Lion Pause: 2009

Hello All!
I have enjoyed writing to all of you over this past year. It was a great 27th for our organization and our projects have
become bigger and more visible each year. We’ve walked backwards for Moxie Thon, created a Pink and Black S-Zone,
entertained the largest group of people at GTLS in years, and of course gave 4,000 tours to prospective students and
parents looking to make Penn State their new home. There has been so many exciting things going on this year in
Ambassadors, but I have especially enjoyed working with the LAAIG on Moxie-Gate and working on the LAAMP
mentoring program.
Moxie Gate had won of the largest turnouts in years and we sent many, many bags to the Leukemia and Lymphoma
Society (LLS). I had the privilege to deliver those bags to my friends at LLS and they couldn’t have been more thrilled to
have toys to take to the kids at the Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh. Thank you to all who came and brought toys, it
was a great way to put some names with faces and also an amazing philanthropy project.
The newest project that has been started by the LAAIG is the new Lion Ambassador Alumni Mentor Program (LAAMP).
It is another way that current lambs and alumni are trying to become more connected. The LAAIG has already made
eleven connections in just two weeks and about 60 current and alumni L’Ambs have asked to be matched! If you are
interested in being a mentor, log onto the LAAIG website and click on “News,” there will be a link for you to fill out a
form about where you are and what you are doing! The more people that sign up, the more connections can be made.
It has been a pleasure to serve as the liaison to the LAAIG, I have enjoyed getting to know all of you and hearing stories
of past ambassador years. Always remember you have a home in happy valley! We love to see our alumni and you
are always welcome to come back and visit!
Though, I may not be the historian anymore, I won’t be too far. I will be serving as the tour director for the 2009-2010
school year. So, if you do have any tour requests, you know who to contact!
Special thanks to all of you have submitted roars and personally speaking entries for Lion Pause. And specifically a
special thanks to Lee Citarella, who helped with all the graphic design for this year’s Lion Pause! Hope all is well and I
wish you a very safe, happy, and warm summer!
For The Glory,
Alyson Rotz
I can’t believe it’s been almost two years! I can still remember walking into Rec Hall only hours after landing at
the University Park airport from Tallahassee, Florida for BAPFTS in August 2007 and now I’m trying to figure out
how to say “see you later” to another group of seniors. The past year has been great- Joe and Sue Paterno
helping welcome a new class at this year’s BAPFTS, juggling GTLS and being on the faculty homecoming court, and
the joy of learning a new line dance at Retreat.
One of the most exciting things about this past year was the addition of a new staff member to the Student
Involvement area in October. Just in time for the craziness of fall, Stacey Focht became our program assistant
who helps me and all of the LAmbs stay on top of things. She is a great addition and loves working with the
Ambassadors while luring them to her upstairs office by always providing chocolate!
This year’s group of Ambassadors keep me on my toes, and the alumni I have had the opportunity to interact with
have taught me so much in my time here. I cannot begin to explain how much I have enjoyed the late nights, the
laughs, the conversations with the students I have the privilege of working with and learning from. I’ve even
been caught giving directions across campus! I am still challenged by the winter days that do not make it above
freezing and the snow and ice covered mountain drives but with a lot of help, I am getting better.
The Ambassadors’ dedication not only to Penn State, but to their committees, each project, the organization, and
to each other continuously amazes me. They are phenomenal individuals who are changing the world, impacting
Penn State, challenging the way I think, and encouraging me to be Penn State proud. Alumni, thank you for the
legacy that you have left for the current L’Ambs.
As this close out another year as advisor, I look forward to meeting more of you who continue to make the LAAIG
one of the most respected interest groups in the Association. Please do not hesitate to contact me if there’s any
way I can assist.
All the best and For the Glory,
Sara Jones
Advisor
Greetings Alumni and Friends!
It’s hard to believe that only 27 years ago our beloved organization came to be, as some of our founding fathers set
forth on a mission around a camp fire in Stone Valley. There they spoke of the mission that our organization would
uphold the traditions, values, and the pride that surround Dear Old State. Twenty-seven years later, each of our current
Ambassadors continue to live this mission in their actions words and continued dedication to serving the University
community.
Together with our strengths in campus outreach, collaboration with the Alumni Association and the LAAIG, the Lion
Ambassadors have made the 2008-2009 year as one of the most exciting in Ambassador history. As the year began, we
were able to implement some of the changes that were voted into motion in Spring 2008. By popular vote, the
organization was able to return Moxie-Thon to a committee project from an adhoc that allowed the Ambassadors to
extend the reaches of Moxie and further incorporate the Penn State and State College community as well as extend our
continued support of the Heydenreich family. Other important changes made this year was the transfer of our project
A Taste of Penn State to the University Relations Committee who spearheaded an ideal to make “TOPS” as we call it a
semester long event.
The recruitment process was taken to new heights, as the elected membership committee was able to work
collaboratively with the Sparks throughout LARS. This year our newly inducted Honorary Ambassador, Sue Paterno was
able to help us recruit 51 of Penn State’s outstanding Sophomore and Junior leaders to join our ranks as the Penn State
Student Alumni Corps.
Philanthropy was able to integrate more involvement on campus as well as collaborate with the Blue & White Society,
our sister organization, to host Blood Drives and participate in other philanthropic activities. We were also able to beat
previous years THON totals on an organizational level with our continued support and love of our THON child Becca,
and the entire Allen family. In the upcoming weeks, Ambassadors will be creating the largest Relay for Life team in the
past few years to walk in honor of cancer survivors and the American Cancer Society.
In April of 2008, the newly written Strategic Plan was approved by the Executive Board and General Membership. This
Strategic Plan was written from the perspective of determining the mission, goals and visions of all Ambassador
committees, projects, and relationships with Alumni Association, URC, and other student organizations. The 2008-2011
Strategic Plan also outlined strategic measures that was the basis of the responsibility of this years SPC committee to
maintain, evaluate, and adapt as needed.
As an organization based on traditions, and trust, we continue to strive towards our mission of making our connection
to the University a lifelong commitment. You as an alumnus stand as an excellent testament to our loyalty as students
and alumni, and I thank you for your continued support for our beloved organization and Alma Mater.
For the Glory,
Emma Donley
President (2k7)
Three and a half years in Lion Ambassadors brings about many fourths. A fourth Retreat, four OMOHS, four
Lantern Tours, four U-WIDE’s, and of course, four trips through the whirlwind of New Member Education. As
AVP, it’s hard to not look ahead to the New Member season early on in the academic year, which is why we
dialed up our new member efforts a notch with the establishment of the New Member Education Committee, the
NCC. In addition to being a New Member Chair, selected general members were also part of a committee
dedicated to reshaping and improving our new member process, while providing feedback from past years and
open discussion pertaining to all of our NME’s. Together we ushered in the class of 2k9, and set standards each
week with an unprecedented dedication to education. It was a long and sometimes difficult road for our CHOPS,
but I am proud to introduce the newest class of Lion Ambassadors to our alums far and wide. Congratulations
2k9!
