Dr. Petillo's Blog

President Petillo's Blog - Friday, May 31st

Yesterday, Dave Bike, head coach of men’s basketball, announced his retirement. In his 35 years at Sacred Heart, he amassed 530 wins. He will be sorely missed. Assistant coach Anthony Latina will take over the reins, which we expect will lead to a smooth transition. We know that Dave is looking forward to spending more time with his family – especially his grandchildren – and we wish him a long and happy retirement.

In other sports news, we learned this week that Sacred Heart has won the NEC Building Communities Award for the third straight year. I’m very proud of our student-athletes for finding time to volunteer in the community along with their studies, practices and games.

We also received the exciting news that the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education has granted accreditation to our doctor of nursing practice program. Congratulations to Ann Barker, Patricia Walker and their team for the hard work that went into developing this program.

Congratulations also go out to Linda Strong who is the recipient of the first annual Connecticut National Hispanic Nursing Association Community Nursing Award for her work on behalf of the Hispanic community. She was recognized for tireless dedication and the ability to unite people into action, which has directly contributed to the opportunity for Hispanics to obtain health care and participate in health promotion activities to improve their health outcomes.

Kudos also to three students from the art & design program whose posters were winners in the annual RYASAP Anti-Smoking Campaign. The winning posters were created by Mike Abate, Jackie Boswick and Rebecca Zebedeo. Congratulations!

Last night was the second annual SHU Media Exchange, which featured a lively panel discussion on the expansion of the media industry and the creative corridor in Connecticut. The consensus seems to be that much progress has been made in our state even in the 12 months since last year’s Exchange. The event was produced entirely by students in the MACOMM program, and they did an outstanding job. They had a packed house filled with folks from the SHU community and the surrounding area.



I had a chance to hear the University of Notre Dame folk group when they performed to a full house in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit last weekend. They did mostly spiritual songs – many with an Irish influence. The music was beautiful, but I have to admit that it made me appreciate the style and talents of our own students even more. I think it’s just a personal preference.

Earlier today, I sent out an email about our United Way campaign that will kick off next week. I know that we are bombarded year-round with requests for help, but I hope you will consider supporting the United Way of Coastal Fairfield County as they work to improve the lives of families – and especially children – in the eight area towns they cover. Their mission clearly aligns with ours. You will hear more about how to give next week, and I hope you will join me in making a contribution.

You also heard from Rob Gilmore and Denise Tiberio that we will be welcoming 2,000 students and their families over the next few months, beginning as early as next week. I know I don’t need to say this, but I will anyway. Please go out of your way to welcome these new members of our community and to provide them with any assistance they may need.

Stay cool and have a wonderful weekend!

President Petillo’s Blog – May 24, 2013

Commencement is over and the students are gone – never my favorite time to be on campus. Still, there is a lot going on. For example, 22 undergraduate classes began on Monday with 230 students and 22 faculty members hard at work. More classes will begin the first week in June. And, of course, once the local schools close for summer, we will begin our pre-college and Horizon programs.

Despite the rainy weather on Sunday, our 47th commencement exercises – for both graduate and undergraduate students – went off without a hitch. There was just the right balance of pomp and tradition with frivolity and celebration. It is always bittersweet to say goodbye to those who have been a part of our community for four years or more, but we do so with the knowledge that they leave us with a solid education, leadership skills, integrity and compassion. We also look forward to their return for alumni activities, sporting events, maybe even a wedding in the chapel or – down the road – to drop off their child on Move-In Day.

The annual Pioneer Open golf tournament took place on Monday at Brooklawn Country Club in Fairfield. The sun came out right around noon just as golfers began to tee off. This year’s event featured more than 100 participants and raised $250,000 for Sacred Heart University student scholarships. We are grateful to all who participated and to our tournament sponsors.

Sacred Heart University’s MBA team was the winner in the fourth annual ACG Connecticut Cup competition. The teams were allowed one week to develop a central thesis encompassing valuation, capital markets and M&A strategic recommendations that they then had to pitch to a panel of three judges, representing the board of directors of the client company. Each had the same case and background information. The presentations were made on RBS’s trading floor in Stamford and were very much like a real-world exercise for the students. Among the groups they beat out were teams from Yale and UConn. They will pick up their trophy and the $1,000 prize at a breakfast on June 7. Congratulations!

