Class of 2006 - Class of 2010
Class of 2006
John G. “Jerry” Johnson- Class of 1941, is a graduate of Grove City College. Johnson, also lauded as “Mr. Mercer” for his knowledge of local history and loyalty to his hometown, has served in many public service capacities, including Mercer County Commissioner, Chairman of the Mercer County Bicentennial Commission, Mayor of Mercer, and Mercer Borough Council. Johnson is a member of many organizations and committees, including Shenango Conservancy, Mercer Area Chamber of Commerce, State Regional Correctional Facility Chapel Committee, Hebron Lodge, Mercer County Historical Society, and Mercer United Methodist Church. Johnson, who is a veteran of World War II, was manager of one of Pittsburgh’s largest law offices. He is presently owner of an antique shop in the Borough of Mercer.
Mindi Griffith Boysen- Class of 1987, is a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Boysen, a golf fitness specialist and a nationally recognized expert in the fitness industry, has released a series of DVD’s: “Fit For Golf Fit For Life.” Boysen appears regularly on Arizona’s only locally produced television golf show, Golf Southwest, demonstrating exercise from her golf series. Boysen, a recognized professional with 13 years experience in the fitness industry, is a nationally Certified Lifestyle/Weight Management Consultant, Personal Trainer, and Group Fitness Instructor specializing in functional, pilates-based training. Boysen’s experience also includes teaching in the Physical Education Departments of both Indiana and Purdue Universities. Boysen has extensive presentation and competition experience. Honors include Power Bar Elite Athlete Sponsorship and IUPUI Physical Education Department Teacher Excellence and Recognition Award.
Trent Reznor- Class of 1983, is the creator of the most popular industrial group to date, Nine Inch Nails. In 1993, Reznor won a Grammy for his song, “Wish” and in 1996 won a Grammy for the song, “Happiness is Slavery” in the Metal Performance Category. Reznor also received Grammy nominations for the album, Downward Spiral, and his song, “Hurt” which was later covered by Johnny Cash before his death in 2003. The album, Downward Spiral, went multi-platinum and received much acclaim and media attention. Reznor’s fourth album release was Fragile, and the fifth, With Teeth, whose third single “Every Day is Exactly the Same” reached #1 on Billboard Modern Rock Singles Chart. Reznor created the soundtrack for the ID Softward hit, Quake. Reznor has also recorded tracks for numerous film soundtracks such as “Dead Souls” for 1994’s The Crow, “Burn” for Oliver Stone’s Natural Born Killers, and “Deep” for 2001’s Laura Croft: Tomb Raider. Nine Inch Nails was named one of VH1’s 100 Greatest Artists for Hard Rock and Reznor was one of Time Magazine’s 25 Most Influential People of 1997.
Class of 2007
Dr. David F. Finney- Class of 1970, received degrees from Westminster College, Bowling Green State University, and Teachers College at Columbia University. He served as director of admissions at Rochester Institute of Technology. He began a twenty-year association with New York University in 1985 where he served as director of admissions, assistant to the president, assistant and associate vice presidents, and Dean of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies. While at NYU, Dr. Finney developed its online program called the Virtual Collge, the study abroad program, and the Corporate Learning Services office. He is the author of the book “Financing Your College Degree: A Guide for Adult Students.” In 2005, Dr. Finney was appointed president of Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont.
W. Todd Crawford- Class of 1976, is an equestrian studies graduate of Findlay College, Findlay, Ohio. Mr. Crawford has earned acclaim as a world champion horseman. Mr. Crawford became an instructor at Findlay College and then established his own training facility in California. His many awards include Open World Champion, American Quarter Horse Association Senior Reining World Champion, the USET Championship Gold Medal, the USEF Open Reining Champion, and the FEI World Reining Masters Finals Gold Medalist. Mr. Crawford’s winnings place him into the ranks of a National Reined Cow Horse Assocation Million Dollar Rider. Mr. Crawford was also awarded the title Professional Horseman of the Year. He currently manages Crawford Stallion Services in Blanchard, Oklahoma, standing many top performance stallions and breeding over 400 mares each year.
Dr. Dale K. Adair- Class of 1977, received degrees from the Pennsylvania State University and the University of Pittsburgh. Following an internship at Temple University, Philadelphia, he completed a residency in general psychiatry at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic in Pittsburgh. He has published extensively in psychiatric journals. He currently serves as clinical director of psychiatric services and director of geriatric admissions at Mayview State Hospital. He is on the faculty at the University of Pittsburgh’s Medical Center’s Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Adair is also on the staffs at Chatham College and Duquesne University and is the chief medical executive at Harrisburg State Hospital. He is the recipient of the Outstanding American Award, given in recognition of his leadership and achievements.
