50 Years - 50 Stories

Over the past 50 years, nearlyten thousand students have passed through the doors of Walsh University with many shared experiences and memories. Some memories have become campus legends such as the Great Pumpkin Heist, Stumble Inn or "borrowing" cafeteria trays for sled riding. But some have become personal life lessons that have helped to shape our individual characters. As a part of our 50th anniversary celebration, we are sharing with you 50 of those stories. We hope that these memories help to personalize the growth and impact of Walsh's 50-year history.

Martha Capeta, Class of 1986

Somewhere in the basement of the FBI or Secret Service, I know there is a file on me.

During my first ten years of working at Walsh, I spent more time interacting with FBI and Secret Service agents then I did my fellow Walsh co-workers! Why, you ask? It was during my time in the Communications Office that Walsh welcomed Mother Teresa in 1982, Willy Brandt in 1983, Coretta Scott King in 1986, Adolfo Perez Esquival in 1986 and Elie Wiesel in 1987. I kept waiting for the Pope to make an appearance.

Dr. Laura Fisher McIntyre, Walsh Cadet Program 1961-1964

Father Really Does Know Best

At the age of 17 in April 1961, graduation was just around the corner. I was busy making plans to "begin my life" and just like any fearless teenager short on experience, I thought I had it all planned out. No income. No place to live. After high school, my friend and I were going to move to New York City. Manhattan.

Logan May, Current Student

"It was amazing to see things I'd only read about in textbooks, seen in movies, or heard about"

When I started at Walsh University in the fall of 2007, I expected a traditional college experience. I planned on staying put in Canton, Ohio, attending school in a classroom, and taking classes in the fall and spring. What I didn’t expect was to get caught up in the expanding.

Mike O'Brien, Class of 1966

My 55 Ford with a Blown Engine and a Lifetime of Gratitude

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Don Caizza, Class of 1967

The Crazy Crew

During my years at Walsh, the guys I hung around with were affectionately labeled by others as the "Crazy Crew." We knew each other from playing grade school basketball at the Knights of Columbus in Canton, and after grade school we all met again at Central Catholic. Most of the "Crew" came from the Canton parochial school system with the exception of one who actually came from Brooklyn and who we met at Walsh.

Carole Bendekgey Eaton, Class of 1970

"How I Met my Husband and Became a Pacifist with a Gun..."

There was a buzz on campus in 1967 about two basketball players - Joe Eaton and Bill Polinsky -- coming from Kent to Walsh. All kinds of speculation that these great players were going to bolster our team and take it to a whole new level. That is how I first heard of Joe Eaton.

Juliana Tasule, Class of 2009

The Road to Walsh began in Uganda

The first day I walked into St. Mary's College in Kisubi in 1989, I felt very proud. The Brothers of Christian Instruction hired me and I was one of the first single women to teach at the all boy’s boarding school. Now it is a normal thing to have ladies teaching there. I am a teacher, but in my heart, a student. I worked for 10 years and then went for my bachelors. After seven years at St. Mary's...that is when I first heard of the Walsh University.

Pat Gannon, Class of 1971

My Mom Told Me I Was Just Going to a Party!

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Joe Ezzie, Professor of Economics Class of 1965

If I had to do it again, I would do it exactly the same.

It was probably the best accident in history. I came to the U.S. on vacation from Lebanon to visit my aunts. While visiting, my cousin told me there was a new college in town. He knew that my dream was to continue to pursue my education, specifically, in the U.S. My concern was that I didn’t speak English.

John Latchic, Class of 1969

Even to this day, I feel more comfortable when I have a tie on.

I have a lot of good stories about this place but one I’ll always remember is when a friend of mine and I used to play tennis with Sherry Bossart and Br. Roland. Sherry was like a tennis pro so one day I asked her if she would take it easy on us. She just smiled and said she would...