There’s a familiar face back on the Hilbert campus after a brief hiatus: Jeff Papia.
Papia, who returned this year as Hilbert’s Vice President of Mission Integration and Campus Ministry, took a position with D’Youville College in 2018, where he had a similar job as their Chief Mission Officer.
He said he is very happy to be back.
“It’s a Joy,” Papia said. “I’m seeing old friends and making new ones, and coming back to the Hilbert student community.”
Hilbert is an institution that is proud of its Franciscan heritage and values and seeks to do good, as the founder of the college Mother Collete Hilbert envisioned. At the heart of Hilbert the goal is to help make individuals who are empathetic and informed.
Papia had been a member of the Hilbert Community loved by many when he left for D’Youville. Eileen Stack, the Administrative Assistant to President Michael Brophy, works closely with Papia. She said she is very excited to have him back on campus.
“It’s an absolute pleasure because he is a genuine Franciscan person and lives his life as a Franciscan,” Stack said.
While some students may not be familiar with Papia, many on campus are familiar with his events. Agape Latte, a popular speaking series where students have an opportunity to get to know a side of professors and faculty on campus that they wouldn’t have learned about in a traditional class setting, is one of his hallmarks.
Papia said that while D’Youville was a school of faith that he was “grateful to be back at a Franciscan College” as his heart is with the identity of Hilbert.
Stack said Papia fits right in with the administrative team.
“I’m very fortunate as the people I support are those who help to make decisions based on the values they hold in the college,” she said.
While the entire world and Hilbert is currently going through what would be considered a new norm Papia’s office is not going to slow down, as he said he remains passionate for what he does and stands committed to his roll on campus despite challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic.
“No, nothing really has changed. The goal is to support our Franciscan heritage and students,” Papia said. “So how I do it may be different but the goal is the same.”
Last week, Hilbert College announced it’s moving to online class instruction after Friday, November 13 due to increased COVID-19 cases across Erie County. The move comes just a week before the original target date of transitioning to virtual learning, which was just before Thanksgiving.
Dr. Michael Brophy, the college’s president, said the decision to move earlier was a proactive one.
“This previous Sunday when the governor made it clear that Western New York was moving into what they call the yellow zone,” Brophy told HAWK Radio News on Thursday. “We just had to think about all the different logistics that would kick into gear if God forbid, the virus started moving quickly. And because Western New York is struggling right now with the virus, we thought it best to be able to send everyone home on Friday.”
The state’s yellow zone area includes Hamburg and much of Erie County. With that designation comes many new restrictions including limited dine-in seating at restaurants, gatherings are limited to 25 people or less, and certain businesses must close by 10pm.
Also included was a testing requirement for schools, mandating that they test at least 20 percent of students, faculty, and staff per week. While the requirement did not include private colleges like Hilbert, Brophy said the difficulty to meet that should the state mandate institutions like Hilbert to do so was also a factor in the early online transition.
“We determined through the governor’s office that we weren’t required to do that [testing],” he said. “But the fact is that if we needed to do testing, for better or worse, the local and federal governments just haven’t provided this infrastructure for lots of rapid testing for lots of people. So we realized that if we needed to test everyone, we were in a tough place. It wasn’t just financial, it was really just logistical with the tests to be there.”
When the coronavirus pandemic first hit the United States in March, many professors were caught somewhat off guard after Hilbert moved to teaching online. Dr. Brophy said this time, they’re prepared.
“The faculty worked all summer long on having their courses prepared to be taught online,” Brophy said. “They prepared to be online at Thanksgiving, so it’s not going to be a great hardship on the faculty. But obviously, we’re really, really sad about our students, especially our freshmen who are in their first year of college and having to deal with this. But we do think, as a Franciscan college, we have to be thinking about people’s whole lives, and welfare.”
As of November 15, Hilbert has reported 12 COVID-19 cases to the state from the beginning of the semester, including both commuter and residential students. Looking ahead to a return to having students in the classroom, Dr. Brophy is confident in the January 25 return date for the spring semester.
“I think our students know that we did a really good job this summer, we queued everything up, people came back, we started the fall semester,” Brophy said. “But it came down to a lot of planning and sacrifices. We’re gonna do the same thing for the spring. What we’re hearing from the medical community, of course, is that the next month will be very difficult for most of the country, but in a new year, the vaccines will be available to folks. So we are preparing to come to be back on the 25th for sure.”
