Click on a person’s name to read his or her story.
| Michael
Nielsen “Setting The Example” |
Father
Frank Berna “A Different Kind of Father” |
| Margaret
McCoey “The Learning Teacher” |
Robert
Chapman “The Accidental Doctor” |
| Christine
Reilly “Bearer of Good News” |
Marianne Dainton “A Career Found” |
| Sam Spoto “Strong Community Man” |
Bro. Chip Echelmeier “From Crayfish to La Salle” |
| Bro. Ed Sheehy “A Sign From God” |
Jamie Lynn Longo “From Student to Professor” |
| Pat Haberstroh “My Mother, My Inspiration” |
Bro. Joe Grabenstein “La Salle’s History Unlocked” |
| Rob Haffley “La Salle’s Music Man” |
Bob Levins “Keeping La Salle Safe” |
Nielsen was born in Fullerton, Ca, or as he simplified it, “Near Disneyland.” Graduating with a degree in Spanish from Brigham Young University, he soon decided that he wanted to enter the world of student services. University student service and teaching positions at West Coast universities require master’s degrees, so Nielsen decided to travel to the East Coast, bringing his love of teaching and mentorship along with him. “I ended up applying to many schools, including La Salle,” Nielsen said, “and I interviewed here, and really liked the program, the philosophy, and the goals for the school and the students. They offered me a job, I accepted and we [along with wife, Anne] moved.”
Nielsen has been at La Salle for three years, spending his first year
as resident director of St. Edward and Francis Halls, and spending the
last two years at Neumann. As the resident director for Neumann, Nielsen
is in charge of six resident assistants and the mother hen and mentor
for more than 400 residents.
While enduring some sleepless nights, Nielsen has found solace in having
both workplace and family in the same building.
A respectable member of society. A guiding light for maturing youth. An approachable and understanding role model with an admirable commitment towards teaching. A leader. People often think that the title of “father” is only reserved for those who have had their name written at the top of a birth certificate. However, we often forget that there is fraternity of men who walk among us who have earned the right to be called “father” from the people around them. In the quiet corridors of Mc Shain Hall, an example of this different kind of father resides, Father Frank Berna. In his more than 20 years of service to God and to the Christian faith, Father Frank has had much time to reflect on his experiences since choosing to become an ordained priest of the Franciscan Order. The choice has helped him achieve a childhood dream of being a teacher, a dream that he continues to live every day through his work at La Salle University. As far back as elementary school and continuing throughout high school, Father Frank knew that he wanted to teach. “I didn’t know where or what I wanted to teach. But I always knew that I wanted to be an educator,” says Father Frank. “I didn’t want to be that all-knowing, infallible professor who dryly lectures his class. I wanted to be an ‘older brother’ figure for my students.” “I didn’t want to be that all-knowing, infallibile professor who dryly lectures his class.” Father Frank’s aspiration for teaching was realized early in his academic life. While attending Philadelphia’s Archbishop Ryan High School, Father Berna remembers a growing fascination and love for religion that was fostered by the Franciscan priests who taught there, the very same order of which he is now a member. Following graduation,
Father Frank began his studies under the tutelage of the Jesuits of
Saint Bonaventure, a friary located just outside of Milwaukee. In his
work towards a degree in religious education, which he later earned
in 1975, the priest’s experiences were not just limited to the
confines of a classroom the way most traditional students’ are.
“While at Bonaventure, in addition to the normal classes for my
degree, I first became accustomed to the life of the priesthood,”
says Father Frank.
Father Frank has many memories of this time of gradual transition to
the priesthood. “Living in fraternity with both the aspiring students,
as well as the already-ordained priests, took some getting use to,”
recalls Father Berna. “However, the environment was, overall,
relaxed and pretty open, making this transition a bit easier. All-in-all,
I became accustomed to living with other guys and was comfortable.”
“We were urged to
take part and enjoy the experiences available to us. For instance, if
we were dating a girl that we took an interest in, we were free to explore
where the relationship, those feelings or new perspective would take
us,” says Father Frank. “After all, the life of a priest
is one of full commitment to God and service — a choice that may
not be right for everyone. And it is our experiences that are the best
judge of this.” With much time to reflect on his dual
role as both educator and clergyman, Father Frank has come to many meaningful
conclusions about how one should approach the religion-related subject
matter that he teaches. “Every day, I am amazed and awed
by how people are able to open up and trust me,” Father Frank
said. “Being a priest is more than just an external appearance.
The identity is much deeper than just wearing a habit or the clothes
that you wear. Each time a person walks into my office in the counseling
department and I am able to leave them with a better sense of hope that
things will turn out right and to simply have faith, it is a great credit
to who I am, what I stand for, as well as what I do.” Father Frank exudes an air of approachability and good nature that only few can imitate. As one reflects on the meaning of the term “father,” one thinks of such ideals as dedication, service and counsel. As Father Frank said “it is more than just an external appearance.” After speaking to Father Frank Berna and leaving his office on the third floor of Mc Shain Hall, you realize one thing — he’s right. Email
Fr. Frank at berna@lasalle.edu
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The office of Professor Margaret M. McCoey is in the Olney building at La Salle University where she is the director of the Digital Arts and Multimedia Design program. The shelves in her office are lined with technological books that cover many areas of the digital world. I wondered how she had developed an interest in computers in the 1970s and asked why she chose computer science and I got the most blunt answer I could have received —necessity. “I was in college and I decided I needed a job,” she said. “Computer science was a very strong field and I knew I could easily get a position in that field,” McCoey said firmly. However, her interest in becoming an educator was developed at an early age. “My father was the most influential person in my life,” McCoey said. “He came from a very large and poor family and he gave me the desire to learn. He made me realize how lucky I am to have what I do.” Interestingly enough, McCoey has gone on to influence a great number of people as a teacher and a mentor. My first interaction with Professor Margaret McCoey was in 1999 during my first semester as a college student. Margaret (or Peggy) and I met to investigate a new major. I did not know what to expect when I knocked on her immense, document-plastered office door. The door opened and to my surprise I was greeted by McCoey, who at 5'10(?) towered over me. It was as if her imposing frame was a preview of her equally engaging personality. Upon first glance, I knew I was in for a special meeting. Margaret McCoey graduated from La Salle University with a bachelor’s degree in computer science in 1979 and began teaching computer science during the evening at La Salle University in 1980 when she was hired as an adjunct faculty member. She continued teaching during the evenings until 1989 when she was appointed to teach day classes. It wasn’t until 1998 that she became the director of the Digital Arts program. It was Professor McCoey’s job, as she said, to “make the [Digital Arts] program real and prepare the curriculum.” And real she made it. In just four years, Margaret McCoey has already prepared 140 digital arts students for life after college. Prior to teaching
at La Salle, McCoey’s background in the area was strong and varied
in its exposure.
Dr. Robert J. Chapman’s resume is eight pages long. He has served in various capacities as a drug and alcohol abuse counselor for the past 28 years.
He’s the image of friendly academia: grey hair and neatly trimmed
beard. Sports coat over sweater or turtleneck. Bespectacled and smiling.
Perfectly at home on the campus of a northeastern Catholic university.
You’d never guess he’s an honorary member of a native American
tribe. That status resulted from one of the more interesting items on
his resume.
Reason No. 2 is an experience he had one day in his car. He was driving
on a highway, thinking to himself, when a thought occurred to him:
The new approach instead emphasizes subtlety over in-your-face aggressiveness.
Rather than tell clients what to do with their lives, counselors now
suggest instead.
The closest Chapman comes to taking a strict theoretical position is
to admit that he subscribes to the “bio-psycho-social model”
for understanding substance abuse. Biological factors such as genetics,
psychological factors, and social (environmental) factors all affect
the choices people will make regarding drugs and alcohol, the model
says. In other words, it’s a combination of factors.
Not bad for someone who entered his career almost by accident.
