Bethany Magazine - Spring 2022

Bethany SPRING 2022

TODAY

Build for a

Lifetime

MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Shannon Kolkedy

Dr. Jamie Caridi Interim President

CONTRIBUTORS

Dr. Joseph Lane Provost & Dean of Faculty Professor of Political Science

Thaddaeus Allen ’92 George M. “Ken” Bado ’77 Logan Hassig ’70 Dean Haubrich ’64 Patrick Hosey ’80 Carmina Hughes ’76 Joyce Pollack Jefferson ’77 Asa Johnson Gregory B. Jordan ’81 Arthur B. Keys, Jr. ’67 S. Dean Lesiak ’74 Janet A. Long ’78 G. Daniel Martich ’81 Sean McBride ’86 Chris Payne ’81 Georgiana Riley ’71 Jhamal Robinson ’98 Edward J. See ’83 Dave Sims ’75 Kathy Tucker ’85 Don Waugaman ’70 Craig Williams ’96 Jeffrey J. Woda ’87

Deno Emili ‘78 Emily Luke Abigail McDonald ‘20 Sophie Morey Erikka Sansom Liz Short Drew VonScio Ginni Walden Lori Weaver

DESIGN

Dennis McMaster, CPA Vice President for Finance and CFO Gerald E. Stebbins Vice President and Dean of Students Dr. Thomas Stein Interim Vice President for Enrollment Lori Weaver Vice President of Advancement, Communications and Marketing

Sydney Brown

Jill Willson Interim Director of Athletics

PHOTOGRAPHY

William R. Kiefer General Council

Bethany College archives Dillon Davenport Shannon Kolkedy Emily Luke Abigail McDonald ‘20 Kenn Morgan ‘71 Greg Payan Erikka Sansom Sparks Productions Hailee Vizyak Olivia Zinn

Marc Chernenko ‘78 General Council

Bethany SPRING 2022

TO DAY

I N T H I S I SSUE

I N EVERY I SSU E Noteworthy 6

2 COV E R STO RY

Alumni Spotlights 20 Faculty Spotlights 26 Student Spotlights 27

Build for a Lifetime

Bison Athletics 40

The Vision for Bethany College

Class Notes 44

16 Women & Leadership Symposium Inspires

18 Classroom of the Future?

Bethany Magazine is an annual publication of Bethany College. For additional copies of this publication, or more information, call 304.829.7633.

Issue Date: Spring 2022 Printed in the U.S.A. © Bethany College 2022 Get the latest events, sports, updates, and much more at www.bethanywv.edu.

34 Bethany College Homecoming Weekend 2021

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Bethany admits students of any race, color, sex, handicap, and national or ethnic origin.

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THE VISION FOR BETHANY COLLEGE

Build for a Lifetime From our pioneering founding in 1840, and ever responsive to the times, Bethany College continues to deliver a quality, student-centered liberal arts and sciences education. Our students grow and change while on campus, and after graduation they become leaders and change agents, building a better world.

We remain true to our founder Alexander Campbell’s aim to educate whole students—spirit, mind, and body—in the liberal arts and sciences tradition. We value interdisciplinary education and inclusion of diverse backgrounds. Here, on our historic 1,100-acre campus, we prepare Bethanians not only to make a living but to live lives of meaning.

Bethany provides students with ongoing mentorships and friendships, along with passports to lifelong learning global, national, and regional adventure. Our communities of alumni are invested more than ever in Bethany and give their time, talent, and resources to support the College’s mission.

For nearly two centuries, a Bethany education has combined theory and practice in an intimate setting of academic learning and professional preparation. Our offerings of classical and contemporary fields of study are now complemented by graduate programs.

Grounded in our traditions and values, and pioneering into the future, Bethany in 2022 launched its BUILD Campaign. The BUILD Campaign reflects our commitment to individual and institutional growth:

Believe Unlock Invest Listen Drive

in Bethany & think boldly

a spirit of innovation & entrepreneurship

in the Bethanian student experience

to our stakeholders & forge partnerships

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philanthropy & enrollment growth for Bethany’s financial future

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Build for a Lifetime Bethany’s campaign to be launched in 2022, reasserts our College’s vision and value in the private liberal arts and sciences. It reflects our commitment to individual and institutional growth and will carry us forward, ever pioneering.

BELIEVE IN BETHANY & THINK BOLDLY With pride in our history, Bethany is fearlessly embarking on new paths to educate students, preparing them for the challenges of today and tomorrow. We recommit to our belief in the special role and value of a liberal arts and sciences education, while adapting to the rapidly changing job market by offering new undergraduate and graduate fields of study.

UNLOCK A SPIRIT OF INNOVATION & ENTREPRENEURSHIP Our foundational Bethany Plan in the Liberal Arts and Sciences includes comprehensive exams and senior capstone projects, a model championed through countless success stories and differentiated nationally in the liberal arts. New is the Bethany School of Graduate Studies of robust 4+1 and other Master’s degree programs. We will cultivate a culture of program entrepreneurship that responds to market demands with new degrees in the MBA 4+1 Program, M.S. Low Residency Program in Business Cybersecurity Management, and a pathway for additional degrees, as well as new undergraduate programs including the recently approved B.A. in Criminal Justice. Together these innovative new offerings not only bring rapid academic reform, but position Bethany as a leader in academic entrepreneurialism.

Bethany College’s Build for a Lifetime Plan isn’t about any one individual. It’s about an enduring mission, a courageous vision, and a commitment to ‘meet the moment’ to improve the lives of our students and our region. We are very encouraged by the enthusiastic reception of the plan, and look forward to collaborating with our devoted alumni and community leaders to achieve its ambitious goals.

JAMIE CARIDI INTERIM PRESIDENT

INVEST IN THE BETHANIAN STUDENT EXPERIENCE Bethany College will make major strides to enhance the on-campus student experience through scholarships, student programs, clubs, athletics, Greek life, and strategy social opportunities. Together, we will strengthen student satisfaction and retention. A bold new admissions strategy will engage high school student interests in both athletic and non-athletic areas, so that the college is known for its growing number of scholar-athletes.

A newly launched career plan will connect students to mentors and development opportunities. Obtaining focused resources will be essential to securing and retaining the best possible faculty and advisors. Bethany College will flourish to become a larger, more inclusive, enjoyable campus for all students.

LISTEN TO OUR STAKEHOLDERS & FORGE PARTNERSHIPS Bethany has listened and will continue to listen to our stakeholders, including prospective and current students, parents, business and community leaders, public officials, alumni, faculty and staff. Our resulting Bethany partnership program will yield substantial strategic relationships with the Town of Bethany, local and state government, the Disciples of Christ, regional and state economic development organizations, high schools, community colleges, and like-minded higher education institutions. In a world of new challenges for higher education, Bethany will forge critical partnerships to advance our mission and secure our future.

DRIVE PHILANTHROPY & ENROLLMENT GROWTH FOR BETHANY’S FINANCIAL FUTURE Recognizing the foremost need for Bethany’s financial well-being, we will take the bold steps of an ambitious, comprehensive fundraising campaign to achieve a balanced budget, support our operational needs, renew our infrastructure, and replenish our endowment. Closely tied to this effort is a commitment to achieving the enrollment goal of 900 undergraduate and graduate students.

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Bethany must and will commit to a bold vision for the future and a culture of operational excellence that is grounded in the college’s traditions of liberal arts and sciences. That is exactly what Build for a Lifetime does.

We don’t have a minute to waste. Our mission is urgent.

There is a lot of work to be done to successfully implement this exciting vision, and I invite each of you to join us on this important journey.

OUR FIVE

OBJECTIVES 1 Bethany College is distinguished by its commitment to superior academic programs led by top-­notch faculty that are grounded in the liberal arts and sciences, and provide students opportunities for meaningful careers and advanced professional training.

KEN BADO,

This will include developing a culture of academic entrepreneurship that meets market demands with several new academic programs being added at the undergraduate and graduate level over the next three years, including establishing the School of Graduate Studies. It will also include the distinctive Bethany Plan where students enjoy a strong core curriculum, co-curricular experiences and professional preparation, and an ability to double-major.

CHAIR, BOARD OF TRUSTEES

2

Bethany College students engage in transformative experiences both on and off campus that focus on transitioning to college; academic success; campus engagement; career development; and alumni involvement.

This will include a college-wide commitment to inclusivity, student retention and success, and developing a robust professional development plan where students are well equipped to enter their chosen careers. It also includes increased interaction formally and informally between alumni and students, the expansion of clubs and social engagement opportunities, commitment to competitive athletics and adoption of a student-centric model where students will receive world-class hospitality and service.

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Bethany College will obtain financial strength and stability through prudent allocation of current resources, development of new financial resources, expanded partnerships, increased enrollment, and emphasis on Bethany’s value proposition.

This will include achieving economic equilibrium by developing a substantial recruitment and marketing strategy, increasing enrollment to 900 students, securing considerable resources through deployment of a comprehensive campaign, and diversifying resources through strategic partnerships and grant funding.

4

Secure a sustainable, functional competitive, and optimized campus environment to meet the needs and interests of the 21st century learning community.

This will involve strengthening Bethany’s commitment to sustainability, restoring the College’s core assets by investing capital to develop state-of-the-art classrooms and technology, graduate student housing and renovated freshman housing and marquee co-curricular spaces including a new Career Center and high-quality student recreation spaces.

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Identify, develop, and invest in substantial, strategic partnerships to advance Bethany’s mission and address the needs of our region.

This will involve a four-pronged approach to meet the needs of the community, strengthen our strategic partners, and enhance Bethany College’s prominence by coordinating specific growth strategies for the mutual benefit of (1) The Town of Bethany, (2) The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), (3) Corporations Major Employers, and Regional Economic Development Commissions, and (4) Secondary and Postsecondary Institutions

Bethany College is stepping boldly into an exciting phase through the “Build for a Lifetime” Strategic Plan.

This strategic plan includes innovative and entrepreneurial initiatives into new programs built on the foundation of the liberal arts and sciences. We are an academic community that cares about its students and values each individual for their contributions to the vigor and vibrancy of this institution.

Teaching and learning continue to be the mission of Bethany and this plan is built on that concept while seeking to forge new partnerships with our stakeholders including students, alumni, parents, Bethany town and community, and the tristate region.

ANJU RAMJEE DIRECTOR, SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES

NOTEWORTHY

Students from left: Grace Kusbit, Tatyana Banks, Cameron Williams, Tori Magnotti, Mickaleen Webster

Honors Day Recognizes Distinctive Bethanians As distinctive high achievers, Bethany College alumni have gone on to pursue greatness after graduation. The qualities that determine success in and out of the workplace stem from education and community, both of which are paramount at Bethany College.

In honor of the high-achieving Bethanians donning campus today, departments took the time to reward students for exuding qualities known to contribute to success after graduation.

