LYCOMING COLLEGE SPRING 2023
then NOW} The Lycoming College Choir has provided high-quality choral education and entertainment since the group's inception in 1946. Woven into the historical fabric of the College itself, and functioning as a large and close-knit family, the choir enjoys a wonderful connection to its many alumni. Performing for the most important service-related events on campus, members tend to develop strong bonds of friendship that endure well-beyond graduation.
The Tour Choir, consisting of a select group of performers, has traveled all over the United States. In 1957, the choir embarked on its first international tour and has since performed in many countries and territories, including England, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Argentina, Puerto Rico, China, and France. The Tour Choir was thrilled to resume domestic travel during Spring Break, singing in Damascus, Md., and Williamsburg, Va., after a send-off concert in Clarke Chapel on March 8, 2023. All choir alumni are invited to attend Homecoming Weekend 2023 for a choir read-off, where they’ll have the opportunity to gather informally to select fan favorites from the music library and sing together. 1 www.lycoming.edu
From Presiden the e have begun the Spring 2023 semester without extensive COVID protocols and restrictions on normal College life. It is a marked departure from Spring 2022 when we were enduring the Omicron surge and testing, masking, quarantining, and isolating were ubiquitous features of daily life. This spring semester will also build upon a Fall 2022 semester when campus life returned to something resembling normalcy. I trust that you share this pragmatic optimism about the College’s trajectory, and I invite you to express that optimism by making a gift during the annual Days of Giving on April 18-19, 2023. 2 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2023 SPRING MAGAZINE
t’s Desk The COVID-19 pandemic and the attendant economic disruptions profoundly impacted our nation, the higher education sector, and Lycoming College from March 2020 to April 2022. The higher education sector was impacted in ways that are only now becoming clear. For example, we now know that enrollment in higher education declined by approximately 10 percent from Fall 2019 to Fall 2021. On average, our peer group — northeast national liberal arts colleges ranked 75 to 150 — lost more than 10 percent of their pre-COVID enrollment. Lycoming fared better than most with a 4.5 percent enrollment decline during that timeframe; we gained market share even as our student body became somewhat smaller. As you well know, while the viral transmission risks of COVID-19 became less acute during the summer and fall, the economic disruptions associated by the pandemic triggered a 20+ percent market correction from March 2022 to October 2022 that reduced the value of investments. The value of college and university endowments dropped during this time and compounded the financial challenges posed by the enrollment decline. While the value of Lycoming’s endowment remains a strength, we were not immune from the impacts of post-COVID economic disruptions, as our endowment fell from a peak of $240 million to just under $200 million (some of this decline represented investments in new facilities drawn from the Plant Fund). As the nation and its higher education sector emerge from the pandemic, I am convinced that Lycoming College is well positioned to benefit from the projected recoveries of both the college-going rate and the financial markets. The generosity of our alumni and the wisdom of our trustees allowed Lycoming to continue investing in both programs and facilities during 2020 and 2021-22. Computer science has been added to the curriculum as a major, and the Humanities Research Center has been opened and received a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Renovations in the Heim Science Building have continued, and the Doug and Dawn Keiper Stadium and Trachte Music Center were completed. Baseball and field hockey have been restored as intercollegiate sports, community-based learning and volunteering are again flourishing, and the program in Outdoor Leadership & Education has resumed offering robust opportunities for students. Global education has also been restarted, student-faculty research collaboration has returned to pre-pandemic levels, and campus life is again thriving. During a recent January retreat, the trustees and the administration engaged in thoughtful conversation about Lycoming’s path to post-pandemic equilibrium. While acknowledging the significant headwinds facing the College, the meeting also affirmed that Lycoming is on an upward trajectory. We agreed that expenditure reductions were needed, but we were optimistic about gaining market share as the post- pandemic recovery unfolds. The trustees are also committed to completing the renovations of the College’s residence halls and developing a plan for modernizing the Lamade Gymnasium and Keiper Recreation Center. We emerged from our gathering inspired yet again by the power of the undergraduate residential liberal arts mission of Lycoming College. I trust that you share this pragmatic optimism about the College’s trajectory, and I invite you to express that optimism by making a gift during the annual Days of Giving on April 18-19, 2023. The next several years will determine whether Lycoming can continue its evolution into one of the top 100 national liberal arts colleges or fall back. The engagement and financial support of alumni and friends will be more important than ever. Kent C. Trachte, Ph.D. President 3 www.lycoming.edu
COVER: Students enjoy a refreshing hike through the freshly fallen snow in the beautiful woods of nearby Grampian Hills just days before their Spring Break. One never knows what the weather will bring this time of year in northcentral Pennsylvania! EDITOR Amy Chandler marketing@lycoming.edu ASSOCIATE EDITORS Joe Guistina Marla Kramer Bailey (Spencer) Innerarity ’23 Lynn Zitta ’11 ART DIRECTOR/DESIGNER Murray Hanford PHOTOGRAPHY Heather Necessary Eric Stashak Gordon Wenzel M. Mitchell Wheary ’20 Max Wilhelm CLASS NOTES EDITOR Terri Brewer ’14 ADMINISTRATION Kent C. Trachte, Ph.D. President Chip Edmonds, Ed.D. ’98 Executive Vice President Susan M. Ross, Ph.D. Dean of the College Philip Sprunger, Ph.D. Provost & Dean of the Faculty VOL. 38, NO. 1 SPRING 2023 Leadership and teamwork skills I've learned in OLE have translated to other parts of my life, such as in the classroom, workplace, and day-to-day life. LYCOMING COLLEGE MAGAZINE 4 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2023 SPRING MAGAZINE