Class of 2008
Deborah DeAugustino Olszewski- Class of 1967, received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1970, a Master of Arts degree in 1976 from Edinboro State College, and a Juris Doctorate degree in 1979 from the University of Pittsburgh. Mrs. Olszewski was named in three categories in the 2005 Edition of Pennsylvania Super Lawyers. She was also named as one of the Top 50 Lawyers in Pittsburgh and one of the Top 50 Female Lawyers in Pennsylvania. Mrs. Olszewski’s practice is concentrated in the defense of professional liability claims, predominantly in the area of medical malpractice. She has been a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers since 1996, and was the first female Fellow from Allegheny County. She has been active in the Allegheny County Bar Association, serving on its Board of Governors for two terms as the Chairman of the Civil Litigation Section. She is also a member of the Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County and served on its Board of Governors. In 2002, Governor Rendell appointed Mrs. Olszewski to serve on the Task Force for Medical Malpractice.
Dr. Patricia Stranahan- Class of 1967, graduated magna cum laude from Westminster College as a History major in 1971, earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Pittsburgh, and received her Doctorate Degree from the University of Pennsylvania in Oriental Studies in 1979. Dr. Stranahan taught Chinese and Japanese History at Texas A&M University, was the Director of East Asian Studies and the Asian Study Program at the University of Pittsburgh, and Provost and Dean of Faculty at Hobard and William Smith Colleges. She also served as a research associate at the Fairbank Center of Harvard University. Most recently Dr. Stranahan was appointed president of the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia. Dr. Stranahan is the author of several books: Yanan Women in the Communist Party, Modeling the Medium, Underground: Changhai Communism Part and the Politics of Survival 1927-1937.
Dr. Diane Ringer Uber- Class of 1970, received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish from The College of Wooster in 1974, a Master’s Degree from Pennsylvania State University in Linguistics in 1977, and her Doctorate Degree from the University of Wisconsin in Linguistics, with a strong minor in Spanish in 1981. Dr. Uber has been a Professor of Spanish at the College of Wooster since 1989. Prior to her current position she was an Assistant Professor of Spanish at Rutgers University from 1981 to 1988, and a consultant in Linguistics and Dialectology for the State of New Jersey. Dr. Uber has traveled extensively and studied in several Spanish speaking countries. She is also the author of many Spanish articles and publications, as well as many presentations at conferences and symposia, including guest lecturer at Princeton University and the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Class of 2009
Hugh P. Ringer- Class of 1966, received a Bachelor of Science degree from Youngstown State University in 1970 and a Master of Education degree in 1976 from Westminster College. Mr. Ringer taught English at Mercer High School for 32 years and was the Athletic Director for 22 years before retiring in 2004. Mr. Ringer is a National Forensic League Four Diamond Coach. The Mercer Forensic Program under his leadership has won 35 PHSSL District 1 championships with 13 speakers winning state championships. Over a 30-year span, 390 speakers have qualified for the Catholic Forensic League National championships. Mr. Ringer was elected into the Pennsylvania High School Speech League Hall of Fame in 1997. For 43 years, Mr. Ringer has worked in radio as a sports talk show host and football/basketball play-by-play announcer.
Dr. Scott E. Snyder- Class of 1982, received a Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1986 and a Ph.D. from Purdue University in 1993. Dr. Snyder is the Director of Nuclear Chemistry at St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Dr. Snyder is responsible for the design and production of specialty target agents for nuclear imaging techniques used both in clinical diagnosis and research applications. Dr. Snyder is the author/coauthor of many articles and publications dealing with the development of novel radiopharmaceuticals for positron tomographic (PET) imaging.
Dr. Joseph F. Sucic- Class of 1980, received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Thiel College in 1984 and a Master of Science and Ph.D. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1988 and 1992. Dr. Sucic is currently an Associate Professor in the Biology Department of the University of Michigan, Flint. Dr. Sucic currently serves as the Chair of the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Section of the Michigan Academy of Science, Arts, and Letters. Dr. Sucic is the author/coauthor of many articles and publications dealing with cell differentiation in Dictyostelium discoideum. In 2004, Dr. Sucic was named a University Distinguished Professor for Teaching.
Class of 2010
Harriet Morrison- Class of 1962, was graduated from Slippery Rock State University in 1966 where she majored in physical education and health. She was immediately hired at Farrell High School and asked to organize and coach a girls’ volleyball team. Ms. Morrison’s program set a winning standard across the commonwealth with a combined record of 556 wins and 59 losses. The Farrell volleyball program won eight state championships and was runner-up five times. Her teams qualified for 22 consecutive state playoff appearances during her 32-year coaching career. Ms. Morrison retired in 2005 after 39 years in the classroom. In 2010 Ms. Morrison was inducted into the WPIAL Hall of Fame.
Vincent Mongiello- enlisted in the US Navy at the age of 17 prior to high school graduation in 1943. He served two years in the Mediterranean aboard the USS LST 177. Upon his return to Mercer after World War II, Mr. Mongiello was a successful businessman while serving on the Mercer Borough Council for 26 years in such leadership positions as president and mayor. Mr. Mongiello was instrumental in the construction of the Mercer Borough Building, Mercer Borough Waste Water Plant, Mercer Manor Senior Citizen Center, and Mercer Area Public Library.
