We're always here for you!
E-mail any of our officers to learn how to get involved with Newman,
or for any other things you may need. If you'd like to meet with a particular officer, don't hesitate to contact
one of us. Additionally, the Newman Office in 203 HUB will be open during office hours.
(The Newman library has a bunch of great books!)
Hello Everyone!
My name is Courtney Yealy, your president for 2011-2012. I am so excited to
serve you all this year as a leader for this amazing club. I am a junior studying
Veterinary and Biomedical Science. Additionally, as a first-year Resident Assistant,
I am pumped to have the opportunity to meet so many new people! My interests include
singing, reading, kayaking, walking trails, making lists, Newman, THON, and going on adventures.
I am an animal lover at heart, so try not to be too surprised if I spontaneously "oooh" and "aww"
at a dog passing by on a walk. I hope to one day practice veterinary medicine in the real world,
but for now, Penn State is my home away from home. I love Newman and have found a second family
here. There is always someone to talk to, have lunch with, and enjoy the many events Penn State
has to offer. I hope to see you soon!
Hi! My name is Rob Gruchacz and I am the Vice President of Newman
for the 2011-2012 school year. I am a Senior majoring in Secondary Education-History.
My hometown is Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Conshohocken is a suburban town, about 15
miles outside of Center City Philadelphia. My hobbies include; playing/watching sports,
listening to music, watching movies/television, and hanging out with friends and family.
Getting involved in Newman has been the best decision that I have ever made in my entire life.
I have made lifelong friends, have grown in my faith, and have had tons of fun! Newman is a very
tight-knit club and has been a second family for me. The people in Newman are very nice, caring,
loving, and accepting of everyone. My advice is to get involved in the many different things within
Newman. Newman has IM Sports Teams, Bible Studies, Acquire The Fire Groups, and Social Events.
By being involved you will get to meet more people in the club and develop strong friendships. I hope
this information has been helpful and I hope to see you at the Frizzel Room in the Spiritual Center at 7:15 pm on Monday.
Hi everyone! My name is Josh Dicker, and I am blessed to serve as your treasurer this year.
My hometown is Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and I am a senior majoring in history and minoring in German.
Some of my interests include spending time with family and friends, enjoying the outdoors, reading, praying,
and supporting Penn State and Philadelphia athletic teams. Two things that I absolutely love in life are being
Catholic and being a Penn State student. By being an active part of Penn State Newman, I am able to combine
these two great loves into one action-packed, fun-filled, soul-uplifting adventure! Newman is truly a great
opportunity that no Catholic student at Penn State should miss out on. It provides the opportunity to grow in
your Catholic faith while having fun and making lifelong friendships at the same time. I encourage you to come
to meetings on Mondays at 7:15pm and to take part in the numerous religious, social, and service events that Newman offers. God bless!
Hello, hello! My name is Nicole Irizarry and I am blessed to be your Secretary
for the 2011-2012 school year. Newman is one of many fantastic clubs at Penn State, so get involved!
Especially in anything related to community service or THON! Newman is a major passion of mine;
I have previously served as the fundraising and THON chairs for Newman. You may also see me serving
as a Eucharistic Minister or Lector at masses. I am a senior majoring in Veterinary and Biomedical
Sciences, working on minors in Spanish and Biology, and completing a thesis in Kinesiology. My non-church
or academic hobbies include music, especially the violin, running, preferably the marathon variety,
and working with animals, mostly cows of the dairy variety. I am currently applying to veterinary school,
and I hope to eventually be a large or mixed animal vet that works with plenty of dairy farmers and their
fantastic cattle. I look forward to seeing you all at Newman events this year!
Hello, friends! My name is Stephen Vlassis and I am very excited to serve as your
social chair for the 2011-2012 school year! I am a rising sophomore majoring in Biological
and Nutritional sciences, born and raised in the booming metropolis of Lancaster PA. Aside
from horse and buggy spotting, I attended catholic school for 12 years, during which my faith
took root. After spending so many years in such a small, close knit environment, it was overwhelming
to set foot on Penn State's massive campus. Newman was truly my saving grace, providing me with great
friends, fun times and a solid grounding for my faith.
Other than spending my Monday nights with some awesome Newman folks, much of my time has been spent
performing in front of 100,000 crazy PSU fans as a member of the Blue Band Drumline. I also have a
love for fitness and nutrition, so if you ever need a work out buddy, let me know! Whether you're
new to PSU or are ready to graduate, I encourage you to join us on Mondays at 7:15 for an evening
filled with fun and fellowship!
