Penn State Wilkes-Barre celebrates retirees

Penn State Wilkes-Barre honored retiring employees from the last several years during a special event held on campus.

The retiree recognition luncheon was held to celebrate current employees retiring before the end of the academic year and those who have retired since May 2020. The luncheon and a cake reception that same day were attended by recent retirees, faculty and staff.

“We normally recognize retirees at our three campus meetings held each academic year. At the campus meeting, we formally congratulate them and present them with a gift,” said Administrative Assistant to the Chancellor Sue Gross, who organized the event. “Because of all the time we spent working remotely during COVID, we were not able to truly celebrate our retirees or present them with their gift from the campus. Coming to the campus to see their work family in person provided them with an opportunity to say hello and finally close the chapter at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, as one retiree put it.”

Retirees during the 2021-2022 academic year were:

• David Chin, associate professor of English, who was hired in 1994 and will retire June 30.
• Lorna Chin, learning center coordinator, who started part time in 1995 and full time in 1999 and retired May 15.       
• Kim Derhammer, maintenance worker, who was hired in 2001 and retired May 2.              
• Dudley Snyder,  assistant professor of chemistry, who was hired in 1981 and will retire June 30.  
• Sean McHale, director of business services, who started in 1994 and retired January 31. He now serves as part-time director of business services.

Retirees from recent years who were honored at the luncheon included:

• Frouke deQuillettes, associate teaching professor of information sciences and technology, who was hired in 1997 and retired in 2020. 
• Grace “Maria” Stuppino, group leader and snack bar worker, who started in a part-time role in 1998, was hired full time in 2006 and retired in 2020.             
• Suzanne Attanasio, campus nurse, who started in 2011 and retired in 2021.         
• Pam Langdon, education program associate, who was hired in 2017 and retired in 2020.    
• Margie Esopi, regional campus registrar, who was hired in a part-time role in 1993, became full time in 2005 and retired in 2021. She initially worked for the University from 1984 to 1990.
• Steve Putzel, professor of English, who started in 1988 and retired in 2021.          
• Donna Yale, education program associate, who was hired in 2001 and retired in 2021.

“It was an honor to be invited back this year to have our years of service acknowledged,” Esopi said. “It was wonderful to see and celebrate with former colleagues. Penn State Wilkes-Barre will always be a great place to work and a great place from which to retire.”