Winter 2022 Dickinson Magazine

WINTER 2022 | VOLUME 99 | NUMBER 3

15 PAGE

Renaming Ceremony Honors 19th-Century Black Community Members

Dickinson marked the renaming of two spaces on campus in honor of Henry W. Spradley and Robert C. Young and Carrie and Noah Pinkney with a ceremony on Nov. 20.

More than 50 descendants and family representatives attended the event. Read more on Page 15.

Photos by Dan Loh

HERE & THERE our view 2

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kudos 4

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in the game 6

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small-business spotlight 8

DISTINCTIVELY DICKINSON Providing Partnerships

16

Playing a Different

Dan and Betty Richardson Churchill ’58 provide partnerships and opportunities to prepare students to solve complex issues.

(But Familiar) Tune

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bragging rights 9

18

Meet Alexander Strachan ’13 and find out how and why he made the move from music to law enforcement.

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your view 48

Midyear Giving Impact Report

20

Discover how your collective support of Dickinson makes a difference, and how you can still contribute to keep moving Dickinson Forward.

PAST & PRESENT our Dickinson 26

| obituaries 46

Interim President John E. Jones III ’77, P’11 Vice President of Marketing & Communications Connie McNamara Editor Lauren Davidson Designer Amanda DeLorenzo College Photographer Dan Loh Contributing Writers MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson Matt Getty Tony Moore Magazine Advisory Board Alexander Becket ’08 Catherine McDonald Davenport ’87 Jim Gerencser ’93 Gregory Lockard ’03 David O’Connell Carlo Robustelli Megan Shelley Dapp ’05 Adrienne Su Alisa Valudes Whyte ’93

© Dickinson College 2021. 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.

DICKINSON MAGAZINE Winter 2022 | Volume 99 | Number 3

Address changes may be sent to Dickinson Magazine, Dickinson College, P.O. Box 1773, Carlisle, PA 17013-2896.

Dickinson’s red Adirondack chairs spent much of January dusted with snow. Photo by Dan Loh.

ON THE COVER

www.dickinson.edu/magazine | dsonmag@dickinson.edu | 717-245-1289 Printed by Progress Printing Plus in Lynchburg, Va. PRODUCTION NOTE

Due to supply-chain challenges in the paper industry, we are swapping stock, so this issue might look and feel a bit different! The plan is to be back to our regular paper for the spring issue, but in the meantime, this issue is printed using wind energy and soy-based inks on Opus paper, which is sustainably produced in the United States by Sappi.

Dickinson College is an intellectual and social community that values justice, free inquiry, diversity and equal opportunity. It is a fundamental policy of the college to respect pluralism, civility and mutual understanding within its community.

The college does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation or any other protected class.

Head to the web for more.

View a related video.

[

OUR VIEW

]

Joe O’Neill

Leading Dickinson Forward

A

s I write this column, the campus is blanketed with a new snowfall. It’s exactly the kind of atmosphere that lends itself to both reflecting on the past and looking forward to 2022. I hope you’ll indulge me a bit as I do so.

While only a half year ago, it sometimes seems like a lifetime since I left my position as a U.S. district judge to take the helm of our college as interim president. I knew full well that there were substantial challenges that required immediate and pronounced focus. Many were not unique to Dickinson, for this is no ordinary time anywhere in the world, both within and outside higher education. But notably, I had never served as the president of a college. It’s one thing to serve on a college’s board of trustees and chair it. It’s something else again to be elevated to the position of interim president of that college. While I have been privileged to have had other leadership opportunities in my career, I knew that this one would be different and much more challenging.

DI CK INSON M AGAZINE Winter 2022 2

JOHN E. JONES III ’77, P’11

Interim President

Against the foregoing backdrop, allow me to first report to you that as a result of the magnificent staff and faculty surrounding me, I have learned much about how to be an effective president. They have given me a wide berth, mentored me, shown enormous patience and worked tirelessly in aid of making Dickinson even better than its current status as a world-class liberal-arts college.

Our Dickinson Forward initiative has now fully launched.

The Resource Realignment Task Force is concluding its mission and has fulfilled its mandate to recommend a fully balanced budget for fiscal year ’23 without the use of reserves or an endowment draw.

Our Strategic Planning Committee is off to a great start. The Campaign for Scholarships is underway and making great progress in pursuit of its $75 million goal.

Added to this, we were able to successfully navigate through the fall semester despite the perilous overhang of COVID-19. This was once again a tribute to our faculty, staff

and students. Cases were few and illnesses generally mild. Keeping everyone on campus safe has been job No. 1, and there will be no higher priority.

Tempting though it is, we will not rest on any of our achievements.

We do not have that luxury. My dear friend, colleague and ’77 classmate, board chair emerita Jennifer Ward Reynolds, is fond of saying, “I want to win.” I agree with Jennifer. I only know one way to lead, and that is with passion, a laser-like focus on the tasks at hand and great joy.

I am humbled by the opportunity that has been afforded me. And I am excited about the future of Dickinson College. The next year will be one of the most critical in our alma mater’s history, as we examine, reimagine and make stronger everything we do in pursuit of affording our students the finest possible education.

Thank you for your enthusiasm and support. The best is yet to come!

October marked the 50th anniversary of Delta Nu’s founding at Dickinson, and generations of Dickinson women celebrated in a big way.

Delta Nu members and alumnae joined together on campus for a jubilant, three-day birthday bash that focused on the sorority’s enduring commitment to sisterhood, community service, excellence, diversity and leadership. From a Friday evening recollection of Delta Nu history to the Sunday morning breakfast on Britton Plaza, the sisters in attendance relished the chance to connect with old and new friends.

“Having 269 Delta Nus in one place—and getting to know sisters across the decades, especially the current students—was such a treat,” says Kirsten Nixa Sabia ’92 , who led the event planning committee.

“It was heartwarming to see the future legacy of the sisterhood in action.”

Photos by Sean Simmers and Heather Shelley

The highlight was a Saturday night birthday party in the HUB Social Hall, attended by interim President John E. Jones III ’77, P’11 , and livestreamed for alumnae unable to attend in person. There were also campus tours, a fun run and a variety of social and networking opportunities.

The mood was joyful—perhaps all the more because of the challenges Delta Nus have overcome in recent years. After the sorority was placed on probation by the college in 2015, Delta Nu alumnae formed an advisory board to realign

the sorority with its core values through mentorship, leadership education and community building.

Two years later, the sorority made a triumphant return, and members of the Delta Nu Alumnae Advisory Board were presented with Dickinson’s 1783 Award in recognition of their good work.

Last year, Delta Nus—including members of the advisory board— again joined forces, this time to plan the birthday bash in concert with Dickinson staff. Along with many more of their sisters, they also worked hard to promote a Delta Nu scholarship, which benefits a worthy sophomore or junior Dickinsonian who demonstrates a commitment to justice and Delta Nu values and contributes to the Dickinson community. By the end of the birthday celebration, Delta Nu members and alumnae not only surpassed their initial goal of raising $150,000 in scholarship funds but also their subsequent goal of $200,000.

That speaks to the power of friendship and sisterhood among Delta Nus—a sense of belonging that Sabia describes as integral to Delta Nus’ experiences on campus and beyond, and one that drives them to return to Dickinson years and decades after graduation.

“We are so appreciative of the support from the college, and we are already talking about our 75th birthday celebration,” Sabia says.

