Like Mother, Like Daughter: A Legacy Family Celebrates a Special Homecoming
Bloomsburg University alumni, Joe Silimperi ’89 and wife, April (White) Silimperi ’88 M’89 returned to BU last week with over 500 other alums during Homecoming 2018.
The two met as counselors at the Helen L. Diller Vacation Home for the Blind in Avalon, NJ in the summer of ’85 while Joe was waiting on his transfer acceptance to BU for Education and April was well on her way to becoming part of the very first BU graduating class for American Sign Language/ English Interpreting.
“There’s a Yin and a Yang to everything” joked Joe who says that both he and his wife had wonderful BU experiences, despite his experiences including “a little too much fun”.
The Silimperis returned this year, however, not only as proud Huskies but as proud parents – making the trip to Bloomsburg from Bethlehem to see their daughter, Kira Rose Silimperi ’19 follow in her mother’s footsteps as a finalist on this year’s Homecoming Court. April had been selected to represent Fellowship of Christian athletes in the fall of ’85 as a sophomore.
“It’s a huge honor out of all the people they could have chosen” recalled April of her experience 33 years ago. She had been the first one in her family to attend college and her most memorable moment was her family traveling 3 hours to see her on the court. The moment this weekend was even more memorable.
“I’m so proud and it’s so surreal because it was 30 years ago” described April “Just to see her here and see how she’s blossomed and really embraced the experience at BU.”
The Silimperis say they didn’t push Kira to their Alma Mater, but were very pleased with her decision to enroll at BU. When Kira declared as a Communications Sciences and Disorders major, the Silimperi’s focus shifted from fond memories to their daughter’s future.
“We were thrilled when this was on her list” explained April “We have so many memories, so to have one of our kids come here it was just perfect. I couldn’t have asked for a better place for her.”
“Both of us were impressed and very comfortable” Joe added “We are alumni but it’s different as a parent. We drove home feeling really good about her choice. They may be adults on paper, but they’re still learning and the stakes are much higher now. BU provides a good foundation for kids who need help and we had a good feeling about that.”
Kira is set to graduate this spring and says while admits she chose to explore BU in part because of her parents’ experiences, it was the campus and university community that sealed the deal. She chose Communication Sciences and Disorders because she has always been drawn to the therapies and the idea of helping people.
“There’s nothing not to love” said Kira “It just felt like home and it’s so friendly; You can walk to class and smile and people smile back.”
“I’ve always just wanted to make a big change in someone’s life” continued Kira “If there’s something I can do to make someone’s life easier, I’ll do it in a heartbeat.”
Kira’s parents communicated the importance of getting involved during her time at BU as one way to make the most of her experience and Kira took that advice to heart. Among many other clubs and organizations, Kira joined OWLs her freshman year. She said her OWL during orientation, and BU’s 2017 Homecoming Queen, Maggie Anthony, was her inspiration.
“She was able to do make you feel comfortable and accepted” recalled Kira “It was a really welcoming experience and now, I get the be the one of the first people prospective students see and tell them all about why I am a student here and why I love Bloomsburg University.”
It was through the OWLs that Kira was nominated to the Homecoming Court. Each year, the OWLs vote a male and female student to represent them on the court. Kira said she was shocked to learn they had chosen her and fellow OWL, Ryan Soley.
“It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it.” described Kira prior to Homecoming weekend “The OWLS are such a big experience here and I’m thankful and proud to be representing my favorite people and this university.”
“I’m very proud of her” says her dad, who keeps close ties with his Delta pi brothers. In fact, Kira’s godfather is a fraternity brother whose son is also a BU student. He says that he and his wife enjoyed reminiscing over the weekend about what has changed and what has stayed the same.
“I’m so excited to spend the day with friends and family” added Kira “If I win it would be amazing but if I don’t than I’m still so proud.”
Kira didn’t win, but fellow OWL, Ryan Soley ‘19 did along with Victoria Whiteside ’19. That took nothing from Kira’s experience, but rather added an extra element of excitement that an OWL had been included in what she described as an unforgettable experience.
“I’ll never forget it” said Kira “I felt so much love and support from my friends and family. The whole experience was surreal and I was just so proud to be representing the OWLS and the university.”
The excitement was not lost on her proud parents.
“We had a wonderful time” said Joe “Kira and her mom will forever have this past weekend and April’s Homecoming weekend as a shared memory.
“Bloomsburg provides me with many memories and now my daughter has some as well” added April “That means the world to me. We’re very humbled and proud of her”
Joe described his emotions while he watched his daughter on the field, awaiting the results. Among the content and the joy, he returned to the feeling of security from the days not long ago when Kira made her BU decision.
“[I felt] content that we have prepared our daughter to be a strong, independent person” Joe explained “[I felt] secure that Bloomsburg had provided her another layer to her foundation as a person, and joy in knowing that as a young person you must feel disappointment so you can really learn to enjoy the things that matter.”
After graduation, Kira plans on going to graduate school, although she is not quite sure where she wants to end up.
“I am going to keep my options open and see what’s right for me” said Kira “I loved making my own path and my own decisions. This place is so amazing there are so many opportunities to get involved.”
“I’m not ready to leave here but I have to and I’m just so thankful” continued Kira “Overall it’s been an amazing experience.”
“The disappointment was brief, and the joy continues” added her dad.
