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then NOW} The Upper Quad was once home to Old Main, the former academic center of campus. With no clocks inside classrooms, students were paid to ring the bell atop Old Main, signaling mealtimes, class periods, and even wake-up time every day at 6:30 a.m. When the bell cracked in 1941, President Long decided to display the broken bell resting between Clarke Chapel and the Fine Arts Building among benches and a flower garden. Today, the Upper Quad is a scenic hub connecting the Krapf Gateway Center to the west side of campus. At the center is Founders Plaza, an outdoor seating and teaching area for the campus community that honors the history of transformational philanthropy at Lycoming College.
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- J. Wesley Hello, Friends Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can. s I pen my first opening letter for the Lycoming College Magazine, I find myself humbled by the opportunity, and profoundly encouraged by your confidence, to serve as Lycoming College’s 16th president. Over the course of my years at Lycoming, I have worked with two presidents who have been exceptionally dedicated to this community and its capacity for greatness — Presidents Emeriti Jim Douthat and Kent Trachte. On behalf of our campus community, thank you for the ways in which your leadership and service to Lycoming College have contributed to the character of learning, our beautiful campus, our financial vitality, our strong relationship with the Williamsport community, the innumerable experiences that extend our classrooms, and the fruits of your labor that can be seen in the successful lives and careers of our alumni. I am deeply grateful for your vision, dedication, stewardship, institutional ambition, and mentorship. A Message from the President 2 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2025 FALL MAGAZINE
I was reminded often during the search process that the Lycoming community is not beholden to the status quo, but instead committed to the notion that we must continually endeavor to be better. Indeed, this feature is one of the most enduring and transformative characteristics of our community — one that has informed our evolution from an academy, to a seminary, to a junior college, to a four-year undergraduate institution, and now as one of the Top 100 National Liberal Arts Colleges in the country. We must do all we can to summon and cultivate that deep sense of yearning as we narrate Lycoming College’s next extraordinary chapter, especially in this period of uncommon disruption and educational innovation. Meeting this challenge is hardwired into Lycoming College’s DNA — it will be my great honor to steward the collective decisions and investments we make to ensure that Lycoming continues to thrive as an institution committed to one of the most noble of public goods: educating students for exceptional careers and service to humanity. I cannot imagine a more meaningful place to do this work than right here. It will be my goal to lead with a deep sense of joy, transparency, authenticity, pragmatism, grittiness, and an unwavering commitment to the students of today and tomorrow, ensuring they have a home at Lycoming to pursue a truly first-rate undergraduate education. As a student of history, I know that Lycoming was founded as a Methodist institution. At the center of that religious movement was John Wesley, a minister and member of the faculty of Oxford University. Reverend Wesley gave voice to a maxim or proverb, if you will, that has long served as a guiding principle for me, and it sits on the windowsill in my office. It reads: Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can. I share this because I believe it reflects all that I know to be true about this special place. Lycoming’s 213-year story is marked by extraordinary people, milestones, innovations, accomplishments, setbacks, and triumphs. But even with that long and storied past, we have been given the power and capacity to contribute meaningfully to its future. Lycoming is worthy of our best. In the coming months, we’re committed to reimagining how we work and exploring bold new paths for innovation. I hope you will join me in giving our best to the Lycoming and Williamsport communities, because doing all the good we can requires our collective desire to leave our institutions and communities better than we found them. Charles “Chip” Edmonds, Ed.D. ’98 President 3 www.lycoming.edu
VOL. 40, NO. 2 FALL 2025 Doing all the good we can requires our collective desire to leave our institutions and communities better than we found them. LYCOMING COLLEGE MAGAZINE EDITOR Amy Chandler marketing@lycoming.edu ASSOCIATE EDITORS Joe Guistina Marla Kramer Lynn (Detwiler) Zitta ’11 ART DIRECTOR/DESIGNER Murray Hanford PHOTOGRAPHY DMK Media Prime Photography Gordon Wenzel M. Mitchell Wheary ’20 Ralph Wilson CLASS NOTES EDITOR Terri (Neufer) Brewer ’14 ADMINISTRATION Chip Edmonds, Ed.D. ’98 President Sandra Kingery, Ph.D. Interim Provost & Dean of the Faculty 4 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2025 FALL MAGAZINE
LYCOMING COLLEGE ONE COLLEGE PLACE WILLIAMSPORT, PA 17701-5192 570-321-4000 www.lycoming.edu Copyright© 2025 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. Lycoming College Magazine is produced biannually. A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT NOTEWORTHY THE FUTURE IS NOW: EXPANDING ACADEMIC OFFERINGS TO STAND OUT IN A COMPETITIVE WORLD LYCOMING COLLEGE’S 177TH COMMENCEMENT AUBREY WILLIAMSON ’26: ALWAYS ASSISTING FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: SANDRA KINGERY, PH.D. FACULTY & STAFF NEWS ALUMNI HAPPENINGS ALUMNI & REUNION WEEKEND 2025 2025 AAEB AWARDS CLASS NOTES CONNECT: EVELYN (NARDI) SCHMITT ’61 STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES THROUGH CIVIC ENGAGEMENT: CAROL WILLIAMS ’68 2 6 14 18 16 20 22 24 26 28 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. 36 10 37 www.lycoming.edu 5
