Shirley Curtis ’59 has lived her life with a passion for science. One of few women studying in the field in the 1950s, she earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Lycoming College and later a master’s degree in earth sciences from Cornell University. “I first became excited about chemistry in high school,” says Curtis. “My sister had attended Lycoming College when it was a two-year program and enjoyed that time, and I had become acquainted with campus.” Curtis later enrolled and continued to follow her passion for the sciences. “I have enjoyed chemistry so much that I tried to go as far as I could with it.” “Our science classes were held in Old Main. It had wooden floors, and the facilities weren’t that great, so the College bought the abandoned brewery and turned that into a new science building,” she says. Outside of the classroom, Shirley enjoyed the friendships she made. She joined the Outing Club, becoming its president during her senior year. The group enjoyed hikes along the Loyalsock Trail and near Bald Eagle State Park. She participated in the women’s athletic association where she played basketball and dabbled in bowling. “I wasn’t great at bowling, but the College had two lanes in the basement of the old gym [now the Art Building], and we had to hand set the pins.” Shirley shares that it was the excellent instruction from Professor Mabel Bauer at Lycoming that inspired her to become a chemistry teacher and devote her career to educating others. “Professor Bauer was a tough teacher, but she was very thorough and kept me busy,” Curtis recalls. In 1994, Shirley established the Mabel K. Bauer Endowed Scholarship to bring special recognition to Bauer’s many years of dedicated service to the College. The scholarship supports students in need of financial assistance, with preference given to those enrolled in the sciences. In 2023, Shirley informed Lycoming that she made a gift bequest through her will to ultimately continue benefiting the Mabel K. Bauer Endowed Scholarship. “I understand that financing college today is more expensive than when I attended, so I thought establishing a scholarship and bequest were good ways to pay back Lycoming for my positive experiences and help current and future students,” Curtis says. “At Lycoming, you’re not just a number. The faculty are concerned about your progress. Professor Bauer was always on my case, motivating me to go further, and I wouldn’t have survived at a larger college. Lycoming’s atmosphere promotes success, and I’m happy to contribute to that.” To learn more about including Lycoming College in your estate planning, contact Robb Dietrich, assistant vice president for major and planned gifts, at dietrich@lycoming.edu or 570-321-4401. Shirley Curtis ’59 (far R) poses on campus (L to R) with her great nieces, Bethany (Mastronardi) Germain ’12 and Lyndsey Peterson ’14, and her sister, Marilyn (Curtis) Peterson ’51 (now deceased), all Lycoming alumnae Following Her Passion Lycoming’s atmosphere promotes success, and I’m happy to contribute to that.
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