As you approach the full view glass doors of the Office of Continuing Studies and before you enter, you are face-to-face with the first line of defense in that office. Seated directly in front of you is Christine Reilly. She is an unassuming lion at the gate. Her face is pleasant and smiling as it beckons you towards a desk often covered in layers of paper depending on when you step into her domain. Don’t worry about what it looks like; there is an order to it all so neither you nor any other student will ever get lost. As you approach the desk with
your burning issue or need-of- the-day combined with the hope of resolution,
be assured that she will provide assistance that is both pleasant and
efficient. She manages to
juggle each role and feels the position suits her well. Reilly says
“the job definitely involves multi-tasking. I attempt to, and
hopefully succeed in assisting the students with whatever concerns them.
I schedule their appointment, proctor their tests, answer their questions,
or help to get an answer for them, send their mailings, etc., etc. I
am the bearer of good news from professors when class is cancelled for
the evening. That usually makes me a very ‘welcomed’ caller!” She has been at La Salle
for two and a half years and has spent that time in her current position.
Being unassuming and not realizing the importance the first line of contact
has for any office, “joy” was not her initial response when
contacted for an interview. Her first response was to point out that
there were more “worthy” subjects and she then proceeded
to make suggestions for consideration. Reilly has been a constant for many students
and provides the patient calm voice that quells the panic associated
with that last spot in the very necessary last class. She can be relied
upon and always seems to give her very best. The author can also vouch
for her commitment to her position. Giving her all to assist the students,
she finds dealing with people who can never be satisfied a challenge.
But Reilly has a tremendous respect for the non-traditional students
and says “they are awesome — their strengths are to be admired.”
According to Reilly, “These are the people who juggle so much,
and exert more effort while dealing with the everyday stuff in their
lives, yet they are the ‘unsung’ of any campus population.”
Perhaps she does not realize that she is an integral part of the La
Salle student population’s ability to juggle so much. Christine says, “He was the
kind of dad whose family couldn’t wait for him to return home
from work. He made our lives an adventure.” Unfortunately, he
died in his early 40s of a sudden heart attack. “The ‘home’
team rose to the challenge of life without him, but it has been a heartbreakingly
long road. Life does go on,” Christine says. Other favorite pastimes include entertaining
her toddler grandchildren with singing, dancing, coloring and reading
stories. She also counts sitting down and handwriting letters to family
and friends as an important activity. Christine also loves to read and
to listen to music but readily admits that she is not crafty and has
difficulty drawing a straight line with a ruler. |
| Marianne Dainton “A Career Found” By: Katie Esposito |
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The rectangular rug directly inside the door is like a colorful welcome mat. Seemingly endless rows of perfectly placed books cover one hard, white wall. A vibrant red futon leans against a set of windows, oddly complementing the peach paint on the adjoining wall. At the wood desk sits Marianne Dainton, a petite woman whose naturally blond hair is now in a medium-brown bob. Aside from the neat pile of papers on the desk, you would never imagine the amount of time Marianne spends in her office. Always searching for something more satisfying, Dainton conquered four different jobs in 11 years. As a recent graduate of Villanova University, she took a job as a reporter for a weekly newspaper in Connecticut.
“I was the only full-time reporter,” Dainton said. “That meant that every story that went in the newspaper I had to write. I didn’t enjoy making my living that way.”
So, she moved to West Virginia to work for Union Carbide Corporation. Working for the company’s public relations department, Marianne was a writer for their weekly newspaper as well as a special-events planner. After being promoted to employee relations, Marianne again realized that she did not enjoy her job. “I literally did a time-out,” she says. Apparently, Marianne needed to discover her true calling.
As she looked back over the three years that had passed since she graduated, Marianne remembered something; something that she had done as a public service was what ended up motivating her to pursue a career, not just a job.
“One thing that I did [in West Virginia] was mentoring high school students with their newspaper,” she says. Marianne had “absolutely loved” tutoring the kids, but had never thought about making a profession out of it.
That simple time-out gave Marianne the answer she needed for her life: “I should be a teacher!”
With that thought in mind, Marianne went back to Villanova to get recommendations from her professors. She had never thought about becoming a teacher, though she remembers playing school as a young girl in East Brunswick, N.J., “complete with a blackboard and chalk,” she said. Marianne had made up her mind; she was going back to school to get her master’s in education.
“I love the Lasallian approach to teaching: the notion of developing a relationship between faculty and student.”
But her professors stopped her thoughts in their tracks. They thought that Marianne should become a professor, and teach the very thing that she had loved throughout college: communication. “I followed their advice,” she said, “but I still had to wait a year because of the application process.” Marianne had discovered her calling in April, too late to apply for graduate school for the upcoming fall semester. She had to find something to occupy her time until the next school year.
Always on the move, Marianne moved for the third time in four years. This time it was to Delaware.
During the year she spent as a graphic specialist at Delaware Business Review, Marianne applied to quite a few graduate schools. She chose The Ohio State University. By 1994, Dainton had a master’s and a Ph.D. in communication.
Marianne had found her career. Finally.
Throughout her subsequent professional life, Dainton has been successful. She was rated as the top graduate student at Ohio State, and won the award for outstanding research by a master’s student. But the success did not end there.
After teaching for two years at SUNY-Geneseo, Marianne got married. Her new husband Scott moved to Philadelphia to take a job at Johnson & Johnson. Marianne stayed at SUNY until August of 1996 to finish out her contract. “Then fate stepped in,” she says, her almost-constant smile drooping for the first time in our interview, reflecting her seriousness.
Marianne applied for the only opening in all of Philadelphia: a communication professorship at La Salle University. “And I got it,” she said. “It was like a perfect fit.”
It has been six years since Marianne Dainton first starting teaching at La Salle. “I love the Lasallian approach to teaching: the notion of developing a relationship between faculty and student,” she says. “I still keep in touch with many students well after they graduate, and I really like that.”
What Marianne loves about La Salle outweighs her dislikes. She says that “the only downside is that the university is experiencing a sort of growing pain. We are in the process of adapting from a very traditional model of a liberal arts college with a set way of doing things, to a new understanding of education and what students want from education. It’s a difficult transition.”
Eight classes over one year would seem like enough work for anyone. Not Marianne. “I have more ideas than I do time,” she says of the numerous articles and conference papers that she has written in the last 11 years. “I feel guilty taking a day off, so, I don’t. I write.”
One of Marianne’s favorite articles was published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships in 2000. It was sole-authored. “It was completely success or failure only on me,” Dainton says. “I’m really proud of it because it was grounded in theory. Because I teach communication theory, it was really, really exciting to go out there and check some of the theory that I actually teach,” she says.
As if Marianne needs any more motivation, other than being a self-proclaimed workaholic, she painted one office wall peach because it gives her “greater productivity.”
Marianne has never sat on her brightly colored futon. It is just there in case she needs a break. Not likely.
On the surface, the throw rug only covers up some of the dreariness of the flat gray beneath it. It never moves; it stays just inside the door, welcoming in students.
E-mail Marianne Dainton at dainton@lasalle.eduMarianne Dainton’s Web site
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| Sam Spoto “Stong Community Man” By: Lauren Moss |
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The La Salle Community is made up of multiple staff, including professors, maintenance crews, and many others who ensure that daily activities run smoothly. In particular, the Union building is constantly in use, whether with meetings, concerts, or the numerous other events that occur throughout the year.
Every student will at some time be in the Union and most of them have attended functions within the building. There are many events scheduled each day from morning to night. So who can we thank for this?
Sam Spoto is the union services director at La Salle University
and according to him, “The name doesn’t do it justice.”
Sam
works very hard each day and his job includes much more than
simply directing events within the Student Union building. What
exactly does this position entail? Sam is responsible for a
whole list of things. He manages the day-to-day activities,
which include reserving rooms for both on- and off-campus groups,
and supervises the eight student workers under him as well as
one professional staff member. He supervises the break-down
and set-up for all events and must keep up with the maintenance
of the building and make sure any repairs are attended to.
Sam
is also the man responsible for booking outside vendors such as those running
the jewelry and CD booths students like so much. And all those
resident lounges and the main quad also fall under his list
of responsibilities. Sam is right — the name didn’t do
justice to the job.
