Foundations Spring 2013

A Strategy for Success

R O B E R T M O R R I S U N I V E R S I T Y M A G A Z I N E > S P R I N G 2 0 1 3

Foundations

D E A R A L U M N I A N D F R I E N D S ,

There’s a saying: You can’t improve what you can’t measure.

It’s a philosophy that has animated the career of Norman

Gottschalk Jr. ’67, who received the 2012 Alumni Heritage Award

at the President’s Council Dinner in December. Norm is the president and CEO

of Marmon Distribution Services, Inc., the largest specialty tubular products

distributor in North America.

By all accounts Norm is a data-driven decision maker, a leader who believes, in his words, in

“management by walking around”: talking to employees at all levels of the organization about their jobs,

what they think works and what doesn’t, and what they would do to improve the company.

I’d like to think that Norm’s approach took root while he was an accounting student at Robert Morris.

Norm certainly gives plenty of credit for his success to RMU, as you’ll read on page 8 of this edition of

Foundations. “Everything we have to this day,” Norm says, speaking of himself and his wife, Patty, “our

beautiful children, some of the things we’ve acquired, we all owe to this institution.”

It’s a testament to the high regard in which Norm holds his alma mater that his grandson Brett Carb chose

to enroll here. Brett has lived with Norm and Patty since the death of his mother, who was the oldest of their

four children. Because Norm took all his classes in downtown Pittsburgh, a visit with Brett was his first

time on the Moon campus. Norm says it left quite an impression: “My mouth just dropped. I couldn’t

believe this was Robert Morris. It was so different.”

Brett is now a junior, and the changes at RMU have continued apace, even since that first visit with his

grandfather. We are pleased with the progress we’ve made, though – at the risk of sounding immodest –

not entirely surprised. After all, we charted it all back in 2007 in our five-year strategic plan, which is

detailed for you in a special section of this magazine. Not only did we set goals, we also specified how to

measure our progress, which now allows us to identify the challenges and opportunities that we will

tackle in our next strategic plan.

It’s the same formula that any smart organization follows to grow in a highly competitive industry, to thrive

while navigating turbulent times. Just ask Norm Gottschalk. He might just tell you that he learned it here.

Sincerely,

G R E G O R Y G . D E L L ’ O M O , P H . D .P R E S I D E N T

CREDITS

EDITORMark Houser

CONTRIBUTORS Valentine J. Brkich, Jonathan Potts M'11, Mike Prisuta

ART DIRECTORAmy Joy

PHOTOGRAPHY/ILLUSTRATIONS Front Cover: WaynoBack Cover: Jon SchislerOther Photos/Illustrations: Joe Apple, GlennBrookes, Terry Clark, Jason Cohn, iStockphoto,James Knox, Mitch Kramer ‘08, Michael Will '08

PRINTING Heeter Direct

FOUNDATIONS ONLINE RMU.EDU/FOUNDATIONSDouglas A. Derda

Foundations (ISSN 1934-5690) is published threetimes a year by the Office of Public Relations and Marketing in conjunction with the Office ofInstitutional Advancement and mailed free ofcharge to alumni, donors, trustees, faculty, staffand friends of Robert Morris University. Theopinions expressed in the magazine do notnecessarily reflect the official policies of Robert Morris University.

Contributions to Class Notes and addresschanges may be sent to:Office of Alumni RelationsRobert Morris University6001 University BoulevardMoon Township, PA 15108-1189Phone: (412) 397-6464 Fax: (412) 397-2142E-mail: [email protected]

It is the policy of Robert Morris University to provideequal opportunity in all educational programs andactivities, admission of students and conditions ofemployment for all qualified individuals regardlessof race, color, sex, religion, age, disability, nationalorigin and/or sexual preference.

SPRING}13 Foundations

Foundations online

video exclusives

Welcome Home, John . . . . . . . . 6Legendary coach and Moon Township native John Calipari brought his Kentucky Wildcats to Sewall Center, where the Colonials pulled off the biggest upset in their history.

Learning Beyond the Classroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Find out more about how the university's Student Engagement Program gets students prepared for the world outside the university by being involved in learning outside the classroom.

Executive Report:A Strategy for SuccessIn this special 16-page section, we review the university's performance against its 2007-12 Strategic Plan benchmarks and look ahead to the priorities in the next plan.

Creating a Legacy . . . . . . . . . . . 8Norman Gottschalk Jr. turned a delivery truck route into a college diploma, a successful business career, and now the 2012 Alumni Heritage Award... and a legacy at RMU.

10 Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32When RMU athletes need to work on their muscles, they know it's Hamer time — as in Todd Hamer, their strength and conditioningcoach, who's a former Virginia state champion powerlifter.

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CAMPUS REPORT

2 • R M U . E D U / FOUNDAT IONS

> The Newest Rising StarCorporate communications major Jasmine Tate '13 is the latestrecipient of the Rising Star Award, given to a graduating senior whodemonstrates academic success, individuality, determination, passionand potential. Tate has a 3.8 GPA and has been on the Dean's List everysemester. She is a point guard on the Colonials basketball team, anddespite concussion symptoms last year and a knee injury this yearkeeping her off the court, she's been the team's biggest fan, cheeringfrom the bench at every practice and game.

A self-taught guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter, Tate sang two originalsongs at the President's Council dinner at Heinz Field in December. Sheplans to pursue a career in programming or creative development inmedia, and is the host of an upcoming online talk show, "The Outcry,"on the Christian streaming video website RevTV.com.

>Town and GownMore than 200 students volunteered in Celebrate Coraopolis, a Decemberfestival hosted by the Coraopolis Community Development Foundation.

Events included an elf training academy, a Christmas obstacle course, and awreath auction, while music throughout the day was provided by the Colonial

Glee singers and the band ensemble. All proceeds benefitted the foundation, whichfocuses on emergency relief, community resourcing, and community development.

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>WelcomeAboard

John Beehler, Ph.D., has beennamed the new dean of theSchool of Business. Beehlercomes from the University ofNorth Texas at Dallas, where

he was most recently vicepresident for research, economic

development and public engagement; heis also former dean of business schools atNorthern Kentucky University andWichita State University. A certifiedpublic accountant, Beehler earned abachelor’s degree from Penn State and anM.B.A. and Ph.D. from IndianaUniversity, Bloomington.

Beehler takes over from interim deanPatrick Litzinger, Ph.D., professor ofeconomics and head of the department of economics and legal studies. Theprevious dean was Derya Jacobs, Ph.D.,now RMU vice provost for research andgraduate study.

R O B E R T M O R R I S U N I V E R S I T Y FOUNDAT IONS • 3

>A GoodAccountingThe Pennsylvania Institute of CertifiedPublic Accountants has awardedscholarships to five RMU students:Stephanie Vanscavish,�BrandonGrannas,�Mark Waugh, RachelElder, and KeeganBeemsterboer.Assistantprofessor ofaccounting VickieFratto, Ph.D., helped thestudents in their applications. SeniorMichael W. Wenger was named anOutstanding College Senior by theorganization.

>Hail to the ChiefThe Board of Trustees approved a new five-year contract foruniversity President Gregory G. Dell’Omo, Ph.D., who hasoverseen a historic transformation of RMU’s MoonTownship campus since he was named president in 2005.This latest agreement between Dell’Omo and the boardruns through May 31, 2017.

It comes on the heels of the university's completing its$40 million capital campaign, the largest in RMU’s 91-year history and a symbol of how the university hasevolved under Dell’Omo’s leadership. The campaignpaid for two new academic buildings, contributed toa 63 percent climb in the value of RMU’sendowment, and added 30 endowed scholarshipsand a new endowed research center. Perhaps nothingepitomizes the changing character of the RMUcampus than an almost 60 percent increase in thenumber of students living at the Moon campus duringDell'Omo's tenure. The transformation to a residentialcampus reflects new and renovated campus housing, butalso the increased emphasis on student engagement andcampus life that is at the heart of Dell’Omo’s legacy and isencapsulated in the Student Engagement Program, which you can read more about on page 20.

Dell’Omo also has sought to bolster RMU’s academic reputation, andduring his tenure the university has strengthened its honors program,hired talented faculty, and placed an increasing emphasis on

international education.

recycle this magazineGive it to a neighbor who’s in high schooland help spread the word about RMU.


