Allegheny Magazine Fall 2023

ALLEGHENY

FA L L 2023

VOL. 41 • NO. 2

THE ALLEGHENY COLLEGE PATHWAY Charting our vibrant future for Allegheny College

PATHWAY TO POLITICS

A PLACE WHERE YOU BELONG

Scene on Campus photo Richard Sayer

Gators celebrating landmark reunions returned to campus in June to reconnect with the college and each other. Alumni always enjoy seeing what’s new on Campus, including two new fire pits for the campus community to enjoy. Class of 1998 alumni held a gathering during Reunion Weekend at one of the new spaces, located next to Murray Hall.

FA L L 2 0 2 3 | Vo l . 4 1 , N o . 2 | a l l e g h e n y. e d u /m a g a z i n e

4 The Allegheny College Pathway

At the Board of Trustees retreat in February 2023, the Board endorsed a Strategic Pathway that will allow us to chart a vibrant future for Allegheny College.

CHAIR, BOARD OF TRUSTEES Steven D. Levinsky ’78 PRESIDENT Ronald B. Cole ’87, Ph.D. VICE PRESIDENT FOR ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT Ellen V. Johnson VICE PRESIDENT FOR INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT Matthew P. Stinson

12 Pathway to Politics

A number of well-prepared Allegheny College alumni and a former president, are working in significant posts across state politics in service of nearly 13 million Pennsylvanians.

20 Allegheny College: A place where you belong

Alumni can play a significant role in shaping the Allegheny experience for the next generation.

22 Athletics

Athletic highlights from trophies to Allegheny College firsts.

ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR/ LEAD MAGAZINE DESIGNER Brian Martone CONTRIBUTORS Penny Drexel Erica Erwin ’02 Phil Foxman ’90 Katheryn Frazier Heather Grubbs Travis Larner Melissa Mencotti Sara Pineo Bernadette Wilson PHOTOGRAPHY Mike Belleme Erynn Daubenmire Dani Fresh Robert Hayes Eric Lee Derek Li Ed Mailliard Maxx McNall Bill Owen ’74 Jennifer Rignani Richard Sayer Trent Wellott

28 On the Hill

Celebrations, news and updates on the campus.

32 Class Notes

News and events from alumni.

ON THE COVER

44 Discovering Your Sense of Self

What use is a bunch of knowledge if there is no real person behind it?

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President Ronald B. Cole honored 363 graduates during Commencement held May 13, 2023, on Bicentennial Plaza.

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Allegheny (ISSN 0279-6724) is issued twice a year by Allegheny College, 520 North Main Street, Meadville, PA 16335 for the alumni, parents and friends of the College. Opinions and comments expressed herein are not necessarily those of the College. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Allegheny, Allegheny College, 520 North Main Street, Meadville, PA, 16335. Copyright 2023 Allegheny College.

A Community of Purpose

by President Ronald B. Cole ’87, Ph.D.

Dear Alumni and Friends,

Ensuring a Vibrant and Inclusive

example, on pages 12–19, you’ll find six

Experience for All, Partnering and

fellow alumni and a former president

The last few months have been full of

Serving the Community, and Financial

all serving the Commonwealth of

celebration, reflection, and planning for

Stability and Operational Excellence.

Pennsylvania. They each reflect on their

a vibrant future of our beloved Allegheny

Allegheny experience and how it shapes

College. It is truly a great time to be

the work they do today. I was struck by

a Gator.

In October, we held a community celebration that included the Presidential Inauguration. This occasion provided me the opportunity to reflect on the decades I have been part of the Allegheny community and how special it is to be part of a community that has purpose.

We see and demonstrate purpose in

…Allegheny is at the forefront of showing, in a world that’s being transformed at such a rapid rate, just how a liberal arts education will serve society with relevance and purpose for generations to come.

Larry Hailsham Jr.'s '15 description, “If you go to Allegheny, you come out with a unique understanding of your role in the world that we live in. … That's the crux of an Allegheny education.”

I leave you with an excerpt from my inauguration remarks as we move boldly into a bright and exciting future for Allegheny College.

“I find hope in the purpose of Allegheny

many ways at Allegheny — faculty who

students today and in our shared

inspire intellectual curiosity, staff who

purpose of offering transformative

build confidence, students who engage

education to this and future generations

deeply in the Meadville community.

as we join together to meet and solve

As alumni and friends of the College,

You will also read about our process

those grand challenges. The pathway

each of you has a story of turning your

to define core institutional values

for Allegheny is bright as we honor our

passions into purpose through the

of Excellence, Innovation, Inclusion,

history and those Alleghenians who

support and encouragement of your

Community, and Sustainability. These

have forged a proud legacy across more

fellow Alleghenians.

values have been part of the Allegheny

than two centuries while we move boldly

experience for a long time and will be

into the future. Our boldness will show

In this issue you’ll learn about the

fundamental to all we do at the College

in our wisdom to embrace new ideas, our

Pathway for Allegheny College. Our

in the future. They will not just be

courage to implement change, and our

strategic pathway is grounded in the

words, but ideals that celebrate our

discipline to stay the course… I stand

traditions and values of the liberal arts,

shared experience, and we are excited

here today to affirm that my purpose

diversifies the education we will deliver,

to publicly declare them for all to know

of commitment to Allegheny College

and broadens the types of students we

what it means to be a member of the

is deep and unwavering. Allegheny is

serve. There are five overarching goals

Allegheny community.

at the forefront of showing, in a world that’s being transformed at such a rapid

for our pathway, each with a core focus: Excellent Student Outcomes via Relevant

Allegheny alumni are living these values

rate, just how a liberal arts education will

Programs, Reaching a Broader Student

every day in their lives and careers,

serve society with relevance and purpose

Audience via Innovative Delivery,

including work in public service. For

for generations to come.”

3

photos Ed Mailliard, Bill Owen ’74

"IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING, ANY ROAD WILL GET YOU THERE." Lewis Carroll

Allegheny College was founded in 1815 to provide access to transformative education in Meadville. Since then, the College has become a national leader in academic excellence with strong outcomes delivered by outstanding faculty and staff who excel as teachers and mentors. At the Board of Trustees retreat in February 2023, the Board endorsed a conceptual pathway for the College that will allow us to chart a vibrant future for Allegheny as we affirm our commitment to the liberal arts and continue evolving to meet the needs of students today and into the future.

5

STATE AND REGIONAL(PUBLIC SCHOOL DATA): HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES BY STATE Projected percentage change in the number of public high school graduates, by state: School years 2012–13 and 2028–29 5% or more lower in 2028–29 Less than 5% lower in 2028–29 Less than 5% higher in 2028–29 5% or more higher in 2028–29 NOTE: Includes graduates of regular day school programs. Excludes graduates of other programs, when separately reported, and recipients of high school equivalency certificates. Calculations are based on unrounded numbers. Mean absolute percentage errors of public high school graduates by state and region can be found in table A-14, appendix A. SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), “State Dropout and Completion Data File,” 2012–13; and State Public High School Graduates Projection Model, 1980–81 through 2028–29.

A BOLD FUTURE We are at a critical moment in the College’s trajectory. Institutions like Allegheny are facing increased pressures to maintain their financial stability. Institutions with limited endowments have an overdependence on tuition revenue while combating a national decline in enrollments of students attending college directly after high school. Changing student demographics, increased competition from other institutions, rising tuition costs, and concerns about the perceived value of a liberal arts education have compounded the challenges for small liberal arts colleges.

The demographic declines are most prominent in the Northeast and Midwest, also the location for most small, private, primarily residential liberal arts colleges.

No one is interested in the College simply surviving another 200 years. We are building a pathway to ensure we thrive. Our overall financial strength makes us the envy of most of our peers, particularly

in western Pennsylvania, northeast Ohio, and western New York.

However, we cannot continue to over-rely on our healthy endowment returns to sustain day-to-day operations. We must stabilize and grow our enrollment while diversifying other revenue streams – not doing so jeopardizes a thriving and vibrant future. The internal and external factors affecting Allegheny should be viewed as opportunities to be innovative and bold in our work.

President Cole has repeatedly reminded the community that the plan for a path forward must be bold. We are designing a future for Allegheny College to thrive by having the wisdom to embrace new ideas, the courage to implement change, and the discipline to stay the course as we assess, evaluate, and continually improve our outcomes. Our future will build on our strengths and values as we show relevance for an Allegheny education with strong student outcomes into the 21st century.

STRATEGIC PATHWAY PLANNING PROCESS The College embarked on a strategic planning process with an ambitious timeline that would be inclusive of all of Allegheny’s constituents, leading to a review and unanimous approval at the October 2023 Board meeting. While this planning work was being undertaken, progress did not slow down on critical initiatives that are moving the college forward today and will provide a foundation for future innovation.

The Hill Group, a consulting firm based in Pittsburgh with extensive experience and success guiding and implementing strategic planning in higher education and industry, facilitated the strategic process. Jordan Pallitto ’06 and Sara Longo ’11 were two members of The Hill Group team that guided the College through a cross-functional process to establish priorities for what Allegheny will accomplish in the future and 6

ALLEGHENY Fall 2023

to make conscious choices on what we will do and will not do. They channeled the collaborative efforts through a progression of questions.

What COULD we do?

What SHOULD we do?

What CAN we do?

And ultimately, What WILL we do?

President Cole kicked off the process in March of 2023. The Hill Group provided an extensive market analysis of primary and secondary research with qualitative and quantitative data. Students, faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and leaders within the Meadville community provided feedback through discovery meetings. Our alumni and parents were particularly

engaged in this process, responding to a call for participation in surveys in May, with over 1,730 responses.

President Cole’s request for campus community volunteers to serve on strategic planning committees was met with overwhelming enthusiasm.

A strategic planning steering committee was convened, and three working groups were formed and focused their strategy development on • People (Student and Employee Experience) • Programs (Curricular and Cocurricular) • Places (Campus and Meadville)

The three working groups provided a wealth of ideas to distill and build our five goals. Goals one and two build and enhance what we already do; goals three and four build new things for Allegheny; goal five is essential to most effectively achieve the other goals. Underpinning each goal is a set of strategies that will be achieved by executing operational tactics.

Strategy groups are currently meeting to finalize the strategies, tactics, and measurable objectives.

STRATEGIC PLANNING TIMELINE

NOV. 2022–MAR. 2023

• Steering Committee

• Market research and benchmarking report

• Individual interviews (20)

• Review of past Allegheny plans and research reports

APRIL 2023–JUNE 2023 Discovery meetings • President’s Cabinet • Faculty Council

• Executive Committee and Board of Trustees Feedback Surveys • General campus community – 80+ responses

Outcomes reports shared with campus for public comment. Executive Committee of the Board reviews outcomes reports.

SEPT. 2023–OCT. 2023

• Parents – 130+ responses

Report and plan finalized by the Hill Group using input from public comment and review phases. Final review of market research by Art & Science Group.

APRIL 2023–AUG. 2023

• Faculty, staff, and student focus groups

• Cabinet meetings to refine strategies and tactics (June and July)

• Alumni and Parent Councils

AUG. 2023–SEPT. 2023

• Alumni – 1,600+ responses

• Staff and Administrative Advisory Councils • Next Level Leadership Cohort

• Steering Committee meetings (April, July, and August)

• Working Group Retreats (June)

OCT. 2023–NOV. 2023 Final plan presented to Board for approval and shared with campus community.

OUTCOMES OF OUR STRATEGIC PATHWAY WILL ADDRESS THESE AREAS Strengthen Market Position

Achieve Financial Stability

Enhance Quality of Life

Recruitment, retention, and outcome goals rooted in our educational mission

Diversified and stable revenue

An inclusive culture where students and employees are valued and invested in our mission

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STRATEGIC PATHWAY GOALS GOAL 1 ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND OUTCOMES Every Allegheny student will gain high-quality knowledge, skills, and abilities rooted in the liberal arts that prepare them for meaningful lives and purposeful careers in an interconnected world.

Strategies will include strengthening existing and creating new academic programs, building career advising into academic programs, enhancing experiential learning opportunities, amplifying our interdisciplinary philosophy, and engaging alumni to advance student outcomes.

