WILKES-BARRE, PA (April 9, 2026) -- In honor of the NCAA's annual D3 Week, the King's College Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) empowered to catch a glimpse into the "student" aspect of the "student-athlete" experience with its new series, Classroom Spotlights.
 
This #D3Week, SAAC's fall sport student-athletes selected one or two faculty members to interview with a set of questions. The list aimed to capture the perspective of King's faculty who interact with our student-athletes daily as well as peek into their own lives to get to know them a bit better.
 
Below is the list of subjects, their roles on campus, and how long they have worked at King's as well as the great group of student-athletes that participated in the first edition of this series.
 

• Sean Cryan, Director of Campus Activities and Orientation and instructor of one course of Holy Cross Experience (HCE) and Oral Communication, has been at King's since June 1997. He was interviewed by men's soccer's Jackson Nuttall.
• Dr. Jill Yurko, Professor in the Education Department, has been at King's for about 18 years and taught in public education prior to King's. She was interviewed by field hockey's Allie Chocallo.
• Dr. Tim Kulpa, Director of Clinic Education in the master of Science of Athletic Training Program, has been at King' s for 20 years. He was interviewed by women's soccer's Mackenzie Seeley.
• Dr. Billie Burry, Associate Dean of Nursing, has been at King's for four years. She was interviewed by women's volleyball's Lindsay Arezina and Emma Bolich.
• Kristi Concannon, Professor of Physics, has been at King's since fall of 2002 and is in here 23^rd year. She was interviewed by women's volleyball's Hannah Swinsburg and Antonia Leary.
• Sunny Weiland, Associate Professor in the Education Department, has been at King's 13 years. She was interviewed by women's soccer's Kelsey Sorensen.
• Fr. Dan Issing, Professor of Theology and Holy Cross Priest, has been at King's for 19 years. He was interviewed by football's Matt Blakemore.
• Dr. Garrett Barr, Associate Professor of Biology, has been at King's for 20 years. He was interviewed by field hockey's Liz Samuel.

 
Their answers to a few of the questions are below, but head over to @KC_SAAC on Instagram for the full interviews and the complete series.

Q: What makes King's special?

    A: Kristi Concannon -  "I knew when I was interviewing at various places that King's was a special place. I'm sure you've experienced it too. There's such a welcoming community, it feels like family. Very relaxed, get-to-know each other atmosphere. I think that's special."

    A: Sunny Weiland - "I've learned a lot about what makes King's special. The sense of community and family and support is just phenomenal. I love the small feel in a big place. We're a nice little tight community campus in a city, and I think it's a really rich environment. I've loved learning and working with all of my students and all the other fellow faculty and staff at King's. I think King's is the best place in the world in that it provides everybody an opportunity to have a voice, and we really foster that dignity in people. I think it's really special."
 
Q: What advice do you have to current King's students?

    A: Fr. Dan Issing - "I would have different advice depending on what age they are. For someone like Matt Blakemore, who is doing this interview with me right now as he is approaching graduation, the advice I would say right now is two pieces of advice. Number one is to stay focused on this semester, which he is in my class right now, and I feel like he's doing that very well. Number two I would say the key for those approaching graduation is to start doing things in such a way that you hold on to and treasure and remember the best things about your education. For those who are beginning their careers or are in the middle of their careers, I would say that the most important advice is to practice the virtues. Now I teach this in class, so obviously I think this is important. A happy life doesn't come easily. One has to make choices and make sure that their actions are consistent with their beliefs. Think about what you believe, what you value, and make a life that you could fulfill those beliefs and values."

    A: Dr. Garrett Barr- "Aside from the obvious of show up to class, do your work, and be a reasonably conscientious student, I would say take advantage of your relationships with faculty and staff on campus. Most of us are here because we want to be at a small liberal arts college and get to know our students. So get to know your faculty, and that can turn into some great relationships and stronger recommendations when you graduate."
 
Q: If you were an athlete, how did that shape your experience in college and set you up after graduation?

    A: Sean Cryan - "For me, I was a runner and did cross country/track. So to me, it was time management. I always knew when I had practice and meets, so just to be able to make a schedule and know that I had to be disciplined with it definitely taught a lot of time management discipline and got me to graduation in four years."

    A: Dr. Jill Yurko - "When I went to college, I was a swimmer. I swam at the University of Scranton, which is a Division III college. I felt that it helped me to be organized and to prepare for my teaching career. Subsequently, I coached swimming for probably 10 to 12 years at the beginning of my teaching career."
 
