John Carroll University Alumni Magazine 1

JCU SPORTS REPORTDuring a jam-packed spring sports season, not only did John Carroll’s athleticteams adjust to adversity, they thrived. The men’s soccer program claimed its thirdconsecutive OAC Regular Season and Tournament title, taking down Marietta 1-0in the conference championship game in April. That win was the cherry on top of aperfect, 10-0 campaign that left the Blue Streaks ranked number one in the nationin the United Soccer Coaches Division III Top 20 national poll. Following the season,head coach Hector Marinaro announced his retirement after 15 seasons at the helm.Marinaro’s longtime assistant, Dejan Mladenovic ’06, was named the new headcoach in June.The Blue Streaks saw more success in outdoor track and field this spring, as themen’s and women’s team both finished second at the OAC Championship Meet.Both squads finished the season ranked in the top 20 nationally as well. Meanwhile,men’s and women’s lacrosse earned a sweep of the OAC Tournament Championships,with the women also earning their first regular season conference title and NCAATournament berth and win. After a memorable spring of competition, our studentathletes are excited to get back to a more traditional athletic schedule this fall.John Carroll University's Senior Director of Athletics, Michelle Morgan, has beenelected as the next chair of the NCAA Division III Management Council. Morgan willbegin her tenure after the close of this January's Division III Convention businesssession, finishing her current role as Vice Chair.The Management Council reports directly to the NCAA Presidents Council and isresponsible for the implementation of policies adopted by the Association's Board ofGovernors and Division III Presidents Council. The Management Council may sponsorlegislative proposals; make interpretations of Division III's bylaws; and may alsohandle resolution of Division III issues and recommendations from other committeesand working groups throughout the Division's substructure.LOS ANGELESCHARGERS HEADCOACH RETURNSTO JOHN CARROLLJoined by his wife, Amy ’14G, and threechildren, new Los Angeles ChargersHead Coach Brandon Staley returnedto campus as part of a documentaryfilmed and produced by the team thatexplores the young coach’s journey.Just five years after finishing a threeyear stint as the Defensive Coordinatorfor John Carroll Football, Staley hasbecome a household name in LosAngeles and one of the youngesthead coaches in the National FootballLeague. During his visit, Staleydetailed the long-lasting impact thatJohn Carroll and the Jesuit missioncontinues to have on his life. Staleyis one of over 30 Blue Streaks whohave made their mark in the NFLin recent years, including ChargersGeneral Manager Tom Telesco’95 and Coordinator of FootballCommunications Danny Markino ’18.LONDON TO CANTONThe Blue Streak community can support John Carroll legend and NFL greatLondon Fletcher ’97 in his candidacy for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Follow @LondonToCanton on Twitter and Instagram to learn about Fletcher’s impact on thefield and in his community, as well as how fans can vote to help him join the lateDon Shula ’51 as JCU’s second alumnus enshrined in Canton.REUNION 2021 DELIVERS FIREWORKSA marvelous fireworks show capped off an unprecedented reunion for JCU alumni from the classyears ending in 0, 1, 5, and 6. In total, the University welcomed back close to 1,000 guests for afully outdoor event that was planned throughout the 2020 pandemic. For perspective, the Stateof Ohio mask requirement and many other health guidelines were lifted just days before thereunion program on June 12. A credit to thoughtful planning and collaboration by its community,JCU became the first and only Jesuit university in the country to host an in-person alumnigathering since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.SAVE THE DATE! Reunion 2022 will take place on the weekend of June 11 and celebrate class years ending in 2 and 7.John Carroll UniversityAlumni Magazine 9

