The Human Resources Department is pleased to announce the Canisius University Employees of Distinction for August – December 2023:
Associate Director of Enrollment and Financial Aid James Nowak was nominated by Danielle Ianni for August 2023
James has presented to 30 high schools on financial aid this past fall, was interviewed by the news this past week, and is currently working with the freshman not registered to help spring registration. He is going beyond his job duties to help students and make financial aid accessible to a larger audience.
Executive Associate for Student Affairs and Finance and Administration Rachel Lapinski was nominated by Bethany Voorhees for September 2023
Rachel is one of those coworkers that you want to have- she is the definition of a team player. Even though she has a large workload, she does not let that get to her and offers her assistance to other departments without hesitation. She is friendly, approachable, and maintains a positive, calm demeanor even under pressure. In addition to this, Rachel is mindful and creative when it comes to finding ways to save the university money where possible within her department, which shows that she genuinely cares about the overall success of Canisius. Rachel’s dedication to excellence is evident in that she is motivated to do a good job, is quick to respond to any questions or concerns that may come up and is a quick learner if you need her to help with something she has never done before. I believe that all of these qualities make Rachel the perfect candidate for Employee of Distinction.
Canisius Fund Director and Advancement Brandon Bielecki was nominated by AnnMarie Haumesser for October 2023
I believe Brandon deserves to be recognized as an Employee of Distinction for his outstanding work on the More Than a Game campaign. While this is a team effort, Brandon has been at the helm and is a major connector between Advancement and Athletics. Brandon embraced a heightened and lofty goal this year of raising $315,000 – a $15,000 increased from last year. Not only did the campaign meet this goal but exceeded it to raise a total of $330,000 in support of Canisius Athletics. Brandon is a tireless champaign of Canisius Athletics and truly believes in the success our student athletes. In order to exceed this goal, Brandon put in countless hours on the phone and in person visiting with alumni, supporters, and donors and sharing with them stories of the impact of Athletics on the student experience. Brandon has made dozens of connections between current athletes, coaches, and alumni, which has brought many donors closer to our programs and, in turn, lead them to increase their giving to Athletics. Brandon is dedicated to the future success of Canisius at every level and went above and beyond in personalizing outreach and solicitations to be sure this campaign hit its goal. Brandon is very proud to be a Griff and inspires other on our team to engage more actively on our campus. I would love for him to be recognized for his efforts.
Academic Affairs Support Manager Maggie Burkard was nominated by Peggy McCarthy, Dan Higgins and Maura Snyder for November 2023.
Maggie is all things to all people! She has a deep understanding of the college and how various policies, procedures, and computer applications operate. She is available to anyone who seeks assistance, and she graciously responds with knowledge and respect. She continually rises to do whatever is needed. She has a tremendous knowledge of the budget, and she is the organizational backbone supporting the many (many) committees and their work in Academic Affairs. As new initiatives come forward in Academic Affairs, she is always willing to add to her workload in order to contribute to their success. She is generous with her time and truly conveys an attitude of cura personalis. This is especially obvious during this time of the year when she works closely with other areas of the college to be sure all of the events surrounding the commencement season go off without a hitch. Maggie is a gift to all who are lucky enough to work with her.
Maggie does so much for so many – I am thinking in particular of the work she did to help relocate me and my many colleagues from Lyons Hall. She also played a major role in planning a faculty writing retreat that occurred earlier in June. I’m grateful for all the very hard work she does with so much grace and humility. I thought she should be recognized for it, thank you for considering.
Maggie went above and beyond to help me settle into Canisius. She was always around to answer questions, and beyond that, she went out of her way multiple times to help me settle in. She even helped me carry office decor to my office. Maggie is always smiling and working incredibly hard to make Canisius a welcoming place.
Housekeeper Cynthia Longboat was nominated by COLI Department for December 2023.
Cindy keeps Old Main clean and inviting, while working around students, faculty and staff who are not always mindful of her hard work. She can often be seen cleaning in public spaces, and frequently offers to clean offices and department areas. This is crucial, both for the morale of employees and students, as well as keeping our building ready to present to visitors, such as prospective students and parents. We often encounter her cleaning the stairs, which she rightly regards as a safety matter. In each case, she greets passersby. Now more than ever the condition of our physical plant is important for our success as a university. Cindy’s proactive efforts directly contribute to Canisius’ being a safe and inclusive place.Please join the Human Resources Department in congratulating everyone on this achievement!
To nominate a coworker for the upcoming months, click here.