As a byproduct of the NCC, the Sourcebook underwent a massive overhaul, demanding long hours of both
research and design. In the end, our first color Sourcebook, our largest Sourcebook, and our most complete and
accurate compilation of Penn State and Ambassador History was sent to print and distributed to the new class.
2008-2009 saw advancements in several other areas as well. The Embassy Education position in the hardworking
and creative hands of Frank Macinksy has become one of the most looked forward to portions of our General
Meetings. Both entertaining and educational, Frank’s presentations never ceased to amaze, and still amaze
regularly on our very own YouTube Channel.
I could go on and on about the hard work that many members have put into the organization this year, but in Lion
Ambassadors, much of that goes without saying. My three plus years as a Lion Ambassador have been my best,
shaping who I am as a person, and preparing me for the real world that lies just beyond graduation. I have made
lifelong friends and relationships which I will cherish forever, and I have given all I have to serve Penn State and
the Alumni Association. I have been provided the opportunity to give back, to embrace a pride and tradition, and
to represent something greater than any one of us, and for that, I am forever grateful.
May Our Lives But Swell Thy Fame,
Forever for the Glory,
Lee Michael Citarella (2k6 Walker)
It’s not a surprise in the world of tours that the theme of this year was: “Changes.” I think
the biggest changes this year came from a meeting in the fall semester when Admissions was
informed that the use of the Bravo Room (in East Halls) was being converted into offices for
additional office space. This allowed for a brand new plan to be enacted, and if I do say so myself –
the changes are fantastic. Tours previously called “Offer” tours are now referred to as “Accepted
Student Tours.” All of the ASP tours leave out of the HUB and each route is tailored to suit the
specific College in which the student has been accepted. Additionally, the HUB Auditorium is now
used for the presentation. When the tour splits the parents and students apart – the students are
taken to the 3rd floor of the HUB and have their panel in that space and the parents stay for a newly
created parent panel. So far, these major changes have worked exceptionally well.
As far as the sheer volume of students and their families that visit Penn State each year, this past
year has been no exception in record attendance. For 2008, the statistics are as follows, courtesy of
the Admissions department…
Prospective Student (and family): 24,542
Transfer Students (and family): 218
Offer Students (and family): 7,792
Spend A Summer Day Students (and family): 12,406
TOTAL: 44,958 visitors for 2008
The average family is a commonality here at PSU, but we’ve had some very famous special tours
this year. A couple of the special guests to campus this year were Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood
and their children – one whom is considering Penn State as one of her top choices!
I’ve consistently been impressed with level of service that my fellow Ambassadors devote to
touring – they have consistently stepped up to volunteer for tours and have been extremely patient,
understanding and excited as we’ve worked through all of the changes this year. To my fellow
Ambassadors – I extend a personal thank you to each and every one of you who has given a tour this
year (ie: ALL of you!) and to all of the alumni who’ve shared the touring experience with us this year
– I hope you had a good time and continue to spread the word about Penn State to your fellow
alums and friends!
Tour the Glory,
Chuday
Hi L’amb Alums,
For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Samantha Miller. I am a 2k8 Walker and served as the 2008-2009 University
Relations Chair.
The University Relations Committee was made of up of myself and six other individuals: Kerri Kearns (2k8, Atherton), Vicki
Cooper (2k8, Walker), Tran Che (2k7, Burrowes), Steve Brown (2k8, Walker), Shane Flickinger (2k7, Fraser), and Andy Jaye (2k7,
Atherton). We also received constant support from this year’s AVP Lee Citarella.
The dynamic of URC changed a lot this year because of the change in the nature of our work. In the fall, the committee
decided to start a brand new series of projects that were known fondly to the committee as “focus groups.” Two focus groups
were held leading up to Taste of Penn State as a way for us to gauge what the sentiments of the University Community toward
and about Lion Ambassadors. The focus groups allowed for a lot of honest discussion and were able to lead URC in the right
direction for planning Taste.
Fall 2008 also marked the first ever URC Taste of Penn State. The project was held on November 16, and took on a very new
and innovative form from what had been seen in the past. The URC Committee decided to hold breakout sessions that were
modeled to be discussions rather than presentations. This allowed all of our guests to interact not only with one group, but
also with all groups present as well as the member of Alumni Council who were in attendance.
In the spring, the committee shifted focus toward the All-Campus Conference (ACC). Held on March 27 and March 28, this
year’s ACC saw record-breaking attendance with over 95 people attending. As a committee, we were able to introduce the
idea of moving back into the ACC model where a Commonwealth Campus hosts every other year, and the Ambassadors
present at ACC 2009 were extremely receptive to the idea.
I could not be more proud of the committee for the tremendous strides they have taken for URC this year. We feel confident
that we have grown URC to a new level and I am very excited to leave the committee in the hands of Emmy Enders (2k9,
Fraser) and cannot wait to see where she takes URC in the coming year.
For the Glory,
Samantha Miller
yes
Greetings from State College!
My name is Lauren Seitz and I am the 2008-2009 Executive Vice
President. I am a senior majoring in International Politics and
Economics with minors in History and Spanish, and I hail from the
lovely Mechanicsburg, PA. And I love Ambassa-projects! This year,
the classes of 2k7 through 2k9 have been working hard to bring
Penn State amazing ways to learn about our history and share our
traditions. In the fall, we began with Be A Part From The Start,
which was run by our ad-hocs Tim Ballas and Tran Che, and
celebrated the incoming freshman with a great pep rally. Our
committee projects went full steam into the fall with the Burrowes
running MoxieTHON, which this year became a committee project.
We really wanted to make philanthropy a larger focus for the
L’Ambs, and it made sense to add more people to the planning of
our philanthropy. MoxieTHON had a great turnout and set a
wonderful foundation for many more years of the 5k/10k fight
against cancer.
The Fraser Committee put on the S-Zone every home football
Saturday, and they shook it up this year by not only flipping the
Zone white for the Illinois game but also planning a surprise pink
and black S-Zone for the Homecoming game against Michigan,
taking us back to our roots! The night before the Homecoming game, the Walker
Committee ran Guard The Lion Shrine, complete with a visit from PSU historian Lou
Prato, great entertainment, and the Last Guard Standing competition. At the end of
October, the Hetzel Committee shared PSU pride with the community through
Lantern Tours of campus. Though it was one of the first snowfalls of the season, the
event had a great turnout to continue the tradition of this exciting project.
Throughout the semester, the Sparks! Committee worked hard to recruit the L’Amb
class of 2k9 with informational events to spread awareness about our great group of
students! And since the fall, the Atherton Committee planned our annual Retreat, a
rite of passage for new and old members alike, which welcomed our Chops into the
organization and brought old members back together at the end of February.
The spring has been going great, and we look forward to more projects coming your way soon! The Frasers put on a
fantastic Founder’s Day celebration and coming next is Family Weekend by the Sparks! In April, we’ll be enjoying the
Burrowes rendition of Old Main Open House, Walkerssssss’ (yelled in a loud voice) Internal Senior Sendoff, and a Hetzel-ed
up University-Wide Senior Sendoff.
