21 minute read
President’s Note
Dear Friends,
The relaxing scene on the cover of this magazine highlights one of Juniata’s most cherished traditions—Mountain Day. It’s a day of camaraderie and enthusiasm, a spirit that students carry with them into every pursuit.
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Those qualities are evident in our students’ academic and athletic endeavors, in their research, and in their work to better the world around them. This year, Juniatians marked the 25th annual MLK Jr. Day of Service with a variety of community-wide service projects in which nearly 100 students, faculty, and staff spent a day painting, shoveling, cleaning, building, cooking, and organizing. James A. Troha trohaj@juniata.edu @juniataprztroha
As you peruse the pages of Juniata magazine, I hope you are filled with a sense of pride, both in our institution and in its people. With articles shared about successful alumni recent and past, our nationally-recognized case study team, a promising partnership with Ningbo University, and new coaches, there is a lot to be excited about at Juniata. Each issue of this magazine is a testimony to the teaching offered and the learning accomplished.
BELIEVE: The Campaign for Juniata continues to make outstanding progress thanks to your generosity. Gifts from this campaign benefit every single person who sets foot on our campus and make possible those things that we do and that we value. Your gifts make Juniata everything it is and will be in years to come.
Sincerely,
PHOTO: MEGAN BRENNEMAN
April Feagley Editor Assistant Director of Communication feaglea@juniata.edu 814-641 -3131 Isabella Bennett ’20 Student Editor Juniata Associate for Media Relations Jason Moran VP for Enrollment and Marketing moranj@juniata.edu David Meadows ’98 Director of Alumni Relations and Stewardship meadowd@juniata.edu Steven Simons Senior Associate Dean of Admission and Marketing Rosann Brown Executive Director of Marketing Candice Hersh Associate Director of Marketing and Enrollment Communication Angie Ciccarelli Graphic Designer Luke Fragello Director of New Media
Juniata is published two times a year by Juniata College, Department of Marketing, and is distributed free of charge to alumni and friends of Juniata. Postmaster and others, please send change-of-address correspondence to: Alumni Relations, 1700 Moore St., Huntingdon, PA 16652-2196. Juniata can accept no responsibility for unsolicited contributions of artwork, photography, or articles. Juniata College, as an educational institution and employer, values equality of opportunity and diversity. The College is an independent, privately supported coeducational institution committed to providing a liberal arts education to qualified students regardless of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, marital status, sexual orientation, or disability. Its policies comply with requirements of Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IV of the Education Amendments of 1972, and all other applicable federal, state, and local statutes, regulations and guidelines. Juniata Isaac Baker Director of Web Design
Alfie the Eagle greeted his fans as he accompanied his fellow Juniatians in the annual Huntingdon Halloween Parade in October. —Photo by Veronica Cosmopolis ’20
A classic tale of political intrigue, conspiracy, and betrayal took to the stage of the Suzanne von Liebig Theatre within the Halbritter Center for the Performing Arts with a performance of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar directed by Cosimo Sciortino ’20 from York, Pa.—Photo by Rowan Stolle-McAllister ’22
Students, faculty, and staff came together in the Global Commons of Tussey and Terrace Halls to celebrate the Chinese Mid-Autumn Moon Festival at a gala hosted by the Chinese Club with traditional moon cakes, snacks, and singing. —Photo by Hai Nguyen ’22
First-year students made a valiant attempt to Storm the Arch, but were unable to breach the defenses mounted by members of Juniata’s River Rats and Hellbenders Rugby teams. —Photo by Veronica Cosmopolis ’20
hammocks on the shore of Raystown
Lake as they observed one of the College’s most cherished traditions, Mountain Day. Below: Prior to being crowned as Mr. Juniata at the Star of the Universe
Eagles Pursue Excellence in Every Pursuit Real World Experience, Lasting Impacts Creating New Knowledge
pageant, Genki Miyasato ’22, of Kunitachi,
2020 Sp ring Junia ta Mag Front.indd 1
Japan, right, performed a duet with Souza “Nina” Fujikawa ’22, of Miki-Shi, Japan, in the Halbritter Center for the Performing Arts.