“Many are already talking about celebrating the 51st birthday next year!” —MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson

DELTA NU EVENT MARKS

50 Years of Sisterhood 3

While Dickinson faculty members and administrators continue to have a consistent presence in outlets like The Wall Street Journal and NBC News, this fall their expertise also was featured in TeenLife, Vogue and The National Law Review.

Dickinson.edu/inthenews

Featured Faculty Visiting Assistant Professor of Data

about the withdrawal of U.S. troops

Analytics Eren Bilen was quoted in an

from Afghanistan and the Capitol

Inside Higher Ed article on academic

Hill testimony of Gen. Mark Milley.

integrity and how colleges can contain

Additionally, McCausland’s latest op-ed,

cheating.

“Trump Has No Idea Who Colin Powell

Research by Associate Professor of Anthropology and Archaeology Maria Bruno published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences was highlighted in The Financial article “The Superfoods That Fueled Ancient

THINK. He also discussed American and European thinking around the Ukraine crisis on The John Batchelor Show, which airs on select CBS radio stations nationwide.

Andeans Through 2,500 Years of

Associate Professor of Political Science

Turmoil.”

Sarah Niebler discussed voter turnout

Professor of Psychology Marie Helweg-

with FOX43.

Larsen was quoted in the story “Why the

The renaming of Spradley-Young Hall

Danish Art of ‘Pyt’ Could Be Your Cure

and Pinkney Gate garnered coverage

to Post-pandemic Society,” published in

including multiple articles in The

Vogue Scandinavia.

Sentinel, The Patriot-News, WITF-FM and

Visiting Professor of International Security Studies Jeff McCausland was a live guest on CNN International, speaking

DICK INSON M AGAZINE Winter 2022 4

Really Was,” was published by NBCNews

online; several local TV stations and TV and radio stations in Memphis, Tenn.; Topeka, Kan.; Richmond, Va.; Pittsburgh, Wilkes-Barre and Sunbury; and Insight

HERE & THERE / kudos

Into Diversity. Professor of History

renewed partnership with the Forum

to Begin Returning the ‘Unknowns’ at

Matthew Pinsker featured heavily in the

for Education Abroad.

Carlisle Indian Industrial School.”

Vice President for Enrollment and

Interim President John E. Jones III ’77, P’11,

Dean of Admissions Catherine McDonald

discussed the educational work of the PA

Davenport ’87 was quoted in The

Commission on Judicial Independence

Patriot-News discussing international

on This Week in Pennsylvania, which was

enrollments bouncing back after a

broadcast on six TV stations across the

Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.

dip during the start of the pandemic.

commonwealth, including WPHL in

The National Law Review referenced the

Philadelphia and ABC27 in Harrisburg.

Professor of History Karl Qualls published

story in an article about international

He also discussed the initiative in

“Politicizing War Memorialization in

enrollments. Davenport also published

an article for PennWatch. Jones also

Soviet and Post-Soviet Sevastopol” in

a blog on TeenLife about the value of

appeared on WITF’s Smart Talk, discussing

The Memory of the Second World War

summer study abroad and the positive

how the judicial system can better

in Soviet and Post-Soviet Russia, ed.

ways such work is viewed by college

respond to extremism, a follow-up to

David Hoffmann (Routledge, 2021), and

admissions counselors.

his role on a panel at the Eradicate

coverage, as did interim President John E. Jones III ’77, P’11 and students Caroline Eagleton ’23, Charlotte Goodman ’23, Jordyn Ney ’23 and Amanda Sowah ’22. Pinsker was also mentioned in a Washington Post story on the journalist who inspired

“Soaring to New Heights: Problematic Policy, Planning, and Unintended Consequences” in Russian Review, Vol. 80, No. 4 (October 2021).

Associate Professor of Spanish Jorge R. G. Sagastume recently published two peer-reviewed articles: “Logic, Symbolic Forms and Translation in Two Stories in The Book of Sand, by Jorge Luis Borges,” in Bulletin of Contemporary Hispanic Studies, University of Liverpool Press, and “The Silence Maker, by Antonio Di Benedetto: Language, Silence and Communication,” in Symposium: A Quarterly Journal in Modern Literatures, Syracuse University,

Vice President and Dean of Student Life George Stroud spoke with U.S. News & World Report about the importance of oncampus housing.

College Archivist and Co-Director of the Carlisle Indian School Digital Resource Center Jim Gerencser ’93 was among the people interviewed for the new Independent Lens/PBS documentary film Home From School: The Children of Carlisle, which explores the efforts of the Northern Arapaho tribe to repatriate the remains of three children who died at the Carlisle Indian Industrial

Hate Global Summit in Pittsburgh in October. In addition, Jones and Center for Sustainability Education Director Neil Leary were quoted in an article announcing the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change as the recipient of the 2022 Sam Rose ’58 and Julie Walters Prize for Global Environmental Activism. The article appeared in more than 200 outlets, including Yahoo! Finance and Marketwatch.

Director of West Coast Recruitment Phil Moreno was featured in an article in LAist, the online magazine from KPCC-FM (NPR/Los Angeles).

published by Taylor & Francis Inc.

School in the 1880s. Gerencser also spoke on a panel at the film’s premiere.

A piece in Baltimore Magazine featured

Associate Professor of Philosophy Crispin

Assistant Professor of American Studies

the story of George and Jennifer

Sartwell published an op-ed, “Yes, Justice

Darren Lone Fight also was part of the

Ward Reynolds ’77, who have created

Sotomayor, the Court Will ‘Survive,’ ” in

panel. Gerencser also discussed the

the Reynolds Leadership Scholars

The Wall Street Journal.

center’s work and how it relates to

program, which offers four-year,

Home From School on WITF’s Smart Talk.

$160,000 scholarships to Dickinson for

Additionally, Gerencser appeared as

high-achieving Maryland students.

an in-studio guest on WGAL-TV’s In Focus

The students will be part of a cohort

discussing the work of the center to

who will have access to a built-in

make documents on the Carlisle Indian

professional network aimed at growing

Industrial School easily available.

their leadership skills.

Administrator Accolades Associate Provost and Executive Director of the Center for Global Study & Engagement Samantha Brandauer ’95 was featured in Latitudes, an e-newsletter on global education written and produced by Karin Fischer of The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Additionally, Brandauer was quoted in the PIE News report on Dickinson’s

The CIS Digital Resource Center was mentioned in a Voice of America article explaining how the center helped a New Jersey museum better tell the story of Native children sent to work on white families’ farms. Gerencser was quoted in the Native News Online story “Army

Rabbi Marley Weiner of the Asbell Center appeared on ABC27 and CBS21 to discuss how the Dickinson community responded to an act of anti-Semitism and racism.

Kudos as of Dec. 17, 2021

5

[

IN THE GAME

]

The Dickinson Red Devils had a strong fall campaign in their first return to action since the 2019 season.

Volleyball Dickinson went 14-10 overall on the court with a 5-5 mark in the CC. The team began the year

extremely strongly, winning eight of its first 11 contests. The lone all-conference selection was Emma Lange ’23, who earned first-team honors. She was a major force in the Devils’ push for a playoff spot toward the end of the season, leading the conference in attack percentage with .383, which was good for 15th nationally. Lange added 12 double-digit kill games in 2021, with a season-high 20 coming against DeSales University. The accolades continued to roll in for Lange as she was the first-ever Red Devil to be named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Region Team as well as AVCA AllAmerica Honorable Mention. She closed out her stellar three-year Dickinson career ranking fifth in total blocks (209) and ninth in total kills (676).