Submitted by: Lynn Incardona, associate, Human Resources
Join us, as Canisius Athletics celebrates the 51st National Girls and Women in Sports Day.
At 1 PM, Canisius hosts St. Peter’s in a crucial basketball game for positioning in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.
Following the game, members of the Women’s Basketball, Women’s Lacrosse, Rowing, Softball, Swimming/Diving, and Volleyball will host a sports clinic aimed for girls 2-12 years old.
Fans are encouraged to wear white, and Athletics will hand out posters for post-game autographs.
Submitted by: Mike Kochczynski, Assistant Athletic Director, Department of Athletics
The month of February is Black History Month. The ALANA Student Center has a variety of posters highlighting various individuals who identify as black and have made contributions to our society.
If an office or department would like a poster to put in their area for the month of February, please send a representative to the ALANA Student Center to get one. There is a limited supply so the posters will be given out on a first come-first served basis.
The ALANA Student Center is located in the lower level of the Richard E. Winter ’42 Student Center next to the commuter lounge and bookstore. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact us at Ext. 2787 or via Email at asc@canisius.edu.
Submitted by: Bennie D. Williams, Assistant Dean of Students, ALANA Student Center
The New Buffalo Institute will host a Community Engagement and Volunteer Fair on Thursday, February 8, from 12:00 – 2:00 p.m., in the Richard E. Winter ’42 Student Center, outside of the dining hall.
This is a great opportunity for the Canisius community— especially students — to connect with community partners and learn about available volunteer opportunities, and even potential internships. We hope everyone will consider spreading the word and encouraging students to attend.
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Shana Richardson, director of the New Buffalo Institute, at willia23@canisius.edu or at Ext. 2128.
Submitted by: Shana Richardson, director, New Buffalo Institute
In honor of U.N. Holocaust Remembrance, the Permanent Chair of Polish Culture at Canisius University will once again join with the Holocaust Education Resource Organization (HERO) and the Buffalo Jewish Federation to host a lecture, titled “Whosoever Saves a Single Life, Save an Entire Universe: Rescue During the Holocaust.” The guest lecturer will be Dr. Eileen Lyon, professor of history at SUNY Fredonia.
The lecture is today, Wednesday, January 31, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. in the Chester and Diane Stranczek Commons of the Canisius University Science Hall.
Click hereto add this event to your digital calendar.
Dr. Lyon received her PhD from the University of Cambridge and her research interests include British and Europoean history, history of the Holocaust, and religious and political history.
Her lecture will focus on three women religious, two from Poland: Mother Superior Matylda Getter of the Franciscan Sisters of the Family of Mary, and Sr. Wanda Garczynska, prioress of the Chaste Sisters Nunnery in Warsaw, which served as a shelter for many Jews, especially children. Also featured will be long-time Buffalonian, Sr. Margaret Szlachta, the Hungarian of the Sisters of Social Service. Each sister has been recognized as Righteous Among the Nations, Gentiles who assisted Jews during WWII. Dr. Lyon will also touch on a relatively new area of study on the efforts of members of the Jewish Resistancewhose activity included trying to save Jews.
The lecture is free and open to the public. A reception will follow.
Submitted by: Matt Kochan, The Permanent Chair of Polish Culture, Canisius University
ITS will be applying Banner upgrades to its production environment, on Sunday, February 4, 2024 from 6:00 – 9:00 a.m.
During this maintenance window, the Banner Application, Self-Service Banner (Student Profile, registration, timesheets, leave balances, etc.), Canisius Web Apps, GriffAudit (Degree Works) and Infoview/Business Objects will either be unavailable or have intermittent availability. These upgrades have already been applied to TST1, TST2 and PPRD databases for testing purposes and are required in order to keep our systems up to date.
The ITS systems status page, found in dark blue top section of the portal, will be updated accordingly.
If you encounter any issues post upgrade, please contact the help desk at helpdesk@canisius.edu or at 716.888.8340.
We are pleased to announce that Academic Affairs will sponsor the 2024 Winter Faculty Writing Retreat on campus, Tuesday, February 20.
Faculty scholarship is critical to the academic excellence of Canisius, and time for scholarship has been far too lean in the past four years. With this opportunity, we hope to provide the gift of time and recognize the importance of scholarship at the university.
Breakfast, lunch and childcare will be provided. Participants will be invited to work at Loyola Hall and enjoy a number of spaces for individual work and/or group work. We hope that the retreat gives a chance to further our scholarly and creative projects as well as get to know our colleagues a bit better.
