"Chet and Diane have been wonderful supporters of the college and we are most grateful for this generous gift," said Rev. Vincent M. Cooke, S.J.  "The renovations of the Koessler Athletic Center are the next step in putting the college's athletic program on a new course.  It will give Canisius students an outstanding facility and will also provide the college with a platform from which to promote the college's basketball program and numerous other academic programs that are house in the building."

The $1.2 million Koessler project includes the removal of the gym's dropped ceiling, and an upgrade of the electrical, ventilation and acoustical system, which was completed last summer.  This spring, crews installed new arena-style seating that will nearly double the Koessler's fan capacity, from 1,200 to 2,100.  The gym's hardwood floors will be refinished this summer.  Renovations will be completed in time for the start of the 2002-2003 season.

"As a businessman, I see that corporations are successful because of leadership - the man at the top," said Stranczek.  "And I see in Canisius that the programs and plans Father Cooke has for the future will give students a great education.  I am just so impressed with what the college has been able to accomplish."

Stranczek was a minor league pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1950s before an injury forced him to leave baseball.  When he returned to his hometown of Crestwood, Stranczek borrowed money to buy a single dump truck and launched a trucking business on 10 acres of family farmland.  Today, Cresco Lines Inc. is a $25 million, over-the-road trucking service that operates in 48 states and six Canadian provinces.  Stranczek has since retired from the company, which is now managed by his two sons.  Diane Stranczek continues to serve as secretary and treasurer.

Last May, Chet Stranczek received an honorary doctor of humane letters degree from Canisius, at graduate commencement ceremonies.  In 1998, he and Diane established the Chester Stranczek Scholarship Fund at the college.

The $1.3 million construction project in the Quad, which began last summer, will reach completion this fall.  Beginning the middle of May, the Quad will be fenced off, except for the walkway from the Horan-O'Donnell Science Building to the Student Center, which will remain open until all other construction is complete.

Renovations include the installation of a new drainage system to fix the current flooding problems; widening the narrow sidewalks from four to six feet; extending the Koessler Plaza out 25 feet to Loyola Hall; and illuminating the Quad through the addition of streetlights and ground lights near St. Peter Canisius. Landscapers will also plant new flowerbeds and trees. And more good news -- in-ground hose bibs will be installed so the campus will no longer have to maneuver around long garden hoses in the Quad.

"The campus community is going to be very impressed with what the Quad will look like when complete," said Dr. Larry Franz, vice president for business and finance.  "These renovations will greatly enhance the aesthetics of the campus for students past, present and future, as well as faculty and staff."

The statues in the Quad will also receive a face-lift. The current Saint Peter Canisius statue cannot withstand the weather conditions so it will be replaced with an exact replica in bronze.  The Saint Isaac Jogues statue near the Horan-O'Donnell Building will be cleaned, the pavers reset and the statue raised in height. 

Quad renovations will conclude at the middle of August with the repaving of the parking lots at Main Eastwood and Loyola Hall.  The city of Buffalo has agreed to repave Hughes Street once the heavy construction is complete in the Quad. The roadwork is slated for the end of summer. 

The Peter Gust Economou Dining Hall will re-open in the fall after being transformed into a park setting complete with illuminated kites and clouds hanging from the ceiling.   The Dining Hall Committee (Dr. Larry Franz, vice president of business and finance; Dr. Ellen Conley, vice president of student affairs; Dr. Cary Anderson, dean of students; Matthew Mulville, associate dean of students and director of residence life; Gary Lew, director of purchasing and auxiliary service; Frank Kirstein, director of network services; Daniel Drew, director of the media center; Kevin Kwitzer, building services supervisor; Mike Odojewski, assistant director of Richard E. Winter '42 Student Center; Paul Myers, director of the physical plant; Tim Fieder, assistant director of the physical plant) worked with Chartwell's Dining Services to design a new look for Peter Gust Economou Dining Hall. 

"The committee's primary focus was to address the needs of the students and provide them with an aesthetic dining atmosphere," said Dr. Ellen Conley, vice president of student affairs. "We have met with CAN AM Design Group Inc., the architects hired by Chartwell's, and we are very excited about the renovations to the dining hall."

Although the number of seats will not change, the seating will be re-configured. There will be banquette booths to seat four; booths for singles and tables of four and six.  Streetlights will hang from the pillars replacing the current fluorescent lights. A new sprinkler system will also be installed in the kitchen and serving area.

The food stations in the dining hall will have expanded capabilities. Trattoria, will offer pastas, calzones, stromboli, pizza (made in a stone oven) and vegetarian dishes hot and cold. Market Carvery will contain a built in carving station and serve entrees, casseroles, vegetables and hot gravy. Fresh Grill will sell hot dogs, grilled cheese, sausage, burgers, popcorn chicken, reubens, french fries and more.  Sandwich Central will offer deli meats in wraps or on homemade sub rolls -- just like at Subway!  The salad bar will more than double in size. And last but not least, Menutainment - a cooking show, unique to Chartwell's that will serve sandwiches with roasted vegetables on panini and ciabatta bread.