LYCOMING COLLEGE ONE COLLEGE PLACE WILLIAMSPORT, PA 17701-5192 570-321-4000 www.lycoming.edu Copyright© 2023 Lycoming College. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or duplicated without the prior written permission of the publisher. Lycoming College is an equal access/equal opportunity institution. GO PAPERLESS. To receive a link to an online version of Lycoming College Magazine rather than a paper copy, email marketing@ lycoming.edu with “online magazine subscription” in the subject line. Include your name, class year, and mailing address in the message. FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK NOTEWORTHY OUTDOOR LEADERSHIP & EDUCATION LYCOMING COLLEGE STUDENTS TO EXPLORE THE ANCIENT MEDITERRANEAN WORLD THE PRINCE AMONGST WARRIORS: ABUBUKAR AUDU JR. '23 STAFF SPOTLIGHT: MARLENI FEINSTEIN FACULTY & STAFF NEWS ALUMNI HAPPENINGS CLASS NOTES CONNECT: MATT ULRICH ’03 LOVE & GRATITUDE: LOUISE (GOSSLER) ’65 AND PAUL HENRY ’66 2 6 14 18 20 22 24 28 36 37 10 5 www.lycoming.edu
NOTEWOR They say Yankee Stadium is “The house that Ruth built.” If that’s the case, there’s no doubt that the stadium that encapsulates David Person Field inside the Robert L. Shangraw Athletic Complex is certainly the house that Frank Girardi built. Now that stadium will bear his name, as Girardi Stadium will officially be dedicated on Sept. 9, 2023, during the football team’s home opener. The College’s board of trustees, chaired by D. Mark Fultz ’80, released an official proclamation honoring the 2016 inductee into the National Football Foundation’s College Football Hall of Fame and announcing the naming of the College’s football stadium in Coach Girardi’s honor, which until now had not had a name attached to it. Over the course of his 36 years as the head football coach, Girardi cobbled together one LYCOMING COLLEGE TO DEDICATE GIRARDI STADIUM of the finest resumes in the history of the game. He won 257 games, which still ranks 24th all-time in NCAA history and 10th in Division III annals. He helped Lycoming win 13 Middle Atlantic Conference titles and make 11 appearances in the NCAA Division III Tournament. “I am personally honored to recognize Coach Girardi by announcing that the football stadium will now bear his name,” said President Kent Trachte. “Frank’s records as football coach place him among a small elite group of college coaches, and his accomplishments as athletics director were instrumental in growing our athletic program. His greatest legacies, however, are his commitment to excellence and his impact upon the lives of countless student athletes. For four decades, he sustained Lycoming’s culture of excellence and changed lives.” SAVE DATE THE GIRARDI STADIUM JOIN US for Lycoming College Football’s home opener as we officially dedicate the stadium in honor of FRANK GIRARDI. DEDICATION September 9, 2023 6 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2023 SPRING MAGAZINE
RTHY Lycoming College’s Alliance House, located on Ross Street, is a dedicated center committed to serving as a catalyst for cultural change regarding sexual violence, dating and domestic violence, and stalking by empowering the campus community to create an environment free of interpersonal violence. The Alliance House provides resources and a safe place for students who have been affected by sexual or gender violence to come heal, find peace, and feel welcomed and safe. Wise Options counselors are available to give students specialized, trauma-informed services. Offices associated with gender and sexuality, including the Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies program, It’s On Us Lycoming College, and the Gender and Sexuality Alliance utilize the space for program planning and coordination. THE ALLIANCE HOUSE Samantha Mahaffey ’12 joined Lycoming as the new project director for the campuswide sexual assault, dating and domestic violence, and stalking prevention program. Mahaffey received her bachelor’s degree in corporate communication and business administration at Lycoming and her master’s degree from Southwestern College in security administration. She has a background in investigations and safety/security, including but not limited to child protection, abuse allegations, standard operations, and emergency preparedness. She has worked for Players Health and Little League International. “I am humbled to be in a role that is so impactful to students. This position is important to help cultivate the campus culture to end interpersonal violence,” said Mahaffey, whose office is located in the Alliance House. “There will always be work to be done in this field. The Alliance House is just one step in creating a safe environment for survivors. I look forward to guiding students and staff to create an awareness to mitigate interpersonal violence. Lycoming College helped shape me into the leader I am today, and I hope to do the same for current and future students.” The Alliance House is also home to the College’s first comfort cat, Meatball, named in honor of his birth on National Meatball Day. The orange and white furry friend loves his feather wand, eating, and cuddling with visitors. helped shape me into the leader I am today, and I hope to do the same for current and future students. LYCOMING COLLEGE 7 www.lycoming.edu
Since 2013, artwork has adorned the walls of Lycoming College’s presidential residence, transforming the first floor into an art gallery. The pandemic paused this practice, but Fall 2022 saw a resurgence with several stunning pieces. The current exposition features a rare copper engraving from Giovanni Battista Piranesi, as well as museum-quality works from Salvador Dali and Pierre Soulages, with faculty and student pieces mixed in. “The exhibition is avantgarde because we have an eclectic mix of art and artists, and it works,” said John McKaig, part-time faculty of art. “There was some knowledge that these remarkable pieces were on campus. A former colleague in the art department located them and brought them to the house, and I reached out to John to help revive and prepare them for display,” said Sharon Trachte, Ph.D., who spearheaded the project and has opened the home to small groups. “The idea is to get the pieces out so that others can enjoy them!” Working in partnership, Trachte and McKaig put together a guidebook to help visitors become acquainted with the artists and displayed pieces. They will continue curating the exhibition together, swapping out pieces as new works present themselves. The reaction from visitors has been highly favorable. “After viewing the exhibit, non-art majors often say they now understand why a piece is good or why something is in a museum. It’s not so easy,” said McKaig. “It broadens minds.” “Not every student studies art, but there is time after work and after school, and how you use that time is impacted