A “real, live foreigner” creates hilarious misunderstandings while delivering heartwarming laughter in Larry Shue’s award-winning comedy, The Foreigner, in the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s production previewing July 8 and 9 and opening Friday, July 10.

Playing on the Main Stage through August 2, the production features the same repertory cast performing in Henry V.

Madcap mischief ensues when a diverse cast of characters meet in Betty Meek’s Fishing Lodge Resort in Georgia. Sgt. “Froggy” LeSueur, a British munitions expert, PSF veteran Carl N. Wallnau, insists on bringing his pathologically shy friend Charlie Baker, played by Jacob Dresch, across the pond for a vacation.

The widowed innkeeper, Betty, Jane Ridley, is thrilled to meet someone from another country—even when Froggy tells her that Charlie does not speak English and should not be asked questions.

The cast includes a real-life married couple with extensive PSF credits playing an engaged couple: Emmy-nominee Marnie Schulenburg, who portrays the Southern debutante Catherine Simms, and Zack Robidas (It’s Complicated, Arbitrage), who plays the Rev. David Marshall Lee.

David Button appears as Catherine’s younger brother, Ellard Simms, who’s presumed not to be the sharpest tool in the shed. The county property inspector with designs on the resort, Owen Musser, is Anthony Lawton, whose many PSF credits include twice portraying the clown Feste in Twelfth Night. The ensemble includes Philadelphia actors William Zielinski and Brian McCann, and Emmy winner Wayne S. Turney.

Long-time PSF actor and director Jim Helsinger, who directed last year’s Lend Me a Tenor, leads a creative team that includes six-time Emmy winner Bob Phillips, set designer; Marla Jurglanis, costumes; Thom Weaver, lights; Kristian Dereck Ball,sound. Jane Ridley serves as dialect coach and Alison Hassman as production stage manager.

Breslin Ridyard Fadero Architects is production sponsor for The Foreigner; co-sponsors are Bazzini and Keenan-Nagle Advertising, Inc.

The show runs July 8- August 2 on the Main Stage in repertory with Henry V.

            Preview: Wed. July 8, 8pm
            Preview: Thu., July 9, 8pm
            Opening: Fri., July 10, 8pm
            Tue. July 14, 7pm
            Wed., July 15, 8pm
            Sun., July 19, 2pm
            Wed. July 22, 8pm
            Fri., July 24, 8pm
            Sat., July 25, 8pm
            Sun., July 26, 2pm & 7:30pm
            Tue., July 28, 7pm
            Thu., July 30, 8pm
            Sat., Aug. 1, 2pm, Audio Description for patrons who are visually impaired.
            Sun., Aug. 2, 7:30pm

Amaranth Foundation is the 2015 season sponsor. Associate season sponsors are the Szarko Family, Harry C. Trexler Trust, Dr. James and Penny Pantano, and Linda Lapos and Paul Wirth.

The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, a professional company in residence at DeSales University, is the Official Shakespeare Festival of the Commonwealth and a professional, not-for-profit theatre company. An independent 501 c 3 organization, PSF receives support from DeSales University and relies on contributions from individuals, government agencies, corporations and foundations.

PSF is a constituent of the Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for the American theatre, and a member of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, the Shakespeare Theatre Association, the Lehigh Valley Arts Council, and Discover Lehigh Valley.

For tickets, call 610.282.WILL [9455] or go online to www.pashakespeare.org.

The Festival’s 24th season continues with Around the World in 80 Days (through July 12); Henry V (July 16- August 2); Pericles (July 22- August 2); Shakespeare for Kids (July 22- August 1) and Rapunzel (through August 1).

One night events include Jeremiah James performing a special concert, Choose Love, on Monday, July 27, at 7:30pm on the Main Stage. James recently played Javert in PSF’s record-breaking production of Les Misérables.

Tickets are available by calling 610.282.9455, or online at pashakespeare.org.

DeSales University is celebrating its 50th anniversary and will be holding a series of special events over the next year to commemorate the milestone. The festivities will feature speakers (including Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York and Fox News’ Michelle Malkin), participation from graduates of previous classes, educational lectures and more.

“Our year-long 50th anniversary celebration will provide the local community and current students with an understanding of DeSales’ past and allow us to share our vision for the future of higher education,” said DeSales University President Father Bernard F. O’Connor, OSFS.

