Two longtime employees retire from Pitt-bradford

BRADFORD, Pa. – Two long-time employees of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford have retired – Dr. Jon Draeger, associate professor of chemistry, and Patricia Colosimo, director of arts programming.

Draeger has taught general, physical, organic and computational chemistry at Pitt-bradford since 1987, when he came to campus from the U.S. Department of Energy.

Draeger was a research chemist with the Department of Energy, first in Bartlesville, Okla., at what is now the National Institute for Petroleum Technology, and then at the department’s Morgantown (W.VA.) Energy Technology Center.

In 1996, he took part in a professional exchange with the Academy of Sciences in Beijing China, visiting universities and chemical companies.

Draeger lives in Duke Center and enjoys skiing at Holiday Valley and walking on his treadmill.

He earned his doctorate and Master of Science degrees from Oklahoma State University.

Draeger retired at the end of the summer term.

Colosimo has been at Pitt-bradford for 23 years, beginning her career with conference services and as coordinator of the Spectrum Arts Series. In 2006, she was named assistant director of arts programming and was promoted to director in 2012.

In 2009, Pitt-bradford staff selected her for its Staff Recognition Award, and in 2010, she was one of a handful of employees across the University of Pittsburgh to receive the Chancellor’s Award for Staff Excellence.

Colosimo introduced children’s programming and arts appreciation for young people to Pitt-bradford, founding the university’s Kaleidoscope program, brought in top-flight artists on a limited budget, raised money for the arts at Pitt-bradford and oversaw the multifaceted restoration of the historically significant Tommaso Juglaris painting that hangs in Blaisdell Hall.

She retired Sept. 6.