by how wide your cultural and artistic appreciation reaches,” said Trachte. “We are all interconnected intellectually, and this is just a little piece to reinforce that, one part of what it means to be educated. It’s supporting our liberal arts mission.” ARTWORK DISPLAYED IN LYCOMING’S PRESIDENTIAL HOME In March 2023, New York Times bestselling author Ann Leary presented lectures at both Lycoming College and Bucknell University about her book, “The Foundling,” an historical fiction novel based on the early history of Laurelton Village for Feebleminded Girls and Women of Childbearing Age in Union County, Pa. The institution, which opened in 1917, was used to segregate and care for “feebleminded” women aged 16-45. The facility was established on the principles of eugenics and the premise that one’s intellect or mental deficiency was hereditary, and the segregation of those individuals was crucial to ensure they did not reproduce and pass down those genetics. “Through my own historical research on the State Industrial Home for Muncy, I became aware of the connections between the real superintendent of Laurelton, Dr. Mary Wolfe, and Bucknell University. With Ann planning to visit the area, it seemed like a great opportunity for her to also speak at Bucknell, which is coincidentally the alma mater of both of her parents,” said Kerry Richmond, Ph.D., chair and associate professor of criminal justice-criminology at Lycoming. “Both institutions were thrilled to have the opportunity to host such a celebrated author, and one that has researched and written about a topic that is relevant to such a broad range of our academic programs.” Leary is the New York Times bestselling author of a memoir and four novels, including “The Good House.” Her work has been translated into 18 languages, and she has written for The New York Times, Ploughshares, NPR, Redbook, and Real Simple, among other publications. Her essay, “Rallying to Keep the Game Alive,” was adapted for Amazon Prime Video’s television series, “Modern Love.” NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR ANN LEARY PRESENTS TALK 8 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2023 SPRING MAGAZINE
GIVING Be a part of Lycoming College’s 5th annual APRIL 18 & 19, 2023 There are many undergraduate institutions out there, but there’s only one Lycoming College. You chose Lycoming before. Choose Lycoming again. Join the College’s 48-hour online event that encourages the entire Lycoming community near and far to show our support by investing in the people and programs that make our campus so distinctive. It’s not about how much we give, but rather how many of us give. www.lycoming.edu/dayofgiving APRIL18&19 2023 9 www.lycoming.edu
OUTDOOR & LEADERSHIP EDUCATION 10 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2023 SPRING MAGAZINE Not just an outdoor playground, but a program that builds character and leadership skills to last a lifetime pon entering the Krapf Gateway Center at Lycoming College, students are greeted by a three-story atrium with a climbing wall visible to the left. To the right, they will find the Keiper Suite for Outdoor Leadership & Education (OLE), which houses programming offices, a meeting area, and a bike and ski shop. Formed in 2015 as part of Lycoming College’s Strategic Plan, the OLE program aims for students to gain skills for the outdoors so they can build a healthy, life-long hobby, but also to develop human skills such as perseverance, independence, and teambuilding.
“Recognizing that students build leadership and other skills through student life programs, we introduced the Outdoor Leadership & Education co-curricular program. Enhancing leadership skills has become a more intentional focus of athletics, fraternity and sorority life, student government, and campus programs as well,” said President Kent Trachte, Ph.D. The OLE program is available to every Lycoming student — even outdoor novices — and provides all necessary equipment for adventures off campus. Activities are designed to provide experiences that will help carry students through college and into successful careers and graduate school. Furthermore, OLE collaborates with faculty and athletic coaches across campus to help students form group development strategies. Pre-pandemic, the men’s basketball team participated in a hiking excursion — in the rain — which helped them learn how to navigate a challenging environment as a team. The Center for Enhanced Academic Experiences works in conjunction with OLE to provide unique opportunities. For example, a past marine biology May Term course allowed students to help scientists gather data on coral reefs and sea turtles by learning how to scuba dive. Instructor Candidacy School OLE also offers Instructor Candidacy School (ICS). This training prepares student leaders to guide their peers on outdoor trips and group development programming. OLE instructors must have a consistent commitment to growing outdoor and risk management skills, as well as learning how to best help other students to grow as a result of the programming. Training includes weekly discussions about leadership, group and risk management policies, and critical thinking. At the end of this semester-long training, students gain a nationally recognized certification in Wilderness First Aid and are eligible to apply for a paid OLE instructor position. To be a successful candidate requires a passion for leadership and helping others. ICS is not designed to be easy, but it is designed to be rewarding. “The skills our students acquire as instructors allow them to grow and leverage what they are learning through the program, ultimately impacting both their academic experience and college career,” said Anthony Molinaro, OLE director. “Outdoor Leadership & Education at Lycoming is more than an experience; programs are designed to be meaningmaking opportunities for students,” said Daniel Miller, Ed.D., vice president for student life and dean of students. “Whether it is hiking, biking, paddling, bouldering, or camping, students have the opportunity to connect with nature while learning a great deal about themselves and working with others as they navigate the activity. In doing so, their overall experience is enhanced, which increases student persistence and aids in the College’s retention efforts.” participated as an OLE instructor while a student at Lycoming and assumed the role of program coordinator upon graduation. He is currently in the Teaching Assistant Program in France, a competitive opportunity to teach English to students of all ages, where he is placed in southern France in the Académie de Toulouse at a secondary school. The lessons I learned in grit and perseverance in OLE have really proved useful throughout my time abroad. There have been plenty of times where something has gone wrong, and as a foreigner in this country, it can be hard to find resources that would otherwise be easy to access back home; however, by calmly taking stock of my situation as I did often as an OLE instructor, I've been able to not only thrive but enjoy the journey. Evan Armstrong ’21 11 www.lycoming.edu