DeSales University traces its history to 1961, when Bishop Joseph McShea sought to fill the void of a Catholic college in the Lehigh Valley in the new Diocese of Allentown. In 1965, at the request of the Bishop, the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales established a liberal arts college (originally Allentown College of St. Francis de Sales) to serve this need. It joined five other colleges and universities of distinction.

Today, DeSales has more than 3,100 students enrolled in undergraduate, graduate and an adult bachelor’s degree program (ACCESS). The university has provided the highest level of education to thousands before them, influenced generations of families and positively impacted surrounding communities.

“The 50th anniversary events will honor past and current students and serve as a celebration of the proud history and tradition that we have built at DeSales over the past half a century,” said Father O’Connor.

Some of the events planned for the year-long anniversary include:

September 2: the Salesian Center for Faith and Culture will host a symposium concerning Ex Corde Ecclesiae (John Paul II’s vision for Catholic universities) on its 25th anniversary.

September 10: A statue, entitled Jesus the Teacher, will be dedicated to honor the bishops, clergy and people of the Diocese of Allentown. Speakers will include Father O’Connor, Ben Marcune (Bethlehem-based nationally acclaimed sculptor and painter) and the Most Reverend John O. Barres, D.D., bishop of Allentown.

September 25-26: Homecoming weekend,where academic departments will have cocktail receptions and retired faculty/staff will attend. 

November 11: The Rev. Thomas Furphy Lecture Series, featuring Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York.

January 24-28, 2016: A special Heritage Week celebration will be hosted by the Salesian Center for Faith and Culture. Events include:

• Sunday, January 24: Mass of Saint Francis de Sales – celebrant, Bishop Barres
• Monday, January 25: Forum on Biomedical Ethics – CEO’s from local hospital networks
• Tuesday, January 26: Seminar on Law & Society – Prof. Robert P. George J.D., PhD of Philosophy, Princeton University
• Wednesday, January 27: Town Hall on Social Communications – Rev. Thomas Rosica, CEO of Salt & Light Media and liaison at the Vatican Press Office.
• Thursday, January 28: R. Wayne Kraft Memorial Lecture – Fr. Antonio Spadaro, S. J., Gregorian University, Rome, editor of Civilta Cattolica and papal interviewer

April 6, 2016: The Marcon Lecturer is Michelle Malkin, Fox News journalist, nationally syndicated columnist and Journalism Fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C.

May 21, 2016: Commencement will feature a parade of flags carried by alumni for each of the 50 years. Joseph Kurtz, D.D., Archbishop of Louisville, Ky., a Lehigh Valley native and President of the American Bishop’s Conference will receive an honorary degree and offer the address at the graduation ceremony. Archbishop Kurtz is also a former member of the Board of Trustees at DeSales.

For more information on the 50^th anniversary celebration and events, visit www.desales.edu/50.

DeSales University recently received a grant from the J.B. and Kathleen Reilly Fund of the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation. The grant will be used for general support of the University.

“We are very grateful for this and the previous support that the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation has given DeSales,” says Kathy Diamandopoulos, director of corporate and foundation relations.

The Lehigh Valley Community Foundation promotes philanthropy in order to improve the quality of life in the region and strives to be a major force in the development of philanthropy the region. The Foundation promotes and encourages collaboration among area philanthropists, and is a source of information and expertise regarding charitable giving.

For more information about the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation, click here.

The DeSales University ACCESS program’s online marketing degree program was listed in The Best Online Programs in the U.S. by the bestcolleges.com website, ranking at number 22.

Bestcolleges.com bases its rankings on the collection and analysis of data points from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and the College Navigator site of the National Center for Education Statistics—both a source for data concerning higher education in the U.S., Data taken from IPEDS and the College Navigator sites, including acceptance rate, retention rate, graduation rate, and enrollment rate, contributed to determining the rankings.

The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) accredits all of the business programs at DeSales, including the marketing degree program.

BestColleges.com is a resource for prospective college students. Through the use of student surveys, faculty surveys, independent research, ranking systems and the input of highly credible and authoritative sources, the site has created a database of schools to help students and their families learn more about their best options for higher education.

G'Day, Mates! DeSales students will soon be able to take courses Down Under. 

Thanks to a Memorandum of Understanding signed last Monday, July 20, 2015, DeSales University and the University of Notre Dame Australia can begin exchanging students as early as the spring 2016. There is potential for additional collaboration with faculty and staff, too.

The University of Notre Dame Australia is a distinctive national Catholic university with over 11,000 students across its campuses in Fremantle, Broome and Sydney.