>Not Just a Dayat the BeachTwo of the "best paper" awards given atthe International Association ForComputer Information Systems annualconference in Myrtle Beach went to RMUfaculty. Jamie Pinchot, D.Sc.and Karen Paullet, D.Sc.,were honored for “What’sIn Your Profile?Mapping FacebookProfile Data toPersonalSecurity Questions";while Jeanne Baugh, Ed.D., and PaulKovacs, Ph.D., received recognition for“Large Programming Projects for theBeginning Programmer." Fred Kohun,Ph.D., spoke on the conference's keynotepanel. Of the 139 papers accepted at this conference — all of which will bepublished in Issues in Information Systems— 24 had RMU affiliations, representing31 different authors.

> It’s a Young World After AllA mural painted at the One Young World summit was given to theuniversity in recognition of its participation in the event, which drew1,300 delegates from 182 countries to Pittsburgh in October. Local artistChristina Todd painted the mural — a large panel featuring the word"love" in 22 languages — during a One Young World session hosted bythe MLK Project. The organization involves Pittsburgh-area youths incommunity beautification projects, and it unveiled a 3-story muralDowntown, facing the Boulevard of the Allies, at the same sessionwhere Todd painted the RMU mural.

Vice provost Derya Jacobs, Ph.D., who hosted a One Young Worlddinner in her home and who oversees RMU's international programs,accepted the mural with President Dell'Omo in December. Editor Mark Houser took part in the planning of the One Young Worldsummit and arranged for RMU to participate in the creation of themural. Jacobs said she will recommend displaying the art in aprominent campus location.

Five D.N.P. students at RMU have receivedJonas Salk Fellowships from The JewishHealthcare Foundation and HealthCareers Futures: Kristen Graziano,Emily Starn, Allison Pavlov, JesseHamitz-Shenk, and GwenHarper. These prestigiousfellowships are awarded basedon the applicants' leadership,clinical expertise, andscholarship potential.

Assistant professor of education VickiDonne, D.Ed., and students TylerLanciotti, Amy Burak, JenniferKuglar, and Ciara Slaiman-Cutone gave a presentation atthe Pennsylvania Councilfor Exceptional ChildrenConference on theclassroom use of appsfor the iPad and other

devices to aid studentswith disabilities.

Denise Ramponi, D.N.P., assistantprofessor of nursing, spoke on suturing,minor office procedures, and chest x-ray interpretation at the PennsylvaniaCoalition of Nurse Practitionersconference in State College. Shealso spoke at the state-certifiedemergency nursing reviewcourse and at the UPMC St.Margaret's certifiedemergency nursing course inAspinwall.

> Movers & Shakers

> FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @RMU FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE NEWS.

> Colonials = TechiesFive doctoral candidates presented research at the Fourth Annual Laurel Highlands Conference on Communications, at a panel on "The Use, Impact, and Implications of Technology in DiverseContexts" chaired by university professor Ann Jabro, Ph.D.Brian Stevens spoke on clinical research, JenniferHarlan on business process management, David Scibelli on business policyon personal devices, MichaelCurran on social media, and KevinSlonka on virtualization in theclassroom. Assistant professor Sun-A Park, Ph.D., and lecturerYvonne Bland also presented at the conference, along with their students.

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>Don't Be aStranger

Fran Caplan, Ed.D., dean of theuniversity library, has retiredfrom RMU after 34 years atthe university. She started in1978 as the Pittsburgh Center

librarian, then came to the Mooncampus in 1986. Caplan earned her

bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degreesat the University of Pittsburgh. Herdissertation in administrative and policystudies in 2003 included a definitivehistory of Robert Morris University thathas been an invaluable resource foruniversity staff.

>Coming on Board

Darlene Motley, Ph.D., associatedean of the School of Business,has been named to the boardof directors of WQEDMultimedia.

> It’s a KeeperSeven media arts students, along with associate professor HylaWillis, M.F.A., will have photos of their work published in thebook Keep Delete, by Andrea Wilkinson, an American designer andlecturer based in Belgium. The book is part of a project in whichdesigners created a permanent piece from a text message. Featuredstudents are Kurt Novack,�Latiyfa Whitehead,�AlenaHarrold,�Ryan Kotar,�Tyler Donovan,�Casey Stephens,and�Anastasia Lanz.

The photo above is by Stephens, a media arts major. "This text wassent to the girl of my dreams," Stephens explained. "We both havea lot of love for each other, but it just always feels like I am inpursuit of an unobtainable woman." >Making

the CaseComputer and information systemsprofessors Gary Davis, D.Sc., and KarenPaullet, D.Sc., spoke at the annual FutureBusiness Leaders of America RegionalLeadership Conference in Hopewell. They

presented forensics topics,demonstrated mobile forensicssoftware, and answeredquestions concerning RMU'snew B.S. degree in cyberforensics and informationsecurity. Nearly 500 studentsfrom 12 surrounding area highschools attended the event.

5

Poor John Calipari. The former Moon Area High School junior prom king had about as awful a homecoming as a person can imagine.

Just one year removed from seeing his Kentucky Wildcats cutdown the nets in the Louisiana Superdome, the legendary coachhad watched his team bumble its way through a lackluster seasonto become one of the very few teams in Division I basketballhistory to miss the NCAA Tournament a year after winning it all.

A top seed in the NIT tournament was barely a consolation forCalipari, and it quickly turned more sour. Kentucky's princelyRupp Arena was booked for the NCAA Tournament first round, sothe "home team" Wildcats would have to come play at the visitors'house, Sewall Center — which has about 20,000 fewer seats.

For the Robert Morris Colonials and their fans, it was a chance toforget a dispiriting home loss the week before that bounced themfrom the NEC playoffs and the NCAA Tournament. For oneimprobable night, an elite program was coming to town, led by ahometown boy, no less. With March Madness fever building butthe tournament still a couple days away, the national mediafocused on Moon Township.

ESPN brought its A-team. A first-time sellout crowd of 3,500 "Packed the Chuck." As far as coach Andy Toole wasconcerned, it was "probably the greatest consolation prize you can possibly have."

Then came tipoff. The crowd roared as the Colonials got the firstbasket. Roared louder as they took a 10-0 lead. Louder still as theunderdogs fought off a Kentucky run and took a 28-27 lead intothe locker room at halftime. And when the Colonials tore ahead by13 in the second, and Sewall's wood bleachers seemed tested to thelimits of their structural integrity, fans began to wonder in thebooming, overheated gym if this was all really about to happen.

Of course Kentucky fought back to tie it in the last minute. Butthen Mike McFadden coolly dropped two free throws for theColonials, and the final three-point attempt by the Wildcats at thebuzzer clanged out. Pandemonium. RMU 59 – Kentucky 57.

And give Calipari credit — the hometown boy with the big-timeprogram was gracious in defeat. "This is a shot in the arm for themand they deserve to win the game," he said. "If we'd have won atthe buzzer, it would have been a shame."

Luckily, that's one "what-if" the Colonials will never have to ask.

WRITTEN BY | MARK HOUSER

PHOTOGRAPHY BY | MITCH KRAMER '08

WELCOME HOME, JOHN

6


He helped turn a nearly broke Butler company into the largest specialty pipe and tube distributor in

North America, and in the process, got himself on the cover of several trade magazines. But none of that makes Norman Gottschalk Jr. '67 light up quite the way he does when he remembers the job

that paid for his accounting degree at Robert Morris.

"I had an orange juice route. And I can still remember the numbers for that. Before I took over, the last guy in the truck was selling 62 bottles a week. When I left, I was selling 230 bottles a week. Whenever I had any time between studying, I would take this bottle of

orange juice and knock on doors, and get people to taste it," Gottschalk says.

"Even though my degree is in accounting, I've always been a salesman."

The president and CEO of Marmon Distribution Services, Gottschalk is the recipient of RMU's 2012 Heritage Award. The university's highest award is given for

distinguished achievement that brings honor upon the alumnus and his or her alma mater.

Gottschalk's company buys large quantities of steel pipes and tubes from mills, keeping it inwarehouses and delivering it overnight to customers in pieces cut to order. The inventory runs the

>> See a short video about the Gottschalks and Brett Carb


Creating a


on Foundations Online.

gamut from enormous pipes big enough to crawl through topieces a person could bend bare-handed, and it is used tomake pumps for oil and gas drills, framing for tractors,tubing for locomotive engines, armor for military vehicles,even material for an artificial heart.

The company has been in an expansion mode sinceGottschalk took over as CEO in 1989. From eight locationsthen, it has grown to 61 locations in the U.S. and Canada. Butdespite his natural gift of salesmanship, Gottschalk decidednot to push too hard with his grandson, Brett Carb, when theyoung man was deciding where to go to college.

"I was worried that he was going (to choose RMU) onlybecause I had gone there and I was somewhat successful,"Gottschalk says. "What happened is, Brett went to a collegefair, and he came back and said, 'The only one that was niceto me was Robert Morris. I want to tour it.' I said, 'Okay, but Iwant you to tour some other schools too.'"

