Allegheny Magazine Spring 2023

A HALLMARK OF THE ALLEGHENY EXPERIENCE

Research and Scholarship Prepare Alumni for Future Success

60 YEARS OF WARC RADIO

ALLEGHENY IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

Scene on Campus

Hundreds of children from Meadville and the surrounding communities learned about robots and computer science during the Festival of Robots event held December 5, 2022, at Allegheny College. The event, open to all school-age students and families and led by Allegheny’s robotics students and Computer Science faculty, featured hands-on robot explorations, demonstrations, and simulations, as well as a station about video game development. Allegheny students and faculty impressed attendees with wheeled robot navigation, robot arm manipulations, an arena with autonomously flying drones, and more. After the event, students from the College’s Robotic Agents course took their demonstrations to Second District Elementary School in Meadville to share with more students.

photo Ed Mailliard

14

4 A Hallmark of the Allegheny Experience

Allegheny's unique approach to research and scholarship prepares graduates for future success.

60 Years of WARC

Alumni share memories from their time working at WARC, Allegheny’s student-run radio station.

18 Allegheny in Your Neighborhood

Did you catch Allegheny on tour this fall? See where we visited with alumni and friends.

20

Igniting a Spark for Undergraduate Research

A couple seeks to honor the next generation — and impact future generations — with a generous gift.

22 Women’s Sports Honor Title IX’s Golden Anniversary in Winning Fashion

Four women’s teams strongly represented the College, while other fall and winter teams made headlines in their own ways.

28 On the Hill

Accolades and appointments from campus

32 Class Notes

Alumni news and updates

48 The Last Word

Empowering students to become their future selves

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ON THE COVER

Grace Hemmelgarn ̓22 and Mark Kirk ̓11 contribute to a state research project that helps to determine the appropriate level of environmental protection for streams.

(photo by Derek Li)

Notice of Non-discrimination Allegheny College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, religion, disability, age or other criteria protected by law in admission, treatment, employment in or access to its programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Gillian Ford Title IX Coordinator 520 North Main Street | Meadville, PA 16335 (814) 332-3085

Inquiries may also be directed to the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education at 800-421-3481 or by email at OCR@ed.gov.

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

EDITOR

Heather Grubbs

DIRECTOR OF ART & PUBLICATIONS

Penny Drexel

LEAD MAGAZINE DESIGNER

Brian Martone

CONTRIBUTORS

Erica Erwin ’02

Phil Foxman ’90

Katheryn Frazier

Scott Gast ’08

Travis Larner

Paige Penfield

Sara Pineo

Bernadette Wilson

PHOTOGRAPHY

Elliott Cramer

Kevin Fenstermacher

Robert Hayes

Derek Li

Ed Mailliard

Richard Sayer

Julie Watkins

Send

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.

THE VALUE of UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH

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

Dear Alumni and Friends,

I write this greeting with enthusiasm for the wonderful accomplishments you will read about in this issue. We have much to be proud of!

Earlier this year, I emphasized that I would advance our priorities centered on holistic student success. Holistic student success includes educating, mentoring, and supporting students in an inclusive manner throughout the arc of their Allegheny experience. One ingredient of this is engaging students in high-impact practices, such as mentored research. You may know that Allegheny is nationally recognized for undergraduate research — we received the inaugural national award in 2016 for research at baccalaureate institutions from the Council on Undergraduate Research, and we are consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the top colleges in the nation for undergraduate research and undergraduate teaching.

In this issue, you’ll learn about some of your fellow alumni’s research experiences and about how doing that research — the PROCESS of research — contributed to their path. You'll also learn about the new "Gator TAILS" podcast, where you can hear current students talk about their research projects. In addition, you’ll read about two remarkable gifts, one from Trustee Chris Scott Nelson ’73, and another from Dr. Joseph and Mary Jane Hanson, to endow funds that will support student-faculty research now and for generations to come.

Through my years of advising students in research, whether during a summer project or their Senior Comp, I encouraged them to seek a topic they were passionate about, while mentoring them through the process of the research itself as an

important learning outcome. Learning the process of research builds skills in critical thinking and communication to develop a cogent argument based on data and logic.

in my scholarship and for mentoring students in research. These fundamental research skills still serve me today, in a role that I certainly hadn’t imagined when I walked across the Commencement stage on Bentley lawn in 1987.

Today, undergraduate research continues as an integral part of our students’ success. This, paired with other high-impact learning experiences, helps to create strong outcomes that lead to pathways students may not have ever imagined. I’ve heard this theme in conversations with alumni from class years ranging from the 1960s through 2022 — with phrases such as, “Allegheny prepared me for the future, for jobs that didn’t exist when I graduated” and “My Allegheny education gave me the confidence that brought me along my career path.” These stories from many of you fuel my inspiration for the work that I do.

I experienced this first-hand as an Allegheny student. My senior project advisor, Professor Bob Schwartz ’66, along with the late Professor Wayne Brewer, sparked my intellectual curiosity through research while also inspiring the rigor of academic thought that is necessary for sound research. Upon graduation, I more fully appreciated the value of this learning experience as I found myself superbly prepared for my master’s and doctoral research; this foundation continued to serve me in my professional work in environmental consulting and, then, full circle, as a faculty member at Allegheny

I am committed to the work of building a pathway for Allegheny to thrive — a pathway that leans into our core liberal arts values and is integrated with our distinctive and relevant major-minor curriculum, while continuing to infuse high-impact practices, such as undergraduate research, into the student experience. I am proud of the Allegheny education that our students receive, in and out of the classroom, preparing them for exciting outcomes into the 21st century.

I hope you enjoy this issue of Allegheny magazine, and I look forward to seeing you during Reunion Weekend, Blue & Gold Weekend, and other upcoming events.

Go Gators!

I am committed to the work of building a pathway for Allegheny to thrive — a pathway that leans into our core liberal arts values and is integrated with our distinctive and relevant major-minor curriculum, while continuing to infuse high-impact practices, such as undergraduate research, into the student experience.

Katie Brozell ’23, an environmental science & sustainability major with minors in biology and environmental writing, has served as a research assistant for Professor of Environmental Science & Sustainability Rich Bowden, Ph.D., since her first year. Here, she is at Allegheny’s Bousson Environmental Research Reserve processing soils collected at the 30-year anniversary of the soil/DIRT (Detrital Inputs and Removal Treatments) experiment, which is part of a network of similar experiments around the world investigating the ability of soils to store atmospheric carbon.

A HALLMARK OF THE ALLEGHENY EXPERIENCE

by Erica Erwin ’02

photos Derek Li, Ed Mailliard

Unique Approach to Research and Scholarship

Prepares Graduates for Future Success

MICHELLE WOODS ’18

In the summer of her junior year at Allegheny College, Michelle Woods ’18 found herself somewhere she never expected to be, studying something she had never heard of before. Working alongside the late Scott Wissinger, Ph.D., Allegheny professor of biology and environmental science, Woods was at Colorado’s Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory trying to make sense of how the range of the caddisfly had shifted because of climate change.

The experience left an indelible impression on Woods, a biology and environmental science double major.

As an environmental scientist, “you want to study those big megafauna. Who cares about a little bug?” Woods, now a water quality standards reviewer with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, said with a laugh. “But the implications for climate change and the nutrient cycle really speak to my interests, and that’s what jumpstarted my research for my Senior Comp at Allegheny, my graduate research, and now my career.”

The opportunity to design and take part in research while an undergraduate at Allegheny is not only unique among small liberal arts colleges, but is also a hallmark of the Allegheny experience — a point of pride among faculty, current students, and especially alumni for whom the opportunity helped shape their future.

Here, students in fields as varied as biology, political science, and art are doing the kind of work their peers at other institutions may have to wait to do until graduate school, if ever,

working independently and alongside professors as research collaborators, tackling questions large and small. In doing so, they develop newfound interests, define their career paths, and make very real and lasting contributions to their chosen fields before landing their first job.

“We know that participating in research helps students develop skills that employers value: critical thinking, the ability to work in teams, the ability to work independently at times, the ability to communicate information,” said Matthew Venesky, Ph.D., associate professor of biology and director of Allegheny’s Office of Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities (URSCA).

Venesky recently launched “Gator TAILS,” a podcast dedicated to telling the stories of research and scholarship taking place at Allegheny and the student researchers leading these projects. He wants to make sure more people know what has long been recognized: When it comes to undergraduate research, Allegheny is a leader. In 2015, the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) honored Allegheny with CUR’s inaugural Award for Undergraduate Research Accomplishment in recognition of high-quality research experiences for students. And the accolades keep coming.

Most recently, in September, U.S. News & World Report again named Allegheny one of the top 100 liberal arts colleges in the country, highlighting the College’s commitment to undergraduate teaching, studentfaculty research, and value. Allegheny also ranked in the top 10 among all colleges and universities in the U.S. with the best senior capstone experiences (ahead of prestigious institutions such as Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Duke University) and in the top 40 of those with the best undergraduate/ creative projects.

More broadly and longer term, participating in research also gives students the tools to understand and effect change in a complex world, Venesky said.

“The world is becoming more and more complex, and the problems we need to solve and think about aren’t problems you can pinpoint an answer to readily or easily, especially with the perspective of one discipline,” he said. “Being able to draw on multiple experiences and couple those with one’s ability to think critically is how we believe we’re going to solve the bigger challenges these students will face as they become adults and take leadership positions.”

Allegheny’s commitment to undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative activities began with the College’s founding in 1815. It continues today as a ribbon that runs through all four years of a student’s career, beginning in the first year with two seminar courses that create a foundation for all future research work. Students go on to develop and hone their skills during a sophomore and junior seminar, a precursor to the famous Senior Comprehensive Project — the capstone experience referenced in the U.S. News rankings.

“The deliberate scaffolding of our curriculum, which begins with the first-year seminars and culminates with the Senior Comprehensive

Michelle Woods ’18

…the implications for climate change and the nutrient cycle really speak to my interests, and that’s what jumpstarted my research for my Senior Comp at Allegheny, my graduate research, and now my career.

Visitors to the Bowman, Penelec, & Megahan Art Galleries at Allegheny viewed students’ creative artworks during a student art exhibition in December called Attendance

Mandatory: All Campus Event. Featured here is an art project by Dawson Thomas ’23 (not pictured) titled Comma Period (, .). Thomas, who is double majoring in art, science, & innovation and film & digital storytelling, created the project as part of a junior seminar course.

During the Richard J. Cook – Teresa M. Lahti Scholars Symposium, an annual College-wide forum that celebrates student research, scholarship, and creative activities on campus, Satori Chin ’23, who is majoring in physics and minoring in French, talks about a summer research experience at Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia. The observatory is known for radio astronomy, which was the subject of Chin’s Senior Comprehensive Project. As part of her Senior Comp, Chin used the radio telescope in Allegheny’s Carr Hall to measure the speeds of gas clouds within our Milky Way Galaxy.

Project, sets Allegheny apart from other institutions. The Senior Comprehensive Project, which is designed to showcase students' novel application of knowledge in their chosen areas of study, has been central to Allegheny's academic culture since its founding,” said Angela Haddad, Ph.D., provost and dean of the faculty. “Our holistic and systematic approach to developing students as independent thinkers capable of producing knowledge on complex issues prepares Allegheny graduates for success in their future studies and careers.”

The Senior Comp is an experience that looms large in Allegheny lore, with stories of late, coffee-fueled nights spent in Pelletier Library and the celebratory “Burning of the Comps” ritual passed down from alumni to prospective students and revisited at class reunions. (Don’t worry; the College keeps copies of all Comps.) For current students, it’s a daunting but rewarding challenge, a unique experience that requires students from all backgrounds and abilities to synthesize knowledge and create and express cohesive arguments centering on original research.