Now that an idea of what Sam does
has been established we will dig deeper to see what Sam is really
like.
Sam
is 25 years old and although that is still young he stresses
the “old” while he speaks. His office is relatively neat and decorated
with items such as a La Salle pennant, a “Go Eagles”
sign and a picture of his family. A bulletin board holds a floor
map of the building, reminding visitors of his position.
He has
held his job since January 2001. Spoto attended La Salle, graduating
in 1999 with a B.A. in English liberal arts and a minor in business
administration.
Sam
was a brother of Sigma Phi Lambda where he cherished his time
and which he believes helped make him the well-rounded person
he is today.
“La
Salle is like a second home to me,” he says. “There
are lots of good people and that’s what keeps me here;
not the pay and not the work, but the people.”
Right now
he is taking graduate classes in the professional communication
program.
But we may not be lucky enough to have Sam here at
La Salle forever. “What I see myself doing in five to
10 years from now is managing a gym and doing personal training
on the side,” Spoto said. After he finishes graduate school
he wants to get a personal training certificate before being
finished with his formal education.
“La Salle is like a second home to me. There are lots of good people and that’s what keeps me here.”
Although his future may not keep him here with us at La Salle, while he works here Sam will continue to give his all. Although Sam deals with hundreds of people throughout the year no one truly knows what his job entails. People might be surprised by what a typical day is like for Sam.
“Each
day is different,” Spoto said. “This is a main point to be made. I am never sure
how each day will run because each day is different.”
Sam
is very organized and each month of the year is documented in a
binder containing a sheet for every day. Here Sam will find a schedule
of what each day is to entail. With so many rooms it is essential
that there are no double bookings and that each event is set up
in a timely fashion and broken down before another event is scheduled.
Sam finds himself responsible for ensuring each event is correctly
set up and then he must oversee the breakdown. Many times the equipment
being used, and which he must keep safe, can cost thousands of dollars.
Sam is responsible for the televisions, AV carts and microphones
to name a few of the high-priced items being used each day. Along
with making sure scheduled events run properly Sam is constantly
getting new requests and he must fill out the correct forms to make
sure the events run smoothly. People are in and out of his office
all day long and the phone rings off the hook with questions and
requests. Overall, each day for Sam is a new adventure and he can
never stop because there is always a to-do list waiting. Once he
finishes one job the next isn’t far behind.
Sam always gives his all and never takes the easy way out. Nothing less should be expected from the recipient of the Mighty Mouse Award that he was given in 8th grade. This was given to the male who gave his all and tried his hardest. Sam has followed this philosophy throughout his life and especially into the gym. He is a complete perfectionist and that’s why he gives what he considers his perfect effort.
In
the Union building a cross is hung on the wall in each room. Sam
ordered frames for each room in order to display the crosses in
a better manner.
“I want everything to look perfect,” Spoto said. “When
I walk into each room I like to see it look as good as possible.
It’s the little things that make a difference. When I am gone
I want people to remember me for all the little things.” That’s
a tall order when he is worrying about a building with 12 main rooms
along with closets and other buildings he must work with as well. But Spoto says,
“I can do it. I can do anything I put my mind to.”
Talking
to Sam, it is clear how extremely important working out is in his
life. “I’m pound-for-pound the strongest person I know,”
he states with a smirk on his face. Sam is very proud of his fitness
level and he prides himself on the fact that he doesn’t take
any illegal supplements and very few legal ones. He eventually wants
to compete in powerlifting competitions after switching to a profession
within a gym because he feels it is hard to devote himself to lifting
with the haphazard way his life is right now.
Sam works long hours
and also comes in on weekends when he is needed. Without the
time to devote each day to training, Spoto must hold off on pursuing this goal.
But
what else does he do for fun besides hitting the gym? “I like
to drink beer and eat wings during football season,” Spoto said. He is
an avid Eagles fan and his main hobby is to simply spend time with
his friends. He didn’t stop there, rather he paused while
thinking about other hobbies he had. “You know I might pick
up bowling,” Spoto states. “I like it — it’s relaxing
and I like watching bowling.” Sam is unpredictable with his
varying interests. Still not satisfied with his list of hobbies, he
thinks a bit more until he adds: “And I like to eat, that’s
a hobby. I like to go to different restaurants and try different
types of food.” Sam is a well-rounded person with varying
interests, which leads to one last question.
What kind of car does Sam drive? “I drive the Blue Bomber,” Spoto said. “I love that car. It’s got a personality.” He is talking about his 1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme and Sam is in no rush to get a new car. However, he does have a goal car. Eventually he wants to get a Buick Grand National. “It’s a muscle car, put that in there,” he says. “It’s the kind of car you take out for Sunday drives. I’ll get one some day.”
Currently
Sam is living at home while he saves money and pays off his loans.
But he isn’t going to live at home forever, and within three
to four years he plans to buy a house, hopefully in Sea Isle. Spoto
feels it is a good choice because it is both a place with college
students and a hometown to many, so it should provide a wonderful
home. Sam is very connected with his family, which consists of his
mother and father and two younger sisters, 22 and 19. “I’m
very family oriented, ” Spoto said. “For example, my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving
because it is in essence what a holiday is about — being with your
family and thankful for everything you have. There are no gifts
or thrills to cause the main aspect of family togetherness to be
overlooked.”
Sam
is extremely genuine while he speaks and it is clear how important
his family really is. So is there a girlfriend in Sam’s life
right now? No, Sam is still single and available, saying, “No
I don’t currently have a girlfriend. We parted our separate
ways.” But no further explanation is supplied, just a smile.
Sam is a very interesting person. I hope everyone takes the chance
to meet Sam, the person everyone must see when he or she needs to
do something in the Union, “his building.”
E-mail Sam Spoto at spoto@lasalle.edu
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| Bro. Chip Echelmeier “Bearer of Good News” By: Anthony Hipsley |
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La Salle students can talk with the easily approachable Bro. Charles Echelmeier, more commonly know as Bro. Chip, about almost anything.
Bro. Chip is well cultured, having traveled extensively. He trekked through Europe after college and studied abroad in Jerusalem after graduate school. Bro. Chip is well educated, possessing not one but two master’s degrees—pastoral theology (from Notre Dame) and English (from Temple). And, he has been a permanent fixture on La Salle’s campus for nearly 25 years.
Brother Charles Echelmeier arrived at La Salle in July of 1977 as the assistant director of resident life. The path that eventually led Bro. Chip to La Salle began as the result of pure chance — he ultimately left his decision regarding which religious order to join in the hands of the admissions department of the graduate school of Lehigh University.Bro. Chip discovered his awakening desire to enter some form of religious life when he was preparing to graduate from Holy Spirit High School (Atlantic City, N.J.) in 1960. He sought the guidance of a local pastor who advised him to go to college first, experience something new and different, and then make a decision about commitment to religious life.
Bro. Chip entered Franklin and Marshall College as a pre-med major in the fall of 1964. To this day he still recalls the moment he decided to part ways with pre-med and start down a path that would lead him to the Christian Brothers and eventually to La Salle University.
“I realized that if someone’s life ever depended on me remembering these names, they’re a goner.”
"I was sitting in my room studying for a bio test,” he said. “I had the cardboard piece that comes with shirts from the drycleaners in my hand and it had crayfish glued to it with labels underneath each one. And while I was studying those labels, I realized that if someone’s life ever depended on me remembering these names, they’re a goner.”
He switched majors to English, discovering an ardent interest in drama and a strong desire to teach. He continues the pursuit of that interest, now a lifelong hobby, at La Salle where he intermittently assists in The Masque’s productions. He also remains a strong patron of Philadelphia’s commercial theater scene.
Bro. Chip graduated from Franklin and Marshall in 1964 and applied to Lehigh University’s graduate school for a master’s degree in English. At the same time, he made the commitment to himself to join a religious order. After browsing through a catalog containing descriptions of the various orders, Bro. Chip narrowed his search down to two teaching orders—the Marists and the Christian Brothers.
