junk food.

Patrick WickPhysics TeacherWhat brought you to St. Joe’s?Wick: A series of events led to me hearing of a job opening at St. Joe’s, a school whose reputation for success had been made clear to me on numerous occasions. That is what got me to the door, but learning about the Lasallian mission of the school, the idea of education for all students and educating the whole student, was what pushed me through and started me on the path that I am on.What has been your favorite St. Joe’s moment so far?Wick: There is nothing more exciting than the first day of school. Getting to meet so many new people, learning new things about them and watching them grow as students as well as young men is amazing and is, I’m sure, what will keep me coming back.

Michelle PulinskiScience TeacherWhat brought you back to St. Joe’s?Pulinski: I’m a product of faith-based education. I always had very high standards for myself and I believe the gentlemen of St. Joe’s should too. What has been your favorite St. Joe’s moment so far?Pulinski: I don’t have one ... I have many! From the moments in the classroom with the students to running into former stu-dents around town, every day is a great St. Joe’s moment.

Brother Joseph Wilkowski, FSCPhysics and Math TeacherWhat brought you back to St. Joe’s?Wilkowski: There was an opening in the Physics Deptartment and answering the need from the brotherhood community.What has been your favorite St. Joe’s mo-ment so far?Wilkowski: It’s hard to pick out one moment. I’ve enjoyed every day that I’ve been back at St. Joe’s, especially the collaboration with Mr. Wick to start the FIRST® robotic program.

Page 8: The Collegiate: Fall 2014

8

ST. J

OSE

PH’S

CO

LLEG

IATE

INST

ITU

TE

Giving back to the community and service to others are important lessons that we teach our students from the moment they walk through the doors of 845 Kenmore Avenue. With that in mind, it’s only fitting that the newly remodeled weight room was made possible thanks to the leadership of St. Joe’s alumni Garrett H. Timms ’92, Nicholas A. Sinatra ’99 and Mark J. Campanella ’99.

The effort to create a state-of-the-art fitness center started back in 2012 when Timms returned to St. Joe’s after a successful career as a professional athletic trainer in the NHL. During Timms’ visit, he stopped by the weight room and immediately knew that this was his opportunity to give back to the school. This was the chance to put those lessons of service to work.

“To put it bluntly, the weight room was behind the times. It needed an upgrade that would offer the students a solid foundation for success,” said Timms. “St. Joe’s gives these students so much, and I wanted to offer them a platform that would help them to develop strength and conditioning techniques that could help them at the col-legiate and potentially the professional level.”

Unveiled at the start of the 2014-15 school year, the weight room is now comparable to fitness centers typically seen at colleges and universities. Equipment for the 1,704 square-foot weight room includes:

• State-of-the art rubber floor mats featuring the St. Joe’s Marauder logo

• Four (4) Powerlift Collegiate Combine Power Racks

• Six (6) Precor Icarian Super Benches• One (1) Pre-Vitality Dual Lat Pulley and Rowing

Machine• Eight (8) TRX Suspension Trainers• 20 Pairs of Dumbbells• Two (2) SPRI Qube Soft Plyometric Boxes• One (1) Precor Functional Training Glide Machine

Timms enlisted the help of current St. Joe’s coaches and staff, as well as representatives from Advantage Sports & Fitness, to design the initial weight room blueprint. Sinatra and Campanella also made significant financial contribu-tions to the remodel and held fundraisers that ultimately made this dream a reality.

“The new weight room was designed in a way that kept function in mind. We’re now able to train larger groups of students at one time. That’s something that we weren’t able to do before. We’re already seeing a significant uptick in the number of students using the space. We can’t thank Garrett, Nick and Mark enough for leading the effort to make this remodel possible,” said Pete Schneider, director of athletics at St. Joe’s.

In addition to upgrading the equipment in the weight room, thanks to contributions from St. Joe’s alumni and parents, two part-time strength and conditioning consul-tants were hired to provide specialized training to students and staff who utilize the weight room. Timms also visits often as a consultant and resource for the students and part-time staff.

“I sincerely want to thank Coach Gilbert, Pete Kennedy ’97, Pete Schneider and President Scott for supporting the effort to make the new weight room possible. With-out them and the financial contributions that were made by parents and alumni, this wouldn’t have been possible,” added Timms.