Gottschalk attended classes downtown, so the campus tourtook him by surprise. "My mouth just dropped. I couldn'tbelieve this was Robert Morris. It's a real university. I've beenlucky enough to spend some time with the teachers and Greg(Dell'Omo), and the caliber of the whole school and teachershas really just grown. I'm really proud that I'm even a littlepart of it."

Carb, now a junior at RMU, is perhaps closer than most to hisgrandparents. He has lived with Norm and Pat Gottschalk intheir Fox Chapel home for the last seven years, since thedeath of his mother, Laura — the oldest of their six children.Even in the years before that, he still spent most weeks withthem, since his mother suffered from kidney ailments andcould only manage to care for him on weekends.

LegacyCarb says hisgrandfather,despite hisbusy life asan executive,always made time forhim. "I'm not the best basketball player, butI played basketball in grade school. And he would be outthere every night — he brought a medicine ball — and wewould take shots with the medicine ball. We were alwaysworking on that, getting better."

The Gottschalks' first love is boating, and for many years theyhave enjoyed taking their boat on voyages, whether down theAllegheny and Ohio rivers or sailfishing off the Florida coast.Sometimes it can be a distraction, since grandpa isn't shyabout texting. "I'll be sitting in class at 9:30 a.m. and I'll get 10pictures in the middle of class, and it's my grandpa with afish this big in his lap," Carb says. "And then I'll go back amonth later, and the captain's like, 'We went out last time andcaught some big fish!' And then we'll go out and catch somereally little fish. And I'm like, one day I'll catch my big fish,but my grandpa's probably caught five without me."

Gottschalk says he has appreciated having a child grow up inhis house again, though it's quite different from the first timearound. "Everybody always says grandkids are just so muchnicer than kids. Grandkids are easier. That's probably becauseyou can watch them and give them back," he says.

"We've got a lot of grandkids. Brett's the only one that liveswith us. But you get the same feeling towards Brett — evenwhen your toolkit disappears and you don't know whathappened to it, that kind of stuff — you still have that feeling,you just know that you love him."

"I think maybe it's because you're older, you appreciate itmore. It's better the second time around."

WRITTEN BY MARK HOUSER

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL WILL ’08

1 0 • R M U . E D U / FOUNDAT IONS

EXECUTIVE REPORT

A STRATEGY FOR SUCCESSThis special executive

report is a comprehensivereview of Robert Morris

University's performancewith the conclusion of the

institution's first Five-YearStrategic Plan. The plan,which covered the period2007-2012, focused on

growth and development infive targeted initiatives.

Each of the initiatives isdetailed in the following

pages, along with a mission

statement and measures ofprogress. The report also includes the topachievements at each of the university's fiveschools, as determined bythose schools' deans. Itcontains a detailed look atthe Student EngagementProgram, one of the mostsignificant additions to theuniversity's mission. Finally,it lays out priorities andnext steps as RMU preparesits next strategic plan.

R O B E R T M O R R I S U N I V E R S I T Y FOUNDAT IONS • 1 1

INTRODUCTIONEvery time I address our readers in Foundations, I’m sharing news of yet another university milestone:The opening of new buildings. The completion of

our fundraising campaign. Record-settingundergraduate enrollment.

It may seem like chest-thumping, but the reality is that the previous five yearshave witnessed the most deliberategrowth in the history of Robert MorrisUniversity, a history that has seen theuniversity transform itself dramaticallyjust about once every decade since itsfounding in 1921.

Practically every achievement we haveenjoyed in the past five years is a result of our first strategic plan, which you canread about it in the pages that follow. The improvements to campus facilities,the Student Engagement Program,accreditations and new degree programs,the capital campaign – all were goals weidentified in the plan, and all wererealized thanks to the steps outlined in the plan.

An oft-quoted passage from the Book of Proverbs says, “Where there is novision, the people perish.” I was fortunatewhen I became president to haveinherited an institution of great visionthat had grown from a small school ofaccountancy into a comprehensiveuniversity in scarcely 80 years.

But RMU faced steep challenges. Population decline in the Pittsburgh region, which still supplied the vastmajority of our students, meant fewer and fewer

college-age students. Many of our competitors,including lower-cost state schools, had made significantupgrades in residence halls and academic facilities.And we relied too heavily on tuition dollars for ouroperating revenue.

We also had many advantages, such as a beautiful,spacious campus in a safe, suburban community witheasy access to downtown Pittsburgh. We offered 23NCAA Division I sports – more than Pitt, Duquesne, or West Virginia – including college sports foundnowhere else in western Pennsylvania, like ice hockey.And we boasted a consistently high placement rate forour graduates, among them the leaders of Pittsburgh’sforemost employers.

The overriding question we faced, that anyorganization faces, was how to build on our advantages in order to meet our challenges andposition ourselves to compete into the future. Theanswer was our strategic plan, which a large cross-section of faculty, staff, and administrators hammeredout in 2007. We identified problems and aspirations,solutions and goals, and measures of success.

Which is not to say that everything went according to plan, so to speak. We couldn’t have foreseen, forexample, how the national economy would crater in2008. That made fundraising more difficult and addedadditional pressure to keep tuition in check, but alsomade that sterling placement rate even more attractiveto prospective students and their parents.

We didn’t achieve everything we wanted to, and I daresay we didn’t achieve everything we needed to.But we did put RMU in a position of strength to meetthose challenges that remain in the next five years, with even more advantages to help us do the job.

– PRESIDENT GREGORY G. DELL'OMO, PH.D.


COnTInUOUS IMPROVEMEnT OF ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

online PROGRAMS

"RMU will strengthen all academic programs in order to maximize opportunities for students' academic success and career preparation."

The university launched online bachelor's and master's degreeprograms in 2010. This past fall, 300 undergraduates and 200graduate students were enrolled in RMU online courses inbusiness, information systems, health services administration,psychology, and programs have earned top rankings fromSuperScholar and U.S. News and World Report.

DIVERSITY The number of black andHispanic faculty membersincreased, as did the numberof faculty members withdisabilities. Minorities makeup 12% of the instructionalfaculty, the same proportionas in the student body.

ACCREDITATIONS In 2012 the university'sacademic quality wasunreservedly confirmed by the Middle StatesCommission on HigherEducation, whichcommended RMU for its rigorous self-studyprocess and extended itsaccreditation through 2022.Also, the School of Businesssought and received AACSBaccreditation – somethingonly 5% of college businessprograms worldwide canboast. The School ofEducation and SocialSciences was the first inPennsylvania to earn TEAC accreditation for itseducation and teachertraining programs.Engineering and informationsystems programs werereaccredited by ABET, and the nursing school by CCNE.

ENDOWED CHAIRSWith a $900,000 grant fromthe Heinz Endowments, theuniversity established itsfirst endowed chair in 2012to head Uzuri, the newresearch center on blackmale educational studentsuccess. The originalstrategic plan aimed toestablish at two endowedchairs, so the universitycontinues to seekopportunities.

InITIATIVE > 1

FACULTY CREDENTIALS Sixty percent of classes are taught by full-timefaculty, up from 58% at thestart of the five-year period.All new full-time facultyhires have a terminal degree in their field.

RECOGNITION The university attained itsgoal of having at least twonationally recognizedprograms. Actuarial scienceis designated by the Societyof Actuaries as a Center ofAcademic Excellence, theveterans program has led toRMU's listing in the Top 5%of Military FriendlyUniversities, and onlinedegree offerings have earnedthe institution a spot inSuperScholar's Smart Choice25 Best Online Colleges. Thetarget of at least fourregionally recognizedprograms also was met bynursing, nuclear medicinetechnology, health servicesadministration, sportmanagement, andjournalism.

WHY ACCREDITATION MATTERSColleges and universities may make many publicclaims about their educational and community mission,the strength of their degrees, the quality of theirprograms, or the value proposition they present. Theterm “accreditation” describes a philosophy that thebest way to determine the truth of those claims is tosubject them to objective evaluation according to a

consistent set of standards, guided bypeers who have appropriate backgroundto make such an assessment.Accreditation, therefore, is a criticalmeans of self-regulation adopted by theacademic community.

Universities are accredited by one ofseven regional accrediting bodies, all ofwhich develop performance measuresand standards by which they willevaluate the institution and its programs.For example, the Middle StatesCommission on Higher Education, RMU’suniversity-wide accrediting body,measures its member institutions against14 “characteristics of excellence.” Thecharacteristics evaluate the institution’smission and goals, its leadership, itsresources, the quality of its academicprograms, support for its students, and,perhaps most importantly, its processesfor assessment of its work. Measured bythese standards, we are proud to say thatRMU, in its 2011-2012 re-accreditation,was found to be in full compliance withall standards.

