With the NUSVO’s endorsement, Hinterberger got right to work, contacting Innova Discs to design commemorative discs while also designing posters and searching for sponsors. He then worked with Bill Newton in NU’s Office of Campus Activities to plan the event, calling the assistant director “extremely helpful” in ensuring that all aspects of the event were properly conducted. Newton also provided pop up tents, tables and chairs, as well as refreshments for players.

The NUSVO, with cooperation from the Town of Lewiston, secured the disc golf course at Joseph Davis State Park and, by January 2013, began advertising the event via disc golf association websites and supply stores, and on social media sites, especially Facebook.

By tournament day, 46 people were registered to play, an impressive turnout for an inaugural event. Attendees came from as far as Toronto and Las Vegas to partake in the tournament.

Hinterberger, his wife, Angela, and student veterans Justin Flynn, Peter Kellie, Nina Vosburg and Mike Federspiel were integral in setting up.

Town of Lewiston Supervisor Steve Reiter attended the opening ceremonies, thanking the SVO for holding the event in the community he oversees. He congratulated organizers on the turnout and expressed hope that the event would be held again next year.

Following Reiter’s remarks, Hinterberger addressed the players, saying, “We are here not only for current veterans, but for those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. So remember when you have that perfect throw and your disc goes exactly where you wanted it, it was your hero helping you to win this tournament. If you have an absolutely horrible throw, remember that it is someone else’s hero trying to help them win the tournament.”

May 27 was windy and cold, making it a challenge for players. Yet between rounds, players expressed their enjoyment of the event over hotdogs, chips and water. There was also a raffle for prizes donated by Innova Discs.

When the second round concluded, it was time to dole out the awards in three categories: recreation, advanced and open, with trophies and cash awards granted to the top three finishers in each class:

Advanced Division

1st place – Andrew Myers
2nd place – Hugh Perkins
3rd place – Louis Vanoni

Open Division

1st place – Stephen Bettcher
2nd place – Steven Schultz
3rd place – John Hanahan

Recreation Division

1st place – Cody Nowaczewski
2nd place – Kevin Sparkman
3rd place – Nicholas Clause

According to organizers, the event was a complete success, and players are looking forward to its second incarnation next year. Factoring in tournament registration, a corporate sponsor (Electronic Management Services), raffles and donations, the NUSVO raised over $600.

“A very special thanks is due to Karl Hinterberger for not only coming up with this idea, but also providing his time, money and heart,” remarked Rob Healy, the veterans services coordinator at Niagara University. “Karl’s bull work made this event the successful it was.  Thank you as well to Mr. Newton, whose guidance, organizational skills and support provided the finishing touches to the event.”

This new bachelor of arts (B.A.) degree program was developed in partnership with many community-based agencies that serve young adults and adults with disabilities. Niagara University’s program is designed to create a workforce to serve the changing needs of an estimated population of more than 4.7 million individuals with developmental disabilities, and to address the succession planning issues within the agencies serving these individuals.

Applications are now being accepted for the fall of 2013.

“The program is an extension of the partnerships we currently have with Opportunities Unlimited and the Special Olympics,” stated Dr. Vince Rinaldo, chair of NU’s department of middle and secondary education. “Many of our students have an opportunity to work directly with young adults and adults with developmental disabilities, and go on to seek careers within the fields of rehabilitation and nonprofit leadership.”

Upon completion of this degree, graduates will be qualified to pursue employment in family support services or as part of the direct support workforce, which includes rehabilitation, habitation, career planning, independent living and Medicaid services, among others.

“The opportunity for university-community partnerships in this field of study is the core of this program as our focus on clinical practice extends across all programs that we offer,” commented Dr. Debra Colley, dean of the College of Education. “Undergraduate students in the developmental disabilities program will work directly in agency settings as they navigate the roles and responsibilities in the service delivery system. We look forward to establishing these new strategic partnerships and working with the community to meet their workforce development needs.”

The developmental disabilities program is comprised of 124 credit hours of coursework that will provide graduates with a focus on the delivery of services to individuals with disabilities within an agency setting. The program includes a culminating practicum within a partnering agency and a related seminar where students will be granted training that will lead to certification in Medicaid, Investigative Training, and SKIP. The program offers a transfer and degree completion pathway, as well as the opportunity for credit-for-life experience.

