fall 2015 路 vol 83 路 no 2
PA G E 4
NETTING
ELECTRIC RESULTS ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
DREAM JOB OPENS DOORS HISTORY IN THE (UN)MAKING
Inside
fall 2015 · vol 83 · no 2
N E T T I N G E L E C T R I C R E SU LT S
Research on the univer sit y ’s namesake river takes on new life with the R.K. Mellon Freshwater Research Initiative.
F E AT U R E S
SECTIONS
4 Netting Electric Results
DEPARTMENTS
12 Dream Job Opens Doors
2
18 History in the (Un)Making
22 People & Places
First Word
26 Scoreboard 30 The ’Grove
Q&A · Syllabus · Forward Thinking · Kudos
52 End Notes ALUMNI NEWS
34 Class Notes
Message Board · Regional Chapter News · Weddings & Gatherings · Deaths
Chief Communications Officer ANGELA BURROWS Assistant Vice President, Alumni, Parent and Donor Engagement BECKY BRAMER ’92 DEITRICK Editor VICTORIA KIDD Associate Director, Advancement Communications
12 D REAM JOB OPENS DOORS Young alumna’s job at Mount Vernon provides a pathway for student internships.
Class Notes Editor JODI SWARTZ Administrative Assistant, Alumni Relations Contributing Writers BRUCE E. BEANS JULIA LESPERANCE ‘15 KATIE MEIER Director, Athletics Communications AMANDA O’ROURKE Digital Communications and Media Specialist Graphic Design AMANDA LENIG ’07 Creative Services Manager ERICA HOOVER Graphic Designer Copy Editors BETSY K. ROBERTSON Director, Digital and Print Communications KATHLEEN LARSON FLORIO
18 H ISTORY IN THE (UN)MAKING
A lumnus peels back the years on the former Sigma Alpha Iota House to reveal the rich history hidden within.
SUSQUEHANNA CURRENTS ONLINE: www.susqu.edu/currents
Susquehanna University is a proud member of
THE ANNAPOLIS GROUP
WAYPOINTS New Admissions House See architectural renderings of the new admissions house and learn more about the building.
www.susqu.edu/Currents-Admissions-House Art and Wine Night Check out the fun students had sipping wine and making art at TRAX nightclub this fall.
www.susqu.edu/Currents-Art-and-Wine Freshwater Research Learn more about the Freshwater Research Initiative at Susquehanna.
www.susqu.edu/Currents-FRI
comprising approximately 130 leading national independent liberal arts colleges that have similar interests and concerns centering on the values of liberal arts education that inform their missions. The Annapolis Group provides a forum for member institutions to share best practices, seek higher levels of excellence, and advance the cause of liberal arts education on a national scale.
Stewards of Freshwater From PA to the Bay
Dear Alumni and Friends
The magazine you have in your hands has existed under the name “Currents” since 2008, owing to the university’s proximity to the Susquehanna River. This issue of Currents spotlights the spectacular waterway from which our university’s name is drawn. Connections between students, campus and the river are plentiful, from aquatic and environmental research conducted by students and faculty to the early morning strokes of our rowing teams. At 444 miles long and drawing water from more than 49,000 miles of tributary waterways, the Susquehanna is the longest river on the American East Coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean. It provides more than half the freshwater of the Chesapeake Bay and drinking water for more than six million people. Additionally, as a recreational and cultural asset and as a driver of tourism, the river provides significant economic benefits to the communities that line its banks.
“Connections between students, campus and the river are plentiful …” —L. Jay Lemons
So when in 2011, the Susquehanna was named the nation’s most endangered river by the nonprofit group American Rivers, it was as if a major alarm bell had sounded. The health of this natural resource is consequential, and we have a heightened sense that we can and must provide greater stewardship. An extraordinary partnership was birthed in 2014 when the Richard King Mellon Foundation of Pittsburgh awarded a $2.25 million grant to establish the Freshwater Research Initiative (FRI) at Susquehanna University, including a significant new campus-based laboratory that we opened in June 2015. An extensive, highly collaborative research effort, the FRI is aimed at improving the ecological health of the river through collection and analysis of data. A robust network of academic institutions, nonprofit groups and government agencies are involved in this Susquehanna University–based initiative. A goal of the FRI is to create a model for research and data collection that will inform the public and impact policymaking. Foundational to this is the belief that the best way to ensure the health and viability of the river is a well-coordinated, comprehensive project that leverages the expertise, experience and existing knowledge of stakeholders committed to protecting the Susquehanna River basin. We are proud to serve as home to the FRI, and I am proud of the river research that has been underway at Susquehanna for many years through the good efforts of our faculty and students. The Mellon Foundation’s funding further validates the importance of this work and elevates it to an exciting new level. Our students
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Experience Susquehanna like never before on the Web. THE UNIVERSITY’S NEW MOBILE-READY, INTERACTIVE WEBSITE ALLOWS YOU TO: Choose your news with the site’s new story aggregator. Easily find upcoming events on the searchable calendar. Read Susquehanna Currents online get story the magazine’s Comment on magazine articles and and submit ideas “Web Extra” content. for Susquehanna Currents. Share news and events on your favorite social media sites. And much, much more!
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have already benefited from the equipment purchased through the grant funds, and they’ve used the laboratory space, which is providing them with experientiallearning opportunities that are invaluable as the students prepare to embark on professional careers. We are so grateful for the Richard King Mellon Foundation funding, which will allow us to continue our river research in exciting ways. Our hope is that the fruits of that research will help ensure access to a healthy Susquehanna River for generations to come.
Wi t h wa r m r e g a r d s , L. Jay Lemons, President fa l l 2 015 · Susquehanna Currents · 3
Desmond Edwards ’16 (left) and Jonathan Niles
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ne late August morning, biology major Desmond Edwards ’16 donned waders to go fishing in a small creek two miles south of Selinsgrove. But instead of using rod and reel, the senior from Carbondale, Pa., was “electrofishing.” Strapped to his back was a $10,000, 20-pound battery pack sending 200 volts through the water via a coiled wire trailing behind him and a diamondshaped metal wand he waved underwater in front of him.
he was temporarily shocking whatever fish lurked in a thigh-deep pool, causing them to surface so they could be identified and counted as part of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission’s Unassessed Waters Initiative. Over the past five years, Susquehanna faculty and students have assessed hundreds of Susquehanna River tributaries for key fish and insect species as part of the program. Brandishing fish nets alongside Edwards were Jonathan Niles, director of the university’s one-year-old Freshwater Research Initiative (FRI), and Mike Bilger, a former adjunct professor and research scholar who is now an FRI-funded aquatic ecology research scientist. A half-mile west of where the stream empties into Penns Creek, not far from the creek’s confluence with the Susquehanna, the trio’s chief targets were brown and brook trout. Their presence—and the presence of aquatic insects that the trout eat, such as caddisflies, mayflies and stoneflies—are all indicative of high-quality, cold-water streams that qualify for greater state protection. As Edwards electrified the water, tiny blacknose dace began bobbing to the surface. The researchers also began netting slightly larger fish—mostly creek chubs and central stonerollers—which they quickly set free. Then Niles netted an even larger fish, a beautifully speckled 8-inch brown trout, an adult that he placed into a water-filled bucket for further analysis (and eventual return to the stream). A few minutes later and nearly 100 meters upstream, a shaded, shallow pool yielded a much smaller fish—a 3-inch long brown trout. “Yes,” Niles exclaimed, peering into his net, “a young of the year.” “The Golden Fleece!” exulted Bilger, pleased because evidence that wild trout are reproducing in a particular stream is a key criterion for triggering state waterquality protection.
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Taking a Longstanding Commitment to the Next Level
Susquehanna University’s faculty and students have a long history of both studying and enjoying the majestic river that glides past Selinsgrove on its way to providing half the freshwater for the Chesapeake Bay—and drinking water for more than six million people. But with last year’s award of a three-year, $2.25-million grant from the prestigious Richard King Mellon Foundation, the university is exponentially ramping up its focus on the “river of long reach” from which it takes its name. Thanks to the grant, the university’s FRI and its new Freshwater Research Laboratory are becoming the hub for a broad coalition of 34 academic institutions, government agencies and nonprofit groups dedicated to studying and improving the health of this critically important river. “We are thrilled to have this partnership with the R. K. Mellon Foundation,” says Valerie Martin, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. “At the individual faculty level, we’ve been doing freshwater research for a long time. “But now we’ve been able to take that commitment to a much higher level. The grant enables us to collaborate with other academic institutions, government agencies and nonprofit organizations and to engage even more of our students in a rich collaboration across the sciences—biology, chemistry, ecology, and earth and environmental sciences—as we share information and, ultimately, positively impact the river and Chesapeake Bay.” Adds Niles: “Our goal is to work cooperatively with our FRI partners to arrive at solutions that will help clean up the Susquehanna and preserve it. And then inform citizens about the science involved so that they
can persuade legislators to enact effective policies to ensure a healthy river and bay.” The freshwater research lab that opened this year at Susquehanna is unmatched in both size and scope anywhere in the river basin. Located in a 7,500-squarefoot converted dairy barn along Sassafras Street just west of the athletic fields, the lab is utilized by faculty and students from both Susquehanna and partner academic institutions. Its equipment includes two $40,000 highly sophisticated devices for analyzing water chemistries, and more than a dozen 300- to 350-gallon tanks for fish and sedimentation studies. The Mellon grant has also funded
an electrofishing boat, which delivers electric currents into larger bodies of water, such as the river; two new electrofishing backpack units—including the one Edwards was using—to supplement a previously owned unit; and several hand-held water-testing devices. In addition, the grant made possible Bilger’s full-time position and doubled the paid internship opportunities for Susquehanna students, permitting 24 undergraduates to be involved with river-related research this summer. For several years, Niles, Bilger and faculty members in Susquehanna’s departments of Biology, Chemistry and Earth and Environmental Sciences—including Jack Holt, Carlos Iudica, Ahmed Lachhab and Lou Ann Tom—have worked with a wide range of stakeholders and partner institutions in the Susquehanna River Heartland Coalition for Environmental Studies (SRHCES) to research the quality of both the water and the aquatic life it supports. They’ve examined the effects of acid-mine drainage in the Shamokin Creek watershed and worked with King’s College to study mercury in the river. Since 2010, Niles, Bilger and their students have surveyed more than 600 of the more than 4,000 stream segments analyzed under the state’s Unassessed Water Initiative. Over the past two years, nearly 60 percent of the 194 streams they electroshocked contained wild trout. Teams of Susquehanna faculty and students have also collaborated with other institutions and organizations to investigate the impact of fracking on wild trout streams; why the number of adult
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Berks County Conservation District Bloomsburg University Boston University Bucknell University Carnegie Museum of Natural History— Powder Mill Nature Reserve Chatham University Chesapeake Conservancy Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds Fort Indiantown Gap National Guard Training Center Juniata College King’s College Lock Haven University Loyalsock Creek Watershed Association Lycoming College Lycoming County Conservation District Mifflin County Conservation District Montour County Conservation District National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Northcentral Pennsylvania Conservancy Northumberland County Conservation District Pennsylvania Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Penn State University
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Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Pennsylvania State University Snyder County Conservation District Sullivan County Conservation District Susquehanna River Basin Commission Susquehanna River Heartland Coalition for Environmental Studies Trout Unlimited U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Geological Survey Union County Conservation District
smallmouth bass are declining; and the impact of invasive rusty crayfish. They’ve also studied algae, redback salamanders and riparian ground spiders’ role in the spread of mercury, and used ground-penetrating radar to assess the sediment load in nearby Faylor Lake. The Mellon grant has enabled research partners in the watershed to significantly intensify their efforts as well. This year, the FRI awarded six grants totaling $70,000 to seven researchers from Trout Unlimited; Bucknell, Chatham and Penn State universities; and Lycoming College. A strong proponent of the FRI is Skip Weider, former vice president of finance and development at Susquehanna who now chairs the SRHCES. The nonprofit’s academic research partners include Susquehanna, Bloomsburg, Bucknell and Lock Haven universities, and King’s and Lycoming colleges. “I go back to what former Gov. Ed Rendell told me when state agencies began funding our coalition,” says Weider, whose organization financed 10 student interns from Susquehanna this summer. “He said our colleges and universities are probably our most underutilized assets, and I agree. Students and faculty are able to conduct needed research that, during a time of budget cutbacks, the state agencies cannot do.” John Arway, executive director of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, agrees: “We have questions for which we currently don’t have the answers, such as, ‘Is the river impaired or not?’ We see the FRI as a great step to be able to work not only with Susquehanna
researchers, but also with researchers at all the universities in the basin to fill in those data gaps. “The lab gives them a better way to practice science together, especially at the river’s scale, to look at such issues as endocrine-disrupting chemicals and algae blooms.” The “River of Long Reach”
The 440-mile-long Susquehanna, which five years ago the conservation group American Rivers called the nation’s most endangered river, is quite unique. For a river so wide—between 3,000 feet to nearly a mile wide after its two branches meet—it is very shallow. Most days near Selinsgrove you can wade completely across it without getting your head wet. Its two branches also have distinct chemical signatures. Reflecting the legacy of acid-mine drainage, the West Branch is more acidic. The North Branch carries more sediment and nutrients—a result of agricultural runoff—which, in turn, nurtures oxygen-stifling algae. Interestingly, after the two branches meet at Sunbury, their waters flow like two distinct rivers sideby-side, without really mingling together, for about 40 miles. At that point, the Juniata River pours in from the west bank, and the three rivers flow side-by-side for another 10 miles until the rocks studding the river near Harrisburg finally churn the waters together. “For both the river and the bay, the cooler, highquality water where we often find trout also acts like a buffer for the waters downstream in terms
“ T his is the first time I’ve been able to actually participate in hands-on field and lab research, and it’s really reinforced and increased my passion for biology.”—Erin McKeown ’16 fa l l 2 015 · Susquehanna Currents · 9
of minimizing pollutants and keeping the water temperatures cooler to help control algae growth,” says Niles, a Westminster, Md., native who studied biology on the Chesapeake Bay’s western shore at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. Bilger also has deep ties to the river and bay. Ten generations of Bilger’s family have lived in Snyder County. Although he was raised in Lancaster County, the current Middleburg resident summered at his family’s cottage along Penns Creek. “After my grandfather built me a boat when I was around 10, I was on the creek or river every day,” he recalls. “River systems like the Susquehanna are really complex, and they’re a challenge to study,” Bilger adds, “but with this awesome lab, Susquehanna is positioned tremendously for aquatics studies. And, after 41 years in the field, having students with me really recharges me.” Indeed, both Bilger and Niles maintain that the opportunities for Susquehanna’s undergraduates give them significant advantages when pursuing either graduate degrees or environmental jobs. That’s because students become familiar with state-of-the-art scientific equipment, engage in the kind of field and laboratory research usually reserved for graduate students, present their findings with faculty mentors at scientific conferences, and even co-author peer-reviewed scientific articles with their professors. For the past two years Erin McKeown—a senior biology major from Tannersville, Pa.—has electro-shocked fish, collected aquatic insects, and worked with conservation districts and watershed organizations. She also assisted Penn State graduate students on smallmouth bass research and, in conjunction with the King’s College National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Sea Grants Program, has dissected more than 2,000 invasive rusty crayfish to analyze what they are eating. McKeown, who intends to become a biology professor, says, “This is the first time I’ve been able to actually participate in hands-on field and lab research, and it’s really reinforced and increased my passion for biology.” Dan Isenberg, a senior biology and ecology major from Danville, Pa., planned on becoming an ophthalmologist until Niles recruited him to assess
streams the summer following his freshman year. Now he plans to pursue a Ph.D. in invasive species ecology. “I really like doing aquatics field work,” says Isenberg, president of Susquehanna’s chapter of Sigma Gamma Epsilon national honor society for earth sciences. “If you just looked at a stream or pond, you’d have no idea that all these cool things like fish and crayfish are there. “It’s also a pretty unique feeling knowing that what I am doing during this summer research is very representative of what I could actually be doing as a career.” Sam Silknetter ’14 began working with Niles on the Unassessed Waters Initiative in summer 2011. Among the waterways they fortuitously surveyed were the Loyalsock Creek and its tributaries, which shortly afterward suffered record flooding caused by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. With baseline data in hand, their follow-up assessments were able to show that the unprecedented event caused aquatic insect populations to decline up to 90 percent. Yet, over the course of the next two years, they documented that overall insect population numbers had rebounded to their previous numbers, only with different species compositions. Silknetter was fascinated. “Before I went to college I wondered how researchers could dedicate their entire lives to studying just one insect or one facet of ecology,” he says. “But doing this research opened my eyes to how complex everything is.” Currently Silknetter works for an environmental consulting firm in Reading, Pa.—a job he says he would not have gotten without his research experience at Susquehanna. Ultimately, he plans to pursue a Ph.D. so he can conduct research and teach at a university. “Dr. Niles is not just a researcher, but a teacher,” Silknetter says. “He was such a huge influence because, from him, I learned not just the research, but I also learned how to share what I’ve learned with others.” Bruce E. Beans is a contributing writer from Warrington, Pa.
