Moravian University Magazine, Spring 2023

MORAVIAN

Brilliant Together

Collaboration in Art, Learning, Music, and Healthcare

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ArT LEAr n ing

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Moravian University Magazine Spring 2023

Editor

Claire Kowalchik P’22

Creative Director

Sandra DiPasqua

Managing Editor

Nancy Rutman ’84

Sports Editor

Mark J. Fleming

Alumni Engagement

Amanda Werner Maenza ’13, G’17 Executive Director

Matt Nesto Associate Director of Alumni & Student Engagement

Kathy Magditch Administrative Support Assistant

Photograph by Marco Calderon; back cover: photograph by Katie Creighton

DEPARTMENTS

Welcome

From the president’s desk

The Hub Campus news and notes

Greyhound Sports

Sports news and the Moravian University 2022 Hall of Fame

Lighting the Way

Recognizing those alumni who, through their contributions to Moravian, are lighting the way for our students, their future, and the next generation

Alumni Events

Home is where the Hounds are Class Notes

Catching up with classmates

Hound Hacks

Top seven travel tips

FEATURES

Partners in Art

Artists Emily Strong ’15 and Matthew Pring ’17 have created a virtual gallery that connects artists from around the world with each other and with the public.

A Fenom-enal Internship Experience

Dylan Runne ’16 shares his company’s resources in a partnership that offers both classroom learning and real-world experience for Moravian students.

The BIG Band’s Big Year

From recording a CD to performing at a jazz festival, the Moravian University BIG Band hit all the high notes.

Partners in Healthcare

An occupational therapist and a 3D printing specialist developed an innovative course and a unique app to provide assistive devices to people with disabilities.

Copyright 2023 by Moravian University. Photographs and artwork copyright by their respective creators or by Moravian University. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be

Welcome

Dear Fellow Greyhounds,

I hope this magazine finds you all doing well. This issue is dedicated to partnerships and the value they bring to individuals, institutions, and society. From Moravian’s founding in Bethlehem, partnerships provided direction and resources to improve the human condition. When Zinzendorf suggested to Benigna that she start the first school for young women, Anna Nitschmann partnered with Benigna and sold wool for the resources the students would need. The Moravians also partnered with those around them and provided education to both colonists and the Lenape. Strong partnerships enable Moravian to see the problems businesses, organizations, and individuals face and then build educational solutions to those problems. It is one of the ways we enact Comenius’s philosophy that education should concern itself with that which concerns society.

In our last strategic plan, Moravian rededicated itself to being the preferred educational provider for the Lehigh Valley. Campuswide, administrators, faculty, and students were asked to take leadership roles in nonprofit organizations to be fully engaged with the needs of the community. The benefits of this strategic initiative have been enormous. Moravian has partnered with St. Luke’s University Health Network to build state-of-the-art nursing and rehabilitation science programs and recently started a cobranded School of Behavioral and Community Health. Moravian has partnered with the Bethlehem Area School District to provide full-tuition, four-year scholarships for financially at-risk students. We partnered with Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network to pioneer new assistive devices, with our own occupational therapy and computer science students working together using 3D printing. There are now hundreds of internships and co-ops with companies such as Air Products, Olympus, Fenom Digital, B. Braun, Merck, and more. We’ve added partnerships beyond the Lehigh Valley through the acquisition of Lancaster Theological Seminary. The addition of that historic campus and its dedicated faculty, staff, and students to Moravian’s portfolio provides greater opportunities for all of our theological students and for businesses and residents in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

These are just a few of the partnerships Moravian enjoys in Bethlehem and now Lancaster. Through partnerships, we keep our curricula and programs relevant to the needs of society. Moravian has never been the ivy tower producing knowledge for knowledge’s sake. Instead, we have always provided a practical liberal arts education that is rooted in our community and offers solutions for what ails our society.

Our most valued partner is you—all of you who call Moravian your alma mater, your nourishing mother. You realize what it was like to be at Moravian, to be mentored by faculty and staff, and to be excited about the future path your life would take. Through our partnership with you, we are Lighting the Way for the next generation of Hounds, because we all understand how truly important this university is to society.

Bryon

President

L. Grigsby ’90, P’22, P’26

Photo by Marco Calderon

TheHub

investigating the impact of storm events on the distribution and physical traits of grasses and shrubs on barrier islands off Virginia’s coast. Grasses and shrubs play an important role in erosion and the formation of barrier islands. Without barrier islands, the mainland would be at the forefront of coastal storms, potentially leading to a greater loss of people and property. Woods’s program will involve a diverse group of students from Moravian and local high schools. Read more at mrvn.co/woodsgrant.

LIGHT IN DARK TIMES

Though the US economy had improved steadily after US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt took office in 1933, 1937–38 was marked by a recession that slowed the recovery. FDR had begun his second term in 1937 by slashing spending and raising taxes to balance the federal budget, and the economy responded swiftly and negatively. Yet in a year marked by higher unemployment and labor strikes at home and the rise of extremism abroad, Moravian faculty and alumni offered hope.

Moravian Faculty Awarded More Than $2 Million in Grants

Faculty research is flush with funding this year as several professors have been awarded significant grants for important studies. And it’s only spring!

In January, Natasha Woods, assistant professor of biology, received a $503,000 three-year grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for her program Diverse Undergraduate Research Students in Ecology, which supports faculty-student field research

In February, Anastasia Thévenin, assistant professor of biology, was awarded a $409,139 three-year grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This grant was awarded through the competitive and prestigious Academic Research Enhancement Award program. It is the first NIH grant received by a Moravian faculty member. Thévenin and her undergraduate researchers are studying cellular protein–protein interactions that lead to or prevent cancer. Read more at mrvn.co/theveningrant

In March, a team of faculty members from four academic disciplines was awarded a $1.2 million five-year grant through the NSF’s Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program. The grant will help the team prepare highly skilled and diverse STEM educators to teach in high-need school districts through

In March, a team of faculty members from four academic disciplines was awarded a $1.2 million five-year grant through the NSF’s Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program.

Anastasia Thévenin, assistant professor of biology, was awarded a $409,139 research grant.

Katie Creighton

—Nancy Rutman ’84

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) is inaugurated for his second term as US president. This new date will be used for all subsequent presidential inaugurations.

MORAVIAN MOMENT

Painter Alice Kent Stoddard is invited to exhibit her portrait of the Rt. Rev. J. Taylor Hamilton, president of Moravian College and Theological Seminary 1918–1928, at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.

MORAVIAN MOMENT

In a speech to alumni and friends of Moravian College and Theological Seminary, Pennsylvania Governor George H. Earle warns that a “war of extermination is imminent in Europe between the Fascistic and Communistic nations.”

TheHub

Moravian’s program SHaping Innovative New Educators in STEM (SHINES). The team members—principal investigator Nathan Shank, professor of mathematics; Michelle Schmidt, professor of psychology; Tristan Gleason, associate professor of education; and Andrea Bortz, lecturer in biology with a specialty in STEM education—will partner with the Allentown and Bethlehem Area School Districts in this work. Read more at mrvn.co/shines.

Sara Benham, assistant professor of occupational therapy, and Jeffrey Bush, assistant professor of computer science and head of the 3D printing lab, received a $29,000 grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research to develop 3D Adapt, an app for the disability community that makes 3Dprinted assistive devices accessible (see page 28 for details).

President Grigsby Named to Power 100

City & State PA, a multimedia news organization that provides nonpartisan news coverage of Pennsylvania’s state and local government, has named President Bryon L. Grigsby ’90, P’22, P’26 to its 2023 Higher Education Power 100, which recognizes Pennsylvania’s top education leaders. City & State PA recognized Grigsby for guiding Moravian’s transition into a university, combining with Lancaster Theological Seminary, leading the expansion of degree programs, and upgrades to campus facilities, among other accomplishments.

New Programs in Behavioral and Community Health

This fall, the School of Behavioral and Community Health will launch three new programs: an online master of social work, a blended (live and online) master of arts in school counseling, and a revised, blended master of arts in clinical counseling.

We Are Military Friendly

Moravian University has earned the 2023–24 Military Friendly School Gold designation. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet benchmarks in six categories: academic policies and compliance, admissions and orientation, culture and commitment, financial aid and assistance, graduation and career, and military student support and retention.

MEDICINE

Hungarian-Jewish American physician Bernard Fantus establishes a blood preservation laboratory at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, now recognized as the first hospital blood bank in the US.

MORAVIAN MOMENT

Ina Thursby presents a gift of $125,000 to the Moravian Seminary and College for Women in honor of her late sister, Emma, a world-renowned coloratura soprano, to fund an “Emma Thursby Memorial Music Buiding.” Both sisters had attended the seminary.

At the 9th Annual Academy Awards, Frank Capra wins the directing Oscar for Mr. Deeds Goes to Town

Emma Cecilia Thursby

Marco Calderon

GuestLecture

Where have all the workers gone?

By Jim West, PhD Professor of Business and Economics

The United States is experiencing perplexing labor shortages often referred to as the “great resignation.” The suffering and isolation caused by the pandemic gets a lot of the blame, yet the shortages are better explained by longer-term changes in demographics, technology, and government policy.

First, many baby boomers have enjoyed strong income and asset growth over the past four decades driven by two-income households, booming investment funds—e.g., 401(k)s—and real estate appreciation. This led many to reevaluate their career and life plans during the pandemic. They increasingly conclude they’ve had enough of work and are choosing earlier retirement. Boomer wealth has also eased the financial stress for their children, who increasingly choose work-from-home, gig-economy jobs.

Other demographic drivers of the labor shortages reflect population growth rates at or below replacement levels. Many young people today are marrying later, if at all, and weighing critically the opportunity costs of having many, or even any, children.

The status of immigrant labor coming to the United States, curtailed by the virus, also unveils a longer-term trend. Economic growth opportunities available in the home countries of potential immigrants are reducing the flow of needed workers to the United States.

Massive government spending programs contribute to labor shortages. While increasing consumption, welfare spending also leads workers to find taking a job costly as they may lose benefits. Likewise, policies suspending enforcement of

APRIL 4/9

SOCIAL HISTORY

contracts like student loans, mortgages, and rental agreements disincentivize job seekers. Deficit spending, monetized by a compliant central bank, increases inflation, driving wages and interest rates higher to a point where businesses, especially small ones, cannot compete for workers. Small business closures abound. Growing debt also drives higher taxes, further discouraging growth.

The rapid technological change of recent decades creates and destroys jobs. A workforce can realign only so fast as technological change exposes the gap between skill sets and job openings. Where once it was cheap labor that threatened jobs, now it is also the rise of the robot class.

Lastly, a revised view of the opportunity cost of two working parents matched against the unavailability of low-cost childcare and the uneven quality of schools is also being reevaluated by parents. Many are choosing home schooling and becoming stay-at-home moms and dads, prioritizing family over work.