Exploring with OLE OLE has planned a Spring Break 2023 trip for students to explore Big Bend National Park in Texas, where they’ll have the opportunity to canoe along the Rio Grande River through the remote Boquillas Canyon and stargaze at the darkest sky in America. Other OLE programming throughout the spring semester includes ski outings to Camelback Resort and Ski Sawmill Resort, ice hiking at Ricketts Glen State Park, and an overnight mountain biking and camping trip to the Allegheny National Forest. Evening climbing wall events in the Krapf Gateway Center can attract upwards of 60 students, filling the entire lobby with enjoyment and camaraderie. “We offer a wide variety of activities so we can reach as many student interests as possible,” said Molinaro. “Not all students want to climb or raft. We offer a bike shop with free rentals. Rarely is a fee associated with our activities, unless it’s a big travel trip.” “Our bike rentals are very popular,” he continues. “We have students teaching their friends how to ride. They are using the bikes for local transportation, and they are connecting with the greater Williamsport community. Our bike rentals during the pandemic have been booming, with 18 available bikes clocking in 1,200 rentals in the past year.” Sylvia Robinson ’23 has always loved the outdoors and grew up hiking, kayaking, and camping. Sharing that excitement for the outdoors through a program like OLE was an opportunity that stood out to her when searching for colleges. As an OLE instructor, Robinson enjoys that sense of community and sharing her knowledge with others. Highlights from Robinson’s time in OLE include scuba diving classes and paddling the Adirondack Canoe Classic (a.k.a. The 90 Miler) as part of the marathon canoe team. “The trip I am most looking forward to this spring semester is definitely the Spring Break Big Bend Expedition!” Sylvia Robinson ’23 , a neuroscience and applied computer science double major with a minor in German, says OLE has given her a variety of transferable skills. “Leadership and teamwork skills I've learned in OLE have translated to other parts of my life, such as in the classroom, workplace, and day-to-day life. OLE has also given me grit and perseverance. From pushing through to the end of a difficult adventure or particularly challenging event in any aspect of life, learning how to overcome is key to success. 12 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2023 SPRING MAGAZINE
Meet the OLE director Anthony “Tony” Molinaro assumed the role of OLE program coordinator in August 2022 and took over as director in January 2023. Molinaro has always been active and enjoyed the outdoors, with some of his fondest, earliest memories involving hiking and fishing trips with his family. It wasn’t until college when he started to explore different avenues and tried rock climbing. Molinaro joined the military after high school and later attended West Virginia University to study outdoor education. After graduating, he served as a seasonal outdoor educator, facilitating a wide gamut of outdoor activities, such as rock climbing, camping, whitewater rafting, kayaking, and zip-lining, as well as developing programming for middle and high school students. He later studied outdoor programs extensively while in graduate school at the University of New Hampshire, taking on an adjunct position teaching a backpack and outdoor leadership course while there. “What I enjoy most about the outdoors is the very intentional communities you form, facing different challenges that you don’t have in everyday society, and disconnecting from social media and the world,” said Molinaro. “It focuses you and brings you into the present, having well-intent and meaningful discussions with others. Everyone is their authentic self, and it gives us a sense of belonging and purpose.” Molinaro is excited to lead and continue to grow the OLE program at Lycoming. How you can support OLE OLE offers beginner, intermediate, and advanced trips to help students feel comfortable participating. The interest is always there, but the accommodations sometimes aren’t. It’s essential for OLE to increase the capacity of its students who can participate in a wide range of opportunities. Equipment such as backpacks, boots, and tents are needed in order to serve more students on any given excursion, as are satellite phones which are necessary for safety. With only one 12-passenger van available, the program is limited to how many students can be transported at a time. Some of the remote destinations can’t accommodate larger vehicles like a bus, so additional van transportation could expand access to participants. What I enjoy most about the outdoors is the very intentional communities you form If you would like to learn how you can support OLE, please contact Robb Dietrich, assistant vice president for major and planned gifts, at dietrich@lycoming.edu or 570-321-4401. Learn more about Outdoor Leadership & Education at www.lycoming.edu/outdoor. 13 www.lycoming.edu
M LYCOMING COLLEGE STUDENTS TO EXPLORE THE ycoming College provides students a number of opportunities to expand their horizons — both inside and outside of the classroom. This spring, 17 students will continue their higher education through an enhanced academic experiences (EAE) travel course to Greece. Through Greece’s art and architecture, literature, history, philosophy, and religion, students will learn about the rich Hellenistic culture that has shaped the rest of the world. “After facing repeated cancellations and missed opportunities for students over the course of the pandemic, I am thrilled we are able to return to offering faculty-led programs and study abroad for Lycoming students,” said Allison Holladay, associate director of global education. “We have seen a rebound in the number of students interested in study abroad programs, particularly summer abroad program offerings.” By Bailey (Spencer) Innerarity ’23 14 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2023 SPRING MAGAZINE