Cross Country The women’s cross-country program had another outstanding season, led by Isabel Cardi ’22, who won all seven races she ran in until the NCAA Championships. She also claimed her second straight win in the CC Championship before cruising to a 42-second victory a week later at the Mid-Atlantic Regional. She along with her teammates posted a 26th-place result at the NCAA Championships in Louisville, Ky. On the men’s side, Christopher Scharf ’22 and his brother, Charles Scharf ’22, were named first-team

all-conference after three onetwo finishes between the duo.

Along with teammate Jacob Doherty Munro ’22, they qualified for the NCAA Championships, where Christopher received AllAmerica honors thanks to his 32nd-place finish.

Football On the gridiron, the Devils went 4-6 (4-5 in the CC). The team retained the Bucket with a 34-3 win over Gettysburg but lost control of the Wagon with a 17-13 setback to F&M on a wet day in Carlisle. Dickinson had eight players named all-conference, headed by first-team selection Brian Snow ’22, who led the conference in total tackles (125) and tackles per game (12.5), as well as ranking third in both categories nationally.

Soccer First-year men’s coach Jorge Chapoy earned his first-ever win for the Red Devils on Oct. 13 in a 2-1 overtime win at Keystone College. He then picked up his first home win 3-0 over Southern Virginia on Oct. 27.

Meg Tate ’23 led the women’s

side with 19 points and garnered first-team all-conference honors as well as being named secondteam all-region. Emma Cooney ’24 and Sarah Hughes ’23 were named second-team all-conference.

Cheer on your Red Devils! Check out all the stats, scores, schedules and highlights at dickinsonathletics.com.

Watch free live broadcasts online, produced by students in the Red Devil Sports Network (RDSN). Follow @DsonRedDevils on Twitter, Dickinson Red Devils on Facebook and @DickinsonAthletics on Instagram for daily updates. #DsonRedDevils DI CK INSON M AGAZINE Winter 2022 6

Photos by Matthew O’Haren.

Field Hockey On the field hockey pitch, the Devils put together one of their best seasons in program history, going 9-10 overall with an impressive 7-3 mark inside the Centennial Conference (CC).

Head Coach Carly Zinn and her team earned four victories over teams receiving votes in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association poll. It was also the first time in program history that Dickinson knocked off Franklin & Marshall and Ursinus in the same season. The Devils secured the third seed in the conference tournament, defeating 13th-ranked Ursinus on the road 2-1 to advance to their first-ever CC final, where they fell in a hardfought battle against the top seed, Johns Hopkins. Hannah Spiri ’22 earned the Devils’ firstever selection as CC Defensive Player of the Year in addition to being named to the first team after leading the team in points with 15 thanks to a team-high six goals. (Read more about Spiri on the adjacent page.) She was joined on the all-conference team

by Ellie Werner ’22, who was named to the second team after netting two game-winners, while Hailey Womer ’25 received honorable mention, tallying a dozen points.

Field Hockey Defender Makes Red Devil History

Dickinson athletes have earned countless accolades over the decades, with Red Devils being named All-Americans, Academic All-Americans, AllCentennial Conference and all-region, to name just a few. But it wasn’t until 2021 that a field hockey player garnered a CC Player of the Year title, on offense or defense.

Spiri says field hockey has always been a big part of her family, and she’s been playing since she could hold a stick. Her mom—a college player herself—introduced her to the sport, and her entire family has been the perfect support system since she joined her first team in second grade.

Now as a Dickinson senior, the Morgantown, Pa., native has played in 54 collegiate games, starting all but one, and recently helped lead the Red Devils to their first-ever Centennial Conference Championship game.

“Hannah is exactly who our program needed, at the time we needed her,” says Carly Zinn, head field hockey coach. Zinn knew Spiri would be a key to the program from the moment Spiri visited campus as a high school senior with her family.

“On the field, off the field, during the season, in the offseason, her impact is constant. Hannah is surrounded by amazing teammates and a strong culture, but she is the one who holds everyone together in good times and bad.”

This past season featured good times, and Spiri was a leader on one of the best teams in program history, earning four victories against nationally ranked opponents and advancing to their first CC championship game. For her efforts, Spiri was also named first-team all-conference and first-team all-region by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association.

Across her Red Devil career, Spiri totaled 23 points as a defender, with nine goals and five assists. Six of those goals came this season, leading the team. She also went five-for-six on penalty stroke attempts for her career, including a two-for-two performance against Gettysburg this season.

“The best thing that has happened to me on the field is scoring the game-winning goal on a stroke in overtime against Gettysburg,” says Spiri. “We lost to them on a stroke in overtime my sophomore year, and it knocked us out of playoffs, so it was exciting to play a role in that win.”

After graduation, Spiri looks to pursue a career in the medical field. But she still likes to look back at her choice to come to Dickinson and what it has meant to her.

“I chose to come to Dickinson for numerous reasons, including the small class sizes and ability to form close relationships with the professors here,” says the biology major, noting that field hockey was also a huge part of her decision. “When I met the field hockey team, I immediately saw the family culture and wanted to be a part of it, which is what ultimately sold me on Dickinson. The final factor was a promise my grandfather made me: If I went to college close to home, he would come to every game. So Dickinson was the perfect choice for me.” –Tony Moore

Dan Loh

“I was blown away, and I’m so honored!” says Hannah Spiri ’22 of her CC Defensive Player of the Year award. She also was named an All-American by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association, only the third such honor in Dickinson field hockey history. “I feel so lucky to have teammates and coaches that challenged me every day and made this award possible, and I’m excited to see Dickinson field hockey receive more recognition moving forward!”

7

HERE & THERE

Small-Business

Spotlight

Dickinson launched its Small-Business Directory in 2020 as a way to celebrate, share and support alumni-owned enterprises. Businesses are submitted by alumni and organized by category, ranging from home goods and health to sustainability and charitable services. Here are a few from the health, wellness and self-care category.

•

3ACT Slide (Christy Abel ’95; Williamstown, Mass.) One of the most exciting and innovative products in today’s fitness and training industry. With its adjustability and circular design, 3ACT Slide is the ideal environment for sport-specific activity, core strengthening, HIIT training, functional flexibility and group exercise.

•

Be About Being Better LLC (Abbie Stasior ’17; New York, N.Y.) Health and lifecoaching company that helps busy individuals weave habits into their schedules that create a sustainable healthy lifestyle.

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Dr. James E. Walton, Ph.D., LMFT (James Walton ’82; Valley Glen, Calif.) A licensed marriage and family therapist offering information, tips and techniques to make the most out of your life through counseling, blogs, videos and audio resources.

•

Fleet Feet (Shawn Marlovits ’89; Hoboken, N.J.) A specialty athletic retailer that has been serving the needs of runners, walkers and fitness enthusiasts in the Hoboken/Northern New Jersey market for the last 20 years.

•

Mindful Running School (Sung Woo Kim ’13; Seoul, South Korea) Offering a variety of virtual courses and training programs to help people start running.

View the full directory at dson.co/directory, and email alumni@dickinson.edu to submit your business for inclusion.

HERE & THERE / bragging rights #DSONPROUD

Giving Tuesday Goal Surpassed The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge awarded Dickinson the 2020 “Highest Voter Registration” and “Highest Voter Turnout” awards among four-year institutions as a part of the Pennsylvania Campus Voting Challenge.

ALL IN honors colleges and universities across the country that increased student voter engagement during the 2020 elections amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The challenge encourages institutions to help students form habits of active, informed citizenship and to institutionalize democratic engagement activities and programs as defining features of campus life.