Full accreditation, as we have achieved, isimportant in that it continues to make ourstudents eligible for all federal and state

aid programs, but equally importantly, it is a mark ofexcellence that prospective students and parents canrely on in selecting our institution. A fully accreditedinstitution attracts stronger candidates when we arerecruiting for faculty and staff positions. And forcurrent students and alumni, a degree from a fullyaccredited institution carries weight in the marketplace.

In addition to university accreditation, the world ofhigher education has a number of programmaticaccrediting bodies. The goals are similar to institutionalaccreditation, to provide objective evidence of programquality that results in attracting quality students andfaculty to the programs and enhancing the value of thedegrees earned.

– PROVOST DAVID JAMISON, J.D.


teacher-scholar model

To encourage faculty to be active not only in the classroom but as

researchers, the universityinstituted the President's

Faculty AchievementAwards for excellence

in scholarship, teaching,and service. Each award

includes a $1000 prize, andrecipients have their namesinscribed on a prominentplaque in the Nicholson

Center main lobby.

president's faculty achievement award winners

ScholaRShIPSylvia Pamboukian, English (2012)Alan Smith, Management (2011)John McCarthy, Social Sciences (2010)

TEachIngVictoria Fratto, Accounting (2012)Nell Hartley, Management (2011)Carl Ross, Nursing (2010)

SERvIcEAnn Jabro, Communication (2012)Jackie Klentzin, Library (2011)Jill Maher, Marketing (2010)

EXECUTIVE REPORT


UnIVERSITY OF CHOICE

attracting top students

"Enhance the quality of academic programs and student life experiences to promote enrollment of students with diverse backgrounds who

show promise of success, to engage students in their own learning, and toprovide appropriate support for their retention and graduation."

Last year 32% ofincoming freshmen hadgraduated in the top 25%of their high school class,a share that has riseneach year. The averageGPA of new freshmen is3.44, up from 3.24 at thestart of the five-yearperiod. SAT scores alsohave increased.

InITIATIVE > 2

veterans

RMU was amongthe first privateuniversities toguarantee freetuition to all

veterans eligiblefor the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill,which covers tuition only

up to the rate of state schools.Thanks to that commitment

and other initiatives, includingthe new VETS Center in

Jefferson Center, nearly 250veterans are now enrolled at

RMU, compared to 30 in 2008.


EXECUTIVE REPORT

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM The university created a graduationrequirement of achievement outside theclassroom in six categories, includingleadership positions, research projects,international and cross-culturalexperiences, and pre-professional workand internships. To support this effort,RMU named its first dean of studentengagement. (See full story on page 20.)

STUDENT ACTIVITIES The office of student life met targets forcreating new extracurricular activities,new professional and social clubs andorganizations, new community serviceprojects, and multicultural and diversityprograms, as well as increased studentparticipation in each to create a trueliving-learning environment.

ENROLLMENTThe university exceeded targetedgrowth in full-time traditionalundergraduate enrollment, climbing17% over five years to 3,517 this fall.More than half of those students resideon campus, another measure thatoutstripped the plan target. Whileenrollment in master's degree programsfell a bit short of growth goals, doctoralprogram admissions exceeded them.

GRADUATION AND RETENTION The university met targets for raisingthe six-year graduation rate, whichclimbed three points to 59%. Thefreshman-to-sophomore retention ratealso met growth targets; four of everyfive freshmen continue as sophomores.

SCHOLAR-ATHLETESStudents on the NEC Commissioner's Honor Roll (with a 3.75+ GPA).


IMPROVE InFRASTRUCTURE

technology UPGRADES

"Develop a strategy to modernize RMU's facilities infrastructure so that it is a key factor in the students' and faculty's decision to attend

and work at RMU. a strong focus will be placed upon creating a positive living/learning environment and a sense of place."

All classrooms have been provided withpresentation equipment, or "smartboards."The IT help desk was expanded to 24/7 coverage.

NEW ACADEMIC & ACTIVITY SPACE A new academic buildingwas built for the School ofBusiness, and anothercampus building wascompletely transformed tocreate the Wheatley Center,the new home of the Schoolof Communication andInformation Systems. Thenuclear medicine programwas moved to renovatedspace in the Benjamin RushCenter and the School ofEducation and SocialSciences moved to a newand improved location inNicholson Center. Studentdining spaces were added orrenovated, and the JeffersonCenter remodeled to includea veterans center and 24/7computer lab.Reorganization has openedmore space for both theCenter for Student Successand student health andwellness center.

CAMPUS BEAUTIFICATION The goal of one project ayear was met, with thegazebo, memorial garden atRogal Chapel, renovation ofRudolph Gardens, plazasand stairways in theresidence hall area, andother projects.

PITTSBURGH The two Downtownbuildings were sold, with the Bayer Center forNonprofit Management and some part-timeundergraduate and graduateprograms moving to a newdowntown location at theHeinz 57 Center. The oneremaining downtown full-time undergraduateprogram, media arts, moved to the Moon campus,unifying the School ofCommunications andInformation Systems.

DEFERRED MAINTENANCE New campus electrical and sanitary sewer systemswere installed, and mainwater lines and storm drainswere updated. New roofsand HVAC upgrades wereadded for most buildings, as well as security systemsand cameras.

STUDENT HOUSING Several of the residence halls that date back to theopening of the Mooncampus 50 years agounderwent comprehensiveexterior and interiorrenovations. RMU wentbeyond the plan's initialvision, building two newapartment-style residencehalls and buying theHoliday Inn, which is nowused for campus housingwith plans for furtherrenovation. With more thanhalf of undergraduates nowliving in campus housing,the transition fromcommuter to residentialschool is increasinglyevident.

PARKING SPACES WERE ADDED TO ALLEVIATE A GROWING CAMPUS PARKINGCRUNCH.

500

InITIATIVE > 3

athletic facilities

A new softball field was built, lights were installed to allow night games atJoe Walton Stadium, and improvementswere made at Sewall Center arena and Island Sports Center.

CAMPUS BUILDINGSGOT NEW ROOFS.

30

CAMPUS BUILDINGSUNDERWENT MAJOR

RENOVATIONS.

13


MEDIA COVERAGE Stories about RMU in local mediaoutlets, higher ed and tradepublications, and online more thandoubled in the last five years, farexceeding targeted expectations.

MARKETING AND ADVERTISING Despite a significant cut in theadvertising budget, the universitycreated the award-winning "Change aLife" commercials and related materials.That campaign underlines RMU'sholistic approach to education — thatstudents can prepare for successfulcareers while also giving of themselvesand serving others.

RANKINGThe university has steadily risen in theU.S. News & World Report annuallistings — rising 12 places last yearalone — and is currently No. 70 in theNorth regional rankings, which includes11 states from Maryland to Maine. Akey component of rank is a survey ofuniversity officials in peer institutionsthroughout the region; RMU's currentpeer ranking score of 2.8 of 5 is its bestever, up from 2.6 five years ago.

ATHLETICSHalf of the goal of having a nationallyranked team at the end of the season ina men's and a women's sport was metin 2010, with football finishing at No. 25in the FCS coaches' and overall polls.

Men's hockey andlacrosse programs havealso held nationalrankings during theirseasons. While nowomen's team wasnationally ranked,individual athletesexcelled, including Team USA hockey goalie

and Olympic silver medalist BrianneMcLaughlin and Greek basketball starArtemis Spanou, a four-time MVP inEuropean championships. Studentattendance at games has exceeded atargeted 10% increase each year, andenthusiasm is high, as seen by theColonial Crazies and other fans.Boosters now can support the programthrough the new 1921 Club.

InITIATIVE > 4

SOLIDIFY & LEVERAGE REPUTATIOn

"Increase and enhance market awareness of RMU. Stress core competencies, promote signature programs, bring focus to main campus, highlight athletics."

EXECUTIVE REPORT


STREnGTHEn FInAnCIAL POSITIOn

"Strengthen the university's fiscal and capital position through enhanced and diversified revenue streams, increasing private, state,

and federal support, and optimizing existing and new auxiliary enterprises."

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN As called for in the five-yearplan, the university and itsBoard of Trustees plannedand carried out a successfulcapital campaign that raised$40 million, making it thelargest in the institution'shistory. The campaign paidfor two new academicbuildings, grew theendowment by 63 percent,added 30 endowedscholarships, and createdUzuri, the new researchcenter on black maleeducational student success.

