Class Notes

NEWS OF 2004

From the Alumni House:

Jaime Marks received the 2004 Mabel Lee Walton Award, given to the outstanding Tri-Sigma Sister of the Year after the summer national convention. Since forming a chapter in 2000, the Moravian Tri-Sigs have come a long way. Jaime was first above 86,300 other sisters!

Joshua Miller is at East Stroudsburg University, working on a Master of Education degree.

Ryan Shultz has been hired by Health Network Laboratories in Allentown as a database analyst.

Jen Palmer is director of public relations for the Penn Foundation in Sellersville, which provides mental health and drug and alcohol rehab services.

NEWS OF 2003

From the Alumni House:

Lisa Casciani works for Wilmington Trust Corp. as a credit underwriting analyst.

Linda Maalouf attends Villanova University’s law school and expects to graduate in 2006.

Jennifer Tori married Ryan Shick ’00 on August 28 at the Centre Bridge Inn in New Hope. Moravians in attendance included bridesmaid Cassie McClutchy ’04 and groomsman Dave Adamski ’00.

Jon Buskirk and Brynn Saltzer ’04 are engaged and plan to marry August 6 at Blue Mountain Ski Lodge in Palmerton. Brynn is assistant director of annual giving in the Development Office at Moravian. Jon is pursuing a career in law enforcement.

Tom Lonergan works in accounting at Lehigh Valley Hospital.

NEWS OF 2002

From Brienne Wilson:

Last May, Adrienne Krosecz graduated from Lehigh University with a master’s degree in education. She is employed at Valley Youth House in Bethlehem as a therapist. In June, while vacationing in Italy, Adrienne became engaged to Graig Schultz of Bethlehem. Graig is in his second year of law school at Widener University. They plan to marry in summer 2006.

From the Alumni House:

Gail Bauer and Scott Weber were married July 17 in Ann Arbor, Mich. They live in Alexandria, Va.

Melissa Keysock keeps in touch with John Rossi, assistant professor of accounting, to let him know of accounting job opportunities at Comcast, where she is employed.

Allen Smith, who graduated from the nursing program, wrote to Janet Sipple, chair and professor of nursing, to tell her that his education at Moravian changed his life. He says he is often complimented by his colleagues and told that his Moravian education is reflected in his work and his thinking. He continues to work in clinical AIDS research and began graduate school in January.

NEWS OF 2001

From Kourtney Parrella:

I have accepted a position as a service coordinator with Lenape Valley Early Intervention in Doylestown. I will be screening children from birth to age 3 to check for delayed developmental areas and then help to get them the services they need.

Jackie DaBrescia will be married in July to Jose Torres. And I will be maid of honor!

Torine Pasek lives in Atlanta, Ga.

From the Alumni House:

Gerald Vinci is graphic design supervisor for D&E Communications in Brownstown. In his spare time, Gerald plays with his new band Fracture.

Meghan McBride Crush is currently a technical account manager at INFONXX, a provider of directory assistance and enhanced information services. Last year, she and her husband, Christopher, built a two-story colonial house in Lehigh Township.

Courtney Rice married James Schnyderite on February 14, 2004, in Nazareth. They live in Williamstown, N.J., where they are teachers. Moravians who attended include bridesmaids Suzanne Mlynarczyk and Delcie Higgins Hinkel ’02, Kristen Dunlap, Lara Mammana, Eva Marie Kassis, Sarita Garg, Lyn Ramsey ’00, and tennis coach Dawn Ketterman Benner.

Megan Avigliano married Gregory Mott on July 14 in Orlando, Fla. They live in Flanders, N.J. They honeymooned in the Caribbean and had a luau celebration when they returned. Dana Gazaway Kelner and Laurie Sibbach Morgus attended the luau.

Claudia Reycraft and Dylan Coia ’00 married October 9 in New Hope. Brandi Christine was maid of honor. 2001 grads in attendance were MaryBeth Walsh, Lynda Roney, Dustin Collier, Tara Tramontozzi, Colleen Erb, and Jenna Katsaros. 2000 grads included Dave Jelleme, Steve DiRenzo, Bryan Parente, Justin Biel, Mike Quirk, and J. D. Rhinehart. Claudia and Dylan live in Manhattan.

Tracy Hamill and Ryan Walters ’98 are engaged to be married in May.

Janelle LaValva is engaged to Allen Frank ’02. Janelle is a graphic designer with Cigars International in Bath. Allen is a band and choir director with the Jim Thorpe School District.

NEWS OF 2000

Reunion Homecoming 2005
October 21-22

From the Alumni House:

Elizabeth DiFebo is leaving Rodale Press, where she has been with Bicycling and Mountain Bike since she graduated. She’ll be working as senior designer of Philadelphia Magazine’s Home & Garden and Elegant Wedding special issues.