“Students need to know not only how to answer questions, but also how to ask the right questions,” Venesky said. “That is one of the true powers of the Senior Comp experience. Students also get the opportunity to define what they want to do. That is a very empowering tool for them outside the strict process of research, just being able to identify something that they’re interested in and want to pursue. That’s an opportunity students don’t always get elsewhere.”

During their time at Allegheny, all students also have the opportunity to work with mentor professors over the course of a summer, helping with ongoing research or conducting their own. Students also present their work at an event open to the public. Their

projects are as varied as their majors and minors — at Allegheny, “research” is best understood as an umbrella term for any work, in any discipline, that demonstrates independent inquiry.

ADAM MILLER ’18

Michelle Woods’ husband, Adam Miller ’18, credits summer research during his sophomore and junior years with helping him secure admission to a graduate program, his first internship with the U.S. Department of State, and his first job after graduation. Working with Associate Professor of Political Science Shanna Kirschner, Ph.D., Miller, who majored in political

data analysis group, where he parses economic indicators and other data to determine where and when conflict might occur and how best to support development in countries across the globe.

“From a humanitarian angle you want to have the biggest impact you can have,” he said. “The U.S. government expenses on foreign investment are so small compared to almost any other sector of the government, but you can make a huge impact with those dollars. You just have to know where you should be spending them.”

Data also help focus efforts on serving underprivileged areas, areas that get overlooked “because of the people who have traditionally held power,” Miller said.

“Traditionally in development we send American engineers to build a well. Now we can use data to assess how we can use local citizens to do this. We don’t have to go in there thinking we have all the answers anymore.”

The opportunity to undertake research as an undergraduate teaches critical skills that are valuable across all disciplines. It also exposes students to fields and experiences they’d never considered before.

science and minored in French, explored whether peacekeeping can be effective at limiting sexual violence in conflicts. Later, he completed a Senior Comp that compared the effectiveness of NATO and African Union peacekeeping forces.

When he applied to Syracuse University’s graduate program in international relations, “the fact that I had any research experience was pretty unheard of from someone coming directly from undergrad,” he said.

Miller is now an analyst at DevTech Systems Inc., a prestigious conflict

ELISSA EDMUNDSHUNT ’18

Such was the case with Elissa Edmunds-Hunt ’18, who originally planned to become a pediatrician but changed her mind after taking a mix of classes touching on global health, women’s studies, and social justice. She graduated with a degree in global health studies, with a minor in community & justice studies, after

Adam Miller ’18

The fact that I had any research experience was pretty unheard of from someone coming directly from undergrad.

completing a Senior Comp focused on the experiences of Black women breastfeeding and their perinatal health care in Pittsburgh.

Edmunds-Hunt interviewed Black women directly, using their voices as the basis for her study. Some of what she heard — health concerns being dismissed, women being denied pain management due to bias, and medical racism — moved her.

When Shink first arrived at Allegheny, he thought he might want to go to law school or enter politics. That notion went the way of the VHS tape after he took his first video production class.

“I was bitten by the bug from that point forward,” said Shink, now a lead producer at Pendragwn Productions, a Washington, D.C.-based creative agency that specializes in helping clients tell their stories, often through the power of video.

he may never have been exposed to otherwise.

“It fundamentally changed the course of my life,” said Shink, who has won four Emmy® Awards for his work. “I have always really appreciated and respected the impact that comes with exposure — exposure to different people, exposure to different places, exposure to different cultures and ways of thinking. That exposure is eye-opening if you allow it to be.

“It changed the trajectory of my life,” said Edmunds-Hunt, now the director of First Steps and Beyond at Allegheny Health Network in Pittsburgh, an organization that seeks to reduce Black infant mortality. Prior to First Steps, Edmunds-Hunt became a birth worker, and then implemented a culturally reflective home visiting program for high-risk Black pregnant women and people in Washington, D.C.

Her classes and research experience at Allegheny “forced me to think about how all these social determinants — employment, housing and nutrition, health care, family support — impact health outcomes.

“I don’t think I would have that perspective if I didn’t go to Allegheny,” Edmunds-Hunt said. “It gave me that foundation of, ‘I need to know about a lot of things and not just stay stuck in my worldview.’”

The same holds true for Jon Michael Shink ’07. When he talks about research, he, too, mentions storytelling.

Working under Professor of Communication, Film, and Theatre Ishita Sinha Roy, Ph.D., and with the support of Professor of Communications, Film, and Theatre Michael Keeley, Shink, a communication arts major and political science minor, created a documentary called Living with Autism. His research: fully immersing himself in the lives of an Erie family with a child who has autism. He used the documentary to land his job at Pendragwn, a position that exposed him to people and parts of the world

“Allegheny is a microcosm of that,” he said. “What Allegheny did was expose me to different things I didn’t expect to be interested in or in some ways didn’t acknowledge existed. When I was 18, the idea that storytelling was a possibility as a career was not on my radar, not remotely. … I certainly may have ended up in some version of this career, but my Comp literally got me my first job and a 15-year career filled with incredible success and opportunity. It’s hard not to draw a direct line between my Allegheny experience and where I am now.”

JI-HEE HONG ’16

Like Shink, Ji-Hee Hong ’16 speaks about her time at Allegheny, and particularly her undergraduate research experience, with pride. During the summer following her first year, Hong worked with Associate Professor of Chemistry Timothy Chapp, Ph.D., to improve and expedite a process to synthesize molecules, using an instrument that works like a microwave.

Originally a biology major, she switched to chemistry, with a global health studies minor.

Elissa Edmunds-Hunt ’18

It [Allegheny] gave me that foundation of, ‘I need to know about a lot of things and not just stay, stuck in my worldview.’

MICHAEL SHINK ’07

John Michael Shink ’07

I have always really appreciated and respected the impact that comes with exposure — exposure to different people, exposure to different places, exposure to different cultures and ways of thinking. That exposure is eye-opening if you allow it to be.

Allegheny has a longstanding tradition of undergraduate research; the College’s awardwinning research program is woven into the fabric of the Allegheny experience.

Alumni near and far can now learn more about the fascinating research and scholarship taking place at their alma mater through "Gator TAILS" (Talking About Inquiry, Learning, and Scholarship), a podcast that explores the many flavors of research, scholarship, and creative work at Allegheny.

Your host, Matthew Venesky, Ph.D., associate professor of biology and director of Allegheny’s Office of Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities, chats with current Allegheny students about the research and scholarship in which they are involved. During the podcast, you’ll hear from students across all disciplines, all academic years, and at various stages of their project as they discuss what it means to participate in research and creative expression at Allegheny.

For example, you’ll hear interviews with:

• Emma Yesko ’23, who talks about her research trying to determine what caused an amphibian die-off in a pond at Allegheny’s Bousson Environmental Research Reserve;

• Michael Gartland ’23, who discusses his internship at the Gettysburg National Military Park, where he used an online database to find and catalog over 200 soldier pension files to provide information about the lives of Union soldiers who died during the Battle of Gettysburg and were buried in the cemetery; and

• Bill Nese ’23, who explains how his research allows scientists to better understand protein attachment and aids the design of numerous types of biosensors.

“That summer changed my heart,” said Hong, who went on to complete a Senior Comp focused on creating a catalyst that can help to provide hydrogen gas as a new fuel source.

That experience helped to open doors, including landing a job as a visiting scholar at the University of Pittsburgh and, later, at Alpha Aromatics, a Pittsburgh-based fragrance company where she created fragrance formulations for candles, perfumes, shampoos, and lotions. Hong is now a perfumery student in the Master of Science program in scent design and creation at ISIPCA, a postgraduate school for studies in perfume,

Ji-Hee Hong ’16

cosmetics products, and food flavor formulation in Versailles, France.

Her summer work with Chapp and her Senior Comp helped her learn time management skills, accountability, and the ability to work as an individual and with a team, Hong said. The

experience also gave her something less tangible but just as important: confidence. She knows now that she has the skills to succeed wherever life takes her.

“It doesn’t matter where I go, or what kind of school I go to, or what kind of company I’m working for,” Hong said. “I’m not scared.”

To learn more about undergraduate research at Allegheny, visit allegheny.edu/ursca

A TRANSFORMATIONAL PHILANTHROPIC INVESTMENT

During the February 2023 Board of Trustees weekend, President Ron Cole shared the news of a multi-million dollar gift with board members, administration, faculty, staff, and students who were in attendance at the Friday night dinner. The announcement came after a moving presentation by Matt Venesky, Ph.D., associate professor of biology and director of Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities (URSCA), about faculty-led

undergraduate research and the impact it has on our students and community. In honor of her 50th reunion, Christine Scott Nelson ’73 made a transformational philanthropic investment to create an endowed fund that will further enhance opportunities for faculty-led undergraduate research, a hallmark of the Allegheny College experience.

It doesn’t matter where I go, or what kind of school I go to, or what kind of company I’m working for. I’m not scared.

Pictured above are Provost and Dean of the Faculty Angela Haddad, Ph.D.; Christine Scott Nelson ’73; Assistant Professor of Environmental Science & Sustainability Kelly Pearce, Ph.D.; and Associate Professor of Biology Matt Venesky, Ph.D. They are gathered in the newly created Watershed Conservation Research Center, which was generously funded by the Richard King Mellon Foundation. This interdisciplinary center provides a space for Allegheny faculty and students to collaborate with community partners to engage in conservation-based research and educational outreach in the upper Allegheny River basin, focusing on the French Creek watershed.

Katie Mowry ’23, who is double majoring in biology and environmental science & sustainability, sorts through macroinvertebrate samples as part of her Senior Comprehensive Project. Through her research, Mowry is trying to understand how aquatic indicator species, such as macroinvertebrates, change as a function of river width, depth, and velocity and whether human-modified landscapes impact the River Continuum Concept, a concept in stream ecology. Mowry is conducting this research at Allegheny’s Bousson Environmental Research Reserve, located just a few miles from campus.

60 YEARS OF

Allegheny’s student-run radio station, WARC, has certainly evolved since its first broadcast in 1963. While the studio’s technology, location, and song choices have changed, WARC continues to operate and promote a professional alternative radio station, serving as an educational tool for listeners and disc jockeys alike.

As the station celebrates its 60th year on the air, we asked alumni to share their favorite WARC memories — and we were pleased to hear from a range of Gators from the classes of 1965 to 2019! Here’s a sampling of what we received.

Charles Bierbach ’69

LATE NIGHT JAZZ

My show was the last of the day and I was required to close down the station. We had a record we used to play to sign off in the required manner. For my last show, I chose a different record that had the sound of an atom bomb explosion. I was roundly castigated.

Jon Nielsen ’72

BIG JON SHOW

Genre: Billboard top 40, emphasis on rock and anti-war protest songs

Song: “White Room” by Cream

It was 1968, in the upstairs studios of the old Student Union Building, and everyone was focused on the Vietnam War. The show was late night and was nonstop music with little interruption. Behind me sat our little group of anti-war activists quietly plotting our next move.