WEB EXTRA: Read about FRI research findings at www.susqu.edu/Currents-FRI-findings. 10 · Susquehanna Currents · fa l l 2 0 15
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A GRAD’S DREAM JOB
for SUSQUEHANNA STUDENTS
∑ By Amanda O’Rourke
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hen Sarah Myers ’12 first came to Susquehanna Universit y, the histor y major imagined a career as a professor or teacher. But an internship at the National Archives and Records Administration during her junior year completely changed her outlook. “That was my first hands-on experience with primary sources,” Myers says. “I was spending every day with the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.” After graduation, Myers completed her master’s degree in library science at Clarion University and did another internship in Washington, D.C., this time at the Library of Congress. Myers credits the internships with not only igniting her interest in research library science, but also for landing her a job at a newly opened library dedicated to research on America’s greatest founding father, George Washington.
∑ “When I was a student representative on the Board of Trustees, that experience allowed me to see the bigger picture of how alumni experiences and networking work to the advantage of enrolled students.”
SArAH myErS '12 14 · Susquehanna Currents · fa l l 2 0 15
Around the time Myers was completing her master’s degree, Mount Vernon’s Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington opened, and a year ago, she began working there as access services librarian. Knowing how much internships had changed the trajectory of her life, she set out, within months of taking the job, to extend the same opportunities to other Susquehannans. “When I was a student representative on the Board of Trustees, that experience allowed me to see the bigger picture of how alumni experiences and networking work to the advantage of enrolled students,” Myers says. “I started to wonder, ‘How can I give back in [these] nonmonetary ways?’” When she got on the job, she found plenty of work to be done but not necessarily staff to do it, so she approached her supervisor about developing an internship program. With the library’s approval, Myers worked with Susquehanna’s Career Development Center to
Danielle Boutwell ’16 Danielle Boutwell ’16 major : Psychology major : Psychology hometown: Hooksett, N.H.
secure internships for history majors Kaitlyn Tanis secure internships forand history majors Kaitlyn’16, Tanis ’15, of Oakland, N.J., Michaela Feltman of ’15, of Oakland,Pa., N.J.,both and of Michaela Feltman ’16, of McAlisterville, whom worked alongside McAlisterville, Pa., at both of whom worked alongside Myers in the library Mount Vernon this past summer. Myers in the library at Mount Vernon this past summer.
BENEfiTS of BENEfiTS of AlUmNi SUpporT AlUmNi SUpporT
In her role, Myers provides access to all of the library’s In her role,conducts Myers provides accessresearch to all of the library’s resources, preliminary on topics resources, conducts preliminary research on topics visitors are interested in, and creates research guides visitors interested in,inand creates guides to assistare library patrons their work.research Additionally, to library patrons in their Additionally, sheassist answers about 90 percent of work. the questions that she answers about 90 percent of the questions that are emailed to the library. are emailed to the library. Tanis, who began a graduate program in library and inforTanis, began a graduate program inthis library and informationwho science at New York University fall, spent the mation science at New York University this fall, spent the summer organizing the personal letters and documents summer organizing the personal letters and documents of the Peter family, the family into which Washington’s of the Peter family, the familyininto which Washington’s step-granddaughter married 1795. step-granddaughter married in 1795. Meanwhile, Feltman was organizing architectural drawMeanwhile, Feltman architectural These drawings of Mount Vernonwas andorganizing its many outbuildings. ings of Mount Vernon and its many outbuildings. These historic drawings are routinely referred to by the facilities historic drawings are routinely to bythe the500-acre facilities crew at Mount Vernon in order referred to maintain crew at Mount Vernon in accurate order to maintain the 500-acre property in a historically way. property in a historically accurate way. Like Myers before them, Tanis and Feltman lived in apartLike before them, andthrough FeltmanSusquehanna’s lived in apartmentsMyers in Arlington, Va., Tanis provided ments in Arlington, Va., provided through Susquehanna’s partnership with the Lutheran College Washington partnership withpicked the Lutheran College Washington Semester. Myers up the women every day at the Semester. Myers up the women daytogether. at the Metro station so picked they could head to theevery library Metro station so they could head to the library together. “For me, having a friendly face and knowing there “For me, having a friendly face and knowing there was support behind me is important,” Tanis says. was support behind me is important,” Tanis says.
60 yEArS of iNTErNSHipS 60 yEArS of iNTErNSHipS The students’ internships are among the thousands
The students’ internships areembarked among theonthousands Susquehanna students have since the Susquehanna students have embarked on theago. university first began offering them some since 60 years university first began offering them some 60 years ago. Those first internships involved business and accounting Those firstwho internships involved work business and accounting students gained valuable experience at what students who gained valuable work experience at what is now Pricewaterhouse Coopers in New York City, says is now Pricewaterhouse Coopers in New York City, says Michaeline Shuman, assistant provost of post-graduate Michaeline Shuman, provost of post-graduate outcomes and directorassistant of the Career Development Center. outcomes and director of the Career Development Center.
hometown: Hooksett, N.H. internship : Deloitte, Summer 2015
internship : Deloitte, Summer 2015 made possible by: Jeff Orlando ’00,
made : JeffofOrlando ’00, chiefpossible learning by officer Leadership
chief learning officer of Leadership Development & Performance for Deloitte Development & Performance for Deloitte The Benefits: “The mentors that I The Benefits: “Theare mentors thatin I helpgained at Deloitte interested gained Deloitte are interested inwith helping me at understand where I can go ing understand where I can go with thisme experience. I met people inside and this experience. I met people inside outside of Deloitte that will influenceand outside of Deloitte that will influence my opportunities.” my opportunities.”
Sage weikel ’16 Sage weikel ’16 major : Public policy with an emphasis major in:
public Public administration policy with an emphasis and in public nonprofit administration managementand nonprofit management hometown: Selinsgrove, Pa.
hometown: internship : Snyder
Selinsgrove, Pa. County Commissioners, internshipWinter–Summer : Snyder County 2014 Commissioners, Winter–Summer 2014 made possible by: Malcolm Derk ’05, made vicepossible chair of the by:Snyder Malcolm County Derk (Pa.) ’05,
vice chair Board of of theCommissioners Snyder County (Pa.) Board of Commissioners
The Benefits: “From this experience, I The Benefits: this experience, learned about “From the intricacies of local I learned about intricaciestoofprison local government asthe it pertained government as it pertained to prison management, conflict resolution, hiring management, resolution, collabohiring processes and conflict small-government processes and This small-government collaboration efforts. internship allowed me ration allowed me to workefforts. closelyThis withinternship the commissioner as to work closely with the commissioner we tackled revisions to the county em- as we tackled revisions to the county employee handbook, prison emergency poliployee handbook, prisonother emergency policy reform and multiple upper-level cy reform and multiple administrative duties.” other upper-level administrative duties.”
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ShelBy O’Riley ’15 ShelBy O’Riley ’15 major : Biochemistry major : Biochemistry hometown : Ware, Mass.
hometown : Ware,ofMass. internship : University Vermont,
South Burlington, Vt., Summer 2014 internship : University of Vermont, South Burlington, Vt., Summer 2014 made possible by: Matt Gilbert ’98, assistant professor of medicine made possible by: Matt Gilbertat’98, the University assistant professor of of Vermont medicine at the University of Vermont The Benefits: “I shadowed Dr. Gilbert at The the Fletcher Benefits:Allen “I shadowed Endocrinology, Dr. Gilbert Diabeat tes the and Fletcher Metabolism Allen Endocrinology, Center. I observed Diabetes follow-up and Metabolism and new-patient Center.appointments I observed in follow-up the clinic, andand new-patient had the opportunity appointments to shadow in the clinic, on rounds and had in the opportunity hospital. I also to shadow took partoninrounds a transition in theclinic hospital. where I also patients took part metinthe a transition adult endocrinologist clinic whereand patransitioned tients met theout adult of the endocrinologist pediatric clinic and … The transitioned internship outgave of the mepediatric firsthandclinic expo-… The sureinternship to both clinical gave and me firsthand hospital settings, exposure as well to both as theclinical varying and roles hospital physicians settings, as take well on as each theday. varying It exposed roles physicians me to a specialized take onfield eachin day. internal It exposed medicine me toand a specialized fieldmy in desire internal and confirmed to medicine pursue a career confirmed as a physician my desire in internal to pursue medicine.” a career as a physician in internal medicine.”
∑ ∑
“The last couple “The last couple of summers we’ve of summers we’ve had interns, and all had interns, and all have transferred to have transferred to full-time employees.” full-time employees.”
∑ ∑
Kyle robertson '11 Kyle robertson '11
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KaiTlyn TaniS KaiTlyn TaniS
Today, about 80 percent of Susquehanna students have Today, one or more about internships 80 percent of orSusquehanna research experiences studentsbefore have they one or graduate—an more internships experience or research integral experiences to a student’s before they postgraduate graduate—an success, experience Shumanintegral says. to a student’s postgraduate success, Shuman says. “We know that employers prefer to hire someone with “We relevant knowexperience,” that employers she adds. preferThe to statement hire someone is backed with up relevant by a recent experience,” surveyshe conducted adds. The bystatement The Chronicle is backed up of Higher by a recent Education surveyand conducted American by The Public Chronicle Media’s Marketplace, of Higher Education which sought and American to understand Publicemployer Media’s Marketplace, sought to understand employer perceptions ofwhich the role colleges and universities have in perceptions career preparation. of the role colleges and universities have in career preparation. The survey of more than 700 employers found that they The placesurvey more of weight moreon than experience, 700 employers particularly found that internthey place ships more and employment weight on experience, during college, particularly than they interndo on ships academic and credentials employmentwhen during evaluating college, athan recent they graduate do on for academic employment. credentials This when is particularly evaluating true a recent in thegraduate science/ technology, for employment. services/retail This is particularly and media/communications true in the science/ technology, sectors of theservices/retail economy. and media/communications sectors of the economy.
BranDon MenDoza ’16 BranDon ’16 major : Business MenDoza administration with emphases in finance and marketing major : Business administration with emphases in finance and marketing hometown : Shamokin, Pa.
hometown : Shamokin, Pa. internship : Weis Markets, Sunbury,
internship Winter : Weis2013–Fall Markets,2014 Sunbury,
Winter 2014 made 2013–Fall possible by :
Pa., Pa.,
Matthew made Dooley possible ’08, byinternal : auditorDooley for Weis’08, Markets Matthew internal auditor for Weis Markets The Benefits: “[The internship] allowed The me to Benefits: see how“[The every internship] part of the business allowed operated. me to see how I amevery pursuing partfinance of the business and marketing, and I had the opportunity to work operated. I am pursuing finance and marketing, with both and departments. I had the opportunity I actually to felt work like with part of both thedepartments. team and a contributor I actually felt to the like business. part of theMy team mother and ahas contributor worked attoWeis the for more than 20 years, and I know is business. My mother has worked atshe Weis very for more proud than of me.” 20 years, and I know she is very proud of me.”