GOAL 2 ENSURE A VIBRANT AND INCLUSIVE CULTURAL EXPERIENCE A vibrant experience and inclusive culture will be hallmarks of Allegheny for students, faculty, and staff.

Strategies will include enhancing athletic, arts, and recreational experiences, a focus on community building and school spirit, and attracting and retaining a diverse workforce.

GOAL 3 REACH A BROADER STUDENT AUDIENCE VIA INNOVATIVE DELIVERY Allegheny will deliver educational content in new and innovative ways to reach a broader audience locally and globally.

Strategies will include building upon our undergraduate program strengths to launch graduate and non-degree programs to meet employer needs, increase access to select programs through best-in-class online experiences, and develop partnerships with other institutions to expand student opportunities.

GOAL 4 SERVING THE COMMUNITY Allegheny will be a part of and serve the greater Meadville region.

Strategies will include establishing a Community Partnership Hub that provides scaffolded engagement between the College and Meadville, capacity building for workforce and economic development, and expanding relationships with Meadville and its diverse communities in ways that lead to community vitality.

GOAL 5 FINANCIAL STABILITY AND OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE Allegheny will be operationally excellent and financially sustainable to thrive in the future.

Strategies will include elevating the profile and distinctive brand position, growing enrollment through recruitment and retention through an inclusive excellence framework, expanding non-enrollment revenue, improving work processes for efficiencies, and ensuring all business practices are student-centered.

ALLEGHENY COLLEGE VALUES One of the outcomes of our pathway work was developing institutional values. Many institutions have core values that both guide decision-making at the college and are a declaration of shared ideals. The values reflect themes that consistently came up throughout the process and are grounded in our history while being forward-looking.

These values are core to Allegheny and will be fundamental to all we do at the College. They will not just be words but ideals that celebrate our shared experience and shape our approach to being in community.

EXCELLENCE We believe in the pursuit of excellence in all that we do and commit to exceeding the expectations of all members of our academic community.

INNOVATION We believe that creativity is the source of positive change and commit to empowering those who embrace a mindset for intellectual and personal growth.

INCLUSION We believe that diverse perspectives enrich learning, and we commit to promoting the free and respectful exchange of ideas in a setting that fosters responsibility and accountability.

COMMUNITY We believe in the power of community and commit to nurturing lifelong relationships among students, alumni, faculty, and staff.

SUSTAINABILITY We believe in a sustainable world for future generations and commit to this by stewarding environmental, economic, and social drivers.

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strategic planning committees STEERING COMMITTEE

Curt Cramer, Trustee

Ian Binnington, Dean for the Student Experience

Natasha Eckart, Director of Financial Aid

Peter Bradley, Assoc. Provost for Institutional Effectiveness, Strategic Planning, and Assessment

Graham Kralic ’25 Afua Osei, Trustee

PROGRAMS (CURRICULAR & CO-CURRICULAR) Angela Haddad, Provost and Dean of the Faculty (Co-Chair) Heather Moore Roberson, Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Co-Chair

Nicole Recio Bremer ’25, Allegheny Student Government President

Barbara Shaw, Faculty – Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Director of INTDS

Angela Haddad, Provost and Dean of the Faculty

Ramsay Smith ’23

Brian Collingwood, Executive Director of Career Education

Rachel Weir, Faculty – Mathematics and Director of Faculty Development

Sarah DiNardo, Senior Assistant Director of Admissions

Lance Zingale, Trustee

Bea Foley ’24

Alexis Hart, Chair of Faculty Council; Professor of English and Director of Writing Ellen Johnson, VP of Enrollment Management Heather Moore Roberson, Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Sara Pineo, Senior Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Engagement Bill Ross, Director of Athletics Julie Skattum, Vice Chair, Board of Trustees Matt Stinson, VP for Institutional Advancement Linda Wetsell, CFO and VP of Finance and Administration

PLACES (CAMPUS & GREATER MEADVILLE AREA) Matt Stinson, VP for Institutional Advancement (Co-Chair) Linda Wetsell, CFO and VP of Finance and Administration (Co-Chair)

Doug Luman, Faculty – Computer Science Mark Maruszewski, Trustee

Mark Campbell, Trustee Becky Dawson, Faculty – Global Health Studies & Biology

Kelly Pearce, Faculty – Environmental Science and Sustainability

Kurt Hatcher, Sustainability Coordinator

Tom Sadvary, Trustee

Sarah Hoplock ’25

Ishita Sinha Roy, Faculty – Communication, Film, and Theatre

Jeffrey Jones, Facilities Maintenance Supervisor, Physical Plant Allison Mattis, Office Manager, Maytum Center for Student Success

Ian Binnington, Dean for Student Experience (Co-Chair)

Michael Mehler, Faculty and Chair – Communication, Film, and Theatre

Ellen Johnson, VP of Enrollment Management (Co-Chair)

Erin O’Day Frye, Dean for Student Success

Bill Ross, Athletic Director (Co-Chair)

Byron Rich, Faculty and Chair – Art and Director of ALIC

Gretchen Beck, Associate Dean of Students for Community Standards and Wellness

Wendy Kedzierski, Project Director, Creek Connections

Jonathon May, Third- and Fourth-Year Class Dean, Maytum Center for Student Success

PEOPLE (STUDENT & EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE)

Benjamin Bargar, Academic Department Coordinator

Sam Ault ’26

Lisa Nicole Smith, Director of IDEAS Center Ellen Yount, Trustee

CONSULTANTS TO THE WORKING GROUPS Kelly Boulton, Director of Sustainability Peter Bradley, Assoc. Provost for Institutional Effectiveness, Strategic Planning, and Assessment

Marko Sadikovic, Director of Operations for Student Life

Jennifer Dearden, Associate Provost

Lydia Wagner ’26

Penny Drexel, Executive Director of Marketing and Communications

Carli Belosh, Associate Director for Donor Relations

Andy Walker, Executive Director, Economic, Civic, and Community Engagement

Molly Smith, ITS Programmer/Analyst & Database Administrator

Matt Betush, Faculty – Chemistry

Nancy Yovetich, Trustee

Trae Yeckley, Dean for Student Life

Leslie Briseno ’25

Doug Ziegler, Trustee

Kate Costanzo, Assistant Director of Athletics and Recreation

Aria Zong ’25

10 ALLEGHENY Fall 2023

T H E PAT H WAY F O R ALLEGHENY IS BRIGHT because of our community’s shared commitment to honoring our over 200year history and moving boldly into the future. Our boldness will show in our wisdom to embrace new ideas, our courage to implement change, and our discipline to stay the course as we assess, evaluate, and continually improve. Allegheny College always has and will continue to stay true to our founding mission of providing access to a transformative education.

As a community of excellence, we will evolve and innovate to meet the needs of today and tomorrow. Our commitments to inclusion and sustainability ensure we will thrive for another 200 years. These values guide us today as we continue to fulfill our purpose of changing lives with transformative education.

P A T H W A Y

T O

POLITICS

by Erica Erwin ’02 photos Mike Belleme, Dani Fresh, Eric Lee

In painting a picture of Pennsylvania’s future, Gov. Josh Shapiro pointed to past progress.

“In every chapter of this Pennsylvania story, we got better,” Shapiro, the Democratic 48th leader of the Commonwealth, said in his January inauguration speech. “We got stronger.

We got more tolerant. Our story is one of progress and prosperity, and today we come together under the banner of this new administration to write our next chapter with a keen understanding of our history and the voices that will guide our future.”

Several of those voices are Allegheny College alumni (and a former president), working hand-in-hand with Shapiro in service of the goals and promises he articulated on the campaign trail – goals and promises that affect nearly 13 million Pennsylvanians, from major urban centers to small farming villages, in ways large and small. Here, we share insights about why Alleghenians are well prepared for these types of roles, along with their pathways to these significant posts.

Morgan Boyd didn’t wait until graduation to start a journey that has taken him to his current job. While juggling a full course load at Allegheny, Boyd successfully campaigned for seats on the borough council in his hometown, New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, and on the Lawrence County (PA) Board of Commissioners.

MORGAN BOYD ’20 Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Department of Community & Economic Development

“I want to provide value to Pennsylvania, not only in my home county, but all across the state, so this is very fulfilling to me,” said Boyd, who majored in economics with a minor in philosophy. “I get to work on everything from downtown initiatives to blight remediation to analyzing our Pennsylvania economic development toolkit, and what we need to add to the toolkit to be more competitive regionally, nationally, internationally.”

An Allegheny education gave him the confidence to know he would succeed anywhere, Boyd said.

“I found college to be more about learning how to learn than about learning a specific disciplinary area,” he said. “While I’m certainly able to have a conversation about economics and perform differential economic analysis, because of my liberal arts education, I’m able to go into different communities to get projects off the ground and work across diverse interdisciplinary teams.”

Asked about the number of Alleghenians helping to shape the state, Boyd said Shapiro has been very intentional about hiring people with “diverse backgrounds and thought processes.”

“When we’re looking at structuring economic development programs, we’re not just talking about dollars and cents.

We’re also talking about ‘What’s the impact on the transit in neighboring communities and housing opportunities in those communities?’ ‘What’s going to be the impact on poverty in that community?’” he said.

“Having the education and ability to look thoroughly at complex problems through different lenses, I think, is extraordinarily valued by employers in general and by the Shapiro administration.”

I found college to be more about learning how to learn than about learning a specific disciplinary area.

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MARK CAMPBELL ’82 Business Development Transition Team

There is a value to the Allegheny liberal arts tradition that helps to hatch young minds, transform young minds in ways that allow them to be leaders – thought leaders and literal leaders in politics, in government and in many other areas.

Mark Campbell, a native of Warren, Pennsylvania, and a first-generation college student, knew nothing about what to expect on a college campus in 1978.

“My interest at that point was in getting an education that would allow me to be successful,” said Campbell, who now serves as partner of the Ridge Policy Group, overseeing the lobbying efforts of clients that range from small nonprofits and institutions of higher education to large forprofit enterprises. “I didn’t know what that would look like, but Allegheny nurtured my interests. It piqued my thoughts and pushed me in directions that I probably would not have considered. It opened my eyes and ears to a much bigger world than I had known prior to Allegheny.”

Campbell ultimately majored in history after taking a full slate of interdisciplinary courses that “prepared me in ways I still don’t fully appreciate,” he said.

That interdisciplinary approach, he said, “allowed me to be an articulate, well-spoken critical thinker who I think can take on just about any professional challenge, utilizing what I learned during those four years.”

It came as no surprise to Campbell that fellow Gators were tapped to join him to serve on other transition teams.

“There is a value to the Allegheny liberal arts tradition that helps to hatch young minds, transform young minds in ways that allow them to be leaders – thought leaders and literal leaders in politics, in government and in many other areas,” Campbell said.

Larry Hailsham Jr., a political science major and communication arts minor originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, came to Allegheny as a Bonner Scholar, part of a program that merges leadership, education and service. As a Bonner Scholar, students commit to eight to 10 hours each week working with a local community organization and participating in leadership development, community building and social justice training, among other commitments.

That experience, combined with an Allegheny study away opportunity in Costa Rica, “taught me how important it is to listen, and about how critical it is to ask questions and learn from people who have different experiences than you,” Hailsham said.

“I bring all of that into my daily experience where it is very important to ensure that you actually have the various different perspectives that you need around the table.”

Hailsham served as president of Allegheny Student Government before building an impressive and deep résumé in politics, including working as special assistant to Sen. Bob Casey and as Pennsylvania political director for Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign. In his current role, Hailsham serves as second-in-command of the governor’s office and oversees several teams responsible for the execution of the governor’s day and administration of the office. Hailsham humbly describes his role as ensuring “the proper execution of the governor’s day and all of the necessary components of the day transpire as planned.”

Like other alumni in the administration, Hailsham said it’s no surprise that Gators can be found everywhere in Harrisburg, most notably in the halls of the Capitol.

If you go to Allegheny, you come out with a unique understanding of your role in the world that we live in – and it’s no coincidence that Alleghenians have really taken an interest in public service. That’s the crux of an Allegheny education.

LARRY HAILSHAM JR. ’15 Executive Deputy Chief of Staff

“If you go to Allegheny, you come out with a unique understanding of your role in the world that we live in – and it’s no coincidence that Alleghenians have really taken an interest in public service,” he said.