Taylor M. Stinnett, Cameron R. Schaub, Amanda M. Reynolds, Samaria M. Murry, and Ian A. Nelson were the winners of the prestigious all-campus awards.

Stinnett, an accounting major from Barberton, Ohio, received the Bethany 2000 Prize, which recognizes the senior who has best demonstrated loyalty and commitment to Bethany College in a wide range of activities over the course of his or her studies. The recipient must maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or higher and demonstrate the characteristics of enthusiasm, dependability, and dedication.

Schaub, a finance major from Washington, Pa., received the Francis O. Carfer Prize.This prize is presented to the seniors, who in the judgment of the Honors Committee, have made the most outstanding contribution to the college. Recipients must exhibit sound academic accomplishments along with characteristics of loyalty, service, and devotion to Bethany.

Reynolds, a senior chemistry major from Sistersville, W.Va., received the John R. Taylor Memorial Award in Liberal Arts.This award is presented to the student who demonstrates exceptional scholastic achievement; service to the college in terms of cross-disciplinary extracurricular activity; and a deep understanding of, and abiding commitment to, the core liberal arts values expressed in the Mission documents of Bethany College. The award is named in memory of John R. Taylor ’44, professor emeritus of English.

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Jen Windmiller and Samaria Murry

Murry, a psychology major from Akron, Ohio, received the Pittsburgh Bethany College Club Award as Outstanding Junior Woman. The award is based on the qualities of leadership, character, conduct, and scholarship.

The club, comprised of Bethany alumni in the Pittsburgh area, has placed a plaque in Phillips Hall upon which the names of the winners are engraved.

Nelson, a chemistry major from Monongahela, Pa., received the W.F. Kennedy Prize as Outstanding Junior Man. The prize, established by Kennedy of Wheeling, W.Va., is awarded based on the student’s contribution to the college community life through leadership in activities, personal character, and scholarship.

Academic departments and programs also recognized students with individual awards.

NEW FACULTY AND STAFF CAMERON PITSENBARGER

PASS Coordinator and Learning Specialist, Academic Dept. – 9/7/20

BECKY PAULS

Registrar, Academic Dept. – 11/2/20

RON GABLE

Assistant Director of Application Support/Institutional Technologist, Finance Dept. – 1/4/21

TERRI RAWSON

College Counselor, Student Dept. – 1/25/21

ABIGAIL MCDONALD

Director of Communications for Advancement and Alumni Engagement, Advance Dept. – 2/1/21

LISA BAIN

Staff Nurse, Student Dept. – 2/8/21

BRENTON MOZINGO

Laborer, Building Dept. – 6/17/21

JOEL JARRETT

Enrollment Counselor, Enroll Dept. – 7/1/21

JEN WINDMILLER

Assistant Athletic Director for Academics and Compliance, Athletics Dept. – 7/1/21

BRANDON WOLFE

Assistant Dean of Accreditation, Assessment & Accountability, Academic Dept. – 8/2/21

HANNAH BOYCE

Duplicating Center & Mail Room Coordinator, Finance Dept. – 8/9/21

ZOE NOEL

Housekeeper, Building Dept. – 8/23/21

MELISSA KEMP

Administrative Assistant for Physical Plant, Building Dept. – 8/26/21

TYLER HIETT

Assistant Athletic Trainer, Athletics Dept. – 9/7/21

HERE’S TO 182 YEARS Bethany College celebrated 182 years as an institution of higher education and the vision of Alexander Campbell during its annual Founder’s Day event.

Dr. Douglas A. Foster, author of “A Life of Alexander Campbell,” delivered an address titled “Alexander Campbell and 2022: Three Ways He Is Teaching Me How to Live as a Christian Today.”

“The lesson that strikes me so powerfully is this: Even if a person like Campbell, who has come to such a profound understanding concerning the necessity of submission, humility, and love in approaching the written word of God, can be blinded on a matter that reflects the very nature of God, I must be intensely self-reflective and self-critical about things I have missed that are central to the nature of God and what it means to be a Christian,” said Foster. “The issue that blinded Campbell was the most politically and morally divisive one in the United States in his day and today: Race.”

Bethany also welcomed the return to campus of Bethany President Emeritus and Professor of American History D. Duane Cummins, who served as the respondent for the Founder’s Day luncheon.

The DOC also honored Jeanne Cobb, an archivist and former coordinator of special collections at Bethany College, as the Best Friend of God’s Acre for her contributions to the cause.

TODD PUSKARICH

Assistant Director of Application Support/ Report Writer, Finance Dept. – 9/9/21

DONNA CASULA

Associate Director of International Education & PDSO, Academic Dept. – 12/6/21

KRISTEN GALLIK

Enrollment Counselor, Enroll Dept. 12/6/21

DENO EMILI

Director of Alumni Engagement, Advance Dept. – 1/3/22

BRANDON ROBINSON

Head Football Coach, Athletics Dept. – 2/14/22

CLAYTON STANTON

Assistant Football coach & Recruiting Coordinator, Athletics Dept. – 2/28/22

JOSHUA RANC

Assistant Football Coach & Special Teams Coordinator, Athletics Dept. – 5/16/22

NOAH SALVATORE

Assistant Registrar, Academic Dept. – 4/11/22

KIRSTEN REID

Director of Government, Foundation & Academic Grants, Advance Dept. – 4/20/22

GREGORY NORDURFT

Assistant Director of User Services & System Support, Finance Dept. – 5/16/22

SHELBY DAVIS

Director of Media & Public Relations, Advance Dept. – 6/13/22

MAJORS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE, INTERNATIONAL STUDIES ADDED Beginning in Fall 2022, Bethany College will offer bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice and international studies.

These new programs will offer students preparation for in-demand career paths. The criminal justice program, in particular, builds on a strong interest already present among current students. In combination with Bethany’s new strategic plan, Build for a Lifetime, the latest Higher Learning Commission approval emphasizes a commitment to educate students for a changing marketplace.

The new bachelor’s programs are Bethany’s first since 2019, when the college added a major in environmental science.

We hope to have more majors and programs in the coming years as we fulfill our strategic plan.

Professor Melanee Sinclair

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$1.5M FLANAGAN ESTATE GIFT TO BOOST BETHANY FUND

ALUMNI CONNECT AT REGIONAL EVENTS Regional gatherings give alumni the opportunity to reconnect and reminisce with fellow Bethanians in the area. The Bethany College Alumni Relations Office travels near and far to promote engagement and outreach among alumni. To learn more or to host an event in your area, contact Director of Alumni Engagement Deno Emili at demili@bethanywv.edu.

MALIBU, CA | NOVEMBER 21, 2021 Hosted by Jimmy Veres ‘70 PITTSBURGH, PA | MARCH 22, 2022 Sponsored by the Brothers of Beta Theta Pi COLUMBUS, OH | APRIL 12, 2022 Hosted by Val ‘77 and Bill ‘77 Knapp and Lynette ‘87 and Jeff ‘87 Woda

66TH ANNUAL SCOTT LECTURE SERIES Rev. Dr. Larry Grimes led the 66th Annual Oreon E. Scott Lecture Series with the theme “LIFE IN THE SPIRIT: Theology and Practice.” The annual lectures are funded through the Oreon E. Scott Foundation, which was established to strengthen the Christian Church and support Disciples-related colleges and institutions.

MATRICULATION The Bethany College Class of 2025 officially began their Bethanian experience as they entered through the historic Oglebay Gates during matriculation. Each student had the opportunity to sign the Book of Matriculation, a Bethany tradition that dates to the late 1800s.

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Bethany College recently received a $1.5 million gift from the estate Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Flanagan ’74 to the college’s Bethany Fund.

“Betsy Flanagan valued the importance of education and cared deeply for Bethany College,” said Lori Weaver, vice president of institutional advancement, marketing and communications. “Her gift and others like it are vital to ensuring that future Bethanians have the same high-quality liberal arts education and campus experience as Betsy did.”

Flanagan graduated magna cum laude with her bachelor’s degrees in Spanish and Sociology, passing comprehensive exams for both with distinction. She continued her education by receiving her Master of Social Work from West Virginia University and her Ph.D. in higher education from the University of Virginia.

She retired as vice president for development and university relations at Virginia Tech and in that role led the university’s first successful $1B fundraising campaign.

Flanagan, who passed away Feb. 16, 2021, at age 68, was a generous donor to Bethany College throughout her life. In 2005, the Bethany College Alumni Association honored Flanagan with its Alumni Achievement Award for professional success.

Much More than a Game After a long day filled with goals, baskets, touchdowns, points, and smiles, one by one the participants in the Bethany College Special Olympics Field Day stepped to the podium to receive a medal to recognize their accomplishments.

Bethany student-volunteers set up stations in football, soccer, basketball, and volleyball to teach the participants the basics of each sport.

Though some of the athletes started the stations timidly, they were quickly rewarded with smiles, cheers, and high-fives.

“Today, celebrate everything that makes you unique, regardless of if you have a unique ability or not – because really everybody does,” student organizer Allison Paxton said. “Sometimes there’s a label on it, and sometimes there isn’t.

And I thank you all for being a part of your family these past few years. It really does mean the world to me.”

The day began with stretching and a game of Duck Duck Goose. Then the participants were divided into small groups and spent about 30 minutes at each station.

The midday dance party and the football tackling dummy seemed to be among the favorite activities of the day.

Paxton said the athletes are why she became involved in the Special Olympics. As a child, Paxton learned of her own Asperger’s diagnosis, a form of high-functioning autism.

She describes it as a closely guarded secret because she worried about not fitting in.

In fact, many of her friends only learned of the diagnosis when she began planning the 2019 Special Olympics event.

“I thought there would never be a point that I was needed and celebrated,” she said. “That’s why this means so much to me – that everyone can come here and play sports, which is something I’ve done my whole life, and just have fun for a day.”

Sophomore Madison McDonald, of Jacksonville, Fla., assisted with the event and will take on the organizer role next year.

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Spring 2022 Production of “Radium Girls.”

The Value of Theatre A group of esteemed Bethany College alumni joined forces this spring to give back to the college and ensure that the theatre program lives on by teaching a course on dramatic literature.

David Jolliffe ’74, professor emeritus at the University of Arkansas; Eric Hill ’76, associate artistic director at Berkshire Theatre Group in Stockbridge, Mass., and former chair of the Theatre Department at Brandeis University; Bonnie J. Monte ’76, artistic director of the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey; and Mark Phillip Stevenson ’73, an actor from Pittsburgh who recently appeared in the Netflix series “The Chair,” served as guest lecturers for Theatre 376: History of Dramatic Literature.

Dr. Gary Kappel ’74, professor emeritus of history of at Bethany and one-time technical director for the Bethany theatre, served as the course convener.

“Our goal was to ensure, as much as we could as alumni, that the tradition of liberal arts in theatre continues at Bethany College,” Jolliffe said, lauding the expertise of the others in the group. “We’ve acted together, we’ve directed to together, we’re all old, old friends.”

