Dickinson Magazine Winter 2018

WINTER 2018 | VOLUME 95 | NUMBER 3

President Ensign: Q&A Part II Midyear Report of Giving Alumni in Action Useful Education for the Common Good Tour

d ic k i n s o n ma g a z i n e Winter 2018

b

in season Photo by Carl Socolow ’77

1

8

President Margee Ensign Executive Director of Marketing & Communications Connie McNamara Editor Lauren Davidson Designer Amanda DeLorenzo College Photographer Carl Socolow ’77 Contributing Writers MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson Alexander Bossakov ’20 Matt Getty Kandace Kohr Tony Moore Magazine Advisory Board Jim Gerencser ’93 Donna Hughes Patricia van Leeuwaarde Moonsammy Gregory Lockard ’03 Stefanie D. Niles David O’Connell Adrienne Su Kirk Swenson Alisa Valudes Whyte ’93

13

© Dickinson College 2017. Dickinson Magazine (USPS Permit No. 19568, ISSN 2719134) is published four times a year, in January, April, July and October, by Dickinson College, P.O. Box 1773, Carlisle, Cumberland County, PA 17013-1773.

Periodicals postage paid at Carlisle, PA, and additional mailing office.

ON THE COVER

Artwork by Colleen Frerichs ’17. Learn more about her and her process at dickinson.edu/ magazine.

Address changes may be sent to Dickinson Magazine, Dickinson College, P.O. Box 1773, Carlisle, PA 17013-2896. www.dickinson.edu/magazine | dsonmag@dickinson.edu | 717-245-1289 Printed by Intelligencer (a division of Intellicor Communications) in Lancaster, Pa. SUSTAINABLY PRODUCED

Printed using wind energy and soy-based inks on Finch paper. All Finch papers are produced in Glens Falls, N.Y., using 66% on-site sustainable energy sources: emission-free hydroelectricity from the Hudson River and biomass cogeneration from wood waste. Finch sustains natural American forests, supports independently certified fiber sourcing and reduces fossil fuel emissions.

FOLLOW US:

dickinson.edu/socialmedia www.facebook.com/DickinsonMagazine

dsonsIce First snow of the semester. #dsonphotos

36

[ contents ] DICKINSON MAGAZINE WINTER 2018 | VOLUME 95 | NUMBER 3

UP FRONT

MIDDLE GROUND

IN BACK

4

useful for the common good

38 beyond the limestone walls

5

your view

22 continuing the conversation (with President Margee Ensign)

6

college & west high

26 Dickinson Fund midyear impact report

54 obituaries

Carlisle connections

30 alumni in action (featuring Bud Sturmak ’95, Lauren Smith ’06 and John Slike ’51)

56 closing thoughts

7

10 kudos 17 fine print 20 in the game

36 on the move (scenes from the Useful Education for the Common Good Tour)

40 our Dickinson

Carl Socolow ’77

[ useful for the common good ]

Three Essential Commitments MARGEE ENSIGN, PRESIDENT

A

s we begin the new year, full of possibilities and hope, let me take this opportunity to reflect on what I think are the three essential commitments that make Dickinson unique.

First, in an often contentious, divided and mutually intolerant nation, it seems to me that our deep and revolutionary commitment to free and unfettered speech is more important than ever before.

Our revolutionary founder, Benjamin Rush, hoped that his college would become a place where leaders for a new democracy would be forged. That meant then, as it means now, that citizens would be educated in those values essential to making any democracy work: a tolerance for other people’s views, an absolute commitment to freedom—especially for those we dislike or with whom we disagree—and a willingness to try to work together.

Freedom is always challenging: Differences of strongly held opinion are often irritating, difficult to understand, even enraging. In a democracy, we understand this and we find ways to live with it without resorting to violence or tyranny.

In a world and in a country where there are those who would restrict freedom in the name of their own righteousness, and even on college campuses which ought to be paragons of

d ic k i n s o n ma g a z i n e Winter 2018

4

open-mindedness, Dickinson’s unwavering commitment to free speech continues to be revolutionary more than 200 years after our founding.

Second, as Dickinson continues to welcome people of many different backgrounds, cultures, beliefs and worldviews, our commitment to the development of intercultural skills looms ever more important. Our country has a greater variety of people than ever before in its history. This is a good thing. Difference, properly understood, can be enormously stimulating, a spur to creativity, to new and better ideas, a way to broaden our minds.

But difference is also challenging. Even with the best will in the world, intercultural contact is plagued by misunderstanding, miscommunication, conflict and mutual incomprehension.

However, there are skills that all of us can learn in order to minimize these difficulties and facilitate better understanding and communication. In the months and years ahead, Dickinson will lead the way in making intercultural competence a central feature of our lives together, a model for the nation.

Third, we shall continue our focus on education for the common good, a Dickinson hallmark. Having spent some time traveling the country to meet with Dickinson alumni, I now have a much clearer notion of what that means in practice.

Our goal at this college is to help students to discover and to foster their talents and abilities so that each may achieve a rich, rewarding and fulfilling life. Such lives take many different shapes. But at the same time, we recognize that we all live among others, and that the common good is everybody’s business. We all have a stake in contributing to a society that makes opportunity available to everyone without discrimination, one that protects freedom for everyone, one that seeks a prosperous, just, peaceful and sustainable world. At Dickinson, we give students the opportunity to know the world’s peoples, to understand how the world works, and to learn the intellectual and practical skills that will help them make their own unique contributions.

We shall—inevitably—disagree with one another about how best to achieve the common good. But with an abiding faith in our democratic heritage and its fundamental principles, and with the skill to better communicate and work across cultural divides of all sorts, I am convinced that Dickinson students and alumni will continue to forge a better world.

[ your view ] Reflections on the Fall Issue As I sorted through the holiday catalogs in today’s mail, I thought, at first, I had received a Norman Rockwell Museum catalog with “Golden Rule” on the cover. A reaction brought on by being a guide there once upon a time. Upon reflection, the college and the painter/ illustrator do have many connections with one another. As an American studies major, I think Rockwell could be used in any number of courses for the interdisciplinary aspects. Example: The art world fights over defining Rockwell as an artist or illustrator. You could say that illustrator was his day job—the one that put dinner on the table. Artist was his night job. For the most part, he painted with oils, with the results being used in magazine covers, story illustrations and advertisements. He kept most of the paintings and gave some to the person/company that contracted him. Many of those paintings are now fetching six to eight figures. Maybe the arts and economic departments could have a course on this, or it could be a topic in American studies seminars.

A sociology or history course could include Rockwell when studying the 1940s to 1970s, since much of his work was related to family Americana, civil rights and changes of advertising. “The Four Freedoms” are his best known works. Painted during World War II, they were put on a train and toured the country for selling war bonds. As for “The Golden Rule,” a very large mosaic of the painting is in the entrance foyer of the United Nations. I have referred to my master as a “jack of all masters, master of none.” When I had the opportunity to be a guide at the museum dedicated to his works, I was struck on the first day with all the multidisciplinary possibilities. Being a guide was a post-retirement job. My career was with the YMCA as a family and youth program director. My major served me well as the number of skills I needed required a “jack” for all of them!

DAVE JOHNSON ’67

MILTON, DEL.

The article, Thinking With Benjamin Rush, by Professor Christopher Bilodeau in the fall 2017 Dickinson Magazine paints Rush as a model of “intellectual growth, of critique and self-critique, of the pursuit of knowledge and meaning within an institution that understands that pursuit as restless and never-ending.” From his own letters to various persons of his day, Benjamin Rush was nothing more than an intellectual gadfly, flitting from one position to another as quickly as a swarm of gadflys. I can only speak as a professional theologian, but Rush was not merely a free thinker. He was all over the map theologically. He began as an avowed Calvinistic minister of the gospel and ended up as a universalist, believing that everyone would

be eventually saved. He liked the Bible for its “spirit and tenor” rather than its principles, as he says in his collection of letters: “The design of Christianity at its first promulgation was to reform the world by its spirit rather than by its positive precepts” (“On Good Government,” The Selected Writings of Benjamin Rush, The Philosophical Library, New York, 1947). He lived and thought in a mass of contradictions, railing against slavery, yet denouncing the American Indian. Professor Bilodeau generously says, “Rush was a complicated thinker during a complicated time.” However, rather than a deep-seated faith, he never really, in the depths of his being, accepted the evangelical, Christian biblical way. If Benjamin Rush is the model thinker of Dickinsonians, then we will have very bright, intellectually diverse people who can at the same time defend human rights and diversity yet trash biblical values and timeless principles. They can change their minds on a whim, citing intellectual curiosity. If you don’t believe me, just read Rush’s letters. I, as one Dickinson alumni, want something and someone a lot more substantial on which to pin my educational and theological flag.

HARVEY CARL SHANK JR. ’69

MARIETTA, PA.

From a Former Editor My wife and I love the magazine. We are not much for online reading, so thank you for keeping the print edition going. Speaking of which, I actually held [the role of Dickinson Magazine editor] for a time during 1974 and 1975. So I can appreciate, perhaps more than some others, the many improvements that have occurred in the quality of the magazine over the years. Best wishes and keep up the good work!

RAYMOND C. JONES ’70

CHARLOTTE, N.C.

We want to hear from you! Send letters via email to dsonmag@dickinson.edu or mail to: Dickinson Magazine, P.O. Box 1773, Carlisle, PA 17013-1773. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

5

FEB. 11 – 28

(reception Feb. 11, 12:30-4 p.m.)

Barbara Diduk: Clay Life

Goodyear Gallery MARCH 2 – APRIL 14

[ scene ]

Lens Without Limits: The Photography of Lida Moser

The Trout Gallery, Weiss Center for the Arts

CAMPUS

MARCH 2, 3, 5 & 6

Clybourne Park

Mermaid Players, Mathers Theatre MARCH 5

Public Reading: Stellfox Distinguished Writer Naomi Shihab Nye

Feb. 8 Food Access & Poverty Panel

The Clarke Forum

March 1 The Jane L. and Robert H. Weiner Lecture in the Arts: Lalla Essaydi

(exhibit in The Trout Gallery, Feb. 9 – May 12) Rubendall Recital Hall, Weiss Center for the Arts

April 10

Poitras-Gleim Lecture Mae Jemison, an American engineer, physician and NASA astronaut

Allison Great Hall

Events lectures art forums Calendar of Arts: dickinson.edu/coa

The Clarke Forum: clarke.dickinson.edu (includes event podcasts) Carlisle Happenings: lovecarlisle.com

MARCH 7 - 28

Talia Amorosano ’17: Once Removed

Goodyear Gallery MARCH 22

Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholars Program

Stephen Walt, Harvard University The Clarke Forum APRIL 4 – APRIL 25

Sylvia J. Smith ’73 Artist-in-Residence Sif Ankergård

Goodyear Gallery APRIL 18 – 22

Spring Carlisle

Annual collector and classic car swap meet, car corral and auction.