While the postpandemic labor participation rate has been slowly improving, it is now complicated by high inflation, rising interest rates, and the threat of recession. In addition, we will continue to face the long-term technological and demographic factors discussed above. Economists everywhere are asking what can be done.

Many see the “creative destruction” of a free enterprise system as the best option. This process encourages entrepreneurial free markets with a smaller, less-expensive, decentralized government and a limited welfare safety net. The alternative, favored by others, sees more centralized economic power as a quicker and less disruptive solution. This divergence of views presents a great challenge and opportunity for university educators and students.

4/10

Boomer wealth has eased the financial stress for their children, who increasingly choose to work from home.

MORAVIAN MOMENT

Rev. Fred T. Trafford, Seminary Class of 1918, who has served as Bethlehem’s police superintendent for seven years, helping crack down on rampant crime and corruption, is reported to be resigning to accept a pastorate in Schuylkill County.

Birth control advocate Margaret Sanger presents a lecture at Liberty High School in Bethlehem.

MORAVIAN MOMENT

The two Moravian student newspapers—The Belfry of the Moravian College for Women and The Comenian of the Moravian College and Theological Seminary— are admitted into membership of the Intercollegiate Newspaper Association of the Middle Atlantic States.

Courtesy of Jim West

Lipkis Opera Debuts in NYC

Simonetta, a chamber opera composed by Larry Lipkis, professor of music and composer in residence, was performed by the American Chamber Opera Company in New York City on September 30 and October 1, 2022. The work traces the relationships of the Florentine Renaissance artist Botticelli, his model and muse Simonetta, his apprentice Pino, and the Dominican friar Savonarola. “Larry Lipkis’ music is rhapsodic…it moves like the wind, sweeping the audience ahead in a lush display of melody and instrumentation,” wrote theater critic Jan Ewing in NYC Theater

BOOK SHELF

The Beekeeper: Pollinating Your Organization for Transformative Growth

By Katie P. Desiderio, assistant vice president

to misinformation, disinformation, and more. It guides students through the explosion of content on the internet and social media and helps them become careful and critical evaluators.

Supporting Individuals Who Use Augmentative and Alternative Communication: Breaking Down Opportunity Barriers

of corporate-educational partnerships and associate professor of management, and Michael

G. Frino

This book explores what it means to place yourself at the core of learning and growth for the members of your organization. Readers will learn how to support the growth of employees and leadership team members, how to ensure your team puts people first and embraces the company’s mission and values, and much more.

Thought and Knowledge: An Introduction to Critical Thinking (6th

edition)

By Dana S. Dunn, professor of psychology, and Diane F. Halpern, professor emerita of psychology at Claremont McKenna College

Thought and Knowledge applies theory and research from the learning sciences to teach students the critical thinking skills they need to succeed in today’s world. The text identifies, defines, discusses, and deconstructs contemporary challenges to critical thinking, from fake news, alternative facts, and deep fakes

By Susan S. Johnston, Cindy Gevarter, Samuel Sennott, Lateef McLeod, and Eric J. Sanders, associate professor and director of the speech-language pathology program

Individuals with complex communication needs who use augmentative and alternative communication, or AAC (all ways of communicating besides talking) frequently encounter barriers that limit their ability to achieve their full potential in communication and in life. This book focuses on opportunity barriers (policy, practice, knowledge/skill, and attitude barriers that extend beyond the AAC user) and provides practical strategies for breaking down those barriers.

Staging Authority: Presentation and Power in NineteenthCentury Europe

Edited by Eva Giloi, Martin Kohlrausch, Phillip Nielsen, and Heikki Lempa, professor of history

This is a comprehensive book on how the presentation, embodiment, and performance of authority changed in 19th-century Europe.

Sandro Botticelli, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

MORAVIAN MOMENT

Moravian College President and Archivist Rev. Dr. W. N. Schwarze presents a lecture to the Valley Forge Chaper of the Sons of the American Revolution in the Moravian Church Archives.

MORAVIAN MOMENT

Northampton County announces that John F. Bessemer ’35 will direct the recreation and education projects in the county sponsored by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), one of FDR’s New Deal agencies.

MUSIC

Robert Johnson’s “Cross Road Blues,” recorded in November 1936, is issued as a single.

By Nancy Rutman ‘84

MoravianMoment

The Refectory

When the Moravian College and Theological Seminary relocated from East Church Street to the Main Street campus in the 1890s, Comenius Hall and the Refectory were the first two structures built for the use of the institution. Though not commonly heard today, the word refectory was often used in the 19th century, particularly in the UK, to describe a building where university students gathered for communal meals.

The Moravian Refectory’s first floor featured a student dining hall and kitchen. The second floor was devoted to an infirmary, and the rest of the building accommodated the needs of campus staff: a sewing room, storage rooms, a laundry, and housekeeper’s and servants’ quarters. The basement laundry was later converted into a second dining hall.

In 1962, dining facilities moved to the new HUB, and the Refectory was repurposed by the Moravian Theological Seminary as classrooms, administrative offices, and dormitory spaces—hence it was known for a time as the Seminary Building. In 1976, when the seminary moved to its new

quarters in the Bahnson Center, the old Refectory was given the name it bears today: Zinzendorf Hall. The following year, it became the home of the English department, and it now includes classrooms and the Writing Center.

Students who lived on campus in the 1980s may remember the basement of Zinzendorf Hall as a popular hangout where fraternities and sororities hosted late-night snack parties. By the mid-2010s, this space had fallen into disuse and disrepair, so United Student Government took on the task of updating it. Now called the Doghouse, it is once again a hive of activity, with a new sound system and media system and a stage for performances. From the outside, the old Refectory building looks much the same as it did when completed 131 years ago. But on the inside, it feeds students’ minds rather than their bellies.

DISASTERS

The Refectory as it looked in 1907, 15 years after opening.

Freshman William D. Gerdsen, Moravian College Class of 1930, snapped this photo of his classmates hightailing it into the Refectory for a meal in March 1927.

LITERATURE Margaret Mitchell wins the Pulitzer Prize for Books, Drama & Music in the novel category for Gone with the Wind

MORAVIAN MOMENT

English instructor David Weinland accompanies a group of 18 Moravian students to a matinee performance of Maxwell Anderson’s drama High Tor at the Martin Beck Theatre in New York City.

The German dirigible Hindenburg explodes into flames as it makes its first US landing at Naval Air Station Lakehurst in New Jersey, killing 36.

WORLD King George VI and Queen Elizabeth are crowned monarchs of the United Kingdom in Westminster Abbey.

Collection of Nancy Rutman

Moravian University Archives

TheHub

The End of the World

From what’s outside us to our inner selves, from primordial earth to the end of the universe, Jonathan Latiano’s most recent, most ambitious piece of installation art, The Only Thing That’s the End of the World Is the End of the World, takes viewers on an expansive, layered journey.

Walk into the dark exhibition space in Payne Gallery, and you are confronted with an enormous mass of misshapen spheres of multiple diameters covered in irregular shards of mirror suspended in the center of that darkness. Strung on wires, they spin slowly, reflecting and absorbing light in cadence with the discordant and melodic voices of the string quartet piece that surrounds you.

Jonathan Latiano ’06 earned his MFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. He is the director of the art and art history program at Merrimack College, just outside of Boston, and a nationally renowned installation artist. From conception to completion, he has worked 10 years on this piece.

“I was more excited to premiere this at Moravian than I was about getting the funding for it. Moravian is the place where it all started. “

—Jonathan Latiano ’06

Photos by Theo Anderson

“As an installation artist, I am always interested in how I can author space,” says Latiano. “I was starting to work with light, reflected light, and mirrors as having both reflecting and absorbing properties. I researched the potential of darkness. And I wondered, Is it possible to make a piece that constantly re-authors the space that it inhabits? I also started to become interested in the intrinsic connection in the brain between music, motion, and emotion. Can I use that in installation art in a way that heightens those elements?” But to what end? What would the piece be about? Latiano asked himself.

Since 2016, the country has experienced an ever-widening politically driven chasm among its people, the rise of overt bigotry, and an increase in the number and violence of natural disasters fueled by the warming climate. And then came COVID-19, a new virus that ignited fear; led to a suffocating, isolated death in the most vulnerable; and forced lockdown.

“While there is so much beauty, love, intrigue, nuance, and complexity in the world, sometimes it’s a tough place to be. Sometimes, it makes you want to scream. This installation became my response to all that,” says Latiano. “If I had to sum up this piece, I would say it is about societal-level trauma.”

Prior to 2020, Merrimack awarded Latiano a large research grant to create the installation. He collaborated with the college’s engineering students on the kinetics of the artwork, and several art-student interns were hired to assist him in the fabrication of the misshapen spheres, which included puzzling together the thousands of shattered pieces of mirror onto their surfaces. Then the pandemic sent everything into lockdown— including the grant. Latiano had completed only half of the installation. It lay in limbo until Dave Leidich, director of Payne Gallery, contacted Latiano about doing a solo exhibition at Moravian. They agreed that Latiano would premiere his current work and Moravian would fund its completion.

For the music, Latiano turned to composer Sam Wu, whose work has been performed around the world. They selected five of Wu’s pieces that move viewers through an arc that represents the stages of the societal trauma of the pandemic: the initial encounter that is both frightening and fascinating in its sci-fi otherworldliness, then the darkness, the despair of prolonged isolation, the emerging, and finally hope for the future.

The music, the changing light, the movement have a grand effect aesthetically, emotionally, and thematically, but the piece elicits also an intimate personal response from the viewer. She looks inward and sees her own life reflected. Childbirth is violent; death is ultimately a release. On that journey, she experiences darkness, light, fear, peace, beauty, imperfection, wholeness, brokenness, sadness, grace, love.

And the viewer discovers themes in human existence. We welcome light and fear darkness, yet at times, the light in this art stabs our eyes, while the darkness protects us and provides comfort. Stare at one of the mirrored spheres, and it seems you are looking right through to a hollow center, though you know the piece is solid. Not everything—or everyone—is all that we think we know.

“All of my installations have been big external pieces. You look on them. This piece is intensely internal,” says Latiano. “You are in this darkened room, which forces you to be present. When the piece goes fully dark, your universe ends at your fingertips.”

Where does the universe end? Latiano asks us by way of this installation. At the outer limits of space—an inconceivable distance—or the farthest reaches of our senses? The answer is both. Universes lie within universes.

During the final musical composition by Wu, “Warmth, Love, Romance,” from In Passage, Wu’s score for a ballet, the viewer recalls Latiano’s aesthetic: “I am always interested in how I author space.” She realizes the installation is larger than the glittering asteroid-like mass rotating in the center of the room. She turns to watch the oval rings and circular forms cast by the reflected light onto the walls. They move to Wu’s lyrical, uplifting piece for piano and cello, indeed, as if they are performing a ballet. It seems a primordial dance, and the viewer sees that she is suspended between the beginning and the end of the world, and they are connected, and she feels hopeful.