Thank you for all of your support to the Alumni Association and the Lion Ambassadors so that we can continue to put on
great projects for the Penn State community. And know that you are always welcome at any of our events; we would love to
see you!
For The Glory,
Lauren Seitz, EVP (2k7 Atherton)
The 2008-2009 Atherton Committee
Committee Director: Christian Lane
Fall 2008: Retreat
Spring 2009: Retreat
Lauren Chuday
Nadia Hasan
Kerri Kearns
Betsy Kellander
Tyler Noda
Brittany Pasay
Zach Rice
Jouelle Robinson
Suzy Robold
Carrie Salvia
Lauren Seitz
Claire Semerjian
Welcome to the Team 2k9!
John Sladewski
Austin Antolik - Jackie Boyland - Will Dennis - Michael Goralcyzk - Alex Hauser
Mackenzie Kagel - Alex Middleton - Bob Spellman
Atherton anticipation began to build last April when it was revealed that the committee was charged with planning Retreat
2k9! True to form, the 2008-2009 Atherton Committee has enjoyed a fun and successful year this far! Things started with a
bang this fall when the A-Team’s very own John Sladewski was named as one of the three Lion Ambassadors to the 2008
Homecoming Court. The first weekend in October was dubbed “Ather-weekend” as the teAm spent a great deal of time
and energy selecting the theme, class song (Time of My Life by David Cook), and other specifics that would lay the
foundation for Retreat weekend. Although the committee did not have a project to complete in the first semester, we
remained active in the fall lineup assisting with S-Zone, GTLS, Moxie-THON, Lantern Tours, and LARS sessions.
Rejuvenated by a long winter break, we returned to State College in Retreat mode. Four location visits, various filming
sessions, and multiple calls to vendors all took place in the first month back. The week leading up to Retreat was extremely
hectic as well, but everything was completed in time! From February 27th to March 1st, 2009 we hosted the Lion
Ambassadors’ 27th Retreat at Camp Krislund in Madisonburg, PA. The Ambassador Class of 2K9 was encouraged to embody
the theme “Live it Out Loud” for the duration of their Ambassador careers. Drs. Andrew Peck and Robert Ricketts made the
journey to Camp Krislund to speak to the group and to share insight from their life experiences. It is safe to say that each
Ambassador left the weekend with a new sense of pride and tradition.
Now that Retreat has come and gone, the Atherton Committee is still looking for new challenges/adventures to take on.
The baby Atherton’s will be selecting or creating some service projects around campus that they would like to partake in,
then they will be given the opportunity to run the project. This will provide the class of 2K9 with practice and leadership
experience in projects since they were not allowed to assist with Retreat. Atherton clothing designs are also in the works!
Ideas have included; tuxedo t-shirts, sweater vests with ties, and revisiting old t-shirt ideas. Also, a kickball challenge has
been extended by the Fraser committee (they have completed their Spring project as well) with gentlemanly means
pursued. The wager and outcome has yet to be decided! Lastly Atherton Committee Retreat and Initiation was a success!
The new class of Atherton’s learned more about the committee through time honored traditions, and Curious George is still
in our possession (despite the Burrowes various attempts to steal him)!
I would like to thank the Atherton seniors that have given so much of their time and energy to this organization: Kerri
Kearns, Suzy Robold, Lauren Chuday, Yuqing Gao, Nadia Hasan, Andy Jaye, Christian Lane, Zack Rice, Lauren Seitz, and John
Sladewski. All of you will be missed!
It has been an honor and a privilege to serve on the executive board for the last year. The experiences that I had and the
memories that I made will truly last a lifetime. My 2.5 years as a Lion Ambassador have been the best of my Penn State
career. Best of luck to the future of Lion Ambassadors, and carry on our storied tradition. For the George and For the
Glory!
Christian Lane
Senior Atherton Committee Director
The 2008-2009 Burrowes Committee
Committee Director: Emily Hebner
Fall 2008: MOXIE-thon
Spring 2009: Old Main Open House
Tran Che
Michael Dimattesa
Bryan Getz
Jeff Guagliardo
Kristen Gunnison
Chris Hachey
T.J. Keefe
Liz Miller
Megan Maczonis
Brian Parico
Sarah Schindler
Angie Smith
Shay Solt
Jeff Watson
Embrace the Shade, 2k9
Nick Pinto
Keith Agyeman - Acshah Dorsey - Kate Gullo - Jon Hudak - Katy Rambo
Bill Rech - Jaclyn Sokol - Eileen Webb - Ben Witt
The Burrowes Committee understands that this letter's importance is to inform everyone on what we have been up to
this past year; however, the Burrowes must embrace the shade and fill you in on some but not all of our endeavors.
Our Fall project, MoxieThon, was a challenging yet exponentially rewarding experience. In the more recent years,
MoxieThon was an ad hoc project and in the Spring semester of '08 the organization voted to move Moxie back to its
original spot as a committee project. Therefore, the Burrowes began slowly chipping away at some business over the
summer in order to take the project to new heights come fall. Our main goals were to increase participation, raise more
money for the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society, and to integrate Melissa Heydenreich's family into the project as much as
possible.
Thanks to the committee's dedication, creativity, and heart, we far exceeded our goals. We raised over $7000, had a
substantial increase in attendance, and were able to communicate and involve the family as much as possible. On Friday
October 3, ACACIA Fraternity (Rush Acacia!) hosted our spaghetti dinner, which raised $500. ACACIA provided a dining
area, assistance with setting up the dinner, Nelly, the cook who prepared all of the food, and clean-up help as well.
During the dinner, we had two Penn State athletes speak about their life experiences. Kevin Tan, the men's gymnastics
coach who competed in this past summer's Olympics, created a moving video speech for us about his mother's battle
with cancer and his perseverance throughout his athletic career. Afterwards, Doris Willette, a sophomore fencing
athlete, took the stage to speak about her interesting and challenging fencing career.
The following Sunday, October 5, MoxieThon kicked off. Aside from your typical 5k/10k race competition, the Burrowes
invited all of the other touring organizations on campus (SMART and Scouts) to compete in the inaugural "walk
backwards competition." The prize for the winning organization was a coveted, gaudy, and hilarious trophy. L'AMBS
represented for the win and the trophy now resides in our office! Dole Fruit Company and Rita's Ice also added some
extra pizzaz to MoxieThon by allowing us to borrow a banana costume and ice cup costume for the day. The Burrowes
own T.J. Keefe completed the 5k race dressed as Bobby the Banana. Now if that is not dedication, I ask you what is?
Other highlights of the day included the LAAIG posthumously awarding Melissa the John Black Award. Melissa's mother
and family were present to accept the award and at that time spoke of Melissa's past achievements including her time as
an Ambassador. All in all, MoxieThon was day of reflection, determination, and fun.