For information, please call 716.286.8560 or visit www.niagara.edu/education.

In June,  we expect a report-card type of document to be issued by the National Council for Teacher Quality (NCTQ) and distributed through the U.S. News and World Report.  Niagara University did not participate in the survey,   but will be included in the ratings, nonetheless.  The Letter to the Field provides further information on our knowledge of this rating,  our commitment to academic excellence,  our steadfast contributions to the mission of Niagara University,  and the rigorous, research-based  accountability measures set forth by the profession.

We are proud to present evidence of accountability, high standards, and commitment to excellence  – evidence that is noted in the quality of our graduates,  their impact on student learning,  the contributions they make in serving those most in need in our community,  and our partnerships with the P-12 schools and agencies who serve children and youth.

Timothy Downs,  Ph.D., Vice President for Academic Affairs

Debra A. Colley, Ph.D., Dean,  College of Education

Those were the announcements made during a press conference held today (June 10) at ReNU Niagara’s new location on the corner of Main St. and Park Place in Niagara Falls.

Since being established by Niagara University in 2006, ReNU Niagara has completed projects addressing urgent community needs and challenges, including the GreenRoots Leadership Development program and the Creating A Healthier Niagara Falls program, which is funded by the John R. Oishei Foundation. Additional ReNU initiatives include the planting of community vegetable gardens, tax preparation assistance, resident and organizational training and GIS asset mapping.

ReNU Niagara’s move downtown is intended to further the university’s presence in Niagara Falls and to strengthen and enhance the growing number of initiatives aimed at revitalizing the downtown core and its surrounding neighborhoods.

“My colleagues from Niagara University and I have long waited for this day and this event, to have a special place where we could emblazon our name on a building right here on Main Street in Niagara Falls,” said the Rev. Joseph L. Levesque, C.M., NU president. “We invite residents to come in and talk with us about how we can work together for a better Niagara Falls, to improve our neighborhoods, to find justice for those who need it most, to build up a community that is important to this region. In short, justice for all is what we seek.”

ReNU Niagara program coordinator Tom Lowe said that the organization looks forward to utilizing university resources, expanding on current partnerships and creating new collaborations to aid in the revitalization of downtown Niagara Falls and its surrounding neighborhoods.

“The vision for ReNU going forward is to keep doing what we have been successful in: working collaboratively with our community partners that we have built such great relationships with since 2006 to address needs and to fill in gaps to allow the neighborhoods to grow and thrive. We recognize and believe that in order to revitalize the City of Niagara Falls as a whole, the downtown core needs to be stabilized and successful. We look forward to being here to see it happen.”

The event also served as a platform for the public announcement that Niagara University’s Institute for Civic Engagement will be renamed the Rev. Joseph L. Levesque, C.M., Institute for Civic Engagement to honor the long-tenured president and his commitment to the community.

“Today I have the great pleasure of announcing that the Niagara University Board of Trustees is honoring Father Levesque’s commitment to community service in a very special way,” said Mary Borgognoni, Niagara’s interim vice president for institutional advancement. “From this day forward, the Institute for Civic Engagement will be known as the Rev. Joseph L. Levesque, C.M., Institute for Civic Engagement.”

Borgognoni also announced that the university is pursuing a $1 million endowment to sustain the institute, with more than $200,000 already pledged to the cause.

The news was applauded by several members of the Western New York community, including local developer Craig Avery; Deanna Alterio Brennen, president and C.E.O. of Niagara USA; Niagara Falls Mayor Paul Dyster; and Congressman Brian Higgins.

“This place, in so many ways, represents our aspirations for downtown Niagara Falls,” said Mayor Dyster, a member of the university’s Board of Advisors. “What a fantastic symbol to have this office located in such a prominent location. I look at this as the beginning of a great new partnership between Niagara University and the City of Niagara Falls.”

Congressman Higgins, whose office is located in the same building as ReNU Niagara’s new headquarters, agreed with Mayor Dyster.