COVER PHOTO: SARAH ROHRER ’20 BELOW: HAI NGUYEN ’22
2/3/20 11:01 AM
SPRING 2020 Juniata
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CONTENTS
Campus News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Front Cover President’s Note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Best of Sports Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Eagles Pursue Excellence in Every Pursuit . . . . . . . . . 16 Juniata’s athletes are known for their pursuit of excellence on the field and in the classroom. By partnering with coaches who foster a culture of academic achievement, students cultivate big plans, big aspirations, and a strong sense of purpose—aspiring them to soar both on the scoreboard and in their GPAs.
Real World Experience, Lasting Impacts . . . . . . . . . . . 22 The value of real-life work experience over theoretical knowledge can make all the difference as graduates set out into their chosen career fields. Programs at Juniata like Innovations for Industry (I4I) and community partnerships with Integrated Media Arts (IMA) students enable students to hone their abilities while benefitting businesses and nonprofit agencies.
Creating New Knowledge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 At Juniata, undergraduate research opportunities take place in partnership with faculty in pursuit of deeper understanding across disciplines—from science to humanities. Now, a gift from Elaine (Becker) Jones ’76 and Keith Jones ’75 will expand undergraduate research opportunities.
Faculty Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Faculty Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Alumni Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Class Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Homecoming, Recruit a Student, Alumni Business, European Reunion . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Q&A: Scott M. Beatty ’91 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Q&A: Ryan T. Mull ’17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Remembering Warren F. Groff ’49 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Remembering Dottie (Lehman) Hershberger ’50 . 58 I met a Juniata Alum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
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Juniata Observes ‘A Day On, Not a Day Off’
Juniata College participated in the MLK Day of Service in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, with volunteers working on direct service projects in Huntingdon and Mount Union. Suraia Silveira ’20 from Boston, Mass., was one of the students instrumental in organizing the day of service.
“It was stressful in the beginning because there were only five of us and we were afraid that we wouldn’t have enough people to participate, that students wouldn’t come back early. But in the end, it came a long way actually. We ended up spreading it out through Huntingdon and into Mount Union,” she said.
In total, 91 volunteers participated, comprised of the College’s students, faculty, staff, and alumni.
Volunteer sites and projects across Huntingdon County included: meal prep at the Stone Church of the Brethren to prepare for a community meal at the church at 5 p.m., a moving project at the Huntingdon Borough Office, general cleanup and organizing at the Huntingdon Community Center, cleaning and painting at the Huntingdon County Library, restocking, cleaning, dog walking, and cat petting at the Humane Society, sorting and organizing at the Huntingdon Area High School, and work at the Silica Athletic Park in Mount Union.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a national holiday and also a national day of service.
“I feel this should be done everywhere, not just one college doing it,” said Silveira. “We have speakers here to talk about Martin Luther King Day, but we never had a day of service where students are engaged.”
April Wells ’20 from San Fernando Valley, Calif., is glad to see the College
From the left, Payton Kough ’22 and Anne Callaway ’23, dean of students Matthew Damschroder, Suraia Silveira ’20 and April Wells ’20 prepared food for a community meal at the Stone Church of the Brethren for the MLK Day of Service.
PHOTO: NATHAN WOODS ’19
community go out into the surrounding area.
“To take it as not a day off but as a day of service and get involved in our community was a good idea...I think today seeing the Juniata community coming together with Huntingdon as a community is a beautiful thing. Especially on a day when this is what Martin Luther King Jr. would want to see. While we can’t see equality all over, I think it’s the little things that make changes,” she said.
The slogan of MLK Day of Service is “A Day On, Not a Day Off” and students have taken that to heart.
“I really like the people at Juniata and volunteering, and I thought it would be a great way to start the semester doing something I feel strongly about with people I care about,” said Anne Callaway ’23 from Phoenixville, Pa. Payton Kough ’22 from Chambersburg, Pa., said she enjoys giving back.
