Fundraiser honors community leaders and funds student tuition

Ģ����ý’s announced today that it will host the Spring Soirée on April 24 at 6 p.m. at The Buffalo Club. This annual fundraiser, which includes a cocktail reception, live entertainment and an auction, celebrates all who empower the spirit of Trocaire, including honoring three deserving individuals and organizations. The public is invited to attend. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit .

This year’s award recipients include:

Ģ����ý President’s Award

Gerard Place: This award is presented to a person, group, organization, or corporation whose partnership with Trocaire furthers the college’s mission, vision, and Mercy values, and supports Trocaire students and alumni. Celebrating 25 years of service, Gerard Place continues to change the lives of people living in poor and underserved parts of the City of Buffalo with programs ranging from housing to education and workforce training. Trocaire partners with Gerard Place to offer certification programs that are essential to helping people break out of poverty and procure careers in healthcare. 

Distinguished Alumni Award

Bonnie Kane Lockwood ‘75: This award recognizes a graduate who serves as a positive role model to fellow alumni and current students. Lockwood is celebrating her golden anniversary of receiving her associate’s degree in radiologic technology from Trocaire, from which she was the first New York State licensed x-ray technologist in Buffalo General Hospital’s angiology department. Lockwood pursued a career in public service, holding multiple Legislative and City of Buffalo roles including as director of special projects for Congressman Brian Higgins and now serves as the director of Governor Hochul’s Western New York office.

Outstanding Student Award

Emma Westerling ‘23 ‘24 ‘25: Currently employed with General Physician Women’s Health, Westerling is expected to graduate this year with a degree in healthcare management. She is also a 2023 graduate of Trocaire’s radiologic technology program and a 2024 graduate of the college’s diagnostic medical sonography program. Throughout her time at Trocaire, Westerling has been an engaged student who has repeatedly made Dean’s list. She participates in honor societies and department initiatives while pursuing her multiple degree paths.

Proceeds from the Spring Soirée support tuition assistance for Trocaire students. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit .

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Ģ����ý’s annual fundraising event will honor former Congressman Brian Higgins with the President’s Award. The Trocaire is Thursday, April 25 at 6 p.m. in the Grand Aeries Ballroom of 500 Pearl. This annual gathering of Trocaire supporters includes cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, plated dinner, awards presentation, and entertainment. The public is invited to attend. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit . This year’s award recipients include:

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Feb. 4: Come learn about , a Buffalo-based, craft beer-centric travel company.

Feb. 11: Enjoy a dessert/beer pairing experience– just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Feb. 25: Experience a taping of , which will focus on the state of local craft beer/brewing education and what else is going on in the Western New York brewing scene.

Trocaire on Tap is a weekly event series offered by Trocaire’s Brewing, Distilling and Fermentation Science Program. It’s open to all beer enthusiasts, students and professionals who want learn about what is going on in the WNY craft beer and beverage scene.

Sign up for any of the events listed above–we can’t wait to see you there!

* No event Feb. 18, as Trocaire is closed for President’s Day

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Free brewing and craft beverage programming is open to the public

Ģ����ý’s Brewing, Distilling and Fermentation Science Program is launching a weekly “Trocaire on Tap” programming series on Jan. 21 to offer the community a chance to get to know area brewers and introduce the local brewing culture to a wider audience.

Trocaire on Tap will occur on Tuesdays through April at Trocaire’s Extension Center, located at 6681 Transit Road in Lancaster. Local beer aficionado and brewing industry groups will have a chance to meet, and then the facility will open to the public at 6 p.m. for events like panel discussions, meet and greet opportunities, tastings, demonstrations and more.

“This is a great opportunity for both industry insiders and members of the public who just like beer or want to learn a bit more about the brewing world,” said Trocaire Brewing Director Erik Coleman. “Our program and facilities offer valuable resources to brewers in the region, and we’re looking forward to opening up to the public each week with unique programming and chances to interact with members of the brewing and craft beverage community.”

The series kicks off Jan. 21 with a Brewing Program open house at the Extension Center.  Attendees will learn more about the program, meet and greet Coleman and other instructors and take a tour of Trocaire’s Brewing lab area. On Jan. 28, Trocaire on Tap participants will have a chance to meet and learn from local brewing leaders following a closed advisory panel event.

In March—Women’s History Month—special programming surrounding “The Women of Craft Beer” is planned.

To learn more or register for a Trocaire on Tap event, visit Trocaire.edu/Brewing.

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Presentation is Monday, May 6

Ģ����ý  Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Allyson Lowe and Sandi DiMola, J.D., Chair,  Programs in Government and Management at Carlow University, will present “The Use of Service-Learning in Teaching Conflict” on Monday, May 6. This event will take place in the Mary Clare Development Center (Main Campus Room 460) from 2-3:30 p.m., and all are invited to attend.

Lowe and DiMola wrote about the presentation topic in a chapter of “”

“A frequent criticism of field-based learning is that what students are learning, as well as how they are learning it, differs so much from their other courses that it feels like a one-off occurrence. In designing two different service learning experiences, we were intent on using the field experiences to augment what students of political science were learning about conflict,” the authors explain in the book’s introduction.

