Alumni thank our faculty and staff during our Thanksgiving week
Welcome back from your Thanksgiving holiday! We hope that you made some special memories with family and friends. Last week on Facebook, we asked our Saint Leo University alumni to tell us about the Saint Leo faculty and staff members who are on their gratitude list. The positive impact that our faculty, staff, and administration has had on the respondents has been amazing to say the least. We collected their comments here to inspire you to continue to have the same dedication and support for our current and future Lions.
“You would have to been at Saint Leo in the 60s but Dr. Keller was my favorite! He was a wonderful man and very caring. Served as my Dad while I was there. Great teacher and great man!” – Marion Giannini Dailey ’68
“I am so thankful for the doors and opportunities that have opened up for me because of my time and education from Saint Leo University. I would not be where I am at today without the support and encouragement I received from my professors and classmates! Thank you for making such a difference in my life!” – Laura Chirichigno ’10 ’12
“I graduated in 2013 and I’m grateful for Dr. Helen Oderinde, Dr. Bruce Wertheimer, Dr. Marino, Dr. Marco Rimanelli, Dr. Mackenzie, Dr. Richard Bryan, Dr. Cronin, Dr. Cindy Selph and the professor from that Film class (Dr. Fitz, such late night classes but was super fun!) for being the most amazing professors of all time!! I’m also grateful for Dr. Patrick Draves who passed away, I’ve never had a class with him but he was an excellent professor too! For classmates, I’m grateful for Colin Roopchand who made my life so much fun and ‘practically perfect in every way'” – Kritti Yamada Batsam ’13
“I am so thankful for the doors and opportunities that have opened up for me because of my time and education from Saint Leo University. I would not be where I am at today without the support and encouragement I receive” – Dan Sullivan ’89
“Back in 1976 when I first arrived on campus as a transfer student, Sr. Mary Clare Neuhofer was director of residential life and made sure I was able to quickly assimilate into the sophomore class. This year at Homecoming, I reconnected with her as the now President of the Alumni Association and thank her for all she did for me. Life really does come full circle!” – Ann Marie Lombardi ’77
“Graduated 2016. I want to thank all the staff in the Biology Department. Dr. Sorentino, Dr. Bell, Professor Wilder, Professor Williams, Dr. Clauson , Ellis, Miller and more. Everyone in Lewis Hall is amazing. There are more professors out of Biology but names are escaping me.. forgive.” – Emily Sheputis ’16
“Forever grateful for the great minds of Hudson Reynolds and Marco Rimanelli. They both ignited a passion of the political arts that continues to this day. Fr. Michael Cooper I will never be able to repay the gifts you have given me over the years. You inspire me to be a better human more then you’ll know. THANK YOU.” – Keith Middlemark ’04
“A special thank you to Dr. Calista Koval. She always had the time to speak with me and gave myself the encouragement needed to go beyond expectations. I had a high respect for her and her teaching methods. Happy Thanksgiving!” – Melissa Hendrick ’02
“I couldn’t have gotten through any of my stats classes without Dr. Hale. I know he was probably as fed up with me as I was with stats, but he never showed it. Even though I had them at USF for my undergrad and not at Leo, Barry Glover (RIP) and Lenny Territo both helped to shape the Criminal Justice department at Saint Leo. I also would be remiss if I didn’t give a huge thank you to my two favorite presidents at Saint Leo, M Daniel Henry (RIP) and Arthur Kirk – these two men did more for Saint Leo than there are words for!” – Kristen Cabot Brady ’08
“Back in 2007 I met a wonderful women Dr. Jane Govini. She has inspired me to continue my degree and become Dr.Woodward. Her continued support and faith in me has endured 13 years past graduation and now has become family. I’m so thankful for her and all her love and support over the years.” – Jill Woodward ’07
“I graduated in 2016 and I’m thankful for all of the professors I had. I majored in Theology, and I’m now a full-time Youth Minister at a Catholic church in Georgia. I’m thankful I got to meet Dr. Astolfi, may he rest in peace. Thankful that I got to experience his support for me and my dreams. Most of all, I’m thankful because I received two amazing God parents when I went through RCIA at Saint Leo. My God parents are Dr. Thomas Humphries and, his wife, Christine Humphries! They greatly impacted my life and my Saint Leo experience! To this day, they are still a resource of knowledge and support for me. That is not a common experience for someone who goes through RCIA. Because of them, I will never regret going to Saint Leo University!” – Ashes Athanasia ’16
“My entire Saint Leo career would not have been possible if it were not for the belief in me that the following people had: Kristina Deakins, Ed Dadez, Arthur Kirk, Ana Di Donato, Mary Cannon Cabot, the ever amazing Paul McCuistion, the best people ever… Mylia Battista and her husband, and I would be ABSOLUTELY NO WHERE without my incredible, amazing, great-hearted Florida dad himself…. Mr. Kenneth Posner! They took a chance on me, kept me on the up and up even when it was tough. They believed in my potential the entire time. I’m scared to think about where I would’ve been without them ALL in my life! Saint Leo is family, builds a bigger family than you ever could ask for, and I will forever be indebted to Saint Leo for the indescribable people that it brought into my family circle.” – Madison Johnson ’11
“Chuck Fisk, for enlightening me in Macro & Micro Economics!! Andrew Heckenberger remember finding photo of Paul Volker, FED Chairman and placing it on his door?? Ernie Williams, Philosophy, for being a righteously cool dude w/out even trying… Book of I Ching James Horgan for opening my mind to every single way you could call the Civil War. Father Kelly for hunting me down in campus to do the readings every Sunday at Mass ❤️ 1987 Alumni” – Kathy Greene ’87
“So many people to mention- Dr. Fleming (I should have listened to him), Dr. Keller (great science classes), Norm Kaye, the man that kept us on the straight and narrow, Peg Hertz, the only woman in the PE Department (wonderful person). Saint Leo was small back then. Everyone knew everyone. I’m thankful for my four years and the friends I made.” – Mary Cannon Cabot ’71
“My Saint Leo gratitude list is long. Among the many Saint Leo faculty members and staff who enriched my life were: Fr. Henry J. Koren; Dr. James Erpenbeck; Fr. Mark Toon; Professor Harry Gill; Dr. James J. Horgan; Dr. Pablo Lopez; Fr. Marion Bowman; Dr. Anthony Zaitz; Mr. Norman Kaye; Dr. Robert H. Peterson; Mr. Allan J. Powers; Fr. Dennis Murphy; Dr. Robert Stith; Dr. M.L. Howe; Sr. Dorothy Neuhofer; Dr. Thomas Southard; Fr. Damian DuQuesnay; Mr. Ray Fleek; Msgr. Bernard Gingras; Dr. John Kolfenbach; Colonel Marvin A. Kreidberg; Colonel Edward F. McCabe; Mr. Miguel Zepeda; Mr. Peter Sarosiak; Dr. Edward L. Flemming; Mr. Joseph Geiger; Dr. James Woodard; many wonderful classmates; and countless others.” – Francis Cornelius Kiley ’72
“Dr Kirk!” – Erik Shafer ’03
“A shout-out to Mr. Elliott Seagraves at the South Hampton Roads campus. Mr. Seagraves guided me towards the completion of my bachelor’s degree while I was an duty Marine. He, along with the entire staff, were always happy to assist me with any questions I had. I am appreciative of all they did for me.” – Gary Gustafson ’07
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