“That’s the crux of an Allegheny education.

Allegheny really instills a sense of civic pride and civic service.”

15

MICHELLE HENRY ’91 Attorney General

Michelle Henry knew as a high school student in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, that she wanted to go to law school and become an attorney, a path that began at Allegheny and continued at Widener University Commonwealth Law School in Harrisburg. After two decades in the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office focusing on child abuse cases and for a few years as the District Attorney, Henry was tapped by then-Attorney General Shapiro to join his Office as First Assistant Deputy Attorney General in 2017. When he became governor, Shapiro nominated Henry as his successor.

"My major was communication arts with an emphasis on public speaking, so that concentration assisted me greatly both as a prosecutor in the courtroom and now more than ever in communicating the message of the Office of Attorney General,” Henry said.

“I find myself speaking at press conferences, professional meetings, panel discussions and even testifying before the United States Senate, so I rely on that training to think critically about the message I’m delivering and how I can do it effectively. I also minored in women’s studies, and that perspective about the historical path of women in our society has helped me as a leader in the workplace. Women have a different perspective, which is really valuable when assessing a situation."

As a prosecutor and a lawyer, it is imperative that you consider all sides ... [to] be prepared for ... the courtroom. At Allegheny, I was taught to examine issues in that way, and I’ve carried that skill with me and utilize it daily.

A central tenet of the Allegheny experience – the exposure to multiple fields of study and multiple perspectives – is critical, and "has served me my entire career," Henry said.

"As a prosecutor and a lawyer, it is imperative that you consider all sides and try to anticipate all scenarios so that you can be prepared for when you ultimately get to the courtroom. At Allegheny, I was taught to examine issues in that way, and I’ve carried that skill with me and utilize it daily," she said.

The coursework and general culture on campus at Allegheny "puts an emphasis on public service, civic engagement and the idea that it is important to give back to the communities that helped shape you," Henry said.

"I’m not surprised to see Allegheny alumni serving at high levels in the Commonwealth. ... I am proud of my fellow Allegheny alums as we all work in our new capacities to serve the people of Pennsylvania."

The charge to serve on a governor’s team is not a simple one, but one that the alumni are well prepared for, said Dr. James Mullen, who served as Allegheny’s president from August 1, 2008, to June 30, 2019.

According to Mullen, Allegheny attracts students who are naturally civic-minded and who want to contribute to their communities, and then gives them the wellrounded education and the opportunities to make that happen in profound ways.

D R. JA M E S M U L L E N Higher Education Transition Team

“When you come to a place like Allegheny and service becomes part of you and part of your education, it inspires you to go out into the world,” he said. “You see a larger sense of responsibility and a larger sense of what community is and a larger sense of what it means to be a citizen. I’ve never been surprised that our students go on and serve in public life.”

Every residential liberal arts college boasts of graduates who possess a strong foundation in a certain discipline.

Allegheny’s interdisciplinary approach to education – the commitment to teaching students to view questions and subjects from multiple perspectives – is what sets the college and its alumni apart, Mullen said.

“That creates a certain kind of person who is going to go out and make a difference in the world.”

This isn’t the first time that Alleghenians have been called upon to serve in a big way.

On his way to becoming the 43rd governor of Pennsylvania, Republican Tom Ridge enlisted his brother, David Ridge ’82, to lead his first successful political campaign for Congress, representing Pennsylvania’s 21st District.

Later, as governor, Ridge relied on other Gators to fill top positions in his administration. Among them: Mark Campbell ’82, who was Ridge’s righthand man as chief of staff; Ann DiTullio ’60, who served as director of Ridge’s northwest regional office; Richard Brodie ’69, who was named secretary of aging; and Tim Reeves ’83, who managed the media as press secretary.

Read that story in the Summer 2001 issue of Allegheny magazine at go.allegheny.edu/ridge-2001

When you come to a place like Allegheny and service becomes part of you and part of your education, it inspires you to go out into the world.

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D R. A N D R E P E R RY ’93 Education and the Workforce Transition Team

Dr. Andre Perry’s path to college began on the track. Track and field coach Ralph Wright recruited Perry to Allegheny from his hometown of Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, with the promise of an excellent education and a chance to run. Perry, a psychology major, got both of those things – and found his passion in the process.

Following his first year, Perry had the opportunity through Allegheny to work as a counselor for, and later, director of, a weeklong college exposure camp offered by the Student Leadership Institute, an initiative of Pennsylvania’s Migrant Education Program.

“That camp was really the beginning of my passion for policy research,” said Perry, who later founded the College of Urban Education at Davenport University and now works as Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, a scholar-in-residence at American University and as a professor of practice of economics at Washington University. “That experience absolutely changed my life. It enabled me to connect my personal experiences to my political and academic ones.”

One of the most valuable aspects of Perry’s Allegheny experience, he said, was the exposure to different courses and to varied opportunities that helped change and shape his worldview.

We live in communities, communities that are rich in culture, economics, religions and psychology. We live in an interdisciplinary way, so we should learn in an interdisciplinary way. One of the purposes of a liberal arts education is to think critically – think critically about who you are, about the world and how we should live in it. What kind of lives do we want?

“We don’t live in academic boxes,” he said.

“We live in communities, communities that are rich in culture, economics, religions and psychology. We live in an interdisciplinary way, so we should learn in an interdisciplinary way. One of the purposes of a liberal arts education is to think critically – think critically about who you are, about the world and how we should live in it. What kind of lives do we want?”

That kind of thinking “does not know academic boundaries,” Perry said, and is one of the reasons why Allegheny voices are valued in the political/policy arena and beyond.

As Secretary of the Commonwealth, Dr. Al Schmidt oversees elections in the state and regulatory programs under the umbrella of the Department of State, including those related to businesses, charities, permits and industry certifications. His path began at Allegheny, drawn there by the small size and academic reputation.

Schmidt valued the college’s interdisciplinary approach and took a variety of classes, including political science classes, all of which helped broaden his understanding of the world. At Allegheny, he met international students and took advantage of study abroad opportunities and full-immersion programs where he could learn German. He later went on to get a Ph.D. in history from Brandeis University.

There’s no doubt in my mind that Allegheny was the right choice for me and set me on the trajectory that I was interested in going on.

Allegheny really equipped me with the tools I needed to go down that road.

“Studying history is more than just memorizing dates,” Schmidt said, referring to his major area of study. “It’s really about learning how to think and how to communicate in writing, which is by far the most useful skill set I took away from my time at Allegheny.”

A Pittsburgh native who majored in history and minored in German, Schmidt always intended to enter public service while volunteering on various political campaigns.

Later, he worked as a senior performance analyst in the Government Accountability Office and then, under the Clinton administration, as a policy analyst for the Presidential Commission on Holocaust Assets. Before being tapped by Shapiro, Schmidt served as a Philadelphia City Commissioner from 2012 to 2022. He was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal in 2023 for his role overseeing Philadelphia’s election results in the 2020 race.

It’s a lengthy résumé, but it’s easy to connect the dots between Allegheny and the Department of State, Schmidt said.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that Allegheny was the right choice for me and set me on the trajectory that I was interested in going on,” he said. “Allegheny really equipped me with the tools I needed to go down that road.”

D R. A L S C H M I DT ’93 Secretary of the Commonwealth

19

Allegheny College: A Place Where You Belong by Tim Downing ’85 President, Allegheny College Alumni Council

In the fall of 1980, at the beginning of my senior year in high school, I first visited Allegheny College with no expectations.

I was about to graduate the next spring with a class of almost 1,000 students, so even though many of my friends planned to attend large universities, my plan was to attend a small- or mediumsized college or university. When I arrived on campus, I knew almost immediately Allegheny was the place for me. From the beauty of the campus, to the warmth of the professors and students I met during my visit, I felt like I belonged.

That sense of belonging continues to this day and is among the reasons I have supported the college since I graduated by volunteering, giving money and now having the privilege of being the president of the Allegheny College Alumni Council.

You may be asking, what can I do to help?

There are many ways for you to show your care for this great place. Even if you have only a few minutes to spare, you can support Allegheny and its students by:

20 ALLEGHENY Fall 2023

1. Serving as a resource. Connecting with students is a source of great personal satisfaction. You don’t have to live close to campus to be a resource and make a connection. Join Gator2Gator – Allegheny’s online community where alumni, students, faculty and staff connect with fellow Gators to explore opportunities

and build their Allegheny network.

Every industry is represented on Gator2Gator, and nearly 500 students have had one-on-one interactions with alumni who share their same professional interests. This initiative is an effort to support Allegheny's long history of providing students with access to advice, expertise and opportunities from our alumni and helping them learn how to network.

Visit Gator2Gator.allegheny.edu to learn more.

2. Becoming an investor. I made my first gift to Allegheny in the amount of $10 the year I graduated. My investment has increased over time as I’ve grown in my capacity to give.

These gifts have helped countless students, which is the reason I continue to proudly give to the college every year.

3. Letting the world know you’re proud of your alma mater. Share everything exciting happening at Allegheny on your social media platforms. Wear your Allegheny gear when you are out and about — perhaps visit Allegheny’s new online store at alleghenyshop.com to refresh your wardrobe! Tell anyone who will listen what a great place this is!

With your support, I have no doubt that Allegheny will continue to grow stronger and provide students with the lifechanging Allegheny education they deserve.

SAVE THE DATE

REUNION WEEKEND MAY 30­–JUNE 2, 2024 5th: 2019 10th: 2014 20th Generational: 2003/2004/2005 25th: 1999 30th: 1994

For the most up-to-date information about Reunion Weekend, including overnight lodging, please go to

allegheny.edu/reunion

40th: 1984 45th Generational: 1978/1979/1980 50th: 1974 Torchbearers: Classes of 1973 & earlier Celebrating 50 years of Environmental Science and Sustainability at Allegheny College — All are welcome!

Questions?

Contact the Alumni Office (814) 332-5384 alumni@allegheny.edu

WATCH FOR REGISTRATION INFORMATION IN YOUR INBOX THIS SPRING!

“We’re preparing students now for future career paths that do not even exist yet.”

Allegheny College President Ronald B. Cole, Ph.D. Please consider investing in our students and faculty through: ∙ Stocks and bonds that have grown in value

∙ A bequest through your will

∙ A charitable gift annuity or trust

∙ A beneficiary designation for your retirement account or life insurance policy

∙ A donor-advised fund

∙ Real estate

∙ A charitable IRA rollover

Your planned gift today will help them thrive tomorrow!

CONTACT DIRECTOR OF GIFT PLANNING MELISSA MENCOTTI (814) 332-5912 mmencott@allegheny.edu Visit allegheny.giftplans.org for more information

ATHLETICS

Allegheny Earns First-Ever PAC Women’s All-Sports Trophy Allegheny’s first year back in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) was nothing short of a success. The Gators, who tied Washington & Jefferson College for the most overall conference championships with five in 2022–23, won their first-ever PAC Women's AllSports Trophy with 98.5 total points. Allegheny ended a remarkable run of success by Grove City College and Westminster College, who combined to win the past 15 awards.

It's only the fourth time since 1989 that an institution other than Grove City or Westminster earned the Women's All-Sports Trophy, which was not awarded during Allegheny's first tenure in the PAC from 1958–84. Leading the way in the standings for the Gators were four women’s championship teams: cross country, tennis, and both indoor and outdoor track and field.

(left to right) Grove City College Director of Athletics Todd Gibson, Presidents’ Athletic Conference Commissioner Joe Onderko and Allegheny College Director of Athletics and Recreation Bill Ross pose with the PAC All-Sports Trophy at the conference’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year Banquet on May 18 at The Chadwick in Wexford.

Photo: Travis Larner

Women’s LAX Celebrates 30th Anniversary Coming off one of the best seasons in program history in 2023, Allegheny women’s lacrosse is gearing up for a milestone next year when it celebrates its 30th anniversary in the spring of 2024.

After 11 years as a successful club sport on campus, the college elevated the program to varsity status prior to the 1994 season. In the three decades since, the Gators have received more than 100 allconference awards and have placed three student-athletes in the college’s Athletics Hall of Fame. Last spring, Allegheny reached a conference championship game for the third time in program history, while finishing just one win shy of the alltime record.