Students interested in global education opportunities can learn how to apply for scholarships and programs through the Lycoming College Office of Global Education. Scan the QR code for more information. The travel course to Greece, titled “Greece: Cultural Center of the Ancient Mediterranean World,” will include academic excursions in Athens, Corinth, and Crete, as well as visits to ancient historical sites, such as the Parthenon and the Sanctuary of Apollo. Students will also have the opportunity to visit archaeological sites in Mycenae and Ancient Nemea where, in Greek mythology, Heracles overcame the Nemean Lion. “I am so excited to immerse myself in the culture of Greece,” said Maleah Culp ’24, a double major in criminal justice and psychology. “I feel like going to Greece with already having knowledge about ancient Greece will make the trip so much more meaningful. When I see something from ancient times, I will be able to appreciate it more than before I took this class.” The travel course this summer will ultimately give students the chance to learn more about Greece as a cultural center, as well as the chance to cultivate their own global perspectives. When asked about what she looks forward to the most, Kaitlyn Sheriff ’24, an astrophysics major and computational science minor, said, “I feel that I am very lucky to have this opportunity to travel. I have never been out of the country, and I am most excited to see the sights and spend time with my friends.” “Looking forward to next year, we are excited to offer a full array of Lycoming faculty-led programs and are optimistic that students who weren’t able to go earlier or who didn’t feel comfortable traveling will again participate in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study abroad,” Holladay continued. Allison Holladay Maleah Culp Kaitlyn Sheriff 15 www.lycoming.edu
To support global education opportunities at Lycoming College, we encourage you to participate in Lycoming’s Days of Giving on April 18-19, 2023. This year, we will offer a challenge to unlock additional funds to support the Center for Enhanced Academic Experiences, which provides opportunities for abroad travel, as well as internships, community service learning, faculty-led research, and so much more. The following travel courses will be offered in Spring 2024, and your gifts during Days of Giving will directly enhance the student experience during these trips. WORLD TRAVEL COURSES explore Help the our students APRIL18&19 2023 LEARN MORE AT www.lycoming.edu/dayofgiving Spring 2024 Experience Italy & Greece: Exploration of Cross-Cultural Comparisons History of Mathematics The Norman Conquest Teaching Linguistically & Economically Diverse Learners in the Dominican Republic Globalization & Sustainable Development Nights at the Opera Writing the Wetland: Exploring Florida Through Writing & Biology Global Law & Justice Amsterdam and The Netherlands Italy, Austria, and Germany The Dominican Republic France and England Italy and Greece Florida, U.S. 16 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2023 SPRING MAGAZINE
Let your family and friends know about an upcoming Open House. Feel free to post dates on your social media profiles with a link to our College. Here’s one option you can consider posting: Lycoming College’s Summer Open Houses are coming up! Go on a student-guided tour of our beautiful campus, meet faculty, and learn about studying abroad and great internships! www.lycoming.edu/visit No problem. Additional visiting hours, contact information, and more are available on our website at: CAN’T MAKE IT? provides its students with a connection to powerful resources. Along with guiding current students in the transition to becoming a Lycoming graduate, alumni can help build the next generation of Warriors by sharing their own college experiences with prospective students. Alumni Admissions Ambassadors help the Lycoming community by: REGISTER TODAY AT: www.lycoming.edu/admissions Representing Lycoming at local college fairs Interviewing prospective students near their hometowns Serving as a resource for parents of admitted students Welcoming new students on move-in day JUNE 23, 2023 JULY 21, 2023 WARRIORS Building the next generation of If you are interested in serving as an Alumni Admissions Ambassador, please scan the QR code. Have questions? Contact the Office of Admissions at 1-800-345-3920. Lycoming College’s strong NETWORK OF ALUMNI SUMMER OPEN HOUSES 17 www.lycoming.edu
n the week before Prince Abubukar Audu’s death in November 2015, he video chatted to his son in Maryland, asking him about football and glowing as his son talked about his growing love for the game. When the former governor of Kogi State in Nigeria died, Audu left a legacy as one of the most successful bankers from the West African country, as well as one of the most successful politicians from a minority party in the country’s 63-year history as an independent state. His son, Abubukar Audu Jr. ’23, is just as gregarious as his father, with a booming voice and engaging smile. Behind that smile, though, is a child who has lived the tumult of being “the chosen one” of a father who died prematurely, the one of his 11 brothers and sisters who is known as Junior. He is also a child, who due to America’s tightening immigration laws in the late 2010s, was left with his younger brother and sister outside Washington D.C. without his mother for his high school years. Junior Audu grew up in Abuja, Nigeria, and attended the American International School of Abuja as his father stepped into and out of the spotlight of Nigerian politics. WARRIORS rince PThe By Joe Guistina I have goals for myself and a map for my life. I know there will be changes on the path, but I know I will get there because I will keep pushing myself. 18 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2023 SPRING MAGAZINE
His parents separated when Junior was in fourth grade. His mother, Aisha, kept him and his younger brother, Shazali, and yetto-be-born sister, Ramatu, at their family home in Maryland, filing for political asylum as she feared for the family’s safety in Nigeria. When his father later died, Aisha returned to Nigeria, at first to settle the estate with the rest of the family, which includes eight other children from two previous marriages, and then, realizing that her business licenses and training were most applicable in Nigeria, she stayed to make the best living possible for the family. “My mom is the most supportive person in my life,” Junior said. “She’s given so much — having to move away from her children and not see us on a daily basis. We try to do our best with the little contact we have. It’s so difficult.” Returning to an environment where the family estate was being contested and to a still volatile political environment was never really an option, so 14-year-old Junior, Shazali, and Ramatu were left with a guardian, Uncle Peter, in America. It became an eye-opening experience. In the span of six short years, Junior had gone from living a life of privilege to one where his family was torn apart and