Classes for this fall semester will continue on virtually until December 18.
Fifty years ago last month, Professor John Cullhane took a step in a series of many on a journey of service throughout his career. He joined the United States Army.
The decision for him was easy, Culhane said.
“It was the mid-sixties and I had taken a break from delivering newspapers,” Culhane said. “I read an article about the Vietcong. Afterwards, I went home and told my mom I wanted to join the Army and go to Vietnam”.
It was a calling rooted in his family history. His father served in the illustrious 82nd Airborne Division that parachuted behind enemy lines as the beaches of Normandy were being stormed, Culhane said.
America was ensnared in a “cold war” against communism. U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower said that the spread of communism was like a row of dominoes: when one falls, they all fall, only the “dominoes” were real countries. During his inaugural speech, President John Kennedy pledged American support to any country that wanted help in fighting communism. It also meant that millions of young Americans would be faced with the likelihood of military service either voluntary or involuntary.
The mid-sixties was a time when public support for the fight against communism in Vietnam was at its highest. In 1968, that support dwindled as Americans began to question what progress was being made all while daily television news footage showed disturbing images of U.S. and Vietnamese casualties. Footage of casualties in subsequent conflicts after Vietnam were mostly censored.
In late 1969, President Nixon announced combat troops would begin withdrawing from Vietnam and that the South Vietnamese would assume a larger role in fighting the communists. Despite the reduction in troop levels, the war effort still needed helicopter pilots.
“I had a nagging desire to fly,” Culhane said.
After nearly one year of flight training, Cullhane earned his army wings and deployed to Vietnam.
Cullhane explained that when he arrived in Vietnam, he was assigned to the First Air Cavalry “Air Cav” Division and flew on utility helicopters nicknamed Hueys. The life of a helicopter pilot in Vietnam was dangerous and the pilots who flew them simply ran on adrenaline. Cullhane spent his days flying troops and supplies.
Culhane in Vietnam
Off duty, his evenings were filled with poker games and warm beer amongst his fellow flyers- all happy that they were one day closer to going home. When flying, his lunch usually consisted of canned ham slices and bread. Occasionally, a surprise in the form of a larger can would await him: a coffee tin packed full of cookies from home. Since the beginning of time, soldiers have always cherished mail and care packages from home.
“A lot of soldiers…me included, would get “Dear John” letters,” Culhane said.
They were break up letters from their girlfriends.
“Dating someone in the military was very unpopular at the time,” he said. “We didn’t have the support that we have now”.
Humor was one coping mechanism the flyers used which is why those letters were often posted in a common area for others to read, Culhane added.
The high point during his combat experience occurred when Cullhane’s unit was tasked with flying South Vietnamese troops into Cambodia, he said.
Kept secret from the public, American strategists knew the enemy had been stockpiling weapons and supplies in the neighboring country but were not allowed to pursue them. When South Vietnamese soldiers were given the order to advance into the neighboring country, they needed a ride.
Cullhane described the first landing as “intense” and that “gunfire erupted from all over the bamboo covered jungle…so intense that one helicopter next to us turned onto its side and crashed.”
He and his unit would spend the next two months flying troops and supplies into Cambodia, Culhane said.
A few days after the missions into Cambodia started, the Kent State shooting took place in which Ohio National Guard soldiers shot into a group of protesters on campus. Four protesters were killed. College campuses across the country experienced intense anti-war demonstrations.
Cullhane said it was the best and worst year of his life. Memories of Vietnam continue to this day, yet his most important lesson was learning to overcome the fear of death. It is a deep and personal experience which many veterans and others in dangerous professions have had to accept in order to carry out their duties, he said.
Professor Cullhane returned home to a country that distanced itself from these heroes yet he stayed on course to complete law school, become a Monroe County Assistant District Attorney, work high profile cases as an FBI agent, and finally to Hibbert.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused many governments to raise, or consider raising taxes to account for deficits. That includes places like Nashville, Chicago, and California, but not in Hamburg according to Town Supervisor Jim Shaw.
“0.0%, no tax increase, taxes stay constant to what they were in 2020,” said Shaw
Shaw said the town took a hard look at reducing unneeded spending, and capitalizing on low interest rates to even update some of its facilities and services.
“We cut back on overtime, we cut back on out of town travel for seminars, we put a cap on new equipment or vehicle purchases,” Shaw said. “We also established a hiring freeze for part-time summer employees and full time employees.”
