New resource center dedicated to Susquehanna alumni

Marcia Moore, The Daily Item, Sunbury, Pa.
·2 min read

May 19—SELINSGROVE — Lisa Ryan Burke held back tears during the dedication of the Hawk Hub resource area at Susquehanna University's Degenstein Campus Center Friday.

The Clark and Lisa Ryan Burke Hawk Hub was unveiled during a morning celebration attended by dozens of people, including SU President Jonathan Green and past president L. Jay Lemons.

"This is an opportunity to express our gratitude for their remarkable philanthropy to Susquehanna," said Green, of Lisa Ryan Burke, a 1978 graduate and current vice president of the SU board of trustees, and her late husband.

The Hawk Hub is a resource for students, providing information about the college, ranging from financial inquiries, class registration and club and other organizations.

"The purpose of this facility is to make students comfortable in how they navigate Susquehanna University," said Green.

In expressing her gratitude for their names being associated with such a resource, Ryan Burke said she and her late husband "spent our careers connecting people. I needed the Hawk Hub. I didn't even know where the registrar's office was."

While her husband did not attend Susquehanna, Ryan Burke said he was as devoted to her alma mater as she.

"Susquehanna University provided me with the foundation to achieve my professional aspirations," said Ryan Burke, who retired this year from Heyman Associates Inc., a communications executive search firm.

Prior to his death in 2021, Clark Ryan served as director of therapeutic activities at Summit Oakes Hospital in New Jersey.

The couple have also supported funds at Susquehanna that benefit the department of communications, career development center and Women's Leadership Fund.

"As a private university, Susquehanna relies on the generosity of individuals like Lisa and Clark to provide our students access to truly life-changing experiences," said Melissa Komora, vice president for advancement.