SBU Veterans in the Spotlight

RICHARD TRIETLEY JR.
Vice President for Student Affairs

Retired Lt. Col. Richard Trietley Jr., a native of Olean, N.Y., attended St. Bonaventure University on a four-year Army ROTC scholarship and graduated in 1986 with a bachelor's degree in education. He earned his master's in teaching from Webster University, St. Louis, Mo., in 1998.

A Distinguished Military Graduate of the ROTC program at St. Bonaventure, Trietley earned his commission as an infantry second lieutenant. His military education includes the infantry basic and advanced courses, the Combined Arms and Services Staff School, the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, and the U.S Army Ranger, Jumpmaster, Airborne, and Air Assault courses.

Trietley's active duty assignments included:

• Rifle and anti-tank platoon leader in 2-504 Parachute Infantry Regiment, Ft. Bragg, N.C.;
• Aide-de-camp to the commanding general of First Region ROTC;
• Battalion adjutant and rifle company commander in 5-9 Infantry Regiment, Ft. Wainwright, Ark.;
• Brigade S3 of 2^nd Brigade, 6^th Infantry Division;
• Assistant professor of military science, St. Bonaventure;
• Operations officer at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth, Kan.;
• XVIII Airborne Corps chief of officer management;
• Battalion executive officer of 1-504 Parachute Infantry Regiment, Ft. Bragg, N.C.;
• 82^nd Airborne Division secretary of the General Staff;
• Brigade executive officer of 1^st Brigade, 82^nd Airborne Division during its combat deployment to Afghanistan;
• Professor of military science at St. Bonaventure.

Trietley's military decorations and awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Combat Infantryman's Badge, Expert Infantryman's Badge, Ranger Tab, and the Master Parachutist Wings.

He also received the Centurion Award from the National Infantryman’s Association and is a member of the New York State Council of Independent Colleges and Universities’ Hall of Distinction as well as the St. Bonaventure University Seneca Battalion Hall of Fame.

He retired from active duty in 2008 after a 22-year Army career. 

As vice president for Student Affairs at St. Bonaventure, he is responsible for the Safety and Security Department, the university's Wellness Center, the Career and Professional Readiness Center, Residential Living and Conduct, Student Housing, Judicial Affairs, the Damietta Center, the Intercollegiate Athletics Department and the Center for Activities, Recreation and Leadership.

Trietley is married to Michele (Rouleau) Trietley from Allegany, N.Y., and they have two sons; Ricky, a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh; and Kyle, a junior at St. Bonaventure.

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DR. GREGORY J. PRIVITERA
Associate Professor of Psychology

Dr. Gregory J. Privitera served active duty in the U.S.. Marine Corps from 1995 to 1999 and was honorably discharged as a sergeant. His military education consisted of the Basic Security Guard Course, the Marksmanship Instructor Course, and the Corporal Course (leadership).

During his time in the military, Dr. Privitera was stationed at the Marine Corps Security Force Company, Kingsbay, Ga., and the 3D BN, 3D MAR DIV, Marine Corps Base, Hawaii. He held the positions of 0311 Rifleman Infantry and 8152 Marine Corps Security Guard. His military decorations include the Overseas Service Ribbon (1999), the Good Conduct Medal (1998), the Meritorious Unit Commendation (1997), and the National Defense Service Medal (1995).

After leaving the Marines, Dr. Privitera enrolled in the State University at Buffalo, earning his B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. in psychology, behavioral neuroscience. Prior to his arrival at St. Bonaventure University in 2009, Dr. Privitera completed a postdoctoral position at Arizona State University.

Dr. Privitera is known for his ability to bring scholarship and research into the classroom. He involves students in research projects, helping them publish research papers specific to their career interests before ever leaving St. Bonaventure, a rare opportunity for undergraduate students.

His enthusiasm for teaching has been called contagious, and his classes are among the first to fill up each semester at registration.

An expert on psychological issues pertaining to food and eating, Dr. Privitera is in demand as a speaker on the topic, particularly about the relation between depression, weight loss and weight gain.

Dr. Privitera received coveted awards for "professional excellence" from St. Bonaventure two years in a row: the Junior Faculty Award for Professional Excellence in 2013, and the Professional Excellence in Teaching award in 2014.

He is the author of four books, three study guides and nearly two dozen professional articles in his areas of scholarly expertise. His research is featured regularly in major media publications such as the Wall Street Journal and popular health magazines.

He has written two textbooks: "Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences," which was so successful that it went to a second edition; and "Research Methods for the Behavioral Sciences," winner of the 2014 Most Promising New Textbook Award form the Text and Academic Authors Association.

Outside of the classroom, Dr. Privitera is a proud member of the American Legion, a member of the advisory board for the Olean YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program, chairperson for the Public Relations Committee for the Society for the Teaching of Psychology (Division 2 of the American Psychological Association), and secretary of Board of Trustees at Olean's Southern Tier Catholic School (elementary school) and Archbishop Walsh Academy (high school).

He lives in Olean with his wife, Alisha, their son, Aiden, and their daughter, Grace.