he served as a father figure to his siblings. Not only could his mother no longer return to America, since remaining in Nigeria for work ended her need for political asylum, but Junior and his siblings couldn't leave the United States and retain their asylum status. Through all of this, Junior and his family’s odyssey was not just a heartbreaking tale, it was also international news. If anyone wanted to know about the sordid details of the family’s battle for his estate or about his parents’ separation, it wasn’t hard to find. “It’s still not easy,” shared Junior. “You have to look at people and hear what they say, see what they do, and every now and then, you need to look the other way because they can come to you tomorrow in a completely different light.” While all those things were so hard to get through in his youth, football became one of those things that wasn’t — well, after his mother allowed him to play. When Richard Montgomery High School’s varsity football coach got a look at Junior one day in his junior high physical education test, he decided it was worth an email to Junior’s mother to ask if he could play. Aisha asked Uncle Peter, who confided that his own son had played football, and so Aisha signed up Junior without even telling him. “The moment I really fell for football was in my first game, I was put in at nose guard,” he said. “I ran past the center and saw the guy with the ball, grabbed the back of his jersey, and pulled him down. It felt so good. I got up hootin’ and hollerin.’ Football it is.” During his first year in high school, he found joy in the weight room, breaking the school’s dead lift record at 525 pounds. He started for three years on the offensive line and also became an important part of the defensive line. “The first day at Lycoming, I was excited,” Junior said. “I felt like it was a family when I got here, and it felt amazing. Through COVID and the return, that’s been the biggest thing that’s kept me at Lycoming.” Unsurprisingly, Junior quickly became one of the football team’s leaders, and in 2022, he was named one of the five team captains. Earning a starting slot on the defensive line, he notched 18 tackles and a sack during the season, giving him 50 tackles in his career. With one season of eligibility left, thanks to the COVID-cancelled 2020 season, Junior will return as one of the three players in head coach Mike Clark’s 16year tenure to be a two-time captain in 2023. After that, Junior, a political science major, wants to get involved in business and find a way to make an impact, just like the man he is named after. “My father had faith in me,” Junior said, “that whatever becomes of his legacy, I could eclipse it. I have goals for myself and a map for my life. I know there will be changes on the path, but I know I will get there because I will keep pushing myself. Everything my father did for people, for himself, his family — I want to double or triple that.” 19 www.lycoming.edu
STAFF SPOTLIGHT CONNECTING on a personal level M MARLENI FEINSTEIN SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT FOR INTERNATIONAL INITIATIVES arleni Feinstein was born and raised in Singapore and came to the United States to study at Indiana University-Bloomington, where she earned two masters degrees (English literature and library science). She taught writing courses at Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis, and in the Distance Learning Program for Indiana University. Her languages include Mandarin, Malay, Tamil, and some Indonesian dialects. For ten years, she served as a court appointed special advocate for abused and neglected children in Lycoming County. In 2017, Lycoming College welcomed Feinstein to the staff as an English instructor. Soon after, she assumed the role of international student advisor for the Academic Resource Center, a role that suited her incredibly well given her international background. Her skill set and empathy for the students was recognized, and her position was elevated to that of special assistant to President Trachte for international initiatives in 2019. Most recently, she was appointed to the additional role of secretary to the board of trustees at Lycoming. Why did you choose to pursue a career in higher education? My family values education very highly, and one of my parents’ aspirations for their three children was that we would achieve educations that surpassed their own. My mother is a teacher, and I have always known that is also where my talent and passion lie. Being able to work with young adults as they start to discover and develop their identities and academic interests is an absolutely rewarding experience, and to be able to work with international students at Lycoming really brings my journey full-circle. I came to the United States as an international student 37 years ago. While much has developed, especially in the area of support services for international students, I believe my students today still experience much of the same combination of excitement, trepidation, and awe that I felt all those years ago. It is a privilege for me to be able to mentor and advise my students, and their curiosity and resilience is inspiring. Describe the responsibilities in your role with International Initiatives. The focus of my work revolves around promoting and supporting internationalism at Lycoming. We have international students from 15 different countries on our campus, and that number easily doubles when you consider faculty, staff, and students who were born abroad, but are now naturalized citizens of the United States. I greet new international students when they arrive on campus and take them through an orientation designed to help them move comfortably into our community. I periodically teach the international section of composition, and this gives me an opportunity to interact with the students in an academic setting. 20 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2023 SPRING MAGAZINE