The group is part of the Bethany theatre led by Dr. David Judy, who taught at Bethany from 1967 until his retirement in 1993. During his career, Judy served as chair of the Department of Fine Arts and director of the Bethany theatre.

Jolliffe and Kappel both met Judy while performing in productions at their high school in New Martinsville, W.Va. “Theatre was such a massive part of our existence here – more than the average student – but it was a massive draw,” Kappel said, noting that some Bethany students signed on for a single play. “Like any other major here at Bethany, [theatre] was part of larger education of the liberal arts. We want you to learn how to learn and to take advantage of anything new that comes your way.”

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Taught primarily via Zoom, Theatre 376 examined four key dramatic periods: Ancient Greece; Shakespearean and Renaissance; Restoration and 18th century; and modern. The material covered playwrights from Sophocles and Euripides to Henrik Ibsen and August Wilson.

As a final project, students in the class could write a traditional paper about an aspect of dramatic literature; offer a performance, annotated and explained, of scene from one of the plays studied or a comparable play; or write an original script for a one- or multiple-act play.

The group is hopeful that the course model of Theatre 376 can be adopted in future collaborations.

“With this class, we hope we can demonstrate that the suggestions we made can make a difference with the kind of high-powered presenters we have,” Jolliffe said.

While Bethany is recognized as the alma mater of Academy Awardwinning actress Frances McDormand, the group instructing the course shows that theatre attracts many types of students and offers skills that can translate in nearly any field.

For example, Kappel pointed to beginning acting as a tool for anyone who will make a presentation at point in their career.

“Bethany attracted a lot of students who were really interested in theatre but were never theatre majors,” Joliffe said. “They realized the value of theatre.”

Of the alumni instructors, Kappel has a bachelor’s degree in history, Jolliffe in English, and Stevenson in journalism. Only Monte and Hill majored in theatre.

The course was designed to give an overview of dramatic literature for theatre majors but also for anyone who just wanted to learn more about the topic.

“We’re not trying to turn everyone into theatre majors,” Kappel said.

“We want people to indulge in their love of theatre and maybe do it for the first time.”

1978 MEN’S BASKETBALL REUNION The weekend of February 18-20 saw the return to campus of the men from the PAC Championship basketball team of 1978. Led by Coach Jim Dafler, the team was 18-5, including a first round NCAA tournament win against defending champions Rose Hulman Institute. The team held a social event Friday night at Erickson Alumni Center and a shootaround prior to the game against Westminster. During the morning session on the court, they had an impromptu free throw shooting contest against two current women players, Ashleigh Wheeler and Makenzie Mason, and happily donated $100 to the team after losing to the ladies. After a tour of the Old Main Clock Tower led by Dr. Gary Kappel ‘74, the team returned to the Field House and was recognized at halftime of the varsity men’s game.

TIS THE SEASON The Bethany College Light Up Night and Charity Auction raised more than $2,300 for Bernie’s Kids in its 10th year of supporting a Brooke County charity. Over 20 Christmas trees, wreaths, and baskets were decorated by Bethany College offices, student groups, and Greek organizations. Throughout the night, students were able to grab a sweet treat from the So Nuts 4 Donuts food truck.

Bethany College Light Up Night has had almost a decade-long relationship with Bernie’s Kids. This organization provides gifts and clothing for families in need during the Christmas season.

Bernie Kazienko, past sheriff of Brooke County, founded this effort and continues to be led by Brooke County Sheriff’s office.

THE IMPORTANCE OF GRATITUDE Students had an opportunity to network with alumni and gain career advice at a dinner hosted by the Bethany College Office of Career and Professional Development and the Office of Alumni and Advancement.

Sue Ryan ’89, director of news and media relations at the University of Notre Dame, focused her keynote address on the importance of gratitude both professionally and personally.

“None of us are here tonight without the help of the special people in our lives that have really supported us, urged us along the way,” Ryan said. “Mentors, managers, professors, family members, when you think about all those people who have touched your life in some way, we really stand on the shoulders of giants, right?”

Ryan then encouraged the dozens of students and alumni in attendance to take out their cell phones and text a thank you to someone in their lives who has helped them in some way.

THANK YOU TO ADDITIONAL PARTICIPATING ALUMNI: • Angie Ryder Bado ’77, independent political strategist and president of the Bethany College Alumni Association.

• Robert M. Brosh, Jr., Ph.D. ’85, chief of Helicases Genomic Integrity Section, National Institutes of Health Biomedical Research Center Translational Gerontology Branch of the National Institute on Aging.

• Deno Emili, J.D., ’78, director of alumni engagement at Bethany College.

• Bruce Fahey ’77, shareholder in Remington Co., LPA’s Akron, Ohio, office.

• Darren Johnson, Jr., ’19, lead class actions analyst at BNY Mellon in Pittsburgh.

• Jim Porter, J.D., ’86, partner at Adams and Reese LLP in Tampa.

• Jennifer (Fleahman) Rohrig ’11, manager of business retention and expansion at the West Virginia Department of Economic Development.

• Sarah (Alkire) Walter ’10, teacher at Weir High School in Weirton, W.Va.

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Tatyana Banks and Tori Magnotti

Grace Kusbit and Cameron Williams

Khali Blankenship

GREEK RECOGNITION Bethany College rolled out the red carpet for its Greek community to formally gather in recognition of outstanding Greek members and chapters.

This year’s Froscars awards ceremony featured 20 awardees and welcomed the newest members of the Greek Hall of Fame:

Devon Gussler ’17, of Alpha Xi Delta; Leann Romitti ’10, of Phi Mu; Jody Krzywdik ’02, of Phi Mu; Deno P. Emili ’78, of Beta Theta Pi; Dr. Shawn T. Brown ’97, of Phi Kappa Tau; and Joyce Jefferson ’77 (not pictured), of Zeta Tau Alpha.

BETHANY CONNECT SPEAKER SERIES The Bethany Connect Speaker Series features members of our faculty, distinguished Bethany alumni from many different fields of study, accomplished professionals in our community, and sometimes even student-led research.

March 15 | Fulbright students spoke about their experiences living in the U.S. and working at Bethany.

Assistant Professor of History Ian Lanzillotti led a discussion entitled “The Origins of the Russo-Ukrainian War: Putin’s Historical Delusions, Competing National Visions, and the Politics of NATO Enlargement."

March 23 | Wheeling City Councilwoman Rosemary Ketchum engaged with the Bethany community in conjunction with the Social Work Department’s Deep Dive into Diversity Course.

Dr. Heidi Schreiber-Pan, who specializes in workshops that offer a unique blend of evidence-based practices and psychosocial theories of well-being, spoke about mental health.

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B.I.S.O.N. PROGRAM

“Nothing is more important to a college than the admission of bright, motivated students. Experience teaches us that alumni can be our greatest asset in finding and recruiting these students.”

ROBERT A. SANDERCOX, ‘54

The B.I.S.O.N. program (formerly known as the B.I.S.O.N.S. – Bethanians in support of new students) has been resurrected and is looking for volunteers. A brief, concise training program is being implemented to help alumni engage in this critical mission.

The roles of the involved alumni are to:

1. Help maintain the strength of the College as well as maintain the quality of its education,

DR. GARY KAPPEL ’74 RETURNS TO LEAD FALL CONVOCATION Longtime history professor Dr. Gary Kappel ’74 returned to campus as the keynote speaker for the 2021 Fall Convocation.

Kappel serves as the college’s historian and holds the title of Professor of History in the Perry and Aleece Gresham Chair in the Humanities Emeritus. His address was titled “I Think I’ve Been Here Before.”

He noted that he’d attended 36 previous Fall Convocations and hundreds of other campus events over the years.

“Of course, it’s not just the venue or the occasion that invokes my sense of déjà vu,” Kappel said. “When I look around at the events happening here on campus, in the United States, and in the world, I get an eerie feeling that we’ve been here before.”

He noted the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, voter suppression efforts, and the latest images from the withdrawal of Afghanistan that are reminiscent of the fall of Saigon in 1975.

Though Kappel said historians like to believe they have seen everything before, he questioned whether there is any hope of ending the repetition.

“Allow me to suggest that there is indeed a way, and that you being here in this place, at this time, is perhaps the greatest expression of that hope – the hope that comes from understanding that knowledge is the true source of all change in life,” Kappel said.

Alexander Campbell founded Bethany on the idea that learning is a lifelong process and, upon graduation, its students would become their own pupils.

However, Kappel said he took issue with Campbell’s idea that there are limits to human existence; instead, Kappel said, as a humanist, he believes in the infinite capacity of the human mind to strive for understanding and the infinite capacity of the human heart for empathy and compassion.

“It’s up to us,” Kappel said, referencing Giovanni Pico della Mirandola’s “900 Theses.”

“If we insist on making the same mistakes over and over again, of being brutes to one another—not to mention ourselves, by the way—we have no one to blame but ourselves. … It is the tool of Mr. Campbell’s vision that gives us the power through our soul’s reason to escape that brutish fate, both as an individual and as a society.”

2. Make Bethany more widely known and better understood in your local area, 3. Provide guidance to prospective candidates, and 4. Provide information about the students you have met to the Enrollment Office staff.

The goals for you will be to:

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Become informed about the College as it is today,

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Become informed about the requirements of the admission process,

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Contact prospective students to let them know we are interested in them and to answer questions about Bethany,

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Participate in, and represent Bethany at local college fairs,

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Help sponsor receptions for prospective students in the community,

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Congratulate students who have been accepted for admission,

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Maintain a vested interest in prospective students as they move through the enrollment process,

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Seek talented students who may not know of Bethany, and

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Establish a relationship with a particular high school in your area.

For information, please visit www.bethanywv.edu/ bisonprogram or contact Justin Miller at jtmiller@ bethanywv.edu or Deno Emili at demili@bethanywv.edu.

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MENTORSHIP PROGRAM ADDRESSES BULLYING During the 2021-2022 academic year, members of the Bethany College Black Student Union took several trips to Triadelphia Middle School to mentor students on such topics as holiday celebrations, Black History Month, giving back to the community, and getting organized for learning.

During one April session, the mentors talked about bullying and asked the middle schoolers about times they encountered it. One student shared that she sometimes faced bullying because her adopted parents were of a different race. Another said was bullied because of her hair.

Bethany students shared their own experiences about how they navigated similar challenges and went on to stress the importance of speaking up when others are being bullied.

VERES '70 ENCOURAGES GRADUATES TO EMBRACE THEIR BETHANY EDUCATION Bethany College's Class of 2022 recently heard powerful words from esteemed media executive Jimmy Veres '70 at the college's 182nd commencement ceremony.