MiChaela FelTMan MiChaela FelTMan
BUilDiNg AN BUilDiNg AN pipEliNE EmploymENT EmploymENT pipEliNE Myers is not alone in her efforts to recruit interns from
Myers is not alone in her efforts to recruit interns from her alma mater. her alma mater. Kyle Robertson ’11, an associate with J.P. Morgan (JPM) Kyle Robertson ’11, aancompany associatewith witha J.P. Asset Management, longMorgan history (JPM) of Asset Management, a company a long history of recruiting Susquehanna internswith for full-time employment, recruiting Susquehanna interns for full-time employment, says the company is increasingly turning to the internship says the company is increasingly turning to the internship pool to fill vacant positions. pool to fill vacant positions. “The last couple of summers we’ve had interns, and all have “The last couple of summers we’ve had interns, and have transferred to full-time employees,” Robertson says.all“Each transferred to an full-time employees,” says. “Each team that has intern is expected toRobertson do skill-specific trainteam thatbecause has an intern is expected to dothat skill-specific training, and of the money and time the company ing, of the money and we time thattothe company puts and intobecause cultivating these interns, want bring them puts cultivating these interns, to bring them back into either for another summer or we as awant full-time employee back either another or as a full-time employee because theyforare alreadysummer up to speed.” because they are already up to speed.”
Robertson works with two other Susquehanna alumni Robertson works with two other Susquehanna and JPM employees—Jameson Troutman alumni ’02 and Christopher and JPM employees—Jameson Minghenelli ’14—to Troutman solicit student ’02 and Christopher résumés through Minghenelli Susquehanna’s ’14—to Career solicit Development student Center, résumésand through submits Susquehanna’s qualified candidates Career Development to the Center, company’s andinternship submits qualified screeningcandidates process. to the company’s internship screening process. The three then meet with the accepted interns periodThe ically three throughout then meet thewith summer the accepted to decideinterns who they periodwill icallyfor throughout summer to decide who they will refer full-time the employment. refer for full-time employment. “We attach our names to the candidates we recommend, “We so we attach wantour to make names sure to the the candidates students we’re we recommend, submitting so arewe interested want to make and qualified,” sure the students Robertson we’re says. submitting “But we’re are interested willing toand do that qualified,” becauseRobertson we know the says. education “But we’re they are willing getting to do at SU thatisbecause good, and we it’s know evident the education that a they Susquehanna are getting degree at SUisisvalued good, here.” and it’s evident that a Susquehanna degree is valued here.” Amanda O’Rourke is the media relations and Amanda digital communications O’Rourke is thespecialist media relations at Susquehanna. and digital communications specialist at Susquehanna.
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HISTORY I N
T H E
MAKING BY VICTORIA
KIDD
rom University Avenue, passersby would have never guessed what was hidden under the pale green siding and black-shingled roof of the house that, in recent years, was home to Susquehanna’s chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota (SAI), the international music fraternity for women. No one could have imagined the history and culture buried beneath the 1970s façade— no one except Frank Stroik ’75, owner of the Kreamer, Pa.–based historic restoration firm Country Homestead, who was hired to dismantle the 200-year-old structure this past summer to make way for a new $7 million admission house and welcome center, funded by gifts from university trustees. Stroik—and the university—learned just how old the structure was last spring when he made his first site visit to the house. Exploring the basement, he discovered the floor joists were made of hand-hewn, half-round logs. In the attic, he found double tongue-and-groove craftsmanship on the floor boards. “That’s an early-to-late 18th-century technique,” Stroik says. “It’s amazing what people could do with a sharp-edged tool,” he adds. “This house and so many others like it would have been built using axes and saws.”
“ I T ’ S A M A Z I N G W H AT PEOPLE COULD DO WITH A S H A R P - E D G E D TO O L .” — FRANK STROIK ’75
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U
pon further inspection of the materials used in the construction, Stroik estimates that the house was built around 1810, although, he says, “some of the elements in the house lend credence to it actually being built earlier than that.” For example, whitewash on the interior logs indicated that at least some of the construction materials were made prior to 1810. The average person might call the historic materials and features of the house “rustic,” but to Stroik’s ears, that’s blasphemous. “It’s kind of demeaning to the original builders,” he says. It doesn’t take into account the level of craftsmanship that went into building the structure, not to mention the materials needed to construct the 28-by-24foot, two-story log home. The size of the house, along with its 10-foot ceilings on the first floor and 9-foot ceilings on the second floor, indicate that it was “a very large estate-type log house for its day,” Stroik says. What’s more, the V-notch corners in the structure, the size and shape of the timbers used in the construction and the layout of its rooms, with a central fireplace and one front and one back entrance, told Stroik the house was Germanbuilt—another indication of its age, as well as the culture of the people who settled the region. In America’s infancy, different types of houses were built by different ethnic groups. German homes, for instance,
“ I T ’ S R E A L LY U N U S U A L T O H AV E A N O R GA N I Z AT I O N TA K E D O W N A B U I L D I N G A N D WA N T TO R E L O C A T E A N D R E B U I L D I T.”
were built by “Germans from Germany.” But by the second or third generation of builders, Stroik says, the “melting pot” effect had taken hold, and younger builders began incorporating the Scotch-Irish and English ways of building.
T H E PAT H T O A N E W H I S T O R Y Stroik, who majored in political science at Susquehanna, didn’t start out restoring old buildings. Fresh out of college, he worked for four years at the Northumberland County (Pa.) Juvenile Probation Office. But a trip to the Pennsylvania Dutch farm run by his wife’s grandfather south of Chambersburg, Pa., changed the trajectory of his career path. When Stroik walked into the German-style bank barn for the first time, he says he “just fell in love with the size of the timbers, the redundancy of the joinery, and the whole way it was put together.” And therein, he found his passion. It’s a passion that has fueled his work for nearly three decades. It’s a career that requires not only in-depth knowledge of carpentry methods, but also reflects Stroik’s love of history and knowledge of early immigrant cultures—all of which he learned as he went. Prior to having the “bug bite me,” Stroik says, he had little experience with carpentry. “I built club houses and forts growing up, but early on, I just made the decision that I wouldn’t do paneling (or aluminum siding). I studied how the old methods were done and just did it that way from the get-go,” he says. And while his career has taken him all over the state to restore everything from old barns and historic houses to covered bridges and church steeples, coming home to Susquehanna for this labor of love was a special job for Stroik. “For one, the university wants to save [the house],” he says, referring to Susquehanna’s desire to reconstruct the historic house on another location, providing a donor can be found to cover the cost of reconstruction. “It’s really unusual to have an organization take down a building and want to relocate and rebuild it,” he adds. “There are houses all the time that are just bulldozed over and get lost.” But in this case, Susquehanna hopes to give history new life in the building’s reconstruction while also making room for the future.
W E B E X T R A : Hear Stroik talk about his work and the SAI project in a video at www.susqu.edu/currents. Victoria Kidd is associate director of advancement communications and editor of Susquehanna Currents.
Lauren Tishkevich (left), a finance and economics major from Brunswick, Maine, and Bailey Baralt ‘18,a luxury brand marketing and management major from Selinsgrove, at the Women’s Leadership Symposium in March. MORE ON WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP, PAGE 22
Departments PEOPLE & PLACES
SCOREBOARD
THE ’GROVE
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PEOPLE & PLACES
the who, what and where for all things susquehanna
Getting a Table at the Top
and Employment Readiness) organization for students of color.
BUSINESS STUDENTS LEARN FROM WOMEN WHO’VE “MADE IT”
The Lean In Circle she’s establishing for women in the business school is designed to help them recognize their potential, and challenge the social norms and belief systems that too often hold them back in their careers. “I want us to be confident graduating and walking into our prospective fields knowing that our gender is not a barrier [to advancement],” Ahama says.
There’s just one way to reach The View, New York’s only revolving rooftop restaurant: Go to the third floor of the Marriott Marquis on Broadway, take one of The View’s dedicated glass elevators 48 floors up, and don’t look down. Last spring, 20 young women studying in the Sigmund Weis School of Business were inspired to do much the same thing with their careers: Take a deep breath, hit the “up” button, and don’t look back until you have a seat at the top.
Afi Ahama ’17
This empowering message permeated the atmosphere at a first-of its-kind Women’s Leadership Symposium held at the Marriott Marquis. The symposium, supported and executed by Susquehanna alumnae and friends, provided the women with practical career advice designed to help them rise through the ranks of the corporate world. All of the women left New York inspired, but none more so than Afi Ahama ’17. She spent the summer meeting with female business executives, including several she was introduced to during the symposium, to learn more about the challenges they’ve faced in their careers. She’s using the insights they shared to develop Lean In Circles—one on campus and one back home in the Bronx—where women can gain the peer support they so often need to break the proverbial glass ceiling. She’s also working to establish a PIER (Professional Internship
Similar motivation has Marsha Kelliher, dean of the Sigmund Weis School of Business, intent on making the Women’s Leadership Symposium an annual event. She is also developing a Women’s Leadership Council that, among other things, will create a team of mentors to work with female students. Initiatives such as these are exactly what Janet Fowler ’68 Grey had in mind when she established a women’s leadership fund at Susquehanna University earlier this year. After learning about Kelliher’s plans for a Women’s Leadership Symposium while on campus for her 45th class reunion in 2013, Grey knew she had found her chance to make a difference—she took a deep breath, hit the “up” button and didn’t look back. Like any good leader, she is fixed on the possibilities to come. “It is my hope that over the next two decades, leadership in corporate America will be far less homogeneous,” she says. “Helping female business students gain the skills and resources to advance in the current climate allows for a vision of what might be possible in the future. Positive change will not only benefit women in business, but it will also benefit the corporations they will eventually lead.”
“HELPING FEMALE BUSINESS STUDENTS GAIN THE SKILLS AND RESOURCES TO ADVANCE IN THE CURRENT CLIMATE ALLOWS FOR A VISION OF WHAT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE IN THE FUTURE.” —JANET FOWLER ‘68 GREY
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Kristin Konski ’10
Susquehanna University Trustee Mary Cianni, a principal at Towers Watson, delivered the opening keynote address for the Women’s Leadership Symposium in March.
Bria Parker ’17
Katie Farber ‘06 (below) was among the alumni who hosted students for company tours. Farber is the manager of talent acquisition at the Silicon Valley-esque office of Initiative, a global marketing agency in Manhattan.
Autumn Arthurs ’15
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Alumni and current students joined James W. ’64 and Barbara Evans ’65 Summers (center) for the 10th-anniversary celebration of the Gundaker and Summers Enrichment Funds during Homecoming-Reunion Weekend.
A Decade of Giving the Gift of Experience Susquehanna marked the 10th anniversary of the Gundaker and Summers Enrichment Funds during Homecoming– Reunion Weekend with a celebration of the individuals who made the funds possible. The funds, which act in conjunction with one another, were created in 2004 by 1964 classmates Robert G. Gundaker and James W. Summers, and their wives, Isabelle Gundaker and Barbara Evans ’65 Summers. The couples established the funds to enable students to explore their field of interest, discover hidden talents and begin to develop the skills necessary for success in the workplace. Although the Gundakers were unable to attend this year’s homecoming activities, the Summers were on hand for the celebration. Students, alumni, faculty and staff gathered for a reception honoring the couple in the seminar rooms that bear their names, located on the ground floor of the Natural Sciences Center. During the reception, Michaeline Shuman, assistant provost for post-graduate outcomes and director of the Career Development Center, revealed that the Gundaker and Summers funds have helped 128 students (to date) gain valuable experience through internships, research and volunteer activities conducted over the summer months. It supported 14 students this summer alone, she added. Two students who have benefited from the funds’ support are seniors Hailey Gouza and Shelby O’Riley, who spoke at the reception. Gouza was able to complete internships at the Newtown (Pa.) Historic Association and the Somali Bantu Community Mutual Assistance Association in Lewiston,
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Maine. In the latter case, Gouza helped Somali refugees find job opportunities and accompanied them on interviews. “Eleven women are now employed—something they would have never had without my help and your generosity,” Gouza told the Summers. O’Riley, who was supported by the funds to perform undergraduate research at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, said the experience gave her a “leg up” in the classroom. “I came back and blew Organic Chemistry out of the water,” she said. But during the reception, it was James Summers who was blown out of the water by the number of alumni and students who came out to honor him and his wife. Prior to the students’ remarks, Ron Cohen, vice president for university relations, told the Summers to look around the room at the students and young grads in attendance. “This is your legacy,” he said. “You are a very real part of their lives.” Visibily moved by the attendance, James called the reception “a real tribute,” and asked the attendees to consider making a similar commitment to Susquehanna when they are in a position to do so. “I think,” Barbara interjected, “what he’s trying to say is ‘pass it on.’ “Jim and I had to ‘beg, borrow and steal’ to get through school,” she added. So, today, the couple is grateful to have the opportunity to create meaningful employment, research and volunteer experiences for students who may be struggling as they did to finish school.
PEOPLE & PLACES
New GO Programs Coming This Winter Susquehanna students will travel to vastly different corners of the world this winter on two of the university’s newest Global Opportunities (GO) programs. Students will usher in 2016 with cultural immersions in Israel and Puerto Rico. For GO Jerusalem: Interfaith Encounters, students will spend Jan. 1–16 in the Old City of Jerusalem. While there, they will meet, study, pray and socialize with Jewish, Muslim, Christian and other religious organizations, and engage in community service work with the groups. In addition to living in the Old City, students will stay in a traditional kibbutz in Galilee and travel to Tel Aviv. “Our encounters will help students develop an understanding of the fundamental challenges and opportunities of interfaith engagement, and the importance of tolerance and respect for divergent views,” says Scott Kershner, program director and Susquehanna University chaplain. To ensure the safety of all participants, special attention will be paid to the security situation on the ground as the trip progresses. The program is expected to include • a meeting with the Parents Circle, a support group for Jewish and Arab Israelis who have lost loved ones in the ongoing conflict.
community leaders, and volunteer 30-plus hours of service to local organizations working on the front line of community development. Field trips will include visits to the famous San Sebastian Street Festival in Old San Juan and the historic island of Culebra, and a series of hikes through El Yunque National Forest. To offer students as many meaningful immersion experiences as possible, the Office of Cross-Cultural Programs continuously adds new program choices. New for students this past summer was Exploration and Understanding of the Navajo Nation. Students spent June 5–21 working with individuals and community organizations in the southwest United States. They explored the cultural and historic traditions of the Navajo community while gaining insight into the reality of contemporary life on the reservation. Like all GO programs, these trips serve as prerequisites for a post-travel reflection course, during which students explore how the experience informed their view of the world and themselves. Completion of the credit-bearing course fulfills the cross-cultural requirement of the university’s Central Curriculum. Future programs under consideration include study trips to Iceland, Italy and Turkey.