“Their courses were designed to involve students in deliberative democracy and community conflict resolution and to connect these experiences directly to theory and case studies on the topic. At the same time, the service aspect of the courses reflects the commitment of the universities to civic engagement and community service understood through both secular and religious lenses.”

Both Trocaire and Carlow University were founded by the Sisters of Mercy, whose include nonviolence, anti-racism, earth, women and immigration.

“The May 6 session will spotlight Lowe and DiMola’s research and publication, which demonstrates scholarship rooted in the Sisters of Mercy values,” said Dawne Bost, MCDC faculty success coordinator.

Please contact Bost with any questions.

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A Catholic institution founded by the Sisters of Mercy, Trocaire draws inspiration from Catholic social teaching with its emphasis on human dignity and the common good. This event also speaks to the Sisters’ five Critical Concerns, two of which are supporting women and advocating for non-violence.

Human trafficking, a form of modern slavery, affects mostly women, but also children and men from all walks of life, race, ethnicity and socio-economic strata.

“Traffickers prey upon the vulnerable. They deceive, coerce, and abuse their victims,” explained Bob Shearn, Trocaire’s director of Mission, Ministry and Service. “Consequently, victims are often deeply traumatized and typically bear deep psychological and emotional scars from the trampling of human dignity, in addition to any physical wounds.”

Panelists at the event will include:

Julie Palmer, executive director of (People Against Trafficking Humans), a faith-based not-for-profit organization working to end human trafficking in Western New York and beyond through education, prevention and restoration.

Kelly Galloway, executive director of , a Christian organization in Buffalo that works to help those exploited through human trafficking through housing, a 12-month healing program, life skills and coaching sessions, and awareness efforts.

Cheryl Catuzza, MSN, RN, Nursing faculty at Ģ����ý

Mary Jo Gugino-Colligan, Mercy associate and president of a Christ-centered non-profit in Rochester dedicated to helping women and girls achieve freedom, dignity and restoration locally, across the nation and around the world.

“Today’s panel of experts have a wealth of expertise dealing with victims of human trafficking, both from a healthcare and human services perspective,” Shearn said. “They will help us to explore the world of trauma as it pertains to victims of human trafficking, and offer approaches to identifying, treating, and hopefully, restoring the lives and dignity of those so victimized.”

“The Trauma of Human Trafficking: A Healthcare Response” will take place at the Mercy Center auditorium, located at 625 Abbot Road in Buffalo (across the street from Trocaire’s main campus). Attendees are welcome to park on the streets around the Mercy Center, and there will also be shuttle service from the parking lot of the Salem Lutheran Church on the corner of Whitfield and McKinley Parkway.

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Ģ����ý is holding its second annual Spring Soirée gala at the new Shea’s on Seneca at 6 p.m. Friday, May 3, and will honor several deserving organizations and individuals in the process.

The evening will feature passed hors d’oeuvres, tastings from local wineries, breweries and distilleries, a silent auction, and live entertainment, as well as the presentation of several awards.

This year’s Distinguished Alumni Award is being awarded to lifelong Buffalo resident Patrick M. Weisansal II ’12, RT (R)(ARRT), who has been employed by Kaleida Health’s Buffalo General Medical Center since he graduated from Trocaire’s Radiologic Technology program in 2012. Patrick was inspired to further serve others as an active member of his union, representing imaging professionals at his workplace. He is also the director of Organizing and Mobilizing for CWA Local 1168, which represents 4,600 healthcare professionals across the region.

The 2019 Ģ����ý President’s Award goes to the and , which, as valued community grant partners, have provided mentoring and vocational training for students in Trocaire’s Pathways to Nursing Success program.

CHCB’s mission is to provide quality, culturally sensitive, preventive and primary health care to the underserved of the community through state-of-the-art clinical and business practices in a clinical teaching environment in order to reduce health disparities. It has sites in Buffalo’s East Side, Cheektowaga, Niagara Falls and Lockport.

ENAHEC also serves Erie and Niagara counties and is dedicated to creating a well-informed and diverse healthcare workforce. Its focus is to improve healthcare outcomes of the community by connecting students, academic institutions, healthcare facilities and current healthcare professionals to the communities in need.

Finally, Nursing student Rose Hussain will receive the 2019 Outstanding Student Award. Rose grew up in Liberia, West Africa but became a refugee in the Liberian Civil War. She worked for the United Nations taking care of fellow refugees for a time, but in 2000 she immigrated to the US in search of a better life. A single mother of five children, she settled in Buffalo and opened her own hair salon which now employs four stylists.  She decided to enroll in Trocaire’s Nursing program in 2016 to improve her opportunities and give back to the community.

Trocaire’s Spring Soirée is open to the entire Western New York community. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit Trocaire.edu/springsoiree.

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Classes Start Jan. 29

Trocaire’s is scheduled for Tuesdays and Thursdays (5-8 p.m.) from, Jan. 29-April 25 and is designed to train students for entrance into a career in Central Supply Services.