As a program development executive at Universal Studios, Veres helped to create such shows as The A-Team, Night Rider, and Miami Vice. As the first vice president of creative affairs at TriStar Pictures, he was the head of the department that produced many movies, including The Natural and Rambo. As senior vice president of creative affairs at Columbia Pictures, he helped to develop and produce the academy award winning The Last Emperor, as well as television shows, such as Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, The Young and the Restless, Days of our Lives, Hart to Hart, Who's the Boss, and Seinfeld, among others.

From the moment Veres stepped onto Bethany's campus, he felt a set of sensations that define the distinctive Bethany experience. The warmth and joy of inclusion overwhelmed him and continued throughout his four years of education.

"What I got at Bethany translated to every continent I've ever worked on, every studio I ever worked on, every network I ever did business with...I always felt prepared," Veres exclaimed during his commencement speech.

Veres, who was presented with an honorary doctorate of communications during the ceremony, went on to urge graduates to make choices and be willing to fail and lose to learn what is right for them. He also encouraged them to embrace and celebrate their Bethany education.

“I want you to trust in your preparation,” Veres said. “I want you to understand that you are ready. You’re fresh. You’re cooked. You’re alive. You’re ready to do what you have to do...Make your way. Make your choices, because Monday, you have this behind you...You’re elevated. You’re buoyed. You’re held up by a tradition of family, support, friendship and love.”

To watch the full commencement ceremony, visit Bethany College's YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/BethanyCollege.

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Strengthening Sustainability Bethany College is strengthening its commitment to sustainability across campus, a key objective outlined in the new three-year strategic plan, Build for a Lifetime.

Leaders of the Greener Bethany student group, Tatum Dyar ’20 and Ian Nelson, led a signature campaign to urge campus leaders to make the switch to reusable to-go containers.

Bethany partnered with the Post-Landfill Action Network, an organization that cultivates, educates, and inspire student-led zero waste movement, to implement the program.

A $15,000 grant from the Weeden Foundation, which is dedicated to protecting biodiversity, helped cover the program’s costs.

The Bethany cafeteria previously relied on plastic and Styrofoam containers. The demand for to-go meals escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic and the need for social distancing protocols.

At the start of the fall semester, Bethany students received three tickets redeemable for one reusable container per ticket. When a container is returned for sterilization, the student will receive another ticket to use for another container. Students are charged $5 if they run out of tickets.

Nelson, a chemistry major who took over as Greener Bethany president upon Dyar’s graduation, took the lead in educating the student body about how the program worked by hosting tables at student activities fairs and hanging posters across campus.

“I thought that it was important to work with Tatum on the reusable containers because the old to-go system that was implemented because of COVID-19 was awful for the environment,” Nelson said. “We were going through hundreds of Styrofoam containers each day that would probably end up either going into a landfill or

polluting the campus. With Styrofoam taking hundreds of years to degrade in the environment, our usage of the old containers was appalling...

We knew there was an eco-friendlier—and more cost-effective —solution.”

Parkhurst covered the cost of the reusable containers, and Bethany purchased several large metal drying racks to supplement one owned

by Parkhust.

The college also plans to implement an eco-friendly branded receptacle, keychains to keep count of the containers and karabiners to allow students to clip the tags to a backpack.

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Women & Leadership Symposium Inspires “It’s going to be a tight fit,” Lori Weaver, Vice President of Advancement, Marketing and Communications said as tables for the 180 attendees of Women & Leadership Symposium were being delivered to Commencement Hall, “but we’ll make it work!”

After a two year hiatus, alumni, students, faculty and staff were thrilled to be back to an in-person event. The themes of the weekend included building habits for success and inspirations for moving forward.

The symposium kicked off on Friday night with a conversation between keynote speaker Martha Pomerantz, partner and portfolio manager for Evercore Wealth Management in Minneapolis, and moderator Beth Van Riper Miller ’79. Advice ranged from dressing professionally every day, (including those days at home behind a computer,) to avoiding credit cards that you can’t pay off on a monthly basis.

Pomerantz is a leader in Evercore’s Wise Women program, which hosts events that empower women of all ages to take responsibility for their financial futures. She is the treasurer for the Minnesota Women’s Economic Roundtable and is a member of the Women Presidents’ Organization.

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Miller graduated from Bethany with a degree in mathematics and economics. She began her career on Wall Street in information technology at Morgan Stanley/Dean Witter. In 2007, Miller made a career change into education and became a middle school and library media specialist in the Atlanta area. She retired in 2018, and now serves as a consultant in instructional technologies and educational services.

Saturday morning was a real treat with a panel of Bethany women, both alumnae and past staff, sharing their own tips on finding success. The panel included Dr. Melinda Elliott ’80, chief medical officer of Prolacta Bioscience; Kelly Kowalski, CFA ’10, portfolio manager at MassMutual in Boston; Lisa Callamaro ’87, owner of Story & Voice; and Sally Dorwart, Bethany’s first female athletic director and former assistant professor of physical education.

Jena Martin, a professor at West Virginia University College of Law moderated.

This group of women shared stories that had kept the crowd laughing, engaged, and most importantly, learning. Each woman shared their view on what success meant and their unique paths in finding that success for themselves.

They shared what Bethany taught them about

making their way in the world—and demonstrated in a way that the whole audience felt, that levity and humor played in being successful.

Dr. Melinda Elliott joined Prolacta Bioscience in 2016 as senior director, clinical education and professional development, and is currently their CMO. Her work involves ensuring the needs of premature infants are being articulated and that relevant treatment and product opportunities are identified. Dr. Elliott has committed her career to the care of vulnerable, premature infants and has researched the benefits of an Exclusive Human Milk Diet (EHMD) for extremely low birth weight premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). She also continues to serve as a clinical neonatologist with the Pediatrix Medical Group.

Kelly Kowalski, CFA is a Portfolio Manager at MassMutual. In her current role, she makes investment and asset allocation decisions for a $40 billion portfolio of primarily fixed income securities in order to deliver economic value to policyholders and customers. As a member of the portfolio management team, Kelly also helps to drive MassMutual’s investment strategy through research and analysis of key macroeco-

nomic themes and trends and serves as a subject matter expert across the company, including advising on capital market assumptions.

Lisa Callamaro is the Owner of Story & Voice, which manages, coaches & produces stories and storytellers. She has been involved in hundreds of projects in television, film, and news media, including Legally Blonde, Mutant Chronicles, and The International. Lisa is also co-founder of the film program, HOLLYWOOD BY THE HORNS, at California State University Dominquez Hills where she also teaches her signature class, Finding Your Voice, Telling Your Story. She is a TEDx speaker, speaking on how to use storytelling to call people to action Sally Dorwart received tenure at Bethany College as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Education. During her time as Bethany’s first female Athletic Director, Sally helped provide female teams and club sports a prominent and successful membership in the newly formed Pennwood West Conference.

She is an Outward Bound alum, a member of West Virginia University’s first intercollegiate Volleyball Team, a cofounder of Second Wind Corporate Fitness Programs, and the first female coach inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame at Bethany College.

Jena Martin is a professor at West Virginia University College of Law. Her research is in the field of business and human rights, where she has written extensively on many issues, including the intersection of securities regulation with human rights impacts. Professor Martin has extensive practical experience; not only working as a senior counselor at the United States Securities & Exchange Commission’s Division of Enforcement, but also presenting her own research at the United Nations.

“The panel was my favorite part,” said Sophie Morey, junior Political Science major. “What stuck with me the most was to stop saying ‘sorry’. We, as women, often say ‘sorry’ for things we don’t need to be sorry for.”

The weekend ended with Maggie Smith, poet and author, giving an inspirational talk of hope and resilience. She read from her book, “Keep Moving: Notes on Loss, Creativity and Change.” She said that the book didn’t begin as a book idea, but rather as notes Smith wrote to herself each morning to help cope with the end of her marriage. Each participant also received a copy of her book. She spoke about leaning on each other when we need it, and ended the day with an uplifting message.

“Why don’t we tell people what we are going through?” she asked. “You would not want your mother or your sister or your best friend to go through something difficult alone.

You’d want to know so you could help. And we need to keep that in mind ourselves: our people want to help us, and needing help is not a sign of weakness.

Alumnae Elizabeth Chewning ’79, Scarlett Foster, ’79, Kaye Hearne ’72 and Kathy Tucker ’85 sponsored the event.

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Classroom of the Future?

PSYCHOLOGY PROFESSOR ADDS VR COMPONENT TO LESSON PLAN The idea of virtual reality often conjures images of entertainment, such as immersive video games and traveling to out-of-reach destinations.

But Dr. Michael Duncan Overton, visiting professor of psychology at Bethany College, believes virtual reality can have a lasting educational impact on psychology and other disciplines.

“If you’re going into a therapeutic setting, this is going to be a technology that you are going to need to be familiar with,” he said.

Overton recently introduced virtual reality in his experimental biopsychology course. The college purchased two VR headsets with funds raised during a Day of Giving campaign for the department.

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“I wanted to connect students and what they were learning with cutting-edge technology and VR was the first thing that came mind,” Overton said. “It adds an extra layer to help them understand what we are talking about in class. I wanted to make it fun.”

Virtual reality is about testing boundaries, and Overton explained that has a practical use for psychological research, such as in the study of fears and phobias. In those cases, practitioners can manage the intensity of the experience.

“If someone had vertigo and wanted to overcome it, then we might start them off with a virtual reality with a walk through the forest or a donkey

ride through the Grand Canyon,” he said. “It simulates that thing they have a phobia of, but they realize that if they take that headset off anytime, or turn it off, they are still sitting in the chair they were in.”

What each person experiences in VR is a little different.

Some people startle quickly and might event scream, while others might experience a fight reflex.

“That’s the beautiful thing about working with human subjects, you don’t know how they are going to react.”

The students’ experience with virtual reality varied. Some were familiar with the gaming aspects of the technology and while others had only heard about virtual reality.

“Two students are very familiar with VR, and I kind of use them to help out,” Overton said. “Most of the students have heard of it but haven’t used it.”

Recent advances in technology, such as with the Oculus 2, make the headsets untethered and easier to use.

“This is stuff that is going to be our future and their present,” Overton said.

In one class, the students walked a raised 2x4 using the virtual reality headsets, and many of the students told Overton they had a difficult time telling what real and what was virtual reality.

During another, two students volunteered to navigate a haunted house while wearing the headset. A connection to a smartboard allowed their classmates to watch what the volunteers where experiencing.

Before participating two students and Overton registered their heart rates and blood pressure as a baseline. The same numbers were taken after they navigated the haunted house to determine the effects of the jump scares.

What students take from the lessons may depend on whether they are willing to step out of their comfort zone and into the virtual lesson. Overton said that in some cases, VR isn’t the right option for some of the students, but it’s another tool for learning that can be used to meet students where they are.

“I’ve always had an interest in virtual reality, but I’ve never got to explore it on the student side,” Overton said. “A lot of it, I’m kind of learning along with the students, which is kind of fun. It’s an interesting technology that gives me one more tool to make the class more interesting for the student.”