At Notre Dame, DeSales University students can take courses in areas such as: arts and sciences; business; education; health sciences; law; medicine;nursing and midwifery; philosophy and theology; and physiotherapy.

Dr. Karen Walton (right), Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Professor Celia Hammond (left), Vice Chancellor, BJuris (Hons), LLM signed on behalf DeSales University and the University of Notre Dame Australia, respectively.

Dr. Brian Kane, Division Head, Liberal Arts and Social Science and Fr. John F. Harvey, OSFS, Professor of Moral Theology and Brian MacDonald, Director of International Learning also attended the signing. 

 DeSales students who want to "give it a burl" should contact brian.macdonald@desales.edu.

 Chelsey, a resident of the Great Beginnings Program of Valley Youth House, and her son receive health care from DeSales University nursing students as part of the Regional Integrated Collaborative for Healthy Youth (RICHY) program

Chelsey was a teenage mother-to-be with her first child when she became a resident at the Great Beginnings facility of Valley Youth House in east Allentown earlier this year. 

Not knowing what to expect once her baby was born, she was often anxious that her son was sick and needed medical attention. Her first inclination was to take him to the emergency department at the local hospital, and she’s not alone in that reaction. An increasing number of emergency department visits are by patients who need non-emergency medical treatment and who are uninsured, adding cost to the region’s health services and community.

Two years ago, two local colleges, the region’s largest health network, and two community non-profit organizations came together to spearhead what would become The Regional Integrated Collaborative for Healthy Youth (RICHY) program.

Together these partners developed a unique initiative designed to support these young mothers with health services for themselves and their babies, empower them to become more active managers of their own care and that of their child, and also educate them on how to best utilize the local healthcare system, thereby reducing costs. This novel pilot program is believed to be the first of its kind in the country, which will result in a case study and model for others.

The RICHY Project’s partners include:

• DeSales University Department of Nursing and Health
• The Dorothy Rider Pool Health Care Trust
• Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) Department of Community Healthy, Department of Family Medicine, and the Lehigh Valley Physician Group – Family Health Center
• Marywood University School of Social Work
• Valley Youth House – Great Beginnings independent residential living facility in Allentown

Using an integrated behavioral health model, in January family nurse practitioner students from DeSales and social work students from Marywood began working onsite at Great Beginnings with its at-risk adolescent girls and young mothers and five babies eight hours a week. Supervised by university faculty and LVHN clinicians, the students provide preventive medical and behavioral health services and education all onsite at Great Beginnings. The program provides an access point to primary care for an at-risk teenage population that is difficult to engage. This initiative ensures that every adolescent who resides at Great Beginnings will leave the program with a primary care provider for her and her baby, where applicable. 

During the first six months of the 12-month pilot program, LVHN has collected data related to patient health literacy, activism, and utilization of the healthcare system. Data highlights include: 

• The Valley Youth House Great Beginnings residents attended 41 visits to the Nurse Practitioner-Behavioral Health team during the first six months of the program. Seventy-eight percent of these visits focused on health management, which is a primary goal of the program.

• Use of the Emergency Department (ED) was minimal during the first six months.  The adolescents went to the ED only one time, and three ED visits occurred for the young children of the VYH residents. Moreover, five ED visits were avoided by having access to the services provided through this initiative.

• Eight of the residents have become patients at LVHN’s Family Health Center (FHC), connecting them to a family medicine primary care practice.  These eight individuals have engaged in 15 visits at the FHC across five months. All but one resident now has a designated primary care provider, either at FHC or elsewhere.

• Two DeSales undergraduate nursing students also conducted group education sessions. All of the residents who attended these sessions reported positive feedback, noting that they enjoyed speaking with the nurses and learning new information about self-esteem and self-image, when to go to the ED or seek medical help, signs of illness in young children, and healthy relationships.

The final 12-month data report will help determine if this unique model can become self-sustaining once The Pool Trust’s $124,669 grant funds supporting it have ended. It will attempt to determine what the value of the program was to the mothers and the organizations involved, if better outcomes were realized for the patients, if decreased healthcare costs were seen, and how it might be possible to fund such a model in other communities. 

“One of our primary goals in the Great Beginnings program is to empower young mothers in creating healthy independent lives for their children and themselves,” said Lisa Weingartner, Regional Director of Northeast Independent Living Programs with Valley Youth House. “Providing quality healthcare and supporting youth in using the healthcare system is essential to reach this goal. The RICHY project is a collaborative effort providing the youth with on-site access to healthcare, but more importantly a level of healthcare education that empowers the girls to make their own healthcare decisions. Having this knowledge coupled with access to integrated services has improved their quality of life and given them and their children a better chance at future success.”