Bro. Echelmeier left the final decision regarding his fate to the admissions department at Lehigh. The Marist’s entry date was in September; The Christian Brother’s entry date was in June. Bro. Chip, awaiting Lehigh’s decision, left for Europe to spend the summer with some friends, leaving instructions with his father.
Before heading to Europe, Bro. Chip wrote two letters to be left in his father’s charge. If Lehigh did not admit Bro. Chip, his father was instructed to mail the letter accepting entry into the Marists. If Lehigh accepted Bro. Chip, his father was to mail a similar letter to the Christian Brothers. Lehigh accepted Charles, who completed one year’s work towards his master’s in English. In the following June he postponed pursuit of his master’s in English to become a Christian Brother.
After becoming a Brother, he taught at Archbishop Carroll and finished his master’s in English at Temple University. He then received his Master’s of pastoral theology from Notre Dame in 1977 and came to La Salle as the assistant director of resident life. In 1978, he left his position in resident life to become the director of campus ministry, which he felt was more in keeping with his education.
He is currently the director of university and ministry services, formerly known as campus ministry. As director, he oversees all projects in this department, which primarily include ministry and service. His main focus at the present rests on enhancing La Salle’s ability to offer students the opportunity to pursue service learning.
“One of the things I would like to see is to give students who are interested in giving service a direct faith connection — and not necessarily Roman Catholic,” he said.
Bro. Chip now works on the creation and promotion of service learning courses to achieve this goal. In these courses, actual service is an integral part of the coursework. For example, in one course students would assist homeless people, through an established service agency, in moving into homes while at the same time discussing the impact of this service with the agency’s coordinators.
Bro. Chip finds little time left to teach, an odd position to find a man who dedicated his life to a religious order of teachers, with such demanding administrative duties to fulfill. Somehow, he manages to find the time to teach one course a semester.
“I enjoy teaching very much,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun that is legal. I justify being content with so much administrative detail because I believe UMS includes an aspect of teaching.”
Aside from fulfilling his duties as the head of UMS and as a teacher, Bro. Chip indulges in several hobbies that help to maintain his sanity. He loves to read — particularly mystery novels. “I find it helps to read something that has absolutely nothing to do with what you are currently working on,” he said. He suffers from a serious addiction to crossword puzzles. And, he absolutely loves the Shore, where he grew up.
“If the Christian Brothers ever opened up a ‘La Salle-by-the-sea,’ I would be there in a second,” he says with a chuckle.
E-mail Bro. Chip at echelmei@lasalle.edu
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| Bro. Ed Sheehy “A Sign From God” By: Donna Norman |
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Bro. Ed Sheehy is well-known on the La Salle campus, and not merely from the quite-popular history classes he teaches. He is known around campus not just as a professor or a Christian Brother, but also as a supporter and guide to the students. Sheehy can be found almost anywhere on campus, from sporting events to social activities.
Perhaps his need to be everywhere is a reflection
of how he grew up, as a typical navy brat, tossed around from
school to school, state to state. However, he has finally found
his home, right back here at La Salle University.
Bro. Sheehy has indeed turned La Salle into his home. His office resembles a time capsule, chockfull of memories. There are many tokens from his life, individual items that come together to make a man. Stuffed animals of the cartoon character Sponge Bob and of Ernie from Sesame Street keep him company. Magnets from everywhere fill the side of the metal filing cabinet. A poster of his face as an advertisement for a pie-throwing contest in which he was the target is among the decorations on the outside of his door. The inside of his door is reserved for about a dozen certificates of appreciation given to him by senior student athletes who chose him as the teacher who helped them most.
Above Bro. Sheehy’s desk hangs a picture of his father
and him as a child. He was born on May 6, 1946, in Brooklyn,
N.Y. His father was unable to see him until he was 6 months
old, since during this time his Dad was in the Pacific with
the American Navy, helping to ensure safety after WWII. When
his father came home their family began to grow, in the end
leaving Sheehy with five brothers and four sisters, which could
be considered a small family compared to his family now. His
siblings have all married and he has a total of 27 nephews and
nieces, creating what he calls “quite a mob scene at Thanksgiving
and Christmas.” All told, he has visited all
50 states as well as many foreign countries, such as Iceland,
Estonia, New Zealand and Australia. This lifestyle provided
amazing experience and growth, perhaps leading him to become
the vibrant social person he is now. It also, however, had obvious
downfalls in terms of trying to maintain steady friends.
Only two days later, after being influenced by the
enthusiastic and peaceful manners of the young Brothers who
taught at his school, Sheehy said yes. “It came like a
thunderclap,” he exclaimed, looking back those 40 years
ago. “I didn’t
believe in coincidences. I thought it was a sign from God,”
he said in reference to the teaching opening at La Salle. It
is teaching that best suits his talents and it is here that
he plans to finish out his working days. He believes the
key to successful teaching is interaction, which he achieves
by treating students with the respect they deserve as young
adults. This interaction and respect goes on in and out of the
classroom, as he can be seen at almost any event here on campus.
After class on a typical day, it would not be surprising for
him to be in attendance at any event on campus, including simply
visiting the basketball or football practices, or just poking
his nose in at the pool. He credits his involvement efforts
to the influence of Brothers from his high school, who were
constantly present and in contact with the students, setting
an example that lives on and continues to affect the lives of
students. He also
makes an effort to be alert to any difficulties a student might
be facing as well as being available to talk. He tries to bring
to life the story of the interaction of men and women throughout
history. “The biggest part of the word ‘history’
is ‘story’,” Sheehy simply states. Something amusing is
always brewing in his classroom and this is because the students
have such a comfortable and fun relationship with him. His favorite
story is one about a boy who graduated a few years ago and now
works for one of the big four accounting firms. “I said
‘What happened in 1823?’ and he said ‘The
War of 1812’,” Sheehy explained. The student later
defended his answer by saying, “Well, maybe it’s
a long war.” This type of classroom conversation goes
on because his students know that he cares about them first
and then about history. “It’s
as much an education for us as it is for the younger adults … since
we teach who we are, we also learn from who you are,”
Sheehy says. He feels the students teach him as much as he teaches
them and that is what he cherishes most. Although he
does not play anymore, he still loves to watch and support his
students who participate. He also acts as a moderator for the
men’s basketball and football teams, a traditional job
that ensures that a Brother is always there if the players or
coaches need any questions answered or someone to talk to. Bro. Sheehy
finally has a home with roots here at La Salle, and we are happy
to have him.
Following his father’s demanding job in the Navy, Sheehy
moved around the country for the first 16 years of his life,
attending a total of six grade schools and two high schools.
He went to kindergarten in California and first grade thousands
of miles away in Massachusetts.
“I didn’t believe in coincidences. I thought it was a sign from God”
All of this in his background helps Sheehy when he is in a classroom.
He came to work at La Salle in 1988, after having been an undergraduate
student here from 1964-1968. He had joined the Christian Brothers
right before he left for college. He had not thought about joining
until the Brother in charge of his high school asked him to
consider it, and after a few polite refusals he agreed to think
about it.
After college Sheehy obtained his master’s from Johns Hopkins
and his Ph.D. from George Washington. He also taught at other
schools along the way and then spent some time in administration,
but he knew that was not for him. He always wanted to teach.
So, after jumping around all his life and continually visiting
far-off places, Sheehy finally settled down.
Although he has finally settled, Bro. Sheehy uses his past traveling
to his advantage in his history courses. As he gets to know
students and learns where they are from, he can almost always
say he has been there or knows someone there.
In teaching, Sheehy says his main goals are to “show respect,
tell a story and do it passionately.” This involves learning
the student’s names during the first week of class and
learning a little about their background or interests in order
to begin interacting. The interaction is mostly on a comedic
level, one that almost all college students appreciate.
Bro. Sheehy pours so much energy into his classes in hopes of
instilling his passion of history in others that he spends most
of the rest of his day recharging. The effort is worthwhile,
however, even if only for a few laughs.
Whatever Bro. Sheehy is doing in the classroom, it must be working.