ANNUAL GIVING More than 3,000 peoplemade a yearly donation toRMU last year, beating thefinal target by 10%. In thelast five years, almost 800new donors committed tosupporting the universitythrough annualcontributions.

ENDOWMENT Like higher educationinstitutions across thecountry, Robert Morris sawthe value of its endowmentplunge with the 2008financial crisis and marketcrash. But the endowment,which at one point had lost nearly half its value, has fully recovered and now stands at more than $27 million.

InITIATIVE > 5

PRESIDENT'S COUNCILSupporters giving $1,000 or more annually to the university.

ENDOWMENT


RMU needs to complete further upgrades to itsacademic facilities. The university completed

construction of two new academic buildings,overhauled classroomsin the Hale Center, andrenovated academicspace throughoutcampus under the

last plan. Next on the horizon is a newbuilding for the School of Nursing andHealth Sciences, which will include amedical simulation center that will servehealth care workers throughout theregion. Notably, the University Libraryis in need of modernization, an essentialelement in maintaining the overall quality of academic programs.

Other facilities are in need ofenhancement, including residential and recreational spaces on campus. Most of the traditional residence hallshave been renovated, but the largest,Washington Hall, is among those still inneed of an upgrade. RMU purchased theHoliday Inn Pittsburgh Airport, whichnow houses Yorktown Hall, and plans are in the works to convert the entirebuilding to a residence hall with diningand conference facilities. The fitnesscenter in Jefferson Center has not keptpace with skyrocketing growth inresidential student enrollment, and thequality of athletics facilities doesn’talways match the performance of theteams that compete there.

The university will continue to improvethe quality of its academic programs,upon which the reputation of anyuniversity ultimately rests. RMU made great strides under our previousplan, earning several program-specific

accreditations, hiring more full-time faculty, and boosting the University Honors Program, to list afew examples. Yet work still remains. An essential part is to encourage and support more facultyresearch, which informs good teaching. Assessment tools need to be implemented to measure howmuch students learn. The rising cost of higher education has students, families, and the generalpublic demanding greater accountability for colleges and universities. RMU provides great value,but we shouldn't expect you to take our word for it.

Finally, we must continue to strengthen RMU’s financial position, and in particular to reduce the budget's reliance on tuition. The institution took an important step toward this goal with thesuccessful completion of its first comprehensive capital campaign and the growth of the annualgiving program. Yet tuition, room, and board still provide 82 percent of the university operatingbudget, which places an undue burden on students and allows very little cushion in meeting year-to-year enrollment targets. RMU has an obligation to its students to continue to increasephilanthropic support for Robert Morris as well as identify other sustainable revenue streams. If we do not achieve this goal, we will not achieve any others.

EXECUTIVE REPORT

Besides helping the university to chart its progress over the last five years, a close review of the RMU strategic plan has identified some pressing issues and key goals that will be at the forefront of our next plan:

UnIVERSITY PRIORITIES


When Kiersten Metzger '13 graduates in May and starts searching for a teaching position,

she knows the competition will be fierce. But she's notworried. In her time here at Robert Morris University,Metzger, who is president of her class, has built a solidrecord of engagement as a first-year studies mentor for three years, secretary and media coordinator of the Claddagh Club, historian and secretary for Kappa Delta Rho, and a Colonial Ambassador.

And it’s all being documented on her Student Engagement Transcript.

"Are You Engaged?"visit Foundations online to see the video

LEARnInG b THE CLAS


EXECUTIVE REPORT

"My S.E.T. will enable employers to see howactive I was in school," she says. "It will showthem that I work well with others, that I'm notafraid to try new things, and that I'm a hardworker, too. It's a valuable companion piece tomy resume."

RMU has always tried to give students likeMetzger educational opportunities that gobeyond the walls of the classroom; ways forthem to get their hands dirty, try thingsoutside of their comfort zone, and have real,tangible experiences that will benefit themafter graduation. It wasn't until 2009, however,that the university developed its StudentEngagement Program to officially documentand mandate these experiences so thatstudents would have something to show employers down the road. It's aphilosophy that underlies RMU's mission to change its students' lives.

Through the program, students' leadershiproles, community service hours, international

study trips, andinternships areofficiallydocumented onthis secondtranscript. Studentsmust fulfillrequirements in atleast two of six

categories: Arts, Culture, and Creativity;Global Experience; Undergraduate Research;Service; Leadership; and ProfessionalExperience. This year's graduating class is thefirst for whom participation in the programwas a requirement for graduation.

Matthew Feryus '11 is a graduate of theactuarial science program. "The StudentEngagement Transcript conveyed the amountand variety of my extracurricular involvementat Robert Morris, and it enabled me toemphasize my professional achievements onmy resume," says Feryus, who works forFlorida Blue in Jacksonville and was recentlynamed an associate of the Society of Actuaries.He included his S.E.T. while applying for theJohn Culver Wooddy Scholarship, which givespreference to candidates who demonstrate

leadership potential through theirextracurricular activities. "I really believe ithelped me receive that scholarship," he says.

Shari Payne, Ed.D., is dean of engagedlearning at the university. She continuouslylooks for new experiential opportunities,working closely with students to give themaccess to the out-of-the-classroomexperiences that are part of an RMU education. "Our StudentEngagement Program is invaluable to ourstudents," says Payne. "The S.E.T. is animportant companion piece to their resumeand a real draw to potential students," saysPayne. "They understand that employerswant people who are well-rounded andaren't afraid to try new things."

One such employer is Susan M. Suver, vicepresident of human resources at U.S. SteelCorp., which has long been a supporter ofRMU and its students. "Today, manyemployers are focused on selectingextremely well-rounded individuals as theyrecruit from college campuses," says Suver, amember of the university's Board ofTrustees. "While strong academicperformance in an academic major willcontinue to be very important, morefrequently employers are also looking atcommunity service, students with workexperience including internships and co-opexperiences, and those with involvement inextracurricular activities such as sports, artsand music, special projects, and studentleadership. That's what makes RMU'sStudent Engagement Transcript so valuable."

And for students like Metzger, having anofficial, university-endorsed record of theirinvolvement is just another advantagethey'll have as they enter the job market."There are a lot of people applying for thesame positions as me," she says. "So havingthe S.E.T. sent along with my transcripts willdefinitely give me an advantage."

WRITTEN BY VALENTINE J. BRKICH

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL WILL ’08

EYOnD SROOM

}}

ARTS, CULTURE &CREATIVITY

colonial Theatre, DanceTeam, RMU Radio,

writer for The Sentry

GLObAL EXPERIEnCEStudy abroad, nursing

service-learning innicaragua, studentteaching in Belize

UnDERGRADRESEARCH

Presenting atUndergraduate

Research conference,co-authoring paper

published in national journal

SERVICEafter-school

volunteering, adopt-a-highway, habitat for

humanity, alternativeSpring Break

LEADERSHIPWorking as an R.a. or

freshman mentor;president of actuarial

Science club, captain ofmen's basketball team

PROFESSIOnALEXPERIEnCE

Internships, job-shadowexperiences, clinical

nursing rotations,student teaching

SPECIALRECOGnITIOn

Dean's list, honors Program, RMU Signature

leadership award


TOP ACHIEVEMEnTS

The deans of each of the five schools were asked what they considered the three most significant achievements

of their school in the past five years. here are their responses:

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING,MATHEMATICS, ANDSCIENCE 1. The National ScienceFoundation STEM grant,which brought a cohort of 21engineering, mathematics,and science students to theuniversity. The students areseniors this year; one isthree-time Academic All-American (and NEC all-timesack leader) NolanNearhoof, a biology major.

2. Designation of ouractuarial science program asone of only 14 Centers ofActuarial Excellence in theUnited States. It is a trueachievement for a universityof our size to receive thisdesignation, since mostothers are large stateinstitutions.

3. Being one of the nineuniversity partners in of theconsortium chosen by theWhite House to create theNational AdditiveManufacturing InnovationInstitute, a $70 million planto research 3-D printing.

SCHOOL OF NURSING ANDHEALTH SCIENCES 1. Introduction of newgraduate and undergraduateprograms, including thestate's first Doctor ofNursing Practice (D.N.P.)program, a bachelor's degree in nuclear medicinetechnology, and onlinedegrees in health servicesadministration and R.N.-to-M.S.N.

2. Launching the RegionalResearch and Innovation inSimulation Education (RISE)Center. The center uses high-tech mannequins to simulatevarious patient scenarios.Future plans call for a majorexpansion of the center sothat it can also be used formedical training of otherhealth care professionals inthe area.

