NEWS American Cultures, at St. Francis Xavier University, Canada. Scholars from Canada, the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Cuba were supported by a SSHRC Connections grant. Her presentation, “Motherhoods, Tensions, and Resistances: New Representations in Contemporary Cuban Audiovisuals Directed by Women,” was selected as part of this grant-funded initiative. Suzanne O’Driscoll, D.Prof., was appointed the inaugural vice president for student affairs and success in September 2025. O’Driscoll is a dynamic and visionary student affairs professional who brings to the table more than 20 years of experience from across the student affairs spectrum. As the chief student affairs officer, she will provide strategic leadership and direction in support of Lycoming’s mission. She will oversee student life, health services, counseling services, and student success, as well as the College’s NCAA division III athletics program. O’Driscoll previously served as associate vice president for student affairs/dean of students at Shenandoah University, where she led strategic direction for the institution’s high impact student affairs division. She acquired increasing responsibilities during her 14-year tenure, where she held multiple roles prior, all within student affairs. O’Driscoll played a pivotal role in expanding mental health and well-being resources, while also advancing care team practices and strengthening crisis response efforts to better support the campus community. Prior to that, she held positions at Bridgewater College and State University of New York at New Paltz. O’Driscoll holds a doctoral degree of professional studies in organizational leadership from Shenandoah University, an M.A. in organizational communications from Iona College, and a B.A. in public relations from Marist College. Christopher Pearl, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of history, was invited to join the editorial board for the Journal of the Early Republic, published by the University of North Carolina Press in conjunction with William & Mary’s Omohundro Institute. He has also taken a position on the Omohundro Institutes Program Committee for its 2026 Conference in Nashville, Tenn., exploring “Revolutionary Orbits, Revolutionary Arcs.” Pearl was featured on PCNTV for his state of the field address “Not Dead, just Different: Decentering Revolutionary Politics during the 250th” to the Pennsylvania Historical Association on Oct. 10, 2025. The following week, he gave a lecture on his new book as part of the Lehigh Valley Heritage Museum’s Distinguished Speakers Series. He traveled to Richmond, Va., as part of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture’s “Revolution 250” speaker series on Nov. 6, 2025. A short experimental film, “Consequences of This Light,” by film and video arts professor Leah Bedrosian Peterson, M.F.A., was accepted into the Alexandria Film Festival and screened at the Alexandria History Museum at the Lyceum in Alexandria, Va., in November 2025. Amy Rogers, Ph.D., professor of education and associate provost for assessment and accreditation, was one of 11 remarkable nominees recognized in the education category at the prestigious 17th Annual Women of Excellence event hosted by the YWCA Northcentral PA on Nov. 12, 2025, at the Journey Bank Community Arts Center in Williamsport. This award category highlights individuals who foster learning and growth through teaching, training, or developing programs that promote personal development and equity. Mesa Morales (third from R) Marisa C. Sánchez, Ph.D., assistant professor of art history, has been appointed by the College Art Association (CAA), the largest network of professionals in the visual arts, to serve on the Education Committee for a threeyear term beginning February 2026 at the annual conference in Chicago. The Education Committee promotes the visual arts as an essential aspect of human activity; as a creative endeavor and subject of cultural and historical inquiry and critical appreciative activity; and encourages excellence in teaching at all levels. Its focus is on pedagogy at the higher education level in art history, visual culture, studio, aesthetics, and art criticism, and on the interface between arts teaching and learning research and practice. Phoebe Wagner, Ph.D. ’14, assistant professor of English, Emily Wilson, Ph.D., assistant professor of astrophysics, and Melissa Morris, Ph.D., assistant professor of astrophysics, will co-author a contribution to “Dark Skies Appalachia,” a multidisciplinary collection which will explore the influence of a dark night sky on identity, culture, and sense of place in the Appalachian region as well as efforts to protect dark skies in and beyond the region. Additionally, Wilson traveled to Gettysburg College in October 2025 to give an invited talk titled “When Cannibal Stars Shine: A Tale of Binary-Star Evolution” at their physics department colloquium and will give a similar talk in March 2026 at Penn State. In recognition of their outstanding service and dedication, Lycoming College extends its heartfelt congratulations to Nicole (Nyman) Kuntz ’94, information technology services (29 years), and Tim McMahon, head women’s volleyball coach (25 years), upon their retirement. 23 www.lycoming.edu
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTA3NDk=