“We take great pride in building a brotherhood that begins from the moment our students first walk through our doors. Thanks to that brotherhood and our dedicated alumni and parents, we are now able to offer our students top-notch gym equipment that will benefit them for years to come,” said St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute President Robert T. Scott, AFSC. “This remodel was made possible by our people, for our people. We will never forget that fact and look forward to celebrating and sharing this story with future generations.”

Alumni Help Prepare Students for College...

SJ

One Lift at a Time!

8

ST. J

OSE

PH’S

CO

LLEG

IATE

INST

ITU

TE

Page 9: The Collegiate: Fall 2014

9

FALL

201

4

SJ

Alumni Help Prepare Students for College...

St. Joe’s Athletic History & Tradition during Football Season

The 1964 undefeated Championship SJ Marauder Football team. Bottom row L to R: Tim O’Mara, Pete McKee, Bob O’Connor, Mike Neumeister, Matt Paske, Ed Conboy, John Neff.

Middle Row: Mike Ganey, Jim Cavanaugh, John Seel, Jim Gauthier, Bill Bartz, Dave Hunter. Back Row: Tom Cleary, Bob Stoll, Tom Kolber.

On Saturday, September 13, St. Joe’s honored five alumni by inducting them into the Sports Hall of Fame. The ceremony, now in its 21st year, honored Gerald D. Attea ’56, Paul M. Nasca ’86, Christopher J. Nick-renz ’79, Jeffrey C. Senulis ’98, and Michael J. Wyatt ’74. The ceremony was witnessed by over 200 family members, friends, staff and alumni, including 26 current Hall of Famers. At the conclu-sion of the ceremony, everyone was invited outside to enjoy lunch and watch the Varsity football home opener under a special VIP tent. At halftime, the inductees were again recognized in front of the St. Joe’s fans and students at the game. To cap off a great day, St. Joe's pulled out a 30-21 victory over Clarence High School.

On Saturday, September 27, St. Joe’s honored for-mer coach and Sports Hall of Famer Thomas “Tucker” J. Reddington at the Tucker Reddington Memorial Game. Coach Reddington was a fixture at St. Joe’s for 20 years from 1960-1980, and his accomplishments include two undefeated seasons, five league champion-ships, and Buffalo News Coach of the Year Honors in 1967, not to mention the countless young men whose lives he touched through coaching. This year marks 50 years since his first undefeated season in 1964, and 21 members of the 1964 team returned to St. Joe’s to honor him on this special occasion. In a pre-game ceremony before the Marauders took on St. Francis, each member of the 1964 team was introduced by name and position. Coach Reddington’s family, including his

daughters, son Patrick ’80, and widow, Donna, all joined us for the ceremony as well. Donna then received a bouquet of flowers from her grandson Tucker, a member of the current Varsity football team and the Class of 2016. In ad-dition, the men from the 1964 team worked to establish an endowment in Coach Reddington’s name, so that future generations of students receive financial assistance to attend St. Joe’s. The Coach was certainly looking down on his beloved Marauders, as a fumble recovery turned into a touchdown that

sealed a victory for the Maroon and White over St. Francis, 34-30.

Finally, school spirit was on full display on Saturday, October 4, as the region’s oldest high school football rivalry returned to St. Joe’s when the Canisius Crusaders paid their biennial visit. Close to 4,000 people packed the stands for the game, and not even a rainstorm could dampen the spirit of brotherhood among those in attendance. The Alumni Association helped sponsor a special Alumni Tent with concessions, St. Joe’s apparel flew out of the bookstore, and an overall sense of pride permeated the crisp fall air. Although the result on the field was not what many fans were hoping for, the St. Joe’s and Canisius rivalry always seems to bring out the best of what St. Joe’s has to offer in terms of pride and tradition. SJ

9

FALL

201

4

Page 10: The Collegiate: Fall 2014

10

ST. J

OSE

PH’S

CO

LLEG

IATE

INST

ITU

TE

When St. Joe’s graduate David Mitchell ’80 began working with NASA on the Mars MAVEN mission, his daughter was in the second grade. Today, as that team celebrates a successful spacecraft insertion into Mars’

orbit, Mitchell’s daughter is now a junior in high school. It’s a dream that was nearly nine years in the making, but Mitchell will tell you that it’s all been worth it.