10 ONWARD Fall 2021

RememberingPETER BERNARDOPete Bernardo ’67, ’72G, ’17G, a lifelong servant and ambassador for hiscountry, community, and alma mater, died on May 14, 2021 at the ageof 75. Pete is survived by his wife, JoAnne, and three sons.Following a distinguished 20-year career in the military, Bernardo servedin a variety of roles at JCU including Director of Alumni Relations (19881997), Director of Advancement Services (1998-2000), and Director ofPlanned Giving (2001-2007). Most recently, he was the Senior Directorof Philanthropic Relations. Outside his job titles, Bernardo seemingly didit all for JCU during his almost 60-year relationship with the University,from serving as transportation coordinator for Freshman Move-In Dayand running the chain crew at John Carroll football games for decades, tomentoring ROTC cadets and supporting community initiatives. Bernardoalso served on the University Heights City Council and planned the annualMemorial Day Parade and picnic for more than 30 years. He even stoodin for Santa Claus at John Carroll’s annual “Breakfast with Santa” alumnievent. For this, and much more, he was awarded the 2016 Alumni Medal, thehighest honor bestowed on a graduate by the JCU Alumni Association.Serving selflessly was not something Bernardo did exclusively for the JohnCarroll and the University Heights communities — he did so for his countryas well. A decorated Vietnam War veteran, Bernardo was the recipientof the Distinguished Service Cross and three Purple Hearts for his heroicefforts in the line of duty for the U.S. Army.At JCU, Bernardo’s legacy will be felt for generations. He helped raise 100million in gifts for JCU’s most recent campaign, Forever Carroll, and 90million in gifts for the previous campaign, The Greater Good. He created andmanaged JCU’s planned giving program, the Magis Legacy Society, whichcurrently has 367 donors and more than 73 million under stewardship.To honor Pete's legacy, the University established the Lt. Col. Peter Bernardo '67, '72G, '17GV3 Veterans Fund, which helps lighten the financial burdens faced by many veterans and theirfamilies. The name “V3” was one of Pete's mantras, and represents Veterans helping Veterans,helping Veterans. To learn more, contact giving@jcu.edu.John Carroll UniversityAlumni Magazine 11

With JCU's Tom Frazier and Tracy MastersonBy Jo SteigerwaldDr. Tom Frazier ‘97, professor of Psychology, and TracyINSPIREDFUTURESTHREE STOPS ONTHE ROAD AHEADMasterson ‘97, associate professor of Psychology, firstmet over the beakers and Bunsen burners of a freshmanchemistry lab class at John Carroll University. Both werepremed students, and while they followed different paths— Frazier was the director of Cleveland Clinic’s Center forAutism and the Chief Scientific Officer at Autism Speaks;“The majority of children and nearly all adults with autismhave limited — often no — access to this expertise andsupport,” says Frazier.Masterson is a clinical psychologist and chair of the nationalJohn Carroll is changing this devastating equation. ClevelandMilestones Autism Conference — they both returned to Johnis one of the top 10 cities for people with autism, and theCarroll as globally ranked academic professionals committeduniversity has a rich history of connection to local school-to serving individuals with autism.based intervention programs, summer camp programs, and“John Carroll is a great place to work and develop in theworld,” says Frazier. “That’s why people are drawn here.”Right now, John Carroll is at the center of an opportunity,attracting more students who are interested in a rapidlygrowing professional field serving people with some formof autism or neurological disorder. According the Bureauof Labor Statistics, the expected job growth for autismand behavior specialists is 19%, significantly faster thanthe average growth across all professions. Professionalcertification in Applied Behavior Analysis opens doors tothe two major autism centers for diagnosis and treatmentat Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals.Since 2008, Masterson has offered an in-demand electiveclass in autism for undergraduate students; it is always filledand often has a waiting list. The learning experience extendsoutside the classroom, with rigorous internship placements atclinical and educational locations that include Building BlocksTherapy, the Julie Billiart School, the Monarch Center forAutism, and the Cleveland Clinic Center for Autism,among others.jobs not only in therapeutic settings, but also in fields suchIn collaboration with these internship partners, the JCU’sas human resources and special education.Psychology Department provides students the opportunity toAccording to Frazier, autism and other relatedneurodevelopmental conditions appear in about 10% ofchildren, and many of these conditions follow the child intoadulthood. That means about 6 million people in the U.S.have autism. However, there are currently fewer than 40,000certified autism and behavior specialists.become a Registered Behavioral Technician, a paraprofessionalcertification in behavior analysis. Because of the consistentlyhigh-caliber of John Carroll students, internship partners offer40 hours of clinical training and supervision with no coststo students or to the university. Certification exam fees arealso covered.The majority of children and nearly all adults with autism havelimited—often no—access to this expertise and support12 ONWARD Fall 2021