“When I came to Valley Youth House I was pregnant and no had experience at being a mother,” explains Great Beginnings Resident Chelsey.  “When my son was born I really didn’t know what to expect. It made me really nervous and scared when I thought he was sick.  Because I didn’t know much I would become concerned very easily and would want to go to the emergency room. The nurses in the RICHY project have helped me to understand the difference between an emergency and something minor that can be taken care of by his doctor or at home.  I know I can go to see the nurse and she will take the time to check things out and let me know what I need to do. There is also a 24-hour hotline that I can call with doctors who are available. This makes me feel like I have someone I can talk to all the time and it helps me to relax and get my son the help he needs. It is like another support system that helps me make better healthcare choices. This makes us both much happier and healthier.” 

"This program is about helping young women with a difficult past improve their lives and the lives of their children by emphasizing good health,” said Robert Motley, MD, chair of LVHN’s Department of Community Health. “The early results of this program are promising. They demonstrate a shared commitment to improving care and value through better health, great patient experiences and mindful stewardship of resources —the 'Triple Aim.’” 

“In the RICHY project, undergraduate nursing students have a valuable clinical experience,” explained Mary Ellen Miller, RN and Associate Professor, Department of Nursing and Health, DeSales University. “They engage in inter-professional practice with Valley Youth House staff and advanced practice nursing and social work students. This is an educational opportunity that extends beyond the classroom and provides a unique learning environment for our nursing majors.”

"Appropriate and coordinated support to individuals in ways that most benefit and respect the needs of the patient at a reasonable cost is a desirable goal in the brave new world of health care services,” said Edward F. Meehan, Executive Director of The Dorothy Rider Pool Health Care Trust. “The RICHY Project is an excellent approach to that goal. The Pool Trust is pleased to support the effort and we offer our best wishes to the leaders at LVHN, and the local academic and community-based institutions who have worked so diligently to make this effort a reality. We believe it can be replicated and can serve as a model.” 

“The project has been a valuable learning experience for Marywood social work student Shannon Lehr, who graduated in May 2015,” said Christina Gigler, Marywood University Clinical Instructor and Director of Field Education for Lehigh Valley and Pocono MSW Programs. “As the field director in the Lehigh Valley location of our MSW program at Marywood I could not have been more pleased with all that she was able to accomplish working with other nursing students and team members to help her clients. She was able to practice all that she was learning at Marywood in an integrated collaboration with other professionals. It was truly invaluable. As an executive committee member of the RICHY project, I have truly enjoyed the community that this collaboration has developed into and I look forward to future students having this opportunity.”

The DeSales University Master of Arts in Criminal Justice program (MCJ) has recently approved extending the 20% discount currently offered to police officers to include probations, parole, and corrections officers.

Accepted students into the program must apply for the discount and provide documentation of active employment in law enforcement at the local, state or federal level.

The MCJ program provides graduate studies to professionals in criminal justice and related fields. This includes law enforcement and its administration, the criminal court systems, and the correctional areas of criminal justice such as probation and the treatment of offenders. Tracks in the program include a traditional, in-class graduate degree or online programs in investigative forensics or digital forensics.

Construction began this summer on two new artificial fields, a brand new track & field facility, and a few grass practice fields as part of phase one of the athletics master plan. After Phase One is completed sometime in the fall there will be two artificial turf fields directly behind Billera Hall.  One will primarily be used for practice and intramurals, while the one closest to Billera Hall will have seating around the field and be fully lit enabling the teams to play night games as well as extend practice hours after class time.

The track & field area, including areas for all the throwing events, will now be located across Station Avenue.  In addition there will be two grass practice fields located on this side of the street for use by all students.

Express Times/Lehigh Valley Live reporter Sarah K. Satullo wrote a feature on DeSales as we celebrate our 50th Anniversary. Click here for the story.  Express Times/Lehigh Valley Live photojournalist Matt Smith toured the campus with this camera and created a photo tour of our buildings. Click here for the photos.