Currently, the Burrowes committee is busy planning a fantastic Old Main Open House! We can't divulge any of the cool
details yet, but we have an abundance of historically smashing ideas this year! We're also devoting our time to
welcoming in the new Burrowes who have been nothing short of super shady, sexy, and cool! Additionally, the Burrowes
have designed a new shirt to honor Thomas Henry Burrowes himself and to display the chillingly shady side of our
committee.
As the Burrowes committee director, I have been so lucky and honored to see firsthand how smoothly projects can run
when working with enthusiastic, creative, and open-minded individuals. I'd like to thank all the Burrowes, past and
present, for embracing the shade in order to take our committee to new heights!
WAB.
FTG,
Emily Hebner
The 2008-2009 Fraser Committee
Committee Director: Dani McIntyre
Fall 2008: S-Zone
Spring 2009: Founder’s Day
Conor Daly
Anthony Estes
Shane Flickinger
Cri Cri Henry
Elizabeth Kernion
Mike Lamapriello
Janelle Mikulca
Mike Niffenegger
Val Russell
Matt Sheroff
Ari Waschler
Kat Wilson
Welcome to the Family 2k9
Eileen Barno - Emmy Enders - Jimmy Gibbons - Curran McCready - Sharon O’Brien - Kayla Ritenour
Lucas Scott - Susan Urish - Josh Wentz
“Throughout the long football
season, the Frasers, as well as all
Ambassadors, helped to make our
most visible project a huge success!”
-
Committee Director Dani MacIntyre
Hi Fraser Fam! The Frasers have been working very hard
all year to put together two outstanding projects. Starting over
the summer, we worked hard to ensure the success of our first
project, the S-Zone. While the S-Zone image has become a sort of
brand for the student section at all home football games, we did
our best to provide our own sense of flair to the zone.
In addition to the traditional blue “S” on a white
background, the Frasers kicked it up a notch. With the growing
popularity of “white-outs” in the student section, we were able
to flip the S-zone with a blue background that was widened to
create a larger looking “S.” The Frasers decided to go one step
further than any previous S-Zone by showing the old school style
of the Farmer’s High School. For the homecoming game against
Michigan, the Whitehouse was “Inspired by Tradition” with the
first ever pink “S” on a black background to honor our former
school colors. The look was complete with metallic pink and black
shakers for all students in the S-Zone, causing the pink and black
to stand out and sparkle. This homecoming game was extra
special for the Fraser committee because this year’s king and
queen were our very own Anthony Estes and Liz Kernion,
representing the family quite well! Throughout the long football
season, the Frasers, as well as all Ambassadors, helped to make
our most visible project a huge success!
After the semester long fall project, the Frasers hit the ground running for the spring project of Founder’s Day. For the
154 birthday of dear old state, the Frasers decided to cover as much of campus as possible so that all students were aware of
the celebration. We moved up to East Halls for an evening event to kick off the celebration with PSU Trivia Plinko, cookies, raffle
prizes, and “did you know?” flyers for all students. The following day, Ambassadors took over the HUB with decorations, trivia
games, PSU history, and entertainment throughout the afternoon. The HUB event featured a “balloon drop” from the ceiling, the
Blue Band Trumpets, step team performances by the brothers of Kappa Alpha Psi, Alpha Phi Alpha, and Phi Beta Sigma, and live
music from local bands Whipple Jam and Havoc Jack. We kept the HUB rocking all day as a constant crowd was formed around
the stage. Finally, giant birthday cards containing facts about influential presidents were placed at 6 locations around campus,
and hot chocolate, cookies, and trivia were distributed at tables around campus to include students who did not pass through
the HUB during the celebration.
While we were busy all year, we still made time for several family dinners, the traditional family photo at Sears, and
rocked new Fraser gear that contained a picture of John Fraser wearing stunner shades on a yellow t-shirt.
In January, we were very lucky to welcome nine wonderful new members to the family as the class of 2k9! I know they
will continue to make the family proud!
It was great seeing many of you throughout the football season and we hope all is well and that we can see you again
soon!
th
For the family,
For the glory,
Dani McIntyre, Fraser CD (2k7)
The 2008-2009 Hetzel Committee
Committee Director: Amy Leslie
Fall 2008: Lantern Tours
Spring 2009: University Wide Senior Sendoff
Nick Baccash
Julia Covelli
Lauren DiGaetano
Eric DiGiovanna
Emma Donely
Sam Hahn
Blake Ilgenfritz
Frank Macinsky
Heather McMunigal
Amber Reilly
Sean Stanton
Greg Tallman
Shockingly Refreshing, 2k9!
Victoria Brandolini - Rebekah Cosco - Rachel Louie - TJ Masteller - Joe Millet
Corie-Mae Myers - Justin Polosky - Kaitlin Seasoltz
The 2008-2009 year has proven to be a very shockingly refreshing one! The Hetzels returned in the fall ready to
plan an innovative and exciting Lantern Tours. Combining creative juices and Hetzellence the Zels came up with
new ideas to incorporate into the Fall project. Lantern Tours 2008: The Search for Paranormal Pride included new
characters and an interactive video tour. As the students and community toured the night with lantern light, they
were asked to find the missing pride at Penn State. In the end however, it was clear through the people of Penn
State’s past, tour guides, and videos that pride is not a tangible thing. Instead it exists inside the Penn State
community! Everyone seemed to really enjoy the interactive twist that encouraged LT guests to actively pursue
Penn State’s history.
In the Spring, the Hetzels will be putting together the 2009 University Wide Senior Sendoff. The Zels are ready to
put yet another shockingly refreshing twist on a L’Amb project and planning is already successfully going under
way. Even though our next project is rapidly approaching, we were able to spend most of the spring semester
getting to know our newest Pinkies. The Zels welcomed 8 new members into the most shockingly refreshing
committee and couldn’t be more excited about it! Planning an awesome skit for retreat and having frequent
committee dinners has helped the new Zels feel welcome and excited to be Hetzel. We also have two new Zels
subheading for UWIDE which is providing them with great opportunities to get involved early on. Overall, it has
been a wonderful 2008-2009 year so far and we can’t wait to see how our committee continues to bond and
instill outrageous fun within our projects and the rest of the organization. We hope all is well with our L’Amb and
Zel Alum!
HET HET
LTS,
Amy Leslie
2008-2009 Junior Committee Director
2k8 Hetzel
The 2008-2009 Sparks Committee
Committee Director: Ryan Kress
Fall 2008: LARS
Spring 2009: Family Weekend
Elyse Adams
Joe Caruano
Emily Cohen
Megan Francis
Kirsten Hosack
Greg Hyde
Jen Lowe
Sam Merrit
Drew Nebrig
Sharon Rose
Katie Tolerico
Not
Pictured:
Katie
Martin
2k9, How do you spell SPARKS?
Sara Ann Barrett - Robin Beltrani - Nicole Eckhardt - Jake June - Brett Kesselman - DJ Lingelbach
Jared McKnight - HJ Sieminski
Greetings L’Amb Alumni! The Sparks! Committee has had quite the tremendous year. In fully living by our motto, Soul.