“The only thing that’s the end of the world is the end of the world, and what are you going to do with that?” asks Latiano. “It’s easy to become a nihilist. We’d be tempted to just lie down because it’s exhausting, but if we did that then it would be the end.” For Latiano and all of us, the title of his work continues with an unwritten, line—“and it is not the end of the world.”

Partners in Art

Artists Matthew Pring ’17 and Emily Strong ’15 have created a virtual gallery that connects artists from around the world with each other and with the public anywhere that has working internet.

By Claire Kowalchik P’22

Photographs by Theo Anderson

a

A visitor walks into Moravian University’s Payne Gallery on a Saturday afternoon in October to find installation artist Neill Catangay drilling into chartreuse-painted wood, building the framework for what appears will be a room or a tiny house. From the second tier of the gallery, artist Ashley Garner drapes symmetrical quilts—two wings sewn from shimmering, iridescent fabric in colors that shift from greens to blues to violets when viewed through changing light and perspectives. They nearly touch the floor. Against the wall along the perimeter of the main floor lean paintings and prints waiting to be hung.

It’s all part of the installation of the exhibit Reflected Existence, cocurated by Matthew Pring ’17 and Emily Strong ’15. The show ran from October 27 through December 18, 2022, and showcased the work of eight artists: Catangay, Garner, Ira Upin, Kate McCammon, Richard Hricko, Madeline Rile Smith, Lauren Packard, and Heather Drayzen.

A Beautiful Friendship

You could say that Angela Fraleigh, professor of art at Moravian University, brought Pring and Strong together. Both chose to come to Moravian to study under her. “Her artwork is amazing,” says Pring. “I wanted to learn from someone with her talent.” Strong, who majored in art and psychology and minored in sociology, liked that Moravian supports double majors, but discovering Fraleigh on the art faculty list sealed her commitment. “I was looking at who was teaching at different schools,” says Strong, “and Angela Fraleigh’s work was absolutely in line with what I wanted to learn.”

Strong and Pring became well acquainted through their courses, art club, and class trips to museums and galleries in New York, Boston, and Washington, DC. “We always enjoyed talking about art and viewing art together during our time at Moravian,” says Strong. So when Strong graduated two years ahead of Pring, the friendship continued. They had studios across from each other at the Cigar Factory Artist

“I thought to myself, ‘We don’t have to endure this loss of community.’ ”

—Matthew Pring

At the opening of the exhibit Reflected Existence, David Leidich (top left), director of Payne Gallery, introduces cocurators Emily Strong and Matthew Pring.

“It’s been wonderful to meet all these artists and learn about art from all over the world.”

Emily Strong ’15 was born in Allentown. At Moravian University, she majored in art and psychology and minored in sociology. She planned to pursue a career in art therapy, but art making, curating, and gallery work had a hold on her. Still, her studies in psychology and sociology have a place in her work, as they inform both her art making and exhibition design. “It is very important to think about the impact a show will have with regard to what you’re including and not including as well as the flow of the artwork,” explains Strong.

“Like Matthew, Emily possesses a passion for social change. She pursues this in luminous flesh-filled figurative landscapes that explore social structures,” says Angela Frahleigh, professor of art

at Moravian. “She creates complex compositions of intimate passages and exchange, making the personal political. She democratizes the body, removing any allegiance to a filtered, overly sexualized or capitalist-driven consumerism that privileges certain bodies over others. Conversely, she humanizes the figures she depicts—their flesh revealed as a point of beauty, sensuality, and pleasure.”

Figurative Landscapes is a series that Strong began working on in her senior year at Moravian. An Elizabeth Greenfield grant allowed Strong to continue this work, which culminated in a solo exhibition at the Baum School of Art in Allentown.

“I was studying how different genders were portrayed throughout history, and I was trying to figure out how to still work with the figure in realism while deconstructing the gendered way that we view art. That’s how I started to crop the figure

to take the gender qualities out of it. It abstracts the figure and treats it like a landscape,” explains Strong. “The figure becomes much more about form—the shapes, the skin texture, the quality, and the beauty of this landscape that you can spend time with and explore.

“Two years ago, I decided to interview the models in order to give them a voice in the process,” continues Strong. “When you’re looking at these abstracted forms, you’re not able to make assumptions about the person they are, but then you get to hear directly from them about their experiences in their body, how they present, and how people react to them.”

To learn more about Strong and explore more of her work, visit her website at emilystrongfineart.com

Oil on canvas 5 feet by 6 feet

—Emily Strong

Emily Strong Figurative Landscapes: Essential

Studios in Allentown, and they would gather friends and take trips to museums and galleries.

Then COVID hit.

“I had gone from being in constant contact with the arts community via my own art making, working with galleries, modeling for artists, etc. to being completely isolated due to concerns about my husband being high-risk,” says Strong. “I was feeling deeply disconnected from my usual network.” Pring was in his first year at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (PAFA) pursuing a master’s degree in fine arts when lockdown severed him from his community.

Adversity breeds creativity.

“I thought to myself, ‘We don’t have to endure this loss of community,’ ” says Pring, “so I contacted Emily about creating an online art gallery.”

Pring had been interested in opening a brick-andmortar gallery, and Strong had hands-on experience with all aspects of running a gallery. Through the support of Dave Leidich, director of the Payne Gallery, she’d had the opportunity to curate a few exhibitions while working there as a Moravian student. That led to her curating at the Alternative Gallery in Allentown immediately after graduation.

“When Matt contacted me about starting an online space, I was completely on board,” says Strong.

Manifold Global

Webster’s dictionary defines manifold as “a whole that unites or consists of many diverse elements” and “a pipe fitting with several lateral outlets for connecting one pipe with others.” Manifold Global, the virtual gallery that Pring and Strong conceived and launched in 2020, is a pipeline that reaches around the world and delivers artists and their art to an online space and community.

The exposure can be invaluable to an artist. “Prior to 2020, I wasn’t showing my work much,” says Heather Drayzen, a painter from Brooklyn, New York. “After exhibiting online with Manifold and other online galleries, I saw an increased interest in my work, which helped me build my CV and led to in-person exhibitions, including Reflected Existence at Moravian.”

Strong and Pring chose an online platform that uses three-dimensional design to create a virtual experience of walking through a gallery and stopping

to look at the art. Individual works can be viewed from multiple angles and close enough that you can see the brush strokes on paintings. “We have a very good platform for creating the 3D virtual space,” says Pring. “If we wanted to replicate Payne Gallery on our site, we could.”

Manifold Global is unique among online galleries in that it also hosts events—openings and artist talks— that bring people together. Recordings are saved in the site’s archives. The community that these talks build is as important to the artists as the exhibition of their work.

“Emily and Matt are extremely warm and wonderful human beings. Exhibiting with them in the depths of the pandemic gave me the opportunity to build community in a time when everything else was shutting down,” says Drayzen. “The artist talk in particular helped build my confidence in sharing my work with others and speaking about my influences, concepts, and process.”

As of this writing, Strong and Pring have curated 14 exhibitions on their site and arranged more than 20 artist talks. Their work goes uncompensated. “It’s a big commitment of time,” says Strong, “but it’s been wonderful to meet all these artists and learn about art from all over the world.”

A recent Manifold Global online exhibition, Red, included a piece by Philadelphia-based multimedia artist Brian Dennis. His work Stepping Into is a 30-by-30-inch manipulated photograph on metal. “Manifold Global provides great worldwide exposure,” says Dennis. Like Drayzen, he is grateful for the community that the site engenders. “They kept this vibrant thing happening during the lockdown, and through the talks, we meet other artists. It’s wonderful to hear what artists are doing.”

Strong and Pring have also curated exhibits that tie into the Lehigh Valley community. The Lehigh Valley Annual Collegiate Art Exhibition showcases the work of juniors and seniors at the colleges and universities in the area. Pring refers to the mission statement posted on their website: “Manifold Global is an online gallery by artists for artists worldwide.”

It also fosters accessibility and inclusivity by taking art to remote places far from museums and galleries. Looking to the future, Pring and Strong plan to provide a critique service to artists, and they will continue to enhance the Manifold Global platform as technology advances.

“If we wanted to replicate Payne Gallery on our site, we could.”

—Matthew Pring

Matthew Pring Dream

Ink, acrylic, and collage on canvas

4 feet by 4 feet

Matthew Pring ’17 grew up in Levittown, Pennsylvania. He served honorably as a medic in the United States Air Force for 20 years. After retiring, he continued working in healthcare until he chose to pursue his passion—art—at Moravian University and then the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, where he earned his master of fine arts degree. Matthew is a firm believer in the power of art to effect change.

“Matthew’s storied past as a veteran, medic, and father, coupled with an innate philosophical lens and a genuine quest for social justice, has led him to create powerful work,” says Angela Frahleigh, professor of art at Moravian. “At different points, his work has explored personal experience against overarching cultural norms, celebrated unsung heroes, and asked, ‘What power do people have and how do they use that power?’ ”

Dream is one piece in a body of eight paintings Pring produced as he was earning his master’s degree.

“It speaks to the idea of the American dream. Is it real?” asks Pring. “That’s why I used red, white, and blue colors. The nozzle dripping gasoline is a metaphor for class structure, and I use the octane levels as lower class, middle class, and upper class. The elevator schematic represents social mobility. In America, we can move up or down. Some people have greater opportunity, and they get to take the elevator, while others have to take the stairs.”

To learn more about Pring and explore more of his work, visit matthewpring.com.

“Manifold Global is an online gallery by artists for artists worldwide.”

—Matthew Pring

“As an emerging artist, you may feel like you aren’t getting any opportunities, people don’t know you,” says Fraleigh. “It’s been my experience that success comes not only from offers from but from offers to.” And to do that, an artist needs to shift the dynamic— instead of thinking about what you need and aren’t getting, think about what you can give, and see how that shifts your experience. “Emily and Matthew did this in spades. Manifold Global has opened pathways of connection for their work and themselves, and they have created a platform for artists from all over the globe to share their work.”

Reflected Existence

Payne Gallery director Dave Leidich invited Manifold Global’s first physical exhibit, Reflected Existence “I approached Emily and Matt after following all the good work they were doing with their virtual gallery. Emily had curated a few shows at Payne, and Matt had just finished up his MFA at PAFA, so I had great faith in them individually and as a team.”

In developing the exhibit, Pring and Strong thought carefully about what would most benefit Moravian’s students: a variety of media and artists from Philadelphia and New York who would be accessible. Pring and Strong turned to their Manifold Global group and invited artists working in printmaking, installation art, painting, glassblowing, and collage making. “All of them are creating work that talks about their personal history or makes commentary on contemporary culture,” says Strong. Their work represented the exhibit’s theme.