NOTEWOR INVESTING IN BOLD NEW BEGINNINGS DURING ANNUAL DAYS OF GIVING A TRIBUTE TO KENT AND SHARON TRACHTE: CELEBRATING A LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP AND ART Lycoming College rallied its community to invest in its seventh annual Days of Giving held April 8-9, 2025. The fundraising event resulted in 1,009 donors and $425,405 in gifts to support the people and programs that make its campus so distinctive. This event acts as a catalyst for growth, helping Lycoming empower its students, expand its academic offerings, and enhance its athletic programs — creating new opportunities for its students, faculty, and athletes. The College recently established the New Academic Programs & Student Success Fund. The Education Innovation Challenge was presented for three hours on the second day of the fundraising event to garner support for this new fund. Each athletic team had the chance to gain additional funds to improve the student-athlete experience by exceeding its fundraising records from Days of Giving 2024 (donors and dollars). Several alumni rallied their former teammates’ support by providing sponsorships to unlock additional prizes totaling in excess of $13,000. Gratitude is extended to all the families of current student athletes who made gifts. Alumni were encouraged to step forward to establish their own matches and challenges to bolster participation from peers. Donors could support funds that best aligned with their interests, and challenges unlocked prizes for an even greater impact. This year’s matches and challenges ranged in support for academics, athletic teams, and Greek life to music and reunion class years. The College is also appreciative of the many social media advocates who helped generate online excitement on Lycoming’s behalf. Lycoming College Art Gallery’s first show of 2025 paid tribute to Kent and Sharon Trachte with a special art exhibition featuring works from alumni who have been inspired and supported by the Trachtes’ vision and leadership during their tenure at Lycoming. A reception and artist talk was held on Feb. 21. “The College was excited to host this special event in the Trachtes’ honor,” said Lara Collins Breon ’04, associate director of alumni relations. “Not only were we able to express our gratitude to Kent and Sharon, but we were also able to highlight the incredible talent of our alumni who make their alma mater proud. It’s always a privilege to engage with our alumni, and their collective display provided the perfect setting for camaraderie and artistic inspiration.” The featured collection of artwork was provided by Sifa Blackmon ’14, art major in graphic design and photography; Rene Gortat ’12, dual major in art (painting) and philosophy; Brooke Long ’14, art major in painting and sculpture; Bill Mauro ’11, dual major in art (painting) and creative writing; Bryan McGinniss ’16, art major in painting and photography; Christina Moliterno ’14, digital media communications major; Joe Troxler ’17, art major in graphic design and painting; and Josh Troxler ’12, art major in painting. The Lycoming College Art Gallery, located in downtown Williamsport, contributes to the city’s arts culture and enables the College to become more involved with the surrounding community. T Y hank ou ou 6 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2025 FALL MAGAZINE
RTHY LYCOMING ANNOUNCES ADDITION OF MEN’S VOLLEYBALL AS ITS 20TH NCAA SPORT Lycoming’s athletic department announced the addition of men’s volleyball as a varsity sport, set to begin competition during the 2026-27 academic year, in April, and announced the hiring of Jordan Amling as the program’s first head coach in August. Both Lycoming College, which will now offer 20 NCAA sport programs, and the University of Scranton are set to join Wilkes University, Elizabethtown College, Juniata College, and Drew University in the Landmark Conference in 2027, as the sixteam league will be eligible for an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Championship that year. “We are excited to launch this new program together with the Landmark Conference,” said Mike Clark ’93, director of athletics. “We are confident that the men’s volleyball program will be a vital part of the Lycoming experience, providing valuable lessons in leadership, teamwork, and dedication.” Amling comes to Lycoming after two seasons as a graduate assistant coach at Springfield College, where he helped the Pride to the Division III Lycoming art students have the opportunity to interact with visiting artists and learn firsthand the inner workings of an art gallery. Championship final in 2025. He also won a NAIA national championship as a student assistant coach at Vanguard University in 2023. Men’s volleyball is the first sport to be added at Lycoming since field hockey and baseball were jointly reinstated to the College’s varsity offerings in 2020 ahead of their first competition year in 2022-23. Learn about upcoming exhibits at www.lycoming.edu/art/gallery THE MEN’S VOLLEYBALL PROGRAM WILL BE A VITAL PART OF THE LYCOMING EXPERIENCE, PROVIDING VALUABLE LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP, TEAMWORK, AND DEDICATION. 7 www.lycoming.edu
Lycoming College’s entrepreneurial energy was on full display this spring as faculty members Jay Azriel, Krish Pillai, and Adrian Rublein helped prepare 21 innovative students for the College’s inaugural Shark Tank competition. This exciting event, inspired by computer science major Mohamed Ebeid ’26 and the Warrior Coding Club’s student board, brought together students from a range of majors eager to turn their creative ideas into reality. The April 11, 2025, event began with a dinner for participants, alumni judges, and guests. After dinner, seven student teams had ten minutes each to pitch their product or service ideas to a distinguished panel of alumni “Sharks,” followed by a lively five-minute Q&A. The stakes were high, with $3,600 in prize money awarded to the top three teams. Every participant took home a commemorative Shark Tank T-shirt to celebrate their entrepreneurial journey. The judging panel featured accomplished alumni Katie (Wuestner) Bell ’00, vice president for communications and marketing at Pennsylvania College of Technology; Rachael (Heaton) Clark ’08, regional market leader and vice president at C&N Bank; Matthew Gartner ’88, managing partner and creative director at Impact Advertising/Impact Video; and Marshall Winters ’07, entrepreneur and fractional CFO. Their expertise and encouragement offered invaluable insights to the student competitors. Azriel, Sloter Endowed Professor of Entrepreneurship, expressed his pride in the studentdriven nature of the event. “This competition showcases the entrepreneurial mindset at Lycoming College. Not only was it initiated by students, but it brought together students from across majors,” he said. “Our alumni panel deserves a huge thanks. They generously gave their Friday evening to mentor and advise each team. That alumni support makes these cross-campus entrepreneurship events possible.” With alumni engagement at its core, Lycoming’s Shark Tank promises to be a new tradition that inspires and connects Warriors past and present. Lycoming students can now pursue a nursing degree through