He was picked by his friend to be her lifeline on Who Wants
to be a Millionaire?, confirming her belief in him as an extremely
knowledgeable person, although she never got a chance to call
him on the show. He has a quote in Maxim about war, established
through La Salle’s public relations office. Above all,
Sheehy was awarded with the Lindback Award for Distinguished
Teaching after only about three years of working at La Salle.
Even this, however, is not his greatest achievement. What he
values most is his sense that his interaction at this university
is beneficial for both the students and for him.
Outside of the classroom, Bro. Sheehy continues to be an influential
factor at La Salle. He has written a book and numerous articles.
He enjoys reading, doing research and listening to oldies music.
His favorite pastime, however, involves sports.
Perhaps his involvement with the students here has brought him
to a better understanding of our generation.
“What’s the matter with the kids today?” Bro.
Sheehy asks, repeating a question he has heard from other adults.
“There’s nothing the matter with the kids today.
Kids today are the same as they’ve always been. If you
care about them then they will care about you. If you care about
them then they will care about the things that you care about,”
Sheehy adds with believing eyes.
He proceeds to pull a piece of paper out of a pile on his desk.
On it is written this quote in neat handwriting: “What
we have loved, others will love and we’ll teach them how.”
Underneath that it says: “The three Rs: Respect for self,
Respect for others, Responsibility for actions.” These
are words to live by from a man who has seen it all.
E-mail Bro. Ed at sheehy@lasalle.edu
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| Jamie Lynn Longo “From Student to Professor” By: Leah Boyce |
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La Salle University seemed to be the perfect choice for a young woman who was close to her family, and prone to panic attacks brought on by traveling.
Jaime Lynn Longo started out as a biology major because she originally wanted to become a pediatrician. After the death of her grandfather, however, who, in no medical way could be cured, Longo realized that there were some people who could not be saved. Thus, Longo did not think that she could cope with being unable to save innocent children. She was depressed and confused about what to do with her studies.
After talking to a professor who told Longo that her face simply brightened when talking about English, Longo decided to give one of her favorite hobbies a try.
“I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t reading or being read to as a child,” she said. Longo is now teaching at La Salle and has also taught at Temple University throughout the past year. She hopes to have received her M.A. in English in January from Temple and is working toward her Ph.D. from Temple as well.
She decided to teach at La Salle last fall when she was at a questionable point in her academic career. “I wanted a teaching experience that was different from Temple,” said Longo, who seemed excited to be teaching at her alma mater.
Longo discussed the difference between students and classes at La Salle and Temple. The majority of Temple students have come from urban public high schools whereas most La Salle students are from suburban Catholic backgrounds. Obviously, class sizes are much larger at Temple than at La Salle. Another difference, at least in the English department, is that nearly the entire faculty at Temple is graduate students. All of these factors have an impact on the way class is conducted, Longo explained.
Longo is teaching two introductory college writing courses at La Salle, one during the day and one at night. She uses her own style of teaching, but recently found out that John Dewey had already perfected the same style. She picks material that is both challenging and relevant to her students, and that allows them to come to their own conclusions. She has failed people only for lack of effort and considers herself a tough grader.
“I got
that from Dr. Harty,” Longo said, citing one of the best, Dr. Harty,
her former professor who still teaches at La Salle and is currently the
English department chair. “The fact that I couldn’t
take notes surprised me,” Longo said. She also realized that “trials
are all about waiting [and] the most interesting stuff happens while you’re
waiting.”
Longo remarked that there were many amusing stories from the case, but recalled
one in particular, which involved “psychic ballerina” Anne Cavers.
Einhorn allegedly called Cavers around the time of the death of his girlfriend,
and asked Cavers if she thought he and his girlfriend were in any grave
danger. Cavers said that they were in fact in danger, but her psychic powers
failed to inform her that Einhorn had murdered his girlfriend!
When asked about the validity of Einhorn’s arguments, Longo did not
hesitate to say, “no one bought his stories.” Longo did not
see or participate in the final verdict, unfortunately, which she truly
regrets.
The trial itself has inspired her to research Einhorn, and possibly
use some of the related topics for her doctoral dissertation. Specifically,
she either wants to research Einhorn’s journals, or his discussions
from the past.
Longo has achieved and continues to achieve impressive goals, for a 25-year-old.
She believes her success is a product of the strong work ethic that she
inherited from her parents. After all, as she modestly explained, it is
her 19th straight year of school, which in itself demonstrates her work
ethic. Like a great reporter, Longo asks all the right questions.
Longo’s family matters most to her and is her top priority. She sacrificed
a semester of graduate school to spend time with her sister, who was suicidal
at the time. It was an incredibly hard time for her family, but her sister
is now recovering quite well, probably because of the loving people she
has around her like Jaime Longo.
Longo also plans on getting married soon, in the church of her grade school.
Her boyfriend of six years, and fellow La Salle alumnus, Michael, proposed
to her outside of La Salle’s Olney Hall in what was probably one of
Longo’s most memorable La Salle moments. She was more worried about
the sick, pale expression on her future husband’s face than the actual
words he was saying. They had already planned the engagement, but the La
Salle proposal caught her completely by surprise.
In the future, Longo wants to raise a family in the same way, and area, in
which she was raised. She is undecided as to when she wants to have children,
although she is sure she will wait until her graduate exams are finished.
“I can be pregnant and write my dissertation,” she said, but
taking exams while pregnant is an entirely different story.
Longo wants people to remember one thing about her. “I want people
to remember that I’m intelligent. I spent time being embarrassed about
it. I just want people to know that now,” she said. If you ask anyone
who knows Longo, they would most likely agree on her intelligence level,
and her dedication to the subject of English.
Longo exemplifies all of the
skills that she believes English majors should have. She possesses critical
thinking skills, and an understanding of human experience and human interaction.
It is professors and students like Longo who, with enough visits to their
offices, can truly inspire people to do their best, as well as to appreciate
a school like La Salle and its teachings. There must be something in La
Salle’s water because Longo, like so many others, has stayed close
to home. And it is not just because of panic attacks.
E-mail Jamie Lynn Longo at longo@lasalle.edu
“I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t reading or being read to as a child.”
Last fall, Longo was chosen to be on the jury for the famous Ira Einhorn case
in Philadelphia. As an alternate, Longo met many influential people such
as the chief microbiologist for the city of Philadelphia, and teachers in
the various levels of the Philadelphia school system. Longo also learned
some things about trials in general.
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| Pat Haberstroh “My Mother, My Inspiration” By: Kerri Connelly |
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Dr. Patricia Boyle Haberstroh’s mother once told her something she will never forget: “Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something,” her mother said. Dr. Haberstroh, of La Salle’s English department, overcame obstacles, such as dealing with workloads and beginning a family, dealt with hardships such as tragically losing a brother and a son, and worked extremely hard to obtain her master’s and Ph.D., and achieve all that she has now.
Patricia Boyle Haberstroh was born in Philadelphia, Pa., and was raised with five brothers and one sister.
Growing up for Dr. Haberstroh was not as much a struggle as a means for achieving what she wanted in life. Her parents were born in Ireland and then moved to America in their teens. They met in the States and were married. The Haberstrohs believed that boys went to higher education and girls stayed home and got married.
But Patricia Haberstroh thought otherwise. Her mother taught her to do the best she could, even though what she did was not what her mother expected. “My mother was my inspiration, whom I admired,” she said.
After high school, where she was involved in many activities, Dr. Haberstroh went on to Cabrini College and, again, got herself involved. She was the president of the student government, editor of the literature magazine, and editor of the newspaper on campus.
Though she had always felt teaching English was her calling, Dr. Haberstroh surprisingly thought biology was in her future and made it her major during the first semester at Cabrini. But biology wasn’t for her and after that, her interests brought her to where she is today.
Since she was putting herself through college, Dr. Haberstroh worked to afford the tuition. This was normal for her since it was not expected for women to go to college and especially not common for their parents to pay for it.
Dr. Haberstroh met her husband in her first semester at Cabrini. They fell in love and then were married eight months after graduation. They celebrated the birth of a son and daughter but several years later their son passed away.