Opening night brought students, staff, faculty, and visitors from the Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia to the show. Drinks and hors d’oeuvres in hand, people meandered around the main exhibit space, climbed the stairs to the upper level, and stepped down into the permanent gallery, stopping to contemplate a piece or talk with the artists about their work.

As Leidich intended, the exhibition fed art students’ perspectives on their own work. “Some of the pieces by Ash Garner reflected conflicting feelings about topics such as childhood and sense of self, which are subjects that I like to explore in my own art,” says sophomore Jeanna DiAngelis. “I take a lot of inspiration from pieces like these, where you can feel the tug-of-war the artist experiences within themselves.

“I feel influenced to express my thoughts and feelings through art as authentically as I can to try to convey a raw and powerful message,” adds DiAngelis. “I feel encouraged to go outside of my comfort zone

to try different mediums and techniques to create openly and without self-judgment.”

Audrey Thompson ’24 had a similar experience. “I liked how each individual artist’s work was a representation of their view of the world. I enjoyed learning about the artists and their histories relating to the exhibited artwork,” she says. “Since that exhibition, I have started viewing my art in a way that describes how I felt while making it and how I want others to feel while looking at it.”

“The show was a great success,” concludes Leidich, “and it brought two workshops to our students: one in glassblowing and a second incorporating soft sculpting techniques and performance art.”

Reflected Existence was another pipeline originating from Manifold Global. It connected artists with other artists, with Moravian students, with the many visitors to Payne Gallery. It brought people together not simply to view art but to become absorbed in the human endeavor to create and the expression of ideas and feelings. Affected by those ideas, viewers find more meaning in their own lives.

Together Pring and Strong have created something much larger than themselves and far-reaching, an experience that touches artists, the public—all of humanity, really—around the globe.

Strong and Pring check progress on the construction of an installation piece for their Payne Gallery show.

“All of them are creating work that talks about their personal history or makes commentary on contemporary culture.”

—Emily Strong

Dylan Runne addresses students on the last day of their internship as they are about to present their team projects.

Photos by John Kish IV

A FENOM-ENAL INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE

Moravian University alumnus Dylan Runne ’16 shares his company’s resources in a partnership that offers both classroom learning and real-world experience for Moravian students.

By Steve Neumann ’94, G’18

On the final day of their internship, students present their team projects to in-person and Zoomed-in instructors from Fe - nom Digital before gathering for a group photo.

Computer science major Justin Szaro ’23 spent the spring semester of his junior year learning and doing front-end website development—producing the code that creates what a user sees and interacts with directly on any given website. Szaro was among 13 students selected for a special internship developed by Fēnom Digital and Moravian’s recently launched Office of University Partnerships. Fēnom is a leading Salesforce-certified boutique agency that transforms e-commerce websites to provide exceptional customer experience.

Dylan Runne ’16, who founded Fēnom in 2019, collaborated with Katie Desiderio, assistant vice president of corporateeducational partnerships, and members

Fenom

of the computer science and business departments to create a unique internship that would give students interested in a career in computer science or business an opportunity to delve deeply into the work and operations at Fēnom.

Runne says he decided to enter the partnership because he wanted Moravian students to know the possibilities of a career in the e-commerce industry. “This industry has given so much to me and allows me to continue to learn in so many different areas,” he says, “and I want to show this path to students at Moravian.”

The 15-week internship was designed around two phases. Phase 1 consisted of classroom-based learning sessions led by different employees from Fēnom Digital, who would teach their specific disciplines, such as software development, project management, and quality assurance.

During the second half of the program, students were divided into two teams that used a “sandbox” from customer relationship management firm Salesforce to complete a mock project that would be similar to what they would deliver to an actual client. A sandbox is an isolated testing environment where users can run programs or open files without affecting the platform on which they run. Essentially, the participants were tasked with making modifications to an out-of-the-box e-commerce template that fit a mock client’s requirements. Each student was paired with a Fēnom Digital employee mentor.

It’s a classic win-win situation. “We custombuilt this internship program to drill down into how Fēnom operates on a dayto-day basis,” says Runne, “and it gives us this new employee pool to pull from as they look into their careers from both a technical and a business point of view.”

Jessica Collazo graduated from Moravian in 2021 with a major in international management and then went right into Moravian’s MBA program. As an intern in the Fēnom program, she worked on the business side of the e-commerce industry. “I spent most of my time in project management, making sure that tasks are getting done on our timeline,

managing the budget and scope of the project, and communicating to the client,” she says. Collazo enjoyed the experience so much she applied for a full-time position in project management at Fēnom and was hired last spring.

Jack Fineanganofo and Michael Shimer, who both graduated in May 2022, were hired as junior full-stack developers to work on back-end and front-end website solutions.

Szaro, who has another year at Moravian before he enters the workforce, appreciated the experience the internship provided. He particularly liked being paired up with the business interns, because he felt he learned a lot about the business side of e-commerce, including how to make the requirements of the project clear to both the client and the other software developers.

“As a first real-world experience, it was absolutely fantastic, and I think every student should get some kind of internship with an outside company,” he says. “It’s especially great to see someone like Dylan, who graduated from Moravian, come back and help out Moravian students.”

For his part, Runne was pleased with how the program went and felt it was a game changer for both Fēnom and the Moravian community. “While we’re still building the plane as we’re flying it,” Runne says about the internship program, “the students adapted to change and dealt with ambiguity in the same ways we do in everyday life. The professionalism and knowledge the students presented through the 15-week program was truly impressive, and we’re looking forward to continuing to iterate for future success.”

Look no farther than the fall 2023 semester, when the next iteration is scheduled to take off.

Steve Neumann ’94, G’18 is a freelance writer living in New Jersey.

Photographs by Theo Anderson

Guest performer Alex Meixner (center), a renowned instrumentalist, helps students mentally prepare before their concert in Foy Hall.

THE BIG BAND’S BIG YEAR

From recording a CD to performing at a jazz festival, the Moravian University BIG Band hit all the high notes.

By Therese Ciesinski

Backstage, band director Neil Wetzel takes students through some warm-ups before the BIG Band’s performance in Foy Hall.

“Moravian is putting out really top-notch music majors. Our ensemble is professional level.” —Neil Wetzel, professor of music and director of jazz studies

b

By any measure, 2022 was an extraordinary year for the Moravian student jazz ensemble known as the BIG Band. It’s not every day that student musicians release a CD or perform at a music festival. The achievements attest to the talents of the students but also to the excellent instruction of the music department’s faculty.

Professor Neil Wetzel is the chair of the music department, director of jazz studies, and director of the BIG Band. He has taught at Moravian for more than 30 years. This year’s band is his dream team. “In fall 2021, this group came together,” he says. “Don’t get me wrong, we’ve always had good musicians. These students are something special.”

Frederick Younes has played trumpet with the band since 2018. In 2023, he will graduate with degrees in chemistry and music. “Going on tour and recording has been on Dr. Wetzel’s mind for years,” he says. “Once he got our current band together, he kicked it into overdrive. It’s amazing to see how the band has grown.”

Defining a Big Band

Though big bands were at the height of popularity in the 1930s and ’40s, they have never gone completely out of style. In general, a big band has anywhere from 12 to 25 musicians and consists of four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and rhythm. The original bands played swing, a type of upbeat, energetic dance music.

Moravian’s BIG Band performs swing and jazz standards as well as modern works. It has 30 student musicians, more than the norm, which speaks to the popularity of the ensemble. Jesse Leahey ’23, a music performance major, plays the tuba. “It’s unusual to have a tuba in a big band,” Leahey says. “I asked to join, and Dr. Wetzel had a place for me. I’m really grateful to have the experience.”

Playing through COVID

What makes the band’s accomplishments this year even sweeter is the challenge that came before. For more than a year, COVID made rehearsals difficult and live performances impossible. Rehearsals took place outside under a tent, with students lugging instruments and equipment in and out. The horn players wore masks with slits for their mouthpieces, and the instruments were fitted with filters and thick bell covers to contain the virus in case a student was infected.

“It was tough playing through all that material,” says Mitchell Hourt ’24, a music education major who plays trombone and accordion. “We’d often say, ‘We’ll have the best lungs of anyone when this is done.’ ”

Recording a CD

In the spring of 2022, the BIG Band recorded a CD of jazz tunes at Morningstar Studios in East Norriton Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Though there’s a great recording studio on campus, Wetzel wanted the students to have that experience at a professional studio. As for the group’s process for deciding on

songs to record, he says, “We chose those they performed really well and a mix that could show their range.”

The CD includes standards such as “Body and Soul” and “The Best Things in Life Are Free.” The title track, “Universe City,” is a new composition by music department faculty member Tony Gairo and commemorates Moravian’s new status as a university.

The recording took two days, with instrumentals recorded the first day and vocals the next. “It was an awesome experience,” says Michaela Madaio ’23, a music education major. A co-student director of the band, Madaio plays flute, clarinet, piccolo, and saxophone. “The people at the recording studio were super friendly. We had never recorded together before, but we got most of the songs in one take."

Producing the CD provided a terrific opportunity for a Moravian student who is not a member of the band. Lila Shokr ’23 designed and illustrated the packaging. She researched album art and music posters from the jazz era and found a minimalist style that mimicked the music and incorporated abstract shapes.

“I was blown away by Lila Shokr’s design work,” says Wetzel. “It is fabulous!”

Listen for Yourself

Taking the Show on the Road

To help promote their CD, the ensemble traveled to Delaware in October to perform at the Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival. “The crowds were extremely receptive,” Wetzel says. “Our venues were a little unusual. Through a student connection, we were invited by a church. We did two performances outside on the street under a tent.”

The trip helped build a sense of camaraderie and community among band members. “It was like going on tour,” says Mitchell Hourt ’24. “It was wonderful to be with people who have the same drive and passion for music. For two hours, we made the audience forget about the world, forget about their troubles.”

The Moravian University BIG Band’s new CD, Universe City, is a collection of jazz standards and features a new work, “Universe City.” Commissioned by the Moravian University music department and written by faculty member Tony Gairo, the title track celebrates Moravian’s new status as a university. The CD digisleeve was designed and illustrated by Lila Shokr ’23. CDs are $10 and available by emailing the music department at music@moravian.edu or calling 610-861-1650. You can also access tracks from the CD on Spotify and iTunes.

Nick Chismar

Lila Shokr ’23 designed the CD digisleeve.

Some ensemble members also performed jazz vespers services at two local churches. “A jazz mass was entirely new to me,” Hourt says. “Our last number was ‘When the Saints Go Marching In.’ Everyone was clapping and singing along. It was an amazing experience.”

Coming Home

In November, the band gave its fall performance at Foy Concert Hall, playing works by Chick Corea and Miles Davis, among others, and including arrangements by special guest artist Alex Meixner. Born and raised in Allentown, Meixner is a worldrenowned multi-instrumentalist specializing in the accordion whose music blends elements of jazz, polka, and pop. He was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2007 and was recently inducted into the International Polka Hall of Fame.