Jocelyn Eisenhart married Chad Kilhefner on July 16, 2000. Tara Piergallini and Marisa Thomas were wedding guests. Jocelyn teaches first grade in the Central Bucks School District, and Chad is a retirement specialist with the Vanguard Group in Valley Forge. They live in Quakertown.

James Witkowski married Allison Richardi ’01 on July 10. Many Moravians attended, including Caroline Browne Wieand, a bridesmaid, and Vincent Bordieri, a groomsman. Moravian guests included Sue Soares, Chelsea Roberts, and Natalie Balazuik, all ’01, Matt Leiner ’00, Jessica Edris, Brian Mansfield, Whit Atchison, David Fela ’98, Dell Dockery, and Mike Matuczinski.

James and Allison went to Hawaii for their honeymoon. They bought a home near Clinton, N.J., from Peter and Wendy Talmont Lega ’85.

Melissa Hroncich has been teaching for 3½ years and loves it. She is pursuing a master’s degree in administration and supervision at New Jersey City University.

Laura Webster married Rich Carragher on November 20. Moravians in the wedding party included Jason Webster, Nicole Drey, and Susan Wolfe Paone, all ’00, and Megan Leahy-Hoppa ’99. Also there were Sue Graber and Jen Kondash, both ’00, Jenn Meitzler and Kelly Muschlitz, both ’01, and Sara Ahlgren ’02. Laura and Rich own a house in Levittown. She works for the Vanguard Group in Valley Forge.

Susan Wolfe married Peter Paone III on June 26 at Lehigh University.

NEWS OF 1999

From the Alumni House:

David Burch has been named director of financial operations/controller at Lehigh Carbon Community College. He received an M.B.A. from Moravian.

Christina Szoke married David Yi Luo in December 2003. Christina graduated from Boston University’s law school with a concentration in international human rights law.

Mark Strohl is deployed aboard the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln to South Korea.

Rebecca Lyons Ziegenfuss and her husband, Jason, have moved to her home town of Mullica Hill, N.J., where she has started her own picture-frame company, Depiction Designs. She makes custom picture frames for children’s boutiques. Rebecca and Jason were blessed with twins, Justin and Sophia, July 4.

NEWS OF 1998

From Jennie Coughlin Crotty:

I am pleased to share the latest news from the class of 1998. Thanks to all who submitted news. Please drop me a line and let me know what’s going on!

On August 7, Jack Walls married Carla McDermott. In the wedding party were Chris Miller, best man, Noel Naughten, Brian Dempsey, Dave Sabol, and Jack Kuchack, all ’99. With all the Greyhound guests, the blue and grey were represented very well.

Noel Naughten is to be married in December near his home in Bergen County, N.J.

Brian McKee and Kartina Blake McKee ’97 had their second child earlier this year and brought their 7-month-old daughter and 2-year-old son to their first Homecoming!

Mike and Beth Schrey ’97 Folcher bought their first house in November.

John Ondrey and Janet Puglia were married July 31 at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Mountainside, N.J., where John is organist and choir director. Members of his church choir and students from his school music program participated in the ceremony. Sean Carroll was best man and also sang. Joe Bordieri ’97 was a groomsman. Also there were Lori Lebec, as well as Tanya Rapp and Mariclare Cranston Bordieri, both ’00.

Jason Victory became a nationally certified counselor in October. In addition, he and his father own and run a martial arts school in East Stroudsburg.

Though Class of 1998 attendance was light at Homecoming, many good times were had on the field. We’ll just have to turn out in larger numbers next year!

From the Alumni House:

Laura Dombrosky married David Miller on August 6. They live in Lake Ariel, Pa.

Jill Steiner-Meixell and Christopher Meixell’s first child, a son, arrived on October 2. His godparents are Lori Steiner Garvin ’00 and Fran Garvin ’99.

NEWS OF 1997

From Jen Kastle:

Kris McGurrin Rooney became a Doctor of Medicine at the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine’s commencement exercises, held May 16. She received two dean’s awards, including one for excellence in pediatrics. Fellow Moravian alums Mike Folcher ’98 and Beth Schrey Folcher, Kellianne Davis Everitt, and Emily Evans North attended her graduation. She’ll begin her residency in pediatrics at Penn State’s Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in July.

Royce Jacomen married Lynn Graves on October 16 at a small wedding ceremony at the SELU Nature Conservancy in Radford, Va. They have purchased a 100-year-old farmhouse in Christiansburg, Va.

From the Alumni House:

Heather Whary lives in Baltimore and works as an editor for a medical publishing house, Cadmus Professional Communications. She does freelance editing on the side. And she’ll be getting married next year.

Angel Ackerman and Darrell Parry welcomed a daughter, Eva Siobhan, June 23. They live in Wilson Borough. Angel works for the Chronicle newspapers and Darrell is employed at Lafayette College.

Teri Davenport is engaged to David Crowder. Teri is a veterinarian in Langhorne, and David is vice president of Thomcomp in Conshohocken. They plan to marry this summer.