“I just like volunteering and giving back whenever there’s an opportunity,” said Kough.
Matthew Damschroder, dean of students, was in awe of the turnout and drew parallels between the past and the present.
“It’s inspiring to see students turn out and try to make the change in the world that they aspire to. I was really moved by Marita Gilbert when she talked about Martin Luther King Jr. and how at the beginning he was a young man just doing the work.”
Damschroder believes that young people shouldn’t view Martin Luther King Jr.’s achievements as unattainable.
“We sort of revere him without understanding that our students have the same capacity to make social change, that same drive to see a better world for themselves and a better future for all of us, and it starts with things like this,” he said.
Team Makes a Case for Success at National Competition
In their first entry to the Community Bank Case Study Competition, the Juniata College team took first prize over 57 other participating teams. Sinéad Gallagher, assistant professor of accounting, chose four students to work together and create a final, 25-page report along with a short video.
Throughout their Juniata career, students participate in a wide variety of highimpact practices, which utilize active learning and student engagement in a project to develop transferrable knowledge and skills. High-impact practices can take the form of writing-intensive classes, internships, learning communities, and research projects such as this bank case study.
The students researched the effect of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act, otherwise known as the Dodd-Frank legislation, on local banks and were given “unfettered access to top executives at Kish Bank,” according to Gallagher.
Members of Juniata’s case study team, from the left, Matthew “Matt” Schaeffer ’20, Katherine “Katie” Migatulski ’19, advisor Sinéad Gallagher, assistant professor of accounting, Wyatt Page ’20, and David Hibner ’20, took first prize in the National Community Bank Case Study Competition.
—Katherine Migatulski ’19, Boiling Springs, Pa.
Juniata’s team consisted of seniors David Hibner ’20, Matt Schaeffer ’20, Wyatt Page ’20, and Katherine Migatulski ’19. Despite already busy schedules, they found time to not only research the policy but also meet with top executives at Kish Bank to get a look at real-life effects of the legislation.
Students used most of what free time they had left to pursue this project and they really put their all into it. Matt gave a lot of the credit for their focus to their faculty advisor saying, “We couldn’t have done it without Professor Gallagher. She was instrumental in keeping us on track and motivated.”
Their final project was titled, “Too Big to Fail, Too Small to Succeed, and the Piggy (Bank) in the Middle.” Kish Bank is headquartered in Belleville, Pa., a rural, agricultural community. Banks serving rural areas are often the only bank serving an area, but with limited residents, are in a precarious state where new legislation can have noticeable affects on operations. The Dodd-Frank legislation was introduced to “lighten the government grip on the banking industry, primarily community banks.” However, in their meetings with Kish, it became clear that rather than the legislation helping, it was hurting the bank.
This topic was new for all of the students involved and sparked the acquisition of new skills for them. Katherine said this project “pushed me to do a lot of things I didn’t know I could do. Speaking in front of 200 people, many of whom have important positions in banking, you don’t want to mess up.” Her teammates expressed similar nerves before the big presentation at the 21st Century Research and Policy Conference at the CSBS-Federal Reserve Community Banking–FDIC in Saint Louis, Missouri. While they may have been nervous, it certainly did not show. According to Schaeffer, “a lot of people came up to us afterwards and said we did a good job.” One of those people included the CEO of the FDIC Jelena McWilliams who congratulated them on their work.
In the announcement of the winner, CSBS senior executive vice president Michael L. Stevens said, “Our winner this year, Juniata College, demonstrated excellent analytical skills and creativity to produce a high-quality product.”
The process was beneficial to students not just in the immediate sense of gaining experience, but also in their broader personal, professional, and academic lives. After explaining that the report had been published in the CSBS Journal of Community Bank Case Studies, Wyatt remarked, “I can call myself an author now,” which will help bolster his resume but also gives a sense of pride and accomplishment. Matt emphasized how this experience helped him grow in his ability to work in groups to create a cohesive product and gave him “more confidence to do things that may seem too hard or out of reach.” In a display of humility, not one of the students said they thought they would win. In their own words, the win was “surprising”, “shocking,” and “unexpected.” “We knew we did a pretty good job, but didn’t know how the competition would stack up,” Matt said. “We didn’t realize we had a chance of winning until we were in the top three.”