The Silimperis will celebrate their 28th wedding anniversary on 10/27
May 13: “brave girl, promise me, you will not shrink yourself in order to make others feel comfortable” Mountains sure don’t, why should we? There’s a huge difference between being empathetic with someone/trying to understand where they’re coming from and making yourself believe you are the same or trying to make them feel that you are on the same page. If that’s how you truly feel, do you! But if it’s not how you feel, it’s okay to feel that way too. Basically feel how you wanna feel. Feeling so deeply can make you vulnerable to embodying the same energy the people around you are emitting. If someone is expressing a deep sadness or anger, it’s easy to say “yeah I totally know what you mean” and then all of a sudden you’re saying all these things you weren’t feeling two minutes ago and eventually you convince yourself that you feel that way too now. Be an attentive listener, but don’t attach yourself to every word. Too often we listen to reply instead of to understand. #lesson13 is all about incorporating more of you in you and less of everyone else’s influence. #bualumni #mountain #snowymountain #smallchanges #listenopenly #yougetmypoint #quotequota #utahtrip #optoutside #thinkforyou #empath #shortandpointy #mildexhaustion #Ramadanweek2 #sundance (at Utah) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxbQRX7l4sH/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=12hv1zuv6f223
When I was growing up as a child in Northwest Iowa, May 1st was a celebratory day. We had a May festival at school and we practiced dances and we had bleacher set up at my school yard and parents came to watch their sons and daughters perform. The May pole was a great thing and I remember hoping I might somehow get to dance with the prettiest girl…
Boston University Women’s Crew at Head Of The Charles #bucrew #bualumni #bucrewalumni #boston #row @terrier130row (at Boston, Massachusetts) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpNBqHWj-4l/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1mzzvx840mpsf
At the BU Boathouse waiting for @jenna_matsumura This is where I went to college & rowed after Berkeley High school #bualumni #bucrew #rowbu #buwomenscrew #bulightweights (at DeWolfe Boathouse - Boston University) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpM6q3ljcj2/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=u43r3d1ja7u9
As early as 8:15 a.m., the cars began to roll into the parking lot of the Fenstemaker Alumni House while staff and student workers stood ready to welcome members of the Bloomsburg State College Class of 1968 back to campus.
One by one they registered: Teachers, professors and business owners; former wrestlers and football players, A retired military personnel and a Presbyterian Minister. They came from Florida, Ohio, New Jersey, Bethlehem and Bloomsburg; each exuding varying degrees of smiles, laughter and excitement. It was fairly obvious they were happy to be back, some for the first time in 50 years.
Once the attendees had their wristbands and directions, the class of 1968 boarded a BU shuttle for the Greenly Center for breakfast and the Homecoming parade via way of a campus tour. University Archivist Bob Dunkleburger explained the multitude of physical changes to the campus since the crowd had been students, pointing out several buildings for which the university had broken ground while they were achieving their mid-career goals. As they rode the shuttle, many reminisced of dorm life in the later 60’s, located familiar parts of campus, and asked questions about current campus and student life.
“Do you know if the students still steal the trays from the dining hall and use them as sleds in the winter?” laughed one alum, who had since retired from the United States Airforce “We had some good times here.”
The reunion party continued at the Greenly Center where the class of ’68 was treated a first class view of the Homecoming parade in Main Street Bloomsburg. They then hitched a ride back to campus for the Alumni Tent Party and joined returning alums from classes spanning the last half century.
“I used to live right behind that building over there” reminisced one alum from the fourth floor conference room, high above Main Street. “God, I hated that alley. But my boyfriend at the time, now my husband, used to walk me to the church there every Sunday.”
Remembering the friends they had made and the spouses they had met was a common theme within the group, as many of them had recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversaries prior to returning to BU for their 50th college reunion. They shared those stories at an evening dinner at Monty’s not long after watching the homecoming football game.
“I was in the dining hall and he threatened to throw a piece of pie at me” said one member of the class of ’68. “I told him ‘You. Wouldn’t. Dare’…….Well, I got the pie, but I also got him.”
Reunion committee president, Steven Messner opened the evening reception with an expression of appreciation to his classmates for their presence. After Dinner, Alumni Director, Nate Conroy welcomed the ’68 Huskies “home” and provided some fun facts of BU life mid-20th century:
Tuition in 1967 - $531
Enrollment in 1967 - 3,389
Number of academic departments in 1967 - 14
During the Class of 1968’s time at Bloomsburg State College, two buildings were demolished, three buildings were completed, and two were under construction. here were 10 fraternity and sororities started in that time period as well.
The alums reminisced throughout the evening about shenanigans involving beds being pushed out of windows and the town fountain being “sudsed”. They spoke with pride of the sit-in that allowed female students later curfews and a more relaxed dress policy as well as changed the formal dinner arrangements for which they expressed so much dislike to a more relaxed, cafeteria style. They talked about graduation, the “long porch”, the “Nook” and the ups and downs of their lives since then. They left with a type of satisfied joy that can only come with revisiting a very special time and place in one’s life.
“You are family” commented BU’s 19th President, Dr, Bashar Hanna as they received their commemorative pins. “What they say here is true: when you come to BU, you really are a Husky for life.”
Great weekend hanging out with friends who are like family. Love you @melissai09 and Jules! #Gatineaupark #luskcaves @ubishops #bualumni (at Lusk Caves)
