Dr. Petillo's Blog

It was a quick transition last week from the pomp and circumstance of the inauguration and the induction of the Class of 2015 to the fun and nostalgia surrounding homecoming weekend.  The weather cooperated for the most part, and everywhere I went I saw current and former students enjoying the festivities.

It was wonderful to see so many alumni reconnecting with friends and enjoying everything Sacred Heart has to offer.  The Curtis Hall parking lot was packed with  tailgaters Saturday afternoon, and the Oktoberfest tent, co-hosted by Finance & Administration and Human Resources, was doing a booming business as folks stopped by for food, music, raffles and free t-shirts before heading into the game. The Pioneers also contributed to the festive atmosphere with a 24-21 victory over Dartmouth.

I especially enjoyed the Alumni Awards Breakfast on Sunday morning. I want to again congratulate all the deserving honorees
who were recognized for a variety of contributions to the University.

I was reminded that t here are many ways for alumni to continue to make a difference here even after they have graduated. The Alumni Mass and Presidential Reception that followed the breakfast were also very meaningful.

Wednesday evening, we were fortunate to have John Stewart, president and CEO of Purdue Pharma, at the Schine Auditorium to talk about the world of prescription drugs, how they come to market and the issues of abuse and addiction. Mr. Stewart has been in his current role since 2007 and prior to that, he spent 33 years with Purdue Pharma Canada in a variety of roles of increasing responsibility, eventually becoming president there in 1990.  He offered some great insights into the pharmaceutical industry as well as some guidelines and suggestions for students who hope to succeed in business. By all accounts, he enjoyed meeting our students as much as they enjoyed meeting him. We hope to welcome him back in the very near future.

Earlier today, I had the great honor of receiving a check for $25,000 from Bank of America Charitable Foundation. This funding is a grant to support our Community Connections program for this academic year. The program allows approximately 50 freshmen plus student leaders and staff to spend the week before the fall semester begins volunteering for a variety of
programs in Bridgeport. The students are immersed in the Bridgeport community and are exposed to the diverse cultures and religions that make up the city. This past August, the Community Connections group not only volunteered in local soup kitchens, schools and churches, but also attended a mass in Spanish, took Latin dancing lessons and had a Puerto Rican meal.  After getting a sense of the community’s areas of need, these students continue to work in the community through this program for the rest of the school year. We are extremely grateful to Bank of America Charitable Foundation for providing the funding that will allow this outreach program to continue.

Enjoy the weekend!

This has been an emotional week here at Sacred Heart University. The pomp and circumstance surrounding my installation as president and the induction of the Class of 2015 on Wednesday took me -- and I suspect all of us -- on a roller coaster of emotions from joy and celebration to solemnity and reflection.  Also, it was wonderful to see so more than 1,000 students turn out for last night’s Presidential Gala to welcome the freshmen. I was thrilled to be there and to meet so many of you individually.  I hope this is the start of an annual tradition to welcome in the new academic year. 

Most of all, this week was a time of commitment. For me -- and for the faculty and staff -- it was a reminder that our commitment is to the students who come to Sacred Heart seeking an education in a strong Catholic community. Never was our heritage and tradition more in evidence than during Wednesday’s ceremonies. The tradition and the pomp reinforce our mission here: we are here for the students. We are here to educate them, to guide them, to lead by example, to prepare them for their future as Catholics out in the world. In my inaugural address, I quoted Benedict XVI who said, “Teaching is not just about communicating content. It is about forming young people.” That is what we are here for, and we do not take the charge lightly. We must commit to putting our time, our talents and our whole heart into the job before us. Our commitment must extend beyond the classroom as we listen, respond and, in many cases, become lifelong mentors and friends. Our students deserve no less.

Similarly, I hope Wednesday was a time of commitment for the freshman class and the rest of the student community. The college years are like no other time in life. It is a time of remarkable opportunities for learning and growth in a warm, safe environment. It is a time when students discover who they are and who they can be with the help of friends, advisers, faculty and family. While the college years should be full of fun, I pray our students will also use this time to prepare for their careers and for life as caring citizens of the world. Let me say it again: the faculty, staff and administration of Sacred Heart University are here for the students. Please reach out to us. We stand ready to help you through these years of learning and transformation. We can only be a community if we work together with respect, caring and, yes, commitment.

The highlight of the festivities for me was the chance to speak with so many students and members of the faculty and staff. Thanks to all of you for coming out to these events. The overwhelming turnout by the faculty meant a great deal to the students and to me.  And, the warm and lively atmosphere during the installation of the Class of 2015 reinforced that these new students are intelligent, fun-loving, compassionate and giving -- a trademark of Sacred Heart University.  I look forward to many more opportunities to talk with all of you as we continue this journey together.

