Student Life

If you’ve ever been offered a fist bump while walking across the Greenway or were asked to join in on a selfie during an event, you likely met Saurabh (Shiv) Patel. He strikes up conversations with anyone who crosses his path and can often be found feeding the squirrels on…

Recent grads Hayden ‘24 and Haylee ‘24 Calaman have a lot in common. Career paths aren’t one of them.  Sisters Hayden and Haylee Calaman first found out about Wilkes University as successful softball student-athletes while at Elizabethtown Area High School, south of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. “We met coach Jackie (Wilkes Head…

Wilkes University students in the Bonner Leaders program traveled to Hawaii for service work in May, putting to work the program’s promise of incorporating service opportunities alongside academics.   After much planning, Catie Becker, director of civic engagement, along with Alicia Burns, the Bonner Leader Program coordinator, were able to offer…

Historian or Data Analyst? Why Not Both? Hughes found a love for writing, history and data analysis that prepared her perfectly for a master’s degree in history at Duquesne University. At her high school in Great Bend, Pennsylvania, Kaelin Hughes ’24 discovered a love for writing and journalism as her…

PharmD Grad Sarah Markovich Is on Top of the World While fellow Wilkes Class of 2024 students finished their last semester studying for finals, attending celebrations and preparing to walk across the graduation stage, pharmacy student Sarah Markovich was almost half a world away — in Alaska.  “I found out…

Trading the Basketball Court for a Court of Law As a basketball player in high school, Lehigh-Valley native Zachary Gula looked forward to attending Wilkes University after meeting with its men’s basketball coaching staff. “My grandparents are from the Wilkes-Barre area, and I liked the whole small-school feel of Wilkes…

This spring break, Wilkes students and faculty traded in their pencils for passports and used their time away from the classroom to explore and serve across the U.S. and abroad. Wilkes Adventure Education (WAE) spent the week in the Pacific Northwest exploring two cities, Seattle, Washington, and Portland, Oregon, with…

This traveling exhibition of stunning bead art from South Africa tells a luminous story of independence, migration and memory. Ubuhle Women: Beadwork and the Art of Independence will open at the Sordoni Art Gallery on March 1, and run through May 10. This spectacular overview of a new form of bead…

Some people might say that Jack Perna skated his way to success since coming to Wilkes. The junior mechanical engineering has made it look easy, earning a 4.0 grade-point average while playing goaltender for the Colonels Men’s Hockey Team. His hard work and discipline have enabled him to succeed. His…

Members of the Wilkes community gathered in the Jean and Paul Adams Commons on Tuesday, Jan. 30 to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. through song, speech and dance. Regina Graham, the program director of diversity, equity and inclusion at Geisinger Health Systems, provided the keynote address. Graham reflected on…