Applications are due by Wednesday, February 14. Click here to apply.
Please direct any questions to Yvonne Widenor, assistant vice president of Academic Affairs at widenory@canisius.edu.
Submitted by: Mark Gallimore, Director, Center for Online Learning and Innovation
Three Canisius Professors (Dr. Richard D. Reitsma, Spanish; Dr. Secil Ertorer, Sociology, and Dr. Anita Butera, Criminal Justice) contributed to the forthcoming book Utopian Imaginings, Saving the Future in the Present, edited by Victoria W. Wolcott, from SUNY Bufflo.
Their essays focus on pedagogy and research praxis. The collection of essays on utopias and dystopias will be released in April.
Please plan to join Independent Health and Lawley as we offer a Stress Less Seminar on March 7 from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. in the Grupp Fireside Lounge.
Presentations will include mindfulness eating and progressive relaxation techniques along with information regarding mental health benefits that are currently part of our health insurance and employee assistance programs. Join your colleagues for this relaxing session and opportunity to engage with your peers.
Lunch will be provided! Please RSVP to hr@canisius.edu by March 4. Your mental health matters. We look forward to seeing you there!
Submitted by: Linda M. Walleshauser, SPHR-SHRM-CP, Associate Vice President for Human Resources & Compliance
Canisius hosts fellow Jesuit institution, St. Peter’s, at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 3 in the KAC, for National Girls and Women in Sports Day.
Oxford Pennant and Athletics will provide customizable banners for $30.
After the game, join Athletics in the Patrick Lee Gym for a sports clinic. Canisius teams will lead participants through sport-specific drills and experiences. Student-athletes and Petey will be available for autographs.
Call Mike Kochczynski at Ext. 8482 for any questions.
Submitted by: Mike Kochczynski, Assistant Athletic Director, Department of Athletics
Canisius Athletics will visit offices in the coming days to invite faculty and staff to decorate their doors for Griffin Spirit Week and the upcoming Rivalry Weekend.
We’ll have candy and surprise goodies as a reminder to decorate. We’ll select the best doors during the week of February 19 for chances to win prizes, merchandise, and tickets courtesy of Athletics.
Go Griffs!
Submitted by: Mike Kochczynski, Assistant Athletic Director, Department of Athletics
Calling all faculty and staff! Help Canisius University win the 12th annualGo Move Challenge by recording your minutes of intentional physical activity that gets the heart pumping to determine which Jesuit institution is the most active. Awards go to the university that tracks the most minutes, the university that averages the highest number of minutes per participant, and the university with the highest average number of minutes per region. Join us in our efforts for focus on our physical health and wellness!
Click the “LOG IN / REGISTER” button on the top menu bar
In the “REGISTER” box, enter your university email address and other required information, including your university
In the “Division/College” box, click on your division/college (ie School of Law, School of Ed, Student Life, Academic Affairs Office…) from the drop-down. If you don’t see your Division/College, choose “Other” and enter the name of yours
Click the “SUBMIT” button when finished
You will receive a confirmation email with your user email and password
Click the “LOG IN / REGISTER” button on the top menu bar
In the “LOG IN” box, enter your email address and password
In the “LOG MY WORKOUT” box, select the intensity of your workout and description and enter the number of minutes, and select a single date or date range for logging multiple days
Click the “LOG IT” button when finished
Users can delete minutes that were entered in error
CHALLENGE RULES AND TIPS
Challenge runs from February 1 – 29. Minutes will not be accepted after the challenge ends.
Get inspired and motivated by creating a team of up to 6 (including yourself) to compete against other teams at your university to see which one averages the most minutes!
Use the Go Move Challenge social media sites to share photos, and tag photos #GoMoveChallenge
Open the mobile-friendly challenge website from your phone’s browser to enter minutes on the go!
As part of our annual Go Move Challenge this year, the Human Resources Department will host its second annual Faculty/StaffCampus Polar Walk!
On Tuesday, February 20tat 11:00 a.m., starting in the Faculty Lounge in Old Main 109, take some time out of your busy day to warm up over some hot chocolate and healthy snacks before taking a refreshing, wintery walk with your colleagues across campus led by Michelle Carbery from Independent Health!
A Podcast is typically a digital audio only recording on a certain topic or series of topic. Podcasting can be a great alternative to essays or presentations while also teaching students about technology. And it is a relatively easy lift for both faculty and students.
At Canisius, there are several ways to get podcasting:
In either case, if faculty are not sure how to use the equipment or are unsure how to incorporate Podcasting into your pedagogy, please feel free to make an appointment with COLI Staff.