an accelerated program with DeSales University. The program affiliation provides Lycoming students with the opportunity to graduate with a Bachelor of Science or a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lycoming before pursuing an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) from DeSales. Multiple majors at Lycoming can serve as a pathway to the DeSales 15-month degree program, with biology, biochemistry, and chemistry fulfilling many of the prerequisites. The ABSN at DeSales touts a long history of delivering a high-quality nursing education with an average National Council Licensure Examination first-time pass rate of 96.67 percent. DeSales will admit up to five Lycoming students every year. “DeSales has a long tradition of providing high quality nursing programs to our students. Partnering with Lycoming to add prepared students to the ABSN program will help secure much needed qualified nursing professionals to the healthcare system. We are looking forward to this opportunity for collaboration between our institutions,” said LYCOMING OFFERS COOPERATIVE PROGRAMS FOR NURSING AND ENGINEERING LYCOMING’S FIRST SHARK TANK IGNITES ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT Terese Wignot, Ph.D., provost of DeSales University. “Lycoming College’s natural science programs prepare students for entry to nursing school with hands-on experiences, such as faculty-led research, internships, and job shadowing opportunities with nationally recognized health systems,” said Jeff Newman, Ph.D., professor of biology at Lycoming. Lycoming students can also pursue a dual degree in engineering through the Washington University affiliate program in as few as six years. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the United States will see continued growth in engineering jobs with strong annual wages, and the new dual degree in engineering will prepare Lycoming students to address this market shift. “At WashU, we are delighted with our new engineering partnership with Lycoming College,” said Ronald Laue, Ph.D., senior assistant dean for Engineering Dual Degree at Washington University in St. Louis. “During our site visit and extensive meetings with faculty and staff at Lycoming College, it is clear both schools align perfectly in our mutual commitment to 8 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2025 FALL MAGAZINE
providing an exceptional liberal arts approach to engineering education.” “Lycoming College is very pleased to be able to expand its academic offerings through this partnership with Washington University,” said Emily Wilson, Ph.D., assistant professor of astrophysics at Lycoming. “We’re proud to help our students pursue ABET-accredited engineering degrees at an admired and respected institution like WashU that boasts an acceptance rate of just 12 percent for first-year students.” Engineering at WashU includes a broad range of programs, including biomedical, chemical, computer, electrical, environmental, mechanical, and systems science engineering. Lycoming’s cooperative programs have a liberal arts emphasis that requires critical thought, virtually guaranteeing that talented, diligent students will be ready for additional academic pursuits. Learn more at www.lycoming.edu/nursing and www.lycoming.edu/engineering. LEGEND. BATTLE. BORN FROM BUILT FOR Lycoming’s REDESIGNED MASCOT will be revealed during HOMECOMING & INAUGURATION WEEKEND 2025! 9 www.lycoming.edu
THE FUTURE IS NOW Expanding academic offerings to stand out in a competitive world n early 2024, Lycoming College’s board of trustees made a commitment to expand the College’s academic offerings. Later that summer, a working group was created to begin the process of recommending new academic programs for consideration. The working group, co-chaired by Sandra Kingery, Ph.D., and Philip Sprunger, Ph.D., interim and former provost and dean of the faculty respectively, surveyed the faculty for ideas and researched each of the potential new programs. An outside consultant, Gray Decision Intelligence (Gray DI), was hired to ensure that the College had all the necessary information to make data-informed decisions. At the end of the summer, Gray DI facilitated a two-day workshop that nearly 50 faculty and staff, representing every academic program and division of the College, were invited to attend. “The academic programs that were recommended through that process became the springboard for the creation of new working groups that were charged with delving into the details of each of the potential new programs,” said Kingery. “Our guiding principle throughout this process has been to select academic programs that would increase our enrollment, strengthen our academic reputation even further, and bolster Lycoming’s commitment to academic excellence.” 10 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2025 FALL MAGAZINE
In response to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics metric stating that the employment of data scientists is projected to grow 36 percent from 2023 to 2033 — much faster than the average for all occupations — data science at Lycoming positions students to work as data scientists, data analysts, data engineers, business analysts, market researchers, and database administrators. Combining the principles of the fields of data science, computer science, and math, data science is an interdisciplinary major or minor that teaches students how to turn raw data into meaningful and actionable insight. “All organizations are generating tremendous quantities of data… but those data aren’t useful until they have been analyzed and understood in context” said Mica Kurtz, Ph.D., associate professor of economics and co-director of the data science program. “This program aims to equip students with the ability to make sense of data and communicate those findings into actionable insights that can be used to solve real-world problems.” Legal studies brings together law-related offerings from accounting, anthropology, criminal justice, history, political science, philosophy, and religion for a strong foundation of legal knowledge. The interdisciplinarity of the major is designed to equip students with the critical thinking, analytical reasoning, and ethical decision-making skills required of many careers within the legal profession, including lawyers, paralegals, and consultants. The program aims to help students develop a solid understanding of the law, as well as the core skills necessary to score well on law school admissions exams, including the LSAT. Furthering the appeal of the new legal studies major is the College’s cooperative 3+3 law degree