Carlisle Fairgrounds APRIL 24

Day of Giving APRIL 27, 28 & 29

Freshworks 2018

Dance Theatre Group, Mathers Theatre APRIL 27 – MAY 19

Senior Studio Art Majors’ Exhibition

The Trout Gallery

d ic k i n s o n ma g a z i n e Winter 2018

6

THE GREAT

escape

The newly reborn Allenberry Resort is a local oasis.

How often do you wish you could stay somewhere like the resort where Johnny Castle triumphantly hoists “Baby” Houseman into the air in Dirty Dancing? Be honest; it’s often. Well, just outside Carlisle, a mere six miles from Dickinson’s campus, the Allenberry Resort awaits in the hilly Boiling Springs woods.

“The setting at Allenberry is idyllic and charming, and there are beautiful spaces throughout the property, both indoors and out, to relax with friends and reconnect,” says Mike Kennedy, co-owner of the 75-room, recently renovated and reimagined resort. “The cottages, the historic mansion and all of our lodges have nicely appointed common areas for gathering together.

Plus, there’s so much to do right on resort property.”

The resort’s 57 acres are penned in on the back side by the Yellow Breeches Creek, a world-renowned fly fishing destination and perfect spot for kayaking and tubing. And after a day of hiking the nearby Appalachian Trail, guests can relax with the help of a full-service spa, great dining and drinks and live entertainment year-round. Since 1949, the centerpiece of Allenberry’s entertainment scene has been the Allenberry Playhouse, which has presented more than 600 productions over its history. And with the rebirth of the resort, the Playhouse is going strong, staging a regular slate of dramas, musicals, comedies, murder-mystery dinners and live music performances.

The property has been drawing visitors since James Crockett, the uncle of American folk legend Davy Crockett, began welcoming travelers in the 1790s.

And the recent renovations—which took more than a year to finish—create a warm air of hospitality and pair it with elegant, contemporary amenities.

Guests can stay in the 1820s-era Stone Mansion, cottages with full kitchens or the Carriage House with wall-to-wall windows and a series of suites. And event spaces abound, making Allenberry perfect for weddings, parties and business retreats.

The resort’s flagship eatery, The Barn, features seasonal and local fare, a full bar with handcrafted cocktails and a 50-beer bottle list and the open-air 1798 Terrace, which overlooks a huge swath of the property and the Yellow Breeches. All in all, once you drive up the long, tree-lined entranceway and get a lungful of that good country air, you’ll be as reborn as the resort itself.

allenberry.com

7

Carl Socolow ’77

“Allenberry offers a great escape from the busy outside world, and when you enter the property you can feel the world melt away,” says Kennedy. “It’s held a special place in the local community for generations, and we wanted to be a part of continuing that local connection while also creating a destination for out-of-towners.” —Tony Moore

[ college & west high ]

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

d ic k i n s o n ma g a z i n e Winter 2018

8

JANUARY

Photos courtesy of Benchmark Construction.

Construction Continues Construction on Dickinson’s first new residence hall in 30 years is continuing on schedule. The view at the corner of High and Conway streets has been changing almost daily as work progresses. As of Jan. 1, the foundation, structural steel and underground storm water piping are complete. Work through the remainder of winter will focus primarily on the interior and the stone masonry façade, but additional exterior work including landscaping will kick off in the spring.

Brilliant Shades of GREEN Sustainability accolades continue to roll in

Sustainability efforts are woven into the fabric of Dickinson’s culture, and they consistently earn recognition on the national stage. In 2017 alone, the college earned a perfect score and ranked fifth on The Princeton Review’s Green Honor Roll—one of only 23 colleges and universities nationwide to make the list. It also ranked fifth on Forbes magazine’s Top Green College list, was named one of the Chronicle of Higher Education’s Top-Performing Institutions for Sustainability and was honored by Sierra magazine as one of its “Coolest Schools” for environmental sustainability.

The Cumberland County Conservation District awarded its 2017 Watershed Protection Award to the College Farm, which partners with the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture and the Rodale Institute on farmsoil health and monitoring projects.

The college continues to work toward its goal of reaching zero net emissions by 2020 by reducing greenhouse gas emissions that result from heating and cooling buildings, purchasing electricity, commuting and other activities by 25 percent, compared to 2008 levels, and offsetting the remaining 75 percent. This aggressive timeline signifies a significant distinction. Dickinson will use a power purchasing agreement to install a three-megawatt solar array to the west of Dickinson Park, slated for completion by August 2018. The array is expected to generate an estimated 5.2 million kWh of electricity per year, representing 25 percent of Dickinson’s electricity consumption and eliminating approximately 2,500 metric tons of carbon annually.

Our faculty and staff also have brought sustainability and Dickinson into national and international conversations through activism, research and writing. Last January, interim President Neil Weissman joined university and college presidents and chancellors from more than 170 institutions in signing an open letter in support of participation in the Paris Climate Agreement, climate research and investment in the low carbon economy.

—MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson

The World and Back

Global programs and initiatives continue to grow Dickinson has long been lauded for its global campus and international education.

A large part of the programs, values and resources behind that distinction are led by the Center for Global Study & Engagement (CGSE). In 2017, once again, the number of international students on campus increased. New programs have been established and new shortterm and long-term ones are in the works around the world.

Recently, CGSE released a 2022 strategic plan with the goal of expanding and perfecting our global campus, both in Carlisle and across six continents. The commitment to our Dickinson programs is continually being enhanced—after all, our history with these programs spans over several decades and mobility between our partner programs is directly associated with a constant two-way flow of students and faculty, including up to 30 exchange students on campus every year and more than a dozen visiting international scholars. Objectives outlined in the strategic plan include prioritizing and creating support for programs in the Global South, promoting intellectual curiosity and enhancing Dickinson’s understanding of vitally important global issues and actively developing intercultural competence with the idea of creating a more inclusive campus.

New programs include a strategic expansion of the Dickinson Nilsson Center in Bologna, Italy. Dickinson’s Bologna program, dating back to 1965 when the first 16 Dickinsonians sailed to Italy on the S.S. Castel Felice, was established as an English lanuage program with European studies at its foundation. Beginning fall 2018, the Bologna center will accommodate a second standalone program to address the need for a focus on Italian language immersion.

CGSE just launched a pilot program with Yunnan University in Kunming, China, which is in addition to a longstanding program at Peking University in Beijing. The creation of this partnership was the result of a “natural connection,” says Samantha Brandauer ’95, associate provost and executive director of CGSE, following an exchange of visiting faculty between Dickinson and Yunnan University over the past few years. The program is to offer an alternative to the big-city Beijing locale in a culturally and ethnically rich region. Kunming also represents CGSE’s emphasis on the importance of establishing programs in atypical places where students can truly immerse themselves in the local language and culture.

—Alexander Bossakov ’20

9

Carl Socolow ’77

[ college & west high ] President Margee Ensign shared the good news with national press that 100+ school girls—once held captive by Boko Haram—arrived safely at the American University of Nigeria, where they will enter an educational program established

by Ensign. The news was picked up by more than 200 outlets.

• I n The Huffington Post, Ensign also wrote about the need for intercultural competence and Dickinson’s initiative.

• T wo interviews with Ensign ran in the Central Penn Business Journal and PennLive. They focused on the experiences she brings to Dickinson and her vision for the college.

President Ensign in the News The Washington Post, The New York Times, National Geographic and the Weather Channel are just a few of the places you may have seen Dickinson mentioned in the last few months. With renowned research expertise and noteworthy accomplishments to promote, Dickinson faculty members and administrators are frequently in the spotlight.

Dickinson.edu/inthenews.

d ic k i n s o n ma g a z i n e Winter 2018

10

• E nsign was featured in the video and story “Keeping Nigerian Youths from Boko Haram’s Clutches,” by ShareAmerica (watch at dson.co/ shareamerica), the U.S. Department of State’s platform for sharing compelling stories and images that spark discussion and debate on important topics like democracy, freedom of expression, innovation, entrepreneurship, education and the role of civil society. The story and video were published in seven languages.

• N ews and photos related to Ensign’s inauguration ran in PM News Nigeria and 247 Nigeria as well as The Sentinel and PennLive.

Featured Faculty

Assistant Professor of Political Science and Latin American Studies Santiago Anria’s oped on the consequences of Bolivian President Evo Morales’ attempts to stay in power was published in The Washington Post.

Karol Szymanowski: Music for Violin/Piano; Piano Solo (Musica Omnia, 2017), recorded

by Associate Professor of Music Blanka Bednarz (violin) and Matthew Bengtson (piano), was awarded the Global Music Awards Silver Medal for Outstanding Achievement in the category of classical and instrumental/ instrumentalist. The CD is available at the Dickinson College bookstore and online.

Professor of History Marcelo Borges, co-editor of Company Towns: Labor, Space, and Power Relations Across Time and Continents, was quoted in Construction Drive’s story on the high-tech and amenity-rich future of company towns.

to erupt. The story also appeared on MSN News.

Professor of Mathematics Dick Forrester’s paper “Assigning students to Schools to Minimize Both Transportation Costs and Socioeconomic Variation Between Schools” was published in Socio-economic Planning Sciences. The paper was co-authored with colleagues from Furman University, including Liz Bouzarth ’03, who is now associate professor of mathematics at Furman.

Associate Professor of Mathematics Jeffrey Forrester’s op-ed “How the Russians Hacked Our Math Curriculum” was published in Education Week.

Assistant Professor of Psychology Christine Guardino discussed the long-term mentalhealth threats facing hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico on WeatherChannel.com.

Professor of Physics and Astronomy Robert Boyle was featured on the Discovery ID program American Monster. Boyle sat down with producers and revisited how, in 1997, he used the position of the sun to help police solve a local murder case.

Jacob Udo-Udo Jacob, visiting international scholar in international studies, was featured on EdVenture Partners’ blog series on how to achieve success and bring big ideas to life for his work running a student-led civic engagement project. Read the blog post at dson.co/evpjacob.

