Connect with Lakers near and far!

Alumni Chapters are available all over the country and are continuing to gather and form. Take a look at the full list to the right for an Alumni Chapter in your area.

Chicago

To submit a Class Note, please visit mercyhurst.edu/alumni/class-notes to have your news featured here and in the next Mercyhurst Magazine!

Nellie Dephtereos '19 is pursuing her master's at the Colorado, School of Public Health in Denver, wrote a recent column for Colorado Politics, bringing to light, the problem of homelessness relative to environmental concerns. Read the article here.

Donald Gibbon, DO, '86 was promoted to the position of Executive Director/Regional Chief Medical Officer with Aetna Medicaid, a CVS, Health company. In this position, Dr. Gibbon oversees the executive leaders for medical management, their market performance, and ensures high quality of care for Aetna Better Health plans in Illinois,, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. In addition to this new role, Dr. Gibbon remains as the Chief Medical Officer of Aetna Better Health of West Virginia. He graduated from the Kirksville, College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kirksville, MO, and is board certified in Emergency Medicine.

Larry Walczak '74 recently had several of his artworks purchased by art consultants "Aesthetics, Inc." for the new Penn State Health Hampden Medical Center currently being built in the Pittsburgh area. Walczak has artwork in the permanent collections of The Museum of Modern Art in New York City and the Brooklyn Museum of Art as well as several private collections. He currently has a collage in the Erie Art Museum Spring Show as well as an online exhibition by FLATFILES Gallery of New York City.

Margaret (Peggy) Harold-Rauch '06 completed her Master's of Science from Buffalo State College in science education. Her masters paper focused on the public education system in the United States, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), as well as utilizing scientific phenomena in the classroom to engage students.

Carrie (Tappe) Schreiber '00 was recently named one of Maryland's Top 100 Women. She currently works as a Commercial Banker in Baltimore, MD and serves on the Board of Directors for several nonprofit organizations including Marian House Inc., The Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, The United Way of Central, Maryland, and the YMCA of Central Maryland's Community Leadership Board.

Kevin Courtright '91 was named the 2021 Edinboro University of Pennsylvania Faculty, Member of the Year. The award recognizes a faculty member who consistently exhibits exemplary teaching skills, presents a, well-developed personal philosophy of teaching, and demonstrates, mastery of their discipline. He is in the Criminal Justice, Anthropology, and Forensic Studies Department.

Kristin (Peterson) Pierce '08 was recently awarded two 2020 Nautilus Book Awards for her fourth and fifth children's picture books, The Sweet Dreams Express: A Meditative Bedtime Journey, and Hazel Mist Hypnotist. As the author and founder of Inner Compass Books, Kristin creates mindfully crafted children's books that are full of impact, inspiration, and empowering messages to help our youngest generation, establish self-awareness and growth mindsets from an early age.

Caileen Farrell Fox '11 and Patrick Fox '11 welcomed a baby boy, Bennett Gregory, on July 6, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Colleen Lanigan Hordych '07 and her husband Jake, welcomed a baby girl, Georgia Marie on Aug. 18, 2020. Georgia joins big sister, Lydia.

Ryan Bartizal '13 and Jenna Bartizal welcomed baby boy Evan Ryan Bartizal, on Nov. 9, 2020. Evan was born in Cleveland, Ohio, he is the couple's first child.

Dara Swisher '08 married Brent Shultz on Oct. 10, 2020 in an intimate ceremony in Virginia Beach. Dara and Brent are performing and teaching artists in New York City.

Noelle Lelakus '04 '08 '12 married Matthew McClellan on Feb. 20, 2021 in St. Pete Beach, Florida. Matron of Honor was Jo (Alspaugh) Theisen '08. Noelle is employed as a nurse practitioner at, AdventHealth Carrollwood and Matthew is an anchor/reporter at Fox 13, News, both in Tampa, Florida.

Sarah Margaret Hlusko '11 is engaged to Evan Karl Everhart, Erie metal artist.

Maryann (Schneider) Yochim Flaherty '71 on the death of her husband Bill Flaherty

Peggy (Anibaldi) Patrick '68 on the death of her husband and friend of the University, Guy Patrick. A memorial Mass will be held at Christ the King Chapel on Sunday, Aug. 1 at 10 a.m.