Overton has introduced the use of VR to his colleagues in the psychology department and is interested in sharing the technology across campus.

Biology majors might explore virtual cadavers or students might experience the navigate the on-the-ground costs of war for a geopolitical perspective, Overton said.

“It might allow students to interact with cultures that they have only seen in movies … what it’s like to walks through the streets of Rome, Venice, Beijing or really any culture,” he said.

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHTS

2022

GRADUATE HEADS TO

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GERMANY

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Dorcus Raber and Allison Paxton

Dorcas Raber ’22 will return to the classroom in the fall as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Germany.

Harold Menz and Dorcus Raber

“I was surprised and shocked,” Raber said of receiving her letter. “Although I was confident in my application, I also knew that the position was competitive and that not every good application is chosen.”

The acceptance rate for Fulbright applicants is about 20 percent.

Raber, of Kidron, Ohio, graduated from Bethany College magna cum laude with a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in German.

The English Teaching Assistant Program places Fulbright Scholars in classrooms abroad to assist local English teachers and serve as cultural ambassadors for the United States.

The Fulbright Program began in 1946 to promote international understanding and cooperation after World War II. As part of the Bethany curriculum, Raber studied abroad through the Heidelberg Program at the Padagogische Hochschule in Heidelberg, Germany.

“My upbringing and first language of Pennsylvania Dutch really encouraged an interest in German and Germany from an early age,” Raber said. “As I grew older, my interests also increased, so choosing German Studies as my major felt natural.”

After she completes her Fulbright, Raber is considering attending graduate school for linguistics or English as a Second Language but said she has other interests as well.

“I am hoping that my experience abroad will enlighten where I’d like to go and what I pursue next,” she said.

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Remembering a Life of Service J O H N W. MU L L E N ‘69 Gandhi once said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

If this rings true, then no man knew himself better than Bethany alumnus, trustee, and friend, John “Moon” Mullen. John led a life of service to every community he occupied.

He was first and foremost a devout husband, father and grandfather. John served his country, his industry, his community, and his alma mater. The world lost a true servant when John passed away on March 17, 2022 with his loving wife, Marjorie, by his side.

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Professionally, John was first a soldier then spent his career in the insurance industry.

John enlisted in the United States Army after graduating from Bethany and was a veteran of the Vietnam War. Following the service, he spent his career in the insurance business, where he contributed to the betterment of the industry.

Colleagues wrote that John was a wonderful boss, a mentor, and counselor. John was the recipient of the 2016 Griffith Foundation Career Achievement Award and the 1997 and 1998 recipient of the Unitrin President’s Award for achieving highest growth/profit ratio for the Property & Casualty Group. Other volunteer service included roles as the President of the Society of Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter Dallas Chapter, Board of Directors and Co-Chair of the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, Board of Directors of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and the Advisory Board of the Property Casualty Insurers Association.

In his local community, John coached baseball for 20 years in Marietta, GA. He was the President of Eastside Baseball Club and was part of the formative years of East Cobb Baseball where he helped coach three national championship teams in 1985, 1986 and 1987. Whether he was playing or coaching, John aspired for greatness and inspired those around him.

A community that John always served was Bethany College and was among Bethany’s most fierce champions. John graduated with a degree in sociology in 1969. In 2008, John joined the

Board of Trustees, where he worked continuously to improve his college. He served as the chair of the investment committee and a member of the executive committee of the Board. His friend and fellow trustee, Scarlett Foster ’79 said, “John epitomized the best of Bethanians: He was intelligent, thoughtful, generous and gracious. He was a dedicated and tireless trustee, and tackled the most thankless tasks with no other goal other than to ensure a better future for Bethany. He never sought personal recognition, only results that would benefit the greater community. John was the best of the best.”

Another colleague and friend, Bill Newton ‘75, shared similar sentiments, “John was a man of integrity, character and a true friend.

He loved Bethany College, served in leadership roles as a Trustee and was instrumental

in reconnecting his football teammates. John exemplified that a Bethany education combined with hard work and continuous learning lead to an outstanding career. He is missed.”

During his time at Bethany he played baseball and football and was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity. His classmates and friends describe a man that recruited, donated, and worked relentlessly to improve Bethany College.

He was a member of the 1966 undefeated Bison football team; a group that has stayed in touch for over 55 years and call themselves the Classic Ballers. Those who remember John often commented on his good humor, integrity, and friendship. He was known as a story-teller, mentor, a man of his word, and one heck of a Pittsburgh sports fan, holding a special place in his heart for both the Pirates and the Steelers.

John will be remembered for his life of service—especially here at Bethany, where he made a tremendous impact through his philanthropy, volunteering, and unwavering commitment to its success. An endowed scholarship supporting students from Western Pennsylvania who are involved in extracurricular activities has been created in his honor, ensuring that his memory and support will continue in perpetuity. To make a donation, visit https://www.bethanywv.edu/ giving/ and note ‘John Mullen Scholarship’ in the comment section or send a check payable to Bethany College and mail to Bethany College, 31 E Campus Dr, #7, Bethany, WV 26032 with ‘John Mullen Scholarship’ in the memo.

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Bethany and Lacrosse Set Scott Brooks ’78 on Path to Legal Success Every Bethanian has a story, and for some, that story is powerful enough to instill a desire to give back and make an impact on future generations.

Take Scott Brooks ‘78, a key contributor to the synthetic turf project at the newly christened Don Ault Field at Bison Stadium.

“Bethany, to me, was perfect,” Brooks said. “It was probably the best four years of my life…What it gave me was a chance to meet a lot of people and figure out what I wanted to do with my life.”

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Brooks describes himself as a terrible student and a “relatively decent” lacrosse player when he arrived at Bethany as a freshman.

“I wasn’t dumb,” he said. “I just didn’t care.”

Though Brooks said he’s unsure how he was admitted, he came to Bethany as part of a fledgling lacrosse team and decided to major in history. He also joined Beta Theta Phi fraternity.

He said three or four Bethany faculty members took an interest in him and encouraged him to attend law school. He ultimately was accepted to Western State College of Law and graduated in 1982.

“Bethany taught me how to interact with all type of people from any background – it was a great mix of kids,” Brooks said. “I’ve always been a great schmoozer, and Bethany honed that. By the time I started my career as a businessman as a lawyer, I was able to make deals.”

He is a real estate attorney in California and has more than 30 years of real property and banking related experience. In the mid-1980s, he worked for Arnold Pacific Properties as associate general counsel and helped develop, lease and manage more than 10 million square feet of retail space across the Western United States.

He went on to work as counsel for Downey Savings and Loan Association and created Burrow Closing Management Corp., which was sold to Cendant Corp.

“I was never afraid to go out to a conference or mahogany row office and see the president or senior vice president,” he said, noting he was 75 to 80 percent successful.

Brooks also developed one of the first Internet-based title and closing software systems that streamlined the process for clients and closers.

“What does a liberal arts education do for you? It gives you the linguistic skills to interact with anyone on any level, whether you are in an office or a bar,” Brooks said.

He called the years between 1974 and 1980 a golden era for Bethany, producing a lot of men and women who love Bethany and want to see it succeed.

The Internet helped Brooks re-engage with his beloved alma mater at a time when he had the resources to give back, he said.

Though Alt Field is home to the Bison football team, Brooks supported the project because it also hosts the men’s and women’s lacrosse teams. And he remembers a time when the lacrosse team was a club that had to petition the Student Activities Committee to get the equipment it needed.

And because of his own background, he hopes Bethany continues to reach out to those students whom he calls the diamonds in the rough.

Jhamal Robinson '98, vice president of production management at Netflix, served as the guest speaker for the Bethany College Department of Communications & Media Arts awards ceremony. The event, co-hosted by the department's student fellows Victoria Magnotti and Drew VonScio, recognized the achievements of 24 students.

ALUMNI COUNCIL ANGELA RYDER BADO, 1977

COUNCIL PRESIDENT • MCKINNEY, TX

SUE SNIEGOCKI BOOTH, 1982

ENGAGEMENT CHAIR • CHELMSFORD, MA

KATHLEEN K. KAMINSKI BUREN, 1993

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT • LUTHERVILLE, MD

EVAN BYRNE, 2019 CHANDLER, AZ

JULIA ANN DIVEGLIA EMROCK, 2003 OAKDALE, PA

BRUCE H. FAHEY, 1977 AKRON, OH

DARREN JOHNSON, 2019 PITTSBURGH, PA

CHRISTINE LEMLEY, 1993 POTOMAC FALLS, VA

KERRY MCCANN, 1977 PITTSBURGH, PA

GRANT MCLAUGHLIN, 1991

ADVANCEMENT CHAIR • ARLINGTON, VA

THOMAS B. MILLER, 1977 PITTSBURGH, PA

LAURIE GETTINGS PALMER, 1987 WESTLAKE, OH

JAMES PORTER, 1986

COUNCIL VICE PRESIDENT • TAMPA, FL

ASHLEY KANOTZ SUBASIC, 2016 CANONSBURG, PA

DANIEL VANPELT, 1995 ALEXANDRIA, VA

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FACULTY SPOTLIGHTS

LAST LECTURES SPRING 2022 JAN FORSTY & JOHN MCGOWAN

JAN FORSTY

Jan Forsty, professor of physical education and head softball coach emerita, and John McGowan, professor emeritus of physical education and sports studies, presented “Title IX: 50-Year Anniversary and More” in Phillips Lounge in front of more than 70 students, alumni, faculty, and staff.

Since joining Bethany in 1987, Forsty chaired the Department of Physical Education and coached softball, field hockey, soccer, volleyball, and tennis, leading teams to almost 20 PAC championships. She retired as the head softball coach in 2018 with the third-highest win total for NCAA Division III. For more than 40 years, McGowan played a significant role in bringing women’s varsity sports to Bethany and served as an administrator and coach for swimming, cross country, track and field, and women’s soccer.

JOHN MCGOWAN

EMERITUS STATUS 2022 DR. STEVEN CARELLI

Professor Emeritus of History

DR. JOHN HULL

Professor Emeritus of Psychology

DR. WALLACE (WALLY) NEEL Professor Emeritus of Physical Education and Sport Studies

2021 WILF CSAPLAR

Professor Emeritus of Economics

JAN FORSTY

Professor of Physical Education and Head Softball Coach Emerita

2020 DR. JOHN HULL

DR. JOHN HULL

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Dr. John Hull, professor of psychology, delivered his Last Lecture, titled “By the Numbers” to a large crowd in Wailes Theatre.

Hull joined the Bethany College faculty in 1976, and over the years co-authored papers and presentations with more than 110 Bethany students and more than 130 total students. In all, students have appeared as co-authors on Hull’s presentations and publications 177 times.

Hull has led students to the Eastern Psychology Association annual meetings for more than 40 years and has taught more than two dozen unique courses at Bethany.