Congratulations also to Jacqueline Kelleher. The film she produced, Dungeons and Distractions, will be featured at the Sprout Film Festival. The film stars SHU’s Samantha Markey, a graduate student from the College of Education, and was written and directed by Kelleher’s two teen sons, Teagen and Tyler Comeau, who have been guest lecturing here in a class on autism spectrum disorders. Jacqueline also used the film to conduct research with 300 teachers on perspective taking. The goal of the Sprout Film Festival is to raise the profile of people with developmental disabilities by showcasing works of all genres.

Karen Flanagan, peer education coordinator for the Counseling Center, has been appointed as volunteer state coordinator for the BACCHUS Network. The Network consists of more than 330 member peer education groups and includes over 8,000 students. Approximately 30 people serve on the advisory board, including volunteer state coordinators.  Congratulations to Karen and also much appreciation for her willingness to serve. We look forward to the information, research and networking opportunities that Sacred Heart will gain from her relationship with the Network.

It was great to see so many of you at the end-of-year barbecue on Wednesday. Special thanks to Pat Palaka, Sid Gottlieb, Greg Golda, Madeleine Monaghan, Paul Rogalin, Joe Berry and Bill Haug – all members of our extremely talented faculty and staff – for the great music they provided during the festivities. And, thanks also to Ann Miron for organizing everything.  Most importantly, thanks to all of you for your hard work and commitment to our students during the past year.

Students, even though you are home for break, be sure to stay connected with me on Twitter by following me @SHUprez. (https://twitter.com/SHUprez)  I love to hear from you! Have a wonderful holiday weekend!

Dr. Petillo’s Blog – May 17, 2013

This week has been all about the graduating seniors as they enjoy a well-deserved celebration before commencement ceremonies this weekend. It was my pleasure to host a dinner for the resident success assistants or RSAs who work hard all year to ensure a good experience for those living in the dorms.

The senior champagne brunch is also one of my favorite activities. Of course, I am looking forward to the Commencement Ball this evening and to welcoming our students’ families back to campus for the Family Dinner Dance tomorrow night.

Commencement ceremonies – on Saturday for graduate students and Sunday for undergrads – are our opportunity to celebrate the hard work of our students, the relationships that we have built with them and the confidence we have in them as they leave us to make their mark on the world. Our commencement speakers this year are E. Patricia Llodra, first selectman of Newtown, for the undergraduate ceremony and Paul Baumann, editor of Commonweal magazine, for the graduate ceremony. They will receive honorary degrees along with author Terry Eagleton and Barry H. Ostrowsky, president and chief executive officer of Barnabas Health in New Jersey. The Class of 2013 includes 756 undergraduates who will be receiving associate and bachelor’s degrees and 722 graduate students who earned master’s degrees, professional certificates and doctorates. The weather report for the weekend is almost too good to be true. As the students always respond to Father Jerry, we are blessed.

Before I head to the dry cleaners to pick up my robe, I want to talk about the Class of 2017. As I write this, we have 1,320 deposits, which means this class will be – by far – the largest freshman class in Sacred Heart history. More importantly, the academic profile of this class is at least as strong as that of any previous class. I want to congratulate everyone who worked so hard to admit one of the largest classes in the history of Catholic higher education in New England. That includes the folks in admissions, financial aid, student life, athletics and more.

I also need to thank Dona Perrone and her team and everyone in academic affairs for the effort they are putting in to prepare for this incoming class. They are adding additional sections and hiring professors to ensure that these students receive the same hands-on, warm and attentive experience that a smaller class would have.  I know that as these students come to campus for orientation, Welcome Days and to start their first semester, I can count on all of you to ensure that they receive the personalized attention and sense of community that continues to be the hallmark of this University.

Finally, I have exciting news regarding retention – an important component of our strategic plan. The retention rate for the Class of 2016 going into their sophomore year is 85 percent. This is the second consecutive year we have retained 85 percent of the freshman class at this point in time. In addition, the retention rate for the Class of 2015 is 73 percent. We have never before had a retention rate in the 70s, and they are on pace to be the largest graduating class in school history.

To the faculty and staff: You have much to be proud of, and there is much still to do. I am proud to be on this journey with you.

President Petillo's Blog - Friday, May 10th

A sure sign that spring is truly here is when I make my annual call to Mike Kinney about getting flower baskets on the poles around campus. Thanks to the grounds crew for preparing the campus for graduation – even with the challenges of some inclement weather this week.