“JCU students are a natural fit for this,” says Masterson. “Theyare unbelievably beautiful, service-minded, and truly want tohelp people. Our partners who offer robust supervised hoursfree through John Carroll’s program really indicate what ourstudents bring to the table. The program is mutually beneficialfor the sites and the students.”Dr. Frazier’s arrival at John Carroll in January 2020 hasWe see the need for autismresearch growing. we arenow positioned to build astrong supply to meet thisincreasing demand.expanded this program’s opportunities exponentially. Aninternationally renowned autism researcher and scholar,Dr. Frazier has published numerous peer-reviewed articles,received more than 4.4 million dollars for twelve nationallyonly requires attention to the screen; no physical orfunded research projects, and regularly appears on nationalverbal responses are needed. Using this data, a clinicianmedia outlets that include NBC, CNN, ABC, Reuters, andcan see if someone is benefiting from their currentScientific American.treatment.Dr. Frazier also elevates John Carroll’s research status to aFrazier’s leadership and research skills, Masterson’shigher level, giving the university a stronger competitiveteaching and service components, and both of theiradvantage for larger, national grants.regional, national, and international connections in theautism field position John Carroll to advance to the nextlevel. The natural next step is to offer a Board-CertifiedBehavior Analyst (BCBA) certification program, amaster’s program that leads to professional licensure.6 million people inthe U.S. have autism.However, there arecurrently fewer than40,000 certifiedautism and behaviorspecialists.Currently, the State of Ohio has several scholarshipsreimbursing BCBA providers directly, and 47 statesnow mandate insurance coverage for Applied BehaviorAnalysis. A recent report by the Association ofProfessional Behavior Analysts shows that 31% of BCBAsearned annual salaries of 75,000 - 145,000.“We see the need for Applied Behavior Analyst servicesgrowing. We see the need for autism research growing,”notes Frazier. “At John Carroll, we are now positioned tobuild a strong supply to meet this increasing demand.”His current research, started in February 2021, uses ordinarywebcams to measure the effectiveness of autism treatmentsfrom a patient’s home. Phase I builds the measurement toolitself; Frazier and his team are pilot testing their approachwith several families.“When you have a child with significant developmentaldisabilities, it’s not attractive to travel or go to a clinic. Thesechildren are smart; they know that they will get poked andprodded, and that produces anxiety,” says Frazier.Testing in the comfort of a child’s home is not only lessstressful for the child and parents, but also gives moreaccurate data to the clinician. The webcam is a non-Testing in the comfortof a child’s home is notonly less stressful for thechild and parents, but alsogives more accurate datato the clinician.invasive way to measure thinking skills like vocabulary andprocessing speed, as well as tracking facial expressions.It collects data directly from the person with autism andJohn Carroll UniversityAlumni Magazine 13

WHY INTERNSHIPSMATTERMaram Omer and Jonathan GreavesTake Their Next StepsBy Jo SteigerwaldMoving to Ohio in the middle ofthe pandemic in 2020 — and in themiddle of her senior year of highschool — wasn’t easy for MaramOmer ’24. But it wasn’t the firsttransition she has had to make in herlife. When she was 12, Maram and herfamily fled rising violence in Yemen.After a year of waiting for their visasin Egypt, the Omer family — Maram,her mother and father, and threeyounger brothers and one sister —settled in New York City.Maram didn’t know English whenshe began her freshman year in highschool. But she graduated as classvaledictorian just four years later. Bythat time, her father had moved thefamily to Solon, Ohio, for better joband educational opportunities.“My parents have always supportedme and my desire for an education,”says Maram. “Attitudes in Yemenare different. There, women aren’texpected to finish school. ‘Whyshould she finish,’ they say. ‘She’ll justend up in the kitchen.’ But my parentstold me not to listen to that talk;my parents and I, we have the samedream: for me to be a doctor.”Always interested in sciences and oneof the top students in her classes,Maram intends to work in health careand is majoring in chemistry. While inEgypt, Maram grew close to one ofher aunts, who helped her study andexcel in school. At only 21 years old,Maram’s aunt passed away suddenlyfrom preeclampsia, a complicationof pregnancy.“My aunt got me where I am today,”states Maram. “I feel that pursuing ahealthcare career is a way to repaywhat she did for me.”Maram chose John Carroll becauseof its small class sizes and excellentstudent-to-faculty ratio, which allowsher to interact and connect on a morepersonal level. Because of her Muslimreligion and culture, she needed aschool she could commute to whileliving at home.Maram was one of 108 JohnHuntington Foundation Scholars atJohn Carroll last year; the FoundationThis internship opened up myworld. I am more confident inmyself and my abilities14 ONWARD Fall 2021provides financial assistance toacademically talented students fromNortheast Ohio, preparing them forthe world of work and service tothe community.To continue her success in school andthe workplace, Maram applied for aninternship with John Carroll’s Centerfor Student Diversity & Inclusion(CSDI) this past summer. “Because ofthe pandemic, my freshman year wasremote,” notes Maram. “This internshipopened up my world. I am moreconfident in myself and my abilities,and have learned so much about theresources at John Carroll.”Confidence, a soft skill that can changeover time, is a critical part of personaland professional success. When aperson feels confident, they performbetter, share their skills with others, andshow an increased work ethic.This fall, Maram will help withnew student orientation, work onbenchmarking statistics and dataanalysis for CSDI, and become a mentorfor an incoming student.“My internship has been wonderfulfor me, giving me confidence andknowledge. Now I am able to share thiswith others.”Maram is not the only JCU student topreserve and thrive during their time atJohn Carroll during a global pandemic.Jonathan Greaves ’22 is anotherHuntington Scholar, majoring incomputer science. He speaks quickly,his words tumbling out with enthusiasm.