Professor of Earth Sciences Ben Edwards discussed with National Geographic the potential for Iceland’s Bárðarbunga’ volcano

Loreli Koss, professor of mathematics, published “Visual Arts, Design, and Differential Equations,” in the Journal of

Mathematics and the Arts. This is the

third paper in a series to connect ideas from differential equations to relevant and interesting material from the arts and humanities.

Assistant Professor of American Studies Marisol LeBron’s op-ed “Congress Could Help Puerto Rico Recover. What’s Stopping It?” was published in The Guardian. LeBron, who is co-creator of the Puerto Rico syllabus, a digital project about the current debt crisis in Puerto Rico, also was interviewed by WAMC and WORT public radio, Truthout and Internationalist 360˚.

Assistant Professor of Sociology Erik Love’s book Islamophobia and Racism in America was reviewed by Muftah.

Assistant Professor of Political Science David O’Connell, who teaches a course on the politics of American pop culture, was quoted in Variety’s story on Jimmy Kimmel’s political monologues.

Jorge R. G. Sagastume, associate professor of Spanish and Portuguese, published a collection of short stories about the military dictatorship in Argentina (1976-83), titled Im Schatten der Sehnsucht nach Freiheit..., trans.

U. Rachowski and M. Ritterson, Hamburg: Shoebox House Verlag, 2017.

Two of Associate Professor of Philosophy Crispin Sartwell’s op-eds, “Texting and Twitter Make This a Golden Age for the Written Word” and “The Modern Epic of Denunciation,” ran in The Wall Street Journal.

Sartwell’s essay and critique of Monument Lab, Philadelphia’s public art and history project, was published in The Atlantic’s CityLab. Another oped, “History, Totally Destroyed,” was published by The New York Times.

Associate Professor of American Studies Cotten Seiler discussed NASCAR’s diminishing popularity with an Associated Press sports columnist.

The column ran in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Atlanta JournalConstitution, Miami Herald, San Francisco Chronicle, San Antonio Express-News, Pittsburgh Tribune-

Review, NY Daily News, Newsday, ABC News, FOX Sports and dozens more

outlets. Seiler, who is the author of Republic of Drivers: A Cultural History of Automobility in America, was interviewed by The Washington Post for its story “Taking a Back Seat With Uber, Lyft or a Taxi: Is It About Being First Class?”

Assistant Professor of French Adeline Soldin and Associate Professor of French Lucile Duperron received $2,200 from the FACE Foundation– Tournées Film Festival.

Assistant Professor of Earth Sciences Alyson Thibodeau’s dissertation

research was featured in an Archaeology News Report story about turquoise mining in the Southwest U.S. The Washington Post interviewed and quoted Assistant Professor of Economics Tony Underwood for a story on the sharing economy, based on a paper Underwood recently published in Ecological Economics.

Professor of Biology Chuck Zwemer and Senior Instructor in Military Science John Haiduck received $5,711 from Highmark Inc. for their project “An Emergency Response Initiative: Improving Survival in Intentional Mass Casualty and Active Shooter Events.” Through the project, faculty EMTs will conduct training for Dickinson Public Safety, Carlisle Police Department first responders, the Dickinson community and the general public in innovative and effective new methods of bleeding control utilized by the U.S. military and other agencies.

Leaders of the Pack: Dickinson Dog House

An Associated Press story on service dogs on campus ran in dozens of local and national news outlets, including The Philadelphia Inquirer, SFGate, The Houston Chronicle, Greenwich Time, News-Times, Connecticut Post, The Advocate, Republic, Centre Daily Times, The Bradford Era, Darien News and Fairfield Citizen.

Association” in The Sentinel. In addition a U.S. News & World Report story on college tour groups included advice from Niles.

The National Science Foundation Advancing Informal STEM Learning program awarded $40,000 to Julie Vastine ’03, director of the Alliance for Aquatic Resource Monitoring (ALLARM), for “Streamlining Embedded Assessment to Understand Citizen Scientists’ Skill Gains.”

ALLARM will serve as a partner/ participant in this project with University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science.

Administrator Accolades Neil Leary, director of the Center for Sustainability Education, discussed the study of climate change in a story that was picked up by the Associated Press and ran in the Miami Herald, Sacramento Bee, Washington Times, Charlotte Observer, Fresno Bee and dozens more outlets.

Vice President for Enrollment Management Stefanie Niles was featured in “5 Questions: Niles Elected to Head Admissions Counseling 11

BRAGGING RIGHTS

Dickinson’s liberal-arts curriculum and Dickinson Four initiative were featured in the U.S. News & World Report story “Liberal Arts Colleges Cater to Employers’ Needs.” The article appeared in the “Best Colleges” issue.

The Chronicle of Higher Education published a personal essay by Morgan Bates ’18. In it, she describes her experience performing with the Sinfonietta Polonia, an opportunity presented to her by Professor of Music Blanka Bednarz.

The Department of International Business & Management celebrated its 20th anniversary in October with a series of events that brought alumni, students and faculty members together on campus.

Beginning with sign-up efforts during Orientation and continuing through mid-October, Dickinson helped

119 students register to vote.

Dickinson was recognized as a 2017 FAB honoree by the LGBT Center of Central PA for being a “dedicated partner to the center for over 10 years,” including hosting the GSA Leadership Summit since 2009 and collaborating on the LGBT History Project since 2012.

Now you can visit Dickinson anytime through a new virtual tour, complete with 360-degree photos, videos and a tour guide! Youvisit.com/dickinson

Work produced by the Office of Marketing & Communications garnered a number of accolades this fall. The Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals presented a MarCom Platinum Award to Dickinson Magazine (summer 2017 issue) and a MarCom Gold Award to the Red Devil Guide for accepted students. In the Council for the Advancement & Support of Education (CASE) 2018 District II Accolades Awards, Dickinson received gold for the Why A Mermaid? fundraising appeal, silver for the Dickinson Four Map Foldout admissions publication and silver for the A Right of Passage, Celebrating the Class of 2017 video.

Dickinson launched the Dickinson-Carlisle Scholarship, a fulltuition scholarship for a Carlisle resident that reflects Dickinson’s deep commitment to the community and to providing a distinctive brand of useful education that informs a life of civic engagement.

Details at Dickinson.edu/carlislescholarship.

d ic k i n s o n ma g a z i n e Winter 2018

12

With Distinction

Remember the first time you jumped out of an airplane? It was probably something like this: “We got up and walked toward the back of the C-130. The engines were roaring; it was boiling. Every fiber of my being was screaming to stop moving—this wasn’t for me, I wasn’t ready. But I had a little voice in the back of my head saying that if I didn’t take this risk I’d regret it for the rest of my life. … I said a quiet prayer and suddenly I was at the door looking at the tops of trees, and the wind sucked me out. Then a roar, a rush, and I was flying horizontally with my feet toward the plane, which was going away from me as I flew backward. And suddenly it was quiet, and I heard birds.”

That account comes courtesy of international studies and economics major Hayley Murdough ’18 (and probably just convinced you that you absolutely have to go skydiving or never will). The jump served as baptism by air when the Mechanicsburg native and ROTC Blue Mountain Battalion cadet began the Army’s Airborne School. And if going through jump school wasn’t enough, Murdough is the first female Army cadet (ever!) to attend Cadet Troop Leader Training (CTLT) at Special Warfare School, where special forces soldiers like Green Berets go through selection and training.

Does it seem weird that someone like this would be at Dickinson, a bastion of the classical liberal arts? Actually, it makes a lot of sense, because mounting frontal assaults on challenges and breaking new ground are what Dickinson is all about.

“When I compete with students from other schools, especially larger schools, I feel much more prepared to tackle complex problems,” says Murdough, who will commission as a 2nd lieutenant and begin a career in military intelligence via the Military Intelligence Basic Officer Leader Course next summer. “The curriculum at a smaller liberal-arts school like Dickinson doesn’t teach us to think ‘outside of the box’—it teaches us to totally get rid of the box, to eliminate the limitation before the box even has time to be formed.”

Murdough earned the designation Distinguished Military Graduate (DMG) this year, an honor the U.S Army Cadet Command bestows on the top 20 percent of graduating ROTC cadets. Not to be outdone, fellow ROTC cadet Ellis Johnson ’18 (physics, Russian) also earned DMG status, and on top of that he was named one of the top 10 ROTC cadets in the country (of 5,536 total), an extraordinary achievement. The honor is based on several criteria—including GPA, physical fitness, civic engagement and performance during ROTC training and advanced camp—and Johnson is the only cadet among the top 10 to study at a liberal-arts college.

“In general, these criteria speak to a cadet’s ability to communicate and function in a diverse and potentially unfamiliar community,” says the Carlisle native, also a future 2nd lieutenant and Army aviator who will attend the Basic Officer Leader Course and flight school. “These are some of the areas that both Dickinson and Army ROTC’s Blue Mountain Battalion have really helped me improve during my last four years.”

Johnson spent nearly six months abroad last year in Narva, Estonia, and Moscow, Russia, in both Army- and Dickinson-sponsored programs, and again the one-two punch proved to be powerful.

“Cultural immersion not only showed me the different lives people live across the world, but more importantly that most people are a lot more similar on the human level than it may seem,” Johnson says, noting that he hopes flight school will one day lead to NASA and a career as an astronaut.

“Going abroad is something that many college students—and especially ROTC cadets—often do not get to experience, and I am immensely grateful for the opportunity Dickinson and Army ROTC’s Blue Mountain Battalion have given me.”—Tony Moore Carl Socolow ’77

Graduating ROTC cadets reach new heights

13

First-Year Seminar “ Ideas That Shape the World helped me build an intellectual foundation that thoroughly influenced my thinking. I had the stimulating experience of seeking, of appreciation and of realization that comes with a liberal-arts education.”

—Alexander Bossakov ’20, international studies

46:

number of seminars offered

fall 2017

F

irst-year seminars at Dickinson have become a core element of a curriculum that embodies the values espoused by the liberal arts and sciences. These seminars are required for all first-year students and are an introduction to college-level writing, critical thinking and inquiry. Each seminar teaches these skills around a distinct topic taught by faculty from all departments. In many ways, these seminars define students’ first year at Dickinson and provide an invaluable intellectual support structure that follows them through senior year and beyond. Read on for student and faculty impressions, numbers, facts and a sampling of last fall’s seminars.