Dickinson students and faculty played a crucial role through Dickinson Votes, a group dedicated to ensuring all eligible Dickinsonians can participate in elections through voter education, registration drives and turnout initiatives.

Thank you to everyone who chose to make a gift to Dickinson on Giving Tuesday! You helped us more than double our original $100,000 goal for the day with $205,507 supporting scholarships, the Dickinson Fund, academic programming, athletics, sustainability, study abroad, the Student Wellness Fund and more.

Dickinson ranked second on The Princeton Review’s 2022 list of green colleges.

9

New Affinity Groups Promote Multigenerational

SUPPORT Dickinson’s global alumni association and professional network are tried-and-true tools for alumni to connect, particularly with those in the same class year and those with like professional interests. But they don’t provide a formal framework to find fellow alumni and students whose personal identities and broad life experiences mirror one’s own. Dickinson’s new African American Alumni Association (AAAA) and LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) affinity group help fill that gap.

Initiated and led by alumni with assistance from Dickinson staff, these alumni affinity groups provide avenues to get to know and share expertise with fellow alumni who’ve encountered similar experiences and challenges and to help current students embarking on similar life paths.

Targeted and Informed The AAAA was spearheaded by a group of about 30 Black alumni from the classes of 1972 and ’73. These friends have long advocated for greater diversity among Dickinson students and faculty as a way to provide more targeted and informed support for Black students. And some started on that work more than four decades ago, when they established the college’s first Black alumni association.

DI CK INSON M AGAZINE Winter 2022 1 0

The group stayed in close touch over the decades, and in 2019 several members launched an email chain to discuss the ongoing global fight for racial justice and how it’s reflected on campus today. Last year, with assistance from Dickinson’s alumni relations office, that venture grew into a multigenerational affinity group for Black alumni.

“As we started to move beyond our core group, we asked ourselves, ‘What can we do to help current students?’ ” says Patrick Chang ’72, a founding member. “We felt that the current and recently graduated Black students at Dickinson could probably benefit from our collective experience and expertise.”

Now more than 85 members strong, the AAAA meets monthly on Zoom. And on Jan. 1, 2022, it was recognized as an official Dickinson organization, overseen by the Alumni Council, with its own bylaws and officers, including Chang (president), Kali Avans ’11 (vice president) and Leonard Brown ’92 (secretary). The AAAA president sits on the Alumni Council.

Avans got involved because, as a student, he often wondered about the experiences of Dickinsonians of color who came before him and how they adjusted to campus life.

“I can only imagine how much richer my Dickinson experience would have been if this association was in existence during my student days,” he says.

To get the word out among current students, AAAA leaders are in touch with

Dickinson’s student-led Black Student Union. Together, they plan to connect Black students through virtual events this spring and in person, during Alumni Weekend. The AAAA is raising funds for scholarships.

Also in the works is an on-campus memorial for Ed Fletcher ’73. Wellknown as Duke Bootee, composer of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s rap masterpiece “The Message,” Fletcher passed away in 2020.

Momentum and Mentorship The LGBTQ alumni network, while not an official association, has seen increased momentum and interest. Launched informally in 2019 under guidance from Dickinson’s alumni relations and LGBTQ services offices, this group found footing during an Alumni Weekend LGBTQ workshop.

Fifty LGBTQ alumni have taken part in events geared toward building connections, sharing stories and supporting each other and the college.

They include informational sessions about

HERE & THERE

“You can’t unwrite history, but you certainly can ensure that all sides are heard and contribute to the writing moving forward.”

Dickinson’s burgeoning LGBTQ archives, a workshop on how to build community and opportunities to speak at Dickinson’s annual reception for graduating LGBTQ students. Regional Pride events are on tap for 2022, along with an archives-focused Alumni Weekend event.

The archives work is important, says Ted Martin ’87, because LGBTQ life experiences, like those of Black Americans, were too often hidden or suppressed in the past. “It’s rare when life hands anyone the chance to reverse wrongs, and this is one of those moments,” Martin adds. “You can’t unwrite history, but you certainly can ensure that all sides are heard and contribute to the writing moving forward.

Affinity groups like this one allow voices to be heard and respected—and most importantly memorialized.”

Like the AAAA, the LGBTQ group recognizes the need for mentorship, both for young alumni and current students. Alumni who attended college during a time shaped by homophobia and transphobia can offer guidance to students and young alumni on navigating the job market, finding a partner, raising children, connecting with family and other areas of life as an LGBTQ-identifying adult, says Todd Nordgren, director of LGBTQ services.

“Many students want to make connections that will help them find their way during college years and beyond,” Nordgren says, “and the students also get the chance to encounter models for what

life can look like as an LGBTQ+ adult in different stages of life.”

Volunteer mentor Jessica Ozar ’09 was thrilled to discover that her mentee is already reporting the positive effects.

“It’s hard for students to understand what postcollege life will look like,” Ozar says.

“Allowing students to see alumni they can relate to can encourage them to positively look beyond Old West.”

Martin agrees. “I’ve had the good fortune of living a great and out life, and my years as a Dickinson student were among the best years,” he says. “If joining this group can make a positive difference to another Dickinsonian, then I’m happy I signed up.”

Looking Ahead Liz Glynn Toth ’06, director of alumni relations, says that she expects to see more kinds of grassroots, alumni-sparked efforts going forward.

“We want to encourage groups of alumni who are excited to connect and support students in a personally meaningful way,” Toth adds. “Anyone who is interested in starting a new affinity group or joining one of the existing groups may email alumni@ dickinson.edu.” —MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson

11

HERE & THERE

Snippets of stories from around campus and beyond

Alll photos by Dan Loh unless noted.

Dickinson.edu/news

Dickinson Welcomes New Popel Shaw Center Director Yvette Davis, a certified diversity professional with an extensive background in supervisory and coaching experience around antiracism and multiculturalism, joined Dickinson in January as the director of the Popel Shaw Center for Race & Ethnicity (PSC), which is committed to building a more diverse and inclusive campus and world.

“I’m especially excited to get to know the students, hear their stories and learn how they want the PSC to serve them so we can contribute to optimizing their education and their total experience at Dickinson,” Davis says. dson.co/davispsc

DI CK INSON M AGAZINE Winter 2022 1 2

Rose-Walters Prize Recipient Encourages Action Varshini Prakash, executive director and co-founder of Sunrise Movement, recipient of the 2021 Sam Rose ’58 and Julie Walters Prize at Dickinson College for Global Environmental Activism, delivered her lecture, Stopping the Climate Crisis: The Time to Act Is Now, on Nov. 9. The event concluded Prakash’s weeklong residency, during which she visited classrooms, delivered a workshop and spoke with students attending related campus events.

During the Tuesday lecture, Prakash traced her own inspiring journey into activism. She recalled that she first felt the need to “do something” as she watched a tsunami decimate a shoreline in India, her native country,

and kill and injure people along the shore. But she also felt powerless to do anything at all. Her drive to “do something” resurfaced years later, when she learned about the climate crisis. The lecture included discussions about how climate change will affect students’ lives and the things they cherish. Prakash concluded with words meant to inspire the students to change the world.

“I have so many dreams and such a vision for what this country could be. … We just need more people to build the power to make it possible,” she said.

“Whatever your superpower is, lean in and make sure that your values define and govern how you live your life.”

DTG Presents Multicultural History of Dance

A. Pierce Bounds ’71

Why do Indian dancers perform in bare feet, and why do ballet artists wear shoes and dance on their toes?

