Irish eyes keep smiling

Pictured above are alumni on the Ireland trip, with President Dell'Omo on the far right. Included in the photo are members of the RMU Board of Trustees: Frank Molinero, standing next to the president, and Welling Fruehauf, standing next to Frank. Both are alums.

A Hawkeye View of RMU

So I was strolling along the walkway between Massey Hall and Hale Center today (a.k.a, the Magical Forest), when I heard a ruckus from above. I looked up just in time to see two hawks squabbling in the branches of a tall white pine. Maybe the one was an outsider from some rival campus, trying to move into the neighborhood uninvited. Whatever the reason, the stronger hawk prevailed and chased the other away, sending it flapping off across campus toward Nicholson. The victorious hawk let out a cry as if to say, “…and stay out!”

Just as this was happening, I heard a similar cry coming from behind me. I turned and looked high up into another tree to see three smaller hawks perched on a lofty branch. These must be her babies, I surmised. At that moment, I was quite happy that I was a man and not a mouse or a chipmunk. Surprisingly, it was the first time I’ve ever had such a thought.

As I stood far below, watching these three youngsters and their mother scan the ground for their next meal, I couldn’t help but wonder what they might be thinking, looking down at the campus from so high above…

Baby Hawk #1: Hey look…there’s that guy again.

Baby Hawk #2: Oh, yeah—the one that looks like Brooks Orpik. And look…I think he’s checkin’ us out.

Baby Hawk #3: Doesn’t he have anything better to do? HEY! Why don’t you take a picture, buddy? It’ll last longer!

Mama Hawk: That’s enough. Just ignore him and he’ll go away.

Baby Hawk #2: Hey…I bet you can’t…you know…hit him from here.

Baby Hawk #1: I bet I can!

Baby Hawk #3: Oh, I definitely want some of this action.

Mama Hawk: That’s enough! Nobody is going to be hitting anyone. Got it? Don't forget the last time you tried to "hit" someone and almost got Pres. Dell'Omo instead.

Baby Hawk #1: Hey, what’s goin’ on over there? See all those construction vehicles?

Baby Hawk #3: They’re renovating some of the dorms and putting in some new sidewalks. It’s part of the first phase of the university’s Master Plan.

Baby Hawk #2: Master Plan? What you know about any Master Plan?

Baby Hawk #1: Yeah, you can’t even read.

Baby Hawk #3: Groundhog told me about it.

Baby Hawks #1 and #2: Oh.

Baby Hawk #1: By the way, where have all the students been lately?

Baby Hawk #3: It’s summertime, dummy. They won’t be back until orientation on August 20.

Baby Hawk #1: Oh, that’s right. I wish RMU offered classes for hawks. I always wanted to get into nursing.

Baby Hawk #3: Yeah right, and I always wanted to get my MBA. Gimmie a break.

Baby Hawk #2: Hey look…that guy’s leaving. Guess he got tired of staring at us. Let’s buzz him and give him a real scare!

Mama Hawk: Nobody’s going to buzz anyone. They don’t bother us, we don’t bother them.

Baby Hawk #1: Aw, com’on Ma!

Mama Hawk: You heard me. Now keep your eyes peeled for lunch. They don’t allow hawks in the Food Court, you know.

--Valentine J. Brkich

RMU Shares Its Ideas on G-20 Summit 2009

In case you’ve been living in a cave lately or some remote part of South Dakota (i.e., anywhere in South Dakota), you’ve probably heard that Pittsburgh has been chosen to host the next G-20 Summit, September 24-25. This is a BIG deal for our region. It’s an incredible opportunity for us to really shine and show the rest of the world what a vibrant, cultural, livable city this is.

Just think, in only a few short months representatives from 19 countries will be descending upon our fair city to discuss the future of the global economy. Whatever they decide, it’s sure to be the biggest news story that week. Fortunately the planners had the foresight not to plan the meeting during a Steelers game; otherwise, the summit would have gotten second billing in the Monday papers.

Today Robert Morris University got to play a part in the planning (unintentional alliteration) of the G-20 Summit when it hosted one of three “Welcome the World” brainstorming sessions, aimed at gathering ideas from the public on the best ways to welcome the G-20 to Pittsburgh this September. Over 200 people packed into the Sewall Center’s International Suite (How apropos!), including various dignitaries like RMU President Gregory G. Dell’Omo; Bill Flanagan, executive V.P. of corporate relations for the Allegheny Conference on Community Development and host of “Our Region's Business” on WPXI-TV; Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato; Jon Delano, political analyst for KDKA-TV; and some other guy with a purple sport coat and blue-plaid slacks who was passing out a manifesto that he wrote at 3 o’clock this morning (sorry, didn’t get his name).

As I sat an listened to person after person approach the microphone, each with a unique idea of how to best promote the city in the months leading up to the event, I couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like if the G-20 Summit was being held on the RMU campus. Here’s how I think the event would go:

• After the morning session, Paul Spradley, assistant director of Student Life for Multicultural Affairs, would take all the leaders to Primanti’s over on University Boulevard for a Kolbassi & Cheese and an ice-cold Iron.
• During the afternoon break, everyone would go for a walk in the Magical Forest and then stop at the Rudolph Family Garden for some peaceful meditation. Meanwhile, Dr. Dell’Omo would invite President Barack Obama back to his office to show him that cool trick with the fly.
• After dinner in the Food Court, the delegates would gather down in the Jefferson Center Recreational Center for a spirited table tennis tournament, with the losers paying off the winning country’s national debt.
• International controversy would break out in the university’s newly renovated dorms as the various leaders squabbled over who gets the top bunk.
• Over the course of the two days, G-20 security would be keeping a close eye on the big smiley guy called RoMo.

At least that's how I think it would go.

On second thought, maybe it's better that they're having it downtown. That table tennis tournament could get pretty heated.

--Valentine J. Brkich

Walk the walk, talk the talk

RMU President Greg Dell'Omo offers some insights into his leadership style in this Smart Business Pittsburgh article. For more about President Dell'Omo's vision for RMU, click here.