Jay Silberblatt ’77

’87 MANHATTAN MIX

Genre: New wave, punk, alternative

We had printed program guides, T-shirts, regular newscasts, and special programming. There are too many memories to recount in detail. It was a thrill on evenings when I could not keep up with the request calls and somber when I happened to be in the news studio when the teletype rang more alarms than I had ever heard. I asked the air studio to patch me in as I reported the loss of seven astronauts from the space shuttle Challenger just as it came across the wire. The experience gave me a profound respect for the power and importance of media and its relationship to its audience. I served as chief engineer, general manager, and production director during my time at WARC, and the rewards of the experience convinced me to try the work professionally. I worked for six years in commercial radio following college and was on air in Boston, San Diego, and Santa Barbara. While I enjoyed my experiences in commercial radio immensely, nothing matched the creative freedom I was able to experience at WARC.

Richard Earley ’89

POST PARTY PLAYTIME; EARLEY IN THE MORNING

Song: “New Beginning” by Bucks Fizz

Genre: Progressive rock

Song: “Firth of Fifth” by Genesis/Steve Hackett

During 1975-76, I was the WARC news director. From 1976-77, I was the WARC general manager. I have vivid recollections of the Revox reel-to-reel machines, the patch cords, and the board that we used to produce the news. We had a noisy UPI teletype machine and an ABC news feed that we used for "actualities" to complement our news broadcasts. It was all very professional. Our music library was filled with racks and racks of vinyl albums that were played on several Technics professional turntables. We stressed segues between songs and no dead air. What great fun.

First year we arranged to broadcast from my dorm (Baldwin Hall) using a friend’s room (Kirk Henderson ’89). We distributed fliers, made a banner, etc. It was a lot of fun. But I really love the memory of very late-night broadcasts, when probably no one was listening, feeling total control of the airwaves. Also loved the record library and picking my albums. It was always a gamble to pull something from the “A box” (new high-rotation releases) that I wasn’t familiar with. Once had to bat the needle off a track that contained a crescendo of profanity. Station managers were really welcoming and agnostic about show styles. Photo courtesy of Kirk Henderson ’89

DID YOU KNOW?

WARC stands for the Allegheny Radio Commission.

Brice Kirkendall-Rodriguez

Dana Pieto Roolf ’93

THE REALLY BIG SHOW

Song: “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana

My good friend Sarah Storm ’92 and I were the DJs for "The Really Big Show." Our unofficial sponsor was “Beano.” We had so many good times, even when we did the news before having our own show. We were laughing so hard during a newscast — Sarah had started the news and I had to finish it. What great memories!

Christy Allbee Gannon ’93

THE CRASH SITE OF UNREQUITED LOVE

Genre: ’90s alternative

Song: “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana

Melanie Hutsell ’93 and I had a radio show on Friday nights, and we would play music for students getting ready to go out. David Letterman was popular at the time with Top Ten lists, so we started creating our own Allegheny versions that we would share: "Top 10 Ways to Dump Your Date," "Top 10 Things to Do with Your Money Other than Spend it on Christmas Gifts," "Top 10 Blonde Jokes." Those are the tame ones. We also ran polls, and sometimes we would get over 20 calls with students voting. My most memorable time, however, was when Nirvana came out with “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” We got calls to play that song four times an hour for weeks and weeks.

Keith Bryner Jr. ’01 SONGS FOR SUBURBAN

Genre: Punk, hardcore

Song: “Pounding for Vipers” by The Party of Helicopters

RENEWAL

I loved being able to introduce fellow Alleghenians to new music, as music director for three years and working with the punk kids in Meadville to put on shows at the Woodcock Township building, the Unitarian Universalist Church downtown, and campus! Music has always been about community and growth to me, and I was so pleased that I got to know both campus and Meadville during my time with WARC.

’08 THE JONES ZONE

DJ Name: Jonsey

Genre: Indie/rock

Band: Band of Horses

I loved the PSAs - I think I did one to protect penguins once. Loved when people called in and remembered the ads as well as a song request!

DID YOU KNOW?

Nearly 1,800 living alumni were involved with WARC during their time at Allegheny!

Amanda Jones

Jackie Verrecchia ’17

Genre: Anything from The Chicks to Beyoncé Song: “Wide Open Spaces” by The Chicks

My friend Kristen Migliozzi ’17 and I loved that we got to spend two hours a week uninterrupted jamming out to songs. We never made a playlist; we just made it up on the spot (often causing some radio ad libbing while someone frantically tried to find a song). We loved that all music was welcome on WARC and DJs just had to like music. When I talk to people about some of the activities I did in college I always light up about WARC because it was such a unique opportunity! I’m thankful Allegheny has kept the radio on and allows students to use their creativity.

Emily Rahravan ’18 CONSENSUAL

SAX

Song: “It Had to Be You” by Harry Connick Jr.

We’d start the show with saxophone music, mostly playing the oldies, and giving a shout-out to my mom. My co-DJ Alex Reganata '18 said he wanted to do a radio show together. After the first show it became abundantly clear that he only knew about 10 songs total and didn't really listen to music. For the next three years we mostly played doo-wop, electroswing, and soundtracks from '90s rom-coms. Our favorite thing to do was read local Craigslist personals (before that section was removed from the site) on air.

Professor Joshua Searle-White

Genre: Student guests telling their original stories

In 2008-2009, Brian Kirklin ’09, Ali Heffner ’09, Paul Juette ’10, and Cristy Carlson ’09, all students from my FS101, wrote, casted, produced, and aired a six-part radio drama called "Trigger Ethics" on WARC. It was a futuristic dystopian drama that ultimately had a cast of more than 20 actors, sound designers, and other participants. The launch party at WARC was a huge success.

INYOUR ALLEGHENYNEIGHBORHOOD

WASHINGTON,D.C.

IGNITING A SPARK FOR UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH

Couple Seeks to Honor Next Generation — and Impact

Future Generations — with Generous Gift

photo Elliott Cramer

Ryan Hanson’s internship at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in summer 2008 fueled a passion for scientific research that was kindled by mentorship from Allegheny College faculty.

Those experiences helped put the 2010 Allegheny graduate — now Ryan Hanson, M.D. — on a path toward becoming an anesthesiologist with the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic.

But the internship also had a ripple effect. A decade and a half later, it played a role in Ryan’s parents’ decision to establish an endowed research fund at Allegheny. Through that gift, Mary Jane and Joe Hanson seek to spark in new generations of students the same excitement for inquiry and discovery that Ryan developed at the College.

“We’re very proud of our son,” Mary Jane and Joe say. “He always amazes us.”

To direct their philanthropy honoring Ryan’s achievements, Mary Jane and Joe asked their son what aspect of the College had the most impact on him. His answer was clear: research.

Among those learning opportunities was Ryan’s internship at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which was supported by an endowment gift from Ruth Ann Peterson Verell ’57, Ph.D. Seeing that generosity in action helped encourage the Hansons to create their own endowment: the Dr. Joseph Hanson and Mrs. Mary Jane Hanson Fund for Student-Faculty Collaborative Research.

“We are positive that the early attention given to Ryan to do research projects inspired him to achieve his academic success as well as his career aspirations,” Joe and Mary Jane say.

Retired chemistry professor Nancy Lowmaster “really took Ryan under

her wing,” Joe says. Ryan was selected to stay on the Allegheny campus to conduct research in the summer following his first year. “At that point, I said, ‘my son is exceptional,’” Joe recalls. “Nobody I knew had an opportunity like that.”

And Ryan seized opportunities throughout his time at Allegheny. A neuroscience and psychology double major, he conducted research throughout his years on campus. Ryan also received funding from the College to work with a University of Pittsburgh professor studying muscular dystrophy.

Education from Pitt. That foundation helped Mary Jane gain interpersonal and leadership skills she used in her management role with US Airways, where she worked until retiring.

It is clear Joe invested considerable effort in his education and professional career, as well. He graduated from Washington & Jefferson, majoring in Biology, and in 1980, he received his Doctor of Optometry from Salus University. He built a successful career in the field for more than 30 years before retiring, and he says he is enjoying every aspect of his retirement.

The Hansons say they are grateful for the opportunity to honor their son’s achievements by supporting Allegheny students. They are quick to credit the shaping of their endowed fund to Ryan and Jim Fitch, associate director of career exploration at Allegheny.

“They put their heads together to really develop something special that would make a difference for students,” Joe says.

Ryan parlayed his Allegheny education into post-graduation accomplishments. He conducted research full time for two years with the National Institutes of Health before enrolling in the M.D. program at the Penn State College of Medicine. He then secured a competitive internship in general medicine and residency in anesthesiology at the prestigious Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

“He was persistent,” Mary Jane and Joe say of Ryan’s approach to his educational journey.

Ryan also had the stellar example set by his parents to guide him. Mary Jane worked to pay her own way through the University of Pittsburgh, graduating with a degree in Psychology. She also earned a Master’s Degree in Counselor

“I feel incredibly grateful to have had such a meaningful research opportunity during my freshman year at Allegheny College,” Ryan says. “It fostered critical thinking and rewarded discipline, both of which have been invaluable to a career in medicine. I’m thankful my parents want to help provide the same type of experience for current and future students.”

Allegheny will always be special to their family in many ways, Joe and Mary Jane say. And they likewise hope their gift will motivate others to support what they’re passionate about at the College — just as the Verell Fund inspired the Hansons. “It is our hope that this endowment will motivate Allegheny students to dream big,” they add.

Joe and Mary Jane Hanson

We are positive that the early attention given to Ryan to do research projects inspired him to achieve his academic success as well as his career aspirations.

by Travis Larner

TITLE IX'S GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY IN WINNING FASHION

The summer leading up to the 2022-23 academic year was an exciting time for the Allegheny College Gators. In June, the College unveiled a new athletics brand, and as the academic calendar rolled over to a new year on July 1, Allegheny officially returned to the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC).

Furthermore, the Allegheny community joined colleges and universities across the nation in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the passage of Title IX. The landmark legislation that paved the way for the opportunity for girls and women to compete in sports was signed into law on June 23, 1972.

Fast forward five decades, and in the wake of the monumental anniversary, Allegheny's women's programs have helped lead the way on the courts, fields, and trails. Not only did the tennis and cross country programs capture their respective PAC Championships, but the volleyball and field hockey teams also strongly represented the Blue and Gold.

photos

Ed Mailliard, Kevin Fenstermacher, Robert Hayes, Julie Watkins

It was terrific that we had four women's sports attain high achievement. I don't know if it was a coincidence, but I think it was great that it just so happened to be the 50th anniversary of Title IX.

Ella Swan ’23

WOMEN'S TENNIS

WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY

Back row, left to right: Assistant Coach Tyler Glowaki, Sophia Mita, Lauren Passarelli, Jean-Arlette Legrand, Taylor Hayes, Rebecca McIntosh, Allison Riley, Alexandria Adams, Katherine Marks, Ella Swan, Sydney O’Connell, Noelle Kidd, Maria Lounder, Ryan Cox, and Head Coach Dave Hayden. Kneeling, left to right: Athena Drollas, Madelyn Harrington, Tiaralei Cade, Mackenzie Burd, and Sabrina Rodriguez.

Back row, left to right: Mazzie Standish, Leuca Hanish, Erin O'Neill, Celia Cocca, Nelly Stafford, Rachel Walters, Anna Kwasnica, Genevieve Feltmeyer, Elizabeth Teufel, and Renee Tetlow. Front row, left to right: Megan Aaron, Marrin Crist, Eva Kerr, Sarah Maue, Hailey Stupay, Madeline Allen, Chloe Bonson, and Chloe Spotts.

"I am so grateful that we were able to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the passing of Title IX," said Ella Swan ’23 of the women's tennis team. "It was terrific that we had four women's sports attain high achievement. I don't know if it was a coincidence, but I think it was great that it just so happened to be the 50th anniversary of Title IX."