Why do Irish step dancers hold their upper bodies so straight and still, while hip-hop dancers maintain a casual posture? Dickinson’s Dance Theatre Group (DTG) explored these questions and much more during a world tour of dance history during its fall concert, Moving Histories, Dancing Futures: A Festival of Dance, presented in Mathers Theatre Nov. 19, 20 and 21.

Presidential Dialogues Continue Dickinson College interim President John E. Jones III ’77, P’11 , and President Emeritus William G. Durden ’71 shared personal stories about leadership in a special public discussion on Nov. 17. During “Presidential Dialogues: Lessons in Leadership,” Jones and Durden discussed how the leadership of college presidents can positively impact communities. Through personal stories and anecdotes, they explored what good leadership looks like and how it can enact positive change. Jones interviewed Durden on his experiences at Dickinson as a student and administrator to explore how Dickinson has shaped his life. This was the second in Jones’ Presidential Dialogues series. The first featured Joanne Adebayo ’21 , partnership marketing coordinator at L.L.Bean and Dickinson’s newest Young Alumni Trustee.

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orward A Revolutionary Future DICKINSON

The Campaign for Scholarships: Change a Life—Change the World surpassed $40 million from over 4,700 donors on its way toward the $75 million needed to ensure that Dickinson can provide a scholarship to every student who needs one. That funding has enabled Dickinson to launch 64 new scholarship funds so far, while providing more than 1,700 current students with grants and scholarships.

One of those new scholarship funds is already bearing fruit. The Reynolds Leadership Scholar Program, which George and Jennifer Ward Reynolds ’77 created to provide scholarships to promising students from Maryland, attracted more than 150 applications and helped the college increase overall applications from the Reynolds’ home state.

These results demonstrate the promise of the cohort approach, one of the new scholarship models unveiled through the campaign. As this program shows, these scholarships not only help deserving students realize a Dickinson education, but they also help enhance the college’s recruiting efforts.

To learn more about how you can get involved or for more news on the campaign, visit dson.co/change.

Dickinson also continues to make progress on the new data analytics program and the developing Food, Agriculture & Resource Management (FARM) Lab project, both of which emerged from the Revolutionary Challenge. The new data analytics major launched this fall and has attracted interest from numerous students, with 15 already declaring the major. Meanwhile, FARM Lab has formed an advisory committee of faculty, staff and alumni to continue to move the project forward and selected the firm Re:Vision Architecture to begin developing ideas for a sustainable, stateof-the-art facility at the College Farm to support its wide array of interdisciplinary and innovative programming.

To learn more about these initiatives and Dickinson Forward, visit dson.co/forward22.

DI CK INSON M AGAZINE Winter 2022 1 4

Dan Loh

HERE & THERE / campus update

Renaming Ceremony Honors 19th-Century Black Community Members

More than 50 descendants and representatives of the Spradley, Young and Pinkney families from across the country, as well as members of the Dickinson community, attended the renaming ceremony.

Dickinson Marks Cooper Hall and East College Gate Renaming In November, Dickinson marked the renaming of Cooper Hall to SpradleyYoung Hall and the East College Gate to Pinkney Gate. The renaming honors Henry W. Spradley and Robert C. Young , two longtime 19th-century Black employees and noted community leaders in Carlisle, and Carrie and Noah Pinkney, formerly enslaved food sellers who worked around campus in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

In May 2020, Dickinson’s board of trustees unanimously approved the name changes, following recommendations from a 2019 report from the Dickinson & Slavery initiative. The initiative, a multiyear research project led by Professor of History Matthew Pinsker and his students and launched as part of the House Divided Project, examined the college’s complex ties to slavery. Three of the student interns who contributed to the project, Caroline Eagleton ’23 , Charlotte Goodman ’23 and Jordyn Ney ’23 , made remarks during the renaming ceremony.

“When we started the Dickinson & Slavery initiative, we wanted to get the community talking about the college’s ties to both slavery and the anti-slavery movement,” said Pinsker, also director of Dickinson’s House Divided Project. “In addition to publishing the report, we’ve opened a museum exhibit and created a self-guided campus walking tour to share this important history with our broader community.”

More than 50 descendants and representatives of the Spradley, Young and Pinkney families from across the country attended the renaming ceremony.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” said Aliya Higginbotham , a descendant of Robert C. Young, who traveled to Carlisle from Fort Scott, Kansas, for the ceremony. “I came here to learn everything about my history and meet my family.”

“It was exciting first of all to hear that Dickinson had done such incredible work

in going back and finding the important contributions that my great-great-granddad, Robert Young, made on campus,” said Al Gilbert , who flew in from San Francisco for the ceremony. “For me, it represents that my responsibility in life is to make sure I impact as many people as I can, considering what he was able to do 150 years ago.”

Moving forward, the college will explore other potential name changes for additional buildings with wide-ranging considerations related to recognizing more diverse historic contributions to the school and nation.

“This is an important step toward more accurately reflecting the history of the college and embracing the people who have contributed to it,” said interim President John E. Jones III ’77, P’11 . “This effort involved input from people across the campus and is a testament to the thoughtfulness of our students, faculty and staff and the leadership and vision of the House Divided Project.” —Tony Moore

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by MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson

Providing Partnerships Betty Richardson Churchill ’58 and her husband, Dan , have shared an adventurous life—one

distinguished by exciting careers, global living and travel and a shared commitment to service and lifelong learning. Now, they’re helping young people with similar interests to develop the skills, knowledge and mindsets they’ll need to help solve the most pressing global issues of the years and decades ahead.

CROSSING PATHS Betty was an English major at Dickinson who wrote for The Dickinsonian, played NCAA softball and spent a few weeks abroad one summer with a Dickinson professor and classmates.

“That summer was the first time I’d been to Europe. I loved it, and I stayed in touch with the friends I’ve made through the years,” says Betty, who was determined to keep traveling. She joined the CIA after graduation and soon embarked on a two-year assignment in West Berlin, at the height of the Cold War (the Berlin Wall had just been erected in 1961). Among Betty’s responsibilities was meeting and managing support agents who received encrypted messages from behind the Iron Curtain.

Dan was studying engineering physics at the University of Maine when he was recruited by the CIA. After a stint as a junior officer in the U.S. Air Force, he joined the agency as well.

Dan and Betty’s paths crossed soon after.

Their first date was a Herb Alpert concert—Betty was a big fan. “She joked that she would’ve gone to that concert with just about anyone,” Dan says with a laugh. “Luckily, she went with me.”

DI CK INSON M AGAZINE Winter 2022 1 6

SHARED SENSE OF PURPOSE Dan and Betty married and lived together in Europe for 23 years—15 in London and the rest in Frankfurt and Brussels. They traveled extensively and continued to work in the intelligence community until 1971, when Dan earned an MBA from Boston University and pivoted to international finance.

The Churchills relished the chance to learn about global cultures and cuisines, and Betty nurtured a love of art and antiques. They also developed a passion for sustainability, informed

by Dan’s background in science and a shared love of the natural world.

These interests, and their experiences as public servants living abroad, led them to think deeply about international affairs, the U.S.’s role in the world, and the need to help young people prepare to make a difference as global leaders and public servants. After Dan retired as Avis Europe’s vice president of finance in 1998, the Churchills began to consider ways they could advance that aim.

BUILDING ON SUCCESSES Betty had kept in touch with Dickinson friends through the years, and had made a point of seeing fellow alumni during trips home to the U.S. After she and Dan moved back to America, she deepened her involvement with her alma mater. They looked for ways to support Dickinson’s current programs and initiatives that aligned with their interests and values—civic engagement, sustainability, global study and leadership, international studies and the arts.