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JOHN MCGOWAN

Professor Emeritus of Physical Education and Sport Studies

KATHY SHELEK-FURBEE

Professor Emerita of Social Work

VIRGIL THOMPSON

Professor Emeritus of Business and Accounting

Ian Nelson stands with Dr. Anna Edlund after receiving the W.F. Kennedy Prize as Outstanding Junior Man at Bethany's annual Honors Day ceremony.

IAN NELSON

Northwestern

Nelson A Bethany College chemistry major will participate in a 10-week summer research experience for undergraduates at Northwestern University.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHTS

Ian Nelson, a rising senior from Monongahela, Pa., will conduct his research on life cycle assessments of polyurethane recycling technologies under the guidance of Dr. Jennifer Dunn, an associate professor of chemical biological engineering.

The summer experience is offered by the National Science Foundation Center for the Sustainable Polymers.

“This opportunity is truly amazing,” Nelson said. “It has been my dream to have a career in scientific research, but I didn’t really know for sure how I wanted that to occur or in what area I’d like to focus my research. This is my first opportunity to experience firsthand what research is like over a prolonged period of time.”

He said his fascination with polymers stems from how crucial they are to our way of life. Uses for plastics, for example, are nearly endless, but they aren’t very environmentally friendly.

“I was really interested in the idea of working to help make more eco-friendly materials or help improve processes to make current materials more sustainable,” he said.

Through his studies at Bethany, Nelson examined the quantification and identification of microplatstics in terrestrial ecosystems. He presented his findings of that project during Bethany’s Scholarship Symposium this spring with assistance from a research award he received through college’s partnership with the NASA West Virginia Space Grant Consortium.

“Whereas my research at Bethany examines the end stages of the plastics life cycle, this will examine other aspects and avenues a plastic product may take in its disposal,” he said. “If we can work on making plastics easier to recycle or degrade in the environment, it could help reduce the amount of microplastic pollution that would end up in the environment.”

A Presidential Scholar, Nelson also has minors in mathematics and environmental biology at Bethany. He also is active in the Tri-Beta biology honorary and Greener Bethany, taking part in and organizing campus cleanups, recycling drives and a tree-mapping project across campus.

As the president of Greener Bethany, he assisted in implementing reusable containers at the Bethany cafeteria.

At Northwestern, Nelson will take part in extensive, full-time lab work from June 6 to Aug. 12. Acceptance to the program includes a stipend, housing, meals and a travel grant to present research at a national conference.

“I hope this will continue to reassure me of my interest and passion not just for research but in the area of polymers and sustainability as a whole as I begin to look for grad school programs,” Nelson said.

The National Science Foundation Center for Sustainable Polymers operates at the University of Minnesota but places undergraduate researchers at seven universities across the country.

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BY DREW VONSCIO

Voice of the

Bison Whether it be before school through the week or on the weekends, most young children around the world wake up in the morning and turn on their favorite cartoon. Then there was me who, even as young as nine years old, would wake up and turn on SportsCenter to watch the highlights from the previous day’s football, hockey, and baseball games.

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My parents always made jokes about it with family and friends, but I knew from a young age that I wanted my career to be centered around sports. On the way home from youth football games or even just going to and from different stores as my parents ran errands, I always enjoyed listening to Bill Hillgrove announce games on the Steelers Radio Network. He was very descriptive and also provided the excitement you want a sports announcer to have. When I would play the latest version of the Madden video game franchise as a child and teenager, I would pretend to announce the games the way he does as I was playing them.

From the very beginning, I knew Bethany would provide me with plenty of opportunities to chase my broadcasting dream. Schools will often use the sales pitch of getting freshman involved, but I knew that it was legitimate at Bethany. A month into my first semester, I was on the air at the college radio station, hosting and producing a bi-weekly show that I still do to this day. My first year of collegiate soccer ended just in time for the final home game of the 2019 football season, and despite there being two upperclassmen announcers, my mind was set on announcing this game. I called the game for our radio station by myself just two-and-a-half months into my time as a Bethany student. I was commended after the game by our radio/TV engineer Joe Dumas for the fact that my announcing was better than the upperclassmen who were on the TV side.

To this day, students, faculty, and staff are amazed that I know the names and numbers of players not only on our teams here at Bethany but also for the visiting teams. This stems back to when I attended a sports announcing camp at Waynesburg University in high school, where myself and the others were instructed by former Pirates announcer Lanny Frattare that “97% of your broadcast success is determined before you go on the air.” Keeping this in mind, I have made sure to be as prepared as I possibly can be (with my time constraints) before putting on the headset and going on the air. As I have matured as a broadcaster, it has resulted in even more preparation being put into each and every game.

Being a sports announcer for teams on campus provides me with an outlet to connect better to our scholar-athletes while also building my own resume. Often, my biggest daily decision is deciding which team or teams to announce on a given weekday or weekend. If I could announce every home game for every sport here at Bethany, I would do it in a heartbeat.

While I do try to honor athlete requests to cover specific games for them, I ensure that I call games for as many of our teams as possible.

“The Voice of the Bison” is a title I do not take for granted. This was originally a phrase that was self-created in order to feel more official, as even sports broadcasters have a bit of an ego. As this academic year has gone on, members of the Bethany community have started to use that phrase to describe me on the air. Being “The Voice of the Bison” is my biggest honor on campus, as I know what it means to our students having an announcer get excited for them at the highest level of their athletic career. Viewing every game from the broadcast booth allows me to see the successes of each of our sports teams, the amount of work they put in, and be there every step of the way in their journey towards becoming a PAC Champion or even a Division III National Champion.

I am extremely thankful for the opportunities I have been given here at Bethany and will continue to build experience until graduation. Words can not describe how grateful I am for the support I have been given by everyone in the Bethany community, especially Director of Athletic Communications Erikka Sansom. I would not be the broadcaster I am today without her providing me with the opportunity to announce games and interview players/coaches since I arrived on campus.

Having the title of “The Voice of the Bison” is a title I do not take for granted. This was originally a phrase that was self-created in order to feel more official as even sports broadcasters have a bit of an ego.

As this academic year has gone on, members of the Bethany community have started to use that phrase to describe myself on the air. Being “The Voice of the Bison” is my biggest honor on campus as I know what it means to our students having an announcer get excited for them at the highest level of their athletic career.

DREW VONSCIO

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Rain LINDSEY GARRISON

MAKING IT

Garrison Breaks Three-Point Record 30 |

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When looking at colleges or universities to attend, most young high school students look for somewhere they can feel at home.

Women’s basketball freshman guard Lindsey Garrison quickly found her home away from home at Bethany College.

“Bethany has been a home away from home because I feel like our team is a family,” said Garrison.

“There is always someone who you can talk to, eat at the cafeteria with, and go work out with.

We all constantly support each other on and off the basketball court,” added Garrison.

“It is something that I was really grateful to have, especially this being my first year in college and not knowing what to expect.”

Growing up just a short 30 minutes away, the Triadelphia, W.Va., native made a name for herself in high school that quickly transpired at Bethany College. It only took her three games to break the single-game three-point record, hitting nine three-pointers in a 31-point performance against Penn State New Kensington.

She was an instrumental piece for the Bison this season and helped lead them to their first appearance in the PAC semifinals since the 2011-12 season. Garrison earned PAC Newcomer of the Year and was also named an All-PAC First-Team selection. She is Bethany's first D3Hoops.com All-Region recognition since Jenny Place (05-06) and Kelly Richardson (03-04).

Her performance for the Bison quickly drew local media coverage to campus.

“I think it is really cool that local media has been covering my accomplishments,” added Garrison. “It will be something very memorable for me.”

Garrison wasn’t always set on attending a school so close to home, but the smaller campus and family feel drew her to Bethany.

“I really liked the team and Coach Sansom when I got to meet them,” said Garrison. “Everyone also seemed really welcoming when I came on a visit. I liked that it was a smaller campus, and it would be easy to get around.”

Coming to Bethany has allowed Garrison to be involved in her major and build close relationships with her professors. She is an Elementary Education major and has enjoyed the small classroom feel and having her professors know her by name. The flexibility of being a scholar-athlete at the Division III level has given her the opportunity to be involved in activities outside of athletics.

“I have been able to be involved in my major, and all of my professors are flexible and helpful, which I am thankful for.”

There is always someone who you can talk to, eat at the cafeteria with, and go work out with.

We all constantly support each other on and off the basketball court.

LINDSEY GARRISON

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TYRIC DRANE

Drane Recognized as Bridge-Builder and Role Model

The Ohio Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Holiday Commission recognized a Bethany College junior and Cleveland native for exemplifying leadership, nonviolence, commitment to excellence and interracial cooperation.

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Tyric Drane, 20, a physical education pre-sports medicine major, received the Capturing the Vision of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Youth Award during the 37th annual Ohio Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Celebration in Columbus.

Drane is recognized as a bridge-builder and role model to the young residents in Cleveland’s Central neighborhood where almost 70 percent of residents live below the poverty line.

Drane spent his summer with the Sisters of Charity Foundation in Cleveland, engaging in grassroots advocacy. He worked on the Greater Cleveland COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund’s government affairs task force supporting nonprofit organizations dealing with the ongoing effects of the pandemic. He and another intern compiled research, conducted informative interviews and assisted in communications between organizations and fund members.

“He recognizes the need to uplift the fact that Cleveland’s Central neighborhood is a community full of resources and that he is an example that you are bigger than your circumstances,” his nomination states.

He serves the Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland by mentoring students in after-school athletics programs and speaking to high school seniors about the importance of building community relationships. He also helped gather input from often-excluded community members to help inform the design of the new St. Vincent Charity Medical Center Health Campus in his neighborhood.

“His discipline as an athlete, student, mentor, and leader serve as a light to all around him,” said Dawn Glasco, manager of engagement and social innovation for Cleveland Central Promise Neighborhood. “Tyric is destined for a life of greatness and joy because his generosity will continue to reap him many rewards.”

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HOMECOMING

New Turf Field Honors Coach Don Ault The Bethany College homecoming festivities returned to campus in 2021 with the dedication of the new Bison football field in honor of longtime coach Don Ault.

In late summer, the Motz Group installed synthetic turf on the playing surface at Bison Stadium.

“Today as we gather for the 2021 homecoming football game, I am honored to recognize one of Bethany College’s legends, Coach Don Ault,” Bethany College then-President Tamara Nichols Rodenberg said during the pre-game ceremony. “His passion and leadership on the field not only made him a great coach, but a great mentor of so many young men.”

Ault’s daughter, Debbie Ault, cut the ribbon to christen the Coach Don Ault Athletic Field to open the Bison football game against Thiel College.

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Ault, who joined the Bison as an assistant to hall of fame coach Bob Goin in 1969 and became head coach four years later, twice led the Bison to Presidents’ Athletic Conference championships. His 1980 squad became the first Bethany team to advance to the NCAA III playoffs, finishing the season unbeaten and united.