Another sure sign of spring and the rapid approach of commencement is when my schedule fills with farewell and thank-you lunches and dinners. It is a bittersweet time. This week, I had dinner with our student ambassadors and lunch with the Student Government officers. The former have done a tremendous job representing SHU to our prospective students and their families, while the latter have worked hard to ensure that their fellow students have a great experience here on campus. We also held a farewell dinner for David Coppola. While I am thrilled that he will have the well-deserved opportunity to run his own institution, he will be sorely missed here. Whether he was speaking at a service at the chapel, spearheading the development of the strategic plan or preparing for the NEASC site visit, his contributions to this University have been varied and immeasurable. We wish him all the best in his new role as president of Keystone College in Pennsylvania.

On a similar note, we learned this week that Ed Swanson, head coach for women’s basketball, will be leaving us to take on the same role at the College of William & Mary. We wish him well, but will miss him greatly. During his tenure here, he led the Pioneers to three Northeast Conference championships and five postseason tournament berths, including three NCAA tournament appearances. His record during 23 seasons here was 406-264.

Congratulations to Ryan Cotrupi on being named Mr. SHU last weekend. The competition was tough, but now the real work begins! We also hosted Florence Henderson last weekend. She is best known for her iconic role as Carol Brady on the The Brady Bunch. Her stories of her career in show business were fascinating, and she really seemed to enjoy interacting with the students – and they with her. Finally, the “Best of Broadway!” concert by the bands and choirs was every bit as spectacular as I anticipated. They always exceed my expectations. The concert was also a fundraiser for a scholarship in memory of Broadway star and Sacred Heart alum, Patty Hemenway, who was the wife of retiring director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Don Cook. Patty not only began her career on the stage at Sacred Heart, but was instrumental in starting the Sacred Heart Cabaret, which resided here for many years before moving to downtown Bridgeport in 1976. It is fitting that we honor her with this scholarship, and we look forward to reaching the goal of a $25,000 endowment.




This week, we broke ground for our new academic building at the corner of Jefferson and Park Avenues under beautiful sunny skies. The building will house the Welch College of Business and our rapidly growing Department of Communication & Media Studies. There will also be space for a Center of Excellence for Pedagogy – a super interactive classroom for training professors on the most up-to-date tools and processes. And the building will include a 225-seat multi-media forum for leadership institutes, lectures and screenings as well as classrooms and meeting spaces that can be used by all our programs.


Also this week, we presented the Sandy Hook Elementary School Memorial Scholarship Fund with a check for $4,400 from the Newtown T-shirt project. I am hoping we can make similar presentations to our own Mission Matters program as more and more T-shirts are sold.


Some kudos are in order this week. Congratulations to the students in the Communications and Media Studies Department for the talent on display at The MAX (media arts exhibition) Wednesday evening. A big cheer and a wish for luck to the men’s club lacrosse team. They are NEC champions and take on the University of Maryland tomorrow in the first round of the National Club Lacrosse League Championships. Congratulations also to all our student-athletes for being number one not only in Connecticut, but nationally, in writing letters to the troops during the Christmas 2012 season. I know those letters meant a lot to those away from their families and serving their country during the holidays. Finally, a nod to Michael W. Higgins, who was prominently featured in the latest issue of the Messenger of St. Anthony. You can read it on the Faculty News page on our website.

Sacred Heart University has been accepted into the 2013-2015 American Council on Education (ACE) Internationalization Laboratory program. The Internationalization Laboratory is an invitational learning community of the ACE that assists participating colleges and universities to achieve comprehensive internationalization. To assist in this effort, we will form an internationalization task force whose job will be to review our current internationalization activities and develop a strategy for planned growth in international programming, activities and practices for the benefit of our students, faculty, staff and the University as a whole.

In an example of internationalization, two students from our English as a Second Language (ESL) program recently presented to religion and philosophy classes about Islam. It was a win-win for all concerned as the ESL students had a chance to showcase their excellent English skills before a large audience, and their audience received first-hand information about Islam.

Before I close, I want to mention our Global Ambassadors program, which began last fall. SHU Global Ambassadors are former study abroad students who have volunteered their time to advise students and promote the study abroad office. These students are great sources of information on what it is like to live and study in another country as a SHU student.  They can be found at study abroad events around campus, in the dormitories and at student organization events. I continue to be a strong advocate that those of you who can should take advantage of the study abroad opportunities SHU has to offer. Our Global Ambassadors are a perfect resource if you want first-hand information on what studying abroad is like.


Have a great weekend – and don’t forget to call your mother!