An educator as well as a performer, Meixner workshopped with smaller jazz combos on campus and gave accordion lessons. The students adored him. “Alex is so supportive, such a wonderful character,” says Hourt. “He’s a fine, fine musician and teacher.”

The feeling was mutual. “They are a tremendous group of musicians,” says Meixner. “The concert went great. It was

an enlightening and inspiring experience to work with the kids and share and grow musical ideas.”

Growing a Distinctive Program

A number of students from this memorable year will graduate this spring. “I knew at the first rehearsal that these student musicians were special,” says Wetzel. “This has been a pinnacle. But they move on.”

He says the department has about 80 music majors currently, up from 60 when he became chair six years ago, and he estimates that about 200 Moravian students take music classes or participate in ensembles each year.

“Moravian is putting out really top-notch music majors,” Wetzel says. “Our ensemble is professional level.” Universe City proves there’s no hyperbole in that statement.

Therese Ciesinski is an award-winning writer who covers a broad range of subjects and has been published in Garden Design, This Old House, Vegetarian Times, Coastal Design, and Coastal Home magazines and on Houzz.com among other print and online media.

“It was an enlightening and inspiring experience to work with the kids and share and grow musical ideas.”—Alex Meixner

Partners in Healthcare

Put an occupational therapist and a 3D printing specialist together and what will they come up with? Assistive devices for people with disabilities, a unique app, and superior educational opportunities for students.

By Meghan Decker Szvetecz ’08

Photographs by Katie Creighton

For a person living with a disability, access to everyday assistive devices can make all the difference in increasing independence and quality of life. A mouthwash holder for an easier pour, a stylus to type on a smartphone, a dibber to plant flower bulbs—small, handheld devices such as these can be fabricated by a 3D printer in a matter of hours from plastic filament that costs anywhere from a few cents to a few dollars and creates a durable product.

Under the leadership of Jeff Bush, assistant professor of computer science and head of the 3D printing lab, and Sara Benham, assistant professor of occupational therapy (OT), Moravian University has been providing custom 3Dprinted assistive devices for residents of the Good Shepherd Home–Raker Center in south Allentown. Raker is a long-term care residence for people with severe physical disabilities.

“Good Shepherd chose Moravian over Lehigh, with its engineering departments and many resources, because we have occupational therapy,” says Bush.

An Educational Opportunity

The partnership has created an important opportunity in real-world experiential learning for Moravian students. Students from Benham’s occupational therapy course and Bush’s 3D printing class work together in small teams to make assistive devices for Raker residents. OT students meet with residents at the Raker Center to ask what would be helpful and to assess their abilities. They then return to Moravian and collaborate with students proficient in 3D printing to design and make the desired device. Once a model

Above: Jeffrey Bush, head of the 3D printing lab and assistant professor of computer science, and Sara Benham, assistant professor of occupational therapy, check on the printing of part of an assistive device. Left: Benham shows Bush a smartphone holder.

is created, OT students take it back to the residents they are helping to determine what adjustments might be required. Further tweaking produces final customized assistive devices that are presented to grateful residents.

“I love that students get to make something usable that provides a specific functionality to someone who otherwise would not have that ability,” says Bush.

Last spring, Joe Lepoidevin ’22, a psychology major who fell in love with 3D printing, teamed up with then first-year OT students Rosh Bautista and Kyra Shields. Together they improved on a holder for a knitting loom that would make using the loom easier for a woman with cerebral palsy.

“The experience was awesome,” says Lepoidevin. “It was intense but a fun

The market for assistive devices is big. According to 2020 figures from the US Census Bureau, more than 40 million Americans live with a disability. Globally, more than 1 billion disabled individuals need at least one assistive technology device.

challenge. It was cool to make something specific and unique, and I learned a little bit about occupational therapy.”

“I really enjoyed being able to collaborate with a student from a different discipline,” says Bautista. “Working with a resident at the Good Shepherd Home was also a good experience.”

As part of the semester-long collaboration, the 3D printing students teach their OT team members how to use the

Top: Sara Benham and Jeff Bush review the flowchart for the app they are developing, 3D Adapt. Above: Benham demonstrates how a bottle holder makes pouring liquids easier.

printers and explain the benefits of 3D printing: savings in costs and time and durability. OT students participated in every aspect of making the assistive device, from designing it on the Onshape CAD platform to the final printing.

“My aim is to prepare students within Moravian’s mission of transformative leadership in a world of change,” says Benham, “and this includes being at the forefront of the integration of new technology in occupational therapy. Currently, clinicians usually require a 3D printing expert to facilitate the printing process. My goal is to prepare our OTs to be proficient in 3D printing so they can do it themselves and be a leader in their clinical placements and in their future employment settings.”

3D Adapt

The residents of Good Shepherd’s Raker Center are fortunate to have access to Moravian University’s expertise and resources in acquiring assistive devices without charge, but Benham and Bush are also looking beyond the relationship with Good Shepherd. They want to create easy access to devices for all persons with a disability. These devices are often not covered by health insurance, so it’s up to the person with a disability to source and pay for them—no easy feat when that person must cull through makerspace websites for available 3D design files that include everything from fidget spinners to cosplay props. With help from students across majors, Benham and Bush are developing a solution they hope will remove barriers to device access: an app called 3D Adapt. Partly underwritten by a grant from the App Factory to Support Health and Function of People with Disabilities*, 3D Adapt will feature an accessible interface and a simple database of well-curated devices.

3D Adapt is geared exclusively to people living with a disability and the clinicians who assist them. Users can download an assistive device design file and take it to a publicly accessible 3D printer (at a library, for example) or have their device printed and shipped by a 3D printing service.

Benham is currently organizing the database and tagging devices for the appropriate categories and subcategories. “I’m working on the best way to categorize each of these devices based on the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health so that it’s better used widely through all clinical professions,” says Benham. She hopes that the app will serve as a platform where individuals with disabilities can collaborate with their clinicians. When the app is published this fall, it will feature 10 to 20 customizable models and 200 models that will not be customizable.

What made Benham and Bush’s grant proposal stand out, they learned, was the fact that their app can be produced entirely at Moravian, resulting in a budget of just under $29,000. Rather than hiring an app developer, Bush recruited senior Shane Houghton, a computer science and graphic design double major, to write code for the app. Bush says that Houghton is excited to be “making something that will actually be

published, people will actually use, and is going to be helping people.”

Grant funding will also be allocated to graphic design students from Moravian University’s Studio South, and when the app is functional this summer, OT students can participate in focus groups. “We really want to involve as much of the Moravian community as possible in all of this,” says Bush.

Part of the grant proposal includes promoting their project at an upcoming conference and publishing a peer-reviewed paper. Bush will also write a business plan for how the app can sustain itself to cover the cost of hosting. With future funding, Benham sees so much potential for this project to grow and evolve. “I think that the opportunities will turn into more opportunities for students,” she says. “We’re bringing all of the talents of our faculty and students together.”

*Funded by a grant to the Raker Center from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) in the US Department of Health and Human Services

Meghan Decker Szvetecz ’08 is a freelance writer with a background in higher education communications.

Left to right: Students Kyra Shields, Rosh Bautista, and Joe Lepoidevin ’22 print the loom holder they’ve designed for a woman with cerebral palsy.

GreyhoundSports

JEFF LONG JR. NAMED HEAD FOOTBALL COACH

Jeff Long Jr., former associate head coach and defensive coordinator at John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio, has joined Moravian as head football coach. Long spent six seasons with the Blue Streaks, where his defensive units consistently ranked in the top 25 in the nation in multiple categories. He also helped guide John Carroll to a 39–12 record, with the program ranked in the final D3football.com Top 25 poll in 2018, 2019, and 2022.

MEREDITH MUTCHER TO COACH WOMEN’S GOLF

Women’s golf—Moravian’s 23rd NCAA Division III varsity sport— will begin competition in the 2023–24 academic year, under inaugural head coach Meredith Mutcher.

A student-athlete herself, Mutcher received a full golf scholarship to Southern Methodist University. She served as the head girls’ golf coach at Trinity Valley School in Fort Worth, Texas, in 2018 and previously as the head boys’ and girls’ golf coach at Fort Worth Christian School. She was an owner and teaching professional for four years for the Little Swingers Golf School and served as the assistant golf pro at the Northwood Club in Dallas.

“Meredith’s two decades of experience as a collegiate golfer and professional

make her the ideal person to build and lead our women’s program,” says Brynn McNamara, assistant director of athletics. “I am excited to support Meredith as she recruits the first class of Greyhounds and look forward to watching them compete in the Landmark Conference starting in Fall 2023.”

Regarding his approach to leading the Greyhounds, Long says, “We will attack the little things every single day. We will work to establish championship habits that will lead to greatness on and off the field. Our results will be a by-product of these pursuits.”

“It is with great excitement that we welcome Jeff Long to the Moravian University family as our new football coach,” says Mary Beth Spirk, director of athletics and recreation and head women’s basketball coach. “He brings energy, experience, and integrity to our football program and our athletic department.”

COACH MARIANA FREITAS HONORED

Director of Tennis Mariana Freitas has been selected as the 2022 United States Tennis Association Middle States Section Edwin J. Faulkner College Coach

ALL-REGION HONORS

Last fall, nine Greyhounds earned All-Region honors.

THANK YOU!

More than 2,080 donors supported the Greyhounds’ Fourth Athletics Giving Challenge from November 10–20, 2022, smashing the original goal of bringing in 1,800 donors. The gifts to the athletic department totaled $159,062.47.

Field Hockey

Forward Sydney Anderson ’25 has been named to the 2022 National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division III All-Region V Second Team.

Cross Country

Seven Greyhounds earned 2022 NCAA Division III Metro All-Region Honors from the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association for finishing in the top 35 during the 2022 Metro Regional, hosted by DeSales University on November 12. The men’s squad—Shane Houghton ’23, Josh Mangini ’24, Owen Nahf ’25, Jake Farrell ’25, and Nathan Hajel ’25—took third of 25 teams in the regional and had its five scoring runners all achieve All-Region accolades, the largest number of Greyhounds to earn All-Region in a single season in program history. The women’s team finished sixth of 24 squads, and Amber Poniktera ’25 and Tara Smurla ’26 garnered All-Region honors.

Award Winner. Freitas, a member of the USTA Middle States Eastern Pennsylvania District, has guided the Moravian men and women to a combined 11–0 record through the fall portion of the 2022–23 season.

Football

Sam Bingaman ’25 was selected to the 2022 D3football.com All-Region 2 Second Team. At Franklin & Marshall College on November 5, Bingaman booted punts of 75 and 72 yards—the 75-yard punt setting a new school record.

