Lois Sculco anticipates position change to support university mission

Mary Finger, President of Seton Hill University (SHU), has appointed Sr. Lois Sculco to the position of Executive Director to the President for Alumni Engagement and Mission. The position change will become effective in Jan. 2016.

Sculco is SHU alum of 1960, and currently serves the university as the Vice President for Mission and Identity and as the Vice President of Student Life. She has held a number of positions at the university including Assistant Dean of Women, a member of the English Department, Dean of Students and Mission Officer.

New responsibilities will include interaction with both alumni and the Institutional Advancement Office. Sr. Lois SculcoTheir efforts are intended to create and implement the university’s mission into alumni programs as a countrywide initiative.

“I look forward to working with the Department of Institutional Advancement to engage the alumni in new ways to deepen and expand our current efforts in integrating our Catholic Setonian Mission,” said Sculco.

Focus is being placed on making the Catholic Mission of SHU apparent in areas including welcoming, learning, serving and celebrating community. A task force has been composed of Sculco, Sr. Gertrude Foley, Chair of the Mission Committee of the Board of Trustees and Fran Leap, Chair of the Committee on Mission and Faculty.

The task force will examine the practices of other Catholic institutions and work to support the mission in terms of SHU students, faculty, staff and trustees in addition to the alumni.

Additionally, Sculco will speak on the university’s mission at various alumni events, plan retreats for alumni and provide mission orientation and service learning to the Alumni Association Board, according to an announcement by Finger.

“I do know many of our alumni and I know I will enjoy meeting with them at the alumni meetings hosted by our President, Mary Finger, who is indeed committed to our Mission and Identity,” said Sculco.

During the transition period Charmaine Strong, Dean of Students, will become a member of the President’s Council, effective April 1.

“For me personally, the major change is an organizational one – I will report directly to the President, Dr. Mary Finger rather than Sr. Lois. This is a major change – I have directly reported to Sr. Lois for 25 years! She hired me back in 1990 to serve as Dean of Students and I continue to be grateful to her for her mentorship and the opportunity to work and be a part of Seton Hill!” said Strong. “It has also been a gift for me to become better acquainted with our founding order, the Sisters of Charity, and I look forward to that continuing.”

Throughout this year Sculco will continue teaching, managing the Student Success area, acting as the university’s Affirmative Action Officer and supporting the LeFrak Holocaust Education Conference through the National Catholic Center for Holocaust Education.

“Please join me in celebrating this new appointment for Sr. Lois.  She represents in a powerful way the legacy of Elizabeth Ann Seton on our campus.  I look forward to her continuing leadership as a Christ-bearer,” said Finger in a message to students, faculty and staff.

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