All eyes were on Swan at the 2022 PAC Championships, as the Nashville, Tennessee, native earned the deciding point in the title match against Franciscan University on October 15. As a result, Swan was crowned the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

"Although I knew everyone was watching me, I was able to keep calm, focus, and just play my game of tennis," Swan explained. "It was one of the highlights of my college career that I will not forget. I couldn't have done it without my team. Their love and support really got me through the highpressure match."

Like women's tennis, Megan Aaron ’23 and her cross country teammates knew they were in for a big year when the Gators were voted No. 1 in the PAC Preseason Coaches' Poll. Throughout the season, Allegheny also maintained a ranking in the Great Lakes Regional Poll.

"We all have such high expectations and hopes for ourselves, and to be ranked No. 1 shows us that we are achieving those goals," Aaron said. "It can be nerve-racking at times, but we have always handled a target on our backs well, so this is something we are used to."

Aaron, who won last year's North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Championship race, was one of eight Allegheny runners who finished inside the top 21 at the 2022 PAC Championships, which earned them All-PAC recognition.

"Crossing the line at the championships and seeing so many of my teammates right

Ella Swan ’23 megan aaron ’23

There is definitely a sense of excitement among student-athletes. It's amazing to not only do well in your season, but also to see other teams doing great and being able to go support them. I think Allegheny sports have a lot coming in the future.

Cheyenne Wilson ’23

cheyenne wilson ’23

behind me was exciting and encouraging," she said.

While the Gator volleyball and field hockey programs did not win championships in 2022, their performances were worthy of significant praise.

Fueled by the team's longest win streak in 28 years, Allegheny volleyball won 17 matches and hosted a quarterfinal match in the PAC Championships. Beginning with a three-set sweep of Geneva College on September 24, the Gators rallied for 10 consecutive victories, six of which were earned inside Allegheny’s David. V. Wise Center.

Cheyenne Wilson ’23, an outside hitter from Chico, California, attributed much of their success to the team's strong relationships on and off the court, and their ability to have fun.

"We played our absolute best when we were on the court goofing around and making the game fun," Wilson said. "Our bench was one of the largest contributors to us having fun. They had cheers that not only picked us up

and made us laugh, but also got the crowd involved. Our coaches worked very hard to make practices intense but also fun."

Allegheny field hockey first took the field in 2019, and after missing a year during the COVID-19 pandemic, completed just their third varsity season this fall. The Class of 2023 represents the first graduating class in team history. Yet, despite the obstacles a young group might face, Hallie Reiger ’23 and her teammates put Gator field hockey on the map in a big way in 2022.

The Gators won 13 games, which included four consecutive wins to open the season and a program-best, six-game win streak from September 14 through October 1. Allegheny, which still competes under the NCAC umbrella for field hockey, also punched its ticket to its first-ever conference tournament.

"When the team beat Ohio Wesleyan, I realized this team could go far," said Reiger of the team's 1-0 upset over the thenundefeated Battling Bishops on September 24. "The feeling in the locker room after that

Hallie Reiger ’23

game was amazing, and everyone felt very empowered."

The senior goalkeeper from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was named the NCAC Defensive Player of the Year, a tremendous honor for one of the student-athletes who has helped build Allegheny field hockey from day one.

"When Coach (Margaret Maclean) told me I got the award, I was speechless," Reiger said. "I wouldn't be where I am without Coach Mac, so I am happy I got this award with her as my coach. When I would have doubts about my playing abilities, Coach Mac would always reassure me and tell me to snap out of it and keep playing."

These incredible performances have many excited about the future of Allegheny athletics

"There is definitely a sense of excitement among student-athletes," Wilson said. "It's amazing to not only do well in your season, but also to see other teams doing great and being able to go support them. I think Allegheny sports have a lot coming in the future."

Senior linebacker Hudson Alread ’23 was named a semifinalist for the 2022 William V. Campbell Trophy®, considered college football's premier scholar-athlete award, and received Academic All-District® honors from College Sports Communicators in recognition of his success on the field and in the classroom.

Olivia Kraus ’24, Allegheny’s all-time record holder in the 50-yard freestyle, led all Gators with a pair of PAC championships this winter. The junior won gold medals in both the 50- and 100-yard freestyle races, in addition to helping Allegheny earn bronze in four different relay races.

At press time, Carter Hassenplug ’25 had the Allegheny men’s golf team in position to earn some hardware in the spring portion of the 2022-23 season. While the Gators finished second at the 2022 PAC Fall Championships, the second-year linksman was the co-medalist and planned to compete for the conference title in the spring half of the PAC Championships at the Mill Creek Golf Course.

GATOR PROUD

In addition to women’s cross country, field hockey, tennis, and volleyball, the other fall and winter sports teams made headlines in their own ways. Here are a few highlights from their respective seasons.

Brady Napoleon ’25 earned high praise for his work on the pitch in 2022. The All-PAC FirstTeam midfielder helped the Gators earn a home playoff game while producing career-highs in points (16), goals (6), and assists (4).

Senior

helped the women’s indoor track & field team win the 2022-23 PAC Championship with two individual victories. Toader was victorious in the 200- and 400-meter dashes, which included an Allegheny indoor record of 25.49 seconds in the 200m.

Swedish student-athlete Anton Hedlund ’25 performed well at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division III Men's Central Regional Championship in St. Louis in late September. Alongside teammate Ethan Carr ’26, the Gator duo picked up four hard-fought victories and won their consolation bracket via a walkover in the finals.

sprinter Mihaela Toader ’23

Elisa Gomez ’25 was the top finisher for the Allegheny women’s golf team in the fall portion of the 2022-23 PAC Championships. Gomez, who tied for seventh out of 36 women in the tournament, concluded the two rounds of the fall tournament with a cumulative 177 (+33), just one stroke ahead of teammate Jenny Beth Brundige ’24, who, at press time, was sitting in ninth place.

For the second year in a row, Sean Heintzleman ’24 received First-Team All-Conference honors, as the junior runner finished fourth overall at the 2022 PAC Championships. He helped the Gators place second as a team.

Julieta Schworm ’23 was an All-PAC Honorable Mention selection and collected College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors after leading the women’s soccer team with 14 points (5 goals, 4 assists) this fall.

At the 2022-23 PAC Championships, Daniel Jackson ’25 finished as the runner-up in six different events. He was a silver medalist in both the 200-yard breaststroke and 200yard individual medley and helped four of Allegheny’s relay teams place second.

Emily Lauer ’25 guided the women’s basketball team to a PAC playoff berth with an outstanding sophomore season. The second-year guard, who was named to the All-PAC First Team, ranked first among all players in the conference with 18.4 points per game, and her 479 total points are the fourth-most in program history.

Jacob King ’23 was one of two Gators from the men’s indoor track & field team to win a PAC Championship this winter. The senior did so in record-setting fashion, as King set a new conference record in the weight throw at 16.85 meters, more than a full meter better than the previous record holder.

The 2022-23 PAC Defensive Player of the Year, Caden Hinckley ’23, etched his name among the all-time greats in Allegheny men’s basketball history during his senior season. While leading the Gators to the 2022-23 PAC Championship Game, Hinckley set new program records for blocks and rebounds in a season, and moved into the top 10 for career points.

On the Hill News from Campus 2022 Zingale

Financial Literacy Challenge Crowns Winner

In December, 12 finalists, chosen from a field of 30 Allegheny student entrants, competed virtually in the 2022 Zingale Financial Literacy Challenge, hosted by the Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business & Economics and sponsored by Lance ’77 and Karen Zingale. Graham Kralic ’25 took home the first-place trophy. Rounding out the top finishers were Reece Smith ’25 in second place and Paige Downey ’23 and Kevin Lee ’23 tying for third. Mykyta Kovbasa ’27 garnered an honorable mention award.

“We designed our financial literacy program, which includes ECON 010 – Financial Literacy, our ‘Adulting 101’ campus-wide seminar series, and the Zingale Financial Literacy Challenge, to ease the anxiety of our students as they enter the workforce,” said Chris Allison,

co-director of the Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business & Economics. “Based on the quality of this year’s entries and presentations, it seems as though our students are taking the lessons to heart. Our judges found it difficult to select winners, because the overall quality of the presentations was so high.”

The Zingale Financial Literacy Challenge is a competition in which students develop and submit a personal financial budget and investing plan appropriate for life after graduation. The competition is open to all Allegheny students; however, participation in the challenge is a mandatory assignment for students taking ECON 010. A total of $5,000 in prizes and trophies is awarded to student winners.

Entrepreneur in Residence, Co-director of the Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business & Economics, and host Chris Allison ’83 is pictured with 2022 Financial Literacy Challenge Winners, from left, Paige Downey, Kevin Lee, Mykyta Kovbasa, Reece Smith, and Graham Kralic.

Five Elected to Allegheny College Board of Trustees

Allegheny’s Board of Trustees, the governing body elected to oversee the College, has added five new members: Mary S. Amsdell, of Rocky River, Ohio; Mark Maruszewski ’88, of Darien, Connecticut; Derrick B. Owens ’93, of Silver Spring, Maryland; Ellen M. Yount ’87, of Starksboro, Vermont; and Lance Zingale ’77, of Tampa Bay, Florida.

Amsdell is a civic volunteer with several Northeast Ohio-area nonprofits, having served as a board member and in other leadership positions with a wide range of educational, environmental, and economic development organizations. She has a bachelor’s degree in business from Baldwin-Wallace University and previously worked in the financial and banking industries. The mother of a current Allegheny student, Amsdell is a founding member of the College’s Parent & Family Council.

Maruszewski is a 32-year veteran of finance and a partner with global private markets firm StepStone Group (NASDAQ: STEP). He is co-head of StepStone’s private equity secondary practice, a 10-year (now retired) member of StepStone’s Board of Directors, and a longstanding member of the firm’s Private Equity Executive Committee. Maruszewski received his bachelor’s degree in economics from Allegheny;

he earned an MBA with honors from Georgetown University and is a CFA charter holder. Maruszewski serves on the Board of Visitors for Allegheny’s Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business & Economics, and the Board of Trustees for Greenwich Academy in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Owens is senior vice president of government & industry affairs with WTA –Advocates for Rural Broadband. Prior to WTA, he worked at the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration and on Capitol Hill for his hometown congressman. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Allegheny, and in 2004, he earned a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Maryland-College Park. Owens is president of the board of directors of Mid-County United Ministries in Maryland and a board member for Archbishop Hoban High School in Akron, Ohio. He has served on Allegheny’s Alumni Council and is a member of the College’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Owens and his wife, Denise, live in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Yount graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Allegheny. She earned a master’s degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. For more than a decade, she has helped to lead

MSI/Tetra Tech, which programs funding for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and other international donors. Based in Warsaw, she leads Ukraine reconstruction and recovery efforts for Tetra Tech’s global development division. She previously served as a senior advisor to Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge. She established the International Republican Institute’s (IRI) offices in Serbia in the immediate aftermath of the civil war – later working in Croatia to train young political leaders. Later, she was at the helm of USAID’s media office in the aftermath of 9/11. She founded and is president of the One Connected Village Foundation, is a board member of the Vermont Council of World Affairs, and a global ambassador for Nairobi-based RefuSHE.

Zingale retired as executive vice president & general manager with Sykes Enterprises (NASDAQ:SYKE).

He majored in economics and political science at Allegheny, and he earned an MBA from Lehigh University. Zingale has served on the board of directors of the National Industries for the Blind and the chair of the board of trustees of the Academy of the Holy Names in Tampa. He is a member of the International Committee of the American Heart Association and on the board of Frameworks of Tampa Bay. Zingale is a member of the Bruce R. Thompson Center for Business & Economics Board of Visitors and is a financial supporter and judge for the center’s Zingale Big Idea Competition, which is named in his honor.