There’s no layoffs planned, but one position would be eliminated in the police department.
“We anticipate four retirements in the first few months of 2021,” said Shaw “one of those positions will remain vacant, so we’re not laying anyone off, one will be vacant, it’s eliminated by attrition.”
One welcomed decision is the state’s reversal on not sharing revenue from the Hamburg Casino and racetrack with the town. Shaw said while it was reduced, the funds will be much needed help to Hamburg’s pocketbook.
“Given the state’s financial difficulties, which are profound, we are relived to get 80% of the funding.”
Shaw said local governments can’t operate like the federal government and run a deficit. It needs to work and take account for the needs of the community.
“The fact of the matter of it is there are a lot of people in our township, not to mention other areas throughout Erie County and Western New York, there are a lot of people who are really suffering. And what we can do in this time of suffering, is tighten our belts and hold the line. It’s what we owe people morally, we can’t be excessive spenders when everyone else is struggling.”
The $47.7 million dollar budget is a decrease from the previous year’s $48.7 million budget. It’ll go for a vote in front of the Town Board on November 16th for approval.
The Hilbert College community will gather this week to pitch in on projects throughout Western new York.
The school will hold its annual Franciscan Day of Caring Wednesday, September 30, with students, staff and faculty learning about Franciscan teachings in the morning and participating in service projects during the afternoon.
Vice President for Mission Integration and Campus Ministry Jeffrey Papia said the event is a great example of Hilbert’s commitment to the Franciscan tradition.
“We do this because we have to, we do this because we must. We, as a Catholic and Franciscan school, are not simply here for education’s sake,” said Papia. “The degrees we give out, the students that we educate, the things we do are all meant to support the world around us and make the lives of those around us better and more fulfilling.”
In past years, Hilbert students, faculty, and alumni would participate in large scale community projects for a day of service. With the COVID-19 pandemic, that’s not practical this year, but Papia said the day of caring work will be just as impactful.
“A lot of what we’ll be doing is inside the classroom. Smaller projects that are manageable within the space. Things that we’ve organized in working with our community partners,” Papia said. “Little tasks and work that might not be as large as organizing a big food pantry, or doing inventory at the Teacher’s Desk, but smaller projects that you can do at your desk with your neighbors around you that still nevertheless serve the community.”
Papia hopes things like the day of caring might inspire Hilbert students to get involved in something that’s bigger than themselves.
“When you get into a space and you are meeting people and developing relationships in the context of service, there’s just something more meaningful, there’s a bond that’s deeper,” said Papia. “There’s a passion that often can be ignited in you when you get to see and experience and learn from people who are out in the world doing the good work of social justice, and are doing it in ways the inspire you a desire to create similar change.”
Community partners include the Erie County Restorative Justice Coalition, Erie Niagara Area Health Education Center, and Native American Community Services. To make participation easier, the college will be suspending classes until 4:30 Wednesday, with the day of caring starting at 10 a.m.
A newscast will soon be hitting the airwaves of Hilbert’s HAWK Radio, and it comes because of a first-of-its-kind collaboration between campus media organizations.
The Scribe and HAWK Radio are teaming up to create HAWK Radio News with Ryan Zunner, which will air Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11:30am on the online radio station. As the name suggests, Hilbert Digital Media & Communication senior Ryan Zunner will serve as anchor and news director of the newly created program.
The show will feature both original reporting from Zunner, as well as feature reports from student-journalists of The Scribe.
Dr. Donald Vincent, the faculty advisor to HAWK Radio, said a newscast has been on his radar for a while, and is excited to see it coming to fruition.
“I’ve wanted a news show on HAWK Radio for years, but it’s never happened. By being a reliable and regular information source, HAWK Radio can become part of the daily routines of Hilbert Community members,” Vincent said. “Also, news gathering and reporting fosters research and communication skills that can be translated to all careers. This is one more way we can prepare students for their futures.”
Vincent believes having Zunner at the helm of the twice-weekly newscast, it adds an extra layer of credibility and an opportunity for other students to hone their skills.
“I doubt most college stations can boast having a news director with so much professional experience,” Vincent said of Zunner’s resume. “He has worked in the field extensively through internships and paid positions, and HAWK Radio News will deliver high quality content under Ryan’s leadership. He will also mentor our less experienced students, assuring that HAWK Radio News will carry on into the future.”