Niech Bendzie Pochwalony Jezus Chrystus!! My name is Dawid Lukasz Ogar
but since my name is very hard to pronounce, you can just call me Dave. =D
I hail from a far away land in Eastern Europe from the Great Country of Poland.
I have lived in the United States for 12 years now, and I call Easton, PA (home of Larry Holmes
and the Crayola Crayons) my home away from home. I am Polish By Birth and American By Choice!!
Polish Pride runs deep through my veins! I am blessed and honored to be your Religious Education
Chair for the 2011-2012 Academic Year. I am a 5th year (Super Senior) majoring in Health Policy and Administration.
Apart from Being Polish, which is totally awesome, the thing I love the most is being a Catholic!
I love Jesus, His Immaculate Mother Mary and our Catholic Faith. You will always find me unequivocally
defending the Holy Mother Church. My interest include praying, adoration, going to daily mass, reading,
listening to music, speaking Polish, Pro-Life issues, Catholic Apologetics, THON, hanging out with friends
and meeting new people.
Newman offers best of everything- a place where you can fellowship and meet new people, have fun and most
importantly a place where you can get closer to God. No matter where you are in your spiritual life, Newman
is place for you, a place that you can call home. I have met so many amazing and wonderful people at Penn State;
many if not most of came from Newman and the Catholic Campus Ministry. I am happy to say that I will begin my
Application Process for Saint Charles Seminary this fall, and God willing I will begin my formation for the
Priesthood after graduation. I would appreciate your prayers and be assured of my prayers. I am looking forward
to meeting you and getting to know you this year.
Hi! I'm Tom, and I'd like to welcome you to the Newman website! As your publicity chair,
its my job to make sure you feel welcome at Newman and that the club is serving your needs, so
please feel free to talk to me about questions, comments, concerns, or suggestions you might have
(I'm sure this goes for any board member, but it's part of my job :P). When not talking up Newman,
I enjoy reading, biking, listening to music, and learning new things; on campus I'm involved in
Students for Life, a special living option called the GLOBE, and Leadership Jumpstart, to name a few.
As far as majors go, at the moment I'm writing this I'm undecided, but that'll change some point
this year (to what, though, I'm not even remotely sure), but I have interests in just about everything.
But you're not going to get to know me very well by reading my bio, come say hi! :D
Hi everyone! My name is Kristen DeAngelis. I am a sophomore studying
Biobehavioral Health. I was born and raised in Lancaster, PA. There, I attended
Lancaster Catholic High School, where I learned a great deal about our faith.
I attended Catholic school from kindergarten until 12th grade, and I continue to deepen my
faith through Newman. Some things I love are: God, Newman, hanging out with family and friends,
playing or watching any sports, and chocolate. I enjoy going to see any live performances, laughing,
and living life to the fullest. Newman is the most accepting and loving club I have been.
There are so many wonderful people who share a same passion: Christ. I love meeting new people
so I hope you come and check out Newman!
Hey guys! My name is Amy, and I'm very excited to serve as your web coordinator this year.
A little about me~~I'm a native Pennsylvanian from Dauphin (by Harrisburg), and I'm a senior
in Engineering Science with a focus on Materials Science. I used to collect rocks as kid and
I'm still fascinated by crystals. I have tons of other hobbies too, some of which are running,
electric guitar, and philosophical conversations. To describe me in a nutshell, I'm an adventurer and an experimenter, and I LOVE being outdoors!
My dream job is to be first officer on a Starfleet Federation Starship. (Yes, I'm a nerd, & proud of it).
I love Jesus and have really enjoyed being part of Newman, it's an amazing place to grow in faith and friendship.
I hope to see your smiling faces around this fall, and if you ever want someone to go exploring with, let me know! :-)
My name's Frank Desiderio. I'm an American from West Chester, PA, a small town west of Philadelphia.
Thanks to my parents, I became a nature lover as I grew up, loving to be outside. Eventually, I decided
to go to college to pursue a career in saving our planet's dying ecosystems and closely working with the
outdoors. So I came to Penn State for the Environmental Resource Management Major, and much more has happened
here than I expected.
I was raised Catholic, went to Catholic school up to this point, and have come to love God and others through
this religion. When I came to Penn State, I gradually became involved in the Catholic Campus Ministry,
to the point where, in my sophomore year, I have been blessed with the position of Music Coordinator in
the Newman Club. Music's an integral part of my life, and I've been a guitar player for quite some time now.
