Back to Bona’s
“If you could return to St. Bonaventure as a student for one day, what’s one thing you would do?” That’s what we asked alums in the last issue of Bonaventure magazine. These are some of the people and places they’d like to revisit.
FOR THE NEXT EDITION
Were you ever in the Rathskeller when “Mack the Knife” didn’t play on the jukebox? And on a beautiful spring day when windows were open wide, what songs filled the air when you walked into Dev quad?
Music is a big part of college life. Is there a song you associate with your time at Bona’s, one that transports you back to campus the second you hear it?
Tell us in 100 words and email magazine@sbu.edu. We’ll print a collection of responses in the summer 2023 issue. Photos from your time on campus are welcome!
One thing? One day? There are so many things! OK. Any Tuesday. After classes I wend my way to the Student Activities Office and hang out with Fr. Brennan Fitzgerald. We go through press kits for possible concerts and theater performances to book for the university.
Off to eat chickpeas (in everything it seems) at the dining hall before rehearsal at Garret Theatre with Dr. Gray-Lewis. The rehearsals last several hours and are filled with hard work, laughter and singing.
Final stop – the Skeller with friends. Drinking age was 18 back in the day. We toast to another good day!
– Patricia (Ryan) Lampl, ’77
If I could return as a Bona student for a day, I would spend some time sitting on the steps outside Plassmann Hall and chatting with my friends between classes while taking in all the hustle and bustle of campus life! Simply the best!
— Sue (Smythe) Vanknapp, ’79
One of my fondest memories at Bona’s was my senior year, 1969-70. I needed a 1-credit course to fulfill graduation requirements. I signed up for a PE class taught by Coach Fred Handler. I had played for him on the freshman basketball team in 1966-67. The curriculum included a game called badminton basketball. Whether Coach Handler created this game or not, it was a blast. A 30-minute game of 5-on-5 full court would luckily result in a 1 to 0 score with a number of broken badminton rackets. A wonderful ending to a great four years. That’s a day I would love to repeat.
— Michael X. Foley, Ph.D., MSW, MPS, ’70
Although I have so many great memories, the one thing I would want to do is return to the campus radio station WOFM and be a DJ one more time. For eight semesters I had a radio show called “Roger B. from 1 to 3.” I used the 1959 instrumental hit “The Happy Organ” by Dave “Baby” Cortez to begin and end every show. Now 50 years later, I have set my ringtone to the same “Happy Organ” tune. As a result, I am reminded a half dozen times every day of the wonderful four years I spent at St. Bonaventure.
— Roger Barbaro, ’72
First, stop off to the OG* RC Cafe for a chicken tender sub. Next, I would hit up my room in Dev to play some Griffey on SNES* before class. After classes I would play a game at the Richter. Later at night I would grab a Big Ugly from the Uni-Mart before hitting up the greatest place ever, the Tav.
— David “Cheese” Ross, ’07
*Original; Ken Griffey Major League; Baseball on Super Nintendo
My happiest memories of SBU were the times I spent working on plays/shows at the Garrett Theater with Dr. Stephen Gray-Lewis, my BFFs and my future husband. If I had just one day, I would go back to an opening night of a play, do the show then celebrate — as we always did — at the home of Gray-Lewis, eating and drinking into the wee hours!
— Leigh (Berezney) Simone, ’77
If I could go back to St. Bonaventure for one day, I’d start with working the breakfast shift in the dining hall (worked there all four years), go to my elementary education classes in Plassmann, go to the post office (for a care package), lunch at The Burton for a burger, do homework at Friedsam Library, dinner in the Skeller (stop up to the dining hall to hear Fr. Dan’s laugh), and possibly hit The Hickey for $2 pitcher night.
— Sara (Hovey) Eskildsen, ’94
If I had only one day to return to SBU as a student, I would realize that the 24 hours will pass quickly. I would look for an opportunity to connect more with my instructors. I would notice that some students are struggling as much as I am and try to lighten their burden with a word of encouragement. I would understand that I’d be seeing some of them for the last time and tell them they are in my heart forever. Then I’d go to the Skeller and just be with them.
— Mary Siedlikowski, ’84
I was a student at St. Bonaventure from 1970 to 1974. I was a townie and lived at home.
I drove back and forth every day to and from my classes. Each night I had a part-time job in Olean from 6 to 10 p.m.
I rarely, if ever, missed a class or my nightly work. If I could return to St. Bonaventure as a student for one day, I would only want to sit in on a class taught by my dad … watch him as he quietly closed the classroom door in Plassmann Hall at the appointed time, took the roll call, led an opening prayer and only then start the classwork. He was fair, he was honest and above all he lived a Franciscan life. He had a reputation as a “tough” grader. I asked him about that one day to which he replied, “I merely record the grade each student earned.” I miss ya’ dad …
— Robert Keenan, ’74
I would go to Friedsam Memorial Library and read up on the life and times of Thomas Merton, especially his time at St. Bonaventure. If I found a book to check out and if it was a nice day, I’d head over to the beautiful Grotto and read it there.
I never made it to Merton’s Heart during my time as a student, though I remember some classmates who did.
— Margaret McCormick, ’81
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