My internship has beenwonderful for me, givingme confidence andknowledge. Now I am ableto share this with others.“Computers, technology, CGI, videogames,” he says. “All tell intricate,wonderful stories that engage theaudience. In computer science, you’realways learning. There’s always acompletely new system of datatransportation to discover.”His love of learning is matched onlyby his desire to make a difference.Jonathan sees the field of computerscience as meeting both, and two ofhis internships acquired through JohnCarroll have cemented this belief.On the recommendation of hiscomputer science professor, Dr. DanielPalmer, Jonathan applied for andreceived one of two spring semesterinternships offered annually to JohnCarroll juniors by the ClevelandClinic’s IT Department. Project topicschange yearly based on the real timeneeds at the Clinic; this past spring,Jonathan worked in data analytics.“It was a wonderfully exquisiteopportunity for data science majors,”says Jonathan. “It cemented my loveof computer science and showed mehow versatile it is. It opened my eyesto the number of possibilities that acomputer science degree offers.”While Jonathan had experience incomputer programming — he callssolving programming programs “mydopamine hit” — the Clinic internshipexpanded his knowledge of dataanalysis and the impact that systemscan have in the medical field. Whilehis internship ended this past June,the Clinic invited Jonathan to return inINSPIRED FUTURESthe spring ofhis senior year,to mentor andteach the next twoJohn Carroll junior year interns.He accepted, with excitement.Never one to stop moving, Jonathankept his internship momentum going.data analyst jobswill grow by a fasterthan-average 20% by2028. There is anincreasing need forbetter data researchacross a range ofindustries, andone of the highestdemands is in thehealthcare space.- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statisticsthis summer with an internship at RPMInternational, a multinational companythat produces specialty coatings,sealants, and building materials. Heused the Handshake platform availablethrough John Carroll’s Center forCareer Services to find this opportunity,searching specifically for moreexperience in data analytics.According to the U.S. Bureau of LaborStatistics, data analyst jobs will growby a faster-than-average 20% by2028. There is an increasing need forbetter data research across a rangeof industries, and one of the highestdemands is in the healthcare space.While Jonathan credits his parentsfor instilling a strong work ethicand academic discipline in him, hesays John Carroll helped him lay thefoundation for success. “Educationat John Carroll is more than theclassroom. It’s learning skills, settingup connections, and networking foropportunities.”For both Maram and Jonathan,scholarships provided by theUniversity through a grant from theJohn Huntington Fund for Education,combined with John Carroll’sinternships, have opened possibilitieswithin the university communityand beyond.John Carroll UniversityAlumni Magazine 15

ourWELCOMEINS PI R E D F U T U R ESHow Students like AyseMusaogullari Make JCU Home16 ONWARD Spring 2021

By Jo SteigerwaldWhen Ayse Musaogullari came to John Carroll two yearsago from Turkey, she felt lost and frightened, unsure ofher place in this new environment until she met the oneperson who would become one of her greatest sources ofsupport: her peer mentor from the MELT program.“Being able to connect with someone from the first day Iwas on campus gave me the confidence that I wasn’t goingthrough college alone,” says Musaogullari. “I had someoneto turn to if I needed help with anything.” She graduatedBoth MELTstudents andmentors go on tobe campus leadersand impact theliving and learningexperience of all of theirpeers across campus.in 2021, now works as a Post-Baccalaureate StudentResearcher at the Ohio State Ear and Eye Institute,and is applying to medical schools for Fall 2022.MELT, which stands for Match, Empower, Learn and Teach,is a peer-mentoring program of the Center for StudentDiversity & Inclusion (CSDI). Current Jo

John Carroll University Alumni Magazine 7 JCU RANKS HIGH IN ANNUAL BEST COLLEGES REPORT John Carroll University has earned the #2 spot in the 2021 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Rankings, among Best Regional Universities in the Midwest. John Carroll is the highest-ranked university from the state of Ohio, and the highest-ranked Jesuit