“Universities play a very unique and critical role in our communities,” he said. “Not only are they responsible for educating and teaching students, but they also are tasked with engaging them in partnerships that move the community forward.

“It will be great to coexist in this facility with staff members from ReNU Niagara,” Congressman Higgins added. “The mission of Niagara University under Father Levesque is not changing, and that mission will be felt in this area for years to come.”

For more information, please contact Dr. David Taylor, executive director of the institute, at 716.205.0074 or ude.aragainnull@rolyatd.

In addition, 12 current NU undergraduate students joined the five-day seminar and, by passing exams and writing a term paper, were able to achieve college credit.  Each day focused on a different supply chain area such as transportation, purchasing and global logistics.  The instructional team included Jack Ampuja, NCSCE executive director and president of Supply Chain Optimizers, LTL trucking expert Tom Collister, Debora Alessi, director of contracting, CCG at Premier Inc., Mike Diati, V.P. of Speed Global Services, and two NU management professors, Drs. Jim Kling and Anna McNab.

Professionals who completed all five days of training obtained a “36-hour certificate” designed as a resume builder for managers needing formal logistics education. The purpose was to learn practical ways to save money and improve performance in key areas of the supply chain and gain a broader perspective on management and drivers of the supply chain. Candy Grabowski, a senior buyer with Viatran Corporation in Wheatfield, recently completed the 36-hour certificate program with the center.  She remarked, “The 36-hour supply chain program held at Niagara University is filled with many interesting topics and amazing speakers. It has been very beneficial to my supply chain career and I would highly recommend attending if given the opportunity!”

Supply chain student Jessica Caputo commented about the benefit of having a combination of professionals and students in the courses. “Not only were we learning what there was to know about supply chain, purchasing, transportation, etc., but we were also hearing stories from people who are a part of the supply chain world every day and have experienced the topics we were discussing,” she said. “The speakers were very knowledgeable about their topic and they explained everything in thorough detail, gave examples and also engaged the class in the conversation.”

Jim Kling, who initiated the professional development programs in 2001 and continues to be the academic coordinator of NU’s supply chain programs, had this to say about this most recent week of seminars: “This is a great example of Niagara University’s commitment to the community and to its students.  There is a clear need for this type of education in our local business community and it’s a great opportunity for our undergraduate students to have seen the ‘real world’ in an innovative and user-friendly setting. I would also like to thank our great instructor team—these are the best supply chain experts in our region and we are pleased to partner with them.”

For more information regarding upcoming supply chain seminars, please contact Gerry Catalano at 716.286.8173 or ude.aragainnull@onalatacg.

“I love to volunteer and perform community service because it’s so rewarding,” said Brown while dishing out sundaes to patrons of the Heart, Love and Soul food pantry in downtown Niagara Falls. “It gives me a really good feeling after I’ve done it, so I’m here to help others, but they also help me.”

Jason Jakubowski, on the other hand, joined the NU community 36 days ago. The assistant dean/director of residence life spent much of his Thursday cleaning, organizing and setting up the dining area at the Community Missions on Buffalo Ave. Jakubowski’s actions speak loudly but his words also illustrate his embracement of the Catholic and Vincentian mission of his new employer.

“Oftentimes, we are so busy with our careers that we don’t take the opportunity to serve the community. This falls right in line with what we do as a Vincentian university,” Jakubowski said. “This is a very special day. It’s a great opportunity for us to get out and really help others. It’s also an opportunity for us to become more self-reflective and certainly be grateful for what we have and what we’re able to do for others.”

The action of helping others is the pillar of the university’s Day of Service, an initiative launched in 2004 that reflects Niagara’s continuous commitment to serving the less fortunate members of the community.

More than 120 NU staff and faculty members participated this year, lending hands to 23 nonprofit organizations in the Buffalo-Niagara area.

Participating employees assembled at 8:30 a.m. in Clet Dining Hall on Niagara University’s campus, where they were treated to light refreshments before dispersing throughout the region to assist organizations with lesser human and capital resources. The participants returned to campus at 1:30 p.m. for an appreciation luncheon.

