Lebanon Valley College

The Women’s Fund of The Foundation for Enhancing Communities recently featured Todd Snovel ’06, assistant dean of student engagement and inclusion, as its featured Dream Team Member. Snovel was asked to join the Women’s Fund Advisory Committee earlier this year. According to the article, he was inspired to join among other reasons because of “hearing the impact that the fund was having on its grantees—the amazing projects that our partner organizations were facilitating were enriching the lives of the women in our community.”

Geoffrey Roche, vice president of strategic initiatives and secretary of the College, was an invited panelist for the Hugh O’Brian Youth (HOBY) Leadership Foundation workshop at Shippensburg University May 19. Roche, who was a HOBY participant while in high school, spoke about how community service experience helps prepare high school students for college, and how college students reach out to and impact the communities in which they reside.

Leo Bagley, executive deputy secretary of PennDOT, visited campus in early May to review the design plans for the new Pedestrian Bridge and see the current bridge. Lewis E. Thayne, president; Shawn Curtin, vice president of finance and administration; and Geoffrey Roche, vice president of strategic initiatives and secretary of the College; discussed safety and greater accessibility as driving forces behind the necessity of building a new bridge. Senator Mike Folmer; Julie Cheyney, executive director of the Lebanon County Planning Department; and Nolan Ritchie ’06, executive director of the State Senate Transportation Committee; were also part of the tour.

Shawn Curtin, vice president of finance and administration, was interviewed in a recent article, Striking a Balance, that published on Business Officers website. Curtin discussed how colleges like LVC work with tuition discount rates, among other related topics.

Geoffrey Roche, vice president of strategic initiatives and secretary of the College, hosted Eileen Cipriani, deputy secretary for workforce development at the Department of Labor & Industry (L&I), for a recent campus tour. Deputy Secretary Cipriani visited several campus spaces as part of Governor Tom Wolf’s PAsmart initiative to increase STEM skills training and education.

Deputy Secretary Cipriani also met with Dr. Mike Green, vice president of academic affairs and dean of the faculty, and several members of the College’ digital communications, education, and science faculty (Carrie Coryer, Dr. Walter Patton, Kathleen Blouch, Linda Summers, Dr. Stacy Goodman, Dr. Erica Unger, Dr. Jeff Ritchie, Dr. Joel Kline, and Greg Krikorian), while touring the Jeanne and Edward H. Arnold Health Professions Pavilion, Neidig-Garber Science Center, and Heilman Center.

“What I heard today is that Lebanon Valley College is not just an academic institution concerned with getting students in seats but also one that truly prepares students for careers and roles in their communities,” noted Deputy Secretary Cipriani during the visit.

President Lewis E. Thayne was quoted in a release distributed by L&I. “Like Governor Wolf and his administration, we are committed to preparing students for great jobs that build stronger communities. Pennsylvania needs skilled and knowledgeable professionals across industries, and we’re meeting that need by providing an advanced education in the high-demand fields of healthcare, STEM, and technology.”

Joe Martellaro, director of gift planning, has been appointed to a two-year term on the board of directors of the Susquehanna Valley Council of Charitable Gift Planners. The organization, a local chapter of the National Council of Charitable Gift Planners, is a professional association for people whose work includes developing, marketing, and administering charitable planned gifts. Members include fundraisers for nonprofit organizations and donor advisors, such as attorneys and financial advisors, who work to promote philanthropy.

Joe continues a strong LVC tradition with the local chapter. It was founded in 1990 by the late Paul Brubaker, who was then the College’s director of planned giving. Joe joins former LVC staffers Jessica Ritchie ’99, M’06 and Jeffrey Zufelt as members of the current board of directors.

The marketing and communications team, under the leadership of Molly O’Brien-Foelsch, was recognized for its work on the College’s latest iteration of its website. Lebanon Valley College was named a Merit Winner during the 33rd Annual Educational Advertising Awards, organized by Higher Education Marketing Report.

Geoffrey Roche, vice president of strategic initiatives and secretary of the College, served as a judge for the Partnership with Business event at the Pennsylvania FBLA State Competition in Hershey April 9. According to their site, the awards program “recognizes and rewards excellence in a broad range of business and career-related areas.”

Olajiwon McCadney, assistant director of intercultural affairs & inclusive programming, was named winner of four awards at the American College Personnel Association (ACPA) College Educators International convention in Houston, Texas. Nominated by colleagues and LVC students, McCadney was honored by the Coalition for Multicultural Affairs (Outstanding Contribution to Multicultural Education), Commission for Social Justice Educators (Outstanding Social Justice Educator, Trainer, or Mentor), Coalition for Sexuality and Gender Identities (Public Service Award), and Coalition for Men and Masculinities (Outstanding Men’s Program Award). He earned the Outstanding Men’s Program Award due to his creation of two LVC student programs: Men of Distinguished Excellence (MODE) and Men Influencing the Community House (MITCH), the latter of which was funded through a President’s Innovation Fund grant.

Geoffrey Roche, vice president of strategic initiatives and secretary of the College, co-presented with Miriam Gonzalez, HACC admission counselor, at Leadership Lebanon’s annual Education Day. The goal of the day is to “gain exposure and insight into the educational challenges of the Lebanon community, as well as the educational program development and services with a focus on three Lebanon County school districts.”

According to the Lebanon County Chamber of Commerce March newsletter, Gonzalez and Roche “spoke about the programs provided at their respective schools, the student focused program improvements, and the partnerships they have formed with each other, other post-secondary education institutions, and Lebanon Valley School Districts to help better prepare the Lebanon County youth for education after high school graduation.”