Sara Weber ’97 (front left) battles Gillian Giuffra (8) from Oberlin in the first-ever women’s lacrosse game in Allegheny history on March 30, 1994, at Robertson Field. Photo: Jim Stefanucci/The Meadville Tribune.

Allegheny Dedicates Upgraded Baseball Field Allegheny celebrated the dedication of its baseball field on April 21. The renovated ballpark, which was upgraded with a stateof-the-art artificial turf infield, new dugouts and bullpens, and a new scoreboard, was named in honor of Hall of Fame Class of 1980 inductee Robert M. Garbark ’32. Garbark was instrumental in bringing baseball, which was discontinued in 1915, back to Allegheny in 1947, and he spent 32 years as the team’s coach.

Garbark’s grandson, Jim, threw a ceremonial first pitch, which Garbark’s son, John, received, using one of the catcher's mitts from Robert’s time in the major leagues. Following the doubleheader sweep of Waynesburg University, the college hosted a banquet to recognize alumni, parents and other baseball supporters, whose financial contributions helped to fund the first phase of renovations at Garbark Field.

Photo: Angelo Panzetta

The hub of Allegheny’s Robertson Athletic Complex is Frank B. Fuhrer Field, home of Gator football, track and field, lacrosse and soccer. The field is named in honor of Hall of Fame member Frank B. Fuhrer Jr. ’48.

Among those celebrating at the baseball dedication banquet were members of the Fuhrer family, Kathleen (Kate) Fuhrer and Frank Fuhrer III, along with Allegheny College President Ron Cole ’87 (center).

Photo: Ed Mailliard.

Allegheny head baseball coach Brandon Crum (second from left) and Allegheny President Ron Cole ’87 (third from left) visited with some of the fundraising captains who helped to rally their fellow alumni, family and friends to support the baseball renovation project.

Pictured with Crum and Cole (left to right) are Joe Musgrove ’97, Paul Pudloski ’72, Ben Couch ’01 and Gary Session ’84. Photo: Ed Mailliard.

Robert Garbark’s grandson, Jim Garbark, shows the ball he threw from the ceremonial first pitch. Also pictured (left to right) are Robert’s great-grandsons, Theo and Jack Garbark; Allegheny President Ron Cole ’87; and Robert Garbark’s son, John Garbark.

Photo: Ed Mailliard.

A group of former Gator baseball student-athletes who played for Garbark, also called “Garby’s Gators,” attended the dedication in April. Photo: Ed Mailliard.

Allegheny College President Ron Cole ’87 (third from left) is pictured with baseball banquet attendees and leadership donors (left to right) Dale Hahn ’72, David Doney P’24 and Ben Couch ’01. Photo: Ed Mailliard.

23

Allegheny Athletics Announces Hall of Fame Class of 2023 The Allegheny College Department of Athletics and Recreation announced the inductees for the Hall of Fame Class of 2023, which includes four former student-athletes and one team.

The Hall of Fame Class of 2023 represents excellence across five decades and five varsity

sports at Allegheny. Included in this year's induction class are the 1978 men's soccer team, Robert "Bob" Bedrosian '77 (baseball), Elizabeth Blyth '13 (women's golf), Lauren Butler Ganz '12 (women's track and field) and Nancy Nelson Mates '88 (softball).

⊲ 1978 MEN'S SOCCER TEAM

Allegheny men's soccer finished the 1978 season with a 10-0-1 record, which stands more than four decades later as the only undefeated season in program history. The Gators were also the only unbeaten team across all three NCAA divisions that fall. The Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) champions, 24 ALLEGHENY Fall 2023

led by PAC MVP Dave Nelson '79 (HOF Class of 1991), placed five on the All-PAC First Team – Nelson, Bob Minkel '80, Rich Scott '79, Dirk Van Heyst '81 and Jim Jacob '82 – while Larry Charlton '79 earned All-PAC Honorable Mention accolades. Half of Allegheny's wins came in shutout fashion, as the Gators

blanked Washington & Jefferson (9-0), Oberlin (1-0), John Carroll (1-0), Case Western Reserve (2-0) and Bethany (4-0).

The Gators were coached by Tom Erdos, who guided the men's soccer program for four seasons from 1977–80.

⊲ ROBERT "BOB" BEDROSIAN '77 Robert "Bob" Bedrosian '77 was an ace on the mound for the Gators during their run to four consecutive conference championships from 1974–77. The southpaw hurler was a three-time All-PAC selection as a freshman, sophomore and junior. In his first year, he paced the staff with an 8-3 record and 44 strikeouts, as the team set a then-program record with 16 wins. The following year, he posted career-highs in wins (9), innings (81.1) and strikeouts (67), and the Gators yet again set a record for wins by going 18-6.

Four decades later, Bedrosian – brother of former Cy Young Award winner Steve Bedrosian – is tied with Jeff Mountain '00 for first with 26 career victories, is first in innings pitched (253) and ranks second in ERA (2.25).

⊲ ELIZABETH BLYTH '13 Elizabeth Blyth '13 is the first women's golf studentathlete to join Allegheny's Athletics Hall of Fame since the program was introduced in 2006. One of the

⊲ NANCY NELSON MATES '88

most decorated golfers in team history, Blyth is the only Gator to earn All-America accolades, doing so in back-to-back seasons in 2009–10 and 2010–11. A threetime All-NCAC honoree, she led Allegheny to three consecutive appearances in the NCAA Championships. As a sophomore, she carded her best finish on the national stage by placing sixth while helping the team secure its highest placement at NCAAs with a sixth-place performance.

Blyth also owns the record for the best season average in team history at 80.32.

⊲ LAUREN BUTLER GANZ '12 Lauren Butler Ganz '12 remains one of the best throwers in Allegheny track and field history 11 years after graduation. A 10-time North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) champion, Butler Ganz was crowned the NCAC Field Athlete of the Year on four occasions, including three consecutive awards during the indoor season from 2010–12.

She won the NCAC's indoor shot put and javelin championships in each of her four years with the Gators. A four-time national qualifier, Butler Ganz garnered All-America honors in the javelin on three occasions.

The NCAC recognized Butler Ganz on the 30th Anniversary All-Decade Teams in the indoor and outdoor shot put and the javelin throw.

Nancy Nelson Mates '88 was a key member of the Allegheny softball team during the program's growth into a national contender in the 1980s and '90s. The power-hitting shortstop helped the Gators win four regional titles and qualify for four consecutive Division III Women's College World Series, culminating in a runner-up finish during her senior season in 1988.

Nelson Mates was chosen to the AllRegion First Team three years in a row and was named a Second-Team All-American during her sophomore and senior years.

In the spring of 1988, she batted .397 with seven home runs, tied for sixth-most in team history, and 50 RBIs, second-most all-time by a Gator in a single season. Her 163 career RBIs remain unmatched to this day.

TO KEEP UP WITH all the GATOR SPORTS, VISIT

alleghenygators.com

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING GATOR ATHLETICS! The Golden Gator Club is dedicated to equitably supporting the 23 intercollegiate athletic programs at Allegheny College.

A Golden Gator Club donation helps to provide studentathletes and coaches with the additional resources to be competitive while enhancing their overall athletic experience.

TO JOIN OR MAKE A DONATION: Use the QR code or go to alleghenygators.com/ goldengatorclub

FINISHING STRONG Jacob Boord ’24 not only won his third consecutive conference title, but the standout javelin thrower also qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the second year in a row. Boord, who broke his own program record numerous times in 2023, finished fourth at the national championships and earned AllAmerica accolades.

Mihaela Toader ’23 not only helped the Gators win both the indoor and outdoor conference championships, but the senior sprinter also punched her ticket to the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the first time in her career.

After winning PAC titles in the 200- and 400-meter dash, Toader finished 17th in the 400-meter race at nationals.

Allegheny alumnus Ben Mourer ’07 was recognized by the Presidents’ Athletic Conference on three occasions during the 2022-23 academic year. After leading the Gators to conference championships in women’s cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field, Mourer was crowned the PAC Coach of the Year in all three sports.

Senna Perelman '23 turned in a remarkable senior season that will be long remembered in the Allegheny women's lacrosse record books. The midfielder finished second all-time in program history with 110 points and 72 goals, and helped the 14-win team reach the PAC championship game. She was one of four Gators named to the All-PAC First Team.

Carter Hassenplug ’25 proved to be the best in the conference in 2022-23. The second-year linksman was tabbed the PAC Player of the Year after winning individual medalist hours at the four-round championship tournament.

Hassenplug’s effort had the Gators in the lead as a team entering the final round, but Allegheny finished one stroke shy of the eventual champions from Washington & Jefferson College.

One of two Gators to garner a spot on the All-PAC Second Team, Elisa Gomez ’25 led the women’s golf team with a sixth-place performance during the four-round PAC Championship Tournament. It was one of a team-best four top-10 finishes in 2022-23 for the second-year standout, who helped Allegheny placed third overall in the PAC team standings.

26 ALLEGHENY Fall 2023

Just like in the fall and winter, Allegheny’s men’s and women’s spring sports teams enjoyed many successes this season. Here are some highlights. photos Erynn Daubenmire, Robert Hayes, Ed Mailliard, Maxx McNall/Wesleyan University Athletics, Trent Wellott/D3photography.com

A do-it-all outfielder from Oakland, California, Tyson Bryant-Dawson ’25 capped off his sophomore season on the All-PAC First Team.

Bryant-Dawson, who was the only Gator to start all 36 games, flexed his muscle at the plate with a team- and conference-leading eight home runs and showed off his wheels with 20 stolen bases.

The Allegheny softball team won 24 games this spring, the most in a season since 2013, and qualified for the PAC Championship Tournament.

One key to that success was the performance of Aleya Belardinelli ’25. As a pitcher, she finished 14-4 with a 1.91 and a PAC-leading 141 strikeouts, and as a hitter, the All-PAC First Teamer batted .321 with 42 total hits.

An All-PAC First Team selection, midfielder Aidan D’Amato ’24 guided the Allegheny men’s lacrosse program to a breakthrough 2023 campaign. D’Amato, who set team records for points (55), goals (31) and assists (24) in a season, helped the Gators earn their first-ever postseason berth as the fourth seed in the PAC Championship Tournament.

Allegheny men’s tennis captured its first conference championship in 42 years and earned its first-ever trip to the NCAA Championships. Leading the charge for the Gators was PAC Player of the Year, Anton Hedlund ’25, who was 20-2 as Allegheny’s top singles player. His dominating performance helped the Swedish star finish as 24th-best singles player in the Central Region.

After winning the PAC championship and securing an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships in October, Sabrina Rodriguez ’25 and the Gators made noise on the national stage in May. Allegheny won its NCAA tournament debut by sweeping Pitt-Greensburg, 5-0, and handing the Bobcats their second loss of the season.

Head tennis coach Dave Hayden finished his second season with the Gators with numerous honors. After guiding both Allegheny teams to PAC championships and their first-ever entry into the NCAA Championships, Hayden was named the PAC Coach of the Year, the Professional Tennis Registry 2023 Pennsylvania Coach of the Year and the ITA Men’s Tennis Central Region Division III Coach of the Year.

27

On the Hill

News from Campus

Allegheny Celebrates 20 Years of the CPP This year marked the Center for Political Participation (CPP)’s 20th Anniversary, and to celebrate this milestone, the department invited several distinguished

alumni back to Allegheny to give campuswide addresses and hold workshops that focused on their areas of expertise. Those who visited Allegheny were:

Stephen Kaufman ’81 Assistant U.S. Attorney, United States Attorneys' Offices

John Kelso ’66 Retired FBI Special Agent

Timothy Walmsley ’91 Judge, Superior Court Eastern Judicial Circuit

Dr. Amber Wichowsky ’00 Professor of Political Science, Marquette University

Allegheny Welcomes the Class of 2027

Allegheny welcomed students in the Class of 2027 during the academic convocation and matriculation ceremony held August 28 on the Bicentennial Plaza near historic Bentley Hall.

