Dr. Petillo's Blog

President Petillo's Blog: Friday, January 30th

We were definitely reminded that winter is here this week with today’s light dusting and almost-blizzard Colbie on Monday and Tuesday. I want to take a moment to thank all the staff who were here during the storm to clean up the pathways and roadways and care for our students. My thanks especially to Campus Operations, Public Safety, Chartwells and Student Affairs. Your hard work has not gone unnoticed. I also want to express my appreciation to all the parents who sent emails to Paul Healy or to me acknowledging our efforts to keep them informed about what was happening during the storm to make sure the students were safe and comfortable. It was great to hear from everyone.

Congratulations are in order this week for faculty, staff and a former student for their outstanding achievements.  Kudos to Dean Robin Cautin on the recent release of The Encyclopedia of Clinical Psychology Set. Robin is the co-editor and co-author of this five-volume set that has well over 500 entries. A lot of work went into getting these volumes ready for publication. 

Michael W. Higgins has been named an International Fellow of the Chester Ronning Centre for Religion and Public Life at the University of Alberta. Yet another addition to his growing resume. Congratulations!

Art Gerckens, manager of the Mail & Duplicating Center and SHU alumnus, is the new president of the Derby Board of Alderman. He was unanimously voted in by his fellow alderman. This is the kind of public service that Sacred Heart is all about. 

Finally, alumna and music faculty member Allegra De Vita is the New England winner for the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Of course, those of us who have heard her sing are not at all surprised. We are very fortunate that she comes back to perform for us so often. We wish her nothing but the best in what promises to be an exciting and successful career.

From left are Robin Cautin, Michael W. Higgins, Art Gerckens and Allegra De Vita

I want to share with you a video that we put together on our housing program at the Trumbull Marriott. We are grateful to our residential staff and the hotel and all its staff members for what they have done to accommodate our students, and we thank the students for being open to an alternative experience. To watch the video, click here.

I hope you all have been supporting our campaign to win the Stanley Together for Safer Schools Grant. We are hoping to win funds for our new building that will house Public Safety and WSHU. You can vote every day online and by text and Twitter. Paul Healy sends out a reminder every day, so none of us have an excuse for not participating.

Speaking of new buildings, the Frank and Marisa Martire Business & Communications Center is complete except for a few finishing touches inside. Our dedication of the building is set for Saturday, March 14, and we plan to host our annual Discovery Gala, which raises funds for student scholarships, there on March 28. Classes will begin there in the fall—something I know students and faculty are greatly anticipating.  

This will be an exciting sports weekend, and I am not just talking about the Super Bowl. “Pack the Pitt” takes place tomorrow with the women’s basketball game at 11:30 a.m. and the men on the floor at 2 p.m. Not only will you be giving your support to your fellow Pioneers, but you will have a chance to win some great prizes and collect free SHU paraphernalia. I won’t comment on Sunday night’s big game, but I will say this: Go Pioneers!

Stay safe and enjoy the weekend!

President Petillo's Blog: Friday, January 23rd

Sacred Heart got some great exposure far and wide this week thanks to the accomplishments of our faculty and staff. For starters, congratulations are in order for Justin Liberman and Damon Maulucci, professors in our film and television master’s program (FTMA), for their inclusion in Connecticut Magazine’s annual 40 Under 40 list for 2015. Justin and Damon were applauded for their professional accomplishments, including Damon’s critically acclaimed feature film Detonator and Justin’s upcoming feature Mary Joe, as well as for successfully founding the FTMA program at our Stamford Graduate Center. Justin is also an alumnus of SHU who wanted to come back and share his knowledge and experience with future students.

Damon Maulucci, left, and Justin Liberman

Matthew Kaye, director of the Office of Volunteer Programs & Service Learning, took things global with an interview on ATN network while in Bangladesh for a service mission trip over the winter break. ATN has a viewership of around 30 million. If you want to check out the interview, click here.

We had our second annual commemoration of the Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday yesterday. The keynote speaker was Professor John K. Pierre, vice chancellor of Southern Connecticut State University’s Law Center. He made some great correlations between the opening of Sacred Heart in 1963 and the work King was doing at the time, noting that as Sacred Heart was opening its doors to all, Governor George Wallace was standing in a doorway at the University of Alabama blocking integration efforts there. Thanks to all who participated in this program and to the Office of Volunteer Programs & Service Learning for organizing it.

Southern University Law Center Vice Chancellor John K. Pierre, top left, was the keynote speaker
of the MLK celebration. CT Slam Master Tarishi Shuler, bottom left, read his poem, "Adam."

We continue to post a link to “Pontifex Minimus,” the weekly blog by our own Michael W. Higgins. I encourage you all to read it. It provides a great starting point for dialogue about the rich offerings of the Catholic intellectual tradition.

I know that snow is predicted for tomorrow, which provides a perfect time to catch up on your studies. However, if you do want to get outside, there are plenty of opportunities to cheer on your Pioneer student-athletes. At 7 tonight, the men’s volleyball team takes on Holy Cross, the men’s hockey team goes up against Mercyhurst at the Milford Ice Pavilion, and the women’s ice hockey team challenges Stevenson at the Connecticut Sports Center in Shelton. Tomorrow, the women are back on the ice against Stevenson at 2 p.m., the men’s volleyball team takes on Ball State at 6 p.m., and the men’s hockey team faces off against Mercyhurst again at 7 p.m. Go Pioneers!

Whatever you decide to do, enjoy the weekend!  

President Petillo's Blog: Friday, January 16th

Welcome back to all of our students, faculty and staff, from what I hope was joyful and restful Christmas season spent with family, friends and loved ones. It’s been a great week on campus as we’ve all gotten back to the business of learning and service.

As happens whenever we break from classes, many of our students donated some of their time off serving those in need around the world. Five students traveled to Bangladesh to work with Distressed Children & Infants International, and 12 journeyed south to the Dominican Republic to aid COPA Community Partners. Twenty students worked slightly closer to home, building houses with Habitat for Humanity in Mississippi’s George County. And 17 students helped the needy in our own community by participating in the Annual CURTIS Week activities in Bridgeport. The latter group assisted in many areas, including painting the Brook Street Shelter and working at the Bridgeport Rescue Mission, the Caroline House and Hall House. All these students are an inspiration to our University community, and reflect our collective mission to serve.

Also traveling over the break were our talented choir, band and dance team, who ventured to Florida for a week in early January to perform at Disney World. Each group played a half-hour performance to thousands of spectators at bustling Downtown Disney. The students were also able to enjoy some personal time in Orlando’s mild and sunny weather.

Just after the new year began, SHU made some exciting news in Ireland. After a successful decade-long study-abroad relationship with the Díseart Centre of Irish Spirituality and Culture in Dingle, County Kerry, the University has committed to establishing a campus in the seaside town. We look forward to working with our Irish brethren to expand the educational opportunities there, particularly for students in nursing, marine science and the performing arts. Additionally, our Department of Biology will work with Dingle’s Oceanworld Aquarium to create a coastal research center.

In more news about the growth of SHU, we have posted an update online about the things we have done over the past two years to meet the goals set forth in the Strategic Plan. It’s always exciting to see the progress we’re making and to look forward to where we’re headed. You can view the report here.

Finally, be sure to download the 2015 SHU desktop calendars here. They feature photos of our beautiful campus and the community we call home.

Have a great weekend!