University Times

Vince Taylor has been named assistant basketball coach. Taylor joins Pitt after spending the last 13 seasons playing professional basketball in Europe, including the last two as a player/assistant coach in the Belgium professional league. He was selected by the New York Knicks in the second round of the 1982 NBA draft. He spent the 1982-83 season with the Knicks before joining the Indiana Pacers in 1983-84. Taylor's European basketball career began in Italy (1984-86) and he played in France (1986-92) and Belgium (1992-97).

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Johanna Sarnowski has been promoted to assistant athletic media relations director. Previously, she served as an intern in media relations. Sarnowksi, a recent graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, will oversee the production of the Athletic Department's publications as well as assist in promotion of the Panthers' 19 intercollegiate sports. Her primary responsibilities will be handling the day-to-day publicity efforts for women's volleyball and basketball, and the Panther baseball team.

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The Eugene F. Scanlon Scholarship has been awarded to David Lander, a 1997 graduate of Central Catholic High School. The award of last year's recipient, Mark Seigle, was renewed.

The scholarship was established in Scanlon's memory at the time of his death in 1994 by his family, friends and former colleagues. Last year was the first time the scholarship was given. A Pitt graduate and former trustee, Scanlon served for over 20 years in the Pennsylvania House and Senate. Scanlon's district encompassed the upper North Side and western suburbs of Pittsburgh. Recipients of the scholarship must be graduates of Central Catholic High School, have an outstanding scholastic record, demonstrate excellent leadership potential, show financial need and be interested in pursuing a career in public service, preferably intending to enter law school.

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The University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) honored leaders in community service, patient care and scientific research at its fifth annual leadership dinner Oct. 14.

Richard Cyert, president emeritus of Carnegie Mellon University, received the 1997 Arthur F. McNulty Civic Leadership Award. Cyert, a cancer patient at UPCI, sits on UPCI's Council, where he serves on the technology transfer committee.

This spring, UPCI named the Cyert Chair in Molecular Oncology; development is underway for the Richard M. Cyert Center for Molecular Oncology. The new center will complement UPCI existing programs that translate research findings into new treatments for cancers of various organ systems.

Margarita Silverman, who until recently was assistant professor of medicine in the Bone Marrow Transplant Program at UPMC Health System, received the Leo H. Criep M.D. Excellence in Patient Care Award.

Dianne Fletcher received UPCI's Excellence in Patient Care Award for her work with breast cancer patients. She is a nurse clinician with the Joint Breast Program of UPCI and Magee-Womens Hospital.

Michael Lotze, professor of surgery, molecular genetics and biochemistry and co-director of the UPCI's Experimental Therapeutics Program, received UPCI's Scientific Leadership Award for his achievements in the development of biological and gene-based therapies for cancer.