HALL OF

FAME 20 22

On October 7, 2022, the Moravian University Athletics Hall of Fame welcomed its newest members. Read all about their remarkable careers at mrvn.co/hof2022.

Tennis

The 1994 women’s tennis team earned the Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth League title and finished 14–2 overall after falling in the MAC Championship match. The 2001, 2002, and 2003 women’s tennis teams combined for a 46–1 record over the three seasons and won three straight MAC Championships in the process.

Softball

Erica Klepeisz Kilpatrick ’09 was a four-time All-Conference First Team honoree and a three-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-East Region Second Team honoree.

Track & Field

Eric Campbell-Woodruff ’11 was a standout on the men’s indoor and outdoor track & field teams for four years, winning a total of four NCAA Division III National Championships.

Abigail Schaffer ’12 was a two-time NCAA Division III Champion in the pole vault, winning both the indoor and outdoor title as a junior while setting meet records at both championship events.

Men’s Soccer

Eric Lambinus ’94 scored 33 goals and 22 assists for 88 points. He earned All-Middle Atlantic Conference South First Team honors in 1991 and 1992 and All-MAC Commonwealth League First Team accolades in 1993.

Baseball

George Pitsilos ’67 recorded a .304 batting average along with 77 hits, 45 runs, 8 doubles, 27 RBIs, and 26 stolen bases during his fouryear career at Moravian.

Keeping a Moravian Education Within Reach

It’s 1958, and Bethlehem is in the midst of the Eisenhower recession and a strike by the steelworkers’ union. To avoid excessive unemployment claims, instead of laying off workers, Bethlehem Steel executives implement a “share the work” campaign and ask employees to reduce their hours by one or even two days each week. For Carolyn Felker ’68, whose father was a steelworker who could not afford to save, this made a higher education seem out of reach.

The nearest state school was over an hour away, which meant the additional expense of living away from home. Local private colleges were too expensive, but applying to Moravian meant she could remain a “townie.” Family members encouraged her to apply, and she received an early-decision acceptance letter that required a $50, nonrefundable deposit to hold her place. Even that amount was unattainable, so she did not respond. Shortly after, a call from Moravian, an offer of financial aid, and a Comenius

Scholarship gave this first-generation college student the opportunity of a lifetime.

The Comenius Scholarship is the namesake of John Amos Comenius, regarded as the father of modern education and a symbol of the principles upon which Moravian University was founded. “John Amos Comenius is my patron saint. He made my career possible,” Felker says. “My entire four years at Moravian cost $2,000 with aid and my scholarship.”

Philanthropy was new to her, but she knew she would always pay forward what Comenius gave to her, if even a little bit. “I was a moderate giver since graduation, but I heard [retired Director of Planned Giving] Patti Price speak at homecoming in 2011, and I realized an endowment award would be possible,” Felker remembers.

In 2011, Felker decided to encourage growth with the Felker Family Endowed Scholarship in honor of her parents, who she says sacrificed so much for her. In 2012, its first award of $2,000 went to a student-athlete whose mother had died and father became homeless.

Every semester since that award, a Moravian student has received support from Felker’s scholarship. “I have a blast spending money for charity and doing different projects,” she adds. “There are a lot of things that I can’t do—I’m physically limited—but I can write a check. It makes things happen.”

We are so grateful for the generosity of those who support Lighting the Way: The Campaign for Moravian University. Beginning with this issue of Moravian University Magazine and in each issue moving forward, we recognize our supporters who are lighting the way for our students, their future, and the next generation.

Carolyn Felker ’68 meets with recipients of the Felker Family Endowed Scholarship in April 2022.

Fostering Patriotism

The steady dedication of a lifetime to Moravian and its students is precisely what Teri McCandless ’81 and Ray S. Jr. ’81 Bishop P’10 have been, and will be, doing. Ray and Teri were both firstgeneration college students. They met at the university, married, became owners of Bishop Photo and Team Imaging in 1983, and established the Bishop Family Scholarship Fund in 2011. Since then, 18 students have benefited from their generosity.

In 2022, Teri and Ray decided to revise the fund to prioritize undergraduate students who are active, retired, or veterans of law enforcement or the military or whose parents or guardians meet this distinction. “Because, typically, if your father [or mother] is a police officer, a firefighter, or served in the military, you’re going to respect law and order and not try to tear it down. So that was the reason for making the change,” says Ray.

The Bishops are well aware of the campaign priority to provide critical assistance to students through scholarships and endowments. Ray serves as a trustee and is a member of the campaign committee. Teri is a former alumni board member. Together, they wanted to honor those who paved the way for them by starting a fund to help others needing financial aid.

“Teri and I are here today because anything is possible,” says Ray. They are passionate about recognizing and supporting those who have served and sacrificed for the country and its communities, “which is one of the reasons why we included first responders,” Ray adds.

Pride in our nation and armed forces manifests in many ways. The Bishops would like to influence and support how that pride is instilled in, and celebrated by, Moravian students.

To that end, they are funding the Veterans Center Lounge as part of the Haupert Union Building (HUB) renovation, hoping to inspire better Americans and shine a light on how lucky students are to be citizens of this country and have access to a Moravian education.

“One of the reasons I wanted to sponsor this space is because I want to make sure that there was some patriotic influence. To make sure that the student body sees something patriotic every day when they pass by,” Ray says. “The space will have a permanent American flag there. Not something that’s just hung on the wall or a pole, but something permanent in the structure that cannot be removed.”

The university made a commitment to veterans many years ago. Marilyn Kelly-Cavotta, a retired Army medic frequently recognized for her support of veterans, is the executive director of the Veteran & Military Services office, which was staffed in June 2019 to assist students who are veterans, children of veterans, or on active duty. That effort was rewarded by U.S. News & World Report ranking Moravian 43rd in the nation for best colleges for veterans based on their participation in federal initiatives that help veterans and active-duty service members pay for their degrees.

The current campus space dedicated for veterans occupies two separate sections

of the library. One half has seats where the Student Veteran Association meets, and the other half serves as a study space with a desktop and lots of outlets. Once the HUB is renovated, the new Veterans Center Lounge will be larger and bring all services together in one safe space.

“Because a lot of our student veterans are commuters, it will give them a place where they can bring their lunch rather than having to go out and look for places to eat,” Kelly-Cavotta says. “There is a computer loaded with security certificates where students can use their military ID to access government websites. This allows the ROTC and National Guard/Reservist students to request their tuition assistance.”

While many colleges and universities nationwide are struggling financially, Teri and Ray feel that building a new building like the HUB instills pride and confidence that the university is on solid footing. Honoring those who gave Americans their freedoms is exceptionally important to the Bishops, since a vibrant student center is a visible sign of the university’s fiscal health and commitment to the future.

“Students get excited about a new student center, and prospective students and their families that are coming on campus know that it’ll be there,” Ray says.

Mobilizing Moravians to Serve Throughout the World

With a lifetime of firsts and meaningful circumstances, Rev. Dr. Elizabeth D. Miller S'85 zigzagged from Pennsylvania to Vermont to Texas to Wisconsin, all the while guided by a desire to learn and lead. From her bucolic beginning in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where she attended a Quaker school, to a cabin in rural Vermont hand-built by her family, Miller’s formative years molded many of her future decisions. “The influence of the Quakers had a profound impact on my theology and love for education,” remembers Miller.

As a child, Miller’s father worked as a professor and dean at Lehigh University, and her mother worked for Moravian Academy—the first of many Moravian influences in her life. Miller majored in history at Middlebury College in Vermont. In a full-circle moment, her undergraduate thesis examined religious education by Quakers and Moravians in England.

Following college, Miller moved to south Texas. She taught at a Catholic elementary school in a low-income, Mexican-American community and worshipped with the families of the school at the Catholic church. She says that during this time, she was “humbled by the deep faithfulness and generosity of those who were poor in things and rich in spirit.”

She later brought her enriched faith and spirituality back to Bethlehem, enrolled full-time in the master of divinity program at Moravian Theological Seminary (MTS), and joined the Moravian Church. “I inquired about taking a course for personal enrichment and quickly became immersed in the culture of a theological seminary,” she says.

By 1985, after graduating from MTS, Miller moved to Lake Mills Moravian Church in Wisconsin to accept the position of copastor—the first woman ever to do so at this location. After 20 years as pastor, she was called to serve the Moravian Church Western District as director of congregational leadership. During her service with the western district, Miller pursued her doctor of ministry degree in congregational leadership and development at Luther Seminary. In 2010, she was elected to serve as president of the Provincial Elders’ Conference of the Moravian Church Northern Province, the first woman to hold this position. She returned to Bethlehem, where she will continue to serve until her retirement this coming June.

“I stand on the shoulders of women who paved the way with wisdom, talent, and faith,” says Miller. “Being the first woman to serve in various capacities in the wider

church is important if my service can be a role model for girls and women who think, ‘I could do that.’”

Earning the Privilege of Academic Challenges

If the future depends on investing in youth, then Moravian made a sound decision supporting Joselyn Salazar ’23 in her desire to attend the university as a political science major.

After migrating from Ecuador to Allentown with her family just nine years ago, Salazar learned about academic options in the Lehigh Valley through discussions with a guidance counselor and attendance at a college fair. Although navigating high school and the college admissions process was challenging, Salazar’s choice for a higher education home was clear.

“Moravian stood out to me because of its history as the first college to educate women and because of its flexible studyabroad programs,” says Salazar.

Scholarship is an important part of Salazar’s life. Her parents attended college in Ecuador, so advanced learning was also expected of her. Moravian’s financial

Get to Know Our Lighting theWay Subcommittee Chairs

you to higher levels of education that have prepared me for my graduate education.

What are you most excited to see Lighting theWay make possible?

I am excited to see the new HUB provide expanded mental and physical health services as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion spaces. The new HUB will serve as an integrative space that other institutions can learn from and students learn in. It will make the Moravian community even stronger and well-versed in its growing diverse population.

Share your favorite memory from Moravian.

My favorite memory isn’t one moment, but all of the times I walked from Comenius Hall to my dorm room. At 10 p.m., the walk was peaceful and relaxing; at 7 a.m., the sun was across campus and the air was fresh. Every time I think back to my time at Moravian, the scenery of the trees, buildings, scattered faces, that’s what comes to mind. Also the endless laughter from some great characters along the journey.

How do you spend your free time?

I rotate my time between rock climbing with a group on Tuesdays, cooking a few times a week, woodwork on the weekends, and golf when I can squeeze a round in.

Who at Moravian most influenced you and how?

My advisor, Dr. Cecilia Fox of the neuroscience department, won me over with her research, curriculum, and charisma. She then further influenced me by sharing her wisdom and compassion as a mentor throughout my college career. Dr. Fox has the academic skills to take

What is your personal motto?

Don’t get caught up in competing with others but focus on competing with your former self.