Institutions assisted by NU employees during today’s Day of Service included the Aquarium of Niagara, Canine Helpers for the Handicapped, Carolyn’s House, Community Missions of the Niagara Frontier, the Dale Association, the Food Bank of WNY, the Francis Center, the Girl Scouts of Western New York, Heart Love and Soul, The Magdalene Project, Meals on Wheels, the Mental Health Association in Niagara County, Neighborhood Legal Services Inc., the Niagara Arts and Cultural Center, the Niagara and Erie County SPCAs, the Niagara Falls Family YMCA, Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, the Niagara Falls Police Department, Niagara Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, Opportunities Unlimited of Niagara, ReNU Niagara, and the Schoellkopf Health Center.

To read more about Niagara University’s commitment to community service, please visit www.niagara.edu/servicelearning.

The Mexico City native presented her honors thesis during the conference on “Social Perspectives in Higher Education,” which was co-sponsored by the National Association of African American Studies and Affiliates (NAAASA), and Universidad Autonoma de Coahuila, located in the northern Mexican state of Coahuila. The conference’s opening remarks were provided by Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown.

Ortiz presented a paper titled Diversity effects on social perspectives at the secondary school and university levels, which she co-authored with Dr. Susan E. Mason, the Niagara psychology professor who accompanied Ortiz to the conference.

Dr. Mason presented on Tracing social perspectives with technology, an article she co-authored with Ortiz and Clara Kuntz, a 2011 NU graduate who is currently pursuing a master’s degree in mental health counseling from her alma mater.

Conference attendees included a mix of educators from the United States and Mexico, making Ortiz’s fluency in Spanish particularly advantageous.

“Liz did an excellent job with her research and presentation – she was very professional,” said Dr. Mason. “And with so many of the conference participants unable to speak English, Liz was able to serve as an informal translator and offer a unique perspective on the issues discussed.”

Ortiz was born in Mexico City and moved to California when she was 12 years old. She attended Niagara University to study psychology and Spanish, graduating in May with undergraduate degrees in both disciplines.

For more on Niagara University’s psychology programs, please visit www.niagara.edu/psychology. Additional information on NU’s Spanish offerings may be obtained at www.niagara.edu/fl.

What’s more impressive is that the May 2013 graduate achieved the feat during an independent study course, meaning she didn’t have the benefit of a parallel processing textbook or in-class discussion.

“I gave her a webpage to consult and she was able to figure it out from there,” said Dr. Laurence Boxer, the professor of computer and information sciences who tasked Kojm with the project.

To understand what Kojm accomplished, one must recognize that software development is undergoing a revolution, fueled largely by progress in hardware and a desire for speed. Today’s computing devices of all shapes and sizes are parallel – they have multiple processors or “cores” that can operate in parallel with each other – so that computing problems can be solved faster than if only one processor was present.

At many universities, instruction in computer programming lags behind, still focused on the single-processor model of computation. As a result, there is great need and opportunity for young computer programmers who can exploit the potential of parallelism. Many of today’s programming challenges require time-consuming processing of massive amounts of data; in order to solve such problems efficiently, the ability to write software that can divide such problems among multiple processors is a critical skill.

Using C++ programming language, practitioners are able to measure the amount of time used by a process. Kojm used these tools to show that when she sorted a list of data using two processors, about half the time was necessary as compared to when she used only one processor to sort the same input list.

“This is a significant achievement, because, in general, there is no guarantee that speedup will be proportional to the number of processors used,” noted Dr. Boxer. “The latter is because parallel computing introduces the need to divide the computing problem among the processors, share data among processors and combine the partial solutions of individual processors into a complete solution of the computing problem, all of which takes time. Thus, to obtain speedup proportional to the number of processors used confirms that Sarah’s code is efficient.”

Kojm never envisioned herself being recognized for work in computer science. The Cleveland Hill High School graduate originally considered studying engineering in college before deciding on math at NU, in part because she would also be able to participate in the university’s acclaimed theatre program during her free time. She says that she “fell into” computer science and ended up with a minor in the subject.

“A lot of people don’t really know that department I belong to because I’m really involved in theatre, too,” Kojm joked.