Sampling of 2017 Seminars

• Community Studios: Creating Affordable Art for Everyone • Music of the Holocaust and Under Soviet Oppression • Muslim Lives in the First Person • At the Crossroads: Critical Issues for the United States • Bioethics and Bioissues • Learning Injustice: The School-toPrison Pipeline

d ic k i n s o n ma g a z i n e Winter 2018

• Into the Wild: Exploring the American Wilderness • Indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for All? Marginalizing Politics and Acts of Resistance • Arguing About Politics, Society and Culture in China and Japan • The Creative Process • The Not So Beautiful Game? Thinking About Football (Soccer) Culture in Britain

14

Zoe Kiefreider ’20

• Civil Disobedience in History

First-Year Seminar program established at Dickinson “to introduce students to Dickinson as a ‘community of inquiry’ by developing habits of mind essential to liberal thinking.”

[ college & west high ] Zoe Kiefreider ’20

“ I enjoy our seminar a lot because we talk, or try to, with great precision about a cluster of morally significant issues, which are commonly very hard to discuss. There is the promise of wisdom, which sometimes is fulfilled.”

—Associate Professor of Philosophy Chauncey Maher, The Persistence of Racism

m aximum number of students in a FYS

“ As W.E.B. Du Bois suggests, education allows people to become individuals with identity and power. My FYS taught me that education is important … for the sake of critical thinking, bettering one’s life, and living intentionally.”—Marie Laverdiere ’21, English

Carl Socolow ’77

“ I need to be sure I’m setting them up for success for the rest of their college career.

This is the basis for every class they will take; they’re going to rely on the critical thinking they’ve learned, the writing abilities that they’ve learned.”

—Assistant Professor of French Linda Brindeau, (Re)presenting Haiti Through Noir Short-Stories

Carl Socolow ’77

16:

Student writer Alexander Bossakov ’20 researched and compiled this information, and in the process he was inspired to write a first-person perspective on how his First-Year Seminar influenced him. Read it at Dickinson.edu/magazine.

15

How Do You Do [It]?

Some of the most popular YouTube and Google searches these days start with “How to …. ” In this Pinterest/Tasty/DIY world, sharing tips, tricks and tools of the trade has become the trend. We know Dickinsonians are incredibly talented, and often those talents lay outside their major, profession or field.

So we’re putting together a how-to issue!

Email dsonmag@dickinson.edu to nominate yourself, a classmate, a professor or a staff member who knows how to do something worthy of sharing with the entire Dickinson community!

To get the ball rolling, we asked Colleen Frerichs ’17, co-owner of It’s Our Side Hustle print shop, to document for us the process she used to create the stunning image you see on the cover of this issue (and two other options, shown below). Check it out at Dickinson.edu/magazine.

d ic k i n s o n ma g a z i n e Winter 2018

16

Tango Down

By Chris Knopf ’73 Permanent Press The eighth book in the Sam Acquillo Mystery Series disrupts the illusion that the Hamptons are safely immune from the struggles that enflame much of the world. A routine visit to one of Acquillo’s job sites becomes anything but. The home’s owner, Victor Bollings, is lying in a pool of blood. One of Sam’s closest friends in the cabinetry trade is quickly behind bars as the obvious suspect. For the cops, this is all standard operating procedure. But as it turns out, nothing about the case is routine, obvious or standard in any way. Books in this critically acclaimed series by Chris Knopf ’73 have been lauded by The New York Times, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews and more.

From the Edge of the Abyss: What I Learned While Whipping Cancer

Forbearance: A Theological Ethic for a Disagreeable Church

By Jeff Cohen ’79

Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company

High 5 Communications LLC

In his fourth book, Forbearance: A Theological Ethic for a Disagreeable Church, James Calvin Davis ’92 offers a faithful, constructive way to deal with dissent. What happens when we approach disagreement not as a problem to solve, but as an opportunity to practice Christian virtue and serve as models for the world? James is a professor of religion at Middlebury College and an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church.

Jeff Cohen ’79 shares what he has learned as a four-time cancer survivor. With an upbeat attitude, he tells of his uphill battle to fight what is often a deadly disease. He hopes that sharing his life experiences will help “inspire those who have cancer or other health/life issues.” Jeff is managing director of investments for the Cohen and Clinton Wealth Management Group and is active in community and nonprofit work, including with the American Cancer Society.

By James Calvin Davis ’92

17

d ic k i n s o n ma g a z i n e Winter 2018

18

Carl Socolow ’77

Carl Socolow ’77

college & west high

Tearing Down the Walls The actors in the Alumni Weekend adaptation of The Grapes of Wrath, directed by Professor of Theatre Karen Kirkham, portrayed a family’s journey from Oklahoma to California by traveling with audiences to 14 sets on the College Farm.

To connect the play’s Depression-era themes— hunger, class structure, land ownership—with local, contemporary experiences, Assistant Professor of Theatre Design Kent Barrett dressed each station with large, black-and-white photos of Harrisburg, tent-city residents, area farmers and farms.

There were special considerations: The sets incorporated biodegradable materials, like wheat paste. Set elements, usually tacked in place, were screwed to wooden frames, set in two-foot-deep concrete anchors that withstood wind and rain.

The Center for Sustainability Education used Andrew W. Mellon funding to purchase portable, water-resistant LED lighting as well as supply bus transportation for audience members, cutting down on emissions and farm parking.

The actors adjusted to grazing cattle, hot, rainy rehearsals in limited daylight and 360-degree performances. Sarah Benamati ’18, who played three roles, learned to get in and out of character while traveling with the audience from scene to scene.

“At one point, I was running to the next station while changing into my next costume,” she said.

The weather also figured in. A full moon on opening night brought distraction and added beauty. Another night, a light rain fell.

“Some audience members said, ‘I only had to walk for an hour and a half—I can’t imagine what the characters went through,’ ” Kirkham said.

“Their empathy was heightened as they walked in the drizzle.”

Immersive elements also were key to DTG’s production of iEcho, which invited audiences into an expansive virtual space. Director of Dance Sarah Skaggs conceived of iEcho’s theme in the wake of the 2016 presidential election. Using live dance,

music, multimedia and social media, she conveyed the ways technology and social media shape perceptions and experiences.

The tech crew used seven projectors, three cameras, 300 lights and five computers to project images onto a white, three-sided, boxed-in set.

One work used a live video-feedback loop to create a kaleidoscopic effect, suggesting an echo chamber. Another incorporated cell phones, sewn into dancers’ leotards. A third work used online polling—through an app, downloaded at the start of the performance—so audience members could vote on which moves the dancers would make next.

“It was sort of a mind-blowing experience, because it extended the boundaries of your visual imagination and the boundaries between the audience and performers,” said Skaggs, “by shifting the way we participate in what we see onstage.” —MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson

19

A. Pierce Bounds ’71

The Department of Theatre & Dance’s fall productions broke the mold in low- and high-tech ways. While the Mermaid Players took audiences on an open-air journey, on foot and by wagon, the Dance Theatre Group (DTG) led a virtual trip, via multimedia, social media and apps.

Christian Payne

[ in the game ]

Red Devil athletics had a great fall season with some outstanding team and individual performances to start the year.

Dickinson welcomed three new head coaches, Ted Zingman (women’s soccer), Brad Fordyce (football) and Emily Hays (women’s basketball), and former basketball standout Chris Cox ’15 returned to Dickinson as assistant director of the McAndrews Fund for Athletics.

Baseball The baseball team (20-20) produced 20 wins for the third time in the past four seasons. The pitching staff combined for a school record eight saves, while Billy O’Neil ’18 earned AllRegion honors and was named first-team All-Centennial Conference (CC). Max Matilsky ’20 was a first-team All-CC selection, while Rick Hopkins ’17 received the Gold Glove Award and broke conference records for both career and single-season runners caught stealing, throwing out 54 and 24, respectively.

Soccer The men’s soccer team made its eighth appearance in the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the CC playoffs for the 10th time in the past 11 seasons. The Red Devils led the conference in scoring with 52 goals and ranked second with 33 assists.

Dickinson earned the No. 5 spot in the playoffs and posted a 5-0 win at Haverford College in the first round. They went on to defeat top-seed Johns Hopkins University in penalty kicks to advance to the final, but suffered a 1-0 setback to Franklin & Marshall College. Matt Edmonds ’18 was a unanimous selection to the All-CC first team and was named Co-SIDA Academic All-District. Chris Pollock ’18 and Kevin Gilbert ’20 also received All-CC honors.

Women’s soccer had a great start under first-year Head Coach Ted Zingman. They opened the season 6-0, posting shutouts in five of the first six matches. They finished 11-5-1 overall and just missed a spot in the conference playoffs, going 5-4-1 in the CC. Mary Katherine Brosnan ’19 and Rachel Lazris ’20 were named to the All-CC team. Brosnan played every minute in the nets this season, posting seven shutouts. The Red Devils ranked third in the conference with a 1.03 goals-against average.

Field Hockey Field hockey was in the playoff hunt right down to the last game. The Red Devils finished 10-7 overall, marking the fifthstraight season with double-digit wins.

Kim Monteferante ’18 was named first-team All-Conference for the second-straight season and was selected to play in the NFHCA Senior All-Star Game. Defender Jillian Beemon ’20 earned second-team honors, while Chelsea Kramer ’19 ranked in the top five in scoring in the CC, netting 11 goals and handing out five assists.

Goaltender Freddie Bancroft ’18 and the Red Devils ranked third in the CC in goalsagainst average, allowing just 1.68 per game.

Volleyball Red Devil volleyball started at 3-1 in Puerto Rico to open the season. Tatiana Lopez ’21, who is originally from Puerto Rico, had an outstanding open to her collegiate career, earning All-Conference honors. She ranked fourth in the conference with 489 digs, also ranking fourth on the program single-season list. She set the school single-match record, recording 45 against DeSales University.

Lopez also ranked fourth in the CC in service aces with 51. Norma Jean Park ’18 capped a brilliant career, ranking third in career blocks with 237. She was named to the Co-SIDA Academic All-District Team. The Red Devils finished the season 9-17 overall.

This fall, Dickinson athletics teamed up with the U.S. Army War College to hold two military appreciation events— Oct. 25 during the women’s volleyball game and Nov. 11 during the Veterans Day football game. U.S. Army War College students, active-duty military members and veterans and their families were invited to the games and recognized for their service. Several War College leaders also participated, including Lt. Col. Sally Hannan and Col. Ken Adgie serving as honorary captains for the volleyball and football games, respectively, and Col. Jeff Greenwood singing the national anthem before both games.

