Professor of Communication Kathryn “Kathi” Paluscio, who taught Public Speaking at Mercer for the last 21 years, passed away from cancer on July 6, 2021 at JFK Medical Center in Edison, NJ. She was 54 years old.
Professor Paluscio received her undergraduate degree in Speech, Theatre and Media at Kean University and got her masters degree in Theater at Villanova. Later she was selected for the McGraw Mid-Career Fellowship Program at Princeton University where she studied “guerilla techniques,” or unconventional teaching strategies for connecting with students.
“Her classes were filled with powerful energy, excitement, motivation, and ardor she gave to her students. Every time I came to the class, I knew that no matter how grievous or melancholy my days were, Kathi would be able to turn them into joyful feelings, making me smile and cheerful,” says Mykhaylo Yanchyk, a second year Chemistry/Biology major, who took Professor Paluscio’s Public Speaking class in spring 2021.
Professor Paluscio was known for her creative teaching tools. She brought in props, got students out of their seats, she was even known to play the guitar and include her students’ names in her improvised songs.
Kyle Goldware, a second year Communication major, who took Professor Paluscio’s Public Speaking class in spring 2021 said, “Every Monday and Wednesday when I went into her class I was excited because she made it so fun. She was always cheerful, hilarious, and she genuinely wanted her students to succeed in learning how to speak in public. After taking Kathi’s class, I stopped being afraid to speak up in certain public situations. She also taught me how to get out of my comfort zone.”
Another student, Hamza Marzaki, a second year Business Administration major who took Professor Paluscio’s Public Speaking class in spring 2021, said, “What helped me was her giving us positive energy and motivation right before we would perform our speeches.”
According to her colleagues, during her career Professor Paluscio reviewed more than 30,000 student speeches.
According to Professor of Communication Alvyn Haywood, who worked with Professor Paluscio for the last 20 years, and was a close friend “She was a walking thespian who brought her theatrical background into the classroom.”
Professor Palucsio was a founding member of Mercer’s Rock Salt Theatre group and she also founded MouthWorks, an improv comedy troupe. In her free time, unbeknownst to many of her friends and colleagues, she wrote horror fiction under the pen name J.C. Raye.
According to Professor Haywood, “J.C. stands for Jesus Christ, as Kathi was a Catholic and Raye being Christ’s light, something which she would aim for, and something that Kathi brought to Mercer for both students and faculty to enjoy.”
Professor Paluscio was the recipient of MCCC’s Distinguished Teaching Award in May of 2012. Her other accolades include the Human Relations Award and Student Activites Woman of The Year Award.
According to Professor of Electrical Engineering Harry Bitner, who worked with Professor Paluscio for the last 20 years, and was a close friend, “She was so humble, if I tried to give her any type of compliment, she would turn it around so quick, she was focused on other people.”
In her acceptance speech when she won the Distinguished Teaching Award Professor Paluscio told students, “We have high hopes for what you will accomplish. I believe that all of you here today are like an amazing adventure story. My life pales in comparison to yours.”
Professor Bitner recalls that “Kathi gave so much to Mercer. She treated us like family. She served everybody. She helped everybody…She was so dedicated.”
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A memorial service will be held on the quad at 12pm on September 28.