program with Widener University Commonwealth Law School, creating a clear pathway for aspiring lawyers to obtain a juris doctorate. “Law is a force for justice only in the hands of those who understand the society it serves,” said Susan Achury Plaza, PhD., assistant professor of political science and director of legal studies. “Our legal studies program blends the humanities and social sciences with real-world experiences, preparing students to pursue a career in law school, advocacy, or public service.” Biophysics is used to understand how the principles of physics apply to biological systems, enabling advancements in technology, medicine, and a better understanding of the natural world. The new bophysics major prepares students for careers in research, healthcare, biophysics, biomedical engineering, medical physics, and other industries where biology and physics interface. Courses in biology, physics, chemistry, and mathematics are required, and all biophysics majors must successfully complete a capstone requirement. Spearheading this new major are Emily Wilson, Ph.D., assistant professor of astrophysics, and Mary Kate O’Donnell, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology. In a joint statement, they shared, “Interdisciplinary majors like biophysics train students to solve problems at the intersection of disciplines. Students will gain expertise across fields of biology, physics, and chemistry, allowing them to develop a diverse skillset which will open doors to a wide array of career options.” The finance curriculum at Lycoming focuses on investment theory, entrepreneurial finance, international financial management, and much more. Students will examine the current financial practices of both organizations and individuals in a continuously evolving marketplace, as well as build a foundational knowledge of finance by exploring the intricacies of the stock market, financial markets, and financial decisions. The combination of an individualized liberal arts education and numerous internship and study abroad opportunities provides finance graduates with both the knowledge and applied learned experiences necessary to succeed in professional positions with banking institutions, departments of business enterprises, insurance companies, investment companies, and other careers in finance. Students and families today are looking for academic programs that connect personal interests with strong career potential. Our new offerings reflect Lycoming’s commitment to evolving with student demand while staying true to the core of a liberal arts and sciences education. These additions position our graduates for success in an ever-changing world and ensure Lycoming remains both distinctive and competitive in the higher education landscape. - Chip Hinton, vice president for enrollment management DATA SCIENCE BIOPHYSICS LEGAL STUDIES FINANCE 11 www.lycoming.edu
The religion department offers two majors: religion and biblical studies. The major in religion encourages exploration into personal questions of living such as “Who are we?” “Does life have meaning or purpose?” and “Is there an ultimate reality?” At the same time, students are encouraged to consider the public effects of religion on the world: “How do people act religiously?” “How does religion impact politics, society, and conflict?” and “What does it mean to be a ‘secular’ society?” The new biblical studies major is designed especially for pre-ministerial students and students interested in the critical, analytical study of texts held sacred in Judeo-Christian traditions. In addition to these new offerings, the College rebranded a couple of existing programs to better align with industry demands and student interests. Engineering physics is now referred to as applied and engineering physics, and corporate communication is now communication and media studies. Students can also now earn a Bachelor of Science in actuarial science, a Bachelor of Arts in astronomy, and either degree option for physics. “I could not be more excited about Lycoming’s future than I am right now,” said Kingery. “We have an exceptional leader at the helm with President Chip Edmonds. Chip brings to the table all of his years of experience and his passion and abiding commitment to academic excellence, and he is joined by an exceptional leadership team and a deeply committed and accomplished faculty and staff. The Lycoming team is busy creating opportunities for our next generation of extraordinary graduates who will join our family of 16,000 other extraordinary alumni. It’s a great time to be a Warrior!” Lycoming has always been proactive about updating existing programs and adding new ones, but that process is more vital than ever now because of the changing nature and growing demands of many professions. Data science, for example, was one of our top priorities, and we now have incoming first-year students who will be majoring or minoring in data science. We are very excited about the new programs offered this fall. - Sandra Kingery, Ph.D. interim provost and dean of the faculty Supporting the New Academic Programs & Student Success Fund is one way that donors can help Lycoming College enhance its academic curriculum and empower its students by providing pathways to success in the areas in which they are most passionate. Make your gift today to support tomorrow’s leaders. DATA SCIENCE BIBLICAL STUDIES 12 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2025 FALL MAGAZINE
Did you know? Every gift provides critical resources that impact the success and experience of our studentathletes. Tangible resources like new shoes for training and competing are made possible through your support, and Lycoming was able to purchase 57 pairs of shoes this past year. Our teams were outfitted by the incredible staff at Elite Feet Inc. in Montoursville. Their apparel — combined with your generosity — keeps our teams looking and performing at their best. We call that a win! Consider a charitable investment in our athletic programs by designating support to a specific team or to the Warrior Club General Fund. For additional details, contact Glenn Smith ’07, Athletics Development, at smithg@lycoming.edu or 570-321-4455. WARRIOR CLUB INVESTING IN DIVISION III STUDENT-ATHLETES www.lycoming.edu/wc-givenow 13 www.lycoming.edu
