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Interview Of Rosanna Mastrangelo, Rosanna Mastrangelo, Juliana Mastrangelo

All Oral Histories

The Interviewee:

Rosanna Mastrangelo was born in February 1964, in South Philadelphia. Her parents, along with the rest of her family, were Italian immigrants who had come to America after the end of World War II in hopes of rebuilding a better life for themselves. Raised in a tight-knit Italian neighborhood and surrounded by Old World traditions, Rosanna quickly realized the importance of remaining close to one’s roots, especially in forming her unique sense of identity. But as she went to school and became acquainted with people of other backgrounds and experiences, it became ever more clear that her sense …

Interview Of Kevin J. Harty, Ph.D., Kevin J. Harty Ph.D., Meghan Skiles

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Dr. Kevin J. Harty was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1948. He grew up in Brooklyn until his family moved to Chicago when he was about twelve years old. His father worked for the telephone company, which spurred the family’s move to Chicago, and his mother stayed home and cared for the family. Dr. Harty attended high school in the suburbs of Chicago, graduating when he was fifteen and a half years old. Between high school and college, he worked for a year in a department store, and briefly considered going into the fashion industry. He attended Marquette University …

Interview Of Margaret Mccoey, M.S., Margaret M. Mccoey, Matthew Riffe

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Margaret “Peggy” McCoey is the Director of Graduate Programs in Computer Information Science, Information Technology, and Economic Crime Forensics at La Salle University. Born in the Oxford Circle section of Philadelphia in 1957, Peggy grew up in St. Martin of Tours parish attending their grade school before going to Little Flower High School. After graduation in 1975, Peggy entered La Salle University an undergraduate where she received a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. Peggy received a master’s degree from Villanova in 1984. Beginning in 1982, Peggy McCoey has taught at La Salle University in some capacity. Throughout the 1990’s, Peggy …

Interview Of Frederick Van Fleteren, Ph.D., Frederick Van Fleteren Ph.D., Leo Wong

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Frederick Van Fleteren was born in St. Clair Shores, Michigan in 1941. He was raised by two devout Catholic parents who valued his education. He went to Catholic grade schools and colleges in the United States, as well as two Irish universities when he was getting his Ph.D. in philosophy. His interest in philosophy would guide his academic and professional career from his undergraduate years to his time as a Philosophy professor at La Salle University. From 1967 until 1978, he was an ordained priest with the Augustinians. He received his B.A. and M.A. from Villanova in 1964 and 1968 …

Interview Of John J. Mcgoldrick, F.S.C., Ph.D., John J. Mcgoldrick F.S.C., Ph.D., Christine M. Thieme

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Brother John Joseph McGoldrick (b. 1948), grew up in Southwest Philadelphia with his parents and older brother. Attending Most Blessed Sacrament School and later West Philadelphia Catholic High School for Boys, Brother John was part of a strong Catholic community. It was here at West Philadelphia Catholic High School, where Brother John was introduced to the Christian Brotherhood. It was at this time that he realized that the life of service with the Brotherhood was the type of life he’d like to lead. At the age of fifteen, Brother John attended the junior novitiate and after graduating high school entered …

Interview Of Michael R. Dillon, Ph.D., J.D., Michael R. Dillon, Ph.D., J.D., John A. Prendergast

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Dr. Michael Richard Dillon (1942-2020) was a Professor and Chair of the Political Science Department at La Salle University in Philadelphia. He grew up in Wilmette, Illinois, a suburb just outside of Chicago, where he spent many years before opting to attend the University of Notre Dame for his undergraduate and, later, his graduate and doctoral degrees. Dr. Dillon first came to La Salle in 1968, where he spent 17 years as a member of the Political Science Department under the Chair at the time, Robert Courtney. After obtaining a J.D. from Temple University, Dr. Dillon left La Salle in …

Interview Of Peter J. Finley, Ph.D., Peter J. Finley Ph.D., Meghan Bassett

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Peter J. Finley Sr. was born an only child to parents John J. Finley and Margaret Francis Dunn in 1931, in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. He grew up in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia. Peter attended St. Francis Xavier School for grade school, La Salle Prep School afterwards—located at 1240 North Broad Street at the time—and La Salle College, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology in 1953. Peter’s connection to La Salle began early in his childhood; his father, John J. Finley, was in the College’s graduating class of 1924. Peter earned a master’s degree at the College …

Interview Of James T. Dever, James T. Dever, William Gold

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James T. Dever was born in 1945 in the Kensington section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Walter and Ruth Dever. He attended North Catholic High School in Philadelphia and joined the Order of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales while still in High School. He majored in Theology and English at Catholic University and Allentown College, then received his Master of Arts in English at Villanova University. He taught English at North Catholic High. Ordained as a priest in 1973, Father Dever has been a parish priest, hospital chaplain, and most recently campus minister of the University Ministry and Service …

Interview Of Edward J. Sheehy, F.S.C., Ph.D., Edward J. Sheehy, Lauren De Angelis