My role as international student advisor and mentor allows me to build strong and meaningful relationships with students, helping them work toward achieving paths to success. Part of my responsibilities also involves recruiting new students from their home countries. It is one of my greatest joys to be able to speak directly with potential students and their families about all that Lycoming has to offer. What challenges do you see our international students face on campus, and how do you strive to meet their needs? How did these challenges change during the pandemic? An international student’s journey is not one they make alone. While this path often starts with a dream for an opportunity to receive a superior education, the realities involved in making this dream come true are often breathtaking. Most families have to make great sacrifices in order to afford the cost of an American education. Understandably, the pandemic only added to these challenges as countries shut down, economies faltered, and family resources evaporated. An astonishing number of international students found themselves facing shut borders that eliminated the possibility of returning to their loved ones, while others could not afford the unexpected expense for a flight. In fact, a group of students trying to return to Mauritius found their journey halted in Dubai and had to tearfully turn back to their home at Lycoming. Supporting these students was a College-wide effort, with even members of the Williamsport community chipping in with offers of meals and gifts of cash and supplies. Even today, we have international students on campus who have not been home for four years. The resilience international students have shown through these challenging times is inspiring. They have patiently faced repeated disappointment, bravely overcome obstacles they never expected to encounter, and steadfastly maintained their commitment to being excellent students. My role in these students' lives adapts to their ever-changing needs. I am the person they come to for help when they’re not familiar with over-the-counter brands, when they are exhausted to the point of tears and miss their families, when they are debating changing their course of study, or even when they are nervously preparing for their first oral presentation in an American classroom. What have been some of your greatest joys working with international students? Some of my greatest pleasure comes from being a constant presence in the students’ lives while at Lycoming. The self-discovery and personal growth that takes place during this period of time is astonishing. I have the privilege of seeing a student who always thought of herself as shy and tongue-tied stand in front of a group of professors and peers and give a gallery talk on her exhibition of compelling and thoughtprovoking photographs. I get to hear the excitement in the voice of a young man who grew up stargazing in his backyard and is now applying to doctoral programs in astrophysics. 21 www.lycoming.edu
Meghan Andrews, Ph.D., associate professor of English, published the essay “The Commonplacing of Professional Plays Revisited: Print, Theater, and Early Modern Institutional Exchange” in the most recent issue of Shakespeare Quarterly (73.3-4 [FallWinter 2022]: 199-223). Shakespeare Quarterly is the top journal in her field and publishes just 6.25 percent of all essays submitted. Snowden Library is pleased to announce the appointment of Sue Fulton as archives technician. In this role, Fulton will manage the College’s archives and history and work closely with the Humanities Research Center to support new student research initiatives. John Capo, assistant professor of corporate communication, was interviewed for The American Bar Association's article “8 More Skills to Build.” He offered communicationsrelated suggestions for student lawyers, including the importance of learning the communication norms of various subsets of the population, the value of learning new languages due to increased migration, and the need to keep up with online slang. Capo also joined the board of directors of Lycoming Arts, an organization founded in 1960 that works to create local and regional connections that generate awareness, opportunities, and support of the arts. Kimberly Kohler, Ph.D., assistant professor of special education, was an invited author for the October 2022 issue of Times Magazine, a publication of the Studying and SelfRegulated Learning Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association. This issue focused on self-regulation and academic achievement of students in the context of trauma and adversity. Her submission discussed the importance of effective traumainformed teaching practices beginning in teacher preparation programs. Christopher Kulp, Ph.D., professor of physics, Mica Kurtz, Ph.D., associate professor of economics, Charlie Hunt ’23, economics major, and Matthew Velardi ’22, physics major, co-authored a paper titled “The distribution of wealth: An agent-based approach to examine the effect of estate taxation, skill inheritance, and the Carnegie Effect,” which has been published in the Journal of Economic Interaction and Coordination. Jessica Munson, Ph.D., associate professor of anthropology and archaeology, is co-author on an article published in the journal PLOS ONE. The paper, “Ancient lowland Maya neighborhoods: Average nearest neighbor analysis and kernel density models, environments, and urban scale,” quantitatively assesses the spatial organization of ancient Maya neighborhoods across 23 different settlements located in a range of different environments using a single method of identification. Munson’s research at the site of Altar de Sacrificios is included in the present study. Mary Kate O’Donnell, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology, was published in Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology for her postdoctoral work conducted at Brown University. “Untethered muscle tracking using magnetomicrometry” was done in collaboration with The Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Julie Yingling, Ph.D., and Justin Lopez-Medina, Ph.D., assistant professors of criminal justice-criminology, worked on a community-based learning project in Yingling’s Research Methods in Criminal Justice and Lopez-Medina’s Policing and Society courses. The classes completed a survey collection of community members regarding the community perceptions of police for the Williamsport Bureau of Police. Students worked in groups and knocked on more than 500 doors in four neighborhoods over six weeks to recruit participants for the survey. Student teams collected more than 70 surveys, which is a response rate consistent with survey research. As an incentive, the professors offered to dye their hair the color of the teams with the highest response rates. 22 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2023 SPRING MAGAZINE