Collado delivers keynote address, receives honorary degree This year’s keynote address was delivered by Shirley Collado, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of College Track, a college completion program dedicated to democratizing potential among first-generation college students from underserved communities. Lycoming, which was part of College Track’s inaugural cohort of partner colleges and universities, works with College Track to recruit first-generation students who contribute to the diversity of the campus community. Throughout her career, Collado has leveraged her leadership to advocate for equity in all forms, pushing toward real change by activating an awareness of — and working toward the deconstruction of — existing structures that prevent full participation, whether on campuses or in communities at large. “You have had the privilege of being educated in this country, of earning a bachelor’s degree on a residential campus…. You have been challenged to broaden your scope. And I hope you hold this close to your heart as you move into your lives and your careers,” Collado shared with the graduates. “It’s not just sentimental — it’s critical to the future of our nation. We exist in a world that seems so divided, where our shared humanity feels so vulnerable. This moment requires awareness, empathy, connection, and collaborative decision-making. It also requires a willingness to listen to, understand, and be inspired by people who do not think like you. This is exactly the mindset we need to have when solving the most complicated issues that impact all of us.” ycoming College held its 177th Commencement Ceremony on May 10 to celebrate the Class of 2025. Following the footprints of tradition, the graduates processed through the Oliver Sterling Metzler Gate and onto the Fultz Quadrangle where family and friends greeted them in the sunshine. Kent Trachte, Ph.D., president emeritus of Lycoming College, received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree during the ceremony. Trachte, who retired on June 30, provided thoughtful and bold leadership during his tenure — a period of rapid change in higher education, including significant demographic shifts and the Covid 19 pandemic, while advancing initiatives that softened the boundaries of the residential campus and established bridges to the Williamsport community. “Class of 2025, you are graduating at a time when higher education is under attack, the value of a liberal arts education is being questioned, and uncertainty is pervasive. It would be normal for you to feel some anxiety about the future,” Trachte said as he addressed the seniors. “My message today, however, is one of optimism and confidence. As graduates of our top 100 national liberal arts colleges, you are prepared to lead lives of meaning, enjoy success in your careers, and contribute to the public good…. You are ready to make a difference in the world.” 177TH COMMENCEMENT LYCOMING COLLEGE’S Prior to her leadership at College Track, Collado served as the ninth president of Ithaca College and, at the conclusion of her tenure, was named president emerita of the institution. Not only a first-generation college graduate, she was also the first person of color to be named president at Ithaca College, and the first Dominican-American in the United States to serve as president of a four-year institution. During the ceremony, Lycoming awarded Collado with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. Fry delivers senior greeting Benjamin Fry ’25, a biology (ecology) major with dual minors in chemistry and environmental science and a Lycoming Scholar, delivered the senior greeting to his classmates. “By choosing to be here together, we have chosen to be fundamentally altered by each other. Changed by our differences, our commonalities, and our shared experiences,” said Fry. “We are a petri plate of the world, a community that is constantly intermixing with each other — constantly changing each other. To me, that is the beauty of Lycoming.” An active member of the College’s campus community, Fry has proven himself an effective leader as a member of Student Senate; served as the Class of 2025 treasurer; and served on the Community Activities Board, the Academic Standards Committee, and the Marathon Canoe Team. He also worked as an admissions tour guide, an orientation guide, and as a Warriorthon student caller, and was active in the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. Fry, a Haberberger Research Fellow, appeared consistently on the Dean’s List, was the recipient of several academic awards, and was involved in a number of honor societies. He dedicated himself to volunteerism both for the campus and the greater community. He completed a service-learning internship with the Williamsport Municipal Water Authority, where he’ll begin his career following graduation before attending graduate school for biology. 14 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2025 FALL MAGAZINE
Bacon named Chieftain Lycoming College named Francine Bacon ’25, a criminal justice major with minors in psychology and sociology, as the recipient of the Chieftain Award, the highest honor given to a graduating senior. Bacon was recognized for her extensive leadership and for dedication to academic excellence, community service, and cocurricular activities. She was accepted into and attended the prestigious National Education for Women’s Leadership Institute. “The leadership institute affected me deeply. It’s a wonderful program that exposed me to many strong female leaders and really propelled me as a student and aspiring professional,” she said. She also completed a prominent internship with the Philadelphia Justice Project for Women and Girls. “I was put in charge of combing through files for an incarcerated woman to see what the lawyers had missed, and whether there was a case to get her pardoned,” said Bacon, who is now leaning more toward a career on the legal and policy-making side of criminal justice. Lycoming extends its congratulations to the other outstanding Chieftain nominees, Aiden Brown ’25, and Benjamin Fry ’25. All of you can walk across this stage today knowing that your residential liberal arts education at Lycoming College has provided you with a strong foundation…. I am hopeful about the future because I know that you will make a positive difference in the world. – President Emeritus Trachte 15 www.lycoming.edu