• in-depth exploration of the Muslim, Jewish and Christian quarters of the Old City. • a tour of Jaffa, led by a Jewish and an Arab resident, each speaking from his or her own cultural perspective. • a day of learning at Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Education Center, including a meeting with a Holocaust survivor and a Muslim family who helped protect Jews during World War II. The second trip, Service and Culture in Puerto Rico, will run on nearly the same timeline, Jan. 1–15. Led by Michaeline Shuman, assistant provost of post-graduate outcomes and director of the Career Development Center, the service-learning program will focus on topics such as land rights, environmental justice, Puerto Rico–U.S. relations, social change and international development. Students will explore the culture through field trips and events throughout the island. They’ll meet with local Alexandria Reichenbach ’16, a digital multimedia–broadcasting major from McAlisterville, Pa., prepares logs for construction of a Hogan, the traditional home of the Navajo, during the Navajo Nation trip this past summer.
SCOREBOARD
news from crusader nation
Men’s Lacrosse Reaches Several “Firsts” in Team History Men’s lacrosse is a relatively young program in comparison to other sports in Susquehanna’s athletics program. Its first varsity season was in 2000. Compare that to the 116-year history of the football program.
named a United States Intercollegiate Men’s Lacrosse Association (USILA) Scholar All-American, another first for the program. Moan credits the players’ success to a team culture that embraces competition. “This is a fun game, but we take our fun seriously,” he says. “The players have really embraced the competitive environment that I’ve promoted, and they understand competition pushes them to be better.”
Since 2000, the team has had five different head coaches, including current head coach Stewart Moan, the longesttenured coach in program history. Prior to Moan’s arrival in 2008, the Crusaders had a combined record of 35-74. Since Moan has taken the lead, the team is 7163, with two Landmark Conference titles, That culture is possible, according to Boyland, because of the emphasis two NCAA Tournament appearances Moan places on communication. and three All-Americans over three consecutive years (2013, 2014 and 2015). “If you ask any player who has played Marcus Cheatham ’13 was Susquehanna’s for Coach Moan what the most important part of the program is, you first lacrosse player to be named Allare guaranteed to hear ‘communication,’” American in 2013. Then came Austen Boyland says. “The achievements of the Lein ’14, who was also the team’s first program over the past three years are conference player of the year, and this due to the cohesiveness of the team. In past spring, Kade MacGregor ’16 the classroom and on the field, every became the team’s first junior Allplayer was able to get better and help American. Even more history was made others because of communication.” this year when Conor Boyland ’15 was
“THE PLAYERS HAVE REALLY EMBRACED THE COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT THAT I’VE PROMOTED, AND THEY UNDERSTAND COMPETITION PUSHES THEM TO BE BETTER.” — STEWART MOAN
The achievements of the program over the past three years are due to the cohesiveness of the team. In the classroom and on the field, every player was able to get better and help others because of communication. — CONOR BOYLAND '15
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X’s and O’s Three student-athletes—Gabby Alguire ’17 (outdoor track & field), Conor Boyland ’15 (men’s lacrosse) and Kelsey Lessard ’16 (women’s swimming)—earned Scholar AllAmerica honors last spring.
Alison Carney was named head coach of women’s tennis. Former head coach Bob Jordan ’71 will continue coaching the men’s squad.
Nick Hoover ’06 was elevated to a full-time position as the head coach of the women’s soccer team. Until now, the head women’s soccer coach had been a part-time position.
New Head Softball Coach Brings Winning Résumé compiled three straight 20-win seasons, two conference tournament berths and four seasons of hitting .300. What’s more, Posner’s teams maintained a 3.2 GPA or higher every semester, with a 100 percent graduation rate.
Brad Posner has been named head softball coach, taking over for longtime head coach Kathy Kroupa, who has accepted the position of associate director of athletics at The Citadel. Posner takes the helm of a program that is coming off a 31-win season and a fourthstraight appearance in the Landmark Conference Tournament as the No. 1 seed. Posner arrived at Susquehanna after spending the past four seasons as the head softball coach at the University of Texas at Dallas. Under his leadership, the Comets
At Dallas, Posner was the winningest coach in school history, with a record of 86-70-1 (.548). In the four years prior to his appointment, the program was 51-102. His teams posted single-season records for batting average, slugging percentage, at-bats, runs scored, hits, runs batted in (RBI), doubles, triples, home runs, total bases, stolen bases, fielding percentage, winning percentage, saves, consecutive wins and fewest losses. During Posner’s tenure he coached 12 NFCA Academic All-Americas, five All-Region selections, 19 All-Conference selections and 26 Academic All-Conference honorees. Welcome, Coach Posner!
For the second straight year, the football team hosted a bone marrow drive for Be the Match. In addition, the program held a Lift-a-Thon that raised $1,900 for the charity organization Lauren’s First and Goal.
Former baseball players Casey Hood ’15 and Spencer Hotaling ’15 signed contracts with the Las Vegas Train Robbers. The team plays in the Pecos League, an independent professional baseball league.
Baseball player Zach Leone ’17 was named a Perfect Game 2015 Summer All-America Honorable Mention player. Leone spent the summer playing with the Staten Island Tide.
GOSusqU.com
Football Player Reflects on GO New Orleans September marked 10 years since Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast. Four months later, Susquehanna sent its first team of students, faculty and staff to Louisiana to aid in the clean-up efforts. These hurricane-relief trips over winter break transitioned into GO (Global Opportunities) New Orleans a few years later when the university started requiring all students to have a cross-cultural experience off campus. During the service-learning trip, students work with Habitat for Humanity to build homes in the still-rebuilding city. Football player Ken Milano ’15 chose GO New Orleans to fulfill his cross-cultural requirement. Katie Meier, director of athletics communications, talked with Milano about his experience. MEIER: Why did you choose this particular GO experience? MILANO: It fit perfectly in my schedule, because I would not miss school or athletics. I had never been on a plane before, so I wanted my first trip to be within the U.S. It was also the best financial option for me. MEIER: Before you left on the trip, what were you expecting the city to look like? MILANO: I expected it to be very crowded and filled with locals and tourists. I pictured the surrounding land to be all swamps and lakes. MEIER: And how did reality fit with those expectations? MILANO: The way I pictured the city was exactly how it was; there was always something going on and the sidewalks were always crowded. What I did not expect was the amount of surrounding neighborhoods that were still feeling the effects of Hurricane Katrina. There are still countless abandoned homes that have not been touched. 28 · Susquehanna Currents · fa l l 2 0 15
MEIER: Describe the work you did there. MILANO: We worked with Habitat eight days from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. The work varied day to day. One day we poured concrete for a driveway; another we put up siding on a house and framed doors. Whatever the Habitat director needed done, we helped do it. MEIER: What surprised you most? MILANO: The most surprising part of the trip was the tour of the Evergreen Sugarcane Plantation, which used to be a slave-owning plantation. I do not think any of us were ready for how bone-chilling it was going to be when the guide brought us through the slave quarters and explained what they had to endure. MEIER: What impact did the trip have on you and your perception of the people of New Orleans? MILANO: Prior to the trip, I don’t think I had a perception [of them]. But after, I would say that they are very proud of where they come from. I spoke with many locals who were affected by Katrina, and they all returned to New Orleans to rebuild and start again.
“What I did not expect was the amount of surrounding neighborhoods that were still feeling the effects of Hurricane Katrina.” — KEN MILANO '15
New Grad Plays Lacrosse for Her Ancestral Homeland Former Susquehanna women’s lacrosse player Ellie Rosenblum ’15 was named to the Israel women’s national lacrosse team. The 18-player team competed at the 2015 ELF European Lacrosse Championships, held at Sportovní Centrum in Nymburk, Czech Republic, this past summer. Rosenblum played four years for the Crusaders, appearing in 54 career games with 83 ground balls and 32 draw controls. She helped Susquehanna capture a Landmark title in 2013 and earn at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament in 2013 and 2014. “Being able to play for the Israeli National Women’s Lacrosse Team is an incredible honor,” Rosenblum says. “The chance to play for this team is so much larger than competing at a national level; it’s the opportunity to represent Israel and a chance to better connect with my heritage.”
“The chance to play for this team is so much larger than competing at a national level; it’s the opportunity to represent Israel and a chance to better connect with my heritage.” — Ellie Rosenblum '15
Become a member of the Orange and Maroon Club, formerly Varsity Club, and help enhance the collegiate experience of Susquehanna’s student-athletes! You are eligible for Orange and Maroon Club membership when you support the unrestricted athletics fund or any of the following programs: Make a gift today at www.susqu.edu/support/OMClub.
LET’S RAISE THE ORANGE and MAROON! BASEBALL
*SOCCER
*BASKETBALL CHEERLEADING FIELD HOCKEY FOOTBALL *GOLF *LACROSSE
SOFTBALL *SWIMMING and DIVING *TENNIS *TRACK and FIELD/CROSS COUNTRY VOLLEYBALL * = Men’s and Women’s
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T H E ’G R O V E
stories from around campus and around town
Q&A Australia Reinforces Student’s Interest in Environmentalism Before travelling to Australia this summer through Susquehanna’s Global Opportunities (GO) program, Michelle Barakat ’16 already had a good idea of where she was headed in life. Barakat, an earth and environmental sciences major from Bethlehem, Pa., who serves as a Sustainability Service Scholar, has long been interested in conservation and sustainable agriculture. Seeing the effects of climate change firsthand in Australia only confirmed her career aspirations. She talked to Susquehanna Currents about her experiences earlier this year. SC: What was it like to see the impact of climate change up close and personal? MB: There are many areas that have been affected by climate change, but it seems to be most prevalent in Australia.
Michelle Barakat ’16 Earth and Environmental Sciences Major
Students in Assistant Professor of Education David McLaughlin’s class, The Sciences, built model rockets in class this fall. Some then attended the Saturday Science enrichment program to demonstrate their work to elementary and middle school students.
SC: How did your time in Australia influence the environmental beliefs you already had? MB: It definitely enhanced my environmental beliefs. The most prominent way it influenced me was by teaching me about the many forms of environmental racism. For instance, many of the aboriginals were forced to move to the Red Center by the Europeans. The Red Center, while beautiful and full of religious figures and formations, is also a desert. Therefore,
these aboriginals were forced into an area with sparse rainfall and bodies of water and very little food. SC: Was this the life-changing experience you hoped it would be? MB: This experience was the best I have ever had. It was both educational and fun, like most great things. I was able to have wonderful people around me while doing some of my favorite things. It has made me so incredibly grateful to have this opportunity. I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone who is interested in learning more about Australian culture and who loves the outdoors. I would do it again a million times if I could.
SYLLABUS
FORWARD THINKING
Blast-Off for Science Education
SU Biologists Earn National Media Attention
Building model rockets seems like the sort of project you’d find in a typical science class, right? Not exactly.
Like many women of the human variety, female wolf spiders step up their game when their targeted mate just isn’t paying attention. That’s according to research published last spring by Professor of Biology Matt Persons and 2008 grads Jamie Havrilak and Kristin Shimmel while they were sophomores working in Persons’ spider lab at Susquehanna.
A course called The Sciences gives future educators hands-on experience engaging young learners in the study of biology, chemistry, earth and space science, and physics. The course is specifically designed for early childhood education majors who are required to have a broad base of scientific knowledge and skills for state certification. “There are really three reasons we include building and launching model rockets early in the course,” says David McLaughlin, assistant professor of education. “One is that this activity fits nicely with our study of forces, motion and energy. The rockets are one of several examples of turning abstract concepts into engaging and concrete experiences. The model rockets also facilitate the integration of mathematics and engineering into the study of science as students consider how various design elements can influence the distance, time and direction of a rocket’s flight. So this activity provides some emphasis on the various STEM [science, technology, engineering, mathematics] fields and how they complement one another.”
“It gets us involved and helps us develop ways to incorporate lessons into the activities we’ll undertake in our future classrooms.” —NICOLE FALLON ’17
In addition to building model rockets in class, some of the students attended Susquehanna’s Saturday Science enrichment program for local elementary and middle school students, which also includes building and launching model rockets. Facilitated by Professor of Biology Jack Holt and Associate Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Jennifer Elick, the program provides preservice teacher candidates with opportunities to work with local children and their parents on various science activities. “By practicing the rocket build and launch in class, my students are better able to support families in completing the same task at Saturday Science,” McLaughlin says.
Published in the journal Ethology, their research uncovered behavior that shakes up long-held notions about female spider behavior. In fact, it found that the females actively seduce males using their pheromone-laden dragline silk. The findings then went mainstream, hitting National Geographic, among other media outlets. The attention is nothing new for Persons and his student researchers, who study courtship rituals, cannibalism and a host of other strange—and sometimes hair-raising—behaviors in wolf spiders primarily. What was new is that the magazine ran one of Persons’ photos with the article. “In some ways, it was as much of an honor to have National Geographic accept one of my photographs as it was for them to cover our research,” he says. Publication of the photo validated his 2012 decision to take a photography class taught by Gordon Wenzel, adjunct faculty member in the Department of Art and award-winning photographer and owner of Impressions Studio. “I wanted to be able to photograph these little animals and show them engaging in the behaviors that we study. Unfortunately, there are tremendous technical challenges to photographing a lively animal the size of your fingernail,” Persons explains. “Gordon really helped me convey my science through images, and I’m grateful for taking the class.” Despite the national media nods to his research—and now his photography—Persons says his best validation is the success of his students. “Both Jamie and Kristin have gone on to great science careers,” Persons says. “Jamie is now ‘Dr. Havrilak,’ having finished her Ph.D. at the University of Cincinnati in their developmental biology program. Kristin went to graduate school at Case Western University and is now a laboratory manager there.”