The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (or MA-VEN) spacecraft successfully entered Mars’ orbit on Sunday, September 21, 2014, after a 10-month journey. The spacecraft will spend the next several years studying the planet’s upper atmosphere and determining why the Red Planet’s climate changed so drastically over time.

One certainly wouldn’t expect that such a mission would be easy, but Mitchell says that it was the unexpected hurdles that made the MAVEN mission such a rewarding challenge. Those hurdles included the 2013 government shutdown, which could have forced the NASA team to move the launch to 2016 due to a critical 20-day launch window.

“[The government shutdown] threatened to delay years of work that would require us to wait another 26 months before we could attempt to launch the spacecraft again,” said Mitch-ell, who credits his team for making it possible to get MA-VEN back on track just two days after the shutdown began.

Another unforeseen moment happened in January 2013 when an Australian observatory discovered that a comet was projected to arrive in Mars’ vicinity on October 19, 2014, just weeks after MAVEN’s arrival. “The comet had the ability to derail our mission if the risk was too great to launch in 2013,” said Mitchell. “In the end, we did our research to make sure that the space-craft would be safe from comet debris and the launch could proceed as planned. We now have a tremendous opportunity for MAVEN to observe the comet as it flies by Mars. This is unheard of, and an unex-pected benefit to the mission.”

Long before Mitchell took his position as lead proj-ect manager of the MAVEN mission, he was one of seven children whose family was on the move through his father’s service in the Air Force. When Mitchell was five, his family settled in Williamsville thanks to his father accepting a job at Calspan. It was through his father that his love for aircraft, rockets and spacecraft began. On July 20, 1969, Mitchell was at his own birthday party and in the background a radio played announcing that Neil Armstrong had taken man’s first steps onto the moon. It was a day he’ll never forget.

Seven years after Armstrong’s journey, Mitchell enrolled at St. Joe’s. He fondly remembers his time spent in Biology with Mr. Roland and the physics, chemistry and math courses that would come in handy when he studied engineering at the University at Buffalo.

“Beyond what I learned in the classroom at St. Joe’s, what I remember most affectionately is the brotherhood. It was a place where I first learned about being part of something big-ger than you. That’s a lesson that I’ve taken with me through-out all of my travels and live by today. It’s funny, even 34 years later I still have a piece of St. Joe’s with me. In fact, one of my colleagues here at NASA’s Goddard Space Center is a St. Joe’s graduate and was a member of my class. It’s nice to run into him occasionally at the Center and talk about the old days and our hometown.”

On the day of the MAVEN launch on November 18, 2013, St. Joe’s couldn’t stay away from its successful alumnus during this important moment in history. With Mitchell in the launch control room, Daniel Fleming ’14 and current freshman Jake Barberio, along with Mitchell’s family and friends (including three other Mitchell SJCI alumni) were just a few miles away at the Kennedy Space Center watch-ing MAVEN and the Atlas launch vehicle lift off into space. It was a proud moment for the Marauder, his wife, kids, the entire NASA team and Western New York.

When asked if there’s anything else that he would like to add to this story, Mitchell only said this, “Go Bills! Go Sabres! WNY roots do run deep.”

To learn more about MAVEN, visit www.nasa.gov/maven and http://lasp.colorado.edu/maven. SJ

in theSPOTLIGHTA birthday party and his dad set David Mitchell ’80 on a mission that would eventually send him to Mars.

Page 11: The Collegiate: Fall 2014

11

FALL

201

4

ROBOTICS HITS SJCI

Congrats scholars!

R2-D2 has been spotted in the St. Joe’s Commons! Well, not really but St. Joe’s has joined the robotics revolution with its entry in the FIRST® Robotics Com-petition (FRC). FIRST® Robotics is an international organization that sponsors an annual competition each spring between robots built by high school students. With over 5,500 teams internationally, this competition devel-ops engineering and cooperative skills among students in regional and national/international competition.

The St. Joe’s robotics team, named the Alumiboti, enters its rookie season under the leadership of Mr. Pat-rick Wick and Br. Joseph Wilkowski, FSC, two physics teachers who recently joined St. Joe’s. The team consists of over 30 students who are divided into development teams, responsible for electronics, drive train, navigation, fund-raising, and public relations. The robot, driven remotely by a driver and his assistant, will cooperate with two other robots in a contest against another team to achieve a goal. Last year, the objective was to put a large ball into a goal while accumulating points by passing to other robots on the same team. This year’s competition is … Ah, well, we don’t know that yet. We will find out on January 3rd when FIRST®, through a NASA sponsored webcast, reveals the details of this year’s mission.