Matching donations by Psi Diamond Charitable Foundation of Beta Theta Pi, Panhandle Restoration and alumnus Scott Brooks ’78 partly funded the $500,000 turf project.

THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE DONORS WHO CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROJECT: Rev. and Mrs. Thaddaeus B. Allen

Mr. Michael J. Fischer

Mr. and Mrs. Gregory E. Munn

Mr. William E. Atwater

Mr. and Mrs. Gary J. Frankhouser

Mr. and Mrs. Phillip J. Murphy III

Mr. and Mrs. Mark A. Bado

Mr. and Mrs. Douglas A. Goin

Mr. and Mrs. G. William Newton

Mr. Michael D. Bilica

Mrs. Nancy Goin

Rev. Dr. Bernard M. Oakes

Mr. and Mrs. G. Jeffrey Bohne

Mr. and Mrs. Dale R. Grosso

Mr. Joshua A. Orendi

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey C. Boucek

Mr. Ryan W. Heasley

Mr. Chris Payne

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel J. Bradley

Mr. and Mrs. Patrick J. Hosey

Mr. Geoff Pecar

Mr. and Mrs. Scott S. Brooks

Mr. Pepper P. Jones

Mr. R. Darryl Ponton

Mr. Robert L. Caruso

Mr. John M. Kapral

Quality Logistics

Dr. and Mrs. Paul B. Chewning

Ms. Shannon Kolkedy

Mr. and Mrs. William D. Rainey

Mr. Alexander J. Ciocca III

Mr. Steven M. Kopcha

Mr. George Reed

Mr. Carl F. Clemens III

Mr. Kenneth Kruluts

Mr. Zane Robinson

Col. David G. Collins

Mr. David G. Lambert

Mr. Chris Sengewalt

Mr. David Cottington

Mr. and Mrs. S. Dean Lesiak

Mr. Byron T. Shindler

Ms. Carole J. Cox

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas C. Loeser

Mr. and Mrs. Rickey L. Snyder

Mr. and Mrs. George M. Davis

Mr. Zachary Lowe

Mr. John Somsky

Mr. and Mrs. Rudolph De Canio

Mr. and Mrs. John MacNair

Major and Mrs. Richard L. Strockbine

Dr. John F. DeBlasis

Mrs. Katherine T. Manning

Mr. and Mrs. Samuel P. Swann

Mrs. Marie Z. DeParis

Mr. Manuel M. Markos

Mr. William Taczak

Rev. Arthur C. Dilg

Mr. Jeffrey M. Mattich

Mr. Thomas N. Taylor

Dr. and Mrs. Norman A. Dolch

Mr. Mark W. Mayer

Mr. and Mrs. James W. Trainor II

Mrs. and Mr. Eleanor A. Doran

Mr. & Mrs. D. Sean McBride

Mr. and Mrs. Eugene A. Turley Jr.

Mrs. and Rev. Donna L. Downs

Mr. and Mrs. Kerry R. McCann

Mr. and Ms. Cameron D. Vernon

Mr. and Mrs. William J. Dumbaugh

Mrs. Deborah L. McGuire

Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. Warco

Mrs. Kathleen Egan

Ms. Mary A. McMullan

Mr. and Mrs. Donald W. Waugaman

Mr. and Mrs. Paul J. Ejzak

Mrs. Martha R. Mitchell

Mr. Andrew K. Weiss

Mr. and Mrs. Peter D. Erbe

Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. Mize

Mr. and Mrs. Denny E. Williams

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce H. Fahey

Mr. Richard W. Mogan

Panhandle Cleaning & Restoration

Mr. John T. Falconi Jr.

Mr. Thomas C. Montero

Psi Chapter Diamond Assoc

Mr. and Mrs. Ted Feitt

Mr. and Mrs. John W. Mullen

Custom Marble Corp.

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Patio Pays Tribute to Math Professor James Allison Bethany College dedicated the James Allison Memorial Alumni Patio after a beloved mathematics professor and Bethany alumnus as part of its annual homecoming celebration.

“Jim was adored and respected by all who knew him,” Bethany then-President Tamara Nichols Rodenberg said in her dedication.

“His gentle touch in their lives made a difference. And he continues to teach us even in this day, in our memories, and in this place.

We all want to make this world a better place because we’ve been in it. And we’re standing on a patio that testifies to a person who made that kind of difference.”

For 20 years, Bethany hosted the annual Allison’s Run, a noncompetitive four-mile run/ walk that followed Allison’s favored running route on Castleman Run Road along the banks of Buffalo Creek in his memory. Allison died of a cardiovascular ailment in 2000 at age 59.

The final Allison’s Run shifted to a virtual format amid COVID-19 precautions.

Over the years, proceeds from Allison’s Run funded numerous scholarships, and the remaining funds were used to install the patio outside Erickson Alumni Center.

Allison’s wife, Judy, cut the ceremonial ribbon.

She and Dr. John Hull, a longtime friend of Jim Allison and a professor of psychology at Bethany, said that Allison would have loved the outdoor space but would have hated the attention.

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“When we started this, I had no idea it would last this long. I mean, it’s really incredible for 20 years to be able to keep this up,” Judy Allison said, noting the people involved changed often over the years. “It’s really nice that we could give so much money to different students along the way, and then use this for the rest of it.”

She noted that Kenn Morgan, Bethany’s Jennie Steindorf Renner Chair of Fine Arts and professor of fine arts, has remained a continuing contributor, designing an Allison’s Run T-shirt each year.

Adam Fletcher ’02, a professor of mathematics, offered a toast in his mentor’s memory.

Allison graduated from Bethany in 1962 with a degree in mathematics. He then received a master’s degree from West Virginia University in 1964 and returned to Bethany as a faculty member that same year. The college recognized Allison as its Professor of the Year in 1976, 1987, and 1994-1995.

He also taught part-time at Ohio University and Wheeling Jesuit University and was an elder and pillar at Bethany Memorial Church.

‘THE UNIVERSE IS ON OUR SIDE’ AUTHOR DELIVERS GRIMES LECTURE The death of God in today’s culture has led to a divisive society, the author of “The Universe Is on Our Side: Restoring Faith in American Public Life” said during the annual Larry Grimes Lecture at Bethany College.

Bruce Ledewitz, a professor at Duquesne University Law School who writes the blog Hallowed Secularism, shared his own experience of losing his belief in God and leaving Judaism in the early 2000s. He joined the millions of “nones” in the United States, who cite no religious affiliation.

“But the death of God does not operate at the personal level,” Ledewitz said. “It operates at the level of the culture. The death of God is about the effectiveness and presence of God in the culture.”

The West and, more specifically, the U.S. particularly felt that loss, he said.

“The loss of our founding story is the reason that Americans are divided, angry and lost,” Ledewitz said. “It is the reason for deaths of despair and is the reason for the irrationality of vaccine resistance and climate change denial. Americans have lost faith in a universe that makes sense. And that means that nothing can make sense.

We don’t even realize that this loss of faith is the reason for our troubles.

That is why we are not doing anything about it.”

In studying this cultural shift, Ledewitz turned to a question asked

by Canadian Jesuit theologian and philosopher Bernard Lonergan: “Is the Universe on Our Side?”

“Asking Lonergan’s question means really asking, that is not just assuming the answer,” Ledewitz said.

Ultimately, Ledewitz argues that faith can be restored if Americans believe that the universe bends toward justice and welfare.

Pictured from left: Angie Bado, Cheryl Ryan Harshman, Rick Jackson, Megan Tarbett, Stephen Ruben

ALUMNI AWARDS The Bethany College Alumni Council announced the 2021 award recipients during last year's homecoming celebration. Cheryl Ryan Harshman ’74, Rick Jackson ’78, and Stephen Ruben ’70, received the Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award; Megan Tarbett ’00

received the Outstanding Community Service Award. The recipients were honored during a dinner ceremony that was a part of Bethany’s Homecoming Weekend festivities.

ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME The Bethany College Department of Athletics inducted five individuals and one team into the Bethany College Athletics Hall of Fame during last year's homecoming weekend. The 2020 inductees include Chuck Carpeta ‘72 (Football and Baseball), Duane Cymmerman ‘02 (Football), Scott DeUnger ‘02 (Baseball), John Masquelier ‘69 (Cross Country and Track and Field), Larry Yanda ‘66 (Football), and the 2002 Softball Team.

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SAVE THE DATE FOR

Bethany College Homecoming Weekend

SEPTEMBER 30 – OCTOBER 2, 2022!

BISON

2021-22

ATHLETICS

TAAL LEADS BISON TO

31ST PAC CHAMPIONSHIP

The Bethany College men’s soccer team earned its 31st PAC title this past season.

Third-year head coach Frankie Taal is no stranger to PAC titles. Taal was a member of the 1994 team that won the PAC and eventually went on to win the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history.

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Despite getting off to a 2-6-1 start, the Bison went 8-1 over their last nine games, including a five-match win streak heading into the NCAA Tournament. The Bison finished 10-7-1 with a 5-4 PAC record. Taal led Bethany to the No. 5 seed in the league's championship tournament.

Appearing in the PAC Championship Tournament title match for the first time since 2010.

After defeating No. 2 Franciscan University, 3-1 in the PAC Championship, the Bison traveled to John Carrol University in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The PAC Championship was Bethany’s first since 2001.

It is a different feeling when a head coach returns to their alma mater to coach. The comforts of coming home and being a successful component to the rich history of Bethany men’s soccer was always important to Taal.

“Coming back to Bethany and winning the PAC Championship is a dream come true,” expressed Taal. “I tried and worked extremely hard to get Bethany to the apex of the conference and to do it after only my second full season was quite special.”

The 2021 men’s soccer team wrote their names in the history of Bethany College men’s soccer after earning another PAC Championship for the Bison. Taal mentions the 1994 team to his team

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not as motivation but to remind them that it can happen and that the 1994 season wasn’t a fluke.

He shares the stories and friendships that he has built during his time here as a Bison.

“All I really do to motivate the team was once in a while reminding them that the 1994 championships was not a fluke” said Taal. “It was all about a dedicated group of players that worked very hard on and off the field and did whatever it took to prepare ourselves to win match after match.”

“I told them [our guys] before the game that they had a chance to write history and we had not been in this position for 20 years and so that team has written history,” said Taal. “History doesn’t end, it doesn’t stop and that they have started a new chapter of Bethany football [soccer] and they would continue to write this history and that even when they graduate, the history would continue to be written.”

Known as a tremendous leader on and off the field, Taal brought his first PAC Coach of the Year award following the season.

“Bethany is very special to me because as a student-athlete, it gave me the opportunity to receive an education, grow as a person, and last but not least, allowed me to meet some of my very best friends,” added Taal.

