n early February, I was in Washington, D.C., and attended the conference of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities as well as a Pennsylvania Higher Education Summit hosted by Pennsylvania’s senior Senator, Bob Casey. Much of the conversation at the meetings was sobering. We heard a report that the college-going rate nationwide has dropped from 70 percent to 61 percent since the beginning of the pandemic. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona briefed us on the delay in implementing the new FAFSA — a delay that means that most colleges, including Lycoming, are months late sending financial aid packages to admitted students. We discussed surveys showing that public confidence in higher education continues to fall. Taking seriously the challenges facing higher education, Lycoming’s board of trustees continues to authorize strategically impactful investments while also focusing on responsible cost control measures. The cover story about the new baseball field is one example of a thoughtful and impactful project. When the project is complete, Lycoming’s field will be one of the best Division III facilities in the northeast. It will be the cornerstone that sustains Coach Rick Oliveri’s ability to recruit rosters of 35-40 students, who would not otherwise be attending Lycoming. A less visible initiative is the Humanities Research Center (HRC). Under the leadership of its director, Andrew Leiter, Ph.D., the HRC has hosted an undergraduate research conference and published the inaugural issue of the Mid-Atlantic Humanities Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Research (see page 9). The work of the HRC recently received national coverage in Inside Higher Education. I am confident that this project has burnished our national reputation. Following our 2021 Strategic Plan, we have also focused on advancing inclusive excellence during the past year. That work has involved among other things the hiring of a chief diversity officer, piloting inclusive hiring practices, and developing bias response protocols. We are committed to attracting talented students and accomplished faculty and staff who bring diverse experiences to and enrich the learning environment of the campus. We have also taken time during the current academic year to celebrate two people who have served Lycoming with great distinction: Frank Girardi and Steve Wiser. As you will read in this issue, on Sept. 9, we dedicated Girardi Stadium to honor Coach G’s legacy as a gifted leader who did much to sustain our institutional culture of excellence. More recently, on Feb. 8, we held the first of several celebrations to recognize Coach Steve Wiser ’74, a true institutional treasure who has been on our football coaching staff for 50 years. During the first home football game next fall, we will dedicate a newly renovated football locker room to honor Coach Wiser. During the coming weeks, the advancement team and I will be traveling to various locations for alumni events. Our recent Florida travel coincided with the Tour Choir’s Spring Break concerts. As April approaches, so do the College’s 6th Annual Days of Giving. In 2023, the almost $500,000 contributed by 1,439 donors funded many programs, including student-faculty research, enriched experiences for student-athletes, global education, fraternity and sorority life, and much more. The focus of the 2024 Days of Giving on April 9 and 10 is on participation, and I encourage you to make a gift. Together, let’s tell the world that we are proud of Lycoming College and believe in its future! Kent C. Trachte, Ph.D. President From President the 2 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2024 SPRING MAGAZINE
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