here was nothing particularly flashy about the pass that led to Aubrey Williamson ’26’s 20th career assist for the Lycoming College women’s soccer team. It was just a simple right-footed touch pass after she controlled a one-hop kick across the top of the 18-yard-box. The ball rolled less than 10 yards from Williamson’s foot to where Madison Maihle ’25 met it with a booming shot across the goalbox that ricocheted off the bottom of the goal standard high into the left corner netting. “I got the ball, and my back was towards the goal,” Williamson said. “I didn’t know where Madison was, but I heard her screaming. We’ve played with each other a lot — I’ve always been on her side of the field, so I just played the ball to where I heard her. When I saw her make that run and shoot it and see it going in, it was the best feeling ever.” Maihle rushed over to Williamson and wrapped her in an embrace seconds before the other eight field players found their way to them. Williamson’s assist was her second of the night, the first in the first half helped her break the school-record of 18 assists in a career, to give Lycoming a 2-1 lead over Moravian University in a Landmark Conference semifinal, lifting the 2024 team on its way to a plethora of firsts, among them — its first 15-win season, its first postseason win in program history, and its first appearance in a conference final. “For Madison to get that goal — she played defense and never really got the acknowledgement or credit that she should have for what she did for this team — it was really, really awesome to see,” Williamson said. “The whole game didn’t feel real, honestly. Even before the game started, I had a feeling we would win. The whole team was on the same page with the same goal.” ASSISTING ALWAYS From her younger sister, Shannon, to setting Aubrey Williamson ’26 is By Joe Guistina 16 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2025 FALL MAGAZINE
records for the Warriors, During her first three years at Lycoming, the criminal justice major has been a part of a flourishing era for the women’s soccer team, helping it to its first postseason appearance and regional ranking from the United Soccer Coaches and the NCAA in 2022 followed by its many accomplishments in 2024. A program that had only two 10-win seasons in its first 24 years now has four in its last five. It’s been a long building process for eighth-year head coach Kenny Fern, and it is clearly paying off, thanks to selfless players like Williamson. “Aubrey gives 100 percent and leads the team by example,” Fern said. “She is an exemplary student as well. On the field, what she has done that’s really impressive is that as much as her individual skills have improved, what she is great at is working and communicating with her teammates to make the team better.” Her dedication has paid off, as she became just the fourth player in program history to earn all-region honors after posting six goals and nine assists during the 2024 season, her second straight nine-assist campaign after posting two as a firstyear player in 2022. The assists shouldn’t be a big surprise to anyone who knows Williamson, though. She’s been assisting for even longer than she’s been playing soccer. “My sister, Shannon, just turned 18 in March,” Williamson said. “She was diagnosed with WWOX during my senior year of high school. She was born in 2007, the year the disease was first classified. She is not verbal, but you can tell when she’s mad, happy, annoyed because she shows it on her face.” The lists of surgeries and adversity that Shannon has faced is long: seizures within the first two months of life, an inability to crawl, walk, or talk, an inability to sit upright unassisted, a feeding problem requiring a [She’s been assisting for even longer than she’s been playing soccer. ] G-tube, difficulty breathing, scoliosis, severe cognitive impairment, and other ailments. Though she is 18, her body is the size of a four- to five-year-old. “She is my best friend,” Williamson said. “I am so close with her. I hang out with her and watch her anytime my mom, who is a single parent with four daughters, needs help. I’ve been helping my mom with Shannon ever since I can remember. I had to grow up quicker and be more mature a lot younger.” Williamson’s oldest sister, Emily, played soccer and ran track and field at Elizabethtown College, and her sister, Jessica, a year older than Aubrey, was an all-conference soccer player at Delaware Valley University. “All of us have always been really close, probably because of Shannon,” Williamson said. “Shannon has always been one of my biggest supporters, even if she didn’t really want to come to my games. She’s been to my games since I started playing when I was six — all my club, all my high school games, and some of my college games.” The choice to come to Lycoming College, two and a half hours away, did come with a share of homesickness, but Williamson said her teammates immediately put her at ease once she made it to campus. “It’s definitely nice when you can just walk down the hall and hang out with someone for the night,” she said. “It was a huge help for all of them to help when I was missing Shannon, my mom, and sisters.” Since then, it’s been Williamson who’s been repaying that assist with her own — a school-record 20-and-counting, in fact, as she opens her senior year. “I’m very excited for my senior year,” she said. “Obviously, we made it to the conference finals last year, and we want to get back to that and win this year. We didn’t lose a lot of players on an offense that we’ve been building during my four years here. If we do our job, we’re going to be okay.” 17 www.lycoming.edu
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT La traductora A SANDRA KINGERY, PH.D. INTERIM PROVOST AND DEAN OF THE FACULTY W.GIBBS MCKENNEY CHAIR IN INTERNATIONAL STUDIES n outstanding scholar, teacher, and member of the faculty since she was hired as a tenure track faculty member in the modern language studies department in 1998, Sandra Kingery, Ph.D., has held two different faculty chairs, including the Richmond Chair from 2017-23 and currently the W. Gibbs McKenney Chair in International Studies. Kingery’s research interests focus primarily on translation and on contemporary women writers from Spain. Recent scholarship includes articles on the representation of sexual desire in writings by Esther Tusquets, social injustice in Alicia Giménez Bartlett’s popular Petra Delicado Series, and the challenges of translating gender. She is working on a new essay about gender violence in Pedro Almodóvar’s “The Skin I Live In.” Kingery has served multiple terms on Faculty Executive Council, including serving as the chair of the faculty, and full terms on both the Promotion and Tenure, and the Budget, Salaries and Benefits committees. She has also chaired the General Committee on Academic Affairs four times, worked on Middle States Commission on Higher Education reaccreditation teams, and directed the Faculty Mentor Program. Kingery has served on more than 50 peer evaluation committees and 55 search committees. It is because of Kingery’s extensive