Although I may be lacking in natural talent, I hope to make up for it in the joy and peace I
can bring everyone with some holy music.
Talk to me anytime; I'd be happy to meet you.
Hello there! I'm Cait Bonsmann, most people call me Cait Bons though :)
I'm a Junior majoring in English with a minor in History. I plan to get my masters in
Education because I love kids (THON, much?), but one of my other loves is Newman! I'm passionate
about THON and I love Newman, so my position as THON co-chair is a perfect marriage between two of
my favorite things at Penn State!! I also love football, whether it's the Nittany Lions or the Steelers,
(or I'll admit, even the Eagles!) I live for football season.
I'm really looking forward to helping Newman grow as an organization involved in THON this
upcoming year. THON to me is the most wonderful, beautiful, amazing event I have ever been a
part of. If there is one reason God intended me to go to Penn State, which there are many, it
was to become involved in THON. I hope to raise even more money For The Kids this year than in
past years and get as many people involved as I can with Newman THON. Please, please, if you
have any questions about THON or how to get more involved in it or just Newman itself, do not
hesitate to ask me! I'm a very friendly person, so feel free to find me at one of the Newman
meetings or to send me an email!
Hello Newmanites! My name is Chris Backer, and I am this year's IM Sports & THON
Coordinators! I am a Junior studying Enterprise Risk Management, and I hail from just
outside the city of Philadelphia. I enjoy both playing and watching sports, and I have
a lot of favorite teams (besides hometown greats like the Phillies, Flyers, Eagles, and
Union, I also like the St. Louis Cardinals, New Orleans Saints, and Montreal Canadiens,
among others). In addition, I enjoy playing music and am a proud member of the Penn State
Blue Band (look for me in the pregame and halftime shows!) I hope to get to know each of you,
and it's my goal to not only bring an Intramural League Championship to the club, but to also
raise A LOT of money for our organization and FOR THE KIDS! God Bless!
Hello, friends! My name is Stephen Vlassis and I am very excited to serve as your social chair for the 2011-2012 school year! I am a rising sophomore majoring in Biological and Nutritional sciences, born and raised in the booming metropolis of Lancaster PA. Aside from horse and buggy spotting, I attended catholic school for 12 years, during which my faith took root. After spending so many years in such a small, close knit environment, it was overwhelming to set foot on Penn State's massive campus. Newman was truly my saving grace, providing me with great friends, fun times and a solid grounding for my faith.
Other than spending my Monday nights with some awesome Newman folks, much of my time has been spent performing in front of 100,000 crazy PSU fans as a member of the Blue Band Drumline. I also have a love for fitness and nutrition, so if you ever need a work out buddy, let me know! Whether you're new to PSU or are ready to graduate, I encourage you to join us on Mondays at 7:15 for an evening filled with fun and fellowship!
Niech Bendzie Pochwalony Jezus Chrystus!! My name is Dawid Lukasz Ogar but since my name is very hard to pronounce, you can just call me Dave. =D I hail from a far away land in Eastern Europe from the Great Country of Poland. I have lived in the United States for 12 years now, and I call Easton, PA (home of Larry Holmes and the Crayola Crayons) my home away from home. I am Polish By Birth and American By Choice!! Polish Pride runs deep through my veins! I am blessed and honored to be your Religious Education Chair for the 2011-2012 Academic Year. I am a 5th year (Super Senior) majoring in Health Policy and Administration.
Apart from Being Polish, which is totally awesome, the thing I love the most is being a Catholic! I love Jesus, His Immaculate Mother Mary and our Catholic Faith. You will always find me unequivocally defending the Holy Mother Church. My interest include praying, adoration, going to daily mass, reading, listening to music, speaking Polish, Pro-Life issues, Catholic Apologetics, THON, hanging out with friends and meeting new people.
Newman offers best of everything- a place where you can fellowship and meet new people, have fun and most importantly a place where you can get closer to God. No matter where you are in your spiritual life, Newman is place for you, a place that you can call home. I have met so many amazing and wonderful people at Penn State; many if not most of came from Newman and the Catholic Campus Ministry. I am happy to say that I will begin my Application Process for Saint Charles Seminary this fall, and God willing I will begin my formation for the Priesthood after graduation. I would appreciate your prayers and be assured of my prayers. I am looking forward to meeting you and getting to know you this year.