Allegheny Introduces Commitment to Access Program to Enhance Affordability for Pennsylvania Students and Families

In September, Allegheny introduced a new Commitment to Access Program (CAP) that will cover 100% of tuition for Pennsylvania students from families earning an income of $50,000 or less.

“Since Allegheny’s founding more than two centuries ago, we have opened doors of educational opportunity,” said Ellen Johnson, vice president for enrollment

management. “The Commitment to Access Program extends that legacy. We know the cost of college can be overwhelming for many families, and we are committed to making Allegheny accessible to all Pennsylvania students.”

CAP is open to new first-year and new transfer students starting at Allegheny in fall 2023, as well as current students

for the 2023–24 academic year. The program is renewable for up to four years (eight semesters), as long as income and asset guidelines continue to be met and students remain in good academic standing at the College. Please visit allegheny.edu/cap to learn more.

Do you know a student who would be a great fit for Allegheny?

We would love to connect with them and share more about our empowering interdisciplinary approach to education through our majorminor combinations. And, when you refer a student, they will receive a $1,000 scholarship.

Allegheny Students Explore

Law and Public Policy Inside the Beltway During D.C. Seminar Trip

GRANTS AND GIFTS

$2,065,145

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Allegheny received $2,065,145 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The grant will reimburse the College for expenses incurred as part of our COVID-19 response, which included creating an on-site health agency to oversee the testing, diagnosis, isolation, and quarantine process for the Allegheny community. Expenses included purchasing supplies for cleaning, disinfecting, testing, and screening, as well as face masks and other personal protective equipment, for employees, students, and other members of our community. Additional expenses included hiring health care staff to establish medical protocols for campus testing, contact tracing, and vaccination, as well as implementing COVID-19 mitigation strategies.

A winter break seminar in Washington, D.C., took a dozen Allegheny students into some of the nation’s most important institutions of government — and gave them an insider’s look at careers in law and public policy.

The College’s Law & Policy Program sponsored the nine-day seminar, “Institutions and Interests that Shape the Policy Process,” from January 5 to 14. The experience was designed to help students explore and link their academic interests, passion for civic engagement, and postgraduation goals. Through funding from the Endeavor Foundation, the seminar was free to students, outside of their personal expenses.

While inside the Beltway, students learned from top policymaking experts during rigorous academic seminars on critical elements of the policy process, observed oral arguments at the U.S. Supreme Court, and toured key sites including the White House, the Capitol, and the Library of Congress.

Students also expanded their perspectives by connecting with Allegheny alumni working in legislative affairs, law, communications, and other fields. Students benefited from networking sessions with Allegheny graduates and participated in externships — short-term, hands-on learning experiences — at alumni workplaces.

$2,000,000

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Allegheny was named as the beneficiary of a prospective award via the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Meadville for a $2 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The grant will support the renovation of Allegheny’s Reis Hall, which will include the restoration of historic features as well as the construction of lightweight tech facilities, smart classrooms, design labs, and collaborative workspaces. It will also house the Allegheny College Lab for Innovation and Creativity, the Department of Computer Science, and the new Center for Interdisciplinary Research.

RACP is a Commonwealth grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement projects. RACP projects are state-funded and cannot obtain primary funding under other state programs.

$529,500

Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Allegheny received a $529,500 grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) through the Science Education Program’s Inclusive Excellence Initiative. The grant will support the development of a more inclusive STEM curriculum, with the goal of ensuring that all students feel they belong and can be successful in STEM fields. In particular, the grant-funded initiative will focus on making the content of the introductory science experience more inclusive.

Colleges and universities selected for the grant are divided into seven Learning Community Clusters (LCCs), with approximately 15 institutions belonging to each LCC. The grant will enable Allegheny to partner on a six-year effort with other schools in LCC 3, which aims to shift institutions from deficit- to achievementoriented thinking and practices through five overlapping areas of activity: continuing education, inclusive curricula, student empowerment, inclusive collaboration, and broader approaches to institutional transformation.

Class Notes

Alumni

Notes 1950s ’52

Len Kreisler, M.D., created his seventh book, Crying for the Truth, early in 2022 for his 92nd birthday. “Physician and keen observer of local, national, and world affairs, Dr. Kreisler builds a compelling case for demanding accountability and consequences for those in power. He shares lifelong experiences in health care and political bureaucracy, beseeching readers to speak out for truth and integrity in all aspects of life.”

’54

Dr. Leonard Rubin said he is “still here and still grateful — and loyal to Allegheny.”

Notes 1970s ’74

Bob Fitzsimmons received a Maroon Knights Distinguished Service Award from the Wheeling Central Catholic High School Athletic Hall of Fame. The 1970 Wheeling Central graduate has distinguished himself as a premier attorney in the United States, as well as a stellar athlete on the prep and collegiate levels. At Allegheny, he was a four-year football letterman. Fitzsimmons is the founding member of the Fitzsimmons Law Firm in Wheeling, West Virginia, and has been a member of the West Virginia Board of Governors, Lawyer Disciplinary Board, and Judicial Investigation Commission while being voted one of the top 75 trial lawyers in the United States.

Spero Lappas has been appointed to the Pennsylvania State Law Enforcement Citizen Advisory Commission where he serves as chairman of the Critical Incident Review Committee. The commission was formed by Gov. Tom Wolf with the purpose of improving policing practices within law enforcement agencies under the governor’s jurisdiction. The Critical Incident Review Committee

reviews all investigations of policeinvolved shootings resulting in injury or death of civilians conducted by covered agencies. Lappas lives in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he spends his remaining free time writing books, traveling, and playing with his two grandchildren. He would love to hear from Allegheny friends at sperolappas@gmail.com.

'77

Dave Ames got together with Pam Finsthwait Aldrich '77 and Tamara Blank '77 at the Craig Taphouse on the Missouri River in Montana for a signing of Ames' most recent book, Trout Town Ames said, “We tried to drink too much beer, but couldn't, and chalked it up to the lingering effects of a well-rounded liberal arts education. We would have sent a picture, but forgot to take one, which is a shame, because everybody agrees we still look good for old farts. A bunch of the old names came up, and aside from the ones in the witness protection program, you'll know who you are — here's hoping you're well.”

’79

Harry Kloman retired from his job as news adviser at The Pitt News, the student newspaper of the University of Pittsburgh, on December 31, after 25 years. He'll continue to teach journalism classes in the English Department for a while longer, until he “finds a suitable sunset to ride off into.” He hopes to travel a little more in retirement, so if you would like him to plant- or pet-sit when you travel, especially during the summer, he's available. He said hamsters are his specialty. You can reach him at hbkloman@gmail.com.

’63

Mary Baird ’63, Gerry Romig Seedyke ’63, and Kathleen Davis Snider ’63, college roommates, met in 2021 to celebrate their 80th birthdays together. They also met again in 2022 to celebrate turning 81. Snider says, “We have been in touch with each other sporadically through the years, some closer and more frequently, but all three of us [the fourth member of our ‘quad’ died] since our 25th reunion in 1988. We have always appreciated our Allegheny experience and look forward to our continued in-person annual visits.”

’64

Fred Koesling ’64 says, “A shout-out to the Allegheny Playhouse. I first acted on Allegheny’s stage over 62 years ago. In the intervening years, I’ve acted in multitudinous shows on both U.S. coasts and for the past 18 in my home pueblo of Lake Chapala, central Mexico. This past November 2022, I was again on stage in the comedy ‘Moonlight & Magnolias.’ That’s me on the right. Chapala/Ajijic is a culturally rich Mexican community where Mexican artisans mix with expatriate writers, artists, and creative spirits from around the world. We boast two English-speaking theatres and several theatre groups. Performing has been an engaging, creative pastime for me over the years, in between career and family responsibilities. I could not have imagined as an Allegheny student way back then that I’d still be acting at age 80. Lucky me!”

’74/’75/’77

Larry Weiss ’74 and his wife, Cathy Hart Weiss ’75, hosted some fellow Allegheny alums and brothers from Phi Kappa Psi at their home in the Allegheny mountain foothills west of Winchester, Virginia. Pictured are Dick Fay ’74, Rory Morgan ’77, Cathy Hart Weiss ’75, Larry Weiss ’74, Mary Sue Osby, Erik Osby ’75, and Andy Lubin '74

’78

Donna Skinner Williamson ’78, Nancy Wilcox Davidson ’78, Karen Schmidt O'Connor ’78, and Terry O'Connor ’78 met up at the National Harbor, in Maryland, for an afternoon of memories.

’79

Jonathan Spencer ’79 shares that six Phi Delts and two “wannabes” enjoyed a 10-day whitewater rafting trip through the Grand Canyon in May 2022. From left: Tim Hillmer, Steve Bice ’79, Ray Meeks ’79, Tom Wormer ’79, Jonathan Spencer ’79, Rich Scott ’79, Ray Johnson ’79, and Phil Gustafson. It was their 11th reunion since 2002.

’82/’14

Karin Swanson Daun ’82 and her son Tyler Daun ’14 completed the Chattanooga Ironman as a relay team while her son Justin Daun completed the full Ironman. The trio raised more than $10,000 for UNUM International, an organization that serves vulnerable families in Guatemala.

ALLEGHENY GRADUATE DEFENDS MARGINALIZED

AS PRO BONO COUNSEL FOR MULTI-NATIONAL LAW FIRM

By Katheryn Frazier

Don Salzman ’82 advocates fiercely for the disadvantaged — from his time as a public defender to his current position as pro bono counsel for the past 20 years at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, a multinational law firm. Salzman says that an Allegheny professor was a huge inspiration to him.

“Francis Giles Wayland-Smith [professor emeritus of political science] reinforced my direction, which was to serve others and to look at the world to understand the inequality, the tremendous gaps in fairness in this country,” Salzman says. “The influence of that one particular professor really stuck with me throughout my career.”

After graduating from Allegheny with a bachelor’s in political science, Salzman attended law school at George Washington University, where he represented misdemeanor defendants in court as a third-year student in the Law Students in Court clinic.

His first job out of law school was with a commercial law firm. Two years later, Salzman left the firm to pursue his indigent-defense passion as an assistant public defender in Montgomery County in Maryland, where he remained for almost 15 years.

Notes 1980s

’82

Attorney Jonathan Cooper, partner, Tucker Ellis LLP, has been selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® for 2023 in the area of Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants.

Pamela Sims-Jones has worked with Mercer Street Friends in Ewing, New Jersey, for nine years, and the last six years have been with their Food Bank Center as senior program associate, overseeing their three government food programs and purchasing for their two food bank initiatives: Send Hunger Packing (SHUP) and the Community Food Bag project. “Mercer Street Friends Food

In 2002, Salzman joined the board of the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project and, since then, has led teams on cases that freed innocent men who collectively served 157 years in prison for crimes they did not commit.

At Skadden, Salzman coordinates and supervises pro bono work performed by firm colleagues and leads case teams. He is devoted to assisting underprivileged individuals who cannot afford legal representation and nonprofits serving the public interest.

“I feel very lucky and gratified that I get the chance to work every day on behalf of marginalized people,” Salzman says.

The Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia honored Salzman with its 2014 Servant of Justice award, and the DC Law Students in Court, on whose board he now serves, presented him with its 2018 Distinguished Alumni Award.