Even taking the spring 2013 course with Dr. Boxer occurred via happenstance.

“I took this independent study as a fluke. My friend was taking it and I had this gut feeling that I should take this,” Kojm said.

When Dr. Boxer gave Kojm the timing project for recursive sorting methods, he admitted that it was more difficult than anything she’d tried, but he was confident she could figure it out. He gave her a month to do so.

It took her two days.

“I honestly didn’t know what I was doing,” Kojm admitted. “I just started putting things in, ran my program and was like, ‘oh my goodness, it worked!’”

Kojm plans to pursue a career in business and hopes that her IT experience will come in handy. Back on Monteagle Ridge, the impact of her accomplishment is likely to felt by future Niagarans.

“Sarah became a pioneer among Niagara students,” remarked Dr. Boxer. “I intend that this will be a recurring feature of the course – that Niagara students will have the opportunity to learn techniques of parallel programming, which has become a core technology for the 21st century.”

To learn more about Niagara University’s programs in computer and information science, please visit www.niagara.edu/cis.

The course, which will take place Saturday, June 8, 2013, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., will be instructed by Robert Giordano and Roy “Honcho” Gregory of the Smokin’ Eagles International BBQ Festival. The celebrated duo will share their secrets on preparing the perfect rack of ribs right down to the smoking, including recipe selection, seasoning options, cooking techniques and food safety tips.

Class participants will have the opportunity to sample their results at the conclusion of the demonstration.

The cost to attend the “Hands-On Smokin’ BBQ” course is $39 per person.

To register, please call Niagara University’s Office of Continuing Education at 716.286.8181.

A full listing of Niagara University’s continuing education courses can also be found online at www.niagara.edu/ce.

To qualify for the honorary title, one must have attained the rank of full professor at the time of retirement, served 10 or more years as a full-time member of the faculty, achieved a record of meritorious service and made significant contributions to the university.

Dr. Pappalardo provided 28 years (1975-2003) of distinguished service as an employee of Niagara University’s College of Education. Within five years of joining the university, he was granted tenure, and was subsequently awarded the rank of full professor in May 1991.

Prior to retiring in 2003, Dr. Pappalardo twice held the position of department chair, served on more than 30 university committees and coordinated counseling programs during various periods of his career at Niagara.

Since retiring, Dr. Pappalardo has remained active within the College of Education. He has maintained his support of NU’s counselor training program by teaching a summer graduate course and mentoring faculty, staff and students. The Youngstown resident is still connected with numerous counseling agencies and centers, as well as statewide professional associations.

Last fall, Dr. Pappalardo was very active in the university’s Alumni Weekend activities, assisting the College of Education, the event’s affinity group. He has also chaired the college’s annual professional recognition dinner, an event that enhances the university’s esteemed legacy in education.

“We are most proud of the multitude of accomplishments and continuing commitment of Dr. Papparlardo to the profession and to our graduate students at Niagara University,” stated Dr. Debra Colley, dean of NU’s College of Education. “The need for counseling services for children and youth has never been greater. Dr. Pappalardo and our faculty bring passion, commitment and academic excellence to our graduates in the school counseling program. We are so proud to recognize Dr. Pappalardo with his honor.”

Throughout his time at Niagara, Dr. Pappalardo was also active in the Naval Reserve and retired with the rank of captain in 1985.

Since retiring from NU, Dr. Pappalardo has increased his involvement in a number of volunteer positions. With Niagara County Hospice, he trains all volunteers for Camp Hope, a bereavement camp for children, and also serves as counselor at the camp each year. He is a member of the board of directors for the Niagara County Girl Scouts and volunteers weekends during the summer at the Zoar Valley Girl Scout Camp.

Niagara University offers a master’s degree program and professional certification in school counseling, with opportunities to bridge this credential with licensing requirements for mental health counseling. The school counseling program includes comprehensive clinical experience wherein candidates have mentored experiences across a spectrum of school districts, programs providing family and community support, and  summer camps that focus on career and college readiness.

To learn more about Niagara University’s undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs in education, please call 716.286.8560 or visit www.niagara.edu/education.