Friendship. Dedication., the Sparks! have taken our committee to new heights and have been nothing short of amazing.
This past fall the Sparks! took on the important task of recruiting the newest class of L’Ambs with our project Lion Ambassador
Recruitment Sessions. After much brainstorming, the Sparks! chose this year’s theme as “Telling The Story, For The Glory. It’s
Your Turn.” We had four separate sessions throughout the fall, the first of which was an event on the patio of Old Main. A tent
was set up, great food was served, flyers were dispersed and the word of L’Amb was preached to students passing by as a way to
market our upcoming information sessions. Speaking of marketing the information sessions, the Sparks! put a twist on marketing
LARS this year by doing flash mobs in the HUB. For those that aren’t exactly sure what in the world a flash mob indeed is, I will
tell you. A flash mob is where a group of individuals go through a crowded space, such as the HUB, and all completely freeze at
the same time in the position that they were in. Wearing our bright orange LARS t-shirts and with flyers in hand, we pretended to
do a tour through the HUB with about thirty or so L’Ambs. At the shout of “We are…” everyone froze in their positions for two
awkward minutes. This was actually not only a great way to market and get people’s attention, but it was so much fun, too!
For the actual information sessions themselves the committee really wanted to add some excitement to this year’s sessions so
we invited newly inducted Honorary L’Amb Sue Paterno to speak about the organization. SuePa gave an incredible speech and
spoke so highly of the organization, which was something both the recruits and especially current L’Ambs loved and needed to
hear. We also had Joe Battista, one of the founding members of L’Ambs speak. He gave quite the rousing pump up speech and
was a great balance to SuePa. We also held the annual Open House which is always a great way to have some one on one face
time with recruits and really talk up the organization. Fantastic food, great music, awesome prizes and wonderful
conversations…what more could you want for an Open House?
Our spring project was also quite the success! The Sparkies had the wonderful opportunity to host Family Weekend 2009. Our
committee truly dedicated themselves to this project and was determined to leave their mark on it. The goal for this weekend
was to put the family back in Family Weekend and really make it personal. We wanted to keep certain traditions the same, but
also put a twist on things.
The weekend kicked off with a Welcome Event in the HUB Auditorium. We made an awesome video that introduced the Sparks!
and welcomed everyone to Family Weekend. After the video played, members of the Blue Band stormed into the auditorium and
proudly played our favorite Penn State Fight Songs. One of the highlights of the event was when each family was put into the
committee that their children had thought best matched their personalities. Teaching families committee chants and signs was
quite hilarious. Throughout the entire weekend families proudly displayed and showed their signs. From the HUB families went
on a short walk to the Hintz where buses were waiting to give them a short tour of our favorite Penn State spots. During the walk
characters from Penn State’s past met the families and shared their history with them.
A dinner reception was held on the Hintz Lawn where a massive tent was constructed that fit all 320 L’Ambs and their families.
So about this tent. On this particular weekend, the weather decided to have a mind of its own and severe winds of forty plus
miles per hour ensued. If you know anything about massive tents and high winds, then you know enough to be able to tell that
they do not go together, at all. Long story short, Best Event had to come four separate times throughout the day to fix our
collapsing tent. Fear not though, for the winds subdued for the dinner and a marvelous time was surely had by all. We also had a
mini General at dinner that showed our families an inside look to L’Ambs. After dinner families were able to go up into the bell
tower and enjoy the beautiful sights of campus at night. The weekend concluded with a delicious brunch at the Hintz. All in all,
the weekend was an enormous success and everyone surely had a fantastic time.
The Sparks! Committee welcomed nine incredible new members this year that have been amazing additions to an already
amazing committee. The Sparks! have had one of the best years and we are surely sad to see it come to an end. It has been an
honor and privilege to serve as CD to this incredible group of individuals and I am positive that our committee is only destined for
greatness next year. We hope everyone is doing wonderful, we miss you! Take care! Arf arf!
arFTG,
Ryan Kress
The 2008-2009 Walker Committee
Committee Director: John Paul Rossi
Fall 2008: Guard the Lion Shrine
Spring 2009: Internal Senior Sendoff
Kyle Brzezynki
Steve Brown
Lee Citarella
Vicki Cooper
Dan Coughlin
Ashley Fowler
Nadina Fraimow
Amy Leib
Andy Miller
Sam Miller
Alyson Rotz
Steph Yessler
Fear the Bull, Fear 2k9
Tim Ballas
Matt McCowan
Eric Charity - Steve DeSandis - David Frankenfield - Ashley Grim - Rachael Grosso
Lauren Hosack - Megan McGurk - Victoria Wolff
Hey Nation! This fall, the 2k8 Walkers got their first crack at project work after sitting on the sidelines through Retreat
2008 planning. The committee came together to execute Guard the Lion Shrine and orchestrate our involvement with the
related Homecoming week activities. Never losing sight of our mantra, “We win, we always do,” our boisterous committee
ensured Homecoming would be no different. Fourteen Lion Ambassadors clad in rolled-up khaki pants stormed
Eisenhower Auditorium with a rousing Airbands performance. In perfect harmony, the love story of Jomeo and
Suelliet played out to a cheering crowd and a panel of judges that crowned the Lion Ambassadors Airbands 2008
Champions.
In related news, the Pleasant Gap Fire Company was forced to retire the ailing antique blue and white fire engine that
traditionally carried senior Lion Ambassadors through the Homecoming Parade. Symbolizing our University’s agrarian roots
and its location at the forefront of technological innovation, the Walkers decided that the Lion Ambassadors and President
Spanier should be pulled through the parade by the largest blue tractor in the State College region powered by alternative
fuels. The float and tractor, decorated with hay, pumpkins, and gourds, created an impressive sight rolling down College
Avenue and up Burrowes Street, finishing its route at the Lion Shrine.
The evening of Friday, October 17, marked the 2008 celebration of Guard the Lion Shrine that brought over a thousand
Penn State alumni, students, and friends to the Class Gift of 1940. The organization and greater community
gathered,Honoring the Past, Protecting the Future, complete with delicious food and great entertainment. The Blue Band
and Cheerleaders kicked off the event by leading the crowd in fight songs. Lines grew quickly as hungry patrons waited for
popcorn, fresh submarines, Clem’s Barbeque sandwiches, and Philly Pretzels. Loyal Nittany Lions came out to hear Lou
Prato, a Penn State football historian, recount the storied history of the Lion Shrine. Prato, who guarded the Shrine as a
student in the 1960s, kept the audience captivated with his knowledge of the repeated attacks the Lion Shrine faced since
its dedication in 1942.
Prato soon passed the microphone off to guitarist Mike Antosh, who headlined the night’s entertainment. As night fell,
listeners, hot chocolate in hand, crowded the stage to enjoy Antosh’s acoustic mix of popular song covers and his original
music. Meanwhile, over fifty competitors gathered for the 5th annual Last Guard Standing Competition. The competition,
which included a Creamery ice cream flavor challenge, ultimately awarded the Last Guard Standing with an autographed
Sean Lee jersey. The night concluded with a performance by the Pennharmonics, one of Penn State’s premier a cappella
groups, who impressed the crowd with their renditions of contemporary favorites. With the Lion Shrine safe at midnight,
the crowd dispersed, ready to cheer the Nittany Lions on to victory over Michigan in a nationally televised event.