DeSales University announces new full-time faculty members for the 2015-2016 academic year. Dr. Karen Walton, provost and vice president for academic affairs, announced the appointments. They include:

Dr. Michael Beardsley is an assistant professor of sport and exercise science in the division of healthcare. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Canisius College and his master’s and doctoral degrees from the State University of New York – SUNY, Buffalo

Dr. Michelle Coyne is an assistant professor of criminal justice in the department of social sciences. Coyne earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Xavier University and her doctorate at the University of Cincinnati.

Dr. Thomas Craig serves as an assistant professor of business in the division of business. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Temple University, his master’s degree from Lehigh University, and then returned to Temple University for his doctorate.

Dr. David Dalition serves as an assistant professor of criminal justice in the department of social sciences. Dalition earned his bachelor’s degree from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, a juris doctor from the University of Notre Dame School of Law, and master of laws degrees from The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School and Columbia Law School.

Rev. John Extejt, OSFS, is an instructor of mathematics in the department of mathematics and computer science. Fr. Extejt earned his bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo, a master of science degree from Purdue University, a master of divinity degree from the University of Toronto, St. Michael’s College, and a master of arts degree from Bowling Green State University.

Dr. Lara Goudsouzian is an assistant professor of biology in the department of natural science. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and her doctorate from Princeton University.

Dr. Katherine Grasso is an assistant professor of communication in the department of humanities. Grasso earned her bachelor’s degree from Suffolk University and her master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of California, Davis.

Dr. Christos Karagiannopoulos serves as an assistant professor of physical therapy in the division of healthcare. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Temple University, a master’s degree from Drexel University, and a master’s degree and a doctorate from Temple University.

Dr. Louise Murray serves as an assistant professor of nursing in the department of nursing and health. Murray earned her bachelor’s degree from Philadelphia University, a master’s degree from Drexel University and a doctorate from Chatham University.

Dr. Barry Silver is an assistant professor of physician assistant studies in the division of healthcare. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland, College Park and his doctorate from the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore.

Dr. Joshua Slee is an assistant professor of biology in the department of natural science. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Marywood University, and a doctorate from Lehigh University.

Selected reflections on the 2015 DeSales summer service trip to volunteer with the Missions of Charity in Kolkata, India.

 ***

"I don’t remember what I wanted from this experience, but I can tell you what I've gained: perspective, confidence, love, friendship, and humility. I thought I knew what poverty looked like; but, once I truly walked through the city streets that doubled as beds for 17 million people, I realized that I had a CNN view of the world from my couch in my air conditioned house." - Becky

***

"While working with the Shanti Dan women, I was forced to listen and really feel what the women were feeling when they were talking to me because of the language barrier.  I tried to read their body language and their facial expressions, rather than just hearing their words; I was truly seeing them." - Michelle

***

"One of the things that hit me hardest was seeing young men my age ... It made me wonder why I was born into an American family and have more than enough food and clothes and can attend school, while some of my Indian peers will likely never get that opportunity and struggle through life day-to-day without running water. It makes me hungry to empower. It has given me a fresh perspective on the truths of the world and what needs to be done to improve them. " - William

***

"I look back on what I accomplished in a week of service. It was all very… ordinary. I didn’t bring a woman back from the brink of death or teach children to be fluent in English. I made a lot of beds. I gave a lot of massages. I served as a jungle gym for enthusiastic toddlers. I painted older women’s nails. I washed unfathomable amounts of laundry. All of these could have been done by anyone. It is in these simple tasks that the true peace and purpose of service comes through." - Theresa

***

"This trip will stay with me forever. In my future, I hope to always remember and pray for every single person who touched my heart while I was in India. In my future career as a nurse, I will look to each and every patient as having a part of Jesus within them and I will care for them after the model that Blessed Mother Teresa has left for us."  - Christina

***

"Some of the women and children lead hard lives that I thought not even the strongest person could take, but they still held their head high and gave you plenty of love and respect if you were open to receive it. Even walking the streets I was surprised how friendly and welcoming people were to our group. I will always use this experience as a way to humble myself during different struggles I will encounter." - Sianta

***

"Keeping these memories with me are key to becoming a more humble, thankful, grounded, and understanding individual. And I know they will help me more easily care for and not be afraid of the poor, homeless and disabled, especially when I begin to work in healthcare. " - Beth

 ***

"I might only be one volunteer that comes in for a week to help, but what is inspiring is that I am one of many volunteers, and new volunteers will continue to keep coming every day. The Sisters have no idea who is going to show up every morning in the volunteer area before everyone disperses to their different sites, yet they have faith that it will all work out in the end…and what is amazing is that it does." -  Ashley

DeSales University faculty member David Dalition, Esq., spoke to WFMZ in Allentown about the pending charges against former pro wrestler Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka.