I would be remiss if I did not recognize the people who worked tirelessly to ensure that Wednesday’s events went off flawlessly. They did an outstanding job.  A special thank you to the committee co-chairs: Michael Iannazzi and Stephane Kirven, J.D. I don’t usually include long lists of names in this blog, but today is an exception. The Presidential Inauguration Committee has been working on this event -- and others surrounding our “time for new beginnings” -- for many months. So here (in alphabetical order) I offer a heartfelt and grateful thank you to the rest of the committee: Michael Bozzone, Jeffrey Cain, Ph.D., Ann Clark, Ph.D.,  Maureen Conard, Ph.D.,  David Coppola, Ph.D.,  Lenore Frost, Ph.D., Katie Gallagher ’13,  Sean Heffron,  Edward Hendricks, Ph.D.,  Michael Higgins, Ph.D.,  Mia James ’13, George Lombardi ’73,  Robert Marsh, Ph.D.,  Stephen Rubb, Ph.D.,  and Larry Wielk. I also know that this committee relied upon countless others to help with the preparations and details. In particular, I would like to thank Funda Alp, Ann Miron, Jaclyn Bellino ’11, Cynthia Conte and Jack Fernandez.  I could not possibly end without also thanking the outstanding members of the choir, led by John Michniewicz, and the band, led by Keith Johnston.  What an atmosphere they supplied for all of us.  To the many others, and you know who you are, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

 Finally, I want to remind everyone that this weekend is Homecoming Weekend. The weather forecast isn’t perfect, but there will be plenty to do both indoors and in between the raindrops. Scheduled events include a tailgate party (rain or shine!) in the Curtis Hall Parking lot from 10:30-4 on Saturday, an alumni BBQ beginning at 12:30 in the Campus Field picnic area and, of course, the football game between the Pioneers and the Dartmouth Big Green at 1 p.m. Go Pioneers!

On Sunday, our annual Alumni Awards Breakfast will take place. Among the many deserving honorees is our own Dr. Gary Rose, who will receive the inaugural Alumni Faculty/Staff award. Dr. Rose was nominated by two of his students -- something I know is very special to him. That will be followed by the Alumni Mass in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit at 11 and the Presidential Reception at noon. I am looking forward to all these events and, especially, to having a chance to see former students and other alumni back on campus.

This has been a busy and exciting week at Sacred Heart University. It was a week that started out for most of us remembering September 11, 2001 -- where we were, what we thought, perhaps memories of a loved one who was lost that day. Forty members of SHU’s vocal ensembles 4 Heart Harmony and SHU L.O.V.E. (Ladies Only Vocal Ensemble) were in New York City to take part in one of the many commemorative events held on Sunday. It was a rewarding experience for everyone who participated. Closer to home, many of us gathered on Sunday for a candlelight service to commemorate the events of 10 years ago. As I said then, for Christians, these moments are not just about the pain and the loss, but also about the love.  Finally, I was honored to be one of many area people asked to write a 9/11 reflection for the Fairfield County Business Journal.

I kicked off the weekend at the Bridgeport Rescue Mission’s Walk to Help the Homeless. Organized by SHU’s Volunteer Programs, the walk took place Saturday morning with a kick off on campus. Proceeds will benefit the Mission’s programs for homeless and near-homeless men, women and children. It was a beautiful day for a walk, and everyone who came out had a great time. Congratulations to Maura Cook on a wonderful job organizing the event here, and thanks to Jim Buchanan at WICC for coming out to support this fundraising effort.

On Wednesday, I had the honor of conferring a Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, on Dr. John J. DeGioia, the president of Georgetown University, in a special academic convocation.  Dr. DeGioia spoke to those present about growth and academic excellence -- two things that are clearly important to us here at Sacred Heart. Dr. DeGioia is a graduate of Georgetown and has spent his entire career there. He is the first lay president of a Jesuit university and has been credited with helping Georgetown become a premier institution for both education and research. My thanks to everyone who made this event possible.

As I was presenting Dr. DeGioia with this honorary doctorate, many others in the Sacred Heart community were celebrating our seventh annual Constitution Day. Again, my gratitude to everyone who helped put together this event, especially Professor Gary Rose. The keynote speaker was Martha A. Dean, Esq., the 2010 Republican candidate for Connecticut Attorney General. Her topic was “Defibrillating the Constitution: Jump-Starting the Heart of America’s Economic Engine.” By all accounts, her comments were fascinating. Attendees also received pocket-sized copies of both the United States and Connecticut State constitutions. The latter were published here by our University Press. Even though Connecticut is nicknamed the Constitution state, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first time the State constitution has been printed in such an accessible way. You can download both constitutions from the SHU Web site.

Finally, I stopped by the economic forum last night that was sponsored by the John F. Welch College of Business (WCOB) in the Schine Auditorium. Our own Dr. Lucian Orlowski presided over the event before a standing room only crowd. Clearly the topic, “Recent Developments in Financial Risk” rang a bell in today’s economy. Guest speakers were Dr. Bluford Putnam, chief economist of CME Group; Dr. Abu Amin and Dr. Kwamie Dunbar, assistant professors in the WCOB’s Department of Economics and Finance; Albert H. Cheng, senior vice president of Atlantic Asset Management; and Sidney Hardee, managing partner of Hardee Brothers, LLC. They provided a wealth (no pun intended) of great information on a variety of topics that ranged from “Improving the Integration of Risk Management into the Investment Process” to “Risk Control Using ETFs” and everything in between. Congratulations to the WCOB on a wonderful event. It’s our goal to serve not only the Sacred Heart community, but the communities around us, and this program did exactly that.