Zunner throughout his studies has interned at The Investigative Post, Spectrum News Buffalo, and WBFO News, where he was recently hired as a part-time reporter. His work has at the station has earned him praise and accolades. For his coverage of social justice protests in Buffalo, Zunner appeared live on cable network MSNBC to share his reporting nationally. In addition, he’s had several pieces air on National Public Radio, the national affiliate of WBFO. In 2019, Zunner was also a co-recipient of a New York State Broadcasters Association Award of Excellence.
Zunner said he’s excited to anchor his own news show on HAWK Radio, after having been involved in HAWK Radio since 2016 in several different on-air and behind the scenes roles.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to have built so many skills during my time at HAWK Radio, ones that really have put me ahead of the game in my still-early career in broadcast news,” said Zunner. “Having had tons of great opportunities, I’m excited to kind of give back to the Hilbert community in my final year by creating an informative and engaging newscast. I know I’m not going to be able to do it all alone though, so I’m definitely looking forward to working alongside the great student-journalists at The Scribe.”
The first broadcast of HAWK Radio News will air Tuesday, September 29, at 11:30am. Zunner said he hopes to create a mix of campus, Southtowns, and national news, with college students in mind.
The private, all girls, Catholic High School in Hamburg New York closed its doors for the last time in June 2016. Last year the property was sold to Developer Anthony Cutaia through The Oaks at South Park LLC. In January 2020 demolition of the school began, making room for the apartments/condominiums that will be built on the land.
A small group of Immaculata Alumni visited the construction site to collect a brick to keep as memorabilia. Two of these Immaculata Alumni shared memories from their time at the school.
“We had some really great times.” said class of 1973 Alumni, Kathy Clark.
Clark and her friend, Linda Miller-Bolt, who also graduated from the school in 1973, agreed that their time at IA was overall a “good experience”.
“There were some clicks but really no bullying.” said Miller-Bolt. “Class sizes were about thirty students and we all stayed together with our homeroom freshman year so we didn’t interact with many other girls until sophomore year and even then everyone got along for the most part.”
“My least favorite part of the school would be the nuns,” Clark joked.
Although the nuns could be strict and mean at times, Clark and Miller-Bolt say the experience wasn’t all bad. “One memory I would say I enjoyed was the Father-Daughter Socials.” said Clark. “Every year was a different theme and there was a talent show and a dance. The Fathers loved it.”
Miller-Bolt added that her favorite memory was cheerleading.
“It might be hard for you to believe.” she joked, “I enjoyed cheerleading and I also enjoyed the dances at St. Francis (a nearby private all boys High School still open today).”
Both Alumni agreed that the best part of going to Immaculata was the friends they made.
“I think all the friendships we made were fantastic.” said Clark.
Although the building won’t be around anymore these Alumni will at least have the bricks and the memories to remember it by.
“We still stay in touch and hold many reunions for our friends and classmates.” said Miller-Bolt.
Miller-Bolt said the demolition represents the end of an era.
“No other girls will get to make their own memories there,” she said. “Regardless of whether it could have been saved or not, it’s gone now and it is sad.”
The Scribe’s Zach Jezioro and his partners at the BFLO Podcast are joined by the voice of the Buffalo Bisons, Pat Malacaro, to discuss the direction of the team’s major league affiliate the Toronto Blue Jays and their crop of young stars.
Hunter Martineau and Masia Phillips are both four year Hilbert men’s basketball team members. The two guards came in together as freshmen, both far away from their homes, and built a bond right here in Hamburg. Phillips, who is from Queens in New York City, has made a name for himself with the program. He is well accomplished in the sport having scored over 1,000 points and received all conference honors. Phillips, a program great, is Top 10 in ten of the program’s statistical categories.
Martineau, a modest kid from Erie, Pennsylvania, has also left his mark on program history. Hunter accumulated 1,000 points over his career and now sits at the top in assists for Hilbert’s basketball program. Hunter isn’t new to awards and acknowledgement, he has received all conference honors all 4 years and was once named team MVP. What’s even more impressive than that, while being a beast on the court, he is also a beast in the classroom. Hunter was inducted into the Chi Alpha Sigma National Honor Society.
The Scribe reached out to both Phillips and Martineau to talk about their experiences with the program and also the community surrounding the school. In addition, we got to hear about the hardships they faced, the brotherhood that was formed, and a little sneak peek into their future endeavors.