Today she and her husband have continued to share responsibilities and
are partners in everything they do. It was as if she were talking about
her best friend. The thing that matters most to her is relationships with
her family and friends. Dr. Haberstroh said that without relationships
with these people there would be nothing.
“I’d want to hear what Ghandi had to say about peace.”
After juggling many ideas, all
about poetry, Dr. Haberstroh picked Ezra Pound, the famous author of The
Cantos for her dissertation. After obtaining her master’s from Villanova,
she went on to Bryn Mawr College for a Ph.D. Dr. Haberstroh used to think
Bryn Mawr was her favorite school, yet found it the most challenging.
Although her classes may have had only six students per class, the workload
and the material were very intense and difficult. But that pushed Dr.
Haberstroh to do better.
I first met Dr. Haberstroh in 2001 as my Women in Literature professor. I was intrigued by her knowledge and love of the subject. She was wise and energetic and I found something in her that I felt was unusual in many of my college professors. She had passion.
During my interview it occurred to me that she had many loves in her life, one of the most important loves being poetry and the Irish influence. When I asked her if there were any classes she would like to add to the curriculum, if the opportunity arose, Irish women poets was the first to come out of her mouth.
Dr. Haberstroh had done her own research on Irish women poets only to find there was little information. She knew many poets existed and took it upon herself to find them and make them known. She traveled to Ireland where the female poets were excited and grateful. They invited her to their homes where she met even more female poets and found the information to produce two books, Women Creating Women and My Self, My Muse.
She became so well-known for this research that people from all over the country would e-mail and ask for class syllabi. The only problem was that she had not even taught it herself. There’s no subject it would fit under at La Salle.
When asked what her favorite thing about La Salle was, Dr. Haberstroh, without any hesitation, and certain she had the best answer, replied, “The students. They’re just so happy and everyone says ‘Hi.’ I walk down the hallway and even if we didn’t remember each other’s names, we still say ‘Hi.’”
I wanted to know more about Dr. Haberstroh, to get as deep into her mind as possible, and find out what made her the woman and teacher she was today. When I asked her if she had any philosophies of teaching, she hesitated. She looked up at her wall and smiled. She knew what she wanted to say and acted as if she knew I would ask that question.
“The course should be challenging but the teacher must be balanced and know where her students are at,” she said. I explained the educational phrase “demanding excellence” and how I had just recently learned about it in another class. Right away, Dr. Haberstroh agreed with me and described it as one of the most important factors in a classroom, with the understanding that excellence is different for each student.
When I asked Dr. Haberstroh what her proudest moment was, she looked fulfilled and rewarded and answered, “The Lindback Award for teaching.” This is an award presented by La Salle University for achieving success in teaching and standing out as a great professor.
She also won a Fulbright Award, which sent her to Ireland to teach at a university for a full semester. It was there that she taught “Irish Women Poets” to graduate students and taught about Irish poets influenced by American poets to undergraduate students.
That’s not the end of her many accomplishments. Her book, Women Creating Women, received the Donald Murphy Award, which is a worldwide award.
But despite all her serious academic work, there is something else Dr. Haberstroh would enjoy doing. “I’d like to write children’s books,” said Haberstroh. “There’s so much room for creativity.” Dr. Haberstroh was very direct and knew exactly what made her the way she is today.
Dr. Haberstroh does many things well and is very educated, but once in awhile we all make mistakes. One mistake was at the start of a new semester on the second day, when she was rushing to get to class. She was already late and ran in to the classroom. After the first class Dr. Haberstroh usually recognizes, if not knows, all of her students. But after several minutes of teaching the class, she realized that she knew no one except one student in the back of the class.
She said, “I didn’t know you were in this class!” And he replied, “I didn’t know YOU were in this class,” as he pointed behind her. There, standing in the corner of the room enjoying the whole situation was the actual professor of the class. He had already begun class and was writing notes on the board when Dr. Haberstroh had erupted through the doors and automatically started teaching.
She would like people to remember her for her sense of humor and says she would be best described as “energetic.” When asked if she could be a fly on the wall anywhere, she said, “I’d want to hear what Ghandi had to say about peace — what his whole thought process was. But I’d also like to hear Virginia Woolf.” Virginia Woolf is a famous woman and literary figure of the early 20th century.
On Dr. Haberstroh’s gravestone she would definitely have her maiden name, Boyle, engraved. Her family is very important and instilled her with many of the qualities that she still has today. Her husband has been “a cheerleader” for her and has always stood by her side.
When she was chosen to go to Ireland and teach, he went right along with her and got a job. Her mother and husband have both been great inspirations to her. Even through times of hardship when her son passed away, she did not give up. Instead, she kept doing what she loved the most, except with more passion and more love of life.
If there was one more goal that Dr. Haberstroh could achieve, she’d like to research her family history, but otherwise, she has lived a very fulfilling life and is happy with the life decisions she has made.
E-mail Pat Haberstroh at haberstr@lasalle.edu
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| Bro. Joe Grabenstein “La Salle’s History Unlocked” By: John Ogden |
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“Watch your step!” says Brother Joseph Grabenstein. What he should really preface an entry into the archives with is “Watch your step, head, arms, legs, and everything else you value!”
Walking into the La Salle University archives is no easy task. It involves much coordination. In fact, there should be a sign on the door that says, “Spelunking skills and/or training necessary beyond this point.”
Of course this is no fault of Grabenstein’s. It’s hard to organize about a century and a half worth of history — in the form of memorabilia, posters, models, books, newspapers and much more.
Brother Joseph Grabenstein is the archivist for La Salle University as well as for the Christian Brothers. His main duty: organization. He must organize over a century and a half’s worth of memorabilia and paperwork into a concise space.
The basement of College Hall is a place not many people venture to unless they need something. An old photograph, a newspaper from 1956, the yearbook from 1975, or maybe La Salle’s former mascot costume, all are located in this tiny space located beneath La Salle’s College Hall.
“Pardon the appearance,” says Grabenstein. It is an amazing experience being thrust into his environment. What is truly amazing was the provoking of the senses by the aroma of the old books on the multitudes of shelves housing the rich historical background of La Salle University, along with looking at old photographs and touching old newspapers from the early 20th century.
Grabenstein’s extremely polite nature reflects his small-town upbringing. Growing up in Cumberland, Md., on the lesser-known western panhandle of Maryland in the Appalachian Mountains, Grabenstein explained that he became interested in history at a young age.
“I came to find out that history is a lens through which we see ourselves,” he says.
Grabenstein joined the Christian Brothers just two weeks after graduating
from high school in Maryland in 1968. His early and enthusiastic interest
to join the order was fostered by the brothers who taught him as a young
man.
However, this man is not a typical workaholic. He truly loves every
second of what he does. It is surprising to many to know that the university
archive is actually Grabenstein’s second career. Although he loves
being the archivist, Grabenstein said “I absolutely loved teaching.”
Grabenstein taught junior high for 18 years before deciding to return to
his alma mater to become assistant archivist in 1992.
Since 1994, he has taken on the job of archivist head-on. Not only does
he maintain the records of La Salle University’s lengthy history,
he also is in charge of the Christian Brothers’ history
as well, which dates all the way back to John Baptiste de la Salle. “With
all of this, I have no time for reading,” he said. “What I read is what I need for
this.”
Grabenstein explained that his job is a difficult one. All over campus,
there are professors and event-organizers who need to know something historical
in nature about La Salle. They often leave it up to him.
“My job as the archivist is to provide people with information,” he said.
However, people often turn to Grabenstein to take on projects for them.
“Right now, I’m working on about 20 different projects,” he said.
One of those projects includes coming up with a new display case
to be placed in the Hayman Center. The University is planning the renovation
of the staircase of the Hayman Center and they want Grabenstein to come
up with ideas for a new display case.
However, when people do come down to explore the university’s rich
history, Grabenstein calculates that “90 percent of people who
come down [to the archives] can’t believe how much is down here.”
Explaining that Bro. Joe shouldn’t complain, Bro. Mike McGinniss says
“It’s [Grabenstein’s] own fault.”
“It’s true,” explains Grabenstein, “I’ve created
a monster.”