3. Greatly expanding ourinternational programs andpartnerships; now almosthalf of all B.S.N. studentshave participated by thetime they graduate. CarlRoss, Ph.D., recently madehis 80th trip to Nicaraguawith students to work inclinics there.

SCHOOL OFCOMMUNICATIONS ANDINFORMATION SYSTEMS 1. Unifying all fivedepartments —communication, English,information systems, mediaarts, and organizationalleadership — under one rooffor the first time in the newWheatley Center. This opensavenues for interdisciplinarycollaboration and furtherhelps the school forge itsidentity.

2. Re-accreditation by ABET-Computing AccreditationCommission. Less than 1%of all information systemsprograms worldwide areaccredited by ABET-CAC,and we have two of them:the B.S. in computerinformation systems and theB.S. in information sciences.

3. Developing convergedmedia as a focus forinterdisciplinary teachingand learning and forengaged learning andprofessional practice,involving at least threeacademic departments, theAcademic Media Center andThe Sentry, our online andprint student newspaper.

– DEAN BARBARA LEVINE, PH.D. – DEAN LYNDA J. DAVIDSON, PH.D.– DEAN MARIA V. KALEVITCH, PH.D.


EXECUTIVE REPORT

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SCIENCES 1. Accreditation of our teachereducation programs by the TeacherEducation Accreditation Council(TEAC).

2. The Pennsylvania Department ofEducation's official approval of our neweducation programs, including newbachelor's degrees in early childhoodand middle level, new M.Ed degrees inliteracy and special education, andcertification programs in readingspecialist and special education.

3. Other new degrees including the B.A.in history and two new online degreeprograms — the B.A. in psychology andM.S. in instructional leadership.

– DEAN MARY ANN RAFOTH, PH.D.

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS1. Earning initial accreditation byAACSB International, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools ofBusiness, joining only five percent of business schools worldwide with this recognition.

2. The new building that openedlast year, creating a quality businesseducational environment that preparesstudents for the corporate world.Corporate partners ATI, PNC, and U.S. Steel have helped ensure the center is equipped with the latesttechnology, including Bloombergterminals, a videoconferencing center,an interactive marketing wall, and an electronic stock ticker.

3. New programs and courses insustainability, including a minor insustainability and a new annualinternational conference at RMUfocusing on sustainable enterprises of the future.

– DEAN JOHN M. BEEHLER, PH.D.


2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

4,8153,007

4,7833,012

4,9673,244

4,9843,379

5,1813,517

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

$113.7$107.6

$107.6$101.2

$91.2$90.7

$88.5$86.5

$87.4$83.3

bY THE nUMbERS

here are some of the key measurements showing theuniversity's growth over the 2007-2012 Strategic Plan.

THE BOTTOM LINETotal Revenue vs. operating expenses. ($ MIL)

ENROLLMENTTotal enrollment vs.full-time traditional undergraduates.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTSGraduate and undergraduate combined.

RESIDENTIAL STUDENTSDemand for on-campus housing has increased over thepast five years.

ONLINE STUDENTSGraduate and undergraduate combined.


This year the university is in the processof preparing its next five-year strategicplan. Doing so will require a careful andthorough evaluation of priorities for thenear future, as well as taking stock ofthe many institutional changes thatoccurred during the last plan. This is atime of great change and challenge forhigher education, and RMU wishes toapproach its future in a thoughtful way.

Prior to embarking on the five-yearstrategic planning process, theuniversity is undertaking acomprehensive, comparative review ofall of its operating units. This reviewhas both retrospective and forward-looking aspects. RMU has launchedmany new initiatives, and theaccompanying infrastructure to supportthem, over the past five years. Havethese initiatives been successful, and arethey appropriately supported? Thestrategic review project is designed todistinguish units that may deserve moreresources from those that requiremaintenance, restructuring, or re-examining. Findings will guide resourceallocation and priorities in the next five-year plan.

With the help of a talented, hard-working, and diverse team of 33 RMUfaculty members and administrators, Iam coordinating the strategic reviewproject, which will analyze 170operating units of the university. Wewill present our findings to President

Dell'Omo on May 1.During the spring, theuniversity also willundertake the next stepsof the strategic planningprocess — choosingleadership, assemblingteams, establishingtimetables — all with

the aim of preparing the new plan inthe summer and fall. The new 2014-2018RMU strategic plan is scheduled forcompletion this December.

WHAT COMES nEXT?

With its first strategic five-year plan completed, RMU's top planner explains how the university is preparing its next long-term strategy.

EXECUTIVE REPORT

– DAVID MAJKA, ED.D., VICE PROVOST FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING AND QUALITY ASSURANCE


CLASS NOTESGARY PAINE '76 was elected to theboard of Heartland BancCorp.Gary is president of Pilot FreightServices, Pilot Air Freight, andCMH Pilot Cartage Services. Helives in New Albany, Ohio.

1980sMIKE BELSKY '82 is director ofbusiness development forColumbia Gas of Pennsylvania.He was recently elected to thePittsburgh Airport Area Chamberof Commerce.

DONALD MOGAN '83 joined thebusiness development team atScranton logistics provider KaneIs Able as vice president ofcustomer solutions.

JIM YOUNG '87 is vice presidentfor residential mortgage for FifthThird Bank. Previously he wasregional sales manager at WellsFargo Home Mortgage. Jim livesin McMurray.

DOUGLAS LEONARD M'87 isdirector of consulting services atSSi in Greensburg and has beenreappointed to the disciplinaryboard of the Supreme Court ofPennsylvania.

DAVID J. GRECCO '88 joined theenergy law team of Steptoe &Johnson in Canonsburg.Previously he was vice presidentfor legal at Phillips Resources.David lives in Mt. Lebanon.

1970sMICHAEL C. BARBARITA '72 ismanaging director and chiefoperating officer at First NationalInsurance Agency, a subsidiary ofFirst National Bank ofPennsylvania. Mike serves on theRMU Board of Trustees.

JAMES V. SACCO '75 is executivedirector of stadium managementat Heinz Field. He was recentlyhonored with former SteelerHines Ward at this year's DapperDan Dinner and Sports Auction,where he received the Dr. FreddieFu Sports Leadership Award.Jimmie started in the Pittsburghsports industry as an usher atCivic Arena, and later helped tomanage Civic Arena and ThreeRivers Stadium before moving toHeinz Field.

MICHAEL J. SMITH '77, presidentand CEO of Goodwill of

Southwestern Pennsylvania, was appointed to the RMU Boardof Trustees in September.

JAMES MCRICKARD '79 ispresident and chief executiveofficer of Dayton Superior Corp.He previously was group vicepresident and general manager ofglobal engineered products atKennametal.

> ED TRAVERSARI '74 is an

assistant professor in the

sport, arts, and entertainment

management department at

Point Park University. As a

veteran concert promoter, he

brings over 35 years of

experience to his classes.

Ed and his wife, MARY

LANDRIN TRAVERSARI '78,

live in McCandless.

> KIMBERLY CONROY

SAWYER ’79 was honored as

the 2013 Alumni Award

winner for the University of

Massachusetts Lowell School

of Sciences, where she

obtained her master's degree

in mathematics and

computing. She is the deputy

laboratories director and

executive vice president

mission support at Sandia

National Laboratories in

Albuquerque, N.M. Kim was

included in the Profiles in

Diversity Journal’s 2012 list

of Women Worth Watching.

She previously was with

Lockheed Martin as vice

president for technical

operations. Kim and her

husband, Anthony, live

in Albuquerque. leave a leGacY

tHat cHanGes lives

Charitable bequests are not subject to inheritance tax, so giving a gift can reduce the tax burden of an estatesignificantly. Your will or trust can specify a sum ofmoney, a percentage of your estate, or a specific item thatyou wish to donate to Robert Morris University.

If you would like to learn more about how to include RMU in your estate planning, please contact KIMBERLEY A. HAMMER, ESQ.at 412-397-6413 or [email protected].

"I want to help students who may not have the opportunity as I did, and perhaps change the

life of someone who's not otherwise able to enjoy the benefits of higher education."

– TOM SHOOK ’50


CLASS NOTES

ALISA FAULK '99, general managerof the Courtyard by MarriottPittsburgh Settlers Ridge, wasnamed vice chair of the executivecommittee of The PittsburghAirport Area Chamber ofCommerce.

STACY BEAULIEU FRESHWATER '99was named "CFO of the Year" bythe Pittsburgh Business Times inthe category of private firms ofless than 100 employees. Stacyworks for Sierra w/o Wires andlives with her husband, Bruce, andtheir four children in McDonald.