NEWS FACULTY & STAFF Misty Palmatier joined Lycoming College as director of counseling services. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist who for the last seven years has been working at Community Services Group as a clinical coordinator and school-based psychotherapist. In addition, Palmatier is an adjunct professor at Pennsylvania College of Technology for counseling theory, abnormal psychology, behavior modification, and general psychology. Townsend Velkoff retired as director of counseling services in December 2022 after 18 years of dedicated service to the College and its students. Amy Rogers, Ph.D. ’92, associate provost for assessment and accreditation and professor of education, represented Lycoming College as an invited co-facilitator for a workshop, Self-Study Institute 2.0: Writing the Report & Preparing for the Visit, hosted by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Lycoming was complimented for its recent Self-Study Team Report and the manner in which the visit was organized. Allison Holladay, associate director of global education, earned The Forum Professional Certification in Education Abroad from The Forum on Education Abroad. The Forum on Education Abroad is the only Standards Development Organization (SDO) for the field of education abroad. Recognized as an SDO by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission, The Forum develops and disseminates Standards of Good Practice for Education Abroad in order to promote quality education abroad for students. Certification in education abroad validates fundamental knowledge of the Standards of Good Practice for Education Abroad and recognizes the ability to articulate and to apply the Standards, ensuring high quality education abroad programming. Written by Andrew Leiter, Ph.D., professor of English, the essay “Detecting the Forbidden Fruit in Eudora Welty’s ‘The Golden Apples’” has been published in “Eudora Welty and Mystery: Hidden in Plain Sight” (Ed. Agner and Pollack, University Press of Mississippi). Michael Smith, Ph.D., department chair and assistant professor of mathematics, had a paper titled “Active Learning Ideas for the Transition to Proofs Course” published in the journal PRIMUS. This paper presents several active and tactile learning experiences used to help students understand logic, set theory, and proof writing, as well as an evaluation of their effectiveness in an introduction to proofs class. Biliana StoytchevaHorissian, Ph.D., associate professor of theatre, was invited to serve as a mentor at the 2022 Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) Leadership Institute. ATHE is the largest and most prestigious national organization that focuses on theatre in academia. Additionally, she was asked to present the initial findings of her current research on theatre job satisfaction and campus climate in college and university theatre programs at the Leadership Institute’s session in Detroit, Mich., and her report was published on ATHE’s website. The debut novella “When We Hold Each Other Up,” written by Phoebe Wagner, Ph.D., assistant professor of English, will be released on April 18, 2023, through Android Press. The novella follows Rowan on a quest to rid a post-apocalyptic community of eco-fascists. 23 www.lycoming.edu
ALUMNI Visit www.lycoming.edu/alumnievents to learn about and register for upcoming alumni engagement activities. Four Birds Distilling Co. • Havertown, Pa. New Trail Brewing Co. • Williamsport, Pa. The Hotel Hershey • Hershey, Pa. La Grange • Houston, Texas 24 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2023 SPRING MAGAZINE
The Santa Express • Williamsport, Pa. Texas Rangers • Arlington, Texas Versi Vino • Maple Shade, N.J. David Roberts ’77 has attended 400 consecutive Lycoming College football games! On Oct. 22, 2022, he was not only recognized for being one of the most loyal fans in NCAA Division III, but he got to be a part of the coin flip ahead of Lycoming's game against Alvernia University. 25 www.lycoming.edu
75ANNIVERSARY SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6 ANNIVERSARY TH YEAR 26 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2023 SPRING MAGAZINE
lycofangear.com SHOW YOUR LYCOMING PRIDE SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7 ANNIVERSARY HOMECOMING SAVE THE DATE OCTOBER 6-8 27 www.lycoming.edu
58 Ruth (Perry) Hodge was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award from Shippensburg University during Homecoming on Oct. 14, 2022. Hodge received her master’s in library science in 1972 from Shippensburg University. She is an archivist, author, librarian, educator, and community activist. From 1960-80, she was employed by the U.S. Army War College Library, and from 1980-93, she was then employed by the U.S. Army Military History Institute, Carlisle Barracks. In 1992-93, Ruth organized and executed the first and second Conference on African Americans in World War II at Carlisle Barracks. The conferences presented the top and noted Black military officers, staff, and historians, beginning with General Benjamin O. Davis Jr. of the Tuskegee Airmen. Upon retiring from Carlisle Barracks, Ruth was then hired by the Pennsylvania State Archives as an archivist. There, her research led to the publication of “Guide to African American Resources at the Pennsylvania State Archives,” a book which later received the MARAC Frederic Miller Finding Aids Award. Ruth has received many awards and honors during her lifetime, including the Outstanding Alumnus Award from Lycoming College in 1983, the Department of the Army Achievement Medal for Civilian Service, the Pennsylvania Commission for Women Award; the Albert Nelson Marquis Who’s Who Achievement Award, and the Cumberland County Historical Society “Historian of the Year” Award. 66 Dennis Warg was posthumously inducted into the Bucks County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in a ceremony in May 2022. Dennis passed away in 2014 and is survived by his wife, Astrida (Kalnins) Warg ’67. 67 A group of friends from the Class of 1967 gathered at the home of Ruth Wood in Lancaster, Pa., to have a minireunion and to celebrate 55 years since graduation. (standing L to R) Gail (Reichard) Feustel ’67, Carol (Schultz) Goguts ’67, Ruth (Rendle) Wood ’67, Cynthia (Schlegel) Blevins ’67, and Peter Goguts ’67; (seated) Evelyn (Curtis) Mann ’67 68 Former Navy pilot, Tom Brandt, has been awarded a U.S. Patent Utility Award (#10285389 B2) for Point*Guard artificial lures. Point*Guard is a shielded-point motion hook assembly that delivers a snag-free, frustration-free revolution for a safer fishing experience. Tom and his wife, Mary, are retired in Fort Myers, Fla., and this is his second patent award. 69 Thomas Zimmerman, retired associate professor of psychology and faculty athletic representative, has been approved for emeritus status by the Pennsylvania College of Technology board of directors. He taught psychology full time at Penn College and its immediate predecessor, Williamsport Area Community College, since 1984, retiring in August 2021. He continued to serve as faculty athletic representative until August 2022. He also served as an adjunct faculty instructor at the college from 1978-84. 28 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2023 SPRING MAGAZINE
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