How do you believe Lighting the Way will help our students, their future, and the next generation? Higher education will always be a starting point to independent life for many people—each generation requires the new strategy, fresh ideas, and exciting bold projects they deserve. I believe Lighting the Way is that strategy, those ideas, and as bold as ever. I’ve seen firsthand Moravian University’s capacity for leading the way into the future; it’s in our DNA. These next generations will be the most well-prepared generations to face what unique challenges may come.

and academic aid kept the university within reach.

“Moravian University offered me one of the best financial packages,” adds Salazar. “I was privileged enough that my scholarships allowed me to fully dedicate myself to my career. The truth is that the financial support allowed me to be more than just a student on campus.”

To Salazar, that meant developing meaningful relationships that opened the door to opportunities outside the classroom. She served as treasurer and president of the Black Student Union, conducted and presented independent research at the Northeastern Political Science Associ-

ation Conference in Boston, and applied for a Fulbright Scholarship in Spain. Salazar also participates in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) events and Student Opportunities for Academic Research (SOAR). These experiences, her background as an immigrant, and her interest in world politics gave her a cogent vision of her future, which includes a master’s degree and working for the Department of State or an international governmental organization like the United Nations.

“It is important for me to know that I am giving back and using the knowledge I acquired during my studies to contribute to a more just and peaceful world,” states Salazar.

As a recipient of the William Randolph Hearst Annual Scholarship Fund and Richard DiMotta Memorial Scholarship Fund, she knows this generous support made her Moravian experience meaningful and that the Lighting the Way campaign will create the same opportunities for others. “As a recipient of multiple scholarships, I acknowledge how much easier they made my academic career,” says Salazar. “For this reason, I would love to donate back to the office of DEI and SOAR, which have so enriched my university experience.”

To read full-length versions of these excerpted profiles, visit moravian.edu/ lightingtheway

Maggie Jones ’20 Chair, Young Alumni subcommittee

Woodrow B. Battle ’19 Chair, Young Alumni subcommittee

SPORTS American Thoroughbred War Admiral, a son of Man O’War, wins the Belmont Stakes, becoming the fourth horse to win the Triple Crown.

MORAVIAN MOMENT

Efficiency expert Lillian Moller Gilbreth, considered the first industrial/organizational psychologist and later immortalized as the mother of 12 in the popular book and film Cheaper by the Dozen, speaks during the baccalaureate service of the Moravian Seminary and College for Women.

September 10, 2022

Family Day

SAVE THE DATE

Mark your calendars for these upcoming alumni events, then go to moravian.edu/alumni/ events for details.

May 11, 2023

Young Alumni Night at the IronPigs

May 22, 2023

Golf Classic

Saucon Valley Country Club

May 24, 2023

Return & Learn/

Cultural Identities: What Makes Us All Unique?

Dr. Freda Ginsberg, dean of the School of Behavioral and Community Health

August 31, 2023

Alumni Night at the IronPigs

September 22–23, 2023

Homecoming and Reunion Weekend

November 2, 2022

Coffee & Connections

January 13, 2022

Alumni Night at the Phantoms

Young Alumni Night at the Phantoms

October 28, 2023

Family Day

Return & Learn

All of our programs are recorded. You can find them at mrvn.co/return_learn

February 3, 2023

MEDICINE

The American Medical Association officially

MORAVIAN MOMENT

Karl deSchweinitz, Moravian College Class of 1906, is appointed to the cabinet of Governor George H. Earle as secretary of the new Pennsylvania Department of Public Assistance, which will consolidate Depression relief efforts in the state’s counties.

approves birth control as having a definite place in medical practice.

At a much-anticipated match in Chicago’s Comiskey Park, American boxer Joe Lewis defeats James J. Braddock in the eighth round to become World Heavyweight Champion, a title he will hold until 1949.

ClassNotes

1964

Ron dePaolo; rondep@myfairpoint.net

Andrew Semmel, PhD; andsemm@aol.com

In October 2022, Sunbury Press published The Outposts and Border War by John L. Moore. These nonfiction books are the sixth and seventh volumes of Moore’s eight-volume Revolutionary Pennsylvania Series. The writings of 18th-century Moravian missionary John Heckewelder were important sources for both of these books. Moore is now writing the eighth and final volume of this series. Its working title is Sailors, Smugglers, and Spies.

1965

Robert Houser; bobhouser1@atmc.net

1959

After living in their home in Reading, Pennsylvania, for 54 years, Anthony Matz and his wife downsized by moving to the Metropolitan Apartments in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Reading. They have found a group of friends there, which makes their life most enjoyable. Anthony hopes the members of his class

have as many fond memories of their short time at Moravian as he has. He writes, “I know Moravian had a major positive influence on my life. It was the right choice for me. If any of you wish to communicate with me, my email address is aamatz37@gmail.com, or text me at 484-794-0995. And remember, every day is a great day to be a Hound.”

After spending nine years helping with her son’s now-grown kids in Oregon, Sue Fretwell moved to North Carolina last year to help with two little granddaughters. She feels so lucky to have another chance to watch up close as babies grow into little kids and then into young adults. It’s fascinating, and they are all amazing in her view! Sue enjoyed a family reunion in Maine this past summer that included all the little and big cousins, which was hugely heartwarming for this mom/ grandma/aunt/sister. Most of her time is spent as an attentive grandmother, but she also nurtures window boxes of flowers, watches birds at her window feeders, and avoids COVID. She’s also taking classes through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI), which she highly recommends if there is one in your area. Sue continues to stay in touch with several Moravian friends, though sadly they are dwindling in number. She feels enriched to have so many great

GREAT DEPRESSION

The US Congress passes the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act, which allows the federal government to establish an agency (later known as the Farm Security Administration, or FSA) to lend money to tenant farmers to purchase farmland.

American pilot Amelia Earhart and navigator Frederick Noonan are reported missing near Howland Island in the Pacific Ocean during an attempted flight around the world.

RETAIL Hormel Foods reintroduces its canned spiced ham under a new name: Spam.

MORAVIAN MOMENT

President Schwarze announces the appointment of Charles C. Albrecht ’30 to the newly created position of director of public relations and alumni secretary.

memories of her Moravian days and life experiences since then!

1974

Cynthia Andreas Grifo; cyndeegrifo@mac.com

Harry Roye writes that his daughter Christine Henry ’00 is a well-respected and accomplished teacher of gifted 6th graders. Christine’s son, Ethan Henry, Harry’s eldest grandson, is a proud member of Moravian’s Class of 2026. Their family is doing their very best to uphold the Greyhound legacy, having provided a Moravian graduate every 26 years for three generations. Just proves that with God’s help all things are possible, Harry says.

1975

Susan Bacci Adams; sba402@aol.com

Walter Latimer retired from IBM in December 2015. His wife, Jane, retired from working with kindergarten children in December 2018. They downsized to a new house in Longmont, Colorado, in 2019. Walter has kept busy volunteering at his church and as a tax aide with AARP. He and Jane have three married children: one in California, another in upstate New York, and the third in Australia. When possible, they visit them and their three grandsons and their surviving parents.

1977

Douglas Learn retired after 23 years and 157 days as the director of toxicology at Charles River Laboratories in Horsham, Pennsylvania. Earlier, he had worked for 10 years at Schering-Plough HealthCare

Products in Memphis, Tennessee, before it was acquired by Merck.

1988

Dianne Pelaggi Irr; diannefp@gmail.com

Donna Male Siegfried and her husband were in Bethlehem back in June to bury the ashes of Donna’s mom. A postservice luncheon was held at the Hotel Bethlehem. In happy news, Donna’s oldest son, Steven, married his fellow Clemson University alum Allison Carney on October 22 in Tampa, Florida, Allison’s hometown. This is the first of Donna’s children to get married, and she and her husband are thrilled to welcome Allison to their family.

1990

Mary Sierzega Afflerbach; afflerbachmb@yahoo.com

Sharon Duffy Graham and her husband, Richard Graham, attended Vespers on December 11 to serve candles. They’ve been serving candles together for 34 years. December 11 was also their 29th wedding anniversary. They were married in the Old Chapel in Bethlehem.

1998

Jennie Coughlin Joshi; enniejoshi@hotmail.com

Timothy Feather’s agency, 110 Front Communications, celebrated its 16th year in business last June. Over the years, the agency has enjoyed hosting several Moravian graphic design interns. In addition to running 110 Front, Timothy is illustrating two children’s book series: Tucker & Zoey Adventures, based on the real-life antics of the author’s two

adopted dogs, and The (Mis) Adventures of Myles, based on Timothy’s postcollege cat. Three Tucker & Zoey books are currently available at tuckerandzoey adventures.com as well as Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The newest in the series, Lap Cat Deluxe, will be available later this fall. Timothy also cohosts the podcast Latch-Key Dads. “We are Generation X dads of Generation Z kids talking about all things ’80s and ’90s and current topics like entertainment, pop culture, home improvements, and growing old in this new millennium,” he says. The podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, and other outlets.

1999

Christina Fulton; cfulton1124@yahoo.com

Now that her boys are both in full-day school, Sarah Armstrong is ramping up her freelance writing business. She recently launched her website, saraharmstrongwrites.com

2006

Lauren Bahnatka; mollysmomlb@gmail.com

Victoria Alercia is a licensed professional counselor with 15 years’ experience in the mental health field. She was recently trained with Resilient Lehigh Valley to facilitate the TREE program (Trauma, Restorative practices, Emotional intelligence, Equity). She is also working on becoming certified to facilitate faith-based trauma healing groups. Victoria is currently offering two programs. I Am Loving the Me That I’m Choosing to Be is a free program to educate children in schools on how to develop a healthy mindset. A New You,

MUSIC

LABOR MOVEMENT

GREAT DEPRESSION

A concert marks the soft opening of Bethlehem’s Monocacy Park. Grants from FDR’s Works Progress Administration (WPA) had enabled the city to hire unemployed masons to build retaining walls, pavilions, tables, benches, and more.

G. D. Beauchamp of the Electro String Instrument Corporation receives a US patent for the first electric guitar, named the Rickenbacker Frying Pan in honor of Beauchamp’s business partner, Adolph Rickenbacher.

MORAVIAN MOMENT

President Schwarze reports that former University of Illinois halfback Edwin Russell “Mike” Snavely will be coming to Moravian as head football coach and professor of physical and health education.

A state mediator arrives in Allentown to help negotiate a settlement with striking silk workers and prevent similar strikes at the six Bethlehem-area mills.

ClassNotes

Scherwin Inducted into Hall of Fame

Christina Scherwin ’05, an NCAA Division III track & field national champion and Olympian, has been inducted into the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA Division III Track & Field Athlete Hall of Fame. She is the first athlete from Moravian to be inducted into this hall of fame.

offered at Visionistas By Design in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, assists women on their healing journey after leaving an abusive relationship. Victoria is dedicating much of her time and effort toward advocating for individuals who have been affected by domestic violence by sharing her new book, Our Rose-Colored Glasses, on Amazon, scheduling speaking engagements, and developing a domestic violence task force for the Lehigh Valley. You may contact her at 610-905-2153 or alerciav@yahoo.com.