Allendale, N.J., native Nicole Fallon ’17, who is currently Another one of his former research students, Alex Sweger ’10, enrolled in the class, says the hands-on activities are sure to improve her ability to someday teach “the sciences” to children. has even continued studying wolf spider behavior at the University of Cincinnati. His research on a wolf spider that “It gets us involved and helps us develop ways to incorporate “purrs” was also featured in mainstream media outlets lessons into the activities we’ll undertake in our future this summer. classrooms,” she said.
fa l l 2 015 · Susquehanna Currents · 31
T H E ’G R O V E
KUDOS Faculty Earn Top Honors in Teaching and Advising Three faculty members were honored with awards during Susquehanna’s 157th commencement ceremony in May. Associate Professor of Chemistry Swarna Basu received the John C. Horn Distinguished Service Lectureship Award. The award memorializes a former longtime member and chair of Susquehanna University’s Board of Directors and recognizes a faculty member for outstanding scholarship and conscientious service to the university. As award recipient, Basu, who joined Susquehanna in 2005, will present a public lecture during the 2015–16 academic year. Mark Fertig, associate professor and chair of the Department of Art, received the Susquehanna University Teaching Award. Fertig began teaching at Susquehanna in 2002. Associate Professor of Biology Tom Peeler received the Distinguished Academic Advising Award. The award recognizes the important role students’ academic advisors have in students’ academic experiences and outcomes. Peeler has been at Susquehanna since 1990.
SU Grads Collect More Emmy Awards Craig Housenick ’98 and Jason Mammen ’00 won their second Emmy awards this year—Housenick, a Primetime Creative Arts Emmy for his outstanding lighting work on NBC’s The Voice, and Mammen, a Sports Emmy for outstanding edited event coverage on Showtime’s All Access. Housenick, who won his first Emmy in 2013, says his team’s greatest strength is their ability to collaborate. “It plays to all of our strengths and creates a piece that is stronger than any individual could possibly muster. These are skills that began at Susquehanna and have served me well in the wider community,” says Housenick, lighting director for The Voice. Mammen, a producer for Showtime, says his “why not me” attitude was cemented by his experiences at Susquehanna. He says he learned a lot by essentially plotting his own path in the then-budding broadcasting program, which didn’t have a specific track for television production when he was a student. “I think having to figure out what worked best in that way really helped make me a ‘doer’ and to anticipate what was needed to get the end result I wanted to achieve,” Mammen says.
Susquehanna Sweeps ADDYs Again Thirteen of the 15 American Federation’s Greater Frederick ADDYs in the student competition, including the coveted Judges’ Choice and Best of Show awards, were won by Susquehanna graphic design students—just as they were last year.
Enactus Advisor Honored Susquehanna’s Enactus advisor George Cravitz was one of three such faculty advisors recently inducted into the Hall of Fame for Sam Walton Free Enterprise Fellows at the Enactus National Exposition held in St. Louis. Cravitz received the award for his notable contributions, service and commitment to the Susquehanna team and to the advancement of the entire Enactus organization, formerly known as Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE).
32 · Susquehanna Currents · fa l l 2 0 15
Eleni Dimou ’15, from Center Valley, Pa., won the Judges’ Choice Award for her Bates Motel ad campaign, as well as a silver ADDY at the national competition. Loren Schott ’15, from Drums, Pa., took Best in Show for her design of the Ocean Conservancy annual report. Both also took home regional ADDYs, as did fellow graphic designers Erin McGarrah ’16, from Mount Kisco, N.Y., and 2015 grads Kelsey McManimon from Newtown, Pa., Steve Arhontoulis, from Coopersburg, Pa., Joey Vivacqua, from Frackville, Pa., and Alexander Wilson, from Morristown, N.J. Contributing writers to the departments are Victoria Kidd, associate director of advancement communications; Julia Lesperance ’15; Katie Meier, director of athletics communications; and Amanda O’Rourke, digital communications and media specialist.
Alumni News MESSAGE BOARD
CLASS NOTES
REGIONAL CHAPTER NEWS
DEATHS
CLASSNOTES Message Board
Giving Back Is About More Than Money
We can’t do it without you, that’s for sure. Every day, alumni are champions for Susquehanna University. Your love for your alma mater is demonstrated through financial gifts, career help for current students, the acts of service you perform in your own communities, and even how proudly you wear the Orange and Maroon. Susquehanna continues to thrive because of the many ways alumni support the university, and, for that, we are grateful. I asked Aileen Carlson ’06 Dreisbelbis why she shows her love for Susquehanna in so many ways. Here’s what she said: My time at SU continues to have a lasting impact on my life. From long-lasting friendships, a love of learning, catalysts for career growth, and even meeting my husband here, it’s a place that helped shape my identity in a myriad of ways. And in turn, I give back in a variety of ways—participating in Break Through, participating on the Alumni Board, and making regular financial gifts—to spread the legacy of SU and add value to the experience that current SU students have as they form their own identity and look to their future. This year, we want to spotlight champions like Aileen, because the work they do is so important. Champions for Growth are alumni who give back in five ways:
“Anyone can participate, and we’d love to have you as one of our champions.” —Becky Bramer ‘92 Deitrick
1 Pledge their service hours 2 Recommend a future student 3 Make an annual gift 4 Send in their business cards 5 Upload a photo of their Orange and Maroon spirit We’d love to have you as one of our champions. If you’ve already done one or more of these things this year, you’re already on your way to becoming a champion. Those who contribute in all five ways will be listed in a future Susquehanna publications and on the website, and will be invited to a VIP event especially for them. And heck, we’ll even throw in a T-shirt.
S i n c e r e ly, Becky Bramer ’92 Deitrick Assistant Vice President of Alumni, Parent and Donor Engagement
Homecoming–Reunion Weekend Sept. 9–11, 2016 Let’s make it another September to remember! Celebrating reunions for the classes of 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006 and 2011.
Family Weekend Oct. 28–30, 2016
Spend the witching hours of Halloween weekend with your students at Susquehanna!
34 · Susquehanna Currents · fa l l 2 0 15
Calling All Alumni!
Be a Champion for Growth! It’s easier—and less time-consuming —than you might think. Simply • Pledge the volunteer hours you already do in your community to SU SERVE. • Tell us about a high school student who may be a good fit for Susquehanna. • Share your business card with us. • Send in a photo of how you show your Orange and Maroon pride. • Make a gift of any size to the university.
Learn more at www.susqu.edu/champions and become a Susquehanna Champion today! These alumni have already joined the ranks: KELLY BUGDEN ’02
JANET WYLLIE ’86 LAMBERT
BECKI CAMPANARO ’03
MEGAN DRESSER ’02 LEBRETON
RENEE DECOSKEY ’05
CHRIS MARKLE ’84
BECKY BRAMER ’92 DEITRICK
PAT MCELROY ’07
MEGAN WILL ’09 FLOWER
MARY MUOLO ’03
MICHAEL ’80 AND LAURA HINES ’82 KLING
KYLE ROBERTSON ’11 JESSICA WEISS ’08
New to giving? Not sure where to direct your gift? Try supporting some of our students’ most immediate needs. There’s nothing like being involved in a professional experience off campus to keep students engaged as active learners. By supporting one of our short-term crowdfunding opportunities, you’ll help us prepare students for success after Susquehanna. LEARN MORE AT WWW.SUSQU.EDU/GIFT-OF-EXPERIENCE.
fa l l 2 015 · Susquehanna Currents · 35
CLASSNOTES
1950
1971
Margaret “Meg” Fisher ’71 was recognized with the
Church in Wilmington, Del. She also maintains a studio
Gone, Just Gone. The book theme features 13 baffling
prestigious title of 2015 Childhood Immunization
of approximately 20 piano students, teaching
disappearances. The first story is about Ray Gricar, the
Champion for New Jersey. She is the chair of pediatrics
in “traditional” and “Suzuki” methodologies. She is
missing district attorney from Centre County, Pa.
and medical director of the Unterberg Children’s
also a collaborative pianist for approximately 20
The book is co-authored by his son, a philosophy
Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center in
vocal music education and performance students
professor at Stanford University.
New Jersey.
at the University of Delaware.
1965
1976
1981
Harry Bobonich ’50 published his seventh book, titled
Richard Karschner ’65, see 2014.
1966
Patricia Laubach ’66 Hallman, see 2014.
1967
Donna Ake ’67 Burkholder had her second retirement on May 17. In June 2009 she retired from teaching middle school music after working in the public schools for more than 30 years. Her second and more recent retirement was from St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Lancaster, Pa., where she served as director of music for 27 years and as a church organist for 54 years. She resides in Ephrata, Pa.
1970
The Rev. Dr. William Stickley ’70, who served 39 years in the ordained ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, was granted pastor emeritus status by Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church in Linglestown, Pa., a parish he served for 26 years.
36 · Susquehanna Currents · fa l l 2 0 15
Jack Rader Jr. ’76 was elected as a Pennsylvania state representative for the 176th District of Monroe County in November 2014.
Newark, Del., and Lydia works as an organist and director of the handbell choir at Limestone Presbyterian
In June, Susan McLaughlin ’81 Van Dongen-Grigsby had a memoir included in the anthology Voices From the Outer Banks, released by Winston-Salem, N.C., publisher John
1978
F. Blair. The travel story tells Susan’s tale of going on a
Donna Di Ianni ’78, managing director–wealth
Camp on the Outer Banks near Davis, N.C. Van Dongen-
management, senior financial advisor and portfolio
Grigsby is an arts, features and entertainment writer for a
manager of Merrill Lynch’s Di Ianni & Associates in
variety of publications in the Princeton, N.J., area.
Aspen, Colo., was named to the 2015 Financial Times
1983
“Top 400 Financial Advisors” list published in March, and recognized by REP. magazine in its annual “Top 50 Wirehouse Women in 2015” list.
“romantic” vacation to the venerable Alger Willis Fishing
Mark Dieffenbach ’83 was recognized by NAMA (the National Automatic Merchandising Association) as
1979
the association’s 2015 Industry Person of the Year. He
Richard Pohl ’79 was one of 30 volunteers from across
Las Vegas on April 22. Mark is the director of specialty
the country to participate in a weeklong mission trip in
channels for The Hershey Company.
Managua, Nicaragua. The program was in coordination
1984
with Joyce Meyer Ministries’“Hand of Hope” outreach. During the trip, the group served 2,050 patients.
was presented with his award at their trade show in
Eric Ulsh ’84 works for the Pennsylvania Department of
1980
Human Services as a welfare executive. He was recently
Lydia Oliver ’80 married Gregory Bak, Sept. 9, 2012,
department’s Office of Medical Assistance Programs,
on Ruth Glacier in Denali Park, Alaska. They live in
headquartered in Harrisburg. He currently manages
promoted to the position of Welfare Executive 1 in the
the Special Needs Unit in the Bureau of Managed Care Operations. He has been an employee of the
1992
department for the past 30 years. Eric and his wife,
Robert Knupp ’92, professor of music at Mississippi
Susan K. Ulsh P’07 P’09, live in Port Trevorton, Pa.
College in Clinton, spent the summer touring
1985
Ted K. Reese ’85 has served as director of development for the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra since 2011. He is responsible for all philanthropic, corporate and foundation fundraising. Prior to that,
In August, the New England Regional Alumni Chapter set sail on the Amazing Grace for their Third
Germany. He performed recitals in locales such as
Annual Newport Cruise. It is one of the chapter’s most
Leipzig, Freiburg, Forchheim and Bad Salzungen. He
the sites of Newport, R.I., including the Rose Island
leads an active organ studio of eight at Mississippi College, where he has taught since 2001.
1993
celebrated events of the year. Susquehanna alumni saw Lighthouse, the America’s Cup yachts, the mansions and much more. Later everyone reconnected on the beautiful Newport waterfront at The Landing restaurant where they toasted Susquehanna University and summer.
he was the director of gift planning for WITF. A native
Justin “Tug” Binstead ’93 has been named director of
of Harrisburg, Pa., Ted is a former licensed funeral
emergency medicine at St. Luke’s University Hospital,
director and was the owner of a third-generation
Bethlehem (Pa.) campus.
student-alumni networking events. From the Big
David Kopitsky ’93 received the Skotedis Family
spent the afternoon in small groups visiting alumni
Award for Excellence in the Teaching of Economics.
the alumni, met with their colleagues, participated in
family business. He is the past president of the Central Pennsylvania Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the Lions Club of Harrisburg, and the former chair of Harrisburg’s Historic Architectural Review Board. He is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Rotary Club of Harrisburg, and is president of the Susquehanna Valley Planned Giving Council. Ted is also the co-founder of the community street band “No
He was honored at EconomicsPennsylvania’s Susquehanna Valley Adam Smith Distinguished Leadership Award Luncheon. He teaches economics and social studies and is chair of the social studies department at Shamokin (Pa.) Area High School. He
regional alumni chapters hosted and sponsored Apple to the nation’s capital, Susquehanna students at their places of employment. They had lunch with information sessions and company tours, and received invaluable advice, support and guidance regarding jobs and internships. The groups then reunited for evening networking receptions with members of the regional alumni chapters in each city. Thank you to all of the regional chapter alumni for making these events such a success!
is also head coach of the girls’ track and field team and an assistant coach for the football team.
Last Call.”
1986
This fall, the New York City and Washington, D.C.,
1997
The Central Pennsylvania Regional Alumni Chapter combined SU friends, good food, good wine and great music for their 4th Annual Lawn Concert at Nissley Vineyards & Winery this summer. Music
Michelle Kokolis ’97 works for the Metropolitan
that night was performed by Uptown Band, which
Andrew Gekoskie ’86 was a featured artist on
Washington Council of Governments as the Anacostia
has played Homecoming concerts at Susquehanna.