Salzman advises students to “find something you’re passionate about because that is what drove my career, and that’s what made it rewarding for me.”

Bank staff have been boots on the ground throughout the pandemic, providing commodities to our more than 50 foodbank member agencies (pantries, shelters, soup kitchens), and more than 80 nonmember agencies throughout Mercer County, New Jersey,” she said. “We're serving approximately 120,000-plus individuals monthly since the pandemic. Personally, I'm still adjusting to my new normal since being widowed four years ago. I'm grateful for family, for longlasting friendships, and to be healthy and safe in these extraordinary times.”

’83

Cynthia Kintner Paschke started her own business, Land Solutions, LLC, an environmental and ecological consulting company, located near Cleveland, Ohio, in 2020. During the first year, she was a sole practitioner, but the company has grown to five employees in two years. “I have been recalling a lot of Dr. Sam Harrison’s

lectures and consulting lessons! I would love to connect with my Alden Hall classmates as I write this final chapter of my career.”

cindypaschke@landsolutions-env.com.

’85

Rebecca Allan is a visual artist and horticulturist based in Bronx, New York. A solo exhibition of her work, called Cultivating Eden, is on view at Wave Hill until June 2023. Allan also is professional garden designer and founder of Painterly Gardens, a firm that specializes in sustainable garden design. An advocate of land conservation, she is also a board member of the Kentucky Natural Lands Trust. See rebeccaallan.com.

’87

Lou Petrucci retired as deputy commissioner for the Department of Permit and Inspection Services after more than 30 years with the City of Buffalo. He has accepted a new position as executive director of Support Services, a local community impact organization that provides weatherization for low- and moderate-income individuals in Erie County and employment services for those 55+. "I look forward to the next chapter in my life serving the WNY community in a new and different capacity," he said.

’89

Kristen Schenke

Pietrewicz, senior strategic account executive, national and major accounts at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (Blue Cross), was welcomed into The President’s Club, the company’s highest achievement that reflects its values and recognizes outstanding performance and dedication

to its customers and business partners. Pietrewicz manages a large and complex book of business that includes many of New England’s largest employers.

Notes 1990s ’91

Attorney Jim Milbrand, partner, Barclay Damon LLP, was listed in the 2023 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® in the areas of Criminal Defense: White-Collar; Product Liability Litigation –Defendants. ’92

Christopher A. Elwell, CPA, joined the executive in residence program at Penn State Behrend’s Black School of Business for the 2022-23 academic year. Elwell specializes in tax consulting, compliance, and preparation of tax returns. He also provides audit, accounting, and financial-reporting services for privately held owner-operated businesses and

nonprofits. He has been a partner at Maloney, Reed, Scarpitti & Co. in Erie, Pennsylvania, since 2015. He has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Allegheny.

’96

Kevin Gallagher was honored as one of five teachers in the country for the Horace Mann Award for Teaching Excellence. The award, sponsored by the Horace Mann Educators Foundation, recognizes educators for their exceptional skill in the classroom; attention to equity and diversity; engagement of families and communities; commitment to ongoing professional development; and advocacy for the profession. He is a finalist for the NEA Benefits Award National Teacher of the Year to be announced in May.

Elise Radina, Ph.D., has been promoted to associate dean for Miami University's Graduate School.

’83/’84/’85

Amy Moore French '84 shared that 10 Allegheny alumni met up in October 2022 in Asheville, North Carolina, for an informal reunion. Pictured from left to right are Betsy Van Dyne '84, Heather Hardy Callahan '84, Lynne Slonaker Montgomery '84, Michelle Yankauckas '84, Debbie Thompson Pinciotto '84, Karen DeJoe '85, Anne Austin Goyetche '84, and Laura Bishop '83 Sharon Sandquist Clark '83 is taking the photo.

’75/’84/’85

Julie Grosjean Skattum '85 shared a photo from her birthday celebration in South Africa. Left to right: Brian Held '84, Dusty Elias Kirk '75, Thomas Murphy '85, Paul Malone '85, Julie Grosjean Skattum '85, and Beany Fertig '84. She also shared a photo from a golf weekend at Skibo Castle in Scotland. From left to right: Paul Malone '85, Brian Held '84, Dag Skattum '84, and Thomas Murphy '85

’98

Adam VanHo, Esq. graduated from Temple University's Beasley School of Law with a Master of Laws (LL.M.) with Honors in Trial Advocacy in May 2022. He is the president of VanHo Law, a litigation firm in Munroe Falls, Ohio. VanHo was quoted in The New York Times regarding his representation of former White House Press Secretary and Communications Director Stephanie Grisham. As a member of the International Criminal Court's List of Counsel, he was one of over 470 international human rights and legal experts, former United Nations officials, and international institutions to call for a United Nations investigation into Iran's massacre of political prisoners in 1988. When he is not practicing law or chauffeuring his children, VanHo can be found peacefully roasting coffee for his COVID-inspired hobby, the Raging River Coffee Company.

James Weaver, Ph.D., has been named the Lorena Woodrow Burke Endowed Chair of English at Denison University in Granville, Ohio, an honor he will hold through 2027. An associate professor of English and environmental studies, he is the current chair of the English Department and an affiliated faculty member in the college's new journalism program.

Notes 2000s ’01

Andrew Hoffman said, “A wise man (Professor Michael Keeley) once comforted me during a stressful time saying that some of the happiest people he knew never figured out what they wanted to do with their lives. After pursuing a master's degree and spending 12 years in multimedia production, it turns out relocating to Portland, Maine, and becoming a carpenter has given me a sense of fulfillment I didn't realize I was missing. Looking forward to continuing to build and renovate high-performance homes in 2023 along with fellow Allegheny alum Matt Hayes '12! Check out our work at www.juniperdesignbuild. com and come to Maine for a visit — you may just decide to stay here like we did!”

’02

Meloni DiPietro

Guthoerl earned the Diocese of Pittsburgh’s 2021 Golden Apple Award for a high school teacher for dedication to the classroom, church, and community. For the past 14 years, she has taught biology at Seton LaSalle Catholic High School and coached the swim and dive team in Mount Lebanon, a suburb of Pittsburgh. “I love sharing my wonderful experiences at Allegheny College with my students and have written many recommendations,” she said.

’04

Erin Garber Letavic, a senior project manager at Herbert, Rowland & Grubic, Inc., was recognized by Central Penn Business Journal as a 2022 Women of Influence honoree during a celebration at the Harrisburg Hilton on June 30. Women of Influence honors high-achieving women based on their professional experience, community involvement, leadership, and a commitment to mentoring. Letavic is an accomplished civil engineer focused on water quality. She was also appointed by former Gov. Wolf to represent Pennsylvania on the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Science & Technical Advisory Committee, which offers technical guidance on policy and resources and facilitates cooperation between research institutions and agencies within the watershed.

Brian O’Malley became the new town manager for McCandless Township, Pennsylvania, at the end of August 2022. He most recently served as town manager for New Sewickley Township in Beaver County. He graduated from Allegheny with a bachelor’s degree in political science.

’04/ ’05/ ’06

Joisanne Rodgers ’04 earned her Ed.D. in leadership with a focus in higher education from the American College of Education. She was joined at commencement celebrations by fellow Gators Shonte Taylor '05 and Melanie Morales '06. Also celebrated was Dr. Rodgers' new position as director of contemporary student services at George Mason University. She leads a team dedicated to educating about, advocating for, and providing direct service to students who do not fit the traditional college student profile — including post-traditional students, adult learners, military-connected students, student parents, foster care alums, and more. 37

’06

Megan Reilly Langer was the 2021 recipient of the Hematology Oncology Pharmacy Association Patient Advocacy Award. She was also chosen as a 40 Under 40 in Cancer awardee by the Association for Value-Based Cancer Care for her pharmaceutical advances through her work as a hematology clinical pharmacy specialist at Allegheny Health Network, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 2021, Langer authored a clinical case report in the Research and Practice in Thrombosis and Haemostasis journal and

co-authored a research manuscript in the Journal of Oncology Pharmacy Practice. In 2022, Langer started a new pharmacy role as a hematology medical science liaison for Bristol Myers Squibb and was named a 2022 “Rising Star” by the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy Alumni Society.

’09

Leslie Rieck, Ph.D., joined Lycoming College as an assistant professor of biology. She received a bachelor’s degree from Allegheny and a doctorate from The Ohio State University.

Notes 2010s ’11

Nick Balzer accepted a position as commercial counsel at Motional AD Inc., an autonomous vehicle company that has industry-leading partnerships with Lyft and Uber.

Shane Downing (pen name Collin Pine) is pleased to announce the publication of his first book, The Garden Next Door (River Horse Books). "Aided by eyecatching illustrations and a diverse cast

ALUMNI PROFILE

ALUMNUS’S PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURED ON U.S. POSTAGE STAMP

By Katheryn Frazier

With camera in hand as the sun sets, Peter Turcik ’09 surveys a World War I-era shipwreck turned artificial reef in Mallows Bay on the Potomac River. As Turcik captures photos of the scene in Charles County, Maryland, little does he know that his work will eventually be featured on a U.S. postage stamp.

Photography is just one aspect of a fulfilling career where Turcik has united his passions for conservation and content creation. Now a managing editor with the American Fishery Society, he ays a class at Allegheny expanded his perspective on environmental advocacy.

“It was a big factor in knowing that I don’t necessarily have to be an environmental science major to participate in the conservation community,” says Turcik, reflecting on an environmental policy class with Dr. Michael Maniates, who taught at Allegheny from 1993 to 2013.

After graduating from Allegheny with a degree in English and a political science minor, Turcik became a Student Conservation Association intern dedicated to the National Park Service’s Flight 93 Memorial. The experience allowed him to shoot more than 3,000 photographs, assist with fundraisers, and create marketing material to support visitation.

Soon after, Turcik joined Trib Total Media as a freelance reporter and photographer that contributed to the Ligonier Echo, his

hometown newspaper. He would later work for the Chesapeake Conservancy as a media specialist with various responsibilities, including grant writing, videography, photography, graphic design, social media, website management, and public relations.

“Allegheny had a big effect on my writing ability,” Turcik says. “Through all the writing workshop classes I took, I feel like I was able to hone my skills. It was my writing that really got me noticed by the Chesapeake Conservancy and brought me from being a freelance reporter to working in the conservation realm.”

Since 2018, he has been the managing editor for the American Fishery Society. He primarily oversees its member magazine, Fisheries, by planning content, editing articles, and designing the magazine’s layout.

Taken in 2016, Turcik’s photograph of Mallows Bay was selected as one of 16 Forever stamps highlighting the National Marine Sanctuary System. His photo and the story behind it have been featured in a Washington Post column and a Chesapeake Bay Magazine story.

“I like that my talents are being put to use for the purpose of conservation; growing up as a fisherman, conservation has always been a key to who I am and what I do,” Turcik says.

of characters, the book showcases how a small native pollinator garden can make a big difference for wildlife — and kids." The Garden Next Door is available online and in bookstores.

Karon Forde was appointed director of youth programs at Martin Luther King Jr. Family Services, a nonprofit based in Springfield, Massachusetts. Forde had served as the Community Center director for the Police Athletic League in Brooklyn, New York. She has more than seven years of experience working directly with youth as well as serving as an administrator of after-school programs. She has a bachelor’s degree in values, ethics, and social action from Allegheny.

