| June 13, 2007 | Vol 8. No. 13 |
Misko, Hartnett New to Development Team
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Misko is senior development officer, responsible for securing support for such campus-wide priorities as the interdisciplinary science center, academic programs, endowed chairs and professorships and endowed scholarships. A Canisius alumnus, he comes to the position with nearly 40 years experience in strategic planning, operations and turnaround situations.
Most recently, Misko was district manager of Burlington Coat Factory, where he oversaw merchandising and operations for the district’s 18 stores in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Kentucky. Misko is former president and chair of the board for the Greater Erie Area Chamber of Commerce and former president of the Greater Erie Area Visitors and Convention Bureau.
Erin Hartnett is a new development officer in the Division of College Relations, also responsible for securing alumni support for campus-wide priorities.
Hartnett has served as director of alumni relations since 2002. In that role, she led the college’s local, regional and national alumni programs, further developed and increased the number of alumni chapters, and successfully organized and executed various alumni events.
Prior to Canisius, Hartnett was press secretary for U.S. Congressman Jack Quinn. She is an alumnus of John Carroll University.
Voerg is New Assistant Director of Alumni Relations
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A 2000 graduate of LeMoyne College, Voerg is now a student in the communication and leadership graduate program at Canisius. In her new role, Voerg assists with the implementation and management of the college’s local, regional and national alumni relations program.
The Battle Over School Prayer is Focus of New Dierenfield Book
History Professor Bruce J. Dierenfield, PhD, examines the first court case that addressed the constitutionality of prayer in public schools, in his new book The Battle Over School Prayer: How Engel v. Vitale Changed America. The landmark Supreme Court decision determined it is unconstitutional for state officials to compose an official school prayer and require its recitation in public schools.In his book, Dierenfield puts the decision in larger historical and political context by citing battles over a wide range of religious activities in public schools throughout American history. He also demonstrates the polarizing effect the case has had through subsequent decades.
Dierenfield is director of the All-College Honors Program. The Battle Over School Prayer is his fourth book. It is available at local bookstores and amazon.com for $35.00 (hardcover) and $15.95 (paperback). To read more about it, click here.
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Mark H. Castner, adjunct professor of physics and director of academic computing for ITS, is the recipient of the William O’Hearn Service Award from the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU) Conference on Information Technology Management. Castner accepted the award at the group’s annual meeting at Regis University in Denver.
The O’Hearn Award is presented for exceptional service to the 28 U.S. Jesuit colleges and universities, which make up the AJCU conference, as well as to the recipient’s institution. Castner is the sixth recipient of the award. It was first presented in 1996 to Dr. William O’Hearn of John Carroll University. O’Hearn passed away last year.
Castner was cited particularly for his work on the programs for the annual meeting, and also for his organization and operation of the AJCU consortium license with Adobe.
Castner has also been named director of the Braun Seismograph Station at Canisius College, effective July 1. Previously the center’s associate director, he fills the position held by the late Rev. James J. Ruddick, S.J., professor emeritus of physics, who passed away in March.
Castner also teaches an undergraduate course in seismology. Students have the benefit of monitoring and analyzing data from the college’s seismographs, which gives them first-hand accounts of earthquake activity across the globe. The Braun Seismograph Station, located in the basement of Old Main, serves as a resource for local media, who often call to see whether major earthquakes that occurred across the world were detected here at Canisius College.
Canisius Public Safety Participates in Special Olympics Torch Run
Gary Everett, director of public safety (far right), along with officers from the Buffalo Police Department, took part in the New York Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics on Friday, June 1. (Not pictured) Lt. James A. Murphy III and Officer Andrew Nowak also participated (on police bike) and Rev. Paul J. Dugan, S.J., moderator of athletics, blessed the runners (and the torch!) during a water stop in front of the Koessler Athletic Center.
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Gary Everett, director of public safety, participated in the Western New York Law Enforcement Memorial Service on May 21 at St. Joseph’s Cathedral. Relatives and law enforcement officers from all over Western New York attended. This is the second year that Everett has been asked by Buffalo Police Commissioner H. McCarthy Gipson to serve on the memorial committee.