Students from left to right: Asia Crim, Anna Taylor, Jess Moore, Alaina Torres, Riley Felton

VOLLEYBALL ADVANCES TO PAC CHAMPIONSHIP; FIVE EARN ALL-PAC HONORS Bethany volleyball concluded their season 17-11 (13-5 PAC) after falling to the top-seeded Westminster in the PAC Championship in November. The Bison have advanced to the PAC Championship match five times since 2011 with the last PAC Championship coming in 2018. The Bison featured five on All-PAC teams. Juniors Riley Felton and Alaina Torres were joined by sophomore Emma Marthins, who earned All-PAC First Team honors. Senior Jess Moore earned All-PAC Second Team, while sophomore Lynn Burton earned PAC Sportsmanship honors.

FINELLI NAMED UNITED SOCCER COACHES 30 UNDER 30 Head Coach Alyssa Finelli was announced as a member of the 2021-22 class of the United Soccer Coaches 30 Under 30 Program. Finelli is in her third season with the Bison. Her players have earned four All-PAC Honors over the previous two seasons, led by Riley Meyers, who was a three-time All-PAC selection. "I am incredibly excited to have been selected for this highly-esteemed 30 Under 30 Program by United Soccer Coaches," expressed Finelli. "I'm looking forward to getting started and expanding upon my network through connecting with coaches of different backgrounds and experiences in order to foster my own development both on and off the field."

BETHANY PLACES 53 SCHOLAR-ATHLETES ON PAC ACADEMIC HONOR ROLL Bethany College featured 53 scholar-athletes on the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Fall 2021 Academic Honor Roll. Leading the way for the Bison with 16 scholar-athletes were men's soccer and volleyball, followed by football (8), cross country (7), and women's soccer (6). A total of 704 student-athletes have been named to the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Academic Honor Roll for the Fall 2021 semester. The PAC Academic Honor Roll recognizes student-athletes on varsity sports teams who have earned a gradepoint average (GPA) of 3.6 or higher on a 4.0 scale during their semester of competition. The Bison had 195 student-athletes with a 3.0 or higher and 32 student-athletes with a perfect 4.0.

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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL REACHES PAC SEMIFINALS Bethany reached the PAC semifinals for the first time since the 2011-12 season and the first time under sixth-year Head Coach Brian Sansom.

The Bison finish the season 15-11 (9-8 PAC). The 15 wins marks the most wins in the Sansom era and the first time since 2011-12.

“Making it to the conference semifinals for the first time since 2011-2012 was a big step for where our program has been and where it’s headed,” Sansom said. “We want to continue to be one of the top teams in the PAC in the future!”

Seniors Kelsie Meintel, Taylor Stinnett, and Courtney Walker all played key roles in the team’s success as they took to the court for their last season at Bethany.

Junior Alexis Heap handled press defense, typically guarding the opposing team’s best player.

Sophomore Makenzee Mason, last season’s PAC Newcomer of the Year, is once again one of the team’s top players and received PAC Honorable Mention. She averaged 12.2 points per game.

Freshman starting point guard Ashleigh Wheeler scored around 10 points per game, and freshman Lindsey Garrison earned All-Region 7 Co-Rookie of the Year along with Third Team recognition from D3Hoops. com and PAC Newcomer of the Year along with All-PAC First Team.

“We hope reaching the semifinals will become an annual trip for our program but then taking that next step to win a PAC Championship in the near future!”

Four out of five starters are set to return next season.

Coach Andy Upton, Riley Meyers, and Coach Michael Quinn

MEYERS HONORED AT BETHANY INVITATIONAL The Bethany College track and field team honored Riley Meyers ’21 during its home meet in March. The coaches presented her with a ring for all of her accomplishments during her career at Bethany. On April 30, she claimed individual titles in the 100-meter and 400-meter hurdles at the PAC Outdoor Championships, which were held at the Track & Field Complex at Mylan Park in Morgantown, West Virginia. Meyers won the 100 hurdles with a school-record time of 14.87 seconds and the 400 hurdles with a time of 1:04.93. On May 27, Meyers became the College's first female to compete at the NCAA Division III Championships in Track and Field, finishing 18th in the 400 hurdles with a time of 1:05.57 at the Irwin Belk Track in Greensboro, North Carolina.

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WHITE JR. ETCHES HIS NAME IN MEN’S BASKETBALL RECORD BOOKS Bison guard Derek White Jr. etched his name into Bethany’s record books. He currently sits in the top-five on Bethany's all-time career records lists for assists and blocks. He has 325 career assists and 94 career blocks. In the 103-100 win over Franciscan on Dec. 1, he posted 20 points, 12 rebounds and 13 assists for his first career triple-double, while shooting 87.5 percent (7-for-8) from the field.

Save the Date for 2022-2023

AUG. 18

MATRICULATION

SEPT. 8

FALL CONVOCATION

SEPT. 30–OCT. 2

HOMECOMING WEEKEND

MARCH 2

FOUNDER’S DAY

MAY 5

BACCALAUREATE

MAY 6

COMMENCEMENT

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CLASS NOTES

BIRTHS TIMOTHY MEEKS ’06 AND BRIANA LEATHERMAN MEEKS ’06 welcomed Korrine Bea on January 31, 2021.

KELLY MEDKEFF-ROSE MURRAY ’09 and her husband Jonathan welcomed Caroline Rose on August 26, 2021.

LISA WORKMAN CANNISTRARO ’08 and her husband Scott welcomed Maggie on February 15, 2021.

BEN BROWNLEE ’06 welcomed Sid Christopher on September 10, 2021.

KAREN BUTLER SCRUGGS ’71 welcomed grandchild Nixon on March 19, 2021.

SCOTT BROOKS ‘78 welcomed grandchildren Anderson Scott Brooks, in September of 2021, and Grace Irene Knee, in March of 2022.

LYNSIE MANDT EDMISTON ’15 welcomed Caden on April 2, 2021.

KAITLYN MILLS PRESLEY ’16 welcomed Teagan on April 23, 2021.

ANGIE RYDER BADO ’77 welcomed grandchild Charlotte Bado on April 26, 2021.

BRETT BARTHOLOMEW ’07 and his wife Ashley welcomed Bria on May 20, 2021.

HUNTER ANKROM ’14 welcomed Brinley Elizabeth on June 16, 2021.

ERICA MERKEL EVANS ’11 welcomed Adrian on July 17, 2021.

APRIL O’BRIEN ’11 welcomed Theodore on July 27, 2021.

HUNTER ’13 AND VICTORIA SPRIGGS ’14 WOODEN welcomed Barrett on July 27, 2021.

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KATRINA BOLEY CIMORELLI ’05 welcomed Anthony John on November 14, 2021.

JENNIFER BRISKEY HAIR ’12 and her husband Jared welcomed Harper on November 18, 2021.

LAUREN SPEGAL DANKERT ’08 AND BRIAN DANKERT ’05 welcomed Rian Matthew on December 7, 2021.

JESSICA ZAVATCHEN CRESPO ’13 and her husband welcomed Sofia on January 29, 2022.

KATIE CUNNINGHAM MARTIN ’09 and her husband welcomed Laiken on January 31, 2022.

AMANDA BALDINGER VOELKER ’12 and her husband Michael welcomed Michael Thomas on March 24, 2022.

NOELLE NOONAN NOTERMANN ’01 and her husband welcomed Raphael.

IN MEMORIAM 1940 s

JERRY MOORE SULLIVAN ’52 November 26, 2021

CAROLYN JANE HARVEY ELLIOTT ’47 September 1, 2021

ROBERT E. SWITZER ’51 March 27, 2022

W. MALCOLM FITCH ’48 February 16, 2022

JEFFREY K. THOMPSON ’59 December 17, 2021

ANDREW E. HARE ’49 February 18, 2022

WILLIAM R. WARREN ’53 September 1, 2021

NANCY JEAN TOMASEK RATCLIFFE ’44 February 20, 2022 HANS SPIEGEL ’47 August 14, 2021

1950 s WILLIAM E. ELWELL ’57 December 26, 2021

1960 s JOHN W. BERTRAM ’67 April 4, 2022 ROBERT C. CORNELIUS ’69 March 3, 2022 ALAN N. DUVALL ’66 January 15, 2022

1970 s

1980 s

THOMAS DAVID BECZE ’70 November 13, 2021

G. PHILIP HEALY ’82 December 12, 2021

LINDA L. RODGER BROWN ’73 November 30, 2021

STEPHEN WAYNE KYHOS ’84 April 1, 2022 ANN SPARKS MATHEWS ’84 December 4, 2021

DANIEL LANCE BURKHART ’71 December 28, 2021

VALERIE ANN MORRIS ’82 April 22, 2022

SARAH GALLEHER DAVIS ’78 February 28, 2022 MARIAN MCGAFFICK SHAKELY ‘73 October 17, 2019

BRIAN THOMAS LAMB ’77 January 22, 2022

1990 s

JAMES RANDOLPH MCCORD ’73 November 28, 2021

DENNIS SCOTT MILLS ’92 February 16, 2022

RONALEEN ANN OSBORNE GAPETZ ’67 January 17, 2022

FRANK R. HELME ’55 October 5, 2021

FRED O. GARDINI ’67 November 19, 2021

NICODEMUS F. IERISE ’53 March 15, 2022

PHILLIP ROGER HARRISON ’64 December 22, 2021

JAMES MICHENER RUE ‘79 February 9, 2021

WILLIAM EDWIN HOEHN ’60 August 21, 2021

LAWRENCE A. SCHELLING ’72 July 22, 2021

JAMES J. ROSOL ’71 October 13, 2021

EVELYN HARBERT KOVALICK ’54 November 12, 2021

JOSEPH M. KUREY ’62 July 11, 2021

GEORGE MARKO ’50 December 27, 2021

FRANK MARINOCCIO ’60 July 10, 2021

BERNARD MARION OAKES ’52 April 10, 2022

GEORGE H. METTLER ’66 July 16, 2021

MARK ANTHONY SNIEGOCKI ’79 November 20, 2021

JOHN W. MULLEN ’69 March 17, 2022

THOMAS S. STOBART ’75 August 4, 2021

WILLIAM E. PATTERSON ’64 November 2, 2021

NANCY JEAN OLSON YOUNG ’78 August 28, 2021

MARGARET WARREN OGILVY ‘53 January 26, 2021 DUDLEY SCOTT SCHNEIDER ’53 July 15, 2021

NINA TOY SCHROTH ROWAN ’81 April 4, 2022

MICHAEL P. KUNIAK ’75 August 14, 2021

DONALD A. HASTINGS ’58 August 31, 2021

PETER HEMINGTON KEMP ’56 November 29, 2021

JAMES HARVEY PAIGE ’82 August 18, 2021

2010 s MATTHEW EDWARD CLANCY ’10 January 20, 2022

MILTON MAXWELL SHANLEY ’71 November 12, 2021

ROBERT LOUIS URBANIC ’69 September 19, 2021

BETHANY MAGAZINE • SPRING 2022 |

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Bethany, West Virginia 26032