John Eldridge - Class of 1992

Dr. Vincent Kohler’s American Literature class.  We took an excellent trip to Washington D.C. as a culminating experience.  Dr. Kohler also went the extra mile to make you feel a part of his class.

Dr. Vincent Kohler.  I decided that I was smart enough to skip my classes and still maintain average grades.  When that plan was beginning to fail, Dr. Kohler stepped in to the scene.  I had his class on M, W, and F’s at 8:00 in the morning.  One morning around 8:20 I heard a loud knock on my dorm door.  I decided to get out of bed to see who it was only to find Dr. Kohler standing there with a look of anger and disappointment.  He informed me that I had ten minutes to be in his class or he would inform the dean that I was no longer welcome in his class.  He also informed me that he would inform my parents of how I was spending their money.  Not only did I make it to his class, I changed my major from engineering to education and asked him to be my advisor.  He truly cared about his students, and changed my life. 

I also want to give a shout out to Chris and Heidi Mackowski.  Their friendship was instrumental to my success at UPB.  I hope they are doing well.

Delta Omega Phi, loyal ‘til I die, we are he chosen ones….  Fraternity opportunities; especially the opportunity to beat the mess out of the Sigma’s in football and floor hockey all four years I attended the university.

The formal response would be the decision to move the education program from St. Bonaventure to UPB my junior year.  This decision provided me with the opportunity to enter the field of education on my campus.

That I actually had a purpose in life.  Once I entered the field of education, I knew that I had found my purpose.

Take advantage of the small student to faculty ratio.  It is amazing how the professors at UPB find the time to work with individual students. 

Also, don’t think that just because UPB is in a small northeast Pennsylvania town that you won’t be competitive on a global scale.  Check out what graduates from this university have accomplished.  Your choice to attend this university is the best decision you could have made for your future. 

Also, if you don’t know that you have selected the right field of study, don’t wait to find out though dissatisfaction in what you are doing three years into your program.  Speak to your advisor or someone in the dean’s office and make a good decision early on in the game.  There is no shame is changing majors to best meet your strengths.

Small student / professor ratio, close friendships that last forever, and the opportunity to prepare yourself to be competitive on a global level.