2019 FALL LYCOMING COLLEGE MAGAZINE

I certainly agree that employment is a vital and necessary outcome of attending college, but policies that use income as the only or the primary measure of the value of higher education are myopic. They ignore or dismiss in a casual way both the value of a fulfilling life and the importance of public goods to the functioning of our society. In this issue of Lycoming College Magazine , we focus on our program in education and the profession of teaching. This field is filled with outstanding Lycoming graduates who find meaning in their work. They are also providing an essential public good — an educated populace that is prepared to engage as citizens in a democratic society, act as educated consumers, and contribute to the world of work. As the president of the College, I am very proud of the high quality of this program and the work of its graduates. As alumni can testify, the department of education at Lycoming has a storied history of dedicated faculty. In this issue, you will meet the highly committed faculty who currently guide the program. Drs. Amy Rogers, Rachel Hickoff-Cresko, and Courtney Dexter are exceptional mentors, inspiring teachers, and productive scholars. They take enormous pride in the accomplishments of students earning teaching certification and support the students in entering the teaching profession. You will also meet some of our outstanding graduates who are thriving as teachers. In 2017, Dr. Hickoff-Cresko partnered with Dr. Charles Mahler in the chemistry department to author a successful proposal to the National Science Foundation (NSF). The proposal resulted in the College receiving a five-year, $1 million grant from the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program administered by the NSF. The prestigious grant enables the College to advance a critical public good; Lycoming’s project, Preparing Leaders in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education for High-Need Populations, prepares undergraduate majors in biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics to become 7th-12th grade teachers in high-need school districts. As I close, I want to express my deep gratitude for the extraordinary outpouring of generosity manifested in the College’s first Day of Giving. Many of you dared to be part of this special day where 917 donors contributed $265,533 in just 24 hours, including $40,800 toward scholarships and two additional named scholarships to support enhanced academic experiences. Thank you. Finally, I invite you to join us on October 5, 2019, during Homecoming & Family Weekend as we celebrate The Campaign for a Greater Lycoming and focus on the noble work that we do in launching graduates into lives of meaning and careers of significance. Kent C. Trachte, Ph.D. President t’s Desk 3 www.lycoming.edu