understanding and service to the College that she was appointed interim provost and dean of the faculty at Lycoming on July 1, 2024. One of her first strategic projects was to lead a group of faculty members and administrators who have been charged with developing proposals for additional academic offerings to build upon Lycoming’s already strong academic reputation (see pages 10-13). Briefly, when/how did you become interested in learning and teaching Spanish? I loved my French classes in high school because I had such an excellent teacher (here’s looking at you, Mademoiselle Brandenburg!). At Lawrence University, I majored in political science and philosophy, with the goal of going to law school, but my knowledge of French helped me pick up Spanish. I decided to take a gap year in Spain before beginning law school, and I took classes at the University of Barcelona, just for fun. That year got me hooked on Spanish, and I’ve never looked back. Why did you choose a career in academia? Teaching is the best profession in the world. You get to spend your days focusing on the subject you love, and you get to share that passion with students. Teaching at Lycoming provides the extra benefit of being at a place that supports and values faculty-student research. Working on literary translations with students has been one of the most rewarding professional experiences I’ve ever had. It’s amazing to see how the Lycoming experience changes students’ lives. 18 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2025 FALL MAGAZINE
A great deal of your research involves creating translations for literature and plays from Spanish to English. Where do you find your inspiration, and why is translation valuable? My second professional love, after teaching, is translating. When I read a book or see a play in Spanish that really speaks to me, I think about how I could make that experience available to a broader audience. I feel good about sharing that joy with the world. But I must admit that my motivation isn’t purely altruistic. Translating literature that I love means I get to spend all my time immersed in the world of that story, savoring every word and nuance and sound. What has been most invigorating/gratifying for you as interim provost with identifying and implementing new academic offerings at Lycoming? I have been immensely impressed by the faculty’s engagement in this project. It is a lot of work to create a high-quality new academic program, and we agreed from the start that, if we weren’t confident that we could create a truly outstanding curriculum in any particular field, we wouldn’t move forward with it. The faculty on each of the new academic program working groups have thought long and hard about what students would need to be successful in that field and what we could offer that would make the program distinctive. I’m confident that that is exactly what we’ve done. Snowden Library is undergoing some first-floor renovations this summer to accommodate a Learning Commons. Briefly explain the significance of this new space and how you anticipate it will help facilitate student success. The library renovations will bring our Writing Center, Math Center, and subject tutoring down to the first floor. Utilizing these academic supports is one of the best predictors for student success, and we find that students who utilize them regularly not only succeed at the College, they thrive. Creating the Learning Commons on the first floor of the library allows us to shine a spotlight on these services so that every student takes full advantage of everything these programs have to offer. What do you enjoy/appreciate most about Lycoming College? The commitment to student success is palpable in every area of campus. With my experience as first a faculty member and now an administrator, I can say with absolute confidence that this commitment permeates every division of the College, from the faculty to the staff and administration. This shared commitment to student success is one of the reasons Lycoming is ranked No. 7 in social mobility among national liberal arts colleges. I am proud to be part of an institution that chooses to place student success front and center in everything we do. The commitment to student success is palpable in every area of campus. 19 www.lycoming.edu
FACULTY & STAFF Holly Bendorf, Ph.D., associate professor of chemistry, presented her research, “Remote stereocontrol through nucleophilic ring opening of selectively quaternized N,N-acetals: Synthesis of trans-2,5-disubstituted tetrahydro-1-benzazepines,” at the Middle Atlantic Region of the American Chemical Society. This annual conference draws chemists from academic, industrial, and governmental laboratories, and this year’s meeting was held at Seton Hall University on May 28-31. The Petroleum Research Fund of the American Chemical Society awarded Bendorf a $25,000 grant as part of its pilot program aimed at helping students develop research and professional skills, and supports the purchase of laboratory instrumentation for use by students in their laboratory courses and in their independent research. Cullen Chandler, Ph.D., Frank and Helen Lowry Professor of History, presented his research, “Delicious History: Roman Recipes in Carolingian Culture,” at the 2025 International Medieval Congress at the University of Leeds, United Kingdom. This research explores the cultural significance of preserving ancient Roman knowledge about food in ninth-century western Europe and will culminate in his next book. Sascha Feinstein, Ph.D., Robert L. & Charlene Shangraw Professor of English, published his thirteenth book, “Writing Jazz: Conversations with Critics and Biographers.” The esteemed critic John Gennari writes, “If I had to choose the one book that best captures what Whitney Balliett called ‘the secret emotional center in jazz,’ it would be ‘Writing Jazz.’” Matthew Kaunert, Ph.D., director of the Clean Water Institute, published an article with colleagues in Scientific Reports titled “Assessing the effects of conductivity on egg development and survival of Eastern Hellbenders (Cryptobranchus a. alleganiensis).” Elevated conductivity has been linked to widespread hellbender population declines across North America, and this experimental work is the first study to evaluate effects of conductivity on the survival of hellbender early life history stages. Jessica Munson, Ph.D., associate professor of anthropology and archaeology and chair of the department, presented the keynote lecture at the Epigraphy.info IX Workshop held in Aarhus, Denmark, on April 2, 2025. The title of her talk was “Royal Titles, Ritual