 The  2015 Ruggiero Lecture on Catholic Education will take place on Monday, September 14, at 7:00 p.m. in the DeSales University Center on the Center Valley Campus. Sponsored by the Salesian Center for Faith & Culture at DeSales, this event is free and open to the public. The title of this year’s lecture is "Catholic Home Schooling” and will feature Michele Quigley.

Quigley is the creator of numerous tools and resources for Catholic homeschooling mothers, including the popular Catholic Daily Planner and Mater Amabilis, a rigorous, living books curriculum for homeschool education.  She speaks nationally on a variety of topics and is a contributor to the new book, Why Should I Learn This? Her most recent initiative is Grace Days, a ministry she co-created to offer encouragement and support to homeschooling mothers in their vocation.     

Initially begun to commemorate the canonization of St. Leonie de Sales Aviat this series was renamed in 2005 in memory of Anthony J. Ruggiero, an adjunct faculty member who taught the philosophy of education and helped supervise the student teacher program at DeSales University. For more information about the upcoming event, contact the Salesian Center for Faith and Culture at 610-282-1100, ext. 1244 or SCFC@desales.edu or visit our website at desales.edu/salesian.

 A parade of men and women will walk the walk across the campus of DeSales University on Wednesday, September 23, at 5:00 p.m. as they take part in the national “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes: The Men’s March to Stop Rape, Sexual Assault and Gender Violence” campaign.

This event is open to members of the DeSales community and the public. Proceeds will benefit Crime Victims Council of the Lehigh Valley, Lehigh Valley Health Network SAFE, and Turning Point of the Lehigh Valley. The cost to participate is a $5.00 donation.

The DeSales University Peer Advising Counseling Educating (PACE) team will host the walk to promote awareness for the prevention of sexual assault and domestic violence. PACE aims to reduce the potential of sexual assault and domestic violence by helping men develop a greater understanding and new found respect for women’s experiences, as well as striving to improve gender relationships.

“Everyone has heard the old adage that you can’t really understand what someone has been through until you walk a mile in their shoes,” says Wendy Krisak, director of counseling at DeSales University. “What the PACE event, Walk-A-Mile In Her Shoes does is to ask the University community to literally take a mile walk around campus in high-heeled shoes, to bring awareness to the issues of sexual assault and domestic violence.  

“PACE takes this a step further in their pre-walk educational program, ‘If These Walls Could Talk’, which focuses on four stories of both men and women who were impacted by these crimes. We need our community to know that these issues are real but that we can be advocates to stop the violence.”

Registration for the event will begin at 4:30 p.m. in the DeSales University Center, followed by a presentation on sexual assault and domestic violence at 5:00 p.m. The walk will begin at approximately 6:00 p.m. The program will conclude with some raffles and a debriefing. 

Both men and women are encouraged to join in on this event, but our goal is to identify as many males as possible to participate. They will receive shoes to wear, but are asked to bring their own if possible (high heels, flats, sandals, and flip flops are permitted). Women participants must wear their own shoes. Free t-shirts will be given out before the walk.

“Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” is a national event that was started by Frank Baird in 2001 in San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valley, California. What began as a small movement for Baird eventually flourished into world-wide event that has raised money to benefit rape crisis centers, domestic violence shelters, and more. Now, tens of thousands of men crusade in heels for women everywhere.

DeSales University’s PACE team was first established in May 2004. Currently, six certified students assist in peer counseling on campus and discuss issues such as alcohol, relationships, time management, and also provide students with health and social education. Each semester every PACE team member is to construct a wellness program that they feel will benefit the DeSales student body. “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” is one of the programs that is assembled each year.

For more information on “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” and the DeSales University PACE team, please contact Kiana Ashby at ka6975@desales.edu or Krisak at Wendy.Krisak@desales.edu, or by calling the PACE office at (610) 282-1100 ext. 7223. 

Lehigh Valley Business reporter Jennifer Glose wrote a feature on DeSales as we celebrate our 50th Anniversary. Click here for the story.

Fox 29 Philly reporter Dave Schratwieser interviewed DeSales criminal justice faculty member Jeff Tomlinson, a former FBI agent, about security for the Papal visit next week. Click here for the story.

Movie version of William Inge’s play solidified Marilyn Monroe’s career as a serious actress

Sheriff Will (Justin Ariola, left) and Grace (Beth Egan) share a laugh while stranded overnight at Grace’s diner during a howling midwestern blizzard in Act 1 DeSales University’s production of Bus Stop.