MusicalAmerica.com. He is the conductor and
executive watershed manager.
restaurant Isabella’s. Alumni joined together under
director of music for the Orchestra X Project in Northern Virginia, a professional orchestra specializing in new music and presenting classical music in new and innovative ways. Gekoskie has nearly 40 years of experience as a performing pianist and 28 years conducting ensembles in top venues throughout the United States and Europe. He made
Heather Parent ’97 was appointed deputy
Food was provided by our alumni and the Selinsgrove the stars for an evening of music with their fellow Susquehannans, and it was the perfect summer night!
commissioner of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection in February. She has worked for the department since 2011, first as policy director and then as acting deputy commissioner beginning in May 2014.
his conducting debut at Carnegie Hall in 2003.
fa l l 2 015 · Susquehanna Currents · 37
CLASSNOTES
Rory Marino ’06 married Demetrios Kyriakides Oct. 5, 2014, at the Inn at Longshore in Westport, Conn.
Lauren Lachocki ’11 married Ryan Redfern ’11, July 3.
Kelly Doerr ’04 married James DiGirolamo, Oct. 4, 2014, at Plainfield Country Club in Edison, N.J.
Kahla E. Woodling ’12 married Raymond J. DeSmit ’12, Sept. 27, 2014, in Penns Creek, Pa.
38 · Susquehanna Currents · fa l l 2 0 15
(Pictured left to right) Deb Stettler ’02 Shaffer, Elizabeth Glaum-Lathbury ’03, Kate Andrews ’03 Weller and their families had a mini-reunion at Susquehanna recently.
Paul Rushton ’97 was named to the 2015 Pennsylvania Rising Stars list. He is employed with the law firm of Rosenn, Jenkins & Greenwald in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
2002
prestigious honor with 26 other influential change
makeup for the entire production of An American in Paris
makers in Pittsburgh.
Born to Jacqueline Sgroi ‘97, a daughter, Colbie
herself as one of Broadway’s most sought-after hair
Elizabeth, April 1.
and makeup supervisors. She has also worked on
Nicole Payne ’99 was promoted to director of controls, performance marketing and data products at American Express.
2000
Aaron ’00 and Melanie Noto ’02 Brock were featured in the business section of the Missoulian. The newspaper sought to identify and feature 20 entrepreneurs and community leaders in Missoula County, Mont., under the age of 40. Aaron is the executive director of the Missoula Food Bank, and Melanie is the owner of Brock Consulting, a fund development and public affairs firm.
productions of Sister Act, Mary Poppins, The Bridges of Madison County, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the
Tony Awards.
in Whitehouse Station, N.J.
Nathan P. Synder ’02, see 2014. Lindsay Vose ’02 was inducted into Beta Gamma
Born to Chris ’03 and Meagan Gold ’03 Cassell, a
Sigma, the international honor society for business
daughter, Anna Elizabeth, May 22.
excellence, at Bentley University. She received her master’s degree in business administration from Bentley in May, graduating with high distinction
Alison Dillon ’04 was named director of Pennsylvania
management. Vose is the operations manager for
College of Technology’s National Sustainable Structures
Liberty Mutual Reinsurance in Boston.
Center, a groundbreaking force in the field of building science and energy-efficiency training. She supervises the team and leads their work with their clients
Born to Megan Levine ’02 and Jeff Lukens, a daughter, Alexandra Grace, on June 22.
daughter, Julia Josephine, March 9, 2014. Their first child, Madison Claire, was born Feb. 12, 2010.
2004
and dual concentrations in law and taxation and
a son, Henry, July 7, 2014.
Born to Jocelin Johnson ’01 and Raymond Damien, a
Mellon University.
analytics supervisor at Chubb & Son, Personal Insurance
Schools as a third grade teacher at G.W.
2001
in the Department of Biological Sciences at Carnegie
also lent her talent to Saturday Night Live and the
Born to Sara Adams ’02 and husband Morgan Lewis,
daughter, Kaetlyn Elizabeth, June 19, 2014.
Assistant Department Head for Undergraduate Affairs
Amber Wagaman ’03 was promoted to business
teaching in 2015. She works for Salem City (Va.) Public
Born to Darren and Melissa Ruozzi ’00 Scartissi, a
Becki Bert ’03 Campanaro accepted a position as
Night-Time and The Drowsy Chaperone. She has
Stacy Weston ’00 Johnson marks her seventh year of
Carver Elementary School.
course for future female leaders, Shannon shares this
Ashley Leitzel ’02 Reichenbach is in charge of hair and at the Palace Theater on Broadway. She has established
1999
business acumen and dedication to helping chart the
2003
Shannon Baker ’03, a partner and executive vice president of public relations and social media at Gatesman+Dave, was recently honored by
and partners.
Born to Joseph and Adriana Sassano ’04 DiNenno, a daughter, Sadie Antoinette, March 18.
2005
Born to Erica Lopatofsky ’05 and John Kryst, a son, John William, Oct. 19, 2014.
the Pittsburgh Business Times with the 2015 BusinessWomen First Award. Acknowledged for her
fa l l 2 015 · Susquehanna Currents · 39
Help Us Choose a
NEW NICKNAME AND MASCOT! ALL SUSQUEHANNA ALUMNI, STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE AS WE SELECT A NEW NICKNAME AND MASCOT FOR THE UNIVERSITY. Following the Board of Trustees’ decision in October to retire the “Crusaders,” President L. Jay Lemons appointed a special committee representing a cross section of our community (see roster below). In the coming months, the committee, chaired by Vice President for University Relations Ron Cohen, will be soliciting broad input from as many stakeholders as possible. The committee will identify two to three names to be presented to the board when the Trustees meet in February. Please look for electronic communications and updates as the selection process unfolds.
JOINING COHEN ON THE COMMITTEE ARE: Brad Brown Assistant Director of Alumni, Parent and Donor Engagement Manager of the Orange and Maroon Club Angela Burrows Chief Communications Officer Zachary Clinchy ’18 Student Government Association Keith Costello ’73 P ’00 P’04 Retired General Manager, Hershey Foods Corp. Immediate Past President, Susquehanna Alumni Association Board of Directors Tyrone Croom ’97 CEO of CroART Sports, Falmouth, Mass. Aminata “Mimi” Diallo ’19 Student Government Association Tom Dodd ’92 Principal, Lesher Middle School, Fort Collins, Colo.
40 · Susquehanna Currents · fa l l 2 0 15
Jerry Habegger Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Accounting
Karyn Kern ’01 Pinter Former Director of Student Athlete Services, Kean University, N.J.
Kate Hastings Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Communications
Courtney Purnell ’18 Student Leader and Varsity Athlete
Scott Heller ’82 Attorney, Rosenberg, Jacobs & Heller, Morris Plains, N.J. David Imhoof Associate Professor of History Faculty Athletics Representative
Madeleine Rhyneer Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing Pam Samuelson Director of Athletics
Emily Leboffe ’17 Student Leader and Varsity Athlete
Will Starace ’90 Executive Vice President and CFO, MWW PR, New York City President of Susquehanna’s Football Alumni Association
Jamie Malachowski ’09 Business Analyst Auditor, DENTSPLY International, York, Pa.
Caitlin Thistle ’09 Technical Advisor, USAID, Washington, D.C. Member of SU’s Alumni Board
James Norman ’18 Student Government Association
John “CJ” Williams ’17 Student Leader and Varsity Athlete
Brent Papson ’05 Assistant Dean of Leadership, Engagement and Programming
2006
Vicky Burgos ’06 married Christopher DeMicco ’06, Sept. 13, 2014, in Lincoln Park, N.J.
Born to Catherine Rutherford ’06 and Christopher Conetta, a son, Kelley, March 28.
Born to Jonathan ’08 and Caitlin Clouser ’10 Bubb, a daughter, Piper Ella, Aug. 2.
2009
Rachel Weir ’09 Ulsh received her Master of Music in She is a middle school music teacher at Susquenita
August Monroe, Feb. 14.
School District in Perry County, Pa. She and her
Steinmetz, a daughter, Ava Marie, April 2.
2007
husband, Alex Ulsh ’07, and their children, Nova and Owen, live in Port Trevorton, Pa.
2010
Bobby Fry ’07 was featured in Fortune magazine
Born to Brittany Hix ’10 and Kyle Mountz, a son,
for the successful business model instituted at his
Jase Michael, July 8.
eatery, Bar Marco, in Pittsburgh. Earlier this year, the restaurant garnered national headlines when it announced it would completely eradicate tipping as
2011
of April 1. Instead, every employee receives a base
Jaime Price ’11 married Nick Corridoni ’11, May 9,
salary of at least $35,000, plus bonuses based on
at Lake Hauto in Nesquehoning, Pa.
profits, health care from date of hire, 500 shares in the business and paid vacation.
2008
Christmas Candlelight Service
DEC. 8, 2015
music education at Kent State University in August.
Born to Vanya Foote ’06 and Dave Smith, a son,
Born to Amelia Davies ’06 and Douglas ’06
UPCOMING EVENTS
2012
Following graduation from SU, Matt Anzalone ’12
Break Through
FEB. 4–6, 2016 Prospective Families/Alumni/ Student/Parent Networking Events In Maine and Baltimore
MARCH 1–7, 2016 SU SERVE Campus Day of Service
APRIL 9, 2016 Homecoming–Reunion Weekend
SEPT. 9–11, 2016 Family Weekend
OCT. 28–30, 2016
went on to Monmouth University, where he
The Athletic Communications Office at SUNY
earned a master’s degree and dual certification
New Paltz, led by Brian Savard ’08, was recently
in secondary education social studies and special
recognized with an American Volleyball Coaches
education in May 2014. By June 2014, he had been
Association NCAA Division III Grant Burger Media
hired by Mount Saint Mary Academy in Watchung,
Award. Joining Brian in the office is a former
N.J., as a social studies teacher and lacrosse coach.
Susquehanna staffer, Ryan Novitsky.
He inherited a lacrosse program that was 3-14 in
Alicia Kalb ’08 Simpson, see 2014.
the prior year. Last spring, in his first year as varsity coach, Matt led the team to a 13-3 record, its first division championship, the program’s
Laura Donahoe ’08 married U.S. Rep.
first county tournament win, and its first state
David Jolly on July 3.
tournament win.
Stay connected to Susquehanna University by joining a regional alumni chapter today. Chapters are volunteer-based organizations that build ties between alumni, students, parents and the university through professional networking, social networking, events and mentoring. Regional alumni chapters help keep alive those connections that made you part of the Susquehanna family in the first place. For more regional chapter information, please visit www.susqu.edu/alumni today!
Be a Social Butterfly! Join us on these social media channels to get the latest alumni news and event information:
Jordan Baker ’12 received her Juris Doctor with a concentration in finance and development from SUNY Buffalo Law School. Thomas Carter ’12 was awarded an internship in London with the US-UK Fulbright Commission. He’ll be advising students in the United Kingdom on studying in the United States. Kristina Lang ’12 received her Master of Science degree from Shenandoah Conservatory in
SusquehannaUAlumni
Winchester, Va., in May 2014. She is a patron services representative with Ticket Philadelphia, the official ticketing outlet for Longwood Gardens and the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Center City.
2013
Julie Brown ’13 earned a master’s degree in library science from the University of Maryland in May. She is the adult programming librarian at the Ocean City Free Public Library in New Jersey. Julie Eyer ’13 earned a master’s degree from Emerson College on May 18.
2014 On Feb. 22, several Susquehanna alumni participated in the inaugural “Celebration of Bands” at Souderton (Pa.) High School with the Merion Concert Band, the Montgomery County Concert Band, and the Quakertown Band. In attendance were band directors Nathan P.
SUAlumniOffice Nicole Heim ’12 married Kyle Krieger on July 13, in Sunbury, Pa.
Synder ’02 for Merion and Richard Karschner ’65 for Quakertown. Performers from the various bands included Patricia Laubach ’66 Hallman, Ashley Smith ’04, Alicia Kalb ’08 Simpson and Mindy Danowski ’14.
sualumnioffice
WEB EXTRA: See more alumni photos and read more about the milestone event in their lives on SU Bridge, www.sualum.com.
PLEASE SEND YOUR ALUMNI NEWS AND CLASS UPDATES TO THE OFFICE OF ALUMNI RELATIONS: SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY 514 University Ave. • Selinsgrove, PA 17870-1025 • Fax: 570-372-2777 • Email: swartzj@susqu.edu
OR SUBMIT YOUR NOTES ON OUR ONLINE ALUMNI COMMUNITY, SU BRIDGE, AT WWW.SUALUM.COM. Material received on campus by Dec. 31 will be included in the spring issue.
Susquehanna Currents reserves the right to edit class notes for space and clarity, and to select the alumnisubmitted photos that appear in each issue. Preference will be given to print-quality photos of weddings and other gatherings that include the most alumni. Photos not printed in the magazine can be found on SU Bridge, www.sualum.com. The orange arrow, found at the end of a class note or photo caption, indicates that there is “Web Extra” material for that entry. Thank you for staying in touch!
42 · Susquehanna Currents · fa l l 2 0 15
CLASSNOTES
Ian Hutchison ’10 married Meishan Pan, July 25.
Jeffrey Martin ’75 and his wife, Maxine Kantz ’75 Martin (right), at the unveiling of his portrait of Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett in Harrisburg in January.
Three couples, all SU grads, went to a New York Rangers game in January. Pictured left to right are: Jeff ’86 and Dee Weiss ’89 Bulick; Patrice Kloss ’90 and Kyle ’89 McKay; and Steve ’88 and Merri Cook ’87 Kennedy.