“"But it’s not my ego, it’s our story,”"
that he says keeps him going. He is so enthused about the spirit and the story of
La Salle University, that Grabenstein doesn’t mind the hours or the
demand. “As long as there is a need coming from the University community,
I know I need to continue doing my job.”
Trey Ulrich, Associate Director of the Annual Fund at La Salle University
calls him “the Grabber. Because everywhere he goes, he’s grabbing
pamphlets and whatnot.”
In order to better keep up with the continuously changing history of La Salle,
Grabenstein says he cannot always be at every event. “I just take
the literature and leave.”
He adds that, “In 10 years, I see myself right here. Maybe retired, I’m not
sure. But definitely here, retired or not.”
When describing his job as the archivist, Grabenstein says, “An
archivist thinks about the past, but is always mindful of the present and
the future.”
La Salle’s future is dependent upon its past, and
Grabenstein is the one who “holds the key.”
“As long as there is a need coming from the University community, I know I need to continue doing my job.”
Although it is rumored that Grabenstein lives in the archives or as he likes
to call it “La Salle’s attic,” he in fact lives very close
by in the Brothers’ residence. This being said, it is no wonder people
would think he cohabitates with the mounds of papers and books — he
works about 60 hours per week.
If you would like to contact or have any additional questions
for Brother Joe Grabenstein. e-mail him at grabenst@lasalle.edu
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| Rob Haffley “La Salle’s Music Man” By: Melissa Andersch |
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Walking into a professional musician and fulltime music teacher’s office, one might expect to see sheets of music scattered around, maybe a few scribbled notes, at least some evidence to show for all that hard work.
Not in Rob Haffley’s office. The now fulltime music professor at La Salle University and top jazz artist keeps his office organized, neat and, yes, somewhat barren. The notes, music sheets and lesson plans are all stored somewhere safe; somewhere organized, accessible, and dependable. That place: his mind.
When first introduced to the world of music, Professor Haffley didn’t have such a great experience. “When I first started music, I hated it,” he said. Haffley went on to tell the horror story of the first time his parents forced him to take clarinet lessons in the 4th grade. No matter how hard he tried, he just wasn’t able to play it.
Apparently his clarinet had been broken, and the whole time he thought it was something he was specifically doing wrong. Once he tested out his new clarinet, however, Haffley was able to get a sound right off the bat.
“It was hardly any work at all,” he said, “It just kind of felt natural.” Eventually Rob Haffley’s musical talent proved to be more than just natural; it proved to be brilliant.
Born in Central Pennsylvania and raised in the little town of Waterford, Haffley focused primarily on his music, studying with different teachers. He caught on so quickly that one of his clarinet instructors had to pass him on to a more qualified teacher.
“She said that I had exhausted everything that she knew about playing the clarinet,” Haffley said. In 8th and 9th grade he learned to play the alto, soprano and tenor saxophones and in 10th grade he took up playing the flute.
Rob Haffley definitely wasn’t doing the average thing most kids his age were doing in the 10th grade. Instead of partying and loitering outside movie theatres, Rob was participating in world-class music competitions. He won his first competition that year, landing himself a seat in an orchestra made up of members from the Cleveland, Erie and Buffalo symphonies. “The entire concert was all done by memory,” Haffley said.
After graduating from high school, Rob joined the musician’s union. Soon after he joined, he was playing in at least three different bands and using money he made in the summer to pay his way through college.
Haffley earned his B.M. degree in music performance with a jazz emphasis from the Philadelphia College of the Performing Arts (now the University of the Arts). He also holds an M.M. degree in music performance from Penn State University where he taught jazz studies while completing his degree. In addition, he was directing the Penn State Jazz Ensemble, which went on tour at least once a year.
Not many 25-year-olds are able to take on the position of student, teacher and musical director all in one. Haffley, however, welcomed the challenge. “It was different because at that point in my life I was 25 and teaching college courses for the first time,” Haffley said.
Experienced, educated and eager, Rob welcomed the opportunity to move up even higher in the world of musical education. He started teaching music theory during the day to kids at Grey Nun Academy, a private school in Bucks County. Soon after, in 1988, he found himself at La Salle University.
“The process was kind of reversed,” he said, “instead of me finding La Salle, La Salle found me … and hired me over the phone.”
Rob was hired as a part-time adjunct teaching
jazz history at La Salle where he has remained for the past 14 years.
Just this past year Rob was hired as a fulltime professor, teaching
courses from classical music to world music and jazz history. “I
love it. I absolutely love it,” he said, “This year is like
a dream come true for me.”
“It is important for me, not
only as a teacher, but as a performer because it ensures that the next
generation coming through will understand what’s going on next
time they go the Kimmell Center to hear the Philly orchestra or to a
jazz club in Philly,” Haffley said. He leaned forward and looked
straight ahead, becoming a bit more serious this time, “It’s
my responsibility to make sure they know what they need to know so that
they get the most out of it,” Haffley said.
Students and faculty obviously have gotten something out of the musical
inspiration and knowledge Rob has brought to La Salle. He was honored
in 1998 when he was awarded the Erwin and Carolyn Rye von Allmen Award
for teaching excellence. He has also developed and piloted most of La
Salle’s music classes, including a course centered on his long-time
interest, George Gershwin.
Haffley became interested in Gershwin and
his works in the early ’90s when asked to think of new courses
for the La Salle curriculum. He is responsible for designing and setting
up the George Gershwin Web site, which is currently
available to La Salle students.
Along with music, Haffley seems to have another “natural born
talent” as he calls it, which is computer technology. “Computers
and music go hand-in-hand,” he explained.
Haffley also works as
an accomplished computerized music engraver. “I basically taught
myself how to use all the programs and how to troubleshoot my own work,”
he said shrugging his shoulders as if it were something simple. Haffley
has digitally prepared music for publication, recording sessions and
music performance.
Fulltime music teacher, performer, technology engraver, and oh, yes,
there is more. In addition to all this, Professor Haffley works for an
entertainment company in Philadelphia called Entertainment Source. It
supplies society music for parties and corporate events. Haffley performs
at events such as hospital galas, educational programs, conventions,
receptions and holiday parties. “Where it is unique for me is
that since I play flute, clarinet and saxophone. I never know what they
are going to ask me to play when I go in for a job,” he said.
Haffley described a time when he was called to play a gig and ended
up playing jazz for one hour, then classical flute and clarinet the
next hour. “And then,” he said, “after the ceremony
was done we went into the ballroom and there was four hours of dancing,
in which we did everything from big band jazz to current things on the
radio.”
There is no doubt this fulltime musician has a strong passion for what
he does. He almost welcomes the challenge of playing four different
instruments.
“What makes it challenging for me is that I try to
do it as authentically as possible,” he said, “When I pick
up the flute and have to play classical flute, it sounds like a classical
flute player. It doesn’t sound like Jethro Tull or just anybody
trying to play the flute.”
Ask any musician what’s difficult about playing an instrument,
and they are pretty likely to say it has something to do with style.
Haffley had to agree. “I think that playing any instrument well
is difficult,” he said, “My goal as a player is to always
be able to go and sit, read the music and play the part that is necessary
at the time. You’re asked to play a particular style.” Haffley’s
long-term education has, without a doubt, helped with the quality of
his performance. “Knowing the history of music, having studied
it and taught it, really helps me appreciate it,” he said, “Knowing
the different styles helps me play better because I know how the composer
would have wanted the particular piece to have sounded.”
The problem, according to Haffley, is that “people get into playing
a particular style and they don’t get out of it. It’s kind
of like a rut and once you’re into that rut, you’re labeled
strictly a jazz player or strictly a symphony player.” No worries,
though. Haffley has long overcome that possibility of falling into such
a rut. “I have people guessing, ‘Well which one is his major
instrument?’ They say things like, ‘He sounds good on all
of them.’ That’s a challenge.” He paused, “And
it keeps me busy,” he said.
Haffley nonchalantly turned to a small brief case in the corner of
his room. He pulled out a professional-looking CD with his picture
on the front. “You can keep it,” the musician said kindly.