Act 1 DeSales University Theatre opens its 46th season with William Inge’s comedy, “Bus Stop.” The play runs September 30 through October 11 on the Main Stage of the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts, Center Valley, PA.

The 1956 movie starred a young Marilyn Monroe, who’s work up until then consisted of comedies and musicals. “Bus Stop” was the first film in which she appeared after having studied at Lee Strasberg’s Actors Studio in New York City. Monroe received accolades for her performance and was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture—musical or comedy—by the 1956 Hollywood Foreign Press Association, solidifying her career as a serious and talented actress. Of her performance, the New York Times said, “Hold onto your chairs, everybody, and get set for a rattling surprise. Marilyn Monroe has finally proved herself an actress in ‘Bus Stop.’”

“Bus Stop” premiered in New York on March 2, 1955, running for a total of 478 performances. The opening night cast included Kim Stanley and was directed by theatre luminary Harold Clurman. It was nominated for four Tony awards in 1956: Best Play, Best Scenic Design, Best Director, and Best Featured Actress in a Play. That actress was the legendary Elaine Stritch, who came to visit DeSales University in 2009 to treat our theatre students and guests to a talk and selections from her musical repertoire.

“Bus Stop” takes place in the middle of a howling midwestern blizzard, as a bus pulls up to Gracie’s roadside diner. All the roads are blocked and the weary travelers are stranded overnight. Cherie, a flighty nightclub singer, belligerent cowboy Bo and his friend Virgil, and a drunken doctor are joined by the sheriff, the bus driver, a young waitress, and Gracie herself. Waiting for the roads to be cleared, they devise entertainments while sharing hopes and dreams over coffee, donuts, and a little Shakespeare. An uproariously funny celebration of love, “Bus Stop”is a tale about growing up.

‘“Bus Stop’ is one of those plays which features a group of diverse characters captured in an unexpected situation—outsiders among outsiders,” says performing arts division head John Bell. “And the excitement of this type of theatre is watching vivid personalities colliding in surprising ways.”

With Tennessee Williams as a mentor, William Inge was so inspired after seeing “The Glass Menagerie” that he decided to try his hand as a playwright. His first two efforts, “Farther Off From Heaven” (1947) and “Come Back Little Sheba” (1950) earned him the title of “most promising playwright of the 1950 Broadway season,” but his career was only beginning to gain momentum.

He followed this success with “Picnic” (1952), which won him a Pulitzer Prize, the Drama Critics Circle Award, the Outer Circle Award, and the Theatre Club Award. Next came “Bus Stop” (1955) and two years later, “The Dark at the Top of the Stairs” (1957), a reworking of his first play, premiered on Broadway.

By this time, critics were hailing Inge as another Tennessee Williams. Unfortunately, his later works would not fulfill that promise. Inge was plagued by a string of box office failures, and his only real success during that period was his screenplay for “Splendor in the Grass” (1961), for which he won an Academy Award. Convinced that he could no longer write, the small-town Inge fell into a deep depression and, on June 10, 1973, at his home in the Hollywood Hills, William Inge took his own life.

“William Inge often commented that he believed his upbringing led to his understanding of human behavior,” adds Bell. “He once said, ‘I’ve often wondered how people raised in our great cities ever develop any knowledge of humankind. People who grow up in small towns get to know each other so much more closely than they do in cities.’ The intimacy of this small-town environment has resulted in Inge having created some of the most unique and fully-shaped characters of the 20th century and these characters are great studies for our young actors.”

“Bus Stop” is directed by associate professor of theatre Steven Dennis. Of the production he says, “‘Bus Stop’ takes place during a quieter, simpler, and perhaps more innocent world—but one inhabited by characters who shared similar hopes and desires, as well as comparable challenges and foibles, as many people do today. This play is thought of as perhaps playwright William Inge’s most humorous work, and our actors have discovered plenty of comedic opportunities along the way. 

Gracie’s Diner comes to life with sets and costumes by Act 1’s resident creative faculty team: scenic designer Will Neuert, costume designer Amy Best, and lighting and sound designer Elizabeth Elliott.

The production runs September 30 to October 11, 2015 on the Main Stage of the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts. Performances are Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8:00 PM and Sundays at 2:00 PM. There is a morning matinee on Monday, October 5 at 9:45 AM, followed by a talk back with the director and cast. A talk back is also scheduled for Sunday, October 4 after the 2:00 PM performance.