Allegheny President Ron Cole ’87, Ph.D., addressed the new first-year and transfer students, who represent 241 high schools, 18 universities, 29 states and 24 countries.

“You are going on a life-changing journey, as Allegheny is truly a college that changes lives,” he said. “…You are not just joining a college, but you are now part of a community. And in this community you will find your people who make you laugh and think, you will find teachers and mentors who challenge and inspire you.

You will find your place at Allegheny.”

Approximately 51% of students in the Class of 2027 hail from Pennsylvania.

Students from Ohio and New York account for 10% and 9% of the Class of 2027, respectively. Thirty percent of students in the new class are firstgeneration college students, and 27% of students in the Class of 2027 identify as students of color.

The college also welcomed 64 students as part of the Commitment to Access Program. This program provides full tuition in grants and scholarships for students in Pennsylvania whose family income is under $50,000.

Public Humanities Interns Work in Gettysburg This Summer

by Melissa Mencotti

Aaron Kosmach ’25 walked approximately 53 miles of boundaries around the Gettysburg National Military Park (GNMP) and the Eisenhower National Historic Site this summer while carrying high-tech, land-surveying equipment to inventory boundary markers, note areas in need of attention, and ultimately develop GIS maps and features for park staff use.

Kosmach was one of six Alleghenians who spent the summer working in the area through the college’s new Public Humanities major and minor internship program. The program prepares students for careers in nonprofit organizations, social activism, digital content creation, urban design, museums, archives, library science, public arts administration, historic preservation and national park services.

Joining Kosmach were Haley Fabich ’24 (Gettysburg GNMP Visitor Center), Elaina Ginsberg ’25 (Seminary Ridge Museum and Education Center), Lindsey Kutz ’25 (Gettysburg Foundation), Colm Mulligan ’24 (Gettysburg Foundation Leadership Program) and Will Toth ’26 (Eisenhower National Historic Site). Their unique experiences included: • archival research; • curating digital collections; • historical interpretation; • nonprofit administration with an emphasis on financial resource development; and • assisting with the delivery of leadership programs across and around the battlefield to diverse client groups from corporate, government and higher education arenas.

These opportunities were made possible with funding from renowned military historian and Civil War expert Dr. Carol A. Reardon ’74, who has endowed a fund to support the internships in perpetuity.

29

Commencement Ceremony Celebrates Class of 2023 and Distinguished Leaders

Allegheny honored 363 graduating students and presented honorary degrees to two distinguished leaders at Commencement ceremonies held on Bicentennial Plaza in May in the shadow of historic Bentley Hall.

Honorary doctorates of humane letters were conferred on Dr. Andre M. Perry ’93, scholar-in-residence at American

University and professor of the practice of economics at Washington University, and Kim Tillotson Fleming, former Allegheny College trustee, parent and vice chair at Baird.

underrepresented graduates. The celebration was represented by the AYA, an adinkra symbol that represents endurance, resilience and the ability to overcome.

Prior to the Commencement ceremony, the college hosted an AYA Rite of Passage Ceremony, celebrating Allegheny’s first-generation and historically

To watch a recording of Commencement, visit allegheny.edu/commencement

Allegheny Launches Four Innovative New Majors

Allegheny has added four new programs designed to expand its academic offerings in areas where there are workforce needs for innovation and talent cultivation.

The new majors and minors in Software Engineering, Data Science, Industrial 30 ALLEGHENY Fall 2023

Design and Public Humanities were implemented in fall 2023 and are part of a plan to reframe liberal arts education to prepare students for jobs of the future.

The new programs provide a depth of knowledge and expertise within the

liberal arts approach to teach analysis, communications, problem-solving and collaboration across subjects.

For more information, visit go.allegheny.edu/new-programs-2023

Gone, But Not Forgotten

GRANTS AND GIFTS

$375,000 Corporation for National and Community Service

In August, the Allegheny community said goodbye to Caflisch Hall. The decision to close the hall and begin demolition was not made lightly, as the college knows the building holds significance for past residents. The college completed the demolition in alignment with its sustainability goals, including recycling components of the buildings for future uses such as crushed brick pathways.

The college also partnered with local nonprofits throughout the process, including opening the building for fire department training.

It was wonderful to hear from Sheila Caflisch-Galloway, the greatgranddaughter of Margaret Caflisch. In 1928, Margaret provided the answer to

the college’s need for on-campus housing for first-year men with a donation in loving memory of her late husband, Jacob Caflisch. Sheila commented on the college’s Facebook post referencing the demolition: “It’s amazing to read all of these posts knowing that it was a part of my family’s legacy. It’s bittersweet but I know time moves forward and buildings need replacing. I am so happy that Caflisch Hall made such an impact and created good memories for so many.”

With input from the campus community, the space will become part of an expanded Gator Quad, and students will assist with reimagining the space for activities, recreation and other sustainable uses.

For photos, videos and news coverage of the project, visit go.allegheny.edu/caflisch-hall

Allegheny received a $375,000 grant from AmeriCorps (formerly Corporation for National and Community Service) to support the Lake Effect Leaders program, a VISTA project. A goal of the grant is to boost the capacity of nonprofit organizations in the region and to address poverty through economic development, education, healthy futures and environmental stewardship. The program also professionally equips VISTA members and serves as a pipeline for nonprofit leadership development through workshops and trainings.

$200,000 Addison Gibson Foundation Allegheny received a $200,000 grant from the Addison H. Gibson Foundation to provide scholarships to students from western Pennsylvania who demonstrate financial need. These students would not be able to attend Allegheny without scholarship support.

31

Class Notes

News and Events from Alumni

Notes 1960s ’63

Lewis Fisher is a new member of the board of the Texas State Historical Association, which recognized his book "Brackenridge: San Antonio's Acclaimed Urban Park" (Trinity University Press, 2022) with two 2023 awards — Best Illustrated Book on Texas History and Best Book on Texas Local History. The Wall Street Journal cited his book "Maverick: The American Name that Became a Legend" (Trinity University Press, 2017) at the time of the release of the movie “Top Gun: Maverick.” Fisher, who is also on the board of the Brackenridge Park Conservancy, lives in San Antonio.

Jeannette Harrington Mynett was presented a Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for community service at a ceremony on November 3, 2022, at Government House, Regina, Saskatchewan. She was one of 31 recipients who were awarded the medal at this ceremony. The citation noted her work with the Monarchist League of Canada and her contributions to the music at services for local churches, especially the Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Traditional Anglican churches.

Mynett has been active in serving her community and had previously received awards for her work in her church and the Girl Guides of Canada. She and her husband, Raymond, lived for many years in Wilkie, Saskatchewan. After he retired from teaching, they moved to Assiniboia.

Now a widow, Mynett continues to make her home in Assiniboia.

Notes 1970s ’71

Jim Cohen's book “Modern Judaica: Today's Makers, Today's Sacred Objects” was published by Schiffer Publishing in February 2023.

Cohen interviewed more than 50 Judaic artists from around the world and told their stories of why they make Judaica. These interviews are supplemented by more than 250 fullcolor photographs of the artists' work. The book is available from booksellers around the world.

’73

Christopher Harris was elected to the Board of Trustees of the Central Penn College Education Foundation (Harrisburg). He serves on the boards of the Stichting SED Fund (the Hague) and the Friends of the Fondation de France (New York/Paris). He also serves on the international management team of Philanthropy for Social Justice & Peace (PSJP), which he founded in 2007. PSJP is housed at Global Dialogue (London). In 2009 after a decade of service, he retired from the Ford Foundation as senior program officer on philanthropy.

’74

Loren Lamy Penman was invited to give a TEDx Buffalo talk about her passion project, The Autism Nature Trail (The ANT) at Letchworth State Park in western New York state. It can be seen on YouTube by searching “A New Path to Inclusion with Loren Penman.”

’75

Robert Case writes, "Congratulations, Allegheny, for succeeding so well with reaching the cultural and historic goals of laying the financial groundwork for the restoration of Bentley Hall. I just finished a memorable piece of creative nonfiction that anyone with a connection to Allegheny College will enjoy reading.

The author, Stephanie Gorton, does a masterful job in weaving together the economic history and development of Pennsylvania’s oil industry, with the storied life and accomplishments of one of Allegheny’s most successful graduates. I can still remember touring the campus with my dad as a high school student. It had to be 1968 or ’69.

I remember laughing with the campus guide’s joke about a pranking former student leading a dairy cow up the stairs inside Bentley, only to leave her (the bovine) stranded inside the bell tower. I can remember mixed messages about renowned dropouts like Clarence Darrow and William McKinley. But I cannot recall that the name Ida Minerva Tarbell ever came up during that early introduction to the campus. Today, with the benefit of hindsight and to partially compensate for her omission in that early tour, I want to highly recommend ‘Citizen Reporters: S.S. McClure, Ida Tarbell, and the Magazine That Rewrote America’ (Harper Collins,

2020) to anyone interested in a deeper dive into the history and culture of western Pennsylvania and Ohio, especially anyone with a link to Allegheny."

Peggy Fleming-Carlson celebrated her 70th birthday by running the Pittsburgh Half Marathon on May 7, 2023. She placed first in her division (2:15) out of 33 sturdy women! Fleming-Carlson has been running the Pittsburgh Half every year since 2011 with the exception of it being canceled due to the pandemic. She has run 17 half marathons, the Disney marathon and numerous 5Ks and 10Ks. She also enjoys biking and, at press time, planned to hike the northwest coast of Ireland in the summer. mm1carlson@hotmail.com Beth Hardesty Waite relocated to Florida in 2020, staying one year in Key West and then moving to Sebring where she now lives.

Currently teaching high school math, Waite was contemplating a final classroom retirement this year and a move to an online educational consulting practice. She said she looked forward to visiting with classmates at the class of 1975 50th reunion. If you are traveling through Florida, she might just know a good place for “Gator tail” appetizers!

’49–’92

Glenn Thompson '81 says, “Continuing in the footsteps of Prof. Jay Luvaas '49 and the many Allegheny graduates, professors and trustees who were in the Army of the Cussewago, the Grand Army of the Cussewago held its Spring '23 Campaign in Gettysburg after a COVID hiatus. Pictured from left to right are Mike Lacey '72, Bill Saxman '60, Thompson, Dave Anderson '81, Bob Lamoree '59, Jeff Wright '81, Tom Shirley '82 and Steve Hall '72. Missing from the picture are Howard Nestlerode '65 and sisters Karen Luvaas '76 and Amy Luvaas Miller '92, who were among the presenters.

’76

Sarah Flynn Erickson, M.Div., D.Ed. Min., retired on August 31, 2023, after serving in the field of continuing education for ministry for 20 years at the Center for Lifelong Learning at Columbia Theological Seminary. Within the field, she says she advocated for greater integration of non-degree lifelong learning in the ecosystem of theological education to better support leaders to serve a church that is becoming, not the one that no longer exists. Erickson will continue to serve as a clergy coach for individuals and various agencies, including the Association of Theological Schools, and hopes to do a lot of reading, some writing and the occasional

’72

Dr. Paul Mudrick represented Allegheny in April at the inauguration of Sue Ott Rowlands as the 11th president of Randolph College. He is pictured with his wife, Gail.

Submit your news and events for inclusion in Class Notes at allegheny.edu/classnotes 33

’74 & ’78

Bill Cissna '74 had two productions of his full-length backstage comedy, "Rehearsals," done in North Carolina in May and July 2023. Kathy Anne Williams Cissna '78 played the part of stage manager in the May production.

The photo by Neil Jenkins - Fine Art Photography features Kathy Cissna and Hampton Rowe in "Rehearsals," May 2023.

’78

Amy Foster Toner says, “Friends since freshman year (all from the class of 1978), we started meeting annually the year we all turned 50. That was 17 years ago! We pick a place, and as many as can make it come. In September 2022, we rented a house in Deep Creek, Maryland, and had another marvelous time catching up – talking, laughing, drinking, eating and simply enjoying each other’s company. Each time we get together, our time apart falls away and we’re best friends all over again! Our bonfire night was one to remember! What a wonderful group of women we grew up to be! Here we are during a hike in one of the parks we visited.” Standing: Liz Blackburn. Seated, left to right: Hope Cordonier, Beverly Moore Ryan, Janet Schmidt, Toner, Joy Allen Sherry, Sandy Gleixner Latini, Debbie Humbert and Lynn Grusch McUmber.