As graduation looms in the distance, the Walkers look forward to bidding farewell and thanking the Lion Ambassador
seniors for their dedicated service to The Pennsylvania State University and our special organization at Internal Senior
Sendoff. The eight Baby Walkers are already showing their superior skills, continually impressing older members with their
dedication. Be confident that the Nation stands strong, respects those that came before them, and continues to remember
the foundation each of you built. We hope you are doing well and we miss you! O.L.É.
Eric Walker liked to tell a story about a conversation he had with his friend, the distinguished scientist Vannevar Bush, soon
after being named president of Penn State. “Eric, there are three ways to build a great University,” said Bush. “You can
build a lot of buildings. You can build a football team. Or you can build a faculty.” “Well, Van,” Walker replied, “I am going
to do all three.”
FTB,
JP Rossi, Walker CD (2k7)
Between continuing traditions started in the past and creating new projects, Philanthropy has been very busy this
academic year. In the fall, we began by raising money for the Alzheimer’s Association’s Memory Walk, in memory
of the grandmother of a L’amb. During Penn State’s Homecoming Week, the Lion Ambassadors donated 10 full
garbage bags worth of clothing and shoes to St. Vincent’s, a local church. St. Vincent’s provides these items to
those in need for very low prices and then uses that money to make meals for people as well. In both November
and February, the Lion Ambassadors hosted a blood drive in the Hintz Alumni Center. The fall blood drive was
one of several drives that helped Penn State to beat Michigan State in the 15th annual Blood Donor Challenge.
GO LIONS!
Also, by mid-fall we began raising money for THON ’09. We also began a new pen pal project with our THON
family, the Allen’s. The Allen’s have four daughters, Liz, Steph, Becca, and Amanda. Each month, one Lion
Ambassador was matched with one of the girls as pen pals. The L’amb pen pal wrote letters and sent gifts to
‘their’ girl. In addition, at Christmas and Valentine’s Day, members donated money to give the girls gifts and
candy! Additional money was donated to give the girls presents upon their arrival to THON ’09. Lion
Ambassadors had 4 official dancers at THON, however many L’ambs danced for other organizations. The 4 people
dancing specifically for Lion Ambassadors were Julia Covelli, Greg Hyde, Andy Jaye, and Shay Solt. Our over-all
fundraising for THON was also a success, as we were able to raise about $1,000 more than our total last year. Our
final total for THON 2009 was $12,693. Thank you to all that donated.
As the year continues, we look forward to seeing the Allen family more. We are also making plans to raise money
through an internal Lion Ambassador Group Date Auction. We will also be creating teams for this year’s Relay for
Life, which will take place at Penn State on April 17th.
FTG,
PhiLAMBthropy
Hello Alums!
This year we had a very competitive ballot for Honorary Ambassador, as there are many Penn State faculty, staff and
volunteers who help the Lion Ambassador organization in internal and external events. This year we were fortunate in having
two Honorary Ambassadors elected by the general membership as they ran on the same ticket.
The 2009 Honorary Ambassadors were selected as husband and wife, Steve and Carol Gentry. Both graduates of the
University in 1969, Steve and Carol have remained dedicated Penn State as they share our mission in making a lifelong
commitment to the institution. Both Carol and Steve received their degrees in Education, and have remained in the State
College area as teachers throughout their tenure.
As graduates they have both remained dedicated to the Alumni Association as Steve Gentry served six years as an Alumni
Council member serving on the Diversity Committee. Carol is currently serving in her second term on the Diversity
Committee. The Gentry’s have also committed themselves as mentors to the Fast Start program which is the third student
group sponsored by the Alumni Association. As educators they have also volunteered their time as mentors for the
continuing education program for adults here at the University.
The Gentry’s have continued to be some of the Lion Ambassadors biggest fans, as they have attended every Taste of Penn
State, as well as participated in Moxie Thon, our race against Leukemia in honor of Melissa Heydenreich. This project is very
special to them as they taught the Heydenreich girls when they were students at State College High School, before attending
Penn State.
Furthermore the Gentry’s are volunteers and docents at the Centre Furnace Mansion. The historical building located on
College Avenue in route to Bellefonte holds many traditions, as our story of being a Land Grant Institution came from the
Thompson and Irvin families that produced iron ore at the mansion’s large furnace.
The Gentry’s are an outstanding selection as honorary Ambassadors. They share our enthusiasm and devotion to the
University, and every Ambassador looks forward to working with them in the coming years.
For the Glory,
Emma Donley
Lion Ambassador President 08-09
Hi Ambassador Alums!
It has been a very exciting year for the LAAIG. We have been busy working on new programs, improving membership
communication, and continuing to help the Lion Ambassadors any way we can. Here are just a few of the projects we
currently are working on!
With fresh diplomas in hand, the newest Shepherds will be welcomed in to the LAAIG, continuing to grow our
membership of already 1000+ members! The LAAIG is working on a Mentoring program where Shepherds can
volunteer to mentor new Alums and current Lion Ambassadors. The program is a great way to meet other
Ambassadors and help ease the transition from student to Alum.
We are continuing our fundraising efforts for the AlumniWalk where the LAAIG will be honored with a center paver; all
of the money raised from the project goes to the Alumni Association’s student programs such as the Blue & White
Society and Lion Ambassadors!
The Moxie-Gate project was another success, with Historian Alyson Rotz taking a car load of wellness bags to the
Leukemia/Lymphoma Society of Pittsburgh. The bags are distributed to hospitals where pediatric patients and young
family members can play with the books, pencils, toys, and many other items to help pass the time.
Jason Mattia has continued to do a tireless job of keeping the LAAIG’s IT in order! We are fortunate to have a listserv,
[email protected] which makes communicating news to our group so much easier. The LAAIG is a unique
organization with members in dozens of states and overseas. We hope to expand the use of the listserv so our
members can support each other’s projects and continue to serve the University and our communities. We also have a
new webpage which will make accessing LAAIG items quicker and easier; go to the Alumni Association’s Interest Groups
site for our link. If you are seeking out a specific LAAIG Member, the new Alumni Directory is a great source for
information, choose the Lion Ambassador AIG as the Activity to narrow your search to LAAIG Members.
The LAAIG Board is working hard to continue our many projects and to bring students and Alumni closer together.
Please keep in touch and continue to support the Lion Ambassadors and the Alumni Association as we continue to
support the University’s missions. I hope to see you in Happy Valley soon!
For the Glory,
Chris Stout
President LAAIG
On Saturday, October 18, Penn State faced off against
Michigan during Homecoming weekend at PSU. If it’s
Homecoming it must also be the annual MOXIEGATE!!!!!