In an effort to improve accessibility for all patrons, the Saturday, October 10, 8:00 PM performance will feature Open Captioning for patrons who are deaf or hearing impaired and Audio Descriptions for patrons who are blind or visually impaired. During Open Captioned performances, all dialogue and sound effects are presented in real-time on an LED screen that is adjacent to the stage. During Audio Described performances, all action and physical appearances are described live through a headset. Tickets are half price for patrons using these special services on this date. Please call box office manager Catherine Logan at 610-282-3654, ext. 1 for more information.

Ticket prices are $21 for adults and $19 for students and seniors on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and $25 for adults and $23 for students and seniors on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Group discounts are available for all performances. Tickets may be purchased by calling the Labuda Center box office at 610-282-3192 or by visiting the web site at www.desales.edu/act1.

The Labuda Center is fully accessible and equipped with a listening enhancement system. Special seating is available for our patrons using wheelchairs or requiring other assistance. Please inform the box office of your needs when ordering tickets.

The Very Reverend Bernard O’Connor (above, file photo) will be in the U.S. House of Representatives gallery to hear Pope Francis address Congress on Thursday, September 24. O’Connor will be the guest of Lehigh Valley Congressman Charlie Dent. 

DeSales University seeks to help the residents in the city of Allentown’s Neighborhood Improvement Zone (NIZ) who wish to pursue a college education.  DeSales will assist residents overcome common barriers to college access such as juggling a job while taking classes, navigating the college admissions process, and choosing a program of study. 

To help residents succeed, DeSales University and its part-time adult evening program, ACCESS, announces the Center City Allentown Revitalization Scholarship program, a scholarship offered to prospective students who live in the NIZ.

The scholarship is funded by a grant from the Harry C. Trexler Trust with a partial match by the City Center Investment Corporation. 

DeSales University’s ACCESS program with its 8-week format, multiple start dates, and online courses complement the schedules of part-time adult students. Students, who are only committed to coming to campus one night a week, can still work while attending classes.

“Becoming more engaged with online learning increases technological ability to work in a "global" environment,” said Deborah Booros, dean of lifelong learning at DeSales. “the classroom/online combination helps to make the most of a student’s time while maintaining the high quality standards of our accelerated program.”

The goals of the scholarship program are not only to increase the number of ACCESS students who live in the NIZ, but also to increase college graduation rates for NIZ residents. Success with internships and improved employment opportunities through City Center Investment Corporation and other businesses in the community will be an added benefit.

To apply for the Center City Allentown Revitalization Scholarship, students must complete an application as well as write an essay outlining their educational goals and addressing a question about the downtown Allentown revitalization and how their participation in this program would help them effect change for the future of Allentown.

DeSales University, in Center Valley, Pa., is a private, coeducational, four-year liberal arts university affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church. Founded by the Oblates of Saint Francis de Sales in 1965, the 480-acre suburban campus is located 50 miles north of Philadelphia and about 90 miles south of New York City. A total enrollment of nearly 3,000 includes undergraduate day and evening students and graduate students. DeSales has approximately 100 full-time faculty members and offers more than 35 bachelor’s degrees and eight graduate programs in a wide range of disciplines. 

About the Harry C. Trexler Trust
Harry C. Trexler was an entrepreneur, agriculturalist, and philanthropist who spent his lifetime accumulating businesses and wealth. Generous in life, his philanthropy continues through the private foundation established with the estates of Harry and Mary (Mosser) Trexler. The growth and vitality of the community in which the Trexlers lived and prospered is supported by the Trexler Trust.

Since 1935, the Trust has aided the work of Lehigh County charities by providing them with nearly $140 million in funding. 

About City Center Investment Corporation
City Center Investment Corporation is a visionary real estate development and management company dedicated to regenerating great American cities by combining the best new and existing cultural, commercial and residential properties. Launched in 2011, CCIC is led by a highly successful, award-winning team of innovative national developers and real estate sales and marketing executives. This dynamic group has experience creating and managing award-winning lifestyle communities, garden apartments, urban spaces and revitalized historic high-rise properties. The company is headquartered in Allentown, Pa.

Fr. Tom Dailey, OSFS '81, faculty member and director of the Salesian Center for Faith and Culture, was a member of the marketing committee for the World Meeting of Families. Here is an interview he gave to the Bucks County Courier Times.

Click here for the story.