A sure sign that spring is truly here is when I make my annual call to Mike Kinney about getting flower baskets on the poles around campus. Thanks to the grounds crew for preparing the campus for graduation – even with the challenges of some inclement weather this week.
Another sure sign of spring and the rapid approach of commencement is when my schedule fills with farewell and thank-you lunches and dinners. It is a bittersweet time. This week, I had dinner with our student ambassadors and lunch with the Student Government officers. The former have done a tremendous job representing SHU to our prospective students and their families, while the latter have worked hard to ensure that their fellow students have a great experience here on campus. We also held a farewell dinner for David Coppola. While I am thrilled that he will have the well-deserved opportunity to run his own institution, he will be sorely missed here. Whether he was speaking at a service at the chapel, spearheading the development of the strategic plan or preparing for the NEASC site visit, his contributions to this University have been varied and immeasurable. We wish him all the best in his new role as president of Keystone College in Pennsylvania.
On a similar note, we learned this week that Ed Swanson, head coach for women’s basketball, will be leaving us to take on the same role at the College of William & Mary. We wish him well, but will miss him greatly. During his tenure here, he led the Pioneers to three Northeast Conference championships and five postseason tournament berths, including three NCAA tournament appearances. His record during 23 seasons here was 406-264.
Congratulations to Ryan Cotrupi on being named Mr. SHU last weekend. The competition was tough, but now the real work begins! We also hosted Florence Henderson last weekend. She is best known for her iconic role is Carol Brady on the The Brady Bunch. Her stories of her career in show business were fascinating, and she really seemed to enjoy interacting with the students – and they with her. Finally, the “Best of Broadway!” concert by the bands and choirs was every bit as spectacular as I anticipated. They always exceed my expectations. The concert was also a fundraiser for a scholarship in memory of Broadway star and Sacred Heart alum, Patty Hemenway, who was the wife of retiring director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Don Cook. Patty not only began her career on the stage at Sacred Heart, but was instrumental in starting the Sacred Heart Cabaret, which resided here for many years before moving to downtown Bridgeport in 1976. It is fitting that we honor her with this scholarship, and we look forward to reaching the goal of a $25,000 endowment.
This week, we broke ground for our new academic building at the corner of Jefferson and Park Avenues under beautiful sunny skies. The building will house the Welch College of Business and our rapidly growing Department of Communication & Media Studies. There will also be space for a Center of Excellence for Pedagogy – a super interactive classroom for training professors on the most up-to-date tools and processes. And the building will include a 225-seat multi-media forum for leadership institutes, lectures and screenings as well as classrooms and meeting spaces that can be used by all our programs.
Also this week, we presented the Sandy Hook Elementary School Memorial Scholarship Fund with a check for $4,400 from the Newtown T-shirt project. I am hoping we can make similar presentations to our own Mission Matters program as more and more T-shirts are sold.
Some kudus are in order this week. Congratulations to the students in the Communications and Media Studies Department for the talent on display at The MAX (media arts exhibition) Wednesday evening. A big cheer and a wish for luck to the men’s club lacrosse team. They are NEC champions and take on the University of Maryland tomorrow in the first round of the National Club Lacrosse League Championships. Congratulations also to all our student-athletes for being number one not only in Connecticut, but nationally, in writing letters to the troops during the Christmas 2012 season. I know those letters meant a lot to those away from their families and serving their country during the holidays. Finally, a nod to Michael W. Higgins, who was prominently featured in the latest issue of the Messenger of St. Anthony. You can read it on the Faculty News page on our website.
Sacred Heart University has been accepted into the 2013-2015 American Council on Education (ACE) Internationalization Laboratory program. The Internationalization Laboratory is an invitational learning community of the ACE that assists participating colleges and universities to achieve comprehensive internationalization. To assist in this effort, we will form an internationalization task force whose job will be to review our current internationalization activities and develop a strategy for planned growth in international programming, activities and practices for the benefit of our students, faculty, staff and the University as a whole.
In an example of internationalization, two students from our English as a Second Language (ESL) program recently presented to religion and philosophy classes about Islam. It was a win-win for all concerned as the ESL students had a chance to showcase their excellent English skills before a large audience, and their audience received first-hand information about Islam.
Before I close, I want to mention our Global Ambassadors program, which began last fall. SHU Global Ambassadors are former study abroad students who have volunteered their time to advise students and promote the study abroad office. These students are great sources of information on what it is like to live and study in another country as a SHU student.  They can be found at study abroad events around campus, in the dormitories and at student organization events. I continue to be a strong advocate that those of you who can should take advantage of the study abroad opportunities SHU has to offer. Our Global Ambassadors are a perfect resource if you want first-hand information on what studying abroad is like.
Have a great weekend – and don’t forget to call your mother!

