Melissa Pietricola '02
I graduated from St. Bonaventure University in 2002 with a political science major and history minor. The summer I graduated I began a graduate assistanceship in the Department of Education and Human Development at SUNY Brockport. At Brockport, I earned my master's in education in secondary social studies. Since 2004, I have been teaching middle school social studies at Fayetteville-Manlius, just outside of Syracuse, NY.
My background in political science has helped me become a successful social studies educator. I think that having studied the different elements of politics at Bona's has really influenced the way I teach history. I try to bring current events making connections from early American history to today. I hope that this helps make the learning meaningful for my students.
Currently, I am enrolled in graduate political science class at the Maxwell School of Citizenship at Syracuse University. Bonaventure certainly prepared me for this higher level thinking in the study of politics.
-- Melissa Pietricola (Bertoni '02)
Ian Coyle '02
I currently serve as village manager for the village of Brockport in Monroe County. I came to Brockport after completing my MPA degree from SUNY Albany's Rockefeller College. My political science degree from St. Bonaventure University laid the academic groundwork for me to truly find my career calling in local government management while I was attending UAlbany.
I point to the background coursework in areas such as American Government & Politics and the final Capstone thesis project, along with sound career planning advice and encouragement from professors like Dr. Moor, as the most significant elements of my Political Science Department experience at St. Bonaventure.
The political science professors at St. Bonaventure always stressed the importance of difference-making, civic engagement and working towards and for a greater good. That is why I chose to work in local government, where I have a direct, daily connection to the people.
Working as a chief administrative officer in a large local government, nothing is more important to me than the knowledge that my decisions may influence and effect an entire community of people. I know that my political science education at St. Bonaventure prepared me for this awesome responsibility and that is something I truly value.
-- Ian M. Coyle, SBU '02
village manager, village of Brockport
Board Member, NYS City/County Management Association
Adjunct Professor, SUNY Brockport MPA Program
Brooke Sherman, Political Journalist, 2002 Graduate
Having a degree from St Bonaventure in both political science and journalism helped me greatly in my career. When I came into my job as a political reporter, I already had an understanding of how bodies of government worked, what documents to look for, and what questions to ask to get to the bottom of issues. I found the environmental politics class particularly helpful when I was covering the privatization of the county’s landfill operations, which included a substantial increase in dumping.
Since graduating from Bonaventure in 2002, I obtained my master’s degree at American University in journalism and public policy. I am a multimedia specialist for the Star-Gazette in Elmira, NY. I have worked here for the past four years in various capacities including public affairs reporter and city and county government reporter.
I now head up newsroom online breaking news and news updates and head up a readership team focused on Generation X and Y readership. In the past three of the four years I have worked at the Star-Gazette, I have been honored as the newsroom staffer of the year. I also got married in January 2007 and am living a truly happy life in Elmira, NY.
-- Brooke Sherman '02
Kevin Lafferty '02
I am currently the Annual Fund coordinator for Bishop Timon-St. Jude High School in Buffalo, NY. I also have a passion for campaign politics and made a run for the Buffalo Board of Education in 2004. Although losing the race, my degree helped me run a successful campaign.
My degree in political science has helped me in several ways. It dramatically influenced my view of world affairs, helped me to look critically at various situations, and to make reasonable decisions. I especially owe my personal success to the professors of the Political Science Department -- Dr. Jim Moore in particular.
Dr. Moor, as tough and demanding as he could be, gave me the tools to be succesful and did all he could to ensure that I was giving him my best. Dr. Moor was a great mentor and professor and his teaching has helped me in my professional life.
-- Kevin Lafferty '02