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Edward J. Sheehy was born in 1946 to Edward and Rosemary Sheehy. His father was a naval commander and later the head of an aerospace company called Hercules. He entered the novitiate of the Christian Brothers in 1963, received his undergraduate degree in history from La Salle College in 1968, his Master of Liberal Arts from Johns Hopkins University in 1973, and his Ph.D. in History from George Washington University in 1983. He worked at St. Gabriel's Hall, Calvert College High School, Hudson Catholic High School, Central Catholic High School in Pittsburgh, PA, and La Salle University. A specialist on …

Interview Of John Mccloskey By John Fallon, John Mccloskey, John Fallon

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John McCloskey was born in 1920 in Philadelphia’s Olney section. Born into a working-class Irish Catholic family, McCloskey moved to Cornwell Heights, Pennsylvania, in Bucks County, in 1924. He graduated from Northeast Catholic High School in 1938. He held several jobs before settling in at Crown Cork & Seal’s seamless can manufacturing plant located at I Street and Erie Avenue in Philadelphia’s Kensington section. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1942. He was selected to instruct future pilots in the operation of B-17 Bombers. He attained the rank of First Lieutenant. Following his time in the Army, McCloskey …

Interview Of John J. Seydow, Ph.D., John J. Seydow, Frank Hopper

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John J. Seydow was born and raised in Olney section of Philadelphia. He was educated in Philadelphia’s Parochial School System from kindergarten through high school. He graduated from Cardinal Dougherty High School in June of 1959. He attended La Salle College on a full time basis from September 1961 through May 1965. He majored in English at La Salle and received his Bachelors degree in May of 1965. The following September he began a graduate fellowship at Ohio University where he earned his Masters and Doctorial degrees in English by May of 1968. In August 1968, he returned to La …

Interview Of William F. Burns, Major General Usa (Retired), William F. Burns, Anthony Delcollo

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Major General William F. Burns (b. 1932 in Scranton PA and d. 2021 in Carlisle, PA) grew up in a number of places during the time of the great depression and spent much of his childhood living in the greater Philadelphia area. General Burns attended middle school, high school, and college in Philadelphia. He attended La Salle College High School and La Salle College (now La Salle University), graduating from La Salle in 1954. He was part of the ROTC during college and joined the Army after graduation around the time that he married his wife to whom he is …

Interview Of John P. Rossi, Ph.D., John Patrick Rossi, Gregg S. Pearson

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Dr. John Patrick Rossi was born in Philadelphia in 1936 to Gabriel (Al) and Muriel Rossi. He was raised by two aunts, an uncle, and his grandfather in lower Olney. He attended La Salle College High School, received his B. A. in history from La Salle College in 1958, his M. A. from Notre Dame in 1960, and his Ph.D. in History from the University of Pennsylvania in 1965. His dissertation was on the British Liberal Party from 1874 to 1880. He began teaching at La Salle College in 1962; was associate editor of "Four Quarters"; received the Lindback Award; …

Interview Of Edward A. Turzanski, M.A., Edward A. Turzanski, Steven Gilligan

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From the La Salle University website (12/5/2013):

Edward Turzanski is a political and national security analyst who has held a number of posts with the federal government, and can authoritatively comment on the following areas: International Relations; U. S. Foreign and Defense Policy; Intelligence and Counterintelligence: Terrorism and Counterterrorism, Domestic and Foreign policy issues related to the Middle East, Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union; Congress and the American Presidency; Media-Political process and relations. In addition to his classroom work, Turzanski is also La Salle University's Assistant Vice President for Government and Community Relations. In that capacity, he maintains …

Interview Of Marianne S. Gauss, M.B.A., Marianne S. Gauss, James Brightman

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From the university website (11/19/13):

Professor Gauss has been a member of La Salle University’s faculty for over 20 years. Her primary responsibility has been teaching Strategic Management, International Management, Presentation Skills for Business, and Introductory and Intermediate Statistics. Additionally, she teaches in the MBA program and in an executive MBA program in Basel, Switzerland. She has won the Lindback Award for distinguished teaching and the University’s Faculty Distinguished Service Award.

Professor Gauss’ prior commercial banking experience, as both an internal auditor and financial analyst, has been redirected in a voluntary role to a local credit union. She was a …

Interview Of James Kenney By Cristopher Aguilar, James Kenney, Cristopher Aguilar

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A 45-minute interview of Philadelphia Councilman James Kenney. Part 1 focuses on his memories of his time as a student at La Salle College. Part 2 touches upon a variety of political topics.

Interview Of Mary Currie, Mary Currie, Millie Hopper

All Oral Histories

Mary Currie was a member of the La Salle University grounds crew at the time of the interview and in 2013, when the interview was posted to Digital Commons. She grew up in the Mount Airy section of Philadelphia. She graduated from Cardinal Dougherty High School in 1974 and began working at La Salle in 1986.

Interview Of Geffrey Kelly, Ph.D., Std, Geffrey Kelly, Molly Murphy

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Dr. Kelly is a retired professor who continues to teach part-time for the Religion Department. He received his Ph.D. and STD (Doctor of Sacred Theology) from Catholic University in Louvain, Belgium. While he has published on various topics, his research and publications focus on the writings of Dietrich Bonhoeffer.