RMU President Dell'Omo, Student Swap Places

One student earns the chance to shadow the RMU president.

One Robert Morris University junior got a glimpse at what it's like to be at the helm of the Moon-based university Sports management major Megan Herbstritt swapped places with President Gregory Dell'Omo earlier this month, spending some time in his office and learning first-hand how Dell'Omo manages his responsibilities as president.  "I mean, I knew he was a popular guy," Herbstritt said. "But I didn't know how busy he was. He had is schedule clear, but everybody still needed something." In exchange, Dell'Omo attended classes alongside Herbstritt, sitting in for sports marketing and technology topics courses and taking part in class activities with undergrads.  Herbstritt raised $1,056 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation as a part of the …

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Slice of Life

RMU Students Lend Helping Hand at Mooncrest Community Center

Director Sister Rene Procopio says student volunteers from the Moon Township university are an integral part of the Mooncrest Center.

It's game time on a Tuesday evening at the Mooncrest Community Center.  Students huddle around tables—homework assignments are polished up and put away for the day, traded in for board games and puzzles.  Josh Blum, a student at Robert Morris University, mulls his next move in a chess game.  "We come in and we'll help them with math and English stuff," said Blum, who has been assisting at the Mooncrest Center for several semesters of his tenure at RMU. "And then we hang out with them."  More than 50 students attend the after-school program each week at the Mooncrest Community Center, a neighborhood outreach program in Moon spearheaded by the Felician Sisterhood.  Center Director Sister Rene Procopio said student volunteers from the Moon …

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Amanda Gillooly

10:52 am on Thursday, November 15, 2012

What a great story. As someone who grew up in Mooncrest, it makes me happy to see these positive initiatives to help the kids there!   more ›

Planning Commission Supports Zoning Change for RMU Hotel

The university purchased the hotel in 2011 and uses it for student housing.

The Moon Planning Commission has recommened that the township amend a zoning ordinance to allow student housing at the Pittsburgh Airport Holiday Inn on University Boulevard, where Robert Morris University is lodging students. Planning commissioners have expressed support for the measure but have not taken action on the request.  The Moon-based university purchased the 10-story hotel for $10 million in 2011 and uses the first three floors of the building as student housing. The rest of the facility, including overnight rooms and banquet spaces, is operated under the Holiday Inn brand.  The university is requesting that the township change its zoning ordinance to allow for student housing on University Boulevard, which would enable RMU to …

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RMU Student Dies in Residence Hall

The cause of death is not considered to be suspicious, officials said.

A Robert Morris University student was found dead Friday in his on-campus residence hall.  Senior Marco Giovengo, 22, was pronounced dead Friday evening in the university's Lexington Hall, according to the Allegheny County County Medical Examiner's office. The cause of death is not considered to be suspicious. RMU's campus safety department declined to comment Saturday. No cause of death is available.  The university's student newspaper The Sentry reports that Giovengo, a senior sports management major from McCandless, was a member of the Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity and a drummer for the university's marching band. Students also selected him for RMU's 2011 homecoming court.  Giovengo was scheduled to graduate in May. He was born with …

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Thousands of Students, Alumni Pack RMU's Homecoming 'Tailgate Alley'

The Colonials take down St. Francis in a 45-14 Homecoming match-up.

Thousands of students and alumni converged on Robert Morris University's campus Saturday to mark the Moon university's Homecoming celebration.  Tailgaters packed a sold-out Joe Walton Stadium to watch the Colonials take down St. Francis in a 45-14 upset.  Attendees played games, grilled food and took in a free performance from The Clarks' frontman Scott Blasey.  Alumni met earlier in the day for reunion receptions on campus. Fireworks over Joe Walton Stadium ushered out the game at nightfall.  Patch in on the action: Check out our tailgate photo gallery. Have any photos of RMU's Homecoming that you'd like to share? Upload them with your comment or send them to Jenna.Staul@patch.com.

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