The Scribe: Masia, you grew up in New York City, the mecca of basketball. Can you explain how basketball was a part of your early life and how it moved you forward as a person?
Masia Phillips: My older siblings and cousins all played basketball. I got to grow up watching them play. As I got older, I just got into it around 6 years old. I was playing in a house ball coached by my mother. I started meeting friends through basketball and continued that through middle and high school, and college. That’s why I love the game so much.
TS: Hunter, amongst other things, you are known by your incredible self-discipline and willpower. Can you tell us how basketball helped you develop self-discipline and do you use that skill in your everyday life?
Courtesy of Hilbert College Athletics
Hunter Martineau: Basketball taught me self-discipline, if you want to be the best, you have to train like the best. You have discipline yourself to get up every day, get in the gym, get in the weight room. You can use that discipline to do homework, getting up and going to class.
TS: What can you guys tell us about playing for Hilbert? How difficult was the transition from high school to college?
MP: The transition was pretty tough, the game is much faster, much more you need to learn.
HM: The transition for me personally was a bit different. My high school had 4,000 students, Hilbert is only pushing 1,000 if that. Some of the high schools had teams that were just as competitive, but the games were slower because Florida schools don’t have a shot clock, it was a different game. (Masia) I think there was more competition in high school because everyone plays together, there are teams with multiple Division 1 talent.
TS: For Your tenure on the team, you have seen players come and go. What has helped you two to stay focused and committed to the program for 4 years.
HM: My family loves to watch me play, if I was quitting on myself, I was also quitting on them as well. At the same time, my passion for the game, I don’t think I would ever quit unless it’s for dire circumstances.
MP: I had lots of thoughts of leaving the program, but I always had my family to keep me in a space where I can forget about it and just play. If it wasn’t for my family or the love I have for the game, the story would’ve been different.
TS: How do you guys balance being a student athlete?
HM: I try not to save everything for the last minute, whether it’s homework, you want to get shots up, or spending time with your significant others.
MP: I just try my best to know and remember my schedule.
TS: Are the accomplishments something you guys set out for? How did you balance personal goals and team goals?
HM: I’m not much of a scorer, so the 1,000 points is something that I never set out to do, but was pretty cool. I’ve always been a passer, it wasn’t a goal of mine, but I saw it happening if I played well. Those records really don’t mean much, you never want to let them get to your head.
MP: In high school, I never got to the 1,000 points. That kind of bothered me because I was a 4 year varsity player. It was personal for me to get 1,000 points, but that never got in the way of goals that the team had.
TS: What can you guys say about the brotherhood formed with teammates and the relationships built with classmates?
HM: I’m very fortunate for all the guys that have come through here. I truly believe that there were mostly good guys that came through. The amount of friendships and relationships I have built is the reason why you come to a small school like this.
MP: Being on a sports team, you get to know people real quick and people get to know you real quick.
TS: Why did you guys pick Hilbert?
HM: I’m from Erie, Pa (Lived in Orlando for 9 years where he played high school ball), the school isn’t too far, I have good support nearby, and it seemed like a good fit.
MP: The biggest city in the nation has a lot of problems sometimes. I just wanted to get away from home, and challenge myself to be on my own.
TS: Having lived here for four years, what can you say about life in WNY? Is there a possibility of you coming back?
MP: Buffalo is a calm city, I like it. It’s not that big of a rush, no crazy night life. Definitely not what I’m used to, but I got used to it. I don’t know if i can start my life after college here, but I’ll definitely come back and visit.
HM: Buffalo is a great city. It’s actually very similar to earlier where I grew up. As long as there’s an airport that can connect me back home to Orlando, I’ll always consider Buffalo as a second home. Bills fans are very passionate, and I love Buffalo wings.
TS: What are your future plans for education and basketball? Is it over?
HM: For me at least, I think my basketball career in a competitive sense is over. I’ll be doing mens league and coaching but I’m done. I plan on working my way up to an athletic director.
MP: Basketball wise, as of right now is over, I’ll still be playing here and there. I want to become a risk analyst, I also want to work for the city of New York.
The Scribe’s Zach Jezioro and his partners at BFLO Podcast sit down with WGR550 Bills sideline reporter Sal Capaccio to get Sal’s take on last year’s playoff disappointment and where the veteran reporter sees the team going.
The Scribe 