After January 3rd, the St. Joe’s Alumiboti team will have six weeks to produce a robot that can be driven remotely and that performs on the “playing field.” The robot, all 120 pounds of it, will then compete at the FIRST® Finger Lakes Regional at the Rochester Institute of Technology at the end of March.

MENTORS NEEDED! COME AND SHARE YOUR ADVICE AND EXPERTISE.

If you have an engineering background, or if you are handy with building electronic or mechanical contraptions, and have the inclination and free time to help out in January or February, give an electronic shout-out to Patrick Wick at [email protected].

Make sure to come on down to see our version of R2-D2 roam the halls in the middle of February – it won’t do stairs but ramps should be easy! SJ

St. Joe’s senior Alexander Cambria is the recipient of the 33rd annual Phil

Scaffidi Alumni Scholarship award. The scholarship is presented annually to an incoming senior who best illustrates the spirit and sportsmanship of St. Joe’s alumnus Phil Scaffidi ’74.

Senior Andrew Siaw-Asamoah was recently named a 2014-15 National Merit Scholarship semifinalist. He is among 16,000 U.S. semifinalists. Recipients will be announced next spring.

<<

<<

Page 12: The Collegiate: Fall 2014

12

ST. J

OSE

PH’S

CO

LLEG

IATE

INST

ITU

TE

Ask any of our students or parents what they think about St. Joe’s … you’ll hear things like amazing, awesome, fantas-tic! Those words, and many more like them, are the inspira-tion for Lasallian 2015’s “Cirque de La Salle” theme as we celebrate the outstanding feats of the St. Joe’s community.

Join us under the big top, right here at St. Joe’s, for an incredible evening to delight the senses with a magnificent meal by Oliver’s, extraordinary entertainment, brobdingnag-ian bids led by Cash Cunningham, wonderful student waiters and volunteers, and stupendous alumni, parent and commu-nity support.

Our gala celebration and auction, the biggest fundrais-ing event of the year, is dedicated to student tuition support through need-based financial aid and merit-based academic scholarships.

But this circus comes to town for one night only and is usually an early sell out, so step right up and contact Cathy Greene at (716) 270-4117 or [email protected]. Everything Lasallian can be found at www.sjci.com/LasallianGala, including online reservation and sponsorships forms.

There are many ways to get involved: major sponsor-ships, table sponsors, gift donations, advertising, patrons, attendee or volunteer.

Can’t wait for the fun? Join in the excitement at one of the upcoming gift-gathering celebrations that’s right for you ...

Major Gift & Holiday Wine Tasting at Phillips Lytle LLP @ Canalside December 5th, 6:00 until 8:00pm.

Saturday Morning Gift Drop-off & Breakfast to Go at St. Joe’s Main Office on January 10th, 9am until noon. SJ

2014 Distinguished Lasallian Educator St. Joe’s Campus Minister Deacon William Walkowiak

Receives Prestigious Honor

Hurry, Hurry ... Step right up!Mark your calendar for Saturday, February 7th

The Brothers of the Christian Schools of the District of Eastern North America recently named St. Joe’s Campus Minister Deacon William Walkowiak as one of the Regional (na-tional) recipients of the 2014 Distinguished Lasallian Educator Award.

Deacon Bill is receiving this honor in recognition of his outstanding work and dedication to the spirit of St. John Baptist de La Salle. Prior to his arrival at St. Joe’s in September 2004, Deacon Bill was ordained to the permanent diaconate for the Diocese of Buffalo.

He has an M.A. in Pastoral Ministry. Deacon Bill was instrumental in bringing the Kai-ros retreat program to St. Joe’s and oversees the school’s Christian Ministry Project.

Page 13: The Collegiate: Fall 2014

13

FALL

201

4

IN MEMORIAM

John E. Allen Jr.

Walter P. Duszynski

Raymond P. Eberle ’59

James M. Giancarlo ’65

Thomas Gibbons ’48

JoAnn Hersey

Suzanne M. Jacobi

John W. Knavel ’48

Kelly A. Mirco

Donald J. Morey ’35

John T. Murphy

William J. Shults ’47

Jolene M. Tracey

Thomas F. Tracey

David M. Zak Sr.