The program prepares students to develop skills necessary to properly disinfect, prepare, process, store, and issue both sterile and non-sterile medical/surgical supplies and equipment for direct patient care. Graduates of the program will be eligible to apply to take the National Institute for the Certification of Healthcare Sterile Processing and Distribution Personnel Examination through the Certification Board for Sterile Processing and Distribution (CBSPD).

In as little as three and a half months, you could have the training and expertise to walk into a well-paying and in-demand healthcare position. A career in SPD can also be the first rung on a career pathway to fields such as Surgical Technology, Nursing and more.

Careers in SPD

According to GlassDoor, the average salary of sterile processing and distribution technicians in Buffalo is $41,558, and the projected growth rate through 2026 is projected between 10% to 14% (faster than average). There are 7,600 job openings anticipated nationally and 2,760 job openings anticipated in the state of New York through 2026.

Employment opportunities include positions in inpatient/outpatient surgery centers, dialysis units/facilities, and central sterile processing units in hospitals. Erie County Medical Center, Kaleida Health, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and Catholic Health are the largest employers in this area in Western New York.

Job titles include: Central Sterile Processing and Distribution, Sterile Processing and Distribution Technicians, Medical Equipment Preparers, Central Processing Technician (CPT), Central Service Technician (CST), Central Sterile Supply Technician (CSS Technician), Certified Registered Central Service Technician (CRCST), Instrument Technician, Sterile Preparation Technician, Sterile Processing and Distribution Technician (SPD Technician), Sterile Processing Technician, Sterile Technician and Sterilization Technician.

Learn More

For more information and to register, . Classes start soon so don’t delay!

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Ģ����ý’s Office of Mission, Ministry and Service is sponsoring a panel discussion on the topic of immigration this Thursday, Nov. 15. The event will be held from 2-3:30 p.m. at the Mercy Center auditorium (625 Abbott Road, across the street from the college), and the public is welcome and encouraged to attend.

The discussion, titled “Immigration: Welcoming the Stranger in an Age of Displacement,” will feature four panelists with unique perspectives on this issue, one of the most pressing and vital of our time. They are:

• Bassam Deeb, Ph.D., Ģ����ý President
• Solomon Nelson Ph.D., English faculty member at Trocaire
• Sister Janet Korn RSM, Director of the Institute Justice Team of the Sisters of Mercy
• Sara Safarzadeh-Amiri, MD, primary care physician and Director of Community Engagement at Jericho Road Community Health Center.

The Sisters of Mercy founded Ģ����ý, and immigration is one of the order’s . This panel discussion will allow exploration of the issue through the lens of Catholic social teaching.

“Millions of people worldwide have been forced from their homes, displaced by war, natural disasters, social upheaval, persecution, and rampant violence. Others—voluntary migrants—seek a better life and more opportunity for themselves and their families,” explains Bob Shearn, Trocaire’s director of Mission, Ministry and Service. “Both groups, upon seeking admittance to a host country, often spur questions and in some cases raise deep-seated fears among native-born citizens.”

The panel will explore many of those questions and fears as they relate to immigration within the context of the United States. Above all, the panelists will examine the particular role and responsibility of developed countries, stable societies and communities of faith as they seek to respond to the suffering and plight of the displaced who are searching for refuge, stability, hope and opportunity.

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Ģ����ý’s Brewing, Distilling and Fermentation Science program has a busy lineup of brewing events queued up for this fall. Everything kicks off Sept. 18 with a free event. The October and November offerings feature brewing experts from and , respectively. Those interested can register at .

All Trocaire Brewing events will take place at the college’s state-of-the-art brewing lab at Trocaire on Transit at 6681 Transit Road, behind Russell’s Steaks, Chops & More.

Drinking in Style (part of Buffalo Beer Week 2018)

Tuesday, Sept. 18 (7-9 p.m.)

Did you know there are over 80 distinct styles of beer? Brian Barrows, director of Trocaire’s Brewing program, will discuss some of these styles and their flavors, history, differences and more. Tastings will also be offered. This event is FREE and part of Buffalo Beer Week 2018.

Seasonal Brews: Brewing With Unique Ingredients

Saturday, Oct. 13 1-4 p.m.

This workshop will cover a variety of different seasonal brews and the ingredients that make them unique. Rudy Watkins, head brewer at Thin Man Brewing, will discuss unique and unusual brews, from rich pumpkin beers and winter warmers to light fruit and sour beers. Homebrewers will learn how to incorporate unique ingredients into beers, as well as taste a variety to appreciate complementary and contrasting flavors that make seasonal beers so unique. Cost is $30.

Brewing Eclectic IPAs

Saturday, Nov. 3 1-4 p.m.

This workshop will cover the flavors and production of IPA varieties, as well as the use of adjuncts such as fruit, herbs, and spices in IPAs. John Domres, president and brewer at Buffalo Brewing Company, will be on hand to describe the processes used to develop the myriad flavors and aromas in IPAs. The group will also discuss effects of growing conditions, brewing water, and yeast strains on hop flavors and taste several unique IPAs that have been created using different processes and ingredients. Cost is $30.

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