Jennifer Abrahamson ‘01 married Chris King, April 26, at The Rosewood in Edison, N.J.
fa l l 2 015 · Susquehanna Currents · 43
A L U M N I AWA R D S
m e e t o u r 2 0 1 5 awa r d w i n n e r s
each year, Susquehanna University honors alumni of distinction at an awards banquet held during Homecoming– Reunion Weekend, a tradition that dates back to 1956. University President L. Jay Lemons and Becky Bramer ’92 Deitrick, assistant vice president of alumni, parent and donor engagement, represent the school during the dinner and ceremony, while the alumni association president presents the awards. Comments, accomplishments and career highlights are listed here for each 2015 award winner.
1. ACHIEVEMENT
2. LEADERSHIP
RICK DORMAN ’75
PETER ARDUINI ’86
• Master’s degree in student personnel services and a doctorate in higher education administration from Penn State University
• Master’s degree in business administration from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management
•B ecame president of Westminster College, New Wilmington, Pa., in 2008
• President, CEO and director of Integra LifeScience, a $2.5 billion worldwide leader in regenerative tissue and medical technology products in Plainsboro, N.J.
•F ormer associate executive director for alumni relations for the Penn State Alumni Association •P reviously headed up development for the Health Sciences Center at the University of Louisville • S erved as vice president for institutional advancement at Ohio’s Otterbein University for 12 years
Read their complete profiles at
• Formerly worked in sales and marketing for Procter & Gamble • Spent 15 years managing General Electric Healthcare’s domestic and global imaging businesses • Headed Baxter Healthcare’s $4.8 billion global medication delivery division
www.susqu.edu/currents. “ My education at Susquehanna helped develop both the objective and subjective aspects of working with others in a concerted fashion—a key skill, I found, in serving in the academic presidency.”
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“ Pretty much everything we do [at Integra] is life-saving or life-sustaining. It’s a privilege to make products that have such a positive impact on the lives of millions of patients around the world.”
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3. SERVICE
4. SERVICE TO SUSQUEHANNA
MICHAEL KLING ’80
JEFF MORGAN ’82
• Volunteer firefighter since the age of 22
• Immediate past president of the Susquehanna University Alumni Association’s executive board
• Received three awards for valor in the 1980s after rescuing two people from a burning house and resuscitating one of them
•A member of the alumni board for 14 years
• Searched for 9/11 survivors at the World Trade Center
•C EO of the Club Managers Association of America
• Responds to about 300 fire calls a year with Highland Mills Fire Co., located near West Point, N.Y.
•F ormer CEO and president of the National Investor Relations Institute
• Awarded the National Fire Protection Association’s “Learn Not to Burn” Champion Award for organizing a fire safety program that annually reaches several thousand school children
“ A lot of people don’t want to run into burning buildings, they want to run out; so there’s a need that I can fulfill.”
•P articipates in the nonprofit panel discussion typically included in Break Through, the student-alumni networking conference held on campus each February
“ Gift giving is obviously important, but I think the ways that alumni can and should get involved in Susquehanna is much broader. We’ve started alumni chapters throughout the Northeast, and we’ve created more pathways for alumni to engage with students. Greater alumni engagement is healthier for
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5. OUTSTANDING RECENT ALUMNA
CASSANDRA SMOLCIC ’06 • Master of Fine Arts from Savannah College of Art and Design • Five years at Pixar Animation Studios • Designed graphics for blockbuster movies such as Toy Story 3, Cars 2, Brave, Monsters University and Finding Dory • Moved to another San Francisco– area design giant, Turner Duckworth, last year • Has created designs for such clients as Google, Visa, Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson and Oreo
“ Visual communications are incredibly powerful because of the emotional connections they elicit. My designs invariably have some larger social, cultural or political impact and have the power to change the way people interpret the world around them— which is a notion that keeps me both humbled and inspired every day.”
the university and it’s better for the students, so it creates a much stronger value proposition.”
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DE AT H S Bill Batdorf ’80, Arlington, Va., April 17. Bill established his accounting firm, William Batdorf & Company, in February 1988. His Washington, D.C., firm provided auditing, accounting, tax, financial planning and management advisory services to his clients. Bill was a dedicated father who devoted many hours to assisting with his daughter’s love of sports, co-coaching (or meddling with) a number of basketball and softball teams. He was a loyal friend and established friendships with people of all ages, backgrounds and interests. He was passionate about his work with Sam Relief, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing education and educational resources to the impoverished children of Cambodia. In 2009, the William
Batdorf School in the Siem Reap Province was dedicated to him to honor his fundraising efforts. Bill was also recognized in 2011 for his work with the National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing (POW/ MIA) in Southeast Asia. Donald Berninger ’52, Muncy, Pa., April 24. He received his master’s degree in school administration and superintendent’s certificate from Penn State University. He served for four years with the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. He was a graduate of the United States Naval School of Music. He was trumpeter with the Naval Presidential Guard at Arlington National Cemetery for all naval burials during the Korean War. He served in
IN MEMORIAM
John B. Apple 1928–2015 John Apple, longtime friend of Susquehanna University and an emeritus member of the Board of Trustees, died April 20 at Nottingham Village, Northumberland.
He was born Dec. 6, 1928, in Sunbury, and graduated from Sunbury High School in 1946. After graduating from Gettysburg College in 1950, John served his country during the Korean War, as a corporal in the U.S. Army. For more than 50 years, John was among the most generous and visible community leaders in the Susquehanna Valley and served as a living example of a true gentleman who prized
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Argentia, Newfoundland, and with the 5th District Naval Band in Charleston, S.C. While in Charleston, he played with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra. He was employed by the Muncy School District as the principal of Myers Elementary School for 24 years, retiring in 1985. Robert Bitting ’51, Harrisburg, Pa., Feb. 14. He was employed by Holland America Cruise Lines for 20 years as a district sales manager in New York City. Robert’s last profession, which he dearly loved, was teaching generations of Harrisburg youth music, working for several schools within the Harrisburg School District. Robert proudly served his country in World War II, 5th Army Division in Italy. He was assigned to
the communications portion of headquarters, helping to establish communication as his unit traveled through Italy. He was part of a quartet that competed in, and won, the 5th Army Quartet competition in Florence, Italy, in 1945. Dale Bringman ’48, Gettysburg, Pa., May 16, 2014. He served as a member of Susquehanna’s board and received an honorary doctorate from the university. Bringman was a graduate of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg. He served in the Army Air Corps as a Morse code operator in the South Pacific during World War II. He served as pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Harrisburg (1951– 1956); Grace Lutheran Church in State College, (1956–1979);
family, country and community. He, along with his brother, James, who survives, grew Butter-Krust Baking Co., cofounded by their grandfather Benjamin Apple, into a company employing more than 900 people in seven states. As Butter-Krust’s vice president, John served on the boards of numerous organizations, including the Pennsylvania Bakers Association, Sunbury Community Hospital, the Greater Susquehanna Valley YMCA, the Sunbury Salvation Army and the Degenstein Foundation, to name only a few. He was the recipient of many awards recognizing his years of community service, including the Sunbury Citizen of the Year Award, the Adam Smith Distinguished Leadership Award from Economics Pennsylvania and the Distinguished Citizen of the Year Award from the Boy Scouts of America. The Apple family’s association with Susquehanna University spans the better part of the 20th and 21st centuries and includes the matriculation of several family members. Benjamin Apple, John’s grandfather, served on Susquehanna’s Board of Directors from 1930 to 1945. John’s sister Joan Apple Zimmerman and
and St. Peter’s by the Sea Lutheran Church in San Diego, Calif., (1980–1994). He is survived by daughters Carol Bringman ’73 Luce and Christine Bringman ’83 Darr. Mary Moyer ’45 Bringman, Gettysburg, Pa., Feb. 7, 2015. She taught mathematics and science in Milton, Pa., from 1945 until 1948. She completed graduate studies at Bucknell University, and worked as a caseworker for the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare in Gettysburg from 1948 until 1950. She also was a library technician at Penn State University, and later at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, Calif., from 1980 until her retirement in 1993. She is survived by daughters Carol Bringman ’73 Luce and Christine Bringman ’83 Darr. Taylor Holloway-Brown ’15, Easton, Pa., May 19. She died after falling from a moving train
traveling through Bethlehem, Pa. She was a 2011 graduate of Freedom High School, where she was a member of the Theatre Company, choir and honor society. She graduated from Susquehanna in May with a B.A. in English and a minor in publishing and editing. While at Susquehanna, Taylor was on the dean’s list, was the managing editorial assistant for one of Susquehanna’s literary journals, and a member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority. She had been accepted into Columbia University’s summer publishing program, the best in the country. Theodore Clark ’50, Lancaster, Pa., March 17. He retired after 35 years with the Brandywine School District in Wilmington, Del. He was an active member of Chester Bethel United Methodist Church in Wilmington and an elder at the First Presbyterian Church in Strasburg. One of his great joys was music, and he sang in various
brother-in-law Harold Zimmerman graduated in the classes of 1948 and 1949, respectively. His niece Jamie Apple is a member of the Class of 1985, and his niece Sherri Uehling and her husband, John, are both from the Class of 1982. In addition, John’s grandniece, Ashley Uehling, is a member of the Class of 2015, and his grandson, Matthew Apple, is a current student who expects to graduate in 2017. Another dear sister, the late Jane Conrad Apple, served on Susquehanna’s Board of Directors. The Apples’ belief in the power of a Susquehanna University education is also evidenced by the spaces on campus that bear the family name—the Jane Conrad Apple Room for Rare Books, the Apple Community Room, the Benjamin Apple Meeting Rooms in the campus center, and Apple Alley. John’s legacy lives on through his generosity and service to Susquehanna and its students. He and his late wife of 56 years, Elizabeth (Betty), were tireless champions of Susquehanna, and the entire Apple family has generously supported a number of initiatives ranging from scholarships to lectures to building spaces. We are also grateful for the fundraising
church choirs for more than 60 years. He is survived by his wife, Betsy Hill ’49 Clark. Maria Culp ’96, Watsontown, Pa., Aug. 4. She began employment as a billing clerk for S & L Services, Milton, and after more than 20 years of service became the controller and vice president of the company. In October 2006, Maria joined the Central PA Chamber of Commerce, serving as the president and chief executive officer until leaving in July 2013. She then served as general manager for the York Adams Transportation Authority, Elysburg. Sarah Lindwall ’00 Dalzell, Meredith, N.H., April 25. Sarah was kind and compassionate, loving and faithful, and she will be dearly missed by all who loved her. She was a graduate of East Longmeadow High School; Susquehanna University, where
she earned a degree in sociology; the University of Connecticut’s School of Social Work, where she earned her MSW; and Plymouth State University, where she earned her New Hampshire guidance certification. Sarah loved her job as the guidance counselor at Russell School in Rumney, N.H. She had previously provided counseling services for the schools in Rumney, Wentworth and Holderness, as well as the PSU counseling center, and for Genesis in Laconia, N.H. Before moving to New Hampshire, Sarah worked at The Children’s Home in Cromwell, Conn., and for Liberty Resources in Philadelphia, Pa. She spent some of the happiest times of her life at Camp Calumet on Lake Ossipee in Freedom, N.H., including family camping as a kid, eight years in resident camp, and adult directing the Hartford and the Brockton Day Camps,
leadership they provided as members of the university’s Susquehanna Valley Regional Campaign Committee, the Susquehanna Leadership Development Committee and the Business and Industry Campaign. Additionally, John freely gave of his time and wisdom as a Sigmund Weis School of Business Partner and on Susquehanna University’s Board of Directors, first as a Lutheran synod representative from 1969 to 1978 and later as a member from 1997 until 2007, when he was granted trustee emeritus status. In 2006, John and Betty established a scholarship fund that benefits talented and deserving students from Northumberland and Snyder counties, particularly those residing in Sunbury, Pa., home of Butter-Krust Baking Co. Countless lives have been changed through John’s generosity at Susquehanna University and the greater Susquehanna Valley. He was a gentle soul who will be missed by many. We extend our sincere sympathies to the Apple family upon the loss of this remarkable man.
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IN MEMORIAM Richard J. Masom 1923–2014 Richard J. Masom, associate professor emeritus of business administration at Susquehanna University, died March 15 in Baltimore, where he resided with his wife, Dorothy. They were married for 47 years. Richard was born Sept. 26, 1923, in Lyndhurst, N.J. He served in the Merchant Marines and was a Marine engineer during World War II. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Rutgers University in mechanical engineering and two master’s degrees from Fairleigh Dickinson University. H e was a successful businessman in New Jersey and Michigan for many years before coming to Susquehanna University. He was president of Suburban Alloy Metal Corp., Rockaway, N.J., marketing and sales manager of the Vinco Corp., in Detroit, and senior project engineer and later assistant to the general manager for a division of the Bendex Corp. in Teterboro, N.J. While at Bendex, Richard held four patents on production devices and patented a safety harness backpack used by astronauts on their first trip to the moon. He authored the book Harry’s Letters: Case Material for the Study of a Personality and was a tennis instructor. He was also a licensed securities and real estate broker, and business consultant. Richard taught at Susquehanna from 1975 to 1993, as did Dorothy, a lecturer in art who is well-known for her encaustic paintings. We are grateful to Richard for his dedication to teaching and the valuable business experience that he brought to students in the classroom over an 18-year career here. Our sincere sympathy goes to Dorothy and her daughter, Susan Walters; and Richard’s children, Jeffrey Masom, Laura Norton, Diana Skerritt, Rick Masom, Stephen Masom and Andrea Masom; and 18 grandchildren.