’81

Stuart Armstrong represented Allegheny in April 2023 at the inauguration of Mary K. Boyd, Ph.D., as the 13th president of Emmanuel College.

teaching gig. Mostly she will enjoy being a “grandmam” to her five grands, some travel and the change of pace that comes in the third 30 of life.

Dr. Stephen P. Gerus was awarded a Ph.D. in sociology from Virginia Tech on December 16, 2022. Upon graduating from Allegheny, majoring in anthropology, former Sociology and Anthropology Department Chair Dr. Richard Moodey said, "Go get your Ph.D., and then come back and teach with us." Gerus got a master’s degree in anthropology from Penn State in 1980 and then took a 37-year detour in business before resuming his graduate studies. His wife, Dr. Rosemary Blieszner, dean of the College of Architecture, Arts and Design at Virginia Tech, was right behind him in the stage party during the fall Commencement exercises as he delivered an invited speech.

’77 & ’14

Pat McShea '77, program officer for the Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Educator Loan Collection, and Will Tolliver Jr. '14, associate director for audience engagement with PBS, were featured in an article on the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh’s website titled, “Diversity in Nature.” The article discusses how “naturalist educators partner with Carnegie Museums to create a more welcoming environment for people of color to explore the outdoors.”

’77

Jay N. Silberblatt of the law firm Silberblatt Mermelstein PC, Pittsburgh, ended his term as the 128th president of the Pennsylvania Bar Association and became the organization’s immediate past president at the conclusion of the association’s May 5 House of Delegates meeting in Philadelphia. As immediate past president, Silberblatt will continue to serve as an officer on the PBA Board of Governors. He is a cum laude graduate of Allegheny and earned his Juris Doctor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where he served as a senior writer on the “Law Review.” He is board certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy as a Civil Trial Advocate.

’78

Dr. Robert Potter was honored among North Allegheny School District, Pennsylvania, graduates who received a 2023 Distinguished Alumni award for outstanding achievement by the North Allegheny Foundation. He is a founding member and owner of Genesis Medical Associates, a physician-owned primary care group in the North Hills, and won the Nathaniel Bedford award for primary care in Allegheny County. Additionally, he is the medical director for the Honduras Hope Mission that travels annually to Honduras. Potter received best instructor recognition from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, St. Francis University and the Southwest Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center. He provided medical services for the Pittsburgh Pirates for 19 years. He also worked for 40 years with North Allegheny and North Hills school nurses providing services.

’79

Cindy Natali Potter is a physical therapist in private practice treating children and adults with developmental disabilities. She was elected secretary of the Board of Directors of the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy and is also chair of the PA State Board of Physical Therapy. She also was named a fellow of the American Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

Notes 1980s ’81

Dr. Brian Forbes became an emeritus professor at The Perelman School of Medicine in the Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology at the University of Pennsylvania after 27 years of working there. His area of research was in the realm of ocular findings associated with child abuse. He is still a clinical associate at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia where he serves as education director in the Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology. He has six kids aged 15 to 25 by his wife of 30 years, Marianne McCormick, M.D. “I still run, though not so fast, and my golf game isn’t what

it used to be,” he says. “That written, I will be migrating down to our home in Brigantine, New Jersey, and if anyone’s around and wants to beat me at golf, give me a holler.”

’82

Dr. Don Klein (Kline) is a senior director, CMC Regulatory, at Axsome Therapeutics Inc., as of May 1, 2023. Klein is thrilled to be joining the Axsome experts addressing early IND development, NDA submissions and post-marketing changes. Previously, he had consulted Axsome for two years (2020-2022) on the AXS-05 and AXS-07 NDAs.

’83 & ’84

Dr. James Puglisi '84 says that after 17-plus years of living in Austin, Texas, and 28-plus years of working in higher education, he has taken a role with Ascension Wisconsin, a Catholic healthcare network, with the role of ministry formation manager. “I will continue my advocacy and consulting work in areas of equity, diversity and inclusion as well as the work of this new ministry. I am excited about being closer to my brother and Theta Chi brother, George Vickers ’83, in the Chicago area as well as several rugby mates in the Milwaukee area. “If you are coming through Chicago or Milwaukee, give a holler!” he says.

’84

Gordon StoverMcMichael is safety director and OSHAauthorized trainer for Building Systems Inc. (BSI) commercial general contractor in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Stover-McMichael spearheads BSI's Working Safely Never Ends safety, health and wellness program. He is guiding the Erie Downtown Development Project.

’85

Dr. Kevin Treu was the recipient of the Chiles-Harrill Award, presented annually to a member of the Furman University faculty or staff chosen by the senior class as having demonstrated exemplary concern and exceptional 35

caring for undergraduate students, and having had the greatest influence on the class. Treu became an honorary member of the class of '23 and processed with his new “classmates” at Commencement on May 6. He has been a member of the Furman faculty since 1992 and chair of the Department of Computer Science since 2004.

’86

Eric C. Springer has been re-elected as a managing shareholder and director of Sherrard, German and Kelly P.C. (SGK) for another three-year term.

Springer has been president of the firm since 2015. In addition to providing legal services to his clients in the corporate and real estate practice areas, he manages the day-to-day operations of SGK with a focus on implementing new strategic initiatives.

He also received the 2022 C-Suite Award from the Pittsburgh Business Times. The award honors C-suite executives who have demonstrated vital leadership and business savvy to guide their companies to success.

’87

Don Bailey joined American International Group as global head of distribution and field operations. For over 30 years, Bailey has held many senior roles across the insurance industry. He joined AIG from Bristlecone Partners, a growth and human capital consultancy firm, where he had been a partner since

2017. He has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Allegheny and an MBA from Eastern University.

Dr. Chris Brussalis, chairman of The Hill Group Inc., a national management consulting firm, has been named the ninth president of Point Park University. In addition to his role with The Hill Group, Brussalis is an adjunct professor of management and policy at Carnegie Mellon University.

Notes 1990s ’90

Dr. Matt Jordan says he is happy to announce the publication of his new book “Danger Sound Klaxon!

The Horn that Changed History” from the University of Virginia Press. “It tells the story of the Klaxon automobile horn, one of the first great electrical consumer technologies of the 20th century.

Although its metallic shriek at first shocked pedestrians, savvy advertising strategies convinced consumers across the United States and western Europe to adopt the shrill Klaxon horn as the safest signaling technology available in the 1910s. The widespread use of Klaxons in the trenches of World War I, however, led people to associate the sound with trauma and led to its fall. The book shows how debates about consumer technologies that

disrupt the ways that we live are guided by, manipulated and transformed through advertising strategies, public debate, consumer reactions and governmental regulations,” he says.

Terrence E. “Terry” Steyer, M.D., Medical University of South Carolina Department of Family Medicine chair, has been appointed as dean and vice president of medical affairs for the College of Medicine. Steyer served as interim dean of the college since April 2022. He has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Allegheny and a medical degree from Case Western Reserve University. He completed his family medicine residency training at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program at the University of Michigan.

’92

Sharon Steele has joined NEXTpittsburgh as associate publisher & operations manager. She most recently served as managing director of corporate support for WQED. She received a bachelor’s degree from Allegheny and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz School of Business.

’93

Jody Moore O'Grady was presented the 2022 Pool & Hot Tub Alliance Chairman's Award at the 2022 International Pool Spa Patio Exposition in Las Vegas, Nevada. She received the award for

’91

Kelly Sobczak '91 and Fran Miller Kaya '91 took a girls' trip to Hungary and Poland in spring 2023. They say they are still the best of friends after meeting in South Hall in 1987!

her active participation in the industry standards development process. O'Grady chairs the Recreational Water & Air Quality Committee and is a member of the Technical Advisory Council, which reports directly to the board of directors. "It's been truly rewarding to use my chemistry degree in a practical application such as this," she says.

’96

Andrew Pravlik, CEO, president and managing partner at Pittsburgh Financial Group, was featured in an article titled, “Pittsburgh Financial Group CEO Andrew Pravlik Talks Future Plans, Keys to Success and the Value of Time” on NetNewsLedger.

After starting in financial services at the age of 18 as an intern, Pravlik now oversees and manages client portfolios and day-to-day operations of the firm in his leadership role.

’98

Craig Szalai was promoted to oversee the corporate North America talent acquisition functions for PVH, which owns Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein, headquartered in New York City.

Jeff Webb made his Carnegie Hall conducting debut on June 3, 2023. Webb conducted a performance of Vivaldi's “Magnificat” with members of the Johnstown Symphony Chorus, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown Concert Choir and the New England Symphonic Ensemble.

Notes 2000s ’00

Dr. Jessica Troilo, associate professor of human development and family science, is serving as the associate dean for academic affairs in the College of Applied Human Sciences at West Virginia University (WVU). Prior to this, she was the associate dean for academic affairs in the College of Education and Human Services, also at WVU.

’02

Michael McCorvey, M.Ed., has been appointed vice president of inclusive excellence and chief diversity officer at Regis College in Weston, Massachusetts.

McCorvey has 19 years of experience in

higher education, most recently at Bentley University, where he served as the director of the Multicultural Center. He has a Master of Education in higher education and student affairs from the University of South Carolina and a graduate certificate in leadership for change at Boston College’s Carroll School of Management.

He also has certifications in Title IX from the Association of Title IX Administrators and from the Emergency Management Institute on Multi-Hazard Planning for Higher Education (FEMA). He has a bachelor’s degree in communication arts with a minor in economics from Allegheny.

Dr. Matthew Weaver became the chair of the Department of Psychology at Mercyhurst University in 2022.

’03

Rachel Wysocki Kent was featured on WBFO/NPR Radio on the first day of Women's History Month for her positive approach to classroom teaching and service to community. She was also featured on western New York TV show "Good Deeds Buffalo" for her work in developing and supporting food pantries within the city of Buffalo. In September, Kent was honored as one of six teachers recognized by Qualtrics as “Standout Classroom” teachers in the United States. She was also a finalist for Educator of the Year in the city of Buffalo. At press time, Kent planned to work with the Buffalo Mayor's Summer Youth Program to encourage the growth of social entrepreneurship in the city of Buffalo, with the students of International Preparatory High School. She credits her time at Allegheny for developing a sense of passion for community and commitment to improve the world for future generations.

’04–’06

John Meyer '04 celebrated the one-year anniversary of his company CompleteU, which reaches out to college stopout students and guides them to re-enroll and finish their degree. Meyer

is proud to call Allegheny a client, and he's working with several Gators. CompleteU's vice president of partnerships is Jessica Dabrowski Haberley '06, and the Pittsburgh-based firm also brought on Brittany Eaves Andy '05 as a consultant.

CompleteU also partnered with Digital Dynamo, a digital marketing firm owned

by Marcie Langford Lord '06.

’06

Dr. Lee Neubert was appointed to serve as the medical director at the Merritt Island Outpatient Surgical Center.

’07

Chuck Reynolds was elected one of 22 new partners at L.E.K. Consulting.

Reynolds is a leader of the Digital practice. He has extensive experience in digital strategy across various areas, including digital commerce, customer experience, agile, direct-to-consumer and the application of AI/ML, with particular expertise in digital strategies that enhance growth and profitability through customer engagement. He has a master’s degree in information systems management from Carnegie Mellon University and a bachelor’s degree in applied computing from Allegheny.

’09

Dr. Pember Edwards was named program director of the Special Needs Dental Clinic at Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine on Long Island, New York. She graduated from Dalhousie University Faculty of Dentistry in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Edwards and her research supervisors were selected for the 2017 OMS Foundation Daniel M. Larkin Award for the most outstanding article published in the “Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.”

Edwards completed a two-year special needs residency program at Stony Brook University. She has hospital privileges at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital and also works in private practice in her hometown.

Dr. Annie Ginty, associate professor of psychology and neuroscience, received the 2023 Early Career Impact Award from the Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences. The award 37

recognizes those who have done research within the first 10 years after earning their Ph.D. Ginty was nominated for the award by the American Psychosomatic Society for her research on the psychological impacts of stress. She received her bachelor’s of science in neuroscience and psychology at Allegheny and her doctorate in behavioral medicine at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom.