President Petillo's Blog - Friday, May 3rd

This was the last full week of classes, and it was jam-packed with activities. Wednesday was particularly eventful with the First Annual Academic Festival that combined a number of previous year-end events. The festival showcased the incredible research projects our students have been working on all year and also included the Honors Symposium. Faculty from the College of Business also had their research on display with poster presentations Wednesday afternoon. Other events on Wednesday included our Second Annual Campus Donor Day with the Big Green Pizza Truck (a big thank-you to faculty, staff and students who have made contributions to the Fund for Excellence totaling $113,985), a reprise of 4 Heart Harmony’s Concert Against Bullying (I know those of you who were able to attend were touched by their music and brave testimonies), our first-ever Digital Marketing Panel where four elite guests discussed the progress of this rapidly evolving field (congratulations to Anca Micu and her team on an excellent event) and a talk by author Anna Quindlen (although I was one of the few men in the audience, I appreciated her perspective – and sense of humor – about getting older).




More student talent was on display Thursday evening during Art & Design’s Senior Portfolio Night. Our students are just incredible. Thursday was also the announcement of the Campus Life Leadership Awards. Kudos to students Ayesha Nomani, Nicole Gittleman, Samantha Novack and Sara Gerrity, who were recognized for leading their respective classes. Congratulations to Zach Pelletier, the recipient of the Doug Bohn Unsung Hero Award, and Mia James, who received the John Croffy Outstanding Leader Award. Faculty and staff were also honored as Bronwyn Cross-Denny, Lucy Cox, Pam Barnum and George Buahin took home the Final Four prizes. My understanding is that there were more than 300 student nominees for these awards. I am proud to say that this community is filled with leaders among leaders. One of my favorite moments of the evening was the announcement that this year’s yearbook has been dedicated to Cynthia Conte. Congratulations to Cynthia! I am delighted that the students decided to honor her in this way.


On Tuesday, a group of students from the Welch College of Business had the chance to meet with Richard Schaeffer, former chairman of the New York Mercantile Exchange. The student attendees were chosen by the WCOB faculty and represented a variety of disciplines—accounting, finance, economics, management, marketing, etc. Mr. Schaeffer primarily gave the students career advice as he shared how his coursework helped him to navigate corporate life, the importance of ethics in business and the need to give back and be a caring citizen while in the working world.


The WCOB was also a gold sponsor of the Stamford StartUp Weekend last week at the Stamford Innovation Center. This allowed us to support local entrepreneurship and encourage business innovation efforts in the Stamford area, while increasing our presence in downtown Stamford where we plan to expand our graduate course offerings.

Even as classes come to a close, our students continue to support the causes they believe in with time, energy and donations. This week kicked off with last weekend’s Relay for Life event. Also, for the past week, Delta Tau Delta has been shining a light on the issues of date rape, sexual abuse and domestic violence. They have sponsored a number of events to raise money for the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network and the Center for Women and Families. They also participated in last week’s Center for Women and Families “Walk in Her Shoes” fundraiser. They received a prize for being the largest group in attendance, and I’m told the presenter said, “I love all the schools in the area, but Sacred Heart rocks my world.” Our students always represent us well and do us proud.


Our athletes are also doing us proud – both on and off the field. Congratulations to sophomore guard Phil Gaetano who is this year’s NEC scholar-athlete winner in men’s basketball. In addition to his basketball prowess, he posted a 3.80 grade point average as a business administration major. Senior Alyssa Selmquist took home the scholar-athlete honors for indoor track & field. Along with breaking several school records in track this year, Alyssa, an accounting major, earned a 3.83 GPA.
While I’m doling out congratulations, a clap on the back is in order for Jerry Goehring. The Broadway play he produced, A Christmas Story, has been nominated for a Tony Award. We wish him the best of luck, and I’m looking forward to seeing him on the red carpet dressed in a designer tuxedo—with a bow tie, of course!

I want to encourage faculty and staff to join me Monday night to serve the traditional late-night breakfast to the students as they gear up to study for exams. It’s always a fun time and a great way to show our support of them. Please also mark your calendar for the groundbreaking ceremony for our new academic building on Wednesday at 11 a.m.

Finally, if you’re looking for something to do this beautiful spring weekend, may I recommend the Mr. SHU event this evening, a visit with Florence Henderson on Saturday and the “Best of Broadway!” concert by our bands and choirs on Sunday.

Have a great weekend!