Lehigh University is known for its robust alumni community and the steadfast dedication of its volunteers. At this year’s Reunion, several members of that vibrant community will be honored for their service to the brown and white with Reunion Class Alumni Awards.
Alumni Award recipients are Lehigh alumni who have given continuing support to
the university; have been instrumental in directing the proper type of young men and women to
Lehigh; have been willing to give their time and energies insofar as their location and
opportunity have permitted, as class agents, class correspondents, or workers in the special
projects which the Alumni Association has from time to time sponsored; and have contributed
significantly to the civic, religious, social, industrial, business and professional life of their
respective communities.
2023 award recipients include the following alumni:
Bernie Suess ’73 ’12P ’14P
2023 Joseph R. Persa ’48 Award
B.A. English
Retired Project Manager
Bernie Suess ’73 ’12P came to Lehigh as a chemical engineering major, but decided that English was a better fit. But it was the purchase of a camera during his first post-graduation job at Bethlehem Steel that led to a career as a photographer and authoring two books and several magazine articles on photography.
Suess has remained local and very involved at his alma mater throughout the years, helping to steer his class committee since their ten-year Reunion. For his efforts, at this year’s Reunion, his 50th, he’ll receive the Joseph R. Persa ’48 Award. Presented in memory of a dedicated alumnus who served with distinction as general reunion chairman from 1958 until his death in 1980, the award goes to an individual who has made the greatest contribution to an outstanding class reunion.
“We’ve got good people on the committee — I don’t really have to do a lot of heavy lifting,” Suess said. “So I feel I’m getting this more for the committee than for myself.”
There’s no denying that Suess’ enthusiasm for Lehigh is contagious — even though she is not an alumna, his wife, Carolyn, loves attending all the Reunions and Rallies. The Suesses were married in Packer Chapel, baptized their son, Todd ’12, there, and eventually sent him off to Lehigh to major in computer science and business.
Suess’s favorite Lehigh moment as a student was spending the day with then-President W. Deming Lewis in order to write an article, One Day in the Life of a President, for the Alumni Bulletin. “That was actually my first paid writing assignment!”
Celeste Varricchio ’73
2023 Eugene G. Grace 1899 Award
B.A. English
Artistic Director and CEO, Mosaic Dance Theater Company
Celeste Varricchio ’73 arrived at Lehigh as a transfer student as soon as the university opened its doors to women undergraduates, in the fall of 1971. She quickly got involved, becoming one of the first six female Gryphons. Although she was an English major, her heart and soul belonged to performing with the Mustard and Cheese Drama Society.
Varricchio made her way to Broadway after graduation, working not as an actor but in a producer’s office, learning the ins and outs of theatrical production. A corporate job helped to pay the bills, eventually leading to a career in book publishing. But she continued to perform as a dancer in her free time and, when the time was right, founded the Mosaic Dance Theatre Company, dedicated to promoting Middle Eastern folk dance.
Her participation in the first Soaring Together Women’s Conference got Varricchio thinking about creating opportunities for student in the arts, leading to her establishing the Celeste Varricchio Visionary Theatre Student Award, given to an exceptional student in the theatre department.
“My two years at Lehigh shaped my future, and I’m very proud that I can give back to Lehigh something that means so much to me,” Varricchio said.
Varricchio will receive the Eugene G. Grace 1899 Award at this year’s Reunion, presented in recognition of distinguished service encouraging support of Lehigh University. She will also be the first woman to ring the bell at the conclusion of the 2023 Undergraduate Commencement, representing the Class of 1973.
Nick Gentile ’53
B.S. Business Administration
Retired owner, Pompton Lakes Building Supply Company
“I am and always have been proud to be a Lehigh graduate. It has been so instrumental in any successes I have achieved.”
W. Robert Christie ’58
B.A. Mechanical Engineering, B.S. Mechanical Engineering
L. Harold Milton ’63
B.S. Industrial Engineering, B.A. Applied Sciences
Retired, ExxonMobil Corporation
“The best thing about Reunions is seeing old friends.”
James Wilson ’63
B.S. Civil Engineering
Delmar Bloem ’68
B.S. Electrical Engineering
Retired, President and CEO, ICS Medical Corporation
“Lehigh was a tipping point in my life. It may not have catapulted me into maturity and manhood, but it set me in the right direction in social, intellectual, emotional, and a lot of other dimensions.”
James Duane III ’73 ’04P ’06P ’06PG
B.A. American Studies
Lawyer/Of Counsel, Peabody & Arnold, LLP
Lehigh Trustee Emeriti
“I volunteer and support Lehigh because I want others to have the same experience as I did and to help make Lehigh an even better university for future generations of students.”
Gail Reinhart ’78
B.A. American Studies
Retired, Lawyer, Federal Government and Air Force Reserve Officer (JAG)
“My favorite place on campus is Linderman Library. I love all the old-fashioned architectural details like the stained glass and spiral staircases.”
Nancy Liu ’83
B.A. Economics
Assistant General Counsel, GE Capital, North America Life and Health
“My family and the many friends we have made there over the years keep me connected to Lehigh. My husband, daughter, and son are all Lehigh graduates. My husband and I tailgate at home football games and attend other Lehigh events. I am the '83 Class Correspondent, so it is my job (and pleasure) to stay connected with my classmates.”
Jeff Bosland ’88
B.S. Finance
Retired, Senior Managing Director, Cerberus Capital Operations and Advisory Company, current Lehigh Trustee
“Lehigh is a very special place that I have called my second home since 1984, and that will never change. My best friends today are still the ones I met on South Mountain.”
James Bardinelli ’93
B.S. Accounting
Chief Financial Officer, Adage Capital Management
“Lehigh really is part of our family. We’ve been fortunate to have a number of relatives graduate from Lehigh, so family events tend to become mini multi-generational reunions.”
Henry Odi ’98G
Ed.D. Educational Leadership
Deputy Vice President and Associate Provost for Academic Diversity, Lehigh University
“My favorite thing about Lehigh is the students, faculty, staff, alumni, Board of Trustees … and Lehigh’s evolution since I arrived.”
Benjamin Lehrhoff ’03
B.S. Accounting
Principal, Bernstein Private Wealth Management
“I got my first job through Lehigh’s accounting program and met my wife during my freshman year. Giving back to Lehigh is a way to say thank you for all the opportunities it has provided for me.”
Daniel Grealish ’08
B.A. Economics, Spanish
Director, Business Intelligence and Business Process Improvement, Henderson Brothers, Inc.
Andrew Sgarlato ’13
B.S. Bioengineering
Director, Management Consulting, Vynamic
“I love that Lehigh has both a deep-rooted tradition but also an eye on the future. Those two things come together so beautifully to make an incredible place with incredible people doing incredible things.”
Nadine Elsayed ’18
B.A. Global Studies, Journalism
Brand and Executive Communications Manager, Adobe