Q: How do you think NCAA Division III athletes contribute to the academic environment?

    A: Dr. Tim Kulpa - "Working in the exercise science and athletic training programs, we have a lot of student-athletes in our programs. They tend to be some of our highest achieving students. They bring a wealth of information and experience in working in teams and groups. They often are great at time management and balancing all of the things that drain their time from practice to film to games, but also balancing their responsibilities of being a student-athlete as well."

    A: Dr. Billie Burry - "I think they bring a really unique and valuable presence. They're highly disciplined and have developed strong time management skills from balancing practices, competitions, and academics. That level of commitment often carries over into the classroom where they tend to be focused, prepared, and engaged. Beyond that, they bring a strong sense of teamwork and leadership. In group projects, you can often see them stepping up, encouraging collaboration, keeping everyone on track, and helping create a positive dynamic. They're also extremely resilient. Student-athletes are used to facing challenges, whether it's a tough game or demanding schedule, and that mindset helps them navigate rigorous academic programs. Overall, they help create a motivated and supportive learning environment. Their drive and work ethic are contagious, and they contribute to a culture where students push each other to succeed."

    A: Kristi Concannon- "I serve as a first-year advisor and have a lot of parents of students who ask 'Is it possible for my son or daughter to play sports and be an engineering major at the same time?' And my answer is always, it turns out the student-athletes are exemplary at managing their time. You don't have a choice. You have to make time for your lifts, your practice, your games, doing your homework, and going to class. I think that having student-athletes on campus shows other students how to be a good student."
 
Q: Have you noticed strengths that student-athletes bring to the classroom?

    A: Sean Cryan - "I would echo what I was. I have a lot of students either in HCE or speech. Athletes are definitely focused. They know they got to get work done. If they have a game or practices coming up, they have to be zoned in on that. Especially if they have to miss a class, they're looking a couple days ahead to say 'I can't be in class, what am I missing?' I definitely feel like you notice the difference when you have athletes in the class."

    A: Dr. Jill Yurko - "I feel like my students in the education program are much more organized, prepared, and efficient based on the fact that they have to work around their practices and work around everything that they have to do to be prepared to play their sport. Also, I think inherent to playing a sport, they are very disciplined and focused, and they know what they have to do to be the best they can be, and in this case, the best teacher they can be."

    A: Dr. Tim Kulpa - "Some of the things that they contribute to the academic environment are similar. Time management skills are a huge one. Part of being a Division III athlete is loving the sport but also having that desire to pursue an education and having to balance those demands. They're often great role models for other student-athletes because they have such a high-achieving personality, and they are great at working in teams. They contribute well to group work as well as a lot of other areas in the classroom. They tend to be some of our most fun students to have in class."

    A: Sunny Weiland - "Their dedication is admirable. I know they're up at the crack of dawn, and I know they're up late doing work for school. I know they're traveling, and they're keeping track of all sorts of responsibilities. I admire them very much for their strength and their dedication to not only their athletics but their academics as well. The accountability that I see in them is really powerful in how they support each other, and they hold themselves accountable as well which is really great."

    A: Fr. Dan Issing- "I think of a couple things. Number one, I go right to the class we just came out of. I asked a question, and I was just asking for volunteers. These two athletes sitting next to each other, one on the basketball team one on the football team, raised each other's hands. I mention that for a couple reasons. One is the friendships that they have, which I think is a lot of athletes make good friendships, and they help each other in the classroom and bring a good spirit into the classroom. That would be something that I would draw attention to that there's something about having athletes in the classroom that brings a good spirit a lot of times and good energy. Last semester, I had a class with seven or eight football players on the team, and they just were great students. There were a couple hockey players and a group from the women's soccer team. The class had a great spirit to it, and I think that's primarily because the athletes are hard working, they're friendly, and they understand a big picture of their lives because they have a schedule to live by athletically as well as academically."

    A: Dr. Garrett Barr - "As long as athletics doesn't distract too much and consume too much of students' lives, I regularly find that they bring a level of focus because they're busy and need to work on scheduling. Camaraderie because they're often used to being part of a team, and sometimes some really good leadership skills."

The Classroom Spotlights series underscores the meaningful connection between King's faculty and the student‑athletes they help shape, reflecting the Division III focus on academic excellence, personal development, and community engagement.