If the weather forecasters are correct, we are in for a beautiful fall weekend. Let’s all get outside and enjoy this rare and wonderful weather.

Let me start this week by welcoming our incoming freshmen, transfers and new faculty members to Sacred Heart University and welcoming back our upperclassmen, returning faculty and staff. I always enjoy being on campus during Move-in Weekend as everyone arrives and gets settled. It’s a time of excitement and renewal. Anything seems possible. I wish you all a productive and successful year with a lot of fun thrown into the mix.

Another highlight for me is the annual Mass of the Holy Spirit. During all the hustle and bustle of moving in and getting organized, it’s so important to take time to seek wisdom and guidance as we embark on a new academic year.

One of the Welcome Weekend activities was a showing of the movie, Restrepo, which was co-directed by Sebastion Junger. This summer’s reading assignment for incoming freshmen was Junger’s War, which they will be discussing among themselves and with their professors in the coming weeks. Restrepo features the same platoon that Junger wrote about in War. We will also be honored to host Sebastion Junger on campus later this semester.

Another Welcome Weekend event was the College of Business dinner on Labor Day evening. I want to thank the 15 College of Business faculty members who wrapped up their holiday weekend by attending the dinner. The support and interest of the faculty means a great deal to the students, and I know they appreciated your presence. Besides, the food was great, and the fellowship was wonderful.

Yesterday, I attended the faculty reception on campus. It was great to see everyone and listen to the buzz of conversation as professors discussed their plans for the coming year. Already, I have had a chance to speak with so many students and faculty members. I’m looking forward to touching base with the rest of you in the coming weeks and months.

September is here. It’s been a beautiful week of late summer/early fall-type weather following the onslaught of Irene last weekend. That has been a blessing for the clean-up and repair crews who are out there working to get things back to normal. I am grateful to have only lost power for a short time in my new Fairfield home. Many others lost so much more, and my thoughts and prayers are with them.

Speaking of clean-up and repair crews, my thanks to the folks who have worked so hard to clear the campus of storm-related debris and get it ready for the arrival of students on Sunday and Monday. We also appreciate the efforts of those who got our campus technology up and running after a couple of days of unexpected downtime. We don’t realize how much we have come to rely on the Internet and e-mail until we lose access for a few days.

Despite the loss of power here, we had the pleasure of hosting a group of students from the University of Bridgeport over the weekend in the William H. Pitt Health and Recreation Center. They were forced to evacuate temporarily since their campus is so close to the coast.

Irene necessitated a slight disruption in the plans for our Community Connections immersion program, but the storm also provided the students with a unique opportunity. Twenty-four students who had arrived on campus by Saturday night responded to a call from the American Red Cross to volunteer at the emergency shelter located at Bassick High School in Bridgeport. Approximately 200 people who had been evacuated gathered there to ride out the storm.

Our students were at the shelter from 3 to 7 p.m. They not only served food, but they organized games for bored and frightened children of all ages and interacted with everyone – helping to take their minds off what might be happening to their homes. Representatives of the Red Cross have told us that they were impressed with the way the students related to all types of people – from owners of beachfront property to the homeless. Kicking off their college career in a hurricane is something these students will always remember. They should also remember that their efforts truly made a difference.

On Monday, the Community Connections students took time out to reflect on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. I am sure I was not the only one to think about the people of New Orleans as we experienced the wrath of Irene. Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast with more than twice the strength we experienced here with Irene. It’s unimaginable. There are areas there that have still not begun to recover.

The rest of this week has gone pretty much as planned for the Community Connections team. There was some shifting of volunteer schedules as the Bridgeport schools had a delayed opening, but the students have been able to work on our Habitat for Humanity home, serve as student aides in two elementary schools, make and serve dinner at local soup kitchens and much more. They have also experienced some of the cultural opportunities that Bridgeport provides. They attended a Spanish Mass, learned Latin dances, enjoyed a Puerto Rican meal and cheered on the Bridgeport Bluefish. I had a chance to stop by their annual community barbecue Thursday evening. This event, planned and hosted by the students, traditionally wraps up their week in Bridgeport. It’s an inclusive event – everyone the students meet during their week of volunteerism is invited. The weather was perfect, and everyone was having a wonderful time. Congratulations to the students and the entire Community Connections team on a great week in Bridgeport!

While the Community Connections group was setting up for their Thursday evening barbecue, I had the opportunity to host 26 student leaders for a barbecue lunch. It was a great pleasure to meet and dine with the summer RAs, orientation leaders and others who make summer visitors to our campus and, especially, our freshmen students feel so welcome. I continually hear from parents that the upperclassmen who welcome incoming freshmen are engaging, approachable, friendly and helpful. Leaving home for the first time can be a daunting and unsettling experience, but our returning students and staff go out of their way to provide an extremely welcoming environment – and it does not go unnoticed.

I hope everyone has a happy and safe Labor Day weekend. Take time to relax and enjoy your friends and family. And I will close with a huge welcome to campus to everyone, especially our incoming freshman class. It’s going to be an exciting year. I can’t wait to get started.