20

Football The football team experienced some highs and lows under first-year Head Coach Brad Fordyce, finishing 3-7 on the season. Robert Geiss ’21 stepped into the starting role at quarterback and set a school record for passing yards in a game by a rookie, throwing for 304 to lead the Red Devils past Gettysburg College. Dickinson turned in a great effort to defeat McDaniel College during Homecoming & Family Weekend, and the defense led the way with a dominant performance in the season finale, topping Ursinus College 40-17. James Turner ’20 led the conference with 113 tackles, earning second-team All-CC honors, while John Minicozzi ’19 and Cuba Birnbaum ’21 received honorable mention.

Cross Country Men’s cross country captured its 21st consecutive Little Three Championship to open the 2017 season. Eric Herrmann ’19 took the individual title as well as well as second-team All-CC honors with a ninth-place finish at the conference championship. Bryce Descavish ’20 ran to first-team All-CC honors and placed 34th to be named NCAA AllMideast Region for the second-straight year.

The Red Devils placed third in the conference and combined for a fifth-place finish at regionals.

Injuries may have prevented the women’s cross country team from reaching its full potential, but the Red Devils put in an outstanding effort to earn the program’s 17th consecutive bid to nationals. They finished second at the conference championships and were fifth at the NCAA Mideast Regional. Sofia Canning ’18 earned All-Region honors for the third time and was a three-time first-team All-CC runner as well. Tessa Cassidy ’20 also ran to All-Region and All-CC honors, leading the Red Devils to a 28th-place finish at the national championship.

The Red Devils won a remarkable 24th consecutive Little Three Championship.

“For many years, our athletic programs and student-athletes have benefited from strong mentorship relationships with representatives of the Carlisle Barracks and U.S. Army War College,” said Christian Payne, Dickinson’s assistant athletic director for media and administration. “This fall, our debut military appreciation events for Dickinson volleyball and football recognize military service and leadership, and celebrate unity in our Carlisle community and beyond.” dickinsonathletics.com

[ college & west high ]

Finding a New Perspective Growing up among the bustling, dynamic neighborhoods of Philadelphia, Bakary “Bak” Samasa ’19 was no stranger to tight-knit communities, so when he visited Dickinson, it felt very familiar. With the shadow of the city’s iconic skyline behind him, Samasa made the 124-mile trek to Carlisle to settle in to his new home. The sense of community continued to build for Samasa as he filled his time with activities and organizations that fueled his life’s passions: science and sports, specifically biology and track and field. And the connection between the two was never as evident as when he experienced a debilitating injury, turning his track career in another direction.

Carl Socolow ’77

“To stay close to sports, I’ve been working with Charlie [McGuire] in the sports media department, as well as the Student Athlete Advisory Committee [SAAC],” he says. “It’s an opportunity for me to step up. I’m learning a lot about myself, how to work on a team and how to implement my vision to move forward.”

Don Nichter, head of the men’s cross country/track and field team, observed Samasa’s commitment to the team from the day he joined as a walk-on. Since, Nichter says that he’s been an active leader, supportive teammate and a joy to coach. Like many athletes, Samasa says it was his determination and resilience that motivated him to keep going and turn injury into opportunity. As a runner, the notion of an “off season” is basically nonexistent, so when he isn’t working on his rehabilitative goals, he stays busy as president of SAAC, a student sports information/multimedia assistant and as a volunteer referee for Dickinson intramurals.

“Bak has proven to be an invaluable asset to the sports information office,” says McGuire, who has worked with Samasa since fall 2016. “He’s always willing to step in and help with any sports event. He doesn’t hesitate when asked to try something new or take on additional responsibilities.”

Interestingly, what’s happening in the wake of his injury reminds Samasa of just what brought him to Dickinson in the first place: the community feel. “Most of my teammates have dealt with injury, so they provide me with a lot of support.” He also enjoys conducting research and attending conferences with Charles A. Dana Professor of Biology John Henson.

“Bakary was a real pleasure to work with last summer as a student researcher, as he was always dedicated, enthusiastic and conscientious,” says Henson, who adds that time spent in the lab with Samasa has been beneficial for both of them.

As he nears his senior year, Samasa is excited for what the future will bring, athletically and academically. While he hopes to get back on the track soon, he’s concentrating on whether he wants to attend medical school or graduate school for biological research.

“I want to be in the position my doctor is in to try to help someone like me move forward.” —Kandace Kohr

21

Continuing the Conversation Now more than six months into her presidency, Margee Ensign’s presence and passion continue to be felt across campus and in the Dickinson community around the world. Her fall kickoff to the Useful Education for the Common Good tour drew hundreds and will continue with additional events in the spring. She remains a strong voice on issues of the day, with recurring mentions and bylines in local and national media outlets. Here, in a continuation of the fall issue’s “A Visible Spark” feature, she responds to additional questions from members of the campus community.

Edited by Lauren Davidson.

Photos by Carl Socolow ’77.

d ic k i n s o n ma g a z i n e Winter 2018

22

Lindsey Wasson

That people are different, that beliefs and values and political views are different is a fundamental fact of human life. It has always been true

of America. The challenge of America, now as at the time of its founding, is e pluribus unum: TO FORGE ONE FROM MANY. — from December Huffington Post op-ed, “To Forge One From Many”

23

On Leadership and Learning What advice and recommendations do you have for our women students who are emerging or aspiring leaders?

—Donna M. Bickford, director of the Women’s & Gender Resource Center Identify your passions and what you want to contribute to the world, seek out mentors, be determined and resilient and understand that life’s progress is not linear. I have seen women’s roles in society change and expand enormously during my lifetime: Be part of that change. The world needs your talent.

On Dickinson How do you view the performing arts on campus?

The theatre, dance and music departments contribute incredible opportunities and important performances to campus, but it has felt like the arts are consistently pushed to the fringes. Do you have some idea of how this could be mended or how the performing arts can be more integrated into Dickinson’s environment? —Sarah Zimmer ’17 I see the performing arts as integral and essential to a liberal-arts education. The whole point of a liberal-arts education, it seems to me, is to expand our horizons, to open the world to us, to make us more fully human. Of course the arts are crucial to that endeavor.

Just imagine a world without music, without dance, without all of the arts. How very diminished we would all be, how less than fully human. I certainly intend to make sure that our programs here are given the resources and support they need.

d ic k i n s o n ma g a z i n e Winter 2018

24

What does Dickinson do to create opportunities for Native Americans on campus, and how does Dickinson educate the community about indigenous people? —Shante Toldeo ’21 Like students from all backgrounds, Native American students are an important part of the cultural fabric of Dickinson, no matter how small the population may seem, and Native American culture is certainly part of the academic program and the student experience. Dickinson service trips have included the Navajo Nation, and we have a partner program for study at the Institute of the American Indian Arts (IAIA) in New Mexico. We have hosted Native American speakers, such as the prominent activist and environmentalist Winona LaDuke. Various classes have addressed Native American issues. Some have been devoted to Native American history and religion; others have included Native American materials. For example, a sociology course, The Political Economy of the Family, includes classes on family systems and gender relations in several Native Nations.

Recently, Dickinson faculty, library staff and some 20 students created the Carlisle Indian School Digital Resource Center to facilitate study of this important place of memory for Native Americans by scholars and students across the globe. In order to explore student interest, we have hired Nikki Dragone as visiting assistant professor of American studies for two years to offer courses in Native American studies. This fall she taught Introduction to Native American Studies and Native American Activism & Resurgence—both were well enrolled.

What do you perceive as the greatest opportunities and risks for Dickinson in the next one, three, and five years, and how will you approach them? —Brian Kamoie ’93 I think we have wonderful people at this college. Our national leadership in global education and in sustainability have taught us that being on the cutting edge of U.S. higher education is possible in a small institution. We need the courage and will to continue in that pioneering spirit, and we have that. We are certainly going to build greater intercultural competencies here on campus, for one thing, and to actively engage in building new programs to attract new audiences. Our greatest risk would be complacency—this is true of all very successful and excellent schools. But I am not particularly worried about complacency because I find the Dickinson spirit to be very much alive and well. We are a campus that looks forward to new challenges.

What are your expectations for Dickinson alumni to be involved, contribute and engage with the future of the college? —David Lee ’91 I have spent the last few months traveling around the country meeting with close to a thousand Dickinsonians. I have to say that their enthusiasm, their love of the college and their loyalty have been, at times, quite overwhelming. As a newcomer myself, it has been a revelation.

Many are just looking for ways that they can help, and we have those ways: financial support (of course) and planned giving, but also serving as mentors to our current students and graduates, providing internships, helping to spread the word about the college nationwide, recruiting and referring new students, sharing their views with me and the staff and the board (which consists largely of alumni, of course). Dickinson alumni have always been an enormous resource for the school and I see them as even more active in the future.

On a Personal Note What has the culture shock been like, moving back to the United States after living abroad? —Andrew Conte ’93 Well, returning from a very very poor region of Africa, the wealth and the enormous range of consumer choice is a bit startling, and Walmart can be a bit overwhelming! I think, too, the cultural diversity of this country strikes me anew. We are a settler society, and we just assume that a country will include people from all over the world. While my previous university (the American University of Nigeria) was quite a diverse place in terms of staff, our region was far less so. I find our diversity invigorating—it’s a source of pride in being American.

If you could choose to do any other job in the world that is outside of the field of education, what would you do and why? —Michael Donnelly ’02 It would involve some sort of development work. If you have lived in poorer parts of the world, you realize how fortunate we are and how far we have to go to improve people’s lives. There is a great deal of suffering—both in parts of our country and in the wider world.

Isn’t it our job to try to relieve that suffering? That’s what I was taught, that is what I believe, and that is what I hope I can inspire our students to work toward as well.

Dickinson.edu/presidenttour

25

Heather Shelley

DICKINSON FUND MIDYEAR IMPACT REPORT 2018

Lasting Impressions

O

ne of my earliest lessons in philanthropy came at the

One thing I’ve learned that sets Dickinsonians apart is the level

kitchen table when I was 10 years old, courtesy of my

of appreciation they have for their Dickinson education. It may be

mother. She must have served lima beans for dinner

the friendships they formed here or the camaraderie of a team, and

because I was the last one left at the table, sentenced to remain

often it is the caring of a great teacher that set them firmly on their

seated until I cleaned my plate. When the phone rang, I listened to

path. I’ve been privileged to work with many donors to help them

one side of a phone call that puzzled me. I remember hearing my

realize their plans for giving back to Dickinson, and each time I am

mom commit to sending a check before hanging up. Who had

inspired by their generosity. Last year, total gifts and pledges to the

called? Why would she give them money?

college grew by nearly 60 percent over the previous year!

