February 2, 2005

Dr. Antoinette Iadarola
Ms. Robin Moll

Dear Dr. Iadarola and Ms. Robin Moll:

I am writing this letter with total disbelief, shock, hurt and pain. When I heard that the college made the decision not to bring back Coach John Dzik for another year to be the head basketball coach I was just devastated. All I could say was that the college has made a great mistake.

I graduated from Cabrini College in 1996 with an accounting degree. During my time there I was a student athlete, leader and advocate for the college. I will be totally honest with you in saying that I would have never gone this small catholic college if it had not been for Coach Dzik. It was Coach that came to my house like a father and exposed me to life at Cabrini. Being an African American male at that college it was tough. But it was because of special people like Coach Dzik that through his example and his words that kept me at that school. Playing college basketball was just the vehicle that allowed me to get an education. It was because of John Dzik inspiration, his passion, his love, his commitment to his players and the students that made Cabrini special. I will be quite direct in saying that if it had not been for the likes of Coach Dzik you would not have the minority percentages that you have today. There have been a lot of minorities that have come to Cabrini College and have successfully graduated. And if you ask them to name a person that helped them get to this point, 99% of them would say Coach Dzik. I realize how important those type of statistics are to organizations such as Middle States.

As a student at Cabrini and even now as an alumnus of the College I have been nothing but a champion. I have served several years on the alumni board, and represented the college in several publications. But today I am just too disgusted the way that you have treated Coach Dzik for all his commitment and service. You have done a good job for the most part while you have been here as President but today you have really done a disservice. I know that you and Coach Dzik did not see eye to eye on some things but you should respect what he has done for the college. I am no longer proud to be a Cabrini Alumni. Effective immediately please remove me from all distributions and solicitations. I will no longer be the Champion or even the ‘Poster Boy’ for your school. I will ask that you please do not include my picture in anymore advertisements for the college. I will also no longer contribute financially to this institution and will encourage every alumnus to do the same.

I hope and pray that you will not do the same thing to another great person at Cabrini in Martha Dale. I have watched you strategically move her out of Alumni Affairs Office and into this new role as you did the same for Coach Dzik. I know that the college is going to be celebrating soon and that you have Martha leading it up. But I pray that when it’s all over that you will not do Martha the way you have done Coach Dzik.

I think about your Office of Institutional Advancement and all the individuals that have left over the recent years. To me that really says something about you as an administrator. (Robin, be careful) You and the Board of Trustees really need to reconsider what you are doing. The impact of this although you may think is small now but in the long run it will be big. I don’t know if this letter will change your mind but I had to share my thoughts on this matter. God bless and take care.

Sincerely, Rich Grace
Class of 1996,
Former Alumni Board Member

P.S. I really hope to see you on Feb. 5th in support of the last alumni game at your college.