Dr. Kaitlyn Huser

Katherman was inducted as a Fellow of the International College of Dentists at its 88th Annual Convocation held October 14, 2022. After completing her undergraduate studies at Allegheny, Katherman served as an AmeriCorps VISTA at the Meadville United Way directing the Community Improvement Center. She graduated from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic

Medicine's (LECOM) School of Dental Medicine in Bradenton, Florida, and now practices at the Center for Dental Excellence in East York, Pennsylvania. Katherman and her husband, Taylor ’12, live in York with their two daughters, Kelsie and Sarah.

’12

Kate Holquist Flickinger successfully defended her Ph.D. in exercise physiology at the University of Pittsburgh on June 17, 2022. She will continue her research career at Pitt in the Department of Emergency Medicine as a postdoc, managing their Applied Physiology Lab. Her research includes temperature and metabolic manipulation in humans, and improving long-term outcomes after cardiac arrest.

’15

Marcus D. Webster II has been appointed to the Opioid Restitution Fund (ORF) Advisory Council by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan. Webster is a certified peer recovery specialist and program advocate with Voices of Hope, Inc., a community organization that supports individuals in recovery. Prior to that, he was the crisis intervention team specialist for Eastern Shore Crisis Response Services in Cecil County, Maryland.

’16

Keith E. Hodgens II is a new associate at Peacock Keller, a full-service law firm based in Washington, Pennsylvania. Hodgens, a member of the Allegheny and Washington County Bar Associations, will focus his practice on estate planning, estate administration, and business law. He has a bachelor’s degree in economics from Allegheny and a Juris Doctorate from Duquesne University.

Notes 2020s ’20

Alesia LeSane has been named the assistant director for multicultural education and student success in the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Education at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). In her role, LeSane will oversee all aspects of the Connections Pre-Orientation Program and supervise the Program Ambassadors. She will also manage and promote the office’s student success programs to support Black, Indigenous, People of Color / African American, Latino/a/x American, Asian American and Native American students at WPI. Additionally, LeSane will play a key role in managing the coordination of campuswide affinity month celebrations. She has a bachelor’s degree in communications with a minor in community and justice studies from Allegheny.

’13

Marla A. Sacks, M.D., ’13 has completed three mission trips (Ghana, Zambia, and Vietnam) since September 2021, where she has assisted in performing more than 100 surgeries and provided supplies to children in need in underserved communities. In June 2022, she completed her two-year pediatric surgery research fellowship at Loma Linda University Children's Hospital in California, after publishing 21 peer-reviewed articles and presenting either lectures, podium, or poster presentations at more than 25 national and international conferences. In the photo, Sacks is presenting at the Asian Association of Pediatric Surgeons in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. She is completing her general surgery residency at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences Center in Brooklyn, New York, with plans to pursue a pediatric surgery clinical fellowship starting in fall 2025.

Arrivals '07

Nathan Haines and Julie Reisz Haines '07 welcomed their third child, Madelyn Grace, on January 30, 2022. “She is a joy and relishes in the attention she gets from older siblings Caroline and Everett,” they say. The Haines family lives in WinstonSalem, North Carolina.

'12

Caitlin Rothman Andryka and Michael Andryka '12 welcomed the birth of their second child, Lena Christine Andryka, on December 3, 2021. Lena joins her brother, Elijah.

Unions

'71

Linda Davidheiser married James Patrick Fitzgerald on August 8, 2020, and is now living in East Amherst, New York.

'18

Michelle Woods and Adam Miller '18 were married on June 4, 2022, in Cape Charles, Virginia, with 13 Gator alumni in attendance!

'95

Andrea "Andi" Craig married William Goldstein on July 24, 2022, at Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia Beach, Virginia. '11

Carolyn Kiliany and Michael Haley were married on June 18, 2022, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Gators in attendance at the celebration were Megan Mick Glod '11, Andrew Glod '12, Jennifer Reinwald '11, John Milligan '12, Michelle Perry Milligan '12, bridesmaid Stephanie Gasior '11, LeAnne Kurela '11, Casey Harvey Baisden '10, and Carly Braden '11. Carolyn and Michael live in Pittsburgh, where Carolyn is a physical therapist at the UPMC Rehabilitation Institute at Mercy Hospital. Michael is a CPA and works in corporate accounting. '16

Abby Lombard and Daniel Conroy '15 were married September 25, 2021. “It was allout Gator Pride in Geneva, New York, for the wedding reception.” Pictured left to right are: Sam Stephenson '15, Alex Hurtuk '15, Karina Mena '16, Thomas Manning '16, Daniel Conroy '15, Rachel Wood '16, Abby Lombard '16, Brittany Boben '16, Andrea Brush White '16, Ric Rivette '74, Mikaela Pope '16, Jessica Mrdjenovich Stephenson '16, and Patrick Cole '14

'14

Kristina Martin married Garrett Rustay on June 24, 2022, in Rochester, New York. Also in attendance was Brett Zicari '18 The couple lives in the Rochester area.

'18

Abigail Sims and Christopher Gaul '18 had a small marriage ceremony on August 22, 2022, on the Allegheny campus — the place they met and fell in love.

'21

Jordan Durci and Gwen Snyder '21 were married in South Bristol, New York, on June 11, 2022, surrounded by family and friends. The wedding was officiated by Cory Kephart '20, pictured (albeit obscured by Jordan and Gwen's moment).

Notices & Obituaries

Find the full listing at allegheny.edu/magazine

These include death notices reported by December 1, 2022.

’47

Jean Emily Root Bankson on June 30, 2022.

’48

Julian “Jerry” “Specs Howard” Liebman on September 3, 2022.

Robert E. Snyder on October 17, 2021.

Lavina Smith Wood on September 21, 2022.

’49

Martha Jane Zimmer Laderer on July 9, 2022.

Dr. Archie M. Richardson Jr. on November 15, 2022.

Hope H. Rowan Seibert on September 4, 2022.

Edward Troy Wellejus on September 6, 2022.

’50

Robert Wayne "Bob" Adams on March 9, 2022.

’51

Col. Robert W. Cook on July 3, 2022.

Nancy "Nan" Nielsen Gregory on September 29, 2022.

John E. Waldfogle on April 1, 2022.

’52

Phyllis Muriel Moat Sharp on September 2, 2022.

Pamela Kurfess Shively on October 10, 2022.

’53

Lucretia Lapp Meister on September 22, 2022.

Perry “Pete” Foster Reininga on July 12, 2022.

Lois Mary Balkey Semler on October 28, 2022.

Janet Koehler Witty on August 10, 2021.

’54

Alexandra Moore Cole on July 7, 2022.

Shirley Jones Digel on September 7, 2022.

Kathryn S. Isaly McAlevy on March 17, 2021.

Jack

B.

Corey ’42 Alumnus and Former Trustee

Jack Benson Corey died September 8, 2022.

Born on June 8, 1920, in Meadville, Pennsylvania, Corey pursued his bachelor's degree at Allegheny. According to his obituary, “In his junior year, the quakes of World War II led the U.S. government to implement what was known as the 'Civilian Pilot Training Corp,' giving Jack an opportunity to earn his pilot's license in exchange for his commitment to serve. This commitment to liberty and country was one that came naturally for Jack, volunteering his service earlier than agreed in a peacetime draft in July 1941.

“Sent out with the title of ‘fighter pilot’ first in his F6F Hellcat off the carriers in the Pacific Theater,” the obituary

continued, “Sr. Grade Lieutenant Corey was actively engaged in the Bougainville Campaign, the Battle of Saipan, and the Battle of Tinian. Shot down by enemy fire and rescued out at sea by a U.S. ship, Jack survived and continued to fly and serve as a testpilot until the end of World War II. Jack returned to Allegheny College as a hero, earning his Bachelor of Arts in 1942.”

On their way to explore California, Corey and his first wife, Kay, accepted an invitation to visit Texas. Corey’s first job in Houston was with Finch Oil Pipe Company. Eventually, he established his own successful business of Corey Supply Company in 1956. In 1984, he officially retired and moved from the

city of Houston to his forever home, the 4C Ranch.

In addition to being a member of the Allegheny College Board of Trustees, he was also a member of the Allegheny College Class Agent Program and served on a Reunion Committee and as a volunteer.

Corey was preceded in death by his parents (Claude and Edna), sister (Virginia), and first wife (Kay Corey). He is survived by his beloved wife, Foresteen Corey, six children and their spouses (Scott Corey, Kim ’86 and Will Schlinke, Doy and Tom Landry, Cher and Rodney Stevens, Brent and Jayme Cherry, and Kent Cherry); and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Martha Dundon Thompson Furey ’47

Alumna and Former Trustee

Martha Dundon Thompson Furey died October 20, 2021.

Born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, in 1926, Furey graduated from Glen Ridge High School and Allegheny College. She taught kindergarten in New Jersey and Philadelphia prior to her marriage. She was active in many civic causes, including serving as president of The Women’s Branch of New Jersey Historical Society, Junior League of Newark, Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumni in New Jersey and Cape Cod. She also served on the Board of Trustees at her alma mater, Allegheny

College, and on the Board of Trustees for Blair Academy, Blairstown, New Jersey. Furey was president of Park Liberty and Dale Realty Corp in Bloomfield, New Jersey. Furey and husband Clem retired to Osterville, Massachusetts, and in 2010, they moved to Kansas City to be closer to family.

In addition to being a member of the Allegheny College Board of Trustees, she was also a member of the Allegheny College Class Agent Program and served on a Reunion Committee and the Allegheny College Alumni Congress.

She was predeceased by husbands David Clark Thompson and Clement A. Furey and son Lewis Dundon Thompson. She is survived by children David C. Thompson (Lynne), Elizabeth T. Hamby (Roger), James T. Thompson ’81 (Kristal), and John H. Thompson (Ann); stepchildren Michael Furey (Nancy), William Furey (Debi), Patty Jones (Rick), Jeffrey Furey (Carolyn), and James Furey (Vickie); and many grandchildren and greatgrandchildren.

Marjorie Ann Beck Ritchie ’50

Alumna and Former Trustee

Marjorie Ann Beck Ritchie died July 12, 2022.

Born in Karns City, Pennsylvania, she attended Karns City High. She graduated from Allegheny with a degree in education. As an undergraduate, she organized a women's basketball team that played an intercollegiate schedule, an unusual accomplishment at the time. She also served on the Allegheny College Board of Trustees later in life. In addition, Ritchie was a member of the Allegheny College Timothy Alden Council Executive

Committee and served as a volunteer, on a Reunion Committee, and on the Allegheny College Alumni Congress.

After graduation, she had a job teaching elementary school in Willoughby, Ohio. She married Charles Ritchie in 1954 and bought a home in Cleveland Heights. They later moved to Shaker Heights in 1981.

Richie was preceded in death by her husband of 47 years, Charles I. Ritchie; parents, John Albert and

Elva Isabel (nee Frazier) Beck; siblings, Betty McClung (John), John Beck ’66 (Frances), Thomas Beck (Tillie), Isabel Johnson ’42 (Larry), Janny Jameson (Bill), and George Beck ’46; and daughterin-law, Julie Ritchie. She is survived by her four children, Elizabeth ’77 (Bill) Adler, Caroline (Mike) Bick, Charles (Natalie) Ritchie, and Amy Ritchie; and several grandchildren, a sister-in-law, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Ferd J. Sauereisen ’57

Alumnus and Trustee Emeritus

Ferd J. Sauereisen died July 16, 2022.

Sauereisen joined the Board of Trustees in 1980, becoming emeritus in 2006. As an Emeritus Trustee, Sauereisen continued to be a consistent and valued attendee and participant at Board meetings. He served on the Executive, Enrollment, Marketing & Communications, and Alumni Affairs & Development committees.