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and camping with lifelong friends in the summer and throughout the year. Sarah met her husband, Dave, at Calumet when they both worked on staff, and they were married on Jan. 6, 2001. Sarah was a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Laconia, N.H., where Dave serves as pastor. Vincent DeMaio ’12, Port Jefferson Station, N.Y., May 15. Eric Doney ’75, Pen Argyl, Pa., April 17. Eric began classical studies in first grade and gave his first public performance at the age of 7. In junior high school, he began performing professionally at the many Pocono jazz clubs with local legends such as Al Cohn, Bill Goodwin and Steve Gilmore. Doney’s first tour was with vocalist Jon Hendricks, with whom he recorded the Grammynominated album, Love. After moving to New York, Doney joined the David Johansen band on a two-year tour, opening for such groups as The Who, Blondie, Duran Duran, the Clash and REO Speedwagon. In 1983, Eric moved to Paris and toured with vocalist Kim Parker. Hired as a conductor for Connie Stevens, he relocated to Santa Monica, Calif. He became musical director and pianist for Bob Hope’s television shows. In 1984 he performed at the opening ceremony of the Los Angeles Olympics, played with Les Brown’s Band of Renown, and was musical director for Englebert Humperdinck, touring more than 40 countries. In 1993, Eric returned to the Poconos and formed Pacific Street Records, producing 20 recordings for the label, with such local jazz greats as Phil Woods, Bob Dorough, John Coates Jr. and Scott Jarrett. Eric continued as a solo artist for the next decade, writing and producing numerous records, and teaching and touring internationally as an accompanist. His latest work was his collaboration with the record label
Minsi Ridge Records as a featured artist, mentor and creative consultant. In 2008, he received the prestigious Fred Waring Award from the Delaware Water Celebration of the Arts. Helen Eby ’47 Doss, York, Pa., March 2. Helen taught school in Rolla, Mo., and retired to Bullard, Texas. She spent 25 years enjoying Emerald Bay and travelling prior to moving to Athens, Ga., in 2007. Janet Snyder ’59 Fasnacht, Lewisberry, Pa., May 9. She earned two master’s degrees from Penn State, retired from Mechanicsburg Navy Base, and was a teacher at Trinity High School. She is survived by her sister, Suzanne Snyder ’56 Roof. Cynthia Beck ’71 Gass, Sunbury, Pa., Aug. 18. She was employed by the Shikellamy School District for 34 years and retired in 2005 as head of the high school English department. Norma Frank ’44 Gross, Allentown, Pa., May 14. She was a music supervisor in the East Penn and Parkland school districts for five years until 1949. She was a private music teacher for 25 years, teaching piano, voice and organ until retiring in 1983. Gwen Henneforth ’68 Fitch, Voorhees, N.J., March 13. She loved skiing and golfing, and was a member of the 18th Holers at Riverton Country Club. Nathan Kale Jr. ’62, Baltimore, June 17. He attended Gettysburg Theological Seminary and was ordained in 1963 as a Lutheran minister, serving his first parish at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Arcadia and Christ Church in Trenton. He retired from the ministry in 1986 and went on to become the associate registrar at the University of Baltimore, where he stayed until his retirement in 2008. He also worked at Garrison Forest Veterans Cemetery in Owings Mills, Md., for 20 years, doing various jobs.
IN MEMORIAM William C. “Bill” Davenport ’53 1927–2015 It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of William C. “Bill” Davenport ’53, an emeritus member of Susquehanna University’s Board of Trustees. Bill died at his Palmyra, Pa., home on May 14, 2015. He was born Feb. 14, 1927, in Charlottesville, Va., to Dr. Samuel M. Davenport and Harriet Olive (Mensch) Davenport. Bill graduated from Kingston High School in 1945 and immediately enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps to serve in World War II. Following his service, he attended Bucknell University for a year before coming to Susquehanna, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics in 1953. While a student, he was elected to “Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities.” His student activities included serving on the tennis team and the Lanthorn yearbook staff, and membership in Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. Moreover, Susquehanna is where he met his wife of 61 years, Margaret “Peggy” Henderson ’54 Davenport, who survives along with three children, three grandchildren, a sister and two nieces. Bill spent his life working in the insurance industry, first as an executive for Aetna Life and Casualty in Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, Pa., then as owner of George Hoopy Insurance Agency in Lemoyne, Pa. He owned the agency from 1974 until his retirement in 1997. He also conducted insurance seminars, and worked with the Pennsylvania Legislature on various types of insurance matters. He and Peggy raised their family in Camp Hill, Pa. Later in life, they moved to Durham, N.C., for a number of years. They traveled extensively, both domestically and abroad. Bill’s favorite destinations were the former Soviet Union, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Finland and Panama. Bill and Peggy have also maintained an abiding commitment to their alma mater, and Susquehanna has been the grateful beneficiary of their service and philanthropic support. Bill’s leadership, as president of the Alumni Association and a member of Susquehanna’s Board of Trustees, helped shape the university’s trajectory into the 21st century. His impact on the Susquehanna community continues in perpetuity thanks to the foresight of Peggy and his children. In 1992, they established an endowed scholarship, the William C. Davenport ’53 Scholarship Fund, in recognition of Bill’s 65th birthday and in honor of his dedication and loyalty to Susquehanna. The scholarship provides support to qualified students studying in the Sigmund Weis School of Business who demonstrate financial need. Our heartfelt sympathy goes out to Peggy and the entire Davenport family, as does our deep appreciation for Bill’s many contributions to Susquehanna University.
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George Kindon ’63, Hanover, Pa., Aug.18. He taught at the South Western School District for more than 27 years until his retirement in 1997. He is survived by his wife, Jane Kump ’63 Kindon, and brother Robert Kindon ’72. Mary Appler ’39 Moon, March 3, 2014. Mary was a high school and college English teacher. She served her country as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy and worked as a communications officer during WWII. Mary was devoted to her family. She had a lifelong interest in reading and travel. Colleen Nord ’09, Basking Ridge, N.J., July 7. She was employed by Summit Neurology in Westfield. John Shannon ’54, Albuquerque, N.M., May 1. An avid tennis player,
John won several tournaments in the Southwest during the 1970s and 1980s, and his interest in tennis continued to the end of his life. From an early age, he was drawn to the study of Europe, especially the language and culture of France. He became proficient in reading and speaking both French and Spanish. After he retired from a career as a marketing manager for Mountain Bell Telephone, he and his wife, Jeanne, traveled to France and other countries in Europe to experience their languages and cultures firsthand. Among his other strong interests was the study of deep ancestry, the tracing of one’s roots back to the dawn of human existence through DNA testing. In recent years he enjoyed taking classes offered by Osher Lifelong Learning Institute of the University of New Mexico.
IN MEMORIAM Elizabeth D. Wiley 1925–2014 Elizabeth Wiley, professor of English emerita at Susquehanna University, died March 18 at the Manor at Penn Village, Selinsgrove. She was born Sept. 13, 1925, in Philadelphia and graduated from the Philadelphia High School for Girls in 1943. Elizabeth began her professional career as a nurse, graduating with an RN from Lankenau Hospital School of Nursing in 1946. She then continued her studies at the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in education in 1950. The following year, Elizabeth traveled to Zorzor in the Republic of Liberia, West Africa, to serve as a missionary nurse, working with Esther Bacon, a nurse famous in Liberian history for her campaign to improve medical conditions in that country. When ill health brought Elizabeth back to the United States, she took a job in public relations at Passavant Hospital in Pittsburgh, and then began graduate studies at the University of Pittsburgh, where she earned both an a Master of Arts and a doctorate degree in English literature.
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Harry Stetser ’50, April 2, Reading, Pa. Harry enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1943, and served aboard the USS Bache and the USS Pine Island, earning six Battle Stars for action in the Pacific. Harry was discharged as a Fire Controlman Second Class in 1946, and went on to graduate from the Philadelphia Lutheran Seminary in 1953. Allan Young ’84, York, Pa., Aug. 26. He served in the U.S. Army for three years, based in Amberg, Germany. Upon his return to the United States, he settled in York, where he began a successful career teaching history and English, and coaching golf and swimming for the Eastern York School District. P. Philip Zimmerman ’61, Aaronsburg, Pa., June 30. He graduated from Gettysburg
Lutheran Seminary in 1964. He was pastor of the Follmer Lutheran Parish, serving both Follmer Lutheran Church in Milton and St. John’s Lutheran Church in Potts Grove for 37 years before his retirement in 2001. He had served on the Parish Life Committee and the executive board of the Central Pennsylvania Synod; the Stewardship Committee and the Mutual Ministry Committee of the Upper Susquehanna Synod; and on the board of directors of the Buffalo Valley Lutheran Village and the Milton Red Cross; and the board of directors that founded SUN Home Health. He was also a 4-H leader. He is survived by his wife, Jocelyn Swope ’61 Zimmerman, sons Andrew ’86, David ’85 and Mark ’91, and grandson David C. ’14.
Elizabeth taught English at Susquehanna University from 1962 until 1987. Prior to accepting a position in the English department, she taught at West Virginia Institute of Technology, Montgomery, W.V. Following her retirement from Susquehanna University, Elizabeth taught for a semester in Brazil. In addition to articles she published in professional journals, Elizabeth compiled Concordance to the Poetry of Edgar Allan Poe, which was published in 1989 by Associated University Presses. Elizabeth’s passion for service continued, even after her return from the mission field. A member of Sharon Lutheran Church, Selinsgrove, she was active on a variety of church committees both locally and on the synod level, including the Liberia Companion Synod Committee, which allowed her to continue a connection with Liberia and world missions. Elizabeth was also an active member of WELCA and its precursor organizations, and, while her health allowed, she helped to deliver Meals on Wheels locally. Elizabeth also possessed a passion for music and played the violin and the French horn. Prior to her illness, she was a patroness of the Sigma Alpha Iota music sorority and was active in the local alumni chapter. She also played her French horn in Selinsgrove Adult Band concerts. C ountless lives have been made better by Elizabeth’s lifelong service to others—as a missionary nurse, university professor, church leader and musician. We extend sincere sympathies to her great-nephew, Edward DeWarf, and other family members upon the loss of this remarkable individual.
JOIN US FOR A JOLLY GOOD TIME
reliving—or at least reminiscing about—your study semester in London! The Sigmund Weis School of Business is hosting a London Alumni Tour in the spring and you’re invited.
WHEN: April 23–May 1 COST: $3,250 (includes lodging and select meals; airfare excluded) DEPOSIT: $500 with balance due Dec. 31 THE TOUR INCLUDES • Four-star accommodations in the heart of London. • Two days at a stately manor house and spa in the English countryside. • Tours of Oxford, Shakespeare’s birthplace, Stonehenge, Salisbury Cathedral and Bath. • And plenty of time for exploring, shopping and visiting your “old haunts.”
LEARN MORE AT WWW.SUSQU.EDU/ LONDONTOUR.
NI M U L A S S E N I S ! D N BU U O -B N O D N ARE LO
End Notes
Susquehanna’s Impact Downstream
B y J e n n i f e r Wo l n y ’ 9 6 S h u r t l e f f a n d To d d E g e r t o n ’ 0 1 We started our science careers studying Pennsylvania lakes and streams that feed into the Susquehanna River with Professor of Biology Jack Holt. Little did we know that our work on diatoms (single-cell phytoplankton often used to assess a body of water’s health) in the freshwaters of central Pennsylvania would lead us to monitoring the health of the nation’s largest and most productive estuary. After earning our biology degrees from Susquehanna, we both continued to study algae during graduate school at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va. Today we comprise the phytoplankton monitoring team for the Chesapeake Bay Monitoring Program, a federal initiative that has been monitoring water quality, phytoplankton, zooplankton and fisheries health throughout the Chesapeake Bay Watershed for more than 40 years.
Jennifer Wolny ’96 Shurtleff Maryland Department of Natural Resources
More than 50 percent of the freshwater entering the bay is delivered by the Susquehanna River, making the health of the Susquehanna vital to the health of the Chesapeake. The river drains 27,500 square miles, including half the land in Pennsylvania, via its northern and western branches and hundreds of tributaries, and empties into the Chesapeake at Havre de Grace, Md. As of 2009, 36 percent of all the nitrogen and 25 percent of all the phosphorus entering the bay were coming from the Susquehanna, which accumulates these nutrients mostly from residential fertilizers and agricultural lands in its drainage basin. In abundance, nitrogen and phosphorus lead to a decline in water quality because these nutrients stimulate phytoplankton, or algae blooms. Prolonged algae blooms deplete the oxygen levels in the water and block the sunlight needed by submerged aquatic plants. Low oxygen levels, the destruction of aquatic plant habitats, and the possibility of toxins being produced by algal blooms negatively impact fish and other living resources in the bay. Over the past 20 years, there has been a marked increase in harmful algal blooms in the Chesapeake, and it’s on this problem that we do most of our collaborative research. We work together to characterize the taxonomy and toxicity of harmful algal species in an effort to help create biotoxin contingency plan guidelines and predictive models for monitoring. In 2015, there were a number of extraordinary algal blooms in Maryland and Virginia. Building off of the electron microscopy skills we initially learned from Professor Holt, we identified several toxic algae species of Dinophysis, in the region. Dinophysis produces
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Todd Egerton ’01, Old Dominion University
A harmful bioluminescent algal bloom causes the blue glow in the Elizabeth River, a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay.
“ O ver the past 20 years, there has been a marked increase in harmful algal blooms in the Chesapeake, and it’s on this problem that we do most of our collaborative research.” toxins harmful to humans who consume the fish and shellfish exposed to them. Similarly, we are studying the impact of a large bloom of the bioluminescent and toxin-producing algae Alexandrium monilatum in the southern bay and Virginia Beach oceanfront. These deadly, but beautiful, organisms thrive on high nutrient levels. Research that focuses on methods to reduce nutrient input upstream, including the Susquehanna River and its tributaries, is crucial to implementing management practices that will aid in the reduction of harmful algal blooms throughout the estuary. The work being done through the new Freshwater Research Initiative at Susquehanna will provide critical data for understanding where impacted waters are upstream of the Chesapeake Bay and how those nutrient loads are impacting the overall watershed. Even more importantly, we hope the newest generation of students involved with the Freshwater Research Initiative finds the same passion for aquatic sciences that we did at Susquehanna, and that they turn that passion into careers that help contribute to conservation and restoration efforts in their own communities.
Dinophysis
Jennifer Wolny Shurtleff leads phytoplankton research for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and Todd Egerton is an adjunct biology professor and directs the Phytoplankton Analysis Lab at Old Dominion University.
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NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY 514 University Ave. Selinsgrove, PA 17870-1164