2007

Christina LaVecchia just moved back to Ohio for her new role as assistant professor of English at the University of Cincinnati.

2010

Kelly Schneider Parise; kellytparise@gmail.com

Jess Weaver founded the Women’s Wealth Boutique, which offers financial services for women including developing plans around finances, long-term care, taxes, businesses, and more. Her goal is to help women elevate their life and wealth so they can be leaders with their money.

Latiano and Friends

From January 26 through April 2, 2023, Payne Gallery showcased the most recent work of installation artist Jonathan Latiano ’06. Jonathan (below, third from right) was joined by several alumni at the opening of the exhibit (from left): Vincent Byrne ’02, Michelle Lala Clark ’05, Kara Mergl ’05, Rob Stevens ’03, Julia Gasdaska Attanasio ’07, and Pat Bechtel ’07. (Read about the Latiano exhibition on page 8.)

Bergstol Wins PGA Championship

Brian Bergstol ’07, a member of the Moravian University Athletics Hall of Fame, won the 101st Philadelphia PGA Professional Championship at DuPont Country Club and Concord Country Club and will compete in the 2023 PGA Professional Championship, April 30 through May 3, at Twin Warriors and Santa Ana Pueblo Golf Clubs in New Mexico.

SEPTEMBER

GREAT DEPRESSION

FDR signs the Wagner-Steagall Housing Act, which authorizes the formation of the United States Housing Authority (USHA), an agency that will give thousands of construction workers jobs clearing slums and building affordable housing.

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN Joseph Bernard Friedman is awarded a patent for a “flexible drinking tube.”

OCTOBER 10/8

MORAVIAN MOMENT

In the first night football game ever to be played in Bethlehem, the Moravian College Greyhounds beat the Princeton University “B” team 26–0 on Moravian’s new athletic field at the corner of Monocacy and Locust Streets before a crowd of almost 5,000 spectators.

2014

Erica Sortino recently accepted a position with the Nazareth (Pennsylvania) Area School District as a high school mathematics teacher. She will be teaching Algebra 1 and 2. Samuel Sortino was recently hired as a network internal auditor with St. Luke’s University Health Network’s Internal Audit Department.

2015

After being a high school mathematics teacher with the Abington Heights (Pennsylvania) School District for 7.5 years, Michael Hofmann Jr. was recently named assistant principal of Abington Heights High School. He is looking forward to continuing serving the greater Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania, community and its students.

2016

Maxwell Korten; kortenm@merrimack.edu

Laura McBride was named assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania. She would also like to announce that she successfully defended her dissertation, titled “Simulation and Projection of Global Temperature Change and Recovery of Extra-Polar Ozone Using Multiple Linear Regression Models,” and graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park, with her PhD in chemistry on May 20, 2022.

2018

Sara Weidner published her first poetry book in August 2022. Forestbound is available to purchase on Amazon.

2021

Meg Dowd G’21 has received the Athena Award from the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce.

DECEMBER

12/7

MSAT Grad Saves Football Player

The fast response and precise skills of Kelly O’Donnell ’16, G’18, head athletic trainer at Keyport High School in Belmar, New Jersey, prevented a potentially devastating outcome for a football player who suffered spinal injuries but is expected to make a full recovery.

MORAVIAN MOMENT

Bethlehem Moravians learn that Rev. Frederick T. Schwalbe, a member of the Moravian Theological Seminary Class of 1907 then serving as a missionary in Bethel, Alaska, has drowned in the icy waters of a river after his car crashed through the ice.

Main Hall Girls

In October 2022, the Moravian University BIG Band performed a series of concerts at Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Suzanne Donovan ’66, wearing her Moravian hat and T-shirt, came up to the band and introduced herself. She posed for a photo with several students, all of whom live in Main Hall on South Campus where Donovan had resided. In the photo (from left) are JoAnn Wieszczyk, director of instrumental music, Hailey Dudinyak ’24, Donovan, Steffani Smith ’24, and Grace Young ’23. (See page 22 for a story about the BIG Band and its CD release.)

MORAVIAN MOMENT

Bethlehem Mayor Robert Pfeifle officially dedicates Bethlehem as the “Christmas City of the United States.” During dedication ceremonies, a 60-foot-tall star atop South Mountain is lit for the first time.

12/11

MORAVIAN MOMENT

The Moravian College Glee Club performs on Philadelphia radio station KYW and also at Wanamaker’s department store as part of its Christmas entertainment for shoppers.

FILM

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Walt Disney’s first feature-length animated film, premieres at the Carthay Circle Theater in Los Angeles.

ClassNotes

Kendra A. Kramer ’17 and Michael

’17 were married on August 13, 2022, in Bethlehem.

Weddings

Jennie Hoose ’06 and Nicholas Andreas were married in Allentown on July 30, 2022. Jacquelyn Olimpo Morrow ’08 served as a bridesmaid. Artist-lecturer Alison Gillespie, her husband, Tom, and friends Mary-Joan Gaynor and Al Keller provided music for the ceremony.

Front row: Emily Karcher ’17, Officer Joe Perno, and Ralph Brodt ’75. Second row: Kevin Miller ’14, Casey Hilferty ’14, Krysti Wallace ’14, Kendra A. Kramer Saunders ’17, Michael Saunders ’17, Brian Strohmetz ’17, Fred Barr ’16, Faith Brown ’16, Kayleigh Bennett ’19. Back row: Tyler Bickford ’16, Benjamin Wallace ’16, Robert Lawrence ’16, Patrick Kerssen ’18, Devin Diaz ’16, Peter Petrack ’16, and Zech Schweitzer ’19. In attendance but not pictured: Gwyn Michel ’74, Julia Flynn ’17, and Lisa Bernhardt ‘16

Saunders

Velvet Akemi ’17 and John Vonelli ’18 were married on September 24, 2022.

Mitchell Fliss and Nina DePalma ’17 (above) were married on December 3, 2022.

Births

1942 Mary Veronis Thompson

January 28, 2023

1949 Audrey K. Tostevin—December 27, 2022

1950 Dolores J. Wezner—October 28, 2022

1952 Anthony J. Maioriello Jr.

October 4, 2022

1952 Grace Bentzin—October 13, 2022

1952 Dolores J. McIntire DeLeon

December 29, 2022

1956 Renee M. Dragotta—October 27, 2022

1957 Earl B. Houser Jr.—October 15, 2022

1959 George Edward Hollendersky

October 30, 2022

1959 Jane Elizabeth Powell Hiester

November 21, 2022

1959 Ernest H. “Ernie” Josar

November 23, 2022

1959 Dolores Miscall—December 19, 2022

1959 Kathryn Ann Detweiler

February 24, 2023

1960 Dr. Russel S. Bleiler Jr.

October 25, 2022

1960 Roland J. DeLuca Sr.

November 14, 2022

1961 John Joseph Olson—October 2, 2022

1961 John W. “Jack” Jacob

October 19, 2022

1961 Frederick W. Fahs—October 31, 2022

1961 Marilyn Louise Sumner Wachter

November 14, 2022

1962 Francis Amigo—December 29, 2022

Laura Hullfish

Caiola ’10 and her husband, Jason, welcomed a son, Nathan Caiola, on February 22, 2022.

1963 Margaret Louise Higgins

November 20, 2022

1963 Robert E. Preston—November 27, 2022

1963 Patricia A. Hall Petito

December 8, 2022

1965 Vincent P. Seaman—December 21, 2022

1966 Mary P. Moukoulis—October 17, 2022

1969 James Tucker—May 24, 2022

1967 Neil T. Clewell—July 16, 2022

1967 Edward J. Fry—September 13, 2022

1967 Anthony J. Hanni Jr.—October 28, 2022

1968 Philip B. Landes—September 21, 2022

1968 Alan S. “Al” Zavacky—October 6, 2022

1968 Ronald R. Morello—November 2, 2022

1969 Melinda Carol Kohn—February 21, 2022

1969 William David Saltzer, EdD

October 9, 2022

1973 Judith “Judy” Krisuka—August 31, 2022

1973 Michael D. Paden—October 11, 2022

1973 Gary Lahr “Ham” Hamill

December 21, 2022

1974 Aileen Huttie Ney—January 10th, 2023

1975 Charles S. Ferry Jr.—December 4, 2022

1976 David Joseph—December 17, 2022

1983 Michelle Ann Moro, MD

November 10, 2022

1986 David Mix—December 1, 2022

1989 Kathleen Ruth Gambler

November 23, 2022

1992 Michael D. Loftus—January 16, 2023

1996 John T. Powers—August 25, 2022

Submissions to Class Notes

The editors of Moravian University Magazine publish all class notes that we receive. We reserve the right to edit for space or style. Some information may appear only online at moravian.edu/classnotes If your class year is not listed either here or online, email your information to alumni@moravian.edu or mail to Class Notes, Alumni Engagement Office, Moravian University, 1200 Main St., Bethlehem, PA 18018.

Deadlines for Submissions

Summer 2023 issue: May 31, 2023

Gary Zack ’12 and Natalie Lawrence Zack ’12 welcomed a daughter, Bianca Elise, on March 24, 2022. She joins a big brother, Levi.

Fall 2023 issue: August 15, 2023

Photo Policy

Please send us your image as a jpg file at 300 dpi or higher. For photos taken with a smartphone, send the largest image file. We publish one photo per wedding or birth. We welcome photos of gatherings of alumni.

For More Information moravian.edu/classnotes

Morgan Redmond ’15 and Blake English ’14 were married in Colorado on August 13, 2022.

7Expert Travel Tips

Rhonda Hauze Bastian ’91 earned her BA in management and worked in banking for a short while before her interest in travel took her to a new place. In 2011, she founded Sail Away Events and Travel in Whitehall, Pennsylvania. Bastian shares her top seven travel tips.

1 Book December holiday travel now! Most of the space will be filled by September.

2 Travel is dynamic, and unforeseen circumstances occur all the time. Be flexible; have a plan B and a plan C just in case. Be mindful that many situations are out of your control.

3 Use a credit card that does not have foreign transaction fees.

4 Use ATMs to withdraw foreign currency; it’s less costly than foreign exchange fees at the airport or at local banks.

5 Take photos of your passport and driver’s license and keep them on your phone.

6 Learn the basics of the language for the destinations you visit; a translator app can help.

7 Don’t overschedule your days, and take your time throughout your journey. Some of the best memories happen in unexpected moments.

Sharon Watts

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18018

Spring lures students outdoors onto the patio of the Priscilla Payne Hurd Academic Complex.