For David, winning “was a good feeling. We had put a lot of work into it,” and to see that work pay off was “amazing and unexpected.”
Having bankers come up afterward was an incredibly rewarding sensation for the team members.
“If I hadn’t gone on this trip, there are connections I wouldn’t have made,” said Katherine, adding that she’s kept in contact with some of the executives through email and LinkedIn. This experience has only grown her interest in banking and provided her with valuable contacts post-graduation.
Each student also won a $1,000 scholarship from the CSBS.
The final report can be read in the CSBS Journal of Community Bank Case Studies.
New Coaches Set Game Plan for Success
Devon McFadden Men’s and Women’s Swimming
Laina Connor Softball
Kenneth Michaud Men’s Tennis
Joe Alianiello Women’s Soccer
Some of the newest members of the Juniata team are new coaches for football, swimming, softball, lacrosse, men’s and women’s soccer and esports. Diving into the deep end is head swim coach Devon McFadden, who spent three years as the assistant swim coach and assistant camp director with the Greater Oswego swim team in New York and has experience training high school swimmers at a YMCA in New York. She plans to, “grow the swim program not only in numbers but also in competitiveness.” When people think of Juniata, McFadden wants them to think of the swim program. McFadden stressed her willingness to be there for students. The College’s 10th head softball coach, Laina Connor takes on her new role after three years as assistant softball coach at Denison College. She describes softball as a sport that is “built for and celebrates females.” Her goal is to bring a competitive attitude, build upon the existing sisterhood of the team, and build a supportive environment for players. She states that she is “here for the players and to get them to where they want to go.” Head men’s tennis coach Kenneth Michaud comes to Juniata with years of experience coaching players in Las Vegas, Nev., and Jacksonville, Texas. In Las Vegas, Michaud was a finalist for the Las Vegas Sun Standout Awards for Coach of the Year and posted a 33-17 overall record at Rancho High School. As head men’s and women’s coach at Jacksonville College, both programs ranked 25th in the Nate Norbo Men’s Lacrosse
NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association).
Joe Alianiello is kicking off his first year as head women’s soccer coach and comes to Juniata after seven years as head women’s soccer coach at the University of Minnesota Crookston.
His plan is to build on the team’s already existing competitive and hardworking culture, and he wants the program to compete for playoff spots. Alianiello wants to instill a sense of being a part of something bigger than themselves in his players.
A former professional lacrosse player for the Charlotte Hounds and defensive coordinator at Dartmouth College, been named as the 23rd head coach of Juniata’s football team, bringing over a decade of experience with him.
Carter comes to Juniata from Muhlenberg College, his alma mater. At Muhlenberg, he was the special team’s coordinator as well as the coach of the quarterbacks and wide receivers. During his last season with the team, Muhlenberg went 13-1 on their way to the NCAA DIII Semifinals while also winning a conference championship.
Carter said coming to Juniata was “the realization of a dream for me.” Brendan Grady will lead the College’s men’s soccer program as the sixth head coach. Coming from Swarthmore College, his alma mater, where he most recently served as associate head coach and recruiting coordinator, Grady looks forward to joining “a welcoming, tight-knit community that invests in the student-athlete experience.”
This past season, his team earned an atlarge bid to the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Sweet 16, while six players were named to the Centennial All-Conference team.
He stated that his goal is to “build a championship culture that prepares young men for success on and off the field.” Despite coming from different backgrounds, the newest coaches feel welcome and look forward to building up their sports programs and being a part of their players’ future success. —Samuel Reid ’23, student writer Josh Carter Football Brendan Grady Men’s Soccer Nate Norbo is bringing years of experience to Juniata’s new men’s lacrosse program. Norbo appreciates the emphasis on academics. His plan is to not only grow Juniata’s program but the sport of lacrosse as a whole.