1950s

Frederick G. Attea ’57, a partner at Phillips Lytle LLP, was named to a three-year term on the board of Read to Succeed Buffalo. He was also named to the Board of Directors for the Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute.

Paul M. Hassett Jr. ’58 was a recipient of the LaSalle Medal, presented to Canisius College alumni who have made substantial contributions to advance the interests of Canisius. He serves Canisius as the chair of the pre-law advisory council and facilitates law-related internships. He also contributes to the Hassett Family Endowment which

funds the Contemporary Writers Series at the college.

1960s

Robert M. Greene ’62, a partner at Phillips Lytle LLP, was named a Notable Practitioner in Health Care Law by Chambers USA for the third consecutive year.

Kevin W. Spitler ’67 was elected Vice President of the Bar Association of Erie County in June 2014. He will assume the presidency of the 3800-member professional association in June 2015.

Peter R. Reczek PhD ’69 has been named an AAAS Science and Tehnology Policy Fellow at the National Institute of Health in Washington, D.C.

1970s

William M. Collins ’72 was named Vice President of Institutional Advancement at Canisius College, effective August 19, 2014. Collins oversees all advancement functions at Canisius, including fundraising, alumni engagement, marketing, public relations, creative services and website services.

Charles Esposito ’75 was ordained June 15, 2014, as a permanent deacon in the Diocese of Buffalo. He has been assigned as a deacon to SS. Peter & Paul Parish in Williamsville, NY, and also has a Ministry of Charity in the Pastoral Care Office of Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital in Amherst.

Erik R. Grosof ’76 was promoted in May 2014 to Senior Advisor for Special Ops

& Interagency Coordination at the National Transportation Safety Board in Washington, D.C. Additionally, he oversees the NTSB’s Response Operations Center which is manned 24/7. He has been with the Board since 1997.

Brian S. Meyer ’77 has been appointed News Director at WBFO 88.7FM, the NPR radio station in Buffalo. Meyer is an award-winning journalist whose 33-year career included stints at The Buffalo News and WBEN Radio. He was inducted into the Buffalo Broadcast Hall of Fame in 2010.

Louis M. Augello ’79 was promoted to National Manager for Auto Business Operations Planning for American Honda Motor Co. in Torrance, CA. He has been with American Honda for over 21 years and resides in southern California.

1980s

William J. Maggio ’80 was named to the Board of Trustees at the Burchfield Penny Art Center.

Michael W. Kier ’81 was named Vice President – General Counsel of Global Compliance and Litigation for the ACCO Brands Company, in Lake Zurich, IL.

Richard Spiller ’82 was named accounting manager of the Niagara Falls tourism and marketing group at Niagara Tourism and Convention Corporation.

Richard M. Argentieri ’86 was promoted to Vice President of Commercial Sales at Independent Health.

Dr. David P. Hughes ’86 has been named Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Kaleida Health. Hughes was previously Senior Vice President and Chief Clinical Integration Officer for Kaleida Health.

Daniel P. O’Neill ’89 was named Vice President of the Board of Directors for Summit Educational Resources. He was also named President of LeadingAge New York’s Nursing Facilities Cabinet, which plans programming and public policy agendas. Dan continues to serve as President and CEO of Beechwood Continuing Care.

1990s

Henry W.J. McWilliams ’90 has been permanently appointed as the Chief Financial Officer – Chief Operating Officer for both UBMD Family Medicine and UBMD Internal Medicine.

Timothy S. Kuryak ’91 was nominated by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for a 2014 Emmy Award in the category of Outstanding Structured Reality Series, for his work as Executive Producer on the hit TLC show, “Who Do You Think You Are?”

Matthew J. Higgins ’92 published Bird Dream: Adventures at the Extremes of Human Flight in July. The nonfiction book from The Penguin Press has received starred reviews from Library Journal and Kirkus.

2000s

Timothy J. Altieri ’00 opened his own law firm, Altieri Law Firm, PA in Cape Coral, FL. focusing

ALUMNI NEWS& notes

Page 14: The Collegiate: Fall 2014

14

ST. J

OSE

PH’S

CO

LLEG

IATE

INST

ITU

TE

on Criminal Defense, Personal Injury and General Civil Litigation. Altieri was formerly an Assistant State Attorney (Assistant State Prosecutor) in the 20th Judicial Circuit of the State of Florida. He is admitted to practice law in Florida and New York.