Microsoft Excel makes it a breeze to quickly sort data by row alphabetically, by date, by smallest to largest number, and more. This, in turn, allows you to quickly see various patterns when using your data. Take a look at the video above for a quick tutorial.
Join us for our weekly Sustainability update this semester, as we deliver the freshest news, initiatives, and inspiration from the world of sustainability on Canisius University Campus!
Submitted by: Genevieve Fontana, USA Sustainability President
Students from across the university joined Professors Jon Roth (Environmental Studies) and Jenn Lodi-Smith (Psychology) to explore the ecology of the Everglades and their own place in our global ecosystem this January as part of HON241/EVST300 – Ecology & Self.
Students learned more about themselves, the world around them, and how they can impact the environment for the benefit of nature and themselves. They will continue their learning throughout the semester in our local Buffalo-Niagara ecosystem. Look for their projects at Ignatian Scholarship Day!
Submitted by: Jennifer Lodi-Smith, Professor of Psychology and Jon Roth, Adjunct Professor of Environmental Studies
Chemistry alumnus Ben Swanson ’17 recently completed the dual DDS/PhD program in the School of Dentistry at the University of Michigan. He’s now bringing a ‘clinician-engineer’ vision of scientific discovery and new technologies to clinical care.
His story is featured in the latest edition of UM Dentistry News. Click here to read the article.
Submitted by: Phil Sheridan, professor and chair, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
We’re reliving the chill vibes from Wednesday’s Winter Club Fair and Carnival! 🤹🏼♂️❄️🎪 The annual event gives Canisius students an opportunity to connect with like-minded peers to explore their interests and ignite their passions. And who can resist the carnival-themed atmosphere that included games, popcorn, cotton candy and more.
On Thursday, January 25, Canisius President Steve Stoute announced that Canisius will invest $1 million over the next five years to fund innovative concepts and practices that have the potential to advance the university’s strategic agenda and achieve verifiable positive outcomes for students.
This opportunity is made possible by alumni and donors who responded in remarkable ways over the past year by investing in the President’s Innovation Fund. The fund enables donors to make unrestricted gifts to support initiatives with the greatest potential to move Canisius forward.
On Thursday, February 8 at 3:00 p.m. in the Science Hall Chester HON ’01 and Diane Stranczek Commons, President Stoute will host a Town Hall, at which time he will share additional information about the Innovation Fund and a new Innovation Fund grant opportunity, which will enable faculty and staff to submit proposals for funding.
As noted in the preamble to Answer the Call, Canisius’ Jesuit tradition is one of action in response to signs of the times.
“I am incredibly excited to see how our Canisius community will act, in collaboration, to unleash the power of innovation to foster academic excellence and student success,” said President Stoute in his campus announcement on Thursday. “I am beyond grateful to those donors who have committed to the Innovation Fund, because their investment has the power to propel Canisius forward in meaningful ways. I also want to thank, in advance, all those members of our Canisius community who will seize this opportunity to turn their passion for our university into the types of innovation that will transform Canisius and help us Answer the Call.”
Click here to add President Stoute’s Town Hall to your digital calendar.
Thank you to all the Canisius faculty, staff and students who attended this week’s open forums dedicated to reimagining Old Main as an innovative and engaging academic hub. The enthusiasm, feedback and ensuing dialogue will be a critical component as the vision of a transformed academic space takes shape.
Your active engagement is a critical component in the evolution of this project. We encourage you to share your insights further by completing the survey (linked below). Your input will play a crucial role as we continue to plan for the upcoming renovations set to commence in May.
Campus Ministry would like to invite faculty or staff to accompany students in a service-learning immersion experience to the U.S./Mexico Border this May.
This annual experience partners with the Kino Border Initiative and offers participants an opportunity to spend time with migrants and asylum seekers, learn from their stories, and understand the broader context of the border situation and migration.
The faculty/staff role would involve being a chaperone for the student group, driving a rental van in Arizona, and being a full participant in activities and reflections during the week. The group will fly from the Buffalo airport to Tucson, AZ on the morning of Saturday May 18, and return to Buffalo by evening on Friday May 24. The group will spend time on both the U.S. side and Mexico side of the border, so a valid passport is required for this experience. Any Spanish language skills are a benefit but not required.
Please reach out to Spencer Liechty, director of Campus Ministry, by February 20 to express interest or for any questions.
Submitted by: Spencer Liechty, Director of Campus Ministry