“And if you don’t like it, you can give it to your parents,”
he laughed. The title of the CD is Impressions and it is Haffley’s
pride and joy, next to his 14-year-old daughter Bre of course. The
very last number on his CD titled “Lullaby for Bre” was
completed the morning his “miracle child” was brought
into the world. It is the only song on the CD with actual lyrics. Professor Haffley explained the grueling
amount of work he put into producing the CD itself. “What I’m
trying to do is teach music, history, performance and technology through
this CD. And what you do is put all that knowledge together to do a
CD; it ends up taking years and years of planning.”
Those years
and years of planning obviously paid off for Rob Haffley. He is marketing
his CD to jazz radio stations across the nation and it is currently
being sold in the Philadelphia area at stores such as Barnes & Noble
and Borders. It is also available for download on the web at Amazon.com,
CDnow.com, theorchard.com and CDUniverse.
In addition to public praise he got for his CD, Haffley has benefited
personally through this accomplishment. “Everything that I’d
ever learned and studied about music came together after I completed
the CD,” he said, “Everybody has their dream. My dream was
to record a disk of my own music. That’s just something priceless
to me.”
Rob’s dream has come true a thousand times better
than he had ever imagined it would. He has already begun planning the
early stages of his next CD, which he claims will be different than
Impressions simply because of all the new material and knowledge he’s
learned since Impressions came out. He wants to maybe “polish
it up, correct some of the mistakes,” that he claims were present
in his first CD.
Leaving the professional musician and fulltime music teacher’s
office almost felt different than it did walking in. Looking around
the barren, and somewhat empty room, it all sort of made sense. Sometimes
the knowledge stored in one’s head is more valuable than years
and years of notes and evidence written down.
With his musical background
and understanding, Rob Haffley has brought new meaning to music at La
Salle. In addition to piloting many of the music classes, he’s
made them both enjoyable and interesting. Rob Haffley’s inspiration
and most importantly his undeniable passion for music have proven to
be an example of just how much one is capable of accomplishing academically,
professionally and personally.
E-mail Rob Haffley at haffley@lasalle.edu
“I think that playing any instrument well is difficult. My goal as a player is to always be able to go and sit, read the music and play the part that is necessary at the time.”
La Salle currently does not offer a major in music, something Haffley
takes into consideration when teaching his classes, which are specifically
geared toward the non-music major.
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| Bob Levins “Keeping La Salle Safe” By: Erica Sharkey |
 |
Cameras are everywhere, investigations are ongoing and thousands of dollars are spent on surveillance materials. But, this isn’t the FBI, it’s all part of La Salle University’s highly structured security department.
Most students at La Salle probably do not know how much time and money is spent on security throughout each year. In fact, many students may not even take security on campus all that seriously.
Robert J. Levins, the director of security and safety, does take security seriously. As a retired inspector for the Philadelphia police, he doesn’t consider this job too different from the many jobs he has held before in the force.
“I’m hiring people, I’m firing people, I’m training people, I’m buying equipment, I’m handling concerns with safety and crime with parents, I’m dealing with the community, I’m dealing with the same types of issues the police captain would have in the district,” says Levins.
But there is a slight difference. As commanding officer of Internal Affairs on the police force, Levins had about 7,000 people under him. Now, he only has to operate a 62-person department. Regardless, Levins still handles many responsibilities and his phone rings non-stop. He treats his seven-and-a-half-year career at La Salle with as much professionalism as he did his 30-year career with the police department.
“It’s the same type of job,” he says. “Even though we’re not police officers, we’re security officers but I’m doing the same types of things that I was doing as a police officer.”
It seems that law enforcement was in Levins’ blood. His father was a police officer; three of his brothers became police officers, not to mention his brother-in-law and sister-in-law who are also officers. Levins considers his progression into the police force natural.
After graduating from Cardinal Dockerty High School in Philadelphia, Levins went straight to the Marine Corps. By age 20, he joined the police force and stayed there for 30 years.
In fact, Levins never planned on leaving the force. Levins was just “testing the waters” as he put it, when he applied for the job of director of security at La Salle and he didn’t expect to get the job offer.
“They interviewed a number of people and they whittled it down to, I think, there were four of us as finalists,” Levins said. “And we were interviewed here by seven or eight people and they offered me the job. And I said, ‘Wow, how’d this ever happen?’ ”
After deliberating, Levins decided he wanted to develop himself in a new
way. He retired from the force, leaving many surprised co-workers behind
but not forgotten. One of Levins’ office walls is covered with photographs
from his days in the police force. Levins received his B.A. in criminal justice from
La Salle just two years ago, after accumulating credits from Temple University,
the FBI Academy and the University of Virginia. Although Levins would have
liked to get his degree earlier so that he could pursue a master’s
degree, he doesn’t regret getting his education later in life. Levins
says he has received a “Ph.D. in street smarts” from working
in the force.
“I’ve learned so much more, and appreciated my education so
much more because I was older and not 21 years old,” he says. “I
think the education I got as an adult, I saw so much happening, I understood
it better, and I could interact better in the classroom.”
One of the many things Levins has gained while here at La Salle is an appreciation
of classical music. After taking a course on George Gershwin, celebrating
the 100th anniversary of his birth, Levins learned to enjoy this type of
classical music.
“By taking that course, I was exposed to a lot of Gershwin’s
music and some of the other music of that era,” said Levins. “I
like some classical music now.”
Levins also likes to watch and play sports including basketball, football,
baseball and even tennis. At times, he can be found on campus playing tennis
with students or Christian Brother Francis Tri.
There’s a lot of satisfaction that Levins gains from being at La Salle,
but there is also a lot of stress that comes along with it.
Of all the possible sources of stress, though, what is the toughest thing
he has to deal with on a regular basis? It’s not theft, it’s
not assault, and it’s not even the shortage of spots in the parking
lot, surprisingly enough. According to Levins, the hardest thing for him
is getting students to be responsible for their own safety.
“I talk to the students in the First Year Experience class and I tell
them about the reality of the campus,” says Levins. “And I say,
‘This is the problem, going beyond the campus.’ You have to
use a lot of common sense.”
Most of the time, Levins says that he sees incidents that could have been
avoided if students had just been more aware of their surroundings or more
conscious of the time at which they were traveling. Levins believes alcohol
plays a major role in bad decision-making by students.
According to Levins, most problems occur with freshmen and sophomore students
because they are most often experiencing freedom for the first time. This
newfound freedom leads students to forget common safety precautions. However,
Levins says that by junior and senior year, students have regained their
common sense and know how to conduct themselves in a safe manner at La Salle.
Levins’ career is a large part of his life but his family remains
his first priority. With four children and eight grandchildren, Levins says
he would do anything for his family.
“You know, I always feel that if somebody needs my help for something —
if they need it, it’s going to get done,” he says. “It
seems like my family has a lot of confidence in me. I think that’s
how my family feels about me.”
Levins plans on retiring within a few years and he hopes to move to Stone
Harbor, N.J., with his wife, Helen. While living in Stone Harbor, Levins
plans on getting a part-time job and relaxing.
“When I leave here, I don’t want to go to another place like
this,” Levins says. This is not a 40-hour-a-week job, or a 60-hour-a-week job. Doing this is a 24-hour-a-day situation,” says Levins.
Although Levins does not want another job in security after leaving La Salle,
he does hope that people here will remember him as someone who cared about
his job and made it his main concern.
“Everything I do here is in the best interest of La Salle students,
not in my best interest,” he said. “I’d like to be remembered
as someone who came here, who took the job very seriously and cared primarily
about La Salle and not themselves.”
The students of La Salle University may not be aware of all the time and
money put into the security department and they may not know all the security
officers’ names. But what matters most to Bob Levins is that the
students can feel secure walking around La Salle’s campus.
“I always feel that if somebody needs my help for something — if they need it, it’s going to get done.”
Seven-and-a-half years later, Levins says that La Salle is a nice place
to be. La Salle is not just a place where he works; it’s also a place
where he has learned.
E-mail Bob Levins at levins@lasalle.edu
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