Misericordia University Honors Distinguished Donors and Alumni at the 2025 Trustee Associates Gala
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCTOBER 2025
MISERICORDIA UNIVERSITY
Contact: Madonna Mantione
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Misericordia University
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Misericordia University Honors Distinguished Donors and Alumni at the 2025 Trustee Associates Gala
Wilkes-Barre, Pa. — Misericordia University celebrated an inspiring evening of gratitude, generosity, and Mercy at its annual Trustee Associates Gala, held on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at the Westmoreland Club’s Grand Hall. The elegant event brought together alumni, benefactors, and friends of the University to honor those whose compassion and commitment continue to advance Misericordia’s mission of academic excellence, service, and mercy. This year’s honorees included Dorothy Dickson Darling, recipient of the Trustee Associates Award; Rosemary Dvorsky Gido, Ph.D. ’67, recipient of the Mercy Mission Medal; and The Charlotte W. Newcombe Foundation, recipient of the Founders Medal.
Misericordia University President Daniel J. Myers, Ph.D., welcomed guests and opened the program with words of appreciation and pride. Reflecting on his fifth year as the University’s 15th president, Dr. Myers spoke of the “extraordinary generosity” that has sustained Misericordia through its first 101 years. He shared that the University recently welcomed its second-largest first-year class in history—a milestone he credited to the benefactors and alumni whose support “helps Misericordia transform lives through the power of Mercy higher education.” Drawing laughter from the audience, he compared the energy of today’s growing student body to the record-setting class of 2012, noting the same sense of excitement and promise on campus this fall. Dr. Myers also expressed his gratitude to the Sisters of Mercy, calling them “both inspirations and friends,” and recognizing their enduring mission as the foundation of Misericordia’s identity.
The evening began with a heartfelt invocation from Sister Mary Ann Dillon, RSM, Ph.D. ’68, who reminded guests that “God is Generosity,” expressing gratitude for the many ways that the Misericordia community embodies that divine generosity. Guests then enjoyed cocktails, dinner, and live jazz music performed by The Westmoreland Club Jazz Quartet as they reflected on the enduring values of Mercy and service that define the University’s spirit.
Honoree Dorothy Dickson Darling, president of Darling Entertainment Management Group in Encinitas, California, was recognized for her decades of transformative support for Misericordia University. A native of Kingston, Pennsylvania, Darling has generously supported numerous campus initiatives, including the Brassington Athletic Dome and Mangelsdorf Field, named in memory of her late husband, Jack F. Mangelsdorf Jr. Her dedication continues through her son, Jack Ewen Mangelsdorf, a student-athlete at Misericordia, extending her family’s long legacy of Cougar pride and philanthropy.
The Mercy Mission Medal was presented to Rosemary Dvorsky Gido, Ph.D. ’67, a distinguished sociologist, criminologist, and professor emerita from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. In her acceptance remarks, Dr. Gido shared her journey from growing up in Wilkes-Barre to achieving the American Dream through the support of Misericordia College. She credited her alma mater and mentors like Sister Mary Hildegarde for shaping her values of Mercy, Service, Justice, and Hospitality, which continue to guide her life’s work in social justice, incarceration reform, and educational equity. Her family’s generosity has established several scholarships, including the Sister Hildegarde’s Justice and Mercy Scholarship for Women with Children, ensuring future generations of students benefit from the same spirit of compassion that defines Misericordia.
The Founders Medal was awarded to The Charlotte W. Newcombe Foundation of Princeton, New Jersey, in recognition of its nearly four decades of partnership with Misericordia University. Executive Director Dr. Gianna Durso-Finley accepted the award on behalf of the Foundation and shared the inspiring story of Charlotte Newcombe, who despite near blindness in the early 1900s, believed deeply in lifelong learning and used her resources to support others’ education. Dr. Durso-Finley noted that the Foundation’s mission—supporting mature students and students with disabilities—closely aligns with the ideals of the Sisters of Mercy. Over the past forty years, the Foundation has provided more than $75 million in scholarships to over 50,000 students nationwide, including 850 students at Misericordia, totaling $1.3 million in awards.
Throughout the evening, the themes of gratitude, generosity, and faith resonated through every word and gesture. “That generosity allows the Heart of Mercy—Misericordia—to flourish,” Sister Mary Ann Dillon said in her blessing, capturing the spirit that permeated the event. As Dr. Myers noted in closing, the Gala not only honors those who give, but also “reminds us that every act of generosity, large or small, strengthens the Mercy mission we carry forward together.”
Founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1924, Misericordia University in Dallas, Pennsylvania, continues to provide a liberal arts education rooted in the values of Mercy, Service, Justice, and Hospitality. Through the dedication of its alumni, benefactors, and friends, the University remains a beacon of compassion and opportunity for students and the community alike.
PHOTO CAPTIONS GALA 2025 PRESS RELEASE
Misericordia University student scholarship recipient Maria Villano ’28, shown from left, had the opportunity to meet benefactors and Founders Medal honorees Lindsey Bohra, associate executive director, and Gianna Durso-Finley, Ph.D., executive director of the Charlotte W. Newcombe Foundation; along with Misericordia University’s Mary Beth Allen, foundation relations manager, and Glenn Bozinski, ’95, vice president for enrollment management, during the Trustee Associates Gala in October.
On hand for the presentation of the Misericordia University 2025 Mercy Mission Medal, shown from left, are Jeffrey M. Gido, son of honoree Rosemary Dvorsky Gido, Ph.D., ’67; Todd Sloan, vice president of University Advancement; Daniel J. Myers, Ph.D., president; Rosemary Dvorsky Gido, Ph.D. ’67, honoree; R. Gregory Collins, ’82, chair, Board of Trustees, and Roger Howell, chair, Advancement Committee, Board of Trustees.
Friends from as far away as Maryland came together to celebrate the presentation of the Misericordia University 2025 Trustee Associates Award to Kingston native Dorothy Dickson Darling. Shown, from left, are Terrance and Wendy Casey, Dallas, Pa.; Pilar Atayde, Dallas, Pa.; Dorothy Dickson Darling, honoree; John and Kim Kaestner, Trappe, Md., and Frank Conyngham, Shavertown, Pa.
