Dr. Petillo's Blog

No matter what the calendar says, it’s officially summer – and we haven’t even hit Memorial Day yet. We know that because of the unaccustomed quiet in the Pitt Center, the wide choice of parking spots, the eerie stillness in the Library.
 
The calendar is not entirely empty, however. We look forward to the 22nd annual Pioneer Open golf tournament on May 31st. It will take place at the Patterson Club right here in Fairfield, and it looks as if it will be an unqualified success. Like our Discovery Dinner, the Pioneer Open works to raise scholarship funds for deserving students. Despite economic challenges, the University is holding fast to its historic commitment to financial aid, which last year reached $34 million.
 
And I must commend everyone involved in last weekend’s beautiful Commencement ceremonies, and the Masses and departmental receptions that accompanied them. We are at our best on such occasions, working closely and collegially together. We got to celebrate milestone accomplishments for hundreds of our students, and to recognize that they did not reach this pinnacle by themselves. The commitment and confidence of their families and friends was indispensable. Another key ingredient was the passion and compassion of their teachers and other members of the staff. Commencement is a monumental group effort that recognizes hundreds of individual success stories: it celebrates each of us and all of us at the same time.
 
This week, we also had the opportunity to celebrate a particularly special group of graduates—six seniors from the Women’s Softball Team, who missed their own college graduation to participate in the NEC Championship games. While they missed this milestone event in their lives, they brought home the championship, and have now advanced to the NCAA Tournament. We applauded these Pioneers in a small, but meaningful ceremony in the Schine Auditorium on Tuesday. I was proud to present each of them with their diplomas. Now, on to the NCAA Tournament—Godspeed!
 
Another sign that summer is here, of course: I will be taking a break from blogging for a few weeks. Until I speak with you again, I wish all the members of our community – from students and staff to families and alumni – all the blessings of this warm and happy season.

What a great week it has been! The activities of Senior Week went off without a hitch, and everyone owes enormous thanks to Dean of Students Larry Wielk and Associate Dean Denise Tiberio. Seniors spent the week partying, celebrating their accomplishments and wondering where the last four – or more – years had gone. We wish everyone success and happiness and look forward to the high point of the year: Commencement. The campus is looking particularly beautiful these days, and we anticipate welcoming thousands of guests. Sacred Heart is well known for its sense of hospitality and welcome, and this is our chance to shine.

The close of the academic year is always a time for reflection and self-assessment. Some will look back on 2010-2011 and remember in particular the blossoming of friendships or even romance. Others may reflect on athletic accomplishments and the satisfactions of teamwork. For others, the year will be remembered for academic achievements that seemed impossible just a few years ago, or the ultimate decision on a career or further study. One thing is for sure: none of us are the same people we were in September, and if we could change that much in less than a year, can you imagine what possibilities there are in store for us in the future? For me, personally, it has been a season of tremendous challenge and change. I began the year happily serving as dean of the John F. Welch College of Business, and I conclude it as your president. I am encouraged more than I can say by the energy and intelligence, the generosity and good will of our students and remarkable faculty and staff.

A final note to the Class of 2011: you’ve heard it a million times before – graduation is not an end but a beginning. It’s a message that is true on so many levels. So as you leave your years at Sacred Heart behind you, please remember that the conclusion of your experience as an undergraduate or graduate student is just the commencement of your relationship to the University as a member of our huge and growing alumni community. Remain with us and help us as we work to make our University an even better and more enriching opportunity for those who will follow. You arrived at this level of accomplishment with the help of many unseen friends. Now it’s your turn. So as you go out into the world, whether for the summer or a lifetime, I know you will take Sacred Heart with you. May your time with us strengthen you for the tasks ahead and the great work yet to be done.

Competing with final exams, last-minute projects and packing for the summer has been a wonderful line-up of special events. More than 160 athletes and others connected with our excellent roster of Division I sports got together at the Trumbull Marriott to celebrate the great  successes we have enjoyed. Just two examples: Sacred Heart claimed its third NEC men’s golf title in four years. Congratulations to Coach Matt McGreevey and the championship team. And our men’s tennis team with Coach Paul Gagliardi at the helm recently claimed its second NEC championship in three years. The awards portion of the event was highlighted by the presentation of the ECAC Medal of Merit, the highest award given by the Department of Athletics, which recognizes a senior male and female athlete who demonstrate athletic and academic excellence. This year's recipients were Kirill Kasyanov (Yonkers, NY) of the men’s tennis team and Kimberly DeLoreto (Hillsdale, NJ) of women’s cross country and track & field.

Another great end-of-year tradition is our midnight breakfast – advanced this year to a more civilized 9 o’clock – which was held on Tuesday. We had a great turnout for pancakes and sausage, and everyone seemed to enjoy this break for breakfast – and from their studies.

Great thanks go out to Sarah Heiman and Amy Dion and to all who participated in this year’s inaugural ESTEEM Program. This pilot project is one of just a handful in the country designed to help develop college students for leadership in Catholic communities when they leave campus. Mentors in the faculty and staff met regularly with students to discuss issues related to living their faith, and we look forward to seeing the program grow and flourish in the coming year.

I had the opportunity this week to meet with some alumni leaders and a few future alumni from Students Today Alumni Tomorrow – or STAT for short. I look forward to working closely with our graduates on ways to keep them enthusiastic and engaged about our mission and our students.

We had a very impressive showing at our 12th annual Undergraduate Research Poster Session and Showcase, hosted by the College of Arts and Sciences. Twenty-five posters were exhibited, spanning nine disciplines, with 52 students participating. Thanks to Professor Marlina Slamet and her crew for organizing this terrific showcase. A dozen members of the faculty served as judges.

Congratulations to senior Kevin Medeiros of Bristol, Rhode Island, who won the prestigious Connecticut Department of Higher Education Community Service Award in the category of “student group.” Kevin won for his work with the campus Habitat for Humanity chapter of which he was president this year. Under his leadership, the Sacred Heart chapter this year fulfilled a longtime dream of building a home from the ground up for a deserving Bridgeport resident. He came up with the idea of combining efforts with Youth United to raise the $75,000 needed.

And take some time from your busy weekend on Saturday for “The MAX” – that’s the Department of Communication and Media Studies’ annual showcase of student talent in photo, video, animation, radio and magazine design. It’s at 1:00 in the Media Studies Lab and at 2:00 in the Schine Auditorium.

Best of success to all those finishing exams and papers.