2000sPAUL SCHWARZMILLER M'00 isvice president for humanresources at the CommunityCollege of Allegheny County. Helives in Bridgeville.

BRUCE GOODMAN M'01 is vicepresident/commercial loan officerat The Farmers National Bank inEmlenton. Previously he was

JASON NORKEVICUS '95 alsoknown as Jason Christopher, is acertified stage hypnotistperforming in Pittsburgh venues.

PATRICIA STOCKE '98 is chieffinancial officer of fi360.Previously she was CFO ofManagement Science Associates.She lives in Bethel Park.

director of Bold Legal DefenseInsurance. He was previouslyexecutive director at FowlerWhite Burnett.

LOUANN KRISTOFF MEREDITH '93is a member of the PittsburghPassion women's football team,which she tried out for inmemory of her father, who diedin August. Louann works for FirstNational Bank and lives inFollansbee, W.Va.

CHRISTOPHER KING '94 is directorof athletics at the University ofTexas-Pan American, andcoedited and cowrote a chapter inThe Handbook of College Athleticsand Recreation Administration.Chris lives in McAllen, Texas.

MATTHEW SCHULTE '88 M'94is treasurer and senioradministrator for business at Pennsylvania Cyber CharterSchool in Midland. He lives in Midland with his wife and two children.

MICHAEL WASSIL '89 M'97 waspromoted to consulting partnerand director at The BinkleyKanavy Group, an accountingand auditing firm. He lives inBethel Park.

1990sPATRICK M. KELLY M'93 isexecutive director at the law firmof Lubell & Rosen in FortLauderdale, Fla., and executive

> CARMELITA SINKLER-

PUGH '87 has joined the

legal staffing agency Special

Counsel as paralegal search

director for the Chicago

branch. She lives in

Aurora, Ill.

> KEVIN ROACH '03 and

his wife, Jennifer, are the

proud parents of Kaletta

Elizabeth, born October 12.

Kevin is a senior account

executive with the Pittsburgh

Pirates. The Roach family

lives in Coraopolis.

> KARA MOSTOWY

RUTOWSKI '91 M'06 is

executive director of The

Early Learning Institute, and

was named 2012 Outstanding

Fundraising Executive by

the Western Pennsylvania

chapter of the Association of

Fundraising Professionals.

(cont.)

Tailgating starts at 4 p.m. Call 412-397-6464 and get your tickets now.

BUCCOS VS METS FIREWORKS NIGHT

CLASS NOTESintern and worked as aproduction director for "TheAllegheny Front," anenvironmental program.

DR. ROBERT MAHA M'07 is chiefoperating officer of MedExpressUrgent Care. He previously waspresident and chief medicalofficer of Emergency ResourceManagement and vice presidentof UPMC physician servicesdivision.

CARLO SUNSERI '07 and Elsie Wolfwere married on July 7. Carlo isthe owner and president ofCrosse Studios and a volunteerassistant coach for RMU men'slacrosse. They live in Rennerdale.

JULIE COSTELLO HENDRY '08 wasnamed to the PR News "15 toWatch" in 2012 at the PR PeopleAwards in Washington, D.C., inNovember. Julie is a publicrelations specialist for DirectEnergy.

KRISTEN VALERIO '04 and ScottSuchy were married on October12. Kristen is HR manager forFidelity Bank. The Suchys live inMonroeville.

PATRICIA TUITE M'04 is director ofengineering and constructionservices at Deloitte FinancialAdvisory Services. She lives inMcKees Rocks.

NICHOLAS VUCHENICH M'05 andJeanne-Marie Bua were marriedon October 13. Nicholas is asupervisor at Consol Energy. TheVuchenichs live in Bethel Park.

JAMI BURK GREGG '05 M'07is a grant coordinator forWestmoreland CountyCommunity College. Previously she was a projectmanager at RMU.

JOEY SPEHAR '06 is the morningmix cohost on 91.3 WYEP-FM inPittsburgh. He started as an

COLLEEN A. LUBAWSKI '02 is afinancial assistant with TrebuchetConsulting. She was previously aclaims operations manager withUPMC. She lives in Bethel Park.

SCOTT KOSKOSKI M'02 is thedirector of major and planned giftsfor the Morris Animal Foundation.

assistant vice president ofcorporate treasury management at Dollar Bank.

JAYE WILSON '01 is director ofrecruiting for Resources GlobalProfessionals in Pittsburgh.

NORA BORGER '02 is head coach ofthe girls' softball team at FreedomHigh School in Bethlehem, Pa.


> THOMAS "TJ" WILLETTS

'04 and TIFFANY WILLETTS

M'09 welcomed their second

daughter, Corsica Rose, on

August 20, joining big sister

Verona Skye, 2. TJ is the

director of marketing at

Burns and Scalo Roofing. The

family lives in Bethel Park.

> NEIL GAMROD '05 and

his wife, Elissa, welcomed

their first child, Logan James,

in August. Neil is senior

customer support

coordinator for FedEx Supply

Chain. The Gamrods live in

Avella, Pa.

> RAYMOND F. GENSLER

IV '07 and his wife, Katelynn,

are the proud parents of

Grayson Heath, born on July

4. Ray is a senior associate

for engineering and

construction consulting at

Deloitte Financial Advisory

Services. The family lives in

Pittsburgh.

> JACLYN GOEHRING

BARKER '07 and her husband,

Bradley, are the proud

parents of Adalyn Elizabeth,

born November 5. Jaci is a

kindergarten teacher at

Shenango Elementary School

in New Castle. The Barkers

live in Greenville.

> LINDSEY WRIGHT

BRADLEY '06 and her

husband, Kyle, welcomed

their first child, Eden

Catherine, on June 29.

Lindsey is an event director

with Hello Productions. The

family lives in Pittsburgh.

> EVE PHELPS M'04 and

her husband, Jim, are the

proud parents of Bryn

Harper, born April 4. Eve is

marketing team leader at

Whole Foods Market in

North Wales, Pa.


CLASS NOTES

ALICIA BOOKER D'09 is a seniorconsultant and risk analyst atVerizon Landline in Pittsburgh.

ASHLEY CAIN '09 is a facilitiesspecialist in the office of facilities planning at RMU.

MICHAEL WITHEREL M'09 is the owner of Coffee Buddha, a West View coffee house.

2010sANTHONY GAETANO '10 is anadmissions representative at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.

CHRIS HUGHES M'11 is executivedirector at The EducationFoundation. Previously he wasdirector of annual giving for theTepper School of Business atCarnegie Mellon University.

MANDY FIERENS '11 is thefounder of Zaftig, an onlineclothing company for womensizes 10 and up. She doesfreelance photography and writes"The Curvy Blogger," which shestarted in 2009.

MICHAEL ROWSE '11 is assistantmen's lacrosse coach at Queens University of Charlotte.Previously he was the assistantmen's lacrosse coach atWashington and Jefferson College in Washington, Pa. Mike also has coached with the Maryland Raptors, FASTLAX, and the PittsburghRevolution clubs.

RYAN CRUTHERS '08 was the firstplayer signed by the ECHLOrlando Solar Bears, a new minorleague affiliate of the NHLMinnesota Wild. Ryan is teamcaptain and starting center. Heplayed three seasons with theReading Royals after graduation.

MICHAEL P. ANDERSON M'08is vice president of humanresources for the UPMC East Hospital.

> AMBER BOYER '06 and

MATT WALKER '06 got

engaged in San Francisco and

plan to marry in October.

Amber is an education

consultant at PNC and Matt

is a senior project manager at

Agency 1903 in Pittsburgh.

> ANGELA MCGEE '05

M'05 and MICHAEL MUSILLO

'99 M'03 were married on

August 11 in Wexford, where

they live now.

> HOWARD B. SLAUGHTER

JR. D'06 was selected to chair

the policy committee of the

board of the Pennsylvania

Housing Finance Agency,

where he has been a member

of the board of directors since

2007. Slaughter is president

and CEO of Christian

Management Enterprises,

which specializes in strategic

solutions, project

management, small business,

and real estate development.

> RACHEL CIBULAS '07

was voted Coach of the Year

by the Michigan

Intercollegiate Athletic

Association. In her first year

as head coach of women's

lacrosse at Adrian College in

Michigan, the team finished

17-3, winning both the

regular season and

conference tournament titles

and playing a home game in

the NCAA Division III

Tournament. Rachel was a

member of RMU's first

women's lacrosse team.

> MATTHEW STEWART

M'09 and wife Erin are the

proud parents of Lucas

Matthew, born on December

10. Matt is director of

information security at RMU.