He wants to help players grow as teammates, people, and community, growing a team culture that will push players to win on and off the field.
Described as “one of the top young coaches in the country,” Josh Carter has
Valuing Diversity: Juniata Partners with Ningbo University in China to Expand Integrated Media Arts Program in the U.S.
A partnership between Ningbo University in eastern China and Juniata was formalized in November, during a visit from Jason Moran, vice president for enrollment and marketing, and Wei-Chung Wang, associate professor of business and economics and director of global program development.
Ningbo University is an elite public university that has developed into one of the nation’s key institutions of higher learning. Their motto translated into English is, “Seeking truth from facts and applying knowledge to the service of the nation.”
“Education from the U.S. carries a strong prestige in China. We decided to explore our options,” says Wei-Chung. “With this collaborative opportunity, we would be able to accomplish multiple initiatives including increased campus diversity, a better financial picture, and international relationship development.”
Wei-Chung Wang, associate professor of business and economics and director of global program development, and Jason Moran, vice president for enrollment and marketing, celebrated a new partnership between Juniata and Ningbo University on a visit to eastern China in November.
8 | Juniata Students at Ningbo University in China gathered for an economics lesson taught by Wei-Chung Wang, associate professor of business and economics and director of global program development.
In order to better serve their mission, Ningbo University and Juniata’s partnership will expand their international relations, promoting diversity for both institutions. In 2023, Ningbo students completing a 3+1 program in an integrated media arts (IMA)-related field will attend Juniata, coming to the U.S. to finish the last year of their degree. The proposed program will confer two undergraduate degrees, one from Ningbo and the other from Juniata, to enrolled students.
You may be wondering: How did this partnership vision become a reality? Yanping Rinehart, a science technician at the College, provides support for Chinese students. Yanping plays a key role in how Chinese students adapt and transition into college life at Juniata. After seeing Yanping’s success, Ran Tu ’06, associate dean of admission and international recruitment, wanted to recruit more students and continue to ensure success with the College’s diversity efforts.
Ran then introduced Wei-Chung, to Tony Ying, a Ningbo University representative and, with Rob Yelnosky ’85, director of enrollment research and technology, toured Ningbo University. Upon their return, Ran and Rob proposed the idea for collaboration. Wei-Chung followed up with a visit to Ningbo during his sabbatical semester to vet the process. A business, IMA, or education program was proposed to the administration at Ningbo University. They determined growing the new IMA program would be the best plan of action.
“Wei-Chung and I attended the grand opening of a new campus of Ningbo University, our new partner in the coastal area of China,” says Jason. “In addition, we took the opportunity to visit Chengdu and Taipei. During our visit, we visited six high schools, one private education institute, two partner universities, and our alumni in Chengdu and Taipei.”
Juniata strives to make the transition as comfortable and welcoming for international students as possible and is reviewing anticipated needs within the IMA department, academic and
—Wei-Chung Wang, associate professor of business and economics and director of global program development
Representatives of Ningbo University, along with Wei-Chung Wang, associate professor of business and economics and director of global program development, and Jason Moran, vice president for enrollment and marketing, proudly showed off their Juniata swag.
student services, the Center for International Education (CIE), and the rest of the campus community. “When the students arrive, the landscape of the College will change and we are preparing for that,” says Wei-Chung. “There are challenges that we have to face collectively as a campus to ensure that these students have an enjoyable and meaningful experience. We need to be mindful of language barriers, culture shock, and other aspects of their transition.”
Juniata’s partnership with Ningbo will promote diversity, inclusion, and educational excellence. In order to “think about who we are,” we need to think about others, too. “These students will be exposed to liberal arts education. And Juniata will have the chance to promote what we value the most: preparing students for life,” says Wei-Chung. “We want to let students immerse in an environment where a sense of community, interdisciplinary training, and interpersonal relationships are valued.”
Jason Moran, vice president for enrollment and marketing, and Dr. Junjing Chen, President of College of Science and Technology at Ningbo University, took part in a presentation during a visit to eastern China in November.
