Dr. Petillo's Blog

President Petillo's Blog: August 25, 2017

This just might be my favorite day of the year. The class of 2021 has started moving into Roncalli Hall, and the rest will arrive tomorrow. Many thanks to Residential Life and Student Life for a great job as always, and thanks to all the upper-class volunteers who came out to help with the move.

The week kicked off with much excitement surrounding the solar eclipse on Monday. A few clouds rolled through in the afternoon, but that didn’t stop faculty, staff and students from gathering all over campus to take in this extremely rare phenomenon.

Many of our freshmen moved in last weekend for our pre-fall programming. One example is the Jack Welch College of Business’ “Mind Your Business” program. Students heard from faculty, employers and alumni about how to get the best from their education and achieve their career goals. Eighteen freshmen in the College of Health Professions took part in “A Week of Wellness.” The group learned about various types of wellness, including physical, emotional and spiritual. They also did yoga in the quad and participated in team-building exercises. Other freshmen took part in communications, dance, theater, student activities, learning center and community service programs. We also hosted orientation for graduate students this week.

We had a successful faculty convocation on Wednesday. Faculty attended a special Mass in the morning, heard from deans, the provost and me, before going to college-specific talks and enjoying lunch. Faculty awards were also handed out. It was great to see everyone excited for another really great year.

Our Theatre Arts Program (TAP) was recognized this week as one of the top 10 underrated college theater programs in the Northeast by OnStageBlog.Com. The organization was particularly impressed with our Theatrefest program. Congrats to everyone involved with TAP.

On Saturday, nearly 80 graduate students from the School of Communication & Media Arts received their diplomas in an intimate ceremony at the Frank and Marisa Martire Center for Business & Communications. Friends, family, faculty and staff gathered to see the graduates move on to the next step in their careers.

I hope you were able to see the marching band’s preview of their fall halftime show. As always, the musicians and color guard impressed us with their talents. I think everyone enjoyed the show, which featured the bold and upbeat sounds of Bruno Mars.

There are so many wonderful things going on this weekend, from movie night at the Edgerton Plaza tonight to Pioneer Chill and Massapalooza on Sunday. Take advantage of these wonderful events – especially to the incoming students – you'll feel right at home in no time.

Have a safe weekend moving in – be careful lugging all your supplies. See you all soon! 

President Petillo's Blog: August 18, 2017

While students do not officially move in until next weekend, campus is getting back to normal. Student-athletes are busy training, SHU Band is practicing, and many of our freshmen are here for pre-fall programs like Community Connections. A group of students will spend the next week volunteering and exploring the urban issues that challenge cities like Bridgeport. Good luck to everyone who is starting the semester a bit early.

Our physician assistant students took part in a White Coat Ceremony last week. The students gathered in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit and were each presented with the long white coat they will wear through their professional careers. The ceremony marks the transition from preclinical to clinical studies.


After three months of training in the Serbia language, community development and cross-culture experiences, Adyel Duran '17 was officially sworn into the Peace Corps. He is part of a group of 35 volunteers who make up the fourth cohort to serve in Kosovo. They will teach English and implement community development projects. After seeing all that Adyel accomplished here at SHU, I am not the least bit surprised. Congratulations, Adyel.


Professor Nathan Lewis’s artwork will be on display in an exhibit called The Plot Thickens… from September 9 to October 31 at the Gallery Upstairs at the Institute Library in New Haven. For more information, visit, http://institutelibrary.org/gallery/.

Nicole Trudell, manager of instructional technology, was in Texas participating in the 2017 Professional Women’s Bowling Association U.S. Open in early August. She made it through several rounds and came in fifth place overall. Watch the telecast here. Congrats, Nicole.

Senior Jordan Velez has spent the last month in Foxboro, Mass., working with the New England Patriots, after landing an athletic training internship with the team. We cannot wait to hear all about his experiences when he returns. You can learn more about Jordan and his future in athletic training and physical therapy here.


Nursing Professor Sue Goncalves went on a life-changing pilgrimage to Lourdes, France, in May. She visited the Grotto of Massabielle where, according to legend, the Virgin Mary appeared to a woman in the 1800s. This was the first time a member of our faculty went on the pilgrimage, joining members of the Order of Malta as well as medical teams, archbishops and cardinals.

On Saturday, School of Communication & Media Arts graduate students will receive their diplomas in an intimate ceremony at the Frank and Marisa Martire Business & Communications Center. The group of professionals will hear from guest speaker Colin McEnroe, a Connecticut columnist and radio personality for WNPR. Congrats, all.

Congratulations to the men’s volleyball team and their coach, Greg Walker. Greg is the recipient of the 2016-17 American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award and has been recognized as achieving a “top-five team GPA” in men’s volleyball. Great job.  

Be sure to follow me on social media to get a glimpse of all the latest and greatest activities happening on campus as we start another exciting school year.

Have a wonderful weekend.                                                                                                                                            

President Petillo's Blog: August 4, 2017

This week we received the great news that The Princeton Review has named SHU one of the nation’s best institutions for undergraduate education and placed our community service and theatre arts programs in the country’s top 20. We are honored and excited to make these rankings. Our theatre arts program has seen amazing growth over the years, and I am always awed by their productions. Social justice is a large part of our mission, and I am not surprised we have been recognized for our engagement in community service. We should all be very proud.

A big congratulations to alumnus Troy Scribner who received a win in his first major league appearance last weekend. Pitching for the Los Angeles Angels against the Toronto Blue Jays, Troy, with some help from his teammates, came out of the bullpen to get the W. This was the first time a Pioneer took the mound in a major league game. Congrats, Troy.

Last week the Mathematical Association of America at MAA MathFest gave out awards for the best mathematics writing, and math professor Jason Molitierno received a Certificate of Meritorious Service Award. The award is presented for service at the national level or for service at a section of the association. Good work, Jason.

Professor Gary Rose just released his newest book, HAYWIRE: A Chronology of the 2016 Presidential Contest. His book tracks the presidential election from the starting gate to the finish line. We are excited to read it. Click here for more information on how to get a copy. 

Our Alumni Summer Series continues. Be sure to register for next week’s event at Bobby V’s in Stamford. Catch up with fellow alumni over food and drinks and stick around for the Alive at Five concert featuring Philip Phillips.

Our educational enrichment program for youth, Horizons at SHU, concludes today, but before students left to enjoy the final weeks of summer, they presented a family and community night Wednesday at the Edgerton Center. Students sang songs, danced and demonstrated their martial arts skills to friends and family. It was a great conclusion to a wonderful summer program.

Have a wonderful weekend!