> JESSICA KRZNARIC

TOUTSIS '07 and STEPHEN

TOUTSIS '07 were married

May 27 in RMU's Rogal

Chapel. Jessica is a social

marketing manager at IMRE

and Stephen is a group sales

and promotions manager at

Towson University. They

live in Baltimore. Go to

Foundations Online to

read Jessica's story of

their romance.


CLASS NOTESMIKE BOYLAN '12 is aprogrammer analyst in theinformation technologydepartment at RMU.

KEVIN BROWNWELL '12 wasdrafted by the Buffalo Banditsand KIEL MATISZ '12 signed withthe Minnesota Swarm of theNational Lacrosse League.

In MemoriamRUTH JANE JACOBS LEES '49 ofSparta, Tenn., passed awayOctober 9 at the age of 81.

JOSEPH KOPPIN '50 of Avalon andObservatory Hill passed awayDecember 20 at the age of 91.

He was a World War II MarineCorps veteran and retired fromthe National Credit UnionAdministration after 27 years.

TERRENCE "TERRY" BRENNAN '71of Sewickley passed awayDecember 6 at the age of 64. Hewas a teacher at Parkway WestTechnical Institute and a memberof the musical group "Aroundand Back."

RUTH M. SEABERG '75 of Eriepassed away July 11 at the age of 55.

Class Notes would love to

> NICOLAS HOLLABAUGH

'10 M'12 and ERICA FLASCO

HOLLABAUGH '08 are the

proud parents of Gia Lee,

born October 1. The

Hollabaughs live in

Moon Township.

> CHELSEA WALKLAND '10 M'11 is Oswego Statewomen's ice hockey's firstfull-time assistant coach. She was part of the staff thatsaw RIT win its first NCAADivision III Women's IceHockey Championship last year, setting a D-IIIsingle-season record with 28 victories.

RMU COMESTO YOUThis month we're on the road foralumni dinners in Florida and atthe Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Orlando – March 25Tampa – March 26Cleveland – March 27

Call (412) 397-6464 to schedule a visit in your city.

And check out RMU.EDU/ALUMNIfor pictures of these and other fun alumni events.


CLASS NOTESJOSEPH WALKO '84 of HopewellTownship passed away January 1at the age of 51. Joe was a claimsanalyst for Aetna Insurance andan event manager at PNC Parkand Heinz Field.

DAVID CHARNOCK M'85 ofCranberry Township, retired chief operating officer of AlpernRosenthal, passed away October29 at the age of 62.

ALICIA CARNEY '93 passed awayNovember 3 at the age of 42. She

lived in Plum with her husband,Mark, and three sons.

PASQUALE "PATSY" CALA '97 M'01passed away on October 6 at theage of 38. He was employed byFedEx and is survived by hiswife, Jessica.

MARK A. CIANCUTTI, PH.D., anassistant professor of mathematicswho taught at RMU for 30 years,passed away November 19 at theage of 64. He is survived by hiswife, Anne Carson.

hear from you. Email us at [email protected].

RMU makes it easy and convenient to complete degrees after work in business, competitive intelligence,

cyber forensics and organizational leadership.

Call 412-397-5200 or 800-762-0097 to find out more.

> FLAG PLAZA ANNIVERSARYIn December, 40 years after its opening, the Alpha Chi Rho FlagPlaza next to Hale Center was rededicated and a new andupdated plaque was installed.

LINDA MILLIGAN passed away February 13 after a short but courageous battle with cancer. The former

coordinator of student affairs at RMU, Lynne was with the university for 25 years and was known for her

wit and positive outlook. She is survived by her husband, Scott, and two children, DEAN MILLIGAN '90 of

Philadelphia and KATHY MILLIGAN DILONARDO '93 M'02 of Chippewa Township.

>

Page:

RMU Alumni

URL:

facebook.com/ RMUalumni

> > LIKE US ON FACEBOOK

32

10Questionswith

1What's

something

people might

find surprising

about your job?

The depth of the

science involved. If one does not

understand Newtonian laws, they

can't be a strength coach.

If you weren't a strength and conditioning coach,

what would you be? President of RMU. Ha ha! I’m

not sure. I have many interests. I always wanted to

teach music, and I love playing drums, guitar, and

piano. But I also would love to own my own

deli/used book store. So maybe a hippie.

What three books should

everyone read? Collapse by

Jared Diamond, In Defense of Food by

Michael Pollan, and The Jungle by

Upton Sinclair — everyone should

read this 100 times and then

we may appreciate our

lives more.

Why do you think we struggle with

obesity in the U.S.? A lot of it has

to do with the food we eat. We

have to make changes. Eat local. I

truly believe the answer lies in the

current "slow food" movement.

What do you find most

rewarding about

working with student

athletes? Being invited to

their weddings and other

important life events,

years after they

graduate, is always an honor. To me

it shows that I have made an impact.

What famous people do you look up

to? Many. Abe Lincoln, Winston Churchill,

Henry Rollins — I have had the honor of seeing him

speak many times — and any Renaissance man

or woman.

You've done the

Pittsburgh-to-D.C. bike ride

four times. What's your next big

adventure? I have powerlifting meets

coming up, plus the D.C. ride again in

May, and then the 34-mile Rachel

Carson Trail Challenge in

June. Maybe a hot-dog-

eating contest? Local

meat of course.

What's your favorite quote? It's by Marianne

Willamson: "Our deepest fear is not that we are

inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are

powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our

darkness, that most

frightens us."

is in his sixth season as RMU's head coach for strength and conditioning. He trains

athletes in each of the university's 23 NCAA Division I sports teams. A Moon

Township native, Hamer came home after holding similar jobs at George Mason University, Marist College, and The Citadel. He earned a B.S. from Penn State

and a master's degree in sports leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University. He can bench press 430 pounds, squat lift 545 pounds, and deadlift 540,

and is a competitive powerlifter and former Virginia state champion.

What do you

enjoy most about

competitive lifting? The camaraderie of

the lifters. I’ll be walking to the platform

for an attempt, and a lifter in my class

will be cheering me on or helping me

prep for the lift. It’s not about winning;

it’s about overcoming the battle.

Todd Hamer

3

46

By Valentine J. Brkich

2

What would be your "deserted island"

CD? Maybe Van Morrison's "Astral

Weeks." But I may have to throw some

heavy metal in my carry-on too.

10

57 8

9

Upcoming Events

FOR MORE INFORMATION on these and other upcoming events, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at (412) 397-6464 or [email protected].

> APRIL18 Women of RMUDuquesne Club, 11:30 a.m.

18 Colonial Theatre presents "The Grapes of Wrath"Massey Theatre, 8 p.m.Through April 21

20 Alumni & Friends Bowling TournamentParadise Island Bowl, 12:30 p.m.

22 Nando Parrado,Andes crash survivorPittsburgh Speakers SeriesHeinz Hall, 8 p.m.

> MARCH21 March Madness Happy HourAtria's at PNC Park, 5 p.m.

25 Orlando Alumni DinnerCitrus Club, 6 p.m.

26 Tampa Alumni DinnerCentre Club, 6 p.m.

27 Cleveland Alumni DinnerRock & Roll Hall of Fame6 p.m.

> MAY7 CEO Lecture Series with Steelers GM Kevin ColbertDuquesne Club, 11:30 a.m.

10 Graduate CommencementSewall Center, 4 p.m.

11 Undergraduate CommencementSewall Center, 9:30 a.m.

11 Golden Colonials ReceptionSewall Center, 8 a.m.

> JULY13 RMU Night at PNC ParkMets at PiratesTailgating starts at 4 p.m.

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6

Come to these feature luncheons, hearinteresting speakers, and meet your fellow RMU grads.

Call (412) 397-6464 to make your reservation, or to find out how you can be a part of our ongoing luncheonand speaker events.

EXPAND YOUR RMU NETWORK

APRIL 18 –WOMEN OF RMU

Psychiatrist Vered Birmaher, M.D.At the Duquesne Club

MAY 7 – CEO LECTURE SERIES

Steelers GM Kevin Colbert '79At the Duquesne Club

Robert Morris University6001 University BoulevardMoon Township, PA 15108-1189

RMU.EDU

Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDPittsburgh, PAPermit No. 280

A FAMILYAFFAIR

This year's Legacy

Recognition &

Luncheon was on

Feb. 23. The event

honors RMU legacies

and their alumni

parents, grandparents,

aunts, uncles,

brothers, and sisters.

We can't wait to see

you all again next year!

See all the pictures at

rmu.edu/alumni.

Documents

Foundations Spring 2013