"I think this is a project that both Chartwell's and Canisius can be very proud of and we are very excited about being able to work in brand new operation," said Robert Mottola, director of Chartwell's Dining Services.

Canisius Regent Michael N. Coppola '70, senior vice president of merchandising for Advance Auto Parts, and his wife, Dawn, will chair this year's ball.  Canisius Regent Nancy W. Ware, '78, MBA '85, president of EduKids Inc., and her husband, Donald '78, controller of EduKids, Inc., will serve as vice chairs of the event.

George Dixon		James McNicholas

George Dixon is a past member of the Alumni Board of Directors and has spent more than 20 years volunteering and serving as decade chair of the Annual Fund Campaign.  He is a member of the DiGamma Honor Society and former chair of his reunion committee.

James McNicholas is a past president of the Canisius Alumni Association, a member of the DiGamma Honor Society and a long-time supporter of Canisius athletics.  He currently is the president of the Cage Club, the athletic booster organization for the varsity men's basketball team.

Edward N. Snyder Jr.		Stephen Altieri

Snyder, a history/German major in the All-College Honors Program, will use his Fulbright Scholarship to research the resistance of the German Evangelical Church in Westphalia to the Nazi practice of euthanasia at the University of Beilefeld Germany.

Altieri, a biology/chemistry major in the All-College Honors Program, will use his Fulbright Scholarship to study cancer research by an original synthesis of biochemical theory and immunological practice at McGill University in Montreal Canada.

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. Government's premier scholarship program, which provides tuition, fees, travel and research funds to recipients for a full academic year.

Spillman is an English major with a minor in secondary education.  He is a member of the Canisius College Chorale and served as the group's president since 2000.  Spillman is the vice chair of the Campus Programming Board, a position he has held for the past two years.  He has taken part in the college's spring break service project in Appalachia, as well as Project Mexico, where he worked at Mother Teresa's home for unwanted children and seniors, and helped run a day camp for 200 children in a poor section of Mexico City. 

Spillman is a member of DiGamma Honor Society and Sigma Tau Delta (English Honor Society).  He is also recognized in Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges.

Congratulations and best wishes to these Canisius students:

• James M. Scaperotto, a criminal justice major, is assigned to quartermaster corp. in the United States Army Europe/Germany. 
• Michelle T. Sablan, a psychology major, is assigned to the chemical corp. in the United States Army Europe/Germany. 
• Justin W. Yellico, a fine arts major, is assigned to the engineer corp. in Fort Leonard Wood Missouri. 
• James R. Ross, a computer science major, is assigned to armor corp. in Korea.

Faculty and staff are encouraged to carpool because there is limited parking at both Kleinhans and the Niagara Falls Convention and Civic Center. 

Two buses will transport employees to and from the Niagara Falls Convention Center but seating is limited.  Anyone interested in taking the bus should contact RoseMarie Castner at ext. 2123 to check availability.  The bus departure schedule is listed below.

Events for Commencement 2002 are:

Monday, May 13-Wednesday, May 15
   Senior Days

Wednesday, May 15 -- Graduate Ceremony
   Kleinhans Music Hall

Parking is available in the parking lots at Kleinhans.

* 5:15 p.m. Marshals report
* 6:00 p.m. Students, faculty, platform party report
* 6:45 p.m. Procession begins
* 7:00 p.m. Ceremony begins
* 8:15 p.m. Reception in Mary Seaton Room

Thursday, May 16 -- Baccalaureate Mass
   Koessler Athletic Center (KAC)

* 5:40 p.m. Faculty who are attending the Mass should assemble on the first floor of KAC in the hallway next to the gymnasium. (Faculty participating the procession should wear their academic regalia.)
* 5:55 p.m. Faculty procession begins. 
* 6:00 p.m. Mass; Most Rev. Henry J. Mansell, D.D., Bishop of Buffalo; Principal Celebrant
* 7:15 p.m. Reception in Patrick P. Lee Student Recreation Center

Friday, May 17 -- Undergraduate Ceremony
   Niagara Falls Convention and Civic Center (NFCCC)

Free parking is available in surface lots immediately next to NFCCC.

* 10:15 a.m. - first bus leaves Canisius from the front entrance of the Richard E. Winter '42 Student Center
* 11:15 a.m. second bus leaves Canisius from the front entrance of the Richard E. Winter '42 Student Center
* 11:00 a.m. Marshals report
* 11:45 a.m. Students report
* 12:00 p.m. Faculty, platform party report
* 12:45 p.m. Procession begins
* 1:00 p.m. Ceremony begins
* 3:15 p.m. Reception for VIP's, platform party, faculty and marshals in Skylounge at NFCCC
* 3:30 p.m. first bus departs from the front entrance of NFCCC for Canisius
* 4:30 p.m. second bus departs from the front entrance of NFCCC for Canisius