My mother explained that she made a gift every year to

Philanthropic support is not required of anyone, and yet

support the college that had provided her with an education that

thousands choose to contribute their financial resources to the

improved her life. She believed it was her responsibility to give back,

college each year. They give because they want to repay the

to continue to make a contribution at a school that was committed

generosity of others from which they benefited. They give because

to educating young people. She told me it was her privilege to do so.

they are grateful for their Dickinson education. They give because

That lesson clearly lived in my subconscious for over a decade before

they want to ensure that same opportunity for future students. And

it profoundly shaped my life and career.

they give because they want to play a role in the exciting future of

Since I joined the Dickinson community in the summer of 2016,

the college.

I’ve met hundreds, perhaps thousands of Dickinsonians. I’ve had the

As we round the halfway mark of fiscal year 2017-18, the

chance to confirm many of my initial impressions and to form some

following few pages will give you a glimpse into the impact those

new ones. I’m pleased to report that I am just as optimistic today

gifts are having so far. Momentum is building for Dickinson, and on

about the future of the college as I was on that first day.

behalf of our faculty, students and coaches, I offer our sincere thanks

Dickinson has a dynamic new president who is charting a new course for the college’s future. When I sit with a student in the Dining

for those who see their gifts to Dickinson as a way to improve the world.

Hall for lunch, serve on a committee or meet with a small group of Dickinsonians, I come away feeling inspired and even a bit humbled.

Sincerely,

These are tremendous young people—bright, hard-working, impressive and entrepreneurial. And our students are educated by

Kirk Swenson

the rarest of scholars—faculty who are deeply invested in both the

Vice President for College Advancement

intellectual and personal growth of their students. This makes all the difference, as our students leave Carlisle prepared to do real and lasting good in the world.

d i cki n s o n magazine Winter 2018

26

13.2% (as of January 2018)

CURRENT STANDINGS John Dickinson Society Members:

55.4%

24.4%

497

John Dickinson Society donors play a leading role in the college’s fundraising efforts by making significant contributions to the Dickinson Fund each year. During the last five years, John Dickinson Society gifts have accounted for more than 70 percent of the dollars raised through the Dickinson Fund.

Total Dollars Raised

GOAL: $5.2 million

TOTAL: $2,879,313 in new gifts and pledges Unrestricted: $1,703,494 (75.7% to goal) Restricted: $1,175,819 (39.9% to goal)

GOAL: 25% participation

GOAL: 35% participation

Mermaid Society Members:

ALUMNI Participation

PARENT Participation

2,859

Named for the enduring college icon atop Old West, the Mermaid Society honors Dickinson’s loyal donors who consistently give to the college year after year or via automatic monthly deduction. We thank all of this year’s Mermaid Society donors for their steadfast support of the college.

Dickinson Needs You

That might seem like a lot, but Dickinsonians can do great things when we all come together. Make your gift today, and—besides helping to reach these goals—you’ll make Dickinson possible for a student who couldn’t otherwise afford tuition, help a professor take a student on a research trip, provide new resources for the library or athletics, bring expert speakers in science and art to campus, and much more. Every gift—of every size—makes a difference! dickinson.edu/gift

Joe O’Neill

With six months left in the fiscal year (which ends June 30, 2018), there’s still plenty of time to help the Dickinson Fund reach its dollar and participation goals. But we can’t make it without you. To reach our participation goal of 25 percent, we need 2,673 alumni to make a gift this spring. To reach our dollar goal of $5.2 million, we need all Dickinsonians to contribute before July 1.

27

DICKINSON FUND MIDYEAR IMPACT REPORT 2018

“ I BELIEVE THE EDUCATION DICKINSON PROVIDES IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE FUTURE.” —Julie Johnson ’82

“ WE BELIEVE THAT DICKINSON DESERVES TO BE SUPPORTED, AND WE BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE WHO IS QUALIFIED AND WILLING TO DO THE WORK SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THAT KIND OF AN EDUCATION.” —Gordon and Anne Armour P’16

“ WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF DICKINSONIANS WHO CAME BEFORE ME, I WOULD NOT HAVE HAD ACCESS TO THE WORLD-CLASS EDUCATION I RECEIVED. I KNOW THAT EVERY GIFT COUNTS, AND I HOPE THAT MY SMALL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COLLEGE WILL HELP FUTURE DICKINSONIANS ACHIEVE THEIR ACADEMIC, PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL GOALS.”—Margot Cardamone ’14

d i cki n s on magazine Winter 2018

28

(as of January 2018)

WHERE YOUR GIFTS ARE GOING

 Scholarships and Financial Aid 5%

We are only halfway through this fiscal year and already your gifts are making a difference!

 Academic Programs and Faculty Support 1%

The chart below indicates where your gifts are going.

 Area of Greatest Need 59%  Designated Other 26%  Athletics 6%

 Student Life 1%  Global Education 1%

Area of Greatest Need – By designating your

 Campus and Facilities 0.50%

gifts to “Dickinson Fund: Our Area of Greatest Need,” you and the large majority of donors ensure that Dickinson makes the most impact with your gift. Your gifts are supporting the college’s most vital priorities: scholarships, faculty support, academic programming, global study and sustainability initiatives, and much more.

 Trout Gallery 0.50%  Sustainability 0.50%  Friends of the Library 0.50% Sustainability

5%

Trout Gallery

59%

Global Education

6% Student Life Friends of the Library

Athletics – Your gifts to the McAndrews Fund for Athletics are helping Red Devils excel in competition and in the classroom.

These gifts have already enabled Dickinson to begin work on new locker rooms for the track and field and cross country teams as well as a new conference room for the Department of Athletics.

They’ve also purchased new football helmets, enhanced the golf simulator room and the squash courts, and provided funding for domestic and international trips for training and competition.

Designated Other – These gifts are directed by donors to support specific programs at the college that help students make the most of Dickinson’s useful education for the common good. In addition to funding select academic initiatives, these designated gifts are supporting internships, student-faculty research, career mentoring and more.

26%

Scholarships and Financial Aid – Dickinson

Campus and Facilities

All gifts to Dickinson make a powerful impact. Thank you for giving to Dickinson!

Academic Programs and Faculty Support

Fund gifts are helping the college provide scholarships and financial aid to more than 1,500 current students who wouldn’t be able to attend Dickinson without that support.

Throughout this fiscal year, Dickinson will ensure that the best students, regardless of their financial means, have access to this useful education for the common good.

Without gifts to the Dickinson Fund, this would be impossible.

29

[ profile ]

A

t first glance, high finance and sustainability seem to have little in common, but nine years ago, Bud Sturmak

’95 decided to take a deeper look. It began when he was a partner with RLP Wealth Advisors, and

he first saw that a company’s financial success couldn’t be predicted by financial analysis alone.

GOOD Business

Bud Sturmak ’95 ties sustainability to the bottom line with BlueSky Investment Management

By Matt Getty

d ic k i n s o n ma g a z i n e Winter 2018

30

“A light bulb went off when I saw that companies with great workplaces outperformed companies that weren’t regarded as good places to work,” he says of his first experience reading an academic study on environmental, social and governance (ESG) analysis, an emerging field focused on how nonfinancial factors can impact business performance.

The more he looked into ESG, the more Sturmak saw that issues like environmental stewardship, resource management, human capital and labor practices had a real, measurable effect on the bottom line. The problem was there weren’t many people paying attention.

“The evidence was out there,” says Sturmak.

“I mean, undeniably, many of these ESG factors were proving to be financially material and affecting how companies perform, yet as recently as five years ago most of Wall Street was ignoring the information.”

For Sturmak, the ability to spot trends others were missing is a direct result of his Dickinson education. “Dickinson ingrained in me—and I think in many of my friends—this more worldly point of view where you have to understand that there are other perspectives and other ways of looking at things,” explains the former history major. “You learn that you shouldn’t just accept the status quo, and you learn how to ask the right questions. It was a four-year life experience that emphasized the importance of being curious.”

So when Sturmak began to think about launching a new investment firm, BlueSky Investment Management, which would focus on integrating financially material ESG factors into a global fundamental value equity strategy, naturally he wanted to get more Dickinsonians involved.

To help with the analysis needed to determine if there was a solid connection between success and sustainability, he tapped Andrew Ford ’11, who’s now a research analyst with the firm.

“Dickinson’s focus on sustainability was ever present during my time there, and I think the college also prepared me to apply my quantitative background to any field,” says Ford, a former mathematics and economics double major who first started working with Sturmak on this research at RLP. “So when I was presented with the opportunity to use sustainability data to improve traditional financial analysis, it was a great way to merge my education and background with the values and ideals Dickinson is trying to foster in the world.”

Ford began to analyze a wide array of data to determine whether a company’s strong performance on ESG issues led to increased share performance, increased profitability, lower costs and increased return on equity.

When he and Sturmak began to see evidence for a solid connection, they thought that with some deeper number crunching they could

which made a compelling case for the firm’s vision. The research determined that though 85 percent of ESG data doesn’t add value to the investment process, the remaining 15 percent can add value and enhance returns. The key to the research was identifying the specific ESG factors that can add value, which vary from one industry and region to the next.

“I was heartened to see that there was a significant relationship between these ESG factors and investment returns, but I wasn’t entirely surprised,” says Erfle. “Once you get beyond short-term gains and look long term, it makes sense that these issues would enhance profits. What’s different today is we can finally get our hands on the data that demonstrates this.”

The white paper was key in recruiting seasoned portfolio managers Ron Dornau and Chris Matyszewski, who brought a combined 45 years of experience in fundamental

BlueSky, on the other hand, studies how factors like greenhouse-gas emissions, water usage, employee satisfaction, workplace diversity and corporate governance have historically had a positive effect on business performance. Then, instead of telling clients where not to put their money, BlueSky identifies attractively priced companies with solid fundamentals that are also sector leaders on financially material ESG factors.

“Rather than talking about this from an ethical standpoint, we need to make a business case for sustainability if you want to make this a mainstream movement,” says Sturmak.

“Frankly, when I first started my career, I was a little reluctant to get into finance because I wasn’t sure if it aligned with my values, but I’ve realized that finance can be a powerful tool for the greater good.”

And as Sturmak continues to harness finance for the greater good through BlueSky,

“Rather than talking about this from an ethical standpoint, we need to make a business case for sustainability if you want to make this a mainstream movement. … I’ve realized that finance can be a powerful tool for the greater good.” develop a powerful tool—a proprietary model to assess investment opportunities from an ESG perspective. For that, they turned to another Dickinsonian, Professor of International Business & Management Steve Erfle, who is now a partner with BlueSky. “That’s one of the great things about Dickinson,” says Ford, who never took a class with Erfle but knew of his previous dataanalysis work for the Seagram Classics Wine Company and the Pennsylvania Department of Health. “You really get to have close relationships with the faculty. So when you call them up out of the blue four years after you graduate, they are not only willing to listen to your idea but they’re willing to sign on and help improve it.”