Notes 2010s ’10

Jordan Brooks is the new assistant dean of students for intercultural initiatives and resource centers/ director of multicultural student affairs at Iowa State University.

His career as a creative has also continued; he has three public murals and was featured in five art exhibitions in the past three years. He says, “The unusual combinations mantra really stuck with me, and I’m glad I can keep pursuing all my interests. See yourself. Know yourself.

Be yourself, everyone!”

’17

Amasa Smith has joined An Achievable Dream as the director of strategic and community engagement. The organization focuses on bringing equity to education and is a nationally recognized K–12 program that co-operates schools in primarily underserved communities, providing additional resources to level the playing field for students.

’19

Hannah Firestone graduated from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law with her Juris Doctor and a certification in alternative dispute resolution. After taking the bar exam, she plans to start an in-house legal fellowship with Key Bank in Cleveland, Ohio.

Notes 2020s

Arrivals

’20

’02

Lena Gemmer received the Young P. Dawkins III Endowed Prize in Creative Writing/Non-Fiction from the University of New Hampshire English Department.

The award is presented to the graduating student with the most outstanding thesis in the MFA program. Her historical nonfiction manuscript “Placing the Pieces of Silence” depicts the complex history of the Gemmer family from the 1890s to present, and their connection to the displacement of German culture in the United States. This body of work reflects well on the English and history degree she received from Allegheny. When Gemmer is not writing, you can find her taking photographs or scolding her Norwegian Forest cat, Mitchy. Her photography has been published in “Burningword Literary Journal” and the “Wild Roof Journal.” Her essay “Dinosaurs Before Dark” has been accepted at “The Bangalore Review.”

Dr. Austin Shaffer earned his occupational therapy doctorate (OTD) from Slippery Rock University in May 2023.

Prior to graduating, he completed his doctoral capstone project at a pediatric outpatient clinic. Through this project, Shaffer implemented a coaching program to increase caregivers' willingness to adhere with occupational therapy recommendations aimed at supporting their children's goals. Shaffer is excited to start his career with UPMC in Erie, where he will be providing physical rehabilitation to adults living with neurological conditions and chronic pain to help maximize their independence with daily activities. He'd like to thank Associate Professors Lydia Eckstein and Lauren Paulson for equipping him with the skills to successfully design and implement a research protocol during his time at Allegheny, which proved to be invaluable throughout his grad school journey.

Jose Abola and Shannon Derby are overjoyed to announce the birth of Rose Apollonia Derby-Abola on May 19, 2022.

’06 & ’08

Dan Monarko ’06 and Melissa Geer Monarko ’08 welcomed the birth of their third daughter, Veronica Renee Monarko, on February 27, 2023. Also pictured are Vivian Rose and Vanessa Ray.

’11

Nick Balzer ’11 and Nicki Baston Balzer ’11 welcomed their second son, Noah Reese Balzer, into the world on March 15, 2023.

’12

Deadra Carlgren Recksiedler and her husband, Greg Recksiedler, welcomed their daughter and firstborn child, Kinsley Kristin Recksiedler, on April 11, 2023.

Unions '82

Dwayne Bailey and Mary Neff DuBois were married August 27, 2022, in Beach Haven, New Jersey, with the ceremony officiated by Dwayne's daughter.

'11

Michelle Welker '11 and Ian McInerney '11 got married in Frederick, Maryland, on December 10, 2022. They were joined by many Gator alumni from all over the country: Kristy Darling Finder '11, Sam Finder '12, Sarah McMahon '09, Cecily Jacinto Carlson '11, Veronica Lieberman '10, Erica Sullivan '12, Johnny Knapp '10, Barry Stoddart '11, Andrea Varrato '12, John Stenger '11, Emily Doherty Courson '11, Tim Courson '09, Joe Mosovsky '11, Brandi Kautz '11, Jeremy Roberts '11, Andrew Martin '11, Clayton Smith '11 and Francisco Perez '12. Not pictured is David Barlow '09. Michelle and Ian live in Washington, D.C., where Ian is an attorney with the Department of Commerce and Michelle works for the Smithsonian Institution.

'13 & '14

Tory Burgett '13 and Dan Honeycutt '14 were married August 26, 2022, in Norfolk, Virginia, with their reception at the Chrysler Museum. Allegheny alumni attending included last row, left to right: Elliott Bartels '15, Austin Rock '14, Aaron Goldman '14, Jared Wyda '14, Honeycutt, Burgett, Tom Steib '79, Barb Richardson Steib '80, Jay Nannen '81 and Dana D'Amico '13. First row: Grant Thomas '13, Shannon McAvinchey Rock '14, Laura Thorn '13, Ashley Payseure, Simone-Marie Feigenbaum '13, Roma Panganiban '13 and Marisa Halm '13.

Submit your news and events for inclusion in Class Notes at allegheny.edu/classnotes 39

'13 & '15

'14 & '17

'16

'17

Breana Gallagher '15 and Nicholas Diana '13 were married on Bentley lawn at Allegheny on July 2, 2022. The ceremony was officiated by Allegheny voice faculty member Vicki Jamison. Their reception was held at the Warner Theater in Erie. Twenty-eight fellow Gators were in attendance, including Professor Emeritus Ward Jamison, Associate Professor of Music James Niblock '97, Sara St. Peter '14, Allen Condon '16, Lauren Dominique '16, Quinn Kobelak '16, Allegheny President Ron Cole '87, Nancy Frambes '87, Shana Burns Burchard '15, Alex Neal '15, Kyle Kruse '13, Leanne Siwicki '15, Anna Gongaware '14, Danny Wightkin '16, Jasmine Davis '15, Zach Cramer '15, Katie Beck '14, Shelby Overman Babel '15, Roma Panganiban '13, Maggie Boone '14, Lee Scandinaro '15, Autumn Vogel '15, Nicole Hohman '14, Michael Deery '14 and Lydia Sleeman '25.

Casey Weltner '16 and Corey Baumgardner '16 got married on October 1, 2022, in Verona, Pennsylvania. They met during their second year at Allegheny. The wedding party included Allegheny alumni Jillian Lindberg '15, Christina Tindall '16, Elizabeth Sever '17, Tyler Smith '16 and Warren Keck V '16.

They were also surrounded by many other beloved members of their Allegheny family.

40 ALLEGHENY Fall 2023

Casey McGrath '14 married Eleni Brown '17 on June 18, 2022, in Washington, D.C. There were 25 Gators in attendance, including Patrick Jameson '14, Ben Perko '14, Marco Corona '14, Colleen Pegher Childs '14, Kellee Cribby '14, Will Kawalec '15, Thaddeus Mitchell '15, Alyssa Rapelje '16, Dusty Elias Kirk '75, Jeannie Kirk '17, Alexa Maloney '17, Taylor Vigneri '19, Ashley Potofsky Pekular '17, Jackie Morrow '16, McKenzie Bell '16, Jessie Thiessen Gostowski '17, Christine McGrath '17, Alex Zielinski '19, Rhiannon King '20, Matt Hass '19, Brianne Stewart Prahl '09, David Delgreco '13 and Vince Luvara '11.

Hannah Blinn '17 and Hayden Moyer '17 were married on November 5, 2022, outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Alumni in attendance from the class of '17 included: Abrianna Sadler, Jim Nagel, Jack Bailey, Emily Horosko, Connor McCoy, Michael Clauss, Sam Chibnall, Henry Ditzel, Evan Haines, Ron Davis, Rhet Happel and Will Hawkins. Other alumni included Courtney Lubick Case '18, Cate Hovey '18, Keighley Harr '18, Brandon Wolff Seitz '15, Anthony Werner '16, Hannah Cubarney '18, Shane Pentland '18, Doug Fowkes '86, John Sieber '19, Bennett Falck '18 and Alex Grob '19.

Notices & Obituaries

Find the full listing at allegheny.edu/magazine

These include death notices reported by June 1, 2023.

’43

Ernest “Ernie” Dante Del Signore on August 25, 2022.

Analee “Pat” Patterson Durant on January 28, 2023.

Carl William Schermerhorn on February 24, 2022.

’44

Marjorie Jenkins Crouse on August 5, 2022.

Delana Taft Smith on January 3, 2023.

’46

Dr. Arthur C. Bittner on February 7, 2023.

Paul F. Jenkins on December 23, 2022.

Virginia Wood Kerr on November 16, 2022.

’47

Jane J. Bell on February 18, 2022.

Winifred Sutter Stutz on June 30, 2022.

’48

Jane Carman Nelson on May 21, 2023.

’49

Robert A. Carman on April 8, 2023.

Jeanne Dahlquist Sluyter on February 20, 2023.

’50

Robert N. Chambers on December 23, 2022.

Thomas J. Ferris on September 25, 2022.

Kenneth Fullom on August 22, 2022.

Mary Constance "Connie" Callahan Hornickel on May 13, 2023.

’51

Edward F. Brink on April 5, 2023.

Dr. Alexander Drescher on November 26, 2022.

Jean Simpson Potts Fulenwider on October 28, 2022.

Evelyn A. Koester Gatchel on February 1, 2023.

Elizabeth "Liz" Stidger Hemenway on April 2, 2023.

Dr. Peter Michael Lewinsohn on December 18, 2022.

Loyal Dean Moore on October 12, 2022.

Harold E. Reichard on January 2, 2023.

Todd James Taylor on February 15, 2023.

Carl K. Walrath on March 14, 2023.

’52

Jerrol “Jerry” Katherine MacGregor Mowell on January 12, 2023.

’55

John Nichol Bair on February 5, 2023.

Noreen Swensen Cavari on February 11, 2023.

Marilyn Craig Klemm Deckmann on April 5, 2023.

Nancy Needham Devney on August 7, 2022.

Jenette Redfield Gretzinger on March 10, 2023.

Marilyn E. Hansen Lentz on December 13, 2022.

Mary Ann Funk March on October 24, 2022.

Stuart O. Smith Sr. on January 6, 2023.

’56

Doris Jeanne Jones Lifton on May 18, 2023.

’57

Robert L. Gannon on December 12, 2022.

Dr. Edward "Ed" Andrew Kovach Jr. on April 23, 2023.

Dr. Frederick Quinn on November 27, 2022.

’58

Lamar L. Light on January 31, 2023.

Ret. Lt. Col. Terrence "Terry" Moyer on December 29, 2022.

Theodore Nelson Ross on March 3, 2023.

Dr. John Robert "Bob" Utberg on January 30, 2023.

’59

Harry C. Blaney III on May 11, 2023.

Sal Domenic Cianella on February 17, 2023.

Carol Anne Enos Eckman on February 6, 2023.

Dr. Frederick “Fred” E. Fisher on January 9, 2023.

George T. Hagstrom on May 1, 2023.

Dr. Wesley Peter Peterson on September 20, 2022.

’60

Derry Gates Bird on December 9, 2022.

Nancy Robinson Hulsen in April 2023.

Robert W. McCreary on March 23, 2023.

Stuart Charles Sherman in March 2023.

’61

S. Walter Andersen on December 19, 2022.

Dr. Jack “Jacob” Kolff on May 7, 2023.

Carmen E. Merritt on April 23, 2023.

Sharon “S.A.M., aka Sammy” Ann Myer on May 20, 2023.

Carolyn Knorr Stephens on September 5, 2022.

’62

James David Bullions on March 6, 2022.

Lt. Col. Harold Everett "Bud" Goeble Jr. on February 8, 2023.

John D. Petruso on January 24, 2023.

Louise Williams Gizzie Crosley on April 26, 2023.

Susan Herbig Galbraith on March 7, 2023.

Jack G. Goellner on December 9, 2022.

Dr. Frederick Kenneth Goodill on January 5, 2023.

Frederica “Freddie” Manglier Oakley on February 28, 2022.

Winifred Ann Gates Perpetua on December 4, 2022.

James D. Sheffer on February 14, 2023.

’63

’53

’64

Elizabeth Emma Umbach Bronfeld on February 18, 2023.

Gloria C. Cabizis Kline on May 4, 2022.

Irene F. Tveter Maxwell on June 8, 2022.