The Lion Ambassadors sponsor a wonderful annual
tailgate for us now named Moxie-Gate. Moxie-Gate is
named in honor of Melissa Heydenreich, a former
Ambassador and the LAAIG John Black Award winner
for 2007, who passed away from Leukemia. In her
honor, like Moxie-Thon, we help the Lymphoma and
Leukemia Society by contributing bags of cheer for
children dealing with lymphoma and leukemia.
Around 100 alumni and current Ambassadors gathered
for the tailgate and put together 50 bags of cheer
which were brought to the Greater Pittsburgh
Children’s Hospital for distribution. Items in the bags
of cheer included bandanas, dolls, crayons, fun bandaids and an assortment of other toys supplied by
Shepherds.
A great time was had by all and another football game
was won.
The LAAIG Board of Directors
awarded the 2007 John Black Award
posthumously to Melissa
Heydenreich. Melissa continues to
inspire us every year as her spirit
lives on through the Lion
Ambassadors' Moxie Thon 5k/10k (a
fund raiser for the Leukemia Society
held every fall on campus) and the
LAAIG's Moxie Gate (a new tradition
at our Homecoming tailgate where
L'Amb Alumni and their families
create gift bags for pediatric cancer
patients).
In lieu of an award plaque, a
donation of $100 was presented
along with an Award Certificate in
Melissa’s honor, to Susan
Heydenreich, by Lori Master at the
Moxie-Thon 2008 (Sunday, October
5, 2008). Moxie-Thon raised over
$4,700 and was supported by over
200 runners and volunteers.
Melissa Heydenreich was born on May 14, 1965 in Reading, Pa, a daughter of Reverend Robert and Susan Heydenreich. She
grew up in State College with her parents and three younger sisters, Michelle, Elizabeth (Lizzie) and Jennifer. Melissa
attended local schools, was active in 4-H, competed in the Junior Miss contest, and wrote for the Park Forest Junior High
School newspaper just so that she could interview the Penn State quarterback at the time, Chuck Fusina. At home, she
helped her father in the large garden and corn field behind their house and competed joyfully with her family for the love
and affection of Lizzie, who is mentally handicapped due to an early childhood fight against cancer. Melissa at one time
worked with the Penn State Nittany Lion mascot, Norm Constantine, to better understand and use sign language.
Like the rest of her family, Melissa became a diehard Penn State fan. She also became an avid runner and could been seen
with a bandanna in her hair along many of the country roads surrounding state college. In 1983, Melissa graduated from
State College Area high school and headed down the road to Penn State where she was actively involved with Penn State
Lion Ambassadors and was tapped into Parmi Nous. Four years later, she graduated as a University Scholar and a
Renaissance Scholar. In 1987, she left State College to attend law school at the college of William and Mary. After law school,
Melissa headed for Washington DC where she began her career as an antitrust lawyer at the Federal Trade Commission.
During her time at the FTC, Melissa received numerous awards for her work on specific cases as well as for consistent
outstanding performance. In 1996, she was promoted to the position of Attorney-Advisor in the Office of the FTC Chairman,
where she worked to establish guidelines for the FTCs innovative-markets competition policy. She met her future husband,
JD Marple, one night in DC when she was cajoled into stopping by a party he and his roommates were having in their
basement apartment.
Melissa lived in DC but a large piece of her heart remained in State College throughout her life. She was a member of the Mt.
Nittany Conservatory Board of Directors, was elected to the Penn State Liberal Arts Alumni Society Board of Directors, and
served on the Centre County Drug and Alcohol Planning Council. She was a member of her father's congregation at the Pine
Hall Lutheran Church and frequently made the four-hour drive from DC to attend church, visit the golden retrievers, enjoy
meals with her family, and spend time with Lizzie (who would always scream with delight when any of her sisters arrived
home).
In August 1996, Melissa was diagnosed with acute Lymphocytic Leukemia. She first knew something was wrong when she
had to cut her daily 5-mile run short because of fatigue. She spent the next 4 months between John Hopkins University
Hospital in Baltimore and apartment nearby and occasionally back at the home she loved in Alexandria, VA. Despite months
of chemotherapy and bone marrow transplant, Melissa was irrepressible throughout her fight with cancer. She bought
Holiday gifts for her doctors, chatted with the nurses, and circled the halls for hours each day while pushing an IV unit as a
substitute for running. Although she was a cancer patient, she still had occasional blisters on her feet from her running
shoes.
Melissa died on New Years Day 1997. Although she was cared for and supported by her family and friends, it is apparent in
looking back that it was Melissa who gave them the strength to carry on through her display of courage and moxie, and who
now inspires them to be loving and thoughtful and to share their lives fully with those around them.
We still need to raise close to $3,800 to support
the LAAIG pledge of $5,000 for the Alumni
Walk center diamond stone.
The Alumni Walk outside of the Hintz Family
Alumni Center was dedicated during Homecoming
weekend. The Walk reminds us of the many
different individuals and groups that comprise the
Penn State Alumni Association while also
demonstrating the financial support and generosity
of alumni.
Donations made to the Alumni Walk will establish the Alumni Association's new Student Endowment Fund, whose main
purpose is to help student programs. The Lion Ambassador program will be a main beneficiary of this fund. The Alumni
Association, to recognize the important work we do to keep Alumni and students connected, has reserved one of the 12" by 12"
diamond granite centerpieces for the Lion Ambassadors in exchange for a $5,000 donation.
We are asking for your support and a direct donation to the LAAIG centerpiece. With more than 1,000 Lion Ambassador
alumni, raising these funds is certainly within our reach. Please consider giving at least $25; this small donation will support the
current and future Ambassadors. With gifts of $25, we can reach our goal with donations from you and 199 others!
Help us get the Lion Ambassador Alumni Interest Group brick inscribed so that it "belongs" with the other bricks in the walk in
a proud display of Penn State alumni providing a path for future students!
Lauren Kerr (’05) will be graduating with her M.D. in May 2009 from Northwestern University’s School of
Medicine and starting residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology in June at Northwestern’s Prentice Women’s
Hospital.
Holly Williams Leppo (’98) and husband Shawn welcomed their third son, Benjamin Wade on April 8, 2008.
Benjamin joins his big brother Samuel Wythe, 4. Their middle son, Nathaniel Williams, was stillborn at 35
weeks on March 2, 2007.
In January 2009, she was named one of the 40 Under 40 in the architecture, engineering, and construction
industries by Building Design + Construction magazine. She became a partner at SMB&R in Camp Hill in
January 2008 and is the principal architect in the firm. She has published seven study guides for the Architect
Registration Exam and the LEED AP exam through Professional Publications, Inc. over the past three years.
Darryl Bundrige (’93) is the Deputy Director of Programs and Services for City Year Philadelphia. City Year is
an Americorps program that engages 17-24 year olds in a year of meaningful service in urban schools and
communities. Darryl oversees the training, evaluation, service, and management components of over 200
corps members in 25 schools
Clint Mickel (’05) will be completing his MBA from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University in May
and will subsequently be moving to Minneapolis in June.