They began by offering support for the Clarke Forum for Contemporary Issues, which brings high-profile speakers to campus, and for Dickinson’s intensive, interdisciplinary Mosaic program, which links classroom learning with fieldwork and immersive experiences across the country and around the world.

Dan researched similar opportunities to make a difference at his alma mater.

They became founding supporters of a new graduate program in international affairs— the only such program in northern New England (Dickinson’s then-president, William G. Durden ’71 , served as outside reviewer for the program). And Dickinson developed a graduate linkage program for students wishing to earn an M.A. in global policy at the University of Maine’s School for Policy and International Affairs (SPIA). They also began supporting the Climate Change Institute (CCI) at UMaine through funding for students’ field expeditions.

Supported by the Churchills, the graduate-linkage program has brought 10 qualified Dickinson students (and more each year) to UMaine, where they may complete the M.A. in just 15 months. The Richardson-Churchill SPIA Fellowship Fund at the University of Maine provides tuition assistance. The Churchills also support related fieldwork and learning opportunities at both institutions.

VALUES-BASED CONNECTIONS Anna McGinn ’14 and Will Kochtitzky ’16 are two

of the young Dickinsonians who attended SPIA and/or CCI with support from the Churchills and also benefited from the Churchills’ support of international learning and research. They also are among the roughly 15 Dickinson/SPIA grads who remain in touch with the Churchills.

“Dan and Betty support students financially in conducting novel research, but also through engagement: They actively want to hear what you discovered in your research and inevitably provide new ideas for further study and improvement,” says Kochtitzky, a doctoral student at the University of Ottawa who conducted Churchill-supported fieldwork in Peru with Professor of Earth Sciences Ben Edwards and presented the research at a premier conference. “This way of giving not only advances our understanding of our changing planet, but also propels budding careers.”

“They’re like second grandparents.

Even our dogs are friends!” says McGinn, a policy associate at the Environmental and Energy Study Institute who, as a Maine grad student, traveled to Nicaragua and Samoa to conduct fieldwork on climate-change adaptation with help from the Churchills’ funding and also traveled to multiple United Nations climate-change negotiations—a topic she became interested in through Dickinson’s 2011 global climate-change Mosaic—with the Churchills’ support.

“It seems to me that for Dan and Betty, giving back is all about building meaningful

relationships that end up giving so much more than just money,” McGinn, pictured above with Betty, adds. “I have learned so much from their approach to supporting Dickinson and the University of Maine— mostly in seeing how fulfilling it can be to stay engaged with the schools and create once-in-a-lifetime opportunities.”

‘THE MOST REWARDING THING WE’VE DONE’ The key to that fulfillment lies in the Churchills’ engagement with the college, Dan says. Because they met with staff and faculty members and learned about the college’s current values, programs and needs, they were able to learn what was most valuable to the institution and its students and what best aligned with their own interests and values. When they wrote their wills and bequests, they were better able to think through ways to tailor their philanthropy so they give in a way that’s both impactful and personally meaningful. Bonus: They’re able to meet young people like Kochtitzky and McGinn, who share their broad values and are working to create positive change.

“Dickinson is a wonderful school— it’s focusing on the right things—and the Dickinson students we’ve met have wonderful values. They’re devoting themselves to areas that really make a difference,” Dan says. “Being able to support that work and connect it to work at the University of Maine is probably the most rewarding thing we’ve ever done.”

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[

ALUMNI PROFILE

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(but Familiar)

Tune:

Alexander Strachan ’13 Moves From Music to Law Enforcement

By MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson

“I realized that there are human beings behind the badge, and they’re trying to help. That’s something I gravitate

I LIKE TO GO OUT OF MY WAY TO HELP.”

toward—

DI CK INSON M AGAZINE Winter 2022 1 8

Photo courtesy of Prince George’s County Police Department.

Playing a Different

DISTINCTIVELY DICKINSON / alumni profile

Alexander Strachan ’13 wasn’t expecting an epiphany on that scorching summer day in 2017. But when he witnessed several police officers assisting one of his elderly neighbors, a proverbial light bulb went off over his head.

“The officers did everything they could to keep her cool, with a fan and bottles of water. It was a side of policing I’d never seen before,” Strachan remembers. “I realized that there are human beings behind the badge, and they’re trying to help. That’s something I gravitate toward—I like to go out of my way to help.”

Strachan had already devoted his professional life to service of a very different sort, and now he was inspired to help in a new way. As he recently explained during a national news broadcast, he believes that his former career as a musician prepared him well for life in the police force.

Strachan began playing violin as a child, and after his grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, he noticed that her focus and mood improved whenever he played her favorite songs. He learned a repertoire of wellknown hymns, patriotic songs, decades-old show tunes and pop hits. And as a high-schooler he performed this uplifting playlist for nursing home residents.

Strachan’s musical abilities—and his worldview—expanded in college, where he declared a music major, performed internationally and got to know students and professors from around the world.

“I grew up in Maryland, and I hadn’t met people from different cultures,” he explains.

“The advantage of being at Dickinson is that it’s not a huge campus, but it has a diverse population. So if you get involved with different groups and organizations, it’s easy to get to know people and have intimate conversations with fellow students and professors that you may not have otherwise met.”

After graduation, Strachan founded Healing Strings Studio, which provides the comfort of live music to terminally ill children and adults and their families. Strachan performed personalized music programs in nursing homes, hospices and other medical facilities—sometimes at bedside—and also provided live music for memorial services. The work required a great deal of emotional capacity, but it was also rewarding, and Strachan had the professional and interpersonal skills it took to succeed.

Then COVID hit, and Strachan’s music was temporarily silenced due to social-distancing requirements. Fortunately, it was also around this time that he learned his application to the police academy, submitted soon before the height of the pandemic in 2020, had been accepted. Now, he’s a newly minted police officer, patrolling in Prince George’s County, Md. Speaking during a two-part TV interview on CBS News, Strachan admits that it’s an uncommon career shift, but as he points out, he’s far from the only police officer with unexpected talents and passions.

And, as he notes, many of the skills and talents he sharpened in his pre-police days remain vital. He still needs to quickly establish trust, decode nonverbal cues in real time and respond to the unexpected with calmness and professionalism. And he’s able to connect meaningfully with strangers in crisis and help make the best of difficult situations.

Strachan continues to perform through Healing Strings while serving as an officer, and he enjoys the variety and opportunities for connection and learning that both roles bring.

“When people contact the police, it’s usually because something unfortunate or difficult is happening, so you need to know how to talk with people who are dealing with hardships. That’s something I’ve been doing for a long time,” Strachan says. “To me, it’s about responding to a need and being the best you can be for the person you’re responding to—while adhering to the laws and policies, of course.

That’s what I was doing before, and I’m still doing that, just in different ways.”

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2021-22 MIDYEAR GIVING IMPACT REPORT

DISTINCTIVELY DICKINSON

Together, You Are Moving

DICKINSON FORWARD So far this year, Dickinsonians have come together in incredible ways.

We invite you to join in making a difference through Dickinson.

DI CK INSON M AGAZINE Winter 2022 2 0

DISTINCTIVELY DICKINSON / midyear giving impact report

“It’s important to continue the cycle of giving back at Dickinson because it helps so many students. Unfortunately, education is not free, but I deeply believe that it should be accessible to all.”

