Neil Cosgrove Joins the Thomas Merton Center Board

This year, the Thomas Merton Center welcomes Dr. Cornelius (Neil) Cosgrove to its Board for a three-year term. Retirement has brought Neil and his wife Joan to Pittsburgh from New Castle, PA and has afforded them the time to get involved in organizations they have supported in the past. One of them is the Merton Center and both Neil and Joan are now regular volunteers: Neil is a co-chair of the NewPeople Editorial Collective and Joan helps out at the East End Community Thrift Shop. In November, Neil was elected to the TMC Board and begins his service this month with the annual board retreat on February 6.

Taking a public stand in the civic arena (which the Merton Center and its members frequently do) is not new to Neil. His father was a judge in New York State and he had his son Neil out in the streets during a presidential campaign at age 9. As a teenager, Neil worked in summer camps assisting children from disadvantaged backgrounds one year and children with disabilities for four subsequent summers. During his college years, Neil worked at a steel making plant and for the railroad. In both jobs, Neil became a union member.

With degrees in history, journalism and English Education, Neil pursued his career in academia in the teaching of English. Beginning in Nassau in the Bahamas, where he taught inner city youth and again joined a union and this time served as shop steward. Back to New York, Neil taught first at Villa Maria College in Buffalo and then at Slippery Rock University (SRU) where he worked and was active in the union for 27 years.

As a young man, Neil read some of the writings of Thomas Merton. He came to learn of the Thomas Merton Center when he lived in New Castle and worked at SRU by reading the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and hearing of Merton Center activities through academic channels. When he saw what the Merton Center was trying to accomplish, especially in the area of peace and nonviolence, he became a member.

Wanting to stay active in retirement, Neil looked for ways he could use his abilities. One of the ways he identified was at the Merton Center through the work of the NewPeople Editorial Collective. Journalism is right up his alley! Now Neil can be found at least three days a month meeting at the Center and assisting with the final layout before going to press. In between times, Neil is attending a variety of activists’ activities with his new digital camera in hand and writing articles of interest to NewPeople readers. Neil sees the paper playing a central role in the work of the Center and is working to professionalize it. He also wants to help expand its outreach with a greater web presence.

Besides his TMC volunteer hours, Neil and his wife go to Duquesne weekly to get physically involved with the sorting of grocery products at the Gr. Pittsburgh Community Food Bank (GPCFB). While still in New Castle, Neil assisted with the monthly distributions of the GPCFB at St. Vitus Church there. It was a natural transition to join in the activities at the source in Duquesne.

Traveling and the regular reading of French complement Neil’s volunteer work. He says, “I am definitely not bored!”

In terms of board service, Neil brings administrative and management experience that he gained in chairing the English Department at SRU. He has a practical bent and is adept at looking at budgets and managing personnel. He wants to share his vision of the role of the NewPeople with the rest of the Board and work with them to enhance the Center’s fundraising capabilities, which are needed for the Center to grow.

When asked about his source of hope, Neil says he has faith in American democracy and younger people. The worse things get, the more he thinks people pay attention.

You will learn more about Neil by reading his articles that appear regularly in the NewPeople.

Thank you, Neil, for your commitment to the Board and your many contributions to the Thomas Merton Center.

Joyce Rothermel serves on the NewPeople Editorial Collective with Neil Cosgrove.

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