Traditions, and Monumental Inscriptions: Synthetic and Relational Perspectives on Classic Maya Governance.” Munson is co-lead and corresponding author on the paper “Assessing neighborhoods, wealth differentials, and perceived inequality in preindustrial societies,” and is a contributing author on six other articles in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science Special Feature. In “The Global Dynamics of Economic Inequality Over the Long Term,” she analyzes inequality using a global database of archaeological and ethnographic records capturing measurements of house size. By examining house-size differences as a key measure of wealth, this research tracks patterns of inequality across diverse societies over the past 10,000 years. Amelia Thompson ’25, archaeology and Spanish dual major, helped to digitize several sites included in the Global Dynamics of Inequality database, a project funded by the National Science Foundation and supported by the Coalition for Archaeological Synthesis and the Center for Collaborative Synthesis in Archaeology. Christopher Kulp, Ph.D., John P. Graham Teaching Professor of Physics, published his newest science-fiction novel, “Lost Origins” (Book One of The Majestic Chronicles), an enthralling space odyssey set in a distant future where Earth is a lost legend. Kulp was interviewed on From the Lighthouse, a literary podcast published out of the department of English at Macquarie University in Australia, where he discussed his new book. Listen at https://fromthelighthouse. podbean.com/e/lost-originsan-interview-with-chris-kulp/. Angela Kurtz, Ph.D., lecturer of sociology, was selected as director of Community-Based Learning. Her passion for community engagement and commitment to studentcentered learning will be a tremendous asset as the College continues to grow its initiatives. Lycoming looks forward to the vision and leadership she will bring to this important work. Emily Wilson, Ph.D., assistant professor of astrophysics, coauthored “Second-generation planet formation after tidal disruption from common envelope evolution” that appears in Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia in early 2025. 20 LYCOMING COLLEGE 2025 FALL MAGAZINE
NEWS On July 1, Jennifer Mariacher joined Lycoming as vice president for finance and administration and chief financial officer, where she leads a broad portfolio that includes the College’s business operations, physical plant, human resources, risk, and auxiliary enterprises. A seasoned financial executive in higher education, she brings more than 20 years of experience to this role and will partner with Lycoming leadership to build a long-term financial model and physical plant that continues to provide students and community members with a nationally recognized education in the liberal arts, sciences, and business. Prior to Lycoming, Mariacher served as vice president for administration and finance at Central Penn College along with holding various roles at Franklin and Marshall College and Millersville University. She earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and accounting from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in business administration from Elizabethtown College. Allison Saunders, Ph.D., assistant professor of biochemistry, was awarded $68,200 from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development for her project “Method Development for the Detection of Microbial Spoilage in Beverages.” This project is part of the PA Manufacturing Fellows Initiative in collaboration with Joseph Feerrar ’02, owner of Bald Birds Brewing in Jersey Shore, Pa. The Fellows Initiative is a main component of the Manufacturing PA Innovation Program and supports designated undergraduate and graduate student fellows at Pennsylvania universities to work with Pennsylvania manufacturers. Faculty and students address projects identified by industry to help advance new products or process innovations. Andrew Paulhamus, CPA, assistant professor of accounting, is the recipient of the 2025 Howard C. Berthold Faculty Research and Information Competencies Award, given annually to a faculty member who actively supports research competencies through class assignments, curriculum mapping, collaboration with librarians, and professional development related to information literacy. Andreas Rentsch, MFA, associate professor of art, had his two works from “The Wanderer” series included in the group exhibition, “Arborescent III,” at the Alex Ferrone Gallery in Cutchogue, N.Y. Both pieces were created during his sabbatical and funded by a professional development grant through the College. The images were created by exposing cutouts and botanicals on black-and-white photographic paper to direct sunlight for two to three hours. Phoebe Wagner, Ph.D., assistant professor of English, had her edited anthology “Almanac for the Anthropocene: A Compendium of Solarpunk Futures” featured as a staff pick on the Climate Optimism shelf at Powell’s Books: The World’s Largest Independent Bookstore. A staff member wrote, “If you read one book from here, have it be this one. Provides thoughts on the why of climate optimism [and] DIY movement.” Lycoming College recognized teaching excellence at the annual Honors Convocation held on April 13. Kimberly Kohler, Ph.D., assistant professor of education, received the 2025 Junior Faculty Teaching Award, and Betty McCall, Ph.D., associate professor of sociology, received the 2025 Plankenhorn Alumni Award for Faculty Excellence. Additionally, Susan Achury, Ph.D., assistant professor of political science, and Andrew Stafford, Ph.D., associate provost for teaching excellence, were both presented with the Mary Sieminksi Endowed Humanities Research Award, and Rubén Varona Herrera, Ph.D., assistant professor of Spanish, received the Dr. Meghan C. Andrews Research and Professional Enrichment Award. Submissions to the 40th Annual Educational Advertising Awards earned Murray Hanford, director of visual communications, gold for the 2024 President’s Report. A gold was also received from the Collegiate Advertising Awards for the Admissions Holiday Greeting in the Special Video Production category. In recognition for their outstanding dedication and service, Lycoming College extends its heartfelt congratulations to these individuals upon their retirement: Michelle Briggs, Ph.D., professor of biology; Mehrdad Madresehee, Ph.D., professor of economics; Daniel Miller, Ed.D., dean of students and vice president for student life; and John Whelan Jr., Ph.D., professor of philosophy. 21 www.lycoming.edu
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