Philip D. Badaszewski, PhD ’01 completed his PhD in College Student Affairs Administration at the University of Georgia in May 2014. His dissertation focused on positive masculinity development in college men. In August 2014, he began a position as Assistant Director for Academic Initiatives at the University of Pittsburgh.

Joseph P. McGovern ’02 recently completed eight years of service in the US Army. He is currently attending graduate school at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology in pursuit of an MBA.

Derek D. LaClair ’03 recently graduated from the Johnson School of Business at Cornell University with an MBA and a minor in Real Estate. He accepted a position within M&T Bank’s Executive Associate Program in Buffalo.

Daniel P. Misko ’03 was promoted to Major Account Sales Director for Western New York and Erie, PA, at Com-Doc Inc.

James J. Wright ’03 released an instrumental album entitled Inward Looking Outward on Ropeadope Records. Reviews of the album call it a “powerful”

debut, while Wright himself is referred to as a “one of a kind musician.” Wright is the Music Director at the University of Notre Dame’s Basilica of the Sacred Heart.

Stephen M. Elardo, PhD ’04 successfully defended his PhD in Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of New Mexico in July 2014. His dissertation focused on the thermal and magmatic evolution of the Moon. He currently works as a post-doctoral research associate at the Geophysical Laboratory, a branch of the Carnegie Institution for Science.

Ryan J. Campagna, MD ’06 graduated from The Ohio State University Medical School in May 2014. Dr. Campagna started his general surgery residency at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, IL, and plans to become a cardiothoracic surgeon.

Ian C. Leberer ’06 graduated from the Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry in May 2014 as a Doctor of Optometry. He will practice optometry at Visualeyes in Amherst, along with his father David J. Leberer ’73 and his uncle Daniel R. Leberer ’75, who own the business.

Matthew J. Rung ’06 was named the First Assistant Coach of the University of Washington Huskies men’s crew team. He was most recently the First Assistant Coach for Cornell’s men’s lightweight crew. He also coaches the U.S. Women’s

Under-23 National Team.

Daniel R. Warner ’06 accepted a job in the Office of Institutional Advancement at Canisius College as a Leadership Gift Officer. He has moved back to Buffalo from Syracuse.

Patrick Madia ’07 was named the Head Varsity Volleyball Coach at Mount Mercy Academy in Buffalo.

Matthew P. Tracey ’07, a graduate student at the University of Pittsburgh, received a Technology Collaboration Award at the 18th Annual Merck Technology Symposium. Tracey and Dr. Kaz Koide have been collaborating with Merck Research Laboratories to expedite trace palladium analysis in the production of pharmaceuticals.

Brendan J. R. Murphy ’08, who attended Canisius College and helped the Golden Griffins win a MAAC title in 2012, represented Belgium at the 2014 FIL World Championships of Lacrosse in Denver, CO, in July 2014.

2010s

Joshua D. Jakson ’10 was promoted from digital technician to lead digital research developer at Evolution Dental Science in Cheektowaga.

Joseph R. McHenry ’10 graduated from George Washington University in May 2014 with a bachelor’s degree

in International Relations. He has entered the Dominican Friars as a novice in the Eastern Dominican Province, whose patron is St. Joseph, and he has taken the name Brother Barnabas Marie.

Jacob B. Roberts ’10 was hired as a software developer at Google in California.

Marc M. Montana ’11 set a Buffalo State College football record by kicking a 49-yard field goal to give the Bengals a 51-48 win in overtime over Cortland on September 6, 2014.

STAY CONNECTED.Share your professional,

academic or personal

updates and stay

connected to alumni

around the world!

Contact Alumni Relations

Coordinator Alex Eadie ’07

at [email protected] to be

included in the next issue

of The Collegiate!

SJ

Daniel J. Didas ’06 married Sarah L. Willet on June 28, 2014. Robert L. Emblidge ’07 married Kara Wyskiewicz on July 28, 2014.Michael P. Slon ’88 married Holly Vradenburgh in July 2014.

