Transitions

This year, we celebrate the colleagues who are retiring, those receiving Emeritus status, the new members joining our UPJ family, and those stepping into new roles.

Faculty Retirements

This year we say a well-earned thank-you to five faculty colleagues stepping into retirement. In Mathematics, we bid farewell to Instructor Joseph Wilson; in English, to Professor Michael Cox; in Chemistry, to Associate Professor Elisabeth Bell-Loncella; in Psychology, to Professor Sharon Bertsch-Walstad; and in Engineering and Computer Science, to Professor Roelof DeVries. Their contributions to UPJ, and to the students whose lives they shaped, will be felt for years to come.

Emeritus Recognition

We are delighted to recognize seven colleagues who earned Emeritus status this year in honor of their distinguished UPJ careers: Joseph Wilson, Instructor in Mathematics; Michael Cox, Professor of English; Elisabeth Bell-Loncella, Associate Professor of Chemistry; Sharon Bertsch-Walstad, Professor of Psychology; Daniel Santoro, Associate Professor of Sociology; Kim Ziance, Laboratory Instructor in Biology; and Amy Miller, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering.

Staff Retirements

This year we also say a heartfelt thank-you to four staff colleagues who stepped into retirement after decades of dedicated service to UPJ. Their work — much of it behind the scenes — helped make this campus run, and made it a warmer place to learn, live, and work.

Karen Barrick

Karen Barrick retired after twenty years in Housing and Residence Life, where she was, by every account, one of the hardest workers on campus. In 2020 the University recognized her as a “Pitt Pandemic Hero” for going above and beyond during UPJ’s response to COVID-19. Over her career she played a critical role in not one but two housing-system migrations — from RMS to Mercury to StarRez — Herculean projects that left her able to recite the configuration of every residential room and the key code for every residence hall on campus from memory, without ever looking them up. She is now happily trading move-in days for time with her grandchildren; as her colleagues in Housing can attest, she marked this year’s busiest first-year arrival day by sending them a selfie from the beach.

Loretta Zerby

Loretta Zerby retired after twenty years of service in the Business Office, where she was a consummate professional who took her job and her service to the campus very seriously. Patient and kind, she worked tirelessly to provide useful guidance whenever faculty and staff came to the Business Office. She also had a remarkable gift for pivoting whenever the rules changed. As one coworker fondly remarked, however many times policies shifted, Loretta somehow kept up with every one of them, patiently reminded the rest of us what had changed, and never once made us feel foolish for forgetting. A valued co-worker who was always quick with a smile and a good friend to many across Pitt-Johnstown, she is sorely missed.

Mike Kemock

Mike Kemock retired this past February after thirty-eight years of service to the University. He was originally responsible for supporting electronics in the then–Engineering Technology Division, and his responsibilities grew over the years as technology spread across campus. A talented technician with a magnetic personality and a kind heart, Mike touched the lives of countless students and colleagues. The campus will miss him, and we wish him all the best in retirement.

Bob Rukavina

Head Men's Basketball Coach, Bob Rukavina, affectionately known as "Coach Ruk" by players, colleagues, and fans alike, retired after an impressive 37-year tenure at Pitt-Johnstown. Already a Hall of Fame inductee in 2023, Ruk amassed 537 wins and a .580 winning percentage, making him one of the most accomplished coaches at the NCAA Division II level. However, his success stretched far beyond the court, as his program boasted a 90%graduation rate, ensuring that his players would be successful in life in additional to basketball; but the bonds he formed with his former players, the characters that he helped mold in those young men, and the lives he transformed, stand as a testament to his true impact. Although he will no longer be on the sideline, his legacy on our campus will continue to live on for years to come.

Welcoming New Colleagues

We were glad to welcome several new colleagues into the UPJ family: Jay Miller joined the PPAC, Austin Golby came aboard in Housing and Dining, Michael Manganella and Travis Byers both joined Facilities, Matthew Murray joined Information Technology, Elaine Barry joined the Natural and Behavioral Sciences Department, Jennifer Phillips joined the Natural and Behavioral Sciences Department, Kelly Scarff joined the Humanities department, and Geeta Verma joined the Computer Science and Engineering Department.

New Roles

We also had the pleasure of congratulating two colleagues on new roles this year: Ashlee Kerekes stepped up from Student Accounts Specialist to Accounts Payable Manager, and Patrick Grubbs was promoted from Assistant to Head Men's Basketball Coach.