—Gabrielle Richards ’07, women’s lacrosse volunteer

DICKINSON FUND UPDATE 2021-22 DICKINSON FUND GOAL:

DICKINSON FUND GIFTS TO DATE:

$5,600,000 $2,658,558 47.47% PERCENTAGE TO GOAL:

Dickinson alumni and parents are coming together in support of the college. Here are just a few ways that our community has made a difference so far this year:

1 new major

Thanks to the 46 Dickinsonians who worked tirelessly for a year to launch Dickinson’s data analytics major and equip future data scientists with liberal-arts skills.

MEANINGFUL INTERNSHIP AND CAREER CONNECTIONS MADE DURING A WOMEN’S LACROSSE NETWORKING EVENT

272

DICKINSON FUND VOLUNTEERS WHO SENT TEXTS AND EMAILS AND MADE PHONE CALLS TO HELP RAISE $365,076 ON GIVING TUESDAY

2,000

alumni, parents and friends who spoke to Dickinson student callers last fall to learn about their experiences and opportunities to contribute to the Dickinson Fund.

—Angela Wallis ’02, 20th-reunion volunteer, class Data as of 1/1/2022

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“The college gave me my best friends and a wonderful education.

Dickinson’s courses and activities made me a better student, leader and person, and its diverse community allowed me to build lasting friendships with students from across the United States and all over the world. I also give because the college has done more and better, year after year, during the 20 years since my graduation.” agent, Mermaid Society member

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Your Collective Support Makes a Difference!

2021-22 MIDYEAR GIVING IMPACT REPORT

This spring, you can join fellow alumni and families in supporting Dickinson students. Here are a few members of our community who are getting involved and giving back.

“I hope my gift provides access for students who need financial assistance for their education. I am forever grateful for the generosity that was provided to me when I was a student. I think giving back is a simple way to assist the endeavors of an institution that provided you with so many resources.”

—Kali Avans ’11, Alumni Council member, vice president of the African American Alumni Association, Mermaid Society member

“We felt that focusing on a specific area, especially one as important as mental health, would be the most impactful.

Working with the college, we were able to find this unique way of aligning something that is important to our family and can benefit the current students.

On Day of Giving, we will be offering a challenge to help raise additional funds for wellness initiatives at Dickinson.

We want to ensure that Dickinson students have the support they need for wellness and mental health.” —Jon ’06 and Nicole Hays ’07,

feel it is important to support the students and faculty at our colleges and universities. From a young age, I remember my parents (my mother is a member of the class of ’76), my godmother (class of ’77) and their classmates celebrating their time at Dickinson. They participated in reunions and career events, and they visited campus regularly. I saw how they kept in touch with and gave back to the college they cared so much about, and I wanted to keep that tradition going once I became an alumna.” —Ellen Dunlap ’03, class agent and

John Dickinson Society and Mermaid Society members

Mermaid Society member

DI CK INSON M AGAZINE Winter 2022 2 2

“My family and I

DISTINCTIVELY DICKINSON / midyear giving impact report

Four Ways You Can Support Dickinson This Spring!

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JOIN IN DURING DAY OF GIVING!

On April 5, 2022, show your Dickinson spirit and celebrate all that the college means to you!

GET CONNECTED!

We always appreciate the financial support of our alumni and families, but your advocacy for and connection to Dickinson is critical for moving the college forward. If you are interested in getting involved, visit dickinson. edu/volunteer.

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SHARE YOUR STORY.

Did you know that Dickinson is committed to providing a scholarship to every student who needs one, meeting the full demonstrated financialaid need for every Dickinsonian we admit?

The college’s Campaign for Scholarships: Change a Life—Change the World is currently raising funds to uphold this commitment.

Learn more about the campaign and let us know how scholarships and financial aid played a role in your Dickinson experience at dickinson. edu/change.

4

SUPPORT THE DICKINSON FUND. Whether you

choose to support scholarships or make a gift supporting academic programming, student life, wellness initiatives or another Dickinson Fund priority with special meaning for you, every gift of every size makes a powerful, immediate and longlasting impact.

Join us in moving Dickinson forward! Dickinson.edu/gift

“Support from Dickinson’s alumni and donors has helped to shape my time at Dickinson and made it possible for me to create an unforgettable and invaluable undergraduate experience. Through my participation in a broad range of academic and cocurricular activities, Dickinson prepared me to go into the wider world with confidence in my abilities and security in the knowledge that, starting in May, I am a member of a dedicated, worldwide alumni network.” —Meredith Franchini ’22 23

DISTINCTIVELY DICKINSON

DI CK INSON M AGAZINE Winter 2022 2 4

spaces we lcve Morgan Field, with Allison Hall in the background, blanketed in snow from a December storm.

Photo by Khoa Le ’24.

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PAST & PRESENT OUR DICKINSON our Dickinson Read on for alumni adventures and accomplishments, connections and career updates, fond memories and musings.

Where has your Dickinson education taken you? Submit at dsonmag@dickinson.edu.

S AVA N N A H , G E O R G I A

S A N D O N ATO VA L D I C O M I N O , I TA LY

C O LU M B U S , O H I O

PAG O PAG O , A M E R I C A N S A M OA

Listen Up!

Dickinson’s award-winning monthly podcast, The Good, shares stories from students, professors, alumni and friends of Dickinson. Subscribe to The Good where you get podcasts. Dson.co/thegoodmag

DI CK INSON M AGAZINE Winter 2022 2 6

PAST & PRESENT

Exploring Affinity BERNADETTE MCFADDEN STOUT ’07

I

n my first column, I shared that Dickinson is the institution with which I feel the greatest affinity. As I look forward to the 100th anniversary of Dickinson’s Alumni Council in 2023, I believe we have an opportunity to redefine how alumni engage with the college.

I’ll share more about our plans for the anniversary in future columns, but for now, I’d like to offer a bold aspiration: that every Dickinsonian feels at least as much loyalty to the college as to the other important institutions in their lives. Challenge yourself to think about where Dickinson stands relative to other organizations you care about. How does Dickinson rank compared to your graduate school? Your professional association or military service?

Your community or volunteer involvements?

Your children’s schools or your church?

What will it take to move Dickinson into the top tier?

students are affiliated with eight different groups while on campus.

When I thought about my own campus affiliations, I rapidly identified six: Blue Hats, Phonathon callers, caf workers, policy management majors, the yearbook and the Senior Class Gift Drive. These on-campus activities provided friendship, connectivity and purpose. When I go back to campus now, I still find fellowship with the caf workers, and I look forward to the Phonathon each fall so that I can chat with the caller and share my own experiences. In these cases, my affinity groups provide a natural connection to current students. For other alums, their affinity groups provide an avenue to engage with their alumni peers (and prospective students as well!).

I’d like to offer a potential path to enable this aspiration. Those of us who work in a corporate environment are likely quite familiar with affinity groups. At my company, I’m a member of several: Dual Career Couples, Women & Families, the Social Interest Group and FirstGeneration Professionals, to name a few.

Simply defined, an affinity group brings together individuals linked by a shared interest, experience, social identifier, purpose or goal. These groups strengthen our communities by providing support, engagement, connection and affirmation.

As I have spoken to members of the Alumni Council about their own affinity-group affiliations, I have heard about continued engagement via athletics (from Claire Brawdy ’16 , who supports the McAndrews Fund each year and attends cross-country meets to cheer on current athletes), academics (from Treasure Walker ’04, who routinely meets with current pre-med students), Greek life (from Jeff Murison ’93 , who is the keeper of cherished Sigma Chi mementos) and study abroad (from Ron Waetzman ’71 , who maintains an ongoing connection to the Bologna program).