Sauereisen earned a Bachelor of Arts in pre-engineering. As part of the dualdegree program, he received a Bachelor of Science from Carnegie Mellon in

1957. He was a member of Phi Kappa Psi and played basketball. In addition to his Board service at Allegheny, Sauereisen also supported his alma mater as a career mentor, campaign volunteer, donor relations volunteer, and as a Gator Greetings writer. His volunteerism did not stop at Allegheny; he also maintained a lifelong commitment to his community and church.

Prior to joining the Aluminum Company of America in 1960 he served two tours of duty as an officer in the

United States Army. In 2000, Sauereisen retired from Sauereisen, Inc., a global provider of ceramic adhesives and coatings, where he served as chairman.

He is survived by his wife, Molly; their three children Elizabeth S. Allen (Greg), J. Eric Sauereisen (Rene), and Sandra C. Sauereisen (Mark A. Taylor); and several grandchildren. He was the brother of the late Phillips F. Sauereisen and William P. Sauereisen.

James Charles Hogan, Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus of Classics

Dr. James Hogan, who served as the Frank T. McClure Professor of Classics at Allegheny for 30 years until his retirement in 1999, died October 1, 2022.

In 1954, Dr. Hogan graduated from Clinton High School and served as president of the Oklahoma Future Farmers of America in 1955-56, winning national championships in Hereford and hog judging. He attended Oklahoma A&M from 1954-56, then transferred to the University of Oklahoma, graduating in 1958 with a bachelor’s degree in arts and letters, majoring in Greek and Latin (Classics).

Dr. Hogan obtained a master's degree in 1961 and a Ph.D. in 1966 from

Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Undergraduate and graduate recognitions included: highest honors, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Woodrow Wilson Fellowship, Southern Teaching Fellow, in addition to being a Rhodes Scholar Finalist. From 1961 to 1969, Dr. Hogan served as an instructor and professor at the following institutions: Converse College, Spartansburg, South Carolina; Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri; and University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma.

In 1969, Dr. Hogan became the Frank T. McClure Professor of Classics at Allegheny. He authored countless poems, articles, and three books: A Guide to the

Iliad, A Commentary on the Complete Greek Tragedies of Aeschylus, and A Commentary on the Plays of Sophocles

Dr. Hogan was predeceased by his parents, Charles and Ruby Hogan, and his spouse, Aurelia Hogan. Survivors include his stepson, Max Holt, and daughter-in-law, Sarah Holt; daughters and sons-in-law, Ada Hogan Porter and Geoff Porter; Ashley Hunt and Mike Hunt, and Kate Flores and Pat Flores; and several grandchildren.

’55

R. Graham Dunlop on July 13, 2022.

Barbara Seifert Dunlop on November 1, 2022.

Nancy L. Difford Meigs on July 5, 2022.

Dr. Frank Joseph Weinstock on July 8, 2022.

’56

Anne Marilyn Bowden on January 21, 2021.

Colleen Diana Stone Lang on August 8, 2022.

Jeanne Anderson Murphy on August 8, 2022.

Constance "Connie" T. Wolfe Rumball on November 6, 2022.

’57

Kathryn "Anne" Booth Borland on August 22, 2022.

Thomas Paul Butz on August 24, 2022.

Carolyn Shaefer Combs on August 28, 2022.

Paula Kurzband Feder on February 2, 2022.

Annelise Schrader Leedy on November 29, 2022.

Alyce Carolyn Dimmick Shull on September 1, 2022.

’58

Dorothy Jean Hanson Fuhry on September 26, 2022.

Dr. James E. Mraz on September 20, 2022.

George J. Pawlikowski on January 26, 2021.

Dr. John "Jack" C. Shea on October 1, 2022.

’59

David E. Bahn on August 8, 2022.

Bonnie Jean Barry Hanna on March 14, 2022.

Dr. Allen Taylor Hopper on October 21, 2021.

Sue Rice Mears on October 24, 2022.

Sandra "Sandy" Milne Rickard on September 23, 2022.

’60

Dr. Andrea McCandless Coulter on November 17, 2022.

Dal E. Ghent Goldstein on October 22, 2021.

Carol Buchanan Jewell on January 2, 2022.

’61

Sandra Eleanore Andrews Ehrenberger on September 28, 2022.

Dr. Paul Kawanga Ssemogerere on November 18, 2022.

’62

Dr. James “Jim” Dyer on October 7, 2022.

Edward Dennis Ehrenberger on September 17, 2022.

Maj. Norman John Grove on December 31, 2021.

Dr. David Pevear on May 1, 2021.

Albert C. Redding Jr. on November 15, 2021.

Earl J. Speirs on November 6, 2022.

’63

Samuel Marcus on October 22, 2022.

Margaret "Maggie" Turrill McCaw on October 30, 2022.

Glenn A. Murray on November 9, 2022.

Joseph A. Rollo in September 2022.

’64

Sue Ellen Wolfram Golier on July 11, 2022.

Marilyn E. Lenz Leach on November 11, 2022.

’65

Kenneth Stephen Garner on October 8, 2021.

’66

Helen King Howell on November 9, 2022.

Roger A. Sokol on November 3, 2022.

’67

Charles “Chuck” Osborne Pickens on July 30, 2022. Raymond Lee Wisniewski on August 2, 2022.

’68

Philip M. Barnes on May 21, 2022.

’69

The Rev. Robert “Bob” Bracewell Appleyard Jr. on July 3, 2022.

Alan S. Drohan, Esquire on October 10, 2021.

William Taylor Johnson on September 7, 2022.

’70

Margi Segell Rice on August 12, 2022.

Kim T. Segebarth on September 7, 2021.

Kay Zuris on August 11, 2022.

’71

Elizabeth Grigsby Perry on February 6, 2022.

’72

William “Bill” Dygert on August 27, 2022. Richard Karl Martin on February 16, 2022.

’73

Jan Mitchell Kamil on March 22, 2022.

’74

Kevin J. Chambers on September 9, 2021.

’76

Rev. Dr. Jane Elizabeth Heckles on June 18, 2022.

’81

Tom E. Perlic on February 18, 2022.

’84

Anne Marie Leydecker Barnett on July 29, 2021.

Charles Robert “Rob” Skinner III on July 8, 2022.

’85

Edith Sullivan Foster on December 27, 2021.

’86

Cynthia Antoinette Spoor on May 20, 2021.

’95

Catherine L. Munroe Rogers on June 18, 2022.

’07

Alison M. Yarnal DeFrancisci on August 16, 2022. Mindy Roth on August 7, 2022.

Friends

Lee William Benedict on August 20, 2022.

Linda Kay Reid on August 23, 2022.

Ruth Neumeyer Ridgeway on August 9, 2022.

The Rev. Rocco A. Tito on August 22, 2022.

Laura Jane Huff Retiree

Laura Jane Huff died October 11, 2022.

Huff was born in Meadville, Pennsylvania, on May 13, 1922. On August 20, 1943, she married Thomas Richard "Dick" Huff; he preceded her in death on August 11, 2007.

Huff was a 1940 graduate of Meadville High School and a 1942 graduate of

Meadville Commercial College. During World War II, she was employed as an executive secretary by the former Talon, Inc. After taking some time off to raise her family, Huff became employed by Allegheny in 1959, where she worked as secretary to the director of the College Union. According to her obituary, she was dedicated to her work there and became

known as "Mighty Jane." She retired in 1988.

Jane is survived by two children, Charlene Shreve and Mary Lou Arthur (Richard), and several grandchildren and greatgrandchildren.

Edith Campbell Rabell Retiree

Edith Campbell Rabell died August 19, 2022.

She was born December 25, 1922, in Venango, Pennsylvania. She married Milton K. Rabell December 4, 1943, and he was tragically killed during World War II on November 19, 1944. She subsequently

married Alton L. Rabell on October 12, 1946, and he preceded her in death on March 12, 2008.

Rabell was a graduate of Cambridge Springs High School and Meadville Business College. She worked as secretary to the president of Allegheny from 1958

to 1985 and served as a member and secretary of the PENNCREST School Board for 10 years.

Survivors include two daughters, Milta Dudek (Edward) and Linda Bollensen, and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and nieces and nephews.

The Last Word

by Angela T. Haddad, Ph.D. Provost and Dean of the Faculty

Empowering Students to Become Their Future Selves

As our alumni certainly know, the Allegheny College curriculum has a long-established tradition of expecting much of students within a supportive environment.

Education journalist Hilary Masell Oswald, who updated and revised the noted guidebook Colleges That Change Lives, put it this way: “Allegheny is doing the work that more American colleges and universities should be doing: challenging students and holding them accountable to their potential.”

The College’s academic program is designed intentionally to meet students where they are while spurring them to grow as scholars, researchers, and emerging professionals. While those four years of growth aren’t always easy, they nevertheless set the stage for Allegheny graduates to encounter, and thrive in the midst of, a complicated world.

In my first academic year as the College’s provost and dean of the faculty, I have been continually impressed by the ways that Allegheny encourages students to look toward their future selves as they make the most of the educational, practice-oriented, and civic opportunities the College affords. Indeed, the most recent National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) notes that 91% of Allegheny seniors report participating in at least two “highimpact practices.”

These experiences “demand considerable time and effort, facilitate learning outside of the classroom, require meaningful interactions with faculty and students, encourage collaboration with diverse

others, and provide frequent and substantive feedback,” according to NSSE. At Allegheny, these include internships, research with faculty, creative activities, study away, service-learning, and a culminating capstone experience, such as Allegheny’s Senior Comp.

the College affords.

While many of these opportunities take place off campus, Allegheny’s faculty have distinguished themselves by integrating this type of experiential learning directly into their courses. There are countless examples across the College’s curriculum, and I want to share two recent ones with you.

This past December, students and faculty in computer science and informatics courses hosted a Festival of Robots in the Campus Center. They invited area schoolchildren to learn about robotics, simulation, and video game development through interactive exhibits they designed, constructed, and led. The second example is a semester-long project. Ian Carbone, associate professor of environmental science & sustainability, engaged his students in a project where they developed plans for and installed an array of solar panels at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Meadville. (You can

watch a video about the solar panel project at allegheny.edu/solar-installation.)

In a similar vein, the College is piloting a micro-credential program in software development, web technologies, and content creation. This program includes a series of courses complementing our existing major and minor requirements, providing students with an additional avenue to enhance their Allegheny education and their marketability. The courses for micro-credentials are often led by practitioners in the field, providing students with hands-on experiences in the areas of interest.

These hands-on learning experiences play a key role in helping students gain skills that employers are seeking. Yet they are more than bullet points on a résumé; they allow students to show directly how they have applied the critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving abilities that an Allegheny education inculcates. The micro-credentials earned by students will enable them to tell their unique Allegheny story, giving them a competitive advantage as they pursue graduate degrees and enter the workforce.

Allegheny’s faculty demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to not only rigor, but also innovation in the curriculum. While spearheading advancements in their respective fields, they are also building and strengthening connections with Allegheny alumni and other industry leaders who are opening doors of opportunity for students. In the process, faculty — and alumni like you — are modeling the collaborative spirit that we seek to instill in our students. We are grateful for these partnerships — and excited for their continued growth.

In my first academic year as the College’s provost and dean of the faculty, I have been continually impressed by the ways that Allegheny encourages students to look toward their future selves as they make the most of the educational, practice-oriented, and civic opportunities

Develop enough courage so that you can stand up for yourself and then stand up for somebody else; the truth is, no one of us can be free until everybody is free.

Maya Angelou

Shared by Angela Haddad

photo: Ed Mailliard