Rob Bowsher (’86) visited his 21st and 22nd state capitol buildings over the past six months. In October, he
entered the Wisconsin state capitol building in Madison with fellow Lion Ambassadors Nancy Hammond
(1985), Kevin Wood (1986), and Eric George (1987). Afterwards,they enjoyed our Nittany Lions’ 48-7 victory
over the Badgers. In February, while skiing in Lake Tahoe, he visited the Nevada state capitol building in
Carson City with his Australian mate Tim and his friend Barry. Twenty-eight buildings to go!
Jeff Jubelirer (“Jubes”) (’93) is enjoying his two future Penn Staters, Sofie (born 8/7/06) and Ali (born
3/21/08) here in Philadelphia.
Hans Arora (’05) was elected as Chair of the Governing Council for the American Medical Association
Medical Student Section for 2009-2010. He is currently an M.D./Ph.D. student at Northwestern
University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, IL.
David (Dfeld) Dorenfeld (’95) and wife Dana have 2 children, Emily (3 ½ yrs) and Kate (5 mo) and live
in Charlotte, NC. He is brainwashing the girls that PSU, and NOT UNC is the best school in the world.
You have to start young!!
Jeff Deitrich (’89) bored the only 5 people who noticed that he wrote “just got home from a long day
at work” February 24 on Facebook
David Ulmer (’01) and family recently moved from Minnesota back to Audubon, Pennsylvania (just
outside King of Prussia). They’ve had a busy year with the move, finishing grad school, and the birth of
their third child, David Jr. in August. They’re glad to be closer to State College again and looking
forward to going to more games this fall.
David Toliver (’97) and wife Jessica are expecting our second child, a girl, in July. Their son, Cole, was
born June 27, 2007. They currently live in Falls Church, VA.
To: Michael Maloni (’91)
From: Jeff Deitrich
Message: Did you write anything funny in this edition of
LionPause?
To: Natalie Nowak (’08)
From: Mary Katherine Moravek (’07)
To: Victoria DiTaranto (’05)
From: Jason Mattia (’04)
Message: Thank you for always letting me crash in NYC – even if
we have to bucket our showers! Love you!
Message: Hoboken or bust…. But can we still have dinner at your
parents’ place? 
To: Tiffany Arnold (Gorman)(’02)
From: David Ulmer
Message: Tiff – Thanks for letting us join your tailgate at the bowl
game. It was great to see you and Greg again. Let us know if you
are ever in PA.
To: Jill Wilson (’05)
From: Erika Strack (’05)
Message: To my BFF Jill: Please stop slamming the front door.
And Carol sends her love to the kids.
To: Stephen Rohrbach (’08)
From: Lee Citarella (’09)
Message: FACES!
To: Mark Lukac (’05)
From: Erika Strack (’05)
Message: I miss you, buddy!
To: Jordan Ford (’07)
From: Lee Citarella (’09)
Message: Ummm…the 25th Volume of the Lion Pause has
ketchup all over it. Hmmmm….
To: Kristin Ginty (’06)
From: Erika Strack (’05)
Message: Sending a trans-Atlantic roar to a lovely Spanish Owl!
To: Mark Polinski (’86) and Kevin Wood (’86)
From: Jean Guskey-Fuchs
Message: No more planes, trains and automobiles driving on the
left side of the road to see each other. Dinner. Soon.
To: Patrick Kiley (’07)
From: Mary Katherine Moravek (’07)
Message: “He did, he said she was cruel!” Our times together
always make me smile, miss you!
To: Anna Portz (Hughes) (’01)
From: David Ulmer
Message: Anna – Thanks for crashing our breakfast at the Inn. It
was great to see you and Bede (you two look great together!)
and meet his family. Thanks for the free babysitting. Hope to see
you again soon!
To: Brad Georgic (’01)
From: David Ulmer
Message: Brad – Congratulations on your 30th birthday and your
first house! Man, you are so OLD!!!
To: Shaun (’02) & Julie Mason (’05)
From: Jason Mattia (’04)
Message: Good luck with the new house. I’ll be out to visit again soon!
To: Lindsay Bayliss, Christina Madgits, Erika Swiercynski and Julie Leard
From: Lauren Kerr (’05)
Message: Roar to the 110 
To: Olivia Etz (Littleton)(’01)
From: David Ulmer
Message: Liv – It was great to catch up with you and Erik in
Pasadena. I hope that we can catch up again soon.
To: Megan Tomlin (‘07), Betsey Geib (‘07) & Kristin Avagliano (‘07)
From: Mary Katherine Moravek (’07)
Message: “You girls are the loves of her life, a guy is lucky to come in
fourth.” I miss you girls, Fab4 <3 always!
To: Scott Lockledge (’86)
From: Rob Bowsher (’86)
Message: Thank you so much for calling and reconnecting, Scott.
It’s always great to hear from you.
…Coach Mike says “Hi!”
To: Karen Rovder Koenig (’86)
From: Rob Bowsher (’86)
Message: The Steelers reign supreme again! Congrats on scoring
those Super Bowl tickets for you and Tom, Karen. Next year,
we’ll celebrate a Chargers victory.
To: Kevin Zakorchemny (’04)
From: Jason Mattia (’04)
Message: Roar to the world traveler! Keep the stories coming.
See you in the Fall!
To: Kevin Houston (’08)
From: Mary Katherine Moravek (’07)
Message: …a million sea cucumbers.
To: Stephen Renaldo (’08)
From: Lee Citarella (’09)
To: Terry Kerwin (’05) & Stef Stewart (’07)
From: Jason Mattia (’04)
Message: We should have delivered that letter to Jordan….you
know which one I’m talking about!
Message: Welcome to the neighborhood! Just in time for
summer
Jill Wilson, 2k4 Fraser
grad year 2005 and
Erika Strack, 2k4
Burrowes grad year
2005 at a winery in
Northern Virginia late
last Summer
Left to right, Kevin Larson
(son of James & Kristen
Carroll Larson), Samuel Leppo
(son of Shawn & Holly Williams
Leppo), Isla Modic (daughter
of Paul & Holly Firth Modic),
and James Larson (Kevin's big
brother) -- taken at the
Pittsburgh Zoo in early
November
Jeff Jubelirer, Class of
1993, two children
Sofie and Ali
David Ulmer, Class of 2001, and Family
Congratulations to the 2009-2010 Executive Board
President: Amy Leslie
Executive Vice President: Ryan Kress
Administrative Vice President: T.J. Keefe
Secretary: Heather McMunigal
Office Manager/Treasurer: Bill Rech
Director of Internal Relations: Sam Hahn
Historian: Victoria Wolfe
Tour Director: Alyson Rotz
University Relations Chair: Emmy Enders
Atherton CD: Austin Antolik
Burrowes CD: Chris Hachey
Fraser CD: Jimmy Gibbons
Hetzel CD: Blake Ilgenfritz
Sparks CD: Dan Coughlin
Walker CD: David Frankenfield