Hi! I'm Tom, and I'd like to welcome you to the Newman website! As your publicity chair, its my job to make sure you feel welcome at Newman and that the club is serving your needs, so please feel free to talk to me about questions, comments, concerns, or suggestions you might have (I'm sure this goes for any board member, but it's part of my job :P). When not talking up Newman, I enjoy reading, biking, listening to music, and learning new things; on campus I'm involved in Students for Life, a special living option called the GLOBE, and Leadership Jumpstart, to name a few. As far as majors go, at the moment I'm writing this I'm undecided, but that'll change some point this year (to what, though, I'm not even remotely sure), but I have interests in just about everything. But you're not going to get to know me very well by reading my bio, come say hi! :D
Hi everyone! My name is Kristen DeAngelis. I am a sophomore studying Biobehavioral Health. I was born and raised in Lancaster, PA. There, I attended Lancaster Catholic High School, where I learned a great deal about our faith. I attended Catholic school from kindergarten until 12th grade, and I continue to deepen my faith through Newman. Some things I love are: God, Newman, hanging out with family and friends, playing or watching any sports, and chocolate. I enjoy going to see any live performances, laughing, and living life to the fullest. Newman is the most accepting and loving club I have been. There are so many wonderful people who share a same passion: Christ. I love meeting new people so I hope you come and check out Newman!
Hey guys! My name is Amy, and I'm very excited to serve as your web coordinator this year. A little about me~~I'm a native Pennsylvanian from Dauphin (by Harrisburg), and I'm a senior in Engineering Science with a focus on Materials Science. I used to collect rocks as kid and I'm still fascinated by crystals. I have tons of other hobbies too, some of which are running, electric guitar, and philosophical conversations. To describe me in a nutshell, I'm an adventurer and an experimenter, and I LOVE being outdoors! My dream job is to be first officer on a Starfleet Federation Starship. (Yes, I'm a nerd, & proud of it). I love Jesus and have really enjoyed being part of Newman, it's an amazing place to grow in faith and friendship. I hope to see your smiling faces around this fall, and if you ever want someone to go exploring with, let me know! :-)
My name's Frank Desiderio. I'm an American from West Chester, PA, a small town west of Philadelphia. Thanks to my parents, I became a nature lover as I grew up, loving to be outside. Eventually, I decided to go to college to pursue a career in saving our planet's dying ecosystems and closely working with the outdoors. So I came to Penn State for the Environmental Resource Management Major, and much more has happened here than I expected.
I was raised Catholic, went to Catholic school up to this point, and have come to love God and others through this religion. When I came to Penn State, I gradually became involved in the Catholic Campus Ministry, to the point where, in my sophomore year, I have been blessed with the position of Music Coordinator in the Newman Club. Music's an integral part of my life, and I've been a guitar player for quite some time now. Although I may be lacking in natural talent, I hope to make up for it in the joy and peace I can bring everyone with some holy music.
Talk to me anytime; I'd be happy to meet you.
Hello there! I'm Cait Bonsmann, most people call me Cait Bons though :) I'm a Junior majoring in English with a minor in History. I plan to get my masters in Education because I love kids (THON, much?), but one of my other loves is Newman! I'm passionate about THON and I love Newman, so my position as THON co-chair is a perfect marriage between two of my favorite things at Penn State!! I also love football, whether it's the Nittany Lions or the Steelers, (or I'll admit, even the Eagles!) I live for football season.
I'm really looking forward to helping Newman grow as an organization involved in THON this upcoming year. THON to me is the most wonderful, beautiful, amazing event I have ever been a part of. If there is one reason God intended me to go to Penn State, which there are many, it was to become involved in THON. I hope to raise even more money For The Kids this year than in past years and get as many people involved as I can with Newman THON. Please, please, if you have any questions about THON or how to get more involved in it or just Newman itself, do not hesitate to ask me! I'm a very friendly person, so feel free to find me at one of the Newman meetings or to send me an email!
Hello Newmanites! My name is Chris Backer, and I am this year's IM Sports & THON Coordinators! I am a Junior studying Enterprise Risk Management, and I hail from just outside the city of Philadelphia. I enjoy both playing and watching sports, and I have a lot of favorite teams (besides hometown greats like the Phillies, Flyers, Eagles, and Union, I also like the St. Louis Cardinals, New Orleans Saints, and Montreal Canadiens, among others). In addition, I enjoy playing music and am a proud member of the Penn State Blue Band (look for me in the pregame and halftime shows!) I hope to get to know each of you, and it's my goal to not only bring an Intramural League Championship to the club, but to also raise A LOT of money for our organization and FOR THE KIDS! God Bless!