Armed with Erfle’s model, which used hard data to make a business case for sustainability, Sturmak and his team penned a white paper, ESG and the Future of Investing,

value investing to Sturmak’s growing team.

BlueSky publicly launched in October 2016, and following a successful first year, added Grant Cleghorn as partner and head of global marketing in November 2017. The firm is now a signatory of Principles for Responsible Investment, the world’s leading proponent of responsible investment strategies, and recently was featured as a case study in the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board’s (SASB) ESG Integration Insights, which promotes making sustainability concerns a core part of financial accounting.

“Historically, the idea of socially responsible investing repelled mainstream investors,” says Sturmak. “That’s because it was initially based on divestment. It was defined by what you’re not going to invest in, and that means you’re just shrinking the available investment universe—which means shrinking your opportunities to make money.”

he intends to keep turning to Dickinsonians for help. He’s already brought fellow former history major Anastasia Pfarr Khoo ’97, CMO at Conservation International, on to BlueSky’s advisory board. The firm also has taken on several students as interns, and Sturmak plans to use more in the future because he believes the college’s mission-driven, liberal-arts approach is exactly what’s needed for this kind of work.

“My typical week at Dickinson was burying myself in a book, discussing it with my professors and classmates, and then analyzing the underlying facts and writing a paper discussing my conclusions,” he explains. “That kind of focus on analytical skills and writing and communicating clearly is exactly what’s needed to do this kind of work where you look at something in a whole new way.”

31

[ profile ]

Inside the Joke Factory

Sandy Honig

By MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson

I

t’s hard to believe, but Lauren Smith ’06 didn’t always recognize her superpower. A high-achieving student who was comfortable

onstage, she was nevertheless unnerved when a teammate on her high school’s speech and debate team called in sick and her coach/dad asked her to deliver a comic monologue.

“I said, ‘I can’t—I’m not particularly funny,’ ” Smith remembers. But she learned satiric selections from The Colored Museum by George C. Wolfe—and seized first place.

d ic k i n s o n ma g a z i n e Winter 2018

32

Fast-forward 15 years, and Smith’s a comedy writer and improv comedian with a following at New York’s iconic Magnet Theater. She recently reflected on the Dickinson club, course and connections that helped her pitch a tent in a notoriously competitive field.

Learning what plays

A St. Louis native, Smith skipped seventh and eighth grades and graduated high school at age 16.

After visiting campus with her mom and learning about the college’s global programs, she enrolled at Dickinson with her sights set on a law career.

Climbing the rungs

Smith was referred for that internship by Amy Nauiokas ’94, whom she’d met during a music scholarship luncheon on campus. As a TV intern, she did a lot of transcribing, earning a reputation as a speed demon at the keyboard. She graduated from Dickinson magna cum laude the following spring, with a job lined up at VH1.

Smith worked her way up from production assistant to producer, overseeing a small team, pitching segments, working in the cutting room with editors and drafting voiceover scripts for the comedy writers. Unlike most drafts, hers were very funny, requiring little if any tweaking. So when a staff writer position opened up, she was a natural choice.

Now a card-carrying professional writer, Smith wrote for VH1’s Best Week Ever and then moved to

Whitney Tressel/Zagat

Bravo, where she worked on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen and Fashion Queens. She now writes for The Rundown With Robin Thede on BET. Additional credits include other series and specials on Bravo, VH1 and Lifetime.

Smith sharpened her performance craft through workshops at the Upright Citizens Brigade, cofounded by Amy Poehler, and at Magnet Theatre, where she continues to perform regularly.

She’s also appeared at the Laugh Factory, in the Lucky 13 Play Festival and Netflix’s The Characters and on VH1.com, The Scene and Refinery29. Her voiceovers include radio ads for Dunkin’ Donuts; she also hosted Zagat’s “Chefs Eating Tacos” YouTube series.

Funny across mediums

Smith says that while performing with Run With It! honed her comedic sense, the writing and video skills she obtained at Dickinson were the foundation for her TV writing career. She gives back through the Alumni Council and remains in touch with Dickinson friends, including those who attended her 2015 wedding to Brooke Helburn (officiated by her dad, the wedding was featured in The New York Times).

When she’s not making people laugh, she’s brightening lives in other ways. Smith, Helburn and “furbaby” Jelly, a registered therapy dog, volunteer in the community through the ASPCA and the A Fair Shake for Youth program.

An American Sign Language student, Smith also helps out with a bimonthly interpreting program at the Museum of Modern Art, which provides guided after-hours tours for hearing-impaired adults.

Asked if she considers herself a comic who writes or a writer who does comedy, Smith says she’s paid to write. “But my real job is being a joke machine,” she points out. “Whether the jokes come out of my mouth or my fingers, that’s what I love to do.”

Jenna Bascom

Although she’d attended a white-majority school, Smith soon discovered that adjusting to campus life wasn’t easy at a time when only seven percent of enrolled Dickinsonians identified as students of color. To find her place, she got involved.

Smith joined the Multi-Organizational Board, Umoja, the African American Society and debate club, and she accepted a student worker position in the college’s diversity office and served as a Resident Advisor. She also got onstage, as a vocalist who took music department lessons and as a step team and Freshman Plays performer. But it was her involvement with Run With It!, the studentrun improv comedy troupe, that strengthened her comedy chops.

“It was a learn-as-you-go situation,” she remembers, “and I quickly learned that jokes about our shared experiences as students played well, because people laugh at what they recognize.”

Smith also recalls three educational touchstones: an introductory course with Associate Professor of American Studies Cotten Seiler that inspired her to declare an American studies major, a study abroad experience in Cameroon and the 2003 Mexican Migration Mosaic. Through the Mosaic, she traveled to nearby Adams County, Pa., to video interview Mexican migrant farm workers, and to Peribán, Mexico, the hometown of many interviewees. She then translated and transcribed her interviews and selected clips for use in a larger work—skills that came in handy the summer after junior year, when she served an internship at the cable channel VH1.

33

From Court to Court

By Alexander Bossakov ’20

Carl Socolow ’77

Recollections from the classroom, the gymnasium, the courtroom and beyond.

d ic k i n s o n ma g a z i n e Winter 2018

34

[ profile ]

J

ohn Slike ’51 is a storyteller. He relishes in the process of recalling the past several decades of his life, sharing that “while it may take a little time to do, I do have the time and will likely enjoy it.” And his stories bring to life more than three quarters of century, from his time as a basketball player at Dickinson to his years as a lawyer and community leader.

Thinking back on his time at Dickinson, Slike recounts the little details alongside myriad anecdotes—a college dance at which Stan Kenton played and a professor complained because his jazz was not easy to dance to; the compulsory religion class students had to take, thanks to which he learned more about the Bible his first year in college than his entire life; the history lectures by Professor Whit Bell; the memories of the outstanding 1947-48 basketball team, which was inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame and was composed of the youngster Slike and many more seasoned World War II veterans.

Apart from all these moments, Slike also recounts, more somberly, characteristics of his experience that stood out in more negative ways. Discrimination and racism were ubiquitous. Changes in the wider world were only beginning to occur during his time, and Slike remembers students standing up to restaurant owners in Carlisle who would refuse service to blacks. John Hopper ’48, a friend and fellow basketball player who would later become a state senator, confronted a bartender refusing to serve a black friend, telling him they would “either serve him or none of us.”

They were all served.

Slike majored in political science but describes his education as broad across the humanities and the sciences.

“Any kind of liberal arts lends a purpose to your life, keeps you interested in things other than your own occupation and your own community,” shares Slike, as he talks about his passion for history and travel but admits to not having used much algebra since finishing college.

“Fraternities were a big part of your life in those days,” Slike adds. “They gave you a chance to identify with a group.”

Along with the basketball team, Slike identified as a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity, and many of his memories surrounding Dickinson are associated to these two groups.

He calls his basketball career “certainly a highlight of my life at Dickinson.” One of the most memorable moments was the first game in his sophomore year when he came off the bench and the team inched ahead with seconds to go thanks to Slike scoring five points in the final 13 seconds.

Slike also met his wife, Loma Rein ’53, at Dickinson and married her shortly after her graduation. “Some 67 years later I consider my greatest achievement in life convincing her to marry me,” he says. The two have been blessed with three daughters and five grandchildren.

After Dickinson, Slike’s relationship with Carlisle continued. He went on to pursue a law degree at the Dickinson Law School and graduated in 1954.

Because he had entered law school, Slike was deferred from the military, but upon graduation he was drafted and sent to Okinawa, Japan. When he made sufficient rank, he was joined there by his wife. Slike remembers streets filled with bicycles and 50 cent haircuts in Tokyo. In Okinawa, Slike was already beginning to employ his education by serving in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps.

When he returned to the states, Slike completed a required clerkship at a Carlisle law firm before founding a practice with James Arnold ’51, who had been his roommate, both at Dickinson and in law school. Later, Slike affiliated with and served at the Camp Hill office of the Carlisle firm Saidis, Guido and Masland. (Interestingly, both Judge Edward Guido ’72 and Judge Albert Masland ’79, P’06 are Dickinson grads and mock trial coaches at the college.) Slike spent his years as a lawyer mostly in office practice, working with wills, deeds, adoptions and small businesses and getting involved in occasional court cases, both civil and criminal.

Now retired, Slike is more involved with his community and church in Camp Hill. His most recent community activity was on the board of the Camp Hill Lion Foundation, an organization that raises funds for community purposes, primarily to supplement what taxes don’t provide to schools.

As a result, many new facilities for schools and camps have been funded, like a performing arts center in a nearby elementary school. Slike shares that working on these projects has brought him into contact with people a generation or two behind him, something he has found to be deeply rewarding.

For many years, members of the 1947-48 basketball team would gather for a reunion at the college, attend a game and reminisce about their days at Dickinson, but most members of the team are no longer with us. Ben James ’34, a former admissions director with an encyclopedic knowledge of prior students’ names; Richard “Mac” McAndrews, a coach and trainer for whom the McAndrews Fund in Athletics was named; and Chick Kennedy, the former basketball coach, are the staff members Slike stayed in close contact with and remembers most fondly.

“It was a good time. No regrets at Dickinson. Nor does my wife have any,” Slike notes. “We greatly enjoyed our time there.”

