Prestigious event honors memory of late chancellor
As Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus, prepares for its third consecutive year of hosting the USCAA National Championship Tournament March 2-5, the man who supported and helped bring the event to the university will be remembered with a heavy heart. The late Dr. Emmanuel I. Osagie, chancellor of Penn State Fayette, gave his full support at a Campus Management Group meeting March 9, 2010, for the university to continue to host the tournament.
Hours later he was dead from complications due to an illness.
Some of those who were either in attendance at that last meeting, or heard accounts testify that, Osagie’s final decision on the tournament exemplified his commitment to the university’s athletic programs.
Brian Fernandes, director of student and enrollment, was at the meeting and felt Osagie’s passion for the university’s athletics had no bounds.
“Dr. Osagie was very supportive of this event,” said Fernandes. “He believed it helped the campus gain credibility, not only locally but regionally and nationally. He attended the kick-off events, made himself available to leaders from the other schools and made sure he was in the stands for our men’s and women’s games. He was a visionary leader and he understood that we, as a campus, needed to do things of this magnitude to truly achieve the goals of the campus’ strategic plan.”
Susan Brimo-Cox, director of marketing and communications, spoke of the connection between the university’s move to continue to host the games and Osagie’s commitment to his last day.
“That Penn State Fayette continues its partnership with the USCAA in hosting the 2011 and 2012 USCAA National Basketball Championships is one illustration of the vision of community engagement that Dr. Osagie had for the Fayette campus and the region,” said Brimo-Cox. “Our campus submitted a bid to host these games again after the first two years as the result of one of Dr. Osagie’s final decisions before he died unexpectedly last March.”
Though he was not in attendance at the March 9 meeting, Vince Capozzi, athletic director at Penn State Fayette, received a call saying that Osagie had given his full support for hosting the tournament again.
“Dr. Osagie was so supportive of the tournament,” said Capozzi. “He always had big dreams for the university and knew how important this tournament was for us. After the meeting, but prior to Dr. Osagie’s passing, I got a phone call from Brian (Fernandes) saying Osagie gave his full support for the tournament. He will be remembered for everything he did for this campus.”
Though nothing has been completely planned as of yet, Capozzi said the university will seek to honor Osagie in some fashion.
“I can’t say for sure yet,” said Capozzi. “But we’ll honor him. In a way, the fact this tournament is going to happen is an honor to him.”