Nancy Ruth Miller Swanson on December 13, 2022.

’54

Robert T. Buck on February 22, 2023.

Patricia A. Dorler on July 17, 2022.

Florence Williams Hollands on March 22, 2023.

Marjorie A. Bush Wright on January 24, 2023.

Robert S. Bates Jr. on April 3, 2023.

Marlene Elizabeth Brown Matson on February 23, 2023.

Stephen L. Simonton on December 4, 2022.

’65

Barb J. Rautner on January 25, 2023.

41

Gregory Thomas Bean

Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach

Gregory Thomas Bean died May 3, 2023.

A 2003 Clarion Area High School graduate, Bean was born in Franklin, Pennsylvania, on November 13, 1984, to Terrance Bean and Gayle Truitt-Bean.

When asked to describe the 6-foot-2, former guard/forward, Bean was known as simply "the best." The best son, the best brother, the best friend. Later in life, those who knew "Bean" knew him as the best coach, the best mentor, the best recruiter, the best scout and even the best person to call while on a long drive during a recruiting trip.

Bean graduated from Clarion University and started his basketball coaching career

in 2005. After serving as the varsity assistant coach and head junior-varsity coach at Clarion Area, Bean was named the head coach of the Redbank Valley Bulldogs in 2010. In 2015, Bean led the Bulldogs to their first District IX Championship since 1980. During his time at Clarion Area and Redbank Valley, a Sunday Hoops tradition was born. What started as Bean's former teammates, grew to his recent graduates from high school coming back to challenge the veterans.

A new challenge took Bean to the collegiate level, with stints at Medaille College, Waynesburg University and Allegheny College. He served as the assistant men’s basketball coach at

Allegheny from 2019-2023. While coaching was the driving force in Bean's life, if he wasn't in the gym, he could be found on the greens at the Country Club of Buffalo, Country Club of Meadville or local favorite Pinecrest Country Club.

Survivors include his parents, Terrance (Shelly Boughner) Bean of Clarion and Gayle Truitt-Bean of Clarion; a sister, Erin (Evan Halteman) Bean of Waco, Texas; grandmother, Phyllis Truitt of Marysville, Ohio; uncles, Tom (Susan) Truitt of Marysville, Ohio and Michael K. (Barb) Bean of Akron, Ohio; aunts, Kathy Bean of Akron, Ohio and Nancy Bean of Akron, Ohio. He was preceded in death by his grandfather, John "Jay" Truitt; and his uncles, Timothy and Patrick Bean.

Charles "Brownie" Brown Ketcham, Ph.D., H’44

Retiree, Chaplain and Professor Emeritus of Religion and Philosophy

Dr. Charles "Brownie" Brown Ketcham died April 15, 2023. His wife of 73 years, Joyce Parker Ketcham, was by his side.

Ordained as an elder in the United Methodist Church, Dr. Ketcham began his professional career in 1955 as the parish minister at Rockaway Valley (NJ) United Methodist Church. He accepted an appointment as chaplain to Allegheny College in 1957 and remained at Allegheny until his retirement in 1988. At Allegheny, following his tenure as chaplain, he was named chairperson of the Department of Religion and Philosophy and was appointed the Bishop James M. Thoburn Professor of Religion, a chair he held for 21 years. He also received an honorary degree from Allegheny.

Dr. Ketcham authored five books along with many chapters, articles, reviews

and photographs. In 1978-79, he was visiting professor at the University of Kent, Canterbury, England. Following his retirement in 1988, Dr. Ketcham and his wife moved to Conway, Massachusetts.

From 1990-1999 he taught at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, in the Department of Religion and Biblical Literature.

A native of Ohio, Dr. Ketcham was the son of Mount Union College President Charles Burgess Ketcham and Lucile Brown Ketcham, Alliance, Ohio. During WWII, Dr. Ketcham served in the 54th Armored Infantry Bat., 10th Armored Division, Europe.

He was educated at Western Reserve Academy, Mount Union College (B.A.); the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, where he was a Fulbright Scholar,

University of Zurich, Switzerland Drew Theological Seminary (M., Div); and the University of St. Andrews, Scotland (Ph.D. in systematic theology). Dr. Ketcham was also a Visiting Scholar at Union Theological Seminary (NY) and a Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard Divinity School.

He is survived by his wife, Joyce Parker Ketcham. He is predeceased by his son, Merrick Scott Ketcham ’78, and his sisters, Dorothy Schaffner and Lucile McIntosh.

If you would like to make a donation to Allegheny in Brownie's memory, please note that you are doing so when you make your gift online or in the memo section of the check.

Barbara A. Montgomery Reusch on April 11, 2023.

Carol Elizabeth Dain Simoneau on December 27, 2022.

’83

’66

’84

’67

’86

Gary Davisson Taber on November 14, 2022.

Deborah Beard on January 22, 2023.

David George Hagstrom on January 28, 2023.

Daniel Graham Mowrey on November 21, 2022.

George "Ross" Kiener on May 14, 2023.

Kimberly Zarichansky Owsiany on January 22, 2023.

’70

Dr. Kent R. Logan on May 7, 2023.

William Hawkins Ostrander on January 2, 2023.

Dr. William Alan “Bill” Welsh on April 24, 2023.

’72

The Rev. Dr. Theodore G. “Ted” Cole on January 15, 2023.

Karen LaRue Davis on April 27, 2023.

Horace “Ford” Rutherford Livengood II on March 15, 2023.

James J. Tarrant on January 30, 2023.

’73

Dr. Calvin "Vin" Duane Neithamer on December 4, 2022.

David Weitzel on January 8, 2023.

’88

Anne McConnell Shannon on February 7, 2023.

’90

Stephan Durell Wood on March 8, 2023.

’91

Michael D. "Goody" Goodelle in April 2023.

’92

Bonnie L. Scott Cornell on February 9, 2023.

’95

Garth Leeper Ploski on January 3, 2023.

’75

’98

Robert Edward Coddington on May 6, 2023.

’76

Catherine “Cathy” Smale Caldemeyer on December 2, 2022.

’77

’02

’78

Dr. John Young Gallup II on December 28, 2022.

’79

Lorna Mary "Molly" McGrory Anton on March 17, 2023.

Margaret "Peggy" Brayer Findle on March 7, 2023.

Thomas J. Haffely on February 3, 2023.

’81

Karen Lightell on November 29, 2022.

’82

’00

Sondra Lynn Binotto Jankowski on May 19, 2023.

Dr. Wilbert A. Rump on April 20, 2023.

’80

Robert “Bobby” John Francis Kidder on April 29, 2023.

William Martin "Billy" Trimble on May 20, 2023.

Heather Marie Green Wiechert on March 27, 2023.

’16

Allen Condon on April 10, 2023.

Friends

Gloria Mae Roberts Anderson on December 27, 2022.

Anne A. Holder on February 17, 2023.

Sister Eva Jones on December 25, 2022.

Catherine “Katie” Elizabeth Pope on May 23, 2023.

Sebastian Clemens “C” Sommer on December 10, 2022.

Robert Wolfe on March 19, 2023.

Malcolm James Ferguson on April 22, 2023.

Florence Alma Brown Retiree

Florence Alma Brown died January 27, 2023.

She was born Florence Alma Guild in East Troy, Pennsylvania. She met her husband, Ellis Arthur Brown, from Guys Mills during summer vacation at Canadohta Lake in Pennsylvania and moved with him to start a family in Cleveland, Ohio, during the war years. They later moved to Linesville,

Pennsylvania, to get away from the city and raise their children, Norm and Tom, in a small-town environment.

Brown retired from Allegheny College as director, printing services, in 1985.

Her family included: father: Roy Wilson Guild; mother: Dora Alma Corey; deceased brothers: Arthur and Frank;

sister: Grace; deceased nephew: Floyd (Buzz) Wagner and deceased wife: Patricia of Erie; sons: Kurt, Kris, Keith, Kevin, Kenneth and Kyle; deceased husband: Ellis Arthur Brown; deceased son: Norman Lynn Brown; son: Thomas Arthur Brown; and several grandchildren.

43

The Last Word

by Sydney Emerson '23

Getting a job is important, of course. Security is important.

Developing skills is important. But none of that matters if you do not know who you are — if you have not thought long, hard and continuously about how you define both yourself and success.

Discovering Your Sense of Self You can prepare yourself, to an extent, to lose love. Breakups, friends drifting apart, family passing away — these are, though devastating, an inevitability of a life welllived. But leaving a place with which you’ve fallen in love sneaks up on you. When you least expect it, that loss will punch you in the gut and shove you rudderless into a sea of mourning. Place is deceptively ephemeral, after all. It’s not the same as location — even if you return to the same GPS coordinates, it will never be the same as it once was.

It leaves you no love letters. It will not reach out to you; it has no heart that beats. And yet, in spite of yourself, you cannot help but feel a tender grief.

I never thought I would like Allegheny. I did not want to go to a liberal arts college, let alone my mom’s alma mater. At 17, I didn’t even know what one was — just that I was against them. After spending my entire life in Bradford, a town smaller than Meadville and about two hours away, I thought that northwestern Pennsylvania is where dreams go to die. Yearning to swim in a bigger pond, but fearing all the other fish, desperate for certainty but terribly indecisive, hungry for success but unable to define it, I applied to four large, renowned universities and hoped one would be able to tell me who I was. Instead, I got rejected by all of them. I turned to Allegheny as a last resort, steadfast in my belief that nothing good ever happened in northwestern Pennsylvania.

But I fell in love with Allegheny when my lifelong suspicion that school was supposed to be something more than

memorizing facts and taking exams was confirmed. By my second week, I was suddenly a human being — not a collection of test scores and report cards, as I was treated in high school — but a constellation of complex thoughts, opinions and interests. I had inherent value beyond my potential as a future worker or obedient student. My ideas mattered. My emotions mattered. I grew more confident, more curious, more content than I had ever been.

In 2023, it can sometimes feel like “getting an education” is the same thing as acquiring a credential, a box to tick in order to get the type of job you want. My time at Allegheny, though, taught me that a degree is the least significant part of college. Getting a job is important, of course. Security is important.

Developing skills is important. But none of that matters if you do not know who you are — if you have not thought long, hard and continuously about how you define both yourself and success. What use is a bunch of knowledge if there is no real person behind it?

Allegheny gave me the invaluable, incommutable gift of a sense of self.

Like any good liberal arts education, this came not just from my work in the classroom, but from time spent elsewhere: writing in The Campus’ newsroom, working backstage at the Playshop, tutoring in the Writing Center, and forming relationships with professors and peers alike. So, I feel an unavoidable, bittersweet sense of loss and gratitude for my Allegheny experience, in spite of my younger self’s protestations. I try to go easy on her — she has no idea what lies ahead.

Sydney Emerson ’23 addresses the campus community at President Ron Cole's All-Campus Fall Celebration.

Emerson shares a favorite personal photo of campus.

I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, ‘If

Emerson represented Allegheny at the Athens Democracy Forum last September.

this isn’t nice, I don’t know what is.’

Kurt Vonnegut

Emerson shares a photo from her final show with the Egg Detectives, the student improv group.

Emerson is pictured with her mother, Aimee Taggart Emerson ’97, and aunt, Jen Taggart ’97, after Commencement. Pictured on Jen’s phone is Sydney’s great-aunt Donna Guenther ’60, who served on Allegheny’s Board of Trustees.

In August 2023, Emerson began work as a journalist in the Adirondacks. Photo: Sydney Emerson

Allegheny Magazine

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photos: Ed Mailliard

Summer was a busy time for students conducting hands-on undergraduate research with Allegheny faculty and other mentors on campus and in the community. Ninety-two students were funded to participate in summer programming in 2023.

Projects included studying the effects of estrogen on immune responses in the eye, investigating the impact of victim characteristics on jury behavior in trials, researching structural transformation and income inequality in Africa, examining nature field guides to study how they shape readers’ understandings of the natural world, creating a software-based instrument that can be controlled by one’s face and more.

Students presented short overviews of their summer research projects to students, faculty and administrators during the weekly Allegheny College Research Seminar Series (ACRoSS).

ACRoSS has become a flagship summer experience for students and faculty members who are on campus during the summer.