35

Photos by Carl Socolow ’77 unless otherwise noted.

On the Move This fall, President Margee Ensign made the rounds from coast to coast through the Useful Education for the Common Good Tour. She headlined events in nine cities, hosted by a variety of generous Dickinsonians, and took the opportunity to meet many alumni and parents, answer questions and share her vision for Dickinson.

NYC

Central PA

36

George Zervoudis

Philadelphia

Meghan Lynch

Washington, D.C.

Ty Acierto

Boston

Chicago Seattle

Ian Chin

Lindsey Wasson

Baltimore

Additional events are being planned for the spring—watch for details and view more photos and videos at dickinson.edu/presidenttour.

San Francisco 37

[ beyond the limestone walls ]

The Importance of Being Engaged DAV I D C A R L S ON ’ 9 9, A LU M N I C OU NC I L PR E S I DE N T

Carl Socolow ’77

Y

our Alumni Council had a productive fall meeting complete with a tour of the College Farm. We heard from the Office of Advancement and the Office of Finance & Administration to get a “state of affairs” report. We on-boarded new council members and supported a significant half-day networking event for current seniors. Much was learned and much delivered during the Alumni Council weekend. The fall was also filled with events around the country to provide friends and alumni of the college an opportunity to get perspectives from our new president. All this activity leads me to think a bit about the importance and personal benefits of engagement.

I attend events both on and off campus often. I never set out to be as deeply engaged with Dickinson but there is something about the community that pulled me in. One of the wonderful benefits of having a deeper role with the college is the opportunity to see engagement in action. I see students, staff and alumni engaging with each other in ways both large and small. I also have the privilege of engaging with alumni that span the generations and am always amazed at how I’m drawn in by stories of shared experiences and a common place.

I’ve found these discussions to be deeply rewarding and am reminded of the saying “you get in return what you give.” As you move into a new year, I highly recommend you find a way to engage with your college—your community. I suspect you will get from it more than you expect. As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at davidcarlson2026@gmail.com. Have a wonderful winter!

Dickinson Alumni Professional Development Webinar Series Opportunities for Dickinson alumni abound, from social, like on-campus events and regional gatherings, to professional, like networking opportunities. NEW THIS FALL, the Professional Development Webinar Series, hosted by the Dickinson Career Center, provides alumni with additional tools, whether you are looking to manage your career, change jobs or go back to graduate school. Expert presenters deliver 30-minute webinars over the lunch hour to provide helpful professional insights.

d ic k i n s o n ma g a z i n e Winter 2018

38

Support the Future through the Old West Society

During her inauguration, President Margee Ensign made her commitment to Dickinson’s historic mission loud and clear. Not content to prepare students to build a better future just for themselves, she hearkened back to Benjamin Rush’s founding vision and declared that the college will prepare students to build a better future for all of us.

Answer the Call, Build a Legacy You can answer President Ensign’s call to join her in this historic mission by supporting the college in many ways. But perhaps none is more powerful than establishing a legacy and declaring your permanent support for a “useful education for the common good” by becoming a member of the Old West Society.

Established in the tradition of providing a living record of the legacy of our graduates, parents and friends, the Old West Society recognizes those individuals who have provided future support to Dickinson College through their estate and/or life income plans.

To learn how you can join thousands of Dickinsonians building a brighter future through the Old West Society, visit Dickinson.edu/ows or contact Kristi Brant, director of planned giving, at brantkr@dickinson.edu or 717-245-1121.

“ JOIN ME HERE AT DICKINSON

as we continue to build a community—a vigorous, questioning, contending and searching learning community—quite gloriously established to strive FOR THE

COMMON GOOD IN OUR TIMES.”

 Wednesday, February 14 Noon - 12:30 p.m. EST

 Tuesday, March 20 Noon - 12:30 p.m. EST

 Tuesday, April 17 Noon - 12:30 p.m. EST

orking With Corporate, W Agency and Executive Recruiters Presented by Renée Tepper Hannifan ’11, Professional Recruiter for Express Scripts

A Checklist for Career Change Presented by Annie Kondas, Associate Director of Career Services

Navigating Conflict at Work: How to Reach Resolutions that Improve Your Work and Relationships Presented by Shalom Staub, Associate Provost for Academic Affairs

Dickinson.edu/livestream 39

[ closing thoughts ]

An Intergenerational Dickinsonian Team B Y PAT R IC I A C OL L I N S ’ 7 1

H

unter Tuccio ’18 is preparing to graduate from Dickinson with a degree in economics. He’s looking to land that first postgraduation job. So we’re doing what we’ve done since his first year at Dickinson when we first met: We’re brainstorming.

I’m providing my support and sharing my professional experience and network connections; Hunter is sharing his knowledge, goals and characteristic energy and determination. We are two generations apart in age, collaborating as an experienced team.

Back in the spring of 2015, Hunter was looking for a Dickinson alum who could provide a little coaching on his resumé, as he was determined to obtain a summer internship that would give him a true business learning experience. He reached out to me and thus began our mentoring relationship that’s become a friendship. Over the previous 10 years, I had taught graduate school, including courses in high-tech business management. I had coached and encouraged graduate students who were eager to grow professionally. Previously, I’d worked in industrial research as a manager, with some hiring responsibilities. I brought that experience to bear in listening to what Hunter wanted to accomplish.

Something Hunter and I share is the belief that flexibility is essential to having a clear goal. That’s enabled us to take advantage of serendipitous circumstances in pursuit of Hunter’s academic and professional goals.

With his resumé ready, Hunter and I began brainstorming possible places for him to intern. I contacted some people in my professional network in search of some leads. It was at about this time that my own startup was ready to move forward with its business plan development. The startup, which would help first responders by improving their ability to do their jobs safely, was co-founded with a 33-year veteran firefighter and paramedic (our chief visionary officer), a senior consultant to the U.S. Pacific Command’s work in humanitarian aid and disaster relief (our chief technology officer), and me, with a strong background in high-tech and management (our chief operations officer). I talked with my co-founders about bringing Hunter on as a summer intern and developed a job description. Before long, Hunter flew to California to begin his internship.

With that internship came many fortuitous situations. Hunter stayed at the home of our chief visionary officer. Almost immediately, a strong friendship developed—one that went beyond mutual respect. In my experience, business ventures require caring about the business’s collaborators. But caring was not a business goal; it simply happened, and it improved the quality of our collaboration.

Time flew and Hunter flew back to the East Coast to begin his sophomore year at Dickinson. I happily acted as a sounding board as Hunter thought about his long-term professional goals and the experiences he wanted to be sure he had before graduation. From the vantage point of someone who’d thoroughly enjoyed her professional career and was now enjoying experiences I did not have when my career dominated my life, I encouraged Hunter to take advantage of enriching opportunities that are so accessible while attending Dickinson.

Most of our communications over the past few years have been via email.

I’ve supported Hunter in his approach to his academic goals, his subsequent summer internships in another business industry, and his two study-abroad endeavors (Australia and South Africa).

We’ve shared news articles relevant to Hunter’s professional interests, expert analysis of relevant industry trends and topical information about the countries in which Hunter has studied. We exchange our personal and generational views, all in that Dickinson spirit of learning from as many perspectives and disciplines as possible.

We take the time to reflect with each other on experiences that we’re having—my work with entrepreneurial mentoring and my fondness for cooking and writing; Hunter’s takeaways from his internships, life experiences, exposure to other cultures and his love of golf.

For me, this is what being a Dickinsonian is about: a shared love of learning, an eagerness to support others by understanding their unique desires and abilities, a reflective approach to life, and a joy in continuing to grow as a person.

Patricia Collins ’71 graduated from Dickinson with a degree in mathematics and philosophy—and she was just getting started. She earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering at Stanford University and studied in master’s degree programs in mathematics and education at Fairleigh Dickinson University and in creative writing at San Jose State University. She spent 20 years working for Hewlett-Packard before moving into teaching and entrepreneurial endeavors.

d ic k i n s o n ma g a z i n e Winter 2018

56

Tuesday, April 24. JOIN US for Dickinson’s most ambitions Day of Giving yet—let’s see what we can accomplish together this year!

April 24, 2018

This year, we’re calling all Dickinsonians to top that effort on

DAY OF GIVING

Last year, more than 3,200 alumni, parents, students, faculty, staff members and friends of the college gave $877,835 to support Dickinson’s useful education for the common good and prove that GREAT THINGS HAPPEN WHEN DICKINSONIANS COME TOGETHER.

P. O . B O X 1 7 7 3 C A R L I S L E , P A 1 7 0 1 3 - 2 8 9 6 PERIODICAL

W W W. D I C K I N S O N . E D U / M A G A Z I N E

P O S TA G E P A I D AT C A R L I S L E , P A AND ADDITIONAL MAILING OFFICE

[

well-stated

]

Everyday leadership is fueled by actions that make people feel valued and seen in our society.

Once someone feels like they belong to the community around them, they feel more invested in protecting and bettering it.

Discover how A L E K S A N DR A S Y N I E C make a difference at dson.co/syniec18.

’18

is learning to

My growth at

Dickinson helped me to approach

differences with acceptance and

appreciation and

helped me to embrace the

diversity of the

Dickinson just evokes something that’s palpable and exciting to me.

H U G H A C H E S ON ,

celebrity chef. Read more about his two visits to campus at dson.co/achesontacos.

Walt Disney

Company, as I

learned to embrace

H AY L E Y M U R D OU G H ’ 1 8 ,

on his Fundamentals of Business project helping an area business. Read more at dson.co/ dinardo18.

B E N DI N A R D O ’ 1 8

the diversity of

Dickinson.

K AT H E R I N E H E A C O C K ’ 1 3 ,

a cast member at Walt Disney World. Read more at dson.co/ heacock13.

Dickinson doesn’t teach us to think ‘outside of the box’— it teaches us to totally get rid of the box, to eliminate the limitation before the box even has time to be formed. on Page 13.

I love the fact that I can be connected to the greater community around Carlisle. It is great to know that I can make a difference.

international studies and economics major and ROTC standout. Read more

It’s amazing how discovering the world helps you discover yourself. I have learned I can speak out when I am passionate, and I can be heard.

I L A N A Z E I T Z E R ’ 19 , who took second place in Project Green Challenge (PGC), an October event presented by the student-led nonprofit Turning Green. Read more at dson.co/zeitzer19.

INSIDE: President Ensign: Q&A Part II | Midyear Report of Giving | Alumni in Action | Useful Education for the Common Good Tour