While planning Delta Nu’s 50th anniversary celebration this past fall, Julie Alexander ’80, P’19, and Barbara Pim Bailey ’73 , among others, learned that, on average, current

And we cannot overstate the importance of affinity-group affiliations for underrepresented Dickinsonians. This issue of the magazine spotlights Dickinson’s

Dan Loh

Alumni Council President

African American Alumni Association, which Alumni Council member Kali Avans ’11 has supported since its inception. Similarly, Ron and others are spearheading the formation of an LGBTQ alumni group, which will include a Pride event during 2022 reunion weekend. (Read more on Pages 10-11.) Affinity groups alone are not a solution to the diversity and inclusion challenges facing educational institutions, but they can play a role in reducing the sense of isolation, discomfort and even marginalization among these students.

Your engagement with these groups can empower and inspire a new generation of Dickinsonians to feel more at home and more connected with the college, knowing that you were there before them to light the way.

My husband, Alex Stout ’07, and I will be on campus in June for our 15th reunion. I look forward to seeing many of you there! Learn more and register at dson.co/aw22mag .

If you’re interested in learning more about the Alumni Council or interested in joining us, please don’t hesitate to reach out anytime: bernadette.m.stout+dickinson@gmail.com.

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Q&A

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Meet the Trustees Q&As with current members of Dickinson’s board of trustees

Michael Bloom ’69 Retired Partner and General Counsel, Morgan, Lewis Legal Ethics and Risk Management Consultant

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I was recruited to the board by then-President Bill Durden ’71 and then-VP for Enrollment Management Bob Massa. At that time, it was my hope to assist the college in significantly improving student diversity while helping to expand our endowment, which would create additional sorely needed funds for scholarships.

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Why did you join the board?

What is something you think the Dickinson community should know about the BOT? Shockingly for some, the board is not composed entirely of old white men. I’m the longtime chair of what is now the Committee on Governance, and we have worked hard to diversify the board in all respects: adding talented persons of color, working on gender balance, adding younger members, broadening the range of skill sets of trustees and expanding our demographics. We are incredibly pleased that two of our newer trustees were the Young Alumni Trustees in 2011 and 2012. Who knew when we established the Young Alumni Trustee program a decade ago as an experiment that it would have developed so successfully?

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What is something the Dickinson community might be interested to know about you?

I was a history major with minors in French and political science. My thesis was on Pierre Laval, vice premier under Petain of Vichy France. As a student of the turbulent ’60s, I was on my way to Harvard Graduate School of History in May of 1969. With the draft in place during the Vietnam War and graduate deferments eliminated, in June 1969, I found myself in Parris Island, South Carolina, in the Marine Corps. I became a lawyer with the goal of protecting the rights of others. While there are many differences between then and now, there are so many parallels.

DI CK INSON M AGAZINE Winter 2022 4 2

PAST & PRESENT / our Dickinson

Susan Miller ’81 President & CEO, ATIS

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Why did you join the board?

Becoming a member of the board of trustees was an alignment of the stars. I attended Dickinson’s first Women’s Leadership Summit, and I had the opportunity to sit next to former board chair Jennifer Ward Reynolds ’77 at the luncheon. Jennifer did this wonderful thing—she slipped out to go to the College Farm’s market stand and returned with a bag of beautiful garlic cloves, and she gave one to me! Not long after, I was formally invited to join, and I was ready to jump in and take the next step of engagement with the college. Never underestimate the value of who you sit next to at an event!

I was privileged to join the board during a transformational moment spurred by the challenges of COVID and the pressures being brought to bear on higher education. I’m chair of the board’s IT Ad

Hoc Committee, which is facilitating Dickinson’s digital transformation. I hope to help shepherd a new age at Dickinson—building on its great strengths while launching it into a bright, modern and innovative future.

What is something you think the Dickinson community should know about the BOT? The BOT is passionate about the college and its ability to be successful in a changing higher-education environment. The trustees have all received the great gifts of a Dickinson education and now want to give back in a way that delivers an exciting future for Dickinson. It’s one of the most engaged boards I have ever been part of. And the diversity of the experiences and talent on the board ensures that opportunities and challenges are looked at from many angles.

What is something the Dickinson community might be interested to know about you?

I own a boutique wine, beer and craft spirits business, where the products are organic, biodynamic or made from sustainably grown ingredients. It’s one store in a community of stores that are all focused on being kind to the planet and offering clean products. We brought a group of students working on the College Farm to visit these businesses and experience the entrepreneurial ideas and spirit of these planet-friendly businesses.

I spent eight years helping a young architectural student from Honduras gain asylum in the U.S., after he was the victim of gang violence and arrived here as an undocumented immigrant. It was a long and difficult lesson in the U.S. immigration process. And it was a thrilling moment when we made it through the court system to receive his green card. It’s one of the most satisfying give-back experiences I have ever had.

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YOUR VIEW

On This You May Reminisce Crossword Thank you to the more than 30 readers who submitted their completed crossword puzzles from the fall issue (and many thanks to Gil Ludwig ’69 for crafting another good one!). Twenty-seven of those submissions were completely correct, and those alumni, students and parents were entered into a random prize drawing to win a $25 Dickinson College Bookstore gift card.

Congrats to our winner, Katie Monfet ’10!

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

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Your Turn Contribute to a future issue!

• Share

your goals/aspirations/resolutions for 2022, in 22 words or fewer!

They can be personal, professional, philanthropic or pie-in-the-sky.

• If you could return to Dickinson as a student for one day, what’s one thing you would be sure to do?

Email your response to dsonmag@dickinson.edu. Readers who submit a response to one or both prompts by March 30 will be entered into a drawing for a $25 Dickinson College Bookstore gift card.

DI CK INSON M AGAZINE Winter 2022 4 8

SAVE THE DATE!

Day of Giving for Dickinson Tuesday, April 5, 2022

Dickinsonians will once again rally together on April 5 to support our students and the entire Dickinson experience.

Your gift will be put to work immediately to help to prepare future scientists who will heal the planet, teachers who will inspire the next generation, artists and musicians who will move us, humanists who will give us the resources to understand our experiences, and entrepreneurs who will solve problems and grow our economy. And your Day of Giving gift can also support the college’s effort to provide a scholarship to every student who needs one through the Campaign for Scholarships: Change a Life—Change the World.

Each year, your support demonstrates the power and impact of collective philanthropy at Dickinson. We can’t wait to see what we will do together this year! #dsongives P.S. And of course, there’s no need to wait until April if you want to make your gift early at dickinson.edu/gift!

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

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well-stated

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You can’t unwrite history, but you certainly can ensure that all sides are heard and contribute to the writing moving forward.

I only know one way to lead, and that is with passion, a laserlike focus on the tasks at hand and great joy.

Interim President J OH N E . J ON E S leading Dickinson forward on Page 2.

I I I ’ 7 7, P ’ 1 1 .

Read more about how he’s

TED MARTIN ’87,

one of several alumni involved in launching new affinity groups for LGBTQ and Black Dickinsonians. Read more on Pages 10-11.

That’s something I gravitate toward —I like to go out of my way to help.

A L E X A N DE R S T R A C H A N ’ 1 3 ,

on his motivation to move from musician to police officer. Read more on Pages 18-19.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE, NOT ONLY TO CELEBRATE BUT TO GIVE BACK.

K I R S T E N N I X A S A B I A ’ 9 2 , Delta Nu 50th Planning Committee chair. Read more about how Delta Nu pulled off an epic birthday bash on Page 3.

INSIDE: Providing Partnerships | Playing a Different (But Familiar) Tune | Midyear Giving Impact Report