Jeffrey T. Bagley ’01 and his wife, Jenny, welcomed daughter McCorrie Louise Bagley on August 21, 2013. Jeffrey, Jenny and McCorrie reside in the Town of Tonawanda. Jeffrey is currently a law clerk to U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny.

weddings: births:

Page 15: The Collegiate: Fall 2014

15

FALL

201

4

Your legacy. Our future.

At the heart of St. Joe’s is our mission to provide a broad and balanced, human and Christian education, focusing on each of our students’ unique talents and fostering a commitment to academic excellence, service and leadership in the global community. Within this mission, we strive to carry out the vision of our founder, St. John Baptist de La Salle, who devoted his life to educating the poor and underserved. When you include a gift to St. Joe’s in your estate and financial plans, you are directly keeping our mission alive, ensuring that a St. Joe’s education remains affordable and accessible.

One of the best ways to ensure that St. Joe’s continues its mission is by making a planned gift. Planned Gifts play an im-portant role in maintaining St. Joe’s Community of Excellence and ensuring that future generations will continue to achieve excellence. Supporting a scholarship or creating an endowment leaves a lasting impact on students, the school and the entire St. Joe’s family. When you include a gift to St. Joe’s in your estate and financial plans, you demonstrate your faith in the im-portance of a Lasallian education.

St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute established the John J. Barden Legacy Society to recognize alumni and friends who have included St. Joe’s in their estate planning. There are many ways to make a gift to St. Joe’s, which will not only benefit the school, but you and your loved ones. Planned gifts give you options for making your charitable gifts in ways that may allow you to reduce your income tax and/or avoid capital gains tax, diversify your investment portfolio and leave a charitable legacy for future generations.

Remember, your planning helps with our planning. If you already have, or would like to include St. Joseph’s Collegiate in your estate plans, please let us know so you become a member of the John J. Barden Legacy Society and are recognized for supporting the mission of St. John Baptist de La Salle.

If you would like to learn more about membership in the John J. Barden Legacy Society or would like information about an estate gift to St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute, please call the Institutional Advancement office at 716-873-3599. SJ

“St. Joe’s provided me the opportunity to receive a great Christian education and allowed me to com-pete successfully in all aspects of life. The school also imbued in me a responsibility to help others in our community. It has been my sincere pleasure to give back to St. Joe’s, as I recognize the impact it made in my life.”

- Dick Jackson ’59

Planned gifts at St. Joe’s

Page 16: The Collegiate: Fall 2014

16

ST. J

OSE

PH’S

CO

LLEG

IATE

INST

ITU

TE

OUR MISSIONSt. Joseph's Collegiate

Institute (SJCI) is a Catholic, independent

college-preparatory high school educating young

men of diverse backgrounds in the

tradition of St. John Baptist de La Salle. Through a

broad and balanced, human and Christian education,

SJCI guides the development of each

student's unique talents, fostering a commitment to

academic excellence, service and leadership in

the global community.

A C o m m u n i t y o f E x C E l l E n C E

ST. JOSEPH’S COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE

845 Kenmore AvenueBuffalo, NY 14223-3195

Address Service Requested

NON-PROFITORGANIZATION

U.S. POSTAGE

P A I DBUFFALO, NY

PERMIT NO. 83

PARENTS: If The Collegiate is addressed to a son who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please clip the address label and return it with the correct address to:

St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute, Attn: The Collegiate, 845 Kenmore Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14223

SANTA TO VISIT ST. JOE’S Alumni Association brings St. Nick to 845 Kenmore Avenue - and you’re invited!

Old St. Nick will be visiting St. Joe’s on Saturday, December 13 from 9-11 a.m.! Bring your children for snacks and activities with the elves, as well as a personal chat with Santa himself. Each child will be photographed with Santa and receive a small gift.

Your kiddo will find his or her name in Santa’s Naughty or Nice book ... with your help. When you complete the pre-registration form (www.sjci.com/breakfastwithsanta), your answers will determine if they were good for goodness’ sake! That form will also provide Santa with a little informatio about your child.

Register today! Space is limited. Please, no walk-ins; we want to make sure your children are in the book!All we ask in return is a gift of canned goods for the St. Joe’s Food Basket drive. If you have questions or need additional information, con-tact Alexander Eadie ’07 at 716-270-4142 or [email protected].

We hope to see you there!