Mark Turdo has been accepted into the Cooperstown Graduate Program in museum studies at the State University of New York at Oneonta.

Robin North is engaged to Mike Stankowski, and they plan a June wedding in New Jersey. The matron of honor will be Emily Evans North and the bridesmaids will be Beth Schrey Folcher, Kris McGurrin Rooney, and Kelly Davis Everitt.

Amy Holtzman, who went on to get an M.S. in psychology at Northwestern University, is now teaching part-time at Moravian, where she was selected by psychology students to receive the first Outstanding Adjunct Award for the department.

Tonia Andrioli married Richard Hrynoweski on September 18. Moravians in attendance were Amy Holtzman, Ernest Johnson ’96, and Kathleen Malloy ’89. Tonia and Richard have established a non-profit organization, Revolution N.J. Inc., which offers skill-development programs for students with disabilities.

Erlinda Agron has been chosen to fill a vacancy on the Allentown School Board. Erlinda has been involved for a long time in Latino community organizations that promote education and business development. She also is on the Allentown Human Relations Commission and volunteers at her children’s school.

NEWS OF 1996

From Deb Yuengling Ferhat:

Hello to everyone!

Melissa Manco married T. J. Cummings on October 16. They live in Wayne, N.J.

Michelle Mistysyn Ulsh is finishing her elementary education certification at Alvernia College and student-teaching at St. Clair Elementary School.

Erin Higgins Henderson gave birth to Caitlin Marie on August 16. Erin said after Caitlin was born, the Red Sox started on a winning streak and went on to win the World Series. She was their good luck charm!

Jessica Gearhart Wenton welcomed her third daughter, Natalie Bryn, on November 3.

In September,Tammy Tracy Peek, Michelle Mistysyn Ulsh, Nicole DiFluri Clark, Tara Pierson White, Carissa Barillari Wright, and I got together for a weekend at Avalon, N.J. We had a great time relaxing, talking, and catching up.

Kathy Stiely Frank ’97 and Jud Frank ’95 are moving to a house they’re building in Hanover Township.

I heard from Betsy Sletner Costanza ’97. She and her husband had a girl, Kaitlyn Erica, on August 8. Betsy had been working as a dental hygienist but plans to stay home with Kaitlyn for at least a year.

Betsy still talks to Amy Jo Crawley ’97, a chiropractor in Florida, and to Laura Veltre Venezio ’97. Laura has put her teaching career on hold for a while so she can stay home and raise her three girls.

From the Alumni House:

Michael Squarcia is a counselor at Whitehall-Coplay Middle School. He has two children: Madeline, 4, and Max, 19 months.

Wanda Benkovic ’95 (Seminary) is tiny. She has short brown hair and sparkly eyes. She has taught third grade at Holy Spirit School, a K-8 parochial school in Allentown, for 26 years. In that time she has gotten to know whole families, one child at a time. She has taught her own daughter, Jennifer, and her niece, Keri Kemeter ’06.

She must have made quite an impression on a student named Tony Stewart back in 1987. He’s now a tight end for the Cincinnati Bengals and proposed her for the National Football League’s Teacher of the Year. “I didn’t know this award existed!” Wanda said when she heard that she had won it. (It has been given since 1990.) In addition to prizes of $5,000 for Wanda and $10,000 for her school, she and her husband, Richard, director of geographical information systems for Lehigh County, attended the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl in Hawaii on February 13.

From the beginning, Wanda has taught third grade. “They’re old enough to be able to do so many things with, but they’re not wise guys—yet. And I love being able to teach everything.”

At the top of 2005, for instance, she’s introducing them to long division using a variant of “The Price Is Right” television game. Divide 3 into 447? She asks them “What number (times 3) is close enough without going over?” They’ve been reading a book called The Big Blue Whale, which is described as 100 feet long. “How long is that?” she asked them. “They got their rulers and went out into the corridor and we starting measuring, foot by foot. And we went right out the door!” In grammar, she taught the tenses, past, present, and future, by using the ghosts from A Christmas Carol.

“I keep a book,” says Wanda, “and I just jot ideas when they come. I never know when I can use them!”

She’s a morning person, getting to school at 6:45 a.m. every day to plan what will go on in her classroom. But she also has a night life, teaching religion to seventh- and eighth-graders on Mondays and adults on Wednesdays. She’s also taking classes—on Tuesday nights this semester—to fulfill the requirements of Act 48, a Pennsylvania statute to help teachers deal with learning-disabled or physically handicapped students.

She earned her education degree from Kutztown University. When she decided it was time to get a master’s degree, her husband gave it to her as a present—he paid her tuition. With one or two evening courses every semester, she earned a Master of Arts in Theological Studies, which helped her with the religion courses she teaches. “They’re not exclusively Catholic,” she says. “They’re for everyone. I have two Lutherans and a Hindu! I keep saying we have more in common than we have